Tag: Drive By Truckers

Pick of the Political Pops: Drive By Truckers “Perfect Timing”

This week we’ve been made aware of some interesting facts and figures. Apparently net migration to the UK (year ending March 2020) was 313,000 – up on 221,000 on last year. Xenophobes and Brexiteers must be wailing and gnashing their teeth. In fact 715,000 people moved to the UK but 403,000 left hence the ‘net’ figure. Of that net figure the vast majority were non-EU nationals. Indeed an estimated 257,000 of those people arrived for study/university and the vast majority of those were from China or India. The remainder were for work and family reasons. That’s a lot of money generated for the economy. Then Covid-19 hit. After that there was a 97% reduction in passenger journeys. Also – and here’s the economy killer – study visa applications are down 99%. And of course the Brexit transition period will end pretty soon with no deal or agreement in sight. And the country is in debt to the tune of something like two trillion pounds. Best start looking for change down the back of the sofa…

Jerry Joseph “The Beautiful Madness” (Décor Records, 2020)

When Patterson Hood of The Drive-By Truckers describes you as “long one of my favourite songwriters, one of the absolute best of our generation” people are going to sit up and take notice and so it is that this album has already attracted a great deal of interest, even prior to its release. Hood produced the album and the Truckers provide the backing to Joseph’s songs further adding to the anticipation. So, who is Jerry Joseph, and does the album live up to expectations? Continue reading “Jerry Joseph “The Beautiful Madness” (Décor Records, 2020)”

Interview: Jerry Joseph on Dead Confederates and Middle Eastern child refugees

If you have come across Jerry Joseph’s name recently you may be forgiven for thinking he is a new artist, such is the buzz around his latest album ‘The Beautiful Madness’. However, he has been a professional musician since the ‘70s and has made over 30 albums. In America, he has built up a dedicated fan base and gained a reputation as one of the better songwriters. He is a true believer in the view that music is art and, despite personal challenges and the disappointment on missing out on a major record deal 30 years ago, he has continued to pursue his muse. Americana UK’s Martin Johnson caught up by phone with Jerry in a camper van on his Portland, Oregon, Continue reading “Interview: Jerry Joseph on Dead Confederates and Middle Eastern child refugees”

Video: Jerry Joseph with Drive-By Truckers “Sugar Smacks”

The latest single from Jerry Joseph is seven minutes of controlled aggression and a charged political assessment of the world around him.  It is, as he sings, “…a rubber ball full of rage.”  Patterson Hood of the Drive-By Truckers, again performing as Joseph’s band, says, “It might be the most punk rock song I’ve heard in twenty years (or more).  As a founding member of Drive-By Truckers, I place this track among my favourite moments of this band’s discography and the rest of them are in unanimous agreement with me about that.”  That’s some statement but it is hard to disagree.  It’s a track that stays with you, particularly the raw emotion, long after listening. Continue reading “Video: Jerry Joseph with Drive-By Truckers “Sugar Smacks””

10 Americana songs about cars

Cars have always featured in American music right from the very first widespread recordings made in the ‘20s. The reason for this is fairly mundane, America is a big country and over the decades economic forces have required ordinary people to move and the car played an obvious part in this. Due to the size of the internal market, car and petrol prices in America have always been cheaper than those of Europe. Continue reading “10 Americana songs about cars”

Patterson Hood on DBT’s band name: “I sincerely apologize for its stupidity”

Drive-By Truckers frontman Patterson Hood has written a new op-ed for NPR in which he apologises to fans for the band’s name. “Our name was a drunken joke that was never intended to be in rotation and reckoned with two-and-a-half decades later, and I sincerely apologize for its stupidity and any negative stereotypes it has propagated,” he wrote near the end of the column. “I’m not sure changing it now serves any higher purpose, but I’m certainly open to suggestions.” Continue reading “Patterson Hood on DBT’s band name: “I sincerely apologize for its stupidity””

Video Premiere: Jerry Joseph with Drive By Truckers “Days of Heaven”

Though less well-known on our side of the pond, Jerry Joseph is a hugely respected songwriter, championed by the likes of Jason Isbell and Patterson Hood of Drive By Truckers. Indeed the Truckers are such fans of his work that Hood has produced Joseph’s upcoming album and the band have backed him on the new record.  Today, we’re announcing that the new album ‘The Beautiful Madness’ will drop on 21st August on Decor Records and we’re celebrating with this fabulous video premiere of ‘Days of Heaven’.  Continue reading “Video Premiere: Jerry Joseph with Drive By Truckers “Days of Heaven””

Drive-By Truckers sing quarantine song together – Watch

There have been a lot of songs played in isolation over recent weeks, many of them of course via our dear little mini-gig series (which we often schedule for 3.45 so the sun is over the yard-arm, etc.) and in this spirit, the five members of Drive-By Truckers have got together to record a kind of love song called ‘Quarantine Together’ which imagines dating in the current climate, with Patterson Hood promising to stay six feet away from his latest love interest – at least for the time being. “Through the miracles of science and technology, DBT has recorded a brand new single,” Hood wrote from his home in Portland, Oregon: “I wrote [it] during our first week in isolation and sent my basic track (recorded in my Heathen Attic) to the gang. Everyone then put their own parts on it and David Barbe mixed it.” Hood and fellow Trucker Mike Cooley will also play individual live stream shows on May 6th and May 8th respectively which will be available via noonchorus.com.

Pickathon presents a concert a day – starting with Drive By Truckers

Long-running Portland, Oregon festival Pickathon has announced a new series of concerts for the next 2 months entitled ‘A Concert A Day’. The initiative has been set up to help musicians and artist communities through the Recording Academy’s MusiCares organization, with the rationale that during the current more or less worldwide lockdown, with so many artists unable to tour and so many people stuck at home, they are opening the vaults to premiere one full concert a day for 60 days, streaming for free on Facebook, Amazon Music’s Twitch channel, and on YouTube. And if you want to make a donation, all proceeds will go to MusiCares COVID-19 Relief Fund. Continue reading “Pickathon presents a concert a day – starting with Drive By Truckers”