Welcome to 'the innerview', an interview that gets you closer to a local favorite. I would like to start the innerview with a two part story I conducted with local rock band Level With The Ground.
Stacy Griffin and myself headed over to J.C. Davis' house in Pascagoula December 13th to meet the guys during their weekly practice. We was escorted around to the back of the house to an old, creepy, flight of stairs that led up to a door. Escorting us upstairs was J.C. Davis, grandfather to members Heath & Clay Davis. As we walked in, we noticed the tight, junked up studio(as they call it), was lit up by Christmas lights and small flourescent lights. The guys have just finished playing a song and look up at us as we walk in. Mr. Davis tells the guys they have company. Obviously, one of the guys didn't know an interview was fixing to happen as he asked me what this was for. Finally, after Stacy and I are seated on a set of old, rickety roller chairs, we begin with their names...
1. Where did the name 'Level With The Ground' come from?
Chris:Actually, it was a spur of the moment thing. I was standing in a bar in Mobile and booked our very first show. A guy asked me what our name was and I said it. It was one of the names we were tossing around and it just stuck from there.
2. What's your instrument brand of choice?
Joe: (In a redneck voice) I like this one!(holds guitar towards me) It's made by these people!(points to the golden IBANEZ inscription) D&D Strings. Clay:TAMA Rockstar, Sabian Cymbals, Vic Firth sticks, and Gibraltor Hardware.Heath: Soundgear Bass, Harkey Head, and Bluesteel Strings.Chris: I sing with a SURE SM58, and this is your standardized $30 bullhorn from Radio Shack thats been beaten the heck out of.
3. If you were a superhero(Superfriend), which one would you be?
Chris: I don't know, probably Aquaman.Joe:Hey! Aquaman gets near the water...(laughing).Chris:Yeh, but Aquaman didn't get much play, you know what I'm sayin? Aquaman was the dude that was like..."Hey we're going here, hey Aquaman, you stay here and man the controls." Aquaman didn't do...Joe: He would stick his head in the toilet and go BLEEP!!BLEEP!!BLEEP!!Chris:(everybody is laughing) Callin the dolphins and crap, Aquaman was cool.
Joe: Handiman!Chris: Your Gleek, The Wonder Twin's monkey. Heath: Shut up! Man! That was mine! Clay: You should be Ace & Gary from SNL. Heath: No it's Superfriends man! Joe: I guess Wonder Woman.
The Invisible Jet?
Joe: Yeh.
Clay: I would be the Thing.
Heath: I'll be Green Lantern. Chris: Yeh dude, cool.Heath: I just thought of that. I had the ring.
Clay: We're brothers, we could be the Wonder Twins. Heath: Your the girl.(everybody dies laughing) Clay: (pointing at Joe)Oh yeh? Your the monkey! Your Gleek! Joe: Yeah, but one of you is gonna turn into a bucket of water. Clay: Yeh, but you'll still be Gleek.
4. How did you guys meet?
Clay: I started playin' with Joe in a band I won't speak of. Heath: Joe has it copyrighted. Clay: Yeh, but I've been playin' with Joe for 8 years atleast. Then we formed this band. Heath played bass for a country band. Heath: The only difference when I started was we had a different singer for about two weeks. Then he got mad, ran out, and we got Chris. Joe: The only reason we got Chris was because he had a PA system. Chris: I only joined cause they said we had doughnuts up in here. Haven't found'em after 5 years.
5. You guys rocked at the David Hester Benefit Concert...anything unusual happen while you were there?
Joe: I farted. Clay: Nobody flashed us. Heath: People clapped. Joe: Heath moved(the guys laugh). Chris: Just to get a chance for the kids that can't come to bars to see us.
What did you think about 3 Doors Down coming back to headline the show?
Joe: It didn't matter, it was all for a good cause. Clay: Being they are a signed band we will give them...Chris: ...the benefit of the doubt. Clay: Yeh, you know, I guess you could say they've earned it. We're not enemies, people think we are rivals, we're not.
innerview continued...
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