Peter Gabriel (1980 album)

Released: May 30 1980
Recorded: 1979–1980 in Bath and at the Townhouse, London
Length: 45:32
Label: Charisma (United Kingdom),Mercury (Original US LP pressing),Geffen (United States, Canada) Producer: Steve Lillywhite
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Having always heard something in the back of my life about the band "Genesis" I've had a passing understanding that Peter Gabriel was a deeper musician, but like everything I understood as a child, nothing hit me till adulthood. And always hearing "Games Without Frontiers" I always appreciated the song, never did I really enjoy it.

When I finally broke down and bought the album, only then did I appreciate the treasure that was before me. The beginning tracks are great, but what really caught me with a fury was the track "I Don't Remember". "Where did this fury come from to me?" there was an aggression in this song about breaking off to me, like a clean break, that tries to fray at the ends for a stupid cut.

After having drove so many stupid circles in southern California, doing so many mindless jobs I heard "And Through The Wire"  did I hear what my life should say. There is some kinda love through all the hate and stupidity, there is some kind of love that I can't understand.

At the of this madness that I speak I have to give all the respect to the cornerstone track "Games Without Frontiers" the track that got my attention. There are so many notes and references in this track that scare me about the future.

There is something that is still trying to break out in this album after all the anger and striped down emotions of the 90'a there is something more in this album what is poisoning this new generation.

So with that I will say Pass it on because there are so many fucking albums and songs that should be heard.... btw Thanks to my friend Julian for pushing me into Peter Gabriel
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Caress of Steel.. Rush

Artist: Rush
Released: September 24, 1975
Recorded: June–July 1975
Length: 44:51 Label Anthem (Canada) Atlantic (Japan) Mercury
Producer: Rush and Terry Brown
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Ok so Im pretty sure everybody knows Rush from the song Tom Sawyer... as well they should, Rush is a great band (also Canadian). But they have more than Moving Pictures to be an awesome band. Take Caress of Steel which by the way is one of my favorite Rush albums, the last 2 tracks The Necromancer and The Fountain of Lamneth are EPIC beyond anything that had been seen before.

Obviously The Necromancer is a dark sounding name for a song, it is till you spend the time to follow the story laid out in sound and word. All the words give the feeling of death till you get to Act III Return of the Prince song and it just rises high and gives you a happier feeling that isn't hokey. I love that part of the song, to me I hear something similar in The Talking Heads song Heaven, something about it being an ending sound that seems proper.

And with The Fountain of Lamneth life is one of the most obvious themes in the beginning Act I In the Valley, the optimism and the excitement of what is to come behind the next sunrise. The part that comes at the end of Act I around 4:02 reminds me of The Kills song Monkey 23 (which is also a great song). Its a great break for the next Act.

Ok I can go on forever on how much I love this album, but I want you to enjoy the discovery of these tracks and what they later influenced.

So with that I need to say to PASS IT ON and to remember to listen to my buddy Lee @ The Pinata Hour also I would like to give a shout out to my homegirl Mindee of The Hot Box
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All songs written by Alex Lifeson, Geddy Lee and Neil Peart, except where noted.

1. "Bastille Day" – 4:37
2. "I Think I'm Going Bald" – 3:37
3. "Lakeside Park" – 4:08
4. "The Necromancer" – 12:30
   • "I. Into the Darkness" – 4:12
   • "II. Under the Shadow" – 4:25
   • "III. Return of the Prince" – 3:52
5. "The Fountain of Lamneth" – 19:58
• "I. In the Valley" – 4:18
• "II. Didacts and Narpets" – 1:00
• "III. No One at the Bridge" – 4:19
• "IV. Panacea" (music: Lee) – 3:14
• "V. Bacchus Plateau" (music: Lee) – 3:16
• "VI. The Fountain" – 3:49

Bob Dylan... New Morning

Released: October 19, 1970
Recorded: June – August 1970 at Studio B and Studio E, Columbia Studio Building, 49 East 52nd Street, New York City
Length: 35:21
Label: Columbia
Producer: Bob Johnston
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Ok first off sorry that I didn't write anything last night... I was kinda in a writers block from writing late into the night before. But this morning when I woke up, all could think about what album I should've written about. I spent most of the day listening to all kinds of music that didn't really hit me. Till I got out of the shower and it came to me while I was singing it... Bob Dylan's "New Morning". This album and song make me feel happier about things in my life, its a real big change in my life, because I use to hate Bob Dylan's voice.

I hated him till I heard "The Man In Me" in the movie the Big Lebowski. Actually I didn't know that was him till years later after I bought it on DVD. This song makes me think about the future and where I've been in my life. Like where will I meet that one woman that's described in the song, one to kick me in the ass hard enough to encourage me to be stronger, well I think that's why its a great song.

Proper endings are always hard to find especially in music, "Father of Night" is a perfect way to easy out with a memorable sound. I love that its simple and the piano sound gives a perfect tempo to this song. The lyrics of Dylan are always poetic but this one almost seems like an acknowledge of something higher... and that's not a bad thing in my book.

I don't know if anyone was waiting for this weeks Blog but here it is, so remember to PASS IT ON
and to Listen to LEE on the Pinata Hour


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All songs written by Bob Dylan.
"If Not for You" – 2:39
"Day of the Locusts" – 3:57
"Time Passes Slowly" – 2:33
"Went to See the Gypsy" – 2:49
"Winterlude" – 2:21
"If Dogs Run Free" – 3:37
"New Morning" – 3:56
"Sign on the Window" – 3:39
"One More Weekend" – 3:09
"The Man in Me" – 3:07
"Three Angels" – 2:07
"Father of Night" – 1:27

Ralfi Pagan... Legend

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This week's pick Ralfi Pagan, really hits a special note with me. And I'd assume it does with most Chicano's that grew up in the 80's and 90's. I remember riding around with my Dad and him playing a beat up old tape with some random Ralfi Pagan songs, I remember thinking the tape was gonna die at any point, because it sounded like it barely survived from the 70's. It wasn't till I heard a CD version of "Make it with you" that I realized that it wasn't the tape that had bad quality but the original recording and that made me laugh.

And it wasn't till I was an adult that I could really appreciate the lyrics of "Look at Her". I just always knew it was soulful and had a great melody, but now I really feel those words of loss. We all go through it at some point in our lives, where things don't always end up the way we want them to in relationships, either by taking it for granted or something else. It when your on the outside looking do you want it back and that's what this song means to me now.

Yeah it seem like I'm picking sad songs to highlight, but a majority of Ralfi Pagan's songs were pretty sad, he was a crooner, and that's what he's know for. "I Never thought you'd leave me" sounds like a lonely rainy day with all the lights off and this song playing on repeat. I love it in spite of that, and when he starts singing in Spanish near the end of the song, it just gets deeper.

This is one that I know many people have already but there are some people who didn't get to appreciate it growing up so with that I must say PASS IT ON


Also don't forget about LEE @ The Pinata Hour this Wednesday






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1. No Soy De Ti
2. Ooo Baby
3. Make It With You
4. To Say I Love You
5. Don't Stop Now
6. Look at Her
7. Hijo de Mama, El
8. Negrita
9. I'd Have You Anytime
10.I Never Thought You'd Leave Me
11.Didn't Want To Have To Do It
12.What a Wonderful Thing We Have
13.Just For A Little While
14.I Could Never Hurt You Girl
15.Just One of Your Kisses (Un Besito)
16.Who Is the Girl for Me

Brian Eno... Here Come the Warm Jets

Released: January 1974
Recorded: September 1973 at Majestic Studios, London
Length: 42:01
Label: Island
Producer: Brian Eno
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OK seriously this album has got to be one of my favorites of all time... I have to listen to Here Come the Warm Jets in part to pick me up or in its entirety at least one a month, Its just that good.

Weird new sounds almost always catch my attention, when I hear them for the first time. "Baby's on Fire" is a song that caught my attention when I first caught it. At the time I was spending allot of time just digging into music that was obscure (2004), and when I found this I was blown away. Nothing at the time was appealing to me, none of my favorites or any of that shit they were playing on the radio.

And when "On Some Faraway Beach" played in its rotation I thought I had found the song that would be the end song to my autobiographical film... you know the kinda that ends the movie and goes into the credits. Its not depressing or anything like that it just seems to transcend and that makes me feel hopeful. This song is just soo beautiful and it really made me fall in love with Brian Eno's music.

Then to end strongly with "Here Come the Warm Jets" just really set the tone with me. And apparently it had set the tone for a generation, a generation that would not appreciate or really acknowledge till the 90's. Every part of this song can be broken into a certain influence on a band from the vocals and guitars that are still heard today. This one is an album that I can't give enough credit to.

There aren't enough words to say how much I love this album...
 So all I can say is PASS IT ON

Also don't forget Lee @ the Pinata Hour


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1. Needles in the Camel's Eye (Eno, Phil Manzanera) 3:11
2. The Paw Paw Negro Blowtorch 3:04
3. Baby's on Fire 5:19
4. Cindy Tells Me (Eno, Manzanera) 3:25
5. Driving Me Backwards 5:12
6. On Some Faraway Beach 4:36
7. Blank Frank (Eno, Robert Fripp) 3:37
8. Dead Finks Don't Talk (arr. Paul Thompson, Busta Jones, Nick Judd, Eno) 4:19
9. Some of Them Are Old 5:11
10.Here Come the Warm Jets 4:04