Wednesday, August 12, 2009

TVD Back to the Old House

So, it seems that last week’s visit to the old house most likely won’t be the last. The house has got to go up for sale and ultimately the contents of two lives passed, boxed and moved. On the upside, I may be able to squeeze another week of posts out of the endeavor, so there’s that.

Quite a few of you have called, emailed, sent tweets, and Facebook’d me inquiring about my mom. Many thanks to all of you for the support and the awfully warm sentiments.

She’s doing fine it seems, and I’ve only received one call from the nursing home so far. I anticipated, “She’s pulled a knife on Mrs. Jones in the community room...” or “Boy did she ever tell Mr. Smith where to go...”

But, no. She’s been trying to give her jewelry and rings away to the other residents saying something like, “This would look FANTASTIC on you...” I’m told.

And oddly, that seems just about...right.



Glasvegas - Daddy's Gone (Single Version) (Mp3)
Slaughter & The Dogs - Where Have All the Boot Boys Gone (Mp3)
ACDC - Gone Shootin' (Mp3)
Rainbow - Since You've Been Gone (Mp3)
Tommy Keene - Places That Are Gone (Mp3)

TVD First Date with | Trashcan Sinatras

Proof that you don’t need to be a ‘new’ band to be a featured First Date as I’ve been a fan of the Trashcan Sinatras since 1990 with the release of their fine, fine debut LP ‘Cake.’

The Sinatras are back with a new release ‘In the Music’ and a tour which stops at The Rock and Roll Hotel tomorrow night (8/13) and straight from the tour bus we caught up with the band's guitarist John Douglas for a bit of a chat:


"We [Trashcan Sinatras] are a six piece vocals, guitars, keyboards, drums and songs band from Scotland. Our forte is songs... songs with character, evocative melodies and lyrics. We are about to release our fifth record called 'In The Music' featuring 10 of our latest creations. The record was recorded mostly live in the studio and is our finest yet. We have been playing as a unit for around twenty years and our chemistry is at it's peak. If you like your music with a little depth and a large dose of quality... put on your grooving shoes and come along to the show.

Addition: Our tour mgr just told me I missed the point which is the importance of mom & pop record shops. We [Trashcan Sinatras] play lots of in-store appearances and it's just so nice to meet actual clerks who know music and love it in all it's forms.

Sadly, it seems the shops are keen as 're-sellers' of either CDs or LPs vs selling "new" records. In order to survive now, a shop has to also sell clothes, posters, small pins and also movies or DVDs to stay afloat as opposed to being just a "record shop" and focusing on the latest old and new music.

And as to vinyl itself, I'm not bothered either way as to the debate of whether vinyl sounds "better" than CDs, but I love that you can hold a 12" jacket with bigger art. That's all I miss about vinyl being better. That and when I move it's harder to lug around my crates of LPs vs the ease of moving CDs."


Trashcan Sinatras - Obscurity Knocks (Mp3)
Trashcan Sinatras - Weightlifting (Mp3)
Trashcan Sinatras - Best Man's Fall (Live) (Mp3)


TVD Back to the Old House

Wanna know what the earliest tip-off was that something was amiss in my Mom’s home upon first inspection last week?

There was a vinyl record out of its sleeve among a stack of books and paperwork on the kitchen table that doubled as my mom’s desk in a way. There it was, just slid into the pile of stuff. A naked LP.

I went on yesterday about my mom’s musical inclinations, but my dad who wasn’t a musician was a bit of an audiophile in the era of reel to reel tapes and LPs. And man, did I ever get an education as to how to hold the LP by the edges and how to set it upon the spindle as to not scratch the label. And to how gracefully, set the needle down and then later how to properly return the record to its sleeve and refile. Alphabetically, of course.

So, yea. That LP wedged into a pile of books and magazines. Something was clearly amiss.



The Chameleons - Home Is Where The Heart Is (Mp3)
Jellyfish - I Wanna Stay Home (Mp3)
Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes - I Don't Want to Go Home (Mp3)
The Elected - Not Going Home (Mp3)
Danny Wilson - I Won't Be Here When You Get Home (Mp3)