By Mark Bennett
TERRE HAUTE — If America is craving rock ’n’ roll with spirit and sturdy, working-class values, who better to provide that than a band named The Elms?
The group based in John Mellencamp’s hometown of Seymour will perform Thursday in The Verve at 677 Wabash Ave. The Elms’ appearance is part of a tour of the Midwest and South in support of their new album “The Great American Midrange.” That disc — their fourth since forming in 2001 — reached No. 18 on Billboard’s Heatseekers chart and is their fastest-selling album.
Their music explores faith, matters of conscience and fun, rooted in an accessible, energetic rock sound. Life in Indiana is a steady undercurrent of their songwriting. “The Great American Midrange” debuted in September, but its first single “Back to Indiana” was unveiled during television coverage of the Indianapolis 500 last May. Another single, “Strut,” has received play on adult-oriented rock radio stations.
The foursome has opened for a variety of artists, including Neil Young, the Goo Goo Dolls, Buddy Guy, Shooter Jennings, Band of Horses, Better Than Ezra, the Fratellis and Switchfoot. Among their career highlights was a performance alongside Mellencamp during the Farm Aid concert.
Their lineup includes 31-year-old lead singer, guitarist and songwriter Owen Thomas, lead guitarist Thomas Daugherty, Owen’s younger brother Christopher Thomas on drums, and Nathan W. Bennett on bass.
Owen Thomas discussed their sound in an online interview with the Tribune-Star on Tuesday. Here are his responses to our questions:
How did it feel to perform alongside John Mellencamp at Farm Aid?
“It was an honor, mostly, to have the musical stamp of approval from John, Neil [Young], Willie [Nelson], and Dave [Matthews]. Those guys are our rock and roll heritage. The work that Farm Aid does every year is important, and the cause is personal to us as many of our friends farm. I’m a huge Chrissie Hynde fan, and I met her that day as well.”
Can you describe how the band’s Hoosier roots influence its sound?
“Well, our families all listened to rock bands since the time we were kids. Also, if the sound is a product of our roots, it’s because we all grew up in working-class families that have experienced legitimate struggle and gravitated to bands they could identify with. None of us grew up in entertainment industry homes where we felt entitled to anything. Our work ethic was born in reality, and none of us take successes for granted, even modest ones. That kind of rigid backbone affects the sound too.”
The promo for your new album “The Great American Midrange” mentions the “hard working values” The Elms sing about. What types of jobs did you guys hold before reaching this point?
“We’ve done everything from retail to manual jobs. We worked on a farm picking tomatoes to pay for our first demo. My favorite summer job was making snow cones at a baseball park during high school.”
Could you explain the title “The Great American Midrange”?
“In the last couple years, I’ve often described our band’s sound as ‘American midrange.’ The boys in the band play very fearlessly, and our sound is sort of pointed and exists in the midrange sonically. Also, ‘The Great American Midrange’ is a metaphor for the great American working class. Those kinds of people and stories are the backdrop for the record.”
When you play a club, such as The Verve in Terre Haute, what catches the ears of people in the crowd?
“We keep it real loose and raw musically. Club shows are just sweaty, fun nights out. We typically keep it real lively, make sure the band is really rocking hard for a good solid two hours. Playing clubs really is a great way to make a band have to work hard and stay sharp.”
Who: The Elms, a Seymour-based rock band.
Where: The Verve, 677 Wabash Ave.
What: A live performance.
When: 10 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 12.
Cost: $5 cover charge. (Must be 21.)
Mark Bennett can be reached at (812) 231-4377 or mark.bennett@tribstar.com.
