Another year is over, and I love taking this look back at the shows I saw. Even though I didn't go to as many shows as I would have liked, I still saw some of my all-time favorites, including Wilco, Spoon, Lemonheads, Radiohead, Noel Gallagher, and of course, many Old 97's performances. I do need to try harder to see more local bands this year and not take for granted that I live in this wonderful Austin.
I went back and watched the video overviews I had done since 2008, and it's a great way to reminisce in just a few minutes. If you have a little free time, take a look at this brief tour through my year in music. I hope you had a great 2012, and here's to an even better, more fun, more prosperous 2013!
It had been such a long time since I had seen Wilco, not once in 2010, having to go all the way back to the Cedar Park show in Oct. 2009. So, I was due. It was extra special to find out that Jeff Tweedy would be interviewed for an Overheard with Evan Smith taping, so I made sure I was in line early for that one. Such a charming and insightful discussion. Make sure you see it when it is aired or appears online.
I missed the ACL taping, but got to see their regular show at ACL Live, which was quite amazing. Their catalog is so huge, but they managed to play things from across the decades. Opening with the melancholy "Reservations,' then launching into the art rock of "Art of Almost," sounds crazy, but set just the perfect tone of contradiction and experimentation. Later it was "I'm the Man Who Loves You," "Pot Kettle Black," "She's a Jar," and even "Box Full of Letters," plus many, many more. Nick Lowe opened, with a special, quiet, acoustic set, then he joined Wilco to close out the show with a rousing "Cruel To Be Kind." Hope I don't have to wait two years to see them again!
I love when I get the opportunity to take Sessions on the road, and when I heard that Salim Nourallah was returning to Texas Treefort Studio to work on his own album, I jumped at the chance to visit this special place again. I had been out there in June to interview Rhett Miller about the forthcoming Old 97's CD The Grand Theatre (out on Oct. 12) and had an amazing time exploring this remote, vintage studio. This time out, Salim had assembled a superstar team, including Joe Reyes (Buttercup), John Dufilho (Apples in Stereo, Deathray Davies, I Love Math), Jason Garner (every band you like, including I Love Math and Buttercup) and Richard Martin, and Rip Rowan, all handily assisted by studio engineer Jim Vollentine. Learn more about the CD and how it was funded by fans through Pledge Music on the video.
The interesting thing as I talked to everyone was the theme of the bond across a community of musicians, the ways they work together, share and create are truly inspirational. And the results are stellar. The day I was there, they were working on a song called "The Quitter," which you can hear in the background. The opening and closing song is called "Unstoppable" and that's a finished track, and there's a snippet of "38 Rue de Sevigne" as Salim wrote it in Paris, as it was being filmed by his then 6-year-old son Gavin. Look for a release of what is tentatively titled Hit Parade late this year or early next.
Another great billing for this holiday show - local darlings Quiet Company opening for the talented and versatile Bob Schneider. And, my first trip to Nutty Brown, believe it or not. It was quite a lovely place, nice stage and good space with tables and open areas for standing or chairs. A delightful way to spend the 4th, fireworks and all!
I can't think of a better way to spend an afternoon than listening to Old 97's music while enjoying the breathtaking views of the Austin Hill Country. So, when I had the chance to visit with Rhett Miller and producer Salim Nourallah while they were mixing the forthcoming 8th studio album by the Dallas quartet, well... you can imagine what a perfect day that was for me.
Part I - Rhett talks about the studio, his mindset while he wrote this collection and previews a few tunes, complete with personal stories behind the songs. It's a rare look at the thought and insight that goes into the songwriting and recording processes.
Part II - Rhett previews a couple more songs and makes comparisons to Blame It On Gravity.
Part III - some words about Old 97's fans and the future!
Thanks so much to Rhett, Salim and Jack Rock for being such gracious hosts during my visit to Texas Treefort Studio. And thanks to everyone for watching!
You may remember a post I made a few weeks ago about the closure of one of my all-time favorite radio stations, WOXY. I was thrilled when they decided to move to Austin late last year and then subsequently crushed by the news of its demise. WOXY leaves behind countless fans and a longer than 3 decade legacy. Matt Shiv (or Shivvy), former Music Director and DJ on the station, dropped by to pay tribute to the station's history and format. Over the years, there has been nothing that has influenced and inspired me more, in terms of my musical taste and enjoyment, than WOXY, and I am happy to have this opportunity to capture the spirit of this rare and wonderful entity.
Shivvy is a walking wealth of information, and few radio personalities have his passion and enthusiasm for music. I hope this interview will provide some perspective on what WOXY was and exactly what's been lost.
If you have a chance, take a look around the WOXY website while it is still functional. There's a plethora of music resources, and although you can no longer listen to the Modern Rock 500 broadcasts, you can review the playlist of incredible music for which the station became known.
Shiv talks about the history and background of WOXY.
The WOXY format, and later, its ultimate demise.
Shiv talks about favorite bands and the future of the music industry.
The cosmos have basically been in line for me lately, what with my fantastic Memorial Day Weekend of Rhett Miller and Barenaked Ladies. This past weekend had two of my favorite local bands on the same bill at Threadgill's: Quiet Company and The Steps. You may have heard Quiet Company's song "How Do You Do It" on KGSR recently. They're a high energy pop band, with keyboards, horns and some great songs.
And I had not seen The Steps in quite some time, so I was happy to get out to one of their live shows. They have some cool things coming up, a new EP coming soon, lots of placements on TV shows and a big promo with Mead's Five Star Notebooks. Details here.
I hadn't really planned to do any interviews during SXSW, and typically focus on local artists. But when I got the chance to interview Cosmo Jarvis, I jumped at it. Cosmo is a UK musician and filmmaker, whose short film "The Alleyway" was screened during the Film Festival. He's got a new album, with two discrete vibes - both playful and serious - in Humasyouhitch/Sonofabitch. This young guy has quite a future ahead, and it was a real pleasure to spend few minutes chatting with him at the SWAGG Cafe in the wine cellar of Moonshine.
Cosmo talks about writing songs and making films, a true creative.
Here it is, my long overdue, first interview of 2010. Jason Garcia of Household Names was kind enough to drop in to talk about his music career and the band's new CD Stories, No Names. They're a great band that I've been following since I moved to Austin. And, just as we were about to tape the performance, his bandmate Chris Peters (who just happens to live on my street) stopped by with a few toys. It was lots of fun!
Part I
Jason talks about learning to play music and music licensing Part II
More on licensing and the new CD Stories, No Names
It's a goal of mine to introduce people to some of the unsung heroes of Austin music. The bass player is often overlooked on stage, but he (or she) is a critical element, providing the backbone to the songs. Cory Glaeser is one of the best bass players in town, and that's why he's so busy, playing in SKYROCKET!, Fastball and his own band, Sheboygan. And, if you're thinking about taking guitar lessons, he can teach you! Part I
I recently read an article about the Madonna photographer Maripol, whose work "celebrates her talented friends." In a phrase, that's what I hope I am accomplishing with this blog. One artist that truly deserves celebration is Johnny Goudie. Johnny is a veteran of the Austin music scene. He's active in every aspect of the community, by fronting his own bands, most recently Johnny Goudie and the Little Champions, but is also one of the talented performers in the popular cover band Skyrocket. His band Goudie released Peep Show on Lars Ullrich's (Metallica) The Music Company label in the early 2000s. He's also performed with Endochine (with which he was awarded the Austin Chronicle's award for Best Keyboard Player in 2004 - pretty good for a singer/guitarist), as well as the Ian Moore Band and Kathy Valentine (of the Go-Go's). And, he's a producer, having worked with Canvas on their Painting the Roses CD, among others. He's a charming and talented guy, and I was delighted when Johnny invited me over to his studio to chat about his life in Austin and his career.
Part I - Johnny talks about his early years and playing in Skyrocket
Part II - Johnny talks about moving to Austin and working for a major label
Part III - Johnny talks about working as a producer and his influences over the past 10 years
It was a muddy mess for Day 3, even though the weather was dry. The rains the day before completely soaked the new Zilker special grass, and apparently all that rich compost below came to the surface. It made for a stinky aroma and a very messy situation, but that did not deter music fans. Lots of good stuff on Sunday!
David Garza
One of my former students, Betsy, with me looking a bit haggard after a long fest. It's our traditional ACL pic - waiting for B-52s this time.
B-52s
Heartless Bastards
Love the gold-top Gibson Les Pauls that Erika Wennerstrom plays
Girl Talk was a highlight. I had seen and shown to my classes the documentary about him called Rip: A Remix Manifesto. He samples popular, nostalgic music, makes great mixes, a very high energy show. But, there are some copyright issues regarding his use of other's material. The doc explores the creative nature of his work and highlights some deficiencies in our legal system.
Couldn't wait for the Fest to begin, so I kicked things off with a pre-party at Beauty Bar, saw the Steps and Lemurs. Video to come, if you can't wait for me to post them here, you can visit my youtube channel. I'll have pics from the fest each day.
Perhaps you have stumbled upon this ole blog. New content can be found at the new site onthatnote.com. Please visit to find out more about the shows I see in and around Austin,
