About – Ripper and the Bitter Pills

History of the band’s name:

Sorry Folks there is no “Ripper” in the band. Founding member, Adrian Arnold’s wife, Cathy, named the band based on a scene from the hilarious two man play, “Greater Tuna!” The play takes place in the tiny town of Tuna, Texas… “where the Lions Cub is too liberal and Patsy Cline never dies!” In Act Two, elderly Aunt Pearl Burras is fretting over the “egg sucking” dogs that are killing her chickens. To protect her “livelihood” and very much against her husbands wishes, she starts poisoning the dogs with strychnine laced home made biscuits….aka “Bitter Pills”. In this scene Aunt Pearl accidentally poisons “the finest bird dog in Dewey county, “Ripper”, her husbands $2000 bird dog. To hide her crime she has her nephew place “Ripper” in the street and run over it with her Pontiac. All this with classic Texas Country music playing in the background. So there it is .. “Ripper and the Bitter Pills”… Or as fans call the band….”The Pills!”

Adrian Arnold

Founder of Ripper and the Bitter Pills in the early ’90s, Adrian has spent time in Hollywood and worked in Television Sports Broadcasting. With family roots that go back to legends Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys, Elvis Presley, and Eddie Arnold, his heart has always been in music. Adrian wrote and had his first song recorded at the age of 12 and has over 100 songs to his credit. With one foot firmly grounded in Classic Texas Country Music and the other in Southern Rockabilly, Adrian and the band create The Pills unique Texas Roadhouse sound. One fan said, “His songs are like Texas: rough, rowdy, irreverent, and fun.”

Jim Hatcher

Jim Started playing music at a young age and gained a music scholarship to SMU. Besides moonlighting with The Pills, Jim also plays classical viola with the local community symphony orchestra.Style influences you will hear include Bluegrass , Cajun, blues, jazz, and even rock (apologies to Papa John Creech). Now he plays electric 5-string fiddle, as well as backup vocals, harmonica, and ‘the fish’ for the Pills. Come take a listen!

Mark Aldridge

Starting out with piano lessons at a young age, Mark then moved on to trumpet through college, and eventually found a home in the rhythm section playing bass for the local cover band Outta Nowhere. Now as a seasoned Pill, Mark loves to bring some thump to the bassline.

SCOTT SITZES

Scott got his first drum set nearly 40 years ago after ruining his mother’s tupperware and wooden spoons. After playing in a garage band in high school, he started playing the live music circuit with Lubbock’s best party band while attending Texas Tech in the 80’s. 2 other bands and 7 kids later, he has hit the pinnacle of success with The Pills.

Josh Bailey

A myriad mix of musical motivations, Josh offers a broad mix of influences. Growing up in Cleveland, Ohio he always had an affinity for the Texas blues of Stevie Ray Vaughn, ZZ Top and Johnny Winter, but he also has a taste for the more experimental and jazz. Josh played in various bands before moving to Texas in his late 20s. Come out to hear the crisp sizzle of his lead guitar.