Merry Christmas

Here's a clip from the Trailer Park Boys' holiday special entitled "Dear Santa Clause, go fuck yourself", in which Ricky explains the true meaning of Christmas.



... and now some Christmas listening pleasures. -WARNING: the last one is by no means safe for work.

Happy (Belated) New Year!

It's been nearly a month since my last post.
Please enjoy these jazz performances, as I ease myself back into blogging mode.


"Night in Tunisia"

by The Quintet (Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Bud Powell, Charles Mingus, Max Roach) at Massey Hall, Toronto 1953




... and the British acid jazz trio Red Snapper playing "Space Sickness"

SANTA'S reindeer will be flying higher than ever this Christmas...

... after munching magic mushrooms?!

Scientist Andrew Haynes believes reindeer deliberately seek out the mushrooms to escape the monotony of dreary long winters.

... the connection between psychedelic mushrooms and the Santa story has gradually woven itself into popular culture, at least the popular culture of mycology.

Happy Birthday Jorma!!!

The Legendary American blues, folk and rock guitarist, Jorma Kaukonen celebrates a birthday today. He is 70 years old.
Jorma is best known for his work with Hot Tuna and Jefferson Airplane.

For what it's worth, he also made an awesome Christmas album.









Here's a few vids!

Uncle Sam Blues -




Hesitation Blues -



Christmas Rule -

"Don't Let Obama Ruin Christmas"

'tis the season...

... and Jackie & Dunlap have released Red State Update's Christmas album Santa Is Real.



From the front cover - a parody of The Louvin Brothers' classic Satan Is Real album -



all through to the end, this recording is full of inspired holiday hilarity.

Allow Jackie and Dunlap to elaborate in this promotional video.



So many great tunes, but this infectious Caribbean flavored number seems to be my current favorite.



As a bonus, here's R.S.U.'s holiday offering from last year.

Happy Halloween!

Hob-noblin
Wit de goblin
De Goblin Girl
From da mystery world

Hob-noblin
Wit de goblin
She's black 'n green
'Cause it's Halloween

Raggedy black
Is the way she dress
Little green shoes
'N her hair's a mess
On Halloween night
At de costume ball
She's a Goblin Girl
An' she can gobble it all

She's a goblin
A Goblin Girl
She's a goblin
A Goblin Girl
I been hobblin'
'Cause of the Goblin
Goblin Girl . . . Goblin Girl

Some girls like
To dress like a witch
Some girls like to dress like a queen
Best way a girl
Can dress for me
Is in a Goblin Suit
(They look so cute . . . )

When they're a goblin
There ain't a problin
When they're a goblin
I start a-wobblin'
Pink all over
Some is tan
Goblin Girls
From every land
They look good
From any which-a-way
Every Halloween
You can hear me say:
"Goblin Girl, take it away . . . "

Hob-noblin
Wit de goblin
De Goblin Girl
From da mystery world
De Goblin Girl
From da mystery world
(TRICK OR TREAT NOW . . . )
De Goblin Girl
From da mystery world
(TRICK OR TREAT NOW . . . )
De Goblin Girl

From da mystery world

"What's New In Baltimore?"

SEPTEMBER 19 WILL BE DECLARED "FRANK ZAPPA DAY" IN BALTIMORE

Frank Zappa statue to be dedicated on Sunday, September 19 at the Southeast Anchor Branch of the Enoch Pratt Free Library located at 3601 Eastern Avenue.
September 19, 2010 marks the 25th anniversary of Zappa's testimony on Capitol Hill and at Annapolis against the censorship of free expression by artists.



The sculpture is a gift to the city of Baltimore orchestrated by three guys from Lithuania: Saulius Paukstys, Saulius Pilinkus and Arturas Baublys. It is a replica of the bust of Frank Zappa installed in Vilnius (pictured here), created by artist Konstantinas Bogdanas. The gift and location were approved by the Baltimore City Public Art Commission and sanctioned by the family.
Zappa's son Dweezil Zappa will headline a special concert with his Grammy Award-winning band, Zappa Plays Zappa. The stretch of Eastern Avenue between Conkling and Eaton Streets in the heart of the Highlandtown Arts and Entertainment District will be marked 'Frank Zappa Way' with a ceremonial street sign to be unveiled for the dedication. The events, including the outdoor dedication and concerts, are open to the public at no charge.



Legendary musician and composer Frank Zappa was born in Baltimore in 1940 and passed away in 1993, at home in Los Angeles. He is internationally recognized as one of the most innovative composers and musicians of the 20th century with a career spanning more than 30 years.


"What's New In Baltimore?"

Wave That Flag

Wave It Wide And HIGH!!!



HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY!

420

Watermelon In Easter Hay

Frank Zappa - May 17, 1988, Barcelona, Spain



Quite possibly THE most beautiful guitar piece ever written.

Chocolate Jesus?

Yesterday, whilst schlepping through the aisles of a large national retail store, I happened across something which struck me as a bit peculiar. It was a chocolate Easter candy in the shape of the cross. This caused me to wonder, which was more blasphemous, that whole Easter Bunny thing or the consumption of such a symbolic confection?
What's up with Easter and rabbits anyway?




Happy Easter! Jesus died for your sins.

It looks like Palm Sunday again

The river so white, the mountain so red
and with the sunshine over my head
The honky-tonks are all closed and hushed

It looks like Palm Sunday again

The sky is so green, clouds of canary
Blood moon rise like a fat ripe cherry
Sunset quiet as a benediction
One true love, the rest is fiction

If I stay longer, trouble will find me
An epitaph and a sheet to wind me
A passable day for the least of men
it must be Palm Sunday again

Jackie and Dunlap discuss PETA wanting a robotic stand-in for the beloved Groundhog Day host Punxsutawney Phil.

"by the the time they're all through, PETA have us all eatin' robot hamburgers!"

-Jackie Broyles

On one hand, PETA’s robot suggestion, while humorous, is disappointing. Where’s the militancy? Where’s the intolerance? This isn’t the extremist group that we’ve all come to know and love.

Mule-oween

Gov't Mule - 10.31.2009 - Tower Theatre - Upper Darby, PA

This Halloween Gov't Mule played a set of Rolling Stones covers.

Under My Thumb
Monkey Man
Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo *
Can't You Hear Me Knockin'
Angie
Ventilator Blues *
Shattered* (with Matt Abts on Lead Vocal, Danny on Bass & Jorgen on Drums)
Wild Horses
Slave *
Gimmie Shelter *
Play With Fire
Paint It Black
Bitch *
Brown Sugar *

Notes:
entire set and encore with Jackie Greene
* with Steve Elson on Sax

Here's a clip from the show, in which drummer Matt Abts does his best Jagger strut:


watch in better quality (much better sound)

Global Handwashing Day

October 15th is Global Handwashing Day!
The campaign is dedicated to raising awareness of handwashing with soap as a key approach to disease prevention.

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY!!!

Freedom Highway (1956)

In honor of Memorial Day, I present to you this short patriotic film (about 30 min.).

Freedom Highway shows a nation in need of spiritual and patriotic renewal, and as we'll see, this renewal is to be sought in our past.
A Greyhound bus transports us through the landscape of American mythology in this entertaining "story of America".
You'll meet an unusual group of travelers on this cross-country bus trip. Fred Schroder, embittered by the death of his son in Korea, is riding to Washington to accept a posthumous Congressional Medal of Honor on the son's behalf. Jimmy Rollins, the Boy Scout, is heading to Washington for his first Jamboree. Love interest is supplied by Mary (a young Angie Dickinson) and Bill Roberts, a football hero on the make. Tex Ritter, playing himself, takes a short ride on the bus as it passes through Texas, singing about the Alamo and the "freedom road." Most important of all, a black-suited mysterious stranger (Marshall Thompson) appears, as if from nowhere, to transform the outlook of the passengers.

The bus-bound journey through space becomes a journey through time as great moments and personalities in U.S. history are recreated.

There are a lot of families whose lives are forever changed by men who gave everything for us.


They deserve our respect.

Happy Mothers' Day!

Mama Tried

by Merle Haggard

First thing I remember knowing was that lonesome whistle blowing

And a young man's dream of growing up to ride
On a freight train leaving town, not knowing where I'm bound
No-one could change my mind but mama tried

One and only rebel child, from a family meek and mild
Mama seemed to know what lay in store
In spite of all my Sunday learning towards the bad I kept on turning
Mama couldn't hold me any more

And I turned twenty one in prison doing life without parole
No-one could steer me right but mama tried
Mama tried to raise me better but her pleading I denied
That leaves only me to blame 'cause mama tried

Dear old daddy, rest his soul, left my mom a heavy load
She tried so very hard to fill his shoes
Working hours without rest, wanted me to have the best
She tried to raise me right but I refused

Click image below to hear Mama Tried as performed by New Riders of the Purple Sage (w/ special guest, Bob Weir), recorded at the Fillmore East May 15, 1970.

Feeling a bit Odd?

Happy Odd Day!

It's 05/07/09 which means there are three consecutive odd numbers that make up the date.
This happens only 6 times per century.

It looks like Palm Sunday again

The river so white, the mountain so red
and with the sunshine over my head
The honky-tonks are all closed and hushed

It looks like Palm Sunday again

The sky is so green, clouds of canary
Blood moon rise like a fat ripe cherry
Sunset quiet as a benediction
One true love, the rest is fiction

If I stay longer, trouble will find me
An epitaph and a sheet to wind me
A passable day for the least of men
it must be Palm Sunday again

*Free Download

part 1 - part 2