Category: Music

A friend claims I have an obsession with dead musicians, and I cannot say she is incorrect as I am very much looking forward to Johnny Cash’s soon to be released American V: A Hundred Highways. I am not a fan of country music, but I have been a big fan of Mr. Cash since his dominating performance on U2’s The Wanderer. The Man In Black was a total badass, and Bono is in agreement¹.

That I count Jimi Hendrix and Jeff Buckley among my favourite musicians only supports her opinion.

Speaking of which, is it a sign of aging that I am as excited about Johnny Cash’s and Neil Young’s new albums as Pearl Jam’s and Tool’s?

[1] Bono said: “Locusts and honey … not since John The Baptist has there been a voice
like that crying in the wilderness. … Every man knows he is a sissy
compared to Johnny Cash.” Amen.

So, the controversy over how Chris Daughtry made the cover of I Walk The Line “his own” refuses to die. Get over it folks, its American Idol, blandness is a virtue. It only proves one thing, the judges are out of touch, and Daughtry really should have corrected them.

Disclaimer: I do not watch American Idol.

…to John Densmore.

Ex-Door Lighting Their Ire

“People lost their virginity to this music, got high for the first time to this music,” Densmore said. “I’ve had people say kids died in Vietnam listening to this music, other people say they know someone who didn’t commit suicide because of this music…. On stage, when we played these songs, they felt mysterious and magic. That’s not for rent.”

Oh yes. It definitely takes me back to the time I…well, moving on.

Here are some words from the man himself:

Riders on the Storm

So buy a album by the Doors today. I recommend their self-titled debut or the follow up Strange Days.

Its impressive how some veteran musicians like David Bowie, Jeff Beck and John Paul Jones are still creating relevant or even downright cutting edge works at ages when most mere mortals would be contemplating retirement, or are already running through tomato plants with their grandchildren. Of course there are more just rehashing old material or are content keeping to the middle of the road.

Neil Young is unique in that he belongs to neither side. Not cutting edge, but always relevant, he has just released his latest studio work “Prairie Wind”. Influenced by surgery for a brain aneurysm and the death of his father, the album reflects on mortality, loss, life and family. Intimate, haunting, and possessed of an incredible grace, it is yet another inspiring work in his trove of stories.

Review later, maybe.

My friend kp told me about the losing finalist Marty Casey of Rock Star: INXS, which is a travesty by the way, and his performance of Pink Floyd’s Wish You Were Here and sent the audio clip too. I wanted to dislike it but I have to say I was pleasantly surprised. A good performance by Marty and only let down by the house band; especially the guitarist, but trying to emulate David Gilmour is a lost cause anyway. Also the arrangement was a little too rich towards the end which I thought was uncalled for.

So I told him, “Well, listen to THIS.” THIS being the reunited Pink Floyd at Live 8.

A little background:
Roger Waters has not been on speaking terms with the rest of the band for more than two decades, but the band agreed to put their differences aside for the event. Wish You Were Here and the album it came on was dedicated to founding member Syd Barrett who suffered a mental breakdown due to both drugs and pressure from life on the road. Roger mentioned Syd during the introduction, making it clear that this performance was for him, and it was an incredible performance. The first time I saw this clip I wanted to cry.

One could only hope that these men mellowed by the years could find the joy in creating beautiful music together again.