Local Musicians Add To Texas Scratch
by Alex Lloyd Gross
This holiday season, you are probably going to get money or gift cards from people that do not know what to get you. If you like good blues rock, one such band has released a new record that has been 14 years in the making. These guys are no garage band. Some members play with George Thorogood and have for a long time. This band is called Texas Scratch.
According to Jim Suhler one of three guitarists in the band, “The name scratch is commonly known as slang for money, it was a great name and I think it’s a great name to call this band.”.
Drummer Jeff Simon is from the Langhorne area. He too plays with George Thorogood and is a key member of this side project. “It’s been 14 years ago and it’s finally found the light of day,” he said. This happened when he was called by his friend Arnie Goodman to do a couple of sessions. One of those turned out to be Texas Scratch. “I think the guy providing the financing kind of backed out and there was not enough money to go through with it,” Simon said.
“It’s been 14 years and then Quarto Valley Records. got the rights to release it”, said Simon. This was recorded in Dover, New Jersey in October 2009. The record is not hard bone crunching metal. Nor is is a bunch of wimpy power ballads. Songs like “Louisiana Cock Fight and “I’d Rather Be Lucky Than Good” are two staples of this record.
“There is a lot of talent there with these guys Simon said.” :For Jeff, he has played all over the world, to large and small crowds. When he was at the old Empire Rock Club, he met Arnie Goodman later would be instrumental in getting Texas Scratch off the ground. Nothing in his life would surpass September 25 and 26 1981 when George Thorogood was tapped to open for the Rolling Stones at JFK Stadium. “It was incredible. We played in front of 90,000 people. Our agent made the call that got us on that tour. :I studied Charlie Watts , that’s how I formed my entire approach to playing drums.”, Simon said. When they got to the stadium, as if playing the largest venue in his hometown with his mentor was not enough, Simon got word that Charlie Watts wanted to meet him.
That’s the kind of music this band plays. If you like what you heard in the above video, take some of your extra holiday scratch and get a different kind of scratch, the Texas kind, .