Cobra Kai Never Dies

Drive Soundtrack - Kavinsky & Lovefoxxx

2011-11-17T19:21:00.004-05:00

Drive will always be a special movie for me. It was four weeks ago tonight that I went to the theatre to see this flick. It was two days before my wedding. I had some friends coming in late that night so I decided to catch a 9:45 show so I could stay up to greet them. It was the perfect movie to see to zone out for a few hours after months of stress and pressure helping put the wedding together (which by the way went even better than expected) Anyway the move was a bit simplistic (and I don't mean that as a jab) It didn't have too much lengthy dialogue and after a bit of a love story the action kicked in, and yes as the reviews say it does get a little violent. One of the first things I noticed while watching the movie was the "throwback 80's feel" (and we all know how much I love the 80's!)with the satin Scorpion Jacket, sort of good guy vs. really evil guys and of course the music. I had never heard any of the songs from the movie till that night. They all had heavy synthesizers with mainly female vocalists. In fact I figured all the tunes were by the same band but when I checked out the album afterwards I was completely wrong. When I first heard the tunes I didn't really know what to think of them but after a few plays they started to grow on me and after listening to the samples on Amazon I knew that I had to have the album. Anyway I don't know if it was just the excitement and anticipation of my wedding day or if the movie and soundtrack were just that good. (Although I think the songs will have a bigger impact if you see the movie first) I guess you'll have to decide on your own, but for me this movie and soundtrack will always put a little smile on my face.

Nightcalls

Happy New Year - David Gray

2011-07-10T20:52:00.004-04:00

Yeah I realize I'm a bit late with the holiday greetings but even your Sensei has to take time off. Since we last spoke I've moved into a new place and I'm still planning a wedding so I haven't exactly been resting on my laurels. I have had the opportunity to see a couple great shows this year. Back in March I was able to catch Prince on his Welcome to America tour. As you can imagine it was mind blowing...or as Prince told us before the show "We were about to witness a miracle." Well apparently the man in purple doesn't like his tunes posted on the Internet so I'll move on to the next show.

I heard about the David Gray show about 3 months ago and I told me fiancée that we would wait till the week of the show and if we could get good seats we'd go. Like most people I started listening to David during the White Ladder craze. It was a disc that frequented my CD player between 01 and 02...during that time I also picked up the Lost Songs CD which was also in heavy rotation. After that A New Day at Midnight came out. I picked that one up and it just didn't speak to me like the other discs so that ended my David Gray collection. Well the week of the show finally came and the tickets were towards the back so I kept waiting. Finally the day of the show came around (last Friday) and I went on ole Ticketmaster and still no luck. I left for lunch and figured we'd make other plans for the evening. I decided to try one more time when I got back from lunch and I couldn't believe my eyes...there they were, two seats in the pit, row AA seats 3 and 4. Wow I couldn't believe it front row seats! I immediately sent an email to my fiancée and said, "Looks like we're going to a concert tonight."

I wasn't sure what to expect because aside from the CD's I bought almost ten years ago I'd only heard the radio hits he's had. He came out and performed the title track from his new album Foundling. After hearing the first song and seeing how tight the band was and how incredible his voice was I knew we were in for a special night. It was pretty surreal being in the front row. It almost felt like I was watching it on TV. I didn't recognize a song till about the fourth tune in but it didn't matter. Usually I don't have much fun at shows that I'm not familiar with the songs but this time I went to iTunes after the show to download them (one of the perks of sitting in the front row was getting a copy of the set list so it made it a bit easier to hunt down the songs) David alternated between the piano, pump organ, and acoustic guitar. A lot of improvisation was done at the end of the songs with the band just jamming with David free styling lyrics, repeating phrases over and over, softer and slower. It was very calming. Mix that in with the colorful images on the back drop and I was super relaxed. It was almost like slipping into meditation with David providing the mantra....or it was the effect of the giant beers I had at the Mexican restaurant before the show...but the first idea sounds more romantic.

Anyway I went into the show as a casual fan and come out a "born again fan." I honestly think he's getting better with age. If you haven't given David Gray a listen for awhile I recommend checking out his new CD and definitely getting tickets to his current "stripped down" tour. The song tonight is from his new album and was the third song from the set. It was one of the many tunes that I was hearing for the first time but it stuck out to me just a little more than some of the others. Hope you enjoy. - Gomez

Davy Jones' Locker

Sounds of the Season - Vince Guaraldi Trio

2010-12-22T16:13:00.007-05:00

I'm heading out of town tomorrow so this will be the final "Sounds of the Season" post of 2010. What better way to end the posts than with a song from this solid soundtrack? If I had to pick one, this is my favorite cut from the CD. Merry Christmas everyone!

What Child Is This

Sounds of the Season - Gladys Knight & The Pips

2010-12-19T19:54:00.005-05:00

Hello again. I hope you've been enjoying this month's posts. I've got a few more goodies up my sleeve before the "big day" so please check back soon. Let's cap off the week with some class from the men and woman pictured to your left. I don't know about you but I wouldn't mind finding one of those suits under the tree this year. Till next time.....

Do You Hear What I Hear?

Sounds of The Season - Willie Nelson

2010-12-14T19:24:00.003-05:00

I couldn't find a picture of Willie in a reindeer outfit so I decided to use this pic instead. I'm sure everyone knows this one. Enjoy!

Frosty the Snowman

Sounds of the Season - Wham!

2010-12-05T16:55:00.005-05:00

Happy holidays everyone! We're going to be putting up the tree today so I figured we'd pull out some of the classics to get in the spirit. I've got a few goodies that I plan on sharing with you in the next few weeks. Let's kick things off with a gem from the 80's. This tracks been covered by everyone from Hillary Duff to Jimmy Eat World to Taylor Swift.....but none compare to the original. Enjoy!

Last Christmas

Rocky IV Flashback Scene

2010-11-27T16:36:00.000-05:00

Soundtrack Saturday - Rocky IV

2010-11-27T16:20:00.006-05:00

There are five movies from the 80's that I specifically remember going to the theatre and remember being blown away. In no particular order they are The Goonies, The Karate Kid, Pee Wee's Big Adventure, Return of the Jedi, and Rocky IV. I remember heading to the theatre around Christmas time with my dad and brother.(back in '85, wow!) Like Bob from Office Space celebrates Michael Bolton’s entire catalogue I celebrate the entire Rocky catalogue. If I had to pick favorites I'd say 1, 3 and 4. I'm 32 now so I'd say if you're a male between the ages of 28 and 38 this movie still holds a special place in your heart and makes you feel like working out after watching it.

This particular track (as most of you know) is used during one of the famous 80's flashback sequences that fills you in on the previous three Rocky movies.(see above) I don't know about you but I plan on watching this classic sometime over the holiday season. Happy Thanksgiving - Gomez

No Easy Way Out - Robert Tepper

Sunday Morning Coming Down - The Autumn Defense

2010-11-14T09:29:00.004-05:00

"Hello. Is it me you're looking for?"-L.Ritchie

Hey everyone. Sorry for the brief absence but October was quite a busy month for me. I got engaged, started planning the wedding, got our house ready to put on the market, and I had to work on my Halloween costume (see picture below...yes that is a homemade Skeletor costume)

Well i figured this was an appropriate band to play this time of year. As I told you before I got to see these guys live @ The Solid Sound Festival back in August. This particular track is off their newest album that came out earlier this month called Once Around. I've been enjoying it on my way into work the last few weeks. It has a laid back sound with catchy lyrics....perfect for cold, lazy Sunday afternoons. These guys are currently on tour (including some dates opening for Jeff Tweedy) so I highly recommend giving them a shot. Alright I should be back sooner than later. Hope you enjoy the song - Gomez

Every Day

Click here for more info on The Autumn Defense

Wild Card Wednesday! - Mulatu Astatke

2010-09-15T19:56:00.007-04:00

Have you seen the movie Broken Flowers? If not I highly recommend it, if so you'll probably recognize this tune. This song was featured on the "mix tape" that Bill Murray's character (Don) received from Winston for his road trip. If you're unfamiliar with the flick here's a quick synopsis:

The resolutely single Don Johnston has just been dumped by his latest lover, Sherry. Don resigns himself to being alone yet again and left to his own devices. Instead, he is compelled to reflect on his past when he receives by mail a mysterious pink letter. It is from an anonymous former lover and informs him that he has a 19-year-old son who may now be looking for his father. Don is urged to investigate this "mystery" by his closest friend and neighbor, Winston, an amateur sleuth and family man. Hesitant to travel at all, Don nonetheless embarks on a cross-country trek in search of clues from four former flames. Unannounced visits to each of these unique women hold new surprises for Don as he haphazardly confronts both his past and, consequently, his present.

Anyways I don't know too much about this artist (only that he's from Ethiopia and he plays jazz) but I guarantee you'll be humming this tune after a few listens. Enjoy.

Yekermo Sew

Solid Sound Festival 8/13-15

2010-08-29T16:48:00.020-04:00

It's hard to believe that it's been two weeks since the Solid Sound Festival ended. I meant to write something sooner but you know how it goes when you get back from vacation. Over the last two weeks I've been catching up with work, catching up on sleep, and trying to catch some pesky possums that may have been the culprits in wounding our cat. Just in case you were curious two of them were captured last night. Hopefully that will be the end of them...but enough about that; this is a music blog so here we go.

My girlfriend and I arrived at the Mass Moca a little later than expected on Friday night due to some plane delays (no surprise there) Once we arrived on site we were a bit tired but excited to soak in North Adams, the Berkshires and all the music we were about to hear. We pretty much just got our wristbands for the weekend, grabbed some food and checked out some of the Wilco related exhibits (including a poster retrospective) the first night. We did catch a little of Deep Blue Organ Trio's set while we chowed down on some local pizza and refreshed ourselves with a few Magic Hat Wackos. After eating and checking out the lay of the land we decided to head back to our hotel and rest up for a big Saturday.

On Saturday we had about a 20 minute drive into N Adams from Bennington VT (where we were staying) It was a breathtaking drive through the windy roads in the shadows of the mountains. After dealing with 115-120 degree heat index for a few weeks the highs in the 80's was a welcome relief. We arrived just in time to check out one of the comedians, Hannibal Buress. I had seen his name a few times in some magazines and Chris Rock even name checked him on the Howard Stern show so I was pretty excited. Well I feel that he lived up to the hype. He did about a 45 minute set and while there were a few slow points my girlfriend and I did have some laugh out loud moments. We also had a few minutes to check out the Vermont based Mountain Man...Which was actually three women mostly harmonizing, occasional picking up an acoustic guitar. The lady's voices were impressive. We watched about 3 or 4 songs and then decided to check out some of the art exhibits. After that it was time to go see "the big boys" and head out to the vacant field behind the art museum.

We arrived in time to throw down the blanket in a good spot to check out Mavis Staples. As the sun started setting Ms Staples come on stage and after about an hour set acquired many more new fans (including myself) She sang spirituals, original songs (including Jeff Tweedy on guitar for a few tracks or "Tweedy" as she referred to him) and did a great version of The Band classic, "The Weight." After Mavis left the stage we had enough time to get some food and do another beer run before Wilco. They came out opening with "Wilco (The Song) with I believe the same stage effects they had when I saw them in Richmond this past spring. Although it was a cool theater in VA it was a little more awe inspiring with the backdrop of the Berkshire Mountains. The band played a solid 2.5 hour set hitting all the albums (with a few rarities that I've never seen performed live) It was definitely an exciting show for all the Wilco geeks in attendance. After it was over my girlfriend and I had smiles on our faces and headed back to the hotel excited to know that another day of music was ahead of us.

When Sunday came around my girlfriend and I both realized we were going to miss coming to the Mass Moca. It had been a wonderful weekend of great music, food, culture and awesome weather...but we still had one more day to go. We kicked off the day by checking out The Autumn Defense (which includes Wilco members John Stirratt and Pat Sansone)(Well after checking out the Natural Land Bridge up the road) I hadn't heard any of their tunes before, but I enjoy their playing in Wilco so I was excited to hear them. I'd seen them described as a throwback to 70's radio rock drawing comparisons to Neil Young and America. Well the descriptions were spot on. The guys came out and played a mostly acoustic set of original tunes (except one cover by Big Star to end the set) I was pleasantly surprised by Sansone's and Stirratt's side project and look forward to checking out their new CD that I believe comes out in November. After the show we walked to one of the other courtyards to catch a little of The Nels Cline Singers. I'm a huge fan of Nels' guitar work on Wilco records and he's a bit of a maniac onstage which is fun to watch but his side project is more of an experimental jazz trio. Well after a few minutes we decided it wasn't for us so we decided to take one more walk around downtown North Adams.(see Mohawk theater picture above) After killing about an hour we headed back to the field to see Jeff Tweedy solo, the closing show of the festival. (If you look hard at the picture to the left that's Jeff on stage during his solo set)

I'd only seen Jeff Tweedy perform solo once before so I was pretty excited about the show. Once again we secured a nice spot of grass and grabbed one more round of beers to cap off the weekend. He came on and pretty much everybody remained seated so we had a great view of the performance and were able to lay back and soak in almost two hours of originals, covers, and collaborations. Besides a bit of spitting rain during the last performance the weekend was perfect. It consisted of amazing music, good food, no long waits at the beer tents, historic architecture, and gorgeous mountain views. There’s a possibility this won't be the last Solid Sound festival. I'm anxious to see what they come up with next year. Hopefully it will give my girlfriend and I another excuse to head up to the mountains!

I've attached one Jeff Tweedy solo tune and one Wilco track from the festival. To get a copy of the entire shows check out the bt. etree link on the left side of the site.

Simple Twist of Fate - Jeff Tweedy (Bob Dylan Cover)

On and On and On - Wilco

Tribute - Jerry Garcia

2010-08-09T19:28:00.005-04:00

Today marks the 15th anniversary of Jerry Garcia's death. It's hard to believe that he was only 53. Would've been nice if he treated his body a little better. Who knows how many more great tunes we'd have to enjoy. I guess we'll never know, but he did leave plenty of amazing tunes for us to digest. Thanks for the great music. Here's one of my favorites.

All the years combine
they melt into a dream
A broken angel sings
from a guitar
In the end there's just a song
comes crying like the wind
through all the broken dreams
and vanished years

Stella Blue

When all the cards are down
there's nothing left to see
There's just the pavement left
and broken dreams
In the end there's still that song
comes crying like the wind
down every lonely street
that's ever been

Stella Blue

I've stayed in every blue-light cheap hotel
Can't win for trying
Dust off those rusty strings just
one more time
Gonna make em shine

It all rolls into one
and nothing comes for free
There's nothing you can hold
for very long
And when you hear that song
come crying like the wind
it seems like all this life
was just a dream
Stella Blue

Stella Blue - Live

Sunday Morning Coming Down - Bob Dylan

2010-08-08T19:28:00.004-04:00

Ah yes here we go again, another Sunday night. Not to rub it in but I've got a short week coming up. My girlfriend and i are headed up to Massachusetts at the end of the week to catch the Solid Sound Festival . I'll report on how it went when I come back.

There's a few reasons why I selected this track tonight, one being that i hadn't heard this song for awhile. The second was this album was released in 1978. Hey that's the year I was born and my birthday is this week so happy birthday to me! Hope you enjoy the tune. Maybe I'll be introduced to some new bands at the festival that I can post about. Till next time......

Senor (Tales of Yankee Power)

Wild Card Wednesday! - The Zombies

2010-08-04T17:23:00.004-04:00

I was a huge Monkees fan growing up. I had a few of their albums and I never missed the TV show when they used to play it on Nickelodeon. Anyways these guys remind me of that genre of music. (I'm guessing they were one of the influences for the Monkees)

I don't know about you but one of my favorite parts about the Zombie's music is the high involvement of the organ. Why this isn't more present in today's music I'll never know.

Alright hope you enjoy today's 60's flashback post.

I Want You Back Again

Sunday Morning Coming Down - The Gin Blossoms

2010-08-01T10:51:00.005-04:00

I'm not sure how some people are able to sit at their desks all day and not listen to the radio. I found out that I was a bit of a minority at work because I actually listen to music/talk radio to make the day pass by a little faster. Sure I sometimes have to turn down the volume to concentrate or talk to a higher up but other than those times I need the constant noise.

I kind of got tired bringing in CD's everyday so I stumbled upon a few radio shows I enjoy online.

The other day I came across CBS radio with a station category called Class Reunion.(we're not allowed to download Pandora) They have every year from 1960 to 2007. Anyways once you click on your preferred year you'll only hear music from that year. I went ahead and clicked on 1996. I was pleasantly surprised to hear a mix of rock, R&B, rap and pop. Anyways it kind of brought me back to the high school years and one of the bands that had the most rotation during this time was the Gin Blossoms.

I actually got to see these guys play almost two years ago at the Charleston Fair. I was a little surprised when I saw them on the fair schedule. Usually it's some past contestant from American Idol or a country star that may have had one hit song. The fair can be kind of a creepy place but my girlfriend and I ventured off on a Thursday night to see what the boys sounded like. The icing on the cake was that we had free passes to get in. I didn't have high expectations but when the band hit the stage they sounded exactly like they did in 1995. I had forgotten how many hits these guys had. You could tell they were having a good time. They even made a few jokes about themselves playing the "fair circuit." After about the third song someone in the audience yelled "Hey Jealousy." the singer responded by saying, “Sir we actually don’t get paid unless we play that song. So don't worry." Alright here's one that you'll probably recognize. I’ve also included a link to the Reunion Radio. I think you'll enjoy checking out your year.

Until I Fall Away

Class Reunion Radio

Back To The Future - The Smashing Pumpkins

2010-07-18T17:34:00.010-04:00

It's hard to believe that's it been 16 years since I last saw The Smashing Pumpkins perform live. I was 15 years old and it was the first of three Lollapalooza’s that I attended. At the time I was most excited to catch the Beastie Boys and A Tribe Called Quest...neither of which disappointed. The Pumpkins were the headliners that year so by the time they got on stage I was wiped out. I don't particularly remember anything special about the show (I remember it being so crowded during the Beastie Boys that my feet were actually off the ground because of the movement of the audience-still the most frightened I've been in a crowd) although I do remember many nights listening to Siamese Dream on my disc man trying to fall asleep.

Since that time I've been a casual fan of the band, pretty much just knowing the hits. When I saw that they were back together (well Billy Corgan and three new people) and coming to Charleston I felt the urge to check it out. After all they were playing in a club downtown that holds less than 1000 people.

So last night my girlfriend and I ventured off to the music farm.(after stopping by Mia Pomodori for some delicious calzones) For this tour the pumpkins had two opening bands. We timed it just right to get to the venue right before the second band started. Hey I'm all for seeing opening bands but two is pushing it. Anyways the place wasn't too full so we went into the "pit" area of the club and checked out Kill Hannah. I hadn't heard of them before the show. The guys sounded pretty good but the singer reminded me of a young Corey Feldman (from the Dream a Little Dream era) so it was a little distracting. so after they got off the stage the place was increasingly getting more crowded (part of it was the smokers decided to come back in and join the fun) anyways it's a little warm in these parts as it is but once you stick a 1000 people in small quarters it's like a sauna. After being pushed and pulled for 15 minutes my girlfriend and I decided to retreat towards the back to catch the show. One thing that I noticed was that the last 15 years haven't been kind to some of the alternative boys. There were plenty of overweight guys with facial hair holding onto three- four beers cruising through the crowd... i wouldn't really care that much but after about 20 of them "squeezed" by us sharing their sweat and beer i was a bit annoyed.

Once we found a decent spot with a little more breathing room the pumpkins came on. The band opened with a new track that sounded pretty good. They played a few new tunes throughout the set mixing in some familiar ones for us old school/causal fans. He even had a rant calling out Collective Soul saying they ripped off his band. Kind of crazy that's he’s still holding a grudge against them. I 'm not really sure that they're around anymore. Anyways the old songs sounded good but weren't really that "tight". In fact they were a bit sloppy/garage band sounding. It almost felt like Billy knew he kind of had to play some of these songs but he hurried through them to get to the new stuff. I understand you want to move on from the past but when I saw Springsteen two years ago the guy still plays Born to Run like it's a recent top 1o smash. Overall I'd give the show a positive review. The venue's not my favorite because no matter where you stand you're constantly moving out of someone’s way. But once we got past that we had a really good time. The only thing that would've made the show complete was if they ended with Tonight, Tonight. I'd been following the set lists for the last few shows and they've played it every time. Well I guess they just didn't feel like it last night, which is cool but still a little disappointing. So anyways I figured I'll go ahead and post it tonight. Hope you enjoy.

Tonight, Tonight

Happy Birthday Jack White!

2010-07-09T17:50:00.003-04:00

I flipped my music calendar today and discovered today is Mr. White's 35th birthday. Here's a little live track back from 2000 and one from the Conquest EP. I just watched the Under Great White Northern Lights documentary a few nights ago. If you're a fan it's worth checking out. Hopefully they'll reform one of these days so i can see them live. Have a good weekend.

When I Hear My Name - Live

It's My Own Fault For Being Famous -featuring Beck

Happy Birthday Ringo!

2010-07-07T21:16:00.005-04:00

Peace and love! Peace and love! Happy 70th birthday Ringo. Here's one of my favorite tracks featuring the birthday boy on vocals (Sorry Octopus Garden fans). I'm sure most of you have this one already but if not...enjoy!

With A Little Help From My Friends

Soundtrack Week - Saturday Night Fever

2010-06-27T13:54:00.004-04:00

“Would you just watch the hair? You know, I work on my hair a long time and you hit it. He hits my hair.” - Ah yes my favorite line from this classic flick. In case you don't know here's a brief synopsis of the movie:

Nineteen-year-old Brooklyn native Tony Manero lives for Saturday nights at the local disco, where he's king of the club, thanks to his stylish moves on the dance floor. But outside of the club, things don't look so rosy. At home, Tony fights constantly with his father and has to compete with his family's starry-eyed view of his older brother, a priest. Nor can he find satisfaction at his dead-end job at a paint store. However, things begin to change when he spies Stephanie in the disco and starts training with her for the club's dance competition. Stephanie dreams of the world beyond Brooklyn, and her plans to move to the big city just over the bridge soon change Tony's life forever.

I hope you enjoyed soundtrack week. till next time...

More Than A Woman - Bee Gees

Soundtrack Week - Pulp Fiction

2010-06-24T20:43:00.006-04:00

Royale with cheese, Bring out the Gimp, Zed's Dead, Get the shot!...this movie has so many quotable lines. This is definitely my favorite movie from the 90's.Just in case you haven't seen this (if not rent it this weekend) here's a brief description....

Jules Winnfield and Vincent Vega are two hitmen who are out to retrieve a suitcase stolen from their employer, mob boss Marsellus Wallace. Wallace has also asked Vincent to take his wife Mia out a few days later when Wallace himself will be out of town. Butch Coolidge is an aging boxer who is paid by Wallace to lose his next fight. The lives of these seemingly unrelated people are woven together comprising of a series of funny, bizarre and uncalled-for incidents.

Flowers on the Wall - The Statler Brothers

Soundtrack Week - Once

2010-06-22T21:26:00.004-04:00

I didn't quite know what to expect when we threw this one in the DVD player but after a few minutes I was fully invested in the flick. I'm not the best at summarizing movies so in case you missed this one, here's what the Internet has to say:

An (unnamed) Guy is a Dublin guitarist/singer-songwriter who makes a living by fixing vacuum cleaners in his Dad's Hoover repair shop by day, and singing and playing for money on the Dublin streets by night. An (unnamed) Girl is a Czech who plays piano when she gets a chance, and does odd jobs by day and takes care of her mom and her daughter by night. Guy meets Girl, and they get to know each other as the Girl helps the Guy to put together a demo disc that he can take to London in hope of landing a music contract. During the same several day period, the Guy and the Girl work through their past loves, and reveal their budding love for one another, through their songs

I think after checking out this song you'll put this one on your queue......Enjoy.

Falling Slowly - The Swell Season

Soundtrack Week - Over The Top

2010-06-21T20:57:00.005-04:00

For my money this is the best arm wrestling movie ever made. If you've never seen the movie here's what Imbd had to say....Lincoln Hawk (Stallone) is a struggling trucker who's trying to rebuild his life. After the death of his wife, he tries to make amends with his son who he left behind years earlier. Upon their first meeting, his son doesn't think too highly of him until he enters the nation-wide arm wrestling competition in Las Vegas.
Wow I may go dust off my VHS copy and watch this bad boy tonight!

The soundtrack featured heavy hitters like Sammy Hagar, Eddie Money, Frank Stallone, and this man...the king of the 80's soundtrack, Kenny Loggins. Turn it up!

Meet Me Halfway

Sunday Morning Coming Down - Death Cab For Cutie

2010-05-23T15:11:00.004-04:00

Good Afternoon. I just started listening to these guys at the end of last year. I was home one Saturday night watching PBS (Pretty Rock N Roll huh?) Anyways I started watching Soundstage just to see who was on and instead of changing the channel I stayed put for the whole hour. Well most of you probably were devotees for awhile but if not I recommend giving them a listen. Hope to be back sooner than later.

Brothers On A Hotel Bed

Wild Card Wednesday - Apple Gabriel

2010-04-21T20:07:00.003-04:00

I don't know about you but once the days get longer and the temperature starts climbing I like to pull out the ole reggae Cd's. This track was from a compilation that came out a few years ago. Sometimes the tribute albums can be a bit lame but I feel that this one has more winners than losers. Here's a new take on an old classic.

The Times They Are A-Changin'

Soul Music Sunday - Marvin Gaye

2010-04-11T19:45:00.003-04:00

So after posting so much in February I decided to take off the month of March. I really try to post a couple times a month but stuff happens. I went to a pretty cool show since we last saw each other. I had the pleasure of seeing "An Evening With Wilco" at the National Theater in Richmond, VA. If you didn't hear about the tour they did a handful of dates with no opening band. They ended up being on stage over three hours and the show included about a 10 song acoustic set. Oh yeah on top of that they were playing small theaters so i got to witness this with only 1500 other people. Alright let's end this weekend on a good note. I hope you enjoy this weeks edition of Soul Music Sunday.

What's Happening Brother

Sunday Morning Coming Down - The Jayhawks

2010-02-21T19:20:00.003-05:00

It's been awhile since we've seen these guys in the dojo. I regret that I never had a chance to see them live. Apparently they get back together from time to time but for now nothing is permanent. I never thought I would say this but I have to go watch Extreme Home Makeover. I've never been able to stomach a whole episode but KISS is on tonight so it should be entertaining. Till next time.....

All The Right Reasons

Color Me Badd at the Peach Pit

2010-02-14T19:58:00.001-05:00

Love Week - REO Speedwagon

2010-02-14T10:57:00.003-05:00

So this post will wrap up Love Week. I hope you enjoyed the posts this past week. This is the most I've posted in quite some time so i had fun as well. I've learned that once i post the songs to sendspace they are only good for two weeks...so if you see something you like make sure to scoop it up.

Let's end the week with one of my favorites. I hope everyone has a Happy Valentine's Day.

Love,

Gomez

Keep On Loving You

Love Week - Color Me Badd

2010-02-14T10:40:00.003-05:00

Oh Yeah. This one goes out to all the ladies! Happy Valentine's Day.

I Adore Mi Amor

Love Week - Talking Heads

2010-02-13T11:59:00.003-05:00

I know some of you may be sick of this winter weather but us Charlestonians got our first taste of snow accumulation in 10 years last night. We had a little bit of time to enjoy the snow this morning but it's melting rapidly as we speak.

Alright let's continue this week's theme with some Talking Heads.

This one's not too happy and not too sad. I'll hit you with some mushy stuff tomorrow.

Love->Building On Fire

Love Week - Neil Young

2010-02-12T17:04:00.004-05:00

The first day we celebrated love. The second day we lost love. Well today we're going to brush ourselves off and start all over again. Mr. Young is a bit better with the words than me so I'll let him do the rest of the talking. Enjoy.

Lookin' For A Love

Love Week - Jeff Tweedy

2010-02-11T20:59:00.005-05:00

So I hope everyone enjoyed the uplifting tunes from yesterday. I know that some of you won't be celebrating Valentine's Day this year, so if that's the case this one's for you. The album version of this tune can be found on Golden Smog's Weird Tales Album. I decided to hook you guys up with the live solo acoustic version. Enjoy!

Lost Love

Love Week - Lionel Richie

2010-02-10T18:36:00.005-05:00

I'm a little far behind on Love week so I decided to do an unprecedented two posts in one day!

So you can't have a love week without featuring The King of the 80's Love song! Here's a little Lionel.

Penny Lover

Love Week - Air Supply

2010-02-10T18:15:00.004-05:00

So as you all know Valentine's Day is just around the corner. Some are excited, some are depressed, and some don't really care. Well I guess I've experienced each one of those feelings over the years. This week in the dojo the keyword is "love". I'll be going though my collection and picking out songs that have "Love" in the title. Some will be happy and some well, not so much. So no matter how you feel about the upcoming holiday i hope you can relate to some of the tunes.

"The beating of my heart is a drum and it's lost
And it's looking for a rhythm like you
You can take the darkness from the pit of the night
And turn into a beacon burning endlessly bright "

Oh yeah this is a good one. Enjoy!

Making Love Out Of Nothing At All

Sunday Morning Coming Down - Gladys Knight And The Pips

2010-02-07T13:27:00.005-05:00

One of my favorite songs from this crew. I think it fits the Sunday theme quite well. Till next time....

Neither One Of Us (Wants To Be The First To Say Goodbye)

Two For Tuesday - Beck

2010-01-26T20:23:00.003-05:00

Greetings. I know I've been a bit out of the picture for the last few months so tonight i decided to reward the dojo with two slammin tracks. The first song can be found on 1998's Mutations Album and the second song can be found on the Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind soundtrack. I just recently found out that this a cover from 1980 by a band called The Korgis. Enjoy the tunes...

Tropicalia

Everybody's Got To Learn Sometime

RIP - Teddy Pendergrass

2010-01-14T19:35:00.006-05:00

The front cover of my Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes CD says that it "Features the Incomparable Teddy Pendergrass." I agree, he was one of the best voices in soul music. Rest in peace.

Don't Leave Me This Way

Click here for more info on Teddy Pendergrass

Chewbacca Sings Silent Night

2009-12-22T22:25:00.001-05:00

Merry Christmas!!

Sunday Morning Coming Down - Peter Tosh

2009-12-20T18:15:00.003-05:00

Happy Sunday. Hopefully most of you have short work weeks to look forward too. It's beginning to feel and look a lot more like Christmas here on the east coast. I suppose i can't complain too much, but 30 degrees is cold for us Charleston people. Not too rub it in but a week ago i was basking in 90 degree weather in Costa Rica. Anyways i figured some tropical music would help everyone envision warmer days to come. Merry Christmas and happy holidays! Hope to see you next Year - Gomez

Can't You See - Acoustic Version

Happy Birthday Tom Waits!

2009-12-07T22:26:00.004-05:00

Today Tom Wait's turns 60. Happy Birthday Tom!

Poncho's Lament - Live 1974

Getting In the Holiday Spirit - Bob Dylan

2009-12-06T20:46:00.003-05:00

Hard to believe it's already December. Today my girlfriend and I got in the Christmas spirit by putting up the tree and decorating the house. Just in case some of you aren't feeling festive, I decided to post a song off Bob Dylan's new Christmas Album ...and if that doesn't do it hopefully this picture with Nancy Reagan on Mr. T's lap will work. Have a nice week...

I'll Be Home For Christmas

Two For Tuesday - Willie and KISS

2009-11-17T20:25:00.009-05:00

Hello Hello. So a few weeks back i mentioned having a special weekend of music. Well as you can see from the pictures ,that weekend included a Willie Nelson Show in Charleston on Friday and a Kiss concert in Greenville on Saturday. Both shows were memorable for different reasons. First up was Willie. I've been fortunate enough to see Willie now on four different occasions. Willie sounded stronger and played faster than he did when i saw him three years ago. He sticks to a similar set list each time throwing in 3 or 4 recent recordings. I think the coolest thing about this particular show was that we scored 9th row center seats. This was the closet I've been at one of his shows (check out the picture my girlfriend snapped)

Next up was Kiss. Now this was my first Kiss show so i was very excited. i don't think I've ever posted Kiss in the short history of this site but I've been a loyal Kiss Army member for the last 10 years. For this particular show we were able to score floor seats. i must say that the show exceeded my expectations. it's hard to put into words how exciting a Kiss show is. It's just something every concert fan should experience. My girlfriend knew about 4 Kiss sings before going and she agreed it may have been the best show she's ever been too. the show still has all the classic Kiss staples: Blood spitting, Fire Breathing, rockets flying out of guitars, fireworks, confetti, Gene flying to the rafters, and of course Paul's pep talks between songs. Oh yeah I've also included a picture of my girlfriend and I from the show and a picture of ole Starchild performing the song below. Alright enough of the talking, let's here some tunes!

Loving Her Was Easier (Than Anything I'll Ever Do Again) - Live

Love Gun - Live

Happy Birthday Weird Al!

2009-10-23T20:32:00.005-04:00

Happy Friday! Last weekend i had the pleasure of seeing two incredible shows....but I'll post about that in the near future. Today Weird AL is 50 so i figured it was only proper to salute the man. I grew up with tracks like Fat, Like A Surgeon, Yoda, Eat It, Living With A Hernia, etc. I even remember going to the theatres to see UHF. About three years ago i actually caught Al on tour (during the White and Nerdy era) and it was lots of fun. He had multiple costume changes, video intermissions, and played all the hits. Anyways happy Birthday Al!. Have a good weekend everyone!

You're Pitiful - (Parody of You're Beautiful - James Blunt)

Click here for more info on Weird Al Yankovic

Weird Al Yankovic-Eat It

2009-10-23T20:32:00.001-04:00

Wild Card Wednesday! - The Beatles

2009-10-07T20:50:00.004-04:00

Peace and love everybody! Well unless you've been living under a rock for the past couple of months you've noticed that once again The Beatles are back on the top of the charts. I'll admit that I've gotten a little caught up in the madness and one by one I'm building up my Beatles collection. Anyways here's a tune from the remastered version of The White Album.

Happiness Is A Warm Gun

Click here for more info on The Beatles

Ringo Starr says he's too busy to sign autographs

2009-10-07T20:44:00.001-04:00

Sunday Morning Coming Down - Kris Kristofferson

2009-09-27T20:06:00.005-04:00

Happy Sunday everyone. Unfortunately it's been a rough Sunday for us Redskins fans. Oh well there's always next year.

So I figured it was about time to give props to the song that gave these posts their namesake. Hope you enjoy....

Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down

Click here for more info on Kris Kristofferson

Happy Birthday Bruuuuuuuce!

2009-09-23T21:59:00.006-04:00

As most of you know today is Mr. Springsteen's 60th birthday. I was witness to Bruce and the E street band last year and even though he's now 60, he's definitely not slowing down. Speaking of slowing down, tonight's track is off 1982's acoustic album Nebraska . It was a bit rainy in Charleston today so i felt a track from this album would be appropriate. till next time.....

Nebraska

Click here for more info on Bruce Springsteen

"Do you like Phil Collins?" - Patrick Bateman

2009-09-11T17:34:00.004-04:00

I realize ole Pat Bateman is more of a Sussudio guy but i bet he'd also appreciate this tune from the Against All Odds Soundtrack. Have a great weekend everyone. Go Skins!

Against All Odds (Take A Look At Me Now) - Phil Collins

Click here for more info on Phil Collins

Click here for more info on American Psycho (The Movie)

Grab Bag Tuesday - Tom Waits

2009-09-08T22:30:00.004-04:00

Good evening. I hope everyone had a nice Labor Day weekend. I had a very relaxing time laying around in a lake, drinking beer, listening to music, and hanging out with friends. Today was back to the grind so forgive me for being a bit tired (and a touch lazy) tonight. I didn't have anything in particular in mind to play tonight so I closed my eyes and ran my hands over my CD wall and Blue Valentine was in my grasp when my eyes opened. I couldn't have picked a better one with three open eyes. Hope you enjoy the tune. Till next time...

Romeo Is Bleeding

Click here for more info on Tom Waits

Sunday Morning Coming Down - Ryan Adams

2009-08-30T16:59:00.005-04:00

I've never read it anywhere but I have a sneaking suspicion that this tune was heavily influenced by the 80's classic Beetlejuice. If you're familiar with the movie (if not, shame on you) check out the song and try to prove me wrong. Whether it is or not it's still a hell of a catchy tune. Hopefully Ryan decides to come out of retirement soon. Till then we've got this track from 2003's Love Is Hell (Part 1) EP to enjoy.

This House is Not For Sale

Click here for more info on Ryan Adams

It's Alive! -Grateful Dead

2009-08-22T12:41:00.004-04:00

In the words of Neil Diamond, "Hello Again." So after 7 plus years my trusty PC called it quits. I got some crazy viruses that i couldn't shake so i thought it was a great excuse to buy a new laptop. So this is kind of exciting for me being the first post on my new computer. This may also lead to more frequent posts (although I'm not promising anything) since i can do this from the comfort of my own couch.

Alright since this is my first post i thought I'd share my favorite Dead song with you. You can find the album version of this tune on the great Wake Of The Flood Album. For today though we're going to hear the live version from 12/19/73. enjoy...

Stella Blue

Click here for more info in the Grateful Dead

Sunday Morning Coming Down - The Carter Family

2009-08-02T21:01:00.004-04:00

A very special lady passed away a little over a week ago. She was well loved and meant a great deal to many people (including me). One of the things I love about music is that there is a song for every occasion. As I was going through my collection I came across many songs about death and the various interpretations of an afterlife. After narrowing it down I felt this was the best way to honor this particular person. She was a god-fearing woman with a love for country music. Anyways I think she would approve of this selection. Have a good night everyone.

Can The Circle Be Unbroken?

Click here for more info on The Carter Family

Sunday Morning Coming Down - Willie Nelson

2009-07-19T15:01:00.007-04:00

Well it's a little over 100 degrees today so I'm happy the ac is working. The Wilco/VA trip went on without a hitch. The show was definitely worth the trip and reconnecting with old friends is always a plus. Wolf trap was a perfect setting for the experience. The weather was in the upper 60's, the stars were bright and Wilco sounded better than ever. Since I'm by no means a professional writer click here for a pretty solid review of the show. All i would add is that if the boys come to your town this summer or fall check em out because you won't be let down.

Alright let's get to today's post. For me Willie Nelson is the ultimate "Tear in my Beer" troubadour. His voice and deliver are so calming. Despite all the hardships he always provides a sense of hope in his songs. I really enjoyed two of his 90's albums. The first one being Spirit which goes back to the Red Headed Stranger era with just Willie on his acoustic guitar and sister Bobbie on the piano (and i little fiddle thrown in for good measure). For today we'll listen to a track from the follow up album, Teatro. This one has a little more instrumentation and was produced by Daniel Lanois. If you're a fan of the late 90's/current Dylan records I think you'll dig this CD. Oh yeah did i mention Emmylou Harris sings back up on most of the tracks? Enjoy the rest of your Sunday...............

Somebody Pick Up My Pieces

Click here for more info on Willie Nelson

Wilco Countdown

2009-07-06T20:52:00.003-04:00

Alright gang we've come to the end of the countdown. Tomorrow afternoon I'll be hitting the road for the big show. I had a rough day of going to the beach and napping yesterday so once again I'm playing catch up tonight. Here's a couple tracks from Being There & A.M. Till we meet again.......

Sunken Treasure

Box Full Of Letters

Wilco Countdown

2009-07-04T13:19:00.004-04:00

Happy 4th everyone! So today we're going to take a trip back to 1999 with a track off Summerteeth. This album featured very dark lyrics sometimes hidden by upbeat and poppy instrumentation. It was definitely a departure from the "rootsey" Being There & AM albums (we'll get to those in the coming days) It was also an introduction to the more experimental stuff that would later appear on Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. I'd suspect a lot of that influence came from the late Jay Bennett. Well I'm off to have some fun and i hope you are too. Till next time!!

In A Future Age

Wilco Countdown

2009-07-03T17:32:00.004-04:00

I got a bit tied up yesterday so today we'll go ahead and represent two albums, A Ghost is Born & Yankee Hotel Foxtrot.

The first time i saw Wilco i drove down to Norfolk from Richmond to a club called The Norva. I was about 10 feet from the stage and the guys played about a 3 three hour show with two encores (the picture to the left is from that performance). I'd put it in the top 5 live shows that I've attended. Enjoy the tunes. Tomorrow the countdown continues!!

Handshake Drugs

Kamera

Wilco Countdown

2009-07-01T18:24:00.005-04:00

Hey Hey. Well if you're playing along with me at home you would know that today I'll be posting something from 2007's Sky Blue Sky CD. This was the first album to feature the man to your left, Mr. Nels Cline. I must say that he has brought an incredible amount of energy and passion to the live shows and in my opinion has been a great addition to the band. He definitely looks like a man possessed when it's time for his solos, you've got to see it live! That being said, the track i picked from this album doesn't showcase much of his contributions but instead this is a stripped down, relaxed acoustic based tune.(I'm a sucker for the old steel strings) Till next time.

Sky Blue Sky

Countdown To Wilco

2009-06-30T19:36:00.007-04:00

Hello again. I'm guessing by this point everyone has had their fill of Micheal Jackson music? Well let's go ahead and dive into some other stuff. As far as the title is concerned....exactly one week from tomorrow i will be in DC seeing Wilco at the sold out Wolf Trap! As you can imagine I'm pretty excited. I was also excited driving to the record store today to pick up the new CD entitled Wilco (the album). I had a chance to listen to the CD a few times thanks to Wilco & NPR streaming the CD for free over the last few weeks. So although i heard it before i was anxious to get it into my grubby palms.

I suppose the theme for this week's posts will be Wilco (the discography). I'm going to post my favorite track from all of Wilco's studio albums (excluding the Mermaid Avenue albums & the live Kicking television Album-Hey, i just thought of this idea and i only have so many days) in chronological order going from newest to oldest.

Well i haven't had long to digest the new album but so far four or five tracks have been catching my attention. At this time the one below is the one I've gone back to the most. Enjoy!

Please note: I'm going to start taking down some of the old tracks so act fast!

One Wing

Click here for more info on Wilco

R.I.P Michael Jackson

2009-06-25T19:38:00.005-04:00

Holy cow, talk about stealing Farrah Fawcett's thunder. I was running on the treadmill around 5:30 this afternoon and saw that Michael Jackson was rushed to the hospital and the next thing i know he passed away.

It was hard not to be a MJ fan growing up in the 80's. i remember i would get so excited when MTV would show the Thriller video. Back then it was a huge event. I liked some of the tracks off Bad as well but Thriller was always my favorite. I also grew to appreciate his stuff with the Jackson 5. i can't think of any other bands with such a young singer that adults actually enjoy.(Sorry Miley). too bad his legacy was a bit tarnished with all the court cases. well i guess all we have now is the music and lucky for us he left behind some great stuff.. Now everybody sing it with me - Jamone, Hee-Hee!!!!

Never Can Say Goodbye - The Jackson 5

Human Nature

Sunday Morning Coming Down - The Rolling Stones

2009-06-21T14:23:00.004-04:00

Happy father's day everybody. For today's pick i figured we'd listen to a laid back track off the classic Sticky Fingers album. I have a feeling that these guys have had some rough Sunday mornings. Enjoy.

Moonlight Mile

Click here for more info on The Stones

Two For Tuesday - Weezer

2009-06-16T20:08:00.004-04:00

No words of wisdom tonight gang, i am beat. Hope you enjoy the tunes.

The Good Life

Slob

Click here for more info on Weezer

Two For Tuesday - The Replacements

2009-06-09T21:17:00.004-04:00

Hey gang. Welcome back to another edition of Two for Tuesday. Well I'm a big fan of these guys's music but I don't think I would’ve liked to hang with the band in their "prime." I think you'd agree with me after reading the book Our Band Could Be Your Life. This book explains the beginnings (and endings) of some of the most influential bands that never quite crossed over into mainstream super stardom. It also includes stories about Black Flag, Minor Threat, Dinosaur Jr, and a few more. Bye for now...

Favorite Thing

Talent Show

Click here for more info on The Replacements

Wild Card Wednesday! - Waylon Jennings

2009-06-03T20:21:00.005-04:00

Hello...Hello again (sorry i was just listening to some Cars) Anyways happy WILD CARD WEDNESDAY everybody. I figured for today's post we'd get a little country. Here's some late 70's era Waylon. Turn it up!

I've Always Been Crazy

Click here for more info on Waylon Jennings

Bridging The Gap - Bruce Springsteen

2009-05-27T19:43:00.005-04:00

Hello again and welcome to another addition of "Bridging The Gap." If you were a Cobra Kai follower last year you may remember that I already did a Springsteen edition. Well as most of you know the man came out with another album so the gap grew larger.
I've always been a fan of this first song but it really hit home for me this past December. I was in the North Carolina Mountains with my girlfriend and a few other friends just jumping from small town to small town. This was the first time I've seen that part of the state so it was a bit of an adventure. Well after we stopped at various outlooks and a few gin halls we were on our way to our final destination (in case you were wondering it was Saluda for some dinner) anyways the air was cold, the sky was dark, and I had a mellow buzz from the beers I just had. This song popped on out of nowhere on a local community radio station (I can't recall the name at the time). Anyways it was the perfect soundtrack to the evening.

As far as the second song goes it's plays at the end of the movie The Wrestler. (Which was one of my favorite flicks from the past year) alright that's all I got for now. Hope you enjoy. Till next time

Spirit in the Night
The Wrestler

Click here for more info on Bruce Springsteen

Two For Tuesday - Neil Young

2009-05-20T18:44:00.004-04:00

No i haven't gone crazy, i realize today is Wednesday. i meant to post these tunes last night but i lost track of time. Hope you enjoy.

For you Wilco fans check out the new album being streamed for free here.

Love In Mind (live)

See The Sky About To Rain

Click here for more info on Neil Young

Sunday Morning Coming Down - Pink Floyd

2009-05-10T13:53:00.003-04:00

Good afternoon everyone and happy mother's day! It's kind of an overcast day with scattered showers and thunderstorms here in ole Charleston. I live on the 12th floor of an apartment building that overlooks the harbor so it’s pretty amazing watching a storm roll in. I felt that this song featured on 1971's Meddle is an appropriate choice to help "weather" the storm. Enjoy.

A Pillow of Winds

Click here for more info on Pink Floyd

Tuesdays With Dylan

2009-05-05T20:20:00.004-04:00

Hello again. So as i mentioned before I'm not going to post as much as i did last year but i would like to keep some of the same "themes" i had going. I always looked forward to doing these posts because i got to scan through my collection and pick one or two tracks that were speaking to me that particular week. I'm still trying to get used to writing these things so "bear" with me as i scrape off the rust.

I haven't purchased the new Dylan album. to be honest with you I'm still trying to digest Modern Times. I'm sure I'll get around to it eventually. Oh well for this week's Dylan lets go back to 1971. You can find the version of this track on The Bootleg Series Volumes 1-3. Enjoy.

Wallflower

Sunday Morning Coming Down - Nick Drake

2009-05-03T19:52:00.007-04:00

Happy Sunday evening everyone! So i had intentions of posting more frequently but here we are about a month since my last post. Hey that's better then a year i suppose. I don't know about you but sometime Sunday nights are a bit of a downer. It seems like the weekend just started and here we are again face to face with Monday morning. Oh well i can't complain since some of my friends (and probably some of you) don't have a job to wake up to in the morning so things could be worse. Well they say misery loves company so here's a perfect tune for "celebrating" this Sunday evening. See you soon.

River Man

Click here for more info on Nick Drake

Goodnight Rose?

2009-04-07T19:52:00.005-04:00

Welcome back everybody! After almost a year of hibernation i decided to start posting again. I found another free upload service so as long as this one stays put I'll be bringing you the jams. I've been to a decent amount of shows since our last visit but the most recent one i attended was the Ryan Adams & the Cardinals "retirement show" at the Fox Theatre in Atlanta. First off I'd like to say that the show was amazing. It was one of those shows that you hoped would go all night. Unfortunately the Fox has a curfew so we only got about 2.5 hours of tunes. For a few weeks it appeared that Ryan was thinking about giving up music for good but as time went on it seemed that he was just retiring the Cardinals. Well I for one hope that the guy's not done with music and i look forward to seeing what happens next. For your listening pleasure here's the final song of the first Cardinals show i attended on 7/27/06 in Myrtle Beach, SC. Hope you enjoy.

What Sin (Live)

Click here for more info on Ryan Adams

Cinderella- Don't know What You Got (Till It's Gone)

2008-05-11T13:42:00.001-04:00

Thanks again for checking out my site.
xoxo - Gomez

Time to Move On?

2008-05-11T13:30:00.001-04:00

Well gang somebody cue the " sad walking away music" from the The Incredible Hulk. I went to post some songs today and my file sharing service "upgraded" to a new website. Apparently anyone how had a free service lost all of their files (with me being one of them) Kind of frustrating because i had about 100 songs that were lost. I went to the new system and from what i could gather you need to pay for a subscription to upload tracks. I've had a great time doing this but I'm not going to pay for it..sorry. I'd like to thank everyone who has "Stepped into my world" for the last year and half. i plan on seeking out a new free file sharing service but things are kind of crazy right now so it may be awhile. if anyone has any recommendations please shot me an email. I'm sure we'll meet again.............bye for now.

Punk Monday! - Operation Ivy

2008-05-05T20:13:00.004-04:00

I felt like hearing some punk instead of metal tonight....I'm sure most of you won't mind. I first heard these guys when I as in high school (almost ten years after they released their last album) This CD is still a "must bring" for me when i go on long road trips. it provides a little charge while cruising up and down ole' I-95. Enjoy!

Knowledge

Sound System

Click here for more info on Operation Ivy

Bruuuuuuuuuuce!!!!

2008-04-30T21:06:00.004-04:00

Well it's official...I've now been witness to a Bruce Springsteen & The E street Band concert! Click here for the set list and a little write up on the show (i was at the 4/27/08 Charlotte show) The whole night was filled with incredible music but a few standouts for me where Candy's Room, The Promised Land, Born to Run (of course), and the first single off the new record, Radio Nowhere....what an amazing song live. It's a spot on commentary on the state of pop music today. The set list pleased both young and old Bruce fans by hitting tracks from all the E Street Band albums. It was a packed house in Charlotte and everywhere you looked people were smiling, dancing, and shaking their heads in disbelief about what they were experiencing. You never know if a band is going to "mail in" a show but these guys played like they still had something to prove. They've been playing Born to Run at least 100 times a year for the last 30plus years and it still sounds fresh..you could tell they enjoyed what they were doing and for me that's what makes the difference between an okay show and a show that you'll never forget. The crowd was bouncing around all night but when Badlands kicked in the whole Coliseum was on it's feet. Then came the encore which featured Thunder Road and Born to Run, wow! The current state of pop music is a bit depressing these days so it was refreshing to be in the presence off a true rock star...which unfortunately seems to be a dying breed....oh yeah Happy 75th Birthday Willie Nelson! I'll play some of his stuff later on in the week.

Radio Nowhere

Candy's Room (Live)

Bruce Springsteen - Radio Nowhere

2008-04-30T21:05:00.001-04:00

Bruuuuuuuuuuuuuuce Week!

2008-04-24T18:04:00.003-04:00

Tonight i figured we'd take a listen to a few songs from my first live Springsteen experience. The first track was the concert opener. It's a great version of the track with Bruce on the pump organ.(note the song kicks in at the 2min 30sec mark) As a bonus I've included an acoustic version of Lonesome Day from the same show. Here you go, live from The Richmond Coliseum 10/24/05!

My Beautiful Reward - Live

Lonesome Day - Live

Bruuuuuuuuuce Week!

2008-04-22T22:32:00.006-04:00

Okay I'll admit i have a bit of a sickness. I bet i could go through my entire CD collection and tell what store and what city i purchased the album in and be 99% accurate. This is Bruce week so lets talk about when i purchased the Nebraska Album.

I was living in Richmond, VA (this was about 4 years ago) and i went up to Fredericksburg for a friend's grandma's wake. This was during the middle of the week and i had to work the next day so i had to head back that same night. After the wake i went out with some friends for dinner and i had a beer or two so i was pretty relaxed.... and then i headed to the local Best Buy to make a purchase. I was going through a huge acoustic music phase at the time so Springsteen's Nebraska album was on my list of "must haves." Anyways i purchased the CD and instead of hitting the interstate i decided to go down trusty Route 1. This was my favorite way to get back and forth from Fredericksburg to Richmond throughout the years. When driving down that road it almost feels like going back in time. Old farmhouses, general stores, inns, etc (unfortunately due to the development explosion most of it's "old charm" has vanished) Anyways it was around 9pm so it was quite dark but i had clear skies so the stars were in abundance. I Threw in the CD and for about 45 minutes nothing was wrong in my world. I've touched on the power that music has in the night when you're all alone. It's hard to put into words but it was a magical night that I'll never forget. Here's two tracks that kept me company that night.

Nebraska

Atlantic City

Bruuuuuuuuuuuce Week!

2008-04-21T19:59:00.003-04:00

Oh yes, in less than a week I'll be attending my first Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band concert. I've only seen the Boss solo so I'm pretty excited.

My earliest memory of Springsteen was when i was 3 or 4 years old. I was living in State College, Pennsylvania just a few years after The River Album came out. My Dad was/is a huge Springsteen fan so the Boss's records were always spinning. For whatever reason i took a liking to Hungry Heart....in fact i used to call it "funny music." Now whenever i wanted to listen to this track I'd demand to be left alone in the basement and I'd get on my rocking horse and go crazy. Yeah guess i was a bit of a strange one.

Hungry Heart (Live)

Wild Card Wednesday! - Vanilla Ice

2008-04-16T22:39:00.003-04:00

So I was cleaning up my apartment tonight and while dusting off some videos i stumbled upon my copy of Cool As Ice. I can't believe that i forgot i owned a copy of this cinematic classic. This should be mandatory viewing for everybody. Besides Vanilla this film stars Micheal Gross of Family Ties fame. Gross plays a character in the witness protection program who's daughter falls for the rebellious Ice.....good stuff.

Anyways i posted "I Love You" around Valentines day last year but this may be the best love song of all time so it's worth another listen. The "phone call" part at the end is still my favorite. I've also hooked you up with a track featuring some of Ice's fresh beat boxing skills.

I Love You

Havin' A Roni

Tuesdays With Dylan

2008-04-15T19:27:00.003-04:00

That's right it's time for more Dylan. Today let's focus on the The Times They Are A-Changin' Album. It was a tough choice, but these are my two favorites from that CD. I'd like to say congratulations to my brother and sister-in-law for bringing their first child into the world today. As of today I am "Uncle Gomez." -

Boots of Spanish Leather

Restless Farewell

Bridging The Gap - Wilco

2008-04-12T17:18:00.005-04:00

Yes it's true..I'm officially ending my "Wilco Ban." I was a bit upset when the boys cancelled their show to perform on Saturday Night Live but after two months I've seen the light. These guys are one of my favorite bands so i couldn't' stay mad for too long...plus i have an August show to look forward to. It's right around my birthday so i guess things work out for a reason. These guys have grown a lot since 1994's AM was released. For one thing only two of the original members are still in the band. In fact the lineup has changed on every album. The first album has a few bright moments but overall they sound like a band you could see in a bar in "Any town USA" on a Saturday night. Throughout the years the albums have taken drastic turns....sounds have ranged from country to rock to electronica to jazz. I've read a lot of reviews about Wilco's newest album saying it was a step back from what Wilco was building up too. I disagree with that statement. I think they just put something out that nobody expected. I don't know about you but i get bored with a band if they keep putting out the "same sounding" music year after year. Side note about the second track . Tweedy wrote this track from the perspective of a someone losing their significant other. Songs about death are sometimes hard to deal with because it's not a favorite topic with most people (no offense to my goth friends out their) but this song puts a positive spin on this inevitable event. I love the way Tweedy describes death as "disappearing into a dream." I've never heard it described that way before. Have a nice weekend.

Box Full of Letters

On and on and On

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Some Old Sad Bastard Music - The New Amsterdams

2008-04-10T18:50:00.003-04:00

I got the inspiration for these posts from the clip below (i tried posting the clip the first time i had one of these but youtube wasn't cooperating).

I posted some Get Up Kids a few weeks ago so i figured we'd show some love to the former singer of the band.

I caught The New Amsterdams (which at the time was just a solo Matthew Pryor) about four years ago at a club in Richmond, VA. The show had 5 or six acts (a little too many if you ask me) so by the time The New Amsterdams hit the stage about 40 people were left. I was actually excited about this because i got to stand up front without being elbowed or walked in front off every 2 minutes and enjoyed one of my favorite performers. Here's two tracks that fit pretty well into this category.

Forever Leaving

All Ears

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High Fidelity - Monday Tape

2008-04-10T18:48:00.001-04:00

Soul Music Sunday - Monty Alexander

2008-04-06T10:15:00.001-04:00

Monty Alexander is a jazz pianist who was born and raised in Kingston, Jamaica. His discography is quite large but I most enjoy his Bob Marley tribute Albums. Here's his take on one of my favorite Marley tunes. You can find this track on Stir It Up * The Music of Bob Marley.

No Woman No Cry

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Bob Marley - No Woman No Cry

2008-04-06T10:13:00.001-04:00

Totally 80's Friday - Billy Idol

2008-04-04T17:12:00.002-04:00

Oh man, i remember listening to the Rebel Yell tape over and over again when it came out. I think part of the reason I dug the song was because my favorite roller coaster at King's Dominion (where i spent many summer days as a kid) was called The Rebel Yell. Here's another one of my favorites from that album. Billy had some great songs come out in the 80's including the track below (see video). Honestly this video used to scare me as a kid (and that Jeopardy video) I didn't realize i was singing along to a song about "self pleasure." Hey i was like six years old, give me a break! Have a nice weekend!

Eyes Without A Face

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Dancing with Myself - Billy Idol

2008-04-04T17:10:00.001-04:00

Wild Card Wednesday! - Milli Vanilli

2008-04-02T19:27:00.004-04:00

I used to have this tape (later on i upgraded to the CD) back in the day. I remember after the news got out that they were Lip-syncing, the record company said you could send back your tapes for a refund. I thought that was crazy because I dug the songs..I didn't really care who was singing. Plus i learned all my dance moves from their videos. One of my favorites is the "run in place transitioning to the fist pump" towards the end of the video. (see below) I've got it down pat, and is a go-to "weapon" i pull out at weddings and/or various other celebrations.

The reason I chose to post MV today was that Rob passed away ten years ago to the day (thanks music trivia calendar, once again) from a drug overdose. Like Don McLean once said.."It was the day the music died."

Blame It On The Rain

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Milli Vanilli

2008-04-02T19:23:00.001-04:00

Happy Birthday Jimmy Cliff!

2008-04-01T18:00:00.002-04:00

I wasn't going to post anything but my music history calendar informed me that today is Jimmy Cliff's 60th birthday. Little trivia for you...Cliff appeared (as a reggae singer..big stretch) in one of my favorite Steven Seagal movies...Marked for Death. I may have to watch it tonight in his honor. Good evening.

Many Rivers to Cross

Sitting in Limbo

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Metal Monday! - Hatebreed

2008-03-31T18:43:00.002-04:00

Did you ever have one of those days that everything went wrong? Well my friends, today was one of those for me. It just seemed that trouble was waiting for me around every corner. Thank god for bands like Hatebreed on days like these. Let's do it.

Mark My Words

Last Breath

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Soul Music Sunday - Bill Withers

2008-03-30T18:55:00.002-04:00

It's time again for Soooooul Music Sunday! This man wrote some amazing songs.... Use Me, Just The Two of Us, Lovely Day, and the two classics below. One of my black coworkers from a previous job saw that i had a Bill Withers CD and she said I must have a black parent because no white boy would have this CD. I thought that was kind of funny. I don't know i dig it, and I'm sure a lot of you do too.

Ain't No Sunshine

Lean on Me

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Big City Nights - Ben Harper / Johnny Cash

2008-03-29T11:10:00.003-04:00

I went and saw Kimya Dawson play last night at a small local joint. I honestly knew nothing about her but apparently she's gained some acclaim due to her songs on the Juno soundtrack (haven't seen it yet) I saw her old band mate Adam Green in concert about five years ago opening for Ben Kweller but i had no idea about his past. the show was pretty enjoyable, she is definitely unique. the thing that ruined the show for me were the people. Lot's of young "hipsters" standing around constantly talking. I don't get why one would pay $15 to hear themselves talk. This was an acoustic show in a packed room so the conversations were distracting. i 'm not sure why it is so difficult for people to shut the fuck up for an hour and just listen. Okay that's my monthly "twilight of my youth" complaint.

One of the first bars we hit while in the city was The Red Lion in Greenwich Village. We rolled in around happy hour and just in time for some music. The first thing we heard was a solo acoustic artist playing some pretty "kick you in the gut" type songs. The guy was actually very good and i enjoyed his set picks. After about an hour and a half a funk band came on. that's one of the things i loved about new york, once one thing was winding down a totally different thing would come your way. These were the first two songs the first guy played. I honestly don't own the Richard Ashcroft or Gordon Lightfoot (respectively) versions of these tunes but these are some pretty sweet covers.

The Drugs Don't Work - Ben Harper

If You Could Read My Mind - Johnny Cash

Big City Nights - Tom Waits

2008-03-28T18:00:00.004-04:00

A friend of mine hooked me up with some "later" Waits stuff right before my trip. I've been listening to his music for about two years but i had yet to get past his first 2 or three albums. I'll admit the later voice is an acquired taste but I've finally come around. I've been reading The Many Lives of Tom Waits and it mentioned that Rain Dogs was written while Waits was residing in NYC. A lot of the tracks have references to parts of the city and it was a perfect soundtrack as I was heading into the city by train. The songs are desperate and melancholy (and sometimes just insane) After a few days in the city i could see that it wouldn't be hard to be lonely, ever though so many people are around. One could easily get lost in the shuffle...maybe that's just my small town roots shining through. Have a nice weekend.

Blind Love

Downtown Train

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Positive Vibrations - Bob Marley

2008-03-27T21:05:00.003-04:00

So today was a beautiful day here in Charleston. 70 degrees & the sun was shining. A friend of mine recommended playing some more upbeat tracks so when the weather starts getting warmer this man's music is the first thing that pops in my head. I'll get back to my "New York mood music" later on in the week, but for now here's a taste of Marley. Hope you enjoy......

Lively Up Yourself

High Tide or Low Tide

Trenchtown Rock

Big City Nights - Bob Dylan

2008-03-25T20:07:00.005-04:00

So i flew back into ole Charleston last night right before midnight. Thank god i took off work today. New York was a blast. I've never seen anything like it in my life. I didn't get a chance to see any "big name' bands while in the city but i did catch quite a bit of live music in various bars. I didn't get to go to Cafe Wha? but my buddy and i checked out the Comedy Cellar right next store and saw 2 hours of comedy for ten bucks. I can't recall all the names but we say Louis CK, Sherrod Small, some guy from Opie & Anthony, a writer from Chapelle's show and about four others. This was on a Sunday night and the place was packed. I ended up being out till at least four each night because time flies and so much was going on . Anyways it was a great trip and i hope to get back sooner than later because three days wasn't enough time to see everything. (although i don't have anymore money so it was a good time to leave) I'll try to post some tunes that remind me of the trip this week. The first track is pretty self explanatory. I was in a bar in Hell's Kitchen and started rapping with the bartender (not like Biggie Smalls rapping..just talking) Beautiful girl by the way....... and we started talking about music and Dylan come up so she put in the Desire Album for me......so that explains the second track. Okay I've got to crash because it's back to the salt mines tomorrow. I hope this all made sense because I'm exhausted.

Talkin' New York

Oh,Sister

Wild Card Wednesday! - The Get Up Kids

2008-03-19T21:43:00.005-04:00

Hey gang. This will be the last post for awhile because I'm headed up to NYC tomorrow morning. This will be my first trip to the big apple so I'm pretty excited. Here's two of my favorite tracks by the now defunct Get Up Kids. In fact i liked the second song before i even heard it....any Pee Wee's Big Adventure fans out their? Ha-ha. Have a good week, i know i will!!! Stay gold.

Shorty

I'm A Loner Dottie, A Rebel

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Happy St. Patrick's Day!

2008-03-17T22:00:00.004-04:00

Hey gang. I thought today we'd listen to two of Ireland's biggest musical exports. Hope everyone is out having fun. I celebrated my Irish heritage a few nights ago so I'm going to sit this one out. Watch out for this guy tonight. Peace.

Starting A New Life - Van Morrison

I Will Follow - U2 (Live version)

Soul Music Sunday - Peter Tosh

2008-03-16T16:58:00.002-04:00

Here's a few tracks from an excellent CD titled I Am That I Am. It's acoustic versions of some of Tosh's best songs. I love the full on reggae songs but this album just strikes a nerve in me. I think it's great and maybe you will to. That's the best i can come up with today. I partied a bit too much with St. Patrick last night. Till next time.......

Pick Myself Up

Jah Guide

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Totally 80's Friday - Dead or Alive

2008-03-14T19:20:00.001-04:00

Oh man you gotta love the eye patch. I just looked these guys up on Wikipedia and learned that they are still huge in Japan and that they've had 18 number one hits. Well this is the only one i know of. (and it's a good one) Have a nice weekend.

You Spin Me Round (Like A Record)

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