Jeff the Brotherhood & Queen Both Champions

June 28, 2011 //

Sometimes you gotta wait till the right moment, let things simmer a bit, unwind at an Indie film about Lee “Scratch” Perry at the Belcourt Theater, listen to some bands you never heard at the Grimey’s listening station before turning to the obvious. Such was the case since I have known about Jeff the Brotherhood’s Infinity Cat Records release We Are The Champions for a while.

It really is a trip when you think that The White Stripes ended up down here with Third Man Records before a final break up, and then The Black Keys announced they were making their new home in Music City and all this time, at least for the last few years, we got Jeff the Brotherhood; our own homegrown Two Man band.

Jeff the Brotherhood were the show to see during Next Big Nashville last fall at Third Man with the live set being released on Third Man vinyl within a few days. In fact, the twelve inch can still be found in the Third Man Records shop any day of the business week.

Then came Bonnaroo. Jeff the Brotherhood started their own mania when they were supported by the first 30 people making up most of their audience being other local bands. How cool is that? Other local bands stirring up so much dust that another 200 people stop to see what all the fuss is about?

Nashville could not be in a better place right now. We have our own labels, our own scene, make that multiple scenes with a ton of bands that don’t sound the same. For me, that is exciting. It has been an interesting path between the gulch and the backside of the mission to where things are right now.

Jeff the Brotherhood and PUJOL are on lists in Rolling Stone Magazine and other national publications. They are on lists that really matter. Maybe they don’t have albums blazing up the charts, but, it is a grass roots thing, you gotta search them out or maybe your friend tells you about their live show. The difference is Jeff the Brotherhood are bad, they’re nationwide.

We Are The Champions is stacked and capped mixing up tones that fit the song, like stripped down, complicated garage rock, this was not thrown together, it’s like a stack of seven inch records to do some downhill skateboarding by or shut down Seattle and Portland. Okay, maybe not shut down but turn a few heads, sell a few records and rock the house.

photo - Pooneh Ghana

In a way, the title can be a laugh, using a standard rock term, like you thought you made it up yourself while everybody around you is thinking; don’t they know Queen Live at Wembley with 100,000 Brits singing along? But, in fact, this is Nashville’s time. It may be a metaphor for what it means to be accepted among your peers, the other bands in Nashville.

Back in CBGB’s time, Television played for The Ramones, The Ramones played for Blondie and The Dictators saved Rock and Roll. It is now Nashville’s time to leave their mark. It says a lot when bands show up to support one another and buy each others’ records. It says a lot more when Infinity Cat Records ran by the band and their father, Robert Ellis Orrall, goes nationwide.

Jeff the Brotherhood have a solid set here. Listen up.

– Brad Hardisty, Nashville, TN thenashvillebridge@hotmail.com

Categories Alternative Music, Electric Guitar, Grimey's, Grimey's New and Preloved Music, Guitar, Infinity Cat Records, Jeff the Brotherhood, Next Big Nashville 2010, Pujol, Rock, Rock Music, The Black Keys, The White Stripes, Third Man Records, Uncategorized

On Location: Pensacola Beach

June 13, 2011 //

A funny thing happened on the way to Whitesnake

Many of you were probably wondering if I had checked out. Actually, I had a great time down in Pensacola Beach, Florida before I had realized I had left my laptop and Nikon camera in my Hotel room two days later while I was in Memphis. Luckily they had found my stuff in my Hotel room but the Hotel Manager (whom I will choose to remain nameless) didn’t keep his promises to get it shipped and I finally contacted the Hotel Brand Customer Service to get my laptop back.

When I made the original call, I was assured it would be shipped the next day. Three days later on Friday, my Yahoo email address sent spam out to everybody on my email address without me having access to my laptop for over a week. I received the notifications on my Droid phone.

I figured somebody was accessing my computer. I called the hotel and after two hours I got a hold of the Hotel Manager and sure enough my laptop had not been shipped. In fact I got two more false ship dates before I got an actual UPS tracking number the next WEDNESDAY!!!! It arrived the following Friday, two weeks after I checked out.

You know I usually give people a second chance, but in this case, I think I will wait till they get a new Manager.

By the way, Pensacola and the whole Florida Panhandle was a great getaway. It was a major music party that weekend. I did have a good time until two days after I left and went through that episode. Let me recap.

I booked the Hotel the week before Memorial Day in hopes of peace and quiet to leave behind the Nashville night life and do some songwriting only to find that The Hangout Music Festival with everybody from Paul Simon to Motorhead was on for three days in Gulf Shores, Alabama. Not only that, but Kenny Chesney was doing a concert on the beach as well.

I tried to get a day ticket instead of press credentials for the Hangout Music Festival only to find out it was sold out. Okay fine, on with my original plan except Pensacola Beach was in the midst of a summer kick- off party as well so after day light hours of quiet beaches and good food, at night it was party time.

Friday Night was Gallery Night in old downtown Pensacola New Orleans style iron work and balconies. There was music everywhere from a rockin’ Kiss tribute band, Love Gun, at The Vinyl Music Hall, Art Galleries open and Clubs lining Palafox Street.

Atlas Oyster House, Pensacola, FL

Between the great seafood at Atlas Oyster House, especially the Blackened Shrimp with Smoked Gouda Cheesy Grits with Portabella Mushroom Remolaude, there was plenty to do.

I didn’t get much songwriting done, but, the white sands between Fort Walton and Destin made Saturday the reason why I hope to end up in Pensacola when things slow down. In fact, being by the gulf, why would I want to make any plans? It feels great to be on a wandering gypsy adventure.

By Saturday night the local party was cranking up with 80’s tribute band The Molly Ringwalds rocking the Boardwalk outdoor stage at Captain Fun’s Beach Club. With a bass player dressed up like Dee Snider and a keyboardist doing Pee Wee Herman they ran through the 80’s from “Everything She Does is Magic” to Queen’s “Under Pressure”. While I was enjoying the music and scene down in Pensacola Beach a local told me about a historic Club called Seville Quarter that had everything from a Piano Bar, Dance Club to local live music out on the patio.

Big Jim Brown at Seville Quarter

I met him down there and caught a set by local musician and music store owner Big Jim Brown and The Speed Kings. He was described as a blues guitarist, but, more accurately kind of roots rock closer to Tom Petty. A lot of nice people and a mix between old hippies and local Air Force military and plenty of beautiful girls kept the party going late into the night.

View from Atlas Oyster House

Sunday I met with an old friend and ended up at Atlas Oyster House again. There are plenty of Restaurants in and around Pensacola but it was my favorite. For the final Seafood du jour, I had a dozen Baked Oysters with Shrimp, Parmesan and spices with the best slice of Key Lime Pie I ever ate. The boat dock and the bay made for great scenery on my last full day.

Monday I headed up to Birmingham to pick up a new pair of Supra Dixons at the most authentic skateboard store in the south, CCS at The Galleria in Birmingham and catch up with friends.

Tuesday, I was off to Memphis to support FnA Records recording artists Tora Tora opening up for Whitesnake at Snowden Grove in Southaven, Mississippi. I helped out with the label merch while catching them play stuff off their new disc, Revolution Day, like “Mississippi Voodoo Child” as well as “Revolution Day”. They were getting their groove on in front of the hometown crowd.

Tora Tora at Snowden Grove

It never fails when I watch a band at their hometown gigs from back when, the old friends stop by and tell me about going to high school with the band or hanging out at band practices. It’s always fun to hear the stories and realize how many years have gone by.

I hadn’t seen Whitesnake since Jon Sykes and Cozy Powell were in the band. The only permanent fixture is David Coverdale. They were bent on playing a lot of the new stuff. The guitar slingers on this round were Reb Beach (Winger, Alice Cooper, Dokken) and Doug Aldrich (House of Lords, Dio). Doug Aldrich looked like a 30 year old Randy Rhoads in full stance, Les Paul in hand; hard to believe he is 47. His playing was phenomenal.

SIX in Branson /Photo- Tammy Grice

I was planning on going to Branson to meet up with SIX aka The Knudsen Brothers. I had Co-Produced Praises We Sing back in the Nineties at Ray Charles favorite L.A. Studio, Trax Recording. SIX is now one of the top performing groups in Branson, living the high life, family style, in Branson, Missouri. One of the benefits of doing a Vegas style show in Branson is being able to be home during part of the day and home in your own bed at night. It is a big change from being on the road or paying some hard won dues in Las Vegas. Six is arguably the most successful Accapella group ever while still staying out of the main stream radar.

I’ll have to head to Branson another time. I got home Wednesday morning at 3am because of major pain with my teeth. I made a call to my Dentist at nine and immediately his office set an appointment up with the Entodontist at 10:30am. After looking at the X-Ray’s, the Entodontist sent me to the Oral Surgeon at high noon.

It was serious. Luckily, Dr. Clark in Franklin was really good. I had never been there before, but the staff and Dr. Clark made me feel comfortable with their relaxed attitude and framed photos of San Francisco. It turned out Dr. Clark was from the California Bay Area where I had spent a lot of time with relatives growing up. He had me out with a mouth full of stitches by 2:30pm. It may not have been the planned ending to my vacation, but, the parachute worked.

Now that I finally have my laptop and camera back, I have a lot of catching up to do.

– Brad Hardisty, Nashville, TN thenashvillebridge@hotmail.com

Categories Big Jim Brown and The Speed Kings, Pensacola Beach, Rock Music, SIX, The Knudsen Brothers, The Molly Ringwalds, Tora Tora, Whitesnake

Strange Karma Interview Via Australia

June 12, 2011 //

One of the cool things about having a great Indie Rock label like FnA Records near Nashville is that I get the opportunity to cross paths with everybody from Tora Tora, with roots in Memphis to interviewing Rock bands all over the world.

My newest interview was with Paul Strange of Strange Karma who recently released Volume One on Fna Records for Sleazeroxx.com.

You can read it here.

– Brad Hardisty, Nashville, TN thenashvilllebridge@hotmail.com

Categories Australia, FNA Records, Las Vegas, Rock Music, Strange Karma, Whiskey a Go Go

Tommy Dalton New Nashville Double Threat

May 11, 2011 //

Tommy Dalton could very well be the next Nashville Graduating class’ Jeffrey Steele. Following “Damn Jeans” endorsement deal with True Religion Jeans, Tommy continues to grow both directions as a Songwriter co-writing new material with Anne Marie Boskovitch and other up and comers as well as the ability to front a band and rock the house.

Tommy had a full band last night for The Billy Block Show at The Rutledge sharing the bill with 80’s teen sensation, Tiffany, who has been spending some time in Nashville recording new material at Yackland Studios. Just like Keith Urban and Elvis, there were girls up front who knew the words to all of his songs even though they may have just heard “Something To Die For” at local showcases for the most part.

Tommy Dalton had a tight band featuring Eric Seals’ Tommy Lee flare, stick twirling and skin pounding under The Billy Block Show banner. I was surprised when Tommy announced that the band had only practiced that morning.

Only in Nashville, like Bob Dylan found out when he recorded Blonde on Blonde, can you find such passionate playing with musicians who get it almost as fast as you can think it.

Okay so why can I say he could be the next Jeffrey Steele? I haven’t met anybody who wouldn’t like to co-write with him whether an upbeat piece or a ballad. Tommy’s songwriting chops have been doubling every year. I met Tommy when he came down from the North Country in 2008 when he played an open mic night at French Quarter Café. He had the charisma and, okay, magnetism, it really didn’t matter that a lot of the structure at that time spoke “Goo Goo Dolls”; it was the potential at that point.

Jeffrey Steele with Tommy

He is one of those guys that you want to see succeed and his willingness to develop both on stage and with a guitar and a piece of paper that has got long-timers like Brent Mason behind him.

There will be those that prefer to see Tommy do his own songs while musicians like Travis Wilbourn (T. Swift, Hello Kelly) say they know him mainly as a songwriter. I don’t know anybody else in town, give or take another year or two, who has the potential to follow in Jeffrey Steele’s footsteps as a great performer fronting a full band as well as being a great Songwriter.

Tommy has been here since 2008 and every year he increases his ability times ten. I met Jeffrey Steele back in 2008 after a sold out gig at 3^rd and Lindsley. He said “Brad, it took me eight years before I got my first cut but after that it just kept going. Let me know how you’re doing”.

Tommy Dalton has been here for three. I think by the time year five comes around he will be part of Country Music’s new class of Writers and Performers.

– Brad Hardisty, Nashville, TN thenashvillebridge@hotmail.com

Categories Billy Block, Brent Mason, Country, Country Music, Jeffrey Steele, Music, Music Row, Nashville, Nashville Scene, The Rutledge Nashville, Tiffany, Tommy Dalton, Uncategorized, Yackland Studio

The August with Jacky Dustin Sweet Emotion at Douglas

May 10, 2011 //

I am not going to let dust settle on this one; The August with Jacky Dustin is a force to be reckoned with. I know some of you Industry types on Music Row check this site. Peel open The August’ new CD, Dear Chicago Love Nashville! Jacky is where country should be at with her Tammy Wynette meets Tina Turner twang soul vocals, she is original and should be the voice of Country today.

The August not only went through their eclectic mix of country meets the windy city with tracks “We Write our Songs’ to “Big Wheels” but went places that maybe only Elizabeth Cook might go on “Love Me Like A Stranger”. Strange brew indeed.

The audience was a demographic statistician’s nightmare, because their audience cannot be pegged. Everybody was there to hear a different angle of the Nashville Machine’s voice of tomorrow. I like to be right. Jacky should be light years from Douglas Corner Café.

She is not an auto-tuned twangster; she is the real deal with incredible strength, presence and drive.

Not to be outdone, Wojtek Krupka, on Bass at the gig, played an even more important role on the CD, handling background vocals like Michael Anthony on Van Halen’s best, a real key to the group sound.

The August brings a little Funk, Blues and Rock and Roll to the tight small band ala Martina McBride and The Ride. When you throw two covers into the mix like “Never Been to Spain” and the Kris Kristofferson penned “Me and Bobby McGhee” and you own it on your own terms and not Pearl’s pedigree, there is something in the way she moves.

I didn’t note who was playing guitar, as there were three guitarists outside the band on the album and none were in the group picture on the CD. Let’s just say he was Telecasterin’ through a Dr. Z but was definitely more Mike Campbell then Brent Mason.

This is a band to watch. A new Outlaw Country. This is not Texas Charts or Nashville West, this is The Nashville Windy City Sound. I’m a believer. It is easy to be jaded in Music City with so many girls moving here all the time that are really good.

It would be easy to dismiss the fact that this was a club gig, but truth be told, if Jacky and The August were out opening for Gretchen Wilson, Jamey Johnson or The Rolling Stones a lot more people would know their Chicago meets American roots sound.

– Brad Hardisty, Nashville, TN thenashvillebridge@hotmail.com

Categories Americana Music, Brent Mason, Country Music, Douglas Corner Cafe, Dr. Z Amplifiers, Elizabeth Cook, Indie Rock, Jacky Dustin, Janis Joplin, Kris Kristofferson, Music, Music Row, Nashville, Nashville Scene, Rock Music, Stephen Leiweke, The August, Yackland Studio

The One Through Tens Fight the Good Fight

May 2, 2011 //

West Nashville’s The One Through Tens (1-10’s) shine their Alabama and Carolina roots with a savory mix on their recent self-released Fighting For a Golden Age. Although there seems to be a heavy Seattle influence, that Southeast soulful groove underlies the upfront guitar pyrotechnics of Adam Louis.

Run From Your Master goes through a very Blind Melon style funk groove and word play with guitars shifting the change ups to ask the all important question, “Why do you? Why do you run from your master?” I guess a different way of saying “Who’s your Daddy?”

Track two, “Dyin’ Blues” starts out with a funky Bass line from Ben Lowry and Adam’s Tom Morello infected groove with Will Floyd’s vocal somewhere between a lower range Shannon Hoon and a more garage band version of The Yardbirds’ Keith Relf.

“Religious Fervor” is a slow burning slide guitar dervish mix reminiscent of Black Sabbath’s “Sweet Leaf” and The Black Keys’ Junior Kimbrough- Chullahoma period at Fat Possum.

Adam shows he is not a one style or tone player, shifting from a clean Coldplay meets Blind Melon sing along of “Eye For An Eye” to the dry track strong funk of “So Damn Sad”. If you like guitar, he is a Sorcerer’s Apprentice somewhere between Kim Thayil, Tom Morello and The Blind Melon team lost somewhere in Texas.

A Jazzy blue train sax line snakes through “Liars and Thieves” adding to the strong heady brew of a band that delivers live with the strong rhythm section of Abby Hairston on Drums and Ben solid on the Bass-meets- kick- drum lock that allows Adam to show his mutli-attack chops while Will delivers the strong on word play thought provoking message.

The Production work of Andy and Nathan Roy really holds up while the Gorillaz urban city in trouble animation cover with Police Helicopters in search of somebody as Big Brother oversees the murky existence the band appears to be fine just observing in homegrown warrior apparel at the cities edge.

Will owns This Bar in West Nashville where the band performs as well as hitting regional clubs building on their base. The One Through Tens are not to be missed if you enjoy strong dynamics with a Rock and Roll delivery. This may be closer to Birmingham’s Beitthemeans then other Nashville scene bands right now.

Just remember the keys are lying on the ground between the leaves in the dirt.

The 1-10's Live at The Rutledge April 29th, 2011

– Brad Hardisty, Nashville, TN thenashvillebridge@hotmail.com

Categories Andy Roy, Black Sabbath, Blind Melon, Gorillaz, Junior Kimbrough, Keith Relf, Nathan Roy, Rock Music, Shannon Hoon, The 1-10's, The One Through Tens, The Rutledge Nashville, Tom Morello

The August CD Release Party at Douglas Corner Cafe

May 2, 2011 //

Photo / Julia Zave

Saturday May 7^{th at} 9 PM The August with Jacky Dustin upfront doing crowd control, will be raising the roof and rattling the dishes at Douglas Corner Cafe in support of their recent Rockin’ Chicago- Country- Nashville Roots effort.

The August, who came down from the windy city to Nashville in search of musical dreams has recently finished a 7 song EP produced by Chris Donohue (Bassist with Emmylou Harris) and Stephen Leiweke (owner of Yackland Studio) in East Nashville.

“Dear Chicago, Love Chicago” is a tribute to the hometown while most of the tracks can be considered straight up Nashville with a more Americana feel.

A local crowd favorite sing-a-long, “This is My Place” from the new CD will get things going.

– Brad Hardisty, Nashville, TN thenashvillebridge@homail.com

Categories Americana Music, Chris Donohue, Country Music, Douglas Corner Cafe, Stephen Leiweke, The August, Yackland Studio

Jeff Beck Storms The Ryman

April 28, 2011 //

The Jeff Beck stop in Nashville at the historic Ryman Auditorium last night brought more thunder in-doors than the storm that was encircling Nashville.

Tyler Bryant, a promising young guitarist with a Texas lineage, who played at the 2007 Crossroads Festival at Eric Clapton’s invitation, warmed up the sold out crowd with some sonically altered Acoustic Guitar and Vocals.

When Jeff Beck took the stage, the biggest change this tour was hearing Narada Michael Walden devastating a double bass kit, a blast from the past, who did tracks with Jeff back in the Wired days during the Jan Hammer era. There are only two drummers that play with that kind of power and style, Narada Michael Walden and Billy Cobham.

A couple of great tracks from Wired, “Led Boots” and “Blue Wind”, gave him a chance to tear it up like he did back in the Seventies. If Tal Wilkenfeld was the added bonus last go-around, Narada Michael Walden more than made up for that.

Rhonda Smith, Bassist-Singer, most known for gigging with Prince, offered some flexibility to do his version of “Rollin’ and Tumblin’” as well as Sly & The Family Stone’s “I Want To Take You Higher” during the encore set.

I’m kind of glad I didn’t read previous reviews because I had no idea he was going to tribute Hendrix with “Little Wing”. If there was a “close- to- God” moment it was during “Little Wing”. It was so sublime, if Jimi is an angel, I’m sure he was smiling.

Jeff nailed material from Emotion & Commotion like Jeff Buckley’s take on “Corpus Christi Carol” as well as one of his standards over the last few years, The Beatles’ “A Day in The Life”.

It is amazing what Jeff can get out of his fingers with a Fender Stratocaster. I have seen some players take Jeff Beck’s approach to solo lines but the tone and the in-between note stretches have never been duplicated in over four decades of guitar majesty.

Jeff stretched from the Les Paul track “How High the Moon” to the Puccini Aria “Nessun Dorma” before disappearing into the tour bus in the alley at The Ryman. Tyler Bryant did an 11PM set at The Rutledge at an after-show with his full band.

If you enjoyed any of the recent Jeff Beck live DVD releases, hearing him live takes it to the next level. If you get the chance, go see Jeff on this round with Narada Michael Walden demolishing the drums in the most extreme Jazz-Rock fusion style imaginable.

***Update**Received a copy of the set list, sharing via photo, note Billy Cobham’s “Stratus” leading into “Led Boots”

– Brad Hardisty, Nashville, TN thenashvillebridge@hotmail.com

Categories Electric Guitar, Fender Stratocaster, Guitar, Jeff Beck, Jeff Buckley, Jimi Hendrix, Music, Narada Michael Walden, Nashville, Rock Music, The Rutledge Nashville, The Ryman Auditorium, Tyler Bryant, Uncategorized

Rolling Stone: Nashville – Best Music Scene

April 24, 2011 //

Jimi Hendrix in Nashville

Word hit the street over the last two weeks like a brush fire in New Mexico: Rolling Stone wrote in print and on the net, Nashville has the best music scene in the country. I haven’t even read it yet because it is in the subscriber content on the web, but, I believe it to be true.

What was the turning point? The Kings of Leon? I don’t really think so. The Kings of Leon had to go over to England to become big in the U.S., kind of like Jimi Hendrix, in fact Jimi was gigging up on Jefferson Street with Billy Cox and The King Kasuals for just a little scratch and room and board just a couple of years before he went to the U.K.

Paramore? Well, giving a little credit to a younger scene was a good thing when they were signed to Fueled by Ramen (sort of) yet there is no scene of bands trying to sound like Paramore around Nashville so it is its own thing.

Just a couple of years ago, Nashville was licking its wounds when Be Your Own Pet and The Pink Spiders, especially The Pink Spiders who went in with guns loaded and a Ric Okasek Produced album and an Artist Relations war chest were unable to break big.

Was it when Jack White moved Third Man Records down to Nashville, that is definitely a key piece to being Rolling Stone cool, with new 45’s by regionals being released almost on a Sam Phillip’s Sun Records schedule along with concert events that are showstoppers like the Record Store Day plus one Jerry Lee Lewis concert featuring Steve Cropper and Jim Keltner.

Okay, Jack White has given it the one two punch by introducing past icons to new generations like Loretta Lynn’s Van Lear Rose Grammy award winning album with Loretta standing in front of the East Nashville house where it was recorded. How about when Porter Wagoner opened for The White Stripes at Madison Square Garden? Who would have known that Porter’s final call would be an outstanding album, The Wagonmaster and a gig opening for The White Stripes?

Maybe, that was key in making sure that real icons are represented like Wanda Jackson’s great new album on Third Man Records. Jack is definitely not just looking behind but is really tuned into the ether. I was excited to see Dan Sartain, a part of the same Birmingham scene I was in for a number of years cut some vinyl on Third Man Records. Dan opened up for The White Stripes on several dates a few years ago and my friend Emanuel Elinas who made some guitar pedals for me down at Highland Music in Birmingham talked about playing Bass with Dan Sartain and going bowling with Jack and his Mom. How cool is that?

In fact, when I saw the band on the flip side of the Dan Sartain 45 and Matt Patton was there, I was really happy about what was happening. Matt and a few others had put out some of the best Indie music in Birmingham that I have ever heard. Matt had this band called Model Citizen and their CD, The Inner Fool, produced by Tim Boykin (The Lolas, The Shame Idols, Carnival Season) on Bent Rail Foundation is one of my all time favorites. Matt is getting recognition with Tuscaloosa, Alabama’s The Dexateens now.

I tell you what; let’s get down to ground zero. When we talk about Todd Snider and the East Nashville scene we are getting close, but, let’s get down to one album and one artist. Okay, I am going to say the transition came when Nashville got behind one of its own in 2008. When Justin Townes Earle got signed to Bloodshot Records and released The Good Life both weekly music papers got behind with big in depth articles about how Justin got to that point. The Good Life is a classic album out of left field but it really represented what Nashville was known for, good songwriting, a little rock and roll, a little country with a nod to the past and to the future of Americana.

At that time, you could hang with Justin over at The Basement, but with extensive touring and a prolific three years, Justin is well established and still with indie cred enough where I can still turn people onto his music as something new.

Justin was recognized at The Americana Music Awards in Nashville in 2009 the year before Rolling Stone called the Americana Music Festival the coolest festival in the U.S. In fact 2010 would be the no holds barred year when Warner Brothers would finally release American Bang’s CD. Robert Plant would record Band of Joy in East Nashville with an Americana A-List including Buddy Miller and Darrell Scott and be the surprise guest at The Americana Music Awards.

The 2010 Americana Music Festival was a real eye opener when you had The Long Players, Bobby Keyes, Dan Baird and a laundry list doing Exile on Main Street at The Cannery Ballroom, Hayes Carll at The Basement, with people coming from Australia just to see him play and a festival closer with Todd Snider and an all-star band featuring Don Was on Bass, with a grin and looking somewhat like Slash’s older brother.

Don Was got in the game this year when he produced Lucinda Williams (a Nashville alumnus) new Cd, Blessed. Did it start at The Americana Music Festival with an exchange of phone numbers backstage at The Rhyman? Only they know for sure, but Nashville is becoming a ground zero magnet for much more than Popular Country Music Radio songs and Christian Music.

There had to be a change. The music business had changed and Nashville has changed along with that. Instead of twenty major labels in town, there are now five. The rest are Indie Country, Rock, whatever.

Coming to Nashville to be a hit songwriter may be a goal for a lot of people, but, getting a staff writing gig is becoming really difficult and less lucrative. Back in 2007-2008, we talked about how a songwriter with good songs getting signed to a publisher with maybe a 25-35k draw now going for 18-24k and the need for a day job for many. Also, one of the larger publishers had in the past as many as 135 staff writers and was then down to Thirty five.

I know for a fact things are much worse for that dream with less staff writers, less money and less records being sold. The dream is still there, but, now you need to get lucky and find a new face with a great voice and the potential to get signed and start co-writing before some money starts flowing.

In early 2008, I could go to The Commodore Grill and see an endless supply of new songwriting talent for the Country Music Industry, but, with less staff gigs and the economy in the tank, less people are rolling into Nashville with an acoustic guitar and lyrics in the guitar case. In fact, it really is a trickle compared to just three years ago. Also, many of the writers that are coming into town have Dave Matthews, Jason Mraz or Jack Johnson chops and are not really what the Country Music Industry is looking for.

On the other hand, the Indie Rock and Americana scenes are ripe for development. Vinyl is making a comeback with this crowd and United Record Pressing is right here where it always was. Colored vinyl, short runs, whatever you need with local labels like Third Man Records and Nashville’s Dead Records, United Pressing is back to increasing production and essentially back in the game.

The song publishing and royalty distribution infrastructure is realigning in Nashville with changes in staff announced publicly last year at ASCAP and I am sure accommodations are coming with a paradigm shift to handle multiple styles now in the pipeline.

Grimey’s New and Pre-Loved Music is probably the most famous record store in the country now, maybe second to Amoeba’s out on the West Coast. It’s not enough that Indie bands make in-store appearances. Metallica made a little short announced gig for fans at The Basement below Grimey’s in 2008 before their Bonnaroo appearance and released the whole experience as Live at Grimey’s worldwide in 2010. Now all the gloves are off.

If you are a music lover, archivist, etc. in a world with disappearing Record stores, Nashville not only has Grimey’s, but also, Phonoluxe Records, The Great Escape, The Groove and plenty of other outlets for local as well as rare Cd’s and vinyl.

Look what is going on at Thirty Tigers Indie Distribution and their great success over the last couple of years.

Belmont University is turning out Music and Music Business degrees every year and a lot of students want to stay here and not necessarily go into the Country Music Machine. They have their own ideas from the scenes they came from whether it was in California or New York.

Bands like The Black Keys and The Deadstring Brothers are migrating here. Even though Music Row still has a big chunk of the day to day business great records are being made in East Nashville, Blackbird Studio and Buddy Miller’s living room.

With the advent of a studio in a gig bag, Indie artists can make records anywhere and with cheap housing and a plethora of like minded musicians gathering in what really is now becoming truly Music City it only makes sense to live and work here, especially when gas is going for near $5 a gallon. Why not be close to all the blessings that come with a great music talent smorgasbord.

Speaking of food, you don’t want to leave Austin because of Texas Barbecue? Okay at least try Jack’s and Rooster’s Texas Style BBQ and Steak House on 12^th. I promise you won’t be disappointed. You want California style Mexican Food? Go to Oscar’s Taco Shop on Nolensville and in Franklin. Thai? Thai Star. Vietnamese? Far East Nashville. Indian? Tamarind. New York Style Italian? Are you kidding? Maffiozas or the place at the Arcade. Okay, so you can’t get Hawaiian Plate BBQ here yet, but, there is plenty to explore. We could still use an In and Out Burger.

Okay, back to music. Country is going through a lot of changes. The ripple of the Taylor Swift explosion that Big Machine Records put into motion are still being felt, being one of the only Platinum Recording Artists in the new digital era, as well as outside pressures from Texas Charts, the Red Dirt scene and T-Bone Burnett Produced masterpieces that can’t be denied.

Country even has its own street cred in Nashville with bands like Kort who are local but signed over in England as well as Indie Singer / Songwriter Caitlin Rose and Country spun Those Darlins. Even Charlie Louvin, who as part of The Louvin Brothers can take some credit for inspiring The Everly Brothers and therefore The Beatles harmonies, got his Indie cred with The Battle Rages On that was released on Austin’s Chicken Ranch Records. I can say I got to see two Midnight Jamboree tapings and get his autograph on an early Louvin Brothers recording before he passed into immortality.

So what about Nashville’s own Indie scene? Heypenny, Jeff The Brotherhood, Cheer Up Charlie Daniels, Uncle Skeleton, Pujol, Heavy Cream (kind of Karen-O fronting a better looking MC5), Todd Snider, John Carter Cash, The Coolin System, The Deep Fried 5 and a laundry list playing at places like The Basement, The End, Danzig’s House, Exit/In, The Rutledge, Mercy Lounge and a house party near you.

How could Rolling Stone not call Nashville the best Music Scene in the country? It is a multi pronged Country, Alt-Country, Americana, Bluegrass, Newgrass, Folk, roots, rock, funkified attack on your senses.

It’s one of those places you could actually plan a week of your life to check out bands as well as pick up a new Nudie or Katy K suit. A place where you might find Joe Maphis’ old Mosrite double neck or the Bass player from Cinderella’s vintage Precision Bass on sale on Craigslist.

You may never win over Nashville, but, it’s a good place to write, do your business and go to the Third Sunday at Third pot luck at Doak Turner’s house in Nashville. Maybe it doesn’t have a burgeoning Death Metal scene but it does have The Billy Block Show. When the sun is out you can’t deny how beautiful Nashville is. Where else can “Bless Your Little Heart” actually mean, I don’t give a ****.

Nashville is a great place to throw your guitar case in the corner and call home.

There are several trackbacks links for your viewing pleasure.

– Brad Hardisty, Nashville, TN thenashvillebridge@hotmail.com

Categories American Bang, Americana Music, Americana Music Festival, Band of Joy, Billy Cox, Birmngham Alabama, Bloodshot Records, Buddy Miller, Caitlin Rose, Cannery Ballroom, Carnival Season, Charlie Louvin, Cheer up Charlie Daniels, Chicken Ranch Records, Commodore Grill, Country Music, Darrell Scott, Debi Champion, Doak Turner, East Nashville, Grimey's, Hayes Carll, Heavy Cream, Heypenny, Indie Rock, Jack White, Jeff the Brotherhood, Jimi Hendrix, John Carter Cash, Justin Townes Earle, Kort, Lolas, Lucinda Williams, Model Citizen, Music, Music City Roots, Music Row, Nashville, Next Big Nashville 2010, Paramore, Pujol, Robert Plant, Rock Music, Shame Idols, T Bone Burnett, The Coolin System, The Deep Fried 5, The End Nashville, The King Kasuals, The Mercy Lounge, The Rutledge Nashville, Third Man Records, Those Darlins, Tim Boykin, Todd Snider, Uncategorized, Uncle Skeleton, Wanda Jackson

Frank Fairfield Friday at Grimey’s

April 23, 2011 //

: Daniel Frazier and Frank Fairfield at Grimey’s

A quick check of my email yesterday on my EVO phone found a note from Grimey’s that Frank Fairfield was doing an in-store appearance a couple of days after his Music City Roots set at The Loveless Barn at 6 pm. There is a lot of “roots” music lately but only a chance now and then to catch a true purist player.

Doyle and Mike and the rest of the Grimey’s crew were on hand offering Fat Tire brew to those over twenty one and a weird flavored water that tasted like Hot Buttered Popcorn, a free sample remnant from Record Store Day for those with a brave palate.

Frank was in no hurry prepping his violin, conjuring squeaks with a stroke of the cleaning cloth. Frank said he finds himself “talking to birds”. It was loud enough to conjure a dry track version of Paul’s “seagulls” from “Tomorrow Never Knows” in my brain.

Frank Fairfield’s one and only recording was released in 2009 on Tompkins Square Records out of New York City, a collection of songs older than my Grandparents with enough references to “John Hardy” and “John Henry” to find him bookended by Uncle Dave Macon and The Carter Family.

My new friendship with Blind Boy Paxton at the Folk Alliance prepared me for Frank’s mindset. You can’t really just call him an archivist, Frank dresses the part, talks the part and walks the walk as he resurrects long buried treasures performed on Banjo, Violin (Fiddle, whatever), and Guitar, a little gut box similar to Willie Nelson’s trigger. The instruments themselves were artifacts. In fact, Frank and the aforementioned Blind Boy Paxton are both a player’s player where everything needs to come from that era and bring it out live, unplugged.

The guys from Peelander-Z were busy rummaging through Used CD’s just prior to sound check for their show at Exit/In as Frank started a duet with music partner Daniel Frazier of Memphis, Tennessee’s Daniel Frazier & The Outlaws. Frank started out on Fiddle but moved to solo Banjo, Guitar and back to Fiddle. At one point, he put on a thumb pick and hit a couple of notes and said “no” to himself and put it back in his pocket. This was all done with hands showing deft tenacity, dynamics and finesse.

His voice would fit what you would expect on an old Carter Family record and more or less is an accompaniment to his playing much in the same way as Jimi Hendrix was, it does not detract but adds to the mood.

Frank often explained where the piece came from referring more than once to East Texas “where his people are from” especially an odd triplet rarity called a “Mazurka” that had come from the Spaniards that settled there probably in the 1800’s or before.

Frank called them popular pieces or dance pieces as he launched into “Poor Benny” and “Sally Goodin” punctuated by jokes from a pre-film era like “Why is kissing a girl like a dog sitting on a cake of ice?…Because kissing a girl is so dog-gone nice.”

Although many of the sets at Grimey’s are usually abbreviated to five songs or so, Frank came ready to do an hour or so. I picked up his CD and through it in the car stereo and heard what I expected to hear. A modern day field recording, not much different than what Robert Johnson sounded like recording in a Houston, Texas Hotel Room almost a hundred years ago. Although Frank is from Texas, he fits well with East Nashville’s Americana Scene or the Brooklyn, New York roots scene that has developed over the last few years.

Like Blind Boy Paxton, Frank knows his stuff both visually and sonically as he stomped his feet and moved to the beat in his chair, but the question still arises with me. Can you branch the tree out from a pre-rock period of time and deliver something new? A fresh take on a tribute to the past, before the term bluegrass or Chicago Blues, offers a lot for me, but, I would like to see a new song come out of this. Bob Dylan took an early Thirties and Forties feel on Modern Times and spun in it an up to date verbal onslaught. It can be done.

Frank Fairfield as well as Blind Boy Paxton, who runs with Hubby Jenkins and the Carolina Chocolate Drops, are a must see if you are a guitar or string player whether you are a Dimebag Darrell or Leo Kottke Disciple. Frank and Blind Boy both prefer guitars that you practically have to pull the strings into tune. There must be something about having a guitar that is hard to play like Jack White says.

Pick up the CD and take a listen to “Call Me a Dog When I’m Gone” and “Cumberland Gap”. In fact crank it up while you are driving down Lower Broad and really mess with people.

– Brad Hardisty, Nashville, TN thenashvillebridge@hotmail.com

Categories Americana Music, Blind Boy Paxton, Carolina Chocolate Drops, Daniel Frazier, Folk Alliance, Frank Fairfield, Grimey's, Jack White, Music City Roots, Nashville, The Beatles, The Carter Family, The Loveless Barn, Tompkins Square Records, Uncle Dave Macon