Steve Earle Appreciation Thread

[IWasBored]

"the revolution starts now" selling trucks aside ( ), steve earle is pretty awesome. i'm only recently in the last few months getting into the stuff. i bought "copperhead road," "guitar town," and "the mountain," (bluegrass, hell yeah!) and i've got a couple other albums ("the revolution starts now", "train a-coming", and "i feel alright") on my computer that i copied from the town library.

i really like it. i could put "the devil's right hand" and "johnny come lately" on repeat, alternating, for a couple hours now and be perfectly happy.

i know country music is the stuff of zoo confessionals "OMG i h8 hillbillies!!1!" threads on this site, but there's got to be someone in here who's with me on this.

discuss.

 

[joyfulgirl]

I'll discuss Steve Earle with you any day of the week. I've been a Steve Earle fan since his first record. A good friend used to play with him so I got turned on to him early. Hell, I even hung out on the Steve Earle tour bus back then (yeah, nobody likes a namedropper, it's just that it's a name that no one usually cares about when I drop it so dammit, I'm dropping it here!). I haven't followed his new stuff much though I did see him about 2 years ago and decided in many ways he's better than ever but I guess my own interest in alt.country has waned a bit.

I think his first record is still my favorite--still love "Fearless Heart," "Guitar Town" and 'My Old Friend the Blues."

"The Devil's Right Hand" made an appearance in "Brokeback Mountain" which was out of place since it didn't come out until '88 but I'm probably the only geek who noticed.

 

[IWasBored]

drop all you want. i certainly don't care, it's in context.


i had "hardcore troubadour: (some subtitle i can't remember)" out from the library a little while ago, but i returned it before i got a chance to read it. if you've read it, is it worth reading?

 

[joyfulgirl]

I haven't read it but I read some good reviews. Earle is a big talker and a good storyteller so it might be interesting. I'm sure he's got good stories from his druggie days and SEVEN marriages (twice to the same woman).

 

[CPTLCTYGOOFBALL]

Steve's the Man, though I admit having "The revolution Starts now" selling trucks was a bit of a surprise, but what are ya gonna do.

I've seen him live 5 times, met him twice(basically said hi) and had my head knocked together with a friends head by one of his roadies(long story)

I feel alright, Copperhead Road, Transcendental Blues, and the Hard Way are all favourite albums of mine, and his contribution to the Dead Man Walking Soundtrack "Ellis Unit 1" is a classic.

He's also a great quote, calling Garth Brooks "The Anti-hank" (williams) and Shania Twain the "Highest paid lapdancer in America"

If you have a chance to read the biography that came out a few years ago, do it. It's a warts and all bio of him, written with his approval. It's amazing that the guy is still around after all he went through during the late 80s and early 90s, but I'm glad he is!

Edit: I didn't even see the mention of the book in the posts above, too much coffee-Read it if you get the chance!

 

[IWasBored]

seven? wow. i knew he's been married and divorced several times, but i didn't know exactly how many times

garth brooks being the anti-hank is hilarious. the shania twain quote, too.

i was kidding about the truck thing. i don't really care about that stuff. and hey, if toby keith is going to sell fords...

 

[bayernfc]

The only context I've heard his name mentioned is in Clash stories . As far as country music, I've been getting into Johhny Cash's records after I heard his brilliant version of Redemption song. So I suppose this would be the next step?

Anyhow, what are a couple of songs/cds I need to check out?

 

[IWasBored]

i consider getting my brother hooked on johnny cash to be my biggest accomplishment over winter break. anyway...as a farily new fan, i'm not sure how equipped i am to reccomend, but i'd say copperhead road

i don't know if it's the next step, i listen to freaking tim mcgraw. don't follow my music-listening habits!

 

[bayernfc]

I hear of him (Earle) from other Clash fans as well, it's not only you, so yes, no chance of me ever listening to Tim McGraw...not if my life depended on it.... so I guess that settles it. no?

 

[IWasBored]

i figured so much, just didn't want to be responsible (covering my ass!) for anything disasterous.

according to itunes, i'm listening to copperhead road (the whole album, not the song) for the 6th time today. which does not count the number of times i listened to it on my ipod earlier. will i burn out? possibly. anytime in the near future? not probable. i'm nuts.

 

[typhoon]

Steve Earle is awesome.

 

[VintagePunk]

Steve Earle...fucking amazing. Back in the Guitar Town days, I was forced to listen to county, due to assholish, countrified coworkers. He was one of the few that I could tolerate. Even in the '90s, when the tide had (as far as cooler stations/people go) turned against "new country," Steve Earle was here, being played on alt rock stations (Justice in Ontario I learned about this case as a kid, and both my parents were from near there!) and "I'm the Other Kind."

Outlaw country. Johnny woulda tipped his hat.

 

[lazarus]

No mention of the album Jerusalem? What balls to write a song empathizing with the American Taliban kid. Some great poliltical stuff on there, and I think the title track is an absolute classic.

HUGE fan of Transcendental Blues, and I didn't see El Corazon mentioned either.

 

[fah]

I only have one Steve Earle cd, 'Copperhead Road' and I love it!!! I admit 'Guitar Town' has been on my list of cds to buy for way too long now.

'The Devils Right Hand'

I must read that bio

 

[bonocomet]

Oooh cool! I must admit, I only own Copperhead Road, but I used to play that thing endlessly until I drove my family nuts! It's actually been quite a few years now tho.... Thanks for the reminder, I'll have to dust it off!

 

[Bono's shades]

No mention of the album Jerusalem? What balls to write a song empathizing with the American Taliban kid. Some great poliltical stuff on there, and I think the title track is an absolute classic.

Hell, yeah! That album is what got me into Steve Earle. I didn't really know who he was before that.

 

[IWasBored]

speaking of jerusalem, the beginning of "ashes to ashes" is sufficiently creepy.

 

[CPTLCTYGOOFBALL]

Nice aviator

 

[IWasBored]

i got el corazon and transcendental blues today. damn good stuff

 

[CPTLCTYGOOFBALL]

i got el corazon and transcendental blues today. damn good stuff

I forgot about El Corazon-That's one of my faves. I didn't care for his last 2 albums quite as much as the others he's put out since he's been clean, but still some great stuff on them.

 

[BluRmGrl]

'Well my name's John Lee Pettimore,
Same as my Daddy and his Daddy before..."

I don't know a lot of Steve Earle's work, but Copperhead Road certainly kicks ass.

Would he compare at all to Robert Earl Keene? (Someone else that I've heard a few songs from but don't know a lot about.)

 

[IWasBored]

i don't know anything about robert earl keene.

 

[IWasBored]

Nice aviator

alas, it was short-lived. i don't like not recognizing my posts. i changed my location, though.

 

[Anu]

I see him in the agitfolk family with Dylan, Billy Bragg, David Rovics, and so on, but with that lovely, ballsy, rootsy, creepy, drawly, dark southern edge.

John Walker's Blues is profound and piercing.

Seen him play.

Met him.

Does benefits for the local peace and justice center here in Nash Vegas.

Certainly makes me proud to live in Tennessee.

Love Steve Earle.