Back a few years ago, I got into The Blasters. Since then, I’ve followed their guitar player, Dave Alvin, into different bands and soloed all over the map. I never say this phrase much, but Dave Alvin is a true American treasure. I’ve heard the man play roots rockabilly, old country, punk, rock and roll, hard rock, and psychedelic/jazz type of music as The Third Mind. It’s nothing that this man can’t do on guitar.
The Third Mind is a band co-founded by Dave Alvin and bassist Victor Krummenacher (of Camper Van Beethoven) with the idea of creating spontaneous, live-in-the-studio music without rehearsals. The concept is inspired by the free-form recording techniques of artists like Miles Davis, where musicians simply pick a key, start playing, and let the performance evolve organically.
They took this folk song by Richard Farina and gave it some bite with Alvin’s guitar. It’s a folk song stretched into something wider, keeping the original intact. I have also heard them cover Dark Star and Morning Dew (a song originally written and recorded by Canadian Folk singer Bonnie Dobson) by the Grateful Dead. Reno, Nevada, is on the 2025 album Right Now!. This song feels like a drive through the desert at night.
Dave Alvin: I had a crazy idea and was looking for musicians who perhaps didn’t think it was so insane. Many years ago I’d been reading John Szwed’s excellent biography of Miles Davis, “So What”, and was fascinated by his thorough descriptions of how Mr. Davis and his producer, Teo Macero, created some of his classic electric albums like Bitches Brew and Jack Johnson. Basically, Miles would gather great musicians in a studio, pick a key and a groove and then record everything live over several days. Then he and Mr. Macero would edit and shape these improvisations into compositions. Having never recorded like that, I had a fantasy to try it someday if the fates ever allowed.
One night after a gig in San Francisco, a decade or more later, I mentioned this fantasy to Victor Krummenacher. I’d known the always musically adventurous Mr. Krummenacher for a couple of decades (since he was a young buck bassist in Camper Van Beethoven) and hoped he would understand.
The Third Mind Dave Alvin: Guitar, Vocals David Immerglück: Guitar, Keyboards, Vocals Michael Jerome: Drums, Percussion Victor Krummenacher: Bass, Vocals Featuring: Jesse Sykes: Guitar, Vocals
Here is a full performance by The Third Mind
Reno, Nevada
It’s a long, long way down to Reno, Nevada And a long, long way to your home But the change in your pocket is beginning to grumble And you reap just about what you’ve sown You can walk down the street, pass your face in the window You can keep on fooling around You can work day and night, take a chance on promotion You can fall through a hole in the ground
Now there ain’t no game like the game you been playing When you got a little something to lose And there ain’t no time like the time you been wasting And you waste just about what you choose There’s a man at the table and you know he’s been able To return all the odds that you lay But you can’t feed your hunger and you ain’t getting younger And your tongue ain’t got nothing to say
It’s a long, long way down to Reno, Nevada And a long, long way to your home But the ground underneath you is beginning to tremble And the sky up above you has grown There’s a time to be moving and a time to be grooving And a time just for climbing the wall But the odds have been doubled, and it ain’t worth the trouble And you’re never going nowhere at all
The listbelow has grown so much since I started doing this a few years ago. If I missed you…please forgive me. But Happy New Year 2026. I add new readers to this list every single year and like I said…I hope I got you all. This year, I didn’t add as much because I had to cut down on my blogging from every day to just weekends and Fridays mostly.
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, Colombia, 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. These are in no particular order. I usually keep them around the same place and just add some more commentary to a few.
Clive – Thank you for stopping by and commenting about Pub Rock and turning me to music I didn’t know…it’s been great getting to know you.
Glyn at glyn40wilton…thanks for the new music you have introduced me to and all the comments!
purplegoatee2684b071ed – Thank you for finding this joint and commenting. I’ve learned a lot from you…
MY. Thank you so much for the music stories and conversations about music! You have one of the best tastes in music that I’ve ever seen, and I always love your comments…no no matter how short or long.
I really like commenting with Bruce from Swan Song Apocalypse, awesome conversations about music, movies, and everything in between.
Warren – thanks for the music conversations that you have had. I’ll never be able to thank you enough for showing me The Blue Shadows.
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.
Learned about Chicago and interesting music from a fan and fellow musician John
Sheila “Spiral Sister” Murrey… thank you for all of your comments and the subjects we have got into…plus a very cool name.
Learning every number 1 from the UK with Stewart. What a task you set for yourself, and I admire it! I may not like all of the songs, but your writing keeps me reading them. Thanks, Stewart! Thanks for chatting with me and all of my old school ways!
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. I really do appreciate it, man!
quadzillabynorth ….thank you so much for your comments and the bad covers that Randy and you post at times.
Thank you, Deke, for all of your comments, music, fantasy baseball, and all of our chats dude…I really appreciate it.
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. Thanks for the music and movies you have pointed me to…and most of all the conversations we have had.
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.
randydafoe who has a huge knowledge of music covers and music in general. When I have a question…I bug Randy! Thank you again, Randy for answering all of my questions, and I truly appreciate your thoughtful comments and our emails.
Lisa is the biggest George Harrison fan I know…and that is a great thing. Thanks so much for the book, music, life, and movie recommendations, and another blogger whom I call a friend. Thank you.
Dave, as always, it’s been a great year. We finally got our baseball wish in the same year, and I’m sorry someone had to lose! You have done a terrific job on TurnTable Talk as well. Thanks for being a friend.
Some of the most entertaining true and not-so-true stories I’ve ever heard from Phil Strawn. Phil is one of my favorite bloggers. You can’t get more Texan than Phil.
Bruce Goodman– Thank you for all of the stories, and it has been wonderful getting to know you all of these years…and I love the puns! Thanks again Bruce! You are one of the most talented people I know.
Off-the-radar songs and movies, and everything cool… from Cincinnati Babyhead (CB). Thanks for opening up more music and movies for me…and also talking some baseball.
Dana from Dana at Regular Girl Devos for her fun memories on songs that I hope she keeps telling. You have a wonderful site and personality…it’s been great getting to know you.
halffastcyclingclub for his insightful comments on different posts. He has taught me a lot about music and bikes! And turned me on to some different music like Doug Sahm and Augie Meyers to name just a few!
Fellow power pop fan Music City Mike and fellow Nashvillian.
Learned about new music from Grahamand 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 tastes and it was great to talk to him the other day on the phone. Another blogger who has turned into a friend.
I’ve learned about Australia, Colombia, Bob Dylan, new artists to me, and classical music from Matt. Matt is another person who has become a friend, and I thank you for that!
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. I have to make time to read more this year to pick up more movies…and thank you for Casablanca!
Bigbadburch thank you for the comments that you have left on my blog. I really appreciate it.
Jared Harding Wilson who I don’t know yet but has liked some of my posts…thank you!
How radio really works and more about family from Keith… it’s always great talking to you and texting.
Ra Na-Gedwho 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.
About life and friendship from my friend Vic, it’s been great emailing, talking, and messaging.
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, 2025… let’s make this one even better!
I truly love this band, but I try to limit posting them around once a year. I try that with everyone, but it gets hard at times. The last time I posted them was back in February of this fading year, so I thought it was time for another. I respect them so much because of what they came up with. Joe Ely, Jimmie Dale Gilmore, and Butch Hancock were inventing a whole new kind of Texas country while nobody in Nashville was bothering to look. Their loss!
The song selections and the harmonies hooked me long ago. Their songs are simple and straight to the point, and really catchy. This song was written by Leslie York, and the York Brothers were the first to record it. It’s been covered by The Everly Brothers, Sweethearts of the Rodeo, and The Gibson Brothers. There are other songs by that name by Tex Ritter and a different one by CSN.
They were formed in 1972 by three singer-songwriters: Jimmie Dale Gilmore, Joe Ely, and Butch Hancock. The band was born out of the music scene in Lubbock, Texas, where all three members grew up. They recorded their debut album in Nashville. Initially, the album was released only as an 8-track tape by Plantation Records, with the title “Jimmie Dale and the Flatlanders.” This limited release received little attention at the time, and the band members soon went their separate ways to pursue solo careers, but would reunite to release a total of 10 albums of studio and live.
This song was on the 2021 album Treasure of Love. All three members were songwriters, and all had unique voices that blended so well with each other. Treasure of Love was never intended to be an album, at least not at first. So when Joe Ely started gathering the trio in his home studio in Austin during the early and mid-2000s, it was not for some grand comeback. It was more like old friends swapping songs and capturing whatever happened to be good.
Long Time Gone
You cheated me and left me lonely I tried to be your very own There’ll be a day you’ll want me only But when I leave, I’ll be a long time gone Be a long time gone Be a long time gone Yes, when I leave, I’ll be a long time gone You’re gonna be sad, you’re gonna be weepin’ You’re gonna be blue and all alone You’ll regret the day you seen me weepin’ ‘Cause when I leave, I’ll be a long time gone Be a long time gone Be a long time gone Yes, when I leave, I’ll be a long time gone You’ll see my face through tears and sorrow You’ll miss the love you called your own Baby, there’ll be no tomorrow ‘Cause when I leave, I’ll be a long time gone Be a long time gone Be a long time gone Yes, when I leave, I’ll be a long time gone
Happy Christmas Eve to you all. I can’t believe we are almost to 2026.
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 when I post, 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 eighth 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.
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.
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.
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 walls Described 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 move Carry 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 go Wait 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 eye Go 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 brain I 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 face I wanna see your face, see your face again ‘n’ again ‘n’ again, again, oh
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
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.
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 out Sign out at the seven Down at the hive of such a busy bee So sorry honey sign up for heaven The guilt tonight is you and me Come as you are, now come on Come as you are and we’ll have a ball Ain’t gonna be no masquerade Come as you are, or don’t come at all He’ll be a hot time, hot time at the lake side Barry and the boys are filling in for free We’ll jump and move and take it for a joyride I still get up there for you and me Come as you are, now come on Come as you are and we’ll have a ball Ain’t gonna be no masquerade Come as you are, or don’t come at all
I’m just a bluebird, bluebird at your window And it’s for sure you’re a pretty sight to see But lives are short; I know what you’re into Come on, it’s you and me Come as you are, now come on Come as you are, and we’ll have a ball Ain’t gonna be no masquerade Come as you are, or don’t come at all Whoa, whoa, whoa Come as you are now, come on Come as you are, and we’ll have a ball Ain’t gonna be no masquerade Come as you are, or don’t come at all Come as you are
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!
The listbelow 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.
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.
Fellow power pop fan Music City Mike and fellow Nashvillian.
Learned about new music from Grahamand 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.
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.
How radio really works and more about family from Keith… it’s always great talking to you and texting.
Ra Na-Gedwho 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.
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!
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.
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.
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.
Getting Tires
PowerPop... An Eclectic Collection of Pop Culture 