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Dallas Observer Music Awards

Posted By Cindy Chaffin in TexasGigs - Cindy's Original Blog on February 25, 2006

My Gmail account and my MySpace account and my every other accountable mailbox is stuffed full of "please vote for my band or my venue or my blog..." messages. Yes indeedy the Dallas Observer Music Awards Voting Ballot is most likely seeing about a gazillion hits an hour since it launched like 2 days ago.

I've literally been in da' hizzy (for at least 3 or more years now) when the final winners were announced at the Gypsy Tea Room, or, as of last year, the Granada Theater...and with the exception of a few winners...there have been less surprises than that 30th birthday party I've yet to experience.

I've always assumed that us little fans of bands were really a part of the process...but I dug out my reading glasses and upped my font and took a look-see at the fine print on the D.O. ballot...

Welcome to the 2006 Dallas Observer Music Awards nomination ballot. Please enter only one nomination in each category. Feel free to skip categories, but be warned: Voting in only one category (or voting for only one band repeatedly) is considered ballot stuffing; these ballots will be discarded. Nominations can be vetoed for a variety of other reasons--inappropriateness, vagueness, needless use of the word "crunk"--so vote with your heart *and* your head. Also, Reverend Horton Heat and Erykah Badu are in the DOMA Hall of Fame, so don't bother nominating them--they won't be on the ballot. And don't enter a fake address or name on here--we use those only to verify that you're a real person, not to send you spam or steal your identity. Any entries with addresses like "123 Ass Lane, 90210" will be DQ'ed. So dig out your CDs, listen to the radio and hop on MySpace--it's time to nominate the best music in the metroplex!

Uh....whaaaaa..?

"...Nominations can be vetoed for a variety of other reasons--inappropriateness, vagueness, needless use of the word "crunk"--so vote with your heart *and* your head...

Hm...doesn't that open up a whole new ball of wax? And what exactly does that "whole ball of wax" thing mean anyway? And even further....why would one wanna open up a ball of wax? Is there a door ferchrissakes? I mean it's a ball! Of wax! I dunno it's all so vague...oops...there goes my vote into the trash bin....damn...

Cindy now blogs at The Fine Line.

Staff
Verified User
Anonymous

I think you meant "open up a whole new can of worms." Or maybe a can of whoop-ass.

ScottChaffin Anonymous

3 years, 9 months ago
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Um, what is crunk?

Jay B. Stevens Verified

3 years, 9 months ago
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Hey, I grew up on 123 Ass Lane in Beverly Hills, Calif. I feel insulted so much that I've got to use 10 exclamation points!!!!!!!!!!

Hell, make it 11!

Blair Lovern Staff

3 years, 9 months ago
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Can someone PLEASE put the Burden Brothers and Josh Venable in the hall of fame already?

Kate Mackley Verified

3 years, 9 months ago
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How would listening to the radio be useful at all in determining nomination candidates for local music awards?

*- Yes, I realize that there are a couple notable exceptions.

Mike Orren Staff

3 years, 9 months ago
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i love the Observer awadrs,,,,,,,

Pikahsso allen Poe Verified

3 years, 9 months ago
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I see you're wearing your tin-foil hat today, Cindy.

Sam Machkovech Verified

3 years, 9 months ago
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Naaaaah Sam, I'm just full of crunk...

Cindy Chaffin Verified

3 years, 9 months ago
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Trying to be a good little voter, I'm desperately searching for a listing of albums released by Dallas bands this year...any suggestions as to how to find these? Or should I just put in Burden Brothers since they're gonna win anyway?

innerfrequency Anonymous

3 years, 9 months ago
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Innerfrequency:

This is by no means a complete list, but here are the albums from the past year that are in our system. Inclusion on the list generally means that we have audio from the artist in our system-- Adding albums is something we're behind on from the launch. And, I won't guarantee that there aren't a couple o' errors. Let us know of albums we missed or have wrong by commenting below and we'll get on it post-haste.

But at any rate, with all disclaimers in place, this is a starting point for reference. Just remember that there were lots of other albums that aren't shown here:

http://www.texasgigs.com/2005albums/

Special kudos to our own Brett Hoerner for hacking this out of our publishing system, even though we don't really have access to gerryrig everything yet.

Mike Orren Staff

3 years, 9 months ago
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Some more resources here:

http://www.texasgigs.com/news/2005/de...

And here:

http://dallasobserver.com/Issues/2005...

Mike Orren Staff

3 years, 9 months ago
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Ever since they let the people vote for the nominees and winners. I have been a fan of the DOMA. Power to the people!

Sol Anonymous

3 years, 8 months ago
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WTF? The DO Music Awards Nomination categories are more limited than ever this year! They cut the Roots Rock/ Rockabilly and Country categories and condensed them to Country / Roots.

So lemme see, do I wanna vote for Donnie Ray Ford & the Widowmakers or the Strange Boys? 1100 Springs or Spector 45? By reducing these categories to just one, any Garage or Psychobilly bands are out of luck! Country / Roots Rock all in the same single category? Not cool.

Also, they've never had a Punk category, although Texas Punk is reknown worldwide as different than west coast, NY or UK punk. Tons of DFW bands of this genre hit the road every year and do quite well elsewhere. Yet they are consistantly overlooked by the Observer for 'big fish in small pond' bands that play the Cavern, Curtain Club, Haileys and Axis every week.

Some people get upset when someone says there aren't any good bands around anymore. Yet too many bands are chasing the top forty sound, playing safe, middle of the road, generic rock. Many are embraced by the D.O and a few larger venues, but this certainly does nothing for growing unique / original Texas Music. All I can say is get a clue. Another much bigger band already has staked that ground, and you're not going to knock them out of that spot. Big top forty bands have big money labels that may even sign some of these DFW stars just to keep 'em in place by NOT promoting their cliche ridden music.

Sorry about the tirade but Edie Brickell and the New Bohemians, the Reverend Horton Heat, the Old 97's, Lisa Loeb, Norah Jones and Polyphonic Spree just to name a few locals, didn't break out because they imitated Creed, Sheryl Crow, Nickelback, Blink 182 or whatever....they played what they wanted, honed their sound until it became interesting enough for 'big money' to take the risk and invest in them. Also from time to time, a tiny label will sign someone for having a different sound and they both will prosper big time. Examples; Sub Pop w/ Nirvana or db Records w/ REM.

As far as the D.O. Awards are concerned, expect a whole lot of the same old same old, that they write about too much already... I'm not knocking the few inspired acts that happen to be on Sam's radar, but there are so many great bands out there beyond his stagnant realm...

YAWN!

frank Anonymous

3 years, 8 months ago
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Hey Mike, Thanks SOOO much, that really helps (the links for the albums that is). Also, I totally agree with Frank about the limited categories. What gives with that? Why is acoustic/folk the same category? Not all acoustic bands do folk music. Why isn't there any pop? What about just plain ol' "rock"? pop/rock? (scratching my head).

Cara

innerfrequency Anonymous

3 years, 8 months ago
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In response to the question about a list of new CDs released this year- Auto Escape actually has two: 1) Hollywood (which is listed in the Texas Gigs list) and 2) their newest release, Turn It Off (which is not listed)

frobozz Anonymous

3 years, 8 months ago
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Fixed:

http://www.texasgigs.com/albums/turna...

Mike Orren Staff

3 years, 8 months ago
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A few more to add to our list: John Dufilho "I Remain, As Always, A Rabble Rouser From the Mountains" (is there a catagory for longest title?) Pilotdrift "Water Sphere" (we missed this!) John LaMonica "How Shall They Hear" (questionable if he's still Dallas or not) American Werewolf Academy "Tell Them Right Now!" The Hourly Radio "Lure of the Underground" Spitfire Tumbleweeds "King James Version" (Cindy: for shame! omitting this!) Thief "For Her Grace" Golden Falcons "The Honduras Album" Deathray Davies "The Kick and The Snare" Saboteur "Saboteur" The Rocket Summer "Hello, Good Friend"