45 Number Forty-One

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1xayLarNiBo

The Coward Brothers are Elvis Costello and T-Bone Burnett. The link is to a clip from the Not Strictly Bluegrass Festival in San Francisco of the two of them singing this song. The video is not very good, but it is the only glimpse of the song I could find online.

T-Bone has had a long relationship with Costello, producing and creating music. Sometimes it seems that T-Bone is everywhere these days, producing other artists and film music, organizing multi-artist tours, and putting out a couple of his own albums in the past several years. Don't believe me? Here is the link to the T- Bone retrospective from the R n' R Hall of Fame. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DAZtCG68zfo&feature=related

I was (am) an rabid T-Bone fan back in the early eighties, and I love many of the musical projects he has been involved with during the recent years. I had a hard time, though, with some of his own recent musical compositions. I really love his earlier musical material with the Alpha Band and the great solo albums he has made. I was fortunate enough to see him in a small club on his own in the early eighties, and that still ranks as one of my favourite live performances. His early production work with Los Lobos, The BoDeans, and Marshall Crenshaw is also great.

Here are some links to early T-Bone songs:

"Come Home" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3uhyFqUmcyM&feature=related

"Power of Love" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ibNeGpbyjOg&feature=related

"Primitives" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dd_SDrW99NM&feature=related

"River of Love" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KzFZTBYE-kM&feature=related

"Interviews" (Alpha Band) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6HMBpgHHGPo

45 Number Forty

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TzFnYcIqj6I

This is a nice video representation of this song. Annie Lennox's voice and beauty are so striking. This song takes me back to the early eighties' MTV-influenced video dance clubs that we inhabited. I remember a club in the Georgetown neighborhood of D.C. called Posers. What an appropriate name. Loud music, big dance floor, alcohol flowing, and several big screens for your latest new wave videos. A stark contrast to the other dingy rockin' roll venues I loved and still love. I can't picture myself in that "posers" scene, but I guess it fit the times and I still get a charge out of the music, if not the videos.

How about a couple of videos from that time that I remember fondly:

The video that kicked off MTV's debut, "Video Killed the Radio Star" - The Buggles http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iwuy4hHO3YQ

When I think New Wave, I think of the first Tears for Fears album, The Hurting. I remember this video for "Pale Shelter" so clearly playing on the big screen at Posers, especially the alligator slipping into the pool. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KTn4o2Z-vZU

Lastly this always made us laugh and dance; "Turning Japanese" by the Vapors. It's a good example of where power pop met new wave, which is what I liked about it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gEmJ-VWPDM4

45 Number Thirty-Nine

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lAH1ioLiaHw&feature=related

I just checked in with Webster, and there, right next to Power Pop, it says "Starry Eyes by the Records." This was the lead off track on my well worn out mixed tape "Pure Pop for Then People." This single and Dave Edmunds' "A1 on the Jukebox" have gone back and forth in the A1/A2 slot on my jukebox.

Hey wait a minute. I just checked the run time on this song. It's 10 seconds past a perfect pop record, 3:40. Damn!

45 Number Thirty-Eight

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pnuijDieOvY

Yeah I'm singing along. The Prince and I, who would a thought it.

Best Prince covers:

Martin Sexton - "Purple Rain" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cUhF2Frlbyc
If you don't know Martin you should.

Hindu Love Gods (Warren Zevon) - "Rasberry Beret" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RR0JngoD5p4

Bangles - "Manic Monday" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lAZgLcK5LzI

Are there more?

Hey, I found another I like.

Patrick Stump from Fall Out Boy - "I Wanna Be Your Lover" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8E-dOfWnTNQ&feature=related

45 Number Thirty-Seven

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GrhKlIRuOvM&feature=related

Just a little band from East LA. The link is a live version with Cesar Rosas singing, rather than David Hidalgo. These guys play so well together, tight as tight. I have to say they may be the best "band" I have ever seen. I have seen them several times through out their career. In the early days at the little 9:30 club dancing right in front of them. Then again in the 90s in the way too massive Carrier Dome opening for U2. And then most recently at the State Theater in Ithaca, where Cesar spotted my NRBQ shirt standing against the stage and gotta kick.They are big Q fans and I was able to chat with them about the band after the show. My favourite LB album is still "How Will the Wolf Survive" from all those years ago. This link takes you to Los Lobos radio, where you can listen to that album and any other The Wolves' albums for free http://www.loslobos.org/site/player/index.html .

Oh yeah, this 45 is a Richie Valens cover, so "Come on Lets Go" with Richie http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6vj7t8vdoNY&feature=related .

45 Number Thirty-Six

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_HnBac5jWs

I have always loved the cover of this song by REM http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-k3mG6CBE9I . I know, an oldies song right. Be careful of labels. I was returning my son to college this weekend. As we headed out in the car he plugged in his I-Pod and said "I know I'll play my oldies mix," and then "Blitzkrieg Bop" by the Ramones came on http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nKyFpJ3M1xM .

45 Number Thirty-Five

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GrXcGUM_KNE

So it's 1982 or 83, and I am at some bar in the Foggy Bottom region of D.C. seeing Tex Runbinowitz, backed by Switch Blade (featuring the guy who went on to form Los Strait Jackets, Eddie Angel is his name I think, as well as the infamous Ratso). Tex finishes his first set, and my buddy George and I step out front for some fresh air. There is a guy sitting on the curb drinking a beer, and he is wearing some serious 50s gear. We walk up to him and George says (insert great Greek accent), "Holy Shit Kev, it's Brian Setzer." He chatted with us (thick LI accent), and then we all walked in for Tex's second set. A couple of songs in, Setzer gets up and played several songs with Tex and the boys. Nice night. I remember I wore my pink hi-top converse with black laces, size 11 and a half. Hard to find pink shoes that big. I bought them out of the back of some car from a street vendor. I still have those bad boys.

Here's some Tex (Crank it up Mona):

"Hot Rod Man" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SaYTuvTsFvQ

"Rockin' Roll Ivy" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YL6mhlIpFuo