Vandaveer "The Nature of Our Kind"

I was talking to Lisa Morales this weekend (we will be bringing something to you from her Music Fog Marathon performance soon), and we were bemoaning about how hard it is to keep up with all the music out there. Heck, you can’t even keep up with your own city’s musical output. I didn’t leave DC until 2009, so I have no excuse for not being hip to this band until now. Vandaveer is their name, after a middle name passed down by the men in guiding light, Mark Charles Heidinger’s family. And I am a total sucker for engaging sounds, and you know that exciting music is always awesome to find. Vandaveer is an artists’ collective propelled by tunesmith Mark Charles Heidinger. It has a revolving cast of characters, most prominent and fixed among them being Rose Guerin, who delivers harmony vocals on this track we're presenting today. The duo met during the heyday of DC’s folk collective, The Federal Reserve, which Mark joined when he moved to DC in 2006 from Kentucky.

Vandaveer’s third full length CD, Dig Down Deep, will be out on April 26. It was produced by long-time collaborator Duane Lundy (Jim James, These United States). The band is in the process of launching a new website whereupon they have posted an ambitious globetrotting tour. Check out this tasty morsel from the forthcoming CD, here's “The Nature Of Our Kind.”

- Jessie Scott

Eddie Spaghetti "Marie"

Back at home, and healing nicely from my recent adventure in modern medicine. Again, huge thanks to Dee and Hag for the patience with this patient, and to the dogs and cats for helping bring me back to feeling better. There was one point that I was actually able to lessen the initial pain after surgery by petting Brat the kitty, allowing me to sleep. Magical powers animals have, you know? Not to mention the morning greeting you get from them; it's as if they never expected to live another day - happy to see the morning light, happy to see your face!

Getting through SXSW® was a labor of love and endurance. The Music Foggers worked their butts off, and we can only imagine how difficult it must be for the artists to get across town to the next gig, and the next after that. Full dance cards, indeed! We, however, got to stay put at Threadgill's WHQ and have everyone come to us. Among them was Eddie Spaghetti of the Supersuckers of course! I mean, really, how many Eddie Spaghetti's do you think there are? So good to see him again in all his mystery; the shades, the hair, the hat.

Today's tune was originally released in 1995 on The Sacrilicious Sounds of The Supersuckers. The song "Marie" was allegedly dedicated to original member Eric Martin's mother, after his death. The remaining members decided to continue as a four piece with Eddie Spaghetti taking over the vocalist role. "Marie" is reprised on Eddie's new solo CD Sundowner. And here is the Music Fog version. Cha, cha, cha.

- Jessie Scott

Lincoln Durham "Living This Hard"

When we posted some brand new Band Of Heathens a few days ago, we told you about meeting them for the first time during MusicFest at Steamboat four years ago. It was that same trip, heck it might even have been that same afternoon, that we first met Lincoln Durham. We had asked Ray Wylie Hubbard to visit our studio, and as he was producing a couple who had just come to Austin, Liz and Lincoln, so he brought them with him. Liz has gone on to form The Trishas, and Lincoln has carried on with his blues drenched music.

Ray Wylie Hubbard is still producing - more than one thing actually, as it is not just Lincoln's forthcoming album he's working on, but also, today Ray is producing his 3rd Annual Grit 'n Groove Festival, at Whitewater Amphitheater in New Braunfels, TX. It is a fabulous lineup, including Joe Walsh, an acoustic set from Chris Robinson of the Black Crowes, The Gourds, Tony Joe White, Teenie Hodges, Jonathan Tyler & the Northern Lights, The Trishas, Matt King, Charlie Shafter and Lincoln Durham. What a day! Hope you are in Texas and can attend!

We filmed Lincoln Durham during our Marathon at Threadgill's in Austin a couple of weeks ago. Here is the Music Fog version of a tune from Lincoln's self-titled EP from last year, "Living This Hard."

- Jessie Scott