Great Minds Think Alike: Bill Ricchini and The Shins

Bill Ricchini, ever heard of him?  What about The Shins?  Why do I ask?  Because I am a big fan of both of them, and because I am curious as to how two great minds come up with the same idea at pretty much  the same time but one goes on to stardom and critical acclaim while the other keeps on plugging away. William Dawes, ever heard of him? What about Paul Revere?. Both delivered the same message at the same time but once old Henry Wadsworth Longfellow chose Revere over Dawes for his poem 40 years later, one went...  read more

Praise for the Take Away Shows

Praise for the Take Away Shows By John Peabody, Sweet Talk’s West Coast Correspondent (contact at www.johnpeabody.com) Luke Pritchard of the Kooks starts strumming his guitar and singing the band’s “Ooh la”. He and guitarist Hugh Harris stroll up a tight street in Paris. They keep playing as a car drives by before encountering a gaggle of teenage girls on the sidewalk who, with camera phones aimed, welcome them into a breezeway. The girls scream and sing along with Pritchard, “Ohh la, she was such a good girl to me. Ooh la the world just chewed her up, and spat...  read more

Spinal Tap / Ricky Gervais

So I just read this right off the wire....if you need a reason to go to UK this summer… here’s the best so far: Spinal Tap Wants A Sidekick Updated 05:03 PDT Sun, May 20 2007 Spinal Tap wants British funny man Ricky Gervais to appear with them at this summer’s Live Earth London concert, “This Is Spinal Tap” director Marty DiBergi revealed on U.K. airwaves. DiBergi (Rob Reiner) said he has a plan to get Gervais, star and co-writer of top British TV comedy shows “The Office” and “Extras,” involved in the July 7 Wembley Stadium show. DiBergi told...  read more

Flaming Lips at Bonnaroo: Are You Ready?

If not I have provided a teaser below.  If after watching this you don’t believe The Flaming Lips to be the most outrageously FUN band on the planet you are in the wrong solar system and should consider shock therapy.  The snippet of Wayne kissing a seal at the Zoo is priceless. 29 days and counting until the mothership lands in Manchester. The management...  read more

Where Do Your Taxes Go (music by Javelin)

This is a great little visual reminder of where our hard earned money goes when we hand it over to those “in charge”.  I found this because it features Javelin’s “Oh, Centra!” which I found on OurStage.com many moons ago and still can not get out of my head.  It’s one of those rare tracks that is gut busting funny if you listen to the lyrics while having a Beck meets Atari beat that actually busts a move. Anyway enjoy...  read more

If I was program director for clear channel this week

(THE ABOVE PHOTO WAS TAKEN BY MR. DOOLITTLE WHILE I WAS SINGING BEYONCE"S “CRAZY IN LOVE” INTO A LAMP) Here’s what the schedule would look like with the appropriate beverage and heavy rotation track Try it you’ll like it and don’t forget to tip your enabler: Monday - Cowboy Junkies - End of Paths Taken - a good box of Chilean Red - “Brave New World” Tuesday - Kings of Leon -Because of the Times - a Russian freeze with Kettle One and Ginger Beer - “Fans” Wednesday - The Old Ceremony - Our One Mistake - Double Dirty Martini...  read more

Bring Your Own Voice

“Get busy living or get busy dying” I love it when people stop living someone else’s life and start living their own.  It’s always inspriring and I hold these people in the highest regard.  Halsey Burgund is one of these people.  Burgund woke up one day and decided his tech job was paying the bills but not the soul.  He had been dabbling in experimental music for some time, but one day he had a lightbulb moment and decided to combine his love of music and art and create what he calls the Bring Your Own Voice project.  The basic...  read more