DBT Week in Review - 10/30/09

Hardly Strictly 2009 - Video 1

Here is my first attempt at editing with the new camera. I suck, apparently. HD compression has got me baffled at the moment.

Audio spikes around 2:28 so be forewarned.

This is Gillian Welch, David Rawlings and Emmylou Harris performing Down to the River to Pray.

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DBT/Patterson

Cork Industries Presents:

An Evening with Patterson Hood (of Drive-By Truckers)

November 25, 2009 - Zodiac Theater - Florence, AL

Tickets are available at Pegasus Records, Billy Reid Clothing and online at www.cork-industries.com

$15 Adv/$20 Day of Show. Seating if very very very very limited (you don't have to include all those veries, but there are only 150)

It's going to be very intimate with just Patterson and a guitar.

We'll probably have some of Byron Wilkes artwork on display behind him on the stage as well.

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New video from Cracker with Patterson Hood - "Friends" - Americana and roots music - No Depression

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Mrs. Swamp providing some sweet video from current shows.

Thoughts go out to dear friend Beth on this one:

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Strutter!

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Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit

Jason Isbell Sets Stage for “Cigarettes and Wine” | CMT Blog

Very special Mountain Stage show. - Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit's MySpace Blog |

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Dexateens

Dexateens providing all of your spooky Halloween needs.

YouTube - The Dexateens present "Old Bryce" part 1 of 3

YouTube - The Dexateens present "Old Bryce" part 2 of 3

YouTube - The Dexateens present "Old Bryce" part 3 of 3

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Will Johnson

Will Johnson with MOF at The Bridge School Benefit

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Marah

"Put 'em in the Graveyard" - Marah's MySpace Blog |:

"In the past our band never played many new songs before records were 'officially' released. We always felt new albums/new songs were best absorbed as complete thoughts...records had sequence and rhythm, each song made more sense propped up by its fellow jams, and as the final guitars or bagpipes rang out you could feel like you'd been on a kinda rock & roll journey. We still feel that way. But...

Considering it's been such a long time since we shared a song and dance together we wanna put this out there for y'all...something new to enjoy and discuss while we wait for the other shoe to drop. We also promise that your $contribution will not be blown in some smoky pub but will aid us greatly in bringing a lot more 'unreleased' Marah music into the world this year. Think of the mix tape possibilities."

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FAME Studios Revamps World Famous Studio - FAME Music Group's MySpace Blog |:

"In 2009 as FAME approaches its 50th Anniversary we still look to the future as we upgrade and reload our facilities and staff for the next 50 years. We have two studios both equipped with Analog and Pro-Tools gear. We are loaded with Most every plug-in imaginable. Neve 8232 console in one room, the other an Amek Angela. Record where Duane Allman, Aretha Franklin, Otis Redding, Wilson Pickett, Little Richard, Etta James and many more recorded.

Lastly, FAME is proud to announce the addition of multi-Grammy award winning engineer Tom Swift to our staff as chief engineer. Tom has worked with the likes of Eric Clapton, Don Henley, AC/DC, Miles Davis, BB King, to name a few. Tom is an expert in the art of recording both Analog and with most any DAW. So if you want to record in one of the best sounding rooms in the world. With one of the top engineers in the world, FAME is for you.

Like to have some of that 'Muscle Shoals Sound' without leaving home? Call us and we will setup an account for your recordings online. Want legendary bassist David Hood, to play on your track? No Problem."

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Music

Horrible.

Teenage folk singer Taylor Mitchell killed by coyotes in Canadian park - Times Online:

"A teenage folk singer hailed as a rising star in Canada has been mauled to death by two coyotes while hiking alone in woods during a solo tour. The attack took place as Taylor Mitchell, 19, was walking on a trail in the Cape Breton Highlands National Park in Nova Scotia."

Taylor Mitchell :: From Taylor's Mom:

I've noticed that the media have often mentioned that Taylor was hiking alone when the coyote attack occurred. I want people to know that Taylor was a seasoned naturalist and well versed in wilderness camping. She loved the woods and had a deep affinity for their beauty and serenity. Tragically it was her time to be taken from us so soon.

We take a calculated risk when spending time in nature's fold-- it's the wildlife's terrain. When the decision had been made to kill the pack of coyotes, I clearly heard Taylor's voice say, 'please don't, this is their space'. She wouldn't have wanted their demise, especially as a result of her own. She was passionate about animals, was an environmentalist, and was also planning to volunteer at the Toronto Wildlife Centre in the coming months."

Taylor Mitchell :: Taylor Mitchell Memorial Fund:

"The Mitchell family has set up a Memorial Fund in Taylor's name. It hasn't yet been decided exactly how the fund will be used but some ideas being discussed include: a yearly scholarship to a songwriting student at Etobicoke Shool for the Arts (Taylor's alma mater); a yearly prize for an outstanding young performer at the Canadian Folk Music Awards; a bursary for a young touring performer; a donation to charity.

Give her music a listen today to honor her and her talent.

Taylor Mitchell on MySpace Music - Free Streaming MP3s, Pictures & Music Downloads:

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SFGate: Daily Dish : Death Dive Brought Boozy Creed Star Back To Life:

"A four-story fall from a hotel balcony in 2006 gave Creed star Scott Stapp his life back, according to the rocker himself.

As the third anniversary of his near-death dive comes around next month, the singer is back with the band he quit and insists he's born-again after years of binge drinking, substance abuse and womanizing turned him into a wreck."

I'll let Denis Leary handle by response to the above:

Denis Leary: No Cure for Cancer:

"We live in a country, where John Lennon takes six bullets in the chest, Yoko Ono was standing right next to him and not one fucking bullet! Explain that to me! Explain that to me, God! Explain it to me, God! I want it! God! Jesus! Now we've got twenty-five more years. Yeah, I'm real fucking happy now, God. I'm wearing a huge happy hat, Jesus Christ! I mean Stevie Ray Vaughan is dead, and we can't get Jon Bon Jovi in a helicopter. Come on, folks. 'Get on that helicopter John. Shut the fuck up and get on that helicopter! There's a hair dresser in there. Yeah, go ahead in there, yeah yeah.'

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Google Reportedly To Launch Music Search Engine - News Story | Music, Celebrity, Artist News | MTV News:

"The project, possibly called 'One Box,' will reportedly use the popular sites Lala, iLike and others to stream songs based on user searches. The company has not commented on the possible announcement, and a spokesperson did not return requests for comment at press time.

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Sublime - Punk Icons Perform Despite Legal Action Threat - Contactmusic News

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Metallica's iPhone App 'Tap Tap Revenge' Rocks Out:

"LOS ANGELES — Headbangers will have a reason to steady their gaze a bit starting Tuesday, when rock band Metallica makes its way onto iPhones with a finger-tapping music app called 'Tap Tap Revenge: Metallica.'

In the game, players tap areas on the screen in time with the music, much like players strum or drum plastic instruments in video games such as 'Rock Band' and 'Guitar Hero,' except on a smaller scale.

The iconic rockers could probably make more money performing one or two shows live, with 10 playable songs on the game, including 'Enter Sandman,' selling for $4.99."

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These are hilarious.

The Most Ridiculous Rap Lyrics Of All Time

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I'm down.

And CrazySexyCool was a great album.

SFGate: Daily Dish : TLC star held record boss hostage:

"Watkins has now spoken about the band's past, admitting they once resorted to violence in a bid to claim their fair share of the profits from their hugely successful 1994 album 'CrazySexyCool.'

The singer claims the trio burst into a meeting between Davis and Sean 'Diddy' Combs, throwing the rapper out and threatening the record executive with guns.

She tells talk show host Mo'Nique, 'We held the record company, Clive Davis, hostage with guns. Guns with bullets. Because TLC had generated on 'CrazySexyCool' $75 million and they gave us $50,000 a piece and I was like, 'What the hell!' So, of course Lisa was the ringleader. We had a limo driver, and he was the getaway car."

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Awww. Athens, GA.

Swampland:Spotlight On The Classic City: Athens, Georgia:

"Last week was a big week for the Georgia Theatre. They received their official approval to rebuild, and the Theatre released information on how to contribute to rebuilding this venerable music establishment.

Here's a link to the Georgia Theatre's fundraising brochure. Here's a link to the donation page at the Georgia Trust. Look for my recent interview with Theatre owner Wilmont Greene in a day or so."

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Some French Chick Rock to finish the day.

Plastiscines - Barcelona

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DBT Week in Review - 10/27

DBT News

Quick update: Happy Birthday, Jayne Clamp!

Ms. Jenn tips off to an upcoming well deserved DBT break next year:

Nine Bullets:

"Just so y'all know, I think it would behoove you all to get to these shows. I have a feeling this may be the last chance to see DBT in Athens for a LONG time - after NYE, it's possible that DBT will be taking an extended hiatus, by far the most extensive time off this band has taken in 10 years. They need it, so don't begrudge them the time off, but DO go see them. THIS ISN'T a breakup rumor starter or anything so don't get your panties in a wad, just get to the nearest rock show.

-j"

God, I love that term: "Panties in a wad". It says so much so well.

Mike from the Yahoo Group spotted this great Patterson interview.

Nashville Scene - Q&A: Patterson Hood of The Drive-By Truckers:

"PH: We’ll be finishing this tour on Halloween and we’ll be doing some one-offs and some weekend stuff from time to time, but I’m not planning on the band touring, maybe even for all next year. Besides doing some one-offs to keep the lights on, I’d like to keep it off the road. We’re gonna make another record. I’m gonna put out my solo record, and Jason’s gonna put his record out and there is some outside production stuff I really want to find some time to do. And I want to spent some time with my family, spend some time enjoying life a little bit. It’s been a really hard year. We’ve been on the road since March almost non-stop, and I’ve got a very little daughter at home that I’m spending way too much time away from—and my wife—so I’m going to try and rectify that."

Let's roll with the Patterson action. Here's a YouTube of Patterson playing an acoustic version of "18". Eeet's berry niiiice (My pitiful impression of Borat):



So what's Jason up to? Kudzu Guillotine fills us in on Nine Bullets:

From Flagpole.com:

Ask For It By Name:

Drive-By Truckers guitarist Jason Isbell has now joined the ranks of Led Zeppelin’s Jimmy Page, Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong and Aerosmith’s Joe Perry. How so? Because folks can now purchase a genuine Jason Isbell signature guitar courtesy of manufacturer First Act. Dubbed 'The Jason Isbell Custom Delgada,' the guitar sure looks comfortable. I haven’t had the chance to play one yet, but Isbell debuted it during the Truckers' appearance on the 'Late Night With Conan O’Brien' show and loved it, so I’ll take that as gospel. Take a gander over at http://www.firstact.com."

Other Music News

Seems to be a real push to make the Shoals the "Hit making capitol of the world" again. Good! Finally!!

FAME Records sponsoring two nights of music:

"FAME Records is sponsoring two nights of music with the intention of putting Muscle Shoals music back on the map.

Rodney Hall, president of FAME Music Publishing, said the shows will be attended by executives with EMI, the world's largest independent music company, creators' rights organization BMI, Anderson Music Merchandising and others.

FAME Records recently announced a partnership with EMI, which will re-release past FAME recordings as well as new artists signed to the FAME label."

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Dammit Curt, I swear son I think it's time you came around. Havin' money you can't spend, ain't what bein' deads about.

Cobain bumps off Elvis as top-earning dead celeb:

"NEW YORK (Reuters) - Rock 'n' roll legend Elvis Presley ceded his crown to Nirvana lead singer Kurt Cobain on Forbes.com's list as the top-earning dead celebrity.

The list, published on Tuesday, said grunge rocker Cobain earned $50 million between October 2005 and October 2006. Presley wound up in the No. 2 slot with $42 million, down from last year's $45 million."

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Love the Clash. London Calling always makes me want to rebel.

Clash honored at Rock Hall - Yahoo! News:

"CLEVELAND - Armed with guitars, amps and attitude, they rocked the casbah, fought the law and hijacked a train in vain.

The Clash were more than a four-piece band. They were rock 'n' roll revolutionaries.

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"I've been to Georgia on a fast train honey.... Ain't no need in y'all treatin' me this way".

Read the last line. What's his old ass doing wrasslin'?

Billy Joe Shaver Ties the Knot Again:

"Billy Joe Shaver has tied the knot — again.

Shaver, who wrote 'Georgia on a Fast Train' and 'I'm Just an Old Chunk of Coal (But I'm Gonna Be a Diamond Someday),' married Wanda Lynn Canady in Las Vegas on Friday, according to a statement from Compadre Records, his Houston-based independent label.

Billy Gibbons, the bearded frontman for ZZ Top, presided over the ceremony. It was Shaver's second marriage to Canady, said Compadre spokesman Logan Rogers. The first marriage was annulled.

The 67-year-old country singer was married three times to his wife Brenda, who died in 1999. Their first two marriages ended in divorce.

Shortly after the latest wedding, Shaver cracked a vertebra while wrestling with a friend, Rogers told The Associated Press on Tuesday. He was expected to recover."

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Finally.... This will shock many of you but.... I can't even comment on it. It's too painful. What next, they'll find out that Curt Cobain injected herion into his veins.... Oh, wait....

Snoop Dogg arrested at SoCal airport:

"BURBANK, Calif. - Snoop Dogg was arrested on suspicion of illegal drug and gun possession, police said."

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DBT WIR - Shut up and Get on the Plane

First, I've changed the site for the weekend to honor the kick off of the DBT/Drams tour. Two mighty fine bands putting on what will be the best rock show in the states for the next couple of weeks.

Columbus, OH - Tonight
Cleveland, OH - Tomorrow
Pittsburgh, PA - Sunday....

You lucky bastards! Get out and support these fellas and lady (speaking of the lady she got several 'ohs' and 'ahs' at the Hardly Strictly show last weekend. Lookin' fine, Shonna!) buy some merch. Give them much love!

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Update: Check out Patterson's Blog on Gibson.com

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On with the DBT WIR - Shut up and Get on the Plane.....

Seriously, now, shut your mouth and get your ass on the plane. Take some Zoloft if you need too... We'll maybe don't, but all that family's problems did disappear over night.

We had a mighty fine weekend in the Bay Area last week. Chock full of visual and auditory candy. The Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival was held in Golden Gate park and DBT played it for the first time ever on Sunday.

On Friday I dodged out of work early to check out the kick off of the Festival. Elvis Costello with the Hammer of the Honkey-Tonk Gods got things started. Here's a couple of photos of about 50k folks who ditched work early, too.

It was also Fleet Week in the City-by-the-Bay and Saturday evening I had the honor of buying a drink for a Navy soldier who was taking leave from the U.S.S. Nimitz. Those aircraft carriers are freakin' HUGE!

Earlier that Saturday we caught an awesome airshow by the Blue Angels from the roof top of a fellow Alabamian's apartment building in the Marina District. Believe it or not, that little lady on the far right of the below picture was Miss Lauderdale County H.S. 1996. Know where LCHS is located? Rogersville, Alabama. She didn't have "a case a Sterling Bigmouths", but she did have 2 six packs of Stella Artois which were mighty tasty. Oh, and the "half ounce of weed".... well...... :-)

Be sure to click on the pictures in order to see the jets really well. I didn't reduce the size of the pictures so they blow up pretty good.

From the roof top with Pacific Heights in the background.

A MiG over Alcatraz

A view of Pacific Heights. Rich folk live there.

Blue Angels, Palace of Fine Arts and the Golden Gate Bridge

Blue Angels - 2 Flying upside down

Straight up

Starburst

Blue Angels

A lot of fun to watch those crazy cats. Now, on to DBT at the Hardly Strictly:

Strictly a good time: Annual free Golden Gate Park bluegrass festival gets better -- and bigger -- with age.:

"With most of the festival's biggest names reserved for Sunday, and Saturday's bill more concentrated on traditional acoustic music, the crowds for the first day of the weekend have always been substantially smaller. But the audience Saturday topped the previous year's attendance by at least half. Police estimated that as many as 500,000 people could have attended the three-day event."

500,000 people... and a snake. That snake came from one of the planes. It was a 'Snake on a Plane'. The hype on that one died pretty quickly, aye?

Best part is that he's drinking a King Cobra. Nice!

And what would a concert in Golden Gate park be without a spinning hippie. Hey, look! A Spinning hippie.

Know what song she was spinning to? Lookout Mountain. No shit. Actually she spun and hippie grooved to all the songs, but it as funny as hell to have a hippie spinning in front of you while the heavy metal sounds of Lookout Mountain are permeating the park.

This was the largest crowd I've ever seen DBT play too. I guesstimated around 7K. Here's a look from the front of the stage to as far as I could see going back. (Hey, I was hung over as piss that day and I found a spot in the shade and stayed there. No photo journalist was I.)

Here is a shot of the stage and some rocking out pictures:

The COOLEST part of the show was the Blue Angels flying over while DBT played. DBT damn near was the only thing in SF that weekend that was louder the Blue Angels. Click to see the jet above the stage.

Here they are in formation over the stage:

Here's Patterson preaching and the band Rocking:

The crowd loved them. They gained a ton of new fans that day and I had a shit load of people from the Bay Area find this site by searching for DBT this last week. The guy in front of me during the show turned around and said that he had never heard of the band until he looked them up online the morning before the show. He was seriously impressed. He asked me how many albums they had put out and I said 7. He asked which one should he get and I said all of 'em.

A band called Freakwater played before DBT, and, I apologize if there are any fans of this group reading this, they were a snooze and a half. Reminded me of the country music I hated growing up. DBT was a "Day" to Freakwater's "Night". Shifting from Dec Day to Lookout blew people away. Buttholeville brought the park down as the final song. The stage MC said something to the effect of "That's how you DO it" when DBT was finished. It was an awesome weekend.

News and Links

Glorious Noise - GLONO Video with the Drams:

"The Drams, a Texas band composed of former members of Slobberbone and Budapest One, sat down with Glorious Noise in Chicago while touring in support of Jubilee Dive, out now on New West Records."

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Mark and the boys at Ninebullets have made sure we don't miss any of the Rocktober files. Mark kicks much ass:

Mirror of LetThereBeRocktober files

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Jeff Wall gets the honor of the funniest post on the DBT Yahoo Group this week. Jeff, you're not cocaine rich are you?

dbts : Message: Time to put a band together:

"It's time to get off of my ass and put a band together. I'm thinkingsomething small, something fun, something kind of like my dick. Something on the lines of Traditional Country/ Acoustic Southern Rock/Bluegrass/ Some Classic Rock. For those of y'all that don't know me, I am a big, shaggy, irreverent, extremely profane, exceptionally good looking (in a shaved down Sasquatch kind of way) Kernersville based, well hung (I was lying earlier, really I was), 45 year old studmuffin who plays acoustic guitar.

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via Jayne on the Yahoo Group Board.

dbts : Message: Legendary FAME Records Inks Deal with EMI: "

Legendary FAME Records Inks Deal with EMI

MUSCLE SHOALS, Alabama The world-famous FAME Records- based in the fabled music mecca of Muscle Shoals, Alabama - has signed a distribution agreement with EMI Music Marketing in the United States.

Under the terms of the deal, EMI will distribute new FAME Records product along with rare and vintage Southern soul and rhythm-and-blues recordings from the treasured FAME vaults."

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I'd really like to hear some thoughts from you folks in the comments on the following article. One person was waving a small Confederate flag during the DBT show.

Red flag - NASCAR - Yahoo! Sports:

"'Why are you doing this to us?' demanded one public relations woman. 'This is not a story,' shouted another, even after I pointed out that the flags are still flying. 'Absolutely no way, no how,' said another.

Email responses were often bitter. Face-to-face encounters often worse. Interview and statement requests were summarily denied. At some drivers' scheduled weekly press conferences, I was told that any question involving the flag would end the session."

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What the fuck is wrong with christians?

Angry Christians force Slayer album out of India:

"MUMBAI (Reuters) - U.S. heavy metal band Slayer's latest album has been recalled from music stores across India after the country's small Christian community said the cover depicting Christ with amputated arms and a missing eye was insulting."

That's all for this week, folks. Go out and support DBT and the Drams.

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DBT Week in Review - 4/15- 4/21

UPDATE: Check out this review promo from New West. Sweet!

Finally! The Release. And what a release it is. Fantastic album by the band. Great reviews pouring in.

Tour dates with the Black Crowes have been annouced.

This WIR is gonna be short and sweet. I'm working on another picture tour that should be ready next week. Here's a sample:

Also, I'm writing a review of the reviews. The punditry of punditry. It'll be like a freakin' Escher painting. I'm already confused writing it. Should be good fun.

I do want to highlight one review in this post. This review is really the only one that matters and it comes from the Birthday Girl, DBTJenn. Jenn just turned 21, so now she can drink at the shows ;-P

dbts : Message: Re: [dbts] Re: Well Runs Dry: "Alright, I'll jump in here. Mind you I've been listening to these songs a while and in all kinds of order. The first one that got me was the title track - I just love that chord progression. I love the harmonic guitar work. Lots of people don't like Patterson's high voice, but it works for me, especially when he's backed by a such minor-key storm of instrumentation, and so earnest about what he's saying. Feb 14 was hot on it's tail, because of Brad's fucking bad ass drumbeat. I swear, I don't know many drummers who can hold a candle to the man. Plus, it's a very old song that even Horse Pussy used to play (my brother recognized it immediately and reminded me, though he said it sounded a little different when HP was doing it). I'd cried over Space City many a time, and it turned out about as good as I've ever heard Cooley play it. Of course Gravity's Gone got me at the same time as Feb 14, because it's just such an amazing song. We joked that Cooley'd just written down a bunch of the funny shit he said in one day and made a song out of it, cause that's pretty much how he talks. I think Easy On Yourself snuck up on me then, and I was running it over and over again for a while, too. Jason's songs cause that really sweet pop addiction that comes from his catchy hooks, and plaintive voice. I love his lyrics and their phrasing. I'd always appreciated Little Bonnie and I thought World of Hurt was a beautiful and intense song (possibly a masterpiece), but it took me a while to hook into Aftermath - just because it does sound so much like The Faces - but the lyrics got to me eventually, and now I love it. Goodbye and Wednesday were always there, always kickass, always creeping up on me. Shonna's bass playing on Goodbye gives me chillbumps, and the driving beat of Wednesday (plus that staccato guitar - I LOVE that!) does too. Along with Daylight, they're like the nougaty center of this album. And that's how it's rolled for me. -j"

From the Ninebullets board comes a cool promotion. I sure would likes me one of dem prints:

Nine Bullets: "I run an online store for The Great Escape - a small chain of stores in TN and KY. We are holding a drawing on our website to win an autographed, numbered print from the Decoration Day release. Anyone who purchases any DBT CD or DVD before April 23rd is entered to win. If you purchase Blessing & a Curse, we do have the 4-track bonus disc to ship out with it as well. Our website is TheGreatEscapeOnLine

We also are running a similar promotion (and giving away another signed print) at our Bowling Green KY location - so if you are in the area come by and see us!

~Rob "

What's left of Skynyrd did a benefit for the Alabama Music Hall of Fame. DBT WILL be honored in those halls someday:

Welcome to TimesDaily.com: "David Johnson, executive director of the hall of fame, is to be commended for organizing the Lynyrd Skynyrd benefit concert. Johnson was one of the first record producers to work with the Florida-based band back in the early 1970s, when no one had heard of them, and no one could understand their sound. Skynyrd recorded its first tracks at Quinvy Studios with Johnson and at Muscle Shoals Sound Studios with Jimmy Johnson.

Had Skynyrd not come to Muscle Shoals in search of a record deal, the pioneering band would not have found success later. And the surviving members of the band were happy to repay the debt with a benefit concert."

Here's a shout out to Jayfrombama, a fellow Shoals alumnus and musical savant. Jay's puttin' on a Muscle Shoals music history lesson at FAME in a couple of weeks. I'd love to attend that one. I'll try to get more information from him and post it next week. If you're anywhere near the Shoals and if the event includes the general public, I'd highly recommend going to hear Jay.

The following post is for Jay and all the other expatriated Shoalsians who might get the occassional homesickness. From the NY Times:

Florence, Alabama - Fashion Capital of the South - New York Times:

"Passing through on Highway 72, you could easily mistake Florence, Ala., for a backwater of Winn-Dixies and double-wide trailers. But turn off, and the city — population 36,264 — soon reveals its attractions: elegant 19th-century buildings, a living musical heritage and very fine fried okra. Five years ago, when Natalie Chanin returned home to start her clothing company, Project Alabama — known for high-fashion garments that are hand-stitched by local quilters — she was a pioneer, but today Florence is in full swing."

This is a picture of a booth at the Hollywood Inn in Florence, AL. I grew up right next to this soul food restaurant. My mouth waters just writing about it. Mac and Cheese. That's all I've got to say. Across the street is Bunyan's BBQ. Oh... My... God.... This is how we do in Flo-town: Smoked meat, no sauce. You can get mayo (which I do) and slaw (which I don't) on your BBQ sammiches. Put some hot sauce on that bad boy. Plain Lay's Potato Chips. Take your ass to the River.....

This is a picture of The Smokehouse Billiards, or simply, The Pool Hall. My senior year in highschool, I'd skip lunch every day and head to The Pool Hall. Between this place and being taken to the Tennessee line by some of the older crowd I ran with, I became a pretty damn good pool player. I can still get on a tear and whip anybody's ass in the land. Oh, and Chili Cheese Burgers with hot sauce. I might not slap my momma, but I'd probably slap somebody elses momma for one of those burgers right now. Damn, I done got hungry:

Keep an eye out next week for the picture tour and the review of the reviews.

Rock Show, Bitches!!!

DBT Lyrics Tour - Ronnie and Neil

Meanwhile in North Alabama, Wilson Pickett comes to town

To record that sweet soul music, to get that Muscle Shoals sound

Meanwhile in North Alabama, Aretha Franklin comes to town
To record that sweet soul music, to get that Muscle Shoals sound

One morning before I headed out to take some pictures for this series I picked up the TimesDaily over breakfast and was greeted with the following article:

Webster Has Plans for Studio:

In 1999, Webster purchased the nondescript stone building at 3614 Jackson Highway, the original home of Muscle Shoals Sound Studios.

He restored the studio, going as far as replacing the original sound and recording equipment down to the very model numbers.

The building has also been nominated for inclusion in the National Record of Historic Places.
...

'It will be themed around Muscle Shoals Sound.'

I decided to make the original Muscle Shoals Sound Studio my first stop for the day. I had planned on snapping a few quick pictures of the front of the building before moving on to some other Colbert County/DBT landmarks. When my dad and I pulled up to the Studio, Noel Webster was standing outside directing a bulldozer that was clearing a spot next to the studio that will be the outdoor theatre. I introduced myself and told him what I was doing. He invited my dad and I to come inside the studio and check things out. When we walked in the back door Noel flipped the light switch and the sound system started playing "Wild Horses" by the Stones. Noel started to show us around and, honestly, we could have spent a couple of days in the place in order to see everything. It was, to say the least, stunning the amount of history this small, ex-casket factory, contained. I would calculate that Billions of dollars worth of music was created and produced here. Noel pulled out pictures, album covers, framed pieces of the old wall that had signatures on it from artist all the while spitting historical tid-bits in his rapid-fire manner of speech. I was so enthralled that I had to force myself to take some pictures along the way. Before we left, Noel asked my dad and I if we wanted to see something that no one had seen since the '70's. We said "Of Course" and Noel went to the basement and returned with the old ledger books that contained the dates and dollar amounts charged to the artists who worked there. L.S, Aretha, Bob Seger, Wilson Pickett, Rod Stewart and a host of others were contained in these ledgers. It was amazing.

Noel told us about Dylan walking down to the river bottom and chatting with the local fishermen who had no idea who he was. Hard to imagine... He showed us a great picture of Duane Allman buck nekkid standing in the woods behind the studio. He told us so many stories that I'll probably update this post as I remember them...

I won't go into the detailed history of this place and the players. The links below supply a history more comprehensive than anything that I could state. You can check out who recorded at FAME and Muscle Shoals Sound.

I want to the Noel for being so gracious and for a tour of a lifetime.

Welcome to Muscle Shoals AL. The Hit recording Capitol of the World

Muscle Shoals Sound

Cooley's wearing this t-shirt during "Marry Me" in Live at the 40 Watt

Willie Nelson

Cher's Album Cover

Fame Recording Studios

Patterson gives a good history lesson on FAME here. Just scroll down the page and you can see the band standing in front of FAME when they recorded TDS.

Let's head on back to Muscle Shoals Sound

The First home of the Swampers aka the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section, David Hood, Jimmy Johnson, Donny Short, Roger Hawkins and Barry Beckett.

Meanwhile in North Alabama, Lynyrd Skynyrd came to town
To record with Jimmy Johnson at Muscle Shoals Sound

Click on this pick to see what Skynyrd had written on a door.

They have an entire wall in the studio that's been covered with plexiglass. This one tile has the names Annette Snell and Jerry Powell. Noel told the story that Annette had died in a plane crash a few days after she signed the wall. Jimmy Johnson's brother was on that plane and perished too.

The other name is Jerry Powell. Noel said he was connected with Skynyrd. Notice the date, Oct. 19, 1977. This was the day before that fateful plane crash in the Louisiana swamps that killed Ronnie and the others. I haven't been able to find anything that connects Jerry with Skynyrd other than having the last name as Billy. Still... erie.

Annette Snell: ...Annette cut the brilliant "Its All Over Now"/"Promises Should Never Be Broken" at Muscle Sholas before her tragic death in an air crash on her way back to Alabama....

Blackfoot

Bob Se"a"ger. Who ever wrote it misspelled his name.

The Rolling Stones' "Wild Horses" was written in this bathroom.

"Another attraction was that the studio's small-town location was far away from big-city distractions and prying eyes. "The town never impinged upon anyone," says Wexler, recalling a day when the Rolling Stones ordered breakfast at the local Howard Johnson's. "One little waitress said, 'Are you a group?' One of the members said, 'Yeah, we're a group. We're Martha and the Vandellas.'"