The Grammys v.2.0

Let's see, we left off at 31 so on with the show!

Category 32 - Best Rap Performance By A Duo Or Group: Don't Phunk With My Heart, The Black Eyed Peas (Yes, I'm almost 50 and I like the Black Eyed Peas. So there)

Category 33 - Best Rap/Sung Collaboration; Numb/Encore, Jay-Z Featuring Linkin Park (I was torn between this and They Say, so I'm glad someone made my mind up for me.)

Category 34 - Best Rap Song; Diamonds From Sierra Leone, D. Harris & Kanye West (There's Kanye again!)

Category 35 - Best Rap Album: Late Registration, Kanye West (And again!) Now we get into country - not my favorite area, but there are some singers I love.

Category 36 - Best Female Country Vocal Performance; The Connection, Emmylou Harris (and Emmylou Harris is at the top of that list!)

Category 37 - Best Male Country Vocal Performance: You'll Think Of Me, Keith Urban (He is such a cutie, but I was rooting for George Jones)

Category 38 - Best Country Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal: Restless, Alison Krauss And Union Station (Allison Krauss also ranks high on my list.)

Category 39 - Best Country Collaboration With Vocals: Like We Never Loved At All, Faith Hill & Tim McGraw (oh well..it should have been Dreams Come True, Willie Nelson & Norah Jones - I hope the work together again.)

Category 40 - Best Country Instrumental Performance: Unionhouse Branch, Alison Krauss And Union Station (Hooray!)

Category 41 - Best Country Song: Bless The Broken Road, Bobby Boyd, Jeff Hanna & Marcus Hummon, songwriters (Rascal Flatts) (Love it!)

Category 42 - Best Country Album: Lonely Runs Both Ways. Alison Krauss And Union Station(Good choice!)

Bluegrass, now. And it's another passion of mine.

Category 43 - Best Bluegrass Album: The Company We Keep, The Del McCoury Band (Yes, yes, yes!)

Yes, I listen to New Age. Because having a martini at 11 am is a little too Dorothy Parkerish.

Category 44 - Best New Age Album: Silver Solstice, Paul Winter Consort
My husband is the Jazz person in the family, I just breath in secondhand cool.

And now for something completely different - Jazz.

Category 45 - Best Contemporary Jazz Album: The Way Up. Pat Metheny Group (I was hoping Soulgrass would get it.)

Category 46 - Best Jazz Vocal Album: Good Night, And Good Luck. Dianne Reeves (And if you haven't seen the movie - go see it.)

Category 47 - Best Jazz Instrumental Solo: Why Was I Born?, Sonny Rollins, soloist (This was from the 9/11 concert - I'm really happy with this one.)

Category 48 - Best Jazz Instrumental Album, Individual or Group: Beyond The Sound BarrierWayne Shorter Quartet (I didn't hear any of these.)

Category 49 - Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album: Overtimem Dave Holland Big Band (Didn't hear these either)

Category 50 - Best Latin Jazz Albumz; Listen Here! Eddie Palmieri (Latin jazz is another favorite as is Palmieri)

Gospel Brunch Time!

Category 51 - Best Gospel Performance: Pray, CeCe Winans (Amen, Sister!)

Category 52 - Best Gospel Song: Be Blessed, Yolanda Adams, James Harris III, Terry Lewis & James Q. Wright, songwriters (I didn't hear any of these.)

Category 53 - Best Rock Gospel Album: Until My Heart Caves I, Audio Adrenaline (This is the only song in this category I've actually heard)

Category 54 - Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album: Lifesong. Casting Crowns(Heard none of these)

Category 55 - Best Southern, Country, or Bluegrass Gospel Album: Rock Of Ages...Hymns & Faith, Amy Grant (I really wanted Southern Meets Soul to win)

Category 56 - Best Traditional Soul Gospel Album: Psalms, Hymns & Spiritual SongsDonnie McClurkin (Didn't hear any of these either)

Category 57 - Best Contemporary Soul Gospel Album: Purified, CeCe Winans

Category 58 - Best Gospel Choir Or Chorus Album: One Voice, Gladys Knight, choir director; Saints Unified Voices (It's Gladys Knight - of course she won! Nobody else even came close!)

And now we're in one of my favorite areas Latin Pop!

Category 59 - Best Latin Pop Album: Escucha, Laura Pausini (My choice!)

Category 60 - Best Latin Rock/Alternative Album: Fijación Oral Vol. 1, Shakira My choice again!)

Category 61 - Best Traditional Tropical Latin Album: Bebo De Cuba, Bebo Valdés (Man, I should have placed some bets in the Latin category!)

Category 62 - Best Salsa/Merengue Album: Son Del Alma, Willy Chirino (Well, I would have lost on this one, my choice was Arroz Con Mango,Tiempo Libre

Category 63 - Best Mexican/Mexican-American Album" México En La Piel, Luis Miguel (It was between this and Las 3 Divas)

Category 64 - Best Tejano Albums: Chicanisimo. Little Joe Y La Familia (I only heard a couple tracks, but yo lo mucho)

And now Blues, the second great musical love of my life next to classic rock!

Category 65 - Best Traditional Blues Album: 80. B.B. King & Friends(My choice, although About Them Shoes was a close second)

Category 66 - Best Contemporary Blues Album: Cost Of Living, Delbert McClinton (My choice)

And now Folk

Category 67 - Best Traditional Folk Album: Fiddler's Green, Tim O'Brien (I know a lot of Chieftain fans are disappointed, but this deserves it!)

Category 68 - Best Contemporary Folk Album: Fair & Square, John Prine (My choice)

Category 69 - Best Native American Music Album: Sacred Ground - A Tribute To Mother Earth, Various Artists (You should listen to this album. It's good)

I like Hawaiian Music. Really! Especially on a Saturday morning while my Kona is brewing.

Category 70 - Best Hawaiian Music Album, Masters Of Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar - Vol. 1, Various Artists (If you aren't familiar with Hawaiianiin music, I'd recommend this as an introduction. The Go on to Sonny Lin, Raiatea Helm, Ho'okena, Eddie Kamae & Sons of Hawai'i and especially the Ka'ala Boys. Mountain Apple Company has the best selection Hawaiian music around.

And now to Reggae. Believe it or not it was my grandmother who turned me on to reggae back in the sixties. She loved the rhythm.

Category 71 - Best Reggae Album, Welcome To Jamrock. Damian Marley (No surprise there!)

There's only two more categories I'm going to cover - if you want to know about polka, children's, classical, opera and spoken word, you'll have to go to the Grammy.com site. I'm just getting bored. Enuf is enuf!

Category 72 - Best Traditional World Music Album: In The Heart Of The Moon: Ali Farka Touré & Toumani Diabaté (very good!)

Category 73 - Best Contemporary World Music Album: Eletracústico, Gilberto Gil (This one I really disagree with. I think the Grammy should have gone to No Boundaries, Ladysmith Black Mambazo & The Strings Of The English Chamber Orchestra. It's avery creative melding of cultures.)

Oh, what the hell - Let's Polka! Category 74 - Best Polka Album: Shake, Rattle And Polka!, Jimmy Sturr And His Orchestra

I wasn't going to do this either, but it is my pleasure ladies, gents, and gumbys everywhere to announce the Best Musical Show Album: Monty Python's Spamalot. (Huzzah!)

The Grammys!

Two things I realized when I was watching the Grammy's: one: 92 Catagories? that's a lot of music; and two, why is it award shows go on forever when all I really wanted to see was Paul McCartney. Oh well.

Here's the winners, so far and any snarky comments I may have.

Catagory 1 - Record of the Year: Boulevard of Broken Dreams, Green Day (I thought it would be a toss up between Green Day and Kanye West, with coin slightly rolling in favor of Green Day. Kanye's Day will come.

Catagory 2 - Album of the Year: How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb. (Well, come on, you really didn't think the others had a chance did you?)

Catagory 3 - Song of the Year: Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own (from How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb) I love U2....

Catagory 4 - Best New Artist: John Legend (Pretend to be surprised at least! We all new he'd win. but thanking DEVO?)

Catagory 5 - Best Female Pop Vocal Performance: Since U Been Gone, Kelly Clarkson. (NOOOOOOO! Bonnie Raitt was robbed!)

Catagory 6 - Best Male Pop Vocal Performance: From the Bottom of My Heart, Stevie Wonder (The man still rules!)

Catagory 7 - Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal: This Love, Maroon Five. (Hmmm. I'd have gone with Don't Lie, The Black Eyed Peas)

Category 8 - Best Pop Collaborations with Vocals: Feel Good Inc., Gorillaz Featuring De Le Soul. (Ah, come on...A Time to Love, Stevie Wonder Featuring India.Arie should have won.

Category 9 - Best Pop Instrumental Performance: Caravan, Les Paul (Alright! Les Paul is still a treasure)

Category 10 - Best Pop Instrumental Album: At this Time, Burt Bacharach. (The influence this man has on music is astounding, and he deserves this!)

Catagory 11 - - Best Pop Vocal Album: Breakaway, Kelly Clarkson (Gimme Sheryl Crow or Fiona Appple any day.)

Category 12 - Best Dance Recording: Galvanize, The Chemical Brothers Featuring Q-TipThe Chemical Brothers, producers; The Chemical Brothers & Steve Dub, mixers (I'm not a club person, so I'll take their word for it.)

Category 13 - Best Electronic/Dance Album Push The ButtonThe Chemical Brothers (Ditto)

Category 14 - Best Tradition Pop Vocal Album: The Art of Romance, Tony Bennett. (I love all the albums nominated but I have a fondness for Tony Bennett - and it really is a great album)

Category 14 - Best Solo Rock Vocal Performance: Devils & Dust, Bruce Springsteen (I will grudingly grant him this one - I was hoping for Neil Young myself)

Category 16 - Best Rock Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal: Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own, U2 (Drinks all around, our lads are rockin!)

Category 17 - Best Hard Rock Performance: B.Y.O.B., System Of A Down (You've got to kidding! It should have gone to The Hand That Feeds, Nine Inch Nails)

Category 18 - Best Metal Performance: Before I Forget, Slipknot (I didn't follow this category closelly, so you tell me - good choice?)

Category 19 - Best Rock Instrumental Performance: 69 Freedom Special, Les Paul & Friends (Whoo hoo!)

Category 20 - Best Rock Song: City Of Blinding Lights. U2, songwriters (U2) (It's Happy Dance Time!)

Category 21 - Best Rock Album: How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb, U2 (I'm still dancing, but I really thought the Stones would pull it off.)


Category 22 - Best Alternative Music Album" Get Behind Me Satan The White Stripes (I love
the White Stripes - they are so not like everybody else!)

Category 23 - Best Female R&B Vocal Performance. We Belong Together, Mariah Carey(As much I like Alicia Keyes, I think Mariah deserves this!)

Category 24 - Best Male R&B Vocal Performance: Ordinary People, John Legend (As far as I
was concerned there was no competition.)

Category 25 - Best R&B Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals: So Amazing, Beyoncé &
Stevie Wonder (Can't argue with this one!)

Category 26 - Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance: A House Is Not A Home, Aretha
Franklin (All is right with the world)

Category 27 - Best Urban/Alternative Performance: Welcome To Jamrock. Damian Marley

Category 28 - Best R&B Song; We Belong Together. J. Austin, M. Carey, J. Dupri & M. Seal, songwriters; (D. Bristol, K. Edmonds, S. Johnson, P. Moten, S. Sully & B. Womack, songwriters) (Mariah Carey)Track from: The Emancipation Of Mimi (Go, Mimi, Go!)

Category 29 - Best R&B Album: Get Lifted. John Legend (Yes, he is going to be a force.)

Category 30 - Best Contemporary R&B Album: The Emancipation Of Mimi. Mariah Carey (I
think this was really the only serious contender.

Now we get into the Rap area, and sometimes Rap appeals to me, sometimes it doesn't.

Category 31 - Best Rap Solo Performance: Gold Digger. Kanye West (and this really appeals to
me. Kanye West is going to be another big force in the business)

Category 32 - Best Rap Performance By A Duo Or Group: Don't Phunk With My Heart, The
Black Eyed Peas (Yes, I'm almost 50 and I like the Black Eyed Peas.

Well folks, it's late and I have a ton of stuff to mail tomorrow (eBay was good this week) so I'll post the rest tomorrow, as well as clean up this entry; I haven't even spell checked it.

Sweet Dreams!

Celtic Rock

Tohickon Creek, Bucks County PA © 2006 Pamela Heath
Feel free to use the image as long as you properly credit it!

Lately I've been listening to a lot of Celtic rock. A favorite is Brother; I think they may have been influenced a little by Pink Floyd but I don't know much about them. If you listen to How Do You Feel, on their Urban Cave album you'll see what I mean.
If you say "Celtic Rock" to people they'll say U2, Sinead O'Connor, Enya and maybe Black 47. Enya? Oh, well. She's Irish, she sings...but Celtic rock has got a tremendous amount of variety and influencs and it's much more than U2. Check out Celtic Grove and some of the other Celtic rock sites, and learn some more about this genre.

Some of my favorite artists are U2 (of course), Elvis Costello, Big Black Cadillac and Brother. The Mahones and the Saw Doctors are also good.

So go on, check out some rock from the Emerald Isle and expand your horizons.

In keeping with today's Celtic theme, your drink of the day is the Tipperary:

1 oz. Irish whiskey (I prefer Tullamore Dew aka Tully)
1 oz. green Chartreuse (a French liqueur)
1 oz. sweet vermouth (don't buy the cheapie stuff - get the good stuff)
Fill mixing glass with crushed ice.
Add whiskey, Chartreuse and sweet vermouth. Shake and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

Slainte!

P.S. On Thursday, we visit Scandinavia.

Record Store Wanderings

Aside from classic rock, I love blues, so when I noticed Dion's Bronx in Blue CD I couldn't help but take a peek at the track list. Number one was Walkin' Blues, originally done by Robert Johnson, who is my favorite all-time blues artist. He also is being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. I've always thought someone should do a movie about Robert Johnson; he may have been on earth just a short time, but he made an impression that will last forever.

Bronx in Blue has several Robert Johnson songs, plus Jimmie Rogers, Hattie Hart, Bo Diddley, Lightnin' Hopkins, Howlin' Wolf, Hank Williams, Jimmie Reed and Blind Willie McTell. If you don't know who those people are, you owe it to yourself to check them out. Oh, and Dion. Dion DiMucci. Yes, that's the same Dion from Dion and the Belmonts who sang Runaround Sue and The Wanderer. If you aren't familiar with him, and some of you younger folk might not be, his influence of the music you and I listen to today is enormous. Click here to go to his website.

Crosby, Stills & Nash have two expanded CD's out. Crosby Stills & Nash and Daylight Again have been remastered and reissued. I don't have CSN yet, but Daylight Again is fantastic! Daylight Again has Southern Cross on it, so that tipped the scales of my wallet. It was kind of hard to choose between the two, but in the end, Southern Cross won out over Marrakesh Express. It's the song I listen to when I need to really chill out.

Los Lobos has a new DVD out that's on my list of gotta haves. It's Los Lobos - Live at the Fillmore. Plus there's a new CD, Wolf Tracks: The Best of Los Lobos that is coming out on Valentine's Day, so that's going to be my present to myself!

Also coming out on that day are three (count'em 3) Talking Head classics: Speaking in Tongues, Little Creatures and True Stories. All dual disk! I can hardly wait to hear them; I think my cassettes are about shot by now!

I have to admit I'm was a little late to hop on the technology train. Mostly because other things kept coming up, like work, and I really didn't have the time to sit back and relax and enjoy the music. One day I decided "what's up with that?" and went out and got a CD player. Now I can't live without it. If I remember right, the first CDs I bought were Meat Loaf's Bat out of Hell and Midnight at the Lost and Found, Queen's Live at Wembley Stadium and Greatest Hits (1 & 2), and one by Frank Sinatra CD; I don't remember which one.

Journey's "Generations"

This is much better than their last effort, Arrival, which, although I do like ballads, seemed to OD on them. The new CD is much more to my liking. More rock, less ballads.

Everybody gets a chance at lead vocals on this which is really nice - especially Steve Augeri. Probably my favorite track is "Out of Harm's Way", with Neal Schon's vocals. The song should resonate with certain Americans who (like me) who aren't too fond of the Iraqi situation. Schon is downright impressive.

If you like your rock blue tinged like me, you'll like "Gone Crazy". A bit of a caveat here: Ross Valory's voice is a bit quirky. I've always been a fan of quirky voices, so I like it, and the guitar playing by Schon is fantastic.

Definitely worth picking up!

I working on a rating system, just because people seem to like that sort of thing. I'm sure it'll be kind of quirky.

Yesh: that is my word of the day: quirky.

JOURNEY Generations is released by Frontiers/Sanctuary Records Group

Why I wish I could go to England in March

Two words; no make that three: Jethro Tull's AQUALUNG LIVE TOUR! Wait, that's five. OK, I need more coffee. And maybe some bangers and mash. Yum.

My Ten Favorite Christmas Songs

I've told you my least favorite Christmas songs, so here are my favorites.

10: Go Tell it on the Mountain, Mahalia Jackson
9: Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas, Frank Sinatra
8: Baby, It's Cold Outside, Ray Charles
7: Cherry Tree, Emmylou Harris
6: Go Tell it on the Mountain, Blind Boys of Alabama
5: Greensleves, Deborah Conant
4: Twelve Days of Christmas, the Muppets (Miss Piggy rocks!)
3: Blue Christmas, Chris Isaak
2: White Christmas, Bing Crosby

and my number one favorite of all time:

1: When was Jesus Born, Blind Boys of Alabama

Merry Christmas everybody!

Holy Vinyl Batman, It's Almost Christmas!

I haven't been posting, because I'm under the weather, but I couldn't let this festive season go by without posting what I consider to be the TEN MOST ANNOYING CHRISTMAS SONGS EVER!!!!!!!!!!!

10: Jingle Bell Boogie, by the Jingle Dogs. (Arrrghfbarf)

9: The entire Christmas with the Brady Bunch album. (So bad, it's hard to pick the worst song.)

8: The entire Meowy Christmas album. (See comment for number 9)

7: Oh Holy Night, by Cartman (South Park) Now if Chef would have sung it, it'd have been good.

6: Oh Holy Night, Celine Dion (Some people love this - I don't. I like Celine, believe it or not.)

5: Jingle Bells, by Barbra Streisand (I like Barbra, too, just not doing Jingle Bells)

4: The entire Star Wars Christmas Album. (What the hell were they on when they made this?)

3: It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas, by Kathy Lee Gifford (You need a reason?)

2: The burped version of Silent Night. I don't know who did it, maybe Dr. Demento does.

and finally, the WORST EVER CHRISTMAS SONG:

1: The Christmas Shoes, by New Song. If you've never heard a Christmas song that will make you want to toss yourself under Santa's sleigh and have all his reindeer trample you to death, you haven't heard this one. What were they thinking????? Scary, scary, scary. And from a Christian band no less.

Imagine

I cannot believe it's been 25 years since John Lennon was died. (For whatever reason, on the first draft I said shot. I guess I still have to come to terms that he is indeed dead, because he still feels so alive to me.) That realization got me thinking of how little I have progressed in my own life. I won't bore you with details because the last thing you need to read are the rantings of a bipolar middle-aged woman.

However, John still gives me hope. And I still miss him.

I remember exactly where I was, what I was doing when I heard the news that he had died. I was sitting on the edge of my bed, having just got home from my night course at college. I had heard John had been shot while on was on the bus. When I got home, I turned on the radio and the DJ said John had been shot in front of the Dakota, and they the station would keep updating us as then news came on. Then they started playing "When I'm 64". Midway through the song, there was dead air for about 10 seconds and "Imagine" started playing. The DJ didn't have to say that John had died.

The next day at school someone had organized a memorial at the flag pole. At noon we all gathered. Nobody really knew what to do or who was in charge. Then someone started to sing "Imagine". Soon everyone was singing, and when "Imagine" ended, someone else started singing "I want to hold your hand". So around the flagpole were about 75 people, all crying and singing off tune.

And then life went on.

John lived his life as he wanted to, and that is what we should all so, if only we had the courage.

Bagism lives on.

I'm not posting as much as usual

because the lupus has flared up. My doctors are of the belief that I'd do much better in a warm dry climate. So, my husband, the resident computer geek, project manager, etc will be starting his job search blog. We are going to concentrate on Arizona, New Mexico, West Texas, Southern California (San Diego area) and Nevada. I'll post the link when it's up. If you know of anything for Hank (or me, an administrative assistant with a degree in Geography and an interest in hazards) let me know.

In the meantime I've done my share listing to music. I got online this morning to listen to the John DeBella and then and Debbi Calton(hey, Debbi - thanks for playing Lawyers, Guns & Money for me on WMGK!). As long as I'm giving them a long distance plug, the 6th Annual 102.9 WMGK Classic Rock Art Show will be held at Liberty Place, 16th and Chestnut. Tom Petty is this year's Honorary Chairperson. There's no admission fee and all the works of arts by rockers and more can be purchased or bid by silent Auction. Proceeds from the Rock Art Show benefit the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation.

Then I played the Beatles Anthology. I've listened to it, well, I don't know how many times. Each time I hear something new, especially in the first volume. If you don't have the set, you should.

There's also a new Beatles biography entitles "The Beatles" by Bob Spitz. It's going on my December reading list and I'll let you know what you think.

Now I'm back at the Rock with Joe Elvis playing Gimme Shelter.

Life is (mostly) good. Now it's time to make up some grub.

Rock on y'all.

Jeff Seeman: OH 16th District Congressional Candidate

Check this out. Jeff Seemann is a candidate for Congress in Ohio's 16th District. He is currently spending 100 hours as a homeless person. I couldn't do what he's doing. Physically, I couldn't. But I admire him for, as my grandmother would put it "walking in someone else's moccasins".

November 21, 2005
Day 2

Hello. I am writing this diary on behalf of Jeff Seemann. As many of you know, Jeff is running for Congress in Ohio's 16th District, and he's trying a different strategy. He believes that you cannot represent people until you truly understand their lives. Currently, he is spending 100 hours homeless, in an attempt to better understand what life is like for people who have lost everything. We all witnessed the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, but Katrina only magnified a problem that exists in every town on every day of every week. I just spoke with Jeff, and he has asked me to relay the story of his first 20 hours to you and several other blogs. The following is Jeff's entry;

Hello everyone. After my first day out here, if I can give you any amount of wisdom, it will be this; don't take anything for granted. You can always end up worse off than you are right now. It hasn't been easy here. The experiences and lessons I've learned already range from harsh to easy, but it's certainly been an eye-opener.

Last night, I tried to find a place to sleep. It was dark by the time I got downtown, and being a Sunday, everything was closed. I went into this experience blind, so I had no idea where any homeless shelters may be located, and I therefore decided to try a few churches. No luck there, all the doors were locked at the 4 area chuches I could find. I ended up by myself for the entire night, and found a bit of warmth behind the Palace Theater sometime around 10pm. I had hoped to find somebody to help me locate a place to sleep, but again, no luck. It was an awful night of sleep, if you can call it that at all. The temperature was probably in the 30s or low 40s. By midnight, I had a splitting headache. It's amazing how many things we take for granted in our everyday lives...like aspirin. I'm pretty sure I fell asleep a couple of times, but it was never anything that one could reasonably call sleep. By about 7 or 8 am, I was chased out of my space by a police officer. I've heard the words "move along" more times than I thought I would today. This morning, I found myself a few agencies that can help the homeless, but they are few and far between. So far, they've been helpful, but the people I've spoken to who benefit from these agencies tell me that the help doesn't last very long.

At one agency, I was told that I "picked a bad time to end up homeless" (as if there's a good time). This is the end of the year, and the grant money has dried up. Agencies don't have any money left to set anybody up with accomodations, and until January 1st, you're at the mercy of the streets. Churches do step in from time to time, but that's usually for one night only. I didn't know that a "homeless hotline" existed, but was advised to call them. One of the agencies allowed me use of their phone, and the hotline referred me to Open Door, a shelter at the Turnaround Community Outreach. I'm to report there tonight between 930 and 10pm, and I have to leave by 6am tomorrow morning. It's an African-American church, and I've already been by there for a meal at 2pm today. Very nice people, very comforting. Tomorrow, they're also having a free meal at 2pm at Open Door, but in order to eat you have to attend a church service first. I'm not willing to question this policy, but I wonder if they would still offer to feed the hungry if they were Buddhist, Jewish or even Muslim? At today's meal, there were 28 people in attendance. Almost all were homeless, but a few had homes but were well below the poverty line. The ages ranged from 18 months old to 70+ years. The 18 month old was a sweetheart. Her mother lives near the church and has no money, so she does what she can to keep her baby fed. The church gave her a few extra biscuits, and she slipped them in her baby's diaper bag (which was not really clean enough to handle food).

For the benefit of those of you concerned with whether or not I may be taking food or a bed from somebody who needs it more, I will gladly report that I waited until everyone had their plates of food before I approached the line (and was told that there was plenty if anybody needed more), and the cot I will sleep on tonight is not the last one. They can fit many more than will attend tonight, so everyone who has requested a place to sleep will get it. Also, no I have no money to make my situation any more comfortable than it is. I have no ATM card, no pocket change, no photo ID, nothing. If I was going to deprive anybody of anything during my experience, I will gladly give it up and go elsewhere. It's only been a short period of time, and I'm only 25% of the way through this, but I can tell you that I've learned a lot.

For starters, there's a whole system you have to know and those who can work it best survive with the least amount of trouble. There are a few phone numbers to call and get assistance, but most places can only offer you referrals to other agencies. It's a messed up web that you have to maneuver through in order to get anywhere. And I'm told that the funds are being slashed for 2006.

That half-eaten corn dog I saw on theground last night....I was too proud to pick it up, a move I could later regret. That bag of Fritos I saw in a trash can while walking down 12th Street...it might have had food inside. Earlier today, maybe some of you stopped by Burger King or Wendy's. Did you finish your french fries? If not, I know of a few people who would love to have what you just threwaway. Man, just that small handfull of leftover fries or the pickles you took off your burger would be a wonderful gift to some people. No, I'm notasking you to take some cold leftover food to people right now....but I am asking you to never again take for granted what you have. Tomorrow, you may not have it anymore.

Jeff Seemann

I'll be posting this diary in a few locations that Jeff has directed me to. I'll try to answer any questions you have if I have the time. In the meantime, you can help out Jeff's campaign - he's promised to deliver 10% of all funds raised to homeless shelters in the area. Visit Jeff's ActBlue page or his blog.

And trust me, as his friend, I heard it in his voice that he's not having an easy time with this. He's surviving just fine, but the people he is meeting are really eating away at his soul. He's going to walk away from this a very different person, even more sympathetic than he is now.

Peace be with you all, Michelle

I have no idea how people suffering from chronic illness survive on the streets. Or what it must be like to be a child on the streets. I do know I'm grateful for what I do have, and try to what I can to help. One person at a time can make difference, some people, like Jeff, may make a bigger difference.

Will Golden Earring ever tour the US?

My chances of ever getting to anywhere near Europe are slim unless my husband and I actually score real jobs again. But eventually, seeing Golden Earring in concert is on my 100 things to do before I die list. (At the rate I'm going I think I'm up to number 12.)

I'm a sucker for Radar Love, Candy's Going Bad, Lost and Found and Twilight Zone. OK, every song they do.

Lately The Continuing Story of Radar Love is on heavy rotation, along with, Sinatra: the Capitol Years, Meatloaf's Bat out of Hell, Jimmy Reed's Cry Before I Die, and Aretha Franklin's Under Her Spell.

Concert for Bangladesh 2005

I was so happy to see that the Concert for Bangladesh was being released as a DVD. I had seen the film when it came out in 1971 and loved it. If you weren’t alive back then, or you were and the Sixties and Seventies are now showing the effects of (our) misspent youth, here’s a brief refresher course on why there was a concert for Bangladesh in the first place.

In 1947 there was West Pakistan and East Pakistan, which were separated by about a thousand miles of India smack dab in the middle. West Pakistan and East Pakistan were a single Muslim country, and aside from the fact they both had Pakistan in their countries names, they had basically nothing else in common. For real. The regions themselves were physically different, the cultures, languages and races were all different. Most of the wealth and power was in Bengali-speaking West Pakistan, but the majority of population was in the Urdu-speaking East Pakistan, which was much poorer. So how did this odd situation come about? Check out this link , because I’d rather get on with the review.

Anyway when the first free elections were held in 1969, despite the fact the East Pakistanis won the majority of power, the West Pakistanis refused to transfer power and began cracking down on the opposition. Three million people were killed in the conflict and East Pakistanis trying to flee to India were hit by destructive floods, starvation and disease. Foreign aid couldn’t handle the sheer magnitude of the crisis.

Then came Ravi Shankar, who approached George Harrison to help him organize the first ever benefit concert. The Concert for Bangladesh is the granddaddy of Live Aid, Farm Aid, and all the other benefit concerts musicians now do for those in need.

And now for the review (boy, aren’t you glad – you didn’t think you’d have to sit through a history lesson did you?)

An impressive array of stars came to help:

George Harrison, Ringo Starr, Jim Keltner, Billy Preston, Leon Russell, Klaus Voorman, Jesse Ed Davis, Eric Clapton, Bob Dylan, Badfinger - Pet Ham, Tom Evans, Joey Molland, Mike Gibbons, Hollywood Horn Players, led by Jim Horn, Ravi Shankar, Allan Beutler, Chuck Findley, Marlin Greene, Jeanie Greene, Jo Green, Jim Horn, Delores Hall, Kamala Chakravarty, Jackie Kelso, Usted Aliakbar Khan, Claudia Lennearm, Lou McCreary, Ollie Mitchell, Don Nix, Don Preston, Carl Radle Alla Rakah.

The film is a treasure to watch. It hasn’t been remastered, so it looks like it did in the theater, which gives it a certain authenticity to me because it really looks like I remember it looking the first time I saw it. It starts off with Indian music by Ravi Shankar (sitar), Kamala Chakravarty (tamboura; and take a look at her bracelets!), Usted Alla Rakah (tabla) and Ustad Ali Akbar Khan (sarod). It’s real Indian music so be prepared. I happen to love Indian music, but I know some people just don’t…it’s OK.

Of the 18 songs, the ones that really shine are My Sweet Lord, It Don’t Come Easy, Beware of Darkness, Leon Russell’s version of Jumpin’ Jack Flash, Bangladesh and every song Bob Dylan is on. He is at his peak here, no doubt at all! Leon Redbone and Billy Preston really stand out.

And I cried when George did While My Guitar Gently Weeps. I always have. I never met him, and I miss him on this earth, but I know his spirit lives on. I don’t know, maybe I cry whenever I hear this song because I feel his spirit. Sounds crazy I know.

Best of all? The bonus CD. A documentary with interviews and footage not in the original film, plus lsound checks and rehearsals. (More Dylan! More Leon Russell!) The mini-features are treasures worth exploring, especially Recollections and Original Artwork.

This two CD set comes in a fantastic looking box, and has a full color brochure loaded with pictures. It has a forward by Ravi Shankar, and a better history than mine of the Bangladesh crisis. 100% of all artists royalties benefit UNICEF.

OK, folks, this is where you start thinking "Wow, what a gift this would make for my friends! It's a great video and and it'll help children!" Go ahead, you know you want to. You should.

After watching, please, please, please, go to http://www.georgeharrisonfundforunicef.org/. In the words of the insert:

The George Harrison Fund for UNICEF is a joint undertaking between the Harrison family and the U.S Fund for UNICEF. Fund for UNICEF that aims to support UNICEF program, providing lifesaving assistance to children caught in humanitarian emergencies.

George may have left us, but his work goes on, All Glories to Sri Krsna.

Oh happy day!

Today I recieved a copy of the Concert for Bangladesh. I have watched most of the first CD (which is the original movie) and tomorrow I will watching the bonus disk. I will review it and let you know'll what I think.

I've already decided a couple of sibs are getting this for a Christmas present. It's got a beautifully illustrated book, and made for gift giving! Well, that's what I think. You'll see after the review, plus I'll post pix so you can get a really good idea of what you'll be paying for.

Man, it brings back memories. I hadn't though about my inflatable throw pillows or my blacklight cosmic star map in ages. I actually have some of my love beads left...

I'll do a little intro so that those of you who weren't born yet when this was originally released will understand why it was such an important event.

Until tomorrow, my friends, be cool, and peace be on you and all you love.

My additions to Dave White's 25 Classic Rock Solo Artists

Dave White (the About Guide to Classic Rock) listed tho to 25 classic rock solo artists , and I can't disagree on his choices, but felt he left out few so I've added five of my own.

26. Warren Zevon
Essential Album: Excitable Boy

Warren Zevon had a unique, offbeat, satirical and often warped view of life that made his music addicting. Unfortunately people hear his name and think Werewolves of London is the only thing he ever did -- not true! Listen to Excitable Boy, and you'll see just how many great songs he did, like Lawyers, Guns and Money, and Roland, the Headless Thompson Gunner. Diagnosed with lung cancer in 2002, in typical Zevon style, he said he said he'd be happy just to hang around long enough to see the next James Bond flick. The Rock Gods granted his wish and he died a couple months after seeing Die Another Day, which was released June 3rd, 2003.

27. Ringo Starr
Essential Album/s: Ringorama, The Anthology So Far (I couldn't make up my mind so Ringo gets a double shot)

I don't think Ringo gets the recognition he deserves. When he tours with the All-Starr Band, you can tell he is still at the top of his game and he always lets other musicians shine as well. He is definitely a gentleman! The 1999 tour of the All-Starr Band was probably the best All-Starr Band yet. Click here to see more about the show at the Sunrise Musical Theater in Fort Lauderdale, FL.

Face it, you put Ringo Starr, Gary Brooker (Procol Harum) on keyboards , Jack Bruce (Cream) on bass, Simon Kirke (Free and Bad Company) on drums, Timmy Cappello (from the "Todd Rundgren School of One Man Band Musicians") and Todd Rundgren on the same stage and you know you are in heaven.

28. Edgar Winter
Essential Album: They Only Come At Night

If you didn't already know, Edgar is Johnny Winter's younger brother. His music fuses blues, rock and jazz. If you haven't listened to him, you definitely should because he is good. Real good.

29. Joan Jett
Essential Album: Bad Reputation

A Philly girl, which automatically endears her to me. Success in the US was latecoming; she was more popular overseas (Japan and Europe mostly) than she was here, which confounds me. Most people of have heard of the Blackhearts, but there's also the Runaways, her first band. She's finally getting the recognition here that she deserves, but she deserves more, I say, more!

30. Tracy Chapman
Essential Album: Tracy Chapman

A great rock/folk/blues mix and voice that could hypnotize a rampaging wildebeest into submission. God, how I love her voice. Especially on Give Me One Reason and Fast Car.

Rolling Stones "Rarities" out November 22nd

It will be released at Starbucks and other tradional retail outlets. This is a must have for me! It has remixes, b-sides, and live recordings from Stones' archives. I know what else I'll be getting with my tall, double shot caramel machiatto with whip cream on top! (Seriously, do the whipped cream instead of foam, the taste difference is worth it!)

This is the track listing:

Track Listing for Rolling Stones Rarities: 1971 - 2003
1. "Fancy Man Blues" (B-side to the "Mixed Emotions" single)
2. "Tumbling Dice" (live)
3. "Wild Horses" (live)
4. "Beast of Burden" (live)
5. "Anyway You Look At It" (B-side to "Saint of Me" single)
6. "If I Was A Dancer" (Dance Pt 2.)
7. "Miss You" (dance version)
8. "Wish I'd Never Met You" (B-side to "Terrifying" single)
9. "I Just Wanna Make Love To You" (live)
10. "Mixed Emotions IV" (12" version)
11. "Through The Lonely Nights" (B-side to "It's Only Rock 'n' Roll" single)
12. "Live With Me" (live)
13. "Let It Rock" (B-side to "Brown Sugar" single)
14. "Harlem Shuffle" (New York Mix)
15. "Mannish Boy" (live)
16. "Thru and Thru" (live)

November New Release Gotta Haves

US releases, from Billboard. To see a complete listing, go here. This isn't a complete listing of all new releases, just ones that caught my eye. Some aren’t even classic rock, but after all there’s more than one flower in a garden! Items in bold are ones that I’ll probably review in November, as time permits.

Week of October 31 to November 6

All That I Am: Santana

Christmas with James Brown: James Brown

Dead Ahead [DVD] The Grateful Dead

Live at the Royal Albert Hall [DVD]:Dusty Springfield

Live at the Union Chapel [Special Edition DVD]: Procol Harum

Rapture of the Deep: Deep Purple

Summer Breeze: Greatest Hits Live: The Isley Brothers

The Long Road Home: Ultimate John Fogerty Creedence Collection: John Fogerty

Ultimate Isaac Hayes: Can You Dig It: Isaac Hayes


Week Of November 07 to 13, 2005

Dandy in the Underworld [Expanded]: T. Rex

Good to See You Again, Alice Cooper: Live 1973 Alice Cooper

Live: Blue Öyster Cult

Live Peace in Toronto, 1969 [35th Anniversary]: John Lennon

Men of the World: The Blues Years: Fleetwood Mac:

Rising in the East: Judas Priest:

The Last Great Traffic Jam: Traffic

The Ultimate Collection: Eurythmics

Tommy and Quadrophenia Live: The Who

Zinc Alloy and the Hidden Riders of Tomorrow [Edsel] [Expanded]: T. Rex


Week Of November 14 to 21, 2005

Beatles: The Biography: The Beatles

Born to Run [30th Anniversary Edition: Bruce Springsteen

Cheap Trick/In Color/Heaven Tonight: Cheap Trick

Face the Music/A New World Record/Discovery: Electric Light Orchestra

Early Steppenwolf/For Ladies Only: Steppenwolf

Great American Songbook Box Set: Rod Stewart

Live at Fenway Park: Jimmy Buffett

Lovely to See You: Live from the Greek: The Moody Blues

Maximum Bruce Springsteen: Bruce Springsteen

My Lives: Billy Joel

Private Investigations: The Very Best Of [Deluxe Edition]: Dire Straits

Private Investigations: The Very Best of Dire Straits and Mark Knopfler: Dire Straits

Rapture of the Deep: Deep Purple

Rhythm Kings Live: Bill Wyman

Rolling with the Blues: John Mayall

The Best of Bob Dylan: Bob Dylan

The Collection: JT/That's Why I'm Here/Never Die Young: James Taylor

Vertigo//2005. U2 Live from Chicago: U2

Vertigo//2005. U2 Live from Chicago [Deluxe Edition]: U2

Bless You, Rosa Parks

Every few centuries a handful of people make a change in our lives, our ways of thinking, our world. Some are driven from birth to grab the world by the shoulders and shake it into change. Some decide to use their voice and argue the world into change. On December 1st, 1955, one tired woman simply sat down on a city bus and our world changed forever. Today, Rosa Parks left this earth, and I know that in Heaven she is gathered among the angels and the saints who left this planet a better place than they found it when they first arrived.

I was born a little over a year after Ms. Parks sat down on a Montgomery, Alabama bus, but I can remember, even as a young child (maybe three or four years old), how my grandmother told me a the story of the woman who wouldn't give up her seat to a white man and go to the back of the bus as was expected of her in that day and time. I forget exactly under what circumstances my grandmother has decided to tell me the story, but I do remember her sitting me on her lap to tell me about Ms. Parks. I remember she said that she though the woman was an angel sent to earth to teach us all a lesson about love and what was right.

Rosa Parks, we will miss you here, but we are eternally grateful for your courage that turned a simple act of defiance (even though you only wanted to get home!) into a lesson for us all.

Review of A Bigger Bang by Rolling Stones

You know how you hear hype about how the new Stones CD or tour is going to be the best in ages, and then you just sort of get let down. Guess what folks – that’s not gonna happen here!

For a while people were laughing at the fact that the Stones were still touring. Some people were wondering when they would actually have a tour named the “Geriatric Tour” or some other silly mot. Well, folks, A Bigger Bang is proof that the Stones are just as talented, dynamic and as hot as they were in the 1960s. So there!

Buy this CD, and see why. The booklet has the song lyrics too, a touch I always appreciate so I don’t have those embarrassing “you thought the words were what?” moments. Speaking of that, go to Kiss this Guy for some fun!

Here’s my two-cents on A Bigger Bang.

Rough Justice This song rocks. Period. It’s one of their best ever. It is hard rocking, heart pounding rock the way it was meant to be played. Rough Justice is going down as one on the greatest Stones songs ever. It has the feel of an early Stones song yet it still is very up to date, so if you are feeling a wee bit nostalgic it's a good choice. Guys, you did real good on this one!

Let Me Down Slow Ronny Woods does some great slide guitar here, and Keith does backup vocals. Probably not the strongest song on A Bigger Bang, but is is still very good.

It Won’t Take Long Fantastic, almost bluesy song. The guitar on this just rocks.

Rain Fall Down This is one incredible song. Could almost be from the Voodoo Lounge album, but it’s better than any song on it. I especially like Charlie Watts drumming on this. It’s got a great chorus and some funk going on. I just love it!

Streets of Love It is a beautiful, bittersweet ballad. I have a feeling people will either love it or hate it. I personally love it. Streets of Love is going to get a lot of play…come to think of it will, on Days of our Lives on NBC.

Yes, the Stones will be debuting their new Streets of Love video on Tuesday, October 18th in Salem. My mother, who’s um, older than any of the Stones, but less than 120, has been a DOOL fan forever, and a Stones fan since my brother and I took her to see Rolling Stones: at the Max 2D, which was the 1990 Steel Wheels concert IMAX flick. Check your local channel and set your VCRs. You can also catch the episode on SOAPnet that evening or on the weekend, so check your local times.

Back of My Hand Stones! Blues! Heaven! Great slide guitar. Their most bluesy in a long time.

She Saw Me Coming Talk about a relationship gone wrong! Some of the lyrics are inspired:

She saw me coming
She moved in for the kill
She saw me coming
I was served up on her grill
She busted in
And she burglarized my soul
But now the bad news
She’s out on parole.

Biggest Mistake Right up there with Street of Love. It’s one of those "Mostly Mick" songs. I lived the relationship in this song once, but je ne regrette rien! Here's the English translation of Je ne regrette rien, from Man with Two Hands. Stop on by, he's got some interesting things.

This Place is Empty Keith Richards does wonderful vocals on this song. It’s also a great slow dance song. I think of all the sounds he has sung, this is my all time favorite. Wonderful piano and guitar. Soulful, sad; great to have a late nice glass of Maker’s Mark and get weepy to.

Oh No Not You Again Wake up, jump, move, dance! I dare you to sit still during this song! Reminds me a lilttle at the ending of Respectable.

Dangerous Beauty Low down modern blues. I can see playing this on a juke box in a roadhouse with a plate of pulled pork bbq and downing some shots of Maker’s Mark.

Laugh,I Nearly Died Love the guitar on this. It's an incredible song.

Sweet Neocon YEAH! Oh, and it’s not about Bush or Blair? Hah! I want it to be therefore, it is. That’s called magical thinking. I have a feeling this is going to get a lot of play at Democratic parties. Love the harmonica and guitar on this.

Look What the Cat Dragged In Another great dance song. Sing along, while you’re at it. “Look what the cat dragged in, take it right out again!” Is there a video for this? There should be.

Driving Too Fast You know when you hear Charlie Watts pounding out a hard beat that you’ve got a great driving song. By all means, if you are driving while this song is playing, watch that accelerator! It really is a good driving song. And the lyrics are great; there’s a good allegorical thing going on here, with driving = life. Oh, some primo guitar licks, as well.

to many roads lead to nowhere
but how they twist and turn
and end up in a dusty old strip mall
where you tyres are all shredded and burned
you’re going out of your brain
out of your mind
going insane you’re
going blind
you’re driving to fast

Infamy Keith Richards singing again and he sounds very good. Great guitar, a little different from Keith usually does, and Mick on harmonica. In for me – infamy. This was a good choice to end the CD. It gives you chance to catch your breath!

This is their best release since Sticky Fingers in 1971. Here is, 34 years later and they are still at the top of their game. It’s still on heavy rotation on my CD player and certain songs get repeated until I’m ready to let go and move on: Rough Justice (probably the most replayed), Rain Fall Down, Streets of Love, Back of My Hand, Driving Too Fast and My Sweet Neocon (she said with an evil laugh!).

My recommend: BUY IT! What are you waiting for? And enjoy it.

Album Release Gotta Haves

Some mixed bag, huh? Info from Billboard.

October 25, 2005


Album, Artist, Label

Mastercuts Presents Sly & The Family Stone Mastercuts
Return of the Funk Soul Sisters Various Artists BGP
Live Goode Chuck Berry Universe Italy

Don't Turn Your Back on Me/This Is Jackie DeShannon Jackie DeShannon Beat Goes On
Goodbye Cruel World James Darren Collectables
(Yeah, I know these two are far from classic rock, but they are still cool. And I have a very eclectic taste in music, so you never know what you'll find here.)

Ladder to the Stars: Garcia Plays Dylan Jerry Garcia Rhino / Wea
And I Know You Wanna Dance/Whisky a Go-Go Revisite Johnny Rivers Beat Goes On
Hearts of Stone Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes Beat Goes On

Wake Up...It's Tomorrow [2005] Strawberry Alarm Clock Collectors' Choice Music
Good Morning Starshine [2005] Strawberry Alarm Clock Collectors' Choice Music
World in a Seashell [2005] Strawberry Alarm Clock Collectors' Choice Music
(Who'd have thought the Strawberry Alarm Clock would ever reappear? Do you remember the Birdman of Alkatrash?)

These Ghoulish Things: Horror Hits for Halloween Various Artists Ace

Rockabilly Showdown Various Artists Golly Gee
Rockabilly Lives Various Artists Hightone
(If you like rockabilly, check out Viva Las Vegas!)

November 1, 2005

Christmas with James Brown James Brown Legacy
Live from Austin, TX John Hiatt New West
All That I Am Santana Arista

November 8, 2005

Complete Studio Recordings ABBA Universal International
Collection Alanis Morissette Maverick
Live: Sittin' in Again at Santa Barbara Bowl Loggins and Messina Rhino / Wea