RTJ - Free Wheels 2001

FREE WHEELS 2001 - STOCKS - NATCHEZ - CALIBRE 12
"ROCK' N ROLL IN CUNLHAT"
by John Molet (Words & photos)

It's been quite a few years since Cunlhat, in Le Puy de Dôme (about 50km from Clermont Ferrand), has been hosting the Free Wheels, one of the biggest motorcycles exhibits (mostly Harley Davidson) in Europe. They're also hosting a great rock festival during these days. They were between 15 and 20000 bikers in the location, and between 70 and 80000 people coming and enjoying the exhibit and the music. That's quite a lot of people !!!! The music programming was not only southern rock music but was really great. Many southern rockers sure enjoyed Gwin Ashton and his blues-rock (playing slide a la Rory Gallagher), Popa Chubby, The hard rock living legend Rose Tattoos, Gothard (a great band from Switzerland, playing in the Whitesnake style), etc… what about southern rock bands ? there were a few of them, with Stocks, Natchez and Claibre 12. That was great seeing confederate flags all over the place. We would have really appreciated a great US southern band, such as Lynyrd Skynyrd or Molly Hatchet, but we'll have to wait…(be patient, remember Blackfoot was there in 1994).

NATCHEZ

It was about 4:30pm when Natchez took the stage with the sunshine. God must be southern, a thunder and lightning hit the place one hour before their set. The guys from Champagne were so motivated they made a wonderful show (one more...) playing som of the songs from their last album ("Brut"), some covers such as Up around the band, Sweet home Alabama, It's all over now. They also played a new song ("Pas facile"). Natchez showed the audience what a southern rock band made in France can be.
Later in the night (it was about 3am), Stocks finally played their set on the main stage. Many people were still there tp enjoy the band, which twenty years ago, already played blues and southern rock in France. Loyal to his Les Paul, Christophe Marquilly confirms he was, and still is, one of the best guitar player, in that style, in our country. Rumors have been circulating about a new album in the next months.End of the day. A too short sleep is more than welcome!

CALIBRE 12

During the 2nd "Harley and Rock n Roll", we had the occasion of meeting readers of the fanzine "Bands of Dixie" (Christophe and Gibus from Le Mans), unknown southern rock fans such as Jimmy (writer in the magazine "Freeway") who eally loves french bands playing that music. It is about 5pm whern Calibre 12 hit the stage. this in not the standard "lineup" for them, as they still didn't find a new leag guitar player. So, John (guitar and vocals) and Laurent (bass) will play with this show, with Fred Moreau on the drums and Manu Aeschbach (from Natchez). They made a really great show playing songs from the first album (Just un rebel, Ne lui claque pas la porte, Biker), some covers (Hold on loosely from 38Special and Bounty hunter from Molly Hatchet). They ended the show with Roll Soldier/ Uncle Ned from Point Blank. The audience asked for an encore but that was not possible due to the organisation of the event.

The Free Wheel...sure has to be seen...

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