Billy Roberts and the Rough Riders the country, rock, alternative, blues and folk band, based in Australia, is back with another single from their second album Go By Myself. The track is called “Gone to the Dogs”. We needed Billy Roberts about 15 years ago when country, blues and rock music really started turning to crap. There are many gifted artists out there but they seem to have lost that authentic country-rock feeling in their music. Everything seems to be going pop.
Instead, Billy Roberts and the Rough Riders have brought that feeling back in their songs. I knew since his first album, “The Last of the Originals”, that this guy was and I have been an interested follower since. How many new songs on the radio have that twangy steel guitar sound in them? None. Fans of traditional, real home-baked music will find a lot to love in “Gone to the Dogs”. Not least the screaming, kick-ass lead guitar solo. You just can’t listen this song without wanting to open up a cold beer and sit back and relax.
In my humble opinion, this singer-song writer is what the real-deal music scene is about. Straight forward lyrics, he writes what he knows. In the era of slickly produced records, dime-a-dozen lyrics and overwrought performances, Billy Roberts and the Rough Riders’ straight, back-to-basics, pared down approach to music, is a breath of clean, rare, fresh rock n’ roll air!
“Gone to the Dogs” isn’t something you hear every day, and sits somewhere between Dire Straits, Springsteen and Johnny Cash. They’re not supposed to make records like this anymore, but Billy Roberts and the Rough Riders still do! He sings it and writes it like he means it and lives it. I’m wondering when music is going to catch up with Billy Roberts. The sooner the better, I say.
More About: Billy Roberts was raised in Moree, Australia, and he took to music in his early twenties, inspired by bands and artists such as Pearl Jam, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, and Neil Young and Crazy Horse. Not limited to those influences, he took great strides to learn by listening to further artists as diverse as Elvis Presley, The Arcade Fire, Buddy Holly, and the Black Keys, among others, taking elements from each and beginning to incorporate various elements into his personal songwriting style.
OFFICIAL LINKS: Artist Website – Reverbnation – Bandcamp – YouTube