Genesis: Firth of Fifth Lyrics and Video

I started listening to Genesis before I learned to play guitar, and at the time I started to begin to think that I might want to learn how to play a musical instrument. The piano intro that Tony Banks plays to the song Firth of Fifth inspired me to want to play piano. I have always been moved by that piece, and though I have never played piano...yet...you never know. The guitar and everything else in this song is off the hook as well. Listen to Firth of Fifth and check out the lyrics:


Firth of Fifth Lyrics

Marilyn Manson Tour Dates

I am probably like a lot of people where Marilyn Manson is concerned. It's kind of like a train wreck: you are sort of repulsed and wary of the sight, but you can't resist looking, either. At some point I wondered what the band's music sounded like and I bought the Antichrist Superstar album, and I think that they make quality music, though I don't find myself listening to it very often. Marilyn Manson is touring right now, and I would certainly have to think that they put on a good show, since showmanship is obviously such an important element of their concept as a band. The dates are below.

(Flickr image)

Sat 01/26/08 Boston, MA Orpheum Theatre
Sun 01/27/08 Philadelphia, PA Electric Factory
Tue 01/29/08 New York, NY Hammerstein Ballroom
Wed 01/30/08 New York, NY Hammerstein Ballroom
Fri 02/01/08 Cleveland, OH House Of Blues
Sat 02/02/08 Columbus, OH Lifestyle Communities Pavilion
Mon 02/04/08 Detroit, MI The Fillmore Detroit
Tue 02/05/08 Chicago, IL Aragon Ballroom
Thu 02/07/08 Milwaukee, WI The Rave Eagles Club
Fri 02/08/08 Saint Paul, MN Myth
Sun 02/10/08 Saint Louis, MO The Pageant
Mon 02/11/08 Kansas City, MO Uptown Theater
Wed 02/13/08 Denver, CO Fillmore Auditorium
Thu 02/14/08 Magna, UT The Great Saltair
Sun 02/17/08 Vancouver, BC Queen Elizabeth Theatre
Mon 02/18/08 Seattle, WA Paramount Theatre
Wed 02/20/08 San Francisco, CA Warfield Theatre
Fri 02/22/08 Los Angeles, CA The Wiltern
Sat 02/23/08 Los Angeles, CA The Wiltern
Mon 02/25/08 San Diego, CA House Of Blues
Wed 02/27/08 Phoenix, AZ Dodge Theatre
Fri 02/29/08 Dallas, TX House Of Blues
Sat 03/01/08 Austin, TX Austin Music Hall
Sun 03/02/08 Houston, TX Verizon Wireless Theater

The Doors: "Crystal Ship" Lyrics and Video

Jim Morrison was many things, and one of those things was a poet, and a good one. His lyrics were provocative and thoughtful, metaphorical and timeless. His background as a film student coupled with his natural charisma helped him to create a persona that was larger than life. He developed a means for delivering his poetry as a dramatic rendering that was as literary as it was musical. Check out the lyrics and video for "Crystal Ship" below.




Crystal Ship Lyrics

Local Living: Music Lessons

Many people decide when they are young that they want to take lessons on an instrument. A lot of people take up guitar since it is such a prominent instrument in all sub-genres of rock, and they are relatively inexpensive and portable. Students take their instruction to varying levels, and a few go on to make learning more and more about music a lifelong endeavor.

My son told me that when we were living in the music mecca of Athens, Georgia, he saw a guy come in to the music store and ask about taking lessons. The man said that he wanted to learn how to play the blues on guitar, and that was cool, but the things that was unusual about it was the fact that the guy was a 70 year old black man.

It is never too late to learn how to play music, and more pointedly, it is never to late to learn how to play music better. I learned some jazz standards and chord and modal theory after I had been playing for over 20 years without this knowledge, and it was difficult, but everything in life that is worth having is difficult to obtain. If you are bored with your chops, don't be afraid to head down to the music shop, find somebody that plays better than you do, and ask them to help you to freshen up your approach to playing your instrument. Arrogance is the door, and humility is the key to opening it.

(Flickr image)

Guitar Modes

As I have stated frequently on this blog, I always liked the Grateful Dead, and subsequently I have liked Phish a lot and bands like Widespread Panic and The String Cheese Incident. All of these bands improvise modally, and I must admit that I played guitar for many years before I knew and understood the modes. Basically, modes are the rearranging of the notes in a chord. Modes are scales of these notes and each mode is relative to the key your playing in.

After poking around the Internet I noticed that there is a site called www.OCMusic.com that has a nice graphic depiction of the modes in very clear tablature. Check out their site if you are interested in "hippie noodling" like me.

Foo Fighters Tour Dates

I have always loved Nirvana, and it is amazing to look back and consider how much talent there was in the band when you see what Dave Grohl has been able to accomplish with Foo Fighters. They put out an extraordinary level of palpable energy that is genuine, sincere and raw, yet refined in some way. Dave and the boys are currently on tour, and the dates are listed below.

(Flickr image)

Fri 01/25/08 Memphis, TN FedExForum
Sat 01/26/08 Nashville, TN Nashville Municipal Auditorium
Mon 01/28/08 Fayetteville, AR Barnhill Arena
Tue 01/29/08 Oklahoma City, OK Ford Center
Fri 02/01/08 Reno, NV Reno Events Center
Sat 02/02/08 Oakland, CA Oracle Arena
Mon 02/18/08 Worcester, MA DCU Center
Tue 02/19/08 New York, NY Madison Square Garden Arena
Thu 02/21/08 Philadelphia, PA The Wachovia Spectrum
Fri 02/22/08 Binghamton, NY SUNY / Binghamton
Sun 02/24/08 Detroit, MI Joe Louis Arena
Mon 02/25/08 Rosemont, IL Allstate Arena
Wed 02/27/08 Minneapolis, MN Target Center
Thu 02/28/08 Council Bluffs, IA Mid-America Center
Sun 03/02/08 Glendale, AZ Jobing.com Arena
Mon 03/03/08 San Diego, CA Cox Arena
Wed 03/05/08 Inglewood, CA The Forum
Thu 03/06/08 Inglewood, CA The Forum
Mon 03/17/08 Montreal, QC Bell Centre
Wed 03/19/08 Ottawa, ON Scotiabank Place
Thu 03/20/08 London, ON The John Labatt Centre
Sat 03/22/08 Toronto, ON Air Canada Centre
Tue 03/25/08 Winnipeg, MB MTS Centre
Thu 03/27/08 Saskatoon, SK Credit Union Centre
Fri 03/28/08 Edmonton, AB Rexall Place
Sun 03/30/08 Vancouver, BC P.N.E. Pacific Coliseum
Sun 04/13/08 Chiba City, JPN Makuhari Messe
Tue 04/15/08 Osaka, JPN Zepp Osaka
Wed 04/16/08 Osaka, JPN Zepp Osaka
Mon 04/21/08 Perth, AUS Burswood Dome
Thu 04/24/08 Hindmarsh, AUS Adelaide Entertainment Centre
Fri 04/25/08 Melbourne, AUS Rod Laver Arena
Sat 04/26/08 Melbourne, AUS Rod Laver Arena
Tue 04/29/08 Boondall, AUS Brisbane Entertainment Centre
Wed 04/30/08 Boondall, AUS Brisbane Entertainment Centre
Fri 05/02/08 Sydney, AUS Acer Arena
Sat 05/03/08 Sydney, AUS Acer Arena
Mon 05/05/08 Auckland, NZ Vector Arena
Tue 05/06/08 Auckland, NZ Vector Arena
Mon 06/02/08 Manchester, UK City Of Manchester Stadium
Fri 06/06/08 London, UK Wembley Stadium
Sat 06/07/08 London, UK Wembley Stadium

Billie Holiday

Did you ever notice that there are certain artists that everyone who considers themselves to be "hip" says that they like, no matter what genres of music their tastes are concentrated in otherwise? Some people who make no mention of any other jazz greats when they elucidate their favorite musicians always mention John Coltrane and Miles Davis. I have to question how much a lot of these people really like John Coltrane, or if they can identify his playing when they hear it.

Billie Holiday is another artist that everyone has to say that they like even when they aren't that familiar with her work. I am not a hard core aficionado, but I know here when I hear her. I have a greatest hits album, and I have an album of her with Lester Young. She is an artist of mythical proportions, an eternally relevant font of the purest manifestation of human emotion.

(Flickr image)

Bon Jovi Tour Dates

You have to respect longevity in the rock and roll industry because, as they say, it's a young man's game, and New Jersey rockers Bon Jovi have endured seemingly forever and they are still going strong. As a Jersey boy I feel a particular connection to the band, and I know some people who know some people who have written for them over the years. They are on a really long tour and here are the dates:

Sat 01/19/08 Melbourne, AUS Sidney Myer Music Bowl
Mon 01/21/08 Sydney, AUS Acer Arena
Tue 01/22/08 Sydney, AUS Acer Arena
Fri 01/25/08 Perth, AUS Subiaco Oval
Sun 01/27/08 Christchurch, NZ AMI Stadium
Mon 02/18/08 Omaha, NE Qwest Center Omaha
Wed 02/20/08 Auburn Hills, MI The Palace Of Auburn Hills
Thu 02/21/08 Milwaukee, WI Bradley Center
Sat 02/23/08 Chicago, IL United Center
Sun 02/24/08 Chicago, IL United Center
Tue 02/26/08 Chicago, IL United Center
Thu 02/28/08 Washington, DC Verizon Center
Sun 03/02/08 Philadelphia, PA The Wachovia Center
Mon 03/03/08 Philadelphia, PA The Wachovia Center
Fri 03/07/08 Uncasville, CT Mohegan Sun
Sat 03/08/08 Uncasville, CT Mohegan Sun
Mon 03/10/08 Toronto, ON Air Canada Centre
Wed 03/12/08 Toronto, ON Air Canada Centre
Sat 03/15/08 Pittsburgh, PA Mellon Arena
Tue 03/18/08 Saint Paul, MN Xcel Energy Center
Wed 03/19/08 Saint Paul, MN Xcel Energy Center
Mon 03/31/08 Denver, CO Pepsi Center
Wed 04/02/08 San Jose, CA HP Pavilion At San Jose
Fri 04/04/08 Anaheim, CA Honda Center
Sat 04/05/08 Anaheim, CA Honda Center
Tue 04/08/08 San Jose, CA HP Pavilion At San Jose
Wed 04/09/08 Los Angeles, CA Staples Center
Fri 04/11/08 Glendale, AZ Jobing.com Arena
Sat 04/12/08 Las Vegas, NV MGM Grand Garden Arena
Mon 04/14/08 Dallas, TX American Airlines Center
Tue 04/15/08 Oklahoma City, OK Ford Center
Thu 04/17/08 Kansas City, MO Sprint Center
Sat 04/19/08 Fargo, ND Fargodome
Sun 04/20/08 Des Moines, IA Wells Fargo Arena
Tue 04/22/08 Kansas City, MO Sprint Center
Thu 04/24/08 Nashville, TN Sommet Center
Sat 04/26/08 Sunrise, FL BankAtlantic Center
Sun 04/27/08 Tampa, FL St. Pete Times Forum
Wed 04/30/08 Atlanta, GA Philips Arena
Thu 05/22/08 Gelsinkirchen, GER Veltsin Stadium
Sat 05/24/08 Munich, GER Olympic Stadium
Sun 05/25/08 Liepzig, GER Zentral Stadium
Wed 05/28/08 Hamburg, GER HSH Nordbank Arena
Thu 05/29/08 Stuttgart, GER Gottlieb-Daimler Stadion
Sun 06/01/08 Barcelona, SPA Olympic Stadium
Tue 06/03/08 Frankfurt, GER Commerzbank Arena
Wed 06/04/08 Vienna, AS Magna Racino
Sat 06/07/08 Naas, IRE Punchestown Racecourse
Wed 06/11/08 Southampton, UK St. Mary's Stadium
Fri 06/13/08 Amsterdam, NET Amsterdam Arena
Sat 06/14/08 Brussels, BEL Koning Boudewijn Stadium
Mon 06/16/08 Helsinki, FIN Olympic Stadium
Wed 06/18/08 Oslo, NOR Ullevaal Stadium
Thu 06/19/08 Randers, DEN Estrup
Sat 06/21/08 Glasgow, UK Hampden Park
Sun 06/22/08 Manchester, UK City Of Manchester Stadium
Tue 06/24/08 Coventry, UK Ricoh Arena
Wed 06/25/08 Bristol, UK Ashton Gate Stadium
Fri 06/27/08 Twickenham, UK Twickenham Rugby Ground
Sat 06/28/08 Twickenham, UK Twickenham Rugby Ground

Flogging Molly

I just saw where the band Flogging Molly is going to be playing at the House Of Blues inside the Mandalay Bay here in Las Vegas on March 15th, and tickets go on sale tomorrow. They fuse an interesting juxtaposition of influences and I have heard a lot of good things about them, though I have never seen them live. I like what I've heard. It's something I would describe as an irreverent nod to traditional Irish music mixed with punk rock and other influences. Check them out on the "Green 17 Tour."

Curb Your Enthusiasm

I must admit that I don't watch a whole lot of television, but I usually do some channel surfing at night when my work is done and I have finished working out, often times while noodling on the guitar intermittently. I never find anything that I like enough to watch consistently, but that all changed a few weeks ago when my son recommended that I watch the HBO series Curb Your Enthusiasm. A co-worker of his had recommended the show and my son watched it and enjoyed it and passed it along to me.

I love it. I don't know, it just strikes a chord with me and I have been making a point of watching reruns every night at eleven. Nothing has made me laugh as much as this show in years, and I'm glad that I've been sleeping on it because now I have so many episodes that I've never seen.

I see some of myself in Larry's character because he has to tell it like it is, to him, at least, and he has no choice but to rock the boat at times because of an obsessive need to be true to himself. Of course there are some pickles that he gets himself into that don't remind me of me in the least. But the scenarios are excruciating, and the story lines consistently come full circle and wrapped in a neat little bow. I even like the music that they play as the theme. It is a very well made series.

Free Jamband Show Downloads

I was browsing around the web today trying to see some more of what is out there, and I ran into an absolutely incredible resource that is called Further Net. They offer open source, peer-to-peer files sharing of live jamband shows with the blessing of the respective bands. On the front page right now they have The Grateful Dead live from the Carousel Ballroom in San Francisco from 1968, and that is just one of the thousands of filesets that are being share on Further Net. Make a beeline over there and get on the bus!

The Cure Tour Dates

If you haven't noticed by now, I like a lot of different kinds of music. In a nutshell I like anything that is real, genuine and creative. If the artist is executing his or her inspired vision the way that it is coming to them from that place where creativity resides, I can recognize that and I appreciate it.

Robert Smith and The Cure is a band who have crafted a unique sound, and they are heading out on tour soon. The dates are below:

Sat 02/09/08 Stockholm, SWE Hovet
Mon 02/11/08 Oslo, NOR Oslo Spektrum Arena ANS
Wed 02/13/08 Copenhagen, DEN Forum
Sat 02/16/08 Berlin, GER Arena
Mon 02/18/08 Warsaw, POL Torwar Hall
Tue 02/19/08 Katowice, POL Spodek Sporthall
Thu 02/21/08 Prague, CZE Sazka Arena
Sat 02/23/08 Vienna, AS Bank Austria Zelt
Mon 02/25/08 Munich, GER Olympiahalle
Wed 02/27/08 Zurich, SWI Hallenstadion Zurich
Fri 02/29/08 Rome, ITA Palalottomatica
Sun 03/02/08 Milan, ITA Palasharp
Tue 03/04/08 Marseille, FRA Le Dome
Thu 03/06/08 Madrid, SPA Palacio de Deportes
Sat 03/08/08 Lisbon, POR Pavilhao Atlantico
Mon 03/10/08 Barcelona, SPA Palau Sant Jordi
Wed 03/12/08 Paris, FRA Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy
Fri 03/14/08 Merksem, BEL Sportpaleis Antwerpen
Sun 03/16/08 Oberhausen, GER Konig - Pilsener Arena
Tue 03/18/08 Rotterdam, NET Ahoy' Rotterdam
Thu 03/20/08 London, UK Wembley Arena
Fri 05/09/08 Fairfax, VA Patriot Center
Sat 05/10/08 Philadelphia, PA The Wachovia Spectrum
Mon 05/12/08 Boston, MA Agganis Arena at Boston University
Wed 05/14/08 Montreal, QC Bell Centre
Thu 05/15/08 Toronto, ON Air Canada Centre
Sat 05/17/08 Rosemont, IL Allstate Arena
Mon 05/19/08 Kansas City, MO Starlight Theatre
Wed 05/21/08 Morrison, CO Red Rocks Amphitheatre
Fri 05/23/08 West Valley City, UT The E Center
Sun 05/25/08 Quincy, WA Gorge Amphitheatre
Mon 05/26/08 Vancouver, BC General Motors Place
Thu 05/29/08 Santa Barbara, CA Santa Barbara Bowl
Sat 05/31/08 Los Angeles, CA Hollywood Bowl
Tue 06/03/08 San Diego, CA Cox Arena
Wed 06/04/08 Phoenix, AZ Dodge Theatre
Fri 06/06/08 Dallas, TX American Airlines Center
Sun 06/08/08 Austin, TX Austin Music Hall
Mon 06/09/08 Houston, TX Toyota Center
Wed 06/11/08 Tampa, FL St. Pete Times Forum
Fri 06/13/08 Sunrise, FL BankAtlantic Center
Sun 06/15/08 Duluth, GA The Arena At Gwinnett Center
Mon 06/16/08 Charlotte, NC Charlotte Bobcats Arena
Wed 06/18/08 Cleveland, OH TBA
Fri 06/20/08 New York, NY Madison Square Garden Arena

(Check Pollstar to see who else is on tour)

Velvet Revolver Tour Dates

I noticed that the Velvet Revolver has hit the road for a big fat tour and they are actually going to be right here in Vegas in a couple of weeks and I am going to make every effort to see the show. Slash is a virtuoso player capable of playing anything from really tasteful and sophisticated acoustic jazz to the most searing hard rock imaginable. Here are the dates:

Thu 01/24/08 Chicago, IL Riviera Theatre
Fri 01/25/08 Milwaukee, WI The Rave Eagles Club
Sat 01/26/08 Detroit, MI The Fillmore Detroit
Mon 01/28/08 West Des Moines, IA Val Air Ballroom
Wed 01/30/08 Dallas, TX House Of Blues
Thu 01/31/08 Austin, TX Stubb's Bar-B-Q
Sat 02/02/08 Scottsdale, AZ Waterfront Village
Sun 02/03/08 Las Vegas, NV The Joint
Tue 02/05/08 San Francisco, CA Warfield Theatre
Wed 02/06/08 Los Angeles, CA The Wiltern
Thu 02/07/08 San Diego, CA House Of Blues
Sat 02/09/08 Ventura, CA Ventura Theatre
Fri 02/15/08 South Bank, AUS Brisbane Convention Centre
Sat 02/16/08 Sydney, AUS Enmore Theatre
Sun 02/17/08 Sydney, AUS Enmore Theatre
Tue 02/19/08 West Melbourne, AUS Festival Hall
Wed 02/20/08 Adelaide, AUS Thebarton Theatre
Wed 03/12/08 Dublin, IRE Ambassador Theatre
Thu 03/13/08 Dublin, IRE Ambassador Theatre
Sat 03/15/08 Liverpool, UK Liverpool University
Sun 03/16/08 Leeds, UK Leeds University
Mon 03/17/08 Manchester, UK Carling Apollo Manchester
Wed 03/19/08 Newcastle, UK Carling Academy Newcastle
Thu 03/20/08 Glasgow, UK Carling Academy Glasgow
Sat 03/22/08 Wolverhampton, UK Civic Hall
Sun 03/23/08 Birmingham, UK Carling Academy Birmingham
Tue 03/25/08 London, UK Carling Academy Brixton
Wed 03/26/08 London, UK Carling Academy Brixton
Thu 03/27/08 Brighton, UK The Brighton Centre
Sat 03/29/08 Cologne, GER Palladium
Sun 03/30/08 Brussels, BEL Ancienne Belgique
Tue 04/01/08 Amsterdam, NET Heineken Music Hall

Bruce Springsteen Tour Dates

Wow, I was just noticing that Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band are coming to a theater near you. They have a humongous tour planned. I haven't seen Bruce live since the late '70's, but I must say that he was probably the most dynamic live performer that I have ever seen. Check out these dates. This is a monster tour.

Thu 02/28/08 Hartford, CT XL Center
Sun 03/02/08 Montreal, QC Bell Centre
Mon 03/03/08 Hamilton, ON Copps Coliseum
Thu 03/06/08 Rochester, NY Blue Cross Arena
Fri 03/07/08 Buffalo, NY HSBC Arena
Mon 03/10/08 Uniondale, NY Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum
Fri 03/14/08 Omaha, NE Qwest Center Omaha
Sun 03/16/08 Saint Paul, MN Xcel Energy Center
Mon 03/17/08 Milwaukee, WI Bradley Center
Thu 03/20/08 Indianapolis, IN Conseco Fieldhouse
Sat 03/22/08 Cincinnati, OH U.S. Bank Arena
Mon 03/24/08 Columbus, OH Schottenstein Center
Fri 03/28/08 Portland, OR Rose Garden Arena
Sat 03/29/08 Seattle, WA KeyArena at Seattle Center
Mon 03/31/08 Vancouver, BC General Motors Place
Fri 04/04/08 Sacramento, CA ARCO Arena
Sat 04/05/08 San Jose, CA HP Pavilion At San Jose
Mon 04/07/08 Anaheim, CA Honda Center
Tue 04/08/08 Anaheim, CA Honda Center
Sun 04/13/08 Dallas, TX American Airlines Center
Mon 04/14/08 Houston, TX Toyota Center
Fri 04/18/08 Sunrise, FL BankAtlantic Center
Sat 04/19/08 Orlando, FL Amway Arena
Mon 04/21/08 Tampa, FL St. Pete Times Forum
Fri 04/25/08 Atlanta, GA Philips Arena
Sun 04/27/08 Charlotte, NC Charlotte Bobcats Arena
Mon 04/28/08 Greensboro, NC Greensboro Coliseum
Wed 04/30/08 Charlottesville, VA John Paul Jones Arena
Thu 05/22/08 Dublin, IRE RDS Arena
Fri 05/23/08 Dublin, IRE RDS Arena
Sun 05/25/08 Dublin, IRE RDS Arena
Wed 05/28/08 Manchester, UK Old Trafford Stadium
Fri 05/30/08 London, UK Emirates Stadium
Sat 05/31/08 London, UK Emirates Stadium
Sat 06/14/08 Cardiff, UK Millennium Stadium
Mon 06/16/08 Dusseldorf, GER LTU Arena
Wed 06/18/08 Amsterdam, NET Amsterdam Arena
Sat 06/21/08 Hamburg, GER HSH Nordbank Arena
Mon 06/23/08 Brussels, BEL Koning Boudewijn Stadium
Wed 06/25/08 Milan, ITA San Siro
Fri 06/27/08 Paris, FRA Parc Des Princes
Sun 06/29/08 Copenhagen, DEN Parken National Stadium Denmark
Fri 07/04/08 Goteborg, SWE Ullevi Stadium
Sat 07/05/08 Goteborg, SWE Ullevi Stadium
Mon 07/07/08 Oslo, NOR Vallehovin Stadium
Tue 07/08/08 Oslo, NOR Vallehovin Stadium
Fri 07/11/08 Helsinki, FIN Olympic Stadium
Tue 07/15/08 San Sebastian, SPA Estadio de Anoeta
Thu 07/17/08 Madrid, SPA Estadio Santiago Bernabeu
Sat 07/19/08 Barcelona, SPA Camp Nou

(Flickr image)

Houses Of Blues

I remember when the whole idea of the House of Blues music joints was launched by Dan Akroyd and it sounded cool, but these days the HOB brand practically has a monopoly in many markets. By nature I prefer tradition and history in a concert venue, but the Houses of Blues that I have been to have all provided me with a nice place to see a show. I've been to the ones in Myrtle Beach, Las Vegas, and Hollywood, and I'm sure that before it's over I'll find myself in one or two more. I tried to get a gig here at the acoustic showcase they have for locals at the HOB, but the dude wouldn't book me, though he has booked less skilled musicians. It would have been a fun experience, but you never know what the future holds.

(Flickr image)

Neil Young Tour Dates

I was over at Pollstar.com and I noticed that Neil Young is touring Europe. Wouldn't it be cool to take a trip across the drink and catch a couple of Neil shows? Here are the dates:

Thu 02/14/08 Paris, FRA Grand Rex
Sun 02/24/08 Frankfurt, GER Jahrhunderthalle Frankfurt
Tue 02/26/08 Berlin, GER ICC Berlin
Thu 02/28/08 Copenhagen, DEN Falkoner Theatre
Fri 02/29/08 Copenhagen, DEN Falkoner Theatre
Mon 03/03/08 Edinburgh, UK TBA
Wed 03/05/08 London, UK Carling Apollo Hammersmith
Thu 03/06/08 London, UK Carling Apollo Hammersmith
Sat 03/08/08 London, UK Carling Apollo Hammersmith
Sun 03/09/08 London, UK Carling Apollo Hammersmith
Tue 03/11/08 Manchester, UK Carling Apollo Manchester
Wed 03/12/08 Manchester, UK Carling Apollo Manchester
Fri 03/14/08 London, UK Carling Apollo Hammersmith
Sat 03/15/08 London, UK Carling Apollo Hammersmith

This is Neil's video for Let's Impeach The President:

Gov't Mule

When the Allman Brothers reformed some years ago, it was Warren Haynes who joined the band to fill the rather large vacancy that Duane Allman used to hold down. To many, myself included, it seemed impossible to have an Allman Brothers Band without Duane, and I guess the band felt the same way because it took them many years to try it. I don't know the actual story behind it all, but perhaps the fact that a player of Warren Haynes' ability was walking the earth helped to make the Allman Brothers revival a reality.

He is a monster player, and he has his own band called Gov't Mule. I listened to some live Mule about a week ago and it is incendiary. If you like blues-oriented rock and have never heard Gov't Mule, you are in for a pleasant surprise when you do.

Tiny Tim

There is a place called The Steel Pier in Atlantic City, and I guess it was always a big attraction back in the day. They had, or perhaps still have, a "Diving Horse" that would slide down a slide and into a pool, and they also had a concert venue. When I was little, less than ten, I went there with my aunt and uncle and my cousins, and the artist that was appearing was Tiny Tim, and we actually saw the Tiny Tim concert. He was a big phenomena for an Andy Warhol fifteen minutes or so, and he got married on The Tonight Show and I remember actually staying up late and watching it. Very strange, but kind of cool, I think, but I'm just not sure.

Weezer

Another of the bands that are very influential to my son Jack in his songwriting and simply his personal taste in music is the band Weezer. I like some of their stuff, and I especially like the song Beverly Hills that they had a hit with a few years ago. It's interesting to me that the guy behind the songs, Rivers Cuomo, went to Harvard after becoming a pop star and never told anyone there that he was the guy from Weezer. He sounds like a very interesting and unique person.

I think it's cool to seek knowledge in favor of celebrity. It seems as though when your celebrity exceeds your depth of talent and character, your psyche seems to rebel, and I think that Britney Spears is an example of this. So it is good to recognize that genuine roots values and self-love and self-respect borne of hard work and intellectual curiosity are the foundations that we can build upon securely.

Tours

I grew up in New Jersey and had the opportunity to visit the Big Apple many times, and I actually saw quite a few concerts in New York at Madison Square Garden and some others at smaller venues. If you get the chance to vacation in New York City, you will find that there is a whole lot to see and do, and it can be difficult to maximize the experience unless you enlist the services of a knowledgable tour guide who can efficiently show you all of the "must-see" sights. If you are looking for a New York tour check out FamilyInNewYork.com and plan a personal tour of this awesome American city.

The Smiths

My son Jack is a very good musician. He plays guitar and bass at a very high level, and he can program drums extremely well, but his particular passion is song writing. One of his one or two favorite bands of all time is The Smiths, and he has turned me on to them, although Morrissey is actually older than I am. On the surface I don't care for them very much, but when I give them a very close listen I can see why he finds them to be so moving. Johnny Marr crafted some can't miss tunes and Morrissey has a style vocally and lyrically that simply strikes a chord with a lot of people at a very emotional level, and I respect that.

James Taylor

James Taylor is a fellow has has written a lot of good songs over the years, and he has truly carved out an iconic niche for himself in the pantheon of modern American music. He has a great voice of course, and he is a pretty good picker as well. I can remember having the album Sweet Baby James when I was about eleven. It's kind of odd, but I like really mellow music like that of James Taylor less now that I am older than I did when I was much younger. Fire and Rain is probably my favorite James Taylor song, and I like the way he does How Sweet It Is, though he didn't write it. He seems like a nice guy too, a regular person who just happens to play music.

A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall Lyrics

Bob Dylan has written so many songs and so many unbelievable lyrics it is really an achievement that is truly incredible if you thing about it. I was noodling around on this song a couple of weeks ago and I think that one of the things about his lyrics, and most if not all good song lyrics, is that the message that they convey is valid from generation to generation (sometimes unfortunately). I noticed that you can get all of Dylan's lyrics at BobDylan.com. It is a great resource and if you want to read some good poetry and get schooled on how to write good lyrics I recommend that you peruse the work of Bob Dylan.

Here's a taste:

Oh, what'll you do now, my blue-eyed son?
Oh, what'll you do now, my darling young one?
I'm a-goin' back out 'fore the rain starts a-fallin',
I'll walk to the depths of the deepest black forest,
Where the people are many and their hands are all empty,
Where the pellets of poison are flooding their waters,
Where the home in the valley meets the damp dirty prison,
Where the executioner's face is always well hidden,
Where hunger is ugly, where souls are forgotten,
Where black is the color, where none is the number,
And I'll tell it and think it and speak it and breathe it,
And reflect it from the mountain so all souls can see it,
Then I'll stand on the ocean until I start sinkin',
But I'll know my song well before I start singin',
And it's a hard, it's a hard, it's a hard, it's a hard,
It's a hard rain's a-gonna fall.


Copyright © 1963; renewed 1991 Special Rider Music

Johnny Depp

I have always enjoyed the work of Johnny Depp, going all the way back to the days of the television series that he was in called 21 Jump Street back in the mid-eighties. The choice of roles that he has taken along the way has always been eclectic and cool, and he seems to go out of his way to play down his good looks in his roles. A lot of good looking actors "play themselves," but not Depp, and I have always respected that.

He is a musician as well and he's good friends with the Gallaghers from Oasis from what I understand, and he plays slide guitar on a song on one of their albums. This dude can do it all, although his slide work is mixed way down on the tune I'm talking about. I don't remember the title. Depp is living proof that you can be my age and still be cool.

Larry Keel

I was fortunate enough to attend quite a few music festivals in the southeast when I lived in Athens, Georgia, and I learned that the folks down there really love their music. I also learned about bluegrass, and I saw some pretty good bluegrass pickers at the frstivals. They have a huge annual event in North Caronlina in honor of Merle Watson called Merlefest, which I have not yet attended. I did, however, get to see Larry Keel a few times at other festivals, and he is a flat picking champion who plays with amazing speed. Check out his music when you get the chance.

Phil Lesh

If you haven't gotten the idea already, I of course liked the Grateful Dead a lot when I was younger and they were still maintaining a vigorous touring schedule and Jerry Garcia was still alive. I was always impressed by Phil Lesh and his extraordinary and unusual bass playing, and he has gone on to continue playing live and recording since the Dead has more or less broken up. The man is a legend and there are no superlatives that I can share with you that haven't already been written many times over. But I am going to step out and say, and Phil, I love you man, Phil Lesh's singing sucks. It's hard to understand how somebody with that much musical knowledge can't coax better, in key sounds out of his throat.

Bob Weir

Jerry Garcia is a household name and even people who have no real interest in the Grateful Dead who have never listened to their music are familiar with the man as a pop culture icon. Bob Weir was the Grateful Dead's "other" guitarist, and he still tours with his band Ratdog. Weir is a very quirky player who plays a lot of stabbing inversions during improvisational jams. One thing about him that can't be denied is that he has written a lot of great songs and his writing is in fact more complex than that of Garcia in many instances. The man knows chordal relationships and he sings pretty well, too, and after all, he was at every Dead show, and that oughta count for something.

New York Dolls

I just met someone online that is a huge fan of the New York Dolls, and it is kind of a coincidence because I happened to catch the documentary film New York Doll just a few nights ago. I had heard about the film from a review that I read around the time of its release but I never got around to renting it. I remember the New York Dolls when I was younger and they were in their heyday, and their album covers certainly got your attention. They were very influential, especially to the punk scene, and they rocked out pretty hard. Apparently many people thought they were ripping off the Stones, but the New York Dolls carved their names into the pantheon of rock music history, and the documentary is something that I would highly recommend.

(Image from Flickr)

Of Montreal

When I was living in Athens, Georgia I heard a lot about the band Of Montreal, and one day my housemate came home from the store or the laundry-mat or somewhere and she told me that she had been chatting with the guy from Of Montreal and that they just got back from playing in Europe, where they were pretty popular. This was about six years ago, and they played here in Las Vegas last year and apparently put on a hell of a show. I haven't heard their most recent album yet but I like everything else I've heard from them a lot. They make very original music spilling from extremely creative minds.

David Bowie

I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to see David Bowie at the Spectrum in Philadelphia back in the late '70's and it was a fantastic show. If you take a look at, and a listen to, Bowie's career the one thing that you see and hear is that he never does anything that sucks. He evolved along with the times he lived in and played with experimental and cutting edge cats like Robert Fripp and Brian Eno. I listened to some old Bowie a couple of weeks ago and I was blown away, it still sounded as fresh as ever. Anyone who hasn't yet explored his catalog is really in for a treat when they do.

Electric Guitar

The last couple of times I played music in a band I played the bass, so I don't have an electric guitar right now. I have my Martin acoustic/electric and that is it, and I have been noodling around on my son's Epiphone hollow body and I am realizing that I have become a pretty good lead guitar player. I think that I'm going to start looking for an electric guitar that somebody is selling used so I can get a good value on a quality guitar. I used to have a Gibson SG and I really liked it so I will have my eye out for one of those. When I got the Martin it manifested immediately and it was a great deal so maybe the same thing will happen with an SG.

Hot Tuna

Everybody has heard of Jefferson Airplane, and Jorma Kaukonen was of course their lead guitar player. But he and Jack Casady, the bassist in the band, formed a band that they called Hot Tuna, and I just checked out their site and they are still playing gigs today. Jorma is a great electric guitar player, but he is also a virtuoso acoustic musician, and he and his wife have started Fur Peace Ranch Guitar Camp in southeastern Ohio where folks can go and learn how to pick from the master himself and from other accomplished musicians. I would love to make it out there someday, and Tuna, well, they rip it up.

Prodigy

I don't know a whole lot about the group that is called Prodigy, but I went to Los Angeles over the weekend to hang around and kick it in Hollywood and Venice, and on the way I listened to a Prodigy CD and it really boomed. They are very intelligent and create an electronic sound that is influenced by a lot of things but that is still completely unique. I've got to get some more Prodigy, it is really mind expanding music.

Slum Village

I first heard Slum Village back around 2002 and I was blown away by the emceeing and dope beats. J Dilla was clearly a very special producer, and he was a fine emcee as well, and it is very sad that he passed away so young. The first joint that I really listened to a lot was Trinity, and then I got Fantastic Volume 2. Elzhi and Bateen sound dope as well and I never get tired of them and they are always in rotation. Now that I have a banging stereo in my car with a subwoofer listening to SV is all the more appealing.

Courtney Love

Courtney Love is a very interesting character, at least to me. there are certain people that just seem destined to wind up in the public eye, and she is one of them. The band that she is in, Hole, is quite unremarkable to me, but of course her notoriety as the wife of Kurt Cobain sells some records for her. There are conspiracy theories concerning his death and her possible involvement...who knows? But there is something about her that is charismatic to me even though a lot of people aren't feeling her.

Seal on Ice?

I was hanging out in the living room yesterday and my housemate was watching television, and I was actually half asleep and a tad hung over from reveling on New Year's Eve (just a tad, not a lot) and I heard Seal singing and there he was on the screen. It was kind of strange because he was singing to recorded music and there was this girl ice skating while he was singing. It was kind of like a karaoke skate fest or something.

I like Seal's work, and I think he has a beautiful voice. I guess they pay well to have a guy like Seal sing to recorded music on television while a girl ice skates around the screen. Seal's gotta eat, right?

Random Play

I have been driving a 1997 Toyota Corolla since it was new and I have lugged a lot of musical gear in that little car and I put 211,000 mile on it. I loved it and it always got me where I needed to go, but it was really time for a new vehicle so I bought a 2006 Nissan Sentra. It has a great stereo including a six disc CD changer and I have been enjoying popping in six CD's of very different genres and randomly playing one tune from each, letting the system mix it up at random. It's great to have the new whip, and the music is bangin'. Some would say you miss the continuity that the artist intended when you don't listen to the release from start to finish, but I really like the variety of hearing the different styles on a after another. At least I do now, it's a new toy, right?