For What It's Worth

This is a great performance by Warren Zevon. Written before his terminal diagnosis, according to Wikipedia.

People of Nevada. State of legalized gambling and the Bunny Ranch! If Sue Lowden is going to defeat that wacky Morman moderate senator, she needs more resources. Send chickens now!

Artist: James McMurtry
Song: Vague Directions
Album: Candyland

Another song I first heard on WMAX in the mid-90s. For years I didn't know what the song was or the singer. Finally found out searching for the lyrics "it took a quarter tank of Fire Chief". I believe James had some help from John Mellencamp, and guitarist Mike Wanchic from John's band was involved with this album.

This is one of those songs that might not jump out at you, but it can grow on you. A simple riff and chord progression provide the basis for some clever lyrics. I have the CD and this is my favorite track.

Song: Mannish Boy
Artist: Muddy Waters
Album: Hard Again

I remember back around 1986 or so, I was working in an area at Xerox where we were in a lab most of the time, and we often had quite a few people working with us who were the same age or a bit younger than I. We usually had the radio on, but sometimes played cassettes. I had quite a collection of mix tapes, and I recall this song was playing. This album was about 10 years old at the time, and one young lady came up to me to ask me about the song. I wish I could remember her name. Anyway she knew the song from the movie "Risky Business". This was pre-internet, so it wasn't easy to find out information like this, what songs were in a movie, and who the artists were. So she was very happy to find it, I might have even made her a tape with it.

This album began a Muddy Waters resurgence around 1976. Mannish Boy was the big cut. I believe it was based on a riff and topic Muddy had recorded back in his heyday, but this track had an all-star band with him. Pinetop Perkins on piano, James Cotton on harp, and Johnny Winter on guitar. One highlight of this song is Johnny Winter's enthusiastic responses to Muddy's lines.

One highlight for me was seeing Muddy and his band live at the Rochester War Memorial. Eric Clapton was the headliner, but I was more excited to see Muddy. He was likely in his late 60's at the time, and died not too many years later.

Song: Like a Stone
Artist: Audioslave

This is a fairly recent song, at least compared to may others I've posted about. Audioslave was a "Supergroup" consisting of members from other well-known bands. (Not sure if they are still around) One of the members was Chris Cornell, who was the lead vocalist of Soundgarden. I think he is one of the best vocalists of all-time.

He shows it on this song. The song is driven by a slow heavy backbeat. The guitar plays a simple melody/rhythm part with some tremolo. The guitar gets a little heavier during the chorus and includes a synth'ed out solo.

I really should try to listen to more of their stuff.

The Who
Dec. 10, 1975
Buffalo War Memorial Auditorium

The first album I ever owned was a Christmas present from my brothers in 1967. The Who Sell Out.

It was an unusual album that featured Roger Daltry sitting in a tub of Heinz Baked Beans on the cover. It was a concept album, designed to sound like songs being played on a radio station with commercials and goofy jingles between the songs. I liked the album and played it a lot, but didn't have an opportunity to buy much else music until I was older. I did hear a lot of music from my brothers and sister, but several years later when my brother Alan came home from college I got to hear some music he had bought while away. This was probably 1972. That was when I heard Who's Next.

Now I was hooked. Little by little I bought everything I could find by and about The Who.

My first chance to see them live was December 1975. I wanted to go, but tickets sold-out before I got a chance. Then about two days before the show, I was sitting in my room doing homework listening to CMF, when the DJ came on and said they made about 100 more tickets available that would go on sale the next morning. I had classes at MCC until sometime in the afternoon, but I went over to the Sears in Southtown Plaza and found the ticketron desk. I was sure they'd be gone, but they weren't. It was so weird buying Who tickets in Sears. I talked Gary Wagner into going with me. So when we finished classes on the 10th, Gary and I headed to Buffalo. I remember it was snowing wet, slushy snow. We made it. The seats were about 3/4 of the way down one side, in some temporary sections where the hockey rink was. Toots and the Maytals opened. An early
reggae band who I had never heard of at the time. The Who came on and it was great. I think I had binoculars with me, and people kept borrowing them. Only time I ever got to see Keith Moon
play.

Great laser show. Great concert.

Here is the setlist:

I Can't Explain, Substitute, My Wife, Baba O'Riley, Squeeze Box, Behind Blue Eyes, Dreaming From The Waist, Boris The Spider, Magic Bus, Amazing Journey, Sparks, The Acid Queen, Fiddle About, Pinball Wizard, I'm Free, Tommy's Holiday Camp, We're Not Gonna Take It, Summertime Blues, My Generation, Join Together Blues, My Generation Blues, Roadrunner, Won't Get Fooled Again

I have had an Amateur Radio (Ham Radio, same thing. CB, totally different thing) license since 1971 . My interest over the years has waxed and waned, mostly due to lack of time. A year or so ago, I was browsing eBay for some vintage ham radio equipment. I have always had an urge to own a Hammarlund HQ-170 receiver. These were made from the late 1950s until the early 1970's (approximate).

So I go on to eBay. I had looked before but never bid on anything. So there were a couple of Hammarlunds for sale, including a decent HQ-170. So I make a bid on a HQ-170 and a HQ-110 (lower end model). The current bid was obviously low, and I didn't increase it much. Of course, others have set-up automatic bidding, and I keep watching. I think I made a few more bids, but I was always trumped. So I happen to look to see who I was bidding against. Sometimes a username is easy to figure out. It was WB6ACU, which is a Ham Radio callsign. This one I happen to already know, but it can be looked up on many places on the internet. I was being outbid by the ordinary average guy himself, Joe Walsh.

Yes, that Joe Walsh of the James Gang and The Eagles. He is a well-known ham, and in recent years has been collecting old ham radio equipment. I was hoping to find a deal, but decided it might not be a good idea to bid against Joe.

In the end, I don't think Joe actually won the auction. If he can't afford, then I really can't.

Song: Chestnut Mare
Artist: The Byrds
Album: The Essential Byrds (and others)

I happen to love the sound of the Rickenbacker 12 string electric guitar, and the Byrds, especially this song epitomized that sound. Another one of those story songs, about a man and his quest to catch a wild horse.

A nice chorus and some acoustic guitars. But the sounds of Roger McGuinn's Rickenbacker is what draws me to it.