Hunter S for Sheriff 

Hunter S Thompson Remembered

Check out the issue 970 of Rolling Stone. The issue is dedicated to Hunter S Thompson with many reflections from Ralph Steadman, George McGovern, Jimmy Carter, and his co-workers at the Stone, and others. If you've enjoyed Hunter's work, you will want to read this.

2005 Rock Hall Inductees Do They Deserve it?

Chrissie Hynde


New inductees include U2, The Pretenders, The O'Jays, Percy Sledge, and Buddy Guy.

U2 deserves their induction. Their pre-Joshua Tree efforts rocked hard while championing the cause of the little guy (Often the Irish). Sunday Bloody Sunday, Pride (In the Name of Love), and New Years Day are essential. Beginning with The Joshua Tree their music became more polished with the guitar often less prominent. And do we really know Bono? Is he the Jubilee proponent desiring the forgiveness of third-world debts or is he his Judas quoting Macphisto alter ego? He is certainly interesting.

The Pretenders shot out of a cannon with their guitar slinging self-titled debut that in itself justifies their induction. Learning to Crawl was great too, but a bit mellower. Precious, Tattoed Love Boys, My City was Gone, Back on the Chain Gang, and Thumbelina as well as their cover of Hendrix's Room Full of Mirrors belong in every rocker's home. Chrissie has mellowed, but I wish she would scorch the earth again. Maybe she should recruit former Urge Overkill members for her band.

You just have to love Percy Sledge. His When a Man Love's a Woman may be the reason you are reading this. His is the definitive version. Stay away from Michael Bolton's cover. Percy warned us though....or at least his mama in Take Time to Know Her. The problem with Percy's induction is that he is not by definition a rock star. Soul singer, yes. Top 40 artist, Yep. Rhythm and Blues, indeed. Percy should not be in the rock hall.

The O'Jays gave us Love Train, Back Stabbers, and the Apprentice Theme AKA For the Love of Money. Like Percy they are not rock singers by definition and deserve membership elsewhere.

Buddy Guy comes closer to being a rocker. He is often cited as one of the best guitarists by Eric Clapton. However, Buddy belongs in the blues hall of fame, not the rock hall.

There are so many rockers who have not been inducted due to the inclusion of soul, blues, and country artists that are not by definition rockers. Perhaps one day artists like Love, The Moody Blues, Alice Cooper, Electric Light Orchestra, Johnny Rivers, King Crimson, Steppenwolf, Yes, and others will find their well deserved space in the hall.

Aimee Mann to Release 70's Style Concept Album

Aimee Mann 2005


Aimee is my favorite rock artist that is still regularly releasing tunes. Her music is clever, an island in the vast sea of conformity. Heck, she is my favorite female artist of all time, rivaled only during Aimee's first decade, by Chrissie Hynde. By the mid 90's Aimee's talent was at its peak (or should I say plateau as it has not diminished) unsurpassable by others. Perhaps the island is Hawaii, an island that is actually the world's tallest mountain if you measure it from its ocean base. Anyway, Aimee is releasing a new album that is a concept album. From her newsletter:

Aimee Mann songs have a literary quality to them--sharp, short stories set to music--so it was probably inevitable that she would one day make a concept album, the musical equivalent of a novella. The Forgotten Arm, her fifth solo release, is exactly that: a dozen songs that tell, rather loosely, the story of John and Caroline as they meet, fall in love and road trip across America.
The Forgotten Arm is in stores May 3rd but if you pre-order at aimeemann.com you will have the option to receive a limited edition large format oversize 32 page lyric book with all the illustrations and photos from the album.
Listen to the The Forgotten Arm now at Aimee Mann's site.
Three new songs posted every Tuesday.

Rock Hall of Famers Bonnie Raitt, the Ramones, and Otis Redding

Bonnie Raitt is an unlikely hall member. She represents determination, and it is perhaps this long-term dedication from her 1971 debut until her 1986 blockbuster Nick of Time that assured her nomination. It’s the old underdog that makes it big story. Nick of Time is a very good album particularly the title track and the John Hiatt penned Thing Called Love. 1991’s Luck of the Draw gave us Something to Talk About and I Can’t Make You Love Me continued her success. Bonnie was a cult artist, critic darling that made it. But then again, it could have been critically acclaimed frequent collaborators John Hiatt or Delbert McClinton in the same role.

Although bands like the Stooges and the MC5 were early punk rockers, The Ramones made punk rock cool. They were the kings of CBGB’s, but their works garnered more acclaim in England than the U.S. initially. Blitkrieg Bop, Sheena is a Punk Rocker, Rock & Roll High School, and Do You Wanna Dance were fast-paced frenetic rock. We needed that. They deserve their membership.

Otis Redding was a southern soul man who could let it all hang out. His original version of Respect, cover of Satisfaction, and Hard to Handle, and I Can’t Turn You Loose are turbo-charged rock and soul classics. You can just hear the sweat pouring out of them. I’ve Been Loving You Too Long is an essential slow ballad that is often overlooked on oldies stations. Try a Little Tenderness starts out slow and keeps getting faster and faster until it seems like it will burst out of your speakers. Otis died too soon at 26. He left us (sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay. Otis is the rubric by which all soul artists should be judged for membership. If you don’t believe me watch his performance from D. A. Pennebaker’s Monterey Pop or Shake! Otis at Monterey.

Otis 

New - A Cartoon Database

Felix the Cat


The internet's music and film databases have been quite popular. Now, there is a cartoon database called the Big Cartoon Database. You can look up your favorite characters, review their individual cartoons, and get news on DVD releases, etc.