Gary Busey, um, rocks?

I never thought there'd be a post about Gary Busey on my blog, let alone a positive one. Check him out playing Buddy Holly in this 1978 movie that I caught on TV last night. He actually sings, too. He's excellent...

Morning, Della!

Rockin' out to Della Reese while I eat my yogurt this morning...

Rock n Roll Specialists, 1958

Um, how badass is Buddy Holly? Check out the knee jerk and the snarl. And the drummer's hairdo.

Happy New Year

Don't you LOVE Johnny Nash?

Sweet Mental Revenge

Scott came across this amazing Waylon Jennings clip from 1966. The lyrics are acid. And how unflappably cool is he?? Check out how he moves his shoulders at about 9 seconds.

"I hope the friend you've thrown yourself with, he gets drunk and loses his job./ Every road that you travel on is dusty, rocky and hard."



And how about this one--does he not make the most electric eye contact with the camera (1:18)?



Who's Waylon Jennings, you ask? Scott says it is disrespectful and taints his legacy for me to mention this (as it is the least cool thing he did and he probably did it for the money during a career low), but since country music isn't everyone's cup of tea (not sure why) some of you may not be familiar with Waylon Jennings. But you've heard him before:



Scott just walked out of the room. "He's probably turning in his fucking grave."

Welcome Spring and War Pigs

Today brought the first sun we've seen in England in months: short but delicious bursts of sun punctuating an otherwise impassive cloud cover. And the rain stopped long enough for the slate paving in our garden to dry. This convergence of good fortune lured us outside for a while to observe a variety of spring activities underway all around us:

Male jays, tits, robins and blackbirds battling one another to impress the ladies. A solitary daisy growing out of the lawn. Lady bugs gathered on a fence. A white tailed bumble bee queen searching along the planting beds for a place to set up her colony. Pear and apple blossoms soaking up the intermitent sun. And, new visitors--a beautiful pair of goldfinches at our feeders.

It's been a long, dreary, rainy winter. I can't begin to describe how numbing and depressing it's been. Interminable rain. Skies so heavy and low you slump to avoid them. A damp, penetrating cold that no amount of tea, or wool, or upturned collars can ward off.

When we last lived in New York, I regularly prepared for my morning subway commute by cranking this before leaving the house:



This morning, perhaps out of disdain for the climate, we turned to vintage Black Sabath. I've always felt a place's climate shapes the kind of music produced there. It couldn't be more true here. Despite it being 7:45 am, the music somehow felt cheery; it at least gives you a sense of having a fighting chance against the gloom:

Saturday Night Zombies

Tuesday Bluegrass Clips

I know not everyone is a fan of Bluegrass. But I am. It always brightens my mood and gets my blood going. Getting to see it live is one of the things I miss most about living in the U.S., and in D.C. in particular, where one could see everyone from living legend Ralph Stanley to a group of middle aged unknowns who'd driven several hours to perform at a dive on a Friday night in Alexandria, where their wives made up half the audience (that's not to say they weren't excellent).

Anyway, if you like Bluegrass, or if you normally cringe at the first plunk of a banjo but are feeling open-minded today, check out this old clip of the Stanley Brothers playing one of my favorites, How Mountain Girls Can Love. And watch lightening Ralph Stanley on the banjo!!!



Along the same lines, here's excellent footage of a young Dolly Parton singing live at the Grand Ole Opry. Beautiful! Can you believe her hair? And fascinating people watching among the audience.

Tuesday Clip

Came across this clip of the Bill Evans Trio (whom I've been playing a lot lately) performing Autumn Leaves. Recorded 1966. Wow.

Cheer Up, 1960s-Style

A British psychologist at Cardiff University has determined that today is the most depressing day of the year. According to the BBC article I read this morning, Dr. Cliff Arnalls arrived at his conclusion using a complex formula that takes into account "foul weather, debt, fading Christmas memories, failed resolutions and a lack of motivation."

Although I didn't feel particularly blue this morning (and I actually dragged myself to the gym at 8 am, thank you very much), I'm perking up today with some hilarious footage of The Byrds covering Bob Dylan's "You Ain't Goin' Nowhere" at a 1968 Hugh Hefner gig. This is one of my favorite songs from their Sweethearts of the Rodeo album, during the brief time Gram Parsons was in the band.

Even if this live version isn't the greatest, the audience makes this footage so worth watching--I never knew you could dance to this song, and especially not with the aerobic vigor showcased by the dude in front in the tux (starting at 2:07). Is he guiding a jet in for a landing??

Friday Clip

Are there any bands who, while you were growing up, you were vaguely aware of because you occasionally heard them on the oldies station or while shopping in Sears with your mother, or whatever, and although you didn't know who they were, you did know that they were over the hill and NOT cool?

For example, I remember right before the start of 8th grade I was shopping with my friends Ruben and Steven for that season's back to school must-have, the leather bomber jacket, and The Doors came on the store's radio. We'd never heard of The Doors but we sort of recognized the song and "Come on, baby, light my fire" seemed to us the pinnacle of corniness. We were struck by fits of giggles, and Steven embarrassed me by singing the chorus over and over as I dodged behind racks of clothes to avoid being seen with him. The three of us continued singing it to each other in mock seriousness for weeks on end.

The Eagles are another such band. And I'm still not a fan of all of their stuff. But now that I'm more musically open minded (or just older and less cool), I really love this song (recorded live at the BBC studios in 1973):

Inspiration

Scott and I have been on a late 60s/early 70s Brit rock kick for the past few weeks. Rockin out to The Zombies, The Kinks, Small Faces, Bubble Puppy (sent to us by Kev--thank you!) among others. Today I can't get enough of The Wizard by Uriah Heep. Check out this video (while pondering the following):

a) How terrible are they at lip syncing?

b) How awesome is the bass in this song?

c) I think the guitarist is Joe Perry from Aerosmith.

d) Is anyone else amused/disturbed by the flock of no-rhythm, jail bait groupies? Especially the girl in the black zip-up number on the left?

e) What 80's rocker comes to mind after listening to the first 45 seconds (hint: not Joe Perry)?

OK, time's up. As Kev has pointed out to me in the past, and I totally agree, doesn't Axl Rose kind of pop into your head? Just a little? Come on! Replay the video and tell me I'm right. I mean, he and David Byron even have kind of a similar look going on:

On the Subway

For all of you who commuted to work this morning. There is so much to love here...