Remember when Jerry McQuire was in the Miami Hilton, ate some bad pizza, went to bed and suddenly woke up to a nervous breakdown that led him to write his “Mission Statement”? I kind of feel like that is how the birth of my latest Rawhide and Velvet column in the October/November issue on Lone Star Music went down…except without the nice hotel and instead of some hockey player’s kid making me feel guilty, I got pissed off at random comments on iTunes. Hmmm…so that means it was nothing like Jerry McQuire.
Never mind.
I am a little worried about this one…but it was sincere. That is all I can say.
So the Randy Rogers Band has a new song out. It’s the first single from their next album, Trouble, and it’s called “One More Sad Song.” Have you heard it yet?
Well of course you have. The more important question is, what do think of it?
No, wait — let me take a wild but educated guess, based on everything I know about fans of Texas country music: You LOVE it and it’s the best song you’ve ever heard! Or, you HATE it, and you hate it with a passion so deep, you have no choice but to call the coroner because everything you ever loved about the Randy Rogers Band, everything that made them special and worth believing in for 10 long years, is clearly dead. So dead, in fact, that you didn’t even have to hear the whole song: you could smell the stank of Nashville all over it just by clicking the little sample on iTunes.
It’s that simple, because you’re a Texas country FAN, and clearly there’s no room for any opinion on the subject between those two extremes. You either love the new Randy Rogers Band single or you hate it, and by extension, you KNOW that the rest of the album is going to either be totally amazing, or it’s gonna suck — even though Trouble won’t even be out until like, next year.
What the hell is wrong with you people? And by “you people,” I mean … us. Because hell, I am the first person to jump on an artist and give them a hard time about making what I consider to be a “bad” decision. And I’m not only a total bitch who’s said some pretty harsh things about various people on my blog and on the radio, but a total hypocrite, too, because I have seriously cried when some of those people have turned around and criticized me — calling me a “bitch,” for instance (like William Clark Green did because I said he looked like Chaz Bono). Oh, and on the flip side, I can totally gherm your ass, too, as Brandon Jenkins, Sunny Sweeney, and the Trishas can all attest.
So yes, people — I am a fan, just like all of y’all, so don’t think I’m just passing judgment here. This is a cry for help that I’m making on behalf of all of us. Well, actually just on behalf of the haters and “the sky is falling” doomsayers on the scene. The self-help group for all the “Go Team!” cheerleader apologists will meet in a column to be scheduled later.
Now … let’s have us a look-see at what some of us Negative Nancies and Bitter Bills have been saying about Randy’s “One More Sad Song” on iTunes. Fair warning, it’s gonna get ugly.
“Needs to go back to the drawing board and start writing his own songs again. C’mon man. Think outside of the box.”
You’ll note how this one starts out addressing Randy in the third person, and then switches to directly addressing him. We feel entitled to that kind of familiarity as fans in this scene because we’re accustomed to having direct access to our favorite artists after each and every show. Well, at least until they get too big for their britches or get spooked and stop feeding the man-fan bears. But I digress. Let’s address that matter of Randy needing to write his own songs again. Uh, hello — who do you think wrote “One More Sad Song”? RANDY DID.
“The new single is something you wouldn’t wanna step into out in the cow field …”
Translation: “I think this single sounds like shit, but I’m gonna say so using one of those fancy metaphor-whatnots that so-called “professional” music critics like to use so people think I’m clever.” Well played. But wait! He/she goes on …
“Idk if they wrote this song but it isn’t what we are used to hearing from them … it sure as heck isn’t Randy Rogers Band sound/music.”
“Idk” what your computer calls it, but it sure as heck says Randy Rogers Band when I play the song in my iTunes — and I’m pretty sure that’s them standing up against a brick wall behind a giant RRB logo and above the song title in the album art. But you make a point echoed by another confused fan here:
“I am from 13 miles outside of Cleburne, TX in Grandview and this isn’t what I am used to.”
This I do know and understand, because change is scary, right? Every time I hear a new song by one of my favorite artists and it’s not a carbon copy of their other song that I’m already used to, Ike Turner Ballou has to take a sick-day to make sure I don’t have another episode like that one time Stoney LaRue played that song with two chords in it.
Moving along …
“OK song, but definitely not Country and doesn’t sound like Texas country at all. Guess that’s why they didn’t allow the 484 South Band to open for them in Baton Rouge this year — didn’t want an outlaw country band to show them up.”
I’m sorry, but can you please be a little more specific there, iTunes user “Joe Schultz”? I’ll admit I’m not familiar with this apparently jilted 484 South Band you speak of, so let’s pop their name into Google and see what … ah, there it is: Baton Rouge’s own 484 South Band, featuring the guitar stylings of one Mr. Keith Schultz! Surely no relation, right?
Now I wonder when somebody’s going to say … ah, here it comes:
“The title of this song should be ‘Welcome to Nashville.’”
Ah yes — we LOVE to bring up the Texas vs. Nashville rivalry every chance we get, don’t we? Again, there’s no “we” without “me,” because I break out that “N word” just about each and every time when I want to gripe about what I think is crappy music, too. I’m going to address that a little bit more in a second, but what I love about how it’s used here is that “welcome to” part. Because we all know Randy and the boys are all brand new to having anything to do with anyone in Big Bad Music City. Up until last week, they were still safe inside the womb of Cheatham Street Warehouse, right?
Please. By now, I can assure you that Randy knows Nashville so well, he probably knows the name of every gift shop and food vendor in the airport there. And you wanna know who probably told him “Welcome to Nashville” before you? Radney “Del Rio, TX 1957” Foster, that’s who — way back in 2003 or whenever they first started writing and recording Rollercoaster together. Now I’ll grant you, Randy has gotten a little slicker over the years and “One More Sad Song” isn’t exactly “Lost and Found,” but come on … it isn’t exactly “Truck Yeah” or “Corn Star” either, is it? And it’s not like Randy’s rapping about drinking beer on a backroad.
But sticking with that mindset, uh oh …
“Long way from Cleburne to Nashville. Say hello to Pat Green while you are there.”
OUCH! Hold the phone. It’s all over now. Someone just played the Pat Green “sell out” card. Ewww … that is the ultimate insult of all insults to get from a dedicated Texas music fan, isn’t it? But again with the trying to say it all sly and clever? Can’t anybody here in iTunes land stand up and HATE like they really mean it?
“100% pure Nashville CRAP. You boys have done a darn fine job of selling out, u aint what u used to be. Was the money worth it??”
Finally! Someone with the balls to go all-caps on the band’s ass. And then the guilt trip, jamming that “darn fine job of selling out” in their face like a mock complement, followed by a one-two combo punch of shame-on-you and was-it-worth-it. When I read that, I can’t help but picture Randy and Brady and Geoffrey and Les and Jon all sitting on top of a giant pile of cartoon cash like greedy Scrooge McDucks, looking at each other with “what-have-we-done?” looks of self loathing. And then I imagine that reviewer, iTunes user “west tx cowboy,” smiling all proud and smugly to himself in front of his computer screen and dribbling chaw spit into a Lone Star Beer can.
Like I said, I can be a real bitch myself sometimes.
Trust me, I had a lot more to say, so if I haven’t already lost your attention, click HERE to finish the article. PLEASE feel free to comment on what you thought about this one…and you don’t have to agree with me, I like it better when you don’t.
Be sure to pick up this issue of the Lone Star Music magazine to read all about coverboy Ryan Bingham, a column from Isbell, reviews of the new Departed, Bart Crow, Chris Knight, Uncle Lucious and a crapton more!
~Rb
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You might be a real bitch, but you’re an awesome one! This may have been your best post!!!!
Ha! Thank…
Sidenote: this went to press long before me and WCG hugged it out. He’s cool.
i think good music is good music, no matter what part of the USA it came from. you think Biggie and TuPac had a rivalry…just look at texas and nashville right. give me a break!
people that harp on RRB or PG for selling out are also the ones that only want to hear carney man @ a ccr show (circa 2008). they need to give new music a chance and get off your band wagon
i guess everyone should only sing the songs they wrote 10 years ago, b/c yeah, that is moves us and these artists forward
This was an awesome read Rita, well done once again…whenever I get into this debate with people I always compare it to a recent situation I have encountered. I have a good friend who just made the final table of the world series of poker. He has been playing for about 6-7 years now professionally with his goal being to make a living doing it. He just caught his big chance. I have yet to hear one of our friends say “what a sellout, I remember when he used to play in my garage”. People set goals in life and deserve to be praised for achieving them. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion and when you get into any sort of entertainment industry you have to know that not everyone will like you. But I do believe artists should be commended for being able to make a living do what they love, as long as they dont sing “Truck Yeah” etc…Keep doing what you do Rita, I will certainly continue to be a huge fan of yours. Hope to run into ya at a show sometime soon.
You can’t be a Texas Country legend until you go to Nashville, become unhappy with the way the record company messes with your songs/messes with your image/promotes your recordings/blah, blah, then return to the warm loving bosum of dancehalls, festivals, and bar gigs in Texas. If really lucky you catch a bit of lightning and write a good song that one of your Nashville contacts takes global and you become a multi thousandaire if the artist or their label didn’t kidnap the publishing rights. At least in Texas you’ve got a fall-back position and fans always seem to forgive. So much so that they spray beer on your very expensive electronic equipment in some sort of bizarre christening ritual. Write 2 songs and you get a better tour bus.
I just read this over on Lonestarmusic.com. I think you are correct in your responses to those Itunes comments. Too many people cry “sell out” whenever an artists puts out a new song that happens to sound different from prior releases. It is an ongoing attitude that many Texas music fans embrace, and it will not change. It happens prior to the release of every single album.
With that being said, I do feel it is okay to criticize the song for what it is. Too often, if you criticize an established Texas music artists’ work, whether it be an album or a single, the person doing the criticizing get’s blasted by would-be defenders and apologists with the cliche “Well, it’s not “TRUCK YEAH”" or “Do you expect (insert artist) to keep singing about drinking beer and floating the river?”. Trust me, I have had this happen over on galleywinter.com. I criticize an artist and get the exact comments above.
I do not like this single by Randy Rogers Band. No, it isn’t “Truck Yeah” or any of those laundry list songs Nashville seems to be in love with these days. However, the song is a pop song. It’s a slickly produced pop song that doesn’t sound country whatsoever. That is why I do not like it. I think it is a good song for what it is, but I do not like the song, not because of its lyrical content, but because of the sound. I like steel guitars and fiddles. I like music more in the vein of Jason Boland & The Stragglers, Dale Watson, The Derailers, Eleven Hundred Springs, Jason Eady, etc. I think Randy Rogers Band is a good band for what they are. A pop country band in the vein of Alabama. Clever lyrics, good hooks, and soaring choruses.
Justin,
In all respect it doesn’t sound like you are getting her point. I may be wrong and maybe Rita can elaborate but it doesn’t sound like you have always been a die hard Randy Rogers Band fan. If you don’t think the RRB has enough fiddle I think just saying the name Brady Black can win that argument without any other words said.
What I took away from this blog was loyal fans completely wanting to abandon their favorite band forever and turn against them because the first single on their new album was different than what they have always release. The question to ask yourself is if Jason Boland had a new album coming out and he released a single that had hard rock edge to it would you as a fan of the band start screaming from the rooftops how horrible they are and how all they want is fame and riches and everything they have ever recorded in the past 15 years was all them trying to pull a fast one on you?
Your comment was a nice one but you are arguing an entirely differebt subject matter.
Dave,
I appreciate the feedback. Please re-read my above post, specifically the first paragraph where I acknowledge the absurdity of die hard fans turning their backs on a favorite band and screaming “sell-out”. So I completely understand the context of Rita’s article. I even said that I agree with her. So I did get her point…lol.
With that being said, I was intentionally bringing up another point. People who criticize some prominent Red Dirt/Texas bands seem to get lumped into the same group as the die-hards, and then become victim to cliche ridden responses by Red Dirt/Texas apologists. It becomes the flip-side of the die-hards screaming “sell-out”.
Yes, Brady Black is a great fiddle player. The band does feature fiddle pretty prominently, but it has taken a back seat in studio recordings for a very slick sound. I like the Randy Rogers Band. I think they are very talented at what they do, but they are not a country band in the same vein as a Dale Watson or Eleven Hundred Springs. I can play those two guys for my wife, and she would acknowledge them as country, and then play a track off of RRB’s last couple of albums, and she would call them country-pop.
Country-pop does not automatically equal bad music. Country-pop has always been a part of country music in general. We all know the “Nashville Sound” from the 60′s and 70′s. The Avett Brothers also have a banjo in their band, but I would hardly describe them as Bluegrass music.
When did the RRB claim to be a “country” band? I don’t they sound like Dale Watson or have ever tried to sound like 1100 Springs. I’m having a hard time following but your other point was people disagreed with you on Galleywinter?
Creeper,
I don’t think it is that hard to understand what I am saying. I’m not claiming RRB is trying to sound like anyone other than who they are. I’m not sure how you came away with that conclusion.
Also, I was using the galleywinter disagreement as an example to re-enforce the point I was trying to make. It is not the point in and of itself.
The point I was making is this: Sometimes people with legitmate criticizims of Texas music artists are bashed for not going along with every single product that artist puts out.
EXAMPLE: I am not a fan of Cory Morrow’s new stuff, and I mentioned that to a friend the other day, and that friend, who is a die-hard Cory Morrow fan basically came at me with the following line: “He can’t keep singing about floating rivers and drinking beer, he’s more mature now”. As if that is automatically the reason I dislike Morrow’s newer stuff. This happens all the time. It’s not that I dislike the lyrical direction of Cory Morrow. It’s more of the sound he has adopted. Same with Randy Roger’s Band. I dislike their current sound.
I don’t know, if you guys can’t understand what I’m trying to say, then I guess I’m a terrible writer. I think paragraph number 2 in my last post clearly lays out what I was trying to state.
As a side note Creeper: Let’s be real. I think you are pretty much stating you are a country band whenever you are on country radio, tour with fellow country artists, have music videos on CMT, have a fiddle, songs about whiskey, lonely nights, twangy gravely voice, sometimes where a cowboy hat, cover Gary Stewart, are featured prominently on country web sites and blogs, etc etc. I don’t think you have to outright say the words “We are a country band”. So please, spare me the snide comments. The comparison between RRB and the other aforementioned bands was just an example of the difference between what I would consider hard core country music and country-pop.
I’ve always thought the RRB to be more on the “pop” side of the isle but their stuff was always fairly catchy and listenable. That being said, this is truly a terrible, terrible song. The first few times I heard it on KOKE FM I was trying to figure out who it was. Maybe Coldplay? Nah there’s no way in hell a “progressive/alt country” station would play Coldplay. What about The Band Perry or Lady Antebellum? Possibly, but I didn’t think they would play those bands either. When I found out it was the RRB I was kinda shocked.
This really boils down to a bigger issue for me- the fact that Texas bands can put out pure pop garbage but still retain their “Texas Country” street cred. Look, bad pop country is bad pop country, I don’t give a damn where they’re from. Two other bands I’d put in this category are The Eli Young Band and Josh Abbott but there’s a ton more. It’s really starting to be a problem.
Thanks for pointing me to the 484 South Band. That is true raw country rock! Rock on Keith Schultz!
Thanks Paul. At least someone got something useful out of my iTunes comment. It’s funny to be lumped in with the die-hards who are supposedly turning their backs on RRB. I never said I was doing that. I rated the song a 3 and said it was OK. I never said I wouldn’t give the album a chance or would never listen to them again. On a lighter note, it’s awesome to get picked out of tons of comments and put into an article. Any publicity is good publicity even though some would disagree. PS, glad you liked the 484 South Band. There are a really kick-ass coutry rock band. Check out the banjo on Born and Raised!
I remember when Green Day was punk and Randy Rogers used 1 ply tater paper. I also remember Uncle Susan. She didn’t like that name. I later found a rude remark about me in her will, “The boy shan’t receive coins of value”. She didn’t change – Uncle Susan never changed. That is why when everyone has been tapped of their talent and the money dries up, Uncle Susan would have been the only one not to sell out.
paul i saw 484 south open for wade bowen and eli young in baton rouge. i enjoyed the guitar stylings of keith schultz. i don’t recall them being jilted as the whole band was in the crowd after their set. i called them southern rock, you called them country rock, and others may call it fragile rock. rock on keith schultz.