SOD: Lafayette Gilchrist "Assume The Position"

Granted, the name of this song isn't the most inviting, but this jazzy little tune is ambrosia of the ears and feet. How can you not want to move to this? I'll admit, I've been listening to his music for quite some time now, but I don't know a lot about Lafayette Gilchrist. I know he's from the Baltimore area, and thus was included on music from "The Wire," but I've never seen him live, and I don't really know his story. All I know is some of the music. It doesn't help that he's void of a Wikipedia page.

Some of his stuff is a bit harder to digest than this. It gets very jazzy, and very intricate. This is the song that got me hooked, and is probably his most popular (that's just a guess). It's off the album The Music According to Lafayette Gilchrist, a solid album that I would recommend at least looking up. Though it's not all as accessible as "Assume The Position," if you're into this kind of sound there is much to be enjoyed about it. If nothing else, you'll have given it a shot.

The Wire: Lafayette Gilchrist- Assume the Position

Camp Weirdo Pt.1 - An Overview

Shitting in the woods. You hear about it, you've probably seen it, maybe you've done it. I hadn't in quite some time, and I forgot that there is a method to this madness. It's somewhat of an art. Some prefer to prop their backs on a tree, and bend their knees as though they're sitting on an imaginary bowl. Others crouch and pull the pants forward. Am I giving you enough imagery here? Can you visualize it? No matter what your preferred method of outdoor pinching may be, I think we can all agree on one thing, indoor plumbing was a marvelous invention.

"Camp Wierdo" was established some years ago, quite unbeknownst to me. I can't tell you exactly where it is, because that would be a severe betrayal of trust. This little slice of paradise must remain unknown to all. Except the Russians. Somehow they figured it out, those crafty bastards. But Camp Wierdo is a place where everyone lets their freak flags fly, all at once. And believe you me, we've all got them.

With an apparent record turnout this year, the campsite was 'a bustlin.' I arrived on saturday afternoon, but a whole slew of others had already pre-established the campsite, as they'd been there for a night or two already. Clutter of the outdoor kind littered the common area where the coolers and cook fire was set up. BB guns, throwing knives, hatchets, axes, a maul, and a chainsaw, you know, everything that could possibly make a man feel more manly, or potentially maim him. Food was in the plenty, though according to the resident chef, FBI was a serious threat. That's Food Borne Illnesses for all you culinary simpletons out there. You kind of have to expect somethings wrong when the chef refuses to eat anything but granola.

The trip was filled with hilarity, obscenity, nudity, crudeness, beauty, joy, wretchedness, and brotherly love. I think that about covers the spectra, but in reality it's one of those situations where "you had to be there." I can recount a story to you, and you might even laugh. But to convey the feeling of it is quite difficult, if not impossible. The truth of the weekend was seen in the small moments, the idiosyncrasies. The moments when Nick would put his arm around me and smile. Words were not needed. A simple manly nudge, said more than any words could. Or when Burns would tap-out Kessler, seeing how tired he was from mauling the fallen timber, and take the axe for a turn. Or when Danny and Johnny would lock eyes in the middle of a song, knowing they were on to something. It would undoubtedly trigger someone to say, why is this song NOT in our repertoire?! The moments when Patty, the Camp Counselor and Master of Ceremonies, stood up on a cooler and genuinely thanked everyone for coming. He proclaimed that if you were invited, then you were supposed to be here, a part of this eternal brotherhood. And damnit, it felt right! Maybe I'm just susceptible to that kind of thing.

There was a lot of teasing, chiding, joking and even prodding, but no fighting or arguing. Animosity be damned, this was not the time or place. There were group "jam sessions" and fireside chats, and then there were more personal moments between a couple of friends. For a few days we had our own little society. And as in any society, people had jobs, responsibilities, and tasks. The efficiency level may not have been the optimal 88%, but it was close enough. And it was surprising to me how naturally people fell into their roles. Anyone without purpose was useless, and that's not something you want to be. When "wood duty" was called, you noticed who jumped up first. When food needed to be cooked, you saw who took to the pans. When a jam session was in order, you knew who went straight for the instruments and bustled up the buskers. And though "order" may be overdoing it a bit, there was certainly a hierarchy and natural inclination by individuals to fill certain positions. And when you look at it from that perspective, well, any sociologist would tell you, it's flippin fascinating!

So in that vein, why don't we take a trip over to Part 2 of the Weirdo Expose to analyze the roles, oddities, and comedies of a weekend at the Camp of Weird. I'll see you there.

SOD: Anders Osborne "My Old Heart"

Anders Osborne is a strange character. I first heard his music by way of my hometown band The Frank Stalloners. The Stalloners were playing at a festival in Pennsylvania called Equifunk in 2010, and one of the acts performing there, was Anders Osborne. He came out on stage with a Billy Gibbons like beard, and a shaggy top. He unassumingly wore jeans and a t-shirt, and was accompanied by a drummer and a bassist. Ok, I thought, that's what we're here for right? To hear some music, drink a few beers, get nuts? Well, it didn't take long before I was sold. The man shreds. He's got a great, distinctive voice, and undeniable songwriting talent. He looks like a man from the dirt, and his songs have that earthy, stripped down, honest quality to them. But the guy can really play a guitar. He's not sloppy, but its not entirely clean either. He's located a nice point of existence between the two, that clearly displays his chops, but intentionally muddies it up a little. At times it was straight up beat driven, hardrock/blues. At others, it was a bit more melodic and soulful. But one thing was for sure, it was always heartfelt.

A song or two through his set I turned around, as I was standing in the front row. There was Danny and Matty brotherly shoving each other proclaiming that they had found the next great act. And it was true. Anders became a staple in all of our playlists. I purchased some of his albums and I listened to them extensively, and still do. He's very original, and his influences are very diverse. He was born and raised in Sweden, but by sixteen, he was hitchhiking his way across the world. Literally. He played music in Europe, The Middle East, North Africa, and Asia, before finally settling down in New Orleans. Kind of perfect no? And you can hear a range of different sounds, but that New Orleans flavor permeates the entire palette. I've seen videos of him doing shows as a three piece where he replaces the bassist with a Tubist. You've got to love that. Maybe I'm a novice, but I have not seen a lot of that in my day.

Anders, as mentioned, is also a very accomplished songwriter. He was for-hire on the Nashville scene for quite some time, and his song "Watch the Wind Blow By" was recorded by Tim Mcgraw. It hit No.1 and sold over 3 million albums. He's got a nice collection of albums of his own, my favorites of which would be Ash Wednesday Blues(2001), Tipitina's Live 2006(2006), Coming Down(2007), and  American Patchwork(2010). Though in fairness, I haven't really heard a lot of his early stuff from the late 80's, early 90's.

I also met Anders once outside a benefit concert he was performing at under the title of the "Wetland All-Stars." Now I've met famouses before (that's a Nick Rubino term), but I never gush over, interrupt, or bother them. However, it just so happened that Anders was entering the event at the Hiro Ballroom at the same time Kim and I were. I figured, fuck it, this guy's not that famous and I justified an "excuse me, you're Anders Osborne right? I saw you at Equifunk in 2010, you were awesome man!" Anders turned to me, looked me dead in the eye and said kind of dismissively, "yea man." Then he walked away. Immediately, I felt stupid, which was only compounded by Kimi's all-to-pertinent exclamation, "your a fag." We definitely had a good laugh, because it was out of character for me, and it taught me a valuable lesson; just keep your mouth shut and don't bother the talent.

"My Old Heart" is off the album Coming Down, which has some very heartfelt, stripped down songs and is overall a little less heavy than some of his other albums. That's musically. His lyrics are something else to behold on this one. They're an honest reflection of his emotions about himself. Its very personal, very insightful. He admits his faults, his past, his problems, and in doing so he's "coming down" to earth, to the reality of it all. This is nothing new for Anders, but this soulful introspection is something that he does better than almost anyone else I've ever heard. "My Old Heart," is a great example of this. It's a sad yet soothing gem, that I haven't stopped listening to since I first heard it.

Anders Osborne - My Old Heart

SOD: Bruce Springsteen "With Every Wish"

Bruce Springsteen is a God of Rock. If there was a rock-god pantheon, high above the clouds, Springsteen would have a seat carved from the finest rosewood, and the E-Street band would be lined up around him, waiting for their boss's command. Sure, there's a lot of Rock Gods out there, but Bruce is different. He is the God of American Heartland rock. One of the last great American singer/songwriter still on the scene. When you go to his shows, sure you want to hear a couple hits, and you want to be reminded of what made him the living legend he is today. But you also go for him. For the 150 minutes of straight non-stop energy, that pulses from this man stroke by stroke (gotta be a better way to say that). He doesn't stop, he doesn't take breaks. With the intensity of a 10 year old on pixie sticks, he knee jerks and bucks, jumps and windmills, kicks and screams. He loves it. He lives to play, and he doesn't seem to have aged much at all. His stamina is in good standing, and as far as he's concerned, it might as well be 1975 all over again. You know, the glory days before "Glory Days."

Bruce has an unexplainable nostalgia. Sure, you can get down to the nitty gritty, and dissect his music sheet by sheet, note by note, but what would come out on the other side still wouldn't explain how he does it. Because it's really a reflection of him, and his ability to convey a full spectrum of emotion with sound. The softest, subtlest of his songs (like this one), can evoke a grand scope of emotion. Sometimes almost as powerfully as say a "Thunder Road" or "Jungleland". His lyrics are earthy, and though not particularly complex, they are woven together in such a way that they take on a tale-like quality. It's like reading a children's book for adults. Songs like "With Every Wish" are what prove to me the authenticity of Bruce Springsteen. It shows a folk-like storyteller side of him, that's not accompanied by his usual grandiose type instrumentation. It shows that when you strip him down to almost bare parts, he's as good a writer as any. His imagery is solid, his lessons are pertinent, but not pretentious. 

A lot of people hate on The Boss. Within my own circles a few of the people who have conveyed an especially firm resistance to him, are Phisheads. I try not to judge a book by its cover, but we all fall victim to it once in a while. I'm not the biggest fan of Phish, but I've been to a slew of shows at this point, and there are unquestionably aspects of their music that I respect and enjoy. But there are a contingent of these die-hard phish fans who have completely pigeonholed their perspective on things. They can only see through one lens of the spectra; the tie-died one. They compare Bruce to Bon Jovi, which is like comparing Apples to a Lunar Space Elevator, and they try to define Bruce by a couple of his most famous anthems. When you ask them anything in depth about Bruce, or even reference something that wasn't a chart topping success, their limited (if any) knowledge is clear. If you don't know Darkness on the Edge of Town or The River, then you don't know Bruce. And most people I've talked to who do NOT like him (Phishead or not), do not know these albums, or many others.

I mention this as a mere personal casestudy to my point, which is that the people who don't like Bruce Springsteen, don't know Bruce Springsteen. They haven't given him a chance. They haven't gotten into the meat of his work, which is where the real gems live. And that's ok, I know there's not enough time to get wrapped up in each and every artist that someone else tells you is amazing. I mean, if you're a fan of Rock and Roll in general, then you should damn well be adequately versed in Bruce, but hey, if you're not, that's your personal choice and I'll try not to judge you. But I will judge you and vehemently defend Bruce if you say you don't like him, but haven't actually gotten acquainted with him. Then you're just full of shit. 

"With Every Wish" is off the 1992 album Human Touch. He was working on this album for a couple years, and after shelving it and coming back to it, he wound up writing another album altogether called Lucky Town. Since both were finished at the same time essentially, he released them both on the same day. An interesting idea, though I'm not sure if I completely follow the logic, as they were two completely different albums. It would seem that they could distract the success of each other, but hey, what do I know. Allmusic said, 

     "While Human Touch was a disappointing album of second-rate material, Lucky Town is an ambitious collection addressing many of Springsteen's major concerns and moving them forward."

Human Touch is also ranked last (or close to it) when fans vote on top to bottom Bruce albums. Lucky Town is usually a close-to second to last behind it. Clearly the public didn't take too kindly to Bruce's attempt to write some less blue-collar, less gritty, hard-knuckled rock. He took a turn at something a little smoother, happier, and contextually lighter. I don't know if I'm as critical of the album. If this album is the worst of Bruce's work, then I'd be pretty damn amped to be Bruce Springsteen, because his worst isn't really that bad. And though you can feel the absence of the E-Street Band on some of the songs like "All or Nothin' At All," it's not a disaster by any means. "Soul Driver" is a forceful song with great backing vocals by Sam Moore (of Sam and Dave), "Roll of the Dice" has all the pieces of a classic Bruce song with some great Roy Bittan piano, and "I Wish I Were Blind" is a nicely toned down piece of sentimental material. The lyrics to it are definitely worth paying attention to. The album closes with a Bruce remake of a traditional song called "Pony Boy" (not the same "Pony Boy" the Allman Brothers did, which was amazing). Bruce's version is actually quite well done, as it has a more somber feel than its original, and the female harmony part adds the perfect touch. The Human touch, you could say.

"With Every Wish" is my favorite song off the album though. It calls to mind my youth in the outdoors. Wandering through the Northwest Woods and Pine Barrens of Eastern Long Island with Jimmy. Fishing in whatever waterhole we could find, be it a puddle or an ocean. Telling tall-tales to each other of endeavors we'd never seen or done, and though we knew each other was fibbing, we smiled and nodded, knowing it didn't matter. The song calls up feelings of boyhood, from a man's perspective. You can remember the way the world felt as a boy, but as a man you can only do just that. Once you discover women, fall in love, and see more and more of the people and the world you all live in, there's no going back. There's only the nostalgia of all the "rivers crossed" when you look back on it. 

The music, as simple and beautiful as it is, is heightened by some of that patented Mark Isham muted trumpet (I first heard of him when he was scoring films for Weinstein Company, and had no idea he had originally worked outside that realm, in Jazz and electronica. He's also a Scientologist, so feel free to judge). So musically, you don't miss the E-Street Band on this particular track, because it doesn't necessitate that full band sound. And though the song is kind of the odd man out on the album, that only makes it stand out more. It's a hidden gem. A little diamond in the rough. 

Bruce Springsteen - With Every Wish

Nothing From Nothing - Billy Preston

SOD: Blind Faith "Can't Find My Way Home"

Blind Faith was a short-lived supergroup that came into being after the break-up of the insanely influential trio known as Cream. Blind Faith featured Eric Clapton, Ginger Baker, Steve Winwood and Ric Grech. The beauty of this supergroup was how easy it was for them to gel right from the get go, being that they had all essentially played with one another at one point or another, be it with John Mayall's Bluesbreakers, The Spencer Davis Group, or even Cream. And though they only released one album, to this day it is largely regarded as one of the best in the history of rock and roll.

Though Blind Faith was a blip on the radar time wise, their impact was great. To this day, Clapton has still kept this song in his repertoire. The problem was never the music, it was more the people and the pressure. It's said that Clapton was tired of the limelight, especially after Cream and all the controversies within the band. He certainly didn't take a back seat role in Blind Faith either. But once they disbanded, Clapton went on to sit in with the Plastic Ono Band, and then toured as a sideman for Delaney & Bonnie and Friends. Relieved from center stage, it gave Clapton an opportunity to play with some different but equally amazing players. This is especially true with D&B (probably the most underrated, under-known group of all time). Delaney Bramlett is credited with teaching and convincing Eric Clapton to sing the blues. Can you grasp the gravity of that? I don't know about you, but I can't really picture a world void of Clapton's voice.

In terms of Blind Faith, short-lived supergroup or not, they had a very special sound. A soft and contemplative vibe at times, that could grow into something as powerful as the band would let it. Steve Winwood's style and voice and Eric Clapton's guitar found common ground on which they could build and collaborate for the rest of their careers. I saw them about 6 years ago at Madison Square Garden, and let me tell you, it was nothing short of stellar. Those are two guys have definitely still got it.

In any event, hopefully we can all find our own ways home this Memorial Day weekend. And what better song to kick off the journey?

Blind Faith - Can't Find My Way Home

SOD: Robert Plant & The Strange Sensation "The Enchanter"

I respect Robert Plants diversity. Since Led Zeppelin disbanded after the death of Jon Bonham, Robert Plant has had the most diverse career. Granted, John Paul Jones plays with the supergroup "Them Crooked Vultures," and he too stays intertwined in many music communities, and Jimmy Page has had his fare share of collaborations (i.e. The Black Crowes). But Robert Plant has definitely had the broadest scope to date. Besides playing with Page in the mid-late 90's, he's had projects such as Priory of Brion, Band of Joy and Robert Plant and the Strange Sensation, as well as recording/touring with Alison Krauss (they won a grammy together). It seems that he retains an interest in music as an art, not being genre specific. At one point, I was personally growing impatient with him because it seemed as though a Led Zeppelin reunion of the surviving three, was imminent. But he chose to stick with his commitment to Krauss. In retrospect, it was probably a good move for him as he continued to successfully make new and sought after music. 

Another interesting thing I find about Plant, is that he doesn't fight age. It's the one thing nobody can beat, but everyone has their own way of trying anyway. Be it cosmetic surgeries or procedures, or just trying to live like a teenager again. Plant seems to have accepted his wrinkles, and his slower pace in life. His voice is still magnificent, that much is clear. But he's kind of like the anti-Mick Jagger. Not that Mick shouldn't be commended for keeping up the high energy antics, but Robert Plants' take is different. He's content with the time that has past, and doesn't really see the need to try and recreate his younger persona. It would seem kind of ridiculous to, I suppose. In a 2008 interview about the chances of a Zep reunion, he explained that he doesn't want to "tour like a bunch of bored old men following the Rolling Stones around." I don't necessarily take that as a dig to the Stones, but more a statement as to the fact that he does not want to go that route. Personally, I wish they would, but I understand and respect his position on the matter. 

I saw RP and the Strange Sensation at my favorite venue, The Beacon Theater, right after graduating college. We sat in the last row of the balcony, and it was worth every penny. The crowd was mainly older Led Heads, but there were some younger bucks like ourselves. They sounded exceptional, and even covered a couple old Zep tunes in a fresh way. It was very inspiring to see Robert Plant up there performing brand new material still. And we're not talking Van Halen kind of new material, his stuff was legitimate. It wasn't a regurgitation of his past, it showed growth and progress into a new age of music and technology, while still remaning rooted in his folk and rock traditions. 

I still listen to this album, The Mighty ReArranger. It came out in 2005, and I can't believe that was seven years ago. It seems like just yesterday, really. But the subject and style of the album are still relevant today. From his political commentary in "Freedom Fries," to his take on destiny and the search for answers in "The Enchanter." And the music is pretty eclectic, while still retaining a rhyme and reason from first track to last. I do believe it's a well conceived album, that any Zeppelin fan should give a chance to. I mean, Zep isn't going to release anything new for you, and I personally always find it interesting to see what route my musical heroes take, later in their careers. As mentioned before, John Paul Jones teamed up with Dave Grohl (Nirvana, Foo Fighters) and Josh Homme (Kyuss, Queens of the Stoneage) to create Them Crooked Vultures. Their self titled debut was really heavy hitting, as was the show I went to in NYC. I was blown away by the direction JPJ decided to go in, playing with a new kind of hard rock/hard blues outfit. I'll absolutely buy their second album when it comes out.

In the end, nothing lasts forever. Groups like the Rolling Stones may still be together, but they have gone through many incarnations, and histories. At this point, they're more of a nostalgic act than anything. And groups like Pearl Jam, who have been playing together for twenty years and still make legitimate new music, well, they're rare. So in the grand scheme of things, no matter how much you love a group or an act, you have to suspect that it will ultimately end. But the individual performers will still play, and hopefully make new music with or without all of their old bandmates. And as hard as it is to deal with at first, that's the nature of the beast. Some doors shut, only to open new ones. It's the same thing in sports. The Derek Jeters and Jorge Posada Yankee lifers are the rarity. More likely is the great player to play on multiple teams, bringing his experience and gift to different lineups or rosters. And while his style of play may be the same, it meshes differently with the new surrounding players. And sometimes, a whole new kind of magic is made this way. A second or third wind in a career that was already credible.  

Robert Plant & the Strange Sensation-The Enchanter

Edward Sharpe performing "Man On Fire" on KCRW

I can't wait for this album to come out. There music is so full of joy, cheesy as that may sound. They look like a nice, close knit family of musicians. And their music may not be revolutionary, it may even be a regurgitation of the past, but there's still a uniqueness to it today. There's a good mix of sound in there, it plays genuine, and that's what I like. Maybe their voices aren't perfect pitch. It doesn't take a damn thing away from it for me. In fact, it only serves to make it that much more real. There's a Gram Parsons - Emmylou type thing going on between Alex Ebert and Jade Castrinos, even though Edward Sharpe sounds like a hippie Johnny Cash more than a Gram Parsons. I think it's refreshing to know music like this is still being made.

SOD: Steely Dan "My Old School"

Im so glad video's like this exist. Though it's not quite resemblant of the experience I have at the Beacon Theater, it's still relatable. The crowd is so funny. Some of these people look like parodies of themselves. Don't get me wrong, if you caught me on video at a concert at the wrong time, I'd probably have to say the same thing about myself. Frequently at Steely at the Beacon, I'm the only one out of my seat moving to the tunes, deflecting jeers from the uptight crowd. But, as luck would have it, i'm not on video here. It's some other guy dancing like a squeed, totally hitting on some lady.

The Piano opening rips it. When they kick into that familiar lick, you know it's party time. It's a great song, full of past experiences and innuendo's. It's certainly become a fan favorite, but still hasn't lost it's likability. I've been a Steely fan for a long time. In highschool, I was very much into Aja and Can't Buy A Thrill. "Kings," was the song that took my fandom to the next level. And then I really listened to the Royal Scam, and it was over. At that point, I needed to hear every piece of music they ever made. There was no going back. My father hated Steely, as did my best friend. So my time to listen to them was limited. Once out of college though, I found a new companion to share the dream that is The Dan, and soon enough, there was a pack of us completely tipping the speakers in their favor.

I pissed a lot of people off in those years. I also think a few of them have come around. My father actually went to a show. Was impressed by Jon Herington. Said they were much better live. He never could get over Fagan's voice, and that's a preference, I understand. Let's just agree that there are some people who are too cool for Steely Dan. It's a little too Yacht Rock, and they're a bit too tough. I try and chip away, show off some new tunes here and there, but you gotta call a spade a spade.

Donald Fagen and Walter Becker are a funny pair. How can two people be a rock group? They're not the stripped down, bang around, White Stripes / Black Keys type. They make some busy music. And thus, they employed dozens of session musicians per album. And toured with some amazing lineups. Guitarist, Jeff "Skunk" Baxter had a big influence on their sound through the early albums, but Fagen and Becker are the tried and true heart and soul of the band. They're one of the greatest songwriting duo's of all time. No question.

Like the music or not, it's a kick in the ass to see these guys still doing it, and doing it well. This video is from 2003, and it sounds a lot like the show I saw last year. The same main pieces were in place. That horn section man, they spit fire. I can never forget that little run at 4:11, it's one of the most memorable "quotes" in my music book. And we mustn't forget the backup singers. Mike called dibs on  the middle one years ago, so I never even stood a chance. Then he found out she was with the trumpet player, and he stopped liking the horn section. I'm just kidding, but in truth, he was disappointed.

And please put your hands together for Jon Herington. Oh can that man play. He's a session musician by trade, but the best touring guitarist Steely Dan could have picked up. He brings them to the next level. His ability to perfectly recreate all Steely Dan solo's, and give them his own appropriate touches when necessary, makes him the absolute best possible candidate for the position. Granted, he looks like an english teacher, but we can't all be Slash. I can always appreciate the unassuming. He's not super-emotional when he plays, but that's fine by me as well. Zones you in on the music that much more. And he is as smooth and cumulative a player as you can find. There's always a strategy to his solos, where the next one either builds on the last, or gets a little more intricate. You'd have to expect him to devise some kind of plan, because they end some of their songs with a serious barrage of back and forth solo's.

Steely Dan is one of a kind. The Band, the music, the individuals. They're sound, unmistakably produced. They're iconic at this point, and seeing them play live is proof that some artists can still do it well past their 60's. Hey look at Jagger on Saturday night live. Where's that skinny, little twig get the energy? Fagen and Becker don't move like that, but they still bring the thunder with their music, and their arrangements. And they surround themselves with the right musicians to perserve and enhance their original sound and style. If you can see them live, I doubt you'll be disappointed.

Steely Dan live plays "My Old School"

The Great Googa Mooga

An excuse to get out during a weekend in the city. Take people away from the concrete and crassness, and out onto a field for a little festival. Yes, there's a lot of people who like this idea. A Lot. It was the first year for this Brooklyn based festival in Prospect Park, and if you signed up, you could get free tickets to wander the grounds. If you paid something like $200 you could get VIP tickets but by my account it wasn't worth it. I went Sunday though, when it was apparently a bit calmer. Saturday was supposedly a real shit-show of lines and electronic malfunctions concerning the fake currency they were trying to create for the event. Serves them right. If you're gonna deal in cash, then deal in cash. Period. This isn't Wally World.

The clientele was eclectic. As was the attire. Remember the days, when we were younger and there were certain brands that everyone owned and wore. Nowadays, I don't see that as much. We're not all little clones of each other anymore, not in this city at least. Sure, you're gonna spot your shirt on someone else's back from time to time, it happens. But overall the individual can uniquely define themselves with clothes if they so choose. And sunday, many of them made that choice. 

Ink is one of the biggest trends today. Everyones all tatted up. And we're not talking a shamrock on your shoulder, or a butterfly on your back. Sleeves worth of ink, backs covered in them, hands, necks, and chests, consumed by them. Some of the art is unbelievable. Some of it is not. But its everywhere, on men and women of all ages. Clearly it's another unique form of asserting individuality.

Honestly though, the food was the best part. The music was sub-par in sound quality, and the bands weren't that spectacular themselves. I would have liked to have seen "The Roots" on Saturday, as they're always on point, but Sundays slots were filled by the likes of wannabe-Chic disco band, "Escort", and soul-remake "Fitz and the Tantrums." Escort would have been a better wedding band, and though Fitz and the Tantrums have some hits, and a fun song to listen to here and there, they certainly weren't going to take the show to the next level for me. And we caught some of "Lez Zeppelin", but the ladies were drown out in a muddled mess of sound. I could barely make out the guitar solos. Even Hall and Oates fell flat, and after a couple beers they always start sounding better to me. 

But the food rocked. I wish I could have eaten more. There were stands set up for so many great places I've had food from, and even more that I haven't. Dinosaur BBQ, Hill Country BBQ, Blue Ribbon, Arancini Bros., Crif Dogs, DBGB, Dirty Bird, Porchetta, and a slew of other resturaunts sent forth their finest recipe's. Most just served a single option, like a Pulled Pork Sandwich, or Riceballs. But everything tasted great. There was a hearty variety of different Beers on tap, and wines uncorked as well. I have to say, I was seriously impressed with the scope of it.

It was good to see it this year. A nice day outside wandering around with your friends. I mean, that's just fine by me. And undoubtedly, tickets will be sold next year, not distributed. Given the huge turn out. That'd be my guess.

SOD: Tom Waits "Hold On"

Tom Waits is an acquired taste, I think. A lot of people my generation don't know him. Or have heard of him, but still, don't know him. Don't care to. Some people a bit older than me, know some of his stuff. Like this song for example. Only one person I know puts him on a real pedestal, and has gone through the majority of his work with fondness. But this is far from resemblant of Waits' body of work. It's one example of the kind of style that he's tried tackling in his day.

His lyrics are often vagrant (and of them), his voice, a busted growl, as distinctive as you can get. For much of his work he's chosen the sounds of jazz and folk, string orchestra's and piano's. He's even ventured into experimental type music, like the critically acclaimed album, Swordfishtrombones(1983). Even I've got this one, and I get an odd kind of joy listening to it. I mean, just listen to the title track Swordfishtrombones, Tom Waits

"Hold On" came out in 1999 and kind of feels like a Bruce song. Waits' even sings it like Bruce would. What's funny is Waits' released "Jersey Girl" in 1980, which Bruce in fact made a classic by using it frequently tour, and on the B-side of "Cover Me." Obviously Waits has spent a good amount of time in what would be considered Rock even though he'll always kind of stand alone in my book. Never belonging to a genre, but rather being some kind of enigma. That guy who's outside the box, even if he steps in once in a while. You gotta know in-the-box, in order to be outside of it. This is getting too philosophical for monday morning.

Listen to the song.

Tom Waits "Hold On"

SOD: Duane Allman "Going Down Slow"

Seriously? If this doesn't floor you, clean your ears out. This is music with more emotion than some pregnant women. Duane Allmans guitar is better than any voice in the world. He says far more with that thing, than any words could. The force of it, the tugging of the heart string, the gut-punching bends. It's almost too much to handle without having a physical reaction. For me at least.

"Goin Down Slow"(1941) is an old blues tune by a self-taught piano man named St. Louis Jimmy Ogden. But it's been covered more times than my bed. Zep did a nice little play on it during the "Whole Lotta Love" medley on the How The West Was Won compilation. By the way, if you even half like Zeppelin and you haven't heard this album, than you're doing yourself a diservice. 

Nonetheless, this version is included on the Duane Allman Anthology. It's some of the best guitar playing I've ever heard, top three compilations easy. And believe me, I wouldn't say that lightly. But I'm a convert. I love the slide guitar, and I love Duane Allman, now more than ever. I'd say I jumped on the wagon a bit late, I wasn't listening to the Allman Brothers seriously at all until my last two years of college. But hey, you gotta start somewhere. And though I should be reprimanded for my previous lack of experience with Duane and the Allman Brothers Band in total, I've taken strides and covered a lot of ground. 

Derek Trucks is my favorite living guitarist. I don't know how many times I can verbally fall at this guys feet, but I'm not stopping anytime soon. I implore the world to hear and see this man work his magic. To me, he embodies what a rockstar should be like. The Jackie Robinson of the rock world. A humble, unassuming man, off the field. But on the field, he will make you relearn what you thought it was humanly possible to do. And Derek took his page right out of Duane Allman's book. And once he memorized Duane's page, he started to write his own. Of course he used a lot of the same anecdotes and ideas as Duane, but he injected his own experience into it to, giving us a whole new story. A story he's still writing today. 

I can't help but talk about these two guys together. When I mention one, the other inevitably comes up. Matt made a great comparison, as we often find similarities between music and sports. For us Yankee faithful (and those of you who even remotely know baseball), Duane Allman was the Joe DiMaggio to Derek Trucks' Mickey Mantle. It's actually damn near perfect. Joe set the standard. He re-wrote the book on Center Fielders. He was so named the "Yankee Clipper" because DiMaggio's speed and range out there in the center of fields, was comparable to the then brand new Pan-Am plane. He showed people just what a man could do on the grass. Duane did exactly the same thing, except he showed it on the axe. He gave the world a new example of what it was possible to do with a slide, a finger, or a pick, and a guitar. Then years later, along comes Mickey Mantle. The Mick had a longer career than Joe, which it seems Derek will enjoy as well. And the Mick won over the clubhouse, no question. Other musicians definitely loved Duane, but I think Derek has that "clubhouse" impact on artists today. He's played with so many people, of all different genres, and everybody has so much respect for him. He may not be the world famous, household name just yet, but damnit I hope he will be eventually. Lord knows he deserves it.

Going Down Slow, Duane Allman, WMV

SOD: Bob Dylan (The Rolling Thunder Revue) "Tonight I'll Be Staying Her With You"

The Rolling Thunder Revue was the tour Dylan went on from the end of '75 throught the beginning of '76. Selections of the tour are available on the Dylan album called, The Bootleg Series Vol. 5: Bob Dylan Live 1975, The Rolling Thunder Revue. This particular song is from the Forum de Montreal, in Canada (12/4/75). It's the first time that he played the song live and it has a completely different sound, as Dylan was famous for in his concerts with many songs. This made his shows all the more interesting, as you'd be hearing something different than the album cut. They're often sung and played a bit more aggressively I've found.

The last tour Dylan had done was with The Band. 40 dates in early '74. It was a comeback tour of grand proportions for Bob Dylan, as well as The Band. The Rolling Thunder Revue however, was a 2-leg tour with 57 dates. Much of it was recorded professionally and bootlegs were and are passed around. It's a hell of a tour, and the album is one of my favorite live ones. A lot of different takes on songs, as expected, but what I like best is how "live" the album actually sounds. It's as much a recording of atmosphere as it is music. Thankfully the "revue" was made up of some serious players, who had a very distinctive sound that worked in this context.

Artists like Joan Baez, Roger McGuinn (The Byrds), Bob Neuwirth, Scarlet Rivera (who had some very memorable Violin parts), and Mick Ronson (Spider Mars). It also featured artists like David Mansfield, T-Bone Burnett, and Steven Soles, who continued working together after the tour and formed The Alpha Band in 1977. Of course, there are some complaints that the 2-disc album isn't actually resemblant of a full show during the tour, and that some other big performances of the tour were not included. But hey, you only get so many slots to fill.

The first concert I ever saw was Bob Dylan at Jones Beach, July 1st, 1988. Yea, I was 4. Can't say I remember much of it. My parents said the guys in front of them were partaking in some "extracurriculars," and when I asked about what the smell was, they tried to tell me it was cigarette smoke. By that time I knew what cigarettes were, so I called them out on it. When they explained to me what Marijuana was at the ripe old age of four, the guys smoking it certainly got a kick out of it. And if that's the story I take with me from my first Bob Dylan concert, I'm content.

Bob Dylan - Tonight I'll be staying here with you (The Rolling Thunder R...

SOD: Bob Marley "Roots"

I have a spiel on Bob Marley. I find him to be an incredible story. His effect on music and the world when it was his time is the stuff of well, Legend.

I remember a conversation I had with my mother once. I argued that the album Exodus(1977) was the biggest album of that decade, and by far the most influential. Bob Marley, before this time even, was on his way to becoming one of the biggest pop stars in the world. And he was from the Third World. To date, that hadn't happened before on this level. He brought the music of the impoverished Jamaican poor, to the entire world. Reggae was now truly on the map. Exodus was created after Marley went into self imposed exile to recover from an assassination attempt. Time Magazine actually voted it "Best Album of the 20th Century," which seems a bit much, but I get it. I do. The impact of Marley's music on the international scene must have been quite great at such a political time.

They called Bob "Tuff Gong," because he was a strong for a little guy. He was small and also of mixed race, his father being a white jamaican of british decent. Surely this led to a lot of agitation towards him and garnered him nicknames like "half caste." But this poor little Jamaican boy, with a little help along the way, would become one of the greatest Rastafari symbols in the world.

As said in his Eulogy by Jamaican PM Edward Seaga,

            His voice was an omnipresent cry in our electronic world. His sharp features, majestic looks, and prancing style a vivid etching on the landscape of our minds. Bob Marley was never seen. He was an experience which left an indelible imprint with each encounter. Such a man cannot be erased from the mind. He is part of the collective consciousness of the nation. 

He left a stamp on this world like none other. It was the man, the music, the message; all those combined created the legacy of Bob Marley. He lived a devoted and passionate life of which, his music was the driving force. He predicted his music would live on past his death, and it has. The posthumously released album Legend, is by far reggae's best-selling album at 10x Platinum (or "Diamond") in the U.S. It was a staple cassette in the boom box when I was growing up. Summer time meant Bob Marley. I knew of his legend (both the album and man), long before I even knew what he was singing about. For the music he made over 40 years ago, to still have relevance and prevalence in our lives today, is simply amazing. Everyone's heard of Bob Marley, and I think a great many more generations will continue to know him as well.

Bob Marley - Roots

Defusing the Rage

You ever get your phone charger cord stuck under the wheel of your office chair? Is this a phenomenon that I alone deal with on a daily basis because I've refused to take the steps necessary to properly rewire my office?

And it's infuriating, beyond words. Like stubbing your toe. You actually have to bend down, and as the blood rushes to your head, detach a cord from around the innermost workings of the little black wheel of the chair. It's like defusing a bomb. Thinking about it is enough to piss me off.

If you let these little things get to you, I guess you just become a grumpy person eventually. If you let one new little thing get to you every year, by 70 your old and grumpy. Which many 70 year olds are. But a lot of them are happy. I personally feel like more old people are happy today, as opposed to when I was younger (but that's a completely biased opinion because a lot of the old people I knew then, have since died off. And they were mostly the grumpy ones). Recent studies have shown that the happiest reported periods of peoples lives are in the 60s-70s range.

Happy is good I guess. Productive still feels better to me right now.

I may yet get to that rewiring today.

SOD: Little Richard "I Don't Know What You've Got, But It's Got Me"

What a gem. Raise your hand if you haven't listened to enough Little Richard. This is a gut-wrenching tune, beautifully painful, in all it's howling glory. Just listen to that voice! And being that Jimi Hendrix was his guitar player (early in Hendrix career), it's plausible to think he may be playing on this recording, thought the records are shoddy. However, Hendrix did once say that he wanted to do with his guitar, what Richard did with his voice, so there's obviously a huge influence in Little Richard There. I feel like I've overlooked an entire catalog here. I bet this song (and album, Little Richard is Back) would sound great on vinyl...

I'd try to give you some background on Little Richard, but I don't really know much. I know he was a driving force in the beginning of Rock N' Roll, and that he's influenced countless artists, but beyond that I can't really say I've listened or learned enough. He is in the Rock N' Roll Hall of fame, if that even means anything to anyone. I could regurgitate his Wikipedia page for you, perhaps paraphrase certain parts, but why?  Instead, I'll just say it's songs (and albums) like this one that make me want to listen to much more of the Rock n Roll Little Richard going forward.

Thanks again to Matty for this one.

Little Richard I dont know what you've got, but it's got me

SOD: Noah Guthrie "Sexy And I Know It" by LMFAO

Have you heard of this kid, Noah Guthrie? I've been following his youtube channel for a little under a year. He's quite the musician and his voice is epic. It's soul, it's rock, it's downright beautiful. He's like a rock n roll Barry White, a smoother Warren Haynes. Better still, he's proven he can cover all genres in his own acoustic style. His covers of Mumford and Sons songs, and Valerie have garnered the most plays from me, but in actuality there's something to love about all of them. His parts on the live performance of "Make You Feel My Love" (Bob Dylan cover), are gripping. This kid is on his way to something big.

He's young too. Eighteen and hungry, he's constantly updating his repertoire, and you can tell he'll do whatever his takes. Just look at today's video (his most recent), he's even doing original arrangements of chart topping pop songs way out of his comfort zone. I envy his enthusiasm and I'm intrigued by his passion. It's hard for me to imagine he's as good as I think he is, but with each new post, I'm more and more sure what I'm seeing is the truth. I think it will be interesting to continue following him, and I'd definitely like to see him live. Good things are in store, if he keeps this up.

Check him out on youtube: only1noah

Noah Cover of "Sexy and I Know It" by LMFAO

SOD: Rolling Stones "Tumbling Dice"

When couples have songs, it's cheesy. It's some of that "romantical" rubbish that seems oh so cliche. It's another one of those sappy things that couples seem to invest a lot of meaning in, and everyone else on the outside can laugh at. That's how I saw it at least, until it wound up happening to me. Sometimes it's not so much the song, but the moment in which it plays. There's a lasting effect to it, a memorable one. Thereafter, every time the song plays, you're drawn back to that place, that moment, when the song first meant something to the both of you. It's not like choosing a wedding song for a first dance, you can't create meaning for it, and often times you can't pick it. You can't go out searching for "your song," it just kind of happens.

You'd have to go back a solid five years and change to get to the point when it happened to me. Kimi always liked the Rolling Stones, but she hadn't delved too deep into their catalog. Of course I was playing her all sorts of stuff since the first day she ever decided to take a car ride with me, and I think somewhere in her mind, she knew that she was dealing with a real music nut. If not, she found out really fast. Jokingly, she used to refer to me as the Music Nazi. I think she got it from my mom. But once in a while I'd play something that she hand't heard before, and she'd coyly ask what the song was, not wanting to reveal that she altogether didn't know it. "What's the name of this song again?" she'd say, as though she'd heard it before, but couldn't remember. Sometimes I'd play her game, sometimes I'd call her out. Either way, it would always end in smiles. 

So five or so years ago, we're on a car ride out east on Long Island. It's cold still, but the far reaches of Long Island are empty then (as compared with the spring and summer), and it's an amazing time to get away and take a break from it all. We drove to the beach, put the car in park, and watched the ocean while we ate breakfast. My parents had passed this ritual down to me, as we had been doing it since the first months of my life. The ocean can be an angry bitch on those cold late winter/early spring days, and the gray sky on grayer water is less than inviting. But it's oh so beautiful to watch. And as we sat there, eating our breakfast, watching the waves, a Rolling Stones mix of mine played in the background. Obviously the car was on auxillary power, I couldn't not have the tunes going. We weren't saying much, we were just kind of taking it all in. And then this song came on. 

Kimi had always liked "Tumbling Dice," that much I knew. She's a sucker for almost any song you can move your hips to, and I'd always liked it, but it wasn't one I'd really think twice about. Well, she starts singing the song, and I looked at her with puzzlement. What the hell was she singing? And when I asked her just that, she broke into laughter. Busted. She didn't know the words. And when Kimi doesn't know the words, she makes them up. Ridiculous combinations of existing words in our lexicon, to strange sounds that only Kimi and certain species of birds can make. And there we were, laughing and dancing, making up words to Tumbling Dice, until the hook came on and we belted out the words we both knew, "You got to roll me, and call me the tumbling dice." And we'd make silly dice rolling motions with our hands, and Kimi would try to belt it out an octave higher, I, an octave lower. Thank god no one saw us, we must have looked nuts.

We didn't say to one another that day, "this is our song." But in the days since that one time, whenever the song does come on, we always sing along. Wrong words and all. And we reminisce without even thinking about it, and probably forever will. It became our song that day, in that moment, and cheesy as it may be, I kind of like it. So this one's for you 'Bo. Happy Birthday.                                                

Tumbling Dice ~ The Rolling Stones

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Part III: And the 2012 Inductees are...

I don't know how many people watched the induction ceremony on HBO this year, but the channel did do a solid amount of advertising for it, at least on television. In past years, I believe FUSE had done the coverage, and to be honest I think I caught a portion of the 2011 ceremony when a rerun was airing. Or maybe that was 2010, I really can't be sure. This year, Kim and I did tune in, and even caught it a second time on a rerun, the very next day. I had to be sure what I saw the night before wasn't actually a nightmare.

Not only is the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame at the very least questionable, in terms of who is nominated and how those nominations are decided upon (as I've tried to illuminate in parts I and II), but the ceremony itself is joke. First of all, why the hell is Green Day performing? They're presenters, not inductees? And why is Billy Joe Armstrong jamming at the end of the ceremony during the all inclusive inductees jam? What makes him so special? Green Day, in my opinion and many others, is a shitty band with mediocre talent. But that's not even the point, they have no business being on stage in any performance capacity. That is unacceptable. I think this is obviously an indicator that Green Day will be making it into the Hall of Fame almost immediately after they first become eligible, which by my account is 2015. You don't even need to fake the vote on this one Wenner.

Nonetheless, I'll try and move past that so we can get to the inductees (In the performers category):

The Beastie Boys
Donovan
Guns N' Roses
Laura Nyro
Red Hot Chili Peppers
The Small Faces/The Faces
Freddie King (inducted under "Early Influence")

Well, I'm not going to argue about whether or not these bands deserve to be in the RRHOF, because at this point, it's not worth debating. What this does say to me though, is that again chronology means nothing to this institution, and I can't understand that. Guns N' Roses, The Beastie Boys, and Red Hot Chili Peppers have good claim to an induction into a Rock n Roll Hall of Fame, but I think it's premature given there are many older groups with just as much claim. But it's a moot point. The process is no clearer to me than the sun on a cloudy day. So, I'll just stick to the ceremony.

You know you're in trouble when the best presenter at a Rock n Roll event, is a comedian. Chris Rock's induction speech fo the Chili Peppers was light, humorous, and poignant. It wasn't drawn out, and it didn't seem cliche. Second to Rock, was Chilli Peppers bassist, Flea, who's acceptance speech was incredible. Genuine as genuine can be, he was on the verge of tears multiple times, most notably when thanking George Clinton for his service to music, and when thanking his mom. Flea loves music, as he stated in his speech, and that's what all these stupid shows seem to forget sometimes. Between this event and the Grammy's, sometimes I think they're far more concerned with production value, seating charts, tickets, and the who's who of presenters, than the music they're commemorating. It's a celebration of overindulgence. They seem to have forgotten that all it takes to awe a crowd is truly a man and his instrument. When these artists started, they didn't do it to gain entry into a Hall of Fame one day. They did it for the music. They did it to express themselves, and hopefully help others do the same. Like Flea said, music saved him many times.

Music should not be celebrated on a stage, it should be played there. Believe me, I see the worth in thanking musicians for their impact, and honoring them with prestige, but we must be careful that we haven't lost sight of what's important. That celebration shouldn't overshadow the music. It shouldn't create alienation within the art. When people don't understand the process, they tend to feel slighted, and at the very least confused. If The Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame is going to claim that it is the single institution that will encompass all of Rock and Rolls heroes, and preserve their legacy for the future, then they're needs to be more explaining. There needs to be transparency, of which there is none. You cannot simply tell everyone that "these are the nominees, and how we get to them is not your business." It's cruel, it's wrong, and it's elitist. Especially when many of the people judging the artists have never played an instrument professionally themselves.

And so I'll end this multi-post with a few simple suggestions, because we cannot bitch and moan, but offer no solution of our own. Open your doors. Invite everyone in to see and be a part of the process. Sure, you can keep your nomination committee. After all, you ponied up the dough, so you're entitled to some control. But at least let us know why these people have made it onto said committee. And expand your guidelines. You cannot discount the publics opinion, without them, music is not heard or dispersed. Statistics are there for a reason. They may not be the whole story, but they're some of it. If a band has sold tens of millions of copies, with double digit platinum and gold records, there's a reason for it. And you can't throw that out the window and still be objective. If fans bring you petitions, don't tear them up. Read them, and if you don't agree, tell us why. And you can keep you 500+ "industry professional" board of voters. I'm sure there's a lot of qualified people on it, but how can we know? You won't release the names. For all I know, fucking Elmo made the cut, because he sang a song once with The Spin Doctors. You're going to have to do a little better than that. Don't alienate the fans, embrace them. They're more a part of Rock n' Roll than you'll ever be. And remember, Rock n' Roll didn't come from money, and it didn't set out to make it. Neither should you.

Hey, a boy can dream can't he?

SOD: Fleet Foxes "Mykonos"

The Fleet Foxes are a Seattle based independent band. They're roots are very heavily drawn from the folk genre, and they've cited Brian Wilson and Bob Dylan (later period Bob), as influences. Their arraignments are very distinct, and their vocal harmonies resemble a new age Crosby, Stills, and Nash. Those vocal harmonies are a huge part of the groups sound. Lead singer Robin Pecknold has a very unique voice, partly soothing, partly haunting. Sometimes it reminds me a bit of Neil Young, and other times of Ben Bridwell (Band of Horses). For such a young group, they have a very mature sound, which I think is quite apparent on this track.

The other part of their music that is not only mature beyond its years but also quite unique, is the lyrics. Pecknold has a storytellers mind, and a poets phrasing. But it's not a rip-off of Bob Dylan, it's very much it's own kind of beast. After hearing this song for the first time, I had to listen to it again while reading the lyrics, to make sure I heard some of the words correctly. The imagery is astounding. The cadence very intriguing and fresh. The music video for this film was also very beautiful I thought, and accompanies the song rather perfectly.

(please note, I could not find the official lyrics anywhere so this is my best attempt)

The door slammed loud and rose up a cloud of dust, on us
Footsteps follow down through the hollow sound, torn up.


And you will go to Mykonos
With a vision of a gentle coast
And a sun to maybe dissipate
Shadows of the mess you made


Pallid animals in the snow tipped pines, I find
Hatching from the seed of your thin mind, all night


And you will go to Mykonos
With a vision of a gentle coast
And a sun to maybe dissipate
Shadows of the mess you made


Brother you don't need to turn me away
I was waiting down at the ancient gate


You go
wherever you go today
You go today


I remember how they took you down
As the winter turned the meadow brown


You go
Wherever you go today
You go today


When I'm walking brother don't you forget
It ain't often that you'll ever find a friend


You go
Wherever you go today
You go today

Fleet Foxes - Mykonos (OFFICIAL VIDEO)

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Part II: "The In-Crowd"

After taking a brief look at the forces behind the nominating and voting procedures, as well as the criteria upon which the artists are judged, it seems that the only rule that's abided by 100% of the time, is that a group or artist can only be eligible 25 years after the release of their first record. The rest of their standards, seem to be left open to the interpretation of the nominator or voter, as the definition of words like "influence" and "innovation" seems to be unclear. What is also unclear is why statistics and numbers are so adamantly dismissed. And since the entire process is done behind closed doors with zero transparency, we actually have no idea what goes on. That was until a nominating committee member decided to talk.

Here's a look at who's been inducted: List of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductees

Once you take a look at this list, it's quite apparent that chronology meant very little to these guys. The influenced are many times granted access before the influencer. Younger acts, fresh out of there 25 year "waiting period," have been granted access immediately while many older acts took years, and multiple ballots to attain the same honors. This tells me that there are a lot of politics involved in this process, though that is nothing new. Then I read an interesting article: Rock Hall of Fame Fallout: 'There Is Resentment Building Up'

Now granted, the article is from a decade ago, but it's very relevant today, especially since many of the same people are still in charge. An insider on the nominating committee had some very interesting things to say about the nominating process.

First, it was purported that many artists were snubbed based on the personal preferences of the board. The article sites the case of The Moody Blues, but I think we also clearly see this in the instance of  Progressive Rock as a whole. There is virtually no representation of this genre. Let's take a look at Rush. Now I know that the Hall of Fame says stats don't matter, but that's just an excuse to give them free reign to control the nominees. So fuck them, I will take a look at the stats, because they say a lot more to me than the opinion of Jann-fucking-Wenner. 24 gold records. 14 platinum, 3 being multi-platinum. Behind the Beatles and the Rolling Stones, Rush has the third most consecutive gold or platinum albums for a rock group. That's a hardcore base of fans. Metallica, Primus, The Smashing Pumpkins, Dream Theater, and Symphony X have all cited them as an influence. They were inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 1994, and became eligible for the RRHOF in 1998. Rush has NEVER even been nominated. It's not even that they didn't get voted in, they've never even made it onto the ballot. The "board" of musical geniuses (many of which have never even been involved directly in the industry) didn't even think these guys should at least be given a shot? Why not send their name down to the 500 or so "Industry Professionals" to see what they thought? To see if they could garner the 50% of the vote needed to make the Hall of Fame? I'll tell you why, because it's been documented more times than you or I can count, that Jann Wenner hates Rush. And bands like Devo, ELO, ELP, Peter Gabriel, King Crimson, and YES have all shared similar fates.

Additionally, the source in the article points out another interesting reason that kept certain acts from making the cut. Susan Evans, Director of the RRHOF at the time, apparently had an interesting theory on what made an act good enough, musically of course, to gain entry onto the ballot:

At one point Suzan Evans lamented the choices being made because there weren't enough big names that would sell tickets to the dinner. That was quickly remedied by dropping one of the doo-wop groups being considered in favor of a 'name' artist.


If that is in fact true, I say tear the whole fucking building down. Or give it to the Salvation Army. And it doesn't stop there. There's allegations of Atlantic Records recording artists routinely being placed on the nomination list, as is there plenty of Atlantic Executive personel on the committee. They also religiously ignore fan petitions that are sent constantly, with thousands of signatures as in the case of again, Rush and The Moody Blues. Is that really smart? With all the other lying, cheating, and politics going on behind the scenes, would it be so hard for them to usher a band in that the public really wants to see inducted? Wouldn't that just be good business for them? No, actually it wouldn't. Because then it would mean that their basing the choices on something besides their own personal taste, or what might be profitable for them in the future.

So I looked at the list of those inducted, and compiled my own list of artsist that by all intensive purposes, have a pretty good argument for inclusion. I won't give them all to you, but I think you'll be pretty shocked by some of the names that have NOT made it into this prestigious association:

Chicago - They call themselves "the rock n roll band with horns," and that's great. But they were also the leading US singles charting group during the 70's, who have sold over 38 million units in the US alone, with 22 gold, 18 platinum, and 8 multi-platinum albums. They've had 5x number-one albums and 21 top-ten singles. Give me a break, stats don't count.

Chic - The self proclaimed rock band of the disco movement. They've been nominated 7 times. Are you kidding me? They're also direct influences on many bands, some of which have used their songs directly (i.e. Sugar Hill Gang). RRHOF inductee Blondie not only sites them as a direct influence, but wrote a tribute to them in their #1 hit "Rapture."

Dick Dale - This guy rewrote the book on what a guitar could do. The Ventures made it into the Hall of Fame, so why not the guy who created the Surf Music style?

Kiss - I'm not a huge fan, but I know they should be in the Hall. Even after the height of their career, their '96-'97 reunion tour was the top-grossing act of those years. Relevant? These guys took the art of performing to the next level as well. Similarly snubbed are Deep Purple (cited by Rush as an early influence).

Hall and Oates - The 'Rock n Soul' duo. Billboard had them at #15 on their list of 100 greatest artists of all time, and ranked them the #1 duo. Though Billboard may be a bit too enamored with them, their sustained pop chart success in the late 70's and 80's was because of their ability to cross pollinate genres with some of the most memorable melodies and hooks of all time. They are still sampled to this day and they were inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2003. And they're still at it today.

Joy Division - I'll admit, maybe they're a stretch. But these guys are as much pioneers of rock as many of the more obvious ones. They were directly inspired by punk, and essentially became the innovators of the post-punk sound that took over the 80s. Though they only released 2 albums before the suicide of Ian Curtis, their influence is still seen today. U2, The Cure, Bloc Party, Interpol, Moby, and John Frusciante all cite them as influences, and Joy Division/New Order were inducted into the UK music Hall of Fame.

The Moody Blues - You may not like them, but enough people do that this discussion cannot be avoided. They were really the original rock band to blend classical music into their work. And think about all the groups that have come after them to follow in this trend. They have 14 platinum and gold albums, and they've sold over 70 million albums worldwide.

Cheap Trick - The Japanese think they're the "American Beatles," but influence alone should be enough to get these guys in the Hall. They are highly respected by their peers. They were one of Joey Ramone's all time favorites, and garnered acknowledgement from Gene Simmons, Joe Perry, and Angus Young. Kurt Cobain mentioned the band as an influence, as did the likes of Motley Crue, Ratt, Guns N' Roses, Smashing Pumpkins, Gin Blossoms, Urge Overkill, Pearl Jam, Weezer, STP, Everclear, Foo Fighters, Soundgarden, RHCP, Kings of Leon, and many more.

Heart - These ladies are the queens of endurance. They've had top 10 albums on the Billboard charts every decade since the 70's, with the exclusion of the 00's. That is a very unique accomplishment, and is a testament to their consistent relevance in rock. They also span a healthy array of genres, as they've been labeled as Hard Rock, Heavy Metal, and Hair Metal, while also being considered Easy Listening and Folk. They were on the list of inductees for this year into the RRHOF, but were not included in the end.

Carole King - As accomplished a writer as she is a singer (if not more so), she has wrote or co-wrote songs for the likes of Aretha Franklin and the Shirelles, to Celine Dion and The Monkees. Her songs have been covered by well, everyone and as a singer her album, Tapestry topped the U.S. charts for 15 weeks and remained on the charts for more than six years! She was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, and was also inducted into the RRHOF in the non-performer category for her songwriting achievements. Sha has also won 4 Grammy awards.

Stevie Ray Vaughan - Eric Clapton called him the greatest guitarist ever. I think that alone is enough. If not, his music simply speaks for him. Listen to any of his songs in a lineup of the Hall of Fame bests. If his guitar playing is not immediately recognizable and singled out, then you aren't listening. He cites Hendrix as his greatest influence, but he took Hendrix, and turned it into something completely new. Even Rolling Stone magazine ranks him at #7 in the 100 Greatest Guitarists of all time. But that's no argument, just curious to me that Wenner wouldn't have at least gotten him on a ballot. He's also won 6 Grammy awards.

In addition to the above list of standouts, there's a few others I feel that I should at least mention as consideration worthy. They may not necessarily have what's needed to be inducted as of now, but the fact that almost all of them have never even come up in discussions seems wrong.

They are: The Cure, Phil Collins, Peter Gabriel, ELO, Peter Frampton, Journey, Foreigner, YES, Deep Purple, Joan Jett, The Runaways, Kansas, Boston, Todd Rundgren, Iron Maiden, Steppenwolf, Cat Stevens, Gram Parsons, Donna Summer, Pat Benetar, ELP, Mountain/Leslie West, Motorhead, REO Speedwagon, Ted Nugent, Joe Walsh/The James Gang, Ozzy Osbourne, Harry Chapin, MC5, Meatloaf, Nick Drake, and The Steve Miller Band.

One last note. I was never really a Sex Pistols fan, but they look a whole lot cooler to me after blowing off the ceremony in 2006, and sending this letter to the Hall of Fame:

(transcript)

Next to the SEX-PISTOLS rock and roll and that hall of fame is a iss stain. Your museum. Urine in wine. Were not coming. Were not your monkey and so what? Fame at $25,000 if we paid for a table, or $15000 to squeak up in the gallery, goes to a non-profit organisation selling us a load of old famous. Congradulations. If you voted for us, hope you noted your reasons. Your anonymous as judges, but your still music industry people. Were not coming. Your not paying attention. Outside the shit-stem is a real SEX PISTOL

Stay tuned for Part III, tomorrow.

SOD: Cat Stevens "Trouble"

Another Rock n' Roll Hall of Fame snubbery victim, Cat Stevens is as orignal as it gets. Though I believe his preferred nomenclature these days is, Yusuf Islam. Whatever you want to call him, or he want's to call himself, I call his music something to behold. I won't claim to know any of his more recent work, but I will stand behind his earlier creations. Mona Bone Jakon, released in July of 1970, is and amazing piece of work. The album is named after the nickname he gave his penis, and I can't say much to that besides, "uh, weird man." But the music is the direct creation of a year long stint in bed, as his doctors demanded he stay there to recover from a serious bout of tuberculosis and a collapsed lung. During that year, he created about 40 new songs that would birth three new albums in a 15 month period. Mona Bone Jakon was the first and my favorite, followed by Tea for the Tillerman, another amazing album with his most well known songs, and finally Teaser and the Firecat.

When Cat Stevens recovered, he re-entered the music scene with a brand new sound. He had transitioned from the pop/folk rock sound of his day, to the newly created and coined "singer-songwriter" genre. Most of the songs were significantly darker in tone, and much of his lyrics tended to deal with death, loss, and sadness. The musical arrangements were very stripped down, with bass, acoustic guitars, keyboard and minimal drums. On one of the livelier tracks, "Katmandu", the esteemed Peter Gabriel who was about 20 at the time, plays flute! Go figure...

"Trouble" starts as a softer, pleading song, but grows in intensity throughout, like many Cat Stevens pieces. He sings of trouble as a tangible entity, that he attempts to ward off. It is a warning to death to keep away, and also an admission of how life has broken him down, and there's not much left. Sad, but beautiful, it's a song that often reminds me of my vulnerability. Not to anything in particular, but simply that it exists. An acknowledgement that we're all down at some point, staring our own stripped down truths in the face. How you deal with that is up to you. My father said that in his youth, he and his friends would often listen to this song after a long night of doing whatever it is they did. They'd all be sitting around when "the party" was over, each in some state of reflection, and someone would put this vinyl on the player. The imagery of that scene fits this song. It sounds like the end. Be it of the night, or something far more permanent.

Cat Stevens - Trouble

SOD: The Red Hot Chili Peppers "Snow (Hey Oh)"

Even though the Chili Peppers were just inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and gave heart-warming and genuine acceptance speeches, that's not why I've chosen them. Though subconsciously they may have been on my mind a little more prevalently right now because of the awards show, I've chosen them because I've always had a soft spot for them. To paraphrase Chris Rock, the Chili Peppers have a sound that's a hardcore kind of happy. It's a happy that you had to be sad to get to. I thought that was the perfect description of their music. And though they've gotten a bit softer on the hind legs of their days, haven't we all?

I won't give you a drawn out explanation on this one. I'll simply say this song was fitting to the mood I was in, and nothing more at the time. And sometimes, that's just enough reason to fall in love with a song.

The Red Hot Chili Peppers - Snow (Hey Oh) Album Version

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Part I: "The Rules of Engagement"

It's no secret how much I despise the Grammy Awards. I've been ranting and raving about them for quite some time. Well, it's time to add the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame to that list. Congratulations guys, you've also made a sturdy attempt to take the heart out of the greatest form of art in the world, and replace it with your own self-promoting, morally abhorred competition. It's a fucking joke. How anyone can take this seriously is beyond me. And it actually pains me to say this because its co-founder, Jann Wenner, is someone I have come to really respect over the years. And I know that nobody is without their flaws, but christ almighty, this is complete and utter bullshit.

Jann Wenner has led a productive, and downright fascinating kind of life. He is the co-founder and publisher of Rolling Stone, which I'll admit is questionable at times, but nonetheless a provocative and simply interesting magazine. Especially for the interviews. Wenner has had a true eye for talent, and knack for motivating people to do their best. He gave Hunter S. Thompson a forum to let loose his imagination on the world, and Cameron Crowe credits Jann with literally giving him his "big break." Tom Wolfe acknowledges him as being the only person willing to serialize his first novel, ensuring that it was actually released, and he's had a hell of a career since. And in 1970 Jann Wenner discovered a 21 year old San Francisco Art Institute student, and hired her as a staff photographer. By 1973, she was head of the department. That woman would go on to take arguably the most iconic celebrity shots in the world. Her name was Annie Leibovitz.

So how did a guy like this, who would seem the perfect candidate to operate something as distinctive and encompassing as a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, get it so wrong? Granted, not all the blame can be placed squarely on his shoulders, there are a lot of other players and factors at work. Among them President Terry Stewart, the nominating committee member, who has actually attempted to explain the Hall of Fame's very questionable induction process:

Nomination and induction into the Hall of Fame is not about popularity, record sales, which label the group is on, or anything other than the process below. The love for, the evaluation of, and the impact of any artist are subjective questions to be answered by the nominators and the voters. Unlike baseball, football, basketball or hockey, statistics are not relevant. Please read below:

Before we do read below, I have an issue with "the above." Is it really wise to make statistics an entirely moot point? I understand not having the numbers count for everything, or even a lot, but to say they're not relevant completely discounts the public, and puts all power in the hands of first, the nominators (Nominating Committee), and then the voters, who are apparently a body of more than 500 "rock experts," but nobody knows what criteria must be met to receive that qualification. All we do know, is that neither of those groups are "the people."

Now I generally operate under the assumption that the general public has poor taste, but that doesn't mean that they shouldn't have a say, and I think the simplest way to exemplify this idea, is with certain figures. At the very least those figures give insight into popular trends and certainly to the staying power and impact of certain artists. Granted, radio may dictate the majority of what people hear, and lord knows they've always been in the pockets of the record companies, but I still think we should at least acknowledge the fact (even remotely) that the sales and chart numbers have to at least be looked at. Terry continues:

The entire nomination and induction process is coordinated by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation in New York City. Individuals can be inducted in four categories: Performer, Early Influence, Non-Performer and Side-Men. The only formal criteria for the performance category is that an artist has to have had their first record 25 years ago. That said, candidates are reviewed and discussed relative to their impact on this music that we broadly call rock and roll. The innovation and influence of these artists is also critical. Gold records, number one hits, and million sellers are really not appropriate standards for evaluation.

Well that certainly explains why KISS and REO Speedwagon didn't make the cut. They sold a shit-load of records, and I believe I heard somewhere in my travels that in the late 80's, REO was the most lucrative band in the world. And I understand what the HOF is trying to do and say with the above, innovation and influence are essential points to base selection on. But the question I must ask is, are the committee members really objective when deciding which bands DO meet their standards? And more importantly, what are the criteria for becoming a member of either the nominating or voting committees!? I think thats just as important as the criteria the artists themselves must face at the end of the day, and it's still not entirely clear to me.

How are we ensured that the voters are not just a hand selected crop of Jann's and Ahmet's closest and most agreeable friends or contacts? Even if they are "industry professionals", how do we know that they were not selected because they shared similar tastes with the bosses? I'm not saying that's the way it is, but are the voters vetted individually each year? Are they rotated out regularly? Are they a diverse group of industry peoples, representing a healthy strata of tastes and knowledge, who are still nonpartisan and fair?

As for the nominating committee, I did a little research, and it seems like there's a few repeat names from past years. Guys who were around when Ahmet was alive, and on the committee with him. Jim Henke, the Hall of Fame museums curator is also conveniently on there, which puts him in the employ of Jann and at one time, Ahmet. There's also more than quite a few Rolling Stone employees of past and present, and that doesn't seem objective at all. In fact, that's the goddamned definition of rigged if you ask me. How can we be asked to put stock in that? How can we be asked to trust that? I'll tell you what, I don't and I won't. And I think it's pretty clear that they're trying to pull the wool over our eyes, and there's a little too much of that going on these days in everything else in this cruel and fucked up world. But not with music. Not with my music. You can't take that from me, I won't let you corrupt it like everything else. Because a man's got to draw a line somewhere, and I drew that line a long time ago. But it seems that as we get older, we get more forgiving with the amount of bullshit we'll put up with. It's not worth the fight, you'll say. But this is worth it. This is worth everything to me, and I'll be damned before I let these sneak-thieves and swindlers tell me, who's deserving of honors and who's not  in the music I've spent my life listening to, appreciating, and loving. I'll be the judge of that from now on, thank you very much.

SOD: The Beastie Boys "No Sleep till Brooklyn"

RIP Adam Yauch.

Im not sure what to say or how I want to say it. A man is dead. Should I eulogize him? Talk about how he grew up in Brooklyn and helped form the Beastie Boys (originally a hardcore punk group) at age 17? How he became a Buddhist, and towards the end of his life, a vegan at the recommendation of his buddhist doctors? It all seems too sterile and distant for me. Music is a personal thing, it's not something to be read out of an encyclopedia. To understand the way somebody loves a song or artist, you need to understand what that song or artist means to them.

You couldn't have grown up when I did, and not be influenced or effected by the Beastie Boys. They were everywhere. They were definitely a part of some facet of pop culture, yet they were still edgy and counter culture. I know that doesn't make a lot of sense, but somehow they were able to go mainstream, without selling out, or seeming like they were another fad. They weren't. They were electric, they were controversial, and they were a big part of the beginnings of the hip hop scene as we know it. Their music video's were amazing, I remember taping them with a VHS player so I could replay them over and over. Their songs pissed off parents and infuriated teachers, so naturally they were some of the most beloved stuff. And their look scared the authority, which is always a desired effect in teen and pre-teen years.

I can't say I was or am a devout fan who would die to see them. I never saw them live. But I knew their effect, and when I was young, I found myself very drawn to them and their style. They were really my first foray into the rap world. I continued playing them through college, they were always a party staple, and even to this day, from time to time songs like this one will come on my Ipod and i'll listen to them and love every second of it. Sometimes they're the perfect dose of "get up off your ass." Liscensed to Ill, their first album, was incredible. You heard it, and you knew it was relavent. And I didn't even hear it until probably five years after it came out. Ill Communication came out in 1994 (their fourth album), and that was the first one I heard in "real time." I think there was an entire summer when all I listened to was that album, Pearl Jam's Ten and Aerosmith's Get A Grip. Ah, the good old days.

But after Ill Communication was the album that probably effected me the most upon it's release. That would be 1998's Hello Nasty. I had just turned 15 when the album came out, and it was almost as if the Beastie Boys personally wanted me to raise some hell. Mix Master Mike was introduced to the group for the first time on that album, and the sound was something totally fresh. It blew my mind, and my parents car speakers. "Body Movin" and "Intergalactic" would be played on loop. Constantly. For about a week my answer to every question was, "I'll stir-fry ou in my wok." Tracks like "Remote Control" were like nothing I had ever heard. They were old sound meets new school, my first introduction to thinking I was cool. I still hum that chorus in my head from time to time. And "The Negotiation Limerick File" was simply the most badass thing I had ever heard. If you can listen to that song without moving along to it your a fucking robot. It was a serious groove. Cliche as it may be, it was the sound of a generation. For a time at least.

"No Sleep till Brooklyn" I found fitting for today though. I needed to revisit something from their first album, and the video is too good to pass up. Like them or not, the Beastie Boys are relevant. I felt like if a bunch of Jewish white boys could make it in the Rap game, maybe I really could do anything. Though I learned that's not true, The Beastie Boys still get a hell of a lot of credit in my book, for being some of the craziest but innovative performers of their time. Bear witness to the end of an era.

The Beastie Boys - No Sleep Till Brooklyn

SOD: Al Green "La-La For You"

I saw Al Green perform once when I was in college. It was at an after party during the esteemed Boston Marathon weekend. In addition to the band on stage, Green was flanked on either side by identical twin males who's sole purpose was to dance in sync with one another, through the whole show. This was very indicative of the kind of performance Al put on that night. He had a distinct swagger, you coul feel it. He chatted up the audience between songs and extended his hand to some of the more experienced women in the crowd, giving them each a moment of dance, usually consisting of a twirl and/or dip. Obviously he was dressed impeccably in an all white tuxedo, with plenty of ornate gold jewelry to glisten in the in the simply lit hotel dining room.

The concert was invite only, and I was fortunate enough to come along as my roommate Drew's, plus 1. His father was the man to know in Boston at the time both professionally and socially, and I got along quite well with him. I like to think that he liked me, or at the very least approved of Drew's fraternizing with me. Nonetheless, he often kept up appearances at these kinds of functions by showing up, working the room in a timely and efficient manner, and exiting through a back door everyone just assumed led to the kitchen. Because of this, I was often given the opportunity to take his place at these events, and Drew and I always made the most of them. From holding the world series trophy to playing a nine-inning game of baseball at Fenway Park. From going backstage at the Ringling Bros. circus, to heckling Paul Pierce on inbound passes from court-side seats. I was given access to far more than i deserved, but I like to think i made the most of it.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            

I sat across from Nomar Garciaparra at the Al Green show, and he did a decent job of acting like he enjoyed it. Come "intermission," he was outta there faster than he ever stole a base in his life. And come the start of the second act, there quite a few empty places at each table. Suddenly there was room. And though I was not of age to drink yet, this was the kind of scene where that issue never got called into play. So a few Jack n' Gingers' later, Drew and I had unbuttoned our suit jackets, and emptied our pockets. We grabbed up whatever Cougar had wandered into our line of sight and step, and gave her a chance to relive her Junior Prom. If memory serves me, Big Al even gave us a shout out for our "enthusiasm". There was absolutely nothing in all of Beantown that was going to keep us down that night. The women we wound up having drinks with after the show were a decade or two our senior, and we talked a little louder, and a little more animated that night. I'd be lying if I said we didn't go to bed wearing ear to ear grins.

And oh yea, in the midst of all this we got to see Al Green. Al - mothafuckin' - Green baby! And his soul-flare might have been a bit much, but his voice was good enough to back it. He still had that reserved, vibrato-infused style that made him such a heartthrob. But with the mere flip of the wrist, he could turn it on, projecting his pipes to the outer atmosphere and beyond. He may have been an ordained pastor, but he had a very sexual vibe. A vibe he was fully aware of, and used to rope the audience in, male and female alike. And age did not matter, if anything, it may have helped him project the image he was going for.

Al Green -- La-La For You

SOD: Pat Metheny Group "Last Train Home"

I don't know where to begin when it comes to Pat Metheny. He is the closest thing to a music God or Diety that I have ever seen. He's on a completely different level of musicianship. Granted, there are guru's and geniuses, virtuoso's and prodigies, but even they can be categorized together, whereas Metheny simply cannot. I know that this man hears things differently than the rest of the world. What I would give to sit in a white room with him and his guitar for 10 minutes. He'd undoubtedly be clad in one of his striped, turn of the century style prison shirts, and by the end of it, the walls would probably be brought to life by a collage of color and sound. Simply put, he is a the game-changer to change all games, in the field of Sound.

Metheny was recognized as a rare talent all his own from a young age, and was offered collegiate teaching positions before the age of 18. I won't give you a summary of the man's life, if you're truly interested, simply start with wikipedia page (Pat Metheny). Though he's typically thought of as a Jazz man (and certainly has that flair for innovation), his genre transcendent ways are absolutely acknowledged by all. There's not a box in the world shaped to his design. Constraints were made for him to personally laugh at.

I've seen him play many times, more than I can count on my two hands, as good ol' Mama Bundell was always a die-hard fan. Her devout love of this man's music is perhaps the ultimate testament to her unquestionable wisdom. She recognized something special in his music, years before he became remotely popular. And though he's had three albums achieve Gold status, and won 19 Grammy awards, he's still largely unknown by the masses. I base this largely off discussions I've had with many people who consider themselves "music fanatics." The mere mentioning of his name either triggers a look of bewilderment, or in some, prompts a lame attempt to feign knowledge of the man. Clearly though, you can tell when someone has no idea what you're talking about and is simply playing along. We've all done it. We've all been caught.

I'm certainly not surprised by this lack of exposure though. His music is not trendy, though it's surely  transcendent. You won't find him on the Billboard 200, you'll find him on the bill of a 200 seat auditorium concert somewhere (though he'd obviously be on the "Billboard Jazz", but bare with me, I'm making a point here!). And that's just fine in my opinion. It ensures that his work remains about the music and nothing else. Though I don't think this man could be about anything else if he tried.

I've seen him play with his "group," usually a quartet featuring the co-writing and 'black n' white' skills of the incredible Lyle Mays. I've also seen him play solo shows. I've seen him play in a trio with Christian McBride (bass) and Antonio Sanchez (drums), and I've seen him play with an entire orchestra. Of machines. Yes that's right, machines all controlled by his single guitar and dubbed The Orchestrion Project (Orchestrion Video). Tell me this doesn't make you feel under productive (Orchestrion EPK). I've also seen him play with Pikasso, a 42-string guitar creation that he built himself (Metheny & Pikasso). You see, there's no limits to his creativity and ingenuity. The man is as much an inventor, as he is anything else. And he is a lot of things. Categorizing him is an exercise in futility.

"Last Train Home" is inspirational song off of arguably his most connectable album, American Garage. It's a beautiful, gripping, driving, and soulful creation of Metheny's ethereal guitar playing, embedded in the perfect arraignment of complementary instruments. It's also one of the first songs that I really remember hearing of his. When I was very young, I remember brief instances of us listening to this song, or me badgering my mother incessantly to play it, over and over again. It was one of those songs that I couldn't get enough of. Some kids wanted Raffi and Baby Beluga, I wanted Metheny. All day, every day. Obviously my yearning extended to many works outside of this one, but "Last Train Home" was the penultimate song of the day. I had to hear it at least once every night, before I went to bed. To this day, the song still has the same effect on me as it did then. It's soothing, yet motivational. Relaxing and recharging, but also energizing. And I would recommend at least a brief foray into Metheny's works for everyone. American Garage is a good place to start. It certainly was for me.