Because Nothing Says “Outlaw” Like Going on a Cruise
Whether you have already purchased your tickets or are planning to soon, or you’re sitting back and laughing at the idea of a bunch of “Outlaws” setting sail in a luxury liner outbound for the Cayman Islands, don’t lie to yourself and say that this isn’t something that you wouldn’t love to participate in if you could swing it. Out at sea with some of your favorite country artists surrounded by the beauty of the Caribbean? It’s country music paradise, no matter what crazy juxtaposition the words “Outlaw” and “cruise” happen to pose, and even if there’s some names on the poster you may not jive with; hell that’s the case with any event or festival.
But let’s face it, there’s just something strange about taking an “Outlaw Country Cruise.”
Sixthman is the promotional outfit behind the recently-announced musical voyage setting sail from Miami on February 7th, 2016, and it’s a company known for throwing such music-themed sea shindigs. Sixthman is also the organizer behind Kid Rock’s “Chillin’ The Most” cruise, and the Americana-themed “Cayamo” cruise which is in its ninth year and has hosted many of the same performers that will be showing up for the Outlaw cruise’s maiden voyage.
But the existence of an Outlaw Country Cruise on Sixthman’s cruise menu most certainly underscores just where we are in the maturation process of the term “Outlaw” in 2015. Though to many the term means a rebellious spirit that bucks the industry of mainstream Nashville, including someone who may not be into relaxing on a ship or have the expendable income to do so, to the industry and event organizers “Outlaw” is simply another marketing tool, and a way to reach a demographic of listeners who fit like a puzzle piece in the greater music consumer panorama to fill up the 2,500-capacity Norwegian Pearl. “Outlaw” means a blue collar type that likely has enough expendable income to own a Harley Davidson and afford a four-day vacation.
That’s the upshot of the existence of an Outlaw Country Cruise. “Outlaws” today aren’t young ruffians, they’re middle aged family types with $1,700 mortgages and a babysitters on speed dial. “Outlaw” today is just as much bravado and fashion as it is anything. “Outlaws” are the Dungeons & Dragons nerds of country music—a little outdated, and prone to play dress up.
Does that mean the Outlaw Country Cruise lacks authenticity? Ticket holders may find themselves in not too dissimilar environs to what Willie Nelson experiences at his house in Hawaii, or Johnny Cash experienced at his palatial spread in Jamaica, so who’s one to make that accusation? Does that mean there aren’t any true Outlaws still out there? Of course there are, and just like the term “country,” the term “Outlaw” should be fought for from those who would bastardize it. Are there Eric Church and Justin Moore fans mad because they aren’t being included? They’re Outlaws, just ask them.
Sixthman has included multiple DJ’s from SiriusXM’s “Outlaw” channel in their lineup, and they will be broadcasting radio shows from the boat. They have the marketing channels for this thing built right in, but again, what is SiriusXM’s definition of “Outlaw” beyond a catch-all term for country-ish music made by independent artists—unless you include Shooter Jennings playing Kanye West? Americana should have been spun off from Outlaw a long time ago on satellite radio, but that’s another discussion.
So in closing to this rambling attempt to make sense of the fact that we now live in a music world where there’s such a thing as an Outlaw Country Cruise, if you’re going, count yourself damn lucky, and if you’re not, don’t be jealous. But in the end it just feels like we all kind of lose a little something behind the mystique and specialness of the “Outlaw” term. Though if you consider yourself an Outlaw, you’ve been witnessing that for going on 50 years. So you probably deserve a vacation.
Outlaw Cruise Lineup:
- Blackberry Smoke
- Lucinda Williams
- Steve Earle
- The Mavericks
- Bobby Bare
- Bobby Bare Jr.
- Lukas Nelson and the Promise of the Real
- Shooter Jennings
- Elizabeth Cook
- The Band of Heathens
- Nikki Lane
- Mojo Nixon
April 9, 2015 @ 7:01 pm
No Justin Moore?
What a bunch of poseurs!
April 9, 2015 @ 8:00 pm
Wow. No.
…and why isn’t Justin joining in with all the other kids?
April 9, 2015 @ 9:10 pm
Outlaw cruise is almost an oxymoron. I love how you point random stuff out like this, and what’s hilarious is you’re always spot on. In this case for sure, although I would not mind seeing at least half of that line up
April 9, 2015 @ 9:12 pm
Eh, it’s kind of similar to the Monsters of Rock Cruise. A bunch of bands that were big in the 80s getting together with their fans from back in the day who have “$1,700 mortgages and babysitters on speed dial.”
Hell, I’d go on either one if I had the opportunity.
Don’t get me wrong, I understand where you’re coming from on the term “Outlaw”. But the cruise thing is becoming pretty standard. And I get it.
April 9, 2015 @ 9:17 pm
I am sure some of the shows would be pretty cool but trapped on a boat with Mojo Nixon sounds like hell.
April 9, 2015 @ 9:27 pm
It could work. Fill the swimming pools with mud and bring on some ATV contests. Well, leave one pool clean for the skinny dipping and belly flopping contests. Maybe a nice dirt track for motocross around the deck. Sacrifice a few hot tubs for ice tubs to cool the kegs. I think that covers it: beer, babes, infernal combustion machines. A sure hit.
April 9, 2015 @ 9:39 pm
A $1700 mortgage is cheap as hell in California!
I really think the moniker has more to do with the Sirius channel than anything else. And I’d love to see the lineup regardless of the “core-ness” of the whole situation
April 9, 2015 @ 10:00 pm
Funny topic. But its obviously a money grab, and its a gig to any of these bands that get to throw in a little r’n’r to boot. I think its silly, but let them have some fun.
April 9, 2015 @ 10:46 pm
I wonder which of those acts will sound best while having hors d’oeuvres on the Wayne Newton Deck.
April 9, 2015 @ 11:18 pm
I’m looking forward to the ” tattooed designer -jeaned- 7 o’clock- shadowed bed-headed- homeless- guy cruise ” . Is it just me or is that pretty much EVERY celebrity/ musician / poker ‘star’ /bank employee drawing breath these days ?
Man ….and we laugh at MULLETS …??
April 9, 2015 @ 11:27 pm
Wouldn’t an outlaw knock over a few convenience stores to get the money for the cruise?
April 10, 2015 @ 5:36 am
I’m sure the Justin Moore fans have more pressing things to worry about than this cruise; like making it through the 8th grade, for instance.
April 10, 2015 @ 6:21 am
I went on a Royal Carribean cruise in 1995 and came away with the realization that I’m not a cruise person. Then, I went on the Cayamo 2011 cruise and let me tell you, it was the best damn vacation I ever had. For a roots music fan, it was a “kid in a candy store” experience. I wish I could go every year and I’m jealous of those that can and do go every year. For a week, you could hear live music played by great artists (for the most part) from sometime after lunch until you went to bed. And it was much more of a community experience than a typical cruise, because your fellow cruise goers tended to be passionate music fans with similar tastes, too.
Point taken on the notion of an Outlaw Country cruise, but this looks like a great lineup and I’m sure that the people going on it will have a blast.
April 10, 2015 @ 3:18 pm
“I went on a Royal Carribean cruise in 1995 and came away with the realization that I”™m not a cruise person. Then, I went on the Cayamo 2011 cruise and let me tell you, it was the best damn vacation I ever had.”
.are you sure it wasn’t just cuz you slowed down to ” cruisin'” speed in the 16 years between them Jack ?…..haha
Reminds me of the old joke . ” When I was 14 my dad was SUCH an idiot . But by the time I was 21 he’d learned SO MUCH ! ”
Its all perspective isn’t it ….
April 11, 2015 @ 8:10 am
No, Albert, I’m still not a cruise person in the general sense. For example, one of the things about my first experience that I didn’t like was having to go to dinner at a specific time and being seated with the same people every night. Also, there were two formal nights, so I had to bring a suit to wear on those nights. Bring a suit on vacation! That sucked.
On Cayamo that year, the lineup included such artists as Richard Thompson, Patty Griffin, Steve Earle, John Prine, Buddy Miller, Loudon Wainwright III, Allison Moorer, Brandi Carlile, Indigo Girls, Scott Miller, Kevin Kinney, Steel Canyon Rangers, Larkin Poe and many others. There were several venues of different size throughout the ship and you could just go from one show on the next. I saw Richard Thompson (my favorite) three times. Another favorite memory was racing up several flights of stairs after seeing Patty Griffin to catch the last few songs of an Allison Moorer set. As that show ended with a rousing version of Patti Smith’s Dancing Barefoot, I knew that I would be back for her next, full set the next afternoon. I think I spotted Steve Earle just about every day somewhere on the ship. And then the fact that you were on the ship with fellow music lovers of mostly of similar taste was quite different than my first cruise. I had a lot of conversations that started because of whatever music t-shirt I was wearing.
April 11, 2015 @ 8:46 am
I was just ‘old fartin’ you Jack . That cruise sounds amazing.
April 10, 2015 @ 6:39 am
“Don’t y’all think this outlaw bit has done got outta hand?” ~ Waylon
April 10, 2015 @ 8:40 am
Guess the junior Jennings missed out on that part…but don’t call him an Outlaw anyways…
April 10, 2015 @ 7:09 am
The website promises “one big ol’ hell raisin hoedown on the high seas.” Do you see any hell raisers in the lineup? Come to that, do you see anybody who makes you think “hoedown”? Deal breaker for me is the hideous possibility that I might not be able to avoid the appalling Lukas Nelson.
April 10, 2015 @ 7:28 am
Elizabeth Cook.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gBeMA5z4YF4
April 10, 2015 @ 9:56 pm
You’re a moron.
April 10, 2015 @ 7:31 am
win is the savin country music cruz an will sum won be able to cary my lugage til we get on the ship?
April 10, 2015 @ 9:45 am
I’m sure you’ll find help with your luggage as long as you’re not packing that huge dictionary you obviously can’t live without l’il dayle.
April 10, 2015 @ 12:05 pm
It’s not a dictionary, it’s a kaleidoscope that mixes up all the letters. haha
April 11, 2015 @ 5:10 am
just a drugg smugglin joke alberto ole pal.
April 10, 2015 @ 7:33 am
Makes perfect sense to me. How could we forget about the song “Cruise?’
April 10, 2015 @ 7:54 am
this rant is wrongheaded. it’s obvious that the cruise is less about “outlaw” and more about the SiriusXM channel “Outlaw Country”. and funny I didn’t have to stand on my head to understand that.
April 10, 2015 @ 8:50 am
There’s nothing “outlaw” about the station either…
April 10, 2015 @ 9:59 am
Well said, Jim. The channel may be misnamed, but it is about promoting their music, which from what I have heard mixes traditional country and good Americana, depending on the DJ. (Don’t have Sirius, but have listened on long trips in rental cars.)
I think the term outlaw is (and probably always was) meaningless. Outlaw has come to be a term thrown around to mean “artists I like who are are cooler than the artists I don’t like.” Even in the origin of the phrase it was a marketing tool… an attempt to link artists to an image that came from western movies of the 50s-60s. And as far as lifestyle goes, the initial “outlaw” artists were much more successful and lived a much more luxurious lifestyle than any of these folks… and probably took more cruises and had more private concerts and encounters with people in power. Why is this considered selling out?
None of these artists are pop sell-outs, even if some are more country than others (I would argue Cook’s country cred with anyone). I have no interest in a cruise, and can’t afford it, but it is not even that expensive for a vacation ($600 for a shared room.)
April 10, 2015 @ 12:56 pm
I don’t think anyone is criticizing the artists for taking advantage of this opportunity. I’m certainly not. Let them get paid and have a good time. Lord knows many of them could not afford a cruise on their own.
April 10, 2015 @ 1:03 pm
This is a rant? If that’s the case, my real rants would have me in prison for slander. I thought I went a long way to hopefully describe the mixed feelings I have about this idea, and to present the strengths of it as well. Like I said at the beginning, I wouldn’t mind attending something like this. It doesn’t mean the idea isn’t kind of weird.
Please don’t mischaracterize my comments.
April 10, 2015 @ 8:46 pm
I didn’t mischaracterize anything. You completely missed what the cruise is about. It’s a cruise for people who like SiriusXM’s Outlaw Channel. You might not like their use of the word ‘outlaw’ “but that”™s another discussion.”
April 10, 2015 @ 10:51 pm
I’m not reading that anywhere in the verbiage from Sixthman. Maybe that’s what’s implied, and certainly the DJ’s appear to be a serious part of it, but I’m not sure that’s the way either SiriusXM or Sixthman is looking at it. And I’m not saying it’s a bad thing even if it is. Hey look, this is an excellent lineup, and to be able to see it on a cruise ship in the Caribbean, it looks like a hell of a good time to me, and probably pretty affordable when you consider the price of a cruise and seeing all those bands individually. I just thought it was a weird juxtaposition for the term “Outlaw” that was worth pointing out. And after reading many other people’s comments, this is not an unusual opinion.
April 11, 2015 @ 6:56 am
from the website http://www.outlawcountrycruise.com/:
Be a part of special radio broadcasts and enjoy performances from Sirius XM Outlaw Country DJs, including Steve Earle, Shooter Jennings, Elizabeth Cook, and Mojo Nixon.
Outlaw Country DJ’s. where’d they get that?
April 11, 2015 @ 8:09 am
That indicates that SiriusXM shows and DJ’s will be a part of the cruise. Nothing to that indicates to me that it is meant to be exclusively or even primarily for SiriusXM Outlaw listeners. But I don’t want to split hairs here. If you’re excited for this even, hey, I can’t blame you. It looks like a blast.
I do have to point out though that this whole thing plays right into my theory that everyone who has SiriusXM, thinks that everyone else has SiriusXM, when in reality it’s about 5% of the population who actually listens to that medium.
April 12, 2015 @ 10:23 am
Listening to the station the DJs are making it very clear they are involved but it is NOT an official Sirius/XM or even “Outlaw Country” station specific event.
April 10, 2015 @ 9:00 am
So, let me get this straight. Y’all are complaining about it being an outlaw cruise, and then putting down the artists that are going to be on it, even though for the most part, it’s good artists. Who do you want on it? FGL and Luke? Making fun of the artists that actually are making a difference, is no better than being a pop country fan. What exactly is this site “saving,” because lately, it seems to be saving pop country from extinction. I’d also like to add that your bitterness towards Shooter is petty, and annoying.
April 10, 2015 @ 11:10 am
Oh great, here starteth another Trigger-Shooter flame war…
April 10, 2015 @ 11:58 am
Stephanie K,
I don’t think I’ve ever read a comment run more through the “We Hate Pop Country” filter in the history of ever. Where is anyone putting down the artists participating, either in the piece, or in the comments section? Someone told you this on Facebook, and instead of taking the time to read the piece before commenting, you just parrot this skewed sentiment. And then to make your actions even more diseased, you return to Facebook to then solicit your friends to come and “like” your comment, showing just how much stock you put in arbitrary measures of importance.
I would have respected your comment more if you had just come out and said, “I think We Hate Pop Country is better than Saving Country Music, and because of this, I am attacking you to prove my point.”
Once again the immaturity of the We Hate Pop Country crowd is humorous, and whatever perceived “beef” remains extremely one sided, and screams of self-esteem issues. Keep your Mickey Mouse comments to Facebook, please and thank you.
April 11, 2015 @ 9:03 am
I have visited this site for a few years now, I first was intrigued.I loved your message and what you were doing for country music. That being said, I read your comments like that above to Stephanie and it appears that you’ve completely lost sight of your message. Who do you think you are Trig? Saving country music was your goal in the first place right? Why do you think so goddamn highly of yourself? Is this page even about the music for you anymore, or is it about recognition? There is no single person who knows EVERYTHING about country music but you sure seem to think you do. Thank you for what you’ve done but it seems as though the only reason you run this site is so you are somehow relevant to the coming revolution. I’m getting pretty tired of reading “exclusive” quotes on here from artists who literally posted the same “quote” on Twitter for the entire world to read, doesn’t seem so exclusive to me. Even some of your “facts” seem to be skewed and stop with the “like SCM predicted” we fucking get it. You’ve got a country music crystal ball…. Please, for the sake of real country music, get over yourself and get back to spreading the honky tonk gospel. And you’re right the “beef” with WHPC IS one sided and seems to stem from behind your keyboard. I don’t know where you get off on calling out WHPC. I’ll be the first to tell you yes I am a fan of them (as I’m sure you were going to just assume anyways). They are trying to fight for the same cause. It ain’t about names or fucking blogs, its about spreading music. Good fucking music. So someday we can turn on the radio and enjoy what we hear rather than cringe. And who gives a fuck what the call this cruise? If we called Johnny Cash Pussy Willow Johnson, would his music still be as powerful?
April 11, 2015 @ 12:15 pm
Hannah,
When Stephanie said, and I quote, “putting down the artists that are going to be on it” in reference to the cruise, she was lying. That is a lie. Nowhere, NOWHERE did I do anything even close to this. In fact I went out of my way to praise the lineup. This was simply an attempt to mischaracterize my words to discredit me, which is a common We Hate Pop Country tactic perpetuated by people who are too intellectually lazy to actually read what they’re criticizing—not too surprising when the alpha and omega of what you do is post meme’s on Facebook.
When you say, and I quote, “I”™m getting pretty tired of reading “exclusive” quotes on here from artists who literally posted the same “quote” on Twitter for the entire world to read” this is yet another boldface and completely uncorroborated lie in an attempt to smear this site. Post ONE example of me posting quotes and not attributing them to the source and calling them “exclusive” and I will voluntarily shut this site and all of its satellite properties down. I HATE the term “exclusive,” and though I have used it for video premiers and other such things in the past, I would NEVER use it for a quote if Saving Country Music wasn’t the origination point. This is a lie.
You said:
“I first was intrigued.I loved your message and what you were doing for country music.”
This isn’t what every We Hate Pop Country troll says, this is WHAT EVERY WE HATE POP COUNTRY TROLL SAYS.
It is inconsequential how many people I piss off by doing what I do, only that I am honest about my feelings and serve them to readers unfetters. I don’t run a popularity contest, and if people don’t get what I do, hey, that’s fair. Some folks aren’t ready for Saving Country Music, and that’s okay. You are not landing any blows by telling me you used to like my site and you don’t anymore. You not liking this site has nothing to do with its direction, it has to do with your Facebook friendship with Stephanie.
We Hate Pop Country’s subordinates and surrogates continue to attempt to perpetuate the idea that Saving Country Music is off its course, and Farce The Music is ripping it off when in reality it’s the exact opposite way. We Hate Pop Country is the ISIS of country music purists: implementing a self-centered and blood-thirsty revolution that beheads anyone who dares even slightly question their absolutist doctrine.
Your comment, and Stephanie’s comment was 100% motivated at wanting to portray a world where Saving Country Music is in decline to attempt to prop up We Hate Pop Country. Period.
April 12, 2015 @ 10:20 am
Great responses Trig. I mean, I’m a cat who speaks strongly and will stand my ground on my opinions, unless, provided a sound, logical reason to change them. However, watching the infighting in the independent scene is getting ridiculous. We’re battling the 98%ers here, and by that I mean nothing political simply that 98% of our entertainment is controlled by the same executive suits. There just isn’t enough support out there for the independents to truly be sniping back and forth at each other.
Keep up the heartfelt work you’re doing here (not that I’d expect ya not to), many in independent music media across the spectrum could learn a lot from the way SCM is run.
April 13, 2015 @ 11:00 am
P. W. Bear,
“However, watching the infighting in the independent scene is getting ridiculous.”,/I.
I appreciate your praise, but just to clarify, Saving Country Music is purposely not part of any “scene.” Basically what a scene is in music is a collection of people who lie about each other in an attempt to raise the stock of everyone. Though this can enact some very mild support around certain artists for a short period, it also creates a hard ceiling over their careers.
And I’m certainly not part of any scene that involves We Hate Pop Country. We Hate Pop Country is setting back the movement to save country music because it typecasts independent and traditional country fans as reactionary haters and morons. They can do whatever they want, and I’ve only brought up their name in response to comments from their surrogates and subordinates who have attempted to spread falsehoods about my work similarly to Stephanie and Hannah. But that all might change if they continue to attempt to discredit everyone but themselves in their power hungy ISIS-style Facebook empire building scheme.
April 10, 2015 @ 10:22 am
In the spirit of outlaw music here is a gem from Phoenix, Arizona that everyone should get on board with and support
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CIvfT8Jxj8M&noredirect=1
His name is Tony Martinez and he is no joke!
April 10, 2015 @ 11:16 am
Blackberry Smoke
Those boys deserve a paid holiday.
April 10, 2015 @ 9:58 pm
hell if blackberry smoke is involved it can’t be all bad
April 10, 2015 @ 11:16 am
Jeez… aren’t cruises already at enough risk of bacterial and viral infections without having Kid Rock on them?
April 10, 2015 @ 12:46 pm
This cruise is more a spinoff from the Simpleman Cruise which ended last year. Many folks said they would love to have Blackberry Smoke host their own cruise and if you start off with 500 plus positive to go, you find other artists and partners (Sirius) and get it done. I’ve done the Simpleman and enjoyed it, Sixthman does a great job. Besides BBS, just with Elizabeth Cook, Lucinda Williams and Steve Earl, the value of seeing those 4 is great…as long as the ship doesn’t sway to much!
April 10, 2015 @ 1:18 pm
We have been on both Sixthman’s Kid Rock and Lynyrd Skynyrd cruises. It’s a super experience. As far as the price, divide that amount up by the number of acts that will be playing, and see if you can buy a concert ticket to each act for the same total. It’s a deal. Even if you get the balcony room. This price includes not just the concert ticket price, but a hotel room and meals for 4 nights and 5 days. We have already signed up for the Outlaw Country cruise presale! And I love that phase – “outlaws” are artists I like who are cooler than artists I don’t like!
April 10, 2015 @ 1:20 pm
“Because Nothing Says “Outlaw” Like Going on a Cruise”
“But let”™s face it, there”™s just something strange about taking an “Outlaw Country Cruise.””
“Does that mean there aren”™t any true Outlaws still out there? Of course there are, and just like the term “country,” the term “Outlaw” should be fought for from those who would bastardize it”¦ But in the end it just feels like we all kind of lose a little something behind the mystique and specialness of the “Outlaw” term.”
These quotes seem, to me, to suggest criticism of the artists for being involved, and even though you pedal back on it, you suggest there is something inauthentic about the idea of a cruise. Maybe you don”™t mean it as criticism and you do say more than that”¦ but you can”™t be surprised when folks reading of the piece is colored by the tone in the headline. (And I have never even been on the “We Hate Pop Country” site, but agreed with enough of what Stephanie said to give her post thumbs up.)
April 10, 2015 @ 4:04 pm
Call it what you want , I’d go and enjoy every minute of it. Lineup is great 🙂
April 11, 2015 @ 5:14 am
Wow, a lot of these comments are surprising. Trigger I must have the part where you were putting down the artists because I just dont see it. Even if the lineup was my favorite “outlaws” I would still find irony in an outlaw cruise. It will probably be a hell of a party. And I certainly can’t blame the artists. Good for them. But the term outlaw has truly been bastardized. And that being the name of the satellite radio station sponsoring the cruise is irrelevant. If you cant see the irony in the name then you are reading way to deep in the article, come on people. A Corporate sponsored outlaw cruise in the bahamas an a multi million dollar ship that probably has 5 swimming pools is…a cruise naned after a movement started by guys that almost entirely grew up very poor, some spent time in prison (DAC/Merle), playing music that spoke to blue collar working class people that could never afford a cruise…a corporate sponsored cruise on a corporation owned ship, named after a movement of guys that left corporate run Nashville to do things their way in Texas… regardless of the legitimacy of the artists on the cruise, you truly dont see that as a little funny? When I hear the words cruise and live music and im thinking Jimmy Buffet and Kenny Cheney
April 11, 2015 @ 8:14 am
That’s because:
1) Some people were just following Facebook threads here where someone told them I was bashing artists and they were too lazy to actually read for themselves and find out that characterization was untrue.
2) Music journalism today is all about promotion instead of coverage and opinion, and so when someone goes even slightly off script and simply points out something like the strangeness of an Outlaw Country Cruise, it is taken as belligerent, and you’re made out to be a bully against artists you’re supposed to support and people attempt to ostracize you from the “scene.”
April 11, 2015 @ 10:47 am
What I see here is an opportunity for a parody video”¦sippin your whisky on the deck of your ship”¦.hangin with the likes of Steve Earle. This Cruise needs a country version of Ali G to turn it into a video”¦.Gill Webb maybe? Who would be best? The lineup is great. I would consider it if I did not detest the thought of being on a cruise ship. For a good anti-cruise ship read David Foster Wallace’s “A supposedly fun thing I will never do again”
April 11, 2015 @ 3:20 pm
Outlaws are outlaws no matter where they play. Posers are posers no matter where they play.
April 12, 2015 @ 10:13 am
I’ll just leave this here. You know, because an extreme underground heavy metal cruise couldn’t possibly be one of the most popular festivals of the year. Then again, maybe it could be, but is it because heavy metal fans are the most fiscally well off? Nope.
Think any of the cats watching this belly flop contest on 70,000 tons of Metal (admittedly possibly a better name ;-)) care what’s being served on the “Wayne Newton deck?”
Now, regarding the take on “outlaw.” What truly makes an “outlaw” in music today? Honestly, I’d say that it’s hardly genre specific anymore, especially after seeing how much the underground/independent Country/Americana/Folk scene actually mirrors the underground metal scene. Today a music “outlaw” is someone who is doing things on their own terms, trends (though it is possible for what is truly coming from your heart to be part of a trend) and music executives be damned. I can understand wanting to hold onto the moniker, but until those who control 98% of the music in this country finish their nosedive and break-up, there isn’t enough for us out there to be sniping back and forth (personal issues aside) because someone plays whatever style. You want to hold onto the “Outlaw Country” moniker, sure, I absolutely get it. However, “outlaw” in the music world, John McEntee (Incantation) is just as much an outlaw as Hank III (who’s actually probably a fan of John’s projects).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lY34MaU87A0
April 12, 2015 @ 2:07 pm
“Can you sing a little more about outlaws and the way things used to be…
The most outlaw that I’ve ever done was give a good woman a ring
But that’s the way it goes, life ain’t fair and the world is mean.” – Sturgill
April 12, 2015 @ 6:58 pm
What the hell is We Hate Pop Country? Are those the people that steal stuff from Farce the Music and try to pretend they made it? Seems like a real pleasant bunch.
April 18, 2015 @ 8:45 am
Looks like Dale Watson and Roger Alan Wade have been added.