Did you ever see the movie Major League? Great movie. Charlie Sheen. Tom Berenger. Wesley Snipes. It's about the new owner of a major league team with hopes of attendance falling off so much, that the team can be sold. Baseball is often used as a metaphor for life, but when life imitates metaphor, we have a problem, or at least a sequel — Major League III: The Dodgers.
OPEN ON:
New owner, let's call him McCourt. He buys the team amid rumor of his selling off property, piece by piece, the old "parts more valuable than the whole" theory. But in fear of being lynched by blue and white faced fans and displaced Chavez Ravine relatives, he decides to become Mr. Baseball — photo ops with the players, sitting behind home plate — all the time wanting to wave that big foam finger at the fans.
ENTER:
A young , first time manager, let's call him Patsy — no, DePodesta, that's it. He takes the manger job because the gig at FEMA was taken. Slowly, with the "skill" of a seven year old boy with a handful of Baseball cards, he begins to dismantle the winning combination of a World Series bound team just before play-offs. And just to show that he really knows what he's doing, he trades for players no one has really ever heard of. But the play-off momentum is so great that they almost take the play-offs, despite his best managerial efforts.
NEXT SEASON:
Sell ad space — everywhere. Make the stadium look like a public access PC with no spam guard. Cheapen the food, then raise the prices. Now, dismantle the rest of the team and bring in players off of other teams DL rooster. Hurt players and those two years passed their prime make for a great program, but will never be able to pull it together enough to play as a team. Start off big and then finish the season one away from the bottom.
By next season, Los Angeles — never known for it's long attention span — will swear that the only Major League team in town is the Los Angeles Angels (of Anaheim). The Dodgers can be moved to a AAA park in Bakersfield; the Vero Beach Training facility turned into retirement condos; and Dodger Stadium can be sold back to the City of Los Angeles to make way for the newly proposed, Chavez Heights. GO BLUE! No, GO DEPODESTA! Hey it's only a movie, right?

After weeks of seemingly inexplicable (or even comprehensible) distractions, I found myself in need of some shelter of my own. Perhaps I am not alone. It could be nothing more than a girl named Rita blowing into town, looking for a little action; or the lengthening shadows of eight-hour-days in an inescapable, anti-profit company, but the need is there none the less. Two things have always provided shelter — music and old friends. It certainly had been blocking any fresh blog attempts. Until Saturday night that is. Sitting in the intimate venue of Genghis Cohen in Hollywood, I listened to my old friend Bill Mumy, perform a solo acoustic set of new songs for an upcoming CD. I could feel the shelter start to form. It is one of the curses of this town that when a project is over, you no longer get to see those who you had grown close to — and it had been far too long since I had seen Bill. Wow! What an amazing night, not only has he grown as a songwriter, but it easy to forget what an amazing guitar player he is. If the CD (produced by Russ Kunkel) is half as good as Saturday's preview, it promises to be amazing.
Music, like friends always finds it's way to you when you need it the most. Being an only child, certain friendships over the years, have become family. Six, I think of as brothers — all lost until recently, one by one, they are finding their way back. I called one last week, who now lives in Houston, to be sure all was tied down in the path of Rita. I had a long overdue lunch on Friday with another. Spoke to one tonight, as we realized it had been almost nine years — damn. time is a bitch. Others are lost but will in time surface and once again provide needed shelter.
So, if you too are feeling a little tangled up, treat yourself to a couple new bands you might not have heard of yet — The Legendary Shack Shakers new CD entitled Cockadoddledon't (Bloodshot Records) is one part Jerry Lee Lewis and one part Southern Culture on the Skids, with an amazing harmonica; LA's own Big Blue Hearts new, Here Come Those Dreams Again (Adrenaline Records) and Bring 'Em In (Jive), the new Buddy Guy, in stores today, is his best since Damn Right I've Got the Blues. But as a friend of mine pointed out today, the problem with finding too many new bands can make you forget about old stuff, like Dylan's Blood on the Tracks, which I think I'll put on now — you know, a little shelter from the storm. Peace.

This afternoon at Republic Square Park in Austin, Texas, is Sixth Street for Bourbon Street, a benefit concert for the victims of Hurricane Katrina. One of the musicians, who had planned to be there, sadly will not. Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown - who had roots in both Texas & Louisiana music – fell victim himself to Katrina, slipping away from us last Saturday, at the age of 81.
The singer and guitarist – note that I didn’t say blues guitarist for fear that Gate would rise up and haunt me the rest of my days - who built a 50-year career playing what he called “American music, Texas style,” a mix of blues, country, jazz and Cajun, died in his hometown of Orange, Texas, where he had gone to escape Hurricane Katrina. Devastated by the loss of his home in Slidell, Louisiana; recuperating from an angioplasty, as well as a long battle with lung cancer and emphysema, finally took its toll. Funeral services will be held at Mount Cavalry Baptist Church in Orange, Texas on Saturday, September 17th. While I doubt anyone reading this can attend, sometime on Saturday, take a moment to remember Gate and all those other lives so affected by Miss Katrina. Rest assured that today, in Austin, Delbert McClinton (pictured above with Gate in New Orleans’ Lafayette Square Park last April), Marcia Ball, Cyril Neville and others will have a song and story or two about their old friend who isn’t with us anymore. To read more about Gate, check out his website www.gatemouth.com. Peace.

There is an old saying - a picture is worth a thousand words.

We have to stop loving money so much in this country and start loving each other.

No politics. No Hurricanes. No death. Not today, because it's new music Tuesday in the Hyena Kitchen — and of the 1300-plus releases today — some bear mentioning. And two actually bear buying.. The big "fans will buy it regardless" release for today is the new Rolling Stones CD A Bigger Bang (Virgin UK) — and I really wish it was. It's big, I just wanted bigger. As a band, these guys, above all others, are capable of producing an amazing of collection of songs, but unfortunately, this falls right in line with the last few studio outings and, in turn, gets them back on the road once again. If you get a chance to see them this time around — by all means go — "this could be the last time" around, without the aid of a walker.

The big MUST buy for the week, however, is the seventh CD from Luther, Cody, & Chris, collectively known as The North Mississippi Allstars. Electric Blue Watermelon (Ato Records) is by far their best effort yet. Fresh off a tour (and CD) backing John Hiatt and produced by dad, Jim Dickinson, NMA hone their blues revival-southern rock-jam band sound to the release that had, until now evaded them. Old friend Robert Randolph, Lucinda Williams, and the Dirty Dozen Brass Band, help the boys round out the CDs sound. Treat yourself and pick this one up and catch the North Mississippi Allstars on their current tour.

While the gang over at Putumayo Records have put together this week's other MUST buy — another amazing collection entitled, Latin Lounge (Putumayo). A strong mix of established and fledgling artists — including Si Sé and Spain's Amparanoia — that should not be missed. If you have discovered Putumayo's previous offerings, you already know what the quality they bring. If that weren't enough, a portion of the proceeds from this CD go to Oxfam America.

Other releases of interest that might slip past you include: Another Run Around the Sun (IRIS) from James & Carly's son, Ben Taylor, Alt-country singer-songwriter James McMurtry's Childish Things (Compadre Records), as well as last week's amazing release from Eric Clapton Back Home (Warner Bros) and Otis Taylor's mix of Delta blues & African folk, Below the Fold (Telarc).

Remember, music can help us get through bad times. Enjoy!

George, George, George. I was planning to write today about how much I missed my old Labor Day tradition of the old Long Beach Blues Festival, but you had to hold press conference this morning, didn't you? What are you trying to slip passed us now? Every time you have tried this "fast action" tactic of yours, it's been something we have come to regret. Trying to flip Justice Sandra Day O'Connor's replacement, John Roberts' nomination to that of Supreme Court Justice, is right up there with telling us that Iraq had "weapons of mass destruction." We are in the midst of a national disaster that will define what kind of America we live in, while you are taking steps to define what kind of America you and yours think it should be. Is it your hope that Hurricane Katrina is enough of a distraction that you can push this nomination through the Senate, or is this to distract citizens from lack of response to the victims of Katrina.
I realize that this year's Supreme Court session begins four weeks from today, so there is an urgency to seat a full court, but switching Roberts' nomination to that of Chief Justice demands a need for a more in-depth and impartial examination of his record. This man who is anti-women and anti-civil rights, is your kind of man, I know, but as Chief Justice — who plays a critical role in setting the direction of the Supreme Court and on the freedoms and liberties that Americans cherish — he's not.
And while NOW President, Kim Gandy calls Roberts' nomination "an outrage and an insult to women," no one has mentioned the disrespect it shows to the woman at the center of all this, Justice O'Connor. In her resignation, she said she would remain until the confirmation of her replacement. In switching Robert's nomination, Bush is forcing O'Connor to occupy her seat until he finds another replacement in a "timely manner." Justice O'Connor is stepping down to be with her husband, and forcing her to remain on the court makes light of the service and sacrifice she has already made.
I urge everyone to call or write their Senator and express the need to move through this nomination process with care. This will effect the landscape of America for years to come. The rights to privacy and fundamental freedoms that we ALL share are in jeopardy with this nomination.

The other morning I watched "the boy who would be king," George W. Bush, being interviewed by Diane Sawyer, smirk firmly in place, as he lay the ground work for excuses to come later as to why nothing was being done along the Gulf coast. One thing, in particular, that I have to take exception to. He said, :I understand about wanting it yesterday." No you don't George, You have never wanted for anything, your entire life - with the exception of wanting a college cocaine delivery to have arrived yesterday. The thrill you appear to get out of being the ONE that everyone turns to, is as sickening as your inability to provide what they really need — compassion. I would trade it all — your uncanny grasp of foreign policy; your ability to speak off the cuff on any topic; your magnitude of character that held you aloft from your opponents in the last two elections; your own special pronunciation of nuclear — all for one ounce of compassion for mankind I yearn for a leader who cares for the human condition, here and worldwide. For a leader who says we will fix this now, because it's the right thing to do and I say we'll do it. For leader who travels to a disaster area not to for a photo op, but to roll his sleeves up and help his people.
I suppose it too much to hope for. But, I do hope that this is finally your undoing. That people will see you for what you really are, a child of privilege who does not possess the canon that the job requires. This will be test of what America we live in. A choice of what America we want to live in.
People who live in flood prone areas know that flood waters can be cyclical. I was listening to Marcia ball sing an old Randy Newman song the other day, Louisiana 1927, there is a verse that says . . .

President Coolidge come down
in a railroad train
With a little man with a notepad in his hand
President said, Little man,
Ain't it a shame what the river done to this
poor cracker's land.

. . .hmmm. I guess politicians are cyclical too.

If you want to help, you might want to check out these two sites.

www.secondharvest.org
www.habitat.org

September 1, 2005
Okay, so the first post is up. What now? I didn’t want to fall victim to the nothing-to-post post, as a friend suggested, nor did I want to wait a month before adding another. I took the first step by starting this blog, so I feel compelled to write everyday. There were a couple of ideas, but nothing really hit me, then Hurricane Katrina came to visit. While Los Angeles is far from her wrath, New Orleans (the city of my birth) is near and dear to my heart, and it has had quiet an impact on me. It is nothing I feel I want to write here (just a distraction). I played a benefit concert last night to help raise money for the victims (another distraction). All ample fodder to post, and yet it was not until today that unwelcome inspiration came a knockin’.
While I never intended this blog to be a blues obit site, I’m afraid it might end up being just that from time to time – as I tend to feel the loss of those I hold in high esteem deeply. However, that list is growing smaller each day. As it is today, with much sadness that I write R.L. Burnside, the granddaddy of the North Mississippi Hill Country blues scene died this morning in Memphis. While R.L. remained virtually unknown outside of Mississippi, until the early 1990’s, he along with the late Junior Kimbrough helped cultivate the juke joint sound named for the region. A sound that will be carried on by R.L.’s sons & grandsons, Junior’s sons, Kenny Brown, The North Mississippi All-Stars, Jon Spencer, and all the others now and yet to come on Fat Possum Records (off who’s website, I snagged this amazing pic of R.L.). I was watching the amazing blues documentary You See Me Laughin’ two nights ago (yes, instead of writing) thinking how I wanted to play harmonica with R.L. next summer when I hit Mississippi. I guess I’ll settle for playing with those who also miss him. Check out their web site (www.fatpossum.com), to learn more about R.L.’s music and the memorial fund set up for his widow, Alice Mae.
I know it may feel that everyone is hitting you up – Hurricane relief, memorial funds , etc. – but remember, each step that we take on this big ol’ rock, each breath, each smile we get from a loved one, is a gift. I am a firm believer that charity starts at home, so if you’re just getting by, keep on, but if you got a little extra keep those less fortunate in mind. Now I’ve got a date with a scotch, an R.L. cd, and a tear or two. Talk to you in a few. Peace.