Waylon and Jessie's Boy At The Handlebar

Last week was a good week for me, live music wise. After catching Porcupine Tree in Ashville the night before, I was able to catch Shooter Jennings at the Handlebar on Thursday. Being the son of a legend he has nothing to prove to nobody, and stands on his on. The show was awsome, and the high energy Shooter and his band project through their songs had the whole place jumping.

Porcupine Tree At The Orange Peel

If you close your eyes and listen to Porcupine Tree, you might hear some, Floyd, Rush, or even a little Dream theater. But at the end of it all they have a sound that is all their on. I was pleased to be able to catch these guys at the Orange Peel last Wednesday. Great musician ship interlaced with heavy guitar riffs, and lyrics with meaning. My only complaint is I wish they had played all of the music off of their new album "Fear Of A Blank Planet". It is a concept album that indicts all of our new technology that has turned young people mindless drones. A great album, a great band, a great live performance.

Porcupine Shooter

Checking out Porcupine Tree tonight at the Orangepeel in Asheville. (Eric I will say hello to Matt for you)

http://www.porcupinetree.com/music2007/music_player.cfm


Checking out Shooter Jennings tomorrow night at the Handlebar. (Eric and Matt, I will try to annoy Vince for the both of you.)



I will review both shows next week, but regardless it will be good to see my old friend Matt.

"THE WAR"

I did'nt need to watch the Ken Burns Film "THE WAR" to realise the people who fought World War II were (to steal a phrase) the greatest generation. But after watching it, it got me thinking. What if it had been my generation and the generation just before mine that had to fight that war? I would like to think that we could accomplish what needed to be done, but I don't know.

I could see Rosie O'Donnell Blabbering something about fake Japanese war planes being flown by remote control from the white house into Pearl Harbor. The Move On crowd protesting, and saying Adolf Hitler and the Third Reich were just made up by the CIA to get us into an unjust war. Every night former sports reporter Keith Oberman would be calling for FDR to be impeached for lying about the reason for the war and for not disclosing that he has polio. Former Grand Wizard of the KKK and Democratic Senator from Virginia Robert Byrd, would be making impassioned speeches about why the Jews might just deserve what they get in Europe, because they killed Christ and all. Senator Clinton would be demanding that the negotiations with the Japanese, Italians, and Germans begin immediately, so we can better understand why they dis-like us, and to nail down a price for the amount of monetary aid it will take to achieve a lasting peace.

So next time you see a relative or meet a person on the street who fought in the war or were here at home working for the war effort, thank them. And to butcher a quote from U2's Bono from the song Do They Know It's Christmas?, "Tonight think god it was them instead of us." Because if it had been, the world would be a much different place.

Hail To The Chief!

Let's face it. Our country needs a bit of an ass stompin. and todays nominee is just the man to do it. He is Billy Joe Shaver. If you don't know Billy Joe Shaver, then you ain't worth spit.



Not only did he write some of the finest songs known to man, he taught himself how to play guitar with two missing fingers. (suck it Jerry Garcia.) One time at a bar in Lorena, Texas he had to shoot a man in the face because the man told him to shut up. Just the type of man we need at the next G8 Summit. He could take care of all them other whinny industrialized nations, and all them hippie protesters that always show up too. If you don't own any of Billy Joe Shavers music, you must be a pinko commie bastard in need of a mud hole stomped in your ass.