I would like to preface today's shuffle by saying that a big pet peeve of mine are people of a certain age who loudly decry "music these days" and who pine for some different era. They usually "prove" their point by referencing some trendy pop act of today and offer up for comparisons sake some legend of a different era who has stood the test of time. It is not only the logic that is faulty, but such statements are a sign of laziness. There is a ton of great music being made "these days" - far more than even this music blogger than cover. So my advise to those who would rant in the manner mentioned above is either 1. Seek out music - there are far more ways to do this than there ever were or 2. Shut up and admit that you are unwilling to do so and that you prefer the music of your younger days.
All that being said, music has a special power to evoke... music which was an integral part of the formative years of our lives does hold a special place. It is in that spirit that I offer up today's shuffle which a total throwback to my days of yore.
"Nighttime" by Big Star/Alex Chilton
Count me among the legions who truly discovered Big Star and Alex Chilton thanks to The Replacements. This song comes from an Alex Chilton compilation which gave me a crash course in all things Chilton. It was originally on the legendary album Big Star's Third/Sister Lovers.
I know they are the Georgia Satellites, but I have always considered them a Nashville band. I first heard "Keep Your Hands to Yourself" on WRVU several months before it became an international hit song, and I first read about the band in the legendary Metro magazine. This comes from the 1989 album In The Land of Salvation and Sin. I have always considered that album an underrated classic or at least an under-heard classic.
"Shake That Thing" by The Georgia Satellites
Another great song from In the Land.... I think this song is about shaking something, but I'm not sure... Seriously, this is what Rock 'n' Roll is all about.
"Whoa!" by Soul Asylum
Soul Asylum released three albums in 1986. This was the first. A glorious loud and fast punk inspired ode to joy called Made to Be Broken.
"Six Gallon Pie" by Meat Puppets
An instrumental from their 1989 album Forbidden Places - this was a few years before Kurt Cobain and Nirvana helped make the band household names. I love this album, and it's a good time to tell about the extremely hot and sweaty Meat Puppets' show at 328 Performance Hall when the band took pity on the crowd of hot and sweat moshers and started handing out beers from the stage. So, I can say that one of the Kirkwood brothers gave me a beer. I know I've told this story many, many times, but if you give me a beer from the stage, I'll tell the world about it, too. I'm easy that way.
"Plum Dumb" by The Dead Milkmen
We have a pair of songs from the debut album, Big Lizard in Your Backyard, by everyone's favorite punk brats. I guess I could always relate to The Dead Milkmen because I was a bit of a punk brat myself....
"Beach Song" by The Dead Milkmen
Who hates the beach? The Dead Milkmen hate the beach!
"King of the Mountain" by Midnight Oil
From their 1990 album, Blue Sky Mining. I've always loved this song. The interesting twist of time and circumstance is that these days, I get to see Midnight Oil bassist Bones Hillman just about every Friday in East Nashville helping the hold down the bottom for Tim Carroll.
"Caped Crusader" by Phranc
A song about a comic book based upon the life of Pope John Paul II from Phranc's solo debut album Folksinger (1985). Phranc was previously a member of the band Catholic Discipline and the band appeared in the landmark film about the L.A. punk scene, The Decline of Western Civilization.
"King of Fools" by Social Distortion
The most recent release in today's shuffle from the 1992 Social D album Somewhere Between Heaven and Hell. I dig just about every song on this album.
"Another Chance" by The Georgia Satellites
We shall close this shuffle with one of my favorite songs on In the Land of Salvation and Sin.... I think this song is a more elegant expression of the sentiment behind YOLO. :-)
VIDEO PLAYLIST
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