Band/Artist: Dream Trippers
Album Title: The Sound Of Sun
Label: self released
Dates: Aug 4, 2023 Genre: Rockabilly, Rock, Fifties Rock, Classic Rock
Availability: "The Sound Of Sun" four song EP will be released on August 4, 2023 to all major streaming platforms. CDs will be available at https://briancottrill.bandcamp.com/
A music video for "3 Kisses Tonight" will also be released on August 4, 2023.
Bio:
Brian Cottrill of the band Dream Trippers had a lifelong aspiration to record at Sun Studio. “When I was growing up, my parents were always playing Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, and Jerry Lee Lewis records. I was in awe of how Sam Philips pioneered rock ‘n’ roll at Sun Studio and Sun Records.”
Cottrill’s wife, Anita, bought him studio time at Sun Studio as a birthday present. The COVID-19 pandemic derailed the original plan to go in 2020. Finally, in 2023, Dream Trippers drove 11 hours to the Memphis, Tennessee landmark.
Drummer Bob Workman said, “The historic vibes at Sun were powerful. We used the studio’s guitars and drums. The drum kit I played was owned by Larry Mullen Jr. He left it at Sun after U2 recorded songs for Rattle and Hum there.”
“We took the studio tour in the afternoon and started recording in the evening. My upright bass was set in the same floor indentation where the bassists for Johnny Cash and Elvis had theirs. We sang through Elvis’s and Johnny Cash’s microphone," said bassist John Anderson Farmer.
Engineer Daniel Crockett recorded two songs for Dream Trippers at Sun. In the weeks that followed, the band recorded two more songs at home to round out the EP. “I love fifties’ rock and rockabilly and I went on a tear of writing songs in that style. It was amazing to record in the shadows of so many legends at Sun,” said Cottrill.
Dream Trippers will release the four song EP titled The Sound of Sun on August 4 to all streaming platforms. Physical CDs will be available at BrianCottrill.bandcamp.com. A music video about recording at Sun will also come out on Aug. 4 on DreamTrippers.net. Dream Trippers play live at the Shindy music festival on August 11 in Shinnston, WV.
"Going to Sun was a pilgrimage for us. To record at ground zero of the birth of rock and roll was a total thrill," said Workman. Others who innovated rock and roll at Sun Studio include Carl Perkins, Roy Orbison, Charlie Rich, Howlin’ Wolf, and B.B. King. “Rocket 88,” recorded at Sun by Ike Turner and Jackie Brensten, is often cited as the first rock and roll song. Others who later recorded at Sun include U2, Matchbox 20, Maroon 5, Def Leppard, John Fogarty, Stray Cats, Beck, Paul Simon, and Tom Petty.
Band: Bob Workman- drums
Brian Cottrill- vocals and guitar
John Anderson Farmer- bass and vocals
Arranged and produced by Brian Cottrill, Bob Workman, and John Anderson Farmer
Written and mixed by Brian Cottrill.
“3 Kisses Tonight” and “Get On This Train” recorded by Daniel Crockett at Sun Studio “Drive On A Sunny Day” and “I’m Going To Memphis” recorded by Brian Cottrill
Influences for the album: Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley
Track Suggestions: (for radio) 3 Kisses Tonight, Get On This Train
Background: Brian Cottrill, Bob Workman, and John Anderson Farmer also play in The Grey Agents together and live near Bridgeport, West Virginia, USA.
Dream Trippers The Sound Of Sun CD Track Listing:
1. "3 Kisses Tonight"
2. "Get On This Train"
3. "Drive On A Sunny Day"
4. "I'm Going To Memphis"
Shows: Dream Trippers play live at the Shindy music festival in Shinnston WV on August 11, 2023
Social Media Links
http://dreamtrippers.net
https://www.facebook.com/briancott
https://www.instagram.com/britune/
https://www.youtube.com/@britune/
https://open.spotify.com/artist/63hYDetlq7NitnymeN14Sc
https://music.apple.com/us/artist/dream-trippers/1661760278
https://briancottrill.bandcamp.com/
Band/Artist: Dream Trippers
Album Title: Dream Trippers
Label: self released
Dates: Jan 13, 2023 "The Original Atom" single release; Feb 10, 2023 Dream Trippers album release
Genre: Rock, Psychedelic
Availability: "The Original Atom" single will be released on January 13, 2023 to all major streaming platforms. The self titled debut album, Dream Trippers, will be released February 10, 2023.
Bio:
West Virginia musicians, Bob Workman and Brian Cottrill had played in different bands together before. But they wanted to go in a very different and unique direction and decided their best lineup for a new band would be just the two of them. “I got an electric sitar, and we started coming up with some very different sounds, similar to 60s psychedelic rock made by The Beatles and The Byrds,” says songwriter/guitarist Brian Cottrill. “And the songs were not just weird musically, they were also very different lyrically from anything we had ever done. The songs are more existential and introspective, as well as being a weird mix of awareness of self and the universe around us.”
Drummer Bob Workman says, “I was playing tablas and congas and sitar samples while Brian was playing 12 string electric and acoustic guitars and backwards guitars. We went on a journey similar to when The Beatles went to India, but we did it from the recording studio at home. We also got a little more orchestral with some strings and tympani drums.” In the process, the duo have made the most unique album of their careers, completely unlike anything they have ever done.
“The Original Atom” is about finding the universe inside yourself. Cottrill sings, “I am mortal, normal, dying, a big mess, part Nagasaki bombing dust and Cleopatra’s dress… I am a piece of the original atom, through space and time it’s so hard to fathom.”
“Sleeping In A Dream” is a sitar filled Dylanesqe stream of consciousness fantasy. “Billionaires board a ship to take them into outer space, the poor are left behind to clean the mess they made of this place.”
“Open Your Mind” has the backwards guitar and sitar to go with the introspective and socially aware lyrics, “Hurt your neighbor, hurt yourself, and you hurt us all, all is one and one is all, as we rise and fall.”
Cottrill and Workman previously collaborated in The Grey Agents and on Cottrill’s 2020 album that featured the song, “Teenage Kids,” which has over 50,000 views on YouTube. Workman says, “This is completely new and different for us. I feel like there is more of our individuality and identity in the songs.” “We have really bared our inner selves here. And the album is all the more strange because of it,” said Cottrill.
Band: Bob Workman- drums, percussion, and vocals Brian Cottrill- vocals, electric sitar, guitars, bass, keyboards
Arranged and produced by Brian Cottrill and Bob Workman.
Written, recorded, and mixed by Brian Cottrill.
Album sequenced by Bob Workman.
Lyrics are available on the lyrics tab on BrianCottrill.com.
Influences for the album: The Beatles, The Byrds
Track Suggestions: (for radio) The Original Atom, Apple
Background: Brian Cottrill and Bob Workman also play in The Grey Agents together and live near Bridgeport, West Virginia, USA.
Dream Trippers CD Track Listing: 1 Dream Trippers, 2 The Original Atom, 3 Sleeping In A Dream, 4 Open Your Mind, 5 Apple, 6 What Were You Thinking, 7 Fade To Black
Shows: Dream trippers CD Release Party on March 4, 2023 at 6pm at Music On Main in Bridgeport, WV, USA
Social Media Links
http://dreamtrippers.net
https://www.facebook.com/briancott
https://www.instagram.com/britune/
https://youtu.be/SDLKFB3f3d4
https://open.spotify.com/artist/63hYDetlq7NitnymeN14Sc
https://music.apple.com/us/artist/dream-trippers/1661760278
https://briancottrill.bandcamp.com/
Band/artist: Saints Of The Holler
EP Title: Devil's Garden
Label: self released
Date: August 31, 2022
Genre: Rock, Americana
Availability: Album will be available on all major streaming and download services on Aug 31, 2022. Physical CDs are available at Devil’s Garden EP | Saints Of The Holler | Brian Cottrill (bandcamp.com)
Description: Saints Of The Holler to release debut EP on Aug. 31, 2022.
Bio: After playing in The Grey Agents together, West Virginia natives, Bob Workman, Davin Seamon, and Brian Cottrill, were looking for a new band and new sound. Brian knew he had just written some of the best songs of his life. “I had some great songs that deserved the best singer we could find.” Davin, Bob and Brian started discussing the top vocalists in the region and they agreed they wanted Amy Honce. Amy’s band, Top Shelf, play covers throughout the region. Amy agreed and they started recording together. Bob says, “We liked to go see Amy sing with her band. And I knew she’d be perfect for our new band.” They added Terry Hotsinpiller and Saints Of The Holler was born. After they started to find their sound and understand who they were together as a band, Brian wrote two more songs, just for Amy’s voice and the band’s new sound.
The title track, "Devil's Garden," reflects on the pain and loss of opioid addiction. All of the band members have had friends or family that have felt the tragedy of drug addiction. "So Alive" is about love as escapism. The politically charged song, "Change" is about the chaos of the American democracy.
Amy says, “I was honored and excited to be part of this musical journey. Working with such amazing musicians from start to finish, bringing Brian’s raw, rough cut recordings to life, was an experience I’ll never forget.” Brian says, “Amy’s voice is amazing! We are proud of this EP and the songs we made together. We can’t wait for the world to hear it!” Saints Of The Holler are releasing a four song EP, Devil’s Garden on Sept 31, 2022 to all streaming and download services. Physical CDs are available at Devil’s Garden EP | Saints Of The Holler | Brian Cottrill (bandcamp.com)
Band:
Amy Honce- vocals
Bob Workman- drums
Brian Cottrill- guitar, mandolin and bass
Davin Seamon- piano and organ
Terry Hotsinpiller- piano and organ.
Written, recorded, produced and mixed by Brian Cottrill. Lyrics are available on the lyrics tab on BrianCottrill.com and at Devil’s Garden EP | Saints Of The Holler | Brian Cottrill (bandcamp.com)
Influences for the album: Sheryl Crow, Jason Isbell, Melissa Etheridge, Graham Parker, Rolling Stones, and REM.
Track Suggestions: (for radio) Devil's Garden, So Alive
Background: Amy Honce is the vocalist and founder of Top Shelf; Brian Cottrill, Bob Workman, and Davin Seamon play in The Grey Agents together. Terry Hotsinpiller and Bob Workman played in 2nd Street. Davin Seamon also plays in The New Relics; Brian Cottrill also played in Drain Babies. All band members live near Bridgeport, West Virginia, USA.
Devil's Garden CD Track Listing: 1 Devil's Garden, 2 So Alive, 3 Better Than Living This Way, 4 Change
Social Media Links
Devil’s Garden EP | Saints Of The Holler | Brian Cottrill (bandcamp.com)
Saints of the Holler - Devil’s Garden (hearnow.com)
https://www.facebook.com/briancott
https://www.instagram.com/britune/
Spotify – Saints of the Holler
https://music.apple.com/us/artist/1637553836
Band/artist: Brian Cottrill
Album Title: Megaphone Inside My Head
Label: self
Release Date: Dec. 4, 2020
Genre: Rock
Availability: Album will be available on all major streaming and download services on Dec. 4, 2020. Physical CDs are for sale at Amazon.com and Assumption Records in Mannington, WV.
Description:
From Brian... "My last album was an acoustic guitar and vocal songwriter record. That album and The Grey Agents last album had plenty of songs that reflected social and political issues. I was thinking about what got me started listening to rock music. What made me love rock and roll? I thought back to when I was a teenager. The music I loved in the late seventies and early eighties. Loud guitars, big hooks, and some synthesizers. Cheap Trick, The Cars, Billy Squier, Sweet, and The Who. I decided I wanted to make an album of power pop with lyrics mostly about how I felt as a teenager, about rock and girls and love and not too heavy. Some social issues did creep in a little, because it is 2020 with social justice issues and the pandemic. But I held that off as much as I could."
Influences for the album:
Cheap Trick, The Cars, Billy Squier, Sweet, The Who... Power Pop.
Track Suggestions: (for radio)
Teenage Kids, Take It Or Leave It, You Can't Stop Me, Spin That Record
BIO:
Brian Cottrill is a veteran of the West Virginia original music scene, as a founding member of The Grey Agents and Drain Babies. This is his second solo album.
Band Line-Up: Brian Cottrill- vocals, rhythm guitar, bass, synthesizers; Bob workman- drums; David Zinn- lead guitar
Megaphone Inside My Head CD Track Listing
1 Gonna Love You
2 Spin That Record
3 Teenage Kids
4 You Can't Stop Me
5 Take It Or Leave It
6 Boyfriend
7 Don't Tell Me What To Do
8 What's Her Name?
9 Ice Cream Angel Baby
10 If Tomorrow Never Comes
Social Media Links:
http://www.BrianCottrill.com
https://www.facebook.com/briancott
https://twitter.com/britunecott
https://www.instagram.com/britune/
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLcJ3e0KPSYcDohP0HThOGUPNKLWHLbYXi
https://open.spotify.com/artist/1LCen86HYNTGwexWZKl4oP?si=_n4bBX9UTVuB0ENHskxvqQ
https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/brian-cottrill/1445177391
Band/artist: Brian Cottrill
Album Title: Through The Keyhole
Label: self
Release Date: May 17, 2019
Genre: Acoustic Singer Songwriter
Description:
Rocker Brian Cottrill decides to strip his songs down to their core for his solo debut album. He says, "I picked songs that span my life of writing, from when I was 17 to now. Most of these songs have never been released and three were just written." This is an acoustic songwriter album with just acoustic guitar, harmonica, and vocals.
Influences for the album:
I'm influenced by the actions and emotions of the people I see.
Musically- Ian Hunter, Bob Dylan, Tom Petty, Bruce Springsteen, John Mellencamp
Track Suggestions: (for radio)
Erica
Remember My Name
BIO:
Brian Cottrill is a veteran of the West Virginia original music scene, as a founding member of The Grey Agents and Drain Babies. He has been the primary songwriter/vocalist/guitarist for The Grey Agents for the last five years. Cottrill comments, "The Grey Agents play new music that sounds very much like 1979 classic rock. The sound is dense and layered with guitars, keyboards and vocals. I wanted to strip my songs down to their bare core and leave them raw. I picked songs from my lifetime of writing, from being a 17 year old to new songs that didn't exist before this album started. I didn't give myself a lot of takes to make this record. If I couldn't get a good track after a few takes, I moved on to something else. I wanted the performance to sound fresh." The album has only acoustic guitar, vocals, and harmonica, with the only exception being the bonus track, "Gates Of Venus', in which Brian played everything including drums, bass, keyboards, and mandolin. The songs on the album include, "Erica" written about Cottrill's daughter, and "Sammie Lee" written about his parents. "I just write about what I see around me. That could be family, neighbors, people at a store, or something on the news," says Cottrill. The songs span 34 years of writing, with "Lace" being written by a teenage Cottrill. "I think it was the first song I wrote that didn't seem terrible to me," adds Cottrill. "I love being in a band and I always want to do that, but this has been liberating to work at my own fast pace." The Murder Farm is about the Harry Powers murders that occurred in 1931. The murder farm site is only about one mile from Cottrill's house. The album will be available on all major streaming and download platforms. CDs are available at https://store.cdbaby.com/artist/BrianCottrill.
Band Line-Up: Brian Cottrill- guitar, vocals, harmonica, bass, drums, mandolin, keyboards.
Through The Keyhole CD Track Listing
1 Remember My Name
2 Erica
3 All I’ve Got Is You
4 Lace
5 The Murder Farm
6 Lost And Forgotten
7 When The Fire Comes
8 Uncertain Keyhole Jangle
9 Sammie Lee
10 Gates Of Venus [Bonus Track]
Social Media Links:
http://www.BrianCottrill.com
https://www.facebook.com/briancott
https://www.instagram.com/britune/
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLcJ3e0KPSYcDohP0HThOGUPNKLWHLbYXi
https://open.spotify.com/artist/1LCen86HYNTGwexWZKl4oP?si=_n4bBX9UTVuB0ENHskxvqQ
https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/brian-cottrill/1445177391
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