Re: The F Word
I would like Freakwater okay (not a lot; to me, their stuff seems watered down rather than enhanced by its rock influences, unlike some alt-country) if it weren't for Catherine Irwin's indescribably lousy voice. The only time I saw them live--at a Mercury Lounge show that Barry Mazor and I dragged ourselves to in the interests of giving Freakwater a fair hearing--they had Max Johnston with them, and I could listen to him play all day. Janet Beveridge Bean is also a pleasure to listen to. But Catherine Irwin sounded, just as she always does, like a dying cat whose voice was being played through a foghorn. Yecch. --Amy
RE: The F Word
Amy says: I would like Freakwater okay (not a lot; to me, their stuff seems watered down rather than enhanced by its rock influences, unlike some alt-country) if it weren't for Catherine Irwin's indescribably lousy voice. and I'm inclined to agree; I spent some time once listening to Eleventh Dream Day recordings, and it was clear to me that Janet Beveridge Bean can and does sing in tune, which by process of elimination leaves Irwin's singing as the biggest part of the problem, by itself and/or as a baleful influence on Bean. Either way, their covers tend to be so inept as to be, to me, positively offensive; I can't think of a crummy, drunk, play-for-free bluegrass band that couldn't do a better job on "Put My Little Shoes Away." Jon Weisberger Kenton County, KY [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://home.fuse.net/jonweisberger/
RE: The F Word
Oh, what the hell; here we go again... I don't even get how people can NOT notice Ms. irwin's "slight" note-finding problem live--on disc it's a different story, seems to me..and I say this as someone who's always liked their "Old Paint" CD and still do--only now I'm aware of the 4800 takes it must surely have demanded till they arrived at ones with the notes pretty much hit! As I added on-list after that show Mrs. Haugesag just mentioned...some of my best-loved acts are not especially known for PRECISION and natural or trained VOCAL CLARITY , so I'm far from a stickler in this regard (The Sticklers are, of course, a highly practiced bluegrass family band from, uh, Northern Kentucky g)! What's more off-putting about Freakwater live (and this is not as noticeable on disc either, so maybe it's stagefright or something that overtakes the act) is that the singing was emotionally imprecise and unknowing Same said Ms. irwin holds notes and breaths when the meanings says clip...roars exactly when she orta shut tight, breaksoff and searches for some version of a "harmony" at moments more randomized than demanded by the lyric, etc etc etc c...so I have to figure she doesn't quite know what she's singing ABOUT. That's my definition of Bad Singing--bad performing of any sort really--and doing those same things right, maybe even especially if done unexpectedly right in many inventive ways, is a big part of why I can call a Bob Dylan, for instance, a great singer, or Steve Earle a damned good one-- with no irony intended AT ALL. For the record, I do think Jon W's always been RIGHT in pointing out around here that doing all of the technical thinks precisely does NOT automatically mean you've gone deadly, romantically challenged or mechanical either. Clarity and precision can be perfectly useful tools--but the highest point of their use too is still to deliver something soulful. Some artists arrive at that highpoint by slightly different means, from slightly different traditions. Rock and roll, bothering from strains in RB, and being, as Dave Alvin always says, a loud folk music itself, tends to be forgiving about precision. But that's no cover for the truly singing-challenged. Barry M.
RE: The F Word
Barry: I don't even get how people can NOT notice Ms. irwin's "slight" note-finding problem live--on disc it's a different story, seems to me..and I say this as someone who's always liked their "Old Paint" CD and still do--only now I'm aware of the 4800 takes it must surely have demanded till they arrived at ones with the notes pretty much hit! aha! I can't believe no one has ever realized it before, but now I know what the problem is...when Barry and Amy caught Freakwater that night, Ms. Irvin must have just been having a bad night! because I've seen em a number of times, and they've always sounded terrific, and their CDs are great, even Barry likes em that way. So it's not that we all disagree, but that fated night in New York for you two musta been a night when for some reason, like throat polyps (benign) or smog or maybe some bad oysters on the half shell from her dinner at an out of the way Jersey cafe caused a bad, off-key night. you guys should catch them again, and you'll see what I mean. meshel n'vegas Amy: The only time I saw them live--at a Mercury Lounge show that Barry Mazor and I dragged ourselves to in the interests of giving Freakwater a fair hearing
RE: The F Word
Juzz one thing, meshel: We get these reports of the same "temporary" problem from shows all over the place, and for some timeIs this maybe--now let's not start any rumors unless we want to-- one of those, uh, recurring physical/mental problems not entirely unknown in the music industry, maybe--or maybe have you (and Chris too I guess!) just been lucky in the nights you've caught 'em? -Barry aha! ..t now I know what the problem is...when Barry and Amy caught Freakwater that night, Ms. Irvin must have just been having a bad night! because I've seen em a number of times, and they've always sounded terrific, and their CDs are great, even Barry likes em that way. meshel
The F Word
Hey there, I dont care what you all think. I LIKE FREAKWATER. Saw 'em last night and they were darn good. New steel player named Eric something or other. Old songs sound better. New songs sound good. New CD in the summer. Bought a T shirt. So there. I like 'em. Hah. (folding arms across chest) Later... CK NP The Beta Band ___ 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: The F Word
CK said: I LIKE FREAKWATER. Saw 'em last night and they were darn good I DO, TOO. Marie and I saw them two weeks ago with The Sadies. They said that they hadn't played together in awhile and at times they did sound a little off, but we liked 'em. We had to leave in the middle of their set because it was way late. I'd go see them again. Ronni
Car Tunes/plus f-word comments/preachy
Here is the Car Tunes Show from yesterday Mentioned several times for everyone to please pray for George Jones. Please read my comments at the end out the word fuck March 8, 1999 Car Tunes 4-6 Pm Mondays on WEVL FM 90 in Memphis, TN George Jones - Why Baby Why Hadacol - Big Tornado Riverbluff Clan - Opal's Prayer / Until I'm Gone Robert Earl Keen - I'm Going to Town Elena Skye - I'll Try Not To Cry Tonight The Ghost Rockets - Under The Table Janis Martin - My Boy Elvis Groove Grass 101 - Howdy Martin's Folly - She Comes Around Ex Husbands - I Was Born To Wander Terry Allen - Southern Comfort Clarence Gatemouth Brown - Tulsa Time Jessica Andrews - Hungry Love Brooks Williams - My Love Will Follow You Asylum Street Spankers - Cake Walk (another album I wish they put a notice on about the f-word for us that are trying to cover our ass) Jimmy Murphy - You Touched Me and Made Me Live Again George Jones - I Can Live Forever Wilco - I'm Always In Love Gravel Train - Fine Upstanding Man Claudia Church - Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow Mark David Manders - Friend Like You Iguanas - You Killed My Buzz Hogwaller Ramblers - You're a Mess Cheryl Wheeler - Potato Steve Earle and Del Mc - Leroy's Dust Bowl Blues Lone Justice - Cotton Belt Lucinda Williams - Still I Long For Your Kiss Lucinda Williams - Joy Paul Burch - Long Tall Glass Of Water George Jones - May The Circle Be Unbroken Ok, so I have had a lot of crap going on and will spare you the miserable details, but the last darn thing I want to worry about is playing a word on a radio show that I volunteer for that will get me in hot water, or the station. I want to once again comment on the use of the word fuck in recorded music. I personally don't care if the artist wants to do this. Sometimes it is the only way to get the point across. Example: I am fucken tired of bands sending radio with the word fuck slipped in without any mention of it! (Get it she says as she grins really big). Most of the records I get at home are not edited for radio because I also do reviews etc. So I have to really make sure before I broadcast anything on Car Tunes. However, WEVL gives me numerous CDs every week to screen for them, to see if it is something we might want to include on some of the WEVL shows. It sure would be nice if these records we get at the station had a mention that they use one of the 7 words we are not allowed to broadcast, so we would not have to waste precious time week after week listening over and over to make sure that we don't let something slip thru the cracks. If there was a sticker saying that word was there, I could simply skip that song. I was really grooving the Street Spankers CD when WEVL gave it to me to approve. then out of the blue, there it is. No lyrics printed for me to double check against. This really sucked. I have not had a chance to listen again, but I think even the Terry Allen has "shit" I can't play. PLEASE get the word out to bands you know or work with to help us out at radio. After all, we are helping you by playing your music (when it's good, or does not have one of those "dirty evil" words...) Come on!!! Remember we have to do what the FCC says, we are not in a country that is radio-hip-free. Man, I am in the Bible Belt.. Help me out Hat's off to the Hogwaller Ramblers for the sticker they had on the front of the CD I recieved. If they got that idea from here, thanks for listening. Let's don't drag this thru the wringer again here, but PLEASE forward this to anyone you know that sends CDs to radio stations. Thanks Nancy
Tangent of == Re: Car Tunes/plus f-word comments/preachy
Nancy wrote: Remember we have to do what the FCC says, we are not in a country that is radio-hip- free. Man, I am in the Bible Belt.. Help me out Just curious, and not trying to bait anyone, but if this had been a show that was *only* available over the Internet, then I believe it would not be under ANY scrutiny, correct? My understanding is that there is no governing body which oversees (limits/controls) what is "broadcast" over the Internet. Good/bad taste, genre preferences aside, webcasting makes is possible to send whatever you want over the Internet and there are no regulatory licensing requirements with the FCC (BMI and ASCAP have Internet license requirements). Along with the lack of FCC regs, the costs for webcasting are much lower (barriers to entry are minimized). All facts/experiences appreciated. I'm finishing up my thesis on this very topic, which even on good days is like a moving target. Thanks in advance for your help, Kate.
