Jeff's Fancy Blog

Buy "Tumble" for $.49 - Offer ends tomorrow!

2012-01-23T09:19:00.001-06:00

My band's *brand new* digital single..."Tumble" by Words

1.17.2012: "Tumble"

2012-01-17T09:01:00.000-06:00

Artwork for the new WORDS digital single, "Tumble"

So if you happened to read my blog entry from 11.26.11 ("In a former life...") you already know about my little journey connecting with the recorded music of my past, through the remastering of some of my band's old catalog. Soon after posting that entry I set up a bandcamp site so that people could hear some of the tracks, and even purchase them if they chose.

The holidays, not surprisingly, were a bit tough - it was our first Christmas since our mom's passing. One day I was just tinkering on the guitar (something I rarely do these days) and a tune emerged. I recorded some instrumentation with electronic drums, just for fun. A few days later I scribbled some lyrics and found a main melody for this song now called "Tumble", a new tune that I quite liked. I sent it to Matt to see what he thought, and asked if he would like to add some drums to the track. Within a few days Matt not only provided a solid drum track, but also some guitar work and lyrics that became the song's bridge (which he sings on the final recording).

So now Words have a brand new track up for sale at bandcamp.com. It all happened very fast! One of the biggest pleasures of the process for me was collaborating with Matt again. We know each other musically, and we have a very comfortable energy whenever we write or record. "Tumble" is our first written collaboration since the 80's, and we're talking about possibilities for a new full-length project, but without any deadlines or pressures. I'm excited to see what emerges.

11:27 AM

2012-01-13T11:42:00.001-06:00

2011: A Recap

2011-12-26T09:35:00.003-06:00

(updated on 12/31/2011)

Well 2011, I can't say I'm gonna miss ya. This year has been a bitch, with a few moments of brightness thrown in here & there. To read all about it, continue after the jump...

First and foremost, the suckiest part of the year was losing my mom to cancer. We learned about her diagnosis in March, and by the end of the month she was gone. She had a rocky life but she also had the gift of humor which she definitely passed on to her kids. While I miss both of my parents terribly, I find myself being increasingly proud and grateful to have been born to the two of them. Sure they weren't perfect, but I have yet to meet anyone who is. They did the best they could and I love them for it.
Academically I had some highs this year, mostly in finishing the last of my Ph.D. coursework. I never thought I'd be in a Ph.D. program, but once I got accepted I was absolutely determined to make the most of the journey. This year that journey included a nasty glitch with my written prelims. I don't want to relive the details here (you can read some of it here if you wish), but I will say that this snafu set me back at least one semester.
2011 will go into Minnesota history books as the year that asshat politicians voted to put marriage discrimination up for a public vote on the 2012 ballot, and potentially into the state constitution. Charming. So my marriage, which is legal in other states but not my own, may now be extra super not-legal? I just don't understand the purpose of changing the constitution except to prove to the rest of the world that the majority of voters in your state are ignorant bigots. Still, I am remaining hopeful that Minnesotans may become the first fair-minded state to strike down this very hurtful and discriminatory measure.
So amidst all of the stress of the year I was lucky to have a friend (thanks again, Kieran!) recommend a class on mindfulness as an approach to stress reduction. Of course I enrolled. The class taught me techniques that I intend on using for the rest of my life. I have already experienced some positive results from meditation. As one of the most stressful years of my adult life comes to a close, I actually seem to be more at peace than I remember in a looong time.
2011 was a great year for live music: The Go-Go's, The Cars, Lemonheads, The Monkees, Weezer, fDeluxe (aka The Family), The Bangles. What a gas.
I started a tumblr site this year after developing a passion for lo-fi photography (ha - develop, photography - a bit of a pun there). Initially I thought the site would replace this here blog, but it turned out to be more of a photo blog of its own, while I have kept this site alive for entries containing more content. The tumblr has been a blast tho, and I've met a few new bloggers in the process. Go team.
2011 turned out to be the year that I started creating music again. It began this fall when Leo and I were cleaning the upstairs level of our home and I uncovered my old TASCAM portastudio. Soon I was rummaging through old tapes, which led to the eventual creation of a bandcamp page for my band Words. I'm currently in the process of cleaning up our first album, song by song, to be available for download at the site next year. Hearing this music for the first time in decades has been unexpectedly therapeutic, reinforcing my belief in the healing powers of music. (BREAKING: As of this writing, my longtime friend, bandmate and music collaborator Matt and I are recording tracks for the first new song we've written together in over 20 years).
Finally, I have to thank my husband Leo for his unwavering support throughout this journey. I can't say enough about having him with me through all of these highs and lows. He is an incredible man and I am beyond fortunate to have him in my life.

To all of you who have continued to frequent this blog, I offer a sincere thank you. I wish you all a very super fancy & shiny 2012!

xxxooo
your pal,
Jeff

Top 20 Fanciest Songs of 2011

2011-12-23T22:34:00.000-06:00

At this time, dearest readers, I present you with the big kahuna of lists, my Top 20 fave tunes of the past year (REVISED 12.30.2011):

20. "Contact High" - Love Jones (d)
19. "Are We Lovers or Are We Friends?" - Acid House Kings
18. "Rope" - Foo Fighters
17. "We Can Fly" - Yes
16. "Cold Feet" - Liam Finn
15. "Breathe Out, Breathe In" - The Zombies (d)
14. "Pumped Up Kicks" - Foster the People
13. "Sanctified" - fDeluxe
12. "Cauliflower (offend remix)" - dan le sac VS Scroobius Pip
11. "A Beautiful Life" - Donny & Marie Osmond (d)
10. "Stand" - Lenny Kravitz
9. "Babyfather" - Sade
8. "Forward to Love" - Ziggy Marley (d)
7. "Ghost on the Canvas" - Glen Campbell
6. "Girl Panic!" - Duran Duran
5. "Mine Smell Like Honey" - R.E.M.
4. "Blue Tip" - The Cars
3. "Funky But Chic" - New York Dolls
2. "What I Heard" - Blondie
1. "Anna Lee (sweetheart of the sun)" - The Bangles

NOTE: All songs except those marked with a (d) are currently available on VINYL.
UPDATE/CORRECTION: Ziggy Marley's Wild and Free album was released on vinyl in November, 2011.

2011 Best of Qtr IV

2011-12-18T19:38:00.001-06:00

Here she is, my quarterly "best of" list, aka the 20 songs I've enjoyed most over the past three months (REVISED on 12.22.2011):

20. "Wall Street" - Van Dyke Parks
19. "Bad Girl" (d) - Eli "Paperboy" Reed
18. "House" - Ben Folds Five
17. "The Bare Necessities" (d) - Brian Wilson
16. "#Trendin'" (d) - The Original 7ven
15. "Sweet Christmas" (d) - Shonen Knife
14. "Turn 2 Dust (kevan frost mix)" (d) - Boy George
13. "Contact High"(d) - Love Jones
12. "Secret Weapon" - Annette
11. "Vega-Tables" (2011 SMiLE Sessions single mix) - The Beach Boys
10. "Body and Soul" - Tony Bennett & Amy Winehouse
9. "Leave a Light On" - Duran Duran
8. "A Beautiful Life" (d) - Donny & Marie Osmond
7. "She Walks the Night" - Matthew Sweet
6. "Pumped Up Kicks" - Foster the People
5. "You and I (we can conquer the world)" (d) - George Michael
4. "In My Arms" - Glen Campbell
3. "We All go Back To Where We Belong" (d)- R.E.M.
2. "I'll Never Be Through With You" (d) - The Bangles
1. "Good Vibrations" (2011 SMiLE Sessions version) - The Beach Boys

Note: Tracks that are shamefully not available on the physical vinyl format are indicated with "(d)".

Remembering John today

2011-12-08T09:49:00.001-06:00

New Ringo Starr vinyl: 1/31/2012

2011-12-07T19:28:00.001-06:00

Titled simply "2012", this is Ringo's 2nd self-produced LP.
Street date: 1/31/2012.

Track listing:

1. Anthem (Richard Starkey/Glen Ballard)

2. Wings (Richard Starkey/Vince Poncia)

3. Think It Over (Buddy Holly/Norman Perry)

4. Samba (Richard Starkey/Van Dyke Parks)

5. Rock Island Line (Arrangement by Richard Starkey)

6. Step Lightly (Richard Starkey)

7. Wonderful (Richard Starkey/Gary Nicholson)

8. In Liverpool (Richard Starkey/Dave Stewart)

9. Slow Down (Richard Starkey/Joe Walsh)

Worth noting: Two of the tracks are covers, while two others ("Wings" and "Step Lightly") are remakes of songs Ringo wrote & recorded in the 1970s. Ringo's last release (also on vinyl) was quite good in my opinion, so I'm really looking forward to this one! Ringo is far too often overlooked for his talents as a songwriter and singer. It also makes sense that he has talent as a producer -- he was a BEATLE for Godsakes.

12.5.2011: Saditude

2011-12-05T04:06:00.001-06:00

Today marks the 4th anniversary of my dad's passing. It's also the first year of recognizing this day without mom, who passed away earlier this year. The first person I want to talk to today is mom because she was his life partner, the one who knew and missed him most. Having them both gone today makes the pain seem new again, if that makes sense.

So yeah, I feel an intense sadness this morning (at 4:00 am!), but also a remarkable sense of gratitude for having these two individuals for my parents. As I've gotten older I've been able to appreciate them for their humanness. Things that I might have considered shortcomings while they were alive are now just part of who they were.

In the case of my dad, I am able to embrace his triumph over the disease of alcoholism, which had beat him down more than once. Despite the challenges he worked the program and was able to live his last 20 or so years as a sober person. I doubt he viewed his sobriety the same way that I did, but I consider it to be the greatest gift he could have given his family. Through his sobriety we were able to become closer and recognize the love and appreciation we all had for our little family unit. My brother and I also learned from his example that money and wealth do not equal happiness; It's how you manage what you have that counts. Money is worthless if you end up sick just trying to make more of it.

So today's for you, dad. I hope you knew/know how much we love you and that we truly understand the sacrifices you made for us. Your life was not an easy one, but in the end I hope we were able to make it all worthwhile.

Peace.

Ten fave vinyl reissues of 2011

2011-12-03T08:06:00.001-06:00

2011: A banner year for vinyl re-issues

Red Hot Chili Peppers - Blood Sugar Sex Magik (red vinyl 2LP)
Ben Folds Five (1995 self-titled LP)
The Monkees - HEAD Soundtrack (clear vinyl)
Loretta Lynn - Van Lear Rose
Sugar - Copper Blue
Paul McCartney - McCartney 2LP
Glassjaw - Worship & Tribute (white vinyl)
Journey - Greatest Hits 2 2LP
Paul McCartney - McCartney II 2LP
Go-Go's - Beauty and the Beat (pink vinyl)

WORDS officially on Bandcamp.com

2011-12-01T21:56:00.001-06:00

&lt;p&gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://wordsmpls.bandcamp.com/track/struck-down"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot;Struck Down&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot; by Words&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&lt;/p&gt;

In a former life...

2011-11-26T18:46:00.001-06:00

***1987***

I don't write much here about my former career as a struggling, out-of-work musician, but lately I've been reflecting on some of the good times from my musical past. Sometimes I forget why I chose to move away from the dedication to my musical ambitions, and then I remember the reasons. The multitude of reasons.

For starters, I never really got on well with other musicians. In the early 90's I seemed to move from band to band, each band doing a number of gigs before self-imploding. It was disheartening because each band had its merits and its talented players (a select few of which I've maintained some contact with over the years).

I have nothing but the greatest admiration and respect for my few friends that have succeeded at sustaining a career in music. It takes some unique skills. One such skill: Being comfortable with ambiguity and a frequent lack of structure. Over the years I have learned that I am most UNcomfortable when there's an absence of structure (for anyone who's curious my Myers-Briggs is INTJ).

Another realization I've had recently is that the music biz of today is FAR different from the biz of the late 80's when I was learning the ropes and paying my dues. Frankly I never felt completely comfortable selling or promoting my own product. I think part of this comes from being Scandinavian/Minnesotan/raised Lutheran, an interesting combination that often mistakes self-confidence for bragging or cockiness, which is a very bad thing if you're a Scan-MN-Luth mix like I was.

***1988***

I was friends with the members of Words before learning to play, sing, or write. These folks (who happen to be musically inclined) are extended family, which probably explains why we gravitate together every few years to make new music. Since forming in 1986 we've written, recorded & self-produced four full-length cassettes, a CD, a 7" vinyl single, and (my personal favorite) a cover of "Yesterday's Hero" on Men In Plaid, an internationally distributed Bay City Rollers tribute CD that has gone into its 2nd printing on Bullseye Records of Canada.

As much of a thrill creating music has always been for me, I've found my professional niche in Higher Education, where I feel at home. I believe it's where I'm at my best. Working on my PhD, despite its occasional headaches, has been a fantastic opportunity. Turns out that I really get off from being in an intellectual environment, and that the satisfaction of creation is often the same whether it's a song or a research article. It's just the end product that is different.

A few weeks ago Leo and I did a massive re-arrangement of the upstairs floor of our house, and I discovered my old TASCAM Portastudio under the bed covered in a thick layer of dust. Since then I've been sifting through some not-so-dusty tapes (carefully stored away in our basement), shining up some old songs and posting them at my tumblr site. Through this process I have made very nice peace with the musical past that is very much a part of who I am. I am extremely proud of the music that my mainstay band Words and I have created over the years. It's not all genius stuff, but that doesn't mean it lacks value. For me each song is like an audio time-capsule; the feeling of being transported to a different time via recorded music can be a very powerful thing.

I've provided a few links below in case you're interested in hearing some of the tracks I've posted recently. If you like what you hear, check back from time to time because I'll probably keep posting stuff, as long as this nostalgia trip maintains my interest. :)

Thank you for reading & listening!
xxxooo
JEFF

"London Bridges" (Anderson/Van Slooten) by Words
"Struck Down" (Anderson/Van Slooten) by Words
"No Big Deal" (Anderson/Van Slooten) by Words
"Here Comes the Sun"(Harrison) by Words

RSD Black Friday

2011-11-25T19:48:00.001-06:00

Three record stores today but only one RSD purchase. Granted, it was a good 'un, the Red Hot Chili Peppers' fantastic Blood Sugar Sex Magic. Still, having navigated between stores mostly by foot (holiday bus schedule don't you know), I was pretty godamn tired by the time I got home, and with no Beatles singles box. If there's a silver lining I guess I did get a helluva workout, so no worries about all those mashed potatoes from yesterday.

The 20 Fanciest LPs of 2011!

2011-11-18T06:24:00.001-06:00

----2011----

The Beach Boys - The SMiLE Sessions
Glen Campbell - Ghost On The Canvas
Duran Duran - All You Need Is Now
R.E.M. - Collapse Into Now
The Cars - Move Like This
Lenny Kravitz - Black & White America
Blondie - Panic of Girls
Yes - Fly From Here
Foo Fighters - Wasting Light
Beastie Boys - Hot Sauce Committee Part Two
New York Dolls - Dancing Backward in High Heels
Sloan - Double Cross
Acid House Kings - Music Is Better With You
Matthew Sweet - Modern Art
Liam Finn - Fomo
The Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger - La Carotte Bleue
Paul McCartney's Ocean's Kingdom
Cut Copy - Zonoscope
The High Llamas - Talahomi Way
Radiohead - The King of Limbs

Honorable Mentions & Noteworthies:

There were some fancy & super sweet re-issues this year worthy of praise, some of them on vinyl for the first time:

Loretta Lynn - Van Lear Rose
Deltron 3030 (Del tha Funkee Homosapien, Kid Koala, Dan the Automator)
Journey - Greatest Hits vol. 2
The Monkees HEAD on clear wax (only 500 pressed)
Ben Folds Five's first LP
Go-Go's Beauty & The Beat 30th anniversary on pink vinyl
Paul McCartney McCartney & McCartney II Deluxe 2LP editions with extra tracks
Glassjaw - Worship & Tribute on white vinyl
Sugar - Copper Blue

The Bangles' Sweetheart of the Sun would probably battle Duran Duran for #3, had it been released on vinyl. It's a fantastic album - their best yet, IMO.
I'm still keeping my fingers crossed for a vinyl version of Condensate by The Original 7ven (formerly The Time). When I spoke with Jellybean Johnson at September's fDeluxe show he seemed fairly certain that it would make it onto vinyl. It's a great album, and all great albums deserve to be on wax!

As always, feel free to post your faves of the past year. Anything you think I missed? Let me know!

On my turntable: George Harrison - 33 1/3

2011-11-16T07:24:00.001-06:00

Well I've done it again, for the second time this week. I was sitting on the couch doing some reading for class and thought to myself, "I've really got a hankerin' to hear 33 1/3." It's always been a strong fall LP for me. After a couple of songs I checked Wikipedia for the album's release date. My heart jumped a little - it was released this week in 1976, on 11.19. Craziness.

Move Like This

2011-11-15T19:34:00.001-06:00

Without a doubt in my top 10 fave LPs of 2011. Perhaps even Top 5ive.

Best LPs of 2011 (11.15.11 update)

2011-11-15T07:30:00.000-06:00

The Beach Boys - The SMiLE Sessions
Glen Campbell - Ghost On The Canvas
Duran Duran - All You Need Is Now
R.E.M. - Collapse Into Now
Lenny Kravitz - Black & White America
Blondie - Panic of Girls
Yes - Fly From Here
fDeluxe - gaslight EP
Beastie Boys - Hot Sauce Committee Part Two
New York Dolls - Dancing Backward in High Heels
Sloan - Double Cross
Matthew Sweet - Modern Art
Liam Finn - Fomo
The Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger - La Carotte Bleue EP
Paul McCartney's Ocean's Kingdom
Cut Copy - Zonoscope
The High Llamas - Talahomi Way
Radiohead - The King of Limbs

look what I can do

2011-11-13T10:39:00.001-06:00

Capture of a still photo in the "All Together Now" documentary, which I then cropped and painted. I like how this one turned out.

On my turntable: John & Yoko - Double Fantasy

2011-11-12T07:08:00.001-06:00

It happens to me frequently. I'll gravitate towards a certain LP and then discover that this was either the day or week when the album was released or purchased by me (based on a receipt tucked inside the sleeve). Before making coffee this morning I grabbed Double Fantasy (1980) for the turntable, and after settling in with my java I checked Wikipedia for the album's release date. I bought my first copy of this record 31 years ago this week (it was released on 11.17.80).

Montage: Fall, 2011

2011-11-10T05:55:00.001-06:00

With the first signs of snow looming on the horizon I assembled this tiny homage to another beautiful autumn in the Twin Cities...

Best LPs of 2011 (11.9.11 update)

2011-11-09T06:47:00.000-06:00

The Beach Boys - The SMiLE Sessions
Glen Campbell - Ghost On The Canvas
Duran Duran - All You Need Is Now
R.E.M. - Collapse Into Now
Blondie - Panic of Girls
Yes - Fly From Here
Beastie Boys - Hot Sauce Committee Part Two
New York Dolls - Dancing Backward in High Heels
Sloan - Double Cross
Matthew Sweet - Modern Art
Liam Finn - Fomo
The Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger - La Carotte Bleue EP
Cut Copy - Zonoscope
The High Llamas - Talahomi Way
Radiohead - The King of Limbs

Best LPs of 2011 (11.7.11 update)

2011-11-07T21:16:00.000-06:00

Glen Campbell - Ghost On The Canvas
Duran Duran - All You Need Is Now
R.E.M. - Collapse Into Now
Blondie - Panic of Girls
Yes - Fly From Here
Beastie Boys - Hot Sauce Committee Part Two
New York Dolls - Dancing Backward in High Heels
Sloan - Double Cross
Matthew Sweet - Modern Art
Liam Finn - Fomo
The Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger - La Carotte Bleue EP
Cut Copy - Zonoscope
The High Llamas - Talahomi Way

This day in Fancy Blog history

2011-11-06T20:32:00.001-06:00

I did a search to see what was happening in this blog space on this date in past years:

November 6, 2009: 6:38 pm
November 6, 2007:

November 6, 2006:

November 6, 2005: On my turntable: REO Speedwagon - Hi Infidelity

The best LPs of 2011 (11.6.2011 update)

2011-11-06T18:31:00.001-06:00

Duran Duran - All You Need Is Now
R.E.M. - Collapse Into Now
Blondie - Panic of Girls
Yes - Fly From Here
Beastie Boys - Hot Sauce Committee Part Two
New York Dolls - Dancing Backward in High Heels
Sloan - Double Cross
Liam Finn - Fomo
The Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger - La Carotte Bleue EP
Cut Copy - Zonoscope
The High Llamas - Talahomi Way

Look through my window

2011-11-06T11:19:00.000-06:00

Top LPs of 2011 - in progress

2011-11-05T07:44:00.000-05:00

So I'm trying something new in coming up with this year's comprehensive "best of" list. Last night I began listening to 2011 LPs and ranking them based on how I felt they held up against one another. What I plan to do is continue this process until I've gone through all of this year's new vinyl. Shown below is the list as it is right now; I will continue to update and tweak the list over the coming weeks, so what you see now may be very different by the end of the month. Stay tuned!

R.E.M - Collapse Into Now
Blondie - Panic of Girls
Yes - Fly From Here
New York Dolls - Dancing Backward in High Heels
Sloan - Double Cross
Liam Finn - Fomo
Cut Copy - Zonoscope

The Beach Boys SMiLE Sessions Box Set - My 2 Cents

2011-11-03T11:46:00.000-05:00

Let me start by saying I doubt there's anything I could add to the discussion about SMiLE that has not already been written ad nauseam. Still, with a legendary and historic release such as this one, the music blogger and fan in me is dying to write something about how incredible this milestone truly is. I already wrote much of my personal history with this music in an entry earlier this year (which you can read HERE), so I won't rehash any of that now (you're welcome).

All settled & cozy in its new home.

My SMiLE Sessions box arrived yesterday at our doorstep via UPS at around 1:30. Like many SMiLE nerds I took pictures, which I'll try to post later (they're in our camera at the moment). I did my best to savor the full experience of unboxing the set; I made the bed and tidied up the bedroom before settling in to open the heavy-duty shipping box (thank you importCDs.com!). As I opened the shipping box I felt like Charlie as he peeled back the wrapper on the Wonka bar to discover the golden ticket -- I saw the white of the SMiLE box and was so excited with anticipation that I actually -no lie- sharted.

The 45s contained in the box set

The box itself is bound to receive a Grammy nomination for best packaging. The 3D SMiLE Shop on the front of the box is so cool. Although I've never much cared for the word "treasure" (along with the words "chunks" and "snack", just so you know), the SMiLE box is literally full of treasures: The assembled SMiLE album on 2LPs in a gorgeous gatefold sleeve, 2 vinyl 45s ("Surf's Up"/"Vegetables" and "Heroes & Villians" Pts I & II) with picture sleeves, a hardcover book packed with incredible detail & recollections from those who starred in SMiLE's history (including new notes from Al, Bruce & Mike), a three-fold binder containing 5 CDs packed full of everything you could imagine (and probably some stuff you wouldn't imagine), a huge SMiLE poster, plus a repro of the booklet that was pressed for the original SMiLE LP that never was.

The coolest of the cool.

All of the music clocks in at well over six hours, and I've not yet listened to all of it. The album itself is in mono as Brian would have mixed it back in '67, but the studio bits and pieces are mostly in stereo, and some of them are breathtaking in their beauty, originality, and in some cases, pure obscurity. Although I've heard most of this material I've not heard it presented in this fashion. As for the bits I've never heard before, they definitely catch me off guard and make me stop to listen. There are also some bits that, even though I've heard them a zillion times, sound so good and fresh on this set that I experience a well of emotion like it's the first time (a perfect example being Dennis singing "My Only Sunshine").

Non Beach Boys fans, or even casual fans, would probably be best off with the 2CD or 2LP versions of this release. The box set, in my opinion, is for the fans who have dreamed and fantasized but never thought they'd actually see such a collection, let alone one presented with such care and respect. Personally, I expect to be digging into this music at least until the end of the year. Thank you to Brian, Van Dyke, Al, Mike, Bruce, Melinda Wilson, audio wiz Mark Linett, and Darian Sahanaja (the unsung hero behind SMiLE's resurrection), and everyone else who was able to this happen. To coin an old phrase, I hope that the smile you've sent out returns to you.

Great quote from the SMiLE Sessions book

"Surf's Up"

2011-10-31T06:05:00.002-05:00

Up early to dig SMiLE again...

On my turntable: Beach Boys - The SMiLE Sessions

2011-10-30T20:56:00.001-05:00

Just pics for now...too engaged to write much. I picked this up tonight at 7:18 (according to my receipt) at one of my local shops. I don't think I've ever driven home from the record store so damn fast!

On my turntable: The Monkees - HEAD (2011 Limited Edition reissue)

2011-10-29T13:03:00.001-05:00

Found this about an hour ago on the front porch.

Artsy Mcfartyson

2011-10-26T18:11:00.001-05:00

So if you follow my Fancy Blog you've likely noticed a sharp decline in the number of posts at this site. That's because I got an iPad over the summer and started a tumblr site to easily post all the photos I was suddenly taking.

Some four months later and I'm still in love with tumblr as well as instagram. I've also begun using various apps with my ipad to manipulate images and create "art".

As a former Studio Art major, I love art that uses and/or manipulates existing images to create something new or different. As an undergrad I used to do this with xerox machines, and later with the editing of video and music.

This picture of The Monkees (above), taken from the back of their 1969 Instant Replay LP, is an example of what I've been working on lately. It's just a black & white photo that I colorized myself, but I like how it turned out. If I have any particular favorites in the future I may post them here, otherwise you can always see what I'm coming up with over at the tumblr site.

Jeff

The Lemonheads @ First Avenue, 10.22.2011

2011-10-23T12:17:00.001-05:00

Before the show, photo by Ellen

The first time I saw The Lemonheads in concert was at First Avenue in 1990, prior to the release of their iconic masterpiece It's A Shame About Ray (1992). Since then I have seen varying lineups of the band at different venues around town, but last night's show was uniquely special because they performed Ray in its entirety, from start to finish.

Like many members of 'Generation X', I experienced some of the trademark disillusionment and lack of direction often identified with this particular demographic, especially after graduating from college (one year prior to the release of It's A Shame About Ray). Judging from the looks of the crowd at last night's show, I wasn't the only young white male in '92 who felt a strong personal connection with this album.

Rockin Stroll!

It's a Shame About Ray has the notable distinction of being directly associated with a generation, something I imagine most artists would kill to have but very few achieve. It's a cultural phenomenon that just happens, which is why I think so few albums obtain such status. In fact, one of the things I found so interesting about last night was witnessing all of these people from my age group, eyes glued on Evan Dando, singing along to every song as if it were Sgt. Pepper or Thriller, or even Nevermind.

For some reason the night's scheduled opening act, The Shining Twins, did not arrive in time to take the stage (according to one of the bartenders the group partied pretty heartily after the previous night's stint in Chicago), so the first live sound we heard was the opening riff and heart-stopping launch into "Rockin' Stroll", setting off the first twelve songs of the night.

The Lemonheads' triumphant return to 1st Avenue

After Ray's closing song, "Frank Mills" (a cover from the 60's musical Hair), Evan played a seemingly random set of songs that included six from '93's Come On Feel The Lemonheads. The singer appeared very relaxed, asking for requests from the audience. My friend Ellen and I both commented on how the ageless Dando seemed to really be enjoying himself, even smiling a few times throughout the night. Towards the end of the set the other members of the band returned for a few more songs.

10.22.2011 setlist:

All twelve songs from It's a Shame About Ray
"The Outdoor Type"
"Frying Pan" (Dando solo tune from '93)
"Why Do You Do This To Yourself" (another Dando solo song, from the Baby I'm Bored album)
"It's About Time"
"Being Around"
"Divan"
"Different Drum" (early Lemonheads cover of the Linda Ronstadt hit written by Monkee Nesmith)
"Down About It"
"Hospital"
"No Backbone"
"Tenderfoot"
"Big Gay Heart"
"Into Your Arms"
"The Great Big No"
"Style"

After "Style", the very tardy Shining Twins arrived on stage to sing one song, and then the show was suddenly over. The venue's video screen began its slow descent (which always means "show's over folks - goodnite!"), and as the house lights went up the room was filled with stunned whatthe? faces. Sorry, no encore. It was the first time I'd ever seen an opening act perform the night's closing song! An awkward and odd ending to what was otherwise a pretty killer, and certainly memorable show.

Oh - and those Shining Twins had best be counting their blessings today because if Ellen had gotten within arm's reach of either of them she would have clocked 'em.

The power of TRUTH

2011-10-18T19:14:00.000-05:00

Our elderly next door neighbor passed away last Friday. Even though she was up there in years it was still a shock to hear that she had died.

Leo and I had known Eunice (not her real name, but she sorta looked like a Eunice) since 2002, when we bought our house. Although I never established any sort of close friendship with her, I certainly cared for her and appreciated having her as a neighbor. Leo on the other hand, was Eunice's buddy. He understood her and you could tell that she was terribly fond of him.

Yesterday Leo stopped next door to chat with Eunice's daughter, who is currently staying in her mother's home. She shared that when Leo and I first moved in Eunice called her daughter to say that a gay couple had bought the house next door, and there was no way she could live next door to gays. She was adamant that she simply had to move.

Of course Leo and I never knew this. Eunice's daughter told Leo how much her mom grew to care for both of us, and how she thought we were two of the best people you could ever meet. To me, this speaks volumes to the importance of living one's truth and being one's authentic self. Leo and I, by simply being who we are with this 80+ year old conservative Christian woman, managed to change her heart without even knowing it. In her final wishes Eunice requested that Leo be one of the pallbearers at her funeral.

Thank you Eunice (not your real name, I know) for watching our house, for being our neighbor, and for sharing yourself with us. Thank you for welcoming us into the neighborhood and into your heart.

We will miss you.

Treehouse Records

2011-10-18T06:45:00.001-05:00

On my turntable: Pink Floyd - Relics

2011-10-16T13:52:00.001-05:00

R.E.M.iniscing

2011-10-16T12:29:00.000-05:00

Buck, Berry, Mills, Stipe

I am feeling a bit melancholy this morning about last month's breakup of R.E.M. (which from this point on will be typed without the periods because it's cumbersome!).

I reluctantly welcomed REM into my musicsphere in 1988 after sensing that it wasn't the band for which I'd been harboring disdain but their "college radio" fans. You know the smartie-smarts who believed that their love for REM made them smartier-than-thou. In retrospect I'm sure that there were far fewer of these individuals than those that existed in my judgmental imagination. Still, it's hard to dispute that when Document (1987) came out everybody seemed to suddenly love, adore, and darn-near worship REM, and I just didn't get it. Nor did I want to get it.

But then Green (1988) happened, preceded briefly by Eponymous (1988). I started borrowing and taping REM LPs from my friends at the record store, remaining cautious not to hop on any bandwagon. I attended Green's tour stop in the Twin Cities, which was followed by a bowling afterparty attended by the band (Bob Mould was also there - another smarty that I wouldn't appreciate for years to come). When I tried to get Michael Stipe to autograph my Eponymous CD he didn't look me in the eye as he muttered "I don't do autographs - I'll shake your hand later". Actually, the first mutter resembled more of a mumble, so I said "what?", after which he muttered more clearly. As Stipe continued right on past me I stood dumbfounded, feeling like an idiot, and thinking "I didn't ask to shake yer stinkin' hand, I asked for your au-to-graph. On this here Eponymous CD. JERK!". (I heard that the rest of the band arrived after catching part of a Robyn Hitchcock show at First Avenue, and that they were far more accommodating with fans).

Though the bowling alley incident left me feeling a bit bruised and shaken I found I just couldn't quit REM. And I never did. For the next 22 years I anticipated and bought every REM release (with the exception of In Time (2003) and Live At the Olympia (2009), which I'll buy when I find vinyl copies within my budget). Throughout the 90's REM's evolution was dazzling, from the Beach Boys folk of Out of Time (1991), the in-your-face grit of Monster (1994), to the frazzled & fractured beauty of 1998's Up. Each turn of my own life's evolution seemed accompanied by a new REM record, conveniently providing a soundtrack into adulthood.

And now they're suddenly gone. I've found that mourning the breakup is a mixed bag of plusses and minuses: Yes they have announced their disbandment, but at least it was an amicable split. While we can no longer look forward to new REM music, just look at the legacy of recorded output they've left us. Time marches on (as Olbermann says), and as corny as it feels to say this I feel lucky for the opportunity to have marched, waving my REM flag for the past 2+ decades. I will always have the records, ticket stubs, and memories connected to their vast, incredible catalog of awesome.

To Berry, Buck, Mills, and Stipe I say "Thank You" for the journey.

With love and gratitude,
Jeff A.
xxxooo

Morning sun

2011-10-16T09:35:00.001-05:00

she is bright, no?

The Bangles @ The Fine Line, Mpls 10.11.11

2011-10-12T00:29:00.003-05:00

On the men's room wall.

So tonight I saw my third Bangles show. They were so good tonight, especially on the songs from their new disc, Sweetheart of the Sun (2011).

The doors opened at 7:00, and the opening act, Half Demon Doll, started around 7:45. They were quite good and very young! It was cool that The Bangles gave this opening spot to a local band, especially one that didn't suck.

Kicking things off with "Anna Lee"

The Bangles started around 9:45, I think. I had been standing for quite a while by this point because I just happened to have a totally mint spot right next to the stage, probably six feet from Vicki (who was wearing some kickass boots). There were a couple of times when I swear Vicki looked directly at me -- I was pretty hard to miss in my new Bangles shirt and a cheshire cat grin on my face.

Bangles Setlist, 10.11.2011:

Anna Lee (sweetheart of the sun)
Hazy Shade of Winter
Some Dreams Come True
Manic Monday
I'll Never Be Through With You
Ball and Chain
Rain Song
If She Knew What She Wants
Restless
Live
September Gurls (dedicated to Alex Chilton)
He's Got a Secret
Under a Cloud
Going Down to Liverpool
Eternal Flame
Get the Girl/Outside Chance
Open My Eyes
Ride the Ride
In Your Room
Hero Takes A Fall

At this point in the night I decided to leave. My back had been feeling the strain from standing for so long. From what I've read about recent shows I probably missed an encore including the awesome new tune "Sweet and Tender Romance" and of course, "Walk Like an Egyptian".

The Bangles, thirty years strong, are at the top of their game. If you have a chance to see them on this tour I suggest you go, or at least buy their new CD. In my opinion it's their best work yet.

Debbi, Vicki, Susanna: The Bangles

Top 10 Fave Bangles songs

2011-10-11T23:46:00.000-05:00

Posted earlier today at my tumblr page:

In recognition of the Bangles’ return to Minneapolis tonight, I’ve assembled my personal Top 10 Bangles tunes. This was harder than I expected, but I think I got it right. It’s a pretty bitchin’ top ten, in my opinion:

Anna Lee (sweetheart of the sun) (2011)
Tear Off Your Own Head (2003)
Hazy Shade of Winter (1987)
Some Dreams Come True (1988)
The Real World (1982)
Light My Way (2006)
Get the Girl (1999)
Following (1986)
Tell Me (1984)
In Your Room (1988)

2011 Best of Qtr III

2011-09-27T23:13:00.000-05:00

What an incredible batch of tunes this time around!

One thing I realized a few days ago is that the #1 song ("Forward to Love" by Ziggy Marley) is one of only three songs on the list that are not available on vinyl. The last time a non-vinyl track made it to #1 on one of my lists was Qtr I, 2008, "Lollipop" by Mika. This current list's non-vinyl tracks are marked by an asterisk (*).

Long live vinyl!!

So here are my favorite tunes from July, August & September, 2011:

20."Repulsion" - Quasi (2010)
19."Don't Play No Game That I Can't Win" - Beastie Boys (featuring Santigold)
18."Teenage Love Made Me Insane" - The High Dials (2010)
17."Driver Education" - Indigo Girls (2009)
16."Listen to Me" - Brian Wilson*
15."You Hung the Moon" - Elvis Costello (2010)
14."From Here On It Got Rough" - Hildegard Knef (2005)
13."Tell Me What I Did" - Ben Folds Five
12."God Makes No Mistakes"/"Mrs. Leroy Brown" - Loretta Lynn (2004, first vinyl pressing released 8/2011)
11."Alligator Aviator Autopilot Antimatter" - REM (w/Patti Smith)
10."We Can Fly" - Yes
9."Breathe Out, Breathe In" - The Zombies*
8."Follow the Leader" - Sloan
7."Sanctified (strawberrius mix)" - fDeluxe
6."Cold Feet" - Liam Finn
5."Return to Now"/"Mediterranea" - Duran Duran
4."Babyfather" - Sade (2010)
3."A Better Place"/"Ghost on the Canvas" - Glen Campbell
2."Stand" - Lenny Kravitz
1."Forward to Love" - Ziggy Marley*

Note: I've provided links to many of the songs in case you want to give them a listen over at my Fancy Tumblr blog.

Some observations of note:

I'm pretty certain this is the first time the Indigo Girls have made their way into my Top 20. I purchased their 2009 album, Poseidon and the Bitter Bug (2009) last month for $6. The album is masterfully produced by big shot Mitch Easter and I like it quite a bit.
I know this is the first time Sade has made my list. I've never been a fan, but when I found her 2010 Soldier of Love LP on sale for $4 last month (I've typically seen it priced at a ridiculous $30) I figured it was worth the risk. It's a lovely record, and "Babyfather" is downright sexy.
Three of the list's entries are composites of two songs that I mixed into one mp3. In each case I was taking a considerably short song and using it as a lead-in to a longer song. You may be thinking "hey - that's cheating", but I call it getting more bang for my buck. :)
Hildegard Knef makes her fancy debut on on my list with "From Here On It Got Rough". The song is from an outstanding 2LP compilation, The In-Kraut: Hip Shaking Grooves Made in Germany 1966-1974 (2005). I expect that this is the only time you'll read about Hildegard here, but never say never I suppose.

fDeluxe @ Loring Theater, 9.16.2011

2011-09-17T14:48:00.007-05:00

Before the show

Quite the evening was had here in Minneapolis last night. fDeluxe, comprised of four original members of Prince protégé band The Family, performed their official debut gig at the Loring Theater. My brother and I had been tossing around whether or not to go, but when I checked the venue's website earlier in the week and saw 2 aisle seats available in the center front row of the balcony I nabbed 'em up real quick-like.

Before the show we hung out for a while in the lobby, checking out the merchandise table while listening to a live DJ mixing up some tunes. We spotted a couple of local celebs, notably MN Vikings hall-of-famer Carl Eller and Revolution drummer Bobby Z., who looked terrific.

When we headed up to our seats at around 7:50 it was clear that the rest of the audience was taking their own sweet damn time, which made me wonder if the show was a sell out. By 8:30, however, the place was packed and rarin' to go. From my balcony seat I recognized a longtime blog friend Kyle in the VIP section on the floor. After the show we saw each other in the lobby and chatted for a little, but there was so much energy around the band's whereabouts that it was easy to get distracted (It was great to finally meet you in person, Kyle!).

The stage

The stage was set-up to resemble a living room, complete with a couch, vintage vacuum cleaner, infant high-chair, a bass, six guitars...you get the idea (see pic, left). The band came out and gave a nicely paced, loose, and often hot & funky performance in front of a friendly hometown audience. St. Paul, Susannah, Eric, and Jellybean looked great and put in 100%+. One of the biggest surprises for me was seeing Jellybean upfront playing guitar for most of the show. The man ain't no slouch! During the final encore he ripped into a wicked guitar solo that could have given both Jesse Johnson and Prince a run for their money.

And might I just say a word about Mr. Eric Leeds. In fact, one word is enough: LEGEND. Leeds played keys, flute, and sax throughout last night's show, but it was his signature sax playing that put the fDeluxe stamp on the whole shindig. When Leeds plays you KNOW who's saxophone it is, and he was simply on top of his game last night. I gots myself the chills a couple of times.

Ticket

St. Paul Peterson appeared genuinely proud and happy to be performing with his bandmates, chatting it up with the audience, coming off as your every day Minnesotan, not some big-headed rockstar. He seemed clearly his element.

Then there was Miss Susannah. Oh my goodness. First of all, the lady's got some pipes. She put her heart into last night's gig and seemed to be having a blast the whole time. During a post-show meet & greet I mentioned to her how much she commanded the stage, and she acknowledged that she does tend to go crazy when she's up there doing her thing. She looked fantastic in a black long-sleeved fitted dress and very high heels. Personally, I couldn't keep my eyes off of her.

fDeluxe setlist, 9.16.2011:

Screams of Passion
Gaslight
Sanctified
Over the Canyon
Nothing Compares 2 U
Leeds Line
Desire
Beautiful You
Lover
River Run Dry (first verse & chorus only, with props to Bobby Z. who stood up from the audience)
@8
-snippet of Earth Wind & Fire's "That's The Way of The World"-
High Fashion
Mutiny (!)
Encore:

When You Go (lovely Paul/Susannah piano duet + Eric on sax)
Drummers and Healers

Promo card distributed 'round town

After the show my bro and I were waiting for the band to arrive at the autograph table in the lobby (which was developing a certain funk of its own, on account of all the bodies lingering around), when Kyle alerted me that the band was hanging out down by the stage (Thanks again Kyle!!). I got to Eric first, who was interested in the 12" EP I handed him, saying it was the first time he'd seen it (St. Paul told me that the EPs were German imports that had arrived just prior to the show). It was surreal to stand next to Eric Leeds watching him take the vinyl out of its sleeve - he actually held it horizontally at eye level like he was inspecting it to make sure it met his personal standards. He didn't have a Sharpie on him (it was at the autograph table out in the lobby!), but he pulled out a standard pen to autograph the sleeve for me. He was very friendly and easy-going, just as I would have expected.

Next was Mr. Johnson. Very cordial, with Sharpie in hand. As he was signing my record I asked if the upcoming Original 7ven (aka The TIME) album was going to be available on vinyl, and he seemed quite certain that it would be. Side note: The man has a million dollar smile, and appears very comfortable with who and where he is at this point in his life. A very positive individual.

St. Paul was just as friendly, happy to hear that we enjoyed the show. I asked him when the upcoming L.A. show(s) were happening (I think he said "22-23"). For those of you in and around Los Angeles I highly recommend that you GO to see this band. Wendy and Lisa are going to be performing with them, just in case you needed a little extra incentive.

Autographed 12" vinyl EP

The last to sign my EP was Susannah, who was so gracious, laid back, and beautiful in her post-show jeans and flip-flops. She asked me if the show was what I had expected, and I told her it was exactly what I expected and more - especially the last 8 minutes of the show when the band went into a free-form jam that was funky as hell. When my brother got to Susannah she said "So nobody's asked you your name before signing this?", as if to say "how rude of them!". So she wrote Jay's name in the top left corner before autographing it herself (see pic of Jay's signed EP, above left).

Thanks to Eric, Jellybean, Susannah & Paul for an incredible night. If we weren't already devoted lifelong fans we certainly would be now. I'm looking forward to seeing where this new chapter of the band's history takes you next!

www.fDeluxe.com

MEME: "30 things about my invisible illness"

2011-09-11T21:42:00.000-05:00

Monday 9/12 is day one of "Invisible Chronic Illness Awareness" week.

Here is my contribution for the day:

1. The illness I live with is: Crohn's Disease
2. I was diagnosed with it in the year: 1982
3. But I had symptoms since: Wow. Hard to remember. At least a few years before my diagnosis.
4. The biggest adjustment I’ve had to make is: Learning to not take on too much at one time. Sometimes I fear that people think I am lying when I say I'm sick, because I may look perfectly fine, which makes it tough for me to say "no".
5. Most people assume: I am not sick unless I look sick.
6. The hardest part about mornings are: Depends on the day/week/month. If I'm not feeling well in the morning it's usually due to nausea and/or diarrhea.
7. My favorite medical TV show is: I don't watch any medical shows, although I do have fond memories of Diahann Carroll in the 60's sitcom Julia.
8. A gadget I couldn’t live without is: My turntable. I'm a vinyl music geek, and I often turn to my records to get through tough times.
9. The hardest part about nights are: Dealing with pain from something I ate (which sometimes can be ANY solid food).
10. Each day I take __ pills & vitamins. Let's just say I takes a lotta pills.
11. Regarding alternative treatments I: Think everyone has a right to explore all of their options until they find what works best for them. Different treatments work differently for different people.
12. If I had to choose between an invisible illness or visible I would choose: Fantastic question! One good thing about invisible illnesses is that I have control over deciding when/who/how I disclose my illness.
13. Regarding working and career: This is a challenge sometimes for sure. The worst symptom for me to deal with at work is probably fatigue. It's been a while since I've dealt with horrific cramps from my Crohn's, since I'm currently in remission. I still deal with occasional bad days, and sometimes I may have a bad week. So yes, my illness has its impact on my work life.
14. People would be surprised to know: I'm a pretty open book, so there's not much I could share that would surprise anyone!
15. The hardest thing to accept about my new reality has been: Well, my new reality isn't quite so "new" - I have lived with my illness longer than without. Crohn's has been my reality for most of my life, so that's my reality.
16. Something I never thought I could do with my illness that I did was: Run a 5K. I was the 2nd to the last runner to finish, and the last dude was on crutches, but I finished!
17. The commercials about my illness: I like to see commercials about inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). It puts Crohn's in the public eye and can help reduce how much I have to explain to people.
18. Something I really miss doing since I was diagnosed is: Living life without a chronic illness!
19. It was really hard to have to give up: Not having to worry about my health and/or impending flare-ups or relapse. Since Crohn's is so unpredictable, there are some things over which I simply have no control.
20. A new hobby I have taken up since my diagnosis is: Meditation.
21. If I could have one day of feeling normal again I would: I do have some days of feeling "normal", although I must question what "normal" is, since my normal has been 'Crohnie normal' for most of my life.
22. My illness has taught me: The value in slowing down. Peace can be found in solitude and down-time, even if you feel like shit at the time.
23. Want to know a secret? One thing people say that gets under my skin is: "I wish I had Crohn's so I could be skinny like you!" SERIOUSLY? Yes people have said this to me.
24. But I love it when people: Politely acknowledge when I'm having a rough day. A simple "Sorry you're feeling so shitty" goes a long way.
25. My favorite motto, scripture, quote that gets me through tough times is: "All Things Must Pass" ~George Harrison
26. When someone is diagnosed I’d like to tell them: Learn everything you can about the disease and all of the treatment options. Make use of online communities. Trust your instincts -- you know your body better than your doctor does! If a Dr's recommendation doesn't seem right, go get a 2nd opinion!
27. Something that has surprised me about living with an illness is: There are hidden rewards such as resilience, a strong spirit, and increased self-knowledge. I am proud to identify as a Crohn's survivor - it is part of who I am.
28. The nicest thing someone did for me when I wasn’t feeling well was: I had work colleagues, fellow teachers, that took on extra work for me when I was out sick. They did this not because they had to, but because they cared and wanted to help.
29. I’m involved with Invisible Illness Week because: It is an opportunity, if just for a week, to give some visibility to my illness.
30. The fact that you read this list makes me feel: Thankful.

Ten years on...

2011-09-10T19:49:00.001-05:00

I'm sure I am just one of a zillion bloggers who is writing about 9/11 this weekend. I thought about this as a reason not to write my own thoughts on the topic, but then I said "screw that". I think everyone who felt personally affected by 9/11/01 should take some time to talk or write or draw -- whatever means of expression or reflection works best for you. For me personally, writing can often be part of the healing process.

It's hard to put into words just how much life changed after 9/11. In some respects I believe the changes started with the 2000 election. Had Al Gore taken office instead of GW Bush, the last ten years would have looked very different. Instead we had an administration that used post-9/11 fear and outright lies on the American people to coax us into an illegal war on Iraq. Meanwhile, Muslim Americans became enemies in their own country, while religious "christian" extremists gained more power and influence.

For me personally, 9/11 triggered what became a troubling condition called Nightmare Disorder. It didn't happen immediately, but eventually I was dealing with truly terrifying dreams every night, waking in a pool of sweat with my heart racing, feeling as if I was literally fighting for my life. When I finally felt broken enough I sought therapy; I thought some form of PTSD must be the root of my nightmares.

Therapy turned out to be a tremendous triumph, as I was able to finally forgive bullies from my pre-teen years all the way to more recent workplace bullies I knew as an adult. It was an amazing feeling to realize I no longer harbored hatred and resentment I had been carrying around for decades. In some cases I even felt compassion. By forgiving and letting go I also took back the power that these bullies stole from me: The power to love and accept myself as a beautiful and worthy human being in the eyes of God. The power to not go through life in fear. The power to live my fucking life. I'm still being treated for my Nightmare Disorder as well as anxiety, but things are continuing to improve.

For me, 9/11 sparked the beginning of a profound life transition. My post-9/11 fear soon turned to anger, which I was able (with the help of others) to channel in some positive ways. Much of who I am now is the result of changes that I made, or initiated, in order to survive my anxiety and fear. I didn't want to live the rest of my life with feelings of powerlessness, or playing the role of victim. While I consider myself a "work in progress", I am proud of who I am today, and 9/11 served as the impetus for at least some of that.

I want to finish by thanking my husband. That's right - not my "partner", not my "lover", not my "special friend" - my HUSBAND. Leo and I may not see eye to eye on everything (most of the time we do), but his input and perspective are thoughtful and always taken to heart. Leo has a great capacity for compassion, and his actions tend to remind me that we could use more kindness in this world. So thank you, Leo. I love you.

Thanks also to my Higher Power (Jesus, Krishna, Allah, God), and to all of my friends, supporters, and those of you who frequent my blog. We are a community, and as such we have the great fortune to lean on each other once in a while. Fuck the haters - we can choose to love instead.

Peace 2 U.

Jeff
9/10/2011

6ix Fancy Years!!

2011-09-06T08:37:00.000-05:00

This month marks the sixth year of my life as a blogger. In keeping with tradition, I've created a new banner for the top of the blog, which was fun to do. Here's to another fancy year! Thanks to everyone who reads all this bloggity stuff I post here. Y'all rock!

xxxooo
Jeff

25ive of my favorite psychedelic LPs of all-time

2011-09-04T22:27:00.000-05:00

So here's the deal. I've spent some good quality time listening to Begin by The Millennium over the past few days. It's such a great piece of psychedelia that it got me thinking about the greatest psych albums ever made, and what such a list might look like. So without thinking too much I started typing out my favorite trippy albums as they came to me, stopping once I got to 25. I have listed them here by year of release because it would be too hard to rank them according to some type of criteria. Also, I know once I started ranking them I would feel compelled to actually look through all of my records to see which great LPs I overlooked (and I just know I'll find those once I publish this list!).

So with that out of the way, here are 25ive of my favorite psychedelic LPs of all-time. I've included links to past writings where they exist:

Sunshine Superman (1966) - Donovan
Parsley Sage Rosemary & Thyme (1966) - Simon & Garfunkel
Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones, ltd. (1967) - The Monkees
Gandalf (1967)
Flowers (1967) - The Rolling Stones
Their Satanic Majesties Request (1967) - The Rolling Stones
Younger Than Yesterday (1967) - The Byrds
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967) - The Beatles
Magical Mystery Tour (1967) - The Beatles
Surrealistic Pillow (1967) - Jefferson Airplane
Smiley Smile (1967) - The Beach Boys
Forever Changes (1967) - Love
Once Upon a Dream (1968) - The Rascals
Begin (1968) - The Millennium
Odessey and Oracle (1968) - The Zombies
HEAD (1968) - The Monkees
Afterglow (1968)
The Magic Garden (1968) - The 5th Dimension
Idea (1968) - The Bee Gees
Sixteen Tambourines (1983) - The Three O'Clock
Arrive Without Traveling (1985)- The Three O'Clock
Parade (1986) - Prince & The Revolution
Psonic Psunspot (1987) - The Dukes of Stratosphear
Paul's Boutique (1989) - Beastie Boys
Bellybutton (1990) - Jellyfish

Weezer @ MN State Fair 9.3.2011

2011-09-03T23:53:00.001-05:00

Tonight my brother and I saw Weezer for the first time and they so ROCKED. The opening act (a local band), Motion City Soundtrack, was just OK. We were surprised by the number of fans they had in the audience. Soon it was time for Weezer, but before they took the stage the speakers started playing "Our Prayer" by the Beach Boys. Sweet.

Weezer 9.3.2011 Setlist:

Surf Wax America
We Are All On Drugs
Troublemaker
El Scorcho
Say It Ain't So
Hash Pipe
My Name Is Jonas
Dope Nose
Pumped Up Kicks (Foster the People cover)
Island In the Sun
Perfect Situation
(If You're Wondering If I Want You To) I Want You To
Sweater Song
Pork and Beans
Beverly Hills
Encore:

Paranoid Android (Radiohead cover)
Buddy Holly

Weezer rocks the MN State Fair Grandstand

On my turntable: The Millennium - Begin

2011-08-30T21:42:00.001-05:00

Begin by The Millennium

As far back as I can remember, I have been a fan of psychedelic, sunshine-kissed pop. I blame this mostly on Saturday mornings back when I used to sit glued to tv shows like The Monkees, H.R. Pufnstuf, and the Osmonds/J5 cartoons.

As an adult one of my greatest thrills is discovering some bubble-psych masterpiece that had somehow managed to slip past me. For example: In the late 80’s I found the Zombies’ Odessey & Oracle and The Rascals’ Once Upon a Dream. Ten years later I dove into Love’s Forever Changes and The Byrds’ Younger than Yesterday.

Today I experienced The Millennium’s 1968 masterpiece Begin for the first time. It’s records such as this (and the ones mentioned above) that are life-changing. Much in the way that I suspect LSD was for many people in the 1960’s (I’ve never sampled the substance myself), hearing these records can be transformational in that there’s no way of getting back to how life was prior to hearing them.

Not all psychedelic records are transformational in this way. There became a point in 1967-69 where “flower power” had become a brand, seen and heard everywhere as part of popular culture. Sadly, this meant that poser psych bands were a dime a dozen, and the real psych gems often got lost in the shuffle. This is the only explanation I can think of for why I’m just hearing Begin now. No worries, tho. I plan to listen to this record every day for the immediate future. It’s just that lovely.

I kindly suggest you do the same. :)

Brian Wilson does Disney: 10.25.2011

2011-08-30T11:02:00.001-05:00

Beating the release of The Beach Boys' Smile Sessions by one week, Brian Wilson's new album, Brian Wilson in the Key of Disney, is scheduled for release on October 25.

Tracklisting:

01 You've Got a Friend in Me (from Toy Story)
02 Bare Necessities (from The Jungle Book)
03 Baby Mine (from Dumbo)
04 Kiss the Girl (from The Little Mermaid)
05 Colors of the Wind (from Pocahontas)
06 Can You Feel the Love Tonight? (from The Lion King)
07 We Belong Together (from Toy Story 3)
08 I Just Can't Wait to Be King (from The Lion King)
09 Stay Awake (from Mary Poppins)
10 Heigh-Ho/Whistle While You Work (from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs)
11 When You Wish Upon a Star (from Pinocchio)

The Beach Boys SMiLE Sessions box set: 11.1.2011

2011-08-29T17:25:00.005-05:00

Well here she is! The final, absolute honest-to-goodness real deal.

The SMiLE Sessions!

The LP/CD/book/kitchen sink is officially available for pre-order NOW at Amazon.com.

Learn more and/or Pre-order >here<!

Peace, Music, Spirituality and academics

2011-08-26T21:14:00.002-05:00

The past seven days have been wicked uber challenging for yours truly. I don't want to rehash all of the details (because I am tired of the details, to be honest), but the short version of the story is that I was scheduled to take the last portion of my written prelim exam last Friday, but at the very last minute was informed that I would be taking a completely different exam from the one for which I'd studied all week.

I know I've written here about my anxiety issues, so you can imagine how this surprise exam scenario could have triggered some mighty unpleasant feelings (which it did). I was quick on my toes, though, and in retrospect I am terribly proud of how I handled myself through the whole debacle. I knew I was right about the department's policy on the exam I was supposed to be taking, but I went ahead and took the exam that I was given instead. I felt pretty good about it afterwards, but the whole experience still managed to render me physically and emotionally bankrupt.

The days that followed required a lot of self-care for me to maintain my sanity and not get physically sick. I ended up with a few consecutive days of diarrhea, which is never pleasant. Still, in thinking about it tonight I realized that my instinctive regimen of self-care consisted of 1) finding some personal peace and down-time, 2) plenty of time spent listening to & shopping for music, and 3) meditation & spiritual reflection. These are three biggies in terms of values in my life, which is why I have representations of each of them as tattoos (see pic).

Peace (1995), Music (2011), Spirituality (1994)

So even though the past week suuuuucked, I learned a thing or two about myself from the process, which is never a bad thing. Tonight I feel pretty not bad at all.

Thanks for reading!

Look Through My Window

2011-08-25T14:47:00.004-05:00

DD's All You Need Is Now (finally) on VINYL?

2011-08-17T09:14:00.000-05:00

Soon in record racks near you!

Two of this year’s most highly anticipated vinyl LPs (in my world) have been, thus far, missing in action: Blondie’s Panic of Girls, and Duran Duran’s All You Need Is Now. The latter has been sold via DD’s website as an exclusively limited edition LP with a bunch of extras for something like $5 billion. I had pretty much given up on having the album (one of Duran’s finest, in my opinion) on vinyl until last nite when I was browsing new releases at amazon.com, where they have AYNIN listed with a release date of 9/13/11.

The record’s available now for pre-order at a nifty price of $16.55. Sure am glad I didn’t take out a second mortgage on our house to buy that deluxe version!

Now if we could just get some good news about Panic of Girls…

Hero Worship

2011-08-12T11:49:00.001-05:00

A legend in his own mind.

Beats, Rhymes & Life: The Travels of A Tribe Called Quest

2011-07-28T23:10:00.005-05:00

Tonight Leo and I saw the new Tribe Called Quest documentary. Aside from being an excellent film, it put me back in touch with a part of my own history.

After the movie I was on friggin' cloud nine & yapping a mile a minute as we walked to our car. I was telling Leo how the Native Tongues posse (ATCQ, De La Soul, Jungle Bros, Monie Love, to name a few) were like The Beatles for me when I was in college. Leo said "No, The Beatles were like your Beatles". Well played. I went on to explain that groups like Tribe were coming out at a time when I was forging thru a big personal/academic/spiritual evolution. As a fan I had gotten into the Native Tongues on the ground level and followed them as they exploded onto the scene. Looking back, I feel like I grew up with them (unlike The Beatles, who had broken up when I was four).


Some of the Native Tongues: De La Soul, Jungle Bros, ATCQ, & Monie Love (on drums)

I saw ATCQ perform with De La Soul in December, 1993 (at 1st Avenue in Minneapolis), and it was one of those pivotal, transformational shows. I had no idea (until seeing tonight's movie) that A Tribe Called Quest had begun its slow dissolution right around that time. They broke up five years later, in 1998.

I won't give away the rest of the story because this movie is worth seeing, even if you don't have much of an idea about who these guys are. Their individual personalities, along with their story, make this movie a super interesting ride.

"Time to Change"

2011-07-24T23:28:00.001-05:00

I've got hella lots of transitions happening at the moment: academically, professionally, and personally. In my efforts to keep life from getting too complicated I am striving to eliminate some of clutter and get more organized. This includes my life online.

September will mark my 6th anniversary as a blog-type person, and it feels like a good time to start fresh. Over the past year I've seen quite a few bloggers migrate over to tumblr, and after some preliminary investigation I've decided to give it a trial run. The process is very streamlined and clean, which I like. I expect to feature more pictures than text at the new site, with more focus on vinyl than anything else. I'll see how it goes. For now I intend to keep this original site up as an archive of the past 5+ years.

Here is the link to the new site:

http://jeffsfancyblog.tumblr.com

To commemorate this change, here are the Bradys singing that old chestnut we all know and love:

"Time to Get Alone"

2011-07-23T22:20:00.001-05:00

Prior to 9/11 I don't recall tragic events that prompted me to create personal time for processing and healing. That's not to say that there weren't tragic events prior to 9/11, but I think the way in which I frame the world has been changed. Much of today has been devoted to processing the terrorism in Norway, as well as the sad news about Amy Winehouse.

I never officially jumped on the Amy Winehouse bandwagon, although I do own the Back to Black (2006) LP and have enjoyed it very much. I think her passing stings so badly because of the level to which her persona managed to seep into our collective consciousness. Her struggles with addiction played out like a reality program, and it was tough to see her slip further into the grips of addiction. I always privately hoped that she was going to pull through and show all of her naysayers the strength that she probably didn't even know she had. Having lived through my own family's addictions I can say that there were times when I saw no way out, no way that things could ever get better. I am saddened to know that Miss Amy will never get to experience the triumph of her own spirit.

I have felt considerable urgency to process the tragedy in Norway. Being part Norwegian myself and growing up in Minnesota (which has the largest concentration of Norwegians outside of Norway), this feels like an attack on family. As such, it is deeply personal. I can't help but wonder if I actually have relatives in Norway that have been directly affected by these senseless killings. I am frustrated by the fact that America, prior to our invasion of Iraq, was always seen as a world leader. Since then we have increasingly become a country of extremists -- religious evangelical hate-mongers versus everybody else. I can't help but wonder how this division has affected the rest of the world, including Norway. This is the stuff that I am struggling to process, and I have a lot of questions but few answers. My heart goes out to everyone who is suffering.

If you are so inclined, please feel free to discuss in the comments, especially if you are someone who benefits (as I do) from putting your thoughts into words. Thanks, as always, for visiting my humble little web space.

XXX
OOO

Yes "Fly From Here" official video

2011-07-18T15:25:00.000-05:00

On my turntable: Yes - Fly From Here

2011-07-18T10:50:00.000-05:00

When I first learned that the new Yes album, Fly From Here (2011) did not include singer Jon Anderson I rolled my eyes. The idea of a new Yes record without Anderson, I thought, was an incredibly bad career choice. Once I saw that the album was coming out on vinyl I decided to have an open mind and at least give it a proper listen.

Fly From Here reunites the Yes lineup featured on Drama (1980) plus new lead singer Benoît David. Drama was the first Yes album in my collection. I remember buying the record at the Target in Fridley and quickly riding my bike home with the LP tucked under one arm. What made Drama so exciting for me at the time was the new addition of Trevor Horn and Geoff Downes, aka The Buggles, who had very recently released their debut album, The Age Of Plastic (1980). The combination of prog-rock Yes and new-wave Buggles (prog-wave?) worked very well, and Yes suddenly sounded like a fresh young band ready for the new decade.

Sadly the Drama configuration of Yes only lasted for one tour, after which a new Yes lineup evolved (under the working name of Cinema), eventually including Jon Anderson again on vocals and Trevor Horn producing. It was this Yes configuration (Anderson, Squire, White, Kaye & Rabin) that released the highly successful 90125 LP (1983), including the #1 single, "Owner of a Lonely Heart".

Fast-forward to 2008. Yes was touring with members Anderson, Howe, Squire, White, and Oliver Wakeman (son of Rick Wakeman, best known for his work with Yes in the 1970s). When the tour was interrupted by Anderson's unexpected hospitalization (for respiratory problems), Yes hit the road without him, hiring young Canadian singer Benoît David to fill Jon's shoes. In 2010 Yes began working with Trevor Horn on the new album, and soon it was announced that Geoff Downes was back in the band, thus bringing together the Yes that created Drama thirty years ago.

Fly From Here is written mostly by Horn & Downes, but the musicianship is unmistakably Yes. The album is highly engaging and fresh. By the third spin I had grown accustomed to Benoît David's presence on the Yes landscape. While it's still too early to say (I've only had the LP for three days), Fly From Here may just end up being my 2nd or 3rd favorite Yes album, next to Drama.

Fly From Here Track listing w/songwriting credits:

Side one:
Fly From Here - Overture (Horn, Downes)
Fly From Here Pt I - We Can Fly (Horn, Downes)
Fly From Here Pt II - Sad Night At The Airfield (Horn, Downes)
Fly From Here Pt III - Madman At The Screens (Horn, Downes)
Fly From Here Pt IV - Bumpy Road (Howe)
Fly From Here Pt V - We Can Fly reprise (Horn, Downes, Squire)

Side two:
The Man You Always Wanted Me To Be (Squire, Johnson, Sessler)
Life On A Film Set (Horn, Downes)
Hour of Need (Howe)
Solitaire (Howe)
Into the Storm (Squire, Wakeman, Howe, Horn, David, White)

Quote of the week: Boy George

2011-07-13T14:56:00.001-05:00

7.6.2011 Talking with Dave Pearce on BBC Radio about being a teen in 1970's record shops:

Boy George
"People were passionate about music. It was very different I think, but also because it wasn't everywhere. I think nowadays music's everywhere. You lift up your foot and someone's doing a performance - on every t.v. show, every consumer program. But (back) then you had to kind of look around, you had to have a slightly pioneering spirit to kind of hear new things. Plus you were passionate about hearing new things."

Boy George may as well have been talking about life for my brother and me in Minneapolis record shops in the late 70's. Before MTV happened you really did have to have a passion for finding new music. Disco was fading fast and radio didn't provide many options outside of very safe & schmaltzy AC stuff like Christopher Cross and Dan Fogelberg. I found a lot of my stuff through music magazines and by simply hanging out in record stores, browsing new releases and imports that were coming over from England. Even if I didn't buy anything it felt good to be in the stores, catching up on what was happening. I was very much the quiet kid and kept mostly to myself, but I was absolutely in my element at the record store.

I have written about this topic before, but I don't mind being vocal about my love and devotion for record stores. To be honest, I don't know how I would have survived the dreadful pre-adolescent and early teen years without them. I feel sorry for kids born post-internet, since their music reality is so dramatically different and disposable. In retrospect I can see how the hunt for records really gave me a purpose in my young life. That "purpose" (whatever it may be) is something that young people need, I believe, in order to navigate through all the turbulence and uncertainty.

Coming from the old school of hunting for music in brick & mortar stores, long before the advent of the internet, has had a huge impact on how I search for new music today. I use the internet to scour music blogs and various sites because it's a great way to sample new music, but I still go to the record store 2-3 times a week to find the actual product. I am an active participant in the process because the personal payoff is so great. As much as the internet has enhanced my record store experience, it could never serve as a replacement for the indie stores. They are the heart and soul that keeps music alive for all of us.

Support your local indie store today!

Thanks, as always, for reading.

On my turntable: Crowded House - Intriguer

2011-07-12T09:44:00.071-05:00

When I was walking around Dupont Circle hunting down record stores in DC last summer, "Saturday Sun" was one of the tunes that I had handy in my iPod. "Saturday Sun", the opening track on 2010's Intriguer, is classic Crowded House. The rest of the album is more current day Crowded House than it is "classic", which is fine by me, although I do understand that many listeners would prefer that the band stick to the upbeat tunes that defined them in the late 1980's. To each their own I reckon.

Intriguer, much like its predecessor Time on Earth (2005), is like a good soup - it gets better the longer you let it simmer. This is probably my fifth spin of this LP since my first listen on 8/5/10, and I appreciate it five times more today than the first time I heard it. In many respects the Crowded House on Intriguer has evolved significantly since its inception some twenty five years ago. At the same time, many key elements of that original configuration remain unchanged; Crowded House continues to make highly sophisticated, beautiful, and sometimes rather moody pop. Personally, that's more than enough to keep me coming back.

Look through my window

2011-07-12T09:41:00.000-05:00

9:20 AM - front porch

On my turntable: Michael Jackson - This Is It (eight song EP)

2011-07-11T21:27:00.003-05:00

I found this tonight at the record store. I'm convinced it's not an "official release", since most of the tracks are demos or lo-fi outtakes. I bought it for the title track, specifically the "Orchestra Version", which was thoughtfully done, in my opinion. The addition of Michael's brothers on backing harmonies totally completes the song. The rest of the EP is an interesting listen, but nothing earth shattering. The sound is only slightly sub-par, the most glaring sound problem being the thin-ness of Michael's voice on "This Is It". Considering that the full "official" vinyl release of This Is It costs around $60, I was plenty content shelling out $15 for this little knock-off.

This Is It EP tracklist:

A1. "This Is It"
A2. "Planet Earth (Poem)"
A3. "She's Out of My Life (demo)"
A4. "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' (demo)"

B1. "This Is It (Orchestra Version)"
B2. "Beat It (demo)"
B3. "Hot Street (bonus rare track)"
B4. "Sunset Driver (bonus rare track)"

Correction: I just checked Amazon.com, and it turns out that all of this EP's songs were released as digital tracks as part of the full This Is It CD, with the exception of "Hot Street" and "Sunset Driver", which appear to be unique to this release.

On my turntable: Smithereens - "House We Used to Live In"

2011-07-10T15:10:00.004-05:00

This Smithereens EP caught my eye at one of my stores yesterday because it includes two "previously unreleased" tracks. One of the tracks is a live recording of the title track, with origins that are a bit confusing. The sleeve says the track was recorded live in May, 1988 at The Bottom Line in New York, but the label says the song is actually "Blood and Roses", recorded live in October, 1986 at the Ritz. Which is it?

Back of sleeve

********
(kind reader: If you happen to know the answer please share!)

record label

Update:
I may have solved the puzzle! The CD version of this EP includes live versions of both the title track (recorded live at The Ritz in 10/86) and "Blood and Roses"(recorded at The Bottom line, 5/88). Thus, I would bet that the vinyl Blood and Roses is the same as the CD track from 10/86. Thank God for the internets!

Vinyl wishlist revisted

2011-07-09T23:12:00.002-05:00

About 4.5 years ago, on 2/22/2007, I wrote about the 14 records that I was having the most trouble finding for my collection. I revisit that post today because two of the albums are being reissued on vinyl in the next few months: Ben Folds Five's debut LP (released on 7/19/11 by Plain Recordings), and Spilt Milk by Jellyfish, which gets its first domestic vinyl release on 9/27/11 (Omnivore Records).

This means that, of the 14 albums on my '07 wishlist, five have since been reissued (BF5, Jellyfish, Lemonheads, Stone Roses, Queen). That's pretty damn cool if you think about it. Since posting my wishlist, three additional albums have found their way to my grubby little mitts: The Ramones' Mondo Bizarro and Prince's Diamonds & Pearls I've found in local shops, and Julian Lennon's Help Yourself was found on eBay.

So here's my revised 2007 wishlist:

~~Stone Roses (self-titled) (1989)~~
Posies - Dear 23 (1990)
~~Jellyfish -~~ Spilt Milk (1993)
Julian Lennon - Help Yourself (1991)
Lemonheads - It's a Shame About Ray (1992)
Redd Kross - Third Eye (1990)
Stray Cats - Choo Choo Hot Fish (2x10")(1992)
~~Prince & NPG -~~ Diamonds & Pearls (1991)
Ben Folds Five (self titled) (1995)
Ramones - ~~Mondo Bizarro~~ ~~(1992)~~, Adios Amigos (1995)
Duran Duran - Wedding Album (1993), Thank You (1995)
~~Queen - Innuendo (1991)~~

The Monkees @ MN Zoo Ampitheater, 7.1.2011

2011-07-02T09:57:00.005-05:00

What a nite. The Monkees were stupendous, even tho they were unable to perform their show as planned. Six songs into their set, just as the band was starting "Papa Gene's Blues", Peter Tork stopped the music to inform the crowd that a thunderstorm was approaching and they were going to have to stop. He said they would cram in as many songs as possible, which ended up being just one tune before we all got evacuated to a building for shelter. At that point we didn't know if it was the end of the concert or not.

Set list, 7.1.2011 You can see where I just gave up.

After an hour or so the rain-soaked audience (who were beginning to resemble a gang of wet campers) received notification that The Monkees were going to give it a shot. Following some vintage Kool-Aid and Rice Krispies commercials, Davy Jones came out to perform his solo tune "Rainy Jane", which I have never seen live before. Micky casually walked out and stepped behind the drums. It was a definite highlight of the night.

The highly unfortunate LOW point for me as a hardcore fan was missing out on all of the rare songs The Monkees intended to play, including the full HEAD album. After "All of Your Toys" (another mammoth highlight) they focused the remainder of the show on playing all of the hits. Being the pros that they are, they really gave it 110%, although I'm sure they felt at least a little frustrated over all they had to cut.

7.1.2011: Peter, Micky & Davy at the very start of the show

The last song of the night that I attempted to write down was "What Am I Doing Hangin' Round", which featured Peter on lead vox and banjo. I say "attempted to write" because my pen gave out. I knew I had another pen on me somewhere but I just said "f**k it - enjoy the damn show!" From here on I really paid attention to being in the moment, and was able to catch some little great bits of interaction between the guys, as well as spots where The Monkees themselves seemed to be really digging the sounds they were making onstage. Seeing that human element in the show as it's happening is pretty special -- it's something you can never get from a recording.

So here's what I believe is a complete list of all the night's songs (not necessarily in order after "Hangin' Round"...):

I'm a Believer
Mary Mary
The Girl I Knew Somewhere
When Love Comes Knocking At Your Door
Randy Scouse Git
Valleri
Papa Genes Blues <followed by thunderstorm break>
Rainy Jane
All of Your Toys
What Am I Doing Hangin' Round
Your Auntie Grizelda
Goin' Down
I Wanna Be Free
That Was Then, This is Now
A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You
Daydream Believer
I'm Not Your (Steppin' Stone)
Last Train to Clarksville
Listen to the Band
Pleasant Valley Sunday
I'm A Believer (last song)

Tonite: The Monkees 45th Anniversary Tour

2011-07-01T12:02:00.002-05:00

This is only my 2nd concert at the MN Zoo Ampitheater (following the Go-Go's in torrential rain), and the weather peeps are predicting early evening *storms* again for tonight. WTH? Storm or not, I'm still pretty damn excited.

On my turntable (Monkees edition): Changes

2011-06-30T13:07:00.026-05:00

Hey Hey they're the Monkees?

I remember reading somewhere (or maybe I made it up?) that Changes (1970) would have been a decent Archies record, but as far as Monkees albums were concerned it was lousy.

By 1970 The Monkees had little (if any) support from Screen Gems/Columbia Pictures (to whom they were still under contract) but they were still doing well on Saturday morning tv. Producer Jeff Barry was brought back (he had done some of the early Monkees sessions) to record some new material to replace the tunes on the old episodes of the show, to freshen them up I guess. By the early 1970's, Bubblegum music had become a musical ATM for studio pros that were were cranking out well-crafted 45s for youngsters with babysitting and paper route money to burn (which definitely set the scene for The Partridge Family, which would premiere on ABC in just a few months). In this respect , I reckon Changes was relevant to its time.

I've always thought "Oh My My" is a great track, and works as a strong opener for the album. Sadly, from the start of track two the album takes a bit of a nosedive. One exception is Micky's "Midnight Train", which I remember from the syndicated version of "The Chaperone" episode.

The spirit of '76: DJB&H

Six years after Changes failed to chart (it finally did chart in the 80's when reissued by Rhino), Micky & Davy returned with a new and very respectable album, the collaborative Dolenz, Jones, Boyce & Hart. Marketed as the "guys that wrote 'em and the guys that sang 'em", DJB&H hit the road in '76, playing the "golden hits of The Monkees" at state fairs & amusement parks (I heard that they actually played at the Bel Rae ballroom in MN). The DJB&H lp deserves recognition as part of The Monkees catalog, if only on the grounds that it is a far more sincere effort from Dolenz and Jones, who contributed songwriting and production to the project.

On my turntable (Monkees edition): The Monkees Present

2011-06-27T13:34:00.002-05:00

It's been quite a while since I listened to this album from start to finish. It's very good.

The original intent for the LP was that it be a double (24 songs), with each Monkee taking one full side. It was a great idea, that is until Peter left the band. The Monkees Present was ultimately trimmed down to twelve tracks, four per Monkee.
In my opinion, Present is the last real Monkees album until Pool It! (1987).

The Monkees Present is a very honest and mature offering from the trio, with each Monkee contributing as a songwriter and producer. Micky's contributions are particularly strong, showing overt influences of jazz and blues. Davy sticks to what he does best on the songs he wrote ("If I Knew" & "French Song"), while Mike continues with his innovative rock-country fusion.

It's worth noting that Present was the only Monkees album to generate two singles in the U.S. - "Good Clean Fun" and "Listen to the Band" (which I think was technically the b-side to "Someday Man", but known by most fans as the "hit").

Sticker from '86 Rhino re-issue

As a fan I can sort of appreciate that I didn't hear Present until 1986 when it was re-issued by Rhino. It was "new" Monkee music to me at that point, guaranteeing that my memories of this record get firmly planted in the summer of '86 when Monkeemania was riding its second wave.

From '86-96 Rhino continued to rescue, repackage and re-issue new and previously issued/unheard music by the band. The incredible amount of material recorded by The Monkees between 1966-70 has allowed them to be the band that just keeps on giving.

Up next: Changes...

On my turntable (Monkees edition): Instant Replay

2011-06-25T22:16:00.000-05:00

...and then there were three.

After the amazing HEAD turned out to be a box office flop, The Monkees quickly dusted themselves off and taped what was intended to be the first of three television specials for NBC, titled 33 1/3 Revolutions Per Monkee. Upon completion of the special, Peter Tork left the band, citing exhaustion as his reason for departing. In truth, Peter's happiness as a Monkee had been on a steady decline since the group stopped recording as a band (as they did on their third LP, Headquarters).

"Tear Drop City", 1969

In Tork's absence, Micky, Mike, and David chose to forge ahead as a trio (they may not have had much choice, seeing as they were still under contract to Screen Gems). For their first post-Tork LP the group raided the Monkee vaults for previously unissued material. Each Monkee also contributed some fresh tracks, some of which were quite exceptional (Davy's "You and I", in particular, stands out as one of the strongest tunes he ever wrote for the group).

The Monkees: Micky, David, Michael

The album's lead-off single, "Tear Drop City", dated way back to the band's 1966 Boyce & Hart sessions. The rationale behind releasing a two-year old song on 45 was that it might recapture some of the spirit that earned the band so many fans back in '66. No such luck.

On the album charts Instant Replay performed better than the HEAD soundtrack, managing to at least crack the Top 40. To maintain their visibility with the public The Monkees began doing the rounds on various television programs including Laugh-In, Hollywood Squares, and the Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour. Meanwhile their television show had begun weekly reruns on Saturday mornings, a move that would help a new generation of young fans discover The Monkees.

Up next: The Monkees Present

On my turntable (Monkees edition): HEAD (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)

2011-06-24T16:46:00.000-05:00

HEAD. Where do I begin?

Even though I was a Monkees fan as far back as pre-school, I didn't know of HEAD's existence until high school. I had heard the album's majestic single "Porpoise Song" on a 70's tv mail-order compilation, but it wasn't until the early 80's when The Monkees' Japanese reissues showed up in one of my stores that I actually heard the whole album.

"Porpoise Song", Sept '68

The soundtrack to HEAD isn't very long - it only contains six actual Monkees songs - but from start to finish it's a real trip. The LP was assembled by the film's co-writer, Jack Nicholson (yes that Jack Nicholson), using sounds and snippets of dialog from the film in between songs. Conceptually it was very innovative at the time. HEAD goes beyond being just a collection of tunes from a film; It is a true psychedelic masterpiece.

A year or so after I'd had the chance to fully ingest the HEAD LP, I saw the actual film at a Minneapolis Monkees convention. What a trip. A few years later in '86 I caught a special midnight showing of HEAD on the big screen (which I highly recommend to anyone who ever gets the chance). A week after that midnight movie I saw The Monkees in concert for the first time.

Flyer from 1986 showing of HEAD

And now here I am, one week away from seeing The Monkees in concert for the ninth (or tenth?) time. As part of their show they are performing all of the songs from HEAD while footage from the film is projected behind them. How friggin' groovy is that??

(The answer:
Pretty friggin' groovy, man).

Up next: Instant Replay...

On my turntable (Monkees edition): "D.W. Washburn"/"It's Nice to Be With You"

2011-06-23T23:34:00.000-05:00

"D.W. Washburn"/"It's Nice To Be With You", 1968

2011: A banner year for Beach Boys vinyl

2011-06-23T18:10:00.002-05:00

2011 isn't even half over yet, and we've already seen three new vinyl releases from the Beach Boys, and pretty cool ones at that. The first was the double 78 rpm 10" of "Good Vibrations"/"Heroes & Villains" that was released as a Record Store Day exclusive.

Then, Al Jardine, to relatively little fanfare, released a limited white vinyl 7" of "Don't Fight the Sea", a song from his A Postcard from California (2010) CD that includes the voices of Brian & Carl Wilson, Mike Love, and Bruce Johnston (essentially making it a Beach Boys track). The singles' b-side does come from The Beach Boys - a previously unreleased vocals-only version of "Friends". A second pressing of the 45 on black vinyl is currently available at SoundStageDirect.com. All proceeds are benefiting victims of the recent Japan earthquakes.

The third and most recent release was a marvelous surprise from MOJO magazine and Brother Records: A yellow vinyl 45 of two newly mixed & mastered tracks ("Cabin Essence"/"Wonderful") from the forthcoming Smile Sessions release, which came stuffed inside a special 60's edition of the magazine.

The Beach Boys' Smile Sessions collection will itself be released on vinyl, as part of a Deluxe edition that is likely to be pricey. Considering that it is mixed and mastered by Mark Linnet, who has had his hands on the SMiLE multi-track tapes since 1988, it will likely be worth the money for the fans that have waited 45 years to hear a proper release of this music.

On my turntable (Monkees edition): The Birds, The Bees & The Monkees

2011-06-22T23:00:00.000-05:00

Although The Birds, The Bees & The Monkees (1968) sold enough to achieve platinum status, it was the first Monkees LP to not reach #1 on the album charts. Not coincidentally, it was also the first Monkees album to be released after the cancellation of their tv show. Commercially the band was definitely approaching its expiration date.

Artistically, The Birds & The Bees is a mixed bag. After reaching the musical heights of their 4th LP, Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones ltd (1967) the Monkees decided to pursue their individual musical interests rather than work together as a unit (ironically, the album's cover was the first to state, in rather large print, "Produced by The Monkees"). This new approach to recording led to a significant increase of musical output, since each Monkee was now producing their own individual sessions. Due to the large number of tracks being put to tape, The Birds & Bees could have easily been a double album.

"Daydream Believer", 1967

"Valleri", 1968

The Birds & The Bees included the band's final two top ten singles, "Daydream Believer" and "Valleri". What it did not include, unfortunately, was Peter Tork. The only place Tork can be heard on the LP is "Daydream Believer", on which he played piano. Although Peter recorded multiple tracks for consideration on the album, none of them made the final cut (most of Tork's recordings from this period would eventually see release on various Monkees compilations by Rhino records).

More about the Birds & the Bees:

The Birds, The Bees & The Monkees was the last Monkees album to be mixed for both both mono & stereo release. The mono pressing is one of the the most sought after Monkees records. True story: last month on a routine trip to one of my stores I unexpectedly found myself holding a very nice & shiny used Canadian pressing of the MONO Birds & Bees. As a collector I couldn't believe my good fortune, and actually had to just roam around the store for a few minutes to walk off the shock. It was $14.99, and totally gorgeous.
In 2009 Rhino Handmade issued a limited edition Birds & Bees CD box set, which is pretty amazing. The 3 CD set includes the stereo & mono mixes, plus all other existing material that was recorded during the marathon sessions for the LP. It's probably one of the coolest Monkee items Rhino has ever released.

The rare & highly coveted MONO pressing

Up next:
HEAD (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)

On my turntable (Monkees edition): Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones, ltd.

2011-06-21T16:49:00.002-05:00

Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones ltd (1967)

Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones, ltd (or PACJ as I'll call it, because it's such a long friggin title!) is the Monkees music peak, in my opinion. By this point the band knew what they were doing, and along with producer Chip Douglas they made an album that beautifully captured the "summer of love" vibe of 1967. The album's first single, released in July, 1967 ("Pleasant Valley Sunday" b/w "Words") was a knockout, hitting #3 on the singles chart, indicating the more daring and psychedelic direction the band was headed with their music.

July, 1967

On PACJ the Monkees brought in session musicians to augment their own playing. Only one track, "Cuddly Toy", maintains the band formula employed on the former LP, the wonderfully organic Headquarters. I can't say that I blame them -- Headquarters was a big effort, one that was perhaps too big to continue replicating if you're also shooting a weekly television series and performing world tours to thousands of shrieking kids. Although PACJ was recorded amidst all this chaos, it is considered by many fans to be the group's best effort.

PACJ is one of my top five favorite albums of all time. There isn't a dud on the LP. My earliest memories of PACJ date back to pre-school; My brother and I were lent the first four Monkees albums from a neighbor down the block, and since we were too young to know about proper record care we just scratched the hell out of them, so she let us keep them. When I hear PACJ today it still reminds me of early spring mornings and the smell of crayons.

Fancy items of interest, in my opinion:

PACJ features the first use ever of a synthesizer on a rock record. At the time only three Moog synthesizers existed in the world, and one of them belonged to Micky Dolenz. The incredibly far-out song "Daily Nightly" (written by Nesmith) prominently features Micky playing the instrument, creating noises that were unlike anything the public had ever heard.
Curiously, The Monkees released the single "Daydream Believer" one month before the release of PACJ, even though the song is not included on the album. The single's b-side, the scorching "Goin' Down", remained a b-side only track, although at one point it was considered for inclusion on PACJ. "Daydream Believer" was eventually included on the band's fifth album, The Birds, The Bees & The Monkees (1968).
The Monkees use of psychedelic substances was beginning to influence both their music and their television show. There are occasional moments on the show where The Monkees are noticeably stoned, the most obvious being the interview segment at the end of the "Fairy Tale" episode (which is followed by a fantastic clip of "Daily Nightly" with Micky sitting at his Moog)
PACJ was recently issued by Rhino as a budget CD (just the album, no extras). If you've never heard this album, now's your chance to pick it up at a very reasonable price. The album is also available from Sundazed records on high quality 180g vinyl.

Up next: The Birds, The Bees & The Monkees...

On my turntable (Monkees edition): Headquarters

2011-06-20T21:58:00.002-05:00

Headquarters (1967)

When the time came to begin work on The Monkees' third album things between the group and music supervisor Don Kirshner had become too hot to handle. The show's producers had to make a choice, and they knew that Micky, Mike, Peter, and Davy were irreplaceable. The short version of the story: Kirshner got his walking papers and The Monkees were suddenly handed the control they wanted in making their next album.

"The Girl I Knew Somewhere", 1967

The first task on the band's to-do list: enlist a producer. Nesmith approached Chip Douglas, who was the current bass player for The Turtles. For Nez, who wanted as much control as possible, Douglas was a clever choice, since he'd never played the role of producer before. Mike told him not to worry, that he was confident that Chip would do a great job.

The record-buying public got its first taste of the The Monkees as a band on Nesmith's "The Girl I Knew Somewhere", which was issued as the b-side to Kirshner's last recording for the group, Neil Diamond's "A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You" (which featured studio players and one sole Monkee, Davy Jones). As the bands' third single shot up the charts they were busy hunkering down in the studio creating the material for what was, in essence, the first real Monkees album.

The finished product, Headquarters, was an honest-to-goodness melting pot of the combined talents of the group. At least half of the material was penned by the members of the band (3 by Nez, 1 from Dolenz, 1 from Tork), comprising the more memorable moments on the LP.

Upon its release in the spring of 1967, Headquarters zoomed to #1. The following week the album was hijacked from the top spot by the arrival of Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. While the sales of Headquarters did not equal those generated by the first two LPs, the album should still be seen as an enormous achievement. The Monkees had battled the Machine and actually won. Micky, Mike, Davy, and Peter, four guys cast to portray a band for a tv show, were now an actual living, breathing band.

Some additional tidbits:

Headquarters was the only Monkees LP in the U.S. to not generate a single. Micky's "Randy Scouse Git" became a huge hit overseas when it was issued as a single under the name "Alternate Title"
Peter's song "For Pete's Sake" replaced "(theme from) The Monkees" in the closing credits of the show's 2nd season (the song also happens to be my favorite of all time. Love it. I seriously want it played at my funeral.)
Hip Hop artist Del tha Funkee Homosapien sampled Peter's voice from the track "Zilch" as the basis for his 1991 hit "Mistadobalina"
Headquarters would sadly turn out to be the last Monkees album of the '60's to feature all four as a cohesive musical unit. In 1996 the band reunited for the fully self-penned & produced CD Justus.
Micky has gone on record saying that the reason Peter left the Monkees in 1968 was that the band strayed from the band format of Headquarters (that and exhaustion). Peter himself has said that Headquarters was the highlight of his Monkees experience.

Up next: Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones, ltd...

a little something to SMiLE about...

2011-06-20T21:03:00.000-05:00

This morning one of my record stores Tweeted that they just got the new MOJO magazine in stock. The issue features articles about the Beach Boys' SMiLE album, including new interviews with Brian Wilson, Al Jardine, and Mike Love. But that's not even the best part: Stuffed inside each magazine is an honest to goodness sneak preview of the upcoming Smile Sessions release. Sure as shit, if I'm lyin' I dyin'. So I got on the next bus to the record store and there it was -- a brand new Beach Boys single of "Cabin Essence" b/w "Wonderful", sparkling and new, mixed and mastered by Beach Boys sound god Mark Linett. This record is a glorious peek into what looks like an incredible set for SMiLE fans!

2011 best of Qtr II

2011-06-20T08:12:00.003-05:00

What an amazing three months it's been for new music (and new vinyl!). Of this entire list, only three tracks (#8, 5 and 4) are not currently available on wax. Six of the tunes were released as part of Record Store Day 2011, and three are vintage trax from the 60s (#17, 13, 11). If the next three months anything like the past three it should be a great summer for new music!

20. "Girl Panic (david lynch remix)" - Duran Duran (RSD)
19. "Havana Affair" - Red Hot Chili Peppers (RSD)
18. "Blue Sway (w/richard niles orchestra)" - Paul McCartney
17. "The Girl's Song" - The 5th Dimension
16. "Damby Delight" - High Llamas (RSD)
15. "Richie and Ruben" - Fountains of Wayne
14. "Every Day Is Yours To Win (live sessions)" - R.E.M.
13. "Stop and Think" - The Rascals
12. "Unkind" - Sloan
11. "Prelude/To Claudia on Thursday" - The Millenium
10. "Are We Lovers Or Are We Friends" - Acid House Kings
9. "Rainbows In Gasoline" - Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger (RSD)
8. "Sorry" - The Smithereens
7. "Rope" - Foo Fighters
6. "Make Some Noise" - Beastie Boys (RSD)
5. "Come On Get It" - Lenny Kravitz
4. "What I Heard" - Blondie
3. "Funky But Chic" - New York Dolls
2. "Sad Song" - The Cars (RSD)
1. "Anna Lee (Sweetheart of the Sun)" - The Bangles

note: (RSD) =
Record Store Day release

On my turntable (Monkees edition) - More of the Monkees

2011-06-19T17:31:00.002-05:00

More of The Monkees (1967)

One of the things I love about The Monkees is that each of their albums has its own interesting history. The legend behind More of the Monkees (1967) is particularly interesting.

Following the whirlwind success of The Monkees' debut LP, the "powers that be" (aka the Monkee Machine) had promptly started assembling tracks for the band's sophomore album. Nesmith and Tork, both professional musicians prior to being Monkees, had begun fighting for more input on the group's recordings, and were assured by the show's producers that it would happen. Having been assured that they would be participating more in the making of the second album, the band was outraged when they learned, while on the road doing live performances, that their 2nd album had been released not only without their input, but without their knowledge. The Monkees, especially Nesmith, were furious.

As was often the case, recording sessions for The Monkees were happening round the clock, often in multiple studios, to crank out material for the television show. At this point the LPs were considered almost as soundtracks to the show rather than records with merit of their own. Despite the hasty hodgepodge fashion in which More of the Monkees was assembled, it wound up being their biggest selling LP, and for the most part it still holds up well.

"I'm A Believer", 1966

Prior to More's release, Colgems issued its second Monkees 45, "I'm a Believer" b/w "(I'm not your) Steppin' Stone". The record was the last #1 single of 1966, and The Monkees kicked off 1967 with the #1 song in the country (it stayed in the #1 spot for a whopping seven weeks). 1967 would prove to be the year of The Monkees, with record sales surpassing those of The Beatles and the Stones combined. The Monkees were truly the hardest working band in show biz at this point, shooting their own tv show, doing live tours and somehow managing to release three full-length albums in '67.

Album trivia & whatnots:

The Monkees were embarrassed and angered by More of the Monkees' cover photo, which showed the band all gussied up in J.C. Penney clothes. The photo was intended to be part of a JCP Monkees promo campaign; The band considered the clothes to be hideous
The cover pic is actually a composite of two different shots. The edit of the two photos can be traced from the top of the photo, below the "k" in Monkees, down the picture towards Nesmith. The end result: the cover uses the top half of Nez from one shot, and the bottom from another (the hatchet job is quite noticeable around Mike's waist/belt buckle)
More of the Monkees includes what I consider to be the WORST Monkees song of all time, "The Day We Fall In Love", a schmaltzy spoken-word piece of schlock performed by heart throb Davy "star eyes" Jones. Perhaps not coincidentally, it was the only track on the album not to be used in any of the tv episodes
The mono pressing of the LP features a slightly longer fade on "(I'm not your) Steppin' Stone", a song often cited as being the first punk rock song ever recorded
"Mary, Mary", one of two Nez compositions on the album, achieved its first success on the U.S. singles charts in 1988 when it was recorded by hip-hop legends Run DMC

Up Next: The Monkees' Headquarters...

Happy Pride!

2011-06-18T23:37:00.002-05:00

Once in a while I'll hear somebody complain about gay pride parades. For example: "Whatever they do is their business - I just don't understand why they have to flaunt it in everybody's faces. Why do they need a parade anyways?" Do I flaunt my sexuality? I dunno, but I do find it interesting that you never hear people complain about straight people flaunting their hetero-ness all over the place.

Leo and I watched the film MILK tonight (not because it's pride week in Mpls, just happened to choose to watch it). Watching MILK again has left me thinking about my own experience as a queer person and what it all means. Of course there's no concrete answers, just a lot of thinking, but it's helpful nonetheless. For me Pride week is sort of like Thanksgiving, except instead of thinking about all I'm thankful for I reflect on things such as community, leadership, diversity, and what it means to be queer in America. You know, little stuff like that.

Being queer in America is a daily challenge, or at least it is through my eyes. That's not to say that there aren't rewards that accompany the challenges. In the twelve years since I came out I have grown closer to becoming the person that I truly want to be, which is a very powerful thing to be able to say. Coming out is an on-going process that never really ends. I often think about non-queer folks and the "privilege" that they have of living in a society where it is assumed you are straight unless you make some public declaration stating otherwise.

This year at the start of Pride week I find myself asking "If I could start all over and be straight, would I do it?", and I have to say absolutely not. I'm not saying this because I think there is anything wrong with being straight. I say "no" because I feel like I am at a place in life where I am comfortable fully and publicly embracing my queerness. All of the struggles, bullying, marginalization, hate, etc. that I have faced to this point has played a role in making me who I am right now, and I rather like who I am right now. I am PROUD to be this person, queer as God made me. A big ol' flouncy light-in-the-loafers fancy-schmancy queer man.

My hope for everyone reading this is that you have an opportunity this week to celebrate all of who you are. Make some time to be proud of the person you are right now in your journey to wherever it is that you are going.

Happy PRIDE to you.

On my turntable (Monkees edition): The Monkees

2011-06-18T12:11:00.006-05:00

The Monkees (1966)

OK so here's the deal. My second favorite band of all time (following Los Beatles) is coming to town on July 1st & 2nd, which gives me 13 days to blog a daily Monkee LP leading up to the show. I did this with last month's Cars concert, and enjoyed it almost all the way through, until it started feeling like a homework assignment. I'm gonna give it a shot, but if I stop after a couple days you'll know why! The Monkees' story has been pretty well documented, so there's no real need for me to rehash all of it here. OK maybe I'll hash just a little.

When "The Monkees" tv series debuted on NBC in Sept 1966, their first single "Last Train to Clarksville" had already begun its climb to the top of the music charts. They could not have been better poised for success. Although the television show was inspired by the films of The Beatles, their debut album had a sound of its own. Combining folk, country, and pop influences and the work of multiple producers, studio musicians and songwriters, the end result bore little resemblance to Meet the Beatles! (1964), the fab-four's American debut.

The fact that they didn't sound so much like The Beatles, I believe, is a primary factor in why The Monkees' music has held up so well over the years. With all the hands involved in making the group's first two LPs it's a miracle that a cohesive sound emerged at all; personally I have always credited Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart as being the engineers of The Monkees' sound. It was Boyce and Hart that wrote and produced most of the hits, including "Clarksville".

"Last Train to Clarksville", 8/66

In the late 60's/early 70's when "The Monkees" was being rerun on Saturday morning tv, Colgems reissued the band's first two singles. I still remember the day our mom bought my brother and me those two 45s - It was at a store called Play World where mom bought a lot of her aquarium fish. I still get a chill of excitement whenever I hear those first two guitar notes on "Clarksville" -- it's truly one of the most perfectly crafted pop records of all time, in my opinion.

Some mindless album trivia:

"Saturday's Child" was written by singer/songwriter David Gates before he hit the big time with his wonder group, Bread
Monkee Mike Nesmith penned and produced two songs on the album: "Papa Gene's Blues" (a fan favorite featured frequently in the tv show), and the sizzling "Sweet Young Thing", a rare collaboration with legendary duo Goffin/King
"Let's Dance On", featured in the show's pilot episode, has no bass guitar. Personally, it drives me batty that there's no bass, and one of these days I intend to add a bass track to it myself so I can finally get over it and move on
"I'll Be True To You", sung by Davy Jones, was originally recorded by The Hollies. According to Jones, it wasn't until a later Monkees reunion tour that he learned this, when his wife at the time commented about the Hollies tune in the group's set
The album's closer, "Gonna Buy Me A Dog" includes the freestyle comedy stylings of Jones and Dolenz being let loose at the mic. Dolenz had reportedly recorded a 'straight' rendition of the tune before he and Jones hammed it up on the quite funny version that ended up being used on the record. It's worth noting that when this record was made the Monkees had only recently been introduced by the show's creators, which is evidence of just how quickly the comedy between Dolenz and Jones (both former professional child actors) clicked. To this day the duo (when on good terms) seem intent on cracking each other up on stage, which is very fun to watch.

Up Next: More of The Monkees...

6.14.2011 - Go-Go's at MN Zoo Ampitheater

2011-06-15T11:57:00.001-05:00

L-R: Charlotte, Belinda, Gina, Kathy

The Go-Go's rocked Apple Valley last nite. They took the stage quite late due to a relentless downpour that soaked the audience, most of whom were wearing plastic rain gear (guess who wasn't? I was DRENCHED). It rained so hard that I was unable to write down the setlist, but I do remember that most of the songs came from the band's first LP (which makes sense, seeing as it's the 30th anniversary). They opened the show with "Vacation", followed by (not in order):

"How Much More"
"This Town"
Belinda's "Mad About You"
"Skidmarks on My Heart"
"We Got the Beat"
"Mother's Little Helper" (yes, the Stones tune!)
"Head Over Heels"
"Our Lips Are Sealed"
"Get Up and Go" (the surprise highlight of the show. They NAILED it. GO!)

After I had begun shivering severely I decided to call it a night. I left as the band was playing "We Got the Beat", so it felt close to the end anyway. I thought about going back to the mens room to dry off some of my body with the hand dryers again, but I was just broken down at this point. I convinced myself that the band would be back and next time the show would be under drier conditions!

Belinda & Jane

Overall the night was a triumph. Each of the gals thanked the crowd for sticking it out in the rain, telling us how much they loved
and appreciated us. They all seemed genuine and sincere in expressing their gratitude for the fans and for the rare opportunity to still be banging out these songs after 30 years. In all truth, they've rarely sounded tighter as a band, and Belinda's voice was fantastic. My hope is that they capture some of this current magic in the studio. I think it would be awesome if they released a 4-song vinyl/digital EP of new material (perhaps including a studio recording of their Go-Gofied "Mother's Little Helper").

A monstrous THANK YOU to Babe, Char, Kathy, Gina, and Jane for a hot, wet, rockin' nite!

See you next time...

My Life With the Thrill Kill Go-Go's

2011-06-14T11:10:00.002-05:00

Tonight I will attend my 5th Go-Go's concert when the band kicks off the MN Zoo's summer concert series. The band had intended to do a farewell tour last summer, which was put on hold after Jane required knee surgery following a hiking accident. Call it divine intervention, but the band's current tour is not a farewell but a 30th anniversary celebration of their 1981 debut, Beauty and the Beat. The moniker of this summer's tour: Ladies Gone Wild!

Rewind 31 years...

1980 was a shitty-ass year. I was a freshman in a big scary high school, my family was trying their best to navigate through my dad's alcoholism (he achieved sobriety years later), and to top it all off, my hero John Lennon was murdered. It was one of the lowest points in my life, and when you're that age it's hard to imagine that things can get better.

For me the symbolism of the The Go-Go's arrival is mucho significant because it marked what soon became a much happier chapter in my teen life. Sophomore year started off as sucky as the previous year, and I was still healing from Lennon's assassination. Then one night out of nowhere I saw this new all-female group on Solid Gold performing their first single, "Our Lips Are Sealed." It was one of the catchiest records I'd ever heard, and I needed to hear it again and again. I found an import 45 at a downtown record shop, and then the full LP at Don Leary's records in St. Anthony. I joined their fan club. In hindsight I can see how The Go-Go's filled a gap, leading to some much needed healing in my life. It wasn't long before I was involved in music at school and making friendships that I maintain to this day.

The official Go-Go's newsletter

My first Go-Go's concert was February 2, 1982 when they opened for the Police at the Met Center. I saw them again in October '82 headlining their own tour for the Vacation album. By the time of their 3rd album, Talk Show (1984), The Go-Go's were splintering. A scheduled concert on Nicollet Island was cancelled, and the following year the group disbanded. As much as the breakup sucked for me as a fan, it was exciting to hear Jane Wiedlin's first solo LP in '85, as well as Belinda's perky & glamorous debut (Belinda's first single, "Mad About You", was actually intended for the Go-Go's, which is why the band now includes it in their live shows). Unfortunately the band's individual careers featured more lows than highs (two big highs: Belinda's Real LP (1993), and Jane's band froSTed, which released one kickass album in '96).

In 1990 the Go-Go's embarked on a brief reunion tour in support of a greatest hits collection, and since then the gals have stuck it out together, hitting the road every few years and even releasing new material (3 great tunes on the '94 retrospective Return to the Valley of the Go-Go's, and the full-length God Bless The Go-Go's in 2001). The 1990 tour was the third time I saw the band (at my fave venue, First Avenue), and on July 3, 2001 I saw them perform at the Taste of MN, just two days after my partner (now husband) and I had our commitment ceremony (we got legally wed in DC last summer).

Which brings us to TODAY, and it feels like my life as a fan has come full circle. I'm glad the Go-Go's are surviving (and it hasn't been easy from what I understand), and I'm glad that I am still around to enjoy their success. It gives me hope. Some of the gals have been tweeting over the past day since arriving in Minneapolis, which has been fun to follow. As for me, I plan to rock my ass off at tonight's show.

On my turntable: McCartney & McCartney II (2011 reissues)

2011-06-12T00:26:00.001-05:00

McCartney and McCartney II (2011 reissues)

The latest re-issues in the ambitious Paul McCartney Archive Collection. Last year the Archive's first release, Band On The Run gave us a taste of what we might expect of the series, and these releases definitely maintain the standard.

Each LP is packaged in a sturdy gatefold sleeve with sharp reproductions of the original artwork, including a 2nd LP of outtakes/demos/live/unreleased and/or b-side material. The LPs are audiophile quality, 180 gram pressings, and each package comes with a free mp3 download of all tracks. Hard to go wrong with all that.

One thing that strikes me while listening to these albums, especially Mac II, is that Paul sure liked his weed. Seriously. This is music made by a dude that was pretty much high 24/7. I'm not saying that's a bad thing - it's just an observation. Each of these albums was basically a musical exercise for McCartney, a way for him to cleanse his palate and shake things off before moving on to the next phase of his career. Thus, neither album comes off as a serious venture with any sort of lofty ambition behind it. Still, each album does have its charming moments.

McCartney, released in 1970 just in time to cash in on the publicity surrounding The Beatles' official breakup, is all Paul (all instruments, voices, production, everything), with a little help from Linda on harmonies and photos. The album's strengths are in Paul's knack for melody. Proof: "Every Night", "Junk", "Teddy Boy", and the standout track "Maybe I'm Amazed" (which was later a hit single from the live Wings Over America triple LP). Sonically this LP is a slight improvement over the original. There are spots where I might notice a brightness to an acoustic guitar that I hadn't heard before, for example. I recall "Man We Was Lonely" sounding a bit harsh on previous pressings, especially when Paul & Linda sing "ho-o-o-o-o-o-ome", but it's nice and smooth on this release. Overall, downright gorgeous.

McCartney II is an album that deserves to be revisited. It has its clunkers that will always stink no matter how pretty the sound is ("Bogey Music" being the best example), but at least half of the tracks are fun to listen to, even if they are lightweight. "Coming Up" (the studio version, not the live Wings version that hit #1 on the singles chart) sounds better here than I've ever heard. The whole record sounds slightly better than it used to, which isn't saying a whole lot since the original was pretty flat (probably due to the primitive manner in which Paul recorded the album). On Mac II we see Paul experimenting quite a bit with electronic sounds, likely in response to the New Wave movement that was happening at the time. Highlights include "Temporary Secretary", the bluesy "On the Way", "Waterfalls" (a failure as a single, but a lovely song), and the album's closing track "One of These Days" (which is another song where I notice quite an improvement in the sound).

Paul McCartney is one of very few artists that will be remembered for his full body of work rather than just one or two albums or songs, or simply for being a Beatle. Because of this, each of his albums contributes in some way to his enormous musical legacy. I look forward to what's coming up next in the Archive series!

69 years of Capitol Records

2011-06-04T13:52:00.002-05:00

Ever since I got my first phonograph as a toddler I have probably listened to more records on Capitol than any other label. The label, founded in 1942, is rumored to be in the midst of some very tough financial times at the moment, despite owning some of the most lucrative music catalogs in the history of recorded music (you may have heard of The Beatles and The Beach Boys, to name just two).

In honor of one of the coolest labels ever, I took some pics to show Capitol's evolution over the years. As I type this I'm already thinking of a few variations I missed, but these are some the more prominent of Capitol's looks in the past 69 years...

Early Capitol design, 1956

Probably the most recognizable of Capitol's LP labels,
used throughout the 1960's and resurrected in the 1980's

The cool "bullseye" StarLine series, late 60's/early 70's

A variation on the StarLine series

This black label was used primarily in the U.S. for the re-issue
of the McCartney/Wings catalog in the 70's

The green "Capitol Re-Issue" label, late 70s/early 80's

One of the less common variations, late 60's/early 70's

The majority of Capitol LPs in the 70's sported this label

Capitol used a purple label in the 1950's,
late 70s, and later in the 80s & 90s as well

1972

The Knack's 2nd & 3rd LPs had special labels
that harked back to the vintage "rainbow" design

On my turntable: Nat King Cole - Those Lazy-Crazy-Hazy Days of Summer

2011-05-30T13:27:00.001-05:00

I found this LP earlier this week for 50 cents. Aside from being sealed nothing could make this record closer to mint condition.
Those Lazy-Crazy-Hazy Days of Summer (1963) is supposed to be a collection of songs assembled for wonderful, fun summer days. As the liner notes instruct us listeners,

...break open the popcorn, fill up a giant-size pitcher with root beer, and listen to some of the happiest music in a long, warm century of summers!

I can't listen to this record without thinking about how much the "good old summertime" was a myth. For privileged middle-to-upper class straight white kids, summer probably was a pretty sweet time fifty years ago. But for everyone else in America the civil rights movement was percolating pretty fast, and it was not a pleasant era if you were anything else but straight, white, and privileged in this country. You wouldn't know it by looking at this album though, with its 20-something white couples frolicking on the beach. Nat King Cole, the record's actual artist, is pictured on the back of the album cover.

All of the social commentary aside, Cole was a great singer, and this certainly is an interesting and pleasant album. I chose it today because Memorial Day always seems to be the kickoff to summer (at least in snowy states like Minnesota). To all our service men and women past and present, thank you for all of your sacrifice.

And to all my readers: I hope you have a badass summer!

On my turntable: Joni Mitchell - Chalk Mark in a Rain Storm

2011-05-28T17:03:00.001-05:00

We're facing possible severe weather again in Minneapolis at the moment. WTH?

There's not a whole lot that I've got to say about Chalk Mark in a Rain Storm (1988). I remember when the album came out (I was working in a record store at the time), and learning that Wendy & Lisa sing on at least one track. Other big names in the credits include Ben Orr (The Cars), Peter Gabriel, and Don Henley. By the time of Chalk Mark Mitchell's voice had become considerably hoarsened from heavy smoking. If it weren't for her unique phrasing and style it would be easy to imagine that this deeper-voiced Mitchell was a completely different singer.

I had an attitude about Joni Mitchell for many years that prevented me from enjoying her work. After giving Blue an honest chance, followed by the amazing Hissing of Summer Lawns, I became far more interested in her prolific body of work. As of this writing I'm indifferent about Chalk Mark in a Rain Storm. It's pleasant enough, but it doesn't grab me like her early work does. Still, it is good enough to warrant future listens, so who knows how I'll feel about it in the future.

OK back to watching the weather news...

5:45 PM

2011-05-27T17:45:00.000-05:00

A typical afternoon in the lives of Simon & Austin: Eat, poop, sleep, look cute, repeat.

Austin

Simon

On my turntable: The Rascals - See

2011-05-25T16:58:00.002-05:00

For the past 20 or so years The Rascals' Once Upon A Dream (1968) has been one of my must-have 'desert island' albums, and I expect that it will remain in my Top 20 for as long as I'm alive. I have loved the song "See" since my mp3 days when I was scouring the internet for new music, and have owned the See album for a couple of years, but it didn't officially blow my mind until yesterday.

Yesterday on the way home from work I stopped at one of my record stores and found a sealed original Atlantic copy of See for $5. It was flawless, and I couldn't pass it up. Listening to a virgin copy of this record really made my ears perk up, and I noticed for the first time what a diverse and masterful collection it is. If Once Upon a Dream is the Rascals' Sgt. Pepper, then See is the band's White Album.

Love is really everywhere, to see it is to fly...
~"See"

The title track kicks things off with the rollicking, dirty sound of Felix Cavaliere's organ, followed by words of love & hope that convey the LP's overall message. Musically the album is all over the place (hence the White Album comparison), with rock, R&B, gospel, and eastern Indian styles. One thing that is noticeably not all over the album is Eddie Brigati, who's songwriting credit is limited to one song ("I'm Blue"), which he co-wrote with Cavaliere. In contrast, guitarist Gene Cornish penned two songs on the album, including "Remember Me" which is so bubblegummy that it could have easily been recorded by The Archies (and I mean that as a compliment).

Know if you seek you'll find
Love
Be a star up in the sky
Close your eyes begin to fly
Let your body flow away
Feel the truth yourself today
Be with everyone
Love is everyone
~"Stop and Think"

"Stop and Think" is easily one of my favorite tracks on this album. Most bands in the late 60's experimented with Indian music (following The Beatles' lead), but too often it came off sounding disingenuous and trendy. The Rascals always managed to sound sincere with their musical experimentation, and "Stop and Think" (as well as "Nubia" which opens side 2) is a good example.

It is easy to look back at the late 1960's as one big love-in of peace, flowers, and sunshine. I know I am sometimes guilty of romanticizing this musical era as more than it really was (in my defense I was only three when this album came out). The reality of the late 60's was far less glamorous, with wars in Vietnam, riots on college campuses, and fighting in the streets. Young people were trying to create a new reality in response the hatred, misunderstanding, and discourse in the world. For a while, in the earliest days of the hippie movement it seemed as if they were really on to something, but the drugs became heavier and "flower power" was snatched up by popular culture and advertisers. By the beginning of the 70's the movement had burned itself out.

Sometimes I wonder if we are on the verge of another "love movement" in reaction to the hatred we're seeing in the world right now. In Minnesota, as you may know, a bill was just passed to put gay marriage rights on the 2012 ballot. At a rally held this past Sunday the overall message was that we must counter all of the hate and lies with love, compassion, and understanding. It won't be easy, but I think there's a lot of logic in not responding to hate with hate.

With all that's happening regarding the human rights of folks such as myself, it makes sense that See has resonated so much with me at this moment in time. I've always been a believer that music can sometimes connect with us when we need it most. Sounds sorta cosmic, but it has been my experience more than once. Regardless, I'm grateful that this record connected with me this week when I needed to experience its message.

Peace to y'all. Stay strong.

12:42 PM

2011-05-25T12:42:00.000-05:00

SMiLEY

OM

2011-05-24T00:21:00.000-05:00

Together we will fight...

2011-05-23T12:52:00.004-05:00

...and together we will WIN.

Leo & I at yesterday's Harvey Milk march

This weekend was a mess of highs and lows for equality in Minnesota, a state that has a reputation for being relatively fair-minded. For those that don't know, Minneapolis was recently named the gayest state in America for godsakes. With all this gayness everywhere, it might be surprising that after hours and hours of deliberation Saturday night the MN house voted to put an anti-gay marriage amendment on the 2012 election ballot. The civil rights of a minority are now at the mercy of the majority.

The good news is that Minnesota tends to lean towards equality. The bad news is that the GLBT community has suddenly been handed the task of winning over the hearts and minds of non-supporters over the next 18 months. We'll need to do it with kindness and love, understanding that not all people hate us -- many of them simply don't understand us because they don't know us. It's like tofu -- it's easy to be afraid of it until you've tasted its delicious soy goodness (perhaps not the best example - I think more people are afraid of tofu than they are of gays).

Our Mayor speaking at the Milk rally

Yesterday in Minneapolis was Harvey Milk Day, as officially declared by our rockstar ally Mayor, R.T. Rybak. As part of the day's events there was a march down Hennepin Avenue, followed by a rally in Loring Park. There was a good turnout despite the rain, and Leo and I marched proudly, shouting with a crowd of smiling gays and allies. As we marched practically every car that drove past gave us a honk and/or a thumbs up and a shout. It was a heartwarming way to follow the crushing defeat from the night before at the state Capitol. As many of us shouted yesterday, "We have just begun to fight!!"

Beauty + Beat = 30

2011-05-20T22:34:00.001-05:00

The 30th Anniversary edition of the Go-Go's classic debut, Beauty and the Beat (1981) was released this week in digital, CD and vinyl formats. The vinyl (shown below) is 140g and PINK. It sounds very nice, almost audiophile quality.

2011 RSD booty: The Sequel

2011-05-19T20:05:00.000-05:00

So after last month's Record Store Day I was feeling a little bummed that I missed out on two of this year's exclusive RSD items I wanted most (45's by The Cars and Duran Duran). But, as I learned from last year's Record Store Day, it ain't over till it's over, bitches! As it turned out, RSD inventory continued to trickle into local stores throughout the following week. By Tuesday I had my hands on a copy of The Cars' "Sad Song" 45, and on Friday I found DD's "Girl Panic!".

The Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger La Carotte Bleue EP, The Cars "Sad Song",
Beastie Boys "Make Some Noise", Duran Duran "Girl Panic!"

On eBay I snagged one of 500 copies of the blue vinyl La Carotte Bleue EP by The Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger (I've since learned that it was also for sale on the Chimera Music website), and then TODAY my copy of the Beastie Boys' "Make Some Noise" 7" finally arrived in the mail. The single went on sale at 5:00 am the morning of RSD through the official RSD website, and it wasn't announced until later that only 500 copies were pressed, so I got my hands on a pretty rare record with that one.

And with that my 2011 Record Store Day journey has come to a successful conclusion! 'Twas a very satisfying journey indeed.

Neutral Zone

2011-05-19T17:35:00.002-05:00

I'm sure I've written about William Bridges' book Transitions here before. It was a textbook I read years ago for a class called "Counseling the Adult in Transition". Life itself is a mess of transitions, so Bridges' work makes sense to me. According to Bridges, there are major events in our lives that can force us into transition (the loss of a loved one, a new job, major illness, etc), eventually requiring us to adjust to or create a new reality for ourselves. For example: When my mom passed away recently, there was no way that I could go on with life pretending that she was alive. Thus, I am in the process of structuring and understanding a new self-identity, that of someone with no living parents (my dad passed in 2007).

In my soon-to-be former office,
5.19.2011

This process of creating/finding our new identity can feel a lot like being lost in the woods. Bridges calls it "The Neutral Zone", and I am in the dead center of it right now. I am doing well -- there are exciting things happening in my life -- but it all contributes to a huge period of adjustment. Next week I leave a teaching position that I've held for four years. As I write this I've got a pretty good idea of where I'll be working in the fall, although I never consider it a done deal until I receive the job contract. Also, this past semester I completed the last of my PhD coursework, which is a major milestone, but it is also an academic ending. From here on I will take on the role of researcher as I work through my dissertation.

Physically the stress I've experienced has taken its toll. I am 10+ pounds lighter than I was just a few months ago. The good news is that I am able to wear shirts that have not fit me in ages, but all of my pants are two waist sizes too big. As a Crohnie I'm used to being "slim", but I prefer not to be "skinny". In my head, slim = fit, while skinny = sick, and sick is a road I prefer less traveled. Being someone who lives with a chronic illness, I need to be more health-conscious.

One positive change I've made is to learn more about meditation, something I've dabbled in for most of my adult life but never maintained. Earlier this week I had what felt like a breakthrough session, where I was able to calm myself and clear my head of thought. It seemed like it could be the start of something useful, as long as I continue to practice. Next on my list is to add more exercise and reduce my intake of processed foods. We'll see how that goes. Baby steps. My point, if there is one, is that stressful or even devastating life events can sometimes initiate positive change. My hope is that I will create opportunities for myself that result in a better, healthier me.

Thank you for reading!

Cars pic posted by First Avenue

2011-05-18T09:28:00.000-05:00

From last night's show, just posted by First Avenue to Facebook:

5.17.2011 (photo credit: First Ave & 7th St Entry)

The Cars @ First Avenue, 5.17.2011

2011-05-17T23:27:00.017-05:00

Outside of 1st Ave prior to the show

WHAT a show. Rarely have I seen First Avenue so packed; I was mighty glad that it was not an August concert, because it can get so unbearably hot that the walls tend to sweat when the room is that full of bodies. Of course the downside to such a big crowd was constantly having to shift around trying to get a good look at the band. My brother and I had a decent spot for the first two songs, after which we decided to look around the club. The band sounded great, offering a set of songs that contained only one dud (in my opinion), the sluggish "I'm In Touch With Your World."

The Cars onstage in Minneapolis, 5.17.2011

The setlist did not differ much (if at all) from those played so far in other cities, although after what we thought was the final song they asked if they could test out a song they practiced during soundcheck, "You're All I've Got Tonight". They seemed genuinely happy to be playing to a sold-out house of enthusiastic fans. I for one left immensely satisfied.

Setlist (songs from the new LP marked with *):

Good Times Roll
Blue Tip*
Since You’re Gone
Up and Down (!!!)
My Best Friend’s Girl
Hits Me*
Touch and Go (Greg Hawkes played Ben Orr's bass on this one)
I’m in Touch With Your World
Keep on Knocking*
You Might Think
Drag on Forever*
Free*
I’m Not the One
Heartbeat City
Sad Song*
Let’s Go
Encore: Moving in Stereo
Just What I Needed
You're All I've Got Tonight (impromptu last minute add!)

On my turntable: The Cars - Move Like This

2011-05-17T13:11:00.003-05:00

Move Like This (2011)

So if you've been reading over the past few ays you'll know I've been listening to The Cars quite a bit lately, especially their newest album (released one week ago today), Move Like This. Production credit on the outer sleeve, given to "Jacknife Lee and The Cars", is slightly misleading as it gives the impression that this was a joint production. Inside the gatefold the specific production credits are listed; half of the tunes are produced by Lee, and in my opinion they are by far the standouts on the album. "Blue Tip", "Sad Song", "Free", and "Hits Me" are some of the best Cars songs ever committed to wax. Lee has nailed the classic Cars sound, even managing to kick the energy level up a notch. Fantastic stuff.

The other half of the album, the tracks produced by The Cars, took more time for me to appreciate but after a week of listening I'm definitely on board. Without question this is a true Cars LP, despite the obvious absence of founding member, bassist & singer Benjamin Orr (who passed away in 2000). I had read somewhere recently that keyboardist Greg Hawkes used Ben's actual bass for the album's bass parts (the guitar was in drummer David Robinson's possession), which is pretty damn cool.

I was reading some listener reviews of the LP at Amazon.com and opinions are mixed about the LP's cover art. Personally I think it's one of their better covers, and on 12x12 the colors are vibrant and sharp. The vinyl edition also comes with a free digital download card, so there's really no reason to even consider the CD. If you don't own a turntable here's your excuse to start shopping for one!

On my turntable: The Cars - Door To Door

2011-05-16T11:03:00.003-05:00

I have no emotional attachment to this record whatsoever. Unfortunately, I have a feeling that The Cars didn't either.

By the time Door To Door (1987) was released most of the band had been involved in solo or side projects (the most engaging of which, I think, is Elliot Easton's excellent Change No Change (1985)). It had been four years since The Cars had released a full-length album of new material (1984's Heartbeat City), so expectations were probably high. Door To Door generated some attention with the top 20 single "You Are The Girl", but then quickly faded from sight. Overall the album is bland, sounding like a tired band that knew its days were limited. The Cars quietly disbanded within the next year.

EMI confirms The Beach Boys' "Smile Sessions" street date

2011-05-16T04:42:00.002-05:00

Who knows if it will actually honestly truly happen for real this time, but EMI has reportedly confirmed that The Beach Boys legendary SMiLE sessions will indeed be released in multiple formats on August 9, 2011.

Currently it appears that the vinyl version will only be available as part of a deluxe box set, which will include 4 CDs, a hardcover book by SMiLE expert Dominic Priore, plus 2 LPs and 2 vinyl singles. Sounds awesome and expensive, and I'll probably buy it.

On my turntable: The Cars - "Tonight She Comes" 12"

2011-05-15T23:35:00.002-05:00

"Tonight She Comes" was the one new track on 1985's multi-platinum The Cars Greatest Hits compilation. This import 12" also includes the tracks "Just What I Needed" and "Breakaway".

I don't own Greatest Hits (just the single), but the album is one hell of a collection:

"Just What I Needed"
"Since You're Gone"
"You Might Think"
"Good Times Roll"
"Touch and Go"
"Drive"
"Tonight She Comes"
"My Best Friend's Girl"
"Let's Go"
"I'm Not The One"
"Magic"
"Shake It Up"