MAY

  CITYVIEW : Scene Scribe :   complete story

   Tyler-Thompson finds the grass greener at home

  Having worked as a music critic for various Central Iowa    newspapers and magazines during the past 13 years, I’ve had the pleasure of writing about many talented local bands with dreams of “making it” elsewhere, whether it be through releasing a CD, sining with a record label, launching their own record company or embarking on a national tour. Their will to succeed and creativity inspires, and I never grow tired of telling their stories no matter how many times I have heard them.

Unfortunately, some of those dreams are crushed by broken promises, unrealistic expectations, band politics and break ups. It’s the nature of the music business, which explains the low survival rate for many bands.

Maybe that’s why I feel good telling you about The Tyler Thompson Band, a Des Moines rock institution. After getting a taste of some big-time success opening shows across the United States and Europe for the Allman Brothers Band, Phil Lesh and Friends and Gov’t Mule, it seems the quartet which includes singer-guitarist Mike Tyler, bassist-singer Wade Thompson, drummer-singer Paul Thompson and guitarist-singer Jacob County Berhow has found happiness with a homegrown record label and a local music scene that allows them to explore the boundaries of their creativity.

“We’re at a nice point in our career,” says 38-year-old Wade Thompson, announcing the release of the band’s latest album, “Cold Cuts,” their debut effort for Des Moines-based Authentic Records.“ We just age well.”