Red Hot Mats On The Floor Of My Caravan

[starpush]

I could probably write a whole entry debating which is more depressing: The Avalanche falling to 0-3 in their series with the Ducks because of a bad turnover in a game they probably deserved to win and that would have put them right back in the series; or the fact that Britney Spears is pregnant again and, for those keeping score at home, Kevin

Comments

[comicsfan]

Ye gods--Robert Plant is still recording. You've just knocked me over with a feather. :)

[marimbadog]

Great entry. I've been thinking about writing something like this, especially considering that both Neil Young and Paul Simon just put out new albums that are getting some attention now. I think a lot of older artists still have interesting things to say and interesting ways to say those things. And, of course, Bowie's Heathen or Reality CDs aren't Ziggy or Low, but like you say, we already have those and can listen to them any time.

Plant's latest CD is actually very good and he sort of addesses what you're talking about here in one song called "Tin Pan Valley," where Plant mentions something about some of his peers resorting to cabaret (take that, Rod!) but how he's just not going that way.

Even a guy like Elton John, who spent at least a decade churning out far-less-than-inspired work (I'm being generous here), has had a bit of an artistic resurgence over his last couple albums.

So, yeah, anyway, I liked this entry.

[marimbadog]

I actually do think Plant made an album that was mostly covers a few years back but it was a set of pretty obscure tunes that he was covering. It's not like he was taking on "Whiter Shade of Pale" or "Unchained Melody"...

[aquarian_lefty]

I've stated before that I miss the funky Chili Peppers of yesteryear, but really, it's more than that. Aside from "Parallel Universe", "Around The World", "Dosed", and "Can't Stop," their last two albums have been just dull. It's not that I don't care for the newer, more mature direction. It's just that there isn't anything that grabs me by the collar and smacks me around and says, "Hey, this is good." I realize there likely isn't going to be anymore "Catholic School Girls Rule" or "Backwoods," but I don't think their attempts to be a straight-up rock band fare that well either. "Dani California" is easily the most boring single they've ever put out, and probably one of the worst songs I've heard of theirs. It's made me pretty gunshy about picking up the album.

[aquarian_lefty]

As far as Robert Plant goes, I've always really enjoyed his solo stuff. Even as Jimmy Page has repeatedly tried to create some post-Zeppelin version of Zeppelin, and failed repeatedly to do so, I've always felt that Plant's solo stuff is the logical extension of Led Zeppelin's music. I listen to a song like "Big Log" or "Little By Little" and it's easy for me to picture a mid-eighties Zeppelin doing those songs, had Bonham lived. Plant understood that what made Zeppelin great was the growth, the continuing venturing into new territory. Page, it would seem, should have gotten that, but he seems to think that it's pretty much a monster riff and a banshee wail, and we Zep acolytes know way better than that.

I have to second Rich's opinion too. Great entry.

[katryxx]

I'm crazybusy, and way behind the times, but I wanted to let you know that I just finished podcast #2, and I thoroughly enjoyed all of Bailey's picks. Some stuff I love, and some new exposures. Nice job!

[starpush]

Thanks. Be on the lookout for Gavin as a guest somewhere down the road. I am laying the groundwork for program #4 and will probably have Gav on for #5.