There’s nothing quite like good old-fashioned rock and roll. Thorns Inside are here to furnish you with that.
Talking with Frankie Bauguess (lead, rhythm, acoustic guitars/keyboards/backing vocals/production & mixing).
Simple things first – where are you guys from?
We are from various parts of North Carolina, in or near Surry and Rockingham Counties.
How did you meet?
Paul and I first met around 2000. We were playing in different original bands on the same ticket. Later around 2005-2006, through a mutual acquaintance, we ended up in the same band, playing cover songs. It was during that period that we developed a friendship and a musical kinship. We wanted to form an original band and record an album as far back as then, but it didn’t happen until 2016. Scotty and Paul had known each other for many years. Steven and I have known each other for a long time as well.
How long have you been playing as a band?
We formed in early 2016. But all of us have played in various bands for the last 20 years or more.
Before you get sick of being asked… where does the band name come from?
Interestingly enough or non-interestingly enough, there’s no real wondrous or romantic story behind it. We needed a name, one day it just came to Paul. It was one of those rare names that when he suggested it, we all loved it.
What are your influences?
We have such a wide range that there’s no way to list them all, but some of them include: Led Zeppelin, Kiss, Def Leppard, STP, The Bee Gees, Iron Maiden, Foreigner, Journey, The Beatles, W.A.S.P.
Describe your music. What makes you unique?
I would say it’s rock and roll with twists and turns. There’s vibes from all eras of rock music intertwined together. I would say the thing that makes us unique is we actually have an original sound. I mean, you hear traces of familiar things but it’s not a carbon copy of any one artist or band.
Do you have any particular lyrical themes?
Our lyrical style usually has to do with emotions and typical life situations. Also there are themes of belief and questioning the life we lead and/or should lead. For example, our album’s title track “1 Lane Hwy” is a metaphor for life and making the right decisions along the road. “Dangerous Ground” is a song expressing the fact “you reap what you sow”, while “Runaway With My Heart” deals with loss and heartbreak.
What’s your live show like? How many shows have you played?
We have not done any live shows as of yet with this band. This band started as a recording project only. As it has progressed and since the album is now complete, we are looking at the possibility of doing some live shows. Our shows will be a high energy, straight forward rock show.
What’s the wildest thing you’ve seen or done at a live show?
Crazily enough, I actually seen a couple “getting to know each other better”, if you know what I mean, during one of my gigs. If we were playing Barry White’s music or something like that, it would have made more sense.
What kit do you use / guitars do you play / etc.?
For the album our drummer, Scotty used an older Ludwig kit with one of the smallest kick drums I’ve ever seen. Our bassist Steven, used Peavey and Ibanez Basses. I used a variety of guitars including: Ibanez, Charvette, Gibson, Washburn, PRS, and Peavey.
What, if anything, are you plugging/promoting at the moment?
We are promoting our debut album 1 Lane Hwy. It was released 11th September 2018 and can be found on iTunes, Amazon, CD Baby, Spotify…
Also we would love for people to check us out on YouTube for our first video “Can’t Help But Love You”.
What are your plans for 2018?
Continuing promotion for 1 Lane Hwy. Also, we have begun working on our 2nd album. There are about 7 songs out of 15, so far that we feel really good about. We will continue writing until we get the 12 or so we feel are completely right. We are hoping to do some live gigs as well.
If you were second on a three-band bill, which band would you love to be supporting and which band would you choose to open for you? A chance to plug someone you’ve toured with, or a mate’s band we’ve not heard of before!
If we were supporting a band, we would love for it to be Kiss or Iron Maiden. Although, there are so many great bands that we would be honoured to share the stage with. That being said, as far as opening acts, there are and will be so many great up and coming acts that we are open to help pretty much anyone. We, of course, would have to be on the same page in certain respects. A recent stand out band for me is Strength Betrayed from Eastern N.C. They are an original hard rock band with good musicianship and songwriting.
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