WILX

Artist Information

Biography

Born beneath the Mississippi mud, WILX emerged as rock band in June of 2005. Since their inception, WILX has focused their energy on pure rock n roll performances, combining powerful drumming, resonating bass, and two virtuoso guitars that trade riffs. Their sound is reminiscent of The Allman Brothers, The Who, and Little Feat, while uniquely defining an evolution of southern-based rock n roll. Now residing in the musical vortex of Athens, GA, WILX’s live shows encompass a spirit of eclectic energy that stems from such a dynamic environment. In 2006, WILX toured relentlessly, constantly writing new material while perfecting the original. Their current EP was recorded at Tweed Recording Studio in Oxford, Mississippi.

WILX has performed with Perpetual Groove, Tishamingo, The Whigs, and Devon Allman, as well as a variety of other well-known national acts. WILX has played various local festivals, including the Poplar Street Music Festival, in Athens, GA, and the Elvis Festival in Tupelo, Mississippi. Look for WILX to be making various festival appearances 2008, as well as touring new national markets

Instrumentation

Hayden Smith: guitar & vocals
Grant Mitchell: guitar & vocals
Wilkes Evans: drums
Taylor Arnall : bass & vocals

Discography

WILX: self titled; May 2006

Links

• WiLX Myspace

Audio

• Nothin I Can Do
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• Pivot
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• Rest My Soul
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• Five Bridges
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• Tour
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• What A Mess
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• Have You Seen Mary
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Video

Photo Gallery

Press

• Local band to 'take it to a more serious level' [+ Show ]
  

  By: SETH MCKELVEY Posted: 1/31/08 In the music industry, taking care of business consists of a lot...By: SETH MCKELVEY
  Posted: 1/31/08
  In the music industry, taking care of business consists of a lot more than just working overtime, or even making good music. The members of local band Wilx know there are quite a few other things that come into play.
  
  Primary songwriters Grant Mitchell and Hayden Smith have been playing guitar and writing music together for almost a decade. The two met up with drummer Wilkes Evans at the University of Mississippi and have since been crafting their musical direction.
  
  But there have been obstacles along the way.
  
  "Lineup changes seemed to have been pretty numerous before me," said bass player and University alumnus Taylor Arnall, who joined the band last May.
  
  The band went through numerous musicians before its current roster.
  
  "Hayden, Grant, and I have always just kind of seemed to be on the same page, as like, wanting to be a band, and pursue something like that," Evans said.
  
  However, getting other members to commit to the band as a real career has been difficult until recently.
  
  "We're definitely musically satisfied, as far as how our music has been developing," Arnall said. "So that's been kind of inspiring."
  
  WILX
  With Mama's Love
  When: 10:30 tonight
  Where: Georgia Theatre
  Cost: $5
  More Information: www.myspace.com/thewilxband
  
  Mitchell was quick to agree.
  
  "Not to dismiss any of the past of our band before him, but at the same time, since (Arnall has) been on board, it's kind of shot up to a more serious level," he said.
  
  The band relocated from Mississippi to Athens and, now that it's settled in, can focus all energies on its work.
  
  "It'd be great if we could go and make a good living off of this," Arnall said.
  
  However, placing all of the financial burdens on the band adds another set of obstacles to overcome. They recently began working with Athens-based artist management and consulting firm, Nimbleslick.
  
  Until recently, Nimbleslick consisted of founder Ben Ferguson, managing Perpetual Groove as his sole client. Ferguson then hired University music business alumnus Owen Gray, who had connection with Wilx, and started the partnership between the two.
  
  "Working at Nimbleslick has been an ongoing learning experience," said Gray of his new company. "You learn a lot in the MBUS program, but applying that knowledge is a lot different. I'm learning how to help build a band from the bottom up, and Ben's experience with Perpetual Groove is a great teaching tool."
  
  Together, the two recognized the promise in Wilx.
  
  "They're relatively new to Athens, but they've certainly been making and staking a claim across the Southeast in a lot of their markets," Ferguson said. "So we took notice, and saw a lot of potential in them."
  
  Nimbleslick's purpose is to help with the business side of things for Wilx and help them grow as artists and achieve their goals.
  
  "What you really don't get anymore in the more major side of the music industry is artist development," he said. "The first thing we always say is 'There's no magic fairy dust you can just sprinkle on everything and it's going to become successful. It takes a lot of work.'"

Setlist

Original WiLX Tunes:

Abide
Backroom
Broken Wall
The Creek
Crutch
Echo From A Dream
Emma
Face Up
5 Bridges
From the Darkness
Go Down
Have You Seen Mary
Hey Now
Layin' Back
Losing Faith
Nothing I Can Do
Pipe Down Patty
Pivot
Rest My Soul
Restitution
Somewhere Beneath
Settle Down
Step
The Summit
The Storm
Talkin n Drinkin
Tell Me Why
Today
Tour
What a Mess


COVER SONGS:

311: Beautiful Disaster

Al Green: Glad You're Mine

Alice in Chains: Would

Allman Brothers: Blue Sky
Allman Brothers: In Memory of Elizabeth Reed
Allman Brothers: Southbound

The Band: Don't Do It
The Band: Night they Drove Old Dixie Down
The Band: Opehlia

The Beatles: Get Back

Blue Oyster Cult: Godzilla

Golden Earring: Radar Love

Grateful Dead: Brown Eyed Women
Grateful Dead: Shakedown Street
Grateful Dead: Franklin's Tower

Guess Who: No Sugar Tonight

Incubus: Drive

Led Zeppelin: Hey Hey What Can I Do

Little Feat: Spanish Moon
Little Feat: Skin it Back

The Meters: Cissy Strut

Michael Stanley: Let's Get the Show on the Road

moe.: Rebubula

Neil Young: Walk On

Otis Redding: Hard to Handle
Otis Redding: Sittin on the Dock of the Bay

Pearl Jam: Dissident
Pearl Jam: Betterman

Peter Gabriel: Sledge Hammer

Red Hot Chili Peppers: Funky Monk

Robert Palmer: Sneakin' Sally thru the Alley

Rolling Stones: Sympathy for the Devil
Rolling Stones: Loving Cup

Stevie Wonder: Boogie on Reggae Woman
Stevie Wonder: Superstition

Traffic: Feeling Alright
Traffic: Empty Pages

Van Morrison: Into The Mistic

The Who: Eminence Front

Willie Nelson: Whiskey River

Willie C. Cobbs: You Don't Love Me

Basic Requirements

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