Down On The Corner
•The Louisville-based country band Uncle Pecos is doing well these days with 'Buy American,' a new single out on Gene Kennedy";s Door Knob Records. The song, written by the band, was heard by Kennedy";s engineer, who suggested the group pitch it to Kennedy. Gene liked it well enough that he jumped on it and got it cut, mastered and delivered in a week.
It has been getting solid airplay on WSM in Nashville and Kennedy's company is busily working on promoting the record around the U.S. The record is getting on local charts around the country, according to Kennedy. Radio programmers like the theme of the song. Kennedy thinks the song will have great ‘legs"; and expects it to make the national charts this week or next.
Uncle Pecos"; Steve Robbins says that it";s a very positive, upbeat song that doesn't knock anybody (read the Japanese) but just promotes the quality of American products and workmanship.
• Stay tuned.
Haven't heard from David La Duke until recently. He writes that he's got a cut on a compilation CD called the U.S. Rock & Rock Anthology CD Vol. I . The tune is 'Masters of Evil' from Ball Bustin' Guitar Rock. La Duke is also assembling a new band and planning some road dates.
• Homefront";s Steve Imhoff said he caught Mellencamp in Indy in early February, with Louisville's David Grissom on guitar. Imhoff was impreswd with Mellencamp and Grissom.
Steve only likes to brag a little.
Speaking of Homefront, John Gage has been strong-armed into the chairperson job again.
That boy jes"; don";t know how to say 'no' to a good cause.
• Club News: The Stage Deli has closed, leaving the blues scene with one less venue. That space in the Weissinger-Gaulbert building is just so inviting to restauranteurs, but, boy, it seems to just eat restaurants. My condolences to Pat and Chris Riley. It was a good try.
Barry";s on Frankfort is changing hands. No firm date on that change is available at press time and there is no word about format changes.
Hurricane O";Malley";s is opening a new club section, called the Rock It Club. Or maybe two new sections, as O";Malley";s Garage is set for a show.
• Marvin Maxwell, he of the thousand points of ideas, has a new one on the front burner. This time it will be Dr. Mom";s, a 1954 Chevy panel truck stuffed to the gills with strings and picks and sticks and amps and boards and other stuff that a band might need at 11 p.m. on the night of the big show. Maxwell hasn";t set a date for the truck to be on the road, but if you like the idea, call him and tell him so.
• At least two of the town";s music store owners made the big trip out to L.A. for the NAMM show. Ray Shipp of Music Warehouse and Maxwell of Mom";s both took the big silver bird to the promised land.
Ray Shipp was one of about forty people invited to the presentation of the first Stevie Ray Vaughan Signature guitar to Stevie";s brother.
Otherwise, I haven"; t talked to them about what";s the hottest new stuff but if you ask ‘em, they";ll probably be glad to talk about it.
• Do you like polka music? Do you like Brave Combo? How about a polka musical? This month you can catch Brave Combo at Uncle P";s on March 21 and the polka musical at Actor";s Theatre. There is a connection, to wit, Carl Finch of Brave Combo who also was involved in the creation of 'Evelyn and the Polka King,' scheduled for the Humana Festival of New American Plays, opening March 4, with performances through March 28.
John Olive wrote the play and Bob Lucas and Finch wrote the music and lyrics.
For tickets, call (502) 584-1205.
• Louisville Mandolin Orchestra chief Mike Schroeder called at the last minute to tell us about a benefit that the LMO is playing for.
The benefit is for Hevrin House and will be at the Kentucky School for the Blind on Saturday, March 21. For ticket information, call 581-8896.