Heartland rock part II - Brian Setzer

Now this is more fun, cause Brian Setzer is a favourite among all us guitar slingers. Not thanks to that heartland album he did, but because he is one of the best (if not the best) contemporary rockabilly players. Truth is, I should probably have written about that stuff before, but this is almost equally important to understand how important it is to - understand, I guess.

And Mr. Setzer did come to understand some stuff after Stray Cats. Arty as it was, it didn't really touch on any real subjects other than dancing, fishnet stockings, strutting and rocking all night long. Not bad subjects at all, but when he chose to break up Stray Cats I suppose he was longing for recognition as a songwriter among songwriters, not just as a cute rockabilly player with a massive pompadour.

"The knife feels like justice" was his effort, complete with Rickenbacker guitars and Hammonds that sounds like glass. Deeper subjects, a broader stance with his legs and most important of all, almost all of that youthful rockabilly washed away. I guess his label didn't fancy this turn of events, and they made him wear his Gretsch for the videos. Maybe they even said "keep the pompadour", but the music is nothing like the other stuff he's put out, before or after.

This could've been Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, post the power pop syndrome. If his label would've understood the talent behind this work they would've pushed for this harder than they did. After all it was the 80s and the record labels power was a greater force than any artist this size could handle. The budget they put up for promotion was a joke, and the record sunk faster than a Volvo 740 in the ocean.

How many songs have been released with that title by the way? The one who comes up with the most answers wins a meal with my editor at his favourite hamburger joint.