I personally have yet to sign the XXX petition, but the more I have been thinking about this, the more I think the important task I have is to inform all of YOU, the fans, so you can make your own decisions, without having them filtered through my opinions. It doesn’t mean that I won’t raise criticism or offer praise, but YOU should decide for yourself on this thing, irrespective of my beliefs, and irrespective of your beliefs of Shooter Jennings, Hank III, or any other artist. As I’ve been saying, judge this on the merit of the idea itself.
In that spirit, on Wednesday I conveined a Saving Country Music Roundtable comprised of me The Triggerman, Jashie P of Outlaw Radio Chicago, and Reverend Nix of Stink Finger Radio/The Mojo Medicine Show, and we discussed in detail the pros and cons. I think a lot of good information about this came out, and I encourage everyone to listen when they have time. As well as check out the robust comments section of the previous article where Shooter Jennings and Adam Sheets, the originators of this idea, refute some of my criticisms and go into further detail about the idea.
And speaking of Shooter, he just conducted an 1 1/2 hour interview with Outlaw Radio about all of this, that we will be airing on SCM LIVE on Monday at 7:30 Central and the chat room will be open. For those that cannot make it live, we will archive the interview and transcribe the big points, and that will be posted later that evening .
A lot of people are wondering what Hank III has to say about all this. We have reached out to him, and as soon as we have a statement/interview/whatever, I will bring it to you, positive or negative. I am committed to BOTH SIDES being able to speak their mind about how they feel about XXX in the spirit that healthy, respectful discourse is good regardless of where this idea ends up, or who ultimately ends up being involved.
And speaking of what the artists themselves feel on this matter, here is a list of the ones who have publicly backed XXX so far:
Also Shooter and blogger Adam Sheets sent me statements to accompany the Roundtable, since they were not there to comment.
Adam Sheets: “Most people who listened to “outlaw country” in the ’70s were decent law-abiding citizens, who didn’t like the polished sounds of Nashville at that time and certainly weren’t outlaw. Likewise, XXX, whether you associate it with moonshine or porn, is the harder-edged alternative to Nashville and the top 40 and the name represents that.”
Shooter: “xxx is not referring to any other style of music. It is an answer to AAA (Adult Album Alternative) and the moonshine reference is not an association with alcohol as much as a tip of the hat to deep rooted antique southern culture. For now its catchy and it represents something completely new”"
Excerpt below is from the full article posted on Gun Shy Assassin
"There are no guarantees that this will last, as with anything in this life, it is fleeting. So all of that being said, I am going to just pay some respects to a place, a scene, a people who were my teachers and peers. Without the influence and struggles of the Providence, Rhode Island, area “music scene,” I would not be who I am today.
I was 15 years old; I just got my first pair of “combat” boots, was just getting into Fugazi, Minor threat, Operation Ivy and various other popular punk/hardcore bands. I was so excited and eager for this music I knew little about. I would soon learn the ethos of DIY and the terms “scene,” “scenester,” “poseur,” and “show,” among many other things. It all started with a show at the rather locally famous “Club Baby Head.” The bill included various local bands but my memory fails me to name them — but the band that was most memorable to me was Smudge (who later became Kilgore Smudge and then Kilgore).
They were a great mix of the new sound I was really liking but a sound I was already aware of; bands like Faith No More, Alice in Chains, etc. The lead singer had a beard, long hair and a flat cap on. His voice was huge and his stage presence and humorous banter in between songs was all-consuming to me. I was in my first “pit” and got kicked in the head as well as lost my breath from being sucker punched by a flying fist. I could barely sleep that night — I was hooked. Little did I know this was for life.
Back then, Providence had various venues to see local and national acts: The Living Room, The Met Cafe, As220, Lupos and The Strand, among others. My new drug was “shows” or concerts, as I would call them before knowing the “lingo.” I made it my business to get out to as many shows as I could, meeting all kinds of interesting and eccentric people. I bought fanzines (underground magazines written and produced by fans), 7 inches (45 vinyl record singles). There was a hang out that everyone would go to before and after shows called “Thayer Street.” Thayer Street was the mecca of underground and counter culture back then. On any given day there were punks, psychobilly/rockabilly punks, skins, rude boys and ska kids, hardcore kids, ravers, crusty punks, peace punks, goths, alterna-teens and old school rockers. I would hang out there whenever I could and after shows, my friends and I would be there until the cops told us to go home.
"There were great independent record stores that helped feed my new addiction as well; In Your Ear Records, Toms Tracks, Contrast Records and more that escape me. It was an incredible place filled with so many opportunities and people willing to share their experience and love of music. Providence, back then, was a place where for the first time in my awkward teenage years, I felt I had a place and a “scene” to call my own.
As much as I could sit here and reminisce about the glory days of my youth and for the sake of keeping this a column and not a short book, I will just bullet point bands and people that I owe a thank you and a nod of respect to for helping raise and inspire me:
Jay Berndt – Lead singer of Kilgore and currently an amazing rock country blues singer songwriter as well as an engineer/producer: here is some archive footage of the band that started it all for me and Jay present day."
Check out Jay Berndt and Kilgore back in the day....
The Devil's Brigade Chapter of The Road Devils Car Club has teamed up with Task Force Dagger, Rusty Knuckles, Gangster Billy and many more local busineses from the East Coast to bring you on the "Road to Recovery" to help Combat Wounded Veterans and their families get back on there feet after a loved one has suffered severe wounds in battle. The Devils Brigade will be driving to "Viva Las Vegas 14" and raising money along the way while filming a documentary about soldiers and how they use hot rodding as therapy after returning from combat. You will see what "COMRADERIE" really means in a Car Club of combat hardened veterans. You will also see behind the scenes footage of the builds and life at Tim Bradham's shop right here in Fatalville, North Carolina, or as we call it NOCAR. The song on the clip is "Arson" by Demon City Wreckers. RIP Jason Mashburn...
- Geoff Dardia is part of the Devils Brigade, an all military branch of the Road Devils Car Club
Sneak Peek: The Green Lady Killers - "My .45" from Mike Ashcraft on Vimeo.
