Stand by Me (from Playing for Change)
Watch this.
You’ll feel better.
Thanks wife.From the award winning documentary, Playing for Change.
Greg Brown’s Blue Car
Everything about this song is just.. right. The cadence of Greg’s delivery. The lyrics. The electric guitar. The way the drums and the first line of the song introduce themselves together.
I think I need to buy all of Greg Brown’s albums, hop in the car, and drive around for a few weeks.
Looking Back: Midnight Oil live in Calgary (1993)
Six years ago last week, Peter Garrett and his band, Midnight Oil, decided to call it quits for good. Peter had been active in Australian politics since the late 80’s, but he’d always managed to set aside time for the socially & environmentally conscious Oils. But in December 2002, Peter decided to devote all of his time to government.
These days, Peter is Australia’s Minister for the Environment, Heritage, and the Arts, appointed by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd.
I had a chance to see the band live at the Celebrity Theater in Phoenix the year before they disbanded. It was a treat to be able to see Peter Garrett, the performer: his commanding presence (six and a half feet tall), the passion and ferocity with which he approached his songs, the signature singing voice… the ultimate front man.
Here’s a great intimate 1993 performance from Beach Studios in Calgary – an “unplugged” show, if you will. But an unplugged show that’ll rock your socks off. Peter also throws in a little “Locomotive Breath” – the song he sang when he auditioned for Midnight Oil in 1976.
Midnight Oil
Beach Studios,
Calgary, Alberta
August 10th, 1993Feeding Frenzy
Truganini
Sell My Soul
The Dead Heart
Locomotive Breath
Earth And Sun And Moon
Beds Are Burning
One Country
Now Or Never Land
Warakurna
My CountryCheck out Midnight Oil on Amazon
Working On A Dream’s Album Cover
Boss fans: How does this make you feel?
I have to admit, I’m pretty lenient when it comes to album covers from my favorite artists. I think it goes back to Lovesexy – possibly the most embarrassing album cover of all time. Regardless of one’s opinion, you’re gonna be spending a fair amount of time with the record, so you may as well learn to get along, right? As an 18 year old kid, I stepped into the record store, grabbed a copy of Prince’s new album, and with as much masculinity as I could muster, placed this on the counter and paid me my money down…
Nowadays we buy most of our music behind the anonymous curtain of the internet. In MY day, you suffered for your music!
Santa Boss is Coming to Town
No holiday season on Ickmusic (and we’re in our 5th!) is complete without some holiday Boss. Give me the two Bruces (Cockburn and Springsteen), and it’s enough to ride me through the holiday season for sure – enough to ride me through a lifetime, come to think of it. Here’s a nice little collection I stumbled across a few days ago, featuring some holiday-style Bruce through the years.
It’s followed by Bruce and the Band’s appearance on Conan, back on December 12th, 2002. Bruce is in a giving mood, handing out a blow-up doll for Max, and a George Foreman grill for Conan – two items sure to warm any cold winter’s night.
Bruce Springsteen
Santa Boss Is Coming To Town1. Jingle Bells (Christmas Holiday Night, Convention Hall, Asbury Park, NJ – 12/18/2000)
2. Blue Christmas (Christmas Holiday Night, Convention Hall, Asbury Park – NJ 12/18/2000)
3. Santa Claus Is Coming To Town [mp3] (Winterland Night, Winterland Ballroom, San Francisco, CA – 12/15/1978)
4. Merry Christmas Baby (Nassau Night, Nassau Coliseum, Uniondale, NY – 12/31/1980)
5. The Wish (Freehold Night, St. Rose of Lima School, Freehold, NJ – 11/8/1996)
6. Pilgrim In The Temple Of Love (Sydney Night, Capitol Theatre, Sydney, Australia – 2/12/1997)
7. Run Run Rudolph (Christmas Holiday Night, Convention Hall, Asbury Park, NJ – 12/18/2000)
8. Deck The Halls (Jingle Bell Night, Convention Hall, Asbury Park, NJ – 12/7/2001)
9. Jingle Bell Rock (3:38) Jingle Bell Night, Convention Hall, Asbury Park, NJ – 12/7/2001)
10.Christmas Baby Please Come Home (Jingle Bell Night, Convention Hall, Asbury Park, NJ 12/7/2001)
11. Santa Claus Is Coming To Town (Christmas Holiday Night, Convention Hall, Asbury Park, NJ – 12/18/2000)Christmas with Bruce Cockburn (or in my case, a remedy for the Holiday Blues)
How in the holy frijoles is it December already? And why do I get the same stressed, panicked feeling every year? And why do I harbor such resentment against those who get their Christmas shopping done early (or prance gaily around their yards stringing up their lights the day after Thanksgiving)?
*deep breath*
The truth is, when I put myself in the mindset of how much I enjoyed the holidays as a kid, I can actually get some of those warm, good time-y feelings back. And having two little kids adds to the fun too. But man oh man, the stress returns every year, as sure as the commercials.
Music, of course, is the key to bringing back some of that positive holiday energy. Since 1994, this collection of tunes has steered the way (or the sleigh, heh). I taped this special off the radio that holiday season. I’ve said this all before, but Bruce Cockburn is a warm, comforting musical presence in my life, and listening to him sing these great songs and play the guitar like only he can – well – it’s better than a fridge full of nog.
Now, Nanci Griffith joins Bruce here, and sings some songs of her own (“Wexford Carol”, “Grafton Street”, “Going Back to Georgia”, etc.). But it’s the Bruce tunes that resonate with me: “Shepherds” opens the show, and has always been a song that pops into my head throughout the year, for some reason: “Glooooooria, in the hiiiighest.” I’m not heavy into the religion, mind you, but when Bruce sings, I’m a believer; “Deer Dancing Around a Broken Mirror”, a spirited and lush instrumental tune; “Huron Carol”, a song written in the 1600’s by a Jesuit missionary to the Huron Indians, and sung in the Huron language. Bruce gives a wonderful introduction, and reads the English translation beforehand; and of course, two favorites of mine: “I’m Gonna Fly Someday” and “One Day I Walk”. Sublime.
Enjoy. And hey, happy holidays, eh? Oh, and always a reminder for you fellow Yanks that haven’t heard of Bruce from the great white north – it’s CO-Burn. Co sounding like So. Ho ho ho.
“Christmas with Cockburn” (ZIP of mp3’s)
The Columbia Records Radio Hour, 1994Intro
Shepherds
Wexford Carol (Nanci Griffith)
Brave Companion of the Road (NG)
Deer Dancing Around a Broken Mirror
I’m Gonna Fly Someday
Grafton Street (NG)
Going Back to Georgia (NG)
One Day I Walk / Intro to Huron Carol
Huron Carol
Mary Had a BabyIt’s My Lucky Day
The holiday season is upon us, and the Boss is like Santa Claus – the gift that keeps on givin’. This week, he unleashes another new song from his upcoming release ‘Working on a Dream’. This one’s called “My Lucky Day”.
Bruce Springsteen’s new song “My Lucky Day” – from the album ‘Working on a Dream’ (January 27 / Columbia Records) — will be available on AmazonMP3 and MySpace Music for one week starting today.
Additionally, Amazon.com, Inc. and MySpace today exclusively debuted the music video for “My Lucky Day,” the first time that the two sites have collaborated on streaming video. Fans can visit the Amazon Bruce Springsteen Artist Store, http://www.amazon.com/brucespringsteen, and the MySpace Bruce Springsteen Artist Profile page, http://www.myspace.com/brucespringsteen, to watch the video and download the new single. As an added bonus, fans can also check out an extra two-minutes of behind-the-scenes footage of Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band preparing to record the song.
Springsteen’s new album ‘Working on a Dream’ has been set for January 27 release on Columbia Records. ‘Working on a Dream’ was recorded with the E Street Band and is the fourth collaboration between Springsteen and Brendan O’Brien, who produced and mixed the album.
The Happiest of Turkey Days to You
Happy Thansgiving to all. Enjoy your turkey dinners (you fellow carnivores out there). When the tryptophan kicks in after the meal, and it’s clearly nap time, why not treat your family to some Led Zeppelin – lullaby style?
Ah, but does tryptophan make you drowsy? Let’s consult Wikipedia, because we all believe everything we read on WIkipedia…
One widely-held belief is that heavy consumption of turkey meat (as for example in a Thanksgiving or Christmas feast) results in drowsiness, which has been attributed to high levels of tryptophan contained in turkey. While turkey does contain high levels of tryptophan, the amount is comparable to that contained in most other meats. Furthermore, postprandial Thanksgiving sedation may have more to do with what is consumed along with the turkey, in particular carbohydrates and alcohol, rather than the turkey itself. This is demonstrated in a popular episode of the sitcom “Seinfeld” when characters of the show drug a woman using turkey and alcohol in order to play with her toy collection.
“Postprandial Thanksgiving sedation“! Remember those three words and impress your family & friends around the dinner table!
Rockabye Baby – Thank You (mp3)
Rockabye Baby – Kashmir (mp3)
I think you just found your sweet-ass (or smart-ass) stocking stuffer for someone. Click the cover to check it out on Amazon.
Reggae Riddims, Red Stripe, and Ryan
I’ve been in a pretty deep reggae phase lately, branching out and exploring some artists I’m less familiar with: Jacob Miller, the Congos, Bunny Wailer, the Gladiators… if you ever want to get lost and explore some reggae, go to Last.fm and start up Bunny Wailer Radio, or Culture Radio, or Jacob Miller Radio. Then grab a Red Stripe (or a Guinness), sit back, and enjoy.
The Congos – Congoman – from Heart of the Congos
Jacob Miller – Shakey Girl – from Collector’s Classics
Have you guys & gals seen Three Sheets yet? It’s already 3 seasons old, but I just started watching a few weeks ago. Zane Lamprey is the brilliant & hilarious host, and he has the enviable job of traveling from country to country, exploring local drinking culture (often followed the morning after by finding the best local hangover remedy). It’s such a great show, and will have you laughing out loud no more than 3 minutes in.
Check out the Jamaica episode of Three Sheets here on YouTube. You’ll find out why Guinness is just as popular with the locals as Red Stripe. Trust me, it’s worth your while.
By the way, the channel that hosts Three Sheets, MOJO HD, will be going off the air on December 1st. Worry not, though, Three Sheets will be picked up somewhere, it’s just not clear where yet. Meanwhile you can catch up on all the episodes online for free at Hulu. And if you flip on Mojo today, you’ll land right in the middle of a Three Sheets Marathon. Cheers!
So the other day, I was flipping through my HD channels and came across a show called Music in High Places on Palladia. This episode featured Ryan Adams in Jamaica. Now, I’ve always been a distant admirer of Ryan Adams. I have a few of his records, both solo and with the Cardinals (and I need to get the Whiskeytown albums). But I can feel myself being drawn more and more into his music.
This performance of “Firecracker” on the show was my highlight. I’ve been playing the hell out of this YouTube video since.
All the Ways I Want You (A YouTube Debut)
While the wife and kids were away at a Saturday afternoon birthday party, dad got some peace & quiet. And when there’s tranquility in the house, I often pull out the guitar. Except this time, I pressed the record button. Lucky you!
I’m an amateur on the guitar, but I do enjoy playing. And one of the earliest songs I learned is an all- time favorite of mine: Bruce Cockburn’s “All the Ways I Want You”. Like I said on the YouTube page, I’m now one of “those guys”.
So what the hell, here it is…
