Monthly Archives: March 2009

Singin’ In The Rain

3 Replies

Well I am home again, first official 3 day weekend. I’m presently listening to a version of Singin’ In The Rain by a Brooklyn band called Just Water. It’s a song I had as a 45 that I bought after hearing the song a few times on the old WPIX- FM back in the late 1970’s.

It’s more of a power pop song, you could imagine Cheap Trick singing it, or maybe Shoes. I’ve been looking for it online for a while, since finding songs online was the thing to do. Found it on iTunes oddly enough even though I could swear it wasn’t there a few months ago.

Still, for $0.99 I couldn’t resist. I’m sure when I originally bought it, it was more than $0.99. It was an independent record then and reading about it today, I found that it was picked up by Stiff Records back in the day.

I used to love Stiff Records and would buy the compilations of their artists and sometimes artists that weren’t on Stiff. Music by John Cooper Clarke, A. More, The Modettes etc. Elvis Costello, Nick Lowe, Ian Dury & the Blockheads, Lene Lovich were all on Stiff at one point, as was Madness. But I never really liked Madness once they left 2 Tone Records.

That’s the type of music geek I was. I would search out record labels. I guess that’s how it’s always been for music geeks. If you liked a certain type of Soul and R&B, then buying Atlantic, Motown or Stax among others, you probably couldn’t do wrong.

With Punk, New Wave and Post Punk, it was almost the same but sometimes you could get a real stinker. Those were the days when there was lot’s of spending cash, and $40.00 spent in a record store would have you coming home with a few albums and singles.

I’d ride the Path or the bus home and just look at the album covers, anxious to play what was inside. I’m the guy who would trek up Rochelle Avenue, boom box resting in the crook of my arm on Friday nights, buying whatever I could get at Sam Goody or Alexanders where most of the albums were on sale for $4.99.

My brothers and sister were all possessive about their music so it wouldn’t be surprising to find 2 or 3 copies of Sticky Fingers by the Rolling Stones, or anything by the Beatles. My father couldn’t understand it and once stopped me from getting the Stones Some Girls album with the original artwork (which they got sued over and forced to change) for myself since my brother Brian had a copy.

Yes, I hate to say it but I was Shattered.

It was also around the time where I would go to St. Marks Sounds and buy countless import 45’s at $5.00 a pop. Special versions, different mixes, posters, colored vinyl always made money leave my pocket and wind up in the register of the British woman with the red hair, or the dread locked brother who managed the bag check. I was in awe of that woman for some reason. I think I had a weakness for strong, judgmental women.

Around the corner from St. Marks Sounds was Free Being, which I mentioned last week. That was a dreary store but also had great selections. Sounds is still around I think, Free Being isn’t. St. Marks Place is a shopping mall these days and you probably wouldn’t see Prince walking down the street (like I did), or the Rolling Stones shooting a video on the 4th of July weekend in St. Marks Bar & Grill.

I also downloaded for free from Popdose today, The Inmates covering Dirty Water, another song from my WPIX FM listening days, as well as 2 versions of Peter Gabriel, Steam which was way after WPIX-FM went to ‘love songs, nothing but love songs’.

I recommend checking out and subscribing to Popdose. Every night I get interesting articles about pop culture and occasional free downloads.

http://popdose.com/

Exactly Like You

3 Replies

Well it was back to work for me. This week is a 3 day work week. Snow storm on Monday, and no work on Friday, for me at least. So in a sense when not rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic, I will have 3 days in steerage. Difficulty waking up this morning, through no fault of my own.

But who else can I blame?

Me, of course. Yes it was my fault. It was so cozy laying in bed, hitting the snooze button, each time bringing me closer to the shores that border the ocean of sleep. Sometimes it’s a calm ocean, other times rough, this morning it was placid.

Caught the last minute of the Today in New York, and had to look at Matt Lauer in quite an ugly suit. For me a suit is either pinstriped, or solid. None of this check or windowpane. Yuck. Way too 1970’s for me. If I thought Mike Brady/Robert Reed would wear it, I certainly wouldn’t.

Uneventful bus ride, even though the driver completely missed the bus lane and we found ourselves sitting in traffic for a good 20 minutes. I think he was new so he gets a pass, but tomorrow he had better pay attention or it’s an irate email to NJ Transit where it should be routinely ignored.

The office was quiet once again. Not much for me to do mostly. Once I get things done early in the morning, it’s usually good for the rest of the day. I wasn’t sure if Tom Chin was making it in today since he tendered his resignation yesterday.

He did make it in and then an hour later was off to a 3 hour lunch, freeing me up to not do much of anything. The Virgin Mega Store in Times Square will be closing. Everything is 40% off and I have been hankering for the first 2 Led Zeppelin albums which I used to avoid like the plague.

I am still a bit reluctant, but one of the songs that was sung at John Hamilton’s party on Sunday was Good Times, Bad Times and it’s been in my head since then.

Speaking of John Hamilton, Bill had hoped to use John’s guitar expertise and Dave Dreiwitz’ bass playing skills for an upcoming recording session that has been booked. They had another guitarist in mind but all of a sudden he picked up and moved out of state.

John Hamilton will be in Italy giving a lecture in German and Dave has a few projects going on. I keep forgetting that Dave is the bass player in Ween. Not that I am much of a Ween fan. I offered my meager skills which Bill appreciated but more than likely won’t take advantage of.

I’m not that good, and Bill’s a real musician. I don’t mind. I was asked to take pictures of the session which I am happy to do.

Actually I’m not that bad playing guitar and perhaps bass too. It’s just that I’m more rock and roll and Bill’s band is a jazz combo.

Bill went home last night and found the door unlocked much to his distress. Luckily it was because his neighbors of 20 years or so were checking in on his mother. He’s off all week, Bill is, and was able to have a locksmith show up and install a lock on the inside of the front door that can only be opened with a key.

I left the office at 4:00 this afternoon, enjoyed a Padron walking across town. Saw the homeless guy on 41st Street who I hadn’t seen in a while since I hadn’t been walking in that area lately. He was glad to see me, ‘Hey Soldier!’ he yelled of course and was very happy when I gave him a dollar.