It got many plays on the college station I used to DJ at during the early 80s. Not sure if I even saw the video back then. Those were the days when we didn't have cable. It didn't come to my neck of the woods until 1989.

Rush have a tremendous sense of humor. If you haven't seen it yet you owe it to yourself to check out their recent appearance on The Colbert Report.

I'll throw some relatively unsung heroes of mine out there, sidemen and otherwise: David Lindley he's played on tons of records but is probably best known for his work with Jackson Browne over the years. Goose Creek Symphony mix bluegrass, gospel and psychedelic rock in ways you could never imagine. They're still at it even after all of these years. Whiskeytown one of my favorite "alt.country" groups. They only released three records (and one EP) but all of them are amazing. The Replacements get plenty of mention in alternative circles but they're rarely mentioned in these parts. Old and In the Way all star bluegrass supergroup that included Jerry Garcia, pretty much invented what came to be known as "newgrass". Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen probably best known for their cover of Hot Rod Lincoln but were fine purveyors of boogie woogie rock n' roll mixed in with Western Swing. John Prine one of my favorite songwriters ever and that even included Bob Dylan and Townes Van Zandt. His voice may be an acquired taste for some but if you're able to get past that you're in for some damn fine tunes. Guy Clark another of my favorite songwriters. He's had his songs recorded by the likes of Johnny Cash and many others but no one spins 'em quite like Guy himself. The Yayhoos bar band supergroup fronted by Dan Baird of the Georgia Satellites. Imagine a concoction of the Faces, the Stones and the Replacements all rolled into one. When it comes to raucous, no holds barred rock n' roll it don't get much finer. Guadalcanal Diary short llived band that unfairly got lumped in with the Athens, GA alternative movement of the 80s. Yes, they were alternative (back when that term actually meant something) and yes, they hailed from Georgia (Marietta) but they were no jingle jangle R.E.M. soundalike. The tortured hymns of frontman Murray Attaway and the jungle drums of John Poe brought something entirely different to the table. An urgent sounding form of rock n' roll that had more in common with the early sounds of rock n' roll than it did with their Athens brethren. That's an even ten but I could very easily name very many, many more such as the Connells, Flat Duo Jets (there would be no White Stripes without them), Steve Goodman, Jerry Jeff Walker, the New Riders of the Purple Sage, the Old 97s, the Jayhawks, the Gourds, Asleep at the Wheel, Leon Russell, the list is nearly endless.

I recently stumbled upon this article at another board. Not very uplifting to say the least but at the same time it's somewhat interesting to see who's still around after all of these years: The Woodstock Death Count

Sounds like there may be concerts being planned in New York and Berlin later this year to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Woodstock. Looks like the original movie and soundtrack are being revisited (again) as well. Woodstock's Michael Lang Seeking Sponsors For 2009 Festival In New York City

Never have watched but it's part of the so called "reality" programming that's been the undoing of television in general. I remember when VH1 and MTV (which were never that great to start with) had shows that actually had something to do with music.

Agreed. Same with Timothy B. Schmit and Boyd Tinsley. While they might not be household names it's not like they're in bands that aren't. I think Rory might be borderline as he's never really seemed to get his due. Thankfully Deep Tracks on XM/Sirius makes up for that as he gets lots of airplay there. Can't say I ever heard him on mainstream rock radio over the years but I've certainly read lots about him.

Part 2 of the interview is up on Dylan's website now.

The Band Plays On - Lynyrd Skynyrd To Continue

If you haven't so already be sure to check the Comments section for the article.

Neighbors Say Bob Dylan's Malibu Home Is A Stinker

His latest Firemen project has been getting lots of rave reviews as of late and from what I've heard of it they've very warranted. And, while I agree it's not really fair to compare his solo output to his work with the Beatles it's also somewhat inevitable to do so. That said, I do tend to favor his contributions to the Beatles but I'm also not so quick to dismiss the whole of his solo records over the years.

When it comes to these "overrated"/"underrated" threads it never seems to be made clear as to exactly who is doing the rating. Is it in reference to fans? Critics? The general public? That said, if someone wants to say an artist is overrated, it's just their opinion and they have every right to express that opinion. As we can also see, the person that originally started this thread has since been banned so maybe they were never serious and just wanted to stir things up. Personally, even though I've never been a huge Pink Floyd fan (nor do I hate them), I don't think they're overrated by any measuring stick. They, along with many other bands helped spearhead one of the cornerstones of rock n' roll, the psychedelic sound. As for their stage presence, or lack thereof, their approach to that kind presentation sort of comes with the territory for psychedelic bands where the focus is on the music itself rather than the musicians themselves. The Grateful Dead were the same way. They were never the most dynamic band to watch onstage, that's why they always placed such an emphasis on light shows and rear screen projections. Just my take on the matter...

Scheduled to release Tuesday, March 31, 2009 Lynyrd Skynyrd Authorized Bootleg: Live Winterland San Francisco 1976 CD 1. Cry For the Bad Man 2. Saturday Night Special 3. Searching 4. I Got the Same Old Blues 5. Gimme Back My Bullets 6. Tuesday's Gone 7. The Needle and the Spoon 8. Gimme Three Steps/Call Me the Breeze 9. Sweet Home Alabama 10. Free Bird Label Geffen Orig Year 2009 Catalog number 001261902 Discs 1 Release Date Mar 31, 2009 Studio/Live Live Mono/Stereo Stereo Additional Info Remastered Lynyrd Skynyrd Authorized Bootleg: Live At Cardiff Capitol Theatre 11/4/75 CD Scheduled to release Tuesday, March 31, 2009 1. Double Trouble 2. I Ain't the One 3. The Needle and the Spoon 4. Saturday Night Special 5. Gimme Three Steps 6. Whiskey Rock-a-Roller 7. Call Me the Breeze 8. Sweet Home Alabama 9. Free Bird Label Geffen Orig Year 2009 Catalog number 001262402 Discs 1 Release Date Mar 31, 2009 Studio/Live Live Mono/Stereo Stereo

The album cover artwork and the beginnings of an interview with Dylan are up on his website now.

Looks like the new album may have a title after all.

Info on the new Dylan album that's due next month: http://www.mojo4music.com/blog/2009/03/new...first_list.html

While "bar band" can be a bit of a misnomer, I'd say I'm very lucky to live in a region where original music still thrives. Of course, depending on the popularity of the artist, sometimes those doing cover material still draw a larger crowd and make more money.

Cool to see another fan of the Oxford American here. I've never been disappointed with any of their discs that come with the annual Southern Music issue. They're some of my favorite compilations ever. Some damn fine reading you've got to look forward to too.

Having worked in radio before the term "classic rock" came into vogue (meaning prior to it becoming a format unto itself) I always found it interesting that a song that was only a few years old could be considered a "classic". Of the groups you mention, all of them (save Zeppelin and the Who) were considered "alternative" or "Modern Rock" at one time. I also recall hearing R.E.M., U2, the Cars, the Police, and a variety of other artists on stations that were predominately "album rock" (AOR) before the word "alternative" was coined. That's because they were all "rock n' roll" no matter how you slice it. Yes, we sometimes need terms like hardcore, punk, grunge, new wave, alternative, etc. to describe music but to quote Billy Joel, "it's still rock n' roll to me". That's why I detest terms like "Classic Rock". It's so confining it gives rock n' roll itself a bad name and leads the otherwise uninformed to refer to it as a genre rather than a marketing term thought up by a radio programmer to describe a format of music.

The first song to come to mind: The Kinks "Low Budget"

I agree. I also agree that "Classic Rock" is not a genre. That's not to be disrespectful towards older artists as I love the music I grew up on but I also love the music that's coming out today. As for the labeling aspect, there is also a radio format these days known as "Classic Alternative".