The Honeyrods

Friends since childhood, guitarist Chris Hunter, drummer Michael Dale and bassist Jeremy Brashears were born and raised in Nashville and grew up listening to a mix of U2, the Beastie Boys and Guns N' Roses. The three Tennessee natives linked up with Austin, Texas singer Gordon Cabaniss and guitarist Matt Clemmons (originally from Muscle Shoals, Alabama) while all of them were attending college in Nashville. Despite all hailing from towns noted as music centers, the honeyrods' collective sound bears no resemblance to either country or Southern blues-rock. Their name, rife with sexual connotations, actually derives from Hunter's cousin's childhood name for sunflowers. Armed with their new name, the band gigged relentlessly throughout the Southeast region, earning an intensely loyal fan base with their raucous live show. Two self-produced releases -- a self-titled 1995 EP and the 1996 Cha Cha Cha EP -- set the stage for the honeyrods' major-label debut on Capricorn, and a spot on the ESPN X-Games Xperience Tour in spring of 1997. In describing their sound and band outlook, Cabannis is quoted as saying, "We're not trying to change the world or anything like that. We just want to have a good time and entertain people." ~ Cub Koda, All Music Guide