I’ve always felt a huge frustration that there’s so much good music around that I don’t know of. Perhaps I’ve heard a song I liked on the radio once, then once or twice more, then perhaps they would even mention a name of the band. Then I’d go to a record store, rummage the shelves and if lucky, found what I’m looking for, only to realize to my huge disapointment that the album is actually crap except perhaps for the song that got me hooked in the first place.
Or, scenario number two: with some cash to spend, I decide to take a risk and buy a record that I thought might be good (yes, some of us actually tried that as well to broaden musical horizons :-)). Don’t know what’s the mathematical probability that such a move would result in something good but unsurprisingly, the outcome was more often than not disastrous.
Exceptions to the rule that I can remember today (happened more than 20 years ago): Tom Waits-Big Time and Nick Cave-Tender Prey. Both purchased mostly based on a hunch and resulting in tectonic shift of my musical taste (for better or worse, it’s a matter of discussion :-)).
“Fast-forward” to today. Resources are almost unlimited, starting with traditional and “internet-only” radio stations streaming music, through services like Last.Fm, to on-line stores with more or less valid recommendations. On top of that, there’s not-so-legal aspect of torrents and web forums.
Using some of those resources until now I’ve discovered bunch of great music I would never hear of in pre-internet era. Truth be told, that kind of music can’t be defined as commercial by any stretch of imagination and that’s not due to geographical isolation but peculiarity of musical taste.
Good example of the above is a guy whose concert I went to see recently here in Zagreb – Scott H. Biram. Genre-wise I’ve no idea how to define it but I read about “alt-country”, “southern goth”, “psychobilly-punk” and all kinds of other exotic definitions.
To me, it’s just a good music played with passion.
Guy is a one-man-band, has interesting biography and looks the way I’d imagine a definition of the redneck (with everything good and bad that goes along).
‘Biram is the kind of guy you don’t laugh at all the way just in case he really is crazy. We all wanna be entertained, but nobody wants to get stabbed in the head with a screwdriver.’ – Frank de Blase, Rochester City News
The concert held in Zagreb was part of the european tour, if one could call it that way. I mean, although it could have been an exception, there were perhaps hundred people in total there, out of which I seriously doubt everyone paid for the very cheap (6 EUR, 8 USD) ticket. If that’s the average attendance, I can’t imagine how he can break even considering he has to get from US to Europe somehow, occassionally eat something and get some sleep in a dry and warm place. I also seriously doubt many people spent money on materials sold in concert (I’m proud to day I bought all the music they had available).
All in all, while it was a bit depressing to see more-than-half-empty small club where the concert was held, it was great to watch and listen to a guy who despite all this played as if he’s standing in front of thousand rowdy cowboys in some Texas roadhouse (which sounds to be like his natural habitat to be honest).
Although I probably wouldn’t be too happy running into him somewhere in the dark, it’s a pleasure listening to his work
Few more photos from the concert here
A little bit more about him here and here
