G.H. Shaddix
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G.H. Shaddix

Smyrna, Georgia, United States | INDIE

Smyrna, Georgia, United States | INDIE
Band Americana Singer/Songwriter

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"Call it alt-country, Southern rock or Americana - the tag doesn't really matter."


By Don Thrasher, Contributing Writer 2:35 PM Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Call it alt-country, Southern rock or Americana - the tag doesn't really matter. The fact is there's a large local fan base for rocked-up, country-flavored music and a real shortage of area bands plowing that sonic terrain.

Enter The Alabastards, a six-piece roots rock wrecking crew comprised of Greg Shaddix (vocals, acoustic guitar), Matt Bourelle (electric guitar, vocals), Justin Farrell (bass) Brett Parsons (banjo, vocals), Mark Combs (harmonica), and Chris Tilley (drums, vocals).

"I didn't feel like anybody was doing what we're doing," Shaddix said. "There's not really an all-original country band around, especially not the kind of music we're playing. For me, I don't necessarily call it country. It's just what we do. It's obviously got a country vein to it, you can't help that, but I think we had something to offer that wasn't out there."

The Alabastards - which began practicing as a seven-piece group in October 2009 - mix traditional country, bluegrass, Western swing and blues with a healthy dose of rock. And despite the acoustic instrumentation, this group does kick up a ruckus.

"We all came from playing different styles of music," Bourelle said. "Tilley, Combzee, and I have played rock 'n' roll for years. Tilley was in the heavy metal band Fluwid, I was in The Black Cigarettes, Combzee was in the Paul David Bach Band, and Brett and Justin played bluegrass in a band called The Wild Breed Boys."

The group is working with Brian Whitten at Center City Studio on its debut album, which should be released in Fall 2011. - By Don Thrasher, Contributing Writer 2:35 PM Wednesday, October 20, 2010


Discography

"Sullivan Road" by The Alabastards

Photos

Bio

Being the oldest son of a Southern Baptist preacher and a southern belle from Georgia may not seem like the ideal beginning for a troubadour, but not everything is as is it seems….

Old oak wooden church pews reverberate with red letter readings out of a King James Bible, it’s time to be on my best behavior. Not only is this church, the man behind the pulpit is my father.

The sermon seems to go on for hours, and as a little boy all I wanted to do was be outside pretending to be Joe Namath, not listening to what seemed like another lecture from my dad. The only thing that brought any ease to this misery was that when I heard the music start to play I knew it was almost over.

Little did I know back then, when I heard the music and thought it was over…..Really it was only beginning.

Just like when I felt Southern Gospel music and my daddy’s voice vibrate through those old oak pews, another piece of wood had a similar but much more substantial impact on my life, a Martin guitar.

Through out the years, that old Martin and I have seen many miles since we first met. We have played on a boat in the Florida Keys; it has been tied to a packhorse in the New Mexico mountains. It has seen a marriage, and a divorce. Survived cold Ohio winters and cold-hearted women.

Yes this bio seems to be more about my guitar than about me, but really, we are one in the same. Telling my story though lines written about real life. Not all fact, not all fiction. The songs I want to play for you.