The Elms wear cowboy boots, although drummer Chris Thomas is a recent convert to the stout-hearted footwear.
Owen Thomas, Chris' brother and the band's frontman, says the big change happened in time for a photo shoot to promote upcoming album "The Great American Midrange."
"I walked my brother around for an hour, and we tried on boots," Owen says.
The winning pair: Justin brand, black, double-stitched.
"You have to buy the double-stitched," Owen says. "The single-stitched stuff won't hold up on the road."
Founded in Seymour in 2001, the Elms have played more than 800 shows in the United States and Europe.
With melodies to rival Tom Petty, grit suggestive of the Rolling Stones and hardscrabble storytelling reminiscent of Bruce Springsteen, it's not surprising the musicians identify with carpenters and factory workers more than celebrities.
The Thomas brothers, guitarist Thom Daugherty and bass player Nathan Bennett are old-school rockers and happy to be that way.
"Our angle is that we have no angle," Owen says. "There's no scene for us to be a part of. We're not selling music to the indie rockers or the goth kids. We're just trying to get the songs out there in a very pure way."
Radio stations are warming to new single "Back to Indiana" -- which was heard as part of ABC's coverage of this year's Indy 500 -- and "The Great American Midrange" is scheduled for release Sept. 15 on the band's new independent label, Trust Incorporated.
Three previous Elms albums were issued by mega-corporations EMI and Universal.
"While we have huge global aspirations to connect with people, at the heart of our band we're a hard-working bunch of guys," Owen says.
Going?
The Elms will be performing at Rib America Festival with a wide assortment of additional bands.
