Eric Church: Why is Anyone Surprised?

Why on earth is anyone surprised by Eric Church's Rollingstone interview?

So he said some swear words, he insulted the elderly and he said something that some of us already think about "The Voice" and Blake Shelton. Apparently Church is indeed the angry redneck that he presents himself as and he's also a bit eccentric. That's why his music feels authentic. That's why we (dis)like him. And yes, that's why he makes some of  us a little uncomfortable.

See previous blog post on my discomfort with Eric Church.

Was it good thinking for Eric Church to shoot his mouth off in a Rollingstone interview and hurt the feelings of some of his fellow country music stars? No, but if he finds himself in too deep he'll just jack up his truck a little higher and slog out of the muck as best he can with a mess of fans pushing from behind.

The line in the article that I found the most amusing was contributed by Arthur Buenahora, a Nashville macher (influencial executive) instrumental in getting Church on his way.

"He's probably the most misunderstood guys in our format because he's really the kind of guy you'd want to be buddies with" says Buenahora. "You'd want your sister to marry a guy like that."

Well, my sister is currently single, but I would really rather not have Eric Church and his dirty mouth at my Shabbat dinner table so I'm not going to encourage this relationship. I will continue to listen to him while chopping onions and basting the chicken.

If you haven't actually read it, find the Rollingstone article and do so. It's good reading!  The article isn't available online to non-subscribers. Unless you're willing to pay their small fee you'll have to do it the old fashioned way, go to a magazine stand, look for the Rollingstone with Obama on the cover (Wow, Church must hate that.) and stand there for eight minutes and read the article.

Does Eric Church Listen to NPR?

I am not at the Miranda Lambert concert tonight. From the day the tickets went on sale I've been debating whether or not to go, looking at available tickets, and just not pressing buy. Yesterday I saw the folly of my ways and made a desperate attempt to recruit one of my few friends who like country music to no avail.

The reason that I never bought tickets is a stupid one.  As much as I like Miranda Lambert, I really didn't want to see Eric Church, who is opening for her. I'm not going to say that I don't like Eric Church, because that wouldn't be totally true. I like the song "Smoke a Little Smoke", and remember thinking that he was loud, honest and rocked at the Country Throwdown. Unfortunately, the only time I've ever felt uncomfortable at a concert was also during that same set.  I was only uncomfortable for one song, but it left this indelible mark on my opinion of him. I can still remember the feeling of wanting to put my hands over my ears and walk out the minute he sang the lines "I believe the Bible is cold, hard fact. An' I believe that Jesus is comin' back, Before she does."  I have to laugh now as I reread the lyrics of Before She Does.  Being an NPR listener it reminds me of their "This I Believe" series and I wonder if that's what gave him the idea for the song. Maybe Eric Church is an NPR listener.  If that is the case perhaps we have at least one thing in common in addition to believing that O.J. did it.

I do regret that I'm not listening to Miranda right now.