Best of 2006 - Gary Crump (Tour Manager for Lucero)

I once sat in the back of Lucero's van and drunkenly confessed to Gary that I had a huge crush on him. Gary not only didn't laugh in my face, he didn't kick me out of the van. Instead, he was kind enough to drive me back to my hotel (we were in Austin at the time and it would have taken me an hour to find a cab.) Gary is an all around good guy and he was even nice enough to do a "best of" list for me. I would have had someone in Lucero make a list, but they probably would have written it and then given it to another blogger to publish!

Ouch! That was harsh.

Gary's Best of 2006:

1) Lucero: Rebels, Rogues & Sworn Brothers - Even though I spend months at a time crammed into a van with them, this is one of the first records I put on once I am back in my car. Truly an amazing record. Everything came together on this one.

She's Just That Kind Of Girl - MP3

2) American Princes: Less and Less - This Little Rock quartet writes amazing songs and their live show is equally rocking.

Open Letter - MP3

3) Ali Farka Toure: Savane - This is his final record as he passed away earlier this year. I think it is right up there with his best, if not the best.

4) My Morning Jacket: Okonokos - Great live record from one of the best live performing bands out there.

5) Pearl Jam: Pearl Jam - I get ragged a lot about this but they have been doing it for 15 years and have just this year put out their best work yet. A great rock record.

Gone (Live) - MP3

Honorable mentions:

Neil Young - Living with War, The Hold Steady - Boys and Girls in America, Beck - The Information, Triple Six Mafia - Smoked Out Music

So what's going on with Lucero you ask?

We're headed home from a 3 show trek in Conway (@ Soundstage), Austin (@ Fun Fun Fun Fest), and Baton Rouge (@ Chelsea's) which served to properly warm us up for the upcoming 10 dayer/binge with Maritime and Drag The River throughout the Southeast U.S.

To catch everyone up who may not know Maritime is the new band of Davey Von Bolen and Dan Didier (both formerly with The Promise Ring) and Justin Klug (formerly of our good friends Decibully). Check them out at www.maritimesongs.com.

For those not familiar with the greatness that is our pals and drinking buddies Drag The River check them on out at www.dragtheriver.com and if you don't already have it pick up their new record Its Crazy out now on Suburban Home Records.

In other news of bands in our top favorites The American Princes out of Little Rock, AR are up in the final round of the Paste Magazine Video contest for their video of the song Never Grow Old which was made by fellow Lucero friend, song verse subject (Tears Don't Matter Much), message boarder and super good artist Matt Bradley. You should go vote for them here: http://www.pastemagazine.com/action/article?article_id=3303

In other American Princes news, they played with our other buddies The Hold Steady (finding the pattern here? Shit, if I had any skills this could be considered a Lucero friend/family segue extravaganza) in Little Rock at Sticky Fingers last Monday night. We've had the night off so a bunch of us Lucero boys were town from Memphis hanging out and accepting beer and whiskey offers...

We love you all, thanks for the amazing support over the past couple months on this national tour for Rebels, Rogues & Sworn Brothers. See you soon Southeast!

Gary, you're my hero...