Eric Church: Tilt At Windmills No More (A rant)
The sheer speed at which American pop country is devolving before our very eyes can only be described as “awesome.” It is the evolutionary equivalent of if we could witness a species of apes evolve into a new race of humans in the length of a football season. As the creatively bankrupt boardrooms of Music Row’s major labels refuse to face reality, their marketing schemes for new artists get more convoluted and sinister, yet still remain so woefully transparent it can only be taken as a backhanded insult to the country music consumer.
An expert example of this is the super-fecta of pop country specimens: one Eric Church. He has it all: Exemplary skills at rehashing formulaic pop country themes, lyrics, and sounds, a marvelous ability to sell himself as an “Outlaw” in the Josh Thompson/Gretchen Wilson fashion while playing Top 40 trash, and the undying support of one of the most evil labels on Music Row, Capitol Records Nashville.
But Eric takes it a step further. His particular Madison Avenue-style marketing scheme involves him being an “outcast,” not giving a damn what anybody thinks about him and doing it his own way. So in every interview he does, he’s swerving all over the place, bumping into people, trying to start fights and bitching about “critics” of his music. Problem is these critics existence is questionable at best, and nobody but his fans are buying his bad boy brand. Nonetheless he perseveres, tilting at windmills to preserve this overthought Outlaw image.
Well, being a very conscientious and proactive member of the country music community, I thought I would help Eric Church out. If he needs a critic to tussle with, I’d be happy to oblige.
Hello Eric Church, my name is The Triggerman and I’m from Dallas, TX. Prepare for me to take a big shit on you.
– – – – – – – – – – – – – –
In a nutshell, Eric Church is a talent-less asshole. I made ready a paper bag and a nose plug and investigated his music thoroughly, and it is the lowest of the low. I’d rather have an elephant take a dump on my face that to listen to his stuff. I’d rather listen to my parents fuck.
His song Love Your Love The Most is the epiphany of what trash pop country has always strived for: stupid “laundry list” lyrics, vocals that bottom out at the beginning of phrases ripping off Garth Brooks, and a lovey dovey fop theme that falls flatter than Rascal Flatts vocals without Auto-tune. This song is enough to drive a pacifist to kill baby animals with their bare hands. It isn’t just bad, it is a frikkin harbinger for the downfall of Western civilization. I’d rather be held down and force fed poo while my pubes are being pricked out one by one than to listen to this.
His worst transgression is the song “Lotta Boot Left to Fill.” This is one of these pop songs that trashes pop songs, talking out of both sides of the mouth. But again emphasizing Eric’s overachieving attitude, he once again breaks the glass ceiling for bad pop. In this song, he figures out how to shoehorn overtly ripping off Waylon’s “Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way,” George Jones’s “Who’s Gonna Fill Their Shoes?” and still leaves room to blasphemy Hank Williams, Johnny Cash, and Waylon Jennings. This is a feat of dexterity that would make a Cirque de Soleli contortionist look like a paraplegic. Even I have to admit this takes talent.
This song is such an abomination I am surprised the sheer mention of it doesn’t cause a rip in the country music space/time continuum.
Oh and Eric, Peter Frampton just called and said he wants his voice box back, and his silver-lined outer-space panties.
Is this really how Willie and Waylon done it? Eh, not so much.
And for all this talk from Eric about how he hates overpolished pop country, he has Keith Urban and Lady Antebellum in his top friends on his MySpace site, and once toured opening for Rascal Flatts.
He did eventually get kicked off the tour for playing “too loud,” and “too long” but for once I’m going to have to agree with my Rascal Flatts frosted hair friends. I’ve listened to Eric Church’s music, and it IS offensive at ANY volume, for ANY length of time.
And maybe he’d earn some points with me if he got kicked off for telling it like it is and trying to educate Rascal Flats fandom. But instead he was just being an asshole. Rascal Flats gave him a big opportunity, and he spit in their face. Hey Rascal Flatts are what they are, and they don’t pretend to be anything different. They’re not name dropping Waylon. Someone has to give teen girls something to sing into their shampoo bottles to. But Eric Church plays the “bad boy” while the only difference between Rascal Flats and him is their preferred brand of hair products.
Oh, and Eric was replaced by Taylor Swift on that tour; a move some say lent to Taylor’s meteoric rise. So we have that to thank this asshole for as well.
In closing Eric Church is the lowest form of a country music human being that can be found on the whole world planet. I want to apologize to Eric for not recognizing this before, and forcing him to fight with phantoms to protect his image. No more Eric, no more. Henceforth I’m right here for you brother.
Thank me later.
–Triggerman.
May 11, 2010 @ 3:38 pm
Well the first thing I said to Wayne when I saw this review is, “Who the hell is Eric Church”? I lead a very sheltered life when it comes to pop muzak….I don’t listen at all.
Thank you for the warning…I will remember his name as yet another pop douche bag….if you’d rather listen to your parents fuck than listen to his pop tunes then he is to be avoided at all costs!
December 29, 2012 @ 10:28 pm
u people are fu&$in idiot’s , eric church is awesome, and he’s not selling out as of yet , like the other watered down country pop , crap music nonsense country artists, rascall flatts just got pissed because he upstaged the sissies , and put’s on a high energy show , doesn’t just stand there like a bunch of gay poser’s… u need to shut the hell up
May 11, 2010 @ 3:53 pm
Wow that is some shit. I talk trash about pop-country, but I don’t EVER listen to it. Everytime I do I am reminded why. But this guy, evoking the holy trinity of country (Waylon, Johnny and Hank), has some nerve. What does he say? Ol’ Cash woulda whupped YOUR ass Church, and we all woulda bought tickets.
May 11, 2010 @ 4:30 pm
This means we are doing our job. When the big record labels set out to hijack the sound we stand for it is a compliment. It means the “Outlaw” market is growing. It will in the end bring more people to the middle ground so that we can lend a helping hand on what to listen to. But we need to make sure we (journalists, musicians, fans) remain the true beacon for real music.
May 11, 2010 @ 4:53 pm
After listening to 45 seconds of that song I do not have much left boot to fill…with my puke.
I wish Waylon was here to kcik his ass.
May 11, 2010 @ 4:54 pm
Goddamn Triggerman you really outdid yourself with this write-up. Hilarious work man.
May 11, 2010 @ 5:29 pm
I’m glad you listen to pop country so that I don’t have to… ha. Seriously who is this guy? I never heard of him.. but I don’t listen to the radio either… Lucky Tubb’s new album is out and I know that much for sure!!! \m/
May 11, 2010 @ 5:38 pm
Jason, that’s a good way to look at it. We need to stay positive and stay laughing, and not let these fake “Outlaws” get in our kitchen.
February 7, 2013 @ 10:54 am
First off,
You are a tremendous douche bag…. Eric is not going to fight with you on some stupid ass blog haha, Secondly, what do you listen to ROBERT EARL KEEN, JASON BOLAND, fucking KYLE PARKS??….. whats your deal man…. do secretly have a fetish for, let me quote… “being held down and force fed poo” “listening to your parents fuck”??? hmmm sounds pretty fucked up to me, honestly your probably a Hunter Hayes fan….. arn’t you…. the country music Beber haha and finally, all I have to say is CHIEF…. kicked your ass and filled it with all the shit that spills out of your mouth…. ERIC CHURCH is a badass.. he is kicking ass and taking names, so go fuck yourself or your pubic pulling Cirque de Soleli paraplegic and get a real job….
May 11, 2010 @ 5:39 pm
That song made me want to listen to fingernails going down a chalkboard. I have to say that shit sounds even more polished than the mainstream outlaw poster boy Jamey Johnson, The only outlaw or anti-mainstream about Eric Church is he improvises in his interviews unlike the other puppets who read directly from the interview script. But then again maybe they all are really that stupid
May 11, 2010 @ 5:39 pm
Also, forgot to give props to Jashie P of Outlaw Radio. He sniffed that “Lotta Boot Left to Fill” song out and played it on his podcast a while back.
May 11, 2010 @ 5:41 pm
Wow, Eric Church sure did evoke a lot of poo jokes Trigger Man! It’s a big dumb pop song with completely incongruent lyrics. Who wrote it? You know what it reminds me of? Those glam metal bands from the 80s like Bon Jovi and Poison. Sort of a try-hard power pop anthem … that falls way short. Jon Bon Jovi and Bret Michaels were pioneers of that genre and musical ‘sex symbols’ of the day. And it was the ’80s so frosted hair was the height of fashion. Eric Church, not so much. I am thinking a paper bag over his head might look quite fetching. Or a plastic one with some cord around the neck maybe?
May 11, 2010 @ 5:54 pm
He co-wrote it with Jeremy Spillman. He writes his own songs, but this is one of those instances where being the songwriter doesn’t do him any favors.
You know its funny, since this song actually came out about a year ago, it makes Josh Thompson and Gretchen Wilson look like even more hacks, because this was the FIRST of the neo-pseudo-fake Pop Outlaws songs to surface. So you’d have to call Eric the king of that dumb crowd.
May 11, 2010 @ 6:05 pm
According to Wikipedia: “Before moving to Nashville, he graduated from Appalachian State University with a degree in marketing. In return, his father paid for his first six months in Nashville”. Well well well, a degree in marketing! Fancy that. And clearly ‘dad’ is quite the astute businessman and probably doing nicely off his little ‘investment’ these days. God, it’s like a sinister scheme these two have executed perfectly. Their music and morals suck but I wouldn’t mind getting some financial advice from them!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eric_Churc
May 11, 2010 @ 8:34 pm
I might have a “Lotta Boot left to fill” with SHIT and vomint after hearing this abortion. After this song has anyone contacted pro-Life clinics or anyone in the defense of Dr. Kevorkian
May 12, 2010 @ 3:31 am
Checked out Eric Church because of this article, found another song of his that is as bad if not worse than Lotta Boot Left to Fill called I pledge allegiance to the Hag. I guess the only “good” thing about the song is that Merle Haggard does sing on it, though only for one verse. The song is just like a pop country song, talks about cold beer, dirt roads, and has all of those shitty pop country hooks one expects to hear. Just further proof that country music is dead.
May 12, 2010 @ 4:08 am
thanks for the heads-up.
May 12, 2010 @ 4:18 am
Man, I’m so glad I do not have to answer to some suit with a corporate playlist….
May 12, 2010 @ 7:03 am
This is terrible….Nashville is starting to see $$$$ when it comes to attitude of underground country music but want to keep using the same AC/DC riffs to sell it. Sickening.
May 12, 2010 @ 7:53 am
I’ve never heard of Eric Church before, and I could only listen to about 1/3 of either song before becoming violently ill. I’m going to go back to my insular alt country world now and give myself a Steve Earle soul cleanse.
May 12, 2010 @ 12:05 pm
THE LITTLE PRICK WAS RAISED LESS THAN A HOUR FROM ME..IF I COULD HAVE JUST KNOWN AHEAD OF TIME I COULD HAVE SLASHED HIS VOCAL CORDS WITH A DULL KNIFE TO GIVE HIM A RASPY VOICE..THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE TAKING WAYLONS NAME IN VAIN LATELY..WTGDMFH!!!A FUCKIN’ TURDHEAD..GOTTA GO,LOTS OF PEOPLE TO HATE..JUST SO LITTLE TIME IN MY HEART LEFT..
May 12, 2010 @ 12:29 pm
Man, listen to his list of singles to get an idea how far up his own this guy is.
Started with “How Bout You”, a checklist of the things that make him country, and that make you, the listener, not country.
Then his next single was “two pink lines”, a song about his girlfriend maybe being pregnant… doesn’t factor into my point much, but it is what it is.
Then…. his next two singles… these need no explanation, the song titles speak for themselves…
“Guys Like Me”
“Sinners Like Me”
Both on the same album….
“His Kind of Money (My Kind of Love)” came next. Another song about what he’s got and who he is.
And then, guess what? “Love Your Love the Most”! Another song about what he likes and doesn’t like!
I mean, this guys charting singles are like a biography of the character that he’s playing in the movie, “Nashville: Rise of an Outlaw.” But the movie is made by Miramax, and the budget was cut in post production.
I just don’t understand. When I play, or write music, it’s just about how I feel, whether it comes out sounding pop or outlaw or anything else. I just feel like rule #1 in song writing is to not talk about yourself too much. But pop country is breaking that rule… and it hurts my little heart so much.
But I will say, the dude played a free show down here in Lower Alabama, and only like 38 people came. So maybe it just doesn’t matter yet.
Either way, for better or worse, I’m heading to Nashville in 3 months. Maybe, with some help from my friends, we can recapture the market through critical acclaim alone like the boys did in the seventies.
We’ll see.
Wish us luck.
June 1, 2011 @ 7:08 am
Isn’t that what song writing is about? Writing about your experiences and things you have seen? God forbid someone sing about the person they love.
April 18, 2012 @ 7:40 am
You’re an asshole. You’re talkin about yourself. #1 rule my ass. “Momma Tried”, “Walk the Line”, “Longhaired Redneck”, etc… I’d bet my soul you’re a fuckin hack.
May 13, 2010 @ 6:44 pm
Gross … he should be ashamed of himself for putting the names of so many of my heroes in this Nashtrash sing-song hip-hop bucket of yuck … and they call this country music … blah …
May 14, 2010 @ 7:51 pm
I belive this is called “Red Dirt”…. Sounds like “pop country” but tries to seperate itself. Alot of the bands around here fit in this category. Yeah, we’ve been on the same bill as some of these acts. They do their thing I do mine. I’ll continue writing songs with root/5 bass lines in I/IV/V progressions. They can continue to polish their turds.
May 14, 2010 @ 11:45 pm
Hey brandon, Red Dirt is typically just texas country. They have their own charts and everything. The Randy Rogers Band, Jason Boland and the Stragglers, Micky and the Motorcars, Reckless Kelly, etc. All guys who sell big and top the texas charts, but won’t ever go nashville, or else face Texan wrath. Jack Ingram and Miranda Lambert still rank on the list, but the outcry to shut them out is ginormous.
Eric Church is…. Randy Houser. Chris Young. ummmm…. Justin Moore.
I’ll tell you, we’re gonna see subgenres of pop country like this til it hits the fan.
But one texas boy who doesn’t side with either Texas or Tennessee…. Cody Jinks.
The dudes tried both scenes and been burnt and as he puts it now, “Yeah the yuppies, and the hipsters, and the wannabe scenes, That ain’t downhome to me. I like 2 dollar beers and 3 dollar wells, in some old honkytonk bar I know by the smell, some old drunk on a bar stool to a Merle Haggard tune, that’s my kind of room.”
So, yeah, I feel you Brandon.
April 20, 2011 @ 11:50 pm
Hey Brad,
I had Cody play at my club about 18 months ago – good show. It was nice to see someone who enjoys being exactly what they are. If you see him, tell him hello from Four Corners1
May 16, 2010 @ 12:19 am
“I’m just as fine with people passionately hating me as I would be if they were passionately loving me. At least I’m getting to them.” – Eric Church
http://www.theboot.com/2010/03/01/eric-church-lotta-boot-left-to-fill-lyrics/
I cannot believe this shit! How many of you have actually been to one of his shows? You must just love to sit around all day and just rip people up!
May 16, 2010 @ 6:54 am
Talk about the kettle calling the pot black. This hack puts down pop county while sounding just like it, with all the typical music row cubicle songwriting puns.
Replace his vocal with Shanai Twain, Nashville’s biggest lap dancer, and ya got “I feel Like A Woman.”
I don’t believe there is or will ever be any Nahville country artist on a major label with real balls. (as it is not allowed.)
Only when one of them records my song “Hello Hand” will I fucking believe it.
Also Triggerman, I wish you would REALLY tell us what you thought of his song “Love You The Most” LMFAO!
August 14, 2014 @ 8:33 am
This line will live in my memory re Shania Twain, “Nashville’s biggest lap dancer”. LOL! You just encapsulated her entire career IMO! Dolly did it tongue-in-cheek, while having talent to spare, so she could get away with it, plus she made and broke the mold-Shania took it all seriously while not having one iota of Dolly’s talent.
May 16, 2010 @ 7:02 am
Triggerman, well buddy, I can’t say I was not warned. Even after your blood curdling rant on this horrific song of yet another Nashville hack, Eric Church, I clicked the link and listened to “Love Your Love The most.”
As the first verse wound to a merciful close, with visions of “His truck,” “Big Mouth Bass,” and “Mustard on his fries,” swirling in my head, I reached for my shotgun and blew my brains out. I am writing to you here from the afterlife. I’m not sure if it’s heaven or hell, but I can tell ya that wherever I am there is plenty of cold beer, beautiful women, and no Eric Church.
May 16, 2010 @ 7:27 am
Jason,
Yes, I love to sit around and rip people all day. It’s pretty fun. And no, I haven’t been to an Eric Church show yet, but as soon as I can I will, and trust me, I will rip that too.
When Eric Church talks about “people passionately hating me,” he’s not talking about me, don’t worry. He’s talking about the pop types who he wants to do battle with some that he comes across as an “Outlaw,” not people like me who are passionately hating him because he’s taking the Outlaw values that we hold dear and using them as a marketing scheme. Didn’t you read the title of this story? That was the whole point. Oh, nevermind.
May 21, 2010 @ 4:57 am
My distaste for this guy is getting out of hand. I think the line in the song, “Pretty boys actin’ tuff!”…….pretty funny shit coming from someone on their HIGH SCHOOL GOLF TEAM!!!!
Listen to the bullshit lie @ 1:35
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJ8NpzPRQqM
May 22, 2010 @ 4:02 pm
This guy is doing the same thing that most rappers do this day. It’s all a bunch of chest-beating bullshit. I personally am sick to death of anyone on the radio who constantly preaches how much money is in their bank account, which brand of champagne they drink, which luxury car they drive….it’s all ridiculous and all self aggrandizing. My statement is, of course about rap, but pop-country is quickly climbing the ego stroking ladder. Being a rebel is popular, it always has been and I get that. But it becomes a mockery of misfits everywhere when you have to tell people how rebellious you are. Waylon and Willie never had to tell anyone they were outlaws. A music journalist did that for them. Your attitude and the way you carry yourself should tell the world who and what you are. My rule of thumb is that if you have to convince people that you are something…you’re not. Eric Church, you sir are no outlaw.
Saving Country Music » Blog Archive » Country Throwdown Cancels Shows / III Disrupts the Charts
June 6, 2010 @ 11:22 am
[…] when they decided to give this tour a “new Outlaws” flavor by bringing along acts like Eric Church and giving it an emblem that is a mild ripoff of my own. I was hoping to catch the Dallas leg of […]
June 10, 2010 @ 9:26 am
All of you are wrong and making stupid assumptions.. Why are you people hating on Eric Church for no reason?? He makes good music.. Check out both of his cds and tell me they are not amazing cds.. Go to one of his live shows and tell me its not one of the best concerts out there right now.. I have met him a few times and he is the nicest, friendliest guy ever.. Soo dont go start hating on him for actually “Writing his own music” All these other artists these days are taking work from others who wrote it, well anyone can do that.. It takes special talent to write every song you sing..
June 19, 2010 @ 11:24 am
Erich Church is the worst. He’s got to be one of the biggest phonies in Nashville today. Jsmith – I don’t care if he writes his own music. It doesn’t make it any less crappy. Lotta Boot, Love Your Love, uggh these are some of the dumbest songs Nashville has put out lately. They suck and they would suck if Jesus wrote them. Or Hank Williams. Eric Church sucks donkey schlong.
July 1, 2010 @ 4:22 pm
Jsmith, I am with you 100%. Obviously these people have never, ever been to a live show of his. He writes all of his own music, and he is so faithful to his fans. I too have met Eric and he was extremely sweet and kind to me. He isn’t comparing himself to the greats such as Waylon, Cash, and Hank Jr. He admires them, looks up to them. While his music is not the same as theirs may be, isn’t that a good thing? He would then be copying them and you all would be hating on him for that. Now, I know Merle has done a verse on a song of Eric’s, hm that must say something about the Hag himself liking Eric Church. He also recently went on tour with Hank Jr. where Hank had given Eric a necklace that he only gives certain artists that he respects. Therefore, wouldn’t greats such as Merle and Hank have a little more knowledge and say than all of your mindless opinions? And I know my opinion also means just as little to you as yours all do to me, but it is a free world and I wanted to share my opinion!
July 1, 2010 @ 6:47 pm
FUCK YOU TRIGGERMAN! I feel the urge to drive down to Texas and beat the fuckin shit out of then shit on your face then put my boot up your ass. Eric Church is the shit and aint showin any signs of stoppin. Some of the best fuckin music out there and for sure is savin music from turning pop. he is the realest shit out there and always will be. so traditional every song deserves number one status. So fuck you and your opinion.
July 1, 2010 @ 6:48 pm
This is one worthless combination of childish thoughts put into paragraphs. I hope you don’t base all your articles on weak points such as these two…
1) Claiming Eric is talent-less but then turning around and
admitting that it takes talent to do what Eric has done.
2) Using his friends on Myspace to try and prove that Eric is lying when you claim Eric says that he hates overpolished pop country.
First off, Eric has never called himself an outlaw. Find one quote from him where he claims he is an outlaw and I’ll come back and apologize for being wrong. If it takes a while to find a quote, just go to his Myspace page maybe you can find something there (LOL). Second of all, Eric has never said that he hates overpolished pop country. The truth is actually quite the opposite. He has been quoted as saying he respects the likes of Keith Urban, Taylor Swift, Jason Aldean, Luke Bryan, Lady A; all pop country. He has also said that he loves Maroon 5’s latest CD, and called it some of the best pop out there. He has mentioned listening to Britney Spears, Macy Gray, Little Feat, and Otis Redding. He clearly enjoys all different types of music. He claims to only have a problem with people who don’t respect the music industry or those “looking to extend their 15 minutes of fame into 18 or 19 minutes” (<- see that there, that’s called a quote directly from Eric’s mouth) And what makes you think “Lotta Boot Left To Fill” is blasphemy of Hank, Waylon, and Johnny. Hank Jr. giving Eric his stamp of approval (the necklace) holds a lot more credibility than your two bit opinion.
TD… No, people on here would actually like for Eric to simply copy our Country Hero’s sound. To them that is the only way to make “real” country music. They praise Waylon and Willie all day, but don’t realize that the guys they revere as saints created a sound of their own in their heyday. They probably would have felt the same way about Waylon when he started his outlaw movement, as they feel about Eric now. Some people really despised the ‘pop’ sound that Waylon introduced to country music.
I wish Saving Country Music was around to “save” us from Waylon Jennings. <— Sarcasm if you didn’t catch that Triggerman.
July 1, 2010 @ 8:03 pm
OK TD you go buy a Justin Townes Earle or Hank III album & then will talk but Eric Church Sucks why don’t you go find some good music that your radio & tv don’t tell you to listen to Hank Jr hangs out with kid rock so what does that say about Hank must not have to good of taste
July 1, 2010 @ 8:32 pm
Wow you know – I started to think of a response then I remember you all are the ones who shredded Josh Thompson…now Eric.
You know – If you don’t like the music fine….but the vicious attacks on THE PEOPLE…and one person saying they’d have cut his vocal chords. Nasty people here. Sad sad.
Odd how both artists had someone talking about kniving them. Absolutely appalling 🙁
July 1, 2010 @ 9:09 pm
Oh please Patti, we’ve already been over this: one person’s comment doesn’t represent “us all” or the article or the sentiment of the author. It works both ways, see “Triggerfucker” above who said:
“FUCK YOU TRIGGERMAN! I feel the urge to drive down to Texas and beat the fuckin shit out of then shit on your face then put my boot up your ass.”
But I ain’t crying, or saying that sentiment is what ALL Eric Church fans think. I put my opinions out there and that leaves me every right to be shot back at, and there’s plenty of rational Eric Church fans who just want to defend an artist they believe who are all united by their horrifically bad taste in music.
And yeah, you shouldn’t be surprised to see me. In fact I’ve done another article about Josh Thompson, and my last article is about Eric Church as well. Wish your comments were more timely; it would make this a lot more fun.
I ain’t going nowhere until Josh Thompson is back working for his daddy pouring concrete, and Eric Church is pursuing the masters for his marketing degree.
Seriously Patti, you should stick to defending Josh only. Eric is a can of worms. Rascal Flatts fans hate him. He pissed off a bunch of people on the Country Throwdown tour. Everybody thinks Eric Church is an asshole, including Eric Church!
August 6, 2011 @ 10:27 am
if your waitin for eric church to chase his masters thingy u got one hting comin to you…aint never gonna happen. he’s too popular right now and oh wait….HE HAS THE NUMBER 1 OVERALL ALBUM THAT JuST CAME OUT! its called “chief”…ring a bell?
January 6, 2012 @ 2:13 pm
This is fucking stupid. I’m tired of jackasses that keep preaching ” this ain’t country its pop” bullshit and say that Waylon would kick their ass for fucking up country music. You motherfuckers aint as big of Waylon fans as y’all think you are because your missing the mans point. The outlaw thing was started bec mr Jennings didn’t want anybody fucking with his creation. In his book he talked about how he would record a song, leave for awhile, and come back and some dumbass messed with the track and made it sound completely different. Waylon and Willie fought to have their music heard the way they wanted people to here it. They didn’t want to create something that they thought was badass, turn it in, and then have some producer fuck it up. They were proud to be country but felt that that should not limit their creativity. Besides Waylon also said in his book that music is just music. That people throw labels on it because it’s easier to market it as country or rock or pop. Eric’s music is diff than any country act out there. Nobody fucks with it. It comes out the way he hears it in his head and the way he feels it. It’s good music because it is diff. Y’all listen to two fuckin songs and say its pop but the y’all say y’all don’t listen to pop so tell me hoss, what the fuck does pop sound like? You know more than I do? Y’all say y’all are Waylon fans but yet you don’t listen to what he said. Anybody who hasn’t heard of Eric church don’t read this article bec it is what we commonly refer to as bullshit
July 1, 2010 @ 9:24 pm
Oh and about this Hank Jr. “necklace” people are gabbing about. Hank Jr. is not a legend, and holds no sway with me post 1985. He could be a legend, but he’s sold his dignity away letting people like Kid Rock and Eric Church use him as a stepping stone in his bid to stay relevant.
And worst of all, he’s a bad father.
Grown ass men shouldn’t be giving each other jewelry anyway.
July 2, 2010 @ 9:01 am
Derek…..you make some great points. I mean how can this guys music not be good since he loves Maroon 5’s latest album, right?
Also, he was copying to an extent, ‘Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way’ with that boot song while also copying Molly Hatchett & AC/DC classic rock guitar riffs. Don’t copy old rock n roll and try to sell it to me as new country.
Also, there is a line in that song that says something about ‘pretty boys acting tough’……I mean WTF? I think someone posted above that on his Wiki page it states he was on the high school golf team? Do you remember your high school golf team? I remember mine, not very intimidating.
July 2, 2010 @ 1:26 pm
Shot…When I mentioned that Eric likes Maroon 5’s latest CD I was not trying to prove that Eric makes great music. I was only showing how the writer of this article fabricated statements and ideas and claimed them as fact, while the truth was being totally ignored.
On copying classic rock guitar riffs, if they haven’t been used before in country music then wouldn’t that then be considered new country? To quote Waylon:
It’s the same old tune, fiddle and guitar
Where do we take it from here
Rhinestone suits and new shiny cars
We’ve been the same way for years
We need to change
…
Old Hank made it here, we”™re all sure that you will
But I don’t think Hank done it this way
I don’t think Hank done it this way
And of course he was invoking memories of ‘Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way’. Along with ‘Whose Gonna Fill Their Shoes’, the two songs were part of the inspiration for the ‘Loota Boot Left To Fill’.
On the high school golf thing, your way of thinking is full of prejudice. Your basing your claim on something that is unrelated to the subject. Ok, Eric played golf. What does that have to do with being a pretty boy or intimidating. Are you saying intimidating people don’t play golf? If that’s true, then there must be something about golf that makes intimidating people stay away. Could you explain what that is please?
July 2, 2010 @ 3:29 pm
Yeah I guess your right, classic rock guitar riffs translate into ‘New Prog Country’ if played on the right radio station. Otherwise its just blues rock/southern rock.
I can only base the golf comment by the golf team at my high school, who were as best I can remember, pretty boys. Who by the way didn’t act as tuff as Eric Church acts.
If you love Eric Church then love him but you’re not going to persuade me that he’s good. Just like I won’t be able to persuade you that he is terrible.
July 2, 2010 @ 3:55 pm
Derek,
Copying old rock’n’roll riffs doesn’t make for new country and more than recycling classical melodies would make for new country music. That’s a big part of what this whole movement is about, making country country again.
I think Triggerman took particular offense to Church because he’s railing against the same slick, corporate pop infused artists that we are – except that he’s slick, corporate and pop. If that’s what you like, all the more power to you, it’s just not country.
July 2, 2010 @ 5:51 pm
triggerman,
i guess I’ll start by saying your a sad and pathetic person likely in their middle ages losing grip on life. Your claims are shadowed by your exaggerations such as, ” Eric Church is the lowest form of a country music human being on this earth” i am troubled to find how you are qualified to make such a claim. You then go attack his singles that were released to radio. If you ask eric he will tell you those are not his favorite songs but it is simple the market and how he goes about getting noticed. He has to appeal to what the radio wants. Check out his song lightning and try to find an issue with that.
But i guess i’ll applaude you for putting yourself on a limb for this review. I guess posting a review with an anonymous name is very credible these days.
Your comments and followers comments disgust me.
i understand its hard to let go of the past and old country music. I’m sure you miss your slaves too.
I’m sorry that society has hcnaged maybe you should too
July 2, 2010 @ 6:44 pm
Shot… If my tone sounds like I’m trying to persuade you then I must not be doing a good job of expressing myself. I’m not trying to persuade you to like him. I just want people to appreciate the effort Eric and some other country artists put into trying to make good quality music, even if it doesn’t fall into the category of traditional country music.
Stubblejumper… I consider Eric Church’s music country music. Whatever qualifier words that might need to be placed in front of country is fine with me. I still stand by the fact that if it hasn’t been done before in a particular genre of music, then when it is done by an artist in that genre, it can be called new. And your statement, “making country country again,” doesn’t make much sense. I’m guessing you mean you want traditional country artists to become more mainstream through radio airplay across the country. That’s fine, but if Triggerman has that same goal, he should probably hold back on publishing articles like this one, that make this whole site seem trivial and worthless.
July 2, 2010 @ 7:04 pm
Triggerman huh? Are you trying to be like John Wayne?? Jackass…you probably live in your moms basement and write these reviews. Anyway, Nashville has obviously changed over the years…but if Eric Church had a banjo, acoustic guitar, and a drumset you would swear he was trying to be like Waylon too…so either way your not happy. Eric Church is a great entertainer…you are one of those big headed people who think just because you don’t like someone that everyone else should hate them as well…so keep writing reviews…people like when you make a jackass out of yourself.
I’ve always been told…two things come from Texas and that’s steers and queers…just putting it out there.
January 6, 2012 @ 2:24 pm
Hey man I agree with you on Eric church but I’m from Texas and Texas ant full of queers like this guy. We got steers though
July 2, 2010 @ 7:56 pm
Brodi and Trig is a Jackass,
Seriously guys, do yourselves a favor and quit making wild eyed assumptions about me. They are always wrong. ALWAYS. Don’t try to defend Eric Church by trashing me. Bring something substantive like Derek is, state your case. You’ll still be wrong, but you won’t look like an ass in the process. 🙂
Did you really say I miss owning slaves ???? HA!
And this article nor this site is anonymous. If you poke around a bit you can find my name and then Google it all to hell. But trust me, that will only add to more confusion and dumb assumptions on your part.
July 3, 2010 @ 7:51 am
My name says it all…
July 3, 2010 @ 11:51 am
Brodi, you must have strong legs cause that was quite the leap!!!!
Point is, there are a lot of traditional sounding artists, like Dale Watson & Wayne Hancock just to name a couple, writing better songs than this guy that can’t get the kind of publicity he’s getting only because it’s TOO country sounding and probably not going to fill arenas by young girls.
July 3, 2010 @ 1:49 pm
“We found a fan base that maybe country wasn’t talking to at the time: young males,” Church continues. “Most artists go onstage and they’ve got pretty girls in the front row. Not us. We’ve got 10 rows of guys with their fists in the air.”
From billboard magazine.
July 3, 2010 @ 10:03 pm
Derek,
Your right about my “make country country” statement, almost. It’s more than that. It’s not about making traditional country more mainstream, it’s that country IS traditional country. You can bend it and twist it, but if the traditional music isn’t at the heart of it, it’s not country anymore. You can be a techno DJ in a cowboy hat, but that doesn’t mean you’re playing country music. You’re still a techno DJ, just dressed country. Right now, that’s pretty well what’s happened. The current crop of Nashville artists look the look, but have abandoned the roots that make country what it is.
Eric Church has raised a lot of ire, because he’s paying lip service to the traditons, while abandoning them where it counts. I don’t care that he’s playing music and that people like him. It’s that he’s stolen an identity, one that we feel very stongly about.
July 4, 2010 @ 2:08 am
So you don’t like Eric Church. You listen to obscure country music and you’re entitled. I love Johnny Cash. But guess what, people. He had a label, too. So did Waylon and so did Hank. And by the way. Gretchen Wilson was signed to a label in 2004 and Eric Church was signed to a label in 2006. “You know its funny, since this song actually came out about a year ago, it makes Josh Thompson and Gretchen Wilson look like even more hacks, because this was the FIRST of the neo-pseudo-fake Pop Outlaws songs to surface. So you”™d have to call Eric the king of that dumb crowd.” How exactly? At any rate, enjoy your music.
July 4, 2010 @ 5:49 pm
This site’s a freakin’ JOKE, along with the aritcles & the writers who provide them! Thank the Lord I have a mind of my own & don’t have to rely on imbecile’s input to decide what kind of music to like! Saving Country Music- Thanks, but NO THANKS! Save it for someone else!
July 4, 2010 @ 10:52 pm
Will Not Be Returning,
I am very sorry you are unsatisfied with your Saving Country Music experience. We strive for 100% customer satisfaction here. We know as a country music consumer, you have choices. Because we did not fulfill your expectations today, I want to offer you a free order of chicken & waffles on your next visit, as long as you purchase another order of chicken and waffles of equal or lesser value and two regular size drinks.
Thank you very much, and have a great day.
July 5, 2010 @ 12:42 pm
Keep the Red Dirt in Texas …send the talent to Nashville..
July 5, 2010 @ 5:18 pm
Stubblejumper,
Yes, traditional country is country but it is not the only type of country. There are several different types that, at their root, beat to the heart of country music. I’ve always thought that the heart of country music was in the songwriting and delivery, not instruments and production. If I’m not right, then every generation has a type of music that they consider country but the previous and subsequent generations don’t because the production of the music was changed. In that case there would be no point in discussing this because there would be no generally agreed-upon definition of country music.
You are starting to sound like someone who is stuck in the past and resistant to any type of change. My grandfather still declares that nothing good comes from the internet, but the general consensus is that he is wrong. Like technology, music evolves over time. You can try to go back and define the beginning of country music, but I could go back just a little bit further and claim that it was actually a branch off of or a combination of some other type of music.
Sure maybe some artists in Nashville have abandoned the roots. I tend to think that Eric is not one of them. When I listen to a youtube video of just Eric and his guitar, stripped of any production, the lyrics sound country to me. I’ll go back to an earlier argument of mine. If I listened to some of Waylon’s album in the context of the late 70’s and 80’s they wouldn’t have sounded like ‘traditional’ country. They were new and different, but at the heart of it all, there was still terrific songwriting that made the music country. Eric Church is doing the same thing. He is part of a new sound that is furthering the country cause. Now whether or not he is doing it with the outlaw spirit, (is his music guided by his own choices or his labels’) I can’t say because I’ve never had a conversation with Eric. But it sure would be an interesting conversation to have!
April 18, 2012 @ 7:55 am
You know country when you hear it. Rascall Flatts is shit. Hank the 3rd is doing it right. Eric Church is okay.
July 5, 2010 @ 6:15 pm
Derek,
I think your evolution analogy is pretty apt. the thing is, any new species that evolves still shows most of the traits of the original. If country music were a cat, we’ve seen lions and tigers and housecats and jaguars. But now we’re being shown a dog and told that it’s still a cat.
So, each generation puts it’s own spin on the music, but retains the ties to the past. Your influences echo, so to speak. And most artists, Eric included, coming out of Nashville these days echo 70’s and 80’s rock bands more than prior country artists. It doesn’t sound to me like they’re furthering the country cause, they’re abandoning it, replacing it with 70’s and 80’s style rhythm and blues (and yes, I listened to eric’s acoustic songs on youtube. It sounds like southern rock to me).
By the way Triggeman, if I complain, can I have free chicken and waffles too?
July 6, 2010 @ 7:02 am
This new rush of comments is impressive! I didn’t start to love artists like Dale Watson and Wayne Hancock until after first being a fan of pop country. The more I listen to these new artists that Savingcountrymusic.com is introducing me to, the less I enjoy what I hear on the radio.
There are, however, some artists (Eric Church being one) that I still think are awesome. Sometimes I just want to get drunk on light beer with my dumb friends and pump my fist in the air! It’s too bad that Derek is the only one with intelligent, pro-Eric church arguments.
Those who are personally attacking Triggerman are acting more like dicks than he was in the first place…slaves? Come on.
June 29, 2012 @ 5:25 pm
Its interesting that Triggerman fans mention that people are attacking him but totally disregard he is making negative comments bout people who like Eric Church or music that has a similar sound by saying they have “bad taste”. Just because their taste in music is different than his doesn’t mean it’s bad it just means it different. This is the craziest shit I’ve seen. You don’t like Eric church then fine. You do like it? Fine. But leave the comments about “bad taste” or calling this triggerman guy names out of it. There are different genres of country music and like everything else it changes and evolves. “Outlaw” country is one genre of Country music, it’s not the one and only. Respect to all!
July 6, 2010 @ 7:18 pm
Stubblejumper,
As to Eric echoing 70’s and 80’s rock, I can’t disagree because I don’t know enough about that particular music, but that does not mean that I’m agreeing with the remark either. Still, even if Eric does sound heavily influenced by that style of music, in my opinion, that fact alone does not discredit his country credentials.
On the dog and cat analogy, it doesn’t sound like you could ever be convinced that Eric isn’t a dog, but I tend to think that Eric is more like a panther. A panther is actually a dark-pigmented leopard, but the leopard spots are still their. If you want to see the spots, sometimes you just have to look a little harder.
July 6, 2010 @ 10:56 pm
Trigger man…I do understand what your saying about most of the new country…the kind of stuff that is on the top 40 pop stuff is garbage, lady A, taylor swift and Rascall flatts r total garbage. However the first time i heard Eric chruch i knew the guy was coming straight from the heart. And you mean to tell me if your dad said ill pay for your first 6 months on music row you would turn it down?!?! bullshit! anyone would take that don’t be pissed at him because his family had some money and his father gave him incentive. Go see Eric in concert and tell me his shit isn’t sweet, ive turned countless people onto country based on his music. Personally i think some kind of journalist like you is the one that deserves that fat fucking dump on your face and hell your might as well go ahead and saran rap that shit too!
July 7, 2010 @ 8:55 am
Adub6,
I don’t think I criticized Eric for being a “rich kid,” certainly didn’t in the article proper. Maybe there was a passing phrase in a comment, but I’ve been unable to find it. I don’t think that being rich or being poor, or being the son of a famous person or being a no name should either benefit or hurt any artist. They all should be judged on their own merit. An exception might be when they try to market what a blue collar someone like Josh Thompson is because he used to work in concrete, and then it comes out he was working for his dad and it was a cush union job. We’ve all had bad jobs, that’s life.
I tried to go see Eric on the Country Throwdown tour in Dallas, had my ticket and everything, but they canceled it due to low ticket sales. As much as people love to nut kick me for not listening to the music, I do listen to it, and will go to see Eric and others live when possible, and will try to judge their live show regardless of how I feel about their recorded stuff.
Appreciate the peace offering of a hot Carl, but I’ll decline.
July 8, 2010 @ 11:38 am
I love all types of country music. I grew up in Meridian, Mississippi, the birthplace of the great Jimmie Rodgers (the Father of Country Music). Marty Stuart is from nearby Philadelphia, Mississippi, and as far as I’m concerned he’s one of the best traditional artists out there today (and has been over the last twenty plus years). Marty is close friends with Keith Urban and during CMA Fest this year, Marty had Keith perform with him on stage during the 9th Annual Marty Stuart Late Night Jam at the Ryman. I’m not the biggest Keith Urban fan, but he is an incredibly talented musician and can play the guitar as good as any artist from any genre. If a legend such as Marty Stuart approves of Keith Urban (Marty referred to him as “my brother”), then he’s okay in my book.
I happen to really like Eric Church’s style of music and enjoy going to his shows in the smaller clubs that he’s being playing over the last couple of years. It certainly beats much of what’s currently being played on Top 40 country stations.
Do you like Jamey Johnson or is he also on your list of ‘fake’ country artists?
July 8, 2010 @ 10:11 pm
I got no problem with Jamey Johnson. In Fact:
https://savingcountrymusic.com/who-will-be-countrys-next-savior
July 9, 2010 @ 7:13 am
Good going Trigger! I live in Montgomery where Jamey is from. He seems to be a pretty cool cat – reminds me of a combination of George Strait and Waylon (weird, I know).
July 12, 2010 @ 5:50 pm
Triggerman,
You seem to be taking this way too personally. So you don’t like the guy, don’t listen to him. I hate Rascal Flatts, so I don’t purchase their music, don’t go to their concerts, and turn the station if they come on the radio. That goes for several artists. But I am not about to display the level of immaturity that you have while claiming to be a real critic. I see you as nothing more than someone who likes a particluar type of country music, can’t stand the fact that it is not the most popular type of country music, and so you paid someone to make a website so you can pretend to be a critic when all you do is rant. By the way, I have never seen a real music critic ask for donations on their website. Maybe I don’t understand what exactly you are trying to do here, but it seems that you just can’t stand when someone likes something that you do not.
Now for Eric Church, the statements that you make are ridiculous. Damn him for having a marketing degree! Damn all those who go to college and major in Business! Musicians aren’t supposed to have an education!!!
A marketing degree does not teach you how to play a guitar or sing in tune. He was not kicked off the Rascal Flatts tour, he quit. If he were kicked off for being an Asshole, then how did he end up immediatley opening for a legend like Bob Seger if he was so awful to work with. He didn’t piss off fans at the Throwdown, they actually started a movement to make him a performer on the main stage. I could go on and on here with the inaccuracies of your “critique” but it does no good to start an agrument with someone who obviously does not do enough research to offer any type of meaningful dialouge.
By the way, when you chastise someone for being pop-county, then go on to talk highly of Taylor Swift and Rascal Flatts, that is called talking out of both sides of your mouth, and tends to tarnish the credibility of a critic.
July 12, 2010 @ 7:46 pm
Southern,
You make some interesting points, but again, people are coming here and ripping apart me and/or this website by running with wild assumptions. I write a rant article like this maybe once every 4-6 weeks. Most of the time I write pretty straightforward, boring reviews of music that is being ignored by mainstream media outlets, or little nerdy music history pieces. Those painting me as some lightweight in my mom’s basement taking pot shots at celebrities to feel better about my pathetic life are way off the scent. Clearly you and these others have not spent any time investigating this site beyond the link you found on a message board/social networking site, esp. if you think that I like Rascal Flatts and Taylor Swift.
The point I was making was that wrong is wrong. I don’t like Rascal Flatts, but if they gave Eric a big opportunity, he should have shown him more respect than he did. I’ve also defended Toby Keith, when The Rolling Stone printed lies about him, even though I’m not a Toby fan. Same with Trace Atkins, when Capitol Records Nashville sued a charity over a song he performed in meant to help the grieving families of dead firefighters. Believe it or not, this site is more than just about bashing music I hate, but I do bash music I hate, because this is what readers want. There is a huge crowd of disgruntled country music fans who are sickened by what is going on in Nashville, and you can’t discount their existence by discounting me or this site. This debate is real.
This isn’t just a matter of taste. You may disagree about my point, but the point is that Eric Church is taking the modes and methods of underground country artists and plugging them into a marketing scheme.
And I happen to agree with you that just because he has a marketing degree doesn’t mean he shouldn’t be able to play country music. But it’s just another piece of evidence that Eric Church is all marketing and packaging, and little substance.
July 16, 2010 @ 6:26 am
Again.. I have been a diehard Waylon fan and went to several of his last concerts. Hell I even wear my Walon Rules T-shirt on Sundays(purchased from the true Jennings Website) I think Waylon would be cutting a duet with this guy if he was still alive today! Think about it now.. He cut “old outlaws like” us with Travis Tritt. C’mon people. If we all were still listening to old 33s of Hank Sr. Country would be dead! We need something to combat the “bubble gum” country movement coming from Nashville and guys like him or Especially Jamie Johnson are the guys we have to do it. Support them and actually give their music a listen! Half the comments on this page say they have never listend but, they want to judge anyways.
July 28, 2010 @ 12:00 am
Love his music, hate his music. Either way I would pay for a ticket to see this elephant dump on your face. I might also add that I would like to be in attendance when you’re being force fed poo. That’s pretty strong convictions. And I’m just curious, what do y’all think III’s opinion of Eric Church is?
July 28, 2010 @ 8:04 am
I think that III is so detached from the rest of the music world these days, he might not know Eric Church from Adam. Somebody should ask him.
I might have said this before, but I actually had a ticket to see Eric at the Country Throwdown here in Dallas, but they canceled that date.
November 24, 2010 @ 10:04 am
If you hate Eric Chuch so much, then why the hell would you buy a ticket to his concert? Unless you really don’t hate him at all…you envy him. Because unlike you, he actually lets loose and pulls the stick out of his ass.
November 10, 2010 @ 7:01 pm
eric church is the man. triggerman, you are a moron and must like railing man butt as much as kenny chesney, go kick rocks. if no one here has listened to the entire carolina album, i highly recommend it.
November 10, 2010 @ 10:49 pm
He is a hard one to read. When you look at his singles you think pop country but then you listen to a song like “lightening” and you are just confused as to what kind of artist he is trying to be. I like some of his songs though but none of the ones that are immensely popular.
November 24, 2010 @ 10:01 am
Ok, you all have no idea what you’re talking about. He has music that, if maybe you didn’t grow up in the city, you might understand. When you live in the country it makes a lot more sense. By the way, yeah he trashes pop, and it REALLY needs to be trashed because all of the people who sing actual pop are a bunch of f’in queers. So Eric Church is pretty much the best artist of all time, end of story.
March 11, 2011 @ 8:44 pm
I just want that God damn necklace. 🙁 You can’t find it ANYWHERE.
November 1, 2012 @ 10:35 am
Is this what you are looking for? https://www.etsy.com/listing/113251502/hank-williams-jr-necklace-bocephus
March 16, 2011 @ 7:39 pm
I’m all about saving country music from all this pop bullshit but you triggerman and your malitia that claim to be real “country music” fans are just a bunch of ignorant assholes. You wonder why nobody listens to hank III and real country but the reason is becuase people like you drive us away from that because we know that if hank III and those artists were 1% the assholes you were i would feel ashamed to have bought there music. I wandered onto this site thinking this is pretty cool until i realized what dicks you guys are. YOU ARE DOING ABOUT AS GOOD OF A JOB OF TURNING COUNTRY MUSIC AROUND AS TAYLOR SWIFT!!!!
March 23, 2011 @ 6:45 pm
I LOVE ERIC CHURCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!
March 23, 2011 @ 11:43 pm
Fuck Eric Church,.
(I could go into details, but I figured I’d make my argument against Mr. Church as well thought out and as detailed as his argument in support of him.)
April 19, 2011 @ 12:00 am
This whole article is trash, Eric Church is one of the few true country artists out there, and if you’ve ever listened to his cds or been to a concert you’d know that. Country pop would be the dumb shit that taylor swift and rascal flatts put out. Pretty cool that they still allow websites to people who don’t know what they’re talking about.
April 19, 2011 @ 7:02 am
Can’t wait for his new duet with Colt Ford. Doesn’t get more country than that!
April 20, 2011 @ 10:44 pm
My question to you would be who do you like right now? let me guess…darius rucker, sugarland? Funny how you say he’s not country yet he’s done songs with merle haggard and willie nelson both of whom are pioneers in county music, funny how you say only his fans are buying his “bad boy brand” yet his first cd reached #7 on the charts and Carolina reached #4….you seem to really know what you’re talking about lol
April 20, 2011 @ 11:11 pm
So classic of you to make wild-eyed assumptions about me that make you look like a complete fool.
Do some light reading and get back with me.
https://savingcountrymusic.com/about-saving-country-music
https://savingcountrymusic.com/sugarland-spells-rock-bottom-for-country
April 20, 2011 @ 1:30 pm
I myself think Eric Church is great, good music, puts on great concerts….cant like every song a person sings (i do). STOP sucking this triggermans dick metaphorically speaking of course and have your own opinion faggots…..and all of yall are a bunch of hating pussies, hes doing his thing and all of yall are just bitching, but guess what…hes still better than you so what if he is an asshole he’s still my favorite, you don’t know what his life is like (have you been in his boots?) Plus theirs better songs like his first cd, although i do like the carolina cd his first one “sinners like me” is better to me….He writes his own music respect the man, you may not have to like him, but country music has changed lets face it, hes doing his best to stay with the old crowd and yet tie in the new crowd….fucking idiots.
April 23, 2011 @ 6:20 am
Completely agree, Eric Church is the best out there and I don’t know how these idiots here are comparing him to POP COUNTRY? Hahahaha. These people make me laugh. But hey, we all don’t agree on music but if they would read what critics say, an Eric Church so is one of the best out there. Before you start talking shit, go to a show.
May 11, 2011 @ 6:19 pm
I think that the point y’all are missing is that, to our ears, Eric Church is very much pop country. If you think he isn’t, my suspicion is that your opinion of where the “pop” line is in this music has been shifted by your exposure to even poppier artists. The line has been drawn further and further forward until now what most readers of this site hear no longer sounds country.
Country music is a line that reaches back through men like Hank Williams, Ernest Tubb, Roy Acuff and Bill Monroe into the past and brings us sounds that our great-grandfathers would have listened to. But the country music that’s played on radio sounds like everyone playing it thinks that Garth Brooks invented country music.
I don’t want steel guitar, banjo, fiddle and mandolin to be accent pieces in the back of the sound of a record. I want them to be front and center while the electric guitars can sit in the background. Which isn’t to say that I don’t like music with those instruments. I listen to many different genres of rock & roll (rockabilly, psychobilly, punk rock, metal, hardcore) and I like that sound. I just don’t want it in my country.
April 18, 2012 @ 7:57 am
Yep.
April 20, 2011 @ 1:38 pm
and another point yall hide behind a computer screen and keyboard talking shit about him, but toe to toe you wouldn’t open your mouth to eric church, hes not a small guy….and to one of the comments i play golf….but i wrestle in college does that make me a pussy because i like to play golf?
April 20, 2011 @ 11:18 pm
If I saw Eric Church, I would introduce myself and shake his hand, just like I would with any other human. Regardless of what I thought of his music a year ago when I wrote this (yes, you’re a little late to the party), I separate the music from the man, and Eric Church deserves respect just like everyone else.
A quick question: How is he “doing his best to stay with the old crowd” when he is releasing a duet with Colt Ford called “Country Thang”?
April 29, 2011 @ 12:52 am
So if he’s staying with the old crowd he can’t do anything with someone who has been writing music as long as he has? just stop man lol you make little sense
June 1, 2011 @ 7:22 am
Eric Church is one of the only real artists in country music left. Pop sound? I’m gonna disagree with that. Eric Church is two lead guitars and some vocals. He fucking rocks out. You wanna listen to pop listen to Rascal Flatts, Taylor Swift, Carrie Underwood, Darius Rucker. Jason Aldean just steals his songs from Brantley Gilbert. Eric Church is real. Eric Church is a dying breed. An actual true country singer that writes about things he has been through. Why don’t you actually listen to his music and understand what he’s singing about before you bash him. Listen to “Carolina”, not the album but the track. Or listen to “Those I’ve Loved”, “These Boots”, “Lightning” He has so many great songs that were written beautifully. It’s hard for me to see all these people hating on him. I’ll gladly lisen to Eric Church while you bashers can turn on the radio and listen to Brad Paisley singing about being 6′ 4″ on his myspace. Jesus what have we come to?
June 11, 2011 @ 11:34 am
A year later after this article is written and I finally find this pathetic excuse for a blog. Every article I’ve read by you has done nothing but bash the new school and praise the old school. I’ve heard that song a million different times in a million different ways. Music, television, sports…you can make the same argument over and over and over.
You can write your opinion pieces until your blue in the face, fact of the matter is you have absolutely no basis for your argument other then the people like Eric Church and Josh Thompson have no place in the “Outlaw Hall of Fame”. And shit, how dare Justin Moore classify himself as one. Because Waylon didn’t have an album titled “Ladies Love Outlaws” and David Allan Coe wasn’t “The Original Outlaw.” Curse you Justin Moore and your “laundry list”.
You are the epitome of the angry blogger with nothing better to do with his time then bash people trying to make it in the world. You are aware writing the same ol’ story day in and day out won’t get you some editorial piece in Rolling Stone, right? Guess what? Every country music song has the same structures and themes behind it. The same as any rap or pop song. Different guitar rifs, instruments and twangs.
Now don’t get me wrong, I’m no Nostradamus. I’m not predicting Eric Church or any of those guys to erase the legacies of Hank and WIllie and Merle and Waylon and David Allan. But who are you to say that he doesn’t deserve the chance to? Who would rather lead the next wave of country music? Eric Church or Taylor Swift? Josh Thompson or Thompson Square? Justin Moore or The Band Perry? Church, Moore, Thompson, and even Brantley Gilbert have the potential to put the face that belongs on country music back on it. I’m the last person that wants to see country meshed with pop. And I don’t know what pop music your listening to, but “Homeboy” and “Love Your Love the Most” sure as hell don’t sound like any Lady Gaga or Chris Brown song I’ve ever heard.
Just do everyone a favor? Next time you go to write a long tirade that we’ve heard over and over and over and over again, just go rub one out. “Saving Country Music”? Seriously? You are the last one that has any say in what country music is. Let the fans decide that. You can call yourself a critic, a fan, a critical fan. Sounds like a load to me. Sounds like someone stuck in past afraid of change. Guess what? You don’t get a say in that either.
So like many others that have commented? I would love front row seats to that elephant dumping, pube tweasing event. I just need to know the date and time and price of ticket.
P.S. I agree, Blake ain’t no outlaw. But he’s one of the best in the industry today, hands down. So shut your mouth.
P.P.S. Go ahead and use the argument that I’m a city boy and don’t know shit about country. Haven’t heard that one before. Your turn.
August 4, 2011 @ 9:35 am
Rascal Flatts music is like watching paint dry…Yall Eric haters out there go back to New York and stay there and keep your opinions to yourself Yankee’s. Eric Church is country music and if you think it’s not your an idiot. He only won best new artist,come one people. Know your shit before you start running your mouth
August 4, 2011 @ 10:47 am
Who is this addressed to? I hope it’s not to City Boy above, as he seems to be of your way of thinking.
August 6, 2011 @ 9:01 am
totally agree with u man
August 6, 2011 @ 9:00 am
WHO DO U THINK U ARE TRIGGERMAN! wat have u achieved in life that is so great huh? criticizing famous people who have reached the bar which u failed to even come close to? no one like to listen to a critic who talks a bunch of bullshit from his computer in his mothers house. Get a life besides trying to bring down Eric Church which will never happen since he is on such a roll and good for him the rascall flatts kicked him out of their tour b/c they are a boy band that acts tough and cant walk the walk. I mean they performed with Justin Bieber…who in their right mind would bring themselvs so low? and if u call Taylor Swifts lyrics and guitar playing music then u must have something wrong with for all she sings about is failed boyfriends and cheesy love. Eric Church is doin wat he loves best and hes doin it wiht style and integrity…think about wat ur gonna say b4 u criticize someone just b/c they r more famous than u or have more money…..i see it as jealousy. i feel sorry for u if u’d rather listen to ur parents have sex or an elephant shit on ur face…u deserve it.
August 6, 2011 @ 4:07 pm
wow. i really feel bad for you. you seem a little jealous that eric church has accomplished more in two days then you have in ten years. you obviously have nothing better to do than to sit there and make up comments that you think are “clever” insulting eric church. you are really pathetic. get off the internet and make something of yourself other than sitting your fat ass at a computer and typing horse sh** like this. eric church is honoring all country music legends in his songs and i don’t see the wrongness in that, because he is good. Rascal Flatts singing life is a highway on the other hand is a whole different story. so triggerman, please, go get a life you hobo freak and keep your pathetic remarks to yourself.
August 7, 2011 @ 12:32 am
I’d like to point out that this article is well over a year old. How about doing a search on this site for Eric Church, or just click the “Home” button, and join the current discussion.
September 1, 2011 @ 11:21 am
There is shit in and out of Nashville. Texas country is no better than what is coming out of Nashville..The only difference is that Nashville plays the shit about 1000 times better. Eric Church may have some cheesy songs but he also has a great deal of good songs. I bet you think Casey Donahue is great though lol
September 13, 2011 @ 2:26 pm
Eric Church laughs at you the so called Triggerman after his album Chief hit #1 in the world for 2 weeks…
September 13, 2011 @ 3:39 pm
Milli Vanilli had some tunes that spent a few weeks at number 1 too. I know,….Church is laughing all the way to the bank. Good for him…….
September 13, 2011 @ 5:48 pm
He gave Chief a positive review. Dope.
March 23, 2012 @ 2:08 am
Do you all have nothing better to do? Unless one of you thinks you can write or sing better then shut the fuck up. If you don’t like it don’t listen to it and stop bitching. Have a nice day.
May 4, 2012 @ 8:35 pm
Bravo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
June 29, 2012 @ 5:34 pm
So the article is an old one…who cares. People are still responding so it was a good topic! Lol
January 11, 2013 @ 3:18 pm
I know this is an old article, but I just found this post and the song really irks me. I don’t like it for some of the reasons you mentioned, but it really annoys me because he quotes Waylon to make the total opposite point that Waylon was trying to make.
“Are you sure Hank done it this way” is about Waylon himself being different, and how Nashville needed to change. Erich Church tries to make it sound like doing it different from Hank is the problem, when in reality, Waylon was saying the opposite. Waylon didn’t make it by “doing it like Hank”, he made it by doing it like Waylon.
March 15, 2013 @ 8:05 pm
wow what is your problem, if you like eric church fine, but dont criticize other peoples blogs. its not like its bad music, its just not country music, and im as sick of these posers as the rest of the people on this blog. if you have a problem with this you dont need to get so defensive about this topic, everyone is entitled to their own opinion.
June 24, 2013 @ 10:21 pm
I want to come beat the hell out of you. For doggin Eric! Eric Church is awesome!! You’re freakin stupid. Reading what you wrote really pissed me off. His songs tell great facts and the cold hard TRUTH. His song “Lotta Boot Left to Fill” just simply says NO ONE will ever be as good as or better than Hank, Waylon, or Cash and it states how there’s a lot of singers that try to be like them. Oh and I’m sure you like Hunter Hays. Yeah we’ll he sings pop country too and I don’t see you doggin him. After reading that all I can say is WOW. Some people these days can be such assholes. Eric ain’t done nothin wrong. And that’s all I gotta say about this crap.
June 24, 2013 @ 10:28 pm
https://savingcountrymusic.com/hunter-hayes-wanted-review-rant
“Leaping off the pages of the latest issue of Tiger Beat, Hunter Hayes and his prepubescent, non-gender-specific style have gripped the nation”™s middle schools with Hunter mania, spearheaded by his smash hit “Wanted””“ a saccharine, ultra-diluted white boy R&B B-side at best, only finding commercial traction on country radio because legions of lanky, affluent, glitter-faced suburban girls in training bras want to see Hunter”™s penis.”
But you’re probably right, I DO like Hunter Hayes.
July 23, 2014 @ 5:28 pm
eating those words yet?
October 15, 2014 @ 3:32 pm
You people suck butt. Eric Church is so so talented and cool. He isn’t just a pretty face he is real talent unlike this jealous nonsense you write about he is awesome and if you dont like it keep it to yourself- drink a little drink smoke a little smoke- Eric rules
February 10, 2015 @ 7:47 pm
and this is why you don’t let people on the internet tell you what music to listen to.
July 12, 2015 @ 6:03 pm
First off, who the fuck are you? ERIC CHURCH KICKS ASS!!! As much as this article pisses me off I had to take a moment to laugh! You really have no clue as to what you are talking about and you must be completely embarrassed by now. Eric Church is nothing but talent. Your opinion is yours to have, but I can assure you that you do not speak for the masses. Especially the five venues in which he broke attendance records. Maybe we shall talk about how his album was the number one selling country album this year, his tour was ranked number one, and when the band was down with the flu…this guy…ERIC CHURCH…still gave his fans a show. Again, who the fuck are you? NOBODY!!!
July 12, 2015 @ 6:06 pm
Okay Janelle. Appreciate this article was posted over five years ago. We’ve all moved on. So should you.
January 23, 2021 @ 10:35 am
Guess I will re-read this comment thread while listening to ECs new “triple” album. Or just stick with my Mickey Newbury. Yes, after deep deliberation I am going with The Mickster.