Steve Earle

Legend has it that once upon a time the Paramount was a movie theatre, and judging from its present-day appearance I imagine that they would have called it a movie palace - - from its ceiling to the large watercolors that line the walls the place is drop-dead gorgeous. And the acoustics ain't too shabbby either. I took in the show from Orchestra Right Row B.Allison Moorer started things off launching right into the title track of her new album Mockingbird, an especial fav... MORE

Just as glad I stayed home, I've seen my share of rainy festivals... here are the links - Gathering of the Vibes @ iclips Newport Folk Festival @ NPR

There's nothing like telling the FCC to f-off with Steve Earle. Earle will be touring next February and most likely his sets will include the popular "F the CC". The tour is in support of his latest album Washington Square erenade, which is nominated for the Best Contemporary Folk/Americana Album and Best Country Collaboration with Vocals Grammy Awards. Before the US tour, which kicks off on February 28th in Northampton, MA, Earle and his guitar will meander across ... MORE

"Fare thee well I’m bound to roam / This ain’t never been my home," sings Steve Earle in "Tennessee Blues," the opening track of his latest album Washington Square Serenade, widely described as a love letter to his new home New York City. In the next track "Down Here Below" Earle fashions a talking blues (rap's great-grandpappy; think talking blues on speed) to celebrate and ring the city's changes, both its struggles and its freedoms, our strivings for and fallings short:... MORE

Has anyone checked into any connections between Ticketmaster and the companies that make the ink jet cartridges for computer printers? In an attempt to 'expedite' the whole concert ticket purchasing process I just print off all of my own tickets now, which for some reason still costs me money. But I don't have to worry about having my tickets lost in the mail. Come to think about it, the US Post Office may be mixed up in this too...I swear I go through one of those Ink C... MORE

Today is Armed Forces Day in the US.
Memorial Day at Arlington National Cemetery
Next Monday (that is, 26 May 2008) is Memorial Day
Phil Ochs said:

it's always the old who lead us into war it's always the young who fall look what you've won with the saber and the gun and tell me was it really worth it all

Anyone witness to a recent [2002] solo live tour by the rock musician Steve Earle would have no qualms telling you about the greatness this aching bear of a man exuded on stage. Drawing on elements of folk, country and blues, this 'roots' performer summoned up a peculiarly troubled form of American heroism and its troubadour, protest spirit, echoing a lineage from Lightning Hopkins to Woody Guthrie, Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen. A lot of fans were prone to read betwee... MORE

"Fare thee well I’m bound to roam / This ain’t never been my home," sings Steve Earle in "Tennessee Blues," the opening track of his latest album Washington Square Serenade, widely described as a love letter to his new home New York City. In the next track "Down Here Below" Earle fashions a talking blues (rap's great-grandpappy; think talking blues on speed) to celebrate and ring the city's changes, both its struggles and its freedoms, our strivings for and fallings short:... MORE

No: 496 STEVE EARLE - TRAIN A COMIN' (1995) I'd always enjoyed Steve's music from first hearing "Copperhead Road" in the late 80's. "Train A Comin'" was a kind of re-birth for the artist, he'd experienced some jailtime and beat his Heroin addiction and I'm not sure if this encouraged the stripped down sound, but if it was, it was a masterstroke. You see, Steve is a great storyteller, and the sparse, tight backing, highlights his greatest strength, the tales within each s... MORE

Just hunting up the songs I heard at the concert. This one was spellbinding. A good ole story song.

Now I am just in a major music sharing mood...i am gonna rapid fire off some posts here...just some songs that have been speaking to me or have caught me ear recently....so much good music, so little time. Here is some Steve Earle...i will shake it up with something completely different next

Here is a nice, positive post for your Monday ;-) I finished Truman Capote's 'In Cold Blood' over the weekend and the last quarter of the book deals heavily with capital punishment. Which got me to thinking about last meals...which got me to thinking about something even more important. If you KNEW you were going to die in a few hours...what record would you put on and listen to a few times before your departure? Would you pick something upbeat in an attempt to stay ... MORE

Steve Earle's new love letter to New York, Washington Square Serenade, is another in a long line of very strong, post-sobriety milestones. This album is very, very good.