Screamin' Cheetah Wheelies
Screamin' Cheetah Wheelies are a band from Nashville, Tennessee, USA, which was formed in the early 1990s. The band embraced a southern boogie style which led to comparisons with groups such as Lynyrd Skynyrd, The Allman Brothers Band, The Black Crowes, Collective Soul and Cry of Love. The band played at a blues club near Vanderbilt University before being signed to Atlantic Records in 1993. The band drew its name from one of Gary Larson's comics, The Far Side.
History
Mike Farris (vocals), Rick White (guitar), Bob Watkins (guitar), Steve Burgess (bass guitar) and Terry Thomas (drums) released their first album, The Screamin' Cheetah Wheelies, in 1994.[1] The album reached #40 on the Billboard Heatseekers chart.[2] The album was recorded at Ardent Studios in Memphis and produced by Paul Ebersold. The Screamin' Cheetah Wheelies was an album that "played like a gateway between guitar hero classic rock and hippie jam band grooves, often combining both within the confines of a single track."[3] Their single, "Shakin' the Blues", reached the album-rock top ten.[4]
In 1996, the band released Magnolia. This album's varied musical styles ranged from "Magnolia", a slow-burn build-up rock and roll epic, to "Gypsy Lullaby", a delicate ode showing Farris' blistering vocals at their best. Magnolia was produced by Michael Barbiero and featured a guest appearance by Warren Haynes of Gov't Mule.
Big Wheel, released in 1998, contained "Standing In The Sun" and "Boogie King", a song as much at home in the mosh pit as cruising the local drag. "Boogie King" was used on the soundtrack of the movie Bride of Chucky. "Right Place, Wrong Time" was used in the Malcolm in the Middle episode "Home Alone 4" and included in Songs from Malcolm in the Middle, the soundtrack to the television series which was released on November 21, 2000.
Since the band's dissolution, Farris has released three solo albums: Goodnight Sun on Mean It! records(2002), Salvation In Lights (2007) and Shine for All the People (2014) on INO Records.[5] The remaining Wheelies continued performing in various combinations. In 2009, Thundershack Studio’s Brodie Hutcheson recruited the vocalist Jarrod England.
Discography
- The Screamin' Cheetah Wheelies (Atlantic Records, 1994)
- Magnolia (Capricorn Records, 1996)
- Big Wheel (Capricorn, 1998)
- Live Vol. 1 and 2 (2000)
- Shakin' the Blues (live) (Dark Reign Records, 2002)
- Lamanamanumi (live) 2003
- Ten Miles High (2004)
Charting singles
- "Shakin' the Blues" (1993) U.S. Mainstream Rock #9[6]
- "Ride the Tide" (1994) U.S. Mainstream Rock #20
- "Hello from Venus" (1996) U.S. Mainstream Rock #25
- "Magnolia" (1997) U.S. Mainstream Rock #29
- "Boogie King" (1998) U.S. Mainstream Rock #18
References
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