haahnster's hallucinations

Sugar Mountain (NYAPS 00)

2008-12-03T10:23:00.002-06:00

Oh, my! Another entry from the Neil Young Archives Performance Series... seems as though its release may not have been originally anticipated (hence the "00" numbering). Yes, there's a little tape hiss. It's clearly an old recording (November 1968), but pretty damned good (slight hiss and all).

And, the performance itself... wow! Solo-acoustic Neil is almost always awe-inspiring. But, here, you have added bonuses, such as #1) Neil's youthful exuberance, on prime display in the between-songs banter, and #2) The setlist... Buffalo Springfield classics when they were only a year or so old... and as-of-then-yet-to-be-released songs from his debut solo LP.

HIGHLY recommended, folks.

01. (Emcee intro)
02. On The Way Home
03. Songwriting rap
04. Mr. Soul
05. Recording rap
06. Expecting To Fly
07. The Last Trip To Tulsa
08. Bookstore rap
09. The Loner
10. “I used to” rap
11. Birds
12. Winterlong (excerpt) and Out of My Mind - intro
13. Out Of My Mind
14. If I Could Have Her Tonight
15. Classical Gas rap
16. Sugar Mountain – intro
17. Sugar Mountain
18. I've Been Waiting for You
19. Songs rap
20. Nowadays Clancy Can’t Even Sing
21. Tuning Rap & The Old Laughing Lady – intro
22. The Old Laughing Lady
23. Broken Arrow

Sugar Mountain - Live At Canterbury House 1968 is a live album by Neil Young. On November 9-10, 1968, Young performed two shows at Canterbury House in Ann Arbor, Michigan. This album is compiled from these performances.

The CD Currently In My Car Stereo

2008-11-21T15:50:00.003-06:00

Not much time to write about it, but this disc rocks. Seek it out.

I'll steal the words from AllMusic:

The Day Before Wine and Roses: Live at KPFK, September 5, 1982

As the punning title indicates, this welcome document of an early Dream Syndicate show, recorded live-in-studio for Los Angeles' KPFK station in 1982, captures the fierce intensity of the band's first lineup shortly before the release of the actual Days of Wine and Roses album. Featuring both an array of originals and well-chosen covers, Day Before is arguably the group at its best, well before the endless series of band conflicts and attempts to reach too far too fast slowly ground away at Wynn and company. Precoda is simply on fire here, maybe even more so than on Days of Wine and Roses itself, while the band as a whole gels and makes it clear that channeling inspirations of the past into the present was no crime when done so well. Hosted by longtime DJ/critic Andrea 'Enthal, who sets the stage with her introductory banter as crowds of friends and fans come in — the show itself started recording at about 2 a.m. in the morning! — the recording features some amusing comments from the band along with the strong performances. There are some radical reworkings: "Some Kinda Itch" is a slower, smokier number in this incarnation, the late-night setting perfectly matching its strung-out mood, while "John Coltrane Stereo Blues" appears under the name "Open Hour"" as a slightly more stripped-down jam. Other things don't change at all — "The Days of Wine and Roses" itself, which understandably closes the set, is as blasting as one could want. The inclusion of the covers is explained away by Wynn thus: "If you're going to bootleg this, we don't want to have to worry about the royalties." Some choices are obvious — Buffalo Springfield's "Mr. Soul" and Bob Dylan's "Outlaw Blues" — but the revamp of Donovan's "Season of the Witch" is more unexpected but plenty exciting.

01. Some Kinda Itch (6:31)

02. Mr. Soul (3:57)

03. Sure Thing (5:31)

04. That's What You Always Say (4:29)

05. Outlaw Blues (4:48)

06. Open Hour (8:32)

07. When You Smile (5:45)

08. Season of the Witch (10:09)

09. The Days of Wine and Roses (7:29)

_________________________________

Steve Wynn - Guitar, Vocals

Karl Precoda - Guitar

Kendra Smith - Bass

Dennis Duck - Drums

Victory

2008-11-05T14:08:00.002-06:00

Pretty freakin' sweet.

McCain's last stand was in PA (which Obama won by 11 points), while hoping for another New Hampshire miracle (Obama won NH by 10 points). Meanwhile Obama flipped FL, OH, VA, IN, CO, NM & NV (and probably NC).

Amazing.

"I'm a barrel of laughs with my carbine on"

2008-08-28T10:45:00.003-05:00

I finally decided to plop down my $11 to purchase a compact disc of one of my all-time favorite Neil Young albums, ON THE BEACH (1974). This album was, in fact, the subject of my 3rd ever HH post (way back in January 2006). This is what I originally wrote:

The 3rd installment of the "I heard Mr. Young sing about her" files. Current selection: ON THE BEACH (1974)

It turns out, Neil can play some blues and blues-influenced rock.

Brief tune-by-tune recap:

"Walk On" - Genuine Neil Young classic! Great rock 'n roll tune. "I hear some people/Been talkin' me down/Bring up my name/Pass it round/They don't mention/The happy times/They do their thing/I do mine"...possibly Neil responding somewhat amicably to"Sweet Home Alabama"?

"See the Sky About to Rain" - Slower tune in which Neil reverts a bit to his country influences

"Revolution Blues" - Neil does some rockin' while singing of gunning people down. David Crosby credited on rhythm guitar, not that anyone would notice (or care)

"For the Turnstiles" - GREAT bluesy acoustic jam. Some darn fine banjo pickin' and angry vocals, both by Neil

"Vampire Blues" - Sounds like some solid 60s/70s electric blues. Neil plays a little lead guitar that highlights just how underrated his guitar work is.

"On the Beach" - 7+ minute title track is slow & bluesy. Once again, Neil plays him some guitar, if I do say so my damn self. Graham Nash credited on the"Wurlitzer Piano" (again, far from the highlight; as always, Neil towers above Crosby, Stills & Nash)

"Motion Pictures" - Slow & soft, but with incredible slide guitar work by guest Rusty Kershaw. Neil sings, strums acoustic guitar, and plays harmonica. Damned fine song in my humble opinion.

"Ambulance Blues" - Nearly 9 minutes, acoustic, and very interesting lyrically..."You're all just pissin'in the wind..."

Bottom line: If you don't have it, you should get it. If you have it, you should keep it!!!

Man, I left out a TON of things! Not a single mention of Ben Keith!!! HOLY CRAP! Failing to mention his slide work on "For The Turnstiles" is an unforgivable sin.

How about the fact that the lyrics to "Revolution Blues" were inspired by Charles Manson?

Of course, there are also things I didn't know at the time. Like "Walk On" and "For The Turnstiles" were on the original acetate pressing of TONIGHT'S THE NIGHT in 1973. (Of course, that album wasn't released until 1975, at which time these 2 tunes had already been released on O.T.B.)

And, "See The Sky About To Rain" was performed on his solo tour of 1971...as can now be heard on the LIVE AT MASSEY HALL 1971 release (from March 2007 as an installment of the 'Neil Young Archives Performance Series').

Hearing the recordings of Neil's North American Tour from last fall, with the great solo-acoustic versions of "Ambulance Blues" reminds me of what a great, great song that is.

This album is in my Neil Top 5.

Holy SHAT!!!!!!

2008-07-11T19:58:00.002-05:00

Look, I know I haven't been blogging. OK, 7AM - 2:30AM workdays, back to back, will prevent blogging...believe me!

Anyway, I'm just catching up to the fact that Neil Young has resumed touring Europe as of 22-June-2008. The most unbelievable thing has to be the show-closing, noisefest versions of "A Day In The Life" (yes, The Beatles tune)...fucking SWEEEEET!!!

I mean, dusting off the title track to "Time Fades Away" for the first time since 1973 is damned great. But, these fuzzy "A Day In The Life" closers...they just take the cake, brothers and sisters!!!!!!

German Accident

2008-05-23T09:37:00.004-05:00

This is not for the weak hearted.

Gut Wrenching.......... Picture of a horrible highway accident in Germany

The picture may be kind of hard to take for some of you If you look closely you can see what appear to be some survivors of the accident still in the wreckage.

Although the picture is quite graphic, it makes you realize how quickly our loved ones can be taken from us.

My friend stayed on the scene to help, and even though he performed mouth to mouth on quite a few of them, none apparently survived.

Thanks to Mat

Bush & Golf: Olbermann Kicks Ass, Takes Names

2008-05-15T09:58:00.002-05:00

Neil Young Spider?!!!

2008-05-12T08:48:00.005-05:00

LOS ANGELES (Reuters Life!) - Iconic singer and songwriter Neil Young has had an honor bestowed upon him that is not received by many musicians -- his own spider.

An East Carolina University biologist, Jason Bond, discovered a new species of trapdoor spider and opted to call the arachnid after his favorite musician, Canadian Neil Young, naming it Myrmekiaphila neilyoungi.

"There are rather strict rules about how you name new species," Bond said in a statement.

"As long as these rules are followed you can give a new species just about any name you please. With regards to Neil Young, I really enjoy his music and have had a great appreciation of him as an activist for peace and justice."

Young, 62, is a veteran rock musician who rose to fame in the 1960s with the band Buffalo Springfield and later became a member of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, whose 1970 release "Deja Vu" has become a classic rock album.

The singer/songwriter, whose solo work ranges from older albums such as "Harvest" to newer CDs like "Living with War," has long been an activist for social and anti-war causes.

Bond discovered the new spider species in Jefferson County, Alabama, in 2007. He said spiders in the trapdoor genus, who tend to live in burrows and build trap doors to seal off their living quarters, are distinguished from one species to the next on the basis of differences in genitalia.
He confirmed through the spider's DNA that the Myrmekiaphila neilyoungi is an identifiable, separate species of spider within the trapdoor genus.

Young is not the first musician to have a creature named after him. A species of beetle that looks as if it is wearing a tuxedo -- the whirligig beetle, or Orectochilus orbisonorum -- was named earlier this year after the late rock 'n' roll legend Roy Orbison and his widow Barbara.

(Writing by Belinda Goldsmith, Editing by Bob Tourtellotte)

________________________________________________

THANKS TO "A Cup of Coffey" Beth FOR THE HEADS-UP!

$10-Million-In-24-Hours-Gate

2008-05-07T08:54:00.000-05:00

Now, the report is out that HRC has loaned her campaign another $6.4 million in the last month.

PLEASE tell me it can/will be confirmed that her "$10 million raised in 24 hours" was actually only $3.6 million, plus $6.4 million of her own money!!!

"It's over. It's ... all ... oh-vahh ..."

Don't Call It A Comeback

2008-05-07T08:15:00.001-05:00

I'll readily admit I rather enjoyed watching Obama have a damned good night last night.

I'm just wondering how long the new media narrative [Cue the old Howard Cosell tape: "It's over. It's ... all ... oh-vahh ..."] will hold. Just how much earth will HRC have to scorch before people realize she isn't going to do ANYTHING gracefully?

An Open Letter To Rev. Jeremiah Wright

2008-05-01T08:27:00.000-05:00

Dude, shut up.

Thanks and regards,

Anonymous

Neil Young Still Rocks

2008-04-24T09:07:00.004-05:00

I know I haven't posted an album review in ages. I haven't had much time to listen to music, other than my commutes to/from work. And, I've been spending nearly 100% of that listening time on b**tleg recordings from Neil Young's recent European Tour.

As I pulled into the parking deck this morning, the acoustic set from London on 5-March-2008 was just finishing. The closing trio of songs (solo-acoustic versions of "Don't Let It Bring You Down," "Cowgirl In The Sand" and "Old Man") was an absolute killer.

These recordings are so good, it's really quite stunning. And, Neil has been on fire. He really seems to thrive in this format (50-60 minute solo-acoustic set, followed by a 75-85 minute electric set). And, I'm totally digging the band (Rick "The Bass Player" Rosas, Ralph Molina, and god-of-all-trades Ben Keith).

So, I'll try to post about a favorite album again soon. In the meantime, KEEP ON ROCKIN' IN THE FREE WORLD...

Daily Hypocrisy with the Clintons, II

2008-04-23T08:20:00.003-05:00

It was not OK for Barack Obama to indicate that the recent ABC debate wasted at least the first 45 minutes on what he called "distractions" as opposed to substantive issues.

It was OK for Hillary Clinton to complain during a previous debate about getting the first question (even though it was a substantive question regarding health care policy), even going so far as to reference a Saturday Night Live skit about comfort and pillows.

Daily Hypocrisy with the Clintons

2008-04-22T15:03:00.002-05:00

It was not OK for Barack Obama to compare John McCain favorably to George W. Bush, while clearly stating that either Democrat would compare favorably to McCain.

It was OK for Hillary Clinton to compare John McCain favorably to Barack Obama.

Random Thoughts

2008-04-17T14:57:00.003-05:00

I finally watched There Will Be Blood. It was very good, and Daniel Day Lewis was excellent. I still MUCH prefer No Country For Old Men, though.

I just saw Juno on DVD...really good, in my humble O.

George Snuffleupagus is a Clintonian hack. Resign, jag-off.

Zachary is now pulling himself up to a standing position fairly routinely, and he stands very steadily with just one hand resting on a fixed surface. First steps will be coming soon...

I turned 38 on April 14th. It was uneventful.

Illinois has a new style of driver's license...SNAZZY! Too bad the photo looks like I was in the middle of forcing out a particularly stubborn turd.

Emily now recognizes more letters than not. W ("for Wiggles"), E ("for Emily"), and M ("for Mommy") are particular favorites. She also seems fond of T, L, and O. Riding in the van the other day, she named off all four letters on a STOP sign. Pretty freakin' smart for a 2-year-old, in my remarkably unbiased opinion.

No Excuses

2008-04-11T09:58:00.004-05:00

OK, so I concur that I have no good excuse for my dormant blog.

Something about back to back days of working from 8:00 AM to 2:00 AM (and, yes, the company brings in meals to keep us at our desks) that leaves you drained. You might think that 18 hours would allow for at least some blogging time. But, think about it this way: If you thought that not taking even 10 to 15 minutes out of your 18 hour day might actually get you home 15 minutes sooner, would you blog?

Unfortunately, the passing of tax day will provide no relief. I'll be spending at least 4 hours a day with consultants working on a new system implementation. But, maybe my days will drop back into the 10-12 hour range (from the current 12-18 hour range), and HH will flourish!!!

Fantastic Bad Guy

2008-02-25T12:40:00.004-06:00

I meant to mention this. I actually saw a movie this year. In fact, it was the first "grown-up" movie I've seen in a theater in close to twelve full months or more. (We did take Emily to see the Chipmunks movie starring Jason Lee.)

Two weekends ago, I finally got around to seeing No Country For Old Men. Phenomenal. I am a huge fan of the Coen Brothers, and I'd say this ranks right up there with their best. And, Javier Bardem was excellent. I'm glad he won the Oscar. I'm even more glad to say I didn't watch a single minute of that awards show to end all awards shows. Damn, I hate that self-aggrandizing bullshit. But, anyway, amazing movie. Tommy Lee Jones was very good, too. Perhaps not as exceptional as he was in The Fugitive, but he was great. (Much better than, say, Volcano...)

Anyway, the other movie I considered was There Will Be Blood. However, due to theater locations and show times, it wasn't as viable an option. I do want to see that one also, though.

I feel like I should discuss the movie more, but I'll leave the spoiler material for the comments, if anyone chooses to discuss the movie there.

500th Post

2008-02-25T12:35:00.002-06:00

Wow! So, here it is, my 500th post on Haahnster's Hallucinations.

It seems like the first 480 or so really flew by in a blur. Now, the last 20 or so have leaked out in fits and starts, not unlike piss through a clap-infected dick.

Work sucks.

Bye.

Haahnster Loves Pearl Jam

2008-02-14T10:28:00.005-06:00

I was recently spending a little time with some old favorite Pearl Jam CDs of mine, and I came across a 2-CD set I'd compiled to try to convert a couple non-PJ believers. In retrospect, if I hadn't been so out of it, I might've just ordered a couple copies of Rearvewmirror: Greatest Hits 1991-2003 from Amazon and had them delivered to them. But, at the time I compiled these, I wasn't even aware of that release. Plus I like my song selection and running order a little better. Anyway, here's the liner notes I included:

Pearl Jam (formed in 1990 in Seattle, Washington) is a rock band considered one of the most popular and influential artists of the decade of the 1990s. Their name is intimately tied to the grunge movement of the early 1990s, along with Alice in Chains, Nirvana and Soundgarden, with these names being usually considered the big four of the grunge music scene. Moreover, they are also one of the few mainstream grunge bands that has remained active since the atrophy of their contemporaries. Currently, the group boasts a large fan base that contributes to making the band one of the most popular live acts in the world.

They have been named #21 on VH1's 100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock.

Members: Eddie Vedder – Vocals, Guitar; Stone Gossard – Guitar; Jeff Ament – Bass; Mike McCready – Guitar; Matt Cameron – Drums [Former drummers: Jack Irons, who replaced Dave Abbruzzese, who replaced Matt Chamberlain, who replaced Dave Krusen]

This disc is absolutely NOT for sale.

Disc 1:
“Alive” (5:40) – Words: Vedder, Music: Gossard – The song that got me into PJ in the 1st place. Mike McCready as guitar god!
“Breath” (5:25) – Words: Vedder, Music: Gossard – This song is the “ahh yeah”capital of the universe. Mike McCready as guitar god again!
“Dissident” (3:35) – Words: Vedder, Music: PJ – This song has a great guitar hook. And, remember: “escape is never the safest place”.
“Corduroy” (4:37) – Words: Vedder, Music: PJ – “Can’t buy what I want/Because it’s free”
“I Got Id” (4:53) – Words: Vedder, Music: Vedder – Neil Young – Guitar, Pump Organ; Jack Irons – Drums; Brendan O’Brien – Bass; Vedder – Vocals, Guitar
“Immortality” (5:18) – Words: Vedder, Music: PJ – I love the guitar pickin’ on this one. “As privileged as a whore/Victims in demand for public show”.
“Red Mosquito” (4:03) – Credits: ??? Buzzing/stinging guitar line fits perfectly. I think this begins to redeem the maligned No Code.
“Elderly Woman Behind The Counter In A Small Town” (3:16) – Words: Vedder, Music: PJ – Long title, cool song
“Porch” (3:30) – Words & Music: Vedder – Lesser-known song from Ten, but one of my fav’s. Explicit lyric warning: “F” bomb right up front.
“Do The Evolution” (3:54) – Words: Vedder, Music: Gossard – I think they actually made a video for this one (1st since the Ten album)!
“Rearviewmirror” (4:44) – Words: Vedder, Music: PJ. Driving drum beat “Saw things clearer/Once you were in my rearview mirror”
“Better Man” (4:28) – Words & Music: Vedder – Rationalizations of a woman who’s fallen “out” of love (most likely a battered woman).
“Daughter” (3:56) – Words: Vedder, Music: PJ – Is she being abused and/or molested? Is she the victim of neglect? Did her parent(s) die? Hmmm
“State of Love and Trust” (3:46) – Words: Vedder, Music: McCready/Ament – Time for another cool, rockin’ song from the Singles soundtrack.
“Not For You” (5:52) – Words: Vedder, Music: PJ – A Vedder scream-fest (“If you hate something /Don’t you do it too”). “F” bomb near the end.
“Yellow Ledbetter” (5:04) – Words: Vedder, Music: McCready/Ament – PJ does their collective Jimi Hendrix impression on this song.
“Black” (5:43) – Words: Vedder, Music: Gossard – Probably the most performed PJ song on amateur karaoke night. To the bitch that dumped me…

Disc 2:
“Even Flow” (4:53) – Words: Vedder, Music: Gossard – MTV & radio played it about a billion times “back in the day”. Here it is again.
“Animal” (2:49) – Words: Vedder, Music: PJ – “I’d rather be/With an animal” … NOT to be confused with the Def Leppard song from 1987.
“Spin the Black Circle” (2:48) – Words: Vedder, Music: PJ – Back to the punk roots a bit with this one … fast & aggressive
“Long Road” (6:02) – Words & Music: Vedder – Neil Young – Guitar, Pump Organ, Vocals; J. Irons – Drums; J. Ament – Bass; Vedder – Vocals, Guitar
“Given to Fly” (4:01) – Words: Vedder, Music: McCready – 1st single from Yield, released about 1 month ahead of the album.
“I Am Mine” (3:35) – Words & Music: Vedder – “The ocean is full/’Cause everyone’s crying” “I only own my mind”
“Footsteps” (3:53) – Words: Vedder, Music: Gossard – Stripped-down acoustic song recorded live on ROCKLINE, May 11, 1992. “It was you”.
“Last Kiss” (3:15) – Wayne Cochran [cover] – Their most successful single ever, and all their proceeds went to Kosovo refugees. Cool.
“Jeremy” (5:18) – Words: Vedder, Music: Ament – Hit MTV video. Cited in school violence talks, but I always thought “Jeremy” just shot himself.
“Light Years” (5:07) – Words: Vedder, Music: Vedder, McCready, Gossard – “We were but stones/Your light made us stars”
“Wishlist” (3:27) – Words & Music: Vedder – “I wish I was a neutron bomb/For once I could go off”.
“Go” (3:13) – Words: Vedder, Music: PJ – Exploding drums! “Turned to my nemesis/A full on fucking god” …pretty good guitar, too.
“Faithfull” (4:18) – Words: Vedder, Music: McCready – No, I don’t know why the title is misspelled. I like the song, though.
“Nothingman” (4:35) – Words: Vedder, Music: Ament – “Isn’t it something?/Nothingman”
“Bu$hleaguer” (3:57) – Words: Vedder/Gossard, Music: Gossard – “He’s not a leader/He’s a Texas leaguer” … “Born on 3rd/Thinks he got a triple”
“F*ckin’ Up” (6:17) – Neil Young [cover] – PJ does a damned fine Crazy Horse. [I picked the 2 songs surrounding the “W” song on purpose :-)]
“Dirty Frank” (5:43) – Words: Vedder, Music: PJ – From the Ten sessions. It was also an extra on a CD-single I don’t have (not sure which one).
“Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town” [Acoustic Version] (3:18) – Words: Vedder, Music: PJ – I really like this song.

Ten Quick Super Bowl Thoughts

2008-02-04T09:01:00.000-06:00

1) WOW!

2) Best 4th Quarter in Super Bowl history. And for those, like me, who really enjoy aggressive defensive play, that was one of the Top 5 Super Bowls ever.

3) Tom Petty rocks! Not very glitzy, especially by Super Bowl standards, but just flat out rocked. Mike Campbell...great and underrated lead guitarist.

4) The "genius" Bill B. passes on the long FG opportunity on 4th and 13. I questioned it at the time. Interesting.

5) The "genius" Bill B. decides not to challenge the potential fumble recovery that appeared to have been ripped out LONG after the whistle should've blown. Interesting.

6) The '07 Patriots now join the short list of the greatest teams of the Super Bowl era NOT to win the Super Bowl.

7) That play where Eli Manning looked like he avoided a certain sack about 3 different times and finally spun free and fired the ball seemingly at random, and Giants receiver David Tyree leapt up and at the absolute end of his reach pinned the ball against his helmet with one hand as he crashed to the field on his back and brought the other hand over, never losing control of the football...GREATEST PLAY in Superbowl history!!!

8) Bill B. restores his rightful claim to the "genius" tag by realizing that nothing good for the Patriots could possibly happen with only 1 second left, and it was time for the pouting to begin in earnest.

9) Too bad I'm not a Giants fan, or I'd REALLY be excited right now.

10) Last but certainly not least, FUCK the '72 Dolphins. You're still not even in the Top 5 greatest teams of the Super Bowl era. So, bite me.

Lists, We Love to Bitch About Lists!

2008-02-01T14:13:00.000-06:00

Our "friends" at Rolling Stone concocted a list of the "100 Greatest Artists of All Time". I know this is old-ass news (2004). But, I can't recall addressing it before. And, what's more fun than bitching about a published list? Here it is: click on link here

OK, the Top 5 contains few surprises:

1) The Beatles
2) Bob Dylan
3) Elvis Presley
4) The Rolling Stones
5) Chuck Berry

I could bicker slightly with order, but a solid Top 5.

6) Jimi Hendrix
7) James Brown
8) Little Richard
9) Aretha Franklin
10) Ray Charles

I'm perfectly happy with Hendrix at 6. Is J.B. really 7th greatest of all time? Seems high to me, but maybe I've just always underestimated him. I have to question Little Richard at 8, too. I just can't quite seem to come to terms with him as a Top-10 guy. Pardon the lame joke, but I have no R-E-S-P-E-C-T for Aretha Franklin at #9, either. Are you shitting me? If we're going to go all girl-power-revisionist-historian here, let's get a better recipient of our heaping generosity than Aretha. Finally, Ray Charles is a f*cking icon, so I can abide #10 for him.

11) Bob Marley

TIME OUT! Hold the f*cking phone! Bob Marley as #11? Number ELEVEN?!!?! Clearly, this list has lost its final shred of credibility. Top 50, maybe, but number 11 is an absolute sham.

12) The Beach Boys
13) Buddy Holly
14) Led Zeppelin
15) Stevie Wonder
16) Sam Cooke
17) Muddy Waters
18) Marvin Gaye
19) The Velvet Underground
20) Bo Diddley

The Beach Boys at 12 just underscores (as if it needs underscoring) how abso-f*cking-lutely ridiculous Bob Marley at #11 is. Jeeee-zus. Bob Marley ahead of the Beach Boys? Gimme a break! Either Buddy Holly is a bit overrated at #13, or Bo Diddley is a bit underrated at #20. Shouldn't be that much distance between them, in my humble opinion. The mighty Zep should've been Top 10. I mean, #14 is a freaking slight, an absolute 'dis' (in the parlance of our times). It seems a bit of a squeeze that Sam Cooke and Marvin Gaye are both Top 20, but I'll pass on further comment.

21) Otis Redding
22) U2
23) Bruce Springsteen
24) Jerry Lee Lewis
25) Fats Domino
26) The Ramones
27) Nirvana
28) Prince
29) The Who
30) The Clash
31) Johnny Cash
32) Smokey Robinson and the Miracles
33) The Everly Brothers
34) Neil Young
35) Michael Jackson

OK, I must stop now. Neil Young is 11 slots behind the boof-Boss, and barely squeaks in ahead of Michael Jackson??!!! Otis Redding and Fats Domino are Top 25, but Johnny Cash is only #31?!?!! The "Killer" is only #24 compared to Little Richard at #8?

My head is spinning. More to follow....maybe....

Where Are They Now?--Drivin N Cryin

2008-01-25T08:06:00.000-06:00

Drivin N Cryin was basically a college band in the mid-'80s South that surfaced nationally for a brief stint in the early '90s, beginning with their 1990 release Fly Me Courageous. MTV gave the videos for the title track and "Build A Fire" (especially "Build A Fire") quite a lot of air time. The follow-up album Smoke (1993) was a mild success, and then they largely faded out of the national spotlight.

So, how to describe Drivin N Cryin? Maybe southern-fried pop with a heavy metal influence... Or, rather a hybrid form of southern rock with heavy metal influence, but a pop sensibility... whatever it was, I liked it.

Their rise to some prominence definitely followed the same post-hair-metal era (ushered in by Guns N' Roses, when Axl let his hair down) opening that the Black Crowes ('Best New American Band' of 1990 according to Rolling Stone's readers poll) rushed through. In fact, the introductory guitar hook of the album-opener "Around The Block Again" sounds ripped right out of the Black Crowes playbook. (Of course, the Black Crowes playbook is more or less lifted directly from the Rolling Stones, as percolated through a combination Lynyrd Skynyrd/Aerosmith filter). In any event, the second track "Chain Reaction" and particularly the album-closing "Rush Hour" both have riffs that would've been quite comfortable on a Megadeth album! The mid-section of the album includes a couple songs ("For You", "Let's Go Dancing" and to some extent "The Innocent") that emphasize the lighter edge ("cryin' side") of their music. Throughout the entire album, however, the melodies are never lost--even in the heaviest of their "drivin' side" moments.

And, let me just say here that lead singer/guitarist Kevin Kinney has one hell of a cool voice. Love it!

Kinney also wrote the band's lyrics, which have been described as Dylan-influenced. Of course, most of the lyrics of any note in the last 45 years have been Dylan-influenced to some degree or another. I don't think I'm 100% convinced I would jump to the "Dylanesque" tag, on this album at least. But, there are some lyrical moments I enjoy: "Lost in the middle, but I kept my shuffle/Stuck in the Blues, but I just kept jokin'/In the city where all schemes are tested/So many names, so many numbers/So much to do, but I never felt so lonely" ("Lost In The Shuffle") and "I stopped a freight train with a grain of sand/Can't you hear it crashing?/I split a mountain in two with a flake of snow/Still they won't believe me" ("Let's Go Dancing") are two examples.

Rediscover this disc...it's a pretty cool ride.

Around The Block Again
Chain Reaction
Fly Me Courageous
Look What You've Done To Your Brother
For You
Let's Go Dancing
The Innocent
Together
Lost In The Shuffle
Build A Fire
Rush Hour

Life's The Same, Except For My Shoes

2008-01-15T10:43:00.000-06:00

Today, we take a brief look at the eponymous debut of The Cars. I totally and completely love this album. There, I said it. And I meant it. The Cars were a breath of fresh air to this child of the late-'70s/early-'80s, especially given my sheltered Midwestern upbringing in which I completely missed the whole punk movement. Hell, I didn't really "discover" punk until high school in the mid-'80s, and didn't really get it until I went away to college in 1988. So, for this classic-rock-is-in-my-DNA boy, The Cars were as off the beaten path as I got at the time. And, by Heartbeat City, they'd lost me for good--too damned pop.

But, man, this debut album is killer!

All songs written by Ric Ocasek except where noted.

Side One
"Good Times Roll"
"My Best Friend's Girl"
"Just What I Needed"
"I'm in Touch With Your World"
"Don't Cha Stop"
Side Two
"You're All I've Got Tonight"
"Bye Bye Love"
"Moving in Stereo" (Greg Hawkes, Ocasek)
"All Mixed Up"

Quick review: If you absolutely NEED to trim anything, drop "I'm in Touch With Your World" and "Don't Cha Stop". I'm not recommending that per se. But, if I had to, I could live without them. The rest are stone-cold-classics...e-fucking-ssential! The hard-edged rock of "Bye Bye Love" leading directly into the spacey "Moving in Stereo"* followed directly by the the desperate longing of "All Mixed Up" is such a wonderful way to end an album it almost defies description.

[ * Yes, the song that plays in Fast Times at Ridgemont High when Phoebe Cates reveals her greatest assets, via "Brad" and his innermost poolside bathroom fantasies. ]

"Good Times Roll", "My Best Friend's Girl", "Just What I Needed", and "You're All I've Got Tonight", are those really all on one album?! And, it's not even a greatest hits album?!! Amazing, isn't it? Actually, only the first three of those were released as singles. I was surprised to learn that "You're All I've Got Tonight" was not. As many times as I've heard that on the radio, I would've thought it was the biggest hit of all of them.

The long ago marginalized (in my mind, at least) Rolling Stone Top 500 Albums lists it as #282...if anyone still cares.

Sarah Connor?

2008-01-14T10:20:00.000-06:00

''Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles''

Is this going to be worth watching? Last night was OK, I guess, picking up where T2 left off. But, maybe I just really want this to be good, for no other reason than T2 was the coolest movie in history at the time it came out.

Lyrical Quotation of the Week, Vol. 1

2008-01-11T08:56:00.000-06:00

"Well, they say that Sidney Poitier was a blind man
And they say that LBJ was a Soviet Jew
When I get down to Florida, child
There ain't no kind of sexual healing that I would-not-could-not-or-should-not do..."

Quoted from memory, based on listening on Tuesday to a b**tleg of a 1985 live performance...estimated accuracy > 95%, though.

50 cool points for commenters naming the artist and/or song title (100 cool points for getting both!!!)...

SURPRISE!

2008-01-09T10:12:00.001-06:00

Well, that was just weird.

Adventures in Capitalism, Vol. 1

2008-01-07T15:18:00.000-06:00

Sure, he's not generating wealth at Oprah levels. But, he does alright for a relatively goofy looking guy with a porn moustache and a giant, bald head, not to mention an accent that sounds more like a small town tow truck driver than clinical psychologist (or whatever the hell he's supposed to be).

Dr. Phil, we at Haahnster's Hallucinations (which is really just me) salute you. Keep churning out those self-help books, and I'm bound to buy one sooner or later.

Classic Rock Radio

2008-01-07T09:46:00.000-06:00

I've been spending such a large % of my available music-listening time on b**tlegs and other 'unofficial' recordings (side note: my available music-listening time is much less than I'd like, mainly confined to the car), that I've lost touch with a lot of old favorites. Lately, when I switch CDs in my car stereo, I will catch a sliver of a tune on the local classic rock radio station to which my FM dial is tuned. Usually, it's some crapola by the Eagles, and I can't get the next CD in fast enough (yes, I've heard of multi-disc changers, or even car-compatible media players...let's not go there at the moment). But, recently, there have been a few gems that have stopped me from inserting the disc, and resulted in some actual listening enjoyment. In no particular order:

"Won't Get Fooled Again" by The Who -- Quite possibly THE quintessential early-'70s classic rock song. Damn! This one (and its LP home, Who's next) I might need to spend some time with in the near future. Better yet, I've got my Who DVD set (Christmas present) that I need to report out on soon...Anyway, it makes me wonder how many people there are now who only know this band from CSI theme songs...

"Come Together" by The Beatles -- I caught the last two thirds of this one over the weekend, and enjoyed it MUCH more than I would've anticipated. Not much else to say here..."Got to be good lookin'/'Cause he's so hard to see"...brought a smile to my face like I was hearing it for the first time. Nice.

"For What It's Worth" by Buffalo Springfield -- As big a Neil Young fanatic as I am, I should probably spend more time on the Springfield years, although this was a Stills tune anyway. Something about the classicly simple drum beat juxtaposed with the stinging guitar runs, all backing the vaguely revolutionary-sounding lyrics (though inspired by an incident on the Sunset Strip that had ZERO to do with a Viet Nam War protest) make this a dawn-of-the-late-'60s classic. "Paranoia strikes deep..." indeed!

"We Will Rock You" by Queen -- I think I could listen to this song 10 times a day without tiring of it (STOMP, STOMP, CLAP...STOMP, STOMP, CLAP...). Unfortunately, it is ALWAYS followed on the radio by "We Are the Champions", which is a fine song, but one I could easily go another 10 years without hearing again.

"Mama Let Him Play" by Doucette -- Do they play this song outside the Midwest? I hadn't heard it in years before this weekend, in any event. Really catchy tune. "Mama let that boy/Play some rock and roll/Jazz is much too crazy/He can play it when he's old/He's too young for the blues/He's still inside his first pair of shoes....he's just a baby!" OK, admittedly, it doesn't read like great poetry by any means. Still a cool rock song, though. Love that sounds-like-it-was-recorded-under-water guitar solo!!!

OK, that's it for now. Enjoy your day!

Obama & Huckabee Win In Iowa?!?!!

2008-01-04T07:59:00.000-06:00

Someone please explain some things to me...

I heard that Democrats turned out in about double the number of Republicans (like 230,000 vs. 120,000 or something like that). Yet, the chart I saw showed Obama "winning" with 940 to 744 for Edwards and 737 for Clinton. Exactly how the f-ck do they count votes in Iowa? I'm coming up with less than 2,500 there. Must be a shitload of 'undecideds'!!!

Question: Does anyone really believe Huckabee will be the Republican nominee? If not, does that imply that Obama's win is just as meaningless?

On to New Hampshire, another completely-unrepresentative-of-the-country-at-large state!!!

OOPS! Belated Holiday Wishes

2008-01-03T11:29:00.000-06:00

This is for those who did not receive our Christmas card in the mail (which is everyone, since the one-hour photo didn't inform me they were out of envelopes until I picked up the cards, which was totally last-minute anyway, and I just gave up on sending them out at all. Shame, too, it's such a good picture of the kids.)

Kenny vs. Spenny

2008-01-03T09:24:00.001-06:00

Have you seen this shit? I've only recently discovered this show on Comedy Central. Yes, it's asinine, juvenile, even embarrassing to watch. But, I've laughed harder at the two episodes of this show that I've seen (loudest fart contest, and staying blindfolded for 3 days contest) than I've laughed at anything else in YEARS!!!

Damn Those Dirty Bastards!

2007-12-17T16:27:00.000-06:00

I took all that time off blogging just to dedicate myself to forging a new career in fashion design, and this was the result. Screw the no-talent-evaluation-skills-havin' hacks at Project Runway. I say this totally works.

Thanks to mat for the photo (for my "portfolio").

Ike Turner: Dead as a Doornail

2007-12-14T06:37:00.000-06:00

Ike Turner is dead. Big effin' deal. Why are so many people eulogizing him so respectfully? Rot in hell, you wife-beating loser.

Dude, Where's My Month?

2007-12-05T17:57:00.000-06:00

Whoa! Did I miss the month of November?!? Bogus.

ELVIS--Still Worth More Dead Than I Am Alive

2007-10-30T13:17:00.001-05:00

Elvis is Forbes' richest dead celebrity

Click here for more.

Classic ONION: "It's Only Tuesday"

2007-10-23T08:06:00.001-05:00

WASHINGTON, DC -- After running a thousand errands, working hours of overtime, and being stuck in seemingly endless gridlock traffic commuting to and from their jobs, millions of Americans were disheartened to learn that it was, in fact, only Tuesday.

"Tuesday?" San Diego resident Doris Wagner said. "How in the hell is it still Tuesday?"

Tuesday's arrival stunned a nation still recovering from the nightmarish slog that was Monday, leaving some to wonder if the week was ever going to end and others to ask what was taking Friday so goddamn long.

"Ugh," said Wagner, echoing a national sense of frustration over it not even being Wednesday at the very least.

According to suddenly depressed sources, the feeling that this week may in fact last forever was further compounded by the thought of all the work left to be done tomorrow, the day after tomorrow, and, if Americans make it that far, possibly even Friday, for Christ's sake.

Fears that the week could actually be going backwards were also expressed.

"Not only do Americans have most of Tuesday morning to contend with, but all of Tuesday afternoon and then Tuesday night," National Labor Relations Board spokesman David Prynn said. "If our calculations are correct, there is a chance we are in effect closer to last weekend than the one coming up."

Added Prynn: "Fuck."

Reports that this all has to be some kind of sick joke had not been confirmed as of press time.

Isolated attempts to make the day go faster, such as glancing at watches or clocks every other minute, compulsively checking e-mail, hiding in the office bathroom, fidgeting, or reading a boring magazine while sitting in the waiting room, have also all proven unsuccessful, sources report.

The National Institute of Standards and Technology, which oversees the official time of the United States, has flatly denied slowing or otherwise tampering with the progression of time.

Labor Secretary Elaine Chao released a statement addressing widespread speculation that it might as well be Monday for all anyone cares.

"We understand this day has been tough on many of you, what with meetings mercilessly dragging on and an entire stack of files still left to organize," Chao's statement read in part. "Yet we urge Americans to show patience. The midweek hump is just around the corner, and we have strong reason to believe that Saturday will be here before you know it."

"Go about your lives as best you can," the statement continued. "Do not, we repeat, do not take a sick day, as it'll make the rest of the week that much harder to endure."

In the meantime, citizens are doing their best to cope with the interminable week, though Tuesday is still hours away from ending.

"The more I try to speed it along, the longer it almost seems to take," said Dale Bouchard, a Chicago-based broker who has been waiting for today to be over since it first began earlier this morning. "Honestly, today could not have come at a worse time this week."

In the meantime, the latest wristwatch consultations indicate that it is somehow still Tuesday, if that makes any sense at all.

A Bit More Dylan

2007-10-22T09:51:00.000-05:00

First, I believe this was Bob's setlist:

Rainy Day Women #12 & 35
Don't Think Twice, It's All Right
I'll Be Your Baby Tonight
Tangled Up In Blue
'Til I Fell In Love With You
When The Deal Goes Down
The Levee's Gonna Break
Workingman's Blues #2
High Water (For Charlie Patton)
Spirit On The Water
Highway 61 Revisited
Ain't Talkin'
Summer Days
Masters Of War
Encore:
Thunder On The Mountain
[Band intros]
All Along The Watchtower

Second, the guy that security dragged out just after Bob's set started sure looked familiar. I think it was Jeff from the band Naked Hippy, and record store Mother Murphy's. Jeff, dude, what did you do???!?!

Amos, Elvis, Dylan & I

2007-10-21T09:18:00.000-05:00

...still recovering from last night's festivities...not very coherent yet, but...

Amos Lee - I didn't know ANYTHING about this guy, and I can't say I've really formed an opinion...no major impression made either way. (Apologies to his fans)

Elvis Costello - Solo appearance...acoustic guitar, but highly amplified and with amazingly cool distortion effects, incredible voice...WONDERFUL

Zimmy himself - with (excellent) band...started off with Rainy Day Women (...everybody must get stoned...) on guitar. Yes, I said Bob on guitar...more specifically, on electric guitar...more specifically still, on lead (pronounced "leed"), electric guitar!!! HUGELY surprising based on recent show descriptions I've read. By song #4 (a fantastic rendition of "Tangled Up In Blue"), Bob had moved to the keyboard, and broken out the harmonica.

EXCELLENT!!!!

Bush to meet with Dalai Lama today

2007-10-16T12:46:00.000-05:00

Answer: So I jump ship in Hong Kong and make my way over to Tibet, and I get on as a looper at a course over in the Himalayas. A looper, you know, a caddy, a looper, a jock. So, I tell them I'm a pro jock, and who do you think they give me? The Dalai Lama, himself. Twelfth son of the Lama. The flowing robes, the grace, bald... striking. So, I'm on the first tee with him. I give him the driver. He hauls off and whacks one - big hitter, the Lama - long, into a ten-thousand foot crevasse, right at the base of this glacier. Do you know what the Lama says? Gunga galunga... gunga, gunga-galunga. So we finish the eighteenth and he's gonna stiff me. And I say, "Hey, Lama, hey, how about a little something, you know, for the effort, you know." And he says, "Oh, uh, there won't be any money, but when you die, on your deathbed, you will receive total consciousness." So I got that goin' for me, which is nice.

Question: What is (my) best guess as to what "W" will say at his upcoming meeting with the Dalai Lama?

"Spirit Road" Might Be A 'Keeper'

2007-10-10T10:18:00.000-05:00

My Babies Are Cute

2007-10-05T09:54:00.000-05:00

Neil Young On B**tlegs

2007-10-02T11:08:00.000-05:00

"Y'mean all this bootleg stuff? It doesn't bother me. More power to them – they can sell 'em in the parking lot. I don't give a shit. I have nothing against bootlegs – I think for an artist like me, they're essential. There's just no way that the record company's gonna accept as many records as I would like to give them." – Neil Young

Review of Chrome Dreams II

2007-09-14T09:40:00.001-05:00

Click HERE to read at Uncut.

Oh, hell, I'll just reprint it here to make it easy:

Neil Young's "Chrome Dreams II"
2007-09-14 11:46:58

Apart from a few Beach Boys and Kosmische things I picked up in America in the early ‘90s, I’ve never been much of a bootleg collector; never had the time, I guess, with so much legitimately released music to get hooked on. As a consequence, my knowledge of Neil Young’s “Chrome Dreams” was limited to hazy memories from rush-reading Jimmy McDonough’s “Shakey” until news of “Chrome Dreams II” broke a few weeks ago.

I’ve heard “Chrome Dreams II” now, and I’m broadly struggling to see its connection to the first mythical set. In some ways, it’s a kind of reverse: if “Chrome Dreams” was a collection of great Neil songs that were subsequently dispersed across various disparate albums, “Chrome Dreams II” in part seems to be a collection of disparate, mainly great Neil songs that have been gathered together, somewhat belatedly.

We know – thanks to the unflinchingly accurate internet, at least – that the first three songs on this new album were all written and abandoned by Young at some point in the ‘80s. “Beautiful Bluebird”, a rheumy-eyed country amble, would have featured on the original, rejected version of “Old Ways”. “Boxcar”, a twanging and discreetly propulsive train song, was part of the shelved “Times Square” set that just predated “Freedom”.

There is no palpable reason why he’s sat on these two tunes for so long, but the mystery becomes more pronounced when track three arrives, and seems determined to never leave. This is “Ordinary People”, a heroically trudging narrative that lasts over 18 minutes and originates from the Bluenotes sessions circa “This Note’s For You” (if you look on Youtube, there’s some footage of Young playing the song live in 1988). My favourite Neil music has always been electric and long, with a sort of relentless, dogged purpose to it.

You could probably measure the pace of “Ordinary People” in swings of a wrecking ball, but there’s a difference between this and obvious comparison tracks like “Cortez The Killer” and “Like A Hurricane”. As each verse ends and Young steps up to solo, he’s joined by a blaring horn section, who occasionally duck out for solos themselves. When the sax player moves into the spotlight, and a piano line rolls through the mix, there’s an odd echo of ‘70s E-Street Band. It’s preposterous, and fantastic.

After this, the rest of the album is purportedly new music. Unlike “Living With War”, “Prairie Wind” et al, Young doesn’t stick to one style. Instead, he promiscuously wanders through a pretty wide range; it’s notable that his band here features one Crazy Horse (Ralph Molina), one Stray Gator (Ben Keith) and one Bluenote (Rick Rosas). Not all of these diversions are entirely welcome: “Shining Light” and “The Believer” have a limpid soul lilt that reminds me a little of my least favourite Neil album, “Are You Passionate?”; and the closing “The Way” nails the recurring theme of finding a path back to contentment, home, spiritual fulfilment and such, but does so with the aid of an inevitably mawkish children’s choir.

“Spirit Road” tackles the same issues much better, with a rattly belligerence and massed vocals that recalls “Living With War” and the best parts of “Greendale”. There are a couple more great rock songs on “Chrome Dreams II”, too: “Dirty Old Man” is a crude-as-hell garage gruntalong that reminds me variously of “Re-Ac-Tor”, some of “Ragged Glory” and “Piece Of Crap” from “Sleeps With Angels”. Even better, “No Hidden Path” is another epic workout (a measly 11 and a half minutes, if you’re counting), that very nearly matches “Ordinary People” for gravity, sustained intensity, and the sense that Young is still uncommonly close to the top of his game.

The whole thing adds up to an uncharacteristically satisfying hotch-potch. It’s a fool’s game to try and understand Neil Young’s infallibly contrary thought processes, but it sounds as if the preparation of Archives has inspired him to look at his career as a whole, to make more explicit the way it all fits together. After the righteous indignation of “Living With War”, the prevailing mood of “Chrome Dreams II” is of finding contentment. But what makes it so gripping is the number of contrasting ways that Young finds to make his point.

John Mulvey

LISTEN: "Ordinary People"

2007-09-12T18:42:00.000-05:00

MP3 available to hear at Rolling Stone magazine's site.

ENJOY!

"Ordinary People"

2007-09-11T12:42:00.000-05:00

Word has it that the full 18-minute version of "Ordinary People" was just played on WXPN 88.5 FM in Philadelphia. With any luck, I should have it (FM--->cassette--->mp3) in my email sometime today.

My sources are telling me it's Freedom-era AMAZING!

UPDATE as of 3:50 PM: I have the MP3, but cannot listen yet (damn workplace rules)--more later!

UPDATE as of 6:30 PM: I have heard the MP3, and all I can say is KISS YOUR ASS GOODBYE!

Chrome Dreams II Tracks/Tour Dates

2007-09-10T16:29:00.000-05:00

Chrome Dreams II (set for release Oct. 16) tracklist:
01. Beautiful Bluebird (3:30)
02. Boxcar (3:15)
03. Ordinary People (18:13)
04. Shining Light (4:33)
05. The Believer (2:38)
06. Spirit Road (5:01)
07. Dirty Old Man (2:52)
08. Ever After (3:32)
09. No Hidden Path (11:31)
10. The Way (5:15)

Tour Dates:

10-18 Boise, ID - Morrison Center
10-20 Spokane, WA - INB Performing Arts Center
10-22 Portland, OR - Keller Theater
10-23 Seattle, WA - WaMu Center
10-27 Mountain View, CA - Shoreline Amphitheatre (Bridge School benefit)
10-28 Mountain View, CA - Shoreline Amphitheatre (Bridge School benefit)
10-30 Los Angeles, CA - Nokia Theatre
11-05 Denver, CO - Wells Fargo Theatre
11-08 Minneapolis, MO - Northrop Auditorium
11-10 Detroit, MI - Fox Theatre
11-12 Chicago, IL - Chicago Theatre
11-13 Chicago, IL - Chicago Theatre
11-15 Washington, DC - Constitution Hall
11-18 St. Louis, MO - Fox Theatre
11-26 Toronto, Ontario - Massey Hall
11-27 Toronto, Ontario - Massey Hall
12-02 Boston, MA - Orpheum Theatre
12-03 Boston, MA - Orpheum Theatre
12-05 Wallingford, CT - Chevrolet Theatre
12-09 Philadelphia, PA - Tower Theatre
12-12 New York, NY - United Palace
12-13 New York, NY - United Palace

Drumming up interest in Archives Vol. 1, I hope! (BRING ON the Archives, Neil! Thank you.)

I Witnessed A Living Legend...

2007-09-05T05:45:00.001-05:00

...on Saturday night. For the first time in my life, I saw Dave Mason play live in concert. Amazing. Great, soulful voice, and DAMN can he play guitar!!!

His band (2nd guitarist, keyboardist, bassist, drummer) was tight as heck. The setlist included Traffic classics "40,000 Headmen," "Dear Mr. Fantasy"* and "Feelin' Alright." They also did a KILLER "All Along the Watchtower" (as you might know, Dave Mason played on the studio recording of the Hendrix version). A couple of Dave's solo hits I recognized were "Only You Know and I Know" and "We Just Disagree."

Mr. Mason introduced a couple songs as "new": a pretty cool sounding country-rocker called "Are Your Legs Tired 'Cause You've Been Running Through My Mind" (a cliche even my beloved Neil might snicker at--good song though), and a southern-fried rocker called "Let Me Go"...DAMN! I wish I were a taper, because that 90-minute set kicked major buttocks!

* NOTE: Interestingly, for the only time all night, Dave let his 2nd guitarist play the HUGE guitar solo in the middle of "Dear Mr. Fantasy," and the guy was great, too! I think that might be further indication that Winwood played the amazing album version solo, although it was INFINITELY CLEAR to me that Mason could've played it--or just about any other damn thing I've ever heard (blistering/stinging guitar, great wah wah effects, etc.).

Then Play On

2007-09-01T08:01:00.001-05:00

Posting about wayward actor Peter Greene the other day naturally led me to think about wayward guitarist Peter Green, founding member of Fleetwood Mac. That's the Fleetwood Mac of the late-'60's that helped pioneer and advance heavy blues-rock as a popular musical format. What a crazy time that was! Rod f*cking Stewart was essentially Robert Plant before Robert Plant, as lead vocalist of The Jeff Beck Group, which was essentially Led Zeppelin before Led Zeppelin (or, at least early Led Zeppelin before Led Zeppelin). And, equally as astounding, there was a pre-"Don't Stop" Fleetwood Mac that actually kicked ass!!! (The song could've been called "Don't stop thinking about tomorrow, because if you think about the past you'll realize what a bloody joke we've become!!!")

Peter Green was the guitarist that replaced Eric Clapton in John Mayall's Blues Breakers, where he played with bassist John McVie, and ultimately was able to bring drummer Mick Fleetwood aboard. Fleetwood Mac was born from there. By the time of their third LP, Then Play On, second guitarist Danny Kirwan had been added more or less in replacement of the slide guitar of Jeremy Spencer. In fact, this was the line-up for Then Play On:

Fleetwood Mac
Peter Green - vocals, guitar, harmonica
Danny Kirwan - vocals, guitar
John McVie - bass
Mick Fleetwood - drums
Jeremy Spencer - piano on "Oh Well" {Pt 2}
Additional Personnel
Christine Perfect - piano (uncredited)
Big Walter Horton - harmonica (uncredited)

[Note: Christine Perfect subsequently became Christine McVie.]

As with many releases by British bands in the '60's, the track list and running order varied in the U.S. compared to the UK. I didn't even dig out my old vinyl, opting instead for the convenience of the CD (yes, I have "replaced" many of my LP's with CD's--I just haven't been able to part with the now redundant vinyl, but that's an issue for my therapist, if I ever get one).

1. "Coming Your Way" (Kirwan) – 3:47
2. "Closing My Eyes" (Green) – 4:50
3. "Showbiz Blues" (Green) – 3:50
4. '"My Dream" (Kirwan) – 3:30
5. "Underway" (Green) – 2:51
6. "Oh Well" (Green) – 8:56
7. "Although the Sun Is Shining" (Kirwan) – 2:31
8. "Rattlesnake Shake" (Green) – 3:32
9. "Searching for Madge" (McVie) – 6:56
10. "Fighting for Madge" (Fleetwood) – 2:45 ("Like Crying" giggle still left here)
11. '"When You Say" (Kirwan) – 4:22
12. "Like Crying" (Kirwan) – 2:21
13. "Before the Beginning" (Green) – 3:28

The liner notes from my CD begin thusly: Flexing the lean blues muscle that earned them a solid reputation among musical purists, Fleetwood Mac, on their landmark 1969 release Then Play On, also demonstrated a songwriting and performing skill that would eventually catapult the band into world class status. The LP spotlights several indispensable Fleetwood Mac classics, including Peter Green’s nearly nine-minute opus “Oh Well,” one of the most innovative, and oft-imitated blues/rock workouts in modern music. Other standouts include the Hendrix-influenced “Underway,” the fierce “Rattlesnake Shake” and the subtly shaded “Although The Sun Is Shining.”

Not bad. Another favorite of mine not mentioned above is "Show-Biz Blues." But, heck, this sucker is stacked from start to finish. Let's check in with the AllMusic review by Michael G. Nastos: This Peter Green-led edition of the Mac isn't just an important transition between their initial blues-based incarnation and the mega-pop band they became, it's also their most vital, exciting version. The addition of Danny Kirwan as second guitarist and songwriter foreshadows not only the soft-rock terrain of "Bare Trees" and "Kiln House" with Christine Perfect-McVie, but also predicts Rumours. That only pertains to roughly half of the also excellent material here, though; the rest is quintessential Green. The immortal "Oh Well," with its hard-edged, thickly layered guitars and chamber-like sections, is perhaps the band's most enduring progressive composition. "Rattlesnake Shake" is another familiar number, a down-and-dirty, even-paced funk, with clean, wall-of-sound guitars. Choogling drums and Green's fiery improvisations power "Searching for Madge," perhaps Mac's most inspired work save "Green Manalishi," and leads into an unlikely symphonic interlude and the similar, lighter boogie "Fighting for Madge." A hot Afro-Cuban rhythm with beautiful guitars from Kirwan and Green on "Coming Your Way" not only defines the Mac's sound, but the rock aesthetic of the day. Of the songs with Kirwan's stamp on them, "Closing My Eyes" is a mysterious waltz love song; haunting guitars approach surf music on the instrumental "My Dream"; while "Although the Sun Is Shining" is the ultimate pre-Rumours number someone should revisit. Blues roots still crop up on the spatial, loose, Hendrix-tinged "Underway," the folky blues tale of a lesbian affair on "Like Crying," and the final outcry of the ever-poignant "Show Biz Blues," with Green moaning "do you really give a damn for me?" Then Play On is a reminder of how pervasive and powerful Green's influence was on Mac's originality and individual stance beyond his involvement. Still highly recommended and a must-buy after all these years, it remains their magnum opus.

I don't necessarily agree with the "predicting Rumours" stuff. All I know is it's pretty damned good!

The Bo Diddley Beat

2007-08-31T05:42:00.000-05:00

I read that Bo Diddley had a heart attack on 28-August. Not good, but hopefully he pulls through. Truly, he is a founding father of rock. Just check out his debut album from 1958 (actually a collection of songs that were also released as singles from 1955-58).

All songs written by Ellas McDaniel (aka "Bo Diddley"), except as noted:
"Bo Diddley" – 2:30
"I'm a Man" – 2:41
"Bring It to Jerome" – 2:37
"Before You Accuse Me" – 2:40
"Hey! Bo Diddley" – 2:17
"Dearest Darling" – 2:32
"Hush Your Mouth" – 2:36
"Say Boss Man" – 2:18
"Diddley Daddy" – 2:11
"Diddy Wah Diddy" (Ellas McDaniel / Willie Dixon) – 2:51
"Who Do You Love?" – 2:18
"Pretty Thing" – 2:48

Review by Matthew Greenwald (from AllMusic): "For anyone who wants to play rock & roll, real rock & roll, this is one of the few records that you really need. Along with Chuck Berry, Elvis, Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis, Muddy Waters, B.B. King, and a few select others, Bo Diddley was one of the founders of the form — and he did it like no other. Diddley had only one real style, that being the Bo Diddley beat: a syncopated, rhythmic drive, loaded with tremolo. There are 12 examples of it on this record, and that is about all you need. It's one of those records that, after listening to just a few cuts, will find you tapping the beats on every available surface. Diddley's guitar and vocals have a gruff feeling that recalls bluesmen such as Waters, yet he has his own style. Buttressed by drums, funky piano, and usually maracas, it's absolutely infectious. This is one of the greatest rock sounds that you're likely to hear, and it's all on this one record, too."

I'll add a few more words of Haahnster admiration for "the Bo Diddley beat." No less of an early rock legend than Buddy Holly emulated the Bo Diddley beat in his song "Not Fade Away," one of the most covered songs in rock history. Think also about other familiar and oft-covered songs such as "I Want Candy" (originally recorded by The Strangeloves in 1965) and "Willie and the Hand Jive" (originally from Johnny Otis in 1957). A somewhat more recent example is U2's "Desire" (from Rattle and Hum in 1988).

Oh, and as a throw-in, Bo Diddley basically defined the use of tremolo in guitar playing. What a kick-ass guitar sound! If you don't have this disc, get it NOW!

Susan Estrich Hits One Out Of The Park

2007-08-30T09:34:00.000-05:00

The Distinguished Gentleman From Idaho

Wed Aug 29, 3:00 AM ET

An airport men's room?

Couldn't you do better than that, Senator?

After consistently voting against efforts to protect gay and lesbian Americans from hate crimes and to preserve their civil rights, you go into the men's room at the airport and try to pick up the guy in the next stall?

And then you have the audacity to claim that the police officer is lying, even though you pleaded guilty and tried to hush up the whole thing; that you're being unfairly punished for having a "wide stance" and picking up a nonexistent piece of paper from the bathroom floor?

The fundamental issue here isn't sexual orientation.

It's character.

The distinguished gentleman from Idaho, as members of Congress refer to each other, is a public nuisance, a blatant liar and a hopeless hypocrite. The Senate is tarnished by his presence. The people of Idaho deserve better.

Go home, Senator Wide Stance. Go tell your wife your lies. Explain your votes to her.

The list of what's wrong with this guy is endless.

You want to have sex with another man, go right ahead. But don't do it in a restroom at the airport, full of kids traveling alone or with their mothers. Unaccompanied minors have a right not to worry when they have to go to the bathroom. I'm glad the airport police were in there looking for disgusting old men who are so ashamed of their sexuality that they resort to doing it in bathroom stalls. I don't care what your orientation is — a public restroom is no place for sex, particularly when it's a public restroom in a public place that's full of children.

I'm one of those mothers who stand outside the men's room at the airport waiting for their sons, one eye on my watch and the other on every man who walks in. When my son was a little boy, I brought him into the ladies room. But as every mother will tell you, once they get past a certain age, they won't come. Family bathrooms help for a while, but they aren't that common. And once they get a little older, every boy tells his mother he's fine and can go on his own. Maybe I should carry a Capitol Hill Facebook from now on.

Then there's the matter of lying. Senator Craig jumped all over former President Clinton as being "bad, nasty and naughty" for having a consensual affair in his office with an adult woman and then lying about it. I'm not going to defend the president for what was clearly inappropriate and wrongful conduct, but at least he finally came clean about it. The senator is still playing the blame game.

A wide stance? Gimme a break. Peeking through the crack to observe the man in the next stall? What was that about? Waving his hand into the next stall, later claiming he was picking up a piece of paper that didn't exist? How dumb does he think we are?

But my favorite is his claim that he only pleaded guilty because he didn't consult a lawyer or understand his rights. Another lie. Eleven days after his arrest, he specifically asked for a police contact with whom his lawyer could communicate. He arranged a plea deal; his staff is full of lawyers. Senator Craig had easier access to legal counsel than 99 percent of those charged with crimes in this country.

But the piece de resistance is the hypocrisy of Senator Wide Stance. You want to be in the closet, be in the closet. But don't be a hypocrite. Senator Craig's voting record is 100 percent anti-gay. He voted twice against protecting from hate crimes those with more guts than he has, when he voted against the addition of the words "sexual orientation" to the federal hate crimes law. He supported a constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage. He voted for federal legislation giving states the right to refuse to recognize same-sex marriages — a right they already have, codified in federal law, not because there was a need for it, but because the gutless wonders in Congress were looking to score political points with the right by proving just how anti-gay they are. Or how hypocritical.

I don't believe in outing people who prefer to keep their sexual orientation private. But exposing hypocrisy is the appropriate business of the media. Senator Craig isn't the only hypocrite in Washington, and it's about time we started holding them accountable, not for what they do in private, but for how they vote in public.

To find out more about Susan Estrich and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

COPYRIGHT 2007 CREATORS SYNDICATE INC.

Legendary Riverboat Shows to be NYAPS #1

2007-08-27T16:47:00.001-05:00

Sounds sweeeeeet to me!

Cartoon of the Year

2007-08-27T09:01:00.001-05:00

It's probably wise to take the plea deal, given the possibility of facing that jury.

CONGRATULATIONS

2007-08-27T08:27:00.000-05:00

to Alberto Gonzales on becoming the first Hispanic Attorney General to resign in infamy.

Well done, sir!

Things I F*cking HATE

2007-08-26T15:53:00.000-05:00

#1. Yard work

Neil Young Lyrics I Find Amusing

2007-08-23T08:20:00.000-05:00

Last night I was cool at the pool hall
Held a table for 11 games
Nothing was easier than the first 7
I beat a woman with vericose veins

From "Sedan Delivery"

(Thanks to K.K., whose comment jogged my memory.)

Shamefully, It Simply Wasn't Enough

2007-08-22T14:02:00.000-05:00

As of this writing, I think film actor Peter Greene still holds the distinction of being the only person to utter the word "gimp" in not just one, but two of the coolest films of the '90s.

As "Zed" in Pulp Fiction: "Bring out the Gimp."

As "Redfoot" in The Usual Suspects: "Feed it to the Gimp."

Apparently, that wasn't enough for Mr. Greene. I just learned that he was arrested in late July for purchasing crack cocaine. It's all so confusing...

Should Be A ROCKER!!! (Dammit!)

2007-08-20T12:35:00.000-05:00

YOUNG PLAYS NEW RECORD FOR REPRISE

NY Times, August 16, 2007

Continuing a tradition that goes back to 1969, Neil Young played his latest recording for Reprise yesterday. The recording was played for about 100 people in Burbank. Produced by "The Volume Dealers," NY and Niko Bolas, the recording runs 60+ minutes and includes two giant songs that time in at 18:30 and 13:00, respectively. Drawing from three songs written previously, and 7 new songs, the latest Neil Young is a very diverse recording. A release date is unknown at this time. The title is Chrome Dreams II.
Chrome Dreams is a legendary NY album from 1977 that had originally been scheduled for release but was shelved. The original cover for Chrome Dreams was created by Neil's long-time producer and friend, the late David Briggs. Unfortunately, all original documentation and art for this album was lost in a fire that destroyed Neil's Malibu home in early 1978.
________________________________________________

[NOTE: "NY Times" as in Neil's website, not the New York Times--which ironically might've made it MORE reliable, in Haahnster's opinion!]

Rumor has it that one of the "previously written" songs is "Ordinary People", the unreleased Bluenotes-era monster and fan favorite! Neil, PLEASE, you can still release the Archives!!! I swear it'll work. New material AND the Archives...

Really Tugs At The Ol' Heart Strings

2007-08-13T12:08:00.001-05:00

'Roid Rage

2007-08-08T06:00:00.000-05:00

Fuck Barry Bonds. He can kiss my ass. I can't believe we didn't get a single Mark David Chapman type to come out of his baseball-stat-loving, lonely/despairing bachelor pad, and with one well-placed bullet end this whole fiasco before the record book was further besmirched by this steroid-abusing piece of shit. Too late now, dickweeds...you missed your only chance to positively contribute to society. Might as well pawn your handgun and go back to getting Cheetos stains on the rabbit-eared corners of your tattered copy of Catcher in the Rye.

And, Bud Selig, eat a dick.

The Michael Vick Story, Starring Ving Rhames???

2007-08-03T19:24:00.000-05:00

Man killed in dog attack at actor's home

SiCKO

2007-07-30T08:55:00.000-05:00

Wow! I finally got around to seeing this movie on Saturday...excellent.

Universal health care? Why the f*ck not?!?

Calling it "socialized medicine" just isn't going to scare me away that easily any more. (And, no, that's not just the Michael Moore kool-aid talking. I've been moving gradually in that direction. This film just sort of crystallized it for me.)

Randomly Quoting SHAKEY, Take 2

2007-07-25T06:18:00.000-05:00

"People write in magazines that I make different kinds of records just to draw attention to myself. If I ever saw the little wimps that were saying that, then I'm sure that I'd have to fucking kill them...There's many better ways to draw attention to myself. I could kill music critics if I wanted to...I could burn down Geffen Records...I could burn myself down in public if I wanted to--that would get a lot of attention, right?

It's a very stupid thing to assume that I'm making different kinds of music to draw attention to myself. I made Trans because I wanted to. I did the Shocking Pinks and the International Harvesters because I wanted to, and I'm doing the Bluenotes beacuse I want to, and if you don't like that shit, fine. What are these guys saying? That the cool thing is just to do the same thing over and over again and not be a weirdo? Because if Neil Young did do the same thing over and over and over again and wasn't a weirdo, then these guys would be going, 'Oh, Neil Young, he's so boring, coming out with the same thing over and over and over again.' You can't win. You know, one week I'm a jerk, and the next week I'm a genius. So, how can I take these fucking music critics seriously? Let the people decide."

-- Interview with Tom Hibbert, 1988 (as quoted in Shakey)

CAGR

2007-07-24T10:43:00.000-05:00

In my high school and college days, we looked forward to "keggers". Nothing quite like gathering friends and acquaintances, tapping a keg (or several kegs) of beer, and drinking until you drop.

Calculating "Compound Annual Growth Rates" is not nearly as fun-filled and exciting.

Free Jimi Hendrix MP3's

2007-07-19T09:30:00.000-05:00

Go HERE

to get these:

Jimi Hendrix Miami Pop Festival 1968

Live at Gulfstream Racetrack, Florida, May 18, 1968.

Jimi Hendrix at Fillmore East, Monterey, Woodstock... these are the shows that people talk about. Only the fans know of the lesser-known shows such as the Miami Pop Festival in 1968.

This is what Lew posted at digitaldreamdoor.com:
"I saw Hendrix at the May 1968 Gulfstream Pop Festival in Hallendale Florida, just north of Miami. (There was a second festival in December.) This was after his first album was released and Purple Haze was getting a little airplay on the radio. But he was just a new and strange act at that time, not the legend he became later. I sat on a blanket about 50 feet from the stage, (everyone sat back then). Anyone could have walked right up to the stage and held out their hand and he would have shook it. I saw a girl walk up and hand him a rose, and then walk back to her blanket and sit down. Anyway, he did a straight set of the songs on Are You Experienced. I can't remember if he did any extra songs, but he didn't do anything wild like set his guitar on fire. He did play with his teeth and behind his head on one song. There were only about 400 people interested enough in him to watch his performance. There were two stages going at the same time and someone more popular in '67 was probably on the other stage."

Thanks to jonsatticuk and BP who shared the lossless tracks on the internet, this is a relatively short set and, as a bonus, we are offering the set from two different soundboard sources.
Click on the highlighted tracks to download the MP3s (these are high quality, stereo MP3s - sample rate of 192 kibit/s). As far as we can ascertain, this recording has never been officially released.

Soundboard recording

Lineage: Master > DAT > CDR > Soundstudio

01. Foxy Lady (7.4MB)
02. Fire (5.0MB)
03. Hear My Train A Comin' (9.6MB)
04. Purple Haze (6.4MB)
05. Announcements (563k)

Lineage: Master Soundboard > DAT > CDR > CDR(via dBpower AMP, low compression)

06. Intro/Speaks (1.3MB)
07. Foxy Lady (6.9MB)
08. Fire (4.2MB)
09. Hear My Train A Comin' (9.8MB)
10. Purple Haze (6.1MB)

Rapid Fire Blogging

2007-07-18T09:03:00.000-05:00

I'm going to open another Internet Explorer window, and write about the first 3 things that catch my eye on the Yahoo! homepage...

At least 189 dead in Brazil air crash

The pilot of an airliner that burst into flames after trying to land on a short, rain-slicked runway apparently tried to take off again, barely clearing rush-hour traffic on a major highway. The death toll rose Wednesday to 189 and could climb higher.

Well, that sucks.

Report: Gang suppression doesn't work

Anti-gang legislation and police crackdowns are failing so badly that they are strengthening the criminal organizations and making U.S. cities more dangerous, according to a report being released Wednesday.

Well, that sucks.

Hootie & the Blowfish delay summer tour

Hootie & the Blowfish are again delaying the start of their summer tour as lead singer Darius Rucker recovers from a staph infection in his left knee.

Well...

Friday The 13th

2007-07-13T07:38:00.000-05:00

Blah.

Still The Ultimate Rock 'n' Roll Graphic

2007-07-11T15:15:00.000-05:00

Apparently, There's Been Some Confusion

2007-07-10T23:24:00.000-05:00

Haven't we been over this before? Maybe not...so, here it is (again?).

Haahnster's Musical Artist of the Decade
1950's: Elvis Presley (1.a Chuck Berry)
1960's: Bob Dylan (Honorable Mention to Beatles & Stones)
1970's: Neil Young (1.a Led Zeppelin, Stones are right there, too)
1980's: R.E.M.
1990's: Pearl Jam
2000's: I'm too old to care, I guess.

William Kristol Still LOVES The War In Iraq!

2007-07-10T14:15:00.000-05:00

Don't believe me? Just click here.

The Strangest Thing...

2007-07-09T13:22:00.000-05:00

Something strange happened this morning: I fainted in the shower. I mean, blacked out completely, and woke up thinking I was peeing down my own leg. But, of course, it was actually the shower water cascading down upon me. My left knee is pretty sore, must've taken the brunt of the impact. Weird stuff...

So, when I got to work, I looked up what causes fainting. I'm not on any blood pressure medications (though I probably should be), and I really don't like the idea that I might have diabetes or Parkinson's. I'd also hate to think it was a brain stroke.

So, I'll go with dehydration. That seems like the most easily acceptable cause. Plus, I was outside a lot yesterday, and it was really freakin' hot. Good, no need to change anything but up the water intake a bit. Done.

Psychedelic Beasties?

2007-07-07T21:28:00.000-05:00

AMillionMonkeys Rob (aka "my brother") describes the new Beastie Boys instrumental CD thusly, "The funk/dub sound is familiar, but there's a sort of psychedelic rock thing going on that is new, I think." He likes it, as do I.

I am particularly fond of the ultra-funky "14th St. Break," and the slow/spacey "The Gala Event." Also, "Off the Grid" is just as the title states. Niiiice.

Get it. (And, thanks, Beth!)

Randomly Quoting SHAKEY

2007-07-04T19:41:00.000-05:00

"One thing I could never tell Neil--or even talk to Neil about--is what he should record. I've never in twenty-six years suggested the kind of material he should be writing. It doesn't work like that. If I thought it did, maybe I would, frankly. It just doesn't. If you just say, 'Boy, that's a hit single' to Neil, not only is it not released as a single, it's off the album."

Elliot Roberts, Neil Young's long-time manager, as quoted by Jimmy McDonough in Shakey

ATTN: "Beantown" Fans of the Beastie Boys

2007-06-27T06:59:00.000-05:00

From my Yahoo! email:

Subject: A Boston Gala Event

26 June 2007

A Boston Gala Event

On Sunday, August 5th, we will be performing a very exclusive and explicit, once in a lifetime GALA EVENT show to celebrate Adam Yauch's 43rd birthday @ the Boston Opera House! This goes above and beyond our usual already formal gala event. We are talking velvet seats, velvet ropes, and champagne and strawberries people. Dress to impress and take a photograph with that special someone in a wicker chair, oh what? Needless to say, proper dress is mandatory. We look forward to having you join us for this truly special celebratory evening.

August 5th - Boston, MA - Boston Opera House
Beastie Boys - A Gala Event - Exclusive Instrumental Show
Exclusive Presale Starts Thursday, June 28th at 10am (local time) here:www.ticketmaster.com/event/01003ED9DC659E49
Password: XXXXXX (NOTE: If you're seriously intersted, leave your email address in the Comments, and I'll send you the password. I'd post it here, but I'm not sure if that's proper netiquette.)
Tickets go on sale to the public Saturday, June 30th at 10am (local time) here: www.ticketmaster.com/event/01003ED9DC659E49

Thank you,

The Management

P.S. Our new album, The Mix-Up is out today, June 26.

http://www.beastieboys.com/store/

Monday Was Day One...

2007-06-26T19:26:00.000-05:00

...on the new job (i.e. different position, same company). Work hours were 7:30 AM to 12:30 AM. 17 hour day. Bad.

Today has been 7:30 AM to 7:30 PM, so far--not sure when I'll get out. I'm not sure I like this job yet.

Peace.

Rosebud, My Ass

2007-06-21T21:18:00.000-05:00

"Citizen Kane" leads "Godfather" in movie poll.

Also, we should all be relieved that there is no truth to the rumors that The Jerky Boys Movie made the list.

Well, THAT'S Interesting...

2007-06-19T20:52:00.000-05:00

NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg leaves GOP!

Click here for article.

NUGGETS Box: Disc 1, Song 2

2007-06-18T21:31:00.000-05:00

If forced to choose thee ultimate mid-'60s garage rock tune, one might bloody well settle on this track, "Dirty Water" by The Standells. (I'd probably go with "Talk Talk" by The Music Machine--but, "Dirty Water" is right there.) The guitar hook is impossibly catchy, and the vocals are snarling. What more could you want? Check this out from the boxed set's booklet [Note: "Valentino" refers to the band's guitarist, Tony Valentino, and "Dodd" refers to vocalist and drummer, Dick Dodd]:

..."Dirty Water" boasts a killer guitar hook (apparently the invention of Valentino), an aggressive backbeat (boosted by a double-tracked kick drum), and Dodd's lead vocal, which radiates pure attitude as he tosses out lines like "Along with lovers, muggers, and thieves -- ah, but they're cool people!" The song gradually became a regional breakout during the early months of 1966 and went on to become national hit.

In fact, it topped out at #11 on the Billboard charts on June 11, 1966.

Last time around, we learned about the rumor that The Electric Prunes were from Seattle, when they were, in fact, from L.A. Well, here we have a band singing "Boston, you're my home" when they were, in fact, from L.A. Odd, isn't it? Apparently, it's not a problem, as I've read that the song still is played after every home victory of the Boston Red Sox and Boston Bruins.

Click here to read more about The Standells.

Shocking News!

2007-06-17T23:19:00.000-05:00

Thrasher's Wheat is reporting that the first volume of the Neil Young Archives is being delayed until February 2008.

Shocking news, indeed.

NUGGETS Box: Disc 1, Song 1

2007-06-17T21:41:00.000-05:00

I am loving the Nuggets boxed set I bought the other day. I mean LOVING it!!! In fact, from now on, when I'm struggling to come up with a new post, I'll just move on to the next song from Nuggets. [NOTE: Based on recent history, you can expect a LOT of Nuggets-related posts.]

The lead-off batter for the entire line-up is "I Had Too Much to Dream (Last Night)" by The Electric Prunes. This is fuzzy-guitar psychedelia at its most classic. It topped out at #11 on the U.S. singles charts in January 1967. Lenny Kaye's liner notes in the original Nuggets double-LP, released in 1972, begin with "Originally from Seattle, the Prunes..." This is quite interesting, as they were not from Seattle, but rather Los Angeles. The liner notes from the new boxed set are as follows:

From its magnificent, oscillating intro to its final crashing, shuddering fade, "I Had Too Much To Dream (Last Night)" is a vivid celebration of the exciting changes pop music was undergoing in 1966-67. The song's startling effects, overwhelming vibrato guitar, and booming production herald the seemingly endless possibilities of the new psychedelia, while sacrificing none of the pounding aggression of the mid-'60s, Stones-derived garage punk. While experimental in design, "I Had Too Much To Dream," penned by the writing team of Annette Tucker & Nancie Matz (also responsible for "I Ain't No Miracle Worker"), is also a great pop song.
Formed in Los Angeles' San Fernando Valley in 1965, The Electric Prunes had misfired with their debut, "Ain't It Hard," but "I Had Too Much To Dream" established them nationally -- for a while, at least.

Click here for more on The Electric Prunes.

Their album of the same title was named one of "The 40 Greatest Guitar Albums of 1967" by Guitar Player magazine. Here's some fairly technical, guitar-geeky stuff they had to say:

With a stunning leadoff title track, Electric Prunes’ guitarist Ken Williams kicked off what would become the quintessential psych-punk masterpiece. “For that tune, and most of the record, I used a 1960 Bigsby-equipped Gibson Les Paul that I had just purchased at Ernie Ball’s guitar shop in Canoga Park,” says Williams of the haunting buzzed-out helicopter intro. Williams, together with co-guitarist James “Weasel” Spagnola, make Too Much to Dream a cornucopia of fly-buzzing fuzz and trembling tremolo. “James and I would time the tremolo pulse to each track, being very careful to let things ride on that pulsing pillow of sound,” explains Williams, who would manually adjust the Speed control on his Fender Concert 4x10, while Spagnola plugged his Fender Telecaster and Jaguar into a Magnatone combo. “We would also crank up various small tube amps and lay the headstock of the guitar on the amp to get sustained feedback,” continues Williams, who also plugged into a Fender tape echo, a Maestro Fuzz-Tone, an Arbiter Fuzz Face, and a homemade buzz box.

Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh...

2007-06-16T09:59:00.001-05:00

...My wife isn't a big fan of my posting of pictures of our children on this blog. So, I'll just try to sneak this one in real quick.

A Couple Of Updates

2007-06-15T16:47:00.000-05:00

OH, shit. "My bad" (in the parlance of our times). First, the baby boy's name is Zachary. Or, Zach. Or, Z-Man. Or, Little Z, etc. (which is not to say that "Peter Buck" wouldn't have been a great idea, too).

Second, there was a happy ending regarding The Doors boxed set urge. I didn't order it for $136. Instead, I checked my email, and saw a 1-day only 40% off coupon for Borders for today (June 15). It was in-store only, so I headed there. They had a Nuggets boxed set from Rhino, which is 4 CDs of mid-'60s garage band classics, complete with 100-page booklet. It lists for $59.99, so was $36 with my coupon. This not only seemed reasonable for more than 100 incredible songs by such wonderful bands as Count Five, The Standells, Music Machine, and soooo many more, but was also $100 LESS than I would've spent on that Doors thing. Fucking sweet. MUCH more on the Nuggets box to come, I'm quite certain.

Book Thingy

2007-06-14T23:34:00.000-05:00

I'm behind the times a bit (which is familiar territory, of course), but here's something moderately interesting:

1) Grab the nearest book once you read this.
2) Open to page 161.
3) Find the 5th full sentence, and post the text, along with these instructions.

It's too important to be underlined.

That's from Raise High the Roofbeam, Carpenters and Seymour an Introduction by J.D. Salinger, which happens to be the "nearest book" because Emily pulled it off the shelf earlier and left it on the floor. I think she's a genius, without question.

OK, So I've Been Keeping A Secret...

2007-06-14T10:42:00.000-05:00

My wife gave birth to our first baby boy on Monday, June 11, 2007 at 8:04 AM...8 pounds, 6 ounces of pure joy. He ROCKS!!! Mother and son are both recuperating quite nicely.

In other news, I'm changing jobs (within the same company), and thus have been struggling to wrap things up (part of that "orderly transition" that is always talked about, yet never happens) in my old spot. Upside of new job: almost no travel. Downside: looooong hours, particularly at quarter-ends (oops--here comes the end of the second quarter).

I fear I'm growing ever more prone to rash decisions. Latest example: I heard a couple songs by The Doors on FM radio a couple weeks ago, and realized I hadn't listened to my old Doors LPs in years. Now, I'm looking at a 6 CD/6 DVD boxed set on Amazon.com for $135--no f*cking way I'm pulling the trigger on that, right?!!!? I'm not a big enough Doors fan for that, am I?!?

We'll see...

Alone...Listless...

2007-06-09T22:22:00.000-05:00

I'm tired.

No Truth to the Rumors

2007-06-02T09:44:00.000-05:00

Contrary to popular opinion, it was not me!

U. of Illinois alumnus pledges $100M

"A University of Illinois alumnus announced he will make a $100 million donation to his alma mater, the largest gift in the university's history..."

Comic Strip Courtesy of the Cup

2007-06-01T16:06:00.000-05:00

Thanks to Beth at A Cup of Coffey for emailing this cartoon.

Summer of Thirds

2007-05-30T06:43:00.000-05:00

The current top 3 movies at the box office are all third installments in incredibly popular movie franchises:

1. Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End
2. Shrek the Third
3. Spider-Man 3

And, hold on to your socks. June 8th will mark the wide release of yet another third, Ocean's Thirteen. And, all of this is happening in the year of the 30th anniversary of the ultimate trilogy's debut movie, Star Wars. OK, even I don't really see a connection there. Sorry.

But, regarding these thirds, are any of these damn things any good? I'm still stewing over how much worse Godfather III was than its two predecessors.

ATTN: Seattle-Area Fans of the Beastie Boys, Pt. 2

2007-05-26T15:22:00.000-05:00

Picture and text stolen from the Seattle Post-Intelligencer (article here).

Beastie Boys take the Croc by storm
By TRAVIS HAY
SPECIAL TO THE P-I

For 90 minutes at the Crocodile Café Friday night the Beastie Boys treated an intimate, sold-out crowd of less than 500 to a show they won't soon, if ever, forget.

Maybe it was the scarcity of the tickets (the show sold out in less than a minute and tickets were selling for as much as $400 on eBay), the debut of new material, or the performance of some rarely heard songs -- either way, it was one of the more special shows Seattle has seen in the last few years.

The Boys -- guitarist Ad Rock, bass player MCA and drummer Mike D. -- were accompanied by keyboardist Money Mark and percussionist Alfredo Ortiz for a set of mostly instrumental numbers that kicked off with "B For My Name," the first song off the band's new album, "The Mix Up."

That's right, the Beastie Boys are more than a trio of adulterated, former brat rappers; they're first and foremost a band. The New York rap pioneers hammered this point home by showcasing one of the least known aspects of their arsenal -- the ability to play instruments -- and simply put, they nearly tore the roof off the Croc with their electrifying show.

Their talent with instruments is highly evident on the new record, which consists entirely of instrumentals and hits shelves June 26. Some of the new tracks performed were the fuzzy "Electric Worm" and "Off the Grid," a song that included Ortiz hitting a trash can lid with drumsticks for percussion effects.

While there's no rapping on the new album, there was plenty during Friday's set. Several Beastie standards were given new arrangements with guitars and drums instead of samplers and turntables.

A slowed down "Live at PJs" that appeared early in the night set the tone for older songs that were rearranged. The highlights included a funky "Jimmy James" that featured Ad Rock displaying some Tom Morello-esque guitar skills with crazy squeaks and squeals, while "Root Down" and "Remote Control" were given extra flair and pizzazz with the addition of live instrumentation.

As much fun as it was to hear songs like "Sabotage" and "Ricky's Theme" performed in the close-knit confines of the Croc, it was equally fun to hear the Beasties return to their punk-rock roots with "Egg Raid On Mojo" off 1982's "Pollywog Stew."

Another rare track that surfaced was "Honky Rink," a tongue-in-cheek instrumental B-side off the "Gratitude" single released in 1992. Other punk songs making the set included "Heart Attack Man" and "Tough Guy," both great choices for the evening.

The show was called a "gala event" and the Beasties dressed appropriately, looking rather dapper in three-piece suits. Ad Rock, sporting a black fedora, was the most talkative and boisterous of the group.

As usual, the Beasties were playful, exchanging witty banter throughout the night. At one point Mike D. and Ad Rock broke into a duet of Michael Jackson's "Rock With You." Another playful moment came when a fan called Ad Rock a pimp for his spiffy attire.

"No sir, I am musician, not a pimp by trade," Ad Rock responded in a deadpan, matter-of-fact way. "I don't know if that was a compliment, but if it was I appreciate it."

The Crocodile Café set was a warm-up gig for the band's two performances at the Gorge Amphitheatre's Sasquatch! Music Festival this weekend. The band headlines the Wookie Stage at 7:15 p.m. Saturday, performing an instrumental set. The Beasties will close down the festival with a headlining, non-instrumental set, Sunday at 10:30 p.m.

SET LIST
B For My Name
Sabarosa
Live at PJ's
Do It
Electric Worm
Transitions
Son of Neckbone
Something's Got To Give
Off the Grid
Root Down/Get It
Egg Raid On Mojo
Tough Guy
Remote Control
Mark On the Bus
Shambala
Ricky's Theme
Pow!
Jimmy James/Happy Birthday
Sabotage
ENCORE
Sure Shot
Time For Living
Heart Attack Man
The Maestro

FUCK ME!!!! I know the odds are long, really fucking long. But, PLEASE let there have been at least one taper in that small crowd!!!

Another Senseless Internet Distraction

2007-05-26T13:40:00.000-05:00

Hey, looking to kill a couple of minutes? CLICK HERE to look up the #1 song on the day you were born. OK, so it's not exactly Earth-shattering. You got something better?

PS - "Let It Be" by The Beatles for me

ATTN: Seattle-Area Fans of the Beastie Boys

2007-05-24T05:52:00.000-05:00

I received the following email at 1:50 AM:

A GALA EVENT

Dear patrons of the arts. To usher in the summer concerto season, we will be staging an exclusive Gala event this Friday, May 25 in the glorious city of Seattle, Washington, at a cozy little venue called the Crocodile Cafe.Please join us to "Lick Shots" and ring in this most wonderful time of year."Touch yourself."

Beastie Boys - A Gala Event - Exclusive Instrumental Show
Friday, May 25th
Seattle, WA - Crocodile Cafe

Tickets on sale Wednesday, May 23rd at 4pm:www.ticketmaster.com/event/0F003EB5E3D7E5C3

There is a 2 ticket limit for this show. All tickets are to be picked up at the venue box office the night of the show. You MUST bring a government issued photo ID and the credit card used to purchase tickets in order to retrieve your tickets. Tickets are non-transferable.

All ages
Doors open at 7pm
Show at 8pm

Sincerely yours,
The management

P.S. we have some new shirts in!
Check them out at www.beastieboys.com/store/themixup/

www.beastieboys.com

B, E, A, S, T, I, E...

2007-05-23T08:22:00.000-05:00

Macky Ole at Deep Fat reports on the expected next release from the Beastie Boys here.

DIG the 2 videos he has embedded from YouTube!!!!

These cuts are tight, sweet, and all things niiiiiice...

Mighty Rearranger

2007-05-20T20:28:00.000-05:00

My cousin sent me this disc a while back. I listened to it a few times. I liked it quite a lot, actually. I meant to post about it. I grew distracted and did not write the post. I recently read that a remastered edition of this CD was released on March 20, 2007. Why would a CD recorded in 2004 and released in 2005 possibly need to be remastered? I have no idea. But, I figured I'd better attempt to rectify my oversight in failing to post on the un-remastered original, now that it is (apparently) totally obsolete:

First of all, let me say that Plant's vocals are impressive. Many times they are impressive for the restraint practiced. I.e. he seems able to hit all the same notes he always did, but he doesn't feel the "need" to go over the top all the time.

"Another Tribe" is the opener, and it has a cool mix of acoustic guitar, strings, and some backwards-masked sounds. It's the Physical Graffiti vibe updated 20 years. Very cool.

"Shine It All Around" begins with some more bacwards-masked sounding stuff and a sledgehammer drumbeat that recalls "When the Levee Breaks" (for me, at least). I'll go ahead and name this the best made-to-be-a-single of Plant's post-Zep career.

"Freedom Fries" has a little "Hots on for Nowhere" (from Presence, for you casual Zep fans) electric guitar line, to my ears. Again, the updated sound, with varied influences, sounds great. And the title is cool, immortalizing what just might be the most inane term to be defined by Bush's Iraq War.

"Tin Pan Valley" just about lulls you to sleep in between its violent explosions. Cool track. "All the King's Horses" has "Going to California" oozing from its every pore, and DAMN it's great! Holy shit! For my money, this is a prefect illustration of what's so cool about this album: Plant reacquaints himself with his Led Zeppelin roots, while still adorning songs with the various other influences he's absorbed during his solo career.

"The Enchanter" has a cool, plodding fuzziness to it. At the 4-minute mark of this song, if you jump ship, then OK, I guess. But, if you're like me, and still listening with rapt attention, then you'll know this album has got you in its unrelenting grasp.

I'll stop the song-by-song review there, for now at least. As for the new remastered version, hmmmmm, I might just have to check it out.

Must Be Time For Penitence

2007-05-15T23:19:00.000-05:00

Shelly was out for a much needed evening with friends, Alexis was downstairs, and Emily was crabby...really crabby. Luckily, she's a big fan of going for a ride, and generally falls asleep in her car seat by the time we've driven 2 blocks down the road. Tonight was no exception.

So, it was just me and a sleeping baby, out burning some fossil fuel. What'ya gonna do? I needed the time "alone" to clear my head. Work has been insanely busy, but that's OK, I suppose. The real story is that I had grabbed a CD on the way out the door, Eponymous by R.E.M. It'd been awhile since I spent some quality time with this disc, among the first things I ever bought on the CD format.

Some people loathe "greatest hits" albums, and I'll admit I'm not the biggest fan of them either. But, as a college student without sufficient means to replace my vinyl Chronic Town, Murmur, Reckoning, Fables of the Reconstruction, Lifes Rich Pageant and Document with CDs, this one made a ton of sense to me at the time. Plus, some of these versions were different anyway.

DAMN! What a killer line-up! The original hib-tone single version of "Radio Free Europe"--apparently Peter Buck thinks it's a piece of shit--man, I think it's fantastic. Then there's the different vocal mix version of "Gardening at Night," which is the absolute tits--LOVE it! "Talk About the Passion"--Hello, is there a better song? "So. Central Rain"--oh, yeah, that's my favorite (I almost forgot). But wait, Track 5 is "(Don't Go Back to) Rockville." That's my favorite, without question. "Can't Get There From Here" would almost certainly be the best song on 99.9% of the albums ever released by anyone. Here it blends right in, actually running the risk of being overlooked between Rockville and "Driver 8."

Now, I finally have a real complaint with Track 8, "Romance." I appreciate that I don't need to buy the soundtrack for Made In Heaven to get it. And, I'm usually a fan of chronological order. But, this is a bonus track at best, IMHO. After 7 straight songs that could each be legitimate contenders for "favorite song of all-time" honors, this one doesn't make the grade. This is especially true since it keeps Pageant from getting a second representative here...a crime! (In case you forgot, that's the album with "Begin the Begin" and "Cuyahoga" and "Swan Swan H." and "Superman" and "Hyena" and the fucking-a-righteous "The Flowers of Guatemala" to name a few.) Alas, the ship is righted immediately with "Fall on Me." It doesn't get any better than that.

Finally, the CD closes with a trio from Document: "The One I Love" (which was overplayed like hell in 1987, but is still a heavyweight-champion type of song), "Finest Worksong" (with a mix of horns that's killer), and the completely incomparable "It's the End of the World as We Know It (and I Feel Fine)." The beauty is that the van's CD player just cycles right back to "Radio Free Europe" when it's over...

I drove for 3 complete listens through this CD (except for skipping "Romance" the second and third times it came around). My head hasn't been this clear in months.

That's Too Bad

2007-05-15T16:29:00.000-05:00

Goodbye, to one of the original shitbags.

Blah, Blah, Blah--F*CKING Blah

2007-05-10T22:34:00.000-05:00

Don't let those days go by
Glycerine

MC Ren is the muthafuckin' coroner
I'm gettin' ridda muthafuckas
As if they was a foreigner

And ya can't fight the tears that ain't comin'
Or the moment of truth in your lies
When everythin' feels like the movies
Yeah, ya bleed just to know you're alive

Don't believe the hype
It's a sequel
As an equal
Can I get this through
To you

"There's been a lot of talk about this next song. Maybe, maybe too much talk. This song is not a rebel song. This song is..."

F*ck Tha Po-lice
F*ck, F*ck, F*ck Tha Po-lice
F*ck the police
And Ren said it with authority
'Cause the niggaz on the street
Is a majority

Oh, I-I-I, yeaahh
I'm still alive

I'm like John Holmes
The X-Rated nigga
Nobody's got it
Any bigger than this

"This next song is the fiiirst.song.on.our.new.album"

Cold wind rippin' down the alley at dawn
And the morning paper flies
Dead man lyin' by the side of the road
With the daylight in his eyes

I'm sorry, mama
I didn't mean to hurt you
But, tonight
I'm cleanin' out my closet

NOTES: The views and opinions expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of HH Management. Also, regarding the quotation from "Get It Togther" by the Beastie Boys (Featuring Q-Tip), please recall that John Holmes was, in fact, caucasian.

A Lotta Beer, A Lotta Girlies, And A Lot Of Cursin'

2007-05-09T23:11:00.000-05:00

...22 automatic on my person.

Ice Cube writes the rhymes that I say
Hell to the niggaz from CIA

Down by the river
I shot my baby

Bikini small
Heels tall
She said she liked the ocean
Showed me the beach
Gave me a peach
And whipped out the suntan lotion

So, I said, "HEY, Lama, how 'bout a little sumthin', ya know, for the effort"

In New York City's war on crime, the worst criminals are pursued by the detectives of the Major Case Squad...

Gump? Are You Kidding Me?

2007-05-09T00:15:00.000-05:00

Traveling again this week (fucking sucks, as usual).

There's a guy working at this client whose last name is actually Gump. Imagine how thrilled he must have been when that movie came out.

Poor bastard, he already lives in the middle of rural Missouri, which is damned near Hell on Earth. And, his name is Gump.

Caf-F#CKIN-feine

2007-05-08T12:33:00.000-05:00

Look, asshole, unless that's fucking decaf coffee in your cup, I don't want to hear shit about my Diet Mountain Dew. OK, nutlick? Got it, cockslurp? OK, good. Here's the math:

CAFFEINE

Coffee averages approx. 100 mg per cup (8 fl oz).

Mountain Dew has 54.5 mg per 12 oz can.

12 / 8 = 1.5

1.5 x 100 = 150

150 is almost 3 times 54.5

Thus, let your coffee-drinking suckage of my Diet-Mountain-Dew ass begin forthwith.

Good day, all.

Wild Animal UFC

2007-05-05T08:46:00.000-05:00

OK, enough already with this "mixed martial arts" fighting! I don't care about humans fighting any more. I want some real fighting!!!

Ring Announcer: In the bluuuuuuue corner, 12 years old, standing at 5' 9" tall, weighing in at 440 pounds, fighting out of the Republic of Congo, it's Siiiiiiiil-verrrr-baaaaack Gooooooo-rilla!!!!!!!!

In the rrrrrrrrreddd corner, 9 years old, standing at 5' tall...on all fours, 10' tall standing on his hind legs, weighing in at 1,500 pounds, fighting out of the Kodiak Archipelago south of Alaska, it's Koooooooooo-di-akkkkkkk Bearrrrrr!!!!!!

TV Commentator: Clearly, Kodiak has a tremendous size advantage. But, Silverback is compact and super freakin' strong. If Kodiak rears up on his hind legs, look for Silverback to bull-rush him, get him on his back, and do the classic 'ground and pound.' But, he's gotta watch out for Kodiak's guard. Kodiak has some amaaaazing biting and clawing techniques...

Tom Tomorrow Is The GREATEST Cartoonist EVER

2007-05-02T07:06:00.000-05:00