Review – The Re-Mains at Times Change(d), Winnipeg, Aug 13 2009

– by eugene osudar

that’s what Mick Daley calls it,
Country Rock.

but country rock isn’t
country rock
here and now
anymore.

i had a wonderful exchange
of emails (after some poetics)
with Marty Stuart’s
manager, Marc Dottore,
he told me
what passes as country
these days,
isn’t.

he knows it
i know it
do you know it?

do you know what country (rock)
is?

Marty Stuart.
Johnny Cash.
Waylon.
Merle.
Steve Earle.
Townes.
Willie.
Kris.
Ridley Bent,
so totally rocks.
Hayes Carll.
this kinda country
Rocks. and rolls,
and is
country rock.

The Re-Mains
so Rock my country
rock world,
and the worlds
of the 45 or so
brave, courageous
souls
who took the call
to challenge
themselves
to country rock.

50-60 songs
on the pieces
of paper laid
out on the floor
before Mick’s
center space
on stage,
and he
just calls out
a word
or a couple of words
from the title,
and the band
Lays into it
Blazes
into it
the hard rock
and rolling world
of Mick Daley’s songs.

no two shows,
no two live sets
are identical.

except,

they are all magical
they are all danceable.
they’re all historical
and hysterical
if you listen to the words.

Mick’s Bob Dylan words.

there i said it
just to miff some people
off
who don’t get it.

that it’s okay
to reach for the sky
and fail
cuz brilliant failures
brilliant mistakes
are better than
what passes for country
these days
and when it happens
when the words and music
soar, oh my
i dance and i cry
and i celebrate
and the Re-Mains

made me
dance
cry
celebrate
Life!

i’m talking to my visiting
Vancouver friend, John W
and i’m asking for
his take
on Australia’s
country rockers
The Re-Mains

“maybe it’s Australia’s version of country rock,”
says he.

right. that’s it.

he mentions Wilco
and then says, it’s more
the previous band,

ah!

Uncle Tupelo!

yes!

that’s what The Re-Mains are,

besides
Bob Dylan, The Band,
CCR, Wilco.

there i go again
miffing people off.

Uncle Tupelo
that’s the edge
and the roll
and the dance.

of The Re-Mains.
as they tour Canada.
3,4 months
and promise
to return.

next summer.

i can’t wait.
for our long hard winter’s
end

because the two times last summer
and the two times this summer
are just not enough/

i need more and more and more

Re-Mains.

www.myspace.com/countryrockandroll

two sets,

I Woke Up Sad
Your Reward
You’ve Got To Break
Endless Mystery
Road to Your Heart
Burning Love (Elvis Presley hit, done so burning hot
slow)
Come Over Saturday
Casino Sally
Ghost of the Crown Street Whore
Dug Out Living
Day in the Sun
Ballad of a Wrong’un

Tequila and Methadone
Hole For Your Heart
History of Flies
White Lies
Sick Sister
You’re Going To Hell
Same Road

(then, an extended jam with Mayor Matt
and a guy who just came up
blowing a very good harmonica!)

Matt’s Ivanhoe song
and his Church song
and then another song

and then, back to Re-Mains
songs,

Horse
Beef Week Queen
Dead Friends
Devil Hand

27 songs.
and, i forgot to ask for
Winnipeg Girls
!
which i promised Mick
I would do
after their last Winnipeg
appearance at The Cavern.

Thank you.
John Scoles.
the micks
the other tom jones
and al.
and, thank you
courageous
seekers of the ultimate
truth

(Keith
John
Shayna
Susan
et al)

that on any given night
in any given music space
you can experience
that best band
on the planet.

and that’s

what

The Re-Mains

were on Thursday night,
August 13th.

of course, they just happen to get there
most every night they play!

there,

i said it

just to miff some people off.

Doubters and Snobs,
sweet raspberries
rubbed into your
naked bodies
Yummmmmmmmmm!