Reviews
Neil Young Video: “Resist the Powers that Be”
Neil Young has released a new video, titled “Children of Destiny” that urges Americans to unite and “resist the powers that be.” This new song is Neil’s response to the current political vibe in the US, and juxtaposes typical patriotic images of the American flag waving with scenes of war and protest. Neil’s voice is […] Continue reading
Disjointed: Kathy Bates Opens a Cannabis Dispensary
Kathy Bates and Chuck Lorre team up to get high in a comedy series for television due this August. Twenty episodes have been ordered by the online entertainment company Netflix. The American Horror Story veteran and star of other frightening film roles plays a lifelong advocate for legalization, who is finally living her dream as […] Continue reading
Surrealistic Summer Solstice, San Francisco 2017
The Surrealistic Summer Solstice will be held June 21 in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park in front of the Conservatory of Flowers. JFK Drive will be closed that day to accommodate the vendors. Dusk to midnight. Free, but tickets are already gone. Hippie Hill 1967 – photo courtesy San Francisco Chronicle Good news for some, […] Continue reading
1967 The Summer Of Love
Having been there, and done that, I have a few memories of the time known as the Summer of Love. From the far distant future, 50 years later, it seems music was the most important thing to me then. My mind was also exploring that year, it being the psychedelic era. My artistic creations of […] Continue reading
The Solar Living Institute in Hopland, California
Solar Panels and Windmill at Solar Living Center The Solar Living Center in Hopland, California is a fun place to explore the realities and possibilities of living off the grid, and living well. “Promoting sustainable living through inspirational environmental education.” – John Schaeffer John Schaeffer had recently graduated from UC Berkeley in 1978 when he […] Continue reading
Scorpions: Lonesome Crow (1972)
The Scorpions, for many, will give one guaranteed nightmares of ’80s pop metal and cheesy anthems as “Rock Your Like a Hurricane”. But the band has a history that predates that song (or the album in question, 1984’s Love at First Sting) by almost two decades. They actually formed around 1965, but wasn’t until around […] Continue reading
Birth Control: Backdoor Possibilities (1976)
Birth Control was a German group that was only considered marginally progressive, much of the time they were in the Deep Purple or Uriah Heep vein, lots of heavy guitar and organ work, although a lot of their music often had prog tendencies. I have to admit they made their share of great albums, 1972’s […] Continue reading
Warm Dust: And It Came to Pass (1970)
Warm Dust was one of those obscure progressive rock bands that slipped through the cracks, but released three albums. This was an early band featuring Paul Carrack before he earned his fame with Ace (“How Long”), Sqeeze (“Tempted”), and of course Mike & the Mechanics, not to mention the solo albums he did in the […] Continue reading
Chicago: Chicago III (1971)
Chicago was a band that really threw their credibility in the crapper with those cheesy ballads. Peter Cetera obviously laying a lot to blame, many of their cheesy hits, if they were not necessarily written by him, they were sung by him. You can be thankful in the early ’70s Chicago had so much better […] Continue reading
Skin Alley: Skin Alley (1969)
Skin Alley was an early progressive rock band that consisted of both British and American bands, but residing in Britain. In 1969, the band released their debut album on CBS and they were sure quick to hop on the progressive rock bandwagon, all in the same year of King Crimson’s In the Court of the […] Continue reading