Not feeling it...

Hey guys!

I haven't posted in almost two weeks... I've been settled here for about a week, but I don't know... I'm just not feeling it (the blog) right now.

I'm catching up on all of you guys' blogs and then I'll be deciding what I'm going to do with mine.

Until then...

"The time has come," the Walrus said...

"To talk of many things..."

Well, this summer is coming (quickly) to a close.
It's been a good one -- I got to see some great concerts (see here, here and here), I got to travel to a foreign country, and I was able to get six hours of college classes out of the way. :)

Friday morning I'll be hitting the road back to school! I've got tons of packing to do until then. Yikes. So more than likely I won't be posting again until early next week since I'll be busy setting up my room and getting all settled in.

Until next time...

1997: The Dance

On this day twelve years ago, Fleetwood Mac's live reunion album The Dance was released.

If you haven't seen this live performance of "Silver Springs" from the DVD, you need to watch it. Pronto. If you know anything about the history of this band, it will most likely give you chills. :)

Fleetwood Mac Silver Springs
Uploaded by rasc1944. - Watch more music videos, in HD!

If you didn't know, "Silver Springs" was recorded and actually supposed to be on Rumours. There's a great piano demo of SS floating around out there that could possibly break your heart as well as the original recording on a re-issue of the album.

Random note: Has anyone seen that new picture of Steven Tyler? He looks like a little old lady and it's really... yuck!

Elvis Death Anniversary

I know I don't talk about Elvis much on here (actually come to think of it, I don't think I ever have... oops. My grandmother would disown me if she knew!), but today I am.

Today marks the 32nd anniversary of his death. Nobody can give Elvis enough credit. He is the King of Rock & Roll. He was a great talent that was lost too soon. If you actually look into his journey, he made an incredible mark on music.

I remember this past fall semester when I took History of Rock and Roll, the day we talked about Elvis we watched some footage of his last live performance. The teaching assistant put on this video and stood facing us (in a huge lecture hall filled with 350 people) and she just started bawling:



At the time, I thought "Jeez, this girl is crazy. Why is she crying? This happened such a long time ago and she wasn't even alive."


Well, now I bite my tongue because I watched this late last night:



And guess what? I cried. I don't know why, but I did.

Maybe a few of you guys were old enough to remember his death -- if so, how did you find out and where were you?
Today I encourage you to remember Elvis. Break out that silly Blue Hawaii movie or just randomly search Youtube for some classic live footage.

Les Paul

I think this quote from Keith Richards pretty much sums up the importance of the late Les Paul:
"It has to be said, we must all own up that without Les Paul, generations of flash little punks like us would be in jail or cleaning toilets. This man, by his genius, made the road that we still travel today. I don't know how he did it, but I'm so grateful he did."

Famous Les Paul Players:
Jimmy Page, Eric Clapton, Duane Allman, Pete Townshend, Slash, Joe Perry of Aerosmith, Paul McCartney, Frank Zappa, Don Felder, Lindsey Buckingham, Peter Green, Brian Jones of the Rolling Stones, Neal Schon of Journey, Nancy Wilson of Heart, and the list goes on and on.

There would not have been rock and roll if it weren't for him.

Best Albums of 1973

I'm glad I'm not the only music nerd out there. :)

To kick off this week, let's list our favorite albums from 1973-
Here's mine:

~Desperado - Eagles

~Brothers and Sisters - Allman Bros.

~Eric Clapton's Rainbow Concert (Thanks, r&rguru!) Eric Clapton, Pete Townshend, Ronnie Wood, Steve Winwood, and Ric Grech all jamming together? Yes, please!

~Goats Head Soup - Rolling Stones

~Pronounced... - Lynyrd Skynyrd's debut album

~Mystery to Me - Fleetwood Mac - Although I prefer "Ebony Eyes" (on Bob Welch's solo French Kiss) over "Emerald Eyes," I listen straight through just to get to Christine McVie's "Why." There's plenty of good songs on there besides "Hyponotized."

So... what new records were spinning on your turntable in '73?


P.S. This just makes me extremely happy:

Nerd Alert: Vinyl Album Frames

First, on an unrelated note, I'd like to say that I was saddened to hear of John Hughes' passing.
Not only did he help write some classic '80s movies (Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Pretty in Pink, Breakfast Club, Sixteen Candles, etc), but he was involved with probably my favorite movie of all-time:
Christmas Vacation.

My family and I quote that movie year round, and we've been watching it every Christmas as far as I can remember. The writing in that movie is seriously brilliant. And hilarious.

Moving on...

I had quite a successful day today at my local Half Price Books.
Check out what I left with (each about $4):



You can't make fun of me yet. I know, it's ridiculous. I cleared them out of all their Fleetwood Mac and Stevie Nicks albums.

Here's where you can start making fun of me: I don't have a turntable. I can hear you laughing at me. But all I wanted them for was the covers, which I am going to hang up in my new dorm room in two weeks when I move back to college.

I then proceeded to Target, where I cleared them out of all their 12.5 x 12.5 black album frames (which happened to only be four).

Here's what they look like all framed! Not too bad for used vinyl.





All in a day's work. :)
Oh and if you're wondering why I have them propped up against the windows in my room, it's because my parents didn't see the point in putting holes in the wall for only two weeks. So for now, they stay on my window sills.

I'll be back sometime later this weekend so we can continue our favorite albums discussion!

P.S. Please tell me I'm not the only person that showcases vinyl records?!

Love it or hate it

Wow, you guys listed some awesome albums from 1968.
I highly doubt that any of us could make such long lists from the music in 2009. They just don't make music like they used to. Simple fact.
Whizkid suggested 1973 for the next round -- any other suggestions?


This afternoon I was reading this article and this part jumped out at me:

Saying Rumours is my favorite album is about as bold as saying that my favorite book is The Great Gatsby or my favorite movie is The Godfather.

Which got me thinking...

What are some stereotypical "awesome" albums that pretty much everyone is supposed to like, but for one reason or another you just don't?

I'm not as "musically open" as most of you are -- for instance, I refuse to listen to Bob Dylan. I won't even try. Call me close-minded. I guess I am. I know what I like and I like what I know.

Just as an example, I can take the top 10 of the "500 Greatest Albums of All Time" that Rolling Stone magazine put together and I don't like over half of them.

I'm sorry but (in my ears) there's no way that London Calling is superior to Who's Next. And the first time a Led Zeppelin album appears is at number 29? Give me a break. Isn't it pretty much universally accepted that they are the greatest hard rock band ever?

Well I sort of got off topic there, but comment with your opinions on the RS's messed up list or what albums you're supposed to like as a rock and roll fan, but just can't get into.