So today when Child requested that we listen to some Paul McCartney (I am so proud of her!) I put on 1989's Flowers in the Dirt. Dear God, that is a wonderful album! Seriously! I fail to see why Flowers in The Dirt/Off The Ground does not generally receive the same "career resurgence" acclaim that Time Out Of Mind/"Love and Theft" did for Bob Dylan.
Well, no. No, I don't. Critics don't like McCartney solo - that's why. Elitist snobs.
For that matter, has anyone EVER had as much of an improvement from one album to the next as McCartney did from Press To Play, from which he seems oddly absent (a la Madonna's Hard Candy) to Flowers in the Dirt? I'm asking you. Comment.
New Morning is really good but Self Portrait is underrated. I really can't think of another pair of consecutive albums that were that much improved. Down in the Groove to Good as I Been To You? Maybe. No, it's still not Press-Flowers.
Monday, June 23, 2008
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Shoutout!
On page 259 of Buffy Omnibus Vol. 3 there must be a panel missing. Before a bad guy gets stabbed by an even worse guy, someone must have asked him to pronounce the unlikely word made by the acronym of his favorite folk & variety acoustic duo.
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Now At MySpace
Yes, Memphis Evans has joined the social networking revolution of the late twentieth century. Memphis Evans' new slogan: Now only five years from the cutting edge!
Check me out, listen to my four free songs and download them if you like. Then apply to be my friend. It'll be great!
Memphis at MySpace.
Check me out, listen to my four free songs and download them if you like. Then apply to be my friend. It'll be great!
Memphis at MySpace.
Friday, June 06, 2008
Grace Paley Rules!
When I'm not reading Batman comics or exercise training books, I'm reading Fidelity by Grace Paley. Wow.
I'm tempted to say something like, "If you don't like this book there's something terribly wrong with you." However, as I get older I realize such judgmental statements are generally made in ignorance and/or to get attention. But still, check it out. Really. The aged wisdom I just showed with my restraint there is totally on display in this book along with other much more important things. I am moved to tears every couple of pages. Honestly.
I'm tempted to say something like, "If you don't like this book there's something terribly wrong with you." However, as I get older I realize such judgmental statements are generally made in ignorance and/or to get attention. But still, check it out. Really. The aged wisdom I just showed with my restraint there is totally on display in this book along with other much more important things. I am moved to tears every couple of pages. Honestly.
Monday, June 02, 2008
One Of Those "Really Great Show" Blog Entries
Had a really great show at the 400 Bar last night. Blue Sky Divide, an acoustic duo featuring old friend Matt Braaten and new friend Paul Boruta, graciously asked Shotgun Johnson & The Mississippi Seven to open their triumphant return to the Twin Cities from California. Sound was really great, thanks to an excellent substitute soundman.
I played guitar and sang because Karl was performing as an emergency substitute Willy Wonka at New Richmond, WI's Old Gem Theater. Scuffy, Two-Dollar, and A Hon rounded out the band most excellently. We missed Collaborato, Kaptain, and of course Shotgun, but what we lacked in manpower we made up for in energy and an enthusiastic crowd that was really there to listen to the music.
"Total Peace" challenged me as I embarked on a beer fueled interpretive dance, stopping just short of making bunny ears behind Two-Dollar as he sang his masterpiece-to-date and played my guitar. "California" was also a lot of fun and I even threw in a little Jesus Christ Superstar quote in addition to singing all the regular lyrics in the right order. "Illusions of Banjeur" was played twice as our initial attempt was deemed too slow and the crowd actually demanded the fast version. That was sweet. "Gone To Stay" closed the set on a high note, with everyone soloing and me jumping up and down.
Blue Sky Divide was really great. I knew I liked Matt's songs, and Paul turned out to be a really great writer as well. Their show was tight with really great, strong harmonies. The rest of the crowd loved them as well.
To look at the entire setlist and any other special information, check out the decidedly text-intensive, internet 1.0 page regarding this show here.
On a sad note, I forgot to grab my remaining website-advertising flyers when I left, so these limited edition flyers featuring otherwise unreleased lyrics on one side and scintillating information on the other are now gone and I don't even have any for the archives. I'll have to run to Kinko's before the next big show to make new ones.
Thanks to BSD for setting up the show and inviting us to play. Thanks to all the music fans who gave us so much energy. And of course, thanks to my bandmates for showing up and playing like champions. Total Peace!
I played guitar and sang because Karl was performing as an emergency substitute Willy Wonka at New Richmond, WI's Old Gem Theater. Scuffy, Two-Dollar, and A Hon rounded out the band most excellently. We missed Collaborato, Kaptain, and of course Shotgun, but what we lacked in manpower we made up for in energy and an enthusiastic crowd that was really there to listen to the music.
"Total Peace" challenged me as I embarked on a beer fueled interpretive dance, stopping just short of making bunny ears behind Two-Dollar as he sang his masterpiece-to-date and played my guitar. "California" was also a lot of fun and I even threw in a little Jesus Christ Superstar quote in addition to singing all the regular lyrics in the right order. "Illusions of Banjeur" was played twice as our initial attempt was deemed too slow and the crowd actually demanded the fast version. That was sweet. "Gone To Stay" closed the set on a high note, with everyone soloing and me jumping up and down.
Blue Sky Divide was really great. I knew I liked Matt's songs, and Paul turned out to be a really great writer as well. Their show was tight with really great, strong harmonies. The rest of the crowd loved them as well.
To look at the entire setlist and any other special information, check out the decidedly text-intensive, internet 1.0 page regarding this show here.
On a sad note, I forgot to grab my remaining website-advertising flyers when I left, so these limited edition flyers featuring otherwise unreleased lyrics on one side and scintillating information on the other are now gone and I don't even have any for the archives. I'll have to run to Kinko's before the next big show to make new ones.
Thanks to BSD for setting up the show and inviting us to play. Thanks to all the music fans who gave us so much energy. And of course, thanks to my bandmates for showing up and playing like champions. Total Peace!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
