Here is my Top Ten Rock Albums of All Time list. Well, to be fair it includes nothing before the late 60’s. So here is to Chuck Berry (who is the TRUE king of Rock ‘n’ Roll, and who without there would be no Rock.) Keep in mind this is by no means a definitive list, and the entries are in no particular order. Feel free to comment and or add/correct any information you want. (My definition of rock = classic rock, hard rock, heavy metal, jam bands, progressive rock, alternative, new wave, etc.)
The name of the bar that was Phish’s first official gig - Nectar’s (Burlington, Vt.). The entire album Picture of Nectar is non-stop Phish at their best, with classic songs like - Tweezer, Glide, Stash, Poor Heart, and my personal favorite - The Mango Song.
Mr. Waits is a musical master, easily a living legend and one of the most influential artists of the last 50 years. The man is having an incredible career (spanning 4 decades and well over 20 albums). I like The Early Years Vol. 2 because it is a somewhat odd collection of Waits ballads, with a lot of actual singing, some of the best singing I think Waits has ever done. My two favorite songs from the album are; Mockingbird and Blue Skies.
I have said it before and I will say it again; of course Jimi revolutionized electric guitar, but at the heart of Jimi was also a true poet and mystic. To me that’s what makes Jimi, - Jimi. A master artist and visionary, who fused together blues, rock, poetry, soul, spirit and much more. He channeled that energy through his guitar and left us an incredible legacy of music. Live at Winterland gives us what some people call ‘definitive’ versions of some Hendrix songs. It also kind of reveals his desire to move away from hits like “Fire” and “Hey Joe” and into something much more complex and undefinable.
Of course the live performances are at the heart of what the Grateful Dead are, but I like this studio album a lot. The last official studio album release by the group, who by this point in time had been playing well over 30 years together.
I was fortunate enough to see the Rush tour (Kansas City stop) about 12 years ago in which they replayed the entire album from start to finish. I entered the concert just a curious person wanting to enjoy a show. I left completely blown away and a Rush fan for life.
This album, released in 1992, is already considered a classic by most rock enthusiasts. Tool’s latest album 10,000 Days has a very complex and powerful sound. I like Opiate though because it is so raw and powerful, and an indication of their even more powerful sound yet to come. You can hear the progression of Tool’s sound in the progression of their albums. They only release an album about once every 2-4 years, but when they do you are assured it is a masterpiece. This is them at the start, raw and powerful.
A fairly recent album (2005), it was put together in a very short time before Mr. Young had brain surgery. You can really feel his life flash before his eyes in this work. In my opinion a very beautiful, stoic, and touching album, from who can only be called a true master. The one and only legend Neil Young.
One of the first albums that I really really liked has a young music listener. I’ve had the fortune to see them live several times and The Femmes never disappoint. They are truly one of the best live rock bands now and for the last 20+ years. There is a clip (from their collection album - Add it Up) where someone introducing them at a show once, says - “You can’t fuck with the Violent Femmes, YOU CANNOT FUCK WITH THIS BAND, they bring all their equipment on the bus.” This relates to the first time I saw them live, which was at an outdoor music fest where people were being stupid and throwing mud at each other and on-stage during some of the performances. When the Violent Femmes stepped on-stage they got like halfway through the first song when Gordon Gano stopped the music and said something like ‘alright If there is one more piece of mud thrown on this stage, we are gonna turn around and walk out and leave. It doesn’t make any difference to us, and if we do leave there’s probably going to be a lot of pissed off people who paid to see us play.’ Not ONE piece of mud was thrown on-stage or even in the crowd the rest of the show, and they were completely awesome. So truly, I am a witness - You Cannot Fuck With The Violent Femmes.
Yes, Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness is good, but it’s my opinion they start to sound a little too pop in some of the songs in that album and thereafter. Siamese Dream is a pure, smooth, thematic well put-together album that they never replicated.
I am a Hillary Clinton supporter, but if Obama gets the democratic nomination (which seems likely at this point) I honestly would like to vote for him to be president. But, there is one thing in particular that has caught my attention in the last few days that bothers me. His pastor, Rev. Jeremiah Wright is all over the news, from PBS with Bill Moyers to 24/7 coverage on CNN of every little thing he says. Is it Rev. Wright running for president or Barack? I can’t tell anymore. You can’t turn on any news station without seeing the man spill forth his opinion on anything and everything.
The Rev. is obviously using his political ties to Barack to engage the spotlight that the national media provides. Now, to be clear, let me say that of course I respect the Rev. Wright and wish more power to him and his cause and his church. This isn’t about agreeing or disagreeing with his words, (even though Rev. Wright a couple of years ago said that the U.S. government invented HIV as a tool against black people). It is about the separation of church and state. Something that most democrats and a lot of republicans are firm believers in and supporters of.
In the interview with Bill Moyers Rev. Wright made the distinction between Barack has a politician and himself has a pastor. But, the Rev. in his speeches and interviews is discussing his political standpoints as well as his spiritual ideas, the two are inseparable almost. I repeat I have no serious issue with the content of the Rev.’s speeches, he is very enlightening on a lot of issues, I only have issue with his using his ties to Barack as leverage for airtime. This is something I would not approve of from any of the candidates for president. Say for example Hillary Clinton’s pastor was constantly on every news station discussing his politics, or if McCain’s was. Some people would like it, but a majority of people would be turned off by the crossing of the separation of church and state.
There is a lot of talk about democrats needing to come together. Has a Hillary supporter, I am very ready to give my support to Barack Obama if he gets the nomination. I want to bridge that divide that there seems to be so heavily present at the moment. It is my humble opinion though, that the Rev. Jeremiah Wright is not doing his friend Barack any favors and is not helping the cause of unity among democrats, by being plastered all over international media channels. Like I said, my feelings would be the same if it were any of the candidate’s spiritual leaders doing the same thing.
People who accuse Hillary of trying to damage Obama really need to get their facts straight. I am a white working class voter, and yes Barack does have a major problem with this demographic. Rev. Wright recently made it clear to Obama that he is not going anywhere, especially if Barack gets the nomination. Rev. Wright is the titanic that is going to sink Barack Obama’s campaign, not Hillary. Do you honestly think that Wright helps Barack’s cause in any way? Barack needs to now formally cut his ties to the Rev. Wright, and only then I will vote for him. Not until that point in time though. Just to get this straight, let me say yet again, my feelings would be EXACTLY the same if it were Hillary’s or McCain’s pastor getting non-stop international news coverage.
Post Script;
Tues. Apr. 29th,
Today Obama came out and said (among other things) that he was saddened and angered by the display that the Rev. Wright put on. I applaud him for that; although my only issue was with the separation of church and state, and a pastor who was using his connection to Barack for airtime. And I would have had the same issue if any of Hillary’s or McCain’s close religious ties tried to grab the spotlight. Let’s be real, we know Barack’s ties to the Rev. were fairly strong, but I think he put that issue to rest today. His speech today did two things for me - A. Barack showed a vulnerable side. He showed that he’s not perfect, that he too makes mistakes in judgment, and that yes he can admit it and move on from there. He came down off of his ‘I’m better than politics’ horse he was on (at least in my eyes) and took a real stand. B. He showed a lot of grit and toughness, he showed that if he’s elected he is not going to be a tool to be used by ANYBODY , other than the American people has a whole to make this country better. If Barack gets the nomination over Hillary, I am voting for him.
Check out the New Work section of my online art Gallery Ed’s Art Workshop. I’ve updated it recently with works never before seen online. And it will be udpated soon with a lot more work never before seen. Click on an image for a larger view and the title, medium, etc. Also if you haven’t seen the slideshows on the site, you should check out those too, complete with soundtrack. It might take a half a second for it to load so be patient. Also coming soon are small works (originals!) that will be for sale. Lastly if you want to exchange links with me, check out the art links.
Ghost Hunters’ (Wed.’s on Sci-Fi) episode: “Ghostly Conversation”, aired 4/16.
The TAPS (The Atlantic Paranormal Society) team Investigating Mount Washington Resort in New Hampshire.
Dude…
That’s all I have to say……dude.
Seriously, there are some creeeepy EVP’s (electronic voice phenomena) they found in what is called the ‘Princess Room’. The room once occupied by Carol Stickney, the wife of the Hotel’s builder. The first EVP they played for the client in the reveal, with Tango and Steve in the Princess room sounds kind of muffled. The second one though,……dude…… Jay and Grant are sitting in the Princess room and Jay asks, “Princess are you here?” and in perfect response to Jay’s voice you hear a woman say, (in some kind of accent, I can’t quite name) - “hello is there someone there?” like she wasn’t expecting a question and was interrupted but now you had her attention…… Then Jay says, “Princess can you at least let us know you’re in here?” and again the same voice says “of course I’m in here where are you?”
Totally creepy, you really need to hear it to get the full effect. I’ve watched all of Ghost Hunters’ episodes and this is by far the best EVP they’ve found. This image of a woman flashed across my mind and chills ran down my spine. You get a sense of another-world, another-time, like everything is normal from her perspective and they’re disturbing her. Like she’s the one hearing voices and ghosts, not the other way around. Total goose bumps. It’s just like in that movie The Others with Nicole Kidman, (spoiler) when she figures out that they are the ones that are dead. Great episode.
I must comment on this issue again - Obama’s ‘bitter and clinging to guns and religion, anti-immigration’ remarks. I include more than just the phrase the media has been using to refer to it - ‘Obama’s bitter remarks’. Why? because yes people are bitter, but the mistake is that he said basically that people are bitter, and therefore CLING to guns and religion and are anti-immigration and anti world-trade, and not tolerant of people different than them. It’s not about being bitter, It’s about the fact that he (let me capitalize because Barack doesn’t get it) HE CALLOUSLY AND STUPIDLY LABELED PEOPLE IN SMALL TOWNS IN THE MIDWEST AND PENNSYLVANIA. It is not okay to imply small town Americans are all gun-toting, mindless religious fanatics who are bitter and close-minded, and that’s exactly what he did. Since when is it okay to blatantly label and stereotype people? NEVER in my book, and he needs to directly apologize for his mistake.
The fact that he does not get it, (or if he does he’s trying to ignore and spin his way out of it) really makes one difference clear to me about Hillary and him. YES Hillary makes mistakes, she blatantly misspoke about sniper fire, and other things. BUT, and here’s a newsflash for you - SHE DIRECTLY APOLOGIZED AND ADMITTED HER MISTAKES. Something Barack seems incapable of. This isn’t just about politics, it’s about the fact that he labeled and stereotyped people in an insulting way, and won’t directly apologize. This event clarifies that Barack is at least partly, full-of-it. Hillary released her tax records, does Barack release records that Hillary asked him to release? - no. We all now the shady Rezko and Barack’s ties to him, and he won’t release the records. At least with Hillary we know her faults and she knows her faults, with Barack the same cannot be said.
Here’s another entry in my sketchbook, (just finished) this is about 8 x 11″ and done in pencil, pen and ink. You can see some numbers and words, just some playing around I’m doing with letters and numbers has visual elements, not necessarily with a direct meaning. In the picture there is this kind of recurring sun design that i do, but it’s a night sky…… “Do I contradict myself? Very well, then, I contradict myself; (I am large—I contain multitudes.)” - Walt Whitman. Comments welcome
Man and Night Sky, pencil, pen & ink. By Ed Tajchman
Just when I am getting ready to support him Barack Obama made comments last week in San Fransisco that are quite troubling. He called “blue collar” workers in Pennsylvania “bitter” and who “cling to guns or religion”. (Just a small snippet from his rant). Recently he admits his choice of words was ill chosen, as he tried to stem the idea that he is condescending, - “I didn’t say it as well as I should have,” are his exact words in fact. Which draws the conclusion that he’s not sorry at all about what he said, just sorry that it got recorded and leaked to the media.
What Obama was doing (if you can find the whole recording and listen to it, you’ll agree) was basically calling Pennsylvanians gun-toting, mindless religious fanatics, who because they have hard times, can’t think straight anymore, are anti-immigration, etc. That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve heard in a long time and I cannot possibly support the man now. He needs to step up and officially apologize. He hasn’t; twice now he has tried to defend his words instead of directly apologizing, saying “if I worded things in a way that made people offended, I deeply regret that.” An arrogont non-apology that only worsens the situation, I honestly feel offended. He has tried to spin this saying people are bitter, but the way he callously labeled and stereotyped people cannot be ignored. Not only is this is very offensive to me, I can’t respect the man anymore and he has lost my vote. Eloquent? I think not, elitist? maybe not, Arrogant? absolutely.
These were back-handed, off camera (a listener recorded it and leaked it) comments that he meant every word of. Has someone who lived in Pittsburgh, PA, I can tell you that I find his remarks completely offensive, out-of-touch, elitist and very - to be frank, DUMB. There are lots of blue collar workers in PA ( I met quite a few, and I was one when I lived there) that are very smart, independent thinkers, non-religious, non-gun toting and probably were Obama supporters before these comments were leaked. Again, I emphasize the fact that this wasn’t a blunder on Obama’s part, he didn’t know someone was recording his words. He meant every word of them when he spoke to San Fransisco campaign contributors - bashing Pennsylvania because he is losing in that state.
If anyone is ‘bitter’ and ‘clinging to religion’ it’s Obama clinging to his very ‘bitter’ pastor Jeremiah Wright. Now, I understand that racism still exists and people of all colors are going to react to it. Which is why I don’t condemn Pastor Wright, and wish more power to him and his cause. But to say that Wright is not ‘bitter’ is just being foolish. Even Barack defending the man said that Wright’s words come from years of reacting to racism. Many African-Americans (such as Wycleff Jean) point to the idea of the ‘white man’, ‘keeping the black man down’ as being offensive, and doing a disservice to African-Americans. Wright’s bitterness can be taken has an insult, for it infers that black people need white people to empower them. We all know that poor people of any color are just as capable as anyone else. (By the way I am considered ‘poor’ by American tax standards). Repeatedly in his sermons Wright talked about ‘rich white Americans’ with very very intense and obvious ‘bitterness’.
So if anyone is ‘bitter’ and ‘clinging to religion’ it’s Barack Obama. And again I point out that his words (from his perspective) were not a blunder, in his eyes the blunder was not realizing someone was recording it and would leak it to the media. He never intended for that speech to be aired. The sad part is that he doesn’t even realize his mistake and won’t apologize directly for it. At least when Hillary Clinton makes a mistake she can admit it. The last thing I want is another president who can’t admit when he is wrong. His true elitist and out of touch character was revealed. I am going to have real trouble even voting for him in the generel election, who knows what other insulting rhetoric he has in store if he gets the nomination.
Okay, I am writing this post because I have finally found something that should of been much easier to find - a sitemap generator that makes reliable XML and HTML sitemaps. The one I found that is actually easy, quick, reliable, and completely free is: XML-sitemaps.com. I first started learning HTML when I used Microsoft’s Frontpage. After discovering the bulky code it produced I switched to the easy and free NVU/Kompozer. Both have WYSIWYG (What You See is What You Get) and source code interfaces, so that I could design while learning HTML at the same time. I just figured out the proper format to write an XML sitemap in (not that hard, but for a big site could be laborious) when I found XML-Sitemaps.com through the search engine info.com/.
This is to all you Memphis fans, all you North Carolina fans, even all you Davidson Fans and the media who adore you so much, to every analyst and every person who picked Kansas to Lose - HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!
I just came from Massachusetts street in Lawrence, Kansas. Where people were handing me free beer, strangers were hugging each other, people packed the streets, climbing buildings & cars, screaming their faces off, participating in complete drunken insanity. Wearing my blue, red, and yellow (Jayhawk colors of course) superman shirt, girls rubbed the logo on my chest and told me thanks superman. This is the life people - everyone going crazy with joy and lined up for blocks! Celebrate Good Times, OH YEAH! OH YEAH!! (As soon as I learn how to upload pictures from my phone I’ll post some).
In your face Memphis - YOU SUCK! And everyone who picked Kansas to lose sucks too…. HAHAHAHAH!!!! (Good game Memphis. It’s just that I got irritated at Derrick Rose, who yesterday sounded so overconfident it was completely disrespectful to Kansas. That’s what happens when you don’t take your opponent seriously, - you lose.) Go and cry and realize how wrong you were.
We did it the hard way, coming back from 9 down with 2 minutes to go, the tying shot coming from Mario Chalmers, (aka - Iceman). He nailed a 3 point fade-away jump-shot while surrounded by Memphis players (including Rose) at the end of regulation to tie the game. KU dominated in overtime and we win! We got to that point by taking out three of the best players in college; Stephen Curry, Tyler Hansbrough, and Derrick Rose. (And by the way I though it was real Classy of Roy Williams to show up wearing a KU sticker. No one should have any bad feelings left for Roy, let’s respect the man.)
I was standing up in my seat in my booth at the Jackpot Bar, screaming my head off with everyone else, with my fists shaking in the air in victory. (The video below is from a fan at Allen Field House). Wow, one of the most fun experiences of my life. Chalmers is now a KU legend, Bill Self is the MAN, and this was one of the greatest moments in Lawrence history. YES! NATIONAL CHAMPIONS KU JAYHAWKS!!!
This is one of my many works of art that has never been posted before online. Done a number of years ago it’s a companion to the work Houba Vision. Clicking on the image will take you to where a larger version can be seen at my online gallery: Ed’s Art Workshop, in the ‘New Work’ section. I know it says it was made in 2003 but I’m just catching up organizing my large collection of unpublished art, therefore it’s new to the world and goes in the new works section. The piece is marker on foamcore board about 24 x 30″.
Allow me to step up on my soapbox here and deliver a litte rant about a pet peeve of mine. One thing that bugs me is pretentious people. One characteristic of pretentious people is the inability to accept the return of constructive criticism, especially after they themselves pass judgment. If there is one thing I am it is honest, and if someone can’t deal with that, then that is their problem.
As an artist and a writer I am constantly putting myself out there and dealing with the reaction. ANY reaction is a good one in my book; thinking I’m insane, completely disagreeing with me, agreeing with me, a point by point debate, anything that gets a conversation going or a dialog of open non-judgmental thought. What’s missing from that equation though sometimes is respect. I’ve met lots of people who yes, believe it or not, can engage in a serious debate while remaining polite and respectfully listening and responding to another’s ideas.
Pretentious people have a habit of blindly following their narrow field of vision and their narrow outlook on life. Anything that falls outside of that view, they immediately dismiss and label it lesser than themselves, rather than actually trying to understand it. I have more respect for a person that honestly disagrees with me and engages in a conversation why, then someone who is blindly polite, a kiss ass, or fake. Oh, fake people are the worst, I sometimes dislike the way my mom is so direct with people, but I respect her for being honest and open. Anyways, that’s my rant of the day, feel free to sound off yourself and completely disagree with me!
We totally owned their ass for 30 minutes of this game. WOW, in all your faces, ROOOOOOCK CHALK JAAAAAAAAYHAWKS! We win 84 - 66, It’s 1988 all over again, (the last year we won the NCAA championship). Earlier, Roy Williams talking about KU’s defense vs. North Carolina’s transition game said - ‘we can win in the sixties, but we like it better when we win in the 80’s.’ Well how about this Roy - North Carolina LOSING in the 60’s!
We let our insanely dominating performance slip a little bit at the end of the first half and for the first 10 minutes of the second half. But Kansas finished this game the way they started it - in total DOMINATION of the Tarheels. Tyler who? was he that Hansborough guy - the one on the floor the whole game? lol…. In your face Roy Williams, time to wipe that smug look off of your face. You went down in an almost humiliating defeat. I guess that makes us even coach, no more boos from KU fans we promise.
No one saw that coming - the totally dominating, shot blocking, ball stealing, alley-ooping, 3-point hitting, Harlem Globetrotter-style circus, that Kansas reigned down upon North Carolina at the start of this game. We saw a little bit of that at the end too. North Carolina scored a season low 27 in the first half, made it interesting with their own bit of dominating in the second half, but they just ran out of gas. Kansas wins 84 - 66, see you on Monday night Memphis!
