MOG - rhymeswithrawk's Posts

My pledge of rock

rhymeswithrawk — Tue, 11 Sep 2007 08:14:34 GMT

Easily one of my favorite forgotten gems of the late 1960s is this little ditty by the Joe Jeffrey Group. It is a perfect blend of sunshine rock and soul. The track was released on Wand Records and reached No. 14 on the Billboard pop charts in 1969. It was the band's only hit, and the group was dropped by Wand after only a handful of singles. The band called it quits shortly thereafter.

Whole lotta Love

rhymeswithrawk — Sat, 08 Sep 2007 06:26:35 GMT

The only advantage to being poor is that it forces you to listen to albums you already have instead of new stuff. This allows for the opportunity to discover tracks that that can rock you like a hurricane that you might have passed over before. I went on a big Love kick several years ago and bought any of its albums that I came across in the record bins. Of course, the first three still get heavy rotation, but "Four Sail" was a record I played once or twice and then never threw on the turntable again - until last week. While the album is still mostly crap compared with the original line-up's output, this track is quite possibly one of Arthur Lee's best. How much do I love this song? Enough to make a mix CD to give to people just so I can share this song. Click slowly and see:

The neon lights are bright on (Funky) Broadway

rhymeswithrawk — Wed, 08 Aug 2007 23:03:22 GMT

Found this the other day at Stormy Records in Dearborn, Mich. It is the only record of this ilk I have ever heard that can give James Brown a run for his take it to the bridge. Musically similar to Brown's "Night Train" stuff, but ol' Dyke croons like Otis Redding. Heavens! Plus his name is Dyke. How boss is that? Apparently it's been reissued, so if you see the swingin' chick below, you'll know you just found where the party is.

"Lion Sleeps Tonight" singer dies at 68

rhymeswithrawk — Sat, 23 Jun 2007 20:39:44 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) - Hank Medress, whose vocals with the doo wop group the Tokens helped propel their irrepressible single "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" to the top of the charts and who produced hits with other groups, has died of lung cancer. He was 68.

Medress died Monday at his Manhattan home, relatives said.

He was a teenager at Brooklyn's Lincoln High School when he launched his vocal quartet in 1955 with Neil Sedaka, performing as the Linc-Tones. When Sedaka departed for a successful solo career, lead singer Jay Siegel joined brothers Mitch and Phil Margo and Medress to become the Tokens.

It wasn't until 1961 that the group scored its singular smash, its hypnotic "Wimowehs" derived from a traditional Zulu melody. The Weavers had made the song a folk staple in the '50s, but the Tokens brought their version to No. 1 on the pop charts.

The band had other minor Top 40 hits, including "I Hear the Trumpets Blow" in 1966 and "Portrait of My Love" in 1967 — but never recaptured the success of its enduring single.

Medress would return to the charts, though, when the Tokens landed a production deal. The all-girl vocal group the Chiffons benefited from his studio touch with the classic '60s singles "He's So Fine" and "One Fine Day."

After splitting with the Tokens in the 1970s, Medress worked with a record company executive named Tony Orlando, persuading him to handle vocals on "Knock Three Times" — a move that catapulted the song into pop history. Medress and production partner Dave Appell also produced the Orlando and Dawn hit "Candida."

In the 1980s, Medress helped former New York Dolls lead singer David Johansen reinvent himself as lounge lizard hipster Buster Poindexter, producing his debut album and the single "Hot, Hot, Hot."

From 1990-92, he served as president of EMI Music Publishing Canada. More recently, he worked as a consultant to Sound Exchange, a nonprofit group helping musicians collect royalties.

He was survived by four children and two grandchildren.

"Icky Thump" preview

rhymeswithrawk — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 06:35:38 GMT

Thanks to a friend here in metro Detroit, I'm now rocking out to "Icky Thump," the latest from the Motor City's favorite turncoats, the White Stripes. Initial, overall reaction: Way the hell better than "Satan," better than "Elephant" and diverse like "White Blood Cells." By now, most people have heard the first single, the keyboard-saturated title track. That organ sound makes an appearance on many tracks on this platter, but, fortunately, it's in much more moderate and less annoying proportions. I had feared the worst after hearing the debut single and all that crap with the Chicago radio station and MTV, not to mention all the trash talkin' he's been spewing about my town. After the disappointing album with the Raconteurs. I was fearing he'd sold out. I am pleasantly surprised, no shocked, at how good this record is. It's eclectic. He's matured vastly as a songwriter. He's not relying solely on catchy guitar hooks. Folks, buy this when it comes out next week. Overall, I give it 9 out of 10.

Let's go track-by-track, shall we? 1) "Icky Thump" - A great, monstrous guitar riff and solid lyrics are ruined by obnoxious, amateur-sounding keyboard noodling. But how can you not love rapid-fire lyrics like, "Whoda thunk sittin' drunk on a wagon to Mexico"? And is Jacky White getting political on us? "Why don't you kick yourself out?/You're an immigrant, too!" I'm sure that's a line that'd resonate here in Southwest Detroit, home of the Hotel Yorba, Jack's boyhood home and Mexicantown. A solid rocker and good pick for an opening track. My problem with this track is the Argent-esque, Rick Wakeman-channeling keyboard wankery. I hated this track the first few times I heard it, but it's grown on me a bit more.

2) "You Don't Know What Love Is (You Just Do As You're Told)" - An awkward transition as this one is slow and alt-countryish. Reminiscent of "I'm Finding it Harder to be a Gentleman." Here he re-examines what happens when childhood innocence and love mix. A solid riff in this one and a real nice bridge about a minute and a half in that really serves this one nicely. Lyrically not as solid. This one feels like it was spawned after spending too much time hanging out with Brendan Benson.

3) "300 M.P.H. Torrential Outpour Blues" - Another slow jam. "There's all kinds of redheaded women I'm not supposed to catch/And it's that color which never fails to turn me blue." Marcie Bolen? It's real slow and then ho.lee.fuck. Out of left field at 2:05 comes this frickin' intense, short burst of fret shredding. Then back to slow. Then again around 3:05 with the shredding. Not one of my favorite tracks on first listen, but on the second pass through it struck me as brilliant. It's an eclectic track in that "Paranoid Android" kind of way - though not anywhere near as epic or genius.

4) "Conquest" - Ahh, probably my favorite song on this LP. Eat your heart out, Herb Alpert. This one features (and starts off with) bursts of Tijuana-flavored horns, which might be a first for this band. Maybe not, it's late and I'm tired. Anyway, this Patti Page cover is frickin' intense. It's fun as hell. It's way better than the original and certainly rocks way more than the Page's (cuz she recorded it 50 years ago). The lyrics are silly in that Marlene Dietrich kind of way. Jack takes a big band song and makes it frickin' smoke. If you love the Stripes' cover of "Look Me Over Closely," this song will make you shit your pants. Can't see them pulling this one off live, but I've listened to it 10 times already. I dare you not to sing along as he unleashes "CaaaaAAAAAaaAAAAAaaaaAAAAAnquest!"

5) "Bone Broke" - Another rocking number in the early White Stripes mold. Similar to "Let's Shake Hands" and stuff off the self-titled record. Lyrically kind of weak, but very, very garagey. Nice to know a band that debuts its shit on MTV hasn't forgotten its roots. Hard to believe someone could write a song like this in Nashville. It's straight up Detroit. We're talkin' GTO, motherfucker. And all of that rocking segues into ...

6) "Prickly Thorn, But Sweetly Worn" - ... some kind of "Riverdance" mandolin-and-yodeling crap. Sucks.

7) "St. Andrew (This Battle Is In The Air)" - Well, it's different. The same bagpipe and mandolin stuff breaks into a jig with spoken word vocals that sound like Jack on helium. Lyrically it's neat, but it's not at all listenable. "Where are the angels?/St. Andrew don't forsake me," Jack says. Funny, I was going to say the same thing to you, Jacko. Great name for a song, though. Not sure if it's a nod to the rock venue by the same name on Congress and Brush in Detroit. I'll pretend it is.

8) "Little Cream Soda" - Back to the nifty. Another primeval, power cord-heavy rock number. Key word: heavy. This thing is going to be a real crowd pleaser. I can see all the kids jumping in unison with their fists pumping in the air. "Well every highway that I go down seems to be longer than the last one that I know about, oh well," Jack says matter-of-factly. "And every girl that I walk around seems to be more of an illusion than the last one that I found, oh well." Ain't that the truth. "There was a time when all I wanted was my ice cream cone and a little cream soda, oh well." That "So it goes," laissez "oh well" appears again and again throughout. It's a solid track and ends with him repeating "There's nothing left for me to tell you, oh well, oh well, oh well, oh well." It's a shame that it ends after a mere 3 minutes and 45 seconds. Oh well.

9) "Rag & Bone" - Starts off with a little riff that sounds like "Rock 'n Roll Nurse" by the Compulsive Gamblers (covered, incidentally, by Jack's favorite band, the Von Bondies). But then Jack starts having some kind of weird-ass dialog with Meg. It's lyrically weak like "Hardest Button to Button," but, like that ditty, this one has a sweet riff. But once it gets a-rockin' it goes back to a-suckin' when Jack and Meg start talking about weird "stuff" (their word, not mine) and how they're going to make things out of "the stuff" and how "we're gonna give the stuff a home." It's not a bad song, but it's totally one that you can skip over - and stuff.

10) "I'm Slowly Turning Into You" - Eerily similar to "I Want to be the Boy to Warm Your Mother's Heart." Lots of organ. It's a slow number, but the song isn't called "I'm Quickly Turning Into You," so that shouldn't be a surprise. Good lyrics. Lots of quick starts and quick rests. Then this slow, low, plodding bridge comes in and you realize this is a really great song. Not as great as some of the rockers on here, but it's the best of the rest. "I even love it when you're fakin' it," Jack says before busting into a fuzzed out mayhem over a slow drum beat and organ accents. This one smokes, folks. Let's put it this way: I'd put it on a mix.

11) "A Martyr For My Love For You" - After a looooooong fade out and 10 seconds of silence following the last track, you're bashed in the face with this cataclysmic organ-drum-guitar crashing intro and then ... ... slow, plodding acoustic guitar. Another one of the alt-country tunes, this one is sweet and soft, talks of angels and leather shoes and teenage dreams. But then he interrupts this pillow talk with loud guitar and a raised voice: "I could stay a while, but sooner or later I'd break your smile," he growls. The midpoint of this song is about as solid as this album gets and showcases and capsulizes Jack's maturation in under 5 minutes. There's a solid instrumental break and then he cuts loose his biggest, "Icky-iest," "Thumpiest" bomb thus far: "We might share a kiss, but I feel like I can't go through with this/And I bet we could build a home, but I know the best thing I can do with you - is to leave you alone." Wow. Since when did Jack become the Heartbreak Kid? Pat Benatar best steer clear.

12) "Catch Hell Blues" - It's fitting that the song with the baddest-ass-est name on the LP would be bad-ass. You know how the live version of Son House's "Death Letter" sounds? Well it's a lot like that. He busts out his blues steel and lets it fly. Slow, thudding drums. Frantic, bluesy, steely, gritty, sloppy guitar. Every time I hear it I keep waiting for him to bust into "Motherless Children Have a Hard Time." Alas, it never comes. I'm really glad this song is here because it'll make longtime fans happy and remind them of the good ol' days. Far more importantly, it makes me happy. Too bad it's buried so far down in the track listing. Seems like it would have been better placed than between two slow, heartfelt tunes. Which leads us to ...

13) "Effect & Cause" - It's a lot like "It's True That We Love One Another" but without Holly Golightly and the silly words. Lyrically this song is brilliant. I haven't pulled out a lesson or theme. It plays out more like he came up with all these great one-liners that didn't fit into other songs and through them into some sort of rock 'n' roll gumbo. A taste of said gumbo: "Well, you burned my house down and then got mad at my reaction." "Making sense of it all takes a whole lot of concentration." Basically, as the song's title hints, he's flipping the cause and effect. A taste: "Well, you can't blame a baby for her pregnant mom." "I'm not saying I'm innocent, in fact the reverse." "If you're headed to the grave, you don't blame the hearse." It sounds silly, but it works swell. It's not the best way to end an album, but it's a neato little track.

Fin.

In his own prison

rhymeswithrawk — Mon, 21 May 2007 04:32:06 GMT

"Though shalt not beat your wife" may not be one of the Ten Commandments, but that doesn't make it right, Jesus Boy.

Former Creed frontman Scott Stapp arrested at Boca Raton home, charged with assault

BOCA RATON, Fla. (AP) — Former Creed frontman Scott Stapp was arrested at his home Sunday and charged with assault related to domestic violence, authorities said. Stapp was charged with one count of domestic assault with intent to commit a felony and was being held without bond, according to a Palm Beach County Jail official who was reached by telephone and would not give her name. No one was injured and no one was taken to the hospital, said Paul Miller, a Sheriff’s Office spokesman. Miller declined to identify the victim and said he had no information about any physical violence. “We don’t know exactly what occurred here,” said Miller. It was not immediately known if Stapp had an attorney. Stapp, 33, was married a year ago last February at the Vizcaya Museum and Gardens in Miami to former Miss New York Jaclyn Nesheiwat. Nesheiwat declined to comment Sunday night. “It’s just a rough time,” she told The Palm Beach Post. Stapp’s former band Creed sold more than 25 million records in the United States. He has since launched a solo singing career. Miller did not immediately respond to telephone messages left on his cell phone and at his office after hours by The Associated Press. Stapp’s manager did not immediately return an e-mail seeking comment or a telephone message left at his office after hours.

Clap your hands! Say yeah, too!

rhymeswithrawk — Thu, 12 Apr 2007 03:41:28 GMT

Listening to Broken Social Scene's "Stars and Sons," I've decided that the hand clap just might be the greatest instrument in all of rock. OK, maybe not the greatest, but great.

What are some of your favourite songs that star hand claps?

Others off the top of my head: "Shot Down" by The Sonics "Alive with Pleasure" by Viva Voce

There are obviously oodles. Name some of your faves. Obviously there's "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da" (unless you're listening to the clap-less mono version, of course). Others promise claps (see Beck's unjustly named "Clap Hands") that only tease you.

I'm looking for tunes with more than a handful (pun intended).

Those who come up with the bestest songs with the mostest get a high five.

A no no no by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs

rhymeswithrawk — Tue, 10 Apr 2007 07:29:50 GMT

So the Yeah Yeah Yeahs have a song on the "Spider-Man 3" soundtrack, an honor previously reserved for bands such as Nickelback.

Here's the product description from Amazon.com: "Spider-Man is back! And the accompanying soundtrack is replete with fresh, edgy modern rock that will make anyone wish he could be a superhero. Featuring Snow Patrol, The Killers, The Yeah Yeah Yeahs, The Strokes, and many more, this soundtrack will get your heart pumping."

Now, I'm not into the whole "You lost your cred!" stuff. And I'm not one to turn down a schitt-ton of cash if someone's offering it to me, but ... yikes. The fact that Jet is on this soundtrack is no surprise, but Y3 and The Walkmen? Guess the band is going for a new image or something. Perhaps even more disturbing: Jason Schwartzman sings a duet with ... ... Kirsten Dunst?

Track listing Snow Patrol - 'Signal Fire' The Killers - 'Move Away' Yeah Yeah Yeahs - 'Sealings' Wolfmother - 'Pleased To Meet You' The Walkmen - 'Red River' Black Mountain - 'Stay Free' Flaming Lips - 'The Supreme Being Teaches Spider-Man How To Be In Love' Simon Dawes - 'Scared Of Myself' Chubby Checker - 'The Twist' Rogue Wave - 'Sight Lines' Jason Schwartzman (featuring Kirsten Dunst) - 'Summer Day' Jet - 'Falling Star' Sounds Under Radio - 'Portrait of A Summer Thief' Wyos (Wasted Youth Orchestra) - 'A Letter To St Jude' The Oohlas - 'Small Parts'

2006 summed up in 120 minutes

rhymeswithrawk — Sat, 31 Mar 2007 09:10:28 GMT

I know this is more for www.artofthemix.org, but figured some of you might be interested. About three months ago, I came up with my "Best Picks of '06 Mix." Twenty-two of my favorite songs from last year engineered with a flow that goes down smooth and leaves no nasty aftertaste. Because of space limitations, some of the songs I wanted to include had to be replaced with runners-up (see the Neko Case selection). I'm pretty sure all of these songs are available on the iTunes Music Store if you don't have some and would still like to play along. All in all, it's a nifty little keepsake and makes a great gift for loved ones. 1. Clinic - "Harvest (Within You)" 2. TV on the Radio - "Wolf Like Me" 3. The Rapture - "Pieces of the People We Love" 4. The Gossip - "Standing in the Way of Control" 5. The Black Keys - "Your Touch" 6. The Strokes - "Heart in a Cage" 7. Tapes 'n Tapes - "Cowbell" 8. SSM - "Put Me In" 9. Viva Voce - "Faster than a Dead Horse" 10. Kelley Stoltz - "The Sun Comes Through" 11. Built to Spill - "Conventional Wisdom" (radio edit for space reasons) 12. The Starlight Mints - "Eyes of the Night" 13. Danielson - "Did I Step On Your Trumpet?" 14. Sean Lennon - "Would I Be the One?" (T.Rex cover) 15. Neko Case - "At Last" 16. Destroyer - "3,000 Flowers" 17. The Decembersists - "Summersong" 18. Sufjan Stevens - "Dear Mr. Supercomputer" 19. Belle & Sebastian - "Funny Little Frog" 20. Yo La Tengo - "Beanbag Chair" 21. Fiery Furnaces - "Benton Harbor Blues" 22. Man Man - "Van Helsing Boombox

The Fawns (help me)

rhymeswithrawk — Wed, 28 Feb 2007 04:05:30 GMT

Was in my favourite record shop here in Detroit today and the owner was spinning this 45 by a '60s girl group called The Fawns. Amaaaaaaaaaaaaaaazing cut. Problem: He just got it in and wouldn't sell it. Another problem: I can't find any of their stuff anywhere. Not on any comps that are in print. There's not even a Wikipedia entry for them. They were on Cap City.

Does anyone have ANYTHING by this band in digital format? I NEED it like the deserts need the rain or something.

This band is not to be confused with the current band The Fawns.

Andrew Bird: Yowzas

rhymeswithrawk — Fri, 26 Jan 2007 05:01:07 GMT

A friend of mine gave me a copy of "Armchair Apocrypha," the new Andrew Bird album that's due out March 20. Wow, folks, it's grand. Simply grand. And don't worry, I fully plan on buying it when it comes out. I haven't been this excited about a new record in, well, only months, I suppose. Those fans of Devandra Barnhart, Rufus Wainwright and even Sufjan Stevens who have yet to check him out owe themselves a listen to his last few records - and the months of anxious anticipaton before "Armchair" hits shelves. He makes it seem so easy, and that's one of the reasons it's so hard not to love his music.

Other new music rawking my sawks: the new Clinic. "Visitations" is the band's best since "Internal Wrangler," in my opinion. More in the lines of the "Walking With Thee" stuff than the "Sunlight Bathes Our Home" and " Highly recommended. After seeming like it was running in place a tad, regurgitating the same ditty over and over, "Visitations" is a welcome return to form. Check out the chugging "If You Could Read Your Mind" and rump shakin' "Harvest."

Between Bird, Clinic, The Shins, and The Good, the Bad and the Queen, 2007 is shaping up to be a banner year for music - and it's only late January.

Tragedy strikes Question Mark

rhymeswithrawk — Sat, 20 Jan 2007 23:42:26 GMT

VIENNA TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP) — Community support has poured in since a fire destroyed the home of 1960s rocker Question Mark. The singer, known for the hits “96 Tears” and “Can’t Get Enough of You Baby,” lost 40 years worth of memorabilia, including a gold record award and an organ believed once to have belonged to Pink Floyd. Four Yorkshire terriers and a cockatoo also died in last week’s blaze at the Flint-area home in which he had lived for nearly four decades. He didn’t have insurance. Members of the community have pledged their support, offering money and talking about a possible benefit concert. He’s taken a slew of calls from fans and fellow musicians. “The phone’s been ringing off the hook,” Question Mark told The Flint Journal for a recent story. He’s gained the support of a local radio station and has been booked to perform with his band, the Mysterians, on Feb. 9 at Detroit’s Winter Blast outdoor festival. Question Mark welcomed the idea of headlining a benefit concert and proposed cameos from other Michigan musical luminaries. “Why don’t we do a fundraiser at The Palace (of Auburn Hills) so people can see our group?” he said. “Maybe we can get Bob (Seger) to take a break from his (tour) and have Mark (Farner) come in, Kid Rock, Uncle Kracker, Eminem, whoever’s available.” Farner’s representative said the former Grand Funk Railroad musician might be willing to appear if his schedule allowed. In the meantime, Question Mark has been sifting through the rubble of his home while trying to stay upbeat. “No matter how tragic it is, if you know who you are and know what you have to offer, don’t let those tragedies bring you down,” he said.

Denny Doherty dies at 66

rhymeswithrawk — Fri, 19 Jan 2007 23:53:38 GMT

Denny Doherty, one-quarter of the 1960s folk-rock group the Mamas and the Papas, known for their soaring harmony on hits like "California Dreamin'" and "Monday, Monday," died Friday at 66.

His sister Frances Arnold said the singer-songwriter died at his home in Mississauga, a city just west of Toronto, after a short illness.

The group burst on the national scene in 1966 with the top 10 smash "California Dreamin'." The Mamas and the Papas broke new ground by having women and men in one group at a time when most singing groups were unisex. John Phillips, the group's chief songwriter; his wife, Michelle; and another female vocalist, Cass Elliot, teamed with Doherty.

"Monday, Monday" hit No. 1 on the charts and won the band a Grammy for best contemporary group performance. Among the group's other songs were "I Saw Her Again Last Night," "Go Where You Wanna Go," "Dancing Bear," and versions of "I Call Your Name" and "Dedicated to the One I Love."

"What made the group special was their haunting and sumptuous harmony singing," according to "The Rolling Stone Illustrated History of Rock & Roll."

In 1998, the Mamas and the Papas were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

The group's catchy sound was a blend of '60s upbeat pop and the folk music that had surged in popularity early in the decade. The song "Creeque Alley" told the story of their formation amid the musical ferment of the folk scene; among the other stars-to-be mentioned in its lyrics were members of the Lovin' Spoonful and the Byrds.

But the group's heyday was brief and it disbanded in 1968 following John and Michelle Phillips' divorce. The members re-formed in 1971 for the album "People Like Us," but all hope for a reunion ended in 1974 when the 30-year-old Elliot choked and suffered a fatal heart attack while eating a sandwich in London.

Phillips briefly re-formed the group in 1982 with Doherty, Phillips' actress daughter, Mackenzie, and Elaine "Spanky" McFarlane. The foursome toured playing oldies and new Phillips originals.

In 2003, Doherty was co-author and performer in an off-Broadway show called "Dream a Little Dream: The Mamas and the Papas Musical," which traced the band's early years, its dizzying fame and breakup.

"There's a part of this thing that if I'm not careful, I'd be just a blob on the stage crying my guts out," Doherty told The Associated Press at the time. "Everybody knows about death and dying and sadness, so it's an exercise in staying in the moment and not getting maudlin about your friends dying."

John Phillips died in 2001 at 65.

The Halifax-born Doherty started his music career in Montreal in 1960 as the co-founder of the Colonials, which later became the Halifax Three.

Doherty made a solo album in 1974 and achieved a bit of immortality by both playing the Harbormaster and voicing all the characters for the children's TV series "Theodore Tugboat."

Give me love, give me love...

rhymeswithrawk — Thu, 04 Jan 2007 07:51:19 GMT

So, this girl I started seeing recently and I are sitting around listening to records. She asks me if I have the Van Morrison album with "Sweet Thing" on it. So I throw on "Astral Weeks," and she says how much she loves the song and how excited she is to finally hear it on vinyl and that she couldn't find it. (It IS a hard record to find, at least in the Rust Belt.)

So anyway, I give her my extra copy that I had laying around and never got around to selling on eBay. Not a scratch on that bad boy; it looks like it's never been played. Sigh.

I don't think she understands the magnitude of that gesture, how it shows her just how into her I am. It may not have been a ring, but it's pretty damn close. :)

Ouch! The cold foot!

rhymeswithrawk — Tue, 26 Dec 2006 03:16:41 GMT

No gold digging here!

BEECH ISLAND, S.C. (AP) — James Brown’s widow said Monday she was denied access to the home she shared with the singer and their 5-year-old son, claiming the gate was padlocked at the request of Brown’s lawyer and accountant. Tomi Rae Brown, who was one of James Brown’s backup singers, said she was at a retreat when her 73-year-old husband died shortly after he was hospitalized in Atlanta. “The last thing he said to me was, ’I love you baby and I’ll see you soon,’” she told The Augusta Chronicle. But when she returned to their home hours after her husband died of heart failure, security guards told her James Brown’s lawyer, Buddy Dallas, and accountant, David Cannon, said she was not allowed inside, she said. She said she does not own the deed to the home, but said she had a legal right to live there. “This is my home,” she told a reporter for the newspaper outside the gate of the house. “I don’t have any money. I don’t have anywhere to go.”

James Brown hospitalized

rhymeswithrawk — Mon, 25 Dec 2006 02:27:31 GMT

ATLANTA, Georgia (CNN) -- James Brown, the legendary singer known as "the Godfather of Soul," is being treated for "severe pneumonia" at an Atlanta hospital, his agent told CNN Sunday.

Brown - who is 73 years old - was admitted to Emory Crawford Long Hospital on Sunday. He is not in intensive care, said Super Frank, his agent.

Brown is one of the pioneers of soul music, famous for his frenetic dance moves and his piercing vocal style.

"Papa's Got a Brand New Bag," "Please Please Please" and "Say It Loud, I'm Black and I'm Proud" are among his many hits.

The singer canceled shows this week in Waterbury, Connecticut, and Englewood, New Jersey, but will be ready to perform again on Saturday at the Count Basie Theatre in Red Bank, New Jersey, Super Frank said.

Brown is scheduled to perform two shows New Year's Eve at the B.B. King Blues Club & Grill followed by a stint across Canada in January.

He will also be performing a song for Anderson Cooper's New Year's Eve special on CNN.

Super Frank said Brown was in Atlanta for an appointment with his dentist when his health problems were detected.

Mike Love, not war

rhymeswithrawk — Wed, 20 Dec 2006 08:13:01 GMT

It's official: Mike Love will do anything for a buck. At least he's not destroying a classic ... yet. Look for "Help Me, Rudolph" next year.

Witness the money grab train wreck that is "Santa's Going to Kokomo":

It's available on iTunes if you're into that whole S&M thing.

Holy crap do I ever hate this guy.

1967 B.S.S. (Before Seger sucked)

rhymeswithrawk — Thu, 14 Dec 2006 04:11:14 GMT

I had posted this as a comment in someone else's Mog, but I've been listening to this 45 over and over again the last few days, so I'm reissuing it as a 20th Century Millennium Post:

The primal, gut instinct of every human under 40 to shoot Bob Seger with a Silver Bullet is still warranted, but contrary to popular belief, he has not ALWAYS sucked.

That first album on Capitol is pretty good, a hard-driving rocker. The song “2+2=?” is probably the greatest antiwar track ever written – even better than “Fortunate Son.” "Ramblin' Gamblin' Man" is solid, and the album art is radtacular:

But I'll admit that record isn't the greatest. You have to go back even further to find the good stuff.

My favourite Seger single: “Persecution Smith” b/w “Chain Smokin’” (released on Hideout and on Cameo), when he was with the Last Heard. The A-side is some kind of psychadelic Dylan ripoff, featuring a “Subterranen Homesick Blues” type of schtick and a delivery that is straight-up Robby Z. But it is the B-side that really smokes. The funktacular-yet-gritty 'n' garagey bass line sounds like it was the inspiration for “Funkytown” or something, but when you have Seger’s raspy voice plead, “I gotta, gotta, gotta, gotta haaaaaaaaaaaaaaave it” you’ll be flailing on the floor, awash in kickass.

Of course, he'll always be remembered for awashing us in suckass.

As a bonus, for your viewing pleasure, I present ALF singing some of that Seger you love to hate into ... a cucumber. It's Seger at his kinkiest:

MOST EXPENSIVE RECORD EVER

rhymeswithrawk — Mon, 04 Dec 2006 06:41:49 GMT

The Holy Grail of records is on eBay, folks. It's an acetate of "The Velvet Underground & Nico," featuring alternate takes and mixes. It is possibly the only known surviving copy. It is undoubtedly going to be the most expensive record ever sold. It is currently at

$105,000

... and still has four days left to go.

http://cgi.ebay.com/VELVET-UNDERGROUND-NICO-1966-Acetate-LP-ANDY-WARHOL_W0QQitemZ300054910309QQihZ020QQcategoryZ306QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

The best part? The guy bought it and two other records for 75 cents at a yard sale in New York a few years ago. He will take a 25-cent record and turn AT LEAST a $149,998.75 profit on it (less eBay fees, of course). Not bad. He is my hero.

The track differences between the acetate versions and the commercial recordings on "The Velvet Underground & Nico" are detailed as follows:

1.European Son- completely different version,. Guitar solo is much bluesier. Less noisy and experimental. Longer by 2 minutes or so.

2.Black Angel's Death Song-Same take as released version. Different mix.

3.All Tomorrow's Parties- Same take as released version. Different mix.

4.I'll Be Your Mirror-Same take as released version. Radically different mix. No echo on Nico's vocals. Background vocals on end of song are more subdued.

5.Heroin-Completely different take than released version. Guitar line is different. Vocal inflections different, and a few different lyrics. Drumming is more primitive & off kilter. There is a tambourine dragging throughout the song.

6.Femme Fatale- Same take as released version. Radically different mix. Percussion more prominent. Alternate take on background vocals. Much more "poppy".

7.Venus In Furs- Different take than released version. Vocal inflections completely different. Instrumentation more based around Cales' violin than the guitar as in the released version.

8.I'm Waiting For The Man- Different take than released version. Guitar line is completely different. Vocal inflections different, and a few different lyrics. No drums, just tambourine. Bluesy guitar solo.

9.Run Run Run- Same take as released version. Different mix.

What would you do to have this record? What would you do to just be able to HEAR this record? Would you even PLAY this record if you dropped that kind of money on it?

Mental note: Buy a tape recorder

rhymeswithrawk — Mon, 04 Dec 2006 03:06:52 GMT

I'm not a Rolling Stones historian, so I had never heard this anecdote about "Satisfaction." Even if you have heard this before, you deserve to read it again. It is as amazing as it is frustrating - how could a song that helped change rock forever have been born from this?

"The riff came to Keith Richards in a dream one night in May 1965, in his motel room in Clearwater, Fla., the fifth stop on the Rolling Stones' third U.S. tour. He woke up, grabbed a guitar nearby and taped the music racing through his head on a handy cassette machine. Richards played the run of notes once, then fell back to sleep. 'On the tape,' he said later, 'you can hear me drop the pick, and the rest of the tape is snoring.'

Brilliant.

What are your Top 10 of 2006?

rhymeswithrawk — Thu, 30 Nov 2006 19:42:50 GMT

Is it too early to do this? December is usually light on new releases, so here I go. The disclaimer, of course, is that I hate doing these lists and then realizing that I left something of and/or forgot it came out that year. And friends have told me that Sean Lennon's new album would be my record of the year, but I haven't bought it yet. And I didn't count the Pavement reissue or Ben Folds EP comp, for example, just new releases of new material (and yes, I count the Beatles record as new).

I think I bought more new releases this year than I usually do, so eat it RIAA. Here's what I bought: Band of Horses "Everything All the Time," Beatles "Love," Beck "Information," Belle & Sebastian "Life Pursuit," Black Keys "Magic Potion," Built to Spill, "You in Reverse," Neko Case "Fox Confessor Brings the Flood," Danielson "Ships," Decemberists "Crane Wife," Destroyer "Rubies," Fiery Furnaces "Bitter Tea," Matthew Friedberger "Holy Ghost/Winter Women," Gossip "Standing in the Way of Control," Man Man - "Six Demon Bag," Raconteurs "Broken Boy Soldiers," Rapture "Pieces Of The People We Love," Starlight Mints "Drowaton," SSM s/t, Sufjan Stevens "Avalanche," Kelley Stoltz "Below the Branches," Strokes "First Impressions of Earth," Tapes 'n Tapes "The Loon," Thermals "Body, The Blood, The Machine," TV on the Radio "Return to Cookie Mountain," Viva Voce "Get Ur Blood Sucked Out," The Walkmen "Pussy Cats," Yo La Tengo "I'm Not Afraid of You and I Will Beat Your Ass" and Thom Yorke "The Eraser."

Here's how they finished: 10. Neko Case - "Fox Confessor" 9. Danielson - "Ships" 8. TV on the Radio - "Return to Cookie Mountain" 7. Destroyer - "Rubies" 6. Fiery Furnaces - "Bitter Tea" 5. Kelley Stoltz - "Below the Branches" 4. Tapes 'n Tapes - "The Loon" 3. Viva Voce - "Get Ur Blood Sucked Out"' 2. Beatles - "Love" 1. Man Man - '"Six Demon Bag"

How are yours shaping up?

Yoko speaks!

rhymeswithrawk — Mon, 27 Nov 2006 03:33:15 GMT

This appeared in The New York Times in the back of the Week in Review section: She asks that every year on Dec. 8 - the day Lennon was murdered - become a day of healing and helping others. Thoughts?

Yoko speaks!

rhymeswithrawk — Mon, 27 Nov 2006 03:33:13 GMT

This appeared in The New York Times in the back of the Week in Review section: She asks that every year on Dec. 8 - the day Lennon was murdered - become a day of healing and helping others. Thoughts?

Oh, Canadia...

rhymeswithrawk — Mon, 27 Nov 2006 02:56:25 GMT

I see there are a slew of Canadians on this here Mog, and I live in Detroit, about 5 minutes from Windsor, Ontario. So, it's only fitting that I open the e-floor for discussion of the greatest band(s) or singer(s) from our northern neighbor. I mean, it's a huuuuuuuuuuuge country, right? So there has gotta be a huuuuuuuuuuuuge number of sweet little rock 'n' rollers from it, right? I'm not a huge fan of Our Lady Peace or Alanis. So who am I missing out on? Who do I need to be listening to?

Upon combing my Wall of Sound, I found CDs and records from only four Canadian artists that I genuinely, truly appreciate : 1) Leonard Cohen 2) Sloan 3) Wolf Parade 4) Arcade Fire

So help me, O Canadians. Help me help your musicians.

"Jarvis"

rhymeswithrawk — Sun, 26 Nov 2006 20:37:28 GMT

Anyone heard of a U.S. release on the new Jarvis Cocker record? I don't want to pay $30 to import it.

Mog problems

rhymeswithrawk — Sun, 26 Nov 2006 02:39:32 GMT

Anyone else have problems where the Mog-o-Matic stops transmitting your plays? This happens to me ALL the time, and the only way to cure the problem is to restart my Mac.

If I ran the Hall of Fame

rhymeswithrawk — Sat, 25 Nov 2006 09:15:20 GMT

I know I've already complained about this before, but I'm gonna do it again. Who would be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame if it were up to YOU? But let's keep some standards, in this case the real Hall's requirement that 25 years must have passed after the artist's first release. And please, I know Mog.com is Death Cab Fan Central, but let's be realistic here, OK? We want influential and truly great bands and musicians. I love DCFC as much as the next guy, but...

Please discuss any of these names or your own perceived snubs. Obviously great or infuential music is open to interpretation, but some of these seem like no-brainers. If Link Wray INVENTS the power cord, he's gotta be in. Les Paul is there. Alan Freed is there. Leo Fender is there.

These guys get in-sies: Can, Captain Beefheart, John Coltrane (hey, if Miles is there...), Alice Cooper, Dick Dale (you have Duane Eddy but not the King of the Surf Guitar?), Donovan, Nick Drake, Brian Eno (for the love of frickin' Christ), Genesis, Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five, Jac Holzman, Lightnin' Hopkins, Son House, James Jamerson (and all the Funk Brothers, for that matter), Joy Division/New Order, Carol Kaye, Kiss (not so much for its music, more for being an icon), Love, Metallica, The MC5, Ozzy Osbourne, R.E.M., Rush, Patti Smith, Cat Stevens, The Stooges, The Turtles, Van Halen (but not Van Hagar), Tony Visconti, Link Wray and Yes.
Borderline candidates that could go either way and may depend on swing states such as Ohio: Big Star, The Cars, Cheap Trick, Chicago, Leonard Cohen, Dave Clark Five, Deep Purple, Def Leppard, Depeche Mode, The Fall, Waylon Jennings, John Cougar Mellencamp, Judas Priest, Jim Keltner (if Hal Blaine is in...), King Crimson, Charles Mingus, The New York Dolls, Harry Nilsson, Roxy Music, The Small Faces, The Sonics, T-Rex, Tom Waits, Mary Wells and The Zombies (who recorded one of the five greatest albums of all time but lose points for Argent hehe).
Artists who are sure-fire locks once they hit 25-year requirement: Beastie Boys, Beck, Blur, The Cure, Guns 'n' Roses, Madonna, Nirvana, Pavement, Pearl Jam, Pixies, Public Enemy, Pulp, Radiohead, Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Replacements, Run DMC, The Smiths, Sonic Youth and maybe Weezer.
These guys get kicked out: Herb Alpert, Blondie, Jackson Browne, The Eagles, Duane Eddy, The Lovin' Spoonful, maybe the Pretenders, Bonnie Raitt, The Sex Pistols, The Staple Singers, maybe Steely Dan, Ritchie Valens, The Young Rascals and ZZ Top.

Best record of the year?

rhymeswithrawk — Fri, 24 Nov 2006 19:47:25 GMT

I am completely smitten with "Love." While I'm not so sure some of the songs work (not a fan of the blending of "Octopus's" and "Good Night"), I absolutely love this record. It's like hearing songs you've heard a kabajillion times for the first time. On top of that, these are from the masters, so the sound quality blows the frickin' pantalones off anything previously available on CD. You can hear Paul's foot tapping on "Blackbird." Squeeeeeeeeal.

As someone previously posted on here, this might upset the purists, but the second you hear the drum solo from "The End" flow into "Get Back," when "Hey Jude" feeds into "Sgt. Pepper's," you're gonna get goosebumps. And anytime I want to hear the "Helter Skelter"-less "Mr. Kite," I can just change the CD. It's not really heresy to do this, people, especially when George Martin is the man twiddling the knobs. And besides, the Catholics rewrote the Bible all the time. :)

My favorite track on the record, however, forces me to say something I'm not entirely proud of: I've never, ever, never with a cherry on top liked "Within You Without You." Ever. But when it's mashed up into a frothy, psychy paste with "Tomorrow Never Knows," well, as Paul might say, "you take a bad song and make it better."

Hall of It's a Shame

rhymeswithrawk — Fri, 24 Nov 2006 07:04:50 GMT

From the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame's Web site: Artists become eligible for induction 25 years after the release of their first record. Criteria include the influence and significance of the artist’s contributions to the development and perpetuation of rock and roll.

So why is it that a band like the Lovin' Spoonful can get into the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame, but the MC5 and Stooges can't? I understand the 'ful sold a schitt ton of records back in the day - I know cuz metro Detroit dollar bins are infested with them - but part of the R 'n' R Hall's guidelines is that a band must be influential. The Velvet Underground didn't sell many records, but it's in the Hall (and rightfully so). So that's not why. It's not cuz the MC5 and the Stooges were too controversial because this year's class included the Sex Pistols (who also didn't sell that many records). And it's definitely not cuz they sucked because, well, they didn't.

Look at the current roster of who's in the Hall and tell me how many were influenced by the MC5 and/or the Stooges.

Now look at who's in the Hall but shouldn't be (and this is only my opinion: Jackson Browne, Lovin' Spoonful, Bonnie Raitt, The Staple Singers, The Rascals, Duane Eddy (a solo version of the Ventures, so what?), Blondie, ZZ Top... the list goes on and on.

That's not to say some of the artists weren't good, but how influential are they? I wasn't too keen on the Sex Pistols getting the nod (Johnny Rotten called the museum a "piss stain," by the way). Do these panelists honestly think the Pistols have influenced more bands than the Stooges have? Hell, the Pistols themselves were influenced by the Stooges, and the Pistols' m.o. of down with the government, go f* yourself is straight out of the MC5's playbook.

Iggy Pop might as well be Bert Blyleven.

I mean, Ritchie Valens is in the Hall and he put out only one record before he died. Even the Hall's bio on him says he's basically in there for putting out one (admittedly killer) 45. But I can't think of any band influenced by Valens. The only thing he influenced was the landscape of a cornfield in Iowa. Don't get me wrong, it is a great album and he's a great artist, but Hall worthy?

I know I keep making the same point over and over, but think about it. How is it fair that you're not inducting truly influential bands but you DO induct groups that are still recording (see: U2, though they admittedly deserved to be in eventually) and a band whose only contribution to music is one of the greatest album covers ever (see: Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass)?

Thoughts, gang?

This album cover is Hall worthy; the artist is not.

The Monkees: good, believe it or not

rhymeswithrawk — Wed, 22 Nov 2006 11:36:03 GMT

I finally stumbled across a copy of "Head" and decided to pick it up. I'd heard so much about it and, as one of my friends puts it, it's proof that the Monkees didn't completely suck.

For the most part, it's kind of a throwaway for me. Some trippy speed effects and movie dialogue here, a half-assed Nilsson cover there. It was hardly worth the $20 I paid. Or so I thought.

I have listened to "Porpoise Song" more than a dozen times today. I even bought it from the iTunes Store so that I may have it in CD form, too. It's absolutely glorious psych pop. It's got this Hammond throughout that is just beautiful. It sounds like it's straight-up Lennon "Strawberry Fields," but it was actually written by Carole King of all people.

Has it made me a (Daydream) Believer in the Monkees? No, but I do believe this song could now be one of my top 25 songs of the 1960s.

Guitar Hero is my hero

rhymeswithrawk — Wed, 22 Nov 2006 03:24:46 GMT

Guitar Hero is the greatest thing since sliced Pokemon. While 75% of the songs you play on this video game thingy suck ass, being able to play "Search and Destroy" by The Stooges, Spinal Tap, Nirvana, Stone Temple Pilots and myriad others has left me with blistahs on me fingahs.

'Course, if I knew how to play a real guitar, I'd be able to do this stuff all the time and NOT look like a raging jackass in the process. Guess my shred envy is greater than my pride But we nerdy piano players have to take what we can get.

Now to go tackle Dick Dale and "Freebird."

Now operating in my CD player...

rhymeswithrawk — Fri, 17 Nov 2006 09:11:21 GMT

Clinic Harvest (Within You) EP Domino

Picked up the new Clinic EP that came out recently. Simply put: It has renewed my faith in the band. When it comes to rawking your sawks, all three songs are guaranteed. The title track's driving bass line is reminiscent of "Second Line," my favorite Clinic number. The last is pure, straight-up Clinic. Even the woodblock-accented instrumental diddy will get your head boppin'. The vocals are up front in the mix, the bass is thumping. I listened to this 3-track CD five times today. It is in "heavy rotation."

After a letdown with "Winchester Cathedral," I had begun to think Ade & Co. had lost their touch, gotten bored, the mask motif old. This sampler has proved that to be far from the case.

Five out of five stars, a lovely appetizer for shades of things to come in January.

Shins Episode 3: The Phantom Limb

rhymeswithrawk — Thu, 16 Nov 2006 20:13:16 GMT

The Shins "Wincing the Night Away" SubPop

This album is probably my second favourite of the three. It's strong throughout, but it doesn't lack that punch-to-the-face track. You know, the kind that makes you shut up and pay attention. Songs of this ilk: "Saint Simon," "Pressed in a Book" and "New Slang."

The only song I don't care for here is the too-Smiths-y-for-its-own-good "Sea Legs." Paying homage is fine, but this one bugs me. He even sounds like Morrissey here. Maybe if I thought that was a good thing, I'd think this song was a good thing, too.

Do I plan on buying it when it comes out? Absolutely. Should you plan on buying it when it comes out? If you liked the first two and don't like stealing music, absolutely.

Summing it all up: It flows nicely and is all around solid and pleasurable, but it's not a knockout. You know, kind of like your girlfriend. Ooh, you just got served.

Four out of five stars, but there's already some road wear on the ol' tires.

SSM: Simply smashing, motherfucker

rhymeswithrawk — Sat, 01 Jul 2006 06:56:37 GMT

"Detroit super group" lives up to the hype. It's just fucking good.

Meakly pluck out the jams, motherfucker

rhymeswithrawk — Fri, 30 Jun 2006 05:32:17 GMT

Just got home from seeing Wayne Kramer at the Magic Stick. Underwhelmed is an understatement. Even Dennis Thompson, his old MC5 bandmate, sitting in on a track couldn't make this guy rock. I mean, come on: Guitarist for one of the more pivotal bands in rock history coming back to his hometown? I was prepared to have him rawk my sawks. Meak, uninspired, rambling and un-"Kick"ing. He didn't have to play MC5 songs, but for the love of John Sinclair, at least don't suck. His badassness has deteriorated faster than the Grande Ballroom. A long, rambling spoken word-type number about Bukowski? Please. I understand he's your hero, and that you called him "Hank," but I doubt he'd be honored by this 10-minute crapfest. And the anti-war song at least fit the ol' MC5 motto, but I'll take "Human Being Lawnmower" over "It's bomb day in Baghdad" any day. Further proof that some legends are just better off fading away. This weekend I've got Ray Davies of the Kinks and Eric Burdon and the Animals. Here's hoping...