David Lee Roth must be on one hell of a bender right now.
Roth was hired to replace Howard Stern in 7 markets this past January when Stern signed a contract with Sirius satellite radio… but Diamond Dave was effectively fired from his radio gig yesterday and will be replaced by XM Satellite Radio hosts Opie & Anthony.
Assuming he *is* drunk right now, I imagine it’s probably going something like this:
Makes you long for the ’80s, doesn’t it? Hopefully these will help:
- Listen to Van Halen’s Hot for Teacher.
- Listen to Aztec Camera’s cover of Jump.
Buy The Best of Aztec Camera at Insound
Buy 1984 at Insound
You may have noticed from our sidebar to the right that today, April 20, 2006, is National High Five Day. Created by Conor Lastowka over at San Diego Serenade with his friends Sam Miotke and Wynn Walent, NH5 Day doesn’t have any subversive meaning other than spreading the joy of the high five. And maybe to recognize the inventor of the high five, former Murray State basketball star, Mont Sleets.
The founders put out a call for high-five-themed original music a few months back and have the tracks posted on their site. There’s also a Rhapsody playlist with some more familiar tunes.
I have the tendency to find out about awesome albums years after they first come out, which happily isn’t always my fault. I wasn’t alive when Oar came out, I don’t think I had any money when Marquee Moon was released. And I frankly hated how often light radio played Neil Diamond to realize how awesome he truly is. But I’m really only a year off from discovering a band that only has one album so far but will probably prove to be at least as classic as the above.
Black Mountain‘s self-titled debut came out last January and if you haven’t heard it, give it a try. It is fucking awesome. A few of the tracks have that classic art rock type of screechy saxaphone paired with repetitive bass and instead of singing, a kind of sighing/yelling. Other songs are psychedelic prog-rock; bass-heavy, ballswaying rrrrOCK. Listening to the album you’re like, groooove out. No, ROCK out. No, psych out. No, beard out. You nod your head slowly, trying to get back to work, but your middle and ring finger keep curling while your index and pinky extend to the fucking sky, baby, like little black mountains all your own.
- Listen to “Druganaut“
- Listen to “Heart of Snow“
If you like Black Mountain, check out songwriter Stephen McBean’s lighter fare in Pink Mountaintops.
After reading Seamus’ article on Blood Feathers, I recalled my first encounter with their drummer Feather Q, aka Quentin Stoltzfus, last summer. It was at Club Congress in Tucson, where I was diligently pounding beers awaiting Rogue Wave to take the stage. But before that would occur, I would have to be subjected to an opening band that I had yet to hear. Q’s band, Mazarin, took the stage and promptly proceeded to kick out the jingly jangles, echoey vocals, and dreamy riffs that sparked fire to my ears. I looked around the club in anticipation to see how the brotherly/sisterly collective was receiving the paisley-colored good vibes. Unfortunately there weren’t too many witnesses to relate to at this point in the night. Just as I was being pulled back into their psychedelic trance, the beers came a knockin’ on bladder’s door.
Say hello to Coca Cola’s newest pitchman, Jack White of the White Stripes, selling drinks to bovine America.
Raconteur indeed.
This brings to mind the late comedian Bill Hicks‘ rant about Jay Leno shilling Doritos when he obviously didn’t need the money. At one point in time Bill had considered Jay a great comedian and even a friend, afterall he had helped Hicks get his first TV appearance on Letterman, but the idea of Leno selling his soul in order to discuss inane topics with celebrities on late night TV was too much to bear.
- Listen to Bill Hicks’ Artistic Rollcall
- Listen to Bill Hicks’ Orange Drink
Buy Rant in E-Minor from 
or 
By the way, Jack White, Brendan Benson and whoever the hell else is in the Raconteurs will be appearing at this summer’s Lollapalooza festival in Chicago… brought to you by Bud Light.