“We jumped at the chance to move in together and get the creative juices flowing,” says Joe Marlow, leader of The Tips, which formed two years ago in Nashville, migrated to Atlanta, then settled last winter in a house on John’s Island. The group has a gritty, groove-oriented sound with elements of swamp blues layered throughout, reminiscent of Little Feat, ’70s-era Stones, and The Band, with a touch of the early ’80s Saturday Night Live house band led by Tom Malone of The Blues Brothers.
Marlow calls their recent creative output an original mix, explaining that they develop ideas regardless of specific label. “Above all, we are a soul band, which transcends genre,” says the frontman, who is proud that The Tips are multi-instrumentalists exploring a variety of styles. Matt Cahill’s no-nonsense drumming keeps everything solid and in the pocket, while Brent Sandel’s thick keyboard landscapes make it easy to use unconventional guitar methods to invent grooves, says Marlow. “We put six minutes of entertainment into a three-minute song.”
With the help of new local booking agent Follywood Productions, the group is currently organizing a late fall tour around the Southeast.
