In last week's issue of  the Pulse, an interesting story on why Chattanooga doesn't often receive major music acts was published. According to the article, Jeff Styles, local radio-talk-show-host and music lover, was quoted as saying that the reason for this is mainly due to the lack of alcohol sales in our city's major music venues, such as McKenzie Arena and Memorial Auditorium. Even the Tivoli, with its beautiful, lush interior that harkens back to the glory days of silent film, only offers alcohol in its lobby only. 

For this reason, national promoters are forced to charge ridiculously high prices when we actually do a get a widely-recognized act here. Chattanooga is growing. No doubt, when Volkswagen begins production here, it will be difficult for this city to maintain its out-dated ideology about alcohol consumption. We may be forced to conform to a more mainstream, progressive way of thinking. And if that's the case, it definitely won't be a bad thing. 

To read the original article from the Pulse, click here:

http://www.chattanoogapulse.com/opinion/featured-editorials/7-featured-editorial/103-singing-the-prohibition-blues

In an effort to revitalize the MLK Boulevard area, the Bessie Smith Hall and the Chattanooga African-American Museum are hosting the first ever Bessie Smith Heritage Festival this Saturday, August 23rd.

MLK Blvd., or "the Big Nine," was once a music mecca for the blues and jazz, rivaling Beale Street in Memphis and Bourbon Street in New Orleans. What now provides little more than a link between downtown Chattanooga and Brainerd Road, with decaying buildings and a few struggling businesses, MLK Blvd. used to be called Ninth Street before it's name was changed around thirty years ago. Grocery stores, restaurants, department and retail stores, gas stations, and plenty of music clubs lined the street all of the way down to Highland Park. Musicians from all over the country traveled to Chattanooga to play at various venues and Bessie Smith, the "Queen of the Blues," used to sing on area street corners when she was a little girl. Many of Chattanooga's prosperous African-Americans lived, worked and played there.

Unfortunately, time has not been kind to the area and though there are businesses that have survived and the MLK neighborhood has gone through an impressive revitalization with new and restored homes, the boulevard itself has been limping on for decades.

The Bessie Smith Heritage Festival includes a demonstration and lecture on Bessie Smith and the history of the blues, as well as live performances by Just a Few Cats, Calvin Richardson and, unfortunately, Ruben Studdard of American Idol fame.

For more information, check out this week's issue of The Pulse or go to their website:

http://chattanoogapulse.com/the-scene/music-features/19-music-feature/100-bringing-back-the-big-9

We're happy and proud to support this historical event. After all, preserving Chattanooga's musical history is one of the reasons we started this magazine. If that means sitting through Ruben "the Velvet Teddy Bear" Studdard's performance, then so be it. But, if Aiken shows up for a surprise duet, then we're sooo out of there.

Check out the Chattanooga African American Museum's website:

http://www.caamhistory.com/

Please excuse our website. We are still in the tweaking process. Some of the links we have added will not be functinable yet. We will get them working as soon as possible. For your reading pleasure, though, we will be posting two new album reviews, Hotpants Romance's It's a Heatwave and Cars Can Be Blue's Doubly Unbeatable, both who will be playing tomorrow night at JJ's Bohemia with the Barberries.

Also expect some changes in design and content as well as some new stuff. So, please be patient with us as we are still growing and learning on our blogging journey along the Internet highway. Thanks for your continued support and check back often!

Literally forming two hours before their first show on February 14, 2005, Hotpants Romance is a Brit-chick, garage/punk trio from Manchester, U.K. Originally, after a band backed out of a gig at the last minute, the idea was to play once a year on Valentine's Day. But, after their 2 1/2 song live debut, they were a hit.

Finally, after releasing their first tape in 2005, selling out all fifty copies and releasing their demo EP in 2006, band members Lowri Evans on bass, Laura Skilbeck on guitar and Kate Armitage on drums have released their first official album on Athens, Georgia record label Happy, Happy Birthday To Me.

It's a Heatwave is simple, fast and loud. In fact, not a one of the girls can sing very well but they sound so cute with their British accents, you learn to ignore it. I guess you don't have to be able to carry a tune if all you're going to do is yell and scream. And that's what they do; which, to their credit, some of the most successful musicians in the industry can't sing. Look at Bob Dylan. That's not to say their songwriting is brilliant, because it isn't. Yet, there is something about this band that is appealing. They're fun. This album is fun. It's not meant to be taken seriously and the band knows that. After all, they did form quite by accident.

The twelve tracks that comprise It's a Heatwave are all under 2 1/2 minutes, with three of them under a minute long but each is memorable in their own way.

"Hotpants No Chance," the first song on the album, is perhaps the closest thing to talent on the record. It's a steady stream of clean, jangly guitar rock about...well...hotpants romance. "Heatwave," fourth in the lineup of garage-pop tunes, consists of two sentences: It's a heatwave (repeat three times) and "Don't get burnt." Don't worry.I didn't.

At worst, Hot Pants Romance arouses curiosity. At best, they might just become your new favorite band.

Hotpants Romance plays Tuesday night at JJ's Bohemia along with Cars Can Be Blue and the Burberries.

Resistance Magazine is in the process of redesigning a new layout! Upon first starting our online magazine, we felt that the current design was simple and effective.

But, the more we post, the more convoluted and messy our once simple design seems to become, making it not-so-reader-friendly. Frankly, I don't like squinting when I am reading.

So, in the next week or so, you will be seeing some changes to our web site. If you happen to have any suggestions, please let us know. Thanks for you continued support and we can't wait to unveil our new design to you!

Republican Jim Hammond won the Hamilton County sheriff's race after previously running twice as a Democrat, according to the Chattanooga Times Free Press. Democrat Greg Beck received just 26% of the vote.

For Hamilton County School Board District 2, Chip Baker won yet again, beating out newcomer Joe Dumas. This is his third straight victory for School Board.

Debra Matthews beat Gregg Juster for District 4 and Michael Dzik lost to Linda Mosley in District 7.

Rhonda "the Hairdresser" Thurman ran unopposed.

Will our new leaders make a positive difference in Hamilton County? We'll see...

"Good evening, Citizens of Chattanooga," said a man wearing an all silver face mask as he spoke into the microphone in an automated-like voice. Wearing an army-green jumpsuit and black combat boots, the mysterious speaker talked of a battle and asked "Will you fight with us?" to which the crowd responded with an arousing "yes!" I wasn't sure which battle I had just joined but I was excited and curious to see where this was going.

Thus was the beginning of a rock-opera that only the Protomen could tell. The Nashville-based band, all wearing black western gear, their faces covered in silver metallic and black paint, stood erect, ready to rock as the mysterious silver-masked man exited the stage, the hum of synthesized keyboards slowly building, sounding vaguely familiar, triggering forgotten memories of long-played Nintendo tournaments in high school.

In a shared billing with Harrison Hudson and Moonlight Bride, the Protomen took over JJ's Bohemia a few weekends ago with their Mega Man-influenced-rock-epic that spanned everything from classic rock to new wave to early-nineties video game music.

The show, much like their self-titled first release, is a majestic rock-opera telling the story of Mega Man, the iconic, Japanese video game legend that has graced the screens of many gaming systems, most notably, the Nintendo Entertainment System. Mega Man, or "Rockman," derived from the Japanese phrase for "Rock and Roll," has one role, as least in the original game, and that is to fight the evil Dr. Wiley, a mad scientist hell-bent on controlling the world with his vast army of robots, and restoring peace everywhere. And that, as they chant defiantly throughout their shows and albums, is exactly what the Protomen intend to do as well.

All eight members of the band play as if their lives depended on it; and according to them, it does, each and every show. With code-names like Commander, Murphy and Heath Who Hath No Name, they raise their arms in long, sudden strikes, saluting the audience and each other, building the morale of their ever-loyal fans -- one of whom followed them from their St. Paul, Minnesota show -- toward their cause. The lead singer, donned in a bright blue motorcycle helmet reminiscent of the helmet Mega Man wore himself, called him their "strongest ally."

Mostly original music, the Protomen lashed us with an unbeatable performance worthy of war-time medals of honor. Fast, scintillating guitars, loud, crashing drums and melodic and robust keyboard action that made me feel as if I was in the video game itself, it was truly one of the best and most creative live shows I've been to in a long time. As if that wasn't enough, the band performed a passionate cover of Kenny Loggins' "Danger Zone," made famous by the 1986 Tom Cruise hit Top Gun.

To the delight of everyone in the overcrowded bar, the Protomen announced it wouldn't be long before they would release a new album, promising to continue the fight for peace and justice in the galaxy. And with that, the mysterious man in the bright blue helmet said in his deep, automated-like voice, "GAME OVER."

I am now one of the converted. I, as well as the rest of us at Resistance Magazine, stand alongside the Protomen in the fight against those who symbolize tyranny and injustice. Their fight has become our fight. And, like the Commander, Murphy and rest of the band, our weapon of choice is good music. The battle may be over, but the war has just begun. The Protomen will be back here to fight once again and Resistance Magazine will be here with them. Will you?

To enlist in the Protomen's fight for peace and justice, follow these links:

http://www.protomen.com/protomen.htm

http://www.myspace.com/theprotomen

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mega_Man_%28character%29

This Thursday, August 7th, we will vote for our next Hamilton County Sheriff. Replacing former Sheriff Billy Long after pleading guilty to federal corruption and drug charges a few months ago, our new sheriff will have a lot on his hands as he tries to cleanse the stain Long left in our city's Sheriff's Department, not to mention Chattanooga's supposed gang problem and recent spree of violent crimes and robberies.

The four candidates running for Hamilton County Sheriff are:

Republican Jim Hammond

Democrat Greg Beck

Independent Jim Winters

Independent Tim Akins













Out of the four current candidates, who would you like to see elected as Hamilton County's new sheriff and why? What qualities would you like to see our new sheriff bring to our city and what do you think should be his first priority and why?

To better educate yourselves as to what the candidates bring to the table, follow these links:

http://civicforum.chattablogs.com/archives/2008/07/the-choices-for.html

http://www.newschannel9.com/common/printer/view.php?db=wtvc&id=969822

http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/jul/31/hamilton-county-role-candidate-associates-sheriffs/

http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/jul/27/sheriff-candidates

http://chattanoogan.com/articles/article_130514.asp

Good luck on Thursday and remember to make a responsible decision.

It was reported yesterday that Exxon Mobil has beaten the record for highest quarterly profit in United States history...again. It's net profit totals $11.68 billion. The title holder for the fourth quarter, which was in December of last year, was...yep, you guessed it: Exxon Mobil with $11.66 billion.

That's funny. I seem to remember not so long ago that the Supreme Court ordered Exxon's punitive damages for the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill (the largest environemental disaster in U.S. history, mind you) be reduced down to $500 million, or 1/10th of the original jury's ruling of $5 billion. Score another point for corporate America.

http://money.cnn.com/2008/07/31/news/companies/exxon_profits/index.htm?cnn=yes

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=75029288

http://www.democracynow.org/2008/6/26/supreme_court_slashes_exxon_valdez_oil

The Moog III is an electronic synthesizer developed by Robert Moog in the mid-1960s. The first band to use this instrument on an album was the Monkees on their 1967 album, Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn and Jones, Ltd. It can also be heard on the Beatles' Abbey Road. It's also known to be a staple in many popular songs of the 1980s. It's an instrument that, if used improperly, can become out of fashion faster than you can say ABBA.

The Mermaid Police, the Cleveland, Tennessee one-man-band, who just recently played at JJ's Bohemia here in Chattanooga, released a second album entitled 3 1/2 Stars earlier this year.

The brainchild of Jason Dooley, who writes and composes the lyrics and music, the Mermaid Police has a dizzying list of musical influences when it comes to his music, including ELO, the Beatles, Jeff Buckley, Vince Guaraldi, Grandaddy, Phantom Planet, Tear for Fears and Wilco.

The album starts out with chunky, electric guitar-driven rock, like its first two tracks, "Eagle Style" and Orange Juice Line Dance," then fades into the soft, dream-like synthesizers of "Icewalk" and "Head in the Cloud," a mix between Sgt. Pepper and Flaming Lips.

3 1/2 Stars offers trance-like gems that border the rave vibe, but pulls back just enough to be considered classic, not dated. The tracks are organized in such a way as to break up the monotony of the more mellow pieces. Just when you're about to fade into your own subconscious, Dooley's pop-rock guitar nudges you back to reality. "How it Falls" hearkens back to the Big Star glory days and Dooley's voice is that of a younger Alex Chilton
.
In his past two years of touring, Jason Dooley has had help from various musicians, including Jason Campbell, Kevin Ray and John Watkins, among others. When it comes to the albums and his creatively-shot videos, though, Dooley does it all himself. And the Moog has never sounded so good.

Check out the Mermaid Police web site to buy 3 1/2 Stars or you can download a non-mastered copy for free.

http://mermaidpolice.com/index.html

I have never been a huge fan of Nirvana. For that matter, grunge music in general was overrated to me. That's because when I was in high school in the early 1990s, most of what I listened to were bands like the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, the Byrds and any other band from that magical period in music history. Sure, the 1960s was a truly historical time for music. But, while I obsessed over whether the voice I heard at the end of "Strawberry Fields Forever" said "I buried Paul" or "strawberry jam", music history was being made all around me. One of those events was the founding of the indie label Sub Pop Records.

Sub Pop became a pioneer in the grunge music scene in the late 1980s and early '90s, making Seattle the grunge-rock kingdom it eventually came to be and forever marking the '90s as the birth and death of Grunge.

Now that I'm older, I see how close-minded I was when it came to music. Though I still consider myself a music snob, I have widened my music-listening range to genres I would have never considered worthy of my time when I was 16, such as country, hip-hop and yes... grunge. Man, I feel old.

Check out NPR's feature on their web site:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=92442916

Also, check out Sub Pop's web site here:

http://www.subpop.com/channel/features/a_form_of_paying_attention_july_2008?class=lightview

Ever wonder who that naked kid in the pool is on the cover of Nirvana's 1991 album Nevermind? 17 years later, here's the answer: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=92833535

In part II of our two-part interview, Marty Bohannon talks with Resistance Magazine about cover bands, the Attic and the Chattanooga music scene.

The Attic, a former Chattanooga bar/nightspot, was a favorite among many locals. Marty Bohannon was a bartender there as well as the booking agent for their vast arrays of live shows. Artists from Andrew Bird to Pat Dinizio of the Smithereens played there. Located on Market Street next to Panera Bread, it resided in the upstairs section of what is now Raw and before that, Buck Wild, the supposed "Coyote Ugly" of Chattanooga.

The Attic closed its doors over five years ago and Chattanooga's music scene has not been the same. Aside from JJ's Bohemia and Barking Legs Theater, only a smattering of small music clubs offer the same high quality music and variety as did the Attic. Many people mourned its loss, and to an extent, still do today. "Businesses come and go. It had a good run. The owners both kind of changed lifestyles from bar owners to family men. They both thought it was time to hang it up. It was a great four years," says Marty.

In a way, the Attic still lives on. At least, it does to Marty. "It was very inspiring to me. I don't think this band would be what it is had that place not existed. I got to meet so many great people and see so many great shows. And it kind of continues, you know, like with JJ's really is the other place now. They're doing something really great down there. It's really cool."

While on the topic of music venues, I asked Marty his opinion about the music scene here in Chattanooga. "I think it's pretty strong. I think we've always kind of exported a lot of our really great people. You know, people finish up school and go away. It's small. It's definitely working. I think it's two totally different appetites and it kind of works on a national scale really...I mean, people you know, the cover bands are so popular because people want to relive a certain memory from twenty years ago or it might be the party place for the weekend and there's a lot of 9-5ers out there who don't have a great appetite for music. They enjoy music but they're not exactly audiophiles by any means. The cover bands I see as tourism. The music I see is art, grass roots. It's a totally different world."

It's not that Marty opposes the cover band industry. In fact, he thinks it's good for the local economy and people who like that particular brand of live music should, by all means, go and enjoy it.

In a way, he feels that the collapse of the record industry has helped a lot of bands work harder to promote their music and even some, re-evaluate their career goals. Instead of waiting on a possible audition from a major record company, many bands like the Bohannons have committed to not only the recording of their own music but to taking a larger part in the PR aspect of the music industry, relying on Internet sites like MySpace and good old fashioned touring to get their names out there. "I've seen it move people to work a little harder. There's all kinds of opportunities and other markets."

For those of us who have lived in Chattanooga all of our lives, it's easy sometimes to take advantage of how much our city has achieved and all of the changes that have been made over the past thirty years. From the downtown revitalization, the boom in our tourist industry and the recent announcement of a VW plant slotted to begin building here within the year, as a city, we have a lot to be thankful for.

As a touring musician and one-time booking agent, Marty has had the opportunity to talk to a lot of musicians who come through Chattanooga. To them, he says, our town is a lot like Asheville, North Carolina."We've hosted a lot of groups who have said a couple of days later that they'd like to come back.To really appreciate it, you've got to get out and see what else is out there."

As for the Bohannons, Marty says it's not about playing for a thousand people. "Becoming recording artists, learning to trust your intuitions, respect from your peers, notoriety from the media. That's really what it's all about. It has a beauty but its real beauty is a hundred of the right people in the right club."

If you missed the Bohannons at JJ's Bohemia recently, don't worry. They'll be playing at the Nightfall Concert Series Friday night, August 15th with headliners, the Whigs. The show starts at 7:00.

For more information, click here: http://downtownchattanooga.org/nightfall/july/

Learn how to fight high gas prices.

Go to http://nozzlerage.com/ to find out how.

I recently sat down with Marty Bohannon, co-founder of the popular local band the Bohannons. In the first of a two-part interview, we discuss the music making process as well as touring and the profound influence KZ-106 has had on his life.

Since 2005, the Bohannons have steadily harvested a loyal Chattanooga fan base, playing as many shows as they could handle. For most bands, becoming rich and famous is the ultimate goal. But, for Marty and Matt Bohannon, Josh Beaver and Adam Brown, it's never been a question of fame and fortune. It's really all about the music. Honest. I asked Marty myself.

Marty and Matt Bohannon have lived in Chattanooga all of their lives. The two brothers have always co-written songs together. When they were younger, they collaborated on various "noise projects" and as they grew older, began writing songs, some of them complete and others simply sketchings of ideas. "It kind of evolved into us having a common interest in a lot of different kinds of music." says Marty, one of two lead singer-songwriters for the Bohannons. "So, it was kind of a thing that we ended up collaborating on. Which I kind of always knew would happen one day. I just kind of moved in that direction to fulfill some artistic urges."

According to Marty, most of the band's influences are guitar-oriented bands. "I think with this project we try to cover everything." The Bohannons' music has a noticeably classic rock feel to it at times. "There's very few constants in my life, but it's kind of book-ended by a few things and one of them is definitely KZ-106. It's odd, I know. And KZ-106 has been one of those odd constants. I mean, there's days when I actually hate it and there's some days when there's this warm sort of comfort."

The more I talk with him, the more I notice Marty's passion for music, especially when it comes to recording. He talks about the recording process, which is one of his favorite aspects of being in a band. His eyes light up as he talks about a new aspect of music he had never noticed before he was in a band. "If there is a bookend it's just constantly in motion...you know, like getting new music all the time,trying to stay in touch with what I can; especially with the recording arts. The whole experience opens up this whole back catalog of music, the science of music. So now, for the first time in the last three or four years, this music has this whole other side to it, this DNA to it; the tone, the pattern, this texture to it. It's one of the funnest parts; much more fun than making a flyer and hanging it up or loading up gear."

Marty considers the Bohannons' recording process pretty simple, with minimal editing that goes into arranging a record. The band feels it should be considered one body of work for right now and as the process evolves, they'll begin to concentrate much more intensely on producing a full-fledged record. "It's just right now everything's so fun. It's like don't mess with the formula."

Bright White Lights, the band's new EP, is a collection of pure rock and roll songs straight from your local classic rock station...say...KZ-106 but not as predictable. Blend that with an indie-rock feel and you've got one of Chattanooga's premiere bands.

Marty's voice screeches and howls, supported by his brother's edgy, gritty, guitar solos who, by the way, is easily one of Chattanooga's best rock guitarists. Matt's voice, on the other hand, is a bit softer, a bit smoother but just as suited for their brand of music. It's a classic, and at times, psychedelic joyride. "Everything is a demo," Marty says. "Until you've sold ten or twenty thousand records or it's in mass production, these are blueprints. The EP Bright White Lights was recorded in Murfreesboro three songs of mine, three songs of my brothers."

The Bohannons do around fifty shows a year, though this time it may be around eighty. They would like to do more and plan to. Earlier this year, they went to England with the Black Diamond Heavies. Both bands played nine straight shows. "It was great. We saw the countryside, the sea, had great crowds every night, thanks to the Heavies, who have completed their tenth UK tour, I believe. We also played with the High Plane Drifters, who are from Stockton On Tees. They're coming over to the States for seven to ten shows and then we're flying over there for a week to nine days. I think Ireland will be part of the next tour, maybe France for a few shows."

Stay tuned for the second part of Resistance Magazine's interview with local music legend, Marty Bohannon. Until then, check out the Bohannons playing live tonight at JJ's Bohemia along with Caitlin Rose and Missisippi John Doude. Show starts at 10:00 p.m.

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I came across the much anticipated The Watchmen teaser, which is rumored to play before the Dark Knight. I have to say it looks great. But, as we all know, adaptations, whether they are based on novels or comic books, are rarely as good as the originals.

For those who have not read Alan Moore's groundbreaking graphic novel, The Watchmen was originally a twelve-issue limited series comic book released by DC Comics in 1986. It takes place in an alternate 1985 United States where superheroes are real though almost none of them have superpowers. Tensions between Russia and the U.S. are dangerously high and it's only a matter of time before a nuclear war erupts. When a fellow superhero is mysteriously murdered, those who fought beside him are forced to confront their own standards of ethics as well as their insecurities and personal issues. This was the beginning of the anti-hero archetype in comics and considered by many, not only a comic masterpiece but a literary one as well. It's Alan Moore at his finest.

It is the only comic book to win the prestigious Hugo Award as well as appear in Time Magazine's 2005 list of the "100 Best English Language Novels From 1923 to Present." The film is set to be released in early 2009 and is being directed by Zack Snyder, who adapted the Frank Miller graphic novel 300 for the big screen.

View the Watchmen teaser then leave a comment to let us know what you thought about it.

http://www.apple.com/trailers/wb/watchmen/

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Technorati Tags: Watchmen, movies, comics

That's right. In the battle for Volkswagen's new $1 billion U.S. plant, Chattanooga has emerged victorious. Among our competitors were Huntsville, Alabama and apparently, some place in Michigan.

How did we do it? According to the Chattanoogan.com, it had to do with the readiness of Enterprise South Industial Park and "core values." I'm not sure to which "core values" VW was referring but it might have to something to do with that undisclosed "attractive, comprehensive package" we offered them.

What does this mean for us? For starters, it means 2,000 new jobs for this area. In a declining economy, that's great news. The VW plant is expected to complete construction by the end of 2010, with production for a new, mid-sized sedan rolling out by early 2011.

To read the article, click here:
http://www.chattanoogan.com/articles/article_131480.asp

Chattanooga, Tennessee has made it into Outside Magazine's "20 Best Towns in America" August 2008 issue. According to the magazine, the fact that our city is surrounded by mountains and the Tennessee River, which provide plenty of activities for the outdoor enthusiast, is one of the key reasons it was chosen. The others? The major urban renewal that began in the 1990s, creating a beautiful riverfront downtown that has been the model for numerous other metropolitan cities was a factor, as well as the many environmentally-friendly projects such as Greenspaces, who will donate $2 million to renovate downtown buildings into LEED-certified green businesses. Our relatively low cost of living, population and short driving commutes were also factors. To buy the latest issue, follow the link.

http://outside.away.com/outside/toc/200808.html

Glossary played here in Chattanooga several weeks ago. Not knowing anything about the southern rock/indie band from Murfreesboro, Tennessee, I decided not to attend their show at JJ’s Bohemia. Big mistake.

Curious to find out what I missed, I found the band’s web site the next day and discovered they were offering their newest album, The Better Angels of Our Nature as a free download. Skeptical, I downloaded it, figuring I'd listen to it once and then file it away in my CD collection. I mean, it’s free, right? How good could it be? I soon found out. It was really good…damn good. I haven't been able to stop listening to it. A blend of rock, blues, country and soul, the band’s fifth full-length album is satisfyingly rich and layered with scratchy guitar hooks, gospel-like vocals, and superbly wise songwriting.

According to the band’s singer/sonwriter/guitarist Joey Kneiser, “I wanted to write songs that were about the great attributes of being human: love, forgiveness, redemption, mercy, second chances.”

The album starts out with a dainty, dancing guitar lick on “If Only Time Will Tell,” slowly stretching out into a hard-edged, electric guitar-driven hymn voiced by Kneiser and his wife Kelly, who sounds like one of the angels in which the album title is referring.

Kneiser’s lyrics and Todd Beene’s pedal steel invoke various images of southern living throughout the album; a tired old man on the run from his past in “Gasoline Soaked Heart,” someone struggling to hold onto the past in “Blood on the Knobs.” Matt Rowland’s piano, together with Kneiser’s electric guitar and Todd Beene’s pedal steel, form a rousing, honky-tonk flavor of a song with “Almsgiver” and “Nothing Can Hurt You Now” has remnants of early ‘80s R.E.M. thanks to Eric Giles’ smashing cymbals and skins and the static fuzz from Kneiser’s guitar.

"Little Caney" -- one of the strongest songs on the album – is a fun, free-spirited rocker about accepting the past and looking to the future. It has the feel of riding in a convertible with the top down on a hot summer day. It's a classic Springsteen album, say...The Wild, the Innocent, and the E. Street Shuffle but with a southern flavor to it.

On “Shout it From the Rooftops,” a tune about religion in the South, Kneisser and his wife preach their own version of the Gospel:

Watch out for churches that have been built Brick by brick on self-interest Neon crucifixes glowing in shame Villainous voices saying ‘as god as my witness’

The Better Angels of Our Nature is one of those rare albums these days that allows you room to explore it over time. It’s not something you can listen to without wanting to dig a little deeper. The music attracts you first, then the lyrics pull you in. Anyone who listens to this album will find it hard not to relate to its timeless themes.

Glossary just started a five-and-a-half week tour with the Memphis-based band Lucero and they’ll be travelling as far west as California. Hopefully, they’ll make it back down here soon after they get back because you can bet your bottom I’ll be there.

Glossary played the SXSW Festival in Austin, Texas this past March and was named Paste Magazine’s “Band of the Week” in 2006.

To download Glossary’s new album The Better Angels of Our Nature for free or to order the limited run CD with artwork by Nick Butcher, check out their web site at http://glossary.us/. If they’re coming to a city near you, don’t follow my example. Go out and see them immediately. You won't regret it.

Whatever happened to beatboxing?

I wondered this as I watched the music video "Wipeout" on YouTube while bored at work a couple of days ago. "Wipeout", for those who don't remember, was a Surfaris cover done by the Fat Boys and the Beach Boys back in 1987. It was horrible and rediculous.

As a twelve-year-old, I loved this video and hated it at the same time. I often tried to mimic the beatboxing mastered by Buffy, the Human Beatbox, arguably the fattest and most talented of the Fat Boys. I thought it was hilarious yet terribly sad and embarrassing to watch the Beach Boys, once considered geniuses for their 1966 masterpeice Pet Sounds to fall vicitim to such an obvious attempt at comeback fame. Of course, they did find brief success again a year later with their hit "Kokomo" for the Tom Cruise film Cocktail and continued to milk it for some time, unfortunately, by appearing on the television sitcom Full House with their buddy and sometimes bandmate John "Uncle Jessie" Stamos.

Wikipedia describes beatboxing as "...a form of vocal percussion connected with hip hop culture (it has been called the fifth element of hip hop) although it is not limited to hip hop music. It primarily involves the art of producing drum beats, rhythm, and musical sounds using one's mouth, lips, tongue, voice, and more. It may also involve singing, vocal imitation of turntablism, the simulation of horns, strings, and other musical instruments."

Modern beatboxing originated in the early 1980s, though various forms of it have been documented as far back as the 1930s with the arrival of bebop in jazz and blues music. Besides the Fat Boys, early rap artists such as Biz Markie, Barry B., and Doug E.Fresh, who is credited for being the first modern beatboxer, have all been influential in the lost art.

I remember how, for a brief moment in time, it seemed like everyone in the world either knew how to beatbox or knew someone who could. At school, there were always groups of kids who held beatboxing battles on the playground, in class and on the bus, using almost every part of their of mouths and hands to create the most distinctive sounds and beats.

As the 1980s came to a close, beatboxing began its gradual fade into obscurity as mainstream music made way for darker, more brooding music such as grunge and gangsta rap. And with the death of Buffy, the Human Beat Box in Decmber of 1995, it seemed that beatboxing died with him.

Surprisingly, beatboxing has made a dramatic comeback with the help of new beat box legends Rahzel and Kenny Muhammad. In 2005 the WBBF or World Beatboxing Federation was formed to unite beatboxers from all over the world in a grand effort to make beatboxing more popular than ever before.

For a complete history of beatboxing and to brush up on your skills, follow these links:

http://www.humanbeatbox.com/history/p2_articleid/38

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beatboxing

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Surfing the Internet this morning I came across the music blog of Carrie Brownstein, former guitarist for Sleater-Kinney. In her weekly blog post Monitor Mix on NPR.org, she's posted a survey entitled "The 2008 Election: Politicians as Rock Stars." It asks readers this: Who is Barrack Obama?" From a list of twenty or so musicians, you are instructed to click on the band or singer you feel most represents the Democratic candidate. Then you do the same for John McCain. You also get to choose each candidate's running mate based on the artist line-up you previously selected. For instance, I chose Wilco for Barack and Bruce Springsteen as the supporting act a.k.a. "running mate" and for McCain it had to be Lawrence Welk and Ricky Martin. Guess who I'm voting for in November? 

Take it for yourself at the following link:

http://www.npr.org/blogs/monitormix/2008/06/politicans_as_rock_stars_1.html

The Dexateens' newest album Lost and Found is a roots rocker gem that conjures up the Rolling Stones during their Exile on Main St. phase.

This quintet from Alabama lets loose on their fifth album, described by the band as something that "sounds like we were wasted when we recorded it." If being wasted sounds this good then by all means, boys, keep drinking. It boasts catchy lyrics, honky-tonk guitar riffs and rhythmic beats that force your feet to keep time with the music.

Together now for ten years, Elliot McPherson, John Smith, Matt Patton, Brian Gosdin and Lee Baines III attended college at the University of Alabama when they started the Dexateens. With each member's own distinct taste in music, the band started out sounding something like "Motorhead meets Black Flag."

Their first EP was called Teenager and according to the band, was "punk with a little twang" which fit right in with the alt. country sound of the mid to late 90s while their self-titled second album was straight up punk, with all of the chaos that goes with it.

Red Sun Rising, their third effort, is the album that fans felt finally began to exhibit the Dexateens true sound.

Hardwire Healing, considered by many fans to be their favorite, is at times a southern, hard rocking, free-for-all and at others mellow and intimate.

With the release of Lost and Found, the Dexateens finally embrace their southern rock roots whole-heartedly. Though some of the lyrics may be a bit repetitive, like in the album's first track "Lost and Found," these are lyrics that get stuck in your head... and not in a bad way. "You're Gonna Love Me" is one of the strongest songs on the album, a told-ya-so ballad that anyone who's ever been in love can relate to, while "Enough of Nothing" is so close to a classic Stones honky-tonk blues rocker that Mick and Keith couldn't have done it much better themselves.

Don't worry. The Dexateens will be coming to Chattanooga in the near future. Until then, check out the band's official web site, where you can download Lost and Found for free. Why? Because they love you.

Check out the band's official web site!
http://www.dexateens.net/

Hamilton County Superintendent Jim Scales’ contract was renewed early by a 5-4 vote last Thursday, thanks to the Hamilton County Board of Education. No stranger to controversy, Rhonda Thurman, the outspoken hairdresser who disagreed with the decision to allow an East Ridge student to wear a religious head scarf (hijab) to school, strongly disagreed with the outcome.

School Board members Chester Bankston, Everett Fairchild and Kenny Smith also voted against the early contract decision.

According to the Chattanoogan.com, Rhonda “the Hairdresser” Thurman told the Pachyderm Club on Monday that the decision “exhibited arrogance, disregard for the public, deceit, and abuse of power.”

Why the upheaval? Apparently, Dr. Scales’ contract with the Hamilton County Department of Education wasn’t set to expire until 2010. But with the recent vote by the Board of Education, his contract will not expire until 2012. This means that Jim Scales’ job will be secure despite the election of new school board members, most importantly, those new board members who oppose the job that Scales is doing with Hamilton County Schools.

An article written in the Chattanooga Times Free Press reports that Rhonda Thurman accused Scales of taking credit “for many school board initiatives and other programs that he could not have spearheaded in his two years as superintendent.” She also denounced the five school board members who voted for his early contract extension for manipulating the vote without knowledge from the other members. She even accused the approving board members of hiding the news release announcing the contract.

While I do disagree with many of Rhonda Thurman’s opinions regarding what is best for our public schools, I have to hand it to her for standing up for those of us who do not have a voice in the way our schools are run. I applaud her actions and though these are only allegations at this point, I believe they are strong enough statements to initiate some sort of movement that forces those in power to re-evaluate the decisions they make regarding the people of Chattanooga and how they make them.

It is essential to note that Thurman also voted against hiring Jim Scales for the role of superintendent in the first place. Actually, she was the only one.

What do you think about the accusations Rhonda Thurman is making toward other members of the Board of Education? Do you agree? Disagree? Do you think she is crazy? What about our seemingly fearless Superintendent? Just how good of a job do you think he is doing regarding Hamilton County Schools? Post your opinion. C’mon… I dare you!

In case you need some ammunition, here are some links related to the topic:

http://www.chattanoogan.com/articles/article_130287.asp
http://www.wrcbtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=8520621
http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/jun/23/hamilton-county-school-board-member-criticizes-ok-/?breakingnews

http://www.chattanoogan.com/articles/article_82104.asp

Legendary comic George Carlin died yesterday at the age of 71.

According to CNN.com, Carlin died of heart failure at St.John's Health Center in Santa Monica at 5:55P.M. yesterday after complaining of chest pains upon arrival a short time earlier. He was known to have a history of heart problems.

Besides appearing in two Kevin Smith movies, Dogma and Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, as well as Bill and Ted's Excellent Journey and it's sequel, Bill and Ted's Bogus Journey, perhaps he was better known for his controversial form of comedy, often using an array of profanity while mocking life's hypocrisies and absurdity.

To read about George Carlin's profound effect in comedy as well as popular culture, please visit the following links:


http://www.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,1817192,00.html

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=91791901

http://marquee.blogs.cnn.com/2008/06/23/george-carlin-1937-2008/?iref=werecommend

Now that Riverbend 2008 has come to a close, I thought it would be appropriate to list my favorite Riverbend performances of all time. Because our Scenic City festival is not just about the music (actually, most of time the music seems to be the last thing they think about), I based my decisions not necessarily on the musical merits of these performers but on an array of varying factors depending on a particular time in my life, who I was with and...well...that's it.

To be fair, it seems Riverbend has become a bit more selective in the musical acts they bring to Chattanooga. In the past few years, the festival has boasted several talented, if not famous, bands such as the Black Crowes, Galactic (including members of Jurassic 5), the Everybodyfields, the Avett Brothers, Cracker, DJ Logic, and the Blind Boys of Alabama just to mention a few.

Now, without further ado, here are my top five Riverbend performances in no particular order:

5. ALLGOOD
I saw this Athens, Georgia band in the at one of the smaller tents at Riverbend. I had heard about them through a friend and bought their cassette EP, instantly hooked on all six songs, which was a combination of blues and southern rock with a jam band feel to them. Though I'm not typically a jam band fan, it was great driving music and I was in my late teens, which warrants some of the bad musical choices people tend to make; that, and it was the late 90s.

Though it was sticky hot and overcrowded, as Riverbend tends to be, it was not unbearable enough to miss this band. I, along with everyone else in the crowd, jammed along through each musical number until they played their epic masterpiece "Trilogy".

4. Roger McGuinn

Founding and only consistent member of the 1960s American band the Byrds, Roger McGuinn played under the Walnut Street Bridge during the 1995 Riverbend Festival. Armed with only a 12-string acoustic guitar, he played solo some of his best-loved Byrds hits including "Turn, Turn, Turn", "Mr. Tambourine Man" and if I remember correctly, "Eight Miles High". He told stories about his days with the Byrds and talked about his solo career. Not only was he amazing to watch on the guitar, he was personable and chatty with the audience. The low-key quality of this show was what made it so memorable and refreshing, especially since there was a throng of drunken, sweating, rednecks walking on the bridge just above us.


3. Chuck Berry

I don't remember who else played at Riverbend this particular year; I just remember being in awe of this rock 'n' roll legend.

2. Alex Chilton
The only reason I bought a Riverbend pin this ye ar was to see the legendary singer for Big Star. Unfortunately, I was 45 minutes late to the show due to bad planning on my part. But, even though I missed most of the show, I was able to see Chilton play four songs and though he had already pl ayed a few Big Star songs, he did a great cover of Chuck Berry's "Maybelline" and I was able to meet him and get his autograph at the end of the show. He lacked the high-energy performance he had in his youth, nonetheless, I was thrilled to see this music history cult icon.

1. Street Corner Jesus Guys
Every year without fail, these guys stands on the street corners of donwtown Chattanooga during Riverbend, holding up signs that banish literally everyone to Hell except themselves. For years, they have been one of the most popular acts there, especially during the Bessie Smith Strut, where most everyone there is drunk, high, or both. Continually heckled by passers-by with occasional half-eaten barbecue sandwiches and empty tall boys thrown at them, they valiantly stand at the intersection of Georgia Avenue and MLK Blvd., waving their signs and carrying large crosses to simulate the heavy wooden one that Jesus bore on his back. Funny, I don't remember Jesus' cross having wheels.

I've always liked Coldplay in the sense that their music was nice to listen to. When I say "nice to listen to," I mean it was good background music that didn't require much concentration...kinda like the music you hear at the dentist's office. This viral video for "Violet Hill" from their new album Viva La Vida, thankfully, is not. It's harsh, controversial and haunting with electric guitar-driven licks and bashing drum beats. It makes me want to bang my head and curse my government.

I’ve thought about Chattanooga’s forgotten music scene for a while now; a time when jazz and blues could be heard all the way down MLK Blvd., or as it was previously named, Ninth Street. Ever since I read an article in the local paper a number of years ago about the number of clubs that lined either side of this now struggling street, I was eager to learn about the famous musicians that traveled hundreds of miles just to get the chance to play here and those who were born here, or had some sort of connection with Chattanooga, going on to fame and fortune.

Living here all of my life and seeing the influx of people who have moved here from so many different places around the country and the world, especially in the last ten years or so, gave me a new perspective of the Scenic City; one that forced me to appreciate its rich history, not just its role in the Civil War but in American culture in general, from its business ventures to its impact on the arts. It forced me to take a second look around me, to embrace all of which I had taken advantage when I was younger.

It also forced me to look even harder at this city’s negative aspects, like its vast amount of political and business corruption, its constant problems with public education, its firm hold on the “southern political” way of doing things and its uncanny ability to look the other way when it comes to picking and choosing its charitable causes and city improvement plans.

So many times throughout its history, this town has come so close to becoming something more than simply a stop on the way to Nashville, Knoxville, or Atlanta. But, for reasons I don’t quite understand, it just cannot get past its shortsightedness.

MLK Blvd., despite several attempts at revitalization, still limps along, though promises have been made to better the once-famous strip. The Tennessee Aquarium, The Walnut Street Bridge, the North Shore, the 21st Century Waterfront Project as well as numerous restaurants and tourist attractions have all helped incredibly in the downtown renaissance.

But, as a city, we have a knack for trying to compete with Atlanta and other big cities. Who will fill all of these multi-million dollar condos invading the downtown area? For those of us who live downtown, working hard to re-beautify old neighborhoods, as well as those who work and play here, where are the other necessary elements needed to preserve and move forward with this movement? Grocery stores (Green Life and Beuhler’s don’t count), music stores, clothing stores, and everything else that makes a true community is needed and so far, all that’s being built are more condos, and in the middle of a national recession, no doubt.

Resistance Magazine is about more than just supporting good local music. It’s about taking a stand against the corruption that plagues this city; from our local government to private companies.

Chattanooga is a great city but instead of being great for only an elite few or for those who are here on vacation, let’s work to make it great for everyone who lives here. It’s time to get past the social and economic barriers that seems to have kept this town from reaching its peak potential and to embrace its rich past and learn from it.

To become the diverse, culturally rich, city its meant to be, we have to support local businesses, local flavor, and local talent. Supporting local music and venues is a good place to start.

You can read about Chattanooga’s rich music history here:

http://www.chattanoogapulse.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2007/06/27/46815cdcda649?in_archive=1

“Sorry mate, you’re out of the band.” That’s what Beatles manager Brian Epstein said to drummer Pete Best in 1962, right before the recording of their first originally-written single, “Love Me Do”. Pete was out, Ringo was in… it went something like that, anyway.

Attending the Pete Best show a week ago at Rhythm and Brews, in many ways, was a dream come true for me.

As a teenager, I was a Beatles fanatic. Ask anyone and they can tell you. Not only did I own all of their albums on cassette (not the Capital versions but their British counterpart Parlophone) but I devoured every book I could about the band and especially, it’s murdered genius, John Lennon as well. I had twenty-two Beatles posters lining my bedroom walls. I could answer any piece of trivia that was thrown at me and I had memorized every lyric of every song they ever wrote as well as their track listings on each album. They were the reason I started playing guitar. Yeah, I was a little obsessed.

History had all but forgotten Pete Best, the “cute” Beatles drummer that toured with the band through their now-legendary Hamburg, Germany phase, playing clubs like The Dresden and the All-Star Club.

Clad in their black leather jackets, black jeans, and greasy, slicked back hair, the Beatles were far from their clean-cut, mop-top image eventual manager Brian Epstein would plan for them, causing fans all over the world to fall in love with them. Theirs was a life of booze, pills, and whores.

The six to eight hour sets they played every night involved loud, fast, edgy guitar-driven music and hordes of drunken sailors, merchantmen, and easy women; all of this opened up a whole other world for the young lads, all under the age of 21. Then, as fast it came, Pete Best was replaced by Ringo Starr and the Beatles began their long journey into rock and roll history. Pete Best, for the most part, became a piece of pop culture trivia that became the stuff of legends.

To be honest, I didn’t expect much from the show. After all, he was kicked out of the band. According to Beatles producer George Martin, the guy couldn’t really keep a beat.

I was wrong. It was actually worse than I had expected. I knew the Pete Best Band would be playing mostly Beatles covers, or at least songs that the Beatles played around the time Pete was still in the band. I thought maybe there would be some songs Best had written on his own. Not so much. To make matters worse, he mainly stayed behind his drum kit and occasionally came out to the front of the stage to address the audience. Expecting old stories from his days with the Pre-Fab Four, stories that not many people knew except the people who were there at the time, I was sorely disappointed when the few words he spoke were to thank the audience for coming out to see him.

The other band members did more talking than he did and in fact, the ex-Beatle did no singing at all. I didn’t expect that he would but for someone who has a band named after him, I thought he would have taken a bigger part in its performance. I mean, there was another guy on drums next to Pete, which puzzled me, because the guy played the exact same thing he did. This only re-enforced the popular opinion that perhaps he really wasn’t such a good drummer after all. The show was entirely gimmick-driven to cash in on Beatles fame.

That said, do I have any regrets going? On the contrary. The band played some of my early Beatles favorites and in fact, sounded very reminiscent of how fast and raw the Beatles sounded before they gained worldwide fame. Not only did I get Pete Best’s autograph but I got my picture taken with him as well.

Even though I didn’t gain more of an insight into the mythology of the early Beatles’ career, I still got to shake the hand of the man who once knew John, George, and Paul intimately. Even if poor Pete Best was within an inch of becoming a household name, forged into the files of music history as part of one of the greatest rock bands of all time, he still left enough of a mark so that Beatles geeks like me could tell his kids that he once met one of the Beatles.