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8.19.02
From time to time, I'll post my own thoughts here. Read at your own peril!
An interesting day for the initial entry. I received an email from Mike Westerfield at Sisyphus Tracks Internet Radio today. BNN is one of three featured discs on their station this week and last week too. It's a great station/site and I'm truly honored. In fact, I tuned it in on my computer after getting the email, and they were playing the new Bruce Springsteen song, The Rising. After that came a classic old Muddy Waters tune. Turn it up!
Well, imagine my surprise when that was followed by my very own "Broken." How humbling! Very kind words about me on the Sisyphus Tracks site as well.
Thanks Mike- you made my day!
We're also in the process of being added to the MyTexasMusic.com website. It's a wonderful site too, run by the talented and hard working Lucky Boyd and his wife Jinelle. I'm excited to be a part of what they are doing. And if you haven't heard Lucky's music, you should. He's the real deal!
Meanwhile, we got an email from Wrecks Bell down at the Old Quarter Acoustic Cafe in Galveston, inviting us to come play sometime. I do hope we can work that out. Lucky plays there, as do so many Texas greats. He was an important figure in the career of Townes Van Zandt, Wrecks was. A true Texas original. Both of them!
8.21.02
Well, I certainly wouldn't expect a daily affirmation here on the old Diary, but there's been a veritable flurry of activity the past few days. If you haven't noticed, we are indeed now active on the MyTexasMusic.com site. They even created a new numerical category on their artist list, so 2Take feels right at home! Please feel free to purchase my music from the wonderful people (Jinelle & Lucky Boyd) there, and look around at what they have to offer. It's a treasure!
We've set a date for our radio gig on Red River Radio's "No Cover" program. Adam Giblin has us pencilled in for the first Sunday in October. This program is heard and loved by such a big and loyal audience. I'm very excited about booking this date.
There are people behind the scenes who lend so much of their time and support to what we are doing, who've been there on the hard days and the good. Tonight I think especially of Susan Freer, my de facto manager (Dance For Your Porridge Management Services!) over in bonnie Aberdeenshire Scotland, and her husband John. Many of the things that are now taking shape started with Susan's gentle-but-insistent prodding. We humbly salute her as a true blue friend and musical compadre!
To Dave and Erin Sharp, we miss you greatly, but hope your Summer Of Love proves to be a real Endless Summer. See you at Bonneroo!
8.26.02
I got a very nice email the other day from Conny Gothe in Sweden (via the AltCountryTab.com site.) In part, it read:
"I received your new CD and very much enjoy it. I am a big fan of Americana music even if we get very little here. On your website is a link that lead to an Americana festival in Nacogdoches. This is the same place you write about, no? I am wondering why you are not playing this festival." That's a good question, Conny!
Another thing people have asked: "Is the song Buenos Noches Nacogdoches an homage to the town or a put-down?" I usually answer questions like these with something like: "Well, it's a long story." Okay, so here it is- not so damn long, after all:
First of all, thanks Conny for the email. I do appreciate it. If you have a festival in Sweden, pencil me in! I tend to find much more happiness/success playing outside of Nacogdoches. The music scene there has some nice people (salute to Nacogdoches Red!) and some great talent (Willie Edwards will be huge!), but it is all too often taken over by a self-serving clique that doesn't have the talent. (I'm quite sure there are some that think I'm not "real" because pianas don't twang!)
Nacogdoches tends to have a big chip on its shoulder. Most people don't want anybody to make it in the big world beyond the piney curtain. (Unless it is them , that is!) We did a CD Release Party there for the BNN album (seemed like a no-brainer), and I was talking afterwards to a local who we affectionately call the Boatbuilder. He makes all the gigs and buys the CDs, even though he doesn't own a player! He's originally from Minnesota (land of 10,000 lakes and Bob Dylan to boot!), and is genuinely troubled by the unresponsiveness of Nacogdoches residents. Takes it personal. They are the hardest crowd you'll ever (not) play to. We've been fortunate enough to play some of the best places in New Orleans (Howlin' Wolf, Neutral Ground, Kerry Irish Pub...)- as well as elsewhere in Texas (Galveston, the Austin area...), and we always know that we can do that and get fine receptions. Have done it before- will do it again!
It is a bit ironic that I have found as much success as I have outside of Nacogdoches, and yet don't seem to make the bill there. Honestly, Nacogdoches couldn't care a whit that somebody named a CD after them. Unless it's Willie Nelson! Funny enough, Willie was using the same recording studio as I was during the making of this album, and I hear that he is going to call his new one "Nacogdoches." Good luck to him! :)
A lot of Americana fans are familiar with the town via the Steve Earle song "Tom Ames' Prayer." Everyone in Nacogdoches knew that boy would come to some bad end. Knowing where he came from, I say he never stood a chance!
9.15.02
The news is now out that Warren Zevon is terminally ill with lung cancer. We had actually heard the news from a friend of his, about a week before it was announced. With each day that went by, I hoped in vain that it had been some horrible mistake, but it was not to be. I've been a fan of Warren's music for over 25 years. When people talk about my influences, they seem to overlook him, but I always heard him in the mix. I hope his final days will be happy ones.
"Send lawyers, guns and money,
The shit has hit the fan..."
10.01.02
I was thrilled to be selected as one of the Featured Artists this week at MyTexasMusic.com. It's great to be in such good company there, and Jinelle Boyd is a pleasure to know. Take a look at the site, buy some Texas music, and tell 'em 2Take sent ya!
We're preparing for this Sunday's "No Cover" radio show. I think it'll be a good one. I'll have a half hour, playing a few tunes and chatting with Adam and Kathryn. I'm splitting time with the band Social Bliss. They're great guys and sure know how to rock and roll.
We just spent the past weekend in Austin, taking in the Austin City Limits Music Festival. The music was hot and so was the weather. Brought back new suntans and good memories. Austin has my love but New Orleans has my heart. It'll be good to be back in Louisiana.
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