Magni Asgierrson: New Tunes Hitting US

My recent update from Magni has him letting me(well all fans who subscribe to the man, but I'll just go with 'me' - sounds more special) know his self titled solo album "Magni" will be available in all digital shops in US on October 2nd. He says this late date is due to the fact that he and his team want to do "this" right.

He says. "I´m extremely pleased this is finally happening and I just hope that 'you guys' can wait a few more days/weeks. He lets me know that on the Icelandic front - his album is number 1, that's for a second week in a row and so is the single."

Man, I'm glad to hear it, I miss this guy's great voice and positive artistic endeavors in music. He's a great 'find' and "Gorgeous" to boot.

Glad he finally got his laid back Icelandic ass in gear and is getting this music out!
Here's my "Gorgeous" in one of his Rock Star videos: (this is a special request I suggested to him on his Rock Star blog during the show)

This is why he's one of my "Heroes":

This is some "Plush"

Time for Magni: "Clocks":

My "Starman":
]
First time I saw Magni do this tune I was "meh" but man, it grows on you.
He's Not "Alone":

Lastly, my Gorgeous Man is no "Creep":

Damn this is one sexy man.

Bo Bice and Thomas Lee, "This Train"

Bo Bice and Thomas Lee provide the crowd at The Canal Room in New York City a real treat with the acoustic, "This Train". No word of confirmation whether this song is on Bo's CD due out October 23rd.

Thanks to Bovixen for the video footage and for her sharing that Bo Bice love, lyrics posted on Diane Lev's site.

Bo Bice, "Freedom and Redemption"

Now that I got on the topic of Bo Bice, I had another thought after reading some of the posts at one of my favorite Bo Bice sources. According to the great Bo Bice blog team at Bonafide Bice, several great suggestions have poured out from one of their recent blog posts regarding naming the mystery CD due out on October 23rd the latest release date. The suggestion of "Kicking Up the Dust" is a catchy idea, and proven popular over there with the gals, but my take would be for Bo to provide an insight into what this particular CD might mean for him.

I like the name, "Freedom and Redemption". In numerous underlying themes in Bo's songs, the themes of freedom and redemption surface, so obviously they are important philosophies in Bo's life, to Bo's career. Random thoughts; he's free now 'to be Bo' something many fan forums have been rallying for since the post-Idol CD, largely seen as somewhat a shackle put upon The Biceman by that "evil" Clive Davis.

"Freedom" is one of the most important things we have in life and the one main love of our culture as Americans, our source of patriotic pride. I'd think too it a representation that Bo is setting forth his own man, not 'owned' any longer by the ties hindering and compromising his music from which he communicates his heart, his soul. This new CD is his declaration of freedom, a free new beginning.

For me, Freedom IS life.

Redemption another theme that circulates within many of Bo's tunes. It's a word providing that ability to reinvent yourself, to grow and be 'reborn'. Making changes for the better for those you love and for yourself, making good choices. Redemption from whatever source you may believe in is a gift whether from a belief in a Higher Power or from within your own heart. Redemption saves you, your soul, and those with whom you are involved. Like a wheel it's an all encompassing circle of paying it forward and paying it back, that well-worn karmic reference I like to refer to, live well and good things come back to you.

When I think of perhaps winning the lottery or dream of spending my time, full-time as a writer and artist, I don't review the financial implications or engulf my thoughts with the sole monetary aspects. I think of what really lies behind having a large windfall of cash or being able to devote your life to what you truly love in your heart and soul (rather than what's needed to feed your children and put them through college...); it's Freedom. The most important thing money can buy is not $2,000.00 designer purses, fancy cars or other materialist crap; if you're smart you realize what money can really bring; Freedom. Having the luxury to spend your life doing what is in your heart and soul the ultimate in freedom.

I hope for Bo Bice that this new CD provides everything that lies behind the beautiful meanings of those simple words.

Much Love.

Amendment to this post: lyrics to "This Train"
This train is coming down the track and I'm hearing it calling my name.
I've got a dollar in my pocket and I'm hoping that I can make it on OK
All the years of counting on nothing, well at least its on my mind
If I can make it on this time, you know I'll take it on down the line

Chorus
Well now this train
Is coming down for me
And I know this train
Is coming down full speed
I know this train
Is coming down my way
I know this train
Is going to make it OK

I'm at the station with a bottle and a bible
And I'm waiting on a northbound train
God's willing and I'm hoping that He's happy
cause I know that I'm feeling no pain
All the years I've counted on nothing went by in the blink of an eye
All the tears and blissful years - you learn to crash before you fly.

Chorus
Yeah I know this train
Is coming down my way
And I know this train
Is going to make it OK
I know this train
Is coming down full speed
Yeah this train
Is coming down for me

This train is coming down for me.

[repeat chorus]

For me
Yeah
I know this train
I know this train
Yeah

Taylor Hicks v.s. Bo Bice?

Taylor Hicks or Bo Bice? That is the question savvy blogger Sean T. McMann presented on his blogspot, Sean's Space. His question asked popped up on the latest google alert that crossed my e.mail. This garnered my short attention span, and since I have blogspots on both men documenting their American Idol journeys and later career moves I thought I'd play.

Of the two blogspots, hands down, this one garners the most hits and interest. Both blogspots have the same rankings, both have about the same amount of information and links regarding information on Bo Bice and Taylor Hicks, but this one consistantly has always received more traffic. In fact, this blogspot had crashed three times during the season 5 American Idol shows - being flooded with hits over Hicks, I had to rebuild it once and have help from blogger to get it going again, it was knocked off the face of the web, flooded with double digit thousands of hits within a span of minutes. To be fair, during Bo Bice's run on the show the internet did not seem to pose as heavy an influence as it has developed into, most notably becoming a force predominantly in Taylor's year on the show. I attribute this largely to technology and the changing of the times, the internet a viable and fast source for information becoming more the norm and less the new.

Back to the question Sean posed, would I spend my last available entertainment dollars on Bo Bice or Taylor Hicks? Selecting one or the other based on this imaginary query with it's imaginary quandary, I ponder my experience with both musicians and my musical tastes and what I enjoy in a concert experience. Obviously both appeal to me on differing levels. I am not one of the type of folks that listen to one certain type of music, I admire and appreciate music of varying types, themes. My tastes span jazz to pop to rock and layers in between. Music is a form of art and like the visual format I find a variety of pleasures in the varieties of offerings available. Granted I get on tangents, and will wallow in one format or another from time to time, but I'm not one to stick with one genre and that's the only one for me. I don't go with a sound that makes me want to dance like some folks might, it's a deeper thing for me.

In concert as a live experience, you attend to feel the sound, be engulfed by the emotions and the vibe of the entertainer and performer. Live music allows you a semblance of intimacy with the musicians, it is a complete sensory experience, a tactile input, the appeal lying within being able to experience the sound and groove of the artist with your own senses. Concerts are a sharing of sorts between fans too, we gather together to celebrate our shared interest and appreciation for the entertainer.

One of the truly notably great entertainers of our day, Elvis Presley, understood all of this, intrinsically. This the reason he's gone down in the musical annals as one of the greatest entertainers of our day. Elvis connected, he shared, he gave of himself on stage as well as producing phenomenal performances. Johnny Cash was like that, Willie Nelson is that way too. One of my other favorites, Frank Marino, another example of a man who loves to share his music and openly appreciates his fans. He provides free music on his site as well as no charges for admission to his website. This in contrast to what has seemingly become the norm for many new artists, to have a fan club complete with yearly dues. Frank is a class act; always has been and always will be. First time I met him I was a girl of 17, he walked up to me, guitar slung on his back, shook my hand introduced himself. I was too starstruck to hardly speak, but his vibe has remained a strong impression with me always. He's a truly good guy. Don't get me started on the man's art, just check Frank out here.

In referencing some of these artists, my point - as a fan I felt like they loved that we fans were there for them, for their music, that all of us gathering together were appreciated in sharing not just for the money being generated. Raucous and rollicking loud music and rowdy full-on cowbell banging is entertaining but does it really complete you like the type of shows you attend in which you feel personally welcomed by the artist? That doesn't just involve hand shaking as in the case of Frank, it can simply be the vibe, the opening of feeling the artist throws out from the stage, no matter the size of the venue. The Rolling Stones, performed here in Dallas a few years back at a large open air stadium. Part of the way through the concert it began to rain, then pour. Some folks got up to head for the exits, most around us thought that would be the end of the show. Contrary to what we thought, the Stones kept on going, Mick did not let rain, no matter how hard the downpour stop him, he was a whirling dervish of energy, daring the lightning to strike him amidst all that electrical equipment on stage. Fans who had started to leave stopped in their tracks and I watched most retake their seats or stand where they were. Mick and the Stones worked their show in that downpour and we stayed, everyone got on their feet for the next hour, immersed by the intensity, the loyalty the Stones showed to us, their fans. Mick's strutting cockiness defying that deluge. That was one of the best thunderstorms I have ever openly stood out in and the best concert I've ever attended. The emotions that cut through the rain and the storm and kept everyone there were palpable, the Stones heroic in all our eyes.

So deciding between spending my last entertainment bucks on Hicks or Bice would go to Bo. I come to this conclusion based on my previous ramblings. The Biceman in concert is real, he's palpable. He gives of himself and looks you in the eyes. He touches the crowd in a sensory, tactile way. He gives out those good vibes you know lie within him from his music. I saw him too in an outdoor venue, it wasn't raining but it was hot, almost 100 degrees and he'd been sick. The man was on the thin side, but you'd never know he wasn't feeling well. He prowled the stage, he hung on the edge like he'd walk right out into the crowd with us. His voice as always sounded gorgeous, full, he can exude that right kind of sexual chemistry even when the circumstances are not 100 percent perfect. Bo Bice presented himself for camera shots during the show. I know, I was all over the place taking shots. Following the show he took some time to speak with those who walked to the edge of the stage.

I'm not knocking Hicks, I admire the man, I admire his fire and determination, I admire his seeking a goal and striving to achieve that goal. I enjoy his type of sound and his taste in music. He's an attractive man, but he - at least in my experience which has been limited, doesn't or at that time, didn't exude the vibe reaching out to the audience. Hicks was more in tune with reaching inwards and exploring his own musical experience and if the crowd shared, great but that did not seem the main goal. It is evident Taylor loves his music and enjoys performing but the vibe is different when coming from another internal source. So to this imaginary question, if it were my last $35.00, my last concert I could attend, of the two talented guys, I'd pick The Biceman.

Jaydee Bixby, Canadian Idol's Elviscerator

It's not only 'make believe' that tow headed Jaydee
Bixby finds himself in the Top 4 on Canadian Idol. He may be from the "Dinosaur Capitol of the World" but there's nothing evident in these videos that indicate the boy will soon reach 'extinction' on the show.

Jaydee
Uploaded by JeanneDupuis

He may very well "Runaway" with the C.I. title this year.

Jaydee
Uploaded by JeanneDupuis

(thanks to Jeanne from Idolstalker)
This kid does successfully what American Idol's John Stevens attempted, he truly epitomizes that "blast from the past" vibe.
Follow this to Idolstalker and latest King vibe from Jaydee.

Paolo Nutini, Brand New Blue-eyed Soul from Scotland

Paolo Nutini, a 20 year old kid from Scotland, looks to be making a move towards the US of A being hailed by some as the new aspiring offering from Great Britain set to invade our shores.
The boy loves some "New Shoes"

He gets "Crazy"

Paolo gives music video a try:
"Jenny Don't be Hasty"

From Amazon.co.uk
19-year old Scottish singer/songwriter Paolo Nutini sounds older than his years on his debut album, These Streets. It's not just his careworn, smooth-as-sandpaper voice, either (although, admittedly, it does help). It's more to do with the maturity of the lyrics, and the casual soulfulness of his delivery. "Last Request" is more the work of a vintage Motown singer than a teenager from Paisley, and it's to Nutini's credit that he carries it off with aplomb. And rather like the soul singers of previous generations, he manages to sing without a hint of hypocrisy about his own sexual exploits ("Jenny Don't Be Hasty") while also questioning his girlfriend's fidelity ("Alloway Grove"). It's the fact that he's so frank, and even a little bit naive, that he manages to get away with it. And though the stripped-down tunes on These Streets don't always immediately grab the listener (the title track, in particular), the songs where Nutini is accompanied by a full band often manage to evoke sunny-day American soul ("New Shoes", for example). This is a strong debut, and considering Paolo Nutini's tender years, bigger things can be expected of him in the future. --Ted Kord Editorial review


I like the boy's vocals, his natural feel for the music. Catch him touring with Amy Winehouse this Fall.

AMENDMENT - Perhaps he will not be touring with Winehouse, she's apparently trotting down the common path of self-destruction and spending some downtime in rehab. Drugs, the anti-career.
(thanks to Rory)

Frank Marino and Mahogany Rush Tour Again!

Need more Taylor Hicks news? Want to hear what Taylor Hicks has been up to this week?

Well, not today, instead let's talk "Guitar Gods".

Frank Marino, one of the World's Greatest Gifts to Guitar (and one of the world's most underrated, humble and plain nice guy) has begun announcing new tour dates and once again he's returning to Big D and the lovely Granada Theater. Great place for a concert and Frank and Co. rocked the house last year.
Spread the word.

20 Sep 2007 Chicago, Il. - Martyr’s
21 Sep 2007 Milwaukee, Wi. - Potawatomi Casino
29 Sep 2007 Santa Ana, Ca. - Galaxy Theater
30 Sep 2007 Agoura Hills, Ca. - Canyon Club
1 Oct 2007 Solana Beach, Ca. - Belly Up Tavern
7 Oct 2007 Dallas, Tx. - Granada Theater (!!!!)
12 Oct 2007 Annapolis, Md. - Ram’s Head (show 1)
13 Oct 2007 Annapolis, Md. - Ram’s Head (show 2)
The Youtube video from Dallas last year did not turn out that well so I'll post some I found that were much better:
"Red House" one of my favorite blues tunes:


Anyone fortunate enough to see Frank live will never forget the experience. If you like live music by a truly gifted musician, his show is one for the books.

My introduction to electric guitar really began when I was employed at a small independent record shop called "Hot Rocks". Benefits of this job were free music, and best of all, free tickets to local shows usually with backstage passes. I began listening in the store to all types of music and developed an affinity for old blues such as John Lee Hooker, Muddy Waters, Blind Lemon, Billie Holiday. That morphed into an appreciation of the electric take on some of the old blues tunes as featured by the likes of Jimi Hendrix, Jeff Beck, two favorites, as well as another truly underestimated rock god, Robin Trower. This video is a more recent Youtube entry "Bridge of Sighs" - I love this tune, performed during 1980:

At the time, sadly many of my friends were going gaga for disco, a genre that while after a few drinks - yes I was trooping in and out of clubs at the tender age of 17. (Back "in the day" if you were a good looking gal the folks at the door looked the other way and let you in...) anyway disco could be tolerated, but I never liked it. I sometimes went along for the ride, to hang with my pals, who in turn I made go to concerts with me to see the likes of Frank Marino in hopes of converting and expanding their musical tastes.

For those who watched this rather dismal past season of American Idol, remember Lulu? She was one of my favorites featured on the show, click this link. Jeff Beck shows his rather mellow side, then you have Beck at the North Sea Jazz festival:

that's some kinetic guitar.

Here's a good Sunday morning tune, BB King, Clapton, Jeff Beck and others, "Sweet Little Angel". Ah yes.


Groove on.