Man, that iPod for President George W.
needs updated a bit w/ current bands that resemble
60's and 70's music.
Uncle Tupelo is really something -
they have a legendary cult following and are
credited w/ creating Alt. Country as a viable music
genre. The two founders, Jay Farrar and Jeff Tweedy,
passionately came to dislike each other and still do
- And maybe it has increased since Jay Farrar's band
Son Volt although viable but not as
viable as Jeff Tweedy's band Wilco
(the story well covered of its unconventional, back
door success that stumped the industry and had big
Warner Execs fired - because that's
just how out of touch they most of the time are).
And you can't get anymore Americana
than the Woody Guthrie lyrics and poetry
that his daughter Nora put in the hands of British
rocker activist Billy Bragg who
immediately solicited Jeff Tweedy and Wilco
(and Natalie Merchant for a song on
both CDs Mermaid Ave volume 1&2).
Influences - Neil Young, Flying Burrito
Brothers, Graham Parsons, early Jagger-Richards
Rolling Stones, Grateful Dea and good polished
honest punk rock.
Rusted Root, of course, is the
biggest and badest of the current bands that
emulate 60's and 70's music (yet w/ it's
own alternative primal twist for a timeless
cleansing) - having been noted so in the press - and
extensively touring w/ The Allman Bros.
Band, Santana, Grateful Dead, Plant & Page, etc..
and, Notably, the only band to ever play at
the original Woodstock spot all
these years later (also stopping bye and playing
Woodstock '99 while on tour w/
Jewel) - Jodie Foster
had RR do a rendition of
Santana's Evil Ways for her film
Home for the Holidays - as well as
RR's music being commercially used on many TV and
film sountracks).
I look forward to continuing my on the road
experience w/ RR and doing some
video-ography - as RR is really on
top of its game here - releasing its first live
(double) CD on its own label Touchy Pegg
- (while still gratefully enjoying all the
distribution channels it would w/ its former labels
Mercury and Island Def Jam) -
receiving positively charged audiences on tour to
support the new release. (what a story to tell).
Best intent,
John
P.S. Alt. Country's little darling star
RYan Adams will be playing at
Mr.
Smalls Theatre May 13th(
http://www.mrsmalls.com
- owned and operated by
Liz Berlin of RR
and husband, Mike Speranzo - ProAM Skateboader
currently on
PLayStation Tour and
will be heading
Woodward West
this summer -
Woodward East, near
PSU, the biggest board & bike
campus).
RYan Adams renting out Small's Theatre and
Rock-n-Roll B&B in Pittsburgh for a week
before joining the
Rolling Stones
in Pittsburgh for a stretch - leg of tour - And
aritists like
50 cent,
Black Eyed Peas,
Hank Williams
3rd, etc.. also stopping bye to play &
record. And brand channels like
MTV
