Prior to coming into American homes on American Idol’s Season 5, Taylor Hicks had been a working musician for over 10 years. Working the bars and clubs of the southeastern US, Hicks honed his craft, becoming the seasoned performer we saw in our living rooms each week. As Season 5 progressed, many fans began to discover the pre-AI Taylor Hicks, and they liked what they saw and heard - a singer and songwriter than transcended what they saw on their TV screens.

Fans discovered that Hicks had recorded two CD’s prior to AI, In Your Time, released in 1997 and Under the Radar, released in 2005. Both CDs were recorded independently and were made under very tight budgets. In Your Time was actually recorded live to save money. Neither CD was widely available, but ended up in the hands of fans through various channels. But now, songs from those two CD’s have been remastered and released by Hicks’ own Modern Whomp Records, under the title Early Works.

The compilation includes six songs from each of the previous CDs; all but two songs are Hicks originals. These songs have been in my possession for two years now, but I was anxious to hear these remastered versions. Would they lose that raw, stripped down, hard working musician quality that I found so attractive? The answer is no, they’ve just made them better, bringing out Hicks’ vocals and the great performances of his backup musicians. “Nostalgic” and “endearing” are the words Hicks uses to describe the compilation, but I’d like to add original, warm, creative, versatile, and passionate.

For those who did not follow Hicks beyond his AI performances each week, or may have heard Taylor Hicks, his post-AI release, Early Works may be a pleasant surprise. Though two of his original songs, Soul Thing and The Deal were included on Taylor Hicks, they were highly produced versions of the songs. What you get on Early Works are songs written and recorded by a young Hicks, taking all he had been exposed to from his immersion into the world of music, that started at the age of nine with the theft of a friends’ Otis Redding album. Hicks tries to set the tone of what it’s all about for him with the placement of Soul Thing on track one - “It ain’t no groove thing, it ain’t no country twang, it’s a just a simple refrain, it’s just a soul thing.” But it is all of those things and more on Early Works. You feel his love of music, no matter what the genre on this CD – the bluesy sound of Somehow, the country feel of West Texas Sky, the calypso beat of Hold Onto Your Love, the New Orleans vibe of My Friend, and the groove of Tighten Up. Most of all, what you discover is that not only is Hicks a great singer and performer, but a damn good songwriter.

Though not written by Hicks, one song on the compilation deserves particular attention. The cover of Georgia, with Billy Earl McClelland on guitar, is worth the over seven minute listen. Hicks eases into the song, handling it almost reverently as a nod to his idol, Ray Charles. But as the song goes on, he makes it his own, taking us to every corner of his vocal ability, from soul wrenching growls to smooth falsetto. For anyone needing an introduction to the vocal abilities and the creativity of Taylor Hicks, this is the song to listen to.

The release of Early Works makes this music more widely available, but it also sets the stage for Hicks’ next CD, which is in the works. According to Hicks, we can expect something more raw and more organic than his post-AI release. I see it as a possible continuation of where he was going before the sharp left turn of AI. At least all of us who are fans of that raw, bar singer side of Hicks hope so.

Early Works is now available exclusively at Target.

OFTV is pleased to welcome a new blogger, Maddie, to the family. Maddie will be entering her sophomore year of high school at the end of this month and we hope to hear more of her teen perspective in the future.

Recently, I attended my first ever 92.5 Riverfront Festival. The event was held at Waterfront Park in Newburyport, MA overlooking the water; an ideal spot to lie out a blanket on the grass and enjoy this free outdoor event.

Before the music even started, the event’s sponsors set up booths, many of which were giving away free samples. I spent quite a bit of time browsing and was able to snag a bowl of Gifford’s Ice Cream, Dunkin Donuts iced coffee, various Trader Joe’s products, some Cabot cheese, and Polar iced tea. I just couldn’t pass up the chance for free stuff!

I did eventually make it back to where we’d set up our blanket, just in time to catch The Brother Kite, the local opening band who had recently won the River Rising Stars contest. Although I enjoyed their music, I found myself anxious for the next band, Needtobreathe, and probably didn’t listen as closely to The Brother Kite as I should have. After a short intermission, Needtobreathe came on stage and began their set. Although all of their music was enjoyable, my personal favorite was More Time, which was featured in the movie P.S. I Love You. The band seemed very relaxed and laid-back, which made their show even more pleasant.

Next up was Matt Nathanson, one of my favorite artists! I was so excited to see him perform live! He was extremely laid-back and talkative, and informed the crowd that he grew up locally, in Lexington, MA, and that he was a “big fan of New Hampshire”. He played many of the songs from his latest CD Some Mad Hope, including my personal favorites Car Crash and Come On Get Higher. In addition to his wonderful music, Matt Nathanson was also hilarious! He was always making jokes, often right in the middle of a song! After a sing-a-long to a new song, Matt Nathanson left the stage into a tornado of teenage girls already lined up for autographs. He was by far my favorite act of the night, and most others in attendance seemed to feel the same way.

The last band, Blind Melon, was a huge letdown after Matt Nathanson’s amazing performance. I only heard a song or two before the rest of my party decided it would be a better use of time to pack up early and beat the traffic instead of listening to the mediocre band.

In all, I was incredibly pleased with my whole experience at Riverfront Festival ’08 and will be sure to go back next year.

If you’re interested in finding out more about these River artists, you can visit the following sites.

The Brother Kite

http://www.thebrotherkite.com/

http://www.myspace.com/thebrotherkite

Needtobreathe

http://www.needtobreathe.net/

http://www.myspace.com/needtobreathe

Matt Nathanson

http://www.mattnathanson.com/

http://www.mattnathanson.com/

Blind Melon

http://www.blind-melon.com/

http://www.myspace.com/blindmelon

For about two months, my calendar for June 28 was marked “Martin Sexton at the LL Bean Summer Music Festival.” As the date approached and I had no volunteers to accompany me and gas prices rose, it started to look like I would spend another Saturday night at home. But one day driving home from work, I was listening to my favorite radio station, The River (92.5), when a commercial came on for a band called The Mystix. The grittiness of the lead singer’s voice and the driving guitar had me turning up the volume. I discovered that they were playing in the neighboring town of Londonderry, NH at a little venue called the Tupelo Music Hall. Interest piqued, I went home and checked out the band’s website, and immediately visited the Tupelo website to purchase tickets.

While this review is about The Mystix, I would be remiss not to talk a bit about Tupelo.  Housed in unassuming old white farmhouse, it would be easy to just drive by.  I had heard from friends that it was an intimate setting and a great place to get up close and personal with the music. What they didn’t tell me was that there is an absolute musical gem right in my backyard. Once inside, the atmosphere is warm and inviting. The night I visited, the venue was set up with about 30 tables for four lit with candles. They sell non-alcoholic beverages and food items and you can BYOB, paying $3 for each person who will be drinking. The one big surprise about the venue was the quality of the sound, which was amazingly crisp and clear. It did not overwhelm the small room but still allowed you to really feel the music. Owner Scott Hayward should be complimented on the full package he has put together here. It was recently announced that Hayward would build a new Tupelo in the neighboring town of Derry. After experiencing Tupelo, I hope he works to maintain this amazing quality in a new, larger venue.

Jo Lily, front man for The Mystix, said he visited Tupelo three years ago to see Jonathan Edwards and has been itching to play the room ever since. His itch was finally scratched on a cool New England summer night, when Lily and his band brought some hot, sultry, juke joint sounds to that small New Hampshire room.

The Mystix are an all-star band of sorts, comprised of journeymen musicians from the Boston/New York music scene. With roots in blues, rock, and country, their most recent CD, Blue Morning, has become a fixture on roots and country playlists around the country.

The evening’s entertainment started with a four song instrumental set, which included a playful, driving version of Duke Ellington’s Caravan, by three members of The Mystix – guitarist Bobby Keyes, drummer Marty Richards, and bassist Marty Ballou.  Keyes is clearly the standout here. A longtime studio player at the legendary Fame Studios in Muscle Shoals, Keyes has played with everyone from Jerry Lee Lewis and Ben E. King, to New Kids on the Block and most recently, Lil Wayne and Robin Thicke. Keyes is also an accomplished songwriter, writing four songs for Thicke’s recent CD and co-writing with Lily for The Mystix. But it’s his guitar playing that’s on display here - he is a six string virtuoso. His play is inspired, passionate, and clean. His guitar comes alive under his gentle touch. This description, from a CD Baby review, hits the nail on the head. 

He can switch from “Surf-style-spaghetti-western” to Django Reinhardt-style hot jazz to kiss-ass rock riffs in the blink of an eye and never break a sweat.

The trio was later joined on stage by keyboard player Tom West, and lead singer and guitarist Lily. Lily’s gravely, passionate vocals grabbed hold of the audience with Let’s Get Started and didn’t let go throughout their 14 song set. Some highlights included: the jumpin’ juke joint inspired Keyes/Lily original, Yolanda; the rocking Bourbon Street rhythms of New Orleans; and the Traveling Wilbury’s tune Rattled.

A taste of Yolanda at the Lizard Lounge in Cambridge, Massachusetts, 2007.

I’ve read that they are a much tighter band since this performance - changing their drummer and adding a keyboard player.

Their country side was on display with their George Jones inspired original What Side of Heartache, which has risen to the top of the playlist on XM Country, and a cover of Porter Wagoner’s Nothing Between. They gave a couple of interesting nods to their interest in roots music. The first, Almost Down to the Shore was written by Jimmy Struthers, a blind axe murderer whose music was recorded at a penitentiary in VA by the Dust-to-Digital project. And the second, the encore, a song that they had never before performed live, Stephen Foster’s Hard Times Come Again No More. Yes, Stephen Foster - the “father of American music,” composer of Oh! Susanna, Camptown Races, and Beautiful Dreamer. Lily mentioned being asked to record this song by Keyes for a movie project, and how he was intimidated because it had been performed so perfectly by Bob Dylan. Having experienced Lily’s performance and watching Dylan’s performance, I’d take Lily’s version, hands down.

The Mystix are currently in studio working on their third CD which, according to Lily, will be more focused on roots music. If you get a chance to see the Mystix, I would highly recommend that you do, and you too will believe that the south has indeed moved to New England.

You can find The Mystix CD’s on CDBaby and iTunes online, and at Newbury Comics and Dyno Records in Newburyport, MA.

I went to see John Mayer and Colbie Caillat this Thursday at the Susquehanna Bank Center in New Jersey. After arriving approximately an hour late due to a mix-up, I am surprised at the mile traffic back-up still trying to enter the arena. I’ve never been to this arena before or to a John Mayer concert for that matter. I am also surprised that it now costs $20 to park in Camden and at the amount of tailgating that is still going on in the parking lot. It is very similar to what the parking lot looks like at the Wachovia four hours before a Philadelphia Eagles game. I see a big truck with “John Mayer” written on it, and hooked to it is a trailer with a huge jumbo screen on which the tailgaters are watching Colbie Caillat perform.

Colbie Caillat performs at the Susquehanna Bank Center on 7/10/08, opening for John Mayer. Photo by THawks.

Upon entering the arena, there are still thousands of people milling about buying their $12 drinks and $35 JM t-shirts and now I understand why there are still so many people in the parking lot tailgating! When I finally reach my seat, I hear Colbie singing her radio friendly song “Bubbly” and the crowd is happy. She then sings Jackson 5’s “I Want You Back” and ends with “The Little Things”. I miss most of her set, but Colbie looks great and I enjoy what I do hear. After some convincing, I’m able to get past security and take a nice close-up shot of her.

When Colbie leaves the stage, a large portion of the audience heads out for a short break. A large group of “roadies” rush the stage and carry off her stuff. They start setting up for John and I notice a huge silky gray back-drop in the background. They roll out two large area rugs where John and his fellow guitar players will stand. The instruments are rolled out on platforms and racks of guitars are set in place rather quickly. His band starts warming up and before I know it, I hear the music to “Belief” and the crowd roars. Then, through all the lights, I see him!

John Mayer performs at the Susquehanna Bank Center on 7/10/08. Photo by THawks.

He is wearing a black sleeveless t-shirt, his guns and tattoos in full view. He’s wearing jeans and I notice that his jeans are either too big or he has recently lost some weight and we occasionally see his white boxers. After “Belief”, he tells us he’s going back to his “know it all years when he really didn’t know anything” and then we hear “No Such Thing” and “Why Georgia”. Two beach balls are being tossed around in the crowd seated in the orchestra area and some people have brought “We Love You John!” signs.

He takes us back to 2006 when he had a bunch of songs put together for Continuum and he tells us a story about how “he needed one song to be in charge” and then he sings “Waiting on the World to Change” to a screaming audience. At this point, I realize most of the crowd is standing and I don’t think I could sit again if I tried. We hear “Vultures” and “Bigger Than My Body” (hey, maybe he means his jeans!).

He tells us that some songs are meant for when “you know a relationship just isn’t working out” and he mentions the song “Stupid Mouth” but then starts to play “Slow Dancing in a Burning Room”.

He does an amazing cover of “Crossroads”. I noticed when he plays guitar live he gets “in the zone” and the songs are extended by five minutes or so and no one seems to mind. I try to get closer to get a better picture of him but his security detail isn’t letting anyone get any closer to the stage. I do my best with the camera I have with me.

He addresses the crowd about every three songs or so and they react with extreme admiration. He sincerely thanks us, his fans (who have filled this 25,000 capacity arena) for “still being able to do this gig.” The stage lighting changes quite a bit but I notice that the only thing he really changes throughout the show is his guitar. This man was born to play the guitar and he just happens to sing really well too. His band is just as impressive, especially his guitar players, Robbie McIntosh and David Ryan Harris. He highlights them both quite a few times during the show.

The crowd reacts to John Mayer. Photo by THawks.

He sings “Free-fallin” by Tom Petty and I really enjoy his version. Then he tells us he’s going to get “bluesy” and he sings the Herbie Hancock song “Stitched Up”. He closes with “Gravity” and most of the massive crowd is on their feet singing along with him.

He comes back for an encore to a thunderous crowd and sings “Bold as Love” and then segues into “The Wind Cries Mary”. It is CRAZY GOOD. He has mad talent and I don’t want this one to end. He does end it though, with “Wheel” and “Say”. He gives us cards reminding us he will be coming back to The Borgata in Atlantic City to perform on August 24th with special guest One Republic. I’m checking my schedule already, John.

This video was released last week. Please leave a comment at YouTube if you like it!

So, as promised but a bit later because that’s how things always go for me, here is my picking-apart of a song so we can all start learning a bit about the vocabulary of music. I have randomly chosen the Beach Boys’ song “Darlin’” because it happened to come up on my radio station on Pandora.com. (It’s called “get up smiling :)” if you want to try to find it.) If you haven’t heard the song, take a moment to listen to it below. I’d recommend listening with headphones if you have a pair handy; it’s hard to hear the bass on normal computer speakers.

Let’s start with a quick structural overview. There are two major patterns to observe: first, the pattern of verse, chorus and other parts; second, the rhyme scheme within each of those parts. The verse-chorus structure is pretty typical for a pop song, with an introductory chorus, alternation between two verses and the chorus, and a short bridge before the final chorus and the fadeout. We can abbreviate this as C-V1-C-V2-C-B-C-fade.

I will get into the chorus in more detail later, but at the moment let’s examine the fascinating rhyme structure of the verse lyrics and the way that interplays with the vocal melody. This song is unique in that each verse consists of six lines arranged as three couplets. This means (in case you don’t remember poetry from English class) that the first two lines rhyme (AA), the second two lines rhyme on a different sound (BB), and the last two lines also rhyme on yet another sound (CC). Rhyme structure is important in pop songs, as it reinforces the ability of the listeners to learn and remember the lyrics. The melody follows this as well: the first two lines have identical melody, as do the second two. The last two lines in the verse repeat the melody of the first two, then launch into the small “joining” piece, “Oh, Darlin’”, which lets us know we’re moving back into the chorus again. This structure somewhat mimics the traditional (gospel/blues/slave) “call and response” structure, except of course it is the solo vocalist singing both parts.

Now for the chorus. It is, at its core, quite simple and “sing-along-able”–the complexity lies in the two contrapuntal lines being sung by the soloist and by the backup singers. As previously mentioned, the introduction to the song is an instance of the chorus, but in this case only the backup singers are heard. This gives us the chance to hear clearly and learn this portion of the melody. The tonal quality (timbre) of the voices mimics the horns in the instrumental lines–while the Beach Boys are primarily a vocal band, their various songwriters were always conscious of the “voices” of the instruments used and there would be plenty of experimenting to get just the right sound. (This gets more interesting when you listen to various live versions of songs, when it wasn’t possible to precisely control both instrumentation and recording practice.) The background part of the chorus is simple lyrically and melodically, but the word “Darlin’” repeats twice, thereby making sure we’ll remember the name of the song.

The solo part of the chorus is higher in the balance of the recording, of course, as we are meant to listen to this part. While the background is punchy (staccato) and hornlike, the solo is smoother (legato) and accurately conveys the depth of love he has for the subject “Darlin’”. The fact that there are two independent yet complementary lines going on at the same time is what makes this counterpoint. By focusing your mind on one or the other, you can hear each clearly, but relaxing your mind you will hear the ebb and flow of the two parts–an entirely different sonic experience.

The bridge, generally, serves to add some variation and keeps the audience’s attention by giving them something different instead of another verse, before the final chorus (and in this case, fadeout). As such, the chords and instrumentation change, as do the lyrics (consisting of a single line and a couplet) and melody (the couplet lines do not have the same melody, as the verse couplets do). Yet it still ends with the “Oh, Darlin’” that launches into the chorus. There is also, at the beginning of the bridge, an upward movement of chords that is not present in the verse, which serves as warning that we are doing something different this time. The lyrics tie in to the previous verse’s final couplet (”Gonna love you every single night / Cause I think you’re too out of sight”) by singing a variation on that line:

Oh, every night, oh Darlin’

Gonna love you every single night, yes I will
Cause I think you’re too doggone out of sight

Lyrically, then, we can tell this is a love song: a man has been rescued from a life without love by Darlin’. Musically, it is also a song of celebration.

It is uptempo, in 4/4 time with a strong emphasis (as is usual in rock songs) on the 2 and 4 beats, a/k/a the backbeat. The staccato horns, tambourine, and rolling piano line keep the song moving forward and upward: no sappy embrace, this song, but a jubilant dance, the kind of hug that picks you up and spins you around.

I leave you with two more versions of Darlin’ (and the recognition that, yes, this might be overkill). The first is a live version from a 70s incarnation of the Beach Boys, and the second is a live version from Brian Wilson and his current band, several years ago.

In recent interviews, the new American Idol, David Cook, has been predicting that his first CD will be “anthemic”. This week he talked to John Melendez of the Jay Leno show, after Cook says that his CD will be a rock record, Melendez asks him about playing with ZZ Top on the AI finale and asks:

is it going to be more that kind of rock, like a bluesy-based… ?

Cook replies,

Nah, It’ll be still kind of anthemic, I think for me, it’s just gonna be a matter of putting out songs that have something to say..

David Cook Tonight Show Interview

Is that an actual genre of rock music? Why does it give me visions of hair bands in large arenas full of my male classmates who thought that “2001: A Space Odyssey” was deep, their bics alight..

In more recent years, think U2, possibly the most pretentious rock band of all time. Or Spinal Tap.

Here’s a definition that doesn’t give me a lot of comfort:

Music is a pretty manipulative art-form at the best of times, but even so, Anthemic Rock is a particularly manipulative musical genre. The whole point of Anthemic Rock is to tug at the guts of the listener: to instil in him or her a peculiar sense of yearning for something that can’t quite be defined. It’s a stirring feeling, but also a slightly queasy one if you stop to think about it too much (as is my wont). But perhaps the most disturbing aspect of Anthemic Rock is the fact that, when you actually stop and listen to it, the lyrics are so often working at cross-purposes to the music: while the music of Anthemic Rock is, by definition, designed to be played loud, through speakers, and heard by large groups of people at the same time to create some kind of communal experience, the lyrics are often, in fact, about cutting off the listener from the rest of the world.

Yelling About Music

I thought some more about what makes a rock song anthemic:

Accessible melody, sing-a-long chorus “We Don’t Need No Education”, “We Are The Champions” The simpler the lyrics, the easier the chorus is to learn, the more likely the band will create the massive communal experience that only loud familiar music and lots of beer and/or secondary inhalation of illegal smoke inspires. Power chords and an insistent 4-4 beat are a must.

The lyrical theme must be Serious. No little deuce coupes, endless summer nights or honky tonk women.

Living on a prayer, and Not getting fooled again are fine themes. It’s also fine to sing about “Only Rock & Roll”, “I Love Rock n Roll”, “Rock and Roll All Night” or “Old Time Rock N Roll”.

If it’s a song you danced to at weddings, or made out to in high school, it’s probably not anthemic rock. However, a rock anthem may well have been your prom theme in the 1980s:

If your neighbor played it every night in the dorm while you tried to sleep or study, then it probably is anthemic rock.

I love the communal aspect of rock music. The thrill of classic rock concerts is sitting in a hockey rink with 18,000 of your closest friends, Paul McCartney in the Garden, “Back in the USSR” with that driving beat hardwired into our collective brains, and for three minutes he was just seventeen, if you know what I mean… and so were we. At the beginning we really did think rock music would change the world, because it made us feel like we could.

While I usually like my music with sophistication, funk and groove and soul, or at least an awesome beat, I respect the power of anthemic rock. A few years ago I finally got to see one of my favorite late 60s bands, the Guess Who, with its founding members Randy Bachman and Burton Cummings. Mr. Bachman was also in another major band, Bachman-Turner Overdrive. So naturally the concert included a few of BTO’s big hits including this:

Since TCB was not one of my favorite songs, I didn’t have a personal emotional connection to the song, but a good portion of the crowd certainly did. I couldn’t help but get swept into the party.

I say you can be anthemic without sacrificing the beat and the groove. These are tunes that make you want to dance the night away and kick some butt all at the same time..

So to the Newest American Idol I say, go write some rock anthems, and bring us all together with raucous glorious noise. But remember the words that Emma Goldman didn’t actually say, “If I can’t dance I don’t want to be in your revolution.” Power chord ballads have their place, but you can’t find redemption without a saxophone:

The Greatest Rock Anthem Ever

(embedding disabled)

Good things come to those who wait! Patience is a virtue! I know, you’ve heard it all before, but it’s true! As you will soon find out. I am pleased to “finally” continue with the OFTV Spotlight series. In April you were introduced to the band SPOONFUL JAMES through the words of bass player Quinn Borland. Now it’s time to sit back and enjoy getting to know Quinn himself.

Interview with Quinn Borland

What is the story behind the name “Spoonful James”?

Q: We had a tough time coming up with a name. We wanted it to express our love for Blues music, but still be original, since that’s the type of band we were. I remember Wynn and I were stumped for a while and couldn’t get away from this “highway” theme for a name. It didn’t really come together when you said it, so we scratched it. One day we were listening to Cream do the old “Spoonful” song and we came to agree that song was one of our favorites. We didn’t want to completely rip off the song name, so we added “James” to make it sound like an old blues player. You know, like Lightning Hopkins or Muddy Waters. Plus I was on a Rick James kick at the time.

In your “History of Spoonful James”, that we published in April, you mentioned a little something about a riot. To refresh the memory of our readers, you were playing with a band called “Fletch Lives” at the Florabama and the band was asked to leave the stage because you might start a riot. Can you explain the story behind this?

Photo courtesy of Wes Williams

Q: Well, it was one of the most fun times of the Fletch days. You mix 40-60 year old alums, college kids, biker gangs and young spring breakers, and you have the makings for a really good party. We weren’t asked to leave, but we were “urged” to stop the set. We were on the tent stage, which was the closest to the beach. Apparently a few girls were a little intoxicated and were dancing provocatively in front of the stage. I remember we were playing Superstition by Stevie Wonder. The combination of those two facts really sent the crowd into a frenzy. They started to rush the stage and people started pushing. We had a 2×4 barrier frame in front of us, so we thought we were fine. We had never seen a crowd react so strongly. They were awesome, singing along, dancing and trying to get a glimpse of what was going on at the stage. Just when everything was starting to peak, one of the managers ran up to the side of the stage and started yelling “YOU’RE GOING TO START A RIOT! SHUT IT DOWN, SHUT IT DOWN!” That’s when people started to rush the stage and it got a little scary. We shut down and quickly exited with our guitars. Security was called in, just in time to save our equipment. We still got paid for the full set, of course.

Are your gigs your only source of income? Do you have a day job?

Q: The first two Spoonful albums we are proud to say were funded entirely by our gigs. Although for 7 Mile we did get some help. We were right at poverty level for many years and for two years I lived in a one bedroom efficiency apartment. It was rough, but it really taught me some things about working hard and the value of a dollar.

These days I work for a GPS tracking company. I started in this industry about three years ago and absolutely love it. We put these little black boxes into company vehicles and monitor them on our website with maps, speeds, historical data and everything (like that Hulk Hogan episode where he tracks his daughter’s car). Yep, I sell Tattlers’ .

Do you or Spoonful James have any projects in the works? Either individually or as a group? CDS etc?

Q: Wynn and I have some songs, but we have to put our heads together to really make them Spoonful songs. These days that seems harder to do than writing with our busy schedules.

When you write songs, where do the ideas for the lyrics usually come from? How do you decide what type of song it should be (like style of music, tempo, etc)?

Q: It usually starts on the guitar with Wynn. I’m best at writing bridges, hooks and changes.

What instruments do you play?

Q: Just bass and guitar. I do play some guitar, but only in the house. Also, I am currently practicing slide.

Are you self-taught or have you studied music?

Q: When I was 14, I took lessons for three months from a great teacher in Dothan, Mike Love. This guy looked and played exactly like Michael Anthony from Van Halen. He let me learn anything I wanted. I’d come in with a new Metallica song and he’d teach it to me. Really refreshing. Different from the stiff piano teachers. I took piano lessons for 2 weeks, hated it. I think the key to keeping a kid interested in music is to let them learn what they want every now and then. It’s always good to teach the essentials, but once a month let the kid learn a Beatles song. Post 1965 Beatles song, that is. After this I pretty much had the basics and built on that. Oddly enough I stole a few licks from Mitch Jones (LiMBO), before we really got to know each other. He’s a great player.

What inspires you the most about the music business?

Q: The ability to create something out of nothing and being able to get it to as many ears as possible.

What disappoints you the most?

Q: Greed. Oh and people downloading music for free.

Who is your favorite artist? Favorite song?

Q: Sly & the Family Stone. As for my favorite song, probably something from Derek and the Dominos “Layla” album. I can’t name just one.

What new music have you discovered recently, that you would like to share with the readers?

Q: Betty Davis (Miles’ wife) : Total Funk. Larry Graham (bass player from Sly & the Family Stone) played on her first album, which I picked up on Amazon.

As your music career moves forward, what outside of music would fulfill you the most?

Q: Being able to take my family on the road if it ever got to that point.

What is your favorite standout memory of your music career?

Q: Definately recording with Buddy Miles. We knew we had done something right when he came to the studio. We all loved Band of Gypsys and when we were warming up, we started playing “Who Knows?” with Buddy. You know when you hear music that you really enjoy and it gives you goose bumps? It was like that, except we were playing it. The feeling is indescribable. It literally took my breath away. We learned so much from that guy and we really miss him.

*** Buddy Miles passed away in February at the age of 60. (A little trivia on Buddy Miles: He was the voice of the singing California Raisin!)

That’s it for now folks, we’ll continue with Quinn’s interview in the next installment of OFTV Spotlight. In the meantime, why not visit www.myspace.com/spoonfuljames and www.cdbaby.com to check out Quinn and Spoonful James. Stop by, say hi, and give a listen to some great music!

If you have any questions for Quinn, I’m sure he will be more than happy to answer them. Just include your questions in the comment section and I will make sure he receives tham.

I’m a few weeks behind, but I’m finding some gems to put in this week’s New Music. I’m also playing with a very cool new Amazon widget, where you can preview a song or CD, and download the MP3s. I think everyone will enjoy previewing the US debut CD by the British soul sensation Duffy. Let me know how you like the widget!