photo by Michael Snyder

A writer and poet, one of the greats, once scribed, "Anybody can be a non-drunk, it takes something special to be a drunk, it takes endurance." In the very fickle world of indie rock, (and I mean INDEPENDENTLY operating rock bands) endurance is a characteristic in short supply. Mike Montgomery, Toby Weiss and Rick McCarty coalesced into thistle long before, as we have all been told, “The entire world changed.”

They have consistently made music that adheres to a principle unknown to the bloated, glossy, monolith that is the mainstream industry. Playing together since 1994, the trio is sliding into a decade's worth of creativity that has seen the release of numerous albums and EPs (all on their own Tiberius label) but they have always strived for quality over quantity. This is a band that works deliberately, every note ringing with meaning and purpose. Locked inside the chassis of a pop song stand towering walls of volume and euphoric blooms of melody (in the midst of a live set the walls become cathedrals that engulf a listener wholly and completely).

The death knoll of the DIY ethic may be a bit premature. There are bands out there working hard to keep the blood flowing to its often under-nourished heart. With thistle still creating music full of passion, leaving everything they have in the wake of every chord, the indie spirit has a fighting chance. It too will endure.

- Billy Carter