So, what have you been listening to lately?

[Dave W]

How about some Rickenbacker love with Mike Mesaros of The Smithereens, pretty "up" in the mix!

Smithereens are always good. I listen to them often.

Donnie Iris. To my eternal shame, I had never ever even heard of him until now. But his "hard rock/pop/new wave meets Elvis Costello/Randy Newman" is right up my nerd alley. Reminds me of The Cars (but with more ooomph) and that is always a good thing.

I had never heard of him either.  I like what I heard!

But both of you must have heard Donnie before:

[uwe]

There is something very Zappa'esque to his work - probably that Doo-Wop influence both have.

He also played with Wild Cherry - but only after Play That Funky Music was a hit.

[gearHed289]

Ah Leah was a pretty big hit in these parts. A new cover band I've been trying to get together is doing it.  Never heard of him again beyond that one song.

[TBird1958]

Donnie Iris. To my eternal shame, I had never ever even heard of him until now. But his "hard rock/pop/new wave meets Elvis Costello/Randy Newman" is right up my nerd alley. Reminds me of The Cars (but with more ooomph) and that is always a good thing.

Ah, Leah was pretty big on Seattle FM, I like it and noodle along with it every now and then 

[TBird1958]

Smithereens are always good. I listen to them often.

I really like them a lot, I think they were a bit underrated, love Mesaros' bass playing, he's very solid yet creative given the nature of their songs. 

[Dave W]

 

I really like them a lot, I think they were a bit underrated, love Mesaros' bass playing, he's very solid yet creative given the nature of their songs.

Underrated is an overused word but it really fits the Smithereens. They were always solid, tuneful rockers, and Mike's bass was always great. They had a faithful fan base, but I always thought it should have been bigger.

[TBird1958]

So many great songs from them, I'd never seen this.

[uwe]

Yes, even in 2021, Yacht Rock lives and is sailing alive and well.





They really put an effort into those 80ies keyboard sounds and the MTV style vids. 


Unrelated, oh my, Rory, you are sorely missed:



I love Rod de'Ath's busy, but really musical drumming. The band wasn't the same after he and Lou Martin (keyb) were dismissed by Rory in an effort to sound current after having witnessed a Sex Pistols gig in San Francisco.

[uwe]

And now for something completely different, should appeal to Dave. Greying LA wolves revisit hits of their youth on their latest record ...





and write a song of their own too:

[Dave W]

I do like Los Lobos.

[uwe]

I know. Your brand of "roots'n'roll".

[4stringer77]

The wife is going to the Cape with her friends and the kid without me this weekend so...



This came on the radio. What an ear worm. Kind of like the over rated version of the Smithereens.



Seems weird that they had two monster hits with this and "what I like about you" then nothing else. Hitting lightning twice isn't too shabby I guess.

[uwe]

Now this is more like it! Proper, tuneful hard rock that's refreshingly Led Zep-free, has great harmony guitars and some brains to the arrangement. By my favorite Yank AOR gods of Night Ranger, they have a new album out.





Flashback:

[Dave W]

A couple of old favorites. Texas Panhandle music from Jimmie Dale Gilmore (not Gilmer)

[4stringer77]

Looks like Jack Blades has been rocking Les Paul double cut shaped basses for a while. I got excited for a second that Gibson was coming out with some new ones from those Night Ranger vids. It seems they're from a small builder in Arizona called Atomic Guitar Works.