My Back Pages

Now listening to: "My Back Pages" from the Bob Dylan Tribute Concert Album. Quite a collection of talent on that track, Neil Young, Eric Clapton, George Harrison, Bob Dylan.

I was so much older then, I'm younger than that now.

I was listening to Oasis while waiting in the KFC line, and it struck me that I've seen Noel Gallagher (I think. Maybe Liam. I don't know. One of them.) on a lot of shows commenting about songs and songwriters. Now, Oasis has more hit songs than, say, I do. But what is it that makes him more qualified than a lot of other people to talk about rock and roll music? Maybe he's just willing to talk.

But asking Oasis to talk about rock and roll is a little bit like asking Alfredo Griffin to talk about the great shortstops of all time. Sure, he's more qualified than me to talk about it, but is he exactly the BEST person to ask?

"Hey Joe"(Live), Jimi Hendrix

Whenever I run into someone named Joe, I usually do the same thing. "Hey, Joe. What are you doing with that gun in your hand?" Most people don't get it. It's a pretty stupid joke.

Another great Dan Carlin Common Sense this week. (www.dancarlin.com) He had an intriguing notion that the education problems in this country is really a national security emergency. The current generation can't afford to pay to support both our parents and a generation of uneducated younger people as well. And I still can't get my son to do his homework.

Thank goodness Josh Beckett starts for us tomorrow. Trouble is, after that, we get the Tigers and Yankees at home. This could get ugly if we're not careful.

Aerosmith, "Hole in my Soul"(Live)

Thinking about bands on my IPod from whom I only like one or a few songs (Oasis, I'm looking at you...)leads me back into thinking about the music business. (Aerosmith is far from one of these bands.) Part of me wants artists to get money in exchange for all the joy they have provided me. But part of me is still mad about all the thousands of dollars they took from me over the years-as John C. Dvorak noted in a recent No Agenda podcast, the price of CDs never, ever dropped from the moment they came on the scene. So I don't exactly weep for the CEO of Elektra losing his bonus.

Beatles, "I Want You (She's So Heavy)"

Then sometimes the Beatles come along and wipe the floor with everybody who ever pretended they knew anything about music.

Metallica, "Attitude"

"Satisfaction's here and gone again..."

The Beatles, "For You Blue"

This song has some great parts in it that are clearly audible on the "Naked" recording. George sings "Go, Johnny, Go" at one point, and you can really picture the Beatles as a band, for a minute, just jamming. That's what Billy Preston always said-people forgot they could really play.

Simon and Garfunkel, "Baby Driver"

Another cool song overshadowed by being on the side opposite a mega hit song, like "Misty Mountain Hop" and "She's Right on Time".

It instantly marks you as being a fuddy duddy when you talk about songs being on "sides".

The Cult, "Nirvana"

Saw them open for Metallica. They were a great group on record, but their live show was very disappointing. Of course, when Metallica hit the stage they wiped the floor with anyone who came before. But even in light of that, The Cult were lame.

Ian Astbury of the Cult, it was rumored, was going to lay some tracks with John Densmore and Robby Krieger and Ray Manzarek of the Doors. I wonder if anything ever came of that?

Jackson Browne, "The Load Out"

Have always loved this song, even though the only other thing he ever did that I even tolerated was the Eagles' "Take It Easy", which I believe he co wrote. It's such a clear, vivid tale.

Chess, "Quartet(A Model Of Decorum and Tranquility)"

Why hasn't anybody made a movie based on this musical? I hate ABBA, but I love this musical, every last bloody note of it. You would have to do hardly anything to it-it would work perfectly as a work of history-the Soviet Union being gone nearly 20 years.

Baseball as it oughta be: Jered Weaver, strangling the Rangers on 3 hits, is lifted after 7 innings in favor of Darren Oliver. According to ESPN, he had thrown 93 pitches. Oliver immediately gives up a jack to close the gap to 2-1. Darren Oliver? Really? That was your best idea? Sheesh. I mean, it's not Adam Eaton, but jeez.

Page and Plant, "Nobody's Fault But Mine"

GREAT version of this song. Slowed down, soulful, and emotional.

Bruce Springsteen, "Atlantic City" (Live)

Another great version of an excellent song.

"Everything dies, baby, that's a fact..."