Week 29 & 30

Since my last post, I made it out to Walnut Creek for the first time in a few years. I was offered a chance to see Carlos Santana and decided that I shouldn't pass on an opportunity to see a legend. Which brings me to a new musical connection for the week - What connection do Santana and Lenny Kravitz share? Both have used Cindy Blackman as their drummer. Apparently, Carlos liked her more than Lenny as he recently proposed to her on-stage after she finished her drum solo a few songs into the set. The night I saw Santana she wasn't drumming, but I did have the opportunity to see Blackman when she was with Lenny. She is a jazz drummer and those tend to make some of the best rock drummers. Take a look at Charlie Watts of the Rolling Stones or my personal favorite Joe Westerlund of Megafaun. And lest we forget that Animal's hero was Buddy Rich and that Animal's drumming was actually performed behind camera by Ronnie Verrell. The drum battle between Animal and Rich on the Muppet Show is a classic - in case anyone is interested click here. Enough randomness let's get on with it - this post I used an extra hand in writing part of the blog (7/19-8/1):

Eric Clapton - Backless (vinyl)
Grateful Dead - Blues For Allah (vinyl)
Eagles - Hotel California (vinyl)
Squirrel Nut Zippers - Hot
Lenny Kravitz - Lenny
Avril Lavigne - Let Go
Goo Goo Dolls - Let Love In
The Joe Perry Project - Let The Music Do The Talking
Velvet Revolver - Libertad
The Beastie Boys - Licensed to Ill
Jonny Lang - Lie To Me
Sly & The Family Stone - Life
Jim Croce - Life And Times (vinyl)
Gov't Mule - Life Before Insanity
Today The Moon, Tomorrow The Sun - The Lightning Exhibit (no link available)
The Black Crowes - Lions

It's hard to believe, but when I recently decided to buy Hotel California on vinyl it was actually the first Eagles album I have ever bought. Sure I own their Greatest Hits, but a full studio album from them was not in my collection. Since I didn't own one I decided to buy their most significant album of all. This is the first album featuring Joe Walsh and the emergence of Don Henley as the band's leader. When I was younger hearing the song Hotel California made me ill for many many many years. This song has since found its way back into my good graces and I actually enjoy it now. The rest of the album is solid and really contains no slouch tunes. Don't look for me at an Eagles show anytime soon though as the three figure minimum ticket price will never be justifiable.

I love the cover of Let The Music Do The Talking. This is a prime example of what the corporate music industry looks like. A bunch of stiffs in suits making decions on what they think people want to hear. This is why we have independent record labels. No artist wants a corporate board telling them what to release. While there is some great music on this album it isn't an album I listen to much. Joe Perry wanted to just make music and prove to Aerosmith he didn't need them. His latest solo albums are much better and highly recommended, but the original Joe Perry Project albums are reserved for Aero-nuts like myself.

Velvet Revolver followed up their debut Contraband with Libertad, in my opinion, which was a jbetter effort than its predecessor. However, the band clearly was already well on their way toward dismantling. Scott Weiland was basically up to his old ways and the entire band was spiraling back into their old....."habits". Weiland is back with STP, Slash released a solo album, and Duff has been playing with Jane's Addiction. Rumor has it though that a new front-man is in the works and I for one cannot wait to here more from VR. Libertad is a great album, but the live footage of some concert performances was less than spectacular. In hindsight, it's clear what was going on internally with the band watching these clips.

Jonny Lang is another guitarist in the Kenny Wayne Shepherd mold. He started young and released music that sounded decades more mature than the performer. I have seen Lang one time and was very impressed. Since then I have been looking forward to seeing him again and was deeply troubled to learn I missed him as he recently was in Durham for the conclusion of the latest 'Experience Hendrix' tour. More troubling was that other guitarist part of that tour included Brad Whitford (Aerosmith), Joe Satriani, Kenny Wayne Shepherd and bassist Billy Cox who actually played with Jimi just to name a few. Now I would have paid $100 easy to see that show. Alas, I missed my opportunity and will have to catch this tour next time. As for Lang, Lie To Me is his debut album and very much worth checking out for modern blues enthusiasts.

Hello to all the cosmic-cuties and freakie-deakies out there in cyber space. Eric was kind enough to delegate some responsibility to me for this installment of his blog, so I'll be chiming in with some brief thoughts on 2001's Lions by The Black Crowes. Do any of you have a certain record from your childhood that still drums up a big emotional connection when you hear it today? This is one of those albums for me. This was the first "new release" Crowes album I had ever bought - having gotten into the Crowes after their first five albums had already been released. I remember spinning it for the first time ever while riding with my Dad in the car  and the false start to Midnight From The Inside Out blaring through the speakers - he gave me the same disapproving look that I'm sure my Grandfather gave him over his Mountain albums. Listen closely for the crying baby during the outro of  Cosmic Friend (it's the drummer's kid). This song was originally written by guitarist Rich Robinson for his son (the chorus would have went something like "Quin, you are my hero"), but brother Chris insisted on a more cosmically toned "My friend, the cosmos is calling" instead. Many of the songs on this album would be re-worked during later line-ups of the band - beg, borrow, or steal a show from the '05-'06 tours that include a Soul Singing with an extended reggae-esque jam or a funky Young Man, Old Man or a Greasy Grass River that breaks down with some spacey advice from Mr. Robinson - "A mind shown is a mind blown and a mind blown is a mind shown." A version of Ozone Mama that is usually coupled with I Ain't Hidin' by the current line-up would be well worth the effort to track down as well. Most Crowes fans either love or hate this album: with the most vocal crowd often being the latter. Go into this album with the understanding that it is not written with the same formula used in the creation of Southern Harmony or Three Snakes and appreciate it for what it is and the statement that this band was making at this particular point in their history. If you still don't dig it, take the Crowes' advice and "take your ear holes and go home." -badnruined