Muses and Minstrels

KRSH UK with Davy

2011-02-21T17:39:00.000-08:00

Time to put my money where my mouth is! Check out my radio show - KRSH UK with Davy. It's live every Wednesday 7-9pm at 95.9 or 95.5 (Sonoma Co) or you can stream it at http://www.krsh.com Plus archive shows are at http://www.krsh.com/Krush-U-K--Archive/9131845 Shoot me a request or give me a "Like" on the KRSH UK fan page Here are some recent playlists to give you a taster...http://

10 Media and Entertainment Predictions for 2011

2011-01-23T16:33:00.000-08:00

1. The Resurgence of Roots Music Changing values = changing tastes. A time of austerity is upon us and we'll see the return of talent drawing their inspirations from Woody Guthrie, the dust bowl era and the recordings of Alan Lomax. 2. The Stateside Launch of Spotify The toast of Europe is almost here. Spotify is what we need to cut through the clutter of the streamed free/premium subscription

What If Lennon Had Never Left?

2010-10-08T19:31:00.000-07:00

It's staggering to think that John Winston Lennon would have turned 70 tomorrow. His musical and social contributions to our World were obviously among the most significant of the last century. Forever he will be in our hearts, inspiring us to realize the precious value and universal impact of music in the quest for a better World. So what would have been his continuing impact on culture and

Calling All Musicians - 5 Offline Ways To Get On The Path To Success

2010-04-07T13:59:00.000-07:00

I'm getting fed up with the doom and gloom around music. There's never been a better time to be a musician. The demand exists, the talent is there, and the distribution channels are wide open. And for those with a little extra creative flair, the path to success is waiting. Today you're the marketer as well as the muso - your fate is in your hands, or more positively speaking, your success is at

Why Mystery Matters In Music

2010-02-19T12:08:00.000-08:00

The web has changed the way that music is created, promoted, shared, purchased and consumed. In fact, there's virtually no aspect of the creative or commercial music process that has not been transformed in the last 15 years. When I was a young rocker buying my beautiful vinyl at The Spinning Disc in Sunderland in the wet UK, the lure of some Roger Dean or Hipgnosis artwork, a mention in "Sounds

The Who at The Superbowl - The Verdict

2010-02-08T10:30:00.000-08:00

I wasn't quite sure about The 'orrible 'Oo playing the half time show. It wasn't the commercial "sell out" aspect - Pete's been at that longer than most. It was whether they could out-perform some of the quality performances of the past few years, especially Petty, Macca and The Boss. I was also a bit concerned about the possibility that The Who's set may be purely geared to promote the CSI

We Need a Punk-like Music Movement Now!

2010-02-05T13:28:00.000-08:00

I'm sitting here listening to a great song I haven't heard in years, that will be very familiar to my fellow Brits, but isn't that well known in the U.S. - The Tom Robinson Band's "Sing If You're Glad To Be Gay". At the time it was associated with the punk movement, which, far from the anarchic image it has in the US, had a very significant moral and social impact through it's minstrels. This is

The Grammy's - Do They Matter?

2010-01-31T11:19:00.000-08:00

No. Well, that's the instant thought. But is that really the case? I'm not so sure. They've had their day in their current format, but could they be transformed? The UK's Barclay's Mercury Music Prize has the right idea. We in the US need to take note. Perhaps the Grammy's should focus on music development? Well there aren't too many other vehicles left. How about if every presenter needs to

The Future Of Music

2010-01-26T11:02:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, the Department of Justice approved the merger of Live Nation and Ticketmaster. The result could be a huge boost for music folks like us, or it could be a threat to our love and passion. Whatever happens, this is probably the biggest thing to happen in music since file sharing appeared, and it will change the landscape. On the plus side, the new company, Live Nation Entertainment will

The Stoat's Top 10 Albums Of 2009

2010-01-25T12:15:00.000-08:00

A little late in coming, but here's The Stoat's pics from 2009 10. Brad Paisley - American Saturday Night Nothing World-shattering about it. Just a great contemporary country record that represents what the genre is really about today. One of the few I bought on day of release 9. U2 - No Line On The Horizon I didn't like it for months, and then it clicked. You've got to give Bono and the chaps

Folks Over 50 only Buy Susan Boyle Records

2010-01-23T17:16:00.000-08:00

I'm fed up with the media's generalizations about who consumes what music. Does it matter you ask? Well, yes it does, because music is a cultural gauge of society, and despite it's significant sales decreases, it guides many other less sexy business categories in how they develop and market their products. Over the past five or six years, we have repeatedly read how artists such as Michael

John Picciuto - California's Own John Entwistle

2010-01-13T12:53:00.000-08:00

As far as really good bass players go, they aren't that easy to find. All too many folks pick up the bass at a young age, thinking that it will be easier to play versus that 6 string devil of an instrument, the guitar. On January 3rd 2010, the world lost one of the great bass players and probably the nicest musician who ever trod the boards, John Picciuto. John was born in 1952 in New Jersey,

Free McCartney Download

2009-11-10T12:32:00.001-08:00

There's a tasty version of Macca banging out Wings' "Let Me Roll It" available for free at http://www.blogcatalog.com/blog/randomize-me/d1f2ebc1d8a6464b807e9dacb925b168 Click on the link or cut and paste. There's also quite a nice free video of "Highway" too.

Aerosmith: The Rise, Fall, Rise, Fall and Rise Again?

2009-11-10T12:10:00.000-08:00

I still have a soft spot for Aerosmith. I think part of it is due to the fact that they were so inaccessible to young British rockers in the late 70's and early 80's. This made them feel exotic to those of us who had a penchant for all things American. In fact the band played only 5 shows in the UK from their formation through to their "comeback" in 1988. Being so huge in the US, they didn't need

Bad Company - (Almost) Rockin' Steady In London

2009-11-09T16:34:00.000-08:00

My pal and fellow 70's rock nutter, Ziggy, saw Paul Rodgers play at Hammersmith last week, and got more than he expected. Here's his report live from London... When I arrived, Paul Rodgers had already been on stage for ten minutes. Neither the dreadful weather nor Friday evening traffic was stopping anyone from attending this London “one-off” that had been promoted by Classic Rock magazine. I

Joe Perry Project At The Viper Room

2009-10-08T15:32:00.000-07:00

On Tuesday night, I got to witness The Joe Perry Project at L.A’s intimate Viper Room. In the wake of a disasterous year for Aerosmith, Joe has not only rushed out a new album, but he’s playing a handful of dates which now look likely to turn into a full tour. What’s more, he’s playing under the JPP moniker, which hasn’t happened since 1983. Was it worth the wait? Absolutely

Where Have All the Virtuosos Gone?

2009-09-21T20:54:00.000-07:00

The interest in musicianship is undoubtedly there. The question is, where are today’s real live guitar heroes, keyboard wizards, bass masters and drum virtuosos? Sure, YouTube is the temple of the talented, as well as the not-so-talented, and is full of would be musical heroes ready to unfurl their capes and fly. So why aren’t these guys and gals household names? What’s

Dying In The Digital Age

2009-07-21T11:36:00.000-07:00

Most of us remember where we were the day Lennon died. And the day Freddie left us. And Kurt. And Stevie. (And for me, Alex Harvey, John Entwhistle and John Bonham). I have pretty much the same memory of all of those days. Growing up in the World of selling music does that to you. You're quite devastated by the news of one of the greats leaving the coil, but you're also thinking about how you

Wilco in Berkeley

2009-06-28T16:23:00.000-07:00

Setlist: Wilco (the Song), Muzzle of Bees, A Shot in the Arm, I Am Trying To Break Your Heart, Bull Black Nova, At Least that's What You Said, Radio Cure, Deeper Down, You Are My Face, California Stars, One Wing, Impossible Germany, Can't Stand It, Jesus Etc, Handshake Drugs, Hate It Here, Walken, I'm The Man Who Loves You. Encores: You Never Know, The Late Greats, Box Full Of Letters,

New Sounds Worth a Spin

2009-06-28T16:10:00.000-07:00

Elvis Costello - Secret, Profane and SugarcaneI think that most of us would agree that Elvis can be a bit hit and miss. Personally, I think that like Ryan Adams, he could use a little moderation from time to time and release a few less albums. Well, this album is a strong one. Available through Starbucks' Hear Music label, it's Elvis in full-on Americana mode. Guest artists include the angelic

Michael Jackson : Human After All

2009-06-27T13:45:00.000-07:00

Was it a heart attack or was it the lack of love and guidance that killed the King of Pop? A lot has been written in the past couple of days, but I think that Bob Lefsetz said it well in his blog post yesterday (see my favorite blogs on the left side of this page). Basically, he writes that as a kid, MJ was under severe pressure from his parents to be successful. And that, like all kids, all he

Respecting The Pretty Things

2009-06-17T16:08:00.000-07:00

I guess I still haven't got over seeing the Pretty Things in Aylesbury in the UK a couple of weeks ago. I'd always appreciated them but never seen them before. I was not disappointed.These guys are getting on, for sure. But they're true performers, players and artists. This is the band that wrote the first true rock opera, "SF Sorrow". This is the act that inspired Bowie to succeed. Not only that

Why Are So Many Folks Countryphobes?

2009-06-17T12:37:00.000-07:00

Went to the CMT Awards in Nashville last night. I've been consulting to CMT since January. We were asked to help them redefine the brand and are in town to present the conclusions. So we hit the awards last night and had a great experience (not just because they're a client!)Country is huge, and even though its sales are falling (down 15% in 08), its allure is on the rise. Why?Well country

Music City Vinyl

2009-06-16T14:06:00.000-07:00

Just got into Nashville to discover an excellent record store near the hotel called Great Escape. Full of hidden gems, this place is clearly run by folks who care and who have the love for vinyl. I picked up Speedy Keen's Y'Know What I Mean from 1975 for $2.99. It seemed the proper thing to do as Island Records are celebrating their anniversary. Also bought the first Procol Harum release on Deram

Music worth a look from the last couple of months

2009-06-11T08:44:00.000-07:00

Tinted Windows - Tinted WindowsA collaboration between members of Cheap Trick (Bun E.), The Smashing Pumpkins (Iha), Fountains of Wayne and Hanson. You get what it says on the packet. A collection of great hooks, harmonies and upbeat three minute singles. Guaranteed to get you into a good state of mind when battling rush hour. 8/10http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-7y1UxNkHM Yusuf -