World Wide Woozle episode #554

This episode comes to you from quarantine here at HQ Woozle. I was unlucky enough to be in the supermarket for 10 minutes on Thursday at exactly the wrong time! I've had a Covid test this morning and depending on how the ACT Government counts to four, I'm either released as soon as I get a negative test result, or, I'm back for another industrial cotton bud up my nose on Wednesday. Watch this space.

The rest of this episode is all about music. 

One of the problems with writing quite a few episodes now is that I forget the songs I've played. But then, maybe if I put a song on here more than once it just means I like it. The next song is one of those. The original, which is sublime, is here. The cover version is very cool as well. And if you haven't seen the original movie then please, watch it very soon. For the very observant out there...if you listen closely to the original may notice the first time that a Wookie's name was spoken...

Psychedelic Porn Crumpets - I Wanna Be Like You - https://youtu.be/bD0VpmaSBjs

George is doing a streamed solo show on Wednesday night this week (01 Sep 2021). It promises to be full of music, costume changes and good fun. If you're interested in watching then click here to get the link from the man himself or visit the Facebook page for details. This is a must see event!

George Huitker - Mother's Day 2020 - https://vimeo.com/420950310

Band names are hard to choose. Some end up being ridiculous and some fit oh so well. I was in a rock band that I wanted to call The Flaming Penguins. Thankfully it didn't happen. Shaman's Harvest, however, sound to me just as their name suggests. The lyrics in this song, "There's a black bird, perched up on a black dog, and they're plottin' your demise...", really resonate with me at the moment. Maybe add in a black cat, broken mirror and a ladder to walk under.

Shaman's Harvest - Bird Dog - https://youtu.be/UV4HdAHx8go

Black Label Society is Zakk Wylde's band. Zakk's been around for many years now as a solo artist as well as a guitar player with Ozzy Osbourne for ages. He has a distinctive guitar tone and vocal tone (which can be polarising) however I wasn't prepared to see him making fun of himself in the video! Pretty amusing really. It reminds me a bit of the Weezer Buddy Holly clip. Great song too.

Black Label Society - Set You Free - https://youtu.be/l47At7wrhyI

Even with the world in chaos this last week, news of the passing of Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts made a huge impression. More knowledgeable people than me can write about how influential he was or how he was an amazing drummer. I just liked the fact that he was understated and rock solid. The Stones would never have rolled without Charlie.

The Rolling Stones - Bitch - https://youtu.be/a4g8PxsG_j4

DJ KungFuRollins asked me which album I'd recommend for someone if they were to be introduced to KISS. My answer was Dynasty. It's their most commercial and probably most accessible too. What do you think? If you're recommending an album do you go for your absolute favourite or the one that is the biggest hit. Hits are hits for a reason! I listened to two new podcast episodes yesterday about Metallica's 1991 self-titled album (aka the black album). It was really interesting to hear them talk about the change in their sound, songwriting and approach to music in general with what would become their biggest record. Usually I like to start at the start if I'm checking out a band and I usually avoid greatest hits compilations as well. It certainly can make it interesting as some bands that are very well known sound nothing like their first couple of records.

Wicked Lester - We Want To (Shout It Out Loud ) - https://youtu.be/O0Lu1-uoCFg

Fleetwood Mac - My Heart Beat Like A Hammer - https://youtu.be/2h50c8QHvJI

I was in a discussion a while ago about the best version of the next song. Personally, I think that the original Simon & Garfunkel version is untouchable but I recognise that other artists love the song and have done some great covers too (like this and this). Here though is one I didn't expect. Other than the slide guitar being far too high in the mix the whole thing is fantastic.

The Band of HM Royal Marines - The Sound of Silence - https://youtu.be/o05f8yLaaKM

That's all folks. See you next time on The Muppet Sh....wait, no!

The Woozle

"Remember when you were young, you shone like the sun,

Shine on you crazy diamond.
Now there's a look in your eyes, like black holes in the sky,
Shine on you crazy diamond..." Pink Floyd, Shine On You Crazy Diamond, 1975.

World Wide Woozle episode #553

G'day and welcome back.

First things first. The songs this week are available for you to listen to on a Spotify playlist (as are last weeks). If anyone actually uses this please let me know or I won't bother otherwise! The sound quality is a million times better on Spotify than on YouTube. Click here for this week and here for last week!

Lockdown continues here in Canberra and most of the country too. I try not to rant too much these days but people flagrantly disregarding what we're being asked to do really gets up my nose. Seriously...we're allowed 60 minutes of outdoor exercise a day and I see updates on Strava all the time of folks out there riding for much more than an hour. They must be really special. Personally, I'd like nothing more than to hop on my bike for a three hour cruise (maybe I'd end up on Gilligan's Island) but come on everyone, do the right thing. Here's a parody of Scotland's First Minister telling people what to do....but you know it makes sense. There's a language warning for this one.

Jane Godley - Nicola speaks - https://youtu.be/uZF82buIAdQ

This is my first time working from home for more than a few hours. Last year, as an essential worker, I was still out and about but this time is different. We're using phone calls, tele-health and a range of other means to try and do our work. And although I understand why it has to be this way I find it very difficult. I get it, I'm lucky to have a job at all, but I do worry a lot about the people I work to support.

Carley Pearce - You Know Where To Find Me - https://youtu.be/vVM_4fAEKCI

Spring is well and truly on the way here in the national capital. Wattles are in bloom, the temperature is regularly above freezing overnight and, you guessed it, magpies have begun their yearly campaign against cyclists! I'm looking forward to three months of ever decreasing available cycling routes combined with arm waving and bad language when I'm surprised by feathered fiends.

Frenzal Rhomb - Bird Attack - https://youtu.be/L426wOBOdMg

Last week I mentioned Melbourne hard rockers, Galaxy. Well, after listening more to their last album I've jumped on the pre-order for one that comes out in November. I figure that now is the time to support local musicians as much as possible. One day the pandemic will be over and if I can make some regular purchases to help other musicians stay afloat then that might mean that some cool bands survive and their members get to eat and pay rent. You can support loads and loads of Australian (and international) bands, both big and small, by using the Bandcamp website.

Presidents Of The USA - Video Killed The Radio Star - https://youtu.be/9PldYq3KHXc

If you're interested in guitars and music and have some time to spare then I can heartily recommend the Icons series being put out by Gibson guitars on YouTube. It's a growing series of extended interviews with well known guitarists...and it's not trying to sell you a guitar. I watched the latest one with Dave Mustaine from Megadeth talking about his life and involvement in music. It definitely surprised me and was very interesting and well made. There are five episodes so far; Mustaine, Kirk Hammett (Metallica), Jerry Cantrell (Alice in Chains), Tony Iommi (Black Sabbath), and Bob Rock (producer).

Megadeth - Holy Wars...The Punishment Due - https://youtu.be/9d4ui9q7eDM

I've played the next song in two different bands now and it never gets old. I realise that it's one of Nick's better known songs but that doesn't really matter. It's popular for a very good reason.

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - The Ship Song (live) - https://youtu.be/t4Vl27zlDhM

Trying to stay positive and seeing the good side of a situation is something that I've been intentionally trying to do for quite a while now. Of course it doesn't always work but I'd rather not be a grumpy old sod every day who thinks the whole world is against him. Laugh at yourself and worry less about other people. It works.

Timbuk 3 - The Future's So Bright (I Gotta Wear Shades) - https://youtu.be/8qrriKcwvlY

I've chosen the next song, not only because the weather here is changeable but because it sort of relates how a lot of people are feeling at the moment. Everything happens at once and then nothing happens at all. Also, it's a beautiful track, one of the best from Crowded House. Maybe I'll learn to play it.

Crowded House - Four Seasons In One Day - https://youtu.be/si3dBlNdifE

Time for something new I hear you say. Well, OK then. Slowly Slowly are from Melbourne and this track is one that I heard for the first time a few hours ago. Spotify can show you what your friends have been listening to and I spotted this one in DJ Bogler's feed. The tune definitely has an 80s pop influence as well as a smooth. modern indie groove. If you like The Preatures, Stevie Wonder or Lime Cordiale then this might do it for you. 

Slowly Slowly - The Level - https://youtu.be/w4RQrUGnO2M

When lockdown hit here in the ACT, it was quick. My guitar amplifier was locked away at our rehearsal place in Queanbeyan and I couldn't get it. Now that lockdown has been extended I'm itching to play my electric guitars again. I'm not really into amp modelling (where you plug the guitar straight into a computer or tablet and then software emulates an amplifier) so I decided to bite the bullet and purchase a small amp for home use. Well....arriving in the next week or so will be an old amplifier with my name on it. Watch this space; it could get loud.

The Searchers - Sugar and Spice - https://youtu.be/80oMW_t4svM

And on that note it's time to sign off.

Keep smiling everyone and find a dog to cuddle if you can,

The Woozle

"And in the end,
The love you take,
Is equal to the love you make."

The Beatles, The End, 1969.

World Wide Woozle episode #552 - LOCKDOWN!

It had to happen. Canberra went into a seven day lockdown at 1700hrs on Thursday August 12. Given that we're totally surrounded by New South Wales it was only a matter of time. Other than the rush on toilet paper and plenty of idiots trying to escape interstate to the south coast it seems pretty chilled here. And to those who tried to escape into NSW to the coast...enjoy your fourteen day lockdown.

The Specials - Ghost Town - https://youtu.be/RZ2oXzrnti4

Lockdown for me has meant that I can't avoid working from home any longer! For all of 2020, as an essential worker, I was in the office. Now, however, I can do my work from home for a bit. I think that will take a bit of getting used to. 

Loverboy - Working For The Weekend - https://youtu.be/dsgBpsNPQ50

This morning (Saturday) has been rather groovy really. I slept in until 0730hrs (yes, that's a sleep in), read the news whilst I had breakfast, discovered a new band and bought their EP, did a yoga session and unpacked the dishwasher. Not a bad life really!

Let's get to some music.

For metal fans, Utopia Records in Sydney is a bit of a Mecca. Their Facebook page is a really good source of information (and quite often a good laugh). This morning they posted about a band from Melbourne called Galaxy who have a new album coming. The description sounded interesting so after a quick search I found their last release and had a listen. Yep, it's cool. A healthy, rocking mixture of King Diamond, old school metal, Ghost, some psychedelic moments and maybe Judas Priest. I ordered the EP via Bandcamp and have had a listen online a few times now. I really like it and I can't wait to hear the new album soon.

Galaxy - Dreaming Out - https://youtu.be/jHr-FU6QVIo

Scottish synth-pop band Chvrches have a new single out featuring Robert Smith from The Cure. The song is upbeat and melancholy at the same time and has a groove that really sticks in my head. Chvrches aren't a band I've listened to in the past but on the strength of this I imagine I'll be expanding my playlist again.

Chvrches with Robert Smith - How Not To Drown - https://youtu.be/7U_LhzgwJ4U

I played Chet Atkins recently so here's another player who lists him as his major influence. Tommy Emmanuel is an Australian guitar virtuoso. He can play across many styles but truly shines when you see him make one guitar sound so effortlessly amazing all by itself. Oz rock fans could always do a little digging and find him playing with Dragon back in the day!

Tommy Emmanuel - Guitar Boogie (live) - https://youtu.be/bv3dDH2QCnU

I mentioned Elvis last week. Plenty of people have written songs about, or referencing The King and I'd like to play a couple here. Firstly we have The Badloves. They're an Australian band who were big in the 90s although I notice they've played some shows relatively recently. Their album Get On Board is a really good laidback bluesy style record and this song comes from it. Not bad for a debut single!

The Badloves - Memphis - https://youtu.be/TsUT6asJETA

If you have time, read the backstory about Marc Cohn's big hit, Walking In Memphis. It's all about him, suffering from writer's block and how the events in the song helped him with that.

Marc Cohn - Walking In Memphis - https://youtu.be/PgRafRp-P-o

And of course, it would be hard to go past the next tune. One of the reasons I bought a resonator guitar a few years ago was the first line of this song (as well as the cover of Dire Straits' Brothers In Arms). Paul Simon's album, Graceland, is a very regular appearance on my playlist.

Paul Simon - Graceland (live 1991) - https://youtu.be/_y-EG9b-mu8

Quite often I look at my collection of CDs, LPs and cassettes (as well as stuff I've flagged on Spotify) for something I haven't listened to in a long time or for something that I've simply forgotten about. Last week that was the band from Iowa called Slipknot. They're famous, have plenty of albums and fans but I never managed to get into them. I noticed a copy of their fourth long player, from 2008,  All Hope Is Gone. I cued it up to listen to in the car and, for many reasons, it hit the spot. Maybe it's the masks and imagery that put me off which is funny because it totally works with KISS and Ghost. Anyway, the album has gone around a few times and it's encouraged me to dive deeper into their discography as well as remembering to listen with my ears rather than my eyes.

Slipknot - Dead Memories - https://youtu.be/9gsAz6S_zSw

Something I've done lately is to take artists who I decided I really don't like and give them a second chance. Everyone experiences change in their musical tastes over the course of their life and that interests me. I like to think that I'm pretty open minded when it comes to music but there are a few bands that I've really struggled with. Powderfinger have always been one of those bands. Early on in their career they rocked fairly hard....for example:

Powderfinger- Tail (1994) - https://youtu.be/RF3racPCYDY

But their music seemed to get more and more middle of the road as their career went on. That's just my opinion and your mileage may vary of course. I've tried a few tracks recently and there are some gems in there, I just feel that there's a little energy lacking for the most part. Singer Bernard Fanning put out a solo album a few years ago called Tea and Sympathy. I remember, after one listen, vowing to never listen to it again. Recently I was reintroduced to it and listened, critically, with fresh ears. OK, so it's not so bad. He writes great lyrics and conveys a mood well. Is it my favourite album, definitely not, but it's not the slow, boring trainwreck that I thought it was when it first came out.

Bernard Fanning - Watch Over Me (live) - https://youtu.be/P8jAaSqWPvs

Finally, Bryan Adams. I've always been a fan of his straight ahead, melodic, good time rock and roll. He's a guy that writes a great hook and knows how to entertain a crowd. Along with Van Halen, I think that Bryan's music is perfect on a road trip or simply when you need a pick me up. Particularly in a live setting it's the sound of a Stratocaster that dominates and that's my guitar of choice. Bryan and his longtime sidekick, Keith Scott, make their guitars growl and sing but always with that distinctive Strat sound.

Bryan Adams - Kids Wanna Rock (live) - https://youtu.be/oYi2lqG2u9I

Bryan Adams and Mel C - When You're Gone (live and acoustic) - https://youtu.be/n7zYkoycc1I

Yup, that wasn't a Strat in the second clip but it's a great version of a cracking tune.

Rebecca and Megan Lovell are sisters who have a band called Larkin Poe. They play acoustic, electric and slide guitar and their cover versions and bluesy original material is a lot of fun. There is a metric ton of material available on their YouTube channel so for those stuck in lockdown, click away and disappear down that rabbit hole for a while. You won't regret it.

Larkin Poe - Mississippi - https://youtu.be/ZXQQEK81BAk

Larkin Poe - Mama, I'm Coming Home (Ozzy Osbourne cover) - https://youtu.be/_inb9O-ckNs

In the last couple of days I've made the most of my 60 minutes exercise outside allotment by doing a ride that includes some hill climbing at the National Arboretum. Today I'll mix it up with more yoga and a walk in the sun. Variety is good even though I still have to convince myself of that from time to time! 

Keep the faith Australia,

The Woozle

"Nobody knows I'm Elvis
Nobody knows this is me
After all of my tries...I've got
The perfect disguise..." Nobody Knows I'm Elvis, Waylon Jennings, 1994.

World Wide Woozle episode #551

Hello there, all you radio fans. It's time for some music.

The deluxe reissues of the classic Queensrÿche albums, Empire and Operation: Mindcrime have arrived. The packaging and accompanying booklets are high quality and reflect the fact that the band (and probably their record company) have taken care in getting this right. The DVDs (no BluRay available) showcase a wide range of stuff including live performances, promo clips and alternate versions of these, interviews and other bits and pieces. They were fun to watch although, predictably due to the age of some of the source material, the sound quality varied. The CDs of the albums sound fantastic and I've played them loud. To be honest, these weren't all that expensive in comparison to many other boxsets and with the quality of the inclusions I'm very happy with them. What a great band and a fantastic two albums.

Queensryche - Eyes Of A Stranger - https://youtu.be/A4duZjxusGM

Billy Bragg has a new album coming in early October. It's called The Million Things That Never Happened. Here's one of the tracks from it....sounds pretty good to me but then I'm a little biased!

Billy Bragg - Ten Mysterious Photos That Can't Be Explained - https://youtu.be/-n794uMfCJwQR

DJ K put me onto the next tune. It's got a great beat and I just love the sound of Keb Mo's voice. It combines well with Roseanne Cash and the lyrics mean something. Play it a few times will you?

Keb Mo with Roseanne Cash - Put A Woman In Charge - https://youtu.be/FciQeRGYFlw

I've spent time listening to Tom Waits in the last couple of weeks. He's got such an extensive and eclectic catalogue that it means there's always something a bit different to listen to. The man must gargle motorbike chains...

Tom Waits - Take One Last Look - https://youtu.be/PEi5b6nUQQs

Here's a band I've never heard of doing an absolute ripper of a cover of a Loverboy tune. Wow! The pandemic may suck in so many ways but the proliferation of artists producing high quality content (both originals and covers) in this format is pretty cool.

Candlebox - Turn Me Loose - https://youtu.be/k8QW_db2uWI

It's been a while since I played some Elvis. As a kid I was fascinated with the King for many reasons including the '68 Comeback Special look that he had with the leather jacket and the sideburns! I remember getting a double LP of Elvis' hits when I was younger and loving it. I still do. There are so many people called Rob in the world that when I'm ordering at a cafe I usually give Elvis as my name. It usually gets a funny look and I work hard to keep a straight face!

Elvis Presley - Jailhouse Rock (live '68 comeback special) - https://youtu.be/xqBdTn3_0Rw

Last week I had a chat with my good mate DJ KayDee about songs that we like but, for one reason or another, would find it hard to sing. This is one of those songs. Del Amitri are an amazing band (from Scotland). Their albums and songs often sound deceptively simple until you have a close listen to what's going on. This is the opening track from their third album and also the reason that I experimented with alternate guitar tunings. But it's about being unfaithful and whilst the song is beautiful I reckon I'd have trouble singing it. I know that you can sing from someone else's perspective but sometimes that's a bridge too far. Still, it's a great song.

Del Amitri - Be My Downfall (live) - https://youtu.be/jkrIwqnTxf8

Get your vaccination...stay at home...cook good food...rock on,

The Woozle

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