PORCH FUNK PLAYLIST

Now playing: JJ Grey & Mofro - War via FoxyTunes

THE REAL DEAL PORCH FUNK!

The real deal "porch funk" is pictured to the left. This is what was the actual inspiration behind the "Porch Funk Voodoo" play list that has been a favorite of mine and some of my buddies for a few years now. Look close and you will see: a part of a humming bird feeder, pine needles, dirt, leaves from oak trees, acorns, hickory nuts, pieces of a fern, "helicopters" from a tree, a piece of weed eater line, a cigarette butt, misc pieces of paper, mulch, dirt, etc.... By itself, it's really not all that bad, but when it gets wet and is allowed to sit and stew and fester, well then it starts to get "so funky you can smell it" as Buddy Guy would say.....Anyway, I plan on posting the actual "Porch Funk Voodoo" play list at a later time...peace... Now playing: The Allman Brothers Band - Melissa

Rolling Stones Pancakes

Step 1) Get two ketchup bottles, cut one of them off to have a bigger hole in the end. Fill both bottles up with your favorite pancake batter. The bottle with the small hole will be used for the outline, the one with the bigger hole will be used to fill in the rest of the batter. Step 2) make your outline. Step 3) Fill in with the pancake batter from the ketchup bottle with the big hole. Step 4) Flip and cook the other side. Step 5) Repeat, until you have cooked as many pancakes as needed. Cover with butter and favorite syrup. Now playing: Back Door Slam - Outside Woman Blues

The Porch Is Open For Business!!

So it's eight thirty on a school night and all the sudden there is a knock on the door. "There's only one person that can be", I said, Nicholas responds, "Christian". Of course, he was correct. So I open the door and there stands Christian with a gleam in his eye, and a beer in his hand. "Dude, let's open the porch for the season" he says, and with that the 2008 Porch season was launched.

Memorable quotes from that evening:

"I think this is some sort of unofficial record for the earliest we have opened the porch", (03/12/08) "Dude, we have done that for three years in a row now..."

"we just collide like that" (in regards to "When I want to hang out and have a few beers and relax your too tired and want to go home, when you want to hang out and have a few, I'm to tired.")

"I'm giraffeassed..." Literally, not able to get up out of the chair...

"During the day I'm fluffy and at night I'm melty..."

Porch rules (no particular order):

1) "You got to keep it till the ass falls out." (In regards to the Green Adirondack Chair that cracked in the seat when Christian sat down).

2) "No intentional spilling of alcoholic beverages allowed!" "Dude, we have never done that", "That's because it's a rule!"

3) "Don't drop no fire on the porch".

4) "Don't knock over the coffee can ash tray that hasn't been emptied in 5 years".

More rules are sure to follow....

Now playing: Tab Benoit - I Got Loaded

Peter Gabriel "The Best of the Rest" Playlist

For those of you that don't know, I recently repeatedly listened to the entire Peter Gabriel Discography and have been continuing to wear it out ever since. After three or four listens, (to all 15 cd's), I decided to put what I thought to be the best of what I hadn't heard into a playlist. What follows is a list of my personal favorites, live versions of songs I had only heard studio versions of, studio versions of songs I had only heard live versions of, different mixes of songs, etc...If you kind of like Peter Gabriel and want to get past his most popular work and listen to the "Best of the Rest", well I couldn't imagine a better starting place... AH

"Burn You Up, Burn You Down", from the album "UP". Mr. Gabriel has always had a funky side, and this gets things of to a good start. "Up", is a very good album all the way through, I would put it on equal footing with his best selling work "So". http://www.foxytunes.com/artist/peter_gabriel#/track/burn_you_down

"Growing Up", also from the album "Up", had only heard/seen the song on the "Growing up Live concert DVD" before making my way through the complete 15 cd Peter Gabriel discography. Has a good hook in the chorus, and on the keys that gets stuck in your head. http://www.foxytunes.com/artist/peter_gabriel#/track/growing_up

"Cloudless", from the "Long Walk Home, Music from the Rabbit-Proof Fence Soundtrack" sounds like "Sky Blue", redone for the soundtrack. Really like the African voices in the beginning. http://www.foxytunes.com/artist/peter_gabriel#/track/cloudless

"I have the Touch", going a lil old/new school at the same time here. Originally on the "Security" album, this is a remix that was on 2003's "Hit & Miss" double cd greatest hits package.I like this version better, the guitar hook added on the front sounds great. Every time I hear this song I think about Chris Watkins, Absolut Vodka, and the haunted house we did for charity while I was in school. http://www.foxytunes.com/artist/peter_gabriel#/track/i_have_the_touch

"The Tower that Ate People" , a lil bit of electronica here. From the soundtrack of 2000's Ovo Millennium Dome Show. Nicholas likes this one, which make it really cool. The effect on the voice is crazy, as are the keyboards, I would like to see this one performed live. http://www.foxytunes.com/artist/peter_gabriel#/track/the_tower_that_ate_people_steve_osborne_mix

"Lovetown" , from the soundtrack of the 1994 movie Philadelphia. Also appears on 2003's "Hit & Miss" double cd greatest hits package. Like the mellowness, voice sounds great, video is crazy good. I'll try and post it later. http://www.foxytunes.com/artist/peter_gabriel#/track/lovetown

"Downside Up", First heard/saw on this song on the "Growing up Live concert DVD". It's crazy when he and his daughter are upside down singing. This studio version first appeared on the "Ovo" Soundtrack. Like the whistling at the beginning, brings back memories of "Games without Frontiers". Chorus will get stuck in your head I promise. "...All the strangers look like family, all the family looks so strange...". A live version is on 2003's "Hit and Miss" double cd greatest hits package. http://www.foxytunes.com/artist/peter_gabriel#/track/downside_up

"Sky Blue", from the "Up" album. Worth a listen just to hear the Blind Boys of Alabama at the end. Very mellow, very melodic... http://www.foxytunes.com/artist/peter_gabriel#/track/sky_blue

"Birdys Flight", originally released on 1985's Birdy Soundtrack, later became, "Across the River", on 1994's "Secret World Live". The percussion at the end is incredible. http://www.foxytunes.com/artist/peter_gabriel#/track/birdys_flight

"Don't Leave", from the "Up" Album. Great, great guitar hook, awesome bass line, this one will also get stuck in your head. It did me anyway, I walked around for two weeks with that 30 second guitar hook in my head before I finally broke down and dug through 15 cd's to find it! Chorus reminds me of San Jacinto. (see later in this post) http://www.foxytunes.com/artist/peter_gabriel#/track/dont_leave

"Across the River", see Birdy's Flight above. http://www.foxytunes.com/artist/peter_gabriel#/track/across_the_river

"Come Talk to Me", from 1992's "Us" album, the bagpipe/keyboard, whatever the hell it is, sends chills down my spine on a regular basis. The percussion adds to the feel of the song as opposed to just being there for the sake of being there. Apparently this was written in an attempt to reestablish communication with one of his daughters. Again, the African voices sound great. Also appears on 1994's Secret World Live. http://www.foxytunes.com/artist/peter_gabriel#/track/come_talk_to_me

"Slow Marimbas", originally released on 1985's Birdy soundtrack, later released on, 1994's "Secret World Live". Nothing like a song title that tells you what it is. http://www.foxytunes.com/artist/peter_gabriel#/track/slow_marimbas

"I Grieve", from the "Up" Album. Radical ending that is nothing like the rest of the song. I would love to hear the guitar hook from "Don't leave" be the beginning and the end of this song be the end of a new song... http://www.foxytunes.com/artist/peter_gabriel#/track/i_grieve

"The Heat", released on 1985's Birdy soundtrack, the full version was released on 1982's "Security" album as "The Rythm of the Heat". A live version of "The Rythm of the Heat" also appears on 1983's "Plays Live". http://www.foxytunes.com/artist/peter_gabriel#/track/the_heat_from_the_rhythm_of_the_heat

"Secret World", first exposed to this song on the "Growing Up live" DVD. Wish there was a live version of it somewhere. The part where he spins around and shakes the tambourine is one of my favorite highlights of the DVD. Great bass line, (Tony Levine is awesome!) voice sounds good. http://www.foxytunes.com/artist/peter_gabriel#/track/secret_world

"Exposure", goes to show that PG was funky well before he ever dreamed of doing "Sledgehammer". From his second solo album released in 1978, commonly referred to as the "Scratch" album (from the picture on the cover). http://www.foxytunes.com/artist/peter_gabriel#/track/exposure

"I Don't Remember", From 1980's "Melt" album. Maybe my favorite song lyrically. Also released on 1983's "Plays Live" album. Also reminds me of Chris Watkins, Absolut Vodka, and the haunted house we did for charity in school...he was my roommate and we simply wore out that "Plays Live" album... "Empty stomach, empty head, empty heart and empty bed"..."Stop staring at me like a bird of prey, I'm all mixed up, I got nothing to say". http://www.foxytunes.com/artist/peter_gabriel#/track/i_dont_remember

"San Jacinto", from 1982's "Security" album, also appears on 1983's "Plays live". Song about a native American "Vision Quest". Not really a "Best of the Rest", it is included here largely on subject matter alone. Well, that and the fact that it is a great song. Again, Chris Watkins, Absolut, haunted house....Intro is outstanding, it sucks you right in. "...Red paint, eagle feathers, coyote calling it has begun...". http://www.foxytunes.com/artist/peter_gabriel#/track/san_jacinto

"Ngankarrparni(Sky Blue Reprise)", from the "Long Walk Home Music from the Rabitt-proof Fence" Soundtrack. Yet another rendition of Sky Blue. It is the third version of this song that shows up in PG's Discography. http://www.foxytunes.com/artist/peter_gabriel#/track/ngankarrparni_sky_blue_reprise

"The Rhythm of the Heat", from 1983's "Plays Live". Still love the percussion at the end of this song, particularly live. Also appeared as "The Heat" on 1985's "Birdy" Soundtrack.(See entry about "The Heat" earlier in this post.) http://www.foxytunes.com/artist/peter_gabriel#/track/the_rhythm_of_the_heat

"Shaking the Tree", from the album of the same name (best of 1976-1990). Only appears here and on 1994's "Secret World Live". Not really a "Best of the Rest" but included in the playlist because it only appears on a greatest hits and a live album. The rhythms this man comes up with...are just,....well,....unreal. On the live album he introduces his band during this song and when he introduces his drummer he says...."Shaking two trees".....I just love it... http://www.foxytunes.com/artist/peter_gabriel#/track/shaking_the_tree

"Make Tomorrow",This is the last song from the "Ovo" soundtrack, I just found it haunting and it seemed like a fitting end to things... a lil long at over 10 minutes, but the others singers voices sound great. Great lyrics as well..."all the children of your children's children, do you ever think what their going to find?..." http://www.foxytunes.com/artist/peter_gabriel#/track/make_tomorrow_423777

Other Links:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_gabriel http://www.petergabriel.com/

Great Things about this Years Superbowl

"Whats all the hullabaloo about in here?"

"What are y'all eatin now?",

"...and the way that helps the Cowboys is...",

"I'd drink it if I was sick..."

Toad Sweat,

Al "the wing man" Meincken,

Alisha licking Joe's cookie without him knowing it, and then him eating it,

The Food,

Everybody pulling for the Giants,

Tom Petty,

The Game itself,

Now playing: Peter Gabriel - San Jacinto via FoxyTunes

Greatest things about Christmas 07...

What a day..... So far the greatest things about Christmas this year (2007) have been: Reading the Christmas story to Nicholas on Christmas Eve, Nicholas falling asleep in my arms Christmas Eve while the Nat King Cole Christmas Play List was playing, Come and Go Communion with family and Brother Joey, Christmas Caroling, delivering Care and Share, The Bears beating the Packers (which I called and nary any other prognosticator did!), thereby giving my beloved Cowboys home field advantage through out the playoffs, visiting Joe and Alisha (till a certain point in the evening), Brother Alan's Coke-a-Cola coasters (what a story that is!), Dave bringing a bottle of Woodford Reserve over, Christian stopping by with gifts while Dave was here (Christian was living in Texas at the time and hadn't been seen in 6 months), Rare Bread 108 proof straight from the barrel bourbon, playing the Wii with Nicholas, Christmas Dinner with Mom and AL, Paul and Katie stopping by and bringing 3 different kinds of hot sauce (Toad Sweat...yum!), getting to spend time with my step mom and her mother...now on to Nicholas Birthday Party, and Super Bowl Sunday! Now playing: Otis Redding - White Christmas via FoxyTunes

Our Christmas Tree

I love our tree. Every year the day after Thanksgiving we put it up and listen to Christmas music. Every year my son helps me more, I think he is to the age where he is really starting to enjoy that kind of thing. The tree is only 4 ft. tall, but I put it on an end table and put it in front on the window and from the road it looks like it's 7 ft. tall. I wouldn't have another tree for the life of me.... Now playing: Bon Jovi - I Wish Everyday Was Chrismas

"God of Thunder"

I call this, the "Gene Simmons" (Of the Rock Group KISS) jack- o-lantern. I have done one of these every year now since I was a sophomore in college, which is starting to be quite some time now. It's funny how our little oddities become things we can't live without. For the uninitiated or terribly confused, or both, "God of Thunder" is an old KISS song Gene Simmons sang. I just aren’t right sometimes.....okay mosttimes......later

---------------- Now playing: Whale - Hobo Humpin' Slobo Babe via FoxyTunes

Freddie King, "I'm going down"

This guy was so under appreciated it's a shame. Thank goodness for the people that post him and all the other old blues masters on You Tube so that their legacy will live on. Seriously, the pantheon of great Modern Blues Guitarist consist of 4 players, the three Kings (B.B., Albert, and Freddie), and Stevie Ray....period.

Bogalusa Boogie Man

Great picture of the Bogalusa Boogie man found using the FoxyTunes FireFox extention

Gate

[via FoxyTunes / Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown]

Now playing: Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown - Bogalusa Boogie Man via FoxyTunes

Hancock County Fair 07

Fell in love with that slow shutter speed time laspe effect with the lights during the forth of July...here are some more of those types of photos...

July 4th, Vastwood Park

Was just playing around with settings on the camera. I really don't have any idea what I was doing, but I liked the way some of these turned out.

The "Music from or inspired by the 07 W.C.Handy Blues Fest Playlist"

Friday night, The Beat Daddy's, "Big Thighs" From the April-May Blues Revue Sampler CD. "I don't like them skinny, small and petite, I like a big, fat, woman, lots of love, lots of meat, big thighs, lord I love those big thighs"...Things got off to a rockin' start as far as I was concerned. "Playboy Party" Big James & The Chicago Playboys. Went to take pictures of the sun setting on the river, came back, it was dark and the party was "on". Who knew a trombone could be played like that? The Chicago Playboys were an extremely funky band. From the album, "Big James Funkin' Blues". "Give it time", the Eric Lindell Band. I may have been hit harder by these guys than my com padres Joe and David, that New Orlenes by the way of Chicago and everywhere else in between sound just sat real well with me."Two Bit Town", also the Eric Lindell Band, this ones provides the first memorable line of the evening, "don't ever let them take away your smile, don't ever let them change your funky style", your preaching to the choir Eric, amen...from the album "Change in the Weather". "Jambalaya", "Traveling South", Tab Benoit. "Iko Iko" performed by Tab, but on the playlist I had to substitute Dr. Johns version. (That's what I mean by inspired by...). Who could ever forget that "Jambalaya", "Iko Iko", "When the Saints Come Marching In", back to "Jambalaya", medley? There is plenty I can't remember from that evening, but that medley I assure you is not one of them... Saturday. Doug McCleoud "Turkey Leg Woman", "I have written a lot of protest songs in my day, but what I'm protesting against in this song is the skinny woman...everybody thinks the skinny woman is so pretty". It was good to see Doug again, I think he felt energized by the larger crowd this year. The blues faithful should check out his column, "Doug's Back Porch" in the Blues Revue magazine." Don't know if we missed Doug playing, "Devil been beatin his wife"or not as we were 15 minutes late. "Angel from Montgomery" Miranda Louise, (John Prines original version whats on the playlist, I said "inspired by" remember?). She sounded better than we thought she would, and her guitar player was pretty good. "Dust my Broom" also Miranda Louise (playlist = the Elmore James original version). Led to the quote, "A lil Elmore James never hurt anybody", a week later on "the porch". "Collins Shuffle", nobody played this song but Doug McCleoud mentioned a song he had written that appeared on the Albert Collins album, "Cold Snap" and Diunna Greenleaf said that Albert Collins was her babysitter, so I felt it's inclusion in the playlist was a no brainer. "Blue Broadway", John Nemeth. That suit!, The cool 50's looking 25 year old guitar player..." Black Cat Bone", Diuana Greenleaf. She played this. This is the Albert Collins, Johnny Copeland and Robert Cray version from the Grammy award winning album. "Showdown". Diuana Greenleaf mentioned "Hop Wilson", The version of this song here mentions him as well because this is his song. Albert Collins, Johnny Copeland, and Hop Wilson were all based out of Houston Texas and Diuana knew all of them, her show proved that fact. "Let the good times roll", also Diuana. A B.B. King live version makes the playlist. "Shake your moneymaker", and "She's nineteen years old" performed by Elmore James and Buddy Guy respectively. Performed by Lil Charlie and the Nightcats at the festival. These guys were by far the most hep-cat daddies I have ever seen in my life. That amp..... "Superharp" and "No cuttin loose", James Cotton. I am confident he played "superharp", I don't honestly know about "No Cuttin Loose", by now things are a lil blurry. James Cotton's band!! I swear the bass player metamorphosized himself into Flea for a spell....I was glad we were right on the fence up front, It was incredible! The original idea was to have this playlist embedded on the blog, unfortunately I have exceeded my monthly upload limit and not every song made it....oh well,........and on and on it goes.

The John Lee Hooker Cell Phone

Last time it was The Dave Mathews Band, this time I'll think I'll stick with this for a while. Had to get a new cell phone so of course it needed to be customized. A phone tatoo or "skin" with a picture of John Lee downloaded from the internet. The skins are really cool, kind of rubberized, don't scratch or peel to easy. I went all out this time, the "Boom Boom" ring tone, and the back cover of the album "Chill Out" for the wallpaper for the large and small displays. The front is the cover from the Grammy award winning album "The Healer". It's kind of hard to get the front to do too very well with the small display, and the camera lense. Other peoples phones may have a lot more functionality, but aint nobodys got any more mojo..........

Beer for my Horses

How redneck is this? Went to the Horse show with my buddy, got rained out, went to the Bar instead. Horses were still in the trailer with their saddles on....

When a cajun man gets the Blues

clipped from picasaweb.google.com

Great things about the 07 W.C. Handy Blues Fest, in no particular order

1. The ticket price. 2. Seeing Bruce, "Sawdust Pie" Stewart for the 1st time in 8 years. 3. Tab Benoit...... 4. All the Bands 5. All the bands guitar players 6. Tab Benoit... 7. "When a Cajun man gets the blues" 8. "Yock-a-mo feen-o and-dan-day, Yock-a-mo feen-o and-dan-day." 9. "Hey now, hey now, iko iko ande... 10."Good bye Joe, I got to go, meio myio, son of a gun we're gonna have big fun on the bayou" 11. All the friends 12. "I'm 33 years old, and I've seen a lot of shows, but I ain't never seen anybody play guitar like that..." 13. "You were right, he's (Tab Benoit) unbelievable..... 14. "I'm going to Dog Hill...Where the pretty women at" 15. Purple shinny hat lady 16. T-shirt guy 17. Spasmoid moe de 18. "Dirty Dishes..." 19. "Big thighs, lord I love those big thighs..." 20. James Cotton's Band (good god almighty they were hot!!) 21. Tab Benoit 22. James Cotton's otherwordly sounding harmonica licks... 23. John Nemeths red suit 24. Lil Charlie and the Nightcats vintage threads and gear 25. Waffle House at 2 AM..."Would you like bacon, sausage or ham with that?" "Yes", "Was that yes to bacon? sausage? or ham? "Yes", "To all three?" "Yes, to all three." 26. "You doin' okay up there?" "Long as I keep one eye closed I am..." 27. Tab Benoit 28. Seeing Georgia and not even knowing it was her. 29. ...and on and on it goes

07 W.C. Handy Blues Fest Slideshow

Double click on the picture takes you to the "Web Album". There is a link on the right side of that page to view the sideshow in full size.

Great Lines From The 07 W. C. Handy Blues Fest.

"Don't ever let them change your funky style." "Turn on your Funk Motor" "...and it's going to sound exactly like dis right here today in Henderson KY." "Romance without finance is a nuicence." "Everybody has a freak flag, some people just don't know how to fly theirs..."