What Are You Doing New Years Eve?

This tune has gone viral as Zooey Deschanel ends the best year of her career on an upnote. Well received albums, hit tv shows and now a new status as a You Tube queen with Joseph Gordon-Levitt.

What Are You Doing New Year's Eve? Whatever it is, don't drink and drive! I have enough clients as it is!

Song of the Day one day late-Little Red Rider (Happy Belated Birthday to Mike Nesmith!)

I was planning on posting this yesterday, and the day got away from me. Mike Nesmith of the Monkees turned 69 yesterday. Happy Birthday Mike!

Mike left the Monkees in 1970 after he bought out his contract, allegedly with money he received as an inheritance from his mother who was one of the inventors of Liquid Paper. Mike invested well which is a good  thing because, have you bought any Liquid Paper recently? He spends his days in comfortable semi-seclusion in Carmel, California. Google him and you will read about him hanging out with conservative humorist PJ O'Rourke (though my politics are progressive I have always loved PJ's writing) and going hunting with Mr. Sarah Palin. I have the feeling that Mike and I would disagree on most things politically. He also is a legendary curmudgeon, something that was not bestowed upon him by age, but seemingly is a lifelong personality trait.

Mike did get out and play one show this past year in Los Angeles and has confessed to getting the performance bug again, though he eschews all offers to join his former bandmates. Davy Jones says that Mike looks like "a German banker" and he can't imagine him being a Monkee again!

Mike was, and is, my favorite Monkee. He was clearly the most talented musician, songwriter and, while you don't hear his lead vocals on the Monkees biggest hits, his Texas twang was a highlight on all the Monkees records. Never a duff track with Mike. After leaving the Monkees he formed the First National Band and in August 1970 released "Magnetic South." When you talk about the first country rock pioneers, Mike usually gets overlooked when names like Gram Parsons and Poco are bandied about. Important figures in country rock but Mike's contributions are criminally ignored. Mike's solo catalog is very strong. Apparently toward the end of the Monkees, Mike saved his songs up for a future solo career.

The pick here is "Little Red Rider" written by Mike, though "Joanne" was the hit. The band swings effortlessly with that old "country-honk" feel. You can see why Mike's contributions to his former band didn't usually sound like the Monkees or fit in very well!

Song of the Day-Battle March

The "Battle March Medley" was a tune written by Terry Woods from probably the Pogues finest long player, "If I Should Fall From Grace With God." The Pogues hit their stride on this release, broadening their sound from their Irish/Punk roots to now incorporate other influences. Strains of Jazz and Folk with a leavening of exotic middle eastern strains were added to the mix.

The album also featured their most well known ("Stateside" anyway) tune, the Christmas classic "Fairy Tale of New York" which featured a duet between Shane MacGowan and Kirsty MacColl. When released as a single, "Battle March Medley" was the B-Side, at least in the UK.

I had the privilege on seeing the Pogues earlier this year at the Royal Oak Music Theater on what is claimed to be there "Farewell" Tour. Though, by this point, only the Who have had more farewells then the Pogues. If this is to be the last time then indeed they went out with a bang. A more rough, raucous and high energy show has seldom graced these here parts, with the band and audience feeding off each other and sending us off, sweat and beer drenched into the cold spring night. All the Pogues favorites received a turn on the ROMT stage with few twists and turns in their catalog left unexplored.

I have included here the "Battle March Medley" from "IISFFGWG" and the demo for said tune from the excellent 5 disc box, "Just Look Them Straight In The Eye And Tell Them....Poguemahone!" an appropriate title for the "Guiness flavored spit-in-the-eye" that was the Pogues.

I have also thrown in "Fairy Tale of New York" if you somehow didn't hear it this holiday season, or if your brain cells have been fried and you are somehow unable to conjure up this tune in your memory.

My two favorite songs (of the last ten minutes)

Shirley Bassey with the Propellerheads!

Raul Malo and Shannon Whitworth

28 Years Ago-Tribute to Dennis Wilson

28 years ago I received a phone call from a good friend of mine who told me that Brian Wilson had drowned. I, of course, was shocked. Brian had been abusing himself lately and a call saying that he had died by misadventure would not have surprised me. Besides, Brian wasn't really a big fan of the ocean, which was ironic due to the many songs he wrote about the water.

In the pre-internet era, all you had were newspapers, newsradio, network news, and the infant CNN. I had to wait about 15 minutes to find out that my friend had gotten the Beach Boy wrong, but the other details were horrifyingly accurate.

Dennis was a great guy who had an incredible generosity of spirit, a guy who would literally give you the shirt off of his back. Dennis problem was he had no limits to his enthusiasms, whether it was music, women, cars, drugs or alcohol. He died in the water, a place that he loved to be. I got to meet him one time, and when I displayed a knowledge of some of the deeper corners of Dennis songwriting catalog, he cut me out of the group I was in and talked to me for a good ten minutes one on one. He really made you feel like he cared about you. His brother Carl had the same knack.

Dennis was the second best songwriter in the Beach Boys and for a while, as the sun rose on his talent, and set on Brian's it looked like the Beach Boys were going to ride his talent to a second great wave of popularity, based on mature, adult balladry and blue-eyed soulful rock n roll instead of cresting on the oldie Endless Summer Wave.

But, it wasn't to be. Dennis epitomized the spirit of Neil Young's "Rust Never Sleeps" burning out instead of fading away. And the world of music was poorer for his loss. The Beach Boys may reunited but without Dennis and baby brother Carl, it won't be the same.

Farewell my Friend!

Please enjoy 7 Dennis Wilson highlights!

Song of the Day-Sleepy Maggie

I stumbled across this tune on a compilation of Canadian Hit Singles called "Oh What A Feeling" 2. Both of the "Oh What A Feeling" collections were four disc box sets with the first box covering the 60s and 70s and the second the 80's and 90's. I used to travel across to Windsor for buying forays because you would find stuff that was hard to find in the US. I remember the day I coupled a trip to Hamtramck District Court with a run across the border. It was a mid January day of about 10 degrees. Came back with the first four Burton Cummings solo albums, among other releases, which gave me a nice warm feeling as only a CD "storegasm" can do.

9/11 put an end to all of that. Plus you could order the same stuff on Amazon.ca, the Canadian Amazon outlet. Having grown up listening to CKLW the Big 8 with their "Canadian Content" law that 30% of the music on a given station had to be Canadian sung, written or produced, I became a fan of a lot of great Canadian artists.

Devonshire Mall, at the time, had four cd stores. Sam The Record Man, HMV and a couple of others. My last time there, a few years back, only HMV was left. I think they had different owners then the American HMW which is gone now, so the Windsor store may still be there. If you are planning a trip to Windsor, the most excellent "Dr. Disc" is still alive and kicking downtown. Located at 471 Ouellette at the corner of Ouellette and Wyandotte, it is worth a trip.

Today's song of the day was a Canadian hit single in 1995. MacIsaac is a fiddler from Cape Breton Island. His cousin is Jack White of the White Stripes. Vocals on this track were handled by Mary Jane Lamond and are in Scottish Gaelic. Enjoy!

Song of the Day-Hyacinth House

"The gypsies have no home and the Doors have no bass player" so sayeth Bruce McCullough from the classic Kids In The Hall sketch "Into The Doors."

Ever have one of those nights where, for no reason whatsoever, you can't sleep. You got off to sleep easily enough. Fell asleep watching the Letterman rerun, you wake up in the middle of the night, waking your wife in the process. Of course, she is annoyed at you, accusing you of snoring. So you go downstairs, get on the computer, check up on people (old girlfriends) on Facebook. Check out the scores of the game you had in the football pool. Read up on the latest Republican debate inanity. Still not tired, so you blog.

I don't quite know how I feel about the Doors. First of all, they probably got way more attention then their career warrants. Jim Morrison, by the time he died, had become somewhat of a joke. Overweight and alcoholic, the cover shot of their final album LA Woman reveals little trace of the Lizard King that captured the public's imagination. They had started off with a bang, a great first album with a classic single "Light My Fire (unbelievably the second single) that, even in it's edited version was probably the most powerful thing they ever did. Then pissed it away over a seven album career.

Second, Morrison became even more and more pretentious, his epic poems being among the more unlistenable items in their catalog. If I never hear "Horse Latitudes" again, it will be too soon. The powerful Doors sound got watered down with horns and strings. A sax solo in "Touch Me," a horn section in "Tell All The People" and MORish strings in "Wishful Sinful." The tunes are catchy and sound good on AM radio, but they were veering vary far from the rock n roll they built their rep on.

The LA Woman album was a bit of a renaissance but there were not enough strong tunes to say they were headed in the right direction. Haunted by self-inflicted legal woes, and an alcohol problem in a time before the concept of rehab was developed, Jim left the country after the album was completed, never to return. For all intents and purposes, it appeared he had quit the band and turned his back on music.. Ultimately Jim's death of a heart attack in Paris (and yes, he's really dead) rendered it all moot. Two Doors albums followed as a 3 piece, each, believe it or not, having some fine moments.

But the fascination with the Doors continues. Remember the Jim Morrison Rolling Stone magazine cover years after Morrison's Death? "He's Hot, He's Sexy, He's Dead" or some such was the tagline.

"Hyacinth House" was one of my favorites from LA Woman. The Doors alone, with Morrison's mysterioso lyrics being interpreted by those into such things as hints of his unhappiness and hinting that he would possibly commit suicide. Uh, yeah. But the vocals have real bite to them. And the band sounds great. Ray Manzarek's solo includes a Frederic Chopin quote from "Polonaise in A Flat Major, Opus 53." Dig it!

Etta James in Failing Health

News of out Los Angeles is not good for the family and fans of the great Etta James. In rapidly failing health, the great Ms. James spent Christmas on a respirator in a Riverside hospital suffering from end stage leukemia and dementia caused by Alzheimer's. Her family hopes that she will get out of the hospital and again be with them but reports don't look good. I wanted to throw up a couple of Etta James tracks so you can get an idea of how she sounded in her prime. Best wishes and prayers to Etta!

"At Last," "Sunday Kind of Love," "Tell Mama" and "Damn Your Eyes" are possibly Etta James four greatest and most well known performances. But her catalog is rich with lesser known gems!

Song of the Day-Ali's Here

Rolling Stone just published their list of the 100 Greatest Guitarists of all time. I had some passing familiarity with all of the names on the list. But one, Ali Farke Toure, threw me for a loop. I had heard the name but never heard his playing. There he was at number 76. So I began an investigation. Listened to some tracks on youtube. Read a little more and realized he was the guitarist from Africa who played with Corey Harris in Martin Scorsese's Blue's Documentary.

Ali Farke Toure was a singer and guitarist from Mali. His playing, as Martin Scorsese put it so eloquently, contained "the DNA of the Blues" coming from the same traditions that influenced so many of the great mid 20th century African American Blues players. His style is has a rhythmic pulse similar to the work of John Lee Hooker.

If you have a chance get over to youtube or Spotify and listen to some tracks. Turn it up loud. This is the real stuff. They called it "world music" or as Ali referred to it "music!" Try it out. You will hear things that you will find familiar.

Unfortunately Ali died at the relatively young age of 66 in 2006 so there will be no more new music from him. But he has a recording history spanning 30 years to dig into and digest and there are gems to be mined there!

Greatest Christmas Song Ever?

If not, then certainly on the short list.

How can a crazy, evil madman, like Phil Spector, produce a moment of transcendent Christmas beauty?

Wonder how Phil is spending his Christmas?

Song of the Day-I Will Dare

Minneapolis' The Replacements can lay claim to being one of the finest punk bands America ever produced. Up there, in my humble opinion, with The Stooges and The Ramones. 1984's "Let It Be" album might have been one of their greatest achievements. By the way, clearly 1984 was the best music year of that sometimes misbegotten decade. Besides the release of this album it was the year of "Born In The USA," "Purple Rain" "1984" and a slew of other worthwhile releases. While "I Will Dare" and the album it came from did not hit the chart heights of those other discs, it was the point at which the Mats started to incorporate other instruments besides guitars turned up to 11 into their sonic mix. Paul Westerberg, clearly in charge by this time, started making music that pointed the way to his "post-Replacements" future. Still a great song, "I Will Dare" on the World's Slowest Radio Station!

Song of the Day-Break Your Heart

Boston's Mike Viola is the leader of an aggregation known as the Candy Butcher's though he is probably best known for co-writing "That Thing You Do" from the movie of the same name, with Fountains of Wayne's Adam Schleshinger. Mike has put out some fine power pop since the 1990s. This is a double shot of his popular "Break Your Heart" with the Christmassy "All I Want For Christmas Is You."

A Cheap Trick Christmas

A Cheap Trick Christmas

Song of the Day-ELO Kiddies

Back in 1977, I was just out of high school, blundering through my first year of college, working in a record store, kinda just thrashing around. The Beatles had broken up. The Ramones weren't on my radar yet. I wouldn't get them until about their 4th album. English punk hadn't hit these shores yet. I had heard of the Sex Pistols but they didn't seem like my cup of (English) tea.

But these guys from Rockford, Illinois, who were "Beatlish" with a hard rock edge, brash yet still melodic. They hooked me right away. Their first album was a classic. On stage, the good looking guys, Robin Zander and Tom Petersson, contrasted interestingly with Rick Nielsen(the one that looked like Huntz Hall) and Bun E. Carlos (the one that  looked like your Dad, or your Dad's accountant).

"ELO Kiddies" was one of the great first album originals. With a sound reminiscent of Nambla member Gary Glitter and a title that nodded to hero Roy Wood, "ELO Kiddies" crammed in more hooks than a tackle box. I thought Cheap Trick were going to rule the world, and they did, for a while. They lost steam after the Budokan and Dream Police albums.

A few years back, Cheap Trick kicked off the craze of classic artists going back and playing their classic albums all the way through in one show. They toured small venues, playing 3 nights in each town. "Cheap Trick" in it's entirety night one. "In Color" night two and so on...  Followed up with a smattering of hits from their catalog. I planned on going all nights when they announced a 3 pack at St. Andrews.

That first night was great! The "Cheap Trick" album is essential and sounded great live played all the way through. They also played "Surrender" and some choice CT tunes. But they were so loud, and my 40 something ears rang so badly the next day, I feared permanent damage if I went back.  Looking back now, I knew I had seen the essential Cheap Trick that night.

Interesting note. Their 2007 release, "The Latest" was released on cd, vinyl and a limited "8 track" tape edition.

Song of the Day-She Knows Me Too Well

Song of the Day today is a cover version by Jeffrey Foskett. Jeffrey is a vital cog in the Brian Wilson band, soon to be serving as the Beach Boys backup band on their reunion tour. I have also included the video for the Beach Boys remake of their 1969 hit "Do It Again" for which Jeff provides the sturdy falsetto. Jeffrey has recorded 3-4 albums of very fine, Beach Boys influenced pop and rock. He has worked in collaboration, not only with Brian Wilson but Gerry Beckley of America, local hero Marshall Crenshaw, and others too numerous to list here. "She Knows Me Too Well"  is a song written by Brian Wilson and Mike Love and first featured on their classic 1965 "Beach Boys Today" release. It was the B-side of "When I Grow Up (To Be
A Man)".

On a personal note, I have had the privilege of meeting Jeff on two occasions, the first time back in the 80s when Jeff was a member of the Beach Boys backup band and the second was backstage at the Brian Wilson show in Ann Arbor a couple years ago. Jeff is one of the nicer guys I have met in the music business. His affection for Brian Wilson is unmistakable. The only question Jeff couldn't answer for me was when we would be seeing more Jeff Foskett music! Here's hoping he gets back in the studio and provides us with more fine recordings.

Song of the Day-If It's Magic

Most people consider the heyday of Ella Fitgerald, Peggy Lee, Sarah Vaughn and Billie Holiday to be the "Golden Age" of the female jazz vocalist. I don't know that today's women jazz singers can equal that group of all-timers, time will tell, but there is some fine work being done by Madeline Peyroux, Norah Jones and especially Cassandra Wilson. Most of today's vocalists due not restrict themselves to "jazz singing" per se, but work very comfortably doing Pop, Blues and even Country. Cassandra's 2010 album "Silver Pony" got mixed reviews and didn't win Grammy's like previous efforts, however her version of the Stevie Wonder "Songs In the  Key Of Life" classic "If It's Magic" certainly ranked with her best. And it is the song of the day!

Song of the Day-Rocky Road

"Party of One" was one of the last albums by the "rockier" Nick Lowe before he began his transition to the more reflective, battle weary balladeer he has become since 1994"s "The Impossible Bird." I don't know if Nick can write a tune without a hook, but "Rocky Road" sets one deep. Every time I hear this tune I sing or hum it to myself all day.   A mid tempo rocker, showing off Nick at his most self assured. I hear the Wilco/Nick Lowe show at the Fillmore was great. Wished I could have gone but, you know, Christmas, kids, family, obligations!

The Return of Art In America!

Local 80's favorites "Art In America" are back in the studio in Los Angeles, laying down tracks for their first full length release in a couple of decades! Original members Chris Flynn, Shishonee Flynn and Dan Flynn are back laying down tracks with Uber-Producer David Henschel. If you remember the 80's music scene in Detroit, then you will recall that Art In America provided a melodic, progressive presence with sophisticated, yet accessible songwriting and hummable melodies, in contrast to the more "punkish" elements then dominating the local clubs. Though they only released one album, it remains close to the hearts of listeners who like smart pop. "Art In America" also featured a harp in the forefront of their sound, played by Shishonee Flynn.

The band is going to be shopping the finished product of this collaboration to various labels, but their is talk of a "Kickstarter" campaign. (Kickstarter is a website where you can contribute money to help your favorite bands or artists record, usually in exchange for perks from said artist, like deluxe versions of the supported release, or t-shirts or "meet n greets", a cool concept as the major labels head the way of Studebaker and Circuit City). Watch this space for further news!

A little more info on AIA's original release and the band!  The Art in America CD, was re-released by Renaissance Records on May 15 2008. The CD has been beautifully re-mastered by Renaissance and includes 7 bonus songs, including 2 "live-in-concert" tracks.  The Art in America album was produced by former Emerson, Lake & Palmer and YES kingpin Eddy Offord, and progressive music lovers who haven't heard this material, should waste no time in slapping it into their CD player. This is dreamy, yet gripping, music that commands attention for both it's philosophically probing lyrics and entrancing instrumental arrangements. An assist from The Dixie Dregs nimble-fingered keyboardist, T. Lavitz and guitarist extraordinare, Steve Morse lends further embellishments to our album, while the Roger Dean-like jacket illustration by Ioannis should instantly remind consumers of Offord's masterpieces with YES.


Art in America was the first rock band to feature a string harpist playing a full Lyon & Healy pedal string harp. AIA garnered considerable airplay and MTV video play when the album was released. AIA then toured in support of the album, headlining and opening for bands such as: U2, Split Enz, Roxy Music, Bill Bruford, Captain Beefheart, King Crimson and Steve Hackett. The title song "Art in America" is still heard on various free FM stations as well as Sirus and XM satellite radio Station: Musiclab. A 1983 concert, originally recorded by King Biscuit Flower Hour, can be currently streamed for free at Wolfgang's Vault.com. The influential LP cover artwork painted by Ioannis, was featured in the book "1000 Record Covers" by Michael Ochs, published by Taschen.

Song of the Day-Jingle Bells

Composer, band leader, pianist and author of more than 1,000 compositions, Duke Ellington was a giant of American music. While working primarily in the jazz idiom, he also composed popular, blues, gospel and classical. He composed many film scores. He and George Gershwin are probably the preeminent composers of the pre-rock era.

His version of "Jingle Bells" is a bit of a trifle for the Duke, but all the elements of a larger Ellington work are here in miniature. And it swings like mad!

Christmas Song of the Day-Happy Xmas (War Is Over)

Kind of appropriate, doncha think, as we wind down one misbegotten war, pursue another one and eye a  possible new conflict with a 3rd country.  John Lennon never put out a Christmas album. Neither did the Beatles, though they released a Christmas fan club record every year. But he did hit the mark with his one and only Christmas effort. "Happy Xmas (War Is Over) was released as a single in late 1971 and it failed to chart in the U.S. though it hit number 2 on the UK Pop charts. But that didn't matter, because it became a holiday perennial appearing like clockwork in late November on stations around the world. Along with "Imagine" it is probably Lennon's biggest, most-well known solo recording. Somber in tone and message, with the hopeful "War Is Over, If You Want It" tag(a slogan Lennon paid to have put on billboards around the world in those dark Vietnam Days) it manages to overcome the vocals of one, Ms Yoko Ono!

Song of the Day-The Revolution Starts Now

What more can be said about Steve Earle? Discovered by Guy Clark in the 70's, running around with a crowd that included Townes Van Zandt and Rodney Crowell, fine songwriters all. Released the classic "Guitar Town" lp in the mid 80's hitting number one on the country charts. His next three albums were all fine efforts, especially "Copperhead Road" but Steve had a smack problem (did he think he was a jazz musician?) and hit bottom after 1990's "The Hard Way" ending up in prison on heroin and gun charges.

But country music loves a redemption story and Steve clawed his way back. And he wasn't content to just hoe the row assigned to him by Nashville. Even "alt country" wasn't big enough to contain him. Hell, music wasn't big enough to contain him. Dabbling in rock and folk upon his return to recording, Steve also did some acting, became a novelist,  wrote some plays, even hosted a radio talk show on Air America (for which this was the title song). Somewhere he found the time to get married seven times, twice to the same woman. He is the father of singer songwriter Justin Townes Earle.

I don't know if the man ever sleeps! Here's hoping that caffeine is his strongest stimulant. This track is the title song from his 2007. Ladies and gents, the always fascinating Steve Earle!

Christmas Song of the Day-Linus and Lucy

The Vince Guaraldi Trio, a west-coast jazz group whose biggest hit was a few years previous with "Cast Your Fate To The Wind" became indelibly associated with Peanuts and Charlie Brown when they scored the classic "Charlie Brown Christmas" in 1965. The network suits were aghast at the jazz music that Charles Schultz, Bill Melendez and Lee Mendleson wanted to use. But the creators of the special stuck to their guns and were vindicated by history. "Linus and Lucy" which many people call "the Peanut's Theme" and all the music on the Vince Guaraldi soundtrack became, for many, the Sound of Christmas. Buyer's alert: A four CD box of Vince Guaraldi's Peanut's music has just been released. I give it 5 Snoopy Paws Up!

Song of the Day-Hero and Heroine

Like most people, too me, music sharply evokes moods of time, place and memory. Certain music reminds me of certain times of year. The Beatle's "Sgt. Pepper" dominated the airwaves in the Summer of 67. The music from that album makes me feel very summery. For the same reason, the Beatles's "White Album, a Christmastime release in 1968, reminds me of winter and the Holidays. If I hear any classic Temptation's single, the memory of hearing it from a hundred open car windows and a hundred front porches on a sweltery hot summer night takes me back to my summertime youth! 

I find the music of Nick Drake to be very autumnal, as I do the music of middle-period Fleetwood Mac. Another band with a wintery feel that I blogged about a few months back is (are?) The Strawbs. This very English band that arose from the same scene as Fairport Convention and Steeleye Span gradually transmuted into a reliable visitor to the British Pop charts. The sound of the Strawbs also changed, as they retained folk music elements while adding in progressive music touches. Pre-Yes, Rick Wakeman spent time in the Strawbs.

"Hero and Heroine" recorded not longer after Wakeman's departure, was a bit of a change as the band where starting over after the lineup shakeup. The songs were a little more "heavy" in a progressive, rock style with darker lyrics. The music had a very gothic feel to it which reminds me in some ways of the "goth" bands that came along in the 80's. 

The Straws still tour today and released a studio album as recently as two years ago. I have included the title song from "Hero and Heroine" in a fine live version as today's Song of the Day!

The Lefsetz Letter/Blog

For the past few months I have been reading the blog of a guy named Bob Lefsetz. I heard a reference to his blog/newsletter (you can subscribe and get updates by email) on the Howard Stern Show and it seemed interesting, so I subscribed. Lefsetz is an attorney and former music label head who has been commenting by way of his blog on issues including but not limited to the decline of physical media, like cds and dvds, the rise of "peer to peer" services for digital file sharing, and the appearance of music websites/apps such as Spotify. He can be a controversial figure, with at times predictable and at times infuriating viewpoints that have raised the hackles of many in the music community. His writing style has been captured and lampooned in the online pages of the "Fake Lefsetz Letter" which hilariously captures his sometimes over the top philosophizing, self-reverence, and love of Don Henley.

But I love a strong opinion. And I love when Bob devotes a new article to an artist, album or even a particular song. Bob's a little older than I but I share a lot of his tastes. And he now posts a playlist on Spotify which I have subscribed too. That means when he puts his new set of songs online, they are right their on my Spotify app ready to play.

Here are some samples from Bob's playlist about Winter! I have tossed the link for this playlist and for Bob's blog down below the tunes!

The Lefsetz Letter

Bob Lefsetz Welcome To My World - "Winter"

The Coolness of Spotify Collaborative Playlists

I do tend to go on about Spotify because I think it is truly a life changing concept. Free, on demand music! Any song from their 15 million deep catalog you want to hear, at your fingertips! And you can set up playlists, like Chadwick's Listening Room and post them on Facebook or to other people on Spotify!


One cool feature is the Spotify Collaborative Playlist. The idea is that one Spotify member sets up a playlists. Adds a song, sends it to another member who adds a song and sends it back. Kind of like a musical meeting of the minds, or a volley in a tennis match. 


I set up two collaborative playlists. One is the "Detroit-Donegal Connection" between myself and my "Deartháir ó mháthair eile" or "brother from another mother" Dermott Carr. I started it off with The Ramones "(Do You Remember) Rock n Roll Radio? The wily auto engineer responded with "Shane MacGowan and the Popes "Rock n Roll Paddy" playing off the title of my track. I responded with Eddie Cochran's "C'mon Everybody which shares the same chords with Shane's tune. And so on and so forth. Like musical pen-pals, I look forward to Dermott's response to my response. It's a Rock n Roll conversation!


I also sent a Collaborative Playlist to that fine Lake Orion member of the bar, Kevin Patrick Cleary but he has not yet responded. Hopefully, I can get more than one conversation going the way Bobby Fischer would take on multiple comers in multiple chess games at once. Except this is Spotify and not Chess. And I won't be run around having my fillings removed because an "International Conspiracy" between the Cia and the Zionists have put listening devices in my teeth! Other than that it's just like Bobby Fischer!




The only drawback to the Collaborative Playlist is that you can't share them with third parties. At this time, anyway. Maybe down the road! The musical exchange so far is reproduced below:

Song of the Day-Brotherhood

Today's song, fittingly for the week before Christmas, is titled "Brotherhood" a song originally on their "Beyond Appearances" release in the mid-1980's. This is a live version frommm1986 from a Mountain View show. The band was, of course, named after Carlos Santana and he remains the only original member. Their ever changing lineup has Carlos' distinctive guitar sound as a centerpiece in all lineups. Formed in the Bay Area in the late 60's they have come to own their small slice of the rock'n'roll pie with a generally upbeat, percussion heavy sound. Carlos had great success a few years back with a couple of releases that were essentially "duet" albums with the newer generation of vocalists and performers.

Me, I love the Santana band of the first 3-4 albums. But this is a nice upbeat tune done live to great effect.

Song of the Day-The Thrill Is Gone

Riley King, better known as "Blues Boy" King or "B.B." King, a name he got from an early stint as a blues deejay on Memphis WDIA is the greatest, post war, non-Chicago Bluesman. B.B. King perfected a style of very sophisticated blues guitar playing that was very distinctive, eventually landing him in the Rock n Roll Hall Of Fame. Playing his signature guitar "Lucille", his style was very fluid, with a shimmering vibrato that was a model for many Rock n Roll players that followed in his wake.

"The Thrill Is Gone" was written and first recorded by Roy Hawkins. It was ironic that B.B., who wrote hundreds of songs, had his biggest hit with a tune written by another but, such is life. "The Thrill Is Gone" was the first RnB song to feature a string section which provided a moody counterpoint to B.B.'s poignant soloing. Reaching number 3 on the RnB charts in 1969, while hitting #15 on the Pop charts, "The Thrill Is Gone" was a throwback in it's bluesy vocal and soloing, while looking forward with B.B.'s sleek string experimentation. The late 60's were a time when any style of record could be played on AM Top 40, and many of those records charted high on the Billboard Charts. We are unlikely to see this kind of eclectic mix of records on the charts anytime soon!

Song of the Day-Hey Harmonica Man

In March of 1972, when Stevie Wonder was 21, he released the "Music Of My Mind" lp, a followup to the previous years "Where I'm Coming From" album. These where Stevie's first two releases after emancipating himself from the juvenile contract he had signed with Motown. He resigned with Motown, where he was most comfortable, and kicked off a series of album releases culminating in 1976's double "Songs In The Key of Life." During that period of time, one incredible release followed another, with Stevie being matched perhaps only by the run that the Beatles kicked off with "Rubber Soul" in terms of success, creativity and influence. When Paul Simon won his numerous Grammies for "Still Crazy After All These Years" he famously thanked Stevie Wonder for not releasing an album that year.

But there was a time, after "Fingertips Pt 2" and before "Uptight" when Motown brass looked at Stevie with a "what are we gonna do with this kid?" attitude. At a young age, "Little" Stevie Wonder was a massively talented, multi-instrumentalist with virtuoso harmonica ability. For a label who easily produced hits on the Supremes, Temptations, Four Tops et. al. they struggled to find success, or even a consistent sound, for Stevie. According to the excellent Motown Blog, "Motown Junkies" the records often had a "look at this blind can. He can sing and play the harmonica. Often quite well. Have we mentioned he's only 14. Gather round everyone and have a good gawp." 

"Hey Harmonica Man" is not a great record. Stevie has disavowed his pre-21 output for the most part and has singled out this record as especially embarrassing. His voice appears to be breaking like he has just reached puberty. While the Harmonica playing is fine throughout, the lyrics are, well, not great. It has energy, and a groove, but then those Motown Session cats could put a groove behind anything. It only reached number 29 on the pop charts which, for Berry Gordy, was unacceptable. There was talk of eating Stevie's contract and cutting him loose from the label. The record that changed everything for Stevie, "Uptight(Everything's Alright)" was two years away. The jump from sides like these to what he would produce in 2 years time is like the scene in Star Wars where the Millenium Falcon jumps to hyper drive. Give it a listen. 

A couple of other tunes I am "wearing out" on Spotify.

Played a couple of oldies yesterday over and over for quite a while whilst doing some computer maintenance. One is Edison Lighthouse "Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes) which was was a product of the mind of Brit Tony Burrows who had chart hits under many names,  White Plains, Brotherhood of Man, The Pipkins....the list goes on.

The other was the Ramones "(Do You Remember) Rock n Roll Radio from Rock and Roll High School. Produced by Phil Spector.

I guess these two songs share a theme: songs with parenthetical titles!

Song of the Day-Good Vibrations

For a band that has been around for nearly 50 years, the Beach Boys have had quite a year. It was announced yesterday that the remaining Beach Boys, Brian Wilson, Mike Love, Al Jardine and Bruce Johnston were going to reunite at the Grammys next year. Not the same without the late Dennis Wilson and Carl Wilson but I am nevertheless looking forward to it. Their Smile Sessions box set was picked by Rolling Stone as reissue of the year, just beating out U2. It was also their highest charting release in decades.

In 1969, the 5 touring Beach Boys (meaning no Brian) hit Europe for a tour of the British Isles and the continent. Backed by a crackling horn session, the Beach Boys committed about half of their live show to vinyl. At times sloppy, with sophomoric humor by ringleader Mike Love, the Beach Boys 69 album nevertheless is a welcome document of a time when All You Needed was Love and "Good Vibrations" were going to rule the world. The biggest single release of the BB's career, number 6 on the Rolling Stone top 500 our song of the day is the live-in-69 "Good Vibrations."  This version is used in the game Rock Band 3!

Song of the Day-None But The Brave

In 1983 Bruce Springsteen entered the recording studio with a singular purpose: to make a commercial album that would take his success to the next level while still retaining his integrity as a recording artist. Reasoning that great American artists like Hank Williams and Frank Sinatra were "popular" entertainers who remained true to their vision while having great success, Springsteen spent months honing the tunes that went into his greatest commercial triumph, Born In The U.S.A. In the process of recording, a lot of great tracks did not make the album. Some became popular B Sides like "Pink Cadillac" and "Put Out The Light." Some were unreleased and joined the growing ranks of legendary unreleased Springsteen tunes like "Trapped" and "(From Small Things) Big Things One Day Come."

One such track was "None But The Brave" which was recorded in June 1983 but remained unreleased until Disc 3 of the Essential Bruce Springsteen in 2003, a rarities disc appended to that years two disc best of/greatest hits set. "None But The Brave" is a worthy track, but didn't really break any new ground lyrically or sonically, which is probably why it stayed in the can. Springsteen's standards were unbelievably high, and one can easily see this as a career achievement in the hands of a lesser artist.

Born In The U.S.A. went on to top the charts in 1984 while being the best-selling album of the year and Springsteen's career.

Song of the Day-The End of The World

I turned six years old the year the Beatles hit in America. Like millions of kids my age, the Beatles went off like a supernova, changing the music we listened to, the way we dressed, our views and politics, religion, truly an endless list. They dragged along in their wake many, many British groups and singers, of varying degrees of quality. Some were truly original and inspired, like The Rolling Stones. Some verged on the ludicrous like Freddie and the Dreamers. Most were talented young men and women who produced some fine singles, utilizing outside songwriters in many cases, while padding out LP releases with filler.

"The End of The World' was the B-side of "I'm Henry the VIII" which was the Number One record on the Billboard charts in the first week of August, 1965. I discovered the song on the second US Herman's Hermit's album "Herman's Hermits On Tour." It was a favorite of mine for quite some time. I was unaware of the fine, Skeeter Davis version that went Number 2 Pop, Number 2 country, Number 1 Adult Contemporary and even hit the top ten of the RnB charts! The song, written by Arthur Kent and Sylvia Dee was given it's definitive version by Skeeter who went on to hit the country charts a total of 55 times! Skeeter, who later married Joey Spampinato of the great NRBQ, passed away in 2004.

Vonda Shepard later revived it on an episode of Ally McBeal. But the definitive version is still Skeeter's. It is now a Pop and Country standard.

Otis Redding Dies 44 years ago today!

Recorded a mere three days before his death....

Song of the Day-You Showed Me

I've had a rough week, which started out with rainwater entering the music room, through the normal ups and downs of one who earns his living practicing law, to a good bye party for a fine Michigan attorney moving to another state (Good Luck, Pam!). The weekend could not get here fast enough. But now we have our Christmas Tree up, and, even in it's pristine, unadorned state, it looks beautiful. 

Let's set the World's Slowest Radio Station wayback machine to 1997. The Lightning Seeds started out as the studio project for one Ian Broudie, a Liverpudlian who been in a band called Big In Japan. After an album or two, they became a real life touring band still working occasionally today. Their biggest hit, a UK number one, was "Three Lions" which hit in 96 and 98. 

"You Showed Me" is a tune written by Roger McGuinn (then Jim) and Gene Clark for their great band the Byrds. It was re-done by the Turtles as their last hit single, charting at number 6 in 69. The first time Mark Volman and Howard Kaylan of the Turtles heard the song played for them by their producer, he sang it accompanied by himself on a broken harmonium. Because of the malfunction, he slowed it way down. They loved the draggy (druggy?) feel of the slowed-down version and recorded it that way. 

The Lightning Seeds version, which charted at number 8 in Britain in 97, copies that arrangement. It also was featured on the soundtrack for the Austin Powers movie. The versions included here show the songs evolution. 

Christmas Time Battle of the Bands!

Song of the Day-Stop-Go

There is a whole world, a sub-culture if you will, of bands, like Phish, Umphrey's McGee and moe who carry on in the spiritual tradition of the Grateful Dead. They record albums of generally more concise material than they play live but stretch that material out in concert in long so-called "jams." Sometimes they catch fire and the jam is fun to listen to, sometimes not. Fans of these bands are intensely loyal, follow them from town to town. These bands usually look the other way or downright encourage efforts of their fan base to tape these shows. You won't hear much of this music on the radio unless you tune into the Sirius/XM Jam channel. When these bands do put out records, the studio tracks are usually just a framework for the extended improvisations they will perform in concert. 

One of the more popular bands hoeing this particular row are "Widespread Panic" (as a child of the 60's and a fan of the Beatles and The Beach Boys I refer to them as "TheWidespread Panic"). Their music reminds me of another "fellow traveler" in the jam band idiom and that would be the great Allman Brothers. Started in Georgia in 1986 and still tour constantly. They have released 11 studio albums and 8 live albums, par for the course for jam bands. Most of their tunes are written by the whole band. I have included a track from their 1988 debut "Space Wrangler' poster here from You Tube done up live in 2008 and on my Spotify playlist for those not "Spotify-challenged!" What do you think?

Someday Never Comes

My Father, Robert Chadwick, passed away 14 years ago, Pearl Harbor Day 1997 at the age of 64. I wasn't raised by my Dad. My mother did double duty, which must have been tough for a single working mom. My Dad wasn't much of a Dad, at least until the end of his life. And even then, he was more comfortable as a "pal" than a "parent." I was determined that, if and when, I became a Parent I would break the cycle of neglect that my Dad inherited from his Dad, who was an incredibly neglectful parent himself. That cycle was never summed up better than in the words of possibly John C. Fogerty's most personal song. "Someday Never Comes" from CCR's 1970 Mardi Gras album.

31 Years Ago Today

Song of the Day-Joe Henry "God Only Knows" (Not the Beach Boy's Song)

If you have ever played on the "You Tubes" you might find it hard to believe but every song ever recorded is not available. It might seem that way, but it relies on what people upload and what copyright holders will allow. Every Beatles song ever in multiple versions is available but by contrast large amounts of Bob Dylan, possibly the most bootlegged artist ever, are simply unavailable. Whoever is managing Dylan now has people in place who are successful in keeping most of his catalog off You Tube. Good or bad, I don't know. It just is I guess. 

Having one of those "can't sleep" nights when I woke up, pretty much wide awake at 3am, my body resisting all efforts to stop thinking of all that needs to be done in the upcoming day, and the days before Christmas. A song I think about often at times like these is Joe Henry's "I Flew Over Our House Last Night" a song by the great Country Storyteller Tom T. Hall. Joe is a Michigan born singer-songwriter, U-M grad, unfortunately best known for marrying Madonna's sister. Which landed him on Madonna's record label. Which has tended to obscure a great talent who has released about ten albums by my reckoning. 

You tube didn't have the song. They didn't have  Tom T. Hall's original either. The older the artist, with the exception of giants like Elvis and the Beatles, the less of a presence you will have on You Tube. This is the version by Charlie Sizemore who is classified as Bluegrass but sounds straight country. And I like this tune. Good version. Like Joe's better but Charlie handles it well. I will post Joe's on my Spotifiy playlist if you want to hear it. 

I have posted Joe Henry's "God Only Knows" which is not the Brian Wilson-Tony Asher classic from Pet Sounds but a powerful recording that was the final track on Joe's 2007 "Civilians" recording. Gotta be up in an hour. Gonna try and get more sleep. 

Chadwick's Listening Room-Now Available on Spotify

If you like what you hear on The Listening Room, want to hear more, or you want to hear it on a mobile device then come on over and sign up for Spotify. Already on Spotify, then click on this link.Chadwick's Listening Room

I was able to put about 99% of the tracks up on my playlist. No Beatles of course, and not enough Dylan and White Stripes. Where a track is not currently available on Spotify, I put up a different version, or something comparable.

I'll meet you in the Listening Room!

Songs of the Day-Money Honey and White Christmas

The Drifters were two groups using one name. The first Drifters with Clyde McPhatter as lead vocalist lasted from about 1952 to 1958. They are the ones who sang the very popular RnB version of "White Christmas" included here. Managed by an impresario named George Treadwell who canned the entire group after he got tired of them basically standing up for themselves and asking for better pay and better working conditions. He also considered the first group a bunch of alcoholics and reprobates so he replaced them. McPhatter had long since left by this time for a successful solo career ("Lover Please" "A Lover's Question). Treadwell got hold of a group called "The Five Crowns" hired four of them (all but the drinker) and elevated them to Drifter status. The lead singer of that group, every bit the match for McPhatter in terms of talent and charisma, was Ben E. King. Their catalog, being recorded mostly in the 60's is probably more familiar to listeners. But the songs here are by the first group. Both versions of the Drifters are in the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame with the first group under the "Drifters" name and the second under "Ben E. King and the Drifters." Here is "Money Honey" and "White Christmas" by the original Drifters.

Song of the Day-Never Ending

I guess you could say I am on a little bit of an Elvis Presley kick as we go back once again to the catalog of the King of Rock N Roll. Early period Elvis is my absolute favorite as Elvis was at the top of his game from the Sun Sessions until the time he left the army. I am including the handful of sessions he cut while on leave from the Army in this group of top notch tunes. After he got out, he spent a lot of years acting in movies with scripts that descended in quality from what he was offered at the start of his career. I've always felt that Elvis had a raw natural acting talent that could have been really put to good use instead of being squandered in indifferent vehicles like "Clambake" and "Double Trouble." In any event, for a good decade, Elvis spent most of his time recording movie tunes, chosen not for their quality, but because the songwriters had no problem giving up the publishing to Elvis and the Colonel (who is Satan in most of my Elvis stories). It was rare that Elvis went into the recording studio to record songs with the goal of putting them out as a single or album release. One such occasion was in 1963 when on May 26 that year, Elvis strolled into Nashville's Studio B with his usual sidemen of that period and recorded a set of songs for an upcoming album. Elvis cut "(You're The) Devil In Disguise," "There's Always Me," and Chuck Berry's "Memphis, Tennessee." It was a pretty good day for Elvis and those were good tunes. He also cut "Never Ending" a cut written by Buddy Kaye and Philip Springer. As usual, Elvis had the Jordanaires backing him on vocals. This fine cut got lost in the shuffle and wasn't released until years later being stuck first on a Soundtrack album and finely seeing CD release in 1991 on "The Lost Album." Give it a listen!

Song of the Day-Love Me Tender

Back to the Elvis well for today's Song of the Day. I had a disastrous weekend with water coming into my basement (and LISTENING ROOM) during the weekend storm. Not a lot to comment. Elvis doing "Love Me Tender" on the Ed Sullivan Show in 1956. From his movie "Love Me Tender."

Song of the Day-Some Things Never Get Old

Vince Gill is an awesomely talented performer who used to win the Country Music Awards Performer of the Year award on a yearly basis. Formerly a vocalist for Pure Prairie League he was the lead vocalist on "Let Me Love You Tonight" which was their biggest hit. His vocal talents are held in such esteem that during a televised tribute to Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys, Vince handled Brian's falsetto vocal parts on some of his most challenging material. The man can sing just about anything. In 2006 he released a four disc set called "These Days" which won a Grammy for Country Album. Each disc was devoted to a different genre of music with a "Groovy" side, "Rockin" side, "Country & Western" side and a "Bluegrass/Acoustic" side. The man can literally sing anything and sing it well

I was fortunate to catch Vince live at Meadowbrook opening for the immortal Roy Orbison on Roy's last Michigan appearance before his death in the late 1980s.

On the Country Western record Vince recorded "Some Things Never Get Old" with duet queen Emmylou Harris Let's listen to Vince as he brings his outstanding pipes to his own composition. Let's also set the time machine back to 1980 for "Let Me Love You Tonight" with the Pure Prairie League!

Shut Ouf of the Blind Boys

The Blind Boys of Alabama are a gospel group that originally formed in 1939 at the Alabama Institute for the Negro Blind in Talladega, Alabama in 1939. I shudder to think about growing up in the pre-war South blind, and having to live under segregation but, hopefully, today,  we are more enlightened. Back in the day they were the "Five Blind Boys of Alabama." Try to disregard the uncomfortable connotations of calling grown African American males "boys" as their name also is a relic of that terrible time. 3 of the group's vocalists and it's drummer/percussionist are blind. One of the founding members, Clarence Fountain, is still in the group and tours as his health allows. They are members of the Gospel Hall of Fame and have received a Grammy for lifetime achievement along with numerous Gospel Grammy's.

We went down to Noel Night at the New Center last night. It is an evening of music and parties, with the museums open late charging no admission. Spent a lot of time at Center For Creative Studies and the DIA. The Blind Boys were playing for free at First Congregational Church on Woodward. It would be great to tell you that we got to see the Blind Boys and they rocked the house. I'm pretty sure they ended up rockin' the house but we didn't see them since the church hit full Fire Marshall mandated capacity about 12 people in front of us.

If you haven't heard the Blind Boys, google them on you tube or do a search on Spotify because they are really something to hear. They put out a Christmas album a couple of seasons back that is a particular favorite. Here they cover Stevie Wonder's gospel-tinged "Higher Ground" backed up more than ably by the hot chooglin' Robert Randolph and his Family Band!. And, from their Christmas album, "Go Tell It On The Mountain" where they back up Tom Waits. Truly great stuff perfect for a Sunday Morning a few weeks before Christmas! Enjoy!