Misdirection is my path. How many roads must a man walk down before you can call him lost?
~Paul Westerberg (2012 interview)Reading music is like listening to flowers. I don’t understand the concept.
~Paul WesterbergAny musician who can stop.. may be a musician, but they’re no artist. If it’s in your blood, it can’t stop flowing.
~Paul Westerberg
Paul Westerberg – Dyslexic Heart (Official Music Video):
Continue reading Dec 31: Paul Westerberg was born in 1959 Happy Birthday!
“Misdirection is my path. How many roads must a man walk down before you can call him lost? I’m there, baby.” – Paul Westerberg (2012)
Paul Westerberg (born December 31, 1959) is best known as the former lead singer, guitarist, and songwriter in The Replacements, one of the seminal alternative rock bands of the 1980s. He launched a solo career after the dissolution of that band. In recent years, he has cultivated a more independent-minded approach, primarily recording his music at home in his basement.
Achin’ To Be by The Replacements:
I’ve always loved his music, both in the Replacements and as a solo artist, I like that rough “I really don’t care” attitude. But I, of course, also love his melodic sense and his songwriting talent. He doesn’t do bad music, he’s always interesting, always on the move.
My favourite Westerberg solo song, Time flies tomorrow:
Paul Westerberg recently told Rolling Stone magazine that he’d reformed the Replacements, and in late September, recorded four cover songs for an EP:
What brought you back together with Tommy Stinson?
The downfall of the slender one. Slim [Dunlap] had a wicked-ass stroke, he’s in rough shape. It’s difficult to go there: He can’t talk very much, he’s sort of paralyzed, he can move his leg a little bit. He speaks in a whisper. When I mentioned this [benefit record], it seemed like something he really wanted to happen. “You guys get together,” he said in a whisper. “Go play a song.” So I figured, “What the hell?”Chris [Mars] really didn’t want any part of this. I was not surprised, but I was a little disappointed. I’d talked to him, I thought maybe he might come down and play with us. That’s fine, he’s totally into painting, and doesn’t want to return to the skins. All I’ll say is, it felt pretty natural. It felt very much like it used to.
After two or three hours, my voice was shot, but we were rocking like murder for a while. (Read more)
We hope for a tour, but take what we can get 🙂
Happy birthday Paul!
This day’s album is my favourite solo release from Paul Westerberg, Eventually:
Other December 31:
One of our heroes have birthday today!
David Hidalgo (born October 6, 1954 in Los Angeles, California) is an American singer-songwriter, best known for his work with the band Los Lobos. He is also a member of the supergroup Los Super Seven and of the Latin Playboys, a side project band made up of some of the members of Los Lobos. He formed another side project band with Mike Halby of Canned Heat, called Houndog.
Hidalgo’s songs have been covered by the Jerry Garcia Band, Waylon Jennings, Bonnie Raitt and others. He performed at Eric Clapton’s Crossroads Guitar Festival 2010. His son, David Hidalgo, Jr. is the current drummer for Social Distortion.
In addition to his work with Los Lobos, Hidalgo frequently plays musical instruments such as accordion, violin, 6-string banjo, cello, requinto jarocho, percussion, drums and guitar as a session musician for other artists’ releases.
(read more at Wikipedia)
Recently he has played with Bob Dylan and Tom Waits.
Here he is part of the fantastic band backing Mr. Waits on Letterman in July 2012:
Album of the day, Colossal Head by Hidalgo’s main band, Los Lobos:
Here are some of the people he has worked with:
Buckwheat Zydeco (multiple projects),
T-Bone Burnett (self titled 1986 album),
Peter Case (The Man with the Blue Post Modern Fragmented Neo-Traditionalist Guitar),
Elvis Costello (harmony vocal on King of America, guitar and harmony vocal on Momofuku),
Crowded House (multiple projects),
John Lee Hooker (multiple projects),
Roy Orbison (King of Hearts),
Willy DeVille (Backstreets of Desire, Crow Jane Alley)
Ozomatli (multiple projects),
Dolly Parton (Treasures),
Pierce Pettis (Chase the Buffalo),
Paul Simon (Graceland),
Marc Ribot (Border Music)
Tonio K. (Olé),
Suzanne Vega (99.9°F)
Tom Waits (multiple projects),
The 1994 tribute to songwriter Mark Heard, Strong Hand of Love,
Leo Kottke album Try And Stop Me
Gov’t Mule (guitar and vocals), on The Deepest End, Live in Concert
Bob Dylan (Accordion on Together Through Life and Christmas In The Heart, guitar, accordion, violin on Tempest)
G. Love & Special Sauce (Viola on “Missing My Baby”)
Los Cenzontles (co producer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist) Songs of Wood & Steel
Taj Mahal & Los Cenzontles (co producer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist) “American Horizon”
Other 6 October: