Song of the Day - "Lover's Cross" ~ Jim Croce

Guess that it was bound to happen

Was just a matter of time

But now I've come to my decision

And it's one of the painful kind

'Cause now it seems that you wanted a martyr

Just a regular guy wouldn't do

But baby I can't hang upon no lover's cross for you

I really got to hand it to ya

'Cause girl you really tried

But for every time that we spent laughin'

There were two times that I cried

And you were tryin' to make me your martyr

And that's the one thing I just couldn't do

'Cause baby, I can't hang upon no lover's cross for you

'Cause tables are meant for turnin'

And people are bound to change

And bridges are meant for burnin'

When the people and memories they join aren't the same

Still I hope that you can find

Another who can take what I could not

He'll have to be a super guy

Or maybe a super god

'Cause I never was much of a martyr before

And I ain't bout to start nothin' new

And baby, I can't hang upon no lover's cross for you 

Bald Heads and Sunburn Suck

So, I have a really funny story about why we were late for Erica Blinn and PJ Schreiner's show at Club Cafe when they opened for WATERSHED on Wednesday. I burned the holy hell out of my head and face at ComFest over the weekend, and decided that it was 'recovered enough' to shave the fuzz of my head and face. Well, I was wrong. Should have left it alone. Between the shaving and the showering, I think I lost two or three of the seven layers of skin on my head. My skull was ON FIRE.

So Allison and I go to dinner, she notices the patchwork and the pain I'm still in and suggests Solarcaine. I agree. I've used it before, worked great. So we find it, and in the parking lot of RiteAid in Austintown, I proceed to spray my raw and blistered head with a serious coating of this stuff.

BAD IDEA.

Between the already contracted skin from the sunburn, the abrasions from the shaving and the fact that Solarcaine states "Do not spray in abundance on areas of raw or blistered skin" on the warning label I read about 20 minutes later, my head felt like nothing I've ever felt in my life. My vision got white, I got dizzy. I felt like I was going to pass out, shit myself, vomit, or all of the above, hopefully in a manageable order.

For 10-15 minutes, I was completely incapable of doing anything but avoiding all of the three things mentioned above, while trying to get over this so we could get on the road to Pittsburgh. Finally, Allie said we should go to my place so so I could rinse off my head. I tell her there's no way I can drive. Hell, I can barely stand. So we head that way ... I'm still freaking the fuck out. This is the second weirdest thing I've ever been exposed to.

Funny thing ... when we hit my parking lot ... whatever medication is in the Solarcaine finally started working and my head felt great. Tender, sure. But that whole "pass out puke shit myself" feeling was gone, and we switched seats and headed down to Pittsburgh. With a very valuable lesson learned:

Next year, at Comfest, my hat stays on.

My 2012 Comfest Schedule

I've had a few friends ask me for ComFest suggestions ... and who I'm going to see this year, so here is my ComFest Schedule ... in addition to my volunteer shifts doing trash clean up and recycling, I'm also working with my friend Ryan Cox as he spreads the word on the Cannon.fm  (This is an app for the iPhone, iPod and iPad, available here, that will allow you to discover music based on individual cities and genres, starting with Columbus), so you might see me handing out info as I travel from stage to stage.

That being said, here's my ComFest 2012 Schedule, and if you want a cool shirt and some free beer tokens, Comfest always needs volunteers ... so go here, sign up and become part of the ComFest Community of Volunteers.

Friday
Noon-4	Volunteer	Trash
3:40	Whoa Nellie!	Bozo
5:50	Ginger Lees	Solar
6:30	Low Men	Offramp
7:05	Tim Easton	Solar
8:30	Shane Sweeney	Solar
9:00	Micah Schnabel	Solar
9:20	The Ooh-la-las Burlesque	Live Arts
Saturday
Noon	The Shazzbots	Offramp
12:35	Erica Blinn	Gazebo
2:20	The Salty Carmels	Gazebo
3:20	Spikedrivers	Gazebo
4:00	Apple Bottom Gang	Offramp
5:30	George Elliot Underground	Offramp
6:25	The Town Monster	Offramp
7:20	The Saturday Giant	Offramp
8:15	Winter Makes Sailors	Offramp
9:15	She Bears	Offramp
10p-2a	Volunteer	Trash
Sunday
11:45	Harvest Kings	Offramp
12:20	The Dewdroppers	Bozo
2:00	Erika Hughes	Gazebo
2:50	Willie Phoenix	Bozo
3:40	Jenn Miller	Jazz
4:00	Mendelsonics	Gazebo
4:50	Lost Revival	Offramp
5:35	Bygones	Offramp
6:25	Alert New London	Offramp
7:15	The Girls!	Offramp

Song of the Day - with video!

"I Should've Known"

~ Aimee Mann

I should thank you almost
no one could kill it off until you bled it
but I got rid of that ghost
'though certain habits remain imbedded
with the shadow of a doubt
but baby it was you who fed it
and I don't know what else to say
but I think you get it.

I should've known
it was coming down to this
I should've known
you would betray me but without the kiss
I should've known
the kind of set-up it is.

And always isn't always
when it's not your photograph that I've been keeping
but you still live in those days
when I'd stay awake just to watch you sleeping
you delivered that blow
but it left a mark on me that you're not seeing
and I don't know what else you hear
but it's not me weeping

I should've known
it was coming down to this
I should've known
you would betray me but without the kiss
I should've known
the kind of set-up it is.

I should've seen the cracks in the ceiling
and the mirror covered up with dust
but I was busy talking on the phone
I should've seen the obstacles but I said,
this house was built for us
hello
is anybody home?

I should've known
the minute that we hit the wall
I should've known
the writing was upon the stall
I should've known
'cause Rome was starting to fall

and I should thank you, almost.

My 2012 Charity Event - St. Baldrick's Day

Hello. I sometimes forget that not everyone has moved on from Blogger to my Facebook or Twitter feed, so I wanted to let you know that there are less than six days left before I get my head shaved to show solidarity with and raise money for kids fighting all sorts of pediatric cancers.

St. Baldrick's Foundation  is a volunteer-driven charity funds more in childhood cancer research grants than any organization except the U.S. government.  Your gift will give hope to infants, children, teens and young adults fighting childhood cancers. So when I ask for your support, I'm really asking you to support these kids. Thank you!

http://www.stbaldricks.org/participants/ericbroz

As of this posting I've raised $930.  I've promised on Facebook & Twitter that if I get $1,000 I'll keep it shaved completely bald for three months; and add an additional month for every $50 increment over $1,000.

So donate if you can, and if you're local to the Youngstown area, come out and join us on March 10th from 1 to 3 p.m. at O'Donald's Irish Pub & Grille, 6000 Mahoning Avenue, Austintown, OH 44515.

Thanks!

Song of the Day - "I Wanna Kiss You"

Paula Cole
I Wanna Kiss You

I wanna kiss you. I wanna kiss you.
I wanna stop the conversation,
I wanna kiss you.

Oh, lie beside me now,
Funny papers, morning sunlight streams,
Oh fantasize me now,
I'll kiss your neck and make your toast and tea,
Oh won't you marry me?
I see a little church atop a hill.
But in the meantime I wanna lose my shame.

I wanna kiss you. I wanna kiss you.
I wanna stop the conversation.
I wanna kiss you. I wanna feel you.
I wanna feel you.
I wanna lean my body into yours.
I wanna feel you.

Oh believe me now,
Walk with me upon the path I see.
Oh a cozy home,
Nestled in an English garden scene.
You will write your books,
And I will paint my paintings by the sea.
But now I'll be Lolita if you please.
I wanna kiss you. I wanna kiss you.
I wanna stop the conversation.
I wanna kiss you. I wanna hold you.
I wanna hold you.
I wanna wrestle you down to the ground.
Oh...

I wanna kiss you. I wanna kiss you.
I wanna stop the conversation.
I wanna kiss you. I wanna have you.
I wanna have you.
I wanna be a possessive girl.
I wanna have you.
Hold you, hurt you, love you, need you, love you, wrestle you down to the ground,
Bite you, love you, hold you,
I wanna kiss you.

Song Of The Day "This Time It's Us"

"This Time It's Us"

~ Jude Cole

I sat on the roof as the night came down
Looking out over this pitiful town
And thought of you out there back in the race
Looking for someone to take my place
That's when it hit me, that's when the walls came down

You see, I never thought it could happen to us
Now we're going 'round breaking down each other's hearts
So go on and blame me for whatever you must
But we've become just like the ones we laughed about
This time, this time it's us

Up in a watchtower with the streetlights below
In a town full of places that we used to go
And a river of people walking two by two
Everything I see now reminds me of you
That's when it hit me, that's when it all came true

'Cause I never thought it could happen to us
Now we're going 'round breaking down each other's hearts
So go on and blame me for whatever you must
But we've become just like the ones we were laughing about
This time, this time it's us, oh it's us

I never thought it could happen to us
Now we're going 'round breaking down each other's hearts
So go on and blame me for whatever you must
But we've become just like the ones we were laughing about
This time, this time it's us, this time it's us, oh

This time it's us

Song of the Day - "No Mistakes"

The summer is gone I can't believe
it went so fast
Why do only the cold and lonely times
seem to last.
Now it's late at night
I watch you sleepin
I wanna wake you up
and tell you I'm sorry, though I know
I can't make it up.

I made my mistakes now baby
but I did the best I could.
It takes what it takes and sometimes
it takes longer than it should
to just live the kind of life that we both
have been dreaming of.
There are no mistakes in love.

I walk through a fire in my dreams
just to pull you through.
But when I'm awake somehow it seems
I'm just so hard on you.
Baby a change has got to come
nd I can't see
after another winter's gone,
well, who's gonna rescue me.

There are no mistakes now baby
we did the best we could.
It takes what it takes and sometimes
it takes much more than it should
to just make the choices that we both
have been dreaming of.
There are no mistakes in love.

The nights are much colder now
and I feel the nee to have you near.
Maybe we can start all over.
I feel a change in the air.

There are no mistakes now baby
we do the best we can.
It just takes what it takes and sometimes
it's so hard to understand
and just take the chances that we all
have been dreaming of.
There are no mistakes in love,
there are no mistakes in love,
oh, there are no mistakes in love.

If Dog Park doesn't make you smile ...

Nothing will.  This is brilliant!

Beautiful Day at the Dog Park from Kelsey Wynns on Vimeo.

Song of the Day

Windows Are Rolled Down

~ Amos Lee

Look up, child
The world is born
Shoe's untied
And your soles are worn

Windows are rolled down
Sun is setting high
Windows are rolled down
I'm fixing to die

Corn rows have companion feel
This rocky road and this steering wheel
Who do you call to ease your pain?
I hope for you to get through this rain

Windows are rolled down
Moon is hanging low
Windows are rolled down
Think it's time for me to go, hey

Is it what you dreamed it'd be?
Are you locked up in this fantasy?
Oh, this miles that have torn us apart
My new found faith and my broken heart

Windows are rolled down
Sun is rising high
Windows are rolled down
Feel that wind rushing by, hey

Windows are rolled down

Song of the Day ... for all you hippies

Conservative Christian, Right Wing Republican,
Straight, White, American Male

~ Todd Snider

Conservative Christian, right wing Republican, straight, white, American male.
Gay bashin’, black fearin’, poor fightin’, tree killin’, regional leaders of sales
Frat housin’, keg tappin’, shirt tuckin’, back slappin’ haters of hippies like me.
Tree huggin’, peace lovin’, pot smokin’, porn watchin’ lazyass hippies like me.
Tree huggin’, love makin’, pro choicen, gay weddin’, widespread diggin’ hippies like me.
Skin color-blinded, conspiracy-minded, protestors of corporate greed,
We who have nothing and most likely will ‘till we all wind up locked up in jails
By conservative Christian, right wing Republican, straight, white, American males.

Diamonds and dogs, boys and girls, 

living together in two separate worlds
Following leaders of mountains of shame, 

looking for someone to blame.

Diamonds and dogs, boys and girls, 

living together in two separate worlds
Following leaders of mountains of shame, 

looking for someone to blame.
I know who I like to blame:

Conservative Christian, right wing Republican, straight, white, American males,
Soul savin’, flag wavin’, Rush lovin’, land pavin’ personal friends to the Quayles
Quite diligently workin’ so hard to keep the free reins of this Democracy
From tree huggin’, peace lovin’, pot smokin’, barefootin’ folk-singin’ hippies like me.
Tree huggin’, peace lovin’, pot smokin’, porn watchin’ lazyass hippies like me.

Song of the Day - Unlove Me

Unlove Me

~ Julie Roberts

Unloose this hold you've got on me
Unlock this heart that can't get free
Unlive the night you kissed and hugged me
Undream the dreams that we both shared
Unfeel the feelin' that you cared
Before you leave me, please unlove me

Unlove me
Unmake all the memories I can't forget
Unlove me
Let me go back to the way I was before we met

Back to the days when I was strong
When it wasn't sad to be alone
When I was happy-go-lucky
And I didn't know how good it felt
To hold you and feel my heart melt
Show me a little mercy and unlove me

Unlove me
Untie all the strings between your heart and mine
Unlove me
But do it real slow, so I don't have to lose you all at one time

Before you pack your bags and leave
One thing I wish you'd do for me
Take a little time to just unlove me

Unlove me
Unmake all the memories I can't forget
Unlove me
Let me go back to the way I was before we met

Unloose this hold you've got on me
Unlock this heart that can't get free
Before you leave me, please unlove me
Show a little mercy and unlove me

CD Review - Shane Sweeney - The Finding Time"

 "It's all been said before but it must have fallen on deaf ears the first time."

Shane Sweeney ~ "Legion"

When I first heard Shane Sweeney, better known as the other vocalist in Two Cow Garage (gravely voiced Micah Schnabel sings the majority of TCG songs) was releasing a solo album, I wasn't sure what to expect. A friend of mine recently asked me if I skipped the Shane songs when I listening to Two Cow Garage, like I used to skip over the Grant Hart Husker Du tunes in favor of Bob Mould's stuff.  I actually like Shane's songs, and his voice, and his aggression, but there are times where I wish he'd sing a song, rather than fight it.  

While I never said this to him, I think someone did ... because he's done just that on "The Finding Time," his latest solo album. The album is, as far as I can hear, completely acoustic and a complete joy to listen to. It's been out since July, but I've been trying to find time to listen to it, let alone write about it.  That started last week.  Shane's playing a CD Release Show at Rumba on Friday, November 4th, with Jeffery Fernengel, Todd May, And Nate Linek. You can get the MP3's on Amazon or iTunes, or you can go get your face rocked off and buy an actual CD from Shane's merch table.

"The Finding Time" starts out with what today sounds like a song for the "Occupy (insert locality here)" movement. It's call "Legion" and it sets the tone musically, and lyrically:

 "There's more of us than them,
All it takes is everyone to raise a hand
Say I won't lay  down for money.
I will hold my head up and die like like a man
Won't you stand with me?
Brother won't you stand with me?
Won't you stand with me?
And if one should fall,
If one should should fall
If I should fall
Another will take up the call"
~ "Legion"

Knowing Shane and his fondness for making porch music ... kicking back pickin' and singing with friends and beer, it sounds like a lot of these album could be called "The Front Porch Sessions," and that's a compliment.  They're simple, straight forward tunes about life, family, and being strong in a world that just doesn't give a shit about you.  "When I Am Empty" and "Hallelujah" and "The Owl" and "Try Again Later" are among my favorite songs on this CD, and "Motel Blues" is a great life-on-the-road track that a lot of traveling musicians could have written, but didn't.  The CD ends with a couple of tracks featuring some great harmony on the vocals, the first being "See You In Heaven," a tribute to a friend who's in another place now. with some subtle guitar picking behind it. I love the way the song builds. The latter is a reprise of "Legion" ... short, and sweet, like it should be.

Will this be a chart buster? No. Sadly, it's not corporate rock. It's the complete opposite. But Micah and Shane have this "Art or Die" mantra. And this is art. This is Americana at it's finest. Good music made by a man who shows he's more than the screams and slamming bass lines you find in the Two Cow Garage songs some us know and love.

Song of the Day - Better Things

Better Things - The Kinks

Here's wishing you the bluest sky,
And hoping something better comes tomorrow.
Hoping all the verses rhyme,
And the very best of choruses to
Follow all the doubt and sadness.
I know that better things are on the way.

Here's hoping all the days ahead
Won't be as bitter as the ones behind you.
Be an optimist instead,
And somehow happiness will find you.
Forget what happened yesterday,
I know that better things are on the way.

It's really good to see you rocking out
And having fun,
Living like you just begun.
Accept your life and what it brings.
I hope tomorrow you'll find better things.
I know tomorrow you'll find better things.

Here's wishing you the bluest sky,
And hoping something better comes tomorrow.
Hoping all the verses rhyme,
And the very best of choruses to
Follow all the drudge and sadness.
I know that better things are on the way.

I know you've got a lot of good things happening up ahead.
The past is gone it's all been said.
So here's to what the future brings,
I know tomorrow you'll find better things.
I know tomorrow you'll find better things.

All My Racist Friends Are Coming Over Tonight (parody)

So, I haven't said much at all about this whole Hank Williams Jr Obama/Hitler thing ... until now, when I give to you my latest song parody:

"All My Racist Friends Are Coming Over Tonight"

I got ketchup on my klan robe, hot cross just burnt my hand

Lord, it's hard to still be a racist man

I keep black girls that can cook, I keep black girls that can clean

I keep asian girls that can do anything in between

I got to hide them away, make everything white

Cause all my racist friends are comin over tonight

Do you want a drink, hey, do you want to join the master party

Hey, white people, this is ole Grand Dragon Hank, ready to get the lynching started

We'll hang some up in the trees, put some more on ice

And all my racist friends are comin over tonight

Now, my Klan Meeting pad is out in the woods

It's a long way from here to liberal Hollywood

But I got some white debutante queens out on the floor

And ole Miss KKK Mississippi just walked through the door

Got a stars and bars wirlpool just made for ten

And you can hate out and you can hate in

You can do anything that you wanna do

But, uh-uhh, don't you bring your boo

Do you want a drink, hey, do you want to join the master party

Hey, white people, this is ole Grand Dragon Hank, ready to get the lynching started

We'll hang some up in the trees, put some more on ice

And all my racist friends are comin over tonight

Do you want to drink, hey, do you want to party

Hey, hey, this is racits Grand Dragon Hank

Ready to get the lynchin' time started

We'll hang some up in the trees, put some more on ice

And all my racist friends are comin over tonight