Sunday, August 17, 2008

youtube delights: Guru Guru, Kraan, and a classic from Kirk/Clapton/Bruce/Heckstall-Smith/Hiseman/Burton/Martin

YouTube Delights

Guru Guru doing "Electric Junk" in their upstairs apartment funking the shit out!! Put on your karutrock hats and do the electric junk! thanks orangefunk

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Kraan: Sarahs Ritt durch den Schwarzwald (1972) A band I've started exploring and thoroughly enjoy. Now - this is a cool jazz-rock-funk stew. thanks thegrisgris

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

roland kirk, eric clapton, jack bruce, dick heckstall-smith, jon hiseman, ron burton, vernon martin absolutely kickin' out the jams in 1969!! Incredible!!!! Where? What were the circumstances that led to this??? Whatever! Just enjoy this masterpiece from youtube. thanks musikavideosl

*********************

Monday, August 11, 2008

Isaac Hayes R.I.P

isaac in all his gold glory
Isaac Hayes R.I.P 1942-2008

I was sad to hear about Isaac Hayes dying. He seemed to be in such great shape. I've been a fan ever since my Dad bought me "Live at the Sahara Tahoe" in grade 7 and I played it at school and got in shit for playing the "Theme from Shaft", you know, with the swear words in it.

HUSH!!!!!

Hey - it was a fucking Roman Catholic school!

I realized how much I loved his voice when I was into watching every episode of the classic "South Park" and could hardly wait for Isaac as Chef singing the most explicitly sexual songs possible. He was awesome in the role and damn it - should have won an Emmy.


In the past couple of years I got back into appreciating Isaac - especially when I picked up "Hot Buttered Soul" (1969). Great great great album. Since then I've also picked up "To Be Continued" (1970), "Black Moses" (1971) and the classic soundtrack "Shaft" (1972).

Here's his discography: (AMG rating: Rate Your Music rating)
Presenting Isaac Hayes (1967) **** 3.04
Hot Buttered Soul (1969) ***** 4.13 this is classic!!
The Isaac Hayes Movement (1970) ****1/2 3.76
To Be Continued (1970) **** 4.02
Shaft (1971) ****1/2 3.90
Black Moses (1971) ***1/2 3.84 loved it...overblown and crazy!
Joy (1973) **** 3.56
Live at the Sahara Tahoe (1973) ** 3.66 a personal fav
Tough Guys (1974) ** 3.56 1st of 2 soundtracks...i liked isaac as an actor as well...especially his recurring role as Rockford's sidekick in The Rockford Files!
Truck Turner (1974) *** 3.80
Chocolate Chip (1975) *** 3.47
Disco Connection (1976) ** 3.28 the disco era officially begins!
Groove-A-Thon (1976) ** 2.90
Juicy Fruit (1976) **1/2 3.18
A Man and a Woman (1977) w/ Dionne Warwick **1/2 3.52
New Horizon (1977) *** 2.38
For the Sake of Love (1978) *** 2.76
Hotbed (1978) ** 3.63
Don't Let Go (1979) *** 3.13
And Once Again (1980) *** 2.50
Royal Rappins (1980) w/ Millie Jackson ** 3.21
Lifetime Thing (1981) ** no rating
U Turn (1986) ** 2.27
Love Attack (1988) *** 2.02
Wonderful (1994) **1/2 3.38
Branded (1995) **** 3.95
Raw & Refined (1995) **1/2
3.71 bought this for $1.99 in Chatham...excellent and well worth it!

Here's his web site:
Official Site.
%%%%%%%%%%%%

The Guru is getting ready for Canadian Idol. She's a big fan, and I'm at the computer while she watches it so I get sucked in...a little. The music is irrelevant, but the drama can be intoxicating. The contestants seem much more likeable than say - American Idol. Us Canadians are so much nicer. :)
*********************

Sunday, August 03, 2008

Recent things I've liked (music and otherwise), Facebook dilemma and The Missing Link in the WWF!!!

Bah at Spirit Lake
Recent likes

I was walking around Spirit Lake with The Bah and listening to the old mp3 player, and I really got into Mars Bonfire's "Faster Than the Speed of Light" (1969). I mean I like John Kay's rock'n'roll gruff of a voice, but Mars' more understated voice works pretty damn good as well! I loved the Steppenwolf songs (of course, written by Mars aka Dennis Edmonton aka Dennis McCrohan) especially "Ride With Me" which caused me to start singing at the top of my lungs...it also helps to warn the bears!!! Great fucking album that gave me great pleasure.

Another thing I liked was walking around Spirit Lake once again.

The awesome weather when we went to Prince George.

November's first 2 albums: En Ny Tid Ar Har (1970) and 2:a November (1971). This Swedish band plays awesome hard rock with a slight prog edge...and they mainly sing in their own language which I think is a plus - even though I have no clue what they're singing. If you're into dark, early 70s hard rockin psych prog...check this baby out!

My mp3 player.

Doldinger's Motherhood (1970): This was the album prior to starting Passport and I loved it! Hard rockin' jazz with some krautrock touches and you have a hell of an album! I'm also digging Passport!

Blogs that offer downloads. I'm all for supporting the artist, and I still buy all I can afford - but by downloading I discover artists and musicians I otherwise would never have heard...which means, I would never have been able to support. Artists who embrace the Internet are the ones who I feel will be supported in the long run. Believe me guys - your sales start dropping and do you think your record company will show you loyalty?

YouTube.
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Inner Thoughts of the Dog (To Facebook or not to Facebook...that is the question)

The Guru has been getting into Facebook and is loving finding groups from her old days in Welland (ie. people who skated at the roller rink, her old grade school etc.) and making old contacts. It's a very social environment, which is what keeps me away from it.

It has made me think of the past, and the way I left Ontario for BC. Ya see, I was going through a lot of changes - quit drinking, dealing with a major MAJOR depression imbued with lots of anxiety, and I felt no support from my oldest friends. They were openly hostile towards the Guru and seemed to blame her for my going through changes. They wanted the old Harvey Dog with beer in hand. Me. I wanted to leave the old Harvey Dog behind and move on to the next stage of my life...take the Harvey Dog to new adventures.

This caused some friction near the end, and I haven't been in contact with a couple of them. One emailed me, but I didn't respond. I had too much anger? disappointment? hostility? Ya see - he thought I should start drinking again and my problems would go away - and also leave the Guru (which ain't going to happen) so this made me question his friendship. It seemed selfish.

BUT - am I being too hard? am I expecting too much? I don't really know. In situations like this each individual has their own viewpoint and think they're actions are justified. I hate conflict - confrontation, so I fade away instead of dealing with the situation. I've been dealing with the ol' depression and have started enjoying life once again since moving to Haida Gwaii. Working in Life Skills has also opened my eyes and to be more understanding of other people's shortcomings - as well as my own. We're all just trying to deal with the cards life has dealt us and doing the best we can. Now - if you're not trying, then I have no time for you. We all gotta try to become better human beinz. This, to me, is what life is all about. Doin' the best you can. It's never too late to try.

So - should I join Facebook and open myself up to social contact with people from the past OR move on and keep the blog going (good lord, they can contact me through the blog or my email - and I would actually respond these days) and focus on the future letting the past rest where it may?

I really don't know the answer...for today I'm not joining Facebook, but tomorrow????
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Here's my wrestling mentor, The Missing Link in a rare match in the WWF with Bobby "The Brain" Heenan managing! Great stuff! thanks a lot beeyo56!!


******************