The Lacs prove radio play isn't everything in country
If you go strictly by what you hear on country radio, you might not have ever heard of The Lacs. But their potent mix of hip-hop, country and hard rock is selling albums, and they've got the chart positions to prove it. The duo, who refers to its style of music as “hick-hop,” just released its new album, “Keep It Redneck” in August, and it debuted at an astounding No. 3 on Billboard's Country Album chart.
Rubbing shoulders with country royalty is quite a long way from the duo's humble origins in Baxley, Ga. Clay “Uncle Snap” Sharpe and Brian “Rooster” King got together in 2002 and developed a crowd-pleasing mix of rap, rock and country that eventually caught the ear of like-minded musician (and writer of Jason Aldean's “Dirt Road Anthem”) Colt Ford. Ford signed The Lacs to his own Backroad Records label, which released the duo's “Country Boy's Paradise” album in 2010. The Lacs are playing Greenville' Blind Horse Saloon on Friday, and Clay Sharpe spoke about the band's increasing success.
Question: Do you have any sense of momentum building around The Lacs right now?
Answer: We can definitely feel it. We feel like we're making new fans every week. We love it when people come to our shows that haven't really heard of us before, because we feel like there's a chance that we can earn somebody new liking us. When people hear “hick-hop” or “country-rap,” they instantly get a suspicion of it, but I feel like when they get the chance to hear us, they usually feel different about it.
Q: How important has Colt Ford's support been for the band?
A: He's been laying the groundwork for this from the beginning, not just with the label, but by being on CMT and having Jason Aldean record one of his songs. He's helped us out more than I can explain.
Q: Has getting on country radio gotten any easier?
A: It's definitely been a struggle with country radio. You explain the concept, and a lot of people really don't get it. But back in the '60s, Johnny Cash did a country-rap song. He did a song called “I've Been Everywhere,” and, I mean, to me, that's a rap song. I still can't get all the words to that song (laughs). But I feel like there will be more and more music like this coming out, and it will get into the mainstream eventually.
Q: Given your recent album sales, do you feel like you need radio play?
A: Don't get me wrong, I think it would spread a whole lot quicker if we had country radio backing us, but the fans are supporting us either way. It would be nice to have, but for right now, we're grateful for what we've got. You can't argue with No. 3 on the chart behind Luke Bryan and Florida-Georgia Line.
Q: Was that debut chart position unexpected?
A: It was definitely a surprise. We thought we MIGHT have a chance at breaking the top ten, but being in the top five was a total shock.
Q: Tell me a little about the new album, “Keep It Redneck.”
A: We've made a few changes and experimented with more genres like reggae, but we haven't strayed too far from the blueprint of the first album because we feel like we've got a good mixture of what people want to hear. As far as the recording, well, we tour all year long. We haven't had a weekend off for two years. So the recording process is an all-year-long thing, as well. We just tried to get some studio time when we could.
Q: Given the lack of radio play, how important is that constant touring?
A: It's incredibly important. Without radio play, the shows are what gear our fan base. Every show is a chance for us to pay our fans back for supporting our album.
Who: The Lacs Where: Blind Horse Saloon, 1035 Lowndes Hill Road, Greenville When: 8 p.m. Friday Info: 864-233-1381 Web: www.blind-horse.com Tickets: $12 advance/$17 day of show