Been a while since we’ve done one of these!

I hope that your Monday is off to a good start. I had a relatively calm weekend that had me out and about on Friday night going to Visible Voice Books in Tremont with my friends Brian, Annie, and Adam to get a copy of Derek Hess’s book signed for a friend.

I hadn’t been to VV before – let me tell you, they had one of the most awesome music/arts/entertainment book sections that I have ever seen, with the entire 33 1/3 book series IN STOCK, and a number of titles from the series that I wasn’t aware of, including one for Springsteen’s Born In The USA.

I could have easily put the hurt on my bank account with several items from that section, but instead spent some time talking with Derek and co-author Kent Smith for a bit, and then we hit the road.

After leaving Visible Voice, we made our way back to Lakewood to grab dinner at Melt, which unfortunately had a wait of about an hour and a half. Plan B: Buckeye Beer Engine, which is always a good food destination. Adam was impressed by the beer list, and I was impressed by the outdoor heater that kept me from being cold, since the temps were a bit chilly. BBE is always a good time, and accessorized with good conversation, it was that much better.

So yeah, weekend was good – anyway,

Let’s start things off with an extended item about a new anthology from guitar man Ry Cooder that is hitting stores on October 28th, The UFO Has Landed: The Ry Cooder Anthology. Dig the cover art for the set, very cool!

Compiled by Cooder’s son Joachim, the set collects 38 years worth of Cooder’s finest cuts from every phase of his career, including a previously unreleased version of “Let’s Work Together” with Buckwheat Zydeco and legendary drummer Jim Keltner.

Hopefully, I’ll get a chance to share a cool vintage interview/performance from Cooder here in a few days that will help to get you primed for the release of the anthology.

In the meantime, check out some online listening and video links for the Cooder set!

Quicktime

Windows Media

Real Audio

Ry Cooder – Crazy ‘Bout An Automobile (live in Santa Cruz, CA 1987)

There’s some other cool stuff on the way from Rhino, including a two disc Smiths retrospective on November 11th with all sorts of goodies, and also an expanded two CD reissue on November 25th of Warren Zevon’s classic debut album that adds a full second disc of alternate and unreleased versions of tracks from the album.

If you’re like me and got shut out (agh, financial responsibilities, I hate thee!) of the special edition of Dream Theater’s recent Chaos in Motion CD/DVD release, which was limited to 5000 units, check this out. You can grab the CD audio as an MP3 download via Amazon.com. I highly recommend this set, it has THE BEST versions of “Surrounded” and “Blind Faith” that I’ve ever heard! Petrucci’s guitar tone on Surrounded is MINT!

If you dug my recent J. Geils Band show post, you’ll also dig this one from the folks over at roio, a rockin’ set from 1968. You won’t believe how good this 40 year old show sounds!

Chris Squire says that Jon Anderson is still a part of Yes. Wonder how those Anderson-less shows are selling? Not a knock – I’m going to the Cleveland show here at House of Blues, just wondering…

Speaking of Squire, he popped up on stage recently with the Foo Fighters in Las Vegas to guest on “Cold Day in the Sun” and allegedly, “Roundabout.” This proves once again, that Dave Grohl and the Foo Fighters are the coolest human beings on the planet (in my opinion!)

I can’t find video of “Roundabout,” but I’d love to see it. Here’s video of Squire playing on “Cold Day in the Sun.”

Cold Day in the Sun – Foo Fighters w/ Chris Squire

And oh yeah, Vinnie Paul was backstage too…

Beastie Boys are heading out on the Get Out and Vote tour at the end of October for shows that will feature special guests (lineup will vary) including Sheryl Crow, Norah Jones, Jack Johnson, and Ben Harper. We can’t wait to see the special Beastie Boys/Sheryl Crow version of “The First Cut Is The Deepest.”

Roadrunner United is one of my favorite compilation albums of all time, and the star-studded concert to celebrate the release and 25 years of Roadrunner Records was epic, and is still a show that I kick myself for missing. Now, I can stop kicking myself with a DVD release of the show that will come out in December!

Hip hop hooray for a new Naughty by Nature album? I’m feeling impish today, had to put that one out there!

Dr. Pepper says that the drinks are on ice as promised if it actually comes out, and it looks like Sunday, November 23rd will be the release date for the Best Buy exclusive to end all Best Buy exclusives, Chinese Democracy by Guns n’ Roses (or should we call it The Axl Show?)

Will it be worth the wait?

Alexa at Cleveland’s A Plum is asking the question – anyone cool hail from your hometown?

Devo and The Black Keys play a hometown show in Akron this week, for Obama.

Plain Dealer pop music critic John Soeder has the details on a Cleveland show honoring Les Paul in November, featuring Slash, Billy Gibbons, and lots of others, including Alannah Myles of “Black Velvet” fame. Eek re: Myles!

My blogging comrade TJ @ Viva La Mainstream managed to fit two awesome things – seeing Springsteen and watching Empire Records into one fantastic day!

Finally – I’m stoked – Cheech and Chong have a Cleveland date set for January 30th. Woo hoo!

Have a great day, all!