The Current Music Blog: April 10, 2009 Archive

Today In Music History: Still Struttin' At 50

Posted at 7:17 AM on April 10, 2009 by Steve Seel

1956 - Nat King Cole was attacked on stage by a group of five racial segregationists during a show at the Municipal Hall in Birmingham, Alabama. The attackers were arrested by police and Cole returned later that night for a second show.
1959 - Kenneth 'Babyface' Edmonds was born.
1959 - Katrina Leskanich (Katrina And The Waves) was born.
1963 - Mark Oliver Everett (E., A Man Called E, Eels) was born.
1964 - Alan 'Reni' Wren (drums, The Stone Roses) was born.
1965, a British school in Wrexham, North Wales, asked parents to please keep children in school uniform and not to send them to school in 'corduroy trousers', like the ones worn by The Rolling Stones.
1976, Peter Frampton went to No.1 on the US album chart with 'Frampton Comes Alive', the biggest selling 'live' album in rock history.

Brian Setzer, vocalist and guitarist with The Stray Cats and leader of The Brian Setzer orchestra, is 50 today. What's not to love about Mr. Setzer? He had arms utterly covered with tats waaaay before tats were the thing to have. He was born in upstate New York and has lived in California, but he made Minneapolis his home a few years ago and has lived here ever since. He collects hot rods. He hangs out at Lee's Liquor Lounge. I mean, c'mon.

Brian's 50th Birhday Bash is taking place at the Fine Line Music Cafe tonight, with the Stray Cats ... their only North American appearance all year. Sorry, if you don't have tickets already, you're out of luck. But if you are going, Brian's website notes that there will be no opening act, and the Cats will go on at 9:00pm sharp!

Just Put Your Lips Together And Blow

Posted at 10:43 AM on April 10, 2009 by Steve Seel (2 Comments)

For the 9:30 Coffee Break today, we thought we'd honor Andrew Bird - in town this weekend both for a sold out show at the State Theater and a special in-studio taping here on Saturday afternoon - for making such an art out of whistling in recent years. "Whistling songs" was our topic.

What do you say to an absolute tsunami of requests for one song in particular? Well, you certainly don't say "no." So, that's the song we began with, and continued with two of our other favorite suggestions that got more than one request.

1) Peter Bjorn and John, "Young Folks"
2) Theme from "The Andy Griffith Show"
3) Paul Simon, "Me and Julio Down By the Schoolyard"

Thanks everyone!

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You don't need a gun to Kill The Vultures for free!

Posted at 10:26 AM on April 10, 2009 by Barb Abney

Today on our Song Of The Day Podcast we're featuring the local band Kill The Vultures with the tune "Walk On Water" from their newly released record, Ecce Beast. Catch them live this Sunday evening on The Local Show with Chris Roberts. Their CD release show is tonight at Triple Rock Social Club.
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