Rock Me On The Water

My unquestioned favorite in the 1970's, 80's and into the 90's was Jackson Browne. This goes back to the very beginning. I've always been proud to say that I discovered his music with his first records. Doctor My Eyes was the first song to receive exposure but Rock Me On the Water was right behind. I often tend to think of it as the first song. To my ears, the songs were completely different from anything that I'd heard before. Years later, I felt the same comparing them with anything that came after as well. As corny as it sounds, the songs and what followed from Jackson Browne, spoke to what I was feeling inside when it came to life, friends, relationships, etc. His first six albums are all classics in my mind. Each song played so often, that if one were to play over the radio today, no lyric sheet is needed. You can't know my history and of my past without hearing these songs.

Alice's Restaurant

"You can get anything you want at Alice's Restaurant ..... Exceptin' Alice."

A favorite since I was a teenager. The song that is, not Alice. I've never met Alice. Or Arlo. And I've never driven a red VW microbus. But I have listened to various Arlo versions of the song dozens of times.

Ever Continuing Random Playlist Insanity

Just another mindless Friday evening playlist with the iPod on shuffle play. Wishing that ya'll could plug in to my headphones and listen in with me .....

• Paul Westerberg - Once Around the Weekend .... The title seems appropriate for a late Friday evening.
• R.E.M. - Imitation of Life .... Remember those early R.E.M. records where you couldn't understand Michael Stipe's lyrics? You literally couldn't make out the words that he was singing. Just remembering.
• Pierce Pettis - Farewell .... A great time when it seemed that all these new singer/songwriters were emerging all at once. Pierce Pettis, Ellis Paul, Richard Shindell, Bill Morrissey, John Gorka, Lucy Kaplansky and others. I'm sure they'd been around a few years by then, attempting to make it big, but they all suddenly popped up on my radar around the same time. Late 1980's-early 1990's.
• David Saw - Some Love
• Jupiter One - Flaming Arrow
• Julie Moffit - Let Him Be
• Bruce Cockburn - Love Loves You Too .... When I first heard Bruce Cockburn's music in the mid-1970's, even though he was played frequently on my local FM radio station, his records being imports, were difficult to find. Those first two or three records were real treasures when initially found. Still are actually!! 
• Carole King - So Far Away ..... Brings back a torrent of memories and actual feelings of youth. Just that sound and its association with those years in my concious.
• Sonny Landreth - Levee Town .... It's like I just died and went to slide guitar heaven!!
• Ellis Paul - Looking For My Friends
• Otis Spann - Worried Life Blues
• Uncle Tupelo - True to Life .... I had to discover Son Volt and Jay Farrar before finding my way to Uncle Tupelo.
• The Band - Atlantic City .... Singing along and loving The Band's accordion and harmonies sound.
• Bruce Cockburn - See You Tomorrow 
• The Mammals - Plank Road .... A good old-timey sounding, banjo and fiddle playing, hand clapping, foot stompin' tune (and time). 
• The Freddy Jones Band - This Time Around

Just a Little List of Things Listened to This Weekend

• The Mammals - Evolver ..... A public library, used book sale find. Not a gamble, they are a known quality. Americana, Appalachia, banjos, rootsy, folkie. Great cover of Richard Thompson's song, 1952 Vincent Black Lightning. There's also a beautiful acoustic guitar and banjo instrumental called, Chinese Irishman. It ends with spoken word wisdom from Pete Seeger over beautiful banjo accompanyment which merges eventually with bomb-like drums.
• Son Volt - Trace .... The new remastered release for all of its demos. Always love those demos and bonus tracks. And there's also a bonus disc live show in the package!!
• Big Band Old Time Radio Show - Kraft Music Hall with Paul Whiteman from 11/30/33
• Real Friends - Daytrotter Session from 1/28/15
• Bob Dylan and Tom Waits - (You Gotta) Fight For Your Right (To Party) .... Covering The Beastie Boys. And they make it work. 
• Jason Isbell - Live at the Newport Folk Festival 2015 .... A National Public Radio, All Songs Considered podcast. 
• Eric Lovre Band - Dreaming All Day Long .... Heard in the car. Local guy on KMUZ-fm radio and a local music program.

Listening To Bob!!

Can't believe that I've done it but I've opened my wallet for the six disc, deluxe edition. I'm justifying it as an early 60th birthday present. Fascinating sounds for me!! Plus extensive liner and song notes and a 120 page hardcover book with rare photographs. It'll take a few days or weeks to get through it all.

After seeing this 12th Volume in the Bootleg series, you wonder if there's anything left in the Bob Dylan catalogue/vaults to release? It's amazing the amount of time that went into all the various takes on the songs on his records and how they evolved from beginning of the process to what made it to the records and how Dylan is willing to share it all, all these years later. I find even the short false starts to be fascinating.

If I had been approaching my 70th birthday, I might have sprung for the 18 disc, Collectors Edition for $600. Reportedly includes every note he recorded for these sessions.