Rock N' Roll Reporter
Vol. 3 Issue 31 February, '95

SCREAMIN' CHEETAH WHEELIES
by Gigz Giger

Mike Farris may not, "indulge in that fancy anymore," when he speaks of his riding horses and breaking in "colts," back on the farm he grew up on. But he does however, reflect a great deal of sentiment for those days in his poetic lyrics. Farris refers to himself and his band-mates as "...an alternative to pop," built on the premise of rick, gospel, the blues and country to be the inspiration for himself and the rest of The Screamin' Cheetah Wheelies.
The SCW's caught my attention at a recent live performance with their Nashville-kickin' ass sound. Guitarists Rick White and Bob Watkins compliment each other nicely, with all their southern chops, and Farris' distinctive, penetrating vocals enthralled the crowd all night. Steve Burgess (bass, backing vocals) and Terry Thomas' (drums, percussion) flourishing rhythm section and diverse beats round-out the lineup, making one great band. Their unbridled passion turns you on instantly.
The Allman Brothers Band hand picked the SCW's to play with the entourage known as the H.O.R.D.E Festival last year. And Farris recounts it as "a dream come true."
The Atlantic Records act is currently in the final stages of recording pre-production, and Farris was hospitable enough to take time out of his very busy schedule to inform the Reporter's readers of the band's origin, his personal insights and experiences and future plans of The Screamin' Cheetah Wheelies.
RN'R - We got to catch you guys twice last year, once with Ian Moore, and more notably, at the H.O.R.D.E. Festival..
Mike - "Yeah, that was a real good experience for us man, we enjoyed that a lot."
In our year-end issue, The SCW's were mentioned a few times by some of our writers and guest writers as a "best of" pick for '94. So your performance was memorable to quite a few people.
"Really?!"
That isn't bad for only playing thirty or forty minutes that you guys were allotted on the second stage.
"It was thirty minutes. But it worked better for us to take the smaller stage. It was kind of potluck on the facilities, where they placed the other stage...people just rolled over that hill man, and it turned out to be a really good thing."
Now, for the obvious; How did you guys initially hookup?
"Pretty much, everyone is from here, around Nashville. Except for Steve (Burgess), he's from West Virginia. I guess he's been here for about five years now, and I've been here four years. We kind of met-up, hit it off the very night we got together. We wrote "Shakin' The Blues" that night. We all knew... It felt right. There's a certain feeling that just tells you when things are right."
Your vocals have many different dynamics and ranges. Is that natural, or did you require training?
"As I grew up, It was just something I did. It wasn't anything that anybody really knew about. I was closet singing, and it was something I never really pursued. I just woke up one day and said 'think I'm goin' to join a band.'"
What kind of music were you into as you grew up?
"Rock n' roll, gospel, bluegrass, and (real) country stuff like Willie (Nelson), Waylon (Jennings) and Merle (Haggard)."
Willie was just on Howard Stern's show the other night, talking about some really crazy stuff.
"Talking about the H.O.R.D.E. and Willie, It's funny, because the Allmans were inducted into (The Rock and Roll) Hall of Fame, and Willie inducted them."
Who else was inducted that you liked?
"I really dig Al Green. I was real happy to see he made it! He's one of the great soul singers of all time."
Being from down the Memphis way, did you dig Elvis?
"The early Elvis stuff. Elvis dug a lot of gospel too. You can't escape it down here. It's all around you. And then, If your forced like I was to have older brothers - who were bringing in all this outside rock and roll - it was really cool."
In your linear notes on the first album, are all the names mentioned, brothers?
"Yeah, five brothers."
Big Family! Where were you in the litter?
"Right in the middle."
Now I read somewhere that The SCW's used to sell their plasma to make ends meet.
"That's why we did it. We sold (our) plasma down at this plasma line down the street. We'd walk down there twice a week, a couple miles cross town. Fifteen dollars a pop and off we'd go."
Well, hopefully things are a little better now.
"Yeah, we toured, and toured real heavy on this first album. When we came off the H.O.R.D.E. tour, we cut it out , and now we're working on the second album."
What were some of the highlights of the tour for you?
"Jalmo (Allman Bros.) took up with our drummer Terry, so he started jamming almost nightly with them. Before it was over everyone got to jam with the Allmans. The H.O.R.D.E. had some real big hittin' cats this year; Big Head Todd (and the Monsters) - which is a band I recommend you listen to... Sheryl Crow..."
That girl has got some charisma!
"Yeah, real cool girl too man. She told me she was teaching in St. Louis, and (she) just said 'f**ck it, I'm gonna do it,' and she did it. She's doing it, and I'm happy for her."
Who else do you like?
"Dave Matthews Band was really happenin'. Rusted Root was awesome."
They're one of our locals.
"I saw them on TV the other night, everybody dug those guys a whole lot. The H.O.R.D.E. turned out some really great musicians this year. I don't think there was a band that I just hated."
Where did you receive your best response from?
"Our biggest market I'd have to say, is the whole Northeast - It's really happenin' - and then Florida. Florida's crazy man."
I guess you grew quite close with the Allman's on tour.
"They're really good family, they're good people, and they were the ones to request us to be on (the tour). And in fact, we were almost not on the H.O.R.D.E. Festival. Man, check this out. Dickey (Betts), he's got a son named Duane, and matter of fact he was on the tour with us. (He played with his dad in Pittsburgh.) Dickey told me this story when I was on the (tour) bus with him one night. He goes, 'You know, you almost didn't make it on here,' and I said, 'What are you talking about?' And he says, 'My son was downstairs listening to a stack of tapes, and he come up and says, 'Dad, I don't think you want this band, Screamin' Cheetah Wheelies on the tour.' And Dickey goes, 'What is it?' Duane says, 'They're like death metal.'"
How did he reach this assessment?
"He (Duane) got the tapes mixed up. Their manager called our manager, and they told the story. But, they took us under their wing, and they really took care of us. And that's a comforting feeling."
You guys are currently wrapped up in the next project. How's it coming?
"We're working on the new songs, which are coming together in a productive manner. We're having a good time doing it. This is a real broad, vague statement, but it's sounding more 'mature'. It's sounding really good, and I'm pleased with it."
How does the band get into 'the zone,' or that state of mind to record?
"Well, lots of hallucinogens." (laughter)
Is that natural hallucinogens?
"Yeah, and sometimes you tap into things. Different means different things with different people. I treat it (tripping) with a lot of respect, and I use it to create, and that's what I use it for. Creating for me personally takes a whole separate life-style. You got to be true to yourself before you can ever speak any of the truth. Keep your karma clean. I have a theory - at that very moment, when that one person is sitting in that room by themselves - like I used to do - and they listen to our album and go, 'Oh! That's it." That's when it all (clicks) for me, and I just kind of explode and combust."
On your first release, there is a track entitled "Moses Brown." Is Moses a parody to someone?
"Yeah, it is...I have no idea where it came from. I just strummed the guitar and sang and played the first three lines...after that I had to search for it. I think Moses was a person who came from another world...he saw these kids - this is how I picture it in my head - underneath a tree. He just came and said, ' Look! I've got to tell you about this toy you've forgotten about...one that you haven't played with for a very long time."
What kind of toy?
"To be specific, it's love."
One final question. How was The Screamin' Cheetah Wheelies' name conjured? It seems to sum up the image of the band well.
"There was a (Far Side) cartoon of these cheetahs on the flats, and there was a couple of them up above looking down on these cheetahs in the flats. The cheetahs in the flats were up on their back legs and they were spinning out. They were heading down this (specific) route and they were doing wheelies. I thought, damn, that would be a pretty cool name."
What was the name going to be before you saw the comic?
"Big F**ckin' Beltbuckle." (laughter)
I don't think Atlantic (Records) would of liked that.
"I don't either, man." (more laughter)