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Willie and the Sweaty 85-cent Hand Jive

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For a change I am posting out a decidedly-non-tech entry here on the site. 

I need, nay I crave new music. 

I recall the days of my youth when, clutching 85-cents worth of dirty change in my sweaty left hand I would ride my Schwinn up to the corner to get whatever candy I could buy.  Usually it was something grape-flavored because as a child you still have your grape gland.  (It shrinks and falls off at puberty just like your appendix and foreskin according <apparently> to the Human Growth and Development class my 10 year old son just completed in our local public school system.)  Before I get letters on the subject let me also state that he is unclear on whether boys and girls have foreskins or not; and he’s a straight-A student.  Anyway, seriously, when was the last time you could even smell grape flavored Hubba Bubba without gagging? 

Anyway, I mention the kid/candy memory because I remembered the thoughts that would go through my mind when I couldn’t get both a pack of Star Wars trading cards AND a grap Charms Pop: When I grow up and have a job I can buy ALL THE CANDY I WANT! 

As are most of the jokes played on us by a God that has an incredibly British sense of humor (because all his/her jokes need to be explained to us) I grew up, like most kids do, to not really give a shit about candy.  Our candy became other things:  food, sex, drugs, entertainment… mine became Music.

So, here I am, a 40-year old kid in my kind of candy store: the Zune Marketplace.  For under $15/month I can download all the music I can eat and I get to permanently keep 10 songs with no DRM.  Unfortunately I’ve run out of imagination.

I’ve blogged on my music tastes here before.  I listen to everything but with the exception of the occasional song by Willie Nelson and other country I was exposed to back in the mid 70s when my parents owned a bar I am not big into country AT ALL.  I need suggestions.  I crave music for lazing at the beach, kicking back with cocktails on the deck with the fire pit and bbq on full.  Music for mosquitos to feast to while I am spread-eagle in the back yard staring at the stars on a Michigan evening.

As of late I’ve become a fan of Butterfly Boucher, Joshua Redman, Kooks, and Silversun Pickups.  I’ve even picked up some solo Brian VanderArk.  Verve Pipe used to practice in my basement back in University and I forgot what a talented and charismatic voice he had/has.

So please, help a brother out.  Music is my soul’s liquor and I’m feeling mighty sober.