Zach Playing Drums at the Barn Bash

Check out how Gemma walks over and plops right next to Zach. And also note my mom, Pat, and Paula in the audience.

Barn Bash 2014

This year's 9th annual Barn Bash was a great time. The weather threatened to be rainy with showers, but by the afternoon it cleared up and we had sun! The temperature was perfect. 

Highlights for me were Zach playing the drums again to a great jazz tune, and Paige singing a song she wrote. The Hansen sisters were so kind to help Paige with her song, and it was Paige's first time performing in front of an audience! Marty and Kristen Hansen encouraged her. 

My parents were there, along with my mom's cousin Pat and her daughter Paula. Jonathan, Stacey, Paige, and Eve drove up with me for the day.

Basement Dogs - Introvert Explosion

Those crazy dogs are at it again, singing about introvert angst. Oh, what do they know about isolation and misery?

Crimson and Clover with the Basement Dogs

My friends are way too cool for school!

Merry Clayton

Having just seen "Twenty Feet From Stardom," (a documentary about backup singers) I have a newly developed respect and knowledge about some of  music history's most 'unsung' talented singers. Though all of their stories are compelling, Merry Clayton's story about recording "Gimme Shelter" with the Rolling Stones in 1969 is singular.

I've always really loved the timelessly haunting "Gimme Shelter" track by the Rolling Stones, not only for Keith Richards' masterful guitar playing, but also because the song captures a tumultuous and dark period in American history. Despite this, I have never given any thought to the woman singing back up vocals on this song. Many of us have not.

In 1969 the Rolling Stones were in LA recording their "Let it Bleed" album. Merry Clayton was sleeping at home when she received a call from a

Merry in the 1970's

friend at midnight, asking if she could come and do a gig with a British band. The 'boys' could find no one else at the last minute.

Merry Clayton was well known as a back up singer at the time, and had worked quite a bit in the 1960's singing with Ray Charles, Tom Jones, Carole King, and Burt Bacharach. Still, she had never heard of the Rolling Stones, and was ten months pregnant at the time. She was reluctant to go, but her husband finally persuaded her. By the time she finished recording in the studio it was 4am.


Mick Jagger says Merry was able to effortlessly pick up the vocals. She sang "Oh children, it just a shot away" first. When they introduced the lines "rape, murder, it's just a shot away," Merry was a bit taken aback. Mick explained the lyrics, and then Merry persisted, despite feeling bloated and faint. Merry sang with such emotional intensity, and hit such high notes that her voice cracked. Hear her here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jqXyjbgs5rU

Sadly, Merry miscarried and lost her baby later that day, perhaps due to the strain of singing. She said that for many years she could not listen to the version of "Gimme Shelter" that she recorded with the band that night, due to the painful memory.

By the way, Merry Clayton also sang back up for "Sweet Home Alabama," and "Southern Man." She is a gem of a woman. See "Twenty Feet From Stardom," it's awesome!

Barn Bash 2012

The weather was beautiful on Saturday. My friends Stacey, Eve, Ellyn and I rode up to Windham Maine for the annual Barn Bash. It was their virginal experience. Jonathan met us there, driving over from Berwick. My family was there, parents, sisters, brother-in-laws Marty and Dave, nephews, niece, and aunt. The music was stellar and the atmosphere perfectly relaxed and easygoing. It was really a fantastic time.

Here's a clip of the Hanson sisters, friends of my brother-in-law's nephew Sam. They did some cover songs of the Indigo Girls, Bonnie Raitt, and Linda Ronstadt. I know it sounds corny to say it was magical to be there-- but it was!

2010

Happy New Year! I remember the monumental year 2000, and 1999, already 10 years ago! Time flies when you came of age in the 1980's.

The Bah Humbug Christmas Sing-a-long

Tonight some friends and I got together and sang some Christmas and holiday songs. It was great fun. My favorite part of the evening, though, was when we drifted to the darker side, crooning out some deep and dark rock and roll favorites. Here are three I sang out with all my little heart.

Killing Me Softly

Roberta Flack is a goddess walking upon the earth. Her signature song, "Killing Me Softly With His Song," was released in 1970! I noticed recently, working in Market Basket with the constant piped in music, that "Killing Me Softly" was being played frequently. At first I thought it was Roberta, but then I realized it was a modern version of the song by 'The Fugees'. Not bad, but not Roberta.

Below is Roberta Flack singing "Killing Me Softly" in the early 1970's. (Unfortunately I can't tell if this studio footage is live, or matched with a recorded version of the song) The second video is 'The Fugees'" version, with Roberta Flack, 39 years later, joining them on stage.

Cool Funk Ain't Old Junk

Wow! Chaka Khan in the late 1970's. I've always loved this old funk song--"Tell Me Something Good," and never realized the great Chaka Khan was the lead singer! Check her out!

Don't You Want Somebody To Love?

This past weekend was the 40th anniversary of Woodstock. My only claim to fame regarding this historic event (I was six years old at the time) is that I know two people that were actually there!

There's been a lot of press in the past week or so about Woodstock. What did it all mean? Looking back at the line-up of bands during those three days, it seems Woodstock really was a milestone event of the "Baby Boomer" generation. The themes of the songs-- messages of peace, brotherhood, racial equality, free love, experience, and freedom-- typify the generation.

Many folks have also pointed out that 169 Americans died in Vietnam that weekend. This just adds to the complexity of the late 1960's in American history (and the world), and the complexity of what the 60's generation contributed to American culture.

Personally, I do not consider myself a 'baby boomer.' I came of age during the early 1980's Reagan era. But along with the "flapper generation" of the 1920's, and the 'greatest generation' of the 1940's, I look up to the 1960's generation as one of the greatest and most influential of the past century.

The King of Pop

The recent death of Michael Jackson was shocking to me, & I'm more upset than I imagined I'd be. Even though I always thought something tragic would happen to him eventually, I still find myself sad. Just last week I thought: "Haven't heard much about him lately. He's probably not going to make it much longer."

I've never really been a fan of 'pop' anything. I never owned a Michael Jackson album, glittery glove, or had a poster in my room. But I'm still very saddened, because I realize that Michael Jackson's music has been there my whole life. From his 'ABC' 'I'll Be There' Jackson 5 days, through the 80's and 90's, his music paralleled the milestones and 'eras' of my own life. From the late 60's through the early 90's, those were my growing up years too. It makes me nostalgic.

I didn't like all Michael Jackson's music, but there are a few songs that stand out in concert with events in my life. I remember "Rock With You" at a junior high school dance, and "Beat it" and "Billie Jean" in my second year of college. The 'Thriller" video was my favorite of his, (it's hard to imagine it was made in 1983) & I recall watching it on MTV with my sister. Here's Michael Jackson at his best. One of my favorite songs is "Human Nature."

Michael Jackson - Thriller | Music Videos | SPIKE.com

Michael with Diana Ross

Mozart's Seranade For Winds

I'm turning to classical music, these days, as a matter of sanity and survival.

I've Heard the Mermaids Singing, Each to Each

What would life be without opera and classical music? At least that's what I think. Classical music is the experience that I need to ground myself. It makes me feel there's continuity to life, that the past is present, and that all sentient beings are connected. It makes me feel that I'm not alone in my dreaminess, and that there's something bigger than me that I'm part of. Classical music nears or is perfection. It gives me hope that art can transcend the mundane. Here's "The Flower Duet," from "Lakme," by Delibes. It's a love song between two women.

Bessie Smith

I saw a short movie the other night at a film festival, featuring Bessie Smith. I've heard of Bessie Smith, but never really listened to any of her music. (Shame!) We're going back a long time when we speak of Bessie Smith. She was popular during the 1920's and early 1930's.

Bessie Smith, "The Empress of the Blues,"was born circa 1894 in Chattanooga, Tennessee. She had several older siblings. One of her older brothers, in 1912, managed to use his influence to allow Bessie to join the Stokes Troupe. Ma Rainey, another blues singer, was featured in this troupe. Originally, Bessie joined as a dancer (similar to Ella Fitzgerald's story), and later was discovered as a singer.

Some of Bessie's well known hits included "Downhearted Blues," and "St. Louis Blues." Pretty much all the songs are about broken hearts and lost love.

Lore has it that Bessie Smith was bisexual, having affairs with both men and women throughout her life. Unfortunately, she lived a short life. In 1937, she was in a serious car accident, and died a few days later.

Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out (1923)
http://www.africanafrican.com/negroartist/mp3/bessie%20smith/448470830.mp3

Orinoco Flow

Love this song. My friend Jonathan talked about his memories of the time this song was popular. I remember being in a glass art shop in Rockport, with big picture windows facing the ocean. It was a brilliantly sunny day. A gay man owned the shop. This song was playing, and I asked about it. I purchased it that day. I think the video is particularly good too.

You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)

Of course this disco song, an icon of the late 70's era, was featured in "Milk." ((In my opinion, I'm actually glad they didn't saturate the movie but background music. I think it's the cheap way out to just plug in some music and call it the era).

This video is hilarious. It's got that foggy-colored look of early videos. Sylvester, man or woman, is the biggest drag queen I've ever seen (well, almost). The waif, jogging suit dancers are a riot! (I don't know what those two women are trying to do to each other, butt to butt). And the lip syncing at the end is horribly mismatched! And of course what would a boogie night be without a disco ball!

Sylvester - You Make Me Feel 1978
Uploaded by PeteRock

Lyric Misunderstandings

Everyone has had the experience.... Thinking the lyrics to a song say something very strange..... Wondering if you're the only person on the planet that doesn't quite understand these lyrics, until you find out the true lyrics later. Here are some of mine:

1. Bennie and the Jets, Elton John

ME: "she's got electric boobs, her ma does too,
you know I read it in a magazine...."

REALITY: "she's got electric boots, a mohair suit,
you know I read it in a magazine..."

2. Everybody Plays the Fool, Main Ingredient

When I was about 8, because of the music, I thought the song was, "Everybody plays the flute." But I thought it odd. I knew plenty of people that didn't play the flute. In fact, I didn't know anybody that played the flute.

3. Scar Tissue, Red Hot Chili Peppers

ME: "With bird shit it's a lonely view....."

REALITY: "with the bird I'll share this lonely view..."

3 Glorious Cello Pieces

I love the cello, and since September I've been taking an absolute beginner's class. When I can't even play 'Twinkle Twinkle Little Star,' it's amazing to see Yo Yo Ma and Jacqueline du Pre play.

Below are 3 pieces I think are sublime. Actually, I found out the third piece features the viola da gamba, not the cello. I still included it, though, because I love it.

Tuesday I will be participating in my final cello class for the semester. We will put on a mini concert, and have some drinks and snacks. Our teacher will also be playing for us. If any friends want to come, they are welcome.

1. Yo-Yo Ma "Prelude -Bach's Cello Suite No. 1"

2. Jacqueline du Pre "Elgar, Cello Concerto in E minor, opus 85 1st mov."


3. Marin Marais "Sonnerie de Sainte-Genvieve du Mont-de-Paris"

3 Best Songs About Drug Addiction

I know this may be a queer subject. I've never taken hard drugs, but plenty of other poisons. In my opinion, these fantastic songs capture the angst of addiction. Do you have a few more suggestions?

1. White Rabbit Jefferson Airplane 1969

http://prisken.free.fr/musique/Jefferson%20Airplane%20-%20White%20Rabbit.mp3

2. Ashes To Ashes David Bowie 1980



3. Jane Says Jane's Addiction 1988