An artist's musical selection can sometimes even foretell what a next album might sound like. So if you've ever wondered what the artists who grace your stereo are getting funky to, here's your chance to find out. Each week, I'll ask traveling musicians as well as locals the question: What's playing in your CD player or tape deck right now?
The Sheepdogs are arguably the most up-and-coming band in North America. The Canadian four-piece that recently won the chance to be on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine was sequentially featured and dressed on the reality TV series Project Runway. Although the whole experience was "a little weird," the band members said overall it was great because it increased their exposure.
As if that's not enough, The Sheepdogs are on their first U.S. tour as an opening act for legendary funk master Robert Randolph. The group stopped through The Granada Theater in Dallas last week where we got to sit down with drummer Sam Corbett (the one in the Pocahontas outfit on Project Runway) to find out what he's been jamming in his stereo lately.
Currently jamming: Queen, The Creation.
"We've been listening to a lot of satellite radio because we never had that in the van before. [The Creation] is like a mod band from '60s England. It's got a cool vibe and a good and loose rock feel. I like that mod vibe. It's good stuff."
Influenced by: The late 1960s and early 1970s.
"Our main influences as a band are The Allman Brothers, The Rolling Stones, Creedence Clearwater Revival, pretty much anything from 1967-72. Our music has a lot of guitar solos, a lot of harmony. That period was just a groovy time and that's what we are trying to do."
Where the two roads meet: Future headlining tours and plans to take over the world.
"Because of the Rolling Stone cover, we got pretty big in Canada. We're doing a headlining tour there, but we would like to be able to tour around the world basically. Right now we're an opening act but we'd like to tour and do all that as much as we possibly can. We're also very grateful to be the opening act for great acts like Robert Randolph ... Although we're very different from Robert Randolph, the crowd that comes out is one that would enjoy our music also. We've got a little bit of the jammy element, but not nearly as much as Robert, but they seem to be into the rock aspect of what we do."