Everyone just assumes Pinkish Black has been to Europe by now.
“I can’t believe how many people ask me,” said drummer Jon Teague. “ ‘No, we haven’t gone to Europe yet. We just announced it!’ ”
What he and singer/keyboardist Daron Beck have just announced was a spot on Roadburn Festival, April 20-23 in the Netherlands, with Integrity, Disfear, Bongzilla, Oathbreaker, Trans Am, Big Business Whores, Dallas’ True Widow, and several other dark, underground hard rock acts. Pinkish Black will remain in Europe for five weeks afterward.
The mistake is honest. Teague estimates that he and Beck have played every continental U.S. state – “North Dakota, Maine, there’s a few in there, but we’ve hit everywhere else” – and mostly only over the past couple of years. The duo’s inspiration was its third album, Bottom of the Morning, released in 2015 by Relapse Records (Integrity, Iron Reagan, Toxic Holocaust). Among the highlights from the road: playing with ’60s legends The Crazy World of Arthur Brown, California giants Sleep, and theatrical cult faves Ghost.
Now that Teague and Beck have just returned from a showcase at South by Southwest, they’re writing when they can – Teague said they’ve got about half-an-album already written – and on Saturday they’re hitting Lola’s Saloon (2736 W 6th St, 817-877-0666) with two other local greats: relative newcomers FOGG and veterans Stumptone. The bill was put together by Teague.
“Well, FOGG is great, fucking heavy psych-rock,” he said. “Stumptone, all those guys are really old friends of ours and a great band. It’s a great fit. Even if nobody shows up, we’ll be hanging out with a bunch of friends.”
Pinkish Black’s last Lola’s show – in December with Wire Nest and Programme – was also the band’s last Fort Worth show.
“We’ve been playing all these shows,” Teague said, “but playing Fort Worth only three or four times a year.”
After Teague and Beck return from Europe, they’re touring the West Coast. Again.
“It’s great,” Teague said of being out on the road. “It’s what I wanted to do, y’know?”
Weariness does set in, though, he said.
“You certainly get worn out, man. I’m definitely feeling it being over 40 now! There’s that.”
Teague said he’d love to bring along a roadie or driver, but everyone he knows responsible enough to do either job or both has too many responsibilities back here to be on the road “with a couple of dirtbags” for any length of time.
“It definitely helps to have somebody driving,” Teague said. “Daron is a total baller. He drives like a trucker. But he can’t do it the whole the time.”
The Pinkish Black guys still try to keep income streams open back in the Fort, with Teague running sound at shows and Beck working independently on a contract basis.
“I do miss home,” Teague said. “When I’m gone, it definitely makes me appreciate it a lot more.”
Nice little write up. We are lucky to have such talent in our own back yard. Glad the rest of the world is discovering how awesome these guys are. Something we have known for years.