Analog Tube Driven Rock n' Roll

The Dust Bowl Era in Detroit

2005-03-06T19:00:00.000-08:00

If you grew up in Detroit then odds are at some point you had seen the Cowpunk band Goober and the Peas. They wore Hank Williams-type suits, ten-gallon hats and threw hay from the stage. I adored them live. From that band has grown something dark, sometimes creepy, but always beautiful...Blanche. If you close your eyes and listen to the song Someday you will sware you are in Topeka and that these are the "Dust Bowl Days." Watch the video here. But this isnt the 1930s and this isnt Kansas...This is Detroit. And that makes it all the better. Also if you liked what Jack White did on Loretta Lynn's, Van Lear Rose, (FYI White was the last drummer of Goober and the Peas. He went by the name Jack "Doc" Gillis) then you will appreciate Blanche. Two of the members of Blanche, Jack Lawrence, and Feeny, played on Loretta's album. Check out Blanch and let me know what you think.

Dancing with the Digital Devil

2005-02-27T18:40:00.000-08:00

Yamaha DTXpress III

This is my dark secret. Me owning this machine can be equated to a vegetarian sneaking a steak in his or her dark, dank basement. Yes I own a digital drum kit. But its not what you think! Living in a condo in the city leaves the drummer with little to no options for practice. Maybe if I played the flute things would be different. But with this machine I can conjure sounds very near to that of the flute itself. The one beautiful thing about this kit is that at 2 in the morning I can put on my headphones and play a loud vintage sounding kit without stirring a soul, even if I look like a complete ass while doing it. I promise never to use this machine outside the confines of my own home.

Trap Kit Packed in the Closet

2005-02-24T17:33:00.000-08:00

1969 Champaign sparkle Ludwig trap set

I have not been in a working band in well over 5 years. When I left my last band, the drums went into the closet. I'm in the process of getting back into fighting shape. I’m thinking of staging a musician’s comeback. This is a picture of my trap set (taken at Warzone Studios in Chicago during a session in which we were recording through the same tube driven mixing board that Lynard skynard recorded Free Bird on). It’s a 1969 Champaign sparkle Ludwig. I converted a spare tom into a marching depth snare drum. The bass drum is massive...26 inch...we are talking Led Zeppelin size. The pride of my drum kit at the time of the photo was my 22 inch pre-World War I bebop cymbal. When that particular cymbal was made Archduke Ferdinand had yet to be assasinated. It produced a warm dark China-type effect with a long decay. It was the talk of the town until it literally exploded one night at Lounge Ax. I replaced it with a big swish cymbal with rivets. Its good but not close to the same thing. My point is that instruments get better with time. The wood ages producing warmer tones. Analog sound is synonymous with warm tones. This is exactly what this blog is all about.

2005-02-23T17:46:00.000-08:00

The true-school two-piece straight outta Akron Ohio...The Black Keys
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The Black Keys

2005-02-21T18:02:00.000-08:00

Everyone needs to check out the best band to emerge since the White Stripes Blew life back into the Lungs of rock n' roll. I’m talking about the true-school two-piece Black Keys straight outta Akron, Ohio. Anyone familiar with the Fat Possum record label knows what to expect here. Fat Possum is the home to little known Blues Legends T-Model Ford and R.L. Burnside as well as 70's garage blues rival bands, Thee Shams and of course The Black Keys. Check out the video for 10 a.m. Automatic. I just might be heading back to Detroit from Chicago to see the Keys on April 21 at the venue that raised me up from a naive son of an immigrant father...St. Andrews Hall.

Guided by Voices

2005-02-07T16:21:00.000-08:00

If you are into the band Guided by Voices you can download free MP3 tracks off their website. There are many gems here. Make sure you download, Motor Away live from Australia.