Buffalo Boy's Blog
Giving You More Than Just My Two Cents
Recently in Music Category
And They Wonder Why People Steal Music and Videos....
When I go to Itunes to purchase music whether it is live or studio albums I expect it to be there. Im a willing, paying customer and when I go there and find out that just because the content is an import and not yet available in the US I can't buy it? What the fuck is that all about.
They wonder why so many of us go to pirating and stealing music and videos. Its because big companies like ITunes place so many damn restrictions on imports and other items that there is no other choice but to look else where.
I openly admit, I steal music, because its the only other way. How else do I get those Tragically Hip live series only available on Canadian ITunes....I can't. How else am I going to get other rare and import material that is available via Itunes in other countries but not available through ITunes US. Its awful how that restrict it and personally if you are willing to spend the money to get the music then they should make it all available.
I gave up on record stores a long time ago and sites like Amazon are the same way. Music has no borders other than those that big media companies put in place.
Category: Music
The New Orleans Is Sinking Rants
Perhaps the most recognizeable song in the Tragically Hips catalog is New Orleans is Sinking. The Gord Downie rants in their songs are legendary and few and far inbetween now that their show has changed over the years.
I compiled three different versions of the infamous New Orleans Is Sinking rants and posted them on Youtube.
The first is the most popular of the bunch and its shown on Youtube, I checked it today and it has received over 10,000 views and had over 30 comments posted. Its the "Killer Whale Tank" version, I have it officially on a CD entitled Roxy and Elsewhere. I bought this from a guy at a subway station in Buffalo, that was where I had to meet him to pick it up. It felt like a drug deal, but I had to have it. $25 I paid for my first copy of Roxy. It was worth it. Every penny.
The other two versions I think I recorded of 102.1 The Edge or the station formerly known simply as CFNY. They wouldn't play these anymore, they have gone down the toilet as a station anymore. The rare tunes they played are a thing of the past, but I managed to get them when they played them. The first is what I call the "Frogman" Version its received the least views but its my favorite of the rants, it only has 111 views so far. The last version is what I call the "Underwater Rescue" version. To date, it has received 806 views on Youtube. There are other live versions of the NOIS rants, but these are the three epic ones I have.Category: Music
Tears For Fears in Lockport
I can cross one off my bucket list. I headed out to the Molson Canadian Canal Concert Series last night up in Lockport, its a show I had circled on my calendar since it was announced back in May.Tears for Fears. I have always been a big fan and used to play some of their stuff on the piano.
I went last night with great expectations for the show and I want to first start out by saying that the opening acts were, well they sucked. Who picks the opening acts for the headlining artists?
I understand the shows are free and many of the opening acts are local but come on, give me a break. They had no right being on that stage yesterday with the styles they brought up there. Do a better job at matching the openers with the style of the headliner.
That said, once Tears for Fears hit the stage all that was forgotten, they were one of the top 10 shows that I have seen and that includes 18 or so Tragically Hip shows, a once in a lifetime Police show, Elvis Costello twice, The Cure twice and numerous others.
The musicianship was simply amazing, vocally they were better than ever and the new stuff they played that I admittedly have not added to my collection was just as relevant and some of it better than their hits of the 80s and early 90's.
There was reportedly 15,000+ in attendance and hopefully they will hold up their word and come back to WNY more often, Id see them again. I can officially cross them off my bucket list of bands to see before I die. They didn't make my original list, they would have made top 15 had I gone that far, but knowing what I know now about their live show, they probably should get a bump up into the top ten.
Category: Music
Bonus Pistols
This is a really interesting video of The Muppets doing Friggin in the Riggin by the Sex Pistols not the best parody video but pretty good:
Category: Music
Summer Concerts 2010
Not the biggest or best year for summer concerts, however on the list to go see are three bands I have not seen yet, all of which I have on my list of bands I have on my concert going "bucket list" so to speak.
We will start it off on July 9th with Huey Lewis and The News at the Seneca Niagara Casino, I have always been a big Huey fan especially the Back to the Future stuff but my all time Huey classic? Couple Days Off::
After that we will hit Crowded House at Buffalo Rocks The Harbour: Lastly, a band I never thought I'd get to see is playing of all places the Molson Canal Concert Series in Lockport, Tears For Fears, maybe this could be my daughters first concert (keep fingers crossed) August 13th:Category: Music
Five Bands I Love To Hate
Music is all about individual preference and this list if I posted it next year might be totally different. Just as much as I love certain bands, I hate others.
This is a list of five groups that I could do without.:
1. Nickelback: Only the truly musically inept could think these guys represent any sort of real musical taletn
2. Puddle of Mudd- How about puddle of Shit
3. Bon Jovi- They have gotten by with a pretty boy singer for how long?
4. Billy Talent- His voice starts going and I change the station
5. The Trews- I didn't like them when I saw them open for The Hip and I still don't overrated
Category: Music
RHCP Cover "I Get Around"
How the Red Hot Chili Peppers pulled this off is beyond me but A) they have a tremendous respect for The Beach Boys because the covered it pretty much to perfection and B) It was a tremendously daring song for them to cover because of the harmonies and vocals they had to perform to make it work.
The Chili Peppers have never been my favorite group of all time but you have to respect this cover of an all time classic:
The Original:Category: Music
Best American Rock Band
Yesterday I tuned into WGR 550 and with neither of our two big time pro sports teams playing the talk will shift to non sports related topics such as music and yesterday Schopp and The Bulldog were trying to come up with greatest American rock band of all time.
I wan't tuned in for the entire show but heard enough to determine that they were leaving out a few very obvious choices. The ones that were coming up on their show while good and worthy of being in the discussion and certainly amongst the top bands, but the one that came to mind immediately was not mentioned while I was listening.
The conversation came up because Pearl Jam is in town and they definitely deserve to be there amongst the all time greats but my choices would have gone something like this:
1. The Beach Boys: I have been a huge fan all my life and regardless of whether you are a fan or not it is indisputable that they belong in the top spot regardless of their recent work or lack there of, Brian Wilson is still touring, Mike Love and Bruce Johnston still take a rag tag bunch around that passes for the Beach Boys car songs but in their prime, the Beach Boys were our Beatles. There was no one better. Pet Sounds I would go so far as to say is the greatest American rock album of all time.
Good Vibrations, Fun, Fun, Fun, I Get Around, Surfin USA, Wouldn't It Be Nice, Sloop John B, God Only Knows, Darlin the list goes on and on with them. More hits than any group on the list I have below and certainly more than the bands I was hearing yesterday.
2. The Ramones: This is where I will get some disagreement but this is a band that was right there with the pioneers of a movement in rock and roll that shifted the whole genre from anthemic neverending songs to 3 chords and 2 minute long power songs. The punk era was ushered in by three groups, The Clash, The Sex Pistols and our very own Ramones.
3. The Beastie Boys: Longevity, still relevant today and who would have thunk it after Licensed to Ill, No one thought these guys would amount to anymore than a frat, rap band. Where would Rock/Rap be without them?
4. The Red Hot Chili Peppers: Again longevity, still relevant and hugely sucessful both amongst their hardcore followers and in the mainstream.
5. Pearl Jam: They keep getting better as they go and they aren't old yet, They are one of the most diverse bands in the history of rock they are admired by their peers and have collaborated with the likes of Neil Young and Neil Finn over the years, they were a part of a grunge scene that rivals the punk rock era of the late 70s and its effect on new wave.
Honorable mentions: Metallica- would be top five but lets face it, they are not appealing to the masses, Green Day-No one thinks of them but think about the songs they have put out over the years? They are already 18 years in as a band, The Grateful Dead- again appealing to their hardcore fans but outside of that challenge the average listener to name more than one or two songs?
Category: Music
Do You Wanna Dance?
An underrated song over the years that has been covered by numerous artists including The Ramones and The Beach Boys. It was originally recorded in 1958 by Bobby Freeman who had Jerry Garcia record the guitar tracks for the original version.
Do You Wanna Dance? was also the highest charting song peaking at #12 on the charts to feature Dennis Wilson on lead vocals. To this day Dennis Wilson to me was the most under appreciated Beach Boy and underrated drummers of his time and maybe rivaled Brian Wilson in musical ability/talent.
The Bobby Freeman Version:
The Beach Boys, my favorite version released in 1965: The Ramones version released in 1977: These were not the only versions of this song, it was also covered by Bette Midler, Eddie Cochran, The Mamas and the Papas sampled a piece of the song in their song "Maple Leaves", Johnny Rivers, John Lennon, T. Rex, Ray Stevens, Neil Young would cover it live in the early 80's and there were other versions floating around as well by lesser known artists.Category: Music
Johnny Rotten on Fox News???
I was looking for a response from Johnny Lydon aka Rotten on McLaren's death and it was there, just on Fox News? Yikes.
Anyway, in addition to him commenting on the death of McLaren, Lydon hinted at yes, the reforming and tour with PiL? I'd sign up for that.
