The Long Ryders Return
Alt. Country Pioneers
The Long Ryders
New Single
Five albums in the 1980’s saw The Long Ryders in the vanguard of the powerful alt. country movement, combining a hard country vibe (the name comes from a Western movie) with a garage rock sensibility.
Along with bands such as Giant Sand, the Dream Syndicate and The Beat Farmers, The Long Ryders made music at a time where most music genres WENT TO SEED. Not only has this music survived, it is now very much on trend and re-badged as ‘Americana’. (Main man Sid Griffin wrote the first book on Gram Parsons, back in 1985, as well as liner notes for various Parsons’ collections, and he was heavily involved in the 2004 Parsons documentary Gram Parsons: Fallen Angel).
The band’s comeback 2018 album Psychedelic Country Soul was an impressive return and they toured again, showing the band had left nothing behind in its thirty-year hiatus.
Now we have a new single. “Down To The Well” was cut in Richmond, Virginia near guitarist Stephen McCarthy‘s house with a few overdubs added down the phone line later on. It was produced by Adrian Olsen (the Dream Syndicate, Clear Cut Water, Fate & Death).
“If You Want To See Me Cry” is the B-side and an acoustic version with a unique bridge…not the version found on Psychedelic Country Soul in 2018 but a different version with added mellotron, some touches to Sid Griffin’s vocal, and a total remix. It was produced by Ed Stasium (the Ramones, the Smithereens, Jeff Healey Band).
Here’s the clip for “Down To The Well”:
And here’s a blast from the past!:
“Feeling the impending weight of an ill wind about to blow as the country grows more and more divided. So many have sold their soul and to what end? With a thirst for knowledge & a desire for reconciliation I’m going Down to the Well.” – Stephen McCarthy, the Long Ryders
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The Long Ryders Return
