It was interesting how Tim started playing guitar. Growing up in South Oak Cliff to German Immigrates, He starting playing classical violin, but, since Tim grew up only a few blocks from Stevie Ray and Jimmy Vaughn, and the fact that the original Deep Ellum was a hot bed for blues, the blues where the main music a budding guitarist would hear. So Tim's next door neighbors Grandfather (an old bluesman that went by the name of "Curly Barefoot Miller") would sit out on the porch every night after dinner, and play and sing the blues to the kids in the neighborhood. Great tunes from Freddy King, Muddy, Jimmy Reed; the list was endless. As Tim Put it "It was a great way to grow up." Tim begged his dad for a guitar. Soon after his dad brought home a 67 Fender Telecaster Thinline he had gotten at a pawn shop (which Tim still has today). So Curly sat on the back porch taught Tim to play the blues. Tim loves the blues to this day. "It's a style of music that you can sit down with a guitar, your dog, and a beer and just get lost for a while" says Tim.
Tim say's "I really like this group of guys, we are all diverse with our influences, but have the same goal, to get you off your butt! Thom and I have known each other for almost 15 years now, I can’t think of any one I trust more! And Phil came in and with the same ideas and goals. We are guys who play the music for the passion of playing. Our original songs show our influences. One thing when you come to a show you WILL have fun!"
Thom started playing Trombone in the fifth grade, soon after he started messing around with a borrowed “Beatle” bass clone when he was a senior in high school, He started teaching bass six months later. Thom has played and sang for many bands in the ol’ country of Wisconsin, and did quite a bit of session work as well. Thom's list of Influences are; Matt Florence (no, you don’t know that name), Peter Phippen, Jaco Pastorius, Geddy Lee, Tony Franklin, Tommy Shannon, and many, many more.
Thom played with Tim in other bands (Toughbreaks and The Tequila Snortin Llamas) and was bugging Tim to start playing again. Thom actually found Phil on Craig's List (of all places) looking for a new drummer. Thom's quote "We all just clicked at the first practice!"
Thom's creed is "We will get you up and dancing or drinking or something, but you won’t be sitting still!"
“When I was about 14, I got these old drum sticks and would sit on the floor with a bunch of throw pillows out and beat the crap out of them along along with songs on the stereo. I bought my first drum set from a pawn shop. a red kit that was missing a lot of parts, so I bought another one. It was blue. I combined the bits and pieces of the two sets together and came up with a pretty funky looking drum set, and commenced to beating the crap of that. And as they say, the rest is history........”
Phil's musical past began with guitar lessons at age 7. In the third grade, he had a short stint playing violin, and in 5th grade he began to play trumpet. Phil excelled at the trumpet and continued to play all through high school and into college, playing in marching, concert, and jazz bands. In high school, he started taking keyboard lessons and became immersed in the study of music theory, which also continued into college.
Phil's musical influences are diverse. “I love all types of music...rock, blues, jazz, country, pop or top-40, R & B, even classical (orchestral). Probably my favorite “listening” music is in the progressive rock or fusion genre, bands like Kansas, Dixie Dregs, Steve Morse Band, early Genesis, ELP, Yes, Rush....like that.”
On Mojo Lincoln Phil says “We have a lot of fun with Mojo Lincoln. I'm always looking forward to the next show, gig, party....whatever you want to call it, it's a good time....you gotta be there!”
