RADIO HANNIBAL

The Neil Young discography - Shakey II, part 3

This discography analysis is written by JT of Perth, Australia (follow him at @thesonofnoone on Twitter).

Neil Young & Crazy Horse
Everybody Knows This is Nowhere (1969) Spotify

TRACKS:

1) 'Cinnamon Girl' - C'mon, you've all heard this one. Sing along with me! "Ma, send me money now I'm gonna make it somehow, I need another chance". Great fuckin' song - one that's lived and lasted while others have fallen by the wayside. Is its longevity due to its greatness or its simplicity? I don't know other than to say that it deserves its place on any Neil Young 'Best of', even if I don't reach for it as often as I do for other songs (that's the fault of the listener... not the song). First of the regal trio. 9.0

2) 'Everybody Knows This is Nowhere' - An underrated gem, which is hard to believe could be possible for a title track. Gets lost amongst the giants of the album, but of the second-tier songs, it more than stands its ground - it leads the charge. Danny Whitten's backing vocals are sublime on this song, as though he singing a micro-second behind Young's lead, adding up to another gem. The hits keep coming folks. 8.5

3) 'Round and Round (It Won't Be Long)' - Wow. This is what 'The Old Laughing Lady' was striving for before it fell flat on its face. Robin Lane kills on the backing vox. A leftover from the Buffalo Springfield days, it's one of the weaker two tracks on the album, but in no way is that meant to do the song a disservice, it's just that it's in such illustrious company that it can't help but pale in relative comparison. 7.5

4) 'Down By the River' - Masterpiece #3. Second of the regal trio and they just keep getting better. There's a reason that Neil Young still stands by this song and takes it to different levels every time it's played (check out the 27 minute version he did in Germany in 2002, or the version from Farm Aid 1994). In the realm of completely unfuckwithable songs of all time - 'Down By the River' takes pride of place. Is it about killing your chick or (as Young has said) blowing your load? Who cares... A true fucking great song. 10.0

5) 'The Losing End (When You're On)' - The underrated gem of Neil Young's career to this point. I'm not sure about the "all right, Wilson Pickett" cry (or is that "all right Whitten, pick it!"), but this song just kills me every time with its "It's so hard for me now, but I'll make it somehow though I know I'll never be the same, won't you ever change your ways?" lines. I know it's not, but it should be as well known as (at the least) 'Cinnamon Girl'. 9.0

6) 'Running Dry (Requiem For The Rockets)' - Suffers from the same 'swamped by giants' syndrome that 'Round and Round' is. But again, it doesn't make it a bad song (not at all). The crazy violin throughout the song is a freaky cool touch. Sometimes I can't listen to this song as much as I want to, because I know what's coming next. 7.0

7) 'Cowgirl in the Sand' - Masterpiece #4, third and final of the regal trio and so good I might have to invent something above 'Masterpiece'. How the fuck do you come up with something like this? Seriously, if and when judgment comes, there'll be a panel of people sent to critique what music has done for civilisation and some thirteen-year-old kid is going to walk up with a turntable and crank this puppy up, blowing the panel outta their chairs and onto their asses. Hopefully they'll get up and rock out in a weird way, because there's no real straight way to react to this song. It infects your pores and stays with you for hours until the only recourse is to play it again. If Miles Davis were a rocker - this would be his signature tune. 10.0

ALBUM RATING: 10.0 (I'm not Mark Prindle, so you'll see more than one 10.0 in this thread folks)

VERDICT: "A champion team will always beat a team of champions". So... there's some less than 10.0s here, but the album's a ten? Fuck yes. The devolutionary leap made from Young's first album to here is unbelievable. He decided to rock with the balls instead of the head and it paid off. There's no way you can top this, so Neil Young did the first Neil Young-esque thing of his career, he refused to try and top it, instead turning the corner and heading towards (relative) blandness. This still remains a monolith, and dare I say it, will stand up longer than any other Neil Young album. Is this not the way it seems?

NEXT: Neil stars in 'A Deal With the Devil: Or How I Got Famous by Slumming it With Famous Friends"

 

The fight to repeal the Cleveland admission tax

Over the summer word spread in the local music community of an initiative to curb loud music in local bars and clubs here in Cleveland.  Council members cried that the uproar was for naught.  They said that the initial legislation was merely a starting point to talks and that some sort of compromise could be reached down the road. They were actually taken aback at the attention it drew.

Seriously?  The idea of toning down or even banishing rock and roll from bars and clubs in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame city is absurd period.  We should be upset at a city council so misguided in its priorities.

Shortly before this legislation came to light Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson began an initiative to collect back taxes on venues that booked live music.  This admissions tax, as it's called, says that 8% of the ticket price will go into the city coffers.  Because the tax was loosely enforced, a number of clubs and bars were looking at a back tax bill that could wipe them out financially. 

The good news is that the city is being open minded about this.  They are even considering repealing the admissions tax for small venues.  The proposed ordinance is #1492-11.

Local musicians and bars have come up with a two pronged attack.  In an effort to bring awareness of the admissions tax to the public a number of local live music clubs are presenting Defend Music Night this Friday.  Here's the poster with a list of venues and acts.  Please go out and support live, local music.

In an attempt to show the Mayor and Cleveland city council how robust and talented the local music scene is Brent Kirby is asking any and all musicians to send the Mayor your release.  It doesn't matter if it's a CD, vinyl, or even a home made cassette.  Don't procrastinate though, get your albums to the Mayor's office by February 29th. Here's the address:

Mayor Frank Jackson
Cleveland City Hall 
601 Lakeside Ave. 
Cleveland 44114

No physical product? Then email your MP3s to:

mayorsactioncenter@city.cleveland.oh.us

The fact is local venues and musicians helped bring $840 million dollars of income and $91.6 million in taxes to Cuyahoga County in 2010.  That's not counting the synergy created between local music and the Rock Hall that attracts tourism to our city. 

 

Keeping visual count of your workouts is great motivation

I work out six times a week.  I take Saturdays off since I usually DJ a party that night.  The load in and load out of gear along with standing for seven hours or so makes up for it. 

I alternate between weight training and cardio which means three days of weights and three days of some form of cardio, either on the bike or step.  I do my routine early in the morning, like clockwork.  That's important.  Pick a time of day that works for you and then block off that time.  There's not much that should take priority over it.  After all, we're talking about your health. 

Certainly there are mornings when the last thing I want to do is workout, but I know that if I skip a day I'll feel guilty about it.  That guilt trip kicks in after about three months.  In the early days of a fitness program it's much easier to skip a day guilt-free.  That's why it's very important to stick to the routine through discipline those first 90 days.  After that it really becomes a part of who you are. 

Another great way to stay motivated is to keep score.  Use a notebook to write down every set up reps you do and every minute you spend doing cardio.  Here's my notebook.

It's not like I analyze the thing.  It just gives a feeling of satisfaction and accomplishment to see pages fill and reps and minutes increase.  It's proof that you have a successful fitness program.  Of course looking in the mirror is proof as well. 

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Music tributes to Don Cornelius

One of the great things about Spotify is it's social aspect.  The ability to make playlists and then share them is right up my alley. 

Check out my Spotify profile and you'll find a growing number of playlists.  From there you can simply subscribe to them and they'll appear in your own playlists on the left sidebar.

On the passing of Don Cornelius last week I thought I'd pay tribute by making a couple of playlists.  One is uptempo dance music, perfect for the Soul Train line while the other is some of those great soul slow grooves. Soul Train began it's national run in 1971 so I concentrated on songs from that year through the end of the 70s when the show was in its prime. 

Radio Hannibal Don Cornelius Tribute, One Long Soul Train Line

Radio Hannibal Don Cornelius Tribute, A Soul Train Slow Groove

The Neil Young discography - Shakey II, part 2

This discography analysis is written by JT of Perth, Australia (follow him at @thesonofnoone on Twitter).

Neil Young
Neil Young (1968)

Spotify

TRACKS:

1) 'The Emperor of Wyoming' - A truly bizarre way to announce yourself as a solo artist... an instrumental country hoedown. Definitely not something you go to your stereo to hit the 'repeat' button for. But give him credit for the perversity. 4.5

2) 'The Loner' - This is more like it. Again, maybe trying for a bit too much on the production (the Crazy Horse versions work much better), but the song is still there, and when he soars on the "know when you see him" bit, you can't help but feel he's flying in the right direction. 8.0

3) 'If I Could Have Her Tonight' - This song, as far as we can tell, has never been played live by Neil Young. Maybe that suggests a bad song? Nothing of the sort. This is really a gem of a tune. Not as good as 'The Loner', but that takes nothing away from this. Should be more well known, I think. 7.0

4) 'I've Been Waiting For You' - Another solid song that's seemingly forgotten. Covered by David Bowie in 2002 (no doubt after seeing NY & Crazy Horse pull it out on their 2001 Euro Tour), it sounds exactly like the kind of song David Bowie would cover. What does that mean? I've not a fuckin' clue, but this song is cool anyway. 7.0

5) 'The Old Laughing Lady' - Another overrated song I never understood the love for. It's just a bit boring. Honestly - it is. But feel free to decide for yourself. The backing vocal breakdown about 3:20 into the song is shockingly unnecessary. 5.0

6) 'String Quartet From Whiskey Boot Hill' - A Jack Nitzsche-composed instrumental. Not sure what it's doing here, but maybe Neil wanted an instrumental to open each side? Who knows. I don't care enough about this song to comment any further. 3.0

7) 'Here We Are in the Years' - Apart from the instrumentals (which, to me, are just interludes), this is the weakest song on the album. It ends stronger than it started, but to me it's Neil Young trying to see what he can do as opposed to the Neil Young who just goes out and spends more time recording than he does on planning to record. 4.5

8) 'What Did You Do to My Life?' - Hey! Not a bad song at all. Those echoey backing vocals are pretty cool and the guitar makes my filling shake, so that's two big thumbs up. The main vocals are kind half-assed, but the song carries you past the flaws. Easily worth a 7.0

9) 'I've Loved Her So Long' - Another cool song. Even better than 'What Did You Do to My Life?'. Just an awesome vibe to this one - another neglected gem. But I suppose when you've got so many songs - you have to leave some out, don't you? 7.5

10 'The Last Trip to Tulsa' - Depending on my mood, this is either Masterpiece #3 or a massive fuckin' failure. Tonight, as I write this - I can't decide. So you need to let me know. At the moment, I'm undecided. Needless to say, in the Neil Young discography - it's unique. 9.0/4.5 (depending on the day)

ALBUM RATING: 6.5

VERDICT: This really is an odd album, unlike anything else in his catalogue. How else to put it except that there's too much effort in the album. The beauty of Neil Young's music is that it works best when it's simplified, and 'simple' cannot describe this album. For starters, it kicks off with a weird instrumental, and finishes with a head-fuck of a song. But there's some gems here. Maybe not diamonds, but something a little less valuable. Maybe trying to exert himself too much, Neil Young misses out (or maybe hadn't found yet) what makes him so great.

NEXT: Greatness.

 

Is Spotify still the clear front runner in streaming?

I've championed Spotify, the streaming music service, relentlessly since it came to the US in July.  Their success in Europe, association with Facebook and marketing clout made it appear that all the competition would lose the battle.  Maybe I spoke too soon.

I've been playing around on MOG this week.  There's some differences such as the fact that Spotify works on downloaded software whereas MOG runs right on their site.  The functionality is fairly similar.  MOG may not be as clean and smooth as Spotify.  Songs seem to start up slightly quicker on Spotify.  That has to do with the fact that it's a peer to peer network and with so many more Spotify subscribers it's that much quicker to find the song and commence playing it.  The sound quality is close though some have said that MOG sounds better and they just might. 

The real problem Spotify has is content.  MOG seems to be beating them good right now and I can't find an explanation from anyone.  Two of the great holdouts on Spotify, Bob Dylan and Pink Floyd are on MOG.  Though The Beatles and Led Zeppelin remain absent from either. 

I was concerned that MOG was getting more new releases than Spotify.  Being the music freak I am, on Tuesday mornings I look at what's to be released that day and this past Tuesday there was no Lana Del Rey, no Imperial Teen, no The 2 Bears.  They were all on MOG though.  Eventually, whether it was later that day or Wednesday, all of those releases showed up on Spotify.  As the front runner Spotify shouldn't let MOG beat them to new releases, even if it's just by hours. 

I am impressed with MOG.  Not enough to switch allegiances yet but it sure would be nice to get Dylan and Floyd on Spotify.  What gives?

Cleveland's Janet Macoska publishes sensational Alex Harvey book

I was record shopping on Saturday afternoon at Blue Arrow Records and came across mint copies of The Sensational Alex Harvey Band's Next and The Impossible Dream.  My own copies were beat, having bought them back in the 1970s when Alex Harvey was a rock star here in Cleveland. 

Alex Harvey was not well known in the United States other than here in Cleveland due to our unique radio station WMMS.  The station still exists but holds none of its former glory, but I digress.  He was relatively well known in the UK, especially in his home country of Scotland. 

Janet Macoska, who was in college when WMMS began turning us Clevelanders onto this interesting rock character.  She became his biggest fan.  At 20 years old she interviewed Harvey twice for the college paper.  Those interviews have just been republished in Classic Rock Magazine, Exclusive: Lost Alex Harvey Interview Published.

30 years ago on February 4, 1982, Alex Harvey died of a heart attack at the age of 47.  In tribute, Macoska is publishing a photobook celebrating the life and music of Harvey titled Alex Harvey: The Last Of The Teenage Idols.  That being one of the songs by The Sensational Alex Harvey Band. 

After college Macoska began a career as a photographer, focusing on rock and roll.  Her work has been a featured exhibit at The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum.  She took many of pictures of her idol and friend Alex Harvey and are featured in the new book. 

Macoska will be unveiling her book at a tribute to Alex Harvey in Glasgow, Scotland this weekend.  The two day event will be attended by Alex Harvey Jr. along with members of The Sensational Alex Harvey Band. 

Framed and Next albums on Spotify

All Sensations - The Best Of The Sensational Alex Harvey Band

With all this digital music some songs are still hard to find

I remember about two years after the birth of iTunes that Apple announced a valiant effort to make many out of print albums available digitally.  And they were true to there word.  MP3s may not sound as good as a CD but the ease of creating digital files for sale allowed music lovers to find songs they had no access to before. 

Obsessive music fanatics also made sure these songs lived on by uploading them to Youtube as well.  Still, with all that has been done to resurrect long out of print material there remains some great songs that you can't buy or even stream on Spotify.  Thank god for those kooks who make it there mission to put those songs on Youtube.

Here's one such song that I heard a couple of years ago on a streaming radio show.  It's by Mel Tillis and appeared on the soundtrack to the Clint Eastwood movie Any Which Way But Loose.  The 1978 movie had badass Clint teamed up with an orangutan.  The now out of print soundtrack was full of country songs including this classic sung by Mel Tillis and written by Cliff Crofford and Snuff Garrett called "Send Me Down To Tucson". 

The risque song barely broke the country top 40 for a few weeks and then disappeared.  It doesn't appear on any available Mel Tillis albums with the exception of a live version.  There's a cover by an unknown artist and some karaoke versions.  The only place I could find this original gem is on Youtube. 

 

 

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