Friday, November 4, 2011

Classic Rock revisited

As folks begin to celebrate Halloween (on November 4th!!!) and mailboxes and airwaves are filled with political ads we take time to remember the important things...  art and culture.

After all, the lead story on NBC News with Brian Williams last night was the trial of Conrad Murray.  And the Today Show had the nerve to lead with Michelle Bachmann this morning!!!  Do we really need her opinion of Herman Cain?  She did not give it.  Or her life changing tax plan/idea?  She does not have one.

This is what makes news now?  Personalities and headlining stories.  It is why a reality star most known for her bedroom talents and larger than life posterior remains in the public eye for her sham wedding.  It is why we know far too much about Lindsay Lohan's community service schedule.  That is what interests the 99 %.

Oh, and in an attempt to have a family hour of television last night "X Factor" made its way to a television near me.  The giant opening number touting the 12 finalists was marred by an absurd lip-synching moment.  A voice/talent contest with lip synching??  Um, check the hell out!!!  Take a look for yourself before Fox pulls it...  http://blog.chron.com/tubular/2011/11/x-factor-houston-we-have-a-problem/

So what if Greece is dying and the Occupy everything movement is being stifled even further in its attempt to make tangible change.  Haven't you heard?  The new thing is to ransack Whole Foods Stores and block commerce at blue collar ports  (the essence of commerce in the US.)  So sadly misguided they are.  More blocking of Goldman than hurting merchants and their employees please.  And that is a stretch too.    Let the folks who are working do their work.  Should we really want change to take place the better alternative is voting for it next week.

Find a leader and write him or her in.  Start legislation at the small stages demanding term limits.  Vote those legacies out.  In New Jersey there are incumbents that have spent lifetimes in state house/senate.  Michael Moore ran a Ficus tree against Rodney Frelinghuysen as a lark about 10 years ago.  He contended a plant had a better chance beating him than a human.  No matter, Frelinghuysen won then and will seemingly stay in office until he wants to no longer.  He started in 1995.

This is not to say Mr Frelinghuysen is a bad man or politician.  It is meant as a gentle reminder.  Things have gone pretty poorly over the past 5, 10 years.  Perhaps a different voice is in order?   If he worked at Goldman would they have put up with this much underperforming?  If it is insufficient for the private sector it should be for public employees too.

This is not important stuff though.  Folks continue to be without power a week after a snowstorm.  Unemployment still linger around 10%.  The Dow is shaky and uncertain with its uneasy eye keenly on Europe.  No matter, we have more pressing matters.


America continues to be deprived of NBA basketball.  Ben Stiller is a big movie star.  LSU/Alabama play for college football supremacy (ok, that is pretty good stuff.)  If you can't beat em join em.

Enjoy these music videos for your weekend.


It makes no sense that FM radio continues to assault us with the rock and roll canon.  We need not hear Zeppelin's "Stairway to Heaven" or Stones' "Start me Up" ever again.  These days if you really want to heat those tracks you are but a mouse-click away.  The Gods of the 70s and 80s were all pretty prolific.  Dig a little deeper and give us something we haven't heard in a while.  Not like anyone's really listening anyway.


The Rolling Stones:

"Moonlight Mile" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y5QwJDlImV0  Disregard the Kiera Knightley.

"Torn and Frayed" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBaY-82Qch8  Here from their 2002 tour.  Will take any and all arguments NOT suggesting Exile in Main Street is not their best work.

"You Got the Silver" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iThRbr8dtVs  Keith live and being funny.  There is no one cooler.  There will never be another like him.  Oh, and Ronnie Wood is beyond underrated.  Sure, Mick Taylor was their most gifted guitarist (which drove Keith crazy!!)  Wood can play a little...  and it shows here.

"Dead Flowers" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=osoeMtSbxtU  Here from a 1971 live show.  Very new to them.

Led Zeppelin:

"Gallows Pole" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7kBX0K9nxPc&feature=fvst  Do not, I repeat do not, take acid and listen to this song over and over!!!

"Down by the Seaside"  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_zuKklBRlzY

"Bron-y-aur Stomp" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NbQ0Cb6h3Ew

"In the Light" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NbQ0Cb6h3Ew   Clearly Physical Graffiti and III are a force to be reckoned with.  Plenty to choose other than "Stairway", "D'yer Maker" or "Immigrant Song."  Ugh, ugh and more freaking ugh.


Fleetwood Mac:

"That's All for Everyone"  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2pZipYTm_9o  Tusk will forever be under Rumours shadow.  But there are moments of true beauty in their "disappointing" follow up album.  How dare they only sell 2 million copies???  It was, at the time, the most expensive album ever made.  Perhaps that was its undoing.  Strip away all the hype and reputation that preceeded the band and uncover Lindsay Buckingham at his best.  The broads are pretty good too.

"Walk a Thin Line" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9_JLOjy_7M

"Honey, Honey Hi" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_uaTarTBuys  Christine McVie is really something special.  A proper Englishwoman who happens to be a stone cold killer.  Helen Mirren with gift of song.

"Beautiful Child" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOV1YVtnEW4  Why this was not as big as "Landslide" escapes me.  In fact, to hell with "Landslide"!!!  Oops, did all the women stop reading?  For the record, check your pulse if you can get through this live version without goosebumps.

That's it for now...  could do this all day.  But it's trick or treat time soon!!! (Halloween was postponed in several NJ towns due to power.  It will be observed 11.4)

Go get yours!  Enjoy the Weekend.










1 comment:

  1. You forgot to include "Tea for One" from Zep. Don't here it very often. It's from the chart topping Presence album.

    And "Sister Morphine" from the Stones is also worthy. Ry Cooder on the Dobro makes the song.

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