John Golemon says Warner Hodges of Jason & the Nashville (Nashville was later dropped from the name) Scorchers was the inspiration for the formation of Walk the West, and he credits The White Animals for getting them back together.
The two '80s and early '90s regional powerhouses will join forces again Friday night. Oct. 4, when Walk the West opens for The White Animals at Songbirds South. They first played here together in 1985 at the Chattanooga Convention Center, according to Animals drummer Ray Crabtree.
For Friday night's show at Songbirds, Walk the West will feature Golemon, his brother Will, Joe Blanton and David Kennedy.
Golemon says it was seeing Hodges perform an unusual parlor trick involving a cigarette, a longneck beer, his mouth and nose and a guitar that inspired him and the late Paul Kirby to forget art school and devote themselves to music.
If you go
› What: The White Animals with Walk the West› When: 9 p.m. Friday, Oct. 4› Where: Songbirds South, 35 Station St.› Admission: $20› For more info: 423-531-2473
The two were part of a band at Nashville's Hendersonville High School, from which they graduated in 1980. They both then attended nearby Harris School of Art, where they were studying to become graphic artists.
"We weren't really digging being told what to draw," Golemon said.
They went to Cantrell's to see Jason & The Nashville Scorchers and "Warner put a cigarette in one nostril and a longneck beer in his mouth and he's playing this amazing guitar solo and I said, 'This is what we need to be doing.'"
A short while later, they were driving around Miami while visiting Golemon's father. They started putting together a band and composing a rock opera.
"There might have been drugs involved," he said. Golemon then called his brother and told him, "We are putting the band back together, sort of like the Blues Brothers."
They officially became a band, with Richard Ice on drums, in 1984. Their mixture of country rock features more of the latter than the former, which worked with fans, but not necessarily the suits in Nashville.
They decided to rebrand in 1989 by creating a side project called The Cactus Brothers with a more country sound. It featured multi-instrumentalist Tramp, David Kennedy on drums, David Schnaufer on dulcimer and Sam Poland on steel guitar.
The band broke up in 1996, with most moving on to other bands or projects.
Golemon said the guys in The White Animals have always been supportive of both Walk the West and The Cactus Brothers. In fact, it was their suggestion that the Brothers open for an Animals show last October at the Exit/In in Nashville.
"That kind of got the ball rolling," Golemon said.
Since that show nearly a year ago, the guys have gotten together semi-regularly to write, play and do shows like the one Friday.
"We are discussing trying to work on some new material, and yes, there are discussions about maybe doing another record."
And there is even some discussion of a Cactus Brothers reunion.
Contact Barry Courter at bcourter@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6354.