PASSPORT: JOEY SHANKS (SLIDER PINES)
Slider Pines - Road * Avenue * Railroad 
Gerry Rafferty die zingt bij Buffalo Tom. Zo klinkt Slider Pines, een trio uit Dallas, Texas. Joey Shanks reisde veel van Dallas naar Memphis (waar hij opgroeide) en daarom zit er veel ‘reis’ in de liedjes. Net als veel bevlogen gitaarrock, met soul dus, uit de jaren zestig en zeventig. Slider Pines maakt bezielde rock die in haar eenvoud de tijd aan zich bindt en haar aldus overstijgt. Soms helpen de keyboards van bassist Andy Lester een handje (Wolf River) maar meestal is het trommel en tien snaren. Road * Avenue * Railroad is een sterk debuut dat in aantrekkelijkheid de meeste releases van dit jaar overstijgt. Waar onder de gedrevenheid ook ontroering schuilt (Visitor At Your Grave). (Wim Boluijt)
1. What’s in the name/what’s in the title?
The name “Slider Pines” is nonsense. It doesn’t mean anything.
The album title, “Road, Avenue, Railroad”, is a nod to the geography of my hometown, Memphis, TN.
2. What’s your first musical memory?
That’s tough. I remember trying to buy a 45 at a record shop.
I couldn’t remember the title, so the clerk made me sing it. It was some Steely Dan song. He played dumb and I went on and on. I walked out with a Queen single instead. Luckily, I didn’t have to sing that one.
3. First cd/lp you bought?
My first full-length lp was Purple Rain.
4. At which moment did you decide that your music had to be heard?
I started writing songs when I was twelve. I immediately thought it was important. Little did I know, I sucked and I would continue to suck for a very long time.
5. What is the biggest musical step you took so far?
I took a long break from playing music. That was a good thing for me. So many people chase a career in music blindly. I gave up that chase and I feel that has made me better as a songwriter.
6. You won a contest. First price is: a master class in song writing and you can choose the teacher. Who would you ask and what should the lesson be about?
That’s an easy one. I’d love to learn song structure from the great Motown song-writing team - Holland, Dozier and Holland.
7. Best concert you ever saw?
I don’t know about that one. When I was a kid, the sheer size of the big stadium shows fooled me. Concerts are pretty overwhelming. Now, I like seeing a good local band in a small room.
8. Who of your musical friends is going to change the world? And how?
Unless one of my musical friends is secretly doing cancer research, none of them.
9. It’s the end of the world and everybody knows it and they ask you to sing one more song for the whole wide world! Which one are going to pick?
Sam Cooke’s, “Bring It On Home To Me”, but somebody good has to sing the Lou Rawls’ backup part.
10. What’s up for the next couple of months?
We’re working on new songs right now. We’re hoping to release an EP this Spring.
