World Wide Woozle episode #513

I always feel as if I should have a standard opening line for these blog entries. Something catchy that I can use. But everything I think of sounds either really lame or is too close to something I've heard elsewhere. You'll have to make do with a genuinely warm welcome and the regular warning that the music could be a bit random. Maybe eclectic is a better word. Onwards....

It's no secret that I enjoy listening to a lot of the recommendations that the Spotify algorithm machine throws my way. The next band appeared in my "discover" weekly list the other day and I've been rocking out to them ever since. Patrón is a new band with members of QOTSA, Danzig, Mad Season and Screaming Trees (to name a few) coming together to give us a sleazy, bluesy, doomy rock and roll mashup which is very danceable. In fact I need to organise some sheer curtains as the neighbours waved at me this afternoon when I was getting my boogie on to this next track. Oh dear! Patrón are a lot of fun and I reckon they'd be a complete riot at a live show.

Patrón - Who Do You Dance For? - https://youtu.be/xKVdgtb4fDA

In awesome recording news...the latest track I've been working on now has a piano part along with the acoustic guitar and vocals. I've only done a rough demo so far but will get on with better recorded guitar and vox later on today so that DJ HewBee can weave his keyboard magic. A big shout out too to mate DJ EssTee for letting me loose on her lyrics! Watch this space as I reckon we'll be ready to release it on an unsuspecting public in a few weeks. And since I'm very nervous about my singing voice....here's a bit of an example from many years ago...

Push Grunt Shove - Riff Stealer - https://youtu.be/4DO5Pc14phQ

The Boomtown Rats; what a great name for a band. I must say that I didn't expect to be hearing a new track from them much less an album but here it is. At first I thought it was an unreleased David Bowie tune and I imagine you'll probably hear that as well. If the album is as good as this single then it'll be a ripper...

The Boomtown Rats - Trash Glam Baby - https://youtu.be/or8dD5VYk_4

This next track almost didn't make it into this episode. When it started off I almost skipped through it as it seemed pretty bog standard folky country but I let it go as I like to give songs a chance. I'm glad I did. Jackson Browne is in there a little later on and the song has really grown on me. There are plenty of songs about isolation but this one is actually good.

Grace Potter - Eachother - https://youtu.be/H_N8fVhQn8w

I've never really been a fan of The Pretenders. For one reason or another they've never really piqued my interest. That all changed a little while ago when I was encouraged to listen to their earlier stuff. They've also got a new long player coming out soon. Check out this single and remember that Chrissy is around 70 years old...she sounds fantastic! Oh, and that's a wonderfully fuzzy guitar at the start.

The Pretenders - Turf Accountant Daddy - https://youtu.be/1ODPgzITbQk

I was pretty disappointed that there isn't an official video clip for the next track. I remember hearing this track for the first time in about 1989. I was a very mixed up young man and music helped me through tough times. This track, from the great album Come Out And Play, resonated with me then and it still does. 

Twisted Sister - I Believe In Rock and Roll - https://youtu.be/TviNaeKoin0

About the same time as I was banging my head to Twisted Sister, one of my friends loaned me an album by the American band, Manowar. They are one of the bands who invented what we know now as "power metal". Bands like DragonForce and Avantasia are the sons and daughters of Manowar (and a few others of course). Manowar's 1987 album, Fighting The World, is a lot of fun and it rocks hard. Songs like Blow Up Your Speakers, Defender and Carry On are absolute classics. So when I saw a cover of one of their tunes I was sceptical...not an easy band to do justice to but oh my, this is great. Watch the bass player's fingers...they are simply a blur!

Dan Vasc feat. Luis Mariutti - Black Wind, Fire and Steel (Manowar cover) - https://youtu.be/IMvRp94lUws

Every now and then I dip into Father John Misty's music. Recently he's released an album called Off Key In Hamburg so see what you think of this song. The lyrics feel right in these interesting times. Musically it's very close to Elton John at his best and indeed the vocals even sound like him. Father John Misty has a delicate touch amongst the bombast and that's pretty groovy.

Father John Misty - Things It Would've Been Helpful To Know Before The Revolution (live) - https://youtu.be/9vAd8NhMas4

The next track is for my good mate Neal over there in Louisville, Kentucky. He's not doing so well health wise. Some of you may remember in 2012 that I foolishly competed in a half-marathon. I wrote two names in black marker on my arm to carry with me to keep me motivated. Those names were Dave and Neal. Both of those gents were having ongoing challenges with cancer. In 2020 they are both thankfully still with us but Neal's battle just got even harder. I was talking to him the other night and he mentioned one of his favourite bands was Night Ranger. So, Neal my brother, this one's for you...hang in there.

Night Ranger - Eddie's Comin' Out Tonight (live) -  https://youtu.be/DC-Mj1pkJy8

And on that note, we've reached the end of episode #513. To close, here's a track from Jenny Morris. In 1989 I got a copy of her album Shiver as a freebie with a magazine subscription. The magazine, which shares a name with a long-lived British rock band, was crap but the album is a real treat. One of the few I have that has absolutely no filler; every track is a cracker. Here's Jenny live on MTV...

Jenny Morris - Aotearoa (live) - https://youtu.be/SlJSr6hTBso

And now....football.

Rock on,

Rob

"This is a public service announcement, with guitars...." Know Your Rights, The Clash, 1982.