I've tried the various methods of merging the two, but none of them have worked so i'll have to go with the separate sites for now. Really, there's no great need for the chunky, fully-featured website platforms like Movable Type (which FEM is on) much anymore, and I'm much preferring the ease of Posterous and Tumblr these days.

Lucky Peterson - You Can Always Turn Around - EPK from Dreyfus Jazz on Vimeo.

But anyway they sent me an MP3 of "Sideshow" from the record, cleared for legal posting. So have at it and download without guilt.

04 Sideshow.mp3

Via Twitter, a picture of the Opry (the Ryman is OK) from the Nashville floods. Of course lives have been lost, and the property and businesses destroyed of people who will struggle to cope more than Gaylord Entertainment, which should be foremost in our minds.

But still. Awwww.

Got an advance digital copy of this disc of Kristofferson demos out soon on Light in the Attic. The hard copy comes with a 60 page booklet which will surely explain the background and context, I don't know where or how they were recorded. They're demos with the expected "stripped back" sound, on the other hand there are backup singers (sounds like a whole choir sometimes) on some of the numbers so the tracks seem to be at different stages of recording. Anyhow, it's great listening.

Light in the Attic has audio up (17 mins) of a phone conversation/interview between Kris and Charlie Louvin. Kris does his best bad Blake and someone should give Charlie a radio show.

CASE CLOSED, HIPSTERS. Neil rocks.

"Bob Dylan started it off by laying a line on me - 'I'm on the right trip, but I'm in the wrong car,'" he writes. "Then Bette Midler gave me one: 'My head's in a bad place, I don't know what it's there for.' Doug Sahm also pitched in: 'I was in the right set, but it must have been the wrong sign.'"

There is a great quote on episode 3:

"Forget everything you've been told about Jesus, Buddha, Allah. There is only one God. And His name is Professor Longhair."

My new 8 Tracks mix (9 songs, 35 minutes) is pretty much inspired by Treme, the new show on HBO by David Simon, brains behind The Wire. I hagiographied The Wire here before. Treme is set in New Orleans a few months after Hurricane Katrina, I've only seen 2 episodes so far but it's shaping up as not disappointing my sky high expectations. It's a very sad fact I think Channel Nein has the rights to it in Australia, y'all ain't never gonna get to see it if you wait for them.

In the hope they use "Macleay Street in Sydney" by Tom T. Hall on the soundtrack.

22 Macleay Street In Sydney.mp3

I'll update with comments tomorrow (today!). "Today", "end of next week" same same.

Well, after a while it becomes redundant to review a JTE show -- I've seen him now three times in two years and what's more to rave that I haven't raved? To paraphrase Brian Clough, if he's not the best singer-songwriter under 30 going round then he's in the top one. In terms of overall performance I'll put Dan Sultan on a par, but there in a class of their own right now. OK, one thing new - Jason Isbell did a great job as sideman for about 3/4 of the show. And that's it really. He was briliant, you were a fool to miss him and I can't wait to show No. 4.

All your JTE news at Halfway to Jackson.

Allison Moorer and Steve Earle's first child was born April 5, at 10:07 a.m. Named John Henry Earle, he weighed in at 8 pounds 2 ounces and measured 21 inches long.

Just perfect.

Update. Did a Flatlanders themed 8tracks. Them together, solo and Terry Allen's "Gimme a Ride to Heaven" which they do as an encore sometimes. Bunch of other mixes there since last I mentioned it here too.

I've seen Dr John a few times before and since this time of year is saturated with gigs I might have missed him this time round, except he was at The Basement and the chance to grab the show in such a small venue was too much to pass up. Lead guitarist from the Lower 911 John Fohl warmed up the place with some very impressive blues, which also set an appropriately old school tone. The album they released last year didn't impress me very much, so honestly I was pleased the show was three quarters classics. Iko Iko, I Walk on Gilded Splinters, When the Saints, Goodnight Irene. It was, as the young people say, awesome. Pure New Orleans. Dr John even busted out the guitar which I hadn't seen live before.

I live tumblr'd an audio snippet of Iko, Iko. Just recorded on my iPhone so its a bit fuzzy but gives you a flavour.

Speaking of New Orleans, Lil Band o' Gold are here for Byron. I have their first album and would love to see them but they're only sideshowing in Melbourne and ... Moruya. What the heck is in Moruya??