Bowling Green Based Houchen Industries' "Crossroads IGA" Now Open In Smiths Grove, Ky.

Shell fuel pumps in front of Crossroad IGA

    I've always liked Bowling Green based Houchens Industires, Inc. http://www.houchensindustries.com/ and the story behind their incredible financial success through the years who now have their world-wide headquarters located down on Church Street in the old Fruit of the Loom building or "The Derby" as they used to call it around here.
According to their website, Houchens have experienced major growth in the last 25 years.

Side of building facing McDonalds

     "From 1988, when the company was purchased by the Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP), Houchens Industries has experienced unprecedented growth.  Today, Houchens Industries, Inc. is a diversified conglomerate wholly owned by its employee owners. Houchens has businesses in retail grocery and convenience stores, quick-to-service restaurants, insurance, stock brokerage and financial services, franchising of optical stores, construction, fence materials manufacturing and distribution, crushed stone aggregates and asphalt paving, recycling, tanning supply distribution, manufacturing, software and website development, property management and juice concentrate, manufacturing and distribution."

"Listed by Forbes as one of the largest 100% privately held companies in North America and according to the ESOP Association, the largest 100% employee owned company."

Sign seen from I-65

  

     With Houchens Industries being located in Bowling Green, residents in the Southcentral Kentucky area get to experience a wealth of nice, grocery, retail and convenient food markets throughout the region. One of their latest concept convenient grocery market stores is the Crossroads IGA in Smiths Grove, a small town in the northeast part of Warren County where about 850 or so residents live. The store is located right off the exit ramp of I-65, sandwiched between McDonalds and a truck stop and not far from Wendy's, just down the road. I have shopped at several of their other Crossroads IGA markets in the Bowling Green many times through the years. This new Crossroads is a brand new, state of the art, beautiful building where they are currently advertising, "Your all-new neighborhood grocery store!" Besides tons of regular food items that you would normally purchase at other larger grocery stores, they also offer fresh, fast and convenient foods including a Scholtzky's Bakery Cafe which has 15 different types of sandwiches, Cinnabon Classic Rolls and Carvell soft-served ice cream. They even have a drive-thru window available.
    I stopped by this new store earlier this week and I was very impressed. First, I filled up at their Shell Station fuel pumps located out front and then I pulled around and parked on the side of the building. When I walked in, I was blown away of how clean and orderly the store is. Everything was placed perfect on the shelves and the restrooms, being brand new, were of course super clean and nice too. I couldn't believe how many choices they had to offer as far as take out food including fresh fruits, deli items and veggies. I saw one local elderly farmer just walking around in a daze basically in awe, checking everything out. Also, I checked out the Scholtzky's Bakery Cafe but I ended up settling for a sandwich, chips, a bottled soft drink and a cheese snack out of the deli items area. The young lady who checked me out was very friendly too and I asked her how long they had been open and she said, "Two weeks!" with a smile.

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Kiss' Paul Stanley Brings People Out Of The Woodwork From Bowling Green and Southcentral Kentucky At His Book Signing

When I first heard the news from D93 Rock DJ Tommy Starr on Facebook that Kiss' front-man Paul Stanley was coming to Bowling Green for a book signing of his new autobiography, "Paul Stanley: Face The Music, A Life Exposed," I was a little skeptical at first.  I don't think I quite believed it.  "The Paul Stanley from Kiss is coming to good ole little Bowling Green? No way!" I thought.  So I put it on the back burner on my mind because the book signing date was still several weeks away.

However, when the day came this past Thursday, I realized it was a reality.  I started seeing postings about it on Facebook again. I posted on Facebook a couple of negative comments concerning that I hated large crowds, long lines and I didn't like standing out in the cold rain waiting. I could feel my middle age seeping in on my positive attitude towards rock legends of the days of my youth.  Then, I thought, "Hey, wait a minute, this is my chance to meet Paul Stanley in person and get his autograph. Hell yes, I'm going!"  Even my childhood friend, Ricky Williams from Memphis also posted on Facebook, "You've got to go, man. It's Paul Stanley!"

I'm glad I went.  Yes, it was crowded. There were probably about a 1,000 people from everywhere there at the Warren County Public Library-Bob Kirby Branch on Scottsville Road just off Exit 22 next to the Ramada Inn.  Lots of people had even traveled from out of town such as Evansville, Ind., and Ohio.  So people had been waiting all day too. My number was No. 267.  You had to buy the $30 book at 4 p.m. and if you lived in town like I did, you could go home for dinner and come back at 6:30 p.m. in get your place in line.  I asked the organizer of the event, Jayne Pelaski, "How did you all managed to land Paul Stanley here?"  She said, "It was a lot of hard work and it took a lot of finagling."  Of course, Paul showed up on time and you could hear the applause, hooting and hollering for him when he arrived.  How it worked is that he did not sign any

memorabilia. Only his books.  Once you got in line in this big room, the staff brought a cart around with pre-signed copies of his new books and they exchanged them for the unsigned books that you had purchased earlier in the day.  Then when you got up there to meet Paul, the staff would take you picture with him with your camera.  When it was my turned,  I approached him and introduced myself to him and tried to shake his hand.  He gave me the fist bump instead.  He was nice about it though.  He posed for picture with me and I told him that I was going to the Kiss concert at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville on July 16th.  He said, "We'll see you there!" and smiled. Then, I walked out the backdoor and starting posting my pic with him on Facebook immediately. 

Warren County Public Library to Host KISS Frontman Paul Stanley

The Warren County Public Library will host Paul Stanley for a book signing on Thursday, May 15. Stanley will sign copies of his memoir Face the Music:  A Life Exposed.

In Face the Music, Paul Stanley—the co-founder and famous “Starchild” of KISS—reveals for the first time the incredible highs and equally incredible lows in his life both inside and outside the band. Face the Music is the shocking, funny, smart, inspirational story of one of rock’s most enduring icons and the group he helped create, define, and immortalize.

The event will be held at the Bob Kirby Branch on Thursday, May 15^th at 7:00 p.m.  Doors open at 4:00, so attendees are encouraged to arrive early to reserve their space in line. Book signing only – no memorabilia will be signed. Books will be available for purchase on site starting at 4:00. For more information, call 270-782-0252 or email Jayne Pelaski at jaynep@warrenpl.org.

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Please Join Me On Facebook And Kill Lots Of Time Like I Do

   

Galen A. Smith Sr., and his wife, Patty

 You can now join my new Facebook page "A Critic From The South" at https://www.facebook.com/acriticfromthesouth   You'll get to read the latest news, inside information and some personal commentaries about my blog. Please check it out and "Like" new page! Thanks!

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BG's Sleeper Agent's "About Last Night" Finally Out Today On RCA Records

      I was never a band dad where I pushed my son to be a musician or be in a rock band.  I thought that when he finished his college degree at Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green in 2010 that he would get a job somewhere as a graphic artist because that's what he studied.  However, Tony Smith of Bowling Green's sensational indie rock/pop band, Sleeper Agent, who just happens to be my son found his own career path in life.  He started young at the age of 10 years-old.  He found the love of his life, the guitar. And started singing as a little boy, always singing a song and has always had a song in his heart.  His mother, Patty, played music as a young person.  She played piano and was in her high school marching band.  She has always sung around the house and she always knows the lyrics to songs.  Me? I always dreamed of being a rock star growing up in the 70's and 80's listening to a lot of rock music on eight tracks, cassettes and records and attended a lot of rock concerts. In the 80's, I watched a lot of MTV and VH1.  I also used to read a lot of rock music magazines and books.  And I still like to read the rock biographies.

     I've always been a writer of some sorts.  Not the best and not the worst.  I've been told by some that I have talent for writing.  So I suppose, with the genetic makeup for Tony, he got his music and writing career naturally from both Patty and I.  And then with the environment that he grew up in Bowling Green considering the local music scene
brewing for his age group, success in music was bound to happen one way or another.  Luckily, he became friends with band mate and keyboard player, Scott Gardner and his mother, Dr. Marilyn Gardner, a professor at Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green.  Dr. Gardner has generously supported these kids and allowed them to used her garage as a practice place and home base for years.  Once Tony and Scott formed several bands together, they finally found the right combination that has skyrocketed them to success in the the world of the entertainment business.  And today, all of us parents, are very proud of our grown children in the band. Tony, Scott, Alex, Justin, Lee and Josh.  I know that I am guilty for shaking the pom poms for them all the time on Facebook and the internet. But that's what parents are for, right? Finally, their follow-up album, "About Last Night" to their debut, "Celabrasion" from a couple years ago, is now out today everywhere on RCA Records.  Congratulations to their hard work that has led up to the glorious day and we thank their manager, Missy Worth of  West Hollywood, and her management
team, and the management team at RCA Records in New York, Los Angeles and Nashville!
    So let's celebrate with Sleeper Agent today as they share their happiness and joy of their success. They will be signing autographs, albums and CD's at the release of the new album at Mellow Matt's Music and More on Smallhouse Road and Broadway Avenue in Bowling Green next to Pizza Hut Take Out and Delivery from 5 p.m.- 6 p.m. today.   They will also play an acoustic set also.  But before that, they will also appear on Bowling Green rock DJ, Tommy Starr's "Rock Show" on WDNS FM Radio, D-93, at 3:45 p.m. Wow, what an exciting day for Sleeper Agent and the Bowing Green Music Scene!

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Sinkhole at The National Corvette Museum In Bowling Green, Ky., That Causes Floor To Collapse Becomes A Global News Phenomenal

     I am amazed how the story of a floor collapse underneath the Big Yellow Dome at Bowling Green's National Corvette Museum that swallowed eight Corvettes in Bowling Green early this morning has become world-wide news phenomenal.

      The story has spread like wild fire thanks to social media and other news media outlets like cable television news and radio.  I have even posted and retweeted things about it on Facebook and Twitter just about all day myself.  There were news reports from USA Today, CNN, Fox, NBC, CBS, NPR, BBC, New York Times

and LA Times just to name a few.  I posted a Tweet today that said, "Who broke the story? WBKO news? (Our local television station.  That's where I first saw it on Facebook.)  However, one of my friends stated that she figured Joe Imel, the digital media director at the Bowling Green Daily News, most likely broke the story.  I agreed with her.  Joe Imel or joeimel@joeimel on Twitter has 16,400 followers.  He constantly listens to the police scanner and is usually the first to break all types of police and disaster news in the Bowling Green and Southcentral Kentucky communities.  He is a very dedicated photographer and journalist. Looking back on Joe's Twitter account today, it looks like he received an early morning Tweet from Bowling Green fireman, Matt Helms@fireman2915 "Floor collaspe at the big yellow dome at the national Corvette museum @joeimel."  Then Joe, retweeted, "BGFD staged at NCM for sink hole that swallowed up 6#Corvette on display in dome area More at bgdailynews.com on this breaking story."  Apparently, Matt and Joe broke the story which has now become a global news story. Great job guys!

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Krystal Restaurants Are Still Going Strong In The South Since "The Great Depression" In the 1930's

    I was visiting our local Krystal in Bowling Green recently and I noticed some literature about the history of their restaurant that they were handing out to their customers.

    Immediately, when I started reading it, I thought back to my childhood days of growing up in East Memphis, Tenn.., and my first experience of eating at the Krystal located on Popular Avenue across from East High School in the 1960's.  It was probably around 1966 or so and I would say that I was four or five years old.  I remember that there was always a line of customers waiting to get their little, hot burgers with the tasty steam onions on them.  I remember that the small building was built with black and white tile on the inside and exterior with a big silver, "Krystal" ball on top. I also remember one time that my father took brothers and I to a Memphis State (University of Memphis now) football game at the formerly Memphis Memorial Stadium which is now the Liberty Bowl in the late fall in the mid-1960's when was freezing cold outside.  We played Mississippi State and won! Anyway, after the game, we rode in the back of a pickup truck on the way back to our friend's house located in mid-town and we stopped at that Krystal to pick up a couple sackful of those hot, little burgers to warm us up.  Wow, what an awesome memory!

    Here's what the literature says about the restaurant's history. "It was Oct. 24, 1932, when the nation's first Krystal restaurant opened its doors on the corner of Seventh and Cherry Streets in downtown Chattanooga, Tenn., amid the harsh financial times of the Great Depression. Its founders, Rody Davenport Jr. and J. Glenn Sherrill, believed that despite the severe economic upheaval of the times, people would patronize a restaurant that kept spotlessly clean, provided courteous service and offered a good meal at the lowest possible price. Proving this theory true, the restaurant's first customer, French Jenkins, ordered six Krystals and a cup of coffee, all for a bargain price of 35 cents."

    Also, Krystal is a restaurant chain that is based in the South. "A passion that has been passed down from generation to generation, Krystal has become an experience that nearly man, woman and child in the South has shared. As a result, many "Krystal Stories" that directly relate to the company and its products. For years now, customers have been sharing their favorite memories by writing letters and sending emails to the company's corporate office. Recognizing the passion, in 2004, Krystal began recognizing its most devoted customers by inducting them into the "Krystal Lovers Hall of Fame." To commemorate the inductions, each inductee's illustrated likeness is placed on more than one million of the restaurant's famous Krystal Hamburger and Cheese Krystal boxes and used in restaurants across the Southeast."

    And Krystal has been around for years and is still going strong. "Krystal is also keeping an eye to the future as the company invests in new restaurant designs, develops new, unique menu items and expands into new markets across the South-upholding its legacy as a Southern icon by offering that one-of-a-kind taste and personal connection you can't find anywhere else."

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Sleeper Agent's "Winter Wonderland" Verizon Wireless 2013 ChristmasCommercial Is Now Available on iTunes

   My previous entry about the Bowling Green, Ky., based alternative rock band, Sleeper Agent and their "Winter Wonderland" Verizon Wireless 2013 Christmas commercial is now my most widely read blog with 11,522 pageviews! Simply, amazing for sure!  My second highest read blog has 4,562 pageviews and it took three and half years to get to this point. Obviously, viewers of this Christmas commercial are wanting to know what the name of this alternative rock band that did a cover of "Winter Wonderland."  This is a classic song that has put the Christmas spirit in people's hearts for years.  So now everybody knows and they can even have their own copy of the full version of the Sleeper Agent song.  Thanks to Sleeper Agent's manager, Missy Worth, who is based in Hollywood, Calif., and their management team at RCA Records in New York City, they made it happen in just four days according to band member, Tony Smith.

   You can download Sleeper Agent's version of "Winter Wonderland" that has been taking the world by storm or "snow storm," if you will by clicking on to this link to make your purchase for only a $1.29. https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/winter-wonderland-single/id776216341  And along the way, grab yourself some Christmas Cheer!

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Sleeper Agent's Verizon Wireless Christmas Commercial 2013

     Several weeks ago Bowling Green, Ky.'s, based alternative rock band, Sleeper Agent, http://www.sleeperagentmusic.com/ recorded a demo of a cover version of a well known Christmas pop song, "Winter Wonderland," written in 1934 by Felix Bernard (music) and Richard B. Smith (lyricist). Sleeper Agent's version was picked over two other band's demos. After having the song recorded song professionally in a studio in Nashville, Verizon Wireless initially liked the Sleeper Agent demo better, the one they had recorded themselves in their own practice room in Bowling Green. However, Sleeper Agent and Verizon Wireless met halfway and came to an agreement to use lead singer, Alex Kandell's professionally recorded vocals dubbed over the demo music. But at the last minute, Verizon Wireless decided to go ahead use the professional studio version for the commercial that is now airing on major television and radio networks across the country during this 2013 Christmas holiday shopping season according to band member, Tony Smith. Watch the video here: http://www.ispot.tv/ad/76IY/verizon-winter-wonderland Also, if you would like a copy of the full version of the song, you can now purchase it on iTunes for only a $1.29.  Click here: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/winter-wonderland-single/id776216341

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Sun Club Will Shine Its Light On Rocky's Bar In Downtown Bowling Green, Ky., Thursday Night, Nov. 14th.

   Since the Bowling Green Music Scene has gained national and international attention these last couple of years thanks to alternative rock bands with major record deals and touring schedules such as Cage The Elephant and Sleeper Agent, Bowling Green has become a destination point for other lesser known groups to play shows.
   One of those such bands is "Sun Club" from Baltimore, MD. and they will perform at Rocky's Bar located on Main Street in downtown Bowling Green, Thursday night, Nov. 14th. According to band member, Shane Justice McCord, said they have been playing for a while.
   "We formed out of the ashes of another band in 2012. Last year we toured down to SXSW, passing through Bowling Green and lots of other cities on the way. We've been constantly touring since and are releasing our debut EP in early January," McCord said.
   On their Bandcamp web-site they describe themselves as "Sun Club is a group of buddies playing happy music." You can also hear two songs of theirs called, "Beauty Meat" and "Language Juice, " on the site. To find out more about Sun Club, go to their Bandcamp or Facebook pages at www.sunclubband.com and www.facebook.com/sunclubband
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Bowling Green, Ky's Alternative Rock Sensations, "Sleeper Agent" Announce New Album and Single

     For those of you who are signed up on Bowling Green, Ky's alternative rock sensations, "Sleeper Agent's" e-mail alerts on their web-site already, you probably saw where they announced yesterday the name of their new upcoming album on RCA Records, "About Last Night," and their new upcoming single, "Waves."

"Our new album, About Last Night, is finally on the horizon. Sleeper Agent has returned and is ready to get raw and cathartic with you. Over the last year songs poured out of us at a feverish pace. From the back bench in a van to total seclusion in the mountains of Kentucky, we grew closer, shared stories and turned them into what would become a labor of love, life and loss. Heavier in heart, heavier in sound; we couldn't be more thrilled to finally share this batch of 12 brand new songs with you. The beginning of 2014 marks a new beginning for Sleeper Agent as we kick off an extensive stateside tour with New Politics. In the weeks to come you’ll have your first taste with "Waves"accompanied with intimate visuals. We can’t wait to meet you all over again. Let’s make it count."

    According to the e-mail, the single will be out sometime this month (November) accompanied by a lyric video which will be posted on their web-site and the internet such as Vevo and Youtube.  Sleeper Agent will tour with the "New Politics" and "Magic Man" beginning Jan.14, 2014 in Houston, Texas.  They will also tour for one week in November starting on Nov. 22 in Nashville and ending up in Atlanta on Nov. 27. For more information regarding their new album and ticket sales for their upcoming tours, go to their web-site at http://sleeperagentmusic.com/  You can also signed up on their web-site to receive the e-mail alerts in order to get the latest news from Sleeper Agent.

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Craig Fehrman's "Home Grown: Cage The Elephant and The Making Of A Modern Music Scene" Is A Smash!

      Last Summer, while talking to my wife, Patty, and Tony and Alex over dinner, (Tony Smith and Alex Kandel who are from the alternative indie rock band, Sleeper Agent. Tony is my son and Alex is our future daughter in-law), Tony informed us that a writer from New York had been in Bowling Green interviewing the guys from Cage The Elephant and other local musicians and key people in town about the Bowling Green Music Scene.
    Tony also said that the writer who had written for the New York Times and had interviewed him and Alex too. Of course, I thought that was really cool but Tony did not know a whole lot about it other than he just said that the writer was probably going to write an article of some sort about Cage and the booming music scene in Bowling Green. Tony said that he didn't know where it or when it was going to be published. After that conversation, I basically forgot all about it until over a year later when somebody posted it on Facebook last week, that Craig Fehrman's Kindle single, "Home Grown: Cage The Elephant and the Making of a Modern Music Scene" was now available on the internet. Of course, I bought it for $1.99 and then gobbled it up within an hour or so on my iPhone. It's a quick read and about a 20,000 word article or 58 pages. It has 13 chapters such as "Too Hot For Skinny Jeans," "It's Like Its Own Little Babylon in the Middle of the South. But With a Lot of Churches," and "Tidball's." I have to admit that I was totally fascinated how this very talented writer had captured the essence and the current mood our of fair city of 60,000 and its happening downtown and music scene.

"But Cage seemed different. A little Googling revealed that all five members still lived in or near Bowling Green. It also revealed that they were right about the quality of their tiny local scene. In the last few years, Bowling Green had birthed Sleeper Agent, a snappy retro rock group that had signed with the iconic Mom + Pop label, played on Fallon, toured with Weezer and fun. The city could also claim Morning Teleportation, a spacey jam band that packed their six-minutes song with 20 minutes's worth of hooks."

    Fehrman describes Cage in great detail and writes about Cage drummer Jared Champion's dad, (Bill Champion, who happens to be a friend of mine.). He also writes about local DJ, Tommy Starr from Bowling Green's legendary rock station, D93, who helped build the local music scene to what it is today through the years by his radio program, "Home Cookin'" showcasing local musicians and bands. Also featured in the book, is Bryan Graves, a Bowling Green resident and co-founder of the Starry Nights Music and Arts Festival along with Matt and Brad Shultz from Cage, that has gained a lot of widespread media attention these last few years as far as outdoor music festivals goes. He also interviews local Blues musician Kenny Smith and Jeremi Simon-Kinnaman from the indie rock band, "Schools" and writes about another up and coming band, "Buffalo Rodeo." Fehrman digs in deep and really gives the reader sharp insight of what's happening in the Bowling Green Music Scene and how it involved to where it is today. Fehrman even conducts a phone interview with John Carperter, the famous horror film movie director who lives in Hollywood who is originally from Bowling Green. Fehrman reveals that Carpenter is also a musician of many sorts.
    Here's the author's bio from is web-site: "Fehrman is a Ph.D. student in Yale’s English department and a freelance writer. He’s written for The New York Times, The Washington Post, The New Republic, and Slate, among others, and been interviewed on NPR’s Morning Edition and All Things Considered. (You can find a full archive of his work here.) He’s also working on a book about presidents and their books — and, more broadly, about how, when, and why we started expecting politicians to write books.
    Fehrman grew up in Dillsboro, Indiana, and graduated from the University of Southern Indiana in 2007, majoring in English literature and psychology. Both Yale and Connecticut represent new experiences for him, but, so far, they’ve been good ones. According to Fehrman, he's married to a beautiful and understanding woman named Candice, who works as a book editor in Fairfield, Connecticut."

    I give Fehrman's Kindle single, five stars.  It's an awesome read and spot on regarding the ins and outs about Cage The Elephant and the Bowling Green Music Scene. To download his book, go to Amazon.com here at http://www.amazon.com/Home-Grown-Elephant-Making-Modern-ebook/dp/B00G2N4JCE/ Also, to view Fehrman's web-site, go to http://craigfehrman.com/

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Bowling Green, Ky's., Mariah's Restaurant And Legends Sports Bar Has A Touch Of Hollywood

     One of our favorite restaurants and sports bars in Southcentral Kentucky is "Mariah's Restaurant and Legends Sports Bar" located in downtown Bowling Green.  Mariah's claims to be the oldest brick house in Bowling Green built in 1818 and it's

located at 801 State St. in the downtown area.  Their motto is "Creative cuisine in a casual atmosphere." You can usually find my wife, Patty, and I sitting at a table in Legends Sports Bar on a Friday night enjoying the Happy Hours specials and delicious menu items such at the BBQ Grilled chicken sandwich along with a side item of fruit.  Also, you usually find our favorite head bartender, Bryan Graves, who just so happens to be co-founder of the Starry Nights Music and Arts Festival along with brothers, Matt and Brad Shultz of the internationally known alternative rock band and RCA recording artists, "Cage The Elephant."  Bryan is also involved in other aspects of the Bowling Green Music Scene by managing a local, up and coming  alternative rock band called "Buffalo Rodeo."

     While sitting at the bar several months back, I was admiring the beautiful, antique wood structure with the adorning columns and large mirrors.  I started asking questions about it and Bryan told me that the bar was removed from a restaurant in Chicago and brought to Bowling Green after Mariah's almost burned down back sometime in the 90's.  After they remodeled the restaurant and installed the antique bar in Legends, it has been a talking piece among patrons and bartenders ever since.  Bryan pulled out his cell phone and showed me a picture where the bar is in the background of a scene of a movie that came out in 1990 called, "Mr. Destiny" starring James Belushi and Michael Cain.  In the picture that Bryan showed me, Belushi is sitting at the bar talking to Cain who is acting as a bartender. Needless to say, I was intrigued by the photo.  So now we have another Hollywood connection besides horror film director and producer, John Carpenter, who is from Bowling Green.  If you ever make it down to Mariah's, check out the beautiful antique wood structure in Legends Sports Bar.  You won't be disappointed and you'll also love the painted murals of Western Kentucky University sports scenes on the wall.

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Cage The Elephant's "Secret Show" At Bowling Green, Ky's TidballsTonight

Home of The BG Music Scene!

What started out to be a

secret is no longer a secret. Now the "cat is out of the bag" so to speak all over town and the internet. Bowling Green's and RCA Record's Indie Rock sensations, "Cage The Elephant" is playing a show tonight at the world-famous "Tidballs," ground zero for the Bowling Green Music Scene.   Don't ask me for any details because I don't have any.  All I know is that they will be there tonight because Facebook says so.  I just hope that they have some porta-johns on location to accommodate the flood of CTE fans.

L-R, Jared, Brad, Matt, Lincoln, Daniel

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Man Gets 28 Years For Making Meth In A Bowling Green, Ky., Motel

     As I sit here in a Arby's across the street from the Western Hills Motel at Morgantown and Russellville roads, I can't help but thinking about the story in the Bowling Green Daily News http://www.bgdailynews.com/news/local/sentence-a-signal-about-meth-crimes/article_dcd019e8-fa09-558d-ad18-2e28b4fc6acc.htmlthe other day where a man got 28 years in prison for making meth in his room. The thought that occurs to me is that "Everything gets old and run down eventually."  Even when you try to fix up an old motel physically, you still need to manage it properly.  Maybe if that were the case, this would not have happened.  Who knows? This motel is apparently not what it used to be in it's glory days by looking at the post card posted below.  Just because somebody pays room rent, they still do not have a right to break the law and endanger the welfare of the community making these deadly, explosive substances in their motel room whether it's a newer, fancy hotel and an old, run down one.  And on the other hand, motel management regardless if they are Indian owned or not, these proprietors need to use a little common sense when renting to suspect guests. The Warren County Court system and jury has sent society a loud and clear message. Don't make meth especially in a motel room.  If you get caught, you will pay dearly like this guy did.

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Bowling Green's Cage The Elephant and Sleeper Agent Are Ready To Blast Off Again

   Since both of the big name indie rock bands from Southcentral Kentucky have now completed recording their new albums, it will be a double hitter or a double headliner if you will, hopefully bringing more national and world-wide attention to the Bowling Green, Ky., music scene this Fall.
     When Cage The Elephant's and Sleeper Agent's latest albums come out on the RCA record label soon, both bands already have a lot in common.  Both bands are from Bowling Green, they are all friends, they both got their start at the famous local music venue, "Tidballs" and they both have the same Nashville producer, Jay Joyce.
     This will be Cage The Elephant's third album and Sleeper Agent's second.  Both bands toured together during 2010 and 2011 all over the country.  Even Cage The Elephant lead singer, Matt Schultz directed Sleeper Agent's "Get Burned" video which was filmed in an old brothel in downtown Bowling Green.
     However, since Sleeper Agent has a new manager, Missy Worth, the veteran from LA, she hooked them up with producer Eric Bass of Shinedown.  Sleeper Agent recorded three songs with Bass in Charleston, S.C., back in June.  Sleeper Agent also produced one of the songs and Joyce produced and recorded the rest.  Both both bands will be touring extensively all over to promote their new albums according to sources.

 

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Milo's Tea From The Deep South Hits The Spot

    Growing up down South in Memphis in the 1960's and early 1970's, we used to be big Kool-Aid drinkers in our family or us kids I should say.  Kool-Aid was the thing back in those days.  You could choose from different flavors such as Cherry, Grape, Strawberry or even Tropical Punch among many others.  It seemed we only drank Coca-Cola on special occasions like Christmas or the holidays.  But as time went on, we started drinking more cola products throughout the year as the years progressed especially when they started selling them in the big 32 oz. glass bottles.  I also remember the "tea days" or I should say the "instant tea" days when they came along.  I remember when "Lipton's Instant Tea" became popular.  My dad was a big fan of that.  I can remember drinking tons of that stuff as a youngster.  No wonder I had a lot of cavities as a kid. Later in life during my teens, we got into the boiled water and tea bags making big half gallon jugs of it.  Remember "Sun Tea?"  You could buy those big glass gallon or half gallon containers and make tea outside in the sun.  And during the last 20 years in my little we have been buying that "already made tea" in the gallon jug at Kroger which is really good especially with fresh slices of lemon.
   But lately I have noticed here in Kentucky that there is a great new product from the Deep South that can be found at several different retail and grocery stores in Bowling Green called, "Milo's Tea"  made in Bessemer, Ala., just out of Birmingham. This stuff is really awesome and I have bought several gallons of it already which we have extremely enjoyed.  What I have found to be really interesting about this particular tea is the pride and marketing that this family owed business puts into their product.  Check out the history of their tea taken from their web-site:


HISTORY
Early Years (1946-1989)

The Milo’s brand has roots that stretch back to the Great Depression. In 1939, Milo Carlton could be found behind the scenes in his brother’s North Birmingham restaurant, the Dipsey Doodle. One of five Carlton boys bitten by the restaurant bug, Milo did everything from mopping the floors to locking up after everyone else had gone home for the night. He spent the next two years learning as much as he could about the restaurant business, including the most important – listening to the voice of the customer.

Already a member of the National Guard, Milo’s unit was mobilized in February 1941, just months before the attack on Pearl Harbor. It didn’t take the Army long to realize that Milo was gifted in the kitchen, and he found himself assigned to the Food Service Division while on active duty. Uncle Sam sent Milo through three different cooking schools and for the next four years, he cooked hamburgers in jeeps, on planes, on ships, in the back of trucks, in mess tents and on beaches in four different countries. He even found time to open a hamburger shop in Australia where he taught the locals Down Under just how an American burger should taste.

Milo was discharged in 1945 and wasted no time putting his Army experiences to good use. On April 16, 1946, Milo opened the first Milo’s Hamburger Shop on 31st Street and 12th Avenue North in Birmingham, Alabama. From day one, Milo set out to give customers a unique experience – whether it was the extra slice of beef on their burger or the special sauce they’d never tasted anywhere else, the piping hot hand made pies or ice-cold tea with a big bowl of sugar on the side – the customer always got more than what they expected. And that’s where Milo met his first greatest hurdle.

The war might be over but the rationing of staple items – such as sugar – was to remain for some years to come. Milo found himself faced with the dilemma of choosing to use his sugar ration to make pies or provide table sugar to sweeten the tea. How could he ask them to choose one over the other? And then it dawned on Milo to try something no one else had considered – he eliminated the sugar bowls from his tables and began to pre-sweeten the tea himself. This ensured enough from his sugar ration for pies and sweet tea!

Although this seems perfectly ordinary today, in the 1940s, customers initially balked at the idea. But then they tasted Milo’s Famous tea and realized this was something different… something better than they could make themselves. Soon the tea was as in demand as the burgers, fries and pies. Milo’s became the place to go for great food – all washed down with the finest tea anyone had ever tasted.
Modern Era (1989-2009)

In April of 1989, Milo’s began manufacturing and distributing its Famous Sweet Tea in gallon jugs to grocery stores in the Birmingham, Alabama area. The first grocery store to carry the product didn’t think people would buy the tea when they could make it themselves. But like his dad, Milo’s son Ronnie knew his customers and Milo’s Famous Tea was an instant success. Customers wanted a delicious fresh brewed tea like the kind that grandma made, and Milo’s Famous Sweet Tea did not disappoint. Due to strong demand, Milo’s introduced the convenient single serving size in 1997 and an unsweetened tea in 1999.

In 2002, Milo’s Tea Company sold the Milo’s hamburger chain in order to focus the business on one thing – making the best ready to drink available in the world. Milo’s used the capital from the restaurant sale to build a state of the art tea plant like no other in the world - because no one else in the world does what we do!

In addition to its own delivery trucks and traditional wholesale distributors, Milo’s began expanding its distribution territory by teaming up with dairy distributors in 2003. These companies are experienced in handling all-natural products and their larger refrigerated route systems proved beneficial for both parties in growing the Milo’s brand. Since 2003, several more distributors across the Southeast have teamed up with Milo’s to increase availability in stores throughout the Southeast region.

Another milestone occurred in 2006 when we introduced an often-requested and much anticipated item to the Milo’s family. In March, 2006 we began brewing Milo’s No-Calorie Tea sweetened with Splenda. This item has grown exponentially since its introduction and offers an alternative for folks who do not want sugar but still enjoy sweet tea! Today, you can enjoy Milo’s Sweet Tea (sweetened with Sugar) and No Calorie Sweet Tea (sweetened with Splenda) in 12 ounce, 20 ounce, and Gallon sizes, as well as Milo’s Unsweetened Tea in gallons.

In 2009, Milo’s Tea expanded into several new markets – Memphis, Little Rock, Paducah, KY, Middle Georgia and South Carolina. Milo’s Tea can now be found in retailers across 16 states: Currently, our teas are available in Alabama, Arkansas, South Carolina, Florida (the panhandle), Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia. Please visit our store locator to find a Milo’s retailer near you.
Tomorrow

We are continually working toward national availability of Milo’s Tea. We will be available in some additional markets where people have been seeking out management at retailers and adamantly requesting Milo’s Tea. We are always careful to move just as deliberately as we do quickly so that we can maintain the quality and stability of our products and company. We are ever conscious of the responsibility to deliver a high quality product to the market every time. It’s because of you that we have become “famous,” and we know that. We are motivated to serve you, our customer, just like we’ve been doing for over 60 years.

Milo Carlton’s words of yesterday still echo in our halls keeping us mindful of our heritage as we move into tomorrow: “Listen to your customers, and give them what they want. Give them quality, and they will come back.”

For more information about Milo's Tea go to their web-site at www.milostea.com

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Bowling Green, Ky.'s Sleeper Agent Heads Back To Studio Today To Continue Work On Second Album

Bowling Green, Ky.'s Sleeper Agent goes back into the studio today to start recording again on their second album with Nashville producer, Jay Joyce http://www.uaudio.com/blog/artist-interview-jay-joyce/in his "church" studio. They will be there for a week this time according to band member, Tony Smith.

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An Open Letter To Their Fans From Sleeper Agent

(Note: This letter was published on Sleeper Agent's Facebook's page, April 29th)

It's nearly May and it's been a year since we've been off the road. From SXSW to Facebook, we've been "missing in action". Over the past year, we've moved into new apartments, spent a lot of time with friends and family, watched a ton of movies, seen a handful of great bands and written over 30+ songs of new material for our second album. 

We started working on our follow-up to Celabrasion as early as July 2012. In August, we rented a cabin for a week in the secluded mountains of Kentucky to put a year's worth of song ideas together. It was one of the best week's I've ever experienced. There was nothing and nobody around us for miles. No internet, no cell reception and nothing to do except eat, drink and play music. Heaven? Close enough. We came back with a slew of demos and our batteries fully recharged.

Throughout the fall we kept ourselves busy with a couple of shows (including Bowling Green's very own Starry Nights Festival) and a few little projects here and there. We had the privilege to write and record a song for Tim Burton's Frankenweenie soundtrack (they chose a B-Side from Celabrasion), we made a no-budget video for "That's My Baby" and Justin started a very entertaining beer-soaked side project called Pizza Riot.

Over the holidays, we tested new material out on local audiences to much fanfare and saw Celabrasion receive a critically lauded release in Japan. As we prepare to return to the studio next week (!!!) I can say, without a doubt, this album will be worth the wait. It cuts a little a deeper, hits a little harder and is one of the most exciting things I've ever been a part of. 

I can say in good faith, that you'll be hearing an announcement about the new music in the upcoming months. We miss the road, we're sick of being home and incredibly anxious with itchy feet. Like a dirty secret we can't wait to share with all of you, new music is coming. Thanks for sticking with us. We'll see all of you in person, very, very soon. 

Lastly, we were given the opportunity to record a cover for a certain super hero movie soundtrack. We were asked to give the Sleeper Agent treatment to Blondie's "One Way or Another" back in February. Excited, we learned and recorded the song very quickly, giving it the "punky and gritty" vibe that was asked for. The powers-that-be loved it AND THEN... we never heard from them again. So, now it's yours! A gift to hold you over until the real thing comes. Download it for free at the link below.

http://soundcloud.com/sleeperagent/one-way-or-another-blondie

_LOVE
Tony and SLEEPER AGENT

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Bowling Green, Ky.'s Buffalo Rodeo's Latest EP, "Home Videos" Takes You For A Wild Ride

     Being a 51 year-old married man with a grown son who is in his mid-twenties and who is now engaged, I find myself struggling at times to try to keep up with the latest trends in the Bowling Green, Ky., indie rock
music scene.
     However, this latest indie rock band from Bowling Green landed right in my lap via Bryan Graves, my friend who is one of the co-founders of the Bowling Green Starry Nights Music + Arts Festival along with brothers Matt and Brad Shultz from Cage The Elephant.  Bryan had instant messaged me on Facebook last week and wanted to know if I would review the latest EP from the young indie rock band called, "Buffalo Rodeo" from our fair city of 60,000 people.  I told him that I would be glad to write a review.  I have been hearing a lot about Buffalo Rodeo for a while now every since they won a spot to play at the Starry Nights Music Festival last September.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IrqtUCvAAzI  I didn't get a chance to see them perform then but I did hear that they did an awesome job.  However, I did get a chance to see them perform live at this year's annual "Jambodians Holiday Bash" at the Sloan Convention Center in Bowling Green this past December. I sincerely liked what I saw and heard. My son, Tony Smith and his fiancee', Alex Kandel from Sleeper Agent had told me that were friends with some of the members of the band and that they hang out together every now and then at Tony and Alex's apartment.  Tony and Alex said that they are some pretty cool and talented kids.
      So I took it upon myself to listen to their latest EP called "Home Videos" several times in the truck while working especially driving to and from the smaller towns located around Bowling Green.  Again, I really liked what I heard.  When I listen to something new, I like to hear it several times so that it will soak in.  I always try to get a fresh feel for the music in that regard. When the first track, "Tree Houses" started playing, I thought to myself, "Wow, what a big sound for a such a young band!"  Then I started thinking who they sounded like.  Being a older classic rock guy, who listens to our two local rock stations quite often-D93 and The Point-I am not real knowledgeable in the younger, college age music genre to tell the truth.  Of course, I feel like I know a lot about two of the most successful local indie rock bands to date, "Sleeper Agent" and "Cage The Elephant" especially being a big fan of theirs and all. Not to mention, being a "Rock Dad" to Tony Smith of Sleeper Agent.
    The only band that came to mind immediately while listening to the EP for the first time and that I could compare them with was the Grammy winning Nashville rock band, "Kings Of Leon."  After talking to Tony over dinner at O'Charley's the other night on my birthday and 27th wedding anniversary and I asked his opinion about Buffalo Rodeo since he knows the young musicians personally. He said he thought they sounded more like "Band Of Horses," "My Morning Jacket," "Manchester Orchestral" or a young "Wilco."  But to be completely honest, I think Buffalo Rodeo definitely has their own unique sound too. 
    In a Western Kentucky University College Heights Herald newspaper article that was published Jan. 27, 2012, another Bowling Green rock band member from "Canago," Robbie Neighbors is quoted in the article as saying that he is a pretty big fan of the band, "They have an amazing sounding, self-produced demo that hearkens to the Arcade Fire Sound. Their single has hooks that I'm surprised aren't already in car commercials. They have a sound that is suited for arenas."
    You know, that's what I was kind of thinking.  Their sound seems suited for arenas from listening to their latest EP.  Everyone should check this EP out! The five other songs on the EP are pretty awesome also.  All of the songs run anywhere to four to five minutes long or more.  The other titles of the songs on the EP are called, "Compass," "Remington," "Holly," "The Child In Me," and "My Window."
    In their artist bio page on Reverbnation.com the band described themselves in this fashion,
"Buffalo Rodeo is an indie progressive rock band hailing from the hills of Bowling Green, Ky. We play progressive indie rock with punchy drums, melodic bass riffs, ethereal synth textures, elaborate guitar tones, and addicting vocals. We're influenced by bands like Manchester Orchestra, Portugal. the Man, and our friends from BG Cage the Elephant. We like to play volleyball, hit grounders, ride minibikes, and play music. We don't take ourselves too seriously."
     It also appears that the band just finished up a small "Home Videos" tour with nine dates according to their Facebook page playing Bowling Green, Lexington, Louisville, Chicago and venues in Michigan, Ohio and Indiana. That's definitely a step in the right direction for new and upcoming band. All they need now is a record deal. If they stay on the track that they are on now, I'm sure it will happen soon for them. Talent, hard work and conviction is what it takes to make it in the record business this day and age.  And it looks like Buffalo Rodeo has all the elements from what I am seeing and hearing.
    If you want to want to see Buffalo Rodeo perform live, it looks like you will have a chance in the near future. They will be playing at the first annual Stucky Music Festival May 17th and 18th at Park Mammoth Resort on Highway Ky. 31-W right off I-65 at the Park City exit.
   Band members include, Nathaniel Davis - Guitar, Zach Prestion - Vocals, Ryan Gilbert - Drums, Patrick Duncan - Bass, Jordan Reynolds - Keys/Vocals. Apparently, this not their first EP or digital EP either. They have several others called, "Wanderers," July 2011, then "Common Cults," May 2012 and "Cargo," September 2012.
   You can check out Buffalo Rodeo on Facebook, Twitter, reverbnation.com/buffalorodeo and buffalrodeo.bandcamp.com

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Sleeper Agent: The Latest News

     BOWLING GREEN, Ky. _ A lot has been happening behind the scenes for Sleeper Agent, the indie rock band from Bowling Green, Ky, since they came off the road last May.

    After a highly successful debut album release of "Celabrasion" which produced two hit singles, "Get It Daddy" and "Get Burned" as well as three videos from the hit singles and a third video from their popular song, "That's My Baby."  They also toured North America four times and played some major music festivals such as "Coachella" in Palm Springs, Calif., and the "Hang Out Musical Festival" in Pensacola Beach, Fla. Before the spring tour ended, Sleeper Agent made appearance on the Jimmy Fallon show in New York City last March. This past summer the band traveled to a cabin in Eastern Kentucky for a week and wrote several new demo songs for their second album and they continued to work and create new demos this past fall and winter.  Altogether the band created and produced about 25 demos to work with for their new album.  As of 2013, Sleeper Agent now has a new manager, a new attorney and they are no longer on the Mom + Pop Records label but switched over to the mega giant RCA Records label which is owed by Sony Corp.  Their new manager is music industry veteran Missy Worth of Los Angeles who currently manages some of the most successful career bands such as "Rise Against" and "Yellowcard."

    Also during the first part of the new year, Sleeper Agent went back in the studio for their second album and worked with the famous Nashville music producer, Jay Joyce (Eric Church, Cage The Elephant) again who produced their first album.  They will be going in the studio with Joyce to work some more in May.  This week, Tony Smith and Alex Kandel (who are now engaged as of New Year's Eve at Rocky's Place in Bowling Green) flew out to LA with meet with their new manager, Missy Worth http://rm64.com/2009/12/14/missy-worth-shares-her-artistic-license-with-rm64-in-our-last-qa-of-09/ and worked with a new and different  music producer, Eric Bass of the mega rock hit group, "Shinedown."  http://shinedown.net/the-band/eric-bass  Sleeper Agent will be heading back out to LA soon to continue to meet their management team and work with a couple more new producers for the their next album.  The new album apparently will have a collaboration of producers and they are going for the "radio hits" according to Tony. Also, August Brown, a music writer from the Los Angeles Times, who wrote a story about Sleeper Agent at Coachella last year, wrote a really cool blog about the band this week too. http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/music/posts/la-et-ms-coachella-2013-band-dreams-20130407,0,6910718.story

    According to Tony, after the meetings with their manager and management team as well as the new producers, he said things are really gearing up and getting ready to switch gears to full speed.  Most likely he said, they will have their first single off the new album out by this summer and hopefully the album will be out sometime this fall.  Tour plans have not been made yet. (Other band members include Scott Gardner, Josh Martin, Lee Williams and Justin Wilson).

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