Tag Archives for music

Voices – Black Mountain

Artist as Rock & Roll Enthusiast (aka ARE) Post: 29

This song a definitive example of simple beauty. I love it. Basically, it’s a tribute to growing up listening to, loving, and being influenced by, rock and roll radio. This is a topic I can relate to. Growing up listening to rock and roll radio is something I remember fondly and have joyous memories of. It’s something I have often reflected upon.

Black Mountain is a Canadian psychedelic rock band based in Vancouver. They’ve been one of my favorite bands since their inception in 2004. I own pretty much everything they’ve ever recorded. I see them in concert every opportunity I get. This track is tough to get a hold of. You can find it as a B-side on the Stormy High EP.

I’m not kidding when I say I could listen to this song over and over. I truly could. I love a lot of songs, but I don’t say that about many of them. Listen to it now. See if you want to hit repeat. For the record, I did. It came up on shuffle but I’ve now played it three times in a row. So good.

On Fire – Van Halen

Artist as Rock & Roll Enthusiast (aka ARE) Post: 22

Seems to me, I have a backlog of music-related posts to make. The recent passing of Eddie Van Halen moves the band that takes his name to the top of that list of posts.

I’m not going to wax poetic about how brilliant a guitarist Eddie Van Halen was. Everyone knows he was a virtuoso that reinvented the instrument in ways unlike anyone else before or since. All rock fans have anecdotal moments centered around the virtuosity of Eddie Van Halen. My personal favorite is how the song “Eruption” instantly became the ultimate test for any aspiring guitarist. If you could play that you weren’t just good you were awesome. My mind goes back to that college dorm room with that guitar guy playing his attempt at that solo for the other dudes in the hall. It happened a lot. Usually followed by “Wish You Were Here” on acoustic, you know, to chill things out after the heat coming from that semi-blistering version of “Eruption.”

Instead, I want to reflect on my life at the time Eddie Van Halen came into my world. It was 1978 and I was nine years old. I was already starting to get into music. I had a record player of my own. I owned a few full-length albums. Bought them when going to neighborhood garage sales with my Mom. I had a few singles of my own too. Ultimately, Van Halen’s first releases were some of my very first albums on cassette tape.

When Van Halen’s debut came out, I heard it everywhere and like everyone else, it caught my ear. Never before had I heard any guitar like that. It was crunchy and fast but strangely smooth and slippery too. I have vivid memories of hearing that band in those days. Didn’t matter where I was, Van Halen was there too; the local recreation center, the swimming pool, the playground, the backseat of my Mom’s car, even coming from someone else’s car at a red light. Eventually, from my Walkman.

The gestalt present in their sound is unique. It’s simultaneously a cohesive unit and a single dominant force (Eddie Van Halen). Van Halen, Van Halen II and Fair Warning are my favorites. I could have chosen any song from the debut album. The album is that good. I decided to feature the song “On Fire” in my post for a few reasons. “On Fire” is the closing track and it’s a barnburner. It comes as advertised, three minutes of fire. It has remained one of my absolute favorite Van Halen tracks over all these years. Unlike many Van Halen songs, this song means business. It has a speed metal intensity and its purpose is to kick your ass. It’s not messing around. (“Mean Street” on Fair Warning is my all-time favorite Van Halen song for a similar reason). “On Fire” is good enough to close out their debut AND be an opening track in concert (see attached video).

To be fair, I started to lose interest in their music a couple of years into the Sammy Hagar era. That said, I can still listen to all the David Lee Roth albums with a smile on my face. That’s the secret ingredient and the true magic of Eddie Van Halen and the band Van Halen. They just wanted to put a smile on your face and that’s what they did best. Eddie Van Halen’s smile while playing guitar is my indelible, unforgettable memory of him.

Let The Good Times Roll – Little Beaver

Artist as Rock & Roll Enthusiast (aka ARE) Post: 15

I’m still gravitating toward my collection of funk soul classics during these times.

Let music help you rise above the bullshit blocking your way. Whatever get’s you through. This one works for me.

Never An Easy Way – Morcheeba

Artist as Rock & Roll Enthusiast (aka ARE) Post: 14

Heard this one shuffle this morning. It had been a while since I heard it. This song sounds best after midnight but today it was a morning song and once again I heard the right song at the right time.

The sound is bold and strong yet spacious and sparse. The lyrics are moody yet motivational.

It’s one of my personal anthems. Nothing else to say.

Cult of Personality – Living Colour

Artist as Rock & Roll Enthusiast (aka ARE) Post: 2

I’m surprised at how many people have NOT heard this song. Kids! Give it a spin! Adults, revisit this song and its message. It’s sounds like 2020 doesn’t it? We’re living through the Cult Of Ugly Personality.

My 500 Favorite Songs At 50

Well, well, well. The big day has finally arrived. My date of birth, 9/11/69 was 50 years ago today.

Anyone that knows me knows I’ve had a serious music listening habit my entire life. I’m rock and roll right through to my soul. Months ago I decided I was going to compile a list of my favorite songs and reveal them on this day. No individual rankings (my head would implode), just the top 500.

You might think I made some great choices. You’ll likely gag on a few as well. That’s fine, I can and will defend them all. Making this list was a fun but arduous process. Many difficult decisions were made. I tried to find songs that really stuck in my consciousness, regardless of how old the song is or what my age was when I first heard the song.

What defines a favorite to me? It could be a lot of things. The entirety of the lyrics or just one line. Every second of the music or a small moment of complete brilliance. A favorite could be connected to a memory. A favorite might just have that melodic staying power, the kind of song you hum when you’re not even listening to it. Bottom line, these are songs I always want to hear.

A few observations about the choices and decision process. Some of my favorite genres are underrepresented. That’s probably because I like a lot of the music as a whole but not specific stand out tracks. I’m suprised at how any outliers made the list. Outliers being single songs from artists I do not necessarily care about outside of that particular song. That’s especially the case with the rhythm & blues, disco and soul choices I made. I was also surprised at how many bands I really like somewhat surprisingly did not have a single song make the final 500. I could have a detailed conversation about everything on this list. There’s also a few hundred more songs I wish I could have included. These choices were tough to make. Decisions had to bounce around in my brain for a while.

This list is filled with groovy, messy, melodic, aggressive, passionate, soulful, fuzzy, funky, spaced out, distorted, weird, contradictory songs, I’ve got time for it all.

So, here it is. My big list. My 500 favorite songs, listed in alphabetical order both by artist and song.

 

The Top 500

(in alphabetical order by artist)

Baby, Please Don’t Go – AC/DC
It’s A Long Way To The Top (If You Wanna Rock N’ Roll) – AC/DC
Ride On – AC/DC

Combination – Aerosmith
Sweet Emotion – Aerosmith

Going To Town – The Afghan Whigs

Is It My Body? – Alice Cooper

Again – Alice In Chains
No Excuses – Alice In Chains

Alabaster – All Them Witches
The Death Of Coyote Woman – All Them Witches

Dreams – The Allman Brothers
Midnight Rider – The Allman Brothers
Morning Dew – The Allman Brothers

Don’t Bring Me Down – The Animals
It’s My Life – The Animals

R U Mine? – Arctic Monkeys

Faustian Bargain – Astrosoniq

Kiss The Sun – The Atomic Bitchwax

Transparent – Awesome Color

Third Eye Surgery – Baby Woodrose

Burnin’ Sky – Bad Company

Baby Blue – Badfinger
Just A Chance – Badfinger

The Line Between – Baroness

Good Vibrations – The Beach Boys

Intergalactic – The Beastie Boys
Sabotage – The Beastie Boys

Glass Onion – The Beatles
Hey Bulldog – The Beatles
Tomorrow Never Knows – The Beatles

Paper Tiger – Beck

Livin’ Alone – Bizi Gara

Army Of Me – Björk

Low Desert Punk – Brant Bjork
Punk Rock Guilt – Brant Bjork

Black Grease – The Black Angels
Young Men Dead – The Black Angels

Gone – The Black Crowes
Wiser Time – The Black Crowes

Funeral Bell – Black Label Society
House Of Doom – Black Label Society

Don’t Run Our Hearts Around – Black Mountain
Voices – Black Mountain
Wucan – Black Mountain

Thanks Anyways – Black Nasa

Supernaut – Black Sabbath
Symptom Of The Universe – Black Sabbath
War Pigs – Black Sabbath

Chill Out – Black Uhuru

Mouthful Of Cavities – Blind Melon
Sleepyhouse – Blind Melon

Burnin’ For You – Blue Öyster Cult

There’s No Other Way – Blur

Up All Night – The Boomtown Rats

More Than A Feeling – Boston

Golden Years – David Bowie

The Letter – The Box Tops

Needle & Thread – Brad

Vacuum Boots – The Brian Jonestown Massacre
Whatever Hippie Bitch – The Brian Jonestown Massacre

Mother Popcorn – James Brown
Super Bad – James Brown

Bluebird – Buffalo Springfield
Mr. Soul – Buffalo Springfield

Goin’ Against Your Mind – Built To Spill

Spill The Wine – Eric Burdon & War

Going Down South – R.L. Burnside

Eight Miles High – The Byrds

Stop – Camille Lil’ Bob

Honey Child What Can I Do – Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan

On The Road Again – Canned Heat

Zig Zag Wanderer – Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
Electricity – Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band

All Mixed Up – The Cars
Bye Bye Love – The Cars
Candy-O – The Cars
Let’s Go – The Cars

My Beautiful Friend – The Charlatans
Sproston Green – The Charlatans

What’d I Say, Pt. 1 & 2 – Ray Charles

Surrender – Cheap Trick

I Cannot Stop You – The Cherry Slush

Good Times – Chic

25 or 6 to 4 – Chicago
Beginnings – Chicago
I’m A Man – Chicago

Tantalized – The Church

The Core – Eric Clapton
Mainline Florida – Eric Clapton

One More Time – The Clash
Police & Thieves – The Clash
Train In Vain – The Clash

The Harder They Come – Jimmy Cliff

Couldn’t Get It Right – Climax Blues Band

Army Of Bono – Clutch
The Regulator – Clutch

A Girl Like You – Edwyn Collins

Mandocello – Concrete Blonde
Scene Of A Perfect Crime – Concrete Blonde

Shipwreck – Chris Connelly

Good Shit – Cornershop

Clean My Wounds – Corrosion Of Conformity

A Common Disaster – Cowboy Junkies

The Things You Do To Me – Robert Cray

Badge – Cream
SWLABR – Cream

Fortunate Son – Creedence Clearwater Revival
Run Through The Jungle – Creedence Clearwater Revival

Naturally High – The Cult
Love Removal Machine – The Cult
She Sells Sanctuary  – The Cult

Cigarette Burns – Mark Curry

Godless – The Dandy Warhols
Plan A – The Dandy Warhols

Wishing Well – Terence Trent D’Arby

Runaway Clocks – Darlahood

Let It Whip – Dazz Band

Ain’t Got Nothing (To Go Wrong) – Dead Meadow
Sleepy Silver Door – Dead Meadow

Aisha – Death In Vegas w/ Iggy Pop
Hands Around My Throat – Death In Vegas

Smoke On The Water – Deep Purple

Every Time You Go – The Devlins

Freedom Of Choice – Devo

Holy Diver – Dio
Rainbow In The Dark – Dio

Six Blade Knife – Dire Straits
Skateaway – Dire Straits

Stop – The Dirtbombs

I Ain’t Superstitious – Willie Dixon

Season Of The Witch – Donovan

The Changeling – The Doors
Soul Kitchen – The Doors

Right On Baby, Baby – Dramarama
Train Going Backwards – Dramarama

Wrapped In Sky – Drivin N’ Cryin

Ship To Shore – Dub Narcotic Sound System

How Can A Man With So Many Friends Feel So Alone – Eagles Of Death Metal

September – Earth Wind & Fire

Fresh Blood – Eels
Saturday Morning – Eels

The Sea Of Your Mind – Elephant Stone

From The Beginning – Emerson, Lake & Palmer

King For A Day – Faith No More
Stripsearch – Faith No More

One Thing Leads To Another – The Fixx

The W.A.N.D. (The Will Always Negates Defeat) – The Flaming Lips

Gold Dust Woman – Fleetwood Mac

Exhausted – Foo Fighters

Pumped Up Kicks – Foster The People

All Right Now – Free

I Fought The Law – Bobby Fuller Four

Evil Eye – Fu Manchu
Hell On Wheels – Fu Manchu

Waiting Room – Fugazi

Bonnie & Clyde – Serge Gainsbourg & Brigitte Bardot

To Hell With Poverty – Gang Of Four
What We All Want – Gang Of Four

I Heard It Through The Grapevine – Marvin Gaye

Help You Out – The Go
Yer Stoned Italian Cowboy – The Go

Birth, School, Work, Death – The Godfathers

Detrimental – Gomer Pyle

Bring It On – Gomez
Revolutionary Kind – Gomez

Bethlehem Steel – Grant Lee Buffalo
Honey Don’t Think – Grant Lee Buffalo

Let’s Stay Together – Al Green

Contact Me Now – The Grifters

Cherry Red – The Groundhogs

No Time – The Guess Who

Rocket Queen – Guns N’ Roses

Take Care Of Your Own Business – Dave Hamilton

Motherless Child – Harmonica Paul

God Fearing Man – Ben Harper

I Put A Spell On You – Screamin’ Jay Hawkins

Running In Place – Taylor Hawkins & The Coattail Riders

Masters Of The Universe – Hawkwind

Never Been Any Reason – Head East

Barracuda – Heart
Magic Man – Heart

No One Is Gonna Do It For You – The Hellacopters

All Along The Watchtower – Jimi Hendrix
Freedom – Jimi Hendrix
Voodoo Child (Slight Return) – Jimi Hendrix

Beneath The Damage And The Dust – Peter Himmelman

Let It Out (Let It All Hang Out) – The Hombres

Bittersweet – Hoodoo Gurus

Don’t Leave Me This Way – Thelma Houston

Nomads – Howlin’ Rain
Self Made Man – Howlin’ Rain

Nobody But Me – The Human Beinz

Zodiac Sign – Imperial Drag

The One Thing – INXS

Ah Leah! – Donnie Iris

Flight Of Icarus – Iron Maiden

You Owe Me Some Kind Of Love – Chris Isaak
Beautiful Homes – Chris Isaak

Look Sharp! – Joe Jackson

Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough – Michael Jackson

Funk #49 – The James Gang
Walk Away – The James Gang

Mountain Song – Jane’s Addiction

Sugar Ray – The Jesus And Mary Chain

Mouth Breather – The Jesus Lizard
Then Comes Dudley – The Jesus Lizard

Teacher – Jethro Tull

Philadelphia Freedom – Elton John

Afro – The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion
Bellbottoms – The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion

Here Come The Girls – Ernie K-Doe

Born Under A Bad Sign – Albert King

Going Down – Freddie King

Morning Dew – King Loser

Over My Head – King’s X

Do It Again – The Kinks

Long Term Exit Strategy – Kinski

It’s Alright, Baby – Komeda

Demon Cleaner – Kyuss
Whitewater – Kyuss

Beg Steal Or Borrow – Ray LaMontagne & The Pariah Dogs
For The Summer – Ray LaMontagne & The Pariah Dogs

Carnival – Mark Lanegan
One Hundred Days – Mark Lanegan
One Way Street – Mark Lanegan
Strange Religion – Mark Lanegan

North American Scum – LCD Soundsystem

Good Times Bad Times – Led Zeppelin
Houses Of The Holy – Led Zeppelin
How Many More Times – Led Zeppelin
I’m Gonna Crawl – Led Zeppelin
In The Light – Led Zeppelin
Nobody’s Fault But Mine – Led Zeppelin
Over The Hills And Far Away – Led Zeppelin
Ten Years Gone – Led Zeppelin

Something About You – Level 42

Sundown – Gordon Lightfoot

My Black Sabbath – The Limiñanas

Transform – Jason Loewenstein

Between The Eyes – Love Battery
Fuzz Factory – Love Battery
Nehru Jacket – Love Battery

Dear Diary – Luna
Pup Tent – Luna

I Don’t Wanna Be A Soldier – Mad Season
November Hotel – Mad Season

Shimmering – Maids Of Gravity
Taste – Maids Of Gravity

Get Up Stand Up – Bob Marley & The Wailers

Joy & Blues – Ziggy Marley & The Melody Makers

Let The Good Things Come – John Martyn

Dissolved Girl – Massive Attack

John Brown – Masters Of Reality
King Richard The Lion Heart – Masters Of Reality
She Got Me (When She Got Her Dress On) – Masters Of Reality

Curl Of The Burl – Mastodon

Pair Of Cherry – Eric Matthews

Little Child Runnin’ Wild – Curtis Mayfield
Move On Up – Curtis Mayfield
Pusherman – Curtis Mayfield

Over And Over – MC5

Lake Of Fire – Meat Puppets
Scum – Meat Puppets

Peace Sells – Megadeth

Last Chance – John Mellencamp

A History Of Bad Men – Melvins
Honey Bucket – Melvins
Let It All Be – Melvins
Revolve – Melvins

For Whom The Bell Tolls – Metallica

Electric Feel – MGMT

The Window – The Steve Miller Band

Blow ‘Em Off – Monster Magnet
Negasonic Teenage Warhead – Monster Magnet

Alive & Amplified – The Mooney Suzuki

Never An Easy Way – Morcheeba

All Wrong – Morphine
Hanging On A Curtain – Morphine
I’m Free Now – Morphine

Chloe Dancer / Crown Of Thorns – Mother Love Bone

Ace Of Spades – Motörhead

Champagne & Reefer – Muddy Waters

I Have To Laugh – Mudhoney
You Got It – Mudhoney

Hair Of The Dog – Nazareth

Jump Into The Fire – Harry Nilsson

Even Deeper – Nine Inch Nails

Dive – Nirvana
Smells Like Teen Spirit – Nirvana

Cars – Gary Numan

Hundred Mile High City – Ocean Colour Scene

Over The Mountain – Ozzy Osbourne

Ice Cold Daydream – Shuggie Otis

Happy With Myself – Over The Rhine

Gonna Put My Foot Down – Bill Parker

Taxman – Junior Parker

Even Flow – Pearl Jam
In Hiding – Pearl Jam
Present Tense – Pearl Jam

Here Comes My Girl – Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
Shadow Of A Doubt (A Complex Kid) – Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
Straight Into Darkness – Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
A Woman In Love (It’s Not Me) – Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers

Fearless – Pink Floyd
Sheep – Pink Floyd
Shine On You Crazy Diamond – Pink Floyd

Planet Of Sound – Pixies

Good Fortune – PJ Harvey
Working For The Man – PJ Harvey

Burning Down One Side – Robert Plant

When The World Is Running Down, You Make The Best Of What’s Still Around – The Police

Winners & Losers – Iggy Pop

Cursed Female – Porno For Pyros

Burning Love – Elvis Presley
Suspicious Minds – Elvis Presley

Silently Bad Minded (Remix) – Pressure Drop

My City Was Gone – The Pretenders
Mystery Achievement – The Pretenders

Loaded – Primal Scream

Girls & Boys – Prince
Sign ‘O’ The Times – Prince

Tumbleweed – Puscifer

Keep Yourself Alive – Queen
You’re My Best Friend – Queen

In My Head – Queens Of The Stone Age
Mexicola – Queens Of The Stone Age
Misfit Love – Queens Of The Stone Age
The Lost Art Of Keeping A Secret – Queens Of The Stone Age

Begin The Begin – R.E.M.
Feeling Gravitys Pull – R.E.M.

Level – The Raconteurs
Old Enough – The Raconteurs

Just – Radiohead
Separator – Radiohead
Subterranean Homesick Alien – Radiohead

People Of The Sun – Rage Against The Machine

I Just Want To Celebrate – Rare Earth

Round & Round – Ratt

Every Little Twist – Red Fang

Within Your Reach – The Replacements

400 Bucks – Reverend Horton Heat

Really Wanted You – Emitt Rhodes

Leave Them All Behind – Ride

Only Good For Conversation – Rodriguez

Can’t You Hear Me Knocking – The Rolling Stones
Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo (Heartbreaker) – The Rolling Stones
Gimme Shelter – The Rolling Stones
Stray Cat Blues – The Rolling Stones
Time Waits For No One – The Rolling Stones
Ventilator Blues – The Rolling Stones

You’re No Good – Linda Ronstadt

Out Of The Blue – Roxy Music

Hello It’s Me – Todd Rundgren

Tom Sawyer – Rush

Just For Kicks – Salem’s Pot

I Thank You – Sam & Dave

Santa Maria Street – Sand Rubies

Lowdown – Boz Scaggs

The Revolution Will Not Be Televised – Gil Scott-Heron

Dollar Bill – Screaming Trees
Make My Mind – Screaming Trees
Too Far Away – Screaming Trees
Winter Song – Screaming Trees

Sorry – Sebadoh

Green Belly – Ty Segall
You Say All The Nice Things – Ty Segall

Learn & Burn – The Sheepdogs

Blue On Black – Kenny Wayne Shepherd

How Do You Sleep? – The Sights

Dragonaut – Sleep

Maui Tears – Sleepy Sun

Underwhelmed – Sloan

Family Affair – Sly & The Family Stone

Drown – Smashing Pumpkins
I Am One – Smashing Pumpkins
Rhinoceros – Smashing Pumpkins

Rock Anthem For The Retarded Teenage Hipster Population – Smile

Dancing Barefoot – Patti Smith Group

Blues Before & After – The Smithereens

Bad Luck – Social Distortion

Drunken Butterfly – Sonic Youth
Pink Steam – Sonic Youth
Sunday – Sonic Youth

Formaldehyde – Sons Of Elvis

Soul Brothers Testify – Soul Senders

Dusty – Soundgarden
Jesus Christ Pose – Soundgarden
Searching With My Good Eye Closed – Soundgarden

No Fence Around Me – Joe South

Love Left Us Strangers – Space Needle

Rubber Connection – Speedball Baby

I’ll Be Around – The Spinners

I Think I’m In Love – Spiritualized

Don’t You Evah – Spoon
Nobody Gets Me But You – Spoon

Twenty Five Miles – Edwin Starr

It Don’t Come Easy – Ringo Starr

Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye – Steam

Do It Again – Steely Dan

Do For The Others – Stephen Stills

Fools Gold – The Stone Roses

Atlanta – Stone Temple Pilots
Hello, It’s Late – Stone Temple Pilots

Down On The Street – The Stooges
Loose – The Stooges

Rosechild – Stress

Charlotte Rose – The Suede Brothers

A Good Idea – Sugar

Green-Eyed Lady – Sugarloaf

The Man Don’t Give A Fuck – Super Furry Animals
The Roman Road – Super Furry Animals
Slow Life – Super Furry Animals

Run – Supergrass

You Keep Me Hangin’ On – The Supremes

Giving It Back – Matthew Sweet
Ugly Truth Rock – Matthew Sweet

Goodnight – Sweet Apple

A Change Is Gonna Come – Swervedriver
Duel – Swervedriver
Never Lose That Feeling / Never Learn – Swervedriver

Explosive Mouth – T. Rex
The Motivator – T. Rex
The Slider – T. Rex

Chevrolet – Taj Mahal

Life’s What You Make It – Talk Talk

Crosseyed & Painless – Talking Heads

Apocalypse Dreams – Tame Impala
Lucidity – Tame Impala

Marquee Moon – Television

Times Of Trouble – Temple Of The Dog

I Can’t Get Next To You – The Temptations
(I Know) I’m Losing You – The Temptations

Slow Emotion Replay – The The

Encrypted Bounce – Thee Oh Sees
Sticky Hulks – Thee Oh Sees

Johnny The Fox Meets Jimmy The Weed – Thin Lizzy

One – Three Dog Night

Time Machine – Thumlock

City Of Hate -The Toadies

God Hates A Coward – Tomahawk

Vicarious – Tool

Gonna Get Ya – Pete Townshend

Christiansands – Tricky

Motivation – Tripping Daisy

Bridge Of Sighs – Robin Trower

Monte Gargano -Truckfighters

Writing Notes – Jen Trynin

She’s A Beauty – The Tubes

New Health Rock – TV On The Radio
Wear You Out – TV On The Radio

Flashback – The Twilight Singers w/ Mark Lanegan
Papillon – The Twilight Singers

Dirty Day – U2
New Year’s Day – U2
Surrender – U2

Last Night / Tomorrow – Urge Overkill
Sister Havana – Urge Overkill

Mean Street – Van Halen
Where Have All The Good Times Gone? – Van Halen

Oh Sweet Nothing – The Velvet Underground
Rock & Roll – The Velvet Underground

Catching The Butterfly – The Verve
Lucky Man – The Verve

Air Bud – Kurt Vile

Amnesia – The Vines

Lesson No.1 – Viva Voce

Snow Angel Summer – Voyager One

The Changingman – Paul Weller
Sunflower – Paul Weller
Shadow Of The Sun – Paul Weller

Icky Thump – The White Stripes
The Hardest Button To Button – The White Stripes

Thunder Kiss ’65 – White Zombie

Big Sky Country – Chris Whitley
Kick The Stones – Chris Whitley
Know – Chris Whitley

The Seeker – The Who
Won’t Get Fooled Again – The Who

At Least That’s What You Said – Wilco
Heavy Metal Drummer – Wilco

Ain’t No Sunshine – Bill Withers

A Girl Like You – The Wolfgang Press

Superstition – Stevie Wonder
You Haven’t Done Nothin’ – Stevie Wonder

Contact – Wooden Shjips
Golden Flower – Wooden Shjips

Rumble – Link Wray

Heart Full Of Soul – The Yardbirds
Shapes Of Things – The Yardbirds

Roundabout – Yes

Cinnamon Girl – Neil Young
Cowgirl In The Sand – Neil Young
Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere – Neil Young
Old Man – Neil Young

Time Of The Season – The Zombies

Just Got Paid – ZZ Top
Precious & Grace – ZZ Top
Sheik – ZZ Top

You’re Gonna Miss Me – The 13th Floor Elevators

 

– – – – – – – – – –

 

The Top 500

(in alphabetical order by song)

Ace Of Spades – Motörhead
Afro – The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion
Again – Alice In Chains
Ah Leah! – Donnie Iris
Ain’t Got Nothing (To Go Wrong) – Dead Meadow
Ain’t No Sunshine – Bill Withers
Air Bud – Kurt Vile
Aisha – Death In Vegas w/ Iggy Pop
Alabaster – All Them Witches
Alive & Amplified – The Mooney Suzuki
All Along The Watchtower – The Jimi Hendrix Experience
All Mixed Up – The Cars
All Right Now – Free
All Wrong – Morphine
Amnesia – The Vines
Apocalypse Dreams – Tame Impala
Army Of Bono – Clutch
Army Of Me – Bjork
At Least That’s What You Said – Wilco
Atlanta – Stone Temple Pilots

Baby Blue – Badfinger
Baby, Please Don’t Go – AC/DC
Bad Luck – Social Distortion
Badge – Cream
Barracuda – Heart
Beautiful Homes – Chris Isaak
Beg Steal Or Borrow – Ray LaMontagne & The Pariah Dogs
Begin The Begin – R.E.M.
Beginnings – Chicago
Bellbottoms – The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion
Beneath The Damage And The Dust – Peter Himmelman
Bethlehem Steel – Grant Lee Buffalo
Between The Eyes – Love Battery
Big Sky Country – Chris Whitley
Birth, School, Work, Death – The Godfathers
Bittersweet – Hoodoo Gurus
Black Grease – The Black Angels
Blow ‘Em Off – Monster Magnet
Blue On Black – Kenny Wayne Shepherd
Bluebird – Buffalo Springfield
Blues Before & After – The Smithereens
Bonnie & Clyde – Serge Gainsbourg & Brigitte Bardot
Born Under A Bad Sign – Albert King
Bridge Of Sighs – Robin Trower
Bring It On – Gomez
Burnin’ For You – Blue Öyster Cult
Burnin’ Sky – Bad Company
Burning Down One Side – Robert Plant
Burning Love – Elvis Presley
Bye Bye Love – The Cars

Can’t You Hear Me Knocking – The Rolling Stones
Candy-O – The Cars
Carnival – Mark Lanegan
Cars – Gary Numan
Catching The Butterfly – The Verve
Champagne & Reefer – Muddy Waters
A Change Is Gonna Come – Swervedriver
The Changeling – The Doors
The Changingman – Paul Weller
Charlotte Rose – The Suede Brothers
Cherry Red – The Groundhogs
Chevrolet – Taj Mahal
Chill Out – Black Uhuru
Chloe Dancer / Crown Of Thorns – Mother Love Bone
Christiansands – Tricky
Cigarette Burns – Mark Curry
Cinnamon Girl – Neil Young
City Of Hate – The Toadies
Clean My Wounds – Corrosion Of Conformity
Combination – Aerosmith
A Common Disaster – Cowboy Junkies
Contact – Wooden Shjips
Contact Me Now – The Grifters
The Core – Eric Clapton
Couldn’t Get It Right – Climax Blues Band
Cowgirl In The Sand – Neil Young
Crosseyed & Painless – Talking Heads
Curl Of The Burl – Mastodon
Cursed Female – Porno For Pyros

Dancing Barefoot – Patti Smith Group
Dear Diary – Luna
The Death Of Coyote Woman – All Them Witches
Demon Cleaner – Kyuss
Detrimental – Gomer Pyle
Dirty Day – U2
Dissolved Girl – Massive Attack
Dive – Nirvana
Do For The Others – Stephen Stills
Do It Again – The Kinks
Do It Again – Steely Dan
Dollar Bill – Screaming Trees
Don’t Bring Me Down – The Animals
Don’t Leave Me This Way – Thelma Houston
Don’t Run Our Hearts Around – Black Mountain
Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough – Michael Jackson
Don’t You Evah – Spoon
Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo (Heartbreaker) – The Rolling Stones
Down On The Street – The Stooges
Dragonaut – Sleep
Dreams – The Allman Brothers
Drown – Smashing Pumpkins
Drunken Butterfly – Sonic Youth
Duel – Swervedriver
Dusty – Soundgarden

Eight Miles High – The Byrds
Electric Feel – MGMT
Electricity – Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
Encrypted Bounce – Thee Oh Sees
Even Deeper – Nine Inch Nails
Even Flow – Pearl Jam
Every Little Twist – Red Fang
Every Time You Go – The Devlins
Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere – Neil Young
Evil Eye – Fu Manchu
Exhausted – Foo Fighters
Explosive Mouth – T. Rex

Family Affair – Sly & The Family Stone
Faustian Bargain – Astrosoniq
Fearless – Pink Floyd
Feeling Gravitys Pull – R.E.M.
Flashback – The Twilight Singers (featuring Mark Lanegan)
Flight Of Icarus – Iron Maiden
Fools Gold – The Stone Roses
For The Summer – Ray LaMontagne & The Pariah Dogs
For Whom The Bell Tolls -Metallica
Formaldehyde – Sons Of Elvis
Fortunate Son – Creedence Clearwater Revival
Freedom – Jimi Hendrix
Freedom Of Choice – Devo
Fresh Blood – Eels
From The Beginning – Emerson, Lake & Palmer
Funeral Bell – Black Label Society
Funk #49 – James Gang
Fuzz Factory – Love Battery

Get Up Stand Up – Bob Marley & The Wailers
Gimme Shelter – The Rolling Stones
A Girl Like You – Edwin Collins
A Girl Like You – The Wolfgang Press
Girls & Boys – Prince
Giving It Back – Matthew Sweet
Glass Onion – The Beatles
God Fearing Man – Ben Harper
God Hates A Coward – Tomahawk
Godless – The Dandy Warhols
Goin’ Against Your Mind – Built To Spill
Going Down – Freddie King
Going Down South – R.L. Burnside
Going To Town – The Afghan Whigs
Gold Dust Woman – Fleetwood Mac
Golden Flower – Wooden Shjips
Golden Years – David Bowie
Gone – The Black Crowes
Gonna Get Ya – Pete Townshend
Gonna Put My Foot Down – Bill Parker
Good Fortune – PJ Harvey
A Good Idea – Sugar
Good Shit – Cornershop
Good Times – Chic
Good Times Bad Times – Led Zeppelin
Good Vibrations – The Beach Boys
Goodnight – Sweet Apple
Green Belly – Ty Segall
Green-Eyed Lady – Sugarloaf

Hair Of The Dog – Nazareth
Hands Around My Throat – Death In Vegas
Hanging On A Curtain – Morphine
Happy With Myself – Over The Rhine
The Harder They Come – Jimmy Cliff
The Hardest Button To Button – The White Stripes
Heart Full Of Soul – The Yardbirds
Heavy Metal Drummer – Wilco
Hell On Wheels – Fu Manchu
Hello It’s Late – Stone Temple Pilots
Hello It’s Me – Todd Rundgren
Help You Out – The Go
Here Come The Girls – Ernie K-Doe
Here Comes My Girl – Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
Hey Bulldog – The Beatles
A History Of Bad Men – Melvins
Holy Diver – Dio
Honey Bucket – Melvins
Honey Child What Can I Do – Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan
Honey Don’t Think – Grant Lee Buffalo
House Of Doom – Black Label Society
Houses Of The Holy – Led Zeppelin
How Can A Man With So Many Friends Feel So Alone – Eagles Of Death Metal
How Do You Sleep? – The Sights
How Many More Times – Led Zeppelin
Hundred Mile High City – Ocean Colour Scene

I Ain’t Superstitious – Willie Dixon
I Am One – Smashing Pumpkins
I Can’t Get Next To You – The Temptations
I Cannot Stop You – The Cherry Slush
I Fought The Law – Bobby Fuller Four
I Don’t Wanna Be A Soldier – Mad Season
I Have To Laugh – Mudhoney
I Heard It Through The Grapevine – Marvin Gaye
I Just Want To Celebrate – Rare Earth
(I Know) I’m Losing You – The Temptations
I Put A Spell On You – Screamin’ Jay Hawkins
I Thank You – Sam & Dave
I Think I’m In Love – Spiritualized
I’ll Be Around – The Spinners
I’m A Man – Chicago
I’m Free Now – Morphine
I’m Gonna Crawl – Led Zeppelin
Ice Cold Daydream – Shuggie Otis
Icky Thump – The White Stripes
In Hiding – Pearl Jam
In My Head – Queens Of The Stone Age
In The Light – Led Zeppelin
Intergalactic – The Beastie Boys
Is It My Body? – Alice Cooper
It Don’t Come Easy – Ringo Starr
It’s A Long Way To The Top (If You Wanna Rock N’ Roll) – AC/DC
It’s Alright, Baby – Komeda
It’s My Life – The Animals

Jesus Christ Pose – Soundgarden
John Brown – Masters Of Reality
Johnny The Fox Meets Jimmy The Weed – Thin Lizzy
Joy & Blues – Ziggy Marley & The Melody Makers
Jump Into The Fire – Harry Nilsson
Just – Radiohead
Just A Chance – Badfinger
Just For Kicks – Salem’s Pot
Just Got Paid – ZZ Top

Keep Yourself Alive – Queen
Kick The Stones – Chris Whitley
King For A Day – Faith No More
King Richard The Lion Heart – Masters Of Reality
Kiss The Sun – The Atomic Bitchwax
Know – Chris Whitley

Lake Of Fire – Meat Puppets
Last Chance – John Mellencamp
Last Night / Tomorrow – Urge Overkill
Learn & Burn – The Sheepdogs
Leave Them All Behind – Ride
Lesson No.1 – Viva Voce
Let It All Be – Melvins
Let It Out (Let It All Hang Out) – The Hombres
Let It Whip – Dazz Band
Let The Good Things Come – John Martyn
Let’s Go – The Cars
Let’s Stay Together – Al Green
The Letter – The Box Tops
Level – The Raconteurs
Life’s What You Make It – Talk Talk
The Line Between – Baroness
Little Child Runnin’ Wild – Curtis Mayfield
Livin’ Alone – Bizi Gara
Loaded – Primal Scream
Long Term Exit Strategy – Kinski
Look Sharp! – Joe Jackson
Loose – The Stooges
The Lost Art Of Keeping A Secret – Queens Of The Stone Age
Love Left Us Strangers – Space Needle
Love Removal Machine – The Cult
Low Desert Punk – Brant Bjork
Lowdown – Boz Scaggs
Lucidity – Tame Impala
Lucky Man – The Verve

Magic Man – Heart
Mainline Florida – Eric Clapton
Make My Mind – Screaming Trees
The Man Don’t Give A Fuck – Super Furry Animals
Mandocello – Concrete Blonde
Marquee Moon – Television
Masters Of The Universe – Hawkwind
Maui Tears – Sleepy Sun
Mean Street – Van Halen
Mexicola – Queens Of The Stone Age
Midnight Rider – The Allman Brothers
Misfit Love – Queens Of The Stone Age
Monte Gargano – Truckfighters
More Than A Feeling – Boston
Morning Dew – The Allman Brothers
Morning Dew – King Loser
Mother Popcorn – James Brown
Motherless Child – Harmonica Paul
Motivation – Tripping Daisy
The Motivator – T. Rex
Mountain Song – Jane’s Addiction
Mouth Breather – The Jesus Lizard
Mouthful Of Cavities – Blind Melon
Move On Up – Curtis Mayfield
Mr. Soul – Buffalo Springfield
My Beautiful Friend – The Charlatans
My Black Sabbath – The Limiñanas
My City Was Gone – The Pretenders
Mystery Achievement – The Pretenders

Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye – Steam
Naturally High – The Cult
Needle & Thread – Brad
Negasonic Teenage Warhead – Monster Magnet
Nehru Jacket – Love Battery
Never An Easy Way – Morcheeba
Never Been Any Reason – Head East
Never Lose That Feeling / Never Learn – Swervedriver
New Health Rock – TV On The Radio
New Year’s Day – U2
No Excuses – Alice In Chains
No Fence Around Me – Joe South
No One Is Gonna Do It For You – The Hellacopters
No Time – The Guess Who
Nobody But Me – The Human Beinz
Nobody Gets Me But You – Spoon
Nobody’s Fault But Mine – Led Zeppelin
Nomads – Howlin’ Rain
North American Scum – LCD Soundsystem
November Hotel – Mad Season

Oh Sweet Nothing – The Velvet Underground
Old Enough – The Raconteurs
Old Man – Neil Young
On The Road Again – Canned Heat
One – Three Dog Night
One Hundred Days – Mark Lanegan
One More Time – The Clash
The One Thing – INXS
One Thing Leads To Another – The Fixx
One Way Street – Mark Lanegan
Only Good For Conversation – Rodriguez
Out Of The Blue – Roxy Music
Over And Over – MC5
Over My Head – King’s X
Over The Hills And Far Away – Led Zeppelin
Over The Mountain – Ozzy Osbourne

Pair Of Cherry – Eric Matthews
Paper Tiger – Beck
Papillon – The Twilight Singers
Peace Sells – Megadeth
People Of The Sun – Rage Against The Machine
Philadelphia Freedom – Elton John
Pink Steam – Sonic Youth
Plan A – The Dandy Warhols
Planet Of Sound – Pixies
Police & Thieves – The Clash
Precious & Grace – ZZ Top
Present Tense – Pearl Jam
Pumped Up Kicks – Foster The People
Punk Rock Guilt – Brant Bjork
Pup Tent – Luna
Pusherman – Curtis Mayfield

R U Mine? – Arctic Monkeys
Rainbow In The Dark – Dio
Really Wanted You – Emitt Rhodes
The Regulator – Clutch
The Revolution Will Not Be Televised – Gil Scott-Heron
Revolutionary Kind – Gomez
Revolve – Melvins
Rhinoceros – Smashing Pumpkins
Ride On – AC/DC
Right On Baby, Baby – Dramarama
Rock And Roll – The Velvet Underground
Rock Anthem For The Retarded Teenage Hipster Population – Smile
Rocket Queen – Guns N’ Roses
The Roman Road – Super Furry Animals
Rosechild – Stress
Round & Round – Ratt
Roundabout – Yes
Rubber Connection – Speedball Baby
Rumble – Link Wray
Run – Supergrass
Run Through The Jungle – Creedence Clearwater Revival
Runaway Clocks – Darlahood
Running In Place – Taylor Hawkins & The Coattail Riders

Sabotage – The Beastie Boys
Santa Maria Street – Sand Rubies
Saturday Morning – Eels
Scene Of A Perfect Crime – Concrete Blonde
Scum – Meat Puppets
The Sea Of Your Mind – Elephant Stone
Searching With My Good Eye Closed – Soundgarden
Season Of The Witch – Donovan
The Seeker – The Who
Self Made Man – Howlin’ Rain
Separator – Radiohead
September – Earth Wind & Fire
Shadow Of A Doubt (A Complex Kid) – Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
Shadow Of The Sun – Paul Weller
Shapes Of Things – The Yardbirds
She Got Me (When She Got Her Dress On) – Masters Of Reality
She Sells Sanctuary – The Cult
She’s A Beauty – The Tubes
Sheep – Pink Floyd
Sheik – ZZ Top
Shimmering – Maids Of Gravity
Shine On You Crazy Diamond – Pink Floyd
Ship To Shore – Dub Narcotic Sound System
Shipwreck – Chris Connelly
Sign ‘O’ The Times – Prince
Silently Bad Minded (Remix) – Pressure Drop
Sister Havana – Urge Overkill
Six Blade Knife – Dire Straits
Skateaway – Dire Straits
Sleepy Silver Door – Dead Meadow
Sleepyhouse – Blind Melon
The Slider – T. Rex
Slow Emotion Replay – The The
Slow Life – Super Furry Animals
Smells Like Teen Spirit – Nirvana
Smoke On The Water – Deep Purple
Snow Angel Summer – Voyager One
Something About You – Level 42
Sorry – Sebadoh
Soul Brothers Testify – Soul Senders
Soul Kitchen – The Doors
Spill The Wine – Eric Burdon & War
Sproston Green – The Charlatans
Sticky Hulks – Thee Oh Sees
Stop – Camille Lil’ Bob
Stop – The Dirtbombs
Straight Into Darkness – Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
Strange Religion – Mark Lanegan
Stray Cat Blues – The Rolling Stones
Stripsearch – Faith No More
Subterranean Homesick Alien – Radiohead
Sugar Ray – The Jesus And Mary Chain
Sunday – Sonic Youth
Sundown – Gordon Lightfoot
Sunflower – Paul Weller
Super Bad – James Brown
Supernaut – Black Sabbath
Superstition – Stevie Wonder
Surrender – Cheap Trick
Surrender – U2
Suspicious Minds – Elvis Presley
Sweet Emotion – Aerosmith
SWLABR – Cream
Symptom Of The Universe -Black Sabbath

Take Care Of Your Own Business – Dave Hamilton
Tantalized – The Church
Taste – Maids Of Gravity
Taxman – Junior Parker
Teacher – Jethro Tull
Ten Years Gone – Led Zeppelin
Thanks Anyway – Black Nasa
Then Comes Dudley – The Jesus Lizard
There’s No Other Way – Blur
The Things You Do To Me – Robert Cray
Third Eye Surgery – Baby Woodrose
Thunder Kiss ’65 – White Zombie
Time Machine – Thumlock
Time Of The Season – The Zombies
Time Waits For No One – The Rolling Stones
Times Of Trouble – Temple Of The Dog
To Hell With Poverty – Gang Of Four
Tom Sawyer – Rush
Tomorrow Never Knows – The Beatles
Too Far Away – Screaming Trees
Train Going Backwards – Dramarama
Train In Vain – The Clash
Transform – Jason Loewenstein
Transparent – Awesome Color
Tumbleweed – Puscifer
Twenty Five Miles – Edwin Starr

Ugly Truth Rock – Matthew Sweet
Underwhelmed – Sloan
Up All Night – The Boomtown Rats

Vacuum Boots – The Brian Jonestown Massacre
Ventilator Blues – The Rolling Stones
Vicarious – Tool
Voices – Black Mountain
Voodoo Child (Slight Return) – The Jimi Hendrix Experience

The W.A.N.D. (The Will Always Negates Defeat) – The Flaming Lips
Waiting Room – Fugazi
Walk Away – James Gang
War Pigs – Black Sabbath
Wear You Out – TV On The Radio
What We All Want – Gang Of Four
What’d I Say, Pt. 1 & 2 – Ray Charles
Whatever Hippie Bitch – The Brian Jonestown Massacre
When The World Is Running Down, You Make The Best Of What’s Still Around – The Police
Where Have All The Good Times Gone? -Van Halen
Whitewater -Kyuss
The Window – The Steve Miller Band
Winners & Losers – Iggy Pop
Winter Song – Screaming Trees
Wiser Time – The Black Crowes
Wishing Well – Terence Trent D’Arby
Within Your Reach – The Replacements
A Woman In Love (It’s Not Me) – Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
Won’t Get Fooled Again – The Who
Working For The Man – PJ Harvey
Wrapped In Sky – Drivin ‘N’ Cryin
Writing Notes – Jen Trynin
Wucan – Black Mountain

Yer Stoned Italian Cowboy – The Go
You Got It – Mudhoney
You Haven’t Done Nothin’ – Stevie Wonder
You Keep Me Hangin’ On – The Supremes
You Owe Me Some Kind Of Love – Chris Isaak
You Say All The Nice Things – Ty Segall
You’re Gonna Miss Me – The 13th Floor Elevators
You’re My Best Friend – Queen
You’re No Good – Linda Ronstadt
Young Men Dead – The Black Angels

Zig Zag Wanderer – Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
Zodiac Sign – Imperial Drag

25 or 6 to 4 – Chicago
400 Bucks – Reverend Horton Heat

 

Art Studio Songs

Moving past, moving forward, moving beyond. Changes have a way of happening whether you want or need to them to or not. Big change, that’s the music I’ve been facing for a while.

I’ve been hunkered down in the studio for the last couple of months making a new series of art for a big solo exhibition in October. That also means I’ve been listening to music day and night. Listening and feeling music has always been a major part of my creative inspiration. Therefore I thought I’d share a few of my go to songs when working in the studio. I never grow tired of these songs and always want to listen to when making art. Keep in mind, this list is off the top of my head and represent only a sample of those go to songs.

What A Wookie!

chewbaccaguitar

Alright, I’ll admit it. Once in a while I have to laugh at what gets past me. Star Wars references have been popping up all week. I’ve been consumed with so much else I never made the May 4th connection until this morning. I felt a little dull about it at first, then decided to do something about it. Ha! Which was to bring it all back to rock & roll.

What? Me? Giving in to a distracting impulse filled with creativity and music? Never!

Chewbacca, what a wookie!

 

 

Milwaukee, WI: Home Of Universal Knowledge?

strad-refer-master675

One of the men arrested in this case was named Universal Knowledge Allah. Who knew the home of Universal Knowledge was Milwaukee, Wisconsin?!? This world is strange, tragic and amazing.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/07/us/stolen-stradivarius-violin-may-have-been-recovered.html?_r=0

The linked article is about how, just recently, a 299 year old violin was stolen from the owner as he carried it in it’s case. A tazer was used to commit the crime and the microprinted pieces of discharge helped like the weapon to the criminal. Nice. Let’s see if anyone adapts that technology to other weapons like guns. Doubt it. Because in that instance, the will does not equal the way.

Buzz Osborne

“Cobain had that wounded junkie look that people at MTV thought was so amazing. But, honestly, if him or Chris Cornell looked like Fat Albert, they’d never have sold anywhere near as many records. Nobody would’ve cared. The whole package was there. Whether people believe that or not, it does make a difference.”

Happening In Unreal Time

We all know Livin’ On A Prayer, Bon Jovi’s #1 hit from 1987. Whether you liked the song or not, you heard it, it was everywhere. For the last 15-20 years, its probably been heard most often in a passive setting where the music was chosen for the listener, such as: the radio, a bar, a wedding reception or even a sporting event.

One of these passive settings, a sporting event, has created a call to action. Livin’ On A Prayer re-entered the Billboard Top 40 singles chart this week. What caused the spike in sales? A video of a fan performing to the song at a sporting event. You’ve probably seen it by now. I recall seeing the video in 2009 when it was first posted. Apparently it has only now truly become a viral video, or perhaps it is viral again.

So let’s get this straight. A song from 1987 has charted in 2013 with a big help from a viral video made in 2009. What dimension are we living in when moments like this occur and play out in an influential manner? If time itself is the fourth dimension, what is this? If we live in what we call real time, what is this? Unreal time?

http://www.billboard.com/biz/articles/news/chart-alert/5793370/bon-jovis-prayer-re-enters-hot-100-due-to-viral-revival?utm_source=twitter

Here is the video that brought us into unreal time. I posted it, for contextual purposes only, in case you’re one of the few people that haven’t watched it yet.

Like It Just Happened Yesterday

I’ll typically write more about music on the Fuzz Factory blog (my internet radio program) when it is officially launched next month. In the meantime, I will occasionally share musings, memories and opinions here on my life as a music freak.

I am always listening to rock & roll, both old and new. This morning I started playing some great Godfathers tunes from the late 80’s. Eventually, I looked for videos on YouTube. I quickly ran across some live clips from their 1987-88 tour. I saw the Godfathers on that tour. It was my very first 18 & over show and my first show at the Metro, one of Chicago’s best venues. However, even more important was that it was my first concert at a small venue. That was an experience that forever changed my life. I remember it like it just happened yesterday.  Since that night, I’ve seen hundreds of great concerts at small venues, where live performance is at its best.

Here is a clip from that very Godfathers tour taken I saw in Chicago that night over 25 years ago. This is from a stop in their home base of London. In it, they’re covering John Lennon’s Cold Turkey like their lives depended on it.

Life Is Built To Spill And Clean Up

I am an artist that is influenced by music as much as anything else. I’ll listen to loud rock & roll as long as I can hear. I’ll attend rock concerts as long as I can walk. I listen to music as much as possible and use it as a method to focus and think. Within this obsession I inhabit a space that is mine alone. This is extremely difficult for me to do without music. Ideas flourish within my mind and become a visual work of art through the visual translation made while listening to or being influenced by music. Recently, I had an experience that resonated in a way that I’ll likely visually translate at some point in time. I’m referring to those moments when the soundtrack to life feels very real and the powerful feeling that overcomes when this happens to you.

Last week, this experience happened at a Built To Spill concert.  The whole experience was spontaneous. I was invited by a friend from out of town that I had not seen in years. I made it to the concert very because I teach class until 7:30 and I needed to host my radio show, the Fuzz Factory for the next two hours. I love my radio gig and I make the quality a priority. I don’t have that many listeners, but most that listen are regulars and I especially never want to cancel on them at the last minute. All this means that I missed most of the show but made it in time for half of Broken Chairs, a great song. Unfortunately, that’s it. The end of the regular set. I saw barely anything, but I saw enough to know what everyone told me about Doug Martsch. So loose and tight at the same time. I am definitely going to see them in concert again. With two guitarists beside Martsch, their sound is more full and powerful live than on CD.

What I did experience was an encore full of unreal cover songs seemingly chosen just for me. I say chosen for me because they primarily covered songs that for reasons well known to me have been on my mind these days. They played Train In Vain by the Clash – an all-time favorite of mine. They also played How Soon Is Now? by the Smiths, a song I love so much almost in spite of the fact I never liked the Smiths much overall. This was a very memorable moment. Since it was completely unexpected I was able to enjoy it immensely while it hit me with an amazing amount of self-awareness. It was the soundtrack of my life.

If that wasn’t amazing enough. The other two songs they played in the encore were a cover of Don’t Fear The Reaper (perfect for minutes after my Fuzz Factory Halloween Special from earlier in the evening) and SludgeFeast by Dinosaur Jr., perfect for any evening.

Never underestimate the powers of rock & roll.