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I find it both interesting and hard to understand why any true Steve Earle fan would complain about his current tour with DJ Neil and the style and sound of Washington Square Serenade.... personally, I think WSS is one of his best cds, and I can't get enough of the dj sound... seeing and hearing it live was fantastic!!

.......I always thought SE fans were more open-minded than most "regular" people....

 

 

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"love is a prison" but no one really wants to be free....

Yeah, Steve in his living room or with the Dukes. Forget the DJ. He might as well as hit the button himself for all the mixing that went on.

I once saw the closest thing to Steve in living room years back when he played a tiny venue that was then called The Mean Fiddler in west London (England that is). He played for hours without a set list and spent a good amount of time telling stories about artists who'd influenced him. After about half an hour someone shouted a request "We'll be here a while yet" he said. An hour later the same request came and the reply was the same. By the time the gig finished all the trains had stopped and you'd see fans just wondering the streets trying to find a way home. Was the show worth it? Hell yeah.

Steve Earle doesn't need a DJ (the real ones don't play his records anyhow) he just needs himself and a guitar. He already has a good bunch of stories and songs.

Lot's of interesting opinions, and there's room for all of them. I'll only say this. Steve has always defied expectations and will continue to push the envelope. If he'd listened to everything people ever said, we would never have had:

Copperhead Road (too "rock")
Train A Comin' (too "independent")
The Mountain (not "traditional" enough for the bluegrass crowd)
Jerusalem (too "anti-war/political" for the social climate at the time)
Washington Square Serenade (see above thread.)

If Bob Dylan had packed up his electric guitar and turtled, we may never have had The Band. If the Beatles had come out near the end of the 20th century or now, we'd never have had Revolver of Sgt. Pepper.

The best artists take risks and the fans are along for the ride or they ain't.

I'm along with Steve whatever he decides to do, and if I don't really like it - well, I'll wait for the next record. But he hasn't disappointed me yet.  

 

 

DJ or not, I like WSS (much) more that Jerusalem and Revolution.

And we are open minded, but that doesn't mean we don't have any music preferences. 

 

Don't take what I said personally Viky, I'm just expressing my opinion too and pointing out what I think are some salient facts. I am not criticizing anyone for not liking the DJ bit - but I won't stand for Steve being criticized for doing it.

Bluegrass:

Lot's of interesting opinions, and there's room for all of them. I'll only say this. Steve has always defied expectations and will continue to push the envelope. If he'd listened to everything people ever said, we would never have had:

Copperhead Road (too "rock")
Train A Comin' (too "independent")
The Mountain (not "traditional" enough for the bluegrass crowd)
Jerusalem (too "anti-war/political" for the social climate at the time)
Washington Square Serenade (see above thread.)

If Bob Dylan had packed up his electric guitar and turtled, we may never have had The Band. If the Beatles had come out near the end of the 20th century or now, we'd never have had Revolver of Sgt. Pepper.

The best artists take risks and the fans are along for the ride or they ain't.

I'm along with Steve whatever he decides to do, and if I don't really like it - well, I'll wait for the next record. But he hasn't disappointed me yet.

Well put!

For those of you who read the latest Mojo, and the interview with Steve, he pretty much nailed it when he said that hip-hop is folk music.

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kmb117:

We don't have a cure for cancer but we've got 16 million different versions of the Lord of the Rings. What. The. Fuck.

Jasoncubarhodes ~ I can't tell you how nice it was to see your avatar!  Nice choice and great flashback...not a lot of that around these days.  Well done!

 As for the DJ, I guess because I became a Steve fan later than many and did not see him with the Dukes but only solo acoustic a few times before WSS, the DJ does not in any way bother me.  In fact it has been fun listening for several months as he has worked it out and UP to the INCREDIBLE live show that I saw in San Francisco in March.  If you were lucky enough to hear some of the really early live performances of WSS songs either live or on the web (before the official tour started), you know how rough it was in the beginning and how polished it is now.  As a fan of Steve, but also of human tenacity, I appreciate the incredible amount or work he put in to making his vision a reality.  I'm with Bluegrass...along for the ride no matter what!

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A book should serve as the ax for the frozen sea within us ~ Franz Kafka (1883-1924)

I think that's the point. As we are such big Steve's fans. We will like or at least accustom to anything because it will still be him. But no wonder some people who are not so much into Steve are dissapointed when Steve change style of his music.

BTW my friends musicians agreed with me that it is huge downgrade from increible drummer Custer to drumming machines. So concerning music I'm with them, even though WSS is on top of my CDs, but concerning peronality, I'm with Steve that he does what he likes, no matter how popular it is. Nothing like tose ridiulous Nashville stars.

I've no problem with the DJ. But I'm a bit of an old rocker (though I don't have the hair for it anymore) and I would always prefer to see him with the Dukes. When he was here in 2004, he started the encore with 'Breed' and blew the roof off! Probably the highlight of any of his shows I've seen. Having said that, WSS is is best since Transcendental Blues and I hope I get the chance to see him on this tour and be able to have an opinion on it.   

well...okay...i would pay readily to see Steve stand on stage and sing "Mary Had a Little Lamb," DJ or not...the DJ didn't bother me when they were in Minneapolis, Steve's show was the highlight of the last year, or more, for me...the DJ did get a little loud at one point, but that was okay...as we say down south, i was in "hog heaven..."

but, then viky can tell you i am a little whacked at Steve...

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Steve Earle fan, grateful recovering addict

She is pretty much whacked at Steve

yep, that's me, certifiably insane crazy about Steve Earle...

i admit this...

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Steve Earle fan, grateful recovering addict

maccite:

I've no problem with the DJ. But I'm a bit of an old rocker (though I don't have the hair for it anymore) and I would always prefer to see him with the Dukes. When he was here in 2004, he started the encore with 'Breed' and blew the roof off! Probably the highlight of any of his shows I've seen. Having said that, WSS is is best since Transcendental Blues and I hope I get the chance to see him on this tour and be able to have an opinion on it.   

 WOW - you got to see "Breed" live.... must say I'm a little jealous! I was recently blessed with the gift of one of those 2004 concerts on cd with "Breed" as one of the encores. There are not too many things better than blasting that song and rockin' it out!!! It's so awesome!!
 

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"love is a prison" but no one really wants to be free....

missintexas:

yep, that's me, certifiably insane crazy about Steve Earle...

i admit this...

 

... yeah - that's why I love ya missy!!!

as long as you don't mind sharing!

 

 

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"love is a prison" but no one really wants to be free....

EarleGirl44:

maccite:

I've no problem with the DJ. But I'm a bit of an old rocker (though I don't have the hair for it anymore) and I would always prefer to see him with the Dukes. When he was here in 2004, he started the encore with 'Breed' and blew the roof off! Probably the highlight of any of his shows I've seen. Having said that, WSS is is best since Transcendental Blues and I hope I get the chance to see him on this tour and be able to have an opinion on it.   

 WOW - you got to see "Breed" live.... must say I'm a little jealous! I was recently blessed with the gift of one of those 2004 concerts on cd with "Breed" as one of the encores. There are not too many things better than blasting that song and rockin' it out!!! It's so awesome!!
 

I think he was spoiling us a little bit as he hadn't played in New Zealand for 14 years. It was also the very last show of the Jerusalem tour. Purists would probably be diasappointed cos he didn't play one acoustic number, it was an all out rock n roll show from start to finish. We even got a sneak preview of The Revolution Starts Now, before he went home to record it.