wordplay by Jon Lister

The career of Jim Heath’s band and the on-stage persona Reverend Horton Heat spans about 15 years and multiple line-up changes coupled with a scorched trail of empty liquor bottles.
“I think it’s cool we’ve lasted this long,” says the Reverend Jim, “People still come out to see us play after all these years, all the shows and tours. It’s amazing. I get to sing songs about cars I love, drinking, and chasing girls. Beats the hell out of the alternative.”  The band’s country-flavored punkabilly and on stage antics have brought Heath and his cohorts a strikingly diverse fan base and a devoted cult following which is evident in their rabid penchant for the road.

Their last studio album, Revival, sees a reunion between the band and legendary producer/engineer Ed Stasium (who also mixed the album and produced the band’s last two offerings).  It runs a little over 40 minutes, a bit brisk for 15 tracks, but still packs Jim and the boys’ brand of Texas-birthed punk/blues infusion. Lyrically, the album’s themes run “from death to silliness,” says The Rev, who lost his mother early in 2003. “I’d been going through so much stuff, losing my mom so quickly, a new baby, touring, getting back and having to work,” he says of making the album.

Revival found the Rev dealing with these issues and more: The track “Someone in Heaven” is written for his mother, while “Indigo Friends” deals with a friend’s heroin addiction. But the album’s themes aren’t only dark and serious: “Calling in Twisted” is about calling in sick to work and “using the fake cough,” “Rumble Strip” is a truck drivin’ song and “If it Ain’t got Rhythm” – “that’s a really fun one to play,” says the Rev – is classic RHH. And “Party Mad”? That’s pretty self-explanatory.

That being said, we’re still waiting for the Rev’ to put out a new non-seasonal full-length disc (a true follow-up to Revival), and by all indications of their recording history (usually two years between discs) this one is overdue. Of course, it’s hard to record an album when you’re keeping a blistering schedule that includes over 150 live shows a year. Speaking of which, looks like the band will be rolling through town, doing eight shows in Colorado, the closest to Denver being Colorado Springs at The Black Sheep on the December 30th. Check ‘em out. Rev’s live show promises imbibing quantities of liquor to border on embalming, upright bass gymnastics, and some unpretentious rock; beats the hell out of the alternative. 

December 30th @ The Black Sheep (Colorado Springs)
December 31st @ The Aggie (Fort Collins)
January 2nd @ Sherpa & Yetis (Breckenridge)
January 3rd & 4th @ 8150 (Vail)
January 5th & 6th @ Belly Up (Aspen)
January 7th @ Mesa Theatre (Grand Junction)

ReverendHortonHeat.com