Hey Hipsters,

     When I first started playing, I was introduced to old school country and western music. Being a young punk, I immediately rejected it as not being cool. We were too busy rewriting the rules and too dumb to appreciate the past. However, something drew me back for a second listen. It changed the way in which I wrote songs. George Jones, Merle Haggard and Johnny Cash had something I didn't have: The ability to write and sing from the heart.

     Listen to George Jone's "If The Drinking Don't Kill Me" and you'll hear what I mean. Those guys sang and lived the blues and had a sense of humor. If you want to improve your playing try keeping up with Buck Owens. The man could make his Telecaster wail!

     I finished all the new No Alternative and Blind Orange Genocide songs for new CDs and am now working on a solo country CD. Yeh man, old school country rules. I'm not big on the new country but I love the old stuff. I'm leaving for Memphis and Clarksdale Mississippi next Saturday for my honeymoon (Yeh June Carter Genocide and I are finally tying the knot). This is where I do most of my song writing. Clarksdale is my favorite place in the world. It's the guitar players Disneyland. These two places are where the history of rock and roll started. I've played slide guitar at the Crossroads where Robert Johnson sold his soul to the devil and man its a frightening and exciting experience.

     I'm going to do a cover of "If The Drinking Don't Kill me" by George Jones on my country project.  I encourage you youngsters to check out some  old country music. For you guitar players, add some old country guitar licks into your bag of tricks. You can't go wrong. So tonight kids, download some George Jones and expand your minds a bit.

                          Johnny