Music
The best kept secret in music
Press
Klepto Records artist Ride the Blinds jumped started their set with the Who’s classic “Can’t Explain”, playing an enthusiastic garagy blues rock set. Ride the Blinds with Chris Guthridge on guitar, harmonica and vocals, backed by Bill Cramer on bass and the incredible Nick Cramer on drums hammered through their set. Nick’s drumming was the highlight of the night. Thundering and pounding the crap out of the skins like he was channeling Moon, Bonham, Animal and Godzilla simultaneously. Their set was tight and precise like a well oiled machine. It seemed the band was a bit nervous at the onset, but slowly eased up and let themselves enjoy the moment, that’s when the music was able to shine through. The later half of the set was filled with amazing fills by Nick, great bass riffs by Bill and solid guitar from Chris. Ride the Blinds had a quality to their musicianship that was reminiscent of the great bands of the past yet kept fresh like they had been placed in a time capsule and recently re-released out into the wild.
-Ben Acevedo
- West Coast Performer Magazine
Ed: Nothing but pure rock music. This is hands-down the best rock record of the year..
Edd: I hated this BTO-Free shit as a kid, but these guys make it sound hot.
Eddy: Move over, garage! Rock has a new savior. This record covers more ground than Greyhound.
Johnny: MC5 to Stones to Zeppelin to ZZ Top. Solid, crunchy rock goodness.
-Bargain Basement - hybridmagazine.com
Material: Sure, classic roots arena-rock has been done before. But, it’s been done by the likes of legendary bands like the Rolling Stones, the Who and Cream. Ride The Blinds sounds like a hybrid of all three, as if the band worshipped at the same blues altar as its predecessors.
Musicianship: Guthridge opens his mouth and channels a young Mick Jagger, while his frenetic guitar soloing makes the artfulness of it look deceptively easy. Bill Cramer’s bass lines are melodic and intense. Nick Cramer’s drumming hits hard and with taste -- a rarity that is truly impressive.
Performance: From the moment these nerdy-looking musicians took the stage, it was an explosion. Once they had the audience’s attention, each player upped the ante all the way through, pulling out rock must-haves in a way that was part tongue-in-cheek and part American tradition. Guthridge, who looked and dressed like a librarian, played guitar with his teeth and managed to make it believable. Bill Cramer was all over the stage, while his brother Nick was an animal behind the drums. Nick’s drum solo at the end of the set was simply astonishing. He was so animated while he played that one expected his eyes to fall from their sockets and roll right down his face. Indeed, he brought the other two players to their knees in a satisfying climax.
Summary: Ride The Blinds takes on roots rock, and then leaves the case closed. This group is indisputably recycling, but its presentation appears fresh nonetheless. Ride The Blinds’ music inspires an excitement that quite possibly mirrors the fervor created by the bands it emulates. This is not only the way it should be done; it also highlights what is missing from many acts when they try to be cutting edge. Anyone wanting to experience a real rock act should try to catch this band the next time it’s in town.
-Lauri Shaw - Music Connection Magazine
Discography
Ride the Blinds (Self Titled)
Photos
Feeling a bit camera shy
Bio
Formed in San Francisco during the summer of 2003, Ride the Blinds is a Rock 'N' Roll power-trio that has been blazing its way up and down the California coastline. Over the past year and a half, this band has showcased its brand of bare-knuckled rock in more than fifty shows at venues as varied as their musical influences. Armed for the most part with borrowed and temperamental equipment, Ride the Blinds lets their musicianship do the talking in a genre that has been in dire need of a wake-up call.
Lead singer, Chris Guthridge, is a masterful guitar player who has been lighting up the San Francisco music scene for the past several years. Before Ride the Blinds, Guthridge played in a seven piece funk band for three years that gigged all over the Bay Area. While his raw talent always stole the show, his Rock 'N' Roll appetite led him to leave the group and team up with brothers Bill and Nick Cramer. Bill Cramer, a bass player with a background in ragtime piano, provides the low end for this power-trio with driving and melodic bass lines. Nick Cramer is nothing short of savage on his drum kit. He conjures up the same energy and power that gave drummers like Keith Moon and John Bonham their fame. These brothers form a telepathic rhythm section that becomes an incendiary dynamic when the guitar work of Chris Guthridge is added to the mix.
Ride the Blinds plays Rock 'N' Roll in its truest form. They are purists with a simple, straightforward motto: "Plug in and Play." Whether they're "plugging in" at esteemed venues like The House of Blues or playing at empty dive bars, Ride the Blinds is a refreshing act to catch and the buzz over these rockers in their early twenties is starting to spread...
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