Quotable Country – 06/28/09 Edition
Click the bullet after each quote to visit the original source.
Country my ass, that’s rock ‘n’ roll!
- – Bryan Adams quotes Dale Watson to Jason Aldean on CMT Crossroads. Burn.
You guys are a full-on rock band. There’s nothing country about what’s going on onstage. The only thing country is maybe the song titles: “Johnny Cash,” “She’s Country.”
- – Bryan Adams again. I love this guy.
Well, I think the fact that I wear a cowboy hat probably helps us get away with it.
- – Jason Aldean responds.
Believe it or not, Keith Urban drove his own car to the CMT Music Awards and parked across from the Sommet Center in downtown Nashville. Fans mobbed him and almost made him late for the big show. ●
- – Wow, Keith Urban drove and parked his own car. Color me impressed, Hazel.
I think it’s really just in my blood, honestly. When I was 8 and 9, I had a really happy childhood, and I was writing these really brooding songs. The lyrics were always coming from a point of view of someone much, much older. Broken marriages or things happening to children, all kinds of stuff. I think that lonely lyrical spirit of my grandfather is still there. ●
- – Holly Williams on songwriting. Have you entered to win her album yet?
People would be surprised to know that I listen to a lot of R&B and rap. My nickname on the bus is ‘Dance Party.’ I can’t stop listening to Ne-Yo. ●
- – Lady Antebellum’s Hillary Scott. Actually, I’d be more surprised to know that she listens to any country music predating 2000 (with the possible exception of “Does He Love You”).
What I thought would be cool was to have a big element of the tour revolve around the theatrics of my songs, because really they’re all just dramatizations of what I’ve gone through. So I wanted to take that opportunity to show the audience what I’m seeing in my head when I’m playing these songs. ●
- – The inside of Taylor Swift’s head sounds pretty exhausting.
I think what’s happening is we’re moving from a culture of acquisition of things into a culture of acquisition of meaning. And I think the world is moving in that direction. I see it in our shows. I see it in the faces of the parents that I drop my kids off next to. People are looking for meaning more than they’re looking for more money to buy another whatever. And we are that band. ●
- – Kristian Bush gets all philosophical… without directly insulting any other performers. Surprising.
Every generation of country folds in outside influences, and Montgomery Gentry has – as overtly as any act in the genre – managed to blend the sound and fury of the duo’s teen years with the classic honky-tonk music that fellow Opry member Alan Jackson continues to ply. The duo was aware of the change it stood for, particularly since Troy spent part of Tuesday afternoon boning up on his Opry history on his laptop. ●
- – Translation: Troy Gentry frantically tried to learn something about the Opry in the hours before his induction.
Q: Didn’t you just play the Country Music Awards?
A: That was fun. It was strange. We felt like fish out of water since we’re Democrats and gay and all that. But I think country is changing. Everybody was glad to see us.
Q: Actually, some of these country acts look pretty gay.
A: It’s true. I think you would be more surprised to know who’s not really out. ●
- – Cindy Wilson of the B-52s on performing with Sugarland at the CMT Awards.
I’ve never played that song perfect. I get a chance to try to play it perfect every night. It’s a matter of competing with yourself. It’s more a matter of perfection than execution. I’d love to play it one time perfect. ●
- – Charlie Daniels on “The Devil Went Down to Georgia.”
There’s not really a sound down here; it’s a scene. And the really cool thing about the scene is that it’s all about the fans, the one-on-one interaction between the fans during the show. It’s not so much about radio, TV and hype. It’s really about the fan base. I’m really lucky to live in a place that is supported by the general population. That just doesn’t exist every where else and I think we take it for granted because we are in Texas. ●
- – Kevin Fowler on the Texas music scene.
My granny always said that you get the croup from cold wind blowing in your ears. So I grew up always covering up my ears when it was cold outside. It’s comfortable to me. ●
- – Zac Brown on why he wears a beanie.
It has been quite a week. Here’s to your health.
Prefer email? Nothing wrong with that!
Kristain Bush is clueless. What’s the price of those tickets Sugarland sells? Tickets aren’t ‘things?” Coulda fooled me.
Yeah, Kathy, I’m with you. Sounds like Kristian Bush sampled some hallucinogenic drugs from the B52s. First off, you’re dead on about the ticket thing. Secondly, if the theory in his mind is true, exactly what meaning is the music listening audience supposed to derive from lyrical poetry such as “All I Want to Do” and “It Happens.” I think someone needs to tone down the philosophical self importance. As a “band,” Sugarland isn’t all that different from any of the other country artists trying to get pop/country ditties to the top of the charts.
As for some of the other quotes, I highly doubt Bryan Adams was trying to insult Jason Aldean. But, man…that’s awesome. I would love to know if Aldean was angry about that, or just laughed it off because he knew it was the truth.
Finally, I never would’ve guessed that Charlie Daniels was that much of a perfectionist. i guess when you’ve been in the industry that long, you need something to continue to stay motivated. After seeing the guy in concert a few years ago, I can honestly say that he still has it. So whatever he’s doing must be working.
Bryan Adams is my new hero.
I turned on Crossroads about a third of the way through and saw that exchange between Aldean and Adams and couldn’t believe it, so I DVR’ed the rerun to highlight it if someone didn’t get to it first. It seemed to be such an awkward setup with them sitting around a table decorated with fruit and sippin’ water from wine glasses while having to force conversation for the camera. Aldean looked totally uncomfortable and his singing on “Heaven” was painful.
Ha. Never thought my respect for Bryan Adams would be this high. I’d like to hear the exact tone of the exchange, but I don’t really have an inclination to watch the show in order to do it.
Other than a country artist basically admitting he’s not country, there wasn’t really anything awkward or inflammatory about the exchange. You can watch it at CMT if you go to around the 6:58 mark of this video:
http://www.cmt.com/videos/misc/404663/cmt-crossroads-bryan-adams-and-jason-aldean-3-shes-country.jhtml
(Oh, and it wasn’t fruit on the table, but candles and some sort of appetizer, but still…)
Who is Bryan Adams to be doling out these charges? I mean I don’t disagree with him but what in hell does he have to do or ever had to do with country music?
Kristian Bush sounds like a celestial douchebag when he starts philosophizing. In this down economy he is saying folks aren’t so concerned about money and things (like food or the mortgage maybe?)! He is rolling in dough thanks to Jennifer Nettles and is part of the “Bush’s Beans” family, so he obviously doesn’t have to worry about cash flow these days. I truly find the man’s ramblings insufferable…
If Charlie Daniels wants perfection on “The Devil Went Down To Georgia”, he should hire Kristy O. from BOMSHEL for a gig. The original duo version of Bomshel (featuring Buffy Lawson) recorded a cover of “Devil” for their self-titled debut CURB album that was shelved and Kristy O’s playing kick ass.
I love Kevin Fowler’s comment about the Texas music scene: “There’s not really a sound down here; it’s a scene.” I guess that explains why so much mediocre Texas regional and red dirt music can have such a large following among members of that “scene”. Those of us not part of the scene are left to judge the music on its merits alone, and a whole lot of it comes up short.
Yes, Rick, but a whole lot of it goes down quite nicely.
Everytime Kristain Bush talks, I end up rolling my eyes. Never fails.
And just like that, Kristian Bush has made another handful of new fans.