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November, 2011

  1. 2011 Appetizer Golden Fork Awards

    November 29, 2011 by DGrantSmith

    Let your voice be heard and help your favorite artists get an exclusive Golden Fork Trophy

    Click this link and go to the ballot->

    Category Blog, People | Tags: | 1 Comment

  2. Seasonings of Indie: Hour 1

    November 25, 2011 by Meagan Freeman

    Tomorrow’s show kicks off D Grant’ s series of Seasonings of Indie. You don’t want to miss this first hour (and of course the second hour coming up next week). So make sure to grab a heaping plate of Thanksgiving leftovers and settle in for tomorrow’s episode of The Appetizer.

    Seasonings of Indie: Hour 1

    Shades of Rouge by Padre Pio
    Yellowed By The Sun by The Low Anthem
    Into The Sun by Lord Huron
    Strike It Up by Aryn Michelle

    **Also, an exclusive interview with the talented Aryn Michelle.

    End Of The Renaissance by Aryn Michelle
    Turn em Loose by Bigfoot Wallace
    Let’s Go by Madi Diaz
    Everything by Cassidy Robinson

    Don’t Blame Yourself by Andrew Belle


    Nonfiction Love Song by Jillian Edwards
    Empire Trampled by Turtles
    Tomorrow by Kelley McRae
    Keep You by Kelley McRae

     

    You can catch The Appetizer on Saturdays at 9pm on 89.7 KACU (and now a encore presentation on Friday’s at 2pm), Sundays at 9pm on 90.5 KTRL, and Saturdays at 3 pm on 91.3 KVLU.

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  3. Happy Thanksgiving

    November 23, 2011 by DGrantSmith

    When this time of year rolls around, it’s appropriate to take some time and say Thank You to the people who mean a lot to you. It means a lot to me that YOU read The Appetizer blog. Maybe you’re a regular listener of our radio program. Thank you for being that. Maybe you’re a casual listener. Thank you just the same. Or maybe you just read the blog for a few laughs and some insights into music you weren’t familiar with before. Whatever the reason for you to be here on our site, thank you.

    I’m also really thankful for a few individuals who give to The Appetizer each week, and who deserve a lot of credit and recognition for their work. First, Meagan Freeman. You read her blog posts weekly as she is a regular contributor here. She also produces some of our podcasts and interview segments. She’s done video and photography for the interviews we’ve done at Flyboy Studio. Right now she’s working on overhauling our website. The Appetizer has been able to reach more people and do more things since Meagan joined the team and I’m VERY thankful for all that she has brought to the table and all that she’s done for the show. Meagan, thank you.

    Also, Elliott Park is someone who deserves a lot of thanks. On top of giving of his expertise and time, he’s given me an outlet to produce our radio program in the facility of his very excellent recording studio Flyboy Music in Clyde. It’s close by and it’s a great place to not only create the radio show but also be able to bring musicians in for professionally recorded and produced interview segments that I wouldn’t be able to do on my own. Elliott, thank you.

    Speaking of Flyboy, our interviews are produced by Elliott and also Jeremy Strom. Jeremy is an incredibly talented individual who can blow just about anyone away on guitar. He’s also an excellent web-designer, videographer, and producer. I appreciate Jeremy extending me his talents, his time, and his friendship. Thanks man.

    Finally I want to thank someone who continuously inspires me and also pushes me to be better and better everyday, and that’s my beautiful wife Leilani. She is by far the best blessing in my life and I’m truly grateful for her everyday. If you want some really great blogging, check hers out here.

    Thank you, and have a very blessed Thanksgiving!!!

    Category Blog, Music, People, Podcast | Tags: ,,,, | No Comments

  4. A Dreaded Time

    November 21, 2011 by DGrantSmith

    You know when you were little when you’re watching your favorite TV show and your mom comes in and says “You were supposed to do ___(fill in the blank chore)__! It’s time for you to get up and start working on this stuff!” That wasn’t a time you looked forward to. At least not for me. It was no fun to substitute great TV watching for chores, or anything other than what you wanted to do. Same thing happens for most people with their jobs, yard work, taxes, etc. It’s time for/to…….something you’d rather put off.

    Honestly, I feel that way about Christmas.

    I admit it, it’s probably not a good thing, but it’s real. I’ve dreaded Christmas time every year since 1998. I don’t know if that was when I stopped getting toys for Christmas (which is still the best thing about the holiday if you ask me), or the fact that I suddenly became inundated with Christmas Music, but that was the start. It’s gotten progressively worse each year. It certainly has everything to do with the fact that Christmas music being played nonstop on every media outlet (except The Appetizer) featuring the same handful of songs over and over again. Though the versions might be different, it’s still the same songs. Christmas music is the holiday equivalent of Top 40 Pop. Top 40′s lyrical themes are generally what someone looks like, who pissed who off, sex, drugs, and whatever it is that Lady Gaga and Bieber sing about. Christmas music is the same in its limited subject matter, most of the tracks are about Santa, presents, snow, reindeer, or family (if you’re lucky). But it’s all the same music done over and over again. Original Christmas music makes it worthwhile but even then it borders on annoying.

    So, when this time of year rolls around I have to do what I can to brace myself for the coming annoyance of repeated Christmas songs everywhere I go. I do have a few tracks I’m actually kind of fond of, so I try to save them to listen to as the holiday itself approaches so I can savor them. I tend to save things to savor later with food too. Most of us do. These tracks include O Holy Night (my favorite version comes from the Trans-Siberian Orchestra), Carol of the Bells (my favorite version comes from Mae), and a few originals like Emery’s (Ho Ho Hey) A Way for Santa’s Sleigh, and The Killer’s Joseph Better You Than Me. Check out the video for it->

    Why am I saying this now? Because if you haven’t noticed in your ongoings, shopping, or TV viewing, the American way is to start celebrating Christmas as soon as Nov. 1st, or as soon as you can take the jackolanterns and Halloween stuff out of your yard and start putting up lights, trees, and other yard ornaments Christmas themed. I imagine that later this week, we’ll welcome Thanksgiving with Christmas music on the radio, TV, and elsewhere. There’s a few songs I hope I don’t have to endure at all, and I think we can all agree with these thanks to the Houston Press.

    Category Blog, Music, People | Tags: ,,,,,, | No Comments

  5. Serving up some laughs

    November 19, 2011 by Meagan Freeman

    You’ve been waiting for it! It’s finally time for D. Grant’s music and comedy episode.

    Here what’s on the menu:

    Jim Gaffigan with “Holidays”, “Jesus, Mary, Joseph”, “Almost Heaven”

    Weird Al with “Pancreas”, “Like a Surgeon”, “Taco Grande”, “Jurassic Park”, “CNR”,
    It’s All About The Pentiums”, “Stop Forwarding that Crap to Me”

    Jerry Seinfeld with “Sky Diving/ The Helmet”, “Clothing”, “Crooks”

    Eric Bert with “The Steven Seagal-Chuck Norris-Van Damme Rap”

    Bill Cosby with “Same Thing Happens Every Night”

    Get ready to have a good laugh. I’m giggling just thinking about it!

    Also, don’t forget about D Grant’s birthday celebration. It’s coming up on November 30 at Bonterra Blu in Clyde. Food, fun AND live music from the talented Kelly McRae!

    Category Blog | Tags: | No Comments

  6. Special Kelley McRae Concert

    November 18, 2011 by DGrantSmith

    Our friend and indie sensation Kelley McRae is currently on tour across America, performing in house shows and smaller venues. I’m very excited to announce a special performance she’ll be a part of on Wednesday November 30th at Bonterra Blu (the Golden Fork Sponsor for 2010-2011). It will be a great evening of music, food, fun and conversation. It’s also my 30th birthday, so that makes the show a little bit more special. So, we’re treating it like a party of sorts. More of a come and go style with no formal sitting. Come, order some coffee or desserts or appetizers (or all of the above), chat with me and enjoy some great music.

    For insights into her story, check out this

    Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

    from earlier in the year.

    Category Blog, Food, Music, People | Tags: ,,, | No Comments

  7. Fun Delivery (though a bit late)

    November 16, 2011 by DGrantSmith

    When the summer began, I told listeners on the radio program that we’d have our annual Comedy Show in June or July. I had planned on working with some friends who do stand-up both here in Abilene as well as in Dallas. We talked and were trying to work our schedules out and setup something really unique and special. But like most things, schedules are really hard to maneuver when you live and work in different places and don’t get to see each other face to face. So….we didn’t put it together and the annual Comedy show slipped through the cracks. I feel really bad about that because it’s not only an annual show, but it’s something I really look forward to each year.

    One regular from the past few years has been Weird Al. Last year’s show featured more emerging and new parody artists. I’ve been listening to a lot of Weird Al’s new album “Alpocalypse.” It’s really great. I wanted to see how I could feature some sweet tracks on the show and not take anything away from Weird Al in the process. So, this weekend the promised Comedy Show is delivered, although the title of it is Fun Music and Stuff. The stuff is standup from legends like Jerry Seinfeld and Bill Cosby, as well as some stuff I just picked up from Jim Gaffigan. With Christmas time nearing, I enjoy laughing at the inherent comedy of the holiday, stuff that when thought about objectively, is pretty funny. Gaffigan has that ability.

    Below is a little preview of what’s coming up this weekend. Aside from new Weird Al, we’ll take some scoops and slices out of his deeper songbook. Enjoy!

    Category Blog, Comedy, Music, People | Tags: ,,,,, | No Comments

  8. This week’s menu.

    November 12, 2011 by Meagan Freeman

    Bigfoot Wallace

    Few and Far Between by Bigfoot Wallace

    Turn em Loose by Bigfoot Wallace
    Where Teardrops Fall by Bob Dylan
    Standing In The Doorway by Bob Dylan
    Roads? Where We’re Going, We Don’t Need Roads. by The Amy Hoffman
    Parade by Rachael Yamagata
    The Day The World Went Away by Nine Inch Nails
    Where There’s a Will by The Amy Hoffman
    Dancing Shoes by Green River Ordinance

    Green River Ordinance

    Rise Up by Ben Shive
    She’s Invincible by Ben Shive
    Sins of the Father by Resignators
    Gnomes by Skamikaze!
    Born for This by Flatfoot 56
    Can’t Stop Now by Keane

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  9. CN versus CNR

    November 8, 2011 by DGrantSmith

    Chuck Norris is a popular dude. People are Google searching him now and finding a post we did back in 2010 when he became an honorary Texas Ranger. When I look at stats for this blog, Chuck Norris is one of the most searched things. Pearl Jam is a close second. Kurt Cobain is in the top 10. Funny that a music blog’s top searched name is someone that has really no credibility or avenue in music.

    Neither does Charles Nelson Riley, the famed game show host from the 70s. I honestly didn’t really know who that guy was, until one of my favorite artists wrote a song about him. The style of the song is much in the same theme that the recent Chuck Norris mythology books are. The video is pretty killer too. Check it out below.

    So I had this notion of doing a show where music faced music, Chuck Norris versus…. Turns out that there is a metal band named Chuck Norris and another called the Chuck Norris Experiment. Several bands have written songs about Chuck Norris. Comedians are trying to tie in the mythology lines and book stuff into their routines. It could be a pretty comical show (radio episode) with both music and comedy.

    But what if we just test the waters here and put 2 videos up and let you decide who is better:

    Weird Al Yankovic-CNR

    Supafloss-Chuck Norris

    Category Blog, Comedy, Music, People | Tags: ,,,,,, | No Comments

  10. The New & The Established.

    November 7, 2011 by Meagan Freeman

    Hello everyone.

    I hope your week is off to a fantastic start! For those of you that are suffering from a case of “The Mondays”, I think I know why. I didn’t post a menu of the delectable tunes D Grant served up on this weekend’s show. I promise I didn’t forget you all, I had it all ready to go and a few things came up… more like a hundred things. Nevertheless, I apologize to keep you waiting.

    The theme was “The New & The Established in Folk, Rock, and Alternative Singers and Songwriters.” Here is a list of the great tracks.

     

    “Under” by Carla Werner

    William tunes up before his acoustic set with The Appetizer. Check out the exclusive videos here.

    “What Hold” by William Fitzsimmons

    “Gracie” by Ben Folds

    “Rainy Night House” by Joni Mitchell

    “Down The Burning Ropes” by James Vincent McMorrow

    “Come On Back” by Amy Stroup

    “Afterglow” by Genesis

    “Dissident” by Pearl Jam

    “Ironic” by Alanis Morissette

    “Sam’s Town” by The Killers

    “Couldn’t Explain Why” by Citizen Cope

    “Vertigo” by U2

    “Macy Day Parade” by Green Day

    “A Narrow Place” by The Rocketboys

    What was your favorite song from the episode?

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