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New Music from Brooklyn, Missed Opportunities in WW2 and AI Evolution

Sort of a grab bag as I highlight the music of Simon Hanes and his orchestra Tredici Bacci. I also give a rant about WW2 (for some reason), and some early thoughts on changing our relationships with AI.

Tredici Bacci – BUY ALL THIS MUSIC NOW: https://tredicibacci.bandcamp.com/

Read about WW2 in the Pacific:

Shattered Sword by Jonathan Parshall and Anthony Tully: http://www.shatteredswordbook.com/

Neptune’s Inferno by James Hornfischer: https://www.c-span.org/video/?305566-3/neptunes-inferno-us-navy-guadalcanal

Pacific Crucible by Ian Toll: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacific_Crucible

Thanks, as always for listening to the MPOMY Escape Pod Podcast!

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John Lee Hooker – Burnin’ Hell (1971)

John Lee Hooker managed to be broadly popular but also enigmatic and inimitable. On this episode of the Escape Pod I look at a tremendous track from 1971’s Hooker ‘n’ Heat to understand what made John Lee so special and why his influence will never leave us.

As always, I’m talking all over the music and only playing snippets. That’s not how you experience music! So, after you listen to the podcast (or maybe even before), here is the playlist for music featured in the episode:

Boom Boom Boom – John Lee Hooker (1961): https://youtu.be/2SxSa6a6am4

One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer – George Thorogood (1977): https://youtu.be/sDf0IwXoOmY

Wild About You Baby – Hound Dog Taylor (1973): https://youtu.be/DdXdsyDJC5Y

Boom, Boom, Boom (Blues Brothers movie) – John Lee Hooker (1980): https://youtu.be/nUUyFrHERpU

Bad Like Jessie James – John Lee Hooker (1966): https://youtu.be/zsd_jwLWrDc

Burnin Hell – John Lee Hooker (1971): https://youtu.be/mZD2eQE2yp4

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Dark Companion Records

On this episode we connect the dots between Cardiacs, Robert Wyatt and Greg Lake. All paths lead through Annie Barbazza and her label Dark Companion Records. The commitment to audiophile recording values and the true open-mindedness of progressive music makes this artist and this record label, very much worth your time.

Tim Smith receives Doctorate from Royal Conservatory of Scotland: https://youtu.be/Zr9SZVHjFT0

Folly Bololey performed live: https://youtu.be/Tt18LIAGNys

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U2 – POP (1997)

U2 is a band of almost unequaled popularity, but their best record is also their most reviled. Emily Beck makes her first appearance in the Escape Pod to help break down this forgotten masterpiece from 1997. It’s a record with strong personal significance for us, but it’s also just an amazing rock record. It’s a long listen, but so worth it with snippets of all the pertinent cuts.

Thanks so much for listening and don’t forget to tell your friends to check out the Mpomy Escape Pod podcast.

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A Guitar God and a Soft Rock Favorite

Here is a short meditation on the genius of Lowell George, and in particular his influential slide playing. Songs excerpted in the pod for the purpose of commentary and discussion include the following (in order of appearance):

  • Allman Brothers – “Don’t Keep Me Wonderin'” (Live at Fillmore, 1971)
  • Little Feet – “Crack in Your Door” (Little Feet, 1971)
  • Bonnie Raitt – “Spit of Love” (Fundamental, 1998)
  • Frank Zappa – “No Waiting for the Peanuts to Dissolve” (You Can’t Do That Onstage Anymore, Volume 5, 1969)
  • The Meters – “Just Kissed My Baby” (Rejuvenation, 1974)
  • Little Feet – “All That You Dream” (Live in Holland, 1976)
  • LIttle Feet – “All That You Dream” (The Last Record Album, 1975)

Thanks so much for listening and be sure to tell you r friends about the Mpomy Escape Pod podcast.

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Preview of Neil Young Archives II: 1972-1976

Neil Young is a BIG part of why I love music. Listening to and collecting his work, and seeing his remarkable performances, became a template for how I would approach musical genius. Now, with the impending release of his second Archive set that will cover his most vibrant, creative and turbulent period, I give a preview of what will be on the ten-disc release, and also reflect what makes “Shaky” Neil so vital and why this brief period of his massive catalog is so extraordinary.

As always, thanks you so much for joining me in the MPOMY Escape Pod!

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Miles Davis – Dark Magus (commentary)

I’ve been waiting to do this one for a while. It’s the third song/side from Miles Davis “Dark Magus,” live at Carnegie Hall in 1974. This is the psychedelic funk at it’s finest, and I get way into the minutiae al the way to the triumphant finale, so listen to the whole thing!

No YouTube for this one, but you can read the essay over at mpomy.com.

Thanks for checking into the Escape Pod!

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Jimi Hendrix – Lover Man (from “In the West”)

You can’t really talk rock guitar without a bow to Hendrix. This is a look at a smaller, less well-known song that still gives clear insight into much of what made Hendrix so special. His passion and emotion often mask the amount of planning and precision and economy he was able to summon. This little tune lets us see all of it in a very tidy package.

Thanks so much for listening and please remember to subscribe to and rate the podcast, and also tell you friends! There is room for everyone in the Escape Pod!

UPDATE: video got blocked from YouTube for copyright claim, so you can watch (totally NOT required) over at mpomy.com.

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