Trails of Dust

Since 1994, Axel Rose has been threatening us with the release of a new Guns N’ Roses album called “Chinese Democracy”. Of course in that 14 years with the debt this country owes China that’s about what we’ve become. But that’s not what this piece is about.

This album has been delayed almost as long as the car industry has delayed making truly fuel efficient vehicles. One company was betting against “Chinese Democracy” even seeing the light of day this year and they have lost. The new Gun N’ Roses album, if you can really call it G N’ R considering it is only Axel Rose from the original line-up, is supposed to be released this Sunday, November 23. Who lost and who won?

We may be in debt up to our great grand children’s ears to China, but thanks to the good people at Dr. Pepper, each American is entitled to a free Dr. Pepper courtesy of the soft drink maker. In March, Dr. Pepper claimed it would give a free soda to every American if the Guns N’ Roses album was released in 2008. So holding true to their word, Dr. Pepper is giving each American a coupon for a free 20 ounce soda. Beginning Sunday November 23, 2008 at 12:01am and for the following 24 hours, you can download the coupon from the Dr. Pepper website. Good luck accessing their website.

Nothing like a free soda to brighten your day!

I’m sure by now you don’t need to be reminded, especially from some dude who’s blog you never read, but get off your ass tomorrow and vote. And make a good decision for at least once in your life. Don’t let fear rule your life or your vote.

Have you ever wondered what the Presidential Candidates are listening to while rolling around the country spreading their messages?

Props to Obama for picking “Gimme Shelter” from the Rolling Stones. A classic song with a strong anti-war message. One of my favorite tunes that Spacement used to play before we turned into an all Pink Floyd tribute band. I was hoping that we would knock this one out at the annual Halloween Party if we ending up hitting our instruments, which never did happen.

McCain has not one but two ABBA songs on his list. The thought of him moving to Dancing Queen is not a pretty picture. Sorry but sometimes the truth hurts. But McCain does seem to stick more with his own era of music unlike Obama who is all over the music map.

Obama played it safe with Springsteen’s “I’m on Fire” but at least he didn’t pick “Born in the USA”. I would’ve gone with Springsteen’s “Lost in the Flood” or “Atlantic City” myself.

Barack Obama’s
Top 10 Song List
1. “Ready or Not,” Fugees.
2. “What’s Going On,” Marvin Gaye.
3. “I’m on Fire,” Bruce Springsteen.
4. “Gimme Shelter,” the Rolling
Stones.
5. “Sinnerman,” Nina Simone.
6. “Touch the Sky,” Kanye West.
7. “You’d Be So Easy to Love,” Frank Sinatra.
8. “Think,” Aretha Franklin.
9. “City of Blinding Lights,” U2
10. “Yes We Can,” will.i.am.
– Blender magazine

John McCain’s
Top 10 Song List
1. “Dancing Queen,” ABBA.
2. “Blue Bayou,” Roy Orbison.
3. “Take a Chance on Me,” ABBA.
4. “If We Make It Through December,” Merle Haggard.
5. “As Time Goes By,” Dooley Wilson.
6. “Good Vibrations,” Beach Boys.
7. “What a Wonderful World,” Louis Armstrong.
8. “I’ve Got You Under My Skin,” Frank Sinatra.
9. “Sweet Caroline,” Neil Diamond.
10. “Smoke Gets in Your Eyes,” the Platters.
– Blender magazine

Bruce Springsteen performing “Lost in the Flood”

Let’s sum up the root of our current economic crisis and look at the facts.

In 1999, the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act which was written and passed by a Republican controlled Congress and signed into law by then Democratic President Bill Clinton.

Part of this Act repealed the 1933 Glass-Steagall Act that was created after the Great Depression to regulate the banking industry and prevent future economic crisis. By removing the Glass-Steagall Act the door was opened for the likes of Fanny and Freddy to happen.

The authors of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act were all Republicans. Jim Leach (R-Iowa), Thomas J. Bliley Jr. (R-VA), and Phil Gramm (R-Texas). That is the same Phil Gramm who was John McCain’s top economic advisor for his current Presidential campaign until Sen. Gramm put more than his foot in his mouth by stating, “You’ve heard of mental depression; this is a mental recession.” He added, “We have sort of become a nation of whiners, you just hear this constant whining, complaining about a loss of competitiveness, America in decline.” Phil Gramm continues to unofficially advise Sen. McCain on economic matters.

As for Fanny and Freddie there were attempts to regulate them in 2003 and 2005 but none of them passed. But can you lay the full blame on Democrats for this? I think not seeing as how the Republicans not only controlled the White House in 2003 & 2005 but also had the majority in both the House and the Senate. If the Republicans truly wanted to regulate Freddie and Fannie they would have had no problem since they had full control of the White House and Congress at the time.

As you can see both the Democrats and the Republicans are responsible for the current state of the economy.

Let’s not forget that John McCain also played a role in the Keating Five that resulted in the Savings and Loan Crisis of the late 80’s and early 90’s.

“I believe the fundamentals of our economy are strong…” John McCain Sept. 15, 2008 the day the market crashed.

We live in a world of smoke and mirrors.

Happy Voting,
Spacement

In the final stretch of this Presidential campaign, Obama’s team has definitely one-up McCain when it comes to taxes. Today they released the Obama-Biden Tax Calculator. This is a very cool tool that allows you to plug in some info about yourself and it will calculate your savings or increases under Obama’s tax plan.

According to the Obama website: “Barack Obama and Joe Biden will cut taxes for 95% of working families, and provide at least three times as much tax relief for middle class families as John McCain and Sarah Palin. The Obama/Biden plan provides $1,000 of tax relief for workers and new tax benefits to help families pay for college, childcare and save for retirement.”

Keep in mind that people making over $250,000 per year will see a slight tax increase under Obama’s plan. Before you panic about that let’s look at some numbers. According to the Census Bureau, in 2007 the median annual hosehold income was $50,233. That is the average and nowhere even close to what Joe the Plumber claims he would be making. Real Joe the Plumbers are making closer to the national median and are nowhere near the danger of getting a tax increase from Obama.

In 2006, only 19.26% households exceeded an annual income of over $100,000. Still not close to the not so magic number of $250,000. So America wake up, when the right talks about tax breaks they are not for you and me. They are for big business and the very wealthy.

Fans of Phil Collins‘ drumming will be happy to know that he still has his chops and that they were passed onto his son Simon Collins. Simon is Phil’s oldest son from his first marriage. Simon’s latest album is called U-Catastophe.

A far cry from his old man’s music but those familiar with Phil will hear his genes throughout the album. At times Simon’s voice sounds a bit like Phil, and there are very few singers out there that ever come close to sounding like Phil. The real treat for me is hearing Phil’s unique and distinct drum style channeled through Simon’s drumming.

The music itself is a mix of Pop, Rock, and Techno. If Phil took a hit of really good exstacy threw on a Tool record, then some Paul Oakenfold, and then decided to record an album, it would probably come out sounding like this. And in my mind that would be a good thing. Simon brings some fresh sounds and music to the Collins name.

And fans of Genesis can rejoice as this album not only features Phil Collins but former Genesis guitarist Steve Hackett. Steve’s unique style of guitar playing is found on “Fast Forward The Future”. And for the first time father and son come together for a duet. This is no cheesy duet like Phil was featured on in “Easy Lover” or “Separate Lives”. Instead on “The Big Bang” we get a thundering balls out instrumental featuring both Collins on drums for a tasty drum duet. This is Father and Son at their brightest moment making the earth shake with their drumming madness. This track alone is worth the price of the album.

Here is a live version of the Big Bang but sadly it doesn’t feature Simon’s Dad on drums.

Letter to the Contra Costa Times Editor:

Ask yourself this one question. Besides offending your morale values, what direct effect will Gay Marriage have on your personal life?

Will it provide your kids with a better education, make your neighborhood safer, help save your job, prevent you from having to foreclose on your home, put food on your table, end the war in Iraq, stabilize your 401k? Just because one’s morales are offended isn’t just cause for creating a law against something you don’t agree with and that at the end of the day has zero effect on your life.

There are bigger and much more important issues at stake that could use the time, money and energy that is currently being wasted on Prop. 8. This is a divisive non-issue issue filled with intolerance that tends to rear it’s ugly head every four years during a Presidential Election. Vote NO on 8.

Well the self-proclaimed Pitbull with lipstick did not fall flat on her face last night or even get stuck in the headlights. Instead she came across as Fargo’s version of Betty Crocker that spent the last week cramming for a political quiz. And like a college kid that pulls an all-nighter that shifts between cramming books and hitting the vaporizer, how much of that info will she be able to recite two weeks or even two days from? I’m sure we’ll never find out after her three part disaster with Katie Couric, I’m sure the McCain camp will have her locked in the same place Cheney disappeared to after 9/11.

When she actually gave an answer last night it was delivered a bit better than, as one newscaster quoted, the “verbal cotton candy” that spewed from her mouth during the Couric interviews. But the sad thing is people actually buy that bullshit and want Ted Nugent dressed up like a modern day Betty Crocker to be a heartbeat away from the President. And let’s face it there’s not too many more heartbeats left in the old guy.

Ol’ Joe never put his foot in his mouth or recited the constitution word for word last night, so no train wreck there either. I’m surprised Pitbull didn’t hammer him when bankruptcy came up last night, she obviously had too much crammed in her brain or her handlers never even mentioned the fact that Joe Biden was instrumental in helping to pass the 2005 “Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act”. This Act didn’t prevent abuse or protect consumers, just made it harder for the average Joe Six Pack to file bankruptcy. Sarah you missed a good chance to really hammer him.

All in all it was a ho hum night. And sorry America, I’m ready for a woman in office just not your average dingbat with an annoying voice. I’ll take Boxer any day over that Pittbull.

Dear Janet Brown,

Since 1986 when I was old enough to register to vote, I have been registered as Decline to State. As you well know that is an Independent in California where I reside. I have never felt the need for party affiliation because I think is important to give all candidates a chance. It is most unfortunate that the Commission on Presidential Debates does not feel the same way.

Our country is at a turning point and hopefully it ends up pointing in the right direction. The basic principles of what our country was founded on are lost amongst the money backed voice of big business. If the average person looks at this election they are told there are only 2 choices for President this year. We both know that is not true. So why are only two parties invited to the debates? The goals set for an invitation to these exclusive debates are much too high and unrealistic. And that should change.

I am well aware that the Commission on Presidential Debates is basically run by former DNC and RNC heads. Too bad, that you feel the need to stifle the voices of all the other parties no matter which side of the fence they are on. It is attitudes like this that will one day be the downfall of this great country. And you can say you had a hand in that process. I hope it helps you feel good about yourself.

These are turbulent times and changes are needed. Maybe one day those blinded by greed will open their eyes and the debates for all.

Sincerely,
Spacement

In 1975, founding Yes member and bassist Chris Squire released his debut solo album, Fish Out of Water. One listen to this album and you release the importance and influence that Squire has as one of the principle songwriters of Yes. Normally his vocals are graced in harmony with Jon Anderson that blend into a unique union of abstract lyrics. Hearing Chris singing on his own is a special treat and allows the listener to easily pick out his vocal spots with Yes.

Accompanying Chris on this album are former Yes drummer, Bill Bruford, and Yes keyboardist, Patrick Moraz. Bruford left Yes in 1972, shortly after completing the Close to the Edge album, to begin an on and off again career with King Crimson. Bruford’s unique style of odd-timing jazz/rock drumming is the perfect fit with Squire’s prominent bass riffs. Try air drumming to this album and as is usually the case with any tune Bruford is on you’ll never get the beat right. Bruford is the master of making a difficult beat sound easy.

Also on hand to lend to the jazz/rock fusion of this classic Progressive Rock album is Patrick Moraz. Moraz joined Yes for only one album, Relayer, and tour in 1974/1975. Between Moraz’s keyboard solos and Squire’s bass you won’t even miss the lack of guitars on this album. The trio of Squire/Bruford/Moraz reviled anything Emerson, Lake and Palmer ever did and they did it with feeling that was often lost in the complexity of ELP.

Opening the album is a duo of songs “Hold Out Your Hand” and “You By My Side” that are the perfect way to ease ones self into this musical journey. Almost radio friendly but lacking any cheesiness. At times “You by My Side” has a classic Crosby, Stills & Nash feel to it.

The heavy progressive rock kicks in with the third song, and back in the days of vinyl the last track on side one, “Silently Falling”. The intro starts off with a mild orchestral arrangement and then builds into an epic prog rock anthem complete with a haunting vocal line to finish the song. It’s one of those tunes that make you wonder what could I possibly play next that will sound this good? Well leave that to Chris Squire because he delivers with two more songs that rival any Yes material.

Opening side two, or track five on your CD, is “Lucky Seven”. Striking out on his own for a solo album may have been seen as a gamble but it sure paid off. Not commercially, but it is certainly a winner musically. If you’ve ever wondered what Yes would sound like a with a sax player, this is the song to answer that question. And we are not talking 80’s sax playing by some guy with a bad permed mullet. This is some very tasty sax work that blends nicely with the trio of Squire/Bruford/Moraz. Remember there is no guitar on this album but you would never miss it.

Closing down the album is another epic with the build up ending that never seems to end. But that’s okay because you don’t want it to. Just when you think the song is coming to a close Squire turns the corner and takes you down another path and another false end. Finally the album ends with the sole Squire bass notes sounding like a whale that is mournful the album has come to an end.

Any fan of Yes, Genesis, Progressive, and Psychedelic rock should own this album. It will take you on a satisfying musical journey from start to finish and leave you wanting more. The only downfall to this record is that it clocks in at a mere 33 minutes and 41 seconds. You will definitely be left scratching your head and wondering what to play next. Just give “Fish Out of Water” another spin and problem solved.

Highly recommended for altered states of consciousness!