Listening
Good grief, the Neats aren’t on Hype Machine?
I’ve been a loyal listener to Hype Machine for some time, and I was shocked that Hype Machine hasn’t captured anyone blogging about the Neats reissues on Ace of Hearts!
So here’s a tune, “Saturn,” listen up:
The Neats, “Saturn”
The album is the Neats, “The Ace of Hearts Years”; you can’t get in on Amazon, but you […]
Why is there no Northern Soul dance party in Boston?
Why is Boston so late to the resurgence of Northern Soul — or just awesome DJ-powered 60s soul parties, occasionally powered by bands?
New York has a couple of major deals:
The Subway Soul Club: http://www.myspace.com/subwaysoulclub
And Deep Deeper: http://www.myspace.com/digdeepernyc
We have a couple of bands that are in the neighborhood: The World’s Greatest Sinners and Jenny Dee & […]
The Vivs (25-Sep-2009, Church, Boston)
Based on the recommendation of a friend, I caught the Vivs at the Church of Boston. Man, that club is just too clean, nothing like its former self, which shall not be named for fear of arousing the ghosts of gigs past.
Dave Minehan opened; sorry, but I’ve had enough of that over these many years.
The […]
John Powhida Show / Nash Kato (2-Aug-2009, Toad, Cambridge, Mass.)
Dropped in at Toad Sunday night (2-Aug-2009) to see the first installment of an August residency by John Powhida (of John Powhida International Airport, and, before that, the Rudds). His special guest was Nash Kato, who had been one of the two leads of Urge Overkill.
Powhida played guitar, and had a bass player and sax […]
My Five-Star songs from “Have a Nice Decade”
I happen to own the Rhino set “Have a Nice Decade” — and I have religiously added star ratings to all of the songs when I’ve listened to then on my music player.
And now I shall reveal the 12 songs that have received my “five star” rating. To wit:
Al Green, “Let’s Stay Together”
Carly Simon, “You’re […]
10-May: Pariah Beat at the Cantab
Last night I dropped in at the Cantab to check out the Killer Abs and Triple Thick — both fun bands. But both were pretty much upstaged by Pariah Beat, late of Vermont, now apparently based in Jamaica Plain.
They play a thick stew of Cajun + honky tonk + rock. I suppose if I had […]
Song the Rudds / John Powhida should cover…
I think the Rudds need an anthem. Ideally, one with handclaps. Something to close the set pre-encore. Here’s my nomination:
Eddie and the Hot Rods, “Do Anything You Want to Do” (from “Life on the Line”: http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:fzfqxqt5ldke).
Features:
Very simple/direct inspiring lyrics that are fun.
Bodacious bass line.
Nice range for the vocal; obvious opportunity for female backing vocal (but […]
Neil Young: Music can’t change the world anymore
Move over Bob Geldof, Bono and Sting. Madonna and Justin, don’t worry, you don’t need four minutes or even to worry about saving the world any more with your music. Indeed, if you believe what rock guru Neil Young said on Friday in Berlin, music can’t save the world — at all.
“I think that the […]
10-Nov: Eric Martin and the Illyrians at the Middle East Corner
I really loved the Neats way back when, and never understood why people complained so much about their shift from their fey college rock sound to their brawny blues rock stance. I liked both, and there was really nothing like their post-shift “Big Loud Sound” at the time. OK, maybe the Gun Club.
In any case, […]
“Hard rock”
I graduated from high school in 1978. In the mid-70s my best friend Chris and I would cruise St. Paul, Minnesota in his sedan, and I believe we only listened to three things in the 8-track player:
Led Zeppelin
Foreigner or Foghat [I can’t even remember which]
The MC5 (because Chris’s older brother was aware of them)
We may […]