The person I was talking to was an old-timer. Used to work in radio as a disc jockey in the 80's, he now works in the sports field. He was talking about how music today confuses and perplexes him and that upsets him because he still considers himself hip. And, from talking to him, I could tell that he still had a good grasp of what was cool and what was definitely not.

His main point of contention about mainstream country music was that when he's cruising by radio stations or CMT/GAC he can't distinguish one act from another. They sound the same, look the same etc. And, back in his day it took no time to tell the difference between a Haggard song or Jones song...and it could be done in the first 10 seconds. Now, everything is so formulaic that it sounds the same. Produced by the same handful of producers using the same handful of studio musicians. The videos are all shot by the same handful of directors, in the same Nashville area locales and using the same extras.

His main point of contention about Texas Music was much the same. When it came back into flavor in the late 90's, it had an edge and was different. Then, as has been pointed out so many times here and elsewhere, the scene got flooded with no-talent hacks singing bad beer-soaked GCDC poetry. People that can't write, sing, or play squeezing out those few truly talented and innovative artists who are doing something original. The first wave pointed to guys like Townes Van Zandt, Guy Clark and Robert Earl keen as their inspiration. Next, after a couple of years, a rock influence seeped in and Bruce Springsteen's name was bandied alongside Kurt Cobain, the Toadies and even Prince. Then, a younger wave of guys came through that pointed to guys in the first wave as their influences and unabashedly copied them.

As we talked through all this, the old-timer summed it up by saying "Texas Music used to be different, but it's not anymore...a lot of it is crap." I could only nod my head in agreement. It is something I've pointed out over and over and over. It is now to the extent that a casual older gentleman that follows this music has noticed.

Texas/Red Dirt has slowly slipped into a precarious ravine where everything sounds and looks the same.

Every album seems to be produced by Mike McClure, Lloyd Maines, Walt Wilkins or Keith Gattis for the most part. I seem to remember a time when I could tell who's song was whose just by the first few bars. Different techniques, different vocals etc. Yet, it's gotten to such a point that those who still retain an original sound are copied to the point of frustration. And, some of those who have become relatively popular have an "original sound" only because it is so basic and juvenile that it makes me want to rip my ears off.

The minute someone can explain the lyrical genius and sophisticated musical stylings of Casey Donahew and Josh Abbott will be the same minute I root for the Oklahoma Sooners and join PETA.

Seems like a lot of the folks that are making cool, new music in this scene are playing to fifty people in a dive while the lame rip-off artists play to packed houses full of alcohol fueled sing alongers who don't know any better. Why do they not know any better? Because Texas radio has become just as bad as Clear Channel and Cumulus minus a couple of exceptions (Mandatory FM and KNBT). Listen/stream those two stations if you want to hear cool stuff without the crap paying to play on the narrow playlists of other "Texas" stations.

There are countless other examples that I can come up with...but I want to hear yours...what's the difference anymore...or is there a diference?

MINOR CHORDS:

-Greenfest was a rousing success this year. Momo's was the perfect venue and we hope to return next year. The Sunday show was great too. Thanks to everyone for making it a success. My favorite part was the jam at the end of the night at Momo's featuring Nate Rodriguez playing Adam Hood's guitar and singing "Will the Circle Be Unbroken?" Amazing stuff.

-I've had the pleasure of seeing Will Hoge play twice this summer. Once in Nashville, once in Dallas. The Nashville show was better, but they were both excellent. If you get a chance to see this man perform, please do. He's got the intensity and charisma of Springsteen without merely namechecking him and playing watered-down rock.

-The older I get, the more I realize how selfish people can be in general. It's a sad comment on the human race.

-It's finally football season! Have big hopes for the Longhorns...hope to be pleasantly surprised by the Cowboys.

-Making plans to see several big rock shows this fall. Gotta see how the big dogs do it. AC/DC, U2 and others on tap. I'm excited already.

-VH1 Classic and VH1 Soul are the best channels on cable many nights.

-I've read several books this summer during downtime, and Midnight Riders: The Story of the Allman Brothers Band by Scott Freeman, may have been the coolest. We have two huge bookcases in our house and they are completely full. 75% are full of music and music bios/autobios...this is a good one. At times it drug on with a few too many details. For example, Freeman goes into extraordinary detail about each recording session the band ever went into. You'll see what I mean if you read it, and you should. But, the tales of the band rising up from bars to stadiums and the problems that come with that were fascinating.

-Ran into one of the good guys of Texas Music at Greenfest, Adam Svoboda. You may know Adam best for his time spent with Ryan Turner on lead guitar. Adam is now playing with Wes Hayden of toolbag Bachelorette fame. Poor Adam. He assured me that Wes is really cool and that the entire show was a bad edit job.

-This month's recommended film is: 500 Days of Summer. A quirky little movie with a killer soundtrack. If you dug Garden State or Nick and Norah...this is your movie.

-This month's recommended album: Radney Foster-Revival. I have a full review of this record coming in the next issue of LSM Mag. But, let me say it'sa cool little record that mixes equal parts gospel, country, blues and Brit pop. Basically, it's a Greatest Hits record full of songs you've never heard before.

-"Of all the things I've lost, I miss my mind the most."-Mark Twain