PopTodd

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.

Damn, I miss seeing Jonathan live!

God Angrily Clarifies "Don't Kill" Rule

Probably had a much cooler conversation with him because you didn't recognize him.

I've had email exchanges with a few other lead singers. Does that count at all? Ian Gomm Martin Newell Jeff Lescher (Green)

Now, THIS soon-to-be-released collection looks really interesting: I was wondering if and when a Jim Ford recording of my "Ju Ju Man" was going to ever surface. Sounds like it could be a trainwreck, but I don't care. When it comes to Ford, I think that I am going to have to be a completist. He is just too damn good. ("On a whole nother level," as declared by none other than Nick Lowe.) TRACKLISTING 1. Looking Over My Shoulder 2. We're Not Burning Bridges 3. Heartaches By The Number 4. I'd Be Ahead If I Could Quit 5. Throwing Footballs At Airplanes 6. It's Just A Picture Show 7. Out Of Sc

Heard him interviewed on NPR about this last week. Guess that he's a huge blues fan, a pretty good piano player, and has been wanting to do this for a long, long time. AMG review:

Just went to Border's over the weekend, and picked up a bunch of CDs for $5 or less, a piece: The Sea and Cake - The Moonlight Butterfly Black Francis - Nonstoperotic Jenny Lewis - Acid Tounge Tom Zé - Estuando a Bossa: Nordeste Plaza Not a bad haul. Oh, and that Ric Menck disc is pretty good. Not the 4.5-star masterpiece that AMG proclaimed it, but still rock-solid power pop that's an enjoyable listen and (strongly) adheres to the conventions of the genre.

I love Hopper, too. I love the psychology of his paintings -- the things they evoke. The loneliness of the lone figure in "Nighthawks at the Diner" being the most famous example. But then in this one: What, or who, is casting that shadow across the ground around the fire hydrant? There are little evocations like that in just about everything he's done.

Just ordered from Amazon. I'll check in when I get to listen to this thing.

Not a lead singer, per se, but certainly the lead guy in his band (Dixie Dregs): Steve Morse. Saw him walking by at a NAMM show when I was 16 and I caught his attention. Told him that I was a big fan. He gave me a big smile, thanked me, and asked me if I had anywhere to be. I didn't. "Come on, take a walk with me to the Ernie Ball booth!" On that walk he gave me all kinds of tips on how to practice guitar and just generally shot the shit. A super incredibly nice guy who was really generous with his time. Basically an ideal "meeting one of your idols" situation.

This is super, crazy cool.

This is just a little more than a little brilliant: