When you consider most music acts in Anderson are formed from musicians all over the southeast, the word “local” becomes a loose term. However, one truly local band is coming to Simon’s this Friday with all six members originally from Belton.

Sweet Six Bullets, or SSB for short, is a rock sextet formed by longtime friends with musical interests rooted in southern rock and roll. The band has been together for almost a year and a half now, but just recently started performing as an opener for local favorites Disco Big Rig. SSB will be headlining at Simon’s on Friday, and according to bassist Casey Cook, the band is more than ready.

“We’ve been working really hard over the past few months to build up enough material,” Cook said, “We have three songwriters so it’s not too hard to form several originals quickly.”

The SSB songwriters include vocalist/banjo virtuoso Robbie Cox, guitarist Nathan Payne, and guitarist Bradley Escoe. The band is rounded out by Jon Bowser, also on guitar, and Adam Evatt on drums. With Payne and Bowser alternating between lead and rhythm and Escoe playing solid rhythm throughout, Sweet Six Bullets’ three-guitar arrangement makes for a full sound.

This sound is benefited greatly by the collaboration between Cook and Evatt in the band’s rhythm section. According to Cook, the two have been working diligently since the band’s last show to tighten up their playing, even resorting occasionally to throwing partially filled beverage cans at each other for motivation.

Cook believes the band benefits from three songwriters. He said each songwriter’s method strengthens the band and makes for a more diverse selection of songs. Cook said Cox works his songs out alone on the banjo, Escoe takes his time crafting his lyrics with guitar, and Payne brings in songs complete with drum, bass and guitar lines.

“There is always a danger of ego when there’s input by so many people,” Cook said, “But by the time the song is done it’s an SSB song, plain and simple. Once we all work on a song there are changes that do occur, but no one argues about it; it just happens.”

Cook believes SSB originals like “Mistakes” by Payne and “Scars and Hearts” by Cox are a good representation of the band’s music. “Mistakes” is the band’s top-rated song on myspace.com and Cook said “Scars and Hearts” is a song many can relate to about love and lost love. He praises Cox’s ability to say what he means without being blunt.

The band draws comparisons to the Drive-By Truckers, both in their music and lyrics, so it’s no surprise the band covers several Truckers songs to help fill in their sets. Cook said Truckers covers like “Lookout Mountain” and “Where the Devil Don’t Stay” come across well, but the band isn’t afraid to journey into pure country songs like “Midnight in Montgomery” by Alan Jackson.

“We don’t want to be a Drive-By Truckers cover band,” Cook said, “We want to make a mark of our own and with the great songwriters we have we’re getting closer to doing that.”

For more on SSB, visit myspace.com/sweetsixbullets.

Who: Sweet Six Bullets

When: 9 p.m., Friday

Where: Simon’s, 3907 Clemson Blvd., Anderson

Information: 864.225.2337

Cost: $5 cover includes first bar drink