OK sports fans, I'm back on the live rock scene again.  Before we get to that, let me use the headline to link to a fantastic Aerosmith song from the underrated Rocks album.  

OK, glad that is out of the way.
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I got up off my butt last night and went to Johnny Brenda's to see one of my favorite bands, Philly's own Sheer Mag.  It was great to be back on the live music scene!  There were too many opening bands, but one called Nancy played a few covers of great NRBQ songs, and who can complain about that?  NRBQ is in the BRP Hall of Fame as one of the best bands ever!
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Sheer Mag came out and ripped through a great set that included a couple of Thin Lizzy songs.  Thin Lizzy is also in the BRP HOF and I've compared Sheer Mag to Thin Lizzy in the past.  Phil Lynott is close to being a GOAT in the rock world, and Sheer Mag gets it.  It was super cool to have those covers lovingly played by Sheer Mag.  Here's the first one they played by the best Thin Lizzy lineup:

Unlike Thin Lizzy, Sheer Mag is still alive and kicking.  And kicking butt!  I've seen this band probably 7 or 8 times, and they always deliver a spirited and rocking set.  Last night was no exception.  Having them dominate the tiny Johnny Brenda's stage while BPR and Mrs. BRP were right up front was super.  You know what else was super?  Not having to get up on Monday and go to work!  
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This is one badass live act.  Christina Halladay is simply a force of nature with a growling, strutting and somewhat dangerous stage presence.  And the rest of the band is tighter than a duck's ass probably because they have been playing together for over a decade. They have a punk ethos and a reverence for Seventies rockers.  For a live act, what more could you want?

A year or two ago, I saw them at the First Unitarian Church in Philly and they finished their set with a rousing version of Quiet Riot's ​Cum On Feel The Noize.  It was awesome.
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I love this band.  

If you don't know, I'm one of 7 children.  Seven!  That's enough right there to justify the headline, right?  One time I asked my Dad what he was thinking to have 7 kids.  He just looked at me and laughed.  I was laughing, too, so I guess he thought I was just joking, but I was serious, too.  I will say that being from a large family is pretty cool.  I have 6 siblings who are all accomplished and fun people.  Add in their spouses, kids, grandkids, etc, and the family reunions are crazy big.  And a lot of fun to boot.    

But the number of kids in my family is not really the point of this post.  One of the ramifications of having 7 kids is that my parents basically became a nonstop shuttle service for us.  After a while, the oldest of the kids got a driver's license and my parents thought "let's get them driving the younger kids around."  To do that, of course, they had to supply the car.  Voila!  The kid's car was born.

Now my two eldest siblings are both girls, and while girls can get into plenty of trouble, it's usually not the physically destructive type of trouble that boys generate daily.  There wasn't a lot of issues with my sisters driving the kid's car, but then came a new reality.  Three boys in a row got to drive the kid's car.  Uh oh.

When my oldest brother got preferential key status, the kid's car was a 1962 VW beetle.  Pretty basic and stripped down, especially by today's standards, it did have one really cool feature.  It wasn't a convertible top, but rather a manual sunroof that was canvas and extended to open up over the back seat, too.  When my Dad was driving that car, it was fun to tool around with the top open.  But when my brother got it, we amped up the passenger experience.

Here's a picture of a 1963 model VW bug with the "ragtop sunroof:"  It goes back pretty darn far, and remember these seats didn't have headrests nor were the backs of the seats locked in place - just push on them from the back seat and they move forward.

Have you ever ridden around standing up out of the sunroof?  Yes, it's dangerous, but for teenage boys?  Well, when you're a kid, it's tons of fun.  I mean, really really fun.  We used to drive all over creation with my brother, and we would fight to get into the backseat so that we could stand up while we motored.  It was great.  You see a pedestrian?  You yell something at them.  Or maybe throw something at them.  Whatever.  But it was thrilling to simply be going 35 or 40 mph and have the sun in your face, the wind blowing your hair back, and just having the time of your life. 

Ultimately, that car couldn't handle the third sibling, and it went the way of the dinosaurs.  Along came the new kid's car, which was a Ford Maverick Grabber with a 302 V8.  Mind you, this was a compact car at the time, but if you ever see one at a classic car show these days, you'll see that it's as long and wide as a modern minivan.  While we missed the standup days of the VW, we got something to compensate:  a very good sound system with a cassette tape deck.  This was killing it in the mid-70s!

I can still remember driving to high school with my two brothers in that Maverick.  Songs like Free Bird and More Than A Feeling were released, and I have vivid memories of both of those tunes blasting in my ears while I sat in the back seat of that car.  

Here's a picture of a Maverick Grabber - ours was blue:​

That Maverick was a cool car.  I did many things in it that you simply could not get away with these days.  One thing me and a buddy who had a Dodge Dart got into was gently tapping each other's bumpers at stop signs, red lights, and the like.  Say he was following me to my house - he would just come up and nudge my car when the opportunity arose.  I did likewise with him.  It was funny.

And then mooning people.  Maybe I shouldn't go into all of that, but there was a time in my life when mooning a fellow motorist was about the funniest damn thing that a car full of teenage boys could come up with.  

At some point, my two older brothers left the house to go to college and I got the keys.  Yippee!  But then something interesting happened.  My mom sold real estate, and decided to up her client car, going from a Ford LTD Country Squire station wagon to a small Lincoln.  The interesting part is that the station wagon was only 2 years old, and we needed it for the cargo space.  So the Maverick left the fleet and I ended up with the station wagon. 

I was a senior in high school.  I was out of control.  My parents were ... CRAZY!

Here's a picture of a similar station wagon (you can click the link and get a full tour).  Love the faux wood paneling.  Mine was white, too.  Oh and the LTD?  In my case, that stood for Lunatic Transportation Device.

Things happened in that car.  You could (and I did) pack it full of people, beer, and other items and take the party to the streets.  You could put the tailgate down, you could put the back seats down, and you could turn up the tunes while having a party platform parked virtually anywhere.  What tunes?  How about Kansas or Van Halen?  Hell's yeah! 

Damn.  Those were good days.  Great music, but also a lot of schlock music.  And overplayed music!  My God, Fleetwood Mac's Rumors album was so grossly overplayed that I still have trouble listening to it. 

Nonetheless, it was party central in the LTD.  And if my parents ever realized what they had unleashed, I think that they, too, would have to admit that they were nuts to give me that vehicle.  

Alright, that was a fun.  Want to know what kind of car I bought for my first ever car?  You'll have to come back for that one.  

Or are you also disgusted with the price of live music these days?  I'm not going to kvetch about the little indie bands that you see in the clubs (even though they also seem to be costing $10 more than they did a few short years ago), but rather the "big" bands that play the arenas and stadiums.

I"m going to use Rush as a current example.  It's not to pick on them in particular, but they are one that is on my mind right now.  Rush was big when I was in high school and college, and I could have seen them back in the day for the equivalent of about $40 in today's money.  Good deal, but also typical for the era - I saw Led Zeppelin for $7.50 in 1977.  I wasn't that into Rush at the time, and didn't go.  Since then, I've grown to appreciate about 10 of their songs and thought maybe I'll go see them this summer while they are on tour.

Note that the band touring as Rush doesn't include Neil Peart who is deceased.  So it's 2 of the 3 original guys out there this summer.  And how much are tickets in Philly?  I just looked at Ticketmaster and they're basically all over $300 (and some over $400) per ticket.  Multiply that times 2, add in parking and concessions, and you're looking at a trip to Florida rather than a concert by a group whose heyday was decades ago.  Hmmmm.

Can I afford to go?  Yes, no problem.  Will I go?  Nope.  I see it as overpriced and I'm just going to skip it (and probably go to Florida instead, haha).  I've read all the arguments about artists getting the money rather than the ticket sellers and while that resonates somewhat with me, it doesn't change my internal calculus of "is it a decent enough deal for me to go."  Rush can find someone else to fill the seat that I would otherwise have filled, and life will go on.

But the question I have is this:  who is paying this much?  I keep reading about "affordability" and things being overpriced, and I understand that the inflation in the previous presidential administration debased the US currency by 20% in 4 years, but damn, does that mean that $300+ per ticket is now a good deal?  To whom?  And are there that many Rush diehards that are willing to pay this amount?  I guess so.  Like I said, I like about 10 of their songs, and that's enough to have a decent time at a concert.  But it's not like the Beatles, Stones, Petty or some of the other bands where I like dozens of their songs and would understand paying the freight required.

Anyway, I used to quote Rush at my old job because we sometimes had a hard time making a decision and would simply kick it down the road.  I used to say "if you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice."  That's a Rush line, and a good one at that, but this time I have made my decision and it's not to kick it down the road.  

Glad I got that off of my chest, and I thank you for letting me whine.  And grind.
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If you're of a certain age, you know the term TSOP.  The Sound of Philadelphia was a music movement driven by the songwriting duo of Gamble and Huff, and the song TSOP itself was very identifiable as the theme song of Soul Train.  It's crazy good.

Flash forward 4 or 5 decades, and Philly bands are still putting out a lot of great music.  Sheer Mag, Low Cut Connie, The Tisburys, War on Drugs, Dr. Dog.  Must I go on?  Well, yes, I must so that I can identify my new fave Philly band, Gladie.  Do you remember Cayetana?  Well, Augusta Koch from Cayetana has teamed up with Matt Schimelfenig (ex Three Man Cannon) to lead the new Philly band Gladie.  They're getting a fair amount of local airplay and for good reason.  They rock!

Here's one of the tracks that I'm really into - Car Alarm:
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And here's another great tune, Future Spring:
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I've always been a sucker for that garage band, full throttle guitar sound that Gladie is pushing.  Too bad more modern music doesn't sound like this, but hey, I'll take it where I find it.  

​Enjoy!

It's getting close to Christmas and I'm busy.  So here's an old song by Lene Lovich that sounds like it could have been released in 2025.  Good tune, good vibe and fun to boot!  Enjoy!

I get this question a lot.  I guess when you blog about music, it's a natural thing to be asked.  But if you give the question any real thought, it's a tremendously difficult question.  For instance, do you mean a current band, a past band, an "all-time" favorite, etc.  And what about moods?  If I'm in an upbeat mood (which is most of the time), then the answer will be different that if I'm in a mellow or bummed out mood.  The Style Council talked about their ever-changing moods years ago:

A guy at work asked me who my favorite band was and I sort of stumbled around, named about 5 bands, and then turned the question back at him.  Unlike me, who had trouble identifying one band, he answered immediately:  "Belle and Sebastian."  Wow, just like that he knew!  And while I was aware of Belle and Sebastian, I had never really given them a big listen.  I went home and popped up some B and S songs, and was ... disappointed.  Don't get me wrong, there are some tracks that I liked such as this one:

But overall, they just didn't do it for me.  Which is cool - if everyone liked everything the same, that wouldn't be much of a world, right?  But for this guy to call B and S his favorite band, well, ahem, please explain.  This is a world where the Beatles, Stones, Clash, Elvis, Talking Heads, AC/DC and many many others exist.  And yet, he chose B and S?  Man, that's a mind blower for me.

One other thing about this question.  I like certain bands tremendously for some of their work, but can also recognize when they have laid a lot of eggs, too.  Their catalog is not consistent and brilliant across the board.  Weezer is a great example - many strong albums and a number of duds, too.  How about David Byrne?  Awesome with the Heads, inconsistent on his own.  Morrissey is the same.  Heck, this applies to Paul McCartney and John Lennon, too - those guys absolutely set the bar for everyone else when they worked together, but their solo careers proved that they needed each other to make consistently great music.  

It's a tricky question and I can't answer it.  But I can post a couple of songs that have been favorites for a number of years.  How about that?

I think that answers why I can never choose a favorite band.  There are just too many great ones out there.  Just like there are so many fantastic songs that exist and that come at us from all over time, geography, and genre.  Let's love the variety and leave it at that.  Who's with me?
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I thought this was hilarious!  Enjoy.
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TPJ?  What you say?  

Ever heard of Tito Puente, Jr.?  If so, you know.  If not, he's awesome.  Salsa, baby, salsa.  TPJ is the inheritor of the salsa percussion big band from his father, Tito Puente.  I don't know much about him, but he and his band often play at the Arts Garage in Delray Beach.  I've been wanting to see him for a long time as I love live music that makes you want to move and that has tons of horns and percussion.  Unfortunately, every time I see that he's playing at the Garage, it's either just before we get to Florida or a day or two after we have left.  C'mon, man!  Can't a brother catch a break? 

Luckily, we have YouTube which can give a flavor for the man.  Want to see what I'm talking about?  You wouldn't have read this far if you didn't, right?  Here you go:

Doesn't that look like fun?  It does to me.  Bring it on TPJ!

Are you a Sugar fan?  I don't mean the sweetener, I mean the band Sugar fronted by Bob Mould?  Well, if you are, get excited.

Sugar is back, they are touring (well, in a very limited way right now but let's see how it plays out in 2026), and they have new music.  The trifecta!  Here's the new track that is out right now and it rocks.

After the breakup of Husker Du, Mould got together with Dave Barbe and Malcom Travis to form Sugar in late 1991.  The band put out some incredible albums like Copper Blue and File Under Easy Listening before breaking up in 1995.  I once saw someone describe Sugar as the ultimate college radio band, and perhaps they were, but I think of them more as fuzzed-out garage rockers with a punky edge.  And never, ever losing the pop catchiness and guitar-heavy sound that BRP loves.  Regardless, the band rocked and was an all-time BRP favorite.  

It's great to see the boys back releasing new music and touring again.  Let's hope that some dates in Philly get added soon!  How about another track to prove that I'm 100% correct about these guys?  Sure thing!  Here's Your Favorite Thing ​from ​File Under Easy Listening:
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​Sweet, right?

I don't know how it works for you, but there are days when I wake up and I've got a song stuck in my head.  I have no idea how it got there or why that particular song is ear-wormed.  For me today, it's Led Zeppelin's Fool In The Rain.  I do like that song quite a bit, but it's not my favorite way to get the Led out.  Nonetheless, there it is.  It's playing while I write this post, and yeah, I guess I ought to link the video because God knows that LZ needs some exposure, right?

I know how some songs get stuck in my head.  You see a commercial on TV that features it, someone else is singing it, you hear it when you're out and about, etc.  But where do these one-offs come from?  Do they arise Phoenix-like from dreams?  Are they buried deep in the subconscious and some trigger lights the fire?  I have no clue.

I sometimes say that I have a hankering for a song and I just need to hear it.  It happens frequently in the morning right after I get up, but it can pop up anytime.  I recently had a hankering for a particular track from James Brown.  Get Up Offa That Thing!  Maybe it's because I'm a bit of a lazy sod now that I'm retired?  Hahaha, I hope not.  But check out this tune and JB.  My word, I wish I could move like that!

Here's another song that has buzzed in my head recently.  It's by Big Audio Dynamite, the post-Clash band led by Mick Jones.  That band featured a lot of samples and electronica and still seems pretty modern.  I like(d) them and have a bunch of their CDs.  While this song is really strong, again it's not my "go to" BAD song.  Yet it pushed its way into my brain and wasn't satiated until I listened to about 10 times.  

That song seemed to kick-off a need to hear other bands from waaaay back (70s and 80s).  The Buzzcocks are one of my all-time favorite bands, and could very well have put on the best live show I ever saw - it is certainly in the top 5.  And this track is one that I just LOVE.  RIP Pete Shelley.  One last thing - check out the video for the lip-synching - best seen when watching the drummer and listening to the track.  Hahaha!  Top of the Pops it is!
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Another song that gets stuck a lot is by the English Beat.  Save It For Later is just an all-time classic and sits firmly in the BRP Hall of Fame.  But this video so dated!

Are you at work?  Great, you can listen to a few more tracks.  Just lean into the computer so people think that you're concentrating hard.   Keep a grim face, too.  And don't let anyone see that screen, haha!

Here we go.  Up first, it's Semisonic with The Rope.  Great track and only two years old, too!  I like the video and I love dogs, but don't you think the dog love (over, say, having kids and loving them?) is getting a bit overdone?  C'mon, kids are harder but they're better.  

Big mood shift on this tune.  Delbert McClinton!  Let's all head to Texas and enjoy this fun track.  If you walked into a juke joint in Austin and this track was playing, you would think "oh hells yes!"  And you would be right!
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Wait, don't leave!  One last song, ok?  I was hoping that these guys were playing live when I was in England recently, but no such luck.  This song is awesome, and this band, Hard-Fi, is great, too.

​I hope you wake up tomorrow and one of these songs is stuck in your head.  Why?  Because they're all GREAT!  See you soon.  Logo time!
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