In light of recent events, we are rebroadcasting an edition of Two Guys on Your Head with Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke about the psychology behind both sides of America’s ongoing debate about firearms and gun control.
Archives for August 2019
Texas Standard: August 8, 2019
Is it doxxing, fake outrage, or something else? Why the publication of Trump donor names has Texas Congressman Joaquin Castro facing controversy. Details on the Texas Standard.
As President Trump visits El Paso, so do top Texas officials. More on what happens next after a meeting between Governor Abbott and state lawmakers from El Paso.
Also, understanding the scourge of anthrax in West Texas as ranchers fight to protect livestock.
Plus- laptop, desktop, tablet? A tech guide for parents helping students gear up for school.
Who Is This Woman Who Helps Older Austinites Stay Socially Connected?
The aging population is growing fast in Austin. So Becky Rhodes said we should meet a couple trying to keep seniors active in the community.
Dori Freeman: “That’s How I Feel”
With nine years of guitar strumming and more than two decades of non-stop singing under her belt, Southwestern Virginia’s Dori Freeman brings a modern mind to traditional roots music. Freeman’s sound is swayed by all colors of Americana, with a calming vibrato that’s already proved to be the perfect mate to her candid, contemporary lyricism across her first two full-lengths.
Marking Freeman’s third collaboration with British folk-rocker Teddy Thompson, the next chapter in Freeman’s discography is Every Single Star. The record is out September 27th, but Dori Freeman’s shared a well-rounded Americana appetizer ahead of time, “That’s How I Feel”!
Guitar Hero
Ain’t no triflin’ with this head cat. No sir.
Remember the name Danny B. Harvey. It’s an integral part of your rock ‘n’ roll history lesson. Ever since Harvey picked up a guitar at age 6, he was unstoppable. A renowned musician, producer and composer, Harvey has played with greats like Wanda Jackson, the late great Lemmy Kilmister (Motörhead), Slim Jim Phantom, Levi Dexter, Johnny Ramone and numerous others, and is a founding member of what many have referred to as “Lemmy’s other band,” The Head Cat. Rock ‘n’ roll, rockabilly, gothabilly, fire and twang – Harvey does it all, and then some.
With a roster like this one, you can’t deny the greatness. Treat yourself tonight by catching Danny B. Harvey’s show at the Sahara Lounge, 1413 Webberville Rd. Doors open at 7:30 p.m., with a solo piano performance by Henri Herbert opening at 8 p.m., followed by Harvey and Casino Frap at 9:15 p.m., and THUNDEROSA at 10:30 p.m.
Can you handle it? This one comes very recommended.
-Image courtesy of the artist.
Remembering The Summers Of My Youth
Now that we’re in the dog days of summer, I’ve been thinking about the long summers of my youth. We had longer summers then. It’s not just an idealized memory. Schools would dismiss us in late May and we wouldn’t return until September 2nd or so, generally the day following Labor Day.
What I remember distinctly about those summers of more than 50 years ago, is that I was a free range kid. My mom opened the gate in the morning for me and my brothers and we’d wander out into the great pastures of our neighborhood and entire town – yes, it was a small town – unsupervised. We’d roam all over with all the other kids, also free range, and play games and sometimes watch TV at other kids’ houses until we were chased out by a stern mom who’d tell us to “get- on-outside and play.”
I say we were unsupervised, but not really. The whole town had its arms around us and made sure we behaved, and were safe.
About noon we’d meander back home and have dinner. That is what we called lunch then. The noon meal was dinner. Then we’d have a nap, with cicadas humming loudly, and go back out until supper time, about seven. We’d eat supper quickly so we could get back out to our friends where we’d play until well after dark, enjoying games like “kick-the-can” and “red light.”
The grown-ups were out there with us, sitting in lawn chairs, making homemade ice cream, listening to baseball games on small transistor radios and gazing up into the stars, marveling at the tech-savvy age they lived in, where they could see NASA satellites passing over.
Yes, as kids, we were quite free. I remember one day me and my brothers were on our bikes with backpacks on, ready to head out and my father said, “Where are you boys going?”
We said, “To the lake.”
He said, “To that one five miles east of town?”
“Yes, sir,” we said.
“That one out there on the FM road with all the 18 wheeler traffic?”
“Yes, sir.”
“That one you have to cross the rattlesnake field to get to?”
“Yes, sir,” we admitted.
“All right. Just be back by dark or your momma will worry,” he said.
I like that my Dad would never admit to worrying himself. He just worried about my mom worrying.
He was also big on the idea that boyhood shaped and toughened the man that the boy would become.
Once I asked him for a ride over to my friend Gonzalo’s house.
He said, “It’s only a mile over there. Walk. It’ll do you good.”
I said, “But it’s about 100 degrees right now.”
He said, “Wear a hat.”
Summers sure are different for kids now. The world is no doubt more dangerous now than it was then.
But no matter the reasons I’m grateful for the boyhood I had, rather than these modern ones, with kids so often cooped up inside with high tech games. To be honest, though, I do have a tiny bit of cross-generational tech envy in me. I know that when I was 15 I would have loved to have had an Xbox. Still, I know for sure that I wouldn’t trade my free-range summers for all the terabytes of RAM in the world.
Austin High
Listen back to “Austin High” a variety show hosted by Austin’s own Ray Benson from Asleep At The Wheel!
Lawrence Wright and Marcia Ball unveil a piece from their new musical, Sonny Carl Davis reprises his role from Bernie, Anne Rapp reads a one page short story that will burn a hole in your soul, Elizabeth McQueen shows us the softer side of Ray, and Katie Shore and Dennis Ludiker face off in a Texas fiddle showdown!
Texas Standard: August 7, 2019
A presidential visit to El Paso and a rejoinder from a Texas representative: no thank you Mr. President, we don’t want to hear from you. We’ll have more on Mr. Trump’s visit to El Paso and our conversation with Texas state representative from El Paso, César Blanco. Also the latest from a city still in mourning over the loss of 22 people. And psychologists discuss the issues of mental health and guns. And changes to Texas’ laws on hemp and CBD oil creating confusion over pot arrests? Those stories and more today on the Texas Standard:
Mikal Cronin: “Show Me”
Through his support behind Ty Segall, Thee Oh Sees, King Tuff and more, you’ve already heard the multi-instrumental work of Mikal Cronin across a few different avenues. Cronin upgraded his status from sideman to solo songwriter in 2011 with the first of three self-titled albums, all of which explore sounds ranging from indie rock to garage punk and noise pop.
But in the wake of 2015’s MCIII, Cronin reckoned with a few years of changing relationships, being on the road, and a serious case of writer’s block. To cope, the L.A. native took to rural isolation in the small mountain town of Idyllwild in composing his new album, but when a series of arsons drove Cronin back to the city, fire and its symbolism of death and rebirth became the underlying theme of his upcoming fourth record, Seeker, out October 25th. With production techniques akin to the White Album and instrumental arrangements reminiscent of Tom Petty, Seeker is a scorcher and a must-have for your collection.
Mikal Cronin will be at The Barracuda on November 27th as part of his North American tour, but to keep you warm til the release and subsequent live show, enjoy of Cronin’s personal favorites from Seeker, “Show Me”!
Do You Miss Me?
Today, August 6th, would have been Elliott Smith‘s 50th birthday. The songwriter and multi-instrumentalist struggled with drug addiction and mental illness, both of which affected his work until his untimely death in 2003 at age 34.
Several music artists the world over, including many in our own city, continue to be greatly influenced by Smith’s intensely personal writing. Tonight, local musicians will pay tribute to the man and his music with a show at Cheer Up Charlie’s, 901 Red River, that will also benefit the SIMS Foundation. SIMS is an Austin-based non-profit that provides access to mental health care for individuals working in the Austin music community.
This evening’s line-up features Moving Panoramas, Chris Simpson (Mountain Time, Mineral), Slomo Drags, Daphne Tunes, and members of Ama and Maryann. Doors open at 7:30 p.m., with a suggested $5-$10 donation upon entry. Very recommended, and thank you for your support.
Who Cleans Up The Bat Guano Under The Congress Avenue Bridge?
Catherine Samuel was curious about where the guano goes and who cleans it up, so she asked about it for our ATXplained project.
Texas Standard: August 6, 2019
UT, Killeen, Santa Fe, Fort Hood, Sutherland Springs, and now El Paso. We’ll look at what we have learned with this shooting. Will there be a special session? Would lawmakers ever seriously consider restrictions to gun ownership? We’ll look for clues in Texas’ legislative history. Plus, as El Paso is in mourning, the school year starts on Monday. How is the school district preparing? We’ll take a look. And we’ll hear reflections from an El Paso native
and from the city’s First Lady. Those stories and more today on the Texas Standard:
Luke and The Lonely: “The Age of Enlightenment”
Songwriter Luke Bellet first met drummer Nick Tozzo in Austin through The Odbodys, but when the band broke up in 2017, it proved to be the beginning of something new. With Bellet assuming the role of the eponymous frontman, he and Tozzo founded Luke and The Lonely based on a mutual love of indie rock, gospel, jazz, pop and country. And since the addition of singer Sara Louise and bassist Hudson Berger, Luke and The Lonely hasn’t had much trouble moving the crowd.
Cake, Father John Misty, and Billy Joel are all in the pot of influences for Luke and the Lonely, who shared their five-song debut EP, The Age of Enlightenment, at the tail end of June. Keep on the lookout for more from these pop-disciplined up-and-comers and appreciate some indie intellectualism with their EP’s title track!
Texas Standard: August 5, 2019
Hate Will Not Define Us: it’s become a rallying cry in El Paso in the hours after one of the deadliest mass shootings in history. As we continue to track other stories making news on this Monday, much of our broadcast is devoted to the aftermath of Saturday’s devastating mass killing at an El Paso Walmart. What we know definitively, how the city is coming together, and how El Pasoans intend to move forward. We’ll hear from reporters with long ties to the region, and how the unfolding of this incident on social media may send warnings about how we talk about such incidents in the future. That and much more today on the Texas Standard:
The Sour Notes: “Shoulda” [PREMIERE]
Unlike an popped bottle of wine, Austin rock group The Sour Notes only gets better and better with the years. They’ve been turning heads for more than a decade now and their robust discography is accessible to say the least, with everything from delicate, acoustic Americana to roof-rattling rock that can take a left turn from punk to prog when you least expect it.
In 2019 The Sour Notes have decided to take a more minimalist approach for the upcoming seventh full-length, with sparse overdubbing and more bold, stripped-down arrangements. They’ve been giving sneak previews in the form of serially-released 7-inches and today The Sour Notes have invited us to help share one of their best yet: A three-minute non-stop full-speed psych-punk-rock adventure entitled, “Shoulda”!
-Jack Anderson
Art Neville
Art Neville was an American singer, songwriter, and keyboardist whose music and presence over five decades defined the New Orleans music scene. In this edition of Liner Notes Rabbi and jazz historian Neil Blumofe talks about the life and legacy of Art Neville.
Best of “Higher Ed:” Why The College Major May Matter Less Than We’ve Always Thought
This episode was originally published on Oct. 12, 2018.
Choosing a major is a rite of passage for higher education students, and it can feel like a – dare we say it –major decision with lifelong implications. In this episode of KUT’s podcast “Higher Ed,” Southwestern University President Dr. Ed Burger and KUT’s Jennifer Stayton discuss what could – and sometimes should –go into choosing a major plan of study.
Sometime in a student’s higher education career, a decision has to be made about a major, that set of courses a student chooses to study a subject more deeply. The decision can feel like a significant, irrevocable one that can impact the rest of their lives. But Ed suggests dialing back the stress to make that one, perfect decision.
“The major itself is not as important as the experience and the growth opportunities that come from that major,” he says. “That’s why you hear so many people, especially in the liberal arts and science, talk about how it doesn’t even matter what your major is. As long as you’re involved and interested and engaged, you will have that growth experience that will allow you to become better and to figure out the next thing you do, and that leads you to the next thing … because you’re constantly going toward your passion.”
Ed also believes timelines that require students to declare a major at a specific point in time during their college career can discourage academic exploration and excitement about discovering new fields of interest.
“I’d like to see people declaring majors when they really are intellectually fired up about the thing, rather than it’s time to do it.”
Listen to the full episode for more about the process of academic discovery that can lead to declaring a major. It is also time for the solution to the puzzler about escaping a room while avoiding scorching heat and a fire-breathing dragon. Think it can’t be done? Wait til you hear the oh so simple solution!
This episode was recorded on Sept. 28, 2018.
Leon Robinson (Ep. 35, 2019)
This week, In Black America producer and host John L. Hanson presents a conversation with actor, singer-songwriter and film producer Leon Robinson, known for his portrayals of David Ruffin and Little Richard, and as leader of reggae-soul band Leon and The Peoples.
…And Stars Align
More musical discovery goin’ down tonight with the awesome line-up at Hotel Vegas, 1501 E. 6th St. On this evening’s bill:
-Psychedelic desert rock warriors Sheverb;
-Songwriter Benjamin Violet’s exquisite country outfit with a new album on the way, Pelvis Wrestley;
-Corpus Christi groovy rock ‘n’ rollers The Blind Owls;
-The hippest garage/pop-rockers around, The Ugly Beats (music featured on today’s AMM from the new album, Stars Align);
-New Orleans garage psych-punk band Bottomfeeders.
It’s one of those shows you’ll want to catch from start to finish. Doors at 7 p.m. Recommended.
-Photo of The Ugly Beats courtesy of the artist.
G Flip: “Stupid”
When G Flip, aka Georgia Flipo, put out her self-produced single “About Time”, she couldn’t imagine what would happen next. Overnight, she received recognition from Pitchfork, NPR, and Rolling Stone and had booked eight showcases at SXSW to start. The Melbourne based drummer, producer, and songwriter grew up and playing in the background in bands ranging from reggae to pop-rock but found a chance to create her own music after the bands she was playing with kept fizzling out. About Us, G Flip’s first album out August 30th came after two months spent holed up in her bedroom, chronicling the end of her relationship as it coincided with the rise of her music career.
On “Stupid” G Flip combines woozy indie-pop sensibilities and catchy lyrics to capture the self-sabotage that comes with the inevitable end of a relationship. Backed by her signature drum beats, G Flip is bringing a new, upbeat meaning to bedroom pop.
–Claire Hardwick, KUTX Intern