This week I was able to catch up with rock god Ricky Dover of The TIP while they’re on tour setting stages ablaze with their 80’s classic, rockstar solo filled music. We discover why they’re called The TIP, how they’re receiving help from above, and how they’ll be filling stadiums in the future!
DA: Dude, I am very ego fueled and your music just pumped me up to another level man! Great stuff! And you’re called The TIP too? Like “just the tip”? *laughs*
RICKY: Yea man hahaha, just like that. But thanks, you should see the live show! We just wrapped up a 2 week East Coast tour with a band called Hammered Satin, it was awesome and very beneficial for both bands. We got paid, made a bunch of connections, and gained some new fans along the way!
DA: You’re clearly getting fans after performing some of this material. I thought it was extreme in the 80’s but your music is like 80’s eat your heart out dude. How long you been in Nash?
RICKY: I’m originally from Knoxville but I moved to Nashville about three years ago, did the RIM program at MTSU, graduated that in 2010 and around that time I joined a band out in Atlanta called The Booze. We were signed to a label, it was fun and great for my career, gained a lot of experience, and now I’m back in Nashville.
DA: Worrrd, very cool. Well what’s your favorite thing to do in the city?
RICKY: Just going around and checking out the other musicians in the city man, the caliber is beyond belief out here. That’s actually how I met the rest of the members! I met the lead singer at a bar in East Nashville, he said “hey man, cool hair”, I said the same, we started hangin’ out and then the rest of the band just formed organically. As soon as we started a Facebook it immediately exploded man, I’m talking producers wanting to work with us, tours being offered, it’s all happening so fast; I love it!
DA: Yea, the universe does seem to be working things into fruition a little faster nowadays, I think it has something to do with the times. Glad to see you taking advantage of it yo! Now let’s analyze your music, what artists would you say have inspired your sound and how would you describe your sound?
RICKY: A lot of 60’s and 70’s rock and roll, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, and also some modern bands like The White Stripes and The Strokes. I think that back then music was made first and then pushed to markets as opposed to nowadays when they think of the market first and the music second. That’s where we went wrong. As far as my music though, it’s rock and roll first and foremost, but I make sure that it’s edgy and fun. My music’s not “fun” in a silly way, but in a “if I’m not having fun I can guarantee the crowd’s not having fun” way. With every song we write, we attack it with an arena feel and say we’re going to write this as if the whole stadium is singing along. We love having them escape into our music and have our songs take them somewhere else!
DA: Man, word to Kanye West on “Big Brother”, you guys are stadium status. Keep striving and you’ll get there in no time. Speaking of no time, if you could work with any artist ever, who would it be?
RICKY: Great question. There’s so many bands and musicians that I worship and would love to share time with, but if I could get in the studio with anybody it would have to be the late Ikey Owens. He’s a grammy award winning keyboard player who’s played with The Mars Volta, Jack White, and many others. He was actually producing our album with us when he left for a tour and suddenly died of a heart attack of the age of 38. He was such a great guy, he liked our music, and we gelled with him; so if I could work with anybody ever I would work with Ikey. I really wish we didn’t leave our time together so open-ended, so forever I’ll always wonder.
DA: Wow that’s heavy man, thanks for sharing that. I’m sure he’s still with y’all somewhere. Did you get any music down?
RICKY: Yes, he’s definitely still with us, and there’s actually a song he was helping us with that we’re still working on right now called “When I see You”. It’s going to be an amazing record for the album!
DA: Word, I’m looking forward to that as well. Well thanks for chatting with me and giving perspective on The TIP Ricky, just one more question. You’ve got one statement, what do you tell the world?
RICKY: Be true to yourself and others.
DA: Couldn’t of said it better myself. Thank you, and I’ll def tell America to watch out for The TIP!
For music, tour dates, and more info on The TIP, check out these links!
http://www.facebook.com/thetiprock
http://www.reverbnation.com/thetiprock
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