Q: Which band came closest to being something new under the sun?
A: Beulah. This San Francisco treat delivered on the promise of last year's masterful When Your Heartstrings Breakalbum by playing the required multiple instruments like horns and bongos, nailing down the sunny Beach Boys harmonies outside the confines of a recording studio and being one of the few bands that wasn't afraid to look like it was having fun making music.
John Anderson
Patti Smith: The free concert turns ugly when the crowd of angry Texans realizes it's not the chick from Scandal.
John Anderson
Thankfully, Steve Earle's Thursday-night performance was much more entertaining than his SXSW keynote filibuster.
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Q: What was the worst band you heard at this year's SXSW?
A: Easy: San Diego's Convoy.
Ironically enough, we encountered this group at the same listen.com party that brought us face to face with the best band of the festival, Beulah. Convoy's set was so bad that it would've had C.W. McCall spinning in the cab of his semi. But the band deserves some dubious recognition as it managed to do something no amount of fawning No Depressionreviews or lousy Bloodshot Records releases could do -- make us start to hate the whole idea of alt-country.
The five-piece was led by a pair of Jay Farrar wanna-bes and a drummer who bore an eerie resemblance to the Beverly Hillbillies' Jane Hathaway. Their merciless hour-plus set was so bad that it managed to evoke the ire of a couple of hostile music-biz types in the audience, resulting in the most vicious SXSW exchange we overheard:
Jaded Music Type #1: Someone should tell these guys that Son Volt's on the phone and they want their schtick back.
Jaded Music Type #2:Yeah, well, someone should tell them that Mr. Drysdale called and he wants his secretary back.
Ouch, you catty, catty bitches.
The remainder of the songs that weren't merely ersatz Son Volt sounded as if they'd been written with the express intent of being used in a truck commercial. Amazingly enough, this actually left some in the crowd wowing at the band's "Have You Driven a Ford Lately?" sound, offering shit-eatin' grins and uttering things like, "Boy, these guys are great." Proving once again that the concepts of reason, logic and taste go out the window anytime you have a mass concentration of record-company employees in one place.
Q: Who was the most ubiquitous figure at this year's SXSW?
A: Rolling StoneSenior Editor David Fricke.
Here a Fricke, there a Fricke, everywhere a Fricke Fricke. The noted journalist and Ramones look-alike seemed to be shadowing us throughout the festival. Fricke dancing wildly at the Sub Pop showcase. Fricke grooving to the Velvet-like sounds of Knife in the Water. Fricke holding court at Alejandro Escovedo's Taco X-Press set. Fricke busking on the corner of Sixth and Lavaca. Fricke, Fricke and more Fricke. Short of making a surprise appearance in our hotel rooms, it seemed that the Frickester was literally everywhere.
Judging by the type of bands the editorial honcho seemed most interested in, one would get the impression that Rolling Stoneis still a valid publication covering important music instead of an embarrassing Tiger Beat clone.
When Fricke sidled up next to us at a table at the Austin Record convention, we couldn't resist asking him what he thought of the previous night's Sub Pop set by Detroit rawk revivalists The Go. "Oh, they were great, I really enjoyed it."
"Well, how about putting them on the cover of Rolling Stone sometime?"
"Uh, um, I'll start working on it as soon as I get back home."
Yeah, right.
We'll all be sure to look for that Frickin' Rolling Stone cover featuring The Go any day now. Hopefully it will be sandwiched right in between the next 'N Sync and Backstreet Boys stories.
Q: What was the most ineffectual promotion item in the convention goodies bag?
A: Those damn www.com condoms. At least three dot-com companies printed their urls on clear packets of rubbers. If you think about how nervous, anxious and generally preoccupied most red-blooded males (and that includes ponytailed power-walking A&R types) are when ripping open those things before sex, you'd realize what a bad marketing strategy this is. How many people do you think do the nasty as quick as possible just so they can log on to www.takeoutmusic.com? On the plus side, the 007-ish Spin magazine cigarette lighter also doubles as a bottle opener and can be converted into a mini water pipe. Who knew Q worked for Bob Guccione Jr.?
Q: Who was the most selfless self-promoter?
A: Some guy busking just south of Lavaca Street. Unlike most of the other street performers strategically located along the club route, this six-string strummer with a purple velvet hat wasn't looking for a record deal, didn't have a CD to sell, didn't even have a handwritten sign so you'd remember his name. All he had was this here song:
Please back your ass right over here
Forty cents and I can buy beer
One more dollar so I buy weed
Money for drugs is all I need.
