Strawberry Fields Forever

It's Not Too Bad - the evolution of Strawberry Fields Forever
01 - It's Not Too Bad (Demo)
02 - It's Not Too Bad Demo Take 1
03 - It's Not Too Bad Demo Take 2
04 - It's Not Too Bad Demo Take 3
05 - It's Not Too Bad Demo Take 4
06 - (Medley)-It's Not Too Bad Demo Take 5
07 - It's Not Too Bad Demo Rehearsal
08 - Strawberry Fields Forever-Demo Electric guitar overdub rehearsal
09 - Strawberry Fields Forever-Instrumental Demo
10 - Strawberry Fields Forever-Demo playback,chat
11 - Strawberry Fields Forever-Vocal Overdub (Double-tracking lead vocal) onto demo.mp
12 - Strawberry Fields Forever-Demo playback
13 - Strawberry Fields Forever-electric guitar demo take 1
14 - Strawberry Fields Forever-electric guitar composing sequence take 2-7
15 - Strawberry Fields Forever-electric guitar demo take 8
16 - Strawberry Fields Forever-Mellotron,vocal overdub onto composing sequence
17 - Strawberry Fields Forever-Take 1
18 - Strawberry Fields Forever-Take 2 Instrumental
19 - (Medley)-Strawberry Fields Forever Take 3 False Start,Take 4
20 - (Medley)-Strawberry Fields Forever Take 5 False Start-Take 6
21 - Strawberry Fields Forever-Take 7
22 - Strawberry Fields Forever-Take 7 RM3
23 - Strawberry Fields Forever-Take 25 Instrumental
24 - Strawberry Fields Forever-Take 26
25 - (Medley)-Strawberry Fields Forever RS5,Backwards Speech





THE SANTA ISABEL DEMOS


The story begins while John was on location in Spain, filming 'How I Won The War' with producer/director Richard Lester. It was during these early weeks of Autumn, 1966, while temporarily residing in the tiny valley village of Santa Isabel, that John's new composition began to take shape. (Although some have erroneously attributed its impetus from a few notes played by John on a Hohner mouth organ during the Beatles stay at New York City s Plaza hotel in February of 1964!)

The first section of the tape finds John alone with his nylon-stringed classical guitar, which has been drastically de-tuned to accommodate his vocal range. The ambiance and said instrumentation are also reminiscent of his earlier demos for 'She Said She Said.' After a few moments of warming up with a decidedly 'Paperback Writer-esque' lick, John switches off the portable rape recorder, then returns with the first of six attempts at "It's Not Too Bad".

At this stage, only the second verse exists, and in a lyrically incomplete stage at that. Two takes are recorded initially, both consisting of the sole verse sung repeatedly. After a seemingly brief pause, John returns with the verse complete and continues to polish the meter with each of the two performances that follow. In the fourth and final of these
close-miked passes, a skeletal version of the chorus is introduced.

After some off-mic composing has taken place, John resumes recording, this time taking advantage of the acoustical properties found in the bath. The two "distant" takes show considerable progress, with part of the third verse and a nearly completed chorus having been added. The acoustic demos concluded with a brief snatch recorded at another sitting, of John polishing a portion of the second verse. There is a possibility that this snippet is the remnant of a previous sessions that was spooled back and recorded over.


THE KENWOOD DEMOS


The next batch of home demos was recorded in the two week interim between John's return from Spain on November 7th and the Beatles return to the studio on November 24th. Once John was ensconced in his home studio, tucked away in the upstairs loft at Kenwood, he was able to experiment with a wider range of instrumentation and production techniques.

Appearing on this tape is the first evidence of John's primitive "sound on sound" recording technique. To achieve these "overdubs", John would play back a previously recorded performance through an amplified speaker, and record the ambient song along with a new live performance (the overdub) onto a second tape machine. He utilized this technique as late as the Double Fantasy pre-production recordings some fourteen years later. While effective at capturing multiple Lennons, the technique was horrific from a technical standpoint, exponentially degrading the original performance with each "overdub"!

The reel presented in this segment consists of John's overdubs onto another series of home demos: one instrumental, one with vocal, both replete with false starts. Since John was not utilizing true "multi-track" technology, these undubbed performances existed on a separate reel and are not included here. In addition, one must realize that these recordings are work tapes. They are the rough notes used to realize the final objective the accurate demo recording. The fragmentary nature of these recordings is akin to the writer's overflowing waste bin of discarded and half-finished ideas.

After a few attempts at rehearsing and adding some fumbling guitar flourishes to the instrumental demo, John moves on. He double tracks his lead vocal onto the other pre-recorded take, which still lacks the first verse. After a handful of technical interruptions, John abandons these recordings and starts anew on his Epiphone Casino. It is in this composing sequence that the melody and lyric finally gel.

During these performances, an unknown individual is present, most likely a musical associate judging from the comments to which John passes. By this time the composition has shifted to the key of C in comparison to the takes of 'It s Not Too Bad' which were recorded and performed somewhere near the key of A. The first attempt breaks down a few lines into the performance, and after some tuning, pickup and recordings level adjustments, he resumes. The second, third, and fourth endeavors break down even sooner than the initial take, as John wrestles with the dynamics. Growing impatient, John alters the rhythm for the next two passes, although he quickly abandons this idea.

The next two takes are keepers. Even though the first verse is still absent, all other elements, save for the introduction, are present. An edited, resequenced and sonically squashed version of the sixth and seventh takes appear on "Anthology 2". This "demo sequence" consists of a complete take 6, John's comments which followed take four, and a heavily edited take seven. In addition, for reasons that are unclear, the seuqnce has been sped up one half step (to C#).

The final stage in the home demo process was to flesh out his simple arrangement by adding vocal and mellotron overdubs. As the unidentified assistant cued up the final composing sequence on the Brennell tape machine, John warmed up his new Mellotron Mark II. As the incomplete passes played, John experimented with numerous "samples" ad spastic impressions, before adding "wine glasses," "pipe organ" and a double tracked vocal to the last demo take.

It was time to go to the studio.

THE EMI SESSIONS


On November 24th, The Beatles entered EMI for their first sessions since completing the 'Revolver' LP over five months earlier. This evening, starting at 7pm in Studio Two, they dedicated the entire 7 1/2 hour session to recording Take 1 of John's new composition. This take also appears on 'Anthology 2' in an unedited form, although the backing vocals have been mixed out for no apparent reason. This collection presents the take as originally performed, with the backing track in the key of B-natural.

It should be noted that the versions appearing on this release are undocumented stereo remixes, balanced from the original multi-track tapes. Although some analogue artifacts are still apparent, this collections offers the highest fidelity source of this material ever to surface.

The following evening was spent recording their 1966 Christmas single, 'Pantomime: Everywhere It's Christmas'. Then, after breaking for the weekend, the Beatles returned to Studio Two on Monday, the 28th of November. It was during this evening that Takes 2-4 were recorded and three rough mono mixes of take 4 (RM1-RM3) were prepared.

The next evening saw recording of what would become the basic track for the first section of 'Strawberry Fields Forever'. Once again working in Studio Two, but this time starting in the afternoon, Takes 5 and 6 were committed to tape. Take 6 was determined as the "best", and was treated to a tape reduction, Take 7. The Beatles then added more vocals, piano and bass guitar. Once the overdubvs were completed, three mono remixes of Take 7, incorrectly numbered RM-1 - RM-3, were completed.

RM3, of Take 7 with overdubs appears here taken from a contemporary acetate. Although this version is not stellar from a sonic standpoint, it does feature the complete ending in comparison to the 'Anthology 2' version. This commercially released version differs as a result of being crossfaded with an excerpt of Take 25 as prepared on December 9th, 1966. Takes2 through 7 were all performed in the key of A major, which is how they are presented here. Overdubs were recorded at various speeds lending a unique quality upon playback.

At this point, John expressed his dissatisfaction in the Beatles' recording to George Martin and requested that the producer prepare a score. On Thursday, December 8th, the Beatles recorded an additional 15 attempts at the backing track during an 8 hour plus session in Studio Two. Of takes 9-24 (there was no Take 8 or take 19), eleven were complete according to the studio documentation. It was determined that a composite consisting of the first 3/4 of take 15, and the final 1/4 of take 25 would provide the most suitable backing. An attempt to prepare this edit was abandoned until the next day.

The next afternoon in Studio Two, a tape to tape reduction was prepared of the previously described edit, which now occupied track 1 of Take 25. The Beatles then overdubbed swordmandel, additional percussion, and George's guitar solo onto track 2.

Over the next week, George Martin finalized his score for three cellos and four trumpets, and on December 15th, these overdubs were layered onto tracks 3 and 4 of the multi-track tape. It appears as though the score was prepared in the key of C and recorded at roughly 53cps in order to sound as though it were in the key of B-natural upon playback. This explains why George Martin's count-in sounds so unnatural. The reason? Quite possibly, it was the ease of notation and performance. Even though these were highly-trained classical musicians, it is easier to deal with no incidentals as opposed to five. The mix of Take 25 appearing on this collection consists of tracks 1, 3 and 4, with a slight amount of bleed-through from track 2.

The studio musician's efforts were permanently committed to the master tape upon a tape reduction of take 25 into tracks 1 and 2 of take 26. John then recorded two new lead vocals onto tracks 3 and 4 of the multi-track, with the speed adjusted to sound in the key of B-natural upon playback. Upon completion of these overdubs, 5 mono mixes (RM5-9) were prepared. It has been thoroughly documented that John's infamous "cranberry sauce" statement (undoubtedly inspired by some Thanksgiving leftovers) was added after the tape reduction into take 26th. However, it is apparent in listening to the mix of Take 25 that this statement was indeed part of Take 24's backing track.

Nearly a week later, on December 21st, during a late night session in Studio Two, a piano overdub and more Lennon vocals were added, thus completing the actual recording process. A mix of Take 26, with these overdubs in place, appears here adjusted to play in the key of B-Natural.

The next day, Martin and company were faced with the task of remixing and editing, not to mention John's innocent request to join the two completed version. Fresh remixes of Take 7 (RM10) and Take 26 (RM11) were prepared with speed adjustments, then edited together as Mono Remix 12. It is this remix which appears on the currently-available CD single.

A week later, on December 29th, a tape copy was made of RM12 (ingeniously labeled RM13) and dispatched for US consumption. It was on this day as well, in a session lasting just under an hour, that the production team worked in the Studio Three control room to mix 'Strawberry Fields Forever' into stereo for the first time. A single remix of take 7 (RS1) and two remixes of Take 26 (RS2 & RS4) were completed. RS1 and RS2 were then edited together as RS3, while a second attempt, joining RS1 and RS4 as RS5, proved to be most successful. It is this final mix which closes this collection.

RS5 first appeared on the stereo 'Magical Mystery Tour' EP/LP, depending on your country of origin. It differs from the "German" stereo mix prepared on Oct. 26, 1971, which is currently the standard mix utilized by EMI for all official releases. An additional stereo remix was prepared by George Martin in 1988 for inclusion in the "Imagine: John Lennon" documentary where it appears heavily edited. The accompanying soundtrack CD contains the standard EMI mix.

HERE

The Rest of The Story

BBQ - A Glossary of Terms

Today's post is on barbecue slang or lingo. This first appeared in 1998 in The Passion of Barbeque by the Kansas City Barbeque Society. Don't worry if some of these definitions contradict other glossaries you've seen. Barbecue slang is fluid. Enjoy.

Baby Back Ribs - the 13 smallest loin end ribs of a slab of pork ribs, the most tender ribs

Bamboo Skewers - long pins of wood soaked in water prior to using for kebabs on the grill

Banking Coals - stacking charcoal briquettes against the wall of the grill to one side in order to grill using the indirect method of cooking

Barbeque - to slowly cook meat/food over coals with aromatic woods in a covered cooker imparting smoke flavor

Baste - to pour liquids such as stock, juice, oils or marinades over meats while cooking retain moisture and/or impart flavor

Charcoal Chimney - a cylindrical metal container used to start charcoal fires without the use of petroleum products

Closed Pit - a covered barbeque grill

Dry Rub - a mixture of dry seasonings rubbed into meats prior to grilling or barbequeing

Glaze - a finishing sauce applied to meats during the final 15 minutes of cooking

Green Wood - usually refers to unseasoned hickory

Grilling - cooking over a hot open fire

Hardwood Charcoal Briquettes - most commonly made from hardwoods such as oak or hickory

Hoi Sin Sauce - also known as Chinese bean sauce, it is sweet and hot, primarily made from black beans

Indirect Heat - to cook meat away form the source of heat, i.e., the opposite side of the grill away from the hot coals

Indoor Barbequeing - cooking in the oven by broiling under red hot heating unit or slow covered cooking in the oven using barbeque sauce or liquid smoke to imitate outdoor barbecqueing

Injecting Marinades - using a syringe with a needle to insert marinade into meats prior to cooking

KCBS Sanctioned Contests - contests that apply for and follow the Kansas City Barbeque Society's criteria, rules and regulations

Marinate - to place food in an oil-acid mixture to tenderize or add flavor

Mop - to use a mop or large brush to apply baste to meat while cooking

Nom de Grills - imaginative names used by individuals or teams who compete in barbeque contests, i.e., The Rib Doctor, Baron of Barbeque, Sir Loin, Girll of my Dreams, to name a few.

Pit Barbeque - a large structure for barbequeing large pieces of meat or whole animals that can be closed for smoking. The pit can be a hold dug in the ground or a free standing cement or brick "oven" or a heavy metal structure such as a metal drum

Pit Boss - person in charge of the barbeque unit

Sear - to brown quickly over a very hot charcoal fire to seal in meat juices

Skewer - a long pin of wood or metal on which food is threaded/placed and held in place while cooking. To fasten meat with skewers to keep in shape while cooking

Slab of Ribs - most commonly refers to pork ribs (a side or slab of ribs)

Waterpan - a vessel for water placed inside covered barbeque units to provide moisture while cooking

Water Smoker - commercially manufactured cooking unit where the fire is separated from the meat by a water tray

Wood - large chunks of non-resinous wood used as a fuel a source as well as a smoke-flavoring agent. Varieties of woods used for barbequeing include apple, cherry, grape, hickory, mesquite, oak and pecan.

Wood Chips - small chips of hardwood or fruit wood added to barbeque fire to impart smoke flavor to meats.

Paul McCartney rarities 1969-2003

Volume 1 (1969-1972)

01. Suicide (Get Back Sessions 1969)
02. 1882 (demo 1970)
03. Rode All Night (1970)
04. Sunshine Sometime (instrumental 1970)
05. Hey Diddle (instrumental 1970)
06. When The Wind is Blowing (1970)
07. Indeed I Do (1970)
08. Dear Friend (demo 1970)
09. Long Haired Lady (Backing Track 1970)
10. The Back Seat of my Car (Backing Track 1970)
13. Hey Diddle (Sctoland Home Demo 1971)
11. The Great censored And Seagull Race (1# 1970)
12. The Great censored And Seagull Race (2# 1970)
14. A Love for You (1971)
15. Blackpool Meddley (demo 1971)
16. I Am Your Singer (Home Studio 1971)
17. Blackpool (demo 1971)
18. 1882 (Live In Rotterdam 1972)
19. Give Ireland Back to the Irish (instrumental 1972)
20. Thank You Darling (Red Rose Speedway Sessions 1972)
21. Best Friend (Live in Belgium 1972)
22. Cottonfields (Live 1972)
23. Jazz Street (1972)
24. Mary had a little Lamb (Early Take 1972)
25. The Mess (Outtake 1972)

Volume 2 (1973)

01. Tragedy (Red Rose Speedway Sessions 1973)
02. Wild Prairie (1# 1973)
03. Wild Prairie (2# 1973)
04. Luxi (1973)
05. Big Barn Bed (Early Take 1973)
06. Single Pigeon (Early Take 1973)
07. When the Night (Early Take 1973)
08. Country Dreamer (TV Special 1973)
09. Long Haired Lady (TV Special 1973)
10. Bluebird (TV Special 1973)
11. Heart of the Country (TV Special 1973)
12. Mrs Vanderbilt (Rough Mix 1973)
13. Mamuni (Rough Mix 1973)
14. Let me Roll It (Rough Mix 1973)
15. No Words (Rough Mix 1973)
16. Band on the Run (Rough Mix 1973)
17. Jet (Rough Mix 1973)
18. Bluebird (Rough Mix 1973)
19. Picasso's Last Words (Rough Mix 1973)
20. Nineteen Hundred and Eighty Five (Rough Mix 1973)
21. Rockestra Theme (demo 1973)
22. I Lost My Little Girl (demo 1973)
23. Nineteen Hundred and Eighty Five (demo 1973)

Volume 3 (1974-1975)

01. All of You (unreleased 1974)
02. Suicide (complete demo 1974)
03. Proud Mum (1974)
04. Let's Love ... (Hand Clapping Demo 1974)
05. Baby, You Know it's True (1974)
06. Hey Diddle (Studio Version 1974)
07. Partners in Crime (1974)
08. One Hand Clapping (1974)
09. Suicide (Studio Version (1974)
10. Blue Moon of Kentucky (1974)
11. Let's Love ... (1974)
12. Ill Give You a Ring (demo 1974)
13. Love is Your Road, Love is My Road (1974)
14. Sally (Rarly Take 1974)
15. Soily (rehearsal 1974)
16. Hi Hi Hi (rehearsal 1974)
17. Nineteen Hundred and Eighty Five (Hand Clapping version 1973)
18. Rockshow (Alternate Take 1975)
19. Rockshow (Take 2 1975)
20. You Gave Me the Answer (insrumental mix 1975)
21. Magneto and Titanium Man (Rough Mix 1975)
22. Call Me Back Again (Early Take 1975)
23. Babyface (unreleased 1975)

Volume 4 (1977-1978)

01. I've Had Enough (Early Take 1977)
02. Don't Let it bring you down (Early Take 1977)
03. Mull of Kintyre (demo 1# 1977)
04. Mull of Kintyre (demo 2# 1977)
05. Backwards Traveller (1977)
06. Seaside Woman (1977)
07. B side to Seaside (1977)
08. Did we Meet Somewhere before (1977)
09. Don't You wanna dance (unreleased 1977)
10. Waterspout (unreleased 1977)
11. Boil Crisis (1977)
12. Sugar Time (1977)
13. After You've Gone (1977)
14. Ranachan Rock (1978)
15. Sunshine Sometime (final version 1978)
16. Sea Cornish Wafer Storm (1978)
17. Rupert Song (1978)
18. Flying Horses (unreleased 1978)

Volume 5 (1979-1985)

01. No Disgrace (unreleased 1979)
02. All in Love is Fair (unreleased 1979)
03. Robber's Ball (1980)
04. Unbelievable Experience (unreleased 1980)
05. Night Out (1980)
06. Same Time Next Year (1980)
07. Cage (1980)
08. Take her Back Jack (1980)
09. Seems like old Times (1980)
10. Give Her a Chord Roy (1980)
11. Unknown (intrumental 1980)
12. Instrumental Jam 1# (rehearsal 1980)
13. Instrumental Jam 2# (rehearsal 1980)
14. Reggae (Instrumental 1980)
15. Instrumental Jam 3# 1980)
16. Ebony And Ivory (Paul Solo Version 1982)
17. I'll Give You A ring (B-side 1982)
18. The honorary Consul (1983)
19. Ode to a Koala Bear (B side - 1983)
20. Lindiana (1984)
21. On The Wings of Nightingale (unreleased 1984)
22. Yvonne (1985)

Volume 6 (1986-1991)

01. It's Not True (B side 1986)
02. Hanglide (B side 1986)
03. Write Away (B side 1986)
04. Big Day (1986)
05. Let it be (Ferry Aid 1987)
06. Return to Pepperland (1987)
07. Twenty Five Fingers (1987)
08. Christian Pop (1987)
09. Tommy's Coming Home (1987)
10. So Like Candy (1987)
11. Playboy To Man (1987)
12. New Moon Over Jamaice (1988)
13. Ferry Cross The Mersey (1989)
14. The First Stone (b side 1989)
15. Party Party (1989)
16. PS Love me do (studio version 1989)
17. It's now or Never (1989)
18. I Wanna Cry (b side 1989)
19. Good Sign (b side 1989)
20. Your School (unreleased (1991)

Volume 7 (1993-1996)

01. Long Leather Coat (B-side 1993)
02. Keep Coming Back to Love (B-side 1993)
03. Sweet Sweet Memories (B-side 1993)
04. Style Style (B-side 1993)
05. I Can't Imagine (B-side 1993)
06. Cosmically Conscious (B-side 1993)
07. Kicked Around no more (B-side 1993)
08. Big Boys Bickering (B-side 1993)
09. Down the River (B-side 1993)
10. Soggy Noodle (B-side 1993)
11. Oh Mamma Oh Papa (soundcheck in Paris 1993)
12. Incredible Thing (1993)
13. My Old Friend (1996)

Volume 8 (1997-2003)

01. Looking for You (1997)
02. Broomstick (1997)
03. Bishopsgate (1997)
04. Love come Tumbling down (B-side 1997)
05. Same Love (B-side 1997)
06. Love Mix (B-side 1997)
07. Atlantic Ocean (1997)
08. I Love This House (B-side 1997)
09. Squid (1997)
10. Don't Break the Promises (1997)
11. A room with A View (1998)
12. Mary's Song (live unreleased 1999)
13. Maybe Baby (2000)
14. I'm Partial to your Abracadabra (2001)
15. Vanilla Sky (2001)
16. Waiting for the Train to get in (2002)
17. India (soundcheck 2002)
18. Whole life (feat Dave Stewart 2003)


Download here:
http://rapidshare.com/files/146840672/McC-1969-2003-Rarities-VOL1-part01-02.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/146840633/McC-1969-2003-Rarities-VOL1-part02-02.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/146840586/McC-1969-2003-Rarities-VOL2-part01-02.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/146840681/McC-1969-2003-Rarities-VOL2-part02-02.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/146841904/McC-1969-2003-Rarities-VOL3.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/146841323/McC-1969-2003-Rarities-VOL4.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/146842362/McC-1969-2003-Rarities-VOL5.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/146841370/McC-1969-2003-Rarities-VOL6-part01-02.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/146842227/McC-1969-2003-Rarities-VOL6-part02-02.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/146842287/McC-1969-2003-Rarities-VOL7.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/146842431/McC-1969-2003-Rarities-VOL8.rar

I admit, I have been struggling lately to find a muse. Hopefully this will pass soon...

I love burgers. Lately, I have been intrigued by the success of "Five Guys" and we seem to be cooking more burgers on the grill at home, than ever. I believe I have had three in the past five days. Could that be right?

So it begs the question--why must people eat this patty of love WELL DONE? As a person in the restaurant business, I understand my job is to cater to the guest. You want your sauce on the side? Sure. You want to sub a salad for your fries? Done. But the well done burger, I can assure you, is breaking peoples hearts. (as is the well done fish, pork chop, lamb, streak, and even french fries. seriously, you're gonna chip a tooth on those things.)

You see, when the order comes in for a well done, the first thing the cook does is fire it. Timing with this 'thing' does not matter. When its plated, it will be a dry, shriveled lump of protein--a sad shadow of its former self. Looking at it next to all the other properly cooked food is depressing. So much promise and potential, never fully realized. As Bourdain said, cooks even save certain sub par items for well done. The thinnest piece of fish, the smallest piece of lamb, and that chop you used as a demo for the new butcher--that's the pool your food is being pulled from. It's not uncommon to discuss cooking such items.

The people who cook for you want to be trusted. They come in every day, working long hours to present you with their best craftsmanship. You're afraid of getting sick? That California roll you got at Whole Foods / Publix this afternoon is more likely to do so. You dont like the texture? Im not asking you to order your food rare. Can't we settle on medium?


notes:
-if you could only listen to either heart, journey, queen, or styx for the rest of your life, who would you pick?

-these make me happy: a knife tapping on a big wooden cutting board, coffee being poured into a pint glass, headphones on the plane, watching Sam, the middle child, appreciate life

-my email is ody3@aol.com - please let me know you are out there

John McCain is evil, and other great insights

whoopi slavery
by dollarsandsense123

I hate to get into politics here. This is not my forum. But..today on "The View", Whoopi asked John McCain if she needed to be worried about becoming a slave if he was elected President.

Then Barbara Walters patted her on the knee and said, "don't worry ... us white folk will take care of you."

The clip ends right after that, so we never hear McCains full answer, but of course he wants slavery to return. He’s a Republican. And if Obama wins, gay men will be above the law, no rules, will force themselves on me and there would be nothing I could do about it. Because that’s how it works.

Any asinine extreme you can think up, that’s what the candidate you don't like believes, and wants. Just ask Whoopi. America listens to this and there is no response?

9/11

Eddie Vedder, with Mike McCready and Neil Young, from America: A Tribute to Heroes

How to Cut Corn from the Cob

I'm not proud. I'll steal any tip from anyone and present it as my own brilliant idea.

So you've got some corn on the cob, and you want the corn but not the cob. You want the corn, in short, off the cob. And you don't have a corn stripper.

Oh, and you don't want the corn to end up all over the counter, and the floor, and under the stove. Because really, who wants corn under the stove?

You'll need a bundt pan. That's one of those deep circular pans with the tube in the middle. So what you do is, stick the narrower end of the corn cob into the tube part of the bundt pan, then cut with a (very sharp -- trust me that it helps, a lot) knife. Instead of the corn free-falling onto a cutting board and ricocheting all over the counter, it will just fall into the pan.

Cut one strip from top to bottom, then turn a little and do it again.

How to cut corn from the Cob

I'm not proud. I'll steal any tip from anyone and present it as my own brilliant idea. This time I'd never get away with it, though. Because Kristin, who I stole this tip from, will probably call me on it.

Read the rest ...
So you've got some corn on the cob, and you want the corn but not the cob. You want the corn, in short, off the cob. And you don't have a corn stripper.

Oh, and you don't want the corn to end up all over the counter, and the floor, and under the stove. Because really, who wants corn under the stove?

You'll need a bundt pan. That's one of those deep circular pans with the tube in the middle. So what you do is, stick the narrower end of the corn cob into the tube part of the bundt pan, then cut with a (very sharp -- trust me that it helps, a lot) knife. Instead of the corn free-falling onto a cutting board and ricocheting all over the counter, it will just fall into the pan.

Cut one strip from top to bottom, then turn a little and do it again.

The Rolling Stones – Discography 1978 - 2008

Some Girls
Released 9 June 1978

1. "Miss You" – 4:48
2. "When the Whip Comes Down" – 4:20
3. "Imagination" – 4:38
4. "Some Girls" – 4:37
5. "Lies" – 3:12
6. "Far Away Eyes" – 4:24
7. "Respectable" – 3:07
8. "Before They Make Me Run" – 3:25
9. "Beast of Burden" – 4:25
10. "Shattered" – 3:47

Emotional Rescue
Released 20 June 1980

1. "Dance (Pt. 1)" – 4:23
2. "Summer Romance" – 3:16
3. "Send It to Me" – 3:43
4. "Let Me Go" – 3:50
5. "Indian Girl" – 4:23
6. "Where the Boys Go" – 3:29
7. "Down in the Hole" – 3:58
8. "Emotional Rescue" – 5:39
9. "She's So Cold" – 4:14
10. "All About You" – 4:18

"One of the more fascinating aspects of the Stones is their habit of soaking up a locale and expressing their take on a scene or a period in musical terms. Emotional Rescue finds the fellers still in NYC, late 1979 - early 1980, hanging around after the smash return to form found on Some Girls. Whereas on Girls, the music grafts a streetscape approach to disco ("Miss You")with tongue-in-cheek Urban Cowboy ("Far Away Eyes"), and pseudo-punk ("Shattered"), Emotional Rescue is tired, flat, uninspired. Keith has said that Mick had things too much his way on this one, in that he refused to even consider developing 'Dance pt. 1' as an instrumental, and pushing too hard for production values that were trendy and in fashion, which was the general indictment of Satanic Majesties years earlier. It sounds like they had stuck around NYC a little too long, shifting their focus from the street folks and trashy bar scenes, to the more upscale penthouses and nightclubs. Mick seems to be fighting boredom by generally exploring the black urban sounds, and not translating ideas to an acceptable Stones format...and then, fighting Keith when he tried to. Still, as with ANY Stones album, there are some real gems; "She's So Cold" has vintage guitar inter-weaving, "Send It To Me" goes goofy on reggae, and "Indian Girl" once again demonstrates how cherished the group should be for their ability to do a unique, non-American treatment of C&W. This time, they avoid doing a funny-take and instead deliver a quiet but poignant political statement, which sounds inspired by the Nicaraguan Sandinista movement from '79. But God, the title track just about kills any continuity - what the hell is that??!!? Jagger as a shining-armor knight "on a fine, Arab Chahhhhgahhh"? It sounds like Disco Lounge Lizard music. "Down in the Hole", another stinker, is just a waste of time. They obviously had good material in the can, judging by how they were able to ship out Tattoo You with all of it's reprocessed leftovers from the 70's, so why this? But alas, the final disappointment for me is that Keith's solo contribution on this project, "All About You" is sooo sssslllllooowww and ...zzzz.....oops, sorry nodded off there. Keith always finds his way into the heart of every Stones fan there ever was with his spins in the spotlight,but not this time. This song explains why Mick had so much control, because if this was all Keith had to offer as his best stuff, then he should have just pulled up a stool like any sideman and waited for his cues. In general, this album marks the period at the end of a long and glorious paragraph in rock music history, in that the Stones no longer could just float along on their own level just outside of the covering shelter of everyone's attention on John, Paul, George, and Ringo, holding their breath, waiting for a reunion of some sorts. With Lennon's death in December, 1980, the Great Dream of a Beatles comeback was removed forever, and the music press and record-buying public catapulted the Stones into the Numero Uno slot for R&R acts. Jagger never attempted challenging lyrics again, record engineering and production became much slicker, they signed up for corporate sponsorships, elevated the stadium shows, and became a true Rock and Roll Circus. But me, I always liked them more when they were just a band trying to capture some magic, not a force of nature looking to impress everyone with the magnitude of their staying power."

Tattoo You
Released 24 August 1981

1. "Start Me Up" – 3:32
2. "Hang Fire" – 2:21
3. "Slave" – 6:33
4. "Little T&A" – 3:23
5. "Black Limousine" – 3:31
6. "Neighbours" – 3:31
7. "Worried About You" – 5:17
8. "Tops" – 3:45
9. "Heaven" – 4:22
10. "No Use in Crying" – 3:25
11. "Waiting on a Friend" – 4:34

Undercover
Released 7 November 1983

1. "Undercover of the Night" – 4:32
2. "She Was Hot" – 4:41
3. "Tie You Up (The Pain Of Love)" – 4:16
4. "Wanna Hold You" – 3:52
5. "Feel On Baby" – 5:07
6. "Too Much Blood" – 6:14
7. "Pretty Beat Up" – 4:04
8. "Too Tough" – 3:52
9. "All The Way Down" – 3:14
10. "It Must Be Hell" – 5:04

"Although not without its share of lazily executed, hackneyed riffing from Keith (She Was Hot, Wanna Hold You, Too Tough, All The Way Down and It Must Be Hell), Undercover also contains what would be the Stones' last significant contributions to world rock and pop music until A Bigger Bang twenty-two years' later. Opener "Undercover of the Night" is the last truly great Stones single. This is because it pulls of the impossible trick of reuniting the core Stones lyrical values of establishment-baiting political insight and sexual aggression with the core Stones musical values of thrusting, raunchy guitars and groove and STILL be trendily in tune with the synthetic 1980's music scene. "Tie You Up" sees Jagger revelling in sado masochism and sleaze and the band, once again, playing with aggression and purpose. "Feel On Baby" sees the Stones' sense of adventure continue by giving reggae a dark, salacious lyrical makeover and distorted, rythmically unpredictable musical pallet. "Too Much Blood" is as good a 1980s dancefloor- filling plastic funk number as you will hear - its a shame the violence contained within its lyrics prevented it reaching a wider radio audience. The final highlight is Ron Wood's "Pretty Beat Up", featuring menacing riffing, lyrical violence, hook-laden Saxophone from David Sanborn, all underpinned by Keith Richard's funkiest bass playing since 'Jumpin' Jack Flash' (it is Keith, not Bill - check the album credits).

In a nutshell, Undercover is, like Black and Blue before it, a criminally overlooked album which is desperately deserves a more positive critical reappraisal"

Dirty Work
Released 24 March 1986

1. "One Hit (to the Body)" – 4:44
2. "Fight" – 3:09
3. "Harlem Shuffle" 3:24
4. "Hold Back" – 3:53
5. "Too Rude" – 3:11
6. "Winning Ugly" – 4:32
7. "Back to Zero" – 4:00
8. "Dirty Work" – 3:53
9. "Had It with You" – 3:19
10. "Sleep Tonight" – 5:11
11. "Key to the Highway" – 0:33

Steel Wheels
Released 29 August 1989

1. "Sad Sad Sad" – 3:35
2. "Mixed Emotions" – 4:39
3. "Terrifying" – 4:53
4. "Hold On To Your Hat" – 3:32
5. "Hearts For Sale" – 4:40
6. "Blinded By Love" – 4:37
7. "Rock and a Hard Place" – 5:25
8. "Can't Be Seen" – 4:10
9. "Almost Hear You Sigh" – 4:37
10. "Continental Drift" – 5:14
11. "Break The Spell" – 3:07
12. "Slipping Away" – 4:30

Voodoo Lounge
Released 11 July 1994

1. "Love Is Strong" - 3:50
2. "You Got Me Rocking" - 3:35
3. "Sparks Will Fly" - 3:16
4. "The Worst" - 2:24
5. "New Faces" - 2:52
6. "Moon Is Up" - 3:42
7. "Out of Tears" - 5:27
8. "I Go Wild" - 4:23
9. "Brand New Car" - 4:15
10. "Sweethearts Together" - 4:45
11. "Suck on the Jugular" - 4:28
12. "Blinded by Rainbows" - 4:33
13. "Baby Break It Down" - 4:09
14. "Thru and Thru" - 6:15
15. "Mean Disposition" - 4:08

"Some people will tell you that Voodoo Lounge sucks and deserves to burn. Well, that is a bit harsh. It's actually quite good, if only you people would just give it a chance...'Love Is Strong' has some awesome harp playing, but not much else. 'You Got Me Rocking' has gotten a lot of opposition on the Stones boards, but the studio version is awesome. 'Sparks Will Fly', a crazy rocker, would have to be my favorite. Then there's 'The Worst', which could've been a pretty good song if it weren't for the steel guitar and the fiddle and Mick's backup singing...I hate country, as you can see. Anyway, there are three boring songs in a row after this; 'New Faces', 'Moon Is Up' and 'Out of Tears', all of which fall squarely into my, "Worst Stones Songs!" category. 'I Go Wild' and 'Brand New Car' are mean rockers, but 'Sweethearts Together' rivals 'Emotional Resscue' on my, "Drivel-o-meter". Next is the loose, funky 'Suck on the Jugular', another favorite of mine, and the beauty of 'Blinded By Rainbows'. I never thought I'd call a Stones song beautiful (Though I would jump at the chance to call 'Angie' sappy), but that was before I'd heard 'Blinded By Rainbows'. 'Baby Break It Down' is so bad it's unthinkable, but that's rescued by the severely-underrated 'Thru and Thru', in which the Stones have some tempo fun. It starts as a crawling ballad, then speeds up and evolves into a rocker. The song compares a constant heart to a shipping business, and Keef's husky vocal performance boosts the effect even more. I don't see why Keno had to rate it a 4.2, it's a 10.0 in my book! Anyhoo, 'Mean Disposition' kicks...some...@$$!!! It's a killer kloser (Krusty the Clown will appreciate that one) with a mean piano. All of those who dislike it really should give it a second chance, as I did."


Bridges to Babylon
Released 29 September 1997

1. "Flip the Switch" – 3:27
2. "Anybody Seen My Baby?"– 4:31
3. "Low Down" - 4:26
4. "Already Over Me" – 5:24
5. "Gunface" – 5:02
6. "You Don't Have to Mean it" – 3:44
7. "Out of Control" – 4:43
8. "Saint of Me" – 5:14
9. "Might as Well Get Juiced" – 5:23
10. "Always Suffering" - 4:43
11. "Too Tight" - 3:37
12. "Thief in the Night" – 5:15
13. "How Can I Stop?" – 6:54

A Bigger Bang
Released 5 September 2005

1. "Rough Justice" – 3:13
2. "Let Me Down Slow" – 4:15
3. "It Won't Take Long" – 3:54
4. "Rain Fall Down" – 4:54
5. "Streets of Love" – 5:10
6. "Back of My Hand" – 3:33
7. "She Saw Me Coming" – 3:12
8. "Biggest Mistake" – 4:06
9. "This Place Is Empty" – 3:17
10. "Oh No, Not You Again" – 3:47
11. "Dangerous Beauty" – 3:48
12. "Laugh, I Nearly Died" – 4:54
13. "Sweet Neo Con" – 4:34
14. "Look What the Cat Dragged In" – 3:58
15. "Driving Too Fast" – 3:57
16. "Infamy" – 3:48

Shine a Light
CD2
Released April 1, 2008

Disc one
1. "Jumpin' Jack Flash" – 4:23
2. "Shattered" – 4:06
3. "She Was Hot" – 4:44
4. "All Down the Line" – 4:35
5. "Loving Cup" - features Jack White – 4:02
6. "As Tears Go By" – 3:32
7. "Some Girls" – 4:19
8. "Just My Imagination" – 6:39
9. "Far Away Eyes" – 4:37
10. "Champagne & Reefer" - features Buddy Guy – 5:58
11. "Tumbling Dice" – 4:24
12. Band introductions – 1:39
13. "You Got the Silver" – 3:22
14. "Connection" – 3:31

Disc two
1. Martin Scorsese Intro – 0:12
2. "Sympathy for the Devil" – 5:56
3. "Live with Me" - features Christina Aguilera – 3:54
4. "Start Me Up" – 4:05
5. "Brown Sugar" – 5:25
6. "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" – 5:37
7. "Paint It, Black" – 4:28
8. "Little T&A" – 4:09
9. "I'm Free" – 3:31
10. "Shine a Light" – 4:05

Tough decisions today

I pulled these out of some notes that I had taken years ago about the restaurant business. Some are my quotes, I wish I could credit those that are not, but my notes are not that thorough. Anyway, it got me through a day of tough decisions that had to be made and that effect others -

A brigade is a force of nature...the collected experiences of a group of people, operating independently but relying so completely on one another. Different personalities, cultures, faiths...giving and taking...eventually becoming a single family. Loving and hating each other...usually in the same ten minute span. Teaching, learning, competing, and congratulating each other. How can one crack into a group so closely knit?

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The short answer is no--you are not one of us. You probably don't have it. Strangely, a good restaurant operator can sense it in a person the first time they meet them. A operator with it is enigmatic...walking with swagger thats been dipped in humility. They have a bounce in their step...a lightness in their touch. They ask all the right questions, and dont hesitate to jump right in. A person that doesn't have it might not do anything wrong in particular--they just always seem to be in the way.

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Someone new is given all the trust a substitute teacher gets. They have to balance their humility and confidence. They have to adapt not to our technique and style, as much as they have to adapt to us.


I hope you had a good day.

Enjoy every sandwich - Warren Zevon

The single best show I have ever seen was Warren live and solo in 1992. It was in a small club in Manchester, NH on a snowy night with about 75 other people who had braved the weather on an awful, snowy night. Prior ot the show, I wasn't a Zevon fan, and could probably only name two songs he sang. I was amazed to hear many songs I recognized and how much heart he put into a club show with a small audience.

Rolling Stone is easily the most bipolar magazine in circulation today. One issue puts the Jonas Brothers on the cover without irony, and next they do something brilliant, like the current "New Golden Age of Comedy" issue, featuring an extensive, very interesting interview with David Letterman.

One of the highlights of the interview concerns the 2003 show Dave did with Warren Zevon.It was amzing. after Zevon had been diagnosed with terminal cancer and had just months to live:

"After the show, it was heartbreaking -- he was in his dressing room, and we were talking and this and that. Here's a guy who had months to live and we're making small talk. and as we're talking, he's taking his guitar strap and hooking it, wrapping it around, then he puts the guitar into the case and he flips the snaps on the case and says, 'Here, I want you to have this, take good care of it.' And I just started sobbing. He was giving me the guitar that he always used on the show. I felt like, 'I can't be in this movie, I didn't get my lines.' That was very tough."

During the show, Zevon calls Letterman "the best friend my music ever had." And the multitude of appearances Zevon made as guest and fill-in bandleader certainly bear this out.

Herewith, the entire Zevon farewell edition of Late Show with David Letterman. It's a landmark night of music-related television, as Zevon approaches his public farewell with the humor, humanity, perspective and insight that characterized his music for so many years.

Warren Zevon, Late Show with David Letterman final appearance, 2003, Part I



Part II featuring "Mutineer"


Part III Genius

Part IV Dave Begs


This was the Warren Zevon I saw -

Got the Blues

This is perfect for a Sunday - a great blues distraction.

Since an online friend turned me on to this link I have done little else but play with it. And I bet all the guitar players will love this link;

Desktop Blues

But don't be surprised if you find yourself spending all your time playing with this. There are several music related games offered here so be sure to check them all out.

John Lee Hooker / Storms

In light of the storms that are headed our way, I thought that a little John Lee Hooker was in order.

I sure do hope everybody stays safe. You can always rebuild your house, people in Louisiana, Mississippi and other parts of the gulf have been doing that for hundreds of years, and writing and singing blues songs about it too.

Great Chicken Rub

Great Grilled Chicken

I found this in my drawer today and have not made it in a while, it's a great way to do chicken. It's not a bad alternative to the Red Hot & Blue Dry Rub. The rub makes enough for 2 whole chickens. I used it for about 10 chicken thighs instead. I also made a few slight changes to the rub mix.

Cut chickens in quarters, leave the skin on.

Mix together:
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons mild chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon coriander
2 teaspoons dry mustard
1-1/2 teaspoons seasoned salt
1-1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons ground ginger
2 teaspoons fresh ground pepper

Loosen the skin on the chicken pieces, and put a generous amount of the combined spices under the skin, then sprinkle generous all over the chicken, both sides. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hrs, the longer the better. Start up the grill and cook until done. Also good on pork.