The Current Music Blog: July 8, 2009 Archive

Today In Music History: Happy Birthday Andy Fletcher

Posted at 6:21 AM on July 8, 2009 by Steve Seel

Birthdays:

Joan Osborne is 46.
Beck (Beck David Campbell) is 39.

1967 - The Monkees began a 29-date tour with The Jimi Hendrix Experience as support act. Hendrix was dropped after eight shows after being told his act was not suitable for their teenybopper audience.
1972 - Bill Withers started a three week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with "Lean On Me", his only No.1 hit.
1978 - Gerry Rafferty's album City To City containing the hit "Baker Street" went to No.1 on the US chart, knocking off Saturday Night Fever, which had been at the top of the charts for almost six months.
1995 - TLC started a seven week run at No.1 with "Waterfalls."
2007 - Prince was forced off stage by police halfway through his set at the First Avenue during a late-night gig. The club was allowed to stay open until 3am but Prince took to the stage at 2.45am. He'd already played two concerts before his late-night appearance; first at Macy's, where he promoted his new cologne with a nine-song, 45-minute set, followed by a full show at the Target Center.

Andy Fletcher (bass, synth, Depeche Mode) is 49 today. Fletcher is one of the three remaining original members of the band, which formed in 1980. We played a tune from the band's debut full-length Speak and Spell, "Just Can't Get Enough."

I'm A Pool-Hall Ace, With Every Step You Take

Posted at 10:41 AM on July 8, 2009 by Steve Seel (5 Comments)

Fewer installments of our 9:30 Coffee Break have been as popular as today's, when we invited you to share your favorite mis-heard song lyrics, also known as mondegreens. You're aware of the most well-known ones, such as "'scuse me while I kiss this guy" from Hendrix's "Purple Haze," or Manfred Mann's notoriously misunderstood rendering of "revved up like a deuce" from Sprinsteen's "Blinded By the Light." One of my favorites is the line "how my poor heart aches" from The Police's "Every Breath You Take," mis-heard and mis-quoted in the headline above.

Jill and I were falling on the floor laughing at many of your submissions today. Again, there were just too many to do the subject justice. What we decided to do was play a less commonly known one, followed by a classic. So:

1) Fleet Foxes, "Quiet Houses" (the repeated phrase "don't give in" mis-heard as "donkey man")
2) Creedence Clearwater Revival, "Bad Moon Rising" (you probably know "there's a bathroom on the right")
3) The Ramones, "I Wanna Be Sedated" ("I want a piece of bacon" or "I want a piece of Elliot," neither of which we'd heard)
4) The Beatles, "Ticket to Ride" ("she's got a chicken to ride")
5) The Pretenders, "Middle of the Road" ("I'm standing in the middle of life with my pants behind me" as opposed to "my pains behind me")
6) Jimi Hendrix, "Purple Haze" (the papa of them all, mentioned above)

Thanks so much to everyone. Like we said on the air, this was so popular, we will definitely do it again. Wanna share more? Feel free to do it in comments.

Comment on this post

Masked musicians/camp counselors giving stuff away!!!

Posted at 10:42 AM on July 8, 2009 by Barb Abney

When you hear the words "straight jacket" do you immediately think of old movies where disturbed people are whisked off to an asylum, or do you think about the band Los StraightJackets? Back in April these guys released their latest, The Further Adventures of Los Straitjackets. Today on our Song Of The Day podcast we're featuring the tune "Teen Beast" for free!

If you're a new subscriber to the Song Of The Day podcast, you'll also receive new music from Deastro, Greycoats, Bowerbirds and Son Volt.

Later this week we'll be featuring/giving away new music from Jeffrey Lewis and The Junkyard and new local music from Toki Wright.

Oh, and that "camp counselors" line? That's in reference to a blog post on their Myspace...

"America's favorite masked instrumental guitar band is pleased to announce that it will be holding its second "Rock & Roll Summer Camp" at the Full Moon Resort in Big Indian, NY August 25-28. Consisting of 3 nights of shows at the Resort's rustic lodge-like venue, and days filled with guitar workshops, jamming, and outdoor activities in the heart of the beautiful Catskill Mountains, the camp is designed for adults of all ages."

Tunes On The Telly Tonight: July 8th

Posted at 1:43 PM on July 8, 2009 by Barb Abney

Amadou & Mariam on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon
Delta Spirit on Last Call with Carson Daly
Franz Ferdinand on Jimmy Kimmel Live
Queen Latifah on The Late Show with David Letterman

Top 20 of '09 so far...so good?

Posted at 6:35 PM on July 8, 2009 by Mark Wheat (1 Comments)

Thanks for all the votes on our unofficial poll of the year in music so far. but not many of you commented on if it's been a good one so far? What do you think?
I was undecided before doing this poll but looking at the results I would argue...yeah!

Always good to see support for the locals and we seem to have adopted the #2 as a local band! Some great albums from established artists at the foot of the 20 and a few nice surprises ( #16 ) put together, making a fine cross section of musical styles.
The Musicheads are getting in on the fun, talking about their fave songs of the year...
so far !

1 P.O.S. Never Better
2 Metric Fantasies
3 Animal Collective Merriweather Post Pavilion
4 Decemberists Hazards of Love
5 Yeah Yeah Yeahs It's Blitz!
6 Conor Oberst and The Mystic Valley Band Outer South
7 Iron and Wine Around The Well
8 Phoenix Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
9 Dirty Projectors Bitte Orca
10 Bill Callahan Sometimes I Wish We Were An Eagle
11 M. Ward Hold Time
12 Neko Case Middle Cyclone
13 Passion Pit Manners
14 Grizzly Bear Veckatimest
15 Eels Hombre Lobo: 12 Songs of Desire
16 The Pains of Being Pure at Heart s/t
17 Andrew Bird Noble Beast
18 Wilco Wilco (the Album)
19 Dinosaur Jr Farm
20 Sonic Youth The Eternal

Comment on this post