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Truly, the only time I ever listen to the radio is when I’m driving somewhere, and it’s usually a short errand, so I only get to hear about three songs total. Don’t you wonder when the stations actually play the good songs? Because I never seem to catch them. I bet it happens between 2:05 and 2:15 a.m. One guy I just never really cared for is Billy Joel. I think because he has no subtlety. He SHOUTS EVERYTHING! The man must be a joy to live with……”WHAT’S FOR SUPPER!!!” “I LIKE PORK CHOPS!!!” “PASS THE PEAS!!!” It’s okay, Billy, use your “inside voice”. Oh that IS your inside voice? Billy, it’s time to put little Alexa to bed. “OKAY!! TIME FOR A LULLABY!! LULLABY!! AND GOOD NIGHT!! “PLAY ME A SONG!!! YOU’RE THE PIANO MAN!!!” Unfortunately, Christie had to divorce him, because she developed migraines. Who do you not like that everyone else seems to like? And is there something wrong with us for not liking them?

I've had a few jobs in my life. I've been the lowest-level peon (cleaning motel rooms for my parents' business) and I've been a manager of a 150-person department, and everything in between. Doesn't really matter. Work is not fun. Oh, I remember back when I was just out of school. I was so excited to get my first job and to be out in the REAL WORLD. I got a job as a clerk-typist for the State Health Department. And you actually had to take a test to even be considered for an interview! I was eighteen and answering phones, basically. Then, as a special bonus and a nod to my superior abilities, I was asked to become part of a "special project" for the department. All the birth, death, marriage, and divorce records were going to be microfilmed. (Before that, they were just bound in big books). What was this special perk that I was chosen for? I got to go through all the records (starting back in the 1800's) and trace over any printing that was too faint to be read by the microfilm machine! What an honor! So, I was holed up in this back room with one window, with one other person my age and a supervisor. We spent our days with our pencils, tracing over letters, and alternating using the microfilm machine to film the records. It was fascinating work! I was eighteen! Who could ask for more?? The one saving grace in that dank, smoky room (yea, all three of us smoked) was the AM radio. At least we could listen to tunes as an alternative to blowing our brains out. Gordon Lightfoot had a hit song at that time, "Sundown". Just to amuse myself and to break up the monotony, I would sing along with the radio whenever that song came on, in an effort to supremely annoy my co-worker friend. And it worked! She shot me some really evil looks whenever I would sing that song. Ah, good times. We were on the 17th floor of the State Capitol building, and we had one tiny little window that we would sometimes walk over to, to see if there really was any actual life going on outside our little oxygen-starved room. You could hear birds singing! Well, sure, they were singing! They weren't PRISONERS. It was pretty much my worst job ever. At least when I was cleaning motel rooms in high school, I got to go out into the sunlight once in awhile. My friend lived about a block and a half from the capitol building, so sometimes we'd walk down to her place for lunch -- Spaghettios -- because we were quite poor. But we did at least get to bask in the sun as we made our trek from the gates of hell down to her apartment. It was a welcome diversion, as we walked in our short dresses and platform shoes. (had to dress up for work, you know.) I lasted there about a year. I had to either quit or commit myself to an institution for the mentally deranged. I actually went back to work for my parents (in the office this time, thank God). It just occurred to me that I rarely left any job because I wanted to pursue a better opportunity. Usually I was just really bored or ticked off about something. I always told them, though, "It's not you; it's me." But it really was them. But anyway, that's the TRUE story of April Days. Yes, it all happened the way I wrote it. Lo, those many years ago.

I was reading one of Chet Flippo's columns today. He's one of my favorite music writers. He had an interesting article about Dale Watson. Here's the relevant part: So, maverick country traditionalist Dale Watson is seceding from country music? "It would be more accurate to leave country out of it," Watson was quoted as saying in the The Exponent, Purdue University's campus newspaper in West Lafayette, Ind. "They own it now, and you can't change it. They've stolen country. To me, it automatically means crap." On his Web site, he further elaborated, "And finally ... the name for the genre. ... I've been trying to come up with a name [media] best describes this music that me and folks similar do. When folks ask, I hesitate, down right embarrassed really, to say country. I didn't used to be, but with the change in country, the term doesn't mean the same as it used to. If you say traditional or old or Western swing, most folks think 'retro' and dismiss it without hearing it. I wanted a name that didn't say country anything and didn't give anyone a preconceived idea." Dale really hit the nail on the head. When people ask me what kind of music we do, I never say "country", because in their minds, I'm sure, that term conjures up images of Kenny Chesney, Tim McGraw, Faith Hill; you know, that lump of sap. I would rather have my fingernails ripped off than have to listen to that stuff on the radio. I feel embarrassed by it; as if somehow because I am associated with country music, that I have to share the responsibility for the shame these artists have wrought upon the music industry. Thus, I no longer listen to country radio. What the hell happened?? Who's responsible for this?? Seriously, I would appreciate anyone weighing in on how this travesty began in the first place. What was the turning point? You can't just say, hey, this is what sells, because CD sales as a whole are WAY down, and weekly sales of 60,000 units (Rascal Flatts - ugh!) constitute a number one ranking on the SoundScan charts. You know, you can say, well, my grandpa used to say, "They don't make music like they used to." To insinuate that I'm just crabby, old, and out of touch. But the lack of sales speaks for itself. And I'll guarantee you that it's not just digital downloads that are taking the place of CD sales. People crave a good CD that they can sit back and enjoy. If these newbies are so great, how come one of the biggest selling CD's of the last few months was Johnny Cash? It's not just the one-foot-in-the-grave consumers who are buying it. It's young people, and dare I say, probably MORE young people than older people. There is still an appreciation for good music that transcends generations. So, back to my original thought. When people ask me what kind of music we do, I say "Alt-Country", but maybe I should say, "alternative to the crappy so-called country music that the labels and Clear Channel force down our throats". But that's kind of awkward and doesn't fit on a business card.