Cut of the Week: The Grips-Tennessee Strut B/w Fancy Roll

How do you start a label in this day and age?  With two guys and a whole lotta soul.  G.E.D. Soul Records is the Soul child of Drummer/Engineer Nick DeVan and Bassist/Drummer Dave Singleton, two of the funkiest mothers you've ever met.

Back in tha day, (tha day being 2007) Both Nick and Dave where needing to put out some harder soul than what they had been playing in other bands. Both musicians have played in the soulful Sky Hi outfit, Dave taking over drumming duties from Nick, but felt that what they were writing needed to be put out elsewhere.  Thus came the formation of G.E.D. Soul

Their first release under the label was under the name The Grips, a band formed specifically for the 45, consisting of Nick on drums, Dave on bass, the amazing DeRobert Adams on Vocals, and a collection of friends and acquaintances from around the Murfreesboro and Nashville area backing them up, much as the case is for the DeRobert and the Half Truth's and the upcoming Magic and Threes release.  The soul hits hard and runs strong in a vein that could only have come from the Mid-South.

The smooth bass rolls you into the wah guitar and so-grooved-it-won't-let-go drum beat.  Just as you're feeling it hit the FAT horn section (to everyone with a sax section, you need more baritones) and gang vocals come in and come in to let you know its time to get up.  Everything fades out to just drums before they overstay their welcome.

Side B is even smoother, showing that its time to get down to a syrupy beat that takes you back to 60s and 70s dance floors.

But don't take my word for it, get it for yourselves, and feel that soul is still alive in the 21st century:

G.E.D. Soul Records
The GED Myspace