October 29th 2008 8:45 am, Snow at York U on my way to work.

Snowed last night, earliest that I have seen it snow in years. Welcome to winter!

The US election is almost over, for what seems to be two years the country to the south of us has been in the process of choosing who will run them for the next four years. Enough already, elect the buggers and get it over with. I am so tired of hearing about who is right. Who is a socialist (what does the states know of socialism?) It took Canada 5 weeks to set up, run the election and elect a PM. We have also gotten what we deserve, less the 50% turn out and another four years of a conservative government. Lucky us.

I figure Harper called the election early so that he would not have to compete with a Democrat winning in the US.

Enjoy the music
Gladys Knight and the Pips - I Heard It Through The Grapevine. {Buy}
Marvin Gaye - I Heard It Through The Grapevine. {Buy}
Ella Fitzgerald - I Heard It Through The Grapevine. {Buy}
The Slits - I Heard It Through The Grapevine. {Buy}

Losing Frankie the other day, made me want to listen to my Teenage Head albums again, so last night I setup the TTUSB and ripped their self titled first album "Teenage Head"

Enjoy

Teenage Head - Picture My Face {buy}

This is just sad .. Frankie Venom, lead singer of Teenage Head has passed away from cancer.

Canadian punk band lead singer dies of cancer
The Canadian Press

October 16, 2008

Hamilton -- Frank Kerr, lead singer of the iconic Hamilton punk band Teenage Head, has died of cancer at age 52.

Gord Lewis, his bandmate and close friend since childhood, said Mr. Kerr died yesterday at a Hamilton hospital. He had been diagnosed less than a month ago with throat cancer.

To his fans, Mr. Kerr was known as Frankie Venom, a wildly unpredictable stage persona seemingly capable of anything when standing in front of a microphone.

"Frankie was the true punk rocker. He really was," said Mr. Lewis, who founded the band in 1975 with Mr. Kerr while they were students in high school. "But that's what made him interesting. I thrived off his abilities and his energy."

Mr. Kerr and the band had their biggest hits with their first two albums, Teenage Head (1979) and Frantic City (1980).

This is just a shame. I remember slam danceing and pogoing to the Head at the Roxy in Barrie, I must have seen this band at least 20 times. The last time was in Vancouver in the 80's. Great songs, lots of energy, lots of fun.

Bye Frankie.

I had always thought that the great bluesmen/folk singers were song writers in their own right. Not that they weren't, but if you take a song like "House of the Rising Sun" made famous by the Animals in the 60's. You suddenly see the history behind a simple song.

I always knew that Eric Burdon hadn't written it, I've got a copy of Leadbelly performing it (Great double album compilation called Blues Anthology UK) awesome song, but nothing like the Animals version (Leadbelly's version if from the view point of a man attending a brothel, not a gambler). But the Animals don't seem to have taken it from Leadbelly. Dylan did a cover just a year or two before the Animals released theirs. Before him, Nina Simone and other artists, then recording history seems to take "House of the Rising Sun" into hazy realm of recording and playing by numerous artists to the point where music historians can't figure out who wrote the song. The melody seems to have come from a traditional English ballad, refined by the American folk, bluegras and blues musicians.

Music history is so cool.

Enjoy!

Leadbelly - In New Orleans {buy}

Nina Simone - House of the Rising Sun {buy}

Bob Dylan - House of the Rising Sun {buy}

The Animals - House of the Rising Sun {buy}

This is about my speed. Guitar lesson for "House of the Rising Sun" from Guitar Noise .com

Okay is this sad or is this sad. A 45 year old fat man who likes Art, Flowers, gardening, cooking and watching young dancers. Yes!!!! I've found another TV show to watch with wife, one that I can enjoy. Hell I didn't get my IPod or pick up my book for two hours.

Tune into "So You Think You Can Dance Canada", I just spent two hours watching the show and enjoyed just about every minute. Is every dancer fantastic, no. Are the judges fair and even, no. But you do get to watch some really hot young dancers showing off their skills, take a few minutes and sit down and watch it, it's worth the time.

The last couple of the night did a entertaining job to Sam & Dave's Soul Man {Buy}. Give it a listen.

I started to write a whinny post about pondering my position in the relevance of life and if I'm important to anyone outside of my own little circle. You know that whine of "where is my 15 seconds of fame." And then I realized who gives a fuck. Work is work, living is living and if you get a few minutes of joy each day your doing fine.

Enjoy the following

Gene Vincent - Be Bop A Lula {Buy}

John Lennon - Be Bop A Lula {Buy}

The Clash - Be Bop A Lula {Buy ? }

Be Bop A Lula Guitar Tab