Rock On!

Okay, so we were all settled on saving Big Bucks by creating our own iPod playlist for the reception. No troubles, right? I mean, Ms. C has a massive collection of CDs, including pretty much all the Chicago and Earth, Wind, and Fire and Motown and Michael Jackson and...well, you get the idea. We're on it. (Okay, it's not all 70s...there's a bit of 50s & 60s, as well as more recent stuff. Anyway.)

Then: we went to a concert in B'ville and see this excellent Chicago tribute band called Chicago Transit, who also performs lots of Motown-style-stuff under the name Powerhouse, and suddenly the fiancee's thinking, "Hey, wouldn't that be amazing?" And I reply, "Um...eight-piece band? Budget? And will they fit in the barn we're thinking of for the reception?"

Her plan, budget-wise: cut the food. Put out some bowls of potato chips. Okay, she's kidding. But something would have to give, and it's not like I planned on spending much on a dress.

But, nothing ventured, nothing gained. So, we tracked down the band (not easy, let me tell you), and the next step will be for Ms. C to call them and find out a) this is so far outside of our budget options we can just forget about it, or II) maybe not.

15 Life-Changing Albums

I decided to start doing all those Facebook things over here, because it feels more like writing when I do it here. Which is silly, but whatever.

The challenge is to come up with 15 "life-changing" albums...but after doing this list I see that some of these were life-changing, but some were soundtracks to major changes in my life. Regardless, here's the list, minus the tagging:

1. Tanya Tucker, TNT: It was the first album I ever bought for myself, and it was life-changing less for the music (though she does a rendition of "Send Me" that's wonderful) than for the album cover, which is the primary reason I bought it. Picture this: the LP cover opens up like a centerfold, and there's Tanya in a red leather jumpsuit (halter, I think), with the microphone cord snaking between her legs. Spot the baby dyke, buying the LP at Gateway Village--what was that? Fred Meyer Music, by then? 

2. The First Saturday Night Live Cast Album: One or both of my sisters bought me this, I think for Christmas, and I can still recite dialogue.

3. The Cars. I belonged to the RCA Record Club, and I ordered a David Gates album as one of my freebies for joining. The muses intervened, and sent me this record inside the David Gates sleeve. Thank you, o muses.

4. Pete Townshend, Empty Glass: I perpetually forgot to mail back those stupid record club postcards to say I didn't want the month's selection, and this one came. And instead of sending it back, I listened to it. Interesting, raw rock and roll. My taste is nothing if not eclectic.

5 & 6. Hair (Broadway cast recording) / Fame (soundtrack). It's a tie. And this is sheerly for the number of times I listened to these, drama geek that I was. And to whomever stole my cassette copy of the Hair movie soundtrack from a party in Walla Walla sometime during 1982/1983, that was mean.

6 & 7. Patti Smith, Horses and Easter (tie). My first girlfriend introduced me to a lot of music, but Patti was definitely the most life-changing. I had seen her years before on Saturday Night Live, her voice shot, and I didn't understand it. Then I heard these albums and I got it. If you ever want to get in touch with your inner wild woman, play these. 

8. Eurythmics, Sweet Dreams. You will begin to note a trend: strong, independent women. Hmmmm....

9. Indigo Girls, Indigo Girls: Ah, the trend continues. 

10. Melissa Etheridge, Brave and Crazy. First saw her on VH1 and said, "Hey, there's a dyke on that there TV!"

11. k.d. lang, Ingenue. Loved the early albums, too, but Ingenue was in my Walkman for months during a particularly turbulent time in my life. There's something about k.d. lang's rich, powerful voice right in your ear...oh, and I saw the second night of her tour at a small theater.

12. Two Nice Girls, Chloe Liked Olivia. Witty, clever, eclectic. They rocked. The antidote to the melancholy I indulged in with lang.

13. The Traveling Wilburys Vol. I. If for no other reason than this list needs a few more guys.

14. Susan Tedeschi, Just Won't Burn. And we now return to our regularly scheduled trend. Her huge voice has been described as a blend of Janis Joplin and Bonnie Raitt. I first saw her when she opened for Keb' Mo in Seattle years ago. 

15. Brandi Carlisle, Brandi Carlisle. Again, the soundtrack for a major transition in my life. Standing on the subway platform listening to "Follow" on my mp3 player. If you haven't heard her, check out her second album The Story. A voice that makes your heart ache. 

Accomplishments, Part II, in which I take a Big Girl Pill

I think I mentioned a few posts back that I went to two events, all by myself. This is part of me taking risks and being more adventurous. It's all good preparation for when I move to the new job, next fall. (Have I mentioned the new job? I think I started a post, but didn't finish...I'll get on that. Soon.)

So, things what I have done all by myself:
1. Attended a small fundraiser for a New Orleans womens clinic, in a little independent bookstore, because it was a good cause and I was familiar with one of the poets. Stayed long enough to enjoy a delicious decaf latte and listen to two women perform several songs, and then for the poet, who read from work in progress. While this was all enjoyable, the place was packed, I was perched on a stool with no back support, and I didn't know a soul. So, I had a nice time, but I left after an hour and a half.

2. The next night went to a Jamie Anderson concert, part of the local Folkus series. I saw Jamie years and years and years ago (maybe 1992 and 1993?) in the Northwest, and remembered that she's very funny and has a wonderful voice. And since I knew some of the songs pretty well, I'm thinking the ex and I must have owned a CD. My favorite song: "Dark Chocolate," and you can catch a taste of it on her CDBaby page.

3. Last night I went to the final night of the Reel Queer film festival, put on by hardworking lgbt grad students. Two fabulous (and one pretty good) short films, followed by the latest from the director of But I'm A Cheerleader. I soooooo want the soundtrack! This one is titled The Itty Bitty Titty Committee, and is funny and sweet and has some sexy moments. And did I mention I want that soundtrack?