Free Energy is a band from Philadelphia and will put out their debut full-length next year. The song "Free Energy" is a nice little slice of pop heaven. Please pay close attention to the guitar at the beginning: Is that some AC/DC riff cribbed from Who Made Who? It works, but is an interesting little twist:
Next year, when their debut comes out, you can say "Oh, yeah, those guys. Yeah, the nuclear physicists in the fall out shelter of the Old Skool Fortress of Musical Radiology turned me on to them last year." Or something like that. Because just by reading this blog you are/become smarter than the average drooling music fan. So you can come up with your own pithy comeback.
I've mentioned this before, but Tuesday in the Lou is a great night. First, Jenny Owen Youngs will be here opening for Mae at Off Broadway. I've posted about her previously here and here.
And, also on Tuesday, White Rabbits return to the Firebird. Old Skool musicological scientists may need to take a nap Tuesday afternoon. We suggest you do the same. And I'll see you out and about. Here's the band on Letterman, after their first album came out. It's good. They've gotten better.
That Carl Sagan song with the autotune is stuck in my head. So thanks to Mark for today's autotuned afterschool special: "We are all connected". There's more, all from Melody Sheep, but nothing compares to the two I've shared. The Billy Mays one gets old, frankly. Enjoy.
A while back, I posted Johnny Cash's video for his cover of NIN's "Hurt", a video that I felt had great emotional power. While not a true video, this clip, taken from the documentary "Be Here To Love Me: A Film About Townes Van Zandt" is powerful stuff indeed.
Watch the old black gentleman, Seymour Washington, as Townes sings "Waitin' Round To Die", as he is truly moved by the music and lyrics. This isn't some staged episode of a crap reality show. It IS reality. When music can do that it is true, not some manufactured crap designed to appeal to the masses, but something that speaks so powerfully you can't help but feel a release of emotion.
Townes died on New Years Day 1997 from years of substance abuse, and never really found mainstream fame, although there are many musicians that site him as a a major influence on their work. Musician Steve Earle, a close friend, once said Van Zandt was "the best songwriter in the whole world and I'll stand on Bob Dylan's coffee table in my cowboy boots and say that." His most famous song was "Poncho and Lefty", covered by Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard.
Probably not the best (meaning happy goofy fun!) Friday video, but sometimes the blues can make a person come through to the other side feeling joy. It's the magic of music, and it has a strong pull.
It's out there. And I though it would be nice on this cold dreary day to give you the links to go get some. If you want.
For a limited time Amazon is giving away a song from the new Swell Seasons. Get it here.
CMJ Music Marathon is getting ready to happen in NYC October 20-24. Insound is offering a free MP3 mix tape to get folks all fired up. Here you go. Thanks Insound!
And thank you to Urban Outfitters. I don't think they have anything in my old skool size, except for these MP3's, they are one size fits all!
While we're on the subject of regret, and shows that were missed. Johnny Cash played at Emo's the first time I went to SXSW. I found out about it the next day, the newspapers calling it the "worse-kept secret" of the festival. I wish someone would have told me. From what I understand, mohawked punks danced with the old folks, and everyone had a great time.
This video is one of the saddest I've ever watched. And if not the saddest, then certainly the most emotional. If you know of one that has even more of an emotional pull to it, I'd love to know. But I might have to watch it late at night when no one's around, because if it's more emotional than this one I will probably need to be alone. What a perfect cover, and at a perfect time in the man's life. Powerful:
So I was in Chicago a while back, and really wanted to go see the Nine Inch Nails shows there: Small venue, last tour, blah blah blah. But the tickets on Craig's List were about 200 bones each and I would have had to shell out for two since my lovely bride was with me. We passed, too costly, bad timing, etc. Seeing this live video, makes me think it would have been worth even more to see them. •sigh•
1. Write passionate songs 2. Tour relentlessly 3. Get noticed by Rick Rubin 4. Sign to his label 5. Tour the sheds with Dave Matthews Band 6. Have Rick Rubin produce new release 7. Release major label debut after independent releases build grassroots following 8. Appear on Letterman
Check, check, and triple check. Ah, boys, I'll tell them I knew you when. From Off Broadway, opening for BR5-49, to the Sheldon, to the Pageant and beyond.
