Launching its latest Saustex Records release, 2, Churchwood hypnotizes the Hole in the Wall with Beefheart blues and brain-bent poetry. The cast of local music vets, starring LeRoi Brother Joe Doerr as a lysergic lounge singer and his Hand of Glory bandmate (and Poison 13 standout) Bill Anderson teamed with Crack Pipes six-stringer Billy Steve Korpi, always leave eyes dilated. Corn eating, cowpunk smut peddlers the Hickoids knock out taco rock after Chablis, the wacked-out Americana offshoot of Brown Whornet.

ATX singer-songwriter master class.

Since Johnny Bush�s birthday falls on Feb. 17, he may well turn 78 onstage at Antone�s.

The �Country Caruso� lives in San Antonio and doesn�t get to these parts often, but he�s been busy since last we spoke for the release of 2007�s Kashmere Gardens Mud and his autobiography Whiskey River, named after the song he wrote that forever tops Willie Nelson�s set lists.

�I�m busy enough,� he chuckles. �I couldn�t keep Willie�s schedule, I tell you that.�

Bush recently logged studio time to revisit some old tunes for the upcoming Reflections.

�I recorded a couple of songs with Randy Rogers,� he reveals. �We seemed to gel real well. We worked the Austin County Fair together a while back and became friends.�

In his early days, Bush worked in Ray Price�s band, the Cherokee Cowboys. As far as Price�s reaction to Blake Shelton�s recent words about the state of country music, Bush thinks both singers are right.

�When Shelton attacked the jackasses and grandpa�s music and old farts, that was a bit over the top, but mostly he said today�s music seems aimed at the younger market. CD sales are down for everybody. Ray had good points, too, but ultimately the music�s always changing. Remember, when the Grand Ole Opry started it didn�t allow electric instruments or drums. It was basically hillbillies.

�When Ernest Tubb came in with an electric guitar, they were just horrified. I think traditional country music has its place, because it�s about real life situations. Being that the divorce rate is 50 percent, somebody out there is hurting. That Shelton thing helped everybody. A hit song doesn�t care who sings it.�

Homegrown wildlife, feral, and fun.

Bay Area jams.