#14 T-Ride
T-Ride was a California-based heavy metal band whose only album shared the same title. Noted for its wildly complex instrument and vocal arrangements, it featured guitar playing by Geoff Tyson, a top student of Joe Satriani. Songs from the album were used in various motion pictures and television shows including "Luxury Cruiser" in the soundtrack of 1992's Encino Man, "Zombies from Hell" in the movie "Captain Ron" and "Bone Down" in an episode of Baywatch, "Forbidden Paradise-part 2". Drummer/producer Eric Valentine went on to became a multi-platinum selling producer, producing acts like Smashmouth, Queens of the Stone Age, Satriani, Third Eye Blind, LostProphets, Good Charlotte, Nickel Creek, John Fogerty and more.
T-Ride hit the radio in 1991 with the single "Backdoor Romeo" which included an electronic dance groove, topped with shredding guitar, and layered vocals. At the time(along with bands like I Mother Earth), they were considered to be the future of hard rock music. Top musicianship, creativity, and fun- all qualities lacking in the very movement that squelched their careers as rock stars. Having released their debut album at the same time as Nirvana's "Nevermind", T-Ride were direct victims of what I like to call "the Curt Cobain Fart"- a tasteless, talentless, soulless, smelly pile of sonic excrement that did nothing to help the evolution of music,the funk of which still lingers over American radio airwaves to this day. That said..check out the creative groove of "Zombies from Hell"...
4 comments:
Whoa, that takes me back. I think Jeff Ruth had the T-Ride album and I remember liking it quite a bit. I haven't heard that song in at least 15 years and I'm stunned by how bad the vocal verses are. You can't understand a word he's singing - that's why they never made it big. The mass public will only latch on to something if they can make a connection with the lyrics. If I can't find this CD, can you burn me a copy? Nice countdown, by the way - looking forward to more of your picks.
I found it on Limewire a couple of years back- I'll see if I have it on my computer somewhere- you can probably find it on Amazon..
I bet Jeff still has that CD.
Oh, and I must take a little exception with your Kurt (not Curt) Cobain bashing. I'm not the biggest Nirvana fan in the world, but he's hardly talentless. He had a huge ear for melody, which I always liked.
My problem with the whole 1991-1994 time period was that the record companies felt that hair metal had to die in order for Nirvana, STP, Pearl Jam and AIC to succeed. I can like Warrant and STP at the SAME TIME, ya know!
Yeah you can listen to both the record industry treatment of the rock bands of the era was a travesty for sure,and I actually liked STP,Soundgarden AND Pearl Jam, but having it shoved down my throat by the powers-that-be didn't sit well with me, so I basically refused to listen- Thats probably why the whole movement only lasted about 2 years or so.. but I won't give Cobain even the slightest props- my old band used to throw away songs that were better than anything he wrote...I read an article in guitar world where he actually admitted that he didn't know how to properly tune his guitar..thats the slacker mentality that has affected many of the bands who make music today..thank God for Creed- they were the only saving grace..
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