My Thermos

Today's Mission: Google or use a photo from your collection of something that involves your summer. Then tell us what music figured in the most on your summer playlist this year.

This summer has mostly been full of work but we did get a chance to see a couple of shows, so my chosen photo is a pic I took at the Gov't Mule show at Skyline Stage. It's a crappy photo, but it's the best of the lot.



So my summer playlist of course contains this show in heavy rotation. I downloaded it from a friendly taper at etree.org a day or so after the show but if not still available, you can always pick up a high quality mix available direct from the band at MuleTracks (or contact me via the form here and time permitting, I'll make arrangements to send you a copy - it's free!!)

Also getting a lot of play this summer:

The Blizzard of 78 - Where Life Hangs : I've written about them before and am still enjoying. I hear their next release is in mixing as we speak.

Jackie Greene - Sweet Somewhere Bound : Not his latest but the one I seem to keep going to. A Thing Called Rain is brilliant.

World Party - Goodbye Jumbo : A personal favorite. Some prefer Private Revolution but I could never figure out why.

Little Feat - Waiting for Columbus : The best hot day, have a picnic, tap a keg album ever.

What's playing for you this summer?

Taj may very well be the coolest guy on the planet.



Hope everyone has a happy Monday!

SB

This week's mission: Top 5 Bands That You Wish You Could See Live

In thinking about compiling my list, I decided that there were a number of different ways to approach this, the most obvious being those bands that I wish I could have seen - but didn't have the opportunity.

While I certainly could compile such a list, I decided to go literal and stick with the current tense. Bands that are still touring that would be at the top of my wish list.

1) Gov't Mule - I never get tired of seeing these guys live. Sure, we saw them just a little over a month ago but I could handle another show about now. In fact, they are playing at the amazing Red Rocks Amphitheater on Aug 31 and I certainly wish I could be there. The fact that they change up the setlist every night makes sure I never see the same show twice.

2) The Allman Brothers Band - Again, a different show every night means I can never get enough of this band. They are in Chicago next week and it looks like we may get the chance to go after all. I've lost count of ABB shows I've seen, but they still are in my top 5 to see whenever I get the chance.

3) Paul Weller - He doesn't get to the states often enough for me and it doesn't look like his upcoming House of Blues show is an option for us. I'm a huge fan but never had the chance to catch a live show. I really must remedy that.

4) Joe Jackson - One of my favorite live performers. I've seen him in various incarnations / band configurations over the years and have never been disappointed. Always a must see if I can.

5) Paul McCartney - Oddly, his show is the same every night but I still can't imagine ever tiring of it. I've been fortunate to see Sir Paul many times - check out how "For Just One Moment" he changed my world.

SB

(Via Music Memoirs)

Today's MuleDay brings with it a great cover of Mountain's Mississippi Queen from 1999. The Leslie West / Mountain influence on Warren and Mule is obvious so it's cool to see them pull out this old favorite for a spin.



Not my favorite Mountain song, but probably their most famous. Is there a better guitar player than Warren Haynes? I don't think so either...

SB

Related:

A clip of how not to cover Mississippi Queen. It's Yuckey.

A clip of the original Mountain version from 1970. It's less yuckey than the Zakk Wylde, but it's still sort of a yuckey version.

Today is the day that Gina and I celebrate our 15th Wedding Anniversary. It was 15 years ago that we gathered with friends and family to share our wonderful event. It was 15 years ago today that my partner and best friend also became my wife.

I know that 15 years is, in the grand scheme of things, not a very long time - but it does represent more than 1/3 of my life. With marriages of many friends and relatives having failed or failing, I am proud of the life that we have built together and look forward to many more years together.

I start and end each of my days being thankful for Gina. Her smile makes me smile, her laugh makes me happy, and her tears make me sad. We snicker inappropriately at jokes only we understand, we often finish each others sentences, and we can say a lot to each other with just a look.

So I would like to say a big and enthusiastic Happy Anniversary to my Gina. If you don't mind, how about we try for another 15? Or at least another 5 so I can correctly use the Sgt. Peppers reference...

PS - I have a couple of music items related to our wedding that I'll be sharing with you over the next couple of days, including our last minute frantic attempts to acquire the music for the ceremony, the strict instructions I gave our DJ, and our chosen list of selected songs to include at the reception. Stay Tuned.

I downloaded mp3s of questionable origin yesterday.

You have to know that I don't normally do that. I use various music services or buy CDs to get my music and am not usually a downloader. I'm not going to get into any sort of philosophical debate or make any moral statements or judgments - I'm just providing some background info.

But yesterday I was thinking about an old favorite album of mine and wondering if by chance it was ever released on CD. I've had a copy on vinyl for years but it is long out of print and I have never really gotten around to transferring things over to digital formats. I tried once way back when and it was a nightmare. I guess they have come out with USB turntables and such since then but it's a huge project and one I just am not ready to tackle.

But there are a lot of things I have on vinyl that just aren't available on CD. Some of it is just fine that way really, but then there is the Too Late at 20 by The Act

Don't worry - most people have never heard of them. They released only a single album in 1981 before disbanding. But what an album it was. Impeccably produced 80's power pop perfection as exemplified here in "Skip The Beat"

Continue reading "Hidden Treasures - The Act" »

Word Association: Tell us the first band/artist/song/album that comes to mind when you see these 10 words:

Ending: Cause We've Ended as Lovers - Jeff Beck
Long: Long Black Veil - The Band
School: My Old School - Steely Dan
Teen: Nineteen Forever - Joe Jackson
Crazy: Crazy Love - Van Morrison
Search: Looking for Clues - Robert Palmer
Baby: Coney Island Baby - Lou Reed
Shoes: Those Shoes - The Eagles (Runner Up was Sailin' Shoes by Little Feat, a coin toss between the two really)
Mellow: Mellow - Elton John
Window: At My Window Sad and Lonely - Billy Bragg / Wilco (from the excellent and oft mentioned Mermaid Ave releases)

Via The Music Memoirs