Screw you, I’m an outlaw, too

One thing that was obvious to me as I watched Ray Wylie Hubbard grind out his driving, bluesy anthems on a recent Saturday at Bill’s Records, is how these outlaw country artists really live the genre.

Bandana-wrapped, bristly, beery (or recovering from a life of beeriness), Ray Wylie and his junior outlaw pal, Guthrie Kennard, would rock day and night, even if KHYI 95.3 FM didn’t sponsor their shows, or fans didn’t pack the house to listen. Continue reading

Posted in: Gigs at 3:51 pm Tue, Jan 26, 2010.

Do we have any asses here today?

“And now it’s time for the blues portion of our show,” I warned the collected faithful at Bill’s Records, mid-way through the Nov. 1, 2008, show that continues to spit out (now classic) video singles.

“This next here song’s called My Fat Ass Itches — ’cause it does.”

Guitar tip: Capo the E-chord up to the sixth fret, and you can actually play My Fat Ass Itches in the key of B-fat. Really wows the crowd! Continue reading

Posted in: Video at 3:34 pm Wed, Jul 8, 2009.

Whine Flu mars return to Bill’s Records

“Don’t worry about this cough. Jews don’t get the Swine Flu. We get the Whine Flu!

“Oh, my, Gawd, is this guy back again? He’s hooorrrible!” I mock-kvetched to the sparse Bill’s Records audience during my Memorial Day weekend set.

To compound the misery, Bill’s booker Becky Hyden has posted a pair of YouTube videos, where you can see me failing miserably in front of nobody. Continue reading

Posted in: Gigs at 11:44 pm Fri, May 29, 2009.

Me and Bill make the society page

I had just begun bombing during my Saturday set at Bill’s Records when Bill Wisener came sprinting back from his post at the front door, waving the Society page of Park Cities People.

“We made the paper! That’s me and you!” Bill exclaimed. In Chris McGathey’s candid photo from the April 24 edition, I appear to be holding up a happy but exhausted Bill, late on the second day of his 65th birthday celebration. Continue reading

Posted in: News at 5:00 am Fri, May 29, 2009.

Bad video: I’ve Got A Hole In My Head

In case you’re wondering where I’ve been the past week, well, I’ve been immersed in geek mode, attempting to produce a video that won’t turn to mush on YouTube.

But here’s what I eventually discovered: Everybody’s videos look bad on YouTube! The bad videos are what make YouTube a great big, fuzzy democracy. Continue reading

Posted in: Video at 11:28 pm Wed, Apr 15, 2009.