Of Clout Nails and Packaging Peanuts

Along the American roadside.

2008-12-17T21:10:00.004-05:00

For the last six years, I’ve travelled around the Mid-Atlantic States in order to do my job. A few years ago, I got a digital camera and began taking pictures along the way. I began noticing odd shops and signs along the road and began capturing these with the camera. My avatar is one of those signs. Here’s another sign I found on a closed retail store near Dayton, Ohio. I have no idea what this place sold, but I would guess it was knick-knacks of some sort. I spent thirteen years running my own retail store and have spent much of my current job in marketing and sales. I have always wondered who thought this would be a good name for a store. It would not be my first choice.

Doing a Radio Shift

2008-12-10T13:01:00.000-05:00

Once or twice a year, I have the good fortune to enter a college radio station and be the DJ for an air shift. I’ve documented a few shows I’ve done here on this blog. If you get the chance to spend some time on the air, and you get to call your own shots with the tunes, I recommend taking some time to prepare for your adventure. In fact, I recommend taking about an hour or so a day for the previous week to really prepare. That’s pretty much what I did for a recent shift that is documented in the playlist below this post. I spent time thinking about what I wanted to play, then I compiled several CDs of music to make the work less hectic. Here’s how to start.

First, what do you want to do on the air? Most folks want to play the tunes they like. Guess what? Many of those songs may not be easy to find at the radio station you visit. In fact, they may not even be on hand at all. A week before your on-air moment, start compiling band names, album names and “must play” song titles. On my recent shift, I was inspired to have some sort of theme. That morphed into a show featuring three hours of power pop. You can’t play everything, so concentrating on a style or era can help you focus on doing a smooth show.

After compiling that list of bands and albums, start jotting down song titles that you want to play. Review the list to determine if a theme is already apparent, then start tossing those songs that just don’t fit. Keep adding, reviewing and deciding on what can fit. Once you have a decent size list, start collecting these tunes together so they are handy to play in the air studio.

I have a large collection of CDs and LPs, and about 12,000 songs as MP3 files. It is easy to compile playlists on your computer then burn these to a CD for the show. If you go this route, make sure you use decent quality MP3 files. I rip my CDs at 256 kbps and have many other files that are a variable bit rate (VBR). These can be a decent quality for on-air. I compile a group of tunes to burn onto a CD as audio files, which can be key factor in the success of your shift. Not all radio stations have compact disc players that can play MP3 files. The DJ that followed me recently came in with a bunch of MP3 files on CD, but no way to put those files through the audio board and over the airwaves. So take the time to make audio CDs of the songs you want to play. Choose a burn rate that is slow as some CD players can be finicky in playing home CDs that have been burned quickly. Lastly, assemble more music than what you have time to play. This can give you more latitude when you get in the studio and go on-air. For my most recent shift, I burned four CDs of material covering almost five hours of time for a three hour show. It is always better to have more than what you need in radio.

Once you have made your audio discs, don’t forget to print out a list of the contents. This will really help when you are trying to find those songs. When the big day arrives, go a little early so you can spend some time to search out a few songs in the radio station archives that you didn’t have in the home collection. At this point, you will be very comfortable walking into the air studio with your handy library of tunes. It will be easy to augment your shift with other music on hand, but the songs you brought will make your shift much easier and more enjoyable.

I recall toting a box of vinyl and CDs to spin for a radio shift many years ago. Sure, it may have been more spontaneous, but the amount of effort getting the stuff there and back home was draining. Making that handful of homemade audio CDs with track listings simplifies the process and gives you some new discs to play in the car of give family and friends.

Have fun on your next air shift!

A Power Pop Morning on U92 FM

2008-11-25T12:26:00.000-05:00

I was able to pull a shift on the local college radio station today. I decided on a Power Pop theme and spent most of the day before in preparation. It all paid off on a smooth show. Here's the playlist. Gaps are for the stopsets.

9:00 am
Ramones – Rock & Roll Radio
Windbreakers – Time Machine

Elton Motello - Get The Guy
The Producers – What’s He Got?
Fingerprintz - Close Circuit Connection
the Flamin' Groovies - Gonna Rock Tonite

The Wonders – That Thing You Do
Fountains Of Wayne - Survival Car
Speedies – Time
The Hoodoo Gurus - (Let's All) Turn On
XTC – Ten Feet Tall

Blotto - I Wanna Be a Lifeguard
Wreckless Eric - Whole Wide World
Brian Stevens – Comets

The Creation - How Does It Feel To Feel
Sloan - Step On It, Jean
Redd Kross - Pretty Please Me

10:00 AM
Off Broadway - Stay In Time
Cheap Trick - On the Radio

Elvis Brothers - Santa Fe
Material Issue - She's Going Through My Head
Velvet Crush - Hold Me Up
Brendan Benson – Metarie

Brinsley Schwarz - (What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love And Understanding
Dave Edmunds - I Got The Will
Rockpile - If Sugar Was as Sweet as You
Nick Lowe - So It Goes

Bram Tchaikovsky - Girl of My Dreams
The Records - Starry Eyes
The 101ers - Keys To Your Heart

The Only Ones - Another Girl, Another Planet
Marc Bolan & T. Rex - Metal Guru
The Rezillos - Flying Saucer Attack
Sweet – Action

11:00 am
The Nerves - Hanging On The Telephone
The Plimsouls - Everywhere at Once
The Beat - Rock & Roll Girl

The Detroit Cobras - Right Around The Corner
Jason Falkner – Miss Understanding
The Green Pajamas - Kim The Waitress
Shake Some Action! - Sound Of Your Mind

The dB's - I'm in Love
Sneakers - S'il Vous Plait
Mitch Easter - Time Warping

The Individuals - My Three Sons (Revolve Around The Earth)
The Bongos - In the Congo
Chris Mars – Popular Creeps

The Members - Working Girl
Dirty Looks - Let Go The Police - It's Alright for You

The Kinks - Sunny Afternoon

A Busy Summer Winding Down

2008-08-27T18:22:00.000-04:00

I can't believe Labor Day 2008 is just ahead. This summer has been a whirlwind of activity. I made a CD comp for a friend the other day and have become attached to it for road tunes so I will need to burn him another. Here's the song line-up:

Andy Partridge - My Train Is Coming
Fetchin’ Bones - Chicken Truck
Reckless Sleepers - It Came Quick (And It Didn’t Stay Long)
Elton Motello - Get the Guy
The Flys - Love and a Molotov Cocktail
Graham Parker & the Rumour - Saturday Night Is Dead
Dave Edmunds - The Claw
The Health & Happiness Show - Engine Engine
Rank & File - The Conductor Wore Black
Tenpole Tudor - Throwing My Baby Out With the Bathwater
Jason Falkner - The Neighbor
Jona Lewie – (You’ll Always Find Me) In the Kitchen at Parties
Pylon - M-Train
Wild Tchoupitoulas - Meet the Boys on the Battlefront
The Beat - The Kids Are the Same
Rocket From The Tombs - Sonic Reducer
Squeeze - Out Of Control
Shake Some Action! - Sound of Your Mind
The Oranges Band - My Street
Translator - Un-Alone
Ultravox - Young Savage (Live)

Some old stuff, some new stuff, and quite a bit of obscure stuff. It's all fun and it rocks! Which makes it great for the road.

Playlists for CDs

2008-02-19T21:30:00.000-05:00

I've been messing around with a bunch of old tunes recently. I've enjoyed making a few mix CDs. I know it's not really 'cool' to restrict a playlist to 70-some minutes of music in this iPod day, but what the hell. I'm a retro kind of guy as it is. To prove this, just take a look at the following playlist I've burned to play in my car. I did my very first radio shift back in January 1980. This CD reflects what was available back then.

January 1980: I Am a DJ, I Am What I Play

1. The Damned - New Rose
2. The Dickies – You Drive Me Ape (You Big Gorilla)
3. The Soft Boys – (I Want to Be An) Anglepoise Lamp
4. The Revillos – Someone’s Gonna Get Their Had Kicked In Tonight
5. Roxy Music – Amazona
6. Fingerprintz – Hey Mr. Smith
7. XTC - Statue of Liberty
8. Sparks - Amateur Hour
9. Peter Gabriel - On The Air
10. Buzzcocks – Autonomy
11. Johnny Thunders and the Heartbreakers - Born to Loose
12. Clash – Career Opportunities
13. Iggy Pop – Success
14. Modern Lovers - I'm Straight
15. Pere Ubu - Ubu Dance Party
16. Bill Nelson’s Red Noise - Revolt Into Style
17. MC5 - the American Ruse
18. Flamin' Groovies - Teenage Head
19. Wire - I Feel Mysterious Today?
20. 801 – Third Uncle
21. Ultravox - Young Savage
22. Eddie Cochran - Somethin' Else
23. T. Rex – Ride A White Swan
24. The Jam – Down in the Tube Station at Midnight

It all fits with eight seconds to spare!

Boy does this music bring back great memories!

Wow....

2007-10-26T08:17:00.000-04:00

I guess it's been a few months since I've done anything here. I've got something brewing, so this should change soon.

Thoughts on the Neon Bible, and other delights.

2007-03-20T20:53:00.000-04:00

I've given the new Arcade Fire several spins in the last week and have been pretty impressed. Several reviews have keyed in on some vocal comparisions with Bruce Springsteen and his Born to Run era. There is one cut in particular where the vocals are reminiscent of Springsteen. "(Antichrist Television Blues)" may evoke the Boss, but it goes back further than that. During his Born To Run days, let's remember that Springsteen was hailed as a new Bob Dylan. When you consider that, I hear some "Subterranean Homesick Blues" influence to this Arcade Fire cut. Of course, Dylan had his influences, chiefly Woody Guthrie. Woody picked up much of his style from travels across the country listening to the songs of displaced Oklahoma farmers and blues belters in small honky-tonks out near the crossroads. Guess what? That is rock and roll folks. The past is redone and renewed to present a new sound for the present that will someday be redone in the future.

"(Antichrist Television Blues)" is but one cut of eleven on the Arcade Fire album. I hear the tones of Ian McCullough of Echo & the Bunnymen on several cuts more so than the Boss. I also hear a familiar bass sound on "No Cars Go" that reminds me of Joy Division. Two cuts feature pipe organ, which is not typical of a rock album. I think it is done quite well on both and is especially exemplary on "Intervention". There are times when the album does get overblown and a bit heavy. I especially like the last cut, "My Body is a Cage", but I have tired of the arrangement. Now when it plays, I imagine an acoustic blues guitar weeping in the background and the sound of a Tom Waits-ian pump organ burbling like someone is playing the hell out of it in the basement of a house four doors down the street.

I like this album. There is a lot to it and I pick up something else almost every time I listen. The songs are pretty well crafted and while the production does goes over the top a bit, it doesn't collapse under it's own weight. It's pretty decent and worth the investment. I got mine from eMusic for about $4.40 (20 cents a tune).

I also got another new album from eMusic when I downloaded the Arcade Fire album. Persuaded by a few posts by a friend and buoyed by interesting reviews, I picked up the latest from Field Music. I've spun this about as many times as the Arcade Fire album and am equally impressed, if not more so. This is a well honed and crafted album of pop gems. I was seriously impressed and the album has kept my interest in the car and at work. There are elements of many bands you may be familiar with. XTC comes to mind easily, but I hear some of the La's, Squeeze, and many other college rock classics.

As good as both of these albums are, I keep returning to one I got in January. On a recent trip to Akron I was spinning this in the car and the lyrics hit me like a ton of bricks. I had been sucked in by the catchy tunes and sing-along choruses, but now I listened to the lyrics more closely than I had. Wow. Now I was completely blown away.
The sixth cut is what did it. Here's what popped out at me and made me focus on the rest of the lyrics::

I've been cast away,
Lost and friendless today.
I made a name for myself when one could do such a thing.
A reputation that's held together by a string.
And so I chose to cherish those who think there is some purity,
To fading in to obscurity.

That would be "Fading into Obscurity" by Sloan from their latest album, Never Hear the End of It. Good God, this is an incredible album. There are many fine cuts sprinkled across the thirty songs packed into this album. As good as Arcade Fire and Field Music are, I think Sloan beats the duo by a long shot. They have been around for a while now and have really grown in their collective songwriting talents. If you have an appreciation for college rock of the last couple of decades, then you really need to check out this album. This is a rare moment of a band at or near the peak of their talents. They could well be gone in a few years, so hop on board the Sloan wagon and let this thing rock your world.

On The Air - 2006

2006-12-28T14:39:00.000-05:00

I was able to work a holiday air shift on WWVU-FM, Morgantown on December 27, 2006. The West Virginia University radio station is better known as U92FM. I had signed up for a 10am to 2pm shift but was delayed due to technical problems. It was great fun spinning tunes again. I’ve been fortunate to have been able to work an air shift at a college station at least once a year since 1980. I may go for a couple shifts in 2007. Here are the tunes I spun.

10:30 am
The Feelies – Crazy Rhythms
New Musik – Living by Numbers

Elvis Costello & the Attractions – Strict Time
Rockpile – Wrong Again (Let’s Face It)
Madness – Michael Caine

Robyn Hitchcock – Out of the Picture

11:00 am
Hoodoo Gurus – Let’s All (Turn On)
Fingerprintz – Hey Mr. Smith

Ultravox – Quiet Men
Wire – Outdoor Miner
Joy Division – Leaders of Men
Cowboys International – Thrash

David Bowie – The Secret Life of Arabia
Marc Bolan & T. Rex – 20th Century Boy
Iggy Pop – Success

The Cramps – Goo Goo Muck
Johnny Cash – Get Rhythm
The Flamin’ Groovies – In the USA
Eddie Cochran – Twenty Flight Rock

Talking Heads – Heaven
Patti Smith – Ask the Angels

Noon
The Jam – Thick as Thieves
Stiff Little Fingers – Fly the Flag

Gang of Four – Paralysed
Pylon – M-Train
Magazine – The Light Pours Out of Me

The Sound – I Can’t Escape Myself
Comsat Angels – Map of the World
Echo & the Bunnymen – Rescue
Simple Minds – Sweat in Bullet

Devo – Mongoloid
Roky Erickson & the Aliens – Mine, Mine, Mind
Buzzcocks – What Do I Get?

The Fleshtones – This World Has Changed
The Blasters – Border Radio

1:00 pm
Let’s Active – Room with a View
REM – Carnival of Sorts (Boxcars)

The Damned – New Rose
Rezillos – Top of the Pops
Ramones – Gimme Gimme Shock Treatment
Johnny Thunders & the Heartbreakers – Born to Loose

The Clash – English Civil War
The Clash – Careeer Opportunities
Stiff Little Fingers – Strummerville
The Clash – Clampdown

The dB’s – Dynamite
Material Issue – She’s Going Through my Head
The (Paul Collins’) Beat – Don’t Wait Up
The Records – Head Held High

Chameleons – Mad Jack
The Soft Boys – Tonight
Brian Eno – Here Come the Warm Jets

Chris Smither – Leave the Light On

2006-09-07T18:28:00.000-04:00

It was either July of 1994 or 1995 when I first heard Chris Smither. I was camping with a bunch of friends in Green Bank, West Virginia. We were sitting around a bonfire drinking cold ones and passing along bad jokes and outrageous stories. There was this album in the background that slowly seemed to take over the mood. It was one man on an acoustic guitar in a live setting. The songs were a mix between blues and folk, upbeat and mellow, fast and slow. There were a few old covers and an amazing version of “Friend of the Devil”, originally by the Grateful Dead. As the tunes entered my psyche, it grew apparent that I had to know who this was and the CD owner plopped the jewel box into my lap for a better look. It was “Another Way to Find You”, a live-in-the-studio effort by Chris Smither that was released in 1991. For some reason, I really identified with this album right away. I don’t know if it was the world-weary baritone voice, the subdued yet impressive guitar work, the choice of material, or the setting of my first encounter with this music, but it struck me. When I returned home, I immediately ordered a copy for my own collection.

A few albums followed over the next couple of years loaded with some great songs, but I kept going back to that one I heard first. In 2004, I discovered Chris Smither would be playing the Johnstown Folk Festival. My wife and I went and enjoyed a whole day of fabulous music beside the Conemaugh River. Smither was scheduled to play that evening on a small stage in a parking lot. I had wanted to see him play since that first night at the bonfire about a decade earlier. My wife and I arrived early to claim a couple of chairs not far from the stage. It wasn’t a large parking lot, but it was nice getting close to the performer. We weren’t the only early-birds. About 40 other people had laid claim to the first couple of rows. Eventually Smither came out to greet the crowd and tune up. After a couple of warm up tunes, he was ready to go and he took everyone through a fine selection of material over a nearly two hour long set. Several songs were from “Train Home”, which was released the year before. The parking lot had filled to capacity with over 200 people riveted to the music. The performance was outstanding and better than I had hoped for. I bought his latest CD after the show and was able to engage in a short conversation. The long drive home seemed to pass quickly as my wife and I listened to the CD and we talked about the day of performances.

By the way, the most amazing part of the Johnstown Folk Festival was the cost. It was free. Yeah, you read that correctly, it is a free event. Be sure to attend one of these as you will not regret it. It’s been held each Labor Day weekend for the last few years.

I was able to see Chris Smither again in 2005 at the Rosewood Theatre near my home in Morgantown, W. Va. The venue was smoke free and offered a fine selection of beverages. The show also began before 9:00, which enables us working folks a proper bedtime. (Unfortunately, the Rosewood closed in early 2006.) Again, Chris Smither came out and performed an engaging evening of music. I bought a couple more titles from his catalog and went home delighted that I saw him play so close to home.

So, I guess you can tell I’m a fan. I downloaded his new album from eMusic the other night. “Leave the Light On” is another solid effort from Chris Smither. I prefer arrangements with spare musical backing more than those with a full band and much of “Leave the Light On” is Smither and his guitar with just a few helping hands adding background vocals, or percussion, or some mandolin. There are a few cover tunes and a slew of originals. A song or two may make you chuckle, while others will make you think a bit or make you check the song title. It’s all solid stuff and quite appealing to those nearing the 40 or 50 year marks. The music reflects much from the past but sounds like the present. There is a genuine feeling to the songs that offer comfort, yet the music pushes you to listen more.

Pick up a copy from his website, your local record store, or purchase a download form eMusic. Your musical investment will be worth much more than all the American Idol, or ‘alternative’, or other crap out there today. If you get the chance, go see this man perform live. You can then buy another album or two from his catalog after the show.

On the radio....

2006-08-25T22:06:00.000-04:00

So I'm headed to work this morning just before 8am. I turn over the engine and the college radio station is on, ready to feed my day. They have a short newscast just before the top of the hour, then a DJ comes on with a quick top of the hour weather and PSA, then some rock music.

I often get a charge out of this first song I hear in the day as the station kicks off each hour with a college-rock classic. Sometimes it is a dud, or something I never did enjoy, but on occassion you get a tune that charges you up, puts a smile on your face, makes you turn up the volume, and maybe even causes you to break out and sing the chorus.

This morning the staccato guitar intro at 8:01 am signaled one of those great songs. I hadn't heard this song in a few years and knew the band but couldn't quite place the tune. By the time a hiccupping cadence of tom-toms joined the guitar intro, I knew it well. I thought of several old friends as I rolled along the streets of Morgantown and the first verse careened along. Music is like that for me. It ties me to points in my past and people that are close. This is one of the very few songs that actually bring up ties to people from high school, college, and my early years in Morgantown. It is like a thread weaving through points in time.

So I'm at a red light with the windows down and right on cue I'm sneering along at top volume with Johnny Rotten singing the chorus of "Pretty Vacant". The driver in the car beside me just looks on with a slack jaw at the middle-aged guy with the blue and white striped shirt and red tie, sitting in a Honda Element and singing his fool head off to some song they never heard. The light turns green. I make the turn onto High Street, turn up the volume a bit more and motor down the main drag still sneering along to the Sex Pistols like some 20-year old punk.

This is how Fridays need to begin, each week.

The Lameness of it all.

2006-08-12T07:41:00.000-04:00

Yeah. Been a slug-bug for a few weeks here. Real life has been pretty busy, hence no posts in blogland. This should change soon as there are a few things swimmin' round in my brain. Gotta let is out sooner or later.

LaLa....one week later

2006-07-24T14:52:00.000-04:00

WaaaHOOOO! I got my first LaLa disc on Friday. What a thrill! I even played it twice through the afternoon. I noted on the LaLa website that I had received the disc in great shape with the artwork. Someone had also received one of the discs I sent on Thursday, so I was able to send another title. On Sunday, another title was requested, so I packed these up and dropped them in the mail on Monday.

At lunchtime on Monday I was kinda anxious about the mail, so I went back to check. Sure enough, there were LaLa envelopes in the mailbox. THREE CD’s came today! I’m listening to them this afternoon to be sure they play fine. One has a hairline scratch, but so far it plays fine. The others are in great shape.

At this point, one week after signing on with LaLa, I have sent out seven CDs, received four CDs, and have one more coming. Five of the seven I sent are still in transit. Once they arrive, I should be able to get more titles from my want list.

I've been quite amazed at what is available through LaLa. There are some great titles listed here that you just don't usually see in the used CD bins at the remaining decent record stores. I’ve already received four titles that I have not seen over the last two years while scouring used CD bins in Buffalo, Rochester, Cleveland, Bowling Green, Columbus, Pittsburgh, Binghamton, and here in Morgantown.On the flip side, I do see LOTS of the same ole, same ole: Crash Test Dummies, Joan Osbourne, Soundgarden, Collective Soul, Spin Doctors, Temple of the Dog, Stone Temple Pilots, and of course...Mother Love Bone. These seem to inhabit every single used CD bin I paw through, and they are usually marked as $1.99 or $2.99. These titles are here as well, which is kinda disappointing but I guess it is to be expected. After all, if I can find listings for Jules & the Polar Bears, or early Cure titles, or Comsat Angels, or even the first three Ultravox titles, then I guess it's okay to see those usual suspects.

For me, I see LaLa as a music trading pool. After reviewing much of my collection a couple times in the last week, I think much of it can be listed. I keep asking myself, "When did I listen to this last?" The answer hasn't been good in most cases. If you say the same about your collection, maybe it’s time to sign on to LaLa and move out the tunes you don’t listen to anymore and get some new spins.

That was just too exciting. Time for a nap.

My LaLa Experience…..so far

2006-07-20T12:52:00.000-04:00

http://www.lala.com

LaLa is a place to trade your compact discs with other people for about $2 per CD. Yeah, pinch me, right? Let me repeat that line…

LaLa is a place to trade your compact discs with other people for about $2 per CD. I stumbled into this in late June 2006 and passed the info off to an old friend. He joined right up and had some success within a week, so I thought I’d take the plunge. After all, who doesn’t have a raft of compact discs that you just don’t listen to anymore?

July 17, 2006 – I signed on to LaLa and completed the on-line form. They have my credit card number to charge for the CD’s that come my way. I’ll get my first bill in late August, so we shall see how the financial side works out. Just after completing the necessary forms and info, I began entering CD titles into my Have List. I was pretty psyched when four of my first twenty entries were claimed. Cripes! They were:

Tom Waits - the Black Rider
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - Take Them On...
Wire - A Bell is a Cup
Backyard Babies - Tinnitus

I figured a couple would go in a week, but four in the first minutes, sheesh! And look at that last one - IT'S CRAP! I couldn't sell it for a nickel at a used CD store. I got it as a promo and it's unmarked. Now I'm getting something I'm gonna like. The others I hadn't listened to in a while. Time to move em out!

With the next 25 titles entered, one more was claimed, the Flatlanders debut (Texas folk rock with Jimmie Dale Gilmore and others).

I've got three early Cure CD's coming (“17 Seconds”, “Faith”, and “Head on the Door” just can't be found in used bins), and "Clouds Over Eden" by Richard Barone (ex-Bongos).

So I was sent to send out CD’s, but I didn’t have the LaLa mailing envelopes yet.

July 19, 2006 – When I saw the LaLa mailer in my mailbox today, I almost felt like Steve Martin in “The Jerk” when he dances around to celebrate his name listed in the phone directory. Really, I did.

That evening I printed mailing labels and prepped all five CD’s for the mail. A plastic CD clamshell is included with the mailers so you don’t send the jewel box, just the CD and the artwork. I wonder how this works when you send the second CD of a multi-disc set and you already sent the artwork to someone else with disc 1? That is something to ponder when I get to that point.

The LaLa mailing envelopes are postage paid, so all you need to do is drop them in the mail once the CD and artwork are tucked and sealed inside.

July 20, 2006 – I dropped the five full LaLa mailers into the mail bin at the local post office on my way to work. I should have a CD or two in the mail any day now. I may just blast off into orbit when I get my first one….

Road Signs

2006-07-18T14:13:00.000-04:00

Vacation was good. Now it's back to randomness. I see lots of funny road signs as I travel to appointments. I began taking pictures of them this past fall. Now that this blog has begun, it seems like a proper home for some inane stuff.

This sign can be seen along US 119 north of Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. I only cropped the photo. No monkeybusiness has been done to this image, although it does inspire some Photoshopping...

A Week at the Beach

2006-07-04T13:33:00.000-04:00

We got away to vacation in Rehoboth Beach this year, which is where I blog from today. It is great to get away. I have packed my watch away and am only concerned with the time to walk to the beach or open a beer. Wife and kids are enjoying themselves and there are no arguments. It is rolling along nicely, even with today's beating sun.

Today's weather is downright BEASTLY. It is oppressively hot and humid with a temp near 99 degrees. The water is great and there is a decent breeze along the shoreline. I think this is the only place to enjoy this kind of weather; in the water or just ashore on a chair in the sand. We have a house a block off the beach with a screened front porch, but today it is quite close on the porch with no air movement. We have had a good porch breeze since arriving on Saturday, but there is nuttin' there right now. Hence my decision to blog. Why not enjoy a fabulous hop Devil IPA in the cool confines of the AC and make a long overdue post to the blog. And yes, it is past beer o'clock, so I opened a cold one to enjoy.

I took my daughter bike riding yesterday and we put in about eight miles, which is decent for a one-speed beach cruiser. Our beach abode is on the south end of Rehoboth near Silver Lake. We trekked north to Henlopen State Park and rode the Gordon Pond trail through a wonderful wildlife area. Lots of birds, salt flats, and flora of many types. We could see two tall observation towers that were built in WWII to protect the coastline from enemy ships. It's an eerie thought seeing these aging guardians along the shore.

I wasn't going to blog, check e-mail, or even touch a computer this week. I broke down. I did eliminate 30-some emails so I don't have to bother with them upon returning. I guess that's good. It has been nice not haing a digital reality check, if that is indeed a reality check. Time to wrap this up and go back for a swim.

BTW, I've had an old tune by the Slickee Boys rolling through my mind since I got here. "When I Go To The Beach" was a real classic back in 1982-83. I'd love to see the video again.

Ultravox! :: Remaster and Rerelease

2006-06-26T14:30:00.000-04:00

As luck would have it, I found out that the first three Ultravox! albums are in the process of being reissued and are due for release on July 10, 2006. More details at this site:

http://www.metamatic.com/zNewsdocs/news200602.html

Missing Music

2006-06-23T13:16:00.000-04:00

I was thumbing through the titles in my record collection the other day and noted several fine LP's that have not been issued on compact disc, nor has the material been available as a digital download at iTunes, eMusic, or other vendor. I can understand not issuing compact disc versions of titles that did not sell well, but I don’t quite understand why some great music isn’t available as a digital download. I guess I could motivate myself to repair one of the two turntables on hand, rig up a system to play the vinyl and create a digital file. But there are other more productive things to do with my spare time, so I’ll just rant a bit here and make note of some great music that is currently unavailable.

Fingerprintz
"the Very Dab" (1979)
"Distinguishing Marks" (1980)
"Beat Noir" (1981)
All were released on Virgin Records, with the first two distributed in the US. Beat Noir came out in the US with a slightly different track arrangement on Stiff America. Virgin has nice comps available for similar bands of this era (the Records, the Ruts), but nothing on these three titles. Check out some reviews for these titles at http://www.allmusic.com/. While the band wasn’t earth-shaking, they did contribute some cool pop music of the day.

Shakin’ Pyramids
"Skin ‘em Up!" (1981)
A three-piece Scottish rockabilly band that combined energy, attitude, and great songs. I think this is a great ‘lost album’ from the rockabilly revival period that is every bit as good as the Stray Cats releases. The Pyramids sound went pretty lame right after this release and they completely disappeared. My vinyl is on Cuba Libre/Virgin and was only released in the UK.

Ultravox
"Ultravox!" (1977)
"Ha Ha Ha" (1977)
"Systems of Romance" (1978)
Ultravox began as a punk/glam-inspired band that mutated into one that pushed sonic boundaries by the time their third LP was released. Lead singer John Foxx left for a solo career about 1979. The band soldiered on with a new singer and achieved commercial success. That is the Ultravox most everyone knows of, but there first three LP’s with John Foxx hold my attention for their risk taking and adventurous moves. All were released on Island Records. I believe “Ultravox!” and “Systems of Romance” had US distribution. Import CD’s are available on these titles, but they can be pricey. I note a US comp from 2001, “The Island Years” that sums up these three in one 16-cut distillation. I just haven’t searched it out yet. What rekindled my interest was the discovery of the “Ha Ha Ha” cassette I forgot I owned. It brought back many memories and was stronger than I had remembered it.

Again, cheap digital downloads of these tunes would be great. I’ve got an eMusic subscription and my downloads are about twenty cents a piece. I’d love to listen to these titles again, but am not willing to spend big dollars for imports. You would think the music industry would act to make marginal music like this easily available to the masses. They should have long ago recouped their ‘investment’ and offering tracks for a few cents (or an iTune dollar) would only add to their bottom line.

The latest used CD finds from the road.

2006-06-21T12:14:00.000-04:00

I hit the road occasionally for my job, which requires some good music for the CD player. I also try to find small music stores to check over the used CD selections. I have found some real gems along the way. Here are the latest finds.

Supergrass – Supergrass is 10! (w/bonus live disc)
The Jam – Live
Jimmy Smith – the Sermon
Trio – Da Da Da
Elvis Costello & the Attractions – Very Best of (Rykodisc 1994)
- all used for $26

Jimmy Smith – a Blue Note compilation (used $6)
Bodeans – Love & Hope & Sex & Dreams (new for $9.99)

I visited two CD stores in Bowling Green, Ohio. One was quite large and kinda corporate, but had good prices. That’s where I picked up the Bodeans and the Jimmy Smith comp. I had been keeping an eye out for a used copy of the Bodeans first LP for a few years and had not seen one. Since this new copy was under $10, I thought what the hell. This is an extraordinary debut that nearly marks the beginning of the Americana band era in rock. Besides, my old cassette tape is nearly worn out from the road trips and the new cars do not have tape players, Dammit! I’ve also been looking for some Jimmy Smith (a fab bebop jazz organist), so the used Blue Note comp was a good find.

The second store was a smaller, punk-rawk kinda place with a small used section and lotsa indie stuff. They were having a ‘blow-out’ sale on used – five titles for $20 and double discs count as two. I didn’t think I’d find five keepers, but I did. Since I found one Jimmy Smith, I thought adding another at that price would be great. Guess what? There are no duplicate cuts between the two! And both are really good.

I’ve been tempted by the Trio album before, but not at a price under $5. I actually bought it for a couple of other tunes that are not titled “Da Da Da”.

The Elvis comp was tasty and is great in the car. I have several of his albums, but this brings together a few other cuts I liked on LP’s I just didn’t want to spend the money for.

Supergrass is a delight. I have their first and had heard a few cuts since then, but they are much more solid than I had thought. The live bonus CD is also worthy.

Interestingly, the Jam Live CD is the one I’ve listened to the most, and I picked it up on a whim. I bought their earlier live LP “Dig the New Breed” when it came out in 1982 and was always disappointed in it for a number of reasons. I didn’t like the live sound mix; the energy didn’t seem to come through; I really wanted new stuff by them when I originally purchased the record in 1982; and the real reason....I was disappointed that they had just broken up, Dammit! This was the last CD I checked out on the way home and it is still playing in the car. There are several Jam classics that were missing from “Dig the New Breed”. Overall, I get it better now and really appreciate these live versions of songs that are a big part of my past. The Jam are another of those bands that I miss today.

figuring out this crazy thing....

2006-06-11T18:30:00.000-04:00

Can you tell I'm not in my twenties?

I think I figured out how to post comments on other blogs today. Damn...maybe I can get a frickin' blogger's license now, unless I have to prove I can parallel blog. I guess I missed the instructions on how to properly blog.

Shucks.

Just a post for the day

2006-06-09T08:43:00.000-04:00

Never sure what to post here. While I rant in the office about some stuff, it seems trivial when I have this opportunity. I guess the "Why to Blog?" question stumps me when I get to this point. Wack.

Geezz....

2006-06-07T08:39:00.000-04:00

Did I really have to do this just to post a note on someone else's blog?

Jane! Stop this crazy thing!!!