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Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Blaze Foley song helps Nichols
In his first television interview following a stay in rehab, country singer Joe Nichols credits “If I Could Only Fly,” written by Austinite Blaze Foley and recorded by Merle Haggard, with giving him strength in his time of need. “I couldn’t think of anything to write, I couldn’t play anything… but this song kept repeating over and over in my mind,” Nichols told Country Music Television in an interview which will air Saturday at noon. “It’s the only song I could get through.” Nichols recorded “If I Could Only Fly” as a duet with Lee Ann Womack on his current album “Real Things.”
Foley was shot to death on Feb. 1, 1989 by the son of a friend. For more details on the case and the murder trial, which ended in acquittal, read the linked article.
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KOOP Radio to return to air, host benefits
91.7 KOOP Radio will return to the airwaves Friday morning at 9 a.m. after being off the air since a fire took down the station’s Airport Boulevard studio on the weekend of Jan. 5. The Austin Fire Department has ruled that the fire was intentionally set, and a reward has been offered for any information leading to the arrest of those responsible. This is the third fire in two years that KOOP has suffered. The first 2 were ruled accidental.
KOOP officials estimate it will take 3-4 months to get the Airport Boulevard studio back up and running. In the interim, KOOP will broadcast from a vacant studio donated by Entercom Communications, home to Austin radio stations Majic 95.5, Mix 94.7 and Talk Radio 1370. The fully equipped studio has been idle since Entercom sold The Beat 104.3 last year. (The Beat, now owned by Border Media, currently broadcasts on 104.9.) Entercom approached KOOP last week about donating the studio and adjoining office space to the community radio station to use free of charge until the necessary repairs can be made to the Airport Boulevard location.
In the interest of full disclosure I have to note that I’m not a casual observer in the goings on of KOOP Radio. I’ve been programming the local music show “Around The Town Sounds” on the first Thursday of each month since early 2004, when the show’s founder Charlie Martin contacted me after stumbling across my self-produced Web site dedicated to local hip-hop and club culture.
I began my stint at KOOP in the old downtown location with its quirky hot pink and mint color scheme, faulty air-conditioning and diligent crew of cockroaches. I worked in the interim KMFA studio following the 2006 fires and like the rest of the KOOP family, I was thrilled (if somewhat astonished) when the Airport Boulevard studio opened and I suddenly found myself broadcasting from a real honest-to-god modern radio station. And like the rest of the KOOP family, it truly hurt my heart when I found out that the fire that did an estimated $300,000 in damage to the new facility was intentionally set.
Like many KOOPers, my enthusiasm for the station waxes and wanes. The station is a collectively organized, volunteer-run effort. Like most volunteer work, it sometimes becomes exhausting and like most collectives, the bureaucracy can be frustrating. But at its heart, KOOP is an organization of passionate people who come together out of a very sincere love of music and community. And I’m proud to say I’m a part of it.
The following benefits have been organized to help KOOP.
SoundCheck Magazine’s Monday night residencies at the Beauty Bar through March 3. While the $3 cover charge each Monday at the Beauty Bar will go to the bands, representatives from KOOP Radio will be on premises to sell KOOP merchandise and accept donations.
Jan. 30: Guest bartenders at the Mohawk. KOOP DJs RgDg (Rebecca Gutierrez and Deirdre Gott) of “Now Playing Austin” will sling drinks from 5 to 8 p.m. All tips collected will go to KOOP Radio. Fire-themed drinks (perhaps with sparklers?) will be served.
Feb. 16: ‘Mutants Ball’ at Beerland. DJ Scott Gardner from KOOP’s “Stronger Than Dirt” hosts and Pataphysics, The Carrots and Alright Tonight are scheduled to play. All proceeds will go to KOOP.
Feb 23: ‘Toneburst 6’ at Salvage Vanguard Theater. KOOP’s “Commercial Suicide” DJs and the Church of the Friendly Ghost present a benefit for KOOP Radio. Featured artists will include Featured artists will include Thomas Fang, Brent Fariss/Sara Norris, Nick Hennies, Alex Keller, Rick Reed and Travis Weller and ensemble.
Feb. 26: ‘Johnny Cash Birthday Bash II’ at the Continental Club hosted by Rowdy Tijmes of KOOP’s “Rowdy Radio.” Lineup is Dale Watson, Roger Wallace, Rosie Flores, The Band in Black, Death n’ Texas, Eric Hisaw with more to come. $15 or $10 if you wear black. 10 p.m.
May 4: Fais Do Do Gulf Coast Extravaganza at Threadgill’s. DJ Tom Mahnke hosts a Lousiana-style throwdown. Texans Larry Lange and the Lonely Knights and L’Angelus from Lafayette Louisiana will play.
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Jazzfest lineup announced
Stevie Wonder, Billy Joel, Tim McGraw and Sheryl Crow will be playing the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, which runs April 25-27 and May 1- 4 at the Fairgrounds, for the first time this year. Also on the bill are the Neville Brothers, Jimmy Buffett, Widespread Panic, Al Green, Randy Newman (wonder what he’ll play), Elvis Costello, Santana, Maze featuring Frankie Beverly, Robert Plant & Alison Krauss and tons of great gospel groups you’ve never heard of.
For tickets, call 1-800-488-5252 or go online at www.nojazzfest.com.
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Bob Schneider, Strings Attached and you
Tickets are still available for Bob Schneider and Strings Attached’s Jan. 25 gigs at St. David’s Church. Beer and wine provided by Wildwood Wines. (No kidding.)
Strings leader Will Taylor notes his last shows with Bob in 2006 were completely sold out. The shows are 7:30 p.m and 10 p.m. at St. David’s.
Check out http://stringsattached.org/ for more information.
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Van Morrison to play Austin Music Hall March 11
Van the Man is coming to Austin Music Hall March 11. This will be his first show since his Austin City Limits Music Festival gig back in 2006.
Prices for the reserved seat gig are $95 to $250. Tickets go on sale 10 a.m. Feb. 2nd and will be available through GetTix.net outlets including: Waterloo Records, RunTex locations and the UT Co-OP. Charge by phone at (866) 443-8849 or online at www.austinmusichall.com.
Morrison’s newest album, “Keep It Simple” (Lost Highway) will arrive in stores the same day.
It’s his first album of new material since 2005, and the first in years in which he penned all 11 songs specifically for one album.
Word has it there are no horns on the record, which is good news indeed. Not that “Real, Real Gone” isn’t a lovely song, but enough already.
