One of the things I told our gracious host when he asked if I wanted to write for 9b was that I wanted to bring in some Texas flavor. Now I might occasionally write in a style that is reminiscent of my home state but I have been remiss in bringing the real flavor with me. Most of what I have done is the usual fare save three posts that I can think of. This is a long overdue post. I recorded this interview some months back and due to circumstances had to recover the original recording and cl... Read Full Story

Back in mid-October Chad Price and a merry crew departed from the offices of Suburban Home Records in a party van with the intent of doing 10 shows at 10 different breweries in support if Chad’s new album, Smile Sweet Face (9b.net review). Our good internet buddy (and stellar show taper) James Freeman from That’s The Thing About That went along for the ride to record the shows. He culled those recordings down to the best from it all and released it earlier this week and he was k... Read Full Story

Last December I posted a compilation of cover songs perfomed by the Drive-By Trucker’s. The original compiler was (and is) of unknown origin but the compilation has just been begging for a follow-up. Enter Smitty from the DBT mailing list. He’s taken the liberty of assembling a new collection of covers songs culled from the numerous live DBT shows freely available on the internet. He is supposed to have a Vol. 3 already near completion as well as a collection of unreleased DBT o... Read Full Story

This might be a little off the farm for some of ya’ but here is an album from an ol’ boy I saw quite by accident and ended up hangin’ with (read: got way too wasted with) all night… I was headed out to see Jason Boland at The Firehouse for the umpteenth time and left too early or didn’t stop and eat so I got there before the opening act had even started. You see I usually skip the opening acts for most bands I go see and that may be kind of shitty it’s ju... Read Full Story

We talk about a lot of serious musicians pouring their guts out on lots of sad songs around here. It’s the kind of music I think needs the press and the attention, but sometimes a person needs something a little lighter. When I got the news that my paycheck was being reduced by an as of yet, unknown amount I dealt with it the only way I know how; whiskey and humor. The next morning, upon returning to work, I was the one who needed to reach for something lighter so I queued up Amanda ... Read Full Story

I wanted to drop a note to say thank you to everyone for their words of support, ideas and emails with terrific offers. It’s been truly humbling. I have a few things in the works now that will hopefully be well received. The more I thought about it last night the less I came to like the idea of just asking for donations. Maybe it silly southern male pride but it just got less and less palatable to me as I thought about it. So. Keep looking out and we’ll keep fighting the fight.... Read Full Story

I’ve mentioned this before but I work in the engineering field. A field that has been completely crushed by the recession/credit crunch and subsequent cease of all things construction related. It’s an industry where all the canaries died many months ago and everyone has been mulling about their cave waiting to die. Without going into too much detail the firm I work for has fought pretty hard to keep all their employees employed and receiving their full pay but they’re star... Read Full Story

If you could put a voice to that feeling that overcomes you as the night stumbles to a close and the barlights dim ever so slightly, that last little loving nudge towards the door before the slam back on, each blazing bulb a 120 watt punch in the nose, that voice would be Matthew Ryan’s. For the better part of 15 years, Ryan has been putting out beautiful records, collections of graceful, hypnotic melodies floating high above a battlefield of love and loss and all of the other wreckag... Read Full Story

That is a picture of the meathand I made yesterday for my wife’s Halloween party. I was supposed to post that picture and this contest yesterday but all of my plans were derailed by a bad hamburger the night before. Anyhow. Last night was the official release of Strawfoot’s new album, How We Prospered (review), and in celebration they’ve given my a prize pack to award to the ninebullets faithful. So, the first (3) people to email me and tell me what they dressed as last ni... Read Full Story

Well, well, well, here it is. The first themed podcast and we decided to do the dual (collab, if you will) themes of Murder Ballads and Beer. The murder ballads came from y’all’s emails and my admittedly shit memory, while the beer came from Rogue Brewery courtesy our Portland friend Lollyrae. I hope I did okay, but I have to admit I am lacking a little confidence on this one. I think the main problem is that I wasn’t too sure how I was gonna do it before I started it, the... Read Full Story