Another edition of Johneboyradio awaits you! The melodic and madrigal sounds of Marillion, Pineapple Theif, Yes, Genesis,  and many more are ready to send your mind into a wonderful musical place.

Also, I’ve added a few music videos to the, um, music video section, as well as a new spotlight on…DooWop with an hour’s worth of street corner serenades – so by all mean, check it out!

And don’t be afraid to say hi/make a request/make constructive criticism right here on the blog. Comments are always appreciated.

Enjoy!

 
 

I’ve been watching the news for the last few days about the situation in Georgia, and needless to say I’m quite alarmed at what’s going on there. Raising my level of alarm are the distortions and outright untruths being reported in the US televised news casts. These misrepresentations of the crisis are so blatant that the only possibilities are that TV news-room reports are the absolute worst reporters in the entire world and couldn’t get a story straight if they tried; or that, as many have suggested (and has been proven out by a handful of congressional investigations) that our media is more than a little controlled by the propaganda machines of the White House. 

 
The Russians are being portrayed as the aggressors in this military action, and the media is making it seem that they have invaded Georgia unprovoked. This is simply not true.

 
As someone who has been following this situation a heck of a lot longer than the last few days, let me build a brief timeline (note that this is a very brief overview):

After the end of the Cold War, Georgia became its own independent country. South Ossetia, a very small part of what was Georgia, declared that their people identified more with Russia than with Georgia, and declared their independence from Georgia. They later signed a treaty with Russia which cemented Russia as South Ossetia’s military protector. 

 Fast forward a bit: the US has been attempting to expand its missile networks all through out the Russian satellite states, including Georgia. Russia, of course, thinks that the US’s maneuvers are a slow-building act of aggression. In fact, the US and Georgia have gotten so cozy with one another that Georgia signed on to the “Coalition of the Willing” and sent troops into Iraq (which have, as of today, been recalled) to support the US invasion of Iraq; additionally, the US has been sending troops to Georgia and have had ‘war games’ right on Russia’s doorstep ( the last I heard was that we still have troops stationed in Georgia, but it could be that their pull out previous to the conflict was un or under reported, and I simply missed it).

A little over a month ago, Georgia began harassing South Ossetia by interfering with their power and water supplies (and, to my knowledge, the water supply in South Ossetia is still cut off). Russia responded by letting Georgia know that this was a mistake, and that Georgia needed to back off.

Then Georgia invaded South Ossetia (remember, they are a sovereign nation) and killed almost 2,000 civilians and a handful of Russian soldiers who have been stationed as ‘peace keepers’ in South Ossetia since 1992. The Russians responded by bombing the crap out of Georgia, and then proceeded to roll in tanks and infantry. Also note that there are reports that either American troops or American allied mercenaries may have been killed by Russian troops.

Now, let’s put this in perspective. When Iraq rolled into Kuwait, what was the American response? And, when we thought that Iraq had WMD’s and was massacring the Kurds, how did the US respond? If Cuba attacked Puerto Rico, exactly how do you think the US would respond? And do you think that response would be justified?

 
So this all brings us back to the question of why the American Media (and the BBC for that matter) are putting the spin on that Russia is the aggressor in this situation. Possibilities include:

1 – The prejudices from the cold war era have not gone away, and we are just used to seeing the Russians as the “bad guy”.

2 – The US is using Georgia to harass the Russians, in much the same way as when the CIA created Al Qaida (yes THAT Al Qaida) to attack the Russians in Afghanistan.

3 - The war in Iraq has been an absolute mess, and the US can gracefully bow out of the situation by stating that we’re worried about the “Russian problem”.

4 – The war in Iraq is soon to end, and the US is planning to maneuver into a new Cold War in order to continue the money flow to the companies that have been making record profits off of the Iraq conflict (this include defense contractors like Lockheed-Martin and Halliburton as well as oil companies – lets not forget that Georgia has an oil pipeline that is 30% owned by BP, and the conflict there can cause gas prices to rise even higher than they are now).

5 – In the last few years, the executive branch has written up a series of executive orders which would allow for the president to become a ‘dictator-in-chief” and declare  a national state of emergency and institute martial law (which would suspend elections, demolish the posse comitatus act, and probably initiate a draft). What better reason than an escalation of tensions with Russia.

6 – There is indeed direct involvement in Georgia by the US or it’s military, and this spin we see is preemptive, to ease the reaction  when this news comes out.

7 – The American media is simply the worst in the world.

 

Now I, for one, detest war…even while understanding the necessity for it in rare cases. But the Russian view is that Georgia went in and massacred 2,000 of it’s people, and is responding in kind. Remember when that happened to us after 9/11? Oh, yeah, we attacked Iraq instead.

 
 

A new selection from my record and CD collection to your ears! This week we’ve got Rush, Kansas, UK, Pink Floyd,  and much more! Also, the last part of the broadcast is a tribute to Brian Davidson (drummer for the Nice, among others) who passed away not too long ago.

 

So check out the tunes folks, and drop a line to say hi, make a request,  or even give a little constructive criticism.

 

Enjoy!!

 
 

 
Issac Hayes was one bad....

Heres the story I picked up from the AP:

 More than 'Shaft': Hayes was goldmine of influence

By NEKESA MUMBI MOODY

With its riveting orchestration, definitive guitar play and signature sensual baritone vocals, Isaac Hayes' theme song for the 1971 movie "Shaft" not only became one of pop music's iconic songs, but also the defining work of Hayes' career.

Yet the "Theme from Shaft," which would earn both Grammys and an Oscar, was just a snippet of the groundbreaking music for which Hayes — who died Sunday at age 65 — was responsible.

He penned soul classics like "Hold On I'm Comin'" for Sam & Dave, helped usher in the era of disco and was a goldmine for countless hip-hop and R&B artists who used his illustrious arrangements as the focal point for their songs decades later.

"Isaac Hayes embodies everything that's soul music," Collin Stanback, an A&R executive at Stax, told The Associated Press on Sunday. "When you think of soul music you think of Isaac Hayes — the expression ... the sound and the creativity that goes along with it."

His influence also extended beyond music. His trademarked bald head, full beard and muscular frame, often adorned with a multitude of gold chains, made him a fashion trendsetter at a time when most of his contemporaries were sporting blowout Afros. He was also a symbol of black pride, and an activist for civil rights.

The Rev. Al Sharpton called Hayes a "creative genius" and added, "even in his later years he never hesitated to appear for a cause or endorse something that he felt was for the good of mankind. He will be sorely missed."

Hayes also acted in movies including "Tough Guys," "I'm Gonna Get You Sucka" and "Hustle & Flow." He had recently completed the movie "Soul Men," in which he played himself; the film also starred Samuel Jackson and Bernie Mac, who died on Saturday after a bout with pneumonia. And a new generation of fans discovered the man behind "Shaft" when, in 1997, he became the voice of Chef on the Comedy Central show "South Park."

Hayes, a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, was pronounced dead at Baptist Memorial Hospital-Memphis in Memphis, Tenn., after collapsing Sunday afternoon near a treadmill in his home nearby.

Steve Shular, a spokesman for the sheriff's office, said authorities received a 911 call after Hayes' wife and young son and his wife's cousin returned home from the grocery store and found him collapsed in a downstairs bedroom. A sheriff's deputy administered CPR until paramedics arrived.

Stanback said he was shocked to learn of the death of the singer, who was about to start work on a new record for Stax, the label Hayes helped make legendary.

In an industry filled with colorful and dynamic figures, Hayes was a standout on several levels, from his smooth baritone to his flamboyant style: It was almost as if he was made to be a musical god.

But Hayes spent the early part of his career firmly in the musical background. A self-taught musician from Covington, Tenn., he made a name for himself playing with various bands around Memphis. In 1964, he was hired by Stax Records to be a backup pianist, working as a session musician for Otis Redding and others. He also played saxophone.

He began writing songs, establishing a songwriting partnership with David Porter, and in the 1960s they wrote classic hits for Sam and Dave such as "Hold On, I'm Coming," "Soul Man," and "When Something is Wrong With My Baby." They also wrote for other Stax artists including Carla Thomas.

Hayes' work as a composer helped him secure a deal as a solo artist. His first album, "Presenting Isaac Hayes," was a poor seller, the result of an impromptu jam session. But after getting creative control, he delivered his next album, "Hot Buttered Soul" in 1969, and it made him a star.

Hayes offered something completely different to the musical world. In an era of straightened hair or Afros, Hayes was bald: "His look was just so profound," Stanback said. "He was like a superhero."

Whereas other soul crooners showed their passion through wails, Hayes delivery was calm, cool — almost subdued. He prefaced songs with "raps," and they ran longer than typical standard of three minutes: One song, a cover of Glen Campbell's "By the Time I Get to Phoenix," ran 18 minutes.

"(Radio) jocks would play it at night," Hayes recalled of his songs in a 1999 Associated Press interview. "They could go to the bathroom, they could get a sandwich, or whatever."

Next came "Theme From Shaft," a No. 1 hit from the blaxploitation film "Shaft" starring Richard Roundtree. "That was like the shot heard round the world," Hayes said in the 1999 interview. At the Oscar ceremony in 1972, Hayes performed the song wearing an eye-popping amount of gold and received a standing ovation. TV Guide later chose it as No. 18 in its list of television's 25 most memorable moments. He won an Academy Award for the song and was nominated for another one for the score. The song and score also won him two Grammys. In 1972, he won another Grammy for his album "Black Moses" and earned a nickname he reluctantly embraced. He was also part of the historic "Wattstax" concert in riot-ravaged Watts neighborhood in Los Angeles. Besides "Shaft," Hayes composed film scores for "Tough Guys" and "Truck Turner." He also did the song "Two Cool Guys" on the "Beavis and Butt-Head Do America" movie soundtrack in 1996. Additionally, he was the voice of Nickelodeon's "Nick at Nite" and had radio shows in New York City (1996 to 2002) and then in Memphis. Though his last big hits on the charts ended in the 1980s, Hayes' presence in contemporary music continued as his songs were sampled on numerous hits by rap and R&B performers, ranging from Ashanti to Public Enemy to Jay-Z. "The rappers have gone in and created a lot of hit music based upon my influence," he said. "And they'll tell you if you ask." Stanback said: "A lot of artists owe Isaac his career because a lot of music was based on his foundation." He garnered another audience and cult following with his work on "South Park." A school cook, Chef was in many ways the voice of reason in the otherwise outrageous animated social commentary, unwittingly imparting pearls of wisdom on the schoolboys who often came to him with their dilemmas; this, in spite of the fact that his foremost devotion was — true to Hayes' music and persona — being a ladies' man. In the 1999 interview, Hayes described the character as "a person that speaks his mind; he's sensitive enough to care for children; he's wise enough to not be put into the 'wack' category like everybody else in town — and he l-o-o-o-o-ves the ladies." But Hayes angrily quit the show in 2006 after an episode mocked his Scientology religion. "There is a place in this world for satire, but there is a time when satire ends and intolerance and bigotry toward religious beliefs of others begins," he said. Co-creator creators Matt Stone responded that Hayes "has no problem — and he's cashed plenty of checks — with our show making fun of Christians." A subsequent episode of the show seemingly killed off the Chef character. Hayes remained active in entertainment, even as he became a senior citizen. His Web site listed upcoming appearances and he was making plans for his Stax album. Stanback said it was to include Hayes' work on vintage tracks that he had left unfinished over the years. "We were actually getting ready to schedule a trip to Memphis to talk to Isaac," he said. Stanback called his death a tragedy. "Isaac Hayes was a wonderful human begin and his spirit will live long in the form of his music," he said.





 
 

Here’s an interesting tid-bit for Beatles fans from Reuters news. I wonder when this will be available for sale (or download, for that matter)?

                                      

Canadian snaps up newly unearthed Beatles tape

By Jeffrey Jones

A Canadian businessman had the winning bid for a newly discovered mid-1960s recording of the Beatles singing at least one previously unreleased tune and joking around during the session.

Gino Olivieri of Montreal snapped up the 1/2-hour-long reel-to-reel tape in Cameo Auctioneers' Internet sale this week for 9,800 pounds ($19,000) plus tax and other costs.

The tape, recorded in 1964, was found recently in northern England by a man who was cleaning out his father's attic.

Among the tunes is a recording of "Don't Put Me Down Like This," which was not released on any Beatles records.

It also features a number of John Lennon and Paul McCartney songs of the era as well as the lads in a rambunctious mood, Olivieri said.

"Essentially, they were hamming it up. That's really what it was," he said. "They did some songs, which were supposed to be part of an interview that was to go on BBC."

His tape represents the first part of the session and the BBC has the second part, he said.

The British network has authenticated the recording, said Olivieri, who is founder of Premier Muzik International Corp., a firm that recovers royalties for recording artists.

He was six months old when the tape was recorded.

"The tape is in immaculate condition for its age," he said.

The price seems a bargain compared with two other pieces of Beatles and Lennon memorabilia that were auctioned off last month.

They included a painted drum skin that appeared on the sleeve of the 1967 album "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band." It sold for $1.1 million.

Lennon's handwritten lyrics for "Give Peace a Chance" fetched $834,000. The manuscript had been expected to sell for

$500,000.

"This should not have happened," Olivieri said of his tape. "This should have been way more expensive."

He has not decided how what he will do with it. Because of his business he is wary of bootleg recordings.

"We'd love to get some money for the people who actually record this, or perhaps even Sir Paul. Who knows?" Olivieri said. "But it's going to be really cool to have, that's for sure."

 
 

I just added some videos to the music and non music area. Visual treats include Outkast, Vampire Weekend, and the greatest moment in ping pong history. Yeah, that's right - ping pong.

Check it out, and have fun!

 
 

Welcome to Johneboy Radio’s new home…hope you like the place!

The newest broadcast is up for your listening pleasure, as well as some previous shows I’ve dug up. In the Spotlight On… section are some nice cuts from the Beatles, some ‘classic’ rock and some neo-swing. And the video sections have…well, some videos.

Let me know what you think, either in response to the blog or via e-mail (use the contact me page). Any feedback, whether positive or critical, is welcome. Also, if you have any requests, questions, or even song submissions, but all means don’t hesitate to contact me.

And keep checking back for updates!

Stay a while and enjoy!

Johneboy