April 1 -10

In the span of ten days I was lucky enough to see Alejandro Escovedo and the Sensitive Boys, the Japandroids and the Drive-by Truckers each perform their unique brands of rock and roll. The AE show was special in that it was held in an old theater on the square in Danville IN. There likely weren't more that 150 people in attendance. Al played a range of old and brand new in the 4 piece rock combo format. He took a 4 song acoustic interlude in the aisles of the theater during the middle of the set. I was stricken emotional during the back to back renditions of Broken Bottle and I wish I was Your Mother, two songs I used to play on the guitar during a particularly dark period of my marriage. I cried like a baby listening to these two songs. Al ended the night with Sway and Beast of Burden. A great, great show.

Exactly a week later I ventured out to see the Japandroids at Radio Radio. Oddly enough, there were more people at this show. I guess not, Al's pushing 60 and these punks are likely in their 20's. This one surprised me with raw rock power. Another great, great show.

Two days later, Jonny V and I drove to Lexington for to see the DBT. We stopped over in Cincy to hit Shake It records. A must see destination for any music lover. I bought an Adam & the Ants and a Cheap Trick record. I also bought the new Daniel Johnston book highlighting his otherwordly artwork. The big rock show that night did not disappoint. Two and 1/2 hours of full throttle rock and roll, baby.

Lastly, today was Record Store Day. I lucked out and was able to get my hands on the vinyl release of Flaming lips cover of Dark Side of the Moon. One listen and I'm a believer. Also bought Skip Spences' classic Oar release on vinyl. Also picked up a curated Sonic Youth 'greatest hits' double vinyl. All very cool. Lunch with Brett, Ethan and Joel at Harold's Steer Inn on East 10th. Dinner at Pancho's with Amy while Katie is off to Prom. A crazy day for Big D.

Yesterday

Check out this cool link for the This Day in Music website. What was #1 on the U.S. charts the day I was born??

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Katie and I spent a couple of days in Chicago. Highlights: toasted ravioli at Harry Caray's, views from the Hancock Observatory, our room at the Drake, dinner at Riccardo's Trattoria, Henri Matisse and Wm. Eggelston exhibits at the Institute of Art. Eggleston's picture 'the red ceiling' adorns Big Star's lp cover for Radio City. Eggleston and Chilton were friends in Memphis. Eggleston was also commissioned to photograph Graceland sometime after Elvis died. The photo's were never widely published. The ones shown at this exhibit were very strange.

Weekend Playlist

In the Modern World - Jesse Malin
How You Like Me Now - The Heavy
Don't Ever Promise - American Princes
Want - Tommy Flake
Livin Was Easy - The Glands
Real Long Distance - Josh Ritter
You Blanks - Portastatic
Slow Descent into Alcoholism - The New Pornographers
Some Kinda Love - The Velvet Underground
Working Girls (Live) - The Perniece Brothers
The Good Slot - Grand Champeen
Heaven Help the New Girl - The Long Blondes
Sugar Cane - Sonic Youth
Watch Out for Me Ronnie - Yo La Tengo
More Than I Can Talk About - The Mice
Street Lights - Josh Rouse
Coma Girl - Joe Strummer & the Mescaleros
Come Anytime - Hoodoo Gurus
One Man Guy - Rufus Wainright
Polyanna - Patterson Hood
Painted Shut - Jay Reatard

While My Guitar Gently Shrieks

I found this on Buffalo Tom's Bill Janovitz' blog. Enjoy.

Cry Like a Baby

Op-Ed Contributor
Beyond the Box Tops
('A reflection on Alex Chilton, the soulful singer of the Box Tops and Big Star, by the man who wrote the song “Alex Chilton.”')
By PAUL WESTERBERG
Published: March 20, 2010
Minneapolis

HOW does one react to the death of one’s mentor? My mind instantly slammed down the inner trouble-door that guards against all thought, emotion, sadness. Survival mode. Rock guitar players are all dead men walking. It’s only a matter of time, I tell myself as I finger my calluses. Those who fail to click with the world and society at large find safe haven in music — to sing, write songs, create, perform. Each an active art in itself that offers no promise of success, let alone happiness.
Yet success shone early on Alex Chilton, as the 16-year-old soulful singer of the hit-making Box Tops. Possessing more talent than necessary, he tired as a very young man of playing the game — touring, performing at state fairs, etc. So he returned home to Memphis. Focusing on his pop writing and his rock guitar skills, he formed the group Big Star with Chris Bell. Now he had creative control, and his versatility shone bright. Beautiful melodies, heart-wrenching lyrics: “I’m in Love with a Girl,” “September Gurls.”
On Big Star’s masterpiece third album, Alex sang my favorite song of his, “Nighttime” — a haunting and gorgeous ballad that I will forever associate with my floor-sleeping days in New York. Strangely, the desperation in the line “I hate it here, get me out of here” made me, of all things, happy. He went on to produce more artistic, challenging records. One equipped with the take-it-or-leave-it — no, excuse me, with the take-it-like-I-make-it — title “Like Flies on Sherbert.” The man had a sense of humor, believe me.
It was some years back, the last time I saw Alex Chilton. We miraculously bumped into each other one autumn evening in New York, he in a Memphis Minnie T-shirt, with take-out Thai, en route to his hotel. He invited me along to watch the World Series on TV, and I immediately discarded whatever flimsy obligation I may have had. We watched baseball, talked and laughed, especially about his current residence — he was living in, get this, a tent in Tennessee.
Because we were musicians, our talk inevitably turned toward women, and Al, ever the Southern gentleman, was having a hard time between bites communicating to me the difficulty in ... you see, the difficulty in (me taking my last swig that didn’t end up on the wall, as I boldly supplied the punch line) “... in asking a young lady if she’d like to come back to your tent?” We both darn near died there in a fit of laughter.
Yeah, December boys got it bad, as “September Gurls” notes. The great Alex Chilton is gone — folk troubadour, blues shouter, master singer, songwriter and guitarist. Someone should write a tune about him. Then again, nah, that would be impossible. Or just plain stupid.

Paul Westerberg, a musician, was the lead singer of the Replacements.

Movie Night

"Is that what you wanna do with your life? Suck down on peppermint Schnapps and call Morocco at 2AM? That's senseless. But that's what happens, man." Mark Borchardt, American Movie

Didn't call Morrocco last night, I don't think. But had a great time and really good dinner.

Hot Pepper and Cheese Chicken over rice from Paul Prudhomme's classic Louisana Kitchen
Momofuko Hanger Steak Saam with ginger scallion sauce and spicy kimchee from David Chang/Momofuko
Crispy Corn Bread from the Hot & Hot Fish Club Cookbook
Pork Liver Pate and Blue Cheese & cranberries provided by JZ

Movie Night last night with Brett, Joel, Dawg, Brian D., Scott. More like Movie Festival since we watched 3 films!!

American Movie - Amazing documentary about Mark Borchardt's endless desire to make a movie. Hysterical and poignant. I've seen this 5 or 6 times now.
Too Tough to Die - Tribute to Johnny Ramone
It Might Get Loud - Jimmy Page, Edge, Jack White talk about guitars

March EMusic:
Quasi - American Gong
The Heavy - The House that Dirt Built
Rodney Crowell - Sex and Gasoline
Josh Rouse - Nashville
The Gits - Frenching the Bully

Alex Chilton, R.I.P.

I've spent a lot of time with this man's songs in my head. Chris Bell went a long time before him. I've been listening to the 3rd/Sister Lovers record lately. I only have this on vinyl. It's one of those records the evokes a place, a time and an emotion all at once. Needle drop. "Dreams and wishes and shooting stars..." Guitar riff. This album was really post Big Star, but in my opinion is Alex's masterpiece.

Amy and I saw Chilton open for Counting Crows(!) right when they first hit it big and were still playing club shows. This was at a short-lived place down on Shadeland here in Indy. My greatest memory of Chilton's set was his overt pandering to the ladies in the crowd. He looked old then I remember. Unfortunately, the pyschic trauma inflicted by Adam Duritz during the next set has erased any memory of what songs Alex played that night.

That's now 3 extraordinarily talented songwriters dead in the last 3 months. Vic Chesnutt, Mark Linkous(Sparklehorse) and now Chilton.

The Power and the Glory

Reading this Graham Greene classic right now. Had to pass this passage along. Brilliant.

"The glittering worlds lay there in space like a promise - the world was not the universe. Somewhere Christ might not have died. He could not believe that to a watcher there this world could shine with such brilliance: it would roll heavily in space under its fog like a burning and abandoned ship. The whole globe was blanketed with his own sin."

No Reservations. None Whatsoever!

Most of you know that I love Anthony Bourdain's show No Reservations. It's a travel show with a food/cuisine emphasis. Deep down though it's a show about people, heritage, understanding, reverance and humor. Tony has the uncanny ability to whittle away the glossy sheen of travelling to locations all over the world and finding the heart of the people through their connection with food. He's not always able to pull off his magic; where the heart and soul of the people are tied together through the local cuisine (Romania episode). Although the Romania episode is outrageously funny. He never takes the easy way out, avoiding cliche at every turn. Check out Tony's blog for the latest behind the scenes comments on a trip to Liberia and other archived commentary. Also check out Tony's alternate universe video section. Funny. Irreverant. Awesome.

The Boys are Back in Town

Last Saturday, Phyllis, Brian Deer and the Achievers & a re-united Watership Down, including Sean Fogarty on drums, hit the Haute like a tsunami of big hooks, big licks and big star(s). The Speakeasy was pretty much packed and the sound was decent for the volume at which it was played. Phyllis started the night, but weary-voiced Brett, beginning a nasty sinus infection, cut short after 7 or 8 of their many hits. The boys left everyone wanting more. Brett threw on a bass and played with Brian, Matt & Leroy in the Achievers set. Wow, hadn't seen them in a while and they were great. Love those songs. The crowd was enthusiastic as well. They TH equivalent of Wrigley's Ronnie Woo Woo enjoyed the set. Finally, Watership took the stage and peeled off pop gem after gem. I gotta tell you those songs hold up really well after all these years. I need to figure out a way to get those digitized for posterity. Anyone???

Many people left with a smile on their face that night. Scott Hart came over from Newcastle. A crew from Indy rolled in. Bro-in-law Jim was in town from St. Louis.

Miracle X 3

The new picture above is one I took of Steve Wynn with my iphone at the Southgate House gig we went to see last fall. It was a triple bill, with no personnel change. Steve Wynn, Peter Buck, Scott McCaughey & Linda Pitman. Minus 5, The Baseball Project & Steve Wynn IV. It was a rock'n'roll songwriter in the round type of thing. These guys put out a record together in 2008 called the Baseball Project, all new original songs about baseball. Peter works with Scott in Minus 5. Steve and Linda are married and play together in Steve's Miracle 3 band. My favorite show of 2009. Double bonus for me?? I took a leak between Peter Buck & Steve Wynn. That's my rock n roll brush with greatness.

New playlist

The playlist from two weeks ago:

Go Tell the Woman by Grinderman
Am I the Manager or Am I Not? by Centro-Matic
Annie & Me by Steve Wynn
Twilight Distillery by Minus 5
Come Back from San Francisco by Magnetic Fields
Sukie in the Graveyard by Belle Sebastian
Lloyd, I'm Ready to be Heartbroken by Camera Obscura
The Seed by Cody Chesnutt
Treat Me Like Your Mother by the Dead Weather
Resonate With Me by United States Three
The Wait by Built to Spill
Remain Yr Strange by Superdrag
Hanging on the Telephone by Blondie
In the Dreamlife You Need a Rubber Soul by The Clean
A Whole Lot Better by Brendon Benson
June Salutes You! by Guided by Voices
Do It Better by Imperial Teen
Broadripple Nightclubs by Gentleman Caller
To Go Home by M. Ward
Stop Thinking by Mysteries of Life
I Turn My Camera On by Spoon
Beulah, You Rock by Born Again Floozies

Weekend Playlist

I've been making playlists, burning them to cd and listening in the car. I've commented before that the ipod changed the way I listen to music, a constant shuffle. Pre-ipod, that's all I wished for; some magical station that only played the songs I liked. My Music. "Your music," as my family calls it. Well, careful what you wish for. I've been listening to more cd's/lp's and making playlists recently. The randomness has lost some of its luster and the deep enjoyment of picking the perfect song(s) for the moment has made the past couple of weeks enjoyable for this music lover. Here is last week's list, it's a good one:


Take the Bench by Sloan

All World Cowboy Romance by Mission of Burma

Answer to Yourself by the Soft Pack

Down on the Street by the Stooges

House of Cards by Radiohead

I Saw the Light by Todd Rundgren

I Wanna Destroy You by the Soft Boys

Old World by Modern Lovers

I'm Stranded by The Saints

Near to You by Jad Fair and Teenage Fanclub

Time Enough for Rocking When We're Old by Magnetic Fields

Right Hand on my Heart by The Whigs

The Wait by The Pieces

Courage the Tack by Tobin Sprout

King of Carrot Flowers, Pt. 1 by Neutral Milk Hotel

See No Evil by Television

Don't Come Close by the Ramones

Animal Shapes by Silver Jews

Can This Be by the Wipers

Not Like You by Poster Children

I Wonder What She's Doing Tonight by Young Fresh Fellows

Supernatural Car Lover by Robert Pollard

Cool Links

Michael Azerrad's Blog - You and What Army





For the Sake of the Song Blog

Bought my ticket for Drive-By Truckers in Lexington KY on 4/10. So far it's me and the V-Man for the road trip. DBT also opening for Petty at Verizon in July, 5 minutes from my house.

Other upcoming live shows: Phyllis/Deer/Watership Down in TH(3/6), Alejandro at Royal Theater (4/1), Japandroids at RadioRadio(4/8).

Encore

I post this for the enthusiasm shown by Dave. Haven't heard of these guys but will check them out. Cool song.

Lee Bros. Cookbook

Matt & Ted Lee wrote this crazy southern cookbook a couple of years ago and it won the James Beard award for writing about food. I have this 'thing' about certain cookbooks. If you like food, you must own this cookbook. They also have a catalog called The Lee Brothers Boiled Peanut Catalogue. I found this video on Oxford American's website. Their annual music issue is out by the way. Mine's in the mail.

SoLost: The Lee Brothers and their Boiled Peanuts Catalogue from Oxford American on Vimeo.

I enjoy...

I've spent a considerable amount of my life surrounding myself with music. What do I mean by "surrounding" myself with music you ask? Let's make a list, shall we?

I enjoy listening to music

I enjoy reading about music

I enjoy discussing music with other people

I enjoy searching for music

I enjoy buying music

I enjoy a variety of styles

I enjoy alphabetizing music

I enjoy 45's, LP's, cd's, mp3's

I enjoy going to see music played live

I enjoy trying to play music on a guitar

I enjoy lyrics

I enjoy melody

I enjoy dissonance

I enjoy the artwork on the cover

I enjoy reading liner notes

I enjoy sharing music with others

I enjoy having others share music with me

I enjoy scouring ebay for lp's and 45's

I enjoy watching music-related movies

Sounds like a Tom T. Hall song.

On no other subject could I create such a list. What does this mean. I don't feel like an obsessive person. Except that I continue to buy everything Robert Pollard puts out on both digital and vinyl. I dream about finding Half Japanese's first lp release, a 3 record set, 1/2 Gentlemen, Not Beasts. I spend hours looking at you tube live music clips. I've read more books about music in the last two years than anything else. (Reading Fargo Rock City right now. A treatise on 80's Metal Bands and their impact on one young author and pop culture.) I'm listening to a live Bob Mould cd while I write this.

Honestly, I'm tired. My hobby could be the benefits of artificial insemination in Semmintal cattle. That would lead to a few less interesting conversations.

31,000 songs

After adding this month's emusic downloads, I noticed my itunes now has 31,000 songs loaded in it. 110Gig's!! Somewhat freakish.

Emusic Downloads for January & February

January's Selections:

Neko Case - Middle Cyclone

David Bazan - Curse Your Branches

Peter Holsapple & Chris Stamey - Here and Now

Big Star - Live at Columbia Missouri

February's Selections:

Young Fresh Fellows - I Think This Is

The Soft Pack - s/t

The Microphones - The Glow, Part 2

Leadbelly - Where Did You Sleep Last Night

Bobby Charles - s/t

Quaker Gun

Lovemeknots & Hitchhike at The Vollrath Tavern last Saturday night.

Another memorable evening with the Lovemeknots. The songs from their three albums and choice covers sent me home feeling very nostalgic and lucky, quite frankly. The songs from this little band (3 guitars little!) from Indy should be in everyone's cd shelf or ipod. After a stretch of many months, years, from playing, the night went off without a hitch and had the crowd on their feet. I emailed Evan on Monday and told him what a great time I'd had and the whole nostalgia thing I had going driving home. Here's his reply.

"Thanks for coming, Derek! There was nostalgia on all sides, I think.Rich said afterwards that the more infrequent our shows get, the more meaningful they start to feel to him. And I know what he means. It didn’t occur to me back in 1995 that being in a rock band was going to turn out to be one of my life’s most meaningful experiences, but I’ll be damned if that isn’t exactly what it turned out to be."

Here's a clip I found of them recording Quaker Gun off Setting Noises.