In the wake of Junior Brown's show stealing performance as the opening act for the Mavericks last Wednesday, (6/26) my faith in country music has been completely restored. Everything about ol' Juniors' portion of the show was in direct contrast to Juan Malo and his band. Sounding like a mid 60's Ernest Tubb, Brown gave the sold out Power Center crowd a sampling of REAL country music. Not only did Brown wow them with that most schizophrenic of instruments, (his guit-steel), his genuine humble surprise and enjoyment of their raucous approval, (complete with standing ovation), was as sincere as the Texas Troubadour,(Ernest Tubb), himself. Pontiac Pete Ferguson and I whooped and yeeaaughed as Brown peeled off the tunes,- My Wife Thinks You're Dead- Highway Patrol-Venom In Demon-Party Lights, and a display of guitar picking and steel playing on-Guit-Steel Blues-full of Texas heat, pain, and style. We yelled for, -Still Life With Rose- and he played it. Real country music, played on that damn guit-steel, bass guitar, snare drum (alternating sticks and brushes), and a drivin acoustic rhythm guitar (played intensely, and quite firmly, I must say, by Mrs. Brown). When Brown came back to do an encore after a hollering standing o, he played the first song he ever wrote, -I've Gotta Get Up Early In The Morning (Just To Say Goodnight To You)-, and a medley of -Pipeline-Walk, Don't Run-and,-Secret Agent Man-, we didn't care if the Mavericks canceled, we wanted more Junior Brown!
During the intermission, Pontiac and I went out in the concourse and raved with everybody else. I retrieved my portable tape recorder from the projection booth at the Top of the Park and headed back-stage to find Junior and beg him to do a promo. At the last minute, I ran into him in a hallway and pleaded with him, "Please Mr.. Brown would you do a promo for my radio show?". He whipped out a fine "This is Jr. Brown and your listening to WCBN FM Ann Arbor, Now Let's Guit With It!". I said thanks, he left, I went back to my seat as proud and grateful as I could be, excited as hell about seeing the Mavericks.
I was shocked at how soon my excitement changed to disgust. I would've walked out of the Mavericks show after 3 songs except I wanted to see what commercial "Young Country" is all about, and if these guys had changed since Mz. Lily Hibiscus and I saw them steal the show when they opened for Mary Chapin Carpenter last year. Like last year, the guys didn't open the show with a steel guitar in tow, though Jr. Brown's road manager, Kevin Owens, played an under-mic'd steel to finish the show out. This time around the band had their drummer play from an elevated platform center stage, and the effect was bombastic. LOUD, LOUD LOUD, MAN WAS IT LOUD! They opened with the great balled, -Here Comes The Rain-. Regardless of all else, Juan Malo can really cut it loose with the vocals! He's like that guy VAVOOM, from the old Felix The cat cartoons!. After a couple of songs, it was apparent that the bass drum/drums and bass, were the focal point of this pop-rock show. From my seat in the last row of the main floor, house left, I saw a small, steady stream of people filing out in groups of, 2-3 or 4 people. Whereas Junior Brown showed genuine appreciation for the crowd, Juan and the gang, came across as arrogant, snide, and detached. At one point, Malo did a perfect impression of Jr. Brown singing "My Wife Thinks you're Dead", that had the crowd laughing. But when a knuckle-head in the front rows yelled, "do some Skynyrd man", Juan blurted back, "Eat Me". Most of the audience didn't know who he was talking to, and he muttered, "right, play some Skynyrd". It was one of those moments where all respect for the performer was lost. I couldn't believe what I heard. Some people called me at the Down Home Show Saturday to say how tasteless and crass they thought it was for him to respond like that. Malo also derided the audience for not being loud enough, "I want more applause damnit!". I thought the bands catchy lyrics and simple rhythms were better suited for the stages of Las Vegas and the popular music crowds, than for people expecting to hear country music. Their almost refusal to do the "standard" encore, left the house only 3/4 full. When they did finally come back out, (as Peggy Lee sang Is That All There Is? on the P.A.) the Mavericks sang Neil Diamonds Cracklin' Rosie, then left. It seems as if a year of accepting awards, having songs at the top of charts, selling out concerts, and being the "darlings", of radio and print, I wonder, Has success spoiled the Mavericks? It has definitely made them come across to their fans as arrogant prima-donnas.
After the show Pontiac and I went back to the loading dock area, as I wanted to find the guy who played Steel for the Mavericks and ask him to do a promo for The Down Home Show. I thought how ironic it was that after 3/4s of what was basically a rock show, the Mavericks shoved a steel guitar on stage and had the poor guy play while very few people in the crowd could even hear him!. Like he was the token steel player or something. As we approached the loading dock, we saw Jr. standing there, and a guy hunched over carrying the unmistakable, 90 lb box full of steel guitar. I went straight for him as Pontiac made a bee-line for Junior Brown. I found Kevin Owen to be quite patient as I fumbled through an introduction and asked him to do a promo. He said "Junior is right there you know?". I told him how I wanted a promo from the man with the oddest job in all of country music; steel player for the Mavericks. I stole a pen from my friend "sparky" the stagehand, (thanks Mark), wrote out the pertinent info, and we did a promo. Kevin didn't like the sound of it, and after commenting on the thickness of his Tennessee drawl, did another, a real keeper. I stammered a bit as I asked him questions about fellow Texans, Tom Morrell and the Time Warp Top Hands. He vaguely knew of them, and we talked of the Western Swing reunion. I asked him if he had heard of Deacon Anderson, and mistakenly said he played steel for Adolph Hofner for a time. He pointed out that Emil(Bash) Hofner played steel in his bros. band. Then we talked about Bob Dunn. Dunn was THE true pioneer of the steel. Playing trumpet licks, and improvisation on his steel for Milton Brown and His Musical Brownies, this cat was the real thing! Owens said how before he died, someone played a song with Buddy Emmons on steel for him. Apparently Dunn said "That ain't how it's supposed sound".
This whole time, Pontiac is talking to Jr. I guess Pete knows the secret country music handshake, because 'ol Jr. was listening to every word he said. They talked about steel guitar great, Lloyd Green, and his work with Faron Young and Johnny Paycheck. They talked about Guitar Player Magazine writer/guru, Danny Erlewine, and Pete's singing career. Jr. said, "I'd like to hear your band. Hey, are those Tony Lama boots you got on? those are some nice wing tips you got there son". Hell, when I spoke to Junior Brown, it was like he saw my lips moving but all he heard was, "Blah, Blah, Blah", as if I was, Old Blevins, or something. It must've been the shoes. I left my boots at home and wore my Clark's,(hippie shoes). Anyway, we were both ridin high on the hog of country music, cause Junior Brown and company not only played REAL AUTHENTIC COUNTRY MUSIC, they were gracious, approachable people, who gave us the time of day!. THANKS JUNIOR, HOPE TO BRING YA BACK TO ANN ARBOR SOON!