As in any new venture, you need to throw money & resources at it. This week Music Fog needed a new video camera for the trip to The Folk Alliance International Conference. So we made a shady deal on the internet with a guy who was selling a high end video camera. We waited for the UPS man to show and he did: with a taped-up box that had seen better days. We opened it and found a very impressive specimen of technology in it. Lots of switches and buttons with abbreviations like AWB-ACH & MON/VAR. All of this means nothing to us. All we know is that when the red light comes on the camera takes pictures. Really good pictures. Between a couple of production guys like myself and Ben, we should be able to figure this thing out.

Upon further investigation we discovered a web site dedicated to this supposed Holy Grail of cameras. We found it to be littered with people just like us. People who innocently are seeking knowledge about this impressive and complicated technical wonder. Ask a question like, "How do I get that film look with this camera?” Or, “What brand of tape is best to use in the field?” You will always get an answer to your question. Most of them go something like this: “You are probably better off just selling the camera! Obviously you know nothing about photography and never will! Just kill yourself now!" We are not disheartened. Even with the instruction manual printed in Japanese.

So, if you see us in Memphis with a really nice looking camera, you might want to say something. Something like, “Hey! Don’t point that thing at me.” Or, “Did you flip the AV switch to FPN?”

Wish us luck everybody.

-Jim McBean

But wait, there's more! Peter Cooper, whose day job is reporting for the Nashville Tennessean, attended the press conference after the Grammys.

Thank you Robert Plant, for "getting it!" The Americana music revolution is about real, and in these 8 X 10 glossy times, it provides the best counterpoint. Hey, there's a mess of us who are just not seduced by the media machine, thankyouverymuch. We take our music with a bit of grit, and not just another pretty face.

Not to mention that Peter Cooper has a night job as a singer/songwriter and a pretty face, too...as does his label mate and co-contributer to the new CD "You Don't Have To Like Them Both," Eric Brace. We hope to catch up with them this weekend, as they are doing some dates in our area.

-Jessie Scott