Music
Press
Those whining about the lack of local gig opportunities should take note of Paul Justin & the Saloonatixx. That’s ’cause the country-rock combo lands three-quarters of their bookings in the Inland Empire. Hitting the stages at various rodeos, fairs and venues, Justin and company have been consistently performing since the act formed over four years ago. But Justin notes that the act’s show success has much to do with the genre of music they’re performing (and how it’s conducive to the area’s lifestyle).
“Numerous communities are centered around equestrian lifestyles and activities which naturally make for more events where a country band offers the right fit,” he says. “Of course as trends change, there aren’t as many venues to play as there used to be, but the remaining venues do pretty well.”
The act’s been doing well with audiences, merging old and new country, some Southern rock and even a few surprises. “We’re up there because we enjoy it, want to be there and I think it shows,” Justin says. “We make it a point to never just ‘call in’ a show.”
Justin calls the shots as the act’s primary songwriter. “However, everyone contributes to the creative process and the songs wouldn’t be what they are without everyone’s input,” he adds. “As our drummer likes to say tongue-in-cheek, ‘Without me, you guys would just be a bunch of folk singers!’”
The Saloonatixx have even penned a tune about their fondness for trucks (the aptly-billed “We Like Trucks”). Justin traverses the turf in a Chevrolet Silverado, however his dream ride is the ’72 Chevy four-wheel-drive he’s in the midst of restoring.
The group will be stomping the gas pedal in the new year, wrapping a new LP in early 2010. But before they do that, they’ll need to celebrate the calendar change by ringing it in at the Brandin‘ Iron.
“We always look forward to playing the Brandin‘ Iron,” Justin says. “We’ve made a good name there and, more importantly, we’ve made lots of friends!”
- IEWeekly http://www.ieweekly.com/cms/story/detail/paul_justin_the_saloonatixx/2939/
Discography
Paul Justin - Pole Line Road. Available on CDBaby.com or iTunes.
Photos
Bio
Paul Justin was born in the dusty Nevada desert and plucked his first guitar string at the age of four on a ranch in Sterling, Colorado. From the beginning, music and the Wild West were in his soul.
Justin’s early influences were The Steve Miller Band, The Beatles, Johnny Cash, The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, and Gordon Lightfoot. At 14, he learned to play bass in a band with his two brothers and a cousin, and performed in his hometown of Hawthorne, Nevada. He continued playing in bands until 1996 when he gave up music for love that didn’t last.
The last few years I've been singin' the Blues, I lost a girl, my dog, my trouble comes in two's (from “Pick a Guitar String”)
But even when love was fleeting, music was always there. Justin penned his first country song, “Aurora,” a ballad of revenge in a rowdy Nevada mining town, and from that day on he was on the path to country music stardom.
In 2005 he debuted at Cook’s Corner in Trabuco Canyon, California, and today he’s a favorite at many California and Nevada venues including Cowboy Country in Long Beach, The Brandin' Iron in San Bernardino, The Crazy Horse Saloon, and Pure Country in Reno. He’s played state fairs and rodeos and alongside other major country talents like Josh Gracin and Jason Meadows. His musical style and personality lets you know you’ve come to the right place for a good time!
"Music is a journey to me," says Justin, "every song I've written was hatched out of real life. Every songwriter feels compelled by their emotions, events, or even just a few words they hear someone say, to craft music and lyrics together. It's the best feeling in the world to finish a song and share it other people. The journey is life as I relate to it with my music."
Justin’s music is in demand – his song “We Love Trucks” was used in radio ads for last year’s new model trucks. His self-distributed album Pole Line Road is selling well online and he is currently working on his second studio album, due for release in early 2009. With all of this going for him and more, Paul Justin is a country star on the rise.
Be a better man cause I'm not beat, the path to a better life is under my feet. (From “Under My Feet”)
Links
