2012

The only new act eligible in 2012 for the Rock Hall that will get nominated and inducted will be Guns N' Roses, which means that once again the Hall will have a chance to play catch up with names that have been languishing either on the ballot or on the never nominated list.
As we all know there are lots of acts on the backlog list, its just a matter of who gets a nomination.

Clicking Away

Well, let's see here.  My local Blockbuster has just shut its doors.  Which means there are no places to rent videos, except those little Red Boxes.
My local Border's survived the recent store closings, but one wonders for how much longer.
My local Best Buy is cutting back on stocking CD's.  Eventually, those will be down to only the Top 20 hits.
I've been ordering most of my CD's, books and magazines online.  Cheaper and easier.
I used to love to go to record stores.  Could spend hours inside Tower and not buy a thing.  Just browse.  Maybe you still live in an area where you can do this.  Me, I'm a couple of hours away from the nearest store.  Click, click, click.

Dad's Birthday

Remembering my Dad, who would have been 78 today.
Love you and miss you forever.

Playlist for 3/25

Maze - Live in New Orleans
Nina Simone - Soul
Lykke Li - Wounded Rhymes
Phil Spector - Very Best of
Esperanza Spalding -Chamber Music Society
Kurt Elling - Gate

More Idol

Even though I continue to watch American Idol, even I have to agree with those who say their track record of making stars is mediocre.  Among the winners, only Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood are big recording stars.  Fantasia is doing well on the Urban R&B charts and could break out as an actress.
But it's with the runner-ups that show has done better:  Daughtry, Jennifer Hudson, Adam Lambert, even goofy Kelly Pickler.
Still, many names have come and gone.  This is the 10th season, which means that close to 100 singers have reached the Top 10.  Where are most now?  Some still sing, some are now doing TV hosting gigs and others are still waiting for the 20 million or so weekly viewers to rediscover them again.

Dave Marsh On The 2011 Rock Hall Class

I e-mailed Dave Marsh and asked him who he voted for on the 2011 Rock Hall  ballot.
Here was his response:

"I don't remember all five fro whom I voted but I definitely did vote for Darlene Love and Dr. John, with pride.

 

I didn't vote for the others. I can easily undertand why others did. It was a solid class, without any stars.

 

Yes, of course, I voted for Chic, a great band in many flavors including rock." 

Neil Diamond

You can't just say you love Neil Diamond's Bang years and leave it like that.  To love Neil you have to love it all.  The excesses of his late 70's/80's songs.  The overreaching vocals, his courting of the Adult Contemporary market, the glitter jackets, the sing-along to the hits concerts. A genius performer!
No, those that say he never did anything good after the 60's are just denying their true feeling's for all things Neil.  Admit it.  You love him as much as I do.
That's why Rock Hall voters punched his ticket to Cleveland the first time he was nominated.  Turn on your Heartlight indeed.

P.S.  He wrote "I'm A Believer".  Enough said.

Rock Hall Televised

Because Dish Network no longer carrier Fuse, I didn't get to see the Rock Hall ceremony.  This is the first time I've ever missed a televised Induction. But Fuse is the worst, right?  They aired a condensed version of the live show.   Oh well, welcome to 2011.

Playlist for 3/18

Thompson Square
REM -Collapse Into Now
Riley's  - Grandma's Roadhouse
PJ Harvey -Let England Shake
Lucinda Williams -Blessed
Charles Bradley -No Time For Dreaming
Eddie Hinton - Very Extremely Dangerous

Wife's Birthday

Happy Birthday to my wonderful, beautiful wife.    Was that too mushy?

More Grammy's

This has been the most contentious post-Grammy's ever.  A music exec took out a full page in the NY Times decrying the Grammy's for passing up big name Pop acts.

"A veteran music executive has criticised the Grammy Awards in a full-page advert in the New York Times.

Steve Stoute said Grammy voters had "lost touch with contemporary popular culture" by snubbing artists like Eminem and Justin Bieber."- from Huffington Post

  Read between the lines and he was basically saying that they should have given Eminem and the Justin Bieber an award over the Arcade Fire and Esperanza Spalding.
Pop acts get their just reward at every music awards show other than the Grammy's.  But the latter play it more highbrow.  That's why a Spalding and a Herbie Hancock will always win over a Kanye West.
I'm not big on some of the awards they give out every year.  Paul McCartney got one for a live version of "Helter Skelter", and I wonder wtf?
But next year is setting up for a showdown between the conservative Grammy voters and the younger ones.

Yea Or Nay Recap

Alright, I'm a wimp.  The percentage of Yeas to Nays was pretty high.  Most of the names that get mentioned the most are ones I agree with.  Only a few I don't.  And some of the ones I don't were a maybe. A Maybe got a Nay vote.
I'm not vehemently opposed to many names.  Thus the high Yea percentage.  And the list is  long.  Many will never get nominated or inducted.  But a case can be made for all.

Playlist for 3/10

James Blake - s/t
Smith Westerns - Dye It Blonde
Gang of Four - Content
Old 97's - Mimeograph
Adele - 21
Gary Moore - Still Got the Blues

Borders

No one wants to see anyone lose their job.  But Borders has been on a downward spiral for a couple of years, at least.  I hardly ever buy anything in our store, which has survived the ax.  Usually I check out a book price, or look through one, and then go home and find it cheaper.  Their CD's are too expensive, and so are their books.  I hope my local one sustains, just so people aren't out of work.  But the franchise?  Couldn't care less.

Still Bill

Still Bill is a documentary about Bill Withers that premiered on Showtime last month.  It's enlightening mostly because Withers disappeared after his last album in 1985.  But Withers never lost his passion write and record music, he lost his will to fight against Record Company Execs that he felt were doing him wrong.
The doc shows that Withers, with his homegrown studio, is still putting stuff down on tape.  Sadly, none that I know of, has seen the light.
But here's the catch.  Withers hates Record company suits, but doesn't  realize that in 2011 you don't need them to get your music out there.  How cool would it be if Withers put out an album on his own label.  He certainly has the finances to do this.  No, he'll never top the charts again, but I can see a market for his music with R&B Adult Contemporary and Smooth Jazz stations. Withers is 73, but the doc shows that his voice hasn't aged all that much.  The little I heard sounded good.
26 years is a long time for someone to sit on the sidelines.  But we shouldn't feel too sorry for him.  His royalty checks, thanks to 5 standards (Lean On Me, Use Me, Ain't No Sunshine, Just The Two of Us and Lovely Day) are substantial.   Still, it would nice if Withers followed his muse one last time.

Playlist for 3/3

Hayes Carll- Kmag Yoyo
Drive By Truckers- Go Go Boots
Bright Eyes - People's Key
Yes - Tales From Topographical Oceans
Teddy Thompson - Bella
Sunny Sweeney - EP
Charlie Louvin - Battle Rages On

Idol

Yep, I'm watching American Idol again this year.  Who's got a problem with that?