Music

I've really enjoyed BobOrme's posts in this thread. When it comes to music, we have a LOT in common.

* Exactly right about No Doubt improving on Talk Talk's already amazing "It's My Life".

* Danny Elfman is a genius. Best halloween parties ever, and an amazing "So-Lo" album.

* I'll never tire of "Time After Time".

* For impossible time signatures, start with Rush, progress to Tool, then boggle one's mind at the inconceivable math rock discipline of these two Swedes from Meshuggah.

* Big "seconds" for the Simple Minds and Hoodoo Gurus shout-outs.

I didn't like most of U2's early songs. Their music seemed too simple, with The Edge turning what sounded like one or two guitar cords into full songs. It struck me as being musically lazy and I just didn't get it. I think the band has matured over the years in a very positive way, and they have made some music that I really like....especially this song. It's a beautiful day!

Gotta love the jets in this video!

Most of the top shelf hard rock guitar players appear to be working really hard while performing their craft. Extreme facial contortions and major body sweat are often part of doing the job. Complex and intricate fingering technics using both hands - on the neck and frets, as well as picking the strings and using the whammy or tremolo bar - is not something that is easy for most players. There are a few who make it look kinda easy, but I've never seen a guitar player with this much natural talent. This girl is amazing!

She's only 15 years old!

There has been a lot of "electronica" that I enjoy. New Order wrote and performed one of my all-time favorite songs call Blue Monday. I bought both the album with the short version of this song, and the 12" long play single version of it. I spent very much time dancing to this song during the disco days of the 1980's.

How does it feel when your heart grows cold?

I think Prince is a musical genius and I would rate Purple Rain as one of the top 10 albums ever recorded.

Finding video links to his music is difficult. He must keep a pretty tight reign on what is available online for free...

Sinead O'Connor covered a beautiful love song written by Prince called Nothing Compares 2U. This link shows the song with German translations of the lyrics on the screen. I suspect the song wouldn't have the same appeal if it was actually sung in German. This young woman has a very passionate and powerful voice!

It's been so lonely here, like a bird without a song.

Pat Travers is another artist who I had the pleasure of working with when I was the lighting director at a live music club. His contract addendum sheet included aircraft landing lights as part of the light system, along with specific preferences to the colors of the other stage lights. I had to change the gels on the large cans and put a focus on the system. That means I had to change out the plastic colored film that is framed over the front of large Halogen stage lights and aim all of the stage lights to create a unique scene for the concert. Changing the gels and putting a focus on that part of the system was easy - I had already been doing that stuff for a couple years. But, that concert was my first experience with ACLs. Those suckers are bright! When manually putting a focus on a system, the lights have to be on while you are on a ladder turning knobs on the light mounts. The ACLs were so bright, by the time I got that rack focused, my vision was impaired...not unlike looking into the sun. It took about 4 hours for my eyes to get back to normal!

This is Pat's best known song, and it is a cover, but it doesn't have quite the same effect when being played outside during the day...

Boom Boom! Pat Travers Band on Fremont Street, Downtown Las Vegas

Most guitar players use a single pick. Some guitar players use multiple picks on multiple fingers, like banjo players often do. A rare and very talented guitar player will use multiple picks and a slide, all at the same time. Leo Kottke does all of that, and he does it on a 12-string guitar! I've owned some of his recordings for going on 40 years. I don't know anyone else that can get this much sound out of one guitar!

Vaseline Machine Gun

This song got moderate airplay back in the day, also about 40 years ago...

Eight Miles High

Some pretty good acoustic guitar picking, and excellent harmonies, I've always liked Amie by Pure Prairie League. This is one of those songs that makes me smile every time I hear it. It also reminds me of a very special lady.

Falling in and out of love

Hey Bob. Spring and summer are great for music.This month I`ve seen Todd Rundgren,Billy Bob Thortnon`s
band Boxmasters,and Father John Misty.Todd Rundgren was amazing.He sang all songs from his new album.
He had a techno dj and backup gogo girls singing with a killer light show.Crazy fun night.Next week I`m
going to Memphis for Memphis in May.It last three days with over 40 top name bands.Looking fwd to summer.
I stay in Tunica which is 30 miles from Memphis for my workout and gambling fix. Rock on brother.

'bout time I posted another song! Complex harmonies and fun lyrics, The Longest Time is my favorite Billy Joel song.
Karen sang it to me...a couple years later, I sang it to Nancy.