50 quid bloke

I love the whole digital DIY thing that new bands get into these days. After all the stuff about how the internet is going to destroy the music industry, the fact that new bands can use it to promote themselves a thousand times more effectively than before is really rather wonderful.

My enthusiasm doesn’t always extend to the music - so while I love getting an e-mail from a band …even if they’ve clearly never read my blog…

However, I’m rather impressed with All Mighty Whispers - not just because they’re doing the digital DIY thing with a fair degree of panache (MySpace - check; Podsafe - check; free downloads on their site -and a player for the whole album - check; a site that you don’t need Flash for - check). But the album, Love Revolution is really rather good.

Take a listen here.

So, I loved Walk The Line - even though it seemed like a white version of Ray. And on Saturday night, while roasting a chicken I listened to Grievous Angel, the Gram Parsons story on Radio 2 (listen again here ). And before you know it, it’s Sunday morning, and I’ve downloaded Johnny Cash Live at San Quentin and Folsom [Amazon | iTunes ] ; and The Byrds Sweetheat of the Rodeo [Amazon | iTunes ] and (this is so Uncut, I can barely admit it): Flying Burrito Brothers Gilded Palace of Sin [ Amazon | iTunes ]. And before you know it, I’m having a country frenzy in the kitchen. And, yes, rather enjoying it.

I never really got that whole country rock thing - but maybe something happens when you turn 40 and it suddenly seems like the most obvious music in the world. The Byrds thing is quite a revelation, because I’ve listened to Fifth Dimension about a million times, but that’s really it. Anyway, I’m sure I’ll be over it soon. Meanwhile - it’s back to the Folsom Prison blues for the 20th time today.