Also, I think Austin is just a place to live. There doesn't need to be anything stressful or longterm about it.

If Austin is appealling to you, do it. But don't make that big a move just cause an opportunity falls in your lap. Decide what you want and pursue it with gusto.

I still vote LA but your vote is obviously the only one that counts.

you and me both, bubba.

Yeah, i just applied thinking i wouldn't even get the interview and that would be solved for me.

Woops.

Still, i could always do 6 months in A-TX, see what shakes out of it, and then hop to L.A...

Phil,

You can ALWAYS go back to Chitown if it doesn't work out! Go for it. See and play in Austin for a while. This world will always need teachers so getting another job is cake! At least go to the interview! look at the city enjoy the trip for nothing else other than going to a cool new town!

You're still young take the chance now, when you get to be an old fart you won't EVER regret it.

Actually, even doing work with ol' Willie himself won't get you too far. My former drum teacher played on three of Willie's albums. Liner notes credit is nice and all, but I don't thing it helped him acquire any more of the puntang.

But Austin is an awesome town, only complaint would be the cost of living there. But a biggie on the plus side is you're only 3 hours away from yours truly.

True, but is 6 months really enough time to give any city? And if you're going to give just 6 months to something to see what shakes out of it, wouldn't it be smarter to give that six months to liquid soul to see what becomes of the album you're working on?

this thread is on fuckin' FIRE!

People here love you Phil.

My threads die in a New York minute.

(I saw to go to Austin if you get the job and see what happens. You neve want to wake up 20 years from now wondering "What if?..."

but have you seen Phil? that guy is a chick magnet, he just needs to learn how to seal the deal. (which he may have mad skills at which I never witnessed because he was in a relationship)

Phil =

Therefore he needs no fame or big record deals to assist him in this venture. But if it helps the decision, Texas women are fucking hott. And Austin is one of the fittest cities in the country. So unless you like hott UNFIT women.....

you = smart.

I played there the past two SXSW's and loved it. LOVED it.

But what's the town like when SXSW isn't going on?

there is your answer. You loved it. What's keeping you in Chicago? Fam? This will give them a place to go to in the dead of winter! GET OUTTA DODGE!
As far as "But what's the town like when SXSW isn't going on?" the SAME shit that happens in every town.

Austin, college town= hot southern babes. Not far from Spring break festivities!!!

One random week:

Thu. 11/10
Alex Dupree at End of an Ear (2209 South First, 6pm, free)
Metric, Death of a Party, The Lovely Feathers at The Parish Room
The Slackers, Capt. Industry, Heart and Soul Sound System at Flamingo Cantina
Lickety Splitz, Attractive and Popular (Lafayette, LA), Tran Tram, Things That Go Pop! at Beerland
The Eyeliners, The Hot As Shits at Emo's (late show)
Juliana Theory, Jamison Parker, June, And Roses Are Red at Emo's
ECFA Trio, Bee vs. Moth, Muppletone, Cobofoofaroo, Nic Armstrong & the Thieves (8pm) at Room 710
Soulblood Divide, Silenced, In Theory (Ft. Worth), The Knockout Kings (Ft. Worth), Carbon Omega at Redrum
Underwood, Hurts to Purr, Summer Wardrobe, David Newbould Band at Trophy's
The Diamond Smugglers, The Bloody Tears at The Continental Club
Exit, Mend at Elysium
Hard Knocks & the Heads, Vermicious Canids, 40 Thieves at Headhunters
Gravy Boat, Grub Dog, Darin Murphy, Alice Spencer at The Hole in the Wall
Eating Alice (LA), Exit the King, Games & Theory at The Back Room
Fri. 11/11
Belhome (CD release) at End of an Ear (7pm, free)
Green Milk from the Planet Orange (Japan), Rubble, Tuxedo Killers at Red Eyed Fly
Nic Armstrong and the Thieves, The Vain, Corridor Vamp at Beerland
Cruiserweight, The Fall Collection, The Always Ready, Paper Airlines at Emo's (late show)
Lorene Drive, Over, The Forecast, My Epiphany at Emo's (early show)
The Slackers, Capt. Industry, Heart and Soul Sound System at Flamingo Cantina
Blort, Basic, Crow, Papa Psychic, Tia Carrera (8pm) at Room 710
Mevyn, Powderburn, Brotherhood, Shrapnel, Hollow Point at The Back Room
Mr. Entertainment, Baby Robots at The Parlor (100-B North Loop, 9pm)
American Graveyard, Fluffer's Union at Trophy's
Bent Gents, Meatwood, Zombilly, Bricks ATX, Spector 45 at Headhunters
Johnnie Goudie, Pink Nasty, Golden Apples, Texcentrics at The Hole in the Wall
Grey Haven, Shinola, Trepanation, Sybil, Love Mafia Jazz at Redrum
Jazz at St. James Concert Series with Hank Crawford (alto saxophone), The James Polk Trio, the Alex Coke-Rich Harney Quartet, Pamela Hart at St. James' Episcopal Church (3701 E. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd, 7pm, $20)
Brian Allen (trombone) & Reuben Radding (bass), Chris Cogburn (drums) & Juan Garcia (bass) at the Dandelion Cafe (1115 E. 11th St, 9pm, $0-8 donations)
Sat. 11/12
Andreas Tilliander (5pm), Brian Allen & Ruben Radding (6pm) at End of an Ear (2209 South First, free)
Cannibal Ox (reunion), Starving Martyrs at Emo's
Sound Team, Mazarin, The Glass Family at Emo's
Pat Todd & the Rank Outsiders, Sons of Hercules, Gravyboat at Beerland
The Sword, Cadinale, Cathar at 2503-A East 6th Street (behind the Peacock, starts at 9pm)
AMODA Digital Showcase with Andreas Tilliander (Sweden), Hyperbubble, officerfishdumplings, DJ sets by Majora y Minora, Luken at Copa (3rd & Congress, 9pm-2am, $8 general, $4 for members, free with memberships purchased before 10/05)
Rock the Casbah 21 with DJ Mel at The Parish Room
Cerulean, The Onlys, Elvis on Speed at Trophy's
The Cooties (CD release), The Shim Shams at The Parlor (100-B North Loop, 9pm)
Grimy Styles, Rocker T (NY), DJ Dr. Dubbist at Flamingo Cantina
Pink Swords, The Drunks, High Divers, More Fire, Castle Siege, Black Novas at Headhunters
Warhammer 48k, Gravity Propulsion Systems, El Paso Hot Button, Jett Black, The F and the C at Room 710
By Any Means Necessary, Vex, Necrogazm, Bedlam, Ruins of Honor at The Back Room
Tea Bag, Sleeping Giant, Wax Dart, Downforce, The Center of the Universe at Redrum
Jazz at St. James Concert Series with Hank Crawford (alto saxophone), The James Polk Trio, the Alex Coke-Rich Harney Quartet, Kellye Gray at St. James' Episcopal Church (3701 E. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd, 7pm, $20)
The Austin New Music Co-op presents "Beyond the Past: New Music for Extinct Instruments" with new works by Sarah Norris, Philip Moody & Chris Petkus, Brent Fariss, Kirk Laktas & James Alexander, Travis Weller, Alex Keller, Peter Stopschinski and Holland Hopson at Ballet Austin (3002 Guadalupe, $15, $10 for students)
Sun. 11/13
Vacation Gold, Summer Wardrobe, Crawling With Kings, Youngmond Grand at Snake Eyes Vinyl (1211 E. 7th St., 4pm)
Get Hustle, Animals of the Bible, Uncool Niece, Mythical Beast, Children in Heat at Beerland
Stitch Fashion Show with Belaire, DJ Mel, DJ Jennifer (of Ear Candy) at Emo's
Consider the Source, America Is Waiting, The Jon Benet, The Kidnap Soundtrack, Triumph of Gnomes at Redrum
The Breedlove Oddessy tour with Mos Def, Talib Kweli, Pharoh Monch, Jean Grae at Stubb's
Rubinchick's Yiddish Ensemble at the Dell Jewish Community Campus (7300 Hart Ln, 7:30pm, $10)
Human Being Lawnmower, Arson Saints, Just Guns, Hurts to Purr at The Hole in the Wall
Games & Theory, Morello, Sea Flea, Exeter at Room 710
Hawthorne Heights, Silverstein, Bayside & Aiden at La Zona Rosa
Bavu Blakes, D-Madness at Stubb's (Inside, after Mos Def)
Red Hunter, Tacks Boy Disaster, Physics of Meaning, Ticonderoga at Trophy's
Mon. 11/14
Piebald (on at midnight), Hot Rod Circiut, Hit the Lights, Valient Thorr at Emo's
Romanalisas (Dallas) at The Parlor (100-B North Loop, 9pm)
Condition of Sale (CD release) at Plush (617 Red River)
Dios Malos, Swords (Portland), Pilotdrift, Steel Train at Stubb's
Heart & Soul Sound System at Room 710
Nevermore, Ignitor, Vesperian Sorrow, Force Fed at The Back Room
Cynical Vision, Drifted, The Artillery, Leaving July, Protesus at Redrum
Tarantula A.D., The Lemurs at The Parish Room
Tue. 11/15
Toys That Kill, Urchin, Bent Outta Shape, Glass and Ash, happy hour at 7pm with Spot and Charlie at Beerland
Styrofoam, Alias (Anticon), Oranges Band at Emo's
Dave's Not Here, Original Booty Burglars, Schlong Daddy, Richard Bacchus (ex-D Generation, Murphy's Law), Rev. Timmy James at Headhunters
Soraia, Ouija Radio at Room 710
A Pocketful of Deng, Last Call Casualty, Caution, Mezoic, 8 Systems at Redrum
Wed. 11/16
We March, No Grave but the Sea, Century of War at Beerland
Applicators, Street Brats, Sober Daze at Emo's
Super Furry Animals, Caribou at La Zona Rosa
Cerberus Shoal, The Weird Weeds, Dead Waiter at Ballet Austin (3002 Guadalupe)
Locos por Guana (El Paso), Subrosa Union, Devil in the Choir, Southern Drama at Flamingo Cantina
Thrice, Underoath, The Beld, Veda at Stubb's
Teabag, Superheavygoatass, Pill Crusher, Kinetic, Bearded Clam Diggers (8pm) at Room 710
Hit by a Car, Auto Erotics, Illiterati at Headhunters
WT Special, Ridgtop Syncopators, Roger Wallace at The Hole in the Wall
Camisade, The December Drive (Weslaco, Tex.), The Tiffanys, Happening at Redrum
Thu. 11/17
KVRX benefit with The Old Timerz, Assacre, The Invincible Czars at Flamingo Cantina
Broadcast, Gravenhurst, Zookeeper at The Parish Room
Epistrophy Arts presents The Thing w/ Joe McPhee at Victory Grill (1104 E. 11th St., 8pm)
My Morning Jacket, Will Johnson at La Zona Rosa
Ex Models, Red X Red M (members of Switchitter, Those Peabodys), Best Fwends, Ethan Master of the Hawaiian Ukelele and his Imaginary Friends at Emo's
Flametrick Subs, Satan's Cheerleaders, Bent Gents at Beerland
Boz Boorer at Red Eyed Fly
Attic Ted, Opposite Day, La Mancha at Room 710
Eric Tessmer, Elvis on Speed, Gatesville (Chris Gates), Casket Life, Soraia (Philly) at Headhunters
Adrian & the Sickness, Jason Blum, Alice Spencer at The Hole in the Wall
Sons of Sultans, Civilians, Darla at Trophy's
Whitman, Five and Dime Ship, Verneshot, Matador, Travis Curtain at Redrum

. . . and that's not all that's happening, by far . . .

Yes. Don't freak.

Sounds kinda dead. Maybe you shouldn't go.

Btw, I completely forgot to ask my friends about job opportunities when I saw them this weekend. Just sent an email and hope to have an answer for you by tomorrow.

Selfish reasons = we want Phil in LA!!

Practical reasons = Phil needs to go where his heart and gut takes him.

Go to Austin, Phil, but cook me some food before you go.

Ajamaramapooj??

now is the time in your life to take chances.
you're extremely unencumbered by big life stuff.

just stay close to austin.
it's still the south.

yeah because chicago has proven to be a big wide world of cultural diversity for him....

I say roll with it, Phil. If the Liquid Soul thing works and they want you, they will fly you back in. Personally though, I think that shit is done.

Its time for a fresh start and you might as well make it in a town that is not so big that you cant get a rep, not so small that it doesnt have a very vibrant music scene, and not so full of young impressionable minds (and young unexplored bodies) that you can't really make a go of it.

If not, cconsider the ATL; I know people already in the studio biz. This is Black Hollywood. This is The Edge.

austin is a (the) bastion of liberal thinking in texas.
i'm not dissing anyone.
texas is just not a place consider conducive to my lifestyle.

but then, neither is california but for different reasons.

Phil,
A few thoughts from someone who's heading to Austin this spring.

I went to SXSW in 2002 and had a blast of the kind that only a flaming music geek can have in that environment. It was like grown-up Disney World for four days. That, combined with the overall feeling of vitality, good weather, BEAUTIFUL women, and a dozen other factors made me bookmark it as a place to possibly eventually relocate.
But, like you, I wondered what it would be like when it wasn't indie rock Disney Land and set about looking at other places.
New York, Chicago and Boston lost out because of weather (the wheelchair and snow don't get along AT ALL).
Los Angeles lost out because it's too plastic and sprawly and ridiculously expensive. ATL was in the running, but it never "clicked" with me.

So I went back to Austin in October (when it was just business as usual - no music extravaganzas to speak of) and from the moment I got in I knew it was right. Super people, plenty of progressive folks, easy to get around, not too expensive, a shit ton of clubs and concert halls, great restaurants... you get the idea.

If you give it a chance, I doubt that you'd be disappointed and will actually be pretty fuckin' happy with the decision in the end. It's a truly great place and I can't wait to get there. Good luck with whatever you decide to do.