Man oh man how the weather changes here in a hurry!
Just a few days ago I was freezing my butt off thinking of beaches and steel drums. Now, just a few days removed, the weather is bright, the sun feels warm and my IPod finally randomly selected more than 2 songs in a row that I was in the mood to hear!
Going for a casual walk and running errands on the back streets of New York's Meat Packing district, The Cowboy Junkies' Anniversary Song quietly moves me along Hudson Street. Turning left onto West 13th, Johnny Cash's only known collaboration with U2 - The Wanderer - lights up the headphones. As I turn right onto 9th Avenue towards Chelsea Market, the view of New York's newest "Most Trendiest Area" is in full view. Restaurants galore, sidewalk cafe's packed with brunchgoers, I laugh as Rod Stewart's Some Guys Have All the Luck finds its way into the random selection (how many guys do you know that would admit they have this song in their collection).
Random Thought: 5 Years ago, this area was deserted. The Old Homestead and the Western Beef supermarket were the only reasons you came to this area, other than Hogs n' Heffers. Now it's another place. Stella McCartney opens a store here and now its Rodeo Drive. No matter, the sun and the music have me on another planet.
At Western Beef I head straight for the freezer - it's a walk in room where the temperature is like 12 degrees but feels great coming in out of the sun. You can take it for 5 minutes before growing frost on your mouth.
Random thought: The register lines at this place are legendary. The prices are cheap so people load up. If it takes less than a solid 15-20 minutes to be checked out, you've won.
It was right then that Phish's You Enjoy Myself makes a cameo. The song is 11 minutes in length and gets me through the line in fine fashion. Back to West 4th, and this is no joke, John Denver's Take Me Home Country Roads chimes in.
Random thought: This is my least favorite part about going to Western Beef...West 4th is narrow and brunch is all of a sudden the new "dinner." Why did NY restauranteurs think it was a good idea to put restaurants on the sidewalk that accommodate huge groups when there is no room on the sidewalk in the first place? Or better yet, how many licks does it take to get to the Tootsie Roll center of a Tootsie Pop?
The world may never know.
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
Monday, April 16, 2007
WARM THOUGHTS IN EYE OF THE STORM
Let's just get this out of the way: I despise the word "NOREASTER."
Not only because it's a corny fashionable word used by cheesy weather people, not only because it translates into: "Don't leave your house because you will perish," but mostly because they are cold, raw storms that happen right when you think the weather is going to turn warm. It's like mother nature saying "Ah ah ah, spring isn't here yet, I've still got 2 blizzards to unload!"
The other night I was out with a friend who was more than happy to share her suggestions for future podcasts and other things for the blog. But the one that stood out was the Steel Drums version of Brown Eyed Girl. With this latest wave of crappy weather more fit for inhabitants of Mount Doom, producing more "Calgon, take me away" moments than I'd like to admit, the thought of this song done to island music, immediately put me on a beach in the Caribbean, mixed drink in hand and not caring about anything except how to keep it going.
Thanks M (first initial of nameless friend because I don't have her consent).
In summary, Steel Drums, Cover of Brown Eyed Girl, Warm thoughts, good times. Check into it.
Not only because it's a corny fashionable word used by cheesy weather people, not only because it translates into: "Don't leave your house because you will perish," but mostly because they are cold, raw storms that happen right when you think the weather is going to turn warm. It's like mother nature saying "Ah ah ah, spring isn't here yet, I've still got 2 blizzards to unload!"
The other night I was out with a friend who was more than happy to share her suggestions for future podcasts and other things for the blog. But the one that stood out was the Steel Drums version of Brown Eyed Girl. With this latest wave of crappy weather more fit for inhabitants of Mount Doom, producing more "Calgon, take me away" moments than I'd like to admit, the thought of this song done to island music, immediately put me on a beach in the Caribbean, mixed drink in hand and not caring about anything except how to keep it going.
Thanks M (first initial of nameless friend because I don't have her consent).
In summary, Steel Drums, Cover of Brown Eyed Girl, Warm thoughts, good times. Check into it.
Thursday, April 05, 2007
FUN SONG TITLES, FUN SOUNDS, DEPRESSING SONGS
The song Peace Frog by Jim Morrison and Co. (aka The Doors) is a terrific party song. OR IS IT?
While the song title is kooky and the song's tempo is upbeat and great to listen to after a couple of beers while socializing with your peers, this song is really a cry to end bloodshed and violence. Knowing this, why do we still start pseudo-dancing, drink in hand when we hear this song at bars? Consider it WRONG Music for the Situatino. And why stop here.
There are tons of songs out there that people party to and even have as a first dance song at their wedding that couldn't be further from appropriate. Sinead O'Connor's "Nothing Compares 2 U," sounds like a love song, right? Sure. But the song is more anti-love than a get together at Darth Vader's place. Sinead was basically saying that she'll come across lot's of mean people in her life but Nothing Compares to you, the one who caused me more pain and suffering than anyone I've ever met.
One line that most folks know from The Pretender's "My City Was Gone," is "Ayy oh way to go Ohio." A tribute to the Chrissy Hynde's home state - because she's so proud to be from there right? Guess again. Until I listened closely to the words, I had no idea this song was even called "My City Was Gone." The song is a tribute, but it's a tribute to how the state of Ohio had lost it's character after she came back from living in Sheffield, England. Not so upbeat - even though I turn up the radio every time I hear it.
So is it us, the fans, or the musicians? Are we bad people for not listening to the words, or are the musicians just that twisted to sing about depressing things while surrounding them upbeat tunes? We may never know, but one thing's for certain, I won't stop pseudo-dancing.
While the song title is kooky and the song's tempo is upbeat and great to listen to after a couple of beers while socializing with your peers, this song is really a cry to end bloodshed and violence. Knowing this, why do we still start pseudo-dancing, drink in hand when we hear this song at bars? Consider it WRONG Music for the Situatino. And why stop here.
There are tons of songs out there that people party to and even have as a first dance song at their wedding that couldn't be further from appropriate. Sinead O'Connor's "Nothing Compares 2 U," sounds like a love song, right? Sure. But the song is more anti-love than a get together at Darth Vader's place. Sinead was basically saying that she'll come across lot's of mean people in her life but Nothing Compares to you, the one who caused me more pain and suffering than anyone I've ever met.
One line that most folks know from The Pretender's "My City Was Gone," is "Ayy oh way to go Ohio." A tribute to the Chrissy Hynde's home state - because she's so proud to be from there right? Guess again. Until I listened closely to the words, I had no idea this song was even called "My City Was Gone." The song is a tribute, but it's a tribute to how the state of Ohio had lost it's character after she came back from living in Sheffield, England. Not so upbeat - even though I turn up the radio every time I hear it.
So is it us, the fans, or the musicians? Are we bad people for not listening to the words, or are the musicians just that twisted to sing about depressing things while surrounding them upbeat tunes? We may never know, but one thing's for certain, I won't stop pseudo-dancing.
THE TRUTH ABOUT RADIO EDITS
When I'm not listening to an IPod or Internet Radio, I listen to New York City's classic rock station Q104.3(WAXQ).
I stopped listening to top 40 stations the minute after I heard The Who's "Won't Get Fooled Again," perhaps one of the greatest rock songs ever made, on a local top 40 station. Why? You ask?
Because they play the edited version from The Who's Greatest Hits which cuts out the most amazing 1 minute of music ever recorded. I'm talking about the keyboard solo, which as far as I'm concerned, can be the whole song and they can cut out the other 7 minutes.
How can you make that song a radio edit? The Who is one of the greatest international rock bands ever (as I wrote that, Who Are You came on Q104), and editing any of there music is like allowing the Vatican to put advertising billboards on St. Peter's square. Sac-relig to the fullest extent. Radio edits are reserved for the one hit wonders, or the ones who don't write their own material and get contracts courtesy of American Idol, or by marrying record execs. What stinks is that radio stations have no idea how to edit songs.
Billy Joel's "Pressure," a prime example of a song that gets the greatest hits treatment on top 40 stations, never includes the "Two Men Out and Three Men On" verse. Classic rock stations like Q104 play The Nylon Curtain version as it was meant to be played. Even Joan Osbourne's "One of Us" is edited badly - The album verion starts with a sweet old lady singing a gospel tune followed by an instrumental lead in - I heard the radio edit first and when I heard the album version, it completely changed the face of the song.
Bottom line is, the truth about radio edits is that they are unnecessary, and folks who want to hear good music will never know that other versions of songs exist if all they listen to is top 40. If you happen to be reading this and your name is Casey Casem, no disrespect.
I stopped listening to top 40 stations the minute after I heard The Who's "Won't Get Fooled Again," perhaps one of the greatest rock songs ever made, on a local top 40 station. Why? You ask?
Because they play the edited version from The Who's Greatest Hits which cuts out the most amazing 1 minute of music ever recorded. I'm talking about the keyboard solo, which as far as I'm concerned, can be the whole song and they can cut out the other 7 minutes.
How can you make that song a radio edit? The Who is one of the greatest international rock bands ever (as I wrote that, Who Are You came on Q104), and editing any of there music is like allowing the Vatican to put advertising billboards on St. Peter's square. Sac-relig to the fullest extent. Radio edits are reserved for the one hit wonders, or the ones who don't write their own material and get contracts courtesy of American Idol, or by marrying record execs. What stinks is that radio stations have no idea how to edit songs.
Billy Joel's "Pressure," a prime example of a song that gets the greatest hits treatment on top 40 stations, never includes the "Two Men Out and Three Men On" verse. Classic rock stations like Q104 play The Nylon Curtain version as it was meant to be played. Even Joan Osbourne's "One of Us" is edited badly - The album verion starts with a sweet old lady singing a gospel tune followed by an instrumental lead in - I heard the radio edit first and when I heard the album version, it completely changed the face of the song.
Bottom line is, the truth about radio edits is that they are unnecessary, and folks who want to hear good music will never know that other versions of songs exist if all they listen to is top 40. If you happen to be reading this and your name is Casey Casem, no disrespect.
Sunday, April 01, 2007
PODCAST 3 - COVER SONGS
Guess what folks - Podcast 3 Cover Songs is now ready to go. I decided to take this one on myself because I love doing this so much so enjoy and let's hear some feedback. It's always welcome.
Some show highlights:
FEATURED ARTISTS: The Beatles, Our Lady Peace (Tomorrow Never Knows), The Clash, Annie Lennox (Train in Vain), Black Sabbath, The Cardigans (Iron Man) LISTEN HERE
Some show highlights:
FEATURED ARTISTS: The Beatles, Our Lady Peace (Tomorrow Never Knows), The Clash, Annie Lennox (Train in Vain), Black Sabbath, The Cardigans (Iron Man) LISTEN HERE
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