Independent Record Store Spotlight - Princeton Record Exchange, Princeton, NJ

I now conclude my Holy Trinity of local independent record stores.  First it was Randy Now's Man Cave in Bordentown, NJ.  Second, Positively Records in Levittown, PA.  Lastly, not only has this store been listed as one of the top 20 independent record stores in the country, it has been listed as one of the top 20 independent record stores in the world.  What can I say about the Princeton Record Exchange in Princeton NJ that hasn't already been said.  I don't really know...but I am going to try.

Baroness @ The Union Transfer - Philadelphia, PA 05/24/13

Sometimes, Facebook is a good thing.  If it wasn't for a friends post praising the new album, Yellow and Green, by Baroness, I still may not have heard of them.

An Open Letter To Butch Walker

I always seem to get e-mails asking for product feedback.  They ask for your input under the guise that you are helping to shape your experience with this product.  A customized experience.  The problem is that it is never really anything that I care about.  What I do care about is music.  I get to give my input every time I make a purchase.  If it sells it must be good.  If it doesn't sell then it is back to the drawing board.  But is this input really a customized experience?  Am I really getting to help shape my music experience.  What I'd love to do is sit down with an artist I love and tell them what I really think.  There is a problem with that.  I believe that music, like art, is a moment in time.  That moment is sometimes created to please the artist.  Sometimes it is for the observer.  Sometimes it is for a release.  Those are things that can not be tampered with.  But what if your advice could change a course of events.  Like giving directions at a fork in the road.  What do I know about creating music?  Not a thing.  I am merely and admirer.  But I know what makes me feel good and what does not connect at all.  Just once I would love the opportunity to share that.  It will, more than likely, never happen.  But that does not mean I have to keep it bottled up.  Instead I will release it into cyberspace, like a message for an alien race, and let it fall where it may.

READERS REVENGE - YOUR Top 10 Songs About Bad Relationships

As always, the Readers have spoken.  Sometimes you agree.  Sometimes you STRONGLY disagree.  Sometimes I overlook the obvious song.  Sometimes I forget the perfect song.  It is all good.  That is what this is all about.  I love all of the feedback and appreciate every comment.  So without further ado, here are Your Top 10 Songs About Bad Relationships.

The A's @ Underground Arts - Philadelphia, PA 1/26/13

If you are not from the Philadelphia area you probably do not know who the A's are.  Hell, technically, I am not even old enough to know who the A's are.  Their heyday was 1979-1982 when I was about 10 years old.  I have two sisters that are much older than me (10 and 12 years older) that loved this band.  I owe a lot of my musical tastes to my sisters.  They had very eclectic tastes and introduced me to The Cure, Ministry, Japan, and XTC at an early age.  They also introduced me to April Wine, Rainbow, and the Bay City Rollers.  With good comes the bad.

In the late 70's and early 80's Philadelphia had a rising scene.  It included The Hooters, Robert Hazard and the Heroes (who was discovered by Kurt Loder of Rolling Stone AFTER they sold 300,000 of self released EP) and The A's.

In The Spirit Of Music Discovery

Everyone has a story of their initial love for music.  My 13 year old son started playing guitar at 8 and drums at 10.  He gave up the guitar last year to focus on the drums.  When he was in fourth grade he came home excited about the opportunity to play Xylophone during the school's Spring Concert.  He was the only one who would be given the opportunity to play.  He had been practicing hard at school and could not wait for us to see.  I wanted to share with you the video of that performance.  I wonder if this is how Alex Van Halen started.

My Top 10 Songs About Bad Relationships

Everyone has a comfort song for bad relationships.  Sometimes it is a sad song that let you wallow.  Some help you get out the anger while yell along.  Some having nothing to do with you at all.  They just get your mind off of things.   We've all been through it.  Those special songs are the ones that relate with exactly how you feel.  The ones that let you know that someone else has been there before and survived or even triumphed.  Below are 10 of my favorite.