Music, Yeah Music

Oh, you offended few and non-offended majority,

I promise now to move on to something more important than politics and whatever it is Sarah Palin is practicing. Yes, it is time to discuss music.

So all of you who come here for that (the same 5 people who showed up at my show at the Lizard Lounge, minus the two who engage in political jousting), let's talk about music. I will tell you something and then I want you to tell ME something.

Me first: Round 2 of the 6-round gladiator hootenanny at the Lizard Lounge is fast approaching this Thursday night. I will tell you that very special guests will be coming to sit in at one or more of the upcoming shows. When I say "very special," I friggin' mean it. Of course, Billy, Billy, Matt, and Philly are all special to me as well. But I mean, special to you, the "Joe Fan."

Warning to those not interested in the Sox (as I don't want to offend any more folks by straying off topic, what I know best, should stick to, etc.): SOX WIN! BEAT NAYSAYERS! GO ON TO CHALLENGE YOUNG UPSTARTS WHO WILL LIKELY FALL AT THE HANDS OF THE CHAMPS!

OK, back to music now. Me? I'm digging all kinds of stuff lately, from getting back into the Feelies (whom I was going to go see until the SOX advanced -- dang, sorry!), to the Ohio Players, to Coltrane (very much back on Lush Life), Gene Clark, Mean Creek, the Budos Band...oh man, so good. Tell me, tell me what you like.

October Music

Yeah, the Sox got blown away in extra innings, so I'm biding my time on an off-day with actual inspiration, work, creativity, etc. Or trying. It is disconcerting how much time I spend watching, even passively, Red Sox games throughout the season -- which, for those of you unfamiliar with the details, lasts for 6 months.

I don't know how much more productive I would be with music, but I know I would read more. Right now, I am reading and re-reading some John Cheever stories. I read and appreciated them as a much younger fellow, but nothing can prepare you for their impact until you start hitting the same age as most of his characters. Some devastating stories. I left it home by mistake when we went to the Cape for Labor Day last month, so I picked up Lolita to read again. Also have Ian McEwan's Atonement to star again. It was one I put down without getting too far, not due to a judgment on my part; just got distracted by something.

Speaking of books, keep an eye on the Powell's book store blog at Powells.com (one of the great independent book stores in the world, based in Portland, OR). They will be having a guest series by authors from Continuum Books' 33 1/3 series, to which I contributed the book on Exile on Main St. I have a blog entry that will be posted there, music-related.

Here is some music I am listening to lately:

This is a song called "First Night" by a band I have finally gotten into after hearing friends recommend them for the better part of the last year or two, the Hold Steady. Look them up. Great record called Boys and Girls in America



Here is another great one, a bit more wistful:



Speaking of wistful, I will shout about these guys out of Iowa City, a band called Deathships, until everyone buys their records and makes the millions. This is one of the year's great rock records. Check out "Little Mystery." I was going to stream it here, but Divshare does not stream Mp4 files, made when you load CDs into or buy from iTunes and i am not about to start converting files and all that. If you care about me, you will seek the tunes out:

Deathships

I was riding my bike and, as often happens, the iPod gave me a great random mix, including Nina Simone's "No Opportunity Necessary"

That went into the Velvet Underground's "Sister Ray"



And on into the Faces' blistering version of "I'm Losing You"


I highly suggest Ian MacLagen's book about those years called All the Rage.