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.
Artist as Rock & Roll Enthusiast (aka ARE) Post: 27
Neo-psychedelic band All Them Witches have been one of my favorite bands since their formation in Nashville a decade ago. I’ve seen them in concert a few times too. Amazing live show. Last night I was supposed to see them again. Unfortunate circumstances arrived and I had to skip the concert. One day I will see them again. My consolation is playing them in the studio today. “The Death of Coyote Woman”, is probably my favorite song of theirs, they have so many good ones. This one appears on their second album, Lightning at the Door.
Artist as Rock & Roll Enthusiast (aka ARE) Post: 21
Today is my birthday. I’m 51. It’s the first day of my sixth decade. My day, year, and decade started with something that most would say is a minor serendipitous moment. However, I know otherwise. My higher power speaks through music. This was no accident.
I often wind down the day by listening to music in a lowly lit room. Last night was no exception. When I’m not in the mood for a specific artist or album, or a deep listening of something new to me, I’ll often hit shuffle on a vast playlist filled with hundreds of songs I know. That’s what I did last night.
At 11:59 (I looked at the clock) one of my absolute favorite songs came on. Ain’t Got Nothing (To Go Wrong) by Dead Meadow. Not only is this a favorite song, I consider it one of my theme songs. Only a handful of songs become theme songs to me. I’ve written about them before and will surely feature them again in my Artist as Rock & Roll Enthusiast posts. Typically for me, the music carries me through the song. That’s the case here as well. The guitar solo in this song is incredible. However, my personal relationship to the lyrics and their overall feel with the music, are for me, the elements that elevate a song to the highest level.
The moment midnight came and the calendar turned to the eleventh of September, my birthday, shuffle gave me this song. A piece of music with great personal importance to me. It wasn’t serendipity. It was meant to be. I wouldn’t have had my new sixth decade start any other way.
Lemon yellow sun up overhead today What more is there that I could say then Lord, let it stay I ain’t got nothing to go wrong today No, not today
I’ve been up and down this street for quite some time The gutters get filled, it takes all kind like fish on a line The way that things go these days, I’m fine Yeah, I’m doing fine
Good times come, they sure come slow Why that may be I don’t know, just let it flow All things in this world they come, they go Yes, this much I know
If silence is golden then your words they’re lead I can’t believe how that shit sticks in my head The sun shines away, there’s nothing to say People they talk anyway, they’re talking away
Artist as Rock & Roll Enthusiast (aka ARE) Post: 19
For various reasons, I have decided that this is one of my theme songs. I have a few of them, not too many. Zig Zag Wanderer, it rings true for me on many levels. This decision comes after many years of living life and many hours of listening to music. This is a decision made through experience. I even wrote about it here, in another post.
I am not even a huge fan of Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band even though I respect Don Van Vleet and his important contributions to music as an alternative rock pioneer and beyond. In fact, I had not even heard this song until I was around 35-40 years old, when I took a deep dive into early psychedelic rock.
You can jump you can holler Never lose what I have found Heaven’s free ‘cept for a dollar You can zig you can zag Whoa I’m gonna stay around gonna stay around
Brett Callero: Visual Artist 