See You In Hell Or New Orleans: Musician Spotlight on Dax Riggs

It takes a bit of effort for solo musicians to stay fully dedicated to their music as well as their fan base for years on end without deciding to call it quits, or even worse, submit their songwriting abilities and musical endeavors to bigger, corporate labels solely for the purpose of making a paycheck. Raised near the southern bayous of Louisiana and most notoriously known for his metal background and previous work in Acid Bath, remains a very talented and underrated artist by the name of Dax Riggs. Although the name may ring a bell to some metal fans, his solo project (amongst others) post-Acid Bath remain a mystery to unheard ears. A mystery which plays an exception to the rule and needs to be unraveled to those who appreciate similar works along the lines of Michael Gira, Tom Waits, and various singer-songwriter artists who have incorporated their own surrealistic personalities into their music.

Although the Acid Bath days have been long gone for some time, when looking back at songs such as “Scream of the Butterfly” and “The Bones of Baby Dolls”, it is inevitable that Dax Riggs’ shows off his vocal abilities outside of metal exceptionally well. Two projects spawned on Dax’s behalf not too long after the break-up of the band, both along the lines of an indie/’swamp’ rock sound. Although both projects (Deadboy & The Elephantmen / Agents of Oblivion) are now laid to rest as well, Dax continued to pursue his passionate musical conquest and continued on solo under his own name. And this is where the inner depth of his contagious artistic inspiration begins…

There is no simple way to describe Dax Riggs’ musical infrastructure in its entirety. Genre-wise, it can be molded into a combination of blues, indie/stoner rock, acoustic and small elements of metal every now and then. His voice is both easily distinguishable and unique, a term which I try to avoid in any use of describing music, but here is a man that is far beyond just being an exception. His vocal talents will leave listeners in a state of everything from transfixed joy to somber solemnity, the way his lyrics flow in tune with his voice is mesmerizing and simply pleasing to the ears. Even for the rare few who aren’t “into it” cannot deny that the man has natural-born talent with a voice as ear-penetrating as his. His passion for music shines through him, as well as his own personal spiritual beliefs which have assisted in his growth both as a musician as well as an overall human being over the years. There is a sense of tranquility and sereneness that eases its way into his songs and lyrical content. The universe itself is an all-flowing form of organized chaos, and if it were to be placed into audio format and wrapped in an LP sleeve or cd case, it would certainly be one of Dax’s creations.

The live experience of a Dax Riggs show actually outstands that of what is heard on record. A rare but very real bonus occurrence of attending his live performances. He is spot-on with every note played and every lyric sung in perfect harmony. I am grateful to have been able to witness such top-notch sets for 2 nights in a row on a couple of warm summer nights in Denver back in June 2011. The man pushes the envelope on all fronts, also given the fact that he is on the road almost consistently and will perform at dive-bars and more “hole in the wall” venues, whether a large turn-out is guaranteed or not – just simply doing it for the love of performing and for the fans, both old and new and no matter how many, as long as they enjoy and appreciate the experience, it shall be returned. A truly dedicated and talented musician deserving of more recognition from the music community as a whole.

As of recently, he has just completed doing a southeastern tour and is willing to travel anywhere promoters are willing to book a gig in the U.S. Email for booking information is here: AnimalHeadManagement@gmail.com as well as press contact: Ap@Cobracamanda.com

Say goodnight,
Tracy / www.t-terrorphoto.com