I watched a documentary about Gram Parsons last night on BBC4. If you live in the UK, keep an eye out for a repeat.

Well, I only had a passing knowledge of him. I knew he was a pioneer of country rock and I knew the story about his friends shoving an ice cube up his butt (to bring him around) when he overdosed and died. He had a fascinating life and its odd that I didn't know more about him. He was extremely influential and was one on the first musicians to merge country with rock. He was also kind of good-looking too. He sort of looked like a cross between Tom Cruise and David Cassidy...



I guess he was like the Kurt Cobain of Country music - they both died at around the same age.

I've downloaded some tracks and some of it is really good.

Did anybody else see the documentary?

.... i worship this man... one of the greatest musical visionaries of all-time... he did so much than just mix country and rock... he took country, rock, folk, soul, blues, and combines it for what he called cosmic american music... he completely changed the sound of the byrds and was extremely influential on the rolling stones (keith richards, in particular)... the stones albums recorded between "beggar's banquet" and "exile" would not have existed as we know them, if it weren't for gram parsons... he discovered emmylou harris and was the forefather to uncle tupelo (son volt/wilco), whiskeytown (ryan adams), steve earle, lucinda williams, evan dando of the lemonheads and so many others...

his work with the byrds, the international submarine band, the flying burrito brothers, and his solo work is among the greatest music that has ever been recorded...



there'll never be another...

I just think its odd that all his music still sounds so fresh. Now that I'm aware of him, I can see his influence everywhere: Beck, R.E.M., k.d. lang...

When I was younger, I used to think that Country Music was all big hair and rhinestone jumpsuits. I've never really been a fan of New Country either - all the guys wearing black stetson hats. But there's so many acts whom have a Country "edge" to them without being completely cheesey. The Jayhawks, Sheryl Crow and (like Ellis Dee said) Wilco.

If anybody's interested, try to download "Dark End Of The Street". It really does transport you someplace. It sounds like it could be on the soundtrack to some Tarantino movie or something.