ATLRetro

by Melanie Crew
Managing Editor

Atlanta transplant, by way of the Heart of Dixie, Adam McIntyre of The Pinx promises to cure what ails you with a whole lotta sweat-drenched, heartfelt good ol’ American Rock ‘n’ Roll! McIntyre and his band of ready to rock comrades [Chance McColl (guitar); Jon Lee (bass); and Dwayne Jones (drums)] will be stirring up a little mischief, in the style of Detroit “garage godfathers” MC5, at The Earl this Tuesday, May 24! They’ll be firing up the stage and opening for surf rock guitar legend, Dick Dale & His Del-Tones, to boot (See our Retro Review here), doors at 7pm. The Pinx will also be promoting their newest LP FREEDOM, which lets loose to the masses May 27! Rock on back to the ‘70s and make your way to The Earl ‘cause this is gonna be one helluva show you won’t want to miss!

McIntyre, front man and producer of The Pinx was born into the world of Rock ‘n’ Roll, almost literally, being exposed to Led Zeppelin’s ZEPPELIN II the day he gulped his first breath. And as most of these tales go, it didn’t stop there. Back in Alabama, McIntyre shared the stage with Chess Records artists, setting his sights on becoming a blues guitarist at a young age. But The Pinx became his Rock ‘n Roll love child, taking him from town to town throughout the Southeast, tearing up the stage and raisin’ a ruckus! Although the band crumbled a time or two, The Pinx’ phoenix-like revival has them fired up and ready to deliver that good old ‘70s Rock ‘n’ Roll with a kick of swampy soul! With comparisons to the MC5, Cheap Trick, Muddy Waters, Tom Petty, Otis Redding, AC/DC and more, The Pinx are hell-bent on makin’ mischief and dishing out that psychedelic Rock ‘n’ Roll vibe!

(L-R) Chance McColl, Jon Lee, Dwayne Jones, Adam McIntyre

ATLRetro caught up with Adam McIntyre for a quick interview about The Pinx, his take on good ‘ol Rock ‘n’ Roll, and the shenanigans he’s stirred up while on the road! While you’re gearing up for our little Q&A with McIntyre, get an earful of a few track from The Pinx’ new album FREEDOM here.

ATLRetro: “The Pinx” is perfect for a band described as “70s glam garage rockers” and “good old American rock ‘n’ roll.” Any funky stories about how you came up with such a rock ‘n’ roll name?

Adam McIntyre: Ooh, good question, bad answer. I guess because I’m pretty liberal, that’s where I got the commie pinko thing. Our early flyers were all Russian propaganda art, poking fun at ourselves. One day, Jim, our previous drummer stood up and erased the “ks” from the blackboard on stage at The Star Bar and replaced them with an “X”–he said, because he hadn’t had anything to do with coming up with the name. So Jim rebranded us as a thing that isn’t a color or a political thing but something else. The fact that it is so close to The Kinks makes it that much more of a bonus for me.

Any mischievous tales on how you gathered up the rest of The Pinx and became a band?

I’ve been in Atlanta for a decade now, and following the collapse of the Pinx 2.0 lineup, all I had to do was wait for some of my favorite musicians and people to be reasonably free. Dwayne and I were in Demonaut together, Jon and Dwayne are in Telestrion together, and I mixed a record for Chance that Dwayne played drums on. Dwayne has been waiting to be in The Pinx for about seven or eight years and these other fellas were perfect for the job before they knew the idea was brewing in my brain. Nothing cute or zany, just a guy who knew what he wanted and set a goal and got it.

What does “good old American rock ‘n’ roll” mean to you? And what draws you to that sound?

(L-R) Adam McIntyre, Dwayne Jones, Jon Lee, Chance McColl

I’m not sure what it implies for you, but for me, Rock and Roll means Chuck Berry and Little Richard. Ike Turner and other badass originals that I can’t compete with. I’m like one of the British guys imitating them badly except I happen to be from Alabama right down the street from where Ike Zinnerman taught Robert Johnson how to play. African plus European music plus hardship equals American music, distilled and distorted to taste.

As a band drenched in the sleaze of the good ol’ Dirty Dirty, spending the good part of 2007-2012 on the road traveling back and forth across the Southeast, what venue would you say is your favorite, and why?

I’ll probably pick a place that ain’t there anymore… maybe the Corner Lounge in Knoxville where a pretty woman once challenged me to an onstage Guinness chugging contest and my smug ass lost by quite a bit. It was family run and they treated us like family. Or maybe the alive-and-well Egan’s in Tuscaloosa, where transvestites and frat boys, black and white mix for the common cause of a good time. Dan Elextro from The Woggles became our spirit animal with a request-nay-demand to perform The Who‘s “Heaven and Hell” there, and I turned around mid-solo to see a couple having sex in the stage-side bathroom with the door open. I thought, “Oh, we’re doing a Who cover we’ve never rehearsed while people have sex and people throw up their dollar clamatos in the trashcan in front of the stage. This is wild! This must be who we are now.” A lot of clubs have left their DNA on my heart. Too many to name.

Having been on the road for so long, there’s got to be plenty of riotous road tales to tell. Care to share a few?

We once escorted a pregnant prostitute from a Waffle House parking lot back to her pimp. We took too many mushrooms in Macon and had to take a break fifteen minutes into the show to run backstage and gather our wits but then came back and did what our fans described as our best show. Our drummer broke his kick drum head and I thought the band was melting but apparently it was better than our usual set. There are many, many stories that sound entirely fabricated.

Any interesting stories to tell our readers about your musical upbringing, or when you became interested in playing music?

My first time on stage was in 1986 when I was eight sitting in with Chess Records artist Bobby Moore and The Rhythm Aces. They were very gracious and made sure I had a good time–and I did. I wanted to spend the rest of my life playing Rhythm and Blues on stage. I still approach Rock and Roll from the viewpoint of a blues guitarist– “Is this what Freddie King would do?” Some of the musicians in my town had played with James Brown and Wilson Pickett and they intimidated me but didn’t stop me from begging to get onstage with them as a kid. Always play with better musicians.

Can you tell our readers a little (without giving too much away) about your soon-to-be released LP FREEDOM, produced in your own recording studio, Killybegs Sound Recording, and how they can get their grubby little hands on it?

The songs started out as true stories that I tend to tell more often than others. Musically it is my happy place. I tried to tune in to my core, my inner child, and make music that I find incredibly fun. Everyone I invited to take part in the record was encouraged to have as much fun and be themselves as possible. That includes Brian Carter and Keith Brogdon, who are respectively responsible for mastering and the album art. Everyone had a blast as I invited them to add their soul to my musical happy place. Hopefully you can hear that.

What is it about the MC5 that so heavily influenced this new album?

The MC5 are my most important American rock and roll band. They’re a shot of adrenaline, a “Fuck you!” to the establishment, and a one-band party. The fire in their spirit cannot be contained by time and I can’t stop telling people about them. They make me happy. They might make you feel the same.

We see that some of The Pinx’ other major influences are Cheap Trick, The Kinks, Howlin’ Wolf, The Who, Led Zeppelin and more! Which album would you say influenced you the most in your own musical upbringing and why?

My parents brought me home from being born and played LED ZEPPELIN II for me that day. A few years later my brother Patrick pointed at Jimmy Page and said, “You can never have long hair unless you play guitar like THAT.” “That” became a real goal. Even when I was a snooty blues purist I still kind of wanted to be Jimmy Page. He looked like he was having a blast, so, probably ZEPPELIN II.

Can you tell us a little about getting the chance to open for Surf Rock legend, Dick Dale? What do you look forward to the most?

About an hour after I made the announcement that The Pinx were back, I was contacted about us opening for Dick. I’m looking forward to the adrenaline rush of seeing him perform.

What can ATLRetro readers expect to experience at your rowdy rock ‘n’ roll bonanza at The Earl on May 24?

A band. I think you’ll see when we step on stage that it’s not me with some guys I found. These gentlemen make quite a ruckus because they know they’re trusted and encouraged to be themselves. I’ll be making a ruckus because I’m floored I get to drive this thing.

Adam McIntyre

What’s next for Adam McIntyre and The Pinx?

The album will come out on May 27th on bandcamp and hopefully iTunes as well. We’ll do more shows in Atlanta and start playing nearby towns like Macon and Greenville. We’ll release more single songs, some originals and some Stax covers. We’ll write another album and play it live in a studio. We’ll be a rock and roll band!

Anything else you’d like to tell ATLRetro readers about you or the band?

Y’all come to the shows to forget about your lives for a minute and have a good time. Keep your phone in your pocket and pretend it’s 1973. Your problems will wait. We’re there for the sole purpose of having a good time and you’re invited to join in.

And last, but not least, what question do you wish somebody would ask you and what’s the answer?

What is the meaning of life? 42.

Photos provided by Adam McIntyre and The Pinx and used with permission.

by Melanie Crew
Managing Editor/
Contributing Writer

L-R Grant Prettyman, Mac Kramer, Jon Poor, Will Stewart. Photo Credit: Abbey Grace Henley

Willie and the Giant, vintage rock ‘n’ roll slingers will be takin’ Atlanta by storm at Smith’s Olde Bar this Saturday, Oct. 18 on their tour through the South! Their newly pressed 7-inch vinyl, debuting two singles reeking of nostalgia, “Ain’t Gonna Wait” and “Poor Boy,” both cut and recorded live at the ever comfy and throwback studio, Welcome to 1979, will be up for grabs! So, rock out, get a whole lotta rhythm, shake a tail feather and don’t forget to snag up a 7-inch or two! Acoustic folk and blues duo, Alex & Todd are along for the rhythmic ride, so come on down for a rockin’ retro ruckus this Saturday night at Smith’s Olde Bar!

Willie and the Giant, musical sons of Nashville and Birmingham, is made up of Will Stewart (vocals/guitar), Jon “The Giant” Poor (vocals/guitar), Grant Prettyman (bass) and Mac Kramer (drums). Not only has the group released two new singles, but a self-titled album is on the horizon for 2015, with their brand new label, Cumberland Brothers Music, run by Nick Worley, the band’s producer and engineer.The new album will be filled to the brim with an explosion of sounds with nods to American roots rock, ‘70s funk and more! Willie and the Giant, bathing in the blood, sweat and tears of vintage rock ‘n’ roll, are groovin’ to the top and have no plans to slow the momentum any time soon!

ATLRetro caught up with Stewart, for a quick interview about Willie and the Giant’s headfirst dive into rock ‘n’ roll, their new singles and record deal with Cumberland Brothers Music and their aversion to music labels and genres.

And while you’re takin’ a gander at our little Q&A with Stewart, take a listen to Willie and the Giant’s “Ain’t Gonna Wait”/”Poor Boy” single, here.

ATLRetro: Can you tell folks how you found the “Giant” and the rest of your band-mates and what brought you guys together?

Will Stewart: I moved from Birmingham to Nashville in November 2012. By coincidence, Jon Poor (“Giant”) and Mac Kramer (drums) moved from Birmingham to Nashville at the exact same time (We didn’t know each other while living in Birmingham.) They moved into a house with my then-bandmate Nick (also a Birmingham transplant), and that’s how we eventually met. The rest, as they say, is history.

There’s got to be a story behind the band’s name. Can you fill our readers in?

Photo Credit: Jack Smith

My height is pretty average and Jon is 6’5″ on a good day. There’s a video of us playing a show a few years back in which the camera exaggerates his height and has the opposite effect for my height. We thought it was hilarious and jokingly said, “Willie and the Giant!” When we formed the band, that name immediately came to mind as the obvious choice for the band name. We also think the “Giant” is a nice metaphor for our monster rhythm section – it could go a few different ways I suppose.

Can you tell folks a little about your debut singles, “Ain’t Gonna Wait” and “Poor Boy,” released this past September?

These two tunes just go really well together. I wrote these when I first moved to Nashville in late 2012, before the formation of WATG but thought they would fit into the set we were building in the early months of the band. I was listening to a lot of songs from the early/mid-sixties Chess Records and Atlantic Records R&B catalogs and almost every song seemed to be about breaking-up or falling in/out of love. So these tunes were sort of born out of that period of listening – it’s a tip of the hat musically and lyrically to that era.   

L-R Mac Kramer, Will Stewart, Jon Poor, Grant Prettyman. Photo Credit: Sarah Sellari

Any special tricks on snagging the jazzy award-winning, The Chad Fisher Group, known for backing Greg Allman, and legendary groups, like The Temptations, The O’Jays and the Four Tops, for your debut singles?

Well, being from Birmingham, we had nothing but respect and admiration for Chad Fisher – he’s an institution in Birmingham and when we decided to use horns on these two tracks we knew immediately that we wanted Chad Fisher Horns to play and arrange the parts. 

How exciting to not only get offered a rockin’ record deal, but to be the first group to sign with the new label, Cumberland Brothers Music. Can you tell folks a little about how you were discovered?

It’s incredibly exciting and we’re all very grateful to be part of the Cumberland Brothers family. Nick Worley and I met in late 2012. We shared very similar tastes in music, so I approached him about recording some demos in early 2013. After that we continued working on other projects and some months passed. Later, I got a call one day from Nick saying that he was starting a label and wanted me to be a part of it. As a musician, it’s one of those things you always fantasize about, so when it actually happened I was just thrilled and very grateful for the opportunity.

L-R Mac Kramer, Will Stewart, Grant Prettyman, Jon Poor. Photo Credit: Abbey Grace Henley

How would you, as a musician, describe your band’s sound? Willie and the Giant has been described as being like, “M. Ward fronting a Memphis soul revue,” groove rock and a vintage soul revival. Was this intentional, or did it just happen?

People are going to throw around labels and genres pretty loosely, that’s just how it is. Obviously, our first two singles are our interpretation of early American R&B, so we’ve heard the “soul” thing quite a bit (not that that’s a bad thing). That said, our forthcoming full-length and live show is a smattering (word of the day!) of American roots and rock to British invasion to 70s funk to modern indie and pop. So I’m going to stop short of labeling and just let folks listen and decide for themselves. Ultimately we want to be a band whose music is very difficult to label.

Who are some of your favorite vintage performers and influences?

I’ll just keep this pre-1965: Bo Diddley, Howlin’ Wolf, Jackie Wilson, Little Richard, Chuck Berry, The Everly Brothers, Roy Orbison, The Impressions, Solomon Burke, Elvis, James Brown, the Stones, Dylan, Sam Cooke and on and on.

Can you tell our readers a little about your upcoming debut album and when they’ll be able to snag ‘em up?

We’re actually right in the middle of mixing the full-length and hoping for an early 2015 release. But again, it’s kind of hard to describe the sound because it covers a lot of ground. We’re just so excited that this is becoming a reality and can’t wait to share it with everyone. 

L-R Will Stewart, Grant Prettyman, Mac Kramer, Jon Poor.

What brings you southern guys even further south, way down into Atlanta?

Our bassist (Grant) is from Atlanta, so we have some roots there. I have some close friends there and we always have a hell of a time playing in Atlanta – we’re looking forward to the show next week!

Any special plans for your show at Smith’s Olde Bar this Saturday?

Nothing too crazy, just playing a ton of new tunes. We’ll also have our newly pressed 7-inch vinyl and t-shirts in tow (We accept cash and all major credit cards!)

What’s next for Willie and the Giant?

We’re going to be hitting the road as much as possible for the next two to three months, leading up to the release of the debut full-length album. Playing live is what we get off on – so that’s always going to be front and center for us as a band.

All photographs are courtesy of Will Stewart/Willie and the Giant and used with permission.