Bob Wire: Links

Sporky: Rebecca and Matt have a pretty entertaining blog going here. Refreshingly un-self-concscious.
Shakespeare and Co. Bookstore: My good friend Garth, who runs the coolest book store in the Northern Rockies, has reluctantly joined the cyberworld with this excellent and entertaining site. Bob sez check it out.
On the Stove/In the Kitchen: My friend Charles Martin has discovered photography in the second half of life, and we've discovered that he's pretty good at it. He's a live music addict and seems to make every other show in MIssoula. Also, his writing is luminous and sometimes heart-achingly honest. Definitely worth bookmarking if you're into live music in Missoula. Charles has his finger on the pulse and on the shutter button.
Bookwhore: Missoula expatriate (current Austin, uh, patritate) Brad Tyer's blog concerning his obsession with used books. He's funny, literate, not above being silly, and likes good gin. Bob sez check it out.
Tom Catmull: My bud Tom, a damn good singer-songwriter based in Missoula. Plays and sings like he was born with a guitar in his clutches and a mic in his face. Tom Catmull & the Clerics burn down stages on a regular basis all over the Northwest. Bob sez check it out.
Richie Reinholdt-Animal Records: Home base of one of Western Montana's stalwart guitar slingers and songwriters. An original member of the Live Wire Choir, Richie is recording CDs at an alarming rate. Makes the rest of us feel lazy. Bob sez check it out.
Bloodshot Records: One of the best alt.country labels in the land. Never heard anything on Bloodshot I didn't like. Bob sez check it out.
Larry Hirshberg: Fine-looking site, my monochromatic friend! Seriously...Larry is a Missoula musician cranking out challenging, original music that rocks. His current band, the Trillionaires, features Travis Yost, a drummer who may or may not have received a frontal lobotamy in an Air Force hospital in the early 1970's. Still has vaseline stains on his temples from the shock treatments.
The New Heathens: Nate Schweber's rockin' roots band, the New Heathens, are tearing it up in NYC. Check out their debut album, "Heathens Like Me."
Wylie and the Wild West: "Yahoooooohooooo..." is only the tip of the yodeling iceberg, y'all. Wylie is the Real Deal when it comes to country and western music. He's keeping alive the traditions of Marty Robbins, Bob Wills, Eddie Arnold, Gene Autry, and a host of country giants of yore. Wylie's shows are always entertaining, busting with great music and broad humor. And he's one of the nicest guys ever to set a boot in Nashville. Do yourself a favor and get some Wylie on your music player! Tell 'em Bob sent ya.
Gary Dean Jennings: Gary is a songwriter, guitarist, singer, and general badass. He lives in the Southern California desert, a place where I spent many of my formative years. His site is a wealth of information for independent musicians, and folks who like to think for themselves. Bob sez check it out.
Musician Jokes: Q: How do you get a rhythm guitarist to play softer?
A: Put some sheet music in front of him.
Thousands of other gems like this at one of the funniest sites on the web. They have the famous "Let There Be Bass" screed. Non-musicians may find the jokes sophomoric or tedious. BWAAAAAANG! (That was me, playing a big AC/DC power chord in your face)
Jason Ringenberg: Frontman for the late, great Jason & the Scorchers, Jason is one of the few Nice Guys left in the bidness. His alter ego, Farmer Jason, has a seriously great children's CD out, and entertains kids around the country with his great tunes about life in the barnyard. Check out some releases on his Courageous Chicken Records.
Church Sign Generator: Make your own church sign! Brilliant!
Boot Liquor: The best internet station out there.
Americana - UK: All kinds of Americana and alt.country stuff from a Liverpool based site. Bloody hell!
Songramp: An online community of songwriters, we upload demos and critique each other's songs. No gear snobs or "Dude, you SUCK!" "NO, dude, YOU suck!" type of back and forth. Thoughtful constructive criticism aimed at helping us write the best songs we can. Songramp is home to some of the most amazing talent on the internet. It's also home to some ridiculous crap. Bob sez check it out.
COWPIE: Country music site designed for guitar players. Shitloads of lyrics and chords, guitar techniques, and other stuff germane to the six-string cowboy.