Friday Music

What’s the haps, chaps?

To start off with, here’s a song in honor of tomorrow’s observation of Lá Fhéile Pádraig. My uncle and cousin are marching in NYC with their pipe band, which I’m sad that I’ll miss. Anyway — for all you fans of The Dropkick Murphys and Flogging Molly…..throw that copy-cat shite out the bloody window, and listen to the originators: The Pogues – “Bottle of Smoke.”

A song for berkie, based on the title alone. Made me laugh when I saw it, and then I listened and liked it muchly. So, here you go: The Dollyrots – “Because I’m Awesome.”

Been grooving out to this track recently. One of those rare instances where I like the group, and I like the guy doing the remix. LCD Soundsystem – “North American Scum (Dunproofin’s Not From England Either Mix)”

Jerry Lee Lewis has a new album out, Last Man Standing, where he does duets with other artists, ranging from Tom Jones to Willie Nelson. This is the absolutely brilliant lead-off track, where he duets with Jimmy Page on a rockabilly arrangement of a Led Zeppelin classic — Jerry Lee Lewis (feat. Jimmy Page) – “Rock and Roll.”

On the subject of brilliant guitarists, here’s a 1937 track from Django Reinhardt. (If Darth Sidious had used Django instead of Jango for the basis of his Clone Army, they wouldn’t have been any better shots….but they’d be amazing guitarists!) Django Reinhardt – “Oriental Shuffle.”

Just ’cause — one of my favorite songs by the Cure. I’d almost like it better if it was purely instrumental. The long intro before the lyrics is so good, I’m not sure the vocals are even neccessary. The Cure – “Fascination Street.”

I’m not a fan of cover songs which sound exactly like the original. It was already done, people. Here, however, is an example of a good cover — one that takes the original and does something new with it, which still manages to be very cool (it’s a fine line to walk — very easy to screw up and ruin it). It’s a track by Devotchka, doing a Velvet Underground classic which I almost didn’t recognize at first. Excellent. Devotchka – “Venus In Furs.”

There you go. Enjoy.

Progress

Well, it worked.

Even with the distractions of the internet, and people, and going to lunch, etc., working on the novel outside of the office appears to be just the kick in the ass that my brain needed.

Yesterday’s result: 1400 words.

Not a lot, but it’s a start. 1400 words I didn’t have before, and more importantly, 1400 words that I’m fairly happy with.

Now I finally get to use one of these nifty writers-blog progress bars!