Wake Up! Shooter Jennings Has Gone Rock.
When I first asserted that Shooter Jennings was quitting country music, there were some that said good riddance, others saying “say it ain’t so,” some that outright disagreed with the premise that Shooter could do such a thing, and a few who were looking forward to this potentially new direction. There were also some hoping that I would have to eat those words.
Well as we all have been hypothesizing about where the son of Waylon Jennings is headed, the son himself has been on tour. Recently some videos surfaced of Shooter playing at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden in Richmond, VA.
If this doesn’t help explain which direction Shooter is headed with his new band “Hierophant,” I don’t know what will:
Early reports were that Shooter’s new sound was similar to Radiohead, and that is what this reminds me a lot of. This is how the show started, with “Wake Up!”:
If this is where Shooter’s passion lies, then I applaud his format change. Nobody should be or try to be anything they are not, regardless of the expectations fans or other people put on them. But Shooter and his fans have to understand that this opens the door to further criticism from the Shooter haters that his heart was never into country music; that it was an act. My guess is the truth lies somewhere in the middle. It is hard for me to listen to Put the O Back in Country and say there is no passion there.
This also has nothing to do with rock vs. country. I am a rock fan too, as are many REAL country fans. I’ve said before that I might have a better chance enjoying Shooter’s rock stuff than I do some of his later “country” stuff, simply because he will do it with true passion. The criticism of Shooter lies in the identity crisis he is going through and questions about his passion for country, not that somehow rock is bad, or anybody that goes from country to rock is selling out or something.
Every artist should pursue other forms of music if that is something they are passionate about. But since Shooter is pursuing rock INSTEAD of country, as opposed to just pursuing it as a side project, or even keeping the country thing going on as a side project, he has open himself up for that criticism.
Another thing that I think would serve Shooter and his fans better if he would put more info out there about what direction he’s headed.
Also for those of you wondering, apparently the lineup of Hierophant is in essence the same as the Shooter’s country band, the .357’s, just a change a lead guitar, which has been a revolving position in the band for a while now. And for whatever criticisms people have of Shooter, if you ask me, the .357’s (or now Hierophant) is one of the best backing bands out there.
Also thanks to Steve ODB for doing a good job filming this footage and posting it to help shed light of Shooters new direction.
Autopsy IV
May 12, 2009 @ 8:20 am
Watching those videos the only comment that comes to mind is:
BWHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
roger
June 1, 2009 @ 5:46 pm
I was at this show drove 450miles to see worth every mile the new material was great
Meaninglessbark
June 27, 2009 @ 1:08 am
Saw Shooter night afore last in Washington the State. There was a lot of the new stuff. It was at best forgettable, at worst unintentionally stupid (“Don’t Feed the Animals”). Still, I think it’s possible the music could be more enjoyable on the record. It’s essentially not-quite-southern-rock.
As musicians the band is tight, as performers they’re goofy. A lot of ROCKING-OUT!!! gestures and jumping about which seemed particularly dorky when the music was lacking any genuine energy. But it was hilarious to see the keyboardist with his moving organ (as mentioned in another comment on this blog) attempt to climb up on his keyboards, fail, and continue rocking as if he meant to do that.
The crowd was also pretty funny. I had no idea there were people who actually screamed “WOOOOOOOO!!!” while holding up both hands in the horned rock salute. (Or in another variation two bottles of beer. AWESOME!)
But what really pissed me off about the show was when the band played “4th of July.” Pert near the whole audience go up to ROCK (myself excluded) but the band just stood still while tossing off a purposely lackluster performance of the song, Shooter almost singing in a monotone. There was no way after all their jumping about and flashing lights and fog machines and attempted keyboard climbing that this was just the way they happened to do the song.
I’ve never seen such a “screw you” attitude from a band. What jerks. If you hate a song and have an attitude about people liking it then just don’t play the damned. Or be a friggin artist and do something different with the song. Or just be a good sport and give the people what they want for a few minutes, especially after they have patiently sat through your rambling, almost tuneless new material.
C Stand
July 24, 2009 @ 1:34 pm
The new material is incredible. For the guy that said they are “goofy” on stage, i totally agree but it awesome because you can tell thats who they are and they are not trying to be anyone else. Like ted russel kamp, he was doing all kinds of weird moves with the bass, but you could tell he was just enjoying being goofy. As far as half-arsing “4th of July” i didnt notice but then again last time i saw them was actually on 4th of July, but i saw them in March May and they seemed to rock out every song even “4th of July”
Crystal
September 5, 2009 @ 8:35 am
I love all that Shooter does, such a wide variety. When is the new cd planned to come out?
The Triggerman
September 5, 2009 @ 4:55 pm
Hey Crystal,
That still has yet to be determined. Last I heard, they still had not found a label, and were researching alternatives.
KYGuitarman
September 25, 2009 @ 10:44 am
Just heard a little bit of Shooter’s new material. Wake Up is freaking awesome, I can’t wait to hear the rest of the album!!!
spaceacejd
October 23, 2009 @ 9:45 am
Just saw Shooter last night with Earl Greyhound and JJ Grey and MOFRO. I has honestly even more impressed than I expected to be. I think the new songs are pretty damn good. I would kind of have to agree with what ITunes said that Shooter is a rocker who likes country music. Yes… His songs are country, but it is highly drenched in rock. He has been invited to front Velvet Revolver twice and has made friends like Jerry Cantrell and Kid Rock through his music. He has to be doing something right.
Sara Lynn Wallin
February 4, 2010 @ 12:50 am
Hey Shooter! Thanks for keepin it Country! Love your music!
Musically,
Sara Lynn Wallin
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0TnYHyAvD28
Saving Country Music » Blog Archive » Review - Shooter Jennings “Black Ribbons”
February 24, 2010 @ 12:16 pm
[…] by proxy, has anything left to do with country music. Of course, I’ve been saying this since May 9th of 2009 and was the first to say it. And even when Shooter’s management was sending out press […]
Justin
March 7, 2010 @ 11:40 am
All of shooters music is great.
kyle
May 3, 2010 @ 3:44 pm
i seen shooter at DEL VAL college there was only about 100 people in the stands and it seemed none of them had ever heard of him except for myself. He tore it up on stage I really like the new direction and sound. HE is the coolest person i have ever met cuz afterwords he cam back to our party with his whole band and partied HA HA. That right there tells you just how real he is and what he stands for which is telling it the way it is going against the system and partying .SHOOTER JENNINGS is by the far the musically talented and the most sincere Singer Songwriter out there.
Johnny Blue Jeans
June 17, 2010 @ 12:25 pm
Amazing album. Bit of country, bit of rock, and a taste of metal. Amazing message, incredible voice over by stephen king. One of the best album in the last 20 years.