I once read an interview where Beck said the phrase “musical hamburgers”, talking about the bands and artists he would listen to on a regular basis. I like the concept, because it helps me categorize the music I listen to based on certain culinary dishes. Bob Dylan, for instance, should get filed under hamburgers. You could reasonably say folks like Al Green or Johnny Cash would go in the hamburger category also. But the other day I went on a Serge Gainsbourg bender and it was pretty obvious that he needs to be filed away under salmon casserole. Sometimes, the distinctions aren’t so obvious. Hank Williams, for example, goes under hamburgers but Graham Parsons actually goes under lamb chops. Flaming Lips are as cottage cheese with pineapple as you can get, George Harrison goes under baked potato, and Brian Eno is filed under flavored ice cubes. But where does that leave a wildcard like Kenny Rogers? Chicken. Kenny Rogers goes in chicken.
So having had musical adventures with all sorts of folks over the last 15 years or so, here’s some kabobs that I still like years later. So go ahead, click on some stuff and get into it!
Here’s a track called If I’m Not Home (I’m Out Walking Around) from this band I was in called The Help. I’m playing the drums and engineering – this was recorded at my old studio in Port Chester, NY.
This is a little clip from a run-in I had in Buffalo with local and international legend Jack Topht (search youtube for Jack Topht and the Vegetables). I’m aware that he is barking like some type of hound dog with tooth decay and that it sounds obnoxious. This is actually the outro of this classic rap song he has about being a pants smuggler, and how he gets Iraquis their Karl Kani jeans in cross colors and that sort of thing, but I’ve been advised that perhaps I should just put a neat and tidy bit of myself on the drums…but go look up pants smuggler on youtube if you want to explore further…
Ok, one more for now. This is a song I wrote and played on an electric wurlitzer student model. That’s the yellow one with no vibrato pedal. Anyway I was head over heels for a young lady at the time, and got inspired to make this song and send it to her. It’s kind of a faux baroque piece, and sure it’s a little sappy, and I’m not sure how I actually pulled it off, but it worked!
Alltheworldsbeauty by The Help
Well, I hope you had fun. I sure did. In part two we’re going to get into all types of food groups and lots more music and video, so look out for the next installment.