The 11 Best Live Music Performances on the David Letterman Show

Thank you, Dave. Here are the 11 Best Musical Performances on the David Letterman Show: 1.  Bruce Springsteen - Glory Days 2.  Future Islands - Seasons 3.  Foo Fighters - Everlong 4.  R.E.M. - So Central Rain 5. Beastie Boys - Ch-Ch-Check It Out 6.  Warren Zevon - Roland The Headless Thompson Gunner 7.  Eminem & Jay-Z - Renegade 8.  The Orwells - Who Needs You 9.  The Vines - Get Free 10.  James Brown - Sex Machine (July 12, 1982) 11.  Eddie Vedder - Black      

The 11 Biggest Flips of Record Store Day 2015

You can't read anything about Record Store Day anymore without reading some article whose author spends pages of digital content, complaining about the vinyl holiday. "It's killing independent stores," "it excludes indie labels," and it's only for unnecessary major label titles."  You know what would be worse than Record Store Day?  NO RECORD STORE DAY.  A world where there is nothing promoting independent records stores, causing them to fade and dissolve into music history alongside the 8-track, mini-disc, and reel-to-reel.  But today, music stores are alive and well...in part, thanks to record store day.  Record stores having to deal with throngs of audiophiles twice a year (Black Friday) is a way better scenario than dealing with foreclosure.  .

Another complaint comes from independent labels themselves who have found their material excluded by the event coordinators.  Read here about Father/Daughter's comp, which seemed like a rather cool release.  Sure there are some releases that get excluded...and there are some titles that seem unnecessary.  But even if we're talking about 10% of the titles or even 25% of the released titles being unnecessary...that still leaves 300 great vital releases!  Isn't it worth some crap to get some gold?  That said, I'm not even sure how we determine which titles are unnecessary.  I read bloggers claiming the Citizen Dick release was the most unnecessary title this year...it's an unreleased Pearl Jam song from the 1991/Ten era version of the band!  I bought it and it's the title I've listened to more than any other release.  If someone wants to buy them...then doesn't that make them necessary?  (and the Citizen Dick record just missed this list...so the 12th most popular record flip is somehow unnecessary?  Okay...)

That said...it's hard to determine prior to the holiday which albums will sell out in seconds and which ones will linger until August.  Some of the most talked about releases including Courtney Barnett, Brian Eno, and Run The Jewels were still available at stores late on Sunday afternoon.  While others (like Brand New) had people lining up the night before.  I mean seriously, how is Brand New's reissue of a 12-year old album that is readily available on Spotify and itunes AND coming out in wide release next month the number one Ebay flip merely because it comes in a paper bag?  Every store I visiting had people waiting 12-24 hours for this record.

For this list, I determined the ranking based on list price versus Ebay sale...and what was the greatest increase in comparison to the price.  Stereogum lists Jurassic 5's $100 Ebay sale as a big flip...but the list price was $90 to begin with.  That's only a $10 increase.  Same with Phish's Live 1995 6-disc set that listed at $160 but sold for $200.  The biggest flips versus price, I believe, truly shows what were the must-have vinyls of RSD 2015.

Here are the biggest Ebay Flips of Record Store Day 2015:

1. Elvis Presley - My Happiness (List price $12 - Ebay price $245) 20.5x increase
2. Brand New - Deja Entendu (List price $28 - Ebay price $384) 13.7x increase
3. Interpol - Everything Is Wrong (List price $9 - Ebay price $99) 11x increase
4. John Prine - September 78 (List price $25 - Ebay price $227) 10.1x increase
5. David Bowie - Changes (List price $11 - Ebay price $99) 9x increase
6. Bob Dylan - Basement Tapes (List price $30 - Ebay price $250) 8.3x increase
7. Citizen Dick - Touch Me I'm Dick (List price $11 - Ebay price $69) 6.3x increase
8. Ryan Adams - Come Pick Me Up (List price $9 - Ebay price $59) 5.9x increase
9. U2 - Songs of Innocence (List price $36 - Ebay price $199) 5.5x increase
10. Twenty One Pilots - The LC LP (List price $20 - Ebay price $99) 4.9x increase
11. Foo Fighters - Songs From The Laundry Room (List price $20 - Ebay price $99) 4.9x increase
    

Honorable Mention:

Paul McCartney's Sweet Trash sold for a ridiculous $895 but I didn't include it since it's signed by Sir Mac (which obviously alters the true value of the vinyl).

Here are some other fun lists:

• Top RSD sellers
• NME's Top Sellers List
• Stereogum's Ebay Flips
• Bull Moose Top Sales

The 11 Most Talked About Record Store Day Releases:

Tomorrow is the annual fun-loving shopping spree for audiophiles everywhere.  Pretty much every music mag/zine/blog/critic/expert has their own top essential purchases they recommend for RSD.  I could do the same.  But it would just be my recommends for what I really want.  Instead, I've dug through the net and tallied up everyone else's list.  I've created a combo list of the most talked about releases.  I was surprised to see only two of my "must buys" on the list.  And craziest of all, the number one most talked about release on Record Store Day is...a CASSETTE.  Metallica's reprint of their very first release on cassette is the most talked about release this year.  Overall, it's a pretty solid list with current rockers, classic rockers, rap lords, and some fresh indie faces.

Happy hunting!!!

Here are The 11 Most Talked About Record Store Day Releases:

1. Metallica - No Life 'Till Leather

2.  The White Stripes - Get Behind Me Satan

3.  Foo Fighters - Songs From The Laundry Room

4.  Father John Misty - I Loved You Honeybee

5. J. Dilla - Fuck the Police

6. Run the Jewels -Bust No Moves

7. Courtney Barnett - Kim's Caravan

8. Sly and the Family Stone - Live at the Fillmore East

9. David Bowie - Changes

10.  Brian Eno - My Squelchy Life

11.  Willie Nelson - Teatro

Honorable Mentions:  Mclusky, Elvis Presley, Sim Dunlap, Phish, Mumford and Sons, and Hanni El Khalib

What are your favorite releases?

The 11 Best Seattle Bands

  Today is the Super Bowl. The day when we celebrate what it means to be American.  We eat, drink, watch sports and pass out.  Here's our pre-game warm-up for all you Seahawk fans. Here are the 11 Best Bands from Seattle (or close by):

1. Nirvana
2. The Jimi Hendrix Experience
3. Pearl Jam
4. Soundgarden
5. Modest Mouse
6. Alice In Chains
7. Death Cab For Cutie
8. Foo Fighters
9. Heart
10. Sunny Day Real Estate
11. Mother Love Bone

   

The 11 Best Songs By The Foo Fighters

Dave Grohl is a fighter.  He's not just a great drummer, singer, guitar player, director, or producer...he's an innovator. He challenges what is expected of himself, what his fans want from him, and what he's capable of doing.  By creating the Foo's new album through an HBO documentary in multiple cities with a guest list that any band would beg to have, he's changed the landscape of who the Foo Fighters are.  From an offshoot of Nirvana, the Foos have become their own entity.  They are today's gold standard of rock bands.  In taking on a new endeavor, recording in a new way, always runs the risk of failure.  The Foos know this...but they put themselves out there anyway.  They deserve respect for taking a chance. This is why I am blown away by Taylor Hawkins recent comments about U2 adding their music to everyone's itunes library.  He claimed it was Orwellian.  It's not.  And he obviously didn't read 1984 to know that he's misuing the word Orwellian.  U2 didn't giving away their album for free on your itunes is no different than CBS broadcasting the Big Bang Theory on your television.  You don't like it?   Don't watch, don't listen. The irony here is that it was the Foo Fighters' album, "In Your Honor," that automatically and illegally installed spyware onto your hard drive when you put the compact disc in your computer.  I wonder if there's a word that would describe that type action, when a corporation secretly spies on its customers.  It's a good book Taylor, you should read it. Here are the 11 Best Songs By The Foo Fighters:

1. Everlong (The Colour & The Shape)
2. The Pretender (Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace)
3. I'll Stick Around (Foo Fighters)
4. Walk (Wasting Light)
5. Learn To Fly (There Is Nothing Left To Lose)
6. Come Back (One By One)
7. Alone + Easy Target (Foo Fighters)
8. Breakout (There Is Nothing Left To Lose)
9. Low (One By One)
10. Dear Rosemary (Wasting Light)
11. Good Grief (Foo Fighters)

Buy Foo Fighter's new album, Sonic Highways...now!     Don't forget to check out our blog's awesome new book The 111 Best Lists of the 2000s.  Available now!  (featuring Foo Fighters)

The 11 Best Reasons To Buy The 111 Best Lists of the 2000s

 It's been one week since the release of our first book and the reception has been incredibly unexpected.  I thank everyone who has purchased the book...and am giving the stink eye to everyone who has not.  If you haven't picked up a copy yet...here are some amazing points at why you should.

 The 11 Best Reasons to Buy The 111 Best Music Lists of the 2000s:

1. There are 111 lists - where most books go to 100 ours does them 11 better and goes to 111.
2. It features many good artists including: Arctic Monkeys, Beck, The National, Wilco, and Radiohead
3. It features many bad (ass) artists including:  The Black Keys, The Strokes, The White Stripes, The Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, and the Foo Fighters
4. It features unknown artists including: The Dirtbombs, Jay Reatard, Assemblage 23, Mr. Lif, and the Great Lake Swimmers
5. It cost less money ($12.95) than a concert ticket and it lasts longer
6. Reading makes you smarter.  This book will make you 111 times smarter.
7. It makes for a great Christmas gift and a belated Hanukkah gift for all your Jewish friends
8. It is proven to kill flies if you hit them hard enough with it
9. It is a great conversation starter for a boring New Year's party (or any party for that matter)
10. It is the perfect guide for making a '00s playlist for a '00s-themed party.
11. There's a secret ending just like in the Marvel movies which hints at a bigger story.  Sorta.

Buy The 111 Best Music Lists of the 2000s...now!!!

The 11 Best Songs With Dave Grohl That Are Not Nirvana or Foo Fighters Songs

As difficult as it was to narrow down David Bowie's career to 111 songs, this list might actually be harder.  I honestly believe Dave Grohl has been featured on more albums than David Bowie.  Though many of his appearances may be simmered down by some to a mere session drummer guest spot, there's a distinguishable energy on many of the songs where Grohl leaves his mark.  The new album is no different...not to mention...he directed a movie.  I was talking to my friend about the new album.  For some reason, he didn't realize who he was...finally after five minutes of explaining he said, "Oh, you mean the guy from Nirvana."  No wonder he does as much shit as he does.  Go Dave.

The 11 Best Songs With Dave Grohl That Are Not Nirvana or Foo Fighters Songs:

1. How Do You Do (Dave Grohl - Touch Soundtrack)
2. Every Day is Exactly The Same (Nine Inch Nails - With Teeth)
3. No One Knows (Queens of the Stone Age - Songs For the Deaf)
4. Against The 70s (Mike Watt - Ballhog or Tugboat?)
5. Bad Boyfriend (Garbage - Bleed Like Me)
6. Shake Your Blood (Probot - Probot)
7. Go With The Flow (Queens of the Stone Age - Songs For the Deaf)
8. Mind Eraser, No Chaser (Them Crooked Vultures - ST)
9. Good Golly Miss Molly (Backbeat Band - Sountrack)
10. Your Shoes (Taylor Hawkins - Red Light Fever)
11. It's All About The Benjamins Rock Remix (Puff Daddy - Been Around the World)

Buy the Sound Track to Dave Grohl's documentary, Sound City...now!!!

The 55 Best Albums of 2011 (1-11)

So here it is...my top 11.  My choices.  My opinion.  So, shut up.

SEND ME YOUR LISTS!  I'm still collecting your top 20 lists for a massive 111 Best albums of 2011.  It doesn't have to be 20...just all your favorites albums you can think of.

Here are the 11 Best Albums of 2011:

1.       Yuck - Yuck (Holing Out)

2.       M83 - Hurry Up, We're Dreaming

3.       The Strokes - Angles

4.       The Weeknd - House of Balloons/Thursday/Echoes of Silence (get all 3 for free!)

5.       Bon Iver - Bon Iver

6.       Wilco - The Whole Love

7.       Rural Alberta Advantage - Departing

8.       Foo Fighters - Wasting Light

9.       Wild Flag - Wild Flag

10.   Girls - Father, Son, Holy Ghost

11.   The Black Keys - El Camino

Buy these albums and many more for under $5...for a limited time.

The 11 Best Songs By Foo Fighters of the 00s:

In the recent Rolling Stone, there's a huge article on the best new rock of 2011.  I was excited by the prospects of the article.  It's not a bad article except they forgot one important thing...they forgot the rock bands!!!  They give Adele first billing (a pop artist).  They give too more attention to rap artists (Wiz Khalifa, Odd Future, and Lex Luger).  The only real solid current rocking bands that get any attention are Pearl Jam, DBT, and Fleet Foxes.  And they give a small box to 90s influenced bands like Yuck, Cage The Elephant, and Mr. Dream.  The rest are pop artists, aging rockers, and nod to the ukulele.  How terribly disappointing of an article in a year where Bright Eyes made a solid comeback, the Decemberists resurrect R.E.M. who then in turn resurrects themselves.  The Strokes return, Soundgarden is recording, new Beastie Boys is on the way, not to mention the fact that the Foos put out their best album in 14 years. Come on RS...a deaf monkey could do better.

Here are the 11 Best Songs By Foo Fighters of the 00s:

1. The Pretender (Echoes, Silence, Patience, & Grace)
2. Come Back (One By One)
3. Low (One By One)
4. DOA (In Your Honor)
5. Halo (One By One)
6. Times Like These (One By One)
7. Erase/Replace  (Echoes, Silence, Patience, & Grace)
8. Band on The Run (Cheer Up Boys single)
9. Word Forward (Greatest Hits)
10. Best of You (In Your Honor)
11. Spill (Best of You single)

Buy the Foo Fighters new album, Wasting Light...now!!!!!

The 11 Most Exciting Releases for Record Store Day 2011

Record Store Day should be a national holiday.  It is a music fan's wet dream.  And I mean every part of the imagery that comes with.  Over 200 exclusive releases on CDs and vinyl, just for independent record stores.  Last year I got in line a half hour before the store opened and I was 25th in line, this year...I'm planning on two hours in line.  I don't think I've been this excited about new music since GNR's double album midnight sale back in 1991.  And I know I'm not the only one.  The music blogs are buzzing...fans are frothing at the mouth.  This makes Bieber Fever look like a case of mild night sweats.  All the record labels are getting involved which means they know how profitable this day is.  Last year, they sold more records on Record Store Day on single day than any other day in the history of Soundscan.  Obviously, fans still want to buy music.  Instead of playing the blame game for music sales plummeting, why don't you figure out how to harness this musical obsession that is still turning a profit.

Now everyone will have their different favorites...so instead of making a general list, these are my favorites of this coming holiday.  If you want to check out the full list...go here.  What are you favorites?

Here are my 11 Most Exciting Releases for Record Store Day 2011:

1.  The Foo Fighters - Medium Rare LP
2.  Ryan Adams - Class Mythology EP
3.  The Decemberists - Live At Bull Moose CD
4.  Fucked Up - Town Comp LP
5.  Sonic Youth - Whore's Moaning LP
6.  Fistful of Mercy - 7-inch single
7.  Guided By Voices Tribute - LP
8.  Omar Rodriguez Lopez - Telesterion 2CD
9.  Deftones - Covers LP
10.  Jimmy Eat World - Bleed American 3LP
11.  Naked and Famous - This Machine CD


Check out the official site for more information and a store near you.

Free Music Friday: Foo Fighters - Wasting Light

Would you rather me write an article about something sorta music-related or would you rather get some free music?

Would you rather me write a list that you'll just complain about or would you rather get some free music?

Yeah, that's what I thought.  Here's the new Foo Fighters in its entirety streaming for free.

http://wastinglight.foofighters.com/

The Unknown: The Foo Fighters - Pocketwatch Demos

As Nirvana week continues, I was priming to do a selection of demos...but then I realized that not only is there a big faction of Nirvana I should be talking about but a whole other Nirvana release this week that is also being neglected. And that's the Foo Fighters.

This week, the Foos release their Greatest Hits. Without Nirvana, there would never be a Foo...let alone a Greatest Hits.

What a lot of people don't know...is that the Foo Fighters were actually born out of the Nirvana recording sessions. On days when Kurt was awol, Krist and Dave would start jamming on Dave's song ideas. From those jams came the songs that would eventually end up on the Foo's debut album. But here's where it gets interesting...the Foo Fighters was not Dave's first solo project. Before Nirvana's breakout success...Dave had his own side project called Late!

Late! released one album (Pocketwatch) on cassette, which came out in 1992 at the peak of Nirvana's popularity...but oddly went unnoticed. This is the reason I'm including it during Nirvana week, since it is material that was created in that all but too brief 1991-1994 time period.

Here are the Foo Fighters' (Late!) Pocketwatch Demos:

1. Pokey The Little Puppy
2. Petrol CB
3. Friend of a Friend
4. Throwing Needles
5. Just Another Story About Skeeter Thompson
6. Color Pictures of a Marigold
7. Hell's Garden
8. Winnebago
9. Bruce
10. Milk

Buy the Foo Fighters' Greatest Hits Collection.

The UNKNOWN: Foo Fighters - There Is Something Left To Win

What does Christmas have to do with Jesus? Santa Claus was invented by Coca-Cola. The Christmas tree was used by Pagans hundreds of years before Christ's birth. Caroling is a form of Pagan ritual used to ward off evil spirits. And to top it all off...Jesus was born in February.

Therefore...we all should celebrate Christmas together for what it really stands for...capitalism.

As promised...here's my gift to you...

The Foo Fighters - There Is Something Left To Win

1. A320
2. Make A Bet
3. Iron & Stone
4. Fraternity
5. Have A Cigar
6. Darling Nikki
7. Sister Europe
8. Dear Lover
9. Danny Says
10. Life of Illusion
11. Walking A Line
12. Win or Lose


Buy Every Foo Fighters Albums....EVER!!! HERE.

THE UNKNOWN: Foo Fighters - For My Disgrace

I haven't played it yet. It's been out a week and no matter how hard I've tried I haven't been able to get my hands around it. The problem is that I'm married and my wife won't allow me to get it. She thinks I'll spend too much time on it. She thinks that I need to be doing important things like working and taking care of our kid. Look, hands down...this might be the most important release of the year. There is nothing else out there that has as much important as this. If I don't get it, then I'm never going to feel adequate with my friends. Everything I've heard about it is amazing. It's supposedly one of the best releases of all time. I am so bummed!

Besides the epic release of Halo 3...the Foo Fighters new disc came out last week. If you haven't bought it...you really should. Supposedly it's great to listen to while playing Halo 3. But I'm not allowed to get an Xbox in the house...so how would I know?

I know I promised a Part 2 of the 3 part Foo Fighters B-side anthology...but I decided to skip 2 due to time constraints. Here is part three...

Foo Fighters - For My Disgrace

1. The One
2. The Sign
3. Skin & Bones
4. Kiss The Bottle
5. Normal
6. Spill
7. I'm In Love With A German Film Star
8. I Feel Fine
9. Born on the Bayou
10. FFL
11. Never Talking To You Again
12. World (demo)

Buy the new Foo Fighters here and here and here....all for under $10.

THE UNKNOWN: Foo Fighters - The Height and the Weight

Sixteen years ago, the world was standing around at midnight, waiting for the new Guns N Roses albums to be released. Use Your Illusion were two CDs released at the same time by the biggest band on the planet. Everyone thought these records would change the world of music fo year to come. Everyone was wrong. Ironically, two albums by two unknown artists were being released at the exact same time. These albums would be the albums that would shape the musical landscape for the rest of the decade. The albums were Nirvana's Nevermind and Pearl Jam's Ten.

This month, the two most-anticipated rock releases are Eddie Vedder's first solo album (Into The Wild) and the Foo Fighters 6th official studio album (Echoes, Silence, Patience, Grace). History does repeat.

I do wish Dave had titled the album with an N-word (like Never, New, Nice, Normal) instead of Grace. Then, abbreviated, the album would have spelled ESPN. That would have been cool.

Here is part one of three Foo Fighters B-Sides albums. I will post the other two (There Is Something Left To Win and For My Disgrace) but only on one condition, that is that everyone goes out and buys the new Foo Fighters album. It's a thousand times better than their last album...and much more like their first 4 releases.

Purchase at any of these places (Overstock $9.49, The Disc Wizard $9.98, Circuit City $9.99 ). I'd also recommend the Bonus tracks version for slightly more...(here).

The Foo Fighters - The Height and the Weight (1995 - 1998)

1. How Do You Do?
2. Winnebago
3. Ozone
4. Podunk
5. How I Miss You
6. The Colour and the Shape
7. Baker Street
8. Requiem
9. Drive Me Wild
10. Down in the Park
11. Gas Chamber
12. Touch