Arlo Guthrie is a registered Republican (though of the ultra-rare libertarian/progressive strain). That leaves Ry Cooder to carry on his dad's uncompromising protest song tradition and he does so with musical and lyrical conviction on this album aimed at the upcoming election that's no more likely to date than has "This Land is Your Land."
This is crazy! Why did it take so long for this to be officially issued? Whatever. It's Muddy Waters and his band live in Chicago, 1981 at the tiny Checkerboard Lounge, with Mick, Keith, Ronnie and Stones pianist Ian Stewart in the audience. Oh, and Buddy Guy, Junior Wells and Lefty Dizz.
Last night I spoke with an EMI executive about the upcoming Beatles Box Set. While he is setting up an interview with Abbey Road mastering engineer Sean Magee that will have to wait until Magee is "off shift," he did provide some useful information.
Conceptually, Harry Belafonte singing the blues probably strikes some as inauthentic. After all, Belafonte's introduction to American audiences was as "the king of calypso" singing "Matilda" and "The Banana Boat Song" that much later was used by The New York Yankees and Ray Davies as a crowd rouser.
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To continue the discussion of whether or not using a USB microscope to set stylus rake angle is a good or bad idea, please look at the drawing accompanying this post.
We have a copy to give away of Paul Simon's new concert Blu-ray disc "Live in New York City," courtesy Concord Music. WARNING: It will not play on your turntable!