That's awesome, vinylfan! I've seen the Mother Hips almost 100 times, I lived in Sonoma County and got to see them all over the Bay Area, mostly Inn of the Beginning in Cotati, The Last Day Saloon, Slim's, Fillmore, and Great American Music Hall in San Francisco, but we also went all over the state of California to see them from about 1994 to 2001 and I still like to see them when I get back to California. The Mother Hips are one of the greatest under-appreciated rock bands of all time, in my mind. I was way bummed out when Danny stopped playing with them, and I was thrilled when I found out he was playing with Tift.
For people who haven't heard them, I'd describe them as a classic four piece rock combo (two guitars, bass and drums, occasionally augmented by a keyboardist) who play original songs with their primary influences being Neil Young, The Beach Boys, Merle Haggard, The Everly Brothers and The Kinks. They have six albums of original songs and they like to throw in a cover song or two from some of their influences when they play live. Guitars are clean and classic, harmonies are spine-tinglingly good, and songs can range from 3 minute hook-laden classic pop to rhythm-heavy thunderous riff-jamming. Truly a gem of a rock band who must been seen live to be fully appreciated but who have also made some damn fine studio recordings.
Danny only played on one of their records, Shootout. Here's a link to a review I wrote at a time when the Hips were on indefinite hiatus, thus the past tense used to describe their existence.
hipspage.com/shootoutReview.html
www.motherhips.com |