The College Crowd Digs Me

"Make sure he grows up like me... and I'm a vagabond." ~ Thin Lizzy ~ Thin Lizzy , not surprisingly, finds itself with its 3rd Lost Gem . This time, the title track from their 1973 offering... "Vagabonds of the Western World ". Other songs from this underrated album could easily have been chosen...but the restless Canterbury Tale spirit  that singer/bassist Phil Lynott ...drummer Brian Downey and the awesome...guitarist Eric Bell evoke is ageless . Lost Gem:-- >  "Vagabonds of the Western World " ...One of Lynott's best vocals served with a cock-nasty swagger . And when the Lizzy Boys bring everything together...absolutely nothing is held back.  Nothing! Have you heard this gem? I could tell you the story of a vagabond. A playboy of the western world. One day by chance he came upon A fair young maid, a country girl. He told her that he loved her. And he took all of her silver. He told her that he needed her too. He sa...

"Everyone has a system, but they can't seem to win.   Even Bob Geldolf looks alarmingly thin." ~ Loudon Wainwright III ~ The tongue-wagging folker... Loudon Wainwright III ...appears on the "Lost Gem" list again with a rather resigned look at our world's state of affairs. Pulled from "More Love Songs" (1986) ...the listener will find several songs worthy of owning. Lost Gem:-->   "Hard Day On The Planet" ...has a catchy upbeat push with a rather bleak downbeat message . A musing, in a sad understanding way. Produced by (and featuring) legendary Richard Thompson ...25 years later, the song could have been written this morning. Have you heard this gem? The dollar went down and the President sick. Who's in charge, now? I don't know, take your pick. A new disease every day and the old ones are coming back Things are looking kind of gray, like they're gonna get black. Don't turn on the TV, don't...

"You can't buy my soul with gold,  but my heart is up for hire." ~ Angel City (The Angels) ~ Angel City (The Angels) are a hard-rockin' band from Australia with plenty of songs that should have become classic radio fodder in the States. But, as often happens in the music business...Angel City (The Angels) simply got lost in the shuffle. When Epic Records brought the band to America...the band had to endure several name changes. Originally called..."The Angels"...they quickly became..."Angel City"...only later to become..."The Angels From Angel City". The band's 1980 release... "Face To Face" (US version)...carries a wicked jam-punk factor ...with a slice of AC/DC.   Highly recommended.   Lost Gem:-->   "Can't Shake It" ...is a great head-knockin' rocker with solid power chords and driving beat .  And when singer "Doc" Neeson breaks it down around the 3:00 mark...well...the despera...

"...Sometimes they call me  the great unwashed." ~  The Rutles  ~ The Rutles are actually The Beatles from the Bizarro World .  They simply share their love and respect for The Beatles with pinpoint, needle-nose apple-scruff precision . Each song is carefully crafted with various sounds, instruments, vocal mannerisms and tricks that have become synonymous with the Fab...BUT absolutely unique in that wickedly tongue-n-cheek Monty Python style.   Something completely different...but awesomely familiar. The Rutles Lost Gem:-->   "Joe Public" ...has a fantastic arrangement heavily influenced by... "Tomorrow Never Knows" and "Rain" .  Don't think...just go with it.   Fab Four Perfection! Have you heard this gem? My name is Joe Public - I'm sure you all know me Sometimes they call me 'the man in the street' but I don't mind. I've got my place in society I've got my feet on the ground I've got my...

"You give all you want,  but you take away what's mine." ~ Badfinger ~ An incredible Power-Pop group... Beatlesque in every way.   Badfinger were forerunners to later bands like...The Raspberries, The Records, Big Star, Cheap Trick, Foreigner...and the list goes on. They had incredible melodic vision all served with an undercurrent of shadows giving even the most simple songs fresh legs.   (In retrospect, many seemed to be an unconscious cry for help ). Mike Gibbins, Joey Molland, Pete Ham, Tom Evans Without opening up the public can of worms about lousy management that played no small part in two tragic suicides.   ( Peter Ham & Tom Evans ) ... Badfinger was a band much too talented...to be treated much too unfairly. Lost Gem:-->   "Better Days" ...has a funkified shuffle groove with excellent guitar fills from Pete Ham .  The message is clear, really.  Just give me my fair share. Have you heard this gem? I'm just a goo...

"...and even Thomas Jefferson  is on the nickel over there." ~ Tom Waits ~ The theatrical singer-songwriter... Tom Waits ...was born in California...but his spirit walks the dark, dank backstreets of...Anywhere, USA. And his spirit haunts lonely dives and desperate times . And his spirit breaks your heart and his spirit mends your heart ...again and again like the constant give and take of the sea. Waits is a matchhead.  Waits is a featherball.  Waits is...Waits. Lost Gem:-->   "On The Nickel" ...rough vocals of Waits...wonderfully contradict this soft gentle ballad of kind warnings to messy haired young boys...&...and the nameless, faceless street rats who called heads instead of tails . The song (per Waits) is affectionately known as... "A Hobos Lullaby". Have you heard this gem? Sticks and stones will break my bones, But I always will be true, and when Your mama is dead and gone, I'll sing this lullaby just for you. And...

"She thought she knew me... but she didn't know." ~ KISS ~ Everybody knows how successful the NYC band KISS became. Selling-out concerts. Making movies. TV appearances. Marketing KISS Bobbleheads to KISS Kaskets . They worked it good. These rich cats are set. And jokes can be made how they never met a marketing idea they didn't like. But one place where jokes have to be left to the wayside...is in their music. On stage or In studio... NO band worked harder to bleed their love for RnR. Criss, Simmons, Frehley, Stanley -1974 So jokes be damned... Kiss knew what audiences wanted and gave it to us. They made it fun. Lost Gem:-->   "Parasite" ...a standout written by Ace Frehley . The band was young, fearless & hungry . And you can hear it. It's loud...heavy...& riff-nasty .  Simply killer. Have you heard this gem? She'll always be there trying to grab a hold. She thought she knew me, but she didn't know. That I was...