Cold beers, lonesome nights, strong rhymes. Hell, yes, I mind.
Alt-Country exploded in the early ’90s, as more and more resistance to the Rap and R&B that was shooting up the charts as grunge imploded, and good country is always a live favorite. Starting as a Dallas Bar band for the youngs, the Old ’97s gained a national audience through relentless touring, playing small venues, and the college quad. Formed by Stuart Ransom “Rhett” Miller after his brief stint at Sarah Lawrence, he recruited his best friend on bass along with the guy across the way who could play guitar. And good drinking music came naturally:
These guys put on one of the best live shows I have seen in years, and lord knows I have seen my share of bands. Miller is a catchy, albeit quirky, tune writer, and the music behind and around him backs up the wording quite well. Never quite as successful as they should be, they have remained an underground favorite for decades at this point, always on the verge, but never quite succumbing to stardom.
Covering the Hagfish’s tune, one of the better Bakersfield outlaws, they show their roots, which are bolstered by Murry Hammond, the bass player, being a gospel singer in his off hours.
And who can resist a duet with the Crown Princess of Punk Rock, Exene herself. Apparently, the Old ’97s are one of her favorite bands. Not the best recording, but definately in the spirit of rock. As with many bands, the early stuff is the best, so check out the albums Wreck Your Life, Fight Songs, and Too Far To Care.
See you next instalment, same ZWAK time, same ZWAK channel.
I don’t know a lot of Old 97’s. But I really like what I’ve heard. My current favorite from them.
Thats a good one. Try this though: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rf-hpW9tZMg
Seriously, this was hard to pick songs for, as so many of theirs are so much fun.
That’s a bop. Reminds me of some of the later rockabilly and country-influenced Fratellis tunes. The rest of their stuff doesn’t really grab me too much, but then I don’t care much for country-adjacent music, generally speaking.
I like their cover of Timebomb, mostly because it’s not shitty Ska Punk garbage.
Like it!
The first tune strikes me as just a nice, bouncy pop tune, and hearing only that, I’d never have thought to describe them as “alt-country.” Please consider that a compliment – I generally prefer musicians that defy classification, the kind of musicians that would have confounded the music store clerk: “Where the hell am I supposed to put these guys??”
…back when there were music (i.e. “record”) stores. ::ties pretty ribbon around onion on belt::
There’s probably more record stores now than there were 20 years ago, although it seems to be waning a bit again now that hipsterism is back on the decline. From 2005 til 2015 or so you couldn’t swing a dead cat without hitting some Millennial wannabe hippie chick or testosterone-deficient dweeb with horn rimmed glasses, a shitty Crosley turntable, and 2 dozen cliched ’70s 45s. Worn out copies of Dark Side Of The Moon that old prog stoners were throwing away suddenly became “collectible.”
Yeah, bouncy pop is right up my alley and that is the one I liked.
It is hard for me to judge live music so I can only refrain from passing any judgement on the other two. Hell, some of my favorite artists just don’t translate live.
I am so taking you to a Steel Panther show.
I remember hearing a new tune on the local hard rock station. I went into the record shop and asked where to find the artist name (as best as I could tell from the radio). He sent me to the country section. I said no, this was on the hard rock channel. He insisted, and I did find the guy I was looking for. Lyle Lovett. I did wind up with a bunch of his CDs.
a giant (see below)
I don’t know how many times I’ve seen him; from acoustic quartet to his Large Band including full backing vocals, the guy fills up a room
I’m a fan.
One of my stories
I see you were a commenter on the story. So old news.
Do you recall the song, I remember when they tried to make “You’ve been so good up to now” happen on AOR stations (it didn’t take), but it’s in no way hard rock. I may have missed an album or two but I can’t think of a LL song that would play on a Hard Rock station.
Joshua Judges Ruth was the album.
They had an afternoon drive time where they would do short comedy bits. They played Church a couple of times during that slot.
The song I was chasing was You’ve Been So Good Up To Now. While the station was predominately rock, there were a few off-hour slots when they branched out.
GT, if you like unclassifiable, they put out one of the best love songs I have ever heard: Question. Apparently the singer proposed to his wife with it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AMymT9xS9fg
😊👍🏼
Yep, bouncy pop tune the first is. Not bad, but……ok that was ok.
The other two the sound is so bad I tapped out.
An OT LOL prompted by yet another frequent HIV drug commercial I just saw, in which this thing makes a prominent appearance.
Remember when the government of NYC stuck it to Trump by painting BLACK LIVES MATTER at his doorstep?
Pepperidge Farm remembers.
And this image was taken more than a year ago – which makes me wonder if they ‘shopped its pristine appearance in the commercial.
I slept through the 97s once, but to each his own
if you’re gonna do Texas music, these guys
T-bone Walker: the original Texas bluesman
Bob Wills: all but invented swing western
Townes van Zandt: deepest depths
Stevie Ray Vaughan: hottest electric
Steve Fromholz: great stories
Lyle Lovett: most tasteful arranger, broadest repertoire
Albert Collins: juke Telecaster turned up to 11 before 11 was invented
Joe Ely: dirt simple
Flaco Jiménez: taste the sound of San Antonio
Willie Nelson: greatest country songwriter ever
Robert Earl Keen: a boomer with issues
Jimmy Webb: you won’t really understand until the tenth listen, then awe
David Rodriguez: lawyer gone bad
Billy Joe Shaver: king of the white trash
Buddy Holly: bubble gum from the Llano Estacado
Guy Clark: just trust me on this one
Texas Music:
Blue Jean Blues – ZZ Top
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EjDjq_ToixI&ab_channel=ZZTop-Topic
Mmm… no Butthole Surfers. Not a list of True Texas rock then.
And there is a little ol’ band from Texas missing from that list as well.
Also Pantera.
And Rigor Mortis
🤘🤘
I was at Mr. Peppermint’s birthday party once in Dallas. Also fantastic.
Speaking of Peppermint…another fun, bouncy, pop-ish alt-country song from a good Texas band.
In all seriousness, I rather dislike electric blues, and think it is one of the more boring genres.
I know not all of those are EB, but it tends to infect a lot.
Kinky Friedman & the Texas Jewboys: just on general principle
He would have been an interesting governor.
Looks like Don still holds on to Texas.
Don to Texas
*spits drink*
I Hold On – Dierks Bently
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zV40NzkqJrw&ab_channel=DierksBentleyVEVO
He flies a Cirrus airplane!
I Hang On – to My Vertigo
TW: Not country-pop
Is Copperhead Road country?
I’ve seen it classed as rock, but it’s at least crossover to me.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=xvaEJzoaYZk
Steve Earl is very Alt (Outlaw) Country.
This.
I saw the Old 97s at the Bar of Soap in Dallas, several lifetimes ago.
It’s pronounced OUTLAAAAAWWW!!!! Country.
/Mojo Nixon.
Who’s Come to Do the Rock and Roll Thing!
+1 Tie my pecker to my leg
I don’t remember labels back then but maybe I was just didn’t give a shit.
GT and other Ohioites,
It appears, at this time, that your initiative lost.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/voters-in-ohio-reject-change-to-state-s-constitution/ar-AA1eYG60?ocid=msedgntp&cvid=7424302df0d7445088a57cc186a28431&ei=12
Since it is not what the MSM and Left wanted, expect lawsuits and many boxes of “found” ballots.
Or wait. Is this want the Left and MSM wanted so this was the mosest, cleanest, righteous election evah?
Per the local news, the gap has been narrowing as the evening goes on, but this is me not holding my breath.
? I thought the left wanted this result. To make abortions easier to obtain this fall.
As someone who doesn’t accept the state’s authority as legitimate I don’t really have a dog in this fight. That said, If I were a voter I’d be torn on this, while it should be very hard to make new laws it should be very easy to change/eliminate existing laws ( they should all sunset anyways) so depending on how these new rules are used it could go either way.
I like that the foundational legal document takes more than just a simple majority to change. Can you imagine if the US Constitution could be rewritten based on a simple majority vote?
Fuck. That.
“[w]hile it should be very hard to make new laws it should be very easy to change/eliminate existing laws ( they should all sunset anyways)”
I am in full agreement with this. Far too much shit gets special pleading, and it isn’t a good look on our side either.
Sun setting would quickly be twisted to benefit the officeholders.
Posted merely for the hilarious photoshop, “courtesy of the New York State Police”. It has a Jeep in it, and a tiny, eight-foot-tall dog!
That’s great.
Local-ish news from where I’m moving.
What a refreshing change of pace from the parade of nightmares appearing on the front page of the NY Post every day.
That news stuff is poison.
I noticed that advertising pic for a deli tray that is all lox, lemons, capers and onions.
Saw that. Presumably the bagels and schmear are separate.
And the public birthday party for the 100-year-old lady, awwww.
And I would throw in some dill.
lol, that’s my level of Photoshop Skillz!
cute doggo
Sarah Lawrence produced a country band? Now I’ve heard everything.
Yeah that caused a raised eyebrow.
Well, feminism has instigated more than one country song so there’s that.
Goodbye Earl was very popular on campus.
Thanks for the post Zwak. Goodnight all.
Firster’s don’t sleep.
Have I mentioned that I love Busby Berkeley musicals?
NO HOMO
I love a good musical. Unfortunately, they are few and far between.
That said, I am going to really go out on a limb and recommend a Disney channel musical.
Teen Beach Movie. It is cheesy. But fantastic. The choreography, the music, the performances. Just great. When my girls have a sleepover, we put on the sing-along and they all get up and dance and sing to the songs.
Gaaaaay.
Five minutes to rice cooker finish. Showa era aidoru pop on the tv. JB Black in the cup.
Wtf? JW Black.
My youngest and i just watched her first romantic comedy together. ẞhe is heading to middle school in a couple of weeks. She is not quite reasy for romance, but she enjoyed cuddling up with Dad and watching Roxanne.
Absolutely one of my favorite movies of all time. It really speaks to me, even all these years later. It has been a long time since I was a young fellow getting his heart broken,but that scene when he says “oh, I’ve been a lot braver since then” just cuts me,yanking me right back to those moments.
Watching my little one working out the dynamics of boys liking girls on film was just precious. She has been in full-on mouthy middle school girl mode for quite a while, so it was wonderful having her revert to a cuddle bug and snuggle up, falling asleep on my chest before the third act.
Also, Shandra Beri was just adorable in that movie. Bold move casting her as the second fiddle to Darryl Hannah.
I’m afraid of worms, Roxanne!
Also: that’s sweet AF. Lord knows you’re likely heading into a more trying few years.
/reflects on teenage assholery
“Earn more sessions by sleeving.” Very quotable movie. I often think “goodbye, Seattle” when I sneeze.
Ayn Rand floved Cyrano; I forget why.
The Gerard Depardieu version is good too, if she doesn’t mind subtitles. Vincent Perez, yum yum.
Probably into rough trade.
I tried “let me fluff your pillows” on the wife…..
Yeah… Chicks aren’t as much about movie quotes as dudes are….
This chick is, if they’re not repeated too often.
I am a GenX dude…. so you would get an earful of Monty Python. It is the rare nerd who puts up with that…..
My youngest starts middle school today. She’s not a morning person so we will see how she handles the earlier start.
Missed Scotus’s dipshit ruling reinstating Biden’s unlawful gun orders. Fuck status quo statist Robert and split tail ACB. No surprise from either one of them.
Why am I shopping for staplers at 11pm??
It is difficult to resist the urge to staple.
Sudden inspiration to get your life organized?
Good Morning.
Someone took your previous red Swingline stapler?
Happy hump day.
Get up and get at it!
🌞😛
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=8hhu-OyHqZM
🎶🎶
Good morning, Sean, Ted’S., ‘bodru, and Roat!
Saw a lady at the local ballpark wearing a “Great Lakes Camels” jersey. I’d never heard of such a team, so I asked her if they were at the AA level. She explained that the Camels were the allter ego of our rival Great Lakes Loons for Wednesday games! 😄⚾🧢
Bactrian or Dromedary?
Dromedary. It looked very much like the cigarette brand logo/mascot.
Bactrian would be for Tuesdays & Thursdays.
Great Lakes Camels? Love their mascot.
https://www.worthpoint.com/dictionary/p/alcohol-smoking/characters/joe-camel-character
Poor Joe Camel! Unfairly maligned as a “smoking groomer.”
Worse was Joe Cammel, who caught a lot of flak because people mistook him for the mascot.
“But it’s pronounced ‘kuh-MEL,'” he protested.
“It tried to go by ‘Seph’ but people alternately called me Seth, or mistook it for a videogame reference.”
“I’d be happy to call you “‘Seph,” said ‘Nifer.
You’re not my boss! I can do what I want.
sigh…*gets up and gets at it*
Mornin’, reprobates!
Good morning, ‘patzie! 😃 How’s every little thing?
every little thing
Hey! Stop leaking proprietary information!
Vacation next week, headed to our little corner of paradise in South Jersey. Good timing, manager will be taking on the next rollout. I love it when a plan comes together.
Vacations in corners of paradise are wonderful things!
Good morning y’all
Morning.
Good morning, ‘loosey! How’s it shakin’?
Mornin’
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ECa1toPGth4
Morning. First day of school here. Strolling to the bus stop shortly.
That is Waay too early.