Author Archives: Jon Sidel

Greetings from Laurel Canyon!

You ride on the swing / In and out of the bars / Capturing moments of life in a jar / Playing with children / Acting as stars / Guiding your visions to heaven / And heaven is in your mind / Take extra care not to lose what you feel / The apple you’re eating is simple and real / So water the flowers that grow at you heel / Guiding your visions to heaven / And heaven is in your mind

Some pretty cool lyrics to be had about heaven.

Heaven is a truck / It got stuck / On the breeze / Asked the driver nicely / I need a lift? / I need release / The sand in the boats / On the rose covered floats / She is the queen of  / A canceled Pasadena thrill / (California) / I know arks can’t fly / I know the sharks / They don’t have wings / But lady you need some cold advice / About a few things / Loosen my dress / Tie me up just like all the rest / She is the queen of / A canceled Pasadena, thrill / (California)

Some call them “bits,” I’ll call ’em crumbs. It feels like I’ve been living off crumbs of late, but surely whoever is reading this should know we’ve got heaven’s crumbs up here in the LA canyons. You know, lil’ bits of life that make it all worthwhile. Sometimes you gotta search hard for them. I sometimes find them in a smile. Like the grin Steph Curry gave to his baby brother Seth in last night’s Warriors play-off game.

Read More »

Greetings from Laurel Canyon!

When I was young, my mama used to say, boy / A woman’s like a flower with love on her you shower / Ever since that day, her words never went away / I always will remember to treat my baby tender

I guess my quote means that lessons from mom stick with ya?

I’ve spent many Thursday nights in my garage creating The Idelic Hour. I’ve often wonder why I sit, listen deeply and explore song. It’s only for a few hours, but songs open my heart and spirit. There, at that moment, all that is good, cool and groovy may enter.

Sometimes grabbing a muse for my playlists can spark a little journey of sorts. I hate to be predictable about it, but at the same time the “routine” gives me comfort. Fuck man, in a world that seems to spin faster and faster every week—bring it!

(By the way, did you get a chance to peek the new HBO mini series Chernobyl? Ugh! It’s great but intense.)

Read More »

Greetings from Laurel Canyon!

We are the Sherlock Holmes English-speaking Vernacular / God save Fu Manchu, Moriarty and Dracula / We are the Office Block Persecution Affinity / God save little shops, china cups, and virginity / We are the Skyscraper Condemnation Affiliates / God save Tudor houses, antique tables, and billiards

Preserving the old ways from being abused / Protecting the new ways, for me and for you / What more can we do?

It’s been two weeks since my last Idelic Hour episode. It doesn’t really seem that long ago, but the world is spinning so fucking fast. I feel like so much has happened, but maybe nothing has happened at all?

Can you tell what’s going down? Between Muller and my 24 year daughter, maybe there’s an answer? There is a ridiculousness to the social norms that I can only smile about. At the very moment I am determined to move into May with a blast.

Read More »

Greetings from Laurel Canyon!

Oh I am a lonely painter / I live in a box of paints / I’m frightened by the devil / And I’m drawn to those ones that ain’t afraid / I remember that time that you told me, you said / “Love is touching souls” / Surely you touched mine ’cause / Part of you pours out of me / In these lines from time to time

Just the other day a number of female writers at NPR posted a list of “the greatest albums made by women between 1964 and the present.” They said it’s to be an “intervention, a remedy, a correction of the historical record and hopefully…”

…the start of a new conversation? Well, hey ladies! Let’s get our playlist on!

Although some of the selections are obviously political—therefore “whack”—everyone loves a playlist in the summer 2017. Even if it puts Beyonce up there with Joni and Aretha…no stress. A playlist is a playlist and the women at NPR have been on the same wavelength with me this week. Turns out, I have been digging through steamy crates selecting some of my favorite heroines on wax for this week’s Idelic Hour “All Girls” playlist.

Read More »

Greetings from Laurel Canyon!

I’m just a lonesome l.a. cowboy / Hangin’ out, hangin’ on / To your window ledge, callin’ your name / From midnight until dawn / I been smokin’ dope, snortin’ coke / Tryin’ to write a song / Forgettin’ everything I know / ‘Til the next line comes along / Forgettin’ everything I know / ‘Til the next line comes along

For me as a parent of two kids, there comes a time when your “lil one” starts their journey toward his or her own musical taste. Most of us “rocker dads” try to steer the kiddies clear of music that makes us nutz, but…good luck on that.

From my experience, I feel comfortable saying that most kids leave pop music by 12 years old. My Jonah recently spilt pop for hip hop at age 10. Although hip hop radio is very repetitive, we’re happy to be leaving the pop world for hip hop, and to be honest there have been quite a few hip hop charms of late.

Read More »

Greetings from Laurel Canyon!

Well I stumbled in the darkness / I’m lost and alone / Though I said I’d go before us / And show the way back home / There a light up ahead / I can’t hold onto her arm / Forgive me pretty baby but I always take the long way home

Money’s just something you throw / Off the back of a train / Got a head full of lightning / A hat full of rain / And I know that I said / I’d never do it again / And I love you pretty baby but I always take the long way home

Let’s all just thank our lucky stars. And why the fuck not? Spring is here and although flat tires, rip offs, and car crashes may occur, it’s a long road.

So hold on to you friends and family say a prayer and when you need inspiration…

Read More »

Greetings from Laurel Canyon!

Who is “in” / Who is “out” / Who is “in” / Who is “out” / Up to nine, it’s OK, you’re “in” / After that, you’re KO, you’re “out” / It’s the same for boxing  / Movies, fashion and cash box

Time’s still flying as we hit full stride in March madness. Fools might come out of the closet next week as April showers wash away this Mercury in retrograde. All in all, we keep the nose to the grindstone.

Yesterday I pulled a few hours from my day to volunteer at the local middle school. I lectured three film classes on listening to music, and ate my lunch on a bench in the midst of hundreds of 13 and 14 year old kids—none of whom knew me or any of the songs on this week’s Idelic playlist.

Read More »

Greetings from Laurel Canyon!

Wow, this week really flew by. Life and “stuff” are coming and going, seemingly at the speed of light. April showers and the taxman have replaced butterflies and sunshine.

Hopefully the sun will shine and butterflies will flutter back through the canyon. In the meantime, it’s madness. March Madness! To be honest, it’s hard enough to come up with time to dig into a couple of crates of records let alone predict who is gonna win in the first round of the NCAAs.

Read More »

Greetings from Laurel Canyon!

There is a happy land where only children live / They don’t have the time to learn the ways / Of you sir, Mr. Grownup / There’s a special place in the rhubarb fields underneath the leaves / It’s a secret place and adults aren’t allowed there, Mr. Grownup / Go away, sir

Yes, there is a “happy place” somewhere around here. From gloom to “super bloom!”

On Wednesday the sun finally came out. I could almost feel the plants and flowers in our canyon pushing toward the sky as if to say, “Hello sun…please stay for a bit!”

Read More »

Greetings from Laurel Canyon!

I was a fool before I met you / Only fools find it hard to believe / You just might be my only savior / If you are, then come and save me / If that’s true, come back and save me / You take me back there / Take me back home, please / No, I can’t go in there / Just take me back home, home

Greetings from LA. It’s incredible to believe winter might actually be giving way to spring soon.

No one around these canyons can remember rain and cold like the winter of 2019. Daylight savings time tomorrow is bringing our house rays of hope, so with that in mind we’re going to celebrate saving our own fucking souls.

Read More »

Greetings from Laurel Canyon!

I’m gonna make a mistake / I’m gonna do it on purpose / I’m gonna waste my time / Cuz I’m full as a tick / And I’m scratching at the surface / And what I find is mine / And when the day is done, and I look back / And the fact is I had fun, fumbling around / All the advice I shunned, and I ran / Where they told me not to run, but I sure / Had fun, so / I’m gonna fuck it up again / I’m gonna do another detour / Unpave my path / And if you wanna make sense / Whatcha looking at me for / I’m no good at math

We all make mistakes. This said, when I hear the name Pricewaterhouse, “fuck ups” don’t come to mind. Aren’t they paid specifically to NOT to fuck up? Recently, I thought we’d seen everything… guess again.

As they say behind Donald’s wall, “Oscar no bueno.”

It’s unlikely anyone can shed a warm light on last weekend’s Oscar debacle. All said and done, I must admit the idea of a “mistake” or “mistaken identity” has a Shakespearean tragic twist…

Read More »

Greetings from Laurel Canyon!

Fruit tree, fruit tree / No one knows you but the rain and the air. / Don’t you worry / They’ll stand and stare when you’re gone. / Fruit tree, fruit tree / Open your eyes to another year. / They’ll all know / That you were here when you’re gone.

This has likely been the coldest winter week in the thirty some odd years I’ve lived in LA. Twice this week I’ve found myself in a morning traffic jam on top of a crisp and scenic Mulholland Drive. It came clear as the morning—to be stuck on Mulholland is certainly nothing to complain about. In fact, the top of our canyon still carries the magic of plants and native Americans.

I found myself staring at trees and enjoying the simplicity of their company. Indeed, since moving to our pad in the canyon, I’ve always regarded the trees as neighborhood and friends. It’s as though this week’s cold has grown whiskers for us all.

Read More »

Greetings from Laurel Canyon!

Onde eu nasci passa um rio / Que passa no igual sem fim / Igual, sem fim, minha terra / Passava dentro de mim / Passava como se o tempo / Nada pudesse mudar / Passava como se o rio / Não desaguasse no mar / O rio deságua no mar / Já tanta coisa aprendi / Mas o que é mais meu cantar / É isso que eu canto aqui

Valentine’s Day week has me drained. I hate to admit it, but I’m a romantic with needs.

All through a hectic week I was digging around for a clever set of records that would slightly cover my desire for “love music” and beyond. However yesterday’s rainstorm in the canyon spontaneously turned our street into a river. I had to put on fishing boots and a rain slicker to fish out a few floating garbage cans.

Read More »

Greetings from Laurel Canyon!

Turn me on to phantoms / I follow to the edge of the earth / And fall off / Everybody leaves / If they get the chance / And this is my chance / I get eaten by the worms / Weird fishes

Last week I was talking about the weather, and this week?

Not much has really changed. Well some shit has happened. Our LA Rams lost in a boring Super Bowl, and LA music fans took it out on poor Maroon 5. Fuck, the Maroon boys do their best to be an LA band, make loot, and slay chicks.

This has pretty much nothing to do with the songs I play on the Idelic Hour. In my mind we are at the dawn of a second “medieval time.” The Idelic Hour is meant to share music that lifts the spirit and the soul. It’s my small way of helping—and this week’s playlist is filled with meat, onions, chicken, and fish. I got turned on to this new Sleaford Mods record and loved the idea of making a playlist of songs about food that make up a “kebab.”

Read More »

Greetings from Laurel Canyon!

Well I dove into that river / To see what I could find / And the water it rolled on top of me / And the stars refused to shine

Yeah I swam until I could not swim / Then I swam a little more / And the current held me like a lover’s arms / And then it left me on the shore

Well I stood and looked to from where I came / To the place where I was born / But it seemed to me only half as real / Like a dark and a distant storm

I come from a family that likes to talk about the weather. I believe that I’ve mentioned this before, and yes here I am again talking about it again.

I talked to my folks this morning. They actually asked, “How’s the weather?” and reported Miami is a pleasant 70 degrees. Here in the canyon it’s a clear, beautiful winter morning around 50. It’s the kind of a day that only happens after a hard rain.

Read More »