Stories and Tales

Mike Lowell gives a quick dime store version rant ......

ML writes: A DJ from a College radio station in Oregon contacted me recently. He has a real love affair with the Texas sound and Texas style bands. During our email chat he asked a number of questions. He did have one in particular that made me think long and hard for an answer. I thought I would post the answer I gave. This is just my take on things. Some of you may have a different idea and take. If so, send it over and I'll add it.

Peter from Oregon wrote:
"Why in conservative Texas all these amazing bands & cutting edge players
in that the scene easily competes with califiornia groups."

ML answers:

Wow.. that question covers a lot of ground and could fill a book. In my opinion and in general terms, I'll give you my short dime store take.

Politics:

First, Red State vs Blue State really has nothing to do with anything. Rock musicians tend to be blue and country musicians tend to be red anywhere across the country. Texas is not as red state as popular image suggests. A full 45% of the population here are liberal leaning. That is what the voting shows. It's far more mixed than states like Idaho, Utah, Nebraska, Kansas, etc. The truth anywhere in the country is that blue tends to be in the cities and red in the rural areas. That applies here for sure. In the 60's, Texas was a die hard HARD blue state. The musician turn out has really not changed much over the years regardless of political winds. Politics really plays no part in its influence on musicians here. Other influences are in play around here.

The breeding ground:

A recent census in Texas shows that around 42% of all workers here are night workers. (47% in Dallas and Austin). In other words, club and restraurant and entertainment establishment employees. That's a lot of clubs and places to play. Texas is a very big place. We have five of the nations largest cities ( DFW, Houston, Austin, San Antonio, Corpus) all concentrated in the eastern half of the state within 3 to 4 hours drive of each other. You have around 30 million people located semi close together and a local thriving economy in nightlife and that gives the perfect setup for a musician breeding ground.

Influences:

Texas is almost a western state. Those states have a reputation for
individuals and ruggedness and doing it your own way. Image means little if you can't put up the goods. That can be good and bad. It is a bad mix in politics but healtly in a musicial breeding ground. Texas musicial roots come from the nearby southern Delta states and the blues guitar. The Delta states are a bit more laid back and less inclined to push the limits. Texas sounds are based around delta blues and riffs whether they be rock or country however mutated or cutting edge it has become.Other strong influences comes from just about everywhere due to the large number of players relocating here. This gives an interesting mix for musicians to draw from. Texas is not the only breeding ground in the country. Atlanta, Chicago, NY, Florida, California, Seattle are all famous breeders. Each has it's own flavor and puts out it's own bleed of players and sounds. So in a nutshell regarding Texas: There are places to play, the right economy, the musical influences to draw from, large numbers of other players to learn and copy from, and finally, a mentality to push the limits in as much an individual way as possible.

California:

California is where the music business is. As in business. BUSINESS. And there is the rub. The music industry is all about image. How you look, what clothes you wear, the right haircut, the right package. Oh yeah.... I almost forgot... the music. If it happens to be good, all the better, but not really necessary. This is where the average above average Texas player runs into trouble and ends up staying regional. Your average hot player is usually an ugly s.o.b. who insists on pushing the edge and would scare little kids if his picture was on 16 magazine. Hollywood doesn't want cutting edge, it wants packaged, sellable, and pretty. Think American Idol or The Monkees. Unfortunately many groups out of California starts with image first and puts chops secondly. Still, you will find that many successful acts from either coast have members from Texas in them. All players need to know that if you go out to the coast you have to play by those rules out there. For the time being the rules in Texas are still chops over image and pushing the limits musically. For better or worse how that all plays out.

As a music collector such as yourself, this means you will have to work to
seek out the Texas sounds that turn you on. Many of these Texas acts have
little use for image and little chance of breaking out nationaly but sure can burn up a stage. Discovery can be a lot of fun.

Enough rant for tonight. Have a good one..... Mike