James McMurtry's Continental Riffs
James McMurtry sits at the counter of an Austin diner called Snack Bar, its exterior illuminated by a giant neon phallus announcing the name of the adjoining motel. As he drinks red wine, he briefly discusses his hobbies, of which there aren’t many. He likes to fish and hunt,
The Men They Couldn't Hang - The Defiant
If there is such a thing as an objective music reviewer, I fall far short of the standard. Fine. Whatever. No one is buying an album because of what I write or don’t write anyway. Normally, that’s perfectly okay with me, but not this time. As the self-
Lee Clayton – Live At Rockpalast (CD/DVD)
From the still utterly unique Lee Clayton this live set, at turns paint blistering then refined, was recorded during 1980 in Germany.
In 1968, aged 26, Lee Clayton relocated to Nashville to pursue a career in songwriting. He had, for the previous three years, served in the U.S. Air
Todd Snider's Early Exits
Concertus interruptus can leave you feeling blue, and even a little despondent. If you happen to be a Todd Snider fan, as I am, you’d better get used to it. And, if you happen to be married to my wife, you’d better get used to a discussion about
Our House: The Cozy, Complex, Interconnected World of House Concerts
One warm spring evening not so long ago, I spent a few hours in the company of friends. We listened to music in their living room, shared food and a bottle of wine. It was over too quickly, as such gatherings always are. Sounds like a perfectly normal suburban happening,
Hello, Goodbye: Another Anthology From ’80s Roots Rockers Scruffy the Cat
As far as final chapters go, Scruffy the Cat’s isn’t too shabby. It just took a long time to get written.
In the case of the ‘80s Boston-based roots rock band, it wasn’t a matter of writer’s block. It was timing, technology, bureaucracy and that