The Vigilantes (UK)
Tell me about your history? How did you get where you are now?
Around 25 years travelling up and down the road with rhythm and blues combo The Little Wolves convinced Art of the need to broaden his horizons and put some original material together. By that time he and his long-time partner in the combo, harmonica maestro John Halliday, were becoming heavily influenced by Texan songwriters. These included artists such as Townes van Zandt, Guy Clark, Steve Earle and a host of others. These artists had in common an independence of spirit allied to a determination to put songwriting craft and quality ahead of commercial consideration.
Unlike the mass production blandness of much modern music, the music of these men drew upon older traditions. Along with compadres such as Doug Sahm, Joe Ely and Billy Joe Shaver, they combined blues, country, Tex-Mex and rock & roll influences with a quality and breadth of lyrical content that put integrity and honesty at the heart of their artistic vision.
Art and John seek to put the same values and principles into their work as The Vigilantes and hope to continue to put out records which convey the same attitude and spirit as that of the music and musicians whom they admire and have been influenced by
