A few good times in my life
Last night, as every year, thousands of people flocked to our city to have a good time at a music night. 61 bands played at 39 locations from late afternoon until midnight. Most of the bands are local musicians who have been an integral part of the music night for years. Since this event has been going on for 25 years now and I have been to more than half of them, I decided not to participate and to move from location to location (especially since I live in the city centre and can hear many bands when I open the window). The first event was initiated years ago by a local blues guitarist who brought the idea of a Fete de la Musique from France. Local musicians play at different venues and the money raised goes to a social institution. I took part in the first events, but over the years the variety of musical styles has diminished and mostly only more or less good cover versions are played by the bands.
That's why my brother and I decided to watch the Cup final instead. I also learned from him that Fila Brazillia have released a new album that summarises various phases of their development. Fila Brazillia is a project of Hull's Steve Cobby and always worth playing. Electronic music with lots of synthesizers characterise Cobby's sound, which is often able to create a sparse scenario with its redubbed rhythms.
After a long season with many disappointments, coaching changes and games that should never have been lost, Stuttgart won the first game in the relegation against Hamburger Sportverein with 3 to 0. I have seen many games this season that have disappointed me and in which the team has not played up to its potential. That makes me all the happier that the first step towards staying in the league was taken after this game. Thank you, boys.
Nashville Ambient Ensemble is a project by composer and keyboardist Michael Hix and is on duty since a couple of years. Their sound could be described as Mark Peters with a massive pedal steel guitar. But this file doesn't work well because their sound is much different. Hix included guitars and piano, a bit of krautrock and sometimes vocals into his sound - but always with a big touch of cosmic spheres. Some might name this kind of music as simple background music that doesn't mind but for me it is a urban, organic kind of music that shows what country music could be if you free your mind.
As of today, it is June, the meterological beginning of summer, and the weather is with us. For the first time in a row, it has been warm, sunny and pleasant to sit outside, meet with friends and spend wonderful evenings. For me, there is nothing better than enjoying this time of the year. I've been thinking about which songs make the start of the new season easy for me, but there are too many of them to rank. With this in mind, just a few songs that came to mind ad hoc and without completeness or ranking. A good start into the new season to all.
The recent days Bo Diddley's Who Do You Love appeared on my way to office. Diddley wrote this classic almost 70 years ago inspired by Muddy Water's Hoochie Coochie Man and it still a classic from the stoneage of rock 'n' roll. A mean guitar and his rough voice made this a hit from this era.
Bo Diddley - Who Do You Love
This made me searching for different versions of this great song. One of the earliest version is by Ronnie Hawkins. Not much different but played by a white artist. And he became popular with this version. I have to admit that is not the best or inspired version but much better than the rest of his work.
Ronnie Hawkins - Who Do You Love
In 1968 John Cippolina's Quicksilver Messenger Service released their debut Happy Trails and a highlight of this 60's West Coast band was an extended version of this song. A blues guitar inspired and apparently never ending version I had always a favor for.
Quicksilver Messenger Service - Who Do You Love
On his second in 1978 album George Thorogood released probably the ultimate version of this song. Some people called him the sultan of slide in these days and this was true. His first two records were full of powerful versions of songs everybody had heard sometimes. Rough guitars and his bluesy voice made this song a classic one.
George Thorogood - Who Do You Love
During the last years Calexico, the Tucson, Arizona based band released in regular intervals deluxe editions of their albums to celebrate the 20th anniversary of their releases (and to sell them to the fans as well). Since Joey Burns and John Convertino formed Calexico after they left Giant Sand I followed them. Each album was a highlight in the year it was released and I enjoyed their unique mix of Americana, Tex-Mex and Morricone-mariachi influenced sound. Always a pleasure to come back to those guys from time to time.
Calexico - Quatro (World Drifts In)
Calexico - Close Behind
Calexico - Dub Latina
Calexico - Across The Wire
Today's bank holiday and it seems that it will be the second day that really feels like summer. So I will go later for a longer walk through the countryside and finally will get a pint at a pub a friend opened a few weeks ago. It will be necessary to walk and get a few thoughts that keep my mind busy out of my head. Today's song is from another release of live recordings made during the last decades at the Austin Psych Fest. Thee Oh Sees are a band formed in San Francisco more than 25 years ago and still playing their unique kind of psychedelic garage rock with post-punk influences. Block Of Ice is one of those songs where guitars and feedbacks rule over a steady rhythm. This version could be a masterpiece in this genre
