Old School Album Of The Week For Feb. 22nd - 26th

Here is an album I haven't listened to in ages. David Lee Roth's first full length solo release after leaving Van Halen, Eat 'Em And Smile released in 1987.
This album is actually a fun album to listen to again. He had an excellent back up band for this release with Steve Vai on guitar, Billy Sheehan on bass and drummer Greg Bissonette. The album starts with the song Yankee Rose and Steve Vai's guitar mimicking Roth's vocals. My other favorite tracks on Eat 'Em And Smile are Shy Boy which rocks all the way through, Goin' Crazy is another good one and Bump And Grind is good as well. The whole album is quite good.
I remember getting the chance to see David Lee Roth on this tour in 1987 at Northland's Coliseum with Harlequin opening, whom basically got booed off the stage. The place was sold out and no one was there to see them play that's for sure. Harlequin actually was a last minute add on as Andy Taylor ex of Duran Duran was supposed to be the openers but were cancelled for some reason.
This was my first time see Roth in concert as I didn't get the chance to see him when he was in Van Halen. It was an excellent concert with Steve Vai and Billy Sheehan almost stealing the show. Roth sounded good and was his usual self, jumping and singing his heart out and of course being a ladies man. There were a whole lot of hot and skanky women at this show. I don't recall who I went to this show with, but I had row 4 on the floor for this show and had a really good time.

Favorite Shows Of 2006

The year 2006 wasn't a great year for concerts here in Edmonton, though I did manage to see a few good ones.
The first good show of the year I saw was the double bill of Death Cab For Cutie opening for Franz Ferdinand April 25th at the Shaw Conference Centre. I wasn't really a fan of Death Cab For Cutie but thought they were alright, then came headliners Franz Ferdinand and I was really impressed by them. Good show.


On May 20th a Saturday, yay for Saturday shows, I saw the Sam Roberts Band at The Starlite Room which was an awesome venue to see a band like Sam Roberts. It was a sold out show of course, the venue holds about 600-700 people the place was packed and sweaty. He put on a wicked show that rocked all the way through. I am sure at the time he could have played a bigger venue but am very happy that he chose to play The Starlite, one of the best places to see a band in Edmonton. Don't recall if I went with anyone to this show.


June 29th saw Wilco with openers Elliot Brood come through town again to put on another 2 hour plus show.Unfortunatelly we missed Elliot Brood, which is too bad, cause I am now a big fan of them. I went to this show with A-Bomb. What was unique about this show was seeing Jeff Tweedy in a cast for a broken leg, sure didn't stop him from playing a long show, and he didn't even sit down through out the show. It took me a while to notice he had a cast as we had row 2 from the stage, so really couldn't see his legs. Another thing about this show, being that close, was that Jeff Tweedy noticed how bugged out I was at the show, I have to admit, I had an awesome buzz on for this show. Between songs, he actually pointed me out and said I was the most stoned person he had ever seen (in all honesty I was more drunk then stoned), and he had seen more then a few,lol. He also went on to say " that guy has concerts going through his head 24 hours a day" damn Jeff, how did you know.
After telling my brother about this story days later, he managed to find an audio bootleg of the Edmonton show. So, I actually have proof of what he had said to me.
Once again this was an amazing Wilco performance.


Next big good show of the year was on Friday October 6th at Rexall Place, none other then The Who. While I missed out on the hey days of The Who with John Entwistle and Keith Moon, I definitelly wanted to at least see Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey perform together.They also had Ringo Starr's son Zak Starkey on drums.
I wasn't going to go to this show cause tickets were super expensive, but the day before the show I managed to get row 3 on the floor right in the middle, so I splurged and bought Janis and I tickets for the show. I have to say, I am some happy I did too. It was an excellent show with Pete doing the big windmill on the guitar and playing awesome and Roger voice sounding really good and Zak on drums was actually quite good to. They played all their hits you would expect to hear and some new stuff from the album Endless Wire which is what they were touring for. All and all an excellent show.
From what I am reading and hearing now, the half time show they did at this years Super Bowl 2010, that may have been the last time they play together as The Who as Pete's tinnitus is acting up on him again. So I am very glad to have seen this concert.



Another good show for 2006 was Greg Keelor from Blue Rodeo with The Sadies at The Power Plant on The University of Alberta campus grounds. I have been a huge fan of The Sadies since seeing them play with Heavy Trash a few years before. Well, I talked my buddies Mook and Buzzard into checking this show out with me. We saw all of Greg Keelor who was really good, as he also had The Sadies as his back up band which was fucking cool. Unfortunatelly, Mook and I didn't get to see all of the show as we got kicked out of the show. Actually, we didn't get kicked out, more like they wouldn't let us back into the show. Mook and I had stepped out for a smoke and a toke a few times during the evening. Eventually, campus security drove by and gave us the big shakedown saying they were getting complaints about people smoking pot outside the venue. Ya, there were people doing that, but they had to shake us down, checking our pockets and all, finding nothing of course,ha ha!!! We were then told we would not be allowed back in the venue, what the fuck is that. They didn't even catch us, anyways, after they left, of course we tried getting back in as Buzzard was still inside checking out the show. But nope, security kicked us out, so we had to find another bar and drink there til we could hook up with Buzzard after the show.
What I did see of the show, was another great performance by The Sadies.Greg Keelor was good as well.


Other concerts I saw in 2006 were Taj Mahal with Ruthie Foster at The Jubilee Auditorium, The Black Crowes with Matt Mays and El Torpedo at The Jubilee Auditorium, Slayer on The Unholy Alliance Tour with Lamb Of God,Children Of Bodom and Mastodon at The Shaw Conference Centre, Corb Lund with Elliot Brood at The Jubilee Auditorium, Hatebreed at The Starlite Room and finally Guns n' Roses with Sebastian Bach and Helmet at Rexall Place (Bubbles from Trailer Park Boys stole this show when he came out and did his song Liquor and Whores with Axl and the band).
That concludes my favorite shows I have seen over the years. if you are interested in seeing my faves from 1984 - 1994 checkout my old blog by clicking here.

Neil Young Book Review

I just finished reading a book called Neil And Me wrote by Scott Young the father of Neil Young. This was the 25th anniversary edition of the book. The author Scott Young whom passed away in 2005 at the age of 87. Scott has wrote 45 books in his writing career as well as being a sports columnist for the Globe and Mail as well as the Toronto Star and many writing assignments with Sports Illustrated and such.
I found this to be an interesting read as it's not just an author writing about a subject as it is a father writing about his son. There are some good stories and very informative of Neil's early career in the music business,Neil's upbringing as an infant and to how Neil has dealt with his son Ben's cerebral palsy.
It was a very good read and highly recommend it if you are a fan of Neil Young. I give this book an 8 out of 10.

Old School Album Of The Week For Feb.15th - 19th

I really picked a winner this week. An album called The Right To Rock by Keel released in 1985 their debut album. My god, can't believe this is what I was listening to 25 years ago. The album was produced by Gene Simmons the bass player for KISS, maybe that's what made me buy this, being such a KISS fan, cause I really have no other excuse. There really is nothing good about this album, well, I kind of like the cover art, but the music is just some lame glam rock from the 80's.
Song titles such as the title The Right To Rock, lame lyrics,So Many Girls So Little Time,Easier Said Than Done which sounds just like 80's era KISS and then there is the god awful cover of the Rolling Stones song Let's Spend The Night Together. This was a hard album to listen to again and can't see bringing this out for another 25 years. And to think they have reunited for a 25th anniversary tour. give it up Keel.
But hey, you Got The Right To Rock. I just choose not to rock to this!

Wilco Live In Edmonton Feb.15th 2010

On Monday night February 15th Wilco with openers Califone (both bands from Chicago) played the Jubilee Auditorium.We missed Califone, had to get a few beers in us. I went to this show with BZ and A-Bomb and yet again we all left the show absolutely blown away. This was my seventh time seeing Wilco play live, and once again another amazing show. Opening with a mellow tune Sunken Treasure from their second album Being There, which was a surprise to me, after looking at their set lists for the previous three shows on this tour, they were opening with Wilco(The Song)which they eventually did do. With the show starting mellow then picking up with some all out noise, I had a feeling we were in for a special night of music. And Indeed we were, with drummer Glenn Kotche thrashing away and guitarist Nels Kline playing like a mad man and of course lead singer Jeff Tweedy going from a whisper to all out scream, the whole band was tight and put on an excellent show.
Some of the songs Wilco did were, I am Trying To Break Your Heart, I'm The Man Who Loves You, Shot In The Arm,Handshake Drugs (one of my very faves) and even a few songs from the Mermaid Avenue albums Wilco did with Billy Bragg (Woody Guthrie songs). I don't believe had ever heard them do those songs live before. I'm not real good with the song titles of Wilco songs. They pretty much covered songs from all seven of their albums. What I can say though is there wasn't a bad song or slow moment through out the two hour plus show. Watch this site for full set list, click here.
I would give this show a 10 out of 10. Wilco will love you baby!!!

Old School Album Of The Week For Feb.8th -12th

This weeks album is a collaboration from Merle Haggard and Willie Nelson called Pancho and Lefty released in 1982. This album is a great morning drinking album from the veteran country outlaws. While only 3 of the 10 songs are actually written by either artist, what a great album this is. Both Willie's and Merle's voices are so distinctive, I like best when they duet together on a few of the songs.
The album opens with the country classic, album title Pancho and Lefty wrote by the late Townes Van Zandt. This song has been covered by many an artist and most recently Steve Earle.
The second song on side one is a tune called It's My Lazy Day, has my favorite lines of the album,
"A little deep thinkin'
Drives me to drinkin'
Hey I'm a takin' it easy, it's my lazy day"
Side one ends with my favorite song of the album wrote by Merle Haggard, a song called Reasons To Quit. Some great lyrics in this song.
"Reasons to quit the smoke and booze don't do me like before
And I'm hardly ever sober and my old friends don't come around much anymore
Reasons to quit below it always lower than the high
And the reasons to quit don't out number all the reasons why

So we keep smokin' and we keep drinkin' havin' fun and never thinkin'
Laughin' at the price tags that we pay
And we keep rollin' down the fast lane like two young men feelin' no pain
And the reasons for quittin's gettin' bigger each day

Reasons to quit I can't afford the habit all the time
I need to be sober I need to write some new songs that will rhyme
Reasons to quit they have no rhyme or reason when you're high
And the reasons to quit don't out number all the reasons why

[ guitar ]
We keep smokin' and we keep drinkin'...
And the reasons for quittin's gettin' bigger each day" Then side two of the album starts with the song called "No Reason To Quit" yet another great song.
Another song I like on the album, and in the spirit of Valentine's Day is a song called "My Life's Been A Pleasure", this song goes out to my most awesome fiance Janis.
"I still love you as I did in yesterday
Many years have gone by though it seems just like a day
It's no wonder that I love you you have been so kind and true
There will never be another it will always be just you
We've come along the way together when you've proved your love is true
My life's been a pleasure and it's all because of you
And to me you'll always be just as sweet as flowers in May
And I'll still love you as I did in yesterday

[ guitar - violin ]
I still love you as I did in yesterday...

And to me you'll always be just as sweet as flowers in May
And I'll still love you as I did in yesterday" The second last song of the album, a tune called "All The Soft Places To Fall" which has a great opening verse.
"Most of my life I've been runnin' around playin' and havin' a ball
And maybe I've been on a party too long these memories are fond to recall
You see we've got these thing about women smokin' and good alcohol
Now I'm lookin' for a homelife and clean smellin' sheets and all the soft places to fall"
Yet something else Janis has brought to my life,mmm, clean sheets on a regular basis.
So, that's the album of this week, a great country classic from Merle and Willie.
Merle Haggard will be playing two shows Saturday March 6th., a 5pm and 8pm show at The River Cree Casino.

Old School Album Of The Week For Feb.1st - 5th

This week I pulled out the awesome Black Sabbath album Born Again released in 1983 with lead singer Ian Gillan from Deep Purple. While this incarnation of the band only lasted one album, what a fuckin' album it is.
To me this album not only stands the test of time but is as good as anything that was released with Ozzy as lead singer. The album was panned by the critics when it first came out, everything from the songs to the cover were said to be awful, and as for me, I think the album cover,the music,vocals and lyrics are some of the best yet by Sabbath. How can you not like an album that starts with Ian Gillan screaming his fucking guts out from start to finish. Ian Gillan put a lot of heart and soul into this album.
The album saw original drummer (Bill Ward) back in the fold after Ronnie James Dio and Vinny Appice left the band.
There really isn't a bad song on the whole album. The album starts with Trashed which is a great drinking and driving song if there is such a thing. Check these lyrics out.
"I went back to the bar and hit the bottle again
But there was no tequila
Then we started on the whiskey just to steady our brains
'Cos there was no tequila
And as we drank a little faster at the top of our hill
We began to roll
And as we got trashed we were laughing still
Well bless my soul"
The next song is an instrumental which leads into the song Disturbing The Priest that starts with an evil laugh, then follows with some awesome lyrics.
"The force of the devil is the darkness the priest has to face
The force of the night will destroy him but will not disgrace
To get into his mind and to his soul you gotta set alight
The flames of doubt so deep inside inside
The devil and the priest can't exist if one goes away
It's just like the battle of the sun and the moon and night and day
The force of the devil, that's we're all told to fear
Watch out for religion when he gets too near too near"
Then there is the song Zero The Hero that has a really cool riff from Tony Iommi through out the song.
Other great songs on the album are Digital Bitch, Hot Line and Keep It Warm. The song Keep It Warm, to me, sounds like a song about a woman standing by her man through his ventures and travels and not giving up on him.
How I wish I had seen this version of Sabbath in concert. Over the past 15 years we have seen Black Sabbath get back together with both Ozzy and Ronnie James Dio, I sure would like to see the Ian Gillan era Sabbath do another album and tour. C'mon Rick Rubin, work your magic and bring these guys back together for another album.
Born Again is a very very underrated album.
Zero The Hero Video