Just kidding. You didn’t really think I was going to do a “year in review”, did you? Some interesting data from my last.fm account however that I thought I’d share.
Top Artists in the last 12 months:
Frank Zappa: 619 plays
Neil Young: 468 plays
Bob Dylan: 350 plays
Elliott Smith: 325 plays
Ween: 281 plays
Rufus Wainwright: 277 plays
The Beatles: 257 plays
Nick Drake: 200 plays
David Bowie: 176 plays
Flip Kowlier: 166 plays
Well… no real surprises there.
Nay, the revelation lies in the Top Tracks for the last 12 months:
Bob Dylan – Like a Rolling Stone: 15 plays
Bob Dylan – Just Like Tom Thumb’s Blues: 14 plays
Bob Dylan – Ballad of a Thin Man: 14 plays
Bob Dylan – It Takes a Lot to Laugh, It Takes a Train to Cry: 13 plays
Rufus Wainwright – I Dont Know What It Is: 13 plays
Bob Dylan – Desolation Row: 12 plays
Nick Drake – Pink Moon: 12 plays
Rufus Wainwright – Oh What a World: 12 plays
David Bowie – Life On Mars: 12 plays
Rufus Wainwright – Vicious World: 11 plays
I have officially become a Bob Dylan junkie!
Of course, this list says more about the limited amount of Bobness I have in my possession than it does about my overall listening patterns — the chances of Peaches En Regalia playing 15 times on shuffle are slim, seeing as how I own pretty much the entire FZ catalogue — but still: this year’s revelation, for me, appears to have been Mr Zimmerman.
Take in account also that Sharleena’s iTunes is playing around here half the time, something which would certainly distort the above results (Eels! Flaming Lips! Ween! Sufjan Stevens! Barenaked Ladies! Spinvis!).
I just stumbled upon this wonderful documentary on Nick Drake, early 70s singer-songwriter of near mythical fame. We’re big fans here at Barry Towers. Be sure to check out the man’s small but fabulous body of work (if you hadn’t already, of course).
Part two is here; from there use the right sidebar to get to the other parts.
Well, Zappa freaks, fans, and friends, you may not be able to download it from iTunes, yet you can still listen to my mixtape, “Sunday Mix: Music Is The Best” for free, here at KUR, and enjoy the various rare and interesting FZ field recordings, as well as early 45 versions of songs (before many were remixed beyond recognition), while you celebrate what would have been Frank’s 68th birthday. I think I’m going to chow down on a muffin, myself.
Tracklisting:
01. Dancin’ Fool (Disco Version) 6:18
02. More Trouble Every Day 5:48
03. Gorgeous Inca 3:25
04. Ancient Armaments 4:09
05. America The Beautiful 3:35
06. You’re A Mean One Mr. Grinch 3:12
07. Saturday Girl 2:50
08. Alice 5:12
09. Espanoza 3:26
10. Dumb All Over 5:46
11. Twenty Small Cigars 5:59
12. Lacksadaisial 5:44
13. Dirty Love 4:04
Something old and something new: two video clips of Return to Forever – the first, Space Circus, and the second, the 2008 return of Return to Forever interview. Tasty stuff. Dig in.
Did someone mention The Tubes? For your entertainment pleasure, here is an updated theatrical version of The Tubes classic “Mondo Bondage” taken from their DVD, “Wild In London” (Recorded at the Shepherds Bush Empire, Dec 2004).
Beware: An aging Fee in leather bondage attire may either offend, or perhaps even excite certain viewers. You are hereby warned.
