Tim McGraw/Grateful Dead

Tim McGraw going back to his swarthy/lonely-look phase of 10 years ago seems pretty cynical tribute to his old product self after his house-husband persona of the past couple of years. That really looks like a woman's demin shirt he's wearing on the website, I don't care if the chest hair looks like it's been specially groomed for the photo shoot.

Speaking of tribute bands, I ask you this, kind reader: Was the Grateful Dead's 1987 return the first classic rock tribute effort? When I think of the "hit singles" from that album, they certainly sound like the kind of tribute product the Rollin' Stones also became conversant in two years later and proceeded to "produce" up through '05 every couple of years when they toured. That year, '89, seemed to open the floodgates for going to see yer fave band from yore and pretending that it's yore. And spending a bunch of money on t-shirts and such, it has been honed to a science in the intervening years. And the Stones are the masters at making rock money, so there you go.

And now here's Tim McGraw suddenly looking a little lonesome and surly after playing the dutiful husband, the aging former hunky jock type in two Hollywood feature films. What are you selling, bub, and why should I buy it? Why should I buy anything? I'm tired.

Next up, Grateful Dead movie from last week.