Our QB watches American Idol!

Who knew that our beloved 40 year old QB is hip to weird off key songs that are performed on American Idol. Gotta love that hand breaking butt slap on Jered Allen!
Yeeeeehaw!

Elvis Presley Old Shep

Gov't Mule Live @ Sirius/XM

Good old Weird Bobby Zimmy.

KISS Set List In Minneapolis

November 7th, 2009

1.Deuce

2.Strutter

3.Let Me Go Rock & Roll

4.Hotter Than Hell

5.Shock Me

6.Calling Dr. Love

7.Modern Day Delilah

8.Cold Gin

9.Parasite

10.100,000 Years

11.I Love it Loud

12.Black Diamond

13.Rock And Roll All Nite

14.Shout It Out Loud

15.Lick It Up

16.Love Gun

17.Detroit Rock City"

KISS 11/7/09

What can you not say about KISS that hasnt already been said about them in the almost 40 years they have playing. Not much. Whatever you feel about them as a music group, you have to admit, they do know how to put on a show. Last night they did not disappoint.

Look at the face of my son as he watches the group do their thing

It was the usual mix of great 3 chord classics and tons of explosions and crowd participation. It's like going to Ringling Bros, without the scary clowns ( oops, Gene Simmons blood spitting fills that role). Paul Stanley is the ring leader, and keeps the sellout crowd ( 13k plus) engaged. It was a blast and it will be a great memory for me. To share the laughs and spectacle that is a KISS show is priceless.

Yes, I am aware of the people that freak out because 2 original members of the group no longer play and have been replaced. ( Peter Criss replaced by Eric Singer and Ace Frehley replaced by Tommy Thayer). The beef is that they kept wearing and using the same persona as the originals. I am a HUGE ACE fan and it didnt bother me in the least. The band sounded tight and the energy level was high. Of course our local "music" critic didnt get it and slammed the band for all sorts of things non musical. But critics have never mattered much to fans. I mean, check out what a fool I made of myself just to have some fun.

Its all about fun when it comes to KISS. Refreshing in fact. They make fun of them because of all the KISS Crap they sell ( KISS KASKETS..etc) But, I for one have to thank them for a fun night of Rock and Roll with my boy and his goofy dad!

Oh and here is a little shot of Paul Flying over us at the beginning of "Love Gun". Looks like fun ! hahaha!

Here is a link to the local "critic" that had his say
http://www.startribune.com/entertainment/music/69495057.html?elr=KArksLckD8EQDUoaEyqyP4O:DW3ckUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUUsZ

and my response.

Guilty Pleasure. Yes.
"Yes, its like going to the circus. But, still a hell of a lot of fun. Anyone looking for a deep meaning of life experience, is not heading … read more to a KISS show. The great thing about this show was the look on my 14 year old son. He LOVED IT! Saw a rock show with musicans ( yes they are not hendrix or moon) that know how to play to a crowd. Its all about showmanship with KISS. They have been getting crappy reviews like yours for their entire career. It doesnt matter to the fans. They love it. The band wont care either. Guilty pleasure yes. Bad show or a feeling of being ripped off?? Not at all".

Why Full Length CD's Are Valid.

Recently it was reported that U2 was very unhappy that their latest release ( No Line on the horizon) had only topped the 1 million mark in sales and it was the lowest performing piece of recorded work in its history. It prompted this comment from bassist Adam Clayton "The commercial challenges have to be confronted. The concept of the music fan - the concept of the person that buys music and listens to music for the pleasure of music itself- is an outdated idea".





While its true that todays ipod generation is used to buying music by the song, and the concept of a full length CD actually being solid enough to listen from beginning to end ( like us old dudes like to do) is pretty rare today. I am thrilled to report that the CD is in fact alive.

Gov't Mule

By A Thread

I know, "Yeah Mike loves Gov't Mule". While this is true, I feel I have to spread the news about this latest offering from my favorite band, because I feel its its best offering. Yes, perhaps even more so than its early work with Allen Woody. Its a collection of songs that reflect mature lyrical content and the ability to change gears and genres without losing what makes this band so good. The ability to reference the greats and yet be original and exciting. Its hard rope to walk on, but this band keeps doing it.

This is the 1st effort with new bassist Jorgen Carlsson ( who replaced Andy Hess, who appears on 2 tracks). Carlsson is a welcome addition to this band. He is loud in the mix and aggressive. Hess, while a good bassist in his own right, just didn't have much fire in him. This new bassist recalls Woody, and yet is very distinctive . I have had the pleasure to see Jorgen with the band, live 3 times. I instantly could feel the energy from this band rise up. I wondered if this would translate into a studio. I am stunned at how well it did.

Here is a track by track breakdown:

1. Broke Down On The Brazos- The track starts off with low guttural bass rumble and the Texas twang of Warren Haynes guitar. Just when you start thinking " Man this sounds like old good funky greasy ZZ Top" You hear the sound out of your right speaker of none other than lead guitar monster Billy Gibbons from ZZ dueling Warren for six delicious minutes. Nasty Nasty stuff.

2. Steppin Lightly- The gears change nicely into a funky stew that I can only imagine what this song will morph into when played live. Yes, danceable G-mule and its irresistible. Once again its Carlssons bass work that propels this song into a place that the previous post Woody lineup would have had a hard time pulling off this well.

3. Railroad Boy- This is a song that has been around since the 1800's. Covered by all sorts of artists. This is Gov't Mules take on it, and frankly, it sent chills down my spine. The lyric itself is chilling, but the stops and starts on this just adds to the drama. One of the highlights of this CD.

4. Monday Mourning Meltdown- A very moody piece that had elements of Pink Floyd in it and a middle section that wanders a bit into jazz. I love the risks that the band takes and how it pays off .

5. Gordon James- A song that starts off like a church hymn and develops into a nice midtempo ballad. Lyrically smart and about as commercial as this band gets. I say that in a good way. There will be no mashups or Kanye dropins.

6. Any Open Window- From the first notes of this track, you can hear Jimi dripping all over it. Its not just how much of the spirit of Jimi that is captured by Warrens guitar and vocal phrasing, its how galloping the rhythm section is. Mitch Mitchell and Noel Redding are channeled by Matt Abts and Jorgen Carlsson. Love it.

7. Frozen Fear- Not my favorite on this CD, but still a very solid Gov't Mule song. Sure it will grow on me with repeated plays. A Grower!

8. Forevermore- I have heard this song in concert on on solo Warren acoustic recordings. This version trumps the other arrangements. The middle solo and backing hammond B3 give it the darkness it deserves. Its a great song to expose the non converted fans to.

9. Inside Outside Woman Blues #3- If "Any Open Window" gave you a taste for Jimi. This will give you a buffet of Jimi, and Cream. 9 minutes of non boring nasty freak flag flying blues!

10. Scenes From A Troubled Mind- Warren Haynes writes some of the most dark lyrics I can recall, and yet as all good blues music provides. Its that mixture of pleasure and pain in the music and lyric that deliver the release that this song builds too. Another song that I can imagine morphing into something bigger live. I love the last 3rd of the song that really recalls Zep in a subtle way.

11. World Wake Up- A message song. Biting lyrically and a song that all of us can relate to on some level.

In summary. I love this CD. When you love music and you get something great like this, you just wish you could personally thank the artists that provide the goodness that is great music. But I would violate my restraining order if I pestered artists like that ( hahaha)

Late night listening

Do you ever sit in the middle of the night and listen to music? When I feel down or have too much on my mind, I love to sit in the dark and let the music take me away. Here are 10 random nocturnal choices.

Al Green- Is Love. Songs about love and faith, the confusion of both. It's a soothing listen that I go back to time and time.

George Benson-Breezin: Lush and soothing. Perfect tonic for a rough day.

Jeff Buckley- Grace: Even though his songs and voice are full of angst, I find it great late night listening. Personal favorite "Last Goodbye".

Marvin Gaye- Vulnerable. I could pick any number of Marvin CD's. But this is a CD that is full of late night gems. Check it out.

Miles Davis- A Kind Of Blue: Maybe a cliché choice. But it's made for this kind of list.

Sam Cooke: Night beat. Title speaks for itself. Music that sounds like it would be played in a smoky bar in the early 60's.

Stevie Wonder: Music of My Mind. The track "Superwoman" is a favorite. Just a piece of music that gets me every time.

David Gray: White Ladder. Wistful songs of love. Low key, but not totally sleep inducing.

The Derek Trucks Band: Soul Serenade. CD full of moody instrumentals that require quiet listening.

Warren Haynes: 9-03-07 Aspen Co. LOVE this CD. Acoustic versions of everything from Costello's Allison to Black Sabbaths War Pigs, he also mixes in some great alt versions of Gov't Mule material.

Just cause!

Metallica Setlist/Review

That Was Just Your Life
The End Of The Line
Ride The Lightning
Holier Than Thou
One
Broken, Beat And Scarred
Cyanide
Sad But True
Welcome Home (Sanitarium)
All Nightmare Long
The Day That Never Comes
Master Of Puppets
Fight Fire With Fire
Nothing Else Matters
Enter Sandman
- - - - - - - -
Die, Die My Darling
Motorbreath
Seek and Destroy


This was like a meal where the appetizers were so horrid you were ready to go to another resturant. Thankfully the promise of the main course kept you there.

The 2 opening bands ( Godija and Lamb of God) were just plain noise. Not a word was understood and the "music" sounded about as good as me trying to tune my guitar with my amp. Just plain anger and noise. While I love an angry tune as much as the next dude, this stuff was just plain crap. If I heard the lead singer from Lamb Of God scream " Give me some noise you MotherF#$#ers" one more time, I was gonna go down there and unplug each and every one of these dufus's.

Thankfully, Metallica knows how to put on a concert. Believe it or not, I could really feel the appreciation from the band as the crowd roared all night for them. Yes, even snotty Lars seemed happy to be playing for the packed house. Even though Metallica's catalog is filled with songs of alienation and anger. I walked away feeling that they are in touch with their audience and what this music provides to them. Its like they feel responsible for it. I found it refreshing to see a veteran band at grips with that. Especailly a band like Metallica, that has made many missteps when its come to its core audience. I enjoyed this show very much. Even though I am not a hard core Metallica fan.

A taste of Metallica

Here are some short clips of what I am to expect Tuesday night.

Kenny Wayne Sheppard W/Corey Stevens- Review

Sorry for the delay on this, but it ended up being a evening that left me feeling a little cold.

Its hard to explain when you watch 2-3 hours of music and it just never catches fire with you. The word proficient comes to mind. Corey Stevens put on a good show, it was never embarassing or cringe worthy, it just never got out of 2nd gear for me. He played his regional hits ( Blue Drops Of Rain, It's Over) and they satisfied the masses, but as far as going to another level...It didnt happen.

Kenny Wayne was more of the same. He seemed much more interesting when he played songs that were by other artists ( Hendrix etc). His original material was ok when he soloed, but his lead singer was very mannered and looked confused as to where his spot was in the band. He would sing in the wrong places and acted like a dufus.

I ended up leaving early after I had had enough. Not the worst concert I have been to, the tickets were cheap and my Mountain Dew only cost $2..not a total loss! :-)

Music Music Music!

I will be quite the music critic in the next couple of months. My live music dance card is booked quite nicely and I am excited to see some good shows. Let's examine what your pal has on tap, shall we?

 

Kenny Wayne Sheppard w/ Corey Stevens. 10/3. "I have seen him once before when he was a wee lad opening up for Peter Frampton (1994 to be concise on my dates). He is now a little older and still is a great artist to watch. Should be a great night of blues and better yet, its right down the street from me".

Metallica W/ Lamb of God 10/13. "My first Metallica show. I am excited to check them out. Bought tickets about 6 months ago for this sold out show. Will be wild and loud. Funny how I really like these kind of shows now that I am considered an old dude! Hahahah!!! By who?"

KISS W/ Buckcherry 11/7 "I am so excited to see this show. Because KISS is my sons FAVORITE band. The tickets cost me a ton. But how can you lose when you have your boy by your side and watching him have his rock and roll mind blown by these guys!"

Steely Dan (Aja. Performance) 11/8 "Yes it will be quite the contrast from a night of KISS to see the no frills and yet great musicianship of Steely Dan. It will be a night of a complete performance of the classic DAN album AJA. I would have preferred they did a complete run through of my fave THE ROYAL SCAM but I had no choice in the matter. Still very tuned up for this!

 

Stay tuned for reviews!

Blogging from a phone! Very cool. Promise. won't make this a twitter like thing. YET.

Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday to my best friend Jeff!

Did you know Jeff, that on your birthday in 1968 "The Archies" Saturday morning cartoon debuted on CBS? No wonder we became the first "Archies" tribute band on the west coast. Ahh yes...the quick rise to fame we had, and the even quicker crash that followed. ;-)

I hope you have a great birthday, I know its been a rough few weeks for you. I am so glad and lucky to have you as a lifelong pal.

Thank you and enjoy your special day.

2 times the fun!

Yesterday, was a nice day for music purchasing for your trusty author. Two of my favorite bands released some new material for me to dig into.

1. Drive-By Truckers- The fine print. This is a collection of of "odds and sods" that didnt make other Trucker Cd's. Its a good barometer when your scraps are more entertaining than other peoples thought out and polished up work. My early fave from this collection is "George Jones Talkin Cell Phone Blues", which details the infamous GJ car acci where he smacked up his vehicle talking to his daughter on a big ol friggin late 80's version cell phone. As usual, great lyrics by Patterson Hood and Crew. Very worthy of a listen.

2. Black Crowes. Before the frost...until the freeze. 2 cds ( well one cd and a download of a 2nd cd) of a mixture of classic crowes rock music and what they have been leaning towards in recent years, a more rootsy country spaced out rock vibe. I like this latest road the band is taking. However, its not the black crowes that most people remember. ( geez they even made a stab at late 70's stones like disco with the song, I aint hidin and even that wasnt too bad!) Still, great music made by a band that seems to comfortable in its own skin. Check out last nights performance from Letterman.

New Kiss CD 10-6

UPDATE. new single... view above.

My son is so excited for this. First new Kiss CD in 11 years. Supposed to be a throwback to the 70's Classic Kiss Sound. Its only going to be sold in Walmart and Sams Clubs. A 3 disc set. The studio album, a cd of rerecorded Kiss hits ( why do they do this? Journey did it with its last release and I think its a total waste of disc space) and a 3rd disc that is a Live DVD. For a reported $12. Not a bad deal. I will be hearing Disc 1 quite a bit , I am sure!

Brett Farve. A Viking

I will just say. It will be a interesting year in Viking land. Its a win-win situation for the team and for Mr. Farve. The team will get a player that knows the offense very well, and someone that will sell tickets and jerseys. Mr. Farve. He will have a team that has top shelf talent surrounding him and is just asking for him to run the "car" so to speak.

I am excited for the upcoming year, it will be fun to see how this plays out.

My New Favorite TV Show

This is a show I know my Dad and I would have loved. Based on the true story of William Banks, its about a recovering addict that uses " Tough Love" and compassion to get fellow addicts sober.

I find this show to be very real and to the point about addiction and the many paths it follows. Rich, poor , loved and unloved. Every episode I have watched has touched me on a different level.

Tuesday nights on A&E 9PM

You know...I tried this for my wedding..and it didnt fly.

Serious....this is a way to start a wedding!