Re: Jim Lauderdale Tape Offer
Just a comment on Lauderdale and most probably an unpopular one - I really do like him but I have to complain about the vocal mix on his last cd. Way too out front, pretty grating on the ears. He has a nice voice, but most of the cd sounds as though he had his lips stapled to the microphone so it was amusing to me that it was titled "Whisper". Tera - Original Message - From: Bill Silvers [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: passenger side [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Thursday, April 29, 1999 12:53 AM Subject: 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
Danni Leigh
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. Tera
Re: Blue Chip Radio Report, 04/26/99
BLUE CHIP SPOTLIGHT ALBUM: "Chalee Tennison" by Chalee Tennison. Produced by Jerry Taylor. Label: Asylum. Fifteen seconds into cut 1, my first thought (clean version) was "Gee, not another Reba clone". But fifteen minutes into the album, you realize that this is a solid collection of tunes by a fine vocalist. Besides, the song selection is better than any Reba album. Good stuff. Has this been released yet? Is this artist mainstream (considering the Reba association) and if anyone has heard this, would you mind posting your opinion? Thanks, Tera (Tennison is coming round my way in May with the Alan Jackson show and I'd like to know a bit more about her) 4/26Steve Wariner, Tareva Henderson 4/27Sherrie Austin 4/28Candy Hemphill Christmas, Tareva Henderson 4/29T. Graham Brown 4/30David Ball TWANG T.V.: 4/26...Lorrie Morgan Sammy Kershaw on "Prime Time Country", TNN 4/27...John Anderson, Merle Haggard and Trisha Yearwood on The George Jones Show, TNN 4/28...Jo Dee Messina on "CBS This Morning" 4/28...Dolly Parton on Howie Mandell 4/28...Hank Williams Sr "Century Of Country"/"Honky Tonk Nights," TNN 4/29...Sara Evans on Donny Marie 4/30...Jo Dee Messina on Nash Bridges, CBS 5/3.Jo Dee Messina on Donny Marie 5/4.Collin Raye on "Politically Incorrect", ABC 5/5.Jo Dee Messina on "CBS This Morning" 5/5.Academy of Country Music Awards 5/5.Dixie Chicks on Jay Leno, NBC 9/22...CMA Awards, CBS * Check local listings for all shows, especially syndicated programs and "Austin City Limits". Special thanks to Katie Pruett at SuperStar Country KYNG/fm in Dallas/Ft. Worth TX and her work on the station's website, http://www.superstarcountry.com , a source for many of the Twang TV listings. THE BLUE CHIP ADULT COUNTRY CHART (25-49 demographics) 4/26/99 LW TW Title Artist - - --- 1 1 I'll Think Of A Reason Later . ..Lee Ann Womack 4 2 Gone Crazy . . . . . . . . . . . . . Alan Jackson 5 3 Wish You Were Here . . . . . .. Mark Wills 3 4 Ordinary Life . . . . . . . . . . . .. Chad Brock 6 5 You Won't Ever Be Lonely . . . Andy Griggs 7 6 Everytime I Cry . . . . . . . . . . Terri Clark 9 7 Two Teardrops . . . . . . . . . . .. Steve Wariner 10 8 Please Remember Me . . . . .. Tim McGraw 11 9 Anyone Else . . . . . . . . . . . . Collin Raye 15 10 Write This Down . . . . . . . . . . George Strait 12 11 Hands Of A Working Man . . .. Ty Herndon 13 12 Can't Get Enough . . . . . . . . . Patty Loveless 14 13 Maybe Not Tonight . . . . . . . . Kershaw Morgan 16 14 Drive Me Wild . . . . . . . . . . . . Sawyer Brown 17 15 I'm Leaving . . . . . . . . . . . . . Aaron Tippin 18 16 Stranger In My Mirror . . . . . .. Randy Travis 19 17 Hillbilly Shoes . . . . . . . . . . . .Montgomery Gentry 2 18 How Forever Feels . . . . . . . . Kenny Chesney 22 19 With You . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..Lila McCann 21 20 She's Always Right . . . . . . .. Clay Walker 25 21 One Honest Heart . . . . . . . .. Reba McEntire 26 22 Man! I Feel Like A Woman . ..Shania Twain 29 23 Whatever You Say . . . . . . . .. Martina McBride 27 24 Your Own Little Corner . . . . . .Blackhawk 30 25 A Night To Remember . . . . . Joe Diffie 34 26 Tonight The Heartache's . . Dixie Chicks 33 27 Hello L.O.V.E. . . . . . . . . . . . John M. Montgomery 8 28 Love Ain't Like That . . . . . . . . Faith Hill 35 29 Little Goodbyes . . . . . . . . . .. Shedaisy 31 30 I Was . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ...Neal McCoy 32 31 I Will Be There For You . . . . . Jessica Andrews 37 32 Who Needs Pictures . . . . . . . Brad Paisley 36 33 Single White Female . . . . . . .Chely Wright 40 34 Angels Working Overtime . . . .Deana Carter 39 35 I Know How The River Feels . . Diamond Rio *** 36 Somethin' 'Bout A Sunday . . ..Michael Peterson 38 37 Slave To The Habit . . . . . . . . Shane Minor *** 38 Fool, I'm A Woman . . . . . . . . Sara Evans *** 39 Boy Oh Boy . . . . . . . . . . . . . The Wilkinsons *** 40 Amazed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lonestar DROPPED: Brooks Dunn, Clint Black, Warren Bros., Vince Gill NASH-ROCK (a.k.a "Young Country") (Teens, 18-24 demos) LW TW Title Artist - - --- 1 1 I'll Think Of A Reason Later . . .Lee Ann Womack 4 2 Gone Crazy . . . . . . . . . . . . .. Alan Jackson 5 3 Wish You Were Here . . . . . . ..Mark Wills 3 4 Ordinary Life . . . . . . . . . . . . ..Chad Brock 6 5 Drive Me Wild . . . . . . . . . . . ..Sawyer Brown 8 6 Please Remember Me . . . . .. .Tim McGraw 7 7 Hands Of A Working Man . . . Ty Herndon 9 8 Every Time I Cry . . . . . . . . . . Terri Clark 10 9 Anyone Else . . . . . . . . . . . Collin Raye 16 10 Man! I Feel Like A Woman . ...Shania Twain 11 11 Two Teardrops . . . . . . . . . . . .Steve Wariner 12 12 You Won't Ever
Re: Twitty, Tucker, Atkins
On Twitty - now here's a performer who had more #1 hits than Elvis and still isn't in the Country Hall of Fame. Why? What's the hold-up? A big Twitty fan myself, I'd have to say that Jon is on the money with his recommendations, although Twitty's rockabilly start on vinyl wasn't bad either. I like "(It's Only) Make Believe" and I have a peculiar affinity toward "C'est Si Bon" - the Twitty growl is very effective here. The latter is pretty much banished from Twitty history, although some out-of-the-way second-hand record shop might have the single or the album. Also, if you like the solo Twitty, check out his pairing with Lynn. "Louisiana Woman, Mississippi Man" is a good place to start. I always found the Lynn/Twitty duo a bit unconventional, but it worked very well. Tera - Original Message - From: Jon Weisberger [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: passenger side [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Wednesday, April 28, 1999 1:26 AM Subject: RE: Twitty, Tucker, Atkins Chet Atkins - so is "The Essential" the way to go? Probably, at least on economic grounds, though the Country All-Stars Jazz From The Hills album on Bear Family will get you not only prime Chet but also some other folks regularly named around here, like the recently-discussed Jerry Byrd, fiddler Dale Potter, Jethro Burns on mandolin. Chet really built his reputation in the 50s, and his work from that period is a lot shinier. Tanya Tucker - have her first two albums been released on CD? and she had about 4 'Greatest Hits' CDs. I know enought to avoid the one dated 1990-1992, but what of the others? Sony has a Nice Price one that has her early hits (look for "Jamestown Ferry"), MCA has a set that covers her later 70s stuff. Conway Twitty - Sheesh, there are 56 CDs listed at Amazon and ALL BUT 5 are Greatest Hits collections. Help. I'm assuming I'd prefer his earlier stuff to his later stuff. Bad assumption, unless you mean his rockabilly stuff from the 50s (look for stuff done for MGM if that's what you're after); Twitty was remarkably consistent in sound and style for a long, long time. I'm pretty happy with my MCA 20 Greatest Hits ("Hello Darlin'" to "Red Neckin' Love Makin' Night"), but most any MCA collection will do for starters. Whatever you get, make sure it has "(Lying Here With) Linda On My Mind." Jon Weisberger, Kenton County, KY [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://home.fuse.net/jonweisberger
Re: Captain Beefheart (re:Welfare Music)
Marie on Beefheart... There is a difference between noise and music, right? CK: Actually, according to Zappa when recording those LPs, the point was to answer that question, "No." Well, I think they answered that question with a *yes*. There is a difference between noise and music. Beefheart falls on the noise side to these ears. marie Let's face it - Beefheart is now and always has been a "guy thang" A seventies male bonding, rite-of-passage grunt; an incomprehensible po' boys answer of an imitation of Frank Zappa imitating Lowell George in a fit of garbled humor as rage and longing and a testament to "if it's totally incomprehensible, then it must be good" theory of music journalism. Marie is right...AND she didn't have to say so by using profanity to get her point across (sorry, Lance - g ) Tera
Re: Dixie Chicks(Re:Mandy B/Dixie Chicks)
Louise said: I've got the Dixie Chicks album. It's a good album with some good "country" stuff on it. It's usually the case that the better stuff is only allowed on the album because of all the other pop stuff around, but because they are selling so well now they can get away with putting the country stuff out as singles too. I think Louise has a very good point here. The Chicks are "hot" right now, so just about anything they put out as a single will be given consideration ("...and the public clamors for Natalie Maines yawning jowl-wide" curiosity). The same probably would be true of Parton's "Salt In My Tears" (which I personally think is a very good song)tearing up the charts if Dolly was still considered a "hot" artist. I'm not quite ready to ring the bell and declare the Chicks as the answer to mainstream radio play, as I'm thinking that there's still a considerable bit of novelty attached to these three and only time and their next cd will tell as they paint their hair purple and have tea with Valentino. Tera
Re: Artist of the Decade?
Jerry said: I think perhaps, Cobain's voice spoiled the overall sound for me and that's why I gave the record such short shrift. There's nothing wrong with not liking a recording because you don't like the vocals...maybe that statement needs to be repeated g If the voice or the vocal stylings make you cringe, then no amount of fancy licks and grandiose production will make you listen over and over. It also depends on some internal orientation. Some people gravitate toward instrumentation and some toward vocals. I find it very difficult to listen to Iris DeMent. I just do not like her voice and no amount of brandishing or analytical breakdowns of musical substance by others will convince me otherwise. I thought "Nevermind" was a decent album and Cobain's vocals do not annoy me; except I think we're caught up (once again) in making a legend out of a poor guy who obviously did not value his own life. James Dean syndrome aside,yes a movement was launched by Nirvana, but in looking back through the nineties, was alt.rock really THE predominant form of music which influenced and sold...or after all the dust settles, could it really be rap? Tera (who would probably like rap if they'd just sing and quit ripping off old rock riffs - but that's be a totally different style, wouldn't it?)
Re: Welfare Music
Jeff said: My only complaint is that Chris Gray (singer/gee-tar) says he likes Sheryl Crow... Sheryl Crow is a three on a scale of 1-5. She ain't great, but she ain't Mariah Carey. Jeff Huh? Mariah Carey cannot and I repeat cannot stay glued to one note long enough to let you hear for sure that she has raked her vocal chords over the coals for the last time and will be in need of vocal chord surgery any day now. Trilling a scale is for people who've lost it - do not confuse with the great scatting of Ella Fitzgerald in her heyday. Carey's camp wants us to believe that she has an eight-octave range. Yeah, right - if rocks could fly. Sorry Jeff, Carey ruined her voice a long time ago. On Crow - well, pleasant voice but I'm still looking for a female Delbert McClinton or Paul Rodgers in his day - maybe Bonnie Raitt meets Wynonna? g Tera
Captain Beefheart (re:Welfare Music)
Richard said: Wasn't the same said about Captain Beefheart? Now THAT was a voice. Uh, I think that was "eight octane" range g Actually, Van Vliet's stuff always went right over my head, sorry to say. My husband loves "Trout Mask Replica" to this day; still goes over my head though. Tera -Original Message- From: vgs399 [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] Sent: Wednesday, April 21, 1999 9:00 AM To: passenger side Subject: Re: Welfare Music Carey's camp wants us to believe that she has an eight-octave range. Yeah, right - if rocks could fly.
Re: Single Most Influential 20th Century Pop Musician
Is this your list or is it culled from some specific source? Care to 'splain yerself?* Thanks loads for mentioning Mahalia Jackson - now what about Ma Rainey, Bessie Smith, Billie Holliday, Ella Fitzgerald? What about The Carters? Why no Frank Sinatra? Influences: Bessie Smith - Ma Rainey Janis Joplin - Bessie Smith, Ma Rainey Aretha Franklin - Mahalia Jackson, Bessie Smith Ruth Brown - Ma Rainey, Bessie Smith Diana Ross - Billie Holliday, Ella Fitzgerald The Carter's along with Jimmie Rodgers - didn't just about every country artist back in the forties and fifties cite the afore-mentioned as influences? Frank Sinatra - put the romantic leading man into big-band swing melodies; the bobby-soxers - not since Rudolph Valentino did the young girls swoon a prequel to Elvis and Beatle-mania; Anyway, Armstrong IS one of the greats, but I'd rank Ellington higher. Do not forget the ladies, m'dear... Tera *BTW - you are not allowed to take the popular music bill of rights Billie Holliday amendment clause, "Don't Explain". -Original Message- From: David Cantwell [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: passenger side [EMAIL PROTECTED] Date: Monday, April 19, 1999 4:33 PM Subject: Re: Single Most Influential 20th Century Pop Musician The most influential pop musicians of the 20th century are, in order: 1) Louis Armstrong 2) Elvis Presley 3) James Brown 4) Bing Crosby Armstrong and Crosby loom over the first half of the century the way Elvis and JB do the second. Who's #5? Mahalia? Ellington? The Beatles or Dylan? Hank? I don't know, but those first four, man, no one can touch them. --david cantwell
Re: Single Most Influential 20th Century Pop Musician
Armstrong gets my # 1 vote, btw, not just as a cornetist/trumpeter but as a singer whose sense of rhythm and phrasing pretty much invented (along with Bing's additions) the way we sing in the 20th century. --david cantwell Crosby has said that his greatest musical influence was Al Jolsen. Should we be talking about Crosby here or should we be giving a nod to Al Jolsen as one of the single most influential? No matter where you look to the greatest, there's always someone who came before. Whoever it was who talked about Buddy Bolden - yes, Armstrong borrowed a lot from Buddy. Should Bolden be the influence, I wonder? "King" of the cornet -innovative, expressive and a definite forerunner of what was to be known as "jazz". The original "funky butt". - ahem and amen. Tera
Re: Rock and Country HOF
Perkins was inducted into the Rock-n-Roll Hall Of Fame in 1987; is not in the CHF. Tera Thirdly, if we are counting the 'early influences' category in the Rock HOF are the folks that are in both... Elvis Cash Bob Wills Bill Monroe Jimmie Rodgers and did Carl Perkins make both? Later... CK ___ You don't need to buy Internet access to use free Internet e-mail. Get completely free e-mail from Juno at http://www.juno.com/getjuno.html or call Juno at (800) 654-JUNO [654-5866]
Re: Who are these people
Linda, Here are some good websites to help you out with these artists - 1. Mark Wills - www.markwills.com 2. Kenny Chesney - www.kchesney.com 3. Tim McGraw - www.timmcgraw.com Tera -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: passenger side [EMAIL PROTECTED] Date: Tuesday, April 20, 1999 11:03 PM Subject: Who are these people So the earnest, intrepid, but clueless cub reporter has stepped in to cover for the main man at the George Strait hoo ha at Soldier Field on Sunday, and is hoping you can lift her veil of ignorance (I blush) concerning the following: 1 pm: Mark Wills 3: Kenny Chesney 6: Tim McGraw I have always relied on the kindness of strangers. Very much obliged Linda
Re: Single Most Influential 20th Century Pop Musician
David said (edited): There's no doubt that Crosby idolized Jolsen. EVERYONE idolized him, but I'm not so sure he was that big a musical influence on Crosby. Certainly Jolsen's charisma as a performer was an inspiration, but as for the way he actually sang, Crosby was far more influenced by Armstrong, and he often said so. Yes, I know what you mean - however...Crosby was influenced enough by Jolson to forego his previously scheduled future to pursue a career in music. After Crosby began singing he took other influences into account and thus established his own style. I'd say Jolson was the greatest influence for Crosby as Jolson was responsible for kick-starting a career which may not have been otherwise. David said: Jolsen is undoubtedly influential, though--he'd have to be in the top 20 or 20 or so somewhere. Still, there's something about his work that doesn't translate well to our times--am I speaking out of turn here? I don't think so--something stagey and overdone and unsubtle and rhythmically dense, etc, etc. etc. to our modern tastes. It's as if he's speaking a different language, practically. Which is just another way of saying, I guess, that his specific musical influence didn't much carry over throughout the rest of the century. Well, it seems to me that Jolson was responsible for changing the way in which music was presented. Music became drama, theatre and focused in on the performer instead of just the song. Remember, when Jolson started doing minstrel shows, most every song was just available in sheet music form and sold accordingly. It was Jolson who sold the songs mostly by word of mouth (no pun intended) via newspaper reporters and from his long stint on Broadway. Jolson incorporated every measure of his being onstage, from eye and hand movements to dancing, melodramatic posing and even his exaggerated vocal style. At that time, there weren't any recording second-takes or overdubbs, so each performance he gave had to be "on the money". If you think about how many of "his" songs became part of Americana, it staggers the imagination - "Swanee", "You Made Me Love You", "California Here I Come", "Steppin' Out", "I'm Sitting On Top Of The World", "April Showers", "Rock-A-Bye Your Baby (With A Dixie Melody)", "When The Red, Red Robin Comes Bob, Bob Bobbin' Along" and the ubiquitous "Toot, Toot Tootsie", to name a few. How many times have these songs been featured in movies and/or recorded by other artists? Also, one could argue Jolson's influence not only on the lavish Busby Berkely movie musicals of the thirties but also to his influence on Broadway musicals and even so some degree "performance as art" influence upon the glam/rock and punk/rock era. Think camp, drama, theatre, dancing...thought I'd leave you with that to chew on g Tera (and you still skirted around the issue of great female influentials...harummph! Can I hear a Ma Rainey or a Bessie Smith?) P.S. - can't respond to your last paragraph right now (below), I ran out of gas down the road apiece, my battery went dead and the cable won't reach...(not intending to rip off Ricki Lee or anything g) - ANOTHER viable female artist - hint. As I've said you could trace influences back forever, which would make the most inlfuential artist ever the first artist ever, the one who picked up a rock and banged it against another rock for the sheer pleasure of the sound or whatever. But that's not very revealing (and I know it's not what Tera said..). It's also inacurate, I think, since it means that predecessors are always more influential, by definition. Little Willie John is more influential than James Brown? Jake Hess is more influential than Elvis? Miss Ross is more influential than Michael Jackson? Bolden, and King Oliver too, were certainly big influences on Louis but how many people in future years cited Oliver or Bolden as influences? And how many named Armstrong? --david cantwell
Re: Julie Reeves
Thanks, Jack. Funny you should mention Sara Evans in relation to Reeves as someone I know also said that the vocal quality is similar. Guess I'll have to check it out. Yes, Griggs is reminiscent of Cobain...even that video for "You Won't Ever Be Lonely" has that dark-tinged, alone in the world and weary poet edge to it. Tera -Original Message- From: Jack Copeland [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: passenger side [EMAIL PROTECTED] Date: Wednesday, April 21, 1999 12:13 AM Subject: Re: Julie Reeves I got a quick, cursory listen to the new Julie Reeves disc in the store this morning, and while nothing grabbed me as extraordinary, it was far from unpleasant -- I'd like to hear it again a bit more closely. My first reaction was that it seemed similar to the recent (second) Sara Evans disc (which I didn't like as much as Evans' first CD but still think it had much to recommend). Reeves seems to have a decent voice and there definitely was a country sound. But I got no sense of the songwriting whatsoever -- too tough to do while customers were rushing the doors looking for the new Alice Cooper box setg. After seeing labels trying to push artists emulating Shania and more recently the Dixie Chicks (SheDaisy?), I guess you could do worse than try to emulate the recent (if somewhat modest) success of Sara Evans. I definitely had a more positive reaction to the Reeves disc than I did last week giving the new Andy Griggs CD a similarly cursory listen. That one seemed trite as hell to me. (The Kurt Cobain of country, as at least one reviewer wrote? Uh, ok -- I guess he at least looks grungy.) Jack Copeland Shawnee, Kansas At 02:22 AM 4/20/99 -0400, Tera wrote: Has anyone heard this "new" singer's debut, "It's About Time"? Supposedly, she is being likened to Shania Twain (looks, country/rock stylings etc;); except some are saying that she has a voice of incredible depth and range and possesses a style definitively more country in keeping with her Appalachian roots. Virgin label top guy Hendricks produced this album. If any of you have heard this, would you mind posting some of your thoughts, please? Thanks. Tera
Re: help: trying to get stories straight
-Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: passenger side [EMAIL PROTECTED] Date: Sunday, April 18, 1999 6:53 PM Subject: help: trying to get stories straight Any one recall Shania Twain re-recording or remixing "Still the One" for pop airplay? Something about deleting the fiddles or so? Plus, I seem to recall the Dixie Chicks being asked to make some sort of similar compromise to be on some TV show but refused? Do either of these scenarios sound right? Twain's international release of COO was re-mixed; some fiddle and steel removed, while other parts just diluted into the background. "You're Still The One" was released internationally as a pop single sans countrified treatment and was a hit in Europe prior to the single being played in the US. Album cover is even different for the international version. Tera Foggy. Neal Weiss
Re: Criminally Underappreciated Albums
This is being written under cover of night as there's relatively little twang content. Island - David Arkenstone (1989 actually) Auberge - Chris Rea 1991 Force Of Nature - KoKo Taylor 1993 Toward The Within - Dead Can Dance 1994 No Sant - Wasis Diop 1996 Rendezvous With The Blues - Jimmy Hall 1996 Phantom Blues - Taj Mahal 1996 Fundamental - Bonnie Raitt 1998 Twang content: Mike Ireland Holler - Learning How To Live 1998 Chris Knight - Chris Knight 1998 Connie Smith - Connie Smith 1998 I'm sure there's much more, but these are the ones which stick in my head. Tera
A Walk On The Moon
Since many are talking about the new Barnett, thought I'd bring up the soundtrack to "A Walk On The Moon" which has Mandy singing "Town Without Pity" - and not badly at all, I might mention, but the instrumentation leaves alot to be desired. This soundtrack also has "Wishin' Hopin" (Dusty Springfield), "White Bird" (It's A Beautiful Day - the original is a collector's album at this point and WB is a classic); Creemsum an' Cloooverh by Cher son, and "Sally Go Round The Roses" by Damnations TX - nice harmony, but the song...oh, well. Actually nice to see one of my favorite childhood bands remembered here (Tommy James The Shondells) with another cover by Morcheeba ("Crystal Blue Persuasion" - the original is better) "Summertime" by Big Brother The Holding Company is here; couple things by Jefferson Airplane which went totally over my head at the age of eight and still does appreciation-wise; Judy Collins, Richie Havens ("Follow Me" - always a good one), Joni Mitchell and Grateful Dead are on this album. Tera
Re: Khaki Country
Why Shania hasn't been plucked for spokespersondom is a mystery. Probably asked, and refused. Chris Shania's cozy with K-Mart jeans. Seriously - they're backing her tour and she occasionally models for them. Check out the new spring line and see the jeans with the stripes down the side - for men and women. Twain must feel very proud. Tera
Re: The perfect single (was Re: Weller's Prime)
I don't know how this thread evolved really...but why does every writer of note always tag "I Want You Back" as such a great song? Is it because it really IS a great song or is it because...what? Yeah, I thought it was a good song and in terms of numbers sold, it ranks up there...but it really isn't that great and that's my humble and honest opinion. Anyway, just to be a pesky fly, here are some of my favorites soul-wise: I Heard It Through The Grapevine - Marvin Gaye Chain Of Fools - Aretha Franklin I Never Loved A Man - Aretha If I Were Your Woman - Gladys Knight The Pips Sittin' On The Dock Of The Bay - Otis Redding Livin' For The City -Stevie Wonder It's A Man's Man's Man's World - James Brown Respect Yourself - Staple Singers Tobacco Road - Edgar Winter and oh yes, anything by Al Green Tera -Original Message- From: David Cantwell [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: passenger side [EMAIL PROTECTED] Date: Thursday, April 15, 1999 12:47 PM Subject: Re: The perfect single (was Re: Weller's Prime) Don't y'all l listen to ANY soul? One more baker's dozen of perfect singles. No rhyme, reason or order, just perfection: David Ruffin's My Whole World Ended The O'Jays' Backstabbers The Staple Singers' I'll Take You There Bill Withers' Lean On Me The J5's I Want You Back Marvin Gaye's Got To Give It Up Public Enemy's Fight The Power Afrika Bambaataa's Looking For the Perfect Beat Steve Wonder's Signed, Sealed, Delivered Frederick Knight's I've Been Lonely For So Long The Four Tops' Bernadette Jerry Butler's Only The Strong Survive Wyclef Jean's Gone Till November --david cantwell
Re: Clip == Review of Cash Tribute on TNT, Sun 8pm
That song is "Father Sun" (written with Jay Oliver, btw) Tera Before her big hit record came along she had a Wynonna cut, on the same CD with Kimmie's "I Just Drove By". I can't remember the name of the song. -- Joe Gracey President-For-Life, Jackalope Records http://www.kimmierhodes.com
Covers:Don't Think Twice...(re:Mike Ness)
answering my own post, I write; Haven't heard this yet myself, but last night on MTV120 Nessie did a song called "Don't Think Twice It's Alright". This is a cover-ain't it? Yeah, it sure is, you idiot. Dylan, off of "Freewheelin'". Hey, Ralph didn't know who he was eitherG just ignore me, dan bentele Hee-hee, well you know what they say about those who talk to themselves g...I oughta know... Just wanted to mention re: covers of this song that Waylon Jennings did it also. Actually, that was the first time I ever heard it way back when. I'll have to check out the Ness version when the album comes out, so thanks for bringing it up. Didn't Charlie Rich record this also? By the way, is it me or does Raul Malo's voice sound a bit like the early Jennings? Tera (having a Peter's Principle-like Lucy-esque moment)
Re: Psycho
Just for the heck of it, did you try the Ernest Tubb record store? Phone number is: 615-255-7503. Hope this gets you results. Tera -Original Message- From: André Kopostynski [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: passenger side [EMAIL PROTECTED] Date: Friday, April 09, 1999 2:47 PM Subject: Re: Psycho On Fri, 9 Apr 1999, [iso-8859-1] André Kopostynski wrote: Thanks Don and Bill. Now, my next question: What Leon Payne album(s) would you recommend? They guy has obviously written songs that I find very intriguing. Good luck finding any. I think he put out some for Starday in the '60s, but I don't have any of 'em.--don Bummer! Hopefully, someone with the required resources will re-release his stuff on CD in the near future. NP: Buck Owens Sings Harlan Howard Later... André Kopostynski Dallas, Texas E-mail Home: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Phone Home (214) 827-1297
RIAA Diamond Award
Read that the RIAA is initiating a "Diamond" award for those albums certified 10 million or more sold. Currently eligible in the country category are...you guessed it...Brooks, Twain and Kenny Rogers. I remember when the term "platinum" came out and that was a major feat for a recording artist. Setting almost impossible standards by which an artist selling only 500,000 copies may be looked upon as a "failure"? Just wondering what implications this may have on the industry. Tera
Re: More Mandy (was RE: PLAYLIST: Fear Whiskey 3/29/99
you wrote: BTW, anyone know who first recorded the title song? (And no fair lookin' in your Billboard book, Jong.) Hint: It's the title track of an album that came out in 1971, and I played another song from that album during the first hour of Swingin' Doors last week (the hour that's up on the KCMU web page).--don I'll take a stab at this. Was it Hank Williams, Jr.? What do I win? Tera
Re: Ohio Boy Does Good-Scottie Sparks
I wrote: My incredible fortune this time around was hearing a copy of Scottie Sparks' self-titled cd. Jeff Wall wrote: Any kin to big haired Larry Sparks? now THAT's somebody who knows how to sing! Nope, not one hair close. Scottie is from the group Unlimited Tradition. He served vocals on "The Stanley Tribute-Tribute To A Bluegrass Legacy" by the way. He's kinda been coached a bit by Stanley along the way. Scottie may have moved to Kentucky, but for all intents and purposes, he was born in Ohio which makes him a Buckeye...just as much as I also claim the yee-haw rights to Dwight Yoakam's success. Ohio...The Heartland Of It All Take good care of yourself ova dey! Tera
Ohio Boy Does Good-Scottie Sparks
Every now and then, I have the good fortune of being sent a tape copy of a new release by a friend in the business. My incredible fortune this time around was hearing a copy of Scottie Sparks' self-titled cd. Very good bluegrass, reminiscent of Clinch Mountain Country, yet Sparks' vocals transcend the high, lonesome sound to another plane of heart-felt emotion. Great tunes, "Midnight Storm", "In My Arms Instead Of In My Memory", "Highway Of Regret" and "Old Railroad Track" melds old-timey bluegrass with a distinctive modern sound. Some good musicianship here also...Aubrey Haynie, Barry Bales, Dan Tyminski. Definitely worth checking out . Tera
Re: Country Music mag's new format
Has anyone else seen the new version of Country Music magazine? It's now based in Nashville, and is completely unrelated to its previous format except for Hazel Smith's column. Rich Kienzle and Patrick Carr have been replaced by articles such as "Get Martina's Look" and photo spreads on up and coming singers (although one is Monte Warden). It's kind of a cross between New Country and Twang. ugh! jim catalano I suppose it's trying to appeal to the larger audience Country Weekly has, but they did warn us of prospective changes last fall. I often liked the observations Carr would put forth at times, yet several letters from previous issues just proved that the vocal majority rules. Read this issues letters also for a real sendup "don't let the door hit you on your way out" bronx cheer to Carr. Did they really have to publish those...or were they just trying to make a humiliating point? I mean, the man was already let go, the letters just added salt to the wounds. Not a classy move, in my opinion no matter what anyone may personally have thought of Carr. They apparantly will continue to publish "The Journal" for those who spent the extra $1.98. This issue has an article on Brenda Lee, Jimmie Rodgers and some background info on Bill Anderson's song, "City Lights". I don't know what's happening to country music magazines. I do take Country Weekly, but then again, I take it more for the gossip and the latest doings than the articles, which I find are only starry-eyed musings. Country Music Roundup is another which focuses on aspects of the chatty, star-gazing mainstream (or should I have said Top 40 acts), but includes some music sheets incase subscribers want to play along on their guitars or sing along. Country America is a little bit of this-n-that regarding country music, lifestyle, food, etc; So, at one end, we have No Depression which focuses away from mainstream and all of the other printed periodicals seem to focus on Top 40 acts with maybe a smattering of varying styles somewhere within. It seems we have to be alert enough to catch informative and intelligent essays and articles in newspaper publications, either on the Web or by paying attention to our local papers and/or trades. Frustrating, isn't it? What I have been reading for some time is the website Country Standard Time, which I think does a pretty good job of informing us on the doings of all matters country in an objective format. Come to think of it, if they published a magazine I would subscribe...except I'd like to see more in-depth reviews and articles. Yet, I believe the editors keep these relatively short in order to conserve space. Concerning Country Music - the editor's page outlines the changes and asks us to to tell him/them what we think. Maybe a really good letter or thousand would do I'm going to give it a shot. Tera
Re: Librarians Rule
Jerry retorts gleefully to Tucker's post: Gosh, this sure made me laugh.. We librarians are everywhere I tell you. Without us the entire social fabric disintegrates. Remember what Yates has always said."beware the librarians". We have *our* sites squarely upon the industrial weasals at this point. But Widespread Panic.? Hmm, perhaps a Damnations, TX poster. However, how narrowsighted of my professional association.."sorry, you aren't well-known enough." Sheeshhow about a little outreach to those groups that are outside of our cohort group worldview. So, is this supposed to appease we jerk-water town writers who aren't "good enough" to get cd's for free; who go flying off to the closest "big city" libraries in hopes of securing the latest Del McCoury/Steve Earle or Monte Warden only to find that our trusted librarians have never even heard of them much less even know what will be coming in? Love/hate relationship, at best. Can't live with you librarians, can't live without you. Sheesh! Stabbed in the heart, Tera
Re: Lila kicks butt
-Original Message- From: Jon Weisberger [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: passenger side [EMAIL PROTECTED] Date: Thursday, March 25, 1999 10:56 PM Subject: Lila kicks butt Just heard Lila McCann's first single from her new album, and it's a dandy; lots of fiddle (the first time, BTW, that I've heard fiddle parts that so clearly reflect the bowing part of the "Bow Bros." - the fiddle section on Shania Twain's last two albums - sound), a killer pedal steel break and steel ending, and a very cool bass line - oh, and some pretty good singing, too. Anyone know who the pickers are? Jon Weisberger Kenton County, KY [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://home.fuse.net/jonweisberger/ Regarding the single, no- I do not know exactly who provides the backing for this song. All I do know is that Lila had some really good session players for her cd, "Something In The Air" including vocal efforts by Vince Gill and Steve Wariner, also Bryan White. Sonny Garrish and Paul Franklin duty on steel guitar and Stuart Duncan and Aubrey Haynie play fiddle according to press for her cd. McCann also wrote two songs in collaboration with Mark Spiro, "Can You Hear Me" and "I Reckon I Will". Tera
Re: NO TWANG Sammy Hagar at Beale Street....egads
Nancy Says: Sammy Hagaregads Get this ya'll, the owner of the newsweekly I am music ed of asked me to set up an interview with him Sammy apparantly has something to do with that new Tequiza beer. Probably just plugging "Red Voodoo" more than the beer. Hagar's trying for a different sound since parting with Van Halen. His last album, "Marching To Mars" and now this one are decidedly more bluesy. Hagar even brings in slide and dobro; even has Bootsy Collins and Jesse Harms guesting. Considering the never-ending dirge of electronica and hip-hop I've listened to lately (and not by choice)...Hagar is like a throwback to the good ol' days of rock - when we were all going to live forever on our rock-n-roll dreams. Anyway, I'm quite partial to "I Can't Drive 55" - teenage blind indulgence and social commentary rolled into one heavy tune g Tera
Rockabilly HOF
From news at country.com - Jackson, TN will host The Rockabilly Hall Of Fame. Groundbreaking slated for mid-September '99. Tera
Leadership Music Awards
Looking over a list of the winners of the Leadership Musics Nashville City Music Awards which was held back on Feb. 10, '99, I see that the winner for Best Rock Album was The Screamin' Cheetah Wheelies for "Big Wheel". Does anyone know anything about this group, please? Other winners of note were: Lucinda Williams - Artist/Songwriter; Best Americana Album ("Car Wheels...) Emmylou Harris - Best Independent Album ("Spyboy") Steve Earle/Ray Kennedy - Producer Of The Year Delbert McClinton - Best Blues Album (?-still getting praise for One Of The Fortunate Few?-T) Sam Bush - Best Miscellaneous Stringed Instrument Of The Year Tera repeat play- Rosavelt, "Carp Bones"
Like A Virgin-Meat Purveyors Style
I just read on Country Standard Time that The Meat Purveyors newest offering contains their renditions of three Madonna songs, among them "Like A Virgin". This is a joke, right? Please tell me this is a joke... Tera
Changing Styles(Re:Tracy Byrd Leaves MCA)
Just a comment/question. Doesn't it seem a bit ironic that while some alt.country artists (as discussed here) are moving toward a more commercialized sound at the same time several mainstream country acts are expressing and proving a desire to move toward a more traditional country sound? Tera btw- I do believe the other Paycheck tune Byrd sang was "Someone To Give My Love To" - that was awhile ago though, so I might be wrong (?) and I don't think Paycheck wrote it. Anyone know for sure? T-
Re: waddy wachtel
Robert "Waddy" Wachtel. Yes, also collaborated with WarrenZevon ("Model Citizen", "Angel Dressed In Black" and I think "Nighttime In The Switching Yard"). Also wrote with Keith Richards, JD Souther and many others, including James Taylor's hit "Her Town Too" Tera. Am I right in assuming that the well-known session guitarist Waddy Wachtel is the same Wachtel who wrote the beautiful "Maybe I'm Right" on Ronstadt's "Simple Dreams" album? And was this a one-off, or is he familiar for his songwriting? If it IS a one-off, did he just get struck by lighting one day, or what? curious Stevie
Re: Clip: The state of country radio
I see your point Jon, but I think you give Shania too much credit for her early career as some people slam her too much for singing cabaret-style "pop" tunes. Before Lange got involved, you have a woman who wanted a music career; was influenced equally by country and pop and who tinkered around writing songs. She sang whatever gave her a paycheck and the Nashville invite was just "luck". She says now that she fought to get things her own way - well, interesting point is that she really didn't have a style at that point. She pretty much sang as a pop songstress, wore ordinary and sometimes frumpy looking clothes and had that wedge cut of a hairdo. She got a job as a house singer for Crook Chase. I think it was Wilson who did say that he looked over the songs she had written and didn't think much of them, adding that "they" didn't think they were good. Exit Norro Wilson, enter Lange. Her vocal style changes, her music changes, her "look" changes and she adopts male rock star stage mannerisms. She didn't do this all by herself. The songs which she did write were altered by Lange and we'll probably never know exactly who wrote what or was responsible for what as it's all part of the myth those two want us to "buy" into. Her future was thought-out beforehand and planned step-by-step. Absolutely brilliant "take" on the Eliza Doolittle story. While I'm on the subject - often I think that people look at her rock influence and cite her videos and some of her television appearances as a threat to country music and sometimes to women in general. Her videos express a more perfunctory sensuality than her actual stage presence. In concert, she is not the sassy little belly-button waving sex kitten or the freewheelin' liberated woman, but rather a happy cheerleader of country/pop who literally bounces about the stage, invites members of the audience to sing with her, including children and who often shows a video of herself strumming guitar and singing a country song at age 9 or 10. She tries very hard to entertain and she is quite likeable in a little sister sort of way. After seeing one of her concerts, my impression was that she was a "nice girl" who just wants to be liked. Her music and her "style" belies the fact that she is a 33 year old woman. I have concluded that she is an interesting phenomenon whose time will pass also as the bouncy cheerleader pose won't work much longer as she gets older. Actually, I'm a bit suprised it has worked thus far. Those videos obviously work to her advantage. Anyway, Jennings, Nelson, Glaser and Colter had a cause to support, were already in the business and knew exactly how they wanted to approach and stand up for their beliefs whereas Twain just wanted to be in the music business and sing with the likes of Elton John and Stevie Wonder. Tera -Original Message- From: Jon Weisberger [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: passenger side [EMAIL PROTECTED] Date: Tuesday, March 16, 1999 1:36 PM Subject: RE: Clip: The state of country radio Looking at the matter in terms of the country music industry and the way that it works, Twain's career, at least through The Woman In Me, bears a considerable resemblance to that of some of the 70s Outlaws - that is to say, a struggle with "conservative" producers and label execs over her desire to pursue a new sound that could appeal beyond the "normal" country audience by bringing in pop/rock elements. Jon Weisberger Kenton County, KY [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://home.fuse.net/jonweisberger/ Jon, you keep making this point, but I'd argue that you're overstating the resemblance between Twain's career (and, by necessity, her music, since that's her career) and that of the 70s outlaws. Let's see. Artist A has essentially mediocre success using producer-determined/arranged material, fights with his label in order to record the stuff that *he* wants to, rather than what the label has stuck him with in the past, wins fight, hits it big with crossover appeal. Artist B has essentially mediocre success using producer-determined/arranged material, fights with her label in order to record the stuff that *she* wants to, rather than what the label has stuck her with in the past, wins fight, hits it big with crossover appeal. Looks like a pretty close resemblance to me on a pretty important level. As I said before, there's rock influences and then there's rock influences, and they're not all floating around on the same, precise relativist plain. So you say, but I think it depends a lot on your degree of interest in rock. If you're not interested in classical music, and you think that incorporating classical music influences into rock makes the result less enjoyable, are you really going to care whether it's Beethoven's influence or Holst's? Are you going to find a Beethoven-influenced rock song better than a Holst-influenced one? Jon Weisberger Kenton County, KY [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://home.fuse.net/jonweisberger/
Re: Clip: New Faces Show
(written regarding Jon Randall): Can anyone back me up on this one (or prove me wrong): Wasn't this the "country singin' kid from KY" on MTV's "Real World" when they were in So. CA? For some reason I wanna say his name was Jon. Rave On, Paul Don't know about the MTV thing, but FWIW, he's the guy married to Lorrie Morgan, if that helps you. Tera
Re: Clip: The state of country radio
-Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: passenger side [EMAIL PROTECTED] Date: Monday, March 15, 1999 10:33 PM Subject: Re: Clip: The state of country radio In a message dated 3/15/99 9:40:41 PM Central Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: Just happened to be station-surfing Sunday morning on the way back from the gig in Knoxville and came across Elton John's "Hold Me Closer, Tiny Dancer" rock/pop operretta -- it features, in addition to overblown strings and an overall baroque-rock arrangement, a pedal steel! I seemed to have forgotten about EJ using steel in a lot of his 70's stuff. "Tumbleweed Connection" was an amazing album. I still listen to it every once in a while. Was it alt. country? Slim Maybe alt.country/pop given some of the embellishment in arrangement g. Some beautiful stuff on that album. I also play it every now and then, btw. "Come Down In Time" with the moody oboe and harp backing is still one of my favorite ballads. I've read that John was very enamoured of the American Old West when he was a kid. He enjoyed reading cowboy and indian epics and always dreamed of visiting. It was said he was further inspired to write the songs on TC due to his promo trip to the states for "Your Song". Encouraged by that lp, I also bought "Madman Across The Water" with that "Tiny Dancer" song some have mentioned here. Not a bad album, but definitely lost interest in John, except for a few random singles every now and then heard on the radio. Perhaps if he had taken the concept of Tumbleweed Connection further... Tera
Re: Rufus Wainwright
I must say that I found Neil's final line - "Would you suggest that James Brown be less Black, or Oasis less British?" - rather offensive. Of course not; James Brown IS black, Oasis IS British. And while Rufus is indeed gay, and that sensibility informs his music, I still think he and his music would have gained wider acceptance if he hadn't flaunted it so loudly, so interminably, and so insistently. Once he's made "star" he can do what he wants; till then, a bit of discretion may help. And if that's "the sort of crap that gives the record industry a bad name" I'm sorry... Cheers, Richard Wasn't Wainwright's musical agenda intent upon including his gay perspective from the start? His lyrics do not cover up or belie his lifestyle ("Danny Boy", "April Fools" etc;) and it seems to me that he wants to acquire an audience based upon a more personal knowledge of his lifestyle and acceptance of same. We all wear a badge of some sort which we either proudly or unconsciously display to the world. Maybe this is the one Wainwright chooses to wear. Seems to me being honest from the start is more acceptable than playing the media games which the likes of Elton John tried to support with his "marriage" or the frequent dodging seen by k.d. lang in the past or the awful "I'm Bi" press from David Bowie and all that truth or lies rumor-mill talk about Bowie and Jagger those years ago. Michael Stipe hasn't seen his bands popularity wane due to his "tagging" and lack of defensive posture regarding it. But, therein lies a a part of the argument - Stipe and band as well as John, lang and others haven't highlighted their gayness as a raison d'etre for their musical pasts, while Wainwright pushes the stereotypical boundary of acceptable pop/rock teenage/young adult idolism with it. I have no doubt in my mind that you are correct in saying that highlighting his lifestyle will cause him a loss of potential fans and yet, somewhere deep within me I find myself saying that real art, that which comes from the soul and the complete experience and emotion of a human being; that which is honest and unpretentious and devoid of sublimation in personal truism is the echelon of wisdom we were put here to aspire to, to attain and to share. If Wainwright suffers a loss of public acceptance it is only through his honesty, a decided attempt to break down barriers and with knowledge that in doing so he will be subject to controversy and negative criticism. It was his choice afterall. Tera
Re: blues fiddle, (was np: Gatemouth Brown - Blackjack)
Lest we forget Andrew Baxter. Tera Papa John Creech. Of course he played for a while with all the dopers out in Californicate, The Jefferson Airplane to be exact, but if you ever had the opportunity to catch him without all them long-hairs, he played blues, funk, and jazz. Then there's also Vassar Clements. He might not be black on the outside, but with all the blues and soul in his playing, Vassar must be black on the inside. I love dat sumbitch.
Re: dreaded artist of the decade (plus Rushmore)
Btw, Jon, I must confess I'm hearing more and more mainstream Nashville cuts that strike me as good, respectable stuff these days. Maybe there *is* a trend Yesterday , for ex., I heard that Trisha song, "Powerful Thing" (or whatever the title is) and thought it was an entirely enjoyable sort of pop-twang number, nice fiddle line, etc. Better than a lot of what I've heard in recent times Don't really care for that Trisha song, but have you heard the new Loveless? "Can't Get Enough" even sports a similarity to Twain's "If You're Not In It For Love(I'm Outta Here)" with that break in the chorus. The video is a bit more suggestive than anything Loveless has put out to date. Tera
Pre-taped concerts(re:Shania spam and gossip)
Get this ya'll. A freind of mine who is setting up a tour for me in Canada this summer just got thru working production at the big rodeo in Houston, where many country acts played, including Shania. He said that most the show was taped (including vocals). How do artists plan to get away with this. Remember what happened to ELO. They sure end up looking like fools if the DAT fails. Oh well... Nancy flat is better than fraud What happened to ELO? Never heard that one. Apparantly what happens (aside from lip-syncing which is a completely different story or IS that what you are referring to) is that the person(s) running the sound board in the back can turn up the background singers, boost an instruments feed to drown out or help even out a voice singing off-key or can insert another singer or a pre-recorded taped selection. This is expensive and pretty precision work. The recording of the show can then be taken back to the studio for further mixing and/or correction. Some while ago there was some gossip going around which spoke of a piece of equipment which would instantaneously alter any off-pitch singing. Never saw it, so don't know but wouldn't doubt that given what they can do in the studio today, it's probably not too far off. Yes, given a million dollars in equipment to work with, we're all perfect...which actually I find quite sad. Tera BTW - there was a pretty good discussion about lip-syncing on a dejanews ng about one year ago. Concensus of opinion by the majority at that time was that lip-syncing to their own voice was okay...lots of people took into account stage fright and weather affecting vocals and the like, but they drew the line at singers lip-syncing to a tape of a completely different singer altogether. So, I guess in answer to your question, how do they get away with it is that many people don't think lip-syncing and electronic correction is a big deal. Go figure. T -
Re: Info on Black Beauty/Senor Smoke
I am looking for some background on the Michigan group, Black Beauty (new LP, "Senor Smoke"). Dont know about the band, but Senor Smoke is Auerelio Lopez, a hard throwing relief pitcher for the Detroit Tigers back in the 80s glory days. Yes, was also an applied moniker for Jose Mesa when a closer for the Cleveland Indians. Anyway, the group Black Beauty is supposedly a twang/rock group from Michigan, maybe it IS the Detroit area and advance buzz is that they're pretty good. I just can't find anything out about them at this time, though. Tera
Re: Paul Simon on Joe DiMaggio NYT
Barry Mazor posted: Paul Simon, who knew some things about what silence sounded like, had this to say in the NY Times this morning; what's interetsing about it to me is the indication that the very smart DiMaggio understood some of this--that there was BOTH yearning and some ironic comment in the Joltin Joe reference of that song. Quote from newspaper this morning: "Mickey Mantle once asked musician Paul Simon a burning question, at least for him. Why in "Mrs. Robinson", Simon's lament to lost heroes, did a nation turn its lonely eyes to Joe DiMaggio? Why not to him? The author David Halberstam recounted the exchange. He quoted Simon answering, politely, "It was syllables, Mickey. The syllables were all wrong." " The Cleveland Plain Dealer, Bud Shaw "Aura Of Grandeur Went Beyond The Lines" -dated 3/9/99 Yep, isn't it ironic? Paul Simon should take a seat now. Joe DiMaggio started out making $8500 in '36. By the time he quit baseball he made $100,000. In1950, he was benched for not "hitting". He sprained his ankle, had surgery to remove a bone spur from his right heel and had other leg and ankle injuries along the way . Yet, he played his heart out each and every game time and maintained an above .500 slugging percentage and an above .350 percentage with runners on base. He was a good man, a kind man who knew the rules and the oddities in life and always strove to be honest and charitable. When told that he would be throwing out the first ball in Yankee Stadium this year, Joe just smiled - that faint smile Joe always gave when in his soul he knew truth from lies. The world needs to remember his example. This man was and IS a sports hero. T- March 9, 1999 The Silent Superstar By PAUL SIMON My opinions regarding the baseball legend Joe DiMaggio would be of no particular interest to the general public were it not for the fact that 30 years ago I wrote the song "Mrs. Robinson," whose lyric "Where have you gone, Joe DiMaggio? A nation turns its lonely eyes to you" alluded to and in turn probably enhanced DiMaggio's stature in the American iconographic landscape. A few years after "Mrs. Robinson" rose to No. 1 on the pop charts, I found myself dining at an Italian restaurant where DiMaggio was seated with a party of friends. I'd heard a rumor that he was upset with the song and had considered a lawsuit, so it was with some trepidation that I walked over and introduced myself as its composer. I needn't have worried: he was perfectly cordial and invited me to sit down, whereupon we immediately fell into conversation about the only subject we had in common. "What I don't understand," he said, "is why you ask where I've gone. I just did a Mr. Coffee commercial, I'm a spokesman for the Bowery Savings Bank and I haven't gone anywhere." I said that I didn't mean the lines literally, that I thought of him as an American hero and that genuine heroes were in short supply. He accepted the explanation and thanked me. We shook hands and said good night. Now, in the shadow of his passing, I find myself wondering about that explanation. Yes, he was a cultural icon, a hero if you will, but not of my generation. He belonged to my father's youth: he was a World War II guy whose career began in the days of Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig and ended with the arrival of the youthful Mickey Mantle (who was, in truth, my favorite ballplayer). In the 50's and 60's, it was fashionable to refer to baseball as a metaphor for America, and DiMaggio represented the values of that America: excellence and fulfillment of duty (he often played in pain), combined with a grace that implied a purity of spirit, an off-the-field dignity and a jealously guarded private life. It was said that he still grieved for his former wife, Marilyn Monroe, and sent fresh flowers to her grave every week. Yet as a man who married one of America's most famous and famously neurotic women, he never spoke of her in public or in print. He understood the power of silence. He was the antithesis of the iconoclastic, mind-expanding, authority-defying 60's, which is why I think he suspected a hidden meaning in my lyrics. The fact that the lines were sincere and that they've been embraced over the years as a yearning for heroes and heroism speaks to the subconscious desires of the culture. We need heroes, and we search for candidates to be anointed. Why do we do this even as we know the attribution of heroic characteristics is almost always a distortion? Deconstructed and scrutinized, the hero turns out to be as petty and ego-driven as you and I. We know, but still we anoint. We deify, though we know the deification often kills, as in the cases of Elvis Presley, Princess Diana and John Lennon. Even when the recipient's life is spared, the fame and idolatry poison and injure. There is no doubt in my mind that DiMaggio suffered for being DiMaggio. We inflict this damage without malice because
Re: SUV's RE: Jones update 8pm
Jeff Wall wrote: If George had been driving a 73 Suburban, he might of not gotten hurt as bad. When I'm out there behind the wheel of my full size '89 4 wheel drive Ford Bronco, or the wife lets me drive her '65 Plymouth Deathmobile, I feel proud to be an American. Especially when I hit one of those little Geo Metro's at about 110mph. Us Americans didn't climb to the top of the world's food chain to eat tofu, be sensitive, or drive tiny ass foriegn clown cars. Nope, V-8's, Guns and dead animal flesh made us what we are today. Jeff Wall http://www.twangzine.com The Webs least sucky music magazine 3421 Daisy Crescent - Va Beach, Va - 23456 Jeff- you are the greatest unpublished (book-wise) American humorist today. You never cease to cause me severe belly laughs. Thanks for letting me contribute to RR and do take care over in the Gulf. As I drive a Bronco also, I must say you totally cracked me up with this post(as usual). I will miss you. Good luck and God speed in your travels and special blessings to your gorgeous wife and kids. Write a book, Jeff Tera
Re: Tweedy quote /generations
Carl wrote: I think if you look at the P2 Survey you'll see the untruth of this. I'm convinced that alt-country is a (as Monsieur London puts it) "tailbust" and "gen-x" phenomenon. A glance around the audience at any alt-country show I've attended shows it skewing way to folks in their late-20s to mid-30s, with a smattering of younger and older. Hi Carl - first, let me say that I am not questioning anything which Jake posted or which you and he discussed. Interesting, well thought-out read and I can't wait for the Cliff Notes to come out on this However, I have a few comments if you will. I wouldn't at this point consider the P2 survey to be an accurate representation of the average listener and record buying/concert going public. A high percentage of listmembers are either music writers, critics, dj's, musicians, other industry personnel or those who have a deep love for and knowledge of music. It may not be fair to assume comparisons when persons involved in the industry have greater access to indie releases and a usually more saturated and comprehensive view of form and structure. So, while the P2 survey was insightful, I don't believe it should be taken as an accurate assessment as to what's going on in the minds of your average consumer. I've found most alt.country shows to be a mixed bag of patrons for the most part. I don't think I could say that one particular age group takes precedence. However, I do remember a BR5-49 show where the audience "looked" decidedly twenties to thirties and the same was true of a Freakwater and Marah show. But then, I also consider that many people of the baby boom age aren't routinely going to clubs or frequenting concerts. Most of their disposable income is outlayed elsewhere with perhaps a video rental on a Saturday night. Yet, that generation (whether first wave or second or the third wave "tailbust" as Jake referrred to it) grew up on folk, rock-n-roll, beatnik prose, protest marches, rockabilly, The Nashville Sound, traditional country, soul, motown, pop, the california sound, the philly sound, southern-rock etc; and we like those elements incorporated into the music we prefer to listen to. Alternative country seems to be "home" for many of us as opposed to new country or alt.rock. I would much rather listen to a good old Linda Ronstadt tune than suffer through the pop/country blandness which I find in recordings from say, Trisha Yearwood or JoDee Messina who have both listed Ronstadt as an influence upon their work. I do think it's correct to say that a certain percentage of the Gen X'ers are drawn to alt.country, but that may only be for the bands which evolved from the post-punk era. Even then, it seems to me that the main influence upon that group was more in the direction of radio-friendly metal (Van Halen, and its ilk), the glam-rock pop such as Duran, Duran and the emergence of hip-hop and rap. Country took a decided downturn for some time in the eighties until the "new traditionalist" style came along and took hold and for many of the Gen X era, country just wasn't "cool". So, for many of the now young to mid thirties crowd, I don't think country had much to do with their likes and dislikes, rather rock and punk was the driving influence. That group's attraction to alt.country may be in the style which uses a base of punk-rock for the body of their work. However, punk-rock is not lost on those born during the second or end wave of the baby boom generation. That generation in total experienced probably the most widely diversified stylings of popular music heretofore or since. It is only natural that we would be able to relate to the grand mixture of styles which alt.country provides. Tera The punk connection of the "insurgent" side in particular makes the demographics fairly easy to track. Refer back to the Wilson-London chronicles for various bafflingly vague descriptions of the broader implications of this general pattern. I do think it's important that alt-country has a Gen-X connection (and as Jake noted, even a few years difference in age has some important implications for where in musical-cultural history you'll stand). And I'd also assert New Country is much more boomer-oriented than is alt-country - thus HNC takes its rock influences from Billy Joel, not from the Clash. Carl W.
Re: Tweedy generations - cont'd
Carl said: Which has a lot to do, I'd reckon, with the eventual coming of punk, as well as with the interest in country as some sort of purer heritage from the antediluvian age - I don't think it's just coincidence that alt-country adores pre-seventies country (Hank, Buck, Cash, Jones, etc.) and is squeamish about almost everything thereafter. There's a generational sense that any mainstream culture made in our lifetimes must be by nature corrupt, stained by original sin. That a band as big as the Beatles could be seen as great artists and countercultural heroes by broad consensus is a basically alien concept to everyone too young to have participated, methinks. [With the possible counter-example of Star Wars, but that's total escapism. Nobody claims Star Wars galvanized the youth of America, tho in fact it did cause a huge shake-up in HOllywood and thus in the culture at large.] Alien to the cynical gen x'ers? I don't think that many growing up in the sixties waved a cautionary flag to the ever-changing musical parade ripe with social commentary. For many of the boom generation, there was complete shock, sadness and a permeating sense of disbelief that "The American Dream" as told to us by our parents as interpreted through the grand deceit of politicians was NOT infact a natural progression. It signalled a wake-up call from innocence and a pathway through which those who wished to could express their attitudes and beliefs toward the chicken-in-every-pot depression era and WWII ideals. Gen X cynicism is a hand-me-down albeit more intensified and "what about me" attitude from the Baby Boom generation. Tera I'll shut up now ... carl w.
Re: Tweedy quote
I don't think I was asserting a simplistic summation of twentieth century music inasmuch as I was trying to say that successful music from any generation seems to be tied to the 16-30 crowd. "Successful" meaning that it sold well and helped to define a particular generation for the history books etc;. You spoke of Elvis and his influences - I agree; certainly we are all products of and influenced by that which preceeded us. To say that the youth are only impressed or stimulated by "suggestive" rhythms and lyrics would not be accurate in total context on my part and I only served this up as an example as to why "new country" sells big and "alt.country" does not. Alt.country does not seem to glamorize sex, fashion and beauty and the beginning phase of independence which would "speak" to young people. Basically, each member of a generation has to struggle with not only their own individual identities, but find a common ground with which to belong or identify with their peers. I do not believe that what we call alternative country (in general and there are exceptions) supports or relates to issues broadly concerning the youth. There aren't any wars right now such that the Vietnam War acted as catalyst for the hippie movement of the sixties and was further solidified in music and there aren't any great rebellions at present. I would have said something about rap here, but isn't that becoming culturally accepted as mainstream more and more? The alt.country part of music seems to speak to moods, experiences, emotional/intellectual decisions and memories such that we as grown-ups begin to categorize, filter, extract and absorb in honing ourselves as mature beings. I find it hard to believe that the general youth populace would have enough patience to understand and relate to the music of say, Gillian Welch, Dave Alvin, Cheri Knight, Lucinda Williams, Mike Ireland...etc; Well, enough about that. Your last two sentences regarding commercialism: I suspect that what you say is true to the extent that it appears as though many record companies are trying to find the next "big" thing and may be trying to singlehandedly "construct" a genre which defies a decidedly "country" or "rock" labeling and that at this point, many of the contemporary engineers of this left-of-middle styling (of which Tweedy is one) would find such labeling - pigeonholing if you will, very limiting and restricting as if to say that their product yields to the dollar signs dancing around in the heads of company executives. Yep, you have a good point, Lance. Tera Lance said: Though I found myself nodding along with most of your assertions, Tera, I would insert one caveat. While Elvis Presley would certainly win a lot of votes as this century's most influential performer, and his music was certainly frantic AND highly-charged sexually, it wasn't quite so simple. He also took his cues from non-frantics like Dean Martin and the "White" hit parade, and his example is repeated often, for even the most "suggestive" musicians. The pop charts have been something that has affected even the most marginal of musics--in one way or another--and in some cases it was good, in others not. Thus, some alt.country musicians may be struggling with this very punk sense of "How commercial is too commercial?" Or from the record company's/financial investor's side: "How country can alt.country be and still make a decisive commercial impact?" Lance . . .
Re: CRS showcases (was: RE: clip: What's wrong with those people?)
BTW, who are Gil Grand and Monty Holmes? Jon Weisberger Kenton County, KY [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://home.fuse.net/jonweisberger/ Holmes had an album out last summer, "All I Ever Wanted". Pretty much acoustic-based ballads, a few shuffles with steel guitar as mainstay throughout. Actually not a bad album and more country than what's on the top ten. His voice sometimes sounds like a fusion between George Jones and Colin Raye - some of the phrasing and style reminds me of that. I heard Gil Grand's name mentioned lately, just can't place him right now. Tera
Re: Tweedy quote
JG Roll said: I think that the bottom line is that Alt-Country is the commercial kiss of death. Nobody has really broken thru (Lucinda not excepted), and the radio format is a complete commercial wasteland. When you consider that these people (Wilco, etc.) are on major labels, and have been at this a long time, and want to keep their jobs, it shouldn't be such a mystery that they are very defensive when they seemingly cannot distance themselves from their past. Your first sentence sparked a few thoughts - alt.country seems to be music for we aging baby boomers as opposed to alt.rock or new country which seems to target the teen to twenties crowd. In a sense, alt.country is our nostalgia as much as a repackaging of "70's Metal Greats" or any of those compilations you can see advertised on TV. New ground isn't really broken inasmuch as being a crow pie sampling of styles which in some cases would not spark the interest of the primary album-buying public; not looking at statistics here, but I would say in general is the 16-30 aged crowd. There just isn't enough adrenaline to spark that interest. You can go back through the twentieth century and see that the predominating influential music of an era was rather high-speed frantic, sexually charged rhythms and lyrically suggestive vocals which seemed to "speak" to the adrenaline-laced, sexually confused, frustrated and seemingly manic-depressive alter states which is adolescence and partly the spirit which follows the freedom-as-adult concept.. Does alt.country at this point, speak to that audience? From flapper to big band swing to rockabilly to hard rock to alt.rock, it is a beat/style which is in keeping with the internal energy of a particular age group. Such that, at sixteen you may have worshipped at the altar of heavy metal, however at 35 or forty, you recognize that influence, smile a bit while still liking a good metal tune but you go on as you've grown with the myriad of transforming experiences encountered in your twenties, thirties and so on.At this point, we're ready for a mixture of nostalgia woven into our favorite rock and country artists and all the subgenres inbetween. Our internal systems have slowed (matured) a bit, craving substance over a quick fix. Alt.country is that musical balance for the baby boomer crowd, but it is not one which will enrapture or be embraced by the primary record buying public. Alt.country has to find a relevant "hook" with the teen to twenties crowd, "find" a breakout artist or just be content with receiving it's due in about twenty years. That, in my opinion is why Tweedy and others do not wish to be associated with an alt. labeling. "Music your mom and dad would like" to quote something else is not what platinum sales are all about. Tera
Roseanne, Rosannadanna?
Who wrote that? Actually, it was funny in a "poignant" sort of way g Well, whoever it was you should be happy to know that Lance and I duked it out with Dan as referree. I got a black eye and have to buy both guys a beer. Sorry for all that. It really was a misunderstanding, not meant in any part for the list. Tera
Re: Damn This Old LA Town
Er, what he said. And it sure is ironic to see a post viciously insulting a fellow P2er for an imaginary insult.g Please read more carefully folks, lest you read something into a message that simply isn't there.--don Where I come from using the term "cakehole" as in and I quote here, "...much more creative than whatever spills out of your cakehole" as a "colorful" term to refer to that which someone says or wishes to express is a sarcastic putdown. Also, the foul language is not necessary. It is a posturing attempt to appear "tough" and "cool". Please, let's not degrade this list to the kind of postings which r.m.c.w. is so full of. Tera
Re: Damn This Old LA Town
That assumes that Buckner has word-of-mouth "street cred," but wouldn't the word-of-mouth say that his word is MUCH MORE creative than whatever spills out of your cakehole? I don't get it, like I said, in the small picture. In the big picture it's obvious. "Hey, Fuckface! You're not in your living room watching TV! And that guy on stage is NOT a cathode-ray figment of your delusional self-importance! Shut the Fuck up!!!" Lance . . . feeling pain . . . And you're rude and disgusting. What a vile mouth you have! How dare you flame another poster that way. It is not funny! Who do you think you are? I've read your self-important postings lo these past months and I cannot believe that anyone could put up with your long, I-AM-GOD self-righteous rants.How dare you flame Dan for his opinions. Further, I cannot believe that anyone here has not touched upon this... and taken you to task for your long-winded bullshit. You are not pertinent, not valid and definitely not funny. I am ashamed of you. Tera
Re: Arbitrary Stars (Was: Re: Repost: 50/90)
We journalists are not in the music business, we're *covering* the music business. Well, at least that's how the oft-referenced Greg Kot positioned himself during a panel at lat year's (?) SXSW. Neal Weiss A good read between the lines quote, I might add. I've seen more journalistic credibility from the small, local music newspapers than I see in such "acclaimed" journals as Rolling Stone, Country Music, Guitar, Jazz Is. It's as though the journalists/reviewers are starry-eyed "groupies", much in the tradition of Circus magazine or that old Tiger Beat. One very good example is Rolling Stone. Except for Christgau who occasionally enchants with his bursts of analytical insight, I'm often left with complete wonderment as to whether or not the reviewer really liked the album in question. They tend to teeter the line of like/dislike and the innuendo is often that he or she didn't like the album but that they just do not come out and say so. I liked RS better when they had the guts to print a boot to Exile On Main Street. You just don't see that much anymore in the way of honest opinion. I cannot give much credibility to Mr. Kott for example, who seems to attach a "neutralized barb" to his wiriting and then happily wanders back into mainstream appeal. It just gives me the impression that he doesn't want to make any enemies and at the same time he cloaks his true feelings. That is not reviewing and it is not honest. What I also think is that some time ago some of the critics who became noteworthy for their insight strove so valiently to be perceived as intellectually aesthetic that they over extended their "brilliant" and nuanced opinions with the general population to the point that people no longer perceived their written perceptions as valid. A critic in my honest opinion is writing for the public, not for the recording industry or the artists. Did all of this change around the time that Landau abandoned the credibility ship and joined the country goes pop twaing Or is it deeper than that? I suspect that it is. Tera
Re: Grammyszzzzzzzzz....
Not to beat a dead horse, but could someone who saw Shania's performance tonight, puh-leeze explain to me what she's got to do with country music? Oh it must be the twin fiddles in the band. g Jim, smilin' Label affiliation? I suspect Nashville would easily let her go as one of "theirs" if it were not for the millions she generates in sales. She has done some songs which are more country than her current output - Any Man Of Mine and Whose Bed Have Your Boots Been Under for instance, but a lot of her "charm" IS with the pop audience. She's a marketer's dream, don't you think? With Lange in tow, it could be a bit like Pygmalion and Galatea g. Anyway, what I personally think is that so much "bad" press ( people said she can't sing etc;) only fueled the interest of those who probably wouldn't have taken a second look anyway. Yet, if she's able to stir interest in more people delving into country music, then I don't see any harm. I do know several people who never listened to country music before, but since Twain and some others with a pop/rock bent came along, they're now looking into other kinds of country music... But, what I wonder...if she had been originally marketed as "pop", sans fiddle in the mix, would she have ever charted? Was Nashville just a convenient vehicle? Tera
Re: Kelly Willis Review from Salon
First of all, the guy puts this in print not bothering to get Trisha Yearwood's name spelled correctly. Secondly, he hasn't paid attention to those who have said and proven that they wanted to "get back to basics" and make "real country records" or the labels who have signed artists having a more "country" feel. Vince Gill, Dolly Parton, LeeAnn Womack, Patty Loveless, the return to form of Dwight Yoakam, a hearty welcome back to Randy Travis, Alan Jackson still cranking out country, Steve Wariner getting some due; or does this guy just judge his country music by the crossover appeal of the likes of Rimes, Twain, Brooks, McBride, Yearwood? He may not be wrong with McBride though who has had some very good country moments and who does have a gorgeous voice. "Evolution" is probably her most pop-type record to date. "The Way That I Am" is a pretty good example of her skills as a country singer. Maybe the pop/rock influence combined with the vocal theatrics we've seen of late with mostly female country singers is what his real gripe is. "Trampoline" with its latin rhythms and that one twenties-vaudeville-sung-through-a-megaphone-type-song may never have made a big dent in the country charts, even a few years ago. Quite frankly, the album is more of an alternative output than any other recording The Mavericks have ever done. Alison Krauss - may not be so much as a "barb" against her as trying to prove his point - again a critic citing that production points toward the "realness" of an artist. Real by whose standards? Is it by the production quality which existed in the forties, fifities or sixties? Or is he saying that a more pared-down accompaniment is crucial to "keeping it country". Is country music really how many instruments one can bring to the recording studio or is it really about feeling? Is this reviewer hearing lush accompaniment and likens all such recordings to the bargain basement of music or is he listening with an open mind. Is he wishing to jump on a bandwagon of those critics who state everything which is wrong with country music and glamorize their "hip" knowledge by refusing to glamorize the "what's right" . Tera Kelly Willis "What I Deserve" Rykodisc Flesh and blood KELLY WILLIS' NEW ALBUM, "WHAT I DESERVE," IS AN ANTIDOTE TO THE SLICKNESS THAT'S RUINED COUNTRY MUSIC. BY CHARLES TAYLOR | A few years ago, without really intending to, I stopped listening to most new country music. When the most enthusiasm I could muster for certain new records was, "Well, it's not as slick as it might be," I realized that I had simply stopped expecting the genre to produce anything much of interest. The slicking up of country music was nothing new; it had been going on at least since the countrypolitan sound of the '60s. But in the last few years that slickness has felt like a stake through the heart. I suppose I could learn to tell Shania's voice from Tricia's from Deana's from Mindy's if I put my mind to it. But nothing I've heard has made the trouble it would take seem worth it. More popular than ever, country music is also -- as a form -- more debased than ever. Turn to your local country station or switch on TNN and what you hear is less the country sound than representations of that sound, voices and guitars that twang as if they'd been programmed, everything stripped of the dirt of experience. The truth is that the themes country music has traditionally dealt with -- sin, loss and its acceptance, redemption or the refusal of it -- have no place in a genre that has been reduced to the manufactured emotion of party songs, empowerment songs (for the women singers), MOR ballads. The sort of schlocky material done by the singers that people in their 40s and late 30s grew up seeing on talk shows -- the likes of Jerry Vale, Sandler and Young, Vic Damone -- is now being churned out in a country idiom. The "rock" side of country is no less safe. For aging rock audiences, the flashy stage shows of performers like Garth Brooks or Shania Twain are a sort of security blanket, allowing people who long ago stopped paying attention to rock 'n' roll to feel as if they're still in the fold. The bright spots have been sparse. I continue listening to Martina McBride because, despite all the second-rate material and musicianship she settles for, I still hear a real person when she sings. (And I'm not ready to give up on anyone who delivered as powerful a performance as "Independence Day," perhaps the greatest single of the decade, certainly the most subversive.) But McBride's success is not likely to encourage her to take on the material or sidemen that would challenge her. And I don't know when we're likely to hear another album from Bobbie Cryner, whose 1995 "Girl of Your Dreams," the toughest set of marriage songs since Richard and Linda Thompson's "Shoot Out the Lights," showed how real feeling might be possible in the slick country mainstream. Country radio has become so rigidly formatted
Re: Village Voice Pazz Jop
"William F. Silvers" reprinted someone who said: I don't think I've ever heard a more self-congratulatory, smug, preaching-to-the-choir routine played out so effectively, at least in the press. Williams smothers her every note with affect, with shapeliness, with semaphored irony. Yes, she's a real artist; some people only care about money, but she'd give up dough to make sure no one misses the point. But if the South were a party she'd be 86'd for name-dropping. Greil Marcus Berkeley, California Joe Said: What the hell does that mean, motherfucker? Obviously, he means he wants to state his opinions while not alienating his "audience". Pandering double talk. MF doesn't do him justice. Oh, that internal dancin' cheek to cheek... Tera --
Re: 50/90
Regarding PJ Harvey: I wouldn't necessarily disagree as to including "To Bring You My Love" on the list. I believe it shows a fine line between anger and sensuality much that love and hate are often equated. "Down By The Water" is one of those primevil songs which, with the haunting drumline, the tortured lyrics and the sensual and straightforward manner Harvey sings it leaves a pretty big, lingering impression. Many critics focused in on that and the general darkness in tone the album brought forth. "Rid Of Me", albeit quite good, doesn't convey that "other wordly" from the depths of the soul approach. Anyway, sophomore releases usually get overly "scrutinized" as if saying: is this artist for real, do they have staying power, are they really what they represent and could they be influential in the years to come? Tera -Original Message- From: lance davis [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: passenger side [EMAIL PROTECTED] Date: Tuesday, February 23, 1999 1:41 AM Subject: Re: 50/90 Just curious--who here (who is NOT a critic) has heard the most of these? Dina I've heard most of them (if more than 25 counts as most), and I have to say I'm troubled by the "well-roundedness" of the list. On one hand, it's gotta be a thankless and (somewhat) admirable task to try and sum up an entire decade in 50 gulps, but it seems as if he's trying to touch all the appropriate bases and not offend anybody. Which, of course, ends up offending everybody. And it's not that it isn't eclectic, but in quite a few cases, the guy picks the wrong album from whatever artist he's trying to highlight. (PJ Harvey "To Bring You My Love" and Beck "Odelay" come immediately to mind). Plus, let's face it: If you have 50 goddamn chances to pick Anodyne and you come up with the goose-egg--get to the back of the bus, ya chump!! Lance . . .
Re: 50/90
Meshuggah is just a bunch of fuzz-box metal vocals/guitar in the tradition of Gwar (satanic-type rock) with a little bit of melodic thrown in to intice the masses. Influential nineties music? I hardly think so - rehash upon rehash of a repressed hormonal male puberty gone completely awry. Influential? Kott must have been having one of those Lucy In The Sky dreams. The Orb is electronica borrowing from the "dead". I mean, leave Minnie Ripperton alone. Their other music is just weird "new age meets rock meets electronica". May have been "cool" for the young reviewers who've never crossed this concept before, but for me it was totally been there and done that. Pretty "corny" stuff if you ask me. Should you have been turned onto them? No...please don't...don't even give it a second thought. Tera -Original Message- From: Dina Gunderson [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: passenger side [EMAIL PROTECTED] Date: Tuesday, February 23, 1999 10:37 PM Subject: Re: 50/90 Smilin' Jim said: I agree with Dina, although I've heard a lot more than she has. It seems like standard rock-crit snobbery (is that a word? g) that most of the general public just ignores. Hey there, I'm not sure what I said that you're agreeing with, Jim. I posed a question, not offering an opinion, and wasn't trying to imply snobbery on the part of the critics. I was just wondering if these are albums/artists that most people ("people" meaning real people who buy records, not critics who have anything and everything cross their desk for free) have heard of if they pay attention to mainstream sources such as MTV (which would mean that I'm REALLY out of touch if I don't know who they are) or whether some are considered to be obscure, or whether any of these are considered to be popular albums/artists. Oh wait, now I know--I think you were agreeing with me about the fact that I live under a rock! Dina, older than some dirt but younger than other dirt
Re: Nine Inch Nails in my Coffin
The last I heard which was two weeks ago was that NIN's next release will be "The Fragile" (title still tentative) and who knows when? Some say May, some say June. Reznor went into it wishing to write a more radio-friendly album, has enough material to fill two discs at this point (half-vocal, half-instrumental) and the talk is that it may be a double album. According to what I've heard, there isn't any Hank on it, but that he does some experimental things with unlikely "rock" instruments - among them the ukelele. There's always so many rumors going around about NIN (just like Manson) and I highly suspect that if he did do Hank covers, his core fan base would move to an uncharted island in the Pacific overnight g Anyway, interesting comment - just wonder what source your local dj was qouting? Tera -Original Message- From: Christopher M Knaus [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: passenger side [EMAIL PROTECTED] Date: Thursday, February 18, 1999 8:27 PM Subject: Nine Inch Nails in my Coffin Hey there, According to some DJ on Q101 (Chicagos Rock Alternative) The next Trent Reznor CD is going to be all Hank Williams covers. The DJ wasnt as excited as I was. If I was not in my car I might've called him up and given him what's fur. LAter... CK ___ You don't need to buy Internet access to use free Internet e-mail. Get completely free e-mail from Juno at http://www.juno.com/getjuno.html or call Juno at (800) 654-JUNO [654-5866]
Re: Bob Wills advice.
Rhino's "Anthology 1935-1973" is pretty good. It's about $25- 30, but has 32 tracks. Other than that, I also have a Sony Collector's Series "Anthology" - that was about 8 or 9 dollars. Has some good ones also (24 in all) - Mexicali Rose, Corrine Corrina, Blue Yodel Number1, Steel Guitar Rag etc; Tera -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: passenger side [EMAIL PROTECTED] Date: Friday, February 19, 1999 12:32 AM Subject: Bob Wills advice. 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? My typing sucks today ... it's tough to tap when you've got a bandaged finger (don't ask). Ron Warnick NP: Del McCoury Band, "The Family"
Re: Book about Texas music.
Could this be "Texas Music" written by Rick Koster? It serves the timelines and the artists you are speaking of. St. Martin's Press. Published 1998. Pretty good reading all in all. Talks about Buddy Holly. I just got "The Real Rhythm and Blues" by Hugh Gregory which spans the blues/soul years in the sixties. Quick and interesting reading and fills me in on my misguided Stax post from a few weeks ago. Oh well...memory and the best intentions do not necessarily make an informed post. Sorry about that. Always learnin', Tera -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: passenger side [EMAIL PROTECTED] Date: Friday, February 19, 1999 12:34 AM Subject: Book about Texas music. I'm looking for a book about the history of Texas music, from Buddy Holly and T-Bone blues to current day. I can't remember the title, but I saw it in my local Borders store a few months ago. Predictably, it was gone the next time I went looking for it. Anyone remember it, and is it worth getting? Ron Warnick NP: Wilco, "Summer Teeth"
Premier Player Awards
Congratulations, Nancy! You done real good! I see from your list of nominees that you're in some pretty fine company. Good luck and let us know... Tera 14th Annual Premier Player Awards Nominees Premier Songwriter Award: Nancy Apple, Tommy Burroughs, Jimmy Davis, Jerry Hayes, Ross Rice, Keith Sykes. Award for Community Service recognizes an outstanding contribution to the music community and/or community at large by an individual or group. Nominees: Nancy Apple, The Blues Foundation, Bob Kelley, Larry Nager, Play It Again Memphis. The Premier Player Awards will be held at The Pyramid on Wednesday, March 31. For ticket information, call NARAS at 525-1340.
Needed Accordion
Someone said: Play an accordian. Go to jail. It's the law. So that's what happened to Nathan Abshire, Amede Breaux, PeeWee King...and Art Van Damme. g Seriously, all of the above by mastering this chest cumberbund,made some very beautiful, richly textured music. I'm particularly fond of Abshire (French Blues ) and Van Damme (Swings Sweetly, The Art Of...). Great stuff, in my opinion. The squeezebox is dead, long live the accordion! Tera (getting off the homemade soapbox)
Re: Time line?
While I'm thinking about it, I came up with a solution -- that works for me -- to dealing with the infernal question "What is Alternative Country?" For the purposes of the time-line -- although it's also my general philosophy -- I don't attempt to define "alternative country" at all. Instead... sort of turn it around a bit, and consider -- -- an alternative way of looking at country music(snip rest of post) ...Cheryl Cline Great stuff, Cheryl. Wonderful concept. Might make for a great book (hint). I'd love to read a discussion such as this on P2 as well. Any takers to continue the ball rolling here? Tera
Re: Dumb Monroe question
... Del McCoury co. do "Get Down On Your Knees and Pray," but it wasn't until seeing it on McCoury's new album that I learned it to be a Bill Monroe song. D'oh. I've heard quite a few, but nowhere even close to all, of Monroe's recordings. Can anyone please suggest where I might find his version of the song? It does appear on "Bill Monroe - Bluegrass 1950-1958". It's a Bear Family compilation (pretty pricey), 4 disc set. If you just want to hear the song, maybe you could find this set at your library (?). I don't know where else it appears on previous records, discs, etc; Tera
Re: Waterloo Top 50 / Texas Top 10 - 2.13.99
Question on Other Ones - "The Strange Remain" I know this came out recently, but haven't heard it as of yet. Is this pretty much in the tradition of The Grateful Dead or do Weir, Lesh et al do something different? Thanks, Tera -Original Message- From: Jerald Corder [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: passenger side [EMAIL PROTECTED] Date: Sunday, February 14, 1999 9:57 PM Subject: Waterloo Top 50 / Texas Top 10 - 2.13.99 Date: Sun, 14 Feb 1999 18:14:27 -0500 From: Waterloo Records [EMAIL PROTECTED] MIME-Version: 1.0 To: Jerald Corder [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Waterloo Top 50 / Texas Top 10 - 2.13.99 1. R.L. Burnside 69 2. Lucinda Williams TX 57 3. Cesar Rosas 55 4. Lyle Lovett TX 51 5. Robert Earl Keen TX 45 6. Other Ones 44 7. Willie Nelson TX 43 8. Harris, Parton, Ronstadt: Trio II 43 9. OST: Rushmore 43 10. Jimmy LaFave TX 42 11. Dixie Chicks TX 40 12. Lauryn Hill39 13. Dave Matthews 37 14. Baz Luhrmann: Something For... 36 15. Billy Bragg Wilco 35 16. Susan Tedeschi 34 17. Collective Soul 34 18. Los Super Seven TX 32 19. Everlast KLBJ 30 20. Sheryl Crow 28 21. Neville Brothers 27 22. Cake27 23. Miles Davis: Love Songs 26 24. Buena Vista Social Club 26 25. Black Crowes KLBJ/CIMS 25 26. Vallejo TX25 27. Sarah McLachlan 25 28. Shawn Mullins 24 29. Billy Squier IS 23 30. Fatboy Slim 23 31. George Devore The Roam TX 22 32. Roky Erickson TX 21 33. Reckless Kelly TX 21 34. Elliott Smith 21 35. Madonna21 36. Sparklehorse 20 37. Offspring20 38. Miles Davis: Kind Of Blue 19 39. Beth Black TX 17 40. Junior Brown TX 17 41. VA: Pearls In The Snow TX 17 42. Bob Dylan 17 43. Storyville TX 16 44. Patty Griffin TX 16 45. Beta Band16 46. Ani Difranco 16 47. Sugar Ray16 48. Soulhat TX 15 49. Sixpence None The Richer TX 15 50. Gourds TX14 Waterloo Texas Top Ten for week ending February 6th, 1999 1. Lucinda Williams - Car Wheels On A Gravel Road 2. Lyle Lovett - Step Inside This House 3. Robert Earl Keen - Walking Distance 4. Willie Nelson - Teatro 5. Jimmy LaFave - Trail 6. Dixie Chicks - Wide Open Spaces 7. Los Super Seven - Los Super Seven 8. Vallejo - Beautiful Life 9. George Devore The Roam - George Devore The Roam 10. Roky Erickson - Never Say Goodbye
Re: Melba Montgomery, still going strong??
Also, I was wondering where might be a good place to start to put a tentative toe into Vince Gill's back catalog. If it helps, I like most of what Randy Travis does (as a point of comparison) except for schlock like "I Did My Part", and I detest things like "Holes in the Floor of Heaven and other assorted unfortunate metaphors" Stevie I'm assuming that you're familiar with "The Key" as you said "back catalog". If not, that work (in my opinion) is his most compelling and personal output to date. However, you could also try "Pocket Full Of Gold", MCA - 1991; "Where Love Finds You", MCA - 1994; or "High Lonesome Sound", MCA - 1996. Tera
Re: OKEH WRANGLERS
I agree. I really like "Lonesome Vistas". Rockabilly, honky-tonk with a modern slant. Pete's songwriting is highly melodic and though the cd travels through several heartbreak songs, it's never depressing or gloomy. I'm so glad you're going to play them, Mike. Tera I just finished a good listen to the OKEH WRANGLERS Lonesome Vista's CD and am happy to report a fine effort. Coming soon to TwangCast! Mike Hays http://www.TwangCast.com TM RealCountry 24 X 7 Please Visit Then let us know what you think! Mike Hays www.MikeHays.RealCountry.net For the best country artist web hosting, www.RealCountry.net
3 Questions
Late reading a review on Jenny Simpson (Country Magazine) - which got me wondering. Since she was dropped from Decca before her record was released, will she have to buy back the cd's produced and left undistributed? I was thinking that if so, this could amount to hundreds of thousands if not more dollars. What a terrifying experience for someone to go through... Is there a book/list referencing all of the recordings put out by a record company during a given period? I'm trying to find a specific artist who was on the Warner Bros. label during the 70's and I am at the end of my rope. Thirdly, to David Cantwell who took me to task for the Stax talk. Did you read my response to your query (how does Motown relate to Stax) ? I have not seen a post, so just wondering if you had a response to my question (or not). Tera
Re: k.d. lang (was Re: Heather Myles Injustice)
-Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: passenger side [EMAIL PROTECTED] Date: Friday, February 05, 1999 7:27 AM Subject: k.d. lang (was Re: Heather Myles Injustice) ...k.d. lang who does have a superior voice and who did put out a really good album "Absolute Torch Twang" and who saw Nashville abandon her due to her non cover-girl looks and the rumors that she was gay. Lang gave up, left her brand of western swing/country and donned a "pop" hat with "Constant Craving" and admitted that she was gay.(snip) Well, you probably said a number of things that folks will be interested in, Tera g, but I am curious about the above, mainly because I honestly don't know or can't remember; did Nashville actually abandon Lang? I mean, was she dropped, was her budget slashed, did radio or the club promoters turn against her? I don't know, and would really like to know why she moved away and into pop if it was for some reason other than just personal preference. thanks, Dan Bentele Many factors led up to her "decision" to try other music. k.d. received a lot of pressure from the press and from inside the Nashville community to discuss her androgenous image. It became quite a focal point and it was rumored and discussed that she may be gay. Ever hear of the old game whereby when "they" don't like you, they'll use anything which comes down the pike to discredit you? k.d. made a few "mistakes" by voicing her opinions on several subjects. I've read some of the comments made here by other posters and no one is incorrect. On the subject of her appearance she said (from memory) that it shouldn't matter what a person looks like and that her "androgenous" style was something she chose to do. When asked if she had a "boyfriend" she said that she was involved with someone but that she didn't think her personal life should be in question. Nebulous answers (and you know how the media reacts to that) which only created more controversy. Further, she promoted not eating beef and also stated that her dog was a vegetarian. She commented on not wanting to wear leather anymore. So, all of these things combined gave k.d. some very bad press and she was snubbed by some in Nashville. No, she did not get dropped by her record label (Sire) and went on to record "Ingenue" which was her foray into "adult contemporary" music where she believed she would be more accepted while publicly stating that she wished to "try" other music until she openly admitted in a gay forum magazine that she was gay. It was just too difficult to have her image constantly discussed and her lifestyle "pryed" into and the fact that country radio was not willing to play and promote her music. Owen Bradley thought she had an incredible voice and talent and he worked with her on "Shadowland" which also showcased a nice medley with Loretta, Kitty and Brenda Lee. It does not matter what anyone says, k.d.'s "gayness" led to her oh-so-subtle Nashville blacklisting. You know, when was the last time you heard a country artist proclaim their "gayness"? It's still not accepted - although it may be lightening up a bit as I'm wondering who thought to have Melissa Etheridge contribute to the Tammy Wynette Tribute cd...or for that matter, Elton John? Anyway, it really shouldn't matter. What should matter is an artists sensitivity, sincerity and ability to successfully transfer ideas/emotions with songs. Maybe k.d. will record another country album again. I hope so. Lang has a spectacular voice and possesses an incredible ability to interpret a song. k.d. has won three grammy awards by the way: "BestCountry Vocal Collaboration 1989; Best Country Vocal Performance 1990; Best Pop Vocal Performance- 1992. Tera
Re: Vital Rock of the 60's - you had to be there man!!
I can't believe the author left out The Doors. "The Doors" , "Strange Days", "Waiting For The Sun". Never mentioned The Who either. Of course, there have been some great defining moments offered of the individual song variety: "Layla" Derek The Dominoes; "House Of The Rising Sun", The Animals; Many others... Also, Farber as quoted: 9) Janis Joplin: Rock's most passionate blues belter. Her "Cheap Thrills" offers anything but. I'm not sure I know what Farber means by saying that..."Her "Cheap Thrills" offers anything but." "Cheap Thrills" was "Big Brother And The Holding Company" as I'm sure we all know but apparantly he forgot or something.Joplin was solo with "I Got Dem Ol' Kozmic Blues Again Mama!" in '69. Aside from "Ball Chain" ("Cheap Thrills"), my personal opinion is that her first solo outing was her most passionate recording. "Work Me Lord" still gives me chills when I hear it. Tera
Re: Hank Snow's toupee
In a message dated 99-02-04 19:51:11 EST, Joe writes: I wonder if this is true of other fields like politics or big business, etc. I'm sure Hitler could be a charming dinner companion... No, everyone said he was a big bore. Hermann Goering, on the other hand, was a fun guy. -- Mike Woods One word. Power. Whether it be the ability to "move" a nation or to "move" with song, this one word may typify the single most aphrodisiac feeling known to humankind and the least understood. Tera
Re: Heather Myles Injustice
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: (!) All subjective of course, one person's goldmine is another's tar-pit. But, I cannot help but think of one k.d. lang who does have a superior voice and who did put out a really good album "Absolute Torch Twang" and who saw Nashville abandon her due to her non cover-girl looks and the rumors that she was gay. Lang gave up, left her brand of western swing/country and donned a "pop" hat with "Constant Craving" and admitted that she was gay. Looks/lifesytyle does matter to today's country crowd. Maybe not you and maybe not a lot of us here, but mainstream country likes good-looking women and good-looking men and a lifestyle complete with the opposite sex. You said, "Clearly, if music don't move you, it just don't". Heather Myles does not "move" me and neither does Kelly Willis. Gillian Welch depresses the heck out of me and Iris DeMent pounds me to the ground with her voice. Know what I'd like to see? I'd just love to hear Wynonna lighten up with her voice and deliver a non-pop album. I'd love to hear Chely Wright strenghten her voice with lessons and do a "real" country album. I'd love to hear Trisha Yearwood get out of the basement with her back-of-the-throat Wagnerian style and find country for once in her singing career and I'd really like to teach Raul Malo how to hit the note the first time. Tera . 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: Vince Gill
On Saturday in my area we got both the Austin City Limits with Old 97s and Whiskeytown *and* this Vince Gill special. Anyone know whether this is going to be rebroadcast? As far as the Vince Gill "Live By Request" special: It will be rebroadcast Sunday, February 14 10:00 pm - midnight and again on Monday, February 15 2:00 am - 4:00 am. Tera
Re: real country
"Real" country is probably a bit different for anyone here as well as those artists who say that they wish to get back to their roots and do some "real" country. I would imagine that defining "it" would take into account an individual's preferences, exposure to different musical styles while growing up and any/all labels as assigned by the newsmedia or music historians. However, the sense that I get from performers today is that "real" country music pretty much encompasses a timeframe from the fifties through the sixties with the likes of Hank Williams, Johnny Cash, Loretta Lynn, George Jones etc; ruled the charts. At times, I have inquired what elements of that music made it "real"? I've been told for the most part that the music was simplistic in its beauty, being that it was devoid of heavy-handed commercialism which includes "lush" instrumentation, pronounced drumming with a decided rural/folk-like appeal. By that definition, I suppose we could rule out many of our lauded country greats as being "real". I just think this term is a bit different for everyone but that it seems to be generationally defined. If a person grew up liking George Jones and believes that Jones epitomized country then that will be the standard by which he/she defines all other country music. Watson has been quoted as saying that Buck Owens and Merle Haggard were some of his major influences. I suppose we could conclude that for Watson, the aforementioned two are "real" country for him. However, for brevity sake, may I add that my Grandmother (who was a bluegrass fan) once told me years ago that Merle Haggard was just another rock-n-roll upstart. Perception is a mighty sword. Tera -Original Message- From: BARNARD [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: passenger side [EMAIL PROTECTED] Date: Saturday, January 30, 1999 10:41 AM Subject: "real" country One clarification to my post on this thread yesterday: That is, in response to Todd's question, "What are people trying to say *today* when they contrast HNC or ND to 'real' country?," I was only trying to get at that contemporary usage of "real" country. I was not trying to define country, period, in other words, but rather that ideal of "real" country, "stone"' country, "hard" country that is in the vocabulary these days, usually as the right-thinking alternative to various unsatisfactory mixtures of country with rock and pop, etc I was thinking of the last I saw Dale Watson, when, after a song, he looked around and said, "Now ain't that *real* country??" That's the sort of usage I was thinking of... and so forth g, --junior
Re: She don't impress me much
Well, here's a thought for you. Perhaps you heard, know or remember that there were many critics of the Nashville Sound. Artists many revere today for being country icons such as Cline, Arnold, Reeves were chastised for "selling out" to pop music. So, suppose in twenty years Twain is the standard by which all other "country" acts are judged? Somehow, Rod Serling just popped into my mind... Shania Twain is somewhere between soft-country and pop. This didn't seem to bother a lot of "country" fans when The Eagles gave us their brand of the "formula" in the seventies or the myriad of same we experienced then. Twain just took a "pop" image concept (watered down a bit) and transferred it to country music. You could probably say the same of Elvis Presley who took a "rb" image concept and transferred it to rockabilly. No, I don't care much for Twain's music, but she did go against the grain, did get people to notice her; she's photogenic, animated and will probably be seen on your local movie screen within a year or two g The only thing which seems suspect to me is how much some of her songs remind me of past rock-n-roll, pop standard hits. (Now, as far as The Backstreet Boys, geez...I think they're cute, rosy-cheeked little dumplings. If I were trying to attract a young, pop audience I'd say I rawked to them too. However, in a thirty-three/four yr. old woman (as Shania is), it just reeks of PR. However, that video "Everybody(Backstreet's Back)" was pretty inventive and considering the drive-by rapping videos so prevalent in '98, I think it's just fine. -Original Message- From: Mike Woods [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: passenger side [EMAIL PROTECTED] Date: Thursday, January 28, 1999 11:53 PM Subject: She don't impress me much Just watched Shania Twain on Letterman. Whatever it was, even though there was a steel guitar onstage, it sure wasn't country. Lots of great prancing and grimacing from her band. Nice nipples, too. Presumably she was on there to plug her big upcoming network show. Dave asked her about it, and she couldn't giggle remember the exact date. She did mention that every night before her show, all alone on her bus, she turns on the Backstreet Boys and gets down. All I know about the Backstreet Boys is what my daughters tell me. The 17-year old thinks they suck. The 10-year old, who also digs the Spice Girls, think they rawk. I think I know what I need to know. -- Mike Woods -- Honky Tonk Curmudgeons
Re: soul
You guys are all the samesheesh! gActually, there probably wouldn't have been a Motown without Stax or Chess. But, Ms. Nixon wants to know if any of us like Motown. Heck yes! From The Temptations to The Supremes...very likeable music which got many of the record-buying public to delve deeper into roots music: rb, blues...etc. I "discovered" Bessie Smith after hearing her named as an influence. Also checked out B.B. King and Muddy Waters and today also list Buddy Guy as an influence on my musical tastes. Also listen to John Hall. I love the blues and its various incarnations. The music I like most incorporates country, blues and rockabilly. If you want to hear some really good stuff, I suggest you get a hold of Ray Charles: The Country and Western Recordings. Released last fall, it is a wonderful collection of pure country soul. I can't say enough about it...except it gets constant play in my house. Tera -Original Message- From: William W Western [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: passenger side [EMAIL PROTECTED] Date: Thursday, January 28, 1999 11:18 PM Subject: Re: soul Waiting For A Train. I could use a copy of this one if it is available on CD. Course, a CD would probably not include the large as life full frontal nudity as found in the LP jacket. William W Western
Re: 2 queries
Part of learning about country music is learning where songs come from, and my sense is that that's true with various kinds of roots music - blues, Cajun and so forth, but I guess it's not so big a thing across the board. Jon Weisberger Kenton County, KY [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://home.fuse.net/jonweisberger/ Exactly, except I think we can go further and say that many critics today are just plain lazy and do not research the source and/or their workload is so considerable that they do not have the time. I would rather read no songwriting credit at all than to be given an erroneous one. When I read a review or liner notes for that matter, I want to believe that the credits listed are, in fact truthful. Further, I believe that an artists success depends just as much upon the song/songwriter as it does upon the artists interpretation as well as all of those engineers, musicians and various production people lurking in the background. Why shouldn't they be given accurate mention? What frequently bothers me is when a catalog is purchased by a recording company, transferred from ep to cd and distributed without so much as a nod to the songwriter. For instance, over the past few years I have been trying to replace my worn-out but beloved albums with cd's. In some instances, replacing the original song-for-song album is impossible; however in the case of "The Greatest Hits of..." or "The Best Of..." I frequently notice a lack of songwriting credits. For the younger generation who has never heard of a particular artist before but possibly has been curious enough to explore someone they've read about who has been an influence on a current "stars" career (or whatever else may stimulate their interest), I believe negating the songwriting credits or providing "false" credit is a disservice to the heritage of any musical form. Music is more than just the artist or his/her image. I f we wish to preserve our rich musical heritage, then I say we should accurately provide credit where credit is definitely due. Tera
Dixie Chicks and other voices
I would be interested in knowing how much a voice, quality, tone and so forth influences you in your likeability quotient of any cd. For example - Although I acknowledge the musicianship on the Dixie Chicks debut cd, I totally dislike Natalie Maines' voice. For me, her voice is grating; similar to a mid-pitched meat grinder. Sara Evans - Absolutely piercing alto quality. Never modulates and sings from the back of her throat. I get a total kick out of any reviewer who has labeled her the next coming of Patsy Cline. Not a bad voice, but I wish she'd tone it down considerably. Trisha Yearwood - a dramatic soprano who shoves the Wagnerian principle down our throats. A wonderful voice hampered by an inability to sing from her head. Influence? Linda Ronstadt - another great voice, full of quivering vibratto, but devoid of sincerity and emotion. A voice means a lot to me in liking/disliking a recording. I would be interested in any of your thoughts regarding vocal performance. Who do you like or dislike and why? Tera