Two eloquent writers relentlessly bashed one another in their back-in-forth responses last week in regards to their separate opinions over what Austin, Texas used to be and what Austin can be.
Michael Corcoran, the award-winning, veteran Texas music critic with a penchant for contrarianism, and Terry Sawyer, the whip smart blogger who represents the wave of people who have moved to Austin recently in part because of the cultural cachet people like Corcoran helped foster, according to the Texas Monthly Daily Post.
I first read the Sawyer's response to Corcoran's article, "Welcome to Mediocre Texas". After reading the response, I just had to read "Welcome to Mediocre Texas" and find out who Corcoran was.
After reading "Welcome to Mediocre Texas" and Sawyer's response, I became very intrigued by this whole situation, because I'm a huge Texas music fan and I also recently visited Austin for SXSW. I read Corcoran's response to Sawyer's response and Texas Monthly Daily Post's article on the whole dispute.
After reading as many articles as I could about this situation, I have concluded that there is a lot of profane fighting words being exchanged and red dirt slinging going on.
The articles I have found are very interesting reads, but I do believe the attacking with words has settled down...for now.
However none of these opinions completely change my opinion on Austin. I fell in love with the music coming out of Austin before I went to SXSW and after visiting Austin for the first time, my love for Austin music was only confirmed, and perhaps even deepened.
I'm from the boondocks in Indiana. The closest metropolitan to me is Evansville, Indiana and there is no music scene. Absolutely no music!
What I saw in Austin was...heaven. Granted it was during SXSW, when I was in Austin, but I can tell there is still a vibe there in Austin like no place I've ever been too.
Be thankful Austinites for what you have, for it could always be worse.
Michael Corcoran's "Welcome to Mediocre Texas"
Terry Sawyer "False Metrics and Forgone Conclusions: A Response To The Half-Assery of Michael Corcoran"
"Corky gets bitch-slapped!" By Michael Corcoran (Corcoran's response to Sawyer)
"Fightin Words: Michael Corcoran v. Terry Sawyer" By The Texas Monthly Daily Post
~Peace, Happiness and Music~
Showing posts with label music. Show all posts
Showing posts with label music. Show all posts
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Monday, February 27, 2012
Name The Tunes Tuesdays
"Love Me Like" By Little Brave
Stephanie Briggs or her stage name Little Brave has 9 days to to raise the entire funds she is asking for on kickstarter.com to record her set of three EPs to be released in 2012.
Time is running out and if Little Brave doesn't reach $6,000 in 9 days she'll receive none of the money that has been pledged, so far.
Help this Austin, Texas singer-songwriter that has a passion for songwriting, a knack for making her words touch your soul and the vocal pipes to back up everything she's saying.
Little Brave Kickstarter Page
Little Brave Home Website
The Crescendo's Radio Show Playlist
Monday, February 27, 2012, 2-4 PM (EST)
Artist | Song | Album |
The Clash | Remote Control | The Singles |
Black Flag | What I See | Damaged |
Fugazi | Bed For The Scrapping | Red Medicine |
The Briefs | This Age | The Greatest Story Ever Told |
Cherryholmes | I Don’t Know | Black & White |
Cheap Girls | Ft. Lauderdale | My Roaring 20s |
Veronica Falls | Found Love In A Graveyard | Veronica Falls |
Mr. & Mrs. Muffins | The Magic Cloud | The Raindrop Dance & Other Songs About Love |
The Tread Abraham | Ugly People | Rejoice God & The Grandpa |
Victor Olaiya’s All Stars Soul International | Let Yourself Go | The Rough Guide To Psychedelic Africa |
Will Hoge | No Man’s Land | Number Seven |
Val Halla | Dark Sister | No Place |
We Were Promised Jetpacks | Human Error | In The Pit Of The Stomach |
The John Henrys | Lost In The Canyons | Sweet As The Grain |
Donal Hinely | Shattered Glass | Blue State Boy |
Thomas Flynn | Music’s My Religion | I Was Just Thinking |
Porcelain Raft | Put Me To Sleep | Strange Weekend |
The Zakary Thanks | Mirror Yesterday | Passage To India |
Johnny Cooper | Yes My Love | Follow |
Dana Falconberry | Blue Umbrella | Hallets |
Looping Jaw Harp Orchestra | Tuba For Klaus (Tribute To Klaus Nomi) | Universal Language |
Lincoln Durham | Love Letters | The Shovel vs. The Hollowing Bone |
Spectecals | Get A Grip | Bad Penny |
Chris Durate | Searching For You | Blues In The Afterburner |
Ray Wylie Hubbard | Cooler N’ Hell | Delirium Tremolos |
Three American Revolution | Shoeshine Blues | Buddha Electrostorm |
Micky and The Motorcars | Love Is Where I Left It | Careless |
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Why Don't They Teach Music In School?
Lately, I have been really diggin' into the 60s, 70s and 80s punk-rock scene. And as I have been researching...it hit me, like a freight train!
Why don't I know more about some of these bands from way back when?! Why (shamefully to say) have I never heard of them?! Bands like Blondie, Television, the Gun Club, X, The Blasters and etc. Why?! Why haven't I heard of them before?!
Then I had another thought. Why aren't these bands and more specifically why isn't music history taught in school?
You may argue that there is classes in college and some high schools, middle and elementary schools that teach music history, but I mean actual music history.
I had a music class all through elementary school, like most youngsters do, but I only learned the basics of reading music, how to sing and we played a lot of limbo, musical chairs and heads-up 7up.
Why was I not taught who were the founding musicians, artists or bands of creating, defining and revolutionizing genres? For example, Television was one of the founding bands of the punk-rock genre. Why was I not taught stuff like that?
The history of music should be, in my opinion just as important as American or world history.
I mean for goodness sakes music can make political statements and change people, concepts, perceptions and motivate people to do things. Music can change the world.
Look at Woodstock. Woodstock is a big part of American history.
It has been said that, "Woodstock was more than a moment in time, but a way of being in the world."
So, why is Woodstock not taught in schools?
Why is music not taught in schools?
Why? Tell me why?!
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Oh, Forgive Me Musical Gods In the Sky, For I Have Sinned!
Oh, forgive me musical gods in the sky, for I have sinned. I regret to inform y'all that I have gave into the temptation of digitally downloading music.
I have recently decided to start using iTunes. I know...I know...some may say that, you are just now using iTunes?!
Well, yes, I'm just now creating my musical iTunes library, but I'm doing it regretfully.
I'm old school when it comes to music. I rather have the physical copy in my hands, like a CD or wax copy.
However, I have realized that I can't always afford to buy a CD or vinyl record. And if I want only one or two certain songs by an artist or band, I'm must succumb to downloading an MP3 of the song(s).
Therefore I have resulted to utilizing iTunes, CD Baby and purchaing MP3s from artists' home websites.
I feel like every time I digitally download that I am stabbing a musician in the heart and I'm giving the middle finger to music.
Oh, forgive me musical gods in the sky, for I have sinned! I sincerely regret my failure to be strong and resist the temptation of conforming to the digital world of music. Please forgive me and have mercy on my soul.
Sunday, January 8, 2012
Artist of the Week: Allen Stone
Just remember I saw him first! Love, Love, Love....Allen Stone's voice. His voice is super smooth and yes, quite dreamy!
Stone's voice has been compared to Stevie Wonder's, but I think Stone's is much smoother.
One thing Stone most definitely and unquestionably has in common with Wonder is his music is soulful, funky and jazzy.
Stone only 24 years old displays characteristics in his voice, songwriting and musicianship that should be well beyond his years, but he is an old soul at heart.
Stone's voice has great range, sincerity and grittiness.
His songwriting is above all confessional. Stone does not shy away from writing about political issues as some songwriters nowadays do. He lays it all on the table and shares a piece of his mind.
Check out this cool cat! Trust me it's like a blast from the past with a modern day twist!
P.S. Love the Glasses!!!
~Peace, Happiness and Music~
Allen Stone's Home Website
Allen Stone's Facebook
"Another Break-up Song"
Monday, January 2, 2012
Artist of the Week: Lana Del Rey (Again)
On January 14th, Lana Del Ray will make her U.S TV debut on Saturday Night Live.
Her appearance is in regards to her debut album, Born to Die, which will be available worldwide on January 31st.
The episode will be hosted by Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe.
Sunday, December 4, 2011
Artist of the Week: Fiest
Leslie Feist or simply known as Feist is a Canadian-American singer-songwriter that is also a member of the Indie-Rock band Broken Social Scene.
Check out this fiesty woman that pucks a punch in her songwriting and music!
Fiest myspace
"Bittersweet Melodies"
"Undiscovered First"
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