Leave All The Lights On: Under The Table And Dreaming at 25

Putting that in context, it’s clear Sept. 27, 1994, is a significant date for American music. It signaled the arrival of a band comprised of a lineup unlike anything that had ever been signed to a major label: a crowd-pleasing, goofy-yet-physical freak of a black violin player; a mysterious sax maestro; a shy teenager on bass who looked like he lived in the band van; a lanky South African frontman who didn’t play electric guitar and preferred to wear pajama pants on national television; and the oldest guy in the band, oh by the way, would prove to be one of the most dynamic and talented drummers in the history of popular music.

So that seems like something worth reflecting on.  

Relix Magazine - Matt Norlander

 

When the band recorded these tracks in Bearsville, NY, did they really have any idea the course they would set upon? That this first album alone would sell millions of copies? Sell over 100 million of concert tickets? 40 millions albums in total ... We love the silliness, the seriousness, the community.

September 27, 1994 changed the music universe for many. With the release of the Dave Matthews Band, Under the Table and Dreaming, a new branch of live concert going was about to be born. While these are the songs that we all head on the radio and scratched out heads because none of us had heard anyone like Dave, or seen anyone play like him.

The Best of What's Around is a misleading first song on the album, especially when What Would You Say what the album's first radio release, but still it didn't capture the full essence of the band in it's truest form...and while now you're looking for a song on this album that does ... you have to look to the live show. 

While Under the Table and Dreaming, Crash, and Before These Crowded Streets have given us songs that remind us of our youth (and that everything hurts now when we move and that we can't drink as much as we used to be able to so carelessly), it's the live show that has been the bastion of what DMB is. We love the original, seven minute, young Dave album version of Warehouse ... we really love the 17 minute jamming version.

Under the Table and Dreaming ushered in a the platform for a fanbase of those who will travel and unite for DMB. The band's legacy is touring and faithful fans view these albums as some thing new that was offered up in the early 1990's ... and we're still getting presents from these albums. Each show we are gifted an old favorite in a new package. What is old is new again every single time.

And then I'll 

Sing and dance, I'll play for you tonight

The thrill of it all

Dark clouds may hang on me sometimes

But I'll work it out

 

 Under the Table and Dreaming

The Best of What's Around

What Would You Say

Satellite

Rhyme & Reason

Typical Situation

Dancing Nancies

Ants Marching

Lover Lay Down

Jimi Thing

Warehouse

Pay For What You Get

#34

With Honest Sounds I'll Paint Your Brain: Red Hot Chili Peppers - Mother's Milk @ 30

 

A pivotal album for the Red Hot Chili Peppers...if anyone doubted the pulsating power that leapt from the blistering opener, 'Good Time Boys', it took only a few bars of the Red Hot Chili Peppers' outrageous, and brilliant, interpretation of the Stevie Wonder classic 'Higher Ground' to prove that this new lineup was onto something special. Wrapping up with the aptly titled and truly punked-out 'Punk Rock Classic' and the band's own punched-up tribute to 'Magic Johnson', Mother's Milk was everything the band had hoped for, and a little more besides.

~Amy Hanson - All Music 

Rebounding from the death of founding guitarist Hilel Slovak, Mother's Milk turned the soul searching Red Hot Chili Peppers into a phoenix, rising into music charts and MTV videos. They found themselves without a guitarist and their drummer, Jack Irons, had left, leaving bassist Flea and lead man Anthony Kiedis searching for their sound. 

After a few false starts between albums two and three, the Chili's found 18 year old John Frusciante and power house drummer Chad Smith and set forth to create the sound that would catapult them into the band we know today. The tracks were an amalgam of songs written by old members and from jam sessions. It was these sessions that built the foundation since Smith and Frusciante were so new to the band. John's addition to the band is notable in the increased melody and complexity he brings to both the guitar and lyrics.

Mother's Milk hits you hard and then tries to help you up again with the funk. The album kicks off with Good Time Boys, a funk, rap, rock welcome to the new Chili Peppers. Songs like Knock Me Down, Pretty Little Ditty, and Sexy Mexican Maid, demonstrate their new complex sound. But, it would be the covers of Jimi Hendrix's Fire and Stevie Wonder's Higher Ground that would put the Red Hot Chili Peppers into heavy rotation. 

 While the band has not had the easiest of times, this album proved the basketball and funk-loving musicians had serious potential to become mainstream rock pioneers. Just around the corner for them is superstardom with their next album, Blood Sugar Sex Magik.

Good Time Boys

Higher Ground

Subway to Venus

Magic Johnson

Nobody Weird Like Me

Knock Me Down

Taste the Pain

Stone Cold Bush

Fire

Pretty Little Ditty

Punk Rock Classic

Sexy Mexican Maid

Johnny Kick a Hole in the Sky

I'm a radio Joe of the biz called show
I'm a rockin' popstar with a get up and go
Rubbin' elbows with the big wigs at my sold out shows
I've been on every cover even rolling stone

Put us on MTV
All we really need
Begging on our knees
Please, please, please, please, please

Conforming to the norm straight out of the mold
Compromising each and every ounce of soul
I'm a doin' anything for the records of gold
I only want what I can hold 

-Punk Rock Classic-

Evenflow: Mindful Distance Running

Mindfulness: A mental state achieved by focusing one's awareness on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting one's feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations, used as a therapeutic technique.

I never thought of associating mindfulness with running. I used running to practice mindfulness. Recently, I had an epiphany while running. But first, let me take you back a year to where this story begins, or so I realized after my epiphany. 

2019 marks my tenth year of running. A handful of marathons, a boatload of halfs, and many mornings crying at the top of the Harlem Hill because I was just tired. In 2018, I had set my sights on a race in every borough, and kicked off the year with three half marathons in three months. With my goal of each borough coming closer, I was getting busier at work. In late August, I mentioned to someone I felt like running was starting to feel like work, like a check in the box of my day. Then injury. Then mental fatigue. I missed the last two boroughs. I was really tough on myself and even more so that I wasn't enjoying the run anymore. Yes, I said it. It wasn't fun and it felt like a chore. But being so competitive, I decided to start my 2019 with a half marathon to make 2018's non-finished goals obsolete. 

Did you know that when you work and run yourself (and maybe party yourself) too much and don't get enough sleep, you can get sick. And did you know that after being sick for four weeks and you ask your doctor if it's still okay to run 13.1 miles in forecasted weather of 38 degrees and rain, he'll look at you the same way your mother would if you asked the same thing...and then lecture you about rest physically and mentally. 

Rest and the best negroni I've ever had in my life actually helped. It also gave me some good time for thinking. Why do I run? I run a 9 minute mile comfortably, so I'm not going to win any marathons. I'm only competing against myself, I realized. It was between that negroni hangover and getting am email about a distance medley in Boston that I made a conscience decision about running: be mindful.

I wanted to make running fun again. With only four races on my calendar this year, training would have to pass some standards: Have you slept enough? Are you hydrated? Do you really want to run? And then if those questions pass the test ... enjoy the run. Look at the sunrise, assess how you feel, and get into the groove of your tunes. Also, knowing one of my races is a half marathon for charity also helps in reminding me that I am running for a reason. With the continued help of sensory deprivation floating, I have found that I'm able to focus so much more while running.

I admit that when I told people my first race this year was going to be a 5K, I was a little embarrassed. A 5K? But I was going to own that 5K. This 5K was also going to cross the famed Boston Marathon Finish Line on Boylston Street.

 After some good weeks of training, and two days of eating my way through the North End, race day was here. I consciously decided not to run with my headphones. I only did this before for the NYC Marathon, because the crowds carry you most of the way. I wanted to experience Boston. Little did I know that people would actually line Commonwealth and Boylston and cheer us on. As we passed mile 2 and rounded up to Boylston Street, the impact of where I was hit. And then I realized, Pearl Jam's Even Flow was playing as I neared the Library. It was the moment that I crossed that line that the crescendo in the middle of the song hits, as if the music gods blessed me with an impromptu soundtrack. (see 4:10 in the video). I probably had the same silly grin that Eddie has as he hits the sea of welcoming mosh pit hands (at 4:15).

All the way to the finish, the "just a 5K" was behind me. The year of pushing myself to not enjoy the run seemed behind me. And in front of me was the finish line ... and then the rush to Record Store Day.

It was an exhausting way to find out all of this, but really, I had to take the journey to get it. It's okay to say you're tired mentally and physically for a run. It's okay to say you're going to hit the pool instead. Just like mindful practice at work or in your life, you need to be present in running. I don't have to run every race and I don't have to run every day. Sometimes, running is good for your mindfulness practice, but if it's just running from a stressful day or your running to work out frustration, the run itself becomes frustrating. 

Even flow
Thoughts arrive like butterflies
Oh he don't know, so he chases them away
Someday yet he'll begin his life again
Life again, life again

~Pearl Jam

Years Go By On An Innocent Face: INXS The Swing

And I imagine you standing here
It's subliminal, so inspirational
Man of the world for all the good reasons
Take away the pain and drink the wine

~I Send a Message~

The fourth album from INXS, The Swing, continued to move the Australian band towards international stardom. While sticking with the similar sound of its first three albums, the leap they make in 1986 to Kick is nothing short of revolutionary. Also, I am the only one who is wondering where the sax is on this album?

It was my real intro to a band I love. This cassette was played adnauseam to my family, but I couldn't get enough of it. It wasn't mainstream US radio and it was so different. And trivia for you all, because I grew up nowhere near an ocean, I thought it was "jelly" not "jetty" because I had no idea what one was.

The opening track and most widely known in the States, Original Sin, also featured Daryl Hall singing with Hutchence on the chorus (because why not?).

The album is dance and keyboard oriented, and also more socially oriented, taking themes of peace, love, and social equality to test in songs such as Face the Change, Dancing on the Jetty,  and All the Voices. The band wanted Swing to echo many of their rock and funk influences. By a chance meeting, one of their influences, Nile Rodgers, who loved the band, would also become the album's producer. 

The Swing also saw the band's videos become more sophisticated and what we would continue to see with Kick. While the album did not see them rise to international fame they were seeking, it would only be a few more years before INXS would considered one of the world's most popular bands.

Track Listing
The Orignial Sin
Melting in the Sun 
I Send a Message
Dancing on the Jetty
The Swing
Johnson's Aeroplane
Love Is (What I Say)
Face the Change
Burn for You
All the Voices

 

Happy Merry Hanukkah Christmas Oi!

It seems as if everyone loves the music this time of year – Christmas music playing all the time in the stores as we shop. But – let’s look at some non-traditional holiday songs; the ones that do not typically get played in aisle five of  Duane Reade.

Christmas In Hollis – Come on, this is beautiful folks – this song is so wrong it’s right. Run DMC stereotypes galore, this song puts the hood into Christmas 

Christmas All Over Again – by Tom Petty. Again, an original Christmas tune – played in Petty-esque simplicity – 

Christmas Time – Smashing Pumpkins. Billy Corgan is Tim Burton’s dream soundtrack singer – he makes Christmas seem so Smashing Pumpkins in this song which is hauntingly beautiful. 

 
Oi to the World – No Doubt … a punk Christmas tune that only Gwen Stefani could get away with covering. A song of forgiveness and bourbon – highly recommend.

Ave Maria – Chris Cornell and Eleven – Traditional yes, but not with this voice. Beautiful – powerful.

  I would never have imagined the next one. So I wanted a Hanukkah song but never thought I would come across a Hanukkah song like this. Please get ready to dance: Chanukah Jewish Rock of Ages - Official Hanukkah Song.

I’m not even a Tom Waits fan – but this is awesome! Christmas Card from a Hooker in Minneapolis. Sad  song – but beautifully done.

 Fairytale of New York – This song is so New York, you can smell the bar at 4am. Beautiful (as much as Shane McGowan can be beautiful) duet with Kristy MacColl.

Christmas Must Be Tonight – My Morning Jacket. Jim James does not stray from the Band original. Classic and should be heard by
all.

A New York City Christmas Tradition of sorts for us in the emergency response community. Shilelagh Law wrote Christmas in New York Again after the 11th and it captures holidays and remembers those no longer with us.

                      


Making Christmas – Nightmare Before Christmas – Eerie holiday song from one of the best movies ever made. If you want to play Christmas music starting after Halloween, you should start with this one!

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanza, Happy Festivus and have Very Blessed and Happy New Year!!!

How Jeff Buckley Introduced Me (Indirectly) To Hannah Williams And The Affirmations

The story of Hannah Williams seems to be written in lore from day one. Her father was a musically gifted minister, and her mother let her join the church choir at the age of 6. Hannah could read music before she could properly read words. Now she‟s an unstoppable force of incredible, once-in-a-lifetime talent.

At an Annual Jeff Buckley Tribute, I met a drummer from Bristol. Somewhere between Grace and Mojo Pin, he mentioned he was a drummer in a band. He then asked if I had ever heard of Hannah Williams. 

Europe had the opportunity to enjoy Hannah Williams since 2012. Hannah is a phenom who was "blessed by Sharon Jones" and remind me ever so much of Helen Terry. Backed on the 2016 album Late Nights and Heartbreak by the sensational Affirmations, the band is finding fame across Europe. The album is filled with classic soul, songs of heartbreak, and the title track has been sampled by Jay Z's album 4:44.

What? How come you've never heard of Hannah Williams and the Affirmations? I honestly don't know. They are not known well in the States - yet.  Having seen them for their performance this year at Brooklyn Bowl, the raw emotion and high caliber talent of the band will propel these talented musicians quickly into larger venues and hopefully more music festivals. Spread the word and let's hear more of Hannah Williams and the Affirmations on this side of the Atlantic.

You can check them out on tour in Europe this fall.

 Thank you to Jeff Buckley and to Jai for introducing me to the Affirmations and to Hannah Williams.

The Affirmations are:
James Graham - Organ, Piano and Wurlitzer
Adam Holgate – Guitar
Adam Newton - Bass Guitar
Jai Widdowson-Jones - Drums
Nicholas Malcolm - Trumpet
Liam Treasure - Trombone
John Pratt - Baritone Saxophone
Victoria Klewin, Hannah Nicholson and Hannah Williams- Backing Vocals.  

The Big Dipper over the Ghost of the Columbia River

PMCarlson 2018

At the moment the Dave Matthews Band tickets went on sale for Labor Day weekend, it was fate. Upon also realizing that the trip would include a stop in a music mecca, and then realizing that two must see 90's classic TV show filming locations were located conveniently along the route between Seattle and The Gorge...it was going to be a priceless experience. 

The takeoff song was planned and this kicked off the journey to the Pacific Northwest.

It seemed appropriate to begin a trip to Seattle with Eddie Vedder. Between Jaws and MadMax and an appropriate grunge soundtrack, the flight was quick and soon the edges of the Cascades could be seen as the plane readied to land. 

Evergreens. Love. Welcome to Seattle.

PMCarlson 2018

Of course first destination was Pikes Place Market...what amazing choices of fresh and affordable food and flowers! And then the first Starbucks of course. We met a new friend at The Lodge, a wonderful and comfy cozy bar / restaurant / hotel on downtown. And then jet lag kicked in. 

Day two became a day to pay tribute to all things grunge. First stop was at The Museum of Pop Seattle (MoPOP for all you cook kids). First up was to see the new Pearl Jam exhibit. 

PMCarlson 2018

 While prepared to see a life size Andrew Wood statue ... seeing a life size statue of Mother Love Bone's Andrew Wood with arms outstretched as he rose out of the earth like Mount Olympus, covered appropriately in STARfish...it was a but overwhelming. 

The exhibit is a must see for any Pearl Jam fan. Eddie's notebooks, the tape Eddie made for Stone, the awards, pictures, just everything you could want to see and more - including a giant Ten-like Pearl Jam to take pictures in front of. 

The museum also pays homage to Nirvana and Jimi Hendrix, as well and hosts other rotating events. The Chris Cornell statue unveiling was moved from it's August date ... so another trip is needed to see it. 

Music history sightseeing makes you hungry so the adventure continued to Toulouse Petit, a wonderful culinary delight in the Queen Anne area of Seattle. Music history sightseeing also makes you thirsty and want to play pinball. Highly recommend this Rudy's-esque Coney Island-themed bar, Shorty's on the lower part of Queen Anne. Of course we met more friends there ... and played some pinball as well!
However, there was still music history to explore and no better place to continue than in picturesque Kerry Park. Gorgeous views of the skyline, but for music lovers, also the location of a famous Andrew Wood photo, arms wide open and embracing all things rock and fabulous. 

PMCarlson 2018

The  next stop on the grunge tour, no, not the bench outside of Kurt Cobain's house, but the statue that inspired a very famous song by Seattle's Soundgarden: The Black Sun statue in Volunteer Park (also home to Bruce and Brandon Lee's graves). 

That evening, our adventure took us to The Pacific Inn Pub located in Fremont, home of also, the Fremont Troll. Best fish and chips and fish tacos ... and not just because Anthony Bourdain ate there.

Conveniently located a ten minute walk away, was Highdive, a live music venue with a lot of funk andsoul. Every Thursday, a bunch of musicians from a bunch of bands join forces and become Marmalade. Must See!!! 

Day Three:  A visit to TV history on the way to The Gorge.
The morning started out the way you imagine a Seattle morning starting out with the cliche rain and fog. But for the drive ahead it was perfect. For this morning, I would visit the homes of two of my all time favorite TV shows: Twin Peaks and Northern Exposure.  Both are quirky but one is dark and the other funny. Both had an impact on me growing up. Have you ever visited the town of

your favorite TV show? Do it! If it exists, it is a priceless experience. And if you are a Twin Peaks fanatic, you must check out Twin Peaks Tours. He is a true fan that we met

along the way and will guide you through Agent Cooper's arrival to the final place Laura Palmer was seen by James Hurley. Snoqualmie and North Bend are quaint towns that are worth visiting even if you are not a fan. Don't forget to stop by Twede's Cafe to get a hot cup of coffee as black as the sky on a moonless night and damn fine slice of cherry pie. 

The drive from Seattle along route 90 is magical and if you're never seen real mountains before, you will be amazed. Next Stop: Cicely Alaska, real name Rosyln.Walking the streets where the characters actually filmed both shows was unforgettable and quite priceless. Walking into The Brick for a beer and strolling along the main street was a highlight. 

Day Three Continued: The Gorge
The landscape shifts drastically from green and rocky mountains to the desert. Close your eyes and you can make yourself believe you're in the Southwest. We made our home for the next three days in Ellensburg. A college town that also hosts a rodeo on Labor Day weekend.The anticipation was growing to see the venue. Touted as one of the best live music venues, the Gorge Amphitheater sits above the Columbia River, giving the concert goer a magnificent view before enjoying the show. And magnificent it truly is. 

PMCarlson 2018

It is easy to spot someone who has never been to The Gorge before ... there is much anticipation as you crest the hill past the vendors and merch table. And then you see it ... pictures cannot do it any justice. The land opens up before you and the music, caught by the natural amphitheater, is amplified as you try to get that grin off your face of how truly amazing it all really is. 

On to the show. This year's DMB shows included The Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Moon Taxi, and Margo Price. And as the sun set, the Big Dipper could be seen sitting perfectly above the stage. 

Three nights and 63 Dave Matthews Band songs. Perfect weather. Perfect crowd. The experience was worth traveling thousands of miles. Seeing families, couples, friends, all gather to enjoy music under the stars and create memories seems to be the goal of shows at The Gorge. 

The drive back to Seattle via Route 2 was just as stunning and breathtaking as driving on Route 90 through Snoqualmie Pass. Slow, the desert scene shifted back to evergreens. But there was still one more music adventure to take in Seatttle.

 Easy Street Records in West Seattle is probably most famous for the Mother Love Bone Mural (re-painted a few years ago by Jeff Ament). You can go there for food and to shop for some great music. They also host many live events. And if you're in the neighborhood, I suggest you take a drive to Alki Beach. Totally not expecting this gorgeous beach oasis. BUT so worth visiting. 

Vacations are for relaxing I suppose, so a visit to one of Seattle's sensory deprivation floating tanks was in order. While there are several, Level Float Spa caught my eye because they also offer neuro spa, light and sensory therapy (and they also offer unlimited packages!). Not familiar with sensory deprivation floating? Check out this post for more information.

Of course we dined at Pikes Place Market but we wanted somewhere that the locals frequent. A nice dinner before heading back to reality. It was ironically named The Brooklyn.  Once we were inside, I understood that they were trying to replicate the 50's Brooklyn diner with a bit of Dick Tracy - like mystique and exaggeration. The food was amazing. 
Let me repeat this ... the food was amazing. No egg creams, but they do specialize in local fare full of flavor and originality.

It's always very sad leaving a new place that your soul totally is into, but alas, that time arrived. Two more stops before the airport. 
Dicks. Admittedly, very good for fast food. I also regret not getting the shake. But save room for your amazing meal and wonderful service in Georgetown's Nine Pound Hammer. We never would have found this place if it was not for our hotel concierge. Funky and out of the way makes Nine Pound Hammer a new favorite. 

The trip, over too fast. New friends. Old friends. Lots of music. Evergreens. An adventure with my best friend. Highly recommend Seattle.

PMCarlson 2018 - Kerry Park