Careening Around My Cranium with Daryll Collins #3!!!

MUSIC PUBLICATIONS...

I don't know about you, but the only stateside publication I buy these days is THE BIG TAKEOVER. For the most part my monthly music mag habit is confined to Brit publications MOJO, UNCUT and CLASSIC ROCK. The Brits have got it right! All three are outstanding publications that cover the music scene and the artists that I most care about.

I'm certain BLENDER actively tries not to appeal to my demographic and ROLLING STONE has lost it's way. It's now an amalgamation of a liberal NATIONAL REVIEW combined with a healthy dose of TIGER BEAT. I know RS has always covered the political scene and that's fine but I guess I prefer to have more diversity of opinion in my reading material as in a newspaper editorial section. I don't like being pounded over the head with an agenda.

I only seem to read ROLLING STONE when I'm killing time in an airport, which was the case recently. The issue featured "The 100 Greatest Singers Of All Time". Now I could bitch and moan about some of the selections and the rankings but why bother. These things are subjective. One man's Egg McMuffin is another man's Filet Mignon.

With that in mind I present my list (in alphabetical order) of Top 15 Singers Who Didn't Make Rolling Stone's Top 100...

Ann Wilson (Heart), Chuck Negron (Three Dog Night), Daryl Hall, Glenn Hughes, James Dewer (Robin Trower Band), Laura Nyro, Lewis Taylor, Mark Farner (Grand Funk), Molly Felder (Swan Dive), Phil Lynott (Thin Lizzy), Raul Malo, Robin Zander (Cheap Trick), Steve Mariott (Humble Pie), Terrence Trent D'Arby, Todd Rundgren.

And now for the musical exercise that's sweeping the nation...

DARYLL'S IPOD SHUFFLE!

You loyal readers know the rules...Set listening device to shuffle play and list the first 10 songs that come up. No skipping. You must include all embarrassing selections! List yours in the comments section and thanks to all who have previously participated. And now without further ado...

*Marshall Crenshaw -"Stop Her On Sight" (live)
*The Pearlfishers - "You Justify My Life"
*Buck Owens - "Excuse Me (I Think I've Got A Heartache)"
*Jon Brion - "Her Ghost"
*Sanford & Townsend Band - "Lu"
*Thin Lizzy - "Do Anything You Want To Do"
*Lindsey Buckingham - "Don't Look Down"
*The Shazam - "Some Other Time"
*Ben Folds Five - "Regrets"
*Cheese - "Where Are They Now?"

MUSICAL THIS AND THAT...

How 'bout that Bruce Brodeen and his audio updates? It really gives us music fans a better overview of the recent releases and reissues carried by Not Lame. Keep 'em coming! I anxiously await the video format where supermodels will hold up the CD's as Bruce pontificates.

What are songs or moments in songs that literally give you goose bumps?

I'll list three. The spoken word coda on "Knights In White Satin" by The Moody Blues.
As soon as I hear, "Breathe deep..." I can feel the skin rise up on my arms. There is something about that narration, the narrative itself and the accompanying music that cuts right to my soul. It encompasses life's great questions, our purpose, the passage of time and our reflections on it. Stunning.

Second example, "Bag Lady" by Todd Rundgren. One of the saddest songs ever! Lyrically and musically touching as it examines societies "invisible" people. I believe the sax solo on this is by Edgar Winter and that in itself will bring a tear to your eye. I've never heard a song ending with such pathos.

A song that is a partial goose bump inducer is PFR's "Goldie's Last Day." It's about the recent passing of a beloved Golden Retriever.
It starts as a loving tribute, although in a Queen-like vaudeville style. It really works until you get to a goofy megaphone vocal that arrives mid-song, totally ruining the sentiment. It rebounds after that to finish in the original heartfelt style. I find that musical curveball beyond irritating! So as an animal lover you could say, "goose bumps, irritation, then more goose bumps."

Feel free to list yours in the comments section.

New Roger Klug album in the works! YEESSSS!!!

That's what he says on his web site. A 2009 release.

CARTOON THEMES

You know what theme really gets the blood pumping? The original Jonny Quest!
One of the big mistakes Hanna-Barbera made when they brought the show back in the '90's was to ditch the original theme and soundtrack.

IF YOU'RE HAVING A PARTY...

With lots of different folks/different ages and don't know what music to play, I've found that Sly & The Family Stone's GREATEST HITS always does the trick.

That's all for now. I'll have a Holiday edition coming up in a week or two. It'll be a hoot!

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Daryll Collins is a free-lance cartoonist/illustrator who has worked for a wide variety of clients including magazines and newspapers, advertising, greeting cards, character design & development, children's books, comic strips and gag cartoons. You can check out his work at www.daryllcollins.com