Mix southern blues rock, a twist of classic rock with a serious dash of fabulous guitar work, driving bass lines, and powerful beats, then add dark, smoky, sex-soaked vocals emotively singing intelligent, warm, sensuous lyrics and you know what you get? Sons of William. This soulful, bluesy trio are the south Louisiana brothers Joe (vocals, guitar) and David Stark (drums) whose father, William, is the biggest inspiration to his two adoring sons. Along with fellow Louisianan Jen Janet (bass) who offers her silky, melodious, feminine tones in harmony to Joe’s rich, passionate drawl.
Sons of William is what rock music should be, full-flavoured, emotive and libidinous. It’s the kind of rock you want to hear when you’re slumming it in a saw-dust-on-the-floor bar, in the deep-south, sitting, feet-up on a table, drinking bourbon. As you watch, the band slowly enthralls the rancorous audience into silence with tempestuous guitar, perfect seamless symbiosis of the bass and drum as they accompany the luscious, ardent vocals and lyrics that are, you can’t help thinking to yourself, intellectually above this bar’s usual crowd.
But now you don’t need to go anywhere, this rich tapestry of music that is in turns bluesy and funky and always horny – and I’m not talking about a horn section – is now on CD. Sons of William have just launched their full-length debut album What Hides Inside. To celebrate the release of their album Joe and David spent some time with me discussing their dad, whiskey – Scottish vs. American – and of course their music.
Where did you get the title of your new album What Hides Inside?
Joe: It’s taken from the lyrics in a song called “Darkest Secret”, which is the second song on the record. It's just about having someone you can trust enough to share something with and how, instead of suppressing whatever your secret is or whatever hides inside. Feeling like what you want to do for that person, your significant other, is to keep it alive. That is the premise of the song and the title has implications all its own, you can imply what you want.
We put our brother on the cover, and that has an implication all its own. Not only his expression, but he had a little bout with cancer a year ago. So it was a little homage to him.
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