This sounds really dorky in my head, but I am so full of musical happiness today. God, I know! What does it do to my cynically ironic street cred (and not to mention my writing skill? That might be the more important question) that I can honestly not come up with a better term? Which one is real? It's actually likely a collusion of fact and fiction...too complicated to determine at this point.
But anyway, that's the deal, so I thought I'd collect it here...some stuff I've been meaning to share since I got back but being unconscious has been a priority for the past 48 hours. I watched Ellen this morning because I cashed in a couple hours of off time to stay home and catch up (a funny concept - catching up. I'm so far behind in every aspect of my daily existence that the term is meaningless.) So I watched Ellen, which I never do, and wouldn't you know it - Elton John, on again, to shill for the new record, but also to sing, twice, and that's a great way for me to start the day. He was on the Tonight Show last night too. I was getting ready for bed and saw him and sat down and watched him play the new single, and of course I cry every time I watch him play. I'd find it pathetic if if it weren't so genuine, and not stupid, weepy tears...It's an odd, odd relationship I have with this man I've never met. I admire him so much because he seems really real - besides the fact that there's something in his presence and his and Bernie Taupin's songs, and the way he continues to turn out great music that changes and flows much the same any human life does...This new record is an autobiographical continuation of "Captain Fantastic", he says, and whereas that was a rumination on failure, this is the same on success. It should be interesting. He's just a very important musical force in my life and every time, it amazes me. (Rainn Wilson from The Office was on Ellen today too - so it was my fairy godmother reminding me to turn on the tv this morning, which I rarely do anymore.)
I should give this next lady her own post, but I want to cut to the chase and write her down now. I'd say that Janis Joplin is alive and well and living in Austin, if I didn't feel so weird about comparing Carolyn Wonderland to anyone else. She is the single most impressive live performer I've seen in recent memory. I caught her show at a small pub in Austin, and if the roof could blow off from the sheer power of music, it would be because of her. She mostly tours in Texas, but if I were you, and I'm not, but you are...and maybe you like good music? Maybe you like blues? Rock? Women who play the guitar and make you think, "Who SAYS there are no good female guitar players? WHO SAYS THAT WITH A STRAIGHT FACE?" If that's you, you should check her out, and if it's not, you also should, so you can be a believer too. There aren't a lot of streams or free downloads on her main page or on the myspace, but that's fine, because I have no problem paying for talent like this. (I'm ordering everything, because she was out of cds at the show I went to...so if you're interested and don't want to or can't afford to buy the cds, give me a shout and I'll share. It also helps a lot if you know me. ; ) )
I'm also excited to pick up the new BNL cd (I got tickets! Good seats!) and (shut up) Lionel Richie today, and it's only a few more lonely days until my date with my valentine and my other boyfriends, so this fall is working out very nicely on the music front. I'll live with however lame "musical happiness" sounds for the time being, I guess, because it's probably the only true thing. Maybe I'll come up with something more edgy while I'm driving to work...Any ideas, please shoot 'em my way. Cred isn't everything but if any more goes out the window I'm going to have to find a new crew to roll with.
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