"5:15" is an even better Entwhistle solo, I think.

Well, I think he basically has the lead part on a bulk of the who songs. "The Real Me" trumps 5:15, in my opinion. But considering "My Generation" is about as punk a song as you're ever going to hear (for its time or for the punk era), to have a bass solo in the middle just makes it that much fucking cooler. And mainly, I was just mentioning which bits were stuck in my head (for some odd reason, 5:15 WASN'T one of the Quadrophenia songs I was earworming on, much as I love it).

ION, just watched (or at least watched most of - my DVR recording based on the schedule started late and ended before it was over - thank doG for a later rebroadcast) the VH1 doc "The Night James Brown Saved Boston" which is about a show James Brown did at the Boston Garden the night after Martin Luther King, Jr. was killed. The show got simulcast on PBS and basically, for a myriad of reasons, allowed Boston to escape a lot of the rioting/looting/arson that hit most of the other major cities in the US. Fascinating stuff, and I'm stunned, and a bit ashamed, that WGBH (the PBS station in question) didn't do this, since it is a HUGE piece of their history. It also makes hope and pray, since it looks like the materials are there, that a concert film of that show will someday be available on DVD.

Man, if I feel bad for anyone's later in life decline into a punchline or worse, it's James Brown. Because he seriously did it himself (that is, brought himself up from abject nothing), and at one point he was not only one of the most charasmatic human beings on the planet, but also seemed to be one of the more savvy ones.

seemed to be one of the more savvy ones.

Though even late in life, he still seemed pretty savvy, when I would have chance to hear him speak.

Hey, speaking of the Stones, NPR was doing a story on Shine A Light, and the Stones, and as the story ended, they played the London Symphony Orchestra's cover of Jumpin' Jack Flash, which was freakin' AWESOME, and I now want to have it. However, iTunes is giving me NO LOVE. If anybody could help out with that, I'd love you forever and ever.

Hat Trick:

I just bought the whole Symphonic Stones CD off of Amazon for the one song. I feel so old school.

Except I want the song NOW. I don't want to wait for shipping. Feh.

I just bought the whole Symphonic Stones CD off of iTunes for the one song. I feel so old school.

Except I want the song NOW. I don't want to wait for shipping. Feh.

iTunes sells physical CDs?

I watched the James Brown vh1 special last night as well. Man, the way he wiggled his legs was crazy! The 2000ish Vegas concert that followed on vh1 classic was a bit embarrassing though.

I just bought the whole Symphonic Stones CD off of Amazon for the one song. I feel so old school.

Except I want the song NOW. I don't want to wait for shipping. Feh.

iTunes sells physical CDs?

Jon is CRAXY! What on Earth are you talking about, man? Of course iTunes doesn't sell physical CDs. You need a vacation or something. All that math must be getting to you.

I love the Stones, I think because they use so many blues riffs in their music (for me, everything comes back to the blues. Except classical. And Irish music. Anyway).

So, one of the opening acts for My Chemical Romance (who are way fun live) is Billy Talent. I wouldn't have been excited about seeing BT if I'd first heard their recorded music: [link] but live? More punk than emo, and absolutely amazing. (Also, the lead singer Ben has obviously studied Iggy Pop's every move. Except perhaps the kicking the techs in the balls thing.)

I love the Stones and the Who. Shockingly their CDs do not spontaneously combust when placed in close proximity.

So this is a little weird. Since the Bubblegum book came out I get periodic interview requests to comment on the latest teen pop sensation. Recently I was interviewed by the LA Times for a piece on the Jonas Brothers (my second interview on them within a month - the first was for Details magazine). And my comments got picked up by an A&R insider blog. Like I'm an expert on the subject. Which I am, but it's still weird.

I am listening to my favorite radio show, "Breakfast with the Beatles," [link] and coincidentally, today they are doing the Stones vs. the Beatles. The guest is Little Steven (who has his own radio show and is not only a cool musician, pretty good actor, and terrific DJ, he is really knowledgable, fun and passionate). It's great.

Man, Shine A Light is getting great PR and PR by association.