Afternoon Snack: Joni Mitchell, “Amelia”

I know Joni has caused a lot of buzz on the site, but aside from the fact that I love this cut from Heijara, I have been wanting to write for weeks about my concern for Mitchell, who has been hospitalized for months due to an unspecified illness (it was rumored to be a stroke, and Joni was similarly said to be in a coma, but the latter information is untrue per her official web site).

But, the other day, our Remnants mate Peter lost his father, and well, I figured I would post this both just to keep Joni–an exceptional artist and creative force–in our thoughts, as well as Peter and his father.

I think that it is all I can possibly say, because the song and Joni really do it better. Just close your eyes and listen. And, that is Pat Methany on guitar, and the late and equally wonderful Jaco Pastouris on bass.

 

Afternoon Snack: Bob Dylan & the Rolling Thunder Review, “It Takes a Lot to Laugh, It Takes a Train to Cry”

Finally.

Someone posted the entire Rolling Thunder Bootleg Volume 5, which essentially covers what was a normal Rolling Thunder Review gig by Dylan and his Renaldo and Clara band in 1975.

The Rolling Thunder Band, who toured between October of that year and May of 1976, totally cranked it out, featuring the likes of Ramblin’ Jack Elliot, Joan Baez, Steven Soles, Roger McGuinn, and my faves, T-Bone Burnett and Mick Ronson.

This version of It Takes a Lot to Laugh, It Takes a Train to Cry not only completely deconstructs the original studio version, but it just fucking smokes.

The interplay between Burnett and Ronson, along with great growling bass of Rob Stoner, makes this my favorite Dylan period.

And, this cut is my favorite on the disc and of the set. In fact, this might be my all time favorite live song recording, with my all time favorite guitar solos.

Check out the first Ronson solo, during which he plays the same Chuck Berry lick 16 times before blasting into some free-form Chuck-land. Then, to make sure we get it, he closes the song out with another totally killer blast that even Keef would smile about.

Swear to God: fire comes out of the speakers (or is it my head?) every time I play this.

Please note, that this link posts the entire 22-song box set, and though it is all terrific, #16 is It Takes a Lot to Laugh on the playlist.  Sorry for the inconvenience, but you will see it is more than worth it!

Afternoon Snack: Simple Minds, “Waterfront”

Simple Minds are a band I discovered via word of mouth. I had never heard anything of theirs for some reason (this was some time before Don’t You Forget About Me was a hit) so I bought the album, Sparkles in the Rain which is competent enough, however, this song, Waterfront, just cranks.

I remember when I was first learning to play guitar, and my friend Alan Freedman (a tremendous musician and bass player) asked me to pick out some stuff I wanted to play in a small band setting, and Waterfront was one of my requests.

Alan listened to it once, said it was a great song, and then said I would never be able to play it.

I now understand he did not mean ever, but surely vamping on a D sus4 as an A barre chord for five minutes was much too abstract for my simple band of beginners to even try to approach.

In fact, now I actually can play the guitar and bass parts (well, that is not saying much, though the time of the bass player is dead on throughout and since he plays the same riff for five minutes, that is no simple task from Simple Minds) and could probably hold my own, but I completely understand how Alan meant that it takes some musical sophistication to play something so simple effectively.

This is the Minds a year ago, and they blast it out pretty well 25-years after the release of the album.

Speaking of which, lead singer, Jim Kerr, was married to Pretenders head Chrissie Hynde, and her song, 2000 Miles features the line “sparkles, in the rain” so I always wondered who lifted the line from whom, or it was just fortuitous?

Irrespective, we need to give Ms. Hynde some virtual ink here, but for now, here are the Minds. Tell me if this song does not rock the shit out of your speakers?

Afternoon Snack: Louis Armstrong, “Cheesecake”

We got the invite to our annual Passover gathering from host/friends Mark and Debbi Berenberg the other day.

Passover has become, over the years, a wondrous event: easily our favorite holiday.

My celebrating of Pesach with Mark and Debbi, and Richard and Barbara Kweller, along with David and Lynn Shussett, began in 1978, when the seven of us (plus my girlfriend at the time) gathered at the Berenberg house, eating a killer meal which featured great brisket from Debbi, and Matzoh Ball Soup (best on the planet) from Barbara.

We were young then, and it was the bay area in the 70’s, so we smoked four joints instead of drinking the traditional four glasses of wine (symbolizing the pleasures god bestows upon us). We had no Haggadah, the book that tells the story of the Exodus, so it was up to me to relate that Charlton Heston is found by Anne Baxter in the bullrushes and comes to live with Yul Brynner, and so on.

At the time, Lynne was pregnant, so that meant the first of the next generation from this core was on its way. In fact, we had a baby naming contest which I won easily with the name “Tennis” (couple it with Shussett).

Jesse was the actual moniker said child received, though she is known as “Tennis” by the originals who were there, but now, there are children and grandchildren and the table includes roughly 46, and that includes Jesse, her husband Mike, their oldest, Lucas, and their baby, Liv (this year will be Liv’s first with us) .

The dinner, which does include a traditional Seder, and goes through the story of the Exodus, is presided over by Mark, and he keeps things mostly in control, but with so many personalities, of so many ages, and so many margaritas (Mark has a special blend, which I refer to as “Markaritas”) and bottles of wine, it is a challenge.

Add in that wonderful brisket and Matzoh Ball Soup (it really is the best on the planet) and rosemary chicken and salads: enough food to feed a small battalion.

Of course there is desert, and at this point in our somewhat comfortable lives, we are all pretty serious foodies.

A few years back, I made up a sort of hybrid cheesecake that I bring as a desert item. The crust is those great Nabisco chocolate wafers, pulverized, and the body of the cake is half cream cheese and half mascarpone, and then I drizzle chocolate/hazelnut over the top.

Whenever it is time to prepare for the making this cake, I immediately think of Satchmo, also known as Louis Armstrong.

Armstrong’s influence over jazz might not be so well known to the masses, but let’s just say that starting with his real professional debut with King Oliver and the Red Onion Jazz Babies, in New Orleans, to his iconic hits like Hello Dolly and Wonderful World recorded late during his career, Satchmo ranks among the greats and most influential to modern music.

His live recordings with Ella Fitzgerald are a regular on my CD rotation, and I say this, with everyone knowing, I am a total rocker at heart. It is just that shit is so good (there is also something wonderful in hearing Armstrong, Yo La Tengo, The Clash,  Jason Isabell, and the Guess Who shuffling).

I do love this song, which is stupid, simple, and simply wonderful. It is like my desert: have two slices!

Afternoon Snack: Pearl Jam, “Breath”

Photos, Tout Songs, Obituaries, Name That Tune? OK, enough.

Let’s get back to what we really do best: uncover/present killer songs, past, present, and even some future.

I know there are those who dismiss Pearl Jam, but I think such critics are elitists.

Pearl Jam cranks, and probably wear the tough mantle–especially with the death of Kurt Cobain and demise of Nirvana–as the band from the grunge/Seattle environ.

There are a bunch of other great bands that did evolve from that scene (I am at least thinking Soundgarden) but when push comes to shove, Pearl Jam kick it, song-wise, songwriting-wise, and musicianship-wise.

I present, then, the following, among my favorite from the band’s catalog.

It does seem Eddie Vedder’s voice is not quite so powerful as it was 20 years ago, but the rest of the band certainly smokes. And, Mike McCready again shows that when push comes to shove, a great guitar player cranking through a Marshall stack via a Telecaster is probably the best sounding “axe” confluence there is.

Afternoon Snack: David Bowie, “Diamond Dogs”

Today is National Dog Biscuit day.

pupsI am not sure how the rest of the country is reacting, but my three canines have taken the news lying down. After all, it is sunny, and our pups are older, so, unless there is a reason to get up–like someone giving them a biscuit–that is what they prefer (to the left are Jazzmine’s and Pavlov’s heads, while the white fluff behind them is our white Shepherd, Mahi).

Anyway, dogs rule, so in honor of them and Walter Kendall’s Fives (beef, vegatable, cheese, charcoal, and ginger),  the brand our childhood dog Babe got, here are Bowie and Ronson et al, with what I think is my favorite songus, canus.

Top 10 Punk Rock Songs 2014, From New York

Screenshot 2015-02-20 15.17.47The Village Voice published this list in December, but I just bumped into it. The idea of it seems silly, but listening to the 10 songs there is definitely a hard noisy sound that the writer favors. And it is punky without being nostalgic, which means it has an attitude, which is good. What the 10 songs didn’t have were hooks, but I liked La Misma and played some of their other songs, which sound like the one in the list here, and the Hank Wood and the Hammerheads song made me root around for others. I like this one, though I suppose it is more throwback than others, it also stokes the pleasure center.

Afternoon Snack: Pretty Little Demons

PrettyLittleDemons_030313_Amoeba_3I came across this band today, just browsing around, and the first thing you notice is their appalling youth. I assumed that they just looked really young, but a little research shows that they’re REALLY YOUNG!

Guitarist Lydia Night is maybe 14 years old now, while the drummer, Marlhy Murphy, is maybe 11.

They were the youngest band to ever play SXSW in 2013, then 12 and 9 years old respectively. Night also plays in the actor Ryan Gosling’s band, Dead Man’s Bones, which we’ll have to check out.

In the meantime, prepare for an excess of cuteness, which comes naturally to the prepubescent playing in the power punk genre, and here is better than most.

This one has an overly long intro, which has something to do with the log lady from Twin Peaks, and scientists looking through microscopes, but also does a creditable job of hitting the White Stripes notes. You can click to about halfway through to get to the actual song.

If you want to know more, here is a fanzine Q+A. Lydia’s favorite bands? Queens of the Stone Age and the Andrews Sisters. Perfect.