Show #49 January 22, 2011

This one's for Jody!

Jody- Silver Sun Disappear Here
Got To Have Pop- Moderns Shake Some Action Vol. 6
Hello Hello- The Keys The Keys Album
Please Don't Say You Love Me- The Sweat No More Running
Shake Some Action- Jenny Dee and The Deelinquents Keeping Time
From Above- Ben Folds and Nick Hornby Lonely Avenue
Always Forgetting Something- Dipsomaniacs Freakin Eureka
Panic Button- The Blitz Panic Button 7"
^There She Goes- The La's The La's
Suit of Armour- Beagle Sound on Sound
We Love the Stage- Pernice Brothers Goodbye, Killer
Fountains of Wayne Hotline- Robbie Fulks Fountains Of Wayne Hotline
The Weekenders- The Hold Steady Heaven Is Whenever
I'm Gonna Join The Army- Incredible Kidda Band Too Much, Too Little, Too Late!
*Five Star Rock 'n' Roll Petrol- The 101'ers Keys To Your Heart
*Feel Like Loving You- Jeff Hill I Want You To Dance With Me
*Common Truth- Amazorblades Common Truth
*Klean Livin' Kids- The Stukas Klean Livin' Kids
Tayter Country- The Cavedogs Six Tender Moments
Stay The Night- The Fans Giving Me That Look In Your Eyes E.P. 7"
Rainin' Like Soft Fun- The Orange Humble Band Assorted Creams
Don't You Believe It- The Grip Weeds Strange Change Machine
The Beat Is Back- The First Steps The Beat Is Back E.P. 7"
This Is That- The Queen Annes I Thought Of You 7"
>Are You A Boy Or Are You A Girl- The Barbarians Nuggets: Original Artyfacts From The First Psychedelic Era Vol. 2-4
The Hunch- Rooney Eureka
Action- Knots Heartbreaker 7"
Don't Come Close- The Ramones Road To Ruin
(Dee Dee You're) Stuck On A Star- Milk 'N' Cookies Milk 'N' Cookies
Walking On The Roof- Sgt Arms Walking On The Roof 7"

^Power Pop Peak: #49 Billboard Hot 100 10/22/90

*SacroSet: Singles on Chiswick Records

>Power Pop Prototype: 1965

Along with the regular features, this week's show includes several 2010 releases that didn't make it onto my Top 5's list.  It's a pretty good year for music when new records by The Hold Steady (Heaven Is Whenever) and The Pernice Brothers (Goodbye, Killer) don't make the cut. Both were good but not great and suffered in comparison with respective prior releases Stay
Positive and Live A Little. Boston's Jenny Dee gives The Flamin' Groovies' "Shake Some Action" the Stax/Motown treatment and "From Above" from Lonely Avenue, subtitled "Ben Folds Adds Music And Melody To Nick Hornby's Words," is a real heart breaker. I'll be writing more about Lonely Avenue in a future post.

London's Chiswick Records didn't have any break out stars like competitor Stiff Records, which released the first Elvis Costello, Ian Dury and Nick Lowe singles, so it is often relegated to secondary status. Yet, as tonight's SacroSet proves, Chiswick put out some great singles including Joe Strummer's 1976 recording debut with his pre-Clash group The 101'ers. While I don't care for a lot of the pub rock on the label (Count Bishops, Gorillas, Little Bob Story) the four records I played tonight along with multiple releases by The Radio Stars and The Radiators From Space, featuring future members of The Pogues, confirm Chiswick Record's place in rock history. (Big props to Power Pop Criminals for it's fantastic Chiswick vs. Stiff series of posts last year.)

I have to say though, my favorite song from tonight's show is Robbie Fulks "Fountains of Wayne Hotline." Over the holidays I have a tradition of going back over the year's Entertainment Weekly magazines to see if there are any films/books/records I missed the first time around. I have to thank Stephen King for "Fountains of Wayne Hotline," it was one of several songs he recommended in a column last year. I was a huge King fan when I was in high school, from Carrie through Misery, its

Robbie Fulks

been quite a while since I read one of his novels. Even so, I've always enjoyed his columns in EW. This is the guy who said Slobberbone's "Gimme Back My Dog" is one of the greatest rock and roll songs of all time, so when he recommended "Fountains of Wayne Hotline" I had to check it out.  I'm glad I did- the song is a hilarious send up of pop songwriting:

I hung a shingle, "Country Music for Hire,"
No fans, no singles, ten years later I'm tired.
Now I've wracked my brain and I've looked all around,
But I can't find a way to freshen my sound.
And now, who do you call when you're down to one musical dime? Fountains of Wayne Hotline

(spoken)
FOUNTAINS OF WAYNE HOTLINE: Fountains of Wayne Hotline, Gerald speaking, how can I help you?
ROBBIE FULKS: Oh, yeah, thanks, uh, Hello, um, yeah, I'm a country singer in a small midwestern town,and I'm here in the studio today. Let me explain - we're working on a track and we just did-did-id a verse, it was kind of broken down and at this point I'm not sure where to take it, where to go from here...
FOWH: Sir, sir, calm down we can help you, we can help you.
RF: OK
FOWH: What you need to do now is employ The Radical Dynamic Shift.
RF: The...the...Radical...Yes, what do you mean by that?
FOWH: You know...full band entry, fortissimo, while maintaining consistent apparent volume on the vocal track.
RF: Oh...Oh...Yeah, yeah that's a great idea! Hey, thanks a lot. Thanks for your time.
FOWH: My pleasure. We're always here.

(sung)It's such a drag, to face another filthy stage
Beating these three chords into early middle age
I'd be better off with seven at handan analog synth and an angry young band.
Then I could turn my muddy water into sweet Mexican Wine.
Fountains of Wayne Hotline

(spoken)
Slightly distorted melodic solo.....CHECK!

FOWH: Hotline, Department of Bridges and Infrastructure, Grant speaking.
RF: Oh, yeah, Hi there, I called a little while ago, I talked to a gentleman, I believe his name was Gerald, and, um, he advised...
FOWH: Uh, sir, we got about seven Geralds here, you're talkin' to me now.
RF: Oh, yeah, of course, yeah...um, the point is, I'm in the middle of this song, we're about three minutes in, and I'm not sure where to take it from here. We've done a couple of verses and it's just kind of hit...hit a wall.
FOWH: Yeah, well tell me about your textural variation and harmonic palate that you have going so far.
RF: Oh, of course. Well, two sixteen-bar verses, the first one broken down, followed by a Radical Dynamic Shift...
FOWH: Oh, that Gerald.
RF: ...a slightly distorted melodic guitar solo, and chordally...let's see...a 1, a 5, a 4 with and without a subdominant 7, a 2, 2 minor, and briefly a 9th compound over the tonic.
FOWH: Uh, well, that 9th, is that telegraphed or is that just gratuitous coloration?
RF: Um, a bit of both, actually.
FOWH: Oh, OK, well, let's hit the bridge. I'll tell you what you do. No new chords introduced, put a split bar of 4 in there and push the 1, and then we'll slather the holy hell out of the thing with a semi-ironic Beach Boys vocal pad. And then an asymmetrical back end - there's your bridge.
RF: Uh huh...
FOWH: Yup
RF: Uh, isn't that kind of a lot of information to put in the...
FOWH: (sigh) Sir, I've been on this hotline for fifteen years, you're gonna have to trust me on this one.
RF: OK, OK, thank you very much. I'll give it a try. Thank you.
FOWH: You got it, Chief.

(sung) Oh, Yeah. Now we're gettin' big and full.
Oh, Yeah. Try a wider interval.
Just like this: Oh yeah!
More like: Oh, Yeah!
Check me out! Oooooh! Yeah!

I feel invincible and all dialed in,
Kinda Long Island with some West Coast sin.
So let's cut to the coda. Any old gimmick is fine.
Fountains of Wayne Hotline

Fountains of Wayne

Fulks is clearly taking the piss out of Fountains of Wayne here, but he does such a slavish recreation of the band's sound, including a spot on impression of FOW lead singer Chris Colingsworth, that I'm guessing he's a fan of the group. I think the song is hilarious and I'm a huge Fountains of Wayne fan. I don't care if they employ every songwriting "trick" in the book- as long its catchy, I'm on board.

Click the link below to stream this show or to download, right click and "Save Link As:"
ALL KINDSA GIRLS #49

Show #48 January 8, 2011 DEDICATION SPECIAL

Happy New Year from All Kindsa Girls!


All Kindsa Girls- The Real Kids Real Kids
Sabrina- Psycotic Pineapple Where's The Party
Cheri- 20/20 20/20
Lucinda- The Knack Get the Knack
Evangeline- Matthew Sweet Girlfriend
Alex Chilton- The Replacements Pleased To Meet Me
Hillary- The Quick Mondo Deco
Josephine- Abbreviated Ceiling Abbreviated Ceiling 12" EP
^Animal- Neon Trees Habits
Leslie- Robert Johnson Close Personal Friend
Alison- Elvis Costello My Aim Is True
Bonnie- Big Dipper Supercluster: The Big Dipper Anthology
Mary Anne- Marshall Crenshaw Marshall Crenshaw
Renee- Hoehn & Duren Blue Orange
*Kings Of Power Pop- Paul Collins King Of Power Pop
*Saltwater Drinks- The Merrymakers Bubblegun
*I Hope You're Happy- Hoodoo Gurus Purity Of Essence
*You Don't Have To Belong (To The Religious Right)- The Cute Lepers Smart Accessories
*Mindset- The Genuine Fakes The Striped Album
Lisa- The Golden Horde The Golden Horde
Janine- The V.I.P.'S I Need Somebody To Love/Beat Crazy EP
Carrie Anne- The Hollies 30th Anniversary Collection 1963-1993 [Disc 2]
Christine- Gruppo Sportivo Pop! Goes The Brain
Marilyn- The Popes Hi We're The Popes
Annalisa- Chris Von Sneidern Sight & Sound
>Sorry- The Plimsouls Live! Beg, Borrow & Steal
Melanie- Nervous Eaters Eat This!
Vampira- Commander Cody And His Lost Planet Airmen Flying Dreams
Andrea- Tommy Keene Driving Into The Sun
Vivian- Nerf Herder How To Meet Girls
Ode To Joy- The Adicts Smart Alex
52 Girls- The B-52's The B-52's

^Power Pop Peak: #13 Billboard Hot 100 10/2/2010

*SacroSet: 2010 Top 5

>Power Pop Prototype: 1981 (released 2010)

For over ten year's now I've compiled annual lists of my Top 5 movies, records, books, etc. You can check out past lists at the Rick's Top 5 Lists blog. This was an especially good year for music so it was hard narrowing it to five. Consider that Rooney, The Pernice Brothers and The Hold Steady released records in 2010 and none made the list- that's how tough the competition was last year. This has got to be a good sign. So, here are all of my 2010 Top 5's:

TOP 5 MOVIES

A Prophet (globalism conquers a French prison)

Winter’s Bone (this is the Ozarks on meth)

The Town (terrifying townies)

Scott Pilgrim vs. The World (rock & roll comic book)

Fish Tank (Good Times these ain’t)

TOP 5 DVD'S

Bandslam (why wasn’t The Runaways this fun)

Big Fan (as in fanatic)

Terribly Happy (Danish noir)

Repo! The Genetic Opera (horr-opera? operagore?)

Passing Strange (bohemian rhapsody)

TOP 5 ALBUMS

The Genuine Fakes- “The Striped Album” (Power Pop Lives!-- in Sweden)

Hoodoo Gurus- Purity Of Essence (Rock Gods from Oz)

Paul Collins- King of Power Pop (Long live the King!)

Merrymakers- Bubblegun (100% guaranteed to live up to their name)

The Cute Lepers- Smart Accessories (Steve E. Nix rockin’ for the USA)

TOP 5 BOOKS

This Is Where I Leave You- Jonathan Tropper (shiva-larity!)

The Millennium Trilogy- Stieg Larsson (Lisbeth today’s Holden Caufield?)

Freedom- Jonathan Franzen (where we are- right here, right now)

American Rust- Philipp Meyer (industrial revulsion)

Bangkok 8- John Burdett (Det. Sonchai Jitpleecheep rules!)

TOP 5 TELEVISION/CABLE SHOWS

Buffy The Vampire Slayer Seasons 5-7 (a Love family fave!)

The Wire Seasons 4-5 (it’s all in the game)

Generation Kill (“we fought retarded”)

Skins Vol. 1 (suffer the children)

Lost Season 6 (it all ends in a blink)

In December 2009 I was too busy to put a new show together for a Boxing Day broadcast so I came up with the idea of a "Year End Dedication Special" going back to all show starting dedication songs of the previous twelve months. It was a fun show, so I decided to make it an annual affair. I was preempted on Christmas, so this first show of 2011 is the Dedication Special. It's also a great excuse for another airing of The Real Kids' "All Kindsa Girls," one of my all-time favorites. I've heard the song a thousand times, but I still can't help air drumming into the chorus- John Felice wrote the hell out of that song. Last year also started the tradition of ending the Dedication Special with The B-52's "52 Girls," which is a no-brainer.

One other Top 5 I want to call attention to is the movie Bandslam. Since it starred Disney Channel actresses, I was AWOL the day Jaime to Nica to see it. Both told me I'd blown it and once I saw the film I had to agree. Bandslam was made by people who LOVE rock & roll. Director Todd Graff (a character actor I recognized from The Abyss; when Ed Harris says "I hate that bitch," Graff was the guy who said "Maybe you shouldn'ta married her" or something like that) was in a punk band in the 80's and for Bandlam, he re-created the legendary NYC club CBGB's on a film set. The film does a great job showing how rock & roll brings people together, especially outsiders. Admittedly its hard to picture beautiful Vanessa Hudgens as an outsider but that's my only quibble. Like my comment above, if The Runaways had been one fifth as fun as Bandslam, it would have made the list as well.

So, another year has started. Thanks for listening and for checking out the blog. I'm going to work on posting in a more timely fashion- it bugs me that the links for Show #45 were off the server by the time I posted about the show. As always, you can leave a comment with your e-mail address if you'd like to receive my bi-monthly e-mails on show days.

One more time....Happy New Year from ALL KINDSA GIRLS!

The download links for this week's show are below:
Hour 1
Hour 2

Show #47 December 11, 2010

Merry Christmas Joy!

Ode To Joy- The Adicts Smart Alex
I Guess It's Christmas- The Wellingtons Christmas Present
My Girlfriend (Forgot Me This Christmas)- The Click Five The Perfect Christmas: Holiday Music 2006
Merry Christmas I Love You- Mark Bacino Christmas Singles: A Parasol Christmas Collection
Don't Feel Much Like Christmas- The Montgomery Cliffs Christmas Stocking Stuffer
Christmas (I Remember)- The Smithereens Christmas With The Smithereens
Power Pop Santa- Pointed Sticks Power Pop Santa
Everyday Is Christmas- Swag Nashpop: A Nashville Pop Compilation
^Fairytale of New York- The Pogues & Kristy MacColl If I Should Fall From Grace With God
I Wish It Was Christmas Today- Julian Casablancas I Wish It Was Christmas Today
Santa Claus- Chris Von Sneidern Dreamland With The Pop Snowflakes
Christmas Celebration- Weezer Photograph Single
God Bless Us All- Doug Powell Four Seasons
I Can't Have a Merry Christmas- The Riptides Tales From Planet Earth
*We Three Kings- Blondie We Three Kings
*Little Drummer Boy- Lolas Hi-Fi Christmas Party
*God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen- The Jigsaw Seen Santa's Got A GTO: Rodney On The ROQ's Christmas
*Angels We Have Heard On High- Duvall Oh Holy Night
All I Want For Christmas- The Genuine Fakes All I Want For Christmas  
Merry Christmas- The Automatics Xmas Snertz : Have a Very Gulcher Christmas!
Christmas- The Rooks Encore Echoes
Snow Day- Bleu For The Kids
Please Leave Me Home For Xmas- Imperial Drag Please Leave Me Home For Xmas
Super Sunny Christmas- Redd Kross Super Sunny Christmas Single
>I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday- Wizzard I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday Single
I Won't Be Home For Christmas -Blink-182 I Won't Be Home For Christmas Single
My Christmas Wish- Frank Marzano But Enough About Me
Christmas Would Not Be Christmas- Carpet Frogs Everything Is Beautiful
I Love Xmas- Screaming Santas Trim The Tree!
Lonely Christmas- Sloppy Seconds Lonely Christmas
Tinsel And Marzipan- Pugwash Tinsel and Marzipan
Peace On You- Three Hour Tour 1969
Christmas Christmas- Cheap Trick Dreamland With The Pop Snowflakes
Thanks for Christmas- XTC Rag and Bone Buffet: Rare Cuts and Leftovers

^Power Pop Peak: #1 Irish Singles Chart December 1987

*SacroSet: Power Pop Christmas Carols

>Power Pop Prototype: 1973

First off, much thanks to the brilliant Power Pop Criminals blog for turning up so much amazing music over the last few years. I thought I was good at coming up with rare Christmas records, but those guys are amazing!

Every year I look for one "perfect" song to join my personal Christmas canon and this year it's The Smithereen's "Christmas (I Remember):"

I close my eyes and I recall
When my dreams were big and my world was small
I was a good kid and I really dug school
My folks gave me love and my friends were cool
I had it made and life was great
But all year long I could not wait
For tales untold and the joy I found
And all the fun I'd have when December came around

The winter skies were white with snow
We'd grab our sleds and away we'd go
The air was filled with mystery
And the promise of peace and harmony
My mind went wild what should I see
A real fine stash underneath the tree
And every gift was good as gold
Like Shutdown Volume 2 and Rubber Soul

Christmas, I remember now, Christmas
Christmas I remember how
everything was like it should be

I close my eyes and I still recall
The years gone by and through it all
The kid inside my heart won't die
And he found out the reason why
The bells peal out and choirs sing
And why his life's so happening
The greatest gifts will always be
The love I give to you and the love you give to me

Christmas, I still dig it now, Christmas
Christmas, I still dig it how
everything is like it should be

Christmas, I still dig it now, Christmas
Christmas, can you dig it now, Christmas
Christmas can you dig it how
everything is like it should be

This song just kills me, especially "everything is like it should be." I think this means Christmas is a time where everyone is trying to be their best self, a big part of which is being there for other people. Hopefully this makes our reality a little closer to what our dream of the world can be- for a time at least.

 The Smithereens are big Beach Boys (Shutdown Volume 2) and Beatles (Rubber Soul) fans. While I don't share their love for those bands, I have a Christmas memory just like the one in the song. It was December 1980 and I was breathlessly awaiting the release of The Clash's Sandinista! I'd had the import of first single "The Call Up" since early December, but I needed more. Despite the moderate success of London Calling, Epic Records, The Clash's US label, had no confidence in a three album set that included an entire album side of dub. They decided to forego Christmas sales and put the record out in January of 1981. Even so, it was Christmas, the biggest record buying time of the year, so import copies of Sandinista! (released in the UK 12/12/80) were nearly impossible to come by, and believe me, I had tried. So, needless to say, my mind was completely blown when I woke up on Christmas morning and saw a strange album propped up on top of my turntable dustcover with Side 1 cued up and ready to go. It was surreal- I hadn't yet seen the artwork so I wasn't even sure what I was looking at. Then it dawned on me- THIS IS IT! THIS IS SANDINISTA! Turns out that for the last two weeks my dad had been hounding the import buyer at Musicsmith in the Hanover Mall on a daily basis (how cool is it that a chain store in a suburban mall had an "Import Buyer," who cares if he mostly opted for Gary Numan and Genesis records?) A day or two before Christmas the guy got two copies of Sandinista!, one for me and the other for himself- I don't even know if he cared about the band, but Dad had sold him on the record.

From the opening notes of "The Magnificent 7," I was hooked on Sandinista! Even if it took me years to fully appreciate the more adventurous aspects of the album, that morning it was hard to get me downstairs to open presents. It still amazes me that in just three years time, The Clash had gone from a three-chord punk band to a group experimenting with styles like rap, jazz, rockabilly, Motown, gospel, children's music and calypso, as well as tearing it up with songs like "Somebody Got Murdered." Who told them they could do that? No one- they just did it. It's one of the bravest things I've ever seen an artist do. Not to take anything away from Sandinista!, but I'm willing to concede a major link between my love of the record and love for the man who worked so hard to make sure I had it- all in time for Christmas.

I hope you and your family had a wonderful Christmas and thank you for another great year of ALL KINDSA GIRLS!!!

Click to stream the show or to download, right click and "Save Link As"
ALL KINDSA GIRLS Show #47 Christmas Crush

Show #46 November 27, 2010

For Vivian and the Power Pop Fallen of 2010 ....and Chris Von Sneidern too!


Vivian- Nerf Herder How To Meet Girls
The Ballad- Chris Von Sneidern Sight & Sound
Saturday Nite Riot- Pink Spiders Teenage Graffitti
Walk Right Back- The Producers The Producers 7"
I Don't Want To Discuss That- The Showbiz Kids She Goes To Finos 7"
Password- Cotton Mather Kontiki
The Reunion- The Blades Hot For You Single
If You Then I- The Genuine Fakes The Striped Album
^The Walls Came Down- The Call The Best Of The Call
Stolen Love- Advertising Advertising Jingles
Better Start Right Now- The Rooks Encore Echoes
She Won't See Me- Big Kid All Kidding Aside
Thinking About The Sun- Spies Shake Some Action Vol. 3
Don't Let Go- Little Murders Stop Plus Singles 1978-1986
*No Time- Jay Reatard Matador Singles '08
*That's What the Little Girls Do (Demo/Album)- The Knack Get the Knack
*There Was A Light (Demo)- Big Star The Ardent Studio Sessions (1972-1973)
*I'm Alright- Owsley Owsley
*Dancin' Doctors- The Freshies The Very Best Of
*The Village Green Preservation Society- The Kinks The Village Green Preservation Society
*Blow Yourself Up- Tommy Hoehn DIY Come Out And Play: American Power Pop I (1975-78)
Thank You- Descendents Everything Sucks
When I Write The Book- Rockpile Seconds Of Pleasure
Until I Get You- Hanoi Rocks Back to the Mystery City
Dumb Dumb Ditty- Farrah Cut Out And Keep
Really Wanted You- Emitt Rhodes Mirror
Livin' Fast- The Toys Livin' Fast Single
>Supergirl- The Fugs The Fugs First Album
Rave It Up- The Colors Rave It Up EP
Shutdown- The Stompers The Stompers
Further Thoughts- The Chicaynes Further Thoughts Single
Nothing You Got- Princes Of Peace X-Ray Proved 7"
In A Lonely Place- The Smithereens Especially For You

^Power Pop Peak: #74 Billboard Hot 100 5/7/83

*SacroSet: Power Pop Legends Lost In 2010

>Power Pop Prototype: 1965

As I'm learning, one of the things that sucks about growing older is watching people you love, respect and admire die. Like a lot of people I'm afraid, the deaths of Johnny Thunders (d. 4/23/1991) and Jerry Nolan (d. 1/14/1992) were not a surprise. Those guys were cautionary tales and I'm surprised they lasted as long as they did. On the other hand, I was shocked when Joey Ramone (d. 4/15/2001) died, who would have guessed he'd go before Dee Dee (d. 6/5/2002)? Even so, the loss of 50% of The Ramones in no way prepared me for the sucker punch of Joe Strummer (d. 12/22/2002) dying at the age of 50. Back in 1980 I had mocked the people who seemed so devastated by John Lennon's murder, but I know better now. I am so glad that Jaime and I went in to The Fillmore to see Joe's last San Francisco show with the Mescaleros- it was an amazing night.

You'd think I'd be getting used to my musical heroes dying by now, but it still throws me every time and 2010 was an especially hard year. Count among the fallen:

• Jay Reatard (d. 1/13/10, age 29, cocaine/alcohol overdose)

• Doug Fieger, leader of The Knack (d. 2/14/10, age 57, cancer)

• Alex Chilton, lead singer of The Box Tops, Big Star and solo artist
  (d. 3/17/10, age 59, heart attack)

• Will Owsley (d. 4/30/10, age 44, suicide)

• Chris Sievey, lead singer of The Freshies, TV personality Frank Sidebottom (d. 6/21/10, age 54, cancer)

• Pete Quaife, bass player in The Kinks (d. 6/23/10, age 66, kidney failure)

• Tommy Hoehn (d. 6/24/10, age 55, cancer)

• Tuli Kupferberg, co-founder of The Fugs (d. 7/12/10, age 86, strokes/long illness)

• Andy Hummel, bass player in Big Star (d. 7/19/10, age 59, cancer)

• Michael Been, lead singer of The Call (d. 8/19/10, age 60, heart attack)

The thing that really sucks is that Tuli Kupferberg is the only one above who lived to a ripe old age. Yet, all have one thing in common- they have left a musical legacy that will be around forever. So, rather than a dour elegy the equivalent of some lame awards show in memoriam "death applause-0-meter," tonight's show is a celebration of that legacy. I can't think of a better Thanksgiving show than to give thanks for all the great music these guys gave us. The Descendents "Thank You," which I played after tonight's SacroSet, says it all:

I listen to you for hours, I'll listen all day
Just keep hitting me the right way
Sing your song in the shower
Cause you got a way
To say what I can never say, right - right on
When I feel weak you make me feel strong
Make me feel strong

I won't say your name
But you know who you are
I'll never be the same again, now - no way
I just want to say
Thank you for playing the way you play

You don't get played on the radio
That's not the game you play
Well I don't care anyway
I glued your tape in the stereo
So I know every word, every note
And every chord is right - right on
When I feel weak you make me feel strong
Make me feel strong feel like nothing's wrong

Did you know you're why I go
And waste my time
At a rock and roll show
You let me know I'm not alone
You make me feel strong, make me feel strong,
Feel like nothing's wrong

I won't say your name, you know who you are
I'll never be the same again, now - no way
I just want to say
Thank you for playing the way you play
Thank you for playing the way you play
Thank you for playing the way you play

Now, back to the living...

I have a bad habit of letting our local newspaper, The Sonoma- Index Tribune, pile up and usually about a month goes by before I get to it. Luckily Jaime keeps up to date and she happened to notice that San Francisco pop genius Chris Von Sneidern was playing at a small winery tasting room in Sonoma as part of the Bay Area House Concert Series. I've always loved CVS's voice and songwriting, but I had completely taken his guitar playing for granted- the guy is incredible on the 12 string. What was especially cool is that we got to talk with him between sets. Jaime told him that, inspired by his song of the same name, we almost named our daughter Veronica "Annalisa." He told us that Annalisa was a girl who worked at a health food market in the upper Haight. During the second set he did a beautiful version of Big Star's "Thirteen" that brought Jaime and I to tears. I mentioned it to him after the show and he said "it's too easy, like shooting fish in a barrel." They recently aired a documentary on the local PBS station called "Why Isn't Chris Von Sneidern Famous?" I couldn't agree more- the guy is a Bay Area treasure.

You can download Hour 1 of tonight's show here
And Hour 2 is here