What I've been listening to........

Here's what I have been listening to recently.

1) Badfinger: I played in a wedding band at the beginning of August and one song requested that we learn was Badfinger's "No Matter What". Great song and a classic rock radio fixture, but I wasn't very familiar with much else by them. The only other song I knew was "Baby Blue" and mainly because it's on a Portastatic album. I picked up "The Essential Badfinger" and now can't stop listening to it start to finish. Great stuff. For any fan of late era Beatles, George Harrison, Paul McCartney, Cheap Trick, Big Star. Check out some of their live performances on YouTube. Classic.

2) The New Pornographers: This band is the shit. I love every album and much to my wife's chagrin, can't stop listening, singing, playing their songs. I think I must have a thing for bands with multiple lead singers. I was lucky enough to have met their keyboardist, Kathryn, earlier this fall here in Athens. Her other band, Immaculate Machine was playing. We sort of hit it off and have kept in touch since then. When N.P. came to Athens a few months later, Christina and I had the pleasure of post show drinks with Kathryn, Carl Newman (founder, lead singer), and the guys from Okkervil River (who, by the way, are playing the 40 watt tonight with Crooked Fingers).

3) Pavement: Old Faithful. I always keep at least one album in rotation.

4) Fabulous Bird: Peter Alvanos, aka Fab Bird, plays drums with me in our band, The Golden Gates. When he's not slinging bread (bread deliveryman) he's crafting classic sounding power pop in the vein of Big Star, Elliot Smith, or the db's. Check his stuff out at www.myspace.com/fabulousbird

5)Singles: Dwight Twilley's "Looking for the Magic", ELO "Do Ya", Dinosaur Jr. "Freak Scene", Big Star "September Gurls", John Waite "Change", The Cars "Let's Go", Bruce Springsteen "Brilliant Disguise", T Rex "20th Century Boy", Lou Gramm "Midnite Blue", Supertramp "Give a Little Bit"

So, as you can see, I'm a big power pop fan. If you have some suggestions for me, leave me a comment.

Word,
Mark