Just heard that Neal Casal has died. Apparently took his own life. Very sad.
His song “Since I Fell On Hard Times” is still one of my favourites.
Musings on the byways of popular culture
Just heard that Neal Casal has died. Apparently took his own life. Very sad.
His song “Since I Fell On Hard Times” is still one of my favourites.
by Skirky 3 Comments
My friend, compadre and sometime employer Mr. Tony James Shevlin has a single out now in advance of the release of his new record album, ‘American Odyssey’. Firstly, I will say that it’s not pulling up any trees in terms of re-inventing the form, and in my opinion it’s not the best song on the album – that would be either ‘Ride the Mississippi’ or ‘Tucumcari Sunset’ – the latter with a beautiful nylon-strung guitar solo that echoes Warren Zevon’s ‘Carmelita’ and the former a lolloping blues-groove number written, yes, by The Mississippi. The advantage here is that all these name-dropping songs were actually written in the places they check (as opposed to, say, Basildon) when Shev took himself off on a cape-trusting tour of songwriter’s nights, showcases and house concerts a couple of years ago. He’s roped in a gospel choir, a pedal steel (sadly no banjo) to evoke the sights, the sounds and yes, the smells, of a cross-country road trip involving just him, a guitar and a car. in the mean time, here’s a taster.
by Carl 13 Comments
A treat for me, and a few others who hang round about here, to look forward to is an album due out in August that Shelby Lynne and Allison Moorer have collaborated on, according to Rolling Stone.
It is titled, Not Dark Yet, after the Dylan Song they cover. The producer is Teddy Thompson.
It also includes covers of songs by Townes van Zandt, Jason Isbell & Amanda Shires and Nirvana.
by Carl 12 Comments
Tickets are now on sale for The Indigo Girls, who will be here in July.
Not my favourite band, but one I like a lot, but more to the point, ever since I first discovered them, some 20 years or more ago, they’ve never been over here on tour (but I stand to be corrected on that). Certainly this is the first time I’ve been aware of them touring and from what I’ve read they are a tremendous, formidable live band.
Dates confirmed are:
Thursday 20 July, RNCM Theatre, Manchester; Friday 21 July, Albert Hall, Nottingham; Saturday 22 July, The Leadmill, Sheffield; Monday 24 July, Birmingham Town Hall, Birmingham; Tuesday 25 July, Bierkeller, Bristol; Wednesday 26 July, Concorde 2, Brighton; Saturday 29 July, Islington Assembly Hall, London; Sunday 30 July, Islington Assembly Hall, London.
I’ve got tickets for the 29th.
Possibly a couple more dates can be added into that schedule. No dates in Scotland I note.
The Dixie Chicks and Beyonce performing together at the CMA awards. It works strangely well. I don’t know the song, other than the bits of Long Time Gone that are woven in, but it doesn’t sound out of place.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Usgh5IpLulo
….especially 335s, Epiphone Casinos, my beloved Gordon Smith semis….humbuckers & hollow bodies….but once in a while, you come across something that makes you question your allegiances, something that makes you think “Jeez, I need a Telecaster…..”
Chuck Prophet, ladies & gentlemen…..