Vietnam Cowboy

Monday is just another day...

2011-02-28T22:52:00.002-06:00

Awakened this morning by my son crying about have to go to school. That was at about 6:30 A.M. I have been up ever since. He didn't want to debut his new glasses in front of his classmates today so that will happen Tuesday, I hope. Garbage night so that had to be gathered and taken out. Since then I have done little to nothing. Wish I had some money so I cold go somewhere, ANYWHERE.

Sunday will never be the same...

2011-02-27T21:23:00.002-06:00

It's been a long weekend. My son had a friend over all weekend. Nothing like dealing with 2 preteen boys wandering the house for 48 hours plus. Video games being played along with arguments about said games. I saw my wife in passing as she slept while I was downstairs and visa-versa. It's was laundry day so that all had to be done. Watched the race while folding. I actually considered watching the Oscars tonight but gave up when I realized that I wasn't really interested. The award shows hold my attention long enough to enetertain for, maybe, an hour. I am so tired still...and I just wish I could get proper rest.

Saturday in the house...

2011-02-26T21:54:00.002-06:00

A simply day today. Woke up around 10 A.M. and did nothing. I am feeling as though I may be suffering from Africa sleeping sickness or maybe I have become a teenager again. I could sleep all day and stay up all night. I feel like most of the time is spent thinking of things I don't really want to do and the rest of the time is not doing those things.

While he was alive my Dad and I hardly spoke and when we did it was short and to the point and lacked the depth that I see and hear as others speak to parents. I feel lost and adrift since he is gone. I am confused about the simplest of things and could really use some direction but cannot find anyone to help me with that. My wife suggested consoling but I really see no sense since I really cannot describe what is bothering me.

Perhaps tomorrow will be a better day.

The new beginning...

2011-02-25T22:36:00.003-06:00

I started this what seems like ages ago to write about and share music. Times have changed. I no longer have any desire to share any of that and am now starting all over here. I recently, well in November, lost my father and have been having difficulty dealing with the loss. Starting tomorrow I will be using this as an online diary in hope that it will help me deal with my grieving and get myself back on track.

I am a stay at home father living in the Midwestern United States. The main thing I do is make sure that my youngest son, who is autistic but HIGHLY functional, has all the support he needs to get through a day. I am happily married to my best friend who supports our family in her career as an RN at a local nursing home. There are others of my family, both blood and by marriage, that I am sure will appear on these pages intermittently. Well that's about all I feel needs to be included in the start. By all means, if you want please comment.

It all begins on the morrow...

It's time for.....

2009-12-18T21:00:00.009-06:00

The Top 5 of 2009!!!

I was really thinking about posting this a few weeks ago when I realized I would have to supply a list....and there are far more disappoinments for me this year than in the recent past.....

A perfect example for me is Alice In Chains - Black Gives Way To Blue....

I have been looking forward to the surviving members to reform for 4 years now....when they do it turns into a poor Jerry Cantrell solo set.....oh well, such is life in the cornfields of Iowa....

The sets that make my list are mostly old favorites and safe picks.....

[In No Particular Order]

5. Monsters of Folk - Monsters of Folk

Put together Jim James [My Morning Jacket], Conor Oberst [Bright Eyes, et al], M. Ward [She & Him] and Mike Mogis [Bright Eyes, et al] and have them record a series of harmonious and occasionally electrified tunes blending folk-rock, country and white soul and that would be Monsters of Folk. They have been compared stylistically to Traveling Wilburys [in every article I have seen one of the 4 members here have complained about that]....and I can really hear that. The whole CD is catchy. Stand-out Tracks: Man Named Truth & The Sandman, the Brakeman and Me

4. Simple Minds - Graffiti Soul [Deluxe Edition]

Wow, I was reading an article the other day that amazed and surprised me....this is Simple Minds' 15th album....for me it seems like yesterday that Jim Kerr was disliking "Don't You Forget About Me" and was reaping it's benefits at the same time...very good new material and some excellant covers to boot too! Stand-out Tracks: Light Travels & Shadows and Light

3. Collective Soul - Collective Soul [or "Rabbit"]

I like it when a band can be consistant...Collective Soul is one of those bands....love em or hate em they are what they are....I love em! Stand-out Tracks: She Does & Welcome All Again

2. a-Ha - Foot of the Mountain

Sadly this is supposed to be the last CD of new material by a-Ha...calling it quits after 25+ years as a band...they go out on a very high note. Stand-out tracks: Mother Nature Goes To Heaven & The Bandstand

1. Ryan Star - Last Train Home EP

Nice collection from the artist who once was a contestant on Rock Star: Supernova and is the writer/singer of the theme song for Fox-TV's Lie To Me....look for his full CD 11:59 in the new year. Stand-out tracks: Breathe & Brand New Day

Honorable Mentions - KISS - Sonic Boom / Green Day - 21st Century Breakdown / Matthew Sweet & Susanna Hoffs - Under The Covers Volume 2 / Cheap Trick - The Latest

Happy 2009...

2009-01-01T14:24:00.004-06:00

...may you and yours have a safe and prosperous year to come!!

New Year's Resolution: To tolerate fools more gladly, provided this does not encourage them to take up more of my time.

5 best CDs of 2008 - New material

2008-12-30T16:51:00.008-06:00

The finale.....

1) Al Stewart ~ Sparks of Ancient Light - A great collection of classic music from Mr. Stewart and the ONLY CD I have been able to listen to from beginning to end repeatedly since it's release.

2) Mudcrutch ~ Mudcrutch & Mudcrutch Extended Play Live - Tom Petty and the band that led to the formation of The Heartbreakers. And then a live set added to boot. Great stuff.

3) Juliana Hatfield ~ How To Walk Away - I would put this up against any of her work with Blake Babies and previous solo efforts. It is just that good an overall CD.

4) B-52's ~ Funplex - The most fun CD of the year. It is great to hear this band return with such strong material.

5) The Dandy Warhols ~ ...Earth To The Dandy Warhols... - A well put together and performed set that doesn't seem to have gotten any interest from anyone since it's release. And what little interest has been drawn to it has been quite negative. What the h*ll, I like it!

Honorable Mentions - Old 97s ~ Blame It On Gravity, Oasis ~ Dig Out Your Soul, Joe Jackson ~ Rain, Matthew Sweet ~ Sunshine Lies, Rick Springfield ~ Venus In Overdrive & Lindsey Buckingham ~ Gift Of Screws

Have a safe New Year's Eve all!!!

Have a holly jolly and.....

2008-12-25T21:13:00.001-06:00

5 best CDs of 2008 - Reissues

2008-12-24T11:28:00.007-06:00

The epic continues....

1) All of the U2 reissues ~ Boy, October, War & Under A Blood Red Sky - To get remasters of these classic CDs would have been enough for me. Bono and the guys did this one step better including a whole extra CD or DVD of demos, live versions and rarities.

2) Johnny Cash ~ At Folsom Prison - Deluxe Edition - The full originally released LP with the tracks eliminated from that show and a whole other CD of the whole of the second show he played there. Great additions to the Cash legacy.

3) Rob Dickinson ~ Fresh Wine For The Horses - Now including a second CD of live material largely culled from Catherine Wheel songs played acoustic. Black Metallic, IMHO, NEVER sounded this good to me before.

4) Steve Earle ~ Copperhead Road - Deluxe Edition - The original set, one of my favorite CDs by him, remixed and remastered with a second CD of 17 live tracks from his 1988 tour. In college everybody had this LP and I do mean everybody. A local radio station had been given what had to be about 1000 of them and everyone I hung around with got a copy of it from there. I am glad to say now that I FINALLY purchased this set.

5) Billy Joel ~ The Stranger - 30th Anniversary Legacy Edition - My 2nd favorite Billy Joel LP, the 1st favorite being Glass Houses, Remastered and remixed with a full show from 1978.

Honorable Mentions - Warren Zevon ~ Warren Zevon, Liz Phair ~ Exile in Guyville, Lynyrd Skynyrd ~ Street Survivors, Dennis Wilson ~ Pacific Ocean Blue - Legacy Edition & The Lemonheads ~ It's A Shame About Ray

It's a festivus for the rest of us....

2008-12-23T21:58:00.007-06:00

Tomorrow part 2 of the 3 part year end countdown....until then....

5 best of 2008 CDs - Rarities and/or Live

2008-12-21T14:58:00.010-06:00

This is a 3 part post that I have written but wanted to publish on here...

1) Bob Dylan ~ The Bootleg Series, Vol. 8: Tell Tale Signs - Rare and Unreleased 1989-2006 - Deluxe Edition - 27 tracks [36 if you are willing to pay for the SUPER DELUXE edition, I wasn't willing. If you were, hit me up I would love to get that 3rd CD] of demos and alternate versions of some of Mr. Dylan's work from the past 20 years.

2) Squeeze ~ The Complete BBC Sessions - 29 tracks recorded for/by the BBC....some really good stuff on this one.

3) The Clash ~ Live at Shea Stadium - Who should want anything more...a full show recorded at the height of thier popularity. This CD is the full Clash set from 10/13/82 opening for The Who [They also opened the other Who show at this venue].

4) The Doors ~ Live at The Matrix '67 - Pre-popularity driven Doors LIVE....a great set that includes some classics done slightly differently than the recognized versions.

5) Neil Young ~ Sugar Mountain: Live at Canterbury House 1968 - Recorded previous to his first solo album and acoustic....would probably be rated higher by me had I gotten more of a chance to listen to it.

Honorable Mention - The Kinks ~ Picture Book [Only ommitted because I have yet to get it. That will be occurring sometime in January after the holidays....but 6 CDs of demos, hits and such from one of my all-time favorite bands cannot be a bad thing.]

...Coming up, by Wednesday, Part Two.......

The king is dead, long live the new king

2008-02-11T09:17:00.000-06:00

I write today not to praise or deride...just to unload.

When I was first getting into music there was a small but very well stocked record store that was about 2 blocks from my house. To see the shop you would think this was someone's house with a sign over the door. Not a neon sign or even lighted at all a very simple painted sign on which was written "The Stereo House". Simple and to the point. No bells and whistles just "The Stereo House". When I walked in to the shop I was amazed by all that was there. LPs of all kinds. I discovered great bands like Television, Blondie, The Ramones, Suicide, The Clash and many others. New, wrapped in plastic, and displayed for anyone to be captured by the images on the covers and purchase the LP to take home and discover what magical tomes the artists have decided to set to music this time. Then the need for more room destroyed the utopian situation created by the shop's owners. They moved to an anaseptic plaza and started stocking less of the "cool" bands of the time and concentrated on "Top 40" for sales sake. It was understandable, the need to make money, but it was more sad and had lost the magic that I found in that little shop down the street. But I was a kid and kids always lose that magic at some point in life as they grow up. I never thought I would ever find such a place ever again. Another of youth's feelings, things are always better when you are younger. Food tastes better, fun is more fun, and entertainment, especially music, is always better from your youth.

Flash ahead [or would it be flashback...both are here now...you can choose] to 7 years ago. My wife, family and I move out to, what I thought at the time was a vast wasteland of cornfields, Iowa. My wife and I decided that since she was a medical worker and made more money than I was capable of earning as a radio announcer in smalltown Iowa that I would be the stay at home parent and, to make a bit of extra money, I could also sell CDs and other entertainment items on eBay. There were a bunch of pawn shops in and around the area that made for a nice crossection of sale items. The thing that was always a problem was that you had to choose from what people wanted to pawn. So I had little choice but to buy what was there. We then discovered, much to my surprise, a shop in the northeast portion of Cornfield Iowa. It was called "CDGBs". It even had a cool name like that of the club "CBGBs". Walking in to this, what can only be described as a converted 4 or 5 car garage, I was instantly transported to that long ago day when I was younger. Rows and rows of CDs. All sorts of artists and all styles of music. Broken down into music catagory and neatly alphabetized within each catagory for easy searching. If you could name it and couldn't find it the owner and his employees could easily find it or at the very least order it for you so you could get it. I spent hours in that store over the past few years. Each time better than the previous. Most of the time I became the proverbial "kid in the candy shop" looking at everything and completely forgetting, until the 2+ hour ride home, what I was really looking to find. For me it was heaven, until the 6th of February 2008. A day for me that once again took away my childhood.

The store had moved in May of 2007 because the lease to the converted garage had expired and the landlord wanted more rent. The owner, who also owned "The Surf Ballroom" [famous for being the site of Buddy Holly, the Big Bopper and Richie Valens' last performance[s] before "the music died"; see the picture below of the Surf on the night of that last performance], thought that moving the store to some unused space in the Surf would save money and be a good locale for people to find and maybe pop in to check out some cool music too. Unfortunately for him the Surf was a bit off the beaten path and things didn't work out the way he thought it would. Sales actually dropped after the move and he decided that keeping an actual storefront opened would cost him money so he closed the doors at 2007's end and made his business an internet one.

Now, while I still enjoy getting music online, some of the fun of shopping for music is gone with an internet purchase. You really don't see the product. You can't physically pick it up and hold it in your hands looking at every track and getting the feel for the CD. It's just a purchase and, on top of the physical feelings of holding and taking home your purchase to open and play that day, you have to wait for internet buys. Eventually it will be brought to you, days and somtimes weeks later, by whatever shipping service the company shipping it decides to use. For me that wait is too long and, unless it's a CD I have been waiting forever for, I lose that excitement that I get from finding something good and being able to enjoy it right away.

I think that is a huge loss in society. Human interaction, LIVE not via email or chatrooms or IMs, is a good thing. So now I wait....until the next time I am able to walk in to another store and get that childhood excitement again. I truly hope it does happen once again.

Steely Dan ~ Kings

Steely Dan ~ Change Of The Guard

Vapid Consumerism

2007-12-21T21:42:00.000-06:00

So with the economy boosting season happening going to the store is quite the chore. Last minute shoppers, store employees, kids running around, parents yelling and of course the hot and naked waitresses....wait a minute....that last one didn't happen. Though with the large numbers of people packed into stores of all types [all types of people and stores for that matter] trying to get that[those] last gift[s] I am not even sure I would have notice nudity at all....sad but true. Which brings me to the thought that popped into my mind on the way home. Everyone knows how kids [and alot of adults for that matter] get the gifts they want, play with them for a few hours or days and that's the end of it...why isn't shopping at second hand stores more popular this time of year? You can usually find something in good shape that can be destroyed by the rug-rats and save yourself the money. Or even better yet....why not get your kiddies lists and pick out what is the best toy they are asking for and get it....then donate it to "Toy For Tots" so an underprivileged child gets something good instead of the usual Dollar Store rejects that they would normally get. Just a thought.

Tonight I share a bit of Joe Walsh....Enjoy!

Joe Walsh ~ Second Hand Store

T-minus 5 days and counting

2007-12-20T21:50:00.000-06:00

With Christmas fast approaching I am into my usual finishing up holiday buying/planning and trying to figure out what my top 10's for the year will include. While I have been doing this I have also been trying to fit in R.E.M. Live but while it isn't a bad set it isn't great either. And there have been many a CD that has caught my ear this year. So while I cannot bring myself to include that set in my year-end lists I can include a little something special for you [my one or two readers] that may be appreciated.

This is a set that I was given by a record rep back when I was still working as a disc-jockey. I'm not sure how rare it is, but it is a very good representation of Michael and the guys live. Heck, Bill Berry is still part of the group on these tracks. So enjoy "Songs That Are Live" from 1995.

R.E.M. ~ Crush With Eyeliner [Live in Detroit; 6/6/95]

R.E.M. ~ Tongue [Live in Detroit; 6/7/95]

R.E.M. ~ I Don't Sleep, I Dream [Live on Saturday Night Live; 11/12/94]

R.E.M. ~ Country Feedback [Live in Athens, GA; 11/19/92; The second time this song was EVER performed]

Help! and other Beatles related stuff

2007-12-14T23:05:00.000-06:00

Just recently got the new Help! DVD. Incredible job on that one. The picture and sound quality are both great and the extras are really good too.

Tonight I will share some outtakes from the recording of the LP...I hope they are appreciated!

The Beatles from "Alternate Help!" ~ Ticket To Ride [Take 2; John Vocal; No Fade; Single Tracked]

The Beatles from "Alternate Help!" ~ You've Got To Hide Your Love Away [Take 5]

The Beatles from "Alternate Help!" ~ You're Gonna Lose That Girl [Take 3]

Drugs are bad....M-Kay!!

2007-12-13T16:30:00.000-06:00

I spent most of the early part of the day anticipating the Mitchell Report on the baseball steroid era. When it was finally released I lost interest. Yeah, I know it's just a cover to the actual problem with steroids and human growth hormone. At this point does it matter who is to blame? The fact of the matter is the baseball players union will not allow blood testing and that is the only type of test that would clear up this contraversy. Well at least some of the Yankees were named and that's never a bad thing.

As the day has been going on all I could think of is how much this whole issue is bugging me and listening to Led Zeppelin. Here is the one song that most typifies my feelings on the whole situation.

Led Zeppelin ~ Live ~ What Is And What Should Never Be

The drive and the point after

2007-12-11T10:32:00.000-06:00

I have been and will always be a fan of specific sports teams. I have never been a bandwagon jumper and never will be. My teams are the World Champion Boston Red Sox, The currently 13 and Oh New England Patriots, Boston Celtics, Philadelphia Flyers and college football's Penn State Nittany Lions. Been through good and bad times with all of these teams but I will never turn my back on any of them. It's odd how sports runs in stretches. A few years ago the Sawx couldn't buy a championship, now they have 2 in 4 years. The Celts looked horrible and now they look like contenders again. You get the picture.

After the Patriots demolished the Steelers [Guarantee be damned!!] my wife and I went into town to pick up some needed household items and were discussing music along the way. I realized, except for a live set and doing the theme at the beginning of The Simpsons Movie, Green Day really hasn't been heard from lately. I was wondering what Billie Joe and the guys had been up to lately.

Yesterday, I found out.

It seems the trio has decided to do yet another side project. This one being way different than the '80s new wave-ish sound that was incorporated into The Network. Now they are doing garage rock kinda like The Hives. Check it out below or get the whole 6 track EP here Stop Drop and Roll

The Foxboro Hot Tubs ~ Highway 1

By the way...Foxboro is the city that the Partiots call home.

A Long Day's Winding Ever Slowly Into Night

2007-12-05T22:50:00.000-06:00

After a long day of working on household projects and taking care of bills I tend to want to relax. That just could not happen today. My wife is going through her winter blues and my youngest son is still favoring me with every song he and his elementary school sang to me and all the parents in the area from the traditional holiday concert. I am feeling stressed and nothing helps me wind down better in the winter time than a nice warm beverage and some Warren Zevon. So tonight I share some of my favorites from WZ. Thanks to the fine folks at the Internet Archive for supplying these.

Warren Zevon ~ Splendid Isolation ~ Live 1996

Warren Zevon ~ Roland The Headless Thompson Gunner ~ Live 1988

Warren Zevon ~ I'll Sleep When I'm Dead ~ Live 1976

Awake and realizing I have no coffee here...

2007-12-04T08:05:00.000-06:00

So yesterday was the debut/test of this new thing I am trying to do and as I wandered through the rest of my day I was thinking....Do I REALLY want to do a music blog? To which I also thought, there are bunches of blogs out there focused on music yet none that cover MY favorites all the time. I NEED to do this. So here I am back blogging. I think this will evolve into a fun type of outlet...once I get to doing it more consistantly. I am going to try to put up here musings and tunes that haven't been previously available to the listening/reading public via the blogs. Maybe it will work maybe not. Perhaps I am fooling myself and I have no ability to do what I want to do...One doesn't know until one tries.

So I thought I should build on yesterday and explain why I put up the Ray Davies...."Working Man's Cafe" is by far my favorite CD released this past year. The only way it could have been better was if he had gotten together with his brother and made the The Kinks reunion CD that everyone has been anticipating for the past 3 or 4 years at least.

For today I am gonna put up my favorite track from Steve Earle's latest "Washington Square Serenade". Solid effort by him on this whole set. Special notice should be given to the track "Days Aren't Long Enough" a beautiful duet with Allison Moorer and my second favorite from the CD. It sounds to me like Mr. Earle has finally gotten a complete set of tunes that fit together perfectly. It's about time.

Steve Earle ~ Jericho Road