Two Wheels and Other Things

It’s been a long time, I know.

Ulrich Schnauss…

Look at the Sky

In All the Wrong Places

This is pretty good.

It’s times like these I learn to live again…

Playing tonight at the Paramount after taking a 10 year break.

Heck Yes!

Oh the memories….

Have fun tonight Michel Bonney!!!!

Billy’s f#$%ing stud.

I’ve done Smashing Pumpkins before as an Interlude but hey, it’s my website. I can do what I want. Between 1991-1997, the Pumpkins were by far my favorite band and although Billy went a little south on Machina he more than made up for it in Zwan and the Zeitgeist.

The Mellon Collie tour is still one of my all time favorite shows I have been to.

Mayonaise – Live

Adore – Live

Cherub Rock – Live

Notion

Use Somebody

Closer

Stranded in this spooky town
Stoplights are swaying and the phone lines are down
This floor is crackling cold
She took my heart, I think she took my soul
With the moon I run
Far from the carnage of the fiery sun

Driven by the strangled vein
Showing no mercy I do it again
Open up your eye
You keep on crying, baby
I’ll bleed you dry
The skies are blinking at me
I see a storm bubbling up from the sea

And it’s coming closer
And it’s coming closer

You, shimmy shook my bone
Leaving me stranded all in love on my own
What do you think of me
Where am I now? Baby where do I sleep
Feel so good but I’m old,
2000 years of chasing taking its toll

And it’s coming closer

This week has absolutely flown by.  

Saturday I raced the Joe Matava 4th of July crit and absolutely got worked.  Stupid move with 5 to go and got blown straight out the back  Pretty unhappy about it but hey, it happens.  Sunday Rosanna and I hopped on the tandem and rode onto the ferry heading to Southworth.  We basically rode along the water into Port Orchard and up Mitchel Road to see my mom and then back  Good 40 miles with a few good hills.  I SO need a new saddle on that bike. :-)

Tuesday, Tony B and I drove down early to Pacific Raceways and did a fantastic 20 mile warm up before the race.  We actually rode past a house he lived in as a kid.  It was a great route  and we got a chance to catch up.  Brad showed up too for the race and it was us thre against what felt like 35 yellow and black jerseys from the Wine’s crew.  I will admit, they rode smart but in reality, it’s easy to own the field when almost half of it is YOUR team :-)  Good race though.  I finished mid pack and really had a great time.

Took wednesday off to drink beer.  Yup.

Today, Jeff D, Ryan G, John N and I met up for the 6pm Seward Park crit.  HUGE group showed up so we planned to stick at the front to avoid any mishaps.  Unfortunately, Ryan (with those massive legs) tore his damn rear derailleur off on the last lap.  Sucks to be that strong.  I busted my cleat on the small hill sprinting to stay with the lead group on the prime/ 2 to go.  That has NOTHING to do with massive power… they were just really old :-)  It was annoying riding back though after the race… click, click, click…

I’m now onto my second beer for the night, about to eat a Burrito, watch the tour and head off to bed.

Goodnight everyone, stay beautiful.

One of my favorite Pearl Jam songs 

Release (live 2005)

Now the same song but in 92.

I see the world
Feel the chill
Which way to go
Windowsill
I see the words
On a rocking horse of time
I see the birds in the rain

Oh dear dad
Can you see me now
I am myself
Like you somehow
I’ll ride the wave
Where it takes me
I’ll hold the pain
Release me

Oh dear dad
Can you see me now
I am myself
Like you somehow
I’ll wait up in the dark
For you to speak to me
I’ll open up
Release me

Yellow Ledbetter

Caught some grief from a falling leaf
As she tumbled down on to the dirty ground
And said I should have put her back there if I could
Well everyone needs a better day
And I’m trying to find me a better way
To get through the things I do and the things I should

All you want is a place to lay your head
You go to sleep dreamin how you would
Be a different kind if you thought you could
But you come awake the way you are instead

And I wonder…

If everything could ever feel this real forever. If anything could ever be this good again.

The only thing I’ll ever ask of you, you’ve got to promise not to stop when I say when.

John Butler Trio

The John Butler Trio is an eclectic roots/jam band from Australia led by guitarist and vocalist John Butler. Two of the band’s albums,Three (2001) and Living 2001-2002 (2003), have gone platinum in Australia and reached the top ten of the Australian album charts in those years. The 2004 album Sunrise Over Sea debuted at number one on the Australian charts on 15 March 2004 reaching gold record status in its first week on sale. Their next and latest release, entitled Grand National, was released on 27 March 2007. The band’s releases are marketed independently by Jarrah Records which John Butler co-owns with West Australian folk band the Waifs.

The band won an ARIA award for “Best Independent Release” for Three in 2001 and again for Grand National in 2007 and has been nominated for three others. Three was released in the U.S. in 2002 and the John Butler Trio toured the U.S. in that year supporting theDave Matthews Band and John Mayer. 

Ocean

Peaches and Cream

What You Want

Have a fantastic weekend!

Band of Horses.

The Funeral

Reminds me of My Morning Jackets, “Gideon” (another fantastic group that I have written about before)

The Great Salt Lake

Have a fantastic Weekend,

Live Beautifully.

I’m certainly lucky. Waking up every morning to the person who completes and compliments me in every way. She listens to my Ride and Race recaps with out ever looking bored (even when she is… they all sound the same! Dude went off the front and I chased him down, didn’t have the legs at 1k… blah, blah, blah) She challenges me to be the best person I can be, not just for her but so I can say that I tried my hardest and became a better person after any ordeal.

I’m so happy to have found you. You are amazing.

 
Stevie Wonder – Overjoyed

I Remember

Cold Water

Rootless Tree

 Tyrone Wells …  Just another white kid with an acoustic guitar trying to be like this idiot?

Nope… Fortunately, Tyrone Wells has talent.

Need

More

Give me One Reason (with Jason Reeves)

“You are such an inspiration for the words that I will never ever chose to be.”

A Perfect Circle –

3 Libras

Judith

Magdalena

Weak and Powerless

New playlist time.  The first 5 songs are-

Aqualung – Brighter Than Sunshine

Modest Mouse – Float On

Citizen Cope – Let the Drummer Kick

Gorillaz – November Has Come

Keane – Bedshaped

Enjoy the tunes, have a fantastic weekend. Pictures and race results/ report from Saturday OR Sunday will be up Sunday evening.

Stay Beautiful!

Incubus = Kick ass.

Mom, don’t listen to any of these, you won’t like them.  Well, you might like the first two.

Pardon Me (live)

Privilege (compilation video)

Rouges

Rock on bitches!

It seems fitting.

Stay Beautiful…

Time to be happy folks….

Light & Day

Cover of Lithium (Nirvana)

We Crawl

5 decades..  The singer-songwriter with one of the most beautiful voices to take the stage.  James Taylor.

After kicking a massive heroin addiction in the late 60’s, JT really stepped into the light with the release of Sweet Baby James and Gorilla as well as a stinit with Art Garfunkel in 78.  in 1988 James release the album that really got me hooked on him, “Never Die Young” and later a live version is a must have.the 90’s and on have been a mix of producing, voice overs for shows like the Simpsons and the movie Cars, many collaborations with other artists and charitable work.

Let me tell you… it is VERY hard for me to only pick a few selections to put up here but here goes.

How Sweet it Is, duet with Oscar the Grouch.

Fire and Rain

Something in the Way She Moves

Never Die Young

And this last one is a little special. I chose this song to dance with my mother at my wedding.

Sweet Baby James

Happy Friday, hope you enjoy them!

I sit here, early Friday morning, snowed in.  We only have 8 inches covering the ground but since the great state of Washington doesn’t use salt or de-icer on the roads and those of us on the top of West Seattle and Queen Anne are pretty much at a stand still.  Single digit temps, packed snow and ice make for fun times on the road no matter what you drive or how good a driver you are.  If I hear on more moron on the radio say they are from Wisconsin and they are the only one who knows how to drive and every one else is an idiot I’m gonna go insane.  Try driving up from Endolyne to 35th right now… yeah, I called you out.

Whew… Thanks for letting me vent.

ANYWAY,  

Needtobreathe  has 3 independent releases and 2 studio albums, Daylight (06) and The Heat (07) with extensive touring both as an opener, side stage and main stage acts.  Their background is contemporary christian, which doesn’t really blow my skirt up too much but talent is talent and their infectious (oooh I sound like Rolling Stone) jams and energy live is something that I really look for.

Streets of Gold

Shine On

More Time

“Live From Studio B- Washed by the Water”

Stay warm… Stay beautiful-

Late 80’s to early 90’s.  Marcus Whitman Junior High.  Hormones.  Hypercolor… Bill Cosby Jell-o commercials.

Oh snap.

Extreme – More Than Words

Color Me Badd – I Adore Mi Amore

Atlantic Starr – Masterpiece

Chris De Burgh – Lady in Red

Poison – Every Rose Has its Thorn

Stevie B – Because I Love You

Sheriff – When I’m with You

And the winner….

Timmy T – One More Try

Have a fantastic weekend everyone, be safe in the upcoming “storm”

Stay Beautiful!

I’m having a pretty bad week at work.  I’m not myself lately.

I’ll shake it off though… If you still want me.

And just because I’m in a “I whisper when I sing and make strange faces” mood…

Never under estimate the power of, “I’d like that”.

 First four songs off my new iPod playlist…. enjoy.

Jamie Cullum – All at Sea (live)

Counting Crows – Catapult (live)

Colin Hay – Overkill (Live)

Tool – Lateralus

Hope you are enjoying your four day weekend-

Stay Beautiful.

In 2007, Brett Dennen was named by Rolling Stone to be one of the “Top 10 New Artists To Watch”. Understatement maybe?

Born in 1979, Brett has released 5 albums as well as many compilations with other artists, joint tours and a current headline tour across the US

Studio Albums
Brett Dennen (2004)
So Much More (2006)
Hope for the Hopeless (2008)

Live Albums & EPs
Peace – EP (2006)
(More) So Much More (2007)

In my mind, Conor Oberst with talent, depth and an awesome stage presence.

Ain’t no Reason

She’s Mine

Darlin’ Do Not Fear

Soul.

Pure soul.

My Girl

Try a Little Tenderness

These Arms of Mine

and of course…

(Sittin on) The Dock of the Bay

Didn’t really have a plan for today as work has been absolutely killing me.  The easiest would be to toss up a live vid of DMB’s “Halloween” but I’m not going to.

Why?

Because I said so and it’s my website.

Thankfully one of the greatest attorneys in upstate New York came through with a suggestion.  

Kings of Leon – Closer

and then I just came up with this because this band kicks ass-

Summer Breeze cover by Type O Negative

And really, what Halloween wouldn’t be complete with a little Monster Mash?

Stay beautiful everyone. Have a great weekend-

Yes… Me.  A closet Depeche Mode fan.  Love them.  I still toss in a mix CD of Depeche Mode sometimes when I’m riding on the trainer or working down in my shop.

Lyrical geniuses… and they had GREAT hair.

Enjoy!

Walking in My Shoes

Enjoy the Silence

Personal Jesus

Condemnation (live)

There are two artists that over the past year I have wanted to do a FMI for but I have hesitated.

One of them is Howie Day… the other, well, only Evan knows that one and it’ll come out later.

I have been a HUGE HD fan for years.  I have over 120 of his live shows bootlegged on CD, 95% of them as a solo act before he went “big”.

A few months ago I did a FMI on Matt Nathanson, one of my favorite artists.  He and Howie are pretty much the same for me, two different styles but right there on my rank of substance and absolute talent.  Howie today is a result of a label grabbing hold of a talented musician, twisting him into nothing and then wiping their hands of him.  It disgusts me.

Anyway… Howies live set consists of him, a guitar and a series of pedals (looping, delay, octave and others) that he uses for both his voice and guitar.  Everything you hear is him and his guitar… that’s it.  His live performances were spell bounding.  His talent is out of this world and I hope someday he returns to his roots.  Playing just to play.

When I used to do open mic performances I covered a lot of Howie’s songs (and Matt’s) and always had the best time.  Here are a few of my favorite selections-

Bunnies-

Ghost (w/ Beams of Light outro)

Disco

Sorry, so Sorry

And this… one of my most favorite selections of all time. Both Matt and Howie onstage together doing a GREAT Radiohead cover.

Matt Nathanson and Howie Day – Fake Plastic Trees

Really though, I could go on for a lot longer. Because of his amazing live shows and looping, each song comes out different each time.

Check him out. buy the album Australia and Stop All The World Now and if you REALLY want to delve deeper into it, maybe I’ll burn you a live show or two (if you are super lucky)

Enjoy it… and Have a wonderful weekend.

 Working on the bikes last night and had my Ben Harper playlist on.

Burn One Down-

Sexual Healing-

Indifference (With Eddie Vedder)

I found an old Sony cassette tape in a box of my stuff and popped it in the player in my car (Yes, the Land Rover still has a tape deck) and prepared myself for what it might be.  It was titled “Mix Tape #2″ so I knew it wasn’t my solo guitar demo I made in High School (ugh… that was awful) but was scared about just how off the wall the music was.

I was actually pleasantly surprised and the end result was a flood of memories.  The following is a small sample of what was on it.

 
Skid Row – 18 and Life

Warrant – Heaven

INXS – Need You Tonight

Foreigner – I Wanna Know What Love Is

And the favorite track of all on that tape… I know because I put it on there TWICE.

Queensryche – Silent Lucidity

Wow.

All I have to say… is, Wow. How far the musical tastes have come. Man that Queensryche tune rocks though.

 
Thanks WAMU. 

Your CEO is canned and he gets 12 million dollars when he walks.  Your interim CEO gets a 7 million signing bonus and only works for a week.

chew on that for a while and enjoy our Swedish friends Abba.

My WAMU shares are worth 15 cents now.  I’m to shocked to cry.

Please… hug the one you love.

Stay true, stay beautiful, just… stay.

I’ll be gone all weekend at the MS bike tour.

Take care of one another.

I was so excited after last weeks FMI. I got a TON of emails from folks who really loved my Sigur Ros pick, both as old and new listeners. This will be my second time using Sigur Ros as my FMI, something I didn’t want to do but damnit… they are just to gosh-darn good.

There are not enough words in either the English or Icelandic language to describe Sigur Ros’ music. Beyond beautiful, ethreal, mystic or Entrancing… I get lost.

Lead singer Jón Þór “Jónsi” Birgisson’s voice drips with emotion. While most of the songs are non-understandable gibberish, (called “hopelandic”, a made up language of icelandic and sounds that flow with their music) it Allows you to take your own meaning, your own sights from each song. It’s amazing how it changes each time you hear it.

So this might be a little long but I’m going to post not just my favorite songs from Sigur Ros but my favorite videos too, film or live.

So here you are, Sigur Ros, listed as they are on my playlist.

Samskeyti (I like to listen to this on a ride early in the morning)

Svefn-g-englar (this video is absolutely beautiful… all I see are angels)

Hljomalind (how can something so amazing be this horrific?)

Hoppipolla (Don’t take things too seriously… live life! Jump in puddles!)

Glósóli (you can fly… if you know you can)

Now, this last one (as much as I don’t want it to) brings tears to my eyes every time I see it. The ending scene takes my breath away…

Untitled, #1, named later as “Vaka”

I know their songs are REALLY long, so I apologize if I just took up a huge amount of your time. Their songs are an emotional journey. Not albums you can really toss in and cruise down the road to.

Have a wonderful Friday everyone.

“Eg elska tig”

It was time to re-work my iPod playlist last night.  After I was done I went back and looked at my picks.  I guess I was in a mellow mood.  So here are a few of the selections-

I’m back on my Sigur Ros kick.  I seem to migrate back to them every few months depending on what is going on in my life.  I’m super excited about their new compilation from this year ”Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust“.  I ordered the Deluxe Edition (and still waiting for the damn thing)

So anyway, one of my favorite tracks from them is “Vidrar Vel Til Loftarasa”.  A controversial video, banned in their own country and a beautiful, beautiful song.

-

One of my all time favorite bands are the Smashing Pumpkins mostly for the emotion, passion and strength Billy puts into his live performances.  Here is Porcelina of the Vast Oceans (LIVE) off of the Mellon Collie album.

-

In 2003 we lost Elliot Smith… Beautiful voice, painful words. A tortured soul.
The Biggest Lie

You all have a wonderful holiday weekend.

Stay Beautiful.

*** WARNING *** Explicit lyrics, Fool.

I knew if I didn’t put that my mom would click on the below video and be mortified.

I’ve never been to Compton. Never rolled up on the ‘hood, pulled a nine and busted a cap. I did however dance like Vanilla Ice when I was in Jr High and own one of the nastiest cassette tapes I could get my hands on, until my dad heard me playing it.

Gone!

and for some reason, this was in my head the entire race last night…

This is the day I have been waiting for.   No other version of Bonnie Tyler’s “Total Eclipse of the Heart” rocks my world like Hurra’s does especially when he takes the sledge to the stove.

Hurra Torpedo is the world’s leading kitchen appliance rock group. Since 1993 they have played for full houses all over their native Norway with their eclectic mixture of cover tunes and original material. Now, thanks to the wonders of the internet, their heartbreaking version of Bonnie Tyler’s Total Eclipse of the Heart is known all over the world .

Hurra!

Love it :-)

Can’t forget “All the Things She Said”!

Formed in 2002 on the mean streets of Philly around a keyboard, guitar and drums, Fooling April was the “Hole in the Wall” club owners dream.  Their connection with the audience, infectious hooks and comedic lyrics drew a dedicated crowd covering the mid and upper east coast.

Who am I kidding.  I can’t write a review like Rolling Stone.  If you want to see what they think of themselves… see their website.  Then there is always the Wikipedia page.  I’m not to excited about the whole “American Idol” thing but whatever gets them noticed I guess.  Brian Kenneth rocks, as much as I don’t want him to but hey… it’s been years man, I can give you some props. 

Really though, it’s hard to ignore the talent.  They actually have FUN and I think that kicks ass.

C-4

Interview-

Breaking the Skin

Feels like it’s been forever since the last FMI but it’s back and with a group from Louisville, Kentucky.  My Morning Jacket was formed in 1998 and is known for their reverb-heavy sound, their eclectic mix of indie rock, country rock, funk, psycodelic and jam band styles, as well as enthusiastic and energetic live shows.

MMJ has 5 studio releases, Evil Urges, Z, It Still Moves, At Dawn and the Tennesee Fire as well as many Live recordings, Demos EP’s and singles available.

These guys rock :-)

Gideon

I’m Amazed

Enjoy!