Jim Lauderdale Tape Offer
Three months ago, there was a thread here about "getting" Jim Lauderdale. A few of us fans felt like Jim hadn't really gotten his due as both a great writer and performer. At that time, I mentioned that I'd made a "best of" Jim Lauderdale tape for a friend, and that maybe what I needed to do was compile another one, and make it available to the list. At that time, Jerald Corder and I started corresponding off-list, and we decided that we cooperate on making a tape for distribution to anybody who was interested. Soon after, Jerald suggested we also do a tape of songs written by Jim that were covered or performed by others. After Jerald put it all together, there's now two tapes of those songs. I've got all five of Jim Lauderdale's LP's, but Jerald is the repository for Jim Lauderdale material, whether performed by JL or by others. Jerald has put together three cool tapes of Jim Lauderdale material. The first is a "best-of" Jim Lauderdale, with tracks not only from his 5 studio albums, but songs from an unreleased album, prior to PLANET OF LOVE, and some singles from promotional records that Jerald's picked up. It's a nice collection, 90 minutes long, with a fair amount of it from out-of-print or hard to find records. The second and third tapes are from various artists, too many to list them all here but a mix of alt and standard country types, and of course several from Lauderdale-loving George Strait. These covers fill two 90 minute cassettes. So, here's the deal. If you're interested in any or all of these tapes, send me an e-mail to this address. *DON'T REPLY TO THE LIST*, but reply to me here at my home address, [EMAIL PROTECTED] I'll send back a complete list of songs and artists on the covers tapes. Jerald's wife has done a nice job making up cool-looking j-cards for the cassettes, and if I wasn't already involved with this thing, I'd sure want copies. I'll want you to send me blank 90 minute cassettes to dub the music onto, and a buck to cover postage. That's it. This is a chance to find out more about one of the great, underrecognized talents in country music. Write me off list if you're interested in getting a copy of these cassettes. We're not expecting a flood of responses, BTW, but we'll adjust if so. g I'll give everybody till Monday May 3rd to respond. b.s. "Time begins on Opening Day" -Thomas Boswell
Re: Danni Leigh
At 01:21 AM 4/29/1999 Tera wrote: Sony-Nashville news release 4/28: Danni Leigh is now signed to Monument and will be working on a new album for fall '99 release. Cool. I sure liked her first record. Doesn't seem all that long ago it was just released, eh? g b.s. "Time begins on Opening Day" -Thomas Boswell
Clip-Shelby Lynne
From this week's e-pulse: 6. (LATE-SUMMER) COMEBACK OF THE WEEK: A decade ago, SHELBY LYNNE was just another misfit in Nashville, a very promising but not easily categorized young performer who was signed to a major label (Sony) intent on developing her talents within the constraints of the Nashville system. After washing out there, she signed with a sad excuse for a record company called Morgan Creek and released a fine (and ahead of its time) swing album in 1993; that label went belly-up before anything happened. Then she went underground -- or, to be more precise, back home to Alabama. Cut to the present: She's back. Lynne, who in her absence has watched her little sister Allison Moorer become a rising star in Nashville, has resurfaced with a label deal and a new record, produced by Bill Bottrell (Sheryl Crow). 'THIS IS SHELBY LYNNE' (Mercury/Island, 8/3) won't be out for a while, but that's a good thing; it'll buy Island some time to set it up properly with the press and radio. Which shouldn't be any kind of problem -- 'This Is ' is the kind of knockout punch that makes its newly won fans fall over themselves in their evangelical zeal to get the word out to others. It's that good. The 36-minute, 10-cut disc kicks off with "Your Lies," a stunning, big Southern-pop ballad in the tradition of Billy Joe Royal's "I Knew You When." As soon as that song's fade slides into "Leavin'," which sounds like 'Ingenue'-era k.d. lang fused with the Gladys Knight of "Midnight Train to Georgia," you realize that what you're listening to is no ordinary album. Next up is the disc's most overtly rock tune, the slide-guitar-driven "Life Is Bad," which may be more in line with Bottrell and Crow's 'Tuesday Night Music Club' album. But things kick back into a fluid soulful groove with "Easier," an updated take on Memphis and Muscle Shoals that betrays Lynne's debt to the likes of Aretha Franklin and Dusty Springfield. (No wonder the Nashville brain trust couldn't figure out what to do with her.) "Gotta Get Back" and "Why Can't You Be," which follow, expand the album's country-soul feel; by this time, you know Lynne's spent some time woodshed-ing with a decent-sized stack of Dusty Springfield sides. Similarly, acoustic numbers like "Lookin' Up" and "Dream Some" add an introspective slant nicked from '70s hybridized folk chanteuses like Joni Mitchell and Phoebe Snow. But the next tune, "Where I'm From" reasserts the album's churchy country-soul vibe with a blast of Alabama attitude. And the closer, "Black Light Blue," is a string-caressed torch number that lies down nicely next to the retro-countrypolitan stylings of k.d. lang's 'Shadowland.' It's an eclectic mix, but from start to finish the album's song sequence flows naturally; it's stitched together in a manner that recalls Marvin Gaye's landmark soul album, 'What's Going On.' Everything fits like a well-worn pair of favorite shoes, and the retro-familiarity of the music also acts to draw the listener in. Which acts somewhat as a palliative, as these songs' thematic embrace of loss and acceptance need some sort of sweet counterbalance to the expression here of some of life's bitter vicissitudes. But the hard-won battles of life often make for great art, and 'This Is Shelby Lynne' is the kind of record that often catapults a heretofore-obscure artist into the heady realm inhabited by superstars. On the basis of this thoroughly wonderful disc, if it happens to Lynne, it really shouldn't be much of a surprise to anyone. (Griffith) "Time begins on Opening Day" -Thomas Boswell
Re: Wilco's new horizon
At 01:01 PM 4/10/1999 Terry Smith wrote: So how's that new Wilco record? Couldn't resist. Anyhow, I haven't heard it, but there's a formula that I understand applies to this record, and establishes, in my mind, whether it's any damn good. It goes like this: "Summerteeth" = ELO. and I replied with, among other smart-assed things: It doesn't sound anything much like ELO to me Terry, a good thing. David Cantwell also replied to Terry: the ELO period that Summerteeth is inarguably borowing from, and borrowing heavily--I say inarguably, because you only have to listen to A New World Record to hear the obvious similarities (see my ND review to get specifics) but also because Tweedy, as I've said before, has confirmed that ELO was one of the bubblegum sources Wilco itself heard in the record... So Terry, I apologize. And from my perspective it's definitely inarguable, since you'd have to put a gun to my head to get me to listen to A NEW WORLD RECORD. If I never hear "Telephone Line" (cringe) or "Livin' Thing" (wince) again, it'll be too soon. Matters of taste and all, and I sure don't want to tangle with the imposing Cantwell-Curry tag team. And thoughts of further discussion of the pop merits of ELO/Jeff Lynne give me a headache. g Amy, Stevie, et.al., all of a sudden I'm having second thoughts about SUMMERTEETH. Can I maybe come crawling over to your team? g b.s. n.p. Marty Brown WILD KENTUCKY SKIES "Time begins on Opening Day" -Thomas Boswell
Re: Wilco's new horizon
At 08:13 AM 4/11/1999 Mike Hays wrote: b.s. n.p. Marty Brown WILD KENTUCKY SKIES Weird, I had a listener call and request Marty Friday morning. In particular, anything from that CD. It's funny, because I've looked for that record for ages and couldn't find it, used even. Wasting time before I spent my afternoon mowing yards yesterday (don't you love Spring?g) I was at a local drug/discount store and found a "new" shrinkwrapped copy for $4.99. One of those happy record-geek moments. Marty's great. I know from sad experience that his last one, HERE'S TO THE HONKY-TONKS, was not up to his high standard, but I haven't heard a thing about him since. Anybody know if he's still working/recording? If trad's making a comeback as you hope Mike, there sure oughta be a place for Marty Brown in there. b.s. n.p. Dave Edmunds TWANGIN' same $4.99 deal as that record above. Haven't heard this since my cassette died sometime in the late 80's...g A lesser work by his standards, but some solid songs, and a great cover of "Baby Let's Play House". "Time begins on Opening Day" -Thomas Boswell
Re: Wilco's new horizon
At 01:38 PM 4/10/1999 Amy Haugesag wrote: So how's that new Wilco record? I rilly, rilly don't like what I've heard, and as others have said, I don't see how the record can be called a breakthrough, since it's not drastically different from Being There (which wasn't as drastically different from A.M. as writers and fans claimed at the time). Hmm, for a small hypothetical, if you removed the vocal track from all three Wilco records, and just listened to the instrumentals, you wouldn't find each record different from the other? (What's the degree of difference significant to your mini-analysis here? "Drastically different" is a self-justifying measure of judgement. And what constitutes a "breakthrough?") To me, BEING THERE sounds notably different from AM, the transition from twang-rock into twang-pop into the notably different pop stylings of SUMMERTEETH. I'm withholding full judgement until I've heard the whole record more than once, but for now, I give it an "it sucks." g I'll be holding my breath until the big light bulb comes on and the sheer brilliance (or even the barely-marginal OK-ness) of SUMMERTEETH reveals itself to you. g Geez, if you were the judge of most any Tweedy endeavor, I'd get a change of venue, begging your honor's pardon. off to mow two yards, b.s. n.p. A Replacements overview show on KCUR. How about some "objective" analysis on that new Westerberg record? I just heard 3 tracks and they didn't suck, though I wasn't sure if it was my cup of tea. g "Time begins on Opening Day" -Thomas Boswell
Re: Note-for-note
Jon posted a lovely quote: I found the quote I mentioned earlier in the thread on covers, and it's every bit as good as I remember it. The speaker is Eddie Adcock, banjoist and flat-picking guitarist extraordinaire; he was interviewed by Barry Willis in 1990 (the interview appears in Willis's gigantic, messy book, _America's Music: Bluegrass_): "...there is a neat thing that takes place in the mind - just like some of the finer art in the world - when you hit upon that note exactly the way the guy intended to hit it the first time. Then you can get the idea and the feeling and the emotion that caused him to do it. They're not your emotions; you're working out of his brain even though he may be dead and gone. It does something for you that nothing can doAnd if you hang in there and try to duplicate it in every way, then you can experience what he experienced when he did even though it may have been fifty years ago. You can feel him go through that." I couldn't help but wonder if the spirit of what caused Eddie Adcock to so beautifully express his thoughts about what he felt when duplicating another artists work wasn't something like the feelings that would cause, say, Billy Bragg to claim that he was "collaborating" with Woody Guthrie. Not that he was "right" in claiming that...g b.s. "Time begins on Opening Day" -Thomas Boswell
No Repression (was Re: [twangfest] Twang-sports)
Junior explains it all for us adds a postscript: PS. I hope lurker TG Marcia is keeping score, as I assume all new acronyms need covering in the annual edition of No Repression (which *is* a Twangfest tradition). I just want to add to Junior's excellent suggestion that I sure hope that last year's hilarious, right-on-target "No Repression" will indeed see its second issue at TF III and that it was the start of a tradition. b.s. "Life begins on Opening Day" -Thomas Boswell
Re: Clip-Wacos Saturday night
At 09:34 AM 3/27/1999 Dan Bentele wrote: No jaded hipsters standing 20 feet back Bullshit. Me and Bill were right about 20 feet back looking tres jaded and hip! And Yates was off to one side doing his part also. Damn reporters... I'll take that as a compliment Dan. I was sorta thinkin' the same thing. g Well, about the jaded part anyhow. Shoot, it was the last show of the weekend. We'd *earned* jaded status. That's part of the beauty of the Wacos live, all the jaded observations about the new record (and I have it on what for me is impeccable authority, (out of courtesy I won't "out" him) the new record does indeed suck) and hipster sensibilities get their asses thoroughly kicked and swept into the joyous frenzy. Dan was so overcome in the mass hysteria he bailed on me, right after I bought him a Bud, the national beverage of St. Louis. That's mother's milk quality musta put Dan to sleep. g Where was that clip from anyway Bill? The Austin Chronicle. See http://www.auschron.com/current/music.index.html for some cool pictures, summaries, yadda yadda. Dan Bentele (who does know the author and performer of "Baba O'Riley", the song they closed with...g) Yeah, but they're overrated...g b.s. n.p. Bill Shapiro's KCUR show, reviewing the Los Lobos recent solo stuff. I'm liking the Cesar Rosas stuff I'm hearing... didn't rush out and get it as I would have after lukewarm reviews here. Anybody want to set me straight on the Cesar Rosas record? The Hounddog and Latin Playboys cuts I'm hearing are as generally uninteresting as expected. Does David Hidalgo still have his fastball? "The truth ain't always what we need, sometimes we need to hear a beautiful lie." -Bill Lloyd
Re: Brooks at Bat
At 10:24 AM 3/22/1999 Susan Kowal forwarded: BROOKS GATHERS FIRST HIT, AND AT THE RIGHT PARK TO BOOT Brooks collected his first hit of spring training with a pinch-hit single in the second inning in an 11-8 loss to the White Sox. It was his 10th plate appearance of the spring. "It was a nice piece of hitting. It was a fastball away and he went up the middle," Padres manager Bruce Bochy said. Added Padres general manager Kevin Towers, "I bet that base hit hit to him means more than if he sells another million records." Anybody else question the validity of Mr. Towers opinion on this? b.s. "The truth ain't always what we need, sometimes we need to hear a beautiful lie." -Bill Lloyd
SXSW
I went to SXSW for the first time this past week. It was every bit as exciting, challenging and exasperating as I'd always read it was, but I'm looking forward to a repeat appearance. Rather than give my entire weekend's review, (which is why there's a fluff list) just thought I'd mention some highlights and not-so-highlights: HIGHLIGHTS -Jim Roll with the Silos Wednesday night- first show I saw, and what a good start. Jim's already got great songs, but it was a treat to hear those songs with that group of musicians. That lap steel player blew me away. -Cherilyn's P2 BBQ- Great afternoon of music and socializing. I met some folks from the list who I didn't know well, or at all, and that was cool. Just wish we'd run into each other again. Cherilyn is a force of nature. -Kim Richey at Wateloo Brewing Company- a very welcome tonic after the evening's earlier disappointments. Hope a new record hits the streets this year. -The Bloodshot party- Lotsa great music, but the Meat Purveyors and Waco Brothers stole the show. It was great to see Neko Case for the first time, though the sound problems were disappointing. When did Mike Lemon start playing with her and is it a "permanent" thing? -Hillbilly Idol- did a great in-store at Cheapo Records Friday afternoon. I love these guys and hope they find the audience they deserve. -Dale Watson- at Under The Sun Friday afternoon. My first time seeing him and it won't be the last. I particularly liked his pedal steel player's work. -Heather Myles/Rosie Flores at the Continental Club- seeing Heather Myles was a priority for me and she didn't disappoint- great band and near-perfect renditions of the songs- almost all of HIGHWAYS, though she changed the set list and added "The Other Side Of Town". Terrific. Rosie Flores was great of course, and she was joined onstage by Radney Foster for a song, then by Wanda Jackson! Great stuff. -I got to Under The Sun too late to see but 3 songs of the Hollisters set, but loved those three. Came back at 7 to see Wayne the Train Hancock, who I'd also never seen before. He was joined by Biller and Wakefield, though I expect his fine band would have sounded plenty good on their own. Dynamite set. -Neko got a sound system that found her voice Saturday night, and she was super. I heard more unreserved female admiration for her than anybody else all weekend. g The Wacos didn't sound quite as good as they had at Friday's party, IMO. WHO CARES?! They tore the fucking roof off the sucker! The floor was vibrating as though electrified. The speakers were swaying. It was wonderful. DISAPPOINTMENTS- -Thursday night we arrived at Stubb's just in time to see Wayne The Train finish his set, which had started at 7 rather than the advertised 8PM. Then it started raining, hard. We got pretty drenched trying to get indoors, where it was packed. We tried to wait out the storm, to no avail. I heard music start back up outdoors and saw a nice show from Radney Foster, though I got soaked again in the process. Went back inside and finally got some dinner, 2 hours after we'd put in a reservation. Great company, drag drag drag scene. -"Wristbands go to the back of the line and wait. BADGES? DO WE HAVE ANY MORE BADGES NEEDING ADMITTANCE?" (15 minutes later after 30 or 40 badges have entered the already packed venue the music starts and they still won't let you in.) Ah well. Reckon that's enough for now. It was a great time, and I need to go back to sleep now. g b.s. "The truth ain't always what we need, sometimes we need to hear a beautiful lie." -Bill Lloyd
Tom Waits at SXSW
For anybody jealous of the P2 SXSW types, this was the event of the event, and I didn't hear about any of us getting in for it. Step up and testify if you did... Tom Waits Previews New Album In Rare Show Troubadour's concert was hottest ticket at South by Southwest. Senior Writer Gil Kaufman reports: AUSTIN, Texas -- "Where you been, Tom?" a woman yelled near the end of Tom Waits' two-hour show at the Paramount Theater in the early morning hours Sunday. The grizzled singer tilted his head and croaked, "I been in traffic school. I had a lot of tickets. It adds up, believe me." Waits then joked about getting a degree in parallel parking and got back to work, bowing his head down by his knees and smacking his hands together to count off one of his newer tunes, "Hold On." Every year the South by Southwest Music Conference, an annual confab of music business professionals and young bands, produces a bona-fide must-see show. Last year, it was a rare club gig by guitar terrorists Sonic Youth; this year, troubadour Waits upped the ante with one of his only live performances of this decade. Dressed in a dark denim jacket and pants, a white undershirt and crumpled brown fedora, the raspy-voiced singer was his quintessential, nonchalant self during the show, during which he dipped into his catalog of gut-bucket blues and Tin Pin Alley-like ballads and previewed three songs from his upcoming Epitaph Records debut, Mule Variations (due April 27). Hundreds of fans, some of whom you might have heard of, lined up outside the ornate old theater on Congress Avenue as early as 4:30 a.m. Saturday hoping to score one of South by Southwest's hottest tickets. At the front of the line was 28-year-old Shane Carbonneau, of Austin, who said he had to literally beg, borrow and lie to get in. "I had to borrow my friend's [festival] badge, sneak into the convention center and tell a really elaborate story to get this ticket," Carbonneau said. Waiting behind Carbonneau on the cold concrete was Mark Linkous, frontman of the experimental Virginia rock band Sparklehorse. "I'm a huge fan of Tom," Linkous said. "I'm really looking forward to this." Linkous did, it should be noted, have more than the usual fan interest in the show. He said he was anxious to meet up with Waits later, hoping to determine that the troubadour had completed recording his part for a song on Sparklehorse's next album. Waits took the stage just after midnight, waltzing to the microphone as if he'd always been there. He kicked his left leg like a mule and gripped the microphone stand with both hands as if trying to choke it. Accompanied by a four-piece band that included Beck guitarist Smokey Hormel, Waits charmed the rapt audience with such chestnuts as the clattering "16 Shells From a Thirty-Ought Six" (RealAudio excerpt) (from 1983's Swordfishtrombones) and the tender ballad "(Looking for) The Heart of Saturday Night" (from 1974's The Heart of Saturday Night). Although the show was packed with such whoop-inducing Waits staples as "Downtown Train," "Temptation" and "Heart Attack and Vine," the centerpiece of the show was the new "Filipino Box Spring Hog," a foot-stomping number from Mule Variations. Waits started the song by squeezing out a ragged, a cappella howl; Hormel slowly weaved his way in with a subtle wah-wah guitar accompaniment. On Waits' order, drummer Stephen Hodges leapt into the mix with a booming, hip-hop-like backbeat, giving the ragged number the feel of a gritty front-porch blues jam. Grinding out his vocals in his trademark throaty bellow, Waits did his best James Brown imitation near song's end, suddenly pointing to random band members to give them the spotlight. The instant crowd favorite ended with Waits telescoping a spectral, far-away voice through his cupped hands. Almost as entertaining as the songs were Waits' between-song meanderings and asides. He bided his time between
Clip- New Jack Logan/Tourdates
Jack Logan Kicks Off Tour May 15 Buzz Me In Due May 11 Jack Logan has fine-tuned another batch of songs from his reported bank of some 600 or so for his Capricorn Records debut, Buzz Me In, and will hit the road on the heels of that release in May. Touring with his latest road band, the Possibilities (which includes past collaborator Bob Kimball on several instruments, guitarist Kevin Lane, drummer Matt Lane, bassist Bob Spires, and guitarist Jeff Neff), Logan will kick things off in Atlanta on May 15 and work his way up the East Coast before settling back down in the South for a June 5 show in Birmingham, Ala. Buzz Me In is scheduled for release on May 11. The first single from the album will likely be "Metropolis," but due to the diversity of the record several songs may be worked to various radio formats. Logan's last effort was 1998's Little Private Angel, on which he collaborated with Kimball (allstar, June 30, 1998). Here the dates for Jack Logan and the Possibilities upcoming tour: May 15, Atlanta, Smith's Old Bar May 16, Columbia, S.C., New Brookland Tavern May 17, Chapel Hill, N.C., Local 506 May 19, Boston, T.T. the Bears May 20, New York, TBA May 21, Hoboken, N.J., Maxwell's May 22, Philadelphia, Nick's May 24, Cleveland, Euclid Tavern May 25, Columbus, Ohio, Little Brothers May 27, Champaign, Ill., Mabel's May 28, Chicago, Schuba's May 29, Minneapolis, 7th St. Entry May 30, Iowa City, Iowa, Gabe's May 31, Lawrence, Kan., Replay Lounge June 5, Birmingham, Ala., The Nick "The truth ain't always what we need, sometimes we need to hear a beautiful lie." -Bill Lloyd
Clip- Dwight Record/Tour
Yoakam Plans Best-Of Set, Tour A new album and tour are just some of the things that will be keeping Dwight Yoakam busy this spring. The prolific country artist is compiling a collection of his recent material for "Last Chance For A Thousand Years: Dwight Yoakam's Greatest Hits From The '90s"; the set, to be released in May by Reprise, will feature 11 favorites and three new songs. In support of the compilation, Yoakam will launch a North American tour beginning at the end of June and continuing through early September. In addition, Yoakam will issue a book of lyrics, titled "A Long Way Home: Twelve Years Of Words," April 18 through Hyperion. The tome, which is a complete collection of 61 song lyrics that the Grammy winner wrote or co-wrote, will span Yoakam's entire Reprise recording career, beginning with the tracks he penned for his 1986 debut set, "Guitars, Cadillacs, Etc., Etc.," and concluding with his last studio album, 1998's "A Long Way Home." The book will include an introduction penned by Yoakam. "The truth ain't always what we need, sometimes we need to hear a beautiful lie." -Bill Lloyd
Clip-More Waits
Grand Weepers and Grim Reapers
In many ways, having Tom Waits as the unofficial headliner for
South by Southwest 1999 was a no-win situation. With thousands
of conference registrants jockeying for one of approximately 1,300
tickets -- music-savvy industry lifers who need no introduction to
one of the legends of modern music -- not to mention the legions of
Austin scenesters living in a music-savvy town that worships the
Bay Area-based gutter poet, a lot of people were gonna be left at
the corner of heart attack and vine when they couldn't get in. One
woman, who had snuck into the Paramount Theatre, even stood up
during the second of Waits' two encores and chastised the singer
for playing such a comparatively small venue. "I don't wanna get
into a big diatribe with you," pleaded Waits, taken aback. And the
young woman, who at that moment in time was without question the
most hated person in Austin, wasn't the only one complaining.
Waits' new label, Epitaph, conference organizers -- everyone was
unhappy at the politics of distributing Willy Wonka's golden tickets.
A classic no-win situation. Except for those lucky enough to witness
Waits' nearly two -hour set. For them, it was like winning the rock
roll sweepstakes. Shuffling onstage shortly after midnight, after a
line that stretched around the block had been herded inside (a line
wrapped around the landmark theatre in the opposite direction of
that morning's line to get tickets), Waits appeared in his trademark
blue jeans, white tee, jean jacket, and bowery bum hat, backed by
a quartet clustered at center stage like a jazz band. Standing at the
front of the stage, bent forward and to his left -- lit primarily by a
spotlight at his feet -- Waits burst forth with a singular sandpaper
growl/howl that left positively no doubt this was really happening.
"Thank you," he rasped after the second song, "16 Shells From a
Thirty-Ought Six." "What makes you think I stay up this late?
Thanks for waiting in that line for so long." What followed after that,
a 17-song main set, and two, two-song encores, is the stuff rock
roll dreams are made of -- the stuff of legend (if only local). Expect
to read Margaret Moser's full report in this Friday's Chronicle, but
let's just say that Wait's self-described set of "grand weepers and
grim reapers" ("my wife says I have only two kinds of songs," he
chuckled) was like that of a great jazzman -- mind-blowing,
masterful, and unique to that one performance only. Every person
present undoubtedly stumbled out onto the cool, clear evening with
his/her own epiphany, mine being Waits' reading a reworked "9th
Hennepin" from Raindogs, an album generously highlighted by the
set-list. For this writer, it was the first time beat poetry, jazz, and
popular music came together with such power and grace -- a
musical moment never to be forgotten. Multiply that by 1,300-or-so
crazed fans, and you get the picture.
"The truth ain't always what we need, sometimes we need to hear a beautiful
lie." -Bill Lloyd
Clip-more Waits
A bit more jaded perspective...
The Heart of Saturday Night
I've got this ticket stub from last night, appropriately soaked and
bent with bourbon from a cracked plastic cup, that I'm never gonna
part with -- ever. If you are someone who would take the time to
read this page and check up on the doings of SXSW, then you are
a person who will be reading about Tom Waits a lot in the near
future. Considering that the beautiful Paramount Theater in the heart
of downtown Austin was packed largely with music media and
industry weasels, as well as the fact that there's no self-respecting
member of media or industry who will not acknowledge Waits as a
major musical deity, the gushing oughtta continue for months. And
whatever you hear, it's all true. Tom Waits is cool personified. He
played two hours worth of pure gold, leaning heavily into Rain
Dogs, the spirit of long-revered songs like "Downtown Train,"
"Tango Till They're Sore," and "The Heart of Saturday Night"
delivered in that most instantly recognizable growl with guitar,
piano, or megaphone. What you may not hear, though, is that this is
absolutely the worst kind of crowd to be in should you ever get the
opportunity to see this man work his magic. Our little town of
Austin gets so mired in chic, so flooded with a shit-river of hip
during this conference that the place takes on a different feeling.
And when you get a room so full of people who are so full of
themselves, it suddenly seems that everyone in the joint considers
the concert a personal audience with the man. At every break or
pause, someone had to establish their cred with an esoteric
announcement of some kind. Everyone wanted to be the one to yell
the really cute remark that would get Waits to make a joke or
reveal some insight about himself or where he's been. Waits
handled it well ("Where ya been, Tom?" "Traffic school."), even
when someone, in a most voluble show of no taste and bad
manners, felt it necessary to shatter the intense and beautiful vibe by
railing at length about not being able to get in to the show or
something.
"The truth ain't always what we need, sometimes we need to hear a beautiful
lie." -Bill Lloyd
Re: SXSW and me
At 01:01 AM 3/16/1999 Matt wrote: Here's the deal. I'm shooting a commercial in Nac. tommorow, so I can check my mail (I own no Austin computer). I'll be in Austin for SXSW. I'd like to go to the parties, etc. But I don't have a clue where they are. I'd like to meet all you guys (again, probably). Someone help me out. --Matt Cook Hey Matt, We've never met, face to face anyway, and I know there's other P2ers in the same boat who regret not meeting you. Why not just make it easy on us all and show up for Cherilyn's party and get it over with? best, b.s. n.p. Foster Lloyd FASTER AND LLOUDER "The truth ain't always what we need, sometimes we need to hear a beautiful lie." -Bill Lloyd
Re: KC area McCoury!
At 02:53 PM 3/14/1999 Larry Slavens replied to Junior: KC folks, if you haven't seen it already, be aware that the McCoury / Earle show is coming to Roadhouse Ruby's in Olathe on Tuesday, March (Bill S and Jack C and I were talking about this last night at a great Big Sandy show here in town). Yeah, well, I hope you guys enjoy the show, as that date was originally penciled in for Des Moines at our beautiful old 1200 seat auditorium. Why they'd want to play some nightclub in front of a bunch of drunk Kansans instead of a group of quiet, appreciative Iowans is beyond me. g (Although I'm not kidding on the quiet part; so far this year I've heard Lucinda Williams, James McMurtry, and Hot Club of Cowtown all mention it from the stage. I think it's because we're all Methodists. . . or tapers.) As regards the Earle/McCoury show, be aware that Del N M's scheduled-for-months appearance at the Santa Fe Trails Bluegrass Festival on May 7th isn't showing up on Pollstar anymore, so this is apparently the only chance we're gonna get to see M for awhile. g The Freighthoppers are still scheduled all weekend though, and Ricky Skaggs is in town that Saturday as well, though not at the festival it appears. And as far as our meager KC upcoming shows calendar goes, Monday the 22nd Freedy Johnston is doing a show at the Grand Emporium. Sparklehorse and Varnaline play the Bottleneck April 6. Merle Haggard's playing Station Casino (anybody been to one of those casino shows? I don't know...) April 9. And I'd like to see Gene Watson at the Northtowne Opry on April 17th, but I'll be at the Fools Face!/Rainmakers AIDS Walk benefit show that night. And at Sebadoh's Bottleneck show, the night before. g b.s. n.p. Splitsville ULTRASONIC "The truth ain't always what we need, sometimes we need to hear a beautiful lie." -Bill Lloyd
Re: Tweedy generations - cont'd again
Barry wrote a bunch of smart stuff, including: You have to be able to see irony in places where it's not dog-marked with today's style, and therefore obvious in retrospect; you have to deal with a time and place that actually were different, and styles that reflected that difference--and maybe explore it as an interesting undiscovered country. and So the unpleasant truth for boomers and X'ers and Y'ers alike is that evolution keeps on evolving--and the radical breaks each of these groups imagine are their "accomplishment" are often not that radical in retrospect.--whether that's pleasant to swallow or not. I've come to a firm belief that Boomer Bashing is surviving now as the nostalgia of today's 30 somethings. Who are getting a little long in the tooth for it themselves! And basically--who gives a damn what they call alt.country--which I believe has been there as long as country has. Nothing special to add to Barry's perspective, clarity, and brevity, g but I heart Barry Mazor! b.s. "The truth ain't always what we need, sometimes we need to hear a beautiful lie." -Bill Lloyd
Re: RIP Stanley Kubrick
At 09:17 PM 3/7/1999 EST, Slim followed Mitch with: In a message dated 3/7/99 7:15:50 PM Central Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: In his honor, tonite I will have a toast and recite as many lines as I can remember from "Dr. Strangelove," especially Slim Pickens famous patriotic speech to his men. And I will listen to Beethoven's 9th symphony and spend a little quality time with me droogies. Slim I'm thinking of "Paths Of Glory" with Kirk Douglas, Ralph Meeker and the wonderful Adolphe Menjou. Three P2ers, three classic films, three memorials. Who'll go for four? b.s. "The truth ain't always what we need, sometimes we need to hear a beautiful lie." -Bill Lloyd
Re: Kelly Willis
At 12:39 AM 3/2/1999 Carl Z. wrote: Anyone have tour dates for her? Yup. Sorry for the ugly formatting, off Pollstar. Now I gotta figure out which show to travel to... 03/06/99 Houston TX Mucky Duck 03/09/99 Davis CA Palms Playhouse 03/10/99 Monterey CA Doc's Nightclub 03/11/99 San Francisco CA Slim's 03/13/99 Hollywood CA Jack's Sugar Shack 03/20/99 Austin TX SxSW Convention 03/31/99 St. Louis MO Side Door 04/01/99 Chicago IL Schuba's 04/02/99 Chicago IL Schuba's 04/03/99 Minneapolis MN Lee's Liquor Lounge 04/06/99 Pittsburgh PA Graffiti Showcase 04/07/99 Columbus OH Little Brother's 04/08/99 Lexington KY Lynagh's 04/09/99 Nashville TN Exit / In 04/10/99 Memphis TN Newby's 04/11/99 Atlanta GA Smith's Olde Bar 04/16/99 Philadelphia PA Tin Angel 04/17/99 Alexandria VA Birchmere 04/21/99 Somerville MA Johnny D's 04/22/99 Northampton MA Iron Horse Music Hall 04/23/99 New York NY Mercury Lounge 04/24/99 New York NY Mercury Lounge 05/06/99 Austin TX Carlos' N Charlie's Bar Grill 05/07/99 Fort Worth TX Billy Bob's "The truth ain't always what we need, sometimes we need to hear a beautiful lie." -Bill Lloyd
Jeff Lynne (was Re: Production-- Ralph Emery's take on this thread)
Will Miner wrote: I know we've been focusing, or trying to, on producers of twang, but I've been surprised that no one's mentioned Jeff Lynne, one of the most wretched of the wretched. No matter what the lineup of the band or their style, after going through his meat grinder they all sound the same, with the limp but loud drums and those horrendous drive-by backing vocals with all the life compressed out of them. Jeez. And otherwise relatively sane people hire him, just like Spector. Michael Berick replied: I must chime in and agree here about Jeff Lynne - particularly with the godawful synth bath production jobs he did to Dave Edmunds back in the early 80's. I think we even got Lynne-defender Jerry Curry to sorta kinda agree to the truth of his mishandling of Dave Edmunds best sound on those two records, though he maintained those were still big sellers for DE. And Dave was often twangy- it was great material for him, and he did it well. Thing is, Dave's been trying to make a comeback ever since those Lynne-produced releases. b.s. "The truth ain't always what we need, sometimes we need to hear a beautiful lie." -Bill Lloyd
Re: Female Rock Album
At 02:15 AM 2/26/1999 John wrote: Excerpts from internet.listserv.postcard2: 23-Feb-99 Re: 50/90 by Christopher M Knaus@juno And honestly, I'm sorta surprised people rate Exile in the top ten of the decade. The year it came out, possibly, but the entire decade?? Name a more impressive better written female rock album of the 90s that actually got a teensy bit of airplay. Aimee Mann's "Whatever" and "I'm With Stupid". -John www.musicfolk.com/swoop Yeah, I thought of those after we'd let this thread cool. Thanks for the reminder, and for not getting on me about Sam. g b.s. "The truth ain't always what we need, sometimes we need to hear a beautiful lie." -Bill Lloyd
Re: 50/90
At 01:44 PM 2/23/1999 Don wrote: On Tue, 23 Feb 1999, William F. Silvers wrote: Of a lot more interest to me than some other guy's list is what *our* list would be. I'm enough of a list/top 10 geek to have already been thinking about what my top 10/20/50 of the decade are. If there's any enthusiasm I'd be happy (he says now) to compile something like that for anybody who wants to contribute such a thing. I guess I ought to check with Don first but I assume the best of the year list is enough aggravation for him. Jeez, I haven't even *begun* to think about a decade best-of. I think I'd just like to stick to compiling the annual P2 best-ofs, so if you wanna tackle the decade, Bill, go for it.--don Aw c'mon Don, haven't even sorta kinda thought about it? g Well, I have a little anyhow. Y'all who have some interest start those record-geek wheels a-spinning, and I'll get back to you later in the year with some (minimal) ground rules. I'm thinking about taking lists of more more than just 10, like maybe 12, 15 or (shudder) 20. Should be fun. b.s. "The truth ain't always what we need, sometimes we need to hear a beautiful lie." -Bill Lloyd
Re: Bob Wills advice.
At 01:30 AM 2/19/1999 Ron Warnick wrote: I'm looking for an economically priced CD of Bob Wills' greatest hits, preferably with his best lineup. The Tiffany Transcriptions look great, but there's a bazillion volumes of the thing. A double-CD collection would be acceptable. Any suggestions? If "econonically priced" is your primary concern, the best value is probably the Sony THE ESSENTIAL BOB WILLS, with 20 tracks, most all of them truly essential, for $11.99. (Or less) Volume 2 of the Tiffany Transciptions is a best of, with arguably his best band, 14 tracks for the same price. I've got the two-disc Rhino ANTHOLOGY, which has 32 tracks, 12 more tracks (and adds Cherokee Maiden, Big Beaver, Blues For Dixie, and Faded Love among the 12 others) than the Sony disc, but lists for $28.49. When I first read your question, I'd have said to buy the Rhino set, but I could see buying the Sony ESSENTIAL and one or two of the Tiffany Transcriptions (which are very similar) and come in at roughly the same or less money. my two cents, b.s. "The truth ain't always what we need, sometimes we need to hear a beautiful lie." -Bill Lloyd
remove
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RE: remove
At 10:38 AM 2/15/1999 Christopher wrote: I don't think that will work, if some twit's subscribed the passenger mailing list to this spam. Nah, my mistake. Didn't look at the header and sitting here all groggy, thought it was private e-mail. Sorry. b.s. "The truth ain't always what we need, sometimes we need to hear a beautiful lie." -Bill Lloyd
Re: Heather Myles Injustice
At 11:40 PM 2/4/1999 Ms. Woodchip wrote: Myles has a good voice, but I don't think it's anything that special. I'll say the same thing about the songwriting on Allison Moorer's cd. They both have good voices and they are good looking. Well, tastes do vary, eh? I'll say that for my part, I bought HIGHWAYS AND HONKYTONKS, fell in love with it and now I own all 3 of her studio records and the import live disc. All bought based on my strong positive reaction to HAH, then to each successive purchase. I guess I've just got a higher threshold for boredom than some. g But I like the way "True Love", or "You're Gonna Love Me One Day" (for just two) make me feel, every time I hear em. As for the quality of the songwriting? Well, it's lyrically direct and uncomplicated but it's very evocative for me. And for my part, I too am left pretty cold by the Allison Moorer record. It bores me, for whatever reason. That pesky taste thing again. Clearly, if music don't move you, it just don't. And in neither case does the fact that both gals are nice looking have anything to do with how I hear the records. But speaking of nice looking: (!) And that's pretty much a dime a dozen here in Nashville. Not Kelly Willis. That's another story. Excellent songwriting and inspired cover choices. I've got all 3 previous Kelly Willis records and the EP. Checking over the last two and the EP that I have at hand, I see that she split a writing credit on one of BANG BANG's 10 tracks, on 3 of KELLY WILLIS's 10 tracks though she does split 3 of the 4 tracks on FADING FAST. I am anxious to hear WHAT I DESERVE, but I don't know what proportion of the tunes are written by her. I've read some promo stuff that mentions other noted writers. This not to rag on the wonderful Ms. Willis, but to point out that while she does indeed have great taste in the tunes she sings, she doesn't write the same proportion of her own stuff as Heather Myles. I'm scrambling around here looking for the records and can't find them, but a check of HIGHWAYS... shows that Ms. Myles wrote all but the two covers on the record, 10 of 12 tracks. (And smilin' Jim thinks the covers are her best stuff. He's WRONG, but just sayin'. g) This says nothing, of course, for the fact that you don't care for Heather Myles songwriting vis a vis the songs of other people's that Ms. Willis does that you find to be excellent. I just give a little extra credit to an artist who performs their own songs, particularly when they strike me like these often do. I've been listening to her new cd pretty much non-stop for about 3 months now. I'd even hand over my woodchipper to sing like Kelly Willis for just one day. g Lay that woodchipper down Marie. Kelly Willis is my favorite female singer these days. I saw her for the first time in St. Louis last October and she was even better than I thought she'd be. But she's not really directly comparable to Heather Myles, and it's an apples and oranges comparison. IMHO. b.s. "The truth ain't always what we need, sometimes we need to hear a beautiful lie." -Bill Lloyd
Re: Is this old news?
At 05:39 PM 1/31/1999 Jon wrote: I ran across a pretty interesting CD today, a 1993 release called Rocky Box. Am I just now tumbling to something that's pretty well-known, or do I have a surprise for everyone? If you're talking about the CD "Rocky Box: Rockabilly - Boxcar Willie with The Skeletons" K-Tel 3190-2, it's something of a revelation, though it's been out for almost 6 years and has been available in the $5.99, then $3.99 bins at Best Buy for the last year or so. It's not a rare release, exactly, but I don't think it's probably all that well-known either. It's cool to see those particular characters together, and any recording with the Skeletons on it is worth owning. (Though of course any Skeletons recording isn't close to how fantastic they are live, as anybody'll tell ya) b.s. barely following the Super Bowl with the TV sound off...can't stand Madden. p.s. That JL disc is in less-than-great condition Jon, though it plays. I'll keep looking. "The truth ain't always what we need, sometimes we need to hear a beautiful lie." -Bill Lloyd
Re: Robbie/Tim Carroll
At 10:32 AM 1/31/1999 EST Linda wrote wrote: Tim Carroll has a standout track, "Open Flame" on Bloodshot's compilation of Nashville outsiders, Nashville: The Other Side of the Alley. He's appeared from time to time with Lonesome Bob and Tommy Womack, and he also often backs Webb Wilder with Duane Jarvis, he of another great track from the Bloodshot deal, "Cocktail Napkin." Sire signed Carroll, then sat on his release for months. It's now supposed to come out in April, I think. There's a review in the Jan/Feb No Depression. Also Linda, there's an EP-CD GOOD ROCK FROM BAD (copyright 1996) on P2er Jerker Emmanuelson's Sound Asleep label with 7 roots-rockin tracks: Open Flame She Does My Heart Good I Think Hank She Just Knows Punk Rockin' Honky Tonk Girl (the P2 wimmen's anthem?) But Why Too Rock'n' Roll This is a fine disc, and I got my copy through Bloodshot (who may still offer it) but I bet either of our P2 providers would be able to get a copy. I'm very fond of this record, and it was a big disappointment when Mr. Carroll's new record got bumped from its original September release date in that Sire deal. b.s. "The truth ain't always what we need, sometimes we need to hear a beautiful lie." -Bill Lloyd
Re: The Blue Chip Radio Report 1/18/99
Hey boy, once you rolled through the high-fat content of the Blue Chip Report to darn near the end, there's three hits in a row from three P2ers. Great words guys. b.s. "The truth ain't always what we need, sometimes we need to hear a beautiful lie." -Bill Lloyd
Re: Steve Earle/old vinyl/Huddie Ledbetter
At 08:46 AM 1/16/1999 Geff gave the answer: On Fri, 15 Jan 1999, Bob Soron wrote: "Monty Python's Matching Tie and Handkerchief." Side 3 was a hidden track on Side 2; the two spirals were interwoven so that, when you dropped the tone arm, you never knew which "side" you'd get. This is the one I had in mind, though Barry's post on 'puzzle records' is certainly valid, I guess. Same for the Genesis album. Hey Geff, I'm right about that Joe Jackson BIG WORLD album too. Can I get a witness? b.s. n.p. CMT Jammin Country "The truth ain't always what we need, sometimes we need to hear a beautiful lie." -Bill Lloyd
Re: old vinyl numbering systems
At 10:01 AM 1/16/1999 Mike Woods wrote: ...thought about it the other night when BR5-49 covered "Battle Of New Orleans". Flip side on that old 45 was "Sink The Bismarck". Then you don't have a very old 45. I'm pretty sure that was a reissue pressed in the 60's or 70's. Going on a *really* old memory here, I think the original B-side was "All for the Love of a Girl." The original had a cool sleeve with little cartoons depicting the story of the battle. Sadly, all my 45's were ripped off by an ex-roommate so I can't check. Mebbe not. I was just a kid, early 60's, so I can't even remember the label. Didn't matter a bit to me then, and wouldn't matter much now, since that old portable flip-top record player wasn't exactly kind to records. That 45 probably got used for pellet gun practice way back when. Kids- what you gonna do? b.s. "The truth ain't always what we need, sometimes we need to hear a beautiful lie." -Bill Lloyd
