Dixie Witch Interview: SXSW 2010

Southern hard rock group Dixie Witch earned an underground following after their nearly nonstop touring from 2000 to 2006 in support of their first three albums. To gear up for their first new record in five years, Dixie Witch will play at SXSW for the tenth time. They will premiere their new guitarist, Joshua "JT" Todd, along with a handful of new songs. Spinner recently spoke with lead singer and drummer Trinidad Leal about Dixie Witch's journey.

How did the band form?

It was like '99 and we were living in Denton, Texas, which is just north of Dallas. Curt, the bass player, and me, we had been playing with each other since '96, and we got together with Clayton Mill and formed a trio. We wanted to play straight up rock 'n' roll music. We started out when there was not of a lot of heavy rock 'n' roll going on where we lived at the time. There was some punk rock, that kind of stuff, but we're doing kind of the Southern rock thing, in the spirit of Lynyrd Skynyrd and Black Sabbath, and some of the seminal power rock bands.

You're a vocalist and a drummer, which is unusual in bands. Do you find it difficult?

As far as something that I picked up, it was a challenge. It still is a challenge. We're pretty intense live. It's a rocking show, lots of energy, and to throw vocals on top of it, it's doing double time for me. It took getting used to, but it just kind of fit.

How would you describe your sound?

To explain our sound would be kind of like all of the elements. Lots of fire, lots of atmosphere, lots of emotion. Very emotional. A lot of drive behind it. Power, you know, powerful rock 'n' roll music. In the spirit of the classics. Very organic sound, with just guitar, bass, drums.

Would you say your band has any defining songs?

There's a song called 'Set the Speed' that's on 'Smoke and Mirrors.' That's a very definitive song of Dixie Witch, what we're about, the sound -- kind of lyrically talking about life and the journey of life; the path and where we're going. That song is about riding through the tough parts and rolling with the sun, the moon and the stars, and keeping it going.

What would you say makes you a quintessentially Texan band?

Texas always had their own niche in music culture, from way back to Buddy Holly to even before that, going into psychedelic music with the 13th Floor Elevators, all the way to heavy blues with all the blues kings like Freddy King, ZZ Top. Our sound kind of embodies all that blues, Southern jam rock -- the ZZ Top kind of vibe. And also we've been known to go off on real heavy jams that kind of exemplify that Texas sound that doesn't have any borders, that can incorporate all kinds of styles.

Where does the name Dixie Witch come from?

I was always talking about my Aunt Helen. I have an aunt who was down south in Texas, a real religious area. She went against the grain, and she'd always come up with her own kind of remedies and things like that. Some people were kind of afraid of her. They thought she was a witch. She wasn't really a witch, evilly. She just kind of used her own methods and stuck to that.

What would you say are your musical influences?

Musical influences? Gosh. It expands across the rock 'n' roll globe. Big Zeppelin fans, Black Sabbath. The Southern rock of bands like the Allman Brothers and Lynyrd Skynyrd. We dig the soul music of Otis Redding and Parliament-Funkadelic and funk. Love ZZ Top, Waylon Jennings. Outlaw country like Willie Nelson. And then heavy blues from Muddy Waters to Freddy King. We love the Stones.

Would you say you have any musical guilty pleasures?

I think we all do. I grew up with all kinds of different things. I know JT likes extreme heavy death metal stuff. Curt's way into gospel music. I don't know if those would be guilty pleasures. I've been known to listen to old New Order and Joy Division.

I was thinking more like a secret love of Miley Cyrus. Anything like that?

I rooted for Adam Lambert in 'American Idol.' Let me think about that. Nothing I could really think of except my wife shoving Adam Lambert down my throat. He's a great singer, though.

Do you have any vices?

I've gotten a lot better at controlling bad habits. We love a good drink every now and then, but like I said, it's a lot more controlled now. Life is so much better. My guilty pleasure is I love too much barbecue down here in Texas. Got to watch our barbecue and beer intake.

How does playing at SXSW differ from other live performances?

Through our years of playing nationally and internationally, a lot of fans from all over the world will come. Dixie Witch is a great festival band. That's one thing I've noticed. Whenever it comes to being one of those gatherings, our music seems to kick it up a notch.

What's in your festival survival kit?

It would probably be my potion, my honey. I bring kind of a honey mix for my throat, to keep that all straight. I take care of myself with that. But really, nothing besides a lot of water. A lot of whiskey and water.

What would you say is the craziest thing you've seen or experienced on tour?

Craziest thing we've done or experienced while on tour? Golly, there's so many. I have to think about that. I mean, selling out CBGB and blowing the power out – that was pretty wild.