PopTodd

Fave. active American band: Magnetic Fields, I guess. (Maybe Dolly Parton, Los Lobos or The Roches.) My all-time favorite bands, today: • The Beatles • The Kinks • Harry Nilsson • Tom Zé • Brian Eno • XTC • Toots & The Maytals • Nick Lowe (and all his related projects) • Magnetic Fields • Jimi Hendrix • Neutral Milk Hotel • Jim Ford • Dolly Parton • Smokey Robinson • Shrimp Boat • Martin Newell (and related projects) • Magnetic Fields • John Cale • Wire American bands are bold.

You have any Ike Turner? This collection has a really great bunch of tunes, including more than a few that you could solidly place into "the blues":

Well-played.

Sorry, just to add something about that Magic Sam: You know the song "Sweet Home Chicago"? Yes, it was written by Robert Johnson, but the version that you have heard a million times and gotten so sick of that you think that you are going to puke? ALL of those people's versions are their takes on the Magic Sam version of the song (which appears on the record that I recommended). So, know that when you hear the song, that you are hearing the original. Okay, now for another blues rec: Steve James - Two-Track Mind A 1993 release, this one is pretty cool acoustic resonator guitar fingerstyle pick

Listening now, and the sound is pretty familiar. For the most part, it's the same kind of jazz-inflected proto punk that he played with Richard Hell in the late 70's. We all know that his guitar playing was an essential element in that whole sound. But, as a frontman, he also does it damn well. The songs are rock-solid, and his voice is very similar to that of Richard Hell. Really digging this! Highly recommended for you Voidoid fans out there.

As far as recent stuff, I can't say. But, in general, these are my all-time favorite blues records, in case you haven't heard them before. (Although you probably have.)

Well, music has always been really important to me. This show changed the role it played in my life in a couple of important ways. • First, and most-importantly: I was a struggling guitar player, desperately wanting to be a lead guitar Clapton/Santana kinda guy. I was getting ready to throw in the towel when I went to the show. But the band turned me on to the fact that THE SONG was the thing. And, from that moment on, I began focusing more on songwriting than learning to shred or whatever. • Secondly: They opened my eyes to how cool country music could be. Since then, songwriting has be

I left my CDs at home. Just playing a shuffle. Last 10: "Jealousy" - Blue Ruin "Hammond Song" - The Roches "Fields and Fences" - The Leafs "Something Burning" - Stone Roses "Harlem River Blues" - Justin Townes Earle "Long Black Veil" - Johnny Cash "Kev and Phaline" - Ashtray Boy "When the Sun Don't Shine" - Best Coast "On Again/Off Again" - The Clean "Love Gun" - Cee-Lo Green (feat. Lauren Bennett)

"Do you remember opening for fIREHOSE on Halloween, 1989 at the Blue Note in Columbia?" That is one of those shows that -- literally -- changed my life. (And, I am not using the term "literally" incorrectly here. It really did.)

This one is available at Amazon, used for $0.01. I picked up my copy for the same, from the same place and it is more than worth it. A really, really great album. Trying to think of a comparison, but am coming up a little short. I guess that most Wilco fans will like it a lot, but it doesn't really sound like Wilco. Link: http://www.amazon.com/Circle-C/dp/B000008EBG/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1316431492&sr=1-1 And, here is a review written by the guy who recommended the album to me:

Gentlemen of Obscurity at the Friendly Tap in Berwyn.

Not sure how close it is to rugby, but I have really been enjoying watching Australian Rules Football recently. It looks more like rugby than American Football, but I know that there are some (many) key differences. I'll try to look around to find some rugby on the TV. (But the only time I really have to watch is in bed at night -- and we don't have cable on that set. Hopefully something will pop up like the Aussie league did.)

My father is a Teamster here in Chicago, and has worked on many, many movies. He and Joe Pesci got pretty friendly when working on the Home Alone movies. And, through the same movies, he also got to be pretty friendly with Daniel Stern -- the only one that I had an any extended conversations with. Stern is a really nice guy. Also, recently met Larry the Cable Guy when he was shooting something near my home. My kids came with me to visit Grandpa on the set and Larry came out (at my dad's request) to say "hey" to my kids. He put on the Larry character right away (he's actually from N. Dakota,

Nick Lowe live on Fresh Air (interview and performance): http://www.npr.org/2011/09/15/140037218/the-fresh-air-interview-nick-lowe

Love the Bono story, too. Not what I would have expected. But then, I do remember reading something about him hanging out at the bar where I met my wife, back in the early 90's. It was just a little neighborhood bar on a side street in (what was then) an affordable little neighborhood where a lot of artist-types and older families lived. (Danny's in Bucktown, for you Chicagoans.)

Well... maybe. Apparently there were SACKS full of demo tapes found at his home after he died. Not sure what else is fit for releasing after this new demo collection comes out. The guy was a monster, so I'm waiting to see.

And, today he is being interviewed by perhaps the all-time greatest pure interview: Terry Gross, on Fresh Air. LINK (audio won't be up until around 5:00 or so tonight, Eastern.)

A lot of those songs (all of the songs?) on both Harlan County and The Unissued Capitol Album appear on the 2 compilations that I have -- The Sounds of Our Time and Point of No Return. Plus, there are a bunch of other tracks on the comps that make them more-worth purchasing than the "official" albums.

The first song I ever heard from Nick that I took note of (I was 13 or so.), and an unheralded classic. Great set! And, I love that he's going it solo.