Twelve Against Nature
Nashville, Tennessee, United States
Music
Press
“Amazing show-I’ve been in Nashville all these years and didn’t know what I was missing.” - Twelve Against Nature Comments
“I had a blast-you guys are awesome-it took me all the way back!” - Twelve Against Nature Comments
“I was blown away with the band, and frankly flabbergasted you have been doing this since 2004 and have not been discovered. It’s a very unique thing you cats are doing.” - Twelve Against Nature Comments
“These guys are the real deal! I love sitting in with this band.” - Twelve Against Nature Comments
May 15, 2006
Recently I had the thrill of experiencing a tribute band I'd been hearing about for a couple of years but had never seen. In fact, some musical acquaintances and people I work with in the studio are members of the group, but I'd just never made the time to go out and see them. The band is called Twelve Against Nature, and as you can probably tell from their name (if you're a fan of the original), they're a Steely Dan tribute band. Part of the reason they're called Twelve Against Nature (besides the obvious album title reference) is that it takes twelve people on stage to pull off those amazing Steely Dan arrangements. The ensemble consists of a horn section, two guitarists, two keyboardists, a drummer and bass player, and two backup singers. Several of the instrumentalists also share lead and backing vocal duties.
Twelve Against Nature typically plays at 3rd and Lindsley, a very popular and respected Nashville live venue. Their shows are always packed, and after seeing them myself for the first time, now I know why. They don't just play every note in every song in a repertoire that spans Steely Dan's entire career (they play "Ricky Don't Lose That Number," several songs from Aja, and new stuff all in the same set); they live and breathe every note and set the house on fire. Their collective musicianship is beyond the level of some towns' entire musician population, mostly because the band includes some of the most respected talent in Nashville. Sax virtuoso Jim Hoke, for instance, has probably played on more records than most musicians on the planet. Marcia Ramirez, one of the backup singers, is a hit singer/songwriter who tours with the likes of Patty Loveless (and of course, in true Nashville fashion, her husband is the leader of LeAnn Womack's band). Britt Savage, another of the band's revolving collection of fine backup singers, is not only one of Nashville's busiest and most repected demo singers, but also the voice on national ad campaigns by little companies like Coca Cola, Burger King and McDonalds. Only in Nashville! All of the players have more "cred" than most of us could ever hope for.
Just like the members of the band, the "special guests" who hop up on stage and sit in for a number or two include the cream of the crop of Nashville's session players and stars. You never know who might show up. And the audience is the same way. It's amazing to look around the crowd and try to fathom the number of heavy hitters in the room. For example, as I sat at my table with #1 hit songwriters/Tony award winners Sara Light and Danny Arena, I kept bumping my chair into a woman behind me (3rd and Lindsley is not a large room). At one point, I turned around to apologize to the woman, who, as it turned out, was none other than Allison Krauss, just out for a night of watching one of her buddies--one of the guitarist in the band--play music. Only in Nashville!
I could go on, but you get the picture. If you're ever in Nashville, make a point of going out to see one of its many tribute bands perform. You'll never think of tribute bands in the same way again. I know I don’t!
- Performing Songwriter.com
May 15, 2006
Recently I had the thrill of experiencing a tribute band I'd been hearing about for a couple of years but had never seen. In fact, some musical acquaintances and people I work with in the studio are members of the group, but I'd just never made the time to go out and see them. The band is called Twelve Against Nature, and as you can probably tell from their name (if you're a fan of the original), they're a Steely Dan tribute band. Part of the reason they're called Twelve Against Nature (besides the obvious album title reference) is that it takes twelve people on stage to pull off those amazing Steely Dan arrangements. The ensemble consists of a horn section, two guitarists, two keyboardists, a drummer and bass player, and two backup singers. Several of the instrumentalists also share lead and backing vocal duties.
Twelve Against Nature typically plays at 3rd and Lindsley, a very popular and respected Nashville live venue. Their shows are always packed, and after seeing them myself for the first time, now I know why. They don't just play every note in every song in a repertoire that spans Steely Dan's entire career (they play "Ricky Don't Lose That Number," several songs from Aja, and new stuff all in the same set); they live and breathe every note and set the house on fire. Their collective musicianship is beyond the level of some towns' entire musician population, mostly because the band includes some of the most respected talent in Nashville. Sax virtuoso Jim Hoke, for instance, has probably played on more records than most musicians on the planet. Marcia Ramirez, one of the backup singers, is a hit singer/songwriter who tours with the likes of Patty Loveless (and of course, in true Nashville fashion, her husband is the leader of LeAnn Womack's band). Britt Savage, another of the band's revolving collection of fine backup singers, is not only one of Nashville's busiest and most repected demo singers, but also the voice on national ad campaigns by little companies like Coca Cola, Burger King and McDonalds. Only in Nashville! All of the players have more "cred" than most of us could ever hope for.
Just like the members of the band, the "special guests" who hop up on stage and sit in for a number or two include the cream of the crop of Nashville's session players and stars. You never know who might show up. And the audience is the same way. It's amazing to look around the crowd and try to fathom the number of heavy hitters in the room. For example, as I sat at my table with #1 hit songwriters/Tony award winners Sara Light and Danny Arena, I kept bumping my chair into a woman behind me (3rd and Lindsley is not a large room). At one point, I turned around to apologize to the woman, who, as it turned out, was none other than Allison Krauss, just out for a night of watching one of her buddies--one of the guitarist in the band--play music. Only in Nashville!
I could go on, but you get the picture. If you're ever in Nashville, make a point of going out to see one of its many tribute bands perform. You'll never think of tribute bands in the same way again. I know I don’t!
- Performing Songwriter.com
Discography
Still working on that hot first release.
Photos
Bio
Twelve Against Nature was founded in January 2004 by band leader Scott Sheriff. The musicians and vocalists that were assembled have traveled the world over with the likes of Kenny Loggins, Marty Stuart, Richard Marx, Loverboy, Steven Curtis Chapman, Brooks & Dunn, Kathy Mattea, Rascal Flatts, Amy Grant, Shelby Lynne, Rodney Crowell, Patty Loveless, David Foster, Leann Womack, and Billy Bob Thornton, just to name a few.
The goal of the band is to present authentic performances of classic Steely Dan songs as they were recorded. The arrangements have been painstakingly transcribed from the drum fills to the horn scores to the memorable signature guitar solos. This band promises an entertaining evening of nostalgia for both the casual fan and the diehard followers. Their repertoire spans the entire length of the Steely Dan catalog. At least one song is covered from each of the band’s studio recordings. Not only will the listener connect with memorable hits like “Peg”, “Josie”, and “Reelin’ In The Years”, but lesser known cuts are also included in the show to complete the diverse experience.
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