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mostasteless
- FB Fan -
81 Posts |
 Posted - 04/20/2006 : 12:25:44
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quote:
Originally posted by chickenwithtwoheads
Too bad Johnny Horton's most melodic songs are racist ('I hate niggers' and 'Some niggers never die'), I never feel very comfortable listening to these songs.
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Johnny Horton did not write those songs. I'm pretty sure it was some guy named Johnny Rebel, but I can't be sure about that. But Horton is an innocent man I tells ya! |
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jimmy
= Cult of Ray =
USA
876 Posts |
Posted - 04/20/2006 : 14:59:56
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It's funny, sometimes on GAC they'll interveiw some of the big country stars of today, and they all mention what an inspiration Johnny Cash was for them- but you'd never guess that when you hear the shit records they put out.
There are so many good old country songs- plain and mostly undecorated ( I can't think of the right word ) that you'd think they would have a real influence. Plus so many of these people are already rich- couldn't they take a chance and make a record that is really excellent instead of worrying about sales and chart positions.
"Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you." JOHN 15:14 |
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chickenwithtwoheads
= Cult of Ray =
Netherlands
391 Posts |
Posted - 04/20/2006 : 15:13:58
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quote:
Originally posted by mostasteless
quote:
Originally posted by chickenwithtwoheads
Too bad Johnny Horton's most melodic songs are racist ('I hate niggers' and 'Some niggers never die'), I never feel very comfortable listening to these songs.
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Johnny Horton did not write those songs. I'm pretty sure it was some guy named Johnny Rebel, but I can't be sure about that. But Horton is an innocent man I tells ya!
I'm glad you're right. After some googling I found this:
http://www.spasticmonkeys.com/blog/lileks-blew-it/
"The person singing the song was not Johnny Horton, and the song was not recorded by a popular artist for a wide audience.
It turns out that the song was actually recorded by a guy going by the name of Johnny Rebel"
I probably downloaded the songs using Limewire. Not the first time a song I tried to download wasn't what it seemed to be.
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El Loco
- FB Fan -
206 Posts |
Posted - 04/20/2006 : 16:06:21
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| David Allen Coe |
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VoVat
>> Denizen of the Citizens Band <<
USA
9168 Posts |
Posted - 04/23/2006 : 14:18:17
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I used to think I didn't like country music, but now I'm pretty cool with it. It probably helps that I think instruments like steel guitars, banjos, fiddles, and mandolins can produce some great sounds. I should probably check out more classic country. As far as modern artists go, Neko Case is quite possibly my favorite female musician, and her compatriots Carolyn Mark and Kelly Hogan are also definitely worth listening to. And then there's Laura Cantrell. I can't really think of any modern male country artists that I like that much, but that doesn't mean there aren't any good ones.
"If you doze much longer, then life turns to dreaming. If you doze much longer, then dreams turn to nightmares." |
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Carl
- A 'Fifth' Catholic -
Ireland
11546 Posts |
Posted - 04/24/2006 : 12:01:18
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Is'nt country music all about killing a man, hidind from the law down in Mexico, then crying in a bar because your sweetheart has left you? To the accompaniment of pedal-steal?
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Erebus
* Dog in the Sand *
USA
1834 Posts |
Posted - 06/12/2006 : 10:30:57
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In honor of jimmy and his struggle, I resurrect this topic. Saturday night I went to see Hank Williams III, or “Hank III”, his stage handle. The “Straight to Hell” tour, and that captures it pretty well. It wasn’t easy to witness, least ways not as easy as I’d a thunk. Though I’d read a couple three reviews, I somehow I arrived unprepared for a show that was only marginally country. He’s a VERY strong personality in his own right and fronts a great band. They play three sets: first “country”, which is really mostly manic hoedown; then what he calls “hellbilly; and finally death metal ("Assjack" he calls it). Most of the “country” set is hard-driving fusion hillbilly. Pretty good, or at least it could have been had it not been so damn loud. Think Charlie Daniels on steroids. The band is a five piece with a true wizard on fiddle, a “standup steel guitar”, standup bass, and drums, with Hank on hollow body rhythm guitar. Mix was good but, again, unnecessarily loud. Pity. Felt sorry for the little childrens’ ears, and my own. The bass player was a sight: skinny guy with a magenta-pinkish mohawk about eight inches long, flopping all over the place, mostly sporting odd, quizzical facial expressions, plucking away on a hot pinkish standup bass. Reminded me of Rocky Horror’s Riff Raff. After about an hour of the hillbilly they transition into the hellbilly without leaving the stage, just a change of hats and off we go. Unfortunately this was so loud I had to leave after about three songs. First time I’ve ever left a show early. Too bad, because I really would have liked to hear the harder stuff. Despite everything, the band and performance were quite professional. No delays, no tech problems, just a seamless show.
Most of Hank’s country material is about getting loaded, on almost everything: alcohol, pot, cocaine, pills, acid. No opiates mentioned. His hatred of traditional Nashville is pretty evident too, and no doubt reciprocated: “God Country Fucking Sucks!” Never heard anybody curse so much so loudly for so long. The audience was a trip too. Lots of hellraising rednecks; tons of pierced and tattooed punks; little kids; confused onlookers like me; grandmas and grandpas. Felt sorry for the grandmas.
Funny thing is, I had recently downloaded a complete Hank III Richmond, Virginia show from Apr 6, just over two months ago, and the country portion is a completely different beast. Much more like real country, less intense and driving. Great recording and a good listen. I listened to the country set yesterday, for the first time, to recapture some of what I had experienced, but instead found quite a different act. Perhaps because Virginia is not Nevada, the setlist includes more straight country. Still lots of yelling and cursing, and songs about getting way fucked up. Haven’t listened to the hellbilly and death metal sets but I’m going to, to hear something like what I missed. The band I heard Saturday night was so different from the one captured in Richmond that it really makes me wonder. Is Hank III in transition to a much harder act? Or is this simply a band that is feeling its oats from frequent playing? Does he always vary things this way to cater to regional differences? Was I just seeing the west coast version of Hank? He was in LA last week. I would think Richmond and that whole area are pretty savvy and in important respects deeper into the punk ethos than is Reno, but then again I was surprised to see what crawled out of the Reno woodwork two nights ago. Overall, a shocking evening. Ears were numb yesterday but they seem to be recovering. Haven’t suffered hearing loss from a show in years. Pretty stupid. If they’d only reduced it by 20-30 decibels, it would have been fun, even for the heads.
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speedy_m
= Frankofile =
Canada
3581 Posts |
Posted - 06/12/2006 : 10:39:37
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I don't know if it qualifies as country per se, but the Kinks "Muswell Hillbillies" is just amazing. 60s Brit-country maybe? Country and (old)Western? Town and Western? I don't know. But it's great.
he's back jack smoking crack find him if you want to get found
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Erebus
* Dog in the Sand *
USA
1834 Posts |
Posted - 06/12/2006 : 16:36:44
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OK, brief emergence from batcave to report on Richmond hellbilly/metal sets. Suffice to say I feel cheated by my local venue, The New Oasis. I quite like Hank III, despite my report above. What a great recording from Richmond, clocking in at 2h6m, almost making up for my disappointing experience here. Imagine Fugazi meets vintage Sabbath. The guy’s got the goods, from ‘billy to stomping hardcore. We get “They Call Me White Trash, Part 2” and “Living in Goddam Gravel Pit”. At one point I was thinking of the Beastie Boys. What a character, with brief ‘tween song screams of “Smoke that ganja motherfucker” and “We are the disease!” Great speed metal drummer. If this tour comes to your town, recommended. Richmond recording link here:
http://www.dimeadozen.org/torrents-details.php?id=95333
dime also has torrents for this year’s Atlanta and Chicago shows, which I’m presently downloading. Hank’s sorta an asshole but I like ‘im anyway.
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edbanky
= Cult of Ray =
Burkina Faso (Upper Volta)
388 Posts |
Posted - 06/13/2006 : 11:22:45
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John Prine (also a folkie, depending) was hemorrhaging good country back in the day. Some notable examples to check out (from his first couple years on the scene):
Illegal Smile
Spanish Pipedream
Yes I Guess They Oughta Name A Drink After You
Your Flag Decal Won't Get You Into Heaven Anymore
Paradise
Angel From Montgomery
Please Don't Bury Me
Christmas in Prison
Grandpa Was A Carpenter
Souvenirs
The Late John Garfield Blues
The Frying Pan
Take the Star Out of The Window
The Great Compromise
Clocks and Spoons
Here's a lyric from "Pretty Good" off "The Hay Album" (his eponymous):
"I heard Allah and Buddha were singing at the Savior's feast,
And up the sky and Arabian rabbi fed Quaker oats to a priest."
Anyway, JP is about as atypical a country guy, lyrical content wise, as there is.
Oh, and this guy named Neil Young is extremely country quite often.
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"Clinton is a shithead." Ray Bradbury |
Edited by - edbanky on 06/13/2006 11:25:00 |
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ScottP
= Cult of Ray =
USA
618 Posts |
Posted - 06/13/2006 : 18:34:26
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| Country music is cool when some one cool does it. I believed every word Johnny, Lorretta, Willie and Hank Sr. ever sang. But these "new country", or "young country" dip fucks are making some of the worst music we have EVER had to endure. Have you ever watched CMT(country music MTV)? It's impossible to tell the difference between the videos and the commercials. It's so damn fake it makes "christian metal" sound believable. Go away Tubby Keith and Co., you bunch of zeros. |
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jimmy
= Cult of Ray =
USA
876 Posts |
Posted - 06/13/2006 : 19:39:27
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I wish Elvis Costello would make another country covers album, "Almost Blue" was too bland. It had some good songs ( "How Much I Lied", and from the bonus tracks, "Psycho" & "He's Got You" ), but "I'm Your Toy" (Hot Burrito #1) was a big disappointment.
It probably won't happen, so I'm just waiting for the next "Kojak Variety". |
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Country Music ( are there any good songs )
