THE LIFTERS consist of three battle hardened Texas musicians, each of which have an extensive history in local and national bands.
Together they have crafted a sound have been called "Rock, Country and Texas all in one " but, THE LIFTERS are a hard one to peg. With obvious rock, country and americana influences they successfully blend the three seamlessly and are still able to stick to the essential ingredients for all genres .songs about girls, cars, Texas and .hotel rooms?!.
"Combining the sneering no-futurism of Social Distortion with the balls-out Southern rock affectations of Black Oak Arkansas ain't blazing new trails, but Austin's Lifters manage to make the formula come alive in all its skyward-fisted glory. The quartet pays homage to classic country with a cowpunk cover of Merle Haggard's "Mama Tried," but they head straight for the garage to celebrate the alluringly dangerous mythos of Roller Derby culture on "Roller Queen." ***:
-Austin Chronicle 9-16-05-
"THE LIFTER$ prove to be the perfect soundtrack for wrenchin' on yer ride or beatin down that snotty neighbor kid and takin his lunch money"-Rank and Review Magazine-
"If these dudes had different guitars (don't ask me what kind, man, I'm a rock writer, I don't know anything about anything), they'd be Junkyard, because the whole honky-tonk biker-metal-motherfucker-with-a-heart-of-brass vibe is here, and it's shining like new chrome. But they don't have those guitars – I believe they were discontinued in 1989 – so they sound sorta like the Supersuckers drinking manly liquor with the Pogues*. And that's cool too, just not as loud or as greasy. The songs are all classic shitkicker laments, lotsa talk about women with the devil in 'em ("She's a Devil"), sometimes on wheels ("Roller Queen"), sometimes in New York City (um, "NYC"); the guitars slip and slide like old friends on the backporch, drinking the weekend away, T Mack's vocals are ragged and honest, and often joined by the fellas for the choruses, and the whole thing just reeks of dive bars with chickenwire fences, and long-gone Saturday nights. Oh, and there's an Elvis cover, too. Same one that Danzig did, 'cept the Lifters are little more authentic, as Elvis didn't lift a lotta weights or worship Satan. Anyway, "Texas Trash" is a very good record for people who drink beer. Or people who used to drink beer. Or people who often clean up after people who drink too much beer, and puke all over the floor. Anybody beer related, really.*Minus the accordions of course, as we are talking about Texans here -SLEEZEGRINDER.COM-
THE LIFTERS started out in 2001 and have since released two CD's, both On Austin label Killingbird records and have played regularly all over Austin.
Soon the guys were a staple on the local rock circuit and have even appeared on a cable TV Rock and Roll cooking show!
THE LIFTERS released "Texas Trash" in 2005 on local record label KILLINGBIRD to positive reviews in the USA and abroad. The single "She's A Devil" was in heavy rotation in Brazil and Argentina prompting plans for a future tour of both country's. Included on the new CD are two country standards 'Make Believe' by Conway Twitty and "Mama Tried' by Merle Haggard. Both songs have a refreshing rock edge that is synonymous with the bands 'Big Texas Sound'. Mama Tried was actually played (once!) on Austin's biggest hardcore country radio station KVET much to the delight of the band and the dismay of the regular KVET audience!
"You can get airplay on rock radio stations in Austin but, to sneak one on KVET like that, is a real killer!" -THE LIFTERS
THE LIFTERS have a street rock/Texas sound that's had them compared to Hank lll, Social Distortion, Joe Ely, and ZZ Top.
Make no mistake THE LIFTERS mix of Mexican food, Lone Star Beer, boozy dames, and a "hell yeah" attitude are pure Texas and right on time.
THE LIFTERS CD'S ARE ALSO AVAIBLE ON AMAZON iTUNES, iTUNES EUROPE AND RHAPSODY ONLINE
THE LIFTERS use Gibson and Fender guitars, Marshall & Mack amps and GMS drums.
Photos by Jay West, Ziv Kruger and Lori
