ON THE EDGE Spotlighting artists who reside on the fringes (From left) Todd Wellons, of country music Sam Wilson, James Wilson, Seth Green, Abe Wilson SONS OF BILL history of rock ’n’ roll. You just keep ciate Ken Coomer produced Love FOR FANS OF: Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, following further back, the way Big and Logic, which kicks off with the Uncle Tupelo, John Prine Star influenced R.E.M., or influenced dreamy “Big Unknown” and includes The Replacements; the way The all-out anthemic rockers like “Bad THE PRINCIPAL MEMBERS OF Replacements influenced Wilco; the Dancer” and sensitive relationship- Sons of Bill—brothers James, Abe way Wilco influenced everything. I’d oriented ballads like “Road to Ca- and Sam Wilson—play rootsy rock like to see ourselves as part of that.” naan” in equal measure. There’s also music, but they aren’t really living Wilco and Uncle Tupelo asso- “The Fishing Song,” which uses that out the rock ’n’ roll debauchery so oft-cited country pastime as a crucial beloved by their forebears. ESSENTIAL means of escape and a symbol of nos- “Everybody in the band is pretty talgia for simpler days. Interestingly, boring backstage,” James says, laugh- LISTENING: all three brothers take turns singing ing. “We’re all readers and thinkers.” lead, often on one another’s songs. “Big Unknown” While that may not win them “So much of being in a band is tak- “Bad Dancer” spots next to Led Zeppelin and The ing the time to try to recognize what “Road to Canaan” Rolling Stones in rock lore, it does works and what’s good and we all just “Lost in the Cosmos certainly help with having a greater have our eyes on the prize of making (Song for Chris Bell)” vocabulary for songwriting. Sons the most powerful record possible,” of Bill’s new album, Love and Logic, James says. “This record, probably All songs from Love and makes good on that vocabulary more than any record we’ve made, Logic. For more information, with an engrossing set of songs that was a really ego-less process. Whatev- visit sonsofbill.com reflects on the brothers’ Virginia er it took to serve the music, we did.” upbringing and showcases a broad Just don’t expect to hear about understanding of popular music. any crazy backstage antics from “We grew up listening to Pink the Wilson brothers—those days Floyd and metal and John Prine and are long gone. The Cure and it’s all in there,” James “There was at one time, but it’s continues. “You just try to make it pretty tame these days—a lot of tea speak and come alive. Those are all and Dostoyevsky,” James admits, the bands that I love. It becomes a sheepishly. “Sorry to disappoint pretty deep roots system into the anyone.” —JON FREEMAN PHOTO BY ANNA WEBBER/ALL EYES MEDIA EYES WEBBER/ALL ANNA BY PHOTO 68 COUNTRYWEEKLY.COM .