Happy 70th Birthday to Steve Cropper..an amazing guitar player, songwriter..and a guy who has an interesting connection to Madison.
When Otis Redding's plane went down in Lake Monona in 1967, one of Cropper's beloved guitars (I believe a Telecaster) went down with it. And he has said he never wrote another hit song after that.
Now I doubt there's much left of it after all these years...but it sure would be cool if a diver could find it.
Cropper co-wrote "Sittin' On the Dock of the Bay," "In the Midnight Hour," among others, and as a founding member of Booker T and The MG's was involved in the recording of pretty much every record Stax Records ever put out.
And don't forget he's the "Steve" of "Play it Steve" on the song "Soul Man"...the Sam & Dave and Blues Brothers Versions.
He's still making records too..most recently putting out a great album called "Dedicated" features duets with B.B. King, Lucinda Williams, John Popper and Steve Winwood.
Find out more about Cropper's amazing career on his website at www.playitsteve.com.
"If you tried to give rock and roll another name, you might call it 'Chuck Berry'."--John Lennon
Chuck Berry turns 85 years old today..and he's still gigging. I'm not sure he's doing his signature duck walk anymore..but just standing upright and holding a guitar for any length of time would be an accomplishment for most people his age. I checked his tour schedule, and he's playing BB King's Club in New York City on New Year's Eve!
I was lucky enough to see Chuck Berry several years ago as part of a double bill with Little Richard. While he was a little cranky (he thought video cameras being used to project the show on big screens were actually recording him and he got testy), and his guitar chops weren't seamless, it was still incredible to be able to see such an icon up close and personal.
Funny concert memory: Mike and I were sitting next to Madison sandwich tycoon Big Mike (of Big Mike's and Milio's fame), who was really getting into the show. At one point, Chuck asked all the pretty ladies to come up on stage and dance with him. While I was too shy, Big Mike (who lives up to his name) ran up on stage and gave it his all! I ran into Big Mike this summer and mentioned that to him, and he asked me, "Can you blame me?"
No comment.
There are lots of great videos featuring Chuck Berry on youtube..and in many of them, he's playing with rock and roll luminaries that he influenced.
This one is from the documentary "Hail Hail Rock and Roll," and features a famous son of one of the biggest rock stars ever.
The blues world is mourning the loss of David "Honeyboy" Edwards, who died early yesterday at his home. The last of the original delta blues performers has died, just shy of his 96th birthday.
I was lucky enough to see "Honeyboy" when he played the Belleville Blues Festival a couple of years ago, to introduce him and to shake the hand of a man who was a contemporary of Robert Johnson. It was an incredible honor.
This is a guy who was respected by every one from Robert Cray to Keith Richards, and was still a helluva performer almost until the very end. He played his last shows in April of this year.
There's a documentary available on DVD that tells his life story. Check out the trailer here and click here for more info.
If Keith Moon were still alive, he would have turned 65 this week. And while many argue that Moon was one of the best drummers ever (and I would be among them), most every one would agree that he was the maddest drummer out there. And by mad, I mean crazy.
There's the legendary story of Moon adding extra explosives to the special effects for an appearance on the Smothers Brothers show, knocking out 90 percent of Pete Townshend's hearing in one ear.
And the other story of him driving a Cadillac into a Holiday Inn swimming pool to celebrate his 21st birthday.
Moon definitely added a sense of humor to the Who, something that was clearly missed after his death. Not that I necessarily think causing deafness or criminal damage to property is funny, but there was just always something a little cheeky about him. (Get it? Moon? Cheeky?)
I bet he spent a lot of time in the headmaster's office during his school days.
Here's the famous Smothers Brothers clip:
Check out how rubbery Keith's arms seem to be! This is from an episode of Shindig. Amazing!
Back before anybody ever heard of "singer-songwriters," there were very talented folks who wrote the songs, but rarely sang them where any one could hear.
We lost two greats on Monday when Jerry Leiber died of cardiopulmonary failure at the age of 78, and Nick Ashford died of throat cancer at age 69.
Leiber, along with his writing partner Mike Stoller, came up with some songs that were something more than "classic," if there were a word for that.
Leiber was barely out of high school when he co-wrote Hound Dog for Big Mama Thornton, that Elvis eventually made a hit. Leiber said it was written in 12 minutes flat! Other songs with the Jerry Leiber credit include Stand By Me, Jailhouse Rock, Spanish Harlem, On Broadway, and even a novelty hit or two, including Yakety Yak for the Coasters.
Nick Ashford was one-half of the songwriting duo Ashford & Simpson. He and his wife Valerie wrote lots of great Motown hits, including Aint No Mountain High Enough and Reach Out and Touch (Somebody's Hand) for Diana Ross. They had a hit that they sang in the in the 1980's. Remember Solid As A Rock?
Do you think maybe Leiber and Ashford will team up and write some songs for a new demographic, on the other side?
I was a little surprised when I heard that Ted Nugent was coming to Madison to play the Capitol Theater at the Overture Center.
For one thing, I don't think he'll be sporting a Wisconsin 14 shirt, like The Nightwatchman Tom Morello might when he comes to Madison in September.
The last time I saw Ted Nugent (yes, I've seen him twice) he opened for KISS at the Kohl Center. Neither his music, or his political ranting were my personal cup of tea. (But I did think it was kind of awesome when he shot an arrow off a specially made bow-guitar).
At one time, I thought I could have been friends with Ted Nugent. There used to be a cool hippie bar in Stevens Point called the Yacht Club, which had a very big picture of the bar's owner posing with none other than Ted Nugent, holding up some kind of dead game. (Pheasants, perhaps?) Ted and Ray apparently were hunting buddies.
Now I've got nothing against hunting, and any friend of Ray, I thought, could be a friend of mine.
The first time I saw Ted was during a Damn Yankees concert at the Coliseum in 1990. I had won the tickets, and had no idea Ted was even in the band. "Why is this band doing Cat Scratch Fever?" I wondered.
When I was in the restroom, I was chatting with some other concertgoers, and pointed out that I had been unaware that Nugent was in the band, and said "I grew up listening to his music."Â To that, another gal asked.."How old ARE you?"
Sigh.
Here's Ted with his old band, the Amboy Dukes. Who knew where his journey would take him back then?
Naming your band after an animal is certainly not new. And you'd think that eventually there would be no suitable band names left in the entire animal kingdom.
That's where you would be wrong.
In the first wave of bands named after critters we had... the Crickets, the Byrds, the Beatles, the Animals, the Eagles, the Turtles, and yes, even the Critters.
Then we had the second wave, which include Counting Crows, Black Crowes, Toad the Wet Sprocket, Whitesnake, and Phish.
Some of my favorite newer bands include Frightened Rabbit, Super Furry Animals, Fleet Foxes, Panda Bear, Freelance Whales, and Eagles of Death Metal.
I'm not really quite understanding the latest obsession with bands with the word Deer in the name..they include Deerhoof, Deer Tick, Deer Camp, Deer Woman, Starved Deer, and even Festival of Dead Deer.
One area of the animal kingdom that seems under-represented is undersea creatures. So I've come up with a few names that I believe would be awesome. Or least better than Festival of Dead Deer.
In no particular order, I present:
Orange Starfish
Sea Cucumber Salad
The Lowly Snails
Carpsucker
You wanted the best you've got the best...we're proud to introduce..Muskellunge!
It had been a while since I had listened to my CD of Life's Rich Pageant. So when I threw the new 25th anniversary remastered CD into my Bose Wave radio, I wasn't sure how it compared to the old one.
I listened to the album A LOT when it first came out. How I even came to own it is actually kind of a funny story. I'll cut to the chase. I wanted Robert Palmer's Riptide for Christmas, but my younger brother bought me Life's Rich Pageant instead, because it was better. And what do you know, he was right!
Listening to this album again reminded me of how I listened to R.E.M. back in the day, on vinyl. I really had no idea what any of the songs were about, and for the most part couldn't understand what exactly Michael Stipe was singing.
A lot of phrases of the songs stuck in my head back then..like "this is where we walked, this is where we swam, take a picture here, take a souvenir." "My sweet hyena..." "Run and turn into butter."
After I listened to the CD I put my old one in for comparison purposes, and sonically, the new one is a big improvement. If you're just going to load it onto your iPod, I'm not sure its worth rebuying..but if you have a good stereo or even a Bose CD player like I do, it's worth it to get the upgrade. The remastering sounds great...not different, just better..less tinny, more full.
The bonus CD that came with it was a disappointment. It's made up of 19 songs from a previously unreleased concert, and for the most part sounds too much like the record..and includes early versions of some stuff that would show up on later records! The last song is kind of interesting. "Get On That Way" is an earlier version of "What if we Give It Away," so I guess it's somewhat cool to hear it with different words.
A big fan of R.E.M.? Go buy this 2 CD set. A so-so fan who already owns the CD? Keep the one you've got. Just discovering the band and want to see what the fuss was about before they started singing stuff like "Shiny Happy People?" You should go buy this. They really were quite good.
And so much better than Robert Palmer singing "Addicted to Love."
Now some people accuse me of having too much free time. And that may be the case. I've spent hours making creations out marshmallow peeps. And don't even ask me about how much painstaking detail I've gone to in order to create a Halloween costume that, in the end, no one understands.
But all of that's nothing compared to a group of Lego artistes who took more than 2 years to create a video of the Coldplay song Viva La Vida in Lego's.
Hey, at least they got it finished before Coldplay's new album came out!
It's actually quite well done. Kudos!
(Hey, maybe I could make some kind of video out of Kudos granola snacks!)
Gotta love those Madison summer festivals...
It was an extremely warm afternoon in Madison, but folks looking for entertainment and camaraderie got what they were looking for at Atwood Summerfest on Saturday!
And it was all for a good cause..the Goodman Community Center.
MTV is turning 30 years old this August, so I thought I'd dip back into my memory banks to the early days of the music TV network..back when they actually played videos!
Not every city had MTV right away, but Stevens Point was, amazingly, an early adapter and Jones Intercable or whatever cable company we had back then got on the MTV train only a week or two after it premiered.
I wasn't a huge fan, but did watch it when there wasn't anything else on, or I was hanging out with friends and needed some background music while we chatted and drank!
These are my TOP FIVE MTV videos that for some reason have been imbedded in my brain for all these years (in no particular order).
1. "Land of Confusion" by Genesis. Reaction then: "Wow, they're getting so political! Awesome." Reaction now: "Puppets are creepy."
2. "Cry" by Godley and Creme. Reaction then: "Amazing visual effects, so trippy!" Reaction now: "Um, I guess that was kinda cool."
3. "Freeze Frame" by the J. Geils Band. Reaction then: "Peter Wolf looks a little like Gilligan." Reaction now: "I want that Danelectro guitar."
4. "Take On Me" by A-ha. Reaction then: "Cool pencil animation, lame song." Reaction now: "Cool pencil animation, lame song."
5. "In Your Letter" by REO Speedwagon. Reaction then: "I'm thinking REO might not be all that cool after all." Reaction now: "Kevin Cronin needs to eat a sandwich."
This Saturday it will be extra festive around the Barrymore Theatre..it's Atwood Summerfest time again!
This is one of Madison's great summer festivals, with tasty food, refreshing beverages..and great live music. Local bands make up this year's lineup, with a little something for everybody.
Proceeds benefit the Goodman Community Center (which used to be the Atwood Community Center). They've got great programs for kids and adults and really do great work. This is one of their major fundraisers, so let's hope it's a big success.
Now I know it's going to be HOT this weekend, but here's another great thing about this festival. It's located within convenient walking distance of several air conditioned bars.
Here's the lineup for 2011!
Harmony Bar / Capital Brewery BLUES Stage
12:00 pm The Roddys: a duo that mixes country with the blues
1:10 pm Cris Plata and Extra Hot: original Tex Mex
2:20 pm Sigourney Weavers:Â original rock/alternative
3:30 pm David Hecht and Primitive Culture: funk, blues, tropical
4:40 pm Kyle Henderson and Blue Eyed Soul: soul & blues from an original member of the Producers
5:50 pm The Jimmys: 8-piece Chicago style blues led by rock-n-roll farmer Jimmy VoegeliMaximum Ink / Ale Asylum ROCK Stage:
12:00 pm Unity the Band: reggae
1:20 pm Lova Nova: get your groove on
2:40 pm Soul Shaker: rock n roll, blues
4:00 pm Baghdad Scuba Review: progressive rock
5:30 pm VO5: funk/disco/dance
After Amy Winehouse died last weekend, a lot of people rushed to their computers to download her albums. In fact, she's back on Billboard's Top Ten.
In the sales cycle ending on Sunday, 50,000 copies of her two albums were sold. Compare that to 1400 the week before..and 44,000 so far this year (according to Nielsen Soundscan). More than 46,000 of the albums that sold (mostly from Saturday to Sunday, I'm sure), were sold as downloads.
Makes sense, since most of us probably found out about Winehouse's death online. I found out on facebook. One more click..and I would have had the whole album!
The surge in the sale of Amy Winehouse albums has got me thinking about the whole concept of rock stars' music becoming more popular after their death. I guess it seems like a natural way to mourn..to appreciate the artists' work and realize that their music will live on. What I don't get is the bandwagon people..who really had no interest in an artist until they died.
I'll have to admit, I got more interested in Elvis after he died in August of 1977. I didn't run out and buy any albums, but I did cut a lot of articles out of the paper and make a scrapbook.
And despite the fact that I was a John Lennon fan before his death, I didn't even go out and buy Double Fantasy, but millions of people did. I just couldn't get past the Yoko factor on that one, so I just threw some Beatles on the turntable and let that music help me heal.
But you know record companies have mixed feelings when their artists die. Sure it cuts down on the long range sales projections, but in the short term, it means big bucks.
This concept was the topic of a Smiths song that came out in the 1980's on the album "Strangeways Here We Come."Â The song "Paint a Vulgar Picture"Â starts out like this.. "At the record company meeting, on their hands a dead star, and oh the plans they weave, and oh the sickening greed..."
But greed is good, right?
I was very excited that the Dodgeville Chamber of Commerce brought back their annual Blues Fest this year. It was canceled, due to the economy, last year but was back in full force for 2011.
In the past the fest was free, but this year they charged admission (still cheap...$7 or 2 for $10), and I was worried attendance would be down..but by the end of the night there was quite a crowd...so I'm hopeful it will be back in 2012.
One of the great things about this festival..they bring in bands that I've never heard of..but are always great!
This year the headliner was Dave Herrero, a blues guitar player and singer from Chicago. According to the bio on his website, he used to play guitar with Archie Bell and The Drells, and has toured Europe 13 times. He plays a lot at Buddy Guy's Legends as well.
Mike and I thought he reminded us a little of Jimmie Vaughan...a great player with a great voice. And that's a mighty pretty Les Paul he's playing in that photo I snapped (right).
This is one of the songs we rocked out to in Dodgeville on Saturday.
Enjoy!
You can find out more about Dave Herrero here.
In honor of Carlos Santana's 64th birthday, and because he's our Friday feature, I thought I'd share with you some Santana Fun Facts, in no particular order.
1. Santana played Woodstock before their first album came out. Santana says he was on acid during the performance, and remembers none of it.
2. Two early Santana members, Greg Rolie and Neal Schon, left the band and formed Journey. Greg's the guy that sang both Black Magic Woman and Evil Ways.
3. Carlos is on the Board of Directors of Casa Noble Tequila.
4. Carlos owns four upscale restaurants named Maria Maria after one of his songs, three in California, one in Austin, Texas.
5. In appreciation for a guitar amplifier he built for him, Carlos Santana bought Howard Dumble a house.
6. He has a line of women's footwear. Carlos shoes include designs with names like Roulette, Baubles, and Bohemia.
7. He was #15 on Rolling Stone's list of 100 Best Guitarists.
8. Born in Mexico, he has been a naturalized U.S. citizen since 1965.
9. He proposed to his current wife, drummer Cindy Blackman, at a concert in Tinley Park, IL last year.
10. He has an entire room in his house just for T-shirts.
Santana, flying and seeing colors at Woodstock, 1969
What a coincidence that Motown great Martha Reeves is celebrating a milestone birthday today--and we're just in the beginning stages of a Heat Wave! (Not the kind that's burning in your heart.)
Reeves is 70 years old and still tours..after taking a brief time out to get into politics. She was on the Detroit City Council from 2005-2009.
I checked out her website and discovered that when you purchase a CD or photograph, she'll personally autograph it for you. You can get a personally signed picture for just 5-bucks. Sounds like a steal to me.
Check out her website here.
And here she is a "few" years back.
No, not the character in the Kurt Vonnegut novel. You may recall a duo called Billy Pilgrim put out in the early to mid-90's. Some folks called them the Indigo Boys, because of their jangly guitars and sweet harmonies. A couple of songs that got a lot of airplay on Triple M back then were "Get Me Out of Here," "Insomniac," and "Half-way Home."
Well one of those Indigo Boys is doing quite well, thank you.
Andrew Hyra is the brother of actress Meg Ryan, but that's not the one I'm talking about. Kristian Bush, the guy in the hat, pictured below, is one half of another duo...the highly successful Sugarland, which headlined at Summerfest in Milwaukee on Sunday night. The concert got excellent reviews, and was said to be more crossover pop than straight country.
Back in the day, when they played Triple M's Taste of Madison stage, Kristian signed a CD for me, "Nice meeting you, see ya soon." Well I'm still waiting for my reunion. Wonder if he still has that hat.
Have you seen the new Target commercial with the kids creating a good old summertime ruckus in the store, with the Status Quo song "Pictures of Matchstick Men" in the background?
Not sure this line from the song is a great sales point for the store:
"When I look up to the skies I see your eyes a funny kind of yellow."
Lucky they didn't use the next line, which is somewhat ominous.
"I rush home to bed I soak my head I see your face beneath my pillow."
Here's the original song..
And here's the Target ad. Everything you need for summertime fun, except the hallucinogenic mushrooms.
"I don't care about the rules. In fact, if I don't break the rules at least 10 times in every song then I'm not doing my job properly." --Jeff Beck
Happy 67th birthday to a guy who holds much esteem in my household..the one and only Jeff Beck!
I've had the opportunity to see Jeff four times: twice at the Eagles Ballroom in Milwaukee, once at the 2003 Madison Blues Festival, and almost exactly one year ago at the Crossroads Guitar Festival in Chicago.
(The photo, at right, was taken at the Madison Blues Festival by my good friend Wendy Darnell!)
I'm always amazed and mystified about the sounds he gets out of his guitar. How DOES he do it?
Oh--important Jeff Beck news. He's currently working on a new album with his old pal Rod Stewart! They haven't worked together since the classic Beck albums "Truth" and "Beck-ola." I certainly hope they aren't doing an album of standards or show tunes. But you know, I bet Beck could make "Surrey With The Fringe On Top" sound great.
Check out this performance with Jimmy Paige, and tell me you're not impressed.
Plus, he can rock the neck scarf like no one else I know.
Some people might not be aware that Paul McCartney and Brian Wilson are members of a Mutual Admiration Society. Their birthdays are just two days apart (Paul on June 18 and Brian on June 20).
While the Beach Boys wave of success started before Beatlemania, both groups were pretty darn huge in the 1960's. And while such competition might create jealousy and anger among some, with Brian and Paul, it was the opposite. Both served as inspiration to the other..for the most part.
When I saw Brian Wilson perform the Smile album at Overture Center several years ago, he pointed out that "God Only Knows" was Paul McCartney's favorite song, and seemed quite proud of that fact. In fact, Paul has said he was inspired by the Beach Boys album "Pet Sounds," as Sgt. Pepper was envisioned. And you can't help but notice that Paul's song "Back in the USSR" on the White Album is an homage to the Beach Boys.
Oh, and in case you're interested, Brian has said his favorite Beatles song is "Let It Be."
I've lived in Madison since 1989, and have experienced some pretty amazing concerts. I've been fortunate enough to have seen the Rolling Stones at Camp Randall twice, attended all the Madison blues festivals, and have seen some pretty amazing acts in small clubs. But some experiences stand out more than others, and for reasons you might not expect.
MOST TICKED OFF LEAD SINGER
I wasn't in the audience when Ryan Adams flipped out at the Barrymore because some one yelled out "Summer of '69," the title of a Bryan Adams hit. But I was at the Club De Wash when Peter Himmelman couldn't stand the loud bass thumping coming from the gay bar below. He did the entire solo show standing on the bar, his boots just a precarious foot away from my cocktail.
SOMETHING THAT NEVER HAPPENS, HAPPENS
When you attend a concert and you yell for an encore, you usually give up when the house lights come on. But some very determined Barenaked Ladies fans really wanted to hear Be My Yoko Ono as a 1995 show concluded at the Barrymore. When the lights came on, I headed for the exit..only to hear the band return to the stage to fulfill the crowd's demands. Yeah, that was pretty cool.
UNEXPECTED VENUES
I've seen Sonia Dada play at Rose Records, a shop that used to be on State Street. I didn't plan on going to their show later that night at the Crystal Corner Bar, but Paris wooed me with his super low bass voice. I still get chills. I also saw Dave Mason at Best Buy on Madison's west side last year, and I'm still kicking myself I didn't get to see R.E.O. Speedwagon when they played at Walmart a few years ago. (And no, I'm not making that up..ask Jonathan..he was there.)
INTIMATE SHOW THAT SHOULDN'T HAVE BEEN SO INTIMATE
When legendary Kinks frontman Ray Davies came to Madison on his Storytellers Tour, for some reason the show just didn't sell, and the Barrymore Theatre was almost empty. The show was fantastic not only because the songs are so great..but the stories he told were hilarious! You'd think he would have been ticked off about the low turnout..but he wasn't, and signed autographs afterward. I was so nervous that every one else would get a signature except me, all I could do was say "me, me, me" while holding my paper toward him. (I was successful and now have that autograph proudly framed.)
One of the things I love most about Madison is its great summer festivals..and now the first one has already come and gone! I had a blast at the Marquette Waterfront Festival, even though it was a little cloudier and windier than I had anticipated. Note to self: how hard is it to throw a sweatshirt in the car?
I'd never seen Robbie Fulks before and was very excited..but have to admit it was not what I expected at all. I missed probably the first half hour..but the songs I heard were not the twisted hard drinking alt-country songs I was expecting. And I certainly didn't think he would cover Michael Jackson (This Girl Is Mine). He did do "Let's Kill Saturday Night," so I had to let him off the hook.
I didn't really pay attention to the Campbell Brothers..although I could tell they were very talented musicians and singers. I guess I just wasn't in the mood for gospel.
The Bottle Rockets did not disappoint. Totally balls to the wall alt-country/rock and roll. They did most of the songs I was hoping for, including Radar Gun, I'll Be Comin' Around, and of course..Radar Gun.
I can't wait for the next summer neighborhood festival. I'll keep ya posted!
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So yesterday when I was writing a blog about the birthday of Andy Griffith, I noticed a line in the original vocal version of his 60's TV show..
"Pull up a weed to chaw, and maybe set and jaw."
That reminded me of a fun country ditty inspired by that wild gang of Mayberry characters. Maybe that weed they were chawin' on was on the wacky side. At least that's the way the group BR-549 sees it.
The first time I heard this song was at Summerfest years ago, and I was quite amused.
Did you hear about Mick Jagger's new supergroup? He says he's been in the recording studio making an album with Dave Stewart of the Eurythmics, Joss Stone, Damian Marley, and some guy from India who does film scores. Their name? Super Heavy.
Mick says they did a lot of improvising and jamming, and that he plays a lot of harmonica.
Can't say I'm super-excited about this idea.
A lot of supergroups aren't all that super. RememberAsia? Blind Faith had some good moments, but never was as great as the sum of their parts. The only one that I can really say is deserving of that title is Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young.
With that in mind, I decided to do a little brainstorming and come up with some more supergroups that will be at least on the level of Mick's new band.
Justin Bieber (vocals), Alejandro Escovedo (guitar), Jermaine Jackson (bass) and Lars Ulrich (drums).
Sheena Easton (vocals), Elliot Easton (guitar), Geddy Lee (bass)Â and Sheila E., (drums).
Jon Anderson (vocals), Ian Anderson (flute), Tommy Shaw (guitar), Noel Gallagher (bass), and Ringo (drums).
My next task? Coming up with names for these awesome combos I have created. Here's what I have so far..Super Crazy, Super Stupid, and Super Awesome. Feel free to mix and match.
More about Mick's supergroup here.
The poet laureate of a generation, Bob Dylan, turns 70 May 24th, so he's getting a little extra attention this month. I'm happy to join the party!
I've seen Dylan a few times, and find him to be entertaining, and yet mystifying. Sometimes a little confounding as well, as he reworks songs in concert so much it's hard to tell what song he's singing. Was that "Dogs Run Free" or "A Hard Rain's Gonna Fall?"
One thing that amuses me to no end is the Bob Dylan persona..especially when he was young, and would hold news conferences before his gigs around the world. Some segments of those are included in the fantastic Dylan documentaries "Don't Look Back,"Â directed by D.A. Pennebaker, and "No Direction Home," directed by Martin Scorsese.
Here are some of my favorite Dylan Q&A's from news conferences.
Journalist: Do you think of yourself primarily as a singer or a poet?
Dylan: Oh, I think of myself more as a song and dance man, y'know.
Journalist: What do you consider yourself? How would you classify yourself?
Dylan: Well, I like to think of myself in terms of a trapeze artist.
Journalist: Who are your favorite performers? I don't mean folk, I mean general.
Dylan: Rasputin . . . Hmmm . . . Charles de Gaulle . . . the Staple Singers. I sort of
have a general attitude about that. I like just about everybody everybody else likes.
Journalist: Has financial success changed your life?
Dylan: Yes, I have more money now.
Journalist: What have you done with it?
Dylan: I buy things.
Journalist: What is your real message?
Dylan: My real message? Keep a good head and always carry a lightbulb.
Here's a segment of one of those press conferences. Bob is just so cute and charming..and strange. Enjoy.
Willie's getting the gang together again for Farm Aid 2011. Willie Nelson made the announcement today that the day-long event will be at LiveStrong Sporting Park in Kansas City on August 13th.
I was hoping it would be held in Milwaukee again this year. Mike and I had a blast last October when it was held at Miller Park, even though the roof was closed and acoustics were less than perfect. It was just a great day of music with a wonderful vibe, even though a man behind us kept saying "Who????" really loudly after they introduced any one. "Ladies and gentlemen, Farm Aid is proud to welcome Jeff Tweedy." Who????"Â Ladies and gentlemen, Farm Aid is proud to welcome Jason Mraz."Â "Who?"Â You get the idea.
And of course it's all for a great cause.
They haven't announced who any of the supporting acts will be, but you can bet all the main dudes will be there--Dave Matthews, John Mellencamp, Neil Young, and Willie Nelson.
More info here.
Happy Birthday Dave Mason!
He turns 65 today...and has had a helluva career.
I'll admit that I first heard of Dave Mason when I was a teenager and heard "We Just Disagree." So that means I missed all of Traffic, some pretty cool solo albums and some other alliances completely!
Luckily it is possible to go back in time and catch up on what you missed.
Here's a brief Dave Mason timeline:
Mason joined Traffic, quit Traffic, joined again and the band broke up. Somewhere around the same time, he was hanging with Jimi Hendrix, and introduced him to this cool new Dylan song, "All Along the Watchtower." Hendrix dug it, so they recorded it that night with Mason playing acoustic guitar.
Right around 1970, Mason gets a call from his friend Eric Clapton, and tours with him and Delaney and Bonnie and Friends. He's supposed to be the guitar player for Derek and the Dominoes, but he passes and lets Duane Allman create some pretty serious musical magic.
Mason makes some solo albums..and in the late 1970's releases a single which becomes a hit ("We Just Disagree") and we're back where I started.
Fast forward more than 30 years, and I get to meet Dave Mason at a Best Buy store in Madison, where he's doing a little gig to promote a new record. I give him a hard time because he was supposed to come visit us at Triple M and play for us in Studio M, but there was a scheduling conflict. He signs my copy of "It's Like You Never Left" and Mike's copy of "Alone Together."
Anyway, here's a song that Dave Mason wrote when he was just a teenager. It only has two chords. You might recognize a few of the other folks up there with him.
It's hard to believe, but it was 34 years ago this week that the Eagles song "Hotel California" first hit number one.
I was a huge fan of this album, and played it a lot when I was a young teenage girl. This is one album that I bought twice on vinyl, because I wore the first one out!
Kitty's exciting moment regarding this album? I met the guy who took the album cover photo (David Alexander) and actually went to a New Year's Eve party at his house in the mountains of Ashland Oregon. (It was a really awesome house, with a tower in the middle so you could overlook the city!)
I was bumping around on youtube and found this awesome video of a couple kids playing "Hotel California" on the piano. Hope you like it.
With Mother's Day coming up I thought I'd come up with a nice little list of the best mom songs out there. Funny, it sure seems like there are a lot more mom songs that would NOT be appropriate in one of those Hallmark singing greeting cards.
Here are the top 5:
1. Mother by Pink Floyd. Any song that starts out "Mother do you think they'll try to break my balls" should not be included in a musical card and opened at brunch with the family.
2. Mother by John Lennon. "I wanted you, you didn't want me." This song came from Lennon's primal scream period and let's just say he had some issues.
3. Mother's Little Helper by the Rolling Stones. It's got a good beat and it's easy to dance to...but it doesn't paint the best picture of traditional housewives and moms...or the pharmaceutical industry.
4. My Guitar Wants to Kill Your Mama by Frank Zappa. No further explanation necessary.
5. Motorcycle Mama by Sailcat. Actually this song is just stupid (but it may bring back memories)."We'll see the world through my Harley."Â This is a true one-hit wonder from 1972. As in, "wonder why this was ever a hit."
When Al Green was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996, he was called "one of the most gifted purveyors of soul music," and I can definitely agree with that.
It's hard to believe he's a senior citizen. The Rev. Al Green turns 65 today. While he became an ordained minister in 1976, he made a return to his R & B roots in the late 80's. At one of the last Madison Blues Festivals I had a chance to see him live. And even though it was a Sunday night and I had been outside all weekend meeting Triple M listeners and enjoying music and beverages...I stayed until the very end. (Many of my Triple M colleagues left early..their mistake!)
I remember his voice sounded as smooth as ever and he looked smokin' hot in an all white suit.
While I don't have any video of that to share with you, here he is rockin' a different kind of suit in the early 70's. Enjoy!
Happy 74th Birthday Mr. Merle Haggard!
I have to admit I used to hate that twangy country music..but in the past decade or so I've warmed up to traditional country music like Merle, Johnny Cash, and dare I say it? Even Buck Owens!
So what's my connection to Merle Haggard? Have I memorized the names of all 38 number 1 country hits he scored between 1967 and 1988? Well...no.
Did I meet him or ever see him in concert? Not hardly.
Okay..here it is. Back in 1969 he had a hit with a song called "Okie From Muskogee." And that inspired a polka band in Stevens Point to record a song called "I'm Just a Pollack From Polonia" which was on jukeboxes all over town. (Polonia is a tiny little town located near Stevens Point). Merle Haggard sued. Production of this toe-tapping 45 was halted.
My favorite line? "They still drink Point Beer down at Kryzewski's, Point Special's still the greatest thrill of all. "
I own a copy of it. I got it at a rummage sale for a dime. Major score! And that's my connection to Mr. Haggard. I don't think he'd be too impressed.
But I do think you'll be impressed with this fine song. Find a dancin' partner!
"I'm Just a Pollack from Polonia"
When I was a younger lover of music, I pretty much refused to buy any album from any artist until they came out with a Greatest Hits package. More for the money, I thought.
Now this started to fade away when I got into my belated Beatlemania phase and my brother got me the silver "Rock and Roll" album I requested, and also got me "Sgt. Pepper" so I could hear the music the way it was intended.
So for what it's worth..here's a list of some of the Greatest Hits albums I had when I was junior high and high school (and a bit thereafter). Did you have any of these?
Elton John's Greatest Hits (Vol. 1) Favorite song at the time: "Rocket Man.""
Elton John's Greatest Hits (Vol. 2) Favorite song at the time:Â "Levon." Least favorite: "Grow Some Funk of Your Own." Just what was he singing about?
Simon & Garfunkel's Greatest Hits. Loved the slower songs. I like the song "Cecelia," but didn't like that it jolted me out of my relaxed mood at the end of side 2.
America's Greatest Hits. I had to skip over "Muskrat Love." Yuck.
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young So Far (Greatest Hits). I loved "Ohio." Brought out my protest-y side.
Queen's Greatest Hits. I just liked kickin' that can all over the place.
Jim Croce's Greatest Hits. I can still all the words to all those great songs. Even "Roller Derby Queen" and "Workin' at the Car Wash Blues."
Loggins & Messina's Greatest Hits. "You and me, we ain't got money..I'm so in love with ya honey..and everything will bring a chain of love..."
Eagles' Greatest Hits (Vol. 1). I always liked "Lyin' Eyes," and "Desperado."
Cat Stevens' Greatest Hits. Loved "Moonshadow." Hated "Morning Has Broken."
Bread's Greatest Hits. Only listened to Side 1 of this one. Heartbreaking that the "Diary" he found under the tree wasn't about him. Sniff. (There's actually a great rocker on side 2 "Mother Freedom," but I didn't learn about that for years.)
Foreigner's Greatest Hits. Loved that the album cover design looked like a juke box.
ELO's Greatest Hits. Who doesn't love "Evil Woman" or "Telephone Line"?
One of the last original Delta Blues players has passed on. The legendary boogie-woogie piano man, Pinetop Perkins, died yesterday in Austin, Texas, at the age of 97!
He influenced lots of performers, including Dr. John and Greg Allman, and played piano with Muddy Waters' last great band, appearing on Muddy's albums in the 1970's and performing with him on The Band's final concert, The Last Waltz.
At age 75 most people are ready to call it quits, but that's how old Pinetop was when he put out his first album under his own name. And he never quit playing! IÂ saw him at one of the Madison Blues Festivals several years ago and was amazed at his energy when it came to hitting those keys on the piano. And he looked so adorable in his suit and hat as he shuffled out to the piano bench.
Pinetop kept on recording too. His most recent album came out last year..a collaboration with Willie "Big Eyes" Smith of Chicago
When he turned 95, he released an album called Pinetop Perkins & Friends, and this video promotes that album and gives a good overview of his career.
When most people are asked to name an Irish rock band, they probably say "U2," because undoubtedly they've had the most commercial success. But there are some other outstanding bands out there that you may not have heard of.
I'll admit, the first Irish music I encountered was The Irish Rovers, because my mom had a two or three record set of their traditional Irish songs, most famous being The Unicorn Song. While I still have fond memories of them from my childhood, I can't say they rock. And neither does Gilbert O'Sullivan, especially on the song "Alone Again Naturally." Yuck.
My guitar playing boyfriend Mike has turned me on to some great musicians, some of them Irish. Before I met him, I never heard of Rory Gallagher. He's an amazing guitar player, who in fashion sense at least was completely different from the traditional rock star, choosing to wear plaid button-down shirts..or worse yet, shirts with snaps! But he can really play, and has a great voice. I love this song.
I've also come to appreciate Thin Lizzy, thanks to Mike. Did you know they had songs other than "Boys Are Back in Town"? And of course I'm a huge fan of Elvis Costello, who has lived in Ireland but is really from England.
I also like Irish beer, but that's another story entirely.
Tonight the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame gets some new members. Alice Cooper (the band, not just the guy), Neil Diamond, Tom Waits, Darlene Love, Leon Russell and Dr. John will get to add that distinction to their wikipedia page.
I don't have any real problem with any of the nominees this year..which might surprise you. I still think Gram Parsons, Paul Revere and the Raiders and Stevie Ray Vaughan are glaring omissions..but maybe next year will be their year.
I'm not a huge Neil Diamond fan, but he certainly does have the chops as a singer and songwriter..so even though he doesn't exactly ROCK, I think he is deserving.
I have had the opportunity to see Dr. John a couple of times..and found him to be quite entertaining despite the fact that he swears a lot.
Here he is performing somewhere that swearing would be a big no-no..on the Tonight Show.
Etta James, who turns 73 today, is one of those wild women that really know how to sing the blues..and she's been doin' it for a long long time!
Etta James Fun Fact: She's pretty sure that her birth father was Minnesota Fats, who's pretty much the only professional pool player I've ever heard of.
Here's Etta a while back with some other wild women...and B.B. King back in the day when he still performed standing up.
Enjoy!
Janis Joplin was born on today's date in 1943..meaning if she had managed to survive her rock and roll lifestyle, she'd be 68 today.
I wonder what she would have been like? Would she still be beltin' out the blues? Hopefully she wouldn't be pitching one of those Time Life sets of CD's or urging people over aged 50 to get affordable life insurance.
On stage, Janis either seemed in command of the stage (when she wasn't messed up on alcohol or drugs), but in interviews there was a real vulnerability that was almost uncomfortable to watch.
Here she is on her last appearance on the Dick Cavett Show. I heard they were an "item," which for some reason I find fascinating.
First Oprah quits her show, Larry King heads for the golf course, now Regis Philbin is retiring? How can we muddle through our mundane lives without good ol' Reeg?
Regis announced today that he's leaving the Regis & Kelly Show in the fall. The 79 year old has had quite a career..including 28 years on this particular morning talk show.
He didn't give a reason for quitting..but maybe his age has something to do with it. He'll turn 80 in August.
Regis holds the Guiness world record for having the most time in front of a TV camera, but there's another random fact that I enjoy even more. He's one of around 300 people thanked in the liner notes of an album by the Chocolate Watch Band...a 60's psychedelic rock band from California. (Little Steven plays them every once in a while.)
Here's a clip of Chocolate Watch Band from the movie Riot on the Sunset Strip. Can't you just see Regis grooving with these guys?
So what do you think of the latest Hollywood rumor? It looks like Brad Pitt will be playing John Lennon in a movie about his life, and Yoko approves.
At first I thought this was ridiculous...they look nothing alike for one thing. And Brad is 47, seven years older than John ever got to be (sadly). But then I thought about it a little more, and maybe it's okay.
Brad is a great actor who's already rolling in dough, so I don't think he'd take the role unless he thought he could pull it off. (He's reportedly studying up so he can imitate John's voice..talking and singing). And Mr. Pitt is also quite the humanitarian, whose mindset on political issues is probably not too far away from Lennon's.
As a matter of fact, can you tell which of those quotes was said by Brad Pitt and which are Lennon quotes?
The answers might surprise you!
1. I have a hard time with morals. All I know is what feels right, what's more important to me is being honest about who you are.
2. You must lose everything in order to gain anything.
3. Possession isn't nine-tenths of the law. It's nine-tenths of the problem.
4. As usual, there is a great woman behind every idiot.
5. Give peace a chance.
6. Fame is a bitch, man.
Did you buy any vinyl records last year? Apparently vinyl is making a comeback..although we know it will never be what it once was.
How big of a comeback? Most facets of the record industry saw sales go down last year..but not vinyl. In fact, 2.8 million NEW vinyl albums were sold last year. And that's not counting the millions that were probably sold at record shops, second-hand stores and on the internet.
The new albums that sold were a mix of classic iconic artists, and newer bands. Number one on the list was the Beatles Abbey Road, followed by Arcade Fire's Suburbs and the Black Keys Brothers.
I think it's cool that folks are willing to spend $40 or more for something they could get cheaper on CD or download. But the fact is, this is not a new phenomenon. There have always been audiophiles who prefer the warm sound of vinyl. And they're not only willing to spend big bucks on records..they're also forking out a lot of money for gear.
There are plenty of them that are definitely not your sister's Close N Play. $2000 turntables are common..but there are some that cost way more than that. The Goldmund Reference II turntable costs $300,000! The company makes only five a year so you better get your order in way ahead of time.
I'm probably not going to find one of those at a yard sale for 5 bucks.
Looking for some more modestly priced turntables...that will only set you back a grand or so..check out Audio Advisor.
You may have heard of the passing of Gerry Rafferty, the Scottish singer songwriter who had solo hits in the 1970's, and earlier in the band Stealers Wheel. (He died Tuesday of liver failure at the age of 63).
When I heard the news I got stuck on the long and winding road of youtube, and stumbled on some songs I'd heard before but had forgotten about, and discovered some new ones as well.
Do you remember this song? It was on the album Ferguslie Park, the one that was the follow up to the self-titled debut that included "Stuck in the Middle With You."Â It made it up to #29 on the U.S. charts in 1974, and I remember hearing it on the radio. It's obvious they're lip synching here, and it's fun to watch Gerry's facial expressions.
And Mike and I thought this one sounded a little like solo John Lennon..and Mike thinks he looks like him a little bit too.
And here's the song he was best known for....
There are so many wonderful Christmas songs, but when you try to come up with good ones for New Year's Eve, it's a little tougher.
One of the songs rock stations generally pull out this time of the year is "Funky New Year," by the Eagles. This is an awful song, and it's actually about a hangover. There are probably some excellent hangover songs out there, but this is not one of them. It's so bad there's not even a video for it on youtube.
But some one did their homework and came up with a top ten list of New Year's songs.
Pretty good list, but they missed some obvious ones. Like this song from George Harrison. I know, it just says ding ding dong ring out the old ring in the new, but I love George so have to include it.
And we can't forget Jimi!!!!
HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYBODY!
It's been a year since Bob Dylan came out with a Christmas record. A year since we all first wondered what he was thinking, as he's gone back to his Jewish roots.
It's also been a year since we heard this great holiday tune, and got to watch this completely bizarre video.
The song's actually been stuck in my head since then. And just in case you finally got your brain cells to release it...here it is again.
You're welcome.
The 2011 Class of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has just been announced, and while I'm not super excited about the list, I'm not ticked off either.
Congrats to Tom Waits, Dr. John, Alice Cooper (the band, not the solo artist), Neil Diamond and Darlene Love. They will be inducted to the Rock Hall in March.
I could go off on a rant about the artists that haven't been included yet but are eligible (Stevie Ray Vaughan, the Moody Blues, Rush, Gram Parsons and Paul Revere and the Raiders), but I won't. At least not right now.
What I will do is tell you my favorite songs from each of the artists.
Tom Waits: The Piano Has Been DrinkingDr. John: Such A NightAlice Cooper: No More Mr. Nice GuyNeil Diamond: Cracklin' RosieDarlene Love: He's a Rebel (credited at the time to the Crystals)
If you're not that familiar with Darlene Love...she's also acted in some movies. She played Danny Glover's wife on all four Lethal Weapon movies. She also appears on Dave Letterman's show on the final episode before Christmas ever year to sing "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home).
So why don't you sit back and enjoy a little holiday cheer from Ms. Darlene Love?
Looking for a great holiday gift for somebody who loves rock and roll? I've got a few ideas, and none of them will break the bank (except for the last one).
1. Keith Richards autobiography, Life. I started reading it right when it came out and took a break for a few weeks..but this thing is rock and roll memoir done right. Not only does Keith remember the sex and drugs and rock and roll..he weaves a good story.
With plenty of behind the scenes anecdotes and quite a bit of humor, you get a good idea of what it felt like to be a Rolling Stone. And if you're a guitar player, he gives a lot of instruction on how he got certain tones on his most famous songs. While we do learn a lot about his fascination with open tunings, thankfully he doesn't get TOO bogged down in technicalities.
2. Eric Clapton's Crossroads Guitar Festival 2010 DVD or BluRay. Didn't make it to Chicago to see Eric Clapton, Steve Winwood, Jimmie Vaughan and the rest of the gang back in June?
You'll get the highlights here and won't have to pay $11 for a beer. While some cool stuff didn't make it into the video, there's lots to see here, including a rousing rendition of "Miss You" featuring Ron Wood, Buddy Guy and Jonny Lang. If you buy the DVD at Best Buy you get a bonus disc.
3. Robert Plant's Band of Joy CD. I had to give this album a plug following our charming conversation a few weeks ago. Still can't believe he flirted with me.
If you missed that conversation you can hear it here. And to answer your question, no I didn't give him my phone number. (I know, I know, I should have.)
4. LENNONYC This new documentary highlights John's life from 1971 until his tragic death in 1980, and his love affair with New York City.
It features new interviews and interesting perspective on John's "Lost Weekend," the period of time he left rock and roll to take care of his son, and his immigration fight with the U.S. government.
It premiered on PBS last week and is now available on DVD. I haven't seen it but Rob Thomas of 77 Square did. You can read his review here. 5. The entire Beatles catalog on iTunes. Assuming you don't already have it on vinyl or the remastered CD's that came out last year, iTunes has your digital hookup to the best music of all time. Not that I'm biased or anything.
I think the whole collection costs $149, but you can get individual songs for $1.29 each.
Every year on this date I get mad all over again. And then the sadness sets in.
Today is the 30th anniversary of the death of John Lennon, and this year I will not let the negative emotions win.
I won't dwell on circumstances, but instead will try to do something that's more in line with the message he tried to make clear in so many of his songs:
Say the word and you'll be free
Say the word and be like me
Say the word I'm thinking of
Have you heard the word is love?
-From the Beatles The Word
But how to carry that out? John Lennon sent out a message on his facebook page yesterday (his spirit's stronger than you thought, huh), suggesting that fans remember him by helping out the hungry. Click this link and find out how you can help a Yoko endorsed organization that's working to end hunger worldwide. And you can even buy yourself a nifty shirt.
Or you could donate to a local food pantry or organization that's helping to put an end to poverty right around here.
The Goodman Community Center Middleton Outreach MinistryCommunity Action CoalitionSecond Harvest Foodbank
If you could go back in time to see any defunct band, what would it be? According to a new survey, Americans would most like to see the Beatles, followed by Michael Jackson, Frank Sinatra, and Mozart. (More about the survey here).
And while the Beatles would pretty much seem like a no-brainer, I agree with comedian Matt McCarthy who says he wouldn't want to see them because of all those annoying screaming girls. Like he says, he would have to yell "they quit touring because of YOU!" Add to that the fact that their concerts were only 20 minutes long and the Beatles couldn't hear whether they were sucking or not, because nobody had thought of stage monitors yet..and you have some pretty good reasons for staying away from Beatles concerts (at least after they made it big).
So who WOULD I like to see? I just happened to have this conversation with my boyfriend Mike the other day, who immediately answered "Hendrix." Yeah..I have to admit that would be pretty cool...although if I had seen him back in the day when he opened for the Monkees I probably would have been permanently scarred!
I think it would have been pretty cool to see Janis Joplin..because from what I can tell from video her performances were always electric. Otis Redding was a helluva performer too, who could hold audiences in the palm of his hand.
You know what? I think I'm going to bend the rules of this game a bit and just dial up "The Monterey Pop Festival" from 1967. Then I'd get to see Janis, Jimi, Otis...and the Who. And maybe I'd even get to meet Monkee Mickey Dolenz who was walking around stoned in an Indian headdress.
Today's big announcement that the Beatles are finally selling their songs on iTunes doesn't affect me personally. There are two reasons for that: I don't own an iPod, and I already own all the commercially released Beatles that I want (sometimes more than once).
I think this is probably exciting for folks who have been Beatles-curious, but don't own any Beatles albums. And that probably means they're a lot younger than me!
Now the Beatles have done songs in various genres, so they've got something for every one.
For the rocker:
Helter Skelter
I'm Down
Don't Bring Me Down
Yer Blues
Get Back
Back in the U.S.S.R.
Revolution
Hard Days Night
Help
Come Together
For the acid tripping fans
Tomorrow Never Knows
Strawberry Fields
I'm Only Sleeping
I Am The Walrus
Magical Mystery Tour
Across the Universe
Taxman
For the country music fan:
Act Naturally
Don't Pass Me By
Rocky Raccoon
For the show tunes/Tin Pan Alley fan:
When I'm 64
Honey Pie
Good Night
For the toddler fans (with download capability)
Yellow Submarine
Maxwell's Silver Hammer
All Together Now
Octopus's Garden
Birthday
And everyone just download these, because George Harrison was awesome:
While My Guitar Gently Weeps
Something
Here Comes the Sun
Happy Birthday to Neil Young..one of the most intriguing characters in rock and roll.
He's definitely a guy who has his own internal compass and goes whichever way he wants, and if you don't like it, he doesn't give a damn.
Some of my favorite things about Neil Young:
*In his 20's he drove a hearse.
*He liked to call himself a "rich hippie"
*When the Lionel Toy Train company was going through financial difficulties, he became an investor
*His dedication to farmers through Farm Aid
*He did a whole album of guitar feedback (Yes, my boyfriend Mike owns it, but I do not)
*The Linc-Volt...he's spending thousands and thousands of dollars to turn his old Lincoln Continental into an electric car (I got to see it at Farm Aid!)
*He can rock those mutton chops like no one else on Earth
If you're a fan of Delbert McClinton, you've probably heard the story about Delbert teaching John Lennon how to play harmonica. When you heard it, didn't you picture Delbert how he looks now, teaching the young mop top a few licks? Imagine my surprise when I find out that Delbert's actually a few weeks YOUNGER than John Lennon! (Delbert's 70th is today, John's was Oct.9th).
(In case you haven't heard the story--Delbert was on tour in England with Bruce Channel...the guy who had the hit with Hey Baby! He played the harp on that song and taught the young Beatle a few tricks of the trade).
Delbert is one of my favorite songwriters..with a turn of the phrase that's right up there with a couple of my other heroes, John Prine and John Hiatt.
Here's Delbert on Austin City Limits back in 1982. This performance is available on DVD by the way. Check Amazon.com if you're interested.
It's getting scary out there...and I'm not just talking about all those campaign ads. Halloween is almost here, and in that spirit, I present to you the 5 scariest music videos of all time.#1) Tubular Bellsby Mike Oldfield. Scary because it was used in The Exorcist, but I think even if I'd never seen the movie this song would give me the heebie jeebies. Heck it even adds an eerie tone to a black and white video of people skiing.
#2) Bloodletting-The Vampire Song by Concrete Blonde. The whole Bloodletting album has a creepy tone, but this one will definitely make you long for kinder gentler vampires like Count Chocula.
#3) I Want to Eat Your Hand by the Zombeatles. More melodic than the hugely popular "Hard Days Night of the Living Dead," this song is still pretty darn creepy. Who wants to eat a human hand? That's just psychotic, if you ask me.
#4)I Put A Spell On You by Screamin' Jay Hawkins. You've heard this song covered by lots of folks, but this version is the original. And by far the creepiest.
#5)That's Rock N Roll by Shaun Cassidy. Okay, it's not Justin Bieber scary. But it's pretty darn scary. Watch only if you dare.
I decided last night which team I'd like to win the World Series. I knew I didn't want the Yankees to win, because...well, they're the Yankee$$. The Texas Rangers? They used to be owned by George W. Bush. I know--they've never won a World Series, but I'm still bitter about the first eight years of this century.
So it was down to the Phillies and San Francisco. Last night I realized that the Phillies were in the series last year...because I recognized some of the players..in particular Chase Utley. I think Chase Utley is a very cool, very baseball name. They just had their chance last year, so I'm not rooting for them.
I decided I'm cheering for the San Francisco Giants after seeing who they brought out to sing the National Anthem-- the Grateful Dead's Phil Lesh and Bob Weir (along with Jeff Perhson who's in the band Further with Weir and Lesh). Their arrangement was excellent, and they nailed the harmonies. It was very cool to see those two old hippies in Giants jerseys.
I couldn't find video of last night's anthem online...but I did find this one from Jerry Garcia Night at Giants Stadium in August (where you could get a Jerry Garcia bobblehead!) They had a Jerry Garcia night--with bobbleheads? Now I think they're even cooler.
GO GIANTS!
Happy Birthday to Steve Cropper. The guy that was session man extraordinaire, played lead and rhythm guitars for Booker T. and the MG's, and backed up the Blues Brothers, turns 69 today.
As a Madisonian, I feel close to Steve Cropper, because according to legend, one of his guitars is on the bottom of Lake Monona. I remember hearing somewhere that the guitar was in Otis Redding's plane when it crashed in December, 1968. Cropper co-wrote the song "Sittin' on the Dock of the Bay" with Otis, which became the soul singer's biggest hit after he died.
If you're interested in music history or guitar playing, check out this interview with the man himself.
The artist more commonly known as Tom Petty turns 60 today. He says he wanted to be in a rock and roll band ever since he saw the Beatles on the Ed Sullivan show. Who knew he'd actually get to be in a band with George Harrison? Of course I'm speaking of the Traveling Wilburys. A great band--even if they didn't have a single Top 40 hit. (Nope...not even Handle with Care).
Earlier this year, Tom Petty came out with a fantastic heavy-on-the-guitars album called Mojo. Even though the musical styles were all over the place--I loved it. (There was even a reggae-tinged song!)
Here's a great song from the album. Feel free to dance. (Unless you're my friend Melvin, who hates Tom Petty..but I'll save that story for another day.)
A musician and songwriter I almost got to see this summer turns 69 today. Paul Simon is almost 70!
Yeah I'm bummed that I didn't get to see Simon and Garfunkel..but I'm glad I didn't pay more than 100 bucks to hear Artie NOT hit the high notes.
I was searching through Youtube to find an appropriate video to post, and was trying to find a clip of Paul singing "Still Crazy After All These Years" while dressed in a turkey suit on Saturday Night Live, but was unsuccessful.
I did find this video of the student section at a UW football game singing "Cecelia." I don't know why they're singing it, but I do find it to be evidence of the enduring impact of a classic songwriter.
So Eminem was on 60 Minutes last night talking to Anderson Cooper. He told Anderson he thinks about rhyming words all the time, and one thing that really pi**es him off is when people say there's no rhyme for orange. He says door-hinge and four-inch are both acceptable.
What he didn't know is that Witchie-poo from H.R. Puf-n-Stuf explored this issue more than 30 years ago.
Witchie-poo was a rapper before her time. Enjoy.
John Lennon's music and life have undoubtedly had a profound impact on thousands of people (me being one of them). And lots of them have created tributes to him for his 70th birthday October 9th.
There's actually a whole youtube channel dedicated to John Lennon birthday tribute messages. Here are my favorites...
Google's new animated logo..
Ringo's checking in with peace and love..
And the one from Aerosmith was pretty cool...
I've been thinking a lot about John Lennon in the past few days, as I put together my playlist for my show Saturday night at 7 for John's 70th birthday.
And I've been reading a lot about him in the news.
Here's one item that made me sad: Yoko Ono says she now only listens to John's music for business reasons. Otherwise it's just too painful she says. How awful that an idiot seeking fame not only took away her husband and the love of her life, he also robbed her of the enjoyment of his music. At least Beatle/Lennon fans still have the music to soothe us (or rile us up.)
Then I found another item that said the FBI had confiscated a John Lennon item that was up for sale in a collectibles auction. It was a fingerprint and signed card that was part of his application for citizenship in 1976. The FBI says it just wants to know how government property ended up in the hands of a collector.
Or maybe it means the government still doesn't trust him...and his revolutionary ideas. Give peace a chance, indeed.
This Saturday (October 9th) is John Lennon's 70th birthday...and since I'm probably Triple M's biggest Beatle/John Lennon fan, I get to play an hour of my favorite songs to pay tribute to him on Saturday night. Listen at 7:00 right before Little Steven's Underground Garage.
In 1988, I went to New York to visit my younger brother John, who was living in Manhattan at the time. We went to the Empire State Building, shopped in SoHo, and one day we took a bus ride and he wouldn't tell me where we were going. Turns out he was testing me, and I passed. When we got off the bus I realized immediately that we were in front of the Dakota Hotel, where John and Yoko had lived, and where John's life tragically came to an end. Yoko in fact still lived there, but was out of town at the time.
I took a couple pictures of the hotel, even though it was creepy to think about what had happened there eight years before.
Then we walked over the Central Park to Strawberry Fields, a section of the park that had been rededicated in John's honor a couple years before. Yoko kicked in a million dollars to make the area a beautiful, reflective space.
My summer was book-ended with two great music festivals---the Crossroads Guitar Festival in June, and then Farm Aid 25 this weekend. Even though Farm Aid didn't have quite as many musical heavy hitters, we had a fantastic time.
Some of the highlights:
The Bodeans: it was great to see the some locally grown talent on the big stage at Farm Aid. I was kinda bummed they only got to do three songs (Runaway, Good Things, and Closer to Free)...but a lot of the early acts only got short sets as well. I'm sure Kurt and Sammy were just happy to be there--and heck their band's name made the program, and the t-shirts!
New artist to watch: Lukas Nelson and the Promise of Real. Lukas is Willie's son..but sounds nothing like his dad. He's an incredibly talented blues guitar player..and he and his band really ripped it up. We only caught the end of his set, but he did get to come back near the end with his dad and play another song.
Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds: they kicked off their set with All Along the Watchtower, and followed with acoustic versions of familiar DMB hits. Willie Nelson joined in on Grave Digger. Tim Reynolds guitar abilities are fantastic!
Neil Young: You never know what to expect from Neil Young. He used up a lot of his time talking about the plight of family farmers, which really ticked off some 20-something guys ahead of us. Hey..that's what the day was all about! Songs included "Down by the River," "Ohio," and "Long May You Run."
Steven Tyler: The Aerosmith front man was in town for American Idol auditions and came onstage to sing one tune with Willie Nelson. But he was smart enough to know it was Willie's day and exited the stage quickly.
The all-star jam: Okay..so musically it wasn't great. But it was cool to see every one back on stage singing along with Willie and Neil. It seemed Willie had no desire to go home.
Here are some pics from the day's adventures:
Farm Aid 25 is tomorrow at Miller Park in Milwaukee..and I will be there, bundled up and ready to hear some great live music! (Get Farm Aid info HERE)
Unfortunately the weather isn't going to cooperate..it's going to be in the low 50's during the day and dip down to around 4o at night, and the roof is going to be OPEN! So I'm definitely going to be dressed in layers.
Farm Aid is dedicated to helping family farmers--so in that spirit, they're going to feature a locally grown menu..everything from organic popcorn to organic and local hamburgers..to popped sorghum. What's that? I guess I'll have a chance to find out.
The lineups have changed quite a bit over the years for Farm Aid. The main guys Willie Nelson, Neil Young and John Mellencamp are still in there swinging, and Dave Matthews joined the fold a few years ago. I was kind of surprised to see that Eddie Van Halen and Sammy Hagar played the first one, back in 1985.
The countdown to Farm Aid continues! Last week I found a classic video of Neil Young performing "Heart of Gold." Today--I present a Bodeans flashback!
I think it's really cool that the Bodeans are playing Farm Aid...but it's not the first time they've gotten to play a really big stage with some heavy hitters. When the Bodeans broke back in the late 1980's, they got to open for U2. Yeah, that's pretty cool.
The Bodeans got a lot of great publicity back then from publications like Rolling Stone, and even Time Magazine..and I have to admit I took a lot of personal pride in that (after all they were from the same state!), even though I really had nothing to do with their success whatsoever.
I was searching youtube for a cool retro video of Sammy and Kurt..and found something even better. A feature on the band from the Today Show.
Put on your seat belt folks, we're getting into the Way Back Machine.
Aah...another Willy Street Fair is now just a sweet (and foggy) memory. It's my favorite Madison festival...despite the fact that it marks the end of summer. I always run into so many old friends, and meet new ones too! It was great seeing so many listeners yesterday who seemed almost as glad as I was that I'm recovering well from my recent surgery.
In addition to the friends, beer, and food, of course the Willy Street Fair means live music. This year the grand finale on the main stage was Wayne Baker Brooks, son of the legendary Chicago bluesman Lonnie Brooks.
One of the things Lonnie loves to do is to take his guitar out into the crowd..and Wayne used that technique yesterday as well..so I grabbed my camera to get a quick shot of Wayne wowing us with his stratocaster.
Eventually Wayne made it over to to the table where I had been sitting with some friends. He hopped up on my chair!
And that made my good friend Melvin jump for joy! He's the guy in the green checked shirt. Woo hoo!
Hey this could be a cool gig if you want to get into Farm Aid but can't swing the price! A Milwaukee volunteer organization, called Serve60 is looking for folks to walk around with clipboards at the concert Oct. 2nd at Miller Park and ask questions of concertgoers.
Doesn't sound too difficult...find out more here.
Meanwhile, my countdown to Farm Aid continues with another awesome video. Here's Farm Aid Board member Willie Nelson, proving he'll sing with just about anybody..and it will always sound good.
Unrelated question--Do you think Steven Tyler will ask Willie to be a special guest judge or mentor on American Idol? That I would watch!
Okay...not that I'm excited or anything, but I just thought I'd tell you that Farm Aid 25 is coming to Miller Park IN TEN DAYS!
What's not to be psyched about? Neil Young, Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp and Dave Matthews!
I've seen Neil a few times and most of the time I've been thoroughly entertained. But I sure wish I could have been in the audience for this show back in the early 1970's.
Enjoy this downright adorable performance...
Looking over the birthday list for today--I noticed that Sal Valentino turns 68 today. Who? He was singer for the 1960's group the Beau Brummels. But since I was still a little young to follow the top of the pops back then, my first introduction to them was on the cartoon The Flintstones, where they appeared as the Beau Brummelstones on Wilma and Betty's favorite show, Shin Rock (a takeoff on Shindig).
With a name like the Beau Brummels, you'd think they were British, but they were actually from San Francisco. And some theorize they got a boost in popularity because their records were filed in stores alphabetically right behind another band that was kinda popular at the time. Hmmmm...who could that be?
Okay, kids sit back and enjoy a little Bedrock rock.
This is not just an excellent question for today (with a wind advisory in effect). This is also the "song" you got if you bought the 45 of John Lennon's "Instant Karma."
It is credited to the Plastic Ono Band, but it is Yoko "singing." As far as Yoko's vocal talent goes, it's one of her better efforts (in my opinion).
In honor of today's blustery day, give a listen. Try to make it all the way through. I dare you.
We know rock bands demand silly stuff from promoters when they go on tour. And we've heard for years about Van Halen's demand for M&M's (absolutely no brown ones).
But now that fantastic website The Smoking Gun has obtained an actual copy of the famous Van Halen 1982 tour rider.
It lives up to the hype.
I gave it a quick review. Here are some of the highlights
--10 dozen doughnuts (just for the crew)
--utensils must not include plastic forks. All forks must have four prongs. It notes that "any caterer not providing adequate condiments, utensils or ice will be subject to a $100 fine."Â And this is just for the crew!
The band's demands of course include the famous "no brown M&M's" demand, as well as 1 case Budweiser, 4 cases of Schlitz malt liquor, 3 fifths of Jack Daniels, two fifths of Stolichnaya vodka, plus a fifth of Southern Comfort and some Blue Nun white wine for good measure.
Wait. How many guys were in Van Halen?
The rider also demands 1 large tube of KY jelly.
You know, I think I was happier not knowing.
See the tour rider here.
If you're a fan of Jackson Browne..you might want to start digging into your closet for an old polyester shirt.
For some reason, Jackson Browne has an obsession with polyester..and he's got a contest going right now where some one will win a trip to New York to see him and David Lindley in concert at the Beacon Theatre.
Just upload a picture of you wearing a polyester clothing item and you could win. Even if you're not a big JB fan, the website is worth checking out. A lot of people have already uploaded photos and they're HILARIOUS. And really creepy.
I hate to admit it..but I used to wear a lot of polyester back in the 70's...however I called my polyester shirts "silk shirts," and paid no attention to that label that told me otherwise. They were must-have attire for heading to Golden Sands Skateland in Plover!
Click here to show Jackson Browne your polyester.
When I think of the song "Brandy" by the New Jersey band Looking Glass, I don't think of the barmaid who longs for a sailor who's first love is the sea.
I think of a dog. A golden retriever named Brandy, more specifically. There was a sweet little old lady in my neighborhood in Stevens Point who liked to take her dog Brandy for walks. She'd always approach our gang of kids hanging out at the playground and would say "Brandy just loves children."Â I think she did too!
Funny, because of the song Brandy that was out during the summer of 1972, I will always remember that dog's name, but I have no idea what the lovely little old lady's name was!
I did little research on the song Brandy..and found it went to Number One in August of 1972...and following its release, the name Brandy went up in popularity. In 1971 it was the 353rd most popular name..and by 1973 it was the 82nd most popular name for girls in the United States. (Not sure how popular it was for dogs).
When I was a kid I listened to the radio a lot...especially during the summer. It seems wherever I went, there was a radio..whether it was my friend Joan's purple radio that she'd attach to the back rack on her bike...or my little gray GE radio I earned selling magazine subscriptions.
When I hear certain songs now, it takes me right back to those blissfully ignorant years of my youth.
One of those songs is "Sir Duke" by Stevie Wonder, which was number one on the charts early in the summer of 1977. I don't think I even knew it was about Duke Ellington back then. I just knew I liked it.
I just looked it up...the number one song right before it was "When I Need You" by Leo Sayer.
I like this song a lot more. It just makes me feel good.
The Broadway musical Wicked has flown back into town, thrilling fans at the Overture Center now through June 9th.
I got a chance to see the production for the 2nd time last night, and once again was blown away. Even though I saw Wicked in 2010, I had...
Today we traveled back to 1975 for a Rendezvous with The Hudson Brothers. This song didn't make it to high on the charts, but Kitty enjoyed it. Her favorite brother was Brett. She also loved their television show. We've included a skit from...
I'm not sure why Pete Yorn decided to name his new music project after a European cave dwelling aquatic salamander, but if he stops by to play us some songs in Studio M, we'll have to ask him.
The Olms is a collaboration between Pete Yorn and...
Today's song was written by Peter Yarrow of Peter, Paul and Mary. It was inspired by the 1957 novel Doctor Zhivago. No one was inspired by the song this morning. It was rejected by almost all the listeners.
Today is World Goth Day, a day to celebrate the post-punk, anti-establishment, dark clothes-wearing subculture.
I'm pretty sure I was a Goth for at least for little while, for two reasons.
1) I almost hardly ever wear pastels.
2) I used to...
Hello to all from Nfusion. Another round of challenges has moved beyond us all. Congrats to those of us lucky enough to have survived to this point. Sad to see the others eliminated as they were all very creative and talented. Good Bye to our new friends...
This morning it seemed like just about everyone was in the mood for some Funky Cold Medina...except Kitty. This ridiculous song made it all the way to number 3 in 1989. Jonathan says any song that references advertising dogs from the 80's has got...
Madison's summer music festival season kicks off this weekend with Brat Fest at Willow Island, where there are more bands than you can shake a bratwurst at! Check out the Brat Fest website to plan your itinerary.
Next up is the Marquette...
The Broadway musical Wicked has flown back into town, thrilling fans at the Overture Center now through June 9th.
I got a chance to see the production for the 2nd time last night, and once again was blown away. Even though I saw Wicked in 2010, I had...
Today we traveled back to 1975 for a Rendezvous with The Hudson Brothers. This song didn't make it to high on the charts, but Kitty enjoyed it. Her favorite brother was Brett. She also loved their television show. We've included a skit from...
I'm not sure why Pete Yorn decided to name his new music project after a European cave dwelling aquatic salamander, but if he stops by to play us some songs in Studio M, we'll have to ask him.
The Olms is a collaboration between Pete Yorn and...
Today's song was written by Peter Yarrow of Peter, Paul and Mary. It was inspired by the 1957 novel Doctor Zhivago. No one was inspired by the song this morning. It was rejected by almost all the listeners.
Today is World Goth Day, a day to celebrate the post-punk, anti-establishment, dark clothes-wearing subculture.
I'm pretty sure I was a Goth for at least for little while, for two reasons.
1) I almost hardly ever wear pastels.
2) I used to...
Hello to all from Nfusion. Another round of challenges has moved beyond us all. Congrats to those of us lucky enough to have survived to this point. Sad to see the others eliminated as they were all very creative and talented. Good Bye to our new friends...
This morning it seemed like just about everyone was in the mood for some Funky Cold Medina...except Kitty. This ridiculous song made it all the way to number 3 in 1989. Jonathan says any song that references advertising dogs from the 80's has got...
Madison's summer music festival season kicks off this weekend with Brat Fest at Willow Island, where there are more bands than you can shake a bratwurst at! Check out the Brat Fest website to plan your itinerary.
Next up is the Marquette...
