Diggy Kat, DJ extraordinaire and big fan of the TEs provided a review of the last album from the Townedgers that came out in 2008 called Pawnshops For Olivia. I came across this by accident while doing some archival work on Blogspot. Diggy can be heard from 2 to 4 on Sunday Afternoons on Radio Buzz'd dot com. In his own words song by song commentary.
"I Wonder"
interesting way to start off an album! sounds more like an
ending reflecting type song, but i guess then it would be "expected" to
close out the album, 10 points for starting off the album with the
longest song too!
"Summer Of Your Discontent"
this is an odd sounding song, shortest song on the album too! good song!
"Uptown Chevy Girl"
now
this is where it sounds like the album actually begins, i love how the
first song sounds like the end song and the 2nd song sounds like that
hidden bonus track and now the album begins! short, but oh so very
sweet, i can definitely hear radio play!
"There Are Times"
i
just LOVE the whole short intro into the a Capella section and then
bounces back in quick enough to fade away to a stripped down beautiful
melody to build back up again to just let the listener be drawn in and
to float with the song.
"Can't Be What You Want Me To Be"
starts
off sounding like Buddy Holly but quickly changes to sounding a lot
more subtly angry. i think it's a cymbal i am hearing that has a slight
hiss to it and i love how it fades away slowly when the singing starts.
this is one good song!
"Dear Lisa"
so far the most rockin' song on the album! speeds right on through!
"I Don't Fall In Love"
if
this had been recorded about half a century earlier this song very well
could be on one of those This Song Brings Back Memories When I Was A
Teenager In The Late 1950s hit compilations!
"Somewhere Down The Line"
i could hear this song being played live with the fans singing along to the chorus.
"So Alone"
this
song reminds me of something that could have been played in the movie
Pat Garrett & Billy The Kid, maybe right after Kris Kristofferson
shot Jack Elam? ah i love that movie.
"Downer's Grove"
sounds a bit like Waylon Jennings rockin' and a-rollin'! yee-haw!
"Topsy (part 3)"
about darn time more bands include a drum solo on their albums!!!! GREAT JOB!
"Ever So Much"
good song, all i got to say, well done!
"Time And Space"
i love the feel of this song, again giving a slight nod to the 1950s feel.
"Beyond The Sun"
a very beautiful way to end the album, very beautiful.
could have also appeared over the ending credits to Pat Garrett And Billy The Kid!
overall, this is an amazing album, if you're new to The Townedgers or a long time fan, you're sure to love it!
while you're placing an order for this cd at http://myspace.com/thetownedgers be sure to also place an order for 3 more amazing Townedger CDs:
"Highway Home" (2007), "Long Time Forgotten" (2005) and "Diamonds In The
Sky" (1991)
also, The Townedgers make for great gifts! know a music
lover with a birthday coming up?! why not give the gift that keeps on
giving, music! The Townedgers, i don't think they aim to please, but in
the end they sure do.
Monday, June 30, 2008
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Top Ten:RIP George Carlin
So far I haven't gotten used to working ten hour days. We get friday
off but that leaves me little time on the days between then to really
get into the tunes and stuff. I'm getting behind on emails. After a
whole week of no rain, this week has find us back into the rainy season
once again much to our dismay. Thankfully the first night the storms
stayed to the south of here although at work it rained a lot then it did
up here at home. Count our blessings and hope we can continue this.
Cause as you all know too well, I hate extreme rains. But then again if
you're out in the desert you have to contend with dry thunderstorms and
heavy lightning. Not exactly a tradeoff.
I haven't been downtown CR at all yet, still can't see any reason to go downtown. I guess we're all shellshocked two weeks later after the heavy rains and one month ago the Parkersburg/New Hartford monster tornado happened. A very hectic month, but I'm sure elsewhere in the world, people have having more than their share of monster storms.
The tunes are.....
1. Mama-Genesis 1983 A very weird tune that hit the top forty from Phil, Mike and Tony but strangely the 45 version was longer than the edit chosen for the Turn It On Again compliation. In fact this song is kinda creepy.
2. Cashbox-Jimmy McGriff 1963 He passed away May 20th and even I missed his obituary while surfing the web. Jimmy was one of the masters of the Hammond B3 organ sound (the other Jimmy Smith who too is no longer with us) and made some funky jazz albums for Sue Records before moving on to a more fusion funk sound of the late 60s and early 70s. He returned to a more jazz sound the last two decades of his life but if I ever want to hear Jimmy, I usually put on his Blues For Mr. Jimmy album and get a groove on. Gone but never forgotten.
3. Well, All Right!-The Hives 2007 Used for a Sears commerical to which I almost forgot about their last album so I had to slap it back on. Donno if we'll remember this ten years from now, I can't remember it unless I see the Sears Commercial.
4. Too Weak To Fight-Johnny Law 1991 A band from texas that used the drummer from Georgia Satellites and did this Dan Baird cover. Not sure if Dan ever recorded it on any of his albums, I don't have it any of his albums that I do have. This band got signed to Metal Blade Records, which couldn't figure out what to do with a Texas rock and roll band and they issued this as a single. Which bombed. A minor but a very good rock album in a era to which bands got swept away by the Nirvana Grunge wave. Produced by Brendan O'Brien.
5. Going Down Slowly-The Pointer Sisters 1975 As a teenager with no dating skills, I bought just about everything in the dollar bins and grabbed a copy of Steppin by the Pointers as well. Brought the three minite single and didn't know bout the 8 minite workout later on. Used to like the full version but lately it kinda drags on more than it used to do. Nevertheless, The Pointer Sisters were never this funky ever again, although they found their pop side courtesy of Richard Perry and Bruce Springsteen who wrote them Fire. Don't we wish we can live the 70s all over again? It'd be nice.
6. Weight Of The World-Ringo Starr 1992 I listened to Liverpool 8, the brand new Ringo album and just didn't like it all that much and I'll tell you why. For the past 12 years, Ringo has been hobhobbin with Mark Hudson of the Hudson Brothers and Mark Hudson is so fucking one dimensional that every album he did with Ringo was subpar at best. Yep, everybody needs a good love song but eight or nine per album got to be very tiring. Ringo probaly thought so too, he dumped Hudson after this album and got Dave Stewart to remix and co produce the album. Only decent song off Liverpool 8 was a song about death (R U Ready) and everything else was blah. So I went with this version from Time Takes Time to which this song sounded like a Byrds knockoff. Another good thing about this album, Mark Hudson is nowhere to be found.
7. You Make It Right-Cool Waters Band 2002 Band from Wisconsin that sounded a bit like the jam bands of that era (a bit of Widespread Panic here, Train there) and made three albums, one to which I found for two bits at the pawnshop. I'm sure they don't read my blogs but i do find their stuff to be pretty damn good. They also remind me of From Good Homes, another jam band that never got the breaks that they so deserved. And yes, I still like to listen to Train as well. At least the first album.
8. Ain't No Easy Way-Black Rebel Motorcycle Club 2005 Shoegazers that threw a curve and made a mostly acoustic album called Howl that didn't sell due to the Rootkit problems of Sony/BMG. However, later copies the copy protect was jettisoned and can be played on all players. Choose wisely people and avoid the copy protect at all costs.
9. Fox On The Run-Manfred Mann 1969 Minor hit single to which became a bluegrass standard thanks to Tom T Hall in 1976. Had this on a forty five that was in that 10 records for 2 bucks that you could get when K Mart sold them that way.
10. The 11 Oclock News-George Carlin 1972 And finally we conclude this top ten with a fond farewell to George Carlin, one of the best observationists that we have ever had. Always radical to the very end George made us laugh and made us think. Although the Bad George period showed him to be grouch, I enjoy the Good George period to which he parlayed AM radio of the late 60s and early 70s dead on and his hippy dippy weatherman (Forecast: Dark with periods of Light or something like that) I always get a good laugh out of. Sure he'll always been known as the 7 words you can't say on television (and radio), but when I want to remember the Good George, I'll put on Wonderful WINO or this hilarious take on the news.
George Carlin..a one of a kind.
Most of the time, George Carlin was dead on when it came into the situations of the world. He was a very witty observationist and made some of the funny sides in recorded history with the dead on Wonderful WINO off his first album, which speaks more of volumes of the music world at that time. He later go on to utter the seven words you can't say on televsion. And would later would make the every other year show for HBO to which his last show It's All Bullshit And It's Bad For You was one of his better ones. George also had a show for FOX in the mid 90s to which I watched when it was on.
George passed away at age 71 due to a heart attack. A one of a kind original, he will be missed.
I haven't been downtown CR at all yet, still can't see any reason to go downtown. I guess we're all shellshocked two weeks later after the heavy rains and one month ago the Parkersburg/New Hartford monster tornado happened. A very hectic month, but I'm sure elsewhere in the world, people have having more than their share of monster storms.
The tunes are.....
1. Mama-Genesis 1983 A very weird tune that hit the top forty from Phil, Mike and Tony but strangely the 45 version was longer than the edit chosen for the Turn It On Again compliation. In fact this song is kinda creepy.
2. Cashbox-Jimmy McGriff 1963 He passed away May 20th and even I missed his obituary while surfing the web. Jimmy was one of the masters of the Hammond B3 organ sound (the other Jimmy Smith who too is no longer with us) and made some funky jazz albums for Sue Records before moving on to a more fusion funk sound of the late 60s and early 70s. He returned to a more jazz sound the last two decades of his life but if I ever want to hear Jimmy, I usually put on his Blues For Mr. Jimmy album and get a groove on. Gone but never forgotten.
3. Well, All Right!-The Hives 2007 Used for a Sears commerical to which I almost forgot about their last album so I had to slap it back on. Donno if we'll remember this ten years from now, I can't remember it unless I see the Sears Commercial.
4. Too Weak To Fight-Johnny Law 1991 A band from texas that used the drummer from Georgia Satellites and did this Dan Baird cover. Not sure if Dan ever recorded it on any of his albums, I don't have it any of his albums that I do have. This band got signed to Metal Blade Records, which couldn't figure out what to do with a Texas rock and roll band and they issued this as a single. Which bombed. A minor but a very good rock album in a era to which bands got swept away by the Nirvana Grunge wave. Produced by Brendan O'Brien.
5. Going Down Slowly-The Pointer Sisters 1975 As a teenager with no dating skills, I bought just about everything in the dollar bins and grabbed a copy of Steppin by the Pointers as well. Brought the three minite single and didn't know bout the 8 minite workout later on. Used to like the full version but lately it kinda drags on more than it used to do. Nevertheless, The Pointer Sisters were never this funky ever again, although they found their pop side courtesy of Richard Perry and Bruce Springsteen who wrote them Fire. Don't we wish we can live the 70s all over again? It'd be nice.
6. Weight Of The World-Ringo Starr 1992 I listened to Liverpool 8, the brand new Ringo album and just didn't like it all that much and I'll tell you why. For the past 12 years, Ringo has been hobhobbin with Mark Hudson of the Hudson Brothers and Mark Hudson is so fucking one dimensional that every album he did with Ringo was subpar at best. Yep, everybody needs a good love song but eight or nine per album got to be very tiring. Ringo probaly thought so too, he dumped Hudson after this album and got Dave Stewart to remix and co produce the album. Only decent song off Liverpool 8 was a song about death (R U Ready) and everything else was blah. So I went with this version from Time Takes Time to which this song sounded like a Byrds knockoff. Another good thing about this album, Mark Hudson is nowhere to be found.
7. You Make It Right-Cool Waters Band 2002 Band from Wisconsin that sounded a bit like the jam bands of that era (a bit of Widespread Panic here, Train there) and made three albums, one to which I found for two bits at the pawnshop. I'm sure they don't read my blogs but i do find their stuff to be pretty damn good. They also remind me of From Good Homes, another jam band that never got the breaks that they so deserved. And yes, I still like to listen to Train as well. At least the first album.
8. Ain't No Easy Way-Black Rebel Motorcycle Club 2005 Shoegazers that threw a curve and made a mostly acoustic album called Howl that didn't sell due to the Rootkit problems of Sony/BMG. However, later copies the copy protect was jettisoned and can be played on all players. Choose wisely people and avoid the copy protect at all costs.
9. Fox On The Run-Manfred Mann 1969 Minor hit single to which became a bluegrass standard thanks to Tom T Hall in 1976. Had this on a forty five that was in that 10 records for 2 bucks that you could get when K Mart sold them that way.
10. The 11 Oclock News-George Carlin 1972 And finally we conclude this top ten with a fond farewell to George Carlin, one of the best observationists that we have ever had. Always radical to the very end George made us laugh and made us think. Although the Bad George period showed him to be grouch, I enjoy the Good George period to which he parlayed AM radio of the late 60s and early 70s dead on and his hippy dippy weatherman (Forecast: Dark with periods of Light or something like that) I always get a good laugh out of. Sure he'll always been known as the 7 words you can't say on television (and radio), but when I want to remember the Good George, I'll put on Wonderful WINO or this hilarious take on the news.
George Carlin..a one of a kind.
Most of the time, George Carlin was dead on when it came into the situations of the world. He was a very witty observationist and made some of the funny sides in recorded history with the dead on Wonderful WINO off his first album, which speaks more of volumes of the music world at that time. He later go on to utter the seven words you can't say on televsion. And would later would make the every other year show for HBO to which his last show It's All Bullshit And It's Bad For You was one of his better ones. George also had a show for FOX in the mid 90s to which I watched when it was on.
George passed away at age 71 due to a heart attack. A one of a kind original, he will be missed.
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Flood 2008 Wrap Up, Flood of 29, KCRG
But first, a history lesson on the Flood of 1929
It was pretty bad.
Although the floods of 1993 were very bad, some historians think that the 29 flood may have been the second worst flood in CR history. But then again the 2008 Monster flood pretty much topped anything this city has seen.
As the waters receded back into their respective beds, I've seen the pics of Czech Village and it basically looks like we lost the Salvation Army down there. I'm sure the Red Frog and the restrauant down the road will return somewhere down the line but the old Czech Village as we know it is now history.
And now we get the self congratulatory commercials from KGAN saying they were first to broadcast the big flood and bla bla bla. The big problem of the millennium seems to be this and the usual 20 Kaplan University commercials every damn hour, as bad as those Vagiasal Commercials and each and every drug known to man. You would think Winfred Brimley new career is annoying the hell out of everybody with his Liberty Drugs. Yeh, Winfred we all know you have diabates, so does each and everybody here in town but you see them once every fucking half hour. Take your drugs and shut up. The damn US is addicted to drugs judging by all the damn drug commercials on tv. Lets not forget KCRG and KWWL for their efforts to bring us up front and personal of a 31 foot flood waters making it as far as Mercy Hospital. We really don't care much for KGAN since they are part of the bastardization that is known as Sinclair Broadcasting and they've been in the bottom of the ratings. Perhaps Sinclair is triumphing of the fact that they don't have offices downtown unlike KCRG. Sinclair did a good job again, but with this chest thumping, they go a long way proving that they still suck.
Now KCRG doesn't get out this mess as well. I have a problem with Beth Milicki and her prima donna broadcasting of Saturday with her dumbass comment that people should wash their clothes or go outside to take a shower when it rains to save water. Practice what you preach Bethypoo. The big problem of continuing coverage is that the damn announcers repeat themselves to repetition. Yes we know not to run the laundry or water the lawn. And if anybody did that bullshit ought to be slapped upside the head about ten times. And believe it or not, some fools actually did water the lawn, while people are under water. Personal to Ms Milicki, when you have Montezuma's Revenge like some people do, you have to flush regardless or go outside, wrap a blanket around you and hope that the neighbors are not looking. Get off the Holier than Thou attitude bitch, people are annoyed enough and don't need it from some dingbat who probaly can go home and take a shower.
I'm still pissed off about last night, going home and running over a bike in the middle of a small town road. This has been the typicality of this year to forget. A year of dealing with three straight months of water in the basement, three months of being sick with the cold while dealing with substantial snows and then springtime comes around too late and we had floods even in April due to record snowfall, the ground was saturated even then. And then you have to deal with stupidity in the road, look away for one minite, next thing you know you're running over a bike in a borrowed car and have to explain that. More out of pocket expensives due to stupidity. Seems like we cannot buy a break whatsoever in a fucking year to forget, of floods, of tornados, of ice and snow and of stupid assholes.
Which leads us back into the commercials that we see on TV that continues to insult us at every turn. We cannot pay our bills thanks to fucking high oil prices, OPEC continues to fuck us, and we continue to get bombarded by the usual bad news bullshit. OIL PRICES GO UP AGAIN! CORN PRICES GOING UP DUE TO FLOODS! FOOD PRICES GOING UP! BUSH IS STILL IN OFFICE! BUSH WILL VISIT THE FLOOD AREAS IN CEDAR RAPIDS! OPEC FEELS YOUR PAIN! SPECULATORS JACK UP PRICES!! Never fucking ends. But here's what really drives me nutz, seeing these fucking Levita, Cilalis and the fucking Blue miracle pill that can be the fountain of youth Viagara. oh year Viva Viagra! Like some dumbass Nashville hick at 1 AM in the morning is going to write a song about that. If I was a musician at that session, I'd be getting the fuck out of dodge if the goofy assed guitar player starts singing Viva Viagra. Don't bend over in front of this asshole, he probably thinks any hole is worth sticking it in. The Cialsis commercial is a fucking joke, especially the separate bath tubs. If you're horny, you're going to share one tub and not two and there'll lots of waves going on that one. I know back in the late 80s that TV may have not been the best but at least we were spared the Fucking Viagra penile enlargement crap. Before then it was your hand and a damn Penthouse. Since when are we so damn dependent on a fucking blue pill.
And then we have to deal with damn Tampons commercials, damn adult diaper commercials, and the most brainless bullshit from Verizon or cellphone commercials that insult your intelligence. So tell me folks what's going to be so great about high def TV in 2009? Does this mean we won't have to deal with offending commercials, smiling Bob's penile enlargement crap, Jack Albright of Kraplin University? Does this mean we get to see less reality bullshit show? Get to see the classic TV shows that make the new shows look smart? Get to see more baseball? No more infomercials? Yeah I'm asking too much and I'm sure the answer is no to all the above, just another ploy to bullshit people to thinking things will get better but I seriously doubt it.
On the plus side (if you can believe this) highway 13 to 30 is now open, so we don't have to take County Home Road to the dammed Interstate and get caught up in another bullshit traffic jam of gawkers and rubbernecks. 380 is now open to Coralville/Iowa City but both places are still underwater and it will be another week before the strip can even get in. My thoughts to those who have to suffer so much with so much water, it's still a loss of words of descibe it but it's beyond anything I can imagine. Freedom Fest isn't canceled but will be moved back to Labor Day weekend. And the Quaker Oats Train bridge held (thank God for that).
So things will getting back to something normal although that's far fetched. Until some fucker leaves their fucking bike out in the middle of the road. And I'm sure we'll be back to bitching about the high oil prices and the dumbass government of fucktards cuz I'm sure we'll get to read about the four dollar gallon gas soon.
Like I said, this year has sucked from day one. Things have GOT TO GET better.
appendix: Broadcast Manor which used to be at N st SW was blocked off due to the floods.
Breaking news.. RIP 3rd Street Live (from Chris at inch 75)
It's all but official after inspections today that 3rd Street Live, along with the Chrome Horse Saloon, which occupy a building that has been standing since 1908, will be torn down and bulldozed. I don't think I need to say how upsetting this is, so I'm not gonna say anything, except, thanks for all the great memories. It's weird to think that when I went up to 3rd Street Live on June 6th, to check out Easteighteen after we played a huge show in the parking lot of Chrome Horse, that it would be the last time I'd be to either place. The damage to Chrome Horse is immense, and although that 100 year old building was tough as nails, it couldn't withstand the forces that nature brought against it. 3rd Street Live had water up the first seven stairs inside leading up to the ticket window.
The buildings may be gone, but 3rd Street Live will always live on in the heart of local rock music fans. Goodbye old friend, you'll be dearly missed.
Thanks Chris. The major loss of a historic flood for sure. I think there were at least three different bars in that building that hosted bands. Losing that building puts a big dent in the Iowa Bar Music scene. The highlights were seeing Pat Travers play there in 1992 and Bo Ramsey in 1998.
Update:2013 The 3rd Street Live Building is still in place and the Chrome Horse has bounced back from the floods in the New Bo District.
Update 2015: Since the fire of last year, The Chrome Horse/3rd Street Live building has remained closed. While there was work being done to refurnished the fire torn building, there was talk that the place would open up. Now a for sale sign has been put up and looks like Cedar Rapids has yet another place without music to play at. There might be hope for new buyers to buy it, it's in New Bo and if the floods don't come back it might be a happening place for a up and coming bar. For now it sits empty.
Update number 2: I redid the links to the 1929 flood since this is the second link I knew about had a malicious malware issue with the link. Studies prove that this is not an attack site and HTF it was reputed to be a malicious attack site is beyond me. But then again most links from this era tend to have that fear factor message. It has been fixed.
Update number 3: The author of the 1929 flood site at wordpress has deleted their blog. Too bad.
It was pretty bad.
Although the floods of 1993 were very bad, some historians think that the 29 flood may have been the second worst flood in CR history. But then again the 2008 Monster flood pretty much topped anything this city has seen.
As the waters receded back into their respective beds, I've seen the pics of Czech Village and it basically looks like we lost the Salvation Army down there. I'm sure the Red Frog and the restrauant down the road will return somewhere down the line but the old Czech Village as we know it is now history.
And now we get the self congratulatory commercials from KGAN saying they were first to broadcast the big flood and bla bla bla. The big problem of the millennium seems to be this and the usual 20 Kaplan University commercials every damn hour, as bad as those Vagiasal Commercials and each and every drug known to man. You would think Winfred Brimley new career is annoying the hell out of everybody with his Liberty Drugs. Yeh, Winfred we all know you have diabates, so does each and everybody here in town but you see them once every fucking half hour. Take your drugs and shut up. The damn US is addicted to drugs judging by all the damn drug commercials on tv. Lets not forget KCRG and KWWL for their efforts to bring us up front and personal of a 31 foot flood waters making it as far as Mercy Hospital. We really don't care much for KGAN since they are part of the bastardization that is known as Sinclair Broadcasting and they've been in the bottom of the ratings. Perhaps Sinclair is triumphing of the fact that they don't have offices downtown unlike KCRG. Sinclair did a good job again, but with this chest thumping, they go a long way proving that they still suck.
Now KCRG doesn't get out this mess as well. I have a problem with Beth Milicki and her prima donna broadcasting of Saturday with her dumbass comment that people should wash their clothes or go outside to take a shower when it rains to save water. Practice what you preach Bethypoo. The big problem of continuing coverage is that the damn announcers repeat themselves to repetition. Yes we know not to run the laundry or water the lawn. And if anybody did that bullshit ought to be slapped upside the head about ten times. And believe it or not, some fools actually did water the lawn, while people are under water. Personal to Ms Milicki, when you have Montezuma's Revenge like some people do, you have to flush regardless or go outside, wrap a blanket around you and hope that the neighbors are not looking. Get off the Holier than Thou attitude bitch, people are annoyed enough and don't need it from some dingbat who probaly can go home and take a shower.
I'm still pissed off about last night, going home and running over a bike in the middle of a small town road. This has been the typicality of this year to forget. A year of dealing with three straight months of water in the basement, three months of being sick with the cold while dealing with substantial snows and then springtime comes around too late and we had floods even in April due to record snowfall, the ground was saturated even then. And then you have to deal with stupidity in the road, look away for one minite, next thing you know you're running over a bike in a borrowed car and have to explain that. More out of pocket expensives due to stupidity. Seems like we cannot buy a break whatsoever in a fucking year to forget, of floods, of tornados, of ice and snow and of stupid assholes.
Which leads us back into the commercials that we see on TV that continues to insult us at every turn. We cannot pay our bills thanks to fucking high oil prices, OPEC continues to fuck us, and we continue to get bombarded by the usual bad news bullshit. OIL PRICES GO UP AGAIN! CORN PRICES GOING UP DUE TO FLOODS! FOOD PRICES GOING UP! BUSH IS STILL IN OFFICE! BUSH WILL VISIT THE FLOOD AREAS IN CEDAR RAPIDS! OPEC FEELS YOUR PAIN! SPECULATORS JACK UP PRICES!! Never fucking ends. But here's what really drives me nutz, seeing these fucking Levita, Cilalis and the fucking Blue miracle pill that can be the fountain of youth Viagara. oh year Viva Viagra! Like some dumbass Nashville hick at 1 AM in the morning is going to write a song about that. If I was a musician at that session, I'd be getting the fuck out of dodge if the goofy assed guitar player starts singing Viva Viagra. Don't bend over in front of this asshole, he probably thinks any hole is worth sticking it in. The Cialsis commercial is a fucking joke, especially the separate bath tubs. If you're horny, you're going to share one tub and not two and there'll lots of waves going on that one. I know back in the late 80s that TV may have not been the best but at least we were spared the Fucking Viagra penile enlargement crap. Before then it was your hand and a damn Penthouse. Since when are we so damn dependent on a fucking blue pill.
And then we have to deal with damn Tampons commercials, damn adult diaper commercials, and the most brainless bullshit from Verizon or cellphone commercials that insult your intelligence. So tell me folks what's going to be so great about high def TV in 2009? Does this mean we won't have to deal with offending commercials, smiling Bob's penile enlargement crap, Jack Albright of Kraplin University? Does this mean we get to see less reality bullshit show? Get to see the classic TV shows that make the new shows look smart? Get to see more baseball? No more infomercials? Yeah I'm asking too much and I'm sure the answer is no to all the above, just another ploy to bullshit people to thinking things will get better but I seriously doubt it.
On the plus side (if you can believe this) highway 13 to 30 is now open, so we don't have to take County Home Road to the dammed Interstate and get caught up in another bullshit traffic jam of gawkers and rubbernecks. 380 is now open to Coralville/Iowa City but both places are still underwater and it will be another week before the strip can even get in. My thoughts to those who have to suffer so much with so much water, it's still a loss of words of descibe it but it's beyond anything I can imagine. Freedom Fest isn't canceled but will be moved back to Labor Day weekend. And the Quaker Oats Train bridge held (thank God for that).
So things will getting back to something normal although that's far fetched. Until some fucker leaves their fucking bike out in the middle of the road. And I'm sure we'll be back to bitching about the high oil prices and the dumbass government of fucktards cuz I'm sure we'll get to read about the four dollar gallon gas soon.
Like I said, this year has sucked from day one. Things have GOT TO GET better.
appendix: Broadcast Manor which used to be at N st SW was blocked off due to the floods.
Breaking news.. RIP 3rd Street Live (from Chris at inch 75)
It's all but official after inspections today that 3rd Street Live, along with the Chrome Horse Saloon, which occupy a building that has been standing since 1908, will be torn down and bulldozed. I don't think I need to say how upsetting this is, so I'm not gonna say anything, except, thanks for all the great memories. It's weird to think that when I went up to 3rd Street Live on June 6th, to check out Easteighteen after we played a huge show in the parking lot of Chrome Horse, that it would be the last time I'd be to either place. The damage to Chrome Horse is immense, and although that 100 year old building was tough as nails, it couldn't withstand the forces that nature brought against it. 3rd Street Live had water up the first seven stairs inside leading up to the ticket window.
The buildings may be gone, but 3rd Street Live will always live on in the heart of local rock music fans. Goodbye old friend, you'll be dearly missed.
Thanks Chris. The major loss of a historic flood for sure. I think there were at least three different bars in that building that hosted bands. Losing that building puts a big dent in the Iowa Bar Music scene. The highlights were seeing Pat Travers play there in 1992 and Bo Ramsey in 1998.
Update:2013 The 3rd Street Live Building is still in place and the Chrome Horse has bounced back from the floods in the New Bo District.
Update 2015: Since the fire of last year, The Chrome Horse/3rd Street Live building has remained closed. While there was work being done to refurnished the fire torn building, there was talk that the place would open up. Now a for sale sign has been put up and looks like Cedar Rapids has yet another place without music to play at. There might be hope for new buyers to buy it, it's in New Bo and if the floods don't come back it might be a happening place for a up and coming bar. For now it sits empty.
Update number 2: I redid the links to the 1929 flood since this is the second link I knew about had a malicious malware issue with the link. Studies prove that this is not an attack site and HTF it was reputed to be a malicious attack site is beyond me. But then again most links from this era tend to have that fear factor message. It has been fixed.
Update number 3: The author of the 1929 flood site at wordpress has deleted their blog. Too bad.
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Top Ten:Making It Through The Flood
While going through the archives of Crabby, I have noticed one big thing-I do bitch a lot and judging from the archives it seemed like we had lots of rain even way back to July of last year. Thankfully, we have gone four days of no rain this week. I love that, no rain. And so do most of y'all here too.
My brother left a note saying that the old dulplex we call Broadcast Manor didn't fare so well. Seems like the old place got at least four inches of rain and mud in the duplex itself, or even four feet of mud and rain at one point. My thoughts go out to the tennants. As I said before, floods are no fun. They suck in 1993, I'm sure they sucked in 1929 and they definley were not fun this year.
I hope nobody goes through this kind of flood ever again. Anywhere in this world.
And now in a attempt to get back to normal, the top ten with my observations.
1. Red-King Crimson 1974 As much as we like In The Court Of The Crimson King, I still perfer the angry prog rock of this album and the title track. It's probaly the closest thing to heavy metal that Robert Fripp ever got to. It was to be the last album that Fripp would name under the King Crimson banner, but then again he always seem to end the band after each new album at that time.
2. Save It For Later-The English Beat 1983 I miss the old days of MTV showing videos and TBS's long gone Night Tracks, you would see this video quite a bit in the old days. Later covered by Pete Townsend.
3. Feed The Tree-Belly 1993 I could have swore that I put this song on the Top Ten Of The Week a few times, but maybe I did that over at the Yardbird's Roost on MSN.Com. Looked through about a year and half of Top Tens here and didn't see it, so here tis. The best song that Tanya Donnelly did in this band. It cries out for a 90s compliation since most of the album its on isn't that great.
4. Faster Car-Keith Urban 2006 This song is more rock and roll than what I hear on the "real rock" stations and a year and half later I still find Keith's last album to be very listenable. Take away the banjo and you couldn't tell the difference between this and Fleetwood Mac.
5. Big Fat Mama-Status Quo 1973 Boogie boogie boogie. These guys never did much over here and I'm still trying to get their last album but I think once upon a time, KFMH used to play this song on the late Progression show at that time of the 70s. Strange to see the reissue didn't have the two bonus tracks that Repitore Records put on their Piledriver album. And found that for three bucks sealed at Half Priced Books.
6. I Can't Stand It-Robin Trower 1974 From Twice Removed From Yesterday, Trower played in Procol Harum before going solo and becoming a cult guitar hero. The secret weapon had to be James Dewar's singing. This record is a bit darker and bit more muddier sounding than the next album Bridge Of Sighs. But I perfer my music a bit more muddier and darker sounding.
7. My Friend John-The Fratellis 2008 Two albums in two years! What are these guys trying to do, bankrupt the recording industry?!? But they're doing better than other Brit bands such as The Feeling and McFly whose last album stayed on the other side of the pond. The reviews on the new Frattellis Here We Stand album have been less than stellar but I do believe that I like this one better than Costello Music, even though that album was pretty darn good.
8. Can I Tell You-Kansas 1974 Sure you can tell me anything you want. From the debut album, to which my vinyl copy, donated to the Salvation Army in Czech Village was washed away by the flood. But I did find the CD at Mister Money downtown for a dollar.
9. Nothin-Robert Plant/Alison Krauss 2007 The success album of the year. They said that the pairing of ole Percy and the lady would not work out but instead they have been wowing them in concerts across the country. Course they get Crabb points for covering the last song that Townes Van Zandt wrote and recorded too.
10. St. Georg & The Dragon (up all night)-Eclection 1968 A band that had furture Fairport Conventioneers Gerry Conway and Trevor Lucas, these guys sounded a cross between the Mamas and Papas and Jefferson Airplane Takes Off era. Mike Rosen and Georg Hultgreen were the main writers and performers and they do sound a bit more progressive than Fairport was. This came out on Elektra back in late 1968 and reissued about 35 years later on Collector's Choice Music. Of course, this CD was gathering cobwebs on the shelves of Half Priced Books and I waited till they stuck in the bargain bins.
Even in a era of 4 dollar gallon gas, and ranging river and floods I still manage to find the bargains.
Stay dry people :)
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Top Ten: Flood of 2008
We had eight straight days of rain. Today another five inches of
rain fell upon this area and upon a flooded Cedar Rapids. If anybody
has been in front of the tv set, you'd probaly seen it. Words cannot
describe this. It's the power of a raging river after two weekends of
10 inches of rain have made downtown Waterloo and now Cedar Rapids a
waterworld of sorts. The railroad bridge to Penford fell into the
river. Smoekoff's on the edge of third ave and first street had
furinture floating down the road. What makes this so unbelievable is
that the pillows on this couch was still intact. Most of downtown is
under water and three bridges the river has overwhelmed to the point
that you can't see the bridges anymore.
I went to the Salvation Army store in Czech Village and donated some albums and tapes. I'm sure they're floating down the river somewhere as well. There is only one bridge over the Cedar you can use, the 380 bridge and it's down to one line both ways. The highway 30 bridge is the other way but the Cedar is lapping at the ends. If that gets shut down, I won't get to work anytime soon.
Right now kiddies, Crabby needs y'all to say a special prayer but not for me but for the people of this state. I want all my friends out there to pray for us for no more rain in this area. I've been trying to pray that for weeks, seems like I'm fighting a losing battle with that and the water in the basement. I can't fathom to you in words what 25 feet of floodwater does, i'm a loss of words for this. And pray that this will never happen again in our lifetime, anywhere in this world.
And pray for a better and much dryer world.
The Top Ten Of The Week but without comment
1. After The Flood-Lone Justice 1985
2. Summer Of Your Discontent-The Townedgers 2008
3. Gonna Take A Lotta River-Oak Ridge Boys 1988
4. Phoenix-Dan Fogelburg 1978
5. Not Where It's At-Del Amitri 1998
6. Box Of Rain-Grateful Dead 1971
7. Five Feet High And Rising-Johnny Cash 1958
8. Riding The Storm Out-Reo Speedwagon 1973
9. Pray-MC Hammer 1991
10. After The Rain-The Angels 1980
Comments: From Lizzy Williams I'm praying for the you guys there. Peace much love..
Maura Page writes:
My office is just off downtown Des Moines. We had to put our BCP in to play this week and get relocated. Which means driving to West Des Moines, and having to check into a different building, and hope I can find my computer. Half the staff is getting time off, paid. I got Wednesday off, and possibly tuesday when they move us back into our office. As long as the building did not flood when the river crests this weekend.
Otherwise, we have been pretty unaffected in our home.
I went to the Salvation Army store in Czech Village and donated some albums and tapes. I'm sure they're floating down the river somewhere as well. There is only one bridge over the Cedar you can use, the 380 bridge and it's down to one line both ways. The highway 30 bridge is the other way but the Cedar is lapping at the ends. If that gets shut down, I won't get to work anytime soon.
Right now kiddies, Crabby needs y'all to say a special prayer but not for me but for the people of this state. I want all my friends out there to pray for us for no more rain in this area. I've been trying to pray that for weeks, seems like I'm fighting a losing battle with that and the water in the basement. I can't fathom to you in words what 25 feet of floodwater does, i'm a loss of words for this. And pray that this will never happen again in our lifetime, anywhere in this world.
And pray for a better and much dryer world.
The Top Ten Of The Week but without comment
1. After The Flood-Lone Justice 1985
2. Summer Of Your Discontent-The Townedgers 2008
3. Gonna Take A Lotta River-Oak Ridge Boys 1988
4. Phoenix-Dan Fogelburg 1978
5. Not Where It's At-Del Amitri 1998
6. Box Of Rain-Grateful Dead 1971
7. Five Feet High And Rising-Johnny Cash 1958
8. Riding The Storm Out-Reo Speedwagon 1973
9. Pray-MC Hammer 1991
10. After The Rain-The Angels 1980
Comments: From Lizzy Williams I'm praying for the you guys there. Peace much love..
Maura Page writes:
My office is just off downtown Des Moines. We had to put our BCP in to play this week and get relocated. Which means driving to West Des Moines, and having to check into a different building, and hope I can find my computer. Half the staff is getting time off, paid. I got Wednesday off, and possibly tuesday when they move us back into our office. As long as the building did not flood when the river crests this weekend.
Otherwise, we have been pretty unaffected in our home.
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Reissues:O Jays, Browns, Love
Leave it to the folks at Rhino Records to reissue lots of out of
print stuff. Of note. Otis Redding/Love Man, Alice Cooper's two albums
for Straight/Bizarre Records Pretties For You and Easy Action. Redd
Kross' 1991 Atlantic effort Third Eye, Warren Zevon's Mr Bad Example to
which I think that does reissue all the Warren Zevon albums and a few
others. Also Rhino Flashback will probaly issue more faves from the
classic rock era at the 5.98 price range, titles TBA.
Reissue Reviews
The Browns-Compete Hits (Collector's Choice)
An overview of Jim Ed, Maxine and Bonnie Brown's hits for Fabar and RCA. I don't think they never topped their first hit, the fun 1954 Looking Back To See but I also enjoyed finding their 45 I Heard The Bluebirds Sing at Granite City last October. The only other singing trio I can think of is The Fleetwoods in terms of two girl harmonies and a guy counterpoint. Of course, once at RCA Chet Atkins moved them over to more glossy sound but at times The Browns harmonies sounded very heavenly. Collectors Choice teamed up with the bastards at BMG Nashville to compile a very good overview of a now overlooked and probaly forgotten vocal group of the 50s and 60s. But not forgotten to record collectors and fans of the genre.
Grade B plus
The Essensial OJays (Sony/PIR)
This replaces the 2004 single disc with a 2 CD overview of the single versions of what made the O'Jays the best of the Gamble-Huff Philadelphia International era. But even with the best of songs (Put Your Hands Together, Living For The Weekend, For the Love Of Money, oh the Coors Light beer song Love Train), there is a some dreck to speak of (Family Reunion, Lovin You) and disc two tends to show us a bit too more later era O'Jays which while okay isn't something I'd call essensial, although it's nice to wind up with some of the pre PIR years and get Used Ta Be My Girl on a best of. Buyer beware
Grade B plus
Love Out There/False Start (Collector's Choice)
Originally on One Way, Collector's Choice Music now has the rights to Arthur Lee's Love Blue Thumb Years. Both albums have their moments but Out There has songs ruined by either pointless jamming or the most boring drum solo in history of music (Doggone with a 10 minite drum solo zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz). False Start is better known as The Everlasting First, the song to which Jimi Hendrix makes a apperance. Flaws and all I perfer Out There for the mood swings but I am thankful that I got the out of print Live/Studio for the edits of Doggone and Better Late Than Never. Sidenote: I did find Out There at the Salvation Army for a dollar a few years ago and still have it simply of a reference copy.
Both albums B Plus
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=89774100
James Mcmurtry about record store day. Back in 2008 when it meant something.
Reissue Reviews
The Browns-Compete Hits (Collector's Choice)
An overview of Jim Ed, Maxine and Bonnie Brown's hits for Fabar and RCA. I don't think they never topped their first hit, the fun 1954 Looking Back To See but I also enjoyed finding their 45 I Heard The Bluebirds Sing at Granite City last October. The only other singing trio I can think of is The Fleetwoods in terms of two girl harmonies and a guy counterpoint. Of course, once at RCA Chet Atkins moved them over to more glossy sound but at times The Browns harmonies sounded very heavenly. Collectors Choice teamed up with the bastards at BMG Nashville to compile a very good overview of a now overlooked and probaly forgotten vocal group of the 50s and 60s. But not forgotten to record collectors and fans of the genre.
Grade B plus
The Essensial OJays (Sony/PIR)
This replaces the 2004 single disc with a 2 CD overview of the single versions of what made the O'Jays the best of the Gamble-Huff Philadelphia International era. But even with the best of songs (Put Your Hands Together, Living For The Weekend, For the Love Of Money, oh the Coors Light beer song Love Train), there is a some dreck to speak of (Family Reunion, Lovin You) and disc two tends to show us a bit too more later era O'Jays which while okay isn't something I'd call essensial, although it's nice to wind up with some of the pre PIR years and get Used Ta Be My Girl on a best of. Buyer beware
Grade B plus
Love Out There/False Start (Collector's Choice)
Originally on One Way, Collector's Choice Music now has the rights to Arthur Lee's Love Blue Thumb Years. Both albums have their moments but Out There has songs ruined by either pointless jamming or the most boring drum solo in history of music (Doggone with a 10 minite drum solo zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz). False Start is better known as The Everlasting First, the song to which Jimi Hendrix makes a apperance. Flaws and all I perfer Out There for the mood swings but I am thankful that I got the out of print Live/Studio for the edits of Doggone and Better Late Than Never. Sidenote: I did find Out There at the Salvation Army for a dollar a few years ago and still have it simply of a reference copy.
Both albums B Plus
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=89774100
James Mcmurtry about record store day. Back in 2008 when it meant something.
Sunday, June 8, 2008
Rain Of Pain
And so the crazy insanity bullshit that is life here continues.
Over the weekend, despite what some dipshit tells you, we got yet another eight inches of fucking not needed rain and everything is under water. I mean everything. I mean Iowa City/Coralville which is water over the spillway since 1993, ya remember 1993, everybody does. Rained every fucking day to the point that there was only one way getting there, highway one. It's not only here, but the folks up at New Hartford who had that goddamn F5 motherfucking tornado two weeks ago. Now with 11 inches of rain and 85 percent of town is under water. Cedar Falls is going have the highest crest of the Cedar, which means what they get up there, will be down here end of the week.
And it's supposed to fucking rain some fucking more this week. When will this motherfucking goddamn jetstream get the fuck off of us and go somewhere where rain is needed. Too bad we don't have some fucking system to which you can capture all this bullshit rain and truck it to droughtsville georgia or California to where had they had a tenth of what we have, they'd be greener than we are. We are fucking sick of rain, I'll never ask for fucking GD rain ever again, even if i was stuck out in the fucking desert with no water, just thinking bout this shit will keep me from being dry.
I am sick of rain did I mention that? I know anybody around this state is. Who sez that they aint don't have fucking water in the basement, don't live in a flooded area and as dumb as owlshit. Every fucking month since April, I had to move fucking fans into the wet spots in the basement, used over half of my old Goldmine Magazines to sop up the fucking water mess, and sick and fucking tired of trying to fucking mow the grass and see the mower sink into a foot of mud.
If ther's a shred of a sliver lining, it's that I did paint the shower area in a effort to stop the leaks and it seems to be holding it's own. It's not as rampant as before but alas it still leaks. Amazingly, this time the west walls didn't get watered in too bad but once again the north slope of the basement didn't fare as well. Water in that part. If it ever fucking stops raining, perhaps the landlord will try to seal up the cracks and perhaps that might work but then again you have to set dynamite to his ass to get things done here. But it has to fucking dry up, I'm sure he didn't care much of the fact that I did paint some of the area but this was a act of desperation to at least save some newspapers. He don't have to worry, all his stuff is upstairs while mine is all downstairs.
The bitchings continue. Governor Bush sez he feels your pain about high energy prices. Bullshit. Bush doesn't have a fucking inking, nor do any of the fucking fatcats in DC that suppoesly feels your pain. Pain at the pump? More Pissed at the pump and fucking OPEC, i fucking wish would have this goddamn jetstream on top of them and flood their ass out. But then again, get that wish and gas prices would jump another thirty five bucks. When you're riding a limo to work and back, while the worthless fat fuck VP reaps haliburton profit, they don't have no fucking clue of what goes on in our state. With four dollar a gallon gas, there's no bargain hunts outside of town and since Iowa City/Coralville is just about cut off from here, this leaves only Cedar Rapids or the internet to seek out deals.
This fucking outbreak of fucking storms has made me decide to start ridding of some not needed albums and cds anymore. Five thousand CDs is too much, we all know I'm not going to play all of them at this point so the decider is to see what to get rid of. When you're in a crisis, you don't really realize how much shit you have until you're tripping over it.
Nevertheless, we're tired of this shit year. Even if I win the lottery, marry a model, have lots of sex and become rich, this would still be the worst year ever and it's not even halfway done. The worst year and that doesn't include the year my appendrix brust or 1989 when I had pinkeye after a bad breakup. With high gas prices, a do nothing congress, shit ass cable with shit ass reality shit and shit ass Viagra bullshit commercial. (I am so fucking tired of seeing commerical of if you have a limpdick, or COPD, take a pill and you can have a erection again, back in the old days they did things different, a Playboy and their hand) and mother nature trying to drown us or destroy us with fucking F5 tornadoes, this year has been the fucking pits. But I do thank myself, the taxpaper and not that Governor fuckup for the stimilus check that might cover the gas for the final Arizona trip in August, for the fifty dollar fillups, that should be about 12 trips to the pumps.
I hope everybody else is having a better year. But of course you are if you're not living in the fucking rain state of iowa you probaly are.
Over the weekend, despite what some dipshit tells you, we got yet another eight inches of fucking not needed rain and everything is under water. I mean everything. I mean Iowa City/Coralville which is water over the spillway since 1993, ya remember 1993, everybody does. Rained every fucking day to the point that there was only one way getting there, highway one. It's not only here, but the folks up at New Hartford who had that goddamn F5 motherfucking tornado two weeks ago. Now with 11 inches of rain and 85 percent of town is under water. Cedar Falls is going have the highest crest of the Cedar, which means what they get up there, will be down here end of the week.
And it's supposed to fucking rain some fucking more this week. When will this motherfucking goddamn jetstream get the fuck off of us and go somewhere where rain is needed. Too bad we don't have some fucking system to which you can capture all this bullshit rain and truck it to droughtsville georgia or California to where had they had a tenth of what we have, they'd be greener than we are. We are fucking sick of rain, I'll never ask for fucking GD rain ever again, even if i was stuck out in the fucking desert with no water, just thinking bout this shit will keep me from being dry.
I am sick of rain did I mention that? I know anybody around this state is. Who sez that they aint don't have fucking water in the basement, don't live in a flooded area and as dumb as owlshit. Every fucking month since April, I had to move fucking fans into the wet spots in the basement, used over half of my old Goldmine Magazines to sop up the fucking water mess, and sick and fucking tired of trying to fucking mow the grass and see the mower sink into a foot of mud.
If ther's a shred of a sliver lining, it's that I did paint the shower area in a effort to stop the leaks and it seems to be holding it's own. It's not as rampant as before but alas it still leaks. Amazingly, this time the west walls didn't get watered in too bad but once again the north slope of the basement didn't fare as well. Water in that part. If it ever fucking stops raining, perhaps the landlord will try to seal up the cracks and perhaps that might work but then again you have to set dynamite to his ass to get things done here. But it has to fucking dry up, I'm sure he didn't care much of the fact that I did paint some of the area but this was a act of desperation to at least save some newspapers. He don't have to worry, all his stuff is upstairs while mine is all downstairs.
The bitchings continue. Governor Bush sez he feels your pain about high energy prices. Bullshit. Bush doesn't have a fucking inking, nor do any of the fucking fatcats in DC that suppoesly feels your pain. Pain at the pump? More Pissed at the pump and fucking OPEC, i fucking wish would have this goddamn jetstream on top of them and flood their ass out. But then again, get that wish and gas prices would jump another thirty five bucks. When you're riding a limo to work and back, while the worthless fat fuck VP reaps haliburton profit, they don't have no fucking clue of what goes on in our state. With four dollar a gallon gas, there's no bargain hunts outside of town and since Iowa City/Coralville is just about cut off from here, this leaves only Cedar Rapids or the internet to seek out deals.
This fucking outbreak of fucking storms has made me decide to start ridding of some not needed albums and cds anymore. Five thousand CDs is too much, we all know I'm not going to play all of them at this point so the decider is to see what to get rid of. When you're in a crisis, you don't really realize how much shit you have until you're tripping over it.
Nevertheless, we're tired of this shit year. Even if I win the lottery, marry a model, have lots of sex and become rich, this would still be the worst year ever and it's not even halfway done. The worst year and that doesn't include the year my appendrix brust or 1989 when I had pinkeye after a bad breakup. With high gas prices, a do nothing congress, shit ass cable with shit ass reality shit and shit ass Viagra bullshit commercial. (I am so fucking tired of seeing commerical of if you have a limpdick, or COPD, take a pill and you can have a erection again, back in the old days they did things different, a Playboy and their hand) and mother nature trying to drown us or destroy us with fucking F5 tornadoes, this year has been the fucking pits. But I do thank myself, the taxpaper and not that Governor fuckup for the stimilus check that might cover the gas for the final Arizona trip in August, for the fifty dollar fillups, that should be about 12 trips to the pumps.
I hope everybody else is having a better year. But of course you are if you're not living in the fucking rain state of iowa you probaly are.
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