You Should Go To -

Alabama Goods in Homewood.

Get yerself some local gifts.

Who doesn't want an Alabama-shaped cutting board?

The Ham in the 'Ham

Rocking Kyle's sunglasses at Rojo

Here I am/ Birmingham/ Here we go

I can't wait till I can share the new tracks Judge has been recording. So, so good.

Lunchtime List

• Have you read the Southern Belle?

• Have you read the greatest book in the world? By Jove, I love you James Joyce.

• Have you read the newest Birmingham paper/online news source? I find this one particularly fantastic.

• This organization is amazing. Amen!

• If you're in Nashville, check out this blog. The fine lady who runs it just got engaged. Hooray!

• Are you crazy for football like me? Check out Jim Dunaway's page. 

• Teach your baby sign language. 

Magic City Post

I'm a contributor over at Magic City Post. Check it out!

Harry Potter Read-a-Thon

Check out my article at the Magic City Post about the upcoming Harry Potter Read-a-Thon.

Education the Poor Appalachian Child

I found this while looking for video of Cheaha. It's wild.

Alabama Outdoor Offerings

I'm dreaming of vacation. It's been so long since I've actually been on vacation that I don't remember what it was. Seriously. My mother mentioned going to Lake Martin/Wind Creek/Kowaliga and it sounds lovely. I haven't been since I was a wee kid.

Here's Hank Sr.'s song Kaw-Liga about the cigar store Indian. I think that there is still a wooden statue in the Kowliga Marina convenience store.

One of the cabins in Wind Creek State Park

I went to Wind Creek as a youngster and received a ticket for fishing without a license. I was about five, I think. I was also using a silly bamboo pole. My dad was furious at the park officer. Who gives a five year old a ticket? Haha.

Here's a listing of where to stay within Alabama State Parks. It's a great list. Alabama really does have superb outdoor places to play.

I also want to go visit the Dismals Canyon Conservatory. My parents went and said it was unbelievable, like going to mossy fairy land.

They have insects there that are only in a few places around the world and they light up at night. You can take an evening guided tour so you can see them. Glow worms! You can rent cabins there too.

And of course, there is Cheaha - Judge's favorite place in the world. It's a mountain in Alabama with cute cabins and chalets and you can hike all around. It's absolutely gorgeous and completely quiet.

Doesn't this look like a hobbit house?

You can check out Cheaha's weather and view through the ABC 33/40 webcam.

Alabama

My parents have just bought tickets for the Bama Rising benefit for tornado victims. It makes me smile, because I think of them as twenty-somethings when I think of their love for Alabama the band. They used to go to a club on Morris Avenue to see them even before they had the name 'Alabama.' They saw them at the Harvest Jam in Brewton, Alabama and I've always loved their keepsake t-shirt from this event. This band is romantic for me because it means the love my parents have shared over the years and their fun jaunts as a young married couple before I was born. Plus, the band is ALABAMA, as I heard it said once, the "Beatles of country music," and they're from just an hour or so from my hometown. Love them. And this song makes me think of Taylor, because it sounds like a song he would write. It breaks my heart with its honesty and sweet melody.

Here's to my beautiful and supportive and amazing parents. I couldn't have asked for a better pair of folks to raise me.



And this one is for MamaSue and Susan and for the denim jacket decorated for Willie Nelson that was stolen at a party. May the person that stole that bejeweled rhinestone jacket feel terrible, because who steals a Willie Nelson jacket? Animals! But I love the floating heads of the Alabama members who come in and talk about their love for the Red-Headed Stranger.

Suggestfest: Who Are You Seeing at Secret Stages?

Recommendations from Local Luminaries:

John P. Strohm (Birmingham-based musician and entertainment lawyer): Dawes, Wooden Wand, Through the Sparks, Venice is Sinking, Nightmare Waterfall, Jack Oblivion

Rick Carter (Rogue Tavern owner and local musician): Dylan LeBlanc, Sharif Simmons, Dawes

Scott Register (Radio personality at Birmingham Mountain Radio): Dawes, Futurebirds, G-Side, Noot d'Noot

Jon Poor (Secret Stages organizer): Dylan LeBlanc, Green Seeds, Love Language

Four Questions with Brad Armstrong of 13ghosts

Four Questions with Brad Armstrong of 13ghosts, a band from Birmingham, Alabama who will be appearing at Secret Stages. They are scheduled to appear Saturday night, May 14th at 9:00 PM at the Rogue Tavern.

• Lame question, but I have to ask: How do you describe your music?  13ghosts started off as an attempt to make high art concept albums that were written around a single idea, and we tried to experiment with any sound we could come up with and paint a huge, messy, diverse landscape with our music. But, that kind of thing is no fun to play live and no fun to listen to unless you have a good supply of morphine and a bottle of whiskey. So now we make rock and roll records and play them on stage.

• How have you been dealing with the “digital revolution” and its effect on music and art? Has it helped or hurt you?  13ghosts started off as an attempt to make high art concept albums that were written around a single idea, and we tried to experiment with any sound we could come up with and paint a huge, messy, diverse landscape with our music. But, that kind of thing is no fun to play live and no fun to listen to unless you have a good supply of morphine and a bottle of whiskey. So now we make rock and roll records and play them on stage.

• What are your plans for this year?  We've got an album coming out with Skybucket that was recorded a couple years ago. We just recorded something else, something fast and live and loose, and a new startup called This Is American Music is going to put that out on vinyl, also this year. Which is great, because we haven't put anything out since 2008. Jason was touring with the Dead String Brothers for a year or so, and I did a year or so touring with the Dexateens. It was a long break, but I think it was great for us. It made us much better players than we were before. We're bringing a whole new aesthetic to 13ghosts now.

• What do you hope to accomplish by performing at Secret Stages? Per this last question, my main goal at any show is to play rock and roll and commune with the audience. All the rest of it, the networking, the hobnobbing, the deal-making and trash-talking, is just smoke and mirrors and confuses the issue. Why am I there? Because I like to play music. Why are you there? Because you like to listen to music. I say let that be enough reason to do it.  

Four Questions with Lucas Jensen of Venice is Sinking

Four Questions with Lucas Jensen of Venice is Sinking, a band from Athens, Georgia who will be appearing at Secret Stages. They are scheduled to appear Friday night, May 13th at 9:00 PM at Rogue Tavern.

• Lame question, but I have to ask: How do you describe your music? Hmm.  This is a tough question, actually.  It's hard to step outside of your own music and say, "This is what we sound like."  We get a lot of comparisons to Low and Mercury Rev and Everybody has to have an elevator pitch, right?  Ours is "orchestral indie pop with ambient and Americana flourishes."  Okay, so, wow, that sounds banal.  Maybe tell everybody we sound like Katy Perry jamming with Robert Fripp at Dr. John's house.  That's a total lie, but I'd totally go to that show.

• How have you been dealing with the “digital revolution” and its effect on music and art? Has it helped or hurt you? We're of two minds about it.  Being able to connect with your fans and self-promote and communicate with folks all over the world...well, that's invaluable.  We can get music out there to people way more efficiently than before.  But all of this comes at a price.  First off, we spend sooooo much time online managing all of the social media, and not enough time, you know, writing and making music.  It's just a fact that people are buying less music.  We sell considerably less physical merchandise than we did before, both on tour or through stores and online retailers.  Heck, we sell less digital files, too.  Lets face it: the reality of the marketplace is such that if you buy music, you're doing it for charity, because you're a super-fan, because you bought vinyl and are some kind of audiophile, or you just don't know any better.  But the model that artists deserve compensation for their work has been completely destabilized and that's distressing because, at first, it seemed like the semi-collapse of the music industry might be freeing for artists.  Instead, it seems that independent artists are still bearing the brunt of this.  When your record is on 20 Mediafare download links four months before release, you know you're not going to sell a lot of copies.

• What are your plans for this year? We've been touring and playing around a bunch, but now we are finally hunkering down to write and record songs for what will hopefully be Album #4 and possibly some EPs.  When we have made records in the past we've sat down to make an album in one fell swoop.  We're thinking of recording a lot of songs and carving them up for different purposes.  Also, we are a band that has recorded largely analog on tape.  It's going to be exciting to finally join the 21st century and do some digital recording!  Have you ever heard of Autotune?  Expect oceans and oceans of Autotune on the next album.

• What do you hope to accomplish by performing at Secret Stages? Sadly, we haven't played Birmingham in a while, which is a shame because we've encountered such great people and music fans there.  We are excited to come back and play with all of these amazing bands for this great event.  Despite the problems with the music industry, at the end of the day it's still about putting your music out there for new ears, and we hope to do that at Secret Stages.

Four Questions with Janet Simpson of the Delicate Cutters

Four Questions with Janet Simpson of the Delicate Cutters, a band from Birmingham, Alabama who will be appearing at Secret Stages. They are scheduled to appear Friday night, May 13th at 10:00 PM at the Wine Loft.

• Lame question, but I have to ask: How do you describe your music? Rock and Roll

• How have you been dealing with the “digital revolution” and its effect on music and art? Has it helped or hurt you? I feel the power shift caused by the digital revolution is making for a very interesting world for the musician.  More possibilities for control, for creativity have been created.  We are still learning what that means, but ultimately, I believe the result will be positive. 

• What are your plans for this year? We are releasing an album, "Some Creatures" on local label Skybucket Records on July 19th. We will be celebrating that release locally in late June.  Along with that of course, some videos, some free bonus tracks, etc. will be hitting the web.  To support "Some Creatures" we'll be hitting the road to play more shows throughout the southeast and will be recording our next release very soon. 

• What do you hope to accomplish by performing at Secret Stages?  We're just thrilled to be a part of this great festival with so many other bands we love from throughout the region.

Four Questions with Carter King of the Futurebirds

4 Questions with Carter King of the Futurebirds, a band from Athens, Georgia who will be appearing at Secret Stages. They are scheduled to appear Saturday night, May 14th at 11:30 PM on the Outdoor Stage.

• Lame question, but I have to ask: How do you describe your music? You know, Rachel, it's this kind of lazy journalism that really ticks me off. Describing music, by definition, is your job, not mine, and I don't plan on doing it here for you now. I have enough of other people's jobs to do as it is. Just kidding. How about, psychedelic-partridge-
  family-style-harmonious-and-chivalrous-movie-theater-butter-alt-country-popcorn with extra sprinkles. and chocolate syrup.

• How have you been dealing with the “digital revolution” and its effect on music and art? Has it helped or hurt you? Hard to say on this one. Without the whole pirating music thing we'd probably either be millionaires or working other jobs by now. But things are the way they are, so you really just have to embrace it and use this monster to your advantage. If someone who wouldn't have paid for your music in the first place buys a $15 ticket to your show because they got your music for free, then it actually works in your favor. So i guess we'll wait til we're selling out venues everywhere we go to start fighting music piracy. But, by then the whole business will probably have been turned on its face again, so...

• What are your plans for this year?  The tentative plans for the year are to tour hard as we can, find some time in there to record another album, and sign an exclusive deal with Wal-Mart with the possible back-end option for a fragrance down the line. just like Tim McGraw.

• What do you hope to accomplish by performing at Secret Stages? We hope to have fun, be safe, learn a new skill, and make new friends. 

Four Questions With TJ Young

Four Questions with TJ Young, a comedian from Athens, Georgia who will be appearing at Secret Stages. He is scheduled to appear Friday night, May 13th at 10:30 PM at Pale Eddie's Upstairs.

• Lame question, but I have to ask: How do you describe your comedy? My humor is a healthy mix of american renaissance, baroque and spaghetti western. Well, the funny parts of the first two and the spaghetti part of the last one. 

• How have you been dealing with the “digital revolution” and its effect on music and art? Has it helped or hurt you? For comedy, the digital/online age has bee mostly advantageous...with the onset of sites like YouTube and Facebook, we are exposed to a larger swath of comedy from a lot more and smaller places. And, inversely comedians can gain exposure for their own comedy beyond their own local area. The downside is that there is more potential for material to spread and potentially be stolen or misrepresented...therefore, there is more pressure to be constantly creating and writing...which sucks, because now we're all wasting so much time on Facebook.

• What are your plans for this year? Branching out to new cities and venues. Record another album and produce/promote a lot more video content...clips, sketches, etc. And, to rewatch the Back to the Future trilogy.

• What do you hope to accomplish by performing at Secret Stages? I'd love to connect with new comedians and fans of comedy in Birmingham. And, hope in the course of the weekend to complete 4 sudoku puzzles.

Secret Stages Festival, May 13-14

Want to know a secret? The Magic City has a thriving arts and music scene. Despite its skewed perception in the national media, in the political landscape, or in the numbers in socio-economic charts, Birmingham is the New South, a South ready to step out of its disparaging shadow and into the spotlight to take its place in the artistic canon of America.

Enter Secret Stages. The new two-day “walking festival” on May 13-14th will be located in downtown Birmingham on 2nd Avenue N. between 23rd and 24th. “It is sort of an ironic title. Our festival is called Secret Stages but we're really all about spilling the beans,” says Jon Poor, one of the organizers of the event. “All these bands are dying to get the secret about what they do out to the world. On that same note, downtown Birmingham is changing in a lot of positive ways and the merchants down there are screaming to get their secret out as well.”

Right in line with the Alabama Tourism’s declared, “Year of Alabama Music,” and the burgeoning internet radio station Birmingham Mountain Radio, the festival is about showcasing to the world how the city is varied, cultured, and relevant on a national level. Organizer Travis Morgan hopes it is a “festival that will expose the new true vibe of Birmingham.” It’s nothing short of revolutionary really, and it gives life to what movers and shakers have been trying to do in this city for decades.

Birmingham-based musician and entertainment lawyer John P. Strohm says, “These bands are up-and-coming, art-forward bands.” About 25% of the bands are from Birmingham and he hopes this will help further brand Birmingham as a relevant scene for both locals and touring indies.

The future looks bright for arts in Birmingham and there are a lot of great people working to promote it. Its success still depends on the citizens of our Magic City, so get out there and show the world that you’re in on the secret. 

Here are my picks for the festival:

13 Ghosts - A hard-working Birmingham group of fellows who love to tell a good southern story, a la Drive By Truckers but without the overbearing testosterone. Their high-minded concept albums make for Americana ethereal, something truly Southern Gothic. To singer-songwriter Brad Armstrong, it is simply that, “we make rock and roll records and play them on stage.”

Chris Crofton - Puritans and frat boys beware, Crofton’s brand of absurdist comedy is gaining national attention. He is captain of a weekly podcast available through the Nashville Scene called “The Chris Crofton Show,” he’s already shared the stage with Neil Hamburger, Bob Odenkirk and Louis C.K., and appeared in Harmony Korine’s Trash Humpers. I know that’s right.

Christopher Davis - Host of Birmingham’s own television comedy show, View of the City, Davis is good-natured and a bit silly, but it comes off completely charming. He recently opened up for Janeane Garofalo and can be found emceeing various comedy shows around town.

Crooked Fingers - Former Archers of Loaf frontman Eric Bachmann produces a melancholy lot of tunes with his solo project. This brooding, honest effort showcases Bachmann’s Richard Butler-esque vocals atop a slightly Appalachian wall of sound.

Dawes - Perhaps you’ve heard their sweet harmonies on the recent Chevy commercial or you read about their gig backing up Robbie Robertson. Either way, Dawes is making a name for themselves with their soulful California folk music recalling Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young in gentle, easy-listening waves.

Delicate Cutters - At once bright and brooding, the Delicate Cutters showcase Janet Simpson’s vocals against lush fiddle textures and sparse and appropriate drums. There is an element of dreaminess and hope in their tunes.

Dylan LeBlanc - Shoals royalty and Emmylou Harris-endorsed, LeBlanc writes lush songs that are utterly captivating. His delivery is tender and his country-rock sensibility evoke memories of Stars and Bars-era Neil Young. 

Futurebirds - Musical stylings reminiscent of Ennio Marrcone and My Morning Jacket, these laid-back Athenians rock Appalachia with vocals awash in reverb. Subtle banjo and pedal steel add to the flavor.

Glossary - This Murfreesboro-based band have made a name for themselves with anthemic Southern ballads and distorted guitar. Glossary does blue collar with a Thin Lizzy attitude and a bit of danger.

The Great Book of John - Former Wild Sweet Orange member Taylor Shaw’s new venture is swathed in acoustic guitars, swirling strings and his trademark crooner voice. Lofty vocals paired with Bekah Fox’s harmonies make this band a must-see for a moody, eloquent evening. 

G-Side - “Well Excuse me Mr. Executive I’m from Alabama/That’s probably why my music isn’t quote unquote Atlanta.” Huntsville’s hip hop lumanaries G-Side are breathing new life into the Dirty South game. Recently featured in the Oxford American, these rappers are crisp and slow all at the same time.

Jack Oblivion - A sort of rhythm and blues punker, Jack Yarber hails from Memphis and combines the traditional with the distorted. He has been a part of several bands through the years: the Oblivians, the Compulsive Gamblers, Johnny Vomit & the Dry Heaves to just name a few. Come prepared for a gritty good time.

The Love Language - A clear day brings sounds such as these. Stuart McLamb does indie North Carolina, and even when he sings of despair, it is resilient, echoing Ricky Nelson’s ghost and the Rock-A-Teens’ buzz distortion, a.k.a “prom rock.”

Model Citizen - This self-proclaimed, “loud and proud 3 piece band,” are Birmingham mainstays seemingly hatched from some dark, dirty place like the Nick bathroom. Harkening back to a time of golden rock, Model Citizen’s live shows are inspiring and will definitely get you moving.      

Pujol - Fun garage rock from Nashville’s Daniel Pujol, formerly of MEEMAW. They were voted one of the “5 Hot Nashville Bands You Need to Hear Now,” by Spin and recently recorded a track produced by Jack White. His plans for the year are, “to get X FILE ON MAIN ST out on Infinity Cat and finish a Turbo Time LP called TCB247, and another LP called United States of Being.”

Sanders Bohlke - The Oxford, MS native is gaining popularity all around the country with his hauntingly soulful vocals and sparse arrangements. His melodramatic tunes are ripe pickings for television shows (Grey’s Anatomy, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition) who have used him to benefit their moving montage scenes.

TJ Young - A member of the acclaimed Beards of Comedy troupe, Young has shared the stage with comedians Aziz Ansari, Doug Benson, and Patton Oswalt to name a few. He describes his style of comedy as, “a healthy mix of American renaissance, Baroque and spaghetti western. Well, the funny parts of the first two and the spaghetti part of the last one.”

William Tyler - When not appearing as multi-instrumentalist virtuoso (Lambchop, Charlie Louvin, Bonnie “Prince” Billy, Silver Jews) Tyler is composing lush musical landscapes for us to get lost in. His Behold the Spirit takes the listener to another place entirely, and all with just his guitar.

A full list of bands and festival information can be found on the Secret Stages website: secretstages.net

Alabama the Beautiful

My sweet home place, my heart of the South, the little proud and furious and misunderstood state Alabama - I am sorry.

Seeing you left in pieces from Tuscaloosa to Concord to Pleasant Grove to Cullman is unbelievable. The people lost and the matchstick houses are haunting me when I close my eyes. We rode out the storm underground, humidly praying we would be spared the brunt of Mother Nature's force, and our wish came true. We returned to our fifth floor windows to find a clear sky mocking us, slyly evading the horrible truth: our city, our state was busted.

I was upset and moved to tears at my adopted city, Nashville, when it went through the tragedy of last year's flood. I am in shock at it now happening in my home state - after returning from being away so long - I am in awe of the terror inspired by a mile-wide demon who killed and upended lives, and I haven't been able to cry. I watch footage with mouth agape, hear stories of family friends who were killed, see landmarks I know that are nevermore. I was told of a couple who had a 4 or 5-day old child they had just brought home and the tornado hit, ending their happy family. The mother died - leaving this baby unable to ever know her - only to have those first few days - and it finally made me weep. The reality of all of it sunk in: We were all so close to his tragedy, and it could have chosen any one of us.

It skirted my building by a mile or two. It missed my family in Concord by less than that. I feel so lucky, but I feel silly to feel lucky. I am brokenhearted. I am sad for all those who are affected. I am helpless.

For whatever reason, I feel stupid to be writing about this, but I don't know what else to do. I can't stop watching, wishing it would somehow get better instead of worse. I have hugged and hugged my baby girl and given thanks for the bright shining day we had today. I sit in my house with power, with all my things, with all my family, with uncontaminated water and with a roof intact. We are okay. Still, it hurts. It aches because we have been torn apart as a community and as a state.

All those affected by this grand and grotesque event, you are in my thoughts. You are all in my prayers.

I love you, Alabama.

Alabama Titles

I've been reading a book about Alabama history and culture and have come across a lot of titles written about the state that I did not know. Here are those titles, in case anyone needs a to brush up on their AL history.

• Leaving Birmingham - Paul Hemphill
• Carry Me Home - Diane McWhorter
• Murder Ballads and a Murmuration of Starlings - Jake Adam York
• The Death of Donna Mae Dean - Joey Manley
• "Half a Mile of Road in North Alabama" - Rodney Jones
• Inside Alabama: A Personal History of My State - Harvey Jackson
• Rammer Jammer Yellow Hammer - Warren St. John
• The Autobiography of Virginia Foster Durr
• Heartbreak Hotel - Anne Rivers Siddons
• Gathering Home - Vicky Covington
• But Now I See - Fred Hobson
• Memoir of a Race Traitor - Mab Segrest
• Rebellion Essays 1980-1991 - Minne Bruce Pratt
• I am a Fugitive from a Georgia Chain Gang (movie made in 1932)

Hard Days

It's been a hard week. I lost my maternal grandfather and it truly breaks my heart. Even when people are older and frail it doesn't prepare you for death, for knowing they won't be there when you call or write them letters.

Now both of my grandmothers are alone and that really gets me. My grandfathers represented Alabama to me and the different aspects of it - one a freewheeling Church of Christ gospel royalty hobo entrepreneur, the other a sly-joking Navy man full of rivers, dirt, and hard work - both had amazing accents harking of Fayette and Walker counties. Both left legacies of grandiose stories and a trail of descendants who love them.

Oh, what? You want me to be cute?

 Dadow's funeral was gothic. It was held in the Helena City Cemetery and we all sang Trust and Obey and the voices carried over Joe Tucker lake on the breeze. It was haunting on such a sunny day. Lillian was my levity. She wore seersucker and watched the proceedings with Dadow's blue eyes and MamaSue's cheeks. She quietly sat in Judge's lap and I hugged and hugged her afterwards for being so good, and for being so young and holy.

"Infants and old folks belong to God," Judge said. Yes they do.

Lil says hi.

Miss you Oliver Cornelius Dobbs, Jr. You too, Charles Verner Patton. You are both icons to me.

Afternoon in Railroad Park

Judge and Lil

Birmingham Skyline

Afternoon Sun

E-Rock and Lily Fae with Dad

In the grass

Sisters

Head Shot