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Janis Joplin — 391, 390

Album: Greatest Hits (1973); Pearl (1969)

MVC Rating: Greatist: 4.0/$$$; Pearl 4.5/$$$$

NOTE: I added Pearl, which I picked up in a thrift store after I’d done the original review. Half the tracks overlap with Greatest Hits. Pearl is a great classic album. I’m pretty sure I have pretty much all the Joplin I need as I also have a CD with something like 20 song.

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Talk about pain — as we have been with the country songs of George Jones and Tammy Wynette — Janis Joplin was one hurting puppy.

Her voice was like no other when that inner turmoil came out.

That’s why the video in my last post of Janis and Tom Jones is something of a revelation. Tom Jones (coming to Birmingham soon) is a made for-Vegas, pop singer with a ladies’ following, some nifty dance moves copped from Elvis, and a strong strong voice in his own right. On this duet, Tom and Janis seem to be having much fun as they see who can out belt each other while shimmying around the dance floor to a small but raucous crowd of musicians and dancers.

Janis’ story is sad. Bullied in school in Port Arthur, Texas, for being overweight and having severe acne, she withdrew, thinking she didn’t fit in. She listened to old blues records and began singing in clubs. Next stop San Francisco. It was the psychedelic 1960s’ epicenter. Music, consciousness raising, sexual liberation and drugs came together in a way that was both exciting and very extremely dangerous. Janis died of a heroin overdose at 27.

She died before seeing her cover of the Kris Kristofferson-Fred Foster penned ‘Me and Bobby McGee.’ I might even put that song in my top 10 all time rock songs. Listen to how the lyrics like graceful brush strokes evoke a time, a place, desperation and, yes, freedom.

It was the second No. 1 single to be released after the artist died. The other? ‘(Sittin’ On the Dock of the Bay’ by Otis Redding, another song in contention for my Top 10 and another example of voice and words evoking a sad song of wandering and memories. I’ve got some Otis Redding coming so, as Sam and Dave used to sing, Hold On.

Fun fact: Bobby McGee has been covered by many people, but the first cover was by Roger “King of the Road” Miller. Road songs all.

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My wife feels an electrical charge when she touches me (blog version)

For AL.com version go here.

My wife Catherine and I have electricity between us.

That’s a truth I am proud of even if we have to check the voltage every now and again after 30-plus years of marriage.

But what I am about to describe is not actually the spark of love or the metaphorical way we describe electricity between people, sparks flying and all..

I’m talking literally.

When she touches the top of my ear, at certain times, she feels an electrical buzz on her fingertip. When she does and moves her finger back and forth I hear what sounds like a Star Wars lightsaber — bzuhzzzzzzzuhzzzzzuhzzzz (thanks Reddit and Huffington Post for offerings on how to spell that sound.)

We discovered this phenomenon a few weeks back and it kind of freaked me out. Not known to be electrifying, I wondered how there was a current running through me. Now when I touch my ear after she feels the buzzing, I don’t feel anything.

My thoughts eventually led me to wonder if it has something to do with my brain disease, Lewy body dementia. The ear is rather close to the brain I figured. And strange body feelings are sometimes symptoms of LBD.

After some time searching the Internet, I got a better idea of what may be going on – but certainly not a definitive answer. It appears that the culprit may be the computer laptop. Other reports are that the phenomenon is connected to electric blankets.

What I found were scattered reports on website threads from people asking the same thing.

This from a reader on a physics blog.

When my wife uses her laptop, if I touch her skin, I can feel a buzz. She doesn’t feel the buzz, but she can hear it if I touch her ear. So I’m guessing it’s a faulty laptop, and she’s conducting an electrical current. But why would she not feel anything, and what would it be that she would be hearing when I touch her ear?

Similar stories are reported on a few scattered websites but many of these reports are five or more years old. And it’s true that the buzzing goes away if I’m not using my laptop with it on my lap.

Now scientists have pretty much ruled out any links between laptops and testicular cancer, a concern in the early days of heavy laptop use. But I haven’t been able to find a study on this particular situation.

So I don’t think it is a symptom of my brain disease but I do wonder – though doubtful – that it may be a cause.

Some reports I have found are here and here.

As ‘Buzzing in California’ asked on a blog post relating an electric blanket experience: This experience prompts two questions; one of an academic nature, and the other more related to general health matters.

Has anybody out there experienced this or know any more about it?

I’d love to hear from you as I keep seeking an answer.

For the time being I’ll just chalk it up to the electrifying chemistry I have with Catherine.

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Tom Jones — 392

Album: Tom Jones Country (1981)

MVC Rating: 3.5/$

Another day, another singer named Jones. As in Tom Jones.

First off this isn’t real country music. Secondly, is this the real Tom Jones?

On record it sounds like Tom Jones and his powerful voice is in fine form. But the cover with Jones wearing a cowboy hat looks an awful lot like Will Ferrell. No? Take a look side-by-side look of both gentlemen in hats:


The left is as it says, Will Ferrell, the right is Jones.

If you are looking for real country music sung by a man named Jones, don’t choose Tom, choose George. (George and Tammy Wynette are reviewed on my previous post.)

Now we transition from George Jones to Tom Jones and watch this smooth segue as I post a video of Tom Jones singing with Janis Joplin — who happens to be next in the myvinylcountdown.com of my 678 vinyl records.

Tom Jones and Janis Joplin having fun in a duet.

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George Jones, Tammy Wynette –394-393

ALBUMS: Wynette: First Songs of the First Lady (1971); Wynette/Jones: Encore (1981); George Jones: All Time Greatest Hits Vol. 2. (1977)

Another day. Another rotation of our earth.

Tammy Wynette is on the turntable. I am awestruck.

“Walk through this world with me,” Tammy sings. “Go where I go. Share all my dreams with me. I need you so.”

This was intended to be my George Jones only countdown review. But I had a record of songs where Jones and Wynette sing duets. And I had a Tammy Wynette compilation album. So this review is a Jones-Wynette review involving those three albums.

This is country music. Period.

No alt, no country rock, no Americana, no crossover, just pure pedal steel guitar and songs about pain and suffering, that are sometimes, somehow soothing.

Tammy’s voice on ‘Apartment No. 9’ snuggles up to the swelling steel guitar. Then there are the lyrics as delivered by Tammy. Aching , soothing, angry but strong. The combination of voice, music and lyric stir a soul.

“Loneliness surrounds me, without your arms around me. ”

George Jones is Tammy’s male alter ego. Together they make you smile and cry.

Why do we like sad songs?

‘Don’t wanna play house; It makes my mommy cry
‘Cause when she played house; My daddy said good-bye. ‘

Jones and Tammy, who were married to each other for about six years and performed together for many more, have touched millions of people.

And what are they singing about? Cheating, drinking, betrayal, hope and despair, love and lust, pain and happiness. Suffering.

Our lives.

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How Am I Feeling? An update.

I was going to name this column Dunking on Dewy.

Or, should the headline be Dunking With Lewy.

I’ve had a slow start since my initial public pronouncement that I will dunk by mid-July when we, presumably, will hold the 3rd Annual Mike’s Madness charity basketball tournament.

I began training to dunk in late October, got some instruction from a personal trainer, then a bunch of stuff happened that ran me off course:  Namely, holiday season, illness  and travel.

Between travelling and eating all sorts of sweets and catching pneumonia , I have compressed my training. I will now wait and start Jan. 2 after the holiday parties, dinners, travel etc. are behind me. I would then, I told myself, go on a comprehensive plan involving changing my diet and lots of exercise targeted at vertical leap improvement.

Then I got sick, bad chest congestion and some fever. Doctor said it was ‘pneumonia’ of the walking variety..

After three weeks, I’m still not 100 percent.’

So, this motivation thing can be tricky. I am somewhat skeptical about whether I will be able to train myself to dunk. But not unsure. It’s a win-win because the single best thing you can do for Lewy body dementia is exercise.

 I am 6-feet tall, about 180 pounds (which is about 15 or so pounds above my playing weight) and have never dunked, although I have played basketball for decades. In my 20’s I was able to touch the rim, almost grab it. Did I mention I am 59?

I know I need to strengthen my body.

Now I also know I’m going to have to do something more difficult and more powerfull: strengthen my mind.

This is an opinion piece written by Mike Oliver who covers life and death issues. Mike was diagnosed less than three years ago with the fatal brain disease Lewy body dementia.

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Robert Johnson — 395

ALBUM:   King of the Delta Blues Singers, Vol. 2 (1970 compilation)

MVC Rating: 4.5/$$$$

This probably should be a 5 rating due to the massive influence Johnson had on the best rock guitarists in the world.. But I have to take a little off because the primitive sound quality certainly to my ears has an effect on its listening pleasure. This album is considered the best representation of Johnson’s work. And it’s fascinating to listen to old the old blues to see where the rock came from. But I don’t think it’s an easy listening experience. However, by turning the volume up high you can have a cathartic experience. That’s the soul coming in and sometimes it hurts.

I’m Just glad they were able to save the songs. Wiki said that there were only two known, confirmed photos of RJ>

It sounds like it was recorded in the other room. Which I think it literally was. Check out the album cover.

It’s a bit of a strain to hear and become immersed in the electric guitar mastery recorded on 1930’s equipment. But it’s well worth the listening just to hear the songs you’ve heard re-done by Clapton, Zeppelin and the Beatles. It’s a reservoir of rock and roll riffs at the ground level.

Cr0ssroads is where Johnson allegedly sold his soul to the devil for his musical abilities on guitar.



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I’ll make this gripe short

I was reading this nice article online called 10 things your doctor won”t tell you about Parkinson’s disease.

The article opens:

Every year in the United States, about 60,000 people learn they have Parkinson’s disease, according to the American Parkinson Disease Association. The degenerative disorder strikes the central nervous system, impairing movement and balance, among other issues.

If you or a loved one has been recently diagnosed, these 10 things that patients who’ve been living with Parkinson’s for several years wish they’d known at diagnosis — which their doctors didn’t tell them — may make managing the disease easier.h

I found nothing wrong with the advice given. It was what advice they didn’t give.

What about Lewy?

Lewy body dementia, practically a kissing cousin of Parkinson’s. It seems ironic on a post about what doctors aren’t saying that they don’t say what is unsaid about Lewy body dementia. Wheww. That’s a tough sentence to unpack but I’m ranting on a blog so it’s OK.

But seriously, if Lewy body dementia is just the expanded version of Parkinson’s why do we leave it out o f a discussion on Parkinson’s, just like it gets left out of a lot of things.

OK, I’m done. For now.

Here’s an article I wrote earlier about Dementia Research Silos

Still upcoming this week

Dunk/Health update– today or Wednesday

Did he sell his soul to the devil?- Countdown continues with RJ –Thursday

-My Vinyl Countdown column — Saturday morning

The Afterlife — Sunday tentative

Is there such a thing as random? — Some random day next week

PS. Happy Birthday Captain Beefheart January 15, 1941 – December 17, 2010 –(12/17 is my daughter Hannah’s birthday)

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Elton John and Billy Joel — 398, 397, 396

ALBUMS: Joel: Piano Man ( 1973): John: Don’t Shoot Me (I’m Only the Piano Player;  Greatest Hits) ( 1973, 1974)

MVC Rating: Piano Man 3.5/$$; Don’t Shoot Me 4.0/$$$; Greatest Hits 4.0/$$

They both are about the same age. They both play piano. They have toured together. They both have bunches and bunches of hits over decades. Their last names both start with ‘J’ — and that is why I am reviewing them together now for MVC as we count down alphabetically my 678 vinyl records.

I grew up listening to both of these artists. I think I am more familiar with John’s work. My thumbnail analysis would be this:

Songs: John overall with 19 No. 1 hits; Joel has three.

Song: Tie: John –Benny and the Jets; Joel–Piano Man. Benny is a strange but deceptively great song. I know most would pick ‘Candle in the Wind’.’ From Joel, Piano man is the definition of a great drop-in scene setter, even if the lyrics sometimes seemed to stretch for the rhyme Sample: ” Davy who still is in the Navy.”

Singing: Joel — Elton’s voice had some character and is instantly recognizable but I never considered it a great voice. I was surprised in re-listening to the Piano Man album, just how well Joel sang.

Songwriting: Tie –Elton has the quantity, but Joel has some really strong songs that compete, perhaps even surpass Elton material. Joel’s ‘Still Rock and Roll to Me’ is exemplary songwriting. Same with “Only the Good Die Young,’ ‘You may be Right,’ and ‘Uptown Girl.’ ‘Captain Jack’ could have been great but the line about masturbation was TMI, waay TMI. ‘John’s ‘Your Song’ is a simple but enduring ditty with a beautiful melody. ‘Don’t Let the Sun Go Down’ and ‘The Bitch is Back,’ along with the aforementioned ‘ Benny and the Jets’ are all excellent songs. John’s songs were of course co-written with Bernie Taupin, who supplied the words before Elton put it to music. I was always amazed at that collaboration and at how John could turn some of Taupin’s oblique lyrics into a catchy song, but he did time and time again. Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding is special.

Live Performance: John. I never saw either live but from those who have and what I’ve seen on video, Elton wins this category with eyeglasses and apparel alone.

Best Album: John– Goodbye Yellow Brick Road edges the Stranger.

I haven’t followed either one much in recent years. John still seems active, but I haven’t heard what Joel has been doing. They are both great popular artists. I wouldn’t shoot either one, even if they were not the piano man.

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His and Hurricanes of the future (Part 6)

(Continued …)

SCENE: Back of truck leaving warehouse. Prosby about to find they want him to bring them the love of his life, the long-missing Burnees.

Ghosts. They were out in force tonight. You can see them out of the corner of your eye. Electric flashes, low glows and aural deceptions. Faces. Lots of faces.

Prosby knew he should have gone to the Underground sooner then he did. And stopping in that old tavern wasn’t the brightest thing he’s done either.

The trouble was and still is getting access to the Underground, a system of caves and tunnels all over the world providing shelter and comfortable living now that the Surface was hostile to living things.

But first he had to get away from these threatening people. 

Dani, the woman with the jumpsuit came in. She and Prosby talked. She flirted unabashedly. Prosby knew she’d just as soon kill him with a quick jab in the eye with one of her 8-inch silver plated ice picks. Each had different handles, polished mahogany, ivory and bone.

Prosby knew this because she carried what looked to be about eight of these shiny weapons in a sort-of holster around her hips.

Seeing him eye the silver picks, she deftly, before he could move, held one up to the corner of his eye.

“I could pop your eye out like a cherry,” she said, smiling slightly. “Put it on top of a milkshake.”

She moved the pick around his eye over his nose and onto his lips.

Prosby did not flinch or move. He figured he’d lose an eye in the deal, but would choke her out before she could pull the pick out of his eye. Prosby had formal training from the best. He was very good with his hands.

“I can also enter your brain through the roof of your mouth. She tapped his teeth twice before holstering and walking away.

Dani led a gang that smuggled in high grade pharmaceuticals for illicit use. Stuff like prescription opioid pills, liquid morphine, amphetamines and various psychedelics.

Most of that stuff was impossible to make in the Underground because however hostile the Surface had become, it still contained the ancient laboratories where the drugs could be made in volumee.

Dani, told Prosby the Guardians were honing in on their business and had killed several of Dani’s Men — the name she gave her organization. Not a shy woman.

The Guardians, a quasi governmental agency charged with keeping the peace and knocking down any insurrections, was by default, the acting city government. They were officially investigating the Bang (the night the world shook).

Florida was one major entry point, to the Underground. But you had to know which of the hundreds of freshwater springs, which bubbled up into surface pools, provided the doorway.

There were several doorways to the Underground at the bottom of Florida’s freshwater springs. Prosby had been headed to Orlando where there were said to be multiple doorways.

But there were also 100s of DIzz Robots, animatronic, killers created by the Creekers, a band of approximately 4,000 people, ancestors of the security, police and fire district that gained power and wealth through their takeover of a massive amusement park several hundred years ago. From its origins,the park was a worldwide destination for families and children. It later slid into a major casino and gambling operation bringing in the attendant leeches of drugs, sex for sale and corruption. The Creekers, who already had legislative autonomy from oversight, seized and maintained control with their Dizz robots, which once were used to educate children about USA and world history.

Abraham Lincoln alone is said to have killed more than a 100 people trying to get to the Underground. The Lincoln Dizz bot is said to recite the “Gettysburg Address” as it kills its victim.

The Creekers held an unholy alliance with the Guardians whose DC-based organization was essentially the US government. The Creekers lived in the ruins of the vast 40-square https://myvinylcountdown.com/his-and-hurricanes-a-serial-story/mile amusement park.

From Dani, Prosby picked up that they were going to Orlando. He had to make a move. As dangerous as it was he needed to make it to Bithlo, which was near Orlando and where Prosby knew someone who might be of help.

(To be continued … )

For Previous Installments of His and Hurricanes

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The Jim Carroll Band — 399

Catholic Boy cover

ALBUM: Catholic Boy

MVCC Rating: 3.5/$$$

Best known for the book taken from his teen journal, Carroll turned to music after his poetic writings began making noise outside of New York.

His fame came from the book called The Basketball Diaries. Leonardo DiCaprio played Carroll in the movie of the same name.

The album Catholic Boy had on it the underground hit ‘People Who Died,” which chronicled a list of friends who died.

Mary took a dry dive from a hotel room
Bobby hung himself from a cell in The Tombs
Judy jumped in front of a subway train
Eddie got slit in the jugular vein
And Eddie, I miss you more than all the others
And I salute you brother

His music on Catholic Boy is pretty straightforward hard rock, new wave with a darkness that seemed to shade his life. There’s a Lou Reed, Patti Smith, New York vibe here for sure.

Carroll was apparently a promising New York City basketball player until he got into the heroin, an addiction he battled much of his life.

Carroll died at 60 in 2009 on the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. His photo tells the story.


{ Jim Carroll by David Shankbone|

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