ART...and sex...and Kanye...and Mylie...and McDonald's...

Watching the tribute to Stevie Wonder tonight, I was reminded, yet again, of the importance and reality of true and pure art. No, this ain’t some “old guy that hates everything new” type rant , but I would argue that due to the advances in technology, the tremendous expression of wealth and the allure of celebrity, we are inundated by an exponential amount of “white noise”, a sonic Matrix, if you will; “take the red pill and you’ll see and hear the true art in life, take the blue pill and all things the media feeds will make perfect sense…” Even among the current popular artists these deadly contaminates infect art. 

 Take Miley Cyrus for example. I can’t stand the “foam-finger, tounge-wagging, could-I-be-any-trashier? Miley”, but I have to admit, when she sings and lets the other crap go, she is a true talent. I heard her sing on the SNL tribute, doing a Paul Simon song and she crushed it. That’s an example of someone who has the talent and yet still feels they have to play the game. 

 I’m reminded of the movie This Is It; the tragic, slow-motion car wreck of Michael Jackson’s final days. While there is a lot to shake our heads at and tsk-tsk, there’s also the inarguable fact that even in a severely compromised state (as we’ve now heard ad-nauseam) MJ still was able to bring it. He hit his marks, hit the notes, made his cues and led the band. he was even making directorial directions. 

 It reminds me of the same feeling I had watching Mike Tyson being knocked out by Buster Douglas, Tyson’s on the mat, knocked out and he’s still crawling around finding his mouthpiece and getting it in his mouth because he knows “instinctively” that they won’t let him continue without it. He’s operating on that hardcore built in artistic instinct that has served artists for centuries. I feel that Michael Jackson was operating on pure built-in, ingrained instinct. He was raised up in the same Motown machine that gave us Stevie Wonder, Smokey Robinson, Marvin Gaye & Diana Ross. Unfortunately, it’s why we see artists like Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison, etc. abusing drink or drugs, but still able to bring their amazing talent to the fore. The true art is HARD-WIRED.

 We, as humans, always recognize true art and admire and respect greatness. For an example I give you Prince; on the recent GRAMMY broadcast, current music royalty was represented. You had Lady Gaga, Kanye West, Beyonce, etc. BUT…Prince walks out to give an award, doesn’t open his mouth and receives a standing ovation! Greatness is recognized.

 Kanye West (thanks to the advice of his publicist and management team , I’m sure) tried to protest the awarding of a GRAMMY to Beck as an affront to art with the “neglect” of Beyonce. As I said, his move was more about his own promotion than any real regard for artistic integrity but even that reveals a lot about where we are as a culture; Kanye is either completely aware of what he’s doing and thereby giving art no true value or he’s completely unaware and is an example of the ignorance and ‘Matrix’ quality existence that permeates the current artistic landscape. 

 One more GRAMMY example; I really like the Hozier song, “Take Me To Church”. I think it’s a really cool song and I hope he has a lot more to bring to the air. That being said, once again the GRAMMY telecast reveals something. Annie Lennox gets up and does a duet with Hozier and lays waste to the place. No pyro, no vocal histrionics, no auto-tune. Just a straight up talented vocalist and performer doing what she does and killing it. 

 The thing about art is that in it’s purest form, it is completely un-reliant on commerce. You can draw a picture and put it in a drawer, you can sing at church or in your car, you can cook an amazing meal for your family, none of these will bring you a dime. That doesn’t make them less artistic or compromise the artistic qualities. You can make a sex tape and sell it for a million dollars or lip-sync (ala’ Milli Vanilli) and make money without ever scratching the surface of “art”. 

 So MY point, if I have one, is that it’s up to us as a culture, to put some kind of limits on what we will and will not tolerate in art. Van Gough didn’t get it, Mozart didn’t get it, Monet didn’t get it. I’m speaking of artistic respect and financial recognition, during their lifetime. Recognize and give credit where it’s due. Call BS on the stuff that’s obviously an opportunistic grab. 

 In the end, I equate it with food, sex and movies; I’m not saying never eat at McDonald’s, just never forget the difference between a McDonald’s hamburger and a really good steak with fresh vegetables; or, for my vegetarian friends, a frozen vegetarian dinner and a plate of freshly prepared, fresh vegetables; sex with a onetime hookup as opposed to sex with someone you’re in love with, music that you can read a book while listening to as opposed to music that gives you goosebumps, a movie that you can eat popcorn during as opposed to a movie that has you glued to your chair and feeling every emotion.

"You Can't Handle The Truth!"

GRAMMY RECAP: I really kind of dug the GRAMMYs last night. I LOVED Annie Lennox (one of my favorites), AC/DC was wreckin’ it, LOVED the Brandi Clark - Dwight Yoakum song! (Sturgill Simpson got NOTHING?!?), Buddy Guy got props (though not on TV…)The interesting thing was the conversations the next day; Kanye, Kanye, Kanye! (yes it’s a Brady Bunch reference)First, I should say that my personal opinion is that Kanye did what he did to create the controversy, conversation and press that he’s getting. “Good press, Bad press, as long as they spell your name right!” Kanye is the Rush Limbaugh of Rock & Roll; even he doesn’t believe EVERYTHING he says.

 Now the internet is lit up with Artists and fans responding in the negative. “Kick him in the …” well, you get the idea. My take, for what it’s worth, is that Kanye is (like most artists) insecure and desperate. I’m not jumping on the bandwagon to beat him up, I’m just trying to express my opinion of what he said. (Although he is married to a Kardashian, they can make a man want to be a woman!) To say that Beck, a multi-instrumentalist, who writes, records and produces his own work, who according to allmusic.com is credited as the sole composer of all 13 tracks of his GRAMMY winning record, should “respect artistry and give his award to Beyonce” who’s last album, according to allmusic.com credits 30 composers and producers, is like saying Derek Jeter should respect athletic talent and give his World Series ring to Hulk Hogan. The argument is ludicrous in and of itself so let’s take it off the table and analyze the underlying truth.  Kanye has released 8 records, (6 of which, I’d not heard of), Beck has released 12 records ( 9 of which I haven’t heard of). In their individual milieux, they are both valid. Kanye is a tremendous force in Rap/Hip-Hop and Beck is an incredibly talented multi-instrumentalist, composer, producer. Kanye taking a verbal swing at Beck is like me talking smack about Mike Tyson; I can play guitar better than Mike Tyson but he can also kick my a**! (I can also play guitar better than Kanye, Beyonce, Jay-Z AND Beck but that’s beside the point:))…I’M JUST JOKING! 

 My point is; life is short, love is long, true art will survive and flourish, pretenders will fall by the wayside and whoever turned off Sir Paul McCartney’s mic and reduced him to being a rhythm guitarist for Rhianna and Kanye should be dipped in peanut butter and dropped in a pack of hungry, horny dogs!

 In closing, I’d like to paraphrase Col. Nathan R. Jessup USMC; “ Son, we live in a world that has walls, and those walls have to be guarded by men with guitars. Who's gonna do it? You? You, Ryan Seacrest? I have a greater responsibility than you could possibly fathom. You weep for Beck, and you curse Kanye West. You have that luxury. You have the luxury of not knowing what I know. That Beck’s win, while awesome, probably saved lives. And Kanye’s existence, while grotesque and incomprehensible to you, saves lives. You don't want the truth because deep down in places you don't talk about at parties, you want Kanye on that stage, you need Kanye on that stage. We use words like art, integrity, musicianship. We use these words as the backbone of a life spent creating something. You use them as a punchline. I have neither the time nor the inclination to explain myself to someone who rises and sleeps under the blanket of the very art that I provide, and then questions the manner in which I provide it. I would rather you just said thank you, and went on your way, Otherwise, I suggest you pick up an instrument, and write a song. Either way, I don't give a damn what you think you are entitled to.” #loudisgood 

American Sniper

I had an opportunity to watch the film American Sniper tonight. I had to watch it tonight because the Facebook feed was blowing up with too much info about the movie and even though I knew how it would end, I was curious to see how Clint Eastwood and Bradley Cooper would interpret the story. I prefer to see movies without any spin. I LOVE movies! If music didn’t dominate my life’s work I’d probably have pursued film in some way. 

 So anyway, if you care what I think, here’s my take away from the movie. I enjoyed it as I’ve enjoyed pretty much all of Mr. Eastwood’s work. I was a little surprised and disappointed. After what I’d read on my FB feed, I expected to either be gathering grenades and ammo to go blow up Middle Easterners or criticizing the propaganda aspect of the movie and staking out Michael Moore’s house! Sorry, for a moment I forgot that we are in the 21st century; DON’T BELIEVE ANYTHING YOU READ ON THE INTERNET, IT’S ALL PROPAGANDA!

 My take away was the psychological, physical and spiritual wear and tear that all war takes on a human. Bradley Cooper is outstanding! Our “hard-wired” desire for justice and fairness. The duality that’s instilled in those that protect our country and have families. War sucks. I should say Real War Sucks. John Wayne war is awesome. Apocalypse Now is one of my favorite movies. Real humans losing their lives for any cause or belief is a terrible, terrible reality of the human existence. Lest you want to start blasting me (actually, go ahead, I can use the traffic), I have no public opinion on politics, religion or ice cream flavors. I’m simply saying War Sucks, Bad People Are Bad, Good People Are Good and God’s Got It!

 Here’s what I didn’t get from this movie; an added appreciation for our troops - I already have the utmost respect for them, my father was a vet, my cousin was a vet and one of my oldest and best friends was a Marine sniper. I’m extremely grateful for the freedom and safety that they provide. I didn’t gain a different insight on terrorists - I already believe that terrorists are opportunistic cowards who co-opt religion to manipulate people to do their dirty work. 

 At the end of the day, I’ll say what I say to my friends; “it’s a movie, based on a true story and that means the mission statement of the project is ENTERTAINMENT (and $$$ shhhhhh).”

 I really enjoyed the film, it will be hard for loved ones of veterans and those currently serving in hostile areas to watch. I imagine that it will be difficult for those who have served to watch. I feel a degree of guilt watching it as a movie and being entertained, knowing that for some, who have experienced it, it’s not a “popcorn event”. I give it 2 thumbs up or 5 stars or whatever is the current top rating. 

 I’ll say this too; Terrorism is the school yard bully of the global stage, their strength is through fear, just like a bully. If the good people of the earth are together the bully loses steam and is easier to defeat. Oh yeah, and Hate Never Wins;)

Everybody just cool out....

 I’m trying to understand this and I hope you can help. My question is this; WHY ARE WE SO ANGRY? I’m on Facebook a lot and I drive quite a bit and I spend time in line at the grocery, the bank, at red lights, etc. I notice a lot that people have little patience, they’re ready to rumble and seem constantly on edge. 

 On Facebook, I notice that if you post anything philosophical you can guarantee a certain amount of flame. I joke with my wife because she seems to generate a lot of unexplainable aggression by saying that she could post “have a nice day” and get responses like “Don’t tell ME what kind of day to have!”

 You may wonder about my terminology when I say “philosophical”. I originally wrote “political” but then I realized that what I was thinking of weren’t political things but philosophical ones: ( Webster's: a particular set of ideas about knowledge, truth, the nature and meaning of life, etc.) Gun Control, Health Care, Education, Racism, Homophobia, Misogyny, War, Religion, Economics, Evolution, Death Penalty, Red, Blue, Tea Party, etc. Yep, that’s philosophy. 

 My view of gun control is philosophically directed a certain way. It’s not dictated by the Republicans, the Democrats, the NRA, the Anti-Gun folks, the Christians, the Muslims or the Home Shopping Network. It’s about my experience, my upbringing, my family, my  friends, my awareness and my understanding. 

 My view of Healthcare is the same, I base my views on my experiences, my understanding and the understanding of my friends, family and loved ones whose guidance I ask for and appreciate. 

 I’ve got opinions on everything. (Just ask my wife or my friends!) I struggle daily with the BIG questions and try my best to “refine” my views and my stand on every topic I come across. What I struggle with these days is the simple question of; “Why are we so angry?” Think about it, check you’re Facebook feed and if someone says something “anti-gun” they get blasted, if you “like” certain posts you get get blasted, defend your opinion and someone will call you an “idiot” or worse. 

 In ancient times (like 20 years ago), you and I might sit at a table and you might say “ I really like the Democratic candidate for President, he seems to have the best view for our future.” and then I might reply; “ I don’t know, I hear what you’re saying but I think the Republican makes a strong case for our independence.” Now, we sit at a computer screen and type; “I love Obama!” and someone types; “Glad you love Muslims! Sorry you don’t love GOD! GO BACK TO KENYA YOU MORON!!” It doesn’t even have to be that blatant, you can “like” a post and receive a response like the one above. Try it, find a picture of Barack Obama, Jesus, Elvis, John Lennon, Che Guevara or Ghandi, “like” it and see how many comments you get. 

 Before you accuse me of being hypersensitive, this is the 21st Century, everybody knows that all caps is YELLING!! Just like everybody over 40 knows that LMFAO means “Limes Make Fabulous Alternative Oranges” ;) 

 Seriously, my question is “Why are we so angry?” I guess another way of putting it is “Where did dialogue and discussion go?” We don’t debate we argue. EVERYWHERE! FOX, CNN, ESPN, NBC, ABC, CBS, MsNBC, THE FOOD NETWORK…ok the debates on the Food Network are valid, cinnamon and Lima beans do NOT go together!! Everywhere else though, WAR! 

 Here’s a thought; you yelling at me or threatening me isn’t going to entice me to fall in line with your views. It doesn’t work for anything. Christians went to foreign countries and threatened violence in exchange for conversion = lotta death. America tried it with the Indians, Romans tried it, Nazis tried it, it always ends the same; If you have to “force” someone to think like you, they will…as long as you’re watching…but they’re planning your execution…

 You want to “win me over”? Let’s talk, you hear me, I hear you, views are exchanged, ideas are traded, maybe you persuade me or maybe I persuade you, but civility is restored and ideals replace “positions”. 

 Just remember; Wolf Blitzer, Ann Coulter, Anderson Cooper, Rush Limbaugh, Bill O’reilly, Jon Stewart and Bill Mahr are ENTERTAINERS. They work for corporations that have no philosophy. They are interested in the god that most of us pray to; $$$. 

 Which brings me back to my original question; WHY ARE WE SO ANGRY? Yeah, I yelled it, cause I wanna know! If you speak to a person on Facebook like I’ve described above, would you in real life? and if you would, WHY? What is it about someone’s differentiating view point that so threatens you? Is it the thought of Communism, Socialism, Agrarianism or some other “ism”? Is it the worry of Christianity, Islam, Hindu, Judaism, or another “ism” encroaching on your right to be what and who you are? Are you afraid of more guns, less guns, free healthcare, expensive healthcare, abortions, gay marriages, anti-war protesters, pro-war protesters…

 And then, reading my own writing (to spell check of course) I realize that I’ve already described the answer; it’s simple, it’s FEAR. Fear of the unknown, fear of not belonging, not being ‘right’, not being the smartest one in the room…

 We’re angry because we’re scared. Scared that what we know to be true will turn out to be false, scared that we might be wrong, scared that someone else might screw up our ‘good thing’. My old friend Gary Busey would say FEAR =  Feeling Every Alternative Reality. 

 Don’t be scared. It’s ok…as ‘ok’ as it’s gonna be. You’re gonna live your life, I’m gonna live mine and we’re gonna go the same way as our ancestors. You’re gonna meet your maker, I’m gonna meet mine and we’ll find out who was right and who was wrong. 

 In the meantime, consciously, let’s work at being less angry. If you love the president and I don’t, I promise not to call you an idiot. 

It Looked A lot Like Christmas...

 So the whirlwind that is the Christmas Holidays draws to a close tonight. As we sit here amid the discarded wrapping paper, left-overs and the dreaded “food hangover”, it’s hard to imagine that 48 hours ago we were cooking, wrapping, cramming stuff into the car, blowing into relatives homes amidst a cloud of casserole dishes and brightly wrapped gifts. 

 It seems like it’s only in this moment that you begin to reflect on the loved ones you’ve spent time with, the look on the children’s faces as they opened “just what I wanted!” and the knowledge that this Christmas, 2013, is over, never to come again. Next year will roll around and we’ll start the whole thing over, if we’re lucky. We’ll worry over gifts, gatherings, relationships, etc. Just like this year but it’ll be different; some we were with this year might not be here next year, the kids in your life may move on from Santa, who knows what it’s gonna bring! We may look back on this year as the best one and we didn’t realize it until later. 

 However you spent your holiday, take a moment and be thankful that you had it. Even if you don’t realize it, someone was blessed by your presence and is thankful tonight that you were there. Merry Christmas.

ALL REVOLUTIONS ARE TEMPORARY...

Recently I rediscovered my old turntable. Covered in dust, neglected and relegated to an unused corner of the den, tucked into it’s “imitation woodgrain cabinet’ along with the dual cassette deck, AM/FM receiver and 5 disc CD tray, MASSIVE remote included, my JVC component stereo system was pretty awesome stuff when Buff and I bought it some 22 years ago, at Circuit City in Nashville. In the ensuing years, it had become just a piece of furniture and thanks to the CD/iTunes revolution, it’s absence wasn’t noticed at all for a looooong time! It was a good place to stack books when the bookshelf was too full (or far away). I had even thought of selling it from time to time. 

 A vinyl record shop re-opening in my hometown (https://www.facebook.com/VarietyRecordLounge) probably had something to do with me “remembering” my stereo, but for whatever reason, sitting down with my record collection made me realize just how much I’d missed it. Buff bet me that it wouldn’t even work anymore but as I dropped the needle that warm, boomy tone jumped out of our speakers that still bear the tattered remnants of our long passed cat General Sterling Price’s passion for well sharpened claws. 

 First, a disclaimer, I like technology. I am a fan of all things new and shiny and, when it comes to recorded music, iTunes and MP3’s have their place and play a huge part in my personal enjoyment of music as well as in my professional relationship with the art form. I have about 60 vinyl albums at the moment but I have about 4,000 CD’s and according to my iTunes library 7,536 “albums”, so obviously iTunes wins in quanity! As much as I travel, being able to take my entire iTunes collection on the road, via en external hard drive is awesome. Being able to pull up any song on YouTube or Rhapsody, Spotify, Pandora or any other streaming service (I’ll have to write another blog about how artists are getting screwed by the unfair streaming laws) is really a sign of the times for our culture. My iPhone and iPad are instant jukeboxes for me and my car stereo is actually just a flash-drive socket that plays stuff from my iTunes. It was 6 months or so before I discovered that the radio portion of my car stereo wasn’t even hooked up in my car.  We are the “RIGHT NOW” generation. We don’t wait well for anything. In fact, I see examples all the time of how little patience many of us have for, well, ‘patience’. 

 As I sit in the floor (yes it’s best to sit in the floor while listening to records, try it.) and pull out some of my albums I remember how strong of an impact the music has when I can look at the artwork (in a size that you can actually see), read the liner notes, absorb the entire artistic effort and then of course you have to get up and turn the record over to hear side 2 (or 3 or 4 for that matter). The smell of the cardboard and vinyl, the occasional crackle and pop from the speakers as the needle jumps a tiny scratch. The sound of the needle automatically lifting, signaling the time to change sides. 

 Listening to records is a physical commitment that you can’t have with iTunes. In one of the great ironies of technology, listening to vinyl albums is an interactive experience while iTunes is really a static experience. Records require something of the owner and the listener. There’s the aforementioned physical “turning over” of records, not to mention taking them out of the sleeve and placing the needle on the groove (no accident that they’re called ‘grooves’)They get scratched and warped if they’re not taken care of so you have to be responsible. You tend to listen to songs on albums in order and I at least, tend to listen to an entire side of a record before I change to another. Records make it more likely that you’ll listen to the tracks “in order”, in other words, in the sequence that the artist intended for them to be played. When I started making records, it was still standard practice to put thought into the sequencing of a record. They told a story or at least had some kind of thread. Those days are mostly gone and songs drive the popular conscience these days. In some ways I agree, I don’t want to hear an entire album of The Fox (What Does The Fox Say?). Maybe they would do all animals with different senses like; “What Does The Goat Hear” or “What Does The Unicorn Smell” or “Why The Komodo Dragon Cries”. And I could go off on a tangent about how disposable music seems to be to our culture today but I won’t. 

 I pulled out my copy of Prince’s 1999 and remembered listening to it over and over, when I first discovered it back in the late ‘80‘s, studying the cover for clues, reading the liner notes and trying to hear Dez Dickerson’s parts as opposed to Prince’s guitar licks. I remembered the fact that for a double album, I thought it was strange/cool that it came in a single album cover with two inner sleeves. Pictures of Prince and the band on each side. The label on the record was simply a picture of Prince’s eye. Lyrics printed out for the songs! The imagery tying in with the music making it somehow more powerful and stronger. Sure I went on to buy that record on cassette and later on CD and even later on iTunes (I really like that album) but no other format ever had the impact of hearing it on vinyl. Before you think that I’m about to go off on how much “better” vinyl sounds than CD, let me just say that I’ve spent the last 24 years standing in front of LOUD guitar amps and crashing cymbals. I don’t testify to be able to hear any sonic superiority for anybody but me (I know what sounds good to me:)). 

 My stack of Jimi Hendrix bootlegs brought back many memories of being in Japan or Italy or the UK and searching through record stores and flea markets for basically any albums with Jimi’s name or face on the cover. Imagine a 6 week tour of Europe and carrying a stack of albums along with your luggage and guitar! That my friend is commitment! My copy of Santana’s Abraxas album, even in it’s worn and faded state seems to explode with color and imagery. Coming from the same vibe as Miles Davis’ Bitches Brew, it just draws you in and says, “Play me!”. I listened to it yesterday and was instantly inspired. I can’t say the same for the 1,000+ times I’ve listened to that record on iTunes. 

 While I would claim to have a fairly cool and extensive CD collection (easier to carry throughout Europe...) and an insane iTunes collection that will require a team of psychologists many years to explain, my record collection is small and more of a combination of cool stuff (Hendrix, SRV, Sinatra, BB KIng, Muddy Waters, George Jones, an insane amount of Earl Hooker records...) quirky stuff; The Carpenters Greatest Hits, and various mysteries that have been lost to time; Why do we have an album of “The Worlds Greatest Sound Effects”, 3 copies of Hank Williams Jr.’s Greatest Hits, 2 copies of the soundtrack to The Blues Brothers Movie, The Best of Tony Bennett Vol. 2 (where the heck is Volume 1?!?!?). 

 One of my best friends and I argue all the time about the merits of being able to hold an album in your hands while you listen as opposed to the immediacy and convenience of an MP3, I’m sure we’ll argue some more after he reads this:) but I didn’t really write this blog to spark any arguments or debates, it’s more of an epiphany for me that, through my “re-discovery” of my record collection, I can easily and immediately revisit specific times and memories in my life and that, to me, is one of music’s greatest strengths and magical powers. Music transcends language, culture, time and even technology!

Democracy v.2.0

 Here’s why I don’t post political stuff; I think that we as a Country and as a culture are waaay too ready to rumble when it comes to disagreeing views. I check Facebook all the time and a LOT of what I see is political arguments that basically go like this:

PERSON 1.: I THINK ___________

PERSON 2.: YOU’RE AN IDIOT!

 There’s no debate, no counterpoint, no politeness, just 0-60. I’ve been amused by conducting my own socio-political experiment as I ride this marble, I don’t proclaim anything particularly political to one side or the other and I find myself, often times, “accused” of being one way or the other just because I don’t agree or I do agree. Some stuff I believe, some stuff I don’t believe, some stuff I understand and some stuff I don’t understand. Stuff I don’t understand, I ask people smarter than me. If they can’t explain it then I know it’s a bunch of B.S.:) Seriously, I think , humbly, we get mired in the “details” ( I use quotations to denote a perception of details, not the fact that details aren't important.)and allow ourselves to get misguided by the sparks and whistles. 

 I am not political. I have my personal core beliefs that are based on my faith in God, my love of family and my love for freedom and democracy. I think the US is the greatest country in the world and I’m proud to be an American. I DON’T think that God is only for America, that He cares how much money I have or that He wants me to hate non-Christians. I think that we’re all sharing the same air for a reason. I think we’re all too filled with self-importance to see straight. 

 Today my country is bickering like kids on a playground. I don’t care which side of the argument you fall on. I don’t care about the “why”. What it will cost, etc. I care about the fact that I have to explain to my 13 year old daughter why adults, commissioned to run our country, can’t behave like adults. If you’re inclined to engage a fellow citizen in a dialogue about democracy, remember that they are a citizen too, just like you, same hopes, dreams, fears. They have a momma who loves them and it would be awesome if you loved them too!

Show Bidness

 So the television talent game show The Voice passed on singer Malford Milligan of the band Storyville.Don’t be surprised. Not one judge turned their chair around. Don’t be surprised. The “judges” didn’t even know who he was. Don’t be surprised. The glut of “talent shows” that we are currently being subjected to have one major side effect in common; they continue to encourage the devaluation of Music as an art form. America’s Got Talent, American Idol, The X Factor and The Voice all present music as nothing more than a competition with a cash prize and a potential for fame. Ah FAME! The only real prize left! We value it more than money, more than life and more than talent. 

 I wonder if Prince or Howlin’ Wolf would have made it on The Voice. I wonder if Jimi Hendrix or John Coltrane would have done well on America’s Got Talent. Bob Dylan or Nirvana on American Idol? I doubt it. Make no mistake, I don’t blame the shows themselves, or the networks. Television is only about money. Advertising dollars mean money and the more people that watch your show, the more you can charge advertisers and the more money you make. Money is ALL that it’s about. 

 I’ve watched at least some of most of these shows and I don’t really see the “judges” or “coaches” doing much more than giving superficial instructions to the contestants to “sing it more like this...” or “move around more...”. Yes comparing this to music of true artistic expression is like comparing apples and oranges but it contributes to the homogenization of music that we hear on the radio and buries true artists under a blanket of white noise. 

 The music industry has always gone for a “more of the same, if it’s selling” strategy. That part is nothing new but the overall decline in quality of the music is what’s truly depressing. Melodies and chord progressions that are reduced to the most basic form. Lyrics with no imagination or, at times, even any coherent meaning. Google the lyrics to Blurred Lines (here, I’ll help;http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/robinthicke/blurredlines.html) and just read them. Lennon & McCartney wish they could write something equal! Of course poor Miley Cyrus has been getting bashed for her recent antics onstage but what has she really done that wasn’t within the current climate? Britney Spears was tongue kissing Madonna, stripping to a nude body suit and writhing around with a snake 10 years ago. ( Madonna by the way was rolling around, groping herself on television 20 years ago) Nothing new there. I’m more disappointed in the fact that she comes out with a song like this (http://www.directlyrics.com/miley-cyrus-we-cant-stop-lyrics.html) “It’s our party, we can do what we want...” I think it would be really impressive if she backed up the silly stage act with something real musically. I guess sometimes we fight so hard to get the mic that it’s only after we have it that we realize we don’t really have anything to say. 

 Just remember; Blake Shelton or Simon Cowell are no better judges of whats good in music than you are. If it touches your soul, gives you a lift, inspires you, makes you feel, it has value. 

BANG!

I haven’t had a tirade in a while, so I thought I’d just have me one; I have a been visiting your planet for some time, kicking it on this marble and I have seen a lot of changes in society and human culture. Some for the better and some for the worse. I was raised in the South and in church. Some of you will read that and think, “so what, I was raised in church in the West or the North...” Some of you will read that and know exactly what I mean. In the South, church (or Church as we’d call it) was a big deal. We went Sunday morning, Sunday night and Wednesday night. In the summer we had VBS (Vacation Bible School) for a week. You might even have a revival...that’s a whole ‘nother level of sanctification! I went through 12 years of public school. We had what they called “corporal punishment”, in other words the teachers could spank you. I was scared of my teachers, especially Mr. Jim Curry, a legend at Brown Elementary School! Hands down, one of the best teachers ever. Not in a weird, creepy way but in that way where you knew that if you received a spanking from a teacher, and survived, it really meant 2 spankings...because your parents would find out and another spanking was in your future. I had the most loving, caring, supportive parents you could ever ask for. In actuality, I probably received about 4 actual spankings my whole life. (My sense of humor leads me to expand but I digress!) The point is, I was raised to understand that a spanking represented a moral failure on my part and that was unacceptable. Letting my parents down was unthinkable. Today, as I look back on my childhood, as a father, I try and understand if the spanking or fear of a spanking was the actual deterrent. I doubt it. I’ve been punched in the face, burned with hot tar, had my heart broken and all of them were much worse than the hardest spanking I ever had and yet I remember my spankings as a child. They count with the greatest pains of my life because they represent me letting down my loved ones. 

 So I connect the dots. I’ve owned and fired guns since I was 12 years old. I am a very good shot, in case you wonder. I’ve never shot anyone. I’ve never been in a gunfight. I’ve never been in a situation where I wished I’d had a gun. I have, however, had a couple of situations where, if I’d had a brick I would have been extremely satisfied. I grew up in an era when I parked my pickup at school with a rifle rack in the back window, with my deer rifle in it. No one called the FBI or the CIA and reported me as a threat to society. At the most, a teacher might ask me if I got anything. 

 I connect the dots; recently my family and I were subject to a case of road-rage. A guy felt that I had cut him off and proceeded to cut in front of me, slam on his brakes, get out of his car and charge my car, screaming at me  and cursing in front of my daughter and my wife. My instinct was to fight but I was also aware of my daughter and my wife, so I locked the door and allowed this guy his aggression. (If you happen to read this [Williamson County, white BMW, first 2 letters of your Tennessee tag HQ, white guy, 40’s, short hair], which I doubt since you are obviously a caveman but if one of your keepers reads this to you, you idiot, email me at scottholtband@gmail.com and let’s arrange a meeting to “discuss” our traffic indiscretion.)

 I played and still play video games. I was lucky to be here for their birth. I watched the Three Stooges every Sunday morning; eye pokes, frying pans, smacks to the head... Saturday mornings were for watching professional wrestling. It was broadcast from Nashville and from Memphis. Jerry “The King” Lawler, Nick Gulas, “Beautiful” Bobby Eaton, Tojo Yamamoto... I watched these guys hit each other with chairs, do pile drivers and suplexes. Sure we tried the piledrivers and suplexes in the back yard but never in anger or with a hurtful intention. We were playing wrestling. The Las Vegas Leg Lock, made famous by Ric Flair (WHOOOO!) was the penultimate move. 

 My point, if I have one, is that I don’t think it’s video games, gun control or television that’s responsible for where we are. It’s our readiness to put it on society, or the environment or politics or schools or music or television or...whatever. I’m not your conservative example. I’m a tattooed, earring wearing, “MF- bomb” dropping rock n’ roller. I’m intentionally not using the F word in this scribe so that it might make it into someone else’s post. Here’s the thing; Gangs, drugs, juvenile delinquency, school shootings, etc. These things are not society’s fault. They are our fault. TV is not a babysitter, the mall is not a babysitter, school is not there to raise your kid, the next generation of children are the next group of leaders. With no moral compass they aren’t prepared to do anything. They watch us constantly and we give them The Kardashians, McDonalds and Honey Boo Boo. They look to us and we give them dirty politics, sequesters, cynicism and high fructose corn syrup. The landscape is different now and will be 20 years from now and 1,000 years from now. The trick is, 1,000 years from now, historians will look at us, in the early 21st century and say “Wow, what morons!” or “Wow, we need to replicate what they were doing!” 

 The crazy thing is, if you live here, even if you don’t have kids, they are watching you. I had some mentors in my life that had no kids but they influenced me deeply. I know, ypu’re thinking “FU-They ain’t my kids, I live the life I want to!” Great, when you’re old and in the home, cause you have no family, they’ll be the ones pushing your wheelchair to your meals and giving you sponge baths. Wouldn’t it be good if the person cleaning you with a sponge, when you’re too old to defend yourself, was a good, gentle person? 

 Preachy! A tirade cloaked in pontification! Is my blog gonna change the world? F**** no!! Tomorrow, if you give your kid a Egg McMuffin, sit them down in front of the E channel while you get ready for work and then drop them off at school and see them “later” I won’t be surprised or feel like a failure. If you buy an arsenal and consider yourself prepared for Armageddon, I won’t consider my words to have fallen on deaf ears. If road-rage over comes you and you cut somebody, I’m gonna shake my head and be ok. 

 Moral?: “Come on, we are better than this. As Andy Griffith once said to Jim Lindsey, on an excellent episode of The Andy Griffith Show; ‘act like you got some smart.’” Abraham Lincoln was more elegant with his reference to “the better angels of our nature”. Ghandi said “be the change you want to see in the world.” Ric Flair once said “I’m Ric Flair! The Stylin’, profilin, limousine riding, jet flying, kiss-stealig. wheelin’ n’ dealin’ son of a gun!”...Not sure if that applies but it sure sounds cool! 

Whassup?

The new record is finding it’s way to daylight. We’ve been in the secret bunker, hard at work on some fresh songs and some new sounds. 2013’s gonna be cool...

Happy New Year, You...

Here’s a beautiful new years concept; clean your space. If it’s your office, your kitchen, your den or your car, where ever you spend most of your time, clean your space. get rid of unneeded stuff, reorganize, open it up. make your space more reflective of where you  WANT to spend your time. Even if it’s a cubicle, if you like the beach, put a little sand and shells in it, maybe just in a jar. Remember that you aren’t defined by what you do for a living. Also, remember that it’s called a “LIVING” not a purgatory...

Today's Challenge...

Today’s humble thought is simply this; Love Everyone, no matter wether they deserve it or not, even if you’re mad at them, even if they cut you off in traffic, steal your seat, eat the last piece of cheesecake, do “your song” on karaoke night before you get up, like different music, or books, or movies, or food, or people, or gods...Just love them anyway. You don’t even have to like them, just love them. 

What's The Matter With Us ?

 I think at this point in the history of humankind we pretty much have to agree that we’re a fairly unwell and broken species. In the past week alone I’ve read about people who have shoved others in front of moving trains (for NO reason), parents who have harmed their children (NEVER a reason) and people who have just generally (and fatally) harmed others for no apparent reason. The dialogue goes; We need more guns, we need fewer guns, we need different leaders, we need the leaders we have to do more, we need church, church needs to stay out of this... The debate is intense and heated. That is, however, if you’re not paying attention to the ‘fiscal cliff’ that looms, oh so near! 

 Are you on facebook? Check the posts and calculate the “life sucks” posts. They are fairly equal with the “please pray for my _____” posts. We are in the water, slapping around, trying to keep from drowning and going back and forth between blaming God (fate, fortune, Buddha, Hindu, Astrology, Elvis or whoever you may pray to) or begging them for help. (We are also inviting everyone we know to something called Farmville but that’s another blog...) My humble question is; What’s wrong with us?

 We’re not naturally bad. We do good things. We help each other. We say ‘bless you’ when someone sneezes. We hold the elevator. We “after you” to pretty much anyone. We ‘like’ any post on facebook that hates cancer, racism, intolerance, animal cruelty, or really funny e-cards about drinking or how men/women aren’t as smart as ‘we’ are. In other words, on facebook at least, we like each other, we LIKE each other, we even LOVE each other (although there’s currently no button for that....) I’ve seen the posts; people that are struggling or suffering are met with ‘likes’ and posts of ‘I’m here for you”, ‘You’re beautiful, he/she doesn’t deserve you!’, ‘click “like” if you hate cancer, child abuse, gun-control, Kenny Chesney (okay, that’s just me!!). The point is, I really think we know how to be better. I think we know how to be good. It’s in us. The Moral Compass. Do I think there are bad people in the world? YES. Are they truly few and far between? YES.

 I think most of us want the best for others. I think we really do. I think that ideal gets distorted and muddied by the idea that we’re not good enough. FEAR. The most powerful motivator in this universe. Are you scared of cancer, poverty, death, humiliation, ridicule, Kenny Chesney (ok, again, that’s just me. I’m not scared of him, I’m just scared of what he represents...forget it...)? We all get scared, that’s a universal feeling. Today I heard a sermon from my preacher about Jesus being tempted (disclaimer: I’m a Christian), I remember thinking, Jesus had to be scared during this time. Later today, I shot guns with my daughter, (these two sentences together, should in no way lead you to determine my political beliefs, I am extraordinarily Liberal/conservative! (I love gay-gun owning-conservative-fox/news loving-astronauts). She was scared to fire the gun (.357 baby) but she trusted me (and her uncle Homer) and fired it once. A step of faith. Dr. Martin Luther King (one of my heroes) once said something to the effect of; “Faith isn’t seeing the entire staircase, it’s just taking the first step.”

 Maybe we’re just scared. Maybe we’re just like we were in high-school; afraid to take a stand that might call attention to ourselves. It's HARD! I’m lucky, I have a young daughter so I am commissioned to make a fool of myself. Will I wear a bathrobe to the grocery store? Of course! Do I honk my horn unnecessarily? YES! Even so, in the back of my mind, I’m afraid of being embarrassed. I don’t want to appear foolish. Even though my job (as a parent and an entertainer) requires that I make a complete fool of myself. 

 Fear is a big one. Fear has us hating others, fighting change, fighting the status quo, fear has us hating those that are different, those that are the same and those that might change things, because we all hate change! “I liked the cable channels where they were!”

 So what’s the point of this blog? i have no idea! I’m just struck by our similarities and our reluctance to voice them. I’m scared of fiscal cliffs, serial killers, cancer, Alzheimer's disease, poverty, arthritis, Kenny Chesney, snakes, heights, and being unloved. Maybe that last one’s the one, UNLOVED. We’re all loved. Someone loves you. Jesus knew that, that’s what gave him the strength to fight off the temptation. Buddha had the four noble truths. Dr. Martin Luther King had a supreme peace the night before he was murdered. I think (I THINK) that insight is a sudden revelation that this world ain’t everything, it’s just what’s now and it’s okay. The next episode is much, much better. Of course, there’s nothing saying that we can’t be better here and now. Let’s make the bad people a very small and rare population that is ostracized and looked upon as unusual. Let’s be the “better Angels of our nature” as Abraham Lincoln said. Let’s love a little harder, like a little more readily, be the people we want to meet tomorrow. I know we can do it. Tomorrow, when someone cuts you off in traffic just don’t flip them off...it’s a start...

Uncle Wayne

 Yesterday morning, my uncle Wayne Holt passed away. He tolerated no crap. Ever. Many of you knew Uncle Wayne from being on the road with me. He drove the van, sold the merch and was a part of the band. When Uncle Wayne got his facebook a lot of our fans friended him and he loved that. His profile picture forever was a shot of him in a terrible band house in Deadwood, SD but the smile on his face let you know that he was having a ball. 

It’s hard to explain my relationship with Uncle Wayne. He was more than just my uncle. He was my friend and my advisor. He was my dad’s younger brother. He and his wife and family were an important part of my father’s care when my dad was being treated for cancer. When I started touring, after my father had passed, Uncle Wayne went on the road with me, to drive and help with touring. When you tour together, you become close. You’re elbow to elbow 24/7. He and I would argue about everything. (We once had an argument that started with Muhammad Ali’s birthday and ended up with the war in Iraq and Rolling Stone magazine!). Even when I figured he was right, I’d still put up an argument; couldn’t let him know he was right; “No I don’t want to stop at Waffle House” (even though I was hungry and Waffle House is goood). He always drove the van like he stole it but I could sleep like a baby when he was driving. He would pump gas with a cigarette in his mouth just to freak out the band, all the while explaining to them how as long as you kept the flame away from the tank you were in no danger. We decided once to go see Little Bighorn. We were in Deadwood, SD and had to play that night. I misread the map, we left at 10:00 am and he drove the whole way to Little Bighorn and back by showtime (that’s 411 miles, one way, check it out if you don’t believe me).

 After a lot of miles, Uncle Wayne decided to come off the road. He was never replaced. I never hired another driver and sometimes we had two people doing part of what he did. Uncle Wayne was a brilliant mechanic. We developed a routine where I would go to his shop before or after every tour. Changing oil, general servicing and trouble shooting everything that could wrong on the next tour. Most of the time, my cousin Mark, who’s like a brother to me, would be there too and the three of us would always find time to go to lunch after the work was done. I would call Uncle Wayne, while driving down the road and describe some noise the van was making. He would diagnose it and tell me wether to find help right then or wait until I could get home and bring it to the shop. A mechanic that can diagnose a problem from a description over the phone is better than great in my opinion. I called more than once at 2 or 3 in the morning and he never got mad at being woken up, just asked what was wrong and then told me how to fix it. 

 Uncle Wayne wasn’t one to keep his opinions to himself (there are some people smiling as they read that sentence). He would tell me what I was doing wrong on stage or with my music and even though it would make me mad, I could hear an echo of my dad in it and I knew why he was saying it. I really, really miss him. I loved Uncle Wayne and I know he loved me. He wouldn’t have tolerated my crap if he didn’t. 

Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Just got back from the gym and thanks to my iPod, I have this nugget of wisdom for you.

GOOD SONGS TO WORK OUT TO:

1. KICK OUT THE JAMS - MC5
2. KICK START MY HEART - MOTLEY CRUE
3. WELCOME TO THE TERRORDOME - PUBLIC ENEMY
4. PRETTY VACANT - SEX PISTOLS
5. ACE OF SPADES - MOTORHEAD

BAD SONGS TO WORK OUT TO:

1. NO WOMAN, NO CRY - BOB MARLEY
2. SO WHAT - MILES DAVIS
3. I’LL WAIT - VAN HALEN
4. KIND HEARTED WOMAN - ROBERT JOHNSON
5. I WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU  - WHITNEY HOUSTON

Also, remember to stretch and stay hydrated!

PEACE

Reflections...

 What a great weekend it has been for me personally and for the band! I want to thank all of our friends in the Detroit area who came out to see us @Callahan’s. Thanks to all of our friends in London. It was so great to see so many of you and get a chance to play the first of 2 sold out shows! Thank you to everyone in Windsor. The induction into the Canada South Blues Museum is a tremendous honor and I’m still beyond words!

 You guys have always treated us with warmth and respect and given us so much joy through the music that I can’t begin to tell you how precious you all are to us. Thanks to my amazing band of friends; Dan EUbanks, Tom Larson and Chris “Wingnut” Fuller for once again saddling up and hit the road with me. Thanks to my wife and daughter for understanding me and my need to play music and allowing me to be free to pursue it. A woman like Buff is a very rare thing on this planet and I thank God for her!

 Next up; A new band announcement, some new touring info and some new recording. 2012 is gonna be hot! R U Ready???

A not so brief History of what's on TV...

 Not too terribly long ago, (less than 100 years ago) when I was a kid (the younger version of the kid that I am now), we had 4 channels on our television. We weren’t being punished and it wasn’t because we were poor (we were), that’s just all there was! I grew up near Nashville, TN. Our channels were; 2, 4, 5 and 8 (the PBS station). If you watched television in those days, you were watching one of those 4 channels. If you missed a show, you missed it. You’d have to hear about it at school or work the next day but it was gone. If Evel Knievel was going to jump the Snake River Canyon, it was going to happen at 2:00PM eastern and you’d better calculate the time change to central and be in front of the tube! You could only watch one show at a time, so if you wanted to see Starsky & Hutch you would have to miss the Jeffersons. Then of course, thanks to Charles Paulson Ginsberg and the fine folks at Sony, we were blessed with VCR’s and we no longer had to miss George and “Weezie”. 

 So last night, I’m scrolling through the menu page on our TV, looking for something to watch. I’m restricting my choices to HD channels only to narrow down my options. I browse good old 2, 4, 5 & 8 (or in this case 1002, 1004, 1005 and 1008), nothing really grabs me there so I start to move out. Out past TBS, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN Classic, ESPNEWS, ESPNU, CNN, CNNI, HLN, Fox News, MSNBC and into the wild frontier of what is now Cable Television. I see AMC, OVC, HSN (I’m entranced by David Venable and his amazing kitchen wares! So much so that Buff and I almost order a giant spatula. Seriously this thing is incredible!), I see the Food Network. I can’t watch the Food Network too much because it makes me hungry. I like Guy Fieri. he seems like a good guy. Kind of a cooking version of Sammy Hagar. His show Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives has led me and my band to more fantastic lunches on the road than I can count! The Food Network, however, isn’t the only channel that will make you watch food. I stop at the Travel Channel for a moment to watch a show about a guy who goes around eating huge amounts of food within a certain timeframe (this episode was an 8 patty burger, two hotdogs w/slaw, fries, a coke and a milkshake made with butter pecan ice cream and with coffee cake mixed in it. He had to eat it all in 20 minutes. He did it.). I guess they show that on the Travel Channel because he has to ‘travel’ to these places to eat. We have a Weather Channel. The Weather Channel always seems to be talking about the weather somewhere else, usually where there’s a big storm, flood or tornado. It’s kind of like Weather porn. Then you get to the History Channel (and yes there is a History Channel 2 for even more History!) On the surface this channel seems like a great idea for kids. I wish, when I was in school, there had been a channel that I could watch to learn my history homework (Manifest Destiny, The War of 1812, the Missouri Compromise) but then again, in my school, we didn’t spend a lot of time studying Swamp People, Pawn Stars or Mudcats. We studied WWII, where we learned about Hitler but it’s only lately that I’ve been educated about Hitler’s bodyguards. I never really thought about Hitler having bodyguards. I don’t like Hitler. I think he was a real bastard and getting burned up in a ditch with a bullet in his head seems like fair play but I watched every episode of that show. It was fascinating I have to admit. I still think Hitler is an a**hole though. As well as being a crappy painter. You’ve also got National Geographic Channel, Animal Planet and the Military Channel all of which have captured me on many occasions. I watched some seriously disturbed Texans catching diamond-back rattlesnakes the other night, *shudder*!

 Then you come to the “women’s section”. I only call it that because the target audience seems to be definitely female. Lifetime, Hallmark, OWN (which is, of course, the Oprah Winfrey Network). There’s even a channel called Lifetime Real Women, not sure what there after there. When I watch these channels I want to curl up in my Snuggie with a cup of hot tea and just have a good cry. (Oh not really, I don’t watch those channels too much, nor do I have a Snuggie). I do watch a suprising amount of Disney Channel, Family Channel and Cartoon Network. My daughter and I are fans of Adventure Time with Finn and Jake. This may be one of the best shows on television. Seriously.

 The movie channels! Finally! I know that I’ll find a movie that I’ll enjoy watching. maybe Die Hard or Smokey & The Bandit! I remember the first time I heard about HBO. One of my friends went to visit some relatives and came back talking about how they had “home box office”. I thought for a long time that he meant they owned their own theatre. HBO! As a 12 year old, red blooded male, HBO could be your first chance to see real, naked ladies! Probably why my mom fought us getting cable for a long time! As I cruise down the list of HBO channels (Oh yes, the old days of one HBO channel are gone like acid washed jeans and the Fonz) HBO, HBO West (oddly and sadly not full of cowboy movies), HBO 2, HBO Family (probably no naked ladies there), HBO Family West, HBO Signature, HBO Signature West, HBO Comedy, HBO Comedy West, HBO Zone, HBO Latino and (yes, you guessed it...) HBO Latino...WEST! And that my friends is just HBO! You still have Cinemax (a whole ‘nother level of naked ladies, first time I saw it I thought we had somehow gotten free porn! Now it IS porn but it ain’t free!) Showtime, TMC, Starz and Encore. Each of which has at least 3 versions. I’m no mathmetician (and I’m too lazy to go back and add up all the channels) but that is a lot of television real estate. About 5,000 movies per hour or something like that.

 Sometimes I like to watch Univision, Galavision, Telefutura and of course Telemundo. I don’t speak very much Spanish but I think if I watch long enough I’ll get it by osmosis. Still waiting. I like to watch BBC and pretend that I’m British. I’ll sit in front of the “telly” with some beans and toast and get the latest football scores and see what Labour MP Eric Joyce is up too. (Apparently, getting into a bar fight!) I don’t watch much MTV anymore. I used to watch it all the time and sometimes, late at night, they might show a Jimi Hendrix video! I saw Michael Jackson’s Billie Jean video, Prince’s Little Red Corvette video and Van Halen’s Hot For Teacher video. I don’t know what happened. I know artists still make videos. (The Black Keys, Katy Perry and Beyonce are hard at work but with little love from big old MTV) Not so much music videos anymore on the Music Television channel. They might think about changing the name to RTV (reality television). Oh wait, there is an RTV channel already (Retrovision, awesome!). Sorry MTV. Now MTV has a lot of shows about young people living together, having babies, being Italian, a lot of punching, kicking, yelling, drinking and scratching. Kind of like some of the joints I play in (without the baby-birthin’)! Of course you’ve got your VH1’s, BET’s, CMT’s and GAC (wow! I just realized country music has two channels and they still play very little COUNTRY music - George Jones & Merle Haggard are you listening??) There should be a Blues Channel. Satellite radio has a Blues Channel (God Bless Bill Wax!) How come there’s not a TBC (The Blues Channel)? “The Blues Channel, all Blues music all day!” Maybe they could do a news report in the evenings and get B.B. King to read the days news headlines! Buddy Guy could do sports and Shemika Copeland could do the weather. I would only watch TBC for all of my news!! Maybe they could do a Blues version of The Real World with B.B., Buddy, Lonnie Brooks, Kim Wilson, Bonnie Raitt, Lou Ann Barton and Shemika; “This is the true story...of seven blues artists...picked to live in a house...work together and have their lives taped...to find out what happens...when people stop being polite...and start getting real...The Real Blues World!” It would be amazing!

 So I’m back to my own TV quest; 5,386 channels later, no movies to watch, nothing interesting on, I switch off the TV and pick up a book. Books never let you down.

What do you do while your GPS is updating?

 Been a while since I blogged, so I got all coffee’d up this am (thank you Dunkin’ Donuts!) and decided to let it roll! Since the start of 2012, I have really been going through an artistic “re-evaluation” of where I am and “what’s next”, (Ok, I’ll try to quit using “quotations” for the rest of this blog anyway!). My musical background is obviously the Blues. The first music that really made sense to me on guitar was Blues. I know this part of the story has been told to death but Jimi Hendrix was my gateway drug into music. Specifically, hearing Hendrix made me pick up a guitar and learn how to play it. Once that ball was rolling, I had to feed the beast. My first guitar teacher told me that the music that I liked was Blues. He told me this after I brought him a Billy Idol song (Steve Stevens on guitar of course)that I wanted to learn, so I thank God that he didn’t tell me the kind of music I liked was post-industrial, neo-classical, bluegrass-punk!

 He hipped me to Stevie Ray Vaughan, who led me to Buddy Guy, Albert King, Guitar Slim, B.B. King, Albert Collins, Freddie King, Muddy Waters and Howlin’ Wolf. It’s a very erratic path that I took; Jimi to Stevie to Buddy to the Kings to Wolf & Muddy and on and on. But there were side roads too; I found Clapton, Beck and Page. Through Clapton I found Robert Johnson and that opened up the whole Delta-type acoustic page of the book to me. I found Skip James, Son House, Fred McDowell, all the “Blinds” (Willie McTell, Lemon Jefferson, Willie Johnson, etc). The more new music I found and the more new artists I was exposed to, the more I wanted to find and learn. Sometimes, it took more than one listen to allow my brain to get wrapped around some of the artists I heard. I remember hearing John Lee Hooker’s Mad Man Blues the first time and almost running out of the room! He later became a cornerstone influence for me and one of the favorite bluesmen I ever met. I spent a lot of time in record stores just flipping through the Blues section looking for people I hadn’t heard of. 

 Buddy taught me about Earl Hooker, Little Walter, T-Bone Walker and Sonny Boy Williamson II. I was already a fan of Elvis, George Jones and Prince but the musicians that I worked with in Buddy’s band taught me about P-Funk, Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Youssou N’Dour and Earth, Wind & Fire. It was like reading the entire Encyclopedia Britannica of Music!

 Somehow, in the maelstrom of my musical engulfment, I also found; Otis Spann, Little Brother Montgomery, Sonny Sharrock, Sly Stone, James Brown, Mozart, Grant Green, Rachmaninov, Big Joe Turner, Eddie Van Halen, Jerry Lee Lewis, Robert Nighthawk, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Joni Mitchell, Roy Buchanan, Motley Crue, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Ali Farke Toure, Koko Taylor, Elliott Smith and a literal cast of millions!

 This blog is just about my musical influences, so I’m not even mentioning my parents (my first influence), my wife and daughter (my most consistent influences), Martin Luther King, Jr., Muhammad Ali, Eddie Murphy, John Wayne, Abraham Lincoln, Charles Portis, Bernard Lansky, John Ford, Steven Spielberg, Thomas T. Goldsmith, Jr. & Estle Ray Mann (Google them), Leo Fender, Les Paul, Ernie Ball, Jim Dunlop and Seymour Duncan just to name a few. 

 As an artist, you are like a musical and cultural sponge. You take on all of the sights, sounds and feels that cross your path and they all filter into your work somehow. As I start to mentally “build” my next record, I think it’s going to sound like a dusty old Fender amp and eau de club (stale beer, cigarette smoke and fried food). Of course, knowing me, it might start that way and end up smelling like a brand new spaceship, orbiting Saturn!...Stay Tuned

2012...When she's dreaming and the other thing...

New Years. A reset. A Do-over. Like rebooting your computer. Fresh as a daisy. 2011 is in the books. What a year! It’s been a year of wars, victories, lies and scandal and that’s just in the SHB! Joke! Actually, once again, I’ve been blessed with an amazing group of people who have made it a year that feels like one big WIN! (No offense Charlie Sheen!) I’m proud of the band and the way we’ve been able to create music and entertain people. Our drummer, Marshal Weaver left the band in August and it was a rough time for me for sure! I never made any official announcements about it, just because it hurt! Marshal and I have been friends and family for a long time. That’s how it is when you’re in a band; you’re family. Forever. Marshal and I have had more of a brotherly relationship that anyone in the band; we both can really piss each other off, but if someone comes between us, God help ‘em! I think that’s where the best music comes from. It has to have an edge. I’ve always said that I hope people love us or hate us but anything in between is apathy and that’s the worst thing in the world. Marshal’s one of the best drummers I’ve ever worked with and certainly one of my favorites. I truly love and respect him. I know whatever he does he’ll be amazing. 

 What a miracle that Tom Larson, former SHB drummer, would be willing and able to step in and fill the gap! I can’t believe the blessing! Tom is an amazing percussionist and also a brother and another favorite musician/drummer. He played in the SHB for several years before leaving to pursue other musical opportunities. The SHB’s like the Mafia; you never really leave...

 Dan Eubanks is leaving now to pursue his solo career. I truly hate to lose him! He’s been a brother on the road and we’ve gone through stuff that you couldn’t imagine. I’ve loved the music that we’ve created and he’s made me a better musician by being here. He’s an incredibly gifted songwriter and singer. If you’ve seen any of the shows in the last few months, you’ve seen Dan opening the gigs with amazing solo sets. You’ve seen the Dio jacket, the Big Nasty perch on top of the bass rig and the sheer rock and roll on the right side of the stage. He’ll be successful and my love and respect for him will remain unabated (I used a football term just for you D!). 

 So what’s next? I’m really not sure. I have a lot of music written, a lot of gigs to play and I’m looking forward to 2012 and creating a new body of work. The videos that I’ve been posting on YouTube are works that we’ve recorded over the last year. They’re slated for recordings that might never see the light of day, (at least until I’m dead and my daughter releases the box set!) I hope you dig the videos and I really hope you dig the songs! I’m very proud of them. You know, there are a lot of free programs out there that allow you to record the audio from YouTube to your computer. I’m just saying that it’s an interesting fact. Sometimes after an artist posts 10 tracks or so, he might even post a running order to let you know how he’d sequence the record. Not that I would ever condone recording the audio from the videos I’m posting! I’m just saying it’s possible and they’re good songs that I’m proud of. 

 In the South, we have a New Years tradition; the tradition is to eat turnip greens, black-eyed peas and hog jowl for New Years Day. It’s supposed to bring good luck for the year. I’ve eaten it every year for the last 35 or so and I have to say, it must be working! Luck or blessing or whatever, I’m so grateful for my wife and daughter, for the family and friends that I have, you all have enriched my life beyond measure. May God bless you as He’s blessed me for the coming year! See you soon!

LOUD IS GOOD!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

  This year will mark the 7th annual Have A Blues Christmas benefit. It’s a concert/auction/feast that Xtreme 4X4, Natalie Stovall and I have put on for 7 years in a row. It was originally conceived as an “end of the year” concert in my hometown, basically, just a reason to play at home. I wanted to have an event at home to end our touring year and play for my family and friends. My brother, Keith Throneberry and I cooked it up over a BUNCH of Dos Equis one night with our wives (they had margaritas). As we brain stormed we decided that just having a concert wasn’t enough, we both wanted to do something for the community. To try and give back. 

 I moved a lot as a child. We lived in Texas, Mississippi, and all over Tennessee before settling in Columbia. My mother tells the story that I asked her, after kindergarten, where I’d be going to school next year and she decided then and there that we would be staying right here. 

 I grew up here. I made my life long friends here. I found my wife here. I spent some VERY formative years just south of here on my Uncle Carlton’s farm. I learned to drive a tractor, shoot a gun, drive a car, swim and play a guitar here. I learned about work and responsibility here. I learned to shoot a gun, found Jimi Hendrix, Prince and Buddy Guy here. My daughter was born here. My family’s here. This is my home. 

 On Christmas Day, my daughter will awake to a tree full of presents. Santa Claus will deliver on schedule! I’m blessed. Blessed because for one, I’ve got a home for my daughter to wake up in, a lot of folks don’t. A lot of folks don’t have a tree or stockings or presents. I’m sure some of you more “sociopolitical” brothers and sisters will say that it’s ‘their own fault’ or some other crap. Some can say; “it’s not really my problem” or “I’m sure they’ll be okay”. The thing is, I’m not preaching. I won’t be serving in a food line this Christmas, I won’t be offering a homeless person my home as a place to sleep. I’m not Mother Teresa. I’m not saying that if you just take care of yours you’re wrong or less or whatever. I told you to begin with, I started this as a selfish reason to play a gig for my family. What I can do, is one day a year, help put on an event and raise money for the kids in my area that might not otherwise have a Christmas and in the spirit of that, try and shame others into giving!

 This benefit provides vouchers for toys. Nothings else. ALL of the money goes to toy vouchers that can’t be used for anything else, so that kids can have something under the tree. Every kid deserves to have a visit from Santa. Santa is all of US! Every person that works at this event is working for free. Everything involved in the event is donated. Nothing is paid for so that all monies go to the kids. 

 We live in a very cynical world. We’re always braced for the next con. I got an email today saying that someone wants to transfer $94,000.00 into my bank account. Seems like everybody’s got a scam. But Christmas is my favorite time of the year. To me it’s a pure, invincible time. It’s owned by Santa Claus and he calls the shots. It’s about dreams and, as Abraham Lincoln once said; “the better angels of our nature”. I love this time of year. I believe that there’s a little Clark Griswold in all of us. Just because it won’t be perfect doesn’t mean we shouldn’t expect it to be perfect. (We’ve all got a “Cousin Eddie” I’m sure.) I can do without the commercialization, the debate about “holiday trees” versus “Christmas trees” (my take is I could NOT care less). But the spirit of Christmas; being the better version of ourselves that we can always be. Wishing people a merry Christmas, sending cards to people that we haven’t sent a letter to in 364 days, just keeping an extra smile in our pockets for emergencies. It’s a really cool time of year. 

 We’re putting on an amazing concert. Natalie Stovall http://www.nataliestovall.com is one of the most talented people you’ll ever see. Her music is phenomenal and her band is second to none, (well maybe second to mine:) JOKE!) My guys will play they’re butts off like they do every night. The donated items will sell for big $$$ and the BBQ and drinks will flow. The T-shirts will be the fashion item of the year. If you can be there, DO! If you can’t, at least consider donating to our pay-pal page http://www.xtreme4x4.net/donate  It’s secure and you can donate a dollar and tell others you donated $1000.00! I promise your secret is safe with us! 

 Wether you participate in our event in any way or not, I wish you and your loved ones a blessed holiday season. I pray that you’ll find a warmth and happiness in your heart and that you’ll allow yourself to express it to others. Trust me, it’s not as easy as it sounds!