JohnO

Seems ole Dwight just released a new album of all covers, "Out Of The Box"....but on MP3/download only! (Damn him!!!) It's available via Amazon. I will gladly reimburse anyone here plus, for a copy on CD-R.....(Used to count on Rich from PA for my download-to-CD needs, but he left the board, dammit!..........) Here's the list of covers on it, BTW.......... Hello Goodbye Secret Agent Man The Last Time Holiday In My Life Good Golly Miss Molly Old Time Rock & Roll (You're So Square) Baby I Don't Care Big Iron I Fought The Law You're Gonna Lose That Girl Bang A Gong (Get It On) Girl's Got Rhythm Burning Love Last Kiss Town Without Pity You've Got To Hide Your Love Away Little Sister Stand By Me Tomorrow Never Knows Does DT have taste or what?

Oh goody, another idiotic list! Offhand, I have no problema with the Beatles, Stones or Ramones. Led Zep, Sly & Family Stone might make my Top 30 or so. Marley, I don't consider rock & Roll, although I do love his music. U2, Dead, Velvets, Pink Floyd? - Absolutely not!!!

"Not to be stupid, but who in the heck are Danny Bowes and Steven Wilson???" Two Brits who are, for the most part, unknown on this side of the Atlantic. Bowes is the singer with hard rock band Thunder, Wilson is a solo artiste whose best known band was probably Porcupine Tree.

"Hope they play Cleveland...Alot of Groovies fans here." Cleveland was the 3rd choice (behind NYC and New Orleans again) that I suggested to Cyril when I called him last week. He had mentioned that Magic Christian drew one of their better crowds when they played Beachland....and that he had been been asked to sign tons of Groovies albums that night before and after the show. He & Roy are both over 60 now, and this may be their best shot now, in the wake of the Ponderosa Stomp coverage by the NY Times (see link below), to try to make some quick money via their music. Cyril sells paintings occasionally via Ebay (he worked as an illustrator/artist for Disney in the 90s), and Roy still works at Jack's Records in Haight-Asbury, and gets the odd acting job here and there....and they both play shows a couple of times a year (Cyril with Magic Christian, Roy with either the Long Shots (his Seattle band) or the Movers/Phantom Movers (SF band))....but they see very little money from the old records/CDs, which is a damn shame... Great photo of Roy,Cyril & Miriam Linna in the Ny Times last week - http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/01/arts/music/01pond.html

Ex- Flamin Groovies Cyril Jordan and Roy Loney just played their first show together in 31 years last week at the Ponderosa Stomp in New Orleans, backed by NY rockers The A-Bones. The crowd (several thousand) went wild for their set, which shocked the living Hell out of both Roy and Cyril, who, frankly, couldn't get arrested in their native San Francisco if they set fire to a police car, most likely. (An exaggeration, perhaps, but not too far off.....nobody knows them back home, but they're huge in Europe whenever either travels and plays there). The A-Bones and certain friends and fans of theirs (including moi) have been screeching at them since the NO show, trying to convince them to strike while the iron is hot...and they've apparently listened, with NYC as the next target. Roy & Cyril agreed to play 2 shows in July back East with the 'Bones - Maxwells on Thursday, 7/23 (Ira, G-Man?), and the Southpaw in Brooklyn on Friday, 7/24. It was a wild show in New Orleans, and the 2 in the NYC area also promise to be crazy. While most San Francisco bands in the late 60s were doing 10-15 minute drum and guitar solos in their oh-so-psychedelic songs, the Groovies were doing Little Richard, Eddie Cochran and punked-up rockabilly covers, along with 2.5 to 3 minute pop gems. They were ahead of their time, not unlike certain bands from the Cleveland area in the early 70s......

"Sadly, the Dolls of today are, alas, not the Dolls of yesteryear." True...but they're still very, very good live, even if David Jo is scary looking (old male equivalent of one of the Olsen twins....6'0" tall, weighs 48 pounds)

This certainly appears to be the year where everything's falling in place for the Cavs. And, taking nothing away from them or their great year.......could somebody, anybody, PLEASE explain why the Pistons, who made the Eastern finals what, the past 6 years, hired that idiot Curry as a coach, and then made possibly the worst trade in the history of the NBA, sending Chauncy Billups to Denver for the one-man team-wrecking crew, Allen Iverson? The results - a team in total disarray, first time in 8 or 9 years Detroit won less than 50, an overall losing record, and Denver looks like the best team in the West aside from LA, with Billups getting some 3rd & 4th place votes for MVP.... Mind you, they wouldn't have beaten Cleveland anyway, but they certainly would have won more than 39, finished higher than the 8th seed, and might have provided the Cavs some actual competition!

Actually, being a card-carrying left-wing pinko, I like Robbins, Sarandon, etc., BUT am shocked that Tony C. would......(also, I prefer "Bob Roberts", "Bull Durham", and maybe several hundred other flicks over "Shawshank")

Tony - I'm very disappointed in you, shilling so loudly for a film that featured that commie, left-wing, Iraq war-hating, John Edwards-loving, pinko puppet Tim Robbins! (Just going back to the planned 15th anniversary of "Bull Durham" celebration that was supposed to take place at the Baseball Hall of Fame in '02 or '03, which was cancelled by the guy who ran the Hall at the time, a former Reagan White House employee, who declared that Robbins' stance (and that of his commie wife Susan Sarandon) on the Iraq war put our troops in danger....)

"I know ALOT of people don't get what makes the Dolls a great band." Very true....and, IMO, that's because a lot of people don't understand rock & roll - in many cases, the sloppiness/craziness/haphazardness (is that a word?) is an integral part of the music. To me, it's a lot more about feeling and emotion than getting everything note-perfect....

Sadly, after repeated listenings, this new one still doesn't quite measure up to what I was hoping for. So far, it's been getting a bunch of 3 out of 5 star reviews, which is about right, I think. Half of an excellent album, but a few too many so-so tunes, IMO.....(Official release date is tomorrow, BTW.)

What's a lot more interesting in the magazine than this list, BTW, is that they asked a number of musicians about their own personal choices, and printed those. Ian Hunter's #1 choice, for example is Dylan, with his comment "You either get him or you don't".

First of all, I think it's fair calling any list idiotic when it's touted on the magazine cover as the 50 greatest rock singers, and then they only show a top 30 (allegedly, # 31-50 are on their web site somewhere, but I've so far been unable to find them....) Here's their list - keep in mind this is a British mag which leans heavily toward the hard rock/metal end of music......As per usual, there are some great choices here, and a number of questionable (at best) picks.... 1. Freddie Mercury 2. Paul Rodgers 3. Robert Plant 4. Steve Marriot 5. Rod Stewart 6. Ian Gillan 7. Ronnie Dio 8. Sammy Hagar 9. Steve Perry 10. Janis Joplin 11. Noddy Holder 12. Steven Tyler 13. Roger Daltry 14. Meat Loaf 15. David Coverdale 16. Paul Stanley 17. Jonh Lennon 18. Ann Wilson 19. Layne Staley 20. Steve Winwood 21. Chris Robinson 22. Jim Morrison 23. Robin Zander 24. Glenn Hughes 25. Danny Bowes 26. Steven Wilson 27. Brian Connolly 28. Phil Mogg 29. Lou Gramm 30. James Hetfield

"Would have rather have heard them cover 'Sing My Generation' or 'Sell Out'! Not a big 'Tommy' fan" Agree....me neither!

BTW, in the latest hard copy of RS (Dylan on the cover), there's a mini-article on Eric's incarceration, which mentions that he got 180 days, with no mention of the fact that he's expected to serve just 30 days of the sentence. This latter info is readily available on the on-line version of the mag. WTF gives???

Just found yet another new Smithereens release yesterday - their take on the Highlights from "Tommy" - their first Who tribute/cover album. It's OK, but their versions add nothing to the originals. Over the past 2 years alone, they've put out 5 albums - "Meet The Smithereens" (remake of Meet The Beatles), and "Christmas With The Smithereens" in '07; "Live In Concert - Greatest Hits & More" and "B-Sides - The Beatles" in '08; and the new Who CD this year. Pat D. has also put out 2 albums during this time - "Pat DiNizio" in '07, and his Buddy Holly Tribute CD this year. 7 albums in 2 years - this is a more prolific pace than the Beach Boys, Beatles & DC5 were doing in the early 60s!

I was hoping for another excellent CD by the latest version of the Dolls, but after 2 listenings, this new one, so far, is a mixed bag. Some good rockers and effective ballads by David Jo, along with several quiet acoustic numbers, a dance tune ("Nobody Got No Bizness"), and a bizarre reggae cover of "Trash" (!?!) Reminds me more of a David Johansen solo effort than another Dolls album. And in spite of Todd Rundgren at the board this time, no, it's not a return to their old sloppiness or rawness....if anything, it's even slicker than "One Day, It Will PLease Us To Remember Even This", their great '06 comeback effort.

Steve - I had an excellent chance to talk with Wanda, when she started signing records/photos right after her set Wednesday night, but the timing was such that I would have missed the start of the Roy Loney/Cyril Jordan set (started at 1 am - Wanda's ended around 12:50 - great set, BTW!), so I wasn't able to. Tried to get backstage and see her before her set, but security wasn't letting anybody back, because Bonnie Raitt was with her, and apparently didn't want to be bothered by any fans (security's guard's wording, not mine). Still a great festival.....Roy/Cyril, James Burton playing 3 times (backing Dale Hawkins, Lazy Lester & Wanda Jackson on her Elvis medley), Dan Penn, the Hi-Rhythm Section backing Otis Clay, tons of old rockabillies (Johnny Powers, Alton Lott, Joe Clay, Hawkins), The Remains, Kenny & The Kasuals, ? & The Mysterians, and possibly the strangest musical act I've ever, The Legendary Stardust Cowboy!

I would just like to add the Roy Loney/Cyril Jordan (of The Flamin Groovies) reunion show (first full set together since '71) 2 nights ago at the House of Blues, Ponderosa Stomp, New Orleans, to my list........and I'm seeing Tommy Keene tonight at the Iota in Arlington, VA....

As far as whether Obama will get re-elected in '12.....if 2004 was ANY indication, it really doesn't seem to matter what a 1st term President does! Bush, as far as I'm concerned, was living proof of that...and I'm sure that the right-wingers will point out that Kerry running against him certainly didn't hurt his re-election chances. Likewise, it'll depend on who the Republicans nominate in '12....and I don't see anyone on the horizon in that party with 1/10 of Obama's popularity. And whether we choose to admit or acknowledge it, Presidential elections are, firat and foremost, popularity contests, where a large percent of registered voters aren't even aware of the candidates' positions on a number of issues...sad but true. And as far as his socialist tendencies, FDR was also considered a socialist at the time....didn't stop him from getting elected 4 times!

This is a very tough one to narrow down. From the 60's, definitely the first time I saw the Stones (Uline Arena, DC, Summer of '65), Jimi Hendrix, with about 200 others at the Ambassador Theater in DC, Spring of '67, then about 6 months later at the Hilton Ballroom (hotel where Reagan got shot), Moby Grape at the Ambassador in the Fall, '67; The Who/Herman's Hermits/Blues Magoos at Constitution Hall,'67, Blind Faith in Baltimore the night man first walked on the moon. 70's - first time I saw Springsteen in a small club, May '73 (Childe Harold, DC - and it was mobbed, in spite of his being unknown); first Ramones show (Louie's Rock City in Alexandria, VA. in '76), finally seeing Muddy Waters at the Cellar Door around '72 or so, The Clash at the Ontario Theater, Winter of '76/'77. 80's - a blur....too much coke...... Since - Raspberries at BB Kings, 2nd night, '05; Raspberries at the State Theater,'07; ANY of the six Stooges shows I've seen since '03; The Wildhearts at the Ottobar, Baltimore, April 2004 (waited 10 years for these guys to play the US); seeing Moby Grape again for the first time in 30 years at Wetlands, NYC, 1997; seeing The Pretty Things for the first time at Cave Stomp, NYC, 1998; seeing Roky Erickson for the first time, Austin, 2006.

Heading to New Orleans once again on Monday for this year's Ponderosa Stomp....2 nights at the House of Blues there. This year's highlights - 1st night - legendary soul singer Howard Tate, Otis Clay, the Hi Rhythm Section (on all of Al Green's hits), The Bo-Keys (featuring Skip Pitts, Issac Hayes' guitarist), Dale Hawkins with James Burton, Johnny Powers, the Legendary Stardust Cowboy and rockers Kenny & The Kasuals and The Remains. (Tate headlining) 2nd night - Wanda Jackson, a James Burton solo set, Dan Penn, ? and The Mysterians, and a Flamin' Groovies semi-reunion - Roy Loney and Cyril Jordan together, backed by The A-Bones. (either Wanda or Roy/Cyril headlining - the billing keeps changing order on the web site). Last year's highlights included Roky Erickson & The Explosives, Ronnie Spector, Mary Weiss, and Dr. John. Plus....as a bonus, tons of great food - it IS New Orleans!.....

I will drink a toast to you on Monday, while in New Orleans! Have a gret one, Muzza...

Have a great one tomorrow!

It's a lot cleaner than most subway systems, but practically all of the Metro cars have been in operation since the system opened in 1976, and are in bad need of repair. Breakdowns between stations are almost an everyday occurrence, which is why a lot of us who have to commute to DC won't ride it regularly.....even if we're subsidized! (I can get a free $213 Metro ticket each month for riding the system regularly, but it also adds at least 1 - 1.5 hours a day to my commute, not including system breakdowns).