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Every Mother's Nightmare
Long Haired Country
Boys Hit the Road
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Every Mother's Nightmare (EMN), a late addition to Kegl's Unmodern Rock
presentation of "A Rockin' New Year's Eve Party" hit the stage
shortly after local melodic rockers, Aska, wound things up. A
packed artist roster at the Bronco Bowl and delays due to an ice storm didn't leave the band time for a full-set or a sound
check. However, they pulled things off quite well.
Though vocalist Rick Ruhl says that the band usually plays at least three
tracks off their first album, their time on stage was cut considerably
short that evening.
The band opened with the first track from their new album Smokin' Delta Voodoo
(Perris) which is called "Push" and finished with an their classic
cover of Charlie Daniels "Long Haired Country Boy," which can be found
on their 1990 self-titled Arista debut.
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Jeff Caughron
Even though the set was only seven songs long, it gave them the
opportunity to showcase a few tracks from their new album and introduce
the new band members to the Texas crowd. It was a disappointment
that they couldn't get to tracks like "Love Can Make You Blind"
and an upcoming single called "Somehow" from their newest
release. For those who are wondering
what EMN has been up to for the past five or six years, lead
vocalist and founding member Rick Ruhl explains that after
releasing their second album, Wake Up Screaming (Arista), the
band was writing for a third release when they chose to let bass
player Mark McMurtry move on to pursue other interests.
The separation continued when shortly thereafter,
guitarist Steve Malone quit from the pressures of touring and
working in the studio for five years solid and the strain that
it had placed on his marriage. As a result, Ruhl called up
guitarist Travis Hall, who he had been watching perform since
the age of fourteen and been writing with for about two years
prior.
As soon as Steve quit, I told him (Travis), and he was up in Nashville in
three hours ready to go,” said Ruhl.
While Ruhl has replaced all of the other original members of EMN he has
strived to maintain the direction and sound that the band is known for.
In fact, while their long awaited third release even includes two tracks that had originated several years
ago when the line-up first began to change.
Troy FlemmingHe explains that “Pray (for You)” was something that he and Jim
Phipps, the band’s original drummer, had written along with a few other
tracks, when Hall had first joined the band.
And the other older track “Sympathy” was written while the old
band was recording in Detroit.
When the new band came across the latter track, they totally revamped the song to the
point that Ruhl says it actually sounds nothing like the original.
Though, he felt that since Steve Malone had come up with the main riff,
it was appropriate to give him and Phipps credit for the songs on the album.
Now, the band has a new line-up and is sort of going by a new name.
Ruhl explained that the band’s name Every Mother’s Nightmare actually
started out as kind of a joke.
Travis Hall
“We were just going to play a record showcase, and
we didn’t really have a name, and we used it,” said Ruhl.
But, he explains that while the name had stuck with them, everyone
has always referred to them as “EMN.” So, they just started going as
EMN, since, in a way, they are trying to get away from the stigma
associated with eighties bands (thought their first album was really
released in 1990).
“Just because we had our little love ballad that
went good over the radio, that’s what we’re considered - a ballad
band... basically anyone who had long hair back in those days is considered
a ‘hair’ band or whatever.”
Ruhl
jokes, “I’ve had long
hair since I was in the sixth grade. My mom is a barber.
My head is way too stupid lookin’ without no hair to cover it up
(laughs).” Prior to signing with Tom Mathers at Perris Records, the
band had done some material for Warner Brothers in Nashville, and had actually
recorded songs that were straight forward rock ‘n roll with a country twist,
which Ruhl attempted to describe as a somewhat heavier version of Travis Tritt.
However, as time went on, the label had attempted to mold the band into
something they were not and they chose to move on to pursue other possibilities
that would allow them to maintain their identity.
And while they had several offers from different labels, Ruhl says that Mathers
took the time get in touch with him personally. Actually, the band had already been signed to a very small
label called Hard Drive when Perris made the offer, but Ruhl had signed the
agreement with them with the stipulation that if something better came along, he
would leave. And since things were
moving very slowly with the small label, and something better came along before
they were even finished with the album cover, the band moved forward with the
deal on Perris.
“Anytime we need anything, we call him (Mathers) and it’s done.
That’s what I was looking for someone who wanted to do the same thing
I’m doing. I really don’t care about the big label thing anymore,
cause I know what that’s all about…There’s no loyalty to them.
They just like to throw you out there If it goes, fine. If not, they drop
you or whatever.” But, for "better or worse, richer or poorer" Ruhl
says this is his full-time job. In fact, he owns two studios and spends
most of his time writing and recording for both EMN and other up and coming
artists.
Kris "Newt" Beavers
Even with their deal on Perris, it seems that many
doors our opening for the band. A
CEO from a TV network caught one of their performances and is considering
using their new song “Somehow” on a show or two, and Ruhl has also
been contacted by BMI, because there is interest for using the song on a
movie soundtrack. "The songs are a little more deeper than
they used to be. There's a lot more guitar work and a lot more
thought behind them, but it's still just rock 'n roll. Every song on there
is about something that happened to me or around me in the last two years or
so," explains Ruhl.
On February 3, EMN will be hosting a hometown album release party in
Nashville, and after that, they may be doing some additional dates with
Dangerous Toys and then a five week tour across the Southern Coast of the US.
All dates should soon be available on the band’s official site at
www.emnonline.com.
After checking out their latest release, fans can also look forward to another
full studio album from EMN album in September and perhaps even an album of
unreleased material written during their second and third releases.
Also Reviewed Lillian Axe and Dangerous
Toys.
All photos and review by Kara
Uhrlen. Property of The Pure Rock Shop.
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