Let me tell you about my dream last night: I was in a post-apocalyptic world, and ...wait, where are you going? I haven't told you that Bernie Sanders was driving the jeep. I don't like to hear about people's dreams. They're not that interesting, nor are they as "weird" as most people seem to think. "Really, you didn't think that was odd," is a phrase I hear after I'm told about some dream. "No" is my response.
My dreams generally fall into three certain types: I'm at a conference in a large hotel that has odd ways to get around (use of multiple elevators to get to my floor, etc.; I'm driving around a city that is like Boston (sometimes a smaller city); it's a post-apocalyptic world and I'm trying to survive with a revolving cast of characters (like Bernie Sanders - that really was my dream last night). I'm not sure why many of the dreams I remember fall into one of those three categories - they're familiar memes that involve people I am thinking about, but I don't believe that they are interesting to anyone else. So don't be telling me about your wild dreams.
Let's dream on with these artist on today's podcast: Erasure, Ultravox, Gary Numan, Cabaret Voltaire, Chaka Khan, Candi Staton, Mavis Staples, Neko Case, the Handsome Family, Loretta Lynn, the Mavericks, Lizzy Mercier Descloux, Esperanza Spalding, and Gladys Knight & the Pips.
This podcast is available to stream or download at brennick.net. Thank you for taking the time to stream or download this podcast, or any of the other podcasts, all of which are still available at the site. Please leave comments and suggestions at the site (I do read the comments), and share this with other like-minded friends. Thank you.
It's Easter Sunday, did you know that? It's one of the earliest days Easter can be on. Rarely does Easter fall in March - it won't be in March again until 2024.The 22nd is actually the earliest it can be, but that won't happen for a long time (the year will be 2285 - I may not be around to see it). And don't get me started with Greek Easter...
And what of the Easter bunny? I just found out that it originated in Germany with the Lutherans - and yes, there were eggs involved. There are a bunch of theories about bunnies and eggs, but they all seem to be guesses based on working backwards from bunnies and eggs. Fertility symbols in the spring sounds pretty good. I'm sure that had a lot to do with it.
Easter was big in my Catholic family back in the day - there are inevitable photos of us in our Easter suits, Easter mass, Easter ham, chocolate Easter egg hunts with baskets, etc. Those days - long gone. We're going to try to find a brunch at a nice restaurant with our son this year.
Who better to ring in Easter than the artists on this week's podcast: the Butthole Surfers, Swamp Dogg, Nick Lowe, Rachel Sweet, the Remains, Peter Tosh, Hank Ballard, the Paul Butterfield Blues Band, the First Edition, Television, the Kinks, Elton John, the Searchers, the Records, the Dum Dum Girls, and Small Faces. Good boys and girls, one and all.
This podcast is available to stream or download at brennick.net. Thank you for taking the time to stream or download this podcast, or any of the other podcasts, all of which are still available at the site. Please leave comments and suggestions at the site (I do read the comments), and share this with other like-minded friends. Thank you.
I like all kinds of music. This morning I was listening to a Northern Soul compilation, and recently I've been playing a lot of jazz. Jazz seems to have a small, loyal audience. I'm not sure why it isn't more popular - there are many different types of jazz that people could find a style that they would enjoy. There's vocal jazz for people who likes songs with lyrics - I've been listening to Abbey Lincoln quite a bit. There's straight ahead jazz, which has choruses that are easily followed to go with the solos, and many other genres within jazz that have analogs to whatever style of music one might like.
Two movies are coming out about jazz artists - Don Cheadle is doing a Miles Davis movie and Ethan Hawke is releasing a Chet Baker biography. Neither movie will probably be mainstream hits, although I hope that it will spark interest in jazz for some - let's start by listening to my latest jazz podcast.
On today's jazzcast I play a few different styles of jazz, from fusion to soul jazz to straight ahead music. So let's listen to the Mahavishnu Orchestra, Larry Young, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Jim Rotondi, Stan Getz, Snarky Puppy with the Metropole Orkest, Miles Davis, Dexter Gordon, Lee Morgan, Thelonious Monk, and Eddie Harris.
This podcast is available to stream or download at brennick.net. Thank you for taking the time to stream or download this podcast, or any of the other podcasts, all of which are still available at the site. Please leave comments and suggestions at the site (I do read the comments), and share this with other like-minded friends. Thank you.
I'm currently reading a book called "Every Song Ever" by New York Times columnist Ben Ratliff. I'd read an article with him about the changes in music and how people are now streaming music as opposed to purchasing the music via LP, CD and downloads. I thought that the book would be a continuation of that argument, but it's not - it's about the different ways one can understand music. It's a good book, if different from what I thought I would read. One chapter was on slow music, and taking his advice I listened to "Dopesmoker" by the band Sleep, which is a one hour drone of a song("stays in one key, mostly in one chord. The control is fantastic..."). Well, it's something you have to be in the mood for, anyway.
There's been a discussion among my music friends about the end of owning music. Someone started it by writing how he's changed over the years so he loads up his streaming site with the albums he wants to hear, and that doing that has lessened the appeal of purchasing music. That model seems to be where we're headed, but as with some of the others, for me streaming (or listening to podcasts, etc.) is supplemental to owning music. I've always been a collector (not a hoarder honest!) - although many purchases are downloads, and not a physical product, I like to own music. It's a way of supporting the artists, which I think is important. I'll get physical media to support artists, too, as CD's or LP's (yes, still listen to vinyl - I'll need to update my LP's I've listened to). I hope that y'all are the same as me - supporting artists by buying music as well as listening to podcasts as a way of learning about new music.
So take the time to listen to today's podcast, which has a mix of old and new music. We've got the Skiffle Players, Wussy, Beck, the Rolling Stones, Ride, Lush, Jarvis Cocker, Graham Coxon, Damien Jurado, Arctic Monkeys, Primal Scream, Santigold, Matthew Sweet, Them, and Todd Rundgren on today's podcast.
This podcast is available to stream or download at brennick.net. Thank you for taking the time to stream or download this podcast, or any of the other podcasts, all of which are still available at the site. Please leave comments and suggestions at the site (I do read the comments), and share this with other like-minded friends. Thank you.
April showers bring May flowers, according to Bugs Bunny (really, where else have you heard this?), but what does April snow bring? Grumbling, resentment, a desire to move to warmer climes? We've had a mild winter, but I figured that our spring would get interrupted by snow - it's pretty inevitable. The snow we got last Monday wasn't too bad - we got about 3 inches of light, fluffy snow that was easy to move on Tuesday morning, and the snow was fully gone by Thursday. Not too unpleasant.
But we're back in full spring mode - here comes the mud. The ground is loosening (the snowplows did a number on my lawn), and the showers will make it a muddy spring. Ah, but the May flowers...
Get ready for the first buds of the year with Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, the Beta Band, Band of Bees, Mazzy Star, Cocteau Twins, Teenage Fanclub, the Paladins, the Blasters, Gene Vincent, Billy Lee Riley, Carl Perkins, Ry Cooder, Stevie Wonder, and Marvin Gaye on today's podcast.
This podcast is available to stream or download at brennick.net. Thank you for taking the time to stream or download this podcast, or any of the other podcasts, all of which are still available at the site. Please leave comments and suggestions at the site (I do read the comments), and share this with other like-minded friends. Thank you.
When I was young I had a great memory. I was very smart and could remember things so well that I didn't develop good study habits until late in college. When I was in high school and early college I acted in plays for the high school and a community group. My roles increased until I was the lead in many plays at the end. I'm not sure that it was because I was that good an actor, but because I could memorize a lot of lines and recite them back on cue.
Now, though, I don't think I have that ability any more. At my age, my memory seems to be slipping. I've set up many ways to fight the loss of memory, such as keeping detailed lists (to do lists, grocery lists, quick notes jotted down) to help. My steel trap of a mind has become a bit rusted, and the lists are the WD-40 to keep my mind working at a reasonable level.
Music helps memory, so let's remember this week with Lene Lovich, Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes, Sylvain Sylvain, Ruth Copeland, Leonard Cohen, Joe Strummer & the Mescaleros, the Smithereens, Primal Scream, Bob Mould, Night Moves, Aimee Mann, Charles Sheffield, Roy Hamilton, and Bobby Blue Bland.
This podcast is available to stream or download at brennick.net. Thank you for taking the time to stream or download this podcast, or any of the other podcasts, all of which are still available at the site. Please leave comments and suggestions at the site (I do read the comments), and share this with other like-minded friends. Thank you.
My computer died on Monday (before Prince, Michelle McNamara, Lonnie Mack, and Richard Lyons (Negativland) died - this has got to stop). It was a good, solid computer that gave me no trouble until it died suddenly. We tried to save it, but the shop I took it to couldn't fix it, either. I'll be getting the files from the computer next week, as I'll be in California this week. So I'll be posting this from an airport on Sunday morning. I have a replacement computer bought Friday. We tried everything to fix the computer - it was computer cancer (motherboard failure). I was able to recreate the podcast (yay backups) I recorded with new voiceovers. I think that the voiceovers sound weird - I'll have to see what I can do about that.
So mourn along with me as we play funereal music from Human Sexual Response, the Raveonettes, the Last Shadow Puppets, Franz Ferdinand, the Jam, the Only Ones, the Undertones, 999, Jethro Tull, Sharon Jones, Howard Tate, Rockpile, Cream, the Electric Light Orchestra, Roy Buchannon, and the Doors.
This podcast is available to stream or download at brennick.net. Thank you for taking the time to stream or download this podcast, or any of the other podcasts, all of which are still available at the site. Please leave comments and suggestions at the site (I do read the comments), and share this with other like-minded friends. Thank you.
Just flew back from California, and boy are my arms... are reduced to this level of humor. I am tired, as it took most of the week to get acclimated to the time difference, and now I have to get re-set to this time zone. Sad, isn't it?
Had fun in Napa and Monterey last week - vacation and work-related. Saw some nice wineries (John Anthony, Aonair, and V12), ate some great food, and went to the Winchester Mystery House in San Jose just before leaving for home. Ah, nutty rich people.
I did not get a new podcast ready for today. I have one in the can, though, an overview of the year 1996 that was going to be a Wednesday podcast. Hopefully I'll get back into the swing this week and return to podcasting on a regular schedule.
So think back twenty years (yes, 20!) and listen to Beck, the Brian Jonestown Massacre, Los Lobos, Belle and Sebastian, Elvis Costello, Marshall Crenshaw, Sebadoh, Pulp, Morcheeba, Tony!Toni!Tone!, Tricky, Everything But the Girl, the Cardigans, and R.E.M.
This podcast is available to stream or download at brennick.net. Thank you for taking the time to stream or download this podcast, or any of the other podcasts, all of which are still available at the site. Please leave comments and suggestions at the site (I do read the comments), and share this with other like-minded friends. Thank you.
My old computer broke - motherboard issues. I got a new computer and had the old hard drive (mostly) transferred to the new computer, but it took a long time (still semi-unsure why). So I've been without a computer for a week. I must say that overall I didn't miss it as much as I thought. I would reflexively sit down and move the mouse, trying to awaken the computer that wasn't here - silly boy.
Anyway, the computer's back, with most of my old files. I'll have to work to get the new computer working like the old one. I'm getting used to the new Windows 10 operating system - it's another step removed from being able to control the computer one's self.
One thing I did get back was all of my podcast files, so I have a podcast for today. Of course, it was supposed to go up last week, so I mention that it's May Day on the podcast. I did that podcast before my trip to California, so I wouldn't have to record one the day I got back. I'll be back on my regular schedule next week. So let's listen to That Petrol Emotion, the Wonder Stuff, Ocean Colour Scene, Paul Weller, Don Dixon, the Yardbirds, the Triffids, Brian Eno, Raphael Saadiq, Marvin Gaye, Ann Sexton, Baby Huey, Little Feat, Robert Palmer, and Lee Dorsey.
This podcast is available to stream or download at brennick.net. Thank you for taking the time to stream or download this podcast, or any of the other podcasts, all of which are still available at the site. Please leave comments and suggestions at the site (I do read the comments), and share this with other like-minded friends. Thank you.
So with the inevitable nomination of Donald Trump...too soon? It's a lazy Sunday - sure, I have a bunch of lawn stuff and other summer prep to do today, as well as shopping, cleaning and laundry, but overall it's a lazy Sunday, since I can work at my own pace. The skies will be cloudy all day, but supposedly no rain, so I don't have to worry about when I go out to do work.
And that is the definition of a lazy Sunday, and a good life. At some point we all get to a place (I hope we all get there) where time slows down and we can fit everything we want into our lives, without losing anything valuable or feeling undue pressure about life. I'm pretty easygoing, and my needs are few at this point, so I've become pretty satisfied with how things are going (my typing skills, however, have become brutal). Hope everyone else is satisfied with their lives.
Know what'll help? Listening to the latest and newest podcast. Let's get satisfied with Wire, Higher Authorities, Wilco, the Golden Palominos, Genya Ravan, Janis Joplin, Big Mama Thornton, Etta James, Paul Weller, Johnny Jenkins, Dr. John, Faces, the Jeff Beck Group, and Rod Stewart.
This podcast is available to stream or download at brennick.net. Thank you for taking the time to stream or download this podcast, or any of the other podcasts, all of which are still available at the site. Please leave comments and suggestions at the site (I do read the comments), and share this with other like-minded friends. Thank you.
It's Sunday morning and I am sitting on my deck, looking out at my lawn, which I spent all of yesterday working on. Whew, my wife thought that I was stopping work at noontime yesterday, but I was just taking a half-hour break before returning to work in the afternoon. I started the afternoon work by bringing up the chairs, table and umbrella to the deck, which is when my wife thought I would be stopping (again). But, no, those leaves weren't going to rake themselves and get ready to be picked up on Monday.
Last week I talked about a lazy Sunday - today won't be much different, probably, but it'll be brought on by a very hardworking Saturday. Nice to know that I've still got it in me. My wife is worried that I work too hard after days of not a lot of physical activity, but yesterday was a test for me to see how much I could get done. I am slower than I used to be, but I still got all of the work done. My wife was also proud that I managed to do all the work. Now our lawn is starting to look good.
Of course, it's a little chilly this morning, the sky is overcast (slight chance of showers today), but the view is nice, and the yard looks very nice, no matter whether the sun is shining down on it or not - although it's better in the sun. But I have to sit on the deck after I put all the deck furniture out. It's a ritual. I just won't be at staying as long as if the weather were a little better.
Let's all take some time to take in the reverie of our yard and listen to the Nervous Eaters, Twin Peaks, the Black Angels, Love, Tracy Nelson, Lush, P.J. Harvey, St. Vincent, Cat Power, Robyn Hitchcock, Mark Eitzel, Billy Bragg, the Divine Comedy, Lou Reed, Roxy Music, and Talking Heads. This podcast is available to stream or download at http://brennick.net/ . Thank you for taking the time to stream or download this podcast, or any of the other podcasts, all of which are still available at the site. Please leave comments and suggestions at the site (I do read the comments), and share this with other like-minded friends. Thank you.
What a lovely way to begin June - sunny out today with highs around 70 degrees Farenheit (20 C). After the scramble to get my new computer working like my old computer, I've built a small backlog of special podcasts that I will be rolling out more regularly this summer. We'll begin with a new jazzcast, which is made up of stuff I've been listening to. No great theme today, just good jazz that I like. There are a couple of new tunes at the end, but otherwise the playlist is scattered with newer and older stuff, and a bit of stylistic wanderings.
Let's get our groove on with the first jazzcast of June with Mulato Astatke, Wendell Harrison, Enrico Rava, Art Blakey, Ray Anderson, Bill Watrous, Lounge Lizards, Uri Caine, Freddie Hubbard, Howard Johnson and Gravity, Renee Rosnes, and Peter Bernstein.
This podcast is available to stream or download at brennick.net. Thank you for taking the time to stream or download this podcast, or any of the other podcasts, all of which are still available at the site. Please leave comments and suggestions at the site (I do read the comments), and share this with other like-minded friends. Thank you.
Muhammad Ali was the greatest. He was the greatest not only because he was a great fighter, but that he was one of the most personable athletes that ever lived. He was smart, funny, telegenic, and principled. He refused to be drafted and was stripped of the heavyweight title, and although he probably never would have seen action when drafted, did not alter his stance. He was stripped of the heavyweight title and did not fight from March 1967 to October 1970 (his peak athletic ages between 25 to 29). That he was able to come back and regain the heavyweight title after the long layoff was incredible.
The second Liston-Ali fight took place in Lewiston, Maine - the phantom punch and one of the most iconic photos of the sporting world took place there. Dennis Webber and I did a report on sports in Maine - that was the number 1 sports highlight in the state.
I was very big into sports as a kid and looked up to icons like Ali. I didn't care about the color of his skin or his religion - he was a stand up guy. Thanks to him and other great icons like Willie Mays and John Havlicek I gained insights into what could be accomplished with hard work and talent. And with Ali, I also saw that athletes could be intelligent and stand up for what they believed in. This is a great loss for all of us.
Today we look at good and evil at the podcast - we'll start of evilly with Eartha Kitt, Howlin' Wolf, Santana, Electric Light Orchestra, the Yardbirds, Jackie DeShannon, Lightnin' Hopkins, Shelby Lynne, then have some good with Albert Collins, Walter Horton, Faces, Aretha Franklin, Led Zeppelin, the Rascals, the Beach Boys, and the Beatles.
This podcast is available to stream or download at brennick.net. Thank you for taking the time to stream or download this podcast, or any of the other podcasts, all of which are still available at the site. Please leave comments and suggestions at the site (I do read the comments), and share this with other like-minded friends. Thank you.
Anyone famous die this week (Gordie Howe was 88 - doesn't count)? No. Any big news happen this week (Clinton as presumptive nominee doesn't count - has been so for a while)? No. Anything stuck in my craw? No. So it's a quiet Sunday, with chores and my book awaiting me today. What am I reading? Well, on the left hand side of my website I have a Goodreads listing of the book I'm currently reading and the last 5 books that I've read. That's right - I read the Rick James' autobiography Glow a couple of weeks back. It's a wild ride through his life, told as only Rick James could tell it (with Super Freaks). Now it's a comedy mystery - light, enjoyable fun.
My playlist for today includes Joan Armatrading, Mary Margaret O'Hara, the Pretenders, the Go-Go's, White Lung, Bleached, Islands, Tanya Donnelly, John Cale, Lou Ann Barton, John Doe, Chuck Jackson, Joe Cocker, T. Rex, Pretty Things, and Family.
This podcast is available to stream or download at brennick.net. Thank you for taking the time to stream or download this podcast, or any of the other podcasts, all of which are still available at the site. Please leave comments and suggestions at the site (I do read the comments), and share this with other like-minded friends. Thank you.
Well, my computer is back. I spent Friday evening checking it out - seems to be the same. To protect the computer against possible power surges (not necessarily the reason why the motherboard quit - Geek Squad said no - but maybe), I bought an Uninterruptable Power Supply (UPS) to help power down computer in case of trouble.
Overall, I didn't miss my computer all that much, which is a good thing. I do have an iPad, which I used for web surfing and other basic computing needs, which lessened the impact. The biggest part of not having a computer was not being able to complete my podcast, which resulted in a week off. Hopefully that's behind me now.
So as I sit in the sunshine on this beautiful Sunday, please join me for this week's podcast, which includes The Kills, Beth Orton, Thao and the Get Down Stay Down, Mavis Staples, the Mekons, Don Dixon, the Wedding Present, Kirsty MacColl, Steeleye Span, Alison Krauss & Robert Plant, Gillian Welch, Eurogliders, Big Audio Dynamite, and Flesh for Lulu.
This podcast is available to stream or download at brennick.net. Thank you for taking the time to stream or download this podcast, or any of the other podcasts, all of which are still available at the site. Please leave comments and suggestions at the site (I do read the comments), and share this with other like-minded friends. Thank you.
Growing up in rural America I was exposed to the Country music of the late 1960's and early 1970's. It was quite popular among the parents of most of the kids near where I lived, so I'd see the albums and hear some of the music. At the time, I did not care for the music (Rock 'n Roll forever!), but as the years have gone by, I have come to appreciate some of the music from back then (not all of it, though).
This podcast looks back at some o the classic Country music from that time (and some from earlier than that). There's a lot of great music to be discovered from the past - I hope this will add to that discovery.
So tune in to Porter Wagoner, George Hamilton IV, Elvis Presley, Merle Haggard, George Jones, Roger Miller, Johnny Cash, Buck Owens, Willie Nelson & Waylon Jennings, Johnny Darrell, Emmylou Harris, Dolly Parton, Loretta Lynn, Jimmie Rodgers, Lefty Frizell, Ernest Tubb, Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys, Hank Snow, and Dave Dudley.
This podcast is available to stream or download at brennick.net. Thank you for taking the time to stream or download this podcast, or any of the other podcasts, all of which are still available at the site. Please leave comments and suggestions at the site (I do read the comments), and share this with other like-minded friends. Thank you.
Who knew that we really needed to be warned about the danger of fireworks, and that we shouldn't do anything that would lead to our hands getting blown off? Jean Pierre-Paul of the New York Football Giants showed what can happen when you don't handle fireworks safely. Goodness. There were other incidents last year, too, but they're too gruesome to recount. Be safe out there. My method is not having fireworks at all.
Of course, that didn't stop the jokes I made (it's how I got onto the subject). I was working on a shooting my mouth off joke, but never got it to the point where it sounded right - I'll keep working on that one.
The weather in New England has been and should be great for the entire 4th weekend, at the cost of my lawn. No rain equals yellowing lawn. Most of the lawns in the neighborhood look like mine (fortunately), so no one is passing judgment. Water costs lots of money, so nobody seems to be keeping their lawn moisturized in this period of little rain. I'm sure that anytime I take days off this summer the rains will return, but for now I guess we should be happy for sunny days.
No USA theme in today's podcast - just some great tunes. So listen in to Electronic, Ryley Walker, Elvis Presley, the Hudson Brothers, Sugar Pie DeSanto, the Rolling Stones, Graham Parker, the Rutles, Sleater-Kinney, Modest Mouse, Donovan, Siouxsie Sue, Corinne Bailey Rae, AC Reed, Sebadoh, and Conway Twitty.
This podcast is available to stream or download at brennick.net. Thank you for taking the time to stream or download this podcast, or any of the other podcasts, all of which are still available at the site. Please leave comments and suggestions at the site (I do read the comments), and share this with other like-minded friends. Thank you.
We had rain on Saturday - much needed rain. It's been a dry summer so far, so getting rain is important. My lawn has been very dry. I get up this morning and what do I see? Rain. The weather report says AM showers, but cloudy all day. I won't be getting to my lawn today, and don't know when I'll get the chance to take care of it this week - I've got a long week at work.
Let's not let it rain on my podcast this week. I'm finally back in the swing of things and feel pretty caught up since the return of my computer. Today we're listening to The Chills, Camera Obscura, Blood Orange, Lightspeed Champion, Chairmen of the Board, Jackie Wilson, The Chi-Lites, Bo Diddley, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Van Morrison, Albert King, Delbert McClinton, Of Montreal, The Psychedelic Furs, and Electronic.
This podcast is available to stream or download at brennick.net. Thank you for taking the time to stream or download this podcast, or any of the other podcasts, all of which are still available at the site. Please leave comments and suggestions at the site (I do read the comments), and share this with other like-minded friends. Thank you.
I think that 1971 might be the best year for music. Sure, there were no more Beatles, and we lost Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin the year before, but there was a ton of great music post-Woodstock. Who's Next, Sticky Fingers, Every Picture Tells a Story, Tapestry - all classic albums from 1971. After 1971 music became more corporate, and became duller in the intervening years.
To celebrate the music of 45 years ago, I have put together this podcast - the first of 2 or 3 on the year 1971 (that's how much great music there is). So today's show has Rod Stewart, the Who, John Lennon, Led Zeppelin, the Rolling Stones, Crazy Horse, Badfinger, Van Morrison, the Move, David Crosby, and Long John Baldry.
This podcast is available to stream or download at brennick.net. Thank you for taking the time to stream or download this podcast, or any of the other podcasts, all of which are still available at the site. Please leave comments and suggestions at the site (I do read the comments), and share this with other like-minded friends. Thank you.
We've been dogless for over a year, after having dogs continuously for 25 years. We miss having a dog, but enjoy the freedom of not having a dog. This week we've been dogsitting our sister-in-law's dog Benny, a one-eyed long hair Chihuahua. It's been a different experience for us.
Our previous dogs were a black lab mix and a Siberian Husky. They were big working dogs who needed a lot of exercise. I tried walking with Benny, who is pretty reluctant to walk for any amount of time. Last night he walked for awhile after being in a bag for most of the day. What he likes most Is being in someone's lap.
He's pretty endearing, although he is wary of strangers, to the point of lashing out at them, and he hates all children. I remember taking him to Ogunquit when he was a puppy, and these very nice girls around 8 and 10 wanted to pet him. He growled and snapped at them, and I had to apologize for his bad behavior.
We've had fun with him this week, but will be happy to return him tomorrow. If you see us with a small dog, approach with caution.
Todays' podcast is dog-free. Listen to Peter Gabriel, the Grass Roots, the O'Jays, Mink Deville, Big Star, the Move, Buffalo Springfield, Kevin Ayers, King Crimson, Yes, the Byrds, Jimmie Johnson, John Lee Hooker, and Nick Drake.
This podcast is available to stream or download at brennick.net. Thank you for taking the time to stream or download this podcast, or any of the other podcasts, all of which are still available at the site. Please leave comments and suggestions at the site (I do read the comments), and share this with other like-minded friends. Thank you.
I'm trying to enjoy the summer, but the temperatures are a bit too hot for me. Must be those climate change scientists artificially raising the temperatures so as to keep getting funding (darn scientists). Woah! Highs only to 86 today - that seems conservative. I'll bet that it'll get hotter than that.
What else is happening in the world that will calm me down - summer's usually slow for news. Attacks? Mass shootings and truck ramming in Europe, unarmed people shot in the U.S.? Let's hope for the best going forward, but that doesn't sound like anything will slow down soon. We also have the 2016 elections - no - let's not go there. Last week the Republicans had a (bad) convention - this week the Dems will try to show that they've got it together (something tells me that the Dem Convention won't go smoothly, either). Boo politics.
So I'll try to find a quiet, cool spot without the distractions of what's going on in the world - wish me success. I'll be listening to the latest podcast I put together, which features DJ Shadow, Bernie Worrell, Funkadelic, the Waterboys, Aimee Mann, Quantic with Alice Russell, the Zombies, the New Pornographers, Fats Domino, Ray Charles, Klark Kent, Morrissey, Frank Black, and Islands.
This podcast is available to stream or download at brennick.net. Thank you for taking the time to stream or download this podcast, or any of the other podcasts, all of which are still available at the site. Please leave comments and suggestions at the site (I do read the comments), and share this with other like-minded friends. Thank you.
The AV club had a series of articles on the best year... and one writer took on the best year in music, choosing 1981. My memory of those days is somewhat hazy (it's not just the short-term memory), but I was ready for all the good music of 1981.
The author mentioned Elvis Costello's Trust as the best of the year, but many of the rest didn't register as strongly for me (he had the Clash' Sandanista as the 3rd best record of 1981, which I show as having been released in 1980), so putting together a podcast with the best of 1981 (35 years ago) wasn't as easy as I thought it would be.
1981 was a transitional year - most of the major bands had taken the year off, and punk was sputtering out, not yet to have newer forms (new wave, etc.) take over, so although there were some strong records, overall it wasn't as strong as other years.
Still, I think I have many good songs to make up the podcast. Let's reach back all those years ago and groove to the Rolling Stones, Lyres, Mission of Burma, the dB's, Elvis Costello, the English Beat, Squeeze, Rough Trade, Gang of Four, the Blasters, the Undertones, Visage, Smokey Robinson, Marvin Gaye, Joan Armatrading, and Garland Jeffreys.
This podcast is available to stream or download at brennick.net. Thank you for taking the time to stream or download this podcast, or any of the other podcasts, all of which are still available at the site. Please leave comments and suggestions at the site (I do read the comments), and share this with other like-minded friends. Thank you.
I may have ranted about this before, but I do not feel that I am getting old. I've lately been re-examining myself and overall I feel pretty good. I've started to diet and exercise regularly again, and I am losing some weight and am getting better at taking care of myself. I'm not really a big eater - my metabolism is slow, but is helped by exercise. When I don't exercise, everything I eat seems to stick to me.
When I was a kid I thought that everyone over 40 (or so) was old - and maybe that was true, to an extent. Many people smoked and did not take care of themselves like they do today. How many smokers do you know? Maybe it's age (and maturity), but now I see people in their 60's and even 70's that look good, and I hope to be among them someday (soon...it's coming soon). I'll only be 57 this year, and I feel good. I hope that you feel the same, and are taking steps to stay healthy.
Let's stay healthy today by listening to the new podcast, which you can listen to while moving about. Hear Michael Kiwanuka, Son Seals, Johnny Winter, the Dave Clark Five, the Ramones, Richard & Linda Thompson, Carl Perkins, Robert Gordon with Link Wray, Terence Trent D'Arby, Esme Patterson, Love, Camper van Beethoven, Bobby Blue Bland, Freddie King, Muddy Waters, and B.B. King.
This podcast is available to stream or download at brennick.net. Thank you for taking the time to stream or download this podcast, or any of the other podcasts, all of which are at http://brennick.net and are all still available at the site. Please leave comments and suggestions at the site (I do read the comments), and share this with other like-minded friends. Thank you.
What are the most important things in life? I'm not sure that we get to reflect upon that very often, but we can sometimes take some time to say what we're thankful for, which plays into that (apparently one thing that I'm thankful for is typing on a computer, as I am one of the real bad typists and am thankful that I can edit what I type).
When we're young, we generally have to worry about the real basics - shelter, etc. When I graduated from college jobs were not plentiful. I originally planned on getting a masters (or law degree), but I was done with education and held down 3 part-time jobs for awhile to help pay bills. I think of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, as I ticked through physiological, safety, love and belonging, esteem, and self-actualization. We went through some rough patches when we were younger, but are now at the point where we should become self-actualized, but in many cases we just work to maintain where we are.
But I'm reflective today, and am thankful for all my friends and family, and having a job that I love, and my wife and son, and that I remain optimistic for the future. I hope that this is something that I share with my friends. Please take some time to be thankful and thoughtful during the day - thank you.
On today's podcast we're getting crazy (opposite of reflection and thankfulness?) with Joe Jackson, Blur, Link Cromwell, Captain Beefheart, the Blasters, Jerry Lee Lewis, Gene Vincent, Little Feat, Roy Hamilton, Little Walter, Etta James, Aretha Franklin, Ike and Tina Turner, the Five Royales, Wall of Voodoo, Ronnie Dawson, Lee Rocker, and Prince.
This podcast is available to stream or download at http://brennick.net. Thank you for taking the time to stream or download this podcast, or any of the other podcasts, all of which are at http://brennick.net and are all still available at the site. Please leave comments and suggestions at the site (I do read the comments), and share this with other like-minded friends. Thank you.
Hi there - we're back in 1971 - I told you that music was great that year, and so I easily filled another hour with great 1971 music. One of the things I found amazing (and should have remembered) is that many of these songs were released as singles, and many did great, according to Billboard. The days when AM radio was filled with so many different types of music are long gone, but it's great to go back and reminisce. Where have you gone, Casey Kasem?
So let's listen up to another great set of music from 1971, with these artists: Carole King, Tommy James, Three Dog Night, the Bee Gees, Honey Cone, Jackson Five, the Temptations, Marvin Gaye, Faces, Delaney & Bonnie, the Moody Blues, the Guess Who, Elton John, Paul McCartney, and Bonnie Raitt.
This podcast is available to stream or download at brennick.net. Thank you for taking the time to stream or download this podcast, or any of the other podcasts, all of which are still available at the site. Please leave comments and suggestions at the site (I do read the comments), and share this with other like-minded friends. Thank you.
The story of the prodigal son always confused me. Perhaps I always took the wrong lesson from the story, because to me the story is less about redemption and more about that it's okay to play favorites with your children. Coming from a family that believed in hard work, if one of us had had squandered any inheritance on wine, women and song, I'm not sure that my father would have had a celebration for our return. How is the story not about always liking the younger brother over the older brother (which was certainly the argument of the older son). Sometimes that Jesus fellow threw me a curve that I just couldn't hit.
There are no prodigal sons in today's podcast: just good music that could be used in a celebration - let's kill the fatted calf and listen to New Order, echo and the Bunnymen, Jesus and Mary Chain, the Cure, Marcia Ball, Son Seals, Donna Summer, Blood Orange, Barrence Whitfield and the Savages, Kid Creole and the Coconuts, Gene Loved Jezebel, John Martyn, and Songs:Ohia.
This podcast is available to stream or download at brennick.net. Thank you for taking the time to stream or download this podcast, or any of the other podcasts, all of which are at http://brennick.net and are all still available at the site. Please leave comments and suggestions at the site (I do read the comments), and share this with other like-minded friends. Thank you.
Thought I'd throw in a quick recap of 2016 for you today. So far, I'd say that music in 2016 has not been that strong. I generally listen to music in the periphery, so you won't have the latest jams from Kanye coming at you. Some albums have been disappointing to me - I want to like the Mitski album, but just can't get into it - am I getting too old for some music?
What I like I generally love, so there have definitely been some strong albums released this year, such as Santigold, P.J. Harvey, Haley Bonar, and Damien Jurado. Of course, one of the best to come out this year is Blackstar by David Bowie - hard to separate the music from the reality, which is probably how he planned it.
So let's listen to some great music released this year from the Kills, Esperanza Spalding, Santigold, Beth Orton, P.J. Harvey, Your Friend, Wild Nothing, Wild Beasts, Bleached, Bob Mould, Haley Bonar, Thao & the Get Down Stay Down, Damien Jurado, and David Bowie.
This podcast is available to stream or download at brennick.net. Thank you for taking the time to stream or download this podcast, or any of the other podcasts, all of which are still available at the site. Please leave comments and suggestions at the site (I do read the comments), and share this with other like-minded friends. Thank you.
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Happy Easter!
Last week I talked about a lazy Sunday - today won't be much different, probably, but it'll be brought on by a very hardworking Saturday. Nice to know that I've still got it in me. My wife is worried that I work too hard after days of not a lot of physical activity, but yesterday was a test for me to see how much I could get done. I am slower than I used to be, but I still got all of the work done. My wife was also proud that I managed to do all the work. Now our lawn is starting to look good.
Of course, it's a little chilly this morning, the sky is overcast (slight chance of showers today), but the view is nice, and the yard looks very nice, no matter whether the sun is shining down on it or not - although it's better in the sun. But I have to sit on the deck after I put all the deck furniture out. It's a ritual. I just won't be at staying as long as if the weather were a little better.
Let's all take some time to take in the reverie of our yard and listen to the Nervous Eaters, Twin Peaks, the Black Angels, Love, Tracy Nelson, Lush, P.J. Harvey, St. Vincent, Cat Power, Robyn Hitchcock, Mark Eitzel, Billy Bragg, the Divine Comedy, Lou Reed, Roxy Music, and Talking Heads.
This podcast is available to stream or download at http://brennick.net/ . Thank you for taking the time to stream or download this podcast, or any of the other podcasts, all of which are still available at the site. Please leave comments and suggestions at the site (I do read the comments), and share this with other like-minded friends. Thank you.
The second Liston-Ali fight took place in Lewiston, Maine - the phantom punch and one of the most iconic photos of the sporting world took place there. Dennis Webber and I did a report on sports in Maine - that was the number 1 sports highlight in the state.
I was very big into sports as a kid and looked up to icons like Ali. I didn't care about the color of his skin or his religion - he was a stand up guy. Thanks to him and other great icons like Willie Mays and John Havlicek I gained insights into what could be accomplished with hard work and talent. And with Ali, I also saw that athletes could be intelligent and stand up for what they believed in. This is a great loss for all of us.
Today we look at good and evil at the podcast - we'll start of evilly with Eartha Kitt, Howlin' Wolf, Santana, Electric Light Orchestra, the Yardbirds, Jackie DeShannon, Lightnin' Hopkins, Shelby Lynne, then have some good with Albert Collins, Walter Horton, Faces, Aretha Franklin, Led Zeppelin, the Rascals, the Beach Boys, and the Beatles.
This podcast is available to stream or download at brennick.net. Thank you for taking the time to stream or download this podcast, or any of the other podcasts, all of which are still available at the site. Please leave comments and suggestions at the site (I do read the comments), and share this with other like-minded friends. Thank you.
Of course, that didn't stop the jokes I made (it's how I got onto the subject). I was working on a shooting my mouth off joke, but never got it to the point where it sounded right - I'll keep working on that one.
The weather in New England has been and should be great for the entire 4th weekend, at the cost of my lawn. No rain equals yellowing lawn. Most of the lawns in the neighborhood look like mine (fortunately), so no one is passing judgment. Water costs lots of money, so nobody seems to be keeping their lawn moisturized in this period of little rain. I'm sure that anytime I take days off this summer the rains will return, but for now I guess we should be happy for sunny days.
No USA theme in today's podcast - just some great tunes. So listen in to Electronic, Ryley Walker, Elvis Presley, the Hudson Brothers, Sugar Pie DeSanto, the Rolling Stones, Graham Parker, the Rutles, Sleater-Kinney, Modest Mouse, Donovan, Siouxsie Sue, Corinne Bailey Rae, AC Reed, Sebadoh, and Conway Twitty.
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Let's not let it rain on my podcast this week. I'm finally back in the swing of things and feel pretty caught up since the return of my computer. Today we're listening to The Chills, Camera Obscura, Blood Orange, Lightspeed Champion, Chairmen of the Board, Jackie Wilson, The Chi-Lites, Bo Diddley, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Van Morrison, Albert King, Delbert McClinton, Of Montreal, The Psychedelic Furs, and Electronic.
This podcast is available to stream or download at brennick.net. Thank you for taking the time to stream or download this podcast, or any of the other podcasts, all of which are still available at the site. Please leave comments and suggestions at the site (I do read the comments), and share this with other like-minded friends. Thank you.
There are no prodigal sons in today's podcast: just good music that could be used in a celebration - let's kill the fatted calf and listen to New Order, echo and the Bunnymen, Jesus and Mary Chain, the Cure, Marcia Ball, Son Seals, Donna Summer, Blood Orange, Barrence Whitfield and the Savages, Kid Creole and the Coconuts, Gene Loved Jezebel, John Martyn, and Songs:Ohia.
This podcast is available to stream or download at brennick.net. Thank you for taking the time to stream or download this podcast, or any of the other podcasts, all of which are at http://brennick.net and are all still available at the site. Please leave comments and suggestions at the site (I do read the comments), and share this with other like-minded friends. Thank you.