Monday, January 5, 2009

Michelle Shocked - Short Sharp Shocked

Born Michelle Johnston in Dallas, TX, in 1962, Michelle Shocked ran away from home at an early age and got into folk and blues music. When she came home her religious mom put her in a psychiatric hospital where she spent over a year. After the money ran out she took off to NY and then Amsterdam where she became an activist for squatters rights and an active feminist. Back in the US for the Kerville Music Fest, she was overheard while playing at a campfire. This lead to a record contract and her first release The Texas Campfire Tapes. While this is an interesting effort, her second release Short Sharp Shocked is a classic. This is where the singer songwriter folky meets punk rock attitude. "Anchorage" and "Memories of East Texas" are my two favorite songs. They make me miss Texas like no other song I have ever heard.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

my fave on this album is 'if love was a train', so great. my other favorite is "my little sister". I used to sing it to Tana and I would say my little daughter instead. she loved it.