Top Ten Of The Week-Status Back Baby!

Yes it's safe to play Christmas music now although I donated about 20 assorted Christmas CDs to various charities last weekend.  I just have no tolerance for Wonderful Christmas Time from Paul McCartney anymore than you do.

This weekend was another attempt to streamline my collection and donate and try to fit on shelves as well as the vinyl collection which grew like weeds to the point they were falling off the top shelf in the closet.  I finally found some use for that wobbly bookcase shelf that always tilted to the right or left.  Turns out if you cram it full of records chances are that the weight of the LPs will even the bookcase into the middle. This becomes a dilemma if you take too many albums out.  It may fall apart but maybe not.

The Soundtrack To Our Lives is calling it a day, they'll play some Swedish farewell dates and fade into the night next month.  Had their first album, didn't think much of it but you could hear them on Little Steven's Underground Garage once in a while.

When I lived in Marion years ago, there was an old lady named Winnie that bought the old Evans house and lived there for about 25 years before time and age forced her into a nursing home.  She passed away yesterday at age 99.  She was one of my mom's friends.

Speaking of my Mom, we went to see Lincoln the movie at the Metroplex Monday Afternoon.  I'm not a big fan of going to any movie metroplex on any afternoon, too many people and such was the case again.  Had to say I'm proud of my Mom, only had to shhh her four times during the movie.  It was more of a historical 2 hour marathon, Daniel Day Lewis did a good Lincoln and Sally Field gets kudos for the role of Lincoln's wife.  Tommy Lee Jones almost steals the show.  Not much on the action and I found myself nodding off a little bit but it's worth seeing at the cheap movie house to which I'm still trying to catch The Trouble With The Curve move at Collins Rd Theater.

Average Temps are now under 40 degrees from now till March 3 here.  Winter has begun.

1.  I Keep Forgetting-Long John Baldry 1976  Mike McDonald had a hit with this back in 1980 or 1981 but it was covered a few times.  John Baldry best known It Ain't Easy or King Of Rock And Roll but he's mostly forgotten on the radio here although I've been known to play his forgotten B side Hey Lord You Made The Night Too Long (co-written with Reg Dwight aka Elton John) but he was a cult artist at best and later found himself on various labels, this comes from the Welcome To Club Casablanca which is on the Casablanca label.
 
2. Jungle Fever-Roy Hamilton 1958  Another scratchy album that got plenty of airplay, Don't Let Go was a big hit, this wasn't.  I come to find the fever fever jungle fever backing vocals is a cool hook in itself. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0NodzpSgU3E

3.  Dazed And Confused-Led Zeppelin 2007  Taken from the Celebration Day CD and perhaps the final concert that Led Zeppelin will ever do it seems it also seems odd and bizarre that Atlantic would wait almost five years after the fact to put this out.  Page actually plays this in a lower key and it sounds even more menacing since Robert Plant can't hit the high notes that he used to.  It's sloppy in itself, Plant messes up on the words a bit but the sound is honest and cuts to the bone.  If this is the final act from the Zep let's say that they ended it on a high note.  And I still think that this is the most heavy metal sounding they ever sounded too (that's saying a lot).

4.  Song X-Neil Young 1995  Don't know about you but I do miss the 90s, I think they were the best decade for me, we had record stores, we had places to go and we had a social life and the music was still fine before Limp Bizkit and Nu Metal and Cumulus Radio came and fucked it up beyond repair.  One of the very few BMG club copies that I bought simply of the fact that it was in a jewel case and not in one of the worst put together digipack ever created.  On this, Neil is backed up by Pearl Jam who does a nice stand in for Crazy Horse, a bit reckless and a bit wild too.  Still holds up over the test of time too.  Oh did I mentioned that I miss the 90s too?

5.  Hard Rock Hell-Little Caesar  2012  This year 2012 has brought out some great rock and roll from the dinosaurs of yesteryear.  The oldest rock and roll band in the world The Rolling Stones have started their 50th anniversary tour and you all know about Aerosmith, Rush, Van Morrison etc etc etc.  And even the lesser knowns are getting into the act too, The Angels from Angel City has put a new album although Doc Neeson is no longer with them, they got the lead singer from Screaming Jets to take over. And so has Little Caesar who made two albums for Geffen years ago but return with a half inspired album American Dream to which they recycled the finest AC/DC chords to make a nice little rocking number that radio stations will not play.  Album Oriented Rock is dead so to speak.  This is a live version.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DGHVqoR70-0

6.  Take It Easy-Travis Tritt 1993  The Eagles have never been a go to band for me, basically we all got burned out by hearing the same songs over and over again but some reason I actually enjoyed the Common Thread tribute album that Giant Nashville put out almost 20 years ago.  Getting a bunch of then hot shot country artists to cover Eagles songs was a pretty good idea, it's too bad they didn't continue that by honoring Poco as well.  But then again The Eagles wrote better songs than Poco did.  I tried getting through that 2 CD mess they put out a few years ago, Long Road Out Of Eden and then donated my copy to Goodwill soon afterward.  Big difference that Don Felder got the boot, to me he was much more of a rock and roller than Joe Walsh was with The Eagles (James Gang on the other hand Walsh was the rocker to which they couldn't replace him in that band, despite having guitar head Tommy Bolin on the fun 1973 Bang album and the less interesting Miami.  Even Tritt's version managed to hit the soft rock radio station back then.

7.  Beautiful-Paul Simon 2006  To which Simon pals up with Brian Eno with an interesting fail experiment of an album.  The ugly album cover didn't help much either.

8.  Plastic People-The Mothers Of Invention 1967  I think the last month I been spending a lot of time trying to listen to the Frank Zappa reissues that no fewer than 64 have hit the shelves the last four months and if you're not a fan now, you'll never be a fan.  Even Best Buy has surprised me by having the majority of selections at ten bucks or less for most of them including FZ's FU to MGM/Verve, putting his brand of their "greatest" hits (meaning The Mothers of course) after MGM put out The Worst Of The Mothers, hard to find and if you compare song to song on each albums it ends a draw.  Zappa was working on a album only format and none of the songs were greatest hits anyway.  They never did much play on the radio unless it was the underground FM. But Verve did issue a few 45s such as a edit of Trouble Comin Every Day.


Oh BTW, it didn't chart.

9.  One More Time-Shemekia Copeland 2012  The blues and nothing but the blues, Copeland has made one of the finer blues albums this year with 33 1/3 to which it was actually one of most viewed blogs on the Consortium page to which you can read from this link http://rscrabbmusicconsortium.blogspot.com/2012/11/new-music-reviewshemekia-copeland-33-13.html   This is a cover version of a song that her dad wrote.


10.  Rollin On-Duke & The Drivers 1976  Their best known for What You Got but I could never find that album till I moved out to Arizona but album number 2 Rollin On was a 99 cent special at K Mart and features Bobby Chouinard (later played for Billy Squier) on drums.  In some ways they were a lot like J Geils Band in terms of a love of boogie and blues but Duke And The Drivers had more of a soul flavor than Geils.  Deke Richards, a Motown producer sat behind the control booth for their second and final ABC album to which I doubt will never see the light of day on CD, unless you burn a vinyl copy of that album on CD.

From the player this afternoon at work.

The Greeks Want No Freaks-Eagles 1979
Cabbies On Crack-Ramones 1992
Leave It Up To Fate-John Popper & The Duskray Troubadours 2011
Let Me Ride-James Taylor 1968
Un Lunes Por La Manana-Los Super Seven  1998

A big thank you to everybody.  We had over 2,000 views this month.  Encouraging to say the very least. Thanks again!

UPDATE:
In the continuing saga of the downfall of the top 200, it seems that anything new is a bomb the next week.  The world didn't need another Rolling Stones Greatest Hits as GRRR took a Stone's throw into the river dropping from 19 to 64.  Green Day Dos falling all the way to 75 from number 9. AC/DC's Live at River Plate debuts at 66 whereas the overplayed ran into the ground that is Back In Black is one behind.  The big surprise is Miranda Lambert's Crazy Ex Girlfriend reappears at number 56!  The 5.99 Best Buy junk sale gave the biggest boost to Pink's Truth About Love which remains in the top ten but the biggest drop came from Neil Young & Crazy Horse Psychedelic Pill, dropping over 111 spots from 65 to 176.  Used to be an album came from the bottom to the top but since Soundscan reversed the progress most albums start at the top and then fall to the bottom.   I'm not saying that the album format is dead yet but with the way things are going no wonder a lot a band simply release singles rather than hour long albums.  Time poverty indeed.
http://music.yahoo.com/blogs/chart-watch/week-ending-nov-25-2012-albums-crash-burn-173216096.html

PLAYLIST: Status Back Baby! (Revised)

Yes it's safe to play Christmas music now although I donated about 20 assorted Christmas CDs to various charities last weekend.  I just have no tolerance for Wonderful Christmas Time from Paul McCartney anymore than you do.

This weekend was another attempt to streamline my collection and donate and try to fit on shelves as well as the vinyl collection which grew like weeds to the point they were falling off the top shelf in the closet.  I finally found some use for that wobbly bookcase shelf that always tilted to the right or left.  Turns out if you cram it full of records chances are that the weight of the LPs will even the bookcase into the middle. This becomes a dilemma if you take too many albums out.  It may fall apart but maybe not.

The Soundtrack To Our Lives is calling it a day, they'll play some Swedish farewell dates and fade into the night next month.  Had their first album, didn't think much of it but you could hear them on Little Steven's Underground Garage once in a while.

When I lived in Marion years ago, there was an old lady named Winnie that bought the old Evans house and lived there for about 25 years before time and age forced her into a nursing home.  She passed away yesterday at age 99.  She was one of my mom's friends.

Speaking of my Mom, we went to see Lincoln the movie at the Metroplex Monday Afternoon.  I'm not a big fan of going to any movie metroplex on any afternoon, too many people and such was the case again.  Had to say I'm proud of my Mom, only had to shhh her four times during the movie.  It was more of a historical 2 hour marathon, Daniel Day Lewis did a good Lincoln and Sally Field gets kudos for the role of Lincoln's wife.  Tommy Lee Jones almost steals the show.  Not much on the action and I found myself nodding off a little bit but it's worth seeing at the cheap movie house to which I'm still trying to catch The Trouble With The Curve move at Collins Rd Theater.

Average Temps are now under 40 degrees from now till March 3 here.  Winter has begun.

1.  I Keep Forgetting-Long John Baldry 1976  Mike McDonald had a hit with this back in 1980 or 1981 but it was covered a few times.  John Baldry best known It Ain't Easy or King Of Rock And Roll but he's mostly forgotten on the radio here although I've been known to play his forgotten B side Hey Lord You Made The Night Too Long (co-written with Reg Dwight aka Elton John) but he was a cult artist at best and later found himself on various labels, this comes from the Welcome To Club Casablanca which is on the Casablanca label.


2. Jungle Fever-Roy Hamilton 1958  It rocks. Trust Me.


3.  Dazed And Confused-Led Zeppelin 2007  Taken from the Celebration Day CD and perhaps the final concert that Led Zeppelin will ever do it seems it also seems odd and bizarre that Atlantic would wait almost five years after the fact to put this out.  Page actually plays this in a lower key and it sounds even more menacing since Robert Plant can't hit the high notes that he used to.  It's sloppy in itself, Plant messes up on the words a bit but the sound is honest and cuts to the bone.  If this is the final act from the Zep let's say that they ended it on a high note.  And I still think that this is the most heavy metal sounding they ever sounded too (that's saying a lot).

4.  Song X-Neil Young 1995  Don't know about you but I do miss the 90s, I think they were the best decade for me, we had record stores, we had places to go and we had a social life and the music was still fine before Limp Bizkit and Nu Metal and Cumulus Radio came and fucked it up beyond repair.  One of the very few BMG club copies that I bought simply of the fact that it was in a jewel case and not in one of the worst put together digipack ever created.  On this, Neil is backed up by Pearl Jam who does a nice stand in for Crazy Horse, a bit reckless and a bit wild too.  Still holds up over the test of time too.  Oh did I mentioned that I miss the 90s too?

5.  Hard Rock Hell-Little Caesar  2012  This year 2012 has brought out some great rock and roll from the dinosaurs of yesteryear.  The oldest rock and roll band in the world The Rolling Stones have started their 50th anniversary tour and you all know about Aerosmith, Rush, Van Morrison etc etc etc.  And even the lesser knowns are getting into the act too, The Angels from Angel City has put a new album although Doc Neeson is no longer with them, they got the lead singer from Screaming Jets to take over. And so has Little Caesar who made two albums for Geffen years ago but return with a half inspired album American Dream to which they recycled the finest AC/DC chords to make a nice little rocking number that radio stations will not play.  Album Oriented Rock is dead so to speak.  This is a live version.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DGHVqoR70-0

6.  Take It Easy-Travis Tritt 1993  The Eagles have never been a go to band for me, basically we all got burned out by hearing the same songs over and over again but some reason I actually enjoyed the Common Thread tribute album that Giant Nashville put out almost 20 years ago.  Getting a bunch of then hot shot country artists to cover Eagles songs was a pretty good idea, it's too bad they didn't continue that by honoring Poco as well.  But then again The Eagles wrote better songs than Poco did.  I tried getting through that 2 CD mess they put out a few years ago, Long Road Out Of Eden and then donated my copy to Goodwill soon afterward.  Big difference that Don Felder got the boot, to me he was much more of a rock and roller than Joe Walsh was with The Eagles (James Gang on the other hand Walsh was the rocker to which they couldn't replace him in that band, despite having guitar head Tommy Bolin on the fun 1973 Bang album and the less interesting Miami.  Even Tritt's version managed to hit the soft rock radio station back then.

7.  Beautiful-Paul Simon 2006  To which Simon pals up with Brian Eno with an interesting fail experiment of an album.  The ugly album cover didn't help much either.

8.  Plastic People-The Mothers Of Invention 1967  I think the last month I been spending a lot of time trying to listen to the Frank Zappa reissues that no fewer than 64 have hit the shelves the last four months and if you're not a fan now, you'll never be a fan.  Even Best Buy has surprised me by having the majority of selections at ten bucks or less for most of them including FZ's FU to MGM/Verve, putting his brand of their "greatest" hits (meaning The Mothers of course) after MGM put out The Worst Of The Mothers, hard to find and if you compare song to song on each albums it ends a draw.  Zappa was working on a album only format and none of the songs were greatest hits anyway.  They never did much play on the radio unless it was the underground FM. But Verve did issue a few 45s such as a edit of Trouble Comin Every Day.


Oh BTW, it didn't chart.

9.  One More Time-Shemekia Copeland 2012  The blues and nothing but the blues, Copeland has made one of the finer blues albums this year with 33 1/3 to which it was actually one of most viewed blogs on the Consortium page to which you can read from this link http://rscrabbmusicconsortium.blogspot.com/2012/11/new-music-reviewshemekia-copeland-33-13.html   This is a cover version of a song that her dad wrote.


10.  Rollin On-Duke & The Drivers 1976  Their best known for What You Got but I could never find that album till I moved out to Arizona but album number 2 Rollin On was a 99 cent special at K Mart and features Bobby Chouinard (later played for Billy Squier) on drums.  In some ways they were a lot like J Geils Band in terms of a love of boogie and blues but Duke And The Drivers had more of a soul flavor than Geils.  Deke Richards, a Motown producer sat behind the control booth for their second and final ABC album to which I doubt will never see the light of day on CD, unless you burn a vinyl copy of that album on CD.

From the player this afternoon at work.

The Greeks Want No Freaks-Eagles 1979
Cabbies On Crack-Ramones 1992
Leave It Up To Fate-John Popper & The Duskray Troubadours 2011
Let Me Ride-James Taylor 1968
Un Lunes Por La Manana-Los Super Seven  1998

A big thank you to everybody.  We had over 2,000 views this month.  Encouraging to say the very least. Thanks again!

UPDATE:
In the continuing saga of the downfall of the top 200, it seems that anything new is a bomb the next week.  The world didn't need another Rolling Stones Greatest Hits as GRRR took a Stone's throw into the river dropping from 19 to 64.  Green Day Dos falling all the way to 75 from number 9. AC/DC's Live at River Plate debuts at 66 whereas the overplayed ran into the ground that is Back In Black is one behind.  The big surprise is Miranda Lambert's Crazy Ex Girlfriend reappears at number 56!  The 5.99 Best Buy junk sale gave the biggest boost to Pink's Truth About Love which remains in the top ten but the biggest drop came from Neil Young & Crazy Horse Psychedelic Pill, dropping over 111 spots from 65 to 176.  Used to be an album came from the bottom to the top but since Soundscan reversed the progress most albums start at the top and then fall to the bottom.   I'm not saying that the album format is dead yet but with the way things are going no wonder a lot a band simply release singles rather than hour long albums.  Time poverty indeed.
http://music.yahoo.com/blogs/chart-watch/week-ending-nov-25-2012-albums-crash-burn-173216096.html

Death Has No Mercy-Miss Reynolds, Winnie Bulicek

It seems to be that 2012 is the year that just about everybody I know is dying is soon will be.

Soon after I put up this week's top ten and signed off to go to bed I have gotten word that Marjorie Reynolds, our sixth grade teacher at Longfellow in Marion has died at age 85.  She was a permanent fixture in and around Marion after retiring became part of the Marion Historical Society, to which can be found at the old NAPA Parts Store or the even older YMCA building in downtown Marion.

Miss Reynolds was best known for being a teacher and we had her for part of fifth and sixth grade.  And for the most part she taught a class of brats that was us, there was me and my best friend Russell, and second best friend Jeff.  To which we would spend plenty of time on the school grounds jumping the old hill or the small indents that led to the school grounds.  We knew it was going to be a fun time when she introduced herself as Hi I'm Miss.  BLAAAAAAAAAAAAP and turns out that Russel cut a big one just as she said that.   I think it's safe to say that we were the big cause of her cigarette breaks at that time.  And there was always a war with her and my Mom, the battles were legendary and f bombs were dropped I suppose. Granted Miss Reynolds was very liberal in promoting free speech but she drew the line when I wrote my Autobiography and called her a number one jerk about three or four times.  To which I had to stay after school and hear about it but she called my mom up about it, Mom said He's right you know.  I don't think I ever did rewrite that thing come to think of it.

But Miss Reynolds could inspire us and she knew the things that we liked.  I know we were sitting in the school gym room and the jazz band from high school was up there and Neil Machen was tearing it up on drums and she turned and said to me that she could picture me playing drums like that. And she would be right 10 years later when I put my drumset up at the old Pink Elephant Bar to play for a local band.

As the years progressed onward I would run into her a couple times at Sears and we would exchanged pleasantries, not like the bratty talk of years before.  I'm sure she didn't forget the brat that was me, but I did tell her she did play a big role in the development of my life.  For better or for worse. R.I.P. Miss Reynolds.

Ochiltree Funeral Home, Winterset, Iowa
November 15, 2012

MARJORIE REYNOLDS, Winterset

Marjorie Reynolds, 85, of Winterset (formerly of Marion) died Tuesday, November 13, 2012 at the Madison County Memorial Hospital in Winterset.

Funeral services will be held 10:30 a.m., Saturday, November 17th at Ochiltree Funeral Service & Aftercare in Winterset with burial to immediately follow in the Brethren Cemetery, Dallas Center.

A visitation with family present will be held Friday, November 16th from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Ochiltree’s. 

Memorials may be made to the Marion Methodist Church, Madison Square, and/or Middle River Hospice.

Marjorie Hazel Reynolds was born January 15, 1927 on a farm four miles east of Dallas Center, Iowa; the daughter of George and Helen (Wooster) Ellis Reynolds. She grew up in the Dallas Center area and graduated from Dallas Center High School. She attended Iowa State Teachers College (now UNI), graduating on a two year program. She began her teaching career in Marion, Iowa; finally completing her BA degree while teaching. She retired from the Marion Schools after 46 years.
A major highlight in her life was a summer spent in Europe. Her trip included a week in Moscow, Russia. Volunteering was also an important part of Marjorie’s life. She volunteered her time at the Friends of the Library Book Store, the Marion Historical Society and their two museums– Granger House and the Heritage Center, various groups in her church, including the United Methodist Women, and her sorority, Chi Chapter of Iowa Alpha Delta Kappa. She also worked with second grade students to help them read for pleasure.

She was recognized for many of her accomplishments, including meeting Governor Branstad several times in connection with her sorority work and receiving an award for volunteerism from Governor Culver. She was chosen Reading Teacher of the Year by the Cedar Rapids Reading Association and was Citizen of the Year in Marion. The school district paid special attention to those teachers who taught 30 years and she was acknowledged again when she retired. Marjorie was honored, humbled and blessed by these acknowledgements.

Marjorie is survived by her brother, Bob Reynolds; nieces, Sheri Capps (Earl) and Patti Kenworthy (Dick); a great-nephew, Wes Reynolds; and a great-niece, Rachel Reynolds all of Earlham.

She was preceded in death by her parents; a nephew, Rick Reynolds; and a sister-in-law, Betty Reynolds.

The Obit for Winnie Bulicek.  The link don't work (usual 404 Bullshit)  But she lived to be 99.  A great neighbor lady she was part of our neighborhood. RIP.

MARION: Winifred Malvine Bulicek, 99, formerly of Marion, passed away peacefully in her sleep on Sunday November 25 at Colonial Manor in Amana. She is survived by her son Jake (Pam) Bulicek, grandson Ryan (Nicki) Bulicek, granddaughter Keri (Holly) Goddard, as well as great-grandchildren Rylee, Ashlenn, Samantha, Maddenn, Alexander, Caleb, and Wayne, and her niece Kristyna Demaree. She was born Winifred Perkins on April 29, 1913 to Cornelia and Jacob Perkins in Rowna, Poland. She was married to Charles Rudolph Bulicek on February 19, 1949 at First Lutheran Church in Cedar Rapids. A private celebration of life has been held within the family. Memorials may be directed to the family. Forever loved, forever missed, forever remembered. We love you Gramicek!

MARION: Winifred Malvine Bulicek, 99, formerly of Marion, passed away peacefully in her sleep on Sunday November 25 at Colonial Manor in Amana. She is survived by her son Jake (Pam) Bulicek, grandson Ryan (Nicki) Bulicek, granddaughter Keri (Holly) Goddard, as well as great-grandchildren Rylee, Ashlenn, Samantha, Maddenn, Alexander, Caleb, and Wayne, and her niece Kristyna Demaree. She was born Winifred Perkins on April 29, 1913 to Cornelia and Jacob Perkins in Rowna, Poland. She was married to Charles Rudolph Bulicek on February 19, 1949 at First Lutheran Church in Cedar Rapids. A private celebration of life has been held within the family. Memorials may be directed to the family. Forever loved, forever missed, forever remembered. We love you Gramicek!

Online condolences may be sent to the family at: www.phillipsfuneralhomes.com.

Phillips Funeral Home in Blairstown is in charge of arrangements. - See more at: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/cedarvalleydailytimes/obituary.aspx?n=winifred-malvine-bulicek-perkins&pid=161281415&fhid=10159#sthash.ebitpMU6.dpuf

The Last Bargain Hunt Of The Year-Iowa City

This has been a very busy Thanksgiving weekend with the annual CD donation and record expo taken to Goodwill, since the Crowded Closet's donating place was locked and two bums got a kick out of me seeing a whole bunch of CDs spill on the fucking parking spot it became another fun filled afternoon sorting through what may be the final bargain hunting spree in Iowa City.  A waste of time was had by all.

I spent most of yesterday sorting about 100 cds that didn't fit the format for me and every other year I dumped them off in Iowa City, people still like to buy CDs down there.  So it was off to Goodwill to which the rowdy box of CDs were ready to spill for a second time which really would have set me off and throw the fucking things all over the parking spot and leave them there.  At least Goodwill have some CD and record inventory, I think I had more on me than they did in the actual store.

The last record store standing in Iowa City is Record Collector and my final visit only found a Elvis Costello My Aim Is True CD and Housewerks had a couple CDs of varying degree, the last Ramones album that I have yet to hear Mondo Bizarro and Paul Simon Surprise which is much better then the touted So Beautiful or So What.  Up in Record Collector I think was a first, seeing Craig from Real Records make a stop or maybe it was some white blues guy with a goatee buying a few things.  I've been a buyer of things at Record Collector for 26 years and still feel like a stranger when I go in.

This is not the best of times to go bargain hunting at the thrift stores. Christmas music playing over the speakers and rude shoppers and gawkers always in the way. Some beaner bitch got into my way twice at the Salvation Army  which I said a few choice words. Got into words with a meth head fool, as he almost bumped into me on Mormon Trek and then getting the usual red lights in the process.  The Marty Robbins Best Of that I got on vinyl skipped all over the place.  The writing is on the wall, I have had enough of this craziness.  And then coming home trying to create more space with a overabundance amount of CDs that even I didn't know how many I do have. It boggles the mind I tell ya.

Meanwhile my brain continues to torture me with the same three songs in my head over and over.  Don't Cry-Asia and Cocktails For Two by Spike Jones have been in Cumulus overkill since last night and I'm in need of turning the record player on just to silence this shit.  It's great music till you hear over and over for eight hours, no wonder people walk in front of a train.

Just like going to Iowa City.  Sweet Living Antiques has moved up from Housewerks but the neighborhood that I usually find myself in is now plagued by Chicago gang refugees or immigrants from Chicago or Mexico and Pepperwood District is much different than when the old Best Buy used to be out in that area or the old Big Lots to which we miss a lot and have to go to Davenport just to get to one.  So it's off to the Chinese Buffet to which I was greeted at the door by about 10 Chinese kids, thought for a moment I was in a GD pre school.  Only to have Daddy sitting on his keyster, paying more attention to his Iphone rather than watching his kids to which I almost ran over while get seated.  I'm thinking next time Panda Express.

For the bargain hunter that has been me all year, having the success of the lifetime with the AZ hunts, then simply doing a road trip to Madison (most of the stuff I bought up there went to the donation box) and now the road trip to I.C, and the realization that this in terms of trying to find things away from home is simply nonexistant or I continue to pick the wrong time.  Iowa City is no longer the place to go for bargains unless you want to go pay 10 bucks for a used Frank Zappa CD that you can get same price at Best Buy.  But I must admit that Record Collector had quite a few customers in there, including some snooty looking skank that seem to stare at the old crabb one too many times to which I made a offhand comment about smelling skank.  I'm beginning like my mom I guess.

So it's back home and back to the endless, seamless world of too many CDs and not enough shelves and basically back to see what more I can donate since they don't sell on Amazon.  Life goes on.  Larry Hagman died yesterday at age 81, so did Mr. Food same age.  And after 7 years of having that fucking Alzheimer's crap our Aunt Velma finally passed away Saturday Morning.  She was a pretty good woman, a very strong one even though she had that fucking illness she still had a keen sense of memory last time I've seen her although that must have been 2007.

There's a chance we might clear 2,000 views this month.  Not sure if the more you blog the more you get readers theory comes into play but I've seen some movement on the archival side of things.  I'm still committed to get a couple more new CDs in and review them before it's all over but when you have your own music store taking over the place it's time to at least take back the space in the house.

I'm also sure you'll hearing from me a few more times before the month is out as I continue to research and rehash on things already blogged upon.  But for now the clutter is beginning to take over..........

Black Friday Roundup

The beginnings of Black Friday began with another Thanksgiving affair with the Bickerson family to which every year the same thing happens.  Nothing works, the old man complained about the pie and the turkey was dry as a fart and the promise of next year it will be Perkins.

When I was a teenager long time ago, this was a fun and exciting time but as I gotten older the Friday after Thanksgiving turned out to be an exercise in not trying to get into a fist fight with pushy other people trying to get the latest Made In China crap at Wally World,  in fact when it all started late Thanksgiving evening, there was no single parking spot to be found there, not that I didn't venture there, I just saw it from afar.  Black Friday is another corporate attempt to take more $$$ from the working folk and make them think they're saving something.

I went out Friday Night instead and basically it was like any other night, unless your going to the mall or Wally World or Best Buy which the parking spots were filled to capacity.  I managed to stop at Half Priced Books to drop off some unwanted Cds and get 20 dollars for my trouble.  Tomorrow I plan to get rid of more undesirables at the Goodwill.  I met up with Tim at HP Books and we chatted a bit and then I found him REO Speedwagon's Lost In A Dream for 2 dollars that he picked up along with a Redd Foxx comedy cd and Hawaii Five O DVD to which I gave him my coupon for 15 percent off since I didn't find anything of note.  Half Priced Books was so so, not that busy but not too dead either.  Going to Audi's was even more quieter, not that I don't complain about that, I welcomed it myself.  Fun to get in and then out.

As you can tell I have been pretty busy this month blogging a lot more than usual and the ratings seem to be coming through better than last month, there's a good chance of going over 2,000 views.  Last month we actually did clear 1,900 views although the initial count was 1,899 which made me decide that the world had enough of blogs and top tens and other territorial pissings.  And guest bloggers to boot, the Kid Rock review did average but apparently you readers don't think much of country since the top ten dedicated to all country got single digit viewings.  Anyway we're busy doing next week's top ten and it will be back to a little bit of everything.

With Thanksgiving weekend upon us, it also is the start of the winter driving season.  Which means we get heavy fog one night, a blizzard next and the usual dumbfuck drivers all year around but also the GD horny assed deer which tries to get you to buy a new car.  On the way home last night, I not only had one doe pulling out in front of me, a half block down the road from my place a fucking 8 point buck also killed the purple piece of shit once and for all.  To which I thanked God for the guardian angels but also mentioned that next time keep the fucking deer off my way home.  I don't use a gun to haunt deer, just get in a car on a pizza run.  They seem to come out.

The Iowa City bargain hunt is the last of the bargain hunts for this year. Once the snow flies I usually stay close to home and mail order things or EBAY.  But for the first time in a long while I haven't been too gung ho on hitting the road to frequent the music stores, there's simply not much turnaround in used CDs unless it's Half Priced books and although Ragged Records made me happy in finding the hard to find Chicago Line, I wasn't too happy paying 10 bucks for a scratched up Sparks cd.  But I think they'll continue to do well in the future, even after when I finally say that I have it all and don't need to drive so far to get so few.  As long as Davenport has a Big Lots still open, rest assured I'll be around from time to time.  It was suggested I should do St Louis but it's too late in the year and when I did that back in 2000, I had to high tail home before a 12 inch blizzard would bury us till April. 

With this, the Iowa football season mercifully ended with another subpar performance and a 13-7 loss to Nebraska to which the defense finally showed up but the offense didn't.  This will be the last time we will see Jimmy Vandenberg who simply looked lost and didn't arise to expectations.  At least Arizona State did a better job and did beat Arizona to keep the cup for another year.

I have one or two other albums to review before doing a end of year review and the best of 2012 to which won't be read but the 2009 or 2010 version will.  Some people say I take too much stock in the ratings that they don't amount to much and they might be right.

If you looking for a good Christmas gift to give, give them the Led Zeppelin Celebration Day CD or DVD of the legendary and perhaps final get together of Led Zeppelin ever, which was almost five years ago.  I also got the new Dave Matthews Band album but let's face it, I don't think he rocks all that much.  He tends to bore me more often than not.  But surprise surprise, Best Buy had a bunch of the last Frank Zappa remasters, which included for the first time on CD, Mothermania, FZ's reaction album to the half assed one that MGM put out called The Worst Of The Mothers and the infamous Mystery Disc which features the original Mothers Of Invention as they work out songs and skits to put to better use on later efforts.  I'm still trying to make sense of the Frank Zappa discography and may never will before the year is out.

Till then, I'll be a busy boy trying to record it all before the year is out and deciding what fork in the road will I be taking.  Guess you'll have to check back to see where it leads. 


  

Gobble Gobble Gobble-Turkey Turds of 2012

Ah Thanksgiving.  That time of year to which we celebrate by eating too much turkey at company dinners, at home and abroad.  I have kinda lost my fondness for turkey as I get older, our output boss Susan asked me how the Hy Vee catered turkey tasted and I told her it was okay, but the mushrooms and peppers in the turkey was awesome.

Which brings us to another year of Turds of 2012 and once again the turkey isn't as much as actual albums themselves, the problem usually is the crappy digipacks that CDs seem to be more and more of the thing rather than jewel cases.  I think moreorless that The Turds of 2012 pretty much are the American Music Awards to which you get no talent hacks like Nicki Minaj (Or if you been following me all year Nicki No Talent) or Keisha (she hasn't earned the dollar sign for me to give it to her).  Keisha's porn act on the AMA's Sunday, showing her fingering herself on stage and revealing a camel toe is the reason why music is in the shitter and is in need of a septic service to come pump it out.  If we want to see that, we'll go to Dancer's or Woody's. 

In this day and age anything new or heard on the radio is a turd, complete with processed beats and autotuner and it isn't going to get any better anytime soon, Cumulus radio will seek to that.  Cumulus anything is a Top Turd in my book, KDAT, KRNA, KHA(c)K, The Fox you get the picture and radio isn't much better in big cities. Going left of the dial here.  There are certain DJ's that qualify as Turkey Turds of the year, particularly the Backtracks legend in his own mind dude.  But this is supposed to be what's the least of the year in music rather than overrated personalites and crappy owned Cumulus Robot Radio.

The Madison bargain hunt may as well been known as picking up Classic Turkeys of the past with Eagles, Long Road Out Of Eden, to which I have yet to play the second CD or The Monkees' atrocious Pool It! or Gomer (whoever they are) Rock and Roll Always Forgets.  No wonder a pack of wild turkeys was following me all the way back from Mad City that night. Even Joy Lynn White 1997 The Lucky Ones was gobble gobble gobble but sometimes that happens in life, what looks good for a buck may sound like a turd when you play it once and then donate it back to whoever can stand listening to it.

For 2012, I was very careful not to overspend on Turds of 2012 but there was a few and there's a album that had a right idea but wrong concept or tried to be everything to everybody and ended up being neither.  I may catch hell from some of the faithful but since we made it difficult for the trolls to post here we can speak our minds and defend it.  Anonymous readers you really can't.   It would be EZ to put Nicki No Talent's crappy assed album at number 1 and smirk our way to the bank but since I didn't buy it, nor intend to, she won't have to worry about having the Turd of 2012.  Justin Bieber and One Direction gets a pass as well, they're pop and boy bands for the younger generation and I'm some old fuck yelling that people to get off my lawn.  The ones I bought weren't total turds, just disappointments or a failed attempt to be popular.  However some might enjoy them better than I did but for these ears, they ended up being Turds of 2012.


Love And Theft (RCA)  Consider this to be the Turd of the year although Angel Eyes is a good country single.  World Wide Open showed promise but somewhere along the way Disney dropped them, they lost a member and became a duo and then signed with Sony Nashville to make a country about Girls Like To Shake It and Girls Look Hot In Trucks although the former was goober fun, the latter was total country sellout.  Plus they had too many ballads in a row for me to really care anymore about them.  They are a step up from Luke Bryan or Colt Ford though.

ZZ Top-La Futura (Def America)  This was supposed to be a return to down and greasy Texas boogie days before Gimmee All Your Lovin and Legs turn them into classic rock stars and Rick Rubin was going to be the savior.  I do admit it sounds like the early ZZ Top daze but the problem was none of the songs stood out for me, it sounded like the same old song repeated over and over.  The best tracks were the bonus tracks that you could get at Best Buy.  The record tanked even though most of the reviews were favorable.  Plus it recorded way too loud and the usually reliable Joe Hardy gets blamed for that.  Nevertheless classic rock and modern rock radio ignored it too.  Plus it was in one of those lousy digipacks that you couldn't get out of the damn pack since they stuck it in the middle of the crapcase.  A wasted time for everybody.

BLOC PARTY-Four (Vice)  Pitchfork got it right calling this boring.  The last song on the album was the best, everything else was either a uninspired Nirvana or Pavement ripoff.

JOE WALSH-Analog Man (Fantasy)  Another hyped up album, this time getting Jeff Lynne to produce it to make it sound it was recorded back in 1992 rather than 2012 and another crappy assed digipack format to boot.  I love Joe Walsh's early stuff, his James Gang stuff and even some of the Eagles stuff but the last good album he did was 1988 Got Any Gum?  Lotta people seem to like this better than that album and Ordinary Average Guy or Songs For A Dying Planet, neither one I bought or heard.  Alas the best songs were on the deluxe edition, would have loved to hear his jam with Little Richard over Funk 50.

The Main-Pioneer (Action Theory)  Black And White struck a chord with me, especially after the passing of one my best friends last year and it remains a close to heart album even though it was new modern rock and radio didn't play it much, so I decided to chance it on their last album Pioneer which came out two days before the new year and therefore wasn't eligible for the Turds of 2011. The Maine comes from Tempe Arizona home of the beloved Gin Blossoms and respected Jimmy Eat World to which The Maine is more of the latter than the former.  Guess you can call this the new Emo since it sounds like Jimmy Eat World but with more Emo.  Should have been less.

THE WHY? STORE-VIN (Rocket Science)  Chris Shaffer made two damn good albums for Way Cool/MCA in the 1990s.  This time out he goes for the hippie dippy and fails.

after this comes the disappointments although the albums have their moments.

Aerosmith-Music From Another Dimension (Columbia)  Not a turd but more of a turd in marketing and trying to be everything to everybody like my post of So It Goes Aerosmith was talking about.  If you don't include Honkin On Bobo, it's their best since Pump, better than Get A Grip but I think Steven Tyler's American Idol residency made this more of a pop album than all balls out effort.  I'm also sure that it was Steven that decided that Carrie Underwood needed to be the female counterpoint rather than somebody with a more rocking sense, would have been a great time to tap a unknown or up and comer like Samantha Fish to duet.  I'm sure it was Tyler's idea to tack on a crappy Diane Warren ballad to boot as well although the Desmond Child penned Another Last Goodbye works in a strange way.   Perhaps he should have saved those songs for his solo album to which he's too scared to put out on his own judging by the failures of his singles that came out that nobody bought, or heard.  Whatever the case this may have been their final goodbye for Columbia and Sony Music.  But I like the cover art though.

Joe Cocker-Hard Knocks (429/Savoy)  Everybody loves Joe Cocker but Matt Sereltic was poor choice of producer and he stuck Joe with some subpar ballads but Cocker can still sing and still scream with the best of them when he puts his heart and soul to it.

Ministry Relapse (ATM) I actually like Gouldiggers, and his new term of a drug called Croak on the beginning of Freefall shows he has a wicked sense of humor but the video for Ghouldiggers is so awful that Mark Prindle disowned the whole album, basically if you see the videos you'll know the reason why this CD made the Turkey's of 2012.  Modern rock radio doesn't play Ministry anyway, they're not Cumulus approved, but have you looked at Al Jorgensen lately?  You'd be running away screaming too, the perfect definition of a creepy old man.

Finally the crappy digipacks that the Beach Boys Reissues came in, the crappy digipacks that house the Dave Matthews Band album and Led Zeppelin and Neil Young 2 CD sets. If you going to simulate an album, then put it out on regular album rather than give us these cheaply made digipacks that scratch the CD up.  This is why a lotta people quit buying music.  Shitty Packaging will do that.

Happy Thanksgiving. Gobble Gobble Gobble.

Top Ten Of The Week-It's All Country

 Taking this Top Ten Of The Week off.  This week's guest is the Brat as we attempt to do an all country top ten for a change of pace.

1. Wichita Lineman by Dwight Yoakam - I'm not really fond of Glen Campbell. Don't mind I'm a Rhinestone Cowboy by Glen. Otherwise, I like Dwight's version.

2. Why Me Lord by Kris Kristofferson - Not much of a fan of Kris' music, but I do love this song and love him in movies.

3. The Boys Are Back by The Oak Ridge Boys - A four part harmony off one of their last CD's. My Mom saw them in concert, to which they opened with this song. My Mom said that Shooter Jennings wrote this song. I've been listening to The Oaks since 1981 when their tape Fancy Free came out. Poor cassette, I wore it out, replaced it with a CD.

4. I Believe In Love by Don Williams - I'm starting to think the whole world needs to listen to this with all the shootings and abuse of people and animals that seems to go on.

5. Lost In The 50's Tonight by Ronnie Milsap - I happen to love not only Classic Country, but the Oldies as well. So this is a 2 for 1 special.

6. Thank God For The Radio by The Kendalls - A father / daughter duo. I agree with this song, this is how I learn what's going on in the music world.

7. Hillbilly Bone by Blake Shelton / Trace Adkins - Kinda funny how they pick on folks who don't listen to country.

8. Man In Black by Johnny Cash - I once got asked growing up if I was trying to be like Johnny Cash always wearing black. Well, I still love wearing black 20 years ago or so, so guess you coulds say I guess so!

9. Country Roads by John Denver - My Grandpa, a man who doesn't care for country music much, always said John and my Uncle Doug look alike.

10. American Soldier & Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue by Toby Keith / Born Free by Kid Rock / American Boy by Eddie Rabbit - All of these songs are a tribute to the Men and Women in the Military who are at homes with their families. And those who are across seas who can't be with us. As they say in Military talk: Hooorah!

Bonus songs:

Cattle Call by Eddy Arnold
Luckenbach Texas by Waylon Jennings
Crying by Roy Orbison and K.D. Lang
Common Man by John Conlee
Hillbilly Rock by Marty Stuart
Wasted Days and Wasted Nights by Freddy Fender

If you ever go to Nashville, Tennessee, do the General Jackson lunch or dinner cruise. There's some live performances done. There's a guy by the name of Roger Francis who is blind who does impressions of country singers, and does a good job.

Crabby Add Ons:

Monday while discussing the all country top ten, I tossed a few ideas at The Brat and artists and this what she came up with.  There was some oddball songs that I came across that may have fit this ten of the week.

Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way-1998  Leftover Salmon with Waylon Jennings from their Nashville Sessions CD that came out on the Disney owned Hollywood label.  Leftover Salmon is considered a jam band and I came across this cd at the pawnshop and played it once and filed it away but a second listen revealed that they had plenty of guest stars and Waylon was one of them.  This is more of a bluegrass type of number.

Chattahoocie-Alan Jackson 1992  From 16 Greatest Hits:  I'm wasn't a big AJ fan then but I'm moreorless enjoying his music now since New Country is all about Trucks and Babes Shaking it or Boom Boom Speakers  20 years ago this was new country and I think KHAcK plays it from time to time, I know the Dyserville station plays it.  Jackson's latest got nil play but it remains more real country than anything Dustin Lynch or pontoon head Brantley Gilbert has on the radio.

And finally The Weight by Marty Stuart and the Staple Singers which was featured on a Stuart comp of duets Compardres which was the final Universal South album that came out in 2007 and found at Pawn America last year.  The amazing fact reveals that Marty Stuart is the true keeper of real country music and has been trying to preserve it as best as he can but he is a lover a all types of music. Kinda like Ricky Skaggs.  The CD even goes way back when a teenaged Stuart was playing wild mandolin on a live Lester Flatt show and then his greatest country moments was when he was with MCA in the early 90s but later concept albums fell out of favor even though he made a one off classic for Sony Music in 2003 and then Soul's Chapel for Universal South a few years later.  A true country visionary, that's Marty.

As always thanks be to The Brat for this top ten.

Link of the day, how much music is enough?  http://www.npr.org/blogs/allsongs/2012/11/21/165567394/we-get-mail-how-much-music-is-too-much-music?sc=tw&cc=twmp

Music Reviews: Kid Rock, Uncle Kracker

This week's new music features two new ones from Detroit's very own Kid Rock and the dude that put Hale Michigan on the map Mr. Uncle Kracker.  After two recordings with Rick Rubin, Kid Rock self produced his latest Rebel Soul and it's a more sleazy return to his more rocking roots so to speak.  Uncle Kracker on the other hand has changed labels over to Sugar Hill and has tapped Keith Stegall to produce it to an attempt to become a crossover country artist.  But instead of me giving you the review, this week's guest host The Brat (aka Sassy Passey) returns to Crabbland for her viewpoint on the two new albums.

She submitted the reviews via Facebook.  I also ran a few ideas for the next top ten and she came up with her own version of this week's top ten, since I was kinda burned out from last week's big top ten to which all that sprucing up and adding pics and songs from You Tube didn't add much viewership.  The top ten will appear in its usual Wed slot.  And then I return for a Thanksgiving Turkey Shoot blog. 

And now Miss Sassy Brat.

I have 2 new CD reviews for you. Kid Rock Rebel Soul which came out today. And Uncle Kracker Midnight Special which came out last week. As Mr. Crabby Pants would say, my 2 boyfriends. Sorry Crabby, you keep forgetting my others are Blake Shelton, Trace Adkins, and the men from NCIS.

Kid Rock, who seemed to do pretty good with not really having a Parental Advisory CD out in a while, last 2 CD's really wasn't bad. Out of 14 songs on this CD, there's 2 songs I don't like much, Chickens In The Pen and Cucci Galore. Cucci Galore is the first released track off the CD to hit the airwaves, and there is a video as well.

Kid Rock pulled off some tunes that are some good rock, and some going between good rock sorta dippin into the country music feel but not so much country. My favorite song off the CD, "Detroit, Michigan" not only because it's where I'm from, but some good people named in the song. People like Aretha Franklin, Slim Shady (aka Eminem), Bob Seager, Rosa Parks, The Supremes, Henry Ford, Boston Pops, and George P-Funk All Stars. Nothing like a little name dropping. Kid Rock did really on this song. I'm sure eventually I'll get use to the 2 songs I don't care for, but for me to like 12 out of 14 songs off a CD right off the bat is very slim. It's worth a listen, and it is on ITunes. Myself, I got mine at Best Buy, wanted the actual copy. All but 1 song was either written or co-written by Kid Rock, some songs were even co-written with Uncle Kracker. It also shows Kid Rock & The Twisted Brown Trucker Band in the back. Good job Kid Rock on a great CD. I knew if I waited long enough, I'd get a great one out of you.


Now onto Uncle Kracker. Now, remember what I just said about me like most songs off a CD for Kid Rock's CD? Well, Uncle Kracker tops all people I've ever listened to, and I love many singers/groups, he is the only one that got me to like an entire CD. I find that rare that Uncle Kracker, out 11 songs, the 11th song being a duet with Sonia Lee, this is a for sure listen. A couple of the songs made me remember the good country that was out, as in Eddy Arnold, Ricky Van Shelton, Don Williams, and Conway Twitty good. Not so much the twang like they did, but the good stuff. John Mellencamp, Hank Williams Jr., Kid Rock and Don Williams are said in a couple songs. I think the song "Four Letter Word" will make Crabby laugh, because I know many times he would love to of flipped me off a few times like a line in the song. lol All songs were either written or co-written by Uncle Kracker (or his brother Mike which has written songs with Uncle Kracker and Kid Rock on prior CD's). I think Uncle Kracker did well on this CD.

Both CD's, I'd give an A. Can't give an A+ because both are too damn good looking!

My City Is Gone-Marion Iowa

Have you been to Marion Iowa recently?  It's a clusterfuck.

I grew up in Marion during my formative years.  Downtown used to have it all, Marion TV and Records, A Goodwill or a Salvation Army at one time or another, Town Square Bookstore, Ole's Ham And Egger and the trains went through town.  It really was a pretty place back then.  Plenty of memories.

Even after graduation I managed to hang another 12 years except a 5 month trial run in Chandler Arizona.  For Sunday nights I'd go out walking around the town, beginning at home and through downtown all the way to Thomas park and then around the Football stadium on the old Starry walk that led to a trail leading to 10th street, then to Marion Heights Shopping Center and then past the High school.  And then managing to walk on to Town's Edge Shopping Center across the highway to a stop at the old 24 hr Me Too before returning home via Longfellow School.  It's a big walk but took about 2 hours to complete.  I don't usually do it on a full time basis but did when I felt like it.  Always seemed to get pulled over by the Marion Cops either by the Football Stadium or on the Industrial Road to 35th Street.

The railroad was a fun adventure.  There was time I'd sneak thru the railyard of the old Milwaukee Road.  One night me and three other friends managed to hang in the old Katz Salvage (now Marion Iron Works) and somebody pulled the airbrake on a rail car and we all scrambled to get the hell out and not get caught. For a rare time I managed to scare over that ugly old green fence by 7th Avenue but my other friends weren't so lucky.  However Mr Johnson, the crusty old train detective caught me a couple times, alas I got into it with him one day in 1978,  A group of kids were further down the tracks, while I was close by the road to Coast To Coast and the fat fuck chased me over in his car to the Dairy Queen where I raised holy hell with him, about why didn't he go after the other group of kids deeper in the yard, perhaps he thought I was EZ pickings?  Fuck that and fuck him he had a crazy kid on his case and he never bothered me again.  Ah memories.

The last train went through town around 1985 and the rail yard was no more.  The old train route leading into Cedar Rapids, part of it has now been turned into part of a new walking trail although they fenced off the bridge over Indian Creek.  For the first time in 20 years this weekend I decided to trace my old walking route when I lived in town.  They tore down the 7th street Viaduct, located behind Country Kitchen.  Thomas Park used to have the old Swimming Pool that I used to go to when I was in high school, that's gone now but they have some new walking trails that go far into the new Menard's and places further into Cedar Rapids.  I'm sure it will all connect to the Sac N Fox trail but I probably be alive to see that take place.

Downtown Marion is a mess.  Sixth Avenue used to be a gravel road from the old post office out to where the old King's Ready Mix used to be, now they got that paved and put a stop light in front of the library as if the city of Marion thinks there's going to be more business coming their way.   The strip mall that they put in to replace the old buildings and places that used to be a big part of my life has been a fucking joke from day one.  Businesses that do come in there simply don't stay there very long except for Tomaso's Pizza and Huntington's Restaurant to which I refuse to eat at.  The recently new Marion mayor beat one of the Good Old Boys up there but had to contend with the same yahoos that pretty much messed up the town for their own projects.  I don't think much of the Marion Mayor either, he wouldn't allow us to use his garbage can to throw some things out one day, even if you offered a few bucks for the trouble, basically another in it for themselves fool stool.    Anyway, they been fucking up Marion 's Road to divert traffic from 7th to 6th Avenue but I don't see that working.

I'm still a part of that town even though I live out in the country. Best pizza place is Naso's and you have Villa's Patio a couple doors down for Mexican.  Pizza Ranch is where the old Union Hall is at and I can be found there from time to time.  But sad to say Legend Lanes, the old Marion Bowling alley to which I spent many a youth and quarters playing pinball will be the thing of the past, they got bought out by the Marion Committee to put up more parking space for the worthless CVS Drugstore that nobody goes in.  Town's Edge Motors, the inspiration for Town's Edge Rock and the Townedgers are long gone, so is May's Drugs and Fleetway too.  The only decent Hardee's closed up once and for all, then got torn down in favor of the CVS and a Credit Union.

Things are now history, the old baseball field behind Town's Edge Motors long gone, Chicago Northwestern Railroad got bought out by Union Pacific and they moved the trains down to that railway past the Nature Center to where I spend more time out there than on the old Marion walking trails.  Funny how I walk on the Thomas Park trail to the old train bridge that used to be all woods and great places to find old rusty beer cans to which I still have two of them.  People say that today is the best of times but I disagree that our childhood was anything but bland before the days of the internet and I and Smartphones.  I think we did very well with plenty of imagination and a sense of wonder.

But the new Marion, isn't my town anymore.  My town is gone.
http://www.marioncentralcorridor.com/

Singles Going Steady Plus 8

We could probably do this Singles Going Steady for another 800 times and still come up with interesting stuff from the past.  If you think about it, even in the four decades of 45s there's no shortage of singles and their impact on modern society.  Thanks so much to Bob at Ragged Records for letting me hang in the music room although last week I didn't buy any 45s.  But I did come across some at Half Priced Books.  You'll never guess which ones.

1.  Soul City-Partland Brothers (Manhattan B-50065)  1987  In the era when CDs were a up and coming music storage unit to quote some dude in Classic Rock Chat, The Partland Brothers managed to defy expectations and managed to have this song played on top forty AND KRNA when KRNA introduced a CD only format which kinda blew up in their face.  In 1987 there really wasn't much in terms of CDs out there and there were selected classic rock albums that get released. This was the only hit for the Partland Brothers who stayed north of the border from here on out.  Had their CD Electric Honey once but it wasn't that great outside of Soul City.  Perfect definition of a one hit wonder. Upon a second listen it really has sounded dated and Vini Poncia's production didn't help either. You remember Vini don't ya?  He was the one that made the worst KISS album ever in Unmasked in 1980.

2.  Kind Woman-Buffalo Springfield (Atco 45-6602) 1968  Another single from the Last Time Around album and I might be the only person in town that has both of them. By then Neil Young moved on to a solo career, Steve Stills would join David Crosby and Graham Nash on another and Jim Messina and Richie Furay would start up Poco.  And Bruce Palmer made a strange hippie dippy album that had Rick James screaming on it.

3.  Time Changes Everything-Tommy Duncan (Coral 9-61391)  1954  For swing music you can't beat Bob Wills and the best recording featured Tommy Duncan doing vocals.  Leaving Wills, Duncan did have a somewhat successful career for Coral and later reunited with Wills on various labels. One of many oddball 45s found at Half Priced Books.

4.  Baby Face-Bobby Darin (Atco 45-6236)  1961  One of these days before I retire I would like to make an attempt to do a blog on the life and times of Bobby Darin, who may have been the most hard to figure singers of the rock era.  He also could do finger popping Vegas lounge jazz and then turn around and pay tribute to Ray Charles and then reinvent himself as a folk singer in the late 60s before returning back to the Vegas pop before his heart gave out at age 37 and recorded for Motown.  Jimmie Haskell adds more of a swinging pop beat to the overblown Richard Weis charts that gave him the big hit with Mack The Knife.

5.  Crawling Back-Roy Orbison 1965  He can sing all right but my problem was that Roy got way too melodramatic on his music.  I think there's too much focused on his Monument stuff and not enough on the MGM years to which Rhino did put out a comp of his better known songs for MGM.  This song continues in the vein of Crying or Running Scared and was co written with the late Bill Dees.

6.  Oh Atlanta-Little Feat (Warner Bros WBS 8054)  1974  Heard this on the old G100 radio station before it became KKRQ and later the Cumulus owned FOX to which Little Feat is never played on classic rock radio.  My first introduction to The Feat.

7.  Don't Let Go-Commander Cody (Warner Bros WBS 8073)  1975  Hot Rod Lincoln got the most plays in the radio years but he does a good job on the old Jesse Stone/ Roy Hamilton number.

8.  Your Teenage Dreams-Johnny Mathis (Mercury 72184) 1963  Perhaps the all time best selling mood music artist, you can't escape Mathis albums in the thrift stores or old junkshops to which the old fart that is me is kinda rediscovering over the years.  Another reason why I should stop spending so much time in junkshops eh?  For four years, Mathis did record for Mercury to which this was the first single that he released and I've never heard it and usually singles are scratched up but this one wasn't, despite having no record sleeve to protect it from the elements and more scratches.  It kinda lacks the heavy echo of the Ray Conniff productions of the Columbia albums and I have no idea who Global Productions is, since they tend to pop up on Mercury Recordings.  Don Costa arranged this which sounds somewhat like Ebb Tide, starting nice and mellow before going all bombast at the end.

9.  U Haul Trailer-Cal Cavendish (Westmount WSTM 4508)  1971?  Another oddball find from the local Salvation Army to which I know little about, but Cal seems to be a legend up in Canada. Nicknamed the Mad Manure Bomber, he took to the skies one day and dropped 100 copies of his latest singles and cowpies on downtown Calgary in 1975.  It still didn't crack the top 100.

10.  I Met Her In Church-The Box Tops (Mala 12,017) 1969  Alex Chilton was one of these skewed legends that became one of the best alternative artists of his time but back in the late 60's he was the frontman for The Box Tops which was singing songs from Dan Penn and Spooner Oldham and had some of the finest session players to play on their albums.  Mike Leech would go on to do arrangements for Elvis Presley when the King was still alive, but being a youngster, Chilton has a very mature and soulful voice that didn't show his young years.  In fact a lotta promoters thought he was black.  Famous for Spooner doing a very gospel like piano beginning it actually sounds very gospel as Chilton singing about meeting the love interest at church and a nice and call response on the chorus too.  Didn't do very well on the charts though although KCRG did play it from time to time.  The single had a fade out that was longer than the album itself.  B Side remains on of the definite Box Tops numbers with People Gonna Talk a soul like song that goes into total meltdown with a raucous ending of horns and such a feeling that I'm guessing the other Box Tops got into the feel to sing at the end.  One of the best productions Dan Penn ever did.

Nothing Is Forever

Allow me to come back into your life.

Aerosmith's new album pops in at a disappointing number 5 on the Billboards this week, Taylor Swift continues to stay number one with Red, her tribute to Sammy Hagar.

I haven't been a very good frame of mind this week, basically my age is beginning to interfere in the things that I like to do or try to do at work.  I don't know about y'all out there but I don't think anybody out there farts more than I do, and it has beginning to annoy and irritate me to the point that I may never try the dating scene anymore.  Hell I can't stay around anybody at work without the usual toot tooting at every pace.  Plus my wonderful thumbs crack when I move them. Pass the gun please, I'm tired of dealing with my body continue to rage war in me.  Feels like I have my own Gaza inside my state bombing me every other time.

As I approach the December 30th posting of how to plot my farewell to the top ten, I also let slip that starting next year the bargain hunts that have been a big part of this life for the past 15 years may finally come to an end, thus setting a panic to the folks at Half Priced Books and record stores across the 250 mile radius of here that it may finally happen after hinting at it when I turned 50.  I told the HP owner that I wouldn't worry too much about that, since they were in town I still be calling it my second home.  It might mean that the folk in Madison or Davenport won't see the big nose and stuffy attitude and the guts working overtime anymore but as I take a look at what I have bought the past couple years it's safe to say that I may have finally become satisfied of what I found and for the most part can live with what I have.  I'm sure the folks at the Salvation Army will still see plenty of myself, Goodwill I'm not sure of, since they have decorated their stores to look more hip than a junk shop, they lost the personality that I come to enjoy when I went there.

If there's a certain CD that I'm looking for, I think I'm more inclined to buy from Collector's Choice Music rather than waste gas going to Best Buy and them not having what I'm looking for.  It's happened so many times that I get fed up with them. But then again nobody buys CDs anymore according to the other crabby old fuck that everybody reads online.  Half Priced Books seems to have better luck getting new releases used or promos anyway.  BTW, I did a write up on Shemekia Copeland's latest album 33 1/3 on the Consortium site and got more views on that than the Asia or Green Day write up.  Guess people still care about the blues.  And that gives me hope for music in the future although you won't her new album on radio unless it's KCCK or Blues Avenue on KUNI if Dumbfuck plays it.  I also finished up hearing the new Oli Brown album Here I Am on Ruf Records and it turns out Brown hails from the UK and not New Zealand as I falsely reported a while back.  I'm beginning to be the Harry Carey of music blog, I keep fucking up facts and stats and probably a good reason for me to ride into the sunset.  It's Oli Brown's third album for Thomas Ruf's label and thank God that Thomas Ruf still has the love of the blues to finance these albums.  Of course you won't find them at Best Buy, you have to look deep into the serious record stores in your area.  Good luck finding them although I'm sure you know where they are at.  Coming next year Devon Allman records his first solo album for Ruf  Records and will feature Samantha Fish on vocals on a couple tracks.  I'm sure Sam Fish will have a new record coming out in 2013, hopefully she will.  Both Brown and Fish are up and coming blues players, Brown getting mucho kudos and awards from the other side of the pond.

Hard to believe Thanksgiving is next week, I have lost track of the time and month it seems.  So Saturday might be the Iowa City bargain hunt weather permitting.  But still need to make a move on putting together a best of 2012 and perhaps another Singles going steady series before the year is out.  And hoping that we have another mild winter as well, even though my good friend Willard wants the snow for his Christmas settings to which he's been busy putting out all this week.

As always thanks for your support.  The ratings should be better than last month but don't hold your breath, you might end up turning blue.

Top Ten Of The Week-More Of The Same Cuz You Love It!

Winds of change blowing here,  18 above as I write this.  I don't think there's much change in the top ten since I been listening to the new Aerosmith and more Frank Zappa reissues that the top ten is in danger of repeating itself again.   Hopefully I can try to add a bit more different artists into the fray.  BTW Tad and Drew I did read your comments on the new Neil Young CD.  Yep Drew when Neil and the Horse get together expect those long lengthy jams although I'm still shocked that Madison's Public Radio station played the whole 27 minute Driftin Back.  They're not Cumulus owned nor Clear Channel, the way I like it.

Took me six weeks but finally completed listening to the last AZ CD, Bedtime Beats or Sleepy Jazz numbers that came out on Rhino years ago.  I wouldn't say it's putting me to sleep but rather reminds me of being in the lobby of a expensive hotel or resort. All I need is one of them waterfall fountains to make it all complete.

Tad and Rastro have an interesting goings on at this site http://www.fearandloathinginknownspace.blogspot.com/
I think Tad is trying to recover from the box of CDs that I sent him or least from Caveman Rock although I'm positive that Caveman Rock was the inspiration for one of those entries.

1.  ROCK-Garland Jeffreys 1981  He never became much more of a cult artist at best but Garland made some nifty albums for Atlantic, A&M and the glory years at Epic to which he was backed up by members of the famed Rumour and E Street Band for the classic Escape Artist to which should have been a hit.  Garland put a new album earlier this year and I have to find it much less hear it but The Rumour has reunited with Graham Parker for a new album coming out next week.  Getting long in the tooth and old but ain't we all?  Welcome back guys.


2.  Close Enough For Jazz-Van Morrison 2012  No I am not a big Van Morrison fan, got burned out by the overplayed Brown Eyed Girl or Domino and you think that's the only things Van ever did but he's been around forever and continue to do things his way.  His new album Born To Sing No Plan B does a lotta old man talk bitching about pseudo jazzers and materialism and good thing he included the lyrics with this album, can't understand what the hell he was saying half the time.  Nevertheless it's a pretty good album and I don't think Van ever did a bad album, I still have issues with Astral Weeks although Starman likes that album much more than I ever did.  Of course Van sings better than Bob, even you and I can sing better than Bobby D but I'll give Morrison credit, he knows his music and he still brings it.  You should own this record too.

 

3.   Howling For My Darling-Albert King 1961  I'm more familiar with the Howling Wolf version but this came out a couple years before the Wolf's during King's less than successful Chess years. Albert had some hits on King Records but he was a journeyman up till he finally settled with Stax Records a few years later and scored a hit with Born Under A Bad Sign with Booker T and the MGs backing him up.  The CD of this I got in Dubuque was scratched and didn't play but a fly by night import label Folio partnered up with Universal to issue certain Chess albums to which Door To Door got reissued but the liner notes of who played what are nonexistent. I just might keep the US version booklet since it's better detailed (though not by much).  George Thorogood covered this years later.

4.  Sunless Saturday-Fishbone 1993  Black rock and roll actually, though Fishbone owed a lot to Ska and Sly but they threw everybody a curve and played this as a long lost Soundgarden track back when KRNA played this song but not anymore (they don't play black rock and roll on that station unless it's Cult Of Personality by Living Colour).  Sounded more prog rockish than grunge and Fishbone could do it all, which was also their downfall.


5. Revenoor Man-George Jones  1959  George may have been country honky tonk but he had a bit of rockabilly in him as this little rocking tune showed the masses to which the Beat Farmers did a cover of said song, finding it on CD is another story.  It didn't make the 2 CD Anthology that Polygram put out but it did appear on the cheaper comp, The Mercury Years.  I found the stereo version of The Novelty Side Of George at my second home over the weekend and the problem is it was the fake stereo which means mono on one side of the speaker and reverb on the other.  It's one of my favorite George Jones songs.  Written by one Donnie Young who you would all know later as Johnny Paycheck.  Young also sings background on this number.  

6.  Trouser Press-The Bonzo Dog Band 1968  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xoWs8ER6PJo
You're so savage Roger.  Esctasy Dude.  Predates Monty Python but it was so great that there was a magazine named after this song.  Of course it came from the UK. You wouldn't expect that here in the US with Donald Trump taking up precious time and breath with his bullshit.  Press those trousers Donald.

7.  Heart And Soul-The Monkees 1988  The best song off that crappy comeback album they did for Rhino Pool It! to which somebody at Friday Music thought so highly of that they reissued it and added a bonus DVD.  Plenty of horror stories behind this one,  They wanted Nick Lowe or Dave Edmunds to produce this, both refused and they ended up getting the engineer who also produced The Rumour but the songs that the Monkees were given were terrible.  This song did get a bit of airplay although I don't recall it much nor the video for this. A wasted opportunity although it was the best selling original album that Rhino put out.  Mike Nesmith would return to help them on the 1996 Justus album, which was better sounding but sold less.

8. Psychedelic Pill-Neil Young/Crazy Horse 2012   A holdover from last week's top ten and besides his birthday was Tuesday as well.  Two versions appear on the new album, I think we'll go with the alternative take since it's more straightforward rock and roll, which is what they do best. Over 60 and they still play like their 34 (or younger).
 



 9.  Slow Turning-John Hiatt 1988  For somebody who only a passing interest in his music I seem to have lots of his albums on the shelf, of course that's what happens when you go diving in the bargain bins the past few years.  Long time ago, 3 Dog Night covered Sure As I'm Sitting Here and that started a long and winding career for Mr. Hiatt who continues to record, he has a new album out which I haven't heard. Seems like anything New West puts on CD they have to include it in crappy digipaks. Geffen had no clue how to market him so they cast him aside and he went to A&M to what I consider his classic years, Bring The Family despite an all star lineup was lackluster mostly  but Slow Turning, the album Hiatt hooked up with Sonny Landreth and the Goners and the results was much better.  The title track got plenty of airplay on the legendary 99+. KFMH, Captain Steve Bridges was known to play a John Hiatt block set from time to time. Bridges wold later move over to KCJJ where he still can be heard. Sadly KFMH became a crappy country station and now is one of many shit stations owned by Cumulus.  The decline of radio to the bottom of the outhouse.



10.  Hallelujah-John Cale 1991  He's still around, has a new album out and creepy look to boot. I don't know what it is when you turn over 60 that a soul patch or a goatee going to do anything for your career but make you look even more creepier than you actually are.  But then again that's nitpicking on my part.  I couldn't consider growing an old gray brillo pad on the chin and scaring the kids in the hood to GET OFF MY LAWN!  Cale hasn't made an interesting album since the Brian Eno Wrong Way Up over 20 years ago. His finest moment comes from I'm Your Fan Leonard Cohen tribute album to which was used in the sad part of the original Shrek scene to which Donkey meets the wronged Dragon and patches things up eventually.  Jeff Buckley probably had more people liking his version of the Leonard Cohen number but I thought it was too over the top.  Cale's version remains the definitive. Now if only he shave off those three scrubber hairs off his chin.....







Other scrubbers:

Ugly-Fishbone  1988
Quicksand-Blackbird 1992
Can't Stop Loving You-Aerosmith/Carrie Underwood 2012
Idiot Box-Incubus 1997
Words-The Monkees 1968

Happy trails to INXS who are calling it a day after 35 years of touring but have left the door open for more studio recordings.  I actually liked Switch,  the J D Fortune sung album. It's better than the last album to which different vocalists tried their hand at singing Mike Hutchence's songs which did not work.  The go to albums remain Listen Like Thieves and the Rhino Best of, Kick has never been one of my favorite albums anyway.


RIP Denna Kelly fellow classmate who was in 6th grade with me at Longfellow in Marion. She was like a tomboy, very brash very bratty at times.  I recall one particular day that I was selling scratchy records at a garage sale and she made a comment that she was going to be my girlfriend.  They usually say that at one time or another but nothing really happened.  Last time I saw her was at Family Dollar and she was working the cash register and we talked a good while.  She would eventually find a better job and later moved to Belle Plaine.  She will be missed.

Crabb Bits: Neil Young Birthday, Boycotting Things

Some observations for ya.  I was going go do my Monday afternoon walk before work but it's too cold.  25 degrees and a NW wind at 30 MPH with a wind chill of 8 above?  Saturday we had 70 degree temps and nice walk by the Mississippi, today cranking up the heat here.

Happy Birthday to Neil Young whose latest album with Crazy Horse made it up to number 8 on the Billboard top 200 and will be sinking like a stone soon afterwards.  I finally got through the rest of Psychedelic Pill and it's one long constant jam with three songs popping over 16 minutes, the grand statement of 27 minutes of Driftin Back.  I did like Walk Like A Giant till Young decided to extend the ending by about 10 minutes too long.  Too bad back in 1977 he couldn't extend Like  A Hurricane to such epic proportions, he'd probably made that a 40 minute freakout.  Two different versions of the title track isn't that bad I imagine, the alt take leaves out all that flanger effects.  Kinda wished Neil would have went with shorter songs but still Psych Pill is a better effort than Americana although I'm thinking it's more of a strong B plus or weak A minus for a final grade.  In honor of Neil's birthday I'll go with his 2002 Are You Passionate? record made with Booker T and the late great Duck Dunn playing together. Neil is 67 years Young.

The big mushroom cloud you saw on Twitter last night was a interesting conversation between me and some dude and a radical liberal trading points and insults about boycotting Applebee's or Papa Johns Pizza.  The guessing comes from a story that Papa John can't afford to give health insurance to his employees but rather have us taxpayers pay for it so he continue to support and put his name on NASCAR races and flood NFL games with Papa Johns commercials.  The radical liberal was telling me that the dude disagreeing with me about boycotting Applebee's was an Applebee's CEO in disguise but I kinda doubt that although you never know, they just might be.  The Applebee's supporter mentioned about sorry about my bad experience eating there (which may have been the tip off he was a Applebee's CEO...maybe) but it wasn't at his place.  To which I said no, your place is too far away.  And after I went to bed the flaming liberal dropped a few f bombs on the Applebee's supporter.   Drama at the highest level. 

In terms of boycotting an Applebees or Papa Johns that's up the consumer.  I might have a difference of opinion if I worked at either one, the former I ate at and a couple times I had to run to the toiley simply of the fact that the old body doesn't work like it used to about 20 years ago when I could eat a whole plate of pasta and not having to worry about Montezuma's Revenge.  I do get suspicious when Papa John complains he can't afford to pay health care to his employees whereas he makes all these commercials and finances NASCAR races, and can't afford to buy the expensive cars that he likes to tout in his specials.  Papa Johns in the house?  Not here, not ever.

Less said about Donald Trump the better.  I know the Whore-monger attention loving idiot wants to start a new revolution with his rich cronies but does he remember history about rich folks and revolutions?  They seem to lose their heads in the process.  I have no use for Trump, he's scum, his shows are shit and anybody that sponsors his reality crap series need to be boycotted as well.  Let me know when he dies so I go dance and take a dump on his grave. 

When I read Billboard or the Daily Double, I still wonder who the hell is Robbie Williams?  He seems to be very popular across the pond but over here, he's in the dollar bins.

Speaking of Boycotting:   I haven't listen to Backtracks, the KUNI Saturday Night showcase since Bob Dorr quit being friends with me but I haven't taken down my tribute to his show back in March and I saw one of the readers was reading that blog today.  He does a great job picking the music,  he also gives himself too much credit for doing that too.

With seven more top tens to go and the annual Best Of 2012 forthcoming, I'm really beginning to run out of ideas to try to make the Crabb site a place to be in Music Reviews and Research.  And trying to stay committed to finish the year out with fresh reviews and top tens without doing repeats of past top tens.  But then again there's not much difference between the new and repeats.  But every trip to Madison or Davenport does have moments of worth nothing.  At least for me.  Whatever the case the 2009 Best Ofs seem to continue to get the most viewed (for God's sake read the 2011 version), perhaps the humor was more funnier than the 2011, who knows.  I been known to take the ratings that Blogspot has up way too seriously even though we on the decline for less readers again this month.  And to sum up the Madison Bargain hunt this time out, very disappointing for CDs, most found at PawnAmerica sucked.  But hey I got a jewel case to replaced the cracked ones in the collection.

Things found over the weekend.

Sparks-Angst In My Pants (Ragged Records)
Luna-Pup Tent (Ragged Records)
Mason Profit-Rockfish Crossing (Ragged Records)
Essential Fishbone (Co Op Moline)
Operation Ivy (HP Books)
Herb Alpert-Whipped Cream And Other Delights Reissue (HP Books)
Neil Young-Are You Passionate? (Co Op Moline)

Saturday Night At The Co Op

Davenport 11-10-12

This wasn't November weather in Iowa as we knew it.  It was 70 degrees with a warm southerly breeze coming off the big muddy Mississippi when I did a nightly walk on the riverfront.  It was too nice of a day to spend it watching shitty Iowa Hawkeye football and even after a week after the disappointing Madison bargain hunts I figured since the weather isn't going to be this nice much longer may as well enjoy myself.

They were playing Christmas music off the Mix 95 station out of the Quad Cities at the Salvation Army which meant I wasn't going to stay there very long.  GD the Cumulus/Clear Channel outlets that play Christmas music before Thanksgiving.  It's also not good practice to go to the Salvation Army during a Saturday afternoon, hearing some spoiled rotten brat scream and cry and controlling Mommy and Daddy bout what she wants.  Basically it's a pain in the ass trying to sort all the crappy LPs that nobody cares about, Eddy Howard, Mitch Miller (he actually recorded for Decca Records in the mid 60s and that Peace Sing Along album that Atlantic put out), Montavini, Lawrence Welk, nobody wants that anymore. Unless your Grandparents are still alive.  A Mandrill album was missing one album of a two record set.  There was a decent John Mellencamp The Lonesome Jubilee on vinyl which I passed.

I'm sure Bob Herrington at Ragged Records was wondering I didn't take my position in the 45's room this time out since I didn't go there this time out but found a Mason Profit and Sparks Angst In My Pants on CD and Luna Pup Tent as well.  He was fighting a cold so didn't spend too much time there.  Of course going out to the car, they were having an outdoor Christmas Jazz Showcase in the park after I did my Riverfront walk but I wasn't about to stick around hearing Xmas music. Too warm and not in the mood for it.  So I went across the river to Co Op in Moline.

It used to be a record store was busy on a Saturday Night.  For a moment I thought Co Op was closed since there was no cars in the parking lot and only a kid watching a football game on a smart phone was at the doorstep.  I don't know what CD the dude up there was playing but it sure sucked the first time I heard it.  Then he played it again.  Had some mohawk haired dude getting in my way while I was going through the used bins but he disappeared after awhile.  Didn't break my heart when he left.  But during that venture, I was there by myself with the record clerk up there, probably wishing he was somewhere else but he had a big big bunch of LPs stacked against the wall and the new Green Day Dos! all ready to go but he wouldn't sell me a copy.  Come back Tuesday he said.  Don't think so Charlie, I won't be back till sometime next year. 

Back to the riverfront, back to walking by the river, running across a couple having a big makeout session. Looked like she was giving a BJ out in the open, I scurried on, really didn't want to know anymore, maybe they got a room and finished the job eh?  Since I ate at Cracker Barrel last weekend, I thought I try out Golden Corral for buffet.  Too expensive  and it sounded like a good idea at the time but the either the gravy or the rice was too damn salty.  The saute' mushrooms were tasty though.

The trip to Davenport  I took the long way to stop and pay respects to Mark Lasack who passed away last year and Ben Scheer who's been gone from here for over 5 years. It boggles the mind how time flies in the case of Ben who is the stepson of my best friend Russ.  He was killed in a freak accident at some mine in Arizona years ago.  His mom spared no expense, his graveyard marker is nice looking, so is Mark's who has a picture of him fishing somewhere.  I think working on the piece of shit printers we had at work had a lot to do with his heart attack last year.  And some days those GD printers will make me have a heart attack of my own.  I do miss Mark and Ben, they were great guys.

Books A Million I bought Ace Frehley's Autobiography for 7 bucks and a Neil Diamond book from David wild for 4.  BAM replaced the Borders in Davenport and Dubuque.  Kinda wished that a Half Priced Bookstore would be in the Quad Cities but thank God there isn't.  I spend way too much time in the one back home. 

I been hearing rumors that Mark Knopfler has been kicking Bob Dylan's ass in the concerts that they have been playing. People are really complaining that Dylan cannot sing and that he has made his best known songs sound unrecognizable and God awful.  Which is why I didn't do the Madison show, way things were going I would have stayed for the opening act Mark and then when Bob came on stage leave for home.  Maybe it's time for Dylan to hang it up.

Or at least make a honest effort to sing.

Which Bob can't do anymore.

Better Living Through Record Research

I haven't commented much on the elections, but to recap Obama gets a second term.  I voted for him, thought he was much believable than Milt and hopefully can get a congress that will work with him instead of obstructing like they have been the past two years.  I was glad I could go up to Madison and throw in my support for Tammy Baldwin, the gay female democrat that beat blowhard and ex Governor Tommy Thompson for a seat but still Wisconsin has a GOP majority which means they have to suffer through blowhard Scott Fitzgerald and of course Paul Ryan back in his old chair.  I was also glad to see Tammy Duckworth kick dead beat dad and ex GOP Fool Joe Walsh out of his seat in the Illinois Senate, and Clare McCaskill whopping dumbass Todd Akin in Missouri.  Best of all, Elizabeth Warren defeating Scott Brown, a fine day and wins for all women tired of the GOP crapola about rape and restricting women's rights.  On the negative side the world is stuck with Michelle Batshit Crazy Bachmann although Jim Graves gave his all and of course what we wouldn't do without another term from the 4th district jester Steve King. I try not to claim myself as a flaming liberal but I have yet to find a decent GOP person out there, maybe Tom Latham, he seems to be the less controversial than King, Latham defeated Leonard Boswell in the election.  And I really don't mind Scott Walker, at least I can go walking through the Wisconsin Capitol Rotunda and not get patted down every other step of the way.  Can't do that in Des Moines but then again it's much harder getting through the traffic there just to do that.  Besides Madison is closer.

The Cds that I found in the dollar bins up in Mad City were pretty bad.  Ethyl Meatplow Happy Days Sweetheart (Dali 1993) sounds like the B 52's mesh with 9 inch nails and it's half listenable half not.  I couldn't find a single track to listen to Gomer Rock And Roll Always Forgets (2006 independent) to which they use one of those cheap keyboards with the buttons that play the chords.  Total garbage.  Joy Lynn White-The Lucky Few (Little Dog 1997) features a okay duet with Dwight Yoakam and help from Pete Anderson but she has a voice that grates on my nerves and I couldn't finish listening to the rest of that album.  In the end the best finds were Nitty Gritty Dirt Band-Uncle Charlie And His Dog (EMI Canada 1970) or Lou Gramm-Long Hard Look (Atlantic 1989).  Our final parting gift from the Exclusive Company was the forgettable Billy Burnette Coming Home (Capricorn 1994) which bombed.  For vinyl I found the 2 LP Pardon My Blooper (K Tel 1974) which we had on 8 track years ago, basically Kermit Schafer's collection of radio and TV bloopers that are still funny in spots and Garland Jefferys Rock n Roll Adult (Epic 1981).  Another oddball find was Tom Patchett and Jay Tarses' Instant Replay (Two Sides Of Football) (Decca 1971), an uneven comedy album about football although their Harold Hardsell (parody of Howard Cosell) segments are spot on.  Unlike last year's fall finds which had some great finds, this year's was disappointing but I still enjoyed making the trip and the anticipation of finding certain things.  Alas, I found more CDs at the Marion Half Priced Bookstore than both Madison locations.

The endless playlist that has been a ongoing 20 year thing here when I started looking for anything that was interesting has opened up more than the usual classic rock idealism that I was limiting myself blew up big time when I discovered the pawnshop and they were cheaper and a lot of the titles were obscure then the local Relics or Rock n Bach, back when we had plenty of stores and didn't have to travel  so far.  But it is coming to an end, I really think at this point there's really not much more out there that I haven't discovered or need t to discover.  That most of this year was dedicated to the 45 and thanks to Ragged Records, Salvation Army and HP Books  I managed to replace a lot of the scratched up stuff I played to death over the years.  I'm sure this year will go down as the best year of finding 45s.  But then again I think I said that about 20 times in previous blogs.

I tend to overbuy simply of the fact that its there and if I pass on something, I usually end up regretting that and then making another trip up to Madison or Quad Cities so it's better to get it in sight instead of fucking around and finding it gone if I do make another trip.  I'm also asked of what convinces me to try something in the dollar bins, even though I don't have all that much time to sit down and actually listen to albums.  I have reasons but it's hard to explain.  It all goes from what I bring to work, going from Bobby Darin to Lou Gramm to Alan Parsons Project and to Ethyl Meatplow in one night is a bad case of extremism. Nobody in their right mind would do that, but then as Tad found out the hard way when he got my big box of CDs in the mail that it's usually a typical music setting for me.  Even though Cave Rock might give ya nightmares in the process.  It's not for everybody but it's a peak into the vast wasteland of tunes that I came across in the dollar section.

All my life has situated inside the local record section or music section. Having failed miserably in realtionships 101, working at a job that has financed all of the bargain hunts and wasting more time blogging to it to the world I pretty much resigned to this fate of isolationism of trying to tell the world of a amazing discovery of a CD long away that didn't get much fanfare that turned my life upside down like the Randy Cliffs did with their album. Sometimes that happens, sometimes you get Gomer Rock And Roll Always Forgets and you throw it out with the rest of the trash.  That what happens when I frequent Pawn America. You either find a classic or you find crap.  At least you can replace the jewelcase if need be.

I still hope that someday I could finally open up that music store and play the music that I would like people to check out but I think those days have come and gone.  But at the rate I'm going, I'll end up throwing everything I own and open up a junkshop and live the rest of my years that way.  I'm sure there's more rabid collectors out there looking for that last classic or finding that hard to find album they can sell on ebay and make big bucks.  But I live for the fun of it.  And have been for most of the 52 years of being on this earth.

It's what I do best I do believe.