History

Saddlesores - 1989-2004

I was sitting around with Scott Meacham and the late and sorely missed John Hastings one night listening to music. We loved Dwight Yoakam, and Steve Earle, Jason and the Scorchers, Social D, and of course, old country,rockabilly and 70’s rock. We thought it would be funny if we did rock versions of country songs, and vice versa. We started out with a country version of Judas Priest’s “Breakin’ the Law”, and a punked out Merle Haggard song. UBIK Sound released a compilation called Carport Thunder that featured two of our songs. After a month, we had written three great songs that ended up on our first recording, “Drink, Drink, Drink”.

After John died, we added Cole Mitchell on vocals, and Chris Martin on drums, and a new band was born.

Downtown Albuquerque was coming into it’s own at this time, and we played every club that would have us. We put out our second recording, aptly entitled, “Beating a Dead Horse”. After 10 drummers (including another “late great”, formerly of the Breakers and Broadway Elks, Tom Van Vleet), countless bassists and guitarists (we may be the only band who can boast of having the phenomenal Eric McFadden play both guitar and drums with us- he’s also on our debut recording), we finally kept a solid crew together for a few years, including Chris Martin back on skins, and recorded our farewell CD, “Let it Suck”.

REVIEWS

Beating A Dead Horse
Saddlesores
***1/2

"Whether you want to call it rock 'n' roll with a twang or country with an edge, "Beating A Dead Horse" (Wasteland), the latest CD from locals The Saddlesores, is the best record of its kind in quite a while. The one thing the 'sores have that most alt-country bands don't is a sense of humor. You can hear it right away, in songs like the laid-back "Me and Raul Julia Down by the Graveyard", "Dolores Juaquin" and "Folsom Wizard Blues", an unholy, high-speed pairing of Johnny Cash and The Who. The trio is also tight as a miser on tax day. This 15-song collection proves that its possible to rock in cowboy boots so long as you don't take yourself too seriously."

- Kenn Rodriguez, The Albuquerque Journal, Venue Friday, June 9, 200?

Chosen for the past three years as one of New Mexico's premier bands Best Americana Act by the New Mexico Showcase, 2003

Winners of the WAMMIE best C/W Group - Alibi, 2000

"Our favorite Albuquerque-based Americana band, the Saddlesores have been barraging the Duke City for more than a decade with a high-energy Stones-meets-alt country brand of twangy roots rock. Very much steeped in the American South (various members have roots in South Carolina, Alabama, and Texas), the band focuses on craftsmanship, storytelling, and humor, and their often over-the-top live shows have made them favorites throughout New Mexico. "After ten drummers, four bassists, and countless sidemen, we are still very much alive," quips charismatic front man Cole Mitchell, as festivarians will see when the band takes the stage Sunday afternoon."

- Thirsty Ear Festival 8/31/03

"Saddlesores follow the country tradition of song writing that paints pictures of trailer parks, cheating wives and sick, old hound dogs with drooping ears...'Don't give me no fancy funeral, one that I can't afford/Make the pick-up truck be a Chevy not a Ford/To my cousin Ed, the horse of course and the kids get everything/To my wife nothing flat' cause that's how she left me' sings Cole Mitchell on "Me and Raul Julia Down By the Graveyard..."

- Rachel Heisler, Daily Lobo 8/13/00

"This ain’t no Bottlerockets crap but Chuck Berry doused with Texas BBQ sauce, hickory & bourbon flavor. Although this stuff is anathema to your average hipster/ scenester, I had a blast on the dancefloor with a gal who actually knew how to dance to rocknroll, something most scenesters just don’t get. Too old-fashioned? Too un-hip? Too bad, you’re the ones missing out…"

- Captain America, Wig Wam Bam 06/04

Let It Suck
Saddlesores
Rating: ***1/2

You know the term "alt-country" has been stretched far too wide when it's applied to a band like the Saddlesores. There's nothing "alt" about this local five's latest release, titled "Let It Suck." An overt tongue-in-cheek homage to the classic 1969 Rolling Stones album "Let It Bleed," the group approach country music like it was an old but reliable Chevy truck-they just hop in, start her up and drive to work. In the same sense that today's rock bands have to needlessly be sub-categorized by terms like "stoner" or "Nu," it's just downright silly to call this band anything but plain old country. Granted, the Sores do crank up the amps more than your average country act. But the fact that they show a healthy amount of respect to country music tradition, as well as the likes of Merle Haggard, Waylon Jennings and Hank Williams Jr., doesn't qualify them as "alt" anything. This is how country music should be played. Today's so-called "country" acts would do well by studying the lovesick swagger of the Sores "Gravity" or the blue-collar "Highlife." If they did, they would learn that in real country music, tractors aren't sexy, they're just tractors. And the word fashion is about as unfamiliar to a true country act as the word sushi. If there's anything "alt" about the Saddlesores, it's their affinity for the electric guitar and their ability to make even those that despise country, stand up and listen. If that's an alternative to country, then keep it comin' boys.

-Kevin Hopper, Albuquerque Journal

"You hear the words 'ahead of their time' a lot in the music business but in the case of the locals The Saddlesores, it's true...If you go check out the Saddlesores...Don't expect Brooks and Dunn. If the group's latest CD is any indication, the group is much more Nirvana than Nashville..."

- THE VENUE, Albuquerque Journal

Chris Martin (drums), Keith Drummond (guitar), Scott Meacham (bass), Cole Mitchell (vocals, harp)

History

Saddlesores - 1989-2004

REVIEWS

Saddlesores MP3s

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History Saddlesores - 1989-2004 I was sitting around with Scott Meacham and the late and sorely missed John Hastings one night listening to music. We loved Dwight Yoakam, and Steve Earle, Jason and the Scorchers, Social D, and of course, old country,rockabilly and 70’s rock. We thought it would be funny if we did rock versions of country songs, and vice versa. We started out with a country version of Judas Priest’s “Breakin’ the Law”, and a punked out Merle Haggard song. UBIK Sound released a compilation called Carport Thunder that featured two of our songs. After a month, we had written three great songs that ended up on our first recording, “Drink, Drink, Drink”. After John died, we added Cole Mitchell on vocals, and Chris Martin on drums, and a new band was born. Downtown Albuquerque was coming into it’s own at this time, and we played every club that would have us. We put out our second recording, aptly entitled, “Beating a Dead Horse”. After 10 drummers (including another “late great”, formerly of the Breakers and Broadway Elks, Tom Van Vleet), countless bassists and guitarists (we may be the only band who can boast of having the phenomenal Eric McFadden play both guitar and drums with us- he’s also on our debut recording), we finally kept a solid crew together for a few years, including Chris Martin back on skins, and recorded our farewell CD, “Let it Suck”. REVIEWS Beating A Dead Horse Saddlesores *1/2 "Whether you want to call it rock 'n' roll with a twang or country with an edge, "Beating A Dead Horse" (Wasteland), the latest CD from locals The Saddlesores, is the best record of its kind in quite a while. The one thing the 'sores have that most alt-country bands don't is a sense of humor. You can hear it right away, in songs like the laid-back "Me and Raul Julia Down by the Graveyard", "Dolores Juaquin" and "Folsom Wizard Blues", an unholy, high-speed pairing of Johnny Cash and The Who. The trio is also tight as a miser on tax day. This 15-song collection proves that its possible to rock in cowboy boots so long as you don't take yourself too seriously." - Kenn Rodriguez, The Albuquerque Journal, Venue Friday, June 9, 200? Chosen for the past three years as one of New Mexico's premier bands Best Americana Act by the New Mexico Showcase, 2003 Winners of the WAMMIE best C/W Group - Alibi, 2000 "Our favorite Albuquerque-based Americana band, the Saddlesores have been barraging the Duke City for more than a decade with a high-energy Stones-meets-alt country brand of twangy roots rock. Very much steeped in the American South (various members have roots in South Carolina, Alabama, and Texas), the band focuses on craftsmanship, storytelling, and humor, and their often over-the-top live shows have made them favorites throughout New Mexico. "After ten drummers, four bassists, and countless sidemen, we are still very much alive," quips charismatic front man Cole Mitchell, as festivarians will see when the band takes the stage Sunday afternoon." - Thirsty Ear Festival 8/31/03 "Saddlesores follow the country tradition of song writing that paints pictures of trailer parks, cheating wives and sick, old hound dogs with drooping ears...'Don't give me no fancy funeral, one that I can't afford/Make the pick-up truck be a Chevy not a Ford/To my cousin Ed, the horse of course and the kids get everything/To my wife nothing flat' cause that's how she left me' sings Cole Mitchell on "Me and Raul Julia Down By the Graveyard..." - Rachel Heisler, Daily Lobo 8/13/00 "This ain’t no Bottlerockets crap but Chuck Berry doused with Texas BBQ sauce, hickory & bourbon flavor. Although this stuff is anathema to your average hipster/ scenester, I had a blast on the dancefloor with a gal who actually knew how to dance to rocknroll, something most scenesters just don’t get. Too old-fashioned? Too un-hip? Too bad, you’re the ones missing out…" - Captain America, Wig Wam Bam 06/04 Let It Suck Saddlesores Rating: 1/2 You know the term "alt-country" has been stretched far too wide when it's applied to a band like the Saddlesores. There's nothing "alt" about this local five's latest release, titled "Let It Suck." An overt tongue-in-cheek homage to the classic 1969 Rolling Stones album "Let It Bleed," the group approach country music like it was an old but reliable Chevy truck-they just hop in, start her up and drive to work. In the same sense that today's rock bands have to needlessly be sub-categorized by terms like "stoner" or "Nu," it's just downright silly to call this band anything but plain old country. Granted, the Sores do crank up the amps more than your average country act. But the fact that they show a healthy amount of respect to country music tradition, as well as the likes of Merle Haggard, Waylon Jennings and Hank Williams Jr., doesn't qualify them as "alt" anything. This is how country music should be played. Today's so-called "country" acts would do well by studying the lovesick swagger of the Sores "Gravity" or the blue-collar "Highlife." If they did, they would learn that in real country music, tractors aren't sexy, they're just tractors. And the word fashion is about as unfamiliar to a true country act as the word sushi. If there's anything "alt" about the Saddlesores, it's their affinity for the electric guitar and their ability to make even those that despise country, stand up and listen. If that's an alternative to country, then keep it comin' boys. -Kevin Hopper, Albuquerque Journal* "You hear the words 'ahead of their time' a lot in the music business but in the case of the locals The Saddlesores, it's true...If you go check out the Saddlesores...Don't expect Brooks and Dunn. If the group's latest CD is any indication, the group is much more Nirvana than Nashville..." - THE VENUE, Albuquerque Journal Chris Martin (drums), Keith Drummond (guitar), Scott Meacham (bass), Cole Mitchell (vocals, harp) Saddlesores MP3s Gravity from Let It Suck Me and Raul Julia Down by the Graveyard from Beating a Dead Horse Mama Had A Peterbilt from Drink, Drink, Drink Knee High to a Longneck from Drink, Drink, Drink Previous bands Saddlesores [1989 - 2004] Dueling Keiths [1986-1988] Speed Queens [1984 - 1986] Jet Girls [1981-1983]