Category Archives: TVD Nashville

When The Wallflowers landed in Nashville to record their latest album, Glad All Over, they were under the gun. With no songs written and 29 days scheduled for recording, there was no time for sightseeing or leisurely club hopping. Well, almost no time.

“Nashville is a great place to get work done and have fun,” said the band’s bass player Greg Richling, noting that they did get around town a bit between sessions. However, most of the time was spent inside Dan Auerbach’s Easy Eye Sound, all of the band in one room recording live and letting the sounds bleed into one another. “We’ve always recorded very organically,” explained Richling, and that approach was ideal for Easy Eye’s analog raison d’être.

The stripped-down approach comes through in the songs, with a much rougher edge to some of the tracks than you might expect. “I had been listening to a lot of The Clash,” Richling recalled, inspiring a bass line which became the foundation for stand-out album track “Reboot the Mission.” Once basic recording was completed, the band realized that they really had channelled “The Only Band That Mattered” and decided to gamble on asking Mick Jones to appear on the song. Jones agreed, and after a few transatlantic file exchanges, Jones had contributed not only to “Reboot” but “Misfits and Lovers” as well. For die-hard Clash fan Richling, who counts Paul Simonon as a bass hero, it was bucket list-worthy achievement.

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Anticipation is a powerful force, whether you’re waiting for your vacation to finally arrive or just trying to coax some ketchup out of the bottle. The more intense the expectation, the higher the probability of disappointment. With this in mind, I held my hopes in check as I watched Grimey’s Too go from blueprint to reality. A few proposed opening dates came and went, but finally, the “open” sign was posted and it was time to see what these entrepreneurs hath wrought.

As it turns out, my hopes were far exceeded by the execution. With Howlin’ Books and an outpost of local coffee brewers The Frothy Monkey sharing space with used vinyl, CDs and DVDs, it felt like the hippest Borders you never saw. The well-lit front room with high ceilings and attractive shelves made for an inviting entrance as I beelined for the used vinyl room. There, in luxurious space, I gleefully browsed the selections with several other shoppers.

Co-owner Doyle Davis noted that all of their used vinyl back stock has been pulled from a separate storage facility and is now in the basement of Grimey’s Too. Happily, this means that the selection upstairs will be refreshed frequently and the new check-in space means that they’ll have more room to take in and evaluate private collections. All of which should be welcome news to Music City’s vinyl enthusiasts.

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Sometimes, it seems that life is one big scheduling session. We plan and plan, have meetings to outline future meetings and check our mobile calendars constantly in fear of missing the next appointment.

What a pleasure, then, when something fantastic comes out of the blue, causing us to take both hands off the iCal and just let go. Such was the case last Friday, when the folks at Grimey’s New & Pre-Loved Music suddenly announced that they would host an instore appearance by indie royalty Yo La Tengo the very next day at 1pm. Not only that, there would be free hot chicken from Prince’s Hot Chicken Shack, in your choice of mild, medium, and death wish. I mean, c’mon— Yo La Tengo AND free hot chicken? Buh-bye, Saturday chore list!

While a packed-to-the-rafters crowd patiently waited for the chicken to arrive, the members of Yo La Tengo chatted and shopped, with Ira Kaplan taking a particular interest in the store’s stock of vintage soul 7” singles. Once the fiery fowl was served and their Scoville unit levels had been properly spiked, the band stepped up to the mics.

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“This project is near and dear to Jack’s heart,” explained Third Man Records’ Ben Blackwell when asked about the label’s Document Records reissue series. It should come as no surprise to Jack White’s followers that he would champion the music of America’s blues pioneers as he has always been very vocal about the musicians and especially the records that inspire him.

The fact that many of these LPs have been unavailable for decades was the driving force behind Third Man’s decision to partner with Document. Established 1986 by Johnny Parth in Austria, Document Records specializes in rescuing and reissuing early American roots music, with a heavy emphasis on blues. However, it has been nearly twenty years since Document has issued that music on LP. Who better, then, to fill this breach than the vinyl enthusiasts at Third Man?

The first three records in this Third Man/Document series are scheduled for release on Tuesday, January 29th with Volume 1 of The Complete Recorded Works in Chronological Order from Charley Patton, Blind Willie McTell and The Mississippi Sheiks, respectively. Subsequent volumes will follow on a regular basis and new artists will be introduced as soon as the first series is completed.

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Guess who’s back? Fresh off my five-month vacation in the Big Apple, I’m back in Music City, USA, and man does it feel good. If there’s one thing I can count on Nashville to give as a homecoming gift, it’s a damn good rock ‘n’ roll show in a hole-in-the-wall venue on a warm Wednesday night in January.

I’m talking about none other than the Californian natives The Young Rapscallions‘ gig at The High Watt in downtown Nashville as part of their Over the Hills 2013 Tour currently sweeping the East Coast.

Judging from the crowd gradually flooding into the venue throughout the night, it’s safe to say that everyone knows at least two things about the four raucous Rapscallions: 1. Yes, that is the infamous funnyman Chris Mintz-Plasse (immortalized from his roles in Superbad, Role Models, Movie 43, etc.) with the drumsticks in his hand, and 2. They shred really, really hard. Flourishing acting careers aside, The Young Raps seem to be getting bigger and better since their 2007 inception and 2010 full-length album Everything Vibrates.

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Lucky 2013 is here and with it, a host of happenings in Nashville. First of all, the New York Times just selected our burg as the latest “it” city. Um, does that mean we’re bad at playing tag? In any case, it’s good to see the “paper of record” recognizing us for something other than hillbilly moonshine dementia (not that there’s anything wrong with that).

Truly, the New Year is off to momentous start with all manner of music mania. Oh, let me count the ways.

MUSIC CITY ROOTS | The city’s best weekly radio show/ live music showcase began its winter season on January 9th with a sold-out doozy of a show starring the legendary Leon Russell. Have you ever wondered what God might look like with shades and a Stetson?

Every Wednesday, Music City Roots gathers an eclectic assembly of artists, delivering a fast-paced, 2-hour show, all for just $10/$5 for students. If you can’t make it in person, you can stream the show live at their site and catch up on past shows at the Roots Radio page.

THE STONE FOX | This West Side restaurant/ club quickly became a preferred gathering place for musicians and music lovers, not to mention fans of good food, since its opening last year. A just-completed renovation expanded the bar to wrap-around proportions and a pair of January residencies, Chris Scruggs on Sundays and Paul Birch on Tuesdays, promise weekly doses fantastic free sounds (but be sure and bring some cash for the tip jar!)

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Surely as Santa worries about his cholesterol, we all go a little fruitcake at this time of year. Between the holiday parties, in-law invasions, and high stakes gift roulette, it’s inevitable.

One way to reduce your stress AND increase your pleasure quota is to do your holiday shopping at local independent music outlets. There, you can park next to the store (and not in a separate zip code) and pick up unique gifts that won’t be forgotten by New Year’s Eve. Plus, you’ll be smiling bigger than a peppermint Schnapps-soaked elf. Even after all this time, music is still your best entertainment value.

Grimey’s New and Pre-Loved Music | First, a word about Grimey’s, Too. While Mike and Doyle had every intention of opening the addition by Thanksgiving, when city permits and codes are involved, it always takes a little longer than planned. Mike says they are aiming for a January grand opening celebration, so watch this spot and the Grimey’s newsletter for a firm date. Meanwhile, Grimey’s proper is stuffed to the gills with terrific new and used music for your gifting needs. A good selection of Xmas vinyl, including some new local singles, is in stock near the front of the store, so don’t forget to pick up a few for your pending Yuletide DJ throw down.

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I first heard about Matt Woods when I saw Austin Lucas perform at The Well in Knoxville, TN (Woods’ stompin’ grounds) last February. With nothing but a recommendation from Lucas (just do whatever he says, okay?), I picked up a copy of Woods’ latest album, Manifesto, while I was there. Being a huge fan of independent and alternate country, I fell in love at first listen. If you like solid songwriting and authentic country influence, I think you will, too.

I was able to talk to Woods before his last show of a three month national tour at the V Club in Huntington, WV, a venue in which he’s been performing for years. (Go there. They have an indoor and outdoor bar, a mini-arcade, friendly staff, reasonably priced drinks, and pool tables. Did I mention they have a mini-arcade?) I was stoked to not only witness his dynamic stage presence but also to learn about his love of vinyl, his upcoming studio time, and a new album in the works.

So tell me what’s coming.

Well, I go into the studio in January, and I hope to be on tour again in February of 2013. We’re lookin’ to tour the South and the mid-west at that time. I don’t have a full-time band, so I like to bring in people I appreciate – players I admire – and that takes some time to schedule. And later in the year, I’m thinking of bringing my drummer to do a two-man show across Europe.

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It’s finally Friday and you’ve made it through another work-a-day week- huzzah! Now is the time to claim your reward and revel in all (or as much as you can) of Nashville’s musical bounty. Let’s start, as we always should, with our rockin’ record emporiums:

Grimey’s New & Pre-Loved Music | Our pals on South 8th Avenue have two major instores on tap. On Saturday (11/17), they welcome Kansas City Bible Company, reprising their triumphant appearance at Grimey’s Record Store Day 2012 celebration. This amazing 11-piece band is from Goshen, IN, so drop by and see if you can work “Land o’ Goshen!” into the conversation at some point. The music starts at 5:00 PM, but get there early because this one should be packed!

Speaking of packed, the store will no doubt be elbow-to-neck tattoo for Tuesday’s (11/20) instore appearance by Jason Isbell and The 400 Unit! He and the band will be celebrating the street date release of their new LP, Live From Alabama. The downbeat is at 6:00 PM, so do what you have to do to get there in time to claim your space. Hey, you were going to leave early on Wednesday for the holiday anyway, so ducking out before 5:00p on Tuesday shouldn’t be big thing, eh? I’ll be happy to provide you with a written excuse for your boss should you need one.

Stay on point for news of opening of Grimey’s, Too and Howlin’ Books coming soon!

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Greetings, fellow vinyl enthusiasts! My name is Tim Hibbs and, as a by-product of a friendly Facebook dust-up with TVD shopkeeper Jon Meyers, I am now the Nashville editor for this fair site.

I won’t bore you with my resume other than to say that my dad was a record collector and, therefore, I became one as well, practically from birth. I’ve spent my adult life working in various precincts of the music business, all the while building and maintaining a vinyl collection. It never entered my mind to purge it during the rise of compact discs or the subsequent digital file deluge.

Don’t get me wrong, I own plenty of CDs and more than a couple of iPods but the experience of listening to music on records always felt superior. Even though vinyl has made a much-welcomed comeback in recent years, I still find people who regard it as “quaint” at best and can’t understand why I just don’t download and be done with it. Invariably, their question to me is, “Why vinyl?”

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“Beck will make his Third Man Records Blue Series debut May 28th, releasing the one-off single “I Just Started Hating Some People Today” b/w “Blue Randy”.

The record will be available day of release via Third Man Records, iTunes, and of course the Third Man Records store at 623 7th Avenue South in Nashville, and finer retailers nationwide. There will be no pre-orders for this single.

Both tracks were recorded in 2011 while Beck was in Nashville working on new material for his long awaited next album. The songs spontaneously came together at the Third Man studio on Beck’s final day in Nashville.

Inspired by the title of “Blue Randy,” an extremely limited run of 100 Tri Color 7-inches will be available beginning 10am on Saturday, June 2nd at Randy’s Records at 157 East 900 South in Salt Lake City. An even scarcer scattering of 50 Tri Colors will be randomly inserted in mail orders for the single placed with Third Man.”

I first caught wind of The Vespers about a year ago, when the video for their spellbinding single “Will You Love Me?” hit the Internet. Led by sisters Callie and Pheobe Cryar and backed by brothers Bruno and Taylor Jones, the four-piece folk-rock outfit showcased an endearing, organic sensibility that’s easy to like.

With their first album behind them, the group is ready to show a starker, more sparse side to their songwriting. Their new album The Fourth Wall takes their strongest attributes to darker waters, resulting in a sound that’s both heavy and energetic.

The bulk of the material on The Fourth Wall was written and fine-tuned while on the road. The Vespers prefer to work this way, saying it brings out a chemistry between them and their audience that’s usually reserved for live performances.

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As a community, we tend to overemphasize this, but it’s important for all to know… Nashville is more than just Country music. The city is flourishing with genres galore and exceptionally skilled musicians to boot.

There is a big Rock scene here, but it seems to be divided into groups. There’s the Indie crowd that caters to softer, organic Rock and Garage Rock, and then, there’s the bands you might hear on corporate Rock radio, if given their big break.

For one reason or another, the latter tends to get less media attention than the Indie world, so I decided to check out the Music City Mayhem Awards last Saturday night at The Rutledge, an event put on by Dungeon Promotions, as a way to recognize and reward local Hard Rock and Metal bands.

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Gathering Mercury marks singer/songwriter Colin Hay’s eleventh studio album in just over 20 years—a hallmark for some, but if you asked Colin, he’d tell you he’s just getting started.

Though leading Australian band Men At Work and gaining a coveted spot in Ringo Starr’s All-Starr Band are certainly career highlights to name a few, his charming songwriting hasn’t lilted in the slightest. In fact, Gathering Mercury is among his strongest work to date. His performance last Wednesday at 3rd and Lindsley spoke volumes, but above the communal laughter and hushed orders for 3rd Avenue Angus Burgers, there emanated an otherworldly sense of inspiration.

Before heading to the show, Colin spoke with me about where his inspiration comes from, the songs on Gathering Mercury, and how his songwriting process differs from the streamlined, in-house approach for which Nashville is famous.

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A wild group of Tennesseans celebrated St. Patrick’s Day early last week with the Dropkick Murphys at Marathon Music Works.

Having been raised in Massachusetts, I can tell you that one inherits some unavoidable characteristics from the area: a love for Boston sports, heritage pride, a distinct (yet, slightly annoying) accent that will sneak up on you no matter how well you conceal it, a palate for alcoholic beverages, and the ability to go off on anyone at any given moment.

Dropkick Murphys managed to bundle up all those traits into a unique musical medium of Celtic Punk Rock that, over the years, has served as the perfect soundtrack for pre-game pump-ups, post-game wins, nights out at the bar, or just driving around town as bored teenagers with nothing else to do. For me, nostalgia was thick in the air, but Dropkick Murphys are not just for the “Massholes.” That was proven at last week’s sold-out concert in Nashville.

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