Park Bench Trio - Bitch Road (2002)

                                                                Park Bench Trio
 It's every mother's dream for her son to grow up, play in a rock group and put out an album called "Bitch Road."

Maybe so, maybe not, but that is exactly what Athens roots-rockers Park Bench Trio have succeeded in doing.

"My mother thought the name of the album was implying that we were traveling around with a brothel of loose women," said guitarist Greg Ward. "I tried to explain this wasn't the case -- it took a while, but I think I've finally put her mind at ease."

"What we were trying to get across," said drummer Rick Williams, "was how bad things can get on the road sometimes."

Park Bench Trio first formed as the Park Bench Blues Band in December of 1998. At the time, Ward and Williams were joined by Stephen Simmons on bass, Nick Worley on guitar and Julia Schoening on vocals.

After a short-lived falling out, Worley left the band and Schoening soon followed.

"We didn't get along with Nick for a while, so we parted ways," Ward said. "And I love Julia to death, but she would always miss practice. After a while, she told us she didn't have the desire to play anymore."

Singer Christina Beatty briefly joined the band, but Williams handled most of the vocal duties. After Beatty left, the band considered calling it quits but finally agreed to forge ahead as a trio.

"Being a trio makes for efficient rehearsals, and it's a good way to hone in on your own skills," Simmons said.

"With the big band," Ward said, "when somebody was taking a solo, I'd smoke a cigarette. I can't do that any more."


Park Bench Trio just recorded it's debut album with producer David Barbe at Chase Park Transduction.

"I did some recording with them in the past, and they've really come a long way," said Barbe of the trio.

An earlier album had been recorded with the band's five-member incarnation, but was shelved after Worley and Schoening left.

"Barbe knows more about baseball and rock 'n' roll than anyone I've met," Willliams said. "They call him 'Old Wheelhouse.'"

"In addition to offering some great suggestions in the studio, he also has some serious whiffle-ball skills," Ward said.

On "Bitch Road," Park Bench Trio wanted to branch out from the more straight-ahead blues that won it a Flagpole music award this year.

"I love the blues, but you can't do an all blues album today," Ward said. "It's been done. You can't compete with Muddy Waters."

Besides classic blues artists, the band's new release is influenced by the music of John Prine, Led Zeppelin, the Rolling Stones and Kris Kristofferson, the band said.


Tracklist:

01. Murphy's Law 04:36
02. Pretty Picture 04:10
03. Demolition Derby 04:22
04. Shuffle No. 1 04:06
05. Border Lord 04:16
06. Our Love Is Drifting 05:18
07. Bitch Road 05:59
08. Flat on My Back 02:33
09. Dharma Lee 06:54
10. You Be Dead 04:29