President Bush’s Grandfather Involved in Fascist Plot to Overthrow FDR in 1933

Prescott Bush and his son, former President George H. W. Bush

This is a story that did not get much any press here in the United States when it first ran in 2007: George W. Bush’s grandfather, Prescott Bush, among other prominent American businessmen, was involved in a 1933 plot to overthrow President Franklin D. Roosevelt and install a fascist dictatorship in America allied with Hitler and Mussolini. Here is the story from the BBC. (Story begins at 20 seconds.)

My Favorite Inner North Portland Novelty Band

Visit Salmon Suede. I’m not supposed to talk about them.

They’re all here and here

Randy Newman Live at MacWorld

On January 15, 2008, Randy Newman played a provocative song called “A Few Words in Defense of Our Country” at Apple’s MacWorld meeting in San Francisco. Eli at Left I on the News added subtitles so you can really see what he’s saying here.

Mike Ferris Video and Audio Archive

I was trying to find a way to describe Mike Ferris‘ voice and guitar work. Then I found Mike’s website has an abundance of video and audio. I picked up his two solo albums by placing a call to a hometown music store that I am hoping will buck the trend and stay in business. Horizon Records (in Greenville, South Carolina) also has a nifty little email newsletter that is very informative on new independent music and they are happy to do orders by mail as fast as Amazon.

About that description of Ferris’ unique style, I think Buddy Miller has said it best:

“Mike Farris has enough heart, soul, and power to light up a city. He mixes up the elements and turns them into something new, beautiful, and uniquely his own.”

Check it out.

Jeff Beck/Tal Wilkenfeld Video Archive: A Song for the Weekend

I caught Eric Clapton’s Crossroads concert on public television this week. The highlight of the show, I think, was the performance by Jeff Beck and the amazing 21-year old bass player Tal Wilkenfeld. She really cooks and drives the groove. Here for your listening pleasure are Resolution, ‘Cause We’ve Ended as Lovers/Stratus, Big Block, Angel (Footsteps), Led Boots and a spectacular finale of A Day in the Life.

Comin’ Home

Here’s a nice song (featuring Delaney and Bonnie Bramlett, George Harrison, Billy Preston and Eric Clapton) for a Sunday afternoon, when one is thinking of going home for Thanksgiving and wondering why it’s suddenly getting dark at 5:15 in the afternoon.

Icehouse Video Archive

I have spent the last several days listening heavily to some old vinyl of mine that hasn’t been pulled out of the sleeve in a long while.

One album I have been spinning a lot is Flowers by Icehouse.

Here are some of their best videos.

I must admit that I never saw many Icehouse videos before searching for them on YouTube this week. This band was one of those that I experienced entirely on vinyl in the early days of my music purchasing. I soon began to spend all of my cash on vinyl and later CDs, but, in the days I was listening to Icehouse, I was living in my first bedroom in my parents’ house and playing this and other album sides at all hours of the day and night. You might consider playing these videos, but just listening to the songs rather than watching the pictures.

I Can’t Help Myself

Great Southern Land

Icehouse

We Can Get Together

Street Cafe

Walls

No Promises

Hey Little Girl

Cat Power Video Archive

Chan Marshall, aka Cat Power, is a phenomenally talented singer/songwriter originally from Georgia. She earned herself a reputation as an unpredictable performer during years of alcohol abuse, but apparently has gotten sober and found a new appreciation for her work. Here is a series of videos found on YouTube and brought here for your enjoyment.

The Greatest

The Greatest (Live)

Cross Bones Style

Maybe Not

He War

Living Proof

The Moon

Lived in Bars

Nude as the News

Empty Shell

Metal Heart

Talking with the New York Times about alcoholism and depression

1994: Dick Cheney Says Occupying Iraq Would Result in “Quagmire”

I just came across this 1994 video from C-SPAN in which Dick Cheney says that invading and occupying Iraq would result in “quagmire”. At the time, he was defending George Bush Sr.’s decision to leave Saddam Hussein standing after the first Iraq War in 1991.

Somewhere along the line, the story changed.

I’d like someone to ask Mr. Cheney when his attitude changed, and why…

Paul Pena: Genghis Blues

I would encourage you to check out Paul Pena, whose name rightfully should be synonymous with Jimi Hendrix, B.B. King, Marvin Gaye and many other great American musicians.

Pena was a great songwriter and guitarist who possessed a voice and spirit touched by God’s hand. (God forgot to touch Paul’s eyes, but that’s another story.)

I learned of him recently when I watched Genghis Blues, a documentary based on Paul Pena’s second life as a great friend of the people of Tuva and a naturally gifted master of the Tuvan throat music style of singing, in which a single human being can sing up to 10 octaves at one time.

Paul learned of Tuvan throat singing by listening to shortwave radio broadcasts from Moscow. He had to learn the Russian language in order to interpret the Tuvan language.

Genghis Blues was nominated for an Academy Award for best documentary film. The film is based on Pena’s invitation to Tuva, a (nearly) lost land and culture between Russia, Mongolia and China, to participate in (and ultimately win) the nation’s singing tournament.

I am sad to write this entry in the past tense. I only learned today that Paul died a couple years ago after a long battle with diabetes.