SpinSouth

Goodbye

2006-07-06T09:50:00.000-05:00

Goodbye SpinSouth, hello selloutmusic.com.

Sellout's Steal of the Week: Sunfall Festival

2006-02-02T10:49:00.000-06:00

Sunfall Festival | Trilobite

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Sellout's Steal of the Week: Bettye Lavette

2006-01-23T11:04:00.000-06:00

I'm late to the game here... But dig---

Bettye Lavette | How Am I Different:

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For the record, S. Husky Hoskulds, you are my recording hero.

Sellout's Steal of the Week: John Coltrane

2006-01-16T12:27:00.000-06:00

John Coltrane | Alabama:

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Walter Tore's Spontobeat.

2006-01-09T15:51:00.000-06:00

Walter Tore is a one man band. He has written over 1 million songs. He says "God blessed me with the ability to do this and cursed me with the disability to do a cover, even one of my own." Apparently his music is strictly spontaneous---written and recorded on the spot and never played again.

Check him out at Soundclick here.
Login as "spinsouth" password="spinsouth"

Recommeded Listening:

An Execution at San Quentin This Week

I Got My Hair Cut Tonight

Where the Wild Things Are

2006-01-09T13:02:00.000-06:00

Dylan just told me that Spike Jonze and Dave Eggars are making the film adaptation of Where the Wild Things Are. Can't wait.

More at Variety.com.

Big Night at the WWT

2006-01-08T14:39:00.000-06:00

Big Cats are recording in town, and Big Silver are about to release the much anticipated "Afterlife" in February. Good night of music at the WWT for sure.

Sellout's Steal of the Week: Shannon Yarbrough

2005-12-21T10:49:00.000-06:00

Over the next week, seven (7!) Max Recordings bands will play shows in Little Rock. Here's your chance to get caught up on (almost) all things Max. . .

Max Holiday Shows:
Wed 12/21-- The Chinese Girls (Downtown Music)
Wed 12/21-- The Easys (Sticky Fingerz)
Thur 12/22-- The Big Cats and Kevin Kerby (Sticky Fingerz)
Fri 12/23-- Trusty and Sugar and the Raw (Vino's)
Tue 12/27-- Boondogs (Whitewater Tavern)

Shannon Yarbrough | Unknown Brooklyn

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Also, check out the show on Shannon (and his influence on the record label) at Arkansongs.

More on Max at maxrecordings.com.

Sellout's Steal of the Week: Jim Mize

2005-12-14T18:53:00.000-06:00

So Red Chuck and I have been playing with Jim Mize for about a year and a half now. We're just about finished with his new record, but we've yet to play a gig with him. That changes Friday night, as Jim Mize and the Fence Jumpers debut at the Whitewater Tavern.

His last record featured the Oxford, MS band Blue Mountain, and resulted in praise in all kinds of national press outlets (Billboard, Guitar Player, etc). Someone said "Jim Mize writes songs from Larry Brown's south-- full of southern weirdos, infidelity, booze and violence." Someone else called him "a Southern Springsteen at the height of his powers."

Okay, so I said those things (couldn't find any of the press clips), but in any case-- I'm really glad to be involved in this new record. We recorded half of it in Mississippi with Bruce Watson, and half of it here in Little Rock. It's supposed to be out early next year.

Here's one of my favorites:

Jim Mize | Promises We Keep (advance mix):

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Note: this makes the 2nd Steal of the Week in a row that I recorded and played bass on. I promise I won't make it a habit. Next week we'll come up with something less narcissistic.

I Stand Corrected: WWJCD?

2005-12-08T09:43:00.000-06:00

In 1993 Johnny Cash sang "Happy Birthday" to me on my 21st birthday. This was before the Rick Rubin records came out-- he was playing the Wayne Newton Theater in Branson. Not the coolest gig, and though officially of age, I was several generations younger than the busloads of retired vacationers filling the seats around me. In any case, JC managed to transcend the setting-- under normal circumstances there is nothing cool about Branson, MO, but Johnny Cash managed to be very cool.

In the same way Walk the Line is so much better than it should have been. On paper (and in the trailers) it looks like a horribile Hollywood creation. But simply put, the movie is fantastic. It's not perfect (Ms. Witherspoon doesn't do June Carter's wackiness justice, and parts of the story were a bit tidy), but its faults are easily overlooked in the face of everything it does right.

At the Branson show 12 years ago, JC sang a "new" song. He didn't introduce it-- didn't say his ex-son-in-law wrote it for him-- didn't say it was going to be on a new record.. In fact there was no mention of a new record, although the first American Recording must have been in production at that time. In any case, the song stuck with me that night. Here it is:

Johnny Cash | The Beast in Me:

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Sellout's Steal of the Week: The Easys

2005-12-01T15:31:00.000-06:00

In honor of the Easys bold return to the internet, here's a track from the first record. All apologies to Al Green.

The Easys | Let's Not Stay Together:

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Visit the Easys online at:
theeasys.com
myspace.com/theeasys

MP3 courtesy of Loudmouth Mastering.

Localist Goes Live

2005-11-23T08:50:00.000-06:00

This Friday. . .

Sellout's Steal of the Week: Victoria Williams

2005-11-19T12:38:00.000-06:00

What can you say about Victoria Williams? Slightly nuts, extremely gifted, somewhere between Neil Young and Billie Holiday with more than a little Tom Waits thrown in? Close enough.

Had a hard time picking a song for this one... Thought about the heartbreaking "Century Plant" from Loose, or "Boogieman" from Swing the Statue. But here's a chance to plug another favorite Shreveport musician made good (Vic is homegirl too), drummer extraordinaire Brian Blade...

I saw them play this on Conan or Letterman or the like when the record came out, and it was obvious she was having a ball playing with Brian. Los Boondogs had a similar experience when he sat in with the band a few years back. He knew the songs better than we did and he'd never heard them. Frighteningly talented guy. Word is he's completed another solo record--this time as a singer-songwriter-- with Tucker Martine. Can't wait.

Anyhoo... here's Victoria Williams from Musings of a Creekdipper, with Brian Blade on drums:

Victoria Williams | Train Song (Demise of the Caboose)
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R.I.P. John Fowles

2005-11-07T15:34:00.000-06:00

Writer John Fowles dies aged 79

I read The Magus in grad school and promptly made all my reading friends read it too. I still maintain that fake nazis are scarier than real nazis.

Sellout's Steal of the Week: Emitt Rhodes

2005-11-03T10:04:00.000-06:00

A few years ago I read about Emitt Rhodes in TapeOp. It seems Mr. Rhodes released a solo record in 1970 that was rumored, at the time, to be a certain Macca's debut solo record. Anyway, reading about made me curious to hear it, so I ventured out to Anthro-pop to see about ordering a Japanese import or whatever was available.

While waiting for Rod, I flipped through the "new arrivals" bin, and discovered two (2!) LPs by the man himself... Synchronicity? Divine Providence? Mere Coincidence?

Who knows. In any case, I bought both records for $10, and promptly listened to the first many many times. Then I had Red Chuck transfer the album to CD. Here, for your listening pleasure, is track one.

Emitt Rhodes | With My Face on the Floor
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More great info on Emitt Rhodes here.

Sellout's Steal of the Week: The Stroke (singular)

2005-10-21T11:28:00.000-05:00

With all the blog craziness over new leaked Strokes songs, I present this week's Sellout Steal of the Week: THE STROKE (singular).

Billy Squire | The Stroke:
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Takes me back to Skate World, ca 1981. Those were good times.

Bonus Video

2005-10-13T13:21:00.000-05:00

Watch the Pinter-inspired Seinfeld episode:

Or download it here:

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NOTE: Having trouble with the Quicktime? Might be time to update to 7.0 here

Congrats Harold Pinter...

2005-10-13T10:52:00.000-05:00

The Nobel Prize in Literature goes to Harold Pinter, author of one my favorite plays, Betrayal, which in turn was the inspiration for my favorite Seinfeld episode. They both go backwards.

Related:
Buy Betrayal here
More about Harold Pinter at haroldpinter.org
Seinfeld: The Betrayal episode guide
And learn how to record a backwards guitar solo

Appropriate quote from said Seinfeld episode:
Jerry: Well, everybody's a little cranky on their birthday.
George: Oh, it's a bad day. You got everyone in your house, you're thinkin', "These are my friends?!"
Jerry: (Sarcastic) Every day is my birthday.

Sellout's Steal of the Week: T-Bone Burnett plays the Blues

2005-10-07T12:20:00.000-05:00

From the Wim Wenders film The Soul of a Man (part of the PBS series on THE BLUES), T-Bone and company do the J.B. Lenoir song about letting the girls have girls night every once in a while... White Russians and dirty martinis all night.

T Bone Burnett | Don't Dog Your Woman
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Related:
Wim Wenders (the official site)
Sam Phillips is recording a new record right now
The Blues will be in effect in Helena this weekend. Have fun Red Chuck.

Last Night at Cajun's

2005-10-07T12:09:00.000-05:00

To the guy in the paisley shirt doused in Polo cologne: Why?

Meet Ringo

2005-09-22T10:57:00.000-05:00

And a song in his honor:

Lorne Greene | Ringo:

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More Big Star. . .

2005-09-13T12:09:00.000-05:00

So there's a Big Star e-card here, but those streaming songs don't work too well on ipod.... So for your mobile listening pleasure, here are all three songs as MP3s (including "Dony" from a couple weeks ago):

Big Star | Lady Sweet:

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Big Star | Best Chance We Ever Had:

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Big Star | Dony:

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P.S. In Space comes out 9/27.

Come all without, come all within...

2005-09-04T15:20:00.000-05:00

You've not seen nothing like the Mighty Quinn.

Sept. 21, 1992- Sept. 4, 2005

Kanye sez:

2005-09-02T22:51:00.000-05:00

A friend who works for a major newspaper writes about two photos released over the wire today: "One AP image shows a black man and uses the following caption: "A young man walks through chest-deep waters after looting a grocery store in New Orleans on Tuesday." The other photo, from Getty Images, shows two white people, with this caption: "Two residents wade through chest-deep water after finding bread and soda from a local grocery store." Black people loot, white people find."

Leadership in action

2005-08-31T18:00:00.000-05:00

President Bush plays a guitar presented to him by Country Singer Mark Wills, right, backstage following his visit to Naval Base Coronado, Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2005. Bush visited the base to deliver remarks on V-J Commemoration Day. (AP Photo/ABC News, Martha Raddatz)

FOUND

2005-08-23T22:01:00.000-05:00

Sing, Muse, of a high school rock band. A band of once-loyal musical brothers cursed with creative differences they could not overcome. Sing of a brave young Lead Guitar Player called upon to deliver the death blow to the perputually shirtless Lead Singer. Sing, Muse, of a band of hoodlooms recruited from across the river to beat up a dedicated band leader in a McDonalds parking lot the night before the ACT.

Sing, Muse, of the glorious moment sixteen years later, when said band leader finds a note written by the lost (and linkless) drummer the next week at school.

Sellout's Steal of the Week: Big Star

2005-08-10T08:44:00.000-05:00

Surely I've told you about accosting Alex Chilton at Coop's in New Orleans. Anyway, the new Big Star record comes out 9/27. Here's the first track:

Big Star | Dony:

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Things I Know About Ian, pt. 1

2005-08-03T19:31:00.000-05:00

I met Ian last Friday. Since then I've learned:

He's British
He's a nauturalized U.S. citizen
He's a part-time missionary
He smokes alot
He knows all the words to "The Gambler"
And all the words to "I'm Proud to be an American"
He has a criminal record
He was expelled from school with his running mate, Brian Jones
(yes THAT Brian Jones)
He doesn't believe Brian drowned ("He could swim like a fish!")

I'll check in every so often with more Ian facts as I gather them. . .

It was 40 years ago today. . .

2005-07-25T17:50:00.000-05:00

But according to this page, it wasn't that big of a deal. . .

A Late Flooding Thaw by Gary Guinn

2005-07-23T13:14:00.000-05:00

Full disclosure: I know this book's author. He was a favorite professor, he buys our records, and he read a sonnet in our wedding (all we got him as a gift was Moby Grape CD. Doesn't seem right in hindsight). Anyway, having heard chapter excepts over the years, I was excited to finally read the novel when it was published a few weeks back. I was not disappointed.

In fact, I was surprised to find halfway through the book that I was no longer reading "Dr. Guinn's novel," but a really great book whose authorship no longer mattered to me.

A Late Flooding Thaw is the story of Walter and Emma Bass. Walter is a sort of Jewel Bundren, if he were able to achieve escape velocity from his family. Emma, his wife, shares a certain religous ecstasy with Hazel Motes. And no matter what Randy Zurcher or the author himself may say, I think the owl in the last chapter has to be the Holy Spirit.

Save $10 and order it directly from the publisher here. Or buy it from Amazon.com. Or by it from Wordsworth in Little Rock, where Gary Guinn will be signing books on August 11th.

Sellout's Steal of the Week: Maria Taylor

2005-07-20T14:03:00.000-05:00

Thanks to Chromewaves for the link to the Maria Taylor MP3s. No thanks, however, to Saddle Creek for generously providing mono 32 kbs files. Here to rectify the situation are the two songs in all their stereo 192 kbs MP3 glory:

Maria Taylor | Speak Easy
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Maria Taylor | Song Beneath the Song
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More on Maria here. P.S. I still hate Bright Eyes.

Chicago is South of Somewhere

2005-07-12T08:56:00.000-05:00

American Cities That Best Fit You:

70% Chicago

70% Philadelphia

55% Los Angeles

55% New York City

55% Washington, DC

I figured I would end up in Austin, Atlanta, or New Orleans. I like Birmingham, too. I specifically said I wanted to be in the South. But according to this useless quiz, I should be in Chicago (I even said I wanted a sunny and warm climate!).

Which American Cities Best Fit You?

I'll have two with onions and kraut

2005-07-09T17:03:00.000-05:00

It's no secret that many Spin South posts have been inspired/influenced/ruined by a cold Fat Tire or two. Now that the kind rep from New Belgium Brewing Company just left 10 cases of Fat Tire in my living room for the upcoming Boondogs CD release show, we can expect great things this week from Spin South.

Let's begin with a link to the Dog Blog from Round Online.

An entire page dedicated to eating hot dogs makes me think of Lucky Dogs, of course.

And Lucky Dogs make me think of the supposed film adaptation of A Confederacy of Dunces, which according to this article is still on hold.

Goodbye and Godspeed

2005-07-08T09:34:00.000-05:00

Given Mike Wolf's online presence and influence, it seems appropriate to post this song here in his memory. It was written and recorded the week after he died.

FYI, Lady Crumpet has archived Mike's page here.

Boondogs | Goodbye and Godspeed:
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Dig the song, but we don't call 'em Bayous this far North. . .

2005-07-06T20:34:00.000-05:00

Sufjan Stevens has written his first Arkansas song, and wouldn't you know it's about that damn bird... (no disprespect, Todd) Download The Great God Bird from NPR:

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Stream the New Boondogs

2005-06-29T16:53:00.000-05:00

Fever Dreams comes out July 26th. But until then, stream the album at boondogs.com.

Sellout's Steal of the Week: Joseph Arthur

2005-06-08T11:16:00.000-05:00

From what I can tell, Joseph Arthur's songwriting is very hit and miss. Specifically, some of his lyrics are unlistenably trite-- but then he delivers something like this song, the perfect mix of groove and mood. Enjoy.

Joseph Arthur | Eyes on my Back:

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Racing to a place she loves to play chase. . .

2005-06-03T12:38:00.000-05:00

Little Rock's reclusive music savant Michael Jukes has posted his entire catalog on an mp3 jukebox at
jukesmusic.com.

Personal favorites are tracks 7, 11, 17, 23, and 27.

You Waited a Month for THIS?

2005-06-02T11:19:00.000-05:00

Ummm. So yeah, I've been a little distracted the last 4 weeks or so. I haven't been giving you the attention you need. We haven't made QUALITY TIME a priority. But listen, I had one hell of a 2 year old birthday party to plan (crawfish and beer, anyone?), vocals to record (do you have any idea how difficult artists can be?), mixes to finish (I actually enjoyed that), photos to take (so much easier with a stylist), a record to master (I hope you like low end as much as I do), artwork to finish (does anyone hate deadlines more than Isaac Alexander?), and a band to save (who knew Mike Beebe cared so much about Rod Bryan?)

Speaking of... Tonight's the night:

More coming soon, I promise.

Sellout's Steal of the Week: New Pornographers

2005-05-03T00:48:00.000-05:00

In keeping with the current Steal of the Week theme (which is, for those of you paying attention, the theme of "Sellout being too lazy to actually cull his mp3 library for worthy downloads"), I direct you to the new New Pornographers track recently posted at the Matador site:

New Pornographers | Twin Cinema

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In other news, I will gladly buy drinks for the first person who can tell my why I shouldn't hold both Ryan Adams and that Bright Eyes guy in great contempt. Will neither of them go away???

Yo La Tengo Breakout!

2005-04-24T10:50:00.000-05:00

Go to the Matador site to play Yo La Tengo Breakout!

Bringing it all Back Home

2005-04-20T08:37:00.001-05:00

July 2nd, Ray Winder Field.
Bob Dylan and Willie Nelson.
6:30 p.m. All tickets General Admission.

Mysterious & Nervous Andrew Bird

2005-04-17T09:58:00.000-05:00

This oughta satisfy Indy's love of new Fiona Apple and old Ron Sexsmith. From the new album The Mysterious Production of Eggs:

Andrew Bird | “A Nervous Tic Motion Of The Head To The Left”
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P.S. Watch it live at KCRW: Morning Becomes Eclectic

The Cheese is Risen Indeed!

2005-04-16T21:54:00.000-05:00

!VIVA LA SLIPKID!

Metallica Drummer

2005-04-16T18:22:00.000-05:00

Click here. I hate Windows Media. Will post quicktime if I can find it.

New Michael Penn

2005-04-12T10:07:00.000-05:00

It won't be out until August, but here's a track from the new Michael Penn record.

As usual, we've got an exceptional George Harrison-esque arrangement of a pretty good song. So that's not a glowing endorsement, I know, but I promise I'm a fan.

Michael Penn | Walter Reed:
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Sellout's Steal of the Week: Thelonious Monk

2005-04-11T15:10:00.000-05:00

This week's steal of the week courtesy of young Julian, be bop fanatic.

Thelonious Monk | Well You Needn't:
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podcast feed: http://feeds.feedburner.com/Spinsouth

Makes Me Buy ADIDAS

2005-04-05T16:35:00.000-05:00

So I was excited to see the Spike Jonze directed Adidas spot online about a month ago, and shocked to actually see it on air a couple weeks later. Thanks to stereogum we've got a link to the Squeak E. Clean and Karen O custom music track:

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Watch the spot here.

New Sam Phillips

2005-03-30T12:05:00.000-06:00

The recently revamped Sam Phillips page just posted a few tunes Sam wrote as cue music for The Gilmore Girls.

one
two
three

If Only Smoothie King Would Offer the Same Deal. . .

2005-03-28T17:28:00.000-06:00

From The Guardian:

Big Mac rap may mean artists' payday

Richard Jinman
Tuesday March 29, 2005
The Guardian

Rap artists are accustomed to name-checking prestige car, clothing and jewellery brands in their lyrics. But if McDonald's has its way Snoop Dogg, Jay-Z and 50 Cent may soon be giving it up for the humble beefburger.

The fast-food giant is reported to be launching a campaign that will offer financial incentives to rap artists who mention its Big Mac burger in their lyrics. McDonald's will not pay an upfront fee, but intends to pay the artist between $1 and $5 (53p-£2.68) each time a track is played on the radio. It hopes to have several such songs on the airwaves by the summer.

WaltRiker, a spokesman for McDonald's in the US, said the initiative would be conducted by the US marketing firm Maven Strategies, which last year managed to get Seagram's gin mentioned in five rap songs.

Tony Rome, Maven's president, said his aim was to identify artists whose style would identify with the brand. McDonald's would have final approval of the lyrics, he said.

The campaign was condemned yesterday by the US lobby group Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood. It accused McDonald's of targeting a young audience who were already particularly prone to obesity.

The group's founder, Susan Linn, said: "They're dumping one of their most high fat, high calorific products on kids in a way that the kids won't even know that it's happening."

Mr Riker denied that claim yesterday. "Our customers are smart," he said. "They know how to make choices that are right for them."

Sellout's Steal of the Week: Alex Chilton

2005-03-28T16:23:00.000-06:00

So I had a dream last night that Jody Stephens and I were talking... I was telling him about accosting Alex Chilton at Coop's Bar in New Orleans a couple of years back (which really did happen, much to Indy's embarrassment). I was convinced I had a story worth telling Alex, and as it turned out, he agreed. Anyway, in my dream, I told Jody I felt bad for bugging Mr. Chilton, and he said "Oh that's nothing, you should what he has to deal with on those Oldies Cruises with the Box Tops!"

Then today, as Julian and I were driving around, windows down, spring and sun, iPod on shuffle, Alex Chilton sang "Oogum Boogum." Coincidence? Who cares, it was the perfect song for a sunny Spring day. Enjoy.

Alex Chilton covers "Oogum Boogum":
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Don't forget yer podcast option. Subscribe to the Spinsouth feed at http://feeds.feedburner.com/Spinsouth

Don't Dream It's Over. . .

2005-03-27T23:26:00.000-06:00

Hey now, hey now.

Don't let them win:
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Or, simplify your life and get all the Sellout Steals of the Week via podcast. Subscribe to the Spinsouth feed at http://feeds.feedburner.com/Spinsouth

Say My Name Say My Name. . .

2005-03-26T14:50:00.000-06:00

And to think, we hate our band name. It could be worse:
Shitty Shitty Band Band

The Guardian writes about good band names here.

On second thought, Shitty Shitty Band Band is a great name.

The Dude Abides

2005-03-26T08:46:00.000-06:00

Time on Their Hands

White Russian, anyone?

The Bear Comes Back

2005-03-24T11:51:00.000-06:00

In 1979, Rafi Zabor started writing a story about a saxophone playing Bear who walked the streets of NYC quoting Shakespeare and playing jazz. The Bear Comes Home was published in 1997 and won the PEN/Faulkner award later that year. I read it, loved it, and made everyone I knew read it (except for Indy; she refused). I even gave a copy to David Rawlings. Anyway, Mr. Zabor is finally back with the first volume of a tetralogy called I, Wabenzi (due to be published this October by FSG).

Here's a great feature about how little his life changed after all the fuss over The Bear: washingtonpost.com

Read about the new book at the FSG page here.

For the real trainspotters, he also contributes customer reviews at amazon.com

Bringing the Rock to Dogtown

2005-03-22T15:46:00.000-06:00

Rod Bryan for Governor

2005-03-21T10:53:00.000-06:00

rodbryan.com

UPDATE: cynical backlash at the arkansas times site already: see the comments here.

Top 20 By Tom Waits

2005-03-21T09:52:00.000-06:00

Tom Waits lists his top 20 albums for the Observer this week here.

Notable moments:
"Dylan is a planet to be explored."
Solo Monk is "astronaut music from Bedlam"
Los Lobos are "so wild, and they've gotten so cubist. They've become like Picasso."

Questionable moment:
EC's The Delivery Man makes the top 20. Someone explain this record to me. I guess you have to live in Cali to get it.

Watching the Detectives Wrapped Around Your Finger

2005-03-20T11:18:00.000-06:00

Thanks to Stereogum for the link to Mark Vidler's mp3 page.
Highlights include Wrapped Detective and Paperbook Believer.

Sellout's Steal of the Week: Thin LizzyOr, It's Not Easy Being Green

2005-03-17T09:37:00.000-06:00

In honor of St. Patrick's Day, a song from the greatest Irish rock band ever, Thin Lizzy:

THE BOYS ARE BACK IN TOWN
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Other Green Links:

for dylan: singer guy from texas
for indy and harbs: party responsible, in part, for our current president
for angela: green fashion for spring
for isaac: shades of green
for charles: green fuzz pedal
for julian: a bunch of green tractors

Beware the Ides of March

2005-03-15T08:26:00.000-06:00

He's a dreamer, let us leave him.

Total Eclipse of the Heart

2005-03-13T21:10:00.000-06:00

Words are failing me. Click this link. Watch the video.

Kill Some Pissants for Jesus

2005-03-11T09:20:00.000-06:00

I got turned on to the cigar smoking, bible quoting, race horse-owning TV evangelist Dr. Gene Scott in the 7th grade. We used to stay up late to watch his broadcasts and call in to request his greatest hit "Kill Some Pissants for Jesus." Now I hear he's dead. R.I.P. Dr, Scott.

Watch some vintage Gene Scott right here.

Sellout's Steal of the Week: Bettie Serveert

2005-03-03T22:37:00.000-06:00

Friday night at Sticky Fingerz. Straight from the Netherlands. Bettie, to Serve.

From the 1997 album Dust Bunnies: "Geek"
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For those of you keeping score, this is the second steal of dutch origin. Hi, Petra.

Pictures to prove we've begun.

2005-03-02T11:30:00.000-06:00

Boondogs recording.

The new Boondogs album, tentatively titled "Goodbye and Godspeed" is being sung and mixed this week, and should be released in May.

We recorded 10 songs down at Bruce Watson's studio in Water Valley Mississippi over a 24 hour period (we also slept and ate in that time period). Chris got sick, Isaac was brilliant, Charles played "like butterflies" (according to Indy), Indy was barely present, and I couldn't believe we actually did it.

Advance mp3s will be posted here shortly.

The Fortunate Son Reads a Really Big Book!

2005-02-24T09:20:00.000-06:00

The L.A. Times reports W. listens to CCR on his iPod. And Alan Jackson.

No shock there, but do we really believe he's read the new Tom Wolfe book,I Am Charlotte Simmons? I mean, (A) it's in hardcover, (B) it's over 300 pages long, and (C) I don't think James Dobson would approve.

Here's the article

Analog is Forever

2005-02-18T10:39:00.000-06:00

The boondogs return to a "real" studio for the first time in 4 years this weekend, with the lofty goal of tracking 8-9 songs in a day. I know that's how it used to be done, but it's sure not the way we've made our last few records. Isaac's bringing drums, Charles is bringing pedals, Chris is bringing a bow and a bar (it's a dry county), I'm bringing Quinn, and Indy's bringing songs. And Bruce has a bunch of microphones and 2" tape in his converted country schoolhouse from the 1800's. Should be a good time.

It's About Damn Time

2005-02-18T10:27:00.000-06:00

In his "State of the City" address this week, Little Rock Mayor Jim Dailey expressed his support for a smoking ban in local restaurants and workplaces. You might recall our photo-op-loving governer passed on a chance to enact a state-wide smoking ban a few years back. He's attracted the ire of a certain Indy Grotto ever since.

Anyway, the New York Times published a report on the effects of the smoking ban there a couple weeks ago. The news: business has improved in restaurants and the smokers are saving money on dry cleaning bills.

The stories are archived here:

In Barrooms, Smoking Ban Is Less Reviled
New Yorkers are Accepting of Smoking Ban

Sellout's Steal of the Week: Spoon

2005-02-17T09:45:00.000-06:00

I had a conversation earlier this week with a certain current drummer of the boondogs wherein we discussed our mutual aversion to buzz bands. I really have been meaning to hear that Arcade Fire album, but in the meantime I've spent the past several months avoiding them.

I actively avoided Wilco until late in 2000 or so. I don't have any Modest Mouse albums. And I've somehow missed Spoon altogether. But as the buzz gathers around their new album (due out in March), and folks scour the internet for the leaked copy that's being reported today, I think I'll play catch up.

Here's "Paper Tiger" from Kill the Moonlight:

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Randomness Lost

2005-02-13T20:00:00.000-06:00

I learned last night that a friend died suddenly and unexpectedly this week. Mike Wolf was a huge fan of music and film, and his blog, Randomness Personified, was a constant source of entertainment, news and diversion. I told him when I launched this site that I was going to have to try hard NOT to rip him off. I did steal his html code on occasion, though.

Indy said last week she couldn't wait to play a gig that Mike could attend, because he's such a great fan and totally gets it. We had plans to hook up with him in New York later this year.

Earlier this week he promised to buy the first copy of the new boondogs record we're about to record. I promised to send him an advance copy, and he promised to send me that new Fiona Apple record.

I never met Mike. Our relationship began when he bought our record, continued through Randomness Personified, and grew through email exchanges over the past few years. I don't even know what his voice sounded like, but I miss him already.

Goodbye, Mike. I wish we could talk about how disgusting tonight's Grammy Awards were. Terrible even by Grammy standards. Even U2 was bad.

Sellout's Steal of the Week: Public Enemy

2005-02-04T16:32:00.000-06:00

It's been brought to my attention that the Sellout's Steal of the Week has been gone too long. So, in honor of Da Mayor, I give you Fight the Power from the Do the Right Thing Soundtrack.

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Always Do the Right Thing

2005-02-04T11:15:00.000-06:00

"Da Mayor" is dead at 87. Somebody get me a Miller High Life.

Actor Ossie Davis Found Dead in Hotel.

From the Associated Press....

2005-01-25T13:17:00.000-06:00

OMAHA, Neb. - A Web-page designer who auctioned off the use of his forehead for advertising space is letting it go to his head.

Andrew Fischer, 20, of Omaha, who put his forehead for sale on eBay as advertising space, received $37,375 on Friday to advertise the snoring remedy, SnoreStop.

Fischer will display the SnoreStop logo on his forehead for one month.

"I look forward to an enjoyable association with Andrew — a man who clearly has a head for business in every sense of the word," SnoreStop CEO Christian de Rivel said.

"People will always comment on something out of the ordinary," Fischer said in his sales pitch. "People like weird."

But there were limits: He refused from the outset to be the conduit for any message or product deemed tasteless or unacceptable in traditional advertising formats.

Triumph of the Heart

2005-01-21T20:31:00.000-06:00

If you're willing to wait while a 16meg quicktime loads, you can see the new Bjork video here. Then you'll know what the cat is all about. Needless to say, any video with a fully clothed dancing cat is a big hit around here. Oh yeah, Spike Jonze directed.

EDIT: Watch it with Real Player here.

I really must go buy this record.

The Cheese is Dead! Long Live the Cheese!

2005-01-21T10:38:00.000-06:00

Farewell, Slipkid, we hardly knew ye. In loving memory, here are some of my favorite Slipkid posts:

What's in a Meme?

The Cheese is Alive

More Fun with Anagrams

Hillcrest Hidden History

SHAMELESS

2005-01-20T13:41:00.000-06:00

Here's my inauguration protest: Help me get a FREE iPod Shuffle. Get one too. I signed up for one month of Blockbuster's version of Netflix for $10. Do the same, get three suckers to link to you, and BAM! free iPod Shuffle. Just remember 2 things: use a yahoo mail account or the like dedicated to spam, and click my link so I get credit. God Bless America.

And W, too.

Love, Spin South

The Tragic Tale of the Green Angels

2005-01-13T21:47:00.000-06:00

So this is the true story of the Green Angels, one of my very favorite bands growing up. We used to listen to them on a boombox in the back of the van on the way to church camp. Me, Todd, Holly, Philip, Heather.. the whole gang. We had no idea it would turn out so sad.

Get the whole story here.

Unfortunately, as I'm still waiting on the Green Angels' catalog to be issued on CD, I don't have any MP3s. So the best I can do is this:

Stryper - You Won't Be Lonely:
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Good Thing I Have Those Tapes...

2005-01-09T21:51:00.000-06:00

So much for that theory about clean living. As of Friday night, my beloved ipod is missing. My best guess is that it was swiped off the front seat of the new car as I was loading in to a gig at the Living Room.

The silver lining? I was really feeling cramped by 15 gigs.

It Must Be the Clean Living

2005-01-08T17:32:00.000-06:00

Someone gave me a car last week. It runs great, has a sunroof (!), and a very large trunk. It also has a cassette player, which will come in handy as I listen to the box of tapes I found in said trunk. New Order, Joy Division, The Smiths, Morrissey, Erasure, The Cure, etc. An almost definitive representation of that mid-80's British thing. I've decided to leave the iPod out of this ride until the box of tapes is worn out. I guess its time to get over that aversion to Morrissey.

Spin South's Year in Music

2005-01-08T10:59:00.000-06:00

Instead of a "top ten albums of the year" post, I've put together a list of albums that I listened to alot in 2004. The only rule is that they had to relatively new to me last year. drumroll:

Greetings from the Great State of Michigan -Sufjan Stevens-
The soundtrack to the first few months of 2004. Out of town horns, strummed banjos, and amazingly simply songs. Listen to the banjo playing boy scout here.

United -Phoenix-
In 1984, I got a stereo for Christmas. I also got headphones and a stack of blank cassettes. I used to stay up late recording top 40 radio and make mix tapes of my favorite hits. This record is like one of those tapes.

Chutes Too Narrow -The Shins-
A bit behind the curve here, but glad I got to the party anyway. Almost left off the list because of some bad scene Isaac told me about in Garden State, but that's not their fault. I like the Cure, too.

Starry Gazey Pie -The Bees-
Acoustic 12 string guitar, upright bass, drums, Juno 60. Add a really great songwriter and former Red Chuck bookselling cohort and you've got the beautiful debut album from the Bees. A bunch of mp3s here.

Blessed -The Gleaners-
Easily the best record to come out of Barry Poynter's studio since Massacre. Three free mp3s and a video here.

A Boot and a Shoe -Sam Phillips-
A break-up record. One time I joked to a friend that Indy and I were going as Sam and T-Bone for Halloween. He replied "You do that everyday." The joke's not so funny anymore. So much for the Boondogs 45 with a Sam cover on one side and T-Bone on the flip side.

Future Perfect -Autolux-
It looks like they'll be in Dallas with the Secret Machines in February. Who's going with me?

So Jealous-Tegan And Sara-
Just under the wire. Got this one the last week of December and haven't stopped listening. No less than three people of asked "They're lesbians together?" when I give the annoying background story on the band. Low res. mp3s and things here.

One more thing: I think it's worth noting what's not on the list: new records from Los Lobos, Elvis Costello, The Finn Brothers. What gives?

Get It Off Your Chest

2004-12-22T14:19:00.000-06:00

A recent This American Life broadcast featured recordings of calls made to the Apology Line, a fifteen year project of the late Allan Bridges. Mr. Bridges recorded over 1,000 cassette tapes full of people's anonymous confessions to his answering machine like this one:

"I'd like to apologize for...for being such a sorry person. My preacher's wife was counseling me on alcoholism. They're a married couple. I'm thirty and they're thirty. And I had a sexual encounter with her. And I feel sorry, and I need to apologize to somebody...for messing up her. Her husband was almost impotent. In which I attacked the woman. I had oral and physical sex with her. And I feel just plumb damn guilty like I should...just...end it all. Thank you."

I don' t think we'll get anything quite that detailed or heady from the new advertainment site launched by Method, the folks that attractively packaged soap. But it is oddly fun to see what people choose to get off their chests. Go see for yourself at comeclean.com.

Meet the Beastles

2004-12-21T13:36:00.000-06:00

Go grab 'em here while you can. If they get pulled, I'll post copies on the SpinSouth server.

Sellout's Steal of the Week: The Heartless Bastards

2004-12-16T15:49:00.000-06:00

In a Popeye's-Grolsch-Enchilada-and-Margarita fueled state of bliss last weekend, Red Chuck and I enthusiastically embraced the new Heartless Bastards album. Bruce at the Money Shot played us an advanced copy of the record, which he recorded earlier this year.

Now back at home and back on a more sensible diet-exercise-alcohol regime, I still love it. Here's a track from the upcoming (early 2005) Fat Possum Records release called "Onions."

The Heartless Bastards:
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The Money Shot Studio, Water Valley, Mississippi

2004-12-13T18:29:00.000-06:00

2004-12-10T10:53:00.000-06:00

Ain't a-goin' down to Oxford Town

2004-12-09T17:44:00.000-06:00

In 2002, Fat Possum Records put out "Don't Give Up on Me."

It is a brilliant album, recorded by one of my favorite engineers, featuring songs from some of my favorite songwriters, played by some of my favorite musicians, and sung by the legendary Solomon Burke.

Over the past several years, the label has also released records by R.L. Burnside, the Black Keys, Junior Kimbrough, Grandpaboy, and Thee Shams.

So I've gotten all fired up about heading down to the Fat Possum recording headquarters this weekend to play (along with Red Chuck) on a new album by Jim Mize. For one thing, it'll be fun to be "just the bass player" on a session. But we'll also be within striking distance of a few notable North Mississippi spots:

Square Books
Rowan Oak
Zebra Ranch
Taylor Grocery

In preparation for the weekend in and around Oxford, I re-read As I Lay Dying and finally got around to reading Father and Son, a deeply disturbing but addictively great book by the late (as of a couple of weeks ago) Larry Brown.

I would have said that it made me never want to drink a drop of alcohol again, but I just downed two Fat Tires while writing this entry.

P.S. Harbs, sorry we didn't connect last weekend. This weekend it will happen.

Sellout's Steal of the Week: 607

2004-12-08T11:39:00.000-06:00

The hands down highlight of the Easys Halloween show this year was an appearance of local rapper 607 (formerly of Traumah Team). He sat in on two songs ("Capital I Heart Letter You" and a brilliant freestyle against a song Isaac wrote on the spot) and brought the house down.

We had so much fun we're in the planning stages of making an album together. Will keep you posted.

So, with the Grammy nominations this week (don't get me started), here's two from 607. The first is his "ode" to Grammy's favorite son this year, Kayne West. The second lifts another Grammy nominated song, Britney's Toxic (my favorite song of the year, btw).

607: "Kayne Dis":
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607: "Britney Spears":
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P.S. I've added an index of previous Steals of the Week over there in the sidebar. Download away and send the RIAA a Christmas card.

I Think My Son May Be a Yankee

2004-12-04T11:09:00.000-06:00

I've heard folks up north put cheese on their apple pie. Julian's favorite meal these days is shredded apples and cheddar cheese.

Of course he's also really big on that rice and gravy at the Pete Harris Cafe.

THIS is why I love the iTunes Music Store

2004-12-03T15:07:00.000-06:00

So I've been a huge Kevin Russell fan for almost 20 years now. Arnold and I used to frequent shows at Enoch's where The Picket Line Coyotes showed us how to be a rock band and Kevin showed me how to try to be Bob Dylan in a rock band.

Fast forward to about 1996 or so and Kevin returns with The Gourds. Dem's Good Beeble goes into heavy rotation for several years and some of those live dates from back then go down in my personal history of greatest shows ever. But then Jimmy thinks he's the Southern Tom Waits and starts singing about pickles. My interest fades.

BUT NOW, iTunes music store gives me the option to ONLY BUY THE KEVIN SONGS! Problem solved, I love the Gourds again. And to make it even better, early reports are that this album is a return to form for Kevin.

I'll have to synchronize my trips to the bar Saturday night (they're playing in town) with Jimmy's songs.

P.S. Sellout's Steal of the Week: The Gourds--"Lower 48" (wherein Kevin manages to recite all 48 states in a musical fashion):

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So Much for Moving to Canada...

2004-12-03T09:20:00.000-06:00

We may have W.,but Canada has McRorie, One Man Live!
Quicktime posted for your enjoyment...

The Culture War:A Report from the Mess Tent

2004-12-02T16:58:00.000-06:00

I keep hearing about the culture war being fought right here in the U.S.
Today, it became very real to me.

I pride myself in making a fine vegetarian chili from a recipe I've been perfecting over the past few Arkansas winters. I'll spare you the details (fresh cilantro, etc.), but I begin with a secret I learned from my mom: Bear Creek's "Damn Good Chili" mix.

This year, our friends at Bear Creek have renamed said package "Darn Good Chili." Look, if my mom wasn't too offended to buy the original, I can't imagine it hurt their sales that much.

I like to imagine that James Dobson was involved in the name change.

A Creature of Habit

2004-12-02T09:53:00.000-06:00

I love ritual. Perhaps it's part of getting old, but I think it goes deeper than that.

There's something about drinking two cups of coffee in silence in front of nytimes.com every morning-- if it doesn't happen my whole morning is shot.

I have lots more examples, but I'm not especially chatty right now.

See you at the Auditions...

2004-11-25T18:12:00.000-06:00

Sellout's Steal of the Week: Fiona AppleOr, Yet Another Reason to Hate the Record Industry

2004-11-25T16:25:00.000-06:00

As a forward to this post, I have to establish that I do not own any Fiona Apple records. Something about that video in the underwear and all that flat singing turned me off for a long time. But I do think both of her albums are great examples of Jon Brion's genius.

I was just made aware of freefiona.com, a page dedicated to convincing Sony/Epic to release her third album, which has been complete for 18 months now. I once sat by while a "label" (notice the quotation marks) refused to release an album that had been done for at least that long. Of course, we didn't have two plantinum albums in our back catalog!

The story goes that Jon Brion convinced Ms. Apple to come out of retirement to make this album for his sake, so I'm interested to hear it for his contributions alone. In any case, the brilliant minds that spent 6 figures making this album don't think it's worth releasing to the public. Here are a couple of tracks. You be the judge:

Extraordinary Machine: (right-click, save target as)
Better Version of Me: (right-click, save target as)

This House is Haunted with the Ghost of Love. . .

2004-11-19T10:10:00.000-06:00

Last night Little Rock music royalty Ho-Hum released their 7th album (I think that's right). I admit I don't get 'em all, but in that catalog are some absolute gems like the moody pop masterpiece MASSACRE.

I haven't heard the new record, but went to the show at Juanita's last night for a preview. Brad Brown is a machine and one of my favorite rock drummers. And it's always fun to go watch Rod get really drunk and piss off his brother.

So here's me second local music plug in a row: If you don't know Ho-Hum, go to playadel.com and order MASSACRE today.

Oh yeah-- as far as the Clinton Library opening goes. I was offered a VIP ticket at the last minute, but remembered how much I dislike crowds in time to stay warm and dry in front of the TV. I got the feeling Bono thought he was going to stop the rain when the opened with the truncated "Rain." I really think he looked disappointed by the last song that he wasn't able to change the weather with his voice.

Sellout's Steal of the Week: Grand Serenade

2004-11-18T10:07:00.000-06:00

Alright now. Here's a song from my new favorite "local" band, Grand Serenade. I could go on and on about how much I like this band (I've been wearing Indy out about them for months), but I'll let you take a listen for yourself instead.

Last time I checked, exactly one of them is old enough to drink. I suppose their age is only really significant when I think about how terrible my bands were back then. . .

Anyway, go buy their EP "Crashing Cars" at grandserenade.com.

Download Color My World here:
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How to Download an Atomic Bomb

2004-11-15T16:22:00.000-06:00

So the new U2 record leaked last week, and someone handed me a copy. Listening now. If you wanna hear it, it's easy to find, if you know what I mean. Just think about where you usually find those Sellout Steals of the Week. . .

In other news, Bono and the Edge will be in town this week for the Clinton Library opening. Should be an interesting week, given all the left-wing moping of recent weeks. Julian and I are gonna bus it downtown for at least some of the fun. Will post reports here.

Red Chuck should have some good Al Franken stories by the end of the week, from what I understand.

Red Chuck's on a Roll

2004-11-12T13:08:00.000-06:00

Call me lazy. Or just uninspired. But today I send you elsewhere for entertainment. You really must head over to Red Chuck's place to see his last string of entries. He's on a roll. He's got good stuff about drunk uninvited houseguests (breaking and entering sounds so harsh) and vampires (why can't we all just get along).

Yours Truly,
SpinSouth

Sellout's Steal of the Week: Solex

2004-11-11T09:34:00.000-06:00

Solex is Amsterdam's Elisabeth Esselink, a record store's worth of vinyl, and a sampler. This one is for my dutch friends, Petra and Hermione.

Go get it:
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Selling Out: Because Art Rarely Pays

2004-11-05T23:02:00.000-06:00

Thanks to Mike Wolf, whose link to a song about cheese changed my mood for a bit.

It reminded me of a link Red Chuck sent me a couple years ago to a Ween song they wrote for a TV spot. Since "commercial music" is what we do to pay the bills around here, I thought I'd see how many of examples of recording artists writing advertisements we could collect:

Ween doing Pizza Hut. (the second version is a favorite).

Yo La Tengo do Coca Cola.

Yo La Tengo do an anti-smoking PSA.

Yo La Tengo do cell phones.

The Everly Brothers do Coca Cola.

Rufus Wainwright does Gap (kind of).

There's a start. Any more out there? I seem to remember the Finns Brothers doing a Coke jingle, too? I think I have it somewhere.