2007

NYE: Gently Down the Streams

The good people over at SugarMegs want you to stream away…at home, in the office, on the terlet, wherever. So make it your beeswax to hop on this growing-but-already-comprehensive list

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Friday’s Leftovers

Congrats, folks, you’ve made it through the first full work week in what seems like months. And if you’re lucky like me you have off on Monday for Martin Luther King’s birthday: I love

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The Lordz: The Brooklyn Way

The Lordz have appeared on the last three Warped Tours and continue to bring their brand of punk rock/hip hop to the public by means of collaborations with other artists or on their own. They believe in their skate punk/rap sound and have found a niche that welcomes their synthesis of two often-polarized genres.

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Austinist Scoops SXSW Lineup

The fine folks over at Austinist have done some world-class spelunking through the hellish depths of the cyberweb, and they’ve compiled an initial list of bands supposedly playing this year’s SXSW festival

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The B List: Double Your Pleasure

This week’s edition of The B List takes a look at the 10 best songs that feature double-lead guitar harmonies. Rock artists in the ’60s perfected the use of vocal harmonies, but as the ’70s began, bands started to use their instruments to provide distinct harmonies. The Allman Brothers Band was the first to use the double-lead technique in songs such as Hotlanta, Les Brers, and In Memory of Elizabeth Reed. Other bands quickly followed the Allmans’ trailblazing, and soon artists from many different genres employed the double lead. So check out the list, and make sure to watch the accompanying YouTube video for each entry.

10. Bodhisattva — Steely Dan: When I came up with the idea for this list, my partner Ace Cowboy was thrilled Bodhisattva made the cut. In fact he called the Dan’s masterpiece “one of the most underrated songs in music history.” The guitar interplay on the album is terrific, and any tune with lyrics like “Can you show me, The shine of your Japan, The sparkle of your china” is okay by us.

[Video: In 2002 Toto began playing Bodhisattva with terrific success — check out this video from a recent show]

9. Miss Tinkle’s Overture — Umphrey’s McGee: In September 2004, my friend decided to throw on the studio version of Miss Tinkle’s Overture from Anchor Drops. I hadn’t heard the album — or anything the band had done since 2001 for that matter — and my ears immediately perked up. I’m a huge fan of the double-lead, and it was terrific to see a new band create such incredible harmonies.

[Video: Langerado late-night show from Ft. Lauderdale’s Revolution]

8. Rebubula — moe.: Written by bass player Rob Derhak in 1994, Rebubula has since become the most popular piece in the band’s repertoire. It’s no wonder the song is popular with its quirky lyrics and incredible double-lead guitar harmonies. One of the most important features of a double-lead guitar riff is a great bassline to play underneath, and Derhak’s slap line really accentuates what guitarists Chuck Garvey and Al Schnier play throughout the song. For years the song was a staple of the band’s set, playing it nearly every night. More recently the band has shown some restraint, hitting it every third show or so. I must admit, I wouldn’t mind hearing Rebubula at every show.

[Video: Footage from moe.’s set at Vegoose]

Read on for the rest of Scotty’s double-lead favorites from Television, Iron Maiden, the Allmans, Skynyrd as The B List continues…

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Morning Listening: Faces

We’ve discussed at length ’round this here rag just how many bands are considering reunion plans in 2007. Speculation continues to surround The Police about a potential reformation this summer, Van Halen

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Snoe.down 2007: Do You Believe in Miracles?

No! This festival on the site of the 1980 Winter Olympics ain’t exactly cheap (starting at $81 for the full monty), so I take it nobody’s gonna be kicking down a ducat gratis. Buy your

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Grousing The Aisles: Current and Future Legends

Welcome to yet another weekly edition of Grousing The Aisles. This week we have some great audio and video from established legends with five letters in their last names like Frank Zappa, Warren Zevon and Bob Seger, as well as up-and-coming acts Brock Butler and Rose Hill Drive. Check it out:

Rose Hill Drive 12/30/06 DAUD (FLAC)

Rose Hill Drive continues to make fans of some of the biggest names in rock, like Roger Daltrey of The Who. On December 30th, the boys started their concert with a tribute to Jimi Hendrix by playing Band of Gypsys in its entirety at the Boulder Theater. RHD tears through such classic tracks as Who Knows, Machine Gun, and Power to Love with brute force. Daniel Sproul does a fine job of channeling Jimi, who is not exactly an easy musician to cover.

Covers weren’t the only showstoppers of the night for Rose Hill Drive, as they also played driving versions of Cool Cody and The Guru, amongst other original songs. The interplay between the Sproul brothers and drummer Nathan Barnes is incredibly tight, leaving the impression these boys have played together for decades. I expect big things from these guys in 2007, as do we all.

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