June 18, 2008
Band Names
Executive Pagan has been playing the imaginary band name game. Here are my favorites that I've come up with, over the years:
Blind Animal Magnets
Machine Gun Sheep
Monks in the Trunk
I'm very partial to Blind Animal Magnets. And it just goes to show that yes, you can take any three random words, and name a band. Which means that my favorite band has no excuse for their terrible name.
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October 21, 2007
Things I Wish I'd Never Heard
Who knew that Rick Wakeman had a disco period?
The names "Rick Wakeman" and "Chaka Khan" should just never appear on the same album. Ever. And it's a concept album. Rick Wakeman has done a concept album about Orwell's "1984," on which Chaka Khan is featured.
Hmm, I bet there's a reason I've never heard of this ...
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September 12, 2007
Music
Jeff exported our iTunes library to html, if you're interested in seeing what we've got.
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July 26, 2007
One More
Look - Jeff is there in the lower right. He's the guy with the glasses on.
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July 25, 2007
My ears are still ringing!
Now, that was a show! We've seen Def Leppard many times, and that was a great show!
I went the scalper route for good seats, and my goodness, they couldn't have been better. For this tour the band has a catwalk that extends out of the stage into the audience, ending in a "T" 11 rows out. Our seats were in that 11th row. If I sat in my seat, my shoulder touched the T of the catwalk. I could have reached out and touched anyone I pleased.
Styx opened, and were wonderful. Lawrence Gowan is a fine replacement for Dennis DeYoung, down to the flair for showmanship. The band did "Miss America," "Lorelei," "Crystal Ball," "Blue Collar Man," "Renegade," "Foolin' Yourself (Angry Young Man)," "Grand Illusion" ... but the highlight was a cover of "I Am The Walrus." How many bands would try that? It was fantastic!
Def Leppard's set list has been somewhat lacking the last couple of times we've seen them, but last night was much better: "Exciteable," "Foolin'," "Mirror Mirror," and "Another Hit and Run," all right in a row. They did their cover of "Rock On," which is nice on the album, but totally kills live. They did an acoustic bit right down on that "T" bit of the catwalk ... if I'd had my hands out, Phil Collen could have stepped on them. "Bringing on the Heartbreak" started off acoustic, and with the audience singing the choruses, then kicked back into electric and finished off with "Switch 625," the way it should be done. They did not do "Let's Get Rocked," for which we are eternally grateful. (And of course, they did the typical things - "Rocket," "Photograph," "Sugar," "Rock of Ages.")
Somewhere in there Vivian Campbell handed me his guitar pick. He didn't have to toss it, like they usually have to do - he was right there. At the end, Rick Savage came over and slapped my hand (swoon).
Click if you want to see the pictures ...
First, Styx - Tommy Shaw, Chuck Panozzo and JY:
Joe Elliott:
Phil Collen - no zoom on this one:
Vivian Campbell:
Rick Savage:
And finally, Rick Allen:
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June 9, 2007
A Musical Meme
Since this one involves 80s music, how can I resist?
Here are the rules:
1. Go to http://www.popculturemadness.com/
2. Pick the year you turned 18 (left column)
3. Get yourself nostalgic over the songs of the year
4. Write something about how the songs affected you
5. Pass it on to 5 more friends
That's 1988 for me. Ugh. What a list. Nostalgic? More like nauseous. Debbie Gibson? Rick Astley? Poison? Blech. But let's see ...
Ooh, well. Here are a couple of obvious ones: Pour Some Sugar On Me and Love Bites - Def Leppard
I'd never listened to them or anything like them before Hysteria came out. In the summer of '88 I worked at Sound Warehouse, where we played that album incessantly. And every time we played it, it grew on me a little more (it was "Gods of War" that hooked me). Then came the videos, and the hormone rush.
Hmmm? Oh, sorry - got distracted there.
I saw them for the first time that summer. (Not on the legendary in the round tour, but on the shed tour following. And not on the Pyromania tour, as my husband will doubtless point out again. And again.)
Need You Tonight - INXS
Heh. More hormones.
This turned out to be another of my very favorite bands. I saw them that year, too, in a huge arena. They were better later, in clubs. Two of the best shows I have ever seen were INXS club shows in 1993. However, the 1988 tour is kind of peripherally responsible for Jeff and me getting back together after a post-high school breakup.
I had the lyrics to "Mediate" posted around my dorm room.
We will not speak of their current lineup.
Under The Milky Way - The Church
Alternative was just getting under way during my first year at college. In Dallas, a *brand new* station called The Edge (KDGE) came onto the airwaves, and played the most amazing music. The Church was heavy in their rotation. Atmospheric, catchy, sardonic ... what's not to like?
That year I worked at the college radio station, which only broadcast to the immediate vicinity. Really immediate. Like, only in the Student Center. But even so, it was a great time to be doing anything with college radio, even if no one ever heard you. Maybe especially if no one ever heard you.
It's The End of the World as We Know It - R.E.M.
R.E.M. was the defining musical element of my college years. Many of my college memories are tied to R.E.M. songs. Everyone listened to them, everyone went to their shows (and they were still small enough to play smaller venues more suited to college folk), everyone tried to learn the words to this song. Usually they were drunk and failed.
For some reason, I could not find the video for this song. So here's "Stand;" you know, the one everyone tried to do the dance to. Usually they were drunk and failed.
What's On Your Mind (Pure Energy) - Information Society
This one reminds me of going dancing on weekends at Dallas Alley. Dallas Alley used to be very cool, full of good clubs. The whole top floor of the attached mall was a Beatles Museum. The last time I was down there the mall was much more like a typical mall, and most of the good clubs were gone.
My kids like this one because of the Star Trek bits.
I'll tag: KathyJo (even though she tagged me for a Thinking Blogger Award and I haven't done anything about it), Kellie, Jeff, e and Catherine.
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March 23, 2007
Musical Interlude
New Rush Oh, that's nice to hear.
On another note, we've been trying to schedule our summer vacation(s) around getting to an Asia show. However, a recent update on their website says that not all of the original lineup will be with the band this summer. They don't say who will be missing.
How typical of Asia - they couldn't even stay together through their own reunion tour.
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November 12, 2006
Opening the Box
Pandora's box, that is.
If you love music, and haven't tried Pandora yet, well, click on the link. It's free, so you have no excuse. It doesn't waste your money, just your time; and you were going to spend that rating the songs in your iTunes database anyway, now, weren't you?
Pandora is an internet radio station that works to find music that you like. You tell it what you like, it plays representative songs; you tell it whether you liked the track or not, and it finds you other music based on those preferences. I've got my station schizophrenic enough that it'll play me something from, say, "On Through the Night" (though I admit I have to giggle through half this album), then move onto a little Sweet (thanks, Mom!) and follow that up with Amon Duul.
Which is just how I like it.
Plus, Pandora has done a pretty consistently good job of finding new bands I like. Worst, they provide a convenient iTunes link right there on the page, so that when I do like something I can buy it. Instant musical gratification - the fulfillment of many of my teenage dreams!
I can't get their html generators to work, but you can access my stations from this link.
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October 26, 2006
I'm Going to The Closet, I'm Going on a Trip ...
I am going on vacation. Yes, folks, a real vacation, without my children, without, even, my wonderful husband.
I am leaving for the weekend. I'm going to Memphis, to see a dear friend. Then we're going to hop into her car and drive to Little Rock, where we have front row seats (!) to the Journey/Def Leppard show.
Don't wait up. We're going to party like it's ... uh ... 1983. And like we were of drinking age then.
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July 26, 2006
Rock Show!
...for the vast majority of Suburban Americans between the age of 14 and 24 in the early 80s, when it was time to make out and you put Escape on the turntable, you were automatically spotted two bases. Honestly, if you didn't have a hand under a bra or massaging a button fly by the end of "Who's Crying Now," Steve Perry would stop what he was doing, fly to your house and then beat the crap out of you for blowing a sure thing. God forbid you actually flipped the LP, because then, baby, you were going home. There's an entire generation of white 22-to-25-year olds walking around today whose moment of conception is largely coincident to the second chorus of "Open Arms."
Ahem.
So, Monday it was our wedding anniversary. And, uh ... we went to see Journey, because our first date was to a Journey show (Raised on Radio). That fixes us pretty well into the middle of the above paragraph, doesn't it? Did I mention that the only band I was ever in, at the only gig we ever played, did "Open Arms?" (Me on keyboards.)
We would have felt like geezers at the show, except that everyone else there was a geezer too. Many had brought their kids.
The sound mix was terrible, but the show was great. Journey did everything you'd expect Journey to do, and Neal Schon gave a nice touch by starting off the show with a blistering rendition of "The Star-Spangled Banner." Their new vocalist was ill, so we had a stand-in for the Steve Perry stand-in. He wasn't a bit like Perry, but he was energetic, sang decently well and was having a great time.
Journey was the first act. After that was Def Leppard, a band I sort of like - and by "sort of" I mean that my oldest child has pictures in his baby book of being carried around by Malvin Mortimer (tour manager) during soundchecks.
So yes, Journey was fun, it was our anniversary, etc., but we all know I plunked down the cash for the tickets and hired a babysitter I'd never met to go see Def Leppard.
The sound was terrible for both bands. The sound guys should be taken out and shot. All we heard was the distortion coming off the bass; I had to plug my ears to hear Cain's piano, or any guitar. But even so, I had a fantastic time. Lep can still pull off a rocking, energy-packed show that's just fun. And they did a cover of Sweet's "Hellraiser," which makes me really, really happy.
Can we go again? I want to go again.
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March 14, 2006
I love our XM radio!
I just turned it on, and my favorite station is playing "America" by The Nice. The Nice! Who plays The Nice? No one, that's who. Except the XM radio. Which I love.
If you've been considering satellite radio but are on the fence, know that I don't regret a penny I've spent on this. We never listen to the regular radio anymore. The XM stations are phenomenal. The playlists have a depth and breadth that regular radio can't touch.
My favorite channels are:
Fred ("traditional" alternative - the Clash, the Cure, old U2, the Church, etc.)
Fine Tuning (XM just describes this as "Eclectic," and boy are they right. They'll play Sting, followed by Chris Squire solo, followed by Bach.)
Music Lab - the prog rock channel
XM Pops for our classical in the mornings
Cinemagic - the kids' favorite, all movie soundtracks all the time
XM Kids - sometimes irritating, but often fun
We're constantly finding new music, and the kids and I are sharing music we enjoy with each other. Worth every penny.
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February 14, 2006
Classic Rock Education
Now, here are some fun lesson plans.
Number 48 guides students to evaluate popular reaction to U.S. action in Libya by watching a Def Leppard video. Oh, the sacrifices I make for my children....
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January 3, 2006
The first day of the rest of my life ...
Thanks for the good wishes. And my, what perceptive men comment on my blog!
We went out for dinner. Just for the record, I did not die. I'm beginning to think that maybe my allergist was a tad overdramatic.
Jeff's birthday is next week, so we got each other new speakers for the house. Our right speaker has been dead for some time. However, our right car speaker is out as well, so music is beginning to sound normal that way. Until, of course, we play something older that uses the left and right channels separately. Fun. (Hey, kids, like this Beatles track? You should hear it with vocals!)
Christmas and birthdays have resulted in an audio-visual glut. I've got ... five? Six? Music DVDs, plus "Serenity," season 1 of "Babylon 5," and the entire series of "Space: Above and Beyond." Sci-fi heaven.
You know you're watching too much science fiction when you dream new "Firefly" episodes. (Not that Malcolm Reynolds is not welcome to show up in my dreams any time, but it wasn't even that kind of a dream.)
For Christmas I got Jeff an XM radio subscription and tuner. Oh my, is that nice. Live INXS. Acoustic Yes. Spock's Beard. I listen mostly to "Fred," the "Classic Alternative" station; and "Music Lab," the prog rock station. The kids like to stick to "Cinemagic," which is all movie soundtracks all the time.
So if our eyes are glazed over for the next few months, you know why. Music. Sci-fi. Music. Sci-fi. Dude.
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December 13, 2005
Blame the Crib Chick
Last year ... remember last year? I did the One Sixteenth Holiday Extravaganza. Yuletide songs galore!
I just couldn't wrap my brain around it this year. However, Ms. Crib Chick and a few others have emailed me asking for Christmas music suggestions. I love you people.
Here are the songs that always make it onto my personal holiday mix:
"I Believe in Father Christmas" - Greg Lake
"Christmas Eve (Sarajevo 12/24)" - Trans-Siberian Orchestra
"Yule is Come" - Jaiya, off the album "Firedance"
"A Soalin" - Peter, Paul and Mary (live version)
A Mad Russian's Christmas" - Trans-Siberian Orchestra
"The First Noel" - performed by Billy Pilgrim off the album "You Sleigh Me"
"The Christians and the Pagans" - Dar Williams off the album "Mortal City"
"A Winter's Tale" - David Essex off the CD "That's Christmas" (I was unable to find a clip for this online. It's a shame, as this is a lovely song.)
"Walking in the Air" - performed by Aled Jones (Couldn't find a clip of this either. This is worth seeking out.)
"Walking in the Air" - performed by Nightwish off their album "Oceanborn." This is a direct link to an mp3 clip.
"Ring Out Solstice Bells" - Jethro Tull
"Good King Wenceslas" - Loreena McKennit
"Gabriel's Message" - performed by Sting, this can be found on "A Very Special Christmas."
"Christmas" - Blues Traveler, off of "A Very Special Christmas 3"
Chris Cornell doing "Ave Maria" - off the above album
Natalie Merchant's "Children Go Where I Send Thee" - also off the above album
"Easier Said than Done" - Jon Anderson, off the album "3 Ships"
"Christmas is Coming" - John Denver and the Muppets
"We Wish You a Merry Christmas" - John Denver and the Muppets
"Gaudete" - performed by The King's Singers
"God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen/We Three Kings" - Barenaked Ladies w/Sarah McLachlan
"An Angel Came Down" - Trans-Siberian Orchestra
"Mary's Boy Child" - performed by Boney M. Really.
If it's parody you like, Bob Rivers is always a good bet. My favorite of his is "O Come All Ye Grateful Deadheads."
And then, there's Deck the Halls With Skulls and Saxons.
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October 4, 2005
INXS
Today INXS released "Live At Barker Hangar" (available at the Apple Music Store). If you were a fan you remember the tours the band did in '93, in which they played unusual venues: airplane hangars, convention halls. I saw them twice that year, once in a convention hall at the Amon Carter in Ft. Worth, once at the Bomb Factory in Dallas.
I paid $100 a ticket to get into the Bomb Factory show. It was worth every penny. And the Amon Carter show was even better.
How I miss that band.
I'm afraid I'll miss them even more, now that "Rock Star: INXS" is over. Instead of picking a singer who could carry the band into a new era, they played it safe by picking J. D. Fortune as their new frontman. (Even after that epileptic fit he had in the middle of "What You Need." What was that?) J.D.'s not bad, but check out the video for "Time" included in the Barker Hangar CD: He's not bad, but he can't do that. I'd have been happy to buy a ticket to see them with Marty Casey, or Suzie McNeil, but J.D.? I'm still not convinced enough to plop down the money.
At least I have my new live CD. And it has a video. Mmmmmmm.
Update: What was I thinking? Of course I'll go see them. The Lovehammers will be opening.
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