Girl in a Coma "Walkin' After Midnight"

For me there is no more direct route to memories than through songs. There are so many that recall entire scenarios when you listen to them, that they take you right back there. You can smell the air, feel the humidity or the chill in the air. Remember how your coat clung, or how your heels clicked on the pavement. There were songs that nailed what it was like to be in love, in lust really, what with all the teenaged hormones and associated wonder at the world. In those days, it was unrequited. Coming of age. Scary times, those, especially because there were such prohibitions placed on being a bad girl. It was hard to reconcile one's feelings with the dictates of society. So if the songs hinted at it, they rarely were overt. The great culture war - post Woodstock - brought awareness, civil rights, and women proudly declaring themselves feminists, and slipping out of the shackles society placed on them. Ah, but how things have changed. Back in those days, women did not walk after midnight, unless they were 'that' kind of girl. And walking on the highway was just an invitation to be picked up, heaven forbid! "Walking After Midnight" was written by Alan Block and Donn Hecht, and Patsy Cline made it a million seller in 1957.

Girl in a Coma hails from San Antonio, Texas. They formed in Junior High School when Jenn Alva and Phanie Diaz met in art class and discovered a mutual love of the Smiths and Nirvana. They needed a singer, who was to materialize in the form of Nina Diaz, Phanie’s then 12-year old little sister. In 2006, they played for Joan Jett and her longtime producer Kenny Laguna for a cable TV show about unsigned bands. They were signed on the spot by Joan to her label Blackheart Records. The album Adventures In Coverland came out last week. It cuts a broad swath through musical styles from Oldies, Rockabilly, and 90's, to Tejano. The new record includes an update of Buffalo Springfield’s "For What It's Worth," and an original Girl in a Coma song, "Yo Oigo," which was written to be featured in Robert Rodriguez’s new movie Machete. The band also covers Selena with their fuzzed out version of her "Si Una Vez," which they performed at the 2010 Tejano Music Awards. They have toured with Sia, The Pogues, Cyndi Lauper, Tegan and Sara, and even one of their heroes, Morrissey, whose song inspired their name. Check here for GIAC tour dates.

- Jessie Scott

Will Kimbrough "You Made Your Bed"

Ok, so I have been in New York for the last three days for Americana Live In New York, which was curated by my fellow Americana Music Association board member Chip Taylor, with excellent facilitation by Jack Grace. We had a blast, and the music was awesome, bringing three different vibes in the three days. The first night was a guitar soaked, exhilarating evening of in the key of "red" at Rodeo Bar. Night two was colored cool "blue" with Cindy Cashdollar and Steve James taking the stage at Hill Country. Friday night, back at Hill Country, was "white" hot with Chip Taylor and Kendel Carson, John Platania, The Beauties, and Oh Susanna all coming and going from the stage, playing on each other's tunes. And it was old home week for me with Howard Leibowitz from Elmore Magazine, Emily Smart from Six Shooter Records, Jessica Styles from Music City Roots, and Meredith Ochs from Outlaw Country all in attendance. A red white and true blue inaugural Americana Music Association event in New York. I can't wait for next year!

Will Kimbrough wasn't in New York with us for this event, but we did see him at the granddaddy Americana convention, the Festival & Conference in September. Will has been in front of the Music Fog cameras before, solo and with Tommy Womack as Daddy. But this time we filmed him with a band; Tim Mark, Fred Eltringham, and Lisa Oliver-Gray! From Will's blog posted on October 20th:

"It’s been a busy Fall. Since the Americana Music Conference, I’ve been to Ireland with Rodney Crowell, I’ve played a brand new festival in Indiana, played on sessions for Tom Russell, Daniel Tashian and Tommy Keenum, played New York City, appeared on Dave Marsh’s Sirius Radio Show with Darlene Love, played in the round with Marshall Chapman and Matraca Berg, started working on a batch of new songs, and now I’m in California with Jimmy Buffett. It doesn't really slow down until Christmas. See you out West or somewhere..."

Wow! We bring you one from Americana Fest last month, and be forewarned...extra-super-special rocking ahead! Time to put your dancing shoes on! I think we first heard this one on Daddy's At the Women's Club CD. And I love that these songs live on in different incarnations. Jimmy Buffett often plays Daddy's "Nobody from Nowhere" in concert, as it's on his Buffett Hotel CD, and the title track of Will's latest project, Wings which was co-written with Buffett and is on the same CD. Looks like Will is makin' his bed real nice.

- Jessie Scott