Recently in Play List Category

I have add some really great music to my MP3 player in the last few weeks. Here is the official play-list for the weekend.

Galvanize - The Chemical Brothers - Yes, this is the song from the Budwwiser Select commercials. No, that does not take away from the fact it is a great song.

Remind Me (radio edit) - Röyksopp - I never would have found this song without the Gieco commercial (so selling out isn't all bad)

Growing Upside Down - The Ditty Bops - Song inspired by the fact that one of Bops has artifical grass and plastic flowers on the ceiling of her bathroom, forcing her to look at the world in a new way

Angel with and Attitude - The Ditty Bops - Also, on their new album, but if you can find a live version, even better.

He Brings Out the Whiskey in Me - Amy Millan - Canadian rock goddess gets back to her country roots.

Giv'r - Peaches - Song about the Canadian slang "giv'r" (an encouragement to give your all. "Stop being so lame, Giv'r!"). It is listed in the iTunes store as "Get It" (and to confuse the matter more, there is a song called Giv'r in the store).

I'm Shipping up to Boston - Dropkick Murphys - You have to love a song about losing your pegleg.

Smooth Criminal - Alien Ant Farm - Sure this cover is 5 years old, but it is great!

Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down) - Nancy Sinatra - This will haunt you.

I went to see the documentary American Hardcore (a fine enough film) about the harDCore punk scene in the US from 1979-84. (Ironically enough the term "hardcore" was coined by Vancouver based DOA). This was very different scene from the mid 70's in England. It used much of the same musical vocabulary, some of the same visual look, and disenchantment (with Reagan, not the Queen), but there was as much different as there was the same.

Obviously, this is not a movie about me or my people. I am about 5 years to young and grew up in Wyoming. I was exposed to more of this music than your average Wyomingite, and some of the music I liked (and still listen to from time to time), but it was not me.

One character the movie introduced me to was HR. HR was (is?) the lead singer of the band Bad Brains, which is a band I know, but only from their music.

The band was a bit of anomaly for the scene. First, they were black. The movie has photos and home movie footage from all the major hardcore scenes in the US. The only blacks you see are the guys in Bad Brains. Second, they were very talented musicians. Not all the hardcore bands were untalented musically. Most knew more than just three cords. Bad Brains were something special.

Inside of this anomaly of a band was HR, an anomaly himself. The music of this time wasn't just loud and fast. Much of it was written with purpose, mostly political. There were a number of bright, thoughtful folks, but HR was something special.

It is obvious in just the few clips of him in the movie that he has a great deal going on in his head. The thing I found most amazing was that while serving as a mentor to many young bands in DC he had them read the Napoleon Hill classic Think and Grow Rich. This is a book I dig out about once a year to read.

The goal of having these 15 year old punks read such a tome? To get them to understand that they are in control of their own lives. With a positive mental attitude they could create what they wanted.

Not something you would expect to find in the middle of very loud, short, violent music.

HR.

Interesting man.

Musically talented.

Very bright.

Could be doing anything.

For 5 years played some of the best hardcore punk in the country.

Someone I would have liked to have bumped into.

I guess that is one the reasons I strive to have such a mixed group of people in my life.

I want to be challenged and made uncomfortable by different points of views.

I come away changed or with a reaffirmed sense of self.

A pray of thanksgiving for HR, all those who walk their own path, and the many chances I get to learn from them.

Here is some scary food for thought. Here is part of a post from the blog Idol Chatter

It also pointed out:

[full blog post | CNN Story about the study]

One more reason I love art. This didn't cost millions of dollars to make, just lots of creativity and time.

Here it goes again!

It is about time, and really it has been all my fault.

But it is finally here!

The new JoiaFarmer.com

Including more clips from Joia's newest album before & afterlife

Do yourself a favor and take a listen.

Joia Farmer is heading back into the studio to record "Before and Afterlife" her new album. One of the songs she records is going to be a request. Submit a song you think Joia should cover at JoiaFarmer.com.

I am hoping for "Dancing on the Ceiling" or "Welcome to the Jungle"

The owner of Innovation Studios, Mike Ofac (producer and engineer extraordinary), has new album Words You Can Live By . It is for all of you who like that rockin' guitar music. And who doesn't like rockin' guitar music?

Here are two live MP3's of my favorite rockstar, Joia Farmer (w/ Edwin Trahan on bass)

Be Thou My Vision
Lost & Found: A Prodigal Daughter

When Doves Cry - Prince - 1984
Angel Eyes - The Jeff Healey Band - 1988
Gepetto - Belly - 1993
Take Me Home Tonight (Be My Baby) - Eddie Money - 1989
Don't Stand so Close to Me (Original) - The Police - 1980
Life Is a Highway - Tom Cochrane - 1992
Jump - Van Halen - 1984
Making Love Out of Nothing at All - Air Supply - 2003
Mandolin Rain - Bruce Hornsby - 1986
Careless Whisper - Wham! - 1984

Tunes for a Spring day (or at least it feels like Spring here).

Come on Eileen - Dexy's Midnight Runners & Kevin Rowland - 1982
Tunnel of Love - Bruce Springsteen - 1987
Always the Last to Know (Single Mix) - Del Amitri - 1998
Hello Cruel World - E - 1992
Cantaloop (Flip Fantasia) - US3 - 1993
The Way It Is - Bruce Hornsby - 1986
Regret - New Order - 1993
Wicked Game - Chris Isaak - 1989
Harder to Breathe - Maroon 5 - 2002
Just a Girl - No Doubt - 1995