Buzzcocks!

I love the Buzzcocks! And I always love hearing something by them that I've never heard before. Thanks to the wonders of YouTube, I found this song by accident. They have a great power pop sound, and I love the sloppy little solo that says so much in the middle. I love the way their guitars work together, and how their drummer keeps the good times rolling even while changing moods a couple of times through the song. Judging by how few people have watched this video, it seems like a lost treasure that deserves more attention. So here it is. Pete Shelley at his best!

Health Care Reform!

My friend Kenneth is one articulate fellow. Here is a short video he made which puts that fact into vivid perspective. I agree with him 100%! I love that he linked this video to Sarah Palin's Facebook page!

Peaches Meets Miss Piggy

I love the "Andy Griffith Show" version of this video (see below), but this Muppets version is hilarious! The editing is well done, and the band has always been one of my favorite bands, ever since I saw them play with Alice Cooper on The Muppet Show when they did "School's Out" together when I was but a wee child.

Peaches

Peaches is coming to Philadelphia in November! Yeah!!! My friend Josh and I were lucky enough to catch her in New York City a couple of years ago and she changed my life. The show was incredible. She sings, she changes costumes, she shows her wacky videos, and she even played an electric guitar. Her music is wild, and the topics she chooses to sing about are titillating to say the least. When I found this video, I realized that she is truly a genius. I can't wait to see her at the TLA in November!

Danny Macaskill

This guy is not only amazing, but he inspires me to get up off my ass and do something active and fun for a change. I think I'll dust off my skateboard and go for a ride tonight in honor of this fellow. I also really like the song by Band of Horses. I wish I knew more about them. It's kind of a sad song to pick for such an exciting bunch of action, but I really like the way the shots are all edited to its ups and downs. The song kind of makes me want to cry, but the video makes me want to laugh. Funny how that works.

Tom Wilkes Has Passed

One of my art/rock & roll heroes just passed away. His name is Tom Wilkes. He's the graphic artist who helped to create some of the best classic album covers of all time. Looking over his contributions to my record collection, I realized that he's helped to shape a lot of the images in my mind when it comes to the music/art combination. He will be missed! Here are some pictures of him and only a few of his great images:

Shit and Shine!

I've been dying to hear something new that I like, and I've decided that Shit and Shine is what I've been looking for. I'm a big fan of the Butthole Surfers, who always made me feel like there was an outer edge of groovy rhythm and rock that had still never been explored. Then they went poppish, and I started losing hope in the joy of wacky new music. That was many years ago. Lately I've been settling for old memories and traditional songs. Along the way, I've been turned on to Aquarius Records in San Francisco, which sends me an e-mail every few weeks, highlighting all of the great stuff I've been missing by being in the underbelly of the beast here in Delaware, where very little great music shines in to spread its life-giving light on my musical vacuum. So today, this morning, as the sun was rising, Aquarius sends me their latest. And lo and behold, their record of the week is a new one by Shit and Shine. When they mentioned the Butthole Surfers a dozen times as a comparison sound in that band calculus that they use to describe things most of the world has never heard, I decided to take a listen. And I am impressed. I love multiple drummers in a band. And I love more than one bass player too. Remember Green Jello? How about Grotus? I think Sharkbait had two bass players too, but maybe I was drinking back then. Anyway, I see four drummers lined up in Shit and Shine, and another one to the side. Five drummers?! There might even be more. Regardless, I'm hooked. The description offered by the music gods at Aquarius say this is some kind of London music collective, but I say it's awesome. Here's a video I found floating out there. Now I'm gathering loose change to buy the record, just to take a chance on something new and explosive. I need the inspiration, and I think I've found a little today. Hooray for me. Finally!