So we had a chance to sit down with Tim Hicks while he was in Toronto last week for a coffee and to discuss the last 4 months since Boots & Hearts. Tim launched his 2nd album 5:01 during the August Country Festival and also announced that he was going to be opening all the Canadian dates of Dierks Bentley’s Riser Tour. Here is what came of the conversation.
Sound Check: Tim, thanks for taking the time today, our last conversation you mentioned this was going to be a great learning experience hitting the road with the likes of Mr. Bentley and Randy Houser, how has that turned out?
Tim Hicks:Wow, ya just the little things and really the silly things like how to pace your set and stuff. But one thing I have learned being able to hang with Dierks is that, there’s a guy that has had such a fantastic career , he gets up and does his 90 min and every song is a hit. I remember the first time I saw his show he played Tip It On Back and he played another hit and then another and it goes like that for the entire 90 minute set. So that is the biggest thing that I have learned in order to have a career for a long time you have to put out the material. That’s why I love country and what we do. Because the bar is set so high that you can’t afford to be lazy.
Tim Hicks – Boot And Hearts 2014
Sound Check: And then you get Randy Houser out there at the same time,
Tim Hicks: Well that’s what I mean, He is the real deal, I am sure that guy was born with a pair of cowboy boots on, I am sure of it. And one of the nicest guys and so cool. Here is a bit of music industry politics, when your the opener you usually get nothing and you know that going in but hey your just happy to be there. These are guys that always make a point of stopping by the dressing room to say hi and making sure its know that were welcome to hang after and have a beer and ask questions. They have been so cool and so accommodating. That’s another thing I have learned if I am ever in a position to be a headliner on a big tour like this, Dierks is a great example of how to treat everyone on the tour and how to treat the openers, we had a day off on the tour and Dierks rented the bowling alley for everyone just have at ‘er. So we had the whole afternoon to bowl and have drinks and he wasn’t even there. But that’s just the kind of guy he is.
Sound Check So your about to hit the home stretch of the Riser Tour in Ontario. Its literally your back yard with dates in Ottawa, Oshawa, London and your local region Hamilton. This isn’t The Saddledome or Rexall Place its Copps Collisum (First Canadian Place now) How does that feel?
Tim Hicks: Ya, Its Copps Coliseum every major concert I have ever seen was at Copps so that’s going to be a big deal. Especially for my band, tey are all from down in that area and every single one of us have seen a show at Copps. We are stoked to step on that stage and say that we played Copps. This whole experience has been bucket list for me but that venue in particular is going to be a pretty sweet victory. Playing 4 shows in Ontario means my family will get to go. My Grandmother is going to get to see me play so lots of things like that don’t happen to often. The thing with Dierks’s crew is that they are so family oriented they are like Dude, anything you need.
Sound Check: So what can we expect from Tim Hicks on those remaining dates?
Tim Hicks: We have to pack it in, we have 30 min so we have to really pack it in tight but that 30 min is great because what I understand the openers south of the border are only getting 20 min so were lucky to get an extra 10 minutes and gives us an opportunity to get out there and play the hits. Anybody who isn’t aware of who Tim Hicks is going to get a good solid dose and a real kick in the teeth some might say.
Sound Check: Social Media has been kind during the tour where they have really wished your set was longer, thoughts on that?
Tim Hicks: Ya god bless fans, lots of people have voiced that they wish the set was a bit longer. But we are lucky just to be on the tour and to be given 30 minutes is great, and sets up my own tour quite nicely.
Sound Check: Nice segue into the next question, what comes after the Riser Tour for Tim and the boys?
Tim Hicks: Head back down to Nashville for at least month and write the next album.
Sound Check: With Jeff again?
Tim Hicks: Ya with Jeff, probably but that’s if he is available. Blackjack Billy has really taken off so hopefully he will be around. I have no plans other wise. I don’t know any other record producers so fingers crossed. But I will spend a lot of time writing and then by spring time it will be time to hit the road and we will slug it out there again. That’s what I love the most, just getting out in front of people and doing my thing and trying to turn everyone onto the music.
Sound Check: The response on Whiskey has been strong and the video was a bit surprising…
Tim Hicks: Thanks, ya I wanted to go down a little different road on this one. It would have been easy to do a sweet ballad type song. But said if we are going to do this I really wanted to say something. So, the idea sort of loosely came from a incident that actually happened this summer. I had done a gig and about a week later I got an email from a fella and he sent me a photograph within the email and it was a picture of me with these two girls and one of the girls had passed away. It was so bizarre, because I remember taking the picture and it felt like days earlier how could this of possibly happened. So when this video came around we need to say something and the Drink Responsible thing is something I stand behind. I am out there tottin’ it , lets go and drink and lets go and smoke but you really need to be doing those things on the up and up and doing it responsibly so no one gets hurt. And like Kim Mitchell said might as well Go For A Soda if there is going to be trouble…
Sound Check: Thanks Tim we will see you Dec 6th in London to wrap up the Riser Tour.
Tim Hicks: Can’t wait, going to be fun!
Corey Kelly / @CoreyKelly76
Websites:
Randy Houser
Tim Hicks Boots and Hearts Interview
