The folks over at Section 86 have posted another version of their wildly popular podcast, It Burns When I Pee. This month’s episode features an interview with Bill Anderson of the Meat Purveyors where he talks about his career, The Meat Purveyors, and what he’s up to these days, as well as their usual collection of comedic interludes and whatnot.

I’ll be honest, I haven’t gotten a chance to actually listen to this month’s episode (it also features a commercial for ninebullets.net) due to a myriad of things, but if past performance can be use as an indicator of future results, I would say it’ll be an hour well spent.

Go give ‘em a listen and support some folks trying to give the Nashville-shunned some exposure.

Ahhh. Another Friday, another Rock of Love recap. I hope somebody out there enjoys these as much as I do. Let’s get to it.

This week’s episode opened with something I do not think I’d ever seen before…Big John’s hair. Hell, I didn’t even know he had any, but there it was….free of the bandanna, free of the hat, and slicked back in it’s best Andy Garcia-like glory. Brett’s hair, however, was M.I.A.

This week’s challenge was the annual Mudball game. Same deal as last season; winning team gets group sex date, with the MVP of that team getting herpes a solo date. In the new and improved Rock of Love mudball challenge, Brett controls the weather…he can make it rain or snow whenever he wants. This makes it like a football game/wet t-shirt contest mashup, with built in nipple erecting.  Have I ever told you how much I like the way this show thinks? The teams are set, but there’s a problem- there is an uneven amount of girls, so to solve this issue the girl not chosen has to sit out the game and give up any chance for a date. Megan ends up being that girl, but she doesn’t care…she’s too fucking stupid to remember the show is about dating Brett.  The challenge involves skimpy wet clothes and your body is bangin’, but you’d rather idle on the sidelines being ignored by everyone? Yay you! You dumb c%#t. (Can you tell I seriously dislike Megan the Vapid?) In no time at all, you can tell that this game is really between Daisy and Ambre. The game goes into overtime and Ambre has the ball and is headed in for the score when the unthinkable happens…she dropped the ball! No reason, just puts the ball on the ground.  Well, Daisy shows her awesome ball hawking skills, scoops it up, licks it, blows on it a little and then heads on down for the score! Daisy wins again!

Daisy’s solo date involves her posing for Brett in various lingerie outfits, but don’t worry honey, this show is all about getting to know you ::wink ::wink. Brett finally finds an outfit he can settle on and they have dinner with Daisy in it. Over dinner, instead of showing cleavage and fondling B-man’s jewels with her foot, Daisy decides to ask questions. Brett softens. Date ends.

Meanwhile, back at the Bunny Ranch, Peyton is in a panic ’cause she hasn’t gotten a chance to connect with Brett in a “one on one way”, so she maniacally scribbles a letter for his door that essentially reads, “BRETT IT’S URGENT THAT I SPEAK TO YOU! IMMEDIATELY! PLEASE!!”  If it weren’t for the two exclamation points following the ‘please’, I would think this was insincere.  Meanwhile, Megan also pulls out her Crayolas and writes a letter of her own…complete with cut-out heart shape. She goes to put her letter on the door, notices Peyton’s, tapes hers on and tosses Peyton’s. Peyton notices this and scribbles out another one even more maniacally, which Megan immediately removes as well. Ahhhh….the simplicity of retards….It’s relaxing, like watching the tide roll in.

The group date involves girls in sexy leather driving suits driving a Lotus around a racetrack. *This* is what ROL is supposed to be about! So the girls all got a shot at driving their pushed-up leather clad double-D’s around the track sans Brett and I was a happy man. There really isn’t anything more to report here.

Back at the house Peyton, cries to Bret and Megan drops this winner, “Me and Bret have a mental…like, Superman, psychological…connection.” Again, not to go all Amy Pohler, and dude who doesn’t matter on y’all, but I’m going to…really?….psychological?…really?…can you even spell psychological?…really?…you’re a playmate…15 year olds are pausing ROL and having their own one on one time to your image and you’re gonna drop “psychological”?…really?  Follow Daisy’s lead…drop the “ologicalological” and add an “al”  Follow that with “bj’s”…and girl, your dumb ass better be good at the bj, or your future is gonna involve a cash register or a Vegas bar at 2:30 in the morning.

Elimination comes and everyone has a pass except Peyton and Daisy. I’m thinking wtf? One of these is gonna get their walking papers, while Catherine and Jessica are still around? Then Bret calls Peyton’s name and I think, “Shit! vajayjayvajayjay must stink or something!” but no…Brett pulls a fast one on us and nobody gets the axe on this night. Matter of fact, Bret tells Daisy he has saved the best for last and that Catherine and Jessica 2 will get eliminated next week.

Tight leather outfits, lingerie?: Motley Crue - Girls, Girls, Girls
Tight leather outfits, lingerie?: Richard Cheese - Girls, Girls, Girls
Tight leather outfits, lingerie and Mudball?: Poison - Talk Dirty to Me
Fake lips, fake tits and hair extensions?: Outkast - Synthesizer

Danko Jones have put their entire new album, Never Too Loud, up on their myspace player. It is scheduled tp be released in Germany next week (Feb. 29). As I’ve said before; I’d be a liar if I said I wasn’t a fan of Danko Jones….pure rock and roll fun. Check it out.

Danko Jones - Code of the Road

Backyard Tire Fire are celebrating the start of their southward journey towards Langerado by releasing a free acoustic EP, Sick of Debt. Ed (singer) describes it as such:

“We loaded into Oxide Lounge in Bloomington, IL on a cold December afternoon (12.17.07) to record a healthy dose of some acoustic Tire Fire twang. There had always been talk of sitting down in the same room and doing a stripped down recording and we finally found the time to do it! Some of these songs are favorites that have been around for years and never found a place on an album, while others were written only weeks before. All of the tunes feature our good friend Jerry “Muttonhead” Erickson on either dobro or pedal steel guitar and were recorded live with minimal overdubs. The result is a raw collection of some of our finest acoustic material that we decided to make available for download at no charge. Please enjoy and pass it around” - Ed Anderson

You can download it here.

In other news, the boys are making a few stops along the way to Florida. If they hit up your neck of the woods you should check ‘em out. I sure wish I could. They have also completed the recording of their next album, The Places We Lived, which will apparently be coming out in August on a new, as of yet unannounced, label.

Shows:

• 02/21 The Dame Lexington, KY
• 02/22 Visulite Theatre - w/ The Radiators Charlotte, NC
• 02/23 Lincoln Theatre - w/ The Radiators Raleigh, NC
• 02/24 State Theatre - w/ The Radiators Falls Church, VA
• 02/25 The National - w/ The Radiators Richmond, VA
• 02/28 Smith’s Olde Bar - w/ Bloodkin Atlanta, GA
• 02/29 Hummingbird - w/ Bloodkin Macon, GA
• 03/01 Freebird Live - w/ Bloodkin Jacksonville, FL
• 03/07 Langerado Festival Big Cypress Seminole Indian Reservation, FL
• Full tour date list here

Backyard Tire Fire - Honey to a Bee
Backyard Tire Fire - Cigarettes and Coffee

The other day I passingly mentioned that Clutch was coming to town on April 24 and that got me to thinking about the fact that I have not mentioned the EP from The Company Band on ninebullets.

The Company Band is Clutch frontman Neil Fallon (vocals), Fireball Ministry frontman James Rota (guitars), Dave Bone (guitars), CKY’s drummer Jess Margera and bassist Jason Diamond. They cite their influences as: Exxon Mobil, Wal-Mart Stores, Royal Dutch Shell, BP, General Motors, etc. They have just released a 4 track EP available on iTunes and MerchDirect. So far as sound goes, imagine a more metal version of Clutch. If, like me, you worship at the alter of Neil Fallon you need to pick this EP up.

Track Listing:

1. Company Man
2. Fortune’s a Mistress
3. Spellbinder
4. Heartache & Misery

All this anti-corp. stuff reminded me of my favorite Snog song: Corporate Slave

There is no excuse for staying in the house this weekend people. There is just too damn much going on in our fine city this weekend and the weather is, all things considered, gonna be pretty mild. So, let’s get down to the haps…

Thursday Night

Some of the people involved with Reax have started booking shows on Thursday nights at Push Ultra Lounge in Downtown St. Pete. This Thursday night Summerbirds in the Cellar are gracing us with their presence. I’ve written about both of their cds here and here. Doors are at 8:00 and the cover is 6 dollars for singles and 10 dollars for couples. I’ve seen these guys live once before and it was tremendous.

Summerbirds in the Cellar - Wicked World (Move Softly)

Friday Night

It’s the return of one of the best shows I saw last year and the Florigasm will be returning sans the opressive summer heat. Nervous Turkey will be pulling the opening duties for JJ Grey and Mofro once again @ Skipper’s Smokehouse in a two night stand. I listed this one on Friday night because that is the night I plan to go but they will be performing both Friday and Saturday nights. This will be as much event as it is show and you should try everything in your power to see these guys one or both of the nights.

Nervous Turkey - Strang
JJ Grey and Mofro - Florida

Saturday Night

ninebullets.net faves Lucero are making their triumphant return to Saint Petersburg. Oh yeah, all the cool kids will be at The State Theater. There are shows where you just know that heavy heavy intoxication will accompany to and through the show. This is one such occasion. I have cleared my Sunday schedule. Everything is set to tear shit up on a Saturday night. Come and join us. These two songs should set the scene:

Lucero - Old Sad Songs
Lucero - I’ll Just Fall

Sunday Night

detox.

I first came to know the good doctor’s writing some 18 years ago at the hyper-impressionable age of 16. Creative Loafing (Tampa’s alternative weekly) had published a collection of excerpts from his writings and I was hooked. Over the years, I have received an original printing of The Curse of Lono as a birthday gift (very expensive for the uninitiated), gotten a Gonzo tattoo, and from time to time tried desperately (and with great failure) to mimic Hunter’s writing style.

Three years ago today, Hunter decided that a life that could not be lived on his terms was not a life he wanted to live. Tonight I’ll get together with some friends, drink some Chivas and talk about our favorite HST pieces.

Godspeed, Hunter.

Here are some excerpts from some HST interviews:

Hunter S. Thompson - The Art of Journalism (Excerpt 1)
Hunter S. Thompson - The Art of Journalism (Excerpt 2)
Hunter S. Thompson - The Art of Journalism (Excerpt 3)
Hunter S. Thompson - The Art of Journalism (Excerpt 4)
Hunter S. Thompson - The Art of Journalism (Excerpt 5)
Hunter S. Thompson - The Art of Journalism (Excerpt 6)

After 13 years of publishing the May-June 2008 issue of No Depression will be their last. Apparently the web site will remain functional but all print efforts will cease. What does this mean for us, the subscribers? As of now, nobody really knows, in their letter from the publishers they say:

“If you have a subscription to ND, please know that we will do our very best to take care of you. We will be negotiating with a handful of magazines who may be interested in fulfulling your subscription. That is the best we can do under the circumstances.”

Great. I hope that doesn’t mean my current No Depression subscription is about to be converted into a Rolling Stone subscription. Regardless, this is a sad day. After the completely predictable posting of the Uncle Tupelo song that gave ND their name and cut is the complete letter from the publishers.

Uncle Tupelo - No Depression

(more…)

“Now living in an old farmhouse in the backwoods of Georgia, Jim White may have finally reached a place called home, but his other search, for what he calls ‘the gold tooth in God’s crooked smile’ continues in this new set of backyard tales. ” ~ Miles of Music

Honestly, Jim White is one of those artists that I’ve never really gotten into too much. There is a song here and there that I like, but as a whole I tend to pass on him. I would have continued along in that manner had it not been for a write-up I read on Aquarium Drunkard. For some reason the piece made me just curious enough to look into Transnormal Skiperoo, and I must say I’m glad that I did. Finally, a Jim White album I can enjoy from front to back! No weirdness for the mere sake of weirdness, just bad ass songs. The album is available now as an import, and will be available domestically on March 4, 2008.

Jim white - Jailbird
Jim white - Diamonds to Coal
Jim white - Crash Into the Sun

My favorite Jim White song: Static on the Radio

Jim White’s Official Site, Jim White on myspace, Buy Transnormal Skiperoo

Like any music fan, I spent a considerable amount of time in the week before I went on vacation planning and compiling iPod playlists for any type of situation/mood I could think I might find myself in. I like country, but let’s be real, Porter Wagner doesn’t need to be in your ear as you go over the edge of a black diamond. He is, however, perfect for the Apres Ski hot tub time. Then, the day before I leave, The Whipsaws’ new cd, 60 Watt Avenue, shows up in my mailbox. I had been eagerly anticipating the album, but assumed it would come while I was gone (I like Miles of Music as much as the next person, but let’s be real…their shipping is rather slow). With no real time to mix it into my playlists, I just riped it and tossed it on the iPhone. I may as well have deleted the “while riding” playlist and put this right into my Essential Listening playlist.

The Whipsaws are a rock and roll band from Anchorage, Alaska. There’s no shortage of people who will refer to them as an alt.country act based on their country debut, Ten Day Bender, but 60 Watt Avenue is a rock and roll album sans a subgenre hyphen. Sounding like an early version of the Drive-by Truckers without that early Trucker twang, they have released a great bar room rocker of an album. Apparently, with 60 Watt Avenue they have decided to quit their day jobs and give their rock and roll dreams a go. Personally, I think they made the right album for it. Featuring the production of John Agnello (Son Volt, The Hold Steady, Sonic Youth) and an appearance by Mr. Tim Easton, the cd contains honest, from the cuff lyrics, backed by the type of bar room vibe that will catch the attention of people just there to drink. They’ll be touring the lower 48 for the bulk of 2008, check ‘em out if they get to your neck of the woods. I know I will.

The Whipsaws - Jessi Jane
The Whipsaws - 60 Watt
The Whipsaws - High Tide

The Whipsaws’ Official Site, The Whipsaws on myspace, Buy 60 Watt Avenue