James Brown loves you

A day late and many, many dollars short but here's the Yuletide greetings. Peace out on earth, yo.

James Brown -- 'Soulful Christmas'

Why haven't you told me?

You probably remember this one from Mulholland Drive (great flick). The vid is just a turntable playing the 45. Simple, black, classic.

Linda Scott -- 'Every Little Star'

Respect such a tradition

A great song from a great album. I don't remember this video, apparently getting good time on the highway will subject you to alien abduction. Thanks for the tip, Big Mike! (Did you ever read Paris Trout by Pete Dexter? This song reminds me of that novel, don't know why)

'Mike Watt -- 'Piss Bottle Man'

That's some nice skinwork

The ever-quickening pace of this marching band-style drum solo is just breath taking. The video doesn't sync perfectly with the sound making the whole thing look a little goofy but this dude is the deal no doubt.

Tim Jackson --'Non Stop'

You can let it all hang out

Cool song. Marc Bolan is the guy David Bowie wanted to be--or the other way around depending on who you talk to. I've only heard smatterings of T. Rex and generally liked all of it. This is a good one.

T. Rex -- 'Children of the Revolution'

New Day Rising

I was always pretty so-so on punk rock. I dig the energy and the unswerving desire to make music and be obnoxious; but the knee-jerk disdain of anything new or even suggestive of complexity dooms all the punk rockers to be nihilistic jerk-offs. So all that energy never develops, it merely dissipates whimper-style. Husker Du was an exception because these guys took composition seriously. They liked words and voices without losing the punk rock attitude--because the attitude transcends skills allowing you to have both (a realization most punks never reach). They were punk rock singer-songwriters and here we get a Grant Hart composition followed quickly by a Bob Mould tune (which follow each other on the record too). Good vid, good sound, good songs, solid performance, this is a good one.

Husker Du -- 'The Girl Who Lives on Heaven Hill/I Apologize'

It's not your headdress

Jangly guitars, take charge vocals, sneaky basslines, these guys are all right. Here they are at the Noise Fest, always an interesting affair. (Did they actually win the San Antonio Chili Bowl Cookoff? Damn, these guys are more impressive than I thought!)

Tapes N Tapes -- 'Just Drums'

Dizzying is more like it

I got to admit: I've never understood the protocol at a classical recital. Perahia comes to the close of his piece, a kick ass performance, but while clapping isn't allowed apparently coughing and seat-squirming are perfectly acceptable. Why don't they clap in the pauses? Why don't they clap during the performance? People clapped for Monk or Bird or Mingus whenever they came with the solo groove where's the love for big Murray?

Murray Perahia -- Mendelssohn's 'Spinning Song'

'The Germans are disputing it!'

Good stuff. My degree is in Philosophy, which is handy if you want to spend your life toiling in video stores, where you might come across this old school classic. 'Beckenbauer obviously a bit of a surprise there'

Monty Python -- 'Greece v. Germany'

'Once we're airborne, I get pretty stingy with my supply'

I always loved this piece of music (can you guess where it comes from?) and I've long been a fan of Hunter Thompson. Now the two come together in this inexplicable little piece of video of a drawing of zombie Hunter. Unfortunately the artist is not HST's partner in crime, Ralph Steadman, another favorite of mine. Enjoy.

Carter Burwell -- 'Dream of the Future'

I wanna lay down the law

I was looking for some Moms Mabley footage and ran across this nugget from the wide open '60s. Pigmeat Markham is best known as an old school stand-up comic not dissimilar to Redd Foxx and a regular partner of Moms. But in the '60s he made a series of novelty records that garnered some acclaim, this being the first and most popular. This became a catch phrase of the day sweeping the country not unlike old favorites like 'Where's the beef?' and 'Talk to the hand!' Here's Pigmeat's biggest hit set to a video that is both homemade and minimalist, but I dig it. An interesting tune, a pre-cursor to hip-hop and Judge Dredd.

Pigmeat Markham -- 'Here Comes the Judge'

I'll be around

I think Astrud Gilberto has the sexiest voice in the history of music. (I like Billie Eckstine too but his supple baritone doesn't quite get me in the spine the way Ms. Gilberto can) I feared I'd find very little on You Tube and there were a chunk of live performances (well, the same performance in many short takes) and a hand full of homemade jobs. This one was fun, taking clips from Ghost World, Phone Booth, Pillow Talk (correct me if I'm wrong please) and Dial 'M' for Murder to create a montage of people talking on the phone mixed and matched so that Scarlett Johanson from Ghost World can chat with Ray Milland from Dial 'M' for Murder (not to be confused with the Troy McClure vehicle Dial 'M' for Murderousness). I especially dug Rock Hudson maxin' in the tub while Grace Kelly fights for her life. Oh yeah, the song is sweet and Astrud is in fine form.

Astrud Gilberto -- 'Call Me'

Damn! I see demons!

I'm always a few years behind the mainstream trends in music and Snoop Dogg is an excellent example. When the Dr. Dre-style, if you will, first appeared, it got on my nerves. The pencil thin Casio undertone was like nails on a blackboard and I couldn't understand its appeal. But as years passed and trends moved on it hit me just how fluid Snoop Dogg is and how that style is meant to be a bit grating: the intensity of the narrative is supposed to free your ass and ground your mind (the un-Funkadelic, I suppose). This was probably the first West Coast style song that grabbed me.

Snoop Dogg -- 'Murder Was the Case'

No sorrow in sight

This is one of Hank's first big hits and still one of his signature tunes. I love Hank Williams, his best work ranges from joyous gospel to the deepest of self-pitying country blues. What more do you need? The Health and Happiness Shows is one of the essential musical happenings of the post-war era.

Hank Williams -- 'I Saw the Light'

BONUS -- Bruce Springsteen -- 'Wedding Bells' (1978 sound check)
I love old footage of the stars. Here Springsteen knocks out a quick one before going back to his Stat Boy duties on PTI.

Stop being a bitch already!

Good jam. Caribbean-inflected cadences over a thumping straight ahead beat. When Mos and Talib are on they pretty much are the best alliance in hip hop. Here they're putting the vibe on the bus and driving it around town.

Blackstar -- 'Definition'

Its no wonder I'm sitting right here drinking

The guitar tone is superb, his vocals are easy and breathless, even the audience is playing their proper part--this is such a delicate performance. Jim White is witty and artful and has been at it for quite some time now, not sure why he's not a bigger star. The clip cuts off but even the inadvertent cut seems just about right here.

Jim White -- 'A Bar is Just a Church Where They Serve Beer'

Does it feel as if you're floating?

Heartfelt acoustic fare either wins you over or grates like nails on a chalkboard and while the venue is distractingly odd (where the hell are they?) this is a solid performance of a solid song. It's always weird to make your first visual confirmation of someone you've heard but never seen. Tell me, doesn't he have the voice of a scrawny man?

The Baptist Generals -- 'Going Back Song'

Tres Bien

So do the French not have a word for 'living room'?

Paris Combo -- 'Living Room'

'I'm not looking for a sound system!'

In the music editor's humble opnion, this is the funniest scene from the funniest episode (the one where he takes a hooker to the Dodgers game) of the funniest show of the last decade or so. You either love this show or you don't. Me, I love it. 'Just walk away, please just move'

Larry David buys weed on 'Curb Your Enthusiasm'

Just a lonesome traveler

There's a lot of good footage of Memphis Slim over at You Tube, I was hoping to find his classic tune 'Beer Drinking Woman' but no such luck. This guy has such a cool voice, a deft touch on the keyboard and a killer presence. This is the classy blues: cool, confident with a sly sense of humor. Check out young Matt 'Guitar' Murphy on the gitbox.

Memphis Slim -- 'I'll Just Keeping Singing the Blues'

Induction then destruction

I just had a hankering to hear the Edwin Starr classic and here it is. This is a homemade version, mostly a montage of big ships and battlefield carnage. It starts off with some kooky Gilliam-style animation and then gets right to the death and dismemberment. Enjoy. If you'd like a more authentic video (I say that with tongue firmly in cheek), here's a performance from back in the days when they put even less effort into realism than the average CBS drama.

Edwin Starr -- 'War'

Come, come to Senegal

Here's some guy's home movies of his time in Dakar. Kinda cool. Random shots of people at work, people at play, people just walking around in the daylight. Funny that no matter where you are, no matter how the people live, there's always hot chicks and cool cats on mopeds.

Orchestra Baobab -- 'Cuomba'

'Imagine you're in hell and you want out'

I thought this was appropriate for Halloween, a downright eerie composition that seems to be an examination of what sounds can be coaxed from the modern keyboard. A fascinating piece by a 20th century master well-played by Mr. Anderson, damn some of that cross-handed action is kooky. Even the camera work and editing are intriguing, if a little cheesy and heavy-handed. Still an all-around interesting piece of work here. Enjoy.

Greg Anderson -- Ligeti's Etude #13: 'The Devil's Staircase'

Rainbows and waterfalls run through my mind

The music editor was listening to Shuggie the other day--not a lot of output but all of his stuff is classic--and he had to put some up on the blog. Unfortunately there's nothing approaching a real video out there just a coupla homemade jobs. This one is hackneyed but ambitious, so it’s the winner. (Did you know Shuggie played bass on Frank Zappa's 'Peaches en Regalia'? Oh yeah, he was like 16 at the time--born a stone cold badass!)

Shuggie Otis -- 'Strawberry Letter 23'

Put some fuzz on it

I believe this, the opening track off his latest album, is the first Keller Williams song I've ever heard that had drums on it or a wah solo--both courtesy of a collaboration with Jeff Covert. Still got the telltale frenetic bass lick and goofball sense of humor to go with the electric git action. I like it. Even self-made badasses can expand their horizons.

Keller Williams -- 'Play This'

Makes me wanna cry

Along with 'Crazy Train' and, of course, 'Stairway to Heaven', this was one of those tunes that every idiot with long hair wanted to play back in the day. I couldn't play any of those songs and I still can't...'cause I'm smart? Yeah! Take that, guitar gods! I was hoping to find 'Die With Your Boots On', to me the quintessential Maiden song, but this classic is good enough for now.

Iron Maiden -- 'Wasted Years'

I brought a little of everything

The 12-string guitar in the hands of confident player sounds like a wall of fury. Hart brings the frenzy but plays with such touch and has the soulful voice as well. Frankly it ain't fair how badass this guy is and this clip courtesy of the Fog Network is just a taste. (I lived in the Bay Area for 6 years and while I was a big fan of Hart, an Oaktown native, I never heard of the Fog Network, my loss)

Alvin Youngblood Hart -- 'Gallows Pole'

Watch TV and have a coupla brews

The latter day (roided out) Henry Rollins is absolutely humorless about the subject of drug use but in his youth he used to advocate drinking and sloth. We assume he hasn't lost his enthusiasm for beanbag chillin' but now he's more into the artsy, not the fartsy. Perhaps we should've seen that coming: he was way ahead of the curve on Hill Street Blues.

Black Flag -- 'TV Party'

Ever wonder why the caged bird sings?

The music editor caught a film the other day called Same Old Song directed by Alain Resnais, from a play by the great writing team of Jean-Pierre Bacri and Agnes Jaoui. It was a good flick, a fairly ordinary tale of the romantic entanglements of upwardly mobile Parisians with one extraordinary twist: the dialogue is often punctuated with bursts of song. Not original songs like a musical, but pop songs lip-synced by the actors. Strange in that (like Stewie on Family Guy) you can never tell if the other characters understand the song being sung--it seems like sometimes they do and sometimes they don't--but it definitely livens up the atmosphere.

Anyway, the songs were all French pop songs that I didn't know. But I did recognize some Charles Aznavour, Edith Piaf and Josephine Baker, it put the music editor in an old timey mood. Here's the great Josephine belting out a number from the 1934 film Zouzou. (I haven't seen the film so I'm not sure if this is the only musical number in the film or if this is a proper musical, I look forward to getting to the bottom of this mystery) Her creative bikini top almost makes this a NSFW item but I don't think anyone will be emotionally scarred by this. Man, she's got some pipes on her and the set and costume designs are curious.

Josephine Baker -- 'Haiti' (from the film Zouzou)

Deep deep sleep

Here's a clip of Radiohead from way back in the day. (You've got Radiohead's new free album, right?) In my youth I was what might be called an 'early adopter' of music, I was generally ahead of the trends. But in my later college days, I lost interest in keeping up the financial wherewithal to be an early adopter and so gradually drifted away from whatever it was the kids were digging on. At any rate, Radiohead hit the big time right around the time I was withdrawing from the popular world, so it took me many years to catch on to these guys. I vaguely remember the song 'Creep' but I don't remember hearing that record or even much about them back in the day. But I'm glad I did finally catch on to them, they fucking rock, man. Thom Yorke, obnoxious punkass that he is, is quite a badass and I'm sure I'd be a dick too if I were kicking as much ass as he does. Now they're giving away product--a no-no when Microsoft does it but the cat's meow when it comes from these guys--and I say bravo. As a guy no longer willing to keep up with the joneses, I'll take all the free shit I can carry.

Radiohead -- 'Airbag'

Her bedroom eye starts to twitch

You might've forgotten just how old the Beastie Boys are, well check this out. First off, the music is basically naked vocals over spare beats (with a hint of a thrashy guitar, which became the Beastie trademark), what we might call the 'early Brooklyn style', DJ Herc-type stuff, long before the rap style hits maturity. And the video itself is one of those static-camera, MC's standing around, chicks in bikinis affairs that almost makes you appreciate how much 'better' videos are now. And, the capper, check out the Rick Rubin cameo--he looks like a little kid! The Beastie Boys were there in the early days of MTV, back when MTV used to play music all day--man that seems like ages ago!--and they've survived. Pretty impressive.

The Beastie Boys -- 'She's On It'

You're a winner!

Watched Boogie Nights the other night, hadn't seen it a while, great flick. I couldn't help myself, had to check out the original version of Dirk Diggler's brutally awful single. I wasn't a Transformers fan in my youth so I didn't know it was a real song. I was floored when I found out because it is such a quintessentially crappy '80s song that it feels like a nostalgic construction rather than an original artifact--does that make sense? In defense of the song, the vocals are much stronger than Dirk musters and the drums are different (and slightly) better than the Boogie Nights version. But, man, this still sucks. So was Stan Bush a porn star? I remember when Samantha Fox made the jump from page 6 to top o' the pops and Madonna (and Vanna White) showing up in Playboy, but I don't recall any other porn stars crossing over. 'You've been put to the test/But its never enough'--what the hell does that mean?

Stan Bush -- 'You Got the Touch'

Let me know

Lucky Peterson is a blues player of the Chicago school, a style that loves ripping leads but also lends itself well to throat-y vocals. This clip is labeled as a 'private concert' and that's what it feels like, there's clearly an audience but my man is sitting on a couch, it all feels pretty informal. But once the vocals come in--I don't know her but she is bringing it--you know it's on. The camera starts sidewise but it moves all around from beginning to end.

Lucky Peterson in a private Paris throwdown

I'm gonna have to bust you in your lips

I dig Missy Elliott. Her albums (like old AC/DC records) are good for about 2 or 3 really cool songs if nothing else. As for her videos, I'm fascinated by the bizarre imagery she goes for. I don't understand any of it at all but it's all so stark and unique it's hard to look away, almost a Brothers Quay quality but with live humans instead of personified sundry items. And for anyone that's ever worked with video, you know hours and hours of work goes into getting 12 seconds worth of usable footage, so, man, she must work on those things around the clock! I don't even know this song but its got a good beat.

Missy Elliott -- 'She's a Bitch'

Open the pod bay doors, Hal

Its Columbus Day, which to the cultured American mind means 'no mail today'. But in the sense of exploration I wanted to go with something visually and aurally challenging. I looked up 2001: A Space Oddysey in You Tube hoping to find some classical clips, you know Schubert or something. Instead there was a ton of other clips from the film, a bunch of mash-ups (the Goodfellas/2001 was pretty funny as was the Goodfellas/Brokeback Mountain), and a bunch of other music set to the same visuals. Okay, no Schubert today, but Orbital works for me. (2001 is a kooky picture: the 2 times I've seen it on the big screen, I thought it was as engrossing and exciting as any film I've ever seen; the 2 times I've tried to watch it on my TV, I thought it was turgid and dull. I'm hard-pressed to think of any other film of which I've felt so sharply divided on venue)

Orbital -- 'Transient' (set to scenes from 2001: A Space Oddysey)

Like a thousand tiny little piranha fish

I'm a huge Lily Tomlin fan. Her '70s records in particular are wildly underrated ('I'm a rubber freak'). And her range as an actress has never really been exploited. There's not a heck of a lot of vid of Lily over at You Tube (and predictably the vast majority of those are David O. Russell's legendary tirade) and that's too bad. Here she is as one of her most enduring characters shilling for laundry detergent.

Lily Tomlin for Grrrrr Laundry Detergent

And if you ever wanted to know more about Lily Tomlin, here's a few web extras that let you know about her darker side.

'The Good, the Bad, the Tomlin'
Lily Tomlin has the bowels of a 90 year old man!
'The Good, the Bad, the Tomlin, part 2'
Lily Tomlin cheats at Monopoly!

No Leonard Pinth-Garnell here

Back in the day I worked at a record store where the sales reps pounded with us with free CDs. Everybody fought over the latest cool stuff while I snagged boxes of classical, world music and jazz. Along the way I picked up a Ryo Kawasaki disk or two and was generally quite impressed. (He's the guitarist, by the way) He's got chops galore and he's definitely partial to driving runs and churning beats. Artsy-fartsy guitar jazz ain't for everybody but if you feel like getting into some, Kawasaki is a good place to start.

As for this piece specifically, the sound is a little screwy early on (the pounding percussion overwhelms) but it quickly evens out and sounds pretty good. The composition is fun, the drummers are flying, everybody gets to solo (as always in gentlemanly jazz) and you just don't hear enough horn sections these days. And the ballet…well, honestly of all the art forms out there ballet is the one that makes no sense to me: I understand trying to physicalize music, trying to physically express the innate joy and energy, I just don't understand any of the actual movements. And with this massive stage it seems like it would've been better on ice. At any rate, enjoy.

Ryo Kawasaki -- composition for jazz ballet

Turn it up while you're gone

I wasn't a big fan of the album this song came from, but I dig the Queens. They pick up where Megadeth stumbled back in the day, creating driving metal hooks that don't rely on sonic overkill or Metalocalypse-style ridiculous persona (though I can definitely see the Queens going for a swim in 'Blood Ocean'). At their best the Queens can really kick some ass.

Queens of the Stone Age -- 'In My Head'

Doorbells and sleigh bells and schnitzel with noodles

I've been listening to Coltrane all day today. All day and I haven't even come close to exhausting the disks--ah, the magic of box sets! Here he is from 1965 tearing up one of his signature tunes. McCoy Tyner, Jimmy Garrison and Elvin (not Philly Joe) Jones in the mix with him. A furious performance and the tight camera work really brings out the intensity.

John Coltrane -- 'My Favorite Things'

When she kisses me

Not sure what made me think of these guys, haven't heard them in eons. I remember really digging them back in the day and never getting anyone else to like them and then they just faded out. I used to have a vinyl copy of one of their records but I'm not sure what happened to it, it's gone now. I seem to recall they had a version of 'Train from Kansas City', anyone back me up on that? I don't remember this song but this is a flavor of what I recall.

Scruffy the Cat -- 'My Baby, She's Alright'

Let's play a drinking game

Hayden's an acquired taste: his self-pitying lyrics can be a bit of a turn-off and occasionally his grooves are misguided. But when he's on, man, the fuzzy tones and desperate vocals really grab and hold. Here's the love theme from Steve Buscemi's directorial debut (an underrated flick in the music editor's humble opinion).

Hayden -- 'Tree's Lounge'

Your mama's good lookin'

I've got a thing for this song, I've collected various versions of it for years. Here's the mighty Leontyne Price belting it out and it is unique, there's enough vibrato to power an all-terrain vehicle! The video and audio are not top quality but interesting nonetheless, it has a lovely bootleg character to it.

Leontyne Price -- 'Summertime'

Holes began to appear

(Man, its been ages since I've posted!) This was my favorite song off their last album, a catchy number that falls into a slow fat groove that just doesn't let go. These guys are as married to the visual as the aural and I knew the video would be cool. Glad I finally got see it.

Gorillaz -- 'Fire Coming Out of the Monkey's Head'

(Overheard at the birthday party of a soon-to-be-disappointed 15 year old boy)

'Ghostface Killah? Oh, I thought he said Garrison Keillor!'

The magic of editing

This is as an impressive display of audio and visual montage as the internet as yet produced I'd say. (Though the photoshop-ed celebrity porn clips and 9/11 conspiracy vids are always enjoyable) I love the fact that he ends each of these clips with a proviso that he doesn't actually know anything about music--you have to doubt that but I'll take him at his word. I understand what he's saying: clearly some compositional capability is required but it needn't be grounded in serious schooling. It reminds me of an old Kids in the Hall sketch where the guy keeps saying he doesn't speak English because though he can expertly crank out a handful of phrases in English--that always seem to dovetail perfectly to the conversation he's having--he doesn't actually understand what he's saying. If that's what Gjertsen's doing, I can dig it. (Hat tip: signalstation)

Lasse Gjertsen -- 'Hyperactive'
Lasse Gjertsen -- 'Amateur'

The sound of 4 hands clapping

Two impressive performances simultaneously. Kooky to watch, their twin precision is mesmerizing. I hope these two go on to master all of the world's great compositions for 4 hands.

Twin sisters playing Ravel's La Valse for 2 pianos, part 1
Twin sisters playing Ravel's La Valse for 2 pianos, part 2

'Lip syncing--I love that shit!'

I've been digging these guys lately, they've got a raw energy that is abrasively captivating (or are they captivatingly abrasive?). I wouldn't even say this is one of their cooler songs, the tone seems muted compared to some of their other stuff. But it’s all good fun and the video is unique--they sure know how to make the most of exploding squibs and quirky camera moves.

The Black Keys -- 'Your Touch'

We are the sons of no one

The Mats were one of my faves back in the day and here are 2 different views of one of their classics. The live version is a spirited performance but the audio is hardly top quality so I included the homemade vid where the audio is excellent while the visual has a 'Wavelength' (1967) quality. 'Wavelength' is a classic experimental film that consists solely of a camera zooming for 45 minutes across an empty loft apartment, which is mesmerizing to some, utterly frustrating to others. This homemade homage to the Replacements is similarly mesmerizing/frustrating. But this is only 4 minutes long and does actually feature a hint of action (completely inexplicable as it may be) at the end. Also, I gotta say back in 1986 Paul Westerberg teased his hair more than I recall (and Chris Mars perhaps less).

The Replacements -- 'Bastards of Young' (homemade)
The Replacements -- 'Bastards of Young' (live)

Cosmo says your fat

Hidden in this song is some interesting commentary about the state of beauty in our society. An economist would say that the price is whatever someone will pay. And, it follows, beauty is whatever someone will find beautiful. How can society say that big butts are unacceptable if this guy thinks they're the shiz? (Realistically society says all sorts of things that we only choose to believe or deride on our own but that's a whole 'nother thing...)

Sir Mix-a-Lot -- 'Baby Got Back'

Rodney kills me!

Yeah, I could've grabbed some of the stand-up, there's tons on You Tube. But his appearances with Johnny Carson are just as funny and its fascinating to watch Rodney dominate a conversation with a guy who spent the bulk of his career as TV's premiere interlocutor. Holy shit, he's funny! 'I went into a gay bar, there were 15 guys for every guy!'

Rondey Dangerfield with Johnny, first
Rodney Dangerfield with Johnny, second
Rodney Dangerfield with Johnny, third

Take yo daddy by the hand

Classic footage! Doesn't it feel like Bo's looking at the freaks combing their greasy mullets and thinking, 'WTF?' 'Mona' (albeit the Stones version) was one of my mostest favorite songs as a kid. Get well soon, Bo.

Bo Diddley -- 'Road Runner/Bring It to Jerome/Mona' (live 1972)

BONUS -- Bo Diddley -- 'Hey Bo Diddley'
Holy shit, my man is tearing it up! Love the backup chick playing rhythm! This is a blistering performance from back in the day when that used to mean something. He's even doing a proto-moonwalk kinda thing (that the producer instantly cuts away from). On the one hand I love the fact that teeny-boppers from my mom's era liked the rocking good stuff; on the other hand, did they ever shut the fuck up and listen?

Screech!

I was hoping to find some Rollins Band circa 1992 when they still had it going on. Unfortunately You Tube only had later period stuff and a lot of that was of dubious quality.

The upside is I did come across this marvelous collaboration of the Rollins rhythm section with the great John Zorn from the late '80s. It is what it is: thumping bass, frantic drumming and sax noise that roams from one end of the register to the other all building to an Ornette-esque crescendo. The camera work is pretty Zorn-centric, but he's the big dog so that's to be expected and the important thing is that the sound is terrific. Enjoy. (This is actually the last of 4 clips available, they're all good)

John Zorn with Andrew Weiss & Sim Cain -- 'Zornflakes' (part 4)

We're the dandy highwaymen

I don't think I'd heard this song in 20 years, but I gotta say this is still a pretty cool song, it rocks well. 'Goody Two Shoes' was the more popular song, but this was the one I first heard. The video is marred by the fact that in the early days of MTV (and this video was early Mesozoic, if I'm not mistaken) directors hadn't yet caught on to the quick-cutting style that would come to dominate the scene, so the singers are required to make the vid watchable completely on their own. Check out how much Mr. Ant is just walking around here, randomly dancing and making faces. This is not easy to do and I can't say he makes it look easy--perhaps this contributed simultaneously to his rise and fall. Thumbs up for doing his own stunts but take it easy on the lip gloss--it makes you look cheap. (Incidentally, if you're interested in charting the development of the MTV 'quick-cutting' style check out Tony Scott's 'The Hunger'. By now the visual style looks like slow motion but at the time it was the cutting edge--and very influential on the British pop scene)

Adam and the Ants -- 'Stand and Deliver'

Bonus -- 'Goody Two Shoes' live (if solitary lip synching can be considered 'live')
Man, how did he do it? There aren't even any cutaways to screaming teenagers! If you've ever been on stage you can just tell that this was the loneliest 3 minutes of Adam Ant's life!

Harp-git throwdown

Michael Hedges was truly a one of a kind player. And here he's throwing down on a one of a kind instrument, the harp guitar. I loved his first few albums when he confined himself to pure instrumentals: though he was a fine singer I just wasn't as into his vocal compositions. He was just too good a player to sing! This is probably my favorite song of his and this is a killer performance.

Michael Hedges -- 'Because It's There'

BONUS -- Michael Hedges -- 'Bach's Cello Suite #1'
I'm a huge fan of Bach's Cello Suites and its always cool to hear a badass take a shot at one of them. It's not a flawless performance but a fine one (and I doubt I could do any better). All of his banter about driving home safely is kinda funny, til you remember he died in a car accident. Bummer.

Hair like a teddy bear

Champion Jack has the full range of a fine player--and I like his carefree upbeat boogie, as he is here. But he can also get the downest of down low blues that really hits you where you need it. And besides when you see a blues guy you don't want the happy stuff, know what I'm saying? On his sorrowful blues, his vocals range from amazing gravel-voiced self-pity to soaring deep-breathed self-pity. Ah, I'm not getting to his brilliance--you got to hear this 'good man feeling bad' to really get the gist of what I'm saying. There is a good collection of vid on You Tube, check it out, but the cameras apparently don't bring out the melancholy stuff.

Champion Jack Dupree -- Live

Daddy thinks I'm fine

I like this song. Rarely has drug-addled self-delusion come off as so jaunty. But apparently Daddy has changed his mind. She's postponed her North American tour, issuing a press release that says, "Amy has been ordered to rest and is working with medical professionals to address her health," leaving the impression that she has indeed 'found the time'. So, wait: does this make her a sell-out?

Amy Winehouse -- 'Rehab'

Yes, ma'am!

When the White Stripes first broke out 5 years ago or so, my first thought was that if they'd been around when I was in high school I absolutely would've thought they were the coolest thing ever. They're cute and cuddly and they rock well but somehow I don't love them as much as I'm supposed to. I don't mean to suggest that the li-fo thing is played out just that badasses with low expectations can only thrill me for so long, you know? But, dude, check out this blazing performance! Jack flat out tears it up! This is the kind of appearance that I wish I'd seen firsthand--except that I wouldn't wish an hour of Conan O'Brien on my worst enemy.

The White Stripes -- 'Let's Build a Home'

Max Roach, RIP

Legendary jazz drummer Max Roach died over the weekend. By all accounts it was a peaceful passing, not one to mourn but rather to envy. He was one of my favorites ever since I saw a kid's show years ago where he teaches the kids about drumming. He has one kid tapping a block, another kid beating a tom, another tinkling the hi-hat and another on a bass drum. Then he sits down and matches them all by himself--killer stuff and unexpected too.

These are some fine videos, this why God invented the Internet. Watching him work is like watching a great chef trying everything out, mixing and chopping to come up with something tasty. That last piece, from French television, is really a marvel.

Max Roach -- by himself
Max Roach -- drum solo
Max Roach -- soloing over MLK's March on Washington speech

Let's pretend we're in Antarctica

I've only recently become a fan, so I'm slowly becoming aware of what people mean when they speak of the latest album as uncharacteristically angry and frustrated. Some of the arrangements just keep evolving away from any kind of poppy hook. I kinda dig the solipsistic frustration and perhaps that's why I can ferret out the melancholy underneath this older song of theirs. It is a happy tune with a colorful, non-threatening vid but I sense a deeper vibe. Is it just me?

Of Montreal -- 'Wraith Pined to the Mist'

It's my turn to cry

On the anniversary of Elvis's passing, I figured it was a good day for a little tribute to the King in the form of an Elvis impersonator. The sound isn't so good but Tortelvis's facial contortions are pretty priceless. I saw these guys years ago and they rocked well, Tortelvis was a helluva drummer too.

Dread Zeppelin -- 'Your Time is Gonna Come'

BONUS -- I'm not sure what public access hell Dread Zeppelin ended up in here but they're still colorful. 'It's good for absolutely nothing, ladies and gentlemen!'

Dread Zeppelin -- 'The Immigrant Song'

Tinkle, plunk, crash

These guys are notorious for doing their versions of tunes by Nirvana or Aphex Twin, atypical fare for a piano trio. But jazz requires building on the music of the time, spurring it forward by absorbing it and spitting it back. When was the last time you heard piano jazz that was challenging? The innovative composers are typically solipsistic (even onanistic), but the innovative players are inclusive and wide-ranging. And piano jazz in the 21st century will probably look more like this: punk inflected, acid jazz derivative, rock and roll joy, beats from far flung locales, the cool calm of a DJ with none of the repetition. Fine with me.

The Bad Plus -- live at the Barbican

I smoke herb and work a turban

A homemade vid for a song from one of the finest albums of the last decade or so. The video is a bit one-note but strangely captivating just the same. (Is a new Deltron album coming?)

Deltron 3030 -- 'Madness'

What a gas it was to see him

An old-timey clip. The sound is terrific, the camera work and editing are suspiciously good and Black Francis looks like he's about 14. Sweaty fun from back in the day when music was still cool.
The Pixies -- 'Gigantic'

Find a way to make your natural tendencies to pay

A musical scene from a movie that actually was a musical--that may be a first for the music editor.

Steve Martin -- 'Dentist!'

BONUS -- Steve Martin & Bill Murray -- 'Say ah!'
Bill Murray reprises the role played by young Jack Nicholson in the original. Good fun at the dentist's office.

That's why they're called business socks

A tribute to the romantic habits of tired young professionals. Hey, even the petit Bourgeoisie deserves the National Geographic treatment. (Hat tip: Toddger)

Flight of the Conchords -- 'Business Time'

What else is in the teaches of peaches?

If Peaches in Mayberry doesn't offend the shit of you then you'll probably think it’s the funniest thing you've ever seen. (Sweet touch: notice the volume increase about 30 seconds in, that's magical!)

Peaches -- 'Fuck the Pain Away'

We all get raped on the planet of the apes

Gonzales is part Zappa, part Gould : namely 3 parts mad skillz, 2 parts juvenilia. My kinda guy. There's a lot of action here, just wind your way through and you'll be pleased. Canada just keeps cranking out the musical badasses.

Gonzales & Feist rocking out at the Trash Festival
Gonzales -- 'Take Me to Broadway'
Gonzales interview from Israeli TV
Gonzales -- solo piano recital

Folks lend a hand in a hell hole

Dig the Spinal Tap action figures at the end! I want one!

Spinal Tap -- 'Hell Hole'

Where are the mermaid singers when I need them?

Who hasn't asked himself that question before? This is a lovely song, Laura Viers possesses sublime loveliness in both her composition and performance. Kooky video--not sure if the lo-fi quality is deliberate or a by-product of the compression--but its all good. The distortions suit the black and white subject matter and the tune and besides, art doesn't have to be intentional.

Laura Viers -- 'Lost at Seaflower Cove'

'Business has been completed--motion to adjourn!'

Dennis Wolfberg was one of my favorites back in the old Comedy Channel days, when random clips of stand-up and the funny bits from otherwise un-funny shows and movies used to wash over the TV screen for hours and hours. Sadly, Wolfberg died a while back (not too long after the Comedy Channel now that I think of it), thus explaining why you haven't seen him lately. Our loss, this dude doesn't look like he'll be funny but he's hilarious, imagine an updated Bob Newhart. This is why God invented the Internet. Enjoy.

Dennis Wolfberg -- Part 1
Dennis Wolfberg -- Part 2
Dennis Wolfberg -- Part 3

Hell to pay when the fiddler stops

There's a ton of good Leonard Cohen clips and I could've chosen something rarer or more famous or more interesting. But the hook on this song is wacky and his cadence strangely fits this song so well. Cohen is a marvel, man, nothing about this guy should work but he's got some sublime witch doctor shit going on. No matter how close he gets to the cool you can tell he doesn't care about it; but he'll never fall because he doesn't care about the un-cool either. There's nothing about this guy that could be called 'trendy' or 'timeless'. I can't help thinking he'll get buried in the suit he dies in.

Leonard Cohen -- 'Closing Time'

I found myself alone above the raging sea

This is good stuff right here. I love re-purposing the classics (well, when it works) and this is a lovely version of a great song from back in the day. She takes it down a notch forgoing the energy for poingnancy. (I don't usually get my music tips from business blogs but gotta give the hat tip to Barry Ritholtz on this one)

Katie Melua -- 'Just Like Heaven'

I'm the son of a bad man

Here's a clip from Wattstax of the Bar-Kays rocking a big, big house. Pure majesty, man, looks like he's going to summon rain from the heavens at the beginning. (Wish it was a longer clip)

The Bar-Kays -- 'Son of Shaft'

The bird in the nest on the limb in the tree

Lively clip from back in the day. In the big band era the emphasis was on hummable tunes, wasn't it? The tune was to inspire dancing and then whistling, the melody was supposed to get stuck in your head the way that tree always grabbed Charlie Brown's kites. If it didn't grab you right away maybe it would get you on the way out and you'd be in love with it by the time you got home. On the one hand, that's lovely, wouldn't it be nice if it were still like that? On the other hand, it was all they had whereas now we have a wide variety of music to get our kicks from. And now we can still go back and have the classics while we roll with the new.

Louis Jordan & the Timpani 5 -- 'The Green Grass Grows All Around'

It wasn't even Halloween

Couldn't find 'Gangster of Love', so this classic from back in the day will have to do.

The Geto Boys -- 'My Mind's Playing Tricks on Me'

I wondered what my dad would say

This is a good homemade clip from Nelsonville, OH, a place where they might wonder about murder in the big city. Nice performance, sounds like he's filling a pretty big house with a guitbox and 1 voice.

The Avett Brothers -- 'If I Was Murdered in the City'

'Stand firm against sin…or something'

I'm a huge fan of Glenn Gould, have been for years. The way he used himself, his own humanity, as an experiment to test the depths of humanity in general I find quite fascinating, inspiring even. His endless interviews with himself were his attempt to get to the bottom of his own feelings without having to satisfy some other consciousness other than his own. Some find him off-putting to say the least, to be a blowhard or a buffoon and I can dig that. But the dude was so genuinely into this stuff to the point of losing himself, so if he comes off weird or pompous I'd say that's a function of his utter lack of interest in anything but music. That's fine with me.

Athletes that are ripped on by talk radio, for example, are often players with fractious relationships with the media, thus they become targets for public ridicule; but what do I give a shit if Albert Belle or Jeff George are chummy with the CNN Sports guys or Sports Illustrated or ESPN? Is that their job to suck up to the media? And how is any of that any of my business? And, likewise, what do I give a shit if the snooty arts press of the 1960s thought Gould off-putting? Why would I ever choose old timey bluenoses (or obnoxious talk radio types with no one but themselves to serve) instead of the artists themselves?

Now, the criticism of Gould from within the class of musicians is a separate consideration. But even here I think the prejudice against his 'doctored' recordings doesn't accept that anything other than live performance is valid--they say he wasn't keepin' it real! To the average classical musician, performance is paramount, recording is an insufferable business obligation. Well, Gould wasn't interested in performing, it wasn't the essence of the music on display but the performer himself on display. He was into the music more than any punk rock asshole I ever met. (Incidentally I don't buy for one second that he withdrew due to performance anxiety. Please! This guy performed all the time for TV, for radio, answering questions, explaining music to kids, etc. This guy was no wallflower, he just had other things on his mind. I saw him comment once that watching others perform was more nerve-racking to him than performing himself, he was more nervous for others than for himself) It's simply a matter of whether you can accept that recording is as viable as performance. As someone who listens to more music on my stereo than in person, I accept that recording is a perfectly reasonable pursuit for a musician.

Glenn Gould -- Bach's Cantata #54 ('Widerstehe doch der Sunde')

Link it, baby

Link Wray invented (or 'discovered' depending on who's the drunkest interlocutor) distortion, he revolutionized the guitar sound back when Pat Boone was dueling Little Richard for top o' the pops. He led the way in tonality and he had tons and tons of good songs over the years. Here's some live Link from 1978, the days of the sweathogs. He's in fine form but those chops steal the show. (Unfortunately, there is a dearth of original Link Wray vid over at You Tube, it's a shame, the dude's an all-timer)

Link Wray -- 'Rumble'

Make my poor heart skip a beat

You know this is old school when Stevie Ray Vaughan is referred to as 'new blood'. Albert King reminds me a bit of Thelonius Monk: Monk would hover over the keyboard and stab at the notes, Albert similarly throws his big hands all around the fretboard and seems to get what he wants. This is good stuff right here although the live sound is far from ideal. BB King lets the action percolate before getting to the stage but he's a fine capper to a marvelous collaboration but some of the great badasses of all time.

Albert King, BB King, Stevie Ray Vaughan -- 'The Sky is Crying'

BONUS -- BB King Sings About His Other Ailments (from Spike Feresten Show)

Music Editor Milestone -- 207 entries since January 14 and Stevie Ray Vaughan is the first person I've ever used twice. I had hoped to never repeat myself but for SRV I can make an exception.

Do it up right!

My friend Earl raved about the Collins Kids the other day. I gotta say he was right, I get it! These two, Lorrie & Larry, are a brother/sister combo from way back in the day playing some infectious rockabilly. These two are pure energy. Dig the twin-neck guitar!

The Collins Kids -- 'Rock Boppin' Baby'
The Collins Kids -- 'Chantilly Lace'

Where can jah love be now?

Daytona in the springtime, sun and sand and a bunch of rasta dudes on stage. You know where this is going…well maybe not. Probably weren't expecting Dr. Know's brand of guitar nuttiness or HR's utter intensity. Bad Brains were a band that used to disappear and then re-appear years later (actually they still do that), so they've clearly had some ups and downs. But their finer moments are punk rock excellence. (Man, there's a ton of Bad Brains footage at You Tube, sweet)

Bad Brains -- 'House of Suffering'

My name is Les

Every couple should have a sweet pair of matching guitars and they should both be able to play them with this much accomplishment. The guitar breakdowns here are some of the weirdest you'll ever see in front of a live audience but that's how confident a couple they were.

Les Paul & Mary Ford -- 'There's No Place Like Home'

Just my rifle, pony and me

I've got an obsession with musical sequences in films that aren't otherwise musicals. (And I couldn't find any YouTube footage of Dean doing 'You Belong to Me', so this'll do for today) Ricky Nelson had one of those great 'American Lives': imagine spending your teenage years playing yourself on TV as a character written by your own parents. Only in America could that life even be possible and Ricky Nelson lived it. Hey, it got him into Rio Bravo, so not all bad.

Dean Martin & Ricy Nelson -- 'Whippoorwill' (from Rio Bravo)

BONUS -- Dean Martin with Foster Brooks -- 'Are you sure you're not a pilot?'
Foster Brooks was one of my favorite comics when I was a kid and he's in top form here as the pilot who needs to steady his nerves. (The sketch is 4 minutes long followed by 2 minutes of the most bizarre homemade commercial I believe I've ever seen!)

Gonna go downtown

An interesting take on this song. It's pointlessly fast, that solo won't make anyone forget Jimi Hendrix and he doesn't seem to know the words. And he calls it a 'tribute'? Oh, those kooky '60's!

The Byrds -- 'Hey Joe' (from the Monterey Pop Festival)

It isn't hard to do

I just watched The U.S. vs. John Lennon. It could've worked as an examination of a celebrity desperate to do something useful (as if an abstract conecpt like peace could be moved like a product) or as an examination of a White House so paranoid that they harass pop stars (as if the society won't simply belch up another and another). Instead it fell in between, illuminating neither. And John Lennon is a subject for reverence so it is, of course, un-critical. (Left-wing-ers only critique the things they don't like--thus the source of their pointlessness--honestly, does anyone look to Gore Vidal for fair and balanced commentary?) So in the movie Lennon, far from coming off as a pacific visionary, felt like a drifting goofball of a guy propped up by hangers-on who had their own plans for his cult of personality. And the Nixon White House, while it was indeed a stunningly paranoid place, wasn't spending that much time on the guy--jeez, they act like Haldeman had absolutely nothing else to do than to keep tabs on Lennon's parking tickets. That said, it is an interesting narrative and has tons of good footage so I definitely give the film a thumbs up.

So what does that have to do with today's offering? Well, this video is a clever, well-made mish-mash of random political rhetoric combined with pop music, itself re-configured in a way the youth culture can get down with. I think John Lennon would've appreciated this. And Richard Nixon would've hated it. Good enough for me.

Mash-up of 'Walk on the Wild Side' & 'Imagine'

PS -- Since we're all looking for a pop star that really did make a difference in the lives of people--real people, not just overfed, over-confident fatass American suburbanites--then where are the lovingly crafted documentaries about this guy?

I'll give you my everything

This guy rules! Burke was an R&B man way back in the day (almost a 'crooner') and when that window of time passed, Burke didn't, he soldiered on for decades keeping the vibe alive. Here is a live performance and he is in fine form playing the title track from an album of a few years back that is one of my favorites of the time. Commanding attention from his throne he looks like a well-preserved version of Marlon Brando, no? The joyous and lovable version I presume.

Solomon Burke -- 'Don't Give Up On Me'

Who's gonna stop us?

Conspicuous consumption never looked so hip. Smooth mix all about getting ahead and living the good life only to be besieged by hangers-on and copycats. The cultural elite has gone through a demographic shift lately.

Clipse -- 'Mr. Me Too'

'You don't memorize it--you know it!'

Schoenberg is the tough stuff, a 20th century composer more interested in turning music inside out instead of continuing the mainstream fascinations and this piece is perhaps the pre-eminent example of piano complexity. Mitsuko Uchida is a fine player and listening to her talk shop is pretty cool.

Mitsuko Uchida talking about (and playing a bit of) Schoenberg's Piano Concerto Op.42

BONUS -- Here's an excerpt of Mitsuko Uchida playing Scoenberg

Everything depends on you

Nice little tune when you're waiting for the Powerpuff Girls to come save your ass.

Apples in Stereo -- 'Signal in the Sky'

Ever since the fire went out

Here's some live footage of Welch and Rawlings doing what they do best and it sounds pretty good. (Odd the advances in digital photography: digital video always makes you feel two miles away from what you're looking at but the sound is terrific. So the visual hasn't improved but the aural has…uh, okay) This is one of those classic songs everyone was waiting for them to do and here it is. But when will they finally do 'Love Lift Us Up Where We Belong'?

Gillian Welch (w/David Rawlings) -- 'Jackson'

To roam this wide world alone

I've been listening to this guy for years, its funny to actually see what he looks like. At first he doesn't look like what I thought he would. But, no, he kinda does. He looks like he could play a few tunes, knock back a coupla beers, pick up that 7-10 split, then play a few more tunes.

Bonnie 'Prince' Billy -- 'Goodbye Old Stepstone'

I don't know why

Some classic early footage of the Ramones before they were big--or even much of a band it seems like. Perhaps it’s the years of Howard Stern that's wormed into my brain but don't these guys seem like the quintessential New Yorkers? The sound isn't great but I suspect that's because the sound in the club was probably pretty awful.

The Ramones -- 'Judy is a Punk'

I'm a slave to work

Do you like British humour? You know, goofy-looking fat guys and hot chicks jumping in and out random doors and whatnot. Well, get ready for a treat, as a schlubby fish-and-chips-er gets relentlessly hounded by hot chicks for no apparent reason. Man, England looks like a beautiful place for ugly dudes with no money.

Belle & Sebastian -- 'Step Into My Office'

Discipline without the discipline

Caught these guys last weekend and they were killer. I'd never heard them before and was introduced by friends who brought a mixture of enthusiastic support and cold shouldered indifference, so I had no idea what to expect. This song is a hint but imagine it louder and faster and you get the idea. I found myself in a crowd of newby moshers: they had the energy but no sense of balance and an unrealistic need for personal space; it was a struggle at first but they grooved eventually. The band on the other hand grooved well from the gitty, so if you get the chance to see them in person I highly recommend these joes.

LCD Soundsystem -- 'Movement'

I'm not a rabbit!

This is about as close as I get to show tunes. Madeline Kahn doing the world weary Marlene Dietrich routine from Blazing Saddles. Good stuff. Not sure why it has the sub-titles. (Another example of a song from a movie that is otherwise not a musical, an odd preoccupation of mine)

Madeline Kahn (as Lili Von Stupp) -- 'I'm Tired'

A ship of fools sailing on

Another 'classic' from the '80's, that horrid wasteland of culture (except of course for all the shit I like). This is a harmless little tune with a unique video. The video is likely to induce seizures but that's the way it used to be and we liked it. The cool part of being a duo is that when you're ready to make a video that looks like you've got a million backing musicians you can just pick out the cool lookin' people and never worry about whether anyone has skillz.

Wang Chung -- 'Everybody Have Fun Tonight'

BONUS -- Wang Chung Japanimation style
Funny: I was going to suggest you check out this homemade video to avoid the apoplexy that might arise from the original version. But then I remembered this is Japanimation, so the epileptic fit warning is just as high.

They'll tell you you're out of style

When I was in high school I bussed tables at a restaurant where the chef/owner would plow down red wine and listen to Patsy Cline every night as soon as the place closed. Man, I hated Patsy Cline, I hated 'Walkin' After Midnight' and all those songs that I had to hear again and again. Then one day the tape died and we moved on to Edith Piaf or something and I missed Patsy. Since then I've had a soft spot for Patsy, her songs come from an age where music uplifted people rather than just signaling to them which clothes they should buy. There's truth in her voice that you just don't get from pop singers--or any public figures really--any more.

Patsy Cline -- 'I've Loved and Lost Again'

Hiding the tears in my eyes

I wasn't much of a Cure fan back in the day, I was more of a Replacements/Husker Du sorta joe. But I certainly hung out with many a Cure fan and I dug a fair amount of their songs. This is probably one of the first I ever heard. Goofy video, looks like the drummer kid is struggling to keep up.

The Cure -- 'Boys Don't Cry'

Dancer-ing

My favorite song from Clarke's School Days, an absolute classic of the jazz fusion '70's. Beware: this is a non-video, just the song played over a still of the cover of the album. Still, a classic tune.

Stanley Clarke -- 'The Dancer'

Ba-roque as a joke

I saw Russell play many years ago. He was a badass then and he's still a badass now. (Aside: As a nail-biter, I always marvel at the absolute manicured perfection of a real musician) Here is a marvelous performance of a Villa-Lobos piece for Spanish TV.

David Russell -- Villa-Lobos's Choro #1

BONUS -- Were you thinking of a different David Russell?

It's a psychobilly freakout!

One great contemporary instrumental piece in a classic style deserves another.

Reverend Horton Heat -- 'Psychobilly Freakout'

Too real is this feeling of make believe

I always dug this song. I believe I first heard a clip of it on an old Spike Jones record and was pleased to like the song even better when I heard it for real. You Tube has much sweet Platters action, nice to see.

The Platters -- 'The Great Pretender'

It ain't too pretty but its fast

This is some sweet playing right here. Chet still kicks ass, incidentally, his last album with Tommy Emmanuel is a shredder's extravaganza. Here he's throwing down the old school way with a showman's deft touch.

Chet Atkins -- 'Tiger Rag'

Hell would be like a fucking resort!

In the wake of the passing of Jerry Falwell (doesn't the world feel like a better place?) it's time for us to look to the kind words of a religious man. And who better to turn to for just a touch of realism than the late great Sam Kinison. Here's a clip from a 1987 HBO special where he takes on Pat Robertson's political follies and the tough life (and resurrection) of Jesus of Nazareth. I think we can refer to Kinison's religion in this period as…'reformed'?

The Reverend Sam Kinison

'Dr. Zeus, Dr. Zeus…Dr. Ze-us'

This guy was seriously before his time: he totally looks like Antonio Banderas, the whole vibe has just a touch of Eyes Wide Shut, and the rainbow wig was never as huge as it was on his head. A visionary.

Falco -- 'Rock Me, Amadeus'

They couldn't be any fun

For whatever reason I thought of this song the other day, a song I vaguely recall liking when I was a little kid. So this is what 'hard rock' used to sound like, I'd forgotten. I love the random girl just rocking out in the background, the bassist's ham-fisted lip-syncing and the drum kit larded with a plethora of pads (that fad never really caught on, I guess) and a double snare! The song is okay, I guess, it's got a funky keyboard hook and rocks itself out pretty quickly. (Collecting obscure tunes like this is why God invented the internet)

Tommy Shaw -- 'Girls With Guns'

Don't let them handle me

Nina Simone brings a grave determination to every performance and that power doesn't diminish when the tone is more relaxed. There is always the possibility that she will always be drenched in a seriousness that becomes tiresome or overdone but that never happens because everything she does is so lovely and so effortless. Here she takes a classic show tune and gives it a twist of her signature melancholy. (Good to see that You Tube has quite a range of Simone performances from a variety of time periods and moods)

Nina Simone -- 'I Love You Porgy'

She gets quite militant in this interview for a French documentary. I understand her feeling, but the reality of violence is a bit more complicated than her fierce feeling completely considers. Non-violence worked for Gandhi because his followers by far outnumbered the oppressive imperialists in India; in the USA that demographic reality simply did not exist. Non-violence in America (which was only non-violent to the whites, it should be noted) was a bold maneuver designed to expose injustice to the world, to open peoples' eyes to injustice that they'd simply never previously considered. Revolutionary violence would've led their constituents to nothing more than early graves and any thought of overthrow would've been unrealistic. That said, its hard to argue with her passion, her power is just is strong in conversation as in performance. (And there is some cool footage of her playing 'Mississippi Goddam' as well)

BONUS -- Nina Simone interview

Throw your big leg up over me, mama

Taj has been just about everywhere, played just about every type of music with just about every cool player on the planet. And yet he's certainly no slave to context. His style is so unique and clever and flexible--dude, he could be opening for Redd Foxx or appearing on Sesame Street, it'll feel exactly the same. He's bawdy yet gentle, playful yet serious, accomplished yet he plays with the exultation of a newbie. Taj Mahal is a treasure, man.

Taj Mahal -- 'Cake Walk Into Town'

1 great movie, 2 great soundtracks

One of my truly all-time favorite albums is called Rising Sons and it features a combo of a young Taj Mahal and a young Ry Cooder. Its circa 1965 and, in the music editor's (not terribly) humble opinion, is far superior to what the Beatles and Stones were doing at that time and more joyously musical than Bob Dylan by many furlongs. In short, it is maybe the finest record from one of the most fertile musical periods in western history. Since I started with Taj, I thought it might be nice to pair the two together. Man, stunning to find so little sweet Ry Cooder action available--mostly covers instead of the real mccoy. The slim pickings include a couple of interviews and some chunks of scores from films. Paris, Texas is one of my truly all-time favorite movies so its got to be there and Crossroads features a great Ry Cooder score (even if the peak of the film is all Steve Vai), so these clips will have to suffice. I wish there was more.

Ry Cooder -- 'A Good Man Feelin' Bad' from 'Crossroads'
Ry Cooder -- the opening of 'Paris, Texas'

BONUS!
This is one of the finer climaxes in the history of cinema: an absolute show-stopping musical finish to a film obsessed with what it means to be a musician. The rest of the film, unfortunately, is hit and miss. It’s the kind of film that relies on its characters to be rock stupid to advance the plot along (for example, if you look at a map you'll find that Mississippi is not the quickest route to Los Angeles from Philadelphia), rather then just letting them develop naturally into situations that rise and fall in the accepted Aristotelian manner. Too bad, a loving examination of the work of Robert Johnson sounds like a natural topic for a film! Ry Cooder's slowburn blues score is marvelous throughout and it all builds nicely to the big finish--dude, the day Ralph Macchio beats Steve Vai at anything, I'll stick my dick in my ear!

Steve Vai -- The guitar duel with devil from 'Crossroads'

Da-da-da-disappointment

Investorplace says:
On May 7, 1824, the greatest of all symphonies, by the greatest symphonic composer, premiered. Beethoven’s 9th (Chorale) Symphony premiered in Vienna, to mixed reviews. One court reporter (Joseph Carl Rosenblum) was blunt in his diary entry for this date: "Friday 7 May, 1824: Concert, Lovely, but tedious. Many boxes empty, no one from the Court. For all the large forces, little effect. Beethoven’s disciples clamoured, most of the audience stayed quiet, many did not wait for the end."

Undoubtedly some young hipster was heard on the way out saying, 'Yeah, his old shit was better. Ever since the 6th, man, he just hasn't been as good.'

Competition get blown

This album back in the day was the shiz-nit. The world treated the newly emergent collection of kooky personalities and styles like Jonas Salk bringing forth a cure for polio when frankly I found it to be just another slightly above-average hip hop record. The legend of Wu-Tang kept rising and I never quite understood why everyone thought they were so new or different. I dig them, I just don't see them as re-inventing anything. I always felt similarly about the Sex Pistols: everybody treats them as these legendary innovators when their stuff strikes me as ponderous and derivative. I don't dislike the Wu Tang--I like them!--I just don't think they're the S on Superman's chest or anything. Here's a home made video with a collection of old timey kung-fu flicks. Good stuff.

Wu Tang Clan -- 'Bring Da Ruckus'

Disney's castle, Hitler's music

Most of my papers from college were written to either Wagner or Beethoven (and occasionally Prokofiev, but he never summoned my finest work). And Tannhauser is probably my favorite Wagner piece, it builds steady slow to a soaring theme. Here it accompanies some marvelous footage of the interiors and exteriors of Bavaria. Not sure why it exists but this is why God invented the internet.

Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra -- Wagner's Tannhauser 'Overture'

Ever see The Da Vinci Code?

I read the book in an airport, which is where it deserves to be read. (I didn't see the movie because, well, I don't go to airports to see movies) At any rate, the twisty-turny plot of The Da Vinci Code recahes its conclusion in a venerable chapel in Scotland where they've also discovered wacky carvings on the walls. What do these carvings mean? According to a Slashdot article, it is a piece of music that has only recently been decoded and performed. The code revolves around Chladni patterns (wasn't that an HP Lovecraft story?). It’s a haunting motet, but I must say it is quite brief and I'm not sure why one would encode it into scratchings on a church wall. And I don't understand anything that is visually going on in this video but check it out. Maybe it'll make sense to you.

Tallis Chamber Choir -- 'The Rosslyn Motet'

Every ol' place I go

Chris Whitley, a blazing guitarist who almost never soloed, was one of those cryptic singer-songwriters whose next album was just a little different from the last. Here he throws down (presumably in conjunction with blues historian Peter Guralnick who opens and closes this clip) on a Robert Johnson classic. He wails all over the fretboard, his foot steady tappin' and it’s a good thing. This is how I will always remember the late great Chris Whitley: pasty and emaciated with a beat up guitar and a t-shirt he's probably been wearing for a few days. He was all about the music, man. Player.

Chris Whitley -- 'Hellhound on My Trail'

In comes life that I must feel

I've long thought that your typical string quartet is a bit of a waste of time. The instruments are fantastic and what can be done with them is clearly magical. But the compositions for string quartets are usually dark and muddled, they're largely dour, uninteresting affairs. These big string intruments are built for speed, I've always thought. Thank goodness Apocalyptica came along and proved me right! (Here they've trimmed back to a trio with the 4th playing conventional rock drums)

Apocalyptica -- Grieg's 'Hall of the Mountain King'

I tried to introduce an acquiantance of mine recently to Apocalyptica's unique interpretations of Metallica and he said that he loved the fact these guys were putting crazy distortion effects on a cello. No, I said, there aren't any effects on there, that's what a fucking cello sound like! I don't think he believed me. Too bad for him because even after being introduced to it he still doesn't get it. This is what a cello sounds like! (Incidentally, for my money, this isn't one of their finer performances, but have no fear, mediocre Apocalyptica goes a long way)

Apocalyptica -- 'One'

I'll talk but you won't listen to me

I always found Sinead to be at her best when she was putting all the energy into her breathy vocals. Not that she didn't have cool rockin' tunes or rump-shakers, but she's pure power when she takes it down a notch. This is probably my favorite Sinead song and this is a terrific performance. (Yo! What's with the crazy moon language when the electric guitar comes in?)

Sinead O'connor -- 'The Last Day of Our Acquaintance'

Is there anyone that knows? Is there anyone that cares?

Bob Dylan in his youth was a totally captivating performer and here's a rare clip from the early days. The times were soon to be a-changin' and Dylan morphed from folk dude into cool-ass rock star. He jumped from being a mega fish in a minuscule pond to become another legend in the murky waters of corporate celebrity nonsense. Oh well. He still puts out good records, actually, and over the years his stuff was generally better than average. Was it worth it? Have the last 40 years been something akin to the last half hour of Last Temptation of Christ? (Hard to imagine Harvey Keitel as a scornful Pete 'Judas' Seeger but give it a try)

Bob Dylan -- 'The Ballad of Hollis Brown'

All I ever wanted was to be your spine

This is one of the all-time great alternative rock tunes. Man, these guys used to be so cool. Unfortunately, they went on to become the great cautionary tale of their time: their indie records were all good, their big label albums all sucked. Ah, such a waste! Still a great song.

Archers of Loaf -- 'Web in Front'

How many Pulitzer Prize winners can blow minds?

Not a lot. Ornette Coleman is for big kids, his music is complicated, sometimes rudely dissonant and just generally tough to get your hands around. This clip right here begins as tuneful as I've ever heard a Coleman jam sound, but have no fear, the melodiousness dissipates quickly. But, hey man, innovation isn't always easy or beautiful, sometimes its hard and its charms aren't immediately apparent. Coleman picked up a Pulitzer Prize the other day for his album Sound Grammar, so congratulations are due to one of the all time greats.

Ornette Coleman in Rome, 1974

'Make sure my money's still here, dude!'

Checking out card tricks on the internet is a bit like listening to a tap dancer on the radio: with two cameras and an editing bay you can make anything look like anything. But I'm giving Ice Cube the benefit of the doubt that he was truly taking aback by a master magic man (because well, honestly, he's not that good of an actor). A friend of mine in school used to do a trick like this and it always flipped my shit, so I'm feeling the Cube.

Criss Angel blowing Ice Cube's mind

It's a little too heavy

Emmanuel is a seasoned throwdown acoustic player from Australia. He plays the guitar the way a vet handles a sick animal: his hands go where they need to and nowhere else. Hard to cut loose a solo when you've got no accompaniment but he pulls it off as well as anyone around. Here he kicks back with some classic Merle Travis and it’s a meal of a performance.

Tommy Emmanuel -- 'Nine Pound Hammer'

'No, its about the money'

That Master Shake--irrepressible! When he enlists Zakk Wylde to re-invent the Happy Birthday song, it all goes wrong and leads to hijinks and bloodshed. The ATHF leap from the small screen to the big screen opens today and I want to be there to suck in some of the vibe.

(Just between you and me, the music editor, I don't quite know who is supposed to go see this movie. I know the show has its ravenous fans, I'm one of them. But the show rarely develops much of a plot in its normal 15 minute running time, what on earth are they going to do for an hour and a half? The critics are going to absolutely savage this film and those who don't know about the brilliance of ATHF will not be convinced to plunk down 8 bucks. I suppose it'll be boffo on video and the budget shouldn't be higher than 5 or 6 episodes of the show, so its got a shot at re-couping but I'm dubious. I'm gonna check it out but I'd suggest you check out the episodes before you go to the movie film.)

Zakk Wylde on Aqua Teen Hunger Force

The influence of Mario

I'm not sure how I came across these but I found a treasure trove of variations on the Mario Brothers theme song. The chorus is inventive and visually fun with many clever left turns. The beatboxing flute is interesting--but, dude, there are several flute versions available at You Tube! Who knew the Mario Brothers theme is like the 'Stairway to Heaven' for flute? The many-stringed bass was an interesting interpretation, that guy can throw down. And this was my favorite of the many, many, many guitar versions. The finger picking style seemed more organic than the many shredding chord players. This music has permeated our culture and now its getting thrown back at us. Enjoy.

The Mario Theme -- Vocal
The Mario Theme -- Flute w/ beatboxing (Greg Patillo)
The Mario Theme -- 11-string electric bass (Jean Baudin)
The Mario Theme -- Acoustic guitar

Faith, trust and pixie dust

I love homemade videos--maybe someday artists will completely give up on spending a million bucks on a video and they'll simply encourage their fans to make their own. Here's one cut to clips from Sprited Away, a film I totally loved (though I'm normally not a fan of Miyazaki).

Jonatha Brooke -- 'I'll Try'

I'll let you whip me if I misbehave

Normally not my cup of meat but I kinda dig this song, hypnotic in its way. The video is all faux intrigue but the kids nowadays like everything to be lingerie in slow-motion and pointless explosions. Pretend narrative becomes a Rorschach experience for whoever sees it: they're free to project onto it what they wish. Yeah, I guess that's what I liked when they made videos for me.

Justin Timberlake -- 'Sexy Back'

Who would put plants in hard to reach places?

Remember when bored kids had conversations about whether rap was really music? I always figured you buy it in a music store, you play it on a music player, you listen to it in the same places you listen to music--what more do you need? Well, if rap is 'music' then by my argument anyway, so is spoken word and the 'music' editor is pleased to expand his repertoire. 'I don't need another step between me and toast!'

Mitch Hedberg on Letterman

No singer, its the Songhai

I'm not sure what song this is but it is a sweet little tune, a collaboration between two big time badasses. Not sure when this clip is from but I assume it is after their legendary Songhai days.

Toumani Diabate with Danny Thompson

Brahms, anyone?

Good video here, watching a philharmonic at work is rarely this visually rewarding. This clip is from 1996.

Berlin Philharmonic (Claudio Abbado, conductor) -- Brahm's Hungarian Dance #5

You win some, you lose some

Interesting little curio for the late '70's, when Waits was in full effect. This is basically a video for the song 'The One That Got Away'. It’s a cool song, it’s a cool video.

John Lamb's 'Tom Waits for No One'

All the prestige and the glory

This is from the early '80's, where the Pretenders were at their peak. (Think about that: how many other bands were at their peak in the early '80's? Not a lot) Chrissie Hynde is a throwdown superstar in this clip and I dig the guitar nuttiness they get up to as well. New Wave fun. This is a good clip.

The Pretenders -- 'Tattooed Love Boys'

I ain't coming easy

Lemmy Killmeister riding off with your daughter is every father's nightmare--and most daughters aren't exactly dreaming of that either!

Motorhead -- 'Killed By Death'

The traffic wrote the words

She's in classic form here, early on, still got that youthful vibe. She's in total command and what she's doing ain't easy.

Joni Mitchell -- 'Chelsea Morning'

The livin' is easy

I was hoping to find some footage of 'I Loves You, Porgy' with Louis Armstrong and there may well be some. But I've got a weird fascination with this song so I always grab it when I find it. With the drums almost inaudible and the piano and bass filling in only the barest outlines of back-up, she is absolutely in charge here, a spare, moody performance. This is good stuff.

Ella Fitzgerald -- 'Summertime'

Aaaaarrrrrrrrggghhhgghhh!

Footage circa 1970 of Floyd getting all that psychedelic-ness inside of them out for the world to see. The paintbox applications are primitive but editing tools are fun and they always were. This is what angst-ridden noise used to sound like (and look like) before punk rock came along.

Pink Floyd -- 'Careful with that Axe, Eugene'

West Xylophone

Like 1000 monkeys with a 1000 typewriters (and isn't that what the internet is?), the pairing of Google Earth with They Might Be Giants was a predictable occurrence. This is why God invented the internet. If only all geography were this tuneful.

They Might Be Giants -- 'Alphabet of Nations'

Faster than the speed of sound

I always dug this song. A good performance, just a little speedy the way live performances always are. Good audio.

Smashing Pumpkins -- '1979'

Get up in the morning

Some vintage footage of Dekker performing his signature tune. Look how skinny and young he looks! The crowd is young and hip and in love with ska. (clip cuts off unfortunately)

Desmond Dekker -- 'The Israelites' (and some interview footage)

You put on the gloves

Tom Russell is a singer-songwriter that's been doing it for a long time. He's from LA but he luxuriates in all kinds of western styles from cowboy folk to Tex-Mex delicacies. He may or may not be your cup of tea but I dig him, he likes to tell stories in his songs and they're usually funny and clever. The audio is pretty good here from a live show last year. (The poster is having fun with his titler)

Tom Russell -- 'Tower of Song'/'The Pugilist is 59'

Won't somebody tell me

For some reason Bruce Cockburn is not universally loved and respected. In fact, you're likely to find him dissed and dismissed. I don't understand why. He's a superior singer-songwriter who's been putting out good solid records for 30 years. He's one of those political-type folkies which I suppose some people pigeonhole as self-absorbed and clueless (well, I usually do) but Cockburn is far from typical. He's Canadian, deeply Christian, a helluva guitar player, a clever lyricist and brings a perspective that is holistic and completely unique, a tough combo to pull off in today's fast-paced world. He's the kind of joe who says what he means and then he moves on. We've created a culture where attacking is easier than defending and Cockburn is one of the unfortunates in that scenario. Often he performs by his lonesome but here he's got some support. Good tune.

Bruce Cockburn -- 'Soul of a Man'

I found a dream I can speak to

Before Robert Altman, before Richard Avedon, before Hugh Hefner (though well after Degas and Toulouse-Lautrec) there was Man Ray lovingly capturing the female nude. He was a 'surrealist' which was an art movement that revolved around splattered paint, blurry photos and hot naked chicks--just a few of my favorite things. Here someone has taken a collection of Man Ray's stills and arrayed them to a lush Etta James classic. An interesting combination.

Etta James -- 'At Last'
(NSFW -- Lots o' nudity)

I'm not judging you, I'm judging me

This is one of the all-time classic songs of the alternative '80's (that was back before 'alternative' meant 'gay' for you history buffs). Here's a homemade vid that is occasionally clever, usually pointless.

Mission of Burma -- 'Academy Fight Song'

Kinda desperate but still kinda cute

I love Bongwater. I had a total crush on Ann Magnuson when I was kid and I was never a guy that really had crushes on actresses or singers. They only existed to me as plastic images but not Ann. She was something special. Now I'm older and I have more respect for her music than I even did back in the day but I've grown prudish enough to think she wears too much make-up. (Ann, it makes you look cheap--and I know you're not cheap!) In a way that's what this song is about: the disillusionment that comes when the people you watch on TV go through major changes in their lives that you know will come to you some day. I know I was never the same after Greg Brady moved into the attic.

Bongwater -- 'Psychedelic Sewing Room'

Just a come on from the whores on 7th avenue

A touching reunion by the harmonizers on an early SNL episode which begins with an errant attempt at 'Still Crazy After All These Years'. These guys are deep in the heart of the '70's here, so if you're into well-groomed facial hair you may want to look away.

Simon & Garfunkel -- 'The Boxer'

And by the way Art Garfunkel is quite the reader

That's all you gotta do

I grew up on the Monterrey Pop footage of this song so its cool to see a different performance from around that time. Redding's genius was his smooth vocal presence within the all-out reckless abandon of his stage performance. He consistently ratchets up the intensity here--dude, he's raw energy!--and the band (is that Booker T & the MG's?) behind him is totally game. This is good stuff right here.

Otis Redding -- 'Try a Little Tenderness'

Cello, man

I always dug Dvorak. He was a Czech composer who came to America in the 1890's and became enchanted by American folk music. You can hear a lot of jazz pre-figured his compositions, which often feature flowing styles. And I just dig the cello too. Big strings, big sound, powerful instrument and in the hands of a player like Ma it lilts like no other instrument (that's right--it lilts!). That's Seiji Ozawa is conducting behind him so I assume they're in Vienna.

Yo-Yo Ma -- Dvorak's 'Silent Woods'

Got a new face for the boys on MTV

I was never much of a Michael fan myself but I always dug this song (one of the only singles I ever owned) and the video features many, many beautiful scantily-clad ladies. George Michael has fallen so far into oblivion at this point that you may not remember just how fucking huge this guy was for a while. He was huge! Hey, John Travolta was huge and then disappeared and then came back (and is well on his way to disappearing all over again), so maybe Mr. Michael can make a comeback. (Was this song originally this long? I think this might be some remix version)

George Michael -- 'Freedom'

He'll play til he goes off to sleep

Kiko was the album that turned me on to Los Lobos back in the day. Its moody and introspective at times, bar rockin' groovy at others, ranging from traditional south of the border folk tunes to Crazy Horse-esque rockers. They've been cranking out good records for years, better than ever lately. The title song is a moody number with their telltale use of percussion for emphasis. And check out David Hidalgo rockin' the squeezebox.

Los Lobos -- 'Kiko and the Lavendar Moon'

Get me off the ground

It was 4th of July, the public library was the scene of the happening-est, throw-ing-est downiest band this side of the Appalachians. But it wasn't to be. The tech guys blamed it on the rain but I know better: it was the man keeping us down. 'Lift' was the second song that day, the Belts opened with a pretty cool take on the 'Star Spangled Banner'. Why isn't in this video? I blame the man.

You know, some of the earliest film that still exists comes from the 1901 Pan-American Fair in Buffalo where President McKinley was to give a speech. The cameraman in Buffalo (kinda like the cameraman here), is patiently waiting for the president to appear but little does he know that McKinley was busy being assassinated on the other side of that wall. You know who took down McKinley, don't you? That's right, it was the man. The Yellow Belts have had their President McKinley moment and if it were to happen again it would be like jumping the shark.

Yellow Belts -- 'Lift' (shortest Yellow Belts show ever)

(Incidentally, the music editor is just off-camera, if you could imagine the cameraman turning sharply to his right, you might imagine catching a glimpse of the music editor, who is probably imagining himself looking cool on the scene)

When there's danger all around

Dude, you gotta love You Tube! There are people out there who have nothing better to do with their lives than take clips from the '70's action flick The Wild Geese and set them to obscure Joan Armatrading tunes. I have dedicated myself to the search for these items. I'm like Indiana Jones over here. Richard Harris, Richard Burton, Roger Moore--I kept looking for Leslie Nielson!

Joan Armatrading -- 'Flight of the Wild Geese'

Check what I'm seein'

Cool, so Nas liked Casino too. I thought I was the only one. Why do rappers lift so obviously from their favorite filmmakers? Scorsese, a notorious cinematic klepto, would never produce a hamfisted effort such as this and yet this is Nas's tribute to him. At least Nas digs good flicks.

Nas -- 'Sweet Dreams'

Now we got a new machine

Deep Purple is one of those great underrated bands of the big hair '70's. They're loud and dumb and they rock with all their hearts and you can't front on that, man. The jam is a noodlefest, I won't lie, but they've got energy. Just look at how that crowd is a-rockin'! They look mesmerized, like they've drifted in from a George Romero film. (Dude, are they in a high school gymnasium?)

Deep Purple -- 'Space Truckin''

Nothing like NPR hipping you to the shiz-nit!

Here's a preview of the South by Southwest Music Festival which gets underway for real down in Austin on Friday. Rene Montaigne (sp?) is her typical NPR self: blandly condescending while trying to be oh so cool. But the dude knows what he's talking about. Funny: as uptight and white bread (self-delusionally thought of as 'open minded' and 'in touch') as NPR is, I tend to dig their musical discoveries.

NPR talks SXSW

Can it be mine?

Magic Sam is wildly underappreciated these days, I guess its because he died young and only put out a handful of records. I wholeheartedly recommend his dream-y solo stuff: they're upbeat, poppy almost folky songs of joy. Simple electric blues here but its effective and highlights his vocals well. And the following boogie breakdown has a nice drive to it.

Magic Sam interview and 'All of Your Love' for German TV

Ain't got no records to play

The Heads at their best were one of the all-time great energetic, entertaining bands with a churning rhythm section. This clip from Rome 1980 shows them in peak form. There's a load of clips from that show--looks like the whole show. (Is that Adrian Belew on guitar?) Good quality stuff.

Talking Heads -- 'Life During Wartime'

Stop before you begin

Louis yucks it up, Keely plays it straight, the bass skips along, the audience loves them, the camera loves all of it. (Seriously, though, doesn't it look like Keely really can't stand this guy? She plays nice at the end but for the first 2 minutes she looks like she's contractually obligated to be there)

Louis Prima & Keely Smith -- 'I've Got You Under My Skin'

Action from the Boom Boom Room

This jams meanders a bit early on but once it settles in it rocks well. Wooten is flat-out the top bassist out there and though he never really has that throwdown moment I was hoping for, he fits in nicely with this crew, a conglomeration of players from Karl Denson's Tiny Universe. Live from John Lee Hooker's Boom Boom Room in San Francisco, which incidentally has the finest jukebox I believe I've ever seen.

Blusirkut w/Victor Wooten

Yellow Belts LIVE if you want it

If I was going to be in Austin, TX, on Thursday, March 15, I'd go check out The Yellow Belts at Headliner's. The Yellow Belts play some quality bar-rockin' throwdown punk, they're not malcontents, just dudes that like loud-ass power chords. I won't be there but I would if I could. And stick around for Nine Pound Hammer on Friday. They do the '12 Oz. Mouse' theme song and they, like the Yellow Belts, bring it to you raw.

'How are your songs coming?'

This clip doesn't feature any of the kids from the documentary (at least none I recognized). But this crew is throwing down with King Crimson just as strong as that crew did with Zappa. And here they've got Adrian Belew (an alumnus of Crimson and Zappa) sitting in with them. There's a minor stumble through the guitar solo but otherwise they tackle a complicated piece with some mf-ing gusto!

Paul Green's School of Rock w/Adrian Belew -- King Crimson's 'Red'