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Bob Dylan teamed up with a one-off supergroup to do a knockdown version of “All Along the Watchtower” at a guitar expo in Seville. Accompanying the Zimmerman were Jack Bruce (Cream) on bass, Phil Manzanera (Roxy Music) and Richard Thompson (Fairport Convention). Bob’s voice is what it is, but the guitar work is tasty. Fortunately someone caught it all on film.
The ever enigmatic, Neil Young announced plans for a new studio album entitled, “Chrome Dreams II.” Rumor has it, that there was an unreleased Young album from the 70s called “Chrome Dreams” that somehow got lost along the way, so maybe this makes up for that omission.
Also from Neil this year is a graphic novel based on “Greendale,” his 2004 musical tale of life in America.
The music-lover’s favorite TV show, Austin City Limits has announced a stellar lineup for this year’s season on PBS. Scheduled to appear are: Norah Jones, Lucinda Williams, Wilco, The Decemberists (one of my faves), Aracde Fire, John Mayer, Crowded House, Bloc Party, Explosions in the Sky (bringing their ambient guitars from the Texas plains) and Old Crow Medicine Show.
Yep. The John Lennon Collection is now available on iTunes.
I don’t have anything to write about. I just haven’t written to you all in a while. And, well, I missed you.
I suppose I should say something about music, though. That’s what you all want.
I’m pretty much diggin’ on The Shins right now. They won’t leave my CD player and, quite frankly, I don’t want them to.
Pattie Boyd, ex-wife of both George Harrison and Eric Clapton has revealed that she was the subject of not just one classic rock song (Layla) but three. In an interview this week with the London Mail, Boyd stated that she was also the inspiration for Harrison’s “Something” on The Beatles’ Abbey Road album and Clapton’s “Wonderful Tonight.”
She also confided that the two famous axemen had a two-hour “guitar duel” to win her honor. Obviously Clapton won the duel and the hand of Pattie too, but alas, the two couldn’t make it work and were divorced in 1988.
As of this writing, no other guitarists have drafted any musical tributes to Miss Pattie, but rumor has it that Keith Richards might consider taking a stab at a tune or two.
One of the more unique pairings in recent years has Robert Plant (Led Zeppelin) and Alison Krauss performing tunes by Tom Waits, Sam Phillips, Mel Tillis, Gene Clark and Townes Van Zandt. The CD is scheduled to be released at the end of October and is tour is said to be in the works for spring of ‘08. T-Bone Burnett produced the proceedings.
Stone says that the Van Halen reunion with David Lee Roth is going to happen this time. For real. Seriously, this time no one is backing out of it (unless Wolfgang grades begin to slip then all bets are off…)
Monroe’s finest young musicians will again hit the stage in downtown Monroe for “Hot Summer Talents ’07”, an outdoor concert in the beautiful Loranger Square Pavilion. The concert will be held Saturday, August 18th, from 6:00-9:00 PM. The concert is free and open to the public; seating on the lawn and free drinks and snacks will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. The concert will also be taped for broadcast on Monroe Public Access Cable Television.
“Hot Summer Talents ‘07” features an eclectic lineup of musicians whose only common factors are their youth and their incredible talent. Each one brings a distinct musical style and method of operation to the table, so there’s sure to be “something for everyone” in this one-of-a-kind event.
The evening’s talent lineup is headed up by alternative/classic rockers Unknown Legends, featuring sixteen-year-old Brandon James on guitar and vocals, sixteen-year-old JJ Flegal on bass, and fourteen-year-old Adam Schreiber on drums. Since their first show together in January, Unknown Legends have consistently drawn huge crowds for their Café Classics shows featuring both their original compositions as well as covers of artists as diverse as Pink Floyd, Prince, and Bob Dylan. Visit www.myspace.com/thebrandonjames for more information.
Returning to open “Hot Summer Talents” is seventeen-year-old Charity Moore, a singer-songwriter-guitarist. Moore’s passionate vocal delivery, talented guitar work, and beautiful songwriting have made her a favorite in performances at Café Classics and the Ellis Library’s “Arts After Dark” talent showcases. Visit www.myspace.com/danceuntilwejustcant for more information.
Also in the “Hot Summer Talents” lineup is one-man acoustic act We Were Like Rockets. We Were Like Rockets is nineteen-year-old Alexander Adams (formerly professionally known as Dexter Holiday), who regularly draws local crowds at Café Classics. We Were Like Rockets is defined by Adams’s virtuosic mastery of a variety of acoustic musical styles, from Russian-style waltz to island folk and hints of blues. We Were Like Rockets’s EP “Songs to Pass the Time” can be purchased at the We Were Like Rockets Myspace. Visit www.myspace.com/wewerelikerockets for more information.
Also on the acoustic side of the evening’s lineup is Bedford’s own JWC. JWC is 25-year-old guitarist, singer, songwriter, and harmonica player Jesse Wingate Carlson, whose unique sound blends traditional bluegrass and country with modern alternative stylings. He has established himself as a popular favorite at a number of area venues with his irresistibly energetic performance style. JWC’s new record with collaborators Kevin Clark and Sam Pilbeam will be available later this summer. Visit www.myspace.com/jesrock for more information.
The “Hot Summer Talents” tradition began last August, when Charity Moore, Beyond the Sky, Mitchel Migliore, and Cetan Clawson drew a crowd of approximately 250 to the Pavilion stage. The 2006 show proved a great success, which “Hot Summer Talents ‘07” hopes to take to the next level. The show will again be organized, hosted, and produced for MPACT by eighteen-year-old Monroe student and musician Patrick Dunn.
The public is encouraged to email patrick@r2rmonroe.com for more specific inquiries regarding “Hot Summer Talents ‘07”.
Superdrag released a rarities disc in April. How did I miss that?
I found this out while researching the reunion tour this fall. That’s right, reunion tour. Let’s all go to Chicago.
The best part of the whole deal is that we can vote on the set list.
October 13 - Chicago, IL @ Metro
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