Greetings from Laurel Canyon!
Not too much to report from the Canyon this week. I guess for me, the big news was passing on an opportunity to play hookey and head way south to go fishing in deep Mexican waters.
Knowing that my “band of fishing bros” were riding free as birds on the open seas made me feel a bit “thirsty,” to say the least.
So, my week started thirsty and in need of inspiration. On Monday morning it came by way of a friend, music industry vet Alan Wolmark. It was, after all, Veteran’s Day.
Now, normally we think of veterans of a war, but there are veterans of the music business too. (And, if you think about our casualty rate…hmmm. Never mind. Let’s not go there.)
Anyway, Alan and I were chatting about his management client Nicole Atkins. Nicole’s been on the road supporting a very cool Midlake tour. When Alan referred to Nicole’s solo set as “the lighter side of prog,” the comment seemed to come out of nowhere. Nicole Atkins prog rock? Wait a second, did he just say “prog?”
Well, say no more! What a fabulous thought! I began thinking about seventh grade and my best friend’s older brother and his record collection. That evening I dug through old record crates for a healthy fill of classic guitars, flutes, mandolins, and Renaissance garb. What a way to quench a rocker’s thirst—now there’s a music vet’s day worth talking about!
For us vets, here’s simple thought to carry us until next week:
Do you wanna be an angel
Do you wanna be a star
Do you wanna play some magic
On my guitar
Do you wanna be a poet
Do you wanna be my string
You could be anything
Do you wanna be the lover of another undercover
You could even be the
Man on the moon
Do you wanna be the player
Do you wanna be the string
Let me tell you something
It just don’t mean a thing
You see it really doesn’t matter
When you’re buried in disguise
By the dark glass on your eyes
Though your flesh has crystallised
Still…you turn me on
The Idelic Hit of the Week:
White Denim – New Blue Feeling
