Let's get the band back together, man

Seattle music and the grunge era is now twenty years old, firmly and securely letting me know that I am past due. Recently I've had conversations with friends of mine about that era what it all meant if anything. There was a time when all involved would say it meant nothing but as age has set in and paid off well as well a s a documentary on Pearl Jam I'd say that note has changed. At the time it was supposed to be counter culture or the rise of the underground but now I see it as just more Rock under a different label. There was great music and not so great music but the funniest thing is that I never saw any of Seattle bands live which makes me feel quite lame. I almost saw pearl jam in Boston about five years about I passed that up to have dinner with old friends.
So instead of lamenting that, I made a Seattle Mix which isn't just the early 90s big four Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden and Alic In Chains it's the bands that I know and like from that region, even Aberdeen. No Tad, no Sir Mix-a-lot. It thought about putting a modern Alice In Chains song on here but as good as the song is it didn't feel right, I wasn't sure if the Foo Fighters counted so I left the  off also I almost put L7 on here before I realized they were from LA. No Stone Temple Pilots because while they fell under the grunge label at the time they were from southern California as well. This leads me another point would be a mix of all the bands who get lumped into the Seattle grunge department even though they had nothing to do with it, there were bands from Boston that got were lumped into that genre as I recall. Jeepers, I should put out my best of Boston mix too, i should go city by city. Anyway enjoy it. Click on the song title to hear it.

1. Queen Bitch by Green River

The band that started it all, members of Mudhoney and Mother Love Bone and then Pearl Jam made up the line up.

2. Crazy On You by Heart

Hell yeah, Heart! Sure they were horrible in the 80s but their music in the 70s was hot.

3. Bed of Roses by Screaming Trees

Not one of the big four, Screaming Trees were the authors of a lot of airplay. Their biggest hit, I Nearly Lost You was overplayed and got a big life from it's presence on the Singles soundtrack.

4. Touch Me I'm Sick by Mudhoney

This is what indie rock is all about, loud and obnoxious and dumb.

5. Here She Comes Now by Nirvana

Great little cover of Velvet Underground expanding the original version by three minutes of fuzz. The biggest band of the era. RIP Kurt.

6. I'm Above by Mad Season

Some called them a supergroup as they were made up of Alice In Chains and Pearl Jam members but when you take a look at all the mingling in the Seattle bands it's just another project. Temple of the Dog is not on this mix but they are a good example of the incestuous nature of the scene.

7. The King is Half-Undressed by Jellyfish
These guys were all the buzz for a couple months with a Queen/Beatles sound back in 1990. The singer was the drummer and stood upright when the performed. I guess Sheila E was also an influence.
8. Jesus Christ Pose by Soundgarden

It doesn't get much heavier than this or as frenetic. Some say nothing off the Badmotorfinger album can compare with the Superunknown album but I disagree. Chris Cornell has got the greatest pipes to come out of Seattle since the Wilson sisters of Heart, I mean holy shit that dude can sing!

9. Negative Creep(live) by Nirvana

This is my favorite Nirvana song and that may be an annoying hipster sort of thing to say but I just love how hard this song is, how out of control it seems.

10.Nutshell by Alice In Chains

None of the big 4 could be more dark Than Layne Staley and Jerry Cantrell's band. This song is somber if not down right depressing and as per usual about addiction.

11.Lump by Presidents of the United States of America

You remember this ditty, right? Weird Al even parodied it. They preferred to be called PUSA for whatever Seattle reason. They were one of those bands that would have never made a name for themselves if it hadn't been for all the big bands in the area. Coat tails anyone? This was the Seattle band you little sister got into after it was over.

12.Are You Experienced? by The Jimi Hendrix Experience

He was from Seattle and he was buried there so deal with that if you disagree. This is the greatest guitarist in rock, right? Hard, psychedelic beautiful.

13.Black Hole Sun by Soundgarden

Psychedelic and beautiful, spoon fed to the masses. This song more than any of the others has grown on me.

14.Would? by Alice In Chains

Not only soft and acoustic but big and aggressive with amazing harmonies. This song wasn't supposed to be on the Dirt album but it's notoriety from the Single's soundtrack pushed it on. This is my favorite Alice In chains Song.

15.Barracuda by Heart

Man did they rock this jam! Could anybody even cover this song and do it justice?

16.Do The Evolution by Pearl Jam

Those who know me know that this is my favorite PJ song. Why? I don't know. It's lo-fi, angry and doesn't sound like Pearl Jam. Additionally the video is super cool!

17.Silent Lucidity by Queensryche

Before the Grunge fad, this was Seattle. It's still a big epic sweeping song that I enjoy.

18.Chloe Dancer/Crown of Thorns by Mother Love Bone
RIP Andrew Wood, you were born to be a star but it wasn't meant to be. Pearl Jam also does a great version of this song.

Weekly Mix #71

We are making mixes in 2010 and it feels weak but that's probably my fault as I insist on exploring new music and want to hear what's current. I could make a better mix with the classic but then it would need to be themed or something. There is a decidedly retro theme to this mix though, I mean 90's bands like Alice In Chains and Stone Temple Pilots with their most recent music, a band doing and 80's cover, a song that could be about the 60s, songs from various decades past, a couple bands that want to sound old. Get lost and enjoy.


1. Son Of A Gun by The La's
Underrated band. One album and they broke up, too bad or too good, I don't know

 
2. Waiting For Somebody by Paul Westerberg
If you recall the early 90s you recall the movie Singles; this was one of the main songs from the film.
3. Devil In Me by 22-20's
Good for them
4. Drunk Girls LCD Soundsystem
Critics adored this song, I just thought it was cool
5. I Would Send You Roses by Codeine Velvet Club
I really like some of their songs as cheesy as they can be
6. Buick Mackane by T. Rex
Glam! Marc Bolan getting sexy
7. Summer of '69 by Bryan Adams
 I heard this was a song about a sex act and I suppose I can believe it but really?
8. Time of the Season by The Zombies
What's your name? Who's your daddy? Is he rich? Is he rich like me? This is from 1969.
9. The Broken by Coheed and Cambria
More epic rock!
10.Slow Poison by The Bravery
A friend told me to check this song out and so I did; it's not bad.
11.Stylo by Gorillaz

Mos Def and Bobby Womack assist on this excellent number; this could be the last good thing Gorillaz ever do.

12.Die by The Drop by The Dead Weather
Jack White will never die. This is a groovy tune by his third well known band.
13.Your Decision by Alice In Chains
Alice In Chains do a couple things really well and making somber acoustic numbers is one of them. IS this a ballad to late singer Layne Staley, maybe.
14.Sweet Young Thing Ain't Sweet No More by Mudhoney
This was grunge before it had a name and before it got sold to the millions
15.Bitter Tears by INXS
Such a good band. Hutchence was a great front man, i don't care what you say.

RIP Michael

16.The Lovecats by Hotrats
If nothing else these guys do good covers
17.Your Nation Will Die by Burning Brides
Another song that was recommended to me by a friend. None of their other songs sound like this; it's their angry song!
18.Magnetic Warrior by Archie Bronson Outfit
This is kind of a stupid and boring song but whatever it's something different
19.Between The Lines by Stone Temple Pilots
Welcom back STP, you've made it a lot further than anybody would have guessed
20.Doctor Alibi by Slash

The man, the myth, Lemmy Kilmeister lends his gravely vocals to this effort. What this proves is that Slash needs a front man and song writer.

21.Born to Run by Bruce Springsteen
If you're from New Jersey you have no choice but to love this song; it was made for you. This song is epic and I wish I got a chance to hear it live.

Weekly Mix Tape Pt 30

Number 30! It's pretty main stream and if you listen to music from Jamaica then it's all mainstream. This mix is damn good and if you don't like it well you can go read somebody else's blog about mixes, somebody who knows how to get song samples or the whole song to play when you click on it, a blog with more pictures, a blog that thrills! One thing keeps bugging me though as I look over these tunes, is the song order the best it could be? If you think no, suggest something better, please.
Click on song titles for videos
enjoy!

1. Ballroom Blitz by Sweet
This song is manic glam!
2. Finding Out True Love Is Blind by Louis The XIV
This one is modern glam, I always thought the video should have been a dude pushing a mail cart through an office with all the girls he talks about the other workers. The chorus is sung by the other dudes in the shitty, confining mail room. During the bridge our mail boy will go into fantasy.
3. Are You Gonna' be My Girl by Jet
This song stinks; it's Lust For Life rip off
4. Here She Comes Now by Nirvana
This is a demo and still sounds pretty damn awesome!
5. I'm Still In Love With You by Sean Paul feat. Sasha
Why do I love this song?
6. Stepping Razor by Peter Tosh
Fierce song about being a bad ass. From the film, Rockers which was the other Raggae movie that wasn't The Harder They Come.
7. How I Could Just Kill A Man by Rage Against The Machine
Great cover of Cypress Hill, maybe better than the original.
8. Kids In America by Kim Wilde
This song is so synthtacular the 80s couldn't let it go. In the video Kim was apparently so nervous she looked like she was trying to be seductive. (I read that someplace)
9. Get Ur Freak On by Missy Elliott
Changing the way we talk about sex and a really weird sounding rap song when you get down to it. Very innovative. I believe the video was directed by Hype
10.Still OF The Night by Whitesnake
80s Heavy Metal was rarely more epic; if you don't like this song it's only because you can't handle it.
11.Boyz-N-The-Hood by Dynamite Hack
One of the best covers ever? No, just one of the funniest. The video is perfect.
12.P.I.M.P. by 50 Cent
Steel drums in rap might not be popular but damn does it works here. Not that 50 Cent cares what I say about him but I think this is best track.
13.Mr. Brightside by The Killers
Eric Roberts has seen better days and that unfortunately is what everybody thinks of when this song plays. It was also a sign that band's name, The Killers was a misnomer . . . or ironic . . . or just dumb.
14.I Believe In You by Kylie Minogue
More disco magic from the future. If Kylie Minogue believes in you things can't be all bad.
15.Hysteria by Muse
I swear the guitars in the beginning of this song make me think it's all about to explode and then the drums come in and take care of that.
16.Hey Ya! by Outkast
Was this the best song of year? It has hand claps, sexy/dirty lyrics and a beat that a friend insists is hooked into girl's heads.
17.Touch Me I'm Sick by Mudhoney
Named after A Russ Meyer movie, this was Seattle in 1988, this was grunge before it got labeled as such, this is the genesis of Citizen Dick.
18.Isrealites by Desmond Dekker
I first heard this song in the movie, Drugstore Cowboy so it's what I think about when this song plays . . . wow, two Matt Dillon references in a row, WTF!
19.Jealous Guy by Roxy Music
For about two months in 2004 I listened to this song everyday, don't know why
20.Beautiful Girls by Van Halen
Nothing says summer like van Halen from the 70s!