More Than Words - The Nelson Brothers

When a local city tries to have a community event it usually doesn't work out quite like they planned. The first thing is that they general forget to advertise that they are having an event.

The second thing about the show is that when the city hires the headline act that is supposes to show up, something bad happened to the star.

One year it was Ray Davies of the Kinks then he caught a bad case of the flu and Dick Dale had to take over. Same things happened this year. Dave Matthews (8-25-05 correction, it was actually Dave Mason) was the performer. He had a really bad back and had to cancel. The Nelson Brothers picked up the slack.

As usual, I stumbling into the crowed and notice a bunch of 25 to 35 year old women acting like teenyboppers. I look up and see two blond dudes in their early thirties. Then it hits me who they are. These Nelsons are the sons of Rick Nelson and the grandsons of Ozzie and Harriet Nelson.

Matthew and Gunner Nelson were on stage and that is why I was witnessing thirty-year-old women attempting to sling their hips.

I was pleasantly surprised. One cuz they can actually sing. I thought they were an MTV vanity creation. I was wrong. They were on that stages for almost two hours and there was no tape malfunction. It was their honest voices.

Two – they did a nice mix of their father's songs, their own stuff and guitar heavy pieces. They also had good sidemen to round out the band. Grandpa Nelson would be beaming – they really put on a good show on very short notice.

For more information on the Nelson Brothers, visit their official web site - http://www.thenelsonbrothers.com

Disclaimer: These lads made that record that I hate to the core of my being. The one where they sing in harmony about how the girl should prove her love with "more than words". On my list of musical toxins, it is right up there with Bungle In the Jungle and A Lovers Concerto.

Auditory poison. Then again, it could be just me. Naw, that song sucks. But musically they do not. If you see them on the road give them a fair shake.

April 5, 2008 Update - I owe the lads a humble apology. They didn't record that pile of steaming hormonally driven yukky-ness know as More Than Words. I am definitely in the minority vote in this case cuz 4 million plus people have viewed and love this song.

I wish I could have made amends sooner to the Nelsons but I had to wait for YouTube to be invented first. Dudes look right nice, love the black and white look of the video but that is as positive as I'm gonna get about that pressure filled emotional wedge to try and get a girl to spread 'em to show her love. Oh god, I feel a barf session rising from below. Gotta go.