A Diamond in the rough.

An artist I know but don’t know. Leonard Cohen. For some reason, I thought he was much older and certainly had nothing to do with rock/pop music. From a different time and place. Now I now better. I’ve heard his songs but never associated them with anyone. I appreciate them more listening to them, knowing he wrote them.

One by one the guests arrive
The guests are coming through
The open-hearted many
The broken-hearted few
And those who dance begin to dance
And those who weep begin
Welcome, welcome, cries a voice
Let all my guests come in
Part of "The Guests"
by Leonard Cohen

"Hallelujah," covered by Jeff Buckley, John Cale, Bono, Allison Crowe, k.d. lang, Bob Dylan, Rufus Wainwright, Regina Spektor, Kevin Max, The Dresden Dolls, Jazz Mandolin Project, and Imogen Heap. Cale's vLeonard Norman Cohen, CC (born September 21, 1934 in Montreal, Quebec) is a Canadian poet, novelist, and singer-songwriter. Cohen began his career in literature, publishing his first book of poetry in Montreal in 1956 and his first novel in 1963. Following his breakthrough in the music industry in the late 1960s,

I’m impressed with all the covers for the next song. That includes being music in the TV show House.




Beth Orton is great. I don’t honestly know the song, but wanted to include it. Sisters of Mercy



O the sisters of mercy they are not
Departed or gone,
They were waiting for me when I thought
That I just cant go on,
And they brought me their comfort
And later they brought me this song.
O I hope you run into them
You whove been traveling so long.

Yes, you who must leave everything
That you cannot control;
It begins with your family,
But soon it comes round to your soul.
Well, Ive been where youre hanging
I think I can see how youre pinned.
When youre not feeling holy,
Your loneliness says that youve sinned.

Well they lay down beside me
I made my confession to them.
They touched both my eyes
And I touched the dew on their hem.
If your life is a leaf
That the seasons tear off and condemn
They will bind you with love
That is graceful and green as a stem.

When I left they were sleeping,
I hope you run into them soon.
Dont turn on the light
You can read their address by the moon;
And you wont make me jealous
If I hear that they sweeten your night
We werent lovers like that
And besides it would still be all right
We werent lovers like that
And besides it would still be all right.

Cohen's songs are often emotionally heavy and lyrically complex, owing more to the metaphoric word play of poetry than to the conventions of song craft. His work often explores the themes of religion, isolation, sex, and complex interpersonal relationships (eloquently from Wiki).

"Everybody Knows," covered by Concrete Blonde, Don Henley, Dayna Kurtz, Rufus Wainwright, The Duhks and famous Norwegian singer Kari Bremnes.

My personal favorite because of the lyrics. They tell a story. And make sense (to me anyway). Two interpretations:

Concrete Blonde.



Bryan Adams and Don Henley



Everybody knows that the dice are loaded
Everybody rolls with their fingers crossed
Everybody knows that the war is over
Everybody knows the good guys lost
Everybody knows the fight was fixed
The poor stay poor, the rich get rich
Thats how it goes
Everybody knows

Everybody knows that the boat is leaking
Everybody knows that the captain lied
Everybody got this broken feeling
Like their father or their dog just died

Everybody talking to their pockets
Everybody wants a box of chocolates
And a long stem rose
Everybody knows

Everybody knows that you love me baby
Everybody knows that you really do
Everybody knows that youve been faithful
Ah give or take a night or two
Everybody knows youve been discreet
But there were so many people you just had to meet
Without your clothes
And everybody knows

Everybody knows, everybody knows
Thats how it goes
Everybody knows

Everybody knows, everybody knows
Thats how it goes
Everybody knows

And everybody knows that its now or never
Everybody knows that its me or you
And everybody knows that you live forever
Ah when youve done a line or two
Everybody knows the deal is rotten
Old black joes still pickin cotton
For your ribbons and bows
And everybody knows

And everybody knows that the plague is coming
Everybody knows that its moving fast
Everybody knows that the naked man and woman
Are just a shining artifact of the past
Everybody knows the scene is dead
But theres gonna be a meter on your bed
That will disclose
What everybody knows

And everybody knows that youre in trouble
Everybody knows what youve been through
From the bloody cross on top of calvary
To the beach of malibu
Everybody knows its coming apart
Take one last look at this sacred heart
Before it blows
And everybody knows

Everybody knows, everybody knows
Thats how it goes
Everybody knows

Oh everybody knows, everybody knows
Thats how it goes
Everybody knows

Everybody knows

Love and sex are common enough themes in popular music; Cohen's background as a novelist and poet brings an uncommon sensibility to these themes. "Suzanne," probably the first Cohen song to gain broad attention,

"Suzanne," covered by Graeme Allwright, Judy Collins, Fabrizio de André, Neil Diamond, Fairport Convention, Roberta Flack, Peter Gabriel, Françoise Hardy, Geoffrey Oryema, and Nina Simone. R.E.M. recorded a song called "Hope" which they admit was indebted to "Suzanne"; Cohen received co-songwriting credit for the song.

His song Chelsea Hotel No 2, about Janis Joplin, may be the only song overtly written by one pop star about sex with another. "You said to me then, you preferred handsome men, but for me you would make an exception ... giving me head on the unmade bed, while the limousines wait in the street." (interesting take on the lyrics by the way from Wiki, giving credit as due)

Rufus (he does a lot of Cohen).



As of December 1, 2006, the site www.leonardcohenfiles.com had counted a total of 1,200 published cover versions of Cohen's songs. Talented.

Christmas Eve.

Rama: "Hey Bob (the cat), you watch for him by the window, I'll do the fireplace. Bob? Bob, you there?"

Merry Christmas. Wish we had snow.

Read it in the Sunday papers. (or Wednesday)

Northwest Herald. Local paper. Joe Jackson song at the bottom. He's great.

Olson: Readers find humor in Christmas gag gifts


By Eric Olson
Comments (0)
Last week this space featured thoughts on ways to use the Christmas gift-giving ritual as a way to get a good laugh.

If you suffered through the entire column, you might have thought, “That’s great, gag gifts are funny, but I haven’t found any headless dolls in the street to dress up lately, and my brother already has burned all of his New Kids on the Block paraphernalia. What can I do that will be both devious and humorous at the same time?”

Luckily, some mischievous Northwest Herald readers sent stories of their own.

“Many years ago, in our teens, I think, my brother and I would take the worst albums we had and wrap them up to give to our cousins visiting from Chicago,” wrote Rob Peterson of Hebron. “We never felt they had much taste in music. We would really laugh if they liked them. Cruel.”

Sure. But hilarious when you’re in on the joke.

Peterson’s nieces and nephews were his more recent targets.

“Sometimes we would include a can of soup or dog treats or something like that in with a big gift,” he wrote. “Or sometimes we would just wrap it by itself. It's funny to see the kid open it. Some were puzzled but still said thanks. ... Some were buzzing through the presents so fast they didn't even notice. It was always funny.”

I agree. As soon as I have my own nieces and nephews, they’re getting soup. I don’t think that my wife will let me give my daughter dog treats, though.

Susan Hagerty of Marengo is another one you have to watch. Especially if she visits your house.

“Throughout the year, when visiting friends’ homes, I would sneak around and find something bizarre to steal,” Hagerty wrote. “It had to be something they wouldn't miss. Lo and behold it reappears at Christmastime as their gift. Funny to see the look on their face when they think, ‘Wow. ... I have one of these.’ Well, you do, ’cause it’s yours.”

Nothing like receiving your own stolen property for Christmas.

Hagerty said she and her friends also had a tradition of passing around an “ugly” painting of a naked woman incorporated into different items, like in the center of a holiday wreath.

Because nothing says Christmas like a badly drawn nude portrait sewn into a jean jacket.

Those of you with children might want to borrow an idea that Geri Stockwell of Wauconda used on her 11- and 12-year-old sons years ago.

“I wrapped 2 snow shovels in Christmas paper weeks before Christmas,” Stockwell wrote. “My boys knew where the gifts were and kept trying to guess what they were. A rocket, skis, were a few of the things they thought they were. They still talk about those shovels and that Christmas.”

Given that Stockwell’s children now are in their mid-40s, that’s quite an accomplishment. And really, what’s better than a gag gift that keeps on giving – back to you?

– Eric Olson is the Northwest Herald’s metro editor. Reach him at (815) 459-4122, or by e-mail at eolson@nwherald.com.

Link to article. I feel obligated. All true by the way. And these are not the quirkiest things my family does at holidays. We have even better ones. Trust me. Ha.

Appropriate song Link. (Bolt - no video)

I see a theme here.

Norah Jones? And who's that girl next to her? Cute and she looks like me? Weird. Anyway, Matthew and Mario? Sure. Fine by me.

I always thought these lyrics were more risque than most people noticed. Different meanings. I can obviously have that opinion since I most resemble her. We're buds now. Ha..

I waited 'til I saw the sun
I don't know why I didn't come
I left you by the house of fun

I don't know why I didn't come
I don't know why I didn't come

When I saw the break of day
I wished that I could fly away
Instead of kneeling in the sand
Catching teardrops in my hand

My heart is drenched in wine
But you'll be on my mind
Forever

Out across the endless sea
I would die in ecstasy
But I'll be a bag of bones
Driving down the road along

My heart is drenched in wine
But you'll be on my mind
Forever

Something has to make you run
I don't know why I didn't come
I feel as empty as a drum

I don't know why I didn't come
I don't know why I didn't come
I don't know why I didn't come

Merry Christmas, Com Ed.

Yesterday was unseasonably warm. Amy convinced me to put up the upper swags. It was a 10 minute job that took over an hour. Damn wires were all tangled up. Looks good though. Amy put up all of the rest.

Merry Christmas.

Notice there is no snow? Fifteen inches melted in two weeks. Strange winter so far.

Christmas wrapping.

I heard this yesterday. It's stuck in my head.

The Waitresses; Christmas Wrapping. Have a hot chololate and enjoy.
Video by melon38.




"Bah, humbug!" No, that's too strong
'Cause it is my favorite holiday
But all this year's been a busy blur
Don't think I have the energy

To add to my already mad rush
Just 'cause it's 'tis the season.
The perfect gift for me would be
Completions and connections left from

Last year, ski shop,
Encounter, most interesting.
Had his number but never the time
Most of '81 passed along those lines.

So deck those halls, trim those trees
Raise up cups of Christmas cheer,
I just need to catch my breath,
Christmas by myself this year.

Calendar picture, frozen landscape,
Chilled this room for twenty-four days,
Evergreens, sparkling snow
Get this winter over with!

Flashback to springtime, saw him again,
Would've been good to go for lunch,
Couldn't agree when we were both free,
We tried, we said we'd keep in touch.

Didn't, of course, 'til summertime,
Out to the beach to his boat could I join him?
No, this time it was me,
Sunburn in the third degree.

Now the calendar's just one page
And, of course, I am excited
Tonight's the night, but I've set my mind
Not to do too much about it.

Merry Christmas! Merry Christmas!
But I think I'll miss this one this year.
Merry Christmas! Merry Christmas!
But I think I'll miss this one this year.
Merry Christmas! Merry Christmas!
But I think I'll miss this one this year.
Merry Christmas! Merry Christmas!
But I think I'll miss this one this year.

Hardly dashing through the snow
Cause I bundled up too tight
Last minute have-to-do's
A few cards a few calls
'Cause it's r-s-v-p
No thanks, no party lights
It's Christmas Eve, gonna relax
Turned down all of my invites.

Last fall I had a night to myself,
Same guy called, halloween party,
Waited all night for him to show,
This time his car wouldn't go,

Forget it, it's cold, it's getting late,
Trudge on home to celebrate
In a quiet way, unwind
Doing Christmas right this time.

A&P has provided me
With the world's smallest turkey
Already in the oven, nice and hot
Oh damn! Guess what I forgot?

So on with the boots, back out in the snow
To the only all-night grocery,
When what to my wondering eyes should appear
In the line is that guy I've been chasing all year!

"I'm spending this one alone," he said.
"Need a break; this year's been crazy."
I said, "Me too, but why are you?
You mean you forgot cranberries too?"

Then suddenly we laughed and laughed
Caught on to what was happening
That Christmas magic's brought this tale
To a very happy ending! "

Merry Christmas! Merry Christmas!
Couldn't miss this one this year!
Merry Christmas! Merry Christmas!
Couldn't miss this one this year!

Written by Chris Butler
(c) 1981 Future Fossil Music, BMI

Why can't we be friends?

Cubbie and Rama this morning. They were sleeping just before I took the picture. Rama usually sleeps on my feet, preventing me from moving at night. Cubbie sleeps with Amy. She was up early for work so the two pets made their own arrangement I guess.

Wilco.

Wilco is based in Chicago Illinois.

The band was formed by musician and songwriter Jeff Tweedy in 1995 after the breakup of group Uncle Tupelo.

Here is a sampling of Wilco, the first being "Handshake Drugs" from A Ghost is Born. It's got that off-kilter, herky, jerky,shaggy sound that totally fits with the lyrics. I can just picture middle class suburban kids making the trip into the city to pick up some stuff.

It's got great lyrics. (underneath video)

"Handshake Drugs"

I was chewin' gum for something to do

The blinds were being pulled down on the dew

Inside, out of love, what a laugh

I was looking for you

Saxophones started blowing me down

I was buried in sound

Taxicabs were driving me around

To the handshake drugs I bought downtown

To the handshake drugs I bought downtown

They were translated poorly, I felt like a clown

I looked like someone I used to know

I felt alright

And if I ever was myself

I wasn't that night

Oh it's okay for you to say

What you want from me

I believe that's the only

Way for me to be, exactly

What you want me to be

Oh it's okay for you to say

What you want from me

I believe that's the only

Way for me to be

Exactly what you want me to be

Oh I was chewin' gum for something to do

The blinds were being pulled down on the dew

Inside, out of love, what a laugh

I was looking for you

Saxophones started blowin' me down

I was buried in sound

The taxicabs were driving me around

To the handshake drugs I bought downtown

To the handshake drugs I bought downtown

Oh it's okay for you to say

What you want from me

I believe that's the only

Way for me to be

Exactly what do you want me to be?

Exactly what do you want me to be?

Felt like a clown

They were translating poorly

I looked like someone I used to know

And if I ever was myself,

I wasn't that night

Exactly what do you want me to be?

Exactly what do you want me to be?

This is "Can't Stand It" from SummerTeeth. This song got a lot of air-play around here. I like it. Has a familiar sound to it.

The last is "Jesus, etc" from Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. I'ts sooo good. Smooth.

Another CD worth noting is Being There. (named after the Peter Seller's movie of the same name). I've seen them at the Taste of Chicago. They just recently played Lollapalooza in Chicago. I wish I knew you could bring in video cameras. Next year.

Little Red Rooster.

Pictured is the backside of the cover of my "The London Howlin' Wolf Sessions" album. Howlin' Wolf (made in 1970) with Eric Clapton, Steve Winwood, Bill Wyman, and Charlie Watts. The record is long gone but I replaced it with a CD version. The original hangs in my LR (not too Martha Stewart, but so what).

The thing I like best about the video is at about 2:58 into it, Jagger gives Clapton a look after he finishes his solo. Priceless. (I thought it was only me that noticed it, but looking at youtube comments, I guess not.)

Roads to nowhere.

I'm cheating a bit. I took these last spring.

I remember little Kevin from the Wonder Years in a movie called "Little Monsters". This was one of the main songs on its soundtrack.

Talking Heads: Road to Nowhere.

Well we know where were goin
But we dont know where weve been
And we know what were knowin
But we cant say what weve seen
And were not little children
And we know what we want
And the future is certain
Give us time to work it out

Were on a road to nowhere
Come on inside
Takin that ride to nowhere
Well take that ride

Im feelin okay this mornin
And you know,
Were on the road to paradise
Here we go, here we go

Chorus

Maybe you wonder where you are
I dont care
Here is where time is on our side
Take you there...take you there

Were on a road to nowhere
Were on a road to nowhere
Were on a road to nowhere

Theres a city in my mind
Come along and take that ride
And its all right, baby, its all right

And its very far away
But its growing day by day
And its all right, baby, its all right

They can tell you what to do
But theyll make a fool of you
And its all right, baby, its all right

Were on a road to nowhere

It's classified.

Original

Pleasant surprise though it seems to have lost some of it's purple / lavender colo(u)r.

A different picture each day. And I was lucky enough to be selected on a good news day.

Example: Local man, 42, shoots at two young men loitering around his car at 3:00 a.m. after calling out "What are you doing?"

He hit one of them with three .22 slugs. The two ran off to the local hospital where the youth was being treated for non-life threatening wounds. No charges yet because it hasn't been determined whether they did any thing wrong other than being out on the street.

The shooter just went to bed. Never even called the police. He was arrested and now is out on bail. The best part of the story was when the next door neighbor was quoted, "I'm sure going to think twice before borrowing any sugar from my neighbor."
Ha.

Anyway, I think there were getting to be too many pictures of kids playing in leaf piles or sitting on bales of straw in pumpkin patches.

--------------------------
Late Edition:

This was in the same set of pictures. Everything came out so clear I had to post it.

One of the two chairs holds my floodlight for dog softball workouts after work. I hit Cubbie softballs from this tree ( bat leaning on it). The hanging rag is for wiping your hands of dog drool. The rag hangs from the combo squirrel feeder, drink holder.

The small trees are the ones from the previous picture. Then, there is the cornfield with the new subdivision intruding in from the left.

Red and White.

Backyard, neighbors trees in a Christmas tree shape triangle.


Garden sunflower.

We got socked with snow just after Bob Seeger. Just after. Five hours after going to sleep, we awoke to over a foot on the ground. Here are a couple of snow pictures, probably the first of many for this winter.


Doing this in reverse. I couldn't get the snow pictures to work on the bottom without errors. Oh well. Saturday we saw Geneva Red at a local bar just 2 or 3 blocks from home. A local artist that plays all over the country, I had read about her but never saw her and was unfamiliar with her music. Not anymore.

She's six feet tall, slim, with long red hair and a harmonica. She does the blues. As a harmonica player, she is considered world class. She tours with a band (Geneva Red & the Roadsters) and sometimes, like Saturday night, just performs with one other person. That would be Jack 5 and dime. (Woolworth). He plays the drums, banjo, guitar and anything else needed while Red does the harp.

Funny thing. We had a front table. During warmup, he came up to me and introduced himself. I guess I had known him about 30 years ago. He was a friend of my sisters and I helped them procure hard to obtain beverages as well as partied with him. Lost memory. Ha.

She played in high heels. Liked the lights low. The music loud. One song was from the top of the bar, other times just walking among the tables. She also had a selection where she plays the harmonica(hands free) while clapping her hands to the beat. Damn.

Geneva Red

They didn't have anything on youtube but she did this selection from the Duane Allman Anthology. Loan me a dime. (close your eyes - stupid video comes with it). Sung by Boz Skaggs. She amplified the sound from her harmonica and almost sounded better than the guitar did. It's a long song and unfortunately the best guitar get cut off at the end. It gives you a taste of the sound and type of music she played.

Bob Seeger roadtrip.

Snow was forcast, but what do weathermen know? We were supposted to get a big one for the last couple of days and instead it was rainy and in the high 50's.

Four of us, Amy; looking quite Veronica Mars-ish, Clint, Shanda, and I headed out. The Allstate arena is just outside of Chicago. Medium size venue with no bad seats. No let me rephrase that. Medium sized venue with small seats. Very small. We stood at the end our row which was much better anyway.

Our seat were upper deck left facing the stage. Drinks were available just off the aisle. I don't think smoking was allowed but Bob's fans seem to do what they want. Ha. The average age was about 40 to 60 though there were a lot of younger fans. As a review in the Trib mentioned, there were more people holding up lighters than cellphones. Flashback.

Bob looked a bit grayer and has picked up a few pounds (ok, who hasn't in the last 10 years) but his voice was all there. I think he sounded great. Amy said he dances like I do. I take that as a left handed compliment. I'm glad she was there though. She knew the words to the songs better than I did. Brought her up right.

He played all the songs I wanted to hear. The Sax player excelled. You can never have enough sax in rock ballads. I'm terrible for remembering all the names of them or in what order they came so although I coundn't find a playlist, I copied a review I found in the Chicago Tribune.

To me, he brought back many memories and nothing could beat hearing Turn the Page live.

By the way it was snowing when we left. After driving north about 60's the snow quit. Thought we had dodged a bullet (Silver Bullet of course). The ground was clear and dry when I went to bed at 2:00AM. I woke up to a foot of snow on the ground. Snow day. On a Friday. (That's a picture of our cars Friday morning in the collage.)

Perfect ending after being:

on the road again...

strung out from the road...

Turn the Page:

On a long and lonesome highway, east of omaha.

You can listen to the engine moaning out its one lone song

You can think about woman, or the girl you knew the night before,

But your thoughts will soon be wandering, the way they always do.

When your riding sixteen hours and theres nothing much to do

And you dont feel much like riding, you just wish the trip was through.

Say, here I am, on the road again. there I am, up on the stage.

Here I go, playing star again.

There I go, turn the page.

Well you walk into a restaurant, strung out from the road,

You can feel the eyes upon you as your shaking off the cold

You pretend it doesnt bother you, but you just want to explode.

Most times you cant hear em talk, other times you can.

Oh the same old cliche, as that woman on her a man

You always see my number, you dont dare make a stand.

Here I am, on the road again. there I am, up on the stage.

Here I go, playing star again.

There I go, turn the page.

Out there in the spotlight your a million miles away,

Every ounce of energy, you try and give away,

As the sweat pours out your body like the music that you play.

Later in the evening as you lie awake in bed,

With the echo from the amplifiers ringing in your head,

You smoke the days last cigarette, remembering what she said.

Now here I am, on the road again. there I am, up on the stage.

Here I go, playing star again.

There I go, turn the page.

Here I am, on the road again. there I am, up on the stage.

Ah here I go, playing star again.

There I go, there I go.

The following is from the Chicago Tribune so I don't get in trouble:

Seger still sings the blues, has right moves

	Advertisement

By Greg Kot

December 1, 2006, 1:40 PM CST

This was arena rock the old-school way. You could tell, because the lighters far outnumbered the cell phones when it came time to decorate the joint in honor of another classic song that evoked the feeling of being young, restless and bored in 1962.

Bob Seger was the perfect host for such a gathering. At the sold-out Allstate Arena Thursday, the Detroit hard rock 'n' soul warrior wore the years with affable pride. He has gone gray, he wears glasses and a few extra pounds, and his black T-shirt, blue jeans and headband might as well have been a business suit.

"Sweet 16's turned 61!" the 61-year-old Seger roared with a smile during "Rock and Roll Never Forgets." After a decade away from the road to help rear his children, the singer has returned with a solid album, "Face the Promise," and the grit still clinging to his voice. But he never really went away. His hits collections remain perennial best sellers, and his songs have become part of the fabric of at least two generations. From "Ramblin' Gamblin' Man" to "Roll Me Away," with stops in between for "Night Moves," "Hollywood Nights," "Old Time Rock and Roll" and "Katmandu," Seger roared the blue-collar blues.

The set list occasionally lagged when he leaned too heavily on songs from "Face the Promise" and resurrected "Satisfied," a love song tacked on to "Greatest Hits 2." But otherwise, it was a two-hour-plus concert devoted to durable songs about misfits and vagabonds, the type of characters who value freedom over success. The first set closed with three of the best road songs ever written: "Travelin' Man," "Beautiful Loser" and especially "Turn the Page," with Seger at the piano and Alto Reed blowing bittersweet empathy on the sax.

Early on, he revisited his cover of Chicagoan Otis Clay's old soul hit, "Tryin' to Live My Life Without You." With a five-piece horn section and three backing singers joining a rocking rhythm section, Seger affirmed that he has always been steeped in R&B and Motown as much as Chuck Berry and the Rolling Stones.

"Just pull those old records off the shelf, I'll sit here and listen to them by myself," Seger sang. Those old records, with their emphasis on groove and unvarnished directness, are the foundation of his 40-year career. Along the way, he became a great songwriter by writing about characters essentially like himself: The son of a factory worker who lived in near poverty after his father left home, then found a way out.

The line between the characters in the songs and the performer on the stage melted away. Seger's made his millions, but he still looked and sounded like he'd be right at home at the end of the bar with a beer in hand, a few stories to tell and a motorcycle waiting for him outside.

gregkot@aol.com

Copyright © 2006, Chicago Tribune

Waiting bad. Waiting good.

Waiting on the snow.

We are expecting some this weekend. The Indian Summer must be over. Hopefully we won't get as much as in the picture. That was from last year - our old horseshoe watching bench. Covered.


Waiting on a friend, Stones:



Charlie's so good at the end.

I will dare.

This was the song the Replacments were playing when they broke up during a radio simulcast at Chicago's Taste of Chicago.

Wiki tells the story so much better...

Wiki: Replacements

They are:

The Replacements (also known as The 'Mats or The Mats, from the insult of a detractor who joked the band's name was 'The Placemats', which the band then adopted) were a seminal alternative rock band from Minneapolis, Minnesota. They began as a punk rock outfit, along with other hometown heroes Hüsker Dü, but they gradually shifted to a more mainstream, blues-influenced rock style. Loud and exuberant, the band featured guitarist and vocalist Paul Westerberg, guitarist Bob Stinson, bassist Tommy Stinson, and drummer Chris Mars. Bassist Tommy Stinson was just 12 years old when the group first formed.

Breakup (1991-Present)

On July 4th, 1991, the band officially broke up following a frantic Taste of Chicago performance in Grant Park, referred to by fans as "It Ain't Over 'Til the Fat Roadie Plays" because each member disappeared during the set, their respective roadies taking their places. This show was broadcast by Chicago radio station WXRT. There are several bootlegs floating around the internet.


On Bolt: Replacements.

I Will Dare

The Replacements

How young are you?

How old am I?

Let’s count the rings around my eyes.

How smart are you?

How dumb am I?

Don’t count any of my advice.
Meet me anyplace or anywhere or anytime,

Now I don’t care, meet me tonight;

If you will dare, I might dare.
Call me on Thursday, if you will.

Or call me on Wednesday, better still.

Ain’t lost yet, so I gotta be a winner,

Fingernails and a cigarettes a lousy dinner.

Young, are you?
Meet me anyplace or anywhere or anytime.

Now, I don’t care, meet me tonight;

If you will dare, I will dare.
Meet me anyplace or anywhere or anytime.

Now, I don’t care, meet me tonight;

If you will dare, I will dare.
How young are you?

How old am I?

Let’s count the rings around my eyes.

How smart are you?

How smart are you?

How dumb am I?

Dumb am I….
Meet me anyplace or anywhere or anytime.

Now, I don’t care, meet me tonight;

If you will dare, I will dare.
Meet me anyplace or anywhere or anytime.

Now, I don’t care, meet me tonight;

If you will dare, I will dare.

The Replacements: Achin to Be.




Well, she's kind of like an artist
Sittin' on the floor
Never finishes what she abandons
Never shows a soul

And she's kind of like a movie
Everyone rushes to see
And no one understands it
Sittin' in their seats

She opens her mouth to speak and
What comes out's a mystery
Thought about, not understood
She's achin' to be

Well, she dances alone in nightclubs
Every other day of the week
People look right through her
Baby doll, check your cheek

And she's kind of like a poet
Who finds it hard to speak
Poems come so slowly
Like the colors dyed in sheets

She opens her mouth to speak and
What comes out's a mystery
Thought about, not understood
She's achin' to be

I've been achin' for a while now, friend
I've been achin' hard for years

Yeah, she's kind of like an artist
Who uses paints no more
You never show me what you're doing
Never show a soul

Well, I saw one of your pictures
There was nothin' that I could see
If no one's on your canvas
Well, I'm achin' to be

She closes her mouth to speak and
Closes her eyes to see
Thought about and only loved
She's achin' to be
Just like me

We used to be friends.

My new favorite show. Veronica Mars. Opening music by the Dandy Warhols. (note the reference to the monkey house at the beginning). Love those guys.

VM was on a anntena station that wasn't picked up by my cable company. This is the first season for me. It's just dripping with pop culture references and I feel its better than my old favorite, the Gilmore Girls. Plus, she's blonde and the smartest one on the show. No stereotypes. It gets great reviews (amongst reviewers). Oh well, I watch what I like.

On the musical side, I like Dandy Warhol's influences and their sound.(thanks wiki):

The Portland, Oregon Warhols are strongly influenced by The Velvet Underground and The Rolling Stones [citation needed] as well as including implicit musical references to Jethro Tull and My Bloody Valentine in some songs. Frontman Courtney Taylor-Taylor describes the band beginning as a group of friends who "needed music to drink to." The band performed live shows in bars throughout Portland and released their first album, Dandy's Rule OK? in 1995.

Soul meets body.

My favorite song from the last year or so. I don't remember if I got the CD in 2005 or 2006. Named: Plans.

There are alot of stories about how they got their name. The one I heard was that Cutie was a little poodlelike dog taking his last fateful trip to the vet in a NYC cab.

Not even close but it makes a good story.

From Wiki:

Death Cab for Cutie is an American band formed in Bellingham, Washington in 1997. The band takes its name from a satirical song, of the same name, performed by the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band on their 1967 album Gorilla and in the Beatles experimental movie, Magical Mystery Tour.

We saw them at Lollapalooza this last summer.

"Soul Meets Body"

I want to live where soul meets body

And let the sun wrap its arms around me

And bathe my skin in water cool and cleansing

And feel, feel what its like to be new

Cause in my head there’s a greyhound station

Where I send my thoughts to far off destinations

So they may have a chance of finding a place

where they’re far more suited than here

I cannot guess what we'll discover

We turn the dirt with our palms cupped like shovels

But I know our filthy hands can wash one another’s

And not one speck will remain

I do believe it’s true

That there are roads left in both of our shoes

If the silence takes you

Then I hope it takes me too

So brown eyes I hold you near

Cause you’re the only song I want to hear

A melody softly soaring through my atmosphere

Where soul meets body

Where soul meets body

Where soul meets body

I do believe it’s true

That there are roads left in both of our shoes

If the silence takes you

Then I hope it takes me too

So brown eyes I hold you near

Cause you’re the only song I want to hear

A melody softly soaring through my atmosphere

A melody softly soaring through my atmosphere

A melody softly soaring through my atmosphere

A melody softly soaring through my atmosphere


[Thanks to Melinda Bruner (the_bluest_butterfly@hotmail.com) for these lyrics]



[Thanks to bittersweetsymphony7@yahoo.com, apisbulll@yahoo.com, delta9@rocketmail.com, madeleinehawks@yahoo.com for correcting these lyrics]

Not a sunset. Thank(sgiving) heavens.

Something different for a change. Aimers, Clinty, and my black and white pictured niece; Leah the cheerleader. None wanting their pictures taken on Thanksgiving day but they'll appreciate them later.

Sunday at the rest stop.

We have a rest stop about 2 miles out of town. I saw the sun setting and was almost too late to catch a picture. This was the best I could do. Hold the sun right there, make it 70 degrees, and give me a hamburger and potato salad.

 

Stereo.

Sweet (stereo) sounds for a Monday. Couldn't decide which one I liked better. One is sentimental, melancholy sounding and the other is definitely not. Depends on your mood I guess.

Stereophonics

... from Wales

.. began ... as a teenage cover band known as 'Tragic Love Company', a name inspired by their favourite bands Tragically Hip, Mother Love Bone and Bad Company.

They later changed their name to "Stereophonics", named after ... grandmother's gramophone.

Ship of fools.

I think it's still out there.

 

Saw him at Chicago last summer during the Taste (of Chicago). Karl has his fans. He's basically a one man band.

Proof: wiki knows all.

Sunset on a saturday.

 

Bolt.

Songs on bolt.

Gomez

Ditty Bops

Ben Harper

My Morning Jacket

Finn Brothers

K.T. Tunstall

Garbage

Del Amitri

Alt Canadian Country.

Kathleen Edwards. Back to Me.

Wikipedia classifies hers as Alt. Country. I only am familiar with this song. Wherever she fits in, I like her sound.

Artist/Band: Edwards Kathleen
Lyrics for Song: Back to Me
Lyrics for Album: Back to Me

I've got ways to make you sorry
start my life with someone else
I've got ways to make you fall
I'll tell you all the things that I lied about
I've got ways to make you mad
Laughing at the girl sitting on your lap
I've got ways to make you sing my songs
Ones I ain't written yet

I've got lights you've never seen
I've got moves I've never used
I've got ways to make you come
back to me

I've got ways to make you strange
Drug you up and drag you home
I've got ways to track you down
In all of the places you like to go
I've got ways to make you crazy
wear all the things you always wanted me to
I've got ways to make you run
My daddy is coming for you

I've got lights you've never seen
I've got moves I've never used
I've got ways to make you come
back to me

I've got ways to make you hear me
just by whispering your name
I've got ways to make you think
you'll never be happy again
I've got ways to make you see
I'm so much better than before
I've got ways to make you swear
you won't want your old life anymore

I've got lights you've never seen
I've got moves I've never used
I've got ways to make you come
Back to me

Play it again.

I have many all time favorites for jutebox selections that I played while out for a night.

I had my space(d) period with Rocketman and Space Oddity - both of which I still really like. Eh, Major Tom.

Also the many hits of the Stones, Clapton, Doors, Pink Floyd, Allman Bros, Petty, Led Zep, G.Dead are more a blur than anything. They all supplied me with favorites for a time.

Now I prefer to hear more of the newer stuff out there: Death Cab, Wilco, F.Ferd, Keane, W Stripes...

But the winner (probably) of all time is:




Who do you count as your favorites?

That's entertainment.

I've run out of pictures to post, unlike someone else I know.

So until I get some new ones, I'm posting music from youtube.com.

I heard this at lunch while out doing errands; now It's stuck in my head.

The lyrics are, at the very least; edgy, somewhat ironic, dark and disconcerting.

Lyrics (so you can sing along) are below the video.

This is the accoustic version:






From WIKI:

Paul Weller allegedly wrote "That's Entertainment", a bitter slice-of-life piece reflecting on the struggle of the English working class, in around 15 minutes upon returning, under the influence, from the pub. Despite being only available as an import single, it peaked at #21 on the UK charts, an unprecedented feat. Although it lacks the "distinctive" Jam electric sound propelled by Rick Buckler's energetic drumming, it is now arguably The Jam's most noted song. Despite the group's lack of commercial success in America, the song even made American magazine Rolling Stone's list of the 500 greatest songs of all time.

THAT'S ENTERTAINMENT - Paul Weller
A police car and a screaming siren -
A pnuematic drill and ripped up concrete -
A baby waiting and stray dog howling -
The screech of brakes and lamplights blinking -
that's entertainment.

A smash of glass and the rumble of boots -
An electric train and a ripped up 'phone booth -
Paint splattered walls and the cry of a tomcat -
Lights going out and a kick in the balls -
that's entertainment.

Days of speed and slow time Mondays -
Pissing down with rain on a boring Wednesday -
Watching the news and not eating your tea -
A freezing cold flat and damp on the walls -
that's entertainment.

Waking up at 6 a.m. on a cool warm morning -
Opening the windows and breathing in petrol -
An amateur band rehearsing in a nearby yard -
Watching the tele and thinking about your holidays -
that's entertainment.

Waking up from bad dreams and smoking cigarettes -
Cuddling a warm girl and smelling stale perfume -
A hot summers' day and sticky black tarmac -
Feeding ducks in the park and wishing you were faraway -
that's entertainment.

Two lovers kissing amongst the scream of midnight -
Two lovers missing the tranquility of solitude -
Getting a cab and travelling on buses -
Reading the grafitti about slashed seat affairs -
that's entertainment.

Keen, it's Keane.

Much too obvious play on words?

Yes.
Sorry.

I'll never be a headline writer.





One of my favorites summer / fall.

Friday fire.

Lost.

I forgot I took this. Transferred from my camera to a poorly named folder.

I must rebuild my cloud pictures anyway since I lost the older posts.

Depressing: less than two weeks till Thanksgiving. Have a nice weekend.

A little bit of Ben.

XRT 9 from WXRT.

Made in Canada.

Martha & the Muffins "Echo Beach". I heard this today on the radio and couldn't pass it up. I remember looking for an MP3 of it only a couple of months ago. (don't ask me why - it was probably stuck in my head)

I never realized that most songs are now available on youtube.com in one form or another. You can get anything you want at Alice's Restaurant. I mean youtube / internet.

Blogging seems to be replacing my bulletin board. I used to keep misc notes, pictures, columns from newspapers, magazines, ticket stubs, schedules, cartoons, etc. Anything interesting I'd run across during the course of a day.

The disadvantage is you can't empty / update it every year or so to save the best ones for remembrance / safe keeping (ie: shoebox). But then again, you couldn't tack a 20 year old video on the wall.

Number 9. Number 9.

WXRT radio - limited CD.

I just got it yesterday. Awesome mix of songs. Live versions. Not the ordinary run of the mill.

K.T., BRMC, My Morning Jacket, Buddy Guy, Gomez. They're all good.

http://93xrt.com/pages/102280.php (they are all listed here)

I also have number's 1, 3, 7, and 8.

1 is selling for 75.00 to 100.00 bucks on ebay when you can find it (has a great XTC medley on it) and the song the Replacements were playing they self destructed.

3's Neville Brothers is worth it alone. 10 minutes of fantastic melody. Also on it, Poi Dog Pondering's Complicated.

7 - Stereophonics and 8 - Bowie doing a country(like beginning) version of Scary Monsters. Sounds weird but it works.

I don't know why I didn't get them all. I have some holes to fill.

Leftover from spring.

My bench.

I was a little worried using "hello" to transfer the picture. I think that's what caused my last problem.

Anyway, this was taken this spring as I was getting used to the "new' camera. Not great but more color than if I took the same picture tonight. I was learning.

My neighbor made me a couple of benches for helping him on the computer. One is in the house elevating a cat bowl so Cubbie won't eat from it and the other is here.

I keep newly potted plants here until I can figure out how much shade they're going to need. In Illinois, it seems to vary month to month.

I guessed wrong with the yellow one. The sun overburned it by mid-summer (and it was supposed to be full sun).

It ended up making a nice ash tray / bottle cap holder in the back yard during horseshoes.

6 right.

I could have used this yesterday. The bottom fell out of all my football pools. Damn. Anyway, gotta love the internet; something pops in your head and you can just look it up.This is a T-Bone Burnett song that actually played on "my" radio station. Not the usual radio fare. Interesting lyrics work well with T-Bones different sounding voice.

The Strange Case of Frank Cash and the Morning Paper

it was late september two years ago
frank cash was down on his luck
he'd made a killing at churchill downs
and that left him somewhat thunderstruck

so he rented a place down on lonely street
he was looking for somewhere to hide
the paper showed up at the door every day
and he'd go through the classifieds

then one morning he turned to the sports page
and he noticed that something was strange
the race results were from the day before
but the football scores were from next week's games
frank felt a scared and a little deranged
but a switch board lit up in his brain

that sunday he watched in amazement
as the scores flashed by on his tv set
monday morning he ran for the paper
and made it to the phone and began placing bets
he put ten thousand that night on the jets

ten grand he didn't have on the jets
it happened like that the whole season
he couldn't even count all the money he'd made
he started buying italian women and shoes
which he kept on a sprawling estate on the lake
and by that i don't mean by the lake
i mean ON the lake

he waited all summer for the football to start
the maiden brought him the paper every day
but all he could find was yesterday's scores
the damned paper had ceased to prognosticate
then a look of horror crossed his face
it finally dawned on him but too late

his rolls hit the pavement at a hundred and twenty
heading for lonely street
he rang the bell and a john walker answered
frank pressed his luck against the door screen

frank asked if he still got the paper
john walker said "what do you care?"
frank answered "i need to see the sports section
just for a minute" and john walker stared

frank tried to push through the doorway
john pulled a real forty-five
the dogs were all barking as the rolls pulled away
john walker was no longer alive

the judge looks down through his bifocals
the peers of the jury squirm in their seats
the courtroom is silent except for his footsteps
frank cash is about to speak

and frank says:

your honour and ladies and gentlemen of the jury
all this has been happening to me because of this guy
named t bone burnett. he's been making all this up
and i just want to say i don't believe in him
in fact i don't even think he exists and not only that
BUT THIS SONG IS OVER

frank got a suspended sentence
the jury ruled it was self defense
they ignored his statement
on the grounds it didn't make any sense

frank cash had a pretty good year
considering the dizzy chain of events
that paper was never delivered again
but i gave him back all the money he'd spent

and he married a woman with a lot of soul
and his first son will become president
if you see him tall him i said "hello"
and that i'm happy to be able to call him my friend

The End

Trick or treat or die.

Pumpkin head. Or is it pumpkinhead?


Pumpkin head scarecrow on top of the garage.

Keeping the space warm for the upcoming Christmas lights.

Too soon for me.

Have a happy Halloween. (I walk out in the dark each night to unplug him before I go to bed. Can I move the grill or lawn chairs that are in my path during the light hours of the day? No. I just maneuver around them blindly in the dark. Most of the time I miss them. Most of the time. Maybe I'll move them this afternoon. Yea sure.)

Note: There is now a gap of about two months from the last post. This stupid pumpkin head post wiped out my last dozen posts. Oh well, it was only my "blue" period. They're be more clouds.

Standing on the rope.

Moonie with fire.

I think the fire juggling was easier than getting up on the tightrope.

Moonie the Magnificent.

Moonie.

Hard to get a picture of him without ping pong balls in his cheeks.

Good whistler, funny guy.

Trademark part of act.

Broon juggling.

A lit torch, a bowling ball and an apple that was tossed to him by an audience member. He eats the apple as he juggles all three items.

He used to specialize in being hung upside down from a tree in a straitjacket. Until he fell.

Witty.

Broon.

Beginning of Broon's act. More the standup, less the props.