He loved this one.

On first meeting I remember his red Cons. Lawr looked at me and smiled like “Who are you, nice to meet you.” I said “You must like The Ramones.” That was that, we were friends, and we stayed friends for 20 years. I’ll take that to my own grave, and you will too if he was your friend. 

We also lost Steve Moyer this year. These two deaths brought home a lesson to me and I want to share it. As it happens, a few years ago Steve and Lawr had a falling out. They were both highly opinionated human beings and not shy about letting you know those opinions. Steve and Lawr disagreed on a lot and went at it often. At one point one of them crossed the line – actually since I heard both sides of the story I’d say they both crossed the line – and they stopped speaking. They were each royally pissed at the other and I’m sure I’m not the only one who got an earful from both of them. But the story has a happy ending: they reconciled and died as friends.

Bury the hatchet. Forgive each other, for we all need to be forgiven. Gonna miss you, brother Lawr.

Lawr is a big Richard Thompson fan. Been meaning to send him a link to the new album 13 Rivers.

This tune has some amazing playing in a different timbre than the usual Thompson action.

 Enjoy it Lawr!

Bejezuz, this is rocking. Sure, Elvis vamping, but why not? He’s the king.

Van Morrison is an amazing man. This video puts him on a fund raising drive.

But the music wins.

Heard the studio version of this on the radio today. It’s a little (a little) more controlled than this, which makes it stranger, but this live version is pretty darn strange itself. The studio version is on an album called Squeeze This, which isn’t streaming.

I’ve been listening to the album that takes its title from this song a lot, for months. It is a great elpee, which we’ll have to commune with later. The album doesn’t seem to be streaming, but there is this live version of this dark and resonant song. Ignore the hair, dig the tune.

Shame he went Scientology, it seems, but this moment is pretty fine.

https://youtu.be/IQfwgzoiq4c

I learned about Louis Cole today. He’s a drummer, and a singer, and apparently a night owl who can splay with the best of them.

I’ve got no argument this is great in any genre I know, but I’m old and for new music this seems awfully personal, catchy, not derivative, and maybe too slick.

Think Beck’s Midnite Vultures.

A different kind of blue-eyed soul.