I'd have to say the South Austin Jug Band was my initial entrée to the music of James Hyland. I was at XM, programming a whole lot of Texas music on X Country, trying to stay on top of the rich scene, though I was doing it from long distance and periodic trips to Austin. The rest of the time, I relied on trusted sources to make sure I was aware of cool stuff going on. I think the first time I saw SAJB might have been at MusicFest in Steamboat Springs, but there was solo James Hyland that I played on the radio as well, from the album Place I Call Home from 2001. Sorry to say the SAJB has come to an end after a nine year run. Now James' solo career has kicked into high gear. There was recently a plea for a fan funded album production budget…don't know whether this is still going on, but it's an interesting document about how the music business is changing, in any case.
A word about this song, "Radio City." It is desperately sad what the radio industry has come to, what with homogenized playlists and a lack of willingness to try anything new. Play the same songs over and over for decades, and see where that gets you. Radio used to reflect the market it was in, Miami sounded different than Detroit. Programmers once trusted their gut, and the best ones were channeling their audience. It was innate. And it was magical. Today, what with so many other choices for your attention, one would think that passionate radio could make a comeback. Most owners are too scared to even think about bringing the golden days of radio back. So we are left with a medium that is no longer a focal point. Watch the film Pirate Radio to see the difference. Radio used to be evocative, personal, compelling. And yes, it could be again. (We don't mean to condemn ALL radio, as there are still some shining lights out there!)
None other than the Austin American Statesman calls James "The Leader of the New Old School." He and his kick-ass band The Joint Chiefs have a Sunday night residency at Momo's in Austin. We were happy to welcome James Hyland, with Kim Deschamps, to the Threadgill's stage during our March showcase.
- Jessie Scott