youdopia.com

December 2, 2008

The Wind Can’t Blow Cuz The Sky Is Gone

Filed under: fnord, music, wisdom — Tags: , , , , — admin @ 10:07 pm

Jones Crusher, Jones Crusher

Deadly Jaws, better get the gauze

- Frank Zappa

Well, I’ll be damned. I like Yes. It’s almost shameful, but after finding the complete Yes discography… in the forest… I must say that I’ve listened to a hell of a lot of Yes lately, and they don’t suck. They’re a little hoity toity, and they don’t seem to be affiliated with heroin, Satan, or Aleister Crowley (although I’m pretty sure Rick Wakeman eats babies), but… they’re amazing musicians with a unique take on rock.

It’s nostalgic especially because this blog is a place where friends from almost 30 years ago keep in touch with me, expressing their love by questioning my sexuality and correcting my Spanish. Lo Siento, the Gus.

November 28, 2008

Funniest Shit Ever: Meth Minute Music Nerds Led Zeppelin Competition

Filed under: Led Zeppelin, fnord, funniest shit ever, humor, music — Tags: , , , , , , — admin @ 12:15 pm

This clips is hilarious. It’s a Led Zeppelin Name That Tune contest but amazingly funny. Youdopians, this humor transcends whether you love Led Zeppelin, or merely like them a lot. I hope you enjoy the ha ha.I think Meth Minute 39 is a series I shall watch again.

I had to take down the Queermo Christmas. One of the participants got antsy. Lo ciento.

November 26, 2008

Michael Lee R.I.P. A Really Good Drummer Gone

Filed under: Jimmy Page, Led Zeppelin, fnord, music — Tags: , , , , , , , , , — admin @ 6:27 pm

Michael Lee, who drummed for Page and Plant on all their reunion albums, and tours, died on the 24th of November. That’s a bummer because he was a joyous drummer who really brought fun to the Page/Plant tours. He played great with Jimmy Page, and they had nice chemistry. This clip is from the Bizarre Festival in 1998. It was broadcast on German television (hence the great quality) and it is fucking great. Check the tightness at 5:59. Yes, I’m a geek, but I’m right. This is an absolutely amazing of Led Zeppelin’s Babe I’m Gonna Leave You, and Jimmy plays the hell out of the solo. It’s tight tight tight. The ending is as brilliantly tongue and cheek as a supergroup would ever dare. I love live music.

Sorry, Michael Lee. My experience of you was 100% positive. Youdopia mourns you as Valhalla’s gates open.

November 11, 2008

Coolest Shit Ever: Yes, Starship Trooper Live On Yessongs

Filed under: Coolest Shit Ever, Jimmy Page, fnord, music — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , — admin @ 12:33 am


Vale, Youdopia. I’m not much of a prog rock fan, although I certainly had my share of Yes albums in high school. I really dig Rick Wakeman’s keyboard playing, still. I came across this on Youtube today, and I listened to it a billion times on headphones, but this time without the weed. It’s still great. The chord progression is unique, the bass playing of Chris Squire is excellent, Steve Howe is an amazing guitarist (Mood For A Day is one of the most beautiful classical pieces I’ve ever heard), and Rick Wakeman is a keyboard virtuoso.

Listen to the bass build the tension and then release by sliding to the root, in time for the keyboards to take over with the mellotron chorus. Good stuff. And then when Rick Wakeman comes in with that amazing solo. I am not a progressive rock fan, as a rule. I don’t dig songs about the not to distant future, or hope, or sunrise, but… I like Yes. And the last section of the Starship Trooper cycle is The Coolest Shit Ever.

So here I stand at 40 saying that Yes is/was and awesome band that I like twice yearly. It must be that time of year. There’s no video to this, only the album cover, and you just hear the last segment of the song (Wurm), but it’s live and it’s fucking amazing. And hey, it’s not about Led Zeppelin or cancer, or fucking lolcats. :)

Chris Squire and Alan White got together with Jimmy Page in 1981, after their respective bands went belly up, and recorded some tracks, all of which were used later by one or the other on different projects. Their project was called XYZ, for Ex Yes, and Zeppelin. w00t.

Here’s a shorter version of the same song, but with some video. The sound quality isn’t as good, which is odd because it’s an official release.

October 27, 2008

John Paul Jones Talks About Led Zeppelin Tour With/Without Robert Plant

Filed under: Coolest Shit Ever, Jimmy Page, Led Zeppelin, fnord, music — Tags: , , , , , , , , , — admin @ 8:27 am

Youdopians, I love John Paul Jones! He had a Q&A at a guitar clinic recently, and this is what he had to say about a tour with Jimmy Page, and Jason Bonham. Robert Plant? Probably not. I would love to see the boys play again. They hit it out of the park at the 02 reunion. We’ll see. They may not call it Led Zeppelin, but I’d love to see it, whoever they have singing.

October 19, 2008

Funny Cat Video: An Engineer’s Guide To Cats

Filed under: fnord, humor, music — Tags: , , , , , — admin @ 9:17 am

I awoke this morning to find this in my inbox. A friend of mine had the foresight to determine that I would enjoy this. She was correct, youdopians. It is a very humorous video about kitties. They’re not lolcats, but actual motion pictures with a beginning, middle, and end. It’s very clever, and has nothing to do with Obama, or the Apocalypse.

October 15, 2008

Bob Dylan, You’ve Done It Again

Filed under: fnord, music — Tags: , , — admin @ 12:41 pm

My heart is telling me, I love you still.

I can see the turning of the key

I’ve been deceived by the clown inside of me

I thought that he was righteous but he’s vain

Something’s telling me, I wear the ball and chain

My patron saint is fighting with a ghost.

He’s always off somewhere when I need him most.

The Spanish Moon is rising on the hill,

But my heart is telling me, I love you still.

September 20, 2008

Pink Floyd, Pigs On The Wing & Telecommuting: Ha Ha, Charade You Are…It’ll Grow Back Like A Starfish

Filed under: fnord, music — Tags: , , , , , , — admin @ 8:10 am

Antony and the Johnsons… The Cripple and the Starfish…

Wow.  It’s a super duper party pooper gay… like this gay… song about a good old fashioned S&M relationship. It’s sung by the masochist/pain pig. The singing and delivery make it for me. It’s a live version from last week in Portland, OR.  Antony and the Johnsons were accompanied by an orchestra, and … well, Antony sings with so much emotion it’s…. almost too much, but… he hooks me.

Yes, so Cripple-Pig was happy
Screamed ” I just compeletely love you!
And there’s no rhyme or reason
I’m changing like the seasons
Watch! I’ll even cut off my finger
It will grow back like a Starfish!
It will grow back like a Starfish!
It will grow back like a Starfish!”

You can hear what I hear by downloading this song here. It’s a live version, and I’m giving it away. If you like it, go see Antony and the Johnsons. They’re haunting.

Cut to Pink Floyd in Boston in 1977. Rick Wright’s unfortunate passing has resulted in a huge number of Pink Floyd shows to be released on various live music torrent sites. This excellent quality audience tape from Boston 1977 is indeed excellent. The quality is great, even with the occasional, “Sit the fuck down!” from people around the taper. It is Boston, after all. You can download this excellent show, where they do all of Animals, Wish You Were Here, and some tracks from Dark Side, by clicking the link at the beginning of this paragraph.

Thanks for reading, Youdopians.

September 15, 2008

Pink Floyd’s Richard Wright Has Died. RIP

Filed under: fnord, music — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , — admin @ 2:26 pm

Goddamn it. I’m getting pretty tired of these RIP posts. I’d like to stick with Jimmy Page and nipples. Well, Rick Wright, the keyboard player from Pink Floyd, has died of cancer. Shit. The story can be found here.
http://license.icopyright.net/user/viewFreeUse.act?fuid=MTUzNDMxOA==

September 2, 2008

Jimmy Page, Jack White, And The Edge Jam Together In “It Might Get Loud”

Filed under: Coolest Shit Ever, Jimmy Page, Led Zeppelin, fnord, music — Tags: , , , , , , , , — admin @ 10:10 am

Jack White, Jimmy Page, and The Edge Jam Together

Originally posted on The Toronto International Film Festival Page.

The electric guitar has dominated popular music for the last half century. Anyone who has ever plugged into an amp understands its power. So does the average stadium crowd. But if you have too much exposure to amateurs, you might forget the incredible range of expression that the creation pioneered by Les Paul can achieve in the hands of masters.

Director Davis Guggenheim, well-known for his Academy Award-winning documentary An Inconvenient Truth, deepens our appreciation for going electric by bringing together three virtuosos from different generations: Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin, The Edge of U2 and Jack White of The White Stripes. It Might Get Loud weaves together their stories to reveal how each of them developed a unique sound.

Unlike rock ‘n’ roll documentaries that focus on backstage drama, this one concentrates on the music, giving us intimate access to the creative process. Each guitarist describes his own musical rebellion: Page against the saccharine pop of the sixties; The Edge against the self-indulgent solos of the seventies; White against the soulless bass machines of the eighties. The film also travels to the locations that left a mark on each player. Page visits the stone halls of Headley Grange where “Stairway to Heaven” was composed. In Dublin, The Edge pulls out the original four-track rehearsals of “Where the Streets Have No Name.” And in Tennessee, White describes being inspired by the raw style of bluesman Son House. What’s more, we see each musician play new work that has yet to be released.

The trio comes together for a jam session, during which they demonstrate their varying tastes in gear, from Page’s double-neck guitar to The Edge’s array of accessory pedals to White’s cheap plastic instrument. Contrary to the stereotype that rock ‘n’ rollers are sullen and guarded, these three display an infectious joy when discussing their craft. Anyone who has ever played air guitar along with a Zeppelin song will be thrilled watching Page mimic the licks of one of his own favourites, Link Wray’s “Rumble.”

You don’t need to be an aficionado to enjoy the pleasure of this company. This film might not affect how you play, but it will change how you listen.

Thom Powers

August 29, 2008

Coolest Shit Ever: The Song Remains The Same: Fan Version

Filed under: Jimmy Page, Led Zeppelin, fnord, music — Tags: , , , , , , — admin @ 12:24 am

You know what, Youdopians, I discovered my porn in the same place that every American boy does, in the woods.  It was a stack of Club magazines. Faded from the sun, and starting to pulpify… but intact nonetheless. That’s exactly where I found this. It’s the Fan’s Edition of The Song Remains The Same.

What’s that mean? Well if you love Led Zeppelin, and you do, then you have always been ashamed of The Song Remains The Same. I am. It blows. I can’t honestly say that I’ve watched it all the way through. I’ve seen it all, but I don’t know if it was ever in one sitting.  Since the release of the Led Zeppelin DVD in 2003, with a bunch of songs, some unreleased, from The Song Remains The Same concerts, and some songs from the movie itself.  Well, some wonderfully adept soul edited the entire concert from all the disparate sources. The DVD, The remastered version of The Song Remains the Same, and some songs from the bonus section of the new version of TSRTS.

The result is really great. It’s a Led Zeppelin concert. The transitions are smooth, with some differences in the sections remastered in 2003, and the original 1976 transfer. Whoopee. What I’m saying is that if you bought this at Best Buy, you wouldn’t have a thing to bitch about. It’s awesome and amazingly cool. Like the 4 hour version of Apocalypse Now.

This is very cool. I found it in the woods.

August 24, 2008

Jimmy Page Closes The Olympics In A Genius Move From A PR Standpoint

Filed under: Jimmy Page, Led Zeppelin, fnord, music — Tags: , , , , , , , , — admin @ 10:10 pm

I think this is brilliant, youdopians. Cheesy to the max, the Super Bowl Halftime Show times a thousand, but… BILLIONS of people saw Jimmy Page not suck. From a PR standpoint, Mr. Page was just watched by half the fucking world. Nice. His solo was HOT! He’s obviously playing, and his appearance with John Paul Jones and the Foo Fighters had been rehearsed for months. Why? Is there new product to promote? Nope. Why? Why indeed?

June 29, 2008

My Take On The Led Zeppelin Reunion, Written While Listening To The Show With Headphones.

Filed under: Coolest Shit Ever, Jimmy Page, Led Zeppelin, fnord, music — Tags: , , , , — admin @ 9:17 pm

This is a post from the old blog. I liked it and I moved it to its new home.


Led Zeppelin. They’re back… and they’re a real band. I’m listening to the reunion show, w/ headphones, and… I just got lost in the groove… like w/ Zep. Jason Bonham is doing a remarkable job of honoring his dad, not being a mere mimic, and jamming with the boys. There is no grading on the curve. The band I’m listening to is not in their 60’s. Nor are they merely performing. They’re grooving. That indefinable synergy is there. Holy shit. They’re not free form jamming like the old days, but… the little fills, responses… the telepathy is there. And the tone! Jimmy’s tone is rich. I don’t mean digital preset rich, I mean like think and heavy and pregnant with meaning… like Hendrix, or … Jimmy Page. They’re playing a whole step lower, to accommodate a 60 year old Robert Plant. But.. even then, they had guitars made, reworked, customized to play lower while still maintaining that tone. Holy shit. The tightness and effortlessness of this music is insane. They’ve been rehearsing since June, and… it shows. I’m listening to In My Time Of Dying… a song that needs that tightness, that dynamism.. or else it’s just Aerosmith. It’s scary how good it is. It’s like driving with the top down at 120 mph, with a drink in your hand, and a smirk of complete relaxation.
This…

This…
is the that vitality that is missing in today’s culture. It’s alive… you know what I mean, you hear it in your music. Jason Bonham is in on it. He grew up like me, listening to every bootleg and absorbing it like a native language. It’s in his blood. Rudolf Steiner would understand.
I can’t believe this is only two days old. It’s so… amazingly proper. It is 100% current, and modern. This is definitely 2007, but it is also 100% Led Zeppelin. It’s like a parallel world opened up and we get a glimpse of the Zeppelin that would have kept going hadBonzo not died.
It’s insanely good.
Jimmy is so good. Better than… anytime since like 1973. He’s as flawless as Dave Gilmour, but he’s Jimmy Page. Wow. He’s 63. He broke his hand two weeks ago. It’s criminal that he hasn’t toured in seven years, or released new music in nine. Damn him This is incredible. I had to live through the Firm.
You know how Dave Gilmour is old now, but he’s still vital and relevant and fresh? He still sounds and plays great? That’s what I’m hearing now. It’s insane. They’re a band again. For real. Jonesy is insanely good. He’s 62 and he’s playing Good Times Bad Times. Think about that. Opening number. Ballsy. Successful.
Now they’re playing For Your Life. From Presence. Never Done Live before. ever. Wow.
Led Zeppelin in the present tense. It’s like the return of Christ. You always kind of hoped, but… wow it’s real. Yes, I know I compared the Second Coming to the Zep reunion. You think I’m the only one? I’m not even the first. Buckle Up.

“he Times of London commented, “With a synergy like this going on, it would be an act of cosmic perversity to stop now.” Yup.
(PS- No Quarter kicked ass.)

June 27, 2008

That’s Dr. Jimmy To You. Jimmy Page Receives Honorary Doctorate

Filed under: Coolest Shit Ever, Jimmy Page, craziest shit ever, music, wisdom — Tags: , , , , , , — admin @ 9:15 pm

Score one for clean living, I guess. James Patrick Page (all hail!) was given an Honorary Doctorate (in Hermetic Studies… just kidding) by the University Of Surrey. Why? Because he is all things to all people, that’s why, apostate! So there you go kids. Study the occult, do drugs, bang teenage girls, and all this can be yours. Follow the narrow path of Dr. Jimmy. An honorary Ph.D. Goddamn.

June 18, 2008

World’s Oldest Computer Music Discovered. It’s From 1951

Filed under: Coolest Shit Ever, fnord, music — Tags: , , , , , — admin @ 7:31 pm

Click the pic to an article about the Ferranti Mark 1 computer, a consumer version of Baby 1, one of the old room filling, vacuum tube monstrosities.  The music sounds about what you’d expect. God Save The King, and a snippet of Glenn Miller’s In The Mood. You can hear the melodious strains by clicking here. BBC doesn’t have video you can embed, hence the links.

June 10, 2008

Best Headline Of The Week: Amy Winehouse Shows Nipples, Is Racist

Filed under: craziest shit ever, fnord, music — Tags: , , , , , — admin @ 3:34 pm


You know something, Youdopia? I saw this beauty of a story on (one of my) guilty pleasure, Egotastic. I like celebrity nipple slips. There. Happy? Anyhoo, beehive train wreck Amy Winehouse got videoed while at a “crack den”. She sings a racist song. And… A picture of her nipples, as promised. I didn’t say they were hot.

June 8, 2008

Coldplay Skit On Jimmy Kimmel, For My Kiki

Filed under: fnord, humor, music — Tags: , , , , , — admin @ 4:33 pm


Much as I have done to her with Led Zeppelin, Kiki has done the same to me, only with Coldplay. After years of being innundated/saturated with Coldplay… I started to like them. Now I like them on my own, but I would probably never listen to them again without the influence of my beloved Kiki. However, They are awesome live, and they really play, and they’re actually good musicians, so whatever. This is a funny ha ha from Jimmy Kimmel. I believe it aired June 4th.

June 3, 2008

Tom Waits Week: The One That Started It All… Rain Dogs

Filed under: Tom Waits Week, fnord, music, wisdom — Tags: , , , , , — admin @ 7:38 pm


Tom Waits Week continues. I remember when this album came out. It was 1984, and I was working at my second real job, in the Books and Records Dept. at Caldor. I remember being drawn to the album cover. I didn’t listen to that album for eight years, and then I was hooked. Vagabond burlesque.
I love this song. This version is live, but it’s from that era, and… it is great. I understand if you don’t like Tom Waits. I’m not asking you to. I’m just presenting a pie slice of my persona, and a little of the wheres and whys. Also, it’s a great way to lazily post every day. ;-)

Tom Waits Week: Cross My Wooden Leg And I Swear On My Glass Eye

Filed under: Tom Waits Week, fnord, music, wisdom — Tags: , , , , , , — admin @ 12:30 am

It Will Always Come To Find You, It Will Always Hear You Cry

This song, with Keith Richards for added legitimacy, is one of my favorite ever. Again, Tom sings in myths, he hums like a detuned radio.  Dear God, there’s so much of me that’s lain dormant.

You say that it’s gospel, but I know it’s only church.

Many miles away, something crawls from the slime, at the bottom of a dark Scottish loch.  It’s a great song. It gets to me the way the Pogues can, sometimes. Ah, well. So, I’m a bit maudlin. Swaha.

June 1, 2008

Tom Waits Week: I Just Know That She’s Made Of Smoke, But I Lost My Way

Filed under: Tom Waits Week, fnord, music — Tags: , , , , , — admin @ 5:32 am

Tom Waits Week continues with Temptation, a ditty from Frank’s Wild Years, which was the follow up to Rain Dogs, and the last in the trilogy which includes Swordfishtrombones, and Rain Dogs. I understand, Dear Reader, that Tom Waits is kind of a binary fella. You either like him , or not. If you don’t, that’s ok. I’m not proselytizing, merely blogging.  Enjoy.

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