For Those About To Rock-Grass

Sometimes, there is hope in weirdness, and if that's true, then lurking behind that link above is the most hopeful thing you've seen in quite a while. A dear friend of mine whom we'll call "Da Northcoaster" discovered a band (if I recall correctly) by stealing, er I mean sharing, their music on Napster, then taking his brother to go see them when they played in their home town...at a nursery home. The band played on undeterred, and they've just kept playing their invention, which they call "Rockgrass." This is not a spoof. They're called Hayseed Dixie.

Maybe it's just me, but I like their version of AC/DC's "Shook Me All Night Long" better than the original. Basically, they take songs from grizzled metal bands like Motorhead, AC/DC, Guns n' Roses, and ZZ Top and play them in bluegrass style, translated into hillbilly. They've taken their invention on tour overseas, and are in the process of becoming an international sensation. I love to go to watch improv jazz, I do most every week, I like punk and grunge and have run to see the symphony and The Cars and Queen, but for pure fun you can't beat a good metal band, whether they're ZZ Top or the Velvet Underground. The metal bands start with a little kiss, and then you probably end up in jail. Now imagine all those bands with a banjo and fiddle, taking themselves none too seriously.

The Boston Herald says, "This is a phenomenally good album." Word Magazine (in the UK) says, "...like the Beverly Hillbillies suddenly gripped by a death wish." The Washington Post says, "...played with a fervor AC/DC could hardly imagine." The Jewish Telegraph (I'm not kidding) says, "This is a strong contender for Album of the Year."

God Bless America.