Don't Change

In it's prime, INXS was one helluva band. If nothing else, like the truly great acts, they appreciated the value of negative space.  Usually, the note you leave out is far more important than the lick you put in.  Space is important.  Stewart Copeland understood that.  Phil Spector never did.

Couldn't tell you why, but INXS on the KICK tour remains one of the best shows I have ever seen.  I admit this without shame.  Could've been because it was one of my first concerts, but more than that it was just an amazing show.

Hard to believe that Don't Change & Shabooh Shoobah are thirty years old.

I'm showing my age.

This song remains timeless.

Behold

Two modern masters.  Behold the badassery.

Eruption

Do you think Ed ever gets tired of playing "Eruption"?

One of the greatest guitar heroes of all time.  God, I'd love to hear something new.

But the old is all we've got, and the old is still better than everything else.

UPDATED:  Better video

A Different Kind of Truth

Van Halen's new album, A Different Kind of Truth, was released yesterday to generally favorable reviews.  New disk is based largely on old demos that have been circulating among the faithful for more than 30 years.

As a guitar player, it's pretty much required reading for me.  Edward's riffs form the foundation of a pretty fair amount of post-1978 Rock & Roll.  Even if you don't hear it as much in modern recordings, it's what's everyone works on in the woodshed - which is where I'm going to be spending the next several months reclaiming my chops.

Should be interesting, if nothing else.

Wuxtry

Given that I've lived in Atlanta for the better part of the last decade, it's surprising that I had never darkened the door of Wuxtry Records, one of Atlanta's best-known independent record stores.  Until yesterday.

Wow.

Any record shop with a fully stocked King's X section is completely cool with me.  Depth of catalog was mindblowing, and reasonably priced.  Tons of used CD's, which I prefer to MP3's for some reason.  Also a deep, deep array of vinyl, which someday I will get into, I suppose.

Better.

Closest yet.

Not quite there yet, but better.  Might well be as close as they get.

No Pulse...

How in the hell have I managed to misplace my copy of Pulse?  That was my primary backing track for actually accomplishing things.  I suppose it says something about my productivity that's it's been missing at least since the first of the year and I'm only now starting to miss it.

Nevertheless, there are some things in this world you just can't go without...

UPDATE:  Thank God for YOUTUBE.

Van Halen. Acoustic. Live.

Van Halen actually has a fascinating mix of acoustic tunes in their repitoire.  Why they chose this to release, I'll never understand.