Defying current genre classification, Atlanta’s own Rolling Nowhere has unofficially been described as a Psychedelic Junkyard Folk band. This loose term accurately describes a band that bends the current alt-country/folk/rock genres and seems to consistently evolve its sound with every show.
Combining their love of Classic Country, Old Timey Folk and Psychedelic Rock n Roll, the result is a sound somewhere between early Uncle Tupelo, Wilco, Blitzen Trapper and the Grateful Dead.
The band has down home 3-part harmonies, a mutual love of songwriting, and a wide array of instrumentation including; the Canjo-a washboard percussion experiment, upright bass, telecaster guitar, drums, dobro, banjo, mandolin and fiddle.
If you’re looking for travelin’ music or actually thinking of hopping a freight train, Rolling Nowhere is your medicine. When whiskey won’t kill the pain reach for a shot of Rolling Nowhere!
Atlanta Music Guide was able to speak with Rolling Nowhere themselves to get the inside scoop on this psychedelic Rock n Roll Folk group.
How did Rolling Nowhere form?
I had just ended a brief marriage and my cousin Al talked me into buying a cheap Washburn guitar. I wrote my first song while I was learning a few chords from an old roommate. Soon we had a handful of original tunes and we started going to open mics around Atlanta and playing under the moniker “Rolling Nowhere”.
Where did the name Rolling Nowhere come from?
I was hanging out in Little Five Points one day back in the late 90s and went in Acapella Bookstore and saw this hard copy of the book “Rolling Nowhere” by Ted Conover. It was a first edition and was inside a big glass case. The cover picture was of a hobo walking down these railroad tracks into a dreary grey wilderness and it sucked me in. I ended up buying the book and it became my muse for a while.
What has been Rolling Nowhere’s most memorable show to date?
Playing with Pokey Lafarge and the South City Three, those cats have it figured out.
What is your dream gig? Lineup? Venue?
I would like to play a show at Willie Nelson’s ranch in Texas and hangout and pick his brain on songwriting and then play him in Chess.
What artists / bands are currently on your playlist?
Hank Williams, The Grateful Dead- Reckoning, Furry Lewis, Sam, Riley Downing and the Tumbleweeds, Roscoe Holcomb- The High Lonesome Sound
Rolling Nowhere will be playing at Springfest and Tunes from the Tombs. What makes you most excited about playing at these awesome Atlanta events?
Interaction with the other bands, and earning new fans.
Buy your tickets here for these upcoming events!
For a closer insight to this country/folk/rock experience, Rolling Nowhere will be playing at the 5th annual Springfest Saturday, May 18th. Springfest Festival Line-Up Includes: Rolling Nowhere, Donna Hopkins, Cute Boots, Gringo Star and many more.
They’ll also be playing at Tunes From The Tombs at Atlanta’s Historic Cemetery Saturday, June 8th. Festival Line-Up Includes: Blair Crimmins and the Hookers, Bird City Revolutionaries, The Bonaventure Quartet (featuring Amy Pike), Rolling Nowhere, Little Country Giants, Wasted Potential Brass Band, and more.
