mid-November...brrrr!

Here it is in the 2nd half of November. The Grey Cup is only a week away. Winnipeg & Saskatchewan? Hmmm. We've seen the first of the snow, but certainly not the last of it! Took a trip up to St.Jacob's on the weekend, bought another hand-made broom (you can't beat 'em!). Went to see the Steve Strongman Band a week or so ago. Excellent show. Sure he looks like the guy from ScoobyDoo but man he makes that guitar smoke!
New music from Ray Davies! They were giving the new CD (Working Man's Cafe) away with the newspaper over 'ome, and a friend sent me one. Good stuff. I remember seeing the Kinks one night at Maple Leaf Gardens Concert Bowl. We had seats up in the greys! So everything was way small! Except the volume! Rockin'!
Then last week the Beatles' second movie HELP! was issued on DVD. The sales clerk at Future Shop said, "What's that?" I said, "It's the Beatles' 2nd movie." "Oh, I didn't know the Beatles made movies." Well...I took it home and watched the documentaries, because I knew what would happen if I watched the feature! And sure enough...after about a hlaf hour I dozed off, woke up in time to catch the exciting conclusion, but...it's no A Hard Day's Night that's for sure.
James Taylor released a CD/DVD package on Starbuck's Hear-Music label (like Joni Mitchell and Paul McCartney). It's called One Man Band and features stripped down versions of his classic tunes. The movie is watchable, kind of fun, with James's folksy ways, and his odd sense of humour. As always...great playing.
I bought a copy of Bernie Leadon's most recent album. Mirror comes in two editions, regular, and limited. I bought the limited, signed edition. Bernie was an Eagle way back when, but here he sounds almost Nick Lowe-ish. Good guitar playing, some intriguing songs and vocals from Emmylou Harris. Ken Whiteley's One World Dance is a dandy collection of blues and folk. Led Zeppelin's 2 disc best of is called Mothership, and is all the Zep anybody really needs. The Bob Dylan film footage from three Newport Folk Festivals has been edited together to make a fascinating study of the early Bob from shy folksinger to radical rocker. Don't miss the Other Side of the Mirror.
I just re-read the first Rebus novel by Ian Rankin. Knots & Crosses has been re-issued in an anniversary edition, and it's a cracking good tale, but long time Rebus fans will notice how much our lad has changed from then to now. Well, haven't we all!