Closed for Monkey Business

Computer problems.

Regular posting -- including a fabulous new song by a friend of PowerPop who's initials are MP -- resumes on the morrow.

This Getting Old Shit is Really Starting to Piss Me Off

Singer/songwriter/guitar virtuoso and all around great guy Peter Spencer...

...a genius friend of mine from our old days in Greenwich Village, is in the hospital awaiting triple bypass surgery after a heart attack on Thursday.

Here's "Casanova's Waltz," one of my favorite songs from his quite amazing catalogue.

Yes once I had money and lovers
Once I had teeth in my jaw
But why have adventures except when you're old to tell stories
That fill your companions with awe?

I shall die here of boredom
I shall die here of boredom

Get better soon, Pete. We here at PowerPop are lighting multiple metaphorical candles for your speedy recovery.

Your Friday Moment of Why Didn't I Get the Memo? (Special The Queen of Soul Edition)

From 1970, please enjoy the late great Aretha Franklin and her astounding version of "Son of a Preacher Man."



I am embarrassed to confess that I hadn't heard that until last week, when friend of PowerPop Capt. Al played it on his intertube radio show.

I should also add that, like any right-thinking sentient humanoid, I am a huge fan of Dusty Springfield, and think that her hit recording of that song is one of the greatest things ever.

That said, Aretha's take on it is just on a whole other level.

Have a great weekend, everybody!

Your Thursday Moment of Heh. Also Hah!

Noted without comment.

Smells Like...Well, Okay, It Just Smells

Paul Anka sings Kurt Cobain.



Say what you will about it, but it's better than that Pat Boone heavy metal album from the 90s.

I should add, that while I hate "You're Having My Baby" as much as the next person, Anka always had more on the ball than any of those other post-Elvis pre-Beatles teen idols of the Happy Days era. For starters, he was a good enough songwriter to have written this genuine classic.



And he was also the subject of the first great rock documentary film, Lonely Boy...



...which is an artful and genuinely perceptive meditation on the price of stardom.

But don't worry -- I still hate "You're Having My Baby."

Closed Due to Extreme Pain

Had a nightmare last evening and threw myself out of bed, whacking the shit out of one side of my head. Which aches like crazy. This is the fourth time in as many months, BTW.



Regular non-throbbing postings resume on the morrow.

Your Monday Moment of Guess Who!

No, not THE Guess Who.



But a coveted PowerPop No-Prize© will be awarded to the first reader who identifies the artist doing the very interesting cover of The Who classic above.

[h/t Capt. Al]

Your Friday Moment of Words Fail Me (An Occasional Series)

Mike Viola, doing business with The Candy Butchers, and their stunning "You Belong to Me Now," live on Conan O'Brien in 2002.



Apart from the song being about as drop dead gorgeous as it gets, that's some pretty amazing guitar playing too.

And have I mentioned that Viola's a fricking genius?

Have a great weekend, everybody!

This Guy's a Fricking Genius

Mike Viola, ladies and germs.



I've been a fan since his work on Tom Hanks' That Thing You Do, but this one, which I hadn't heard till recently, is really really amazing. And for some reason, it seemed oddly relevant to the events of this week.

[h/t Frank Burrows]

Closed Due to Emotional and Physical Exhaustion

Between dealing with doctors and the election results, yesterday has left me too pooped to pop.

Regular more jaunty postings resume on the morrow.