Interview: Band Of The Week - Backyard Tire Fire

In a just world, Backyard Tire Fire (BTF) would receive the copious press coverage reserved for commercially successful but artistically bankrupt acts such as...well, you can probably think of at least a few.  But while you probably won't see the group on the cover of Rolling Stone in the near future, at the end of the day it doesn't really matter.

What matters is good music, and on that point Backyard Tire Fire delivers big time.  What they also deliver is a sound that is firmly rooted in the rich history of American music - rock 'n' roll, R&B, country, and folk to name but a few - while still being fresh and original.

The trio of Ed Anderson (lead vocals & guitars), brother Matt Anderson (bass & vocals), and Tim Kramp (drums & vocals) have released five albums so far, the most recent being February 2007's Vagabonds and Hooligans, which has received widespread acclaim from critics and no doubt won them many fans, myself included.  The band has also staked their territory as an energetic and passionate live act.

BTF's Ed Anderson recently took the time to respond to some questions about the band, starting with that very unique name.

Any significance with the name Backyard Tire Fire?

Not really. Just a redneck nod to the Springfield Tire Fire on The Simpsons.

Choosing a live album (2002's Live at the Georgia Theatre) as your first release was rather unorthodox - how did that come about?

We were broke and living in Athens, Georgia. A friend multi-track recorded us live at a gig and it seemed like the cheapest way to put out a record. So I guess it was kind of out of necessity.

How did the band come into existence?

I was living in North Carolina and doing solo gigs and missed playing that rock and roll music. So I invited Tim Kramp to move down and live in my basement to play drums and drink Budweiser.

How did Matt enter the scene?

We were broke and living in Athens, Georgia (wait, I guess I already said that) and decided the best thing for the band was to move to the Midwest where we had friends and family and folks that wanted to help us take this thing to the next level. Within a couple of weeks we were gigging with my brother on bass, within a year we had management, and a label and then the agent followed. So I would say we made the right decision! Not to mention we got a great bass player out of the deal.

Article Author: Chris Holmes

Chris Holmes opines on just about any topic, whenever the mood strikes. He lives in New Jersey with his wife (sorry, ladies).

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