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All of this happened a long time ago when the world was a very different place. Of course, none of us knew that at the time.
(From The Drift - A Novel by Joe Wolfe-Mazeres) Available at Amazon.com (Kindle edition also available)
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In the seven plus years that I have written E2TG, there have been more than a few days that I didn't really feel like writing. Days when the world and/or life was getting me down. The reason E2TG persists when other blogs go dark, is that I write anyway. The reason I write even when I don't really feel like it, is because of the music. I turn to music when I am down and out, and it always helps.
There is a lot in the world that has me down lately - both in the wide-world and closer to home. Bullies. That's what gets me down. I am sick and tired of bullies, and I am sick and tired of having a bully in the White House. I just a clip where an 18 year old woman asked a Republican candidate for Governor (don't remember what state - it doesn't matter) a legitimate question about climate change. He called her "young and naive" and refused to answer the question. Whatever else that man is, he is a bully. This week, I found out that the 17 year old son of a high school friend of mine - who had been bullied for years - died tragically in an incident either directly or indirectly caused by bullies.
Since I was younger, music has been an escape and a refuge for me. One of the reasons, I don't put down forms of music that aren't my thing - even if I may think they are lame - is that I know that any kind of music can be that refuge to someone who needs it. I just choose to write about the music I dig and the music that helps me get through the days when I don't want to write about music.
Here's today's shuffle. It's Wednesday and as we do on Wednesdays, we shuffle up all the songs saved to my phone - so we get some new tracks, some older tracks, and who knows what all. It's often a wild ride, so we call it Wild Wednesday.
"AFL CIO" by Adam Carroll
Adam Carroll is one of my all-time favorite songwriters. I feel like I was bit late to his party, but I have loved everything I have heard. A couple of years ago, he had a tribute album made with his music performed by some of the best (including some of my favorite Nashville folks). This is a particular favorite of mine. From a live album called Live at Flipnotics.
"Elastic Time" by Ali Holder
One of the joys of writing this blog is following the non-linear paths of artists and people and seeing how things change and recognizing talent and seeing that talent being recognized. My first introduction to Ali Holder was in the early days of E2TG. At that time, this Austin based singer-songwriter was collaborating with The Raindoggs - who was one of the early bands we featured. Since that time, Holder has toured extensively and put a series of great records. Her most recent release was Huntress Moon. This is from her 2015 album From my Veins Will Fall. This song was written with Austin singer-songwriter Reed Turner.
"Plastic Ocean" by Sugarmen
From Elastic to Plastic. Up next, we have another track from 2015 - this from the Liverpool based band Sugarmen. The band are now signed to Warner Brothers and have released an album called Local Freaks. This track was a single released late in 2015. An earlier single was produced by Mick Jones of The Clash.
"Lions" by Poptone
Next, we have another track from the self-titled album by Poptone. It is a remake of a Tones on Tail song. Poptone features Kevin Haskins and Daniel Ash of Tones on Tail (and Bauhaus plus Love and Rockets).
"Dream Within a Dream" by Tomorrow's Eve
Next, we have a first listen to a track we got a while back. It is from a German progressive metal band called Tomorrow's Eve. Their album Mirror Of Creation III – Project Ikaros came out back in May. A nice change of pace from us and we like changing our pace.
"A Token" by The Veldt
A couple of years ago, I was sent some music by The Veldt. I understood that they had been around for many years and (then) recently reformed. I knew that back in the day, they had shared stages with some of the biggest names in my circle of music, but I had missed out on them the first time around. I really dug their music - which had an air of familiarity to it while sounding unlike anything I knew. It was not until I saw them live at Athens PopFest last year, that I truly appreciated their greatness. This is a track from their release called The Shocking Fuzz of Your Electric Fur. It is a five song release that came out shortly before I saw them last year.
"Krokodil Tears" by Nova Flares
Nova Flares is from Tennessee's neighbor to the north, Kentucky. If Kentucky music makes you think bluegrass or Tyler Childers or Kentucky Headhunters, you aren't alone. But in this day and age, music is a universal language, and it is possible for people from anywhere to be turned on my music of all kinds from anywhere in the world. Jason Wagers is the person behind the name Nova Flares - who released a self-title debut EP back in June. This song (and it's accompanying video) don't sound like what most people would think of as Kentucky music, but it is no less real and authentic. I dig it.
"Intro - Mexican Eagle" by Tim Henderson (Allen Damron)
Some people who do shuffles like this (does anyone?) would take out introductions and things like that. Not me. So, we end today's shuffle with a short Intro to the late Tim Henderson's song "Mexican Eagle". This is from Volume 3 of the Tim Henderson Legacy Collection - which features songwriter Allen Damron covering some of Henderson's songs. That is Damron's voice you hear on this track. Damron has the distinction of being the first person to record Jerry Jeff Walker's "Mr. Bojangles".
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