One Jerk’s Opinion: The 2008 Beaner’s Songwriter Competition

One Jerk’s Opinion: The 2008 Beaner’s songwriter competition (ONLINE EXCLUSIVE)

Matthew R. Perrine Budgeteer NewsPublished Monday, September 29, 2008

If you’re a Beaner’s regular, the changing of the seasons isn’t marked by the trees’ pretty colors; it's marked by the annual concert series One Week Live. And, for the past five years, Jason Wussow has been setting aside one night of this jam-packed series (which honors his coffee shop’s “birthdays”) for a songwriters competition.

This time around, I had the honor of serving as one of its judges. I was joined by Chris Garett, a bona fide Duluth music fan, and three representatives of the Twin Ports’ busy radio market: KUWS’s resident superstar DJ, Walt Dizzo, and Tim Roubik and Maija Morton, with The Bridge and KUMD, respectively.

I wanted to recap the night (it was held last Wednesday) because, as you might imagine, there was a lot of “undiscovered” talent up there on that stage. While each performer was only allotted two songs, it was obvious that there was a lot of memorable, heart-felt music being made up there. That said, it’d be a plain shame if you didn’t know who these performers are and what kind of music they peddle. (In the issue of fairness, I have provided — wherever available — links to the artists’ Web sites. You know, so you don’t just have to take my/one jerk’s word for it.)

The Beaner's songwriting competition judges for 2008, from left: KUMD's Maija Morton, the Budgeteer's Matthew R. Perrine, Tim Roubik of The Bridge, KUWS DJ Walt Dizzo and Duluth music fan Chris Garett. Image courtesy Jason Wussow/Beaner's Central

Dustin Ralston • It’s never easy to be first in any sort of competition, and that goes double for fledgling (and admittedly nervous) hometown songwriters. That said, I wouldn’t dismiss Ralston because of these two awkward numbers. As optimistic as his MySpace greeting is, I’m sure we’ll be hearing a lot from this upstart in the coming years: “I really don’t intend on leaving my hometown. If my music ever does ‘make it,’ I have all the inspiration I need right here: an amazing girlfriend, a beautiful city with abnormal weather conditions, a decent-paying job and wonderful friends ... and besides, I can record from the comfort of my own home.” YOU BE THE JUDGE: www.myspace.com/dustinralston

Billy Southern • Like fellow competitor Greg Tiburzi (see below), it’s no secret that I’m a fan of this talented local songwriter, so I’ll just lift some lines from my review of “Swamp Dog” (and urge you to read the rest of the album review — see link at left): Southern’s music is a by-the-books example of “the Duluth sound,” as it’s is chock full of earthy, non-aggressive melodies, blatant local references and folksy instrumentation. YOU BE THE JUDGE: www.myspace.com/billysouthernmusic

Sam Dull • Despite his unfortunate surname — and S----- Beatles jokes from “Wayne’s World” notwithstanding... — this Beaner’s employee sure turned some heads with his two-song “mini set.” It sounded like he wrote all of his songs for an alternative rock band, like Incubus (or something less insulting), so it’d be nice to hear them in their perceived natural setting.
Kim Monson • Without her band, the Fish Heads, to lean on, Monson said she felt a little naked. To this, the night’s quirky (but 85 percent entertaining) emcee suggested she should try writing naked so the transition would be easier. Big laughs were had by all, but that wasn’t the case when she played: her two selections were terrifically sad. Actually, like Brenda Weiler’s album “End the Rain,” they were almost the definition of melancholy. YOU BE THE JUDGE: www.bigfishtunes.com/fishheads.html

Jason Robuk • The night’s sole hip-hop performer, Jason Robuk (aka Mechanic of the Super Group) seemed a bit out of place. As far as his rhymes are concerned, I’d place this Badly Drawn Boy lookalike’s skills at the same level as Brougham’s Luke Sick circa “7th Grade.” No better, no worse. YOU BE THE JUDGE: www.myspace.com/seedsofvietnam

George Kaplan • I was pleasantly surprised by St. Paul’s George Kaplan, who was playing one of his first solo outings. His mature, Bob-Dylan-fronting-the-Dropkick-Murphys voice made him seem at least 10 years older. Even when he flubbed his lines from time to time, he kept the show rolling right on track. Hopefully he’ll be coming back to the area someday soon. YOU BE THE JUDGE: www.myspace.com/georgekaplan

The Tico Three • The Tico Three, né Israel “Mo” Malachi, is one hell of a performer. While I quickly lost interest with his second selection, a self-indulgent display of “furious fretwork” if I ever did see one, its predecessor was quite a different story. Like a twisted concoction of Neil Young’s songwriting and Buckethead’s ability to back up himself, it was utterly inspiring. Here’s hoping he balances out his Mike McCready-leaning tendencies and opts for a less-flamboyant performance style. YOU BE THE JUDGE: www.myspace.com/theticothree

Drew Anderson • My pick for the night’s best “find.” I know others have warmed to the magical presence of Anderson’s somewhat-quirky batch of songs, but I hadn’t had the pleasure until Wednesday night. For the uninitiated, Anderson is all at once evocative of Radiohead, Brian Wilson and Nerf Herder (though not nearly as irreverent). Definitely one to watch. YOU BE THE JUDGE: www.myspace.com/drewanderson

Stephanie Dykema • While I have nothing against Steph’s most visible musical outlet, the Brushstrokes, her solo stuff just didn’t do it for me. True, she is an extraordinary performer — her songs filled Beaner’s — but the lyrics of “Linger” and “Naked” made me feel ... awkward. Saying “I really don’t hate men” was a nice gesture, but I still felt like there was a party going on onstage that only half of the audience was invited to. YOU BE THE JUDGE: www.myspace.com/thebrushstrokes

Mark Blom • My first thought about this guy’s performance: “If he’s not in the Alrights already, he needs to call them up ASAP.” It sounded as if he was directly involved in the “Meeting of the St. Louis County League of Volunteer Astronauts: Excerpts from the Keynote Address” EP’s songwriting process. Good stuff, but a little too poppy for most, I reckon. Still, he proved popular with the judges: second place! (Confidential to M.B.: I know I must’ve looked awfully rude eating a “Naughty Bird” during your set — especially after you had just made a crack about the people who come to your place of employment’s open mic night and mow down on wings — but A) those sandwiches are utterly delicious and B) it had been nine-plus hours since I’d had anything to eat. I was starving. So lay off!)

Emily Jayne • Oh boy, here goes another “compliment sandwich”: (+) Cloquet’s Emily Jayne is a polished performer, whose songs are as radio-ready as they come. (-) However, they just happen to fall under the umbrella of adult contemporary — which, if you know me at all, is pretty much the last thing I’d ever want to be listening to. (+) She seems to have a winning personality, though, seeing as all of her friends in attendance helped her land the coveted People’s Choice award for the night. YOU BE THE JUDGE: www.myspace.com/demonsthatbite

John Derke • Don’t listen to John Derke when he says, “I make noise.” With a voice evocative of both Live’s Ed Kowalczyk and the Standard’s Tim Putnam, there was no way this performer was going to lose any points from this judge. YOU BE THE JUDGE: www.myspace.com/johnderke

Adam Depre • Old Knifey and the Cutthroats' Adam Depre is a solid songwriter and performer, and, better still, he has a sense of humor: After playing the stunningly authentic “Ain’t Never Tried Blues,” he said his second song, a C&W-soaked ode to whiskey, cigarettes and country music, was “about a girl.” YOU BE THE JUDGE: www.myspace.com/oldknifeyandthecutthroats

Greg Tiburzi • As was the case with Billy Southern, it’s no secret that I’m a big fan of third-place winner Greg Tiburzi’s work, so I’ll leave you with a line from my review of his album “In a Blue Haze” (and urge you to read the full review — see attached story): “This guy is good … real good.” YOU BE THE JUDGE: www.myspace.com/gregtiburzi

Steve Isakson • Talk about versatility. Isakson’s solo acoustic adventures sounded nothing like the reggae-leaning grooves of his regular group, Max Dakota & Modern Life. While I wasn’t blown away by his performance — I didn’t really hear anything fresh or “unexpected” — he did have the highest overall score amongst the judges. Not bad, especially considering that he was a last-minute addition after scheduled contestant Seth Doud (of Off the Mike Mark) failed to show up.

Taken from http://www.duluthbudgeteer.com/articles/index.cfm?id=22997

WVO, SVO, Biodiesel, MN law and taxes

Here's some info from a site I came across that was a little hard to find. But now I did, and I want to share it with you. If you're interested in installing a greasekit in your diesel car in Minnesota, read below.

"I commute 100+ miles to work 5 or 6 times a week, that adds up very quickly on anybody's odometer! And it get's worse when you look at a vehicles fuel mileage/ fuel bill. with the cost of gasoline headed up last Spring I decided to find a vehicle with a high MPG rating. Most are high bred's such as the Toyota Prius or Honda Insight which are Gas/Electric & are short on track record, yet. I decided on a diesel, proven economy, dependability, & flexibility on fuel.

On the following pages I attempt to explain how you can do this too! I also want to give you a "hands on" view of problems you can expect or avoid from my experiences. Sorry, put your credit card away I'm not selling anything.

For anyone looking for Bio-diesel Info this is the wrong site. As I am all for Bio-diesel, but I don't deal with it for a variety of reasons:
1. Ethanol or Methanol is required for the making of Bio-diesel, it is very flammable!
2. Lye is required, & it too is very toxic.
3. It costs more to make Bio-diesel than SVO/WVO.
4. It is illegal to make Bio-diesel without a permit and paying Road Taxes.
5. I am not a chemist.

CONSUMER ALERT: When an add claims to be "Biodiesel ready" be cautious, as most vehicles are not ready for Biodiesel. To use Biodiesel in most vehicles the fuel lines, which are usually made of rubber, need to be replaced with a polyvinyl or Vinton type lines. Veg oil &/or biodiesel will break down the rubber and cause leakage.

And more things to watch out for, just 'cause an item is on a WVO Web Site don't believe it is the only place to get it. Case in point: A certain web page I came across is selling the cone type filters used in restaurants, (I use them as a coarse filter, prefilter if you will), a box of 50 for $24.95+shipping!!!! I buy the same thing from Dunbar's Inc., Sup.,WI for about $8.00. Everything on my pages should be able to be purchased locally.
A quick Thank-You to some of my Suppliers:
Ace Hardware of Sandstone, MN, Steve & the guys can help me out with most all those last minute needs.
Cummins of Duluth, MN, Roger & the rest of the guys behind the counter will know what your looking for in filter needs.
Duluth Sheet Metal, Great Guys at building Steel or Aluminum Fuel tanks at a reasonable price.
Foreign Affairs in Duluth, MN, Jeff and his crew work on all makes of European vehicles. This is Super great for me & many others as there are NO dealerships within 100+ miles for most makes,(VW, Porsche, Mercedes,etc.). Their knowledgeable staff are very accurate with their estimates and up-to-date with the latest servicing of vehicles.

The Latest: All Minnesota Residents, Please Read!!!
Spring update for 2008: Sent in my WVO Fuels tax for 2007! All $86.40. For anybody that hasent heard, we had a bridge collapse back in Aug. 2007. Brought on by bad design/maintenance/overuse/etc. so... Have heard from many people on their state tax woes, both in E-Mail & articles, & decided it's better to join them than fight. Besides, I save so much more than what the legal fees would be!

I have parts I will be hawking (selling), to any body that wants to do the copper Tube-in-a-tube set-up as I do, but don't have the expertise or tools to do the ends. Basically consists of a copper "T" with ends that use clamps & a brass nut to close the ends. I will be selling them in pairs, one for each end. They come with my year+ of actual use & no problem/leak history.
I'm also hoping to have a booklet available with nearly everything I can think of pertaining to WVO use! Including: Filtering, Design, Installation, Cold Weather Use, & a Short Cut Section all with ample color photos. This is aimed basically at Novices, converting VW & Mercedes, Basics of most other brands, & hopefully objective enough for you to decide wether WVO is for you, & wether to buy a kit or build your own as I have. Available May,'08

Dec. 28th, 2006 I receved a Letter from the Minnesota Internal Revenue Office, Grease Police, oops Petroleum Tax Unit. Seems some new laws have been passed requiring all of us Greasers to pay $.20/ Gal. on all WVO/SVO we've been using & will use in the future!
Yeah, that's right!!! Am looking into when this went into effect, Who authored the bill, & a lot more...

I spoke with Jeremy Neeck, Revenue Tax Specialist, about this. As they have no way of verifying one's usage, it is basically on an honor system at this time. However, let's get our input on this as soon as possible! Contact your Legislature or my self.

Please contact me through my Links page, your info will not be passed on, I want to get a movement going to have this at least revised. Diesel is taxed at 20cents/gal., WVO & Bio-Diesel, in my opinion, should be taxed at a lower rate, which I will explain in the future.
If you have immediate questions, you may contact: Jeremy Neeck, of the Petroleum Tax Unit at jeremy.neeck@state.mn.us phone: (507) 523-1030 or Michelle Zitur michelle.zitur@state.mn.us or (651) 556-6359.

I do believe as users of our hiways & byways we should pay tax. I don't believe as leaders in an alternative fuel we should pay as much, I also believe that if MN wants to be a Leader in the future of Alternative Fuels it needs to give us a break!
The fact sheet you will want to read is: Organic Oil Motor Fuel Tax - Fact Sheet 701. The Tax form is: Organic Oil Motor Fuel Tax Return - ORG-1.

Originally, when I talked to a MN Hiway Patrol Officer about WVO use he informed me we were looked at as Hybrid Vehicles, such as Toyota Prius & Honda Insight's. This has now changed of course! I want to push for a bill allowing us to continue as Hybrids, we start & stop on Diesel, a conventional fuel, and use an alternative fuel, WVO, at times. The problem with the state trying to regulate WVO (or Elec.), is they have NO way of knowing how much it's being used. I agree I should be, as well as people who make & use Bio-Diesel, paying Taxes, however, I believe we should get a break.

This could be in the form of:
1. Paying less per Gallon, instead of $.20/ gal. it should be cut in half, 10 cents/ gallon.
2. A credit on our Taxes for using Alternative Vehicles, ( Frankly I believe everybody who uses Public, Car pooling, or Alternative Transportation should get a credit).
3. Last resort would be a flat tax at time of yearly registration. Ranging from $25- 100.00
depending on vehicle Avg. MPG. Lower tax for vehicles with a higher MPG, more money for vehicles with a lower MPG that want to use WVO or Bio-Diesel.

If you think about it this make sense for a few reasons:
1. Wether we are using WVO or Biodiesel we are collecting a USED, ALREADY TAXED & PAID FOR REFUSE! We are keeping this out of landfills, in most cases in my neck of the woods, the WVO is thrown into dumpsters. The WVO collection companies everybody has read about in the Mpls. Trib. last summer, that collects the used oil & replaces it with new, at a cost of $3000-5000 & a commitment of 5 years, are not going to come up to each of the restaurants for the 10-20 gallons of wvo every week or two! Not 1 eatery up here could afford that!
2. We have modified &/or purchased equipment (invested), to do this. I typically spend about $400/vehicle + the $200 or so for filtering. Not sure what the Bio-Diesel investments are, but have heard $2000 is not unusual.
3. The fuel we are burning is cleaner! State can't discount that, considering they have mandated 2% Bio-Diesel in all diesel a year & a half ago!!!
4. If the state of Minnesota wants to stay at the front line of Enviromentally Friendly Policies they should make right by the people who have taken the initiative to start, ambition to act, & willingness to fight for what is right! Especially considering we are not asking for thousands of dollars to go into a business that cannot survive without Government subsidies & law supported demand (I'll leave it at that).
5. And yea, there after me, cause of this web page, they have no real roadside test of knowing who is adding WVO to their Diesel without taking a sample & sending it in to a lab for testing. I suppose they could stand on the side of the freeway with their noses to the wind sniffing for fried food!!! lol

Something to think about...."

Beaners Songwriters Competition

What a wonderful night of music at the 2008 Beaners Songwriters Competition last night. I really enjoyed the diversity! I was invited to play. So I did! :) I chose "See It My Way" and "Prisoner Of Snow." I was the only person on keys, as usual! I did win the People's Choice Award though!

Thank you all for your support of local music! And Beaners!

http://www.beanerscentral.com/

New Video: "Peek-A-Boo" ~ Emily Jayne

Sometimes you wanna just be a grinch and eat peanut butter.

The Shire Concept

After coming across this in the newspaper, I checked out the website. Nice site, by the way. To anyone who knows me well, you may understand how this vision really fits in with our lifestyle. Somewhat like a dream I once had...

The Shire Concept

I Am Not There

Do not stand at my grave and weep

I am not there. I do not sleep.

I am a thousand winds that blow.

I am the diamond glint on snow.

I am the sunlight on ripened grain.

I am the gentle autumn rain.

When you wake in the morning hush

I am the swift uplifting rush

of quiet birds in circling flight.

I am the soft starlight at night.

Do not stand at my grave and weep.

I am not there. I did not die.

Joyce Fossen

How about a magic trick?