Has anyone else used this service to find old, nearly forgotten favorites? If you haven't, you should. Over the past couple weeks I've downloaded several songs, including a few I already have on both record and CD. For some reason, the iTunes versions sound better than I've ever heard them before.
A few examples of what I'm talking about: Billy Thorpe's Children Of The Sun, Peter Frampton's Do You Feel Like We Do? (the live version, of course) and Lou Reed's live Intro / Sweet Jane (and I think I'm gonna go back and get the rest of that phenomenal album 'Rock and Roll Animal'). In each case, iTunes has made available remixed versions that sound much, much better than any previously released print. Musical elements that were hidden in the background and that you had to strain to notice are now so clear that you can't miss them.
The selection on iTunes is wide but not comprehensive. Some albums aren't complete. One irritating case in point is Little Feat's 'Wating For Columbus'. The original vinyl record, as well as a CD print that was released in the mid 90s, includes the unforgettable live version of Dixie Chicken in a medley with Tripe Face Boogie. The iTunes album leaves out Dixie Chicken but includes the other half of the medley. It even includes material that wasn't on the original release. To my mind, this ommision is unforgiveable unless iTunes is waiting for a cleaned-up remix to be produced by the record label.
Another ommission is the single version of Edgar Winter's Free Ride. The album version is available but the single was much better and is almost never heard today (I still have the single and an mp3 so I haven't forgotten it).
The liberal Crooks & Liars video blog has lately been posting a number of live performance musical videos. One of the best so far is Tower of Power performing What Is Hip?, posted just last night. The link is to a webpage and it loads very slowly, but it's soooooo well worth it. I promise you won't be disappointed. The horns will absolutely blow you away!
Just click the link at C&L and go do something else for a while. When you start the video, be sure to crank the sound up LOUD!
just a few ac/dc,aerosmith,argent, apacoliptica ,a perfect circle bad company,blue oyster cult,beck badfinger,black sabbath,blue cheer,band of joy,blackmores knights,clash,cream,ccr,circle jerks,cradle off filth,cheap trick, ,clash,cream,ccr,elo,evanascence,elf,elp, epica,foghat,foriegner, faith no morefull devil jacket,flybanrger gnr,godsmack,gwar,halford,halfcocked,hendricks,helmet,judas priest,journey,janis joplin,kamelot,kansas,korn,linkin park.lillith,level 7,lacuna coil,led zep,leaves eyes,marilyn manson,megadeth,earlymetallica,muderdolls,mudvayne.nin,nightwish,night ranger,nocturne(lacy connors),nugent,ozzy,opiate for the masses,orgy,oleanderprimus,pigmy love circusropert plant,jimmy pagepowerman5000,poe,quiet riot,queen(<1981),rush,riot,reo speedwagon,radiohead,rage against the machine slipknot,styx,suicidal tendancies,soundgardentype-o negative,ufo velvet underground,vixenthe who, joe walsh,yardbirds,white/rob zombie
While there are some bright moments, my impression is that this program is a great pox on U.S. public music radio. A friend and I refer to it as "Burb Cafe", as in "David Dye lives in a pretty small musical world". High quality elevator and office music for people not really into music. Makes me hate the term "singer/songwriter" more than ever.
David once had Taj Mahal on as a guest. Taj (bless his soul) told David that "World Cafe" was "apartheid radio".
Last time I checked it was Zep's Stairway with 436 commercial recordings. Speaking of covers....check this out Forbidden one of the funniest ideas I'd seen in a long time, the irony's classic.
Anyone heard Dions "Bronx Blues" yet? It's his first in ten or twenty years, I'm not a big fan, but love this album. And Tool's new one too.
In all, the WFMU blog is a massive source of oddities, both musical and non-musicical.
WFMU has been called the best radio station in the United States. I'm a believer. See also WFMU - Wikipedia
Now, for cover versions in general - I would strongly suspect the most covered tunes are some of the jazz standards. God only knows how many recorded versions there are of such things as Round Midnight and so many other tunes.
Americablog today posted this link to a Schoolhouse Rock video about the Mayflower (the blogger was trying to make a point about GWB acting like a king but let's please leave that out of this thread). It was fun to watch, and it got me thinking about some of those other famous SR 'toons.
My neighbors are too far away to annoy without an outdoor concert.
Lately I have not been listening to anything. Been very busy. The last time I sat down to play I jammed a bit to Blues traveler. Been really liking the feel of Sweet pain. It's a tasty tune. Peter Gabriel,Sting,Rush,Michael Hedges,Blue man group,Ian Moore,ACDC,Seal,Typo negative,Robie Robertson, Kenny Wayne Sheppard...just a smattering of things I like.
Music in the 1970s didn't get any better than Little Feat. The first time I was allowed to go on a long-distance trip without my parents I went to Atlanta to see Little Feat with some friends. Probably the best concert I've ever been to.
This live recording is from 1975. It features the late, great genius of Little Feat, Lowell George.
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