The fall of 1997 wasn’t the first time Terry Kishiyama strapped a guitar on his back and started to entertain. But it was the first time he encountered the big drum beats of Thom McKee in their home state of Nebraska. The pair bonded immediately and formed Meandering Blue, a band featuring two acoustic guitars and drums. But before long, Kishiyama and McKee left the band and headed to Colorado to find a harder and more adventurous sound.

McKee found it when he met bassist James Lloyd Smith at a party in Boulder. In their new band Grapeshot, they had the rhythmic force they had long envisioned. All they needed was a jolt of guitar, and McKee knew who could provide the power. With Kishiyama, the three began exploring the roots of American rock through their unique improvisational lens, and Interstate Stash Express was born.

Interstate Stash Express takes the power trio places you’d never imagine. The space-age fire of the Jimmy Hendrix Experience ignites the roots rock sound of bands like Uncle Tupelo. Audacious drumming from McKee, propulsive bass lines from Smith, and the searing guitar licks of Kishiyama create deep grooves and incendiary improvisations.

The buzz around the trio has been building in the Rocky Mountain region for five years, as their raucous performances have earned a loyal following. In 2007 they released their self-titled album, followed soon after by the EP Stick 2008. Now they’ve joined forces with famed sound engineer Geoff Gray for their second LP, scheduled to release later this year.

Like the buzz, their sound is expanding by the day. You could call Interstate Stash Express psychedelic Americana. Or you could just say they rock.