this one
Paul Moffett

Down On The Corner
By Paul Moffett

Black-Eyed Crowes Dept. The Black Crowes' one-song set at the Gardens on March 7 generated much amusement on local radio. WQMF deejays joked about an upcoming Black Crowes Live! album -- with one song on it. Fans of the group didn't find it funny at all, of course, when the band left the stage in a huff because their chief of security and head of merchandising got a trip downtown for fighting with undercover narcotics officers.

The February 12 issue of the trade publication Performance magazine reported that during the first leg of their tour last summer, the Black Crowes had added a rider to a contract specifying that the promoters should provide one ounce of marijuana and two packs of "Bambu" rolling papers backstage. The promoters, aghast, refused and the offending rider was subsequently removed.

Gee, I didn't know that the Louisville police narcotics division subscribed to music trade publications.

Steve Ferguson's star continues to rise. His Jack Salmon and Derby Sauce album continues to garner rave reviews from such publications as Billboard, Musician's Magazine and Rolling Stone. Rumors are circulating that Columbia is releasing some old NRBQ product with Fergie's stuff on it. On top of that, he was selected to be the first "Master Musician" recognized by St. Francis High School and will be performing at the Center for the Arts on April 15. Tickets are $10.

• Word has it that the Kentucky HeadHunters shot a video in Glasgow recently, inviting friends, fans and the public to participate. The HeadHunters will be on a twin bill with Billy Ray Cyrus at the Fairgrounds on May 28.

Just So You'll Know Dept. The 1993 True Value/GMC Truck Country Showdown national competition was wrapped up in Branson, Mo., on January 9. The winner was Ricky Tripp, a singer/songwriter from Arkansas. The local competition, held at the Village Pub in Jeffersonville, was won by Denim & Lace. Watch the Fox Network for a syndicated show featuring the competition.

• The results from the Carl Casper Custom Car Show Battle of the Bands, held on February 20, are in and the winnah is: Coddington, M. The group won $1500 in cash and prizes, including Shure Microphones and a $500 gift certificate from Far-Out Music. The runners-up were: The Reed Brothers; The Taken, Omega Highway, Borrowed Time, Out ta Lunch, Love Thy Neighbor, Wastin' Time, Sister Blue and Troublemaker.

Coddington, M also picked up Turley Richards as their manager (or is it the other way round?).

• Media Music Productions will be having a Grand Opening on Thursday, April 22, from 5:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., to show off their new MIDI Project Room at Falk Recording Services, 7914 Fegenbush Lane. Media Music is Brian Curella and Ray Yates.

• The Rough Diamond Music Network and rock radio station WQMF will begin a program featuring local recordings.

The show, which will air from 11 p.m. to midnight, will be hosted by RDMN co-owner and Velcro Pygmies lead singer Cam Flener. The first program is set to air on April 18.

Club News

Yo! MTV Dept. The Phoenix Hill Tavern has been designated the Louisville area's official MTV club. PHT will be engaged, no doubt, in regular promotions. During March, they gave away a bunch of MTV gear.

Perry Scroggin has taken over the booking duties for the Toy Tiger and he is planning to modify the music format a bit. The Tiger will have two stages and some different kinds of music beside the usual metal fare. Perry says he's looking for topnotch entertainment and plans to book national acts as well as local groups. Watch for the Pat Travers Band, Jackel, Cheap Trick (in June) and others. Local acts include Fifteen Minutes, The War Hippies, The Kelly Richey Band, Blonde Johnson. Gibraltar and The Predators. Unplugged Mondays and Tuesdays will feature unplugged shows.

The Front and Back Rooms have been undergoing remodeling, and Perry says everybody should come check it out.

• Over in Jeffersonville, the Village Pub has reopened after some extensive remodeling. Pub owner Kamran Javid is excited about the makeover. A more extensive report will follow in an upcoming issue.

Must Be Time For New Shelves Dept. WAMZ Radio has picked up another award, this time the Gavin Award for Medium Market Radio Station of the Year. This is the second consecutive year that WAMZ won the big enchilada. WAMZ is the first station to win the award two years straight.

Baby, Baby. Uncle Pleasant's owner has a new daughter. Mark and Moggy Smalley welcomed Hannah Margaret on Friday, March 5, at 11:55 p.m. Hannah weighed in at 7 lb. 14 oz. Mark celebrated the event by coming down with the flu.

While we're in the birth announcement mode, Valerie and Steve Smith, daughter and son-in-law of Ray and Ann Shipp, owners of Music Warehouse, welcomed their first child, Bradley Alan Smith, on Friday, March 12, at 6:30 p.m. Bradley weighed in at 6 lb. 14 oz.

Say Good-bye, Dave -- Uncle Pleasant's bartender, Dave Muenzberg, is leaving Louisville to move to Las Vegas, Nevada. An Excessive Going-Away Party for Dave is set for April 10 at Uncle P's. Head on over and wave bye-bye.

• Fans and recipients of The Blues Traveler's newsletter will be getting a surprise in an upcoming issue. A free song from their upcoming CD will be included. Info: POB 181, NY, NY 10108. Phone 212-582-8787. Their message is lengthy.

Eleventh Dream Day fans will be thrilled to know that the group is set to release El Moodio in early April. Watch for the video of "Makin' Like a Rug."

Unsigned Bands, Get Ready. - The 7th Annual "SOUNDCHECK - The Yamaha Rock Music Showcase" is cranking up. Prizes are many and the Big Enchilada is a trip to Japan, $2500, a "consultation" with industry professionals, along with the stuff picked up along the way, like a Yamaha MT120 Multitrack Cassette Recorder, tapes and a trip to Los Angeles for the National Finals. Deadline is June 25, 1993. To get entry materials and/or more info, call SOUNDCHECK at 1-800-451-ROCK (7625).

• The Mix Bookshelf Winter/Spring catalog, featuring over 500 of the newest textbooks, reference manuals and instructional videos on professional and music-related topics, is out. The free catalog can be ordered by calling 1-800-233-9604.

• The 22nd annual Northwest Folklife Festival is set for May 28-31 at Seattle Center in Seattle, Washington. An event that attracts 200,000 visitors, the Festival includes 900 dance and music performances on 22 stages, plus a crafts market and food, food, food. For information, call 206-684-7300 or write: Michael Paul or Dan Giddings, The Northwest Folklife Festival, 305 Harrison St., Seattle, WA 98109.

• The Swannanoa Gathering at Warren Wilson College down in North Carolina has grown into a three-week event. Originally a week-long songwriter camp, it now has evolved into a series of thematic workshops.

July 11-17 is Scottish Week, with workshops on Scottish instruments, folk songs, country dancing and performances.

July 18-24 is Old-Time Music and Dance Week. The workshops are on Appalachian instruments, singing, clogging and storytelling.

July 25-31 is Contemporary Folk Week and contains what was the songwriting workshop. The week is divided between songwriting activities, recording and performance. Instructors include Tim O'Brien, Fred Koller, Bob Franke and more.

For more information and registration forms, write: The Swannanoa Gathering, Warren Wilson College, Box 5299, Swannanoa, NC 28778.