Entertainment
Red Dirt Metal
With a name like THC, Texas Hippie Coalition is a band of cannabis connoisseurs. Hailing from Texas, the band has self proclaimed their style of music ‘Red Dirt Metal,’ a blend of country music, hard rock and metal, that borrows from Pantera and Ozzy to Johnny Cash and Willie Nelson, to create a sound that fans all over the Midwest and South love and adore. Featuring guitarist Cord Pool, drummer Timmy Braun, bassist John Exall and frontman Big Daddy Ritch, the band’s music is an emblem of a outlaw lifestyle, as the music proudly unites and fuses the cultures of Texans, Oklahomans, country hicks, red necks, bikers, stoners, metalheads, rockers, greasers and everyone into good old fashioned country rock and roll. The band’s new album, Dark Side of Black, was released in April, and the band plans to tour extensively in the coming months, and smoke a lot of their favorite cannabis along the way. Singer and band leader Big Daddy Ritch recently took time to speak with CULTURE about the band’s musical heroes, the band’s THC moniker, his feelings on legalization of cannabis, his personal experiences with cannabis and the law and his favorite parts about being a touring musician.
So, explain to us what red dirt metal is to you?
Big Dad Ritch: Red dirt metal is the music we create, it is where we’re from; you see, all the dirt is red. It’s the general area where Texas and Oklahoma meet and the dirt is literally red out there all over, you can jump into a muddy river with a white t-shirt, and come up with a red stained shirt. Musically it’s the rots of country music, hard rock and heavy metal. It’s a badge we wear with honor; we hope we’re doing our territory justice representing a lot of great musicians from this region.
Was the initial “THC” designed into the band name on purpose?
We are Texas Hippie Coalition, a band of outlaws. The initials came into place with THC and took on this personification. But it’s also for marketing purposes and a way to draw attention to a band that is different from the norm. Once people hear us and see us live, they know it’s a totally different sound and scene. We’re also not limited to one genre, we make our own genre, and we call it red dirt metal. It makes sense for us to be THC because we really love weed.
What is the best part about being a touring musician in a rock band?
We love traveling the country, having fun playing music and meeting fans. And getting to smoke good regional bud from around the nation, from NY or Arkansas, Colorado, California or Washington State, getting to sample the best bud all across the country is a fantastic part of touring. Being in a band named THC, we get a lot of great weed.
Who are some of your musical inspirations and heroes?
We love artists like Willie Nelson, Hank Williams and of course, the great Johnny Cash; we carry the outlaw spirit in our music songs, attitude, and even look. We are for anyone into rock and roll with hints of country and heavy metal. We get to play with everyone from Gary Allen and other country artists, to bands like Lynyrd Skynyrd and Nazareth, Mötley Crüe, and other bands like Avenged Sevenfold, Hellyeah, Black Label Society and Five Finger Death Punch. We love it all.
How do you feel about cannabis legalization?
In my opinion, all around the nation, I would say at least 50 percent of everyone smokes weed. Where the penalties are a little harsher, Florida, Alabama, Louisiana and places like that, it’s more covered up, but in states where they have legality, there is more freedom and less stigma. In Washington State, Colorado and in many parts of California, it’s very open. I just wish that the rest of the United States would catch up with the legal states as fast as possible. Texas, like Tennessee is a big whisky state. But people do smoke a lot of pot, and they grow a lot of it too, even though it’s illegal and a big risk; in places like Houston, there is a big scene of cannabis users.
We don’t need just legalization, we need decriminalization. Everyone in jail for just having a joint or a bag of weed needs to be released. It’s costing tax payers tons of money to build more prisons for non-violent pot smokers or growers. It breaks up families. For people to be imprisoned just for a plant, it’s harmful and hurtful to our society. We need to all embrace the positive aspect of weed it would really make the world a better, more peaceful place.
