POLITICS: Sam Fox Nomination Withdrawn

HA! HA!

STEVE ROCK: SXSW Photos & Recap

I was only in Austin for a day and a half, so I didn't see and do nearly as much as I did last year, but here is some of what I did manage to see...

On Friday night Prisonshake played the Blender Bar, and we found ourselves sandwiched on the bill between two modern garage bands from Boston, Muck & The Mires and the Downbeat 5, respectively. Both bands were full of very nice people who all delivered the live rocking goods.

Muck & The Mires









The Downbeat 5

















Aussie legends The Hoodoo Gurus were also on our bill, and are as great a live band now as they were 20 years ago.

Head Guru Dave Falkner.














After our set I ran over to the Hilton and caught Chris Stamey & Peter Holsapple.




Me & my old pal Peter Holsapple, seconds before he hit the stage.
















Old Cicero's doormen reunion: Doug Enkler & the legendary Jim Utz, at the Twangfest/KDHX Party.










Detroit's Deadstring Bros. rocked inside at Jovita's like a motherfucker. Imagine the Stones doing a whole set of "Tumbling Dice" and you kinda get the idea. A tremendous rock band.


The Figgs were far and away the best rock band I saw in Austin. A riveting, well-oiled, and truly inspiring live band!

Figgs bass god Pete Donnelly. I bow at his feet in total awe...

My St. Louis and Undertow homies Waterloo, at Jovita's.


Graham Parker tore the roof off Jovita's for three songs with The Figgs.

Old mates: Doug Enkler & Graham Parker.

Murph of Sloan, trying to "book some studio time" at the close of David Cross' party at Red 7 Patio.

Doug Enkler & me, Target parking lot, Austin. Don't ask...

STEVE ROCK: Finn's Motel at SXSW: Twangfest/KDHX Party at Jovita's & Red 7 Patio 3/17/07

We started the day with a less-than-fresh hangover set outside at the Twangfest/KDHX Party at the wonderful Mexican restaurant, Jovita's. But we redeemed ourselves later that evening at the Red 7 Patio with a solid, rocking set.

Joe Thebeau rocking the patio at Jovita's.
















Robert Griffin, Patrick Hawley, Joe Thebeau, my good side.





Joe rocking the Red 7 Patio.
















Joe & Griff.
















Patrick, bringing the donk.














Me & Joe.















(Photos by Enk)

STEVE ROCK: Prisonshake at SXSW: Blender Bar 3/16/07

We rocked the nut particularly hard in front of a really great crowd at Blender Bar. Threw a little donk in for good measure, too. Enkler was truly on fire and delivered a heroic performance of hot rock...


Doug Enkler & me.

More Enk & me.

Robert Griffin & Enk.

More Griff & Enk.

Me, Enk, & Joe Thebeau.

These are the jokes, lady...











(Photos by Tom Lunt)

STEVE ROCK: Prisonshake SXSW Review

From Annie Zaleski's Riverfront Times SXSW blog:

Prisonshake came out of hibernation on Friday night and blew the roof off the absurd scene at a venue called the Blender (as in, magazine) Bar at the Ritz. Playing on a small half-moon stage draped by red curtains that was dwarfed by a giant Texas flag continuously waving on a TV over the bar (à la a yule log), the post-everything group schooled younger bands in what raw, dirty and messy sounds like. Riveting vocalist Doug Enkler contorted his body and flailed around the tiny stage howling like a man possessed – and nearly beheaded bandmates several times with the mic stand — as the group jumped from gnarled noise, metal snarls, doom-disco, post-garage and instrumental psych-rock. (Enkler’s self-deprecating stage banter, of which there were too many instances to mention, also entertained nearly as much.) Anticipation for Prisonshake’s upcoming album(s) Year of the Donk: high.

STEVE ROCK: SXSW Bound...

I'm heading down to Austin to play South By Southwest again. This year I'm pulling double duty with Prisonshake and Finn's Motel. Here's the scoop on both:

Prisonshake (SXSW blurb, download/stream, & website)
Friday, March 16
Blender Bar at the Ritz (320 E. 6th St.)
9:40pm

Finn's Motel (SXSW blurb, download/stream, & website)
Saturday, March 17
Twangfest/KDHX Day Party
Jovita's (1617 S. First St.)
1:30pm (outside stage)
and
Red 7 Patio (611 E. 7th St.)
8:30pm

If you're down there and can make it to any of our shows, do say hi and let's buy each other a drink. Though my stay in Austin will be much shorter this year, I'll still provide a full report and photos here upon my return...

POLITICS: Tom Eagleton, RIP

Missouri's classiest statesman. A major loss...

POLITICS: Sticking It To Sam Fox

John Kerry and Barack Obama stick it to someone I'm ashamed to say lives in the same city that I do, courtesy of the Huffington Post, here.

STEVE ROCK: Finn's Motel At Billiken Club

Finn's Motel play The Billiken Club this Saturday night, February 17th. The Billiken Club is located in the lower level of the Busch Student Center at the corner of Grand and Laclede, on the campus of Saint Louis University. Gentleman Auction House are also on the bill.


This show is free, all ages, and open to the public!

POLITICS: Obama's Springfield Speech

"And as people have looked away in disillusionment and frustration, we know what's filled the void. The cynics, and the lobbyists, and the special interests who've turned our government into a game only they can afford to play. They write the checks and you get stuck with the bills, they get the access while you get to write a letter, they think they own this government, but we're here today to take it back. The time for that politics is over. It's time to turn the page."---Senator Barack Obama

Obama really knocked it out of the park today as he declared his presidential candidacy, sounding even more like Bobby Kennedy than he has before. What I liked best was the overall global tone of the speech while still wrapping it as a conversation with Americans. It was as if he was saying to the rest of the world that not all Americans are bigoted goons and war mongering fuckwads, while reassuring those of us who don't happen to be bigoted goons and war mongering fuckwads that we are not alone and someone is on our side. A hell of a lot more inspiring than anything yet to come out of the mouths of Edwards or Clinton. I also dug his very shrewd and JFK-like generational call to arms. The Baby Boomers have had their two shots with Clinton & Bush, time for the generational political torch to be passed. One has to believe the kids can't possibly screw things up more than my generation has.

POP CULTURE: Geezer On Anna Nicole

My good buddy Tom Lunt weighs in with the definitive word on Anna Nicole Smith, by way of his inspirational blog Geezer's United, here.

POLITICS: Harriet Woods RIP

“You can stand tall without standing on someone. You can be a victor without having victims.” ---Harriet Woods

The inspirational Grande Dame of Missouri Democratic politics. When I worked at Vintage Vinyl, I would bump into her in line at the Starbuck's across from the store every now & then, and she was always ready with a quick comment on whatever was happening that day in politics. She was a pillar of total class.

STEVE ROCK: Prisonshake News

Yep, we're revin' the Shake up again. Read all about it, here.

TV: The Sarah Silverman Program

Comedy Central's The Sarah Silverman Program is the funniest new show to come along in ages. Don't miss it, it's brilliant. And she's got the cutest dog in all of television on there too!

POLITICS: Molly

Paul Krugman's must read Molly Ivins tribute, here.

POLITICS: Molly Ivins, RIP

This one really hurts. A major loss...

STEVE ROCK: Finn's Motel Rock Video

Rock video for Recent Linear Landscapes.

MUSIC: Farewell Mississippi Nights

Stalwart St. Louis rock club institution Mississippi Nights closed its doors last night. A wrecking ball will hit it and a shiny new casino will soon be in its place. The club may open in another location, and maybe it won’t. I’ve been seeing rock shows there for thirty years. Many rock shows! So many great shows in fact, it’s next to impossible for me to shake the cobwebs of my memory and assemble a complete listing. So I’ll put it this way instead: The very first show I ever saw at Mississippi Nights was AC/DC with Bon Scott in 1977 and the very last show I ever saw at Mississippi Nights were the New York Dolls in 2006. To say I saw everything in between would be a major understatement, my all-time favorites being the Dwight Twilley Band on the Twilley Don’t Mind tour in 1978 and Roxy Music on the Manifesto tour in 1979.

I also had the pleasure of performing at Mississippi Nights several times over the years with several different bands. Each and every time I performed there I was treated by the club with the highest degree of respect and professionalism—something extremely rare in this nutty business. I could easily fill a book recounting the personal good times I had and great shows I saw and got to play myself at Mississippi Nights. Deepest of thanks to owner Rich Frame and the lifetime of incredible memories his club has provided.

MUSIC: Denny Doherty RIP

And then there was one...

MUSIC: 96 Tears Fund

As you may already know, ? And The Mysterians were recent victims of a fire in which they lost everything. Jeff Kopp and the good folks at GaragePunk.com are bringing the band to town for a benefit show. Read all about it and make a donation if you can, here.

POLITICS: KO!

WHAT HE SAID!

STEVE ROCK: Finn's Motel Live Clip

Finn's Motel performing "Arizona Sandstorm" live at Off Broadway, St.Louis, 12/21/06, by way of YouTube, here.

There's also a nice little article on Finn's Motel (and a great photo of Joe!) in the new issue of MAGNET Magazine. Cat Power's on the cover, on sale now...

MUSIC: Faves Of 2006

My favorite music of 2006,
presented in alphabetical order
and with blurbs when inspired:

Jon Auer---Songs From The Year Of Our Demise
www.myspace.com/jonauermusic

Rosanne Cash---Black Cadillac
www.rosannecash.com

Cheap Trick---Rockford
www.cheaptrick.com

Ray Davies---Other People’s Lives
At age 62 Ray releases a record as great and as important a statement as any he made during his 20's & 30's.
www.raydavies.info

Def Leppard---Yeah!
www.defleppard.com/index.html

Bob Dylan---Modern Times
www.bobdylan.com/moderntimes/home/main.html

Alejandro Escovedo---The Boxing Mirror
Teamed with the brilliance of producer John Cale, Escovedo marks his return to better health by delivering the best rock album of the year.
www.alejandroescovedo.com/

Phil Judd---Mr.Phudd & His Novelty Act
Most original rock album of the year, bringing new astonishments and wonders with every listen.
www.philjudd.com

Mark Knopfler & Emmylou Harris---All The Roadrunning
All The Roadrunning

Jerry Lee Lewis---Last Man Standing
www.jerryleelewis.com

Magic Christian—"Turn Up The Heat" b/w "All The Stars" (single) www.myspace.com/magicchristian1

Don McGlashan—Warm Hand
www.donmcglashan.com

New York Dolls---One Day It Will Please Us To Remember Even This
A staggeringly enjoyable record, so easy to embrace and celebrate as the perfectly appropriate exclamation point on the legendary & influential careers of David Johansen & Sylvain Sylvain.
Standout cut "Dance Like A Monkey" is as good as rock gets in 2006. www.myspace.com/newyorkdolls

Willie Nile---Streets Of New York
www.willienile.com

Primal Scream---Riot City Blues
www.primalscream.net/www/

The Rugs—The Rugs
www.myspace.com/therugs

Sloan---Never Hear The End Of It
www.sloanmusic.com

Matthew Sweet & Susanna Hoffs---Under The Covers Vol.1 www.myspace.com/sidnsusie

Tom Verlaine---Songs And Other Things
Tom Verlaine---Around
Tom Verlaine

Teddybears---Soft Machine
Stuff this far out and wacky can only come from Sweden.
Includes "Punk Rocker", my favorite single of the year, featuring Iggy Pop’s finest vocal performance on a record since "Candy".
www.myspace.com/teddybears

Paul Weller---Catch-Flame (Live At The Alexandra Palace)
www.paulweller.com

Yo La Tengo---I Am Not Afraid Of You And I Will Beat Your Ass
Continued rock excellence from The Little Band That Could...
www.yolatengo.com

Pete Yorn---Nightcrawler
www.peteyorn.com

Favorite Live Shows (in alphabetical order):
ABC---Pridefest, St. Louis
The Bangles—House Of Blues, Chicago
The Bats—End Of An Ear Records, Austin
Cheap Trick---Live On The Levee, St. Louis
The Chesterfield Kings—Mississippi Nights, St. Louis
The Dirtbombs—Beachland Ballroom, Cleveland
Alejandro Escovedo—The Duck Room, St. Louis
The Hazey Janes—The Drink, Austin
Joan Jett & The Blackhearts---Mississippi Nights, St. Louis
The Minus 5---RFT Awards, St. Louis
The New York Dolls—Mississippi Nights, St. Louis
The Plimsouls—Finale, St. Louis
The Plimsouls—Club Exodus, Austin
Son Volt—Taste Of St. Louis, St. Louis
Matthew Sweet & Susanna Hoffs—The Drink, Austin
Matthew Sweet & Susanna Hoffs—Dog & Duck Pub, Austin
Steve Wynn & The Miracle 3—Dog & Duck Pub, Austin
Steve Wynn & The Miracle 3—Caribbean Lights, Austin

Parting shot, 2006:
Sorry kids, but that highly praised TV On The Radio record is JUST AWFUL! A very bad rock band with very bad singers doing very bad reinterpretations of Brian Eno’s first two solo albums. Dreadful...

POLITICS: Senator (gulp) Blunt?

A terrifying political rumor courtesy of Wonkette, here.

Now I’m certainly no fan of Missouri’s ODB---Old Drunk Bond, but damn, members of the Blunt crime family in the House and the Senate? For you Sopranos & Andy Griffith Show fans unfamiliar with Missouri politics, imagine if you will a Barney Fife version of Christopher Moltisanti running around the halls of the Senate desperately trying to pull off the Tony Soprano-like bidding of despicable family boss Congressman Roy Blunt. Terrifying...

MUSIC: James Brown, RIP

Say it loud y'all: Rest in peace, Godfather...

POLITICS: Ask Bill

"Barack Obama is the white Bill Clinton..."—Newsweek’s Howard Fineman.

I’ve definitely jumped up on that Obama '08 bandwagon. I’ve been following him, doing the research, and even at this earliest of stages think he’s the best hope for the country and the world. Feel free to knock me all you want for it and please be sure to tell me "I told you so" if Obama falters in some big way somewhere down the road, but I’m choosing here and now to take a stand with the brotha. I believe he has the intellectual goods for the job, and will only get better the deeper he digs into the game—as will his overall appeal to the American public.

If you take the time to look beyond the mainstream media’s "Obamamania" coverage and delve into what the guy has actually been saying and doing, it’s clear he’s already about ten moves ahead of where he’s perceived to be on the 2008 presidential campaign chess board. I can most definitely get behind his emerging campaign theme of "It’s time to turn the page...", i.e., time for the Baby Boomers who have been "leading" this country while simultaneously dividing it by fighting amongst themselves since 1968, and let some new blood in to do the popcorn and step up and lead. Look at the field, folks. Could there be a more dismal pack of potential candidates on both sides in ‘08? Do you really think any of them stand a chance at restoring America’s dignity and image with the rest of the world, 99.9% of which currently hates our guts? Doesn’t look good, does it? With pickings this slim I’m definitely willing to bet the house and roll the dice on Obama.

If the world is this fucked up in 2006, you can bet it’s going to be twice as fucked by 2008. Whoever follows Bush into the office of president is going to need a ton of help. Obama’s so-called lack of experience at this point is viewed as his only, yet potentially defeating weakness as a candidate. I disagree with it, but fair enough, I get why it’s a worry. And the GOP has only just begun to exploit this, so yeah, it’s definitely a concern. Therefore the importance of whom Obama puts around him as his team is probably of greater magnitude than choices made for respective teams by other Democrats in the race. Which is why I’m throwing out the following proposal to Obama: Ask Bill.

Reports in the media have all in Hilaryland currently freaking out over "Obamamania." And why wouldn’t they be? I’m willing to go out on a limb here and bet that the one person in the world freaked out the most by "Obamamania" is none other than Bill Clinton. How hard this must be for him to watch the hottest party in the world right now from the lonely distance of his television screen. You don’t think he’d rather be at Obama’s side at this minute, serving him as #1 adviser and big brother, smack dab in the middle of all that white hot media action? You bet it’s driving him crazy to be missing out on all that fun. So Obama: Ask Bill.

I think Obama should sit down right now and cut the following deal with the Clintons:

A) Get Hilary to drop out of the race in exchange for the role of Senate Majority Leader. I’m not the first to say she can’t win the ‘08 election, and that she can be a far more powerful and effective leader over the next 30 years if she does it from the Senate.
B) Have Bill run with you as your choice for vice-president, and yes, announce it this early---like NOW!

A real crazy thought, eh? Of course this would never happen in a million years, but think what it might mean to the country and the rest of the world. As I said earlier, things are so fucked up it’s going to take more than one great mind and leader in the room, so I’m offering up the team of Obama and Bill Clinton because we all know they’re not only the two smartest kids in class, but they also both posses the all-important charisma and sex appeal that’s needed to lead and inspire at this most bizarre and dangerous moment in history. Cheney has changed the role of the vice-president in such a major way at least for now and possibly forever, so why not take it to the next level by putting an ex-president in the job who has proven himself time and time again and is overwhelmingly popular with the American public to boot?

Would the hard right of the GOP and their media echo chamber salivate over the chance of running against an Obama-Clinton ticket? You bet they would, to which I say bring it on! Do you think a crazy old man like John McCain, who by the way is looking older and crazier and more like the Slim Pickens character in Dr.Strangelove with each passing day, actually stands a chance against the sheer, uh, virility of Obama-Clinton? Again I say bring it on.

McCain is clearly on the road to overplaying his ‘08 hand. Already desperate enough this early in the game to hire the diabolical Terry Nelson in the role of his Karl Rove, McCain looks to play the GOP fear card to the max yet again and sell himself as not only a wiser and competent version of Bush, but also as an even bigger hard ass to the rest of the world than Bush. Good luck with that, senator. Like I said, he’ll continue to look older and crazier and ultimately less and less appealing to voters with each passing day. A Democratic candidate can beat McCain, but that candidate sure isn’t Hilary.

A world this fucked up needs some big and bold out of the box thinking, and what could be more out of the box than Obama-Clinton? But when you take a few minutes and seriously examine all of the various ramifications and potential for greatness that an Obama-Clinton administration could bring, just how crazy would it’s reality really be?

TELEVISION: Joseph Barbera, RIP

Thank you for the yabba-dabba-doo time, Mr. Barbera.

TELEVISION: The Wire

The just-completed fourth season of HBO’s The Wire was quite possibly the closest a televison drama has ever come on every level to a perfect season. And once again the show will probably not see a single nomination in any category come Emmy time. To the uninitiated, you really owe it to yourself to check this show out. The first three seasons are on dvd---probably the best way to dive in headfirst. A cop show is the last thing The Wire is...

And as a lifelong Paul Weller fanatic, it was great to hear his excellent cover of Dr. John’s "Walk On Gilded Splinters" playing to chilling dramatic effect over the final scenes of the season finale.

STEVE ROCK: Finn's Motel t-shirts

Finn's Motel t-shirts make great stocking stuffers and can be found at finnsmotel.com. Ho! Ho! Ho!

MUSIC: Ahmet Ertegun RIP

The eternal thanks we owe this man...