“You shouldn’t like music that was made before you were born”

I thought I would do something different today. I was reminded of this by the phrase, “it was before my time.” Movies and music fall into this category. I do know people who will not watch movies made “before their time.” I don’t think many of my readers would agree to this statement, but who knows?

I had a co-worker in the early 2000s (Sam) tell me that I shouldn’t like music that was before my time because it was unnatural (yes, he said that). I was first kinda of amused and shocked. I like Sam a lot, and we would talk a lot; he is a smart fellow. However, on this point, I didn’t understand. Why? Is there some unwritten law that I can’t like 1950s or 1960s music up to 1967, when I was born? That cut off some of the best music of the 20th century and beyond.

He grew up in the 80s, as I did, and was probably around 5 or so years younger than me. I’ve seen other people act the same way. If it were before they were born, then they would not give it a second listen. If a movie is black and white, they act as if they are near a radiation leak!

I think the subject centered around how I loved 50s and 60s music and The Beatles, The Who, The Stones, and The Kinks. He said I should be listening to music from my teenage years (well, I WAS…60s music was my soundtrack growing up), but I DID listen to the top 40 when I was a teenager, which, to me, didn’t live up to those bands to any degree or form. Maybe it wasn’t fair to compare Men Without Hats to those 1960s bands. It was hard to stomach some of the ’80s for me, but not all. Now I’m busy catching up on music I missed that wasn’t on Top 40 radio at the time. I did find an oasis in the 80s, alternative music like The Replacements and REM…and the classic bands.

I still want to find other music and movies I like. Why would age have any effect on the music, whether we like it or not? That doesn’t mean I don’t like new music. I have posted newer bands here before who have just released albums. If it’s good, it doesn’t matter what era it came from, at least not to me. Christian, Graham, and Lisa all posted some newer songs that I liked. With movies, yes, I find some I like. I just saw Weapons and loved it, plus there are others.

I’m not putting people down at all who think like that. Hey, if that is what they believe, more power to them. I never believed in criticizing people for their opinions, music, or otherwise. Whatever blows their hair back.

Anyway, what do you think?

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My Jeep Adventure

Occasionally, I’ll post something personal, but I haven’t in a long time, so I thought I would today.

In 2011, I purchased a 2000 Jeep Wrangler for around $8000. Love the Jeep, but I would never want to make a cross-country trip in one, or you would feel like a human milkshake. In 2017, it was missing quite bad and the brake lines rusted. We really didn’t need a second car then, so it sat for a year or so. I bought some brake lines and installed them. After that, I got in the car and bled the brakes, and then a brake caliper busted as soon as I pushed down on the brake pedal.

It sat longer after that, for 7-8 years, which is probably the worst thing you could do to a car or a house, for that matter. We have, and that would be me and my mechanic/bass player friend Greg (more Greg than Max), installed new spark plugs, wires, fuel injectors, exhaust manifold, and brake sensor, and I ordered some tires but forgot to get raised white letter tires, but I’ll get them when the new ones wear out. I’m replacing these because they are slightly dry-rotted, and I’m not taking chances. I drove it to work but made a 45-minute trip into an hour and twenty minutes because of going only on back roads.

The cleaning process was long and tedious. Here is a partial picture of what it looked like before, and the arm of my friend Greg. Mold, grime, dirt, mud, tree sap, and things that were never identified.

Well, an update…we did everything but one thing…Check the lug nuts. On the second day of driving it…I thought I heard a blowout because of the tires… no, it was the wheel flying off. The lug nuts had worked themselves loose…I checked the others to be sure, and they were tight. No damage at all, so now with new tires it rides good…well as good as a Jeep will ride. The only thing I can think of is I took the wheel off 8 years ago and only tightened the lug nuts a little snug since I was going to change brakes or something else….lesson learned!

Here is the picture I took when I got out of the car and noticed the wheel came off…this is not a posed shot…the wheel ended up exactly like this. It’s back running probably better than the day it was bought in 2011.

Getting Tires

At work yesterday, before the tire change.

Max’s lesson of the day…always check the lug nuts.

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Angels – Am I Ever Gonna See Your Face Again

Many of you who have read this blog for a while know I have a soft spot for bands that never got their full due, especially the ones who could torch a stage and turn a riff into a mountain. Australia’s The Angels (or Angel City, depending on which record bin you’re digging through) are exactly that kind of band.

If you were hanging around an Aussie pub in the late ’70s, there’s a good chance you heard a blistering set from The Angels. Imagine a little the of Bon Scott-era AC/DC, the attitude of punk, and the tension of a film noir, and now picture that exploding from the back of a sweaty pub in Adelaide. That’s The Angels. As the old saying goes, they took no prisoners.

The Angels began as the Moonshine Jug and String Band in 1970, a folk/jug band formed by brothers Rick and John Brewster. But by 1974, they swapped their washboards for electric guitars and rebranded as The Keystone Angels. The real turning point came when they were spotted by AC/DC’s Angus Young and Bon Scott, who were impressed enough to recommend them to their label, Albert Productions.

Like many Australian acts, The Angels took a swing at the U.S. market, but there was already a band called Angel over here, all makeup and white spandex. So, The Angels became Angel City in the US and released several albums under that name, including Dark Room (1980) and Night Attack (1981).

They had the songs. They had the live chops. But they never quite cracked America the way INXS, AC/DC, or Men at Work would. This was their first single back in 1976, and it peaked at #58 in Australia. It was on their debut self-titled album. Band members John Brewster, Rick Brewster, and Doc Neeson wrote this song.

They did have one song that peaked at #35 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Charts called Underground. Underground was released in 1985. They also covered The Animals We’ve Gotta Get Outta This Place in 1986, which peaked at #7 in Australia and #13 in New Zealand.

When the band plays it live, fans start to answer the chorus with an expletive-laced chant, and it became part of the show. “No way get f*****, f*** off.” It’s become, unofficial part of the song. They are still together, releasing albums.

Here is another song by the Angels…Take A Long Ride

Am I Ever Gonna See Your Face Again

You may recognise yourselves here

Went down to Santa Fe, where Renoir paints the wallsDescribed you clearly, but the sky began to fall

Am I ever gonna see your face again?Am I ever gonna see your face again?

Tram cars and taxis, like a waxworks on the moveCarry young girls past me, but none of them are you

Am I ever gonna see your face again?Am I ever gonna see your face again?

Without you near me, I’ve got no place to goWait at the bar, maybe you might show

Am I ever gonna see your face again?Am I ever gonna see your face again?

I’ve got to stop these tears, that’s falling from my eyeGo walk out in the rain, so no one sees me cry

Am I ever gonna see your face again?Am I ever gonna see your face again? Yeah

Can’t stop the memory that goes climbing through my brainI get no answer, so the question still remains

Am I ever gonna see your face again?Am I ever gonna see your face again?

Am I ever gonna see your face again? (No way, get fucked, fuck off)Am I ever gonna see your face again? (No way, get fucked, fuck off)Am I ever gonna see your face again? (No way, get fucked, fuck off)Am I ever gonna see your face again?

Am I ever gonna see your face again?Am I ever gonna see your face again?Am I ever gonna see your face again?Am I ever gonna see your face again?

Hey, I wanna see your face, your sweet smiling faceI wanna see your face, see your face again ‘n’ again ‘n’ again, again, oh

…

Big Sugar – Diggin a Hole

I was looking for a band to cover, and CB sent me a link to this terrific Canadian band. I liked the music right away. The first thing I noticed was the great musicianship on the songs. They are the real deal musically, and the guitarist Geordie Johnson is top shelf, and so is the bass player Garry Lowe.

They were formed in Toronto in the late 1980s, initially as a blues trio built around the guitar work of frontman Gordie Johnson. Before Big Sugar became popular, Johnson started out backing legends like the Muddy Waters alumni and Mavis Staples.

Another member who made them sound distinctive was bass player Garry Lowe. Lowe joined Big Sugar in 1994 and played on eight of their albums. He bridged the reggae and Rastafarian culture of his native Jamaica with a rock audience. Lowe was sometimes criticized for working in Big Sugar by Rastas and Jamaican music followers who wanted him to keep reggae pure, but he continued to play and blend his style into others.

They have released 11 studio albums since 1991 and 2 live albums. Their last studio album was released in 2020 and is called Eternity Now. Their success has been mostly in Canada, with one song getting some US airplay with You Better Get Used To It.

I’ve been listening to different cuts, and they cover a lot of ground. They have some heavy blues riffs, some reggae rhythms, roots music, with a pinch of psychedelia here and there. Their breakthrough album was Five Hundred Pounds, which hit big on Canadian college radio at the time.

This song was on the 1996 album Hemi-Vision. It was their biggest hit in Canada, peaking at #9 in the Canadian Charts. I asked my friend Deke if he had heard of them, and he has seen them live a few times. He also sent me this video of Jack White (who is a fan) who is releasing their album Five Hundred Pounds again on vinyl.

Diggin A Hole

Got my head in a haze
Feel like a cat in a cage
I’ve been crying for days and I’m falling apart
Digging a hole in my heart
Give me the lies on page
I’m feelin’ twice my age
I’ve been crying for days and I’m falling apart
Digging a hole in my heart

Digging a hole is that the way you treat me
Digging a hole just tie me up and beat me

Got my head in a haze
Feel like a cat in a cage
I’ve been crying for days and I’m falling apart
Give me the lies on page
I’m feelin’ twice my age
I’ve been crying for days and I’m falling apart
Digging a hole in my heart

Digging a hole is that the way you treat me
Digging a hole just tie me up and beat me

Got my head in a haze
Feel like a cat in a cage
I’ve been crying for days and I’m falling apart
Give me the lies on page
I’m feelin twice my age
I’ve been crying for days and I’m falling apart
Digging a hole in my heart
Digging a hole is that the way you treat me
Digging a hole just tie me up and beat me

Omeleto

This won’t be a long post, but it’s something that you might like. I like movies a lot, but I don’t have time to watch a bunch of them. Omeleto is a company that shows short films from different filmmakers. I’ve seen them from 4 minutes to 30 minutes long.

They have every kind of short film you can think of. Time Travel, Sci Fi, Art Films, romantic, action, comedy, thrillers, and more. All the films I’ve seen have high production values. These are not amateurs…these are quality. Many are award-winning shorts. Now, some are hit and miss to me, but worth the short amount of time you put into them. They also come from all parts of the world. I’ve seen some with subtitles, but I’ve seen a lot of Irish and British-made ones as well.

Here is the LINK to their channel.

I’ll recommend two here. One is about a Time Loop with two completely different brothers, and the other is a horror film.

Exit Strategy…a time loop film. 15 minutes long.

This one is a horror short film…19 minutes long.

Peter Wolf – Come As You Are

Every single time I wrote about J Geils and now Peter Wolf, I always gush about how great of a frontman the man is. I would put him against anyone in rock. With the film clips I’ve seen, he is electric on stage. Wolf was the lead singer and songwriter of The J. Geils Band from 1967 to 1983. In 1983, Wolf and the J. Geils Band parted ways after the singer expressed his interest in returning to the band’s rock ‘n’ roll roots.

When the band was splitting up, he stepped out on his own. I asked CB if he had any artists in mind, and he thankfully sent me a few, and Wolf was one of them. I remember this song from the 1980s. He always brings energy and a fun atmosphere to work with. I also remember Lights Out that I have at the bottom.

I also found some more songs of Wolf that I really like. He did some music with Merle Haggard and others that I will be posting soon. Wolf and Tim Mayer wrote this song, as well as many of the songs on the album. I listened to this album this week, and it’s what Peter Wolf is: fun and energetic.

This song was on the album Come As You Are released in 1987. The song peaked at #15 on the Billboard 100, #29 in Canada, and #1 on the Mainstream Rock Charts. The album peaked at #53 on the Billboard Album Charts.

He released his autobiography, called Waiting On The Moon, on the 11th of this month. It’s one that I just ordered from Amazon. Wolf has lived a full life, to say the least. A teaser for the book said this: He roomed with David Lynch in college and married Faye Dunaway. Drank his first real Irish Guinness with Mick Jagger. Smoked hash with Peter Sellers. Ate lamb chops with poet Robert Lowell. Marilyn Monroe once handed him M&Ms.

Here is another song that came back to me .

Come As You Are

They hung a sign outSign out at the sevenDown at the hive of such a busy beeSo sorry honey sign up for heavenThe guilt tonight is you and meCome as you are, now come onCome as you are and we’ll have a ballAin’t gonna be no masqueradeCome as you are, or don’t come at allHe’ll be a hot time, hot time at the lake sideBarry and the boys are filling in for freeWe’ll jump and move and take it for a joyrideI still get up there for you and meCome as you are, now come onCome as you are and we’ll have a ballAin’t gonna be no masqueradeCome as you are, or don’t come at all

I’m just a bluebird, bluebird at your windowAnd it’s for sure you’re a pretty sight to seeBut lives are short; I know what you’re intoCome on, it’s you and meCome as you are, now come onCome as you are, and we’ll have a ballAin’t gonna be no masqueradeCome as you are, or don’t come at allWhoa, whoa, whoaCome as you are now, come onCome as you are, and we’ll have a ballAin’t gonna be no masqueradeCome as you are, or don’t come at allCome as you are

…

Paul McCartney – Soily

He wrote this song in 1971 and with the Wings they played it live for years. It’s not a love ballad by Paul…it’s a rock song with the same intensity as Juinor’s Farm. In 1974 the Wings recorded an in-studio live version that they were going to release on the album One Hand Clapping. They also shot a video while they were there for a documentary.

The album was shall we say… delayed. It didn’t see the light of day until June 14, 2024…over 50 years after it was recorded. It was recorded right after Band On The Run was released. I like hearing Paul reaching for a distorted guitar in his songs. I wish he would have done more through his career. Paul could write good rock songs such as Juinor’s Farm, Jet, Let Me Roll It, and a few more.

The video portion didn’t get released until 2010 when it appeared in a box set for Band On The Run. The 4K version hit theaters in September of last year. This song didn’t get released to the public until Wings Over America. It was the B side to Maybe I’m Amazed…both versions of course live. The film was going to be Paul’s way of introducing a new Wings.

Guitar player Henry McCullough and drummer Denny Seiwell had left Wings right before the recording of the Band on the Run album. New members…guitarist Jimmy McCulloch and drummer Geoff Britton took their spots. They would use this song as an opener through the years and an encore at some shows. It’s a song that is meant to be played live and was never featured on a studio album.

The One Hand Clapping Album peaked at #10 on the UK Charts and #74 on the Billboard 100 in 2024.

Jimmy McCulloch was probably the most talented guitar player Paul ever had in Wings. He famously made it when he was 16 with Thunderclap Newman. However, he had a lot of problems. He was somewhat depressed and when he wasn’t he was drinking heavily there were many arguments between the two men and he often would target Linda for her lack of musical talent. It really came to a head around the time of London Town when Jimmy quit.

Paul McCartney: “Looking back on it [the Wings era], it’s a lot better than I thought, though some of it is just not played as well as The Beatles. My son plays a lot of Wings, so I’m re-listening, and there’s good shit that I’d forgotten about. A lot of the lyrics were off the wall, drug stimulated. Things like ‘Soily – the cat in the satin trousers says its oily’. What was I on? I think the answer is stimulants.”

Soily

One, two
One, two, three, four!

Well, people gathered here tonight
I want you to listen to me
To your left and to your right
We’ve got some pretty soily company

Readers, writers, farmer, priest
Breed controller, born deceased
Indian, lawyer, doctor, dog
And a plumber with a fattened hog

Soily, soily
Well, the cat in the satin trousers said it’s oily
Soily, soily
Well, the cat in the satin trousers said it’s oily
Yes, he did!

Well, come on, baby, that soily song
Soily people
Well, come on, baby that’s fine now
Yeah

Romans, Italians, country men
I want you to listen to me
I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again
We’ve got some pretty soily company

Liars, cheaters, jungle chief
Saint, believer on relief
Action painter, Hitler’s son
And a commie with a tommy-gun

Soily, soily
Well, the cat in the satin trousers said it’s oily
Soily, soily
Well, the cat in the satin trousers said it’s oily
You know he’s right
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Ooh, yeah yeah

Well, come on, baby, that soily song
Soily people
Yeah, come on, baby, that’s going round
Yeah!

People gathered here tonight
I want you to listen to me
To your left and to your right
You’ve got some pretty soily company

Readers, writers, farmer, priest
Saint, believer on relief
Hitler’s painter, action son
And a commie with a tommy-gun

Soily, soily
Well, the cat in the satin trousers said it’s oily
Soily, soily
Yeah, the cat in the satin trousers said it’s oily
Yeah, soily, soily
Well, the cat in the satin trousers said it’s oily, yeah
Soily, soily
Well, the cat in the satin trousers said it’s oily
And you know he’s right
Ooh yeah!

…

Happy New Year!

The list below has grown so much since I started to do this a few years ago. If I forgot you…please forgive me. But Happy New Year 2025. I add new readers to this list every single year and like I said…I hope I got you all.

I want to thank everyone who has read my blog this year and the last few years. I ran this post last year and I’ve added more names. It’s so much fun communicating with all of you. I’ve been told my blog is a place people come to comment like sitting around a campfire. That is the way I hope it is. I’m not a real writer so I just write as if I’m talking to you in a room. I hope many of you find other bloggers at my place with things in common.

In 2017 I would not have believed I would communicate with people in different states across America and the world…such as New Zealand, The UK, Hong Kong, Germany, Columbia, Australia, India, France, Sweden, Spain, and more! I’m also learning more about new music, old new music, cool old and new movies, and most of all…people. I comment way too much at times but it’s a lot of fun learning.

I’ve commented with you all, emailed many of you, talked to some over the phone, and met one of you. Thank you all once again.

Carl Benson Jr... a great sports guy who has worked in it all of his life. Thank you Carl! You have taught me a lot.

Sheila “Spiral Sister” Murrey… thank you for all of your comments and the subjects we have got into…plus a very cool name.

Nancy at The Elephant’s Trunk …she is an incredible writer.

MY. Thank you so much for the music stories (love the Saint Bernard Story) and conversations about music!

Glyn at glyn40wilton…thanks for the new music you have introduced me to and all the comments!

Scatterwisdom on your inspirational posts and conversations.

MobsterTiger who is kind enough to re-blog some of my posts and some people have found me through you.

quadzillabynorth ….thank you so much for your comments!

Warren – thanks for the music conversations that you have made.

Experience Filmhas a great site on films.

Phillip Helbig thanks for stopping by with your comments.

satyam rastogi…thanks for the comments when you stop by!

I’ve even listened to Heavy Metal and Canadian bands from Canadians Deke and Dave and became friends with both.

A fellow Big Star and mid-60s pop/rock fan and one of the best commenters I have…I’ve learned a lot from him… Obbverse

Off-the-radar songs and movies, and everything cool… from Cincinnati Babyhead (CB) Thanks for opening up more music for me.

I’ve read great stories and poems for really the first time from Lisa, Obbverse, and Bruce. I still don’t know much about poems but I’m learning. Thanks to all of you…I consider all of you friends.

Lisa is the biggest George Harrison fan I know…and that is a great thing.

Dana from Dana at Regular Girl Devos for her fun memories on songs that I hope she keeps telling.

randydafoe who has a huge knowledge of music covers and music in general. When I have a question…I bug Randy!

halffastcyclingclub for his insightful comments on different posts. He has taught me a lot about music and bikes!

Double K …. thank you for the conversations.

Fellow power pop fan Music City Mike and fellow Nashvillian.

Learned about new music from Graham and Christian. If you want the best of new music…these are the 2 are the places to go. They don’t overlap much at all which is great…you get a good variety.

Christian … we have VERY similar taste and it was great to talk to him the other day on the phone.

The Realist Juggernaut thank you for your always interesting posts!

Sheree for dropping by my site every single day.

Sophia who I just met online not long ago. 18 years old and wants to be a Baseball Writer! Her site is https://sophiakd4.wordpress.com/

Fellow Twilight Zone fan Beth

popchartfreak who I’ve had many conversations about music…and I appreciate it so much. You have a wealth of knowledge!

Dave, it’s been great getting to know you even better this year…I’ll be rooting for the Blue Jays to the World Series…unless they play…well you know!

Learned even more about the Beatles and music from Hanspostcard

daneelyunu stopped by as well.

Learned even more about baseball from Hanspostcard, John, and Dave

Learned about Chicago and interesting music from fan and fellow musician John

I really like commenting with Bruce from walkingoffthechessboard , awesome conversations about music, and sometimes movies.

Stephen V Nguyen who has dropped by this year.

Yolanda has liked some posts this year.

Jim S who I’ve seen for years and talked to off and on…this year we have talked more and I hope it continues.

Looked at sewing machines as works of art with run-sew-read and learned more about The Moody Blues, books, and movies.

Learned so much about movies from Bernie… a great movie reviewer and person.

Learned a whole lot about the Grateful Dead, music, stars, and all sorts of things from Jim

Robert Horvat who has stopped by and commented…I appreciate it.

My guide to 80’s alternative bands from Paul and Dave

Geo. Raymond or better known to me as “Tref” has stopped by and I enjoy his stories on his blog.

the press music reviews…excellent top-notch posts on music and I love the alternate album covers you present.

Katie Thank you for dropping by and commenting

firewater65 who stops by on occasion.

I’ve learned about Australia, Colombia, Bob Dylan, new artists to me, and classical music from Matt

satyam rastogi has stopped by and liked and commented.

Getting to know Paul and Colin at onceuponatime70s … with that title how could I not like them?

Cee Tee Jackson I appreciate getting to know you…a true Rolling Stones fan

Loudhorizon where I find rare bands of the 60s and 70s.

Commenting with Under The Mask

Vinyl Connection for all the info on albums that I love and music in general.

Monday songs from Eden make my Mondays better.

One of my favorite bloggers Mojo Horizon

Alexis Ryder thank you for coming by

theboringoldman (Jay)for commenting about the memories he has on songs…and a fellow musican

I want to thank Conesus Lake House for stopping by as well.

Cooking from Jeanne

ren thank you for dropping by and commenting

Liam...another great blogger I met through our TV Draft who leaves insightful comments.

I’ve had a good time commenting about music and movies with princecranoir….thanks for the conversations. Also one of the best movie reviewers I’ve read.

Armann and Kaymann…thanks for liking!

How radio really works and more about family from Keith… it’s always great talking to you and texting.

Ra Na-Ged who I have appreciated coming to the blog…who had one of the best comments of the year with: Elvis may be king, but Otis had the Voice of God.

Learning every number 1 from the UK with Stewart

About life and friendship from my friend Vic, it’s been great emailing, talking, and messaging.

Keith, thanks for the music comments!

Wonderful life stories from Mitch and the interesting life that he has had so far!

JoAnna for her Star Trek knowledge!

Album reviews from John at 2loud2oldmusic.

Restaurants to eat at from Blaine. I want to make it down to Louisana so I can try these wonderful restaurants that he recommends.

Detailed history from Rick

Kevin from A Different Kitchen who I’ve enjoyed his comments and his recipes.

mygenxerlife for stopping by and commenting.

Kingclover who I’ve got to know more about earlier this year talking about music.

Jim Everett Table Toss for all of the football and baseball posts…all are appreciated with the humor you give them.

Inspiring writing from Pam and one of the best writers I know.

Writing and an author who at one time was a DJ… Steve Campbell Creations

Movies from Master Mix Movies

ALWAYS cool music from Hotfox63

Some of the most entertaining true stories I’ve ever heard from Phil Strawn. Phil is one of my favorite bloggers. You can’t get more Texan than Phil.

Great posts and one of my first followers…and fellow Monkee fan Blackwing

Nashville music history from my cousin Ricky

Comics from Harry Chamberlain

To Paul at https://thepunkpanthermusicreviews.blogspot.com/p/long-reads.html where I learned what punk was.

Learning about all the places that usfman travels

Stories and quotes from James

Awesome Cartoons from Hobo Cartoons

The writing of Jason

Stephen V Nguyen thanks for dropping by!

Eugi for commenting and coming by

I thank Chuckster for dropping by as well.

Thanks to SRIKANTH for stopping by.

Great posts from Mark

Again if I missed anyone I’m sorry…I just ran through this off the top of my head.

Thanks to everyone and have a Happy New Year to you and your family from Powerpop.blog (and it’s curator…Max). We survived 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024… let’s make this one even better!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

A Complete Unknown

Sorry for the duplication but Bailey talked a little about the movie in a post I had a few weeks ago. I saw this movie tonight…and it was…

I want to get this down while it’s still in my brain. I saw A Complete Unknown tonight. I am very critical of music bios. I saw Queen but all I could do was pick out stuff that wasn’t right and I’m not a huge Queen history fan. So when I say I’m critical I really am. 99 percent of the time I would rather see a well-made documentary. I could watch a documentary on grass growing… but most music bios I’ve seen just make up things or get things completely out of order. This one not so…

Ok on this movie…FANTASTIC. I could just say that for a one-word review. I know Dylan’s early history pretty well up until the 1980s. When the characters showed up, I knew who they were like Bobby Neuwirth who was played by Will Harrison. I will say something out loud here that I don’t usually talk about. I’m not the biggest Pete Seeger or Joan Baez fan but this movie made me appreciate them more and I sure as hell appreciate Dylan more. I have nothing against them personally, I just never got into their music as much but both helped Dylan a lot…that I always gave them credit for.

Now the actors and actresses, Timothée Chalamet was outstanding and did all of the singing live as they filmed. You have to respect that and it came out great. I knew nothing about this guy before this movie…he really impressed me. Monica Barbaro played Joan Baez and she did all of the singing like Timothee did…she did an incredible job. Edward Norton played Pete Seeger and he had his look and sound down. Elle Fanning played Sylvie Russo, Bob’s girlfriend who was photographed with Bob on the album Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan. Only one thing was wrong with that….her real name was Susan “Suze” Rotolo. Bob had asked if they would change her name.

Writer-Director James Mangold said that Dylan had a reason for the change. “Bob talked to Jim a lot about the script, and the one thing he wanted was Suze’s name to be changed in the script because he felt like she wasn’t a public figure, she always wanted to remain a private person. I really held that in my heart, the gravity of Bob’s choice, because they had stayed close until she passed away in 2011.”

Johnny Cash was played by Boyd Holbrook and was right on the mark with him. He came up in pivotable scenes. The movie basically covers 1961 with Bob coming to see Woody Guthrie to Bob playing electric at the Newport Folk Festival in 1965. They also at least got some small appearances from important people. Albert Grossman, Bob’s manager and he would later on manage Janis Joplin and The Band. John Hammond is shown briefly and Dave Van Ronk a folk musician.

I was worried they would not get the feel of that time. That came off well and the movie would be enjoyed by non-Bob Dylan fans as well as fans. The small details they got right..they found the same kind of microphone for the Newport festivals. When I see them do things like that…I know they have most of the movie correct. No it’s not 100 percent correct but damn close. Because of time restraints, they don’t go into the British Invasion and how that affected him but it does show him playing a Kinks song which I thought was cool.

Quotes

Bob Dylan: I don’t think they want to hear what I want to play.
Johnny Cash: Who’s they?
Bob Dylan: You know, the people who decide what folk music is or isn’t.
Johnny Cash: Fuck them, I wanna hear you. Go track some mud on somebody’s carpet. Make some noise, B.D.

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The Making Of

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Merry Christmas to Everyone!

I promise after tomorrow…no more Christmas posts!

I want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays, whichever you prefer. Since I started this blog, I have tried to post an interesting song or some pop culture fact. Most of you drop by for a view every day, and I appreciate it so much.

I look forward to finishing this year and discovering the new year together. I can’t believe this is my seventh year doing this, and if not for the feedback I get daily, I would have stopped a long time ago. I don’t know how much I discovered about music you didn’t already know, but I have learned so much from you all.

When I started in 2017, it took me around six months to get one follower, one like, and a comment. I don’t take anyone for granted, and I want you to know that. Also, a huge THANK YOU. You don’t have to stop by, but you do—you must be a glutton for punishment! I hope you and your families have a happy holiday and safe travels.

Signed

Max…the owner of this crummy joint.

It’s A Wonderful Life

In baseball, you have a closer. A pitcher that comes in the 9th inning and nails it down for his team. This is the Christmas closer. If someone said you can only watch one Christmas movie every year, this one would be it. It’s very close to a long Twilight Zone. I have seen this movie more times than any other, hands down.

This weekend I plan to watch it. I would like to know how many times I’ve seen this movie. I would guess…30+ times now that I think about it. The movie was based on Philip Van Doren Stern’s short story The Greatest Gift, which he self-published as a Christmas card after failing to sell it to a publisher.

The film was initially a box-office disappointment and contributed to the financial struggles of Frank Capra’s Liberty Films. He and Samuel J. Briskin founded Liberty Films in 1945. The movie is now huge but it took years before it really set in pop culture. For years, the film’s copyright lapsed into the public domain, which allowed TV stations to air it frequently, helping it gain its spot in popular culture.

I didn’t watch this great movie until the late 80s. All it took was one time and I haven’t missed a year of watching it. I don’t tear up very easily..but it never fails at the end of the movie when Zuzu says… Every time a bell rings, an angel gets his wings…it gets me every time. This movie was released in 1946.

Poor George Bailey. All he wanted to do was travel and get out of Bedford Falls to see the world. Every single time he gets close…so close that it hurts…something happens and George ends up doing the right thing.

Bedford Falls needs George Bailey…every town needs a George Bailey but many end up with only a Mr. Potter. There is one thing about this movie which was unusual. Mr. Potter was never punished for what he did…which drew criticism at the time but it was more in line with reality to me. Potter was never won over by the Christmas spirit and I think that helps the movie.

This is a Christmas movie but really only the last part of the movie is about Christmas. It is a movie for any time not just for December. I was thinking of names for our unborn child and couldn’t think of one…I was watching this movie in November of 1999 and it hit me…Bailey…so the movie means more than some movies do.

Donna Reed played Mary Hatch Bailey to perfection. The role was offered to others as well like Olivia de Havilland, Ginger Rogers, and Jean Arthur. I would have been interested to see Jean Arthur in that role. I’m a huge fan of her and Capra used her in some great films but I can’t ever complain about Donna Reed.

Here is a small summary from IMDB…don’t read it…watch the movie instead. If you haven’t seen it…give it a shot…whether it is Christmas or July.

George Bailey has spent his entire life giving of himself to the people of Bedford Falls. He has always longed to travel but never had the opportunity in order to prevent rich skinflint, Mr. Potter, from taking over the entire town. All that prevents him from doing so is George’s modest building and loan company, which was founded by his generous father. But on Christmas Eve, George’s Uncle Billy loses the business’s $8,000 while intending to deposit it in the bank. Potter finds the misplaced money and hides it from Billy. When the bank examiner discovers the shortage later that night, George realizes that he will be held responsible and sent to jail and the company will collapse, finally allowing Potter to take over the town. Thinking of his wife, their young children, and others he loves will be better off with him dead, he contemplates suicide. But the prayers of his loved ones result in a gentle angel named Clarence coming to earth to help George, with the promise of earning his wings. He shows George what things would have been like if he had never been born.

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A Complete Unknown… private movie showing

My son Bailey saw a private screening of the new movie about Bob Dylan called A Complete Unknown along with the star of the movie there at the theater as well. His name is Timothée Chalamet and Bob Dylan said he did a great job portraying him.

Bailey did say they got the era down really well. Everything looked right for that time period compared to real footage he had seen. He loves the film. Bailey is probably a bigger Dylan fan than I am and that is saying a lot.

Bailey wrote the following.

I got to see Timothée Chalamet from shorter than arm’s reach. Here are a couple of photos I was lucky enough to get with my phone.

I got to see the film early due to a record store I follow on Instagram promoting free tickets.

A Complete Unknown follows Bob Dylan from 1961 to 1965 as he becomes a folk legend to a rock n roll rebel. The film really lets you see how Dylan progresses with his fame alongside his own character wanting to do what Dylan wants to do. You also get insight into other characters like Pete Seeger, Joan Baez, Woodie Guthrie, and Sylvie Russo in their relationship with Dylan.

I was really pleased with how this film paced itself. It wasn’t trying to make a buck out of you. It was trying to make you feel moved. There are times you laugh at a clever witty comment Dylan makes to feeling annoyed like he does with what people want him to be… instead of what he wants to be. The entire film moves you towards the Newport folk music festival in 1965. It was so cathartic with what followed ( I can’t say anymore from here). I really loved every second of it and cannot wait to see it again. It is now one of my favorite films.

Chuck Berry – Run Rudolph Run

Nice little Christmas song by Chuck Berry… the father of Rock and Roll. The song has a “Carol” vibe to it and that is never a bad thing. It was one of the first rock and roll Christmas songs and it was released in 1958.

Berry based this song on “Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer,” giving Rudolph a bit of an attitude as he delivers the toys. The song is credited to Johnny Marks and Marvin Brodie. Johnny Marks wrote Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer. Chuck puts his stamp on this song.

The song is sometimes known as “Run Run Rudolph,” which is how it appears on some other covers. Other artists to record the song include Sheryl Crow, Bryan Adams, The Grateful Dead, Jimmy Buffett, Dwight Yoakam, Bon Jovi, and Keith Richards.

The song peaked at #69 in the Billboard 100 in 1958 and has re-charted many times through the years…it peaked at #36 in the Billboard 100 in January of 2020…and I’m sure it is charting now.

The song appeared in a lot of films including Home Alone, Diner, The Santa Clause 2, Cast Away, and Jingle All the Way.

I’m adding this per Randy about the royalities for the song.

Johnny Marks wrote the song Rudolph The Red Nose Reindeer but NOT the story or the character. Robert L. May wrote the story and Marks wrote the story off of that. The song was released and only Berrys name was on it. Marks sued Chuck for infringing on his song by using the name Rudolph. Mind you Marks didn’t create the character or story he only wrote a song about it. Of course Marks had good lawyers and won the case and was awarded a ridiculous 100% of royalties and a change in song credits.

Run Rudolph Run

Out of all the reindeers you know you’re the mastermind
Run, run Rudolph, Randalph ain’t too far behind
Run, run Rudolph, Santa’s got to make it to town
Santa make him hurry, tell him he can take the freeway down
Run, run Rudolph ’cause I’m reelin’ like a merry-go-round

Said Santa to a boy child what have you been longing for?
All I want for Christmas is a rock and roll electric guitar
And then away went Rudolph a whizzing like a shooting star
Run, run Rudolph, Santa’s got to make it to town
Santa make him hurry, tell him he can take the freeway down
Run, run Rudolph, reeling like a merry-go-round

Run, run Rudolph, Santa’s got to make it to town
Santa make him hurry, tell him he can take the freeway down
Run, run Rudolph, reeling like a merry-go-round

Said Santa to a girl child what would please you most to get?
A little baby doll that can cry, sleep, drink and wet
And then away went Rudolph a whizzing like a Saber jet
Run, run Rudolph, Santa’s got to make it to town
Santa make him hurry, tell him he can take the freeway down
Run, run Rudolph ’cause I’m reelin’ like a merry-go-round

Brenda Lee – Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree

This is an artist I’ve never covered before, and among all the Christmas songs I have posted, I haven’t posted this one. It’s also one that I really like every year.

I’ve heard of Brenda all of my life. She was involved in Nashville before I was born. This song was released in 1958 and Brenda was only 13 years old! Her nickname was “Little Miss Dynamite” for her powerful voice and 4′ 9″ height. She has had an incredible 36 studio albums, 69 EP’s, and 63 Compilation albums. She had 14 top 20 Billboard hits and many country hits later on in her career. She had 3 number 1’s. I’m Sorry in 1960, I Want to be Wanted in 1960, and a record…63 years, five months, and three weeks later…her last #1 so far… in 2023 with Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree. I was so happy to hear that she reached number 1 again.

Brenda signed with Decca Records in 1956 at just 11 years old. Her early hits showed she could do country, pop, and rock genres. The song was recorded in Bradley Studios in Nashville. It was in Fall and not snowing but to get the mood right…Bradley had the studio freezing cold with the air conditioning, and he had a Christmas tree all set up to kind of get in the mood. Since 2011…the song has made it to the top 3 in the Holiday charts every year. This year it made it to #2. Lee was inducted into both the Country Music Hall of Fame (1997) and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (2002).

The song was written by Johnny Marks and he was quite good at writing Christmas songs. He wrote A Holly Jolly Christmas, Silver and Gold, and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer just to name a few.

Brenda Lee: “I was only 13, and I had not had a lot of success in records, but for some reason he heard me and wanted me to do it. And I did.”

Johnny Marks: Well, I was laying on the beach and I went to sleep, I woke up and the pine trees were kind of swaying in the breeze. All of a sudden, I thought about Christmas, and I watched them begin and they were kind of rockin’ and I thought about rockin’. I just thought about a rockin’ Christmas, and then I changed it to where people might want to rock around the Christmas tree.’ And that’s kind of how it was born.”

Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree

Rockin’ around the Christmas treeAt the Christmas party hopMistletoe hung where you can seeEvery couple tries to stopRockin’ around the Christmas treeLet the Christmas spirit ringLater we’ll have some pumpkin pieAnd we’ll do some caroling

You will get a sentimental feeling when you hearVoices singing, let’s be jollyDeck the halls with boughs of hollyRockin’ around the Christmas treeHave a happy holidayEveryone dancin’ merrilyIn the new old-fashioned way

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Sloan – Keep Your Name Alive

Sometimes I forget that my blogs name is powerpop…well today I’m picking two excellent Power Pop songs.

I want to thank Christian for including this in his Chris & Max picks from 2022. I listened to this album when it was released and I loved it. Deke is the first person to get me into them. Between Deke, Dave, Randy, and CB… my Canadian music love has spread. They are a modern-day power pop band that started out as grunge. In my humble opinion, they made the right choice of switching.

They do put the power into their pop. Melodic but loud guitars along with catchy harmonies and a throwback band presence. Bands like Sloan, Tragically Hip, Blue Rodeo, and others just couldn’t get traction in America for some reason.

Sloan got its start in Halifax during the early ‘90s. The band played around the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design before moving to Toronto. They got their name from a pot-smoking musician they knew in Halifax. He worked in a restaurant as a busboy and used to be known as “the slow one.”

The band made their recording debut on the Halifax, Canada CD compilation “Hear & Now” with the song “Underwhelmed” before releasing their debut EP “Peppermint” in 1991 on their own label Murderecords. In 1992 Sloan signed with Geffen Records and released their full-length debut “Smeared”. The album had somewhat of a grunge style. They soon switched to power pop and they have some fantastic songs.

This song is on their album Steady released on October 21, 2022. This song was written by Jay Ferguson plays rhythm guitar but like his band mates…can play bass and drums as well.

Keep Your Name Alive

I cannot lieI should have thought it overThere was a timeI opened with a closerI flew away, away, awayKept my composureAs she wavedDid I become another castaway?

If I simply turned aroundOr counted one to fiveDo you have to leave your homeTo keep your name alive?

Well, I guess I had to find out for myselfThe house remained dividedLocked the doorAre mirrors all one-sided?But the day went after dayAnd still no furtherBreaking wavesRendered me another castaway

If I simply turned aroundOr counted one to fiveDo you have to leave your homeTo keep your name alive?Whether you float far awayWhere it’s too deep to diveFailing further mention ofKeep your name aliveKeep your name alive

La-la-la, la-la-la, la-la-la(I flew away, away, away)La-la-la, la-la-la, la-la-la

If I simply turned aroundOr counted one to fiveIs there need to travel farIn order to arrive?Whether you float far awayWhere it’s too deep to dive(It’s too deep to dive)You don’t have to leave your homeTo keep your name alive

Keep your name aliveKeep your name alive (keep your name alive)Keep your name alive

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