Join Tha Movement at Plush Club, 380 Beale Street, on Sunday, May 1st for a special appearance from ?UESTLOVE (of The Roots)! He will be DJ’ing some hot, hot wax for you people. Don’t forget to come check out Nappy Wilson & Messiah Surat who will be bringing you sweet soul music to make your ears mellow. The doors open at 9pm and tickets are $8 and $10. Questions? Holla atcha people: 901-774-7437, or just go to ThaMovement.com for more details!

I can’t really sit here and lie to you good people — I’m conflicted about this weekend’s BSMF. I am honored and excited to have a chance to cover the festival for the Commercial Appeal’s blog but, at the same time, I’m not thrilled with the lineup. About once every fifteen minutes of the day, I think to myself, “I am so fucking lucky”. About two seconds later, I’m stymied with the thought, “What am I going to write about these bands? I don’t like most of them!”

At the risk of sounding like a rock snob or a hipster dickhead, I have to come out and publicly announce my discontent with the lineup. I do like several songs by several of the artists performing — The Roots, The Wallflowers, Mavis Staples, The Killers, Ben Kweller, Elvis Costello, and Billy Idol come to mind. However, there is nothing that just shatters the imagination in this year’s selections. Either I’m too picky or the choices are far too mediocre and reflect some cosmic shift in the tastes of music buyers which I am not hip to. I have nothing against any of the performers. In fact, I’ve had great experiences with several of them over the years. The problem is this: nothing stands out.

The organizers of the festival are presented with a budget. Then they have to go around and see who is available. I’m not suggesting that they didn’t do their homework, but I think they handed the homework off to someone whose taste in music reflects their personal vision of the festival instead of trying to encourage people to give something different a shot. Where is Bloc Party? Where is Copeland? Where is there even a sign of a band like Thursday or Thrice (not my taste, but geared towards what those darn kids like)? Please don’t try to sell me on the emo-for-Jesus kids in Relient K — I got the CD and have failed to return emails to the publicist at Capitol because I’m afraid to tell her what I really think. If she’s reading this, she can now guess.

The responsibility of a journalist is to cover a story, any story, which is presented to them. Then I realized it: I’m not a journalist. I’m a musician, I’m a songwriter, and I work in the music industry on a day-to-day basis. Asking me to write blowjob pieces glorifying musical mediocrity is not in my personal job description. Since I’m not a paid employee, I would have to very seriously consider any attempt to steer me towards “liking” a certain band or artist for the purposes of generating press. Simply stated, I won’t and you can’t make me.

Now that I’ve gotten off of my chest what has been egging me since my invitation, I’m going to do my best to do what I’ve asked everyone else to do in my rant: to be open to something new. I’m going to give it a shot. I’m going to try, in spite of the weather and the crowds, to go and have a good time. I’m going to make an attempt to enjoy the music and the company of others.

The results will appear at the Commercial Appeal’s Beale Street Music Festival blog over the weekend and on Monday. Wish me luck.

Be sure and check out Spouse at the Hi-Tone Tonight with Beanpole before DJ’s Sexpot Piper and Bad News Ang bring on the 80′s Dance Party love. Spouse is an excellent band hailing from Northampton, MA and are well-worth checking out. See you there!

WHERE: Two-Way Inn 752 S Cooper St (just past Central Ave.), Memphis, TN
TIME: 1:00pm – ?????
BANDS: Lucero, The Pirates, The Glass, Circus Bears, Hedgecreep, Secret Service, Cory Branan w/Blair Combest & J.D. Reeger, Cryroom, Augustine, High Cotton, Amy & The Tramps, El Dorado and the Ruckus, Joint Chiefs, Color Cast, and Antique Curtains

BENEFIT: All proceeds will benefit the American Cancer Society & The Juvenile Diabetes Foundation.

$20 for all the beer you can drink
$30 for all the beer you can drink plus all the food you can eat
$40 for all the beer you can drink, all the food you can eat, entry into the burger eating contest, and a limited edition t-shirt!!!

Be sure and come join us for some kick-ass punk, 80′s, garage, post-punk, indie, and brit pop! DJ’s Bad News Ang and Sex Pot Piper will have you spanking your couch with a bear claw, humping the picture of Elvis and Master Rhee in the corner & trying to launch a hotdog into outerspace with a roman candle! Sound like fun? YOU BET! I WILL SEE YOU THERE!

Big ups to everyone who has helped me out the last few months. I’m still trying to figure out what the hell I’m doing.

Thank You For Your Support!

If you know me, you know I’m all about the recycled clothing movement. In a freak accident of blogging, I was accidentally hipped to this great site called Catherine’s Pita that has iPod cozies to drool over. If you own an iPod, you know how important it is to accessorize correctly & no accessory says more about you than your iPod cozy. Manufactured by hand in Cat’s kitchen from recycled materials, these little cozies are both earth-friendly and fashionable. Obvs they are all limited edition and will go quickly. For a mere $25, you can have one of these hand-made cozies for yourself & new styles go up every week. She is also starting to make them for the iPod Mini’s so why are you still reading this? Go check out Catherine’s Pita because your iPod should be lonely no more.

The item pictured, “Sock Hop” Cozy, only has 1 remaining in stock, so you’d better snap to it if you want it!

All you lucky duckies with your iPods know I totally want to buy one but a couple of you are going to have to help me get my free iPod first. After you sign up and complete the offer send me an email to blogpop [at] gmail [dot] com.

Sigh…

In the “nuke it from orbit with fire” world of anti-fashion, no star shines brighter in the springisphere than this one. Yes, it’s comforting to watch your relatives, friends, and acquaintances who are in-the-know proving that nothing shows pride in your sandals like wearing them with SOCKS! All of you sandal-socksers out there know that the way to show people you are up with the times is to don your favorite pair of socks before slipping into those cozy sandals. It’s comfortable, attractive, and it lets people know who you are right away! Start wearing socks with your sandals TODAY!

Just Click the Damn Thing Already