The College Crowd Digs Me

I'm going to skip the obvious,  over-played,  Beatle cover choices and include 9 other favorite covers.  "She's A Woman" Jeff Beck Blow By Blow (1975) ...One of my fav Beck instrumentals...has a kinda kraut-funk vibe-atude with outstanding phrasing utilizing the talk-box to amazing effect. "I Am The Walrus" Oingo Boingo Farewell (1996) Crazy energy with the band completely onboard. Here's another clue for your fanny. The walrus is Danny.   "Tell Me Why" April Wine Power Play  (1982) Gentle mellowed-down stamp that was risky and shouldn't have worked so well...and I enjoy it as much as the original.   "What Goes On" Sufjan Stevens This Bird Has Flown  (2005) Took my least favorite Beatle song...and turned it into something beautiful and quite inspired.   "Within You Without You" Sonic Youth Daydream Nation  (deluxe 2007) ...

Doing the Pandora shuffle. Check 5...and see what the fates allow. "Breaking All The House Rules" Budgie Bandolier (1975) A shame Budgie never broke.   This has good green riffage with heavy foot on the accelerator.  Starts the night with a shot. " Flowers Never Bend With The Rainfall" Paul Simon The Paul Simon Songbook (1965) This was recorded in England apart from Garfunkel.  Maybe he was considering not to return. Nice gentle song that I've already forgotten.  Still, Paul was always a solo act...even as a duo.  Press play for affirmation. " Bouncing Around The Room" Phish Lawn Boy  (1990) Phish serves up worm jam for the mind that allows you to float downstream. This one's a signature.  The studio version is great.  But LIVE is the way to go. " Stone Free" Captain Beyond Live in Texas October 6, 1973 A really good Hendrix cover...but the sound is a little muddled.  Still it sho...

" if you're cosmic'ly conscious... you'll see." ~ Beach Boys ~ The Beach Boys were kinda funny, weren't they?  Not funny ha-ha...but "shake-your-head" funny. They created some of the most exhilarating music of the '60s...and then "Sgt. Pepper" comes along and before you could say "Mr. Kite" ...the Beach Boys were an oldies act. I exaggerate, but not much.  My point is they were still making really good music ...just nobody was hearing it.   Go back and listen.  They never were the Beach Boys ...really.  They were simply boys the world wouldn't let grow up. Lost Gem:-->   "Funky Pretty" ...the final track on "Holland" (1973) ...is filled with unusual lead vocal changes all over the place and has a groove that is simultaneously infectious and gritty . It takes a hard-left from their familiar sound but with a road-map arrangement that is still trademark Brian . Brian would sadly le...

Doing the Pandora shuffle. Check 5...and see what the fates allow. "Nelly the Elephant" - Nektar Down To Earth (1974) Entertaining instrumental with a krautrock circus ringmaster pronouncement is far more interesting than one might expect.   Tasty brass leaps in and out with ear candy. "Hands of Doom" Black Sabbath Past Lives (2002) Not one of my favorites...but it's early Sabbath.  Rarely heard and live at that!  It's wonderfully somber with trademark tempo changes. "We're Turning Again" Frank Zappa You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore Vol 6 (1992)  Kind of a funky thing. Great line:  "...they were mellow; they were yellow. They were wearing smelly blankets. They were Donovan fans."  Good stuff...so wtf? "Sailing" Sutherland Brothers & Quiver Lifeboat (1972) Pleasant enough, but quickly brings to mind Rod the Mod's version.  Sutherland's version wins by a n...

"Older than I used to be, Younger than I'm gonna be. " ~ The Rainmakers ~ It was nearly 30 years ago when The Rainmakers (led by Bob Walkenhorst ) first rocked up the infamous Coyote Club.  And Kansans are still talking about those shows.   The Rainmakers bring it hard.  They deliver the sweat like the FedEx man on Christmas Eve.  And Bob Walkenhorst is the kool-kat who rings the bell and takes off before you can answer the door. Just back from a successful tour in Norway, Bob  was applying a second coat of  acoustic   kickass  rock-paint on the ears of some appreciative fans at the iconic Donut Whole in Wichita, KS.   Even at 60, he looks and sounds every bit the raucous rocker from the '80s.  Time has only made him better.   After working the stage for two hours, Bob graciously joined me for a bit of coffee and convo.  Bob Walkenhorst  Interview - August 3, 2013 Cas...