Lydia Loveless answers 7 Questions for Songwriters!

LYDIA LOVELESS ANSWERS SEVEN QUESTIONS FOR SONGWRITERS
1. What makes you write?
Usually things that amuse me in private. It sounds cheesy, but generally I am really "moved to write" at random times. It's more like being possessed than consciously writing something.

2. Who is the greatest unknown influence on your music?
Todd May

3. What is your most closeted, secret, guilty and humiliating musical pleasure?
I am really shameless...I am listening to Enrique Iglesias as I type this.

4. What established artist made you want to write songs, and why?
Cliché, but Hank Williams. I had a record of his songs that just kind of opened a dam for me.

5. Advice for just-starting songwriters?
Be yourself. Hold back on the "cooooountry" clothes and over the top accents, unless of course you're being honest. And don't let people knock you around on show line-ups, money, or anything at the last minute, or you will get a reputation as a pushover.

6. Why country?
Because it's simple, raw, and everyone likes at least one country song.

7. Favorite backwoods expression?
So-and-so is so ugly she/he could make a train take a dirt road

Lydia Loveless, ladies and gents. Catch her Friday afternoon at 7pm at the Shrunken Head, 251 W. 5th Avenue!

love,
Jamie Lyn

Whatcha doin' Friday? There's no Honky Tonk Happy Hour, so do this instead!

Singing Moon Records Presents Capitol City Electric Blues & Rock Review

On Friday, August 20th, Singing Moon records pairs up with The Shrunken Head to present Capitol City Electric Blues & Rock Review from 8pm-1am.

Angela Perley and The Howlin' Moons’ live shows are high energy Americana-tumble- and-roll. Miller-Kelton brings a mixture of electric and acoustic instruments and three-part vocal harmonies to a wide range of Americana, folk-rock and traditional country music. The Tin Hearts follow, with their jangly five-piece electric blues and Americana band playing new music like old music used to be played: with raw emotion, and lots of soul. The Wells get rowdy at 11pm, with Mark Sims and Friends headlining at midnight.

Singing Moon Records is dedicated to producing and distributing a diverse collection of music created by artists committed to quality for their community and the world at large. Whether it's the music of solitude created by Mark Sims, the rambunctious folk-rock of The Wells, finely tailored acoustic and electric rock of Miller-Kelton, or bluesy Americana of The Tin Hearts, Singing Moon Records believes that what sounds good is good and invites you to take part.

With no cover, a friendly staff, and great food the Capitol City Electric Blues and Rock Review promises to be a rockin’ evening of great entertainment, good food, and good people. The Shrunken Head is located at 251 W. Fifth Avenue in Columbus, and is a full-service bar and restaurant with a patio and kitchen that features many local and organically cultivated products.

Got Labor Day? Come to the Honky Tonk Happy Hour!

If you aren’t sure what to do with your Labor Day Weekend and you’d like a chance to win a free pie and hear some great, old-school country music come to the Honky Tonk Happy Hour, at The Shrunken Head. This holiday weekend happy hour will feature Jamie Lyn & Fort Knox at 6pm, with The Idiot Boys at 7pm.

Kicking the show off, songwriter Jamie Lyn’s band Fort Knox will bring you stinging lyrics and wry humor. Jamie Lyn channels June Carter and Loretta Lynn in her own brand of neo-traditional "Deep Woods Off" country, with Fort Knox (Ryan Combs, bass; Chris Bechtol, drums; Chase Potter, lead guitar and fiddle) following wherever she leads. Brooklyn Country.com stating “Jamie Lyn infuses her honky-tonk story songs with a whole lot of humor, feeling and good-time energy”.

The Idiot Boys have been playing a number of gigs around town at the Ranch Party Roundup, and even at the Ohio State House Music series this summer. You can catch their old-time string band tunes and tap your boots to some swingin’ bluegrass music starting at 7pm on September 3rd. The Idiot Boys feature Mike Allen (Mandolin and vocals), Brian Tucker (Lead guitar & vocals), Jeff Kinder (rhythm guitar and vocals), Steve Ball (upright bass) and Joey Bishop (percussion).

The Shrunken Head is a full-service restaurant and bar located in the heart of Columbus, Ohio, offering happy hour specials daily: half price draft beers, $1 off top shelf liquor, $1 hot dogs, and $5 prime organic hamburgers. The Honky Tonk Happy Hour special is $4 for a Budweiser and shot of Jack Daniels whiskey. Admission to this event is free, and all ages are welcome, although those under 21 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

Billy Zenn: Seven Questions for Songwriters

SEVEN QUESTIONS FOR SONGWRITERS (Billy Zenn)
1. What makes you write?
I am troubled by bad dreams and find that writing, in whatever form---songs, prose, scripts or whatever---is somewhat cathartic. Alternative answer: I’m a compulsive liar.
Actually, I write because I’m kind of compelled to it, even though I have a love/hate relationship with the process. I hate doing it/I love it when it’s finished.
2. Who is the greatest unknown influence on your music?
When I was a kid, there was a man who lived briefly next door to us who played and sang in country bands. There were often guys around his house, drinking and picking and generally having a good time into the wee hours. I thought this was a pretty damned glamorous thing to be doing.
Growing up in the Methodist Church I sang in the choir, and learning to hear melody in relation to harmony has been integral to my songwriting.
3. What is your most closeted, secret, guilty and humiliating musical pleasure?
I like really aggressive punk music; stupid and out of tune a must. I’m a sucker for Stephen Sondheim, although that’s hardly something to feel either guilty or humiliated about. I still get a chill when I hear “Disco Inferno” for some unearthly reason.
4. What established artist made you want to write songs, and why?
Well, pretty much the majors: Lennon-McCartney, Dylan, Cash, Joni Mitchell, Marvin Gaye

5. Advice for just‐starting songwriters?
Stop thinking. Thought is the enemy of creativity, at least in the beginning. When you’re playing around and a melody or some lyrics find their way into your head, keep going. There’ll be plenty of time to obsessively edit when the first pass at it is done.
Always marry the lyrics to the melody.
Don’t send money to anyone who promises to critique your work for a fee. Ever.
6. Why country?
I live in Columbus, Ohio. Is this a trick question? We’re all immersed in country music around here from the time we’re old enough to notice. Personally, I dig that.

7. Favorite backwoods expression?
It’s colder than bat piss on a Sunday morning!

Honky Tonk Happy Hour August 6th!

This Friday August 6th at the Honky Tonk Happy Hour, Miller Kelton and Billy Zenn will present two hours of fine entertainment for your boot-scootin’ pleasure. So belly up to the bar at The Shrunken Head for some raucously original neo-traditional country music --- and you may even win a homemade pie in the weekly raffle, hosted by the lovely Miss Margot. As a special treat this week, Jamie Lyn is disobeying doctor’s orders to rest, and sitting in with both Miller-Kelton and Billy Zenn. Come prepared to hear some rowdy renditions of “Jackson” and “You’re the Reason Our Kids Are Ugly”.

Miller-Kelton kicks the show off at 6:00pm, with Julia O'Keefe on vocals, Reilley Forman on Guitar and Banjo, Charlie Forman on slide guitar, Randal Webber, II on drums and keys and Chase Hurlow on bass. The Other Paper’s Rick Allen says “The band plays a pleasant blend of banjo-led Americana wrapped around the honey-sweet vocals of Julia O’Keefe…Keep your ears peeled, however, and you’ll realize the band uses that sort of inoffensive musical language to convey much more mature lyrical themes.” Not only that, but they do a hell of a good cover of “Up Against the Wall Redneck Mothers”, which is no mean feat in and of itself.

With a voice as strong as his experience is deep, and songs that resonate across time and place, Billy Zenn is a performer who means what he says, and delivers it every time. Steadfastly clinging to his roots in the rich, dark soul of America, Billy kicks the tried and true into the 21st century and brings it back home, fresh and new. With his killer band---Billy Zenn & The Ringers---the effect is the same; an infectious, foot stompin’, true heart rave up that’s guaranteed to go for the throat and shake audiences to their feet. If you’re looking for the real thing, look no further—and get there at 7pm sharp when Billy brings it all home to you right here at the Honky Tonk Happy Hour.

The Songbirds and Miss Molly at July 16th Honky Tonk Happy Hour!

The Songbirds and Miss Molly at Honky Tonk Happy Hour

July 8, 2010, Columbus, OH. The venerable Miss Molly and acclaimed local band The Songbirds will keep things hoppin’ on Friday, July 16th at the Honky Tonk Happy Hour. So belly up to the bar at The Shrunken Head for some raucously original neo-traditional country music --- and you may even win a homemade pie in the weekly raffle.

At 6pm, the Songbirds take the stage. With their delicious blend of harmonies, the Songbirds specialize in toe-tappin', sing along originals with a few covers thrown in for your listening pleasure. Their cover of “Jolene” is a crowd-pleasin’ favorite, as they move the crowd from soul touching melodies to rowdy, drunken hillbilly hoedown tunes.

At 7pm, Columbus songstress and composer Miss Molly takes the stage, bringing her sultry blend of Miss Molly is a sultry mix of alternative, classic country, folk, rock, and jazz. The unique diversity of Miss Molly’s music makes it easy for the band to capture the hearts and ears of any music fan. The band's repertoire focuses on passionate, sultry, and dance inspiring mix of originals, as well as cover songs ranging from artists like Nancy Sinatra and Janis Joplin to Hank Williams, Sr.

The Shrunken Head is a full-service restaurant and bar located in the heart of Columbus, Ohio, offering happy hour specials daily: half price draft beers, $1 off top shelf liquor, and $5 prime organic hamburgers. The Honky Tonk Happy Hour special is $4 for a Budweiser and shot of Jack Daniels whiskey. Admission to this event is free, and all ages are welcome, although those under 21 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

Jessi from the Songbirds, "Seven Questions for Songwriters"

SEVEN QUESTIONS FOR SONGWRITERS (Jessi Maxwell)
1. What makes you write?
Life experiences. It doesn’t matter how long ago something happened, if there is still a memory of it there is a good chance it will make an appearance somewhere in a song.

2. Who is the greatest unknown influence on your music?
My parents and all their musician friends. I have grown up watching, listening and participating in jams and such. It has really influenced my style of playing and singing.

3. What is your most closeted, secret, guilty and humiliating musical pleasure?
Erika Badu. I’m not really into R&B but I absolutely love her!

4. What established artist made you want to write songs, and why?
Jenny Lewis, Cheryl Crow, Dolly Parton, and lately I’ve really been getting into Brandi Carlile (there are many more, too many to name). I mostly look up to women musicians/songwriters. In the circle of musicians I grew up with there were quite a few women musicians. It wasn’t until I got out there on my own that I began to realize that the music scene is male dominated. I look up to established women musicians because I think it makes other girls realize that they too can be musicians. There needs to be more women who realize this and get involved in the local scene so we don’t get comments like “you are pretty good for a chick band”.

5. Advice for just‐starting songwriters?
When you need to write from your heart don’t worry about how people are going to interpret your words, there is nothing you can do about that. When there is nothing weighing heavy on your mind get out the notebook and write something fun. I think people like hearing a mix of serious songs and fun songs. Most important- play (and write) with other musicians!

6. Why country?
It was just a natural progression. The musicians I grew up with gave me my folk and bluegrass influence and my parents always had old time country (among many other genres) playing in every room in the house.

7. Favorite backwoods expression?
It’s one my best friend and I made up when we were 10 but it’s become a classic in that musician circle of friends I keep talking about. “Let’s pig out funny and junk up the place”

The SONGBIRDS will play the Honky Tonk Happy Hour on Friday, July 16th at 6:00 P.M. followed by the lovely and talented MISS MOLLY band at 7:00! We'll be at the Shrunken Head, 251 W. 5th Avenue Columbus OH, be there!