This is bullshit. RUSH is denied nomination into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame again! Donna effing Summer, but not RUSH? Wow. No Jethro Tull or Grand Funk Railroad? No Yes? KISS?

Here is a complete list of this year’s nominees:

· Beastie Boys

· The Cure

· Donovan

· Eric B. & Rakim

· Guns ‘N Roses

· Heart

· Joan Jett and The Blackhearts

· Freddie King

· Laura Nyro

· Red Hot Chili Peppers

· Rufus with Chaka Khan

· The Small Faces/The Faces

· The Spinners

· Donna Summer

· War

All worthy to some degree, but until RUSH gets in, I am boycotting Cleveland.

Ooh my little pretty one, pretty one.
When you gonna give me some time, Sharona?
Ooh you make my motor run, my motor run.
Gun it comin’ off the line Sharona
Never gonna stop, give it up.
Such a dirty mind. Always get it up for the touch
of the younger kind. My my my i yi woo. M M M My Sharona…

MY REPLACEMENT TRIBUTE VERSE:

Ohh I had a tumor man, a tumor man
Why’d I have to die so young, Carcinoma!
Ooh I fought it really hard, oh really hard.
But I couldn’t beat the damn Carcinoma
Gave it my best shot, no give up.
Such an evil thing. Thought I’d live to be eighty five
or even ninety five. My my I die to soon. Da Da Da Damn Carcinoma!

Rip Doug, I hope you find some cool dead guys to play with…

Feste and Mrs. Feste in backyard glades
How I Love Winter!!!!!!

Ronnie James Dio’s wife and manager, Wendy Dio issued a statement that said that the legendary Rainbow and Black Sabbath frontman had been diagnosed with the early stages of stomach cancer. Here’s her full statement:

“Ronnie has been diagnosed with the early stages of stomach cancer. We are starting treatment immediately at the Mayo Clinic. After he kills this dragon, Ronnie will be back on stage, where he belongs, doing what he loves best, performing for his fans.

“Thanks to all the friends and fans around the world that have sent well wishes. This has really helped to keep his spirit up.

“Long Live Rock and Roll, Long Live Ronnie James Dio”

From Please Please Me to The Beatles, all post session mixing was done by the Beatles and George Martin in Abbey Road Studio II with a single speaker in the center of the console. Following this mono mix, the Beatles and Martin considered their work done (with a few minor early exceptions… a few guitar solo’s must have been flown in during the mix down … see Matchbox in mono and stereo for an example). Others, rarely with Martin’s supervision, prepared the stereo mixes. Oddly, they seemed to take little time to match these up (why did they slow down She’s Leaving Home?) This blog would take up a few pages to catalog the differences.

The first thing that struck me was how “perfect” these versions are. Beside an excellent balance between instruments and vocals, Martin and the Beatles worked to present their best performances (ex: no Lennon lyric screw up on Please Please Me…. Yes, I know, it may be charming, humorous, human, but it’s not what they wanted for an official release). These mono mixes of the performances sound like your in the studio, more intimate, rather than the stereo which sounds like some idiot was out to prove that stereo meant you could place completely different sounds in each speaker. The stereo mixes’s sound space is beyond artificial. Unfortunately, the stereo remasters were not remixed (for a sample of the possible, get a copy of the Yellow Submarine extended release…blue cover version.. these are excellent remixes).

This weekend, while driving around, I listening to The Beatles and was amazed at the guitar sounds, in particular Clapton’s work and the solo work on Happiness. It’s as if the amp is a 10 feet away not on stage in an auditorium. Super clean.

The mono set is for anyone who loves this music and wants to hear the performances for the first time again. Stunning.