About Me
Friends and Fiends is a four-piece rock and funk band that was forged in the mountains of North Carolina by Jon Thompson (vocals, rhythm guitar) and Tyler Cates (vocals, lead guitar) in 2004. The group plays high-energy rock and roll fused with stylistic elements of funk and soul music, mainly recalling the heavy grooves of artists such as Led Zeppelin, Funkadelic, Jimi Hendrix, Sly and the Family Stone, and others. This rock chemistry is sewn together through the rhythmic interplay of bassist Kip Thomas and drummer Vince Parham. This bedrock of rhythm allows complete freedom for guitarists Thompson and Cates to throw down hard hitting riffs and searing solos. Add to this the unique vocal styling of Thompson and Cates, as well as some sweet three part vocal harmony, and you have a musical gumbo that is as irresistible as it is delicious. In late 2006 the group went on a hiatus of sorts, scaling back the number of shows they played and concentrating mainly on songwriting. This down time afforded guitarist Tyler Cates the opportunity to hone his chops playing a different type of music: afrobeat. Cates joined The Afromotive, Asheville’s only afrobeat band, and toured up and down the east coast all the way from Burlington, VT to Miami, Fl. Through The Afromotive, he has shared the stage with such notable acts as the Rebirth Brass Band, Mamadou Diabate, Umphrey’s McGee, Ivan Neville, Michael Frante and Spearhead, Phil Lesh, and many other great artists. He is also featured as guitarist on their debut album Scare Tactics, which was released in October of 2007. During this time Friends and Fiends also composed music for a short film called “Aberrationâ€. The film has been shown in festivals throughout the country and received an honorable mention at The Accolade Film Festival, which judges movies from throughout the world. The band has already begun writing for a follow-up film. And now it is time for Friends and Fiends to be let loose upon the music world. With tight arrangements, incendiary guitar solos, intense live performances, and a habit of always leaving people wanting more, this is a band that is sure to please even the most discerning musical palette all night long.
