The Writer's Life 5/2

Last night I watched another of the music videotapes I made, this one from the mid '90's. What variety. even Ed Sullivan might have been envious. Three of the songs were from a Gary Moore concert done in a small venue or studio. He does a great duet with BB King and, of course, the monumental Still Get the Blues For You, on which he reaches into the depths of his soul and delivers a passion that can only be matched, not surpassed. Every time I hear it I get misty and think: Wow, he really loved that girl. I wonder if she returned the feeling. Also on the tape were two disparate performances from Neil Young, creating mayhem with the young guys of Pearl Jam on Rockin' in the Free World, and doing haunting acoustic solo work on War of Man. He is a fascinating artist. I captured Blind Melon doing the wacky No Rain on SNL, on which lead guitarist Roger Stevens plays wonderfully. Vocalist Shannon Hood died of a cocaine overdose in 1995. That track was followed by Concrete Blonde doing the beautiful Mexican Moon on Letterman. It is tighter and even better than the album version, and the clip is available on youtube. Robert Plant, Bon Jovi, Pete Townsend, George Thoroughgood, Joe Cocker, Santana, Iggy Pop, Billy Joel, Elvis Costello, in a comeback attempt with his great back up band The Attractions, and Sonic Youth, whose abstract song seemed to baffle the Letterman audience, are also on the tape. Sade makes two appearances doing No Ordinary Love, the second take far superior to the first, which was also on SNL. She doesn't have much range, but she is so adept at mood and sensuality, and so easy on the eyes, a modern Aphrodite. I get a kick out of her guitar player's work. I'd swear his progressions at times are out of the Black Sabbath song book, toned down, of course. Here's a link to the second performance:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=82xhLFh0Ygg  Enjoy. I wouldn't be surprised if every track on the tape is on YT, although I was unable to find the SNL No Rain, which I thought was titled Not Sane, given the constant use of the phrase in the song. I later caught a snippet of a book show as I was scanning for something to watch. A gentleman commented that the personal computer may be the greatest invention of all time. He'll get no argument from me. 

The light rain forced the floating bookshop to the exile of the viaduct at Avenue Z and East 15th, with predictable results - nada. The forecast is the same for tomorrow. Given the mild winter, which has allowed me to earn much more than at this point last year, I won't complain. It looks like I'll have to hit the ATM for the first time since 2/14.

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