Walk This Way

I like to walk – and my iPod has convinced me to like it even more.

Today I pushed the chair away from the desk at 5:00 sharp and headed out with portable music library in hand. Sometimes I have a musical plan in mind for my walks; sometimes not. My first thought today was to start with a song that had been going through my head as I put on my walking shoes – “Walking After Midnight.” I knew I didn’t have the Patsy Cline original, but I thought I might have loaded the Garth Brooks cover version on there.

But, no. Still, having looked for the song via the iPod’s “Songs” listing, I found myself staring at a list of songs that all started with the word “walk.”

Hmm.

And so, here’s the listening program from today’s walk. Another reason why I love my iPod...

“Walk Away” – Joe Walsh
“Walk Back In” – Keb’ Mo’
“Walk Like A Man” – Bruce Springsteen
“Walk Of Life” – Dire Straights
“Walk On” – John Hiatt
“Walk On” – U2
“Walk Softly…” – Ronnie Montrose
“Walk Tall” – John Mellencamp
“Walk This Way” – Aerosmith

R.I.P. Danny Federici

His Boss called E Street Band organ, glockenspiel and accordion player Danny Federici "one of the pillars of our sound." Late yesterday word came that Federici had died at the age of 58, after a three-year battle with melanoma. Ten years ago, Danny Federici was my first professional interview, after Daily Vault Founder Christopher Thelen was kind enough to assist me in lining it up.

The interview, which took place concurrent with the release of Federici's first solo album, 1998's Flemington, is here. Chris's review of the album is here. You can read more about Federici's colorful life and tremendous musical accomplishments here, and see video of his last live performance with the band on March 20th here. I recommend having the Kleenex handy for the latter. Judging by their expressions, I think they must all have known.

Danny Federici was a remarkable musician and a true gentleman. R.I.P. Danny.

The Promised Land

It's a GOOD day today.

There's no other way to describe the feeling. For tonight, I will go to the mountaintop and return with a message from the Boss... the one from New Jersey, that is. At 7:30(ish) tonight, that oil company arena (got to love the irony there) out in the Sacramento flood plain will be transformed into a rock and roll tent revival. Again.

I have probably been to 50 concerts in my life -- small change by the standards of most music diehards. It's just that it takes something special to motivate me to spend the money, deal with the hassles, and make the road trip to wherever. But when the greatest rock and roll show on earth comes right to your back door... well, I just can't say no.

Good listens: Chris Cubeta

I am a Chris Cubeta fan -- and if you like lyrics that sound like poetry and music that sounds like a combination of Bruce Springsteen and John Hiatt and a singer who sounds like he means it through every second of every song, you might be one day, too.

Cubeta is a Brooklyn-based singer-songwriter who backs his perceptive, artful words with stirring roots-rock/alt-country arrangements, and sings with total commitment. In past reviews I've compared the quality of his lyrics to big guns like Springsteen, Dylan and Hiatt, and I'm not backing off now. Quite the contrary; his new Change EP is one of the most powerful, amazing discs I've heard all year and you should really go buy it right now.