Shining through the music scene... Anne Davis

http://www.garageband.com/artist/annedavis

I'm seriously thinking of changing my entire blog into just a music review page. I dunno, I think I will at least do occasional reviews of amature, up and coming artists.

I first heard of Anne Davis when I was doing music reviews at garageband.com last year. Within just the first few lines of listening to her music I was hooked.

Anne Davis has a sound and over all style somewhere between Sheryl Crow and Jewel. The Jackson, Mississippi native writes and composes all her own material that she places into a "folk/alternative" genre. Her song "Where the Roads Cross" has made it to number four in the all time garageband charts and made it all the way to round four in the active music competition. This song has also been awarded garagband's Track of the day and Track of the week for the folk genre on two different occasions.

I am very proud that she gave me the honor of making my review of her song "Temple of Contradictions" one of her signature reviews.

I think we'll be hearing more from Anne Davis in the near future. Her CD entitled "Letters, Prayers, and Journal Entries" can be purchased through the garageband.com link (see top of page) for $15.00. A money well spent in my opinion. Check out her music.

-S

Link

A Whatever Kinda Day...

I ripped off some other site, took these two pics and made my own little Florida South Carolina rebel picture. Say what you will, I like it.

Bored like mad today and frustrated with the current state of my life. Joe and I were going to get some new tattoos today, but his car buyer didn't come through right off and Joe was paying for the tats so that'll have to be delayed.

Anyway, didn't make it to Abbeville this weekend. I couldn't get the extra day off that I wanted so, that'll have to wait till next weekend.

So this is a first for me putting up any Confederate flag type stuff on my blog. I 've worried about making the wrong impression, but then I got to remembering something about the 1st amendment. Then adding to the fact that after all my blogger name is Rebel_Posse1973. Well, there you go.

Have a good day.

-S

Another Duke Boys Promo...

August 5th.

Just gettin' yall ready!!!!

-S

My Music Review... Cowboy Troy

As much as I have personally not cared for pretty much anything put out by the Muzik Mafia record label, I really like what this guy is doing. At first glance I thought this was another dude making something really stupid and capitalizing on the country music fans' tolerance of the bridge from other music genres. I read more into this guy and realized his level of coolness extends far beyond that.

Native Texan Troy Coleman, aka Cowboy Troy stepped onto the scene with the help of label mates Big & Rich in 2004. The recent release of "Loco Motive" marks Cowboy Troy's first solo CD.

Cowboy Troy's style is what he refers to as hick-hop. In his own words, " You're not going to be able to classify it in the sense of saying it is this or that. It's going to be an amalgamation of a bunch of different things. I grew up listening to Charlie Daniels, Jerry Reed, and Kenny Rogers and you incorporate that with ZZ Top, Kiss, Boston and the Eagles then you fold in the rap aspects of Run DMC and LL Cool J. When you see a dance floor get packed with cowboys and cowgirls whenever a Nelly or Ludacris song comes on, you know there is a place for it."

Again, I would usually look at something like this and think, "oh how stupid", but I can appreciate what this black guy from Texas is doing here. The single being pushed now is called "I Play Chicken With the Train" I like it. It has the usual chickin' pickin' country guitar sound, fiddles, and a kickin' beat. Then added in are Cowboy Troy's hick-hop raps.

Hats off to you Cowboy Troy. I like what you've done here and I hope it continues to work. Cool stuff, check it out.

www.cowboytroy.com

-S

Pugs

I put this up for Jenni. Not the Jen you're all thinking of either, e-friend Jenni.

Although my sister would probably be mad that I put this picture of her up because she really doesn't like it, it does show off the two pugs she used to have, "Babe and Odie". They were a mother and son pair. I don't know what happened to those dogs, I believe she sold them both to someone for a sick amount of money. Anyway, there's some pugs.

-S

The Long and Winding Road...

Well Vella, here's another long retrospective into a dark spot of my soul. I know how you love these posts, but well, sorry I'm just in that mood.

This was another ill-fated band I was in some years back. We called ourselves, Southern Cross. It had nothing to do with the Crosby, Stills, and Nash song, although I do like that song. It was an idea we came up with because of the sort of rocka-billy sound we had that crossed into country and rock.

We had a few people wanting to push us out front with gigs, etc. We played at one big concert, managed to upset some elderly people, then started getting pissed with each other, well the rest is history. I have no contact with anyone from that band except Casey who always remains my friend. Jon Perry the little guy leaning against the tree directly behind me died of a drug overdose at age twenty-four last year. He had moved to Orlando and I hadn't seen him in quite some time, but I was still very saddened to know he was gone. What a waste of talent. He was an amazing guitar player and for the most part, a really good guy. I don't know why people have to go down the drug road. He went out like so many musicians do, but never got his moment of fame.

I've felt very melancholy lately. When I get in this mood I have an unfortunate habit of looking backward in my life. A sort of ho-hum, I wish this had turned out better kind of outlook. Yes, of course I know it's unhealthy, but it's a habit hard for me to break. No worries, I'll pull out of it in a couple days.

We're running with the shadows of the night. So baby take my hand it'll be alright. Surrender all your dreams to me tonight. They'll come true in the end. - Pat Benatar

-S

Happy Birthday Joe.

Found this picture from Tennessee taken in '95. We were 21 and 17. It was actually cold and you're in shorts!

Happy 28th birthday man. Thanks for always being a loyal and true friend to me. I hope we're friends for the next twenty-eight years. After that, well I'll just have to think about it, haha.

By the way, who the hell let me get by wearing that NY hat?!!! Good grief.

-S

Yup...

So anyway, this is my brother-in-law Keith. He started dating my older sister when I was eight. They got married when I was nine. He is not an in-law to me, he's just my brother.

I got served this morning with more chaotic BS going on in my family. So I spent most of the day sitting around drinking Malibu and pineapple juice and talking to Keith and my mom on the phone till I got myself into a drunken stuper and forgot I was supposed to go to Joe's birthday dinner. By the time he was able to get ahold of me I was in no way fit to drive. I felt like a real ass. I woke up with my head feeling like someone hit me. I'm not much of a drinker. My phone bill is gonna be sick. Oh well.

Well, it looks like I'm gonna be heading to Abbeville Sunday morning to try to talk sence into my sister which is not going to be easy, she's just like Dad. I can't pick sides in this case. I just have to try to give the best advise I can as a brother.

Que sera...

-S

Just another day...

This picture has absolutely nothing to do with anything, but Ryan showed me this web site called churchsigngenerator.com so I thought I'd make a silly church sign.

So I went with Joe, Ryan, Todd, and Jamie to see Star Wars Episode III yesterday and enjoyed it. I don't have anything too important to talk about today, for that matter I guess I don't really have anything too important to talk about any day.

Joe finished his first week with me training him to be a Correctional Officer. He's doing very well as I knew he would. Joe and I along with a couple other people from work went to breakfast yesterday morning. Some poor older fella sitting across from us kept passing gas quite loudly when he was trying to get out of his chair. We were trying not to laugh until he left, but I eventually fell apart then everyone started laughing. At least he had almost made it to the exit door before I lost it.

Anyway, maybe I'll have more to say later, or tomorrow.

-S

SWIII

Oh yeah, so I'm going to the noon show today. I'll get back to yall with my opinion, but I promise not to spoil it!

DUNT-DUNT-DUNT-DAH-DAHHHHH, DUNT-DUNT-DUNT-DAHHHHHHH-DAH, DUNT-DUNT-DUNT-DAHHHHH-DAH, DUNT-DUNT-DUNT-DAHHH!!!!!


-S



Okay,

Update: It was AWESOME!! It was, sad to see the inevidable fate of Anakin Skywalker. We all knew the outcome, but it was finally sad to see the guy we all learned to really like turn to the dark side. The movie did however create a deeper sympathy for him as Darth Vader. They added several comedic scenes, they were funny, but maybe a bit too frequent, I dunno. Over all, it was well worth the wait. Even on a Sunday matinee, the theater was full. Go see it!!

-S

I grew up dreamin' of bein' a cowboy...

Although at first glance this may look like some type of vain shrine to myself, it's more of a chronicle for my mother. By the way, the pony I had when I was little there in the pic was named Rebel :)

My Mom and I talked on the phone last night for probably two hours. We talked about life and the changes that have taken place in our family over the years. We also talked about my life and Mom's constant concern about when I'm going to settle down, get married, and all the usual things mothers want for their sons. I'll be thirty-two in August and well, I'm still trying to figure things out.

I got a nostalgic feeling, looking back over my life and started looking at some old pictures I had on my computer. It was then that I started to think about the person I have been all my life. As the great Willie Nelson once said, "Mama don't let your babies grow up to be cowboys. Don't let 'em pick guitars and drive them old trucks..." Hmmm...the proof is in the pictures Mom.

I also did some research on the origins of the name Scott and found a really interesting description that pretty much breaks down who I am. It's almost weird.
Scott
Gender: Male
Meaning: Of Scottish Origin
Origin: English
The name Scott creates a quick, analytical, and clever mind; you are creative, versatile, original, and independent. You have large ambitions, and it is difficult for you to be tolerant and understanding of those who desire less in life or who are more slow and methodical by nature. Patience is not your forte. You do, however, have a leadership ability that would never be happy in a subservient position. You are ambitious and aggressive by nature. You would be happiest in positions where you are free to express individually and creatively and where opportunities are not restricted; you desire freedom, and do not tolerate being possessed by others. You appreciate change and travel, and the opportunity to meet and mix with others, and to influence them with your creative ideas. You are very self-confident and feel you can accomplish anything you set out to do, and you can, although, this name does not allow proper completion of undertakings and forced changes cause financial losses and bitter experiences. This name also creates caustic expression and moods which prevent harmony and happiness in close association. When under strain, tension could affect the stomach and the solar plexus. There is a tendency for you to worry.

Wow, isn't that something. I'm not one for zodiac signs and stuff like that, but it looks like my name really fits me.

I may never settle down, I may always be chasing that impossible dream and of course I'm sure I'll always be the cowboy guy. One thing that is for sure is that as much as I remain different from the rest of the crowd, my mother reminded me that, "No matter what you do in life, I love you unconditionally." Thanks Mom, there isn't a person to ever grace my life as dear to me as you.

So yeah, I pick guitars and drive them old trucks, but now after so many years I have finally begun to realize that this is who I am, and when it's my time to take my final ride off into the sunset, I think I'll be okay with that.

-S

12 Hours makes for along shift...

Okay, so last night we had a near riot. Numerous inmates decided that they would not be returning to their cells so that we could remove "initially" one hostile inmate from an area. Several inmates began yelling "F_ck you mother f_ckers. We ain't locking down!!" Things began to escalate from there. I entered the situation with full expectation of getting severely messed up. There were four officers including myself and two supervisors on the front line with OC "Oleoresin Capsicum" pepper spray/foggers and several more officers, rookies I might add, behind us. My supervisor whispered in my ear that the emergency response team was being activated and S.W.A.T. was on stand-by. I suddenly felt that Danny Glover Lethal Weapon, "I'm getting too old for this sh-t" feeling. As I stood there with my pepper fogger primed and ready to wreck the day of the first stupid bastard that advanced me, another thought crossed my mind. The thought that I had just gotten one of my best friends in the world a job in this wretched place and how insane with furious rage I would be if an inmate brought harm to him. As I listened to my supervisor give the order that anyone who did not want to be involved in this should enter a cell and shut the door I felt a little sick. I've been through my share of inmate fights and well in all honesty, I always feel a little sick when it's about to go down. The little metaphor I often use is, if you could imagine jumping into a pit full of venomous snakes and trying to figure out which one is going to bite you first. I think I felt even more sick knowing that I'm not in as good of physical shape I used to be in. If it had been up to me we would've all been standing there with shot guns, but I guess that's why I'm never the one in charge. Anyway, I guess the inmates realized that they were about to be stormed by response teams and began to lock down. As much as I felt a sigh of relief, I was so hoping to be able to light one of the sorry mother @#$%^&* up with some pepper gas. The situation de-escalated and we got them all locked up.

As I sat outside in my truck having a well needed smoke I thought to myself, "How in the hell have I been able to do this crap for the past twelve years? I hate it." Well, I guess it's just what I do and I'll have to settle for that.

Anyway, that's how the story goes.

-S

Why the Long Face?

Among the various things I don't like about myself, one major thing that bugs me is the length of my face. I've often caught a view of my profile while passing a mirror and thought, "Damn son, you've got a long head." My Grandpa on my mother's side had a long face and somehow aside from the weight fluctuations, I take after him. Silly bird legs and a long face. To add to this, I battle the weight around my mid-section like a fat dragon that likes to creep up on me. For some reason I only ever gain weight around my middle, so with the long face, bird legs, and chubby mid-section I have the tendency to look like Big Bird. I jokingly asked my mother one time if during my birth she had clenched down in a sudden fit of pain thereby stretching my head. She got quite a laugh and my face is still long.

I try to reassure myself with things like, Ben Affleck has a head and face shape that is nearly the same as mine and he is quite the Hollywood leading man, but it only works until the next time I catch a glimpse of my profile. To make matters worse, I have had to concentrate on my relaxed face look. For along time I used to have a habit of relaxing my face with my jaw lowered and my mouth slightly agape. This was not something I did conciously so that combined with having a long face gave the appearance that I might have Down Syndrome. It seemed as though I would often hold my face in this position whenever I was bored, which often meant that I looked this way while sitting through a Sunday sermon. Yes it's true, while sitting through many a church service in my youth I often looked like "Mama's special boy" I remember my older sister telling me one time in church, "Stop looking like that, you look retarded." -sigh-

Anyway, I'm sure we all have plenty of things we don't like about ourselves. Many of them are things that only we notice which makes life easier. Then there are those who hate their appearance so badly that they get intense plastic surgery and end up like Michael Jackson, looking like the Phantom of the Opera.

All in all my point is, not many people are completely happy with the way they look. The thing is being able to be content with yourself regardless. The things we may not like about ourselves may be the very same things that attract other people to us, one never knows.

-S

Justa Good Ole' Boys...

Nothing too deep today...

Ok, being a die hard fan of the Dukes of Hazzard since childhood I had severe reservations about the thought of an up to date goofy new Hollywood "Let's make another sitcom movie". The thought of them taking my all time favorite stupid show and turning it into a movie with a cast of some of Hollywood's favorite young stars kind of bothered me. I mean we all know what happened to the original show when John Schneider and Tom Wopat left the show and were horribly replaced by everyone's favorite "Coy and Vance". It fell apart!

I will now take this opportunity to eat crow.

I watched the official trailer for the new Dukes movie staring Johnny Knoxville as "Luke Duke", Sean William Scott as "Bo Duke", and Jessica Simpson as "Daisy Duke". I would like to say that from what I saw, this movie is going to be awesome. In the short two minute trailer that I saw, it looked to have that full content of fast driving action, comedy, and gratuitous shots of a scantily dressed Jessica Simpson as Daisy that we all know and love. As well as at least one comment made by Sean William Scott concerning "Shrimp on the barby" that made me laugh out loud.

I will definitely be seeing this movie when it hits the theater. Unfortunately, it won't be until August. Check it out.

http://movies.yahoo.com/feature/thedukesofhazzard.html

Yeeeeeeeeeeee Haaaaaaaaaaaw!!!

-S

Happy Mother's Day Mom...

I always liked this picture. Even though I look like somewhat of an oaf, it's a good picture of you.

Happy Mother's day Mom. I love you and miss you very much!!

Congrats on the new Dachshund puppy. I hope she brings you much joy.

And For Our Next Pope...

I hate to jump on the Pope bandwagon, but...
For our next Pope I want to personally nominate my brother, the Rev. David W. MacMeeken.
No, he's not a Cardinal, actually he's not even Catholic, but imagine the possibilities. A southern boy, Pentacostal preacher as Pope.

Regardless of religious belief or orientation, this country as well as so many other countries put mass amounts of prestige towards the Pope as being the esteem top religious leader. So, why not have a country boy preacher who would stand up and tell the world, "Yall need to tighten up, quit being stupid, and get yourselves right!"

In America today we candy coat everything. We don't want to offend anyone, unless of course we're about to bomb them. See, the way I see things, Political correctness among other things has retarded our nation. I don't mean hooray for extreme right wing conservatives, or down with left wing liberals. I just grow more and more sick of seeing the BS that we whine about in this country. "You can't do that because it might offend somebody." It's a free country! People have offended me for most of my life and I have never tried to make a huge issue out of it!

I think this is one of the reasons I've never had children. I see so many parents nowadays who say things like, "Well, I don't want to be to hard on my kids." Then they complain because those children have now reached their teens and are uncontrolable. I have seen countless young teenagers come into various jails I've worked in. When I ask them what they've done they tell me, "Oh, I beat up my mom.", or "I beat my dad." For crying out loud people, if the kid is attacking you, knock their little ass into the dirt! But alas they would never do that because that just wouldn't be right. I know for a fact that if I had ever even had the notion to beat up my mother my dad would have knocked me three ways from Sunday. I might also add that these are often the same children that grow up thinking it's okay to beat their wives.

Pressing onward. Again, I never claim to be a saint. I've also stated that I don't even know where I stand on my faith anymore, but I will say this. It is an unarguable fact that Christianity teaches respect, moral values, kindness and love towards others, and being decent overall people among many things. So why does this country fight so hard against it? Why has Christianity become so offensive that children can hardly even openly pray in schools anymore? "Um, sorry kids, we will longer be having Fellowship of Christian Athletes club because we're upsetting the Muslim kids." Ah, bite me!

So, at the risk of sounding like a right wing, gun toting, honky mofoe (which believe it or not, I'm actually very middle of the road on most things) I've taken the time to speak a bit on the way I feel about some things. Yes, I believe in compromise, I believe that this is still the greatest country in the world, but I also believe that we are being lead towards the Fall of Rome in a sence. The rich keep getting richer and the poor keep toting the load. I worry that we get closer to George Orwell's predictions in our country. I dunno, I don't have all the answers. I just occasionally feel the need to let all the things that I keep inside for fear of offending someone spew out into little online rants. I don't know if I'm right or wrong and I'm always open to listen to everyone's opinion on things, but I do know it's very hard to look clearly at other avenues when you're forced to stay on one side of the street.

Again, next Pope, David I. He's also a ventriliquist with a dummy that people love to see. It's a good plan. The Pope and his wooden sidekick. Think about it.

If I have offended anyone with this post...Relax, breathe in deeply. Now exhale. I feel pretty, oh so pretty, I feel pretty and witty, and...well you know the rest. Loosen up, it's all gonna be okay.

Can I get an Amen?!

-S