This is Justin Townes Earle, the son of Steve Earle.

The apple and the tree statement applies here.

A Very Unusual Day

The big news is Michael Jackson is dead at 50 years old.

Farah Fawcett, another gigantic star of my early years, died, too.

All the media outlets are abuzz with special programming, rightfully so, and definitely for Jackson. Jackson is being compared to Elvis and The Beatles.

RIP.

PS: I found this video

The Replacements, one of the best bands of the 1980's, will be reissuing four new records, "Sorry Ma, I Forgot To Take Out The Trash," "Stink," "Hootenanny," and "Let It Be." These reissues will be remastered, and will include never released material and b-side tracks, according to Billboard.com.

I think The Replacements were the best of the 80's rock bunch because their shows were quite insane. Between 1985-1988, I saw the Replacements live about 10 times, and each time was the penultimate rock experience.

First the guitars. They were loud and bombastic, exactly what's needed for a 20-something year old guy, getting his first taste of independence from home, and feeling the energy associated with like-minded rock and roll fans, pogoing up-and-down in a pit of like-minded Replacements fans.

Then the songs. Paul Westerberg knows how to write a song that appeals to the young, Midwestern guy, who feels that Poison and Guns and Roses were not the answers to the question: Who's Going to Save Rock and Roll?

I'll be one of those guys looking to pickup those newly released reissues when they appear on April 22nd.