PLAYLIST: The Bottom

Football season is now in the books and the Iowa Hawkeyes will await to see what early bowl they go to after blowing yet another lead and losing to Nebraska in overtime 34-31 and finishing up 7-5.   A very disappointing year to say the very least, the only games Iowa had any command were the blowout of Northwestern and outlasting Illinois but they lost all of the trophies in their trophy case and basically without experienced linebackers and DBs that could cover was one of the undoings.  That's Football says our fearless Coach for Life.  Maybe so Kirk baby but it also sucked, but since he can't do no wrong, Iowa is stuck with him till 2020, or he gets bought out.  Which is not going happen anytime soon.  Four first half turnovers didn't help and although Jake Rudock finally figured out to throw it to the right WRs and hang on to the ball, the Hawks did lead.  But another weak spot, the special teams, the Dillon Kidd couldn't punt to save his ass and when he did lay a great kick, he out kicked the coverage and Nebraska scored a TD.  He had plenty of practice since they punted 5 times in the second half.  Once again with a lead, the defense didn't do much stopping the just as maligned Nebraska offense either.  A suspect Pass interference call played a role in tying the game, which everybody knew that The Hawkeyes would choke.  And they did, but that's football.  Speaking of which after beating the Hawkeyes, Nebraska decided to cut ties with Bo Pellini even though he finished 9-3 but the losses were embarrassing enough.  If he was an Iowa coach, he would be rewarded with another contract extension, with a lacklusting underachieving 7-5 record.

The other team I root for Arizona State lost to Arizona, despite a change in quarterbacks.  Unlike Kirk Feranez  Todd Graham replaced Taylor Kelly, who's been very shaky since coming back from an injury and has not looked like himself in favor of Steve Bercovici who provided a spark but threw a interception.  Kelly, like Rudock fumbled early for a Arizona score and the Sun Devils, although they tied the game couldn't get it together either.  Arizona wins the Pac 12 South, gets the cup and for the effort plays Oregon for the Championship. Arizona State will get a decent bowl but where, nobody knows yet.

A lot of jokes have been on the social network about Scott Stapp, Creed's lead singer, who has hit the bottom and posted a very rambling message on You Tube and saying he was broke and homeless. I have never been a Creed fan, but really it is sad to see Stapp hit the bottom.  Here's hoping he can find his way out of his demons and get back to a normal life once again.

Speaking of hitting the bottom, I heard parts of Bryan Ferry's new album.  He should retire.

No Buy Friday turned into Bargain Hunt Saturday in Davenport for myself and I found a few things in the dollar bins at Half Priced Books.  Alan Jackson The Bluegrass Album (ACR/EMI Nashville) goes on too long at 62 minutes and it turns out Alan and the boys are having a good time judging by the extended jams.  Problem is the extended jams kinda over-longs the songs, Down The Road at 6 and half minutes would have worked better in the 3 minute bluegrass configuration and John Anderson still owns Wild And Blue.  Some fun stuff like Ain't Got Trouble Now and Mary, and Alan sounds like he's having fun but the long songs kinda sinks this into a simple B grade.  Steve Martin did this better.  Another country comp Waylon Jennings Love Songs (RCA/Legacy) cherry picks the more slower and romantic songs.  Part of Sony Music jettisoned Love Songs series, it adds way too many slow tempo songs to earn another listen, but Amanda  and The Wurlitzer Prize are some of Waylon's best songs.  And also can be found on Greatest Hits which is a better buy.  Let's give this one a B minus

If I thought going to the Salvation Army AS IS store in thinking of scoring 45's like I did back in August, I would be disappointed in the finds, mostly overplayed juke box country records that have seen better days.  I have better luck with CD finds at Ragged Records although I'm getting mighty tired of paying 8 to 10 dollars on used CDs that have scratches on them. They look ugly but the Go Between 16 Lovers Lane (Capitol) and Gun Club Las Vegas Story (IRS) do play.  I found the two on one RSO albums from The Rockets on CD and hope that plays.  But I didn't spend much time in the 45 room like I have the last time.  CO OP Moline had the New Basement Tapes on Sale for 14 dollars and found Camel I Can See Your House From Here and The Almighty 2000 S/T on CD.   The Goodwill and Salvation Army stores were picked clean but did find Information Society 1988's first album for a dollar.   With 50 degree temps in Davenport, I figured it would be nice for one more bargain hunt before hibernating for the winter.  Or forever, I haven't decided yet.  Despite my disgust of buying scratched up 10 dollars CDs, I still think Ragged Records is the place to go for vinyl.  But across the river Co Op Moline still delivers the goods and still has that incense smell that does scream out Vintage Record Store.  And the guy up there who's always been there the last 10 times I been up there is a cool dude too.

Co Op actually had some vinyl hounds up there. Some guy bought a used Led Zeppelin 4 LP and a good looking woman that kinda reminded me of Lisa was there with a friend and picked up The Eagles Greatest Hits.  For a moment there, I was very intrigued enough to glance her way a few times but me being two and half decades older just made me feel that much sadder.  I'm sure if I was her age I would still manage to keep things to myself and look from afar.  Which left me time to go down to the river walk and regret about my time of dedicating to bargain hunts and being a loser  in love or relationships. And in the end deciding till the day this life is over that it has been decided.  But boy I can find those bargains.  Too bad I couldn't win at the casinos, after throwing away 10 dollars on unforgiving slots I decided to cut ties and grab supper at Cracker Barrel before returning home before the winds of change turned from the south to north and watching our temps drop 50 degrees the next day.  January returns once again, a month early as usual.  A long winter indeed.

Ratings wise, slightly down but still 2400 views of the month.  Not bad considering that I have been losing a lot of pictures on some of the blogs and it's a pain in the ass to find replacements.  Some of the pictures are actually my own!  Can't figure that one out.  In the case of disappearing pictures, I have restored some of the finds from the Singles Going Steady Davenport Finds from August from actual scans and transferring them into blogspot.  Here's hoping they don't disappear anytime soon.

Playlist:

Down On The Bottom-The New Basement Tapes (Lost On The River)
Dancing Man-Q (Epic Single 8-50335)
Pop Song 89-REM (Green)
You Can't Say No Forever-The Go Betweens (16 Lovers Lane)
Stranger In Our Town-The Gun Club (The Las Vegas Story)
Where The I Divides-Information Society (Peace And Love Inc.)
Feel Alright-The Rockets (Turn Up The Radio)
Remember The Future-Nektar (Remember The Future)
Blood-Big Back Forty (Bested)
Right Through You-Swinging Steaks (South Side Of The Sky)

Bonus Track coming from Joe Jackson (Is She Really Going Out With Him).

TOOTS AND THE MAYTALS: Funky Kingston

I met Toots once, during one of my early US tours. I’d just checked into a hotel and was waiting for the lift (sorry, elevator) when a representative of Toots’ record company introduced himself, and said he would introduce me to Toots – and oh, look, here he comes now!

Toots Hibbert was one of the friendliest, and most stoned, people I’ve ever met. Having evidently smoked enough ganja to stun a brontosaurus, he shook my hand warmly, and as we rose slowly in the elevator he kept nodding his head, shifting from one foot to the other as though grooving to an internal beat, grinning at me, and saying ‘Yah maan!’ I smiled and nodded back until he and the record company man got out at their floor, and as the doors closed, I heard a voice as they walked away:

‘Yah maan! Cool! Joe Cocker!’

Anyway, this album is one of the all-time reggae classics and always struck me as being something of a bridge between the energetic Ska and Bluebeat of the 60s and the heavier reggae sounds of the 70s and 80s. If the ferocious grooves of Funky Kingston, Pressure Drop or Louie Louie don’t make you feel good, there may not be much hope for you.

Review:
AC/DC Rock Or Bust (Columbia)

You pretty much know what you're going to get with an AC DC album.  Three chords of patented Young riffs and chords, the straight Phill Rudd beat, the straight Cliff Williams bass and Brian Johnson's howling vocals.  What has changed is that Malcolm had to retire from declining help Stevie Young replaces him without any problem.  It doesn't matter who produces them, you can't tell Brendan O Brien apart from Vanda/Young  or Bruce Fairbairn although I tend to think Rick Rubin gave them a flat production.  Once upon a time rock radio would play the whole album, in this case, THE FOX (KKRQ) managed to play about five songs and replaced the rest with Back In Black tracks or Highway To Hell or TNT (corporate radio sucks). Upon getting the album for 10 dollars on sale at Wally World, the whole album flies by in less than 35 minutes (unlike Black Ice that had too many songs and went on too long overstaying its welcome). Rock Or Bust gets right to the point and with 11 songs  in the 3 minute range the band still pledges alliance with rock and roll.  Even if Play Ball is slight, (or in Luke Giodarno's case it made a This Songs Sucks segment) to these ears it still rocks.  While there's nothing that will be heard on THE FOX anytime soon (they don't want to cut how many plays Hell Bells in a day) I still play air drums on the title track, Miss Adventure or even the Led Zeppelin blooze of Emission Control.  With the situation of Phil Rudd up in the air and very cloudy, you can see his picture in the booklet, but you also see Bob Richards, the sub drummer who played on the video of Play Ball and what ever they might release as singles.  They are talking tour for next year, but after that the future is cloudy and Malcolm may never be back.  If this is their final effort they are going out with a bang.  No auto tuners welcome in here.  Save that shit for Nicki No Talent.

Grade A-