Band of the Sky Podcast

Club owner pulls gun instead of cash. Rattlesnakes react exacting almost simultaneous revenge; looking for an illustrator. If You hear the Sound: Intro-RTFK Highly over You-RTFK Straight to Hell-N.C. Rail Paul Fox Produce Section Music Outro-RTFK

Dark Shadows; Snippets from the 1989 Asheville Christmas Jam  with Matt Sluder, Rocky Lindsley, Mickey Hayes and Warren Haynes on "No Way Out."; Ronnie Burgin shout out to the band; "Mickey!"; Whose idea was the Christmas Jam? The origins? Rich answers through Asheville Citizen Times newspaper articles.   If You hear the Sound: Intro-RTFK Trading Licks-Warren Haynes and Matt Sluder One Way Out-War...

World quality. An episode about the two sides of Crystal Zoo--the bouncy, funky Zoo and the heavy laden Zoo. Matt Sluder (Dixie Deluxe, Barnes Sluder Group, Crystal Zoo, RPM) played in the first life of the Crystal Zoo, the lighter, bouncier sound which also included Jeff Anders (Praying for Rain, Crystal Zoo, Batcave Philharmonic)who'd go on to write tunes with Warren Haynes; Band of the Sky co-h...

Rich mixes cuts from Praying for Rain and Dixie Deluxe illustrating a common sound, style and structure between the groups which Rich argues created an Asheville Sound;The tremendous influence of Matt Sluder and late 80s and 90s era players who torched the town with youth and talent; Bill remembers Mike Barnes, Matt Sluder, Elliot Wadopian and their group Helix and draws life parallels between Slu...

Bill, Rudy and Rich talk about ramifications of working in a post punk political outfit; excerpts from the cryptic Blood Sperm tape, which was found in a phone booth at an Exxon off Merrimon Ave. in 1996; Rich, as Billy the Six, introduces "Kings are Flying" at B6 show at Stella Blue; Local update and "Rail Yeah!" to our international listeners. If You hear the Sound: Intro-RTFK Sanguinary Fluid-B...

Matthew Knights is a songwriter of the highest quality. He can blur the line between faith and knowledge, make you believe in Jesus Christ with his song "Easter," or have you question everything you've known with "Good Luck Kid." In all he does he's authentic, prophetic, and the deepest, hardest, softest human, man, star, universe in my god almighty world--the sum of all emotions in human experien...

Rudy Colombo ponders the Asheville music scene in the 90s and today...where local is national--Reigning Sound, Band of Horses, Drunken Prayer, Floating Action; Creating Billy the Six; the sneaky brilliance of Holiday Childress (Goodies) guitar work; Canadian Tuxedos and Americana; the many and variegated branches of the Asheville music scene. If You hear the Sound: Intro-RTFK Sunday Shroud-Anthem...

Acoustic Apocalypse and the Eye of the Tiger: old friend, old soul, neighbor, bandmate and songwriter Rudy Colombo (N.C. Rail, Gypsy Moths, You Dirty Rats, Humbuckers...) talks mid-90s Asheville, and seeing old friends, local bands, "The Poles," and "Shun" the previous night in town; the healthy relationships in Rudy's group, "You Dirty Rats"; tolerating the talented and contempt for the audience;...

Rich reads listener mail to Bill; Rich and Bill improvise "Listener Mail" theme song; thanks and a mighty "Rail Yeah!"to our listeners! Keep them cards and letters coming at richofthesky49@gmail.com.   If You Hear the Sound: Intro-RTFK TV, Radio Beds Listener Mail Theme-Bill and Rich That's George!-George Outro-RTFK

Rich and Bill come to America via their ancestors who came and fought on opposite sides during the American Revolution; the story of a couple of married teenagers--Charlie Silver, 19, and 18 year old Frankie Stewart Silver. Frankie was the first woman hanged in N.C. for killing Charlie with an ax, chopping him in pieces and scattering him around the old home place in Kona, N.C.; the power of Bob D...

Champions: Set to the ancient call of the Jack Dempsey v. Jess Willard fight, (1919) Hard Hearted Bill tells how he came by the moniker and dropped it when he went "straight."; constructive criticism and thin skin; the sins of the Holiday Inn; beware the glad hander and back slapper. If You hear the Sound: Intro-RTFK Hello Lester-Lester's Relatives Gravity-Crystal Zoo Jack Dempsey V. Jess Willard...

Near death experiences with the "white light" and seeing dead relatives; does good natured ragging of band mates, "giving the business," work to motivate? What about with highly sensitive southern players? Is it a matter of geography?  If You Hear the Sound: Intro-RTFK Cherry Lane-Richie Tipton and Rocky Lindsley Baby Got Me Down (Shovel) Rudy Colombo Save Some Room-Praying for Rain (PFR) Ferry-An...

Inspirational entertainer, mover, shaker and all around great guy, Jim Burns joins the celestial band of the sky. Rest In Peace, Jim. You'll always be a Hollywood Brat to me. Jim was 71; deconstructing Bill Altman who sort of offers an apology. If You hear the Sound: Intro-RTFK Playing Around-Bill Altman Sunday Shroud-Anthem Williams When the Sky-N.C. Rail Outro-RTFK 

In the mid to late 90s John Clontz was a fixture on the Asheville music scene. He ran Alternative Pub--formerly the Brass Tap, McTap, and later Johnny Lee's. The Alternative Pub address, 633 Merrimon Ave., is as much a character as the musicians on Band of The Sky; John remembers working in the old building, having to leave it, the many wonderful bands passing through his bar, and a city on edge f...

The night Ray Gene Hardin completed his self sabotage.  If You hear the Sound: Intro-RTFK Livin' in the 90s-Rattlesnakes Blooming There-N.C. Rail Outro-RTFK

Navigating the jack ass artist. If You hear the Sound: Intro-RTFK War-RTFK Julie-N.C. Rail The Ballad of Jimmy the French-Praying for Rain Outro-RTFK

When it comes to love thy neighbor as thyself a lot of Christians ostensibly self loathe; Forgetting the lessons of Sunday school; Jesus loves the Raging Heathens. If You Hear the Sound: Intro-RTFK Why Can't Everybody Love Everybody Again-Anthem Williams In America-Richie Tipton This Radio Plays Itself-Anthem Williams The Fire Crows-Crackling Fire Christmas Puppy-Twisted Richards Tired of Them-RTF...

Raging heathens discuss "Peak Richard" in N.C. Rail; Friendly bondage; Bill hopes for Jesus' return. If You Hear The Sound: Intro-RTFK Trailer Park-N.C.Rail Sex-N.C. Rail Outro-RTFK

Southeast powerhouse cover band Mainway was a revolving door of Asheville musicians before morphing into legendary Stripp band and a Yogi's run; technology anxiety; addiction; can't fix a donut diet...pass the smokes; Loopers looping, who have looped and will loop while looping loops on looping ad infinitum... If You Hear The Sound: Intro-RTFK Laundrymat Heart-Richie Tipton (RT) Garden-RT and Rock...

Bill gives a short lesson on American music with a cigar box guitar; the blues, the seeds of classic rock. Check out Bill's cigar box blues every morning on Instagram, #yourmorningblues; baby boomer and generation Z's differing approach to releasing content; old school and no school. If You Hear the Sound: Intro- RTFK Verde Birds-Verde Spring Band Lightning Long John-A Chain Gang Hello, Hello-Anth...

Our long time friend, Bart Cole died this past Sunday. I was friends with him for over 40 years. We had a rapport that only four decades could build. This is a short outake from the "Wide and Deep with Brother Bart," podcast. I wanted to keep this short and sweet to show the dynamic we had and to remind myself it's not coming back. Rest In Peace, old horse. If You Hear The Sound of Music You're Li...

Self-proclaimed "hot head," Bill the Pill challenges Black Crow's guitarist, and known hot head, Rich Robinson to "get down." Rich and Bill talk Euro-trash-metal-thrasher Randy Rector and jamming, night spot Smugglers Den; the graciousness of Artemis Pyle keyboardist Brad Durden; also Rich and Bill react to real time text informing Rich Bart Cole is dying. If You hear The Sound of Music You're Lis...

Rich and Bill discuss the intricacies of seemingly simple country drumming; also, there's no money above the fifth fret; late, organist Gene Brown taught Henderson Bill how to play the song "Borderline," and in doing so imparted a giant life lesson; hearing a band you haven't heard in a while or completely forgotten. If You Hear The Sound of Music You're Listening to: Intro-RTFK Rhyming Club-Anthe...

Rich and Bill recall local rock stars Bruce McTaggert and Madcap; also the RPM suicides; fragility and lack of control. If Your Hear the Sound of Music You're Listening to: Intro: Highly Over You-Richie Tipton and The First Kings (RTFK) Why Didn't You-Twisted Richards Would You I Would-Praying for Rain Bele Chere Street Preacher Versus The Black Headed Kid with A Vuvuzelas Horn Outro: Highly Over...

Elvis, Beatles, Rolling Stones, Franz Kafka...For every artist who's made it there are countless others who did not. Bill explains why the true rock star in Elvis fashion is dead; Does the unpublished genius even matter?  If You Hear the Sound of Music You're Listening to: Highly Over You (Intro and Outro)-Richie Tipton and The First Kings (RTFK) Free as A Bird-RTFK Verde Crickets