Conor Oberst talking politics on The Charlie Rose Show last Thursday.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

If you missed it last Thursday, Conor Oberst appeared on the venerable Charlie Rose Show. Not only did Conor sing two songs backed by a couple Felice Brothers, he also sat down at that famous round table and did a Q&A with Mr. Rose.

I recently had an online discussion about the late, great Tom Snyder and how much we miss the Tomorrow Show and his acerbic question-and-answer sessions. No one has filled Snyder’s shoes, but the person who comes closest is probably Charlie Rose, though his direction is more politically focused than Snyder’s cultural grab-bag.

In the interview, Conor talks about his “complicated” relationship with his hometown, saying “at its heart it’s politically abysmal. For my tastes, they have their priorities all backwards” and then went on to say, “but I try to focus on the good things; I like my house, my friends, my dogs.”  Who can argue with that? How many people have been driven away by Nebraska’s politics?

Oberst talked about his politics, and his willingness to talk about his politics. His focus: The current  lack of agreement on reality and facts. “How can you disregard science and facts? Now, anything goes,” he said. It’s a point he’s bringing up in other interviews, including this one posted yesterday by CNN.

Meanwhile, on stage, he’s been more straight-forward regarding President Trump. He went off during the Xponential Fest in Camden, NJ, referring to Prez Cheeto (as reported here) as an “admitted sexually assaulting Russian oligarchy charlatan … f—king piece of sh-t.” Yeah, but how do you really feel about him, Conor?

While I love seeing him finally speak his mind on Trump, where was he before the election, when it could have mattered?

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In other news…

I don’t bother listening to weather forecasts any more now that I’m following Metal Rusty Lord on Twitter. Do yourself a favor and follow the metal masters @RustyLordsBand.

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Speaking of metal (though not necessary good metal), there’s a new radio station on the FM Dial called (and I shit you not): 94.9 MAN UP. That’s right. Now you’ve got a new place to find your Nickelback.

Remember when Omaha had great radio stations? I don’t, either.

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And here’s an interesting read from Stereogum: Who Knew The Faint Were Still So Popular? And Other Thoughts After FYF Fest 2017

Best lines of the story: “If anything, the Drums and the Faint are indicative of a couple of sounds that never go out of style, particularly in Los Angeles — that of jumpy, Smiths-meets-Spector mope and gothy emo. Judging from the way the audience lost their shit for songs from Doom Abuse and Abysmal Thoughts, you never had to doubt that people who were there to see the Faint and the Drums were really there to see them — and this kind of hardcore dedication for bands whose supposed relevance has waned can often go unacknowledged at a time when even the most hyped records feel like they fade from view even after a few weeks.”

So true. This review generated some chit-chat at O’Leaver’s Sunday — top of mind: When will The Faint release a new album, and if so, what label will it be on? They released their CAPSULE comp last year on Saddle Creek, which would seem to indicate they’ve mended their ways with the label after straying on the past few releases. Wouldn’t it be a kick if The Faint put out their next one on Creek?

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A couple shows worth noting tonight…

Legendary rock/roots/Americana singer/songwriter Steve Earle & The Dukes play tonight at The Slowdown. The Mastersons open. 8 p.m., $35.

Also tonight, San Diego surf-punk band The Frights play at Lookout Lounge with King Shelter, On Drugs and Kill Vargas. $15. 6 p.m.

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Read Tim McMahan’s blog daily at Lazy-i.com — an online music magazine that includes feature interviews, reviews and news. The focus is on the national indie music scene with a special emphasis on the best original bands in the Omaha area. Copyright © 2017 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.