The Band Guestbook, May 2011

Entered at Tue May 31 22:24:16 CEST 2011 from (68.164.4.49)

Pat B

Entered at Tue May 31 22:18:49 CEST 2011 from (131.137.35.83)

sadavid

Subject: BBC 2 "Tracks of My Years"

Peter V: thanks for the notice; JRR's tracks began yesterday with Sly & the Family Stone "Family Affair" and Elvis I "My Baby Left Me." Archived at [My link]; the good bits @ approx 2:10 yesterday, 2:12 today.

CBC has a sort of themed-pop-sociology program ("Definitely Not the Opera"; don't ask) on Saturday afternoons. Last weekend they were yakking about "gossip" and used Adele's "Rumour Has It" for the first music break.

"Harumph," I harumphed, "they oughta just play 'The Rumor' or Rick's 'Small Town Talk.'"

I was shocked, amazed and impressed when they did use "Small Town Talk" - the Bobby Charles version!

Entered at Tue May 31 22:01:50 CEST 2011 from (91.42.242.252)

Norbert

Subject: Our desire to create

"Humans have an innate desire and need to create. It is part of what makes us human. Once we have created an artistic work, there is usually an immense feeling of satisfaction and resolution– a feeling that we have "made a statement". Sometimes it is almost impossible to say what that statement is, but nonetheless we usually experience a feeling of satisfaction and completion."

I want to paint my masterpiece!

Dunc, thanks for your nice words the other day. I know what you mean, I have the same and its a shame.

Entered at Tue May 31 21:52:13 CEST 2011 from (216.114.128.38)

Mike & Kim Hayward

RR's creative rebirth.

Entered at Tue May 31 21:02:49 CEST 2011 from (75.34.43.200)

Adam2

I can't find any information about an upcoming Levon release anywhere. Can anyone find it?

Entered at Tue May 31 19:39:23 CEST 2011 from (131.137.35.83)

sadavid

Subject: going postal

Peter V: it looks as though your postcard is on its way . . . .

Entered at Tue May 31 17:26:29 CEST 2011 from (41.97.179.120)

Empty Now

Subject: Hindu movies in Maghrib

There’s a movie made by successful director Merzak Alouache that marked the history of Algerian cinema, Omar Gatlata (1977) (summary in the link) whose story focuses on a group of youngsters from Algiers and how they live a passion towards Hindu movies. An anthological scene shows one of the youngsters ready to do anything to get a ticket for the below mentioned film “Aan”, whose Algerian title is “Mangala Fille des Indes”.

I saw both movies I am unable yet to identify the true ingredients behind this awesome scale of success and adhesion toward a culture, somewhat far. On the other hand there are 2 movie theaters in Constantine, Olympia and Cirta, that play exclusively Hindu movies.

Entered at Tue May 31 16:53:29 CEST 2011 from (156.47.15.10)

David P

RTO: I have a copy of a 1969 Capitol 3-LP box set that includes three 1968 albums, "Music From Big Pink", Steve Miller Band's "Sailor" and the self-titled debut of Quicksilver Messenger Service.

Entered at Tue May 31 14:55:18 CEST 2011 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

I just heard (in a shop) BBC Radio Two. Robbie Robertson is doing "Tracks of My Years" on the morning show circa 11.30. Zoe Ball was waxing eloquent on how she'd interviewed him and what a wonderful speaking voice he has. I stayed browsing. I think he gets to choose two tracks a day. This morning was Be Bop A Lula by Gene Vincent, followed by The Seventh Son by Mose Allison. More on 1st, 2nd, 3rd June.

Entered at Tue May 31 14:15:07 CEST 2011 from (216.114.128.38)

Mike & Kim Hayward

Robbie Robertson updates.

Entered at Tue May 31 07:47:48 CEST 2011 from (75.34.43.200)

Adam2

If anyone can find any info on that previously mentioned Levon release, please share. I'm very anxious to find out about it!

Entered at Tue May 31 06:22:41 CEST 2011 from (75.34.43.200)

Adam2

Entered at Tue May 31 02:14:10 CEST 2011 from (67.250.113.92)

Lars

Here in the woods, it's still May 30th and it's not too late to remember our war dead; not too late for a memorial.

I've got a mug of beer in front of me and I offer a toast to my monitor: here's to all of the poor devils who found themselves in the wrong place at the wrong time; to all of the guys who came home with something missing, even if it was their peace of mind and stability. To all of our people in harm's way even now as we speak; to all of the young Americans who are in the process of going to the wrong place at the wrong time. For the little that it's worth, I give this toast to you.

I'd like to live long enough to see our country not be at war with anyone and have an end to all of this horseshit. I could make a much better toast then.

Now I'll go back to my woods (Band link).

Entered at Tue May 31 01:57:59 CEST 2011 from (24.61.86.168)

JoeFrey

Subject: Levon

New Levon collection announced for July 12th with live version of summer time blues. SACD of Stage Fright is now shipping from MoFi. all to the good. joe

Entered at Tue May 31 01:37:17 CEST 2011 from (92.238.33.140)

Rob the Organ

A little set of faders would be natty. Maybe there'll be a third edition limited to just 500 where you get a login code to a site where masters are stored, and Rupert Neve mixes for you as you select the options!

Entered at Mon May 30 20:48:06 CEST 2011 from (41.97.234.142)

Empty Now

Subject: NorthWestCoaster / Aan

NorthWestCoaster: thanks for the echo, your comment came at a good moment.

Following my last post I was somewhat culpabalising whether a Hindu actress called Nadira, isn’t worth the mention among those who reached universality through glamour.
I think no
The fact is that a Hindu songs movie, “AAN” (1951), knows an astonishing success in Constantine, and regarding some replies in the youtube link above in the rest of Maghrib. A phenomenal success that I am unable to forward a reason. Is it in the music? Is the actress? As she is tremendously cited.
All I can say is that until today there is frankly a cult of this movie in Constantine. The linked song a staple in every public occasion

Of what I got from wiki, the Hindu actress is Farhat Ezekiel Nadira (1932 – 2006), of Iraqi-Jewish roots, all the songs are performed by Lataji aka Lata Mangeshkar. “one of the best-known and most respected playback singers in India. Mangeshkar's career started in 1942 and has spanned over six and a half decades. Mangeshkar was featured in the Guinness Book of World Records from 1974 to 1991 for having made the most recordings in the world. The claim was that she had recorded approximately 25,000 solo, duet, and chorus-backed songs in 20 Indian languages between 1948 to 1974 (30,000 songs between 1948 and 1987, according to the 1987 edition).”

Enjoy the link, it is a Indo-European Language

Entered at Mon May 30 20:26:01 CEST 2011 from (204.138.59.92)

Bill M

After a bit of googling, I can now add that Touch backed up Elyse's album throughout - credited as 'the Band of Thieves'. See link and scroll way down, but before you do the latter, check out the list of five forgotten psych classics. I can vouch for the first, third and fifth. The third, Bruce's Palmer's fabulous LP for Verve, includes contributions from Rick James, Ed Roth (a nod here in the direction of Pat B) and some of Kaleidoscope (a favourite on other pages of the linked website).

Entered at Mon May 30 19:34:20 CEST 2011 from (204.138.59.92)

Bill M

Pat B: I think there was some crossover, late '60s, between the Good Times and the Raiders. Also, I believe that Galucci produced the neglected LP by Elyse (Weinberg) that is said to include some uncredited lead guitar work by Neil Young (who he knew from their mutual old folkie days - back in T.0., keeping jive alive).

Dunc: If you follow the link to the Elyse track that's said to have Neil Young on guitar, you'll see that one of the follow-on links is to her version of Bert Jansch's "Deed I Do", which did something, though not a lot, as a 45 in '68. It's reasonable to think that an admiration for Bert was shared among Neil's folkie peer group back in the day, a peer group that also included Brent Titcomb, who played harp on Elyse's LP and is now a member of BARK member Tom Wilson's Lee Harvey Osmond group.

Entered at Mon May 30 19:26:38 CEST 2011 from (74.108.27.233)

Joan

A Bruce concert is an unbelievable experience. The time I saw him (In New Jersey of course) He put on a 4 hour show. He never fails to play favorites like Born To Run. The audience knows every word. He really "works out those 4 hours. Your walk our feeling like you got your "Moneysworth" He is superlative live.

Entered at Mon May 30 19:15:48 CEST 2011 from (90.239.103.153)

NorthWestCoaster

Subject: All medieval music sounds the same (says Empty Now)

This happened near a town in France with a large Algerian population: - I took a break. It was a hazy mid-Winter day. I had Medieval Provencal music in my car CD player. I opened the door and played it loud because the melodies reminded me of Finnish Medieval music sung by travelling students ("Piae Cantiones"). I recogniced the tunes in my homesickness. Then a car stopped beside me and an Arab family straightened their legs, too. When children heard the music they started to dance. They recogniced the same tune. Strange.

Entered at Mon May 30 19:13:41 CEST 2011 from (99.115.147.236)

Pat B

Entered at Mon May 30 18:31:03 CEST 2011 from (41.97.234.142)

Empty Now

I often presumed that "Lama Bada" was the original stub from with grew the whole Arabian Music tree, unless contrary proof

in the link above, Fernandel's take of "Lama Bada" (excerpt from the movie Ali Baba)

Samia Gamal was in Egypt what Marilin was in the USA, Brigitte in France, and Sophia in Italia, it's awesome that the 4 belong to the same generation

Entered at Mon May 30 18:28:50 CEST 2011 from (86.143.61.240)

Dunc

Subject: Various

Got my Robbie album today.

BillM:Over the years I've read Neil saying kind things about Bert. A couple of months ago we saw a Ron Sexsmith documentary followed by a concert with Ron, Kevin Godley and Fran Healey. I thought his music was really good. And what helped his career was to get a song on a Michael Buble album - selling 10m copies.

Dlew:I'll agree to that of course.

Entered at Mon May 30 18:02:26 CEST 2011 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

Great. Someone send me a postcard! Don't use it for applications for Rambles tickets though.

In the UK, no living person is allowed to be on a stamp except the Queen and members of the royal family. There was a fuss over the LP series, because David Bowie was standing in a doorway on the Ziggy Stardust LP, and no had thought about it. Why there was a fuss, I don't know. The Beatles LP covers series the year before had the four on all of them. But I suppose The Beatles are royalty.

Entered at Mon May 30 17:39:02 CEST 2011 from (131.137.35.83)

sadavid

Subject: the perforated arts

Canada Post news release re: the soon-to-be-released JRR postage stamp. Could use a touch of pink . . . .

Entered at Mon May 30 16:20:51 CEST 2011 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

Entered at Mon May 30 16:19:39 CEST 2011 from (204.138.59.92)

Bill M

Subject: miscellaneous

Joe J: It was good of you to allow yourself to be dragged off to a performace of corral music. I've never liked C&W myself, and I'm a lot farther west than you are. Still, we must do as we must. I too played the dutiful husband and arranged for tickets for two to see singer-songwriter Justin Hines tape a PBS special downtown. Fortunately I do like the guy's music, and was very pleased with the surprise guests - including Ron Sexsmith, who came up to duet on Dylan's "I Want You", and the great (and lovely) Cape Breton fiddler Natalie MacMaster, who was accompanied by another fiddler, Donald Leahy - who with a name like that can't be from Cape Breton.

Peter V: By Electra's original design, do you mean the cherished boobs label?

Dunc: I too love "Someday Soon". Also, good of you to mention Bert Jansch, who I saw opening for Neil Young three weeks ago. He was fantastic, and even wowed an audience of Young devotees. It amazes me that he still has exactly the same voice as he had in the '60s. Unlike, say, Gordon Lightfoot, who we also caught this weekend. Still great, but not nearly as powerful or as rangeful as decades ago. I think my favourite Lightfoot song is "The Way I Feel", especially as recorded by Fotheringay. Like a bunch of you, I love Sandy Denny's voice but in smallish doses; Fotheringay's "Banks Of The Nile" is one brilliant dose. "Come All Ye", per RtO, is another.

Speaking of Richard Thompson, I picked up "Mock Tudor" for a buck at a garage sale. Some nice stuff, notably "Sights And Sounds Of London Town", but "Dry My Tears And Move On" clangs with me because it fails to mention Thompson's habit of writing at least three truly bitter (and even nasty) songs between drying his tears and moving on.

Dunc again: I like certain songs by Steeleye Span very much. Probably a greatest hits would do me fine - "Gaudette", etc. Though there's a nifty Goon Showish song (I want to say "Bloodnock's Rock And Roll", but that can't be right) on one of the albums.

RtO: I agree about "Full House" being the best Fairport LP. I disagree with your nastly slam of Amazing Blondel, whose "England" is a gem of "desert island" status. I've had others of theirs and they've been pretty lame, but "England" is very very special.

RtO again: So glad to see you say nice things about the great Michael Fonfara. I always wonder if you'd chased down a copy of "2B3: The Toronto Sessions" (see link) on which Fonfara is one of five great organists paired up to burn through a bunch of (mostly) standards, including a couple of Band songs. The other organists are Bill Payne of Little Feat, Richard Bell, Doug Riley, Denis Keldie, Lance Anderson (who produced too) and Rob Gusevs. Anderson, being a great organist himself, does a good job of pointing out the particular stylistic strengths and peculiarities of the players.

A fascinating footnote for anyone who's a fan of both the Band and Rhinoceros is that the recent Yonge Street documentary has Rhinoceros lead singer, John Finley, talking about being offered the job as featured vocalist with Levon and the Hawks!! He even did a job with them, but, as he says in the documentary, he decided to stay with his fan-base of screaming 17 year old girls rather than wade into the world of the much older 'working girls' around our guys.

Entered at Mon May 30 16:14:45 CEST 2011 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

Robbie's old associate, Peter Gabriel did it in 1993 with a CD-Rom called XPLORA 1. At the time he said it was the future of music. You had a control panel and could change the mix on some songs (but not all) from "So." I've just found my copy and blown the dust off. I'm reluctant to slip it in the CD drive on Mac OSX as I envisage an instant crash.

Entered at Mon May 30 14:54:44 CEST 2011 from (131.137.35.83)

sadavid

Subject: how does this work?

The _How to Become Clairvoyant_ Limited Edition Collector's Set (limited to 2,500, each numbered and signed by JRR hisself) includes a DVD with "3 multitrack files" "so that you can hear the music- inside the music." Somewhere JRR says these allow you to do your own mix.

How does this work in practise? Picture comes up on the screen with little faders, or what? Have other artists released tunes this way?

Entered at Mon May 30 14:01:10 CEST 2011 from (86.174.113.148)

Rob the Organ

Subject: 5 Psychedelic "aftermath" ie 68/69 albums I play lots

1) Rhinocerous (1st LP) Elektra - see previous post

2) Moby Grape '69 - my favourite; must be the only person who rates this higher than the debut.

3) Touch "Touch" - Coliseum/Decca - still trippy but great; what happened to them?

4) Steve Miller Band "Sailor" - Moody, but rocks hard in places; ballad "Dear Mary" is beautiful as are the harmony guitars on Boz Scaggs' "My Friend"

5) Man "2oz of Plastic with a Hole in the Middle" - Dawn (Pye). Home turf, this time, or at least this side of the pond for the band are Welsh. West coast inspired rock; so much so that when they hit the USA in 1974 they and George Harrison were the only ones to get a Bill Graham personal introduction that year. Guitarist Deke Leonard has written two excellent books on his own endeavours and a third - on the history of guitar playing - is due later this year or early next. Bless 'em.

Entered at Mon May 30 13:37:01 CEST 2011 from (86.174.113.148)

Rob the Organ

Yes, careful of the Doors - but I'll admit to the first two Rhinocerous albums being a guitly occasional pleasure. Organist Michael Fonfara notable for his work also with David Ackles; a great organ player up their with the best of them.

Entered at Mon May 30 13:34:32 CEST 2011 from (86.174.113.148)

Rob the Organ

Peter, it was DLew who said that about Sandy Denny - but I could easily have said the self-same thing. L&L is a great LP but it pretty soon gets too pure, too perfect for me. I would say that any of the tracks on it I do enjoy but seldom play the whole LP - generally stick to Come All Ye, Matty Groves, Farewell Farewell and The Deserter which are on my iPod.

Unhalfbricking, on the other hand, is less pristine and I think all the better for it. The sound of adventurous young musicians trying to find their feet is often more rewarding than the sound of young musicians who have found them, no matter what critics may say. Likewise, I find the all-male 1970 FC quintet thus. There is a Band-like self-contained quality to Full House and live stuff from that period; no front..err..person (for the first time: remember they also once had Ian Matthews as well as Denny/Dyble), just the five musicians all singing (except Mattacks). More muscular in sound and less Cecil Sharpe, too. The arrival of Dave Pegg is an underappreciated event in FC history and it is almost a shame that there wasn't a Denny/Thompson/Pegg/Swarb/Mattacks interim line-up after Ashley Hutchings went; but maybe the complete ringing of changes is what makes Full House (I think my favourite FC album, upon reflection) so strong; certainly far stronger than the naysayers who foresaw disaster at Sandy's flying of the nest would have dreamed.

Entered at Mon May 30 10:52:55 CEST 2011 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

Catching up on recent discussions on vinyl. Al, I saw a few Ain't Nothin' But A Houseparty. Not only that, one stall was playing it. An original swirly label was £6. The others £2 to £3. I saw "Fallen Angel" in a 50p box and had to rescue it, even though I already have it on vinyl.

For me the big find was a trainspotterish one. I've been working on a book on record labels for a long time, and when Elektra was introduced in Britain in 1966, the first disc had the US label design, Tom Paxton's "The Last Thing On My Mind." It's easy to turn up in the later design, but I want a scan of the early one. According to the price guides, it's £8, but I've only ever seen one advertised on the net in three years and that was £25. I found one in a box labelled "unsorted and unpriced. Ask me." I casually as I could asked how much, and the guy said "50p." So I walked along to the next stall, and immediately picked up the first UK Elektra EP release, "Lord of The Dance" by Sydney Carter (backed by Martin Carthy and one of Joe Boyd's early producer jobs), so I'm in for a folky sort of morning (and revisiting Elektra in general, so I'll have to be careful of The Doors!)

RTO, I know what you mean about Sandy Denny. Her voice is lovely, but a little goes a long way. But on Record Store Day, Island released her demo version of "Who Knows Where The Time Goes" which is worth hearing.

Entered at Mon May 30 10:27:10 CEST 2011 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

I had a solo drive to the Brighton Record Fair yesterday, a couple of hours each way, and decided to devote it to Bruce Springsteen Live At The Main Point 1975 at the volume it deserves. It is an all-time great live album. Disc 1 is better than disc 2 … by disc 2 they’re all too hyped up and charging at stuff, which would have been great on the day, but doesn’t translate so well in recording. On disc 1 he’s in total command of his performance. The 10 minute E-Street Shuffle in particular had me thinking how much he must have listened to Astral Weeks … even the guitar flourishes are almost quotes. Wings for Wheels (the early version of Thunder Road) joins it seamlessly.

It all set me wondering why I’ve never seen Bruce live. When he was our favourite listening in the early 80s, we had three small kids, and he never played the South Coast. Anywhere he played (given the length of his shows) meant an impossible overnight stay. Prince falls into the same category. Yet people whose opinions I respect keep telling me that Bruce and Prince are the two best live performers they’ve seen. Given Bruce’s “Man of the People” aura, it’s odd that he never ventured far from the mega venues in the UK. Our area is a bit thin on larger venues. Both Bournemouth and Brighton have 3000 – 4000 seaters (being seaside resorts), but the largest conurbation, which is in the middle, Southampton & Portsmouth, can’t muster a decent sized hall between them. 3000 is big enough for Bob Dylan, Paul Simon and James Taylor, but too small for Bruce or Prince. Though I’m sure someone will say, ‘What? He played there in a 1200 seater in 1993’ but if so, we missed it.

Then by the time we could travel to see them easily, Prince was called Squiggle and using repetitive beat tracks, and somehow we felt we’d missed Bruce at his peak, and it would be an anti-climax to see a solo show without the E-Street Band. Reviews and live albums show we were wrong, but as he sells out in minutes, you have to be decisive to get tickets.

But connecting to what was said yesterday, don’t ever make the mistake of taking Bruce at his early live greatness out of the CD player and replacing it with Danko, Manuel, Butterfield 1984. I did. The contrast between the upward trajectory and the very steep downward trajectory is too sad to bear.

Entered at Mon May 30 07:15:51 CEST 2011 from (70.26.121.186)

Mike Nomad

Ah, Serenity, you poor deluded girl.

Entered at Mon May 30 06:06:52 CEST 2011 from (99.235.255.183)

Serenity

Hi all!! Thought I would share this with you all,It is a poem, but didn't seperate the lines. If only I could do a link, but no-can-do, as the pics are very nice. Vi xoxoxo

Memorial

by Gary Jacobson © 2002

Remember all the boys who loyal valor wore, Just doing their duty in times of direful war Who the mantel of heroes bore. Remember boys who fought humanity’s good fight, Who battled, stouthearted and bold, for right. Worship at their alter of liberty. That the flower of youth in finest hour’s nobility Will live on in cherished memory...

Remember these holy vessels by our father's sanctified, Sent to war with pomp and ceremony glorified, Bearing terrible sword’s of swiftest lightning, A valiant place in annals of history earning For age shall not defeat them, Assailing enemies no longer have power to condemn These grandest princes of freedom found Those who honor bring to hallowed ground...

Remember boys standing straight and standing tall, Who in heed to battle’s raucous call. Gave the greatest gift of life, their all... Heroes journeying the dimming pit’s of Hellish strife. Who fought for a country they loved more than life. Trumpets now sound plaintive, sad refrains, Shedding tears in innocent eyes still feeling pains Grown silent now a protester's blames.

As rivers of tears flow from a generation’s eyes, A nation for her lost youth cries... Remember loving boys who saw too much, Just sons, husbands, fathers, who’ve done too much, Contending with bastions of hate in cankered mire, To the grandest precepts of manhood inspire, Just ordinary boys standing up against despots Lionhearted men, Freedom’s brave zealots.

With noble courage still, they silently cry, What from our sacrifice have you learned, they sigh? For what meaning did we die, Preserving grand liberty for you and me? Standing on the bank of heaven’s river, can’t you see, From sea to shining sea? We’ve given up the good times Fallen forever mid discordant rhymes.

Will you this day in honor remember Within your heart hold dear this glowing ember Men revered of the highest caliber? Remember warriors who fight for a gallant cause, Forevermore without question or pause, Who yield this land of milk and honey’s berth Ever defiant of evil to gain peace on earth, That God’s precept of brotherhood find new birth!

Award us in this hour thy dauntless approbation. Remember always our revered brotherly union. Remember our souls in heroes air rarified. Remember those who for divine precepts died By ragged scars of death purified Men no longer from the season of fear hidden By the world’s cares driven. For those who’ve fallen, no longer weep For in their purest soul cares keep...

Grant this soldier’s last prayer...never forget! Now and forever keep fires of freedom lit A pièce de résistance by unflagging perseverance fit! Remember, so our struggle might not have been in vain. Sing our battle cry of freedom’s impassioned strain. Remember, that we may ever in spirit be with you. Remember, to thoughts of loss and death eschew. Remember, to love us now, as we love you...

Until Next Time LOVE AND PEACE xoxoxoxo

Entered at Mon May 30 01:56:38 CEST 2011 from (59.101.56.120)

dlew919

Mojo had a great collection of english folk some time back, which included everything from the interesting to the 'really?' (the Mediaeval stuff played by suburban guys). worth chasing up if you can find it.

Entered at Mon May 30 01:54:18 CEST 2011 from (59.101.56.120)

dlew919

I agree it's a great album: but I must confess a little of Sandy Denny goes a long way with me. I think of all the English Folk artists (not teh hybrids like Tull), John Martyn had the most extensive, and hypnotic approach.

Entered at Mon May 30 00:40:14 CEST 2011 from (86.143.61.240)

Dunc

Subject: Rob the Organ

We crossed, but Liege and Lief is a great album. I always feel, perhaps wrongly, it defines English folk. A difficult thing to do.

I think Pentangle are great English folk even though Bert is Scottish. He went to London when very young. I couldn't get into Steeleye Span.

Enjoyed your posts, Rob. If you've not got it get 'Let's Frolic Again' a great keyboard album with Richard Bell and Garth in great form. Thanks Bill M and Steve.

Entered at Mon May 30 00:28:58 CEST 2011 from (92.238.33.140)

Rob the Organ

Though "Liege & Leif" is universally regarded as the FC masterpiece, I much prefer to listen to Unhalfbricking or Full House; less conceptual and more interesting in both cases.

Entered at Mon May 30 00:28:07 CEST 2011 from (86.143.61.240)

Dunc

Subject: David P

And one of Richard Thompson's favourite albums is 'The Lasses Fashion' by Jock Tamson's Bairns - a brilliant album.

I played 'If You Gotta Go' from the Bootleg series tonight.

I always feel I missed Richard Thompson's development because I followed Sandy Denny, who was huge in Britain - I think Melody Maker's female vocalist of the year, a big award, two years running.

I play 'Unhalfbricking' regularly and the Band influence is great. But Sandy Denny is a great talent. I played 'Who Knows Where The Time Goes' by Judy Collins yesterday - brilliant.

And Bill M what a great song 'Someday Sooon' is.

I also played 'Robbie Robertson' and 'Storyville' yesterday. Love them. Could anybody help me with 'Breaking the Rules', which would break into my Band's greatest hits. Did Robbie physically come to Scotland to record this or would he have just sent Tapes to Paul Buchanan?

Looking forward to getting the new album tomorrow.

Entered at Sun May 29 21:48:31 CEST 2011 from (76.66.24.199)

brown eyed girl

Celebrate The Difference

More on the great Gil Scott-Heron who passed at age 62.

Entered at Sun May 29 19:02:34 CEST 2011 from (74.82.68.19)

David P

Fairport Convention's "Si Tu Dois Partir" cover version of Dylan's "If You Gotta Go" is done Cajun style. As very few groups, even in America, were embracing that style at the time, they were ahead of the curve in world music circles, dovetailing nicely with their traditional English roots. This complimented two other songs on "Unhalfbricking", Richard Thompson's "Cajun Woman" and the cover of "Million Dollar Bash", which also featured a rollicking Cajun flavor. Mr. Thompson has long favoured Cajun music, coming full circle in the '80s when Garth Hudson's Cajun musician friend JoEl Sonnier had a hit with his cover of Mr. Thompson's "Tear Stained Letter".

Entered at Sun May 29 17:45:21 CEST 2011 from (86.143.61.240)

Dunc

Subject: Norbert

Enjoyed the posts. I've still not got Robbie's new album. I phoned the independent who I deal with if he managed to get it, yesterday, but he hasn't so I'll have to go up to Glasgow to get it.

And in this town where I live I now feel ashamed of the centre because so many shops are now lying empty, yet it has beautiful buildings. We now have the biggest shopping mall in Scotland and probably the North of England just ten minutes from the centre of where I live. There's a sameness wherever you go.

Entered at Sun May 29 16:23:55 CEST 2011 from (91.42.248.242)

Norbert

Subject: John Zorn's

John Zorn's outspoken rache against the machine (link)

"Every day is a chance to reinvent oneself, but the problem is that we’ve been so beaten down by the powers that be that people are happy to be asleep now. What I’ve been seeing is really fucking depressing and I don’t see anything turning it around. I see enormous corporations acting like slave masters, like the return of the pharaohs. I see co-opting all around. I see McDonald’s everywhere. I see the destruction of what you and I love, the small mom and pop stores—people that love the music and that’s why they have their store. I see that being replaced by Tower, HMV, Virgin. And then I see conglomerates; giant corporations merging together to get even more powerful, like that big thing that just happened with Polygram and Universal. So what are we gonna have in another hundred years? We’re gonna have the world owned by one corporation. We’re gonna have all the artists signed to this one label and anyone not signed to this one label is going to be outlawed. We’re gonna have art police running around looking for small labels and independent artists that are not tied up. And we’re gonna have an inquisition. I mean, we basically have an inquisition now."

Norm & Empty thanks (the magic of music :-). Norm, drivin' a chainsaw & splitting oak is like women, morocycles, Porches, horses and The Band, you always have to watch out, but it makes you feel more alive (mostly).

Entered at Sun May 29 16:04:08 CEST 2011 from (96.30.174.20)

joe j

Subject: Life In A Northern Town

Funny you should mention Gander Norm. I spent yesterday there attending a series of choral performances. Not really my thing; playing the dutiful husband and it was all in a great cause. No I can't explain the passion for choir music down here. If you are into choral groups you might want to check out the Les Ms website. Link is to a great 80s song by Dream Academy. It's a number Les Ms warmed up with backstage but didn't include in their performance. I hadn't heard the song in years. Don't know anything about Dream Academy. I'm guessing from the north of England or maybe Scotland. One hit wonders? I'll leave it to someone else to find a Band link.

Entered at Sun May 29 14:31:05 CEST 2011 from (86.174.113.148)

Rob the Organ

At a gig last night, my dear friend and excellent singer Andy Roberts (a fan of Gil S H for many years) dedicated a tune to him, saying "gone to great gig in the sky". From behind the organ, I could resist quipping "...if he shows up". A band member with a mic can be a dangerous thing....

Entered at Sun May 29 13:45:47 CEST 2011 from (76.66.24.199)

brown eyed girl

The great Gil Scott-Heron. I saw "Black Wax" when it came out in a small theatre. Powerful.....bought one of his cassettes "The Best of Gil Scott-Heron" with all his songs that needed to be experienced over and over again.

Early years
"Gil Scott-Heron was born in Chicago, Illinois, but spent his early childhood in Jackson, Tennessee, the home of his maternal grandmother Lillie Scott.[citation needed] His mother, Bobbie Scott-Heron, sang with the New York Oratorio Society. Scott-Heron's Jamaican father, Gil Heron, nicknamed "The Black Arrow", was a soccer player who, in the 1950s, became the first black athlete to play for Glasgow Celtic Football Club in Scotland. Gil's parents divorced when he was young[when?] and Gil was sent to live with his grandmother, Lillie Scott.[4] When Scott-Heron was 13 years old, his grandmother died and he moved with his mother to The Bronx in New York City, where he enrolled in DeWitt Clinton High School.[citation needed] He later transferred to The Fieldston School after one of his teachers, a Fieldston graduate, showed one of his writings to the head of the English department at Fieldston and he was granted a full scholarship.

Scott-Heron attended Lincoln University in Pennsylvania, as it was the college chosen by his biggest influence Langston Hughes. It was here that Scott-Heron met Brian Jackson with whom he formed the band Black & Blues. After about two years at Lincoln, Scott-Heron took a year off to write the novels The Vulture and The Nigger Factory.[5] He returned to New York City, settling in Chelsea, Manhattan. The Vulture was published in 1970 and well received. Although Scott-Heron never received his undergraduate degree, he received a Master's degree in Creative Writing in 1972 from Johns Hopkins University. His 1972 dissertation was titled Circle of stone.[6]

Entered at Sun May 29 11:37:50 CEST 2011 from (41.97.210.193)

Empty Now

By the pre-civil war period in the early 90's, I was for some reason in a cafe, there was a radio talking in Spanish or Catalan, I not really sure, then the voice in the radio in the run of the news said something like "bomba explosar Argelia terrorismo islamismo" . and a guy in the room with a visible grave attitude addressed everybody "no need to translation"

Excellent document in link above, the 7'18 video sets a solid link between Arabo-Andalus music and Medieval-Europe music "Lirica Primitiva Jarchas Moaxajas Y Jezeles"

it's all in Spanish, and it is a language with Indo-European root

Entered at Sun May 29 08:01:48 CEST 2011 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

Entered at Sun May 29 07:21:21 CEST 2011 from (64.12.116.204)

PutEmUp(Friend0

Entered at Sun May 29 07:17:21 CEST 2011 from (64.12.116.204)

PutEmUp(Friend0

Subject: Be On The Lookout

Steve Cropper, Duck Dunn, Eddie Floyd, Lester Snell, performing a live show, titled The Music of Stax. Booked here at BB kings in NYC, imagine they are touring it some.

Entered at Sun May 29 02:58:23 CEST 2011 from (24.108.253.172)

westcoaster

Subject: Kissin' a cod & drinkin' screech.......YEAH!

When I get time to lay back for a while, watch something worthwhile on the tube, I enjoy the Knowledge network. I've just been watching that crazy Scot Billy Connolly. I'm always impressed on his shows the respect he shows for all the folks every where he goes.

This show of his was travelling the east coast. Travelling out to Cape Breton, and speaking of John Cabot, and the Acadians, as well as all other pioneers, shows how easy it is to write about history, like, "Acadian Driftwood".

The people of "Gander" Newfoundland, who on 9/11 looked after over 6000 people, because it was the thing to do. That's the way they are. They show how their ancestors were, and were able to take a grip on that land and become what they are.

The world over, there are people in these difficult times who impress. The Guerkas, the American Navy Seals, from all of our countries, the pride of all of them. However, (maybe because my grandfather came from Scotland, I'm not sure). The reason that I mention this is, for a long time here people have had their complaints about, banjos, and the pipes.

For me, watching the "Highland Games" on the east coast there. "Throwing trees across the field", but those pipes have a personality. They can make you weep, bring you joy..........but, in my whole life time since I was a kid, watching and listening to those pipers in a scermish coming over a hill, marching & playing in perfect time, and the crack of those drums, and knowing what is coming behind, still just makes you say..........HOLY SHIT!

Entered at Sun May 29 01:04:56 CEST 2011 from (173.2.99.174)

Bob F.

Subject: Birthday Ramble at UPAC

Levon had a great Birthday Ramble at UPAC in Kingston, NY last night. I've never seen the Levon Helm Band perform at a higher level. Marc Cohen, Natalie Merchant, Donald Fagan and Happy Traum were wonderful. I can't say enough about how great Larry Campbell and Jim Weider play together. Amy Helm has become one of America's great musical treasures. Did anybody else from the Guestbook go to the show?

Entered at Sat May 28 20:54:28 CEST 2011 from (92.238.33.140)

Rob the Organ

I always thought Jethro Tull's "To Cry You A Song" from Benefit, 1970 had a healthy medieval influence. Notice I said healthy - unlike Amazing Blondel, Fruup and Gryphon where it was NOT healthy.

Entered at Sat May 28 20:03:30 CEST 2011 from (41.97.133.10)

Empty Now

Subject: Peter V / Norbert

Peter V : thanks for the acho and precious information on greensleeves

Ami Norbert, if you use CET and that my watch is reliable, open the link above right now (exceptionally has a meaning at posting time only )

Entered at Sat May 28 18:47:14 CEST 2011 from (68.199.152.229)

Jed

Listening now to The Complete Lost Waltz.I own the remastered Waltz with extra songs.This is a totally different experience.Hearing things that were air brushed away is sweet.Garth's playing & Richard's piano & harmonies can actually be heard.The guitar isn't out front,rather it's part of the whole sound.So many little details in each song that were wiped out in what,I now believe was a ridiculous editing process.It seems so clear the this is The Band,not RR & his band.What a difference! The flubs are well worth it too & the harmonies are much clearer.Someone said it makes you feel like you're hearing an actual concert(crowd noise too!) instead of a canned,sterile "show" that represents a so called concert.A real joy!

Entered at Sat May 28 16:43:47 CEST 2011 from (24.108.253.172)

westcoaster

Subject: You Ain't Goin Nowhere

Brown eyes! funny you just mentioned that. I been trying since I got home yesterday evening to get a link to work. Maybe you can do it.

It is thte Dirt Band, Steve Wariner, Shania Twain and others doing the song. Probably the best I ever heard.

Norbert! split that wood boy! It keeps us old guys in shape.

Entered at Sat May 28 16:22:12 CEST 2011 from (79.202.157.59)

Norbert

7am-12am split 2.5 m³ wood.

12am-2pm little nap (I'm getting older)

2pm-4pm washed two cars, inside out

4.pm-4.05pm GB post

4.05pm-5pm shower, shave, shine

5pm-5.05pm light the wood stove

5.05-6pm Saturday's cooking event with rosé wine

6pm-8.30pm Saturdays dinner event with red wine

8.30pm-12pm...don't know yet, a movie or a book or the www with a littkle beer, cheers

Entered at Sat May 28 15:38:03 CEST 2011 from (76.66.27.30)

brown eyed girl

Happy Belated Birthday to Levon Helm.

Entered at Sat May 28 15:10:44 CEST 2011 from (76.66.27.30)

brown eyed girl

"In the United States, where he lives, he said, people are fragmented and torn apart. Referring to Republican Sarah Palin and what he characterizes as the “crackpot parade,” he called the situation kind of “scary.” Robbie Robertson

You Ain't Goin' Nowhere...Mary Chapin-Carpenter, Roseanne Cash, Shawn Colvin

Entered at Sat May 28 14:27:30 CEST 2011 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

Cardinal Wolsely on the composition of Greensleeves in 1528:

“Yep, it makes me sick to the stomach! That King Henry VIII he’s livin’ in palaces, marrying loads of wimmen, hostin’ the Mandolin and Sackbut Hall of Fame at Greenwich every year, and I don’t get doodly squit 'cept my ol' red brick place at Hampton Court! That Henry’s no sanger! We was all there in the White Tower when Henry wrote that song, and it wasn’t nothin’ without my harp playin’ and Princess Mary’s penny whistle part, and Lil’ Princess Elizabeth wailing the harmony. What do you remember when you think of Greensleves? “My heart’s delight’ or the artfully plucked strings on the melody? That Henry’s a thief.’

Entered at Sat May 28 13:37:09 CEST 2011 from (41.97.133.10)

Empty Now

Subject: Medieval - Part 3/3

for our good pleasure

Entered at Sat May 28 13:36:04 CEST 2011 from (41.97.133.10)

Empty Now

Subject: Medieval - Part 2/3

for the academic side and The Band connection

Entered at Sat May 28 13:34:18 CEST 2011 from (41.97.133.10)

Empty Now

Subject: Medieval - Part 1/3

Maybe I’ve been wrong, but it always seemed to my ears that all medieval music sounds the same from both worlds, Europe and many more, whatever are the distances between the sources concretely it’s mainly what remains today in the musical business under the vague appellation “Celtic genre”. I don’t mean there has only one song in the Middle-Ages, I feel everything has been built upon the same harmony. You may have any reference in mind to judge this thread, two tunes are my reference :
Lamma Bada Yatathena (when he was in sight) allegedly composed by Zyryab in Arabian Spain 12th century [link]
Greensleeves composed by King Henry VIII, and The Band connected [next link]

One thing leading to another and learning by transfer of similarity. This theme reminded me I remember when I began to be interested in foreign languages, (Music is kind of language) I was bored in meeting repeatedly the notice that this language is of Indo-European root, and that other language with no visible relation is of Indo-European too. I also had problems to conceive that once upon a time in the past the whole people living in the area including all Europe, all India, and a land corridor linking the two, spoke a single language. Then my mentor of the time, who was as skillful in linguistics as in education, set a term
“it’s related to the mankind evolutionary state, Indo-European language refers to the Neolithic, can you see today a difference between the mooing of a cow from Holland and the mooing of a cow from Argentina ? “
Of course when it’s Darwinist, it’s always convincing

Entered at Sat May 28 12:52:57 CEST 2011 from (86.174.113.148)

Rob the Organ

Entered at Sat May 28 12:51:24 CEST 2011 from (76.66.27.30)

brown eyed girl

Gallery: Order of Canada recipients

"Michael J. Fox, Robbie Robertson and NHL hockey great Howie Meeker were among 42 recipients of the Order of Canada Friday, each recognized for a lifetime of contributions to sports, the arts and to their communities."

Entered at Sat May 28 12:47:53 CEST 2011 from (76.66.27.30)

brown eyed girl

My Girl...Dennis Brown

Rare Grooves Reggae Rhythm & Blues

Entered at Sat May 28 11:22:34 CEST 2011 from (62.30.51.155)

Roger

Subject: Bob Is In The Basement

Basement covers... the points from Birmingham are distributed as follows:

Dix points - Fairport Convention with "I'll Keep It With Mine"

Entered at Sat May 28 09:41:43 CEST 2011 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

So what’s the best “basement cover”? It has to beat the original, and in the interest of peace and harmony, let’s give all The Band’s versions a pass. My vote is Suzzy & Maggie Roche on “Clothes Line Saga.”

Entered at Fri May 27 23:19:14 CEST 2011 from (91.42.226.23)

Norbert

Subject: ain't no more cane

1933

Entered at Fri May 27 22:34:23 CEST 2011 from (204.138.59.92)

Bill M

Entered at Fri May 27 22:23:17 CEST 2011 from (92.238.33.140)

Rob the Organ

I know the Paupers! I've got their LP "Ellis Island", I think, or maybe a mate had it and I heard it.

Entered at Fri May 27 22:01:23 CEST 2011 from (216.114.128.38)

Mike & Kim Hayward

Happy Memorial day wkd folks!

Entered at Fri May 27 21:06:19 CEST 2011 from (204.138.59.92)

Bill M

Empty N: I'm glad you reminded me of Alain Stivell, whose music I've loved for decades; I would have listed among my world favourites if I'd thought of it. I used to have a ton of his LPs, but now just "Reflets" and the one done live in Dublin. Saw him here in '83, I think it was.

Entered at Fri May 27 20:56:42 CEST 2011 from (204.138.59.92)

Bill M

Entered at Fri May 27 19:56:07 CEST 2011 from (41.97.189.64)

Empty Now

Subject: much more fun from the close neighbouring world

This is cute and worth The Band GB posting and song linking

link: SUITE ARMORICAINE (Brittany Suite) by Alan Stivell, huge Breton folk singer

translation of the translation

A pilgrimage to Spezet, I have did
A young girl, I have met
In a plain field, we have slept
The great pox, I have caught
To the hospital, I was sent
On a large table, I was placed
And my big dick, has been cut
Through the window, it wa thrown
A huge wolfdog passed
And my big dick, it ate
And the wolfdog died
la la la lo la la la le lo

good lesson for neglectful surgeons and trainers who never learn enough to their dogs to never eat a wandering dick , even when it’s big

Entered at Fri May 27 19:01:30 CEST 2011 from (156.47.15.10)

David P

Ian & Sylvia and Peter, Paul and Mary, both managed by Albert Grossman, also gained early access to the Basement Tapes material. I've got a copy of PP&M's single version of "Too Much of Nothing" b/w "The House Song" (from "Album 1700) released in 1967. "Too Much of Nothing" and their cover of "I Shall Be Released" both appeared on their follow-up album "Late Again" released in August 1968.

Entered at Fri May 27 18:47:01 CEST 2011 from (92.238.33.140)

Rob the Organ

Entered at Fri May 27 18:44:44 CEST 2011 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

Entered at Fri May 27 18:32:51 CEST 2011 from (92.238.33.140)

Rob the Organ

Entered at Fri May 27 17:41:32 CEST 2011 from (41.97.189.64)

Empty Now

Not sure if it fits the music from the world thread, (according to Jacques Brel, London was a district of Bruges before England drifted) at least it’s not in English,

a capella in pure medieval Flemish, wonderfully singable diction I find, it sounds in my ear like a relaxing massage

For the Gbers who used to take seriously the songs I link (Simon, dlew919, Bill M), it’s kind of Amazon’s rubric “customers who bought this item also bought…”

Laïs : “three girls with heavenly voices, Jorunn Bauweraerts, Annelies Brosens, Nathalie Delcroix, from Kalmthout (Be), this group sets the definitive link between the middle-ages and the XXI century”

The linked song is about a 18 years girl who is killed by her lover (7 stabbings)

Entered at Fri May 27 17:22:43 CEST 2011 from (156.47.15.10)

David P

Entered at Fri May 27 17:01:39 CEST 2011 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

Subject: actetate

The actetate was offered around London, with Manfred Mann getting first UK pick apparently because their track record in selling Dylan covers was good. Tom McGuiness did an interview on this. Giorgio Gomelsky ran Marmalade Records and it was a new label. He must have had good connections to get an early offer of TWOF for Julie Driscoll. Dylan must have approved, because then Gomelsky got "I'll Be Your Baby Tonight" ahead of anyone else, and had Blossom Toes record it (without success). I like their version, but apparently the group loathed it, saying they'd been made to sound like Hermans Hermits. See the link.

Another post-basement Dylan track with an interesting British history was All Along The Watchtower. The Alan Bown! (then one of the highest paid live draws) got first shout and did an arrangement (by John Helliwell, later with Supertramp) on their album. One of Jimi Hendrix's first gigs in the UK was supporting them, and he praised their version to the skies. Not surprisingly, because he basically then took their approach to it and added the imitable Jimi bit. And now Bob does it Jimi's way. Or rather, Alan Bown's way.

Entered at Fri May 27 16:33:26 CEST 2011 from (156.47.15.10)

David P

Correction to my earlier post regarding Stone Country's cover of "This Wheel's On Fire". Their RCA 45 single of that song b/w with another Basement Tape song "Million Dollar Bash" was released after their self-titled album release in March 1968. According to the detailed liner notes for the Rev-Ola CD reissue of the album, they cut those two cuts in April 1968 and the single was release the following month. At the time the group thought they had "an exclusive" to record "This Wheel's On Fire" but, by the time they'd finished cutting it, they found out "Dylan had given it to someone else!" According to group member Dan Lottermoser, "We were really excited, thinking, 'Here's our opportunity!"

Presumably, the source of their disappointment was the Julie Driscoll/Brian Auger and the Trinity version of the song, which Peter V has pointed out, was released right around the time Stone Country, with Steve Young as lead singer, cut their version. My guess is that both groups had access to the 14-song Basement Tape compilation that had been distributed by Albert Grossman & the publishing company to several groups & producers here and abroad. Perhaps those who got access to the tape or acetate each thought they were getting an exclusive preview of the new Dylan songs but, as things turned out, those who recorded & released cuts first got the advantage. It's interesting that two British groups, Driscoll & Auger and Manfred Mann, achieved the best chart success with their excellent covers, whereas Ian & Sylvia and Stone Country hardly gained notice.

Entered at Fri May 27 15:49:46 CEST 2011 from (204.138.59.92)

Bill M

Entered at Fri May 27 15:41:02 CEST 2011 from (68.199.152.229)

Jed

Your post is beautifully put & right on point.In addition to seeing The Band in the 70's,I had the chance to see the guys reformed in the 80's,90's & for all the solo stuff.Attended the Caldwell College show & many others & Adam's description is so true.So sad that Richard never escaped the lowly 80's & that Rick missed a chance to be celebrated in a manner he merits.It's significant to note that Levon's success is very much anchored by some unreal musicians--no,not the Cate Bros. or local Woodstock musicians who are affordable,but real professionals.Larry,Amy,Teresa,Jim Weider,Jimmy Vivino,Mike Merritt,Byron Issacs,Brian Mitchell & the best horns in R&R since the Rock of Ages horn section contribute tremendously to the success Levon has experienced. And,how sweet it could've been to see Rick & Richard celebrated in the same manner.

Entered at Fri May 27 14:28:06 CEST 2011 from (67.84.207.113)

Brien Sz

The two best Band perfromances I saw were at Caldwell College when Richard was alive. The place was rockin and pretty packed for an outdoor show - weather was great and they blew the doors off the place. The other top notch show was at Carnegie Hall in NYC. It's a classic hall and they had that place on its feet dancing in their seats and in the aisles. It was great and the energy was amazing. As many times as I saw solo Rick, he never matched that - and that's what I'm referring to when talking about how Levon has recaptured and held onto that magic, that energy. It shows us that all of us can capture that magic and energy in our lives - that what once was lost may not be found but other wonderful treasures within us are still be discovered, shared and cherished.

Entered at Fri May 27 13:29:07 CEST 2011 from (216.114.128.38)

Mike & Kim Hayward

Entered at Fri May 27 11:48:41 CEST 2011 from (41.97.198.86)

Empty Now

Subject: Sadavid / Bill M / Arsenal

Sadavid : very well said, and true

Bill M : America is so big that I missed it, now it will be appended to my legal list of "Florencean proper names turned international common nouns"

As in the Arsenal of the Venetians
Boils in winter the tenacious pitch
To smear their unsound vessels ov'er again
For sail they cannot; and instead thereof
One makes his vessel new, and one recaulks
The ribs of that which many a voyage has made
One hammers at the prow, one at the stern
This one makes oars and that one cordage twists
Another meds the mainsail and the mizzen

H.W. Longfellow translation from Canto XXI of Inferno Dante Alighieri (1265 – 1321)

Entered at Fri May 27 08:58:30 CEST 2011 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

Subject: Desert Island Discs

You only get eight discs. The island according to most guests is an idyllic tropical one, rather than a rock in the teeth of the North Atlantic gales. I have an hour's drive starting at 9 o'clock, and Debbie Harry is this morning's castaway. I'm looking forward to it. Some castaways have zero interest in music, as their choices show. Musicians are usually more insightful.

You can choose a book, but not the bible nor the complete works of Shakespeare and one luxury. The luxury is the fun item. The link takes you to the choices. A lot choose supplies of booze. A more realistic choice on a tropical island was the one who chose a large pot plant. I think it was George Melly.

Entered at Fri May 27 07:18:07 CEST 2011 from (203.160.29.153)

Fred

I've been listening to selected parts of the BBC's archives of Desert Island Discs (once again thanks to Roger for the link) and I have a question pertaining to the type of island:

Is it a tropical island, a sub-tropical island (like the one I live on) or some windswept rock in a northern hemisphere sea?

I only ask as the type of island (with it's appropriate climate) would greatly influence my choices---were I ever invited to be a guest on the programme...hey! stranger things have happened! : ) For example, the colder the weather, the more dire and dour the music.

Entered at Fri May 27 07:05:26 CEST 2011 from (203.160.29.153)

Fred

I've always felt that Rick was a latter-day troubadour, happy to play anyplace, anytime, to any size crowd.

Entered at Fri May 27 02:39:11 CEST 2011 from (75.34.43.200)

Adam2

Entered at Fri May 27 02:32:17 CEST 2011 from (75.34.43.200)

Adam2

Entered at Fri May 27 00:07:29 CEST 2011 from (82.42.175.156)

Al Edge

Lovely heartfelt post that Bri.

Entered at Thu May 26 22:25:14 CEST 2011 from (79.202.189.183)

Norbert

Subject: Music From Big Pink To The Last Waltz

Next year, Leo Blokhuis is doing a tour in Holland: THE BAND Music From Big Pink To The Last Waltz. Its music and in-between stories about their songs, America and the tragic personal lives. (link).

Don’t know what his plan is, you can pick up most Band things from Jan’s perfect site, that’s easy. Anyway make one think how would I do such a thing, what would I tell in two hours between the songs, how can one explain the magic of The Band? Or should we keep our mouth shut?

Entered at Thu May 26 22:25:34 CEST 2011 from (68.199.152.229)

Jed

Happy 71st Birthday,Levon!

Entered at Thu May 26 21:55:08 CEST 2011 from (92.238.33.140)

Rob the Organ

Thanks Peter. Down the pub the other night we were trying to think of the name of a black UK-based soul singer that wasn't Geno Washington or either of the guys in the Foundations. Of course, it was Herbie Goins.

Why was I trying to think of his name? Because I bought a replacement top horn driver for a Leslie that I'd blown a few years ago from a guy called Eric in Wembley, NW London. (Yes, THAT Wembley). I got there and he had his Hammond set up and he told me he'd been in a mod band in the 60s called Hipster Image, and that they'd spent some time backing Herbie Goins.

Eric was from Stoke-on-Trent and said he'd been mates with the guys from the Climax Blues Band before they all came to London (Climax guys were from Stafford so it makes sense). Knowing what Hanger lane on the North Circular can be like traffic-wise, I wisely requested if I could have a pee before leaving his place and he showed me to a downstairs toilet. On the wall of the toilet were two framed pictures: the very same little boy playing cricket that was pictured on Climax Blues Band "Plays On" LP - one on the front where he is smiling and one on the rear where he has been bowled out and has the most priceless mournful and disbelieving expression.

Entered at Thu May 26 21:51:22 CEST 2011 from (204.138.59.92)

Bill M

Empty N: I believe that Mr Vespucci is the only earthling to have an entire hemisphere named after him - and his first name at that.

Entered at Thu May 26 20:40:56 CEST 2011 from (131.137.35.83)

sadavid

Empty Now: Absolutely -- realized by the Borghettis and systematized by Machiavelli . . . .

Entered at Thu May 26 20:32:32 CEST 2011 from (41.97.187.185)

Empty Now

Subject: Sadavid / Bambino

Sadavid : Thanks for posting the quote in French

I still defend the ideology that universality is first reached through quality,

now I even say “everywhere and every when you are, bet on universality, you will be the winner”, (this last adage I learned it at the instant from Jean Dujardin in the link above, not the best version of Bambino but surely the funniest ever performed)

Reminder : that which is called everywhere in the world conservatory, as a school of music, is it’s a proper name in Naples, the church that included by the 19th century a musical school, Conservatory San Pietro a Majella

This is not an isolated case for the common name of an Institution that once was proper name in some Italian city by the past, Forum in Roma, Bank in Venice, Ghetto in Venice, Insurance in Treviso, Bourse in Bruges [wink for kidding], etc…

modern civilization, as it is worldly institutionalized today, started in Italy by the Renaissance

Entered at Thu May 26 20:12:44 CEST 2011 from (67.84.207.113)

Brien Sz

I received my Rick Danko at the Tin Angel cd the other day and began to listen to it. I haven't listened intently to the whole thing and have so far mostly listened to the first cd and I have enjoyed it very much. Yesterday, I picked up Levon's Ramble at the Ryman. The two cd's couldn't contrast each other more. The spirit of a great ol good time dance and jam session oozes out of Levon's cd. You can picture yourself just loosing yourself in the music and dancing the night away. It's an amazing thing to listen to even though Levon's voice isn't what it once was but the love of the music is still there. It made me think of how fortunes can change. For many years Levon and Rick seemed to travel a paralell path of relative obscurity in the greater sense of things. They toiled in small clubs, performing their craft with passion but the end effort was often a far cry from their glory days. The Tin Angel cd has Rick performing the shows that I so often experienced and knew. They were wonderful, intimate shows to be a part of but you always knew they were a long road from the top of the mountain. Seeing Levon far less in the same time period offered a relative same assesment. Yet now, it is so glorious to see how far Levon has been able to "turn it around." Listening to Ryman, the passion of joy is back. Whereas twenty years ago Levon carried the venom of RR as a haunting shadow and to a degree you could feel it. That is all gone (at least I think it is) when you listen to this effort.

It saddens me as well as I listen to both efforts that Rick missed this revitalization. It begs the question, would Levon have brought Rick on as a prominent member to the Ramble ensemble? Could Rick have benefitted from Levon's resurgence? I listen to Ricks cd with mixed emotions. It brings me back to those days where I got to know him briefly and experience all those many wonderful shows I saw but I also hear a shell or hollowness of what once was, because, as Levon is proving, he could have still achieved so much more.

Entered at Thu May 26 19:28:07 CEST 2011 from (156.47.15.10)

David P

Subject: Shangri-La For Sale

Shangri-La Studio in Malibu is up for sale, listed at $4.1 million. (see link)

Entered at Thu May 26 18:59:27 CEST 2011 from (24.47.42.238)

Bayou Sam

Happy Birthday Levon. Long may you run.

Entered at Thu May 26 18:51:55 CEST 2011 from (74.108.27.233)

Joan

Happy belated birthday Adam. And Happy Birthday to Levon.

Interesting article in the NY Times about a large gift given by Clive Davis to NYU to establish a department of music business studies.

Entered at Thu May 26 18:03:47 CEST 2011 from (131.137.35.83)

sadavid

"A rock music legend, Robbie Robertson is one of Canada’s most inspirational artists. He began his rise to stardom as a member of The Band, later embarking on a successful solo career that broadened to include film scores, acting, producing and musical collaborations. Through a fertile blending of diverse musical styles, he has introduced Native music to a much wider audience. His album Music for the Native Americans helped to showcase the work of other Native artists on the international music scene. By transcending cultural and geographical barriers, he stands as a model for both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal artists alike."

"Légende de la musique rock, Robbie Robertson est l’un des artistes les plus inspirateurs du Canada. Il est d’abord devenu une vedette avec le groupe The Band, avant d’entamer une brillante carrière solo au cours de laquelle il a élargi ses horizons, passant de la composition de trames sonores, au métier d’acteur, à la production et à la collaboration musicale. Grâce à un mélange fertile de différents styles musicaux, il a fait connaître la musique autochtone à un très vaste public. Son album Music for the Native Americans a aidé à faire connaître les œuvres d’autres artistes autochtones sur la scène de la musique internationale. Faisant fi des obstacles culturels et géographiques, il sert de modèle aux artistes autochtones et non autochtones."

Entered at Thu May 26 17:58:17 CEST 2011 from (131.137.35.83)

sadavid

Subject: Royal with the royals

JRR will (belatedly?) be invested as an Officer of the Order of Canada, tomorrow morning. Live webcast available. Non-Canuckistanians probably won't know any of the other honourees (dear Steve would surely have had a word or two about Howie Meeker) except for Michael J. Fox.

"Officer" is the middle grade, recognizing "a lifetime of achievement and merit of a high degree, especially in service to Canada or to humanity at large." "Members" are slightly less distinguished, while "Companions" are the serious over-achievers (Leonard, Joni, Gordon . . . and Céline . . .)

Entered at Thu May 26 17:19:01 CEST 2011 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

Entered at Thu May 26 16:48:49 CEST 2011 from (199.19.138.101)

Charlie Y

Subject: Birthdays

On Tuesday, Robbie Robertson posted this message on his Facebook page: "I have such great respect for my elders. Great to see Bob is still so light on his feet. God bless and many happy returns." I thought that was nice--even if the "elders" bit was sort of snide (but funny).

On a related note, happy 71st to Levon Helm.

Entered at Thu May 26 16:08:17 CEST 2011 from (71.246.9.74)

bob w.

Don't know if he wrote it but I believe he played on the recording.

Entered at Thu May 26 15:59:23 CEST 2011 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

No … not Andy. This was recorded in 1966 when Andy was still with Zoot Money (who were on the same circuit, but in competition).

Entered at Thu May 26 15:56:31 CEST 2011 from (204.138.59.92)

Bill M

Entered at Thu May 26 15:12:32 CEST 2011 from (156.47.15.10)

David P

Entered at Thu May 26 15:10:25 CEST 2011 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

Entered at Thu May 26 15:08:20 CEST 2011 from (131.137.35.83)

sadavid

There's a guitar on it? Steve Cropper?

The Foxxes' and Franklins' M-birds are both wonderful. My generation got the Martha's Vineyard version, of which W'pedia says JRR was behind the rhythm guitar, who knew?

Entered at Thu May 26 14:31:28 CEST 2011 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

Subject: Herbie Goins

Link to "Cruisin'" by Herbie Goins & The Nightimers … very much in the same style as Geno Washington or Johnny Johnson. Without Googling. does anyone know who wrote this track, and plays guitar on it? The answer might be a total surprise … I'll reveal all later. NO GOOGLING!

Entered at Thu May 26 14:14:56 CEST 2011 from (82.42.175.156)

Al Edge

Subject: Now he tells me .... :-0)

Four copies!!! - What are you like :-0)

never come across dear old Herbie...not sure from his christian name whether that's a good or bad thing!!! Did kevin Rowlands ever sing about him too Pete - can't let this go without a dexy's geno link

:-0)

Entered at Thu May 26 14:09:19 CEST 2011 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

I mentioned this a few months ago, Al. I was talking to a guy who sells a lot of soul at record fairs, and is also a soul DJ of decades experience. I was saying that Ain't Too Proud To Beg by The Temptations was one of the ultimate floor fillers. He disagreed and said it's the ultimate second song after the floor filler. The first has to have an intro that everybody recognizes, so they get to their feet, and have hit the dance floor by the time the vocal arrives. His examples were Reach Out I'll Be There and Uptight. Hard to fault his logic, and of course the conversation was punctuated by putting each of them on in turn.

Entered at Thu May 26 13:57:32 CEST 2011 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

Al, you should have asked. I have FOUR copies of this. I'm doing something on British record labels, and Beacon Records had four designs, reissuing Ain't Nothin' But A Houseparty on all four of them. It's rated at worth £15 with the first red swirly label, but in fact it's very common round here, and I've seen it at £2. That often happens, which makes me think that a lot of records were "regional hits" which we don't think about much in the UK. But you do find lots more heavy metal in the Midlands and Wales, a lot more reggae around London and Birmingham, and a high proportion of soul along the south coast seaside resorts because there were so many discos here in the mid to late 60s. I bought a stack of Trojan Records (for the Americans, Trojan is a British reggae label!) in Poole for about 50p each in very good condition … they'd be worth lots more in London. But as the guy in the shop said, there's zero demand for reggae in Dorset.

One you missed is Herbie Goins and The Nightimers … who used to alternate with Geno Washington in the clubs around here. I picked up the reissue CD of "No 1 in Your Heart" this week for £6 (new price). It's currently available and adds the singles too.

Both Geno Washington and Herbie Goins served in Britain in the USAF, and stayed when they finished. Both fronted very good soul bands and were major live draws here, being African-American soul singers in the mid to late 60s.

Entered at Thu May 26 13:35:52 CEST 2011 from (82.42.175.156)

Al Edge

Ha ha

Got too excited there pete. Posted my follow up post without posting the initial one. You've got my dancing juices flowing just simply mentioning the Temps. The Victoriana circa 1968 says it has to be the Temptations. The three big faves apart from the Temps

It Ain't nothing but a Houseparty - The showstoppers

Breaking Down The walls of heartache - Johnny johnson and the bandwagon

Geno Washington and the Ram Ram band.

Those two songs by Showstoppers and Johnny Johnson are hard to get over here. I had to send aay to the states to gert them for our Caz's wedding do. tell you what though Pete. It was worth the effort. Eyes lit up all over the show as soon as folks heard the opening notes. Feet twitching. Crazy moves onto the floor and aching calf muscles the following day to go with the hangovers.

Gonna dig them both out now.

:-0)

Entered at Thu May 26 13:22:54 CEST 2011 from (82.42.175.156)

Al Edge

Gotta be Temps Pete.

It Ain't Nothing But a HouseParty - the showstoppers

Best get the correct title

:-0)

Entered at Thu May 26 13:08:27 CEST 2011 from (134.174.21.2)

Tim

Subject: Robbie On Jimmy Fallon

Performing with the Roots Thursday June 9th

Entered at Thu May 26 12:55:05 CEST 2011 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

Entered at Thu May 26 12:51:38 CEST 2011 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

Subject: Inez and Charlie

I think Inez and Charlie Foxx win at the end of the day, but it is a "Sophie's Choice" dilemma, a bit like Otis v Aretha on "Respect." I've spent hours puzzling that one out. I have them next to each other on an in-car Playlist for moments when I want to check. I reckon if I was making a film about late 60s UK, I'd choose Aretha because it sums up discos of the era, but actually, on a desert island I'd take Otis. That makes me think about bands covering it live, a couple of years before Aretha did it.

Another one I often wonder about is "My Girl." Temptations or Otis?

The link goes to Inez and Charlie Foxx on Jaybirds, a record I bought the day it came out on Sue in the UK.

Entered at Thu May 26 12:32:16 CEST 2011 from (82.42.175.156)

Al Edge

Subject: Mind you...

...maybe not :-0)

Entered at Thu May 26 12:31:12 CEST 2011 from (82.42.175.156)

Al Edge

Subject: C'mon guys...

...surely there can only ever be one Mockingbird

Entered at Thu May 26 10:29:00 CEST 2011 from (41.97.150.250)

Empty Now

Subject: Guaglione - Part 3/3

enfin, a link where you have some chance to download the movie

Entered at Thu May 26 10:27:24 CEST 2011 from (41.97.150.250)

Empty Now

Subject: Guaglione - Part 2/3

the only available scene in youtube, not representative but featuring Mario Abbato (famous Napoletane singer)

Entered at Thu May 26 10:25:19 CEST 2011 from (41.97.150.250)

Empty Now

Subject: Guaglione - Part 1/3

I posted several times about this unequated movie from 1957, starring teenager Terrence Hill then called Mario Girotti the best lesson on songwriting. The film is a fictional story telling the genesis of the Napolitan song "Guaglione", internationally famous under the alternate title "Bambino" . as the true song was writen , the story is so well done, so credible, everything is beautiful in the movie, that iI finally recommand it as a must in academic teaching on songwriting. the problem with those old underrated movies is that they are only suggested, and always hard to find for who are interested (i had to split some of my threads in several posts beacause the number of necessary links), here's the original poster of the movie.

Entered at Thu May 26 08:46:27 CEST 2011 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

Nice picture. According to Geffen's biography, the set at Geffen's party was Happy Birthday (Cher), All I Really Want To Do (Dylan & Cher duet), then Mockingbird (Cher & Rick Danko duet), closing with Mr Tambourine Man.

Cher had done a hit single of All I Really Want To Do. It's one of the things where you wonder if there is a tape that will ever emerge. Cher and Rick on Mockingbird is the one I want to hear!

Entered at Thu May 26 04:16:12 CEST 2011 from (184.151.127.195)

Marge

Entered at Thu May 26 03:04:42 CEST 2011 from (96.30.174.20)

joe j

Been missing Steve's take on the playoffs. Getting so you can't get discussion on the important things in life.

No, I don't know why they put gravy on egg foo yung but it may be universal.

Entered at Wed May 25 23:40:59 CEST 2011 from (68.164.4.70)

Pat B

Scroll down to see Cher rocking with some fair accompaniment.

Entered at Wed May 25 23:40:03 CEST 2011 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

There's a prominent antique dealer in Greenwich called Robin B'stard Antiques, and when we asked it's said to be the real name. I doubt it. Funny though.

Entered at Wed May 25 23:16:32 CEST 2011 from (68.164.4.70)

Pat B

Sorry I didn't include this.

Entered at Wed May 25 23:14:54 CEST 2011 from (68.164.4.70)

Pat B

Entered at Wed May 25 22:49:08 CEST 2011 from (92.238.33.140)

Rob the Organ

Peter, it is amazing what mirth you can find in shop or pub names, isn't it? That great old chain of door brassware retailers called Knobs and Knockers was always a favourite, straight. The ropey pub at Hampton Court called the Cardinal Wolsey still lives on as the Woldinal Khazi. Phonetics trump spelling every time!

I think we saw Friar Tuck's in Christchurch - isn't it nearly opposite the posh bankrupt place? There was definitely a cheaper looking take away of some description that was shut. Ah! It must have been a chippy, then; for any Fish & Chip shop worth the name takes a weekday closed, usually a Monday.

Entered at Wed May 25 22:18:25 CEST 2011 from (131.137.35.83)

sadavid

Subject: (goodness, gracious) great Wheel's On Fire

Apologies if this is old news; Wolfgang's Vault has posted a Dylan / Band show from the 74 tour (Boston Garden) -- I haven't listened to any of the others yet, but check out the ferocious "This Wheel's On Fire." Prime. And the piano is in the mix.

Entered at Wed May 25 22:05:28 CEST 2011 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

RTO, though a shithole, the number of great 60s bands based in Gosport is extraordinary … Manfred Mann, The Classics and many others that I'll have to look up.

Entered at Wed May 25 21:59:49 CEST 2011 from (204.138.59.92)

Bill M

Entered at Wed May 25 21:58:36 CEST 2011 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

Entered at Wed May 25 21:40:18 CEST 2011 from (92.238.33.140)

Rob the Organ

You might be right about Hants. I recall once using Friar Tuck's near the ferry jetty at Gosport (the ferry that crosses over to Portsmouth and saves driving round the long way). Why would I be in Gosport, most wretched shithole that the south coast can muster? Short story: Grandparents (dad's side) did the classic no-no of retiring somewhere they'd had a nice holiday about sixty years before but never visited since. They gave up a Victorian semi on Shortlands Road, Kingston (two roads and about 5 mins walk if that from Richmond Park, Kingston Gate) and moved to Gosport, on the Lee-on-Solent side. Yes, I know, I know. Dad pleaded with them, but to no avail.

Friar Tuck's emporium did a nice battered sausage but the fish was unremarkable. There was one a little better on the seafront at Lee-on-Solent, but by then we'd hit upon the idea of grabbing our Fish suppers around Esher or Guildford and ragging the throttle of Dad's company Cortina sufficiently to get us to the other end with enough warmth still in the food that if Nan stuck a few plates in boiling water her end, we'd be okay!

Entered at Wed May 25 21:46:16 CEST 2011 from (70.28.32.74)

Landmark

Speaking of birthdays, I believe that yesterday was Steve's birthday. If Marge is lurking, perhaps she can verfiy this. We also were thinking about him over the long weekend. It was warm and sunny enough to put our clothes on, what Steve referred to, the "Linear Solar Powered Dryer".

Entered at Wed May 25 21:22:24 CEST 2011 from (75.34.43.200)

Adam2

I'm enjoying my birthday today, along with Bob Dylan the day before and Levon coming up tomorrow. Had a great BBQ dinner yesterday and enjoyed a good smoke and a wonderful listening session last night - Sonny Boy Williamson II, Lee Dorsey, Bobby Charles, Ry Cooder, Jerry Garcia & David Grisman, and Levon Helm. To me, there's nothing better than celebrating with a pile of great music on hand.

May 25 is also the day that Sonny Boy Williamson II died - 46 years ago today. Last night my buddy and I tried to evoke his ghost in the dimly lit jazz club style lighting of his basement hang out area, playing some prime early '50s Trumpet recordings. Pure, raw, authentic Delta country blues - it don't get no better than that!

Entered at Wed May 25 21:18:18 CEST 2011 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

Rob, Christchurch used to be in Hampshire. How would they know anything about fish and chips? Both award winners are in Poole, Dorset. I know the place you mean. Fish Works. Now bankrupt and replaced by a great little restaurant, Cheese 'n' Alfies (if you play in Christchurch again). Fish Works is the place that stuck me £60 for a whole turbot for two ("Market Fish of the day. Priced by weight,") Yes, sounds good until the bill arrives. Priced by the fucking gram. I'm not daft enough to order it. I had guests. They did. I had the flounder at £10 myself.

Entered at Wed May 25 21:06:53 CEST 2011 from (204.138.59.92)

Bill M

Entered at Wed May 25 20:58:58 CEST 2011 from (24.108.253.172)

westcoaster

Subject: And another thing!

As far as frozen fries goes. I couldn't see any difference between MacD'S, DQ, or A&W. However I couldn't even tell you how many years since I been in McD's or DQ. The thing about those fries is they are consistent and pretty much in any town the same.

Fresh potatoe fries depend on the potatoe, what oil is being used, how hot it is, how often it's changed. That will vary considerably to who is doing it. The other places are consistent so that any pimple faced idiot in high school can do it. (a good 10 wgt hydraulic oil is good:):):)

Even! flash frozen at sea fish can never compare with fresh fish. I don't give a rats ass what anyone says. It's not possible.

What I want to know is why! Chinese put gawd damn thick beef gravy on egg fo yong??? How in hell does that make any sense???

If I got to stop to ease hunger pains on the fly while travelling. Sub-Way...you get to choose a fresh right out of the oven desent whole wheat bun and watch the server wash their hands, put on plastic gloves right in front of you, and then choose what fresh cut veggies you would like in yer bun, and they taste pretty damn good.

These places of "fast food" in this day and age, has made me just like Jack Nicholson in "As Good As It Gets". In movies watching some little creep gob in some guys burger, just won't go away..............

Entered at Wed May 25 20:29:22 CEST 2011 from (92.238.33.140)

Rob the Organ

Bill M: Great playing on the Jericho instrumental, if a little "heavy" riff-tastic compared to the single sides. That's definitely a Hammond though; must have been Garth's Lowrey on the other stuff, and fine thought the organ player of the group is (very good indeed, in fact) I still say from difference in style and sound that Garth hissel' played the parts on the single.

Peter, if you are referring to the place in Christchurch that I once visited among your two cited award winning fish supper outlets, I still say that £75 for three lots of designer cod and chips plus a salad for a veggie mate is taking the F.P. a bit - awards and chipping machine or not!

Entered at Wed May 25 20:10:35 CEST 2011 from (204.138.59.92)

Bill M

sadavid: Hmmm. Disappointing for someone like me, who'd only known Yvonne for her JC Superstar work. Having read the notes, I now have a better sense of why she didn't know how to love him. Anyway, I wonder if Yvonne ever got together with Ian Matthews to compare notes on how much fun it is to turn an opposite-sex song into a same-sex song. Da-doo-ron-ron, eh?

Entered at Wed May 25 18:07:00 CEST 2011 from (131.137.35.83)

sadavid

Subject: Mary Magdalene and the Snake

I was impressed with what Raine Maida did with "The Moon Struck One" on _GHPACCOTB_ . . . this version is at least as impressive.
So is the accompanying critical exegesis, in a different way . . . .

Entered at Wed May 25 16:53:29 CEST 2011 from (204.138.59.92)

Bill M

Subject: Jericho

RtO: I'm glad you liked both sides of the Jericho 45. The only instrumental on their LP can be found at the link above. You're right about the piano on "Make It Better" sounding like Garth, and I suppose it could have been the great man himself, though I know the group's manager and have spoken numerous times to the guitarist, and neither's mentioned him. In any case, Jericho organist Gord Fleming, then with David Clayton Thomas and the Shays, was one of Garth's very few peers on the scene back in the day, Robbie King having been perhaps the only other. (For Landmark: Fourth and fifth places would go to Doug Riley, later of Dr Music and much more, and Terry Watkinson, much later of Max Webster fame and success.) I'd see the other leading lights of the '60s scene here - Richard Bell, Michael Fonfara, Jozef Chirowski, Peter Jermyn, et al - more as students of the masters. Jericho guitarist Fred Keeler, who'd been with Fleming in DCT and the Shays, was a self-confessed disciple of Robbie Robertson, and his work on DCT's several Canadian hits amply display just how good a student he was. His first recording, on DCT's first hit, "Boom Boom" from 1964, can be found at youtube.com/watch?v=YIcbWm_2lcI&NR=1. Fleming shows better on a '65 remake of that song, titled "Walk That Walk": youtube.com/watch?v=hX_GnUQoE6o.

When Ronnie Hawkins lost Levon and the Hawks, he hired Robbie Lane and the Disciples to be the new Hawks, and when they left en masse (except for new hire Bobby Starr, who stayed), Hawkins decided to pull together the best guys from other groups - including Sandy Konikoff on drums, Gord Fleming on organ, Jay Smith on vocals, Starr on guitar of course ... After that, Fleming joined John Hammond for a short while - just one LP that I know of, and I can't find it. Maybe the one before "Southern Fried".

Entered at Wed May 25 15:10:40 CEST 2011 from (131.137.35.83)

sadavid

Subject: a little respect, please

We're still mourning the very recent passing of one of the real McCains aka King French Fry.
These transplanted Irish had a eye for potatoes, and now produce one out of every three french fries consumed world wide.

Entered at Wed May 25 12:23:50 CEST 2011 from (41.97.133.214)

Empty Now

!!! MAJESTIC !!!

Entered at Wed May 25 12:07:57 CEST 2011 from (41.97.133.214)

Empty Now

Entered at Wed May 25 10:29:19 CEST 2011 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

Entered at Wed May 25 09:44:03 CEST 2011 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

The two award winning chip shops near us, both have large chipping machines in view. One lists the variety of potato used on a blackboard daily … some potatoes don't chip well. Restaurant reviews note frozen chips with some anger. I think every "Gastropub" in the country uses frozen.

Entered at Wed May 25 09:13:26 CEST 2011 from (166.205.140.212)

JQ

I was working at McDonalds in the 60s when the fries were prepared from scratch. It was a very busy (even cool then, '66/67) outlet and the production from spud to chip was constant, impressive & labor intensive. That was the fry that was one of the things that made McDonald's become famous. After a year or so there the big decision was made to switch to a frozen product and the result was: nobody noticed! There's a very popular place in So Cal called In N Out Burger - they still go from scratch, but the product is seen as ho-hum compared to McDs.

What's the story in England: fresh or frozen?

Entered at Wed May 25 08:32:33 CEST 2011 from (203.160.29.153)

Fred

Entered at Wed May 25 07:53:08 CEST 2011 from (198.36.218.33)

Jerry

Found this Bob vid and thought a few in here might get a chuckle over it...

Entered at Wed May 25 05:43:20 CEST 2011 from (74.101.157.90)

ARI S.

Entered at Wed May 25 00:16:09 CEST 2011 from (62.30.51.155)

Roger

Subject: Desert Island Archives

The link is to the BBC Desert Island Discs site. The BBC have archived all programmes and it's possible to search to see who has chosen what. Endless fun. I can only find two 'castaways' who chose The Band - Fluck and Law (Please Mrs Henry) and Emmy-Lou Harris (Up On Cripple Creek). It's possible to click on an artist to find when they were recently played on the BBC. The Band have been played twice in the last 7 days... The BBC lists the times it has played The Band at this address:

The Bandhttp://www.bbc.co.uk/music/artists/8c90ad8c-9150-4c51-a1eb-342232e99d06

Entered at Tue May 24 22:17:39 CEST 2011 from (204.138.59.92)

Bill M

Dunc: Always glad to help. Your completicism mightn't extend this far, but the worthy "Borrowed Tunes: a tribute to Neil Young" has Stephen Fearing delivering "Thrasher", Tom Wilson covering "Fuckin' Up" (as leader of Junkhouse) and Colin Linden (with Bell, Dymond and Craig) doing "Tonight's The Night". Rick Danko provides background vocals on the Linden number and the Linden-produced version of "Helpless" by Lori Yates. I got my copy a couple of years ago at Sonic Boom at Bloor and Bathurst; I believe you squandered some of the family's lunch money there.

Entered at Tue May 24 22:13:20 CEST 2011 from (24.108.253.172)

westcoaster

Subject: IT'S NOT SURPRISING!!!!

Yeah......the world's economy is gone to shit! All you guys ever do is sit around playing on a gawd damn computer ALL GAWD DAMN DAY!......Bunch a gawd damn hoodlums......

I thought I had a bit of spare time this morning after my daughter & grand daughter left. I end up over rototilling the old lady next door's garden patch for her. No.....before you even think it Bill, I ain't "cuttin' some other guy's grass." She's an old retired school marm and has beautiful gardens...she can't handle her roto tiller so I help her out.

Probably no one else saw this, at the last Vancouver Canucks - Son Jose Sharks, Neil young was in the crowd watching the game in San Jose. So now on the sports news they are showing some heavy hits of the game, and the camera keeps flashing to Neil Young while some band I don't know is singing this funky version..........

Oh man take a look at my life I'm a lot like you.....awright I'm goin'.......it was funny anyway..............NOW GET SOMETHIN' DONE!!!!

Entered at Tue May 24 21:58:30 CEST 2011 from (86.143.61.240)

Dunc

Subject: Blonde on Blonde

Listened to the making of Blonde on Blonde on Radio 2 and revisited the notes Peter gave me. Many thanks. What did I get out it? A greater appreciation of the musicianship. Joe South talking about how difficullt some of the guitar playing of the other guitarist was, Mike Bloomfield talking about the wonderful piano playing - listen to some tracks and focus only on the piano playing and an appreciation of the drumming.

Got John Martyn's posthumous album - contributions from Garth and Jim Weider.

Bill M. Lokking forward to the new BARK album. Thanks. I'm a completist! You and Steve got me into them.

Entered at Tue May 24 21:52:25 CEST 2011 from (41.97.189.32)

Empty Now

monument of gastronomy cinema : Louis De Funès in "The Wing and the Thigh"

- where is the toilet ?
- follow the flies

Entered at Tue May 24 20:41:58 CEST 2011 from (63.88.115.195)

Carmen G

Subject: Tin Angel

Brian S - I was also at that show with my wife. We sat right in front of the stage. I remember talking to someone who had pictures of Rick singing at his wedding. I could not believe it. This guy invited Rick and he showed up and sang at his wedding. What other Rock and Roll Hall of Famer is doing this? Enough said about how nice of a person he was.

Entered at Tue May 24 20:21:01 CEST 2011 from (156.47.15.10)

David P

Entered at Tue May 24 20:19:50 CEST 2011 from (204.138.59.92)

Bill M

sadavid: Thanks for the additional detail. Nice to see Mary Margaret O'Hara's name among the duetistes. Listening, coincidentally, to her "Miss America" album this morning, I got to wondering if Adam2 has gotten past listening to just Garth on Garth's recent tribute album, in which case he may have noticed how outstanding Mary Margaret's contribution was. I'd say that she walked away with "Out Of The Blue" (not that the competition with the original vocal was exactly ferocious) and, to move along to another artist, that the Road Hammers bested our guys' original "Yazoo Street Scandal".

Entered at Tue May 24 20:07:13 CEST 2011 from (204.138.59.92)

Bill M

Entered at Tue May 24 20:00:09 CEST 2011 from (131.137.35.83)

sadavid

Subject: for RTO

Reading your paean to the capercaillie brought this to mind . . . .

Entered at Tue May 24 19:38:59 CEST 2011 from (131.137.35.83)

sadavid

It's all there in your link, Bill, looks tasty:

1. If I Can’t Have You • Lucinda Williams
2. Another Free Woman • Sara Watkins
3. Got You Covered • Rosanne Cash
4. I’m Still Loving You • Amy Helm
5. Golden Sorrows • Cassandra Wilson
6. Shelter Me Lord • Patti Scialfa
7. My Town Has Moved Away • Pam Tillis
8. How Come You Treat Me So Bad • Janiva Magness
9. Step Away • Emmylou Harris
10. Heart A Mine • Mary Margaret O’Hara
11. Brave • Holly Cole
12. Made Of Love • Exene Cervenka
13. Love Lay Me Down • Sam Phillips
14. Black Sheep • Serena Ryder

Entered at Tue May 24 19:29:18 CEST 2011 from (204.138.59.92)

Bill M

Here's a link to a track from the upcoming (June 14) album by Blackie and the Rodeo Kings - mostly a series of duets with female singers from a range of styles. Aside from this one (Stephen Fearing and Sara Watkins), the only one I recall offhand from the cover story in the current issue of "Penguin Eggs" magazine, is Emmylou Harris. I do remember the article saying that Fearing first met Colin Linden when Fearing was chosen to be Bruce Cockburn's opening act on his "Nothing But A Burning Light" tour. Cockburn's band at the time (Linden, Richard Bell, John Dymond, Gary Craig) later went off as the Colin Linden Band, which doubled as the BARK band with the addition of Fearing and Tom Wilson.

Entered at Tue May 24 19:17:01 CEST 2011 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

Subject: John Cale review

My notes on John Cale last night are linked.

Entered at Tue May 24 18:51:53 CEST 2011 from (156.47.15.10)

David P

Bill M: It can also be said that a pattern of bitter/accusatory songs were directed at critics, fans and soon-to-be former managers.

Entered at Tue May 24 18:41:32 CEST 2011 from (131.137.35.83)

sadavid

Bill M: I also feel the TWOF link to Fanny, but I don't hear a failed romance. The stronger link for me is with "Nothing Was Delivered" - again, promises were made but not kept, and the protagonist shows up to remind the promise-maker about the consequences (you thought you could get away, but you knew that we should meet again . . . .). Like all the best villains ("No, Mr. Bond, I expect you to die.") Bob delivers his threats with perfect courtesy (" . . . if your memory serves you well . . . ").

I see him unpacking all his things . . . pliers . . . fish-hooks, maybe a blow-torch . . . . There is a bit of a disconnect with the chorus, to me it only makes sense as an expression of "I'm all in on this, I don't really expect to get out alive either, and I have nothing to lose."

Entered at Tue May 24 17:25:13 CEST 2011 from (204.138.59.92)

Bill M

Peter V: I don't care for the Trinity's TWOF either, but I'll still buy your book of rock critiques, even if Nick has shut the door to the possibility. What I do love, and prefer to the original, is their "Season Of The Witch", which to me is much more menacing that their TWOF. And I'll note that Julie and Rod backing Baldry on Steampacket's desperate version of "Don't Do It" mops the floor with any other version I've heard.

I grew up calling fries chips, and still think of them that way. I even order them that way, generally speaking, and have seldom been surprised by a side of the crispy critters that I also call chips. When I lived in England (5 or 6 months), the only time I recall having a problem being understood is when I walked into a thrift shop and asked if they had any scarves. At least a half-dozen repeats and descriptions later, the clerk said, "Oh, skovz!" What made it worse was that the answer was still no, and it was getting so cold I'd've accepted pink. With Americans the only problem has been when I've had to spell something with a Zed in it. "Huh, is that like a Zee?" is the best to be hoped for.

Chips/fries really should be eaten with vinegar, ideally apple cider or malt, but that inclination caused me my best example of culinary dissonance. I managed to succesfully order them in Tennessee in '74, and when the plate arrived I asked if they had any vinegar. "What do you vinegar for?" was the first response. "You're going to put vinegar on those?" was the second, asked with a tone that suggested I had a third eye in the middle of my forehead. Then the helpful clerk spotted a little paper cup of bread-and-butter pickles and a light went on; he pulled the pickles out with his fingers and handed it to me, saying "There's some vinegar in here; you want this?"

Entered at Tue May 24 16:52:38 CEST 2011 from (46.116.0.120)

Kaura

Subject: nice website

nice website go band Kaura@india4lovers.in

Entered at Tue May 24 16:45:06 CEST 2011 from (41.97.189.32)

Empty Now

Entered at Tue May 24 16:41:37 CEST 2011 from (41.97.189.32)

Empty Now

the dominant mood of the GB lately awkened a homesickness mild crisis, that i shyly echoed through my last links, and that topped at the sight of the how suggestve picture

a thoughtless act of the novice globetrotter is not to measure the adverse implications of not always having the grace to carry a cone of chips wherever he might be

correction of my last post, more exactly : old people have more abilty to be somewhere

that's what doctors say

Entered at Tue May 24 15:51:28 CEST 2011 from (156.47.15.10)

David P

The Byrds recorded two versions of "This Wheel's On Fire" on December 4, 1968. The first take featured Clarence White's string-bender Fender Tele up front in the mix sputtering out clean tone chicken-pickin' licks. This out-take later appeared as a bonus cut on the 1997 CD reissue of "Dr. Byrds and Mr. Hyde".

The second take, which was chosen for inclusion on the original album, is played at a slower pace and Mr. White's Tele switches to a fuzz-tone drone, giving the song a more ominous feel. Explosive synthesizer effects are added at the end to further the darker tone as the song fades out, ringing in the listener's ears.

The Byrds at the time were cultivating a "space cowboy" image, juggling between cowboy hats and Apollo space mission helmets. In choosing the second take of "This Wheel's On Fire", the group, at the urging of producer Bob Johnston, decided to open the album with a decidedly spacier feel. On the album's second cut, they switched back to a country sound with "Old Blue", and the rest of the record continued to alternate between the darker space tones and the brighter country sounds. Following on the boot heels of "Sweetheart of the Rodeo" and the departures of Gram Parsons and Chris Hillman, perhaps Roger McGuinn, along with producer Bob Johnston, were seeking to a return to a broader variety of sounds with the new lineup.

As an afterthought, I've always wondered if Dylan drew inspiration for "This Wheel's On Fire" from the motorcycle incident that supposedly altered the course of his career at the time.

Entered at Tue May 24 14:39:36 CEST 2011 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

Entered at Tue May 24 14:33:36 CEST 2011 from (71.62.70.35)

Charlie Y

Subject: Dylan's 70th

The link is to the official 1980s video for Bob Dylan's "Jokerman." It's amazingly fresh and timeless though produced at the height of the MTV video assembly-line. Rather than use trendy effects, scantily-clad women or whatever was hot back then, the video lined up lots of classic art along with some shots of Bob lip-syncing the song. A minor moment in an amazing career but it says a lot about him.

TIME magazine had a Dylan timeline in their last issue but somehow managed to leave out The Band entirely. Once a cover story, now forgotten. I should cancel my subscription...

Entered at Tue May 24 14:20:18 CEST 2011 from (216.114.128.38)

Mike & Kim Hayward

Happy b'days to Chris Bergson & Bob Dylan!

Entered at Tue May 24 12:54:00 CEST 2011 from (82.42.175.156)

Al Edge

You been gorging yourself on French fries, Empty?

Naughty, naughty

:-0)

Entered at Tue May 24 12:48:08 CEST 2011 from (82.42.175.156)

Al Edge

Subject: I am the gateman, we are the gatemen, I am the wall rust

I hear Bob made these too in a beautiful sepia colour.

Band connection - Brown album cover

:-0)

Entered at Tue May 24 12:15:08 CEST 2011 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

If his metalwork's like his voice, it'll be creaky and rusty. It set me thinking. Is this a side gate? Or a double gate across a car entrance? Is it a magnificent 12 footer like those around Hyde Park in London? Or is it on a more modest scale? The world needs to know.

Entered at Tue May 24 11:45:33 CEST 2011 from (203.160.29.153)

Fred

I mean a lot of famous people do this, that and stuff in between, but sometimes you just want them to stick to their primary day job.

Entered at Tue May 24 10:37:58 CEST 2011 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

Just read Uncut over breakfast with an interview with Dave Stewart, who seems terrifyingly busy and involved in multiple projects. I felt tired reading it, thinking about utility bills lying on my desk unopened for the last week, or that I've been meaning to water the garden for three days. And wash my car for a month. Mind you, he can pay people to do all that stuff.

So then he gets round to his house in Jamaica and how he wanted a metal gate. So … he called Bob Dylan to design him one. Apparently Bob, between songwriting, performing, recording, DJ-ing, painting and writing books, is fond of metal welding, and does the odd sculptural creation. So Bob did his gates. I wonder if he'd come over and paint us a mural? Free board and lodging.

It did make me think that people who have achieved as much as Bob (and been married an unknown number of times too) must have superhuman energy levels.

Entered at Tue May 24 09:35:21 CEST 2011 from (41.97.189.32)

Empty Now

Subject: Norbert / on homesickness

Thanks Norbert for the echo, as everybody knows, Kant plays midfield in the Monty Python match

There’s a wonderful movie I don’t remember anything but the plot, a family from Bosnia paid all their economies to a network of clandestine immigration. followed a hazardous odyssey through Italia, the Mediterranean, the Atlantic, landing in some country of Central America, then Mexico, a young member of the family is shot at the traversal of the Rio Grande by the Border guards. All in clandestine and dangers, finally they reached New York where they contact a relative immigrant who holds a restaurant in the 3rd Avenue. It was almost the end of the movie. Most of the family members showed enthusiasm to finally live in America, excepted the old grandmother and matriarch who authoritatively expressed her need to be surrounded by a backyard of hens and cocks as she always lived. After several failed attempts to set a hens backyard in the 3rd Avenue, the whole family was ordered by the grandmother to demand right now the official process with the consulate to be repatriated in Bosnia

Talking of Odyssey, according to some serious sources, Ulysses is the first famous homesick man in History, and Homer’s Odyssey is all about homesickness.

An other anecdote worth telling in the present post is reported by Chateaubriand by the 17th century when the French possessed Louisiana (that means the major part of today’s USA). A First-Nation Grand-Chief who was called Chicago was invited for diplomatic reasons to live in Paris for several months. After a few days life in the Parisian fast lane, he showed serious signs of sorrow : pemicam was as hard to conceive in Paris in the mid 17th century, as hens in the 3rd Avenue and Millennium.

And according to a serious medical document I read aftermath, they say that young people are generally more easily subject to homesickness, old people have more adaptability to be somewhere.

Al Edge you should not have linked that picture in your post Entered at Sun May 22 09:33:43 CEST 2011

Entered at Tue May 24 03:59:14 CEST 2011 from (50.72.227.167)

sadavid

Subject: Garth Hudson speaks!

switched on the radio Saturday evening just in time to hear the closing bars of "Chest Fever" and the news that I'd missed Holger Petersen's _Saturday Night Blues_ interview with Garth.

By the miracle of the interwebs, you can hear same at [My link] -- if you have enough patience with the execrable "CBC Player." The interview's from about 33:00 to 40:00 of the episode. Mostly a promo for _Garth Hudson Presents A Canadian Celebration of The Band_, and no earth-shaking revelations, but about the most relaxed GH interview I've heard . . . .

Entered at Tue May 24 01:41:28 CEST 2011 from (24.218.200.216)

Tim

Subject: Ramble at the Ryman

Just ran on my local PBS station. Caught the end and it re-ran again overnight so I Tivo'ed and will catch tonight.

Entered at Tue May 24 01:05:32 CEST 2011 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

Entered at Mon May 23 23:58:40 CEST 2011 from (166.205.140.7)

JQ

He was on NPR's Fresh Air today. Very funny; he's an excellent impersonator and seems a genuinely nice guy. The high-point for me was his Dylan doing the theme song to Charles In Charge - check it out at that site.

Entered at Mon May 23 23:12:04 CEST 2011 from (67.250.113.92)

Lars

Subject: Overlook Mt

OMAR- Pretty cute. Either you were in that band with us or you are someone I know very well, because not many people know about that Larry Packer quote.

Pack was right. We had a number of talented musicians in O.M. (it just hit me who you are) and they played with Levon at times, but nobody wanted to piss off "the Boss" so we kept a low profile. It was heaven for a "wannabee" like myself. I remember doing a show in Montgomery and we used 8 or 9 (I forget) people to do "Acadian Driftwood." Sredni kept saying that he and Rick did it with just the two of them.

Entered at Mon May 23 22:33:57 CEST 2011 from (79.202.163.181)

Norbert

Omar, welcome and thanks for posting that great song.

Entered at Mon May 23 21:57:51 CEST 2011 from (79.202.185.155)

Norbert

Empty, thanks for mentioning Emanuel Kant, he turned on the light and opened the door.....

If you google "The purpose of philosophy" by Isaiah Berlin, that’s an interesting (long) read. Something like: there is no answer, but our search tells us who we are. He needs more words and says it this way;

“[31] Philosophy, then, is not an empirical study: not the critical examination of what exists or has existed or will exist - this is dealt with by common-sense knowledge and belief, and the methods of the natural sciences. Nor is it a kind of formal deduction, as mathematics or logic is. Its subject-matter is to a large degree not the items of experience, but the ways in which they are viewed, the permanent or semi-permanent categories in terms of which experience is conceived and classified. Purpose versus mechanical causality; organism versus mere amalgams; systems versus mere togetherness; spatiotemporal order versus timeless being; duty versus appetite; value versus fact - these are categories, models, spectacles. Some of these are as old as human experience itself; others are more transient. With the more transient, the philosopher's problems take on a more dynamic and historical aspect. Different models and frameworks, with their attendant obscurities and difficulties, arise at different times. The case of contemporary problems in the explanatory framework of physics, already mentioned, is one example of this. But there are other examples, which affect the thought not just of physicists or other specialists, but of reflective men in general.”

Anyway that's my instant philosophy for today (great, philosophy is like socker, I'm an experts too :-).

Entered at Mon May 23 21:37:32 CEST 2011 from (173.166.25.105)

Omar

Subject: Overlook Mountain

"Overlook Mountain" was a bunch of friends who only played a few shows in the lower Ulster County area in the late 1990s.. Three of the musicians were involved with Levon Helm and didn't want their names advertised or their pictures taken. The group didn't have a name until the last show in 2001, but there the show's bootlegs began showing up and nobody knew what to call them. "Overlook Mountain" was used. It was confusing because they used different guitar players and various bass players and two different drummers. One of the people who played throughout the short lifespan of Overlook Mt. was fiddler Larry Packer and he reportedly said, "Overlook Mt. is whoever shows up." http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wFpPow7Pi9I

Entered at Mon May 23 20:27:51 CEST 2011 from (74.108.27.233)

Joan

I do like This Wheels On Fire. but I like the live version more than MFBP I like the break that was added to the live version.

Entered at Mon May 23 19:36:21 CEST 2011 from (67.84.207.113)

Brien Sz

Entered at Mon May 23 19:33:34 CEST 2011 from (217.44.154.224)

Simon

Al - Thanks. Loved her version of Viva Las Vegas. Regarding Breaking Bad ... one of my mates has been raving about it, basically saying Just get the first two seasons, you'll love it. It's on my 'to buy' list so it's something to look forward to.

As chance would have it I'm currently giving the Sopranos a rewatch and just finished season 4 last night. The final episode "Whitecaps" up there with the best of them. The female shylock character in season 5 was said to have been David Chase's response to a female critic who panned season 4 for not having enough whacking and violence. Chase is supposed to have made the Lorraine Calluzzo character a 'ringer' for said critic. Someone else said there has never been a piece of pop culture that has been so misunderstood by such a substantial part of its audience and that Chase should be applauded for never giving in to that group and holding a mirror up to them throughout the whole run and, most pointedly, in the final episode. I suppose you could argue that season 5 was a slight concession to the "Less yakkin', more whackin'" brigade. I don't know why so many people dismiss seasons 6a and 6b in their entirety. I also don't understand the criticism the last season of The Wire receives.

I think all the shows you mentioned are incredible. The 'long haul' novelistic aspect of them is really something special.

Entered at Mon May 23 18:58:16 CEST 2011 from (75.34.43.200)

Adam2

Live At Dylan's Cafe 1987 is the very best of the bunch, in my opinion. You have Rick in a wonderfully relaxed and laid back mood, yet energetic and sharp in his performance. Great song selection with some nice rarities - Mystery Train and When You Awake are true gems, among the many others. The "Dylan's Cafe/bookstore" setting brought out the best in his solo performance. This one is a great late night album, or early morning, because it's so relaxed and comforting. It's a great companion to Live On Breeze Hill, the wonderful full band performance recorded about 10 years later.

Rick's solo performances from the 1990s seem to interest me less. While the 1987 set captures him in great form, nice sounding voice and playing, he seemed to struggle in the '90s (the late '90s specifically). I'll give Tin Angel 1999 another listen, but I check out the samples and heard a lot of what I'm not into with solo Rick - the drastically different/sometimes odd phrasing, the worn out/off the cuff versions. It seems like 1987's set was the one worth preserving more. Am I alone in my disappointment with late '90s solo acoustic Rick? I'll give it another listen. But I love Live On Breeze Hill, where his singing is relaxed and focused, and he has the benefit of having a band supporting him. That album is great.

Entered at Mon May 23 16:52:11 CEST 2011 from (41.97.131.100)

Empty Now

Subject: Dalida - Gigi l'Amoroso

greatly spirited song about... ...about what every listener will to understand. Dalida performed it in more than 7 languages, without any sensible artifact ever alterated the original. here is linked the English version,

Maybe someday you'll come
To the village I'm from
Right by the bay of beautiful Napoli
Where each Saturday night
As the vino takes flight
We sing and dance and love of life is free
Giorgio plays the guitar
Sandro the mandolin
And me I dance and bang on the tambourine
But when Gigi appears
The hurrahs and the cheers
Come from the crowd as he begins to sing
And in between each song
They shout and sing out strong

Weeee looove youuuu Gigi l'Amoroso
The greatest Italian lover since man discovered fire
Gigi l'Amoroso If you only knew what you make us do
With your songs of desire
For each and every one his favourite song
Volare, Come Prima, Ö Sole Mio

[spoken]

Everyone loved Gigi,
the baker's wife would leave her shop just to hear him sing,
the notary's wife who was a saint blessed him and made the sign of the cross every time he opened his mouth,
and the widow, the young one, tore her wigs to shreds and put on fancy lace,
and on and on, everyone loved Gigi, even me, even me, but…

Came a lady one day
Rich as all USA
Who told him Hollywood wasn't very far
Oh ! he liked what he heard
And believed every word
Like Valentino he'd become a star
We were all at the boat
With a lump in our throat
To wish him well and show him how much we cared
Everyone in the crowd were all openly proud
He'd made it now beyond the village square

And when he said Goodbye
We all began to cry
Weeee looove youuuu Gigi l'Amoroso….
Arrivederci, Gigi, much success
The tears you see are tears of happiness

[spoken]

Gigi... We stayed 'till the boat was out of sight
and we all returned to the village, but,
it wasn't the same after he left
Everything seemed different
the baker's wife refused to light the oven
the notary's wife, wouldn't even talk to her husband
she just kept counting her beads
and the widow, the young one, cried and went into mourning for a second time
And me...

Many days have gone by
Oh the years how they fly
The fountain even cried we all missed him so
Not a word, not a sign
My heart measured the time
Oh Gigi, Gigi why did you have to go ?
Our performance went on
But the spirit was gone
Each song we sang was only a memory
At the end of our show
As the silence would grow
Each night I'd hear his haunting melody

[spoken] If you only knew
What you make us do
With your songs of desire
Gigi... Gigi !?
Is that you in the shadow?
It is you Gigi
come closer!
Oh let me look at you
You are crying ? But why are you crying ?
Ah ! l'American !
Now I understand
what do they know except Rock and Roll and "Baby, Baby, Baby"
That's not for you, you are Giuseppe, Fabrizio, Luca Santini
and you are Napoletano !
Listen Gigi, listen... that's Giorgio playing
and that, that's Sandro's mandolin
wait, Gigi, wait !
I'll get my tambourine
wait, you can't leave like that !
This is your home!
Listen... you hear them Gigi ?
The whole town is coming !
They want you to sing Gigi !
To sing for them
They love you Gigi, everybody loves you
Sing Gigi ! Canta ! Bravo !!! Bravo !
Carmella, Carmella Carmella lo sai che é arrivato Gigi Cesarina,
Cesarina scendi è arrivato Gigi da Hollywood ! Ma se te lo dico io che é arrivato scendi no
Guaglione, guaglione guaglione corri va a dire a zio Gennaro Che é arrivato lo zio
Gigi dall'America Bravo !
To each and everyone his favourite song
Volare, Come Prima, Ô Sole Mio
Weeee looove youuuu Gigi l'Amoroso…….

Entered at Mon May 23 16:38:59 CEST 2011 from (156.47.15.10)

David P

The L.A. based country-rock group Stone Country, fronted by Steve Young, released their lone, self-titled RCA LP in March 1968. They released a single of "This Wheel's On Fire" b/w "Million Dollar Bash" prior to the album.

Entered at Mon May 23 15:33:00 CEST 2011 from (59.101.56.120)

Dlew919

Subject: 70 reasons to celebrate Dylan

No. 11 should be no. 1, but perhaps it's a pascal's triangle type of thing ...

Entered at Mon May 23 14:07:36 CEST 2011 from (82.42.175.156)

Al Edge

I know what you mean Bri there is often an uneven quality running through these series. It's like the equivalent of "filler" on an album - Band connection no filler on the brown album. ☺

With the likes of The Sopranos or the Wire or Deadwood I can sort of overlook a flat storyline or the dramatic downturns since so many of the characters such as say Tony, Carmilla, Paulie walnuts, Silvio in the Sopranos or Jimmy, Bunk, Herc, Omar, Clay in the Wire or Al, Al, Al Al, Al, Al and EB Farnum in Deadwood were simply such compulsive viewing to make the shows unmissable for me.

I'm finding it the same with Breaking Bad. It's just so brilliantly character driven that there simply haven't been any flat spots as far as I can see.

Entered at Mon May 23 13:32:06 CEST 2011 from (67.84.207.113)

Brien Sz

Entered at Mon May 23 11:52:07 CEST 2011 from (82.42.175.156)

Al Edge

Should also add that there's also enough genuinely laugh out loud dark humour derived from the characterization in that first season that at times I couldn't make up my mind if I was meant to be watching a drama or comedy series.

Entered at Mon May 23 11:46:16 CEST 2011 from (82.42.175.156)

Al Edge

Just remembered your post re Shawn Colvin's Viva las vegas. I will get back on it but it is just so good, so different, so delicious it calls for proper considered thought when posting anything on it.

In meantime I have to post that we're currently watching DVD of Breaking Bad after having it recommended to us.

I cannot recommend it highly enough. It does for tv drama what The Band did for music. Delightful exquisite subtlety - fused with the kick of a demented mule.

The storyline is so far off the wall it defies gravity, so bizzarre yet somehow at the same time so completely believable the way it evolves.

The writing, characterization and the acting that brings those two essential ingredients for great television to life is simply as fine and as rivetting and compelling as you could ever wish for.

I'd have no hesitation in bracketing it alongside Sopranos, The Wire and Deadwood as an all time television high based on those criteria.

So far we've watched the entire first season [Only £7 on Amazon] and 4 episodes of the second season. Truly outstanding tv.

Thought I'd share.

Question for PV - why is American TV drama such as those I've cited so feckin amazingly amazing?

Entered at Mon May 23 10:32:28 CEST 2011 from (122.59.251.42)

Rod

This has always been one of my favourite Band tunes. Maybe not in my top 10 but close. It always worked well live - especially in the Syrian Mosque video. Like Strawberry Wine it was weird that the 80's and 90's Band never did it. Perhaps it was a little too demanding?

Entered at Mon May 23 10:07:40 CEST 2011 from (41.97.131.100)

Empty Now

Subject: sedentary v/s rolling stones

German philosopher Immanuel Kant, besides being recognized as the most powerful thinker of all times, is well known for having spent his whole life in his birth town, Königsberg in Prussia, today in Russia. He never moved a mile all along a 80 years life, he's the proof that cleverness doesn’t need travels to grow. He also held a strictly regular way of life "neighbors would set their clocks by his daily walks". From the same biography, I learnt that he's the 3rd generation son of an immigrant family from Scotland whose name is spelled Cant. over the years I noticed the awesome number of very high level elite from Scotland who milestoned the Human civilization and progress.

In the link above, a moving nice song of Pierre Bachelet, "Des Nouvelles de Vous" (news from you) of which the translation

I put my life in my suitcase
Here it's small elsewhere the world is great
I took a few pennies, a few shirts
Some pictures of friends and relatives

We got a feast of the Cafe de l'Eglise
And I took the plane with hope in stomach
Troubled of so many farewells and white wine

Here in the West of Australia
The land is red, people get bored the evening
They drink to fall beer or whiskey
Me, I have memories in my memory

I remember like in a slow motion movie
This girl from my homeland
And her eyes filled with stars
The day I left

The past months make the years
And promises fade with time
You got married and by regret I did the same
And I even have a child

There are times when I want to speak French
To see the motherland again, to drink white wine
And to meet you, just one more time

Entered at Mon May 23 09:10:10 CEST 2011 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

Don’t feed the trolls when they return, but in the interest of sensible discussion rather than “X is shite”, this is what I said:

QUOTE: “This Wheel's On Fire? I keep saying the 90s Band were mad not to feature it. BUT, I prefer the Julie Driscoll version. I know, I know... it's just that her icy voice nailed the song and defined it for me. I do know when I first heard the album, I thought her version better. When I finished with MFBP, I had to pull off the road to find her version on my iPod. I still prefer Julie's chilling voice, taking the temperature down on a warm day.” END QUOTE

Is her version a cover? Technically, it is the “original released version.” At the point they recorded it, they would only have heard the acetate of demos for other artists, by Dylan and The Hawks. Their version came out in April, several months before The Band’s version. The Byrds apparently took theirs from the acetate demos too. My point is that it was the iconic sound of summer 68, and that as so often, the first one you heard sticks. It was on Giogio Gomelsky’s short-lived Marmalade record label, far more psych in design appearance than the North American ATCO disc.

I also once met Brian Auger, and agree with RTO. An immediately very nice guy. BTW, seek out Road to Cairo and Season of The Witch. Julie Driscoll had style.

Entered at Mon May 23 08:23:05 CEST 2011 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

Adam, there's this thing called Google search. You put in "Floating World Records" and it floats right up as the first three entries. I've linked it for you. They have a lot of archive stuff. Voiceprint has released a lot of live albums and issued hard-to-find albums. I was puzzled by how they suddenly got so many, but they are a legit and well-known UK label.

There used to be different laws in Italy and Luxembourg where you couldn't copyright a live show, so that many live shows such as the Band's "Live in Washinton (sic) DC 1976" appeared legally on Italian labels. The labels said they had paid a royalty into a bank in La Spezia as required under Italian law. A friend who was also bootlegged in Italy discovered a small royalty had been deposited, but the small bank was charging way more than the amount to transfer it. However, Italy & Luxembourg were made to harmonize with European Community copyright at least ten years ago.

But Floating World are UK based, so subject to UK copyright law, so no exception is made for live albums. It would seem that someone with legal title has signed a piece of paper. As I said a few weeks ago, I've been having DVDs replicated here, and the replication house has to see copies of the original contracts giving you title to replicate. There are no doubt dodgy replicators around, but a reigstered legal company wouldn't use them.

On the other hand a lot of archive stuff is appearing here from pre-1961 as copyright has expired after 50 years (75 in North America). So you can expect to see all sorts of early stuff on European labels, mostly taken off other CDs. It's a bad thing in my view, because it's instantly removed the impetus for labels to remaster this early stuff with care, that is unless they can find an angle for copyrighting it anew, but that would mean adding stuff. Cliff Richard even loaned Tony Blair a free holiday home in an attempt to get Britain in line with the USA on this, but failed. He took the holiday but didn't deliver the legislation.

Entered at Mon May 23 07:29:18 CEST 2011 from (75.34.43.200)

Adam2

I've always been skeptical about the nature of the Rick Danko live releases that have been coming out. Are they legitimate or not? If you look, every release so far has been a commonly circulated SBD bootleg. O'Toole's Tavern 1985, Dylan's Cafe 1987. And now Danko/Manuel/Butterfield - Lone Star Cafe 1984 and Tin Angel 1999. All of those are commonly circulated SBD bootlegs. In the case of the Danko/Manuel/Butterfield 1984, the best circulating copy is from Jerry Moore (famous taper)'s SBD tape.

So the question is: are these releases simply taking existing bootlegs and releasing them? It would seem so. I highly doubt Floating World has the actual tapes for any of those shows, or that the sound quality on Lone Star 1984 would better the Jerry Moore copy. Can a company simply release existing bootlegs officially? What is legitimate about that?

And of course the big question would be whether or not Rick's family gets any royalties from these. RTO, I believe you mentioned that a friend of yours released material from Floating World. Maybe you could get an email address for someone at the Floating World label, and we can find out for ourselves? I'd be glad to write the email.

Entered at Mon May 23 04:14:04 CEST 2011 from (92.238.33.140)

Rob the Organ

Subject: Nick

Nick, if you are into Joan's TNTDODD as much as I (ie if you threw a pile of records to safety out of a burning house and found it, you'd toss it back inside like a frisbee to burn once you were safe outside) you'll most likely have a chuckle at this version of Brewer & Shipley's "One Toke Over The Line" performed on the Lawrence Welk show. Never shown over here in the UK, I gather from others that this was a safer-than-safe, wholesome god-fearing show. WTF then? How did this slip through the knot? My guess is the "Sweet Jesus" and "Mary" references in the lyrics as the guy singing doesn't look like he can spell toke let alone tell you what it means. Advice: take a pee before you watch it just in case!!!! Enjoy Nick. Rob

Entered at Mon May 23 03:04:18 CEST 2011 from (67.52.86.89)

Nick

That Julie Driscoll version is pretty bad. Straight up shite compared to The Band. Sounds like a cheap showbiz song compared to The Band. Over the top vocals cause it 68 is no excuse either. That's why it doesn't hold up and The Band's music is timeless. Who cares if it made money for the writers? Except the writers. It ain't going on my player! Ever. Joan Baez made a huge hit out of Dixie and The Band alot of money from it too probably. So what? she still murdered the song. All that said, everyone is entitled to their opinion but I would refrain putting in print that Julie Driscoll's version of this Wheels on Fire is better than The Band's if you want to be taken seriously as a critic. You're going to get called on that one! Thanks

Entered at Mon May 23 01:21:35 CEST 2011 from (75.34.62.234)

Adam2

My opinion here always seems to be that the "classic OQ" (1968-1972) could (mostly) do no wrong, and today is no exception. My first opinion of This Wheel's On Fire long ago was mild dislike/disinterest. It is now one of my very favorite Band songs, a classic track that ranks among their most musically interesting and exciting.

The Band's version is definitive. Rick Danko co-wrote the song, so to me that gives his band's (The Band) version added credibility/authenticity that other cover artists simply can not match. You would have to say either Dylan's or The Band's compete as the definitive version, as they were the original creators and any cover version by (in my opinion) lesser talents just do not interest me.

I love The Band's arrangement of This Wheel's On Fire. It contrasts greatly with the Basement Tapes original - instead of slow and menacing, the rhythm is galloping straight off the tracks. The chord progression is beautiful, with that suspended/diminished (?) chord (still working on the name) beautifully placed, the chords a perfect bed for the haunting and ancient melody. The drums, the bass, the chillingly soft piano chords that Richard sometimes accentuates in live versions. When the key goes major and Robbie solos, the swirl of cutting electric guitar and Garth's organ work is amazing. The vocal blend is absolutely classic Band. Rick's voice is perfect to sing the song, and no one ever sang it better than he did. Levon's gritty howl adding that Biblical tone, Richard's smooth velvet falsetto caressing the melody on top. By the time the song comes to an end, the train has careened straight off the tracks.

I always wondered why Levon would choose the title of a song RICK wrote, as the title for his autobiography, but it makes perfect sense. "This Wheel's On Fire" perfectly sums up The Band's career and their decline. The song ranks among my very favorite Band songs. The album version is a little embryonic sounding, but is still haunting and amazing. The later live versions tightened up the arrangement into a rollicking masterpiece. My favorite live versions are from Woodstock 1969, and Rock Of Ages, which has to be the definitive version of the song.

Entered at Mon May 23 00:53:12 CEST 2011 from (92.238.33.140)

Rob the Organ

Subject: This Wheel's On Fire / Julie Driscoll & Brian Auger

Here I don the organists hat rather than the patriotic linguist or the Bavaria enthusiast. I don't think much of Julie Driscoll's This Wheel's On Fire, but it's not surprising because I don't care for The Band's or The Byrds. Funnily enough, I like Leslie West's version best!! Figure that? I can't, I must admit!

I don't think it is that great a song, to be honest and in the CD age tend to skip it. I have MFBP set up on my iPod set up with Katie's Been Gone in place of it. As ever it is all relative, and I immediately half-retract my above statement about it being not a great song IN GENERAL, because as is so often the case with the OQ it is not a great song by THEIR standards. Get Up Jake in place of anything on the second album? No, it would spoil the big picture. Katie's Been Gone instead of TWOF? In a trice.

But Julie Driscoll, Brian Auger and the Trinity are not to be under estimated. When they were funky, they were unbeatable. I prefer to remember them for "Indian Rope Man", to be honest - see link. Brian Auger remains one of the real giants of organ; he is STUPIDLY good. Anybody who has the Oblivion Express album "Second Wind" and is familiar with his take on Eddie Harris's "Freedom Jazz Dance" will know where I am coming from. I'm sure my Hammond (which is identical to Brian's) somehow doesn't have the same notes on it. Whew!

I must also mention what a gentleman Brian Auger is. In my early days as an organ player I went to see Brian at The Jazz Cafe in Camden, London. After the gig I got talking to him and he was so full of encouragement and advice for me that we chatted so long the security and maintenance staff had to politely intervene and ask him to retire for the evening. Top fellow, Brian Auger and although my own musical path has turned away from jazzy stuff I still count him as a mentor and essential listening for a Hammond student.

Entered at Mon May 23 00:13:03 CEST 2011 from (95.150.138.52)

Michelle

Subject: American/British English Language etc.

Thanks Peter V for blog, the article on American/British language is very interesting, Am looking forward to checking out archives, all this food talk reminds me of when we were on the East Coast (USA) last year, every breakfast was served with grits, now, my children loved them! said they tasted like porridge, says a lot about my porridge making!, partner and I were not too sure, an acquired taste maybe?

Entered at Mon May 23 00:02:00 CEST 2011 from (68.199.152.229)

Jed

Thanks so much--I'll give Julie a whirl too!

Entered at Sun May 22 23:47:35 CEST 2011 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

Entered at Sun May 22 23:42:31 CEST 2011 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

Subject: Danko CDs

amazon.co.uk … the three Danko are all UK releases. Two more Danko archive releases have just been advertised in Record Collector. You can buy from any amazon site anywhere, often using your original info, BUT postage will be expensive. Also try SPIN in Newcastle, UK, website above. Type in Rick Danko, and twenty items come up, including the two new ones, Uncle Willies and Iron Horse. Nice people and helpful. You can phone them on +44 191 281 5451 in UK working hours.

If you're REALLY nice, they'll sell you a Julie Driscoll CD too.

Entered at Sun May 22 23:34:56 CEST 2011 from (68.199.152.229)

Jed

Been to every record store,including up in Woodstock & can't get any of these or Garth's(i may have raw copies on tape--average quality--& who plays tapes anymore!)--Any help in suggesting where,online to purchase these? Thanks much in advance!

Entered at Sun May 22 23:23:10 CEST 2011 from (72.82.173.135)

Ben

Subject: Initial impressions of Danko live cds/Ramble at the Ryman

I listed to the Danko/Manuel/Butterfield "Live at the Lonestar" cd over the weekend. The sound quality is good, The performances were relaxed, and enjoyable. This show was recorded in '84 and is quite a contrast to the Band in Tokyo cd recorded the previous year. The lead vocals are split pretty evenly between Danko, Manuel & Butterfield. I watched the "Ramble at the Ryman" dvd last night. I enjoyed it, The audio and video were well done. My main criticism is that it's not a complete performance. It's 15 songs, approximately 75 minutes, with no other content. The two rambles I've attended were about 2 hours and 20 songs. I'm listening to disc 1 of Rick Danko "Live at the Tin Angel" right now. The sound quality is excellent. Much better, than the "Rick Danko In Concert" cd recorded not long before this. Of the three titles, I am enjoying the "Tin Angel" cd the most. I'm curious what others think of these new releases.

Entered at Sun May 22 22:39:36 CEST 2011 from (68.199.152.229)

Jed

Julie Driscoll indeed.You are 100% right on the money!

Entered at Sun May 22 22:37:55 CEST 2011 from (68.199.152.229)

Jed

Wow! There are too many times that some outstanding piano and/or organ/keyboard leads & flourishes in many songs were wiped out from the official release of TLW. All Our Past Times, excluded from the movie & having some sweet piano fills is one example.There seems to be a moment in every song that was knocked out of the mix & the few mistakes & other overdubs are pretty obvious.As someone else noted,the filming provides a very different stage perspective.Anyone notice how Levon never seems to look at RR--in the jams it's very obvious that Levon would lock in with anyone on stage to avoid looking @ RR,while RR seemed very locked in with his own performance.Heck,was Richard purposely set up so he couldn't be seen? After all he always dressed funny(i say that in a loving/funny way!!).And,sure do seem to see some more of Garth,but why would they hide his brilliance? In so many ways his sound was the tie that binds in The Band's music so to see so little of him until i saw these videos was disconcerting.Overall,watching/listening to the Wolfgang's Waltz was an eye opener & seemed to verify some of what has been written over the years.

Entered at Sun May 22 22:34:36 CEST 2011 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

Entered at Sun May 22 22:26:32 CEST 2011 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

Subject: Julie too

You need to check her out in B&W in close up too. Simon Dee Show. Live?

Entered at Sun May 22 22:19:48 CEST 2011 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

Subject: Julie Driscoll

Oh, yes. Check out Julie Driscoll in 1968 … this is an early rock video too. It's over the top etc etc, but it was the sound of summer 1968. It was released right at the end of April, and charted on May 1st 1968, so was around and engraved in the memory well before Big Pink came out. That's why they chose it for 'Absolutely Fabulous'. Like A Whiter Shade of Pale immediately says "1967", Julie Driscoll's version says "1968". I think her voice, which I described as "a chilling voice" makes the lyric menacing in a way The Band don't. And that's good for the song. I don't mind the touch of over-acting either. I doubt Rick Danko minded either … it's her voice that provided a financial safety net the last years of his life, after all. He said so himself. Now, I saw there were several other versions by Julie on YouTube, so I'm off to seek them out …

Entered at Sun May 22 22:09:41 CEST 2011 from (41.97.138.36)

Empty Now

yesterday's clip delayed

Jean Jacques Goldman "Né en 17 a Leidenstadt" (and if I had been born in 1917 in Leidenstadt ?) with agood English translation

Entered at Sun May 22 21:50:46 CEST 2011 from (41.97.138.36)

Empty Now

henceforth your blog is one of my must fvorite

Entered at Sun May 22 21:47:39 CEST 2011 from (98.150.160.15)

Nick

Was there even a second single from MFBP? Doesn't matter whatsoever. The Band were never and would be a singles group. It's gourmet music not Chef Boyardee.

As for the author preferring Julie Driscoll's version of This Wheels on Fire to The Band... I will qoute Eric Clapton when asked to make way for Madonna at Live Aid "yeoww must be effin' jeowwking!" Seriously that's one of the must off the mark comments about The Band's music I have ever heard. Julie Driscoll is better than this?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YkbkkbicmYs

Entered at Sun May 22 21:45:37 CEST 2011 from (41.97.138.36)

Empty Now

Subject: Norbert / La Sauce Béarnaise / Trains at the iron wall

Thanks Norbert for the Cortez clip, kind of good surprise to start my youtube session which I usually hold in parallel with the GB threads

La Sauce Bearnaise (the bearnaise sauce) is so named not because it was a tradition in Bearn (region in South-West France). It was a recipe invented by famous writer Alexandre Dumas and first realized with a mistake of his friend chef Collinet (who replaced a failing shallots mash by an emulsion of eggs. Collinet roots were from Bearn

I renew my precedent call, for more enlightenment, if any GBer experienced by the wall era the train (or the metro) in Berlin (or in any station located right on the two Germanies border, which was by the way the border between the Western and the Eastern camps).
I tried to get something from my own link below to a wiki document on Berlin Friedrichstraße Station, it’s more complex to understand than the functionality of Big Pink by feud weather

thanks in advance, i hope you understand the importance of this futile detail for my memory

Link above : Renaud & Axel Red “Manhattan-Kabul”, with excellent English subtitles

Entered at Sun May 22 21:33:10 CEST 2011 from (74.108.27.233)

Joan

Ketchup or "catsup" is called "The all American Taste Killer" People put it on everything. A mix of mayo and ketchup plus relish is called "Russian Dressing"

Another interesting use of words is the Italians call what we call sauce "gravy". You put gravy on your pasta.

Living in the Mid West for a while: What we New Yorkers call soda they called "pop" To them Soda was an ice cream soda. A milk shake was a "frosted They called green peppers "Mangos" (I have no idea why) A"sub or submarine" sandwich is called a"hoagie" in the mid west and a "grinder in New England.

Entered at Sun May 22 16:55:12 CEST 2011 from (91.42.234.113)

Norbert

Subject: food, beverage & toilets

Peter, liked the piece about lavvy's vs toilets. In Holland there is that same strange class complexities of aristocracy and working class vocabulary about toilets too (plee vs. toilet).

Anyway my combined two cents contribution for both food, beverage & toilets is linked above

Entered at Sun May 22 16:40:31 CEST 2011 from (92.238.33.140)

Rob the Organ

Gravy on salad is indeed a vile notion. The blame lies, I feel, with restaurants that want to give you a salad with everything whether required or not. In Bruges a couple of years ago, I ordered the (red meat again!!) local speciality of Carbonnades Flamandes - a delicious slow cooked stew. What came with it? Yes - French fries and mayonnaise on one small side plate and fucking salad on another. Some boiled taters and green beans would have gone down lovely. But oh no...

Entered at Sun May 22 16:34:50 CEST 2011 from (92.238.33.140)

Rob the Organ

It is a good job you don't liberally pepper your blog with hotlinked photos, Peter. There was an awful lot about knickers on your link....

Entered at Sun May 22 16:32:06 CEST 2011 from (92.238.33.140)

Rob the Organ

Don't worry about offending HRH. Actually, the old girl isn't so bad but the others...I'm surprised I didn't run into any of our royalty on the Ober-Salzburg (wink wink). Did you see Harry at his brother's wedding? Not only has he been in trouble before for wearing a Nazi armband to a fancy dress do, but his wedding uniform looked like it was based on that of Herman Goering....

Entered at Sun May 22 16:30:34 CEST 2011 from (24.108.253.172)

westcoaster

Subject: A turbot by any name...........things change

Peter, a turbot is a turbot the world over and they are all the same. They come by their popularity in different ways. Years ago when I was in my teens and fishing with my old man on his salmon gilnetter. Fish are confused by the change of light, at evening darkness or dawn. That is the time of day, in nets you get the most fish, because they come to the surface at that time. Turbot were in huge schools. They have hooked little teeth and by their shape when they would get into the nets they were very hard to get out. Some times hundreds of them. We couldn't sell them there was no market, and our target was salmon, so they were hated, same as hake.

We did eat the odd one, a tasty fish but oh! all those bones. As salmon are scarce as are cod now, and regulations have changed so that you can hardly even sport fish a cod, then of course people have to change and adapt to what is available. The oceans are very much changing our way of life.

Entered at Sun May 22 16:05:04 CEST 2011 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

Subject: British and American English

Some of you know my blog site. Others don't because I was mildly cautious about exposing it here, but sod it. Everyone has been pleasant now for weeks. So I've linked the article on British and American English, which gets the highest hit rate on the site. I added Al's photos to it. I don't "nick" photos from the net, so will replace these next week with photos of my own, but they're placeholders.

Entered at Sun May 22 15:41:47 CEST 2011 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

Entered at Sun May 22 15:36:30 CEST 2011 from (203.160.29.153)

Fred

Lest you think I'm some vile cultural yokel, those few times I've been on English soil I have called taters of the fried variety "chips" & and potato chips as "crisps".

Entered at Sun May 22 15:29:10 CEST 2011 from (74.82.68.32)

David P

On the turntable this weekend is the mono 45 single of "Open My Eyes" b/w "Hello It's Me" by Nazz. This double-sided masterpiece, pressed on red vinyl from SGC Records, sounds amazing. Down here in the South the popular fish dinner features fried catfish and hushpuppies with a side of coleslaw and iced sweet tea.

Entered at Sun May 22 15:01:16 CEST 2011 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

There is always a problem with fish in that the same names from different areas may be approximate and describe slightly different fish, but it's Scophthalmus maximus. See Wiki. The best I ever had it was in Spain, where they bake it in a thick crust of salt, so it's served like a big rock. They chisel open the salt crust and discard it. I wonder if it's that flat fish have lots of small bones? Anyway, a good Spanish waiter will have four fillets off, and rearranged in the shape of the fish minus the bones in seconds. Always let them do it in Spain, Portugal or Italy. Filleting at the table is a highly-skilled job and waiters take pride in it.

Entered at Sun May 22 15:01:02 CEST 2011 from (79.202.184.254)

Norbert

p.s. £ 42, - in that hat too?

Rob, thanks for the vacation review the other day.

back to work now!

Entered at Sun May 22 14:50:47 CEST 2011 from (24.108.253.172)

westcoaster

Subject: Keep your eyes on your fries!

Keep your eyes on your chips......now how does that sound??.....really!.....sounds like yer playing poker or sumpin'.

Gawd damn Englishmen....onliest ones can fuck up their own language so much.

Now talking about odd!.......like majo on fries.....well some people out here, and a lot of 'em natives, for some reason put gravy on green, or garden salad.....gawd.....I don't know.

Entered at Sun May 22 14:40:42 CEST 2011 from (92.238.33.140)

Rob the Organ

Fred, when you take English as a native tongue, you commit to the following verbal agreement:

1) While it is permissible to call things different names, the British way is default and correct. This includes items not necessarily originating from Britain that possibly have a homespun 'working' name allocated by the source; such names are to be tolerated until Britain decides otherwise and sets a standard reference name.

2) While it is permissible to retain basic words but truncate them, the British way is default and correct. See above guidelines on working variants where Britain is not the originator of the word.

3) [South African users only]: It is permissible to finish sentences early (eg "bring it with" rather than "bring it with you"; "come with" rather than "come with us"); however, not only does the British variant remain default, correct and complete but you will run the risk of sounding like a rustic simpleton. If you can live with that, good luck.

Al - Re: your analysis of that linked pic of a plate of fish and chips. Not only would I agree that the fish does look frozen, but I'm not sure the chips aren't merely a thick-cut oven ready variety as well. Certain brands (Aunt Bessie's in particular) can look very convincing now.

Bravo on the character assassination of the french fries too, Al. They are a travesty and never should have been permitted on our shores. If that's what the rest of the world is happy with, fair enough. All the more reason NOT to adopt this silly "fries" expression as a cloak of convenience, blatantly miscast for our own fair, chunky chips that never disguise their potato origins where the skinny fry could, quite frankly, be wrought of anything. These are not the same end product and it is correct to demark as thus. The cleansing of the nation from the treachery and deceit of skinny French-style fries starts here...

Besides, Al - could you get used to calling a Chippy a Fry-y? Sounds cumbersome and unworkable to me.

Entered at Sun May 22 14:33:34 CEST 2011 from (82.42.175.156)

Al Edge

It wasn't 50 quid.

It was 42 quid :-0)

Entered at Sun May 22 14:30:10 CEST 2011 from (96.30.174.20)

joe j

Anyway while you all were waiting on the rapture, I was going ahead with Dylan birthday bash celebrations. This involved a all night jam session with The SHITS (Songs Heard In The Sixties). With a bonfire and under a full moon we turned back the clock. My Missus was surprisingly cool with me coming home at 5AM and I owe her big time. This is a working weekend for me but I'll be working my way through His catalogue again at the same time. I keep going back to his debut album. It's rather preoccupied with death but it sure sets the foundation for everything he's done since. I'd like to think he keeps going back to it as well.

Entered at Sun May 22 14:26:40 CEST 2011 from (173.178.214.140)

Landmark

Then again, I am pretty sure that I am not the only one here who read all five books in the "Hitch Hikers Guide To The Galaxy" trilogy. Those of us who did, know that the true answer to life, the universe, and everything is 42.

Entered at Sun May 22 14:18:29 CEST 2011 from (82.42.175.156)

Al Edge

I can honestly say I've never yet passed a busker without dropping him or her or them a coin or two. Just can't do it.

We have loads in Liverpool. All shapes and sizes. You can't move for them. In fact there's more buskers than shoppers.

I went out one saturday morning with fifty quid. Returned home 2 hours later without a bean. Never even managed to make it into a shop.

True story.

;-0)

Entered at Sun May 22 14:14:29 CEST 2011 from (24.108.253.172)

westcoaster

Subject: In any other country

So do y'all know what poutine is??? That's funny about people not eating fish Peter. Like in India, when people are starving and there is cows wandering around all over the place 'cause they are sacred. Is that where the expression "Holy Cow" comes from??

This reminds me of the Rabbi & the priest getting into an arguement about their religious sacrifices. The priest sneering at the rabbi......well you don't eat pork! what's with that. The rabbi.......well you don't indulge in sexual intercourse.....what's with that....you ever try it. The priest........damn right, and it's a hell of a lot better than pork!

Entered at Sun May 22 14:10:19 CEST 2011 from (82.42.175.156)

Al Edge

Ha ha - now that was a really funny image - made me laugh out loud and spit out my chips all over the keyboard.

Hmm - they're even tastier once you've scraped them from between the keys. I guess it must be something they put in the plastic.

:-0)

Entered at Sun May 22 14:08:36 CEST 2011 from (79.202.174.183)

Norbert

Subject: Neil Young - Cortez The Killer

see the link

Entered at Sun May 22 14:07:07 CEST 2011 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

I’ll tell you the reverse of that one. In the mid-80s we were doing a video at Corfe Castle in Dorset. One of the actors was playing an old man who spins a yarn (a ghost story). The actor had been playing Waiting for Godot on stage and wore his costume. He had long white hair and a beard and looked a classic “tramp” (English. Hobo in American. There was nothing tarty bout him). The actor was in his 60s, late, at a guess. The storytelling involved him finishing a pint of beer and trying to scrounge another. We could have used apple juice, but he chose beer. By the time we’d done the scene from various angles, he’d consumed a fair bit of beer. It was a hot July day. We were filming at the castle, and he decided to lay down on the grass next to the pathway up for a snooze while we did the other stuff without him … he wasn’t needed till the end. He fell fast asleep with his hat next to him. When he woke up, two hours later the hat was full to the brim with cash.

Entered at Sun May 22 13:56:46 CEST 2011 from (79.202.174.183)

Norbert

Subject: The meaning of The Band & life in general

Searching for the meaning of it all, I like Homer Simpson's (but for Isaiah Berlin's?) best till now:

"In The Simpsons episode "Homer the Heretic", a representation of God agrees to tell Homer what the meaning of life is, but the show's credits begin to roll just as he starts to say what it is."

Entered at Sun May 22 13:51:56 CEST 2011 from (79.202.174.183)

Norbert

Subject: do-you-have-a-moment?

Googling for the meaning of life I found this experiment, which, of course, can be easily transferred to our Band in its hay days;

"Washington, DC Metro Station on a cold January morning in 2007. The man with a violin played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time approx. 2 thousand people went through the station, most of them on their way to work. After 3 minutes a middle aged man noticed there was a musician playing. He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds and then hurried to meet his schedule.

4 minutes later: The violinist received his first dollar: a woman threw the money in the hat and, without stopping, continued to walk.

6 minutes: A young man leaned against the wall to listen to him, then looked at his watch and started to walk again.

10 minutes: A 3-year old boy stopped but his mother tugged him along hurriedly. The kid stopped to look at the violinist again, but the mother pushed hard and the child continued to walk, turning his head all the time. This action was repeated by several other children.. Every parent, without exception, forced their children to move on quickly..

45 minutes: The musician played continuously. Only 6 people stopped and listened for a short while. About 20 gave money but continued to walk at their normal pace. The man collected a total of $32.

1 hour: He finished playing and silence took over. No one noticed. No one applauded, nor was there any recognition.

No one knew this, but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the greatest musicians in the world. He played one of the most intricate pieces ever written, with a violin worth $3.5 million dollars. Two days before Joshua Bell sold out a theater in Boston where the seats averaged $100.

This is a true story. Joshua Bell playing incognito in the metro station was organized by the Washington Post as part of a social experiment about perception, taste and people’s priorities. "

Entered at Sun May 22 13:32:18 CEST 2011 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

Today's "Uncut" has two reviews, a normal-size one on the CD which gets four stars, and a whole page one on the DVD which gets three stars. Sheryl Crowe gets bad press for not knowing words on Evangeline. I think the DVD review may be judging visuals to drop a star, because it focusses on how Levon was a commanding presence when centre stage with mandolin but says that was sorely missed when he went back on drums and was less visible / central. I await my copy - it's always been my 90s Band gripe (positioning Levon to the side).

Entered at Sun May 22 13:30:57 CEST 2011 from (59.101.56.120)

dlew919

Irish history tends to highlight the value of the potato...

Entered at Sun May 22 13:12:51 CEST 2011 from (90.239.87.232)

NorthWestCoaster

Subject: Pro-American potato post

Before wars and attacks you Americans used to cruise the Mediterranean Sea. You made a stop in Marseille. I saw you in market places in Provence. You were happy and the French people were happy. I was happy, too. You purchased shirts Provence style and spices and herbs and "pommes chateau". I remember. I have a photograph, preserve my memory.

WELCOME BACK TO EUROPE AGAIN!

Entered at Sun May 22 12:36:34 CEST 2011 from (90.239.73.245)

NorthWestCoaster

Subject: Freedom fries; an anti-american potato post

Calling French fries (pommes frites) for FREEDOM FRIES after that France decided not to join Iraq war was a stupid thing to do! Bob W. would not agree, maybe. - But let's go back to the (at least European) potato basics: Is there anything better than "Salzkartoffel mit Gemuse" from Vor-Pommern?. Norbert will certainly agree.

My most depressing potato experience comes from London Greenwich Observatory. A Norwegian, (yes NORWEGIAN!) buss had left without paying and, unfortunately, I was the next guest. Having hangover I was naturally mistaken as the chauffeur of the Norwegian buss and the angry Fish And Chips restaurant owner threw potatoes all over me. After fifteen years I still try to clean up my tweed jacket from all that mayonnaise.

Entered at Sun May 22 12:10:55 CEST 2011 from (203.160.29.153)

Fred

Entered at Sun May 22 11:21:10 CEST 2011 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

I like those cultural history books that take one item and trace history through it. I’ve got ones on salt, coffee, cod, the pencil, the bookshelf … all whole books devoted to one thing through history. One of the most interesting is “The Potato” by Larry Zuckerman, 1998 (I joke not!). Among the many claims is that the fish and chip shop in Britain came on the back of the railway network (bringing fish) and vastly improved the level of nutrition in the major cities in the 19th century, when the very poor had inadequate cooking facilities, and used fish and chip shops instead. So, Fred, Britain’s manufacturing powered its Empire, and this was based on the chip. Not the fry, as Al points out. Fries have a higher oil to carbohydrate ratio. But if we believe yesterday’s papers, if you eat cooked tomatoes in quantity twice a week, and apply ketchup on the other days, the effect on cholesterol is higher than taking statins.

The other point on the potato relates to this surprising dislike of turbot in Canada, while it’s the most prized fish in Europe. Countries have strong food likes or dislikes. The French and Belgians cheerfully eat horse. The British find this disgusting. Ireland’s potato famine was devastating because the large landowners had introduced a near potato monoculture. But on the west coast, apparently people were dying of starvation next to the sea, because they didn’t fish. Fish just wasn’t part of the diet.

Entered at Sun May 22 10:08:39 CEST 2011 from (203.160.29.153)

Fred

Entered at Sun May 22 09:56:29 CEST 2011 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

Thin dry snacks made from potato are crisps in Britain, but chips in the USA. The British word chips refers to hot fried chipped potatoes, what the Americans call French fries. But look at supermarket freezer cabinets in Britain. Long thin chips are invariably labelled French fries, just as they are in MacDonald’s or Kentucky Fried Chicken or Burger King outlets in Britain. You also see American fries, oven fries and oven-ready fries in your local Tesco or Sainsburys. The word chips is reserved for thicker, fatter chipped potatoes, such as Harry Ramsden’s chips (named after the chain of fish ’n’ chip restaurants) or Tesco’s steak chips or Young’s Fish ’n’ chip shop chips. So French Fries exist in Britain. If you order chips at MacDonald’s they will invariably say, ‘French fries?’ My kids order fries. More upmarket restaurants have never had chips or French fries on their menus, preferring French fried potatoes or chipped potatoes.

END QUOTE

Al's photo links are so good that I'll find similar photos and add them.

On mayo with chips, you will find it in MacDonalds in Holland, Belgium, France, Switzerland and Italy. Probably in Germany too, not that I've been in a German MacDonalds. You'll find it ahead of ketchup. I've also had it served in Denmark. What is very good (better?) on chips is British "salad cream" made by Heinz or Cross & Blackwell. "Salad Cream" is commercial, comes in bottles and looks vaguely like mayo, yellower, sweeter and has more vinegar added. There's no "cream" in it at all. When I was a kid it was used in place of salad dressing, and when we had cold meat and chips, it was always the choice. Another British speciality, one that Brits who live abroad carry back with them after visits here is "brown sauce" such as HP Sauce. That's good on chips. In British take-aways of the MacDonalds kind, ketchup invariably goes with "fries". A "proper" fish and chip shop will be content with just salt and malt vinegar.

My son-in-law swears by a tomato ketchup / mayo mix on chips. In Austria, they sell it in tubes, with the mayo and ketchup in separate red and white swirls, like Pepsodent toothpaste, and they put it on chips. It's very good.

I must add that I don't frequent MacDonalds, but did in Holland with the kids, and in France, Belgium and Switzerland I travelled many miles with a publisher's rep who insisted on stopping there to buy fries before going to restaurants for meals, or when travelling on motorways. An unaccountable thing to do in these countries.

Entered at Sun May 22 09:51:36 CEST 2011 from (203.160.29.153)

Fred

calling deep fried potatoes...chips. : )

Entered at Sun May 22 09:33:43 CEST 2011 from (82.42.175.156)

Al Edge

Subject: French shite

Sorry, I mean french fries - linked picture of those hideous creations.

☺

Entered at Sun May 22 09:30:07 CEST 2011 from (82.42.175.156)

Al Edge

Subject: Chips

The photo in the link is the nearest I can find to what we call chips over here.

Whilst the photo does look like proper 'CHIPPY' chips if I had to guess I'd say they're actually a photo of fish and chips from a cafe - perhaps one attached to a chippy. Whatever, the fish is clearly not a proper battered CHIPPY fish but one of those frozen affairs. Also the peas are garden peas - possibly even fresh from the vegetable patch that day - certainly not the gorgeous frozen mushy variety us 'pea' connoiseurs favour.

☺

My next post will be one of what over here are termed French Fries. Horrible weasely stringy dangly tasteless streaks of wormy MacDonalds shite that proper chip lovers wouldn't be seen dead eating. So stick that in your finest kimono and smoke it Fred!!! ha ha!!

:-0)

Proper chips rule OK.

BTW Rob ketchup is for big soft kids who haven't grown up. My eldest lad even has it on sausage chips and gravy!!!!! He's 36 and a complete loon. Don't tell him I posted this btw or he'll punch my lights out. He's 6ft 4 and built like the Empire State. Must be all the ketchup I guess.

:-0)

Entered at Sun May 22 06:05:25 CEST 2011 from (92.238.33.140)

Rob the Organ

westcoaster: I have a few mandolins, my two favourite examples being a 1972 Harmony made 8-string, and the other being the kind you describe! Not too expensive, but I must admit I do cheat and churn out perfect quarter inch batons of carrot every roast dinner. Washing the damn thing up is like a game of russian roulette though! I don't think there is a right or wrong way about the eternal chips/fries and crisps/chips argument and in fact both chips and fries are used over here now for the hot, stick shaped snack rather than the cold variety we call crisps. In general "chips" here now refer to thick cut examples such as you would have with fish, while fries is used for the thinner French variety such as certain high street burger chains would give you.

Ah, yes - burger chains: therein hangs another tale. On the way home from a trip to Florence, we visited Turin and arrived too late at night to explore restaurants. There being a M*cD*nal*s around the corner, we used it. The same thing happened one time in Lucerne, Switzerland, this time involving B*rg*r Ki*g. Now, we all know the "Royale" line from Pulp Fiction about regional variations of burger names but has anybody noticed the variation in not only recipe specs but outright QUALITY from country to country? Over here that kind of stuff is fun once in a while, a godsend if you have kids, but nutritionally useless and not that filling. In Italy, I genuinely enjoyed the McD burger (with italian lettuce and rocket instead of the usual limp, yellowed crap) as much as something a pub might dish up and in Switzerland the localised BK Wh*pp*r with swiss cheese and a dijon mustard & smokey dressing was not only delicious but satisfying for the whole evening.

Fred: not surprised that Italy pulled the mayo and fries trick because they have everything calibrated a notch to the left! Mayo used as ketchup and tomato-based sauces for things that really ought to have gravy...ha ha ha!

Good night to all on this fine morning! Am Apple Logic-blind now so going to bed for a few hours!

Entered at Sun May 22 05:52:45 CEST 2011 from (99.115.147.236)

Pat B

A thing on Wolfgang's Vault which explains a number of questions raised here.

Entered at Sun May 22 04:29:27 CEST 2011 from (24.108.253.172)

westcoaster

Subject: The Unknown!

Well, Rob......I was misunderstanding you, sorry old chap. I have never heard of mayonaisse on fries. That's pretty funny, I can't even imagine it. I am a tomatoe lover, however bottled from the store Ketchup, even "Heinz", I'm not fond of. I love my home made salsa, on eggs, fries, taco chips, everything.

The concept of apple cider vinegar, now you have to understand. I don't know what it's like in your country. Now if you go to a super market, you get distilled vinegar. Pretty much all the goodness, and good taste is gone. Back like in the days when I was young. You hold a jug of apple cider vinegar up to the light, it looks like it has a cobweb in it, that is "the mother" it's called. That is "pure" apple cider vinegar. Google it here on the internet and you will see there is more goodness (for your body) in that than almost anything. 3 best things you can put in your body, is apple cider vinegar, garlic, and honey.

Getting back to the apple cider vinegar on fish and chips, the main thing is to get that food real hot out of the frier, put the vinegar on it right away. That washes away any oily taste and the flavour, if it si good fish and potatoes is better than anything.

Fred is right. Chips are thinly sliced potatoe chips that come in bags. I watched a show not that long ago how the concept was first started in Chicago, and the big oil vats with these paddles that run back and forth across them to keep them seperated and properly cooked. It was quite interesting. What you folks call chips, over here are called "fries".

I make my own chips all the time. If you know what a slicing mandolin is. I have a very expensive one. I make "perfect" chips. Right from fresh potaotes there is no bag of chips you can buy that taste anywhere near that good. My trick also is to have apple cider vinegar in a shaker, just like salt. Toss the hot chips in a bowl lined with paper towel, and as you toss them shake a little apple cider vinegar on. VOILA!.....the best chips ever!

Entered at Sun May 22 04:01:28 CEST 2011 from (203.160.29.153)

Fred

RTO: it seems to be a Dutch thing, too...mayo on French Fries..or "chips" as you oh so wrongly call them in your corner of the world : ) If I remember correctly they used to do that in Italy back in the 70s/80s (mayo on fries/chips that is).

Love your German travelogue posts.

Entered at Sun May 22 03:09:12 CEST 2011 from (92.238.33.140)

Rob the Organ

westcoaster: For the fish, yes, 100% agree on tartare sauce. I'm talking more where chips are sold on their own, and the evils of Belgian tradition seem to be creeping out. Mayonnaise my arse! For chips on their own, tomato ketchup every time.

Like the thought of cider vinegar for fish & chips though - will definitely give that a try.

Entered at Sun May 22 03:08:27 CEST 2011 from (95.147.182.202)

Michelle

Subject: Rachmaninov/Debussy/fish and chips

Pat B, my son plays classical piano and I have grown to love Debussy and Rachmaninov, believe me! He is just about to take grade 8 and teaches piano too, off to Central St. Martins in September, anyone know of some cheap accomodation in the centre of London, ha ha! fish has to be fresh, was fishing off Mudeford quay Easter weekend, caught loads of pollock and mackerel, back to the quay, portable barbecue, gut, clean fish, cook and eat with fingers! delicious!

Entered at Sun May 22 03:02:16 CEST 2011 from (92.238.33.140)

Rob the Organ

Subject: The ultimate Danko fan accessory

Yep, you guessed it - a very clean example of the rare Ampeg scroll-head bass, fretless and in this case a 1966 specimen. Around $2600 at time of posting, with a day left on the auction.

Entered at Sun May 22 01:09:25 CEST 2011 from (24.108.253.172)

westcoaster

Subject: Ketchup?????

That's enough to give a dog's ass heartburn......ketchup, good god can't compare with a well made tartar sauce.

On the subject of fish, and particularly halibut. If it's been frozen forget it and the longer the worse any fish is. It dries out and stinks! But I would guess that most of you have the access to fresh fish. I don't know about that Atlantic cod, because to get it fresh ...over here, well y'know. Fresh ling or red snapper can't be beat. If you can catch them, dress them and just have them on ice a while, nothing is better. The turbot & hake on this coast I wouldn't eat either. Across the water in Europe, it seems they are even partial to dog fish, (mud sharks).

For the garnish on all these, fresh lemon or good apple cider vinegar is the ultimate.

Entered at Sun May 22 00:33:50 CEST 2011 from (92.238.33.140)

Rob the Organ

Subject: Chip vinegar

Garner's pickled onions...that was it.

Entered at Sat May 21 23:33:37 CEST 2011 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

Entered at Sat May 21 23:13:40 CEST 2011 from (96.30.174.20)

joe j

Subject: fish n chips

North Atlantic cod for fish n chips although haddock and pollock are acceptable substitutes. Halibut's expensive around here, usually cut into steaks and pan fried. Turbot, I don't think is meant for human consumption. We fish it around here and export it all. Cod with local pratys and malt vinegar. Have it every week in season.

Entered at Sat May 21 22:17:58 CEST 2011 from (92.238.33.140)

Rob the Organ

Michelle - NO! Sarsons? Pickled onion vinegar for fish & chips, surely...I always have a jar of those fairly pokey ones (that begin with G....can't find the jar now) and spoon it on. Or pickled shallots - the vinegar from them is awesome for fish & chips.

Agree with PV on Haddock over Cod. Occasionally our local shop offers specials of Lemon or Dover sole, but as a good, basic standard choice always Haddock for me. Cannot abide Huss/Rock Salmon. Would take a saveloy over that.

Dad is a great one for Skate wings, but the effort required to eat them seems to me to outdo the whole point of fish & chips.

Now here's an issue - the adoption of mayonnaise to accompany chips rather than tomato ketchup. Can't be having with it. Understand it to be Belgian having seen many a chip stall in Bruges offering that miscast condiment as standard choice.

Entered at Sat May 21 21:20:09 CEST 2011 from (99.115.147.236)

Pat B

Entered at Sat May 21 20:19:04 CEST 2011 from (24.108.253.172)

westcoaster

Subject: Pajo's.......I found it!

Damn I hope this works.........I can't get it to work. I don't know what the f....'s wrong with it. There are really great pictures here.

http://www.yelp.ca/biz_photos/fP65pd6r96cHy

Entered at Sat May 21 19:27:46 CEST 2011 from (24.108.253.172)

westcoaster

Subject: On the water

Damn Al, I'd love to join you on the wharf for a fish & chips and a cold drink. I'm trying for the life of me to remember the name of that little chip joint.

I used to come into the dock right there in Steveston after delivering my fish when I used to be a salmon fisherman. We always looked forward in August to a lunch there. The place just smelled great, and there was a mutitude of bikinis laying around. Then just a block off the wharves was the Steveston Hotel. I played music in there years back in the pub.

Whatever your choice of fish may be to enjoy with your fries, it was the best I've ever had any where. I have to tell you I have made fish and chips on my boat even for years, and I'm pretty damn good at it. As well, when I was a youngster I always liked cooking seafood. Many of the old Japanese fishermen I travelled with taught me some very fine points of cooking seafood. Very fine gentle old fellows, and if you were polite and interested they would teach it all to you. Wonderful cooks of seafood.

Entered at Sat May 21 19:03:29 CEST 2011 from (217.44.155.217)

Simon

See link for four lads eating fish and chips. I know there's a place down Aigburth Vale that's considered one of the best chippies but it's been a while since I've been. I do think it's something that tastes better outdoors, preferably by the sea. Maybe it's the ozone. Dunc will no doubt back me up on this but you can't beat kedgeree. Perhaps my favourite dish.

Entered at Sat May 21 18:57:41 CEST 2011 from (24.108.253.172)

westcoaster

Subject: Jellied Eels!!!!!!

I just ralphed all over my shoes.......jellied eels gawd damn it!

Listen Peter......most of you gawd damn Englishmen cook every thing too much. Fresh halibut sliced in nice strips and cooked just right, can be as good as red snapper with fries. The batter has to be light too, more like a tumpura batter. Many of the batters used, especially by Chinese on fish or prawns is disgusting. Thick shit that is raw and dowy inside. Worst thing you can do with a tender flavour like prawns is put a stinking oily batter on it. It's like fools who will take a delicate flavour like scallops and wrap greasy bacon around it. Gawd awful.

Now I was on to say how far reaching things will affect you. Some of you may have heard of the fires in northern Alberta. The town at Slave Lake, (of 7000 or so) has been half burned away, and they also lost a helicopter pilot, killed in a crash. Meanwhile, Manitoba is flooding away as well as parts of British Columbia here.

Anyway, just a few days ago I get the call from, Canadian Air Crane. They are a large helicopter company, engaged in a lot of heli logging on our coast. If you google them there are videos showing some of the amazing things they can do. When I am called, they were engaged in a logging operation in Toba Inlet, not far from Powell River. They were needed, IMMEDIATELY! at Slave Lake to help with the fires, (two weeeks ago, reportedly 68 fires started over the weekend). My tug and barge were in Port Hardy, up the island. My deckhand and I were away as quickly as possible. Drove up the island, got away and down to Toba Inlet and loaded 8 fuel tanks, (B-Trains etc) and all their support equipment took them to Campbell River, so that Coastline Trucking could be away with them for Slave Lake. Damn that tired me out, so I had to sleep for about a day.

Entered at Sat May 21 18:47:11 CEST 2011 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

Entered at Sat May 21 18:37:21 CEST 2011 from (82.42.175.156)

Al Edge

Simple cod man myself. I like my fish meaty, beaty, big and bouncy.

:-0)

Entered at Sat May 21 18:35:09 CEST 2011 from (82.42.175.156)

Al Edge

What you tying to do! I'm salivating here!!! I'm on the next flight over. I'll have a six of chips and a large fish.

☺

Entered at Sat May 21 18:29:01 CEST 2011 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

Entered at Sat May 21 18:23:12 CEST 2011 from (95.147.182.202)

Michelle

Subject: Beatles/Fish and Chips

Thanks Al!I take notice of what you say! and thanks to everyone on advice on Abbey Road, as for fish and chips, what is finger pie? Maris Piper for the chips, turbot for the fish, and good splash of Sarsons, check out Heston's recipe, fabulous! Also how about pie and mash and jellied eels?

Entered at Sat May 21 18:16:40 CEST 2011 from (24.108.253.172)

westcoaster

Subject: When I'm 64.......do-do - dodododout

You gawd damn British camoukausies wouldn't know GOOD! fish & chips. Y'all think you invented them.....PHEW!....(Spits on the ground)!

In Steveston, a hamlet out of Vancouver, south of Richmond, at the docks is a floating fish & chip shop on the docks. Fresh cod & halibut right off the boats every day. People come from far & wide to get a newspaper boat filled with those fish & chips. With "real" apple cider vinegar or malt vinegar on them. Not that synthetic clear shit they call, "white vinegar".

Big beautiful potatoe chips from potatoes fresh off the delta farms not but a few miles away.....y'all can keep yer "bangers & fries" too!

I got home, looked in here and listened to all this hawg wash. Particularly about wimmin singers, like Sylvia Tyson. Well.....I bin trying to put up this youtube video. I can't get it to work. Anyway, it's Joni Mitchell singing with Johnny Cash, from years ago. She was still that beautiful blonde, (with the long ironed hair) hippy chick from the 60's. Look this up! Singing, "I Still Miss Some one" with Johnny Cash. That "change the octave" in her voice, that was some times so annoying. Well she sounds so beautiful in this song, and shows her musical ability at harmonizing with Johnny Cash so wonderfully. It is a treat!

Now y'all can go back to whatever depraved activity you were engaged in..........harummph!

Entered at Sat May 21 18:00:46 CEST 2011 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

Entered at Sat May 21 17:59:13 CEST 2011 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

Entered at Sat May 21 17:52:17 CEST 2011 from (82.42.175.156)

Al Edge

Peter Viney!!

Sir!!!

You insult the honour of every Scouser and Lancastrian this side of the Mason Dixon line ever to wolf down his fish 'n' chips in one glorious binge.

Or should that be the Pennine way?

Scratches head.

Anyroad, Sir, the mere notion of any Lancastrian indulging in the ingestion of even a solitary lard tainted chip let alone a fish contaminated with such grease ridden grunge is sufficient to make grown men wretch out their entire innards.

Shame on you for even contemplating the notion of bracketing we civilized folk with them savages from over there.

.....nah, virgin veggie oil up here Pete. Finest chippies known to man. Fish and finger pie straight out the Mersey.

:-0)

PS Is that what you lot used to call it down south? Finger pie?

Entered at Sat May 21 17:13:03 CEST 2011 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

Al, I probably deleted it once without posting as a far more controversial and burning issue than The Beatles or German bog shelves or Super Injunctions for wealthy wankers. This is Across the Great North / South Divide stuff. For all of us British, eating chips out of newspaper wandering home at night must be one of the sweetest memories of youth. I grew up in a seaside resort. Chip shops weren’t rare. The drummer in a garage band I was in had a mum and dad who owned our local bright-green tiled chip shop. We got double portions for years.

Anyway, I arrived in Hull in 1966. The first night, a Yorkshire lad in the second year told us Hull had the best fish and chips in the land (well, having the biggest fish dock in those days would have helped). So off we set. Me, and two other Southerners, guys from Brighton and Portsmouth. We were amazed and disgusted. The soggy lard soaked chips that people were praising were anathema to lads brought up on chips cooked in oil. I had that all over Yorkshire. Lard-cooked chips. Couldn’t eat them. Still can’t. Can’t see the appeal. Now a good fresh crisply finished oil cooked chip … different matter. I don’t know what these national Best Chip Shop in England contests are, as an inordinate number of shops bear plaques saying they’ve won them, but our nearest one, Chez Fred, has some of them on the wall outside. So do two others in Poole, so I suspect there are multiple competitions. Every politician who comes to a party conference in Bournemouth does their “man of the people” act by being photographed at Chez Fred before repairing to their five star hotel for oysters, couscous and champagne. That’s the definitive chip to me. But I notice Harry Ramsden’s chain, which started in West Yorkshire (and is also on Bournemouth beach), always cooks in oil too.

Is Liverpool lard or oil? I never had chips there. Though Blackpool was lard and very soggy everywhere.

Entered at Sat May 21 15:52:24 CEST 2011 from (82.42.175.156)

Al Edge

Rob, you just reminded me of an old Eddie Flanagan gem I watched on You Tube the other night.

EDDIE'S Missus: D'you mind if my mother comes down and stays with us next week

EDDIE: uh...but I thought she liked it in the loft

God bless you Eddie. Too soon gone.

Entered at Sat May 21 15:44:20 CEST 2011 from (82.42.175.156)

Al Edge

Michelle - number one rule - take no notice of yours truly - no other fecker does - even on here. Or maybe I should say especially on here. ☺

The point is if you and Bri aren't partial to Beatles music then to hell with anyone who disparages that view. You just have to be prepared for the odd Beatles nut to condemn your shite taste.

After all, having shite taste never did me any harm.

:-0)

Mister Viney, I simply cannae believe how I could come to miss a mass debate on the glory of British chippies. I take it Turners in Bridge Road, Litherland won the vote Pete?

Entered at Sat May 21 15:38:59 CEST 2011 from (92.238.33.140)

Rob the Organ

Al, thanks for your comments. You will probably we disgusted to know that I am not that mad about France, though I do fall within the category that has far more time for the rest of the country than for Paris. When using the EuroStar, we try and go via Brussells whenever possible to avoid Paris. Though it is only two stops on the Metro, the journey from Paris Gare Du Nord (where the EuroStar come in) and Gare De Lyon (where all the TGVs to Switzerland and Italy depart from) and a five minute walk back to Gare Du Nord from Gare De L'Est (where the TGVs from Basel and Zurich come back into) seem such a struggle that it is not worth it. And it has to be said that the Metro does smell like a certain German or Dutch porcelain product with an inspection shelf.

Of course, it could just be large capital cities, as I mentioned before. I can't abide our own and would do anything to avoid the intensity of Oxford Street. Likewise, our first trip to Germany was a week comprised of Cologne, Munich and Berlin. I didn't care for Berlin nearly as much as the other two either. At some point Mrs RTO wants to go to Rome and I am dreading it; seriously thinking of suggesting she takes her Mum for a long weekend instead and staying at home. The relaxed pace of Tuscany and Umbria is how I like Italy.

Take heart though, Al - we are doing Venice and Vienna later in the year; you may enjoy the account of that.

Michelle, do order up a copy of Abbey Road if you fancy to, and make sure you get the remastered edition. But Brien is quite right. make of it what you will and don't listen to Al's rants about your taste generated just because my praise of a nation (that admittedly once did blast his beloved artery-clogging establishments into smithereens) has put him in a sulk.

Entered at Sat May 21 15:01:27 CEST 2011 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

Phew! Had I known Simi Stone was there too, I'd've crossed the Atlantic. He was solo here. Really pleased you enjoyed it.

Al, I think we've had the chips debate before. Will try and find out, if not expect more.

Entered at Sat May 21 14:51:48 CEST 2011 from (95.147.182.202)

Michelle

Subject: Beatles

Rob the Organ, thankyou, I will order a copy of Abbey Road and give my honest opinion, I promise! Thankyou Brien Sz for fair comments! Al, ow! that hurt! I love Bob Dylan, The Band, Mozart, Townes Van Zandt, Hank Williams, Debussy, Dr.John, Otis, Bill Withers, Rachmaninov, Woody Guthrie, I could go on but the point is there are always going to be artists that you are passionate about and others hate, same as other things in life! but I am going to give Beatles a try!

Entered at Sat May 21 14:24:28 CEST 2011 from (173.2.99.174)

Bob F.

Subject: Simone Felice

Peter V, my wife and I saw Simone Felice perform at the Byrdcliffe Theas up in the hills of Woodstcok last night. Simi Stone opened the show and also performed with Felice during his set. She opened the show with an acoustic version of 'no easy way out' that just took your breath away. Felice was brilliant. They performed many of the songs from 'Long Live' as wells as the first record. So many highlights. He read from his novel 'Black Jesus'. The kid has great stage presence. So does Simi Stone. Just a brilliant show. Thanks for the tip.

Entered at Sat May 21 13:36:29 CEST 2011 from (41.97.198.16)

Empty Now

if there's only one suggestion to do, it's The Forgotten Soldier, link above, while The GB is in Germany

Entered at Sat May 21 13:23:11 CEST 2011 from (41.97.198.16)

Empty Now

Subject: the full list

…passed the top-5, i must admit my incapacity of ordering the rest of my favorites in both lists. From rank #6 and beyond follows a set of all time favorites with no sensible preference. That which is used to be called in terms of cycling races the peloton. A complementary set (I hope it could interests some The Band fans) includes

Rock albums : I really haven(t the capacity to list the rest

Books :

Albert Ades & Albert Josipovici – Goha the Fool
Myra Friedman – Buried Alive: The Biography of Janis Joplin
John Knittel – Doctor Ibrahim
Pierre Nord – La Foire aux Savants (trans. The Sientists Fair, no English edition available)
Mungo Park – Travels in the Interior Districts of Africa
Herbert Le Porrier – Doctor from Cordova
Guy Sajer – The Forgotten Soldier
Albert Schweitzer – On the Edge of the Primeval Forest
Curt Siodmak – Donovan's Brain
Stendhall – Italian Chronicles

Related : linked video to the best moments of the Tour of Australia, the Cycling Tour Down Under, as dlew919 may prefer

Entered at Sat May 21 10:48:06 CEST 2011 from (82.42.175.156)

Al Edge

Incidentally thanks for delivering the decent smiley thingymajig to us Pete. I'll still use the other one of course but at least now it brings a touch of variety to my otherwise repetitive and downright boring as feck deployment of the smiley vehicle as a means of conveying mood and intention. Yawn - boring myself now. ☺

Wonderfully written travelogues Rob. Pity the subject matter - in my humble opinion based on I have to admit merely two unremarkable sojourns within the Fatherland - lies at the opposite end of the scale of worthiness to the standard of the writing bestowed upon it - I mean why not try some European destination that - again in my own humble opinion - is worthy of your praiseworthy writing skills - say Corsica, France mainland, Italy, Spain perhaps.

Just a thought

Also very timely observation from Dee regarding the splendour of English fish 'n' chips. Of course, up in Liverpool we were deprived the delight of this gastronomic necessity for many years owing to the aeroplanes of a certain country which shall remain nameless bombing all of our chippies to kingdom come [requisite Band link ☺]

:-0)

☺

:-0)

☺

Oh yeah and bollocks to your shite music taste Brian and Michelle - Beatles rule OK

☺

Entered at Sat May 21 10:12:41 CEST 2011 from (41.97.198.16)

Empty Now

Entered at Sat May 21 10:06:34 CEST 2011 from (41.97.198.16)

Empty Now

Subject: Berlin – between trains

I vaguely remember in the early 70’s a station in Berlin West as the train halted, an officer (of the company ?) appeared and formulated a phrase i didn’t understand, some local passengers left, while some kept sitting in the car, next he harshly addressed me “Terminoss !” repeatedly (i guess he saw i was a foreigner) – it was the East-West wall – then I joined those who went down.
What I didn’t really understood until today; it was that part of the population was visibly free to cross the wall. That’s all I remember, anyone knew this kind of situations, Mr Peter V ?

Linked above, the wiki document on Berlin Friedrichstraße, “famous for being a station that was located entirely in East Berlin, yet continued to be served by S-Bahn, U-Bahn trains from West Berlin as well as long distance trains from countries west of the Iron Curtain.”

long, detailed document, but surely related to what I mean

Entered at Sat May 21 04:45:55 CEST 2011 from (92.238.33.140)

Rob the Organ

Subject: Bavarian Travelogue 3 - Berchtesgaden

Another first rate breakfast and we say a reluctant farewell to the Grand Hotel. From Nuremberg we travel on our first train to Treuchtlingen and catch another to Berchtesgaden. At Freilassing, we undertake that at first unnerving experience of the train changing direction and thus appearing to be going the wrong way when it starts up again. This is hardly ever found in the UK these days, although the mean-spirited thunder-stealer in me is compelled to beat local man Peter Viney to the post and write that Dorchester was once such an English example; caused by the station being a terminus upon opening and the line being extended further west afterwards. Dorchester is now a through station.

The landscape changes and the pattern of farmland alternating with towns full of half-timbered and colourful tall facades slowly but surely is replaced with much smaller, hilly fields and clusters of chalets. It all starts to look a lot more like Switzerland. The Alps must be just round the next bend, then. Yep.

The last leg of the journey is somewhat slower, taking nearly an hour from Freilassing to Berchtesgaden. Despite being an inter-city grade train, all locations within the Bavarian Alps are popular scenic attractions, so in the final leg, the train stops at most locations on the way – Bad Reichenhall seemingly almost as popular as Berchtesgaden itself. I was asked recently if I was fond of Germany and replied yes, but (lovely cities of Cologne, Nuremberg and Munich notwithstanding) I think that rather than one country, “Alpine” in general is a better description of my preferred terrain. A joy to behold from a first class carriage, with a cappuccino, those many instances of road, rail and river (fast flowing and with a rocky bed) intertwine and criss cross between mountains are my great scenic love, be they in Switzerland, Germany or northern Italy. I have yet to experience Austria, but I shall. Given my tastes mentioned above, Austria is looking to be a “no brainer” of a choice for future explorations.

And so we arrive at Berchtesgaden. Like Nuremberg, the hand of Hitler is felt here, but curiously enough not eradicated as a matter of course or shown as a ruinous warning to other extreme folk with big ideas. No, in Berchtesgaden, and the pretty Ober-Salzburg above it, here the works of the Third Reich were of such impressive stature and engineering feats that some have been left as useful aids for others to enjoy the beauty of the area. Upon arrival in this pretty Alpine market town, you step onto the platforms of a sizeable grand terminus! Albert Speer again? Never have I seen such a grand station for such a small town.

Though the residences of Hitler himself, Hermann Göring and others (along with military complexes and the large “Platterhof” hotel) are long destroyed, one exception is the famous Kehlsteinhaus (“Eagle’s Nest” is the popular name) located near the very top of the Kehlstein mountain. Built in 1938 by Martin Bormann as a 50th birthday gift for Hitler, and now a tea-room (it was always Hitler’s “tea house” for entertaining high-profile guests) and restaurant with a generous viewing platform. 1800m above sea-level, this is not a world-beater height wise even in the Alps (having been up the Eiger, I can vouch for that!) but nevertheless the views are stunning. We were treated to an exceptionally clear day on our ascent, which is made by perhaps the most impressive feat of all: first by road (closed to general traffic and accessible by approved bus only) for most of the climb up the Kehlstein, and then from the bus stop and lower plateau and then via a tunnel in the mountainside, we reached a lift (clad inside in highly polished brass and with an operator) that takes you through the very core of the mountaintop and into the tea-house itself.

We opted not to eat in the restaurant and instead enjoy the views and only stayed up there about 45 minutes. It is well worth a trip – the Americans surrendered the site back to Bavarian control in the fifties and this has become quite a draw. Healthily so – as in no way whatsoever has it become a shrine to Hitler; presented rather as a vantage point with view equals.

As well as view of the Berchtesgadner lands, particularly of Lake Konigsee, on a clear day one can see to Salzburg; the large white castle stood out atop the higher ground of the city in the distance. I longed for my father’s old Olympus OM-10 and telephoto lens, but truth be told wouldn’t give up a compact digital. I have the same dilemma in recording music – I sometimes pine for a Teac reel-to-reel machine and some half-inch Ampex tape, but in reality the thoughts of threading and spooling soon leave me content with an Apple Mac and Logic installed thereupon.

No Eagles sadly! Although my semi-active/semi-armchair interest in ornithological matters is well served by the presence of Alpine Choughs – crows with vivid slender yellow bills. You don’t get them in Richmond Park, so the lack of eagles was almost compensated for. Also missing from my hoped-for sightings was the mighty Capercaillie - a huge black grouse of almost turkey-like proportions and peacock-like splendour and show (or at least the males are). Hugely defensive of territory, the mating season sees them battle it out so violently that opponents are killed. In the UK they survive in Scotland where David Attenborough was attacked by one! (A MUST! - see link). The winning male apparently gets all the womenfolk he can (ahem) service. I guess that immense perk makes up for the fact that the other side of life as a gamebird is likely to involve a bullet and eventually end up sliced thinly on a serving charger in some Michelin star grade restaurant or plush country house hotel.

Journeying from Nuremberg to Berchtesgaden took a morning and a bit allowing for a not-to-early start and we had arrived about three pm. Thus we had two nights in the town, and in reality just a whole day to see some of the sights plus the first afternoon for a stroll. A stroll! – the Alpine setting makes even a ten minute walk likely to involve some bracing gradients; we found the celebrated braueri (with attached brauhaus) but it involved such a descent to reach it – and thus the opposite climb to return to the hotel, that we decided against it. In most cases the enthusiastic taking of ale would make such a return journey “interesting” at best, but laden also with a hearty meal we considered it unsuitable.

Besides, after a couple of days of the traditional wurst and kartoffeln diet, Mrs RTO pleaded for a break with local tradition. It was a deeply moving plea, touching upon the Bavarian diet and her theories about the proportions of the good folk of the Free State’s haemorrhoids, and thus I saw no reason to argue the toss. Like most Alpine settlements, one thing that you will find along with local fare is a good Italian basic pizzeria-cum-pasta house. I opted for the former and Mrs RTO for the latter. No concessions on the vittles – Italian or no, the restaurant had good Berchtesgadner Haus Braueri draught beer and it was found to be of a lighter, refreshing quality than the darker, redder or wheaten types experienced in Munich or Nuremberg, thus well-suited to accompany a pizza in the same manner as Italy’s own Perroni or Nastro Azzuro. Good Italian ice cream for afters (piped to resemble a ball of stranded spaghetti and strawberry compote resembling a tomato base!) and a cappuchino each and we were sated. But we still had another beer, just in case.

Day two began with breakfast and the trip to the Kehlsteinhaus and we ran out of time to explore Lake Konigsee as planned for the afternoon. We did take a bus ride to spy it out, but found that the area we would have had time to cover was the touristy shops and restaurants at the waters edge, and vowed to come back and give the lake a full day, thus permitting the wilder parts to be covered and hopefully some of the elusive alpine birds would show themselves.

Evening mealtime again, and we had found a good local restaurant not too far from our hotel. I went straight back to red meat (the Bavarian take on a beef stew with bread dumplings was excellent; again, the gravy shone!) but Mrs RTO kept to her personal aim of two days of lighter meals, and went for a gratin of vegetables served under, of all things, a fried egg. The restaurant was decked out with the usual hunting accessories lining the walls, including the now very un-PC selection of deer's heads mounted on wooden shields as trophies. Now, laugh if you will at this: there is a basic code among ornithologists that you cannot count a dead bird as an example of a species you have observed and added to your list. Imagine my dismay at finding a stuffed Capercaillie on a shelf among the other hunting trophies. I'm sure it sat there mocking me all through the evening.

A round of apfel strudel and another beer each and we were back at the hotel enjoying a nightcap of Twinings 1706, made possible by the small travel kettle* and the petrol station near the hotel that sold fresh, non-UHT Alpine milk. Jerome K. Jerome would no doubt have wanted to fall on the proprietor’s neck and bless him.

We both agree that we will be sorry to leave Berchtesgaden and will be coming back, most likely combined with a visit to Salzburg. We had misgivings about it upon arrival; Mrs RTO in particular likes some semblance of urban bustle, and I generally hate capital cities so we find that medium sized towns such as Nuremberg on this trip and Chur in Switzerland suit us; we particularly dislike emptily showy places for the well-heeled to be pampered and rate Baden Baden as the most disappointing place in Germany over time. We feared the same about Berchtesgaden but that soon disappeared as we strolled around the old market and kicked our heels from a hotel balcony watching an Alpine farmer bringing his sheep home down quite a very steeply inclined field in the middle distance. All this, and the Ober-Salzburg just a ten minute bus ride away from the main town where you will see some of the most beautiful Alpine terrain you could hope for. I hope Regensburg is up to it after this….

*TEA ADVICE MAINLY FOR UK FOLK: It should be noted that Bavarian hotels, though generous with the usual bathroom smellies and mini-bar provisions do not seem forthcoming with the tray, kettle, teacups and assortment of tea/coffee servings and associated provisions for whitening and sweetening. Though we always take our own tea bags and seek out fresh milk – and as back up, have over time found that specifically the Swiss Co-Op powdered alpine milk is a very acceptable substitute for fresh milk, better than any UHT-related product, generous in usage time and very transportable – the travel kettle is a godsend. Go for one without a visible element and stuff it full of clean socks or hankies and it hardly takes up any suitcase room.

Entered at Sat May 21 04:10:51 CEST 2011 from (67.84.207.113)

Brien Sz

Entered at Sat May 21 01:58:49 CEST 2011 from (216.168.97.138)

Black Creek Summer Music Festival

JOHN FOGERTY and THE LEVON HELM BAND
Sat Jul 16, 8pm

"One of the best songwriters, performers, hit-makers, award-winners of our time, former Creedence Clearwater Revival frontman John Fogerty is a genuine showman — an entertainer dedicated to the proposition that every audience deserves his veater Revival frontman John Fogerty is a genuine showman — an entertainer dedicated to the proposition that every audience deserves his very best. The Band’s Levon Helm not only saw the birth of rock and roll, but has had a major role in sustaining it. Most recently he won two Grammys (in 2008 and 2010) and was named one of Rolling Stone’s “100 Greatest Singers of All Time.”

Entered at Sat May 21 01:52:54 CEST 2011 from (92.238.33.140)

Rob the Organ

Immerse yourself in Abbey Road and live with it for a while, there you will find a rich palette of sounds and styles to enjoy. Between you and me, Michelle, I'm no great lover of Sgt Pepper, and rate Abbey Road, Rubber Soul and Revolver as my essential three.

Entered at Sat May 21 01:49:58 CEST 2011 from (92.238.33.140)

Rob the Organ

Yes, Peter. The one thing that throws me about European toilets is the lack of cistern in many places, particularly public facilities in Switzerland. All there is is a big chromium valve on the downpipe that you seemingly operate like a push-down tap that has a timed release.

Enough of toilets - suffice to say that in German hotels and bars, we are safely in the realms of standard shelfless pans and those natty concealed cisterns that have a large and small button for water saving where only a Jimmy Riddle has been taken. Cistern or no, dual flush or no, my last word on the subject is that none of them flush as well as the much maligned high-level cistern and a sharp yank on the chain.

Entered at Sat May 21 01:10:26 CEST 2011 from (95.147.182.202)

Michelle

Subject: beatles/germany

OK, so you guys are so adamant about Beatles, I have been doing some research! John and George, yes, I can see where you are coming from, my former views may be made out of ignorance, and I apologise for that, um, still not sure about music though!Have never been to Germany, but must go now! Happy Birthday for Bob on Tuesday, will be Bob all day long in our house!

Entered at Fri May 20 23:39:18 CEST 2011 from (69.177.200.206)

Todd

Subject: German Engineering

What a roller coaster of a day. Strange juxtaposition of posts about food (yum) followed by posts about inspection shelfs (not so much). I've never been to Germany but I'll say that I've learned a lot today.....maybe more than I ever needed to know! While I'm very fond of the seat in my VW Passat, I'm now aware that there are some German seats that I'd probably not be as comfortable with.

Dlew, I had a similar thought as you regarding the apparent scale of the stage in TLW movie as compared to The Lost Waltz video clips. Some of the reason for this is camera position and lens choice. The camera position that the video clips are shot from appears to be further away from the stage necessitating the use of a longer (telephoto) lens which flattens and compresses space. Many of the cameras that Scorsese used for the film were necessarily closer and needed wider angle lenses which had the effect of expanding space. Scorsese did have one camera mounted fairly far back, but when it's inter-cut with the other cameras that he used, the variety adds to the effect of space rather than compressing it as the one camera viewpoint did.

Entered at Fri May 20 23:37:32 CEST 2011 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

Entered at Fri May 20 22:50:26 CEST 2011 from (99.88.66.154)

Dee

Subject: German Travels

Cusine has changed since the early 70's! I remember Roast Pork, Dumpfknodels (sp?) and red cabbage. Salat too. Or a white brat on brochen bought at a schnell imbiss.

Enjoyed lots of great food in France, tho' nothing beat Fish and Chips in England. Ahh...gourmet dining.

Entered at Fri May 20 22:19:30 CEST 2011 from (79.202.186.85)

Norbert

Lars, thanks for your reaction as always. Good you bring the asses up, know I also saw the sticky "I Shall Be Released" from back stage …. lots of asses and all those hands, cocaine and booze formatting Dante’s.... anyway we can’t blame Joni.

Entered at Fri May 20 22:03:21 CEST 2011 from (92.238.33.140)

Rob the Organ

Subject: Inspection shelf

Peter, it's safe to go back out to Germany now then -in the last three years, I haven't seen a single example of those toilets (I assume like the link picture where the water table is at the extreme front of pan) in the following places: Berlin, Cologne, Bonn, Koblenz, Mannheim, Heidelberg, Baden Baden, Friburg-am-Breisgau, Breisach, Munich, Regensburg, Nuremberg, Berchtesgaden I always thought they were a Dutch innovation?

Entered at Fri May 20 20:39:53 CEST 2011 from (75.146.18.190)

JTull Fan

No, no, I mean the cranberry based one.I do enjoy German food, just not 3 meals per day for a week!

Entered at Fri May 20 19:24:36 CEST 2011 from (74.108.27.233)

Joan

LOL Peter know just what you mean about the European toilets. I was sort of horrified. I don't really "know" that much about myself. Nothing like a good old fashioned American flush toilet for the Obssessive Compulsives amongst us. :-)

Entered at Fri May 20 18:35:14 CEST 2011 from (156.47.15.10)

David P

Entered at Fri May 20 17:58:59 CEST 2011 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

J. Tull Fan … I’ve had those meat balls and red sauce in Germany too. But I do like eating in Italian restaurants ☺

Entered at Fri May 20 17:47:34 CEST 2011 from (69.177.200.206)

Todd

Subject: Ian & Sylvia

RTO, I will admit to having a similar ho-hum reaction while watching Ian & Sylvia in Festival Express. I always wish there was a Band version of 'Tears of Rage' on Festival Express rather than the Ian & Sylvia version. I understand that they were influential and well respected and that a lot of folks have covered their songs. So it must just come down to personal preference. Some people like a healthy dose of warbling and some people don't.

I suppose that if if Michele can dislike the Beatles, then everyone else is fair game!

Entered at Fri May 20 17:33:20 CEST 2011 from (92.238.33.140)

Rob the Organ

Tull: The plot thickens then! What about the red sauce? Tomato-ey?

PV: Glad to provide the travelogue as per your suggestion, but would agree that the culinary delights (both aforementioned and forthcoming) are very much that of a carnivore! Germany is NOT the best place for a herbivore, it must be agreed. Indeed, Mrs RTO bade us eat somewhere less locally traditional over a couple of evenings, muttering something that I will water down here as a simple assumption that Bavarians must have the most appalling haemorrhoids if they truly eat as they indicate to the outside world!

One thing I do like about German meals is the approach as much as the content; can't stand any pomp and circumstance about the taking of a meal. Generally we skip starters and avoid that "ooh, haven't got room for any more" (or rather the wife says it, I always have room which explains my physique) situation come desert time.

Starters* are the work of the devil, who makes work for idle hands that then fumble with the sweet menu. "When I were a lad.." ...there wasn't any poncing around with starters except in more formal restaurants, and you always had room to shovel a bowl of apple pie and custard down. The appearance of the "s-word" in less highbrow places** such as the humble pub and, worse still - the home - has relegated the once essential pudding to an accessory not a vital part of any meal worth the name.

Soapbox away, kettle on, a few words about Berchtesgaden coming up...

(* & ** : Under culinary works of the devil, see also "Gastro Pub", or "Entiritis Emporium" as I like to call them. Potted snapshot for non-UKers is thus... Pub: Fish & Chips, £5-£8. Gastro Pub: Fish, Chips and Coriander: £12-15).

Entered at Fri May 20 16:58:54 CEST 2011 from (75.146.18.190)

JTull Fan

Rob, it was actually in Munich so they are in Bavaria! I swear to god every night be it schwein or duck....two balls!

Entered at Fri May 20 16:30:11 CEST 2011 from (156.47.15.10)

David P

Rob: As a band, the Great Speckled Bird helped Ian & Sylvia move further from the folk music world into country-rock. Nashville artist had already embraced them as songwriters, as was the case with Gordon Lightfoot, and they became pioneers, along with Dylan, Joan Baez, Eric Andersen and a few others, who headed south to record in Nashville and incorporate a progressive country sound in their records.

Entered at Fri May 20 16:19:37 CEST 2011 from (41.97.251.154)

Empty Now

Subject: Subject: 5th best favorite

5th best favorite Rock album ever – Jackson Browne : Running on Empty

5th best favorite book ever – Archibald Joseph Cronin : Hatter's Castle

assuming a full list contains a lot of albums

Entered at Fri May 20 15:58:32 CEST 2011 from (131.137.35.83)

sadavid

I think it was one of those situations where you have to know the characters to appreciate the humour. I didn't, and I didn't. (The repeating bits with the naked / amorous neighbours were mildly funny.) Of the four main characters, one is suffering terminal dementia, two are borderline mental incompetents. Fr. Ted, I assumed, was so worn down from trying to deal with the others that he'd stopped trying. He'd probably kill himself if it wasn't a sin, and if he had the energy.

Entered at Fri May 20 15:15:02 CEST 2011 from (92.238.33.140)

Rob the Organ

Lars - I had that dream once, so started pinching Emmylou's ass in the Evangeline scene instead. She generally winks and after a saucy little cackle says she likes it, so try that.

Bill M - Jericho, great link. Listening to the A-side (which I have linked), are we 100% sure that Garth didn't lend his hands as well as his organ and Leslie? It's certainly his Lowrey and sounds like him playing to me.

David P - I've never heard the Great Speckled Bird LP but was intrigued to see your "ground-breaking" description as I found them to be very ordinary on the Festival Express DVD. Is the LP cut from a different cloth, or is it just my taste differing?

JTullFan - tell me about these mystery balls and red sauces? I didn't see them once in Germany! But I was in Bavaria, a law unto itself, and maybe further north they are commonplace?

Entered at Fri May 20 13:15:06 CEST 2011 from (59.101.56.120)

dlew919

Sorry again...

Entered at Fri May 20 11:19:11 CEST 2011 from (41.97.251.154)

Empty Now

Subject: 4th best favorite

4th best favorite Rock album ever – Crosby Stills Nash & Young : Four Way Street

4th best favorite book ever – Plato : The Republic

be patient, full list coming slowly but surely

Entered at Fri May 20 10:02:32 CEST 2011 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

Father Ted has that aura, like Fawlty Towers, of going out at the top. I don’t know how deliberate it was. Had they really decided to stop? Dermot Morgan (Father Ted) died of a heart attack after series three. He had said he didn’t want to be typecast and end up ‘like Clive Dunn in Dad’s Army’ reprising the role for years.

The framework is classic, as is Fawlty Towers. Basic cast of four– Basil, Sybil, Polly, Manuel in one. Ted, Dougal, Father Jack, Mrs Doyle in the other. (See also Friends and Frasier and even back to I Love Lucy). Both FT (Fawlty Towers) and FT (Father Ted) have a few regular smaller parts … the two old ladies and the colonel in Fawlty Towers; the constantly bickering couple of parishioners, John and Mary; Bishop Brennan in Father Ted. Both allow for new major characters to arrive for each episode such as Father Noel Furlong (Graham Norton) once per series. Father Stone, the world’s most boring man., who appears just the once. Niamh Connoly (i.e. Sinead O’Connor)

Father Ted ran to 24 (3 x 8) + a special, compared to Fawlty Towers 12 (2 x 6).

Apart from the grounds of taste, Ted was irreplaceable. He was the only one who was close to normal / sane.

Entered at Fri May 20 09:43:54 CEST 2011 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

Lars, that's a common fantasy. It just means you think you're Neil Diamond.

Entered at Fri May 20 06:54:39 CEST 2011 from (67.250.113.92)

Lars

Subject: TLW

NORBERT- I have the same dream every night, always about TLW in the finale where everybody sings, "I Shall Be Released." I'm standing next to Neil Young and every time he pinches Joannie Mitchell in the ass she whirls around and slaps my face. Doesn't matter what side I'm on, she always brings that arm around and slaps me real hard...sometimes with the left hand and sometimes with the right.

The hell of it is, I just want to finish the song, give my regards to everybody, and find a rack and get a good night's sleep without getting slapped.

Entered at Fri May 20 00:40:22 CEST 2011 from (82.42.175.156)

Al Edge

...one lousy Ted Crilly Hitler spoof and everybody's obsessed with feckin Germany

verdammt hurensohn

:-0)

Entered at Thu May 19 23:45:36 CEST 2011 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

Entered at Thu May 19 23:27:57 CEST 2011 from (67.163.118.32)

JTull Fan

I travel there for work semi-regularly and when there I am sick of red sauces and the two mystery balls (similar to Matzos) that come with every freaking meal! Fortunately they have a large Middle-Eastern population and I can always find some Turkish take-out when away from colleagues. There's nothing worse than being jetlagged and wanting to go back to my room to call home, and a round of tall beers or ordered. You think 'ok, one beer, how long can this take?' and it takes fucking forever! 30 minutes later glasses are empty and I think 'ok, done.' and they order another fucking round!!!! I used to be a beer snob but now if I have one make it a Coors Light so I can be a beer barbarian!

Entered at Thu May 19 22:35:56 CEST 2011 from (91.42.226.112)

Norbert

Today, during lunch break, I went 6000 miles east and 35 years back for my Walter Mitty moment and ended up in San Francisco’s Winterland, just as TLW began, and, strange, just like in the movie they played the last song first. I walked behind the stage and was just telling to Scorsese not to miss out on the jam, as I noticed Neil Young’s amp was way too low, I took a dive and put up the volume …. just in time. I told the engineers to be more careful the next time. Pat on Clapton’s shoulder and, in a friendly way, I learned him how a guitar strap is properly mounted (so easy, he picked it up fast). With open mouth I watched Garth sax solo at the end of It Makes No Difference, and when the song was finished, a young man of my age standing next to me said, “Whistled on his hands and shouted “Garth!”. I said “he’s the best” and we got into a talk, I told him I’m from Holland and he told me he played the harp himself and knew Garth and his name was Jeff, He was a friendly, spontaneous, strong young man, full of energy. His dream was to become a musician, I shook his hand and we talked some time, then he had to go and got lost in the crowed. I liked him but standing there I alone again between all the greats, felt like he had left me, and I had so much to tell and ask him, I felt lost.

But as my whole life is one Walter Mitty moment, I’m sure I’ll see him tomorrow again between 1 and 2 pm.

And Steve, I told to Robbie to be careful with such a scarf in future :-O}

Entered at Thu May 19 22:06:28 CEST 2011 from (156.47.15.10)

David P

Bill M: Yes, "Sick and Tired" was covered on the his second Cotillion LP "The Hawk", recorded at Criteria Studio in Miami with the Dixie Flyers and Duane Allman. Crowbar also did an excellent version of "Let The Four Winds Blow" on the "Bad Manors" LP you mentioned.

Entered at Thu May 19 21:43:46 CEST 2011 from (70.53.46.130)

Kevin J

Entered at Thu May 19 21:36:04 CEST 2011 from (204.138.59.92)

Bill M

Peter V: Hawkins recorded "Sick And Tired" on his second Cotillion LP, I believe. He certainly recorded "Goin' To The River" in '65 with our guys' replacements, the Disciples. And another team of former Hawks, Crowbar, did a killer version of "House Of Blue Lights" on their "Bad Manors" album. I'm sure Levon and the Hawks played some of these songs, and others, live with Hawkins and afterwards.

Entered at Thu May 19 21:30:24 CEST 2011 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

Service is always excellent and food of high quality, but to some one who eats meat about once a week, or less, (me), it's far too heavy on meaty items. I find food further south, mainly fish, salad and pasta suits me a lot better. Love Germany. Don't really like the food.

Entered at Thu May 19 21:15:49 CEST 2011 from (70.53.46.130)

Kevin J

Toronto should try to find the people that recently rebuilt Dresden to restore some of the great old buildings no longer with us in this city………………..Imagine the conversation “ Yeah, ok …we know you rebuilt the Dresdner Frauenkirche – one of the great churches in Europe – but what we want in this city – being Band fans first and foremost – is Le Coq d’or being restored to all its past glory! – and bring a year’s supply of that potato salad with you as well.

Entered at Thu May 19 21:14:24 CEST 2011 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

Check out the latest in the series "Big Beat: The Dave Bartholomew Songbook," Plenty of Band connections from The Fat Man by Fats Domino (which Robbie did on Carny) to Grow Too Old (from the Bobby Charles album(. Others that members covered include Sick & Tired (here in Neville Grant's reggae version), Please Please Please(here by Merle Kilgore) and Let The Four Winds Blow (here by Roy Brown). A great selection.

Entered at Thu May 19 19:51:33 CEST 2011 from (193.49.235.4)

Dror

Subject: Dominique Strauss-Kahn

The victim is allegedly called Ophelia. The lyrics indeed seem to have been written by DSK himself! Boards on the window, mail by the door: why would anybody leave so quickly for Ophelia? Where have you gone? The old neighborhood, just ain't the same. Nobody knows just what became of Ophelia. Tell me what went wrong? Was it somethin' that somebody said? Mama I know we broke the rules. Was somebody up against the law? Honey, you know that I'd die for you. They got your number, they're scared and runnin', but I'm still waitin' for the second coming of Ophelia. Please darken my door. Ashes of laughter, the ghost is clear. Why do the best things always disappear? Like Ophelia. Please, come back home.

Entered at Thu May 19 19:48:04 CEST 2011 from (204.138.59.92)

Bill M

Kevin J: Sorry. I meant to go on to say that the area of Germany that I loved was the southwest - Stuttgart / Black Forest. I found the food to be first-rate quality wise, but kinda samey. Everyone I stayed with, whether Mennonite or Catholic, seemed to have some subset of pretty much the same food (salat, tomatten, wurst, kartuffle, brot) every meal, every day.

Entered at Thu May 19 19:40:21 CEST 2011 from (91.42.233.69)

Norbert

Rob, Enjoyed you travel log, thanks.

Let me know how Bergtesgarden is, never been there myself, keep us informed!

Entered at Thu May 19 19:39:01 CEST 2011 from (204.138.59.92)

Bill M

Entered at Thu May 19 19:10:46 CEST 2011 from (70.53.46.130)

Kevin J

I had never heard of Nazz…………..Interesting.

Entered at Thu May 19 18:21:29 CEST 2011 from (68.164.4.70)

Pat B

I'd take those first two Nazz albums over any of the Runt's solo stuff, but he did have some magnificent moments.

Entered at Thu May 19 17:06:49 CEST 2011 from (70.28.32.74)

Landmark

I've been away?

Entered at Thu May 19 16:42:00 CEST 2011 from (90.239.125.155)

NorthWestCoaster

Subject: Tarantula by Bob Dylan

By all means you should read "Tarantula". There is one sentence in this book which I mumble by myself at least once a week. It is also the very last sentence. It goes something like this:

"Three things continue: The Life & The Death & the lumberjacks."

Entered at Thu May 19 16:33:19 CEST 2011 from (156.47.15.10)

David P

Entered at Thu May 19 16:18:15 CEST 2011 from (59.101.56.120)

dlew919

Where've you been? Will we see Julie next?

Entered at Thu May 19 16:17:13 CEST 2011 from (204.138.59.92)

Bill M

Jericho's one 45 from the album is on YouTube - the link is to the b-side. Said to be from '71, so maybe the LP wasn't '70 after all. Northern Boy will be incapable of confirming or denying the rumour that they played our highschool that spring.

Entered at Thu May 19 16:09:07 CEST 2011 from (204.138.59.92)

Bill M

Entered at Thu May 19 15:49:57 CEST 2011 from (156.47.15.10)

David P

The young rock wizard Todd Rundgren was a very busy man in 1970. In addition to engineering "Stage Fright", he was the hot new producer & artist in residence at Albert Grossman's Bearsville studio, which had a production deal with the short-lived Ampex Records. Ampex, best known for its recording machines & tapes, soon evolved into the Bearsville label, distributed by Warner Bros. The first five releases on the Ampex label were:

THE AMERICAN DREAM -- self-titled release from the Philadelphia band produced by Todd Rundgren
GIL EVANS -- Todd Rundgren produced the jazz great, who later collaborated with Robbie Robertson
GREAT SPECKLED BIRD -- self-titled release by Ian & Sylvia's ground-breaking group featuring Amos Garrett. Also produced by Todd Rundgren.
JESSE WINCHESTER -- Mr. Winchester outstanding debut album featuring Robbie as producer & guitarist and Levon on drums & mandolin.
RUNT -- Todd Rundgren's solo debut album that I mentioned yesterday.

Entered at Thu May 19 15:15:13 CEST 2011 from (204.138.59.92)

Bill M

Al E: One of your aledged Father T links didn't work. ('Bad dog: wrong country' is essentially what the screen said.) Was it to the Unwelcome Visitor clip that I found alongside the other clip, which did? Anyway, although I saw it on TV here just two weeks ago, I laughed so hard I still have tears in my eyes. BTW, do you see Dougal in LH's eyes and mouth, as suggested yesterday? Imagine him singing "Karma Chameleon"?

Entered at Thu May 19 14:56:25 CEST 2011 from (129.42.208.177)

Bob F.

Subject: Todd

Landmark, your right about A Wizard/A True Star. I especially liked the medley with 'I'm So Proud' and 'Ooh Baby'. I also liked 'Just One Victory'. By the time he got to the Todd record it was just about over. I always felt he sabataged himself with that silly Utopia band. I remember going to see them on more then one occasion and being tormented by some of the worst noise I'd ever heard. He would play this silly glass guitar.

Entered at Thu May 19 13:45:15 CEST 2011 from (70.28.32.74)

Landmark

I like Something/Anything but also thought that there are plenty of gems on A Wizard, A Trus Star. Here is a link to Todd doing "I saw The Light" from a website that my wife stumbled on and has since become a big fave of hers. Take the time to go through it as there is a lot of stuff to be found.

Entered at Thu May 19 13:19:29 CEST 2011 from (59.101.17.233)

dlew919

I've been watching with great pleasure some of the Lost Waltz videos...

Now, I love the film: I know some here don't like it - (and I can see some of the criticisms). But what Scorsese gives is this hugely expansive stage - it looks huge! Whereas the stage looks very small in the 'unoffiical ' footage...

Adam2 will have interesting insights, but what do others think as well?

Entered at Thu May 19 11:40:46 CEST 2011 from (59.101.17.233)

dlew919

I've only seen about half the father teds, and only once or twice, but they've stayed with me: the first episode I saw was with the priest conference: on the way back the engines fail, and ted says what should we do? One priest gets up and says 'Perhaps... perhaps we should pray.' Ted says 'Does anyone have any SENSIBLE suggestions'... I still laugh over that: one of the great tv comedies, no doubt. Apparenlty killed by overly sensitive fools who linked the rather stupid, selfish but ultimately harmless priests on the show with the paedophile priests of the real church (though I don't know if that's true: some Irish guys I know told me that.)

Graham Norton as the youth group leader 'ah, we're all having fun! I bet you're going to buy some HEROIN!!!"

Night of the Nearly Dead... with the quite stupid and emotionally childish rock star 'Here's a kitten...'

Brilliant, Brilliant stuff...

Entered at Thu May 19 11:13:46 CEST 2011 from (82.42.175.156)

Al Edge

Subject: One more Father Ted

The Ted Crilly take on fascism

:-0)

Entered at Thu May 19 11:10:05 CEST 2011 from (82.42.175.156)

Al Edge

Subject: Apolgies

Tied up for a week or so

Those reef knots are right bastards to undo

:-0)

So won't be able to finish compiling the totals for the album lists - still it might give Jeff and perhaps some 'readers' as Empty says a chance to post theirs.

Pete - the caravan from hell is amazing as you rightly say. I also crack up at their expressions in the guy from the shower scene. I've posted the link to the episode above. The adverts are a pain but as you are well aware pete it's well worth persevering for the riches within.

Entered at Thu May 19 10:01:08 CEST 2011 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

SaDavid: I'll be interested on your take on Father Ted. I agree with John Doyle's line "Better than Pinter" too (and I admire Pinter greatly). The episode when they're on a caravan holiday is a favourite. Ted has to explain to Dougal about perspective. Ted holds a toy cow, and says something like, 'Now Dougal. Small cow … near" then points out of the window, "Big cow … far away." Inevitably we hear, 'Ah, I don't get it, Ted." Some of Father Dougal's comments on religion are hilarious. This is the episode where Graham Norton appears as the madly enthusiastic non-stop talking priest with his youth club members. You have to see it. It's fecking brilliant.

Entered at Thu May 19 09:52:25 CEST 2011 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

Todd Rundgren. Last month we dug out “Runt”, “Runt- The Ballad of Todd Rundgren” and “Something / Anything” and listened selectively. This was because we’d been to see The Decemberists and had been playing “June Hymn” incessantly. Mrs V. swears the melody of:

Once upon it

The yellow bonnets

garland all the lawn

… is exactly the same as a Todd Rundgren song. We used to play him a lot, and a few tracks from those albums are still outstanding: Long Flowing Robe, We Gotta Get You A Woman, Broke Down & Busted, I Saw The Light to name a few.

We got to Todd Rundgren like most people here, I’m sure … he was the engineer on “Stage Fright” so must be worth listening to, and we bought the albums on import (and then we bought the CDs too later).

Anyway we never found the track that Mrs V swears “June Hymn” comes from. Any suggestions gratefully received. Also if it's another album of the era instead!

I still love Todd’s line on “Something / Anything”: “This is the sound of bad edting”. (No spelling error; say it aloud).

Entered at Thu May 19 09:49:08 CEST 2011 from (41.97.213.212)

Empty Now

first time I met Urubamba

Entered at Thu May 19 09:25:43 CEST 2011 from (41.97.213.212)

Empty Now

Subject: 3rd best favorite

I thought that Al Edge launched the best albums list call to attract the 'read only' GBers, in fact we got mainly the lists of the 'write only' GBers.

3rd best favorite Rock album ever – Paul Simon : Live Rhymin'

3rd best favorite book ever – Fyodor Dostoevsky : The Possessed

what I mean by Rock is any English lyrics modern music, I don’t distinguish studio, live, best-of , various artists, movie soundtrack, it spans over on 50 years, I need time to remember and to comply, I even don't have some albums anymore, but a thread as vital as one's favorite lists must be truly one's favorite lists. never mind maybe someday it will have some usefulness

Now the years are rolling by me, they are rockin' evenly
I am older than I once was, and younger than I'll be and that's not unusual.
No it isn't strange, after changes upon changes we are more or less the same,
After changes we are more or less the same

The "missing verse" was performed by Simon & Garfunkel when they went on tour in November 1969, and Paul Simon when he performed it solo after the group's breakup. Simon & Garfunkel also performed the "missing verse" on Saturday Night Live in 1975 and when they reunited for The Concert in Central Park in 1981

Entered at Thu May 19 03:46:35 CEST 2011 from (99.141.62.177)

Adam2

Entered at Thu May 19 03:09:01 CEST 2011 from (99.141.62.177)

Adam2

Bill M - Where is it mentioned that Rundgren was trying to sing like Richard on the track? That's pretty cool.

Amos Garrett isn't the only Bearsville musician to play on Something/Anything. Hungry Chuck, with Garrett, the late Ben Keith, Jim Colegrove and ND Smart, are the backing group on "Piss Aaron".

Entered at Thu May 19 03:06:16 CEST 2011 from (174.17.255.27)

Elizabeth Taylor-46

Subject: The Last Waltz

I could watch it over and over. The absolute best! It made me realize that rock n' roll will never be the same. It made me miss the days gone by.

Entered at Thu May 19 03:04:20 CEST 2011 from (99.141.62.177)

Adam2

Entered at Thu May 19 00:33:30 CEST 2011 from (72.230.109.86)

Bashful Bill

Subject: Adam2

I saw Levon this past Friday(and posted about it when I got home in the wee hours of Saturday AM). Levon sang three songs and one verse of The Weight. It was a bit painful for an oldtimer like me to hear. He also harmonized on a few other songs sung by others and that wasn't so bad - you could clearly hear his voice but it didn't make me wince. I was fortunate to have caught 2 rambles very shortly after Levon first started singing again and his voice was in relatively good shape. A great show the other night, though, and not just because I'm a Bandfan(which, briefly, was my original handle when I first started posting in Jan's GB). I've seen this line-up a number of times and they were hot on this night. I also was at the 09 Vibes(and last year and am going this year) and Levon didn't sing at all that night.

Entered at Wed May 18 23:29:24 CEST 2011 from (84.146.40.236)

Rob the Organ

Subject: Todd R

Bill M, totally agree that Something/Anything is a much better set than Runt, but also like you I don't play it that often. Used to play Black Maria to death in my early twenties, though, when my taste in guitar solos was somewhat more widdlesome!

Entered at Wed May 18 23:17:13 CEST 2011 from (131.137.35.83)

sadavid

Subject: - double hockey sticks

Bill M: thanks for mentioning Father Ted; I've never seen it, but I'm trying to remember to tune in tomorrow for the episode "Hell," which J. Doyle of the _Globe_ calls "one of the finest TV programs ever made and an abidingly relevant meditation on the concept." Well, he's Irish, he ought to know . . . .

Entered at Wed May 18 23:12:28 CEST 2011 from (204.138.59.92)

Bill M

Entered at Wed May 18 22:38:05 CEST 2011 from (204.138.59.92)

Bill M

Don't know why, but I finally noticed that Jan's fan-photo gallery has Pat B with Levon. What struck me, aside from how surprisingly fresh-faced and respectable Pat B looked in '83, was how much Levon's shining eyes and pursed lips reminded me of Dougal in "Father Ted". Now I wish I paid more attention when some of you were recasting the show using Band members a couple weeks ago. Arse!

Entered at Wed May 18 22:37:48 CEST 2011 from (156.47.15.10)

David P

Bill M: Levon & Rick played on the song "Once Burned" which appeared on Todd Rundgren's 1970 solo debut album "Runt", originally released on the Ampex label.

Entered at Wed May 18 22:09:12 CEST 2011 from (204.138.59.92)

Bill M

Entered at Wed May 18 21:43:06 CEST 2011 from (131.137.35.83)

sadavid

Subject: good karma in Nashville - Blonde on Blonde

Dunc: thanks for the notice; a very entertaining documentary (w/ anecdotes from B. Johnston, A. Kooper, et many al.).

Entered at Wed May 18 20:44:20 CEST 2011 from (204.138.59.92)

Bill M

RtO: Good of you to take time out of your holidays to mention May Blitz, whose second album, the Somethingth of May, was a real bitch to find. As you probably know, the group was a Beck alumnus Tony Newman, plus two Canuckistanis from Vancouver Island. I suspect that both eventually returned to the west coast; I even saw one of them (Reid Hudson I believe) in the music listings in the last few years. How 'bout it Westcoaster, you know Reid or the other guy, James Black? I always wondered if they went to Britain with Cal Batchelor, who was also from Victoria but whose claim to fame was a tenure with Quiver before returning home. As far as I know, Cal still plays blooze in Vancouver; he did one live CD with the same Robbie King on amazing organ.

Entered at Wed May 18 20:01:50 CEST 2011 from (86.143.61.240)

Dunc

Subject: Peter, Roger

There is a progranmme on Radio 2 i player about the making of Blonde on Blonde.

Entered at Wed May 18 19:20:50 CEST 2011 from (84.146.40.236)

Rob the Organ

Yes. Can never decide between Bavaria and the part of Switzerland known as Graubunden as to which is my absolute favourite, but yes Peter, I am fond.

Entered at Wed May 18 18:59:56 CEST 2011 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

Entered at Wed May 18 18:58:37 CEST 2011 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

The first one I bought was Manfred Mann's Chapter Three, another excellent album. The iconic design complemented by the inner sleeve design is part of what made the early ones collectable. I haven't heard Affinity. But Vertigo is to Philips what Deram is to Decca, Dawn is to Pye, Neon is to RCA; the highly sought after "alternative" label, which means lots of psych and early prog. They all tried one … some, like MGM's "Music Factory" imprint were short-lived. Others are still with us. But once Vertigo dropped the full swirl design, collectability dives.

Entered at Wed May 18 18:54:56 CEST 2011 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

Entered at Wed May 18 18:47:46 CEST 2011 from (84.146.40.236)

Rob the Organ

Two nights in Nuremberg was decided upon; the first to break the long rail journey* to Berchtesthingy; the second to permit a day looking round the rather attractive and largely forgotten old town ("altstadt").

*At this point, I should mention to those thinking, not unreasonably, "Why create such a long rail journey? Why not just fly to Munich or Salzburg and get a bus to Berchtesgaden?" that this is all about personal preference; I like to travel by train anyway and particularly when it is to somewhere I have never been; I like to see the world roll past the window, but not too far away like on a plane. Nor by driving where, if truth be told, everybody gets to see it but the driver - which would be me. The EuroStar has, of course, made such rail trips so much easier that it is folly not to patronise it. As a London/Surrey borders resident, I know the reality of "use it or lose it" - a cursory name check of all the pubs that have closed down near me sadly testifies to that.

Anyway, back to the old quarter of Nuremberg, which I described as forgotten. Why? Because we all think of Nuremberg as the home of Hitler's huge rallies, in the huge Zeppelin field stadium and Luitpoldhain arenas, on old news reels. A 20 foot tall bronze eagle here, an enormous trio of vertically hung Nazi banners there. Sure, that is an element of Nuremberg that still partly stands. Indeed, Mrs RTO and I clambered up the decaying remains of the grandstand until we were stood upon the Fuhrer's podium of address. I lit a cigarette, which I am sure he would have hated. Shame we didn't have a couple of beers and a meat-based sandwich each as well - that would have been all three of his dietary beliefs ridiculed in his own front room!

In any case, Herr H would already have been turning in his - um, hastily dug pit - if he'd have seen the breakfast that the Meridian Grand Hotel had served us. I always think that it is almost worth going on holiday JUST for the hotels' hot buffet breakfasts, particularly on the heels of yesterdays futile and vain attempts to break fast properly described in my last post on the subject. It started good and got better today: pear yoghurt was available along with the usual plain, strawberry or peach variants. But pear yoghurt is a thing of beauty, and the very taste of it wanted to make me roll over and sing Sweet Sue. We don't see much pear yoghurt in the UK - heaven knows why. Veal meatballs, Nurnberger sausages, beautiful crisp bacon (free of fat and rind), scrambled eggs (regular or a variety with bits of vegetables in which the wife tried and quite enjoyed). And the bread rolls! If Germany made awful cars, power tools, domestic appliances and (for the guys) didn’t sire leggy six foot blonde lasses with no more maintenance costs than a hearty meal and a few beers, you’d still forgive it for the quality of the bread. Some of the old-fashioned dark breads can be a bit on the dry side, but the variety and quality on offer more than make up for it. For myself, I have developed a fondness for the laugenbrotchen – basically a nice white roll with the savoury coating and coarse salt also found on a pretzel. Digging deeper, I discovered this is achieved using food grade caustic soda in huge vats and is virtually impossible, if not extremely difficult and dangerous – to try at home. Bugger.

Of course, more meat is never far away and if the hot breakfast was not enough, all manner of those lovely cooked sausages (of the larger diameter and served sliced and cold) abound in many varieties, along with salamis, there to tempt to in to stuffing a few slices into a roll to conclude breakfast. But time is of the essence having lost an afternoon yesterday, and with at least two main historical sights to see and a leisurely stroll around the old town planned, we hardened our hearts and left the breakfast table.

When setting off from a hotel on foot, we traditionally revert to type. Mrs RTO double checks the local transport details while I spread myself over an outdoor chair and light a Chesterfield. First up is the rally grounds and war museum, and like so many stadiums is slightly out of town. No matter – for €21 apiece we had invested in the Nuremberg Card which covers all the transport (rail, bus or tram) and admission to virtually any museum or attraction in Nuremberg or neighbouring Fürth. If Germany made awful cars, power tools, domestic appliances, bread and (for the guys) didn’t sire leggy six foot lasses with no more maintenance costs than a hearty meal and a few beers, you’d still forgive it for the public transport options in most cities.

To the infamous Zeppelinfeld stadium, then, by local (S-Bahn) train. On time, quick, efficient, no dramas. The remaining portion of that infamous stadium looms closer, and we are there in no time. Those old newsreels showed a fine grandstand flanked by tall towers and colonnades. The grandstand, including the podium where Hitler addressed his followers remains, as mentioned earlier. The colonnades are sadly gone, for structural safety issues, and the end towers reduced in height for similar reasons. I say sadly gone - and am aware this may sound distasteful - but see no harm in commenting on the beauty of Albert Speer’s design, itself based on that worldly wonder, the Pergamon Altar. But safety is safety, I guess – and in fact though the whole grandstand is open for folk to ramble up and down from one end to t’other, “Enter at your own risk” is signed clearly in many places.

Close at hand is another of Speer’s great projects. Like the grandstand, it is not all there but in this case because it was never completed. The huge and ambitious Congress Hall – crescent shaped and a thinly veiled attempt to outdo the Coliseum – now serves as a museum about Nuremberg’s ties to the National Socialist rallies. We opted not to do this in the end (time constraints) and took a tram back to the Hauptbahnhof where, after patting our stomachs and still feeling sated by w fine breakfast, we took the most frugal of lunches (a sandwich with plenty of salad and no red meat!) before breaking out the travel kettle back at the hotel and taking a cup of tea (tip for UK residents: Twinings “1706” tea bags really do taste a like a proper pot of loose tea and if you opt for something marked “Frisch Alpen Milch” in a supermarket, you do generally get fresh milk not UHT rubbish. It is a little sweeter than our milk, so if you normally take sugar in a drink, back off a little) and heading off into the altstadt.

I love a walled city and the remaining bits of Nuremberg’s walls (quite a bit, actually) are a real treat for those into that sort of thing. Sadly, like many a German city, our guys made a bit of a mess of it in the war, but what has been rebuilt has been done very convincingly, almost stone by stone to blueprint. We head to the north of the altstadt, again using our town card on the U-bahn tube and a tram. The tram takes us up the western side of the altstadt, parallel with the city walls for most of it, then we leave the tram as it hits the north straight and take that gate into the city. Almost immediately in front of us is our other “must” see, namely the house of Albrecht Durer. I found it as fascinating an insight into the ergonomics of an old German well-appointed town house as I did Durer as an artist, and thoroughly recommend a visit. Not only were examples of the great renaissance man’s work displayed, but also a reconstruction of his workshop showcasing tools, techniques, sources of pigment…wonderful. You do have the option of a guided tour, though the guide dressing as Durer’s wife (I assume all the guides are female; were it not the case and we were shown around by a drag-act it might have appealed!) and doing a bit of re-enactment around the place was deemed too rich for our simple blood and we opted to wander around ourselves.

What is a German city without a brauhaus? If Germany made awful cars, power tools, domestic appliances, bread, provided awful public transport and (for the guys) didn’t sire leggy six foot lasses with no more maintenance costs than a hearty meal and a few beers, you’d still forgive it for the brauhaus (or several) in any given city. Thus we chanced upon the Hausbraueri Altstadhof on our way home from our time chez Durer, as instead of catching the tram we decided that a gentle wander through the throng of the old city was in order. After all, the tram took us uphill so the gradient was in our favour, and Mrs RTO and I often find ourselves a suitable eatery for the evening by exploring this way.

With a face-stuffing venue confirmed for that evening, we returned to the hotel for a nice sit down and a freshen-up. Ornithologists will be delighted to know that several Black Redstarts flitted around the leafier bits of the city. A close cousin of the UK’s beloved national bird and simple joy (the Robin), this is a scarce sight in the UK now, and we allowed ourselves to pause here and there to observe one or two, which is very much like a robin in a different colour scheme: black where the robin is red, charcoal grey where the robin is brown, and red underparts where the robin is pale. In as much time as it takes to walk south to our hotel, make another brew, have forty winks and take a shower, we walked south to our hotel, made another brew, had forty winks and each took a shower, before off back into the altstadt to the Hausbraueri. Totally different to the vast beer-halls we have experienced in Munich and Cologne, this is an intimate affair with just four of five small tables for diners and a long bar for the locals, several of whom were already ensconced, china steins constantly refilled and the conversation just the rowdy side, but not in an obtrusive way. Occasionally, the odd drinking song was aired. It might have been ‘for the cameras’ but I don’t think so.

We kick off with a selection of 20cl tasters of all the beers on offer, and Mrs RTO settles on a white wheatbeer, but as these are familiar turf I opt for a beautiful red beer that was on offer – sweet and nutty, and ideal for the food that was to follow. Tonight we both decide upon the Nurnberger wurst, which is small in size and generally served six at a time. Mrs RTO went for warm potato salad with hers. There is something about German potato salad (“Kartoffelnsalat”) that is so much heartier than the miserable bowl of cold boiled potatoes smothered in mayonnaise that we give the same title. No, the German variety is hearty, like mashed potato and in texture and appearance is not unlike a pale cream coloured version of stewed apple. I opted for my six wurst to be served in a red beer gravy with onions, knowing perfectly well that the portion size of Mrs RTO’s kartofflnsalat would defeat her and I’d inherit some. I was not wrong, and - even if I had been - the gravy alone was worth it.

Another beer, and off back to the hotel to write this up. Tomorrow we leave Nuremberg and I will be truly sorry to say goodbye. Everything I like about Munich condensed into a Bruges-style compact and attractive package, this afterthought included in our plans merely to allow breaking our journey to Berchtesgaden has rapidly become my favourite city, and we will be coming back for four or five days at some point.

Nuremberg then – a fine and picturesque medieval walled city, overshadowed by Hitler’s vast additions and productions and unfairly so. But it plays second fiddle to no city in it’s own mind – not even Munich – and good luck to it; though it is unlikely to shake off the word association game call and response of “Nuremberg”/”Nazi Rally” it is so much more of a real, thriving city than, say, Bruges - which sells lace and chocolate to tourists and has nappies fitted to horses to save them from pooing on the postcard-picture cobbled streets! All I know is that I want to come back again, for tomorrow (or “the day before yesterday” by the time of posting) we leave this fair city and head for Berchtesgaden down in the Alps.

Entered at Wed May 18 18:47:59 CEST 2011 from (156.47.15.10)

David P

I have two excellent Vertigo LPs from the early '70s, both by Ian Matthews -- "If You Saw Thro' My Eyes" and "Tigers Will Survive".

Entered at Wed May 18 18:27:18 CEST 2011 from (41.97.253.225)

Empty Now

Subject: list

Since the time we are all posting here, it would have earned credibillity to ask any GBers to post the favorite lists of another GBer. Now I’ll risk the chance that some random parasite idiot lurking The Band GB will really recognize who I am

2nd best favorite Rock album ever – The Blues Brothers movie soundtrack

2nd best favorite book ever – Desmond Morris : The Human Zoo

1st best favorite book ever – Cervantes : Don Quixote…

…whose exact 1605 title was
“The delightful adventures of the ingenious hidalgo Don Quixote de la Mancha and his faithful squire Sancho panca, composed by Miguel Cervantes Saavedra, and addressed to the Duke of Beiar, Marques de Gibraleon, Conde de Barcelona y Banares, Visconde de la Puebla de Alcazer, Senor de la Villas de Capilla, Curiel y Burguios

Long titles was the trend of the era

Entered at Wed May 18 18:11:49 CEST 2011 from (84.146.40.236)

Rob the Organ

Entered at Wed May 18 18:01:00 CEST 2011 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

It's got the booklet (with the selection of posters) but online some say "with poster" which it hasn't. The LPs are near mint. The shop had bought in a large box with pristine LPs of everything Santana,Carlos Santana and every offshoot had ever done. There were also Ian Carr and Nucleus LPs on Vertigo (Vertigo inner sleeves too) that looked unplayed. The shop will sell those for an arm and a leg. Lots of 70s jazz in there and Mahavishnu Orchestra too. The Fillmore box was £35 as "excellent" on line - we looked it up in the shop. I'd say these were better than "excellent" and we agreed £20 for the set. I 'm pleased.

Entered at Wed May 18 17:49:10 CEST 2011 from (84.146.40.236)

Rob the Organ

Subject: Finally in a hotel with WiFi thrown in!

Will post part two of my travelogue in a moment, now that we have left Nuremberg and Berchtesgaden behind, and are in a hotel with free WLan services. For snybody that will read it, remember it is three days out of synch now!

Peter, congrats on the Fillmore vinyl box - has it got the booklet?

Entered at Wed May 18 17:09:08 CEST 2011 from (216.121.194.179)

S.M.

Still thinking. Truncated? I prefer to think of it as Strunked.

Entered at Wed May 18 16:30:59 CEST 2011 from (216.121.194.179)

S.M.

Ahhh- a kindred spirit!

Entered at Wed May 18 16:10:58 CEST 2011 from (90.239.103.139)

NorthWestCoaster ...encore!

Subject: Your Links

Being a paranoid alcoholic and having internet security as hobby and visiting your links is not a perfect combination. I can always try to check the links in the code of this site, but mostly I am too lazy for doing it.

Please post your links twice - in plain text and in "Web page". It minimizes the risk of manipulation, too.

Entered at Wed May 18 15:55:48 CEST 2011 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

Entered at Wed May 18 14:31:59 CEST 2011 from (90.239.103.139)

NorthWestCoaster

Subject: Tarantula / Ari

Actually, I have read Tarantula. Every word in it. I have also read Stockholm Telephone Catalogue - too many people and poor intrigue, I would say! In opposite to that I never managed to read Finnigans Wake more than three (random!) pages. - I assume that Tarantula is nonsense but it is quite amusing especially for someone like me who does not understand English.

Entered at Wed May 18 13:46:09 CEST 2011 from (90.239.79.104)

NorthWestCoaster

Subject: Names in gb / Marley

I use to post in my own Christian name from time to time. It has been changed so I am not supposed to be figured in the internet so much. I hope...

Earlier I used the name WOODLARK in cyber space. It was my mother's maiden name, whom I dearly loved.

Marleys, mostly to Brown Eyed Girl: Ziggy is coming (as well as BOB DYLAN) to Peace and Love Festival in Sweden... P-E-A-C-E AND L-O-V-E ... I believe I've heard it before!

Entered at Wed May 18 10:37:17 CEST 2011 from (76.68.81.244)

brown eyed girl

The very first time I saw Bob Marley was on television singing "Trenchtown Rock" in the midseventies. The year I saw Bob Marley at Maple Leaf Gardens, Toronto...1979.

"In 1979 Bob Marley and The Wailers were on a world tour promoting their album 'Survival'. A politically provocative and controversial album, featuring songs such as 'Wake up and live', 'Survival', 'Zimbabwe' and 'Africa Unite'. Emphasizing Marley's opposition to apartheid in South Arica and his support for the struggles of all Africans. When the tour reached San Francisco's Oakland Coliseum, Ronnie Wood got a call from Al Anderson, one of Bob Marley's guitar players. Al had lost his guitar and asked to borrow one of Ronnie's; who obliged by flying up to San Francisco to deliver it personally. Unfortunately, when Ronnie arrived at the Stadium none of the Jamaican security guards recognized him; they thought he was just some skinny white boy trying to blag a backstage pass. Only one thing for it, a quick audition. Ronnie stood there, outside the artists entrance and played a few reggae riffs. The security guys liked what they heard and let him hang around until Al showed up. Once again, the Ronnie Wood art of 'carpe donum' ('seizing the donut') proved its worth.

Ronnie met Bob later in his dressing room, where the two legends shared their mutual interests and vibed to some of Marley's songs. Later that evening Ronnie was called on to stage to join in the encore - it lasted one and a half hours. The day ended with him and Bob having a kick around with a football."

Hey Richard. How's it going over there?

Fred....One of my Grandpa's brothers who lived in Canada was also named Fred. He was a gentle soul also....
If I would have been named after my paternal grandma I would have been called Tammy. My mother made sure that wouldn't happen as she was always feuding with her in our household. Since I didn't like my name I called myself another name which stuck with all family members and relatives to this day...Shhhh Fred.....Another Italian name to boot and we're not even Italian! My brother tells a different story.....He says my nickname came about because he couldn't say my real name....I'm sticking by my story....lol
Btw, one of Lady Gaga's middle names is the same as mine.

Entered at Wed May 18 09:57:58 CEST 2011 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

BTW, thanks, Bob … I'm sure SPIN in Newcastle will have Garland though.

I tend to have a "current month" playlist on my in car iPod, and select individual songs for short journeys. This month the top play by a mile is When The Night Was Young. That has developed into a "finish and instant replay" song. I'm sharing it out with The Band though. Number two is Out of The Blue in the Mary Margaret O'Hara version from Garth's "Canadian Celebration of The Band" and number three is Golden Bird by Levon. I started replaying that heavily when I was having a major Unthanks phase, and now I seem to flick between those three songs.

The new Paul Simon is the whole album I'm playing most. It still hasn't justified the Rolling Stone "Best since Graceland" tag … it has to pass "Rhythm of The Saints" but Paul Simon needs time.

Entered at Wed May 18 09:33:06 CEST 2011 from (75.34.42.204)

Adam2

I wonder how Levon's voice is right now. The last time I saw a show in June 2010, he was good but rough sounding and didn't sing much. He's been like that pretty consistently since July 2009, as shown by the Gathering Of The Vibes Festival bootleg. I feel blessed to have seen him just that previous month, June 2009, in the second row of the Chicago Theatre. He sang 15 songs, 8 from Dirt Farmer and Electric Dirt, and his voice was wonderful.

Entered at Wed May 18 07:16:48 CEST 2011 from (99.141.62.177)

Adam2

Levon's live release Ramble At The Ryman came out today (05/17), so I encourage everyone to buy a copy or two. I wanted the DVD, but not one single store in my area even had one. I downloaded the music from iTunes, and it's a wonderful sounding release.

Does anyone have any more info about Levon's "Vol. 3 - The Best of the Rambles", supposedly being released later this year?

Entered at Wed May 18 06:14:55 CEST 2011 from (86.51.62.130)

Richard

Subject: Proof that Robbie's mike was turned on

Hi. Hope everyone is doing well over here.

Just ran across this clip of Evangeline and thought I might share. Cheers.

Entered at Wed May 18 02:08:40 CEST 2011 from (61.68.62.67)

dlew919

Did I mention I finally saw Tull (not to define you, but you are, as you say, a big fan!) They were terrific! They're celebrating 40 years since Aqualung. They did most of the alubm, and then all of the songs I would have hoped they'd done, with the exception of 'We Used to know' (I wished he'd done that, but I couldn't and don't complain.)

The first chance I had to see them was when Ian A. got DVT, so cancelled the concert. The second time I couldn't afford the ticket. So third time's a charm. Are you going? or Have you been?

Entered at Wed May 18 01:41:47 CEST 2011 from (67.163.118.32)

JTull Fan

I've always regretted taking 'JTull Fan' on here. I am a big fan but the name seems to define me too much but for consistency I never changed it. It's still better than my real first name, 'Ed' or 'Eddy' when I was younger. My parents got into a fight over naming me 'Andrew', and my older brother and sister chose my name after a famous sitcom character at the time, Eddy Munster. Go ahead. Laugh.

Entered at Wed May 18 01:31:51 CEST 2011 from (74.101.157.90)

Ari

Entered at Tue May 17 22:33:33 CEST 2011 from (79.202.189.229)

Norbert

Subject: Little Wing

Where rock 'n roll started for me and this is how it's done:

"We put the guitar through the Leslie speaker of an organ, and it sounds like jelly bread, you know ....the speaker baffle rotates, creating a Doppler effect of rising and falling waves of sound. Jimi plays the song almost like a pianist with the thumb fretting the bass notes like the pianist's left hand, while the fingers of the fretting hand correspond to the right."

Entered at Tue May 17 19:46:40 CEST 2011 from (67.250.113.92)

LARS

Subject: Names & Dylan music

Entered at Tue May 17 19:22:38 CEST 2011 from (41.97.232.131)

Empty Now

Subject: Nth edition, the origin of the line above

I often posted that my GB name is taken from a song we rehearsed in an improvised amateur Rock band by the late 80’s, mainly to make distinction with a member who has the same first name as I.
Technically, I was assigned the honor to perform the vocal part of Kansas Nobody’s Home linked above. the band were rehearsing for a long period, the presence was frequent, the contacts almost permanent.
The rule when you rehearse a song is that the very first verses are the most frequently played, given that everybody stops playing at the occurrence of the first wrong note or loss of tempo synchronization, then the song is resumed from the beginning for a round more.
Imagine somebody singing 6 hours a day essentially the 3 first verses of the linked above song, one month continuously, and you must assign him a nickname. Which one do you chose ? (Statistically speaking, play the linked above song up to 0:54, in loop for the next six hours, and repeat that every day all the next month)
I don’t mean for History that things happened exactly like this but the idea is here, all I remember accurately now it was a phone call to the band leader (actually i will never forget)
“hello, I’m Toef”
“whose Toef ? I know many Toefs of my acquaintance…”
“the guitar player”
“ah! but say you’re Toef empty now”
With such a simplicity, it came so spontaneously, I had to get used for the next days, then it stuck as every time in similar situations, I finally liked the nickname, I liked the nickname because I like the song

Extra question to Al Edge : which is my favorite rock album ever ?

The Band Connection : just as JRR does, at every new edition, the story is a little more beautiful, the song is a little more threadbare

Entered at Tue May 17 19:13:47 CEST 2011 from (131.137.35.83)

sadavid

Subject: "the 5 best quotes . . .

. . . from Robbie Robertson's Zoomer Magazine profile."

Now I don't have to buy the carppy magazine.

Entered at Tue May 17 17:06:03 CEST 2011 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

I picked up a vinyl oddity today. Mike Vickers Orchestra doing Air on A G-String from 1967. Mike Vickers was in Manfred Mann. The record must have been a cash-in on the coat tails of A Whiter Shade of Pale, with very forward piano, acoustic bass, horns and a heavenly choir. Also the LP box set of Fillmore: Last Days.

Entered at Tue May 17 16:27:19 CEST 2011 from (74.203.77.122)

Jon L

BEG, love his Frankie Lymon cover... and the East Village stroll. ;) Thanks as always...

Entered at Tue May 17 16:26:03 CEST 2011 from (156.47.15.10)

David P

"What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other word would smell as sweet" as Shakespeare's Juliet pondered. We have the gifted singer Madeleine Peyroux, born in the Classic City of Athens, Georgia, with an upcoming album entitled "Standing On The Rooftop". She covers Lennon/McCartney's "Martha My Dear" and presents a new original entitled "Ophelia", which she co-wrote with David Batteau. What's in that name? We already have the tragic figure from Shakespeare's "Hamlet". And we know that it was the middle name of Sarah Colley, who became known as Minnie Pearl, leading to Robbie Robertson's use in the Band classic. So what's the point of my thread, you might ask? Merely an exercise to link Shakespeare, The Band, The Beatles, Minnie Pearl, Madeleine Peyroux and Athens, Ga., all subjects dear to my heart I must admit.

Entered at Tue May 17 14:18:51 CEST 2011 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

Entered at Tue May 17 14:05:00 CEST 2011 from (203.160.29.153)

Fred

BEG: One of my grandmothers' was an Angelina...but it was her middle name. She hated her real name which was Virginia, so from an early age she always went by Angelina. However a little angel she wasn't!

One of my grandfathers' name meant victory, too. His middle name translated into "Olympus". Gotta love the names people were given at the end of the 19th/beginning 20th centurie. : )

Entered at Tue May 17 14:01:10 CEST 2011 from (76.71.8.243)

brown eyed girl

Garland Jeffreys let's us in here as he talks about living in the East Village.
Also....Garland singing an acapella version of "So Young" by Frankie Lymon....one of Garland's idols as well as Jackie Robinson.
Hail Hail Garland Jeffreys!!!!!!!!

Entered at Tue May 17 13:42:57 CEST 2011 from (76.71.8.243)

brown eyed girl

"Wild in the Streets is my pride and joy. I consider it my "first" Rock 'n' Roll record, written and released in 1973, and recorded with Dr. John and his band, with Alan Freedman, Michael Brecker, David Sanborn, David Spinozza, David Peel, Produced by Roy Cicala.............."
---Garland

My paternal grandpa and brother's name means victory. My name means heavenly messenger. I never liked it growing up as no one had the same name. When I discovered Dylan wrote two songs with my name...everything changed. Now a famous actress has the same name.....too much exposure!

Entered at Tue May 17 12:48:01 CEST 2011 from (129.42.208.177)

Bob F.

Subject: The King of In Between

Peter V, the title of Garland's cd is 'The King of In Between'. It has an official June release date. He's been selling the cd at his shows the last month. Since his popularity is greater in Europe then in the USA, I'm sure they must be releasing it by way of Amazon UK. If they don't, I'd be happy to mail you a copy.

Entered at Tue May 17 11:38:36 CEST 2011 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

The only thing that comes up as recent on amazon.co.uk is the three album reissue, and the Coney Island Winter single as a download (which I downloaded a week or two back). No new album listed yet. Same thing on amazon usa ( from here, but they might be filtering stuff, as there's a new banner advising you to go to the uk site). Presumably the album's called "Coney Island Winter"?

Entered at Tue May 17 11:15:04 CEST 2011 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

My granddaughter's called Kitty, and everyone thinks it hilarious to say 'Hello Kitty.' Half the cards on her birth were 'Hello Kitty' cards. I imagine she's going to grow up loathing everything with a 'Hello Kitty' emblem on it!

Entered at Tue May 17 11:09:28 CEST 2011 from (95.147.184.185)

Michelle

Subject: Beatles

Hah! you have probably hit the nail on the head, Peter V. Yes my 'real' name is Michelle and cannot tell you how many times people have sung those lyrics to me - still do! I do not know what my parents were thinking of, I do not think they were Beatles fans, my father loved Frank Sinatra. Anyway if I have a girl I am going to call her Fanny!

Entered at Tue May 17 10:43:14 CEST 2011 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

The Beatles – we all have aversions to things that other people like or love. For example, an old friend who is a senior academic told me they hadn’t seen a Shakespeare play in 45 years. That’s missing out. I feel deep aversion to The Doors (but that’s obviously justified on logical musical and literary criteria). Going back to the Geldorf point that Sir Paul on a charity show meant no argument on who was top of the bill, I’d say that extends even to Dylan (but in his case, his voice is way too shot so he couldn’t follow Paul). It’s odd. Even Springsteen … in 2011, a better performer than either, would defer. Lennon- McCartney have the greatest song catalogue of the rock era. Dylan has the greatest lyrics, but when melody comes into the equation there’s no contest.

An aversion to The Beatles might be ameliorated by watching something like the movie “Across The Universe” (music produced by T-Bone Burnett) with a whole set of Beatles songs done by others in new arrangements. It reinforces their impact without the over-familiarity.

Rob the Lowrey (previously Rob the Hammond)’s point on names started me thinking. I hated Peter Pan as a kid, because it was MY name. Having a sister called Wendy didn’t help. I squirmed with discomfort on any lessons on the New Testament, because the only name I could see being taken in vain was my own, with this guy running around denying people thrice, lopping off ears, not letting anyone else have the keys and so on. I disliked him from the start. I believe that having a name shared with St. Peter helped found my aversion to Christianity.

A number of rock songs have a woman’s name as a title. I knew a Jennifer in the 60s who was plagued with people humming “Jennifer … Juniper … da de da da da” whenever she met them. I taught with a Cecilia in the 70s and people thought it hilarious to say "Cecilia! You're breaking my heart, you're shaking my confidence daily …" when she met them. Unaccountably, each seemed to believe they were the first to have thought of it. Peggy Sue, Lucille and Michelle must be the most prominent girl name songs. Peggy Sue and Lucille are unusual in Britain. So, I’d guess that Michelle (unless it’s a ‘nom de internet’) must have been plagued by people saying or humming “Michelle, ma belle, these are words that go together well”. As Rob says, it’s catchy as a song, but also from Sir Paul’s “so catchy it gets irritating” genre. A few years of that would give anyone a Beatle aversion.

Entered at Tue May 17 08:20:31 CEST 2011 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

Bill M: yes, Forty Days was in this “EMI dancing sleeve” when I found it. It had no catalogue number written on it (record stores usually did and that’s the best way of knowing sleeves are “as sold”), but I checked out its correctness by reference to Cliff Richard singles on Columbia (which are meticulously documented by collectors) and judging by its number, the dancing sleeve is correct. Columbia (EMI Columbia, that is) then switched to the ‘circles” sleeve. The three “dancing” sleeves for Columbia, Parlophone and HMV are great pieces from the era.

Entered at Tue May 17 02:53:28 CEST 2011 from (74.82.68.20)

David P

I got a copy of the "Ramble at the Ryman" DVD. This is a stellar performance by Levon and the entire group, including the guest appearances. So glad this must-have release is finally available.

Entered at Tue May 17 02:47:17 CEST 2011 from (76.67.17.212)

brown eyed girl

Bob F...Nothing is over the top, if you really mean it! ;-D
Canadians have to wait until June 7 to experience Garland's latest. I've been singing his praises here; even when Bumbles and others couldn't spell his name. I heard Louuu talk about how great Garland is on a radio program in the seventies....then "Wild In The Streets" came on....It was the very first song I heard....It's been a beautiful journey ever since.

"Last Saturday at Levon Helm's barn The Coney Island Playboys brought some New York City game to the woods, and rocking beneath those rafters in such august company was one of the musical highlights of my life. We did a lot of new stuff and it felt so good. Larry Campbell was supposed to join us on 'Til John Lee Hooker Calls Me, one of the songs he produced from the record, but he was off working up a number with Natalie Merchant...or was it Happy Traum...or maybe it was John Sebastian, I don't know but by the time everybody crowded together for the last song it was practically a lovefest and when Levon asked Steve Goulding to sit in and play with him on the second drum kit we all grinned like idiots and took a load off Fanny, for free. Thanks to everyone at The Ramble for an amazing night."

Entered at Tue May 17 02:14:31 CEST 2011 from (80.187.147.113)

Rob the Organ

Michelle doesn't like the Beatles because (for me) the single most dull and over-rated tune of theirs happens to be her namesake!! With you there, girl!

But likening them to a boy band is a bit strong, and I would stand up for them musically over outwardly similar acts of the period. For me, the REAL dross is Gerry Marsden, Freddie Garrity and Peter Noone. The Beatles of "mania" may be the start of boy-band tactics, but The Beatles of Hamburg and The Cavern were just a decent rock and roll band - no more and by no means any less.

I think you (not "you", Michelle, "you" in the broad sense!) also have to get over the "either you like The Beatles or you don't" thing. I think they are great from Rubber Soul onwards - earlier than that I pick and choose; love some of it (eg It Won't Be Long) but if I never heard Please Please Me or I Wanna Hold Your Hand ever again, I'd give nary a hoot. I'm sure there's others who like the early stuff but start to lose it around Revolver and be off the page completely in the White/Abbey (ie long hair!) period. With such a body of work united in quality but disparate in style of content, there will be those who hate it all and love it all. I think the fact there's so much variety to love or hate some of is far healthier.

Overexposed? Well, that's another story. There's a case for that, for sure.

Entered at Tue May 17 00:02:11 CEST 2011 from (173.2.99.174)

Bob F.

Subject: Garland Jeffreys new cd

Has anybody else heard Garland's new cd yet? I don't want to go over the top, but it really is great. The kind of record, before music travelled with us that you couldn't wait to get home and crank up on the old stereo. He's done three shows in the Hudson Valley over the last few weeks, acoustic and electric and he's better then ever. The guy is going to be 68 in June and his voice is as strong now as it was 30 years ago. Robbie, Paul Simon and all the other big names may get all the publicity but this is the record of the year.

Entered at Mon May 16 23:46:01 CEST 2011 from (204.138.59.92)

Bill M

See link for Robbie Robertson's cover photo for Canada's lifestyle magazine for aging boomers.

Peter V: Nice find, that Hawkins 45. Did you get it in the sleeve?

Entered at Mon May 16 22:07:40 CEST 2011 from (70.26.121.186)

Mike Nomad

Thanks, Dunc. Same train? Who knows? I love Scotland.

Entered at Mon May 16 21:32:08 CEST 2011 from (86.143.61.240)

Dunc

Subject: Mike

Still goes, Mike. It's a small world. Maybe we were once on the same train.

Entered at Mon May 16 20:36:12 CEST 2011 from (204.138.59.92)

Bill M

The world musicians I like best - noting that it's a tough field to define - are:

Fairuz's "Sacred Songs"
Abdelli's album on Real World
Ayub Ogada's "En Mana Kuoyo"
Csaria Evora's "Cabo Verde"
Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan's "Shahen-Shah"
Buena Vista Social Club
Boubacar Troare's "Sa Golo"
Baaba Maal's version of "The Call To Prayer"
Orquestra Reve on Real World

Also the Six Nation Women Singers doing "Stomp Dance (Unity) on Robbie's "Redboy" album. The whole "Native Americans" album too, I guess, since I did see a long entry for Robbie in an enclopedia of world music published by either Virgin or Rough Guides a few years ago. (BEG: I think the only other Canuckistani, or near-Canuckistani, with an entry was ska pioneer Jackie Mittoo, whose name was mentioned a couple of times at last night's tribute to Jay Douglas at which Ranglin appeared.)

Landmark: as a now-smiling vintage Canuck, I say thank you for the Crowbar link.

Entered at Mon May 16 20:34:05 CEST 2011 from (85.255.44.145)

jh

Heheh... link found at JRRs Facebook page

Entered at Mon May 16 20:17:14 CEST 2011 from (95.147.184.185)

Michelle

Subject: Beatles etc.

Simon, Bonk et. al. , you guys are so nice! thankyou! I like the way you let us gals, or me in particular, have a rant and are so accomodating! perfect gentlemen, thats what I love about Band fans. Guess who was at Windsor Tattoo last night? none other than Bruce, apparently his daughter is a keen horsewoman.

Entered at Mon May 16 19:31:36 CEST 2011 from (86.170.133.185)

Simon

Bonk (and anyone else) - I don't know if you've heard this before but there's a great Revolver mash-up type thing ... it's the first thing in the playlist on the above link. It's not a DJ thing, it's all Beatles/elements from that album. There's also a download link further down the page. I don't normally go in for this sort of stuff but this is excellent and it's fun trying to spot all the songs. I assume they used timestretching to do it and get everything in the right key. I think they got approval from the powers that be to do it.

Empty - Love the link to the Turkish album ... I'm taking a bit of time to explore it all. Haven't checked all the links yet but will do.

Entered at Mon May 16 18:15:17 CEST 2011 from (24.108.12.129)

BONK

Hey Michelle. No worries. I wasn't trying to be mean. And you are right about them being overplayed. Cheers.

Entered at Mon May 16 18:12:39 CEST 2011 from (90.239.74.104)

NorthWestCoaster

Subject: Serge and Peter

(For the first: the subject line has nothing to do with anything published in gb in good ol' days.)

Peter, is there any woman on earth whom Serge didn't ask and is there any woman on earth who says that she has not been asked? - Secondly Peter, I hope you didn't miss the first word which was sung in first entry in Eurovision Song Contest :-)

Entered at Mon May 16 17:30:47 CEST 2011 from (86.170.133.185)

Simon

Michelle - I hope you don't feel like you're being picked on or anything. I get what you're saying ... you don't really like them that much. It's fair comment. I can go a long time without listening to the Beatles and that way they can retain a bit of freshness. The only thing I'd disagree with is that they are a boyband - because even if I thought that was the I wouldn't necessarily consider that a bad thing. If a gun was placed to my head and I had to pick my all-time favourite music, the stuff that first appealed to me as a young kid, I'd pick mid 60s Motown ahead of the Beatles/Band/Hendrix. My point is what are the Four Tops, Miracles, Martha & the Vandellas if they aren't boy bands and girl groups?

And horse racing isn't a real sport [wink].

Empty Now - loved the clip of Cigani Ivanovici. If I said it was crazy and demented I'd mean it as a compliment. Thanks for that. I'm trying to figure out a few suggestions of my own. [And thanks also to dlew and Brown Eyed Girl].

Norbert - That's incredible about the DNA and how far back they can trace these things. My brother has what you could call a burial chamber on his land - it's sort of built into the side of a hill that runs away from his house. It's thought to be over four thousand years old.

The link is to "Dub Fi Gwan" by King Tubby. I love the wordless vocal part and what sounds like a clavinet. The album pictured is highly recommended.

Entered at Mon May 16 17:08:00 CEST 2011 from (156.47.15.10)

David P

The lovely & talented Shawn Colvin, performing as herself, appeared on last night's episode in the second season of HBO's "Treme".

I would have to disagree with Michelle on the Beatles. At the time, almost all the UK bands were receiving a great deal of hype. The Beatles and the Rolling Stones were the creme that rose to the top through their great talent as performers and, even more importantly, as songwriters, which set them apart from many of their peers. I would point out that it was the American performing artists that were relegated to the back seat by the media hype of the British invasion in music at the time. A great deal of American soul/R&B performers still harbor bitter memories over that situation. Ironically, when the British performers recorded covers of American blues and R&B material, they helped open up the ears of many young Americans to those genres of music.

Entered at Mon May 16 16:13:24 CEST 2011 from (158.39.165.125)

jh

..after blocking yet another ad-posting idiot.

Entered at Mon May 16 15:33:15 CEST 2011 from (41.97.243.21)

Empty Now

Jan : it's none of my business, but when it needs effort to distinguish worthy posts from ads noise, I personally ask for a CAPTCHA to fill in the "Sign The Band Guestbook" form, most of the worthy GBers will surely share his feelings

Entered at Mon May 16 14:09:55 CEST 2011 from (61.68.62.67)

dlew919

She's great: mrs dlew owns 21, which I think is a good album

Empty Now: a tour-de-force, again from you.

Entered at Mon May 16 14:02:13 CEST 2011 from (76.66.124.213)

brown eyed girl

Sorry dlew919...I was channeling Adele's 19!
Here she is on Lily Allen's show...another singer-songwriter from England.

Entered at Mon May 16 13:52:22 CEST 2011 from (76.66.124.213)

brown eyed girl

dlew19: I have in my collection "Tougher Than Tough - The Story Of Jamaican Music" (4 CD Boxset) 1993.
Showcased are 95 songs - ska, rocksteady, reggae and dub.
My favourite contemporary ska group is The Specials.
The Specials take "Stereotype/Stereotypes, Pt. 2" to another level on this extended track at around 3:20.

Entered at Mon May 16 12:59:14 CEST 2011 from (95.147.184.185)

Michelle

Subject: Beatles

Bonk and Others, It is really not my intention to upset Beatle's fans, but everyone is entitled to their opinion and I respect your passion for them, I should understand, I get quite a lot of vitriol from people asking what is so great about Bob Dylan? and saying that a lot of his lyrics are depressing and his voice awful, lets agree to disagree and bury hatchet?

Entered at Mon May 16 09:28:55 CEST 2011 from (41.97.243.21)

Empty Now

Subject: For Simon - part 2/2 : Best turkish music

Excerpt from a CD which is progressingly breaking all the records of selling rates in the region - Best Turkish Music - essentially SAZ

Entered at Mon May 16 09:24:33 CEST 2011 from (41.97.243.21)

Empty Now

Subject: For Simon - part 1/2 : Naseer Shamma ( Irak )

Naseer Shamma is very successful these last years in Constantine as the regular main attraction of the annual Jazz Festival. I planned to give myself the time to discover him before saying anything in The Band GB. I changed mind as soon as I met the linked above video

NASEER SHAMMA, CARLOS PINANA, ASHRAF SHARIF KHAN, in Montreal 2008

Naseer Shamma was born in Al-Kut in |Southern Irak in 1963, he is currently director of the institute Beit Al Oud Al Arabi in Cairo which was founded by him in 1998. He constructed an oud of 8 strings instead of 6, he also innovated a new method to play involving one hand only, which allow a kind of handicapped people to play and enjoy the instrument

Entered at Mon May 16 09:19:06 CEST 2011 from (41.97.243.21)

Empty Now

Subject: Thanks dlew919

what a kind words to start the day, i am flatered qnd tousched

as the Arabs say, no pleasure is one if it is not complete, enjoy the link

Entered at Mon May 16 03:50:40 CEST 2011 from (24.108.12.129)

BONK

Michelle. You don't sell over half a billion albums and singles by being over hyped. They were damm good. Period.

Entered at Mon May 16 02:49:49 CEST 2011 from (61.68.62.67)

dlew919

what a great question: unfortunatley, I'm stuck in the West,and will have to think somewhat about non-english albums... but to start...

All of Empty Now's suggestions... I've got a lot out of the viedeos he has placed over the years ...

Cumbia (from Columbia);

Had a great album called 'the Real music of Jamaica', which was aououstic music which pre-dated reggae...

my friend the chocolate cake: ok, in english, but pop played on cellos and violins: sublime stuff

I'm dry for the moment, though... can't think of other stuff off hand...

Entered at Mon May 16 00:36:21 CEST 2011 from (95.147.184.185)

Michelle

Subject: It Makes No Difference

Jed, maybe I phrased it wrong, I love 'It Makes No Difference', The Beatles are a non-runner, Ascot, home to the greatest horse-racing in the world!

Entered at Sun May 15 21:37:37 CEST 2011 from (91.42.231.177)

Norbert

Subject: The Three Wheeler Returns

Read this weekend that Morgan “rebuilds” it’s classic three wheeler (is it the threewheeler, three-wheeler or three wheeler Peter?) . It’s a car with absolutely no value for daily use, it’s wacky, instable and dangerous. But who cares? I want one! (midlife crisis).

Simon, we visited an old mine in Germany today (those people had to work hard, unbelievable), anyway they found graves and bones of people buried 3000 v C there. Then they took some DNA from the bones and took DNA from people still living in the valley nearby, they found more than 30 matches, amazing ….. all these families stayed thousants of years in the same valley.

Entered at Sun May 15 20:33:28 CEST 2011 from (74.108.27.233)

Joan

RTO Really enjoyed the post. Also reading it got me hungry.:-)

I Just got Back from a trip to LA. I havn't traveled in about 5 years due to mobility problems. My aunt was having her 100th birthday and I had to be there, "Disabled" travel is really very accomodating. Wheel chairs at both ends, and the "best" part is they take you up to the front of the security line. I don't recommend disability, and I'd rather walk the whole thing, but it is a nice "perk"

Entered at Sun May 15 18:53:25 CEST 2011 from (68.199.152.229)

Jed

Not a fan of the Beatles,not a fan of It Makes No Difference.My family & I attended another Ramble last night--loved it again. Not to be rude,but would you dislike the Ramble too? Trifecta anyone?

Entered at Sun May 15 17:34:19 CEST 2011 from (70.26.121.186)

Mike Nomad

Thanks for the memory tug. A distant recollection of slipping into the harbor on a rainy, gloomy Sunday afternoon, much like it is today, and catching the train for Ayr. Along with a shipload of drunken but happy football fans returning home. Does the ferry from Larne still come by, one wonders?

Entered at Sun May 15 17:02:10 CEST 2011 from (41.97.184.82)

Empty Now

the short mute passage 2:00-2:08 in the link below can be heard in the link above at 3:10-3:33

owof

Entered at Sun May 15 16:48:45 CEST 2011 from (41.97.184.82)

Empty Now

Subject: thanks for the opportunity, Simon

Quote from Piotr Ivanovith : "I don't have to wait for a special occasion for playing musique"

recognized as one of the best Balalika players in the world , admire his technique in the link above

Entered at Sun May 15 16:41:19 CEST 2011 from (71.62.70.35)

Charlie Y

Subject: Snooky Young, The Wiyos...and Beatles

Trumpet great Eugene Edward "Snooky" Young--one of the jazz players who joined The Band for "Rock of Ages"--has died in California at age 92. He had a long and scuucessful music career including a tenure as a member of the "Tonight Show" band in the Johnny Carson era.

Joe, I've been a Wiyos fan for years and they have been great at digging up old songs from the 1920s and 30s. That "Rag, Mama, Rag" is one of those gems. Unfortunately the group only has one original member left. I'd hoped they'd make it big after Dylan picked them to tour minor league ballparks with him and Willie Nelson and Mellencamp, but it is so hard for people playing music that isn't plastic crap to make money anymore.

Finally, I just wanted to say it was ironic to read that someone named Michelle doesn't like The Beatles!

Entered at Sun May 15 16:28:27 CEST 2011 from (173.178.214.140)

Landmark

A cold,rainy, crappy kind of day. I found this on Youtube which should make Canuckistanis of a certain vintage, smile. Can almost imagine our guys doing it.

Entered at Sun May 15 16:08:27 CEST 2011 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

Entered at Sun May 15 15:57:34 CEST 2011 from (76.68.83.148)

brown eyed girl

Robbie's Facebook:
The Good
The Band
and The Ugly

Dutch band who covers The Band songs...Sjako!

Last night watched James Dean in "East Of Eden" again.....One of my all time favourite films ever!!!!!
James Dean...James Dean....

Entered at Sun May 15 15:42:20 CEST 2011 from (203.160.29.153)

Fred

Entered at Sun May 15 14:49:27 CEST 2011 from (86.143.61.240)

Dunc

Subject: Fred

West Central Scotland, Fred, but of course there are many people who live in the West of Scotland who are not sectarian, including many supporters of Rangers and Celtic.

What people don't understand, Fred, is how big these clubs are. People come from all over Scotland and further to see them. When Rangers played in Manchester an estimate of 180 000 people went to see them. Manchester wasn't prepared.

Entered at Sun May 15 12:26:04 CEST 2011 from (203.160.29.153)

Fred

Does the sectarian problem which is a blight the Old Firm fixtures occur in other places, too? Or is it just a Glasgow thing?

Entered at Sun May 15 11:41:10 CEST 2011 from (86.143.61.240)

Dunc

Subject: Al Edge

Enjoyed the posts, Al. I could have got up to day and picked another totally different list.

Why do I like Liverpool and not like Manchester United? We're a football daft family and my son had a good part time career with Stranraer, Queen of the South, Albion Rovers, Dumbarton and Liverpool watched him for 6 weeks, but nothing happened. Why do I feel happy for Manchester City fans?

I know you know a bit about the game up here so you probably noticed the death of Eddie Turnbull last week, who won 3 league championships with Hibs in the fifties. I CAN'T STAND the dominance of the Old Firm now.

Entered at Sun May 15 11:30:52 CEST 2011 from (86.143.61.240)

Dunc

Subject: The Supply Chain

As some of you will know, I remain loyal to a local independent Record Store. The store has not managed to get a copy of Robbie's new album for me, yet. Now my town is joined onto Glasgow and I could go in there in 10 minutes and get a copy at HMV or FOPP.

But I had never thought of how the supply chains which fed the independents must have taken a beating too. Does anybody know anything about this?

Reading the post, I would like to point out to North Americans because of the'Green Belt' that I am into beautiful countryside in three to four minutes.

RTO and Norbert, Enjoyed the posts.

Bill M. Thanks.

Entered at Sun May 15 11:19:34 CEST 2011 from (86.143.61.240)

Dunc

Subject: Simon

Hi Simon. Enjoyed your recent posts. I'm going to recommend Scottish obviously - 'The Lasses Fashion' by Jock Tamson's Bairns. I was really pleased when I saw it was in Richard Thompson's Q top ten album list. Magnificent playing.

Entered at Sun May 15 02:20:04 CEST 2011 from (188.111.40.33)

Rob the Organ

Shite day until about 4pm then it improved. First leg of journey to Bertchesgaden; to wit - London to Nuremberg. Up at 5am. Cab to St Pancras (why they had to move the Eurostar from Waterloo....grrrrr!). Cab driver is a tosser. Sat nav reliance all the way and average speed of 25 miles an hour, despite the fact that there is nothing on the road. Arrived at St Pancras later than expected and thus no chance of a decent coffee or a bacon & egg panini. NOT IMPRESSED.

Check in to Eurostar 6.05am. Ticket machines fu..err..broken. Backlog of people being checked in manually. Queues and delays. Get through that, baggage and passport, announcement that Eurostar train is 30 mins delayed. Connection time at Brussells is 24 mins. Inevitable conclusion drawn.

First class non-business Eurostar now retitled Standard Premier and the complimentary hot breakfast discontinued. Another stab at getting a hot breakfast down the pan, then. Still not impressed. Continental alternative consists of a mini croissant, a bread roll so small you could use the outer casing of a horse chestnut as a lunchbox, a miniscule pot of yogurt and similarly generous pat of butter. I smell disaster in the butter rations, but remember the size of the roll and mutter accordance. Brief glimmer of hope: the small portion of jam is at least Tiptree "Morello Cherry". You know where you are with Tiptree jam - Essex's favourite sons.

Towards end of Eurostar leg, train manager comes around to discuss options for alternative connections. Next train to Germany after the 10.28 to Frankfurt we were booked on (and had already missed by the time of the chat) is poxy 1.30pm to Cologne. Train operated by Thalys not the Deutsche Bahn so have to take downgrade to standard class and do without reserved seats as a pair. Have to wait for what seems like eternity at the Eurostar desk in Brussells for them to stamp our tickets with their "We fucked up! Please let these people onto later connections!" stamp for the benefit of (next port of call) the staff on the desk of Thalys (who - second ray of hope - amend our paperwork to permit passage on their train without a murmour; good service especially considering we had never even booked with them). Breakfast/brunch in the form of something hot finally arrives, albeit in a burger from the Belgian chain "Quick". Pleasant surprise. Cheap rubbish? Probably. But far better than McDonalds? With granary bread bun, lovely smokey mayo and none of that "concentrated dill pickle" stench that pervades McD food, a definite yes!

Thus nourished, we briefly step outside Brussels Midi station for a cigarette, then nip for a pee before getting our replacement train.

Third brief glimmer of hope: Thalys train is an ex-SNCF "TGV" set so standard class not so bad. Do manage to get seats either side of the aisle but "neighbouring" so still able to hold a conversation with the wife. Get to Cologne at 3.45pm. Nuremberg much further from Cologne than it is from original second change of Frankfurt so still over three hours of train journey ahead. Third ray of hope and in fact the start of an improved day: DB "Ice" train to Nuremberg available at 4.45. No problem in securing a first class pair of seats and transfer of paid reservation. Time for the traditional German "Kaffee und Kuchen" at Cologne Deutz station - a good strong coffee and a glazed apple pastry being our choice, and proved worthy of our faith. Food situation improving hand in hand with the train situation now.

For anybody who hasn't been on a German "ICE" train, do so. Individual leather captain's chairs in first class, even some accommodation in old fashioned "side corridor" compartments that we have probably stopped in the UK under the undoubted pretence of health and safety issues.

Arrive Nuremberg 8.00pm instead or planned 4.00pm so about time to check in to the hotel and head into the old town for an evening meal. Turns out our travel agent has got us into the "Grand Meridian Hotel" and a free upgrade from a standard double to a suite. Art deco (well, the contemporary version of it) all the way; flawless and beautiful. Off into the "altstadt" for some hearty local fare. Fillet of pork with a spicy bacon sauce and rosti potatoes for I; the wife chose the equally local option of Nurnberger sausages boiled in brine with sweet onions. Washed down with local beer and all of this in the cellar of the oldest house in Nuremberg. €30 including tip and a couple of beers each.

Funny how a day can turn itself round in the last third.....

Entered at Sat May 14 22:46:11 CEST 2011 from (24.108.253.172)

westcoaster

Subject: against the laaaw!

That's dancin music brown eyes.......gawd damn......you go girl!

Entered at Sat May 14 22:15:33 CEST 2011 from (76.67.18.92)

brown eyed girl

Papa Wembe (known as the king of rhumba rock) from (former Zaire) now Democratic Republic of Congo.
One of my former students made a cassette from his EMOTION recording which featured his cover of Otis Redding's "Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa Sad Song" which I had previously seen on a music video.
Song begins in English with Juliet Roberts and then Papa Wembe.....Love the way he moves.

REGGAE
Jamaica...Bob Marley and The Wailers

Jamaica...Peter Tosh

Jamaica...Jimmy Cliff (Give Thankx)

Jamaica...Black Uhuru

Jamaica...Toots and The Maytals

Jamaica...Third World

Jamaica...Dennis Brown

Jamaica...Gregory Isaacs

England...Steel Pulse

Bhangramuffin/Reggae

England...Apache Indian

Algeria...Gnawa Diffusion

Italy...Eros Ramazzotti

Puerto Rican...El Cantante Soundtrack with Marc Anthony who portrayed Hector Lavoe who started the salsa movement in 1975 and brought it to the United States.

Entered at Sat May 14 22:13:48 CEST 2011 from (95.147.184.185)

Michelle

Subject: universal music for the soul

Al, Simon, I do not 'hate' the Beatles, thats far too strong a word to use for anything, but just think they are overrated, bland and lack passion, there were a lot of great bands coming out of uk at this time which sort of got overlooked, I think the Beatles were and still are surrounded by a lot of hype. Music I love, apart from obvious! My son playing his piano, 'mostly classical',birdsong, a group of guys and gals playing bongo drums, in the neighbourhood all through the summer, the coffee machine first thing in the morning, sounds of children playing, church bells, trickling water and sometimes, nothing at all!

Entered at Sat May 14 22:10:33 CEST 2011 from (24.108.253.172)

westcoaster

Subject: Most interesting thing ever done to a dog

If you guys have never seen this, (and girls too), you gotta watch this.

Entered at Sat May 14 22:09:27 CEST 2011 from (41.97.154.203)

Empty Now

Subject: Simon - Re: just to start

Les Tziganes Ivanowitch (link)

Traditional Tzigane Balalika with a strong Russian obedience

You can strap by the linked above tune, the rest is in the suggestions, Classic Central-European numbers as Csardas, Dve Guitari, there are also some tunes of their creation

Actually all what they do is worth listening

The group is originally composed of three brothers, and they were friends of mine I knew by the past, I also played some jam with them

Entered at Sat May 14 21:35:05 CEST 2011 from (24.108.253.172)

westcoaster

Subject: Well.........Alight then

First of all, watch this........this is how yuh play drums.

Give the Jamaican Reggae a try......listening to Bob Maaaarley good for your souuuul maun.

Brazilian, listen to Los Indos Tabajaras, particularly, Maria Elena, on youtube, the original. The most beautiful piece of guitar music you could ever hear. I've listened to this song for close to 50 years....and.... now I have a grand daughter named Elena, whose father is from Chile.

Entered at Sat May 14 21:22:23 CEST 2011 from (86.170.133.185)

Simon

Thinking about what JQ and Michelle said and taking it to its logical conclusion here's a suggestion for an alternate list ... or maybe just a few recommendations from people on the GB. This is something I was aware of but a bit apprehensive about bringing up.

Let's get out of our North American/British Isles/English language comfort zone and hear about other types of music from different parts of the world. What would be your recommendations? Not a Top 20 necessarily but just some of the albums (compilations included) that you love. It could be anything ... North African, Brazilian, Persian classical, Serge Sainsbourg, flamenco or whatever and whoever. I'd be genuinely interested.

Entered at Sat May 14 21:03:54 CEST 2011 from (67.163.118.32)

JTull Fan

Blinded By The Light the Bruce Springsteen version. 'Wrapped up like two deuces and a runner in the night' as opposed to Manfred Mann's 'like two duches...'

Entered at Sat May 14 20:53:21 CEST 2011 from (86.170.133.185)

Simon

Another card lyric from Right as Rain: "It's all in the cards, it's all in the game" Luke M always said it was a top Richard vocal and he's right [where is Luke BTW?]. It's actually one of my favourite tracks from the Band backwaters. It's heartstrings fluttering and Cupid's bow set to music. Again there's some real magic from Garth.

Entered at Sat May 14 20:35:16 CEST 2011 from (82.42.175.156)

Al Edge

I've copied all the selections so far and done some totting up. I'll give it until next weekend for Jeff to throw in his bombshells. Then I'll compile the top 100 in order as quickly as time permits.

So far on what I've totted up Bruce and The Beatles are storming ahead of everyone else occupying the top 10 positions between them.

Sorry JQ and Michelle.

;-0)

Entered at Sat May 14 19:31:50 CEST 2011 from (24.108.253.172)

westcoaster

Subject: C'mon let me show you where it's at..........

Name that tune!.............gawd damn Peter......I didn't mean to get you so worked up..........sorry:):)

Entered at Sat May 14 19:31:04 CEST 2011 from (67.250.113.92)

Lars

Subject: Poker

I've played in a lot of card games and I've noticed that the winners smile and crack jokes while the losers just say, "Shut up and deal."

Entered at Sat May 14 18:45:52 CEST 2011 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

Tex Ritter, then Wink Martindale (the UK hit), then Max Bygraves, then David Frost. The David Frost is a send-up, but I STILL can't find the send-up I'm looking for which I asked about a year or two back. It's the one that is along the lines of "When I see the two, I think of the Two Wise Men, and when I see the three, I remember there were three of them." I Googled, I searched iTunes, I asked here … but I never found it. When the Wink Martindale was a major hit here we had competitions at school to see if we could recite it all.

Entered at Sat May 14 17:16:30 CEST 2011 from (41.97.154.203)

Empty Now

Subject: Peter V / Al Edge / and the obligatory The Band Connection

Peter V and Al Edge : great posts and links Thanks (et je me retiens)

link above for the obligatory The Band Connection

Entered at Sat May 14 16:13:44 CEST 2011 from (74.82.68.34)

David P

Entered at Sat May 14 15:42:00 CEST 2011 from (24.108.253.172)

westcoaster

Subject: Most Important.......

The "Deck of Cards - - Tex Ritter

Entered at Sat May 14 13:57:06 CEST 2011 from (76.66.124.119)

brown eyed girl

Lily, Rosemary, and the Jack of Hearts by Bob Dylan

The Gambler by Kenny Rogers

Blackjack by Ray Charles

Three Card Trick by The Clash

The Card Cheat by The Clash

Do It Again by Steely Dan

Ace of Spades by Motorhead (for the closet head bangers out there)

Entered at Sat May 14 11:47:26 CEST 2011 from (82.42.175.156)

Al Edge

Subject: The Shawn Colvin take on gambling

Just wonderful.

Entered at Sat May 14 11:46:00 CEST 2011 from (82.42.175.156)

Al Edge

Subject: Rambling gambling man

All this gambling talk sets the juices running. Musical ones that is.

First Phil Harris. The wonderful Phil harris. I was exposed to The Darktown Poker Club [linked above] by my dear late father's '78's probably from birth.

Next the song I never tire of hearing or posting on here or anywhere - Shawn Colvin's amazing version of Mort Shuman and Doc pomus's Viva las vegas which for these ears makes all the other versions including Elvis's sound like so much Micky mouse. I love it so much I wrote the following on it years ago.

There's a song featured at the end of the film The Big Lebowski as the credits are rolling. The song is Viva Las Vegas by the country blues artist Shawn Colvin. It's taken from the 1995 tribute album to the acclaimed songsmith Doc Pomus who some thirty years earlier had been co-writer of the song with his writing partner, Mort Shuman. The original version some may recall was the title track for the 1964 film starring Elvis Presley.

That original Elvis interpretation had been quirky and upbeat, sprinkled with Hollywood-style pep and glitz. More than thirty other artists went on to record the song after Elvis. Each adheres fairly faithfully to the Elvis interpretation. Mercifully, Shawn Colvin's version is the one refreshing and compelling exception. In Colvin's take the protagonist becomes as reckless and mysterious as the original was cheery and predictable.

Beguiling us to accompany her into those darker ruinous corners of addiction and obsessiveness that seam through Las Vegas and gambling addiction per se, Colvin manages somehow to re-invent the song, bringing out hitherto concealed beauty and starkness of melody and lyric alike. Her vocal innovation redefines the parameters of what Pomus and Shuman had written, giving us something completely distinctive; five smouldering minutes to savour.

Entered at Sat May 14 10:39:22 CEST 2011 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

Subject: Bardot

Serge Gainsbourg's original attempt at Je t'aime (mois non plus) was with Brigitte Bardot. Gunter Sachs put a stop to its release. Gainsbourg then asked every female singer he could find, according to Marianne Faithful, who was one of them. They all declined. Then he met Jane Birkin, and history was made with a world-wide hit record, and one which has spawned dozens of pastiches and cover versions. The record got to #2 in the British chart, then there are two versions of the story.

One was that the wife of the manager of Philips Records heard it and was disgusted to find it was on the Fontana label (part of Philips) and it was withdrawn. The alternative version has the Queen of the Netherlands, a shareholder in Philips, and no doubt influential on a Dutch company, heard it and demanded its withdrawal. There was much discussion about whether the situation was simulated or real. Apparently the latter in the case of the original version, but not the Birkin version.

With unprecedented speed, Major Minor Records licensed it and had it in the shops in days, thus it went smoothly from #2 to #1 with just a change of labels. BBC's Top of The Pops had refused to play it, but then it got to #1. They commissioned an orchestral cover version called Love At First Sight which they played instead. Anyway, move on 25 years and Bardot finally gave permission for the release of her original version, in order to gain funds for her animal sanctuary. It's worth hearing her version which is linked above. The scene in the movie "Gainsbourg" is well done.

Entered at Sat May 14 09:37:13 CEST 2011 from (71.130.208.145)

Bahamanspence

Entered at Sat May 14 09:03:42 CEST 2011 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

Entered at Sat May 14 08:55:37 CEST 2011 from (84.133.213.123)

Norbert

Subject: Glückauf

We’re in the Harz at the moment, an old mining area, they still greet with Glückauf. In fact everything is called Glückauf here, the hotel’s name (where I’m typing right now) is called Glückauf, the shops are called Glückauf, the garage is called Glückauf, yesterday I had a few Glückauf beers and my wife had a glass of Glückauf wine. Today we’re going to visit the .... mine in Goslar. Anyway just googled the word Glückauf, it’s a good word and must have saved a lot of people over the centuries, just like The Band.

“Glückauf!”, also written “Glück Auf!”, is the German miner’s greeting. Literally this can be translated with “Luck up” or “Luck open”, but this is meaningless in English, so a better translation would be “Good luck”. Its original meaning was lost during the centuries, but the most reasonable explanation is that it means “the ore veins shall open for the miner”. Another explanation is described in the section “Holy Barbara”. Yet, a translation does not carry the meaning of “Glückauf”. For a German miner, greeting somebody with this word means that you belong to and care for each other, and that you belong to the same family: the family of all miners in the world.

Empty, sorry about Looheus it’s only in Dutch, if I find a better I'll let you know.

Al, thanks for your nice words the other day mate.

Fanda, wish I could take could drive you to the ramble, I would be privileged. If there are GB readers going that direction I’m sure they will take you along, anyway lots of fun and thank Levon for his music from all of us, Glückauf.

Entered at Sat May 14 08:43:10 CEST 2011 from (72.230.109.86)

Bashful Bill

Subject: Levon&Arlo

It's past 2:30 AM in my world, and I just got home after a 2 hour drive returning from a Levon show in Cooperstown NY. Arlo Guthrie opened with a fine band which included the Burns Sisters, a trio from Ithaca who are pretty well known around here. The last(and only)time I saw him was away back in 71. A lot of water under the bridge, twists&turns in the road and all that. He was good, very good even. He did some old stuff, some new stuff, a couple Leadbelly songs, a couple of his father's songs, and lots of humorous pontificating on the state of the country. Levon's band was in fine form. He sang 2 songs, back-up on a couple others, and one verse of The Weight. They did Saved, which was cool to hear as I just played MM in the car about a week ago. Two things worth mentioning, and only from my experience and point of view. It was only the 2nd time I've seen Jim Weider play with Levon's band, the first being about 2 years ago, and he's stepped out a lot since then and the interaction between he and Levon was fun to watch. I still think he's underused, though, I'd love to see what he's do if he really opened up. Larry Campbell's talent as a guitar player rightfully gets mentioned now and again around here, but Weege is also an extraordinary player who has grown tremendously since The Band finally sputtered out. Both of these guys should be better known than they are. The other thing worth mentioning : Teresa Williams has also stepped out. I've seen her play with Levon 6 or 7 times and she's always been good, but someone lit a fire under her since the last time I saw them. I'd give her the MVP trophy tonight, and am curious as to whether she's always as good as she was tonight. More music on my horizon : a local bluegrass band who I really like tomorrow, and on Mon(Dylan's birthday) Professor Louie is playing here for the 2nd time in 5 months.

Entered at Sat May 14 06:50:52 CEST 2011 from (160.39.32.34)

Fanda

Hey, anybody is going tonight to Levon's show from New York? I need to get there somehow, anybody can share a ride? Thanks

Entered at Sat May 14 03:24:48 CEST 2011 from (95.147.184.185)

Michelle

Subject: Jagz

Rob, Jagz is alive and kicking! great small venue,recommend it to anyone, if they can get down here! saw Jilted John there not long ago, remember him? great gig, Mick Hutton quartet this Sunday!

Entered at Sat May 14 03:18:02 CEST 2011 from (96.30.174.20)

joe j

Subject: Rag Mama Rag

The Wiyos again. I thought for a minute they were going to cover The Band's classic. Different song entirely. Can anyone shed any light on this tune?

Entered at Sat May 14 01:58:30 CEST 2011 from (92.238.33.140)

Rob the Organ

Thanks! BTW is "Jagz" at Ascot station still a gig? Used to do it years ago with my dear friend Nigel Bagge.

Entered at Fri May 13 23:33:24 CEST 2011 from (95.147.184.185)

Michelle

Subject: tomatoes

That sounds fine Rob, tomatoes like to be watered from the roots, I am sure they will be okay for a few days, do you not have a kind neighbour to keep an eye on them? anyway we may get some rain! have a great time in the Alps

Entered at Fri May 13 22:49:30 CEST 2011 from (92.238.33.140)

Rob the Organ

Bill M, will save the other 5 parts of your linked series for now - going on holiday tomorrow. I will say this: I have that rare Earl Van Dyke instrumental LP and find myself playing it more than BT&MGs these days. Class, from start to finish.

Peter, you are right in the JRR assumption (for me at least) because the songwriter and guitarist known informally as Robbie is indeed listed as J. R. Robertson in writing credits. Thus I use JRR to discuss that artist. As for "flush" as a middle name, one Nicholas Lowe does nearly achieve that, for his middle name in all truth is Drain.

AND NOW A SERIOUS REQUEST FOR GARDENING TIPS!

Anybody here green-fingered (excluding those who work at the nuclear reactor or the local Soylent factory)? Mrs Rob and I go away to the Bavarian Alps for a few days tomorrow and can't rely on my folks to let themselves in and water the garden, because the selfish old sods have had the unabashed temerity to take off to San Gimignano in Tuscany themselves.

Now, we have no outside tap given that we have a town house with a very modest back garden no bigger than 15' x 24' and thus can drench the whole lot with one decent big zinc watering can's worth. I have just transplanted six 3" potted tomato seedlings into their generous final 3' x 1' containers (three plants apiece) and stuck the canes in etc. I was told that (after a decent final can watering) a redundant lemonade bottle filled from the rainwater butt and poked face down into the soil (as close to the middle as plant spacing will allow), with a scalpel knife slit in the neck should be sufficient to drip feed the plants for the 6 days we are away. Anybody have any experience to confirm or ridicule this solution?

Entered at Fri May 13 22:36:03 CEST 2011 from (216.114.128.38)

Mike & Kim Hayward

Prof Louie paying tribute to The Band.

Entered at Fri May 13 22:10:01 CEST 2011 from (216.114.128.38)

Mike & Kim Hayward

Article on RR's upcoming book.

Entered at Fri May 13 21:51:21 CEST 2011 from (95.147.184.185)

Michelle

Subject: It Makes No Difference

Maybe not the greatest piece of songwriting ever, some of the lyrics are questionably corny, but the way Rick sings it! breaks my heart every time

Entered at Fri May 13 21:43:01 CEST 2011 from (95.147.184.185)

Michelle

Subject: gunther sachs

Thats very sad about Gunther, a big fan of his work and BB's, isn't she beautiful? Wonder what music was played at funeral? do you think they were fans of The Band?

Entered at Fri May 13 21:13:17 CEST 2011 from (131.137.35.83)

sadavid

Good catches, gents - don't know how I could've disremembered "It Makes No Difference" - a brilliant setup - old love letters / read 'em and weep. Well, I thought it was brilliantly original, but perhaps it's a country music staple.

Bill M: I've mused before about the JRR muse; more or less a witch, to cut to the chase . . . but if there's a typical Band-song female type, the defining trait would be unavailability. Not surprising, really; JRR's admitted preference for sad songs would play into it, and anyway, what good is a happy love song ("Time to Kill" is close - domestic bliss, anyway - and as I've said, it comes close to J. Denver-sappy for me). Not that The Band typically trades in love songs anyway (lust songs, occasionally).

So - unavailability: here's a quick typology:

Caledonia Mission: treasonous / estranged / staying behind
Chest Fever: departed
Katie's Been Gone: departed; no forwarding address
Ruben Remus: not answering the door
Across the Great Divide: estranged and/or frightened and/or hostile and/or suicidal (booked out and bound to go)
Rag Mama Rag: unavailable
Up On Cripple Creek: historical
Whispering Pines: deceased
Jemima Surrender: reluctant
The Unfaithful Servant: betrayed / estranged / historical / staying behind
Get Up Jake: historical / missed the boat
Strawberry Wine: insufficiently saccharine
It Makes No Difference: indifferent
Ophelia: departed, no forwarding address

Entered at Fri May 13 20:56:17 CEST 2011 from (24.108.253.172)

westcoaster

Subject: fleeced!

Smarten up Bill! Gawd damn it!

Entered at Fri May 13 20:53:51 CEST 2011 from (24.108.253.172)

westcoaster

Subject: The Gambler

You got to know when to hold 'em,

Know when to fold 'em, know when to walk away,

And know when to run.................

If you've ever seen the movie "Diggs Town", James Wood's explains to Oliver Platt the difference between a "hustler" and a "con man". When a hustler is done fleecing some body, he's got to get out of town as soon as he can......but......... a "good con man" when he's done. He don't need to leave until he wants to...........so

Just like the gambler says.......read 'em and weep is such an old line, there is nothing special about it. It's used pretty often. Thinking up a good line and being original......now that's something special.

Entered at Fri May 13 20:44:16 CEST 2011 from (204.138.59.92)

Bill M

Entered at Fri May 13 20:21:27 CEST 2011 from (204.138.59.92)

Bill M

Subject: Robbie King, part 3

RtO: Glad that you liked the Robbie King clip. Maybe you spent time listening to all six, but if not, part 3 tells about, among other things, taking over Earl Van Dyke's chair as the chief Motown session organist. That'd be '68-'70, I suppose. Part 4 has a Hendrix story; King doesn't give all the background, but Hendrix knew Bobby Taylor from the Tacoma/Seattle R&B scene and Tommy Chong and other Vancouvers from his days living in Vancouver with his grandmother. The clip at the link above is of Robbie singing his own song with the group Brahman in the early '70s, in which he was reunited with two fellow members of the Vancouvers - the great Ed Patterson on guitar and the awesome Duris Maxwell on drums. On piano is David Lanz, now a succesful Wyndham Hill artist. I woulda liked the organ to have been more upfront, but ...

Oh yes, at the start of part 3 is a little photo of the Zanzibar on Yonge Street, just a few doors up the street from where our guys were playing with and without Hawkins during the same period. Naturally everybody knew everybody else.

Westcoaster: I've mentioned the Brahman guys so many times here over the years and it's nice to see that at least some of their stuff is on YouTube if you find a way of accessing it. Susan Jacks did a nice job of one of their songs, "Build A Tower" on one of her solo LPs.

Entered at Fri May 13 20:14:26 CEST 2011 from (217.44.155.134)

Simon

Entered at Fri May 13 20:10:13 CEST 2011 from (86.143.61.240)

Dunc

Subject: Sadavid

'Cause like the gambler says Read 'em and weep'

Sadavid:There was a debate about these lines a couple of years ago. Somebody thought they were weak. I think they are strong lines and know what he means.

Entered at Fri May 13 20:01:14 CEST 2011 from (70.53.46.130)

Kevin J

Not one to trade in celebrity news……but reading an obituary in today’s Globe & Mail newspaper..(interestingly always the back section to the Sports news and usually far more interesting) something caught my eye……..Gunther Sachs – former husband to Brigitte Bardot died……..He was 78 and the note he left read:

“The loss of mental control over my life was an undignified condition, which I decided to counter decisively”……………….He killed himself……………One of the better suicide notes I have seen……………I might keep it and use it myself in 45 years or so……..depending on conditions of course…………Band connection: He was married to Brigitte Bardot during the time the Band was creating and releasing their two masterworks – 1966-1969.

Entered at Fri May 13 19:03:42 CEST 2011 from (204.138.59.92)

Bill M

Entered at Fri May 13 18:11:17 CEST 2011 from (41.97.248.110)

Empty Now

Subject: Bill M, and a ready to use script for Sir Ridley Scott

Bill M: wow! What an awesome sense of observation, I missed all those details. in this region where when you travel you notice that every female identifies herself to Queen Kahina, and every male pretend to be her descendant, isn’t that a paradox ?

I jump on the reply, and you encouraged me after I long hesitated to tie The Band GB to the linked above thread : Gisele Halimi commenting a recent book she wrote about Queen Dahiya Kahina

0 :54 – “my grandfather pretends that i am a direct descendant of Her”

1 :54 – “I collected notes i wrote for 20 years”

3 :00 - “She was the one who showed to today’s women, in particular those from North-Africa, the way to freedom”

4 :21-4:47 “she wages a war under her proper strategy and she wins it, she defeats the Arabs and follows them until Lybia, why did she do that?, they say women don’t like war, true or false i wish it’s true, she’s a woman and a she’s a warrior”

6 :11-6 :58 “what makes me feel so close to her, this woman, sometime to identify, her birth was something which was lived as a malediction, as a disaster, her father King Ta Beth has no heir, he said to his wife ‘in giving me a daughter, you made me an impotent’ . here lies the true identification. When I was born in Tunis by those times, my father dissimulated my birth during 3 weeks, when he was asked ‘did your wife give birth?’, he used to answer ‘not yet’ he didn’t accept the malediction to have a daughter”

8:42 – “when a female enter History, it’s always by a breaking”

Entered at Fri May 13 16:59:59 CEST 2011 from (204.138.59.92)

Bill M

Re J2Rs, I'm sure that Steve meant it, puckishly, to be pronounced and not just read - Jaime Two-Arse, with a comic-book nod to Robbie's Native ancestry. Jaime Royal is, among other things, a Latin reference to Britain's King James, patron of one of Lars's favourite books.

BEG: Thanks for the link to that outstanding Adele performance. I hadn't heard that song, so from the title was wondering if we were going to get a new cover of one of Robbie's first songs, "Someone Like You".

sadavid: Ladyships are like that when it comes to Robbie, in my experience. As you may know, the new edition of "Zoomer" has a Bryan Adams portrait of the rock Robster on the cover, with more inside. My own Her Ladyship showed a surprising level of awareness of and interest in the man and his photo. Just a guy in a swish hat to me, but ...

Empty N: Thanks for the link to the Djo performance. Lotsa guys, but just one gal that I could see - in a green hijab. Surprising given it must've been lady's night, there being no other reason other than free admission for the guy at the back at 2:44 to have snuck in wearing a niqab.

Entered at Fri May 13 16:26:46 CEST 2011 from (156.47.15.10)

David P

"Play too hard, play too rough
And someday someone's gonna call your bluff"

Entered at Fri May 13 16:25:20 CEST 2011 from (69.177.200.206)

Todd

Subject: What's In A Name

I think Sebastian said that Royal was a family name. Robbie was a nickname from his youth derived from Robertson. I think his birth name was Jaime Royal Klegerman, and then changed to Robertson when his mother remarried.

It's kind of interesting that some of the Band member's names that we commonly know them by changed over the years or in some cases used the middle name. In the case of Richard Manuel, I never knew that his middle name was George.

Eric Garth Hudson
Richard Clare Danko
Jaime Royal Robertson
Mark Lavon Helm
Richard George Manuel

Then in the Beatles we have:
James Paul McCartney
Richard Starkey
John Winston Lennon
George (No Middle Name) Harrison

Entered at Fri May 13 16:08:26 CEST 2011 from (24.108.253.172)

westcoaster

Subject: A Salty Dog

Thanks for that Al. That is the one I was trying to put up........don't know what I was doing wrong.

There is also a bluegrass Salty Dog. I forget who first played that. I'll have to look it up.

Entered at Fri May 13 16:06:53 CEST 2011 from (131.137.35.83)

sadavid

I wish I had a dollar for every time JRR mentions "shuffling the deck" . . .

"pick a card before you go"
"card sharks and grifters"
"sometimes you have to cut the cards just to find out what you got"
"one-eyed jacks, king with the axe"

Somehow, any imaginary picture of 'The Band at leisure' involves either a deck of cards or a pool table . . . I think it was Lars who once had on this board a fragment of screenplay that involved a poker game -- a bit of genius, that was . . . .

Entered at Fri May 13 16:02:10 CEST 2011 from (156.47.15.10)

David P

Entered at Fri May 13 15:33:45 CEST 2011 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

Well thank goodness his dad didn't go for a third given name … imagine being called Royal Flush.

Entered at Fri May 13 15:31:20 CEST 2011 from (156.47.15.10)

David P

I believe it was Sebastian who pointed out that his father's true middle name is Royal. It's been said that Robbie's father was a gambler, so that leads one to wonder if the name derives from the game of poker.

Entered at Fri May 13 15:07:39 CEST 2011 from (131.137.35.83)

sadavid

Subject: J2Rs

"Robert" don't figure in it at all.
"Jaime Royal Robertson," according to [My link], which is a respected authority.

BEG: I bought my copy of _Clairvoyant_ in H. Reisman's local _Chapters_; under previous ownership the store had a large, eclectic CD section -- a store within a store, really -- but it was closed when we visited; my guess is closing for good as there's no money in CDs anymore, the good old days, they're all gone. But they had 3 or 4 racks of CDs in the marshalling pens that funnel you to the checkouts. About 3 rows of JRR on one rack; let's say 60 CDs, about 1/3 sold.
The next rack down was Adele; Mrs. s. wanted her new one (_21_, I think) -- again about 3 rows, but sold out. So she settled for the old one, _19_, of which there were many to be had.
Back home, her ladyship's pleasure was to hear the Adele. Pleasant record, interesting arrangements (e.g. vocal + bass). Then I got to play the Robbie. When the Robbie was done, her ladyship instructed me to spin it again. Then she said, 'don't you have his old record; you should play that one also.'

Entered at Fri May 13 14:11:27 CEST 2011 from (129.42.208.177)

Bob F.

Subject: Adele

BEG, thanks for posting that video. Wow! Just a wonderful vocalist.

Entered at Fri May 13 13:37:50 CEST 2011 from (76.68.83.185)

brown eyed girl

Adele

Entered at Fri May 13 11:48:35 CEST 2011 from (41.97.181.66)

Empty Now

Subject: render to everybody his due

Far from being the best representative, at the pure harmonic point of view and regarding my musical tastes and esthetics, it was impossible to expose Chawi Rock in The Band GB without any mention of Djamel Sabri aka Big Djo, Mr Djo, undeniably the biggest idol of the genre for a whole generation. Besides his musical skills, the astonishing character of Big Djo helped tremendously to earn his crown, this man is a living scenery [link]

From the sleeve notes of the 2009 CD reissue:

originally released in 1982 the album Ajhuth Aghamraith (intruder clouds) is considered a classic [in Chawi modern music]. The first title is the hit Amghar (old man). Amghar is also one of the most abusively covered songs elsewhere in Maghreb. Djamel Sabri says : "I also know that some jugglers resume my moves without prior authorization. I do not worry, these are just imitators."

…This debut album entirely in Chawi language is considered the foundation of the genre. Indeed, it was this album that will lay the foundations of a new musical style, mixing Berber rhythm and tempo with Rock singing and musical instruments. The Rock Chawi was born officially

Entered at Fri May 13 11:38:28 CEST 2011 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

Sorry, back on our names here. When the GB was in its early days, most of us used both names … Pat B, Jan H and me all did. A few things changed it. One case was an ex-poster who was aggressive. He took a dislike to a particular person. That person announced he’d moved house and named his new town. He then got e-mails saying ‘I’m watching your house … ‘ and describing it. Actually, when we thought about it, it’s easy to do. You move to a small community. You buy a house. Real estate agents have listings with pictures. Deeds are registered. You could find a photo of a house online in two minutes. But it’s still unsettling. The same aggressive poster sent me physical threats too, saying ‘I’m coming from Canada to England, and when I do I’m coming to find you’ and crap like that. So that was one reason.

The other is Google. It started to get very good. Once I posted something jokey about an album. A few hours later, I thought I’d look up something on the same album. Google search revealed my name and post on this GB on its first page, just a few items down. You don’t want to confuse professional stuff with jokey recreational stuff. Everyone knows my name here anyway. But I don’t want to post a jokey item and find it under a Google search with my name on.

Entered at Fri May 13 09:42:54 CEST 2011 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

Entered at Fri May 13 09:18:24 CEST 2011 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

'Halfpint' was a general name for the vertically-challenged in Wales. My mother used to use it affectionately for any small kids.

Another Welsh style name is Rod the Mod, which he used to be known as.That breaks the pattern slightly as it's Peter the Post, never Peter the Postman (or Peter the Postal Delivery Operative to be PC). There was inventiveness at work. So they'd call a postman named Malcolm, Malcolm the Mail, rather than 'the post'. As Malcolm was considered a slightly effete name there was a double reference in there. Both ways worked - in Under Milk Wood you get Mrs Dai Bread (the wife of a baker named Dai or David) and Mrs Dai Bread 2 (bigamy) and the church organist Organ Morgan. You also get the undertaker, Evans the Death.

Entered at Fri May 13 08:40:05 CEST 2011 from (82.42.175.156)

Al Edge

Subject: Joe the Toe

Ha ha. Nice one mister lewis.

Great memory of life down in the Welsh Rhymney valley where nicknames flowed like wine. The Ma in law's chiropodist, Joe the Toe was my favourite but I also loved willie halfpint - the milkman. he was no more than 5 foot tall with his teeth in.

:-0)

Also couldn't resist the lowell george link.

Entered at Fri May 13 08:33:36 CEST 2011 from (82.42.175.156)

Al Edge

Subject: Homburg

While I'm at it the wonderful homburg too.

:-0)

Entered at Fri May 13 08:30:13 CEST 2011 from (82.42.175.156)

Al Edge

Subject: Salty and Westie

Pleased about that Norm

Thought you would but as it's probably never been played on UK radio since its release I wondered if the same was true over there so you can never be sure. Belt and braces. :-0)

This live version above is pretty damn fine.

Entered at Fri May 13 07:01:23 CEST 2011 from (61.68.62.67)

David Lewis, Lord Mondegreen of Tucson and Tucumcari

Adn he told the story of the podiatrist - Joe the Toe. STill find that amusing...

Entered at Fri May 13 06:59:28 CEST 2011 from (61.68.62.67)

David Lewis, Lord Mondegreen of Tucson and Tucumcari

Now, my credit card and PINs....

Entered at Fri May 13 06:07:07 CEST 2011 from (69.177.200.206)

Todd

Subject: THNX

RTO, I remember when you first used to post as "Rob The Organ". Always thought that was a cool name. It's quite a statement. You not only play the organ....you ARE the organ. Kind of like Willie Dixon with "I Am The Blues". Very strong. I will say that I'm glad that you specified Hammond Organ. You wouldn't want to take the chance that someone could stumble in here and think you were engaging in some sort of anatomical braggadocio.

Adam2, Thanks for the back story. I figured it was something like that. By the way, I'm sure that Steve would have appreciated that you took notice of the usage of J2Rs. There was a poster here who used to use JR2 for Robbie's initials. It took years, but Steve managed to turn that around.

Entered at Fri May 13 05:06:01 CEST 2011 from (92.238.33.140)

Robert E. Millis who plays Hammond organ

I may have meant ROTFL! Shows how much effort I am prepared to give these idiotic text-culture friendly excuses for communication! They ought to be banned IMHO(ATOEEWBCSAALHAB,IWHT).

Entered at Fri May 13 05:00:16 CEST 2011 from (92.238.33.140)

Robert E. Millis who plays Hammond organ

A liberal chap, I would never condone violence designed to painfully kill or maim another living soul. However, IF I were not of such values I guarantee that the first person(s) on my hit list would be the ulcerous, dung-eating swine that gave us LOL and ROFTL!

Entered at Fri May 13 04:50:50 CEST 2011 from (92.238.33.140)

RTFO

Entered at Fri May 13 03:55:30 CEST 2011 from (99.141.64.101)

Adam2

The "Adam2" is just something I've always used for internet purposes. Message boards, things like that. "Adam" is usually taken, though "Adam B" would work fine (and more in the tradition of other posters here). A long time ago I just got in the habit of keeping it "Adam2" because it's easy to type.

Entered at Fri May 13 03:14:56 CEST 2011 from (86.172.225.51)

Simon

Entered at Fri May 13 03:12:21 CEST 2011 from (69.177.200.206)

Todd

Subject: Economy

Maybe RTO can be shortened to RO. Methinks he's just trying to hang with the 3 lettered big boys. Not sure if he's paid enough dues yet.

In all seriousness, I think that Robbie has been known as JRR for so long now that it would be hard to change it.

Adam2, I'm not trying to be a wise guy (well, maybe a little) but since we're on the topic of names, why do you go by "Adam2"? As far as I know, you're the only Adam here. Is there an Adam1? I've actually been curious about this for a while but never though to ask until now. A2 would be kind of cool, but almost sounds like a paper size.

Entered at Fri May 13 02:47:55 CEST 2011 from (99.141.64.101)

Adam2

Entered at Fri May 13 02:43:07 CEST 2011 from (99.141.64.101)

Adam2

Entered at Fri May 13 01:56:52 CEST 2011 from (24.108.253.172)

westcoaster

Subject: Nautical Fever

Al!.........my love affair with the sea started before I was born....I think?

I've tried to put this video of A Salty Dog up here, but it doesn't seem to work. Back then, my first likes out of England were, (the original) Moody Blues, "Go Now". Procul Harum.....Whiter Shade, and Salty Dog, the latter which stays in my mental library with:

Rockin' Chair - - The Band

A Pirate Looks at Fourty - - Jimmy Buffett

The Last Farewell - - (I kinda like Elvis version)

My all time favourite poem - "Sea Fever" which I've mentioned here many a time.

My favourite movie from when I was a kid, "Reep the Wild Wind", look it up. John Wayne gets killed in it, by a giant squid. My next favourite, "Moby Dick"

My favourite book, "In Hazard"......I have no explanation for it. My great grandfather ran away from home, (London England) at the age of 12 and went ot sea on a whaler. He is the man who wrote "Cruise of the Cachalot". Maybe it rubbed off some how. In truth I tried to figure it out one time, (accurately) I have probably been at sea, (coastal of course) for over 30% of my life. Through the dirty weather, danger and hazards, there still seems to be less problems in life at sea.

Entered at Fri May 13 01:48:02 CEST 2011 from (92.238.33.140)

RTO

Subject: Adam2

A fair question, well presented and deserving of an answer...

Entered at Fri May 13 01:10:18 CEST 2011 from (99.141.64.101)

Adam2

Great article about Levon's barn studio and it's construction, as well as a mention of an album coming out "later this year: Vol. 3 - The Best Of The Rambles". I believe someone mentioned this earlier this year. Anyone have any more info? I was a bit disappointed that Ramble At The Ryman's setlist/guest list seems to appeal to more casual fans, but an audio release of just the Levon Helm Band's Ramble material is wonderful news.

This is in no way a comment on RTO, as I've seen TONS of people say it, but what is with the "JRR" abbreviation for Robbie? Pretty silly to me, writing 3 letters for an abbreviation when 2 is perfectly accurate.

Entered at Fri May 13 00:58:59 CEST 2011 from (92.238.33.140)

RTO

Pat, great links. I think the final answer is right there: any five piece group with a solid rhythm section, economical lead guitar, ace soul singer also playing piano and an organist infatuated with Bach will plough a certain kind of furrow independent of similar ventures fore/aft but ultimately there WILL be great similarities. Case closed and both groups pardoned, your honour.

Interesting too that when The Band were short of inspiration they made an album of covers and when PH were running out of steam they made a Lieber/Stoller steered LP.

At least the OQ never went pompous, though - thank heaven the concept suite that JRR was working on c71-72 never came to fruition. It might have been as shallow as Grand Hotel!!! For me, Broken Barricades is the last decent PH album.

Entered at Thu May 12 23:56:56 CEST 2011 from (82.42.175.156)

Al Edge

Thanks for those Pat. Interesting stuff. I have to say I got into both completely independently so the only connection I've ever made is my own love of their respective music. Never even previously reflected on the keyboard parallels.

Procul were mega in the summer of '67 in UK with Whiter shade which I liked a lot but it was the next single which really hit me. I just fell in love with Homburg from the moment I heard it. Just so unlike anything else, so off the wall and mysterious and utterly deliciously beautiful. I don't think it's dated one second since. I still think it's an amazing song.

And when I heard Salty ...well, something like that doesn't come around very often. In fact there's not been anything like it since I guess. I wonder if WESTIE'S ever come across it.

The Band as I've recounted many times purely hearing The Weight on the pub juke box so one certainly never led onto the other in my case.

Entered at Thu May 12 23:33:38 CEST 2011 from (68.164.4.70)

Pat B

A more recent assessment.

Entered at Thu May 12 23:32:37 CEST 2011 from (68.164.4.70)

Pat B

Members of PH comment on the "furor" over such comparisons.

Entered at Thu May 12 22:51:40 CEST 2011 from (92.238.33.140)

RTO

Bill, that Robbie King is a genius or I'm Jack Kennedy. Lovely dynamics and sense of rhythm, LOTS of Billy Preston in there but with an undisciplined side too. Nice of him to explain the difference between a B3 and an A100, too. I own an A100 and agree with him that although there are very few differences, they are brighter and sweeter. Well, we can't both be wrong, can we?

Pat/Al: I'm sure MFBP did influence A Salty Dog, but the thorny issue goes back beyond that. There is certainly common ground in many parts of the first PH album and, say, Tears of Rage. Let's not forget PH were on their third release by the time of A Salty Dog, to the OQ's one.

Entered at Thu May 12 22:35:57 CEST 2011 from (86.139.137.48)

Simon

Peter - I love Morrison Hotel. Have you got the second collection of Lester Bangs' work? There's a great piece called "Jim Morrison: Bozo Dionysus a Decade Later." Very much a hate/love thing, more of the former than the latter. There's also a forty page article on Jamaican music ... interviews with Bob Marley, King Tubby and Lee Perry. Ol' Bob doesn't come out of it that well, though. Bangs praises his music but criticizes the whole Rasta philosophy, and recounts how he felt mildly threatened when he told Bob and pals he wasn't a Bible reader. It's a great piece of writing that covers things like the pollution caused by bauxite mining.

As for the Stones you might want to keep your eyes peeled for reissues of their Decca albums. These are the boxed logo versions - laminated covers from the 70s and non-laminated from the early 80s. According to the people who know about these things they are thought to be the best sounding versions, possibly because they used the top quality vinyl that Decca reserved for classical releases. They have rather formal company inner sleeves. And although I've pruned back the collection and sold quite a bit of vinyl to help pay with bills, I'd have to say these are the best sounding LPs I own. Let It Bleed is especially smooth and pure. Later on in the mid '80s they introduced digitally remastered versions - easily spotted by the ugly red sashes printed on the front covers and the cheesy redesigned labels. Avoid these.

Entered at Thu May 12 22:27:07 CEST 2011 from (156.47.15.10)

David P

In Reading, Pa. one would want to read the works of the great American poet Wallace Stevens, who was born there. Years ago, one of my uncles was the town's fire chief.

Entered at Thu May 12 22:08:44 CEST 2011 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

I know we don't advertise here, but I've been contacted by noted Dylanologist Ian Woodward who has contributed much information here in the past. He has Band-related fanzines that he's clearing out. This is exceptional and a chance to get Band-related material. Ian would be most interested in one arrangement for the whole batch.

SEE HIS NOTES:

JAWBONE (ed. Lee Gabites)

#3, #4 and # 5 (all from 1997)

plus 4 letters from Lee Gabites - nothing exciting but they're all in together

THE BAND NEWSLETTER (Lee Gabites, undated but late 1995 it seems) 11 single-sided A4 pages

A covering letter, 7 pages of text and 3 pages of ads relating to the "Not Fade Away" CD

THE BAND APPRECIATION SOCIETY NEWSLETTER (eds. Chris and Gail Bell) 24 pages, A4 # 1 (August 1984), # 2 (December 1984) and #3 (May 1985)

Plus a good photocopy of #4 (from Lee Gabites in trade for a photocopy of #.2)

THE CAMEL WALK-ER (ed. Screamin' Brian T. Simmons) around 20 pages, A4

# 1 (December 1971), #2 (Summer 1972), #3 (October and November 1974) and #4 (March 1977)

Fanzine devoted to Ronnie Hawkins but has mentions of the Band members here and there.

PLUS the following items relating to "The Camel Walk-er"

November 1974 "News Flash" (1 page, A4)

October 1976 Newsletter/Progress Report" (2pp, double-sided foolscap-size)

"The Biography of Rockin' Ronnie Hawkins from 1935 to 1967" (4pp,double-sided foolscap-size)

"NewsFlash!" (A5, undated but probably 1977, as it precedes #4 of "The Camel Walk-er")

Introductory letter and leaflet (17 March 1977) The latter mentions Band members on singles.

FUSION [#22]?, 28 November [1969?]

Boston music paper, like ROLLING STONE, 3-page article on Ronnie Hawkins at Muscle Shoals

+ The Band mentioned in editorial (brief and not flattering)

+ subscription advert on the last page, in which one of the freebies on offer was the "brown" album.

All reasonable offers will be considered. Please contact: ianwoodward9ATaol.com , replacing AT with the usual @ symbol.

Entered at Thu May 12 21:50:06 CEST 2011 from (207.236.90.177)

brown eyed girl

I meant Leonard Cohen's teacher! I know this fact because Eric told us at The Rivoli.
Eric also sang "Sheila" for myself and Pat B. ;-D

Entered at Thu May 12 21:46:23 CEST 2011 from (207.236.90.177)

brown eyed girl

One of my favourite poems is by Eric Anderson's teacher Irving Layton...The Cockroach.

Entered at Thu May 12 21:41:05 CEST 2011 from (67.84.207.113)

Brien Sz

Entered at Thu May 12 21:32:58 CEST 2011 from (131.137.35.83)

sadavid

Subject: WC's accent

New England -- Mass., probably. Similar to the Maine accent so many guest stars attempted with miserable results on _Murder She Wrote_.

Entered at Thu May 12 21:32:17 CEST 2011 from (204.138.59.92)

Bill M

Simon: It certainly matters to the residents of Reading, though it's just a name on the Monopoly board to me.

Entered at Thu May 12 21:16:34 CEST 2011 from (67.250.113.92)

Lars

Subject: movies, music and literature

"Attack of the 50 Foot Woman"

Band music (with a few exceptions)

LOOK TO THE MOUNTAIN- LeGrand Cannon
King James bible
THE FIVE PEOPLE YOU MEET IN HEAVEN- Mitch Alborn
GALLANT PELHAM- Charles G. Millham
TO DIE GAME- P. Brennan
Matthew Arnold poems
A lot of manuals on rigging up claymores to secure your perimeter and keeping your neighbors in their place

Entered at Thu May 12 21:15:17 CEST 2011 from (24.108.253.172)

westcoaster

Subject: The accent

Naw Al.......it's some kind of Noo Yawk or somewhere along that Atlantic seaboard. They ain't that far remooved from them furiners overt there t' England and them places where also they don't speak in any way yuh can really understand.

You go further north t Scotland where my grandfather came from and it's near impossible to understand anything!

Entered at Thu May 12 21:06:34 CEST 2011 from (95.147.184.103)

Michelle

Subject: Beatles

''Drinking Dom Perignon '53 above the temperature of 38 degrees'' is as bad as listening to the Beatles without earmuffs

Entered at Thu May 12 21:05:58 CEST 2011 from (24.108.253.172)

westcoaster

Subject: How does it happen??????

Get outta the way Joe! Al!.....you're gettin' outta control.

I'm walking along in the mall, (went to get a bit of groceries), it just jumps up in my head. I don't think I was even thinking about it. Musta bin my subconsience. Why does it do that.

The book I couldn't think of, Leon Uris, "Trinity"

Entered at Thu May 12 21:05:43 CEST 2011 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

Simon, for putting Let It Bleed first among Rolling Stones albums, even Morrison Hotel can be overlooked (well, just about). Now I wish I’d put Hissing of Summer Lawns.

Al, you allow MANCUNIANS on an LFC site? Isn’t that pushing equal opportunities too far? It is impressive. Never heard of #16, 32, 83 though.

What’s Going On got two more tonight. You know that makes sense.

Bap Kennedy - The Big Picture. iTunes doesn't lie. One of my most played albums.

Entered at Thu May 12 20:41:33 CEST 2011 from (96.30.174.20)

joe j

Too late to stop now.

- Stage Fright

- Northern Lights...

- Blood On the Tracks

- World Gone Wrong

- Modern Times

- American Recordings

- Shotgun Willie

- Spirit (Willie)

- Guitars, Cadillacs, etc

- Car Wheels On A Gravel Road

- Trinity Sessions

- Graceland

- Danko Fjeld Andersen

- Boz Scaggs

- Five Days In July

- Rum, Sodomy and the Lash

- Idlewild South

- How Will the Wolf Survive

- Sailin Shoes

- Monkey Island

Entered at Thu May 12 20:41:13 CEST 2011 from (68.199.152.229)

Jed

Let It Be,Abbey Road,White Album,Revolver,Rubber Soul,all a boy band? Different.

Entered at Thu May 12 20:37:11 CEST 2011 from (86.139.137.48)

Simon

Yes, I think it does.

1) The L.A. Quartet - James Ellroy. Not for the squeamish or fainthearted. Totally unputdownable. Roz would back me up on this.

2) The Collected Works of Nathanael West. Especially Miss Lonelyhearts. Powerful.

3) Quantum Theory Cannot Hurt You - Marcus Chown. You'll come away actually understanding some of this stuff, plus you don't have to be familiar with maths and equations.

4) Ulysses - James Joyce. Although I'd advise starting with ...

5) "Here Comes Everybody" by Anthony Burgess.

6) The Pelican Complete Shakespeare

7) The Viking Portable Faulkner. Includes an amazing introduction by Malcolm Cowley and the incomparable "Spotted Horses."

8) George P Pelecanos. Various novels, especially Nick's Trip and King Suckerman.

9) Wallace Stevens - Selected Poems

10) "Socialism: If It Was Good Enough for Jesus It Should Be Good Enough for America, so Why Do So Many Republicans Pee Their Pants at the Mere Mention of The Word?" - T. Causer and S. Stirrer.

Entered at Thu May 12 20:24:34 CEST 2011 from (95.147.184.103)

Michelle

Subject: lists

Yeah, great to see a list with no Beatles! I just do not 'get' them and see what all the fuss is about!George Harrison, I like. Actually met Ringo, my brother went to school with Zak Starkey, Ringo invited all classmates and families to a party at his house, Tittenhurst Park, formerley John Lennon's house, great guy, but um boy band, fabricated! the words just keep popping into my head!sorry!

Entered at Thu May 12 19:50:31 CEST 2011 from (96.30.174.20)

joe j

Never quite sure of the parameters of the list. Is it the absolute best, most acclaimed, career defining record or just the desert island discs again? Whatever, here's twenty I salute with not a Beatles nor Bruce album included.

1. MFBP (my most beloved recording)

2. Brown Album

3. Highway 61

4. Blonde on Blonde

5. Love & Theft

6. Moondance

7. Blue

8. Are You Experienced

9. What's Going On

10. Innervisions

11. Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere

12. Tonights the Night (Young)

13. Never A Dull Moment

14. Layla

15. Summer Side of Life

16. Exile on Main Street (on one level I know that Beggars may be better but this is what I listen to more)

17. Shoot Out The Lights

18. Wrecking Ball

19. Being There

20. Paul Simon

What no Marley, Little Feat, Waylon nor Willie?

Entered at Thu May 12 19:30:42 CEST 2011 from (82.42.175.156)

Al Edge

For interest I'm putting up the top 100 voted for on the Liverpool footy site I go on.

for the record I'd discount number 2 as the age demography means there's a disproportionate number voting who were late teens/early 20's/undergrads at the time of the Madchester shite so stone roses - not a bad album but hardly top of the range - always scores high. The rest seems pretty impressive to me.

1. The Beatles: Revolver

2. The Stone Roses: The Stone Roses

3. The Velvet Underground & Nico: The Velvet Underground & Nico

4. Radiohead: O.K. Computer

5. Pink Floyd: Dark Side of the Moon

6. Marvin Gaye: What's Going On

7. Van Morrison: Astral Weeks

8. The Beatles: Abbey Road

9. Oasis: Definitely Maybe

10. The Beach Boys: Pet Sounds

11. The Smiths: The Queen is Dead

12. Bob Dylan: Blood on the Tracks

13. Led Zeppelin: 'IV'

14. Bob Dylan: Highway 61 Revisited

15. The Rolling Stones: Exile on Main St.

16. Nas: Illmatic

17. Pink Floyd: The Wall

18. Bob Dylan: Blonde on Blonde

19. The Beatles: Rubber Soul

20. Public Enemy: It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back

21. Radiohead: The Bends

22. U2: The Joshua Tree

23. Nirvana: Nevermind

24. Bruce Springsteen: Born to Run

25. Radiohead: Kid A

26. The La's: The La's

27. The Beatles: Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band

28. Miles Davies: Kind of Blue

29. The Beatles: The Beatles ('The White Album')

30. Oasis: (What's the Story?) Morning Glory

31. Bob Marley and the Wailers: Catch a Fire

32. Neutral Milk Hotel: In the Aeroplane over the Sea

33. Pixies: Doolittle

34. Michael Jackson: Thriller

35. My Bloody Valentine: Loveless

36. Bruce Springsteen: Darkness on the Edge of Town

37. The Jimi Hendrix Experience: Are You Experienced?

38. Gram Parsons: Grievous Angel

39. The Clash: The Clash

40. Led Zeppelin: Physical Grafitti

41. The Jam: All Mod Cons

42. Sex Pistols: Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols

43. The Band: Music From Big Pink

44. Love: Forever Changes

45. Pearl Jam: Ten

46. Super Furry Animals: Radiator

47. Bob Marley and the Wailers: Exodus

48. Pink Floyd: Wish You Were Here

49. Johnny Cash: At Folsom Prison

50. Sly and the Family Stone: There's a Riot Goin' On

51. Neil Young Tonight's the Night

52. The Smiths: Meat is Murder

53. The Flaming Lips: The Soft Bulletin

54. The Modern Lovers: The Modern Lovers

55. David Bowie: The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars

56. The Pogues: Rum Sodomy & the Lash

57. Bob Dylan: The Freewheelin'

58. Guns N' Roses: Appetite for Destruction

59. Manic Street Preachers: Everything Must Go

60. Joy Division: Unknown Pleasures

61. Manic Street Preachers: The Holy Bible

62. Bruce Springsteen: Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J.

63. Pulp: A Different Class

64. Pulp: His 'n' Hers

65. Captain Beefheart and his Magic Band: Trout Mask Replica

66. Primal Scream: Screamadelica

67. John Lennon: John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band

68. The Rolling Stones: Let it Bleed

69. Spiritualized: Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space

70. Kraftwerk: Trans-Europe Express

71. David Bowie: Low

72. The Jesus and Mary Chain: Psychocandy

73. Pixies: Surfer Rosa

74. The Go-Betweens: 16 Lovers Lane

75. Belle & Sebastian: If You're Feeling Sinister

76. Television: Marquee Moon

77. AC/DC: Back in Black

78. Echo & the Bunnymen: Ocean Rain

79. Fleetwood Mac: Rumours

80. Snoop Doggy Dogg: Doggystyle

81. Nirvana: MTV Unplugged in New York

82. Elvis Costello: My Aim Is True

83. Wu-Tang Clan: Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)

84. AC/DC: Powerage

85. Bob Dylan: The Bootleg Series Vol. 4: Bob Dylan Live 1966, The "Royal Albert Hall" Concert

86. The Band: The Band

87. Neil Young: Harvest

88. DJ Shadow: Endtroducing.....

89. Michael Jackson: Bad

90. The Who: Who's Next

91. The Clash: Sandinista!

92. Eminem The Marshall Mathers: LP

93. Pink Floyd: Animals

94. The Specials: Specials

95. R.E.M.: Automatic for the People

96. Dr. Dre: The Chronic

97. New Order: Technique

98. Van Morrison: Moondance

99. R.E.M.: Murmur

100. Black Sabbath: Paranoid

Entered at Thu May 12 19:22:43 CEST 2011 from (86.139.137.48)

Simon

3) & 4) "Jazz Track" and "Kind of Blue" - Miles Davis

5) "The Hissing of Summer Lawns" - Joni Mitchell

6) "Revolver" - The Beatles [I'd never try to claim any kind of original insight when it comes to the Beatles but is there an album of theirs that mentions death so frequently? "My advice for those who die / Died and was buried along with her name / Before I'm a dead old man / I know what it's like to be dead / It is not dying" Perhaps there's more but this marks it out as the truly lysergic album in their canon. Having to confront this reality, something that unites us all. Also it's an impolite sounding album and one that is perhaps great because of the compression and limiting applied, not despite it.]

7) "Let It Bleed" - The Rolling Stones [If compilations were allowed I wouldn't hesitate to pick Rolled Gold. Essential.]

8) "There It Is" - James Brown

9) "Electric Ladyland" - The Jimi Hendrix Experience [Always like what Bill Hicks said about the aliens dropping him off on earth "We'll pick you up in twenty-seven years. You show 'em how it's done, kid."]

10) "There's a Riot Goin' On" - Sly and the Family Stone

11) "Quadrophenia" - The Who [the remixed double CD released mid '90s. This is so much improved. An album that has gotten me through some tough times. Some of the greatest, most concise lyrics ever: "Why didn't I say what I mean / I should've split home at fifteen / There's a story that the grass is so green" and "I know I should fight / but my old man, he's really alright"]

12) "Can't Buy a Thrill" - Steely Dan

13) "The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady" - Charlie Mingus

14) "Physical Graffiti" - Led Zeppelin [Side three of the original album is one of favourite sequences ever. The fact they annoy so many people makes me love them all the more. Julie, wherefore art thou?]

15) "The Piper at the Gates of Dawn" - Pink Floyd

16) "album" - Public Image Ltd [What's that? You don't like the big 'eighties' drum sound? That'll be Tony Williams and Ginger Baker. John Lydon often tries to see things from the view of people who have been victims - Annalisa, Poptones and, in this case, Rise - one of the reasons I love the guy. "Logic is lost in your/Cranial abattoir" Know what you mean, John]

17) "Morrison Hotel" - The Doors [Yes, you read that right. BTW where's Dylan?]

18) "You Are What You Is" - Frank Zappa [Reagan era satire that targets yuppies, joggers, Deadheads and much more.]

19) "In the Right Place" - Dr John [I considered Gris-Gris because it's so unique ... I also wanted to include Fire on the Bayou by The Meters. This is a nice compromise. "Life" is a beautiful song. A tip of the brim to Deb for The Wild Tchoupitoulas. I'll always regret not buying that one when it was in print.]

20) "Popular Classics for Spanish Guitar" - Julian Bream

Books to follow. P.S. Sorry I haven't been in touch, bob, it's just me being a lazy bastard. I'll write soon.

Entered at Thu May 12 19:06:17 CEST 2011 from (24.108.253.172)

westcoaster

Subject: Books

I meant to say as well. I have read so many books of these very popular authors. Zane Grey, (I have 34 of his books in my library). Mark Twain as well, and Wibur Smith. So it is a little difficult for my to pick favourites.

Entered at Thu May 12 18:46:41 CEST 2011 from (24.108.253.172)

westcoaster

Subject: Awright!.......I'm gonna say it!

I never read comic books......well, I think I read a couple of Archie comics is all. The weekend paper, I used to read Li'l Abner, Little Iodine, The Katz & Jammer Kids, The Bumsteads, Superman.

Now on this first book, may I tell you. Roderick Haig Brown, was a court magistrate in Campbell River, as well as an author of some of my favourite books as a boy. If you were to google him, you would find also he was a great conservationist on our coast, and was responsible for the preservation of much of our salmon. To me a man I very much admired.............BOOKS:

Starbuck Valley Winter - - Roderick Haig Brown

AMan Called Intrepid - - William Stevenson

In Hazard - - John Crowley, (Did you ever get it read Peter/)

How Green Was My Valley - - Richard Llewellyn

The Shining - - Steven King

The Burning Shore - - Wilbur Smith

Cruise of the Cachalot - - Frank T Bullen (my great grandfather)

Beyond Cape Horn - -Charles Neider

Caine Mutiny - - Herman Wouk

My tenth book.....shit if I can remember the name or the author at the moment. It was so long ago. About a 300 year, hold it, is it called Dynasty?? About the Roman Catholic religion in Ireland. Longest book I ever read I think 980 pages. Man it was a good book. Also, Shindler's List.

This subject has been quiet here, (which is a good thing) however the resent man hunt conducted by the USA, (however one feels about it) I think that making public television jokes about it byu talk show people is disgraceful, and is like throwing gas on a forest fire. I sincerely hope that kind of behaviour doesn't come back to take too many bites out of there ass.

Entered at Thu May 12 18:43:07 CEST 2011 from (82.42.175.156)

Al Edge

I think I have heard similar Norm but I wouldn't be able to place it. If I had to guess I'd say a long time ex pat Brit who's developed a slight Canadian/American lilt. Sound a bit like a few ex pat friends of ours. But I guess I'm way off beam.

Entered at Thu May 12 18:38:04 CEST 2011 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

You probably wouldn't have liked it, Al. One of my friends was from Liverpool, and was notable for refusing to play for the hall of residence team because his grandad would spin in his grave at the thought of him playing football in a red shirt (an Everton fan, for our American readers). Anyway, he spent every day from breakfast to dusk explaining how superior Liverpool was as a place to live than Hull. I'm sure he wasn't a typical Liverpudlian though.

Entered at Thu May 12 18:37:23 CEST 2011 from (204.138.59.92)

Bill M

RtO: Done, though it does mean that I'm taking it on faith that "Harmony Row", which I don't know, is superb. The link above is to my favourite largely unknown organist talking about and displaying his craft. Note that it's part 6 of 6, the others being more much more talking than playing. Hendrix enters the picture in 5.

BEG: You're gilding the lily a bit. Constance Beresford-Howe was never at Ryerson U, just Ryerson Polytechnic Institute.

Re British comic strips, I grew up really liking two in a book that my mother's English penpal (from the late '30s to the late '80s) sent us. One was Dixon of Dock Green (I believe), and the other was something like Ladybug or Ladybird and may have had something to do with a brand of shirts. And then there was Andy Capp ...

Re books, as it appears that we're mixing fiction and non, I'll say "The Horse's Mouth" by Joyce Cary, "Solomon Gurski Was Here" by Mordecai Richler, "Homage to Catalonia" by George Orwell", "Mother Night" by Kurt Vonnegut, "Such Melodious Racket" by Mark Miller, "End of the World News" by Anthony Burgess, "The Deptford Trilogy" by Robertson Davies, "Mohammed and Charlemagne" by Henri Pirenne, "Kim" by Rudyard Kipling, "The Travels of Marco Polo", "Three Men in a Boat" by Jerome K. Jerome, "Personal Narrative of a Pilgrimage to Al-Madinah & Meccah" by Richard Burton, "Slaughterhouse Five" by Kurt Vonnegut, "A House for Mr Biswas" by V.S. Naipaul, "The New Industrial State" by John Kenneth Galbraith, "The Last Spike" by Pierre Berton, "Twilight of the Idols / The Anti-Christ" by Nietzche, "The Sound of the City" by Charlie Gillett, Nineteen Eighty-Four" by George Orwell and "Mystery Train" by Greil Marcus.

Entered at Thu May 12 18:33:50 CEST 2011 from (82.42.175.156)

Al Edge

Spot on Pat. As ever.

Just looked it up while you were posting. I guess that track The Devil came From Kansas is a bit of a giveaway when you think about it.

Entered at Thu May 12 18:33:28 CEST 2011 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

Entered at Thu May 12 18:31:01 CEST 2011 from (68.164.4.70)

Pat B

Entered at Thu May 12 18:28:17 CEST 2011 from (82.42.175.156)

Al Edge

Not sure on that one Pete. I recall Tubby Morton the goalie for Melchester Rovers and Blackie grey.

My own favourite was Limp Along Leslie as I fancied myself at right half/inside right. I think he was in The Victor. Also Legge's Eleven captained by Ted Legge in the valiant.

You're spot on with Tough of the Track. What a star he was. Alf Tupper would tuck into two huge portions of fish and chips at his local chippy and then run 5 miles to the track and win the 10,000 metres. Ha ha. Wonderful stuff.

:-0)

Love all this. Ha ha.

Entered at Thu May 12 18:21:40 CEST 2011 from (82.42.175.156)

Al Edge

Bleedinell Westie

Forgotten about Boz too. What an album that is. Lido Shuffle, Lowdown, What Do want the girl to do, Harbour lights, We're all alone. Quality. Sheer quality.

What can I say? Great choice.

Entered at Thu May 12 18:14:14 CEST 2011 from (82.42.175.156)

Al Edge

Bloodyhell Pat. Forgotten all about that. I'm off to dig it out. Don't think i've ever replaced it on CD.

What a track. What a band. And what a fine album to go with it too. Wasn't that out prior to Big Pink? Was it Barry Wilson on drums - what a drummer. Matthew fisher on the organ. robin Trower lead. And the incredible gary Brooker with THE voice to kill for. Wow. Used to play it night and day. I think it was before big Pink. Has to go in mine for salty dog alone.

Entered at Thu May 12 18:08:44 CEST 2011 from (82.42.175.156)

Al Edge

I knew we should have moved east pete.

:-0)

At the risk of causing deep offence I'm thoroughly ashamed to say I've never actually read one of those Stan lee/Marvel issue comics. Spiderman/Iron man and all that. Honestly. Not one. By the time they'd come out over here - which I'm guessing must have been the mid '60's I'd clearly lost the urge so I was trapped forever in the world of Superman and Jimmy Olsen, Perry white and the double "L" brigade lex luther, lana lang, Lois lane.

What was the other one Pete - I think it was the twin to the Rover - ah just remembered as i'm typing - The Hotspur.

Michelle for the record.

The Beano was Biffo the Bear or Denis the Menace on the front and inside the incredible Bash Street Kids and Minnie the Minx plus Lord Snooty, Little Plum, The Three Bears, General jumbo and Rodger the Dodger n The Dandy was much much tamer though they would have won any inter comic scrap because they had Desperate Dan on the front. Inside was Korky the cat, beryl the Peril, the banana bunch.

Entered at Thu May 12 17:53:58 CEST 2011 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

Entered at Thu May 12 17:52:53 CEST 2011 from (95.147.184.103)

Michele

Subject: magazines

Jackie! the posters of Marc Bolan! I actually had a poster oF Bob Dylan on my wall too, but my father made me take it down, said that he thought Bob Dylan took drugs and was not a very good influence! oh those innocent days!

Entered at Thu May 12 17:50:48 CEST 2011 from (68.164.4.70)

Pat B

Flaming Lips-The Soft Bulletin

Procol Harum-A Salty Dog

Bob Dylan-Blood on the Tapes (not Tracks)

Al, maybe someday we can get back to Dixie.

Entered at Thu May 12 17:45:35 CEST 2011 from (70.28.32.74)

Landmark

Loving these lists however I have no time for 20 of anything at this point. Thus I shall keep it at 5. No particular order. 1) Holland-Beach Boys, 2) Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere-Neil Young and Crazy Horse, 3) The Band-The Band, 4) Something/Anything-Todd Rundgren 5) C.S.N.Y.-Deja Vu. Books would be: 1) The Path Between The Seas by David MacCullogh 2)Klondike by Pierre Berton 3)Ball Four by Jim Bouton. British comedies: 1) Fawlty Towers, 2)Dave Allen, 3) The Two Ronnies. Comic books: Forget about it, only Mad Magazine merits mention for me.

Entered at Thu May 12 17:42:23 CEST 2011 from (24.108.253.172)

westcoaster

Subject: I'd a thought.....& GAWD DAMN Al Edge!

Driving down the island yes-a-day from Port Hardy, (see....there is nothing but trees and the odd lake for about a hundred miles) so you slip in a disc and you can really consentrate. So I listened to the Brown Album.

I thought about the many comments and disection of this piece of work over the years. A thought occured to me concerning the BAND, and that Pink House, and when, as I said I was driving down that same part of the island, (except on the old dirt road) when the "Weight" first came to me. I been carrying it all these years. Anyway, my thought was Bob Dylan did a lot of his most important work in that house with those guys. He must be pretty wealthy now. So my thought was why didn't he buy that old house and make it into a shrine, (like Graceland idea y'know). A lot of memorabilia and a place where fans could go and share that feeling of closeness that is displyed here.

Al! you're becoming a real pain in the ass! What the fuck is with making us all do this compilation work?? Gawd damn it I'm busy boy:):):)

Now you must realize the importance of the first album here :) and don't expect the book collection in a big hurry......bunch a gawd damn crazies.

After All This Time - - Norm Jones

Eagles - - Greatest Hits

Honky Tonk Heroes - - Waylon

Merle Haggard - Collectors Editon

Stacked Deck - Too Stuffed to Jump - - Amazing Rythm Aces

Brown Album - - The BAND

Tupelo Honey - - Van Morrison

Premonition - - John Fogerty

Brothers In Arms - - Dire Straits

Chuck Berry - Definitive Collection

Neil Young - - Greatest Hits

Best of the BAND

Jimmy Buffet - - Songs You Know By Heart

Mark Knopfler & Emmylou Harris - All The Road Running

Boz Skaggs - - Silk Degrees

Best of Ed Bruce

St Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band

Born in The USA - - Springsteen

Now the Springsteen album, (at that time), was a very significant album for working people. Songs like "My Hometown" & "Glory Days" were what a lot related to.

This video I put up, (I don't think I did before) but who knows..........I get lost! Anyway I want yuh to listen to the fella's accent when he tells his story right at the beginning. I know it's east coast, but exactly where??

Entered at Thu May 12 17:35:53 CEST 2011 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

OK, Al, maybe Liverpool had The Beatles, but in the comic book world East Yorkshire was obviously in a different league.

But … you failed to mention Rover, Wizard or Adventure! Eagle, but not Wizard? What's next? Robin? Girl? Swift?

And if we're going into Girl's comics, I had an older sister. I'm an expert on Girls' Crystal and School Friend. Stories about lacrosse and netball and verbal bully monitors and prefects are no stranger to me.

Entered at Thu May 12 17:29:03 CEST 2011 from (82.42.175.156)

Al Edge

:-0)

Passed me by

Entered at Thu May 12 17:26:37 CEST 2011 from (82.42.175.156)

Al Edge

Now just hang about a mo Pete. Just you dangwell hold those horses of yours pardner.

:-0)

I think we're in different time zones here. I'm talking 1959/1960/1961. Not a coloured American comic to be seen in ANY shop. Only those brought in off the boats. You could only get black and white Marvelman crap in Heycrofts and - and they even sold frozen Jublies so they weren't exactly what you'd call from the back of beyond.

Besides by the late 60's I'd progressed to School Friend and Jackie. So beat that.

;-0)

Entered at Thu May 12 17:22:41 CEST 2011 from (74.203.77.122)

Jon Lyness

Peter V, no question. Marvel completely dominated in the 60s. In the 70s it was arguably more of a fair fight.

Thanks Roger. The Waifs are without a doubt one of my favorite bands (if not THE favorite) of the last decade. I've enjoyed Ollabelle live many times, but IMO haven't yet heard that 'ultimate studio album' from them (though I haven't lost hope it's on the way).

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Peter V

Stan Lee had great stories, but it's the quality of the graphics that make comparison impossible. DC just didn't have any people (then) who could draw like Marvel, let alone Marvel's use of the comic strip's possibilities. DC then followed Marvel and started drawing properly, but in the late 60s, we would not have been seen looking at anything from the DC stable.

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Roger

Great to see The Waifs in a list Jon. And Ollabelle earlier.

Entered at Thu May 12 16:50:25 CEST 2011 from (74.203.77.122)

Jon Lyness

Subject: Top 20 albums

Sorry guys, I'm a bit behind on my homework. :) Here's a go at my top 20 studio albums. Very tough for me as easily 3/4ths of what I listen to is live stuff, but I enjoyed the challenge. I gave the obvious contenders (Band, Dylan) just a few slots each...but that said, very few artists here without some connection back to them.

--------

The Band – Music from Big Pink

The Band – The Band

The Band – Stage Fright

Bob Dylan – Modern Times

Bob Dylan – Blonde on Blonde

Bob Dylan – Highway 61

Brian Wilson – Smile

The Beatles – The White Album

The Beatles – Abbey Road

Rolling Stones – Exile on Main Street

John Hammond – Wicked Grin

Levon Helm – Dirt Farmer

Lucinda Williams – Car Wheels on a Gravel Road

Bobby Charles – Bobby Charles

Hem -- Rabbit Songs

The Waifs – SunDirtWater

Eric Andersen – You Can’t Relive the Past

Gillian Welch – Revival

Squirrel Nut Zippers – Hell

Buena Vista Social Club -- Buena Vista Social Club

(honorable mentions: Mavis, Emmylou, RR solo, Jesse Winchester, Chip Taylor.)

Entered at Thu May 12 16:50:04 CEST 2011 from (61.68.62.67)

dlew919

Always preferred DC myself - not sure why... as many have poitned out, DC heroes were impossibly cool; star reporters, millionaire playboys; martians... whereas Marvel comics were everymen... there's a real divide, though it's closing... I did like Fantastic Four; and the Avengers...

Entered at Thu May 12 16:31:05 CEST 2011 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

Entered at Thu May 12 16:25:08 CEST 2011 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

Subject: Stan Lee Rules, KO!

No, Al, that’s a very weak selection. I’m deeply shocked. Dandy, Beano, Beezer, Topper is fine. Excellent, even. Eagle isn’t. That’s hearty Christian youth club stuff. The cut-aways were good, I’ll give you that. There isn’t a single Marvel Comic in there, for fuck’s sake!

Then you have that stuff about seamen returning from New York. You were in Liverpool. A major port. 1966-69 I was in Hull, another port, even a port facing the wrong way, east rather than west. You could find full colour import American Marvel comics in every single sweet shop and newsagent in the city. You could even find Eisner’s The Spirit comics. Our American Lit lecturer (from San Francisco) scandalized the department by setting Captain America comics next to Ken Kesey and Joseph Heller for the post-war paper.

I used to walk the back road into town, and pass about ten sweet shops, which I’d check out for Marvel. I accumulated a very fine Marvel collection … Nick Fury Agent of Shield by Jim Steranko wipes the floor with all that crudely designed, ineptly drawn crap from DC. Then we have Dr Strange, Captain America, Spider Man, The Fantastic Four, The Mighty Thor. When we bought our first flat in 1976, Mrs V made me drive to London with several boxes of Marvel. We sold the lot for £85 and bought a hi-fi system. I now see stuff from those boxes at £85 for a single comic. BUT I refused to part with the Steranko Strange Tales (Nick Fury / Dr Strange) and then the solo Nick Fury: Agent of Shield which I still have. The link takes you to the Jim Steranko cover of issue 4.

Entered at Thu May 12 16:23:41 CEST 2011 from (61.68.62.67)

dlew919

Where's 2000AD or Battle Action? ;)

Entered at Thu May 12 16:14:02 CEST 2011 from (95.147.184.103)

Michelle

Subject: reading matter

Al, Now we know where you are coming from! I do remember reading my brother's copies of Beano/Dandy, which one was Desperate Dan in?

Entered at Thu May 12 16:09:43 CEST 2011 from (82.42.175.156)

Al Edge

Harry Pearson - ha ha

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Peter V

Entered at Thu May 12 16:08:03 CEST 2011 from (82.42.175.156)

Al Edge

Er...can we get onto the real stuff.

1] Superman - DC

2] Green Lantern - DC

3] Superboy - DC

4] Batman - DC

5] The Valiant

6] The Eagle

7] The Victor

8] Flash - DC

9] Sad Sack

10] Casper

11] Archie

12] Ben Casey - Dell

13] The Bunty

14] The Beezer

15] The Topper

16] The Beano

17] The Dandy

18] Justice league of America - DC

19] Spooky - Dell

20] Marvelman - shite black and white British comic attempting to emulate the cooloured American DC's and Dells.

You pampered Americans simply won't appreciate it but back in the early '60's everything in UK was black and white. DC's and Dells were only available from seamen returning from New York. They were scarcer than a vestal virgin on Scottie road. My mate's elder brother worked on the Cunard run and used to bring them back. I can still recall the feelings of utter lust as I'd gaze at these multi-coloured glossy treasures he'd waft before our eyes. Glimpses of super heroes that would fill our dreams.

Entered at Thu May 12 16:05:09 CEST 2011 from (95.147.184.103)

michelle

Subject: books

Books! my favourite subject, cannot beat the feel of a good book, what is the Kindle all about? here is my list which i would happily read again and again Its a combination of fiction and non-fiction, if thats okay 1. Charles Dickens - The Old Curiosity Shop 2. John Steinbeck - Cannery Row 3. Emily Bronte - Wuthering Heights 4. Harper Lee - To Kill a Mockingbird 5. John Steinbeck - Grapes of Wrath 6. Jack Kerouac - On the Road 7. Woody Guthrie - Bound for Glory 8. Bob Dylan - Chronicles 9. Truman Capote - In Cold Blood 10. Harriet Beecher Stowe - Uncle Tom's Cabin 11. Ted Hughes - The Iron Man 12. Tolstoy - War and Peace 13. Tolstoy - Anna Karenin 14. Charles Dickens - A tale of two Cities 15. D.H.Lawrence - Lady Chatterley's Lover 16. Elizabeth David - At Elizabeth David's Table 17. Eve Garnett - Family from One End Street 18.Ernest Hemingway - The Old Man and the Sea 19, Sebastian Faulks - Birdsong 20. Allen Gingsberg - Howl, Kaddish and Other Poems

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Fred

In no specific order:

The Little World of Don Camillo (Italian version) - Guareschi

From Russia With Love - I. Fleming

Clemente - David Maraniss

Bang The Drum Slowly - Mark Harris

Tunney - J. Cavanaugh

Captain Alatriste - Arturo Perez-Reverte

Season Ticket - Roger Angell

Garibaldi - I. Montanelli

Undaunted Courage - S. Ambrose

The Motorcycle Diaries - E. "Che" Guevara

The Far Corner - Harry Pearson

The Stranger - A. Camus

Last of the Mohicans - James Fenimore Cooper

The Rivalry - John Taylor

Riding The Iron Rooster - P. Theroux

The Guns of August - Barbara Tuchman

The Big Sleep - R. Chandler

Fifth Business - Robertson Davies

For Whom The Bell Tolls - E. Hemingway

On The Road - J. Kerouac

An honourable mention goes to a little tome entitled Faith of Our Fathers. It's written by some guy Al something-or-other. : )

Entered at Thu May 12 15:37:57 CEST 2011 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

Entered at Thu May 12 14:53:51 CEST 2011 from (69.177.200.206)

Todd

Subject: Exile on Main Street

Peter, Exile may not have the hits or iconic songs that some of the other Stones albums do, but it holds together well as a collection of sounds that fit well together. The entire album has that 2:00 AM feel like it was recorded in a smokey, sweaty basement and has an undeniable groove that flows through the album. It's understandable that they were able to get that feel recording in the basement of the house in France. But impressive that they were able to retain that feel, even though recording for the album happened in 3 different countries in 3 different studios. Keeping that consistent feel is part of what makes it a great album. The whole is greater than any particular track. It's still my favorite album to put on while I'm on a tight deadline and have to crank out a bunch of work late at night. The music is there burbling in the background and the groove provides momentum without calling to much attention to itself.

Entered at Thu May 12 14:37:34 CEST 2011 from (131.137.35.83)

sadavid

Subject: pop. lit.

Peter V: I've read _Gormenghast_ two or three times: I don't remember the difficulties with vol III. I might revisit, or maybe not, because I do remember the book was very melancholy-inducing.
Deptford, not Cornish.
Bombadil is like the best musician in the world, who can't be bothered to even do a studio session, let alone tour. Absolute homebody; would his mojo even work, off his patch?
[My link] is the Abbey Road webcam, where you can see tourists emulate the Fab 4 cover pose.

Entered at Thu May 12 14:18:24 CEST 2011 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

Our post just arrived, with my copy of Savages by The Webb Sisters. Haven't listened yet (posting while it goes into iPod), but they have pretty good backing … not only Roscoe Beck and Neil Larsen fropm Len's band, but on two tracks Russ Kunkel and Leland Slar and on two others Peter Asher, who produced it.

Entered at Thu May 12 13:59:16 CEST 2011 from (76.66.126.26)

brown eyed girl

LOL...Uhhh....17 books!

Simone De Beauvoir...All novels

Jean Paul Satre...All novels

Homer...The Odyssey

Albert Camus...L'Etranger

George Orwell...Keep the Aspidistra Flying

Sylvia Plath...The Bell Jar

Ernest Hemingway...The Sun Also Rises

Jay McInerney...All novels

Amy Tan...The Joy Luck Club

Delmore Schwartz...In Dreams Begin Responsibilities and Other Stories (Louuu's teacher at Syracuse University)

Patrick McGrath...Port Mungo

Marnie Woodrow...In The Spice House (from Gordon Lightfoot's Orillia)...book of short stories

Wendy Gimbel...Havana Dreams A Story of Cuba

Elizabeth Gilbert...Eat Pray Love

Constance Beresford-Howe...A Population of One (Former Canadian Prof at Ryerson U)

Fernanda Eberstadt...When The Sons of Heaven Meet The Daughters of the Earth

Marilyn French...The Women's Room

Entered at Thu May 12 13:49:18 CEST 2011 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

BTW, talking of Elizabeth, there is a new range of Royal Wedding greetings cards, posed by lookalikes which are very, very rude, but we were laughing out loud in the greeting card shop. Camilla on the throne was the funniest.

Entered at Thu May 12 13:46:50 CEST 2011 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

The trouble with Lord of The Rings on subsequent readings is that there are a few gaping plot problems. Mainly Tom Bombadil, who is so powerful that had they persuaded him to join the company, it would have been end of story.

Entered at Thu May 12 13:42:25 CEST 2011 from (76.66.126.26)

brown eyed girl

My Lists are never in a particular order except for the very first one.
Here are my 15 favourite books.
I've observed that my music list was dominated by male musicians where as my book list is dominated by female writers.

Simone De Beauvoir...All novels

Jean Paul Satre...All novels

Homer...The Odyssey

Albert Camus...L'Etranger

George Orwell...Keep the Aspidistra Flying

Sylvia Plath...The Bell Jar

Ernest Hemingway...The Sun Also Rises Jay McInerney...All novels

Amy Tan...The Joy Luck Club

Delmore Schwartz...In Dreams Begin Responsibilities and Other Stories (Louuu's teacher at Syracuse University)

Patrick McGrath...Port Mungo

Marnie Woodrow...In The Spice House (from Gordon Lightfoot's Orillia)...book of short stories

Wendy Gimbel...Havana Dreams A Story of Cuba

Elizabeth Gilbert...Eat Pray Love

Constance Beresford-Howe...A Population of One (Former Canadian Prof at Ryerson U) Fernanda Eberstadt...When The Sons of Heaven Meet The Daughters of the Earth

Marilyn French...The Women's Room

"All good people read good books...." Tanita Tikaram..."Twist In My Sobriety"

Entered at Thu May 12 13:27:23 CEST 2011 from (67.84.207.113)

Brien Sz

I've thought about the books a bit and it is very difficult as there are few books I've read twice outside of non-fiction and scholarly oriented ones. But as Peter pointed out - Lord of the Rings is a book I've read a few times and have always enjoyed the rich texture of it. The Bible would be another because of the poetry, the history, the endless lessons and insight one can derive from it. Personally, I've been able to interpret various stories and parabals differently as I have grown with different experiences and knowledge in my life. It has a treasure trove of depth that is constantly revealing for me. Outside of those two, it gets really difficult - I'd probably want a good book of poetry included as well but it would most likely be a greatest hits source as I'm not familiar enough with any particular writer to settle for one author.

Entered at Thu May 12 13:13:17 CEST 2011 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

Books. This needs to be done so fast you miss stuff. If you have to think or consult bookshelves, it’s a major task. You have to limit it to “fiction” and do another list. My choices are pretty obvious. I’ll do twelve. Ten is too few. Twenty too long.

1) Lord of The Rings – J.R.R. Tolkien. Not only read it twice, we went through the word for word audio (80 or 90 cassettes?) with our kids in the car over about two years. Yes, the “songs” are awful. Yes, large chunks of Return of The King are boring, but I’ve chosen the same #1 as the last big poll.

2) Gormenghast – Mervyn Peake, book 3 of the trilogy is unreadable (Titus Alone) because he went mad. But books one and two are worth it even if you never get a decent ending.

3) A “Just William” book by Richmal Crompton. Any of the twenty-odd between 1921 and 1945, not the 1946-65 ones so much. These were conceived for a woman’s magazine NOT for kids, but because they feature an 11 year old hero, the series became kids books. But her observation of the adult world of the 1920s, 30s and 40s around him is priceless, especially when read word-for-word by Martin Jarvis. I collect them. Let’s say William the Dictator or William and ARP, two 1939/40 ones which later had new titles applied to them.

4) Flashman – George MacDonald Fraser. I’ll choose the one, but any of them really. Anything else by G.M. Fraser too. The other author I collect.

5) The Sot Weed Factor- John Barth. After this, I liked Giles Goat-Boy then forced myself to read a series of pretentious up-himself deliberately difficult garbage hoping he might just find the muse Ebenezer Cooke sought again. He didn’t. In retrospect, the two before weren’t much good either. Two great novels is enough for anyone.

6) Catch-22.- Joseph Heller. Set in WW2, written initially during the Korean War, published just before the Vietnam war. Heller in 1961 said “It’s really about the next war to come” which ws Vietnam. Don’t ask me. Ask Lars.

7) The Historian – Elizabeth Kostova. I’ve listened to the audio version (somewhat abridged) three times. First in the car; then when each of our sons was back in the UK, in the car again.

8) The Hat of Victor Noir – Adrian Matthews. Available on amazon.co.uk from £0.01. A bargain!

9) A Talent for Loving or The Great Cowboy Race – by Richard Condon. Another “rewritten history” novel, like Flashman & The Sot-Weed Factor, and I guess, Catch-22. I have every Richard Condon too. He repeated his paranoic plots a bit too often later.

10) Gravity’s Rainbow by Thomas Pynchon. Or maybe V. I read it twice. I fear reading it again, because when I re-read The Crying of Lot 49, I found it nowhere near as good as my memory of it.

11) The Day of The Locust- Nathanael West. The greatest Hollywood novel, given that Fitzgerald never finished The Last Tycoon.

12) The Deptford Trilogy – Robertson Davies. Or maybe the Cornish trilogy? Like Pynchon it’s hard to choose.

Entered at Thu May 12 12:42:34 CEST 2011 from (68.199.152.229)

Jed

When I did my top 20 list,it neglected to focus on any jazz(Kind of Blue) or Blues(Muddy) since I took it to mean top 20 in R&R. Exile,which I included is brilliant & Keef's description in his book of how the music was technically arranged & created was fascinating.

Entered at Thu May 12 12:33:45 CEST 2011 from (129.42.208.177)

Bob F

Subject: Top 20 List

Top 20 1. Blood on the Tracks - Bob Dylan 2. Blonde on Blonde - Bob Dylan 3. Highway 61 Revisited - Bob Dylan 4. Bringing It All Back Home - Bob Dylan 5. Born to Run - Bruce Springsteen 6. The Band (Brown) - The Band 7. Music From Big Pink - The Band 8. Eli & The Thirteenth Confession - Laura Nyro 9. Darkness on the Edge of Town - Bruce Springsteen 10.Every Picture Tells a Story - Rod Stewart 11.Fisherman's Blues - The Waterboys 12.The White Album - The Beatles 13.Sticky Fingers - The Rolling Stones 14.Horses - Patti Smith 15.Stage Fright - The Band 16.Time Out of Mind - Bob Dylan 17.New York Tendaberry - Laura Nyro 18.Nebraska - Bruce Springsteen 19.Not a Pretty Girl - Ani Difranco 20.John Wesley Harding - Bob Dylan

Entered at Thu May 12 12:14:59 CEST 2011 from (67.84.207.113)

Brien Sz

Link is to a review of Paul Simon's show in NYC last night.

Entered at Thu May 12 11:36:12 CEST 2011 from (61.68.62.67)

dlew919

It's a difficult album: I'd disagree it doesn't have songs: Tumblin' Dice; Lovin' Cup; Sweet Virginia; Happy;. IT's sprawling, and lacks focus... but... it's majestic, and ambitious - when Keith says in his memoirs that Mick doesn't want to do it again, and that might be the problem - why don't they do it again? I can kind of see what he means...

It took me three or four listens to start to get it...

Entered at Thu May 12 10:55:05 CEST 2011 from (82.42.175.156)

Al Edge

Great to see your list Pat.

Don't suppose you've got a few moments to look back over that Civil war thread from a month or so ago. Love to get your expert take on what was being put forward. I'm still a mite confused.

As ever.

:-0)

Entered at Thu May 12 10:55:07 CEST 2011 from (122.59.251.42)

Rod

Subject: Festival Express 2

Old Crow Medicine Show, Munford and Sons and a few others recently completed a mini tour in the states using some old rail cars as transport. They even had cameras on board. My guess it will come out on DVD or film. Should be good.

Entered at Thu May 12 10:27:13 CEST 2011 from (82.42.175.156)

Al Edge

Terrific documentary I was fortunate enough to chance upon last night on the making of Catch A Fire.

I think I finally got to understand why it was so called.

Hard to be 100% sure but from what I could make out through the haze, it was Peter Tosh who rolled the fattest joints. But Bunny Wailer's were only a whisker a way. I think Bob himself was possibly holding back a bit with the cameraman present.

Terrific stuff though. Music pretty good too.

:-0)

Entered at Thu May 12 10:21:29 CEST 2011 from (82.42.175.156)

Al Edge

Wow - first major shock or should that be utter boneshaker - No THE BAND brown album in Pat B's super list.

Fuck me sideways with an elephant's tusk!!!!!!!

:-0o

Entered at Thu May 12 10:06:39 CEST 2011 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

The lists are fascinating in several ways. It’s good to see people choose the same (What’s Going On?, Pat) as well as stuff you narrowly missed off (There’s A Riot going On – Al, Black Market, Pat). Then there’s some you recognize, some you’ve hardly even heard of (name the song that comes in).

Rolling Stones No. 2 was a good one. The great unreleased British Stones LP, which you can re-compile from others on CD, or like me, buy the unauthorized German replica CD. The Stones threw up an undeniable majority for Exile on Main Street, which most surveys do too. I don’t understand it and will have to listen again. My Top Ten Stones LPs are Let It Bleed, Sticky Fingers, Aftermath, Beggars Banquet, Out of Our Heads, No 1, No 2, Between the Buttons, Tattoo You, Goat’s Head Soup … and after that Exile on Main Street. Yes, it’s got feel, but as Mick Jagger said, it hasn’t got songs. So why don’t I get it? I’m in such a minority that I’ll have to explore it afresh (as I did last year with the remaster – I still didn’t get it). BTW, Keef asked what songs he wished he'd written in "The Word" mentions Peggy Sue, C'mon Everybody and Summertime Blues. One up for we Eddie Cochran fans.

MFBP is holding up well against the brown album. Delighted to see NLSC get an entry, and Storyville two entries. I had it around 21 or 22 in my mind … better songs than most above it, but it really did need Rick and Levon to bring the songs to their full realization.

Books? Dlew! Al got me thinking hard, now I’ve had to start again. I’ll do it fast, I think.

Entered at Thu May 12 09:12:01 CEST 2011 from (61.68.62.67)

dlew919

Someone mentioned top 20 books, so with the same caveats, here they are as at time of posting... Doyle, A, the complete sherlock holmes with annotations by WS Baring Gould;

McDonald Fraser, G., Flashman

Murray, CS, Crosstown Traffic

Adams, D, The Hitchhikers' Guide to the galaxy (complete 5 volumes)

Wilde, O, Collected Works

Stoker, B, Dracula

Australian Dictionary of biography

Ross, A., The rest is noise: a history of music in teh 20th Century

Chandler, R., Farewell My Lovely

Hammett, D, Red Harvest

Stout, R., The League of Frighetened Men

Green, H M, A history of Australian Literature

Baring Gould: Sherlock Holmes of 221B Baker Street: A biography of the world's first consulting detective

Wald, E., Escaping the Delta

Palmer, R., Dancin' in the Streets

Christie A, the Harley quin mysteries

Dylan B., Chronicles Vol 1

Eco, U, The Name of the Rose

Doyle, A., , The Lost World

Wolfe, T., Bonfire of the Vaniites

Heyward, M., The Ern Malley Affair

Fleming, I., From russia with love

Entered at Thu May 12 06:57:40 CEST 2011 from (99.115.147.236)

Pat B

Miles Davis-In A Silent Way

Leonard Bernstein-Rhapsody in Blue/American In Paris

Bill Evans-Live At The Village Vanguard

Weather Report-Black Market

Jon Langford-Goldbrick

Little Feat-Feats Don't Fail me Now

The Band-MFBP

Aaron Copland-Columbia Collected Works (Appalachian Spring/Rodeo)

Van Morrison-St. Dominic's Preview

Tears For Fears-Sowing The Seeds of Love

Tomita-Snowflakes Are Dancing

Pat Metheny-PMG

Jethro Tull-Stand Up

Beatles-Rubber Soul

The Rascals-Groovin'

Marvin Gaye-What's Goin On

Annie Lennox-Medusa

Nuggets-Vol. 1

Bob Dylan-Highway 61 Revisited

Robbie Robertson-Storyville

Entered at Wed May 11 23:22:55 CEST 2011 from (86.143.61.240)

Dunc

Subject: List

Here is my list: No particular order

The Band - TheBand

Music From Big Pink - The Band

NLSC - The Band

Blonde on Blonde - Dylan

The Basement Tapes -Dylan and the Band

Tell Tale Signs - Bob Dylan

A Hard Day's Night - The Beatles

Let it Be- The Beatles

Talking Book - Stevie Wonder

White Album - AWB

Comes A Time - Neil Young

Deja Vu - CSNY

Michael Marra with Mr McFall's Chamber

Solid Air - John Martyn

Grace and Danger -John Martyn

Exile on Main Street - Rolling Stones \

Car Wheels on a Gravel Road - Lucinda Williams

There Goes Rhymin Simon - Paul Simon

Mr Tambourine Man - The Byrds

The Lasses Fashion - Jock Tamson's Bairns

Entered at Wed May 11 22:55:30 CEST 2011 from (92.238.33.140)

RTO

Make it "Harmony Row" instead of SFAT and I'll throw in JKJ's "Diary of a Pilgrammage" as well as the other two books.

Entered at Wed May 11 21:45:28 CEST 2011 from (217.5.150.250)

JTull Fan

I like how a few Jethro Tull albums show song credits as 'Music and lyrics by Ian Anderson with additional music by Martin Barre.' etc. Ian gets credit for coming up with the idea and essentially writing the bulk of the song but still acknowledges another's contributions in print and hopefully financially as well.

Entered at Wed May 11 21:32:01 CEST 2011 from (70.53.46.130)

Kevin J

Al......I've been away so excuse the delay........herewith 20 essentials restricted to the rock field:

1. “Anthology” – Chuck Berry ( the best “best of” of his - a 2 disc collection that is stunning )

2. “Arthur” – The Kinks

3. “Word of Mouth” – The Kinks

4. “The Band” - The Band

5. “Every Picture Tells A Story” – Rod Stewart

6. “Pleased to Meet Me” – The Replacements

7. “All for Nothing” – The Replacements

8. “The Sky is Crying” - Stevie Ray Vaughn

9. “Abraxas” – Santana ( Hearing “Samba Pa Ti” mid 70’s is the reason I picked up the guitar….)

10. “Love and Theft” – Bob Dylan

11. “Infidels” – Bob Dylan

12. “Before the Flood” – Bob Dylan & Band ( ridiculously underrated and a good way to get many great songs from both )

13. “Bootleg Vols 1-3” – Bob Dylan ( for the cuts left off “Infidels” and many unknown treats )

14. CCR – Best of CCR ( The green and gold one……………………..essential – at least for me )

15. “I’m Your Man” - L. Cohen

16. “Live Bullet” – Bob Seger ( the best live rock album of all time in my opinion )

17. .”Complete Greatest Hits” – Gordon Lightfoot ( by far the best of the many compilations he has out )

18. “Live at Ronnie Scott's" – Jeff Beck

19. “Hot Rocks” Rolling Stones

20. “1969-1974” – David Bowie

Entered at Wed May 11 21:25:30 CEST 2011 from (204.138.59.92)

Bill M

Does anybody know why songwriting credits on the "Jubilation" album say things like:
- Keven Doherty/Levon Helm & The Band
- Levon Helm/Bobby Charles & The Band
- Tom Pacheco/Rick Danko/Levon Helm
- Levon Helm & The Band/Marty Grebb
- Randy Ciarlante/Jim Weider/Levon Helm
- Tom Pacheco/Rick Danko
- Jim Weider/Randy Ciarlante/Rick Danko/Levon Helm

Must be deliberate, but I don't see the pattern, especially with credits to The Band when members are also there individually. I assume 'The Band' is just Garth, Levon and Rick.

Entered at Wed May 11 17:31:41 CEST 2011 from (41.97.186.155)

Empty Now

regains health

Entered at Wed May 11 17:30:33 CEST 2011 from (41.97.186.155)

Empty Now

Subject: dlew919

you're surely right, all what Robbie should use is an iPhone

though such a serious information as "what's the cell phone of every The Band member" must be already known in this forum

-------- --------- ----------- ------------- -------- -----

with Sam's post and link bellow my bots theory regains wealth

on the opposite side, and from Stefaan's link below:

"A truly RARE and unique item to add to your Band collection."

actually The Band Connected

Entered at Wed May 11 17:07:07 CEST 2011 from (204.138.59.92)

Bill M

Entered at Wed May 11 15:31:24 CEST 2011 from (156.47.15.10)

David P

Continuing my LP playlist, in no particular order of preference:

(11)"Blonde On Blonde" -- Dylan (Columbia mono)
(12)"Blood On The Tracks" -- Dylan (Columbia white label promo)
(13)"Surrealistic Pillow" -- Jefferson Airplane (RCA mono)
(14)"Moby Grape 69" -- Moby Grape (Columbia 360 stereo 1A pressing)
(15)"Very Extremely Dangerous" -- Eddie Hinton (Capricorn)
(16)"Music From Big Pink" -- The Band (Mobile Fidelity 1982 reissue)
(17)"Changes" -- Buddy Fite (Cyclone Records)
(18)"Way Out West" -- Sonny Rollins (Comtemporary Records mono)
(19)"Here's Little Richard" -- Richard Penniman (Specialty mono)
(20)"Beethoven Symphony No. 6 'Pastorale'" -- Bruno Walter cond. Columbia Symphony Orchestra (Columbia "6-eye" stereo)

Entered at Wed May 11 15:31:01 CEST 2011 from (69.177.200.206)

Todd

Subject: Top 20 Album List

After much gnashing of teeth, I’ve arrived at a Top 20 albums list. It was painful to leave out Johnny Cash, Chuck Berry, BB King, Little Feat, Emmylou Harris, The Kinks, The Replacements, NRBQ & Squeeze…..all personal favorites, and I feel like I should have some Beach Boys represented, but the following list is one that I can live with….at least for today. Surprisingly, ranking them from 1 - 20 was easier than actually deciding which ones to leave out.

1. The Band - The Band
2. Bringing It All Back Home - Bob Dylan
3. Revolver - The Beatles
4. I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You - Aretha Franklin
5. The Genius of Ray Charles - Ray Charles
6. The Great Otis Redding Sings Soul Ballads - Otis Redding
7. Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs - Derek And The Dominos
8. Exile On Main Street - Rolling Stones
9. Dirt Farmer - Levon Helm
10. Before This Time - Ollabelle
11. Hard Again - Muddy Waters
12. The River - Bruce Springsteen
13. King of The Delta Blues Singers - Robert Johnson
14. Moondance - Van Morrison
15. Being There - Wilco
16. Come Away With Me - Norah Jones
17. Heartbreaker - Ryan Adams
18. Lucinda Williams - Lucinda Williams
19. Bring The Family - John Hiatt
20. Reckoning - REM

Entered at Wed May 11 15:23:39 CEST 2011 from (203.160.29.153)

Fred

Mishima....ugh. : (

Entered at Wed May 11 15:13:41 CEST 2011 from (178.116.237.131)

Stefaan

Subject: for sale

Hi, i sell a very rare acetate from the band on ebay. The original Capitol metal acetate from 1974 live at Watkins Glen. http://cgi.benl.ebay.be/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180665802790&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT Thanks for looking! Stefaan.

Entered at Wed May 11 15:08:59 CEST 2011 from (131.137.35.83)

sadavid

Subject: well, we know he has a Facebook page . . .

JRR quoted on "favourites" -- and Faulkner.

Entered at Wed May 11 14:46:41 CEST 2011 from (61.68.62.67)

dlew919

I'm going to say that Robbie has an iPhone.

Entered at Wed May 11 11:46:58 CEST 2011 from (203.160.29.153)

Fred

Two LPs/CDs that I need to give honourable mention to, which barely got left off my list are Gordon by The Barenaked Ladies and Norman Greenbaum's Spirit in the Sky.

Entered at Wed May 11 11:41:05 CEST 2011 from (203.160.29.153)

Fred

Entered at Wed May 11 11:38:12 CEST 2011 from (94.172.128.233)

Roger

Creating one's list is always a challenge and I never like the rules - no compilations for example means compromising. Plenty of wonderful pop music doesn't stand or fall by its inclusion in a sequence. Compare Buddy Holly and the Brown Album - I could easily take a compilation of Buddy Holly but trying to pick out the best of the Brown Album would destroy the overall experience. So I would have had a compilation of The Lovin' Spoonful rather than their first wonderful album.

Looking at my choices I'm disappointed that there's little contemporary stuff. That probably reflects my poor listening habits rather than the absence of good stuff out there. But 'good stuff' isn't 'great stuff' and I've largely gone for great stuff.

Ranking is always hard. Highway 61 Revisited is my choice for best album ever - but after that The Band and most of The Beatles and much of Bob Dylan bunches up fairly closely.

1. Highway 61 Revisited - Bob Dylan

2. The Band - The Band

3. Blue - Joni Mitchell

4. Stage Fright - The Band

5. Rubber Soul - The Beatles

6. The Rolling Stones No. 2 - The Rolling Stones

7. Yo-Yo Ma Plays Ennio Morricone - Yo-Yo and Ennio

8. Blonde on Blonde - Bob Dylan

9. Fisherman's Blues - The Waterboys

10. Arthur - The Kinks

11. Hearts and Bones - Paul Simon

12. Live In London - Leonard Cohen

13. Do You Believe In Magic? - The Lovin' Spoonful

14. The Alamo - Original Soundtrack - Dmitri Tiomkin

15. In The Wind - Peter, Paul and Mary

16. The Ghost of Tom Joad - Bruce Springsteen

17. Astral Weeks - Van Morrison

18. Quiet Please - Nick Lowe

19. Bruch Violin Concerto - played by JItzhak Perlman

20. Live at the Troubador - Carole King and James Jaylor

Anyone at The Webb Sisters in London on Sunday?

Entered at Wed May 11 11:25:39 CEST 2011 from (82.42.175.156)

Al Edge

hey Fred, I bet you wouldn't say that if you were sat next to someone from Wolverhampton day in day out!!!!!

ha ha - apologies Roger

:-0)

Entered at Wed May 11 11:22:01 CEST 2011 from (203.160.29.153)

Fred

I find they make me a better listener. At least that is my theory (which will win me a Nobel Prize no doubt). : )

Entered at Wed May 11 10:53:46 CEST 2011 from (76.66.27.149)

brown eyed girl

Entered at Wed May 11 10:32:22 CEST 2011 from (41.97.186.155)

Empty Now

vaguely remembering that Levon had an issue with Cingular, here's exciting thread to start:

what's the favorite cell phone of Robbie ?

i take the bet: he looks like a fan of Blackberry

Entered at Wed May 11 10:19:07 CEST 2011 from (41.97.186.155)

Empty Now

Thanks Mr Peter V for the insightful precisions and link to the original Hovis ads, 46" for eternity…

My theory on connecting bots seems wrong, given that no bread advert from Denmark followed …

my favorite TV ads nowadays [link above] 1'18"

in the crowded boulevard where I walk everyday, this video plays in unending loop on a 16/9 giant screen exposed in the representation shop of the company , I often stop staring for one or two plays (only for the picture, i dont hear the sound).

I know that I chance a 3000€ penalty due to JH for linking an ads , but if I didn’t revealed it with this post, who would suspect that this video is actually an ads of for a cell phone [1:09] where messages arrive in video.

I was used to the cliche that big money has no consideration for traditional cultures

Entered at Wed May 11 10:19:49 CEST 2011 from (76.66.27.149)

brown eyed girl

Ooops! Try again...Robbie Robertson on working with Eric Clapton on KCRW.

Entered at Wed May 11 10:12:52 CEST 2011 from (76.66.27.149)

brown eyed girl

Watch Robbie Robertson on working with Eric Clapton on KCRW.

Entered at Wed May 11 10:10:55 CEST 2011 from (76.66.27.149)

brown eyed girl

Watch Robbie Robertson on working with Martin Scorsese on KCRW

Entered at Wed May 11 10:09:14 CEST 2011 from (76.66.27.149)

brown eyed girl

Robbie Robertson
FRI MAY 6, 2011
Host:
Jason Bentley
Listen to entire show
Transcript included

Entered at Wed May 11 07:24:02 CEST 2011 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

… a lot on accents. I hadn't realized the Australian speech therapist was supposed to be Australian until the royal circle started slagging him off for sounding Australian. He just sounded normal British to me (against the Advanced RP of the royals), until his wife arrived, and then she sounded Australian, and he started sounding it too. Modification, we shift accents to the people we're with.

RP is "standard Southern English" (Received pronunciation) while "Advanced RP" is strangulated upper class English.

Entered at Wed May 11 06:35:36 CEST 2011 from (69.177.200.206)

Tod

Subject: Best 20

Ah-Ha! I scrolled back far enough to get the gist of things. Been a bit behind lately on my extra curricular activities. Need to make a few tweaks to my list and will post soon.

Entered at Wed May 11 05:24:23 CEST 2011 from (166.205.141.47)

JQ

Finally somebody here that doesn't think the world's greatest music began with the Beatles and ended with Bruce -

Entered at Wed May 11 02:05:08 CEST 2011 from (61.68.62.67)

dlew919

If I was asked to describe what I thought you looked like, it would be nothing like you do! I say this, not for any reason of disparagement, but it's funny how we all have ideas of what each other looks like: I'm yet to be right (when I've seen pictures) on what various GBers look like...

I'll never forget hearing Deb's voice for the first time - she has an American accent! (Of course she does!) which brings us back to Accents...

The late unlamented STeve Irwin was typical of some Australians by 'bunging it on': making his accent much broader than it was, or indeed needed to be. You see it when visitors come - certian people broaden it to give you the full aussie! (Most Australians have a very moderate accent: think Clive James without the English inflections)

OF course, there are those who 'bung it on' the other way too...

The Queen's accent has changed over the years, apparenlty - she started off as 'English Upper Class', and it is now 'English Middle Class (Upper Middle Class, I think)...

Do accents change as we get older? I wonder...

Entered at Wed May 11 01:29:59 CEST 2011 from (92.238.33.140)

RTO

Al - I assure you that thinking Art G is deserving of a gargle of salt water ISN'T just you......

Entered at Wed May 11 01:27:50 CEST 2011 from (92.238.33.140)

RTO

Entered at Wed May 11 00:44:10 CEST 2011 from (71.246.9.74)

bob w.

Entered at Wed May 11 00:18:02 CEST 2011 from (82.42.175.156)

Al Edge

Funny that Pete. I had you down as more of a boudoir love machine predator type.

Just shows how wrong you can be eh

;-0)

Entered at Wed May 11 00:14:10 CEST 2011 from (82.42.175.156)

Al Edge

Got them all copied up to date - 16 so far which is pretty good I'd say. Started to analyse them and it's pretty clear my list is the most impressive.

:-0)

Seriously, no real pattern emerging as yet apart from the obvious Band album at numero uno.

Love DP's list so far though not too sure about SibayleeArse. Nice to see I'm not alone with 12 Songs plus I had Dixie Chicken vying with Fantastic Expedition for 20th place. So nice one DP.

Also love Deb having Big Pink at number one. Nice swan Deb.

Not sure how to score Rob's list but I'm sure I'll figure a way.

One possible is that SM's truncated list could well distort the overall picture given that he's awarded all his possible 210 points to Simon and Garfunkel. Personally I don't think Art G deserves more than a gargoyle with salt water. But hey, that's just me.

:-0)

Entered at Tue May 10 23:50:57 CEST 2011 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

Entered at Tue May 10 22:30:26 CEST 2011 from (156.47.15.10)

David P

I'm confining my list to LPs which have recently been in rotation on my turntable. Here are my first 10:

(1)"The Band" -- The Band (Capitol green label "RL" pressing)
(2)"Live at the Fillmore East" -- Allman Brothers Band (Capricorn pink label)
(3)"Absolutely Free" -- The Mothers of Invention (Verve mono)
(4)"Aretha Now" -- Aretha Franklin (Atlantic)
(5)"2 Guitars Country Style" -- Speedy West & Jimmy Bryant (Capitol mono)
(6)"Portrait in Jazz" -- Bill Evans Trio (Riverside mono)
(7)"Sibelius Symphony No. 2" -- Sir John Barbirolli cond. The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (Chesky)
(8)"Julie Is Her Name" -- Julie London (Liberty mono)
(9)"12 Songs" -- Randy Newman (Warner white label promo)
(10)"Dixie Chicken" -- Little Feat (Mobile Fidelity reissue)

Entered at Tue May 10 22:12:05 CEST 2011 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

It happened here … a combination of Valley Girl and Neighbours Australian took over a generation, but really the girls, not the boys. It's the boys who solidify the strong accents. If women move region, their accents lessen generally. Men's regional accents harden. Known linguistic phenomenon.

Entered at Tue May 10 21:43:59 CEST 2011 from (131.137.35.83)

sadavid

Subject: accents

With all our interconnectivity and high-speed communications, one would expect accents to converge on some middle ground. And maybe they are, or rather, they're all converging on a single regional accent. Incredibly, this accent was identified as worthy of special attention by a gifted field worker nearly thirty years ago!!

Entered at Tue May 10 21:31:42 CEST 2011 from (216.114.128.38)

Mike & Kim Hayward

Levon Helm Band @ the Ryman - Rolling Stone video link for "Deep Elem Blues."

Entered at Tue May 10 21:10:58 CEST 2011 from (67.250.113.92)

Lars

Subject: Accents

Peter- I believe I know what you mean. I was in England in the summer of 1970 (Icelandic 45 day special, it was really cheap). I landed in Luxemburg and hitch-hiked up to Denmark, then I came back and went into Hamburg, Germany and I got a ship to somewhere in England. No question about it, Great Britain was the best place I ever hitch-hiked. It took my breath away when one of my rides went around a sharp curve and stayed on the LEFT as another car came at us on my RIGHT. Very strange.

But, getting back to the subject, I found a lot of people said I had a strange accent, even for a Merican. So I eventually started using a Monty Python impression and, much to my surprise, it worked. The Brits still knew I was a foreigner, but they seemed to understand me better. When I got into an English pub and had a bit too much to drink I discovered I was fluent in Danish.

Entered at Tue May 10 20:36:00 CEST 2011 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

Entered at Tue May 10 20:30:15 CEST 2011 from (67.84.207.113)

Brien Sz

Entered at Tue May 10 20:25:08 CEST 2011 from (86.138.228.159)

Simon

The thing with the accents is true also. Dare I say there is a little bit of 'laying it on with a trowel' among the younger generations. But that's only something I've noticed in the last few years. Maybe it's just me getting older though. I know what you mean about the older style accents dying out. Any reservations about the current accent pale besides the Home Counties/Thames Valley adoption of 'uptalk'. That upward inflection at the end of a sentence? Totally unnecessary although I don't mind when antipodean or American friends do it? Turning every other sentence into a question?

As for British comedy I can't believe no one has mentioned The League of Gentlemen. There is nothing like it. And the people behind Little Britain should hang their heads in shame. Blatant plagiarism, except they're nowhere near as funny or entertaining. I'd also second what Al said about Brass Eye. Very darkly satirical, near the knuckle ... the fake story about the new designer drug called "cake", something which fooled a lot of stuffed shirt politicians and pundits, is brilliant.

Entered at Tue May 10 20:13:45 CEST 2011 from (204.138.59.92)

Bill M

sadavid: Good point - quietly and consistently brilliant. Don't know how I could have forgotten about them. I watched the Colin James clip, then hopped to the Tragically Hip clip that presented itself, then what do I see, bottom right, beyond the Colin Mochrie clip, is a chance to see His Far-Right Hon. Hair-in-Fridge. Now I remember how I forgot them! Proof positive I'm an downtown elite eh?

Entered at Tue May 10 18:57:57 CEST 2011 from (131.137.35.83)

sadavid

Subject: the audition

Bill M: I make allowances for your downtown elite status, otherwise how could you fail to acknowledge the comedic genius of _Corner Gas_?
This bit takes its theme from history: the famous Eric-visits-Woodstock event . . . .

Entered at Tue May 10 18:53:39 CEST 2011 from (216.121.194.179)

S.M.

Please don't Roz me.

I'm on Al's list twice, so I guess I'm entitled to a second opinion.

I'm thinking, I'm thinking...

Entered at Tue May 10 18:38:24 CEST 2011 from (216.114.128.38)

Mike & Kim Hayward

From his emailed newsletter:

I am thrilled to announce the release of Imitate the Sun - the new CD from the Chris Bergson Band!

The album has already received 4 stars in MOJO and has been enjoying national radio play (currently #6 on the NY Roots Radio Charts and #20 on the National Blues Radio Charts). Recorded at Brooklyn's Excello Recording, Imitate the Sun features Jay Collins, Bruce Katz, Matt Clohesy, Tony Leone and two tracks with a horn section arranged by Jay Collins featuring Kenny Rampton and Chris Karlic.

A little bit about the record, courtesy of Dave Rubin, 2005 winner of KBA in Journalism:

Imitate the Sun contains six strikingly original songs and four thoughtful covers that allow his fertile creativity free reign... Bergson makes every track a complete and rewarding musical statement... Chris Bergson is a man on a mission with his blues-breaking guitar, passionate vocals and literate lyrics. He is out to leave an indelible mark on the world of music and succeeding spectacularly with his life-affirming art that both consoles and excites. The sum total is an impressive and growing body of work that reaches across the ages and boundaries.

We hope you enjoy the new record! You can listen at www.chrisbergson.com and the album is available for purchase at Amazon, iTunes, CD Baby, eMusic, Rhapsody and Napster.

Upcoming Shows

Wednesday, May 11 - The Iridium, NYC

Saturday, May 14 - The Falcon, Marlboro, NY

Sunday, May 15 - Hubert Sumlin with the Chris Bergson Band, Whippany, NJ

Saturday, May 21 - The Turning Point, Piermont, NY

Friday, June 3 - The Bowery Electric, NYC

Thursday, June 23 - Johnny D's, Somerville, MA

Radio Appearances

Tuesday, May 10 - Tonight! WVKR - Vassar College Radio, Poughkeepsie, NY 91.3 FM and steaming at www.wvkr.org D.B. Brown's Hudson Valley Rag Shop Solo acoustic performance and interview 6:30 - 8 PM

Wednesday, May 11 WFDU - 89.1 FM, Farleigh Dickinson University, NJ Streaming at www.wfdu.edu Blues in the Groove with Nikki Armstrong Interview at 2:30 PM

Thanks, everybody! I hope you can make it out!

Kate

Album Cover Photo by Ahron R. Foster

Chris Bergson is a New York guitarist, singer and songwriter.

For complete show schedule, MP3s, bio, and photos, please visit: chrisbergson.com and myspace.com/chrisbergsonband

Facebook: Chris Bergson Band

Twitter: twitter.com/chrisbergson

iLike: ilike.com/artist/Chris+Bergson+Band