Spotify Rant - CDB Edition

 I'm sure I've mentioned before that I have a love hate relationship with Spotify.  More good than bad, but the bad can be infuiating.

I've been listening to Charlie Daniels Band the past couple of days, and there's a bunch of things that irk me.  And I don't like being irked.

1) Charlie Daniels vs Charlie Daniels Band:  This is a bit nit-picky, but still...  The first 4 albums are cataloged on Spotify as just "Charlie Daniles", not as "Charlie Daniels Band".  May be technically right, but does make things confusing.  Wikipedia and Allmusic  both list those first albums with the later ones, which makes life easy.

2) Incomplete discography.  This is a constant pet peeve of mine.  In the CBD case, it is Midnight Wind that's not included.  Not their best album (IMHO) but there's no reason for it to be left off.  Another is the 1976 release Volunteer Jam.  That one's a little more understandable.  While I have it, it seems to be pretty hard to find much of anywhere...  But it's a great record

3) Incorrect dates.  This one is just sloppy.  One of CDB's best (and one of their most successful) albums,  Saddle Tramp, was released in 1976.  But Spotify puts in as 1973, which then presents is as coming before the 2 previous 2 albums.  

4) Incorrect song titles.  More simply sloppy.  The album High Lonesome includes a song "Carolina", while Full Moon Fever includes a song "Carolina (I Remember You)".  But both songs are listed on Spotify under the later (and longer) name.  Interesting, this error is also on Youtube... so I guess that's something.  But the first song is very good, and the second, not my thing.

Anyway, /Rant.  

 I've been enjoying making Spotify playlists based on my old various artist compilation records.  I've posted a few here, should make it a sei-regular thing.  Let me know if you enjoy them, I'll do/post more.

Today's playlist is from a record called 20 Monster Hits, a 1972 double album from Columbia House.  

Not sure exactly when I purchased this one, I'd guess sometime in High School, but I'm not really sure.  It is certainly one of the older compilation records I own.

Here's the Spotify playlist, I was able to find all the songs:  VA - 20 Monster Hits

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/56rc0aBZuxrcbFfNjavfkv?si=0f0e90b2bff044e2

And the track list:

• Looking Glass – Brandy
• Redbone – The Witch Queen Of New Orleans
• Blood, Sweat And Tears – You've Made Me So Very Happy
• Argent – Liar
• Hollies – He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother
• Pacific Gas and Electric – Are You Ready?
• Santana  – Evil Ways
• Ten Years After – I'd Love To Change The World
• Zombies – Time Of The Season
• Byrds – Turn, Turn, Turn (To Everything There Is A Season)
• Paul Revere And The Raiders – Indian Reservation 
• Donovan – Atlantis
• Dr Hook – Sylvia's Mother
• Laura Nyro – Eli's Comin'
• Big Brother And The Holding Company – Piece Of My Heart
• Sweathog – Hallelujah
• Chase – Get It On
• Poco – Pickin' Up The Pieces
• The Buckinghams – Mercy, Mercy, Mercy
• Steve Stills / Al Kooper – Season Of The Witch

Pretty solid mix of hits and deep cuts, nice range of styles and moods.  And a couple of hidden gems.

ENJOY!

Spotify - Various Artists: Do It Now: 20 Giant Hits

 Still sorting through my piles of vinyl, and still making Spotify playlists based on Various-Artists albums from way back when. This is from one of the first albums I remember owning, from way back in 1970. From Ronco Records, no less! The record is long gone, but the internet provided the song list. So here you go:

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/35zOAgwl4RSejHojHCi5pu?si=32fed5b78e164f36

Vintage Rock (Various Artists)

 I posted about 10 days ago about a Spotify Playlist I made based on an old Various Artists compilation record I had. Well. I've done it again! This is an album from 1980, on K-Tel records, titled "Vintage Rock". It's a really nice collection of songs, check it out!

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1DugUpl8cFH8HKUz8UiFoO?si=78ca4ad6ff824cf5

Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame?

 So...  the RRHOF announced its list of nominees for 2026 induction:

• The Black Crowes
• Jeff Buckley
• Mariah Carey
• Phil Collins
• Melissa Etheridge
• Lauryn Hill
• Billy Idol
• INXS
• Iron Maiden
• Joy Division/New Order
• New Edition
• Oasis
• P!NK
• Sade
• Shakira
• Luther Vandross
• Wu-Tang Clan.

Heavy sigh.  

Over these 17 artists/bands, I own exactly 1 album (Black Crowes - Shake Your Money Maker).  There's not a single one of these names that would come close to being deserving, in my (humble) opinion.  Maybe Phil Collins, as a very successful pop singer (with rock roots).

Oh well, I'm getting used to being disappointed, guess I'm getting old.

Meanwhile here's a few artists/bands that I think are deserving:

• Bue Oyster Cult
• Boston
• Emerson Lake and Palmer
• Jethro Tull
• Kansas
• The Monkees
• Stephen Stills (solo)

Now, get off my lawn!

R.I.P. Rick Davies (Supertramp)

 We lose another one:  Rick Davies, co-founder of Supertramp passed away Sept. 6, 2025.  Rick Davies was 81, after a lengthy battle with multiple myeloma.

I first became aware of Supertramp when "Bloody Well Right" was on FM radio, probably early 1975, a really great song.  Along with "Dreamer", which anchored the "Crime Of The Century" album.  And "Even in the Quietest Moments" is a brilliant album (and song!).  Their landmark album "Breakfast In America" came out in early 1979, and was massive.  To the point that I felt they were overplayed.  But it's still great.

So Rest In Peace, Rick Davies, and thanks for the music.

By Ueli Frey - DrJazz.ch, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=63021869

My Favorite Youtube Music Videos (Pt 3)

 

 Continuing the series of my favorite Youtube music videos..  Here's another 5:

• Drive Into The Ocean - Captain Chemical - Silly and fun.  And I know the Captian.
• Mockingbird - Carly Simon & James Taylor -  more just plain fun.
• MICHAEL NESMITH - Cruisin' (1979) - Yeah, I have the album.  Nez at his wildest.
• Chicago - 25 or 6 to 4 - 7/21/1970 - Tanglewood (Official) - Just in case you didn't know Terry Kath was severely underrated.
• The Who - Who Are You (Promo Video) - Yep, another Who song...  Deal with it...

And the previous videos:

• Tedeschi Trucks Band - "Anyhow" (Live in Studio).  What a groove!
• The Band - The Last Waltz - The Weight feat. the staples singers - a "special" moment from my favorite rock-concert movie.
• Linda Ronstadt - Willin' (1976) Offenbach, Germany.  There's several good versions of this, one of my favorite Linda Ronstadt song.  But I like this one most.
• R.E.M. - Radio Free Europe + So. Central Rain (Hifi Mono) [10-6-83] - This is cool for me, because I saw them in DC the very next night.  One of my favorite bands when they were young and raw and unpolished.
• Blind Lemon Lawhead - "Red Mud Hollow" - Yeah, it's my brother.  But that doesn't make it any less wonderful.
• Peter Gabriel - In Your Eyes (Secret World Live)  just a wonderful version of a wonderful song
• And for pure fun it's hard to beat Get Offa My Car - The Flashcats.  A local Pittsburgh band from "the day".  I just love this one.  Aside:  I bought my favorite bass guitar from the drummer.....  in 1979.
• Wet Willie That's All Right 09/10/1973 - yeah, I saw these guys once in the late 70's, this captures the energy of that show.
• The Charlie Daniels Band - Birmingham Blues - another video that takes me back to my high school days, I saw these guys several times.
• The Who, Michael Lindsay-Hogg - A Quick One (While He's Away) - I remember seeing this in The Who's movie (The Kids Are Alright), and being blown away.  Decades later, I'm still blown away.

My Favorite Youtube Music Videos (Pt 2)

 Continuing the series of my favorite Youtube music videos..  My first post included 5 favorites, see below.  Here's another 5:

• Tedeschi Trucks Band - "Anyhow" (Live in Studio).  What a groove!
• The Band - The Last Waltz - The Weight feat. the staples singers - a "special" moment from my favorite rock-concert movie.
• Linda Ronstadt - Willin' (1976) Offenbach, Germany.  There's several good versions of this, one of my favorite Linda Ronstadt song.  But I like this one most.
• R.E.M. - Radio Free Europe + So. Central Rain (Hifi Mono) [10-6-83] - This is cool for me, because I saw them in DC the very next night.  One of my favorite bands when they were young and raw and unpolished.
• Blind Lemon Lawhead - "Red Mud Hollow" - Yeah, it's my brother.  But that doesn't make it any less wonderful.

And the previous videos:

• Peter Gabriel - In Your Eyes (Secret World Live)  just a wonderful version of a wonderful song
• And for pure fun it's hard to beat Get Offa My Car - The Flashcats.  A local Pittsburgh band from "the day".  I just love this one.  Aside:  I bought my favorite bass guitar from the drummer.....  in 1979.
• Wet Willie That's All Right 09/10/1973 - yeah, I saw these guys once in the late 70's, this captures the energy of that show.
• The Charlie Daniels Band - Birmingham Blues - another video that takes me back to my high school days, I saw these guys several times.
• The Who, Michael Lindsay-Hogg - A Quick One (While He's Away) - I remember seeing this in The Who's movie (The Kids Are Alright), and being blown away.  Decades later, I'm still blown away.

There's a quick 5, hope you enjoy.  Maybe I'll add a video or two all along.

RIP Ozzy Osbourne

 Just heard that Ozzy Ozbourne passed away today (07/22/2005).  Ozzy was, of course, best known as frontman of Black Sabbath, and solo work.  Though I suppose a lot of people know him from his TV show.

Black Sabbath was a big part of the soundtrack of my youth, I think "Paranoid" was probably the first really hard rock album I owned.  Not when it was new (I was 9 when it came out), but certainly by my early teens.  I had most of their (available) discography by the time I graduated college.  

Now that I'm old and mellow, I don't listen to Sabbath that often, though I was, just yesterday, listening to Jazz Sabbath (which is brilliant, by the way).  But I'll be playing them tonight.

Ozzy was always a character, and an icon, and a cultural monster.  He will be missed.  Rest In Peace Ozzy!

My Favorite Youtube Music Videos (Pt 1)

I decided that I should make a list of YouTube music videos that I especially like, that I come back to again and again.  So here ya go, I'll probably add to this all along:

• Peter Gabriel - In Your Eyes (Secret World Live)  just a wonderful version of a wonderful song
• And for pure fun it's hard to beat Get Offa My Car - The Flashcats.  A local Pittsburgh band from "the day".  I just love this one.  Aside:  I bought my favorite bass guitar from the drummer.....  in 1979.
• Wet Willie That's All Right 09/10/1973 - yeah, I saw these guys once in the late 70's, this captures the energy of that show.
• The Charlie Daniels Band - Birmingham Blues - another video that takes me back to my high school days, I saw these guys several times.
• The Who, Michael Lindsay-Hogg - A Quick One (While He's Away) - I remember seeing this in The Who's movie (The Kids Are Alright), and being blown away.  Decades later, I'm still blown away.

There's a quick 5, hope you enjoy.  Maybe I'll add a video or two all along.

Spotify Wins - Pure Prairie League

I made a post recently about my frustration over them not having one J.J. Cale album.  Shockingly, they haven't rectified that failure.   Anyway, listing to some tunes today, I pulled up Pure Prairie Leage and lo-and-behold, they now have PPL's debut album, which they didn't have the last time I looked.  Bravo!

PPL's first album didn't make much splash, didn't chart at all upon it's release in March of 1972.  Seven Months later (and with new plays on bass, drums and steel guitar) they were back with Bustin' Out, which made #34 on the album charts, and gave us the song Amie which is a classic rock staple.

I didn't discover PPL until '75 or so, when Amie was re-released as a single.  Checking my vinyl of their debut album, it is a re-release from 1975, I presume as a result of the song Amie.  Anyway, I really like the debut album and the band in general. The entire first side is stellar, with Tears, Take It Before You Go, You're Between Me and Woman.  I always liked PPL, but they never really had a consistent line-up, which (I think) hurt their ability to generate any sort of inertia.  They had 14 different members over 7 albums in the '70s, and nobody played on all of them.  But I own 4 of those 7, and like them all.  And have seen them 3 or 4 times through the years.

Anyway, THANKS Spotify for having this one!

1975 in Music

 So, I quit doing monthly music posts a while ago.  But as we hit the 1/2 way mark of 2025, I revisited my playlists of 1975 (50 years ago).  There a Top 40 playlist and a Not-Top 40 playlist (covering #41-100).

I created a new playlist, merging those, and implemented it in spotify.  113 songs, 7.5 hrs.  Check it out, let me know what you think:

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1Y7E27RRDkUaeueU2lVeYC?si=de4a5963fa82491d

1975 - Favorites

RIP Brian Wilson

 It has been a bad string for the music of my past.  Rick Derringer passed away 5/26, Sly Stone on 6/9 and now Brian Wilson on 6/11.  That's 3 big names in 16 days.  Much melancholy.

So, to complete the trio, RIP Brian Wilson, who passed away 6/11 at the age of 82.

Brian Wilson was, of course, the genius behind The Beach Boys, writing most of their hits, and more or less single-handedly creating the masterpiece "Pet Sounds" (with lyrics by Tony Asher).  There's a reason that Pet Sounds is universally acclaimed; There's only a few albums from the rock era I'd call "important", and Pet Sounds is one of them.  [hmmm, there may be a separate post needed on that topic]

I spent the mid/late 60's listening to Top 40 radio, so The Beach Boys were a significant part of that.  With 29 Top 40 hits between 1962 and 1969, they were pretty significant.  I didn't get my first Beach Boys album until 1974's compilation "Endless Summer", and the subsequent compilation "Spirit Of America".  I've long lost those albums, but picked up a CD version of the first somewhere along the line, plus a few digital copies of the later hits.   It was several years later before I discovered "Pet Sounds", at least beyond the hits.  I'm not sure I could've properly appreciated it at 6 yrs old!  

Brian Wilson's passing is a huge loss, one of the really influential artists of the era...

Rest In Peace, Brian Wilson.

RIP Sly Stone

The RIPs are coming fast and furious, I'm behind.

Rest In Peace, Sly Stone, who passed away June 9, 2025.

Sly was, of course, leader of the band Sly And The Family Stone.  They had a bunch of great songs in the 1967-1974, over a dozen hits between the US Hot 100 and US B&B charts.  I remember watching them on Midnight Special, and the Woodstock move, and being duly impressed.  

I never actually owned any Sly Stone albums, but I have over 1/2 of their Hot 100 hits, and always respected them.  Funky, funky, funky.

Edwardsville Symphony - Sight

Sunday night (6/1), we attended the first show of the Edwardsville Symphony's 2025 Season.  The theme for the season is the senses, with each concert's selections tied to a different sense (sight, scent, sound, touch and the "sixth sense").  This evening's program was "Concert Of Sight".  

We really enjoyed the show, they had a good crowd.  We saw several friends and acquaintances, good times all around.  We're looking forward to the rest of the series.  Next show is June 29th, the theme will be "Scent"

 

The program was:

• National Anthem arr. Kent Baker: Vocal soloist: Honor Baker
• Overture Morning, Noon, Night by Von Suppé
• Romeo & Juliet Overture Fantasy by Tchaikovsky 
• Concerto for two cellos in g minor RV 531, Mov. 1 by Antonio Vivaldi 
• Beauty and the Beast by Alan Menken
• America Forever by John Meurer composer/conductor 
• Where the Blackhawk Soars by Robert W. Smith

California Dreams at the Wildey

 Last night, the wife and I went to see "California Dreams" at The Wildey Theater.  The show is described as:  

CALIFORNIA DREAMS - Sounds of L.A. circa 1965-75

International touring musicians Dan Clews and Phoebe Katis take you immersive trip through California in the late 60’s, early 70’s. This is the time when a collective of musical legends help changed the world though song. This show features hits by The Mamas and The Papas, Eagles, Joni Mitchell, Neil Young, Linda Ronstadt, Jackson Brown, The Byrds, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young and many more.

Really fun show, highly recommended.  This was their 3rd show in 2 nights (w/ a matinee), all sold out.  The other shows were their James Taylor/Carole King tribute.  We'll have to catch that one next time they're passing through.  

I did log the playlist, so here you go.  If anybody was there and knows the name of Dan Clews' solo song, I'd love to know!  I'll probably make a Spotify Playlist...

1. Mr. Tambourine Man – Byrds

2. God Only Knows – Beach Boys

3. Light My Fire – Jose Feliciano 

4. Cactus Tree – Joni Mitchell 

5. Big Yellow Taxi – Joni Mitchell 

6. Our House – Crosby Stills Nash & Young 

7. Marrakesh Express - Crosby Stills & Nash 

8. Teach Your Children - Crosby Stills Nash & Young 

9. Heart Of Gold – Neil Young 

10. It’s Too Late – Carole King 

11. You’ve Got A Friend – James Taylor / Carole King 

12. You’re So Vain – Carly Simon 

13. Willin’ – Linda Ronstadt 

14. Doctor My Eyes – Jackson Browne 

15. Take It Easy – Eagles 

16. Desperado – Linda Ronstadt / Eagles 

17. Dedicated To The One I Love – The Mamas & The Papas 

18. Alpha Crucis  – Dan Clews 

19. All It Takes – Phoebe Katis 

 

20. California Dreaming - The Mamas & The Papas 

UPDATE:  I've created a playlist of this setlist on Spotify, check it out HERE! 

RIP Rick Derringer

 A little slow posting this, but Rick Derringer passed away this week, May 26th.  

I was a big Derringer fan back in my early/mid teen years.  I had his first 2 albums (All American Boy and Spring Fever), as well as his 1977 Derringer Live, which remains one of my favorite "live" albums.  I picked up the album "If I weren't So Romantic I'd Shoot You" when I was in college, and in the digital age filled out with a couple of his early albums, and some of his straight blues releases.

As I noted in a 2017 blog post:  "OK, Rick Derringer has been one of my “guilty pleasures” since my mid-teens.  Nobody’s going to argue that his lyrics surpass Dylan, or his melodies beat the Beatles.  But you know what?  Sometimes it is enough to just Rock And Roll.  And Derringer can certainly rock.  Good time, 70’s vintage rock.  I’ll admit it, at 18 years old, I owned more Derringer albums than I did Beatles and Stones combined.  And, I think he’s one of the more underrated guitar players of the era. "

I originally loved Derringer for those mid-70's straight ahead rock and roll records, built around excellent guitar playing.  But he has a huge body of work, including producing and session work.  I particularly enjoy his blues records from later on (check out Three Kings).

Sorry to see another blast from my past has now passed....

Great Albums, 1975-Q1

 I used to do a lot more music posts here, monthly Top 40 posts and such.  But those faded away without fanfare or (apparently) mourning.  But I was listening to mt "Hits of 1975" playlist the other day, and started thinking about albums.  So I figured I'd look into it, maybe pick up some ideas for the music que.

So, here's a list of notable albums from the first quarter of 1975.  

Albums I own:

• Blood On The Tracks - Bob Dylan.  A great album, and an "important" album.  I've owned it since the mid 70's, the first Dylan album I owned.
• Physical Graffiti - Led Zeppelin.  An iconic album, certainly worth having.  Though I didn't own it in the 70's, I certainly knew most of the music from it.
• On Your Feet or on Your Knees - Blue Oyster Cult.  One of my favorite live albums, by one of my favorite bands.  I don't remember if I got this before or after "Secret Treaties". but either way is close.   
• Song for America - Kansas. The title track is sooooo good. My introduction to Kansas, I remember the title track playing on AOR radio.  Although not my first Kansas album (that was the next album Masque)
• Nuthin' Fancy - Lynyrd Skynyrd.  Actually the last of Skynyrd's first 4 albums that I owned, I didn't get this one until probably 1975.  But it has some of my favorite deep tracks by them.
• The Myths and Legends of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table - Rick Wakeman.  Again, my 3rd favorite Wakeman album of the trio of great albums Wakeman put out 1973-1975.  But still great.
• Lou Reed Live - Lou Reed.  
• Spring Fever - Rick Derringer.  Pretty sure this is the 1st Derringer album I owned, either this or "Live".  But I did have this one in 1975.  I remember reading an interview in Circus magazine (at least I think it was Circus) and buying it based on that.
• Straight Shooter - Bad Company

Honorable Mention

• Modern Times - Al Stewart.  Dropped between "Past Present & Future" and "Year Of The Cat".  and IMHO, not as good as either.
• Fly By Night - Rush.  I'm not really a Rush fan, but that puts me in a minority.  I know a couple songs from this album, I should probably give the whole thing a listen.
• Young Americans - David Bowie
• Katy Lied - Steely Dan

RIP Roberta Flack

 I just heard that Roberta Flack passed away today (Monday 24 Feb, 2025).  Sorry to hear this, another great performer from my youth.

Best know for songs like "Killing Me Softly With His Song" and "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face", she was a significant artist in the late 60's and 70's.  My favorite Roberta Flack song is "Compared to What", which was used as title track for the 2015 Man From UNCLE movie.  That song grooves HARD!

Rest In Peace, Roberta!

RIP Garth Hudson

 Garth Hudson, Keyboard player for The Band has passed away today (01/21/2024).  Hudson was the last surviving member of the Band.

Another great one gone.  Guess I'm going to have to dig out my DVD of the Last Waltz, one of my favorite concert videos.

Garth Hudson was 87.