Greetings from Laurel Canyon!
I heard my cool promoter friends were throwing shows at the Gene Autry Museum in Griffin Park, so last Monday I brought the family down to take in a set by The Low Anthem. Sadly we had some unexpected weather. It rained—something us Angelinos would not have imagined on a May evening.
I was bummed for The Low Anthem but the show did go on and I have to say I love those sayings like, “the show must go on” or how about the Postman’s Pledge: “Neither rain, nor sleet, nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds.”
Yep, I’m what I call a 24-7 kind of rock n roller. My “Idelic’ mind never cancels a gig or closes shop. Well, at least that’s the way I perceive myself and so this concept of “rain or shine” became my muse for this week’s Idelic Hour playlist.
I set out, diggin thru my crates to find songs about both rain and sunshine with a task in mind to mix the two in an interesting way. There was loads of material and lots of hits and memorable songs. Almost everyone in the 60’s had a track about each; the sun and the rain.
As I do my usual routine of throwing songs against each other and listening for best musical matches, I’m always listening for the obscure while understanding a great playlist needs “big songs.” I went with three hits, starting with The Carpenter’s “Rainy Days and Mondays” which I’m dedicating to everyone at the Autry Monday night. “Rainy Days” is pure melancholic magic.
When I was cutting the show my wife, Susan heard it and came out to the garage and gave me a long romantic kiss which quickly took the mix into a romantic “soft 70’s” direction. Ray Charles and Love Unlimited weigh in with big moments making this one of mellower Idelic Hours.
The Idelic Hit of the Week: Dirty Gold | California Sunrise
