Back in 1994, Linda Ronstadt was shown the back door of a Las Vegas casino after uttering words of praise for Michael Moore and his movie, Fahrenheit 9/11, the movie was later parodied in this song:FahrenHYPE 9/11words and music by Dr. BLT (c)2006 http://www.drblt.net/music/... and then criticized in a DVD of the same title by Dick Morris. Recently she has renewed her campaign against Bush, calling him an "idiot" and defending the Dixie Chicks for their history of publically...
One of the first hypotheses I was exposed to as an undergraduate psychology student was Dollard and Miller's Frustration-Aggression hypothesis. It suggests that when individuals and groups encounter frustration, they are inclined to act out in an aggressive manner. This is, of course, of simplistic account of their research. Nevertheless, their hypothesis didn't go far in enough in terms of providing an explanation for domestic violence, and a comprehensive solution, based on an understanding...
Hello Bakersfield! For those of you who like to subscribe to podcasts, I want to invite you to check out mine. My very first podcast will feature songs from my 9/11 Retrospective CD, One September Mournin'. I wrote these songs, brought the other artists together and recorded them in the weeks and months following 9/11, while I was living in Sacramento. You can read about the CD here, in this Sacramento Bee newspaper...
The contest begins today. The rules of this contest are quite simple: MC Shrink presently holds the title as Kern County's Reigning Rap King (by default). Cover my (oops, Freudian slip) his own drug-free tune (or write a drug-free tune of your own), post your original or cover as an mp3 link in the comments section below, and knock the Reigning Rap King off his thrown. But you'll need to invite as many fans to the comments section as you can. That's where they will voice their opinions on...
On this, the 1st anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, I'd like to welcome folks to help the Salvation Army provide ongoing relief and follow-up care to survivors of Hurricane Katrina. Contact local Salvation Army official David Ebel, who posts here if you'd like to know how to make a contribution. Then, after making such a contribution, I'd like to offer you a couple of free mp3s. The first song is one I posted here a couple of weeks ago, written and recorded by me, and my Vancouver friend,...
Are you sick of all the reminders of Hurricane Katrina flashing on your TV screen as we approach the one-year anniversary of this horrific event? Just wait until the 5th anniversary of 9/11, waiting just around the corner. Have you grown numb to human suffering? Do you utter the empty words of a bleeding heart liberal with a heart that's run out of blood, and a soul that's running on empty? Do you call yourself a compassionate conservative, but the compassion component has long since...
When the war in Iraq began, there was no shortage of support for our troops. Now that the war has dragged on, thousands have been killed, and public and political support for the war has dwindled, it's easy to forget that the troops still need our support. This need remains, regardless of whether one supports, or vehemently protests the war effort. In the summer of 2003, a bunch of local artists and bands came together to put together Bakersfield 2 Baghdad, a compilation CD serving as a...
Bono is making it cool for conservatives to care about social issues other than abortion and immigration reform. Homer James, Buck Owens and Dwight Yoakam made it cool to sing the blues if you're walking The Streets of Bakersfield. The Rolling Stones made it cool to ask for help if you need shelter. All of these cool things stack up to better odds for the homeless in Bakersfield, in terms of seeking and receiving shelter. I never call upon local musicians and artists to do anything I...
For one B-town rock band, the 90s in Bakersfield meant the 60s revisited. That band was Brian Jones was Murdered. Their name read like an unequivocal news headline, and the name pretty much summarized the band and what they represented. They were a bold back-to-basics retro act with a decidedly ahead-of-their-time modern twist that sounded like a cross between the Rolling Stones, The Ramones, and the Beatles. Like Brian Jones, they appeared on the scene and then disappeared just as...
If you haven't heard of KERN COUNTY CHRISTIAN POP KING, then my question is: Where have you been? It started today, Saturday, August 19, 2006. It never ends. So far, we have one contestant who wins by default until another Kern County Christian Pop King contestant steals his crown. CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR CURRENT KERN COUNTY CHRISTIAN POP KING: DANIEL SISCO! YOU ROCK! There are no text message votes, only public opinion expressed in the comments section below. Once a new artist posts a...
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Topics: Kern County Christian Rock King, Kern County contest, Bakersfield singing contest, Bakersfield music, song contest, Christian rock, bakersfield, Dr. BLT, music, art, entertainment
posted by blognroll on
Saturday, August 26, 2006 at 05:25 AM
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No, I'm not ready to impeach him. Besides, how do you impeach a rock star? I'm a big fan and have been for many years. But I did recently challenge him with a song of mine (recently added to the playlist at WFMU in New York City), and at least one critic dared to stand up and take notice. See the review of
Neil Young (Have you Forgotten) here:
http://www.morethings.com/m...
Then give me your thought's on Neil Young's latest...
It's now nearly old news that Homer Joy has a new heart. I want to wish one of Bakersfield's most famous songwriter's a speedy and full recovery. Let's all keep him in our thoughts and prayers. For anyone who may be unfamiliar with him, he wrote, Streets of Bakersfield, a song covered by Buck Owens and Dwight Yoaham that hit the top of the country charts and yielded a Grammy Award for the duo. Several weeks prior to his heart transplant, I had the pleasure of interviewing him. That...
Martin Luther King had a dream. As an olive-skinned conservative Caucasian male, I embrace his dream. I, too, dream in color. I dream of a Bakersfield where people of every race and skin color get along (or, at least, get a song---one that will instill a sense of harmony, brotherhood, and unity) Is your dream big enough to add color? A world without color is a bland world. What are the colors of your dreams? What is white pride? It is pride in oneself simpy because of the color (or...
I respect those who genuinely want to make immigrants legally accountable, but I believe that too much of this sentiment is accounted for by racial prejudice, intolerance and, in some cases, simply hatred. I propose that every day should be immigrant appreciation day. If you want to propose an immigrant accountability day, be my guest, but before you do, examine your heart. Have you hugged an immigrant today? Would you be willing to hug an immigrant? If not, it's not tough love. It's...
Local artists: I'm conducting an experiment, and I'm including you! All you have to do is to take an old, happy, light folk tune and give it a heavy metal treatment. The advantage of old, traditional folk tunes is that one rarely has to worry about copyright infringement. Many are considered Public Domain. Here's the challenge I am presenting to you: All you and your band have to do is to take an old, light folk classic and give it the heavy metal treatment. Lay it down, put it in an mp3 and...
The Adventures of Oildale Olie: Chapter One: Olie Gets a Lesson in Sophistocation
by Bruce L. Thiessen, Ph.D., aka Dr. BLT (White Trash with an Eduction)
Oildale Olie’s 70s-style retro refrigerator was bereft of Bud, so he headed off to Trout's Bar to pound back a few cold brews. It was a hot August night in Oildale, California, and the fan in Olie’s trailer was not producing enough relief. To add to his misery, Olie had just been dumped by another...
Approximately one year ago, mother nature unleashed her wrath upon a region that was entirely unprepared. The tragedy wreaked havoc and impacted countless lives. It revealed collosal interstices in governmental agencies designed to provide emergency relief. Musicians mourned and music became the intervention tool that I always thought it could be.
BLUE ORLEANS represents my response to the tragedy. It was recorded by my two-man, cross-country band, consisting of one Canadian who...
Hey Bakersfield: It's nearly time to put the forthcoming new Cake in the oven and "bake" it. Here's the latest on the new Cake CD. It looks like you can add ingredients to the Cake recipe for Cake Live at the Crystal Palace by participating in the final song selection. And if you didn't catch my review of the performance/recording session devoted to that CD, they've linked that here as well:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wik...
Well, the Crystal Palace is alive and well, but how often do we stop to reflect upon and appreciate the man that breathed life back into the place after Buck passed away? That man was Clint Black. I hope the following article and the original photo I was lucky enough to shoot that rainy April morning (accompanying the article) serves as a reminder of a day we should never forget....The Day Clint Black Dried our Crystal Tears... http://www.tollbooth.org/20...
Truthfully, Buck was one of a kind, and, sadly, there will never be another Buck. But there is somebody who seems to be standing in front of the line to follow in his footsteps. That "somebody" seems to be John McCrae, of the band, Cake. Where's the evidence? Well, it can be found here: http://www.tollbooth.org/20... and here: http://www.tollbooth.org/20... After reading these two pieces of mine (pieces of Cake if you will), if you know somebody that is...
Hello, Bakersfield. I call it New Nashville West or the New Bakersfield Sound. They call it Progressive Country. In any case, if any of you would like to catch my debut on this Brave New Frontiers radio show, you find by clicking the link below. Just before you get to the half-way point in the show, you'll hear the DJ introduce and then spin "Here's To 100 Highways," my brand new tribute to Johnny Cash and his latest CD: "Cash V: Here's to 100 Highways." http://bnf.libsyn.com/
When people ask me if I'm a psychologist or a musician, I say "YES!" The reason? The songs of today are replete with psychological content. Pink is an artist that stands out for the therapeutic value of her lyrics. She and her Arista co-writer were gracious enough to link to me, and I'm taking this opportunity to share their musical message with you(th), RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW: Check it out and let me know what you think of Pink, and her link: http://www.youthcrisisnetwo...
Hello citizens of Korn Kounty! As a local shrink, I'm conducting a survey on the effect of Korn's music on Korn Kounty "Metal" Health. If I am able to formulate some "sound" insights after gathering feedback from you, I plan to incorporate the results in an article that will appear in Phantom Tollbooth (www.tollbooth.org) and other magazines, ezines etc. It's no secret that the music and lyrical content of Korn's music is dark and perhaps perverse. How do you think the darkness and the...
First came the song, Right-wingers Need Love Too. Then came the CD of the same title. When Ralph Bailey became the first local radio talk show host to spin this little number, he took quite a bit of heat. When Rusty Humphries added it to his nationally syndicated playlist, he added fuel to the fire. Some liberals thought it was a put-down directed at left-wingers, until NPR added it to their web radio broadcast open mic show. Actually, the song is just a silly way of saying "Why can't we...
I’ll be honest, I’ve never considered Bakersfield the ideal city in which to reside. The plan was to make it a temporary pit stop, but I fell in love here (not with the town, but with a beautiful, talented woman who grew up here), and its a long story, but I ended up here for pragmatic reasons. I’ve always preferred either living on the farm, or residing in a bigger city where there is a lot of stuff happening. I’ve lived in Woodland Hills, I’ve lived in Vancouver, British...
Hello everybody! I heard the CD, Cash V: A Hundred Highways while cruising down Rosedale Highway after picking up a copy at Wal-Mart. It inspired a brand new song that is scheduled to be aired on Randall Cousins' Brave New Frontiers progressive country radio show this weekend. Bakersfield fans have an advantage over your average progressive country radio listener. As the singer/songwriter, I'm offering a free sneak preview RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW! Check it out, and give me a little...
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Topics: new Cash tribute, Man in Black, Dr. BLT, Johnny Cash, Cash V, Here's to 100 Highways, A Hundred Highways, progressive country, Bakersfield music, Nashville West, Bakersfield Sound
posted by blognroll on
Monday, August 14, 2006 at 10:49 PM
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My birthday gift for Buck Owens was to have been entire collection of songs I wrote and recorded for him included in a CD called Confessions of a Buckaholic. He left this earth before I was able to give it to him. Thanks to Jim Shaw of the Buckaroos, he did hear one song from the CD, and told Jim he liked it. King of the Crystal Palace was not one of the song he heard, so St. Peter, if you're sitting by the gates with your lap top surfing the web, hopefully you'll stumble across this song...
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Topics: Birthday song for Buck Owens, Buck Owens, Buck's birthday, Dr. BLT, Nashville West, Bakersfield Sound, bakersfield, music, country music, twang
posted by blognroll on
Saturday, August 12, 2006 at 07:56 PM
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What do you get when you cross Buck Owen's twang flavor, his devil-may-care attitude and hip hop music? Well, that's what I was trying to find out when I wrote BYOB (Bring Yer Own Buck). The song tells the story of a DJ who just lost most of his Buck Owens records due to some thief breaking into his pick-up truck. It's from my Buck Owens tribute CD: Confessions of a Buckaholic, which is presently available at Russo's Books at the Marketplace. I hope you enjoy this "hick" hop fusion. If...
If you haven't heard Opium Pharm, that new Alyssa Kaess song everyone in the B-town underground everyone is talking about, this is your opporTUNEity to do so. Let me know what you think. It's an A.K. original (posted right here, right now, with permission from A.K. herself).
Hi, I'm Dr. BLT, and I'm a Buckaholic. Today, in anticipation of Buck Owens' birthday on Saturday, I'm holding an online Buckaholics Anonymous Meeting. Look no further, the meeting is right here, right now! If you are a Buckaholic, that is, if you are addicted to the music of Buck Owens and the Buckaroos, your memories of Buck, and/or anything Buck, please briefly summarize the story of your addiction in the comments section below. As a psychologist, and a Buckaholic, I'm here to say...
I think Alyssa Kaess is the Joni Mitchell of modern folk/Americana music. I first heard her sing at a now-defunct coffee house, and her voice created a lasting impression on me. I'm going to try and secure permission from her to post some of her own original material, but in the meantime, here is a song about the Beatles that I wrote and she covered. Now, who is your favorite female singer in Bakersfield? Inquiring ears and eyes want to know.
"The people of Bakersfield are wonderful. They sang very well!" Ritch Sublett, Producer, CMT (Country Music Television). Buck's birthday is Saturday, so, in Buck's honor, I'd like to travel down memory lane (or, more aptly, down the Streets of Bakersfield), to give you a glimpse of the last time I saw Buck Owens. Where were you on the night of June 29, 2005? I can proudly proclaim that I was on the streets of Bakersfield backing up Buck Owens on a CMT-video-taped version of the country...
Why I had the guitar with me to begin with is a long story, and I don't want to bore you with unnecessary details. It was a hellishly hot August morning at California State Prison, Solano. Not wanting to destroy my guitar in my car-turned-sauna, I sheepishly smuggled it past the prison sally port. Why the officers didn't search my guitar case is beyond me. They're suppose to be trained not to trust anyone, not even staff psychologists--not even rock-star-sticker-covered guitar cases, every...
I come to the garden alone/ while the dew is still on the roses/ and the voice I hear, falling on my ear/The Son of God discloses/and he walks with me, and he talks with me/ and He tells me I am His own/ and the voice we share/ as we tarry there/ none other has ever known/It's deeply precious, deeply spiritual and deeply personal song. Moreover, I've never heard such an intimate, poignant, heartfelt rendition of this old hymn as the one delivered by Dwight Yoakam at the funeral of legendary...
Many years have passed since Merle Haggard released his 60s classics Okie From Muskogee and The Fightin' Side of Me, songs that seemed to place him squarely and unequivocally in the category of “conservative” at best. In fact, some folks would probably label him as a “redneck’s redneck,” if they hadn’t heard more of what he’s had to offer over the years. Let’s fast forward a few decades. Songs like That's the News, released in 2003, (which was openly critical of the Bush...
How did I end up appearing on an MTV-award-nominated hit music video? I've always been a little reticent when it comes to sharing this, because I hate to be perceived as a shameless, self-promoting idiot bragging about my 15 minutes of fame. Then I realized that I was not shameless, so the stereotype couldn't possibly fit. So it is with a mixture of pride and utter shame that I share this with my Bakersfield visitors to this Bakersfield site. In 2001 I was living up in Sacramento. One...
Whenever I've seen an old guy wearing a T-shirt that declares unequivocally, "Old Guys Rule!" my response was, "Yeah, right!" That was until I heard Thee Majestics last night for the first time, and wondered where I had been for the past 45 years. I heard that they played oldies, so I warmed myself up to the event by ordering a double cheeze burger, some fries and a malt at Johnny Rockets, while creating my own sound track on the jukebox with songs like Leader of the Pack and Some Kinda...
When Travis Barker, Blink-182 drummer joined the all-star tribute to Buck Owens at the 41st Annual Academy of Country Music Awards earlier this year, it was not by accident. I believe that the selection of band members for that performance was a reflection of the broad influence that Buck Owens had, and will continue to have on myriad musical genres, including modern rock. Whether you're a country, alt country, modern pop, alternative, rap, post-punk, emo, or screamo artist, look to none...
Either I've gone from a one-man band to one man, banned, or there is some sort of technical glitch preventing me from making comments on other Bakersfield.com blog sites, so I'll say what I have to say here. I've been extraordinarily reasonable and civil in my comments, so I'm thinking it's the latter. Rock, R&B and rap are all alive and well, but some artists have used their music and their celebrity status to fuel flames of hatred and divisiveness between people of disparate political and...
It's seems that some of you are having a hard time finding the silver lining around this dark cloud of a song. I realize that the lyrics kind of faded out on that last link so I've created a new link. If the song fades prematurely this time around, it probably has something to do with the allowable length of media attachments. The lyrics are included below to further allow the pessimists among you to identify the silver lining---the part of the glass that is half full. BTW, I appreciate...
As a psychologist, one of my roles is to offer a contrast for my patients between their often realistic (and, in some cases, delusional) view of the world, and reality. Now I know that the person who came up with the city's new slogan probably isn't delusional in the clinical sense. However, I am keenly aware, as I'm sure most reality-grounded citizens of this community are, that Bakersfield is far from "Life as it Should Be." Yet this is the slogan city officials seem to have adopted....
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