Good Morning Starshine!

HAIR- what a way to kick off the countdown of the Greatest 897 Albums of All Time Countdown with the Broadway play, and later movie, whose themes of individual expression, racial eqaulity, sexual exploration and war, resonate so much today.

And being a fan of the Milos Forman-directed film AND Beverly D'Angelo....here's one of my favorite scenes in the movie, when the gang are driving out to Nevada desert to try and rescue Bukowski. Check out the simple beauty of people just being comfortable in their own skin...and freedom. Enjoy the rest of the countdown!

The Lunatics Are On the (Infield) Grass?

Word just came out today that Pink Floyd mastermind Roger Waters will co-headline this year's Coachella Festival in Cali along with Jack Johnson. Wow!

I saw Roger at the, now demolished Cap Center in 1987 for one of the most memorable shows of my life.

He was touring in support of his RADIO K.A.O.S album, and only around 5,000 people were at the arena (it held around 20,000).

So, I felt like I was holding the world's best kept secret when the man who wrote just about all the lyrics and certainly conceptualized DARK SIDE and THE WALL, and said he would NOT play any Floyd tunes, suddenly broke out the cash register effects and launched into MONEY- by far, one of the great concert moments in my life!

Now that Roger is hip to the festival circuit, here's a thought: Roger at V Fest 2008! The giant, inflatable pig, the light show and all the necessary Floyd ingredients would work quite well at Pimlico. Keep your hammers crossed!

Remember This Name...

... Jack Penate. He's new out of the UK and has a style that recalls The Jam, but also brings to mind the vocals of Lily Allen. I'm hoping that means I'll fall in love with it as quick as Lily's release.
Jack puts out his debut album in the US next week, but take a gander at this and let me know what you think.

An Interesting Interpretation of Black Horse and the Cherry Tree

Two Sisters on the West Coast took on KT Tunstall's Black Horse and the Cherry Tree...it's worth a watch

Put the Lime in the Coconut For Harry

It's no wonder the Beatles loved him. His gift for melody, his high register voice (which, unfortunately, he later blew out) and his maverick rejection of any one style or commercial pressures endeared him to so many people; his influence, profound in songwriters such as Ron Sexsmith. He found kindred spirits in Randy Newman, Mickey Dolenz and especially John Lennon- with whom he infamously tore it up with drink and drug and heckled the Smothers Brothers.

Harry Nilsson died on January 15, 1994. He would be 65 years old today. Watch and listen to his most famous song and a cover from the artist who brought us GRACE KELLY last year.

Nelson covers Matthews "Gravedigger"

A few years ago Dave Matthews released a solo album, Some Devil, on that album was a bonechilling song, Gravedigger, now Willie Nelson has covered it for his new album and even made a video

Willie Nelson has a new album coming out January 29th, Moment of Forever, produced by Kenny Chesney, interesting. Nelson also includes covers of Randy Newman, Dylan and Big Kenny of Big and Rich. Keep on truckin' Willie.

The Bell

The Bell Are From Stockholm. Their New Cd Is "Make Some Quiet".

This Is "On And On"


Here's "I Am History"

Red Carpet Moments From The Wire

I had the honor of covering the Red Carpet (ok, it was a small red carpet, but hey, Baltimore is more small town than Hollywood and that's what we love about it, right?) for the season 5 premiere of THE WIRE at the Senator over the weekend.

Not only was it a thrill to see and and talk to some of my favorite characters (Bubbles, Bunk and Proposition Joe), but also, to see surreal moments, from Mayor Sheila Dixon attending the screening (there's a City Councilwoman who, despite David Simon's direct reassurances that the character was not modeled after her, at least bears a passing similarity) to the protesters carrying signs that say, "Cut The Wire" written in dripping blood red.

One thing that stuck out for me came from one of the actors, who said, despite the series shining the light on the War on Drugs, institutional corruption, education, media and the plight of urbanity in America, THE WIRE was David Simon's valentine to Baltimore.

The show also had a wicked sense of humor. Check out the "prequel" to the character of Proposition Joe!




and visit this link to hear clips from some of the actors who attended the screening.

A Kiwi Musical Dynasty In the Making?

Close your eyes, and you'd swear you're hearing an old Split Enz song, but one could forgive Tim's nephew and Neil's son Liam, for drawing on his musical genes a little on his solo debut I'LL BE LIGHTENING.

He used to front popular, quirky New Zealand band BECTHADUPA, now Liam Finn is a one-man-band, of sorts. He plays most of the instruments on the record AND live. He recorded it entirely in Analog at his father's studio. Like Dad and Uncle, Liam has an ear for melody, but his deeply heartfelt romantic lyrics, set to drum loops and other effects, makes Liam Finn a new voice and one to watch in 2008. Check out GATHER TO THE CHAPEL.

Top 89 Songs of 2007 Countdown

#1.Feist-1234
#2.The Shins-Australia
#3.Sea Wolf-You're A Wolf
#4.Brandi Carlile-The Story
#5.Amy Winehouse-Rehab
#6.Arcade Fire-Keep The Car Runnin
#7.Band Of Horses-Is There A Ghost
#8.Ryan Adams-Two
#9.Wilco-Impossible Germany
#10.Avett Brothers-Die Die Die
#11.Arcade Fire-No Cars Go
#12.The Decemberists-The Perfect Crime # 2
#13.Modest Mouse-We Missed The Boat
#14.White Stripes-Icky Thump
#15.Spoon-Underdog
#16.Bruce Springsteen-Radio Nowhere
#17.Iron & Wine-Boy With A Coin
#18.The White Stripes-Rag & Bone
#19.Grace Potter & The Nocturnals-Ah Mary
#20.John Doe-The Golden State
#21.Modest Mouse-Dashboard
#22.Regina Spektor-Better
#23.The Shins-Phantom Limb
#24.Travis-Closer
#25.Brett Dennen-She's Mine
#26. Damien Rice - 9 Crimes
#27. LCD Soundsystem - North American Scum
#28. Kings Of Leon - On Call
#29. Lily Allen - Smile
#30. Rogue Wave - Lake Michigan
#31. Eddie Vedder - Hard Sun
#32. KT Tunstall - Hold On
#33. Peter Bjorn & John - Young Folks
#34. Sara Bareilles - Love Song
#35. They Might Be Giants - The Mesopotamians
#36. Flight of the Conchords - Business Time
#37. Lucinda Williams - Are You Alright?
#38. Robert Plant & Alison Krauss - Gone Gone Gone
#39. Wilco - What Light
#40. Bob Dylan + Mark Ronson - Most Likely You Go Your Way And I'lll Go Mine
#41. Cold War Kids - Hospital Beds
#42. Augie March - One Crowded Hour
#43. Dr. Dog - Worst Trip
#44. Okkervil River - Our Life Is Not A Movie Or Maybe
#45. Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings - 100 Days, 100 Nights
#46. Wilco - Walken
#47. Ben Harper - In The Color
#48. Ben Kweller - Penny on the Train Track
#49. Josh Ritter - Right Moves
#50. Tegan & Sara - Back In Your Head
#51. Gary B and the Notions - Lori
#52. Radiohead - Bodysnatchers
#53. Soulsavers - Revival
#54. Bruce Springsteen - Girls in their Summer Clothes
#55. Fountains of Wayne - Someone To Love
#56. Kings Of Leon - Ragoo
#57. VHS or Beta - Can't Believe A Single Word
#58. Bright Eyes - Four Winds
#59. Cat Empire - Sly
#60. Feist - I Feel It All
#61. John Butler Trio - Better Than
#62. Mark Ronson featuring Amy Winehouse - Valerie
#63. Radiohead - 15 Steps
#64. Rilo Kiley - The Moneymaker
#65. Tim Armstrong - Into Action
#66. ALO -Maria
#67. Feist - My Moon My Man
#68. Marc Cohn - Listening To Levon
#69. Sarah Borges & The Broken Singles - Stop And Think It Over
#70. Steve Earle w. Forro in the Dark - City of Immigrants
#71. The Fratellis - Flathead
#72. Jonatha Brooke - Careful What You Wish For
#73. Neil Young - Spirit Road
#74. Patty Griffin - Heavenly Day
#75. Ryan Adams - Everybody Knows
#76. Kooks - Naive
#77. Tori Amos - Big Wheel
#78. Arctic Monkeys- Fluorescent Adolecnece
#79. Caleb Stine and the Brakemen- Come Back Home
#80. Carbon/Silicon- The News
#81. The Cat Empire- The Car Song
#82. Glen Hansard/Marketa Irglova- Falling Slowly
#83. Kaiser Chiefs- Ruby
#84. LCD Soundsystem- All My Friends
#85. Lilly Allen- LDN
#86. Ryan Shaw- Do the 45
#87. Brandi Carlile- Turpentine
#88. David Gray - You're The World To Me
#89. Interpol - The Heinrich Maneuver

Merry Christmas from James Walsh (Starsailor)

A Little Holiday Cheer from James Walsh of Starsailor

My Buddy And Me

On this, the day we learned Dan Fogelberg sadly passed away, I thought I'd pass on a new artist who, like Dan, may have been unfairly pigeonholed into some sort of "soft-rock" category- but has so much more depth than that. Actually, BUDDY, as he calls himself, is a native Oregonian who does, proudly, I assume, call his music "Wimpycore." With a sincere, Ben Gibbard-like voice and extremely infectious lo-fi indie melodies, BUDDY is part of that Hotel Cafe crowd in LA (Cary Brothers, Ian Ball, etc) and is truly an artist to watch in 2008 (all you have to do is hear SALT POINT from his '05 EP- just try getting it out of your head). He recently put out his first full length, ALTERATIONS AND REPAIRS. Thanks to my "buddies" for turning me on to...BUDDY.

Remembering Dan Fogelberg

Dan Became The Symbol For Easy Listening Pop In The Late 70's,Early 80's. But His Roots Was The Singer-songwriter Movement Of The Early 70's And He Had Some Great
Songs. "Sounvenirs" As A Release Of Note.

From The 80's Windows And Walls Here's "The Language Of Love"

Tegan's Top 10 Songs of 2007 and Why

The New Pornographers - Challengers
This is a great record. I listened to it in my bunk in Europe this summer night after night.
My favorite lyric is " no matter the mess you are, you're mine okay". Breaks my heart.

Jim Ward - Quiet EP
I honestly believe Jim is a genius. His voice gives me goose bumps. "I find it hard to turn you off when you're not here". Probably sums up my past addict behavior better than even I could.

The National - Boxer
I love every song on this record. I was so late on the National. I feel intense guilt about this. I intend on being a super fan to make up for it.

The Blow - Paper Television
True Affection and Parentheses are two of my favorites off this record. Genius. Sweet in a way I can't ever possibly be.
I listen and pretend I'm someone different.

Northern State - Can I Keep This Pen?
We've been touring around North America with Northern State for months now. I asked them to tour with us specifically because I think this record is so important. I think they are 3 of the most talented women in our business. They put on a great show and they made one of the strongest offerings of 07 in my humble opinion.

Bonde do Role - With Lazers
I saw a special on these guys up in Canada. They have great energy and I think this is an amazing first record.

Against Me - New Wave
I am a huge stalker fan of this band. I love this record. Not just because I sang on it and Butch Vig produced but because
I think Tom is an amazing writer. One of a kind. He's going to change our generation.

Bat For Lashes - Fur and Gold
This record haunted me this summer. The song Prescilla would get stuck in my head for days on end. It drove me absolutely nuts. In a good way.

The Killers - Sam's Town
I don't know if this came out in 07. But if it didn't...it should have. I listen to this record daily.

Junior Boys - So this is goodbye
Same goes for Junior Boys so this is goodbye. I'm pretty sure I was late to this party too. But I love them.
I love this record. It gives me stomach pains. It is so the record we listened to every night on the way home from the studio when we were making the con.

Grace Potter Submits Her Top 10 Albums of All Time

James Brown, 'Sex Machine'

The Band, 'The Basement Tapes'

Bob Dylan, 'Blood on the Tracks

Rolling Stones, 'Sticky Fingers'

Led Zeppelin, 'Led Zeppelin IV'

Neil Young and Crazy Horse, 'Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere"

The Who, 'Who's Next'

George Harrison, All Things Must Pass'

Radiohead, 'The Bends'

Gillian Welch and David Rawlings, 'Time the Revelator'