Music
The best kept secret in music
Press
Tribe of Souls has a new CD, Acoustic Love Monkey, out as well and my biggest question after giving it a few spins is: Why aren't these guys playing around town more often? Granted, this disc showcases the acoustic side of a band that many people identify with a heavier, funk-rock sound, but either way--they should have a solid audience here. The Tribe has some very cool original tunes going on here, sometimes tapping into a funk-rock groove, as on "Stupidity Fahrenheit", and other times going the straight-forward, acoustic-rock route, as they do on "Self". The band has even dipped into a couple of faithful stand-bys for this disc, including a tasteful reading of Jimmy Cliff's "Many Rivers to Cross" and their whacked out twist on Metallica's "Funk and Destroy". Tribe of Souls' fresh, acoustic reggae/funk rock should have local bars overflowing to the patio with dancing crowds. Somehow, though, it just hasn't worked out that way yet and I'm not sure why. Word is, Tribe of Souls recently won a pretty big "Battle of the Bands" over in Eureka Springs and part of the grand prize was studio time to record some new material. That's good news in that I'm already waiting for more. Acoustic, electric, or rocked out and heavy, I don't care. I may be late to the Tribe of Souls party, but Acoustic Monkey Love is a sweet introduction. Now what's up with the live gigs? - Urban Tulsa
Track of the Day on 7Aug2006 in Groove Rock
Best Male Vocals in Groove Rock, week of 7Aug2006
Best Drums in Groove Rock, week of 14Aug2006
Best Drums in Groove Rock, week of 28Aug2006
Best Bass in Groove Rock, week of 14Aug2006
Best Melody in Groove Rock, week of 14Aug2006
Best Mood in Groove Rock, week of 7Aug2006
Most Original in Groove Rock, week of 7Aug2006
Rocking Track in Groove Rock, week of 7Aug2006
Grooviest Rhythm in Groove Rock, week of 28Aug2006 - Peer review for Man Inside
Discography
Tribe's latest release is Acoustic Love Monkey in the spring of '06. We plan to hit the studio in the summer to record the follow up, tentatively titled "Electric Love Monkey".
We like monkeys.
Photos
Feeling a bit camera shy
Bio
If experience counted for anything, you'd be reading about Tribe of Souls in Rolling Stone. Until then, this will have to suffice. The individual members of TOS have been making noise in various projects for the past 15+ years, and Tribe has been playing in various incarnations off and on since 1996. Over this time, a few members have changed and a few side projects have popped up, but the core of the sound has always remained Brian Simmons on guitar/vocals. Long time friend (20 or so years) and former side project bassist Terry Waska joined about 2 years ago and our most recent acquisition is Doc on drums. As well as being a great drummer, Doc is also a talented guitarist, music teacher, song writer and dog groomer. His influence has led us toward more 2 and 3 part harmonies and new direction for song ideas.
Diversity is the key to Tribe's tunes. We've all known each other for so long, that we all know where each others head is at - it's intuitive, and that comes across in the creative process as well as playing live. Aside from the difficulty is in classifying Tribe of Soul's original music (Rockfunkska isn't a word. We prefer the term “non-genre”), our live shows may vary from a stripped down acoustic coffee house vibe to an all-out in-your-face crunchy rock assault, depending on the circumstances. Regardless of the style du jour, we're fans of all types of music, so we put the same heart into it whether it's acoustic or electric. At the core of our sound is a mix of old school rock and reggae, so it’s not uncommon to break out a funk version of a Metallica song or a psychedelic version of a Kiss classic.
Longevity has given us insight into the creative process (if something sucks, don't play it), and experience has given us insight into how a band should work (never play for less than free beer).
Links
