“If the New Heathens keep this up…”
Daily Herald, Provo, UT, July 2010
New Heathens, "Hello Disaster"
Before playing one note of "Hello Disaster," there is already a promising sign about the CD -- the words "produced by "Eric 'Roscoe' Ambel" on the back cover. Ambel, a former member of the Del-Lords and current member of the Yayhoos, knows a thing or 10 about making great no-nonsense bar-band-style rock 'n' roll. And in the New Heathens, he's working with an act that delivers the goods, as this group delivers some terrific rockers, like the grooving "Responsible" and the hard-charging "Crybaby." But "Hello Disaster" shows the New Heathens are more than a highly accomplished bar band. "Thankless War," a shuffling country-edged rocker, takes a hard look at the futility of war. "Don't Think I Can't Stop (Just Because I Don't)" is a pop-rocker that's strongly influenced by the original Byrds, but is strong enough to not be an imitation. If the New Heathens keep this up, they'll soon be mentioned alongside the likes of the Drive-By Truckers and Dave Alvin as one of the premier roots rock acts going.
-- Alan Sculley
Long Time Comin’, Hawk
Something I lobbied a long time for finally happened today. Former Chicago Cubs class act Andre Dawson, who played hard and hurt, was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown.
Thought I'd re-post something I wrote in January '09 under the title, "Put Andre Dawson In The Hall of Fame."
Nicknamed "The Hawk," Dawson was a formidable combination of power at the plate and speed on the bases plus a never-miss glove and a rifle arm. In his 21-year-career with the Montreal Expos, Cubs, Boston Red Sox and Florida Marlins, Dawson bashed 438 home runs, 2,774 hits and 1,591 RBIs. He also won eight Gold Gloves and played in eight All Star Games. He was Rookie of the Year in 1977 and MVP a decade later; the first ballplayer to ever win that award playing on a last place team (Sigh, you go Cubs). In 1993 he became the second player along with Willie Mays to hit 400 homers and steal 300 bases.
All, mind you, without steroids.
Cubs second baseman Ryne Sandberg, who along with Dawson and first baseman Mark Grace were my favorite players as a kid, said this about Dawson in his own Hall of Fame induction speech in 2005:
"He's the best I've ever seen...He did it the right way, the natural way...and I hope he will stand up here someday."
Cubs' shortstop Shawon Dunston told this story of Dawson facing off against legendary pitcher Nolan Ryan.
"When you hit a home run off Nolan Ryan, he meets you at third base. But when Andre hit one [off Ryan], he stayed near the mound and waited for the ball. That impressed me a lot. That's respect."
My parents met in Chicago so I inherited a love of the Cubs, Bears and Bulls (I just can't bring myself to root for any New York teams). Growing up I watched Dawson on WGN TV with Harry Caray doing the play-by-play. I saw him pinch-hit two grand slams in three days (only to have the Cubs lose both games). I saw him hit two home runs in one inning. I watched him make leaping and diving catches and gun down would-be scorers at the plate (and even first base). I also watched him get beaned by opposing pitchers and play on knees so painful that today he walks on replacements. He was such a fierce competitor, he even had a couple memorable freakouts.
In 1987, after many in baseball thought he was washed up after playing for a decade with bad knees on unfriendly astroturf in Montreal, Dawson wanted so badly to play for the Cubs on the natural grass of Wrigley Field that he showed up at spring training with a blank check and offered to play for whatever the ballclub would pay. The Cubs gave him the lowest salary of any player in baseball, $500,000. What did Dawson do? He mashed 49 home runs and 137 RBIs, won a Gold Glove, started the All Star game and won the MVP award.
For the rest of his career, fans in the bleachers at Wrigley bowed to him when he took his position.
Now Dawson can take his own bow.
Night & Day?
Nighttime view of the capital building in Columbia, SC.
Daytime view.
(Point of view, courtesy of the Bottle Rockets)
Text Conversation, July 21, 2010
832-620-xxxx, 10:27 p.m. What are you wearing?
Me: 10:28 p.m. The most oft-texted question in history. Jeans and a t-shirt. Who's this?
832-620-xxxx, 10:31 p.m. You are obviously not wearing your red briefs because u threw them in with my laundry and now my white sheets are pink!
Me: 10:33 p.m.: Um, think you might have the wrong number. Sorry about your pink sheets though!
Tue. Kind of Blue
Friends, I try and use my plugs judiciously, but I've got to let you know that Joe Flood plays Lakeside at 9 p.m. tonight. His record, "New Kind of Blue" is the best thing I've heard all year. I didn't know who this Flood guy was until I got his record. He made music with several of the cool cats in The Band, like Helm, the late, great Danko, and Garth Hudson. One listen to the quality of Joe Flood's tunes explains why.
Flood is, hands down, a brilliant songwriter. He writes simple, original melodies and outstanding lyrics. He sings them in a comfortable voice. On New Kind of Blue Flood glides effortlessly between country-tinged rock, as on his songs "Stand Up Straight" and "Sing Along With Me," rollicking folk on "Solitary Man" and "Pile of Woe," and beautiful balladry on "When In Love" and the gorgeous, "She Sang For Me." Roscoe produced and oversaw the crisp, mostly acoustic instrumentation rife with mandolin chunks, banjo pops and fiddle squeals.
Getting turned on to this guy was really a revelation for me. I've got a three disc CD player in my living room and "New Kind of Blue" hasn't budged since I first popped it in back in April. It's really a pleasure to get turned on to such a first rate songwriter.
I'm real excited to see him play tonight, along with Greg Trooper. Contrary to country wisdom, the Lakeside is the place to be when that big, blue Flood comes to town.
Buy the New Album!
The Latest
- “If the New Heathens keep this up…”
- Long Time Comin’, Hawk
- Night & Day?
- Text Conversation, July 21, 2010
- Tue. Kind of Blue
- Setlist, Melody Inn, Indianapolis 7.16.10
- Friday Night Show @ The Melody Inn, Indianapolis, IN
- Rock Set, Lamp Post 7/10/10
Fan Love
- Larry Here on Text Conversation, July 21, 2010
- Nate Schweber on Rock Set, Lamp Post 7/10/10
- Lord Chamberlain on Rock Set, Lamp Post 7/10/10
