Two Wheels and Other Things

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!
 

Flight of the Conchords, formerly New Zealand’s fourth most popular guitar-based digi-bongo acapella-rap-funk-comedy folk duo.

Ha!

Now put on your Business Socks, sit down and enjoy ;-)

If that’s What You’re Into

Business Time

Hiphopopotamus vs. Rhymenoceros

The Humans are Dead

Quick, grab your iPod (or your Zune if you are a fruitcake) and bring up your first Playlist.

First 3 songs are what?

Glen Hasard - Say it to Me Now

Lifehouse - From Where You Are

The Pixies - Where is My Mind

This man knows how to rock.

 He knows how to sweep the listener off their feet.

 

and he makes you stand up.

 Neil Young.  Talented musical genius and about as crazy as they come.

One of my all time favorite musicians, when nothing seems like it’s the right fit for the time, I can tune into David Gray and be perfectly happy.

A few years ago, Evan and I went to see him at the Key and it was phenominal. Absolutely beautiful

January Rain

Please Forgive Me (live)

Yes the drummer is ALWAYS that on. He is in-fugging-sane.

Babylon