Eric "Red Mouth" Gebhardt

Last updated

Eric Gebhardt
Birth nameEric Gebhardt
Also known as Red Mouth
Origin Texas
Genres American roots music
Punk rock
Alternative rock
Blues-rock
Country
Hard rock
Acoustic
Gospel
Honky Tonk
OccupationsMusician
InstrumentsGuitar
banjo
lap steel
Years active?-present
LabelsHigh Society Records
Orange Recordings
Pegasus Records
Website www.redmouth.net

Eric "Red Mouth" Gebhardt is an American singer-songwriter, [1] from Alabama (born in Vernon, Texas) who plays a blend of southern music that blends punk, post punk, proto punk, blues, broken-hearted honky tonk, Stonesy rock and roll, with gospel music. [1] [2] Blues in London described his sound as:

"a joyfully chaotic reworking of the common sources... identifiably adhering to bluesey, country, folky, forms but happy to accept (actively embrace) a loose interpretation of the detail... a great blend of sarsparilla Americana styles pulled together without meandering to 'authenticity', and played with a wit and verve that honour it's antecedents whilst managing a contemporary freshness." [2]

Gebhardt started in a band dubbed The Throwaways who still perform occasionally around the north Alabama area. The band's most notable achievement was a one-off release with High Society Records, an independent record label in Hamburg, Germany. The record did well in Europe, where the band never toured to support the release. The label folded shortly after.

Following the disappointment, Gebhardt moved to Orlando, Florida and formed The Studdogs with Dickie Evans and Jeremy Talcott. [3] Gebhardt stayed with the group for five years, releasing three compact discs. The band was signed by Orange Recordings in Los Angeles and toured all over the country, sharing bills with the Demolition Doll Rods, the Porch Ghouls, Bob Log III, and the Immortal Lee County Killers. [3] His songwriting, however, started to outgrow the sleazy blues rock of the Studdogs, [4] and Gebhardt left the band to pursue a solo career.

This growing interest in songwriting brought Gebhardt back to Florence, and later Biloxi, Mississippi, [1] where his Delta blues-influenced solo acoustic performances [1] (and blazing red beard) earned him the bluesman nickname "Red Mouth."

In 2005, Red Mouth released his solo debut Blues $1.49/lb which scored critical favor in the underground American circuits and the United Kingdom. Blues in London loved the album so much that they appointed Gebhardt as their own personal "man in the States." He regularly writes articles on underground American blues artists, documenting the rigors of life on the road, and occasionally reviews records. [2]

Joe Mauceri of the Dictator Monthly described him as "the bastard rebel child of Lou Reed."

In 2010, Redmouth performed in Lausanne, Switzerland at the 1st Annual Blues Rules Festival. This was a two-day concert featuring acts from around Europe and the United States. [5]

In 2023, after a five-year hiatus (during which "Et Tu Brute" was completed and released to public and critical acclaim), Gebhardt emerged with a new configuration of his backing band, reputedly called Coke Mirror, consisting of veteran Red Mouth associates Jason Hall (bass), Nathan Pitts (lead guitar) and newcomer Bryan Cabler, formerly of Western Civ (drums). Following an unannounced appearance at an underground venue in rural Colbert County, Alabama, on July 1 (billed as "Strutter"), the band announced its first hometown gig at Florence's Lava Room, to take place on July 29. The show reportedly sold out weeks in advance. Recording of a new Red Mouth album was reportedly underway as of mid-2023.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Misfits (band)</span> American horror punk band

The Misfits are an American punk rock band often recognized as the pioneers of the horror punk subgenre, blending punk and other musical influences with horror film themes and imagery. The group was founded in 1977 in Lodi, New Jersey, by vocalist, songwriter and keyboardist Glenn Danzig. Danzig's first recruit to the Misfits was drummer Mr. Jim and bassist Diane DiPiazza, however, DiPiazza never showed up. Mr. Jim was replaced by Manny Martinez shortly after. Jerry Only joined on bass guitar soon afterwards. Over the next six years, membership would change frequently, with Danzig and Only being the sole consistent members. During this time period, they released several EPs and singles, and with Only's brother Doyle as guitarist, the albums Walk Among Us (1982) and Earth A.D./Wolfs Blood (1983), both considered touchstones of the early-1980s hardcore punk movement. The band has gone through many lineup changes over the years, with bassist Jerry Only being the only constant member in the group.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Southern rock</span> Subgenre of rock music and a genre of Americana

Southern rock is a subgenre of rock music and a genre of Americana. It developed in the Southern United States from rock and roll, country music, and blues and is focused generally on electric guitars and vocals. Author Scott B. Bomar speculates the term "southern rock" may have been coined in 1972 by Mo Slotin, writing for Atlanta's underground paper, The Great Speckled Bird, in a review of an Allman Brothers Band concert.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Mayall</span> English blues musician (born 1933)

John Mayall is an English blues and rock singer and musician whose career spans over sixty years. In the 1960s, he formed John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers, a band that has counted among its members some of the most famous blues and blues rock musicians.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">No Doubt</span> American rock band

No Doubt was an American rock band from Anaheim, California, formed in 1986. For most of their career, the band has consisted of vocalist Gwen Stefani, guitarist Tom Dumont, bassist Tony Kanal, and drummer Adrian Young. Since the mid-1990s, they were supported by trombonist and keyboardist Gabrial McNair and trumpeter and keyboardist Stephen Bradley in live performances.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mick Taylor</span> British guitarist, former member of the Rolling Stones (born 1949)

Michael Kevin Taylor is an English guitarist, best known as a former member of John Mayall's Bluesbreakers (1967–1969) and the Rolling Stones (1969–1974). As a member of the Stones, he appeared on: Let It Bleed (1969), Get Yer Ya-Ya's Out! The Rolling Stones in Concert (1970), Sticky Fingers (1971), Exile on Main St. (1972), Goats Head Soup (1973) and It's Only Rock 'n Roll (1974).

Orange Juice were a Scottish jangle pop band founded in the Glasgow suburb of Bearsden as the Nu-Sonics in 1976. They became Orange Juice in 1979, and became perhaps the most important band in the Scottish independent music scene that emerged in the post-punk era, inspired by contemporary punk bands including Subway Sect, Television, and Buzzcocks but also 1960s acts, most notably the Byrds and the Velvet Underground. Musically, the band brought together styles and genres that often appeared incongruous, for example, country, disco and punk.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jay Farrar</span> American singer-songwriter

Jay Stuart Farrar is an American songwriter and musician currently based in St. Louis. A member of two critically acclaimed music groups, Uncle Tupelo and Son Volt, he began his solo music career in 2001. Beyond his established talents as a songwriter, he is a guitarist, pianist, harmonicist, and a vocalist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jon Spencer Blues Explosion</span> American rock and roll band

The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion was an American three-piece rock band from New York City, formed in 1991. The group consisted of Judah Bauer on guitar, backing vocals, harmonica and occasional lead vocals, Russell Simins on drums and Jon Spencer on vocals, guitar and theremin. Their musical style is largely rooted in rock and roll although it draws influences from punk, blues, garage, rockabilly, soul, noise rock, rhythm and blues and hip hop. They released nine official studio albums, collaborative records with Dub Narcotic Sound System and R.L. Burnside as well as numerous live, singles, out-take albums, compilations, remix albums and, in 2010, a series of expanded reissues. Throughout the course of their career, this experimental sound and occasionally unconventional recording techniques has allowed the band to work with such artists as Elliott Smith, Beck, Solomon Burke, Steve Albini, Martina Topley-Bird and Ad Rock of the Beastie Boys.

Uruguayan rock first emerged in Uruguay in the 1950s. The real breakthrough for rock in Uruguay, however, as in much of the world, came with the arrival of The Beatles in the early 1960s. Although the country has a small population and is far-removed from the world's cultural centres, rock music from these land, which has always taken on an identity forged from a mix of different cultures and local peculiarities, crossing different genres and styles, has largely been a well-kept secret outside the region. Thanks to the Internet and easy access to music libraries through streaming services such as Spotify, this is now changing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fat Possum Records</span> American independent record label

Fat Possum Records is an American independent record label based in Water Valley and Oxford, Mississippi. At first Fat Possum focused almost entirely on recording previously unknown Mississippi blues artists. Recently, Fat Possum has signed younger rock acts to its roster. The label has been featured in The New York Times, New Yorker, The Observer, a Sundance Channel production, features on NPR, and a 2004 documentary, You See Me Laughin. Fat Possum also distributes the Hi Records catalog.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Sound (band)</span> English post-punk band

The Sound were an English post-punk band, formed in South London in 1979 and dissolved in 1988. They were fronted by Adrian Borland, and evolved from his previous band, the Outsiders.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cleopatra Records</span> American independent record label

Cleopatra Records is an American independent record label based in Los Angeles, California. It was founded in 1992 by Brian Perera. The record label has since grown into a family of labels, including Hypnotic Records, Purple Pyramid Records, Deadline Music Records, and X-Ray Records, encompassing a variety of genres with emphasis on unique and experimental artists.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eyeless in Gaza (band)</span> English musical duo

Eyeless In Gaza is an English musical duo of Martyn Bates and Peter Becker, based in Nuneaton, Warwickshire. They have described their music as "veer[ing] crazily from filmic ambiance to rock and pop, industrial funk to avant-folk styles." Formed in 1980, the group went into hiatus in 1987, re-emerging in 1993.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Steve Soto</span> American musician

Steve Soto was an American musician. Soto was a multi-talented instrumentalist, a founding member of California punk rock band Agent Orange in 1979, and a founding member of Adolescents in 1980 performing on bass guitar in both bands. Soto was also a member of Legal Weapon, Joyride, Manic Hispanic, Punk Rock Karaoke, and the punk supergroup 22 Jacks. Soto also fronted his own band, Steve Soto and the Twisted Hearts, starting in 2008.

Greg Cartwright, also known by his stage name Greg Oblivian, is an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist from Memphis, Tennessee. From 2001 to 2022 he fronted Reigning Sound which was signed to Merge Records. After moving away from Memphis in the mid-2000s, he has since lived with his family in Asheville, North Carolina.

Reid Paley is an American singer, songwriter, and musician who has been performing and recording both solo and with his trio since the mid-1990s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Studdogs</span>

The Studdogs was an American rock band from Orlando, Florida, United States. The band's music contains elements of punk, blues rock, garage rock, and noise rock. The band was formed in 2000 and stayed active until 2005. They released a lot of material, particularly the album, The Gospel According to the Studdogs and the 7" vinyl three-song EP, and gained local and national notoriety. They were featured in several national music magazines, including Magnet and Amplifier. Comparisons were made to the Stooges, Dead Boys, and it was said they sounded "like absolute victory by way of slurring, Rolling Stones-y garage rock from nowhere in particular." Their drunken, abrasive live shows often ended with someone bleeding or being thrown out of the venue. Their live shows were said to be "what Howling Wolf would sound like through a wall of noise and distortion." The band was signed by Orange Recordings in Los Angeles and toured all over the country, sharing bills with the Demolition Doll Rods, Bob Log III, The Fleshtones, and Immortal Lee County Killers and a one-time show with the Suicide Girls Burlesque Tour in Orlando. While in the Studdogs, Rich Evans began promoting concerts under the tag 'Mutiny Productions'. He now heads the independent Florida's Dying label, promoting and releasing material from the Florida-underground music scene. Kyle Justin joined the band on drums in early 2002 to replace Jason, who was moving to Texas. Kyle vacated his position as drummer in 2003 to pursue a music career in Los Angeles. Eric Gebhardt left the band in 2005 to pursue a solo career under the alias Red Mouth.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Teardrops (UK band)</span>

The Teardrops were an English punk/new wave band formed in Manchester, England, in 1978. The founders and always the core of this band were Trevor Wain, John Key and Jimmy Donnelly with various good friends from the Prestwich music scene:- Buzzcocks bassist Steve Garvey, members of The Fall; Martin Bramah, Karl Burns and Tony Friel and former member of V2 Ian Nance, as well as occasional contributions from Dave Brisbane, Helen Harbrook, Dave Price and Rick Goldstraw.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Minutemen (band)</span> American punk rock band

Minutemen were an American punk rock band formed in San Pedro, California, in 1980. Composed of guitarist/vocalist D. Boon, bassist/vocalist Mike Watt, and drummer George Hurley, Minutemen recorded four albums and eight EPs before Boon's death in an automobile accident in 1985; the band broke up shortly thereafter. They were noted in the California punk community for a philosophy of "jamming econo"—a sense of thriftiness reflected in their touring and short, tight songs as well as their eclectic style drawing on hardcore punk, funk, jazz, and other sources.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Residual Kid</span> American rock band

Residual Kid is an American rock band from Austin, Texas formed in 2009 at rock camp USA. The group consists of Deven Ivy, Ben Redman (drums), and Max Redman. They have released three EPs: Box in 2011, which was recorded with an earlier lineup, Faces, featuring the current lineup, in 2012, and Salsa in 2016.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Le, Bao (April 23, 2009). "MUSIC: This Little Underground". Orlandoweekly.com. Retrieved July 11, 2014.
  2. 1 2 3 "CD Review – Eric Gebhardt "Blues $1.49"". Blues in London. Archived from the original on July 14, 2014. Retrieved July 11, 2014.
  3. 1 2 "The Orange Recordings one-sheet on the Studdogs" (PDF). Orangerecordings.com. Retrieved July 11, 2014.
  4. Archived February 8, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
  5. Archived April 27, 2010, at the Wayback Machine