I just got an email from someone requesting the song I had up on last New Year's Day. She told me it was quite lovely and was hoping it would be a tradition at The Beef Stand. It's quite a reflective number and one of my favorites. So the tradition begins. We can only hope this year finally brings it.
Here's Quincy Jones - Love and Peace
Hilly must of been yuppifying the club before it closed for good in 06. I've never saw toilet paper in the bathroom and I knew girls would pack their own before going to the club.
Perhaps, the Strummer post from yesterday got me thinking about Hilly and CBGB'S. I was too young and about 800 miles away during it's heyday but spent some time there while in college in Boston at New Music Seminars and CMJ Conventions and of course during my tour of duty in Manhattan.
I was never really a fan of CB's booking policy toward the end of it's run. Not much effort was put into the nights. They knew who ever was on stage really didn't matter, people came to say they've been there, to touch the stage, to whizz in the infamous bathrooms and to buy a t-shirt. But the death of the club, the death of Hilly, the death of Joey Ramone really might of been a warning to us all. I hear The Bowery-Lower East Side now has a Whole Foods! A W HOTEL! A Starbucks! I can't wait for a Panda Express to build a restaurant in Chinatown! Then it really will be a MALL.
A little cynicism on my part or perhaps the old punk trying to show the world what is happening. But the purpose of the post was to share a little Christmas selection recorded by Hilly Kristal recorded in 1976. It's true to the form of the true meaning of CBGB - Country, Blue Grass, Blues.
Download mud_christmas_1976.mp3 (Hilly Kristal)
I've lived in major cities most of my adult life, so sky viewing was
limited but still quite enjoyable. I remember just a few years ago
during the New York City Blackout of 2003, how amazing the sky looked
with a darkened skyline, sitting on the roof of my building that night
was a magical feeling and perhaps a once in a lifetime feeling. When I
had my cottage in Woodstock, I woke my friend at 4AM to come out on a
very cold November evening to watch the Leonid Meteor Shower, she was a
bit grumpy at first but once we got outside, we stood in awe as the sky
lit up in a literal shower of meteors. Finally as a child, looking into
the sky during Christmas Eve was a thrill as well. Wishing to get a
glimpse of Santa across the sky, or perhaps finding the Christmas Star
to guide the 3 Wisemen. The night sky was always a source of
wonderment, imagination and of course quite humbling. I came across a
story the other day about how
this Sunday December 23 our Full Moon will look to be relatively close to Mars (which will passed the closest to Earth this past Tuesday). For information on what you will see,where ever you live and when you will see it Please click here.
Download 08_that_old_christmas_moon.mp3 (Leon Redbone)
The Photo is from 2003 by Becky Ramotowski
I remember being a young kid listening to the radio late at night when I couldn't sleep and hearing Roberta Flack's "The First Time I Ever Saw Your Face" over the late night radio airwaves. At first, I was afraid of its minimalism, pop songs weren't suppose to be hauntingly beautiful, I would be hypnotized lying there as Roberta's voice and the subtle instrumentation entered my mind. I soon waited to hear the song again, it's effect 30 times more powerful in the dead of night than in the daytime. It has always been one of my secret treasure songs. One of the first groups I worked with had the same minimalistic qualities found with that song.
The gentleman who produced this song Joel Dorn as well as Ms Flack were a huge influence on this writer without them even knowing. Joel Dorn passed away last night and I hope you take just a little bit of your time and take a brief look at his credits and perhaps seek out some of the work he has done. To many he was a giant. I'm very grateful for his musical output and my friendship that has grown over the last few years with his son Adam. Someone once said "Man is weak, Spirit is strong". And Joel Dorn's spirit is strong.
Download roberta_flack_the_first_time_ever_i_saw_your_face.mp3 (Roberta Flack)
Things chug along and times call for some random thoughts.
Unbelievable that The U.S. Constitution continues to be torn to threads. You know, you grow up thinking and being taught what a beautiful piece of work that piece of paper is. The document that guides us and perhaps the world in what could be achieved and the current US Administration walks on it and wipes its dirty feet on it like a doormat, while the mainstream press and Congress and perhaps even us sit idly by. Read the latest atrocity right here. So Much for Checks and Balances and independent branches of government.
On the holiday kick, been visiting these two sites quite a bit for some holiday cheer. Of course one of my favorites Keep The Coffee Coming and then there is AM, Then FM both chock full of the true meaning of Christmas. My deepest gratitude to them both for the time and effort on educating me with unheard songs and allowing me to remember ones that are my favorites.
The Chicago Cubs sign Japanese Outfielder Kusuke Fukudome to play right field. My only advice to him is wear your sunglasses for all Wrigley Day Games in Right Field. Around 3:30pm the sun, seeps over behind home plate grandstands and will hit you right in your eyes. If you drop or miss read a pop up, be ready for a 42,000 person chant of FUCK YOU DOMAY! FUCK YOU DOMAY! and I don't even believe in swearing at the park. Really, some one please let him know.
Since I didn't update yesterday with Saturday with Sammy, here's a little X-Mas ditty for you
Download the_christmas_song.mp3 (Sammy Davis Jr.)
Download 08_well_well_well.mp3 (Plastic Ono Band)
Download radio_collage_from_the_night_lennon_died.mp3
(from WFMU)
No classic film or TV for today's Wednesday Tea Break. I bring you a video from who I consider a real dear Friend, who I met through an ex girlfriend. Adam Dorn has been known as Mocean Worker for few years now and besides being a pretty decent guy, he cracks me up, loves baseball as much as me and well I owe him one since he took me to The Buddy Hackett Memorial Service at The Friars Club in NYC. His new album is out, his 5th called Cinco De MOWO and can be bought at I-Tunes as well as Amazon. It's a groovy mix of jazz and electronic and creates an awesome groove for any club or better yet a house party with the lights down low and lots of good cheap red wine and girls in skirts. Plus this video is such an excellent idea, who doesn't like cartoons in the style of Steamboat Willie!! Here's another track off the album : Download 11_son_of_sanford_featuring_cochemea_gastelum.mp3 Visit MOWO! Buy MOWO! Here's a special bonus: Quincy Jones: The Streetbeater: Download sanfordson_the_streetbeater.mp3
One of the the greatest things I ever experienced was driving around Boston, Western Mass, Upstate NY, Vermont and around the East Coast with my ex. The one definite about our road trips was The Feelies’ 2nd album The Good Earth. I can’t tell you what a masterpiece of art that album is and worth trying to either find a dub of it or a used copy. I believe it is still way out of print.
Poking around work today, I found a copy of the recently released solo album from former Feelie Glenn Mercer with guest appearances from every other Feelie (Stanely, Dave, Brenda, Vince,and Anton) except Bill, who still lives in Florida and hasn’t done music since he packed it up and moved off.
It’s difficult to explain what a Feelie concert experience was. If you were there you knew, if you weren’t there you wouldn’t understand.
With The Pixies, Shellac, Dinosaur, Jesus and Mary Chain reunions, it would only be fitting that The Feelies and well, Husker Du re-unite.
Mercer’s solo debut brings you slightly back to that time when the little band from Jersey could but part of me and I think part of the players are missing something. It might be my ex and the roadtrips for me, and it might be Bill Million for Glenn, Dave, Stanley and Brenda. It’s probably a little of both for me. But Mercer’s solo album is worth you finding and discovering.
This comes from the Jerry Lewis Telethon 1987. Love the shout out to "Francis".
Found this track on the internets about 10 days ago, so infectious Download thou_shalt_always_kill.mp3
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