Tinkering around in nooks and crannies I shouldn’outta last week, I somehow put the screws to The Fine Line. Much was deleted, much was effed-up. After some sheer panic time, and a few cocktails, I kinda took the whole thing as a sign. I’m tired kids. I’m burned-out. I’m old fercryin’ out loud.

One year ago this month I merged my former blog with another company. During the first 6-months I helped build that new site, I personally recorded somewhere in excess of 200 live shows, audio, interviews, etc. During the 6-months that The Fine Line has been in existance, I’ve recorded audio of around 80 live performances and interviews, and nearly 40 video performances. Not only does this entail sitting in smoky bars for sometimes 7-15 hours depending on the event, but it also involves paying for the server to hold said audio/video, hours of editing, paying for expensive equipment to record (mics, stands, mixers, audio recorders, cameras, etc., etc., etc.). Not to even mention the 4000+ blog posts since 2002, and this is my 615th post for The Fine Line. This entire year, up to date, has been exhausting, sometimes heartbreaking, sometimes thrilling, but mostly just plain disappointing. My only compensation for all this work is fun. It just ain’t been fun for awhile. Plus, I’m plumb wore out.

So when I noticed that Amanda and Danny transitioned quite nicely into Amanda’s digs after I screwed-up this site, I figured this would be a good time to hang my hat for awhile. When I started my former blog, TexasGigs.com, 4-years ago, there was a need for a local music source. Now…not so much. There’s a new local music blog and/or site popping up every hour. So I’ll let the young’un’s take over the reins.

Unexpected family obligations also reared-up last week which will put me on the road much of the time, and/or a possible move from Dallas altogether sometime early next year. More reasons to give it a rest.

However, during the last few months, I’ve been working closely with Quick in doing a weekly PodQast with Hunter Hauk and Reid Robinson. They have invited me to do a little local music blogging on their recently launched “Blah Blah Blah” blog. There is some coinage involved, which is much needed just to recoup money invested in TexasGigs and The Fine Line. Plus I really like the folks at Quick, so I’ve agreed to participate. You can catch my Top Five to See Live daily, as well as random music blather, focusing on newer, more unheard of rising artists and bands and maybe other stuff totally unrelated to music.

Since Hunter is the main music man at Quick, I can just be a wacky sidekick for a nice change of pace, contributing when and if I can. I hope you’ll support Quick and their blog, as they’ve been extremely supportive of the local music scene. POSITIVE supporters.

As for The Fine Line? Don’t delete the link just yet. Since I may be traveling back and forth on I-35 most weekends, I may detail my adventures, record live shows from the road. I’m also seriously contemplating covering a genre of music that is not getting a lot of blog attention, much less an audio/video presence. I’ll letcha know. Plus, I’ll have full SXSW coverage on March.

Thanks to all of you for caring, reading and showing your support. I wish Amanda, Danny, KatieMac, et al the best of luck in the future. And remember…if you can look past all the drama, the rumors, the who is sleeping with who, the who effed-over who…it really can be all about the music.

Six years ago I started booking/managing The Lonelies. That’s how this whole thing got started. For that entire first year, I attended every single show I booked for them. Not once…not ONCE did I ever tire of their songs. To this day, Doug Burr still remains my all-time favorite singer/songwriter/musician. The band used to end every show with “Long One Tonight,” so I leave you with this – Kelly Upshaw, Andy Odom, David Sims and Doug Burr – the original – The Lonelies…

“Long One Tonight” by The Lonelies

A few good links and a few good friends: (I’m working to get the links page back up…we’ll see…)
QuickDFW.com Blah Blah Blah Blog
Boca Tinta (Amanda Newman and VFDanny’s hip newish joint)
Etheriousity (KatieMac’s excellent new blog with professional KatieMac photos, reviews, music news, etc.)
Wee Demon (Andrea Grimes Musings – she funny)
Gorilla vs Bear (Chris Cantalini – the #1 indie blogger in the country)
bigDLittled (Sam Machkovech’s music blog – it’s good…real good)
Get Rich in Dallas (Rich covers a wide range of Dallas stuff, all interesting, most pertaining to music…and I love him)
Indie Interviews – (When Garrison Reid does audio interviews, they are always great. I suggest everyone urging him to do ‘em more often)
Suck It Trebek (while their Alex Trebek obsession frightens me a tad – Merritt and Jen still put on a good show over there.)
The Stash Dauber (Ken Shimamoto is a good writer. Like a pro, ya know? He covers the Fort Worth scene, plus goes old school at times.)
Unfair Park (Robert “Fingers of Fury” Wilonsky, Andrea Grimes, Merritt Martin…and the list goes on. Can you say Dallas Observer blog?)
Central Denton Preservation (Support Fry Street)
The Fold (Support Denton music)
Intolerance Watch (not so much music, but a good friend and an interesting blog)
Trickles of Reason (a fresh look at the music scene from the new kid in town)

We Shot JR (the one you love to hate. It’s good work though and deserves your attention.)