1/12/07, 5:45 pm EST

Assignment One Finalist: Jake Brooks on Greenwood, Arkansas

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Note: This is not an official Rolling Stone article. What follows is a submission to the “I’m From Rolling Stone” writing competition.

by Jake Brooks
Age: 18

Arkansas isn’t the most inviting state for major acts to visit. Somehow the cows and camo jackets just don’t seem to attract the big name performers to our humble slice of the country. I cannot tell you the number of times I have checked the tour dates of my favorite band only to find the nearest concert is six hours away. So with taped up guitars and a glitter of defiance in their eye, a new generation of Arkansans have kept a steady supply of southern rock coming to a hungry audience.

But this most certainly isn’t Lynyrd Skynyrd. Like a bastard child, this new form of southern rock has mutated into something that has just as much in common with metal as it does with country. Vocals have morphed into a guttural scream that could put any emo band to shame, and earth-shattering guitar breakdowns sound heavier than any hardcore band could ever hope to achieve. Southern rock has become that scrappy kid on the playground that will fight anyone; the one with no respect and everything to prove and nothing to lose. But through all of the toughening the music has received over the years, it’s lost none of that signature southern swagger and attitude. The sound strikes you full in the gut, and you aren’t likely to forget it soon.

The actual music scene is unlike anywhere else; mostly because the scene can be anywhere. I’ve been to concerts in rundown stone buildings no larger than the average living room located behind Chinese food joints, to makeshift stages in pastures accessible only by dirt road. This is the true testament to the musicians; they are as much fans as they are rock stars, and no matter who you are, you’re guaranteed to have a good time.