I’ve Been Here Times Before

For more than a year, some of my friends and I have been sharing music. We’re supposed to review/rate what gets shared with us, and share those reviews with the group, but that doesn’t always happen.

This week I didn’t share an album. A year ago, we shared a playlist of songs from high school. A year later, I’m sharing a mix of songs that inspired me in my rock band from high school.

A number of factors have led to me thinking about this recently.

1. I got back in touch with the guys from my high school band (rock band, not symphonic/marching band)(although I guess our drummer was in that band with me, too).
2. As a by-product of that, I invited Scott to play this game with us (since he was in that rock band).
3. While I have shard some of my early musical influences with you guys before (The Beatles, Eagles, Black Sabbath, Fountains of Wayne, Weezer), Scott’s recent Elvis suggestion really got me thinking about my musical influences.

I put down some other influences just to get my mind going. They were bands that someone else had already shared in this game and I didn’t want to repeat. Bands like Simon and Garfunkel, The Who, Led Zeppelin, The Beach Boys, Elton John, Buddy Holly, Billy Joel, Steely Dan, Fleetwood Mac, Stevie Wonder, Chicago, Cat Stevens, Everclear, Bon Jovi, Kiss, AC/DC, and maybe a little Judas Priest, too. I’m sure Scott might point out some other cover we did or influence I’m not thinking of, but this is what I came up with.

But first, here’s what my friends suggested I listen to this week. Not that there’s anything wrong with it or that I’m complaining, but both albums shared with me this week come from artists we’ve already visited in this game. There have been weeks when one of the three or four have revisited an artist, but this is the first time that everything I listened to has been a repeat of an artist.

Boston – Third Stage (1986)

I really haven’t listened to a ton of Boston – pretty much just the hits. On this album, that means I had only heard Amanda, which I’ve never really been a fan of (I think the lyrics are a little corny) and didn’t make me want to go out and listen to more Boston, even though what I had heard from their first album was awesome.

When You Think You’ve Got the World All Sussed Out

Some of my co-workers and I have been sharing some of our favorite music, rating them, reviewing them and sharing those reviews with one another. I thought I’d share my thoughts on their suggestions (and their thoughts on mine) with you here.

Here’s how I rate things. If I give something one star, it means I don’t think it qualifies as music. Five stars mean I wish I wrote the thing. Most music for me is a three.

Fleetwood Mac – Rumors (1977)

This is a classic. This is one of those albums (and artists) I got into because they influenced some of my influences (like Jack and White). I love almost every song on this album, but I bet my favorites aren’t the ones you’re thinking of.

Jungle Sounds were in My Ears

Some of my co-workers and I started sharing some of our favorite music. We’ve been doing it for a while, but now we’re actually reviewing them and sharing those reviews with one another.

Here’s how I rate things. If I give something one star, it means I don’t think it qualifies as music. Five stars mean I wish I wrote the thing. Most music for me is a three.

Florence and the Machine – What the Water Gave Me (2011)

Kari just shared one song this week. Actually, she didn’t share anything this week, so I’m reviewing something she sent me via Spotify last Friday.

myTunes Nobody Playlist Blogpost

Ever heard of the iTunes Celebrity Playlist Podcast? Celebrities (Steve Martin, Whoopee Goldberg, Ringo Starr, Clint Eastwood, etc.) would come on and talk about music. I really like the musicians who would come on and talk about the music which influenced them as musicians. Mic Fleetwood talking about drummers, Slash talking about guitarists, etc. It was pretty good and I’m not sure why they stopped.

Before our last show, one of the bands I play with was invited to a local radio show to guest DJ. I’m not sure where the communications breakdown was, but I thought it was going to be like the iTCPP. Instead, it was like a normal radio show with occasional talking by us the band. It was kinda fun, but I don’t know that I’d do it again if the format stays the same.

The Jack and White

Last month I had the opportunity to go to a little malt shop in Eastern Idaho to see a band I had never heard of before. More than that, I was able to talk to them about their music and their process.

I didn’t know what I was missing, but to my credit, they haven’t been around very long.

Brooke White got national attention in 2008 when she appeared on American Idol,but ended up being eliminated after making it to the Top 5.