just call me Lester.

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, I (Tommy, aka Dottie Mogwai) feel after introducing my “favorites” phrase into the last post, that you guys know some of my favorite music, and I hope you read this and go and listen to new things, and do your own thing, if not with the slightest bit of inspiration from me. Here, below, is 13 of my favorite music albums, in no particular order;

*As I have, in my relatively short life, listened to over 100,000 albums, you cant expect me to bear every ONE of my favorites. But here are a few that are exceptional, where I love every song, and that I think deserve especial praise. More lists as such are sure to follow.*

　

“The Velvet Underground and Nico” by The Velvet Underground

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZXZ2wWmARY

(Included is the song ‘Sunday Morning’, which gave our humle studio its’ name.)

“Clear Spot” by Captain Beefheart

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sF9rZoN_-DU

(Incuded is the song ‘Big Eyed Beans From Venus & Golden Birdies’ one of many great songs on this album)

“Pink Moon” by Nick Drake,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWSKCFq4WJ0&feature=related

(Included is the song “Things Behind the Sun”, one of the more dark songs on the album, but dripping with pristine ebony gloss and ink, a mysterious questioning song.)

“Spiderland” by Slint,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xoH5MPIgM7c

(Inculded is the song “Good Morning, Captain”, the band’s best known song. It made me cry, as did several songs on this beautiful album, produced by our friend Steve Albini)

“The Hawk is Howling” by Mogwai.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ub8J5SSn8DA&feature=related

(Included is the song “I Love You So Much, I’m Going to Blow Up Your School”. This song builds from gentle lower E blow-bends intoa full-blown wall of emotion.)

“Skeletons from the Closet” by Grateful Dead

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XacvydVrhuI&feature=related

(American song, one of my favorites that never gets dated. Normally I wouldn’t include a ‘best of’ album on this list, but it was released early enough that it doesnt cheapen the music within, it came out after Workingman’s Dead and American Beauty (Two of my very fav albums) )

“Everything that Happens Will Happen Today” by David Byrne and Brian Eno

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6DQyusKTAh4

(One of the most grandiose songs on this album, the culmination of an electric collaboration between two of music’s true greats, and they also came up with the greatest sample-based record ever, My Life in the Bush of Ghosts, as well as a monstrous catalogue of hits in their own right. This album was my favorite of 2008.)

“Harvest Moon” by Neil Young

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Y1IF8A9XN4&feature=related

(A very bombastic and powerful song from the album, and this album is, if a list were made, my second favorite album of all time. Each song has made me cry at one point or another. Neil Young is god.)

“First Utterance” by Comus

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ae5ckJTB5o8

(Included is ‘Song to Comus’, which I have gotten permission to use in the show at my convenience. :)   )

“One Nation Underground” by Pearls Before Swine

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jaKmZAJ-hdg&feature=related

(I got permission to use this on a short film i was planning to make, but that movie fell through in a financial way. I was told by Wild Cat Records USA (I believe) owner Joe Phillips that I can use it so long as I didn’t make any money :) haha )

“69 Love Songs” by the Magnetic Fields

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eo8vW_0H_Kg

(This song is one of my favorites off of this monster album, I still revere Stephin Merritt as the greatest songwriter of all time, period, and this song is a great example. Made my father cry before he passed away, made me cry two minutes ago.)

 

“Songs About Fucking” by Big Black

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qERJfwpXt7U

(One of the only songs by Big Black that has a feeling, emotion to it that could be described as having emotions we ALL feel, this band was headed by Steve Albini, one of my heroes and a bg deal in the punk and indie scene.)

*REM and Frank Zappa, as well as numerous others, have been excluded due to the fact that they have so much amazing material, I would end up putting EVERY album on this list. I DID put American Beauty on here, so call me a hypocrite if you must*

 

– the mgmt.

 

The Who Show!!!

I just got off the phone with France DiCarlo, aka the “Keith Moon” of The Who Show, the greatest tribute band this side of the English channel, as well as the drummer hailed by The Who lead singer Roger Daltrey as “Keith Moon channeled”.

We spoke for about half an hour, and we talked about every facet of the entertainment industry, from copyright, to my own journey in animation, and our combined fearlessness of big companies who excersize fascist-like creative control over music.

The Who Show are now officially added as a band in the “Kick out the Jams!” section, performing some of the greatest tunes of the Who, such as, but not limited to, greatest hits such as Baba O’Reilly and Behind Blue Eyes.

Also, I asked, completely improvised and un-planned for France to audition for the role of Growthy, which is also being auditioned for by guitar legend and former member of Frehley’s Comet, Tod Howarth, as well as a wealth of others.

Please go to their website at http://www.thewhoshow.com/

Harry Connick Jr. is a no-go so far, by the way.