Now Waite Just a Minute

I just got this publicity bulletin from Rounder Records:

--John Waite is heading out on a few dates in support of his critically acclaimed album DOWNTOWN….Journey of a Heart (Rounder Records). The upcoming tour dates follow-up Waite’s performance of his hit single, “Missing You” with Label-mate, Alison Krauss on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.--

Alison Krauss and John Waite? And John Waite on Rounder? What is the world coming to? I managed to find their version of "Missing You" on YouTube, and it's just as horrible as you'd imagine. Not much different than the original, or what I remember of it anyway, except that a banjo is now playing the keyboard part. Yuck.

Somehow the entire world is embracing bluegrass. Tomorrow I'm interviewing Tommy Ramone (the drummer for the Ramones), who has a new "bluegrass" album out. Actually it's a pretty funky little disk, more like something someone would have done in their garage about 20 years ago and more old-timey than bluegrass, but I much prefer it to the bluegrass/arena-rock of "Missing You."

To continue in this vein, I've also got in the house for review Takamine's new "bluegrass model." Takamine making a "bluegrass" guitar? It's pretty damn good, but it makes me wonder, when did bluegrass get so mainstream, and how come I ain't reaping any benefits from it? Well, I guess I don't play anything that could really be called "mainstream" or "bluegrass." Maybe I should do something about that. Perhaps a bluegrass band that does all '80s hits? Yikes! Hmm, maybe a bluegrass band that does all Crowded House and Police songs? I could get into that.