CREE RIDER himself goes into discussion about his craft of music, releases so far, and what is up next for his music and himself.
1. Please tell us about the history of your band and its members.
With pleasure! We sort of came together as another band of mine, Cree Rider Family Band (https://open.spotify.com/artist/3XRXBKYzi8ShXOANoYJb1p), took a break. Scotti Iman (drums) was already playing with Family Band, so he hopped over to this new project, along with a St. Louis stalwart bass player he worked with often, Simon Chervitz. I invited the preexisting chemistry they had to the rhythm section for this band. I filled it out with multi-instrumentalist (pedal steel, electric guitar) Adam Donald and called it a day. When Adam moved to Nashville with his other band, Cara Louise (https://cara-louise.com/) , it opened up a spot for one of my favorite secret weapons in St. Louis, Scott Swartz to take over the pedal steel/electric guitar position.
2. What’s the origin of the band’s name?
The name of the act is Cree Rider, so it’s just my name. I am he as you are he as you are me and we are all together. I am the Walrus.
3. Where is the band based out of and what is your music scene like there? Are there any local bands you could recommend?
I am from St. Louis, MO, where we are trying to get away from saying “local” bands, to saying “St. Louis” band, ha. We have a rich “St. Louis” ;-) music scene, which has traditions back to the creation of Jazz and Blues. We also have a long history with country music, we even have an old honky tonk on the outskirts of the county where it is said Hank Williams played, all those years ago. Our particular scene owes a lot to alt-country music legends Uncle Tupelo, who started just outside of town in Belleville, IL, and which sort of created a rootsy edgy country rock style that our band can sort of be grouped with.
St. Louis is a place where you can afford to be an artist, but it’s hard to really be recognized because it’s not a hub of the music industry in the US. In that regard though, you can create art and music at your own pleasure and will, and not feel the pressure and demand of the industry dictating your choices. It leads, what I find to be, a lot of passionate and incredibly talented bands, who are creating music for the right reasons. Not to be discovered or to profit, but to share their soul. It’s a delicate balance, and although many eventually leave the city for those music hubs, it’s a wonderful place to live and develop a unique sound and vision.
I would say check out Falling Fences, River Kittens, Grace Basement, Beth Bombara, Al Holliday…just to name a few.
4. How would you describe your style?
We play Cosmic Americana. Basically, a blend of aspects of American musical forms (in this case, Country, Rock, Blues, Folk) and add our own cosmic bend to it. We want you to feel familiar, but then we want to expand your mind.
5. What have you released so far and what can someone expect from your works?
I had some releases prior to the Family Band which can be found on all digital platforms, and then Family Band did 3 albums from 2013-2017. This current incarnation of the band started in 2019, and we have now released 3 singles, one on our own, and the past two with the help of The Animal Farm Music in the UK. We are rooted in sort of an alt-country sound, but as stated above, we like to push the boundaries occasionally into a more cosmic realm, like in our new release “All of the Love” (https://open.spotify.com/album/5OD8s7zd7unNYCANmkDbNm)
6. Do you have any new music in the works?
Yes, we plan to keep releasing singles for now. We have probably 3 in the can, and 3 more will be in process soon.
7. How about playing shows and touring, have anything planned out?
Right now we are playing frequently in the St. Louis/midwestern US region. We hope, as we release more music, that we’ll soon have some more opportunities to get on the road and bring the music to the people.
8. What plans do you have for the future as a band?
We keep it simple. We write, we rehearse, we record, we release, we play out. This is the now and the future.. We hope that through our diligence and also with our partnerships with labels such as Animal Farm, that our music will continue to find it’s audience, and we will be able to do all these things we already do on a larger scale.
9. Where can we listen to your band and where can we buy your stuff?
You can hear us here https://open.spotify.com/artist/0TfbFbaiFSdfRU8SHjCa3f or anywhere you may stream your music. You can find us more directly at www.creeridermusic.com
10. What is it you’d like a listener to remember the most when hearing your music for the first time?
I want them to feel embraced and engaged, but I also want them to remember a feeling of wonderment and possibility. We are all here now, experiencing these times together. I am here with you. I want to connect.
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