the Swedish band Witchcraft

How can you go wrong with a bunch of Swedish guys? Well, you can't really. Their name is what drew me in, I must admit.
Witchcraft is a great name. I've encountered a lot of old time southern magic in my day. But then I listened to them and read up on them a little bit, and these boys play something called "doom metal" which I ain't never heard of before.

I like it. I heard some Black Sabbath too awhile back. They were playing it up in heaven oddly enough! Haw! Anyhow, these guys in Witchcraft sound like a throwback to that old, heavy, gloomy Sabbath sound and it's great!

I looked around for some mp3's to lay on ya, but all I could get is their myspace page. Check it out!

Now I can keep up with Bessie Smith. Metal music is all she talks about since she discovered this italian monk that sings metal songs.

Feist on Sesame Street

Yikes. This is so cute I can barely deal with it. But I thought it's a nice way to start the week:)

the band "Frightened Rabbit"

...are REALLY cool! I've been hearing their name whispered around the internet for several months now. I remembered it because my friend, Bettie Black, had a band for a couple months called "Runaway Bunny". haw.
Of course they don't look too scared in this picture above now do they?

I heard Frightened Rabbit for the first time this weekend and I dig their sound a lot. They had a first record called "Sing the Greys" which is HILARIOUS to me, since I sing the BLUES myself. HAHAHA. Anyhow, I loved their song "Be Less Rude" that I found on their myspace page. What a novel title for a song, but it doesn't stop there. The song really MOVES and brings back memories of all the good things I love about rock & roll.....especially the Velvets....jangly guitars, interesting drums, great simple solos, and ENERGY. Period. That's all you need.

This band has Very simple songs and melody, but the musicians are top rate. I am particularly in love with their drummer and singer, but hell, the guitarist ain't bad neither! The bass seems mixed kinda low for my computer speakers, so I'll have to go back to sort him out.

Looks like they just toured the US a couple months ago, and are playing in Europe and the UK right now. Maybe if we talk quietly to them and try not to frighten them, these gentle happy rock beasties will grace our American shores again sometime soon.

Gas Prices put the brakes on Indie band tours

I love traveling by train. You can have the whole band there with you, you have your own bed and there isn't a lot of stress ~ just playing and traveling town to town. You can drink as much whiskey as you want.....yeah....and touring the South is so easy, the towns are a lot closer to each other then, say, in California.

But things are a lot different nowadays. You have to set up your whole tour, finance it, and everyone has to squeeze into a little van with all their gear and drive all over this huge country.

And that van don't work without gas.

And gas prices are soaring.

Read this great article about some local San Francisco bands up against some enormous odds.