Fine Line: October, 2007

I was pokin’ around in my voicemail box today trying to dig up Kristy Kruger’s number for an adoring friend and was reminded about a band Kristy told me about called Rose’s Pawn Shop. Words such as Bluegrass, fiddles, banjos, mandolins and such were all I needed to do a quick Google search and fall deeply, madly in love….

Ever have a friend named Peter tell you about yourself? We have, and here’s what Peter said:

It may come as a surprise to hear the foot-stomping sounds of Appalachian bluegrass channeled through a rock band of 20-somethings here in Los Angeles, but heartache, loss and regret have always been the cornerstones of great music and this city has its share. In a town better known for porn stars and face lifts, anything as authentic and heartfelt as Roses Pawn Shop is a pleasant surprise.

With an arsenal of banjos, guitars, mandolin, fiddle, pedal steel, upright bass and thundering drums their sound is a wholesome mishmash of creek mud, rusty nails and your mom’s cookin. Its sincere, straight-forward and sexy as fuck, effortlessly combining such disparate musical styles as rock, country, bluegrass and punk to create an incomprehensibly smooth and accessible sound for true believers and skeptics alike.

With wisdom beyond their years, the boys fearlessly confront traditional country music themes of loss, lamentation and redemption, while throwing in some drinking songs for good measure. Sure, theyre borrowing pages from the books of Hank Williams, Bill Monroe, and Johnny Cash, but Roses Pawn Shop takes those pages, tears them up and sets them on fire with breakneck speed, bluegrass instrumentation, three- and four-part vocal harmonies and lyrics thatll break your heart.

Whether its the hard-hitting snake-charm-thump of Lone Rider, the wistful whisky-soaked wisdom of Down the Line, the honky-tonk ruckus of Funeral Pyre or the Gypsy-infused mandolin twang of Reckoning, the boys will hook you. Like catfish from the creek, theyll reel you in, and they wont let you go.

And you’ll be glad they did.

Because something happens when you hear these songs. No matter how low youve sunk, something in the music finds you. It picks you up and carries you home.

These L.A.-based Pawn Shop kids were lookin’ for Texas gigs, which was the reason for Kristy’s call a month or so back, but I didn’t get the message until they was plumb gone. However, I’m holding out hopes for a return to Texas, most especially DdFW so I can enjoy this band in real life.

Their MySpace will keep me happy for the time being. Check out more Rose’s Pawn Shop.

“The Arsonist.mp3″ by Rose’s Pawn Shop

I’m sure you’ve heard the news by now. It sucks. It truly freakin’ sucks.

Photo by Allison V. Smith

In case you haven’t guessed it by now, Allison V. Smith is like a God to me…or is it Goddess? No matter, the woman gots more talent in her clickin’ finger than…well…than a helluvalotta others do in their big fat bodies.

AVS is good people too. She loves her family and frequently posts gorgeous photos of her kin and their good times together on her photography site, as well as her blog. One interesting member of Allison’s family happens to be her grandfather, Stanley Marcus. Yes. THAT Stanley Marcus. Being that I’m a Dallas gal born’n'bred, I feel a certain adoration and kinship, if you will, towards those who truly ship-shaped Dallas back in the day, and still remain legends and icons. Certainly Mr. Marcus fits all of the above. But did you also know this great man was a talented photographer hisownself? Runs in the family me thinks…

Stanley Marcus was known the world over as an innovative marketer and retailer with a refined sensibility of taste and style whose leadership transformed his family’s Dallas clothing store to a globally recognized arbiter of fashion. However, his refined sensibility was also expressed in a very private passion for photography, shared only with family and close friends.

Marcus’s daughter Jerrie Marcus Smith and his granddaughter Allison V. Smith celebrate this passion with Reflection of a Man, a representative selection of the thousands of photographs Marcus shot on business trips to Europe, on vacations in Mexico, and for family celebrations. These photographs underscore what we already know about the man in terms of an eye for elegance, a preoccupation with merchandising, and an enthusiasm for the enjoyment of life, but they also reveal a talent for capturing the purity of a moment and memorializing instances of beauty.

Prior to his death in 2002, The Chairman Emeritus of Neiman Marcus deposited over 6,000 slides on the doorstep of his grand daughter’s house in Dallas, Texas. “My father knew Allison, a photojournalist would know what to do with them.” Said Jerrie Marcus Smith. “I always knew that my father was a photographer. When he built our family home in Dallas in 1936 he included a small darkroom adjacent to his. It was a fascinating little room, dark with funny smells and odd shaped pots and pans on the shelf and a clothesline high in the air. On the door he had hung a life-size paper machet mexican skull with a moveable jaw—–just ugly and frightening enough to keep small children far away,” she added.

The book contains over 120 color and black and white photographs spanning three decades. Photography and book publishing were Marcus’ passions both won him numerous accolades. In his 30′s he entered and won a contest sponsored by The New York Times. His sharp eye for beauty and detail and always his expectation for the best worked as well in photography as it did on the selling floor of Neiman Marcus.

The 192 page book was designed by DJ Stout of Pentagram Design and includes essays written by fashion designer Oscar de la Renta, Jack Lenor Larsen, the renowned fabric designer, Marcus’ daughter Jerrie Marcus Smith, and Dr. Roy Flukinger the Curator of Photography at the Ransom Center at the University of Texas, Austin. Reflection of a Man is published by The Carin Press will retail for $60.00.

You really must have a copy of this book, no ifs ands or buts. Best thing to do is take your lunch break on Thursday, October 18th and head over to Neiman’s at Northpark anytime between 1-5 PM to getcherown copy. Allison and Jerrie will both be there to sign your new very own copy.

Or, do what I plan to do and experience this exciting book-signing old-school. Friday, October 19th and hit the original Downtown Dallas Neiman Marcus for some lunch and another book-signing from 2-4 PM.

Check in on Allison and Jerrie today at 1:30 on Satellite Sisters Radio.

Purchase Reflection of a Man

The Dallas Bar Association Sports & Entertainment Law Section presents:
Music Law Boot Camp – What Every Musician (and Lawyer) Needs to Know About Music Law

Friday October 26, 2007, 1:00p – 5:00p / Live Entertainment 5:00p – 6:00p
Poor David’s Pub, 1313 S. Lamar Street, Dallas, Texas 75215

Speakers:
Linda Septien – Septien Entertainment Group (Addison) – www.theseptiengroup.com. Working with young artists/minors, parents, contracts, production, marketing, touring.

Tamera Bennett – Bennett Law Office/Farm to Market Music. Music licensing lawyer, copyright administration, etc.

Casey Monahan – Director, Texas Music Office, Office of the Governor. The Texas Music Office serves as the information clearinghouse and promotion office for the Texas music industry.

Craig Barker – Craig Barker Law – Austin, Texas. Music lawyer, musician, road manager, extensive experience in music industry.

Live Entertainment (at conclusion of CLE presentation) by K. M. Williams, the “Texas Country Blues Preacher.” Learn more about K. M. Williams here.

Cost:
$35 for lawyers seeking CLE credit
$20 for all others (including students, Dallas Songwriters Association, etc.)

Registration:
Through Oct. 19, register by mailing a check for the registration fee, payable to DBA Sports & Entertainment Law Section, to Craig Crafton, 1717 Main Street, Suite 2300, Dallas TX 75201.

After Oct. 19, you may only register at the door.

Space is limited – please register early.