Obviously I'm Gonna Have to Re-Read Poe's "William Wilson"

Apparently I've got a genuine doppelganger in a band in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

That guy in the center really looks like some asshole whose name rhymes with Sleeve Nimels.

Or else I'm somehow in a trance and moonlighting as a member of THE PLEASURE PILOTS

Those guys are actually pretty good, thank god, as this cover of Roy Montrell's New Orleans r&b classic "That Mellow Saxophone" proves.



Still -- I'm sort of freaked out by the resemblance.

[h/t WGG]

Your Tuesday Moment of My Bucket List

From 1988, please enjoy the transplendent Roseanne Cash and her hit version of John Stewart's brilliant "Runaway Train."



Still my favorite of her singles, although she's made more great records than most of us have had hot meals; how I've never gotten around to seeing her in person is beyond me.

And yes, I will concede that I hate the gated 80s drum sound on this song, but in this case it's not a deal breaker.

Your Monday Moment of My Bucket List

From 1984, please enjoy the incredibly great Los Lobos and the (sort of) title track from their debut LP How Will the Wolf Survive?.



I can't believe I've never seen these guys live; I must have listened to the album that video is from a gazillion times back in the day, and they have lots of other stuff just as good, too. In any case, next time they're in the NYC area, I'm getting tickets, or I'll know the reason why.

I should also add, in the interest of full disclosure, that it now dawns on me that -- consciously or unconsciously -- a certain band featuring an asshole bass player whose name rhymes with Sleeve Nimels probably lifted stuff from LL on more than once occasion.

Don't Get Your Knickers in a Twist

And speaking, as we were yesterday, of a couple of guys in Argent, I had forgotten how utterly gorgeous this song from their eponymous debut album is.



Seriously -- that could have been on a Zombies album. Spinetinglingly good.

Have a great weekend, everybody.

There's Probably a Beavis and Butt-Head Joke Here, But I Don't Have the Energy to Make It

From 1964, please enjoy The Roulettes and their how the hell did they think a song with this title was going to get on American radio "Tell Tale Tit."



Two of the guys in this band went on to record the original hit version of "Concrete and Clay" and -- much later -- join Argent and do lots of other cool stuff. I'm bringing it up, however, because an insane crackpot anti-Semite piece of shit I enjoy making fun of thinks it's beneath him.

Guess Who?

Hint: They were talking to Toby Goldstein in CREEM in 1979.

I guessed Frank Zappa, BTW.

Closed for Monkey Business

Some guy at Facebook is mad at me because reviews -- not by me -- that ran in the Magazine Formerly Known as Stereo Review during my tenure ruined his childhood. I am actually not kidding about this.

Hopefully inoffensive postings (in penance) will resume here on the morrow.

Positively Monday

Went to see the fabulous Willie Nile yesterday at an afternoon listening soiree and unplugged mini-concert for his forthcoming album of Bob Dylan covers...

...and I gotta tell you, I haven't been to such a great party in ages. Here's the first video from the album, shot at the same stygian downtown joint (two blocks up from the departed CBGBs) where yesterday's festivities took place. And if this doesn't make you smile, there's no hope for you.



The rest of the record, frankly, is even better, including a Ramones Meet the Byrds version of "Blowin' in the Wind" that must be heard to be believed. Positively Bob drops, as the kids say, on June 23, but you can -- and very definitely should -- pre-order it at Amazon over HERE.

Have I mentioned that it was a truly memorable afternoon? Thanks, Willie!!!

Your Friday Moment of I'm a Little Verklempt

Ace critic Dave Lifton, bless his rock-and-roll heart, gets it.

There’s something about power pop that even albums that are 22 years old can sound as if they’ve been recorded yesterday. That’s definitely the case with Fire Lane, a 1995 album from Gerry Devine and the Hi-Beams that has just been reissued.

You can read the rest of the review over at POPDOSE.

Have a great weekend, everybody.

Closed for Monkey Business

Had a long, highly productive, but ultimately exhausting night in the recording studio yesterday.

Regular snazzily dressed and peppy postings resume tomorrow.