brownie

They said early on it was going out over 37 (?) different networks. I channel surfed a bit and found it was on at least 5 different networks that I get. I know it was on Ion, WE, NJTV (PBS), and AMC. I'm pretty sure I caught it on one of the major networks (ABC?) at least for a short time.

I watched the first couple of hours of this and really enjoyed it. But the one thought that kept coming to mind as the show progressed was these were, for the most part, old men. Will anyone be able to stage a big show like this in, say, 10 years, when I would guess most of these guys will have been forced to retire due to just not being able to do this any more? Who would play? As I said, I really enjoyed it, but the average age of the participants was striking to me.

And even that is absurd. I can think of one household in my friends/family circle that hits this mark. Everyone else does not (including me), and I live in a very high cost of living area. Frankly, most of my friends are one-adult households. Some are still trying to support children, some are not. As for my family, most are two-income households, but none come near this level...maybe half, at best. Exactly.

Yo La Tengo, 1984/1985 at Maxwells in Hoboken NJ...opening for everyone! Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think that 28 years (!!!) later, I'd be reading a book about them. Also, Emily Wells opening for Joseph Arthur at City Winery in NYC a couple of years ago. I have not been able to see her since, but she certainly caught my ear!

Louie, Tell your wife I totally stand behind these two issues from over here in NJ, where we are not legally allowed to strike. (so we suffer, mostly in silence)

I am a teacher, but not in Chicago. What do I think? I think that salary is the least of the problems here. Teachers are now expected to be miracle workers, and to be accountable for things they have no control over. I have been teaching for 10 years. I am hardworking, dedicated, and love my students. But can I be all things to all kids, and still have any semblance of a life? No. I do not expect to be teaching after another year or two. It wouldn't matter if they doubled my salary. I can't make every kid successful, without some sort of accountability on the part of the kids....an

Been there, tried to do that. I once donated a substantial amount of money to a candidate I really believed in. Then I tried to volunteer my time (back when I had time to volunteer). The candidate's organization didn't want my time, they wanted more money. (Which I did not have.) So no volunteer hours for me because they didn't want me. However, I received beautiful engraved invitations to $5000/plate dinners for years. (Not that I could afford that kind of money, ever!) That sort of soured me on the whole "contribute and volunteer" thing. I do wish you better luck than I had.

Maybe evil is too strong a word. But he hasn't lived up to expectations (although perhaps no one could have) and he is certainly hurting my profession. I already said I was going to vote for him again...what more do you want?

No! Like I said, I am planning to vote for Obama, but at this point, it's not because I truly believe in him (as I did 4 years ago), now he's simply the lesser of two evils.

I am better off than I was 4 years ago. I am definitely worse off than I was 12 years ago. I don't know what the answer is. I enthusiastically voted for Obama in 2008. I am thinking I will vote for him again in 2012, but only because he "isn't Romney." I even went so far as to google "alternative party candidates 2012", and don't find anyone better than Obama. If I'm missing something, please let me know.

The way I see it, if I make a copy of a CD for a friend (who would never have bought it in the first place, or even listened to it), and that leads them to become a fan of the artist, purchase subsequent concert tickets, and purchase subsequent recordings, then I have supported that artist.

Yes! I'm a big, big fan of Treme. I have always loved New Orleans music, but kind of got away from it for a long time, but Treme brought me right back. I finished up with season two a few weeks back, but still need to watch the extras and listen to the commentaries. I do think some of the main characters were a bit too isolated this season, compared to season one - for example Janette the chef, and Ladonna the bar owner. But overall, I just love the show - it manages to portray so many aspects of New Orleans culture.

Wow. I am much older than you. 19 years older, in fact! But something about the albums that were released in 1994 really stands out to me. I don't think there has been a year, before or since, that has produced more of my favorite music. I don't have, to hand, right now, what albums I love that were released during that year, but I know there were many. I wish I had the time to sort through them all and name some for you! When and if I have more time I will add more substance to this post. But for now I'll just say that 1994 was a very good year, musically! I am saying this witho

No Facebook for me either, and no interest in joining up there. I really appreciate Via Chicago. There don't seem to be many of these places left that still get a decent amount of traffic and posts.

Thanks for the heads up! I am finding that Joe's songs always make me feel like I've always known them. They are familiar to me even though I haven't heard them before. (What's that all about?) I've seen Joe at City Winery in NYC the past 3 New Year's Day's. I think this is becoming a tradition for me. *laughs* What I can't seem to get my head around is how he writes all these very intense songs, but on stage is a complete goofball. This does not compute. I love him anyway. I still see him as often as I can, and out of probably half a dozen times now, I've only been disappointe

I did! I also discovered the Pernice Brothers, Joseph Arthur, and Calexico via compilation CDs from those two magazines. Unfortunately, I had to give it up about 10 years ago because I no longer had the time to devote to it, nor the money for the Uncut unsubscription (I think it was over $200/year). But yeah, it worked for me, at a time when I had absolutely no other outlet to hear new music I might like. Each of those four artists is still one of my favorites. Nowadays I get exposure to new stuff via satellite radio.

I discovered Wilco from a track on a compilation CD that came with a magazine. I can't remember now if the magazine was CMJ or Uncut, but it was around the time Summerteeth came out. I think the track was I Can't Stand It. I can't swear that was the track, it was so long ago now, but I bought Summerteeth immediately and have been hooked ever since.

I hadn't listened to radio for probably 20 years or so. Then I got a new car a couple of years ago that came with a free trial of satellite radio. Wow, I fell in love with it. I've found a lot of really great new music on satellite radio - mostly on the two channels SiriusXM U and The Loft. And some of the oldies stations pull out stuff I never thought I'd ever hear anywhere other than my own record collection.

Painful and Fakebook are the two that I always go back to.... And I've been seeing this band live since about 1985 or so, if that matters....

Count me in as a Gordon Lightfoot fan. Also, I don't know much about David Bromberg (although I have know his name forever), but I heard a song on the radio just yesterday that was credited to David Bromberg, but the DJ said before he/she (can't remember which!) played it that Dr. John was on it, and it *totally* sounded like a Dr. John record. I love Dr. John. Not a folkie by any sense of the imagination, but an old-timer who is one of the coolest human beings I have ever had the pleasure of seeing perform.

Reasonably priced? Who cares....if they show up in NY I will be there no matter what. This news has made my day...my week...my month...quite possibly my year! I only wish that John Squire seemed at all into that press conference. But that may be John Squire just being John Squire. If they manage to last long enough to make it to NY and I am able to be in that audience (which I will move mountains to do), I will be out of my mind with happiness! (How's that for enthusiasm??! LOL)

An old boyfriend gave me Underwater Moonlight as a Christmas gift in 1985. I'd never heard of them. When I tore the gift-wrapping off and looked at him dumbfounded ("who are the Soft Boys"?), he told me every R.E.M. fan needed to hear that album. I am eternally grateful to him for introducing me to Robyn Hitchcock, whom I've been a fan of ever since. And so began my journey of exploring musicians liked by musicians I like. That journey continues to this day, and has opened me up to so much wonderful music that I can't even begin to recount it all. (Not just from R.E.M.)

Stipe was all about that stuff even 20 years ago. I'm surprised the band lasted as long as did.

R.E.M. changed my life back in 1984. Yes, they literally changed my life. My life for the past 25+ years would not be what it has been if not for R.E.M. I'd always loved music before R.E.M., but they changed everything for me - what I listened to and why, what I did with my spare time....I met the love of my life indirectly because of R.E.M....I learned how to play guitar by ear because of R.E.M. (rather than just boring old sheet music)....i could go on and on. They literally changed my entire life, and it has remained changed for 27 years! Am I sad about the news? No. I wish they wou

I can't stop listening to One Sunday Morning. I have not paid attention to the lyrics yet, but the sound is so peaceful and soothing, both the music and also Jeff's voice. This song is by far the standout track for me. The rest ain't too shabby either. But this one song seems to stand head and shoulders above the rest for me. I do think this song will become one of my all time favorite Wilco songs.