Oops! Now that is a mistake!

This blog thing! I admit it, I screwed up. In my post I talked about a talented singer that joined Greg Markel & company on stage last Friday. It should have been Cindy Alexander.

For more information about Cindy, visit www.cindyalexander.com.

'enuff said...

An unlikely reunion

For those of us old enough to have caught shows here in Orange County, CA both the 1980s and 1990s, there are two bands that put on shows as unforgettable as they were artistic. In the 1980s, the Living Daylights were simply the best band in town. And in the early 1990s, Altered State (which released two amazing albums on Warner Brothers) likely picked up the torch thanks to singer Gregory Markel leading both those outfits.

On Friday, April 22, 2005, it was an eerie and powerful show that featured singer-songwriter Greg Markel backed by members of both those bands, including virtuoso guitarist Rusty Anderson (Paul McCartney's guitarist for the past four years or so) from Living Daylights, and Chip Moreland of Altered State and Dread Zeppelin fame. Performing at the Knitting Factory in Los Angeles, it was amazing how incredible this collection of players is. In an event not to be repeated, Markel led the band through a brief 30-minute set highlighted by a mind-bending "Into the Strange." The crowd was thrilled, especially when the night's headliner Cindy Russell joined the ensemble.

It was a thrilling night.

That ain't news!

I used to have a great editor at the Orange County News that was brutally honest. If you pitched a story and he saw it as mere "P.R." or a so-called "puff piece," he would growl and exclaim, "That ain't news."

I often think that when I receive updates on the latest goings-on from pop stars. Take the announcement that Alanis Morissette will embark on her first ever acoustic tour and will be releasing an acoustic version of her album "Jagged Little Pill" revamped. Why? I mean, does anyone really care? I guess it will sell loads when Starbucks sells it exclusively for six weeks. I guess it takes a savvy marketing push to sell her music now...

But tour news that truly is news; the Orange County Fair has announced a bunch of concerts and the schedule includes an appearance by the legendary Plimsouls (on a bill with X) on Friday, July 15th. Now that's worth waiting for, to see Peter Case back in action with one of the best bands to ever call L.A. home.

That ain't news

I used to have a great editor at the Orange County News that was brutally honest. If you pitched a story and he saw it as mere "P.R." or a so-called "puff piece," he would growl and exclaim, "That ain't news."

I often think that when I receive updates on the latest goings-on from pop stars. Take the announcement that Alanis Morissette will embark on her first ever acoustic tour and will be releasing an acoustic version of her album "Jagged Little Pill" revamped. Why? I mean, does anyone really care? I guess it will sell loads when Starbucks sells it exclusively for six weeks. I guess it takes a savvy marketing push to sell her music now...

But tour news that truly is news; the Orange County Fair has announced a bunch of concerts and the schedule includes an appearance by the legendary Plimsouls (on a bill with X) on Friday, July 15th. Now that's worth waiting for, to see Peter Case back in action with one of the best bands to ever call L.A. home.

Sorry about the delay

Hi Friends,

Sorry about the delay since my last posting. I actually have been listening to loads of new music - and surprisingly - much of it has been great. I'm not telling many of you anything you don't know when I celebrate Moby's "Hotel." A great double-disc set, with the first one full of strong songs ("Raining Again" and "Slipping Away" are my favorites today), while the second disc is filled with trance-minded instrumental gems that are perfect for those lazy, late afternoons.

Also, Aimee Mann has kindly posted her forthcoming "The Forgotten Arm" on her Web site, although the album doesn't come out until May 3. It's a fantastic album and go to her official site (www.aimeemann.com) to check it out. According to notes on her site, it's a concept album whose story involves a couple and their journey (physical and emotional) across America in the 1970s. She is that rare singer-songwriter who crafts music that is as accessible as it is intelligent.

Also, any of you who can pick up the latest copy of LIVE magazine (available throughout Orange County and parts of L.A.) can read my monthly Kinslerscope music DVD column; I review Aimee's "Live at St. Ann's Warehouse" DVD that was released in November, as well as the latest DVDs featuring Johnny Cash, Snow Patrol and Steppenwolf.

I'm always behind in my listening because I get so much stuff and there are not enough hours in the day. But all of you know that too...