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Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Our Gourd-Love Runneth Deep [Or How I Learned To Stir Up Controversy In Americana Music]

Kevin Russell of the Gourds has never been one to shy away controversy (well, as much as exists in OKOM, anyway), even it's just him talking to an interviewer. And that's a small part of why he's one of our favorite entertainers. Ever. Period.

In a recent preview of a show in Jackson Hole, Wyoming with interviewer Aaron Davis of the JH Weekly, Russell fires shots across the respective bows of two alt-coutry/indie/OKOM/whatever favorites:

“Making the setlist is the hardest part of what I do,” Russell admits. “I’m envious of bands like Old Crow or Old 97s that play the same set every night. I like shows to have a flow and build energy, but we try to use the list as a map and not worry about it too much.”

And that's why people like, no, love the Gourds. They don't want to play the same set every night and the fans don't want the same set every night.

Thank you, Gourds. Thank you Kevin Russell.

2 comments:

Joe M. said...

I don't know the Gourds, but this isn't the first time I've seen a piece in which they posture (or the writer does the posturing for them) as the "real," "authentic" texas indie/country/whatever act.

I hear their music's pretty good.

But having been to quite a few Old 97's shows over the years, I can assure both you and Mr. Russell that they do not, in fact, play the same set every night.

theboomtownkid said...

I don't think we ever say that they are real Texas Country act. I intentionally kept it vague because I don't put them in the same bucket as OCMS or the Old 97s. I also didn't say anything about the Old 97s or OCMS. Just quoting Kev Russell from another source (and saying that I like the fact that he was willing to make statements like that).