Welcome to The Man in the Middle!
Hi, my name is Pat, and this is The Man in the Middle. That sounds like a good start to me.
I am an independent country singer/songwriter originally from western Wisconsin, now transplanted a few miles down the Mississippi River to St. Louis, Missouri. If you know me, hi! It’s good to see you again. Have you lost weight? You look great. If you don’t know me, hi! It’s great to meet you! Do you come here often? That takes care of the pleasantries. If you like what you see here, check out my website at www.patwatters.com, or join my mailing list by sending an e-mail to patwattersmusic@yahoo.com.
I am a country music junkie. I like to sing it, listen to it, eat it, drink it, snort it, smoke it, write it, and write about it. And that’s what the Man in the Middle is all about. You see, I represent the majority of artists in country music. Names you don’t know, voices you don’t know, and songs you haven’t heard. We’re not amateurs- we are no strangers to the stage and the crowd. But we aren’t crazy famous either. We don’t have guitar-shaped swimming pools, 4,000 acre ranches, or videos on CMT where we show our bare asses for publicity, pretending we had no idea people would react to it. We are the men (and women) in the middle.
Coincidentally, The Man in the Middle is also the name of a song I wrote, that is going to be on my upcoming CD, titled- you guessed it, “Donkey con Queso”. Oh wait. No, it is also called “The Man in the Middle.” You see that? It’s like a psychological, elusive marketing scheme to get you excited about the record. Or at least it was until I told you about it. Damn, I dropped the ball there.
So what kind of stuff are we going to talk about here?
Country music. Surprised? I hope not. We are going to talk about all things country- the latest news, artists and songs, and most importantly- the independent music scene. Nothing polished, or proper. Just honest input about the state of country music. For instance, is it indeed going to hell, and is its vehicle of choice indeed a hand basket.
Life from the other side of the mic. Have you ever been in a bar, lying on the floor, explaining your childhood to an invisible friend? Wow me too. But have you also been in a bar, and seen a local band or singer and thought “Hmmm, I wonder what the hell he’s thinking?” Typically, the answer to that is “Damn! What song do I have to play to get someone to buy me a shot.” But sometimes we think other things, and I will give you the inside scoop. For starters, I have included a picture above to show you what we see, from our side of the mic.
Reader participation. The Man in the Middle is about engaging in direct, well-thought conversation about the music we love- country music. So feel free to post your comments. If you think I am wrong, let me know! If you have a new perspective, get it out there!
So, I have a few questions for you:
Who is one of your favorite independent artists, and why? I will regularly feature different independent artists- some of whom I know, and others who I don’t. So for starters, I would like to know who you are listening to and why? If they have a website, please post that link as well.
I hate the word “blog”. It sucks. This is supposed to be an appetizing morsel of country music. Blog sounds like an ice cream scoop of day-old coleslaw, served up by an irritated lunch lady. But that’s the problem. I can’t call it “The Pat Watters Man in the Middle Country Music Posting Place” because that is a two-to-three-breath name. I would prefer something short, like blog, but not so Star Trecky sounding. So fate be damned, I want to hear your suggestions.
And to get you started thinking country music, there are a number of brand new artists in country music- Jason Aldean, Ryan Shupe, Bobby Pinson, Van Zant, Sugarland, and several others. From what you have heard, whose name will we still know in 5 years? Remember Mark Collie, Shane McAnally, or James House? These 3 guys had some hits, and the promise of a future, but they are gone now. So who is still going to be here in 5 years, and why?
posted by pat_h2o at 3:36 AM
3 Comments:
Good to see you Billy! And great comparrison between country music and Florida. Makes sense to me, but I might be drunk.
Iceman, glad to have you join us here! I see what you are saying about Gretchen, but I see it in a different way. I see Gretchen as the savior of female country music. I am not saying she is Loretta, or Dolly, or Wynette. But it is good to someone break the mold. Like Billy said, I typically don't relate to female country singers, because I am a guy. But Gretchen's music has an edge to it. She proved something to the industry. They all have this preconceived notion that the only people listening to country music are soccer moms. So, they want the guys to be pretty and sensitive, and the girls to be soft-spoken saps. Gretchen proved that there are still beer drinking hillbillies who love country, and she is smiling all the way to the bank.
But hell, who knows? Maybe she does want to be a man. I just haven't heard it in songs like "Redneck WOMAN", "Homewrecker" or "Here for the Party" where she talks about wearing tight jeans to watch the boys come undone. In any event, good to hear from you man.
As far as new artists are concerned, Lord only knows. I thought the Warren Brothers, and David Lee Murphy were going to be huge. So what do I know?
I hear ya Jenn. Texas has got something special goin on. In fact, check out my newest topic for my take on the Texas music scene.
Bravo, Bravo!
Post a Comment
<< Home