Tornado Alley - a stream-lined force of unmatched precision

For a few years now, the Metroplex has had several bad tornadoes. Is it just a coincidence that’s about how long these local rockers have been around?

Tornado Alley is a rock n roll band, period. No gimmicks, no flash, just a streamlined force of unmatched precision. It was formed by lead guitarist David Dillard, who’s been burning up the frets on his guitar in the area, off and on for over two decades with such bands as, Megaton, Crystal, The Attack, Magan and now T/A.

It didn’t take him long to decide whom the lead singer would be - none other than Kevin Terry, whom he’d jammed with in The Attack and Magan. Kevin has unbelievable vocals with which he can sound like anyone at the drop of a hat… and often does. Dillard/Terry has a ring to it, kind of like Lennon/McCartney, Jagger/Richards, Tyler/ Perry…. you get the picture. Dillard mentions,” We think alike, and we like each other’s style; besides, no one else would put up with us.”

Next up was finding a drummer and after dozens of auditions, in walked Dave Gilley, who easily snatched the job. “We knew after the first song he was our man, and the search was over,” remembers Dillard. Completing the puzzle was the addition of bassist Kirk Young. “Kirk played in the early stages of T/A, but left to join Hanover Fist/The Bridge. After their demise and the opportunity appeared for him to re-join us, we all jumped on it,” adds Dillard.

After pounding the club circuit for two years, Tornado Alley has finally released a self–titled CD, which can be summed up as “good old hard rock, but artistically daring.” The disc features some actual pictures of local tornadoes on the cover, back and disc.

The band’s many influences include The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Rush, Sabbath, UFO and other classic bands - all of whom surface at some point or another on the CD. The release focuses on touchy subject matters. “His Iron Hand” condemns wife beating. “Amnesia” has been featured on the TV show Deep Ellum Alive and “Grind Me Down” can be heard on Planet Radio.Net. “We play what we play, and most people who see us, like us,” states Dillard. “We’re already writing the next CD, which will be a bit heavier. But I don’t believe in being heavy just to be heavy. A song has to have content,” he clarifies.

The future looks bright for these guys, and next year will be another year of rocking the clubs and recording, “and,” Dillard adds, “hopefully opening for a national act at some point.” Classic City Rock Café will host Tornado Alley on New Year’s Eve, to rock all in attendance into the real millennium.

So if you hear your local emergency sirens go off and see it’s still clear outside, don’t panic. It’s just these guys playing somewhere. (Jeff Dennis)