"But let us be your abacus — it represents an extremely powerful new power trio called The Head Cat, comprised of no less than Lemmy Kilmister from Mot�rhead, Slim Jim Phantom from the Stray Cats and Danny B. Harvey of Rockats renown."
"Oh, and to add even more to the evening's pleasant musical surprises, before Slobberbone's set, Best told us that his solo album will be done this spring and that Slobberbone will finally hit the studio this summer to record their first new record in almost a decade."
"Behind every successful band or artist there are at least several individuals behind the scenes who prove instrumental in the artist’s accomplishments. In the case of The Drive By Truckers, Jenn Bryant (along with Traci Thomas) operates as one of those rare folks. Not only has she known Patterson Hood and Mike Cooley over 20 years, but, like them, she’s an Alabama native. She knows the lore of Muscle Shoals and served in the trenches with artists like Johnny Sandlin, John Bell and Bloodkin."
"The Drive-By Truckers, a great rock band out of Athens, Georgia, has a video contest that we thought would appeal to Teamsters.
Here’s a description from the contest web site: “We’ve all had tough jobs from time to time, some longer than others, and we wanted to hear from you about your experience in the work place. We’d like you to make a short video that shows us what it’s like to have your job and upload it to YouTube. Keep it to 3 minutes.”
With 1.4 million members in a variety of jobs not seen in any other union, a Teamster should be a lock to win this contest, right? We’ll be keeping our eyes on YouTube to see if any Teamsters enter."
1. Drive-By Truckers, The Big To-Do (ATO): Like The Clash, for their hard core of followers, these Athens-based roots Americana rockers are the last band that matters, and on their tenth and latest album (the first for Dave Matthews' label), the five-piece group take that role to heart.
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A great collection of DBT related articles on Swampland.
"Booker T. Jones is the perhaps the greatest organist in R&B history. His band, Booker T. & the MG’s, was the heart and soul of Stax Records, the legendary ‘60s label. Besides generating instrumentals like “Green Onions” and “Time Is Tight,” the MG’s also served as the house band for nearly every vocal session at the label’s studios, backing artists like Sam & Dave, Otis Redding and Wilson Pickett on their greatest hits. Apart from his storied legacy at Stax, Booker T. has also produced and played with an array of respected artists including Willie Nelson and Bill Withers. Always a soft-spoken, elegant man, Jones re-emerged in 2009 with Potato Hole, a tasty collaboration with the Southern rock group Drive-By Truckers. This hard-hitting record will remind you why Booker T. was a major influence on ‘60s English “mod” groups like The Who and The Small Faces. Critically acclaimed, it scored a Grammy Award this year, for Best Pop Instrumental Album."
"The Secret to a Happy Ending 14th St. Playhouse Main Stage
14th Street Playhouse - Main Stage April 23, 2010 at 7:30pm General Admission
The Secret to a Happy Ending does for Athens-based band the Drive-By Truckers what I Am Trying To Break Your Heart did for Wilco and Some Kind of Monster did for Metallica. Like the terrific all-access, behind-the-scenes band documentaries that preceded it, The Secret to a Happy Ending shows the Drive-By Truckers at their most vulnerable, a three critical year chronicle of touring and recording a band overcoming trauma and surviving a near breakup—all while also searching for an ever-elusive happy ending.
Ticket Prices: $50.00 ; $40.00 for Atlanta Film Festival 365 members(must show ID in person or order online with appropriate promo code) ; All tickets are subject to 8% sales tax and a $4.00 service fee per ticket.
DIRECTIONS & PARKING INFORMATION
14th Street Playhouse 173 14th Street Atlanta, Georgia 30309"
"Originally hailing from Katonah, NY, Garrin Benfield has been based in San Francisco since 1997. Garrin has been touring nationally since 2000, playing his own well regarded solo and full band shows, as well as opening for and playing with such artists as Boz Scaggs, Dan Bern, and Rickie Lee Jones. Garrin has gained notice as a road warrior, playing 150 shows in 2008 and 2009 at some of the best venues and festivals around the country.
Garrin has four independently released albums under his belt. His most recent, Where Joy Kills Sorrow (Zacksongs), received national radio exposure and universally positive reviews. Garrin's second CD, Nowhere is Brighter, features Bonnie Raitt's band backing him up. Recently, Garrin has been focusing on solo performances that are anything but your typical acoustic act. Fiery and unpredictable, Garrin insists on reinterpreting his music every night, infusing a healthy dose of improvisation and instrumental guitar explorations into his shows. He is also regarded as a master of the looping technology that allows him to build arrangements on stage, right in front of the audience, without a net!"
"The Truckers played a show in Tuscaloosa on Saturday and Hood said he forgot about the Grammys when he arrived home in Athens, Ga.
Then he received a text message informing him that 'Potato Hole' had won a Grammy.
'I received another 20 in the next 15 minutes,' he said.
Hood said he and the Truckers have no problem whatsoever playing the role of the backing musicians.
'It feels great,' Hood said. 'I'm really, really, really thrilled for Booker. Of course, it's good for us, too, since we were definitely heavily involved with the record. Just getting to work with Booker was winning an award.'"
"And of course, congratulations to Booker T and all the many, many more very talented artists who won and were nominated for untelevised awards. Except Michael Buble. He knows why."
"In February and March the band is playing the southeastern United States before heading to South by Southwest in Austin. The tour begins in earnest in April with a northeast run, followed by the Midwest and the West Coast. Then comes European festivals, U.S. festivals like Lollapalooza in Chicago and Mile High in Denver, and then a return to Europe to headline clubs and theaters."
"Global Green USA and supporter & actor Walton Goggins will be holding a very special fundraiser screening of 'That Evening Sun.' Nominated for two Independent Spirit Awards, the film stars Hal Holbrook, Ray Mckinnon, Walton Goggins, Mia Wasikowska and Carrie Preston. Learn more about the film here.
Funds will help Global Green collaborate with on the ground organizations to help rebuild green homes, schools and communities.Funds raised will also help provide emergency sustainable aid to Haiti including solar powered flashlights and water purification.
"Jonas said the producers wanted Lil Wayne to sing the solo originally sung by Bob Dylan. 'He said, 'I can't sing,'' Jonas said. 'And I'm like, 'exactly. Perfect.''
'Nick Jonas says Bob Dylan can't sing,' Kimmel laughed."
"January 28, 2010: The Prometheus Radio Project says the Local Community Radio Act -- which would open the door to potentially thousands of new low-power FMs -- is 'in the home stretch,' but there are still obstacles.
On the group's website, Prometheus says, 'In our fight to pass the Local Community Radio Act, every victory we celebrate comes with a new hurdle to overcome.' The group notes that the bill has passed out of committee in the Senate and must pass the full Senate to go to President Obama for signature, and that it still needs to be officially reported and filed."
"WASHINGTON — Condemning a two-million-dollar fine meted out to a Minnesota woman for illegally downloading music over the Internet as 'monstrous and shocking,' a judge has slashed the penalty to 54,000 dollars.
US District Court Michael Davis said the fine imposed by a jury on Jammie Thomas-Rasset, a single mother of four from the town of Brainerd, veered into the 'realm of gross injustice.'"
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Let me answer this. Umm, hell no. 'Fixed' competition = collusion.
"LOS ANGELES — The U.S. Justice Department cleared the way Monday for concert promoter Live Nation and ticket-seller Ticketmaster to combine after imposing major conditions meant to create stronger competitors and lower ticket prices for consumers."
"When the grunge thing hit,' Kip Winger explains, 'it was like all the 1980s bands were gone. Overnight.'
It's a well-referenced piece of musical history. Nirvana's 1991 album 'Nevermind' sold 10 million copies, and Winger the band became an oft-used punch line.
That brutal ending was also the beginning for the artist, who is about to execute one of the all-time improbable musical resurrections. Winger, who spent much of the past 17 years studying classical music composition, on Tuesday will premiere his first symphonic piece with the San Francisco Ballet. He wrote the music for 'Ghosts,' featuring choreography by Christopher Wheeldon."
I've been telling folks 2010 was going to be THE year. Best January ever.
Congrats to Booker T and Drive-By Truckers (also that Neil Young dude. He may go places one day) on winning the Grammy for Best Pop Instrumental for Potato Hole!
"He rebuked a questioner who insisted that the monthly deficit is higher now than Bush's annual deficit. 'That's factually just not true,' he said. 'And you know it's not true.' He lampooned Republican lawmakers seated in front of him for portraying his health care legislation as 'some Bolshevik plot.' He mocked Republicans for railing against the stimulus package and then showing up at 'the ribbon-cuttings for some of these important projects in your communities.' And he did it all while calling for 'a tone of civility instead of slash and burn will be helpful.'"
"RUSSERT: Tom Cole — former head of the NRCC, congressman from Oklahoma — said, “He scored many points. He did really well.” Barack Obama, for an hour and a half, was able to refute every single Republican talking point used against him on the major issues of the day. In essence, it was almost like a debate where he was front and center for the majority of it. … One Republican said to me, off the record, behind closed doors: “It was a mistake that we allowed the cameras to roll like that. We should not have done that.”"
"When most bands make an announcement, they simply do that: they make AN announcement, but not the Drive-by Truckers. No, when you get some DBT news, you get all kinds of cool shit in your inbox.
Today the Truckers released “This Fucking Job” the first song off their upcoming album “The Big To-Do,” they unveiled the cover art by the always brilliant Wes Freed, they announced tour dates, and released more screening dates for the documentary on the band “The Secret to a Happy Ending.” That’s more than most indie shitheads do in a career, and it was just another Tuesday for the Truckers."
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Check out Nuci's Thank you for the fans and links reviewing the benefit.
"A week later, on March 16, new work from the Drive-By Truckers. Meaning that on March 17, you'll be able to find me hunkered in my bedroom with a bottle of whiskey to drink, a mixed-breed dog to pet, and the Truckers on my stereo. I'll be as happy as a man can be.
(Note: I do not own a dog, mixed-breed or otherwise. But I might buy one on March 15, to get ready.)"
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Best Sing-A-Long ever:
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Keep on Smiling, y'all:
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Muscle Shoals Sound
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Stumbled upon these on YouTube:
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Music I Like
If you haven't gotten Hubbards latest one you are missing out.
Ray Wylie Hubbard, the bard behind Jerry Jeff Walker’s classic ‘73 cut “Up Against The Wall, Redneck Mother,” was visiting Nashville, up from his home outside of Austin, Texas, when he stopped in to discuss his new album A. Enlightenment B. Endarkenment (Hint: There is No C). The album features the title cut (inspired by his favorite Poe poem) as well as the co-write with Hayes Carll, “Drunken Poet’s Dream,” also the first cut on Hayes’ 2007 album Trouble In Mind. Hubbard discussed life in Texas as an elder statesman of songwriting, what it’s like taking guys like Hayes under his wing and new tools like e-mail (!) and Masterwriter that keep his songwriting fresh. Take a listen to three live tracks that Hubbard recorded in our office and, below the interview, check out the video of Hubbard playing the album’s title track.
"WASHINGTON — Condemning a two-million-dollar fine meted out to a Minnesota woman for illegally downloading music over the Internet as 'monstrous and shocking,' a judge has slashed the penalty to 54,000 dollars.
US District Court Michael Davis said the fine imposed by a jury on Jammie Thomas-Rasset, a single mother of four from the town of Brainerd, veered into the 'realm of gross injustice.'"
"Her car was discovered burned beyond recognition Friday on an isolated logging road in McNairy County. Authorities said a GPS unit in the car indicated it left the Beersdorf residence Thursday and was driven to McNairy County."
"NEW YORK — J.D. Salinger, the legendary author, youth hero and fugitive from fame whose 'The Catcher in the Rye' shocked and inspired a world he increasingly shunned, has died. He was 91."
"Years later, in a bar on the Gulf Coast, Hermey told this story to Patterson Hood, who wrote it down, made it rhyme and recorded it with the Drive-By Truckers. It's an outtake from the 'A Blessing and a Curse' album that found its way onto this year's collection of 'oddities and rarities' called 'The Fine Print.' (Buy it)
At least part of all that is true. There are lots of songs about Santa. There are some naughty songs about Santa -- 'Backdoor Santa' and 'Santa Claus Needs Some Lovin'' come immediately to mind. There are very few songs about a mischievous elf getting Santa out of the way so as to put the moves on Mrs. Claus.
"My year end and decade end lists are coming up very shortly. You should expect the Drive-By Truckers to feature on both (especially the decade end one). So imagine my delight at being able to interview Patterson Hood of the Drive-By Truckers. Here is what he had to say about returning to Ireland, new albums The Big To-Do and Go Go Boots, his favourite lyrics, his early band Adam's House Cat, working with Booker T, and even selected his favourite albums of the decade."
Here's some dude who fails to inform folks that his new music blog is up and running.
Listen, Grumbine, this ain't the fancy, la-te-da world of television where your audience is captive and drooling. This is the bare knuckle world of blogging. Self promotion is king.
Anyway, unlike this blog, the motherfucker curses a lot, but he does know his musical shit. Such language, though.
"Elliott McPherson is the co-writer/front man of Alabama rock and roll band the Dexateens. He made his first “Lightbox” in a last-minute effort to complete an album cover for the band’s self-titled release in 2004. That first Lightbox featured the same headphones that McPherson had used as a child to “listen to the rock and roll that my parents forbade me to listen to.” Since then, every Dexateens release has borne a Lightbox on its cover, and McPherson has assembled hundreds more. McPherson supports his family with a kitchen and bath cabinetry business that he and his wife run together. “I really love the craft of cabinetry and it did me a lot of good to learn that discipline, but I prefer the freedom and randomness of building Lightboxes”. Elliott resides in Buhl, Alabama with his wife, Eva, and their two boys, Caleb and Gray."
"Pop icon Michael Jackson and Canadian singer Leonard Cohen will headline a group of talent receiving lifetime achievement awards at the Grammys in January, organizers announced Thursday.
The late King of Pop, a 13-time Grammy winner, and singer-songwriter Bobby Darin will be receiving the prestigious prize posthumously during a Los Angeles gala on January 30, on the eve of the 52nd Annual Grammy Awards.
Other awardees include classical pianist Andre Previn, country legend Loretta Lynn, jazz trumpeter Clark Terry and blues musician David (Honeyboy) Edwards."
"An Arizona music teacher whose students performed at a presidential inauguration event is on administrative leave after taking 40 high school students to a Hooters restaurant."
Best Pop Instrumental Album (For albums containing 51% or more playing time of INSTRUMENTAL tracks.)
In Boston Chris Botti [Columbia]
Legacy Hiroshima [Heads Up International]
Potato Hole Booker T. Jones [Anti]
Modern Art The Rippingtons Featuring Russ Freeman [Hear Music]
Down The Wire Spyro Gyra [Heads Up International]
Category 19
Best Rock Instrumental Performance (For solo, duo, group or collaborative performances, without vocals. Includes Rock, Hard Rock and Metal. Singles or Tracks only.)
A Day In The Life Jeff Beck Track from: Performing This Week...Live At Ronnie Scott's [Eagle Records]
Warped Sister Booker T. Jones Track from: Potato Hole [ANTI]
Playing With Fire Brad Paisley Track from: Play [Arista Nashville]
Mr. Surfer Goes Jazzin' Brian Setzer Orchestra [Surfdog Records]
Now We Run Steve Vai [Favored Nations Entertainment]
"“It’ll probably do better and also boost sales of the first,” says music critic Peter Grumbine, who believes the genius of the series and soundtrack is introducing younger listeners to the original songs. “Kids hear Glee’s version of ‘Dancing with Myself’ and start digging into more Billy Idol. It exposes them to music they might not otherwise hear.”"
"A major fire erupted Friday at the Georgia Theatre, an Athens landmark and center of the local music scene, police said.
The fire, which began around 7 a.m., inflicted major damage on the building.
Athens-Clarke County Fire Chief Chuck Gulley said the fire was contained but that the roof of the building had collapsed. He said there was no evidence that anyone was in the building when the fire broke out around 7 a.m."
I never got to attend a show at the GT, but I did spend a few nights sitting outside across from the old beauty during my Athens GA Getaway.
I know this place was near and dear to many a good friend. My heart goes out to y'all today.
But, knowing the folks in Athens, she won't stay down for long. She'll rise again.
Best part is nobody got hurt.
Hang in there, Athens!
_______ Patterson Hood
Diversion needed.
How about the stellar new record from Patterson coming out on June 23rd.
Bunch of news on that front.
New tunes from Murdering Oscar have been uploaded to Patterson's MySpace:
The second solo release by the founder of Southern roots-rockers the Drive-By Truckers was nearly two decades in the making. Hood began cobbling together songs in the early ‘90s, but “Murdering Oscar (and Other Love Songs)” (Ruth St.) doesn’t sound like an odds-and-sods collection."
"(Diversions, a recurring feature on Aquarium Drunkard, catches up with our favorite artists as they wax on subjects other than recording and performing.)
Murdering Oscar, the long delayed follow-up to Patterson Hood’s 2004 solo debut, Killers And Stars, will finally see the light of day June 23rd. Unlike the sparse, home-recorded, Killers And Stars, Hood’s new collection finds him in familiar company backed by Dave Barbe, Centro-matic’s Will Johnson and Scott Danborn, his father, the famed Muscle Shoals musician David Hood, as well as his DBT bandmates. In this edition of Diversions, Hood reflects on the musical going’s on in the back lounge. A noted voracious music fan with eclectic tastes, below Hood waxes on everything from the Clash to Syd Dale."
"When I spoke with Patterson last week, we discussed his excitement over the release of Murdering Oscar, his longtime relationship with Truckers guitarist Mike Cooley and big-box retailer deals."
"Hood came by his grunge sensibilities honestly. 'Nirvana broke wide open and became huge pretty much the exact same week that my '80s band Adam's Housecat broke up, and doing a kind of music and opening the door for a kind of music selling records that I'd spent pretty much the '80s doing,' he says.
But there's a reason why it's not a sound that people generally associate with Hood's musical ventures, while loose, muscular Southern rock is. 'I was running like hell from it by the time the Truckers started,' he says. 'Because I had seen what happened in the wake of all of that. There were so many bad bands that came along in the wake of Nirvana and Pearl Jam. After that, all the sudden it was Bush and Nickelback.'
Murdering Oscar is an occasion for contemplating why musical styles, songs or life perspectives end up falling by the wayside. 'It gets to a point where you're too old to take your shirt off anymore,' Hood says. 'Grunge was bound to have a limited shelf life because once the flannel shirt came off... There's a real short shelf life with men without shirts on. About 22 or 23. It's like, 'Dude, put a shirt on, and for God's sake wear some shoes.'"
"The second season of HBO’s acclaimed vampire series True Blood is fast approaching (June 14th) and, honestly, we’re pretty damn excited. While the show is already jam packed with memorable characters, being a music site and all, we can’t help but wish that some of our favorite (or not) musicians could make a cameo appearance or two. Why? For starters, because some of them just look like they would fit the part. Others would maybe fit the part, but we mostly just want to see them die a violent on-screen death.
"4. The Drive-By Truckers back southern soul man Booker T. Jones on a three-song blast of Patterson Hood's Molly Hatchet-referencing autobiography 'Let There Be Rock,' a Jones-powered cover of 'Hey Ya' that got the sweaty crowd sweatier and a ramshackle-train run through 'I Can't Turn You Loose' that added up to a sprawling yet complete trifecta of Southern rock."
So, where do these misunderstandings possibly come from anyway? We figured a short list might be in order: destroying Napster and Audio Galaxy and not creating an alternative for the get-go, raiding people’s homes because they uploaded Star Wars (not necessarily leaking it in the first place), hacking the URN hash and polluting FastTrack, hacking The Pirate Bay, having Viacom serve DMCA notices to people posting video’s of people eating in a restaurant on YouTube, suing tens of thousands of average American’s including fining one individual $222,000 for sharing a couple songs, saying that files in a shared directory is copyright infringement in court, saying that evidence is too hard to get and that the industry shouldn’t be burdened to prove their cases in court, suggesting that iPods are little more than little pirate ships, saying in court that even making one back-up copy of a DVD is illegal, lobbying to put in the DMCA, demanding that laws should be in place to prevent any tinkering with DRM including for research purposes, installing rootkits on people’s computers, installing spyware on people’s computers via the MediaMax technology, being outed for being hypocrites for pirating a documentary movie and claiming that it’ll only be in a safe place, tried to bring people a broadcast flag and telling people you can’t record TV shows if the broadcaster doesn’t like it, trying to bi-pass the backfiring of WIPO and the FCC to bring in the broadcast flag anyway, tried to get ISPs to do all the copyright industry’s dirty work,
"Crawdaddy!: Overtly political songwriting seems greatly diminished these days, in rock, folk, and elsewhere. How do you see your role as a songwriter? Do you feel an obligation to write about politics?
Hood: I write about life, but much of life is controlled by and affected by politics. I don't write many overtly political songs, but I write a lot about the personal side of how people have been affected by political actions. The personal consequences of politics."
"All this compatibility is palpable on Potato Hole, a guitar-loaded record that works mostly in robust instrumental rock but also explores R&B and funk. While most of the songs are memorable Jones originals, the organist and sometime guitarist includes three covers, among them the Andre 3000-helmed OutKast smash from 2003, 'Hey Ya.'"
In today’s crowded field of twangy-rock bands that aspire to be something greater than a glorified Skynyrd tribute band, all-too few of those bands ever actually break out. Chances are slim that a certain new or little known band will produce something that really sets them apart from being just another southern rock band that doesn’t have Mike Cooley, Ben Nichols or Patterson Hood writing and performing their songs. With their most recent release, Singlewide,The Dexateenshave done just that, and as a result, the guys from Tuscaloosa have prodcued a disc that will likely make the various Jack Daniels swilling, rebel flag waving clones think about working up a new version of something other than “Gimme Three Steps”.
"After almost five years, country music star Merle Haggard is returning to the Shoals for another concert. And just like the last time, it's for a good cause. Want to go?
* What: Concert featuring Merle Haggard, Gene Watson and Johnny Holland * When: Friday, June 19. Gates open at 5 p.m., show starts at 6:30 p.m. * Where: Alabama Music Hall of Fame, 617 U.S. 72, Tuscumbia * Cost: $25 in advance; $30 day of the show * Details: 381-4417
"AIDA REFUGEE CAMP, West Bank (AP) — The legendary rocker and co-founder of Pink Floyd says he would give a concert in a flash if Israel's West Bank wall is torn down."
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Bought this one when it came out. Cassette tape, baby.
"It's been 20 years since De La Soul introduced a funkier, sunnier brand of hip-hop with the genre-broadening classic 3 Feet High and Rising, an album that went on to inspire legions of innovative followers from Digable Planets and Mos Def to OutKast and Kanye West. Mase, Posdnous and Trugoy looked back at 3 Feet and shared some of their plans to commemorate the LP's anniversary in an exclusive track-by-track interview with Rolling Stone."
"The experience was miserable," he continued about Dawson's. "But it was a four-year boot camp. It was like going to TV grad school and learning how to run a television show. Anybody on that show who could make a decision was allowed to run it at some point. I inherited the very awkward college years, and I almost ran the show into the ground. But I learned everything that I needed to know about how to run a show."
When the panel moderator asked, "What was it specifically that made it such a challenge?" Tom dropped this bomb: "It was the four monstrous actors at the core of it."
The audience erupted in laughter as Tom continued, saying: "They were very young, and they got very famous, and they made life miserable for any writer or producer on the show."
You may be asking yourself why in the hell I posted an article about Dawson's Creek.
Well... and I've been hesitant to post this 'cause it was another life, but....
All I have to say is that Michelle Williams was very cool. We chatted in-between takes and she always took the time to sign autographs and chat with some young fans that hung around the set.
And Joshua Jackson once saved someone drowning at Wrightsville Beach... and so have I... but no article was written about my save.... Lots of idiots get into the water at W.B.
"DBT has a couple of new releases in the immediate pipeline:
First off, our Austin City Limits show from last fall will be released on July 7 on DVD. The DVD will include the entire performance (only about a third of it was aired when it came on TV). This is by far the best live performance of ours ever caught on film. We were on, the sound was excellent, and the production value top-notch. We loved playing on that stage and the crowd was fantastic. It also features one of the last ever performances of '18 Wheels Of Love', featuring the full monologue and the sequel monologue.
Second in upcoming DBT News, on September 1st, New West will be releasing THE FINE PRINT (A Collection of Oddities and Rarities 2003-2008). We finished mixing it yesterday and are mastering it Thursday. It features 12 songs and maybe the most fun album we've ever made. Songs include 'George Jones Talkin' Cell Phone Blues', 'Rebels', 'Play It All Night Long', 'TVA' and the original never released version of 'Goode's Field Road'."
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Every young boys dream... Patterson playing at your wedding...
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Listen to Bettye and DBT will viewing a sweet slide show:
"Photographer Erika Goldring captured great moments from a special Artists Den performance by Booker T. and the Drive-By Truckers with special guest Bettye LaVette at the Patrick F. Taylor Library at the Ogden Museum of Southern Art, University of New Orleans."
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GLL is simply one of the most beautiful songs ever written. Here's a cover version. Nice:
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Welcome to the wonderful world, Cooley Dale Smith!
"Anyway - this is not your standard southern rock. And that was apparent from the moment the first chord rang out. Perhaps guitarist Lee Bains III’s AC/DC shirt and Gibson SG should have tipped me off. There are times when the Dexateens jam a hard rock sound, you can even hear some metal in there, but with a decidedly hillbilly heart - and I mean that in a great way. You can hear bluegrass in both the vocals and rhythms of every song and you get the feeling that it just comes out that way. It feels so deep-rooted in their sound that I don’t imagine they could play any other way even if they tried. At times I heard just hints of Neil Young, The Black Crowes and even some Kid Rock, believe it or not, but those are just my own music biases creeping in - the Dexateens have a sound all their own. And I dig it. They can slow it down too, like “Grandaddy’s Mouth.” (check out the partial video below.)
The Dexateens may have made their first Chicago stop this week, but it won’t be their last. I feel good about the staying power with this one. And so do the people at Austin City Limits, where they will be making an appearance."
"EU antitrust regulators told the music industry Tuesday to move quickly and change licenses that currently restrict online music stores such as iTunes from offering the same songs for sale across Europe.
Internet music downloads in Europe lag behind those in the United States, pulling in just a fraction of revenues the record industry is losing from falling CD sales.
Part of the problem in Europe is that music rights are sold separately in each country, which has prevented Apple Inc (AAPL-Q130.097.596.20%) .'s iTunes from setting up a single store to service all of Europe. Instead, it has to seek licenses from each EU member state where it wishes to sell and to set up separate national stores with different music selections."
"One might assume that the new magazine Guitar Aficionado is a spinoff of the 17-year-old Cigar Aficionado. Both have covers with celebrities holding the featured prop (the chef Tom Colicchio with a 1963 guitar, Jay-Z with a stogie of a presumably more recent vintage). They both carry stories about alcohol, watches and men’s fashion, and ads for cigars and speakers. Also, both titles include the word “aficionado.”"
"Today we say goodbye to the talented Jay Bennett, who brought a wonderful depth of sound to some of Wilco's best-loved records -- particularly my favorites, Summerteeth and Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. Bennett left the band in 2001, but his influence remains stamped on its sound"
"However, with this morning's news, we now know what drove Bennett to sue a former friend and bandmate: the threat of overwhelming medical bills. Like many artists and countless others who do not pursue traditional forms of employment, Bennett lacked health insurance. At the time of his death, Bennett was suffering from severe pain, and though he desperately needed hip replacement surgery, he was concerned that seeking help would send him spiraling into crippling debt. Despite the claims of health care industry apologists, many people like Bennett are beyond assistance. Struggling to secure a steady source of income early on, musicians are often forced to choose between their vocation and health insurance when they're young, and by the time they get old, they typically find themselves ineligible to receive coverage under any plan whatsoever.
Stories like this underline the desperate need for health reform that, at the very least, includes a public option. The United States needs artists and innovators who work outside the confines of the corporate safety net, and we should not be forcing them to choose between their health and the art that enriches all of our lives."
