Heavy Rebel 2012 Was A Damn Good Time

When we set up our booth at Heavy Rebel every year, it makes us damn proud to be able to talk on all the new projects, the great bands we work with and most of all to be able to hang with so many cool folks. This year was another scorcher of a good time. Whether it be wandering the streets checking out the rides, talking shop in our DIY booth lounge or just catching as many bands as we can, the good times are always at hand.

Huge shout out to Courtney, Dave and Mike for putting on such a great event and most of all to everyone that hung out in our booth or we shared drinks with. The list is long and strong, so to all of yall, cant wait for the next time around. Maybe next year we won't have to get keep getting kicked out of the hotel pool at 5am every morning either.

Some sttand out sets that we were able to catch: American Speedway, Peewee Moore, Cutthroat Shamrock, Southbound Turnaround, Dielectrics, Carolina Still and Kenneth Brian

HeavyRebel.net

Here are some photos taken by yours truly, Mopar Rob and various others by friends on Facebook

Peewee Moore killed it on Saturday Night

Need some leg?

89 Speed Shop Gasser style setup

Ford truck brown and low

Yamaha XS650 by Butchers Chop

Ace Speed Shop with tilt hood

The Wiggle Room had plenty of dancing ladies

Butcher Chop custom leather seat

Clean Shovelhead with Split Tanks

The mud wrestling cooled things off for many

Hot Rods and classic rides lined the street for blocks upon blocks

Carolina Still had a great set

Antiseen Sets The Record Straight, They Are The Titans Of The Squared Circle

On July 10th 2012, Antiseen will be settling the score and proving that they are the titans of the squared circle. Their collection of wrestling songs will finally be available on one amazing disc or batch of songs in a digital download. 

These songs run the gamut of illustrious characters that have entered into death matches, brawls and all out street fights all for the fan's delight. Plus there will be one all NEW and never before released track* recorded especially for FALLS COUNT ANYWHERE!!!

Buy this album now in our store

Antiseen - Falls Count Anywhere, available now!

10 Amazing tracks on gate fold cd digipak

1.EXPLODING BARBED WIRE DEATH MATCH - A tribute to the over the top hard core style of Japanese Wrestling.
2. INVADER ONE MUST DIE - a cover of a tune from long time pals COCKNOOSE about Jose Gonzalez who murdered wrestling great BRUISER BRODY in Puerto Rico.
3. The MYSTERIOUS GREEN MIST - a tribute to the Great Kabuki & The Great Muta and their secret weapon of choice!!!!
4. FROM PARTS UNKNOWN - a tribute to the masked men of Professional Wrestling.
5. SABU - a tribute to the suicidal, homicidal, genocidal, human highlight reel!
6. FUNK U - a tribute to the hardcore icon, the living legend, TERRY FUNK!
7. DEAR ABBY - a tribute to the Madamn from the Sudan, ABDULLAH THE BUTCHER!
8. CACTUS JACK - a tribute to the man who's name is synonymous with HARDCORE...before the socks and tie dye shirts...MICK FOLEY
9.BABY FACE KILLER - a tribute to ALL wrestling HEELS!!!!
10.* BADSTREET USA - Not a tribute to Atlanta, GA but to it's favorite sons THE FABULOUS FREEBIRDS with a cover of the song made famous by the leader of the greatest triple tag team in Wrestling history!!!!

Rusty Knuckles Presents - Rock N' Rassle Apocalypse

Billy Don Burns Interview With Outlaw Magazine

Billy Don Burns is a league all his own within country music. His songwriting talent is beyond measure and his new album is about to be unleashed upon the world. Many will come to realize far and wide, his sphere of influence after July 10, 2012. 

Billy Don's songs are epic short stories and take the listener on a journey through a world which is lived by the seat of your pants, focusing on the here and now. You can be rest assured this will be an album to be played for a long time to come. Nashville's manufactured outlaws should be shaking in their brand new and unbroken in boots, Billy Don Burns has crafted an album of Real Country Music.

Buy Nights When I'm Sober... Portrait Of A Honky Tonk Singer

Billy Don Burns new album, Nights When I'm Sober... Portrait Of A Honky Tonk Singer available now

Link to original post over at Outlaw Magazine

"Billy Don Burns is a true Country Music Warrior. He wears his battle scars with honor, depicting the stories of his life in his songs with brutal and beautiful honesty. He’s respected far and wide for his long career in songwriting and performing, and he’s still out there. He’s lived it and breathed it through lifetimes of country music passion and pain. Carrying the guitar like a sword on his back, he battles for the Poet. He battles for the Artist. He battles for the souls who defy modern convention. And every time he strikes a chord in some smoke-filled Honky Tonk, he wins. Billy Don Burns started out in this business working with legends, and somewhere along the way he became one himself.

Below is his interview with Andrea Fennel.

AF: It is obvious you live your music with fierce determination and passion, Billy Don. When did you first realize music was the life for you?

BDB: I entered this talent contest when I was in the Army, mostly to get out of all the hell in basic training. There were several acts and the whole post was there on the big night. Don Grady, TV star of My Three Sons, presented the winner with a big trophy. When I won that, I thought maybe I do have something going on for me. It was a pretty big deal. When I got out of the Army, I knew for sure this is what I was going to do.

AF: Who were your influences growing up?

BDB: I grew up in Stone County Arkansas, in Mountain View. I was into Johnny Cash and Hank Williams. Jimmy Driftwood, who won a Grammy and wrote some great songs, was my mother’s school teacher. Jimmy always encouraged me. Those guys would be my first influences. There were many more before I figured out who I was.

AF:  Tell me about when you received your first Publishing deals…

BDB:  When I got out of the Army, Merle Haggard was becoming the hottest country act on the planet. It was 1971 and I had a band living in the Palm Springs area of California. I told the guys that I was going to go to Bakersfield and meet Merle. They said “you ain’t gonna meet him.” I had read that Merle had a Publishing company called Shade Tree. He couldn’t write for it at the time because he was under contract to write for Buck Owens. So, I go to Bakersfield and look in the phone book and there was Shade Tree listed on Niles Avenue. I went there and said I was a songwriter and would like to play them some songs. The lady running the office said I needed to see Roy Nichols as he was in charge of that. Roy was a star to me. He was a big part of Merle’s sound, playing lead guitar in his band. I met Roy and played him a couple of songs. He said “yeah, man, we will publish those.”  Then he asked me if I wanted to meet Merle who was in an office with Bill Woods. I said Yes. He called Merle and and we went in his office. Roy introduced me to Merle. It was so great. He autographed two of his albums for me. Then, he said to Bill Woods “why don’t you get him on Jimmy’s TV show this afternoon, Bill?” Bill Woods was a piano player on the show that was on Channel 32 there in Bakersfield. That was my first time to do a TV show. It was all so great. Then some 18 years later, I got to produce Merle on one of the Johnny Paycheck albums.  The great Harlan Howard signed me first as a staff writer in 1972 in Nashville.

AF: Who was the first artist besides yourself that cut one of your songs?

BDB: Connie Smith was on Columbia Records and she recorded my first song the year 1973. Of course, she is now Mrs. Marty Stewart.

AF: What was it like working with Johnny Paycheck and tell me how all of that came about…

BDB: I liked Johnny Paycheck. He was not easy to work with in 1988 – the cocaine and the booze pretty much had him a lot then. However, I am not saying anything bad about Johnny. Hell, it has whooped the hell out of my ass a bunch of times, too. When it was good- it was good. But, it was not an easy gig. When Johnny’s manager went to federal prison in 1988, I became his producer and manager and, hell yeah, it was a pretty rough ride, but I loved him.

AF:  Any good road stories you want to share?

BDB: I think I will pass on the road stories. Most of mine are either X-rated or incriminating, so I better pass on that for now.

AF: What has been one of your favorite moments in your career?

BDB: My biggest moment in the business would be when Johnny Cash sent me a one page letter. That was the biggest thing that has ever happened to me. I gave it to the Stone County Museum in Mountain View, my hometown in Arkansas.

AF: On your CD Heroes, Friends and Other Troubled Souls, you have several guest stars. Who would be your dream person to cover one of your songs?

BDB: I guess I wanted a Willie Nelson record more than anyone else. He has always been such a great writer. So when that happened, it was so good. My first one he did was on his Sony Records Born for Trouble CD. My song was “I Don’t Have A Reason To Go To California Anymore.”  I would have loved to have had a Johnny Cash cut and I think if he would have lived longer that may have happened. He had just found out who I was not too long before he died.

AF: What has been happening with you lately?

BDB: This kid from South Carolina, Aaron Rodgers, ran me down and told me he was a big fan and wanted to produce a new CD on me. We did that and I am proud of it and I think it is one of my best ones. The CD is called (Nights When I’m Sober) Portrait of a Honky Tonk Singer and will be out soon.

AF: What about Music means the most to you?

BDB: What I love about this business the most is expressing myself and then have people write all these great things about what my songs mean to them. That makes me feel like a success. That is the best and it humbles me when I hear the nice things that people say about my music.

It is not easy being Billy Don Burns, but that is who I am and the only part that I know how to play.

Billy Don Burns, album cover photo shoot by Lance Dawes © 2012

Ken Block Destroys San Francisco In Gymkhana 5

If Everything Is So Bad, Why Are Music Sales Increasing? Repost from Saving Country Music

Do you still buy music? Or do you try to get it all for free? C'mon, be honest with us and most of all yourself. If ya truly value the music, have due diligence and support the artists for which you enjoy listening to. Even if its just a few tracks downloaded from Itunes or Amazon, keep the fires lit and the support strong.

Link to original post on Saving Country Music

"Oh how independent music nerds love to puff their chest out and pontificate about what’s wrong with the mainstream music industry, how it’s creatively bankrupt and was too slow to evolve to the onset of the digital format, and how now the whole industry is on the brink of implosion at any moment, which would be to their little heart’s delights. And meanwhile experts love to tell us how we’re mere months away from music ownership going extinct in favor subscriber and cloud-based formats, how Spotify and other such sites will rule the day.

What none of these nerds and experts seem to be willing to recognizing though (including this one up until recently) is that over the last 18 months, music sales have miraculously pulled out of their nearly decade-long tailspin to stabilize and even increase. And in country music, sales are increasing at a faster rate than the rest of the economy. Sure, we’re still very far away from the glory days of the late 90′s-early 2000′s, but music sales are staging a big comeback, especially in country.

In 2011, overall country music sales were up 4%. Though physical album sales were down slightly, digital album sales saw an increase of 27%. Overall music sales in all genres increased 1.3% from 2010 to 2011, the first time the music industry saw a year-to-year increase since 2004 (See complete 2011 Nielsen music sales figures). Country music sales are doing even better in 2012, increasing 5.6%, or roughly 1 million more units from January to July over the same period in 2011; the biggest increase in all of music. And this is all over a period when Taylor Swift, country’s biggest bread winner and a big seller in pop as well, has not released a new album (her last album Speak Now was released in October 2010). A new Swift release this Fall/Winter can only increase country’s upwards sales trend.

In 2010, we were mere months away from major bankruptcies and massive consolidation all across the music industry. The business was in such a long-trending downward spiral, just to slow the rate of decline would have been a huge success. Brought to the point of extinction, with their backs against the wall, the music industry rallied and began to figure it out. New ways of delivering music to consumers and the digital age will continue to challenge the industry, but those waiting for the fall of Rome shouldn’t hold their breath.

So what happened? How did the music industry right the ship? Here’s some theories:

Understanding Who Still Buys Music

You want to bankrupt the music industry? Teach girls and women how to steal music. You wonder why most of what you hear on the radio sounds like it was written for little girls and their moms? Because it was. Why do you think the last handful of American Idol winners have been cute young boys? Because young girls are the last ones paying attention. By understanding who is still buying music (girls and their moms), the music industry can focus music to them and not waste resources on music that is likely to sell poorly or be stolen by tech-savvy males.

Many Choices in How to Purchase Music

As much as the ability for consumers to be able to purchase digital singles has created challenges for the album format and price points, it also takes pressure off the consumer who don’t have to buy a whole album of songs when they may only want half or one of them. Meanwhile the resurgence of vinyl has increased that album concept’s viability and the price point for physical music, giving consumers many more options for purchasing music than they had in the CD era.

And purchasing music is no longer an arduous chore if you don’t want it to be. You can download a song or album instantly on your phone, have it sync with your computer or MP3 player through a cloud-based format, and still hunt for vinyl for fun when you have the time. Cheap, digital music caters to the impulse buy, and now many times it’s easier to buy it than to steal it. “The masses like crap” is how independent music fans like to put it, but the practical observation is that busy people are less likely to question the musical choices presented to them through mainstream media. Digital music facilitates this process by making purchasing easy. A catchy song gets stuck in your head from a commercial, so you download it onto your phone on your walk to work in the morning.

Increased Cross Marketing and Royalties

Using movies, TV shows, commercials, sporting events, YouTube, etc. to push singles instead of traditional radio has increased exposure across the board for music, reaching more people, and people outside of the music’s normal demographics. This is also kept up another lucrative revenue stream of the music industry: songwriter royalties. Royalties were one of the few stable elements of the industry during the late-2000′s tailspin. Songwriters and performers and their publishing houses are regularly fetching 5 and 6 figures to have their songs basically promoted on national television or in wide release movies. This is a win-win for the industry and artists.

The Mono-genre

Making music that appeals to the widest possible audience is the best way to increase sales. The biggest selling single in country music in 2011 was Jason Aldean’s country rap “Dirt Road Anthem” that just went triple-platinum last month. Taylor Swift already has a huge base in country and pop, and she just cut a hip-hop single with rapper B.o.B. Lionel Richie has the best-selling “country” album so far in 2012, selling a whopping 912,000 copies, 300,000+ copies more than the second-best, Carrie Underwood’s Blown Away. Break down distinctions between genres and you eliminate barriers to sales potential.

Substance

2011′s biggest seller was Adele, an artist many music critics and fans agree brings substance to her music. Many independent music fans may not want to admit that mainstream music is getting better (and the term “better” depends on taste), but what can be said for sure is that the music industry is making music with greater appeal, and judging from Adele’s success, part of that appeal is based on substance. The idea that all corporate music is crap has always been unfair, and may be slowly become outmoded as the industry re-introduces substance to attempt to reintegrate disenfranchised consumers.

Increasing Immigrant Population & Lower Income Access

Latinos continue to be the US’s largest-growing demographic, and they are more likely to purchase their music in the more traditional, ownership-based or even physical formats. Much of American music is new to them, and as they assimilate their music tastes with their native music, they purchase current hits and backlist classics as they are presented to them through popular media. The cheaper music and music delivery devices have become (you can store music on the phone you’ve already purchased), the more accessible it has become to lower income demographics who used to rely on radio to get their music.

Why Is Country The Fastest-Growing Genre?

It’s not because more people love country music, it’s because the amount of music that is flying the country flag is increasing. Music that used to be considered mainstream rock, pop, adult contemporary, etc., is now coming to country to seek support in the form of radio play and award shows. Lionel Ritchie’s Tuskegee became a huge commercial success partly because of the hour-long special the Academy of Country Music (ACM) put together and broadcast on CBS as part of their 2012 Awards season.

- – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - -

From a business standpoint, the music industry and major labels weathered the storm, and are now retooling with the wisdom that they are not bulletproof, and must adapt with the times."

The world of online music inforgraphic. Click to go to full size view

Rusty Knuckles Leather Tool Bags In Detail

Our custom leather products will be growing immensely due to demand. We had a huge response this past weekend at the Heavy Rebel Weekender to our new tool bags, belt loops and keychains. Many folks were asking for details on these bags, so here ya go. We are also working on a few process videos to show how the bags are created by hand, right here in our workshop. 

Our tool bags and new belt loops with wallet chains will be added to the store this week.

Rusty Knuckles Tool Bag Dimensions

Each tool bag is hand made in our workshop with 8 oz shoulder leather

Using D Rings for bag closure eliminates rattling and holds bag fold over top tight and secure

Copper Rivets hold leather secure in critical junctions where lacing and thread might otherwise come loose

Detail on inside of leather cover

Each bag has eight rivet holes for use with heavy duty wire ties to ensure bag won't slide around on forks

Bag detail with lace stitching and opened up

Top view of bag with inside peek

Halfpipes And Motorcycles, We Are Featured In Easy Rider Magazine

Consistently we are talking up the Big Mountain Run, put on by Cycle Source Magazine as one of our favorite runs. The location, the riders and the overall chemistry of the event make it truly great. The remote location most likely keeps the hordes from attending, but that is the charm. Rolling deep into the Smokey Mountains of Tennessee for a weekend of good times and motorcycle mayhem should be on any biker's agenda. Thanks to Rob for sending us a text on the article in August 2012 issue of Easy Rider in which there is a full feature article on the run and a photo of Sal and I are riding the metal halfpipe. Damn good times for sure.

Check into all things Easy Rider Magazine

August 2012 issue of Easy Rider with a feature article on the Big Mountain Run

Sal and Rusty Knuckles riding an 8 foot wide metal half pipe on motorcycles, git some!

The Boomswagglers Are Invading Your Town

Below is a damn great write up on the Boomswagglers who are working with Hillgrass Bluebilly Records. These fine folks down in Austin, TX who are responsible for putting out quality music such as James "Slim" Hand, Possessed By Paul James, Restavrant and quite a few more. After hearing some tracks by the Boomswagglers, we know you are going to dig the tunes as they cannot be pigeon holed. Their sound is distinctive, raw and on point, just the way we dig it.

Check out that is Hillgrass Bluebilly

Link to original article on Saving Country Music

"Every once in a while you have and artist or band come out that is so pure, so raw, and so good, it is destined to self-destruct from its own internal pressure. Such was the case with the original incarnation of The Boomswagglers, a two-piece band consisting of Spencer Cornett and Lawson Bennett. The name “Boomswagglers” came from their real-life experience of living in a shack, eating out of cans and living off the land, spending days hunting arrowheads like modern day Mark Twain characters.

During this period they both became highly-skilled guitar players and wrote some of the most authentic country songs you will find recorded in the modern era. Hillgrass Bluebilly Records in Austin, TX got a hold of The Boomswagglers long enough to try and record an album, but the project almost seemed doomed from the beginning; they were just too raw, too real. It resulted in a rough, disjointed project that Hillgrass didn’t feel confident enough to put their stamp on, yet as bits and pieces leaked out over the years, The Boomswagglers slowly became underground icons from their raw songs and occasional performances around Austin, TX. After years of the public itching for the project’s release, Hillgrass Bluebilly finally released a Boomswagglers album as a bootleg for a short period.

The Boomswagglers - The Bootleg Beginnings From The Shack Out Back

Something about the authenticity of the whole thing made The Boomswagglers’ bootleg arguably one of the best, most engaging projects released in all of 2011. At some point Hillgrass Bluebilly took the bootleg down, and since then Saving Country Music has been flooded with questions and requests of where to obtain this rare piece of audio gold. The original Boomswagglers album has become an underground classic, and Hillgrass Bluebilly has finally decided to give it a proper physical and digital release, with a brand new version completely remastered from the original studio sessions.

The new Bootleg Beginnings from the Shack Out Back will be a collector’s edition that will include a handmade emergency fishing kit attached to the CD, with a hook, line, and various lures. The physical release date will be July 12th, with the CD Release party happening at Antone’s in Austin, TX, with Hellbound Glory and Cade Callahan performing as well. The digital worldwide release will happen August 21st. ***UPDATE – You can now pre-order the CD!

Guitar player/songwriter Spencer Cornett still plays under The Boomswagglers name with other players, while Lawson Bennett is now the proprietor of the Mustache Podcast."

Original “Two Guns Up” Review of The Boomswagglers’ Bootleg Beginnings

Handmade fishing kits for collector's edition

Image of the inside CD, taken from actual newspaper clipping

America Isn't The Best Anymore...

We are a nation of immigrants, individuals and brash determination. When it comes to how we operate our daily existence, it is a DIY attitude through and through. What makes us one of the greatest nations on earth is our individual differences, but we forever remember when, why and how this country was founded

Forget about the arguments of political pundits seeking you to join one team or another. Stand up for what is right and what is good for we as a nation. Our two party system is flawed by the cult of personality and omnipresent greed. As individuals and citizens of this country, lets make it great again by being leaders in education, technology, business and most of all taking care of our own population in need of basic services. 

For as strong and proud we are as nation, poverty and ignorance still run rampant. To make America great again, lets start fixing local problems today.  

Below is an amazing speech given by Jeff Daniels from the show the Newsroom on HBO on why America Isn't The Best Anymore. 

Les Paul Powering A 350 Chevy Motor

What can we say, we dig motors and music, so why not combine them...

Hi Performance Motors and Music brought to yall by Rusty Knuckles © 2012