The College Crowd Digs Me

"Getting To This"   -  Blodwyn Pig (1970) Brit blues rock, a bit of prog/jog  2nd (and final) album  Gatefold w/tracks, credits, board game A&M Records-Chrysalis (gold)  9 tracks Horse Head Vinyl..."Dig and Spin" (#2) Blodwyn Pig was formed by Mick Abrahams (guitarist, vocals) after doing a sudden 23-skidoo from Jethro Tull after Tull's debut album, "This Was." (1968) I found this Blodwyn Pig album loitering in the "P" section, misfiled or misplaced by somebody.  It was an album I'd had on my want list for some time...but for whatever reason...was never quite ready to pull the trigger.  Either something else would catch my eye or the green paper in my pocket was being shy.  Anyway...it's mine now.   "Getting To This" - Blodwyn Pig (back cover) "Getting To This" is an okay album. Nothing will blow you away, but it does have its moments.  This was Brit blues rock, for sure...but th...

"Shamal"   -  Gong  (1975) prog jazz, prog rock, fusion 6th album. Virgin Records 6 tracks.  Horse Head Vinyl..."Dig and Spin" (#1) Co-founder and gnome-king  Daevid Allen had flown the coop at this point...and he took his trippy, space-psych with him. On Gong's sixth album... "Shamal" ...the band flies into a more proggier jazz direction.  This time, the music is being guided, in no small part, by percussionist Pierre Moerlen . And here's a scary word for you.  "Fusion." Fusion is a musical fence that's very hard to walk without losing your balance. Sure, it looks easy.  Starting out.  But it's extremely hard to stay up and your friends will get bored watching, if not careful. "Shamal"   -  Gong (back cover) Fortunately, Gong succeeds on this offering. Mostly. There's lots of nice flute, vibraphone, xylophone. Quite a bit of tasty percussive tinkerings. An occasional sax. And just ...

"We played every nook and cranny in America." ~ Joe Vitale ~ I've been a fan of drummer/songwriter, Joe Vitale, since his...“Rocky Mountain Way”...Barnstorm days.  Co-writing the classic song with his longtime friend and bandmate, Joe Walsh...”RMW” has made summer day road trips better for everyone since 1973. Joe Vitale has also provided drums and other skills for dozens of other artists.  Sessioning on their albums and working on their tours. Along the way, Joe Vitale has recorded 3 albums of his own and has no shortage of music friends ready to lend a hand. After almost 50 years in the business, it gives me no small measure of joy and comfort...knowing that at any rock and roll moment...Joe Vitale might still grab a piece of seat and begin wailing the loving bejesus out of his drums.  Go get you some. Joe Vitale Interview -- Feb. 2018 Joe Vitale Casey Chambers:   I'd like to begin by asking you about the song... "Lady On The Rock...

"...I wanted to be in  on all that goodness going on too." ~ Larry Hankin ~ I like character actors.  I always have.  The ones that make you point your finger at the screen like Spicoli, and say, "I know that dude!"  They are the actors that make TV shows and movies better simply by being in them.  The ones you might not necessarily know by name, but you never forget their face.  Larry Hankin is one of those actors who steal the screen.  And when I see him in a show, I stick around awhile.  Whether playing Old Joe, the junkyard magnet lender in "Breaking Bad" or Mr. Heckles, the downstairs neighbor in "Friends" or a host of other "there he is" appearances.  Larry makes the most with the face time he gets. And I'm aware he's not just a one-trick pony.  He's also a comedian, a writer and a director with an Oscar nomination checked off his bucket-list.  Larry Hankin is like one of those fine spices that ch...

7 Favorite  Books  I  Read  In  2017 Every book is a new book if you haven't read it!  And so, let us begin. "The Yard" - Alex Grecian (2012) London, England, circa 1889, one year after Jack the Ripper had most of the city cowering at shadows and unexpected noises.  New murders are popping up and Scotland Yard has decided to hire a young detective to run a new team known as the, “Murder Squad.”  You can hear the clip-clop of horse carriages being pulled through the gas lit streets while reading this one.  Perfect novel for those cold, damp nights. "Carrion Comfort"   --  Dan Simmons (1989) This is a 700 page flibbityfloo.  There are a small number of these creepy people that need to feed on the human mind.  And in the process, they enjoy getting into the heads of others making them do...whatever they feel like making them do.  It's a fresh take on an old idea. An epic horror of flibbityfloo...

"There's no one left  that I even want to  imitate." ~ The Jim Carroll Band ~ The Jim Carroll Band made music that was both compelling and relentless and wrapped the noise around poetry that felt so real you could taste it. And Stephen Linsley , the bassist and youngest member of the JCB by plenty...was poppin' the string for the entire ride.  That would be a 7 year, 3 album ride for those taking math.  But it was their eye-opening 1980 debut... "Catholic Boy" ...that expanded the boundaries of truth. "Catholic Boy" reminded us...that street life is extremely messy, time moves quicker than crosswalks, and choices are weighed and made in but moments.  And yet between the seedier shadows and darker reflections...glimmers of chance and strength share a soft breath with beauty. Go get you some. Stephen Linsley Interview -- Oct. 2017 Stephen Linsley Casey Chambers:   I'd like to begin with the lost gem... "City Drops...