Diesel

Every band has a way of describing its own image, and for members of Diesel, the image they choose is that of a chameleon.

“We play so many different types of music,” says lead singer Jimmy Fallon. “We like to play the cool old stuff mixed with cool new stuff.”

Diesel has been rockin’ round Lake Norman since 2006, although most of the current line-up – Fallon, Chip Coleman, Jason Dunlap and Sean Burke – have been together since late 2007.

Guitarist Chip Coleman says the genesis of Diesel began when he was playing with a different band at a large event several years ago. He observed the crowd reaction when another group on the bill starting playing a Lynyrd Skynyrd cover. “Within minutes,” he says, “there were three or four hundred people down front.”

Not long after that, he and some friends started a Southern rock band. Several personnel changes later, Diesel still does some Southern rock, he says, but now they also cover a lot of songs from the ’80s as well as other classic rock. A typical set list might include songs by Lynyrd Skynyrd, Molly Hatchet, the Black Crowes, Blackfoot and ZZ Top. And they might throw in tunes by Tom Petty, Journey and Def Leppard as well.

“If we don’t know it, we try to learn it,” Coleman says.

Experience as players is a big part of what makes Diesel work as a band, along with musicians who can adjust their sets to play songs people want to hear. “You can’t do that,” he adds, “with folks that haven’t been around the block a few times.”

All of the band members have been involved in other bands and several currently play in other bands in different formats. Fallon plays regular solo and duo acoustic gigs in the area as well as working with Burke in the Sean Burke Band. Burke, Diesel’s drummer, formerly played with Atlanta Rhythm Section.

Coleman’s band experience includes The Squids, Volume and The Prey. He also owns Coleman Music in China Grove, a respected store that specializes in guitars.

Dunlap has played bass with October, Frankenstein Drag Queens and Wednesday 13.

Fallon says he is “glad to be a part of the music scene in this area.

“I’ve played all over the country, really, all over the world,” he adds, “but here, the music community is so close knit – and there are so many clubs and so many talented musicians. It’s pretty awesome.”

Check www.rockwithdiesel.com for upcoming shows.