Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, March 18, 1991 TAG: 9103180055
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: E-3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: MARK MORRISON STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
He then slipped an electric guitar over his shoulder and launched into his own "Put Some Drive In Your Country" and cover versions of Joe Walsh's "Rocky Mountain Way" and Chuck Berry's "Promised Land."
So far, so good.
Next came the Kentucky Headhunters' thunderous assault of high antics, high volume and guitar jams, which more than once reached the fever pitch of a monster truck race.
It was an awesome display.
Unfortunately, the group of 3,938 Southwest Virginians who gathered to witness this event, like sheep, had to be told to get off their rumps, have fun and live a little.
Not so good.
"Everybody get out of your damn seats," pleaded guitarist Richard Young at one point in desperation.
He said another time: "I know it's Sunday night, but good Lord."
What more did they want?
The Heads threw enough firepower at such country and bluegrass standards as "Oh Lonesome Me," "Walk Softly on this Heart of Mine" and "The Only Daddy That Will Walk the Line" to make even the wildest of wild hairs among country music fans take notice.
And that's not including the band's rock covers: "Little Queenie," "Crossroads," "Statesboro Blues," "Spirit In The Sky," and "It's All Over Now." As Mick Jagger once wrote: It's only rock 'n' roll, but I like it.
Plus, the Heads claim to have the sexiest man in show business in drummer Fred Young, who has by far more hair growing down from his sideburns than he does growing on top of his head. Young also gives you one of the longest drum solos in show business, and you could feel the pounding of his bass drum penetrate deep into your chest cavity, not to mention your eardrums.
So, what gives?
Perhaps even the most devoted of the hard-core rowdy, "Yee-ha!" sect were taken aback by what confronted them in the Kentucky Headhunters.
Looking like a Dixie-fried, redneck Frank Zappa - complete with gunslinger-like holster for his cordless microphone - lead singer Ricky Lee Phelps bounced around stage like a one-man three-ring circus. He even took time to juggle during one song.
Meanwhile, Richard Young and bassist Doug Phelps swirled around almost as much hair as Milli Vanilli, while actually singing and playing their own parts themselves. Lead guitarist Greg Martin added more hair and a blistering barrage of guitar solos and intentional feedback more in tune with Duane Allman or Eric Clapton than Chet Atkins.
In the end, maybe it was Randy Travis who summed it up best at last fall's Country Music Association awards after the Heads performed "Oh Lonesome Me." Country music may never be the same, he said.
For his part, Travis Tritt at least threw in a few more conventional country songs during his opening set. Most noteworthy were "Country Club," "Here's A Quarter (Call Someone Who Cares)," "The Whiskey Ain't Working" and "Help Me Hold On."
by CNB