Don't Mess With Texas

With all the backwards politics and Bushies, it's easy to forget that Texas has a few things going for it. Let me count the ways:

1. The Spurs. How about David Robinson stealing Kenyon Martin's pass last night and Steve Kerr lighting it up again in the fourth quarter? What a great way for these guys to end their respective careers. I'll miss being able to cheer for them next year. But with or without them, Spurs rule! And this series they've been ruling ugly, but we'll take it.

2. The Ardmore 53. It's not likely the Daughters of the Republic of Texas will turn the Ardmore Holiday Inn or Denny's into a shrine to freedom, like they did to the Alamo. Maybe I'm being to partisan here, but it was nice to see some Democrats stand up to the GOP.

3. The music. I used to be able to listen to KEEP up here in Minnesota, thanks to the internet. Ironically, the only way I could pick it up in San Antonio was on a clear night in a car or truck.

But sadly, the FCC cut back on radio stations that could broadcast over the internet a few years back, and I am no longer able to get Texas Rebel Radio up here anymore. :(

But iTunes now has Gruene With Envy (GWE) as one its internet radio stations we can listen to, which I assume is coming out of Gruene, Texas. I am sure you can listen to GWE on a PC as well, but I don't know how (try their webpage). I've been listening to GWE for about half a week now, and I've heard a lot of Texas musicians: Steve Earle, Townes Van Zandt, Robert Earle Keene, Lyle Lovett, Bob Wills, Willie Nelson, and Dixie Chicks (which is the only top 40 band I've heard to date).


However, GWE is no Texas Rebel Radio. But beggars can't be choosers, so it will have to do. That said, I do have three main complaints. From biggest to smallest they are:
a) There is no DJ and the website doesn't have a "Now Playing" feature so sometimes, when I like a song I've never heard before and don't recognize the artist, I have no way of finding out who I am listening to. It's vey annoying.
b) They are prone to playing a few too many shit-kicker, dime-a-dozen rockabilly songs than I need to hear. Ditto for cheesy country ballads. But for the most part the playlist is solid.
c) GWE has some strange affinity towards covers. Right now I'm listening to Robert Earle Keene cover James McMurtry's "Levelland." It's acoustic and nowhere near as riveting as the original song. I've also heard someone do an acoustic cover (I have no idea who) Son Volt's "Windfall" and someone cover Willie ("Whiskey River"). It's very strange.

Anyway, the emphasis is certainly Texas artists, but they play other bands as well. I've heard Whiskeytown (speaking of Whiskey) and Tom Petty, for example. All in all, it's the best thing to happen to the internet since Emily's blog!!!