Plumplechook

Some nice tributes from his old band mates. http://ultimateclassicrock.com/deep-purple-colleagues-fondly-remember-jon-lord/ I remember sneaking into a sound check for Deep Purple back in the mid 70s when I was about 17 (Tommy Bolin era) and Lord was just jamming for about 10 mins on the keyboards. Magic stuff - some blues, some jazz - and then a bit of Bach chucked in for good measure.

I really like WTA. Country Disappeared, One Wing and I'll Fight are great songs (ok - in my opinion!). I have to be in the mood for Bull Black Nova - but the times I have seen the band play it live it has been terrific.

Purchased the Tedeschi Trucks Band live CD 'Everybody's Talking' over the weekend. Wow - what a terrific album! Certainly the best live CD I have heard for years. Some of Derek's guitar work on this album is simply incendiary - particularly his slide solo on 'Midnight in Harlem' which is right up there with Duane Allman's legendery solo on 'In Memory of Elizabeth Reed'. In fact the whole album is a worthy successor to the Allman Bros 'Live at Fillmore East' - it's that good. The whole band, which includes a horn section, are killer and Susan Tedeschi is in fine voice throughout - bot

Scorchio! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i6OMfUleLFM

Saw him twice in Sydney when he was touring here last month - and he was terrific both times. Chatty and engaged - no sign of any issues. He does make quite a lot of references to his previous drug problems - and his propensity to fall off the wagon. But on the evidence of these shows he is in a good place. Hope for his sake (and our sake) that continues.

RIP Robin. Always loved this song which he co-wrote with Barry: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EvsvgsGVUpQ

A sweat-soaked performance from Sam and Dave on the 1966 European Stax tour - with Duck Dunn holding it all together as usual. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_juH0AHvwk

Geraint is terrific. Saw Nick and the band at the Sydney Opera House a few weeks ago. Geraint played a great opening solo set and also got the spotlight to play 'Only A Rose' midway through Nick's set. What a voice (obviously a Welsh thing!).

Warren Haynes cover of 'It Makes No Difference' as a tribute to Levon Helm on the night Levon died:

Glide magazine has pulled together an excellent set of links to all the tributes and obits for Levon. Includes some really moving tributes from the likes of Elvis Costello and Bernie Taupin, as well as great obits from the likes of Village Voice and The Atlantic. Also includes links to videos of various tribute performances by bands in the days following Leon's death. http://www.glidemagazine.com/hiddentrack/love-for-levon-reactions-to-the-death-of-levon-helm/

Lots of good Bowie covers around. This version of Moonage Daydream by Pajama Club from a recent gig I attended in Sydney is one of the better ones I've heard. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-8BY3xPk8IY

The Fleshtones at the Sandringham Hotel, Sydney

Nice piece remembering Levon in my hometown newspaper today (Wellington NZ): http://www.stuff.co....von-Helm-always Choice quote: "There's a moment inside The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down, well moments, as it happens more than once, Helm delivers a press-roll, while singing, to tidy up at the end of the verse and leading into the chorus. That moment, that press-roll, it's 50+ years of drumming history rolled up, as it were, in one flurry of strokes. It's marching band and big-band jazz, it's rock'n'roll, it's fife and drum-band and then that country-croon/bluesy-croak over the top.

The word 'icon' is probably used too much these days - but there really is no other word to describe Levon Helm - a genuine icon of American music. A mighty oak has fallen today.

That should be the title of the next Wilco live album. Tip of the hat Lotti. Awesome thread.

Some shockers here I haven't seen before. http://blog.tastebuds.fm/worst-album-covers-of-all-time/ including:

Check him with the Byrds - second song is a lovely version of 'You Ain't Going Nowhere'. I really like this comment posted on this: "It is so wonderful to see this clip. Earl Scruggs was and is such an inspiration to all musicians. At a time when the old and the young were really suspicious of each other (mostly because of pot and the vietnam war) Earl extended his hand to the young folks and acknowledged that they were part of the tradition of music too. Like Johnny Cash, he is a real American treasure." http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KWXulD-gxuw

Sad day indeed. What an amazing musician:

Was at this Pajama Club gig in Sydney last week which featured the whole Finn family on stage - Neil, Sharon on bass, Liam on guitar , and Elroy on drums. Awesome gig - including this terrific cover of Bowie's Moonage Daydream.

You are on a board where someone just posted 'Don't Re-Nig in 2012' as an example of a 'good' recent bumper sticker they had seen. Question answered.

Tonight (Feb 28) - Ryan Adams, Sydney Opera House March 15 - Pajama Club (with Liam Finn guesting), Art Factory Sydney March 29 - Nick Lowe, Sydney Opera House April 3 - My Morning Jacket, Enmore Theatre Sydney April 13th - Yes, State Theatre Sydney

Spot Jeff, Glenn, John and Pat (fleetingly) in this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-kQk0BpeyLg

Aussie journalist Mike Carlton's take on the Republican primaries from the Sydney Morning Herald. One of my new year's resolutions was to ignore the Republican primaries in the United States, but I have broken it already. They have a horrible, irresistible fascination, not unlike watching a funnel web spider crawling across your lounge-room carpet. All those spray-on tans, those spray-on first names - Mitt, Newt, Rick, Ron - and worse, those spray-on opinions confected out there on the lunar right. These people have spun so far off any rational policy axis that they make George W. Bush

Surely one of the saddest most beautiful songs ever.