Ivan Rodriguez retirement

In 1992, I was 8 years old, and playing my first season of little league baseball. After weeks of swinging at pitches and missing, playing only a couple innings a game in right field (a position coaches for young little league teams not so secretly put their worst player, in hope that the ball will never come to them) and threatening to quit everyday along the way. About 4 games in, I finally made contact with a ball (it went foul), a couple games later, I finally hit a ball that went fair up the third baseline. I made it to first in time to be safe, and much to my dad’s delight, the seeds towards my love of baseball, had finally been planted.

Not wanting to waste the momentum my first little league hit carried; my dad took me to the newly opened Charlottesville Toys R Us and brought me a pack of 1992 Topps baseball cards.  I opened the pack in the car, shuffled through them with great indifference, I handed the pack to my dad, who took his time looking through them. About 4 cards in he finally said something “Nolan Ryan.” “Nolan Ryan” I echoed, “I’ve heard of him.” And with that I made the declaration that Nolan Ryan was my favorite player and that his current team, the Texas Rangers, would be my favorite team. Sadly for me, Nolan Ryan’s career would only last 1 more season after 92.*

In 1993, I had become a much better baseball player, and was playing with one of my best friends on a team coached by his dad. Due to how much better defensively I had gotten, I got to play lots of different positions, including pitcher and catcher. I decided I liked catching a lot, and with the knowledge that Nolan Ryan career was soon to be over, I started paying more attention to the Rangers Catcher, a 21 year old All-Star named Ivan “Pudge” Rodriguez**. I started collecting Ivan Rodriguez cards, mostly by way of buying packs, but also buying single cards of him, whenever I was at a card store and/or baseball card show, I would also trade with my friends when they got one in a pack.

From his rookie year at the tender age of 19, Pudge dominated the position of catcher, the way very few before him had. By the time he was about 24 he had no peers in the game as far as both offense and defense went, because he played on the Texas Rangers, a historically mediocre team (until the mid to late 90’s) with little fan base outside of the Dallas/Ft.Worth area of Texas and with even less main stream coverage. Most of his greatness went with much less fanfare than that of his only real catcher peer, Mike Piazza, who dazzled fans in L.A. and then Florida and New York with his home runs, and likable personality.

Pudge was one of the main reasons, the Rangers won the AL West in the years 96, 98, and 99 (all of which ended in ALDS losses to the New York Yankees). In 1999, he won the AL MVP with unheard of numbers for a catcher.***

In 2000, Ivan suffered an injury cost him a little less than half a  season, and the Rangers were never near as good without him, he put up more good numbers in 2001, but he was hurt a bit again in 2002, and the Rangers decided he wasn’t worth his free agent asking price, in fact, only one team (the Marlins) though a 32 year old catcher coming off injuries was worth his one year asking price. He thanked them by helping the Marlins young pitching staff win the 2003 World Series; Pudge was named MVP of the ALCS (although that probably should have gone to Steve Bartman, or really the fact that the Chicago Cubs, who at the time had a 3 games to 2 lead in the series, couldn’t recover from one fairly insignificant play)(it was a foul ball, for god sakes)

In 2004, Pudge signed with the Detroit Tigers, who in 2003 were coming off a season in which they had set the record for most losses by an American League team in a single season, by 2006, the Tigers were in the World Series. In 2007 Ivan Rodriguez would play in his last all-star game and win his last Gold Golve (making his total 14 for all-star games and 13 for gold-gloves)

In 2008 Pudge was traded to the Yankees for the second half of the season, then signed with the Houston Astros in 2009, where he played half a season before being traded back to the Texas Rangers for the rest of the season.

After signing a two year deal with the Nats, Ivan was able to catch Stephen Strasburgh’s major league debut game.

In 1997 by the age of 25, Pudge was a 5x all-star and gold glove winner, and outside of a run in with Pete Rose, was clearly heading for Cooperstown. This year is important for me because it was the year that I saw him play live for the first time, it’s also the year I got his autograph. Here’s that story, my dad and I were on are second father/son baseball road trip, in which we went to 5 different ball parks (St. Louis, Chicago White Sox, Milwaukee, Chicago Cubs, and Cincinnati) in 10 days. This was the first trip I went on in which I brought baseball cards, hoping to get them autographed by players at the game. I had, had success in St. Louis with Dennis Eckersley (among others), but to me, this was the 2 hours before the game started that mattered most. I stood over the visiting teams dugout at U.S. Cellular field just hoping to get a glimpse of some of my favorite players. The other fans above the dugout and myself were able to successfully get the attention of a few Rangers players, some lobbing baseball towards us and other signing their names or just giving a wave and a hello. With about 20 minutes left before the game, Ivan had yet to show his face, and the ushers were starting to tell fans to go to their seats to get ready for the ball game. I stayed as long as I could just trying to see anything I could. Finally, I gave up and started heading to my seat, when all the sudden, the Chicago skies started to open up and a launch a July shower on us, it was pretty heavy for about ten minutes. After about twenty minutes of heavy rain, the sky started to clear and the umpires and coaches decieded it the game would start in about 25 mintues. About this time, my dad and I started to notice a crowd gather around the Rangers dugout, we started to walk down to investigate and it took me all of about four steps to realize who was causing the brouhaha. I yanked the backpack off my dad’s back and quickly grabbed the album of cards in it, I then raced down towards the crowd, even running through a fans damped sign like a high school football player at a homecoming rally, this caused the fan to throw a curse or two at me, but I didn’t care, I had a autograph to get. I made it to the line in record time and pulled out the first card board picture of Ivan Rodriguez I could find (a 95 score…if I had the time to pick and chose I would have chosen a 93 score all-star card). I held the card under my shirt to keep it dry and writeable as it was still raining a little and just prayed I could get to the front before he went back to the dugout.  Lady luck was on my side that night and I got up to the front, with kids and adults slamming against my back, jockeying for the next position, I told him he was my favorite player and thanked him as I watch him scrawl his name across the card from the bottom left hand corner to the top right hand corner. I thanked him and put the card and pen back in my binder and prepared to fight my way back up against the crowd who hadn’t gotten an autograph from him yet. As anyone who tries to get autographs at stadiums will tell you the worst part of it is battling the crowd, which is more or less a group of kids fighting for the same thing you are knowing that time is not on their side, it is like a mosh-pit of young kids (and some adults). And I have never felt like it wasn’t worth it no matter who the man holding the pen was. I have also been the person who was next to get an autograph when a player had to walk away. After I got to the autograph and walked back up with my dad to the top of the ramp, we stood and watched Pudge sign autographs for a couple more minutes before he had to go back to the dugout.

* This would also be the start of my sports card collecting days, which would last well into my early 20’s. By the end of the summer of 92, my dad and I would go on our first father-son baseball ballpark road trip, going to see games in Pittsburgh, Detroit, and Cleveland over the course of a long weekend.

**We also had a big black cat at the time named Ivan, the cat was named after the cat from Peter and The Wolf, we also had his sister, named Sonya (named after the duck in Peter and the Wolf) but she died on Christmas Eve 1991, we found her outside, frozen to death. It’s not really important to this story, just a sad event of my childhood, luckily as a fullblown Jew, Xmas eve didn’t mean anything, it was just an easy memory checkpoint for me.

***Yes, I know he took steroids in that time period. No, I don’t care, nor should it matter for the HOF voters, but sadly it probably will. With or without steroids, he was the best catcher of his generation, and that alone should be able to get you into the Hall of Fame. 

Alien invasion: 5 CD's to save the world.

One of my best friends and Bassist for the Americana band, Sons of Bill,  Seth Munson Green, sent me an email this morning of some dude’s blog who wrote a “5 Albums I would I give to alien invaders to keep them from destroying the world.” One of the Albums the blogger picked was Sirens, here is the overall scene the blog: Accidental History: Searching the past to understand the future, sets. “imagine you find yourself in this scenario: aliens appear and tell you that they’re going to destroy the Earth.  But they won’t if you can prove the Earth deserves to exist.  Your only chance is to play five albums from your collection.  And these are actual albums, not live shows, not greatest hits albums, and not Time Life Shallow Exploitation of Your Memories of that One Decade compilations.  You can use anything currently at your disposal that meets the criteria, but can’t, say, download something from Amazon.  If there’s a backstory that explains the context of the album you can add that in, too.”

http://accidental-historian.typepad.com/accidental-historian/2012/04/totally-not-a-filler-post.html#comments

Here is his list, in a nutshell, click the link to see his reasoning: SOB’s: Sirens, The Beatles: Sgt. Pepper, Harry Connick Jr.: Star Turtle, Over The Rhine: Ohio, Paul Simon: Graceland. I will give the man credit and say that he has some pretty good taste in music. That being said, my list goes in a wildly different direction.

TV on the Radio: Dear Science

Simply put, TVOTR is the best band of the 21^st century, and there is always hope that just saying the band’s name will be so stupefying to the aliens that their heads will explode. It could also have the opposite effect, and enrage the aliens so much, that they just say “fuck it, that name is so stupid, the world ends now.” Hopefully they won’t be able to see a picture of the band, because if an aliens reaction to hipsters is anything like mine, the earth won’t stand a chance. Hopefully, the aliens get passed the name and image and listen to the album, they will hear an album that is everything the human mind can make up. With the albums lead off track “halfway home” gut-wrenching riffs, to “Golden Age’s” awesomely dazy beats, by the time “Lover’s Day” ends the aliens will be demanding more music.     

Prince: Purple Rain

Oh man, from the opening “dearly beloved…” Speech from “Let’s go Crazy” to the last lament of Purple Rain, the aliens aren’t going to know what hit them. They might be in such a trance while this album is playing, that I can somehow destroy them before they destroy us. I am not sure how the aliens are even possibly going to be able to handle “The Beautiful One’s” they’ll probably cream their pants by the end of Purple Rain, and then they’ll be in a weaken state just as Team America: World Police, gets there.  

Beck: Sea Change or Mutations

I can’t decide which of Mr. Campbell’s break up album’s, I would make the aliens listen to. Mutations is my personal favorite, with “Nobody’s fault but my own” being my favorite Beck song. However, most critics think Sea Change is his best album, so I might have to go with the masses on this one to appease a large collection of aliens (I assume, it’s not just a small group of aliens on the death star…but you never know…even if it is, Earth is so much more kickass than Alderaan). Plus, Sea Change is still a most excellent album. If this alien scenario ever presents itself, I will make my decision then, either way, there won’t be a dry alien eye in the house. I just hope their tears aren’t made of some kind of toxic gas or liquid (or solid, for that matter) because that would be trouble, with a capital T.

Pink Floyd: Dark Side of the Moon

A little too obvious, but screw it, it’s my favorite album of all time, even when I am completely sober. While the aliens are busy drying their eyes from Beck, and cleaning their pants from Prince, they are going to be given an extra dose of mindfuck, I mean, the idea of a dark side of a moon, They’re aliens in a spaceship, they’re probably circled the moon and know “there is no dark side of the moon…it’s all dark”, along the way, they will have to question their own sanity and even their “Us vs. Them” attitude, they seem to have.

Led Zeppelin: IV

Simply put, the aliens must be made aware of Zep’s existence, and for a minute, I was having trouble deciding which Zep to put on the list, then I remembered a little tidbit from Mike Damone, of Fast Times at Ridgemont High “When it comes down to making out, whenever possible, put on side one of Led Zeppelin IV.” “I figure, the aliens will all start making out when Black Dog comes on, and leave earth happily, or while they are making out, we’ll send an army to destroy them, even if I happen to be a casualty, I will go out listening to Zeppelin, and if they still decide to destroy the world, my last moments on earth will be listening to “When the Levee Breaks” which is, at the very least, a win/lose situation. Then, there’s always the chance they’ll love Stairway so much, that they will just leave us be.

Anyway, that’s my list and my reasoning for it. Hope you all enjoyed it.

Deep Tracks part 3: Gnarles Barkley-Led Zeppelin

Here we go for round three…

Gnarles Barkley: The only issue with I have with this group is that the two individuals (Cee-lo, Danger Mouse) are so much more prolific away from the band, that the band has only put out two albums. If you don’t think both albums are great…I think you’re crazy. In the great news department they should be making a third sometime in the near future.

Open Book-The Odd Couple (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHf24_q14pU) This song is hard to put into words. The beat is amazing (Danger Mouse at his finest) And Cee-lo brings it. Plus the lyrics are great too.

She Knows-The Odd Couple (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4DDXvBpno0) I originally thought this was a song about a man cheating on his girlfriend/wife. I learned on a VH1: Storytellers: Cee-Lo Green episode, that it is actually about his mom killing herself, after she was sick for a very long time, which makes it even sadder.

St. Elsewhere-St. Elsewhere (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Arl-sm3K7s) Anywhere you sit, you can see the sun/Unfortunately on this Island I am the only one/Same rules apply on rainy day/it just rains and rains on me

Storm Coming-St. Elsewhere (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8FqpiP9gkSk&feature=related) Cee-lo says he can do a dance that can make the sky cry blood. I am not one to doubt the man.

Gorillaz: Damon Albarn’s second and much more animated group (nudge…nudge) Anyway, I love their first two albums, the third one, I would call myself more tepid about, although I liked the first single a lot. Danger Mouse produced their second album, and not surprisingly it’s amazing, it also has Dennis Hopper in it.

Every Planet We Reach is Dead- Demon Days (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6LDEm8mC-Nw) I am not sure why, but this is my favorite song from the album.

All Alone-Demon Days (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zT6OeBeWT8g) One of the two rap songs on the album I really like (November Has Come being the other) This one includes the line “ten spoons of spinach” so it is the better track.

Fire Coming out of Monkey’s Head-Demon Days (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Nf9IkoxwMs) Here’s a live recording of Dennis Hopper reading the short story.

New Genius (Brother)-Gorillaz (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MCIL3r136T4)

Latin Simone-Gorillaz (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PecHjYQPt5o) For those of you that Habla Esponal…despite my 2 years of high school level Spanish…I am muy mal de esponal

Star shine-Gorillaz (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ivp3_GJYlhA) Never gonna find me.

Green Day: I got the Dookie album when I was in 4^th grade, it was one of those life changing events, just not quite sure how it changed my life. I am not into their other albums nearly as much as I like Dookie, but man do I love that album. You have to love a band that uses the word chump multiples times in its lyrics.

Having A Blast-Dookie (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-oKdvFCC8Tc) I announced on facebook a few months back, that I decided this was my favorite song from the album, it was met with a lukewarm response. But I still stand by it.

F.O.D.-Dookie (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4AC7ebHkFcY) They would later learn more subtle ways to say Fuck off and Die (good riddance (time of your life)) But, this is a break-up song that would make Dylan blush.

Guns N Roses: There are about 5 great rock bands from the 80’s and none of them were in the hair metal category. These guys may have looked like Motely Crue and played the same venues as Motely Crue, but brotha, they ain’t no Motely Crue (and that’s a great thing). Too bad cousin Axl was one of the top 5 assholes in Rock history, because this recently HOF inducted band could still rip it up.

Night train- Appetite for Destruction (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MVU2S4I64Q0)

My Michelle- Appetite for Destruction (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=18dBU55S6P0) this is a slightly different Michelle than the one that John Lennon sung about

You Ain’t the first- Use your Illusion 1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hDQN45PVrFs) Sadly for Tony Wonder some band had already used the titles Use Your Illusion 1 (and 2)

Locomotive- Use your Illusion 2 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5yAzij7livk) Axl loves trains…you know who else is into trains now? Dean Pelton.

Incubus: Of all the bands that made their name from the Nu Metal phase, Incubus was one of the only really talented ones. And that is why they had all the staying power. Also, they quickly got out of the Nu Metal stage that young teenagers go through. They are playing a show in SD on April 27^th, sadly I’ll be back in VA…not so sadly, it’s for one of my best friends weddings. Fun Fact: An Incubus is a male version of a succubus, and if you don’t know what a  succubus is then you need to watch a lot more South Park.

Here in my Room- A Crow Left of the Murder (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sf8BPvQj3sQ). Not quite as good as the beach boys In My Room, but Incubus was never as good as the Beach Boys..so what are you gonna do.

Quicksand- Light Grenades (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5386nnK3L4) The only thing about this song that isn’t amazing is that it’s way to short. Think of how good Radiohead’s Everything in it Right Place is, I am not saying it’s that good…but it’s pretty damn close.

Earth to Bella (Part 1)-Light Grenades (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AK5kk0MB_ZI) I hate everything about the  Twilight books, and this song has nothing to do with the book/movie series (I hope). Also, there is a part 2 to the song.

Privilege- Make Yourself (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IOarft2T-l4) Isn’t strange that a privilege could feel like chore

Make Yourself-Make Yourself (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BShyYZQEmBk) Be yourself is the message of this song…It’s pretty much Fiona Apple’s best new artist award acceptance speech at the 97 MTV music video awards, except in song form

Just a Phase- Morning View (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8klzeuv8kFg) I think this song is about pop stars, but don’t quote me on that. It’s a great song either way. Some people don’t love the long intro, but stick it out, it’s totes worth it.

Aqueous Transmission-Morning View (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8s8YK4R5qa0) Now that is a tasty jam, man.

Jane’s Addiction/Porno’s for Pyro’s: Since they are pretty much the same band P4P is just Jane’s minus -guitarist and dirtbag-American spokesman Dave Narveo, and I only know a combined three albums from the two bands, I decided to combined them, since they are both pretty awesome bands. Perry Ferrell is a weird dude, but so are most musicians, I guess.

Summertime Rolls-Nothing’s Shocking (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t57k1B-jWaU) Just a lovely song to play during the summertime, or any season if you live in Southern California.

Classic Girl- Ritual de la Habitual (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_KFq8A32Y4) …Such a Classic girl.

Kettlewhistle- Kettle Whistle (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pLNelig8ENM) I first heard this song in the Katie Holmes movie Abandoned, if you haven’t seen it, don’t…it’s not very good. Do, however, listen to thins Jane’s Addiction song.

Packin .25-Porno for Pyros (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WlGL0MNrQ68) Porno for Pyros has to be one of the best band names ever, right up there with Cherry Poppin Daddies (who are a swing band from the 90’s) If you ever see Perry Ferrell on the street, don’t say anything bad about him, because he is packin a .25 for just an occasion.

Meja- Porno for Pyros (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XsD0fejTK_c) This song is on the free Tibet concert, but it was never a single.

Johnny Cash: I don’t know nearly enough Johnny Cash, I just have his essentials CD and live at fulsome Prison, I really like the movie though (Huge Witherspoon fan, and Jaquien too) anyway, I am just going to put a couple of his songs on this list that as far as I know, don’t get much radio play.

Jackson- Unknown album (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=43qK1Lh2xH0) great duet with June Carter, about a dead marriage.

Pocahontas- Unearthed (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2wmDfRJn0M) Like most of Cash’s songs, this is a cover, this one is of one of my favorite Neil Young songs.

The Wanderer- Zooropa (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d0G2X0Zpgfw) This is on the U2 album Zooropa, but it all Johnny singing. It’s about redemption and stuff, it’s pretty good.

Led Zeppelin: I don’t listen to Zep nearly as much as I used to, but I really should, there’s a reason why they are still one of the most popular bands of all time, my main issue with this segment, is I am really not sure which Zeppelin songs are deep tracks, so I am just going to guess which one’s some of you might not be familiar with.

I’m Gonna Crawl- In through the Out Door (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LCL3G4aRmaQ) Plant doesn’t care how he gets to his girl, but he’s going to get there.

I Can’t Quit You, Baby- BBC sessions (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7KrxO29BtUw) they definetly stole the lyrics from old blues songs, but Page just kills it like no blues man could (same with the rest of the band) Bonham is a pretty solid Jazz drummer, when he wants to be.

Tea for One-Presence (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rgfXPlpneyE) Another great lesser known blues song, this one actually written by Plant and Page is about them being home sick for England.

In the Light- Physical Graffiti (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HqWZZLRuCeI) OHHHHH the winds of change are gonna blow around you/but that will always be true

Since I’ve Been Loving You-3 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_5l0q-OC7d4&feature=fvst) This is probably a better known of their none singles, but it is also one of my favorite songs ever and isn’t know by everyone, so it goes on here. Also of note, this is the version from How the West Was Won, which is my favorite of all the live versions.

Friends-3 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D8240QPQrNI) 3 is actually my favorite Zep CD. This song (and Since I’ve been loving you) are major reasons why. It’s probably loosely based on Lord of the Rings.

Bon Yer-Au Stomp- 3 and How the West was won (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jV1ALfMZmi8) the version I have on here is from How the west was won. It’s great, in the end he call for Strider, which is what the Hobbit called Aragorn in Lord Of The Rings. “Ain’t no companion like a blue eyed pearl” 

Deep Tracks part 2: Cake-Foo FIghters

Deep Tracks: Part 2. I’ve already explained the point of this in part one (http://calmerthanyouaredudes.blogspot.com/2012/04/deep-tracks-part-1-aerosmith-bruce.html) So without further ado, let’s tackle this bitch.

CAKE: What can I say about CAKE, they are great, my only crime against them is I only own four of their albums L and I didn’t get to see them when they came to San Diego (double sad face)

Meanwhile, Rick James-Comfort Eagle: (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5TrjfnX8ZDU&feature=fvst): A man’s girlfriend is getting it on in a hotel room with Rick James…and there’s nothing he can do about it.

Friend is a four letter word-Fashion Nugget: (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=egmMMzt28g8) A girl says she just wants to be friends, a heartbreaking song is made.

Mexico-Prolonging the Magic: (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=egmMMzt28g8): This song was on a Littlejohn’s track list, when it came on, it was usually the highlight of my work week.

Italian Guy-Showroom of Compassion: (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YWCqy4bZ87Y) Old Italian guys sure like to make important points.

Coldplay: You can roll your eyes at me all you want, the fact of the matter is despite Chris Martin’s d-bagery, Coldplay is a pretty decent band with a lot of good songs. Listen to them and try not to enjoy them (you won’t be able to not enjoy them)

Spies-Parachutes: (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9QzDHPcNfrw&feature=related) CP’s first album is better than  most debut albums released around this time. This song is one of the reasons, I really wanted to put Trouble in, but apparently that was a single (who knew?)

Daylight-A Rush of Blood to the Head: (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YPR6LPXDBck), From a music standpoint this sounds a bit like The Beatles at their peak.

A Rush of Blood to the Head-A Rush of Blood to the Head: (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rz1uK8OOr38) Another epic song from CP’s best album, the title track doesn’t disappoint.

Counting Crows: I mentioned how good Coldplay’s first album was, well it can’t hold a candle to August and Everything After, Adam Durtiz was able to date a couple of the female cast members of Friends (when that was an accomplishment). I actually only own AaEA of the Counting Crows catalog, but I could put every none single from the album as a great deep track, I won’t, but I could.

Time and Time Again-August…: (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nbTGWkYxXOI)

Sullivan Street-August….: (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8s9kpkxQSGE)

Both great songs that speak for themselves, I have no other cute stories about them.

Danger Mouse (non Gnarles Barkley edition): I can’t say with 100 percent certainty that Danger Mouse is my favorite producer of all time, but I can’t think of anyone else I like better either. I’ll have a whole page for Barkley stuff, so that’s why I am not including it on this section. I am only doing songs from albums in which Danger Mouse’s name is on the cover.

Dark Night of the Soul (with Sparklehorse and David Lynch)- Dark Night of the Soul: (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ics3uq_810c) Yes, that is the director David Lynch that helped with this song, sadly indie darling Sparklehorse took his own life not long after this album was made (maybe even before). Anyway, this is a haunting song even without that, it could definitely be in a Lynch film.

Two Against One (with Jack White)- Rome: the Soundtrack: (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8UibsjY5K-c)The former White Stripes frontman, helps out with this track, which is on the soundtrack to the fake movie Rome.

Dave Mathews Band: My hometown heroes: I am going to pretend that there are people not from Charlottesville, Va. reading this. And if there are, let me say, I’ve meet the man several times, he’s a pretty cool dude.

Halloween-Before these Crowded Streets (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I85wVAPNiAM), a break up song…Couldn’t find the studio version of The Last Stop, or that would have been my choice from that album.

The Proudest Monkey-Crash (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PvLOm9Ewuh8)

Sleep to Dream Her-Everyday (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qxT79xhfyJg)

David Bowie: A lot of artist like to change their music every few albums, not as many of them like to change their whole personality too, but David Bowie isn’t your average musician either. I wish I knew a lot more about him, anyone who wants to give me a crash course in Bowie will not be Disqualified (get it?..It’s a Zoolander reference)  

Oh, You Pretty Things-Hunky Dory (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wIXGDQtQJaM)

Nature Boy-Moulin Rouge soundtrack: (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I3WHZ5vcyWo) a cover of a Nat King Cole song, a great start to one of the best soundtracks of my generation (great movie too)

Five Years-Ziggy Stardust: (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zq3EZhT3G7U): The opening song to Ziggy Stardust, Bowie most famous character and album. The world learns there is only five years left, and stuff starts happening

The Doors- I went through a huge Doors phase my freshman year of college, I even wrote a paper on them. I thought they were the greatest band at the time, and I wasn’t even on any un-natural drugs. Anyway, I still think they are good and what not, just don’t like them as much. I am going to pretend that When the Music’s Over and The End are singles, although look them up on youtube, if you don’t know them already.

Soul Kitchen-The Doors (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=58ceB8U9N3w)

Cars Hiss by my Window-L.A. Women (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E2uqaO1jRyk) a very bluesy song from the Doors last album.

The Spy-Morrison Hotel (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HcZ6JQv0DPo): Jim’s a spy, in the house of love.

Moonlight Drive-Strange Days (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OCaDjpwuh08): Strange Days is my favorite Doors album, in this song, Jim let’s his girlfriend drown.

Elton John: Reginald Dwight, is another artist I really should know better, I mostly just know his hits, which are plentiful. Anyway, here is my favorite deep cut that I am aware of.

Sixty Years On-Elton John: (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nqTbjKZviIA), My dad put this record on at a party once, and this was the one song that really stuck with me. It’s great early John work.

Elvis Presley: I am not sure that Elvis had any songs that weren’t hits in some way shape of form (obviously that’s not true.) The only Elvis CD’s I have are his 2^nd to none greatest hits, but there are songs that I wouldn’t know otherwise, so I am going to assume the same goes for you assclowns.

I Feel So Bad- 2^nd to none: (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LL_JvLLPdCs)

Trouble- Elvis (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yg-1qW2xAU4&feature=relmfu) Damn, if you ever wondered why Elvis is the king, this song is one of those reasons.

Eminem: In 1999, Tupac and Biggie had been dead for several years, most of the important artist of the late 80’s early 90’s were sell outs, Missy Elliot had told us about how she hated the rain, but hadn’t yet told us to get our freak on, and rappers like Jay-Z were beginning the new stages of bullshit pop rap.  Rap needed a new hero, what it got was a bleach-blonde white kid from the slums of Detroit with a giant chip on his shoulder and even bigger mic skills. The world hasn’t been the same since. I was 15 when his first album came out.

Just Don’t Give a Fuck-The Slim Shady LP (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RbuRvbOmQZI): the man just doesn’t give a fuck.

Kill You-The Marshall Mathers LP (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4MHgdcMAFQ) They told me I can’t rap about being broke no more/they ain’t say I can’t rap about coke no more…I’ll let him explain the rest

Till I collapse (with Nate Dogg)- The Eminem Show: (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xFO-BvfRrOU) Sort of a postscript to Lose yourself (but it came out before)

If I get Locked Up Tonight- Funkmaster Flex presents The Tunnel: (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4EEXxScQao)

Fiona Apple: Apple should be seen as the female John Lennon, anything less is unacceptable. But that’s just like, my opinion, man.  She also helped introduce the world to Zach Galifinakis (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u09s0uz0tEU&ob=av2e) but, that’s a single, so it’s not actually part of my list.

Red, Red, Red-Extraordinary Machine: (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xY1hgUPD1o&feature=related) Her BF been pretty much yellow, and Fiona’s been kinda blue, but all she can see is red, red, red.

Slow Like Honey-Tidal: (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WoeIeg_JvoA) Most of the songs on Tidal were written before she was 18, that shit cra.

Fleet Foxes: This folksy group from Washington state is pretty great, they don’t have a lot of hits, but they should.

Ragged Wood-Fleet Foxes: (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VExmgC0z9U0) Just a run of the mill pleasant song.

Helplessness Blues-Helplessness Blues: (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6mR8Z-gmK1g) fantastic song, just listen and enjoy.

Foo Fighters: Dave Ghorl’s post Nirvana band has become one of the biggest in the world. They are even some fans of the Foos that don’t know who Nirvana is, they’re called idiots, and they’re a lot of them in the world, but what are you gonna do?

February Stars-The Colour and the Shape (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9wG1xEHij08). It’s my birth months, so it’s got that going for it…which is nice.

For the Cows-Foo Fighters (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bIKqAWGN2CI) the brothers Foo first album was more of a Dave Ghorl demo tape, but it’s still a really good album

I Should Have Known-Wasting Light (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Zr1dVYNJic) Nirvana’s bassist Krist Novoselic joins Nirvana’s ex-drummer on this awesome track, that is the best on their most recent album. Like most  Foo songs, it’s hard to tell if it’s about Kurt or not. 

Deep tracks part 1: Aerosmith-Bruce Springsteen

Deep tracks, are the songs on artist’s albums that are not released as singles, and many artist have some great ones that aren’t well known cause not everyone buys albums. It has become even more of an issue in the Itunes world, where kids will download their favorite Who or Led Zeppelin song that they heard on the radio or kidz bop. Anyway, I don’t feel like going on a rant about how the soulless money makingness of pop music has buried the idea of albums, I would rather just put up a bunch of youtube links to songs that artist made that aren’t played on the radio.

Aerosmith: The first classic rock band I ever got into, mostly by way of a recorded tape made by my neighbor, of their album Get a Grip, when I was in forth grade. Then by way of their first greatest hits tape, which I purchased at a gas station (you used to (probably still can) find a lot of great, cheap buys of tapes and CD’s at gas stations)

Round And Round-Toys In The Attic (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OA7711eRE-A) before they got clean, “The Toxic Twins” of Steven Tyler and Joe Perry were a force to be reckon with. This is my favorite song off Toys In The Attic. Probably about doing drugs and having sex, most of their songs are.

King and Queens-Draw The Line/Greatest Hits: (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2gq14MP7qgM) Yes, the fact that this is on the greatest hits defeats the purpose of my intentions of this blog, but this is my favorite Aerosmith song, and I’d be willing to guess that zero people out there that don’t own either album have actually heard of it, I think it was put on the album because they had so few other songs to fill it with. There are only 10 tracks on the album, and the last 2 are covers: Come Together, (Remember) Walking in the Sand, both great covers worth checking out.

Alice in Chains: I think Alice In Chains is the second most underrated band of the 90’s (behind The Wallflowers), they are true titans of the grunge era, and even the new stuff is awesome too, several of the band members have faced pretty tragic sad drug based endings. A lot of people, watched former bassist Mike Starr on struggle on celebrity rehab, only to read his OD based obituary later that same year (2011). And former front man, Layne Stayle was dead in his apartment of an OD for 6 days before he was found by someone. By that time in his life he was only talking to his drug dealer and his sister for the most part.

Rain when I Die-Dirt: (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LbkTpCvA9Oc) If you think you like grunge music, you have to own the album Dirt, it is the most grungey album out there. This song, like many songs of theirs, is about heroin. Such is most songs by bands in Seattle at the time.

Nothin Song-Alice In Chains: (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ygtDt14hIBA) AIC’s self-titled album, is very forgotten about (but, it shouldn’t be), this is just one of the many great tracks off it. I think it’s about trying to make another hit song.

Love/Hate/Love-Facelift (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f2WDhx0VHa0): Another great AIC song, I just love the music in this, it is not uplifting to say the least

Don’t Follow-Jars of Flies: (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBB2OS4IoTs) Besides the MTV unplugged, Jars of Flies is the most publically listenable album by the group, it is much more restrained, this song even has harmonica in it. Most people will like this song if you give it a chance.

Right Turn-SAP: (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dqwv0qZleUA): I know I am putting way to many Alice in Chains songs on here, but this one deserves extra attention cause it also has Chris Cornell (Soundgarden) and Mark Arm (Mudhoney) on the track. Also, AIC are criminally under listened too.

Allman Brothers: I don’t know a ton of none famous Allman brothers songs, so this is going to short and sweet.

Not My Cross To Bare-Eat A Peach (I think) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=szdKx9O31A0). Just an amazing song, that not nearly enough people know, so maybe now you do.

The Beach Boys: One of the five greatest pop bands ever, this was back in the day when singers in boy bands also played their own instruments. Also, Pet Sounds is one of the best albums ever, but I am not sure it’s even gone platinum yet.

That’s Not Me-Pet Sounds: (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wHCEppiiXL8) The entire song is about being in your 20’s and aimless, needless to say, for me, it’s one of the most relatable albums of all time.

I Just Wasn’t Made for These Times-Pet Sounds: (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VyhU2mVyFAk) the entire album is short and every song is great, these are just my two favorite and most relatable tracks.

The Beatles: What can I add about the Fab Four that hasn’t already been said, very little, so here are a couple tracks you might not be 100 percent aware of, but probably are.

Girl-Rubber Soul: (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=liR9bW5hm2c) This is the song the guy sings at the beginning of the movie Across the Universe (it’s actually a pretty good movie)

I Am So Tired- The White Album (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MIENus8bJlY) Short and to the point, Lennon is tired. Plus there is the line: Curse Sir Walter Raliegh/he was such a stupid git.

Long, Long, Long-The White Album (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z6ghgQe2ikA): SHHHHHH!! Be vewy, vewy quiet, or you might not be able to hear the lyrics. Another great song from The White Album

She’s Leaving Home-Sgt. Pepper’s… (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-lG3nXyI41M) About a girl, leaving home despite her parent’s wishes, a great examples of the brilliance of the Beatles harmonies.

Beck: Beck is the Bob Dylan of the 90’s/21^st century (except with a much better voice and producing ablity), he can do so many things and usually with very few other peoples help. Every album is some kind of change up from his last, and they are all good.

Missing-Guero (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36Cq86vgIDg)

Derelict-Odelay (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUfoX275lOs)

Little One-Sea Change (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x2w0k_F7xa8): Ignore the stupid home movie, only version of the song I could find

We Live Again-Mutations (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dFfAic-wsw8): Mutations is actually my favorite Beck album, it was his first break up album (Sea Change was his second, and also a classic)

Ben Folds Five: Ben Folds is another artist of the late 90’s that goes under noticed, I saw him open for Tori Amos, he was great, he did a cover of Wham’s Careless Whisper, it was pretty awesome. George Michael is a pretty great songwriter.

Selfless, Cold, and Composed-Whatever and ever Amen: (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8Ax3Yrdwpg&feature=fvst) the band can jazz the hell out of a song. Here is an amazing acapella version of the song by some college acapella group, it is also AH-MAHZING (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kB9hjYLkTMg)

Missing the War-Whatever and Ever, Amen (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J6Sdr9_1PFY) another song on the album that I love.

Billy Joel: Hicksville, Long Island, New York’s own, would have been in my uncles graduating class, had the piano man graduated from high school.

The “downeaster” Alexa-Storm Front (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gG5H139_LaU) just a song about a fisherman trying to catch enough fish to feed to the family.

No Man’s Land- River of Dreams (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MzoGHYdLUPo) sort of a companion piece to We Didn’t Start the Fire, in which, we actually did start the fire, damn our suburban life-style .

Bob Dylan: The man that went electric has some great long winded songs.

Just Like Tom Thumb’s Blues-Highway 61 revisited (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3mM1am2QlKs) Typically Dylan hating everyone in the world, cause they are just a bunch of squares

Bruce Springsteen: BRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

Lost in the Flood-Live, from Ashbury Park: (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oKxA-q_m7Bk&feature=fvst) Quick Confession: I have just recently gone all in on Bruce Springsteen, hearing this song on Springsteen radio, while on a baseball trip with my dad in 09 is one of the main turning point songs.

State Trooper-Nebraska (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lmT-jlL8ZiY) Nebraska is probably my favorite Bruce album, this is my favorite track from the album.

Point Blank-The River (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0DjrXDBJnU). Great atmospheric song.  

that teenage feeling: My top ten Neko Case songs

For those of you who don’t know who Neko Case is, let me just say she is one of the best artist of all-time and that you are about to get a crash course in some of my favorite music of hers. Picking my ten favorite Neko songs is as hard as picking my ten favorite children (If I had 80 –some children, and loved or/at least liked them all)(if I had than many children, there’s no way I’d even like half of them, but that’s another story for another time.) If I had to describe the genre that best fit Neko, I would go with Americana since it is the easiest label to use for her, but with a strong rock flair, she is like a female Ryan Adams without all the drug fueled drama and with much more humbleness. Seeing her live was great, she was great with audience interaction and was very self-depreciating without it coming off as an act. If you are drawn to old country music, you’ll love her first two CD’s (the Virginian and Furnace Room Lullaby), if swamp guitar infused electricana (think Postishead mixed with “Screamin” Jay Hawkins, but in a more subdued, approachable way*) you’ll dig Blacklisted, Her two most recent releases are probably the most globally loved and approachable (but it’s not like any of her music is niche based): Fox Confession Brings the Flood, and Middle Cyclone.

                I first became aware of Neko by way of WNRN, who would play her music form time to time.  It wasn’t until I saw her name on the credits of an episode of Aqua Teen Hunger Force as one of the sirens who tear the flesh off of John Kruks body (funnier than it sounds), that I decided to download some of her music, and from the moment I finished listening to the first song of hers I downloaded, I was an instant fan.  

                   Neko’s looks alone are worth talking about, as she is probably the prettiest natural looking women to play the guitar and/or sing. Any pop star not named Gwen Stefani or Britney Spears** could only wish to be as pretty as Neko without smearing inches of make up on (think Katy Perry), but it’s her song writing and amazing voice that gets her the radio listens (think the opposite of Katy Perry.) I haven’t even mentioned the fact that she is from Virginia, though raised in Washington state and gaining fame mostly in Chicago and Canada. Neko first gained a little bit of fame as the female singer in the band the New Pornographers, but I mostly love her solo work and that is all I am going to list on my top ten songs. Title/album/youtube clip, (if available.)

10.  Next Time You Say For Ever-Middle Cyclones (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_izWbQZSFU) Never tell Neko you’ll love her forever if you don’t mean it, she doesn't take to kindly to it.

Best Lyrics: The next time you say forever/I will punch you in your face

9. That Teenage Feeling-Fox Confessor Brings the Flood (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5RV-5j4wQsQ): Neko has met the love of her life, she feels like she’s a teenager again, falling in love for the first time. Best Lyrics: (opening stanza): Now that we’ve met/We can only laugh at these regrets/common as a winter’s cold/they’re telephone poles/one after another after another.

8. Mood To Burn Brigdes- Furnance Room Lullaby (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_s6DQSIjTFs): The people in Tacamo sure like to love to talk and gossip, but only about Neko and she is fed up with it.

Best Lyrics: (chorus): If you want moral advice/I suggest you just tuck it all away/cause my mood to burn bridges/not unlike my mood to dig ditches/don’t cross me on neither a day.

7. Vengeance is Sleeping-Middle Cyclones (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvYUWdxuXKw) Neko sure is vindictive, in this she is thinking about getting back at the man who cheated on her and left her long ago.

Best Lyrics: If your not by now dead and buried/your must certifiably married/oh, married/I’m sure you’re sleeping sound/with the mistress of the hour/hours that grind your life away to dust.

AND

But you’re the one that I still miss/you’re the one that I still miss/and it’s ruthless that it comes as no surprise

When she came to Charlottesville, she sang this song, and someone was smart enough to record it http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TwXX5NGbQH8

6. The Pharaohs-Middle Cyclones (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hBsEXQ2gN20) In this song, a 16 year old Neko (her age in the song…not when she wrote it) Imagines meeting the love of her life on his wedding day…Things just get crazy from there.

Best Lyrics: I want the Pharaohs/but there’s only men

5. Furnace Room Lullaby-Furnace Room Lullaby (and The Gift soundtrack) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9nBt_e9tzdQ): This song kind of reminds me of a song version of the Edgar Allen Poe short story, the Tale-tell Heart, chick can wail too.

Best Lyrics: At night all I hear/all I hear/is your Heaaaaaarrrrrtttt

4. Things that scare me-Blacklisted (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EBLI9jq6tUY): The first song I ever download off of Limewire by her, still one of my favorites, the lead track off her best album more than sets the mood for the rest of it.

Best Lyrics: I am the dying breed/That still believes/haunted by, American dreams

3. Blacklisted-Blacklisted (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AMgkop02h7s) I love the guitar in it, all sorts of backwoods swampiness dripping off it. If I ever did a soundtrack for a movie and there was a night driving scene, I would have this song in the background. I actually listened to it for an hour on repeat once while I was driving across the country to California, during one of those long hauls in Texas where there is nothing else going on except oil fields. If you ever have to drive through Texas, do it at night, you’re not missing much visually and it goes on for hours, while I was driving it was a full moon, which was pretty awesome. (Editor’s note: This song was in the movie hell ride)

Best Lyrics: Fast train/where do your passangers wait?/what’s at the heart/of your engines rage?/to what smooth place/at the end of the line/with crackling fire/and quite planes/do the trees bend down/fold their limbs round you?/welcome home faithful one/we forgive/we forgive you/slow down fast train, slow down fast train/take me with you (yes those are all the lyrics)

2. Prison Girls-Middle Cyclones (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0sLNVRIndYI) I just read a description of this songs guitar part as surf-bluesy, I’ll go with that (who says everyone that post on youtube is an idiot) This song is about how much better Neko’s life is than that of girls in prison (okay, probably not exactly, but it might be). I love the mood the music sets in many of her songs.

Best lyrics: Long shadows crawl beneath the floor/ to a passage so poorly lit/there’s moth flying away from it.

Here’s another version of the song, she’s doing it with Elvis Costello and a bunch of other people, she is the only one who sings. I don’t like it as much as the album track http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y5FHslmkBFA

1 Ghost Wiring-Blacklisted (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ITuK7Mqo6o) Another masterpiece from her album blacklisted. This song is about how much she misses her home of Tacoma, Washington and about her life on the road. The guitar is haunting as usual.

Best Lyrics: Don’t feel sorry for yourself/I’ll always wait for you/Your ghost is a light show at night/on the Grand Coulee Damn/the river is watching you/at the drive in tonight/who do they comfort now?/that I’ve gone away.

Listen to the songs, and tell me what you think

*I doubt you’ve heard of Portishead or screamin Jay Hawkins if you haven’t heard of Neko, but they are both acts you should look up.

**In her prime, Brittney was the hottest woman on the planet, pop-star or otherwise. I refuse to listen to anyone else’s second opinion on this, this is a closed case-file. 

Lola Pollock

                It was brought to my attention today, by way of a facebook wall post by my cousin Kera, that today is the 13^th anniversary of my maternal grandmother (Lola..or, as my sister and I called her, gramee) death. So, I figured what better topic to write about than her. Before, I began, let me say that one of the disadvantages of being a first generation southerner, with both sides of the family coming from/ and for the most part, still living in New York, is that you don’t get to see them as often as you’d like. One of the many advantages is that you know your family had nothing to do with slavery, or Jim Crow laws, or many of the other stupid things that southerners did/ still do, for example everything Neil Young sings about. But, this isn’t about the south, it’s about my grandmother, so let’s get back on track.

                I don’t know my Grandmother’s history nearly as well as I should, so I won’t be saying anything about her previous to my birth, except that she stayed marry to the same man till his death (a year before hers), she adopted two kids (my mom and my aunt) and before I was born she was an obvious badass, sadly smoking took its toll on some of her badassery by the time I was alive (I’ll get to her sad demise later.) What I do remember though, is that her and my grandfather came down to visit twice a year, and almost every year for the first 14 years of my life, we went up to New York, two/three times a year too, once during spring break and/or summer, and then for Thanksgiving, and we would usually go to a beach house in North Carolina one week a year with them too, at least when I was younger.

My grandfather was a carpenter and built the house they lived in, a three-story house, the top floor was more of a loft, and the basement was of the scary variety: with a pack-rats worth of stuff scurried about the place. Gramee, was an active gardener and my fondest memory of her was of helping her pick raspberries in her garden, while trying to avoid being stung by the many bee’s and or pricked by the many thorns, all while the family dog, Duke (a medium sized springer spaniel) ran beneath us. Gramee had a bit of a husky voice, made all the more deeper by decades of inhaling a pack or two of cigarettes a day, but she loved singing nursery rhymes to me or anyone who would listen, the one I remember her singing the most was the Harlem Goat:

The Harlem Goat
Was feelin' fine
Ate three red shirts
right off the line.
His master Jack
Gave him a whack
And tied him to
The railroad track
The whistle blew
The train grew nigh
The Harlem goat
Was soon to die.
He gave three groans
of mortal pain
Coughed up the shirts
To flag the train

                My grandparents checks were always among the first to be in the mail for birthdays and holidays, and whenever we would go up and visit they would always take us to Toys R’ Us to get one toy. Going to Toys R’ Us in the late 80’s early 90’s was probably the most fun thing I got to do with my grandparents in New York, it was kind of like buying the Holy Grail in Mecca for me. In 1992 Toys R’ Us came to Charlottesville, which was like bringing the mountain to Mohammed (here’s a picture of someone bringing a mountain to Mohammed). The best gift Gramee ever got me (you know, besides love) came on my birthday in 1994, my grandparents took me too the Fashion square Mall, and told me I could get anything I wanted (within reasons). Without hesitation I went to Legends (later called Champs), a sports apparel store, and pointed at the Shawn Kemp jersey. The smallest the store had was an adult sized 44 (which might still be too big for me now) but I didn’t care, jeresey’s cost about 40.00 dollars at the time, which my mom found to be an outrageous price, but my grandparents let me get it. It was my favorite article of clothing for the next 6 years, till it was destroyed in a house fire, I really need to get another one (sadly, it won’t have the same back story).

                Thanksgiving at my grandparents house was almost always a given, there would be anywhere from 10 to 20 people at the table on any given year, which was somewhat impressive, given how small my family is on that side. I was always one of the youngest at the table, but I always got to sit with the grownups, which felt like a bigger deal than it was, given that there was no little kids table. Gramee was always the linchpin that kept us together, in the 15ish years I was alive with her, I went up with my family at least 30 times, I can still remember every inch of that house, yard, woods, the playground behind the woods, the doghouse and the several gardens surrounding it. I have been there once since she passed away, which doesn’t seem strange, until I tell you that we still have plenty of family living over there, which I sadly don’t see, but I keep up with via my cousin on facebook, both my cousins now have children too, and I have maybe met them once or twice, it’s my fault I don’t keep in touch as often as I should. They seem like awesome kids, from what she post on her facebook page. I say this now, not just as a reaching out to my family, in case they read this, but also to show the power of my grandma, we are a group of people, that at least at the time had little in common besides being called a family, yet four to five weeks a year we would all come together because of two people (her and my grandfather.) One of the last major lessons Gramee taught me was not to smoke, she didn’t teach me this with words, but by actions, since all my most recent memories of her revolve around her sitting around an oxygen tank and breathing by help of a machine one minute, and the next minute, standing out on the balcony smoking a cigarette, it is not a fun way to watch a loved one go. I think the most powerful thing I could say about gramee is this: My mom was adopted so we don’t share the same genes, but there isn’t a week that goes by that I don’t think/know that if I had hers (and my grandfathers) DNA in me, I would be much smarter, stronger/more athletic (the thing I care about the most) and better looking.

I love and miss her everyday.

SOB Mix CD Insert

The Sons of Bill are a five piece rock band whose influences include but are not limited to: Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Bruce Springsteen, Wilco, Ryan Adams and Steve Earle. As well as more current acts like Drive by Truckers, and The Hold Steady. It would be easy to put them in the category of Americana, but as a five piece band, in which all band members bring their own unique influence to the table, that label would be missing quite a bit of what they do and sound-like.

As a San Diegan friend/teammate/bartender/barroom adversary of mine (Quinn Rose), you are in the unique position of learning of a great southeast band on the rise, while still being able to live in Southern California, the most beautiful region of the country.  

Sons of Bill are: James Wilson: Vocals/Guitar, Sam Wilson: Lead Guitar/Vocals, Abe Wilson: Keyboard/Vocals, Seth Green: Bass, Todd Wellons: Drums*

*Wellons left the band for a brief time (which included their second CD) to try and make it as a professional paper pushing desk-jockey, after failing at that dream, he rejoined the band in time to be heard all over their very recently released (March 26, 2012) third CD (Sirens). Brian Cuputo filled in on the sticks for the second CD (One Town Away)

The Sons of Bill Formed in the year 2005, when 3 brothers with the last named Wilson (sound familer **cough cough** Beach Boys **cough cough**) teamed up with 2 friends to form a band, based around songs that the group founder James Wilson had been writing in his head, on paper, and with a tape recorded for the past several years. After only a couple months together the band won University of Viriginia’s 2005 battle of the bands, which got them 20 hours of free recording time at a local recording studio and led to their first album A Far Cry From Freedom. Since then the band has gone on to make 2 more albums, while not compromising on who they are or what they want to sound like. In 2007 Sons of Bill played a month’s worth of shows on US army bases in Asia that they did through Armed Forces Entertainment. In 2008-2009 Sons of Bill made their second album: One Town Away with LA based producer Jim Scott when he wasn’t busy producing Wilco: Wilco (the album). When time came to make the third album, the band realized it didn’t have the money to make the album they really wanted to make so they took to the website Kickstarter.com hoping that their fans/friends/and family could help them raise 20,000.00 over a two week period, the band was able to make it in less i than 24 hours and wound up making over $40,000.00. The SOB’s quickly put that money to good use and hired David Lowery (lead singer of the band Cracker) to produce their third album: Sirens, in their home state of Virginia. Sons of Bill have played in several music festivals including: Campout East, Bonnaroo, and several times at South by Southwest. 

Tracklist (album which it comes from)

1.       Santa Ana Winds (Sirens)- Written By Abe Wilson, though it features James on lead vocals, this is the first official single from the band and will be a huge hit, if it gets into the right hands. The official video can be found on youtube. Written while the band was making their second album in LA, the song is relatable to everyone in Southern California.

2.       Take Me Back To The Time (A Far Cry From Freedom)- Part of the original tunes James wrote while digging trenches at Deep Springs School, a twangy tune about the simpler times of high school that Taylor Swift only wishes she could write. I was among the people, he said goodbye too on the football field.

3.       Rock and Roll (One Town Away)- A rock song that pays homage to the old school ethos of Country Music “And you’re the only girl I know/make me think that love/could save my soul/but country songs don’t end that way/and I don’t play rock n roll” Rest assure, Sons of Bill do play Rock and Roll, they play Rock and Roll very good.

4.       Turn It Up (Sirens)-Over 7 minutes in length with some Layla-esque guitar soloing by Sam Wilson, this song quickly earned a place near the top of my favorite SOB songs. Abe takes the vocals lead for this song. The ending of the song is much better than Layla’s if you ask me. The ending has a strong Kings of Leons “Use Somebody” vibe to it.

5.       Texas (A Far Cry From Freedom)-After James graduated high school in Charlottesville, Virginia, he headed west, to Texas, where many of his musical heroes were from, he soon found out, that the Texas melancholy that Steve Earle, Guy Clark, and Robert Earl Keene sing about don’t just apply to people born in the Lone-Star State.

6.       Charleston (One Town Away)-Charleston, South Carolina has always welcomed the Sons of Bill with open-arms, easily making it their home away from home. This song, about a man in the midst of a fight with his girlfriend deciding to take a trip to the beautiful Southwestern city, is as much an endorsement and thank you to “The Holy City” as it is a great song.

7.       Angry Eyes (Sirens)-Another of my favorite tracks off the new album.

8.       Far Cry (Paradise City) (Live 11, 10, 2006)-The studio version of this song is on the album Far Cry From Freedom, however, on these cd’s I’ve included a live version from the band’s one year anniversary. Early on this is the song that really brought the house down, with Sam Wilson’s guitar solo work in the middle. As a extra bonus of this version of the cd, the band covers a bit of Guns and Roses Paradise City as well.

9.       Western Skies (One Town Away)- My favorite Sons of Bill song. Written and Sung by Abe Wilson, this song really showcases that the band’s collaborative effort is much more Beatles than Beach Boys.

10.    Life in Shambles (Sirens) (guest singer: David Lowery of the band Cracker)- For those of you not familiar with Cracker, youtube the songs: Teen Angst, Low, and Euro-trash girl. If you are a fan of Cracker already, then you already know what Lowery’s voice can add to a song, and shouldn’t be surprised at how good this one is.

11.    Radio Can’t Rewind (Late Night’s and Broken Hearts)- A fleshed out version of this song is found on the SOB’s album Sirens. The one on this album, however, is from a Sam Wilson solo album, that, much like Springsteen’s Nebraska, is very bare boned music.

12.    Fade to Black (live at the Paramount in Charlottesville, VA) (Metallica cover)-An extra special bonus for you guys, this is a live cover of Metallica’s amazing song Fade to Black, it also showcases that the Sons of Bill are a band very much meant to enjoy live, and that their influence goes far beyond Americana music.

13.    Virginia Calling (Sirens)-As a native son of Virginia, I couldn’t end this album with any other song. James love of our home state is often obvious; this is a song that would make Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, Alonzo Morning, Amie Mann, Missy Elliot, and Dave Ghorl very proud.

All Sons of Bill albums are available on Itunes, and are all worth purchasing. There are many great songs, I couldn’t include on this album. They can also be purchased on Amazon or at the bands official website, (found at the bottom of this page). As great, as the bands studio albums are, the band is really meant to be enjoyed live and the more fans of Sons of Bill we can get in Southern California the better chance we can get them to put on many live shows here. So please, tell any and all your friends about the band, burn this CD for them if you have too.  

More info about the band can be found on all the social sites of today’s youth

Like them on Facebook, Sons of Bill fan page. Send them a message when you do, tell them, Quinn Rose sent you, that they need to play shows in San Diego and/or other Southern California cities.

Follow them on Twitter @sonsofbill

Go to the bands main website: Sonsofbill.com, where you can see all the lucky East Coast and Midwest places they’ll be playing, you can also buy their albums on vinyl as well as tshirts, cozies, hats, bumperstickers and so much more.

Also visit and like the facebook pages of the band member’s side-projects:

Sam Wilson (Think Bruce Springsteen’s Nebraska and Beck’s Sea Change), Modern Medication (Bassist Seth Green’s side project, self-produced)

You can also listen to and like facebook pages of Friends of Sons of Bill

Luke Wilson(younger and extremely talented brother…not the actor), The Honey Dewdrops (married folk duo and the lady is a high school class-mate…The duo has played on A Prairie Home Companion, among other shows), The Wheeler Brothers (Tour mates), American Aquarium (tour mates)  

Let me know what you think of the album by emailing me qrpats@yahoo.com and/or friending me on facebook or following me on twitter @gobiasindsqvr.

I made these albums as a labor of love for these guys as a personal friend of the individuals of Sons of Bill and as a fan of the band. This was my idea and the band is not giving me any money to do this.

Look forward to hearing your opinion of them,

Quinn Rose.