Shady Groove Podcast #16
As the snow continued to pummel Philadelphia, I slipped out of my local watering hole, shut myself in with a late night pizza, and dropped podcast 16. Enjoy.
Shady Groove Podcast #16
These are the songs on this weeks late night edition of the Groove:
Jimi Hendrix – Burning of the Midnight Lamp ++ Delaney and Bonnie – Come In My Kitchen ++ The Gourds – Hooky Junk ++ Tommy James and the Shondells – Hanky Panky ++ Carl Perkins – Everybody’s Tryin To Be My Baby ++ Black Keys – Girl Is On My Mind ++ Buddy Holly – Girl On My Mind ++ Elvis Costello – Watching The Detectives ++ Harry Nilsson – Let The Good Times Roll ++ Dr. John – Let The Good Times Roll ++ Johnny Jenkins – Walk On Guilded Splinters ++ Cheers Elephant – Como Es La Vida ++ Toots and the Maytals – Louis Louis ++ Harry Nilsson – Coconut ++ Blitzen Trapper – Furr ++ The Gourds – Magnolia
This day in Rock History…..
…….Kenny Loggins was born in 1948 in Everette, Washington.
You’re probably thinking, “What does Kenny Loggins have to do with Caddyshack. Well, I’ll tell you.
Kenny Loggins, best known for being half of the duo Loggins and Messina, has given us many great hits over the years. From “Danny’s Song” to “Your Momma Don’t Dance”, and even the solo hit “This Is It”. But perhaps his most prolific and immeasurably timeless classic is still “I’m Alright”, the theme from Caddyshack. You really cannot get any better than the end of that movie. And the Loggins-sung soundtrack simply adds to the greatness. I don’t think there is a single Caddyshack fan on this planet that does not think of that hillarious, dancing gopher puppet the minute they hear the song. The moment will live in infamy.
Big ups to Harold Ramis, Rodney Dangerfield, Chevy Chase, Ted Knight, and Bill Murray for turning out one of the best movies of all time. So here it is. Feel free to laugh, cry, dance, shake, fall over, whatever…
Couldn’t embed the video so find it HERE
And here is the music video:
Shady Groove 2010 Year In Review
Well folks, 2010 is drawing to a close and I feel the need to put a cap on this year in true blogger fashion. With a review and the all-popular “Best of” list. I preferred to make a couple of lists: Top 5 Albums of 2010, Top 5 Songs of 2010, and Top 10 Live Shows of 2010. So here we go. Shady Groove comin’ at you one last time for 2010 with a thoughful year review.
When I stopped to think of this year I thought of several ways to approach this review. How do you summarize a year? How do you summarize a year…….in music? After hours of mind expanding thought I realized that 2010, and every year for that matter, is different for everyone. Musical tastes differ. Everyone takes a different musical path to lead them to where they are. So that being the case, this is MY 2010 evolution through music. Totally and completely biased. I leave no mysteries. I write from a Philadelphia, local, folk, gourd-fan point of view. It should be said that I love the complex, the energetic, the earthy, freewheeling, playful, and the weird. Feel free to take my ideas, reply, criticize, comment, love, hate, enjoy them…..
I’ll leave you with some “Top 5” lists. There is also a SG Year in Review Podcast. Make sure to download it as well as Top 5 Songs of 2010. Giddy up.
2010 for me saw quite a revitalization of the classic soul and Motown. The funky rhythms that came from that era were fascinating me all year. I found myself diggin deep into these classic artists such as Sam Cooke, Otis Redding, Aretha Franklin, King Curtis, Wilson Pickett, Arthur Conley, The Isley Brothers, James Brown, etc…As I dug deeper into soul, I also tended to dip deep into the roots of rock and roll, blues, rhythm and blues. Chuck Berry, Elvis Presley, Buddy Holly. The more I listened the more I wanted to search. The more I searched, the more I heard these classic songs consistently covered by todays artists. An artist cover of another artists song is a powerful endorsement. It is the highest praise that an artist can give another. These are the building blocks of influence on the musical culture. The songs from these artists from our past can be felt and heard in all of the music being released today. Without Chuck Berry we would have no Beatles, no Stones, no Leon Russell. Without Sam Cooke we would have no Aretha Franklin, no Otis Redding, no Isley Brothers. Without the Isley’s we’d have no Black Keys. Without Willie Nelson or Hank Williams we’d have no Shinyribs, no Mason Porter.
I found this year important to pay tribute to the greats. Also to note this year is the live music scene, which is booming in Philadelphia and New York, my usual stomping grounds. Shady Groove caught some kick ass shows this year and we hope that will continue into 2011. Look to the list below for the top 10 live shows.
Yours in Rock. Shady Groove out.
Top 5 Songs of 2010:
1. Shinyribs: If You Need the (442) — Well After Awhile
2. Joe Pug: Speak Plainly, Diana — Nation Of Heat
3. Mason Porter: Old Freight Train — Thunder In The Valley
4. The Black Keys: Tighten Up — Brothers
5. Harlem: Friendly Ghost — Hippies
Top 5 Albums of 2010:
1. Shinyribs — Well After Awhile
2. The Black Keys — Brothers
3. Sharon Jones and the Dapkings — I Learned The Hard Way
4. Mason Porter — Thunder In The Valley
5. Joe Pug — Nation of Heat
Top 10 Live Shows of 2010:
1. Hoots and Hellmouth
2. Cheers Elephant
3. The Black Keys
4. Mason Porter
5. Sharon Jones and The Dapkings
6. The Gourds/Shinyribs
7. Levon Helm
8. The Avett Brothers
9. Leon Russell
10. Joe Pug
Shady Groove Year in Review Podcast 2010:
the track listing went as follows: Booker T and the MG’s – Hang em High ++ Chuck Berry – Roll Over Beethoven ++ Little Richard – Long Tall Sally ++ Arthur Conley – Sweet Soul Music ++ Harlem – Friendly Ghost ++ The Black Keys – Tighten Up ++ Mason Porter – Old Freight Train ++ Joe Pug – Speak Plainly, Diana ++ Shinyribs – If You Need the (442) ++ Mumford and Sons – Little Lion Man ++ Belle and Sebastian – I Want the World to Stop ++ Leon Russell – Dixie Lullaby ++ Dr. John – Big Chief ++ Local Natives – Wide Eyes ++ Talking Heads – Warning Sign ++ The Avett Brothers – Salvation Song ++ Hazmat Modine – It Calls Me ++ Blitzen Trapper – Dragon’s Song ++ The Gourds – Luddite Juice ++ Joe Pug – Nation of Heat ++ Mason Porter – Hangman ++ Sharon Jones and the Dapkings – Better Things ++ The Black Keys – Howlin For You ++ Shinyribs – Shores of Galilee
RIP Joe Strummer
Thought I’d give a shout out today to the late Mr. Joe Strummer, lead singer and guitarist from the British punk rock outfit, The Clash. On this date 8 years ago we lost this exceptional musician.
Those that are familiar with The Clash know that calling them simply a punk rock band would be an understatement. Their music incorporated elements of reggae, ska, dub, funk, rap, dance, and rockabilly. Joe, along with Paul Simonon, Mick Jones, and Nicky Headon created the rebellious attitude and musical experimentation that had a profound influence on alternative rock. They were dubbed, and widely referred to as “The Only Band That Matters”. Their landmark album, London Calling, brought them to popularity in the US in 1979 and has been widely considered as the best album of the 1980’s. Being a child of the 80’s, I agree 100%.
In 2003, the band was inducted to the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame. At the band’s induction, the Clash was said to be “considered one of the most overtly political, explosive and exciting bands in rock and roll history.” In 2004 Rolling Stone ranked them #30 on their list of 100 Greatest Artists of all Time.
Though the band many different musical elements, it is the dub/reggae sounds that really turned me on initially. The incorporation of reggae ‘riddims’ in such a puck rock atmosphere is intoxicating. Check out this cover of the classic Junior Murvin song, Police and Theives. It is found on their debut album, The Clash. enjoy.
So hats off to Joe Strummer. The man behind the genius of The Clash. You will always be missed.
The Moon and the Sun
Last night something that hasn’t happened in 327 years occurred. Well, two events actually occurred last night, but the fact that they happened at the same time created the rarity. I’m talking about the total lunar eclipse that just so happened to align itself with the winter solstice. This hasnt happened since 1683. In addition, there was a minor meteor shower during the peak of the eclipse. All said, this made for an interesting night of moon and star gazing. I was excited.
The winter solstice marks the first day of winter in the northern hemisphere. This occurs when the sun is at its lowest in the sky because the Earth’s north pole, with its axial tilt, is pointing away from it. Because of this, today is the shortest day of the year and also had the longest night. Being that last night was the longest night of the year meant that it was also the darkest, which allowed for perfect viewing. The minor meteor shower would not have been able to be seen had it not been the darkest day of the year.
A total lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth get between the full moon and the sun, blocking the sun’s rays from reflecting off the lunar surface. Not every full moon produces an eclipse but it can only occur during a full moon. There have been 2 full lunar eclipse’ in 2010.
Over the centuries, lunar eclipse’ have generated much lore and even fear. There are those that think the full moon affects their behavior; or that there is most definitely a physical connection between the moon and humans. To the Athenians in the 5th century B.C., a lunar eclipse was seen as a bad omen. Their superstitions led them to delay the siege of Syracuse, which as a result, changed the course of the war. Christopher Columbus, correctly predicted an eclipse in 1504 and used it to frighten natives on Jamaica into feeding his crew.
Science tells us that eclipses are the simple result of predictable celestial alignments. Research has shown no connection between the full moon and human behavior yet many people still believe in the myths. The fact that these myths have been in existence since the beginning of man leads me to the conclusion that people will always believe in these silly myths. In the words of Stevie Wonder,
“When you believe in things
that you don’t understand
and you suffer
Superstition ain’t the way”
Hope you enjoyed this lesson in Lunar science. The moon and the sun will continue to fascinate, inspire, motivate, enthuse, and move. Here’s a couple of tunes that have been inspired by the moon and its powers.
Also keep an eye out for a moon-and-sun-themed podcast from Shady Groove in the near future.