Top 10 Stories I Hope I Don't Write in 2012

1) Moving on to a different sport, Kim Kardashian marries David Wright. Mets fans enact massive suicide pact.

2) After remaking Bob Dylan’s “You’re Going to Make Me Lonesome When You Go,” Miley Cyrus decides to cover Neil Young’s Harvest in its entirety.

3) LMFAO, LFO, REO Speedwagon and ELO tour together. It’s sponsored by Overstock.com.

4) Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez team up for an album of songs about the Twilight Saga. Scientific experts predict that the heads of 15,000,000 teenage girls will explode.

5) Kayne West titles his latest opus, Give This Album the Grammy for Album of the Year or I'll Kill You All.

6) Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon's baby twins sign a 10-million dollar deal with Def Jam.

7) Nickelback plays between every inning of Game 7 of the World Series. Baseball fans decide to start watching soccer instead.

8) Jay-Z samples that Lexus December to Remember theme for his new single "The 1% OG."

9) Herman Cain covers The Beatles "Revolution #9" and posts it as a free download on his website.

10) Motley Crüe decide to do a residency in Atlantic City, and accuse me of leaking that news before they can appear on the Joe Franklin show to reveal it. (Crap, that’s sort of what happened already.)

Song of the Week 12/23/11

Chromeo - "I Can't Tell You Why"



I heard this cover of The Eagles' hit from The Long Run Wednesday night on WFUV's The Alternate Side. It was so bizarre and entertaining that I waited through another song just so I could hear the host Russ Borris backsell the track. I woke up Thursday with it still in my head and downloaded the single while I was having my breakfast at my desk.

There was a point where I didn't hate The Eagles. That ran from the first time I heard "New Kid in Town" while ice skating in December 1976 up until my internship at PYX 106 in Albany when I heard "Hotel California" for the 30th time. During the era that I did like the band, The Long Run was my favorite album of theirs. Perhaps the only way my brain can take hearing a song from that album is if a Canadian electro duo covers it.

Song of the Week 12/16/11

The Beatles - "A Hard Day's Night"

1) I bought a replica A Hard Day's Night shirt at Old Navy last weekend for 5 bucks.

2) On Wednesday my bandmate Paul Crane posted this video on Facebook:



3) We decided to soundcheck our show at Littlefield with "A Hard Day's Night."

4) I got home from the gig, turned on the radio to block out the usual ringing in the ears and Big Jay Sorenson on CBS-FM played "A Hard Day's Night." He backsold it by talking about the same video Paul posted.

5) Very, very weird.

Song of the Week 12/9/11

Kelly Clarkson - "Mr. Know-It-All"



I heard this song three times last week. Each time happened while I was getting breakfast. And each was during a different hour each day. That's just weird. This song, however, is just great. I don't know why dudes keep dissing Kelly. That's kind of dumb, because she's kind of awesome.

Song of the Week 12/2/11

The Black Keys - "Lonely Boy"

I gotta say, this song has been burrowing its way into my brain the past couple weeks, and their performance on SNL this week locked it in there.

Jeebus this video is awesome.

Song of the Week 11/25/11

Macy Gray - "I Try"



Damn, it's fun hearing a bar full of women (or 90% women) sing this track.

Party Like It's 1999 11/23/11

Thanks to everyone that came out for our pre-Turkey Day gig. It was a fun and -- at times -- bizarre evening. Look for us to announce a December edition early next week!

Here's what you heard:

Cake - “Never There”
Filter - “Take a Picture”
Foo Fighters - “Everlong”
Garbage - “I Think I’m Paranoid”
Faith No More - “A Small Victory”
U2 - “Staring at the Sun”
Radiohead - “Karma Police”
Silverchair - “Tomorrow”
B.A.D. II - “Rush”
Matchbox Twenty - “Real World”
Better Than Ezra - “Good”
Everclear - “Father of Mine”
Shawn Mullins - “Lullaby”
Butthole Surfers - Pepper”
Beastie Boys - “Intergalatic”
Moby & Gwen Stefani - “Southside”
Fatboy Slim - “Praise You”
Eiffel 65 - “Blue”
Robin S - “Show Me Love”
The Cardigans - “Lovefool”
Supergrass - “Alright”
Eve 6 - “Inside Out”
Lit - “My Own Worst Enemy”
Green Day - “Longview”
Barenaked Ladies - “One Week”
L.F.O. - “Summer Girls”
Spice Girls - “Wannabe”
Ace of Base - “The Sign”
Salt-N-Pepa featuring En Vogue - “Whatta Man”
T.L.C. - “Waterfalls”
Mariah Carey - “Fantasy”
Notorious B.I.G. featuring Puff Daddy and Mase - “Mo Money, Mo Problems”
Snoop Dogg - “Gin and Juice”
2pac and Dr. Dre - “California Love”
Bell Biv Devoe - “Poison”
Boyz II Men - “Motownphilly”
Tony Toni Tone - “If I Had No Loot”
Janet Jackson - “(Love Will Never Do) Without You”
En Vogue - “Don’t Let Go (Love)”
Macy Gray - “I Try”
Alanis Morissette - “You Oughta Know”
Natalie Imbruglia - “Torn”
Des’ree - “You Gotta Be”
Arrested Development - “Tennessee”
Blackstreet - “No Diggity”
Notorious B.I.G. - “Big Poppa”
N’Sync - “Tearing Up My Heart”
New Kids on the Block - “Step by Step”
Backstreet Boys - “Everybody (Backstreet’s Back)”
Madonna - “Vogue”
Salt-N-Pepa - “Shoop”
Michael Jackson - “Black and White”
Dee-Lite - “Groove Is in the Heart”
La Bouche - “Be My Lover”
Vengaboys - “We Like to Party”
Britney Spears - “…Hit Me Baby One More Time”
Christina Aguilera - “Genie In a Bottle”
House of Pain - “Jump Around”
Kris Kross - “Jump”
Montell Jordan - “This Is How We Do It”
Heavy D and The Boyz - “You Can’t See What I Can See”
Ginuwine - “Pony”
LL Cool J - “Mama Said Knock You Out”
Ice Cube - “It Was a Good Day”
Prince and the New Power Generation - “Cream”
Brandy and Monica - “The Boy Is Mine”
Sugar Ray - “Fly”
John Mellencamp - “Wild Night”
Sublime - “What I Got”
Goo Goo Dolls - “Name"
Counting Crows - “A Long December”

Co-Songs of the Week 11/18/11

John Wesley Harding - "If You Have Ghosts"
Ted Leo - "The Back Seat of My Car"

Saturday night at The Bell House I somehow made it through 5+ hours of standing for an amazing double bill of Robyn Hitchcock and John Wesley Harding and The Minus 5. The evening closed out with some fine covers, two of which really stood out.

First Harding and the Minus 5 finished their set with Roky Erikson's "If You Have Ghosts," a song I had totally forgotten. Harding's cover was released on 1990's Where the Pyramid Meets the Eye and we played the hell out of it at WICB. I had to dig out that album after the show and made sure to rip in a few tracks into iTunes. Here's the bizarre video made for it:



After a brief break, Ted Leo came out and led the Minus 5 through a blistering take on Paul McCartney's "The Back Seat of My Car." Leo originally recorded it for the 2009 WFMU benefit album called Tom, which was a track by track cover of Macca's Ram. I really wished I had been filming Leo's performance. Here's the studio version:



And here's Leo doing a solo performance of it earlier this year:

Song of the Week 11/11/11

Goo Goo Dolls - "Name"



I heard this song twice in the space of 11 hours this weekend. Someone was going to attempt it at the world's most bizarre karaoke bar, Shenanigans, on Saturday night. But the track started and no one came up to the mic. That poor soul missed out on singing in front of a packed house--and the almost-brawl I got swept up into.

The following morning I heard it as I eating brunch at the local diner, a place that I waited to enter for 11 years. (Hey, it's on the other, sketchier side of McDonald Ave. I had a perfectly good reason to not be a customer there.)

Goo Goo Dolls are one of the few bands that I was a fan of for many years that suddenly stumbled upon big time success. I was stunned when "Name" hit number-one on the alternative chart, and totally flummoxed when the song became a Top 10 pop hit. I hadn't heard "Name" in a long time, and those two random plays made me remember that at one point I loved the song--and the Goo Goo Dolls

Song of the Week 11/4/11

The Carpenters - "We've Only Just Begun"




I downloaded this song for a special birthday mix, and then heard it in Foodtown days later.

I'd write more, but I don't want to think about the last time I saw Karen Carpenter on TV. She was SO damn skinny. Such a sad tale.

Song of the Week 10/28/11

Mike Viola - "Me and My Drinking"

Mike Viola has a knack for crafting great classic pop songs that have a healthy (well, perhaps unhealthy) dose of darkness to them. "Me and My Drinking" from Electro De Perfecto is another shining example of his art.

I would suggest not listening to this song in a darkened bedroom late at night if you're depressed and alone. It's not for the faint of heart, or those with booze issues.

Song of the Week 10/21/11

Wilco - "Dawned on Me"



I can honestly say that this song may have saved my life. I was upstate yesterday morning, driving to get a blood test at 6:05 a.m. I had slept about two hours the night before and couldn't have any caffeine before this blood test. I felt myself drifting off when WDST out of Woodstock started playing "Dawned on Me." I received an instant jolt of energy as well as something to focus on. That helped me when I saw that deer out of the corner of my eye. It didn't move into the road but at least I was aware enough to not under or overreact.

And it was kind of humorous That I heard "Dawned on Me" in a car for the first time just as it was dawn.

Song of the Week 10/14/11

Ryan Adams - "Ashes & Fire"



I've only listened to this new Ryan Adams album once so far, so I think it's still too early for a proper review. I can say that I never realized how distinctive Norah Jones' piano playing can be. I would hear the piano on almost every track (except this one) and think, "Is that Norah again?" I'd check the credits, and yup, it would be.

I heard "Ashes & Fire" Thursday night on WFUV, then when I listened to the album earlier today and then downstairs at Starbucks like an hour ago. So it's another obvious SOTW.

Song of the Week 10/7/11

John Denver - "Take Me Home, Country Roads"

Some times a video says it all.

Who doesn't love a road trip sing-a-long?

Party Like It's 1999 10/7/11

Wow, who knew we could get such a great turnout for a gig that didn't start until 11 p.m. Thanks again for coming out. Our next edition is November 23rd, the night before thanksgiving.

Here's what you heard last night until the wee hours.

R.E.M. - “Losing My Religion”
Cracker - “Teen Angst”
Sugar - “A Good Idea”
Paul Westerberg - “Waiting for Somebody”
Soul Coughing - “Circles”
U2 - “Even Better Than the Real Thing”
B.A.D. II - “Rush”
Fatboy Slim - “Praise You”
DNA featuring Suzanne Vega - “Tom’s Diner”
O.M.C. - “How Bizarre”
Cardigans - “Lovefool”
No Doubt - “Just a Girl”
New Radicals - “You Get What You Give”
Sister Hazel - “All For You”
Spin Doctors - “Little Miss Can’t Be Wrong”
Stroke 9 - “Little Black Backpack”
Depeche Mode - “Personal Jesus”
Crystal Waters - “100% Pure Love”
Blur - “Girls and Boys”
Snoop Dogg - “What’s My Name”
2pac & Dr. Dre - “California Love”
Montell Jordan - “This Is How We Do It”
Mark Morrison - “Return of the Mack”
Notorious B.I.G. - “Juicy”
TLC - “No Scrubs”
Warren G. & Nate Dogg - “Regulate”
Destiny’s Child - “Say My Name”
Bell Biv Devoe - “Poison”
MC Hammer - “U Can’t Touch This”
Spice Girls - “Wannabe”
Mariah Carey featuring O.D.B. - “Fantasy (Remix)”
Aaliyah - “Are You That Somebody”
Mary J Blige - “Real Love”
Monica - “Don’t Take It Personal (Just One of Dem Days)”
Usher - “Nice n Slow”
Pras featuring Michel, ODB & Mya - “Ghetto Superstar”
Wreckx-N-Effect - “Rump Shaker”
Backstreet Boys - “Everybody (Backstreet’s Back)”
NSync - “I Want You Back”
Third Eye Blind - “Semi-Charmed Life”
Rancid - “Ruby Soho”
Green Day - “Basket Case”
Nirvana - “Smells Like Teen Spirit”
Blink 182 - “All The Small Things”
Weezer - “Buddy Holly”
No Doubt - “Spiderwebs”
Chumbawamba - “Tubthumping”
Ace of Base - “The Sign”
The Fugees - “Ready or Not”
En Vogue - “Free Your Mind”
Naughty By Nature - “Hip Hop Hooray”
Cypress Hill - “Insane in the Brain”
Coolio - “Gangsta’s Paradise”
Arrested Development - “Tennessee”
Biz Markie - “Just a Friend”
Blackstreet - “No Diggity”
Salt N Pepa - “Shoop”
Aqua - “Barbie Girl”
La Bouche - “Be My Lover”
Janet Jackson - “If”
Dee-Lite - “Groove Is in the Heart”
SWV - “Right Here/Human Nature”
R. Kelly - “Bump n Grind”
Madonna - “Take a Bow”
Duran Duran - Ordinary World”
Lisa Loeb - “Stay”

Song of the Week 9/30/11

KISS - "100,000 Years (Live)"



Over the past two years I've acquired a bunch of vinyl -- perhaps reacquired is a better word, because 90% of this as-yet-to-be fully listened to catalog features albums that I had as a kid or a teenager. I usually end up listening to these albums when I'm working on the computer in my little micro-office in the bedroom or while I'm cleaning parts of the apartment. Today while doing dishes and putting away laundry I listened to KISS Alive!, the 1975 double album that kickstarted their career. (It was the next-to-last piece of vinyl I had yet to play. The last? ELO's double-LP opus Out of the Blue.) It's the first time I've listened to it since 1976 or 1977. Back then my cousin Bob and I were big KISS fans and between us had almost their entire catatlog on (wait for it) 8-track. While I think KISS is just a goofy money machine now, when I was eight years old they were mysterious, dark and scary (especially when Gene Simmons was sticking out his tongue).

When I got to side 3, I looked at "100,000 Years" and thought, "How the hell can KISS have a track that clocks in at over 10 minutes long?" When the song started I realized exactly why -- it was the showcase for solos featuring Gene Simmons' mediocre bass skills, Peter Criss's somewhat capable drumming and Paul Stanley's annoyingly high-pitched stage banter. I stopped washing my silverware and started laughing at how ludicrious it was. And I think you should get a laugh out of it too. So here's "100,000 Years" from that 1975 tour. Seriously, this is just so stupid.

Song of the Week 9/23/11

R.E.M. - “It Happened Today”



I had a feeling that this day would come soon. I wasn’t sure if it was this year, but after R.E.M. decided to not tour behind this year’s Collapse Into Now it seemed that a decision to split was inevitable. The hints were there in all the songs. The music that Peter Buck and Mike Mills composed quoted parts of the band’s catalog (“Blue” sounding like a sequel to Out of Time’s “Country Feedback,” “Oh My Heart” coming off like an Automatic For the People outtake) while Michael Stipe’s lyrics contained many references to people moving on with their lives (“Walk It Back” -- Time, time, time it cannot revive/You, you can't turn away/You asked me to stay/but something needs to change; “All the Best” -- “Let's sing it a rhyme/Let's give it one more time/Let's show the kids how to do it fine, fine, fine, fine.”). I wanted to ignore these signs and hope for more from this late career renaissance. I’m in the critical minority on this, but I think 2008’s Accelerate is one of their Top 5 albums ever and that Collapse Into Now keeps growing in stature every time I listen to it.

Full disclosure -- I am friends with Scott McCaughey, who’s been a touring and recording member of R.E.M. for 17 years. During the decade I’ve known Scott I’ve gotten to see him play with the band three times. The pure joy he displayed performing his friends songs made me smile every time. I sent Scott a brief note on the day the split was announced. I told him how sorry I was to hear the news and hoped that he and everyone around the band was feeling okay. I added, “I'm sure it's a weird time since they're you're friends and bandmates. But at least they're going out on a high note with the last two albums.” He wrote back to me, “I do appreciate your comment about going out on a high note -- I feel that way too.”

One of those high notes is “It Happened Today.” It includes more of those foreshadowing lyrics from Stipe (“And close in on a promise after, after all I've done today/I have earned my voice”) and the last 1:50 features Stipe, Mills and guest vocalist Eddie Vedder doing a wordless chorus that pulls you in and takes you to majestic heights. It’s a stunning moment in a career filled with plenty of them. I’ve never met Eddie Vedder, but from all accounts he’s a man that has respect and enthusiasm for the acts inspired him growing up. I saw his unbridled joy inducting--and singing with--R.E.M. at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ceremonies a few years ago. So I can imagine that he was honored, thrilled, and perhaps a bit nervous when they band asked him to sing on “It Happened Today.” I’m sure he wanted to deliver for R.E.M., and most certainly does with a magnificent vocal turn on it. It’s no surprise that on Wednesday night Vedder lead Pearl Jam through a powerful cover of “It Happened Today.” (I posted it below--It’s worth watching.)

Honestly, I’m still processing this decision. I can’t yet put into words just how much this band has meant to me. Right now, all I can say is thank you to Michael Stipe, Mike Mills, Peter Buck (and Bill Berry too) for many years of providing comfort, inspiration and joy.

Song of the Week 9/16/11

Bright Eyes - "Landlocked Blues"

Another year at the ACL Festival, another three days of great music. There were multiple highlights, but this was my favorite song of the weekend by far. Just a killer performance of one of my favorites from I'm Wide Awake It's Morning.

Song of the Week 9/9/11

Average White Band - "Pick Up the Pieces"



I heard this song on WCBS-FM when I woke up yesterday. And then I heard it as I was going to sleep. That was kind of bizarre, especially with all the 9/11 stuff about picking up the pieces of our lives 10 years ago. Totally weird.

Song of the Week 9/2/11

Suicidal Tendencies - "Institutionalized"



Okay, one of the best moments of the year was watching my bandmates play this off the cuff with my friend Ed singing this at our friend Michael's birthday party Tuesday night. It was definitely unexpected.