Chaos in Tejas: a look into the music of Texas cont'd

Chapter 2: Fuck Ya'll! I'm From Texas

To reflect on our last entry, Texas was and still is a huge influence and impact on my musical development and that music in Texas has evolved and been created due the atmosphere and culture Texas breeds amongst its residents. Having identified that, over the years I have begun to learn more about Texas artists, the musical roots of Texas, and the degree on which Texas has affected musical development nationally and globally.

To start let’s just got back to Lubbock, Texas in the 1950’s. Lubbock aint really much, its dusty, the water tastes horrible, and it is home to Texas Tech (boooooo). None of those things really matter though when you look at the influence it’s had on rock n roll with the creation of the Lubbock sound.  It was here that the infamous Buddy Holly and the Crickets got their start. It was here in Lubbock, Texas that the classic rock band lineup of 2 guitarists, bass player, and a drummer was solidified by Mr. Holly before his untimely death. The sound created by Buddy Holly was highly influential, and the blend of country roots with the burgeoning rock n roll sound was embraced by a national audience. Even those Britt’s thought pretty highly of this setup, just look at the Beatles and Stones who were highly influenced by Holly. Buddy Holly’s legacy and impact was later captured in the song “American Pie” aka the day the music died, a song detailing the author’s emotions the day Mr. Holly, fellow Texan the Big Bopper, and Ritchie Valens died in a plane crash. As the Crickets went on without Mr. Holly they wrote a little song called “I Fought the Law”, which was adopted by fellow Texas Bob Fuller and went on to gain national acclaim and furthering Texas’ mark on Rock n Roll.

Most people who don’t know much about Texas music probably assume that its main area of expertise in in the realm of Country music, and while we have so much more, I would be lying if I denied how influential this state has been on Country artists. Bob Wills and his Texas Playboys may be the most important country figure to emerge from the bountiful Country music scene. Who is Bob Wills you ask?? Well I should not have to tell you, and it infuriates me that I do, but tell I shall. Bob Wills was the creator of the Western Swing sound which went on to influence generations of country musicians to follow, and also jazz, rock n roll, big band, and of course swing. He was the first to introduce instruments such as steel guitar, trumpets and other non-traditional instruments into a country based sound, and some of those took prevalent places in bands to come. Bob Wills was a huge influence on Buck Owens, a Texas-born California cowboy who went on to coin the Bakersfield sound. Buck Owens guitarist used the fender telecasters which was a guitar pretty much developed to fit in with the styling of Bob Wills’s music. The Bakersfield sound was a reaction to the polished, orchestral nature that was happening out in Nashville at the time, and was played by the blue-collar types looking for a rawer styling, and they had to look no further than to Mr. Wills for their influence.

(The Late, Great Townes Van Zandt)

That’s the tip of the iceberg for Country. To jump in a bit further we should look at the outlaw country that started to come out of Texas. One of the biggest influences of this movement would have to be Townes Van Zandt. Townes is possibly the best country artist to have graced this Earth, and you can argue with that but you are wrong. Steve Earle once proclaimed that Townes was a better songwriter than Bob Dylan, and while he later revoked his statement because he felt embarrassed, I will stand by that all day long. Townes was a dynamic songwriter, and had a way with words that allowed you to experience what he was going through without ever having been in his shoes. Throughout his life he suffered from bi-polar disorder which in turn led to a life of drug abuse and addiction, and a really sad life for an amazing poet. Townes has been recognized by musicians, critics, fans, and so many more over the past years, and what was once a cult following has grown into a national fan base who adore the music of a genius songwriter. Townes toured and played in small barrooms, dives, and KOC halls his whole life, and he was okay with it. The man loved to play, and he also loved his drugs which affected his later years and his ability to remain steady in his recording and playing. Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Guy Clark, and Steve Earle are all musicians who benefited from Townes. Hell, Willie scored a number 1 hit with Townes’ “Pancho and Lefty”. All of these men have gone on to do great things for Texas music, and have brought it into the national spotlight. They have gone on to influence younger generations of country artists throughout the nation. I would challenge you to find someone who does not know Willie Nelson, and if they don’t, slap them in the face. Yes, through Townes and then his successors, Texas Country has left its mark on the world.

(Blind Lemon Jefferson)

(Lightnin Hopkins)

The blues are a music that were developed mainly in the south starting around Mississippi, then over to New Orleans, up to Chicago, and around the beginning of the 20th century, out to Texas. I could not talk about Texas music without mentioning the likes of Lightin Hopkins, Big Mama Thornton, Blind Lemon Jefferson, Leadbelly, T Bone Walker, Blind Willie Johnson, and Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown.  Texas Blues had its own sound. Definitely rooted in the Mississippi Delta style, but relies a bit more on guitar improv and licks to fill the gaps. Blind Lemon Jefferson incorporated jazz into his styling which led to this use of improv. A lot of the Texas bluespeople had a kick of swing in their sound too. Stevie Ray Vaughn may be the best known due to his recent popularity from the 1980's to the present. He took the Texas blues style to a new level with his incorporation of different guitar tones and sounds enhanced by feedback and distortion. Blues. Houston, Texas Legend Lightnin Hopkins was a huge influence on the Texas music scene from the 50's through the 70's. He helped to bridge the gaps between the founders of the Texas Blues and the and coming musicians of the 60's. He gained more national recognition in the blues revival of the 60's along with the likes of Buddy Guy, Muddy Waters and BB King. Lightnin Hopkins was a mentor to a lot of younger Texas musicians including Townes Van Zandt, the 13th Floor Elevators, Nanci Griffith, and Stevie Ray Vaughn

(The 13th Floor Elevators)

Last post I touched briefly on Mr. Roky Erikson and the 13^th Floor Elevators. If you would to ask any expert in the realm of Psychedelic music what the three most important/influential albums of this genre were I would hope they would say: The Beatles ‘Revolver’, The Beach Boys ‘Pet Sounds’, and the 13^th Floor Elevators ‘The Psychedelic Sounds of…’.  The 13^th Floor Elevators were revolutionary for their time and place; they started out as the Lingsmen and were just an ordinary rock band. As time went on they added Roky Erikson on lead guitar and vocals, Tommy Hall on Jug and LSD into their lineup. Tommy Hall’s propensity for the drug aided the bands reputation in Texas, and they were one of the first groups to promote the psychedelic lifestyle. Eventually they made their way up to San Fran, got lost in some drugs, and became a cult act for years to come. They were well respected among their contemporaries and bands continue to draw upon their raw psychedelic power to this day as influence. Bands such as ZZ top, The Allman Brothers, Spacemen 3, the Jesus and Mary Chain, and R.E.M. all pay homage to the Elevators and it shows in their sound. In Texas they have been succeeded by the Black Angels, the Golden Dawn, the Strange Boys, and Trippin Daisy.

My favorite area of Texas Music history is easily the punk realm, and what is not to love. For starters let’s take a look at the funk masters of punk, The Big Boys. Propelled to popularity in the 80’s through their appearance in Thrasher videos, the Big Boys were a site to see. A punk rock band featuring prominent cross-dresser and openly gay singer Randy “Biscuit” Turner was a statement, especially for Texas. I can’t say I had the honor to witness them live, but old-timers say it was amazing. The energy, the focus, the attitude, and the comfort in pushing the punk envelope are what make the Big Boys legacy. A punk band these days would not dare to have a “funk off”, but the big boys did not give a fuck. They were who they were. Bands such as the Minutemen, Fishbone, and early Red Hot Chili Peppers pay influence to them as a major influence.  The Dicks were also an openly gay punk band in Texas in the 80’s, two things which were not popular amongst most citizens at the time. Gotta love Texas spearheading the inclusion of LGBT right’s in punk before it was even a thing to do. Here is a whole bunch of Big Boy's videos, enjoy!

 

(The Butthole Surfers)

On the weird tip you had The Butthole Surfers. The best part about the early 80’s was the weirdest noise group fit right in with the punk scene. Butthole Surfers are a punk band, and that is because they do their own thing in a way only they can. Musically they definitely at times have a punk influence, but you then combine that with heavy doses of psychedlia, loud angry sounding noises, and electronic bits and you get a glimpse in the Butthole Surfers. A friend the other night in a debate over the merit of Pink Floyd stated, “When you had the Butthole Surfers to listen to growing up, Pink Floyd did not impress you on the psych end of things”. While I do enjoy Floyd, there is validity in that statement.

The other Texas punk band that needs mentioning is DRI. These crazy men loved to play fast and dirty. They definitely hold their place in the punk hall of fame for their influence on the thrash and crossover genres. This band took the speed and rawness of punk and added in some of the technicality and heaviness of metal to blend into a perfect sound that too many bands have failed at trying to emulate. Along with Suicidal Tendencies and Corrosion of Conformity, they would have to be possibly the most popular of bands that appealed to both metal and punk crowds back in the 80’s and even to this day. They skipped out to Cali though, but they made a return to the homeland. Honorable Mentions: MDC (skipped out to Cali), Verbal Abuse, The Offenders, Really Red, The Skunks, and The Fearless Iranians from Hell

I am not a big fan of Houston, or even most Texas based rap. I can dig the Geto Boys, UGK depending on the album, and certain songs from other artists. Over the years we have turned out such horrible artists as Chamillionaire, Mike Jones, Paul Wall, and Lil’ Flip. I am sure there are more, but I don’t really care to know any of them. I do prefer my hip-hop from out of state artists. All that said, I cannot deny the influence of DJ Screw in the rap community. The chopped and screwed thing influenced a young generation of artists, and not really for the better or for the worse. DJ Screw was great at what he did, it is the reason he was named a Texas Music Pioneer by Rick Perry, it is the reason that “Skrewston” is a common nickname for Houston, it is a huge reason that the purple drank became so popular in the southern rap community (besides that it makes you feel real nice and slooooooow), Dj Screw had an enormous impact that spread to a more national level following his death in 2000. I remember hearing screwed rap when I was 14 and liking it, and hearing it again recently and still not liking it. I don’t get it and that’s ok, I respect Dj Screw for what he did. I do not though give a rat’s ass about the rest of these Texas rappers who are not inventive, and just played out. The dirty south is cheesy, and I have not found an artist to really convince me otherwise. Geto Boys though are awesome, Mind of a Lunatic

(Explosions in the Sky)

We could go on for a while about Texas music. I know we skipped over modern day Austin and its indie experimental scene, and while there is a lot of good stuff coming out of that scene, I feel Explosions in the Sky are really the only band to be a major influence on others or to have helped to pioneer a subgenre. Texas music history is rich with so many different bands, and so many that you may never hear if you are only looking to clear channel for your musical diet. Especially if you live or were born in Texas, know your states roots and be proud of what is has produced. Music is probably the best aspect of this states legacy, well maybe behind Tacos. Tacos are delicious.

 Link: SFMTC Vol. 8b - Fuck Ya'll! I'm From Texas

 SFMTC Vol. 8 - Chaos in Tejas - Chapter 2: Fuck Ya'll! I'm From Texas

01. At the Drive In - Arcarsenal

02. Big Mama Thornton - I'm Feeling Alright

03. Willie Nelson - Sweet Bye and Bye

04. Steve Miller Band - Take the Money and Run

05. Bun B & Middlefingaz - Texas (chopped & screwed)

06. George Jones - Color of the Blues

07. Toadies - Backslider

08. Lightin Hopkins - Devil is Watching You

09. Okkervil River - Listening to Otis Redding at Home Alone on Xmas

10. The Golden Dawn - Starvation 

11. Billy Joe Shaver - West Texas Waltz

12. The Skunks - Hurt

13. Edgar Winter - We All Had a Real Good Time

14. Pat Green - Texas On My Mind

15. Explosions in the Sky - The Moon Is Down

16. The Dicks - Rich Daddy

17. Blind Willie Johnson - The Rain Don't Fall on Me

18. Conqueroo - Words Are not as Strange

19. Middlefinger - Fingernap

20. Roy Orbison - Candy Man

21. Far From Breaking - See Right Through

22. Spoon -  Don't Let It Get You Down

23. Guy Clark - Texas - 1947

24. MDC - Multi-Death Corporation

25. Devin the Dude - Doobie Ashtray

26. Dead Horse - Cod Piece Face

27. Steve Earle - Home to Houston

28. The Polyphonic Spree - Hanging Around

29. Mammoth Grinder - Sick and Rotting

30. The Red Krayola - the Parable of Arable Land

31. Nanci Griffith - Tower Song (Townes Cover)

32. Iron Age - Younger Earth

Chaos in Tejas: a look into the music of Texas

Chapter 1: Don't Mess with Texas

There stars at night are big and bright (clap clap clap clap), Deep in the Heart of Texas. But definitely not deep in the heart of the Houston suburb known as Sugarland. This is where I spent 23 of my formative years learning about music and figuring the facts of life and who I wanted to be. You know the usual adolescent conflicts surrounding rule breaking, the opposite sex, becoming a man, and finding a purpose. The person I have become today owes itself to having grown up in Texas!

For starters, growing up in Texas, you are filled with state pride like no other. You are bred to love your state, and if someone talks shit on Texas they get in a head-butt to the nose, no question. We had a whole year of social studies dedicated to Texas history, helping us to understand our proud heritage and learning a lot of pro-Texas skewed facts. Our focus on our independence from Mexico definitely instills some antagonistic views towards the country (not personally for myself), and no one in Texas will ever forget the Alamo. While there are a lot of proud moments in Texas history, we definitely like to spin negative aspects in our favor, but that is no different than any other states, countries, or empires history. Overall this instilled pride either pushes you away and want to plant roots somewhere else, or sucks you in fully to the point you are ready to sign the petition to secede, I would say these days I am somewhere in between

Texas suburb living was pretty easy, not too much going on really. You would play at the creek and avoid alligators or football in the fields until everything started to get developed, and then soon there was a mall and a movie theater within walking distance. You didn’t walk though, fuck that shit I am gonna drive or be driven just down the street to the Starbucks. So it pretty much went from a nice outlier to a suburban metropolis of strip malls, real malls, dirty theaters, and national chain restaurants and stores. I am disappointed now  due to missing the simplicity of old Sugarland, the loss of local businesses to the corporate model, and the sharp rise in population, but back when I lived there as a youngster that was the most exciting thing going on, and having a theater down the street made my weekends all the better.

Even with all the entertainment and consumerism being built up around, it was not enough to make me feel satisfied. I looked to find something that made more sense for me and something that was a little bit “dangerous”. This is where music really came into play in my life. I grew up listening to whatever my parents and older siblings listened to. Over the course of my young years before I really had my own musical identity I listened to an array of beach boys, vanilla ice, garth brooks, Weird Al, and early 90’s top 40. Alternative music provided a short little insight into the idea that other music was out there, but this was also top 40 in a degree. Smashing Pumpkins and Weezer were about as dangerous as a lamb in baby Jesus’ manger. Then it happened, I found my ride and have been riding that train to this day. That was Punk Rock.

Punk rock became my ticket to breaking the figurative suburban shackles (as it is for many middle class suburbanites across America). I definitely do admit that by the time I got into punk, it was much tamer and was already adopted by a lot of mainstream America (this was at the height of the green day, offspring, rancid surge into radio land). But for a 13 year old kid from suburban Houston, in a pretty conservative, well-kempt side of town, punk was still relevant as a source of expression and energy. My parents were definitely hesitant, what with that image that those punk rockers purvey. The names of the bands, the song titles, and subject matter were all things that you didn’t find in commonplace Sugarland.  I was never much into the punk image, tried a few things (spiky hair, studded belt, a patched up jacket) and realized it wasn’t for me. It was the music, message, and just attitude that grabbed me. I didn’t care about how I needed to dress as long as I was comfortable, that’s punk rock in and of itself right? It was a pretty controlled rebellion, but what those ideas led me to later is what I find important. In Houston I was serenaded by the pop punk of 30 foot fall, the ska of The Suspects, and the weird punk-ska-funk fusion of Middlefinger. While none really broke the national circuit to a large degree, these bands and many others represented that there was something real happening, and encouraged me to dig deeper, to get involved in some way.

 (Middlefinger, still can dig it...)

So why am I talking about my musical youthhood if this a piece about Texas music? Well its two pieces about Texas and this one are to help understand that Texas music is not in just the confines of what the media has portrayed. Texas has seen its fair share of subversive cultures, and musical icons. You look back in the early 80’s and Texas was leading the punk charge with the likes of the Big Boys, the Dicks, Verbal Abuse, DRI, and the Stains. Go back even further and 13^th Floor Elevators helped to start the psychedelic revolution in the Texas Hill Country before it really hit the national circuit. Even within the country realm, Texas has produced some of the artists who push the barriers the most in their respective genres. Townes Van Zandt alone puts Texas on the country map, but just in case we also had Willie and Waylon help to lead the outlaw country singers to gain national attention. Texas has always been a breeding ground for rebellion, countercultural ideas as based on its musical ventures. My reasoning for this is that when one set of ideals is strongly encouraged by the general mass, there will always be an alternative group of people who come back just as strong with their own expression. 

(Willie showing why hes a rebel in Tejas)

The political climate of Texas definitely has an effect on its youth, creating a more outspoken core of vagabonds who just want to stir up trouble. I know for myself, being raised in a state seen primarily as a haven for red-thinking conservatives, I felt pushed in the other direction. It was less about a conservative vs. liberal ideology for me, it was about questioning what I was being told and developing ideas based on what I read and what I experienced.  I remember being young and having a lot of what would be considered conservative/right-wing ideas, and they were really just the ones I learned from my parents.

 It was probably around 18 when I would say I officially became a left-leaning individual (I dont want to categorize but the it fits), and started to distance myself from earlier conservative stances. It was around this time that George Bush had become president, and my current band was writing anti-bush songs. A once unknown idea of who Bush(while he was our Governor for a majority of his terms) was quickly became overtaken by this image of some idiotic bible-thumping redneck now representing Texas to the whole nation (dude is not even from Texas, he was born in Connecticut).  I know I wanted to distance myself from that as best as I could, whether it was through the discontinuation of saying “yall” or just making arguments against Texas. I was allowed to talk shit on Texas though because I had grown up there, lived in, and was present for the fight. If someone else was to talk shit on Texas who was not from the state, they would get a pop in the mouth. Texas became like an embarrassing younger brother for a while. I could rag on him, and give him noogies all day long, but the moment someone else tried to give him shit, you better believe I would stand up for my blood. 

(Roky Erikson of the 13th Floor Elevators)

Texas aint perfect by any means, no state is. Every place has room to grow, and ways to better themselves, and that is human life. I definitely have talked shit on Tejas, but I definitely have love for my home state and can appreciate a lot of aspects of my life growing up there and how it helped to shape me. The conservative climate, Christian presence, and blatant racism that were present a lot of the times pushed me to think differently. I definitely appreciate the challenges that Texas presents to me, and it has made me more aware of what I do want to see in myself, my state and in my country. How can I know what I am fighting against, if I don’t know what I am fighting for?

So looking back I feel I have definitely presented an image that Texas music is all liberal, rebellious and out there due to the overly conservative climate, and hopefully everyone knows that is not the case and recognize that I understand that as well. I definitely have a very personalized view of Texas and its music, as everyone should. It should be based on their own experiences, and I also encourage that we not let the boundaries that we set for ourselves keep us from exploring. Texas has some of the greatest rock n roll, country, metal, punk, jazz, blues, bluegrass, folk, hardcore, ect out there, and not all of it is bleeding through their hearts. Texas music will reflect on what is the counterculture, but just as much on the pro-Texas ideology that is birthed with every baby born in the state lines. 

 (Sweet Big Boys video!)

To end this piece, I was at a bar up here in Portland with my buddy and Texas fanatic, Jack Karlin. We were having a good discussion out one evening when a couple of girls comment on our conversation surrounding Texas, and their response to that being where I grew up was: “Oh I am sorry, that sucks”. There may have been a time I would have agreed, but not that night. This opened up a verbal debate on the merits of Texas, and positives that have come from Texas. To make this short, we debated between Texas, and they both realized quickly that both Jacko and myself were much more highly educated and aware of the history, policies and culture of Texas (mind you that Jack is from Montana too) than either of them were about Texas or even their home state (Florida, which is the second worst state in the Union). I do not care if people don’t like Texas, but I do care that if you start up a debate about the quality of my state that you have something to back it up with. Education is important; before you start ragging on my state make sure you at least know the history, and qualities of your own.

Link:  SFMTC - Vol. 8a - Dont Mess With Texas 

SFMTC Vol. 8 - Chaos in Tejas Chapter 1 - Don't Mess with Texas 

01. Race Against Time - Race Against Time

02. Buddy Holly - It Doesn't Matter Anymore

03. Ornette Coleman - The Face Of The Bass

04. UGK - Short Texas

05. The Sword - The Horned Goddess

06. The Gourds - Lament

07. 13th Floor Elevators - Thru the Rhythm

08. 30 foot fall - Fuck Ya'll We're From Texas

09. Clarence Gatemouth Brown - Strange Things Happen

10. Townes Van Zandt - Texas River Song

11. Bob Wills & his Texas Playboys - T for Texas (1937)

12. T Bone Burnett - Palestine, Texas

13. Trippin Daisy - On the Ground

14. Blind Lemon Jefferson - Oil Well Blues

15. Pantera - 5 Minutes Alone

16. ZZ Top - La Grange

17. DRI - Money Stinks

18. Robert Earl Keen - Amarillo Highway

19. Big Boys - Gator Fuckin

20. Old 97's - West Texas Teardrops

21.  Bitter End - Terrified Eyes

22. Janis Joplin - Summertime

23. Freddie King - You Can Run but You Can't Hide

24. The Black Angels - The Prodigal Sun

25. Waylon Jennings - Luckenbach Texas

26. Stevie Ray Vaughn - Texas Flood

27. Butthole Surfers - Hey

28. Geto Boys - Still

29. And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead  - Monsoon

30. Hayes Carll - Girl Downtown

Roots Bloody Roots: History of American Music Chapter II

Chapter II: Dont Tread on Me

So here we are for the second section of our tribute to some old traditional roots tunes and some classic American songs. In this segment we are going to look at 8 different things that have played a part in the development of American music, whether they are people, stylings, cultural phenomena, or specific songs. To give us a start we will look at one of the classic figureheads mentioned in our previous segment.

1.     

            1. Stephen Foster

This is the man that is considered the father of American music. As we have discussed, he wrote a lot of what are now considered classics and staples in our history. He was an originator and blended previous styles to create something unique for America. Of course there is also the more negative side of Mr. Foster. He was an influential figurehead in the 1800’s pre-civil war minstrel show scene. Minstrel shows were performances were musicians and actors would dress in blackface and create skits based on the mannerisms and stereotypes of African-americans. This unfortunately perpetuated a stereotype of African-Americans that many whites expected them to display, and lasted well into the civil rights era. While that sounds like a nasty aspect of his legacy, what Stephen Foster is more remembered for these days is his welding of different roots stylings, and popularizing a sound that was one of the first identified as an American sound.

2.        

      2. Woody Guthrie

Woody Guthrie was a figure-head and inspirational figure in our early 1900’s music scene. He is the forefather of the folk revival of the 1960’s, and without him we may not have ever had the likes of Bob Dylan, Townes Van Zandt, Odetta, Pete Seeger, and many others. Country Joe MacDonald  stated a great line in his version of “This Land is Your Land”: Woody wanted to be the man that told you something you already knew. I think this is what characterizes Woody Guthrie, he was an every mans man. He was not just a musician, but a revolutionary, an advocate, and an activist. He spoke about issues most music stars would not dare touch, and provided a view from the workers whose backs this country was built off of. Woody was branded as a commie by our government, and was blacklisted but that never stopped his legacy. He was documented by Alan Lomax, and taught many other folk and roots musicians, who then passed on what they knew to the next generation. He fostered a scene for the people, and demonstrated the power of music and what it could be used for.

3.       3. Robert Johnson

Robert Johnson is now considered a master bluesman, and has gone on to influence countless bluesman and rock musicians. What has made Robert Johnson a key figurehead in the blues history for myself is his legacy of the deal with the devil. As legend states, Robert Johnson met the devil down at the crossroads were he went on to tune Robert’s guitar and in the process gave him the skills he so desired. One thing about Johnson’s style that has carried on his legend was his ability to blend the many stylings of the time into something unique. He is a delta bluesman, but his style range beyond that touching on Chicago styles, minstrel and vaudeville shows, jazz and current pop tunes of the time. Blind Lemon Jefferson could be seen as the man behind Robert Johnson and deserves to be mentioned, as Johnson patterned his vocal styling after Jefferson. Robert’s ability to emulate while transforming it into something of his own is what has made him a lasting legend.

4.       4. Jeebus’

So we have already had a whole trilogy dedicated to Jesus’ influence on music, so we will just touch base on it here. Really, Christianity and spirituality as a whole is what this area is about because without it we would be missing a whole chapter in musical history. Spirituals, gospel tunes, early country music, and the blues all take an influence from the popular spirituality at the time. Faith was a common inspiration then, and still remains to this day. Growing up in a Christian household a lot of the early spirituals from the day were common in my childhood, and while my judgement may be skewed I feel probably for most others as well. “This little light of mine”. “He’s got the whole world in his hands”, “Amazing Grace”, “Kumbaya” are all songs that I remember being sung to me as a kid. I mean who the fuck does not know “Kumbaya”!

5.       5. Revolution

Woody Guthrie is a great example of this that has already been discussed, but revolution itself has had a powerful influence on the writing of American songs. Just look at the “Star Spangled Banner”, america’s theme song was written at the time of its fight for independence by someone witnessing a raging battle. During the civil war, both sides popularized songs and used music to inspire their troops to fight for what they believed in, whether for good or bad. The communist underground of the 1940’s and 50’s had Woody Guthrie as their musical figurehead, which eventually bled into the pacifist non-violent resistance of the 60’s. Music to this day is fueled by the politics of the time, and music remains a popular way to express ideas counter to the majority, and a way to spread change.

6.       6. Africa

So I put down Africa in general because pretty much most of what we know as modern music stems from African roots.  The cultural influence that was brought over by slaves trickles all the way down to our current state of music. It was the music of slaves that heavily influence the minstrel shows, Stephen Foster, and other early song writers emulating what they heard on the plantations.  African-American folk music was possibly the first identifiable American sound. Their music was then embraced through the general public through the minstrel shows, spirituals and slave songs. This continued into the years of the blues, jazz and eventually into rock n roll and hip hop. It was common practice since the time of Stephen Foster for whites to coopt the sounds of black musicians to then sell to the general public, as the middle class of the time felt the music more palatable coming from a white person. Country music, which is usually identified as a predominately white form of music, owes a lot of its roots to African music, as well as other non-white ethnic styles.

7.       7. Social Identity

In similar fashion to Africa, social identity has been an important part in the development in the different musical styles of America. Social class, race, gender, religion, region and ethnicity have all been factors that have helped to determine the sources of inspiration for lyrics and melodies. The struggle of the working class has been a common theme in music since always, and they did not change with the advent of American styles.

Predominately in American music the social identity has been dominated by the white male, with the black male being an equally important source without receiving the credit throughout history. Hispanic, Asian, and Middle-eastern ethnicities have helped to influence sounds of the Americas, but until recently (past 30 years or so) there has not been any major figureheads recognized by American media. Hip-hop, latin styles, and electronic music have all helped to open the gateway for a more diverse group of musicians in America.

8.       8. Political Climate

So politics has clearly affected music that Americans have written since the beginning, just look to the Star Spangled Banner, an anthem capturing the feeling of fighting for ones independence. This trend carries on throughout the decades, and century. The folk music of the mid 20^th century was a direct result of working men finding a means to use their voice. This is a tradition carried on into today with many popular artists using the political climate as inspiration, more so you will find consistency amongst punk rock and hip-hop artists as the perveyors of current political causes

Sorry this second part was a little rushed,  but have some new ones coming soon!

Link:  SFMTC Vol. 7b - Dont Tread on Me 

SFMTC Vol. 7b - Dont Tread on Me

01. Son House - this little light of mine

02. Vaughn Monroe - Ghost Riders in the Sky

03. Leftover Salmon - Rueben's Train

04. The Norman Luboff Choir - Shenandoah

05. Fiddlin' Joe Carson - Swanee River

06. Green on Red - we shall overcome

07. 103rd street gospel choir - kumbaya

08. Abner Jay - she'll be coming around the mountain

09. Roy Rogers - yellow rose of texas

10. Mavis Staples - nobody knows the trouble i've seen

11. Woody Guthrie - Take a Whiff on Me

12. Taj Mahal - Statesboro Blues

13. Leonard Nimoy - Gentle On My Mind

14. Bo Diddley - Yankee Doodle

15. Jerry Lee Lewis - crawdad song

16. Keb' Mo' - America The Beautiful

17. Webb Wilder - Streets Of Laredo (The Cowboy's Lament)

18. Afroman - Hush(somebodys callin my name)

19. David Grisman, John Hartford, and Mike Seeger - Rocky Top

20. Van Halen - Happy Trails

Art Appreciation

So its been a while since I have made an entry due to being out of town and finishing up some other things in life. So here is a quick little entry to kick me back into writing mode. So my old roommate and I used to have an arts and crafts day here and there, and would use a day or two and be creative. He is an amazing artist, and has painted some stuff I would be proud to hang in my house. I have a sweet Mermaid picture hanging up in my room from him.

Well, my route for my creative outlet quickly developed into these music mix card series, and numerous installments have been created over the past year or so. So each of these is a themed card (themed to a degree-ish), and comes with a mix cd, that somtimes reflects the art. Sometimes it is a random assortment of drawing ideas and song's that I find to be fun together. Anyways here are some examples for your viewing pleasure!

(A sweet capture of a weird Anthropomorphic Band with a Mushroom fronting)

(A good-bye card for a fellow co-worker. Inside not captured)

(Sometimes you rock out a little too hard and sugarplum ferries make you do drugs)

(You know those evenings when you vomit on some girl so you have to break a bottle to fend of any angry boyfriends)

(The Doom Rider is worn by those who just tell it as it is, and bring destruction along the way)

here is a quick little mix about art I put together

SFMTC Ep - Art School Dropout

Roots Bloody Roots: History of American Music

SFMTC Vol. 7a - Freedom Ain't Free 

I can remember back to being a kid and being captivated by some of the early songs and folk tunes that I heard as I grew up. This was in my early years of being in pre-k and elementary school. They were songs that were just fun, catchy, and everyone seemed to know them. Slowly, my musical exposure was co opted by the sounds of Vanilla Ice, MC Hammer and whatever else I heard my older siblings listening to in 1992 on the top 40. This was followed by my own dive into country tunes thanks to my parents, alternative tunes thanks to the kids who made fun of me for liking country, and shortly thereafter the pop punk wave of the mid 90’s featuring the offspring, bad religion, rancid and green day. Overshadowing any of those bands (besides Bad Religion whose song “infected” I clearly remember being intrigued by in 6^th grade on the late night alternative radio show), I can distinctly remember hearing a morbid rendition of “Home on the Range” being sung by the dastardly poacher in ‘The Rescuers Down Under’. It wasn’t the words that caught my attention, but the catchiness of its melody and the ease of being able to sing the chorus. To this day it is a song that resonates in my brain, and one I can’t help but love.

(Bing Crosby)

The reason this is important to me is that there is a rich history of music found here in America that a lot of us experience, and it becomes lost over time as we grow older and become more focus on what our current culture is feeding to us. We are then left with the childhood memories of camp sing-alongs, or obscure references found in pop media. It is not something I cared about when I was younger, I was just fascinated by what at first was happening on the local radio or mall, and then fascinated by the art of discovering underground acts and scenes. When music became something more than just the listening experience, digging into the back catalogues to understand how something came to happen became more interesting. Eventually I have found that it is easy to become disenchanted with the current state of music, and sometimes the only solace you find is sulking in the past when things seemed more pure and less compromised. 

The idea of history is important not for the reason of reliving it, but for an understanding of evolution and better perspective on the present. Punk was the music that encouraged me to start to dig deeper. Of course I had been exposed to the classics of my parents generation, but I didn’t have to search, it was just there. It was actually being a part of something, or feeling a part of the punk scene that made me want to know more about how things came to be. How did Bad Religion come to be played on the radio? For what reason were Flipper, Minutemen, and other odd ball bands punk rock? Why are there a bunch of bands that sound like death metal, experimental noise and Pantera considered hardcore punk? I got curious and wanted to feel educated, and I love to learn when a topic interests me. Digging deeper into a culture and history was just overall exciting, and when my musical tastes expanded beyond just punk, I realized there was a whole history as rich as any science, other cultural phenomena’s.

(Stephen Foster: Father of American Music)

So hopefully you can guess that Punk is not cultural heritage that I am overall referring to, but it plays a part. It is the continuation of a cycle that was created by the early musical pioneers. It is a process of taking what has come before you, and manipulating it into something new, a revolutionary act, a method of expression to fit the current age. You see the likes of Stephen Foster, the father of American music, and other early songwriters taking from the Celtic, and European musical traditions and a little down the line you have bluesmen taking from slave spirituals, African traditions and early Gospel tunes to create a sound that would go on to influence most everything else. All of these styles including jazz, punk, metal, electronica, rock n roll, doo-wop were all revolutionary for their time, and all of them have roots in the music that came before them.  In this mix you will find a lot of Stephen Foster original’s and that is due to the great impact he has had. Over 150 years later, we are still recognizing and singing songs such as “Oh Suzanna” and “Camptown Races”. 

It has been exciting over the past 10 years to really delve in (thanks in part to the internets) and that is where I find the most joy. I love hearing new music and experiencing the present, and it is so easy to do with current media. While it is also easier to find old gems, you still have to dig or be interested to discover it. I have had the enjoyment of hearing more modern day (60’s and so forth) versions of a lot of classic American tunes only to discover their origin goes beyond the artist I would commonly associate them with. “Sittin’ on top of the World” is a prime example of a song that I have seen go back further and further in the music time line, and I still don’t know its full origin, I do know that it has transcended generations of musicians.  That is what I think truly makes a song great, its ability to still be relevant generations after it was created, to have other musicians pay tribute to it by covering it or redoing it in their own style. Either way, it shows how diverse and great that song is when you have old blues and country singers songs being covered and payed homage to today.

(Louis Armstrong)

What I enjoy about this particular mix is that all of these songs are pretty old, and there are artists that span generations playing these songs. The classic styling is there, and there are quite a few who do their own take on a song they probably heard many times growing up. This mix consists of a mix of old spirituals, blues songs, country tunes, and traditional American songs that we have adopted in our society as anthems for American living. I do admit that there are couple songs of British origin on these mixes. “Amazing Grace” was written in 19^th century England, but it is a song that has been adopted by our American culture, and became an important spiritual in African American culture in the post-slavery era. “Will the Circle be Unbroken” is an early 20^th hymn from England, but I have always known it as a country tune. I especially enjoy Mojo and Jello’s tribute version called “Will the Fetus be Aborted”.

(Sons of the Pioneers)

Some of these tunes may be more recognizable than others. The Stephen Foster songs are recognizable to most everyone due to their inclusion in our early educational structures, and music classes. Their simplicity and relatable lyrics make them applicable to almost anyone, and easy songs for children to sing along to in pre-school. We then have a slew of patriotic anthems such as “Star Spangled Mojo(banner)”, “America the Beautiful”, “Home on the Range”, and “This Land is Your Land” (though this is not necessarily a patriotic song, it has been adopted as one). We also have a few newer songs that I feel have become embedded in our culture, “Country Roads” being the prime example. We also have one repeat from a previous mix, “You are my Sunshine”. This song is a classic that is sung to children by their parents from an early age, what we don’t normally notice when we are little is just how depressing this song is. It isn’t about a child being the light of their parents lives, but more about how a person suffers when they lose an important attachment in their life. Well that’s enough for now, here is a mix of some good American roots music!

SFMTC Vol. 7 - Freedom Ain't Free

SFMTC Vol. 7a - Freedom Ain't Free

01. Bing Crosby - home on the range
02. Paul Robeson - amazing grace
03. Mojo Nixon & Skid Roper -This Land Is Your Land
04. Dave Brubeck - camptown races
05. Bob Marley - Go Tell It On The Mountain
06. Sons of the Pioneers - red river valley
07. Bruce Springsteen - Jesse James
08. Louis Armstrong - When the Saints Go Marching In
09. new riders of the purple sage - on top of old smokey
10. Harry McClintok - Big Rock Candy Mountain
11. screamin' jay hawkins - swing low, sweet chariot
12. the nitty gritty dirt band - will the circle be unbroken
13. odetta - he's got the whole world in his hand
14. Johnny Cash - The Legend of John Henry's Hammer
15. Pete Seeger - i've been working on the railroad
16. Ray Charles -Take me home, country roads
17. Norman Blake - You Are My Sunshine
18. howlin' wolf - sittin' on top of the world
19. William Elliot Whitmore - oh susanna
20. Jimi Hendrix - Star Spangled Banner

Rifftastic!!

Judging by the title of this entry, you can probably assume what this article is about. It is a single, four-lettered word that packs a punch and makes every rock n’ roll song a fist pumping anthem, and that word if Riff. Riff’s are an essential piece of music, and people who enjoy some good rock usually can appreciate the power of a single riff. You know the kind that just make you want to take an axe to your couch, or smash a nazi in the knee with a ballpeen hammer. I just get excited thinking about great riffs, it gets my blood flowing and feet stomping. The thing about doing a mix of awesome riffs is that there are more than just a few out there, some peoples of what a good riff is may differ, and therefore some great ones are bound to not make it on. That didn’t stop me though, and I am bringing you a mix that I feel is full of some heavy riffs, catchy riffs, some classic, and some that should be. 

Riffs have been important in rock n roll since the beginning, and in the 60’s we started to really see some hard pounding riffs introduced into the music. You look at some of the inspirations for heavy metal and you will see the Kinks “You really goy me” or Steppenwolf’s “Born to be Wild”. If you even take a step back further you will find the Troggs hitting heavy with their most known song “Wild Thing” and even “Louie Louie” had such a distinct riff that pounded through and is recognizable by most people. 

Riffs have come along way since “Louie Louie” in terms of sheer heaviness and the punch that they pack. Starting in the late 60’s and 70’s we see the advent of heavy metal and hard rock, we see the sheer loudness of riffs increase and the raw power that comes with it. You know a good riff when you just want to bob along all rock n roll, but you know a great riff when you wanna punch through the stage as the band is blaring it out in true apocalyptic fashion. Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath are two bands that can easily be seen as the major paths to influence rock n roll riffs to come. Led Zeppelin definitely had  its influence in later day metal with the take of a more bluesy approach, and bangin out straight rockers that makes your fist pump in sequential rhythm. Black Sabbath on the other hand are the forefathers of all that is Doom. Their riffs were slow, heavy, and soul-wrenching. The maniacal feel of the feedback is enough to get the heart racing, and the listener banging their head in succession. One of the most memorable riffs of all time is probably Deep Purple’s “Smoke on the Water”. It is a cadence of the early metal era, and has had long haired vagrants smashing beer cans and fist pumping for over 30 years now. The 70’s overall produced some of the most memorable riffs with  “Cat Scratch Fever” by Ted Nugent, “Mississippi Queen” by Mountain, and many  other acts such as Judas Priest, AC/DC, Thin Lizzy, Motorhead and everything Dio was a part of.

 

The 80’s were a great time for Riffs. Sure the airwaves were saturated with bad pop, new wave and hair bands, and at the same time there was so much else happening that has been overlooked. There was a thriving punk and hardcore scene, hip hop was on the rise, and riffs were still dominated by a lot of the hard rock pioneers of yesteryear, and metal bands were inheriting the torch. Pentagram from D.C. assumed the doom metal throne, and Metallica introduced the world to thrash metal. While they disintegrated in the 90’s into some sort of mall commodity, early Metallica produced 4 of the greatest metal albums and wrote some of the best riffs of the 80’s. Their debut ‘Kill em All’ is loaded from start to finish with fast-paced guitars and a crunching bass guitar that I find impossible to not bang my head to. I can remember so many specific experiences of metallica finding it’s way on a roadtrip or a drive across town and the instant rock out that follows. 

The 90’s saw the emergence of a new wave of current doom/stoner rock bands entire into a more public spotlight with the likes of Sleep, Kyuss, Fu Manchu, and The Obssessed leading the charge. Alternative and grunge music began to make more of a name for itself, and while these bands definitely produced some memorable songs, the sheer power was lacking for most (Alice and Chains and Janes Addiction aside).  All aside, it is safe to say that Sleep produced probably one of the finest albums of the 90’s with ‘Holy Mountain’, and their follow up of the single song LP ‘Dopesmoker/Jerusalem’ left an impression on the doom scene. Bands like Metallica, Anthrax and Megadeth started to lose a step, and the baton was passed to a new generation recycling and reinventing the formula's for great riffs.

Now we find our selves in the 2000’s with the advent of the internet, and the ability to search out and find different styles of music greatly increased. We see new directions based off the foundations of old styles, and we also see a lot of throwback and retro sounding groups arising. Mastadon came onto the scene and made a name for themselves with ‘Leviathan’, and while they have released numerous other albums, I don’t feel any of them are as consistently good and as well linked throughout.  Two other bands who have consistently written some great rock n roll are The Atomic Bitchwax and Inepsy. T.A.B. definitely are a throwback to that 70’s hard rock with a modern stoner rock feel to modernize it. You can hear the Mountain, Black Sabbath and Blue Cheer influence in their songs, and while the vocals are minimal, they are made up for with a ton of sweet guitar leads that lambast you any chance they can. Inepsy is clearly influenced heavily by Motorhead as well as Discharge and other 80’s d-beat styled bands. They make me want to buy a motorcycle just so I can live to ride, and ride to live. They definitely create that jean-vested, shit-kicker, bottle smashin biker feel with their songs, riffs that give a person the courage to puke on some dudes girlfriend and pull a blade on him before he has a chance to retaliate. 

 

The thing about these riffs, is that they helped make the song what it is, and without a good riff no solo would be complete. The solo awes you, but it is a good riff that keeps you hooked to the song, and baits you for the solo. Without the consistency of riffs you just get Yngwie Malamsteen, and no one really wants that. So Here you are, some nice meaty riffs for the ears to enjoy!

SFMTC Vol. 6 - Rifftastic! 

SFMTC Vol. 6 - Rifftastic! Playlist 

01. Mastadon - Blood and Thunder

02. Manowar - Kings of Metal

03. Dust - Suicide

04. Graveyard - Dont Take Us For Fools

05. Black Sabbath - Sabbath Bloody Sabbath

06. Sleep - Dragonaut

07. Metallica - Seek and Destroy

08. AC/DC - Riif Raff

09. Pentagram - Wartime

10. Thin Lizzy - Emerald

11. Pantera - Heresy

12. Deep Purple - Burn

13. The Atomic Bitchwax - Marching on the Skulls of the Dead

14. Inepsy - Warriors of the Wasteland

15. Led Zeppelin - Dazed and Confused

16. Exodus - The Toxic Waltz

17. Dio - Straight Through the Heart

18. Madball - Hold it Down