tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4689213735686700722024-03-05T16:06:24.675-06:00Owner's ClosetMusic+Photography+Travel+Opinions+MusicUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger101125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-468921373568670072.post-77921907410071829662017-12-03T13:49:00.000-06:002017-12-03T13:50:39.096-06:00THIS IS AMERICAN MUSIC: 10 YEARS LATER<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It
has recently been brought to our attention that the THIS IS AMERICAN
MUSIC tour took place 10 years ago last week. Incredible, isn't it? In
honor of the decade that's past I've gathered together a handful of the
photos I took during that tour. Enjoy!<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSO2-pOtDn9cukc2wXIp3NYhPw7j5CkCbt-5HRC_tws8GvbzVHxoFszMzkKVY6ghO1NBk8MC8UP4NymCNULT-h91tCywL1rog_lwGzZqbB1lN0FZM_npdDWWEPLfh3KUnawqkQDM-d6_g/s1600/IMG_2183.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="899" data-original-width="1600" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSO2-pOtDn9cukc2wXIp3NYhPw7j5CkCbt-5HRC_tws8GvbzVHxoFszMzkKVY6ghO1NBk8MC8UP4NymCNULT-h91tCywL1rog_lwGzZqbB1lN0FZM_npdDWWEPLfh3KUnawqkQDM-d6_g/s320/IMG_2183.JPG" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3VeN5ctjB2IyLfjlMcRIwYaT61t7QuWL18Q7YYv6X5_tIfbD-HmYxcp8xW5f4QcSuoYA292zHBNCYQx9FNN8Y0uPG_TCfWo79QSXfnG5NfW7TLoiZCYQk19JAQZmpZhfAc5wxDtWCsts/s1600/IMG_2197.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="899" data-original-width="1600" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3VeN5ctjB2IyLfjlMcRIwYaT61t7QuWL18Q7YYv6X5_tIfbD-HmYxcp8xW5f4QcSuoYA292zHBNCYQx9FNN8Y0uPG_TCfWo79QSXfnG5NfW7TLoiZCYQk19JAQZmpZhfAc5wxDtWCsts/s320/IMG_2197.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-468921373568670072.post-80128255321461509712016-02-08T11:32:00.000-06:002016-02-17T11:33:39.735-06:00The Big Dance<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
March Madness is just around the corner! Though I derive no joy losing money betting on college basketball teams I know nothing about, I do find it fun to fill out the brackets. So I had the idea to apply the same ridiculous, seemingly random, unpredictable and exciting tournament format to determine the greatest Beatles song!</div>
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I used several types of data to determine which songs made it into the top 64:</div>
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<ul>
<li>Was the song a #1? (two points)</li>
<li>Did the song chart at all? (one point)</li>
<li>Was the song released as the A-side or B-side of a single? (A-side=two points, B-side=one point)</li>
<li>Was it one of the top songs streamed on Spotify? (one point)</li>
<li>How many times has the song been covered by other artists? (one point per cover)</li>
<li>Do I think it's one of their best? (one point)</li>
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The cover versions really determined who made it to the dance, and that gave songs like "Come Together" and "Yesterday" top ranking. I had to figure some way to determine their "quality" and what better way than by people doing covers? After all, imitation is the highest form of flattery. I mean, look at how many covers the Beatles performed and recorded!</div>
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This is all for fun. The idea is that a bunch of you will submit your completed brackets (or lists of each round's winners) and I'll figure who won each "game" based on which song more people chose to win. Simple. I think I need at least 25 submissions to get this thing off right and next year I can use these results to determine rankings. Or next year we can have a "coach's poll" where the only songs used in the tournament are the top 64-68 votes each of you make. More on that later. Also, if one of you wants to suggest a way to bet on this, email me. I made the cutoff date early as it is because I'll be in Austin for SXSW and sorta spread thin...so I'd like to be able to cull all the data BEFORE I go to Texas. My plan is to announce the winners of each game as the tournament progresses, round by round, via the twitter account connected to this blog.</div>
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Interested? Right-click on the image, save the bracket to your computer and project which of these 64 songs is the best Beatles song EVER! Return completed brackets to<b> hehpodcast@gmail.com</b> by <b>March 10, 2016</b> and help choose which Beatles song is this year's champion!</div>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-468921373568670072.post-11815404202345667922015-01-15T14:14:00.002-06:002015-01-15T14:16:39.512-06:00Get Back, Part 2On this day in January 1969, George Harrison rejoined the Beatles with
the agreement that they would leave Twickenham Studios and continue rehearsing at Apple Studio on Saville Row. He agreed to let the cameras continue to film the proceedings. His other demand was that any plans for a live concert would be dropped. It is known that by 1966 George hating touring and it seems that the bad taste it left in his mouth was still very much lingering. <br />
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While listening to and reading about the Get Back sessions, it is more and more clear how much of a catastrophe it was. I've always known it was an uneasy period for the band but the same uneasiness hung like a black cloud over the band for most of 1968 as well. If one looked at the paper upon which Paul was sketching this idea for Get Back, it might seem like a good idea. Sitting around rehearsing and recording music just like the four-piece band they were in the early years. I would love it if "going to work" entailed hanging out with my best friends while learning new songs and playing covers. I think most musicians would feel the same way, which helps one understand just how shitty it must have been for them. <br />
Looking at the lists of songs they played during rehearsals of the first seven days, dozens of covers were touched on amidst multiple run throughs of songs that would appear on Let It Be and Abbey Road, as well as unreleased tidbits and tunes that would appear on later solo albums. The fact of the matter is that many of the covers and unfinished originals were just partial run-throughs, while most of the songs finding repeated run-throughs would be released on the last two Beatles albums. One of the greatest benefits of these rehearsals having been recorded is that we can hear a band learn and arrange new material. What can also be heard on these tapes is disinterest, laziness, and disharmony. It is widely accepted that the Get Back idea was an attempt by Paul to keep the rapidly disintegrating band together. Despite the arguing and aggravation, I guess he didn't want the ultimate rock and roll ride to end.<br />
I think one telling aspect of everyone's disinterest is that aside from the rooftop performance, they were sitting down the entire time. To me, that screams "lazy" and "disinterested." If you look back at photos from years of Abbey Road sessions, they're standing up in almost all of them. Aside from playing drums and keyboards, they were consistently captured rehearsing, singing, talking, and playing their instruments standing up. It's tough to describe to a non-musician the difference between sitting and standing at rehearsals or performances, but there is most definitely a difference. I actually think it is the most consistent and glaring characteristic of their lackluster attitudes during these sessions.<br />
I am not sure how I'm going to proceed with my writings about the Get Back/Let It Be sessions. In my first week of research, I have found so much to talk about but I have also found that it has all been talked about already. I have various sources for my research and it is from these that I piece together my own perspective on the sessions. In an attempt to not plagiarize my references, I think I'll have to dive in head first, consume as much data as I can and let it swirl around in my head for awhile. What I'm trying to say is that my goal of writing a bunch about the Get Back sessions in January will have to now include an open ended deadline. Or no deadline at all. Perhaps it's something I ponder every January for the rest of my life. I'd like to listen to the entire progression of certain songs and discuss their evolution from a seed/idea to a finished recorded product. I'd also like to dissect a lot of between song banter to identify how outspoken they were about not wanting to be there.<br />
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I just got Sulpy/Schweighardt in the mail so I'm gonna go and start reading their chronicle of the Let It Be disaster. Some of my other sources are/will be:<br />
Mark Lewisohn <u>Beatles Recording Sessions</u> and <u>Beatles Chronicles</u><br />
beatlesbible.com (www)<br />
The Beatles Archive (www) <br />
Beatlesource.com (www)<br />
and of course, the music! <br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-468921373568670072.post-91108148899316739792015-01-09T14:16:00.001-06:002015-01-09T14:19:50.462-06:00Get Back, Part 1January is always one of the bleakest months of the year. The bare trees and lowered temperatures force us inside for warmth, providing opportunity to hole up and consider our lives as we fight through post-holiday depression. I imagine a similarly desolate vibe existed at Twickenham Studios in January 1969 when The Beatles set up to rehearse songs for their next record while simultaneously being filmed for a corresponding TV or film special. The first couple of weeks were spent going over new material but soon enough the tension and bullshit was too thick and George Harrison walked out, famously saying "See you 'round the clubs." This story is well documented and I wasn't there so I'll spare you a retelling. What I want to do is talk about the rehearsals, performances and recording sessions while considering what the band might have been going though. I also want to sift through many of the recordings made of The Beatles during January 1969 in an attempt to suss out some high and low points that occurred between the pre-Saville Row Nagra tapes and Phil Spector's much maligned production entitled <i>Let It Be</i>. I am no expert on the subject but I love the subject which is more than can be said about how the Beatles felt about the project. Anyway, we'll see if I come up with any epiphanies or gain any real insight at all. <br />
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"That was 'Can You Dig It?' by Georgie Wood and now we'd like to do 'Hark, The Angels Come!'"Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-468921373568670072.post-17659058085536186412014-04-17T11:13:00.000-05:002014-04-18T00:14:41.391-05:00A History with Turntables(This happened Tuesday. Please support your local independent record store on Record Store Day.)<br />
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I'm sad to say that my interest in owning vinyl records hit an all time low today. For a moment I considered just selling all my records and moving on. Why have all those bulky, antiquated, fragile discs around when I can fit all of my music into one or two small devices? Hell, I can even hook my phone or laptop computer up to a wireless internet signal and listen to music that is stored on someone else's computer. It just seems like tethering myself to my home stereo that resides in the poorly lit living room of my house in order to enjoy a clumsy, inconvenient music library is limiting as hell. If technology is doing its job, it's facilitating convenience. Vinyl records and turntables as data storage and transducer are the horse and buggy of the entertainment industry. United Record Pressing should consider replacing their entire staff with Amish folk. Move the operation into a barn. I'm sure it would appeal to their back-to-basics beliefs.<br />
My first consistent experience with a record player was in the early 1980s in the playroom in our second house in Spartanburg. I remember having to sit up on a stool to play with the trainset my dad built us. It was on a green painted sheet of 4x8 plywood and sat on saw horses. I assume it was up that high to prevent my three year old sister from reaching the fragile traincars and models that all created a lovely trainscape. Anyway, I had a Fisher Price record player and I'd listen mainly to Disney LPs, but I also had my <b>KISS </b><i>Alive II</i> 2xLP, <b>Joan Jett</b>'s "I Love Rock N Roll" 45 and the <b>AC/DC</b> "Back in Black" 45. The AC/DC was given to me by an older neighborhood kid named Tony Smart and the KISS album was purchased for me by my grandmother at a rackjobber in Sears during a trip to the mall in 1979. The neighborhood kids and I used to listen to that album and jump around with tennis rackets as guitars. All true. Grandmom bought it no questions asked. I listened to those records over and over. The rub-on tattoos are gone, in case you were wondering.<br />
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In the interim between the Fisher Price and piecing together my own stereo system, I relied on the radio and cassettes via jambox. What a peaceful time that was, relying on tapes full of <b>Zeppelin</b>, <b>Beatles</b>, <b>Fat Boys</b>, <b>RUN DMC</b>, <b>Police</b>, <b>Billy Joel</b>, and <b>Van Halen</b>. It wasn't until I was 20 that I needed to get my own turntable. I was already buying a lot of records but I had been using my dad's Technics. When I decided to move to Tennessee with only my guitars and my records, I started compiling my own hi-fi and ever since then I have been plagued with malfunctioning turntables. Sometime before the move in the summer of 1995, I went down to Joe Little Hi-fi in the Elizabeth neighborhood of my hometown and bought my first vintage turntable. It was a BIC 960 from the mid-1970s and it could stack up to 5 records and play them all in a row with one simple setting. How cool!! How convenient!! I bought a pristine yet cheap copy of Dark Side of the Moon at Ernie's and listened to it on headphones. I remember thinking to myself how good that album sounded! By the way, I can't seem to find my copy of <b>Dark Side of the Moon</b> so if anyone borrowed it could I get that back thanks.<br />
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A little ways down the road, after I moved to Austin five years later, the signal in the left channel started dropping out occasionally. Then it dropped out completely. The BIC was broken. Thankfully around that time, a friend of my parents wanted to get rid of his record collection and turntable. Knowing that by this point I had developed quite a vinyl habit, he offered me his collection and his sweet Onkyo CP 1055 turntable for free!!! How could I not accept? So aside from getting a bunch of LPs that were in immaculate condition, as well as a bunch of his wife's 45s from high school that seemed to have been soaking in a flooded basement for two decades, I got a new turntable to replace the BIC. The Onkyo looked cool and was perhaps an upper-mid level unit for it's time, which was probably twenty years prior. Anyways, about halfway through my tenure living upstairs in the San Antonio St. house, the damn thing fell apart. The spring in one of the two dust cover hinges broke through its plastic casing and kept it from staying open. Also, the left channel started dropping out on this one too. ARGH!<br />
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So at this point I'm thinking my trusty Sansui receiver has a bad input or output. I mean, the same thing happens to both of turntables? So I get my father's Harmon Kardon receiver and hook it up to find the same symptom. I hook the BIC back up to check it out and more thoroughly troubleshoot the gear. No left channel on either turntable. It's at this point that I'm considering that my thinking is too uptight and that I need to change gears. I had just purchased my first laptop and I would love to be able to digitize some of my vinyl that hasn't made it onto CD like the <b>assfactor4</b> records or the first five <b>ZZ Top</b> albums. So I start looking at these new USB turntables and I'm thinking, "The price is great and they're new and I can digitize and listen to the <b>Hoover/Lincoln split 7"</b> on my new ipod. Hell yeah!" I bought one of those, at Waterloo Records I think, and it has been my main turntable ever since.<br />
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In the five years after I bought the Ion USB turntable, I took the BIC and the Onkyo in to get fixed at a local stereo repair shop. The guy managed to get the Onkyo back on track except for the lid hinge problem. I was unsatisfied with how I had to prop open the lid with a pencil every time I had to flip sides or change discs so I sold it to a friend of mine for $50. The BIC was another story. The first time I got that back from the shop, he said he fixed it and it worked week for a week or three. Then the channel started cutting out again right around the time Birds of Avalon were staying at my house during SXSW. We were having a late night hang and we wanted to listen to records but the fucking thing hadn't been fixed!! So I embarrassingly pulled out the Ion and apologized for my shoddy electronics. Soon thereafter I took the BIC back to the same guy, telling him it was still not working properly and that I wanted him to fix it. When I picked it back up, he assured me that it worked and when after about a week it crapped out again, my heart sank. That repair man sucks and I have a crappy turntable.<br />
Right around the same time, my Sansui officially started dying which left me in a horrible place. To rectify at least the amplifier situation, my wife and I bought a new Harmon Kardon receiver at Fry's and we love it! About a year after that, I blew my speakers watching the latest Die Hard film so I had to get new speakers. Thankfully the vintage speakers I got for $100 sound great and fit well into our living room.<br />
As a surprise gift for Christmas this year, my wife bought me a vintage turntable from End of an Ear record store. They knocked a hole in the wall and expanded into the southeast section of that building where they have a hi-fi and drum set showroom. The Technics table she got me looked great and I was so excited. So excited. I had recently bought about 20 45s from a vintage store on the drag so the first thing I did on Christmas Eve was throw one of them on (we both had to work on Christmas so we opened presents on the 24th). The strobing was off so I spent about 15 minutes trying to adjust it to no avail. Hmm. We threw on an 33 1/3rpm LP to see if that pitch was set and it was. But when the needle got to the dead wax, the arm didn't automatically reject like my wife had been told it would. Oh shit. This thing won't auto return AND it won't play 45s...utter disappointment. I thought this was the one. We took it back and I was without again. Easy come easy go. I've been back in End of an Ear showroom to check out turntables but each time I'm there no one greets me, asks if I need any help or tells me to let them know if I have any questions. This isn't a situation in which I need no guidance like if I were buying a $30 180 gram reissue of Thin Lizzy <i>Jailbreak</i>. This is a $300 plus purchase of a "refurbished" piece of audio gear that I plan on using a lot for as long as I can. At least act like you want my hard earned money even if you don't. Amuse me and tell me which ones you think best suit my needs. I dare you.<br />
Anyway, the last time I went in there is when I decided that was the last time I am considering buying a turntable there. Vinyl only from now on. And when I was driving to work today I remember that I saw online that a store had recently opened where they sell new and used turntables. So I googled it and found The Sound Gallery which is located very near my house in South Austin. Not 78704 where all the yuppies are but south of Ben White. I went by there and lo and behold! Turntables and receivers everywhere and very friendly employees ready to help me with what I'm looking for. They also had a lot of records for sale, an espresso bar, and an antique phone collection that would make Jeff Johnston shit himself.<br />
After determining my price range the friendly fellow helped me narrow the choices down to two different units, a Kenwood and a Pioneer. <br />
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The Kenwood was our first choice because of its sturdy construction, stream-lined features and unique faux-marble base but when we test drove it the arm would not </div>
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auto-return at the end of the side. Dust cover and auto reject are minimum requirements so that was strike one. Next we hooked up the Pioneer and once theemployee recalibrated the tone arm, the needle hit the wax and skated right across the record. The needle was totally shot so they grabbed the headshell from a sharp looking Pioneer nearby and it sounded great. Though it played fine, the auto return mechanism inside the base was loud as hell through the stereo and out in the room. This Pioneer had the craziest shockmounting I'd ever seen so for there to be loud mechanics seemed to be a shot in its own foot. That other Pioneer nearby which was just over the top of our price range but given the shit results of the other two, we thought we'd at least try it. The salesman said he had been using it and it was good but when we went to play it the left channel was out. SERIOUSLY? Is that my luck with turntables? The left channel isn't going to work? I try three of them in a row and they're all jacked up in one way or another? Can't I get a fucking clean, refurbished, sturdy, quiet, grounded, well-built vintage turntable for under $500? Can I? It's not seeming like I can.<br />
It was at this point that I questioned the whole thing. Why do I need records? Isn't this just a hassle? Was buying all this vinyl purely an investment for this very moment when I decide to sell it all and not have to lug it all back to NC. But what I realized immediately is that I am in love with vinyl, I am in love with turntables and I am in love with music. I love putting on records and I love looking at the big artwork while I'm listening. I don't mind getting up and flipping sides and I love searching through record stores for that "find." My vinyl collection is my music library and is my reference to all of the music that has shaped me or will shape me in the future. I can tell you a story about almost every one of my records and I love looking at them on the shelves from across the room and trying to pick out which ones they are based on the color of their spines. I cannot give it up and I hope they will be a part of my life for a long time. I have spent so much time and energy collecting these blasted things that I must get a turntable deserving of my collection. My collection deserves a really nice player. So I told the guys at The Sound Gallery to fix the third one and to call me when it's ready. I can't wait.<br />
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I highly recommend going to The Sound Gallery if you're in the market for some vintage hi-fi gear. They're very nice people and the selection is fantastic.<br />
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<u>APPENDIX</u><br />
<u><br /></u>
Thursday morning I checked the voicemail from Robert at Sound Gallery who had called the day before while I was working. I was happy to hear that they not only fixed the wiring on the nicer Pioneer but they had also fixed the Kenwood. Turns out the Kenwood had the wrong cartridge on it and when it hit dead wax it wasn't triggering the auto return mechanism. When I called him back to let him know that I'd be over in the afternoon, I could hear in his voice that he thought the Kenwood was the way to go. I stopped by the house and picked up a couple of records and when i got there he had both turntables hooked up so I could try them both out if I so desired. By that point though I had pretty much decided on the Kenwood due to its unique corian base and streamlined functionality. Polvo's latest album <i>Siberia</i> sounded great and Real Estate's new album <i>Atlas</i> sounded even better. Sold.<br />
I am now the happiest kid on the block. <b>The Sound Gallery rules</b>.They have restored my faith in vinyl and turntables. The first records taken out for a spin were:<br />
<br />
Pile <i>Dripping</i> LP<br />
Ovlov <i>Am</i> LP<br />
Bad Brains<i> The Youth are Getting Restless</i> LP [<i>Jennie gets home during "Day Tripper/She's A Rainbow"]</i><br />
Earth Wind And Fire <i>Best of Earth Wind and Fire Vol. 1</i> LP<br />
-------7" PARTY------<br />
Culture Club "Do You Really Want To Hurt Me?"<br />
Paul McCartney & Michael Jackson "Say Say Say"<br />
Chaka Khan "I Feel For You"<br />
Nuisance "The Rut"<br />
Simply Red "Holdin' Back The Years"<br />
Superchunk "Ribbon" b/w "Who Needs Light?"<br />
Wang Chung "Dance Hall Days"<br />
Pablo Cruise "Love Will Find A Way"<br />
Hoover "Two Down"<br />
Jawbreaker "Busy"<br />
Soul Asylum "Tied To The Tracks" b/w "Long Way Home"<br />
Bananarama "Cruel Summer"<br />
Joe Jackson "Stepping Out"<br />
-------LP Finish------<br />
Pretty Things <i>Parachute</i><br />
<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-468921373568670072.post-62230995779596075602014-04-14T14:17:00.000-05:002014-04-14T14:17:20.950-05:00Let Me Be Clear<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Now, let me be clear. Playing music with my good friends is more fun than anything I've ever done. It is when everything leaves my mind except what is happening that moment. Anyone who has played in bands would probably agree that playing high energy rock music with your friends can often be a cathartic, disencumbering experience. I believe this so much so that I have emotional withdrawals when I don't play gigs for while. I realize that I may be heading into a performance drought when I move in July, but it will hopefully allow me to concentrate on other things that are important to me while giving me a little distance from something that has been a huge priority in my life for nearly 20 years.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">While I may have had a harder time relaxing than I may have wished at the D.C. Hoot Night, playing those songs with my bands brought me unparalleled happiness and satisfaction. I will miss that a ton. The music I've been making with <b>Excited States</b> has been extremely fulfilling. As evidenced by our healthy contribution to the hoot night, 90s indie rock is right in our wheelhouse and is my second language. It is the more underground dialect of rock music that helped form my musical vocabulary 20+ years ago. The songs and melodies that Beaty Wilson comes up with are spoken in that dialect and I often know exactly how to respond. Andy Thompson fits perfectly into that three-piece equation by providing a rhythmic stability for our dynamic discourse. No matter what the speed of the dialogue, Andy measures it out and keeps the intensity on a level we can hover around. He is the oxygen atom and to him we are electrically bonded hydrogen atoms.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">That we were able to play <b>Shudder To Think</b>'s "X-French T-Shirt" was huge for me. James Adair introduced me to <i>Pony Express Recor</i>d in 1994 and that album, and song speciafically, got under my dome in a big way. On my way to class one rainy winter morning, I remember walking through one of N.C. State's tunnels with the song's outro stuck in my head. It was like that for at least a week. I'm sure songs had been stuck in my head before then, but that was the first time it became a mantra.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">"Static" is off of my favorite Jawbox album <i>Novelty</i>. In high school, I learned all of those songs on guitar (to the best of my ability) and it's rhythmic idiosyncrasies and discordant melodies have stuck with me to this day. The song I wrote for my old band <b>eddy</b> entitled "Under The Influence" was directly influenced by <i>Novelty</i>'s "Linkwork."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We played eight <b>Fugazi</b> songs which was as cathartic as it gets. At the Holden Beach with my friend Will and his family during the summer of 1990, I remember listening to that album over and over again. It was a true revelation. Having been turned on to heavy, dynamic, powerful rock by Led Zeppelin (and soon thereafter Metallica in my case), Fugazi quickly became a band we fully believed in. There were others we adored like Soul Asylum and Operation Ivy, but Repeater really blew everyone to pieces. The funny thing playing those songs for me was that until we started learning songs for the hoot night, I had never thought to learn any of Joe Lally's incredible basslines. Lally is one of my all time favorite bass players and I had never thought to explore his work. This wasn't weird to me until I learned them all and realized for the 231st time how incredible he and the whole band were. They were such an amazing <b>BAND</b>!! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The songs <b>Grand Champeen</b> played from <i>Red Medicine</i> were equally as exciting to learn and cover. Grand Champeen has learned a ton of covers over the years but we had never ventured into Fugazi territory, perhaps because it was so daunting. Perhaps because their albums are such masterworks in songwriting, musicianship and performance that it seemed a bit outside our scope. How wrong we were! As Channing intimated the other night at practice, we should have done that years ago. Of the four songs GC learned, we played two of my favortes from that album, </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">"Target" and "Forensic Scene." I have such strong memories of Red Medicine being in my life in 1995 because I moved to Tennessee by myself three months after the album came out and I know it kept me company and gave me strength when I left friends and family in NC and settled down in the small town Murfreesboro. I rented a room from an ad I saw on a bulletin board near the housing office on MTSU campus and for 8 months I lived with three guys who couldn't have been more dissimilar to each other and myself. When I was home, I stayed in my room a lot and listened to records. For the record, the other album on constant rotation in that rented room was "Tomorrow the Green Grass" by <b>the Jayhawks</b>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> I gotta go. <b>Grand Champeen</b> is playing with <b>A Giant Dog</b> at Hotel Vegas April 30th. I'm moving to NC in July so if you want to see Grand Champeen you had better come out.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-468921373568670072.post-467468956256216132014-04-13T17:41:00.001-05:002014-04-13T17:41:51.638-05:00D.C. Hoot Night a Success<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">That was fun. Last night's D.C. Hoot Night gave us great performances from six groups of bands or pick-up bands. Dave Norwood from The Gary put together a band with a violinist and played three songs that had a great eerie vibe. Randy Reynolds and Seth Gibbs formed Doctor Club and played a few Television-esque covers. Nick Pelliciotto and friends played a couple Lungfish songs and a great cover of the opening track to Trans Am's debut. Three-fourths of Rainbow Dragon played Shudder To Think and Bad Brains! My sets with Excited States and Grand Champeen included the following songs:</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Bed For The Scraping</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Forensic Scene</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Target</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Do You Like Me?</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Motr</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What About Blighty?</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Turnover</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Repeater</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Brendan #1</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Merchandise</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Blueprint</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Styrofoam</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">X-French T-Shirt</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Static</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Make Out Club</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Sweet & Low</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Smallpox Champion</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I have a hard time having "fun" when I play gigs where I work because I'm at work. I find myself being the common thread between everything happening at the bar. The business, employees, concertgoers, and performers require enough little bits of direction and attention to keep me from relaxing. It doesn't put me over in the sense that I'm miserable and wish I weren't there. It's a unique position to be in and one that probably only happens to a bar manager who is in a band that plays at the bar they run.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">An example of this is a night like last night. All six bands were planning on using my band's gear as backline and I ended up being the hub of info. I'm not pissed about it because I'm an organized person with answers so I'm perfect for the job. But it doesn't leave a lot of room for "fun" in the most commonly used sense of the word. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Fun is a particularly strange notion because it is both treated as if it's a tangible commodity and revered like it's an actual feeling. But when people discuss their feelings, "fun" isn't included along with sadness, anger, happiness, fear, and regret. Perhaps my version of fun has changed over the years. Perhaps I care to much about my job. Perhaps the kinda of fun I'm looking for is sitting under an umbrella on a beach with a cold beer surrounded by loved ones, zoning out to the mesmerizing pulse of the waves rolling over on each other. </span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-468921373568670072.post-67491413650067210052014-04-12T18:48:00.003-05:002014-04-12T18:49:16.344-05:00Gonna Get in a Better Habit of Writing<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'd like to start ruminating on my life in Austin as my final days here unfold. It's b</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">een a while since I've written in earnest and</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> I'd like to write as often as I can, especially when particularly relevant or poignant feelings enter my head. If I want to actually get them posted, I'll have to sacrifice editing them for sake of time. I'm not getting paid for it so what does it matter? I'm not trying to get the James Beard award for blogging.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">An easy thing to do would be to start a laundry list of things I'll miss. Perhaps an even easier thing to do would be to list all of the things I won't miss about Austin. The most difficult thing to do will be to write about how I feel about the future because it's so open. I think I'll do all of these things and it may end up being a jumbled mess but so is my mind, heart, and body right now.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It's gonna be difficult to capture my thoughts as they come because I'm usually driving to work, or at work, or at band practice, or trying to sleep. Unlike a lot of my peers, I'm not in front of a computer all day. It's difficult for me to write as much as I want because life doesn't let me sit still for that long. Nor do I have the luxury of working from home and picking up the guitar every time I feel a tinge of creativity. I'd love to have a little more free time with which to be creative. At this point in my life, I accept that I need to create things or else I'm unhappy. Lately, I've found peace in learning how to make Texas style BBQ. I feel like each brisket or rack of ribs that goes on that smoker is a blank canvas upon which I try to paint the best picture I can. It's hardly writing a prose or a new song, but it"s satisfies something in there. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'd really like to cook BBQ for the rest of my life. Now, I realize that is completely possible and not too large of a goal. But if I want to cook BBQ for other people and have it be something that helps brings people in a community together, then it is. I also want to make music for the rest of my life. I hope that once I'm near Scott Nurkin again that we will be able to make music based on all that we've learned since we last played together (1999). So many ways to go, so much gonna happen.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Tonight I have a gig with both Excited States and Grand Champeen. We'll be playing songs by Washington D.C. bands from the 1990s and I think it'll be awesome. I'm gonna miss playing music regularly with the fellas in those bands. I'm gonna miss it more than words can express but I'm gonna attempt to express it anyway, from time to time. More on that later. If you like either of my bands you should come to the show tonight because I'm moving to NC in July and these bands won't be performing but once or twice a year.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-468921373568670072.post-45334215301409237232014-03-01T12:44:00.000-06:002014-03-04T18:04:59.264-06:00UPCOMING GIGS<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hey there! I have a slew of gigs coming up that you should know about. Each of my bands (except Past Prayers) is playing, as well as a repeat performance of the Wipers cover band I put together with Garret Carr and Alan Lauer. See you round the clubs!</span></b><br />
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<b>MARCH 2</b> HOLE IN THE WALL SUNDAY MATINEE:<br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/251278591706510" target="_blank">BREMEN RIOT(4PM) W/ NEW CHINA, UNTD SNKS, JOHN WESLEY COLEMAN</a><br />
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<b>MARCH 5</b> <b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/1411256395789497" target="_blank">ABGB: BREMEN RIOT & GRAND CHAMPEEN, 9PM</a></b><br />
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<b>MARCH 7</b> LEGENDARY WHITE SWAN: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/508105745984148" target="_blank"><b>EXCITED STATES (12AM) W/ DECADE SHOW (10), MAVIS BEACONS (11), MILITANT BABIES (1AM)</b></a><br />
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<b>MARCH 11</b> HOLE IN THE WALL: <b>GRAND CHAMPEEN</b> W/ GLOSSARY, TWO COW GARAGE, PILE, LYDIA LOVELESS, TEDO STONE, THE KERNEL<br />
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<b>MARCH 12</b> LEGENDARY WHITE SWAN: <b>EXCITED STATES</b> (7PM) W/ MILITANT BABIES (6), MIDNIGHT RE-RUNS (5), THE HARD PANS (4), EVEN TWICE (3), THE EVERYMEN (2), THE DECADE SHOW (1PM)<br />
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<b>MARCH 15</b> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/599389166803164" target="_blank">sxSNACKBAR 2014 @ SNACK BAR</a>: <b>EXCITED STATES (2PM)</b> W/ THE FUN PART, SHIVERY SHAKES, SOLANDER, MIRE KAY, SAN SABA COUNTY, DECADE SHOW</div>
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<b>MARCH 15</b> HOLE IN THE WALL: NICK TANGBORN'S SECRET HANDSHAKE PARTY: <b>BREMEN RIOT</b> (11PM) W/ JOHN DOE, JESSE DAYTON, SOUNDS DEL MAR, HEAVENLY STATES, MY JERUSALEM, IAN MOORE, RICH MATTSON, BEAVER NELSON, HILARY YORK, and MANY OTHERS</div>
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<b>MARCH 16 </b>DOG & DUCK: BREMEN RIOT (3:55PM)</div>
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<b>MARCH 16</b> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/659803950738033" target="_blank">UNCLE DOUG'S CHILI DOG FEST FIVE</a>: <b>GRAND CHAMPEEN & BREMEN RIOT</b> W/ 100 OTHER BANDS (TIME AND LOCATION TBA)</div>
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<b>MARCH 21</b> HOLE IN THE WALL: <b>WIPERS COVER BAND</b> & <b>GRAND CHAMPEEN</b> W/ ZEST OF YORE</div>
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<b>MARCH 29</b> CONTINENTAL CLUB: <b>REPLACEMENTS AND BIG STAR TRIBUTE</b>! I'M PLAYING GUITAR IN HOUSE BAND THAT INCLUDES JON DEE GRAHAM, ANDREW DUPLANTIS AND FALCON VALDEZ</div>
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<b>APRIL 12</b> HOLE IN THE WALL <b>HIT LIQUOR-D.C HOOT NIGHT</b>: <b>EXCITED STATES</b> W/ MANY OTHERS</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-468921373568670072.post-37569769576642211032014-01-07T19:23:00.000-06:002014-02-08T11:19:40.188-06:00Today, I think it has officially gotten Out Of Control<br />
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In my mind, I feel like I've kept pretty cool about how this city is growing in an unappealing manner. But today I've decided it's gotten to the point where I can't keep it to myself any longer. I do recognize however, that nobody really wants to listen to the criticizing and complaining. To that I say, "Stop reading this opinionated blog immediately! Go back to safe, mildly informative, ultimately unfulfilling articles on Gawker or Huffington Post!" </div>
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Today it was the two shitty BMW drivers with their asses sticking out of the same turn lane, blocking left lane traffic because getting where they need to go was more important than waiting their turn. Damn shi shi foo foo plates of offal protein and farm raised Narcissus flower amuse bouche and the douche foodies who can't get enough. The rising cost of living and the creative class that's being pushed out. It used to be that at 2pm on a Tuesday afternoon, the only people out and about were service industry people, students, musicians and part-timers trying to find an easy going lifestyle. The "Velvet Rut" that my mom read aloud about in her Southern Living. At this point there are tons of people out and about in the city. Despite the ridiculous number of bars and restaurants in Austin, I know these folks aren't in the service industry. They dress too well. They don't have tattoos. They are usually wearing some trendy exercise clothes in public. They look like the folks who were crawling all over Club DeVille on busy weekend nights when I moved here in 2000. Yeah, I moved here in 2000. Chances are pretty fucking high that you moved here at some point too. Whether that was 2010, 2006, 1995, 1985 or 1977, you still moved here from somewhere else. Stevie Ray Vaughan, Doug Sahm, and Janis Joplin are not from here either. Gotdamn Ray Benson is from Philadelphia, PA and no, he isn't dead.</div>
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The six or seven mixed use condo buildings going up on <a href="http://www.urbanspacerealtors.com/blog/south-lamar-corridor-tidal-wave-of-development.html" target="_blank">S. Lamar between Barton Springs and Ben White</a> have got me thinking. There is no way to get to MOPAC from that section of Lamar, leaving very little pressure release for what I imagine will be tremendous traffic problems. I don't know exactly how many units will be available but I bet everyone who lives there owns a car and will drive themselves everywhere. All of that traffic will be forced to flow up and down Lamar as well as through the surrounding neighborhoods. Plus, there is not a quick way for all these folks to walk from their new urban abodes to things like Rainey St., First Thursday, Batfest, Reggaefest, Central Texas Food Truck Festival, and the Food and Wine Ass Kissery Fest so they'll probably drive. Heaven forbid they use public transportation. </div>
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On the way home from Free Range Never Ever Diner and Richie Rich uptight hometown grocer, I noticed that the face of my South Austin neighborhood had changed overnight. One new coat of paint and set of windows after another. All of the N-S arteries are clogged throughout the day. The way this town is growing, think about how fucked traffic will be in a only a couple more years. Bicyclists, watch your asses.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-468921373568670072.post-64285649556986519562013-12-23T16:42:00.000-06:002013-12-23T16:47:03.312-06:00Past Prayers: A Minor MedleyI made a video for a 16 songs covers medley I performed at the Cactus Cafe June 5, 2013.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="283" mozallowfullscreen="" src="//player.vimeo.com/video/82556866" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="500"></iframe> <a href="http://vimeo.com/82556866">A Minor Medley</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/ownerscloset">Owner's Closet</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-468921373568670072.post-35825803040575113772013-03-24T17:06:00.000-05:002013-04-20T14:55:29.698-05:00Mix TapeCassettes have returned to my life. Supposedly they are popular with the kids these days, an interest that is no doubt a smaller part of the widespread obsession with the style and culture of the 1980s. I'd wager that making mix tapes has at some point been a past-time for anyone born before 1993. Over the winter I became obsessed with making a mixtape. I'm thinking I hadn't made one since the late nineties. He are some words on each of the songs on the tape. Actual song order at the bottom. You decide which is Side A and which is Side One.<br />
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"What's So Strange About Me?"by Eight Dayz: This song was the beginning and ending song on the Santa Cruz skate video called <i>Wheels of Fire</i>. I was friends with Mitch Wilkins in the 7th and 8th grade and his older brother Aaron had a VHS copy of this video. We thought the soundtrack was pretty bitchin' so we put a jambox with a built-in microphone up to the television speaker and recorded the whole movie's audio. Some folks call this "air-to-air taping" which sounds about as plausible as the act itself but it worked well enough. Anyone who took cassette recording beyond a double-tapedeck dub or recording live radio knows about "air-to-air." Anyway, I listened to this <i>Wheels of Fire</i> tape constantly and its songs and dialogue became a permanent part of my memory and then I forgot about the song for 25 years. When my wife bought me <i>Wheels of Fire</i> on DVD (!) I found that the soundtrack artists were not listed in the credits. It took me awhile to find out who sang several of the songs on the soundtrack and it turned out to be Santa Cruz sponsored german skater Claus Grabke's band Eight Dayz. Wow! This mix tape stems from several key things and the discovery of Eight Dayz is one of them. "What's So Strange about Me?" starts out the video so I thought it a perfect side starter.<br />
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"Walk in Cold" by Naked Raygun: I was introduced to Naked Raygun when I received a dubbed copy of the <i>Jettison</i> album in 9th or 10th grade. My current Grand Champeen bandmates went to high school with a kid from Chicago who was into hometown hardcore bands like Naked Raygun and Trenchmouth (for which Fred Armisen played drums). It being the 80's, we relied on each other to find out about bands because there was no internet; word of mouth and small 'zines were our lifelines to new music. I forgot how much I liked this album until it crept back into mind and I bought it on vinyl in the fall of 2012. Frank Black must have listened to <b>a lot</b> of Naked Raygun. There are moments on Jettison that are identical to many moments on Pixies' records.<br />
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"Hypnotized" by Fleetwood Mac: This song has a righteous groove and a great floating, semi-jazz instrumental arrangement. From the mid-period Fleetwood Mac headed up partially by Bob Welch, Hypnotized comes from the <i>Mystery to Me</i> album which not only features great Bob Welch guitar playing but also finds Christine McVie stepping forward as a major force in the band.<br />
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"The Search" by Wipers: This song is by far the most important catalyst for the existence of this mix tape. My current vehicle has a cassette deck that within the first six months of my ownership began rejecting 1/8" cassette adapters. When my mp3 listening capability was extinguished, I dug through my box o' cassettes I had in the closet. These were tapes that I had started collecting in elemantary school (Led Zeppelin <i>Presence</i> purchased Mother's Day weekend 1987) and had purchased as recently as 2001(new $2 copy of Diver Down from Tower Records on the drag to play in the tour van with Champeen). Among these tapes were the Wipers' <i>Land of the Lost</i> and <i>Youth of America</i> which I had bought for $.50 a piece in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. Despite the reverence placed on this band by the likes of Kurt Cobain and John Reis, I had never listened to these tapes I had been sitting on for over 10 years. I put in Land of the Lost and was immediately hooked. Why hadn't I ever checked these guys out? They're a huge missing piece of the guitar rock puzzle that I started putting together as a five year old miming along to the <a href="http://images5.fanpop.com/image/photos/27300000/-Ace-Frehley-ace-frehley-27388077-428-608.jpg" target="_blank">"Shock Me" guitar solo</a> from KISS Alive II.<br />
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"Give It All Away" by Patto: Who the hell are these guys? You'll have to do your own research on that one <a href="http://www.pattofan.com/" target="_blank">here</a>. I first heard about these guys from White Denim's Josh Block in 2010. He was playing drums for Doug Wariner at the Hole in the Wall and I struck up a conservation with him about music. He mentioned that the new material White Denim was writing at the time was in the vein of this band Patto. So I checked it out and was surprised I had never heard of them before. Their guitarist Ollie Halsall just blazes all over their three records, the first two for sure. The track featured on this mix tape is the first song on the second side of their sophomore album, <i>Hold Your Fire, </i>which I think is their most solid offering.<br />
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"Kid" by The Pretenders: Though I've known this song for a long time, it wasn't until I bought the Pretenders' debut LP at the last Austin Record Convention and heard it as a part of an album that it really jumped out at me. If you look underneath Chrissie Hynde's incredible vocal delivery, you'll find a complex rhythm track similar to that of The Beatles' "All My Loving." Walking bass line over a swinging drum beat with a double-time jangly rhythm guitar. Then there is the awesome key change that is brought to us through the jumpy, Am bridge and an awesome Byrds-y guitar solo. Then there's that dynamically softer section before the final verse where the bass owns me every time. Timeless.<br />
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"5150" by Van Halen: Technically it's Van Halen but we all know that's it's really Van Hagar. When this album came out I was in 5th grade and I loved it, of course. Between the time I first heard Van Halen on the radio in the spring of 1984 and the release of 5150 two years later, I had purchased cassettes copies of <i>1984</i> and <i>Diver Down</i> and was rapidly becoming a disciple of hard rock. I remember buying the 5150 cassette at the Record Bar at Southpark Mall in Charlotte. It was the first clear cassette I had ever seen and for a while we all thought this "innovation"was incredible.<br />
Regarding the song, it is the only post-DLR song that I truly love. The opening riff is classic EVH, proving to some of us that Van Halen hadn't lost everything with the arrival of the Red Rocker. His lyrics are mainly nonsense but his performance fits in well with the band. The melody of the chorus is what really makes me happy.<br />
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"No Reply at All" by Genesis: When my cousin Blair bought a Pioneer 6-disc home CD player in the mid-eighties, the whole family lined up to get cassette copies of his cd collection. The Livingstone household had one tape with Police Greatest Hits b/w Eagles Greatest Hits, Volume II and another tape of nothing but Billy Joel. Another Maxell tape had one side filled with selected tracks from Wings Over America while the other side being filled with numerous hits by Phil Collins and his former band Genesis. It is because of these tapes that I will always like some songs by the Eagles, Billy Joel, Phil Collins, and Genesis. "No Reply at All" is a great song with a pretty killer rhythm track that makes me want to dance. The bass line, played by multi-instrumentalist Mike Rutherford, is all over the place while simultaneously holding it down. Phil Collins' drum track is a fine example of his skills; tight snare and hi-hat work and nimble fills between verses and choruses. And drums sound good too! Except for the lame bridge that smacks of the contrived emotionality found at the end of the song "Layla," I love this song forever.<br />
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"Philomena" by Thin Lizzy: I am a late bloomer when it comes to discovering the brilliance and magnitude of awesomeness that is Thin Lizzy. When I heard "Boys Are Back In Town" on the radio as a kid, why did I not go out and buy <i>Jailbreak</i> with the same speed and determination that I had purchased <i>1984</i>, <i>Presence</i> or <i>Ride the Lightning</i>? Who cares? Thin Lizzy's catalog is deep and after buying all of the Robertson/Gorham era albums on vinyl, I committed them to cassette and listened to them in the car for months on end. Why this particular song struck me so hard is another question I have no answer for. Regardless, I rewound and listened to "Philomena" over and over on the way to and from work for about four days straight.<br />
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"Please Don't Worry" by Grand Funk Railroad: Not only did my Dad see these guys in the late 60s, this song is from his copy of the self-titled vinyl LP that he no doubt bought at the PX while stationed in Key West. I first heard this song being played over the PA in Waterloo Records a couple years ago and was blown away by the rhythm/tempo changes and the in-your-face bass playing. All Hail the Power Trio! Don't believe anyone who says you can't go to the record store and find something new(or new to you). Going to the record store has been a vital part of my life ever since I started going to Record Bar in 1983 when it was at the top of the escalator at Southpark. <a href="http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=q0dOAAAAIBAJ&sjid=oRMEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6260%2C4170053" target="_blank">Joe Young</a> of Antiseen worked behind the counter and was the first of many influential record store clerks in my life.<br />
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"Yours Is No Disgrace" by YES: I think my one and only guitar teacher tried to teach me this song when I was 13. Needless to say, Steve Howe's hammer-ons and pull-offs didn't become possible for a few more years but the music had a strong effect on me. Fast-forward 25 years and find me playing a Rickenbacker bass, trying to figure out how Christopher Squire got that killer tone! Everything about this song is great. Jon Anderson's sci-fi lyrics delivered through mindful and nuanced vocals, Tony Kaye's blistering organ playing, Bruford's nimble drumming, Howe's tasteful shredding and Chris Squire's commanding bass lines make this song a prog-rock masterpiece.<br />
Highlights: the way Howe's solo swells into place with a reverbed out guitar and then finishes with a tone-down note-full jazz barrage; Squire bouncing back and forth between the root and fifth is the section where the song hangs on Bflat; The choral vocal where the voices are introduced to the listener for the first time in the song and on <i>The Yes Album.</i><br />
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</i>"Kid Gloves" by Rush: When I first heard Rush, it was upon the recommendation of this kid I was in class with in 7th grade. After finding commonality in Led Zeppelin, he shared with me some tapes he had stolen from his older brother. Two of these tapes were Rush's self-titled first album and their 1984 release <i>Grace Under Pressure</i>, both of which I dubbed and had on each side of one 90-minute blank tape. What is so interesting to me about this is that these two particular albums nearly bookended what many consider Rush's "best" period. What a strange way to be introduced to a band? However, I didn't realize these trivialities at the time and I enjoyed these two albums immensely. Grace Under Pressure has always been one of my favorite Rush albums and "Kid Gloves" is a great reason why. It's uptempo, has interesting time signature changes, various rhythmic patterns, and even the rare harmony vocal. The bass playing throughout is killer and the opening guitar riff in 5/4 is just complicated enough to please the nerds while its release into 4/4 at the pre-chorus satisfies perfectly the need in most of us to straighten things out. Then a version of the opening riff is played over a 4/4 beat. Classic, brilliant Rush.<br />
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"Electric Avenue" by Eddy Grant: I remember seeing the video to this song on <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JBo1X5hwpJ8" target="_blank">HBO's Video Jukebox</a> in the early 80s. At last year's Austin Record Convention I scoured the bins for this record and had absolutely no luck. I set aside at least five hours for the RecCon but after three hours I was pretty fried. I had found 12-15 great records and was fairly satisfied with my booty but since I had more time left I couldn't just stop. So the last thing I did was look for this one album; Killer on a Rampage by Eddy Grant. Nowhere to be found! Damn! After having witnessed my frustration that day, my bandmate Beaty bought it for me a gift. I always liked the song but I never bought the record so I never wore it out. Until now.<br />
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"Different Ways" by Eight Dayz: The only band to have two songs on this mix tape, Eight Dayz gives us a great 80s dance track with this tune. This song appeared in the <i>Wheels of Fire</i> skate film during the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0DGbsS92RSA" target="_blank">Rob Roskopp skate sequence</a>. On a normal day it would not fit into my "preferred type of music" but it seeped into my brain early and I love it. The melody is great and it's uptempo, which will tip the scales for me almost anytime. When I rediscovered this song last year I listened to it over and over and over and over and over and over...<br />
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"Not Great Men" by Agitpop: This cover of the Gang of Four song is done by 80s underground freak power trio Agitpop who hailed from Poughkeepsie, NY. They put out five LPs on various labels between 1985 and 2007. I came to find out about <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gKXhg5mRLVg" target="_blank">Agitpop</a> because theirs was the first on a video compilation released by Twin/Tone Records called <i>Dark Ages: A Video Collection</i>. Twin/Tone had released their fourth album <i>Stick It</i>! after having released the best parts of Soul Asylum and The Replacements' catalogs, my friends and I were checking out anything they released. I loved <i>Stick It</i>! for its Minutemen-esque art punk and listened to it often for many years. This cover is on the B-side of an EP Twin/Tone released promoting a song called "Forget Me Not." Though I've also been listening to Gang of Four's <i>Entertainment</i>! a lot lately, I finally found the "Forget Me Not" EP at the last record convention and figured this cover would kill both birds with one stone.<br />
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"Green Aisles" by Real Estate: One of the more current bands on this cassette, Real Estate hit me like a ton of feathers back in late November when my new wife and I were having a "mini-moon" on the North Carolina coast. She had heard this song on KUT and bought the record the next day but it wasn't until this trip that we really got into it. We played the album probably eight times in a row one day while we were bumming around our beach condo, drinking Bloody Marys and Modelo Especial, and reading on the deck while dolphins jumped through the waves right offshore. It was the perfect soundtrack to bumming around. Don't let anyone tell you that you can't be turned onto new music through the radio.<br />
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"Man with Golden Helmet" by Radio Birdman: This song/band is the most recent interest of mine. I bought their debut record from Doug at his yard sale back in January and loved this song immediately. I love this kind of groove. This band was killer. I look forward to listening to it more.<br />
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"Pool Parties" by Transportation: So fucking good. These guys are incredible. They're the Thin Lizzy of Chapel Hill, NC. I first heard Transportation when Grand Champeen played a show with them and Grand National at Go! in Carrboro, NC. It was suggested we play with them and how true? This song is from their most recent album entitled <i><a href="http://transportation.bandcamp.com/" target="_blank">Amusement Park</a></i> which was a huge hit around our house when we finally got a copy of it. After waiting on my friend Scott who claimed the multiple copies he bought for me kept getting taken by his wife, I sent for it and got a copy in the mail or download or something less exciting than getting a cd in the mail from your friend. Regardless, this album is great and I suggest anyone who likes Thin Lizzy, Joe Jackson, Badfinger or early Queen look into this band.<br />
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"McTwist & Shout" by Johnny Rad and the Jordanaires: Taken from another skate video I watched repeatedly, <i>Axe Rated</i> by Powell Peralta. Johnny Rad was a recurring character in the Powell skate videos, often singing original hits with lyrics that immortalized the life of the skater. Here's another one from the 1986 video Future Primitive in which he sings his classic original "<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7nnqdko0Tkc" target="_blank">Skate and Destroy</a>" over the blooper reel.<br />
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"I've Got A Wild Feeling" by Milk Music: I first heard these guys in early 2012 when I was looking for records in End of and Ear. An employee was playing their first EP over the stereo and I liked what I heard but for some reason I didn't buy it. The second time I heard it was in late February 2012 when i was on tour with Craig Finn. After having waited for an extremely late sound guy, we started setting up our gear at the Great Scott to the tune of the same EP. It was loud over the PA and I recognized it and I liked it even more. When I got home I bought the EP on vinyl and ordered the cassette only release from which this song is pulled, the "Almost LIve" EP recorded at WFMU. Both are good releases and they just came out with a full length album called "Cruise Your Illusion."<br />
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"Looking For the Magic" by Dwight Twilley: Dwight Twilley entered my world when Beaty suggested our band Excited States cover it. By its third playback the day I was learning it for band rehearsal, I loved this song. It gets stuck in my head all of the time and I don't mind a bit when it does. The vocal delivery is pretty cool. Not afraid.<br />
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"Plays Chess" by Alex Livingstone: I made a sound collage out recordings I made on my iphone during the same time frame as I was digging these songs. Enjoy.<br />
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Here's the straight track list:<br />
<br />
What's So Strange About Me?<br />
Please Don't Worry<br />
Pool Parties<br />
Walk In Cold<br />
Yours Is No Disgrace<br />
I've Got A Wild Feeling<br />
Hypnotized<br />
The Search<br />
5150<br />
McTwist & Shout<br />
Give It All Away<br />
Electric Avenue<br />
Kid<br />
Different Worlds<br />
Looking for the Magic<br />
Not Great Men<br />
No Reply At All<br />
Green Aisles<br />
Kid Gloves<br />
Philomena<br />
Man With Golden Helmet<br />
Plays ChessUnknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-468921373568670072.post-76752064591882792692013-01-24T23:19:00.001-06:002013-01-24T23:19:40.606-06:00ThanksgivingI'm so glad I'm not 24 years old.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-468921373568670072.post-6042301310316733232013-01-21T16:09:00.003-06:002013-01-21T20:37:19.311-06:00Soul Asylum & Chasing AmyAlong with umpteen episodes of <i>Shameless</i> and various undesirable films that emerged from the depths of cable television, <i>Chasing Amy</i> was available on one of the many Showtime channels offered for free this weekend. Amongst all of the small budget "indie" films I rented to college students as a video store clerk in the late 90s, I had the least tolerance for <i>Chasing Amy</i>. But since those days, Kevin Smith has made a lot of movies and has made a name for himself so I thought I'd give it another chance. After seeing it again though, I found that the reasons I didn't like it then are mostly different from the ones I have now. Kevin Smith's distractingly pretentious dialogue went from being a minor annoyance in my early 20s to undeniable abomination to my late 30s self. My identification with the main character's feeling of inadequacy in comparison to his significant other's level of relationship and sexual experience was what caused me to not like the movie the first time around. In the late 90's, I dated a girl who seemed so much more experienced and worldly than I was and I was scared that she might pass me up for my innocence. Affleck's character's challenge was not identical to mine but, his psychological problem was altogether different than mine.<br />
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Just before my memory of the weak-ass movie that is <i>Chasing Amy </i>began its<i> </i>retreat back into the dark recesses of my brain, it reminded me of the first time I saw Soul Asylum. No, Janeane Garofalo and Winona Ryder weren't there nor were there caterpillars or missing child posters on the big phone poles. With the awesomeness of the manager of the Cotswold Record Exchange who gave us tickets and my friends' father who drove us, we made it to Atlanta for the Tour and Schmooze party for the upcoming <i>Grave Dancer's Union</i>. Though we ended up talking to the band for longer than we saw them play, the night was one of the biggest in my life.<br />
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After all these years I had forgotten that <i>Chasing Amy</i> ended with Soul Asylum's "We 3." From their 1990 A&M Records album <i>And the Horse They Rode in On</i>, "We 3" was a logical progression of the Soul Asylum ballad. Each album had one and this was the most recent offering. Amped up teens needed to be gently fed the ballad so that we might ingest it at all. Sure, we loved "Going to California," "Michelle," and "Swan Swan H" et al, but this is Soul Asylum we were talking about. This was Loud Fast Rules. This was the critically acclaimed "best live band in America" that we so believed were the end-all, be-all ever living shit. Softness had been doled out sparingly throughout their catalog and that's just how we liked it. A touch of it on the album and even less at the show. "Stranger," "Never Really Been" "Passing Sad Daydream," "P-9," "Endless Farewell," and "We 3." I was a huge Soul Asylum fan for six impressionable years of my life and to associate this particular movie with one of my all time favorite bands kinda hurts but I shan't be too prejudiced; Grand Champeen had a song in T<i>he Life Of David Gale</i> so I guess the joke's on me.<br />
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So, to me at that time...1990, 1991, 1992..."We 3" was perfectly acceptable. Hell, it started in the saddest of all keys and ended up in glorious F. I'm sure the producer Steve Jordan thought it brimming with pubescent mix tape potential, much like the Replacements' "Skyway" or some Toad the Wet Sprocket wimp jam. But that's not what we thought because we knew the other 11 songs on <i>Horse</i> set Soul Asylum apart from everyone else at the time. So when Bret at Record Exchange presented me and Vinny with guest passes to the Grave Dancer's Union pre-release party at The Dark Horse in Atlanta, we shit our pants with excitement. Atlanta was four hours away and as a senior in high school I could certainly handle that drive. Unfortunately, Vinny and I had just gotten arrested for stupid teenager stuff and were on our parents' shit lists. I mean, the timing couldn't have been worse. I know that I was grounded for a month or two at the start of my senior year so how I was even able to get to the record store for this momentous offering I can't fathom. I do however, remember leaving my girlfriend's house to go to the midnight sale of Grave Dancer's Union so maybe my restriction had mercifully ended by the time this story went down. (Damn right! I bought that shit on cassette literally the minute it came out.) But that must have been after we were driven to Atlanta by Vinny's dad on a chilly fall night because we went into that evening not knowing any of their new songs. I believe their tour started as their album was coming out and it wouldn't be until a year or two later that they would grace the cover of Rolling Stone as platinum punks.<br />
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Once we got to the bar, we were immediately put in our place. The show was 21+. But we had passes!! No dice, my friends. We were actually allowed to be in the tiny bar/restaurant but the performance was to take place in its tiny basement. Upon inspection of the building, we found that we could stand outside in the sloping parking lot and look down through the patio doors and see the band members from the waist down. Dave had on a black acoustic we had never seen him play before. We could only see the bottom of it so we wondered what kind it was. ARGH! So shitty. "We drove all this way and Colonel's not even here?" We had gotten there in time to see their soundcheck at which they played "Gullible's Travels", "Grounded", some song we had never heard (probably "Runaway Train" or "Black Gold") and "We 3." "We 3!" I never thought I would ever hear that song played live because it's so piano-centric. "We 3!" At that point, "We 3" was one of the 12 songs that made up one of the best albums that had come out in years. It was the farthest thing from seeing your favorite band playing their worst song. It was seeing your favorite band play a song they may have only played that night. I mean, they didn't play it on MTV <i>Unplugged</i> when it may have actually been appropriate.<br />
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After soundcheck, there was a meet and greet upstairs in the bar so we went in and stood around with everyone else. The band showed up and one at a time we met our heroes. Dave was drinking Rolling Rock and popping pills, asking us "What it's like to be a teenager these days?" He was wearing a Jagermeister painters cap sideways on top of his dreadlocks. Great look. Dan was wearing a Levi's jean jacket with a Giant records embroidered logo on the back. Grant and Karl were wearing clothes. They had a bunch of Grave Dancer posters out and we had them all sign a couple of them. (Does Vinny have that poster?) Vinny's dad snapped a couple of photos of us talking to Dave, which I proudly showed off to people for years to come. Well, until around 1994. Once Sterling Campbell "joined" the band, the band was kinda done for me. I'm not saying he is the Slim Dunlap of Soul Asylum. He's more like the Tommy Stinson of Soul Asylum. Oh, wait... Here's the photo!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXerB8EasNnquvC4JiPX-d1QC0cSSpA_TYuf4CZTYh9HyNJhnUE_LmeYVcJ2JeqowYcet6ynQ-uwo6p8UWAXr40P7W_kkz0jNlLq_Lm_HxnezAn0hR0bDtS9J7-DDAOQIWXfpvzZSNNd8/s1600/PirnerMeVocis002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXerB8EasNnquvC4JiPX-d1QC0cSSpA_TYuf4CZTYh9HyNJhnUE_LmeYVcJ2JeqowYcet6ynQ-uwo6p8UWAXr40P7W_kkz0jNlLq_Lm_HxnezAn0hR0bDtS9J7-DDAOQIWXfpvzZSNNd8/s400/PirnerMeVocis002.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Vinny's dad managed to drive us all the way back to Charlotte that night. I ended up seeing Soul Asylum several more times over the next few years. One of the best shows I saw was when they played Chapel Hill on the official Grave Dancer's Tour with The Lemonheads and Freedy Johnson opening. I'm pretty sure Juliana Hatfield was on bass for the Lemonheads and I'm pretty sure I didn't give a crap about Freedy Johnson. I got a "college visitation" excused absence because I was going to "visit Chapel Hill." Ha. Cameron and Jason and I saw that show at the Cat's Cradle when it was on Franklin St. in the building where Michael Jordan later opened his restaurant <i>23</i>. I saw them at the Roxy in Atlanta with Freedy Johnson and Magnapop opening. Why was Freedy Johnson opening these shows? I hear his impostor lives in Austin now. Anyway, that was awesome because we were right up front and they played a helluva show. Kevn Kinney came out and performed (at least) Rhinestone Cowboy with them. The last time I saw Soul Asylum was in 1995 at Vanderbilt University in their horrible sounding basketball arena. They played Sonic Reducer and Matthew Sweet opened the show. He was boring. Oh yeah, I also saw them at Carowinds Pavilion and they played a Mission of Burma tune. Spin Doctors headlined that show, which we all thought was a crime. So many bad bands back then. Mid 90s, mid-level trash.<br />
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All that being said, the best part of seeing Chasing Amy again was how it reminded me of how much Soul Asylum means to me. I admire Kevin Smith for liking Soul Asylum enough to give them the outro song on his biggest film to date. Even though I'm not so sure the song fits very well, I don't really care. The dialog in that film is pretentious and poorly delivered and if it weren't for Jason Lee it would be a complete dog turd. And it really doesn't affect how I feel about "We 3," the mellow song between "Be On Your Way" and "All the King's Friends" on the album that was playing when I lost my virginity.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-468921373568670072.post-49308280451162011712012-10-14T18:17:00.001-05:002012-10-14T18:17:28.126-05:00PhenomenonPeople congregating in doorways, entrances to staircases and kitchens.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-468921373568670072.post-72663707565869431582012-04-13T20:32:00.002-05:002013-06-02T15:49:27.222-05:00Jack The Ripper Tour<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 130%;">I just made this video about the Jack The Ripper Tour I took in London earlier this month. Happy Friday the 13th!</span><br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-468921373568670072.post-80570539845928289622012-03-13T14:04:00.003-05:002012-03-13T14:11:00.238-05:00Craig Finn Tour: Leg 3.9<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1Q31PbRXjod_aXRmsPgr6yg6tjMQ9_0jfjAGxHspDj59Ymo2wIGf37Yd0mRxI_OAbYdhttaSXWJDHwprXEgzBE_cAZ8KFPfKn0UohP2PnB7qWdyjMNHIh3gqoV7YBNuA6T1cmeB-hJns/s1600/IMG_1754.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 18.0px Helvetica">Met back at the club at noon after eating a delicious, toasted poppy seed bagel with jalapeno cheddar from Bagelsmith. Jennie said their latte is good too. The horrible traffic ratfucked our drive to Philly but we still managed to get there in time. Froggered the load in to Milkboy and nearly gnawed off the neck of my bass I was so hungry. Ordered the wings and while they weren't traditional (didn't pass Q's test) I thought they were really good. Some of the best of the tour even. </p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 18.0px Helvetica">The stage at Milkboy is on the second floor of the venue and sounded really warm once we fired up the jams. It was such a tight fit that Falcon played without a rack tom and I hardly moved an inch for either show. Stayed right at home. The first crowd was more mellow than the second but they were both great and both of our sets were fun. We did the first two legs' set at the early show and the third leg's set for the second set. Immediately after the show we separated our gear into piles of what was going to Europe and what was being put in the back of the waiting truck and be shipped back to Austin. I said goodbye to my GK and dummy checked myself. Our third vehicle, perhaps our rebound van after the sweet Sprinter that was repo'd from us after we loaded into Milkboy, was a stealth Ford (finally!!). Crashed at Comfort Inn and went back to Brooklyn the next day. US Tour, nice to know ya.</p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 18.0px Helvetica"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 18.0px Helvetica"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 18.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1Q31PbRXjod_aXRmsPgr6yg6tjMQ9_0jfjAGxHspDj59Ymo2wIGf37Yd0mRxI_OAbYdhttaSXWJDHwprXEgzBE_cAZ8KFPfKn0UohP2PnB7qWdyjMNHIh3gqoV7YBNuA6T1cmeB-hJns/s400/IMG_1754.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5719460848782495122" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></p><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-468921373568670072.post-28486896562548306062012-03-13T12:48:00.003-05:002012-03-13T12:55:09.651-05:00Craig Finn Tour: Leg 3.8<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg48jXXK-L9nmZrPA2BmZcWDcqglK29305-GBUCP9Bm0Yz2La7naAHIFXjJtD3V7tDp58yccKYYtqE_HPJDA77W-OEXJBtW213GLUSveyV_zk8JuNYNWEOTFYeIt82Qxt62q8_qW-h_FD0/s1600/IMG_1747.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg48jXXK-L9nmZrPA2BmZcWDcqglK29305-GBUCP9Bm0Yz2La7naAHIFXjJtD3V7tDp58yccKYYtqE_HPJDA77W-OEXJBtW213GLUSveyV_zk8JuNYNWEOTFYeIt82Qxt62q8_qW-h_FD0/s400/IMG_1747.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5719441040660934434" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXcwYqjJF2w8am0NSYxGy3L01VGVP4SIGKfzOw5Lw8AD98peiy497sL0ft_rNfNu6NyYCRHU_O7vSLql4g7dAzwmMSNA-RX545kUrhef1kV_LeVEIOSwBThFXP6sg6jB5J66coNxuxt6Y/s1600/IMG_1731.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 18.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;">The drive up from WV was except that it was 250+ miles. Q is the man. Period. A Wing Man, to be exact. We dumped bags and got to the venue earlier than expected so we caught a beer at Spike Hill. I had a Bitburger and it was delicious. Pleasant little hang, that bar. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 18.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;">My wonderful fiance came up to NYC for the few days before CF & SG went to Europe and right after soundcheck we had dinner in the neighborhood. Sweetwater is a quaint little restaurant (of which there are myriads in NYC) on N. 6th with a small menu and indifferent table service. We ordered delicious calamari as an app and Peronis for beverages. She and I got different steaks, which were both great. Her fries came out kinda soggy and cold and my kale was cooked nearly perfectly. Bartropolis joined us and had a pasta dish which he thought was pretty good. We got the vibe that they wanted to turn over our table so we left. They only took cash and Master Card. WTF? What's the deal with bars and restaurants in New York not being more accommodating when it comes to payment. It seems to me that practically every bar and restaurant in Austin accepts most major forms of payment. The only cash only place I knew of was Maria's Taco X-press and even they now accept plastic. Get with the program, New York. Aren't you, like, the leader of fashion, business, cuisine, etc…? Guess nobody's perfect.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 18.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;">The MHOW show was awesome. Flat out awesome. Up on the big stage with the killer sound system and packed crowd, James said he felt like Adrian Vandenburg of Whitesnake. I felt more like Karl Mueller. Played well, had tons of fun, packed up and split for Vinegar Hill.</span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 18.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;"><br /></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 18.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 18px/normal Helvetica; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; font-family:Georgia, serif;font-size:16px;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXcwYqjJF2w8am0NSYxGy3L01VGVP4SIGKfzOw5Lw8AD98peiy497sL0ft_rNfNu6NyYCRHU_O7vSLql4g7dAzwmMSNA-RX545kUrhef1kV_LeVEIOSwBThFXP6sg6jB5J66coNxuxt6Y/s400/IMG_1731.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5719441021904799234" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 400px; " /></span></span></p><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; font-family:Georgia, serif;font-size:16px;"><br /></span></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-468921373568670072.post-16407335775976450102012-03-09T14:15:00.002-06:002013-06-01T18:04:44.905-05:00Craig Finn Tour: Leg 3.7<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 130%;">Nashville. It was good to visit Middle Tennessee again. The venue we played was the new, third venue in the Cannery Row complex called the High Watt. It is nice that they have a freight elevator because like Mercy Lounge, it's on the second floor. Before the show I changed my strings for the first time on a couple of years. I don't think I've changed them since the Spring tour with Tim Easton in 2009. It was soon after that tour that I put the tele in the closet and started playing the Ric exclusively. Boy, those strings were shot. If the bass had stayed in Austin's climate, the strings may have lasted a while longer. But due to all of the climate changes we went through, those guys got stretched out beyond belief. The show at the High Watt was fine. I had a breakthrough on "Once You Roll Over" which was nice. It took coming up with some busy lines to settle back into something different from but just as simple as the album take. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 130%;">Yesterday, we drove 650 miles from Nashville to that little chicken wing flapper part of West Virginia that I-81 goes through. Tonight, Hipsters... Music Hall of Williamsburg. </span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-468921373568670072.post-35701442696647617602012-03-06T18:11:00.006-06:002013-06-02T15:48:58.131-05:00Craig Finn Tour: Leg 3.6<div style="text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 130%;">After Chapel Hill, we had a day off so we drove to Athens to chill. Holiday Inn, dawg. We had family dinner at Shokitini sushi and it was really good. Cut the ribbon on hand rolls and quail egg shooters. After dinner we stopped by <a href="http://trappezepub.com/">Trappeze Pub</a> for one of the three best American pilsners I've ever had <a href="http://southerntierbrewing.com/">Eurotrash Pilz</a>. The other two being Trumer Pilz and Scrimshaw Pilsner. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 130%;">Live Oak in Austin has a good one but it doesn't satisfy my need for true Czech-style qualities. Same with Victory Pilz. We spent the rest of the night at The Globe. Spaten lager and Bushmills, thank you very much. Back in the land of reasonable, if not cheap, drink prices. Q's old bandmate Kyle joined us for drinks and a van rage. Good times with Van Halen II.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 130%;">Woke up and lollygagged until lunch at <a href="http://www.thegrit.com/">The Grit</a> with Patterson Hood and Z-dog. I ordered the veggie plate and a glass of what turned out to be perfectly sweetened tea. The collard greens were outta this world, the mac n' cheese was safe and the green bean casserole was dry. Much to my disappointment, the biscuits were not fluffy, buttery, badassery. Instead, they seemed to be some kinda whole wheat/vegan biscuit which to me seems like a waste of time. I think I ordered wrong for the veggie plate. If I were to eat there again and stick with the greens, I would also order the steamed broccoli, roasted garlic mashed potatoes, and cornbread. If I eat there again, and I very much hope that I do, I will also have to save room for a sampling of their extraordinary homemade dessert selection.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 130%;">We made it to Atlanta with little traffic trouble and spent the rest of the night at The Earl. It was colder than well digger's ass in that venue and I didn't warm up until halfway through our set. Marcellus Hall sounded great and we had a really good set too. Scott Sheridan, a Four Star Crush bandmate of mine from my days in Tennessee, came out and we caught up after having not seen each other in many years. Cam also came down with his main squeeze and we caught up as much as possible before I took the stage. Thanks to them and everybody for making it a great night.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 130%;">At the damn Holiday Inn, our television was broken, there was no shampoo in the room and the groundskeeping crew were weed eating at 7:45 am!!! What the hell? The whole idea behind Holiday Inn is that it's a place for people to sleep. 7:45!!! On the road to Nashville for a show at Mercy Lounge or something.</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-468921373568670072.post-51372529907309613492012-03-04T12:48:00.004-06:002012-03-06T18:31:05.630-06:00Craig Finn Tour: Leg 3.5<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;">Move over D.C., Chapel Hill's coming through.</span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmHDtgINe9ila3yqQtp2n3pVtSbratTQGHgz6S4F1RkUAmXVeTQtnhT8PScURX6pQ2QKGCPDVuItJhyopc_Lnomk6Vic5j8OcmMlIPHbZe_Wox7bV_4C89Syby4dBnpZo_JWoq4jhO4FM/s640/blogger-image-1869410880.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmHDtgINe9ila3yqQtp2n3pVtSbratTQGHgz6S4F1RkUAmXVeTQtnhT8PScURX6pQ2QKGCPDVuItJhyopc_Lnomk6Vic5j8OcmMlIPHbZe_Wox7bV_4C89Syby4dBnpZo_JWoq4jhO4FM/s640/blogger-image-1869410880.jpg" /></a></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-468921373568670072.post-79487843256906383722012-03-03T12:19:00.002-06:002012-03-06T18:26:10.466-06:00Craig Finn Tour: Leg 3.4<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;">Considering all aspects of a show, I think last night in Washington D.C. was the best of the tour. Rock and Roll Hotel treated us really well and had the best wings of any bar I've been to. The sold out crowd was psyched and it sounded great on stage. We hated leaving but we had to head south and spend the night in Fredericksburg, VA.<br />Tonight is Local 506 in Chapel Hill. Carolina plays Duke at Cameron so we're pushing the show back 'til after UNC wins. Gonna see my family and old friends. No place like home.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-468921373568670072.post-50695304593097988612012-03-02T10:41:00.013-06:002012-03-02T19:41:51.091-06:00Craig Finn Tour: Leg 3.3<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwKGwwlMh8TnLDWtO2pSYFYGTaAuMZJ4ZmNjVnfTgFpuY4Kcp_4tYVILfFNCUV1BNP0Ktt0E5ak4fBJ1mCrK5ztXH07k9h1GXauOnMJTQPPqTJjZHq2Cang6AYr-XOaWW2fdlq7ghVfmM/s1600/IMG_1715.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwKGwwlMh8TnLDWtO2pSYFYGTaAuMZJ4ZmNjVnfTgFpuY4Kcp_4tYVILfFNCUV1BNP0Ktt0E5ak4fBJ1mCrK5ztXH07k9h1GXauOnMJTQPPqTJjZHq2Cang6AYr-XOaWW2fdlq7ghVfmM/s400/IMG_1715.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5715458586049844098" /></a><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS7brn7A0RBT_15eSMc9sgU3rmWgPF7bR3d33SVa7r85hezqEo4bB1fCuC4PHM96_X7X7ahvZqdg0aKHEGcV1mdC9fOF4jppDriuiXCOPSGJwqAObaB7WiR7qb0WQqJ-ACROz1yDq28aE/s1600/CF+Imus+Screenshot.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;">The last 48 Hours have been a whirlwind. When I last wrote we driving through rain and snow to get to the Mercury Lounge in Manhattan. We got there 30 minutes early so I ran over to Orchard Street and got my jacket fixed. <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/the-orchard-tailor-sevice-new-york">$16 later</a> I was back out in the rain with reinforced buttons and one one pocket partially sewn shut. Good enough. After soundcheck, Some Guns caught a cab and went to <a href="http://sobaya-nyc.com/">Soba-ya</a>. This place is the Japanese jam. We made it to Soba-Ya in time to order the early bird special. This menu item offers various delectable appetizers, hot soba soup with handmade Udon noodles, tempura fried shrimp and veggies, two rice egg roll lookin' things and amazing hot tea. I loved everything (except the egg roll thing) and couldn't get enough of the tea! The whole meal was perfect for the shitty, rainy, cold night that had befallen us. </span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;">That night we played two sold out shows at the Mercury Lounge. We had a long night ahead of us and since tying on a sweet buzz isn't a good way to stay awake, we crushed a case of Clausthaler NA. It satisfied the feel of drinking beer while jammin' AND it gave me a sweet headache. Though it may have been more heavily attended, the early show was the tamer of the two. Our 8pm start time is not heavy duty rock hour, instead it was kinda happy hour for a lot of New Yorkers like my cousin and good friends who all came from work. The folks at the later show were more pumped but not everyone who bought a ticket showed up so it wasn't quite as full. In my esteemed and well-informed opinion, both shows were great but the second show was better. But really, how do you pick a favorite child? Granted, I felt pretty stiff and uncomfortable for the first set but after our break, I think we all took on the second set with considerably more rage. I thought it was stellar.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;">After the show we packed up the van and got some killer slices before we headed to Times Square. Our schedule was to load in to the Don Imus show at 2am, soundcheck at 4:30am and then play four to six songs over the course of Imus' five hour show. Turns out, we soundchecked at 4:30 and didn't have to play until 7:20am. I fell asleep on a couch in the staff office/kitchen/green room but probably only for thirty minutes. For our first song, we jammed "New Friend Jesus" and it felt pretty damn good. An hour later, after meeting and talking to another guest on the show named Larry the Cable guy, we played three more songs. "Honolulu Blues," "Rented Room," and "Apollo Bay," were the tunes an they weren't in that order. Then we sat around the "green room" while we waited for that rotting corpse to finish his show. Click on the photo below to watch part of our performance:</span></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><a href="http://video.foxbusiness.com/v/1482187899001/craig-finn-live-on-imus-in-the-morning/"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS7brn7A0RBT_15eSMc9sgU3rmWgPF7bR3d33SVa7r85hezqEo4bB1fCuC4PHM96_X7X7ahvZqdg0aKHEGcV1mdC9fOF4jppDriuiXCOPSGJwqAObaB7WiR7qb0WQqJ-ACROz1yDq28aE/s320/CF+Imus+Screenshot.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5715456312672397426" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 239px; " /></a></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000ee;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;"> We loaded out in the rain around 10am. The show provided loaders, or it was union or something, so I walked around the block looking for a hot dog to no avail. The only carts in operation were breakfast-y stands. Lame. So I took a few photos instead.</span></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ4umEF4fMXvznlQHzo9V86XwKQNc-K6xaWDJBBiG3jASWC9LvkirHOMbbyL5pTV4Y4JOMmmNEuGLmXdc3wttAawKOuOOr30ctOVCRYG7uNX2-FoB0c8L1rOTFkReYkCVradUo94b1gIg/s1600/IMG_1726.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ4umEF4fMXvznlQHzo9V86XwKQNc-K6xaWDJBBiG3jASWC9LvkirHOMbbyL5pTV4Y4JOMmmNEuGLmXdc3wttAawKOuOOr30ctOVCRYG7uNX2-FoB0c8L1rOTFkReYkCVradUo94b1gIg/s320/IMG_1726.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5715457923940867490" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 320px; " /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga1F9ZcbJX8X2Kh2h-aImCXie2cp69pngu2gGXpCc5qDU71nNmFU02RxXnougA4zzctN06RhRMmUpOmQeRKSQtVu95Tn4tX1emA_ixodeOQLMxpz0qHcDhnE-WeNE8sJt3GZfCzyembTI/s1600/IMG_1725.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga1F9ZcbJX8X2Kh2h-aImCXie2cp69pngu2gGXpCc5qDU71nNmFU02RxXnougA4zzctN06RhRMmUpOmQeRKSQtVu95Tn4tX1emA_ixodeOQLMxpz0qHcDhnE-WeNE8sJt3GZfCzyembTI/s320/IMG_1725.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5715457925051309922" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 320px; " /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZWWJ0s2TEXd1xLMhf0b1VSpPZdKA-M4K3V-tAOFBciJJUPSzN-Cf3B5nJFZS8oDIo5yvswJdGXPmu6op5Eka47H6ls_8BVVFiyLR_gM_1mk2Syj7u5zrP2A3-GC_0jPy6KiAmgl8fBA4/s1600/IMG_1729.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZWWJ0s2TEXd1xLMhf0b1VSpPZdKA-M4K3V-tAOFBciJJUPSzN-Cf3B5nJFZS8oDIo5yvswJdGXPmu6op5Eka47H6ls_8BVVFiyLR_gM_1mk2Syj7u5zrP2A3-GC_0jPy6KiAmgl8fBA4/s320/IMG_1729.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5715457920242370370" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 320px; " /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;">We headed out of town and checked into our hotel, getting about three hours of sleep before we had to get back up and go to Maxwell's in Hoboken. Rainy load-in, Freddy Krueger basement hang and a great crowd. Another sold out show, this time in the legendary Maxwell's. The cheeseburger was good too. The Hoboken PD decided to throw a boot on our van, the assholes. Q showed remarkable perseverance taking care of that issue and getting us home to bed safely. Woke up and drove to D.C. today. Other stuff happened but I'm not in the mood to write right now. Tomorrow I see my family and I return to the land from where I came. It'll be good to be back.</span></div><div><br /></div><div> </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-468921373568670072.post-87454203895722398462012-03-01T15:49:00.003-06:002012-03-02T11:09:52.164-06:00BBQ Rankings Redux<div>Franklin BBQ posted this link on their Facebook Social Networking Webpage:</div><div><br /></div><a href="http://travel.usnews.com/features/Americas_Best_BBQ_Cities/">http://travel.usnews.com/features/Americas_Best_BBQ_Cities/</a><br /><br />I'm happy to say I've been to almost all of these places in my travels. The Memphis joints are the only ones I haven't been to on account of I've never been to Memphis. I don't really think Austin should be 5th nor should Rudy's be one of the reasons it's a ranked city. Although it's good, Rudy's is a chain and shouldn't be name checked. There are Rudy's all over the state...doesn't count. I think it even discounts the entire list a bit. Isn't Corky's a big chain too? I think I ate there in Monroe, LA. In reaction to this list, here's my revision:<br /><br />1) Lockhart, TX<br />2) Lexington, NC<br />3) Kansas City, MO<br />4) St. Louis, MO<br />5) Memphis, TN (faith-based ranking)<br />6) Austin, TX<br />7) Nashville, TNUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-468921373568670072.post-2509669803880527632012-02-29T12:49:00.004-06:002013-06-02T15:49:47.464-05:00Craig Finn Tour: Leg 3.2<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizFJtY_f5LjoifqF1IWgntTSPnHGmZ_ALZ3yTAv37EMs3hsSNhTzigoo5pVq_JN7tDZQ7iLtfX_emQqusb_PVb5l9EANO0ZGTcSITTK0EoIOkmWMaDlQ3wmyvRbkDqi8Jz6Err9wVwBiU/s1600/IMG_1703.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5714636802284274978" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizFJtY_f5LjoifqF1IWgntTSPnHGmZ_ALZ3yTAv37EMs3hsSNhTzigoo5pVq_JN7tDZQ7iLtfX_emQqusb_PVb5l9EANO0ZGTcSITTK0EoIOkmWMaDlQ3wmyvRbkDqi8Jz6Err9wVwBiU/s320/IMG_1703.JPG" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 320px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 320px;" /></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2Sy02ZH7Kt4zMgQNyt_IlvlcRclc52X3s_HKtlQmW34-jCJwClYgNVhDt4wzBFtZHxLyQ6l6YzInHQ9zSGbRWAFBWRKqAD7iV12PQsAJ3Bcth5r4hFfhCPZQukeTlH88U7Fqv7R0meOI/s1600/IMG_1702.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5714636794383115090" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2Sy02ZH7Kt4zMgQNyt_IlvlcRclc52X3s_HKtlQmW34-jCJwClYgNVhDt4wzBFtZHxLyQ6l6YzInHQ9zSGbRWAFBWRKqAD7iV12PQsAJ3Bcth5r4hFfhCPZQukeTlH88U7Fqv7R0meOI/s320/IMG_1702.JPG" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 320px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 320px;" /></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9SkQ_XwNyvJqnyhNWbOvMuHI0TC7w9tUj_OjL0yzTQKqYsvva8vtNWOxMeFnEV5Np-3Hqu08o1rY9Saiw1mt-onILmem1kwr37WeTiWyepFaKHI_yGHSvq9xZYRh2SLSEHQpYHbRL6_E/s1600/IMG_1705.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5714636792047119218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9SkQ_XwNyvJqnyhNWbOvMuHI0TC7w9tUj_OjL0yzTQKqYsvva8vtNWOxMeFnEV5Np-3Hqu08o1rY9Saiw1mt-onILmem1kwr37WeTiWyepFaKHI_yGHSvq9xZYRh2SLSEHQpYHbRL6_E/s320/IMG_1705.JPG" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 320px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 320px;" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSk3tqRqJ4vRw9zCPLgJ-pKd4lTCMYcWcaA3eXh4hzN6jYEx9PcwQB5R7ymfq00HBMfKXHMKfimc79U65fuMK520UQdsh2pLGyDPJIenOH-rMFSnMOdlC6aKj4iBCeotsuoo6JCWIexNw/s1600/IMG_1690.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 130%;">Boston. Haven't been back there in a while. I was psyched about it on the way into town because I have some good friends from there and that live there now. But good friends do not a good city make. We drove by CF's and Ricky's rented rooms from their academic days. So long ago. We got to the club and waited an excruciating two hours for the sound guy to get there. There was a strong stale beer smell and no green room so we we just sat there and drank.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 130%;">My childhood friend Charlie Redd lives in Boston and owns a restuarant called <a href="http://www.reddsinrozzie.com/">Redd's in Rozzie</a>. I really wanted to cab it over but because of the soundguy's tardiness, I just didn't have time. Maybe next time, Jolly.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 130%;">Our show was pretty sweet, I thought. I feel good about the set and the night in general. We hauled ass at 1am and stayed in Hartford, CT. Got a good night's sleep and hit the road for NYC at noon. It's been snowing and raining the whole ride to Manhattan. Bummer. As soon as we get there I'm gonna truck over to an alteration shop and get some buttons sewn back onto my dad's Navy peacoat. The jacket is about 45 years old and in need of a little reinforcement. Soundcheck, delicious dinner, show, another show, Don Imus tomorrow morning, afternoon nap and Maxwell's in Hoboken tomorrow night. Intense 36 hours upon us.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 130%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; color: #0000ee; font-size: 16px;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5714635921491378098" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSk3tqRqJ4vRw9zCPLgJ-pKd4lTCMYcWcaA3eXh4hzN6jYEx9PcwQB5R7ymfq00HBMfKXHMKfimc79U65fuMK520UQdsh2pLGyDPJIenOH-rMFSnMOdlC6aKj4iBCeotsuoo6JCWIexNw/s320/IMG_1690.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 320px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center; width: 320px;" /></span></span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1