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photo by Michael Snyder
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A writer and poet, one of the greats, once scribed, �Anybody can be a non-drunk, it takes something special to be a drunk, it takes endurance.� In the very fickle world of indie rock, (and I mean INDEPENDENTLY operating rock bands) endurance is a characteristic in short supply. Mike Montgomery, Toby Weiss and Rick McCarty coalesced into thistle long before, as we have all been told, �The entire world changed.�
They have consistently made music that adheres to a principle unknown to the bloated, glossy, monolith that is the mainstream industry. Playing together since 1994, the trio is sliding into a decade�s worth of creativity that has seen the release of numerous albums and EPs (all on their own Tiberius label) but they have always strived for quality over quantity. This is a band that works deliberately, every note ringing with meaning and purpose. Locked inside the chassis of a pop song stand towering walls of volume and euphoric blooms of melody (in the midst of a live set the walls become cathedrals that engulf a listener wholly and completely).
The death knoll of the DIY ethic may be a bit premature. There are bands out there working hard to keep the blood flowing to its often under-nourished heart. With thistle still creating music full of passion, leaving everything they have in the wake of every chord, the indie spirit has a fighting chance. It too will endure.
- Billy Carter
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