We spoke with David Bowers, one half of the vocal duo for up and comers, Trik Turner. The band on RCA Records is proving they're not your average rap rock band. David and Doug pride themselves on their songwriting that focuses on real issues such as parental, drug, and alcohol abuse that many rap rock bands are apprehensive in talking about. Don't get me wrong- they also know how to have a good time! Songs like, "Black Sheep," and "New York Groove" offer the listener a shift in their seat and a constant nod of their head. We were excited to get a few minutes with David to talk about the upcoming tour, Dirk Diggler, and their energetic live shows!

Noize Pollution: How is the tour going?
David Bowers: It's been going pretty good. It's been about two months since we've been on the road- mainly a lot of club dates and radio shows. Over the last week and a half we had a chance to do five dates with Wu-Tang Clan and that was pretty interesting.
NP: How were those shows?
DB: You know- a tough crowd. Some of the openers before us were getting booed off the stage. We had some good experiences and there were a couple of rough crowds. All in all it went pretty well. Next we're doing the Miller Lite Tour- kicking off in Miami, I believe around April 14th and that lasts for about a month or so.

NP: How would you describe your sound to someone that has not yet heard it?
DB: It's a lump of things. It's rock, alternative rock, definitely with some hip-hop influences in it. I know that kinda throws it up in that whole category of rap/ rock and I would like to think, musically and lyrically we're a little bit different from some of the rap/ rock stuff that's been out. Basically, I would say we're alternative rock with some hip- hop in it.

NP: How do you think Trik Turner differs from those rap /rock bands?
DB: I guess it's not really up for me to say. We do our thing. From what I've heard and what I hope, coming across our music is lyrically and hopefully, more as a personal stand point than just talkin shit and just whining about something. Doug and myself- lyrically, really come from the heart when we write. Musically, it's a weird combination with all the members we have so many different influences. Our guitar players are not really that much into hip hop and that's fine- we like it like that. Myself, I have come from a hip-hop background as far as production so that was natural for me to inject into this group. It wasn't like a rock~ n~ roll garage band that wanted to sound like we were doing hip- hop- there's definitely real hip- hop elements in it. To make a long story short- there are so many different styles of music and creativity that go into this group -that will hopefully separate us a little bit.

NP: How did the band come together?
DB: Basically, Doug, Tre, and myself started out as a three-man unit. I had a little twelve-track studio in my house- reel to reel- just one of those ghetto style recorders. We just started messing around with some hip-hop beats and guitar tracks over it. We hadn't started to make a demo cd or anything. We were just interested in playing out in Phoenix - which is where we're from and the local college scene is pretty happening. Doug and myself had been in different groups prior -so we just wanted to hook up and try to do something different. Shortly after we did that, we did incorporate a full band. We got the drummer through a New Times article and just through our friends in other bands and got the rest of the players- then we put a demo together about a year- year and a half ago.

NP: You used a lot of the songs on the demo on the studio cd, how do you feel these songs differ?
DB: I would say they're just a more mature version. A couple of the songs from the demo cd made it to the actual cd but they were re-worked a lot in the studio. We only had about a three and a half-week window to record this album- to make everything work for the label. We were in there real quick, a down-to-business type of a deal. Mudrock (producer of the album) would come in there and say, "Basically, what you brought me is a demo," and we transferred all the tracks. He would tell us, "You guys need to write a new hook." He really guided us through the weak parts of our songs that were on the demo. Basically, we would have overnight to re-write a hook and re-write lyrics for that hook. All in all - it was boot camp style but it was really good for us and we got a lot done in a short amount of time.

NP: How did you hook up with Mudrock?
DB: That happened through our label, RCA. There were actually two other top notch producers that really wanted and were up for the project but it was a timing thing. Like I said, RCA really wanted us to get in the studio ASAP. We can laugh about this now -we're friends with Mudrock but he was our last resort choice but it worked out and was a blessing in disguise because it was real relaxing working with him. He got into the project, we became friends to the point where it wasn't just a new group with a major label recording with a producer - the business front got diminished real quick. He told us frankly and very bluntly what he thought of some of our cuts and what needed to be worked on. We went into it not really knowing too much about him except his Godsmack and Powerman 5000 productions but it really, really, worked out good when all was said and done.

NP: How did you decide on using Black Sheep's "Choice is Yours," I used to love that song and I'm surprised no one has done that, yet!
DB: Before, when we were talking about people in the band having different tastes; when I first played that re-make and had some raw production on it- just on the hip-hop side of it, my guitar players were like, "What the hell is this," they had never heard it. Just like you said, it's a hip-hop classic! It's one of those songs that I remember when I was young and just getting into hip- hop and that was a song that just really stuck out and I just loved it! It's almost like you wanna give props and a tribute to something that you loved back in the day and hopefully we did it somewhat decent. It was either going to be that or "Scenario" by Tribe Called Quest.
NP: Oh Nice! That's another one that I am shocked nobody has covered!
DB: I know, if nobody else does that- we're keeping that one! We've already did some work on that- it's crazy!

NP: What's going to be the next single?
DB: Without 100% speaking for the label, I'm pretty sure it's going to be "Sacrafice," The reasoning is trying to bridge the gap into more rock stuff - ease it in a little bit.

NP: Since we have not seen you live- could you describe what your shows are like?
DB: Very energetic! A lot of energy! That's the main thing. When we roll into a lot of markets where the only song getting played is "Friends and Family" - people aren't sure what our shows are like. The biggest misconception about us is that we're a "Friends and Family" type group and we go out and play a lot of acoustic tracks. We come out rockin right off the bat! That's the main thing about our show- the energy and we really try to connect with the fans. We're not stand off-ish at all. We like to make people feel what we're feeling when we're doing our music.

NP: Do you want to gear more towards the hip-hop scene or rock, since it really could go either way?
DB: Let's face it- if we're talking business and street wise- we're alternative not urban. Personally, we don't think about it. We all grew up listening to rock and rap- it's a natural thing.

NP: Since you're from Phoenix, it seems it has a thriving rap/rock community especially with Phunk Junkees and Bionic Jive. Did you play a lot of shows together?
DB: In Phoenix, if you're in a group that is somewhat decent and you're playing out- everyone knows each other within the local scene. I was doing shows with Phunk Junkees with the different groups I've been in for five years. Haven't had chances to play with Bionic Jive- we're trying to get that all put together. It's pretty cool! Between Jimmy Eat World, Phunk Junkees, Bionic Jive, and there's Chester from Linkin Park- I think the music scene in Phoenix is being looked at a little more than it has in the past ten years or so.

NP: What are your influences?
DB: Myself, I can go from KISS to AC/DC to Outkast to Deftones and basically everything in between.

NP: So, just to wrap it up- you're headed out on the Miller Lite Tour�
DB: Kicks off April 14th - we'll be hitting a lot of cities! We're getting our first tour bus! We're travelling around - we have seven members and two crew members, we are travelling around in fifteen-passenger van and a U-Haul- so we're paying our dues!

NP: A few days ago, I e-mailed all our street teamers that listed Trik Turner in their top ten and I had them send me a question they would like to ask you. I have a few fan questions for you. This question is from
Donnie from Charlotte, NC asks: Does the song "Friends and Family" or the video concept have anything to do with something personal that happened to someone in the band?
DB: In a round about way it does. It's not, me personally so I'm not going to speak out- but I guess you can figure out who the other person is- since there are two people that write the lyrics. It's actually a mix between both; we just wanted to get a nice, deep story line that we, the band and the director came up with. BUT there is a lot of personal stuff that came up in that video.

Ricky from Boise, ID asks: is Trik your real name or is that what the ladies call ya?
DB: Oh My God! There is no Trik and there is no Turner in this band! This is a stupid answer to that question� how we got the name is really dumb! We were all sitting around one day watching Boogie Nights and the guy's name is Dirk Diggler - so we were all wondering what would be a good alter ego name for a female version of Dirk Diggler. We started saying, "Trik Turner," and it just kinda stuck, we didn't even think about it after that!

*** Check out Trik Turner (as well as fellow label-mates, The Color Red) as they head out on the Miller Lite Tour starting April 14th in Miami, Florida!!!