Probably my favorite Christmas carol. And probably my favorite rendition.
Celtic meets Renaissance Faire! Excellent!
(I first published this post on July 17, 2007, then again on June 19, 2008, then in 2009...so I'm a bit late this year. It's a good tradition - summer. This is one of my all-time favorite posts on PASSION = TRUTH. Read it.)
"Kepeli" means, "Jeffrey", in Hawaiian. It also means...it's Summertime! Did you forget? Come on! Remember how you enjoyed it as a kid? Just 'cause you're longer in the tooth than you were 20, 30 or 40 years ago doesn't mean you have to be wallflower. So - "Papa-ooma-mow-mow, papa-ooma-mow-mow"! Let's make it a tropical, surf's up, Hawaiian summer and I'll supply the lei! Wink, wink.
1.) Rent Blue Hawaii - my favorite Elvis movie. Featuring classics like Blue Hawaii, Ku-u-i-pu, Rock A Hula Baby, Ito Eats, Slicin' Sand, Can't Help Falling in Love and the gorgeous Joan Blackman who plays Elvis' love interest (and who I heard is a bit cuckoo these days).
2.) "Aloha". Learn to speak Hawaiian. Seriously, this website is one of the oddest, most useless websites I've ever been on. But you've gotta check it out.
3.) Go ahead - try a fruity drink. Mai Tai, Blue Hawaiian, Hula Dancer, Pink Panties Dropper, Sex on the Beach, Waverider or Zombie. (Ask my Aunt Evelyn about Mai Tai's ...ralphhh!). And throw an umbrella in it (if it's not there already). No one will question your manhood, boys. At least, not in front of you. Mmmmmmm...good! 
6.) Learn to surf. Easier said then done, according to my best friend, Tom Kazar. My brother, Jason, is itchin' to learn - me too, actually. But it's the sharks, you see. Fear not! You don't have to be on the coast to "shoot the curl". There are a ton of waterparks with wave-makers that will simulate surfing. Cowabunga, dork!
9.) Oh, yah. It's time to take down those gorgeous Christmas icicle lights hanging off the rain gutter and replace them with Tiki lights and other assorted Tiki decor. Go ahead - it'll all be OK. Christmas is only five months away.
I've had the pleasure of reading some enjoyable biographies - Thomas Jefferson, Bruce Dern, Frank Lloyd Wright, Mike Farrell (MASH), Daniel E. Sickles, Brett Favre, Ricci Martin (Dean's son) Vince Lombardi, Howard Stern, Frank McCourt, Dennis Wilson, The Beach Boys, Abbie Hoffman.
Think I'll pick a music genre. Which autobiography do you think I'll end up buying? Keith Richards or Ricky Martin? Hmmmmmm.....I'm an unpure purist, something like that.
Before celebrating Christmas Eve with my family, I spent an hour listening to music at a coffee shop in Rochester called Stir Crazy. Prior to the musicians performing, the owner played a few selections from Sting's new Christmas CD. The song below was on it. This guitarist made me think of the Hurdy Gurdy Man.
It's Earth Day today. Listen to what Dennis Wilson of The Beach Boys was singing about back in 1977. Get out of the microcosm that's your own world and think about the rest of us who are here enjoying the Earth with you.
No...I'm not kidding. I listen to NPR a lot. And I've heard a lot of odd-ball stories - but not on NPR. This is a cake-topper. "For those who think all Cajun music sounds exactly the same, a new CD tries to dispel that pervasive and dangerous myth...a whopping 55 minutes of unadulterated solo triangle."
Those are NPR's words - not mine. Christine Balfa is the leader of the Cajun band, Balfa Toujours - and she's the daughter of legendary Cajun fiddler, Dewey Balfa. She sings and plays guitar with the band, but on this solo album, it's pure triangle. "Pure", baby.
Producer Chas Justus explains, "Melodic or harmonic content just gets in the way of, you know, what the triangle can really...The nuances that can really be brought out...You'll notice the nuances and the differences."
Now I dare you - no...I challenge you to go the story on NPR. There's an interview with Justus and the interviewer mentions two songs from the album, saying non-triangle aficionados might say both tunes sound alike. Or you can listen to two other songs from the album - "Cheres Joues Roses" and "The Balfa Waltz" - listed there in the story. Listen - and learn.
Justus pontificates. "There's a lot of people who think it sounds the same...to some ears it does sound the same, but when you really go through it and get into the music and feel it and love it, you'll notice the nuances."
Above: "PLAY THE MOFO TRIANGLE, white boy!"
Really, Chas? "Nuances" of the triangle? Part of me is saying this story is a joke. That the interviewer can't be serious. But that's not NPR's m.o. I shit you not - in both sets of songs - do they NOT sound exactly the same? Now perhaps I'm just a dumb ass. Perhaps I'm tone deaf and didn't know it. Could it be..no. I'm definitely not an anti-triangle-ite, am I? I have not one issue with the triangle as a musical instrument in combination with other instruments. Matter-of-fact, I'm sure Brian Wilson has used a triangle in a number of his songs. But the triangle as a solo instrument? Na-uh. Don't take my word for it. Listen yourself.
"No overdubs," as Justus states. "Lightning in a bottle." Really, Chas? (Didn't I just say that?) Well, I just purchased Taylor Mills' latest album "Lullagoodbye". And there's not a one triangle to be heard. I'll stick with Taylor.
Here's a few more videos taken the night I saw Taylor Mills at Pancho's. Thanks renegade79 and SheriH for the videos. ACDC's "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap", Pearl Jam's "Better Man" and Led Zeppelin's "Ramble One".
I mentioned in an earlier post that I was going to see Taylor Mills, who sings back-up for Brian Wilson's band, at Pancho's in Manhattan Beach this past weekend. Her husband, drummer Todd Sucherman (Styx) was performing with his buddies, house band, Day After Daze.
First off, what a treat to see Taylor sing a couple sings while not in her usual role as a back-up singer with Brian. Secondly, what a treat it was to finally meet her. Lovely girl (and she didn't kick me). We had very nice 5-minute conversation (with her friends there you hate to "intrude"). You know how it is - you see someone perform with your favorite artist (Brian) and you feel like you "know them"? Well she was very gracious - she's a Facebook friend which is how I knew about the concert. Sucherman's drumming was top shelf. I commented to Taylor on how can one really discern one good drummer from another. Musicians can. The general public? Probably not. But not just any drummer gets a 10+ year gig with Styx and - like when I saw John Cowsill drum in Studio City a couple weeks ago - something about Todd's style and persona on stage led me to think "this guy's good".
Aside from Pancho's being so packed two greased pigs wouldn't have fit inside, it's a great venue and Day After Daze rocked. Oh - special guest drummer = Chris Slade, from ACDC, Manfred Mann, Uriah Heap and The Firm. He's 63 and rocks the drums.
More YouTube links to follow of the band.
Ervin Drake wrote music and lyrics in 10 minutes. He turns 90 this month. Here's the story from the Wall Street Journal.
John Lennon's poignant line drawings, known to many around the globe, spring to life as they made their animated debut in the video for the legendary musician's "I'm Losing You" track from the four-CD boxed set The John Lennon Anthology (1998).
"I'm Losing You" features Rick Nielsen on guitar and Bun E. Carlos on drums, (from Cheap Trick) and bassist Tony Levin (from King Crimson), each of whom played on the original version of the song with Lennon in 1980. In a playful and whimsical fashion, well known animator David Spafford has extended upon Lennon's original drawings, making them come to life as they float through and interact with the musicians 1998 live performance.
Heard this song on NPR's Morning Becomes Eclectic yesterday and can't get it out of my head. Give'r a listen (but pause the jukebox at the top of the page first).
Some people hate bagpipes. I love them. Some people say that all bagpipe music sounds the same. I say "KILL THOSE BASTARDS!"
And pause the jukebox at the top of the page. This film was shot at Lowender Peran Celtic Music Festival in Perranporth Cornwall, October 2008. Lowender Peran is the largest global clan gathering and Festival of the Celts, featuring Celtic Music, Dance, Poetry and Cultural events from Brittany, Ireland, Isle of Man, Scotland and Wales, held annually in Perranporth Cornwall.
The film features Lord Edward's Own Pipe Band, which was founded in Narraghmore, Co. Kildare, Ireland, just over 90 years ago. You'll wanna skip the preliminary shite and go to the 1:20 mark.
I didn't want to go overboard on the pipes (but I do love them), check out this massed drums and pipes show at night from the opening of the August 19, 2008 Edinburgh Tattoo. It's pretty cool.
Remember that song from 1987? "My name is Luka. I live on the second floor."
Still hate that song. But apparently not as much as Twenty Major, an Irish blogger from Dublin (one of the most popular). I check him out from time to time. And some people say I'M a curmudgeon? He's got a great writing style - if you read his posts out loud, you WILL sound Irish. No shit. My only criticism of Twenty Major is that he needs to curse more in his blog posts.
With him around there will always be someone who's more curmudgeonly than your's truly.
Don't know why this particular photo of the family noted "Barry" and "Bill" - unless it was to denote which of the siblings had passed away. Anyway. as long as I've been blogging away about The Cowsills - found this shot of the family that I liked. Mom and Dad on the right. Susan blowing a bubble. Bob wearing his madra shirt proudly. Paul looking off in a "zone" and John looking dapper in his tennis and neck scarf.
The Cowsills rule!!
FINALLY! You don't realize half the trouble I went through to post this video. First it wouldn't post on Blogger. Then it posted but the video was lying on its side on Imeem. Then rightside up but hazy on Imeem. Hazy on MySpace. Hazy on Facebook. On its side on Vimeo. I almost ended it all.
You remember this song, don't you? Like how I framed it in that late 60's/early 70's pukish orange? By the way, ALWAYS PAUSE THE JUKEBOX ABOVE WHEN you listen to videos, OK? From last Saturday night - The Cowsills at the Fox and Hounds Pub in Studio City. Bob Cowsill on lead vocals and John Cowsill drumming. This song appeared in Dumb & Dumber (they talk about it in the beginning). Listen for John's sound effects at the end - apparently he's quite the mimic. Did I mention that the entire night I was standing next to John's wife (we talked a bit) and I didn't know that SHE was Vicki Peterson, co-founder of The Bangles? Oh - and watch John's facial expressions around the 1:10 mark - not sure if he's serious or being sarcastic but he morphs for a second into his "drumming performance face" from the late 60's.
You can listen to a Cowsill song from 1998 in the post below and three posts below I have an entire story on The Cowsills with the "Hair" video I took. The Cowsills rule!
I say that because the clipping I received from my buddy Nicko in CR (scratch and sniff below) from Mojo smelled like those Mexican desserts - churros. It was either the bubble mailer the CDs he burned for me came in or the Verbatim CDRs.
In December, I blogged about Rolling Stone's Reissue of the Year for 2008 went to Dennis Wilson's Pacific Ocean Blue (POB). Dennis - co-founder and drummer of The Beach Boys who passed away in 1983 - originally released POB as his first solo album in 1977 to wide critical acclaim, proving Dennis was more than a boozer, womanizer, partier and surfer-dude-drummer.
The interview above from Mojo is with Taylor Hawkins of Foo Fighters. Hawkins had a big hand in finishing Dennis' Holy Man, a tune meant to be on Wilson's second solo album, Bambu, but was left unfinished (as was Bambu). Here's what Taylor Hawkins had to say about Dennis and POB.
Incidentally, here's some of the other reissues that made the RS list: #2 Bob Dylan's Tell Tale Signs, #7 Marvin Gaye's Here, My Dear #11 Little Willie John's Nineteen Sixty Six, #13 Willie Nelson's One Hell of A Ride, and #16 Gene Vincent's Million Shades of Blue.
:) - just can't keep those Beach Boys down, can ya?
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