bovinehost
Administrator
There is a quote that is frequently attributed to Hunter S Thompson. I think it's been changed along the way, but the language is good and it does sort of reek of gonzo literature. When I see the quote, I often think of Craig Young.
Here is the quote.
"The music business is a cruel and shallow money trench, a long plastic hallway where thieves and pimps run free, and good men die like dogs. There's also a negative side."
I'm sure Craig doesn't romanticize selling microwave burritos at the 7-11 or look back fondly to that summer he spent giving foot massages to the older German women vacationing at the lake (or, you know, the latter, maybe he does miss that). He's got a cool job and gets to bask in the soft light reflecting off those Giant Popularity Awards. He makes enough to keep Camel in business and fund his projects - right now, he's building a steam-powered 64 track wire recorder in his wine cellar while also saving up for a real ashtray and a guitar stand. Also, I understand he's hired a tiny older Cambodian gentleman to handle his cellphone messages, which is nice.
So, you know, he's okay.
But the Nashvegas scene - the money-making part of it, anyway - well, it is what it is. Corporations grinding it out, designing robots who will put a carefully aged cowboy hat on a guy who's really just rehashing Barry Manilow. Which, again, is nice.
Every now and then, late at night (when Craig is not asleep already in "The Comfy Chair®"), he talks about people who are really putting their hearts and souls into music, yes, yes, right there in Nashville. He'll say, "Jackson, you go buy this off iTunes right now, I can wait." And sometimes I lie and say I did it already and that I love it but I have to go feed the wombats, you know how they get when they're hungry and he totally buys it. But usually, I listen to what he's pushing and occasionally I am simply stunned at the overwhelming artistry that goes generally overlooked.
Craig played bass on an EP by a young man named Sean McConnell. The EP is available from Amazon dirt cheap here:
Amazon.com: The Walk Around - Ep: Sean McConnell: MP3 Downloads
This, my friends, is most excellent music, and this boy brings it. And I had the opportunity to see him and his band live last night over in Fort Worth, and what he does in the studio sort of pales to what he does live.
I saw and heard genius in a sports bar.
Anyway, this is my way of saying publically "Thanks, Craig, for all the good music I wouldn't otherwise have heard" and also a suggestion that - if you like this sort of thing - you support a guy (who indirectly supports Craig) (who is an EBMM artist) (so I think I can get away with this).
Oh - Sean McConnell also has a newer record out called "Saints, Thieves and Liars" which is also very, very good, although the Craig Young content is fairly limited. Amazon has that one, too.
There's great music out there and it's worth looking for.
Jack
Here is the quote.
"The music business is a cruel and shallow money trench, a long plastic hallway where thieves and pimps run free, and good men die like dogs. There's also a negative side."
I'm sure Craig doesn't romanticize selling microwave burritos at the 7-11 or look back fondly to that summer he spent giving foot massages to the older German women vacationing at the lake (or, you know, the latter, maybe he does miss that). He's got a cool job and gets to bask in the soft light reflecting off those Giant Popularity Awards. He makes enough to keep Camel in business and fund his projects - right now, he's building a steam-powered 64 track wire recorder in his wine cellar while also saving up for a real ashtray and a guitar stand. Also, I understand he's hired a tiny older Cambodian gentleman to handle his cellphone messages, which is nice.
So, you know, he's okay.
But the Nashvegas scene - the money-making part of it, anyway - well, it is what it is. Corporations grinding it out, designing robots who will put a carefully aged cowboy hat on a guy who's really just rehashing Barry Manilow. Which, again, is nice.
Every now and then, late at night (when Craig is not asleep already in "The Comfy Chair®"), he talks about people who are really putting their hearts and souls into music, yes, yes, right there in Nashville. He'll say, "Jackson, you go buy this off iTunes right now, I can wait." And sometimes I lie and say I did it already and that I love it but I have to go feed the wombats, you know how they get when they're hungry and he totally buys it. But usually, I listen to what he's pushing and occasionally I am simply stunned at the overwhelming artistry that goes generally overlooked.
Craig played bass on an EP by a young man named Sean McConnell. The EP is available from Amazon dirt cheap here:
Amazon.com: The Walk Around - Ep: Sean McConnell: MP3 Downloads
This, my friends, is most excellent music, and this boy brings it. And I had the opportunity to see him and his band live last night over in Fort Worth, and what he does in the studio sort of pales to what he does live.
I saw and heard genius in a sports bar.
Anyway, this is my way of saying publically "Thanks, Craig, for all the good music I wouldn't otherwise have heard" and also a suggestion that - if you like this sort of thing - you support a guy (who indirectly supports Craig) (who is an EBMM artist) (so I think I can get away with this).
Oh - Sean McConnell also has a newer record out called "Saints, Thieves and Liars" which is also very, very good, although the Craig Young content is fairly limited. Amazon has that one, too.
There's great music out there and it's worth looking for.
Jack
