Greetings from Laurel Canyon!
This week Obama came to Hollywood while the Sunset Strip was lined with Guns N’ Roses billboards. I had to wonder if the “funky Prez” is down with the G&R? Maybe the Prez came for the band’s surprise appearance at the Troubadour? I missed it, but I’ll see the band perform at Coachella. It’s interesting, but not as interesting as seeing what happens when or if Deep Purple take the stage at tonight’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony.
For those not too stoned in the ’70s to notice, this was the band who first wore black and played heavy guitar riffs. I can only speak for growing up in New York City, but if you were a guilty as sin, juvenile ’70s drug store cowboy, this was your fucking band. (By the way, can you image if Tommy Bolin played in Guns? Wow!)
Speaking of dreamy days, more than any day, a rainy Friday in Spring needs a special soundtrack. I’m not talking about a playlist associated with iTunes, Spotify, or Sirius Radio, but a grouping of songs that stirs an old soul and drops memories like needles on rooftops.
While Leonard Cohen’s voice reminds me of the view of 23rd Street from a Chelsea Hotel window, The Mary Chain grind has me guiding through puddles with wise boots longer than most.
Nine million rainy days / Have swept across my eyes / Thinking of you / And this room becomes a shrine / Thinking of you / And the way you are / Sends the shivers to my head You’re going to fall / You’re going to fall down dead
Rain mixed with music can be a magic potion. Here in LA it’s easy to lose sight of this alchemy, but after a few days of hot weather, a cold and wet front has descended on our canyon. Baseball has been postponed, so turn up the volume and daydream away.
The Idelic Hit of the Week: Kyle Craft – Eye of a Hurricane
Drugstore Cowboys and Cal Jam—Long live Deep Purple!
