The Southern Backtones

One critic called their music:"Art film lyrics with major motion picture sonic imagery." Southern Backtones are psychedelic pop rock's best kept secret. Listening to their brit psycho pop sound you would never know they hail from Texas...but knowing they call Houston home adds an interesting twist.

This lens is your guide to the latest Southern Backtones music, video, news and tour info on the web. You can find everything about the band here from where to download tracks to what Hank, John and Todd had for breakfast...if you really care that much.

The point of all this is Southern Backtones rock...hard.
The music is driving, haunting and darkly beautiful. The lyrics are pure genius.

The band has a history and a style all their own...they have been around just a little while and have developed a cult following in pockets here and there across these United States and on the other side of the pond.

Front Man Hank Schyma chases storms for news organizations when he's not making his guitar cry. John Griffin bass, guitar, and backing vocals is at home in the studio on either side of the glass. Todd Sommer is planting the seeds of algebra in the minds of America's youth when he's not beating the skins (of his drums of course) 

How do I fit into this? I don't really, I actually tripped and landed face down in this thanks to a friend, Matt Ballesteros, who took me to Sugar Hill Recording Studios in Houston, TX one night. The Backtones were recording "They'll never come between our love." It was very cool sitting there in the muffled dark of the studio, an audience of two. I was blown away by what I heard. I felt like if the world only knew about this band, their future, maybe even the future of pop would be forever changed. I think I managed to stammer that I would like to "do a music video" for them sometime.

A year has passed, the video for "Forever" is in the can...The Backtones inspired me to get off my ass and make an unusual piece of music film that was in my head but outside of my comfort zone. It was a very liberating experience. I am in their debt. We have the first in a series of Psychedelic Music Videos from a Houston band and a Houston production company.

Their CD is complete and another on the way. Check out the video, listen to the music, I hope it moves you, inspires you, kicks you out of your comfort zone or becomes your new one.

I hope this page brings the Southern Backtones some much deserved attention and destroys every stereotype of what a rock and roll band from Houston should sound like.

Enjoy!