The Preakness s/t 7" record

The Preakness s/t 7" record

Atlanta-based The Preakness arose from a collection of tunes, scratched out over years on various basement cassette tapes and legal pads. Scattered throughout Brandon Arnold’s collection of Maxell’s and TDK’s was a library of songs belying a penchant for catchy hooks, straight-forward structures, and a reverence for the sloppy simplicity of long-lost indie classics.

A slightly drunken conversation between Tim and Brandon set the wheels in motion. They needed a third, and Brandon remembered Tracy. He asked. She said “sure,” and The Preakness was born. After that first practice on a cold February afternoon, the tape hiss and quaint flubbery of Brandon’s early demos gave way to a more cohesive sound. Tim’s energetic, intuitive drumming coupled with Tracy’s natural harmonies and solid bass lines breathed a vitality into the tunes only hinted at in the original demos, while maintaining the loose allegiance to the lo-fi aesthetic that gave the songs life.

The Preakness played its first show at the EARL April 20th, 2006. The band has since played many more shows, including well-received performances at Corndog-o-rama, the Paste Rock and Reel Festival, and a Syd Barrett tribute, and shared the stage with bands like Celebration, Sound Team, Ultrababyfat, and Portastatic. The Preakness is out of the gate and running strong.