Tuesday, December 30, 2008

That's it for 2008...


I understand there is a new album by A Certain Ratio "Mind Made Up", released in Europe in late November 2008. They played L.A. last month, but I couldn't get there. It's their first new album in 11 years. Scritti Politti waited 11 years between "Provision" and "Anomie & Bonhomie", but the next Scritti came right on the heels of "Anomie". And now that we're no longer waiting on a new album from Syd Barrett, I guess that means that it's been the longest time since a new album for The Monochrome Set - though Bid insists on making new Scarlett's Well albums. Thank goodness Stephen Duffy keeps cranking 'em out.

Musician deaths: Goodbye and thank you to both Pekka Pohjola and Lars Hollmer. I am A+ solid with Pekka's works from roughly his debut solo album (and work with Wigwam) up to, say, The Group. I tried to keep up with his 80's & 90's releases, but...not always possible. I live in Los Angeles. And Lars Hollmer was the keyboard player for Samla Mammas Manna, from Sweden. I have all of their contiguous albums, and I did my best to keep up with Hollmer's solo albums...my favorite being "Fran Natt Idag" from '83 (or so). Thanks to Cunieform Records, I got back on track with Hollmer's work; hopefully his stuff will become easier to find. And there are many more musician deaths in 2008, but Pohjola and Hollmer were two very important artists for me.

Dorothy & I recently got a list of the Top 100 films, from the A.F.I. ( = American Film Institute ) - between us, we had about two dozen of them on DVD already. Xmas presents netted us a few more, so we're ready for '09 to become a 'film year'. But this blog is called Music Life, not Film Life. Just last weekend, we sat together and watched the Criterion DVD of "If..." (with Malcolm McDowell).

I only managed to rack up 1,023 music keepers for '08 - my smallest list in many a year. Did birdwatching cut into my groove? Not really. I did manage to get several of the CD titles that had been bothering me, both at home and in exotic locations, like Portland, OR and Las Vegas, NV. Can't wait to find that new ACR title up in San Francisco! And I guess I'll have to mail-order the Stump box from amazon.co.uk, eh readers?

And My new car, Suzuki-san ( = Mr. Suzuki ), is doing well - and I am still adjusting to having a CD player in a car - as my previous car (the green Toyota you all know and love) had a Sony MiniDisc in it. We had a great time at my 50th birthday celebration, up in Portland, OR ( = Ron-Kon ) - nice meeting everybody - finally! I am still employed, still hanging out with Dorothy etc. Mom is alive & kicking @ 88 years of age, with her cell phone and new car. Dorothy & I also dug my niece Kirsten, who came up to L.A. on the train and visited us in L.A. (several times).

Enough of my babbling. I wish everybody a very good 2009.

- Ron Kane, Los Angeles

(Photo is Dana Madore and Ron Kane, 2008)

p.s. Hi to Mott!

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Playlist

Playlist 12/17/08 all vinyl


EIRE APPARENT – Here I Go Again

EIRE APPARENT – Follow Me

DIXON, REGINALD – Dixontime Medley

SYSTEMATICS – Fat Cows Go Down An Eastern Beach

ANDERSON, ERIC – Faithful

TELEX – Temporary Chicken (remix edit)

EUROPEANS – Recognition (US mix)

TIME BANDITS – Dancing On A String

NOVO COMBO – Too Long Gone

FINGERPRINTZ – Close Circuit Connection

BANGOR FLYING CIRCUS – Come On People

PURE, LOVE & PLEASURE – All In My Mind

SMITH – Mojalesky Ridge

JO JO GUNNE – 99 Days

GOODTHUNDER – Rollin’ Up My Mind

GOOD GOD – Galorna Gavorna

MUSIC ASYLUM – Garbage

FOWLEY, KIM – Long Live Rock ‘n’ Roll

BEE GEES – Back Home

HOPPER, HUGH – Minipax I

GENESIS – Visions of Angels


Monday, December 8, 2008

Recent purchases


CD's:

EMERSON, LAKE & PALMER – EMERSON, LAKE & PALMER, JVC JPN SHM-CD kami sleeve

GARRICK SEPTET, MICHAEL – BLACK MARIGOLDS, UNIVERSAL JPN SHM-CD kami sleeve, British jazz

GARRICK TRIO, MICHAEL – COLD MOUNTAIN, UNIVERSAL JPN SHM-CD kami sleeve, British jazz

MOODY BLUES – QUESTION OF BALANCE, A, UNIVERSAL JPN SHM-CD kami sleeve

TRAFFIC – LOW SPARK OF HIGH HEELED BOYS, UNIVERSAL JPN SHM-CD kami sleeve

TRAFFIC – SHOOT OUT AT THE FANTASY FACTORY, UNIVERSAL JPN SHM-CD kami sleeve

V.A. – RAW BLUES, UNIVERSAL JPN SHM-CD kami sleeve

WAITS, TOM – FRANK'S WILD YEARS, UNIVERSAL JPN SHM-CD kami sleeve

WAITS, TOM – RAIN DOGS, UNIVERSAL JPN SHM-CD kami sleeve


7" EP:

PRADO, PEREZ – PRADO PARADE (EP), RCA US 7” EP W/PS


More CD's:

FITZ-GERALD, G.F. – MOUSEPROOF, SUNBEAM UK CD Rik Kenton & Geoff Leigh

HOPPER, HUGH – MECCANO PELORUS, CUNIEFORM US CD Live '87 - '89

LYNYRD SKYNYRD – MILLENNIUM COLLECTION, MCA US CD

MIDNIGHT OIL – MIDNIGHT OIL, COLUMBIA US CD '78 "The Blue Meannie"

O.S.T. – BRAIN CANDY, MATADOR US CD Kids In The Hall, V.A. incl. Pizzicato Five

O.S.T. – DESPERADOS, LOS, CINEVOX IT CD Gianna Ferrio

O.S.T. – VIVRE POUR VIVRE / UN HOMME ET UNE FEMME, DISC AZ FR CD Francis Lai, Claude Lelouch

ORBISON, ROY – ALL-TIME GREATEST HITS, CSP US CD 20 tracks

PALMER, ROBERT – MILLENNIUM COLLECTION, ISLAND US CD

SADE – BEST OF SADE, EPIC US CD one exclusive track

V.A. – FALL '95 MIXER, RYKODISC US CD Frank Zappa etc.

V.A. – WE ARE THE WORLD, POLYGRAM US CD USA For Africa etc.

WHO, THE – MILLENNIUM COLLECTION, MCA US CD


Vinyl:

ANDERSON, ERIC – BLUE RIVER, CBS NL LP as featured in the reader's poll of the Japanese "Record Collector" magazine!

BIBLE, THE – EUREKA, CHRYSALIS UK LP

CREWE GENERATION, BOB – MUSIC TO WATCH GIRLS BY, DYNOVOICE US LP EZ

EUROPEANS – RECOGNITION, A&M US 12” promo

FINGERPRINTZ – VERY DAB, VIRGIN INT'L US LP Jimmie O'Neill

NOVO COMBO – ANIMATION GENERATION, POLYDOR US LP 2nd album

SINGERS UNLIMITED – CHRISTMAS, PAUSA US LP Xmas

STRANGLERS – SKIN DEEP, EPIC US 12” W/PS

TELEX – TEMPORARY CHICKEN, ATLANTIC US 12” promo

TIME BANDITS – DANCING ON A STRING, COLUMBIA US 12” W/PS Dutch

V.A. – UNDERSOUND…UPPERSOUL, STATESIDE FR 2LP Dunhill artists, circa '70


Wednesday, December 3, 2008

Playlist

This one took a while to finish - but now I'm back in the saddle...

FERRY, BRYAN – You Won’t See Me

MANZANERA, PHIL – K-Scope

ENO, BRIAN – Cindy Tells Me

VINEGAR JOE – Gettin’ Out

BIG SLEEP – Death of a Hope

TOWNSHEND, PETE – Secondhand Love

BELAFONTE, HARRY – Jump in the Line

FOUR TOPS, THE – I Can’t Help Myself

FLYING LIZARDS – Tube

NINE DAYS WONDER – Moss Had Come

GALLWAY, PETER – Decidedly Fun

DIBANGO, MANU – Missiya

TOWNSHEND, PETE – Night School

AMON DUUL IIWolf City

CALE, JOHN – Half Past France

NITZSCHE, JACK – On the Moodus Run

GREAVES, JOHN – Price We Pay, The

NYMAN, MICHAEL – Queen of the Night

MOORE, ANTHONY – Please Go

HAMMILL, PETER – Patience