Coming from a small-town like Coshocton, Ohio, 21-year old Lydia Loveless has learned to take pride in her country origins.
“People call me backwards for being from Ohio, but I think everyone else is backwards for thinking I’m a savage,” she said, “It’s not like I had a choice in where I was born, and I like Ohio. I don’t think places are really that different.”
Loveless’ affection for Ohio and preference to stay close to her family were the reasons to stay based in Columbus even after her career started taking off.
Since first playing bass in her sisters’ band as a teenager, Loveless has moved to a solo act, picking up her own band. Although she used a studio-hired band for her debut, Loveless played with her own band for her latest album, “Indestructible Machine.”
“It was pretty nerve-wracking, meeting new people and finding the right fit. But it’s really turned out awesome,” Loveless said.
“Indestructible Machine,” which was released last week, speaks from Loveless’ personal experiences with addiction.
“The name comes from a poem, ‘Learn to Say No,’ about addiction and how you can feel invincible and forget you’re killing yourself,” Loveless said. “I just knew some people going through that stuff, and the poem really stuck with me.”
Loveless, along with southern-rockers Those Darlins and Athens’ own Duke Jr. and the Smokey Boots, will come to The Union, 18 W. Union St., tomorrow.
The four members of Those Darlins hail from similar upbringings as Loveless and met at the Southern Girls Rock and Roll Camp. The sole male member, drummer Linwood Regensburg, was a counselor at the camp while the three women were attendees.
“We were all kind of surprised that other people came from this crazy country and upbringing,” said Jessi Darlin of Those Darlins.
Those Darlins also recently released a new album, “Screws Get Loose.” The album is a departure from the band’s old “hillbilly” sound, moving instead toward a rock ‘n’ roll feel.
“We like a lot of different kinds of music, and we let that affect what we play,” Darlin said. “We play what we like, and I think our fans like it too.”
Loveless also opted for a more rock ‘n’ roll feel on her new album, although she’s still proud of her rural roots.
“I’ve been to so many places, and when I say I’m from Ohio, people are like, ‘wow, what a craphole,’” Loveless said. “It’s really only made me more motivated to be proud of Ohio and prove how cool Ohio is.”
nb360409@ohiou.edu
