The Van Buren Wheels began life in the late 90's in Phoenix when 3 cab drivers (who also happened to be old friends) agreed that what was missing in the local music scene was a true garage band that had the background and the ability to incorporate other traits that made 60's music so great... ie. Soul and R&B... and give it a modern-day kick in the nuts. Lo-fi was never part of the deal for the Wheels. The reason that so many of those bands back then had such a muddled sound was not intentional... the unavailability of affordable technology for teenage kids cutting their own records was more likely the reason, and the Wheels knew this. They weren't content to become just another throwback retro garage band. A few of the band's members were vets of the early eighties punk scene and that ethos influenced the band's every move. The Wheels opted to look forward rather than behind by incorporating the best points of 60's music and forging it into something more appropriate to the times they lived in.
They played the local circuit regularly from 1997 to 2000, making themselves a regular fixture at the now defunct Long Wongs in Tempe. Their shows were high-energy and tight. (the Wheels rehearsed regularly 3 times a week no matter what), and generally tore down the barriers that normally separated the various musical factions in the scene. A typical crowd at a VBW gig consisted of punks, rockers, hipsters, skins, greasers, hip-hop kids, older guys who remembered this kind of music the first time around, young kids who were hearing it for the first time, and derelicts from society's most frayed edges. They inadvertently DESTROYED cliques with a live show and music that struck a universal nerve, and they managed to pull it off without pretention. The Wheels were in it for the pure cathartic release of playing the kind of music they loved to play. Even the most jaded and self-conscious asses had a tendency to shake at a Van Buren Wheels show.
In the spring of '99 they recorded an album's worth of songs, some of which are featured here. Things were just beginning to take off for them at the turn of the millenium and then the balloon burst through a series of self-destructive events that have unfortunately plagued many a great band throughout the history of rock-n-roll. They did manage to play at the 2000 SXSW in Austin to great responses, but after only one more gig that year it was the end. Or maybe the beginning again .they have played a reunion show and are working on more shows and a full album will be released soon...stay tuned
The former members now live in various different cities... Phoenix, LA, Las Vegas... but are all still regularly in contact with each other and there has been talk of new recordings and new shows... and an official release of their collective recordings.Layout powered by HOT FreeLayouts
