Rick Rubin

[Phelonious Ponk]

Yeah, so is RT.

Tim

 

[Andre Marc]

Yeah, so is RT.

Tim

Yes, we both agree that RT is really Anti Pop as opposed to Americana..as a matter of fact much
of his music draws inspiration from British folk traditions. Fairport Convention was playing 500 year
old songs with electric guitars.

 

[Phelonious Ponk]

Yes, we both agree that RT is really Anti Pop as opposed to Americana..as a matter of fact much
of his music draws inspiration from British folk traditions. Fairport Convention was playing 500 year
old songs with electric guitars.

The documentary I sent you last night makes some really interesting points. While they talk about Americana obviously being about American roots music, and a safe place for older (and that don't say so, but less pretty) people in Nashville to go, some of the artists just talk about its virtues as a "non-category). A place for lots of "real" music to gather and find an audience that is less concerned about labels and more concerned about quality. Under that definition, RT makes more sense. As do jam bands and eclectic, hard to categorize rock bands like Widespread Panic showing up on the Americana radar. When we started the band I'm in, we had an Americana thing in mind, learned a few Band tunes (perhaps the ultimate American roots music band, I think maybe The Band is the trunk of the Americana tree), some Dwight Yoakam, etc. But then, like Americana itself, we bagan expanding out from there, and our standard joke goes something like, "I'd love to do Pretzel Logic. Steely Dan is Americana, right?

I thought that little documentary was pretty terrific. I missed the presence of some of the leaders of the genre, like Steve Earle, Lucinda Williams, etc., but it was a short piece, and probably better for the music to give exposure to the younger and more obscure.

Tim

 

[Andre Marc]

The documentary I sent you last night makes some really interesting points. While they talk about Americana obviously being about American roots music, and a safe place for older (and that don't say so, but less pretty) people in Nashville to go, some of the artists just talk about its virtues as a "non-category). A place for lots of "real" music to gather and find an audience that is less concerned about labels and more concerned about quality. Under that definition, RT makes more sense. As do jam bands and eclectic, hard to categorize rock bands like Widespread Panic showing up on the Americana radar. When we started the band I'm in, we had an Americana thing in mind, learned a few Band tunes (perhaps the ultimate American roots music band, I think maybe The Band is the trunk of the Americana tree), some Dwight Yoakam, etc. But then, like Americana itself, we bagan expanding out from there, and our standard joke goes something like, "I'd love to do Pretzel Logic. Steely Dan is Americana, right?

I thought that little documentary was pretty terrific. I missed the presence of some of the leaders of the genre, like Steve Earle, Lucinda Williams, etc., but it was a short piece, and probably better for the music to give exposure to the younger and more obscure.

Tim

Again, agree completely, and a very accurate run down. Steve Earle and Lucinda Williams are "stars" in that category, and the others probably can never hope
to sell as many records. Both are excellent live.

Here is my review of SE & company:

http://www.positive-feedback.com/Issue57/Earle.htm

 

[Andre Marc]

The documentary I sent you last night makes some really interesting points. While they talk about Americana obviously being about American roots music, and a safe place for older (and that don't say so, but less pretty) people in Nashville to go, some of the artists just talk about its virtues as a "non-category). A place for lots of "real" music to gather and find an audience that is less concerned about labels and more concerned about quality. Under that definition, RT makes more sense. As do jam bands and eclectic, hard to categorize rock bands like Widespread Panic showing up on the Americana radar. When we started the band I'm in, we had an Americana thing in mind, learned a few Band tunes (perhaps the ultimate American roots music band, I think maybe The Band is the trunk of the Americana tree), some Dwight Yoakam, etc. But then, like Americana itself, we bagan expanding out from there, and our standard joke goes something like, "I'd love to do Pretzel Logic. Steely Dan is Americana, right?

I thought that little documentary was pretty terrific. I missed the presence of some of the leaders of the genre, like Steve Earle, Lucinda Williams, etc., but it was a short piece, and probably better for the music to give exposure to the younger and more obscure.

Tim

Well maybe the dean of mainstream Americana, (what a hoot, "mainstream") is Neil Young. Did you hear his album from last year "Americana"?

You will dig it...btw...its a grunge take on classic "American" songs.