A Melancholy Happy Trails to Nate Dogg

With all due respect to Mary J. Blige, Nate Dogg was the greatest hook singer ever. Nathaniel Hale passed away yesterday after several years of health problems as the result of multiple strokes. Nate broke out with his childhood friends back in Long Beach Snoop Dogg and Warren G (who formed a group 213) who ushered in the G-Funk era in the early nineties under the tutelage of Dr. Dre. For a decade and a half, you were no one unless you could get Nate Dogg singing your hooks as he helped launch 50 Cent, Fabolous, and Ludacris, and jumped on tracks from legends like Eminem and 2Pac.

For those of us that cannot rap, Nate Dogg made the art form more accessible to join along with his Barry White delivery but smoothed out on a Gangsta tip. We may not be able to spit like the rappers he performed with, but it was much more fun to sing along with Nate, I still remember everyone around the dorms still constantly singing, Ayo, Ayo, Ayo, you don’t wanna step to me.” And “Regulators: mount up” was a rallying cry during intramural games. And I is still no fun if my homies can’t get none. Though never able to break out on his own, Nate Dogg left a big impression on my formative years. He was 41. Here are some of my favorite tracks that featured the singer.

Regulate - Warren G featuring Nate Dogg



The Next Episode - featuring Snoop Dogg, Nate Dogg, and Kurupt



Bitch Please - Snoop Dogg featuring Xzibit and Nate Dogg



Can't Deny It - Fabolous featuring Nate Dogg

Best of the Week vol. LV

Quote of the Week: I have nothing left to suck. (Purple Kelly, Survivor)

Song of the Week: Hey Hey, My My – BattleMe (Sons of Anarchy)

Big News of the Week: A Melancholy Happy Trails to Leslie Nielsen: No one did dumb comedy better than Leslie Nielsen. Most movies like that are one offs or have a sequel just do not live up to the original, but thanks to Nielsen, each of the three (or thirty-three and a third) Naked Gun movies were hilariously funny and he may have made more had one of his co-stars hadn’t stood trail for double murder. But we still had other classic comedies like Airplane!, Spy Hard and the underrated Repossessed. In his later years, it seemed like ever dumb comedy brought in Nielsen because no one did it better, and those movies were better for it.

Free Download of the Week: 25 Days of Free (Amazon MP3): Every day until Christmas, Amazon MP3 is offering a new free holiday song to download. As of right now you can pick up holiday cheer from Fleet Foxes and Indigo Girls.

New Album Release of the Week: Endlessly - Duffy

New DVD Release of the Week: Inception (Three-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo + Digital Copy)

Deal of the Week: 100 Albums for $5 Each: This month you can download albums from Mumford and Sons, Spoon, Norah Jones, and Michelle Branch.



Video of the Week: Best Week Ever likes to write a lot in hyperbole so most of the videos they post last about five seconds before I movie on. But I have been watching this video for twelve straight hours.



I have no idea what Gylne Tider is, but from why I can gather from Google Translate it is some sort of talk show in Norway that in previous season focused on famous Norwegians from the sixties and seventies and their latest season is dealing with American pop culture from the eighties (as the people in the video would suggest, with some carryover to the nineties it seems). And their promotion for the season; wow, just wow. Just when you think things cannot get any more random, Tubbs starts doing air guitar. Then Little Forrest Gump shows up with a nose ring. And then there is the living half of Milli Vanilli. There is first posthumously appearance from Leslie Nelson. Then Ricky Schroder gets recognized for The Champ. Did they not get Silver Spoons in Norway? You know when Right Said Fred doesn’t even crack the top five weirdest cameos in a video you have something awesome. Considering all their current shows are unwatchable, if VH1 doesn’t import this show by next year they might as well just fold up shop. Now if you excuse me, I will be spending the next twelve hour

Next Week Pick of the Week: Big Cat Week, starting Monday, Nat Geo Wild: National Geographic’s animal focused channel is rolling out its Big Cat Week starting tomorrow and here is the full rundown for you feline lovers:

Big Cat Odyssey (Monday at 9): This show chronicles their meticulous work over three decades of filming, photographing and documenting the behavior of big cat species in Botswana.

Leopard Queen (Tuesday at 9): This show follows the life of “Manana,” a wild leopard whose territory spans the heart of the Londolozi Game Reserve in South Africa.

Lion Warriors (Wednesday at 9:00): This show features lions that the proud Maasai warriors have hunted ruthlessly in return for killing their cattle so that now only about 2,000 remain in the country. If their numbers drop any lower, their populations will not be sustainable.

Lions on the Edge (Thursday at 9): This show focuses on Ruaha National Park in Tanzania which used to be a true paradise for wildlife gathered around the rich Ruaha riverbanks. Now, the worst drought in decades is pushing all the animals on a march to find water.

57 Channels and Only This Is On vol. CXXXIII

Quote of the Week: Yeah, come to think of it I do recall sitting for a couple hours in jail with someone by that name. I don’t know how I got there considering my friends were with me at the time. Kevin and wait, what’d you say your name was? JD McDick? (Luke, Friday Night Lights)

Song of the Week: 6th Avenue Heartache - Jeanne Newhall (Happy Town)

Big News of the Week: Death in more than Threes: It has always been a morbid game to group celebrity death into three (I have been guilty of this) even if you had to span months to make it work, but it seems in recent years it has been much easier and sometimes it is even hard to confine the list to three. Just in the past month we have seen the passing of Dennis Hopper, John Wooden, Gary Colman, Rue McClanahan, Ronnie James Dio, Jose Lima, Lena Horne, and the bassist for Slipnot. This is probably becoming the norm as before the sixties they were very few big name celebrities so celebrity deaths had been far and few in-between but celebrity became more popular when the baby boomer came of age who are now reaching retirement age they are starting to pass on at a quicker pace. Hopefully if that is the case, the truly talented get their just due and not just crammed together like I just did.

Justified: This was just one of those edge of your seats kind of episode. When I saw Boyd get his hands on another bazooka I could think of a number o places who could be targeting, but the one that didn’t cross my mind was papa’s truck of meth. Daddy cannot be to thrilled with how that happened (unless he has been pulling Boyd’s strings all along which I can see happening). Also something I didn’t see coming, Wynona knocking on Raylan’s door. This should make for an explosive finale even if Boyd runs out of ammo. You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Justified on iTunes.

Happy Town: I wonder if the show if running too many concurrent mysteries. I could do without one or two of them even if it turns out they are intertwined as it really hurts the pacing of the show. Like I could care less about the creepy detective and whatever he is doing. But the cliffhangers like the hot6 chick just waltzing into the Haplin home with a bloody hammer will make me keep tuning (well that and nothing much else on right now). You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Happy Town on iTunes.

Friday Night Lights: I hate when promo monkeys proclaim an episode is a “powerful hour of television” but this was a powerful hour of television and every second of that Matt was on screen was heartbreaking (except when he slammed the door in the McCoy’s faces which had me applauding). But why did Lyla come back from Vanderbilt to attend the service? I do not remember one conversation she and Matt had in the previous three seasons. Not that I am complaining because I am for any screen time I can get with Lyla. You can stream recent episodes on Hulu.



I mentioned a couple days ago about the premiere of Expedition: Great White which is on tonight, but I would also like to add for anyone who is interested that the National Geographic Channel is giving away a chance to join the crew of Expedition Great White for a day. One lucky winner of the "Expedition Great White Big Catch" sweepstakes will receive a five day/four night trip, plus accommodation, to San Diego, California, and a one-day excursion with the crew of Expedition Great White. Your readers can enter the "Expedition Great White Big Catch" sweepstakes at http://www.natgeotv.com/bigcatch starting today.

Free Download of the Week: Always Will Be EP – Raining and OK: I was sent this video earlier this week and found it pretty cool and even offered the song for free on their free EP for you the readers. Check out the video below and for more on the band, head over to rainingandok.com.



Deal of the Week: DVDs as Low as $6.49 (Blazing Saddles, Wedding Crashers, Maria Full of Grace)

Video of the Week: It seems like all the World Cup ads this years have been really inspiring (though ESPN could bump their Bono spot down from one a half hour to less than once a day; you know an ad is overplayed when you can recite the script in full) but this Adidas ad may be my favorite as it combines sport with Star Wars and music. See if you can spot all the cameos.



Next Week Pick of the Week: Justified, Tuesday at 10:00 on FX: Everything is coming together in Harland for the season finale of Justified and it is hard to imagine everyone will be coming out alive as everyone seems to be conspiring against Raylan except for the guy he shot, who claims to be on the same side.

Best of the Week vol. XLII

Quote of the Week: I feel like a total idiot right now. It’s pretty terrible to be voted out by your own Idol… Worst than that, don’t ever trust women, ever, ever, ever. (J.T., Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains)

Song of the Week: Night Moves – Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band (How I Met Your Mother)

Big News of the Week: A Melancholy Happy Trails to Guru: A sad for all the old school hip hop fans out there as half of the seminal rap group Gang Starr succumbed to cancer. In the early days of rap, every MC had one of two flows, party guy or in your face rap. Then Guru came broke onto the scene and along with Slick Rick was the first at a laid back style that inspired the like of Q-Tip, Digital Planets, and even gangsta rappers like Snoop Dogg and Notorious B.I.G. also smoothed it out for a few songs. Gang Starr also pioneered, in thanks to Guru’s partner DJ Preimer, sampling jazz for their beats which was a perfect fix with Guru’s rap style. For anyone looking to get into Gang Starr (which I highly recommend), start with Mass Appeal, then move onto the album it is from, Hard to Earn.



Free Download of the Week: America: The Story of Us – Sneak Peek (iTunes): Here is a chance to take a look at the upcoming epic twelve part series on the history of this country. Episodes start tomorrow on History and will run every night until Memorial Day with each showing up for download the day after on iTunes.

Deal of the Week: Last Days to Save: Up to 52% Off Television DVDs (Firefly, The Office, V: The Original Miniseries)

Video of the Week: “Friday night there will be a bond formed between and among you that will never be broken. You look at each other and you ask yourselves gentlemen: What kind of a man are you?”

Never Broken


Next Week Pick of the Week: Happy Town, Wednesday at 10:00 on ABC: ABC has been trying to replicate Lost almost since it has been on (remember Invasion?) and with its last season, the channel stepped up its attempt to replace it. But It looks like Flash Forward is going to join Invasion in the one and done scrapheap and V might make it to a second season either. So ABC’s last hope may lay in the lap in Happy Town to carry on the “genre” tradition which even features Lost vet M.C. Gainey (who will also show up on Justified a day earlier next week which sadly make me think we won’t get to see him in sideways world). Check back later this week to see if I think Happy Town could make it as Lost’s heir apparent.

Best of the Week vol. XXXVII

Quote of the Week: The only thing I hate more than hippies, neo-liberals fascists, and anarchists are the hypocrite fat-cat suits they eventually all grow up to be. (Casey, Chuck)

Song of the Week: Hero of the Day – Metallica (Trauma)

Big News of the Week: Cory Haim Died: I was a little too young (and way to male) to catch the two Corey’s phenomenon as he was washed up by the time I was getting into pop culture and managed to miss all of his films except for Lucas (which begs the question, whatever happened to Kerri Green). But in the end, Corey will just go down as another troubled child actor and a reminder why you should never do drugs.

Gratuitous Token Hot Chick Picture of the Week:



Free Download of the Week: Whiskey in the Jar – Irish Tenors (Borders): Here is a little something to get you ready for St. Patrick’s Day coming next week.

Deal of the Week: Save on Hundreds of Classic DVDs (The Time Machine, Casablanca [Blu-Ray], The Music Man)

Video of the Week: I hate you Canada. First you steal the gold medal from us thanks to some silly overtime rules and now you released a decent charity single for Wavin' Flag just weeks after our new embarrassingly bad version of We Are the World. What’s next Canada, are you going to start fleecing NFL players for the Canadian Football League?



Next Week Pick of the Week: The Pacific, Sunday (3/14) at 9:00 on HBO: Considering their track record with Band of Brothers, The Pacific should be epically good. But much like Band of Brothers, my lack of HBO will be keeping from actually watching it myself for a couple months. Those that do and what a warm up for the show, head over to the New York Times review which calls it “never less than spellbinding.”

Best of the Week vol. XXVIII

Quote of the Week: Well, actually he’s the idiot, he fell in love to a break up song. (Izzy LaFontaine, Modern Family)

Song of the Week: True – Spandau Ballet (Modern Family)



Big News of the Week: A Melancholy Happy Trails to Ken Ober: Every once and a while you hear about a death that makes you feel like part of your childhood died with them. That happened a couple of weeks ago when Captain Lou Albino passed away, and again this week with Ken Ober. I doubt there are many people younger than me that even recognize that name, but he was host one of the top five programs MTV ever produced, Remote Control (a show I could have been the Ken Jennings of if I were old enough to be on it). To give an idea of how great the show was, it featured then unknown comedians Colin Quinn (as co-host), Denis Leary and Adam Sandler. Ober would later appear in a triad of Blues Travelers videos, including Hook below where he appropriately sat around flipping his remote control.



Free Download of the Week: Free Download of the Week: Death to All but Metal – Steel Panther (iTunes) Usually I have to give something a listen before I download a song, even if it is free, but just the title alone made me want to grab Death to All but Metal, and it didn’t disappoint. A must download for any metalhead and even non-one can find the song entertaining.

Deal of the Week: Save at Least 40% on Recent TV Hits (Castle, Eli Stone, Scrubs)

Video of the Week: Who knew at the beginning of the week, there would be some many great musical moments, Modern Family was mentioned above, and Community had their tribute to An American Tail, and not only did The Big Bang Theory bring back Soft Kitty, Penny made Sheldon sing it in a round.



Next Week Pick of the Week: Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade, Thursday at 9:00 AM on NBC: Thanksgiving just isn’t Thanksgiving without the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade. This year features artists I have actually heard of including Carly Simon, Cyndi Lauper, The Roots, Ziggy Marley, Gloria Gaynor, and Katharine McPhee. Also expect an oversize Pillsbury Doughboy stroll down the streets of New York City.

A Melancholy Happy Trails to Michael Jackson

As anyone who grew up during the eighties, Michael Jackson was a huge part of that. It all started with Thriller, the album and the song. Or more specifically the music video. No one did appointment video premieres like Michael Jackson and that started with Thriller, which should be considered more of a short film than a music video. And that continued with the premieres of Bad, Black or White, and Remember the Time all of which attracted A-list talent. He would even release legitimate short films with Moonwalker and Captain Emo.

As a kid in grade school at the time, we all tried to emulate Michael’s moves especially the Moonwalker. Jackson was even nice enough to put the steps of some of his moves in the liner notes for Bad. Even going into high school, I was excited when my choir picked Will You Be There to perform and I even volunteered to recite closing monologue as I knew it by heart despite it be erroneously missing from the sheet music. Unfortunately the choir didn’t take me up on this offer.

Sadly kids of today do not fully understand how popular Michael Jackson was during the eighties. There hasn’t been a bigger star in the world since and his popularity may only be rivaled by The Beatles during their heyday. Jackson truly earned his moniker, the King of Pop. Mostly today’s youth just know him as a tabloid fodder who, along with O.J. Simpson created the popularity of twenty-four hour cable news. Certainly brought some of that attention on himself with some questionable behavior that pretty much derailed his career since the mid-nineties along with some lingering health problems that kept him from performing for many year. Those health problems looked to have done him in just as he was about to launch one last concert string in London.

Michael Jackson was fifty years old. Below is a live version of Will You Be There circa the Dangerous tour:

In our darkest hour, in my deepest despair. Will you still care? Will you be there? In my trials and my tribulations, through our doubts and frustrations. In my violence, in my turbulence, through my fear and my confessions, in my anguish and my pain. Through my joy and my sorrow, in the promise of another tomorrow. I'll never let you part for you're always in my heart.

Best of the Week vol. XX

Quote of the Week: For what it's worth, my mother says that when we deceive for personal gain, we make Jesus cry. (Sheldon – The Big Bang Theory)

Song of the Week: Mercy – Duffy (Cupid)

Big News of the Week: A Melancholy Happy Trails to Dom DeLuise: Some of the funniest movies of my childhood were The Cannonball Run movies and Dom DeLuise was certainly one of the reasons the two movies were so hilarious. And the laughs kept coming with his cameos in Mel Brooks films: Blazing Saddles and History of the World pt. I and his numerous television guest appearances on series and game shows throughout the eighties. They just don’t make comics like Dom DeLuise anymore and that’s a shame.

Coalition Links of the Week:
Inspired by the Bones/Family Guy crossover, Buzz dreamed up some other funny TV crossovers she'd love to see — complete with goofy photoshopping! (BuzzSugar)

The Tony Award nominations are out and while it's about Broadway Theatre, the show is still on TV, so Vance gives his two cents on this years picks.(Tapeworthy)

This week, Jace reviewed the first two episodes of Showtime's sensational new comedy Nurse Jackie, starring Edie Falco, which launches in June. (Televisionary)

Whether it'll stick around remains to be seen, but Marisa wants to have the (almost) final word on Dollhouse. (TiFaux)

This week, the TV Addict offered up his snap judgements on NBC's new fall offerings. (The TV Addict)

Eric was lucky enough to interview Cassidy Freeman just a week before the Smallville season finale. (TV Fanatic)

Earlier this week I unveiled The 25 Best Duos on Television, and some of the brain trust culled to make up the list posted their ballots, so head over to Ducky Does TV, Give Me My Remote, Pass the Remote and Tapeworthy to see just who they voted for.

Free Download of the Week: Free Green Day Song (Rhapsody): All week Rhapsody has been giving away free Green Day songs and as I write this you can get their new single Know Your Enemy (please note that Rhapsody changes randomly, so you better not procrastinate to get it). And if you are a Rhapsody subscriber, you can stream the new album 21st Century Breakdown for free (non-members get 25 free streams per month so you could get two listens in before you run out).

Deal of the Week: Get Free Movie Cash to See Star Trek (Tropic Thunder, Strange Wilderness, Ghost Town)

Video of the Week: Certainly we have all seen this story before: overeducated and unemployable. It is doubtful that anything will come close to being as great as Wonderfalls in telling that story, but Post Grad features Matt Saresen saranading Rory Gilmore, so hopefully it will be at the very least watchable.

Post Grad Trailer


Next Week Pick of the Week: The Big Bang Theory, Monday at 8:00 on CBS: The funniest show end with what CBS calls “The coolest finale ever!” Of course this is because the foursome will be going on an exposition to the Arctic. But will Leonard really make the trip after it was revealed Penny called out his name in the heat of passion? I may have to brush up on the Schrödinger's cat experiment before I predict that.


Looking ever further into the future, TNT looks to have a big push this summer with seven new and returing shows premiering throughout the season. I am sure I will have more on the shows at a later date. Until then, here are the premiere dates:

Monday, June 8
9:00 - The Closer
10:00 - Raising the Bar

Tuesday, June 16
8:00 - Wedding Day (A new reality show from Survivor's Mark Burnett)
9:00 - HawthoRNe (A new series starring Jada Pinkett Smith)
10:00 - Saving Grace

Wednesday, July 15
9:00 - Leverage
10:00 - Dark Blue (A new series staring Dylan McDermott)

A Melancholy Happy Trails to LeRoi Moore

There is no band that shaped my formative years more than the Dave Matthews Band. A high school buddy bought me Under the Table and Dreaming back in 1996 and since than I have amassed over thirty of their albums. In the post grunge era they were a breathe of fresh air and that was due in large part to LeRoi Moore, the multi instrumentalist who added an extra level of musicianship with his classical jazz background to the band. His presence was sometimes subtle on the studio albums but it was the live shows where he really shined and thanks to Dave Matthews Band gracious live releases, there is plenty to choose from (I listed my Favorite Live Dave Matthews Band Albums a couple years ago). Below are three of those songs where Moore really shines:


Dave Matthews Band - Folsom Field - Bartender



Warehouse



Dave Matthews Band - #41

A Melancholy Happy Trails to Isaac Hayes

As a corny white dude in the suburbs, there was nothing more entertaining than Shaft, and I am of course referring to the movie that is older than I am, not the Samuel L. Jackson version from a couple years ago, to the point I even did a report in college on the film. The greatness of the movie was much attributed to its theme that sent the tone perfectly for the film. Isaac Hayes may not have written the greatest theme song ever, but it is easiest the coolest one ever which everyone from Peal Jam to The Simpsons copied the infamous, That Shaft is one bad mother…” line. Naturally this guy also repeated the line multiple times if only to see whether anyone would tell me to “shut your mouth,” and if they would I know we could be friends.

To those of my generation not familiar with the original Shaft, they may most know Hayes as Chef from South Park even if he was a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductee from the class of 2002. On South Park he again became quoteworthy and even did some singing in on the show. For more on the life of Isaac Hayes, head over to VH1.com: Isaac Hayes, Soul Legend and the Voice of South Park Character Chef, Dead at 65.

Melancholy Happy Trails to George Carlin

The world is now a little less funny with the passing of George Carlin this past weekend. Like many dudes my age, I was introduced to the comic as Bill and Ted’s spiritual guide on their excellent adventure and subsequent bogus journey, two of his rare appearances on screen which included a memorable cameo in Dogma as a priest who blessed his golf clubs. Of course Carlin spent most of his time on stage where he continued to do until his death and remained funny to the end as I remember seeing him on The Tonight Show not too long ago. Carlin was really the first stand up to have the great mix of intelligent humor and the obscene. If you are too young to know George Carlin, do yourself a favor and head over to YouTube and put his name into the search, pop some pop corn, and prepare not to do anything for the next couple hours (his most famous routine below and definitely not safe for work). Foe more on George Carlin, check out this Kevin Smith, who directed Dogma, eulogy from Newsweek.

R.I.P. Chris Benoit

Long before I was Scooter McGavin, I actually wrote a column for a wrestling website called the Hardcore Report. It has been years since I regularly watched professional wrestling, it may because network television started airing decent programs on Monday nights and the move of Smackdown to Friday, not really a day I like to stay in and watch television, but I occasionally will tune in to see what is going on. Last night I had just finished up a session of playing final Fantasy XII and I thought I would switch on Raw to see what was happening before I do a little reading and head off to bed. Instead of the usual WWE hijacks, all I saw on the scene was a picture of Chris Benoit with the title 1967-2007 below him.

First thoughts were yet another wrestler dieing from the wrestling lifestyle, something that has happen way too often. But when it was mentioned that his wife and young son also had died which initially wondered if it was a car or plane accident. But the announcers conspicuously avoided mentioning the cause of death and in the back of my mind it was hard not to think of Phil Hartman. Unfortunately it turns out the Benoit family had a similar outcome with Chris taking the lives of his wife and son before taking his own life.

It is had to eulogize someone who would do such things. Most wrestlers need to rely heavily on charisma and catchphrases to get over with today’s fans but Benoit was one of the rare stars who was able to let his actions on the mat speak for him and still get people to cheer or boo him depending on if he were a good or bad guy at the time. He was scheduled to wrestle for the ECW title this past weekend before being pulled from the card for a “family emergency.” We may never know what initially sparked Benoit to travel back home, skipping two scheduled appearances, but hopefully wherever he is now he finds some peace because it didn’t look like he found much while on Earth. My condolences go out to the whole Benoit family and friends of the family.

For more on the life and death of the Benoit family check out stories over at MSNBC.com and WWE.com.

Va Tech Memorium

There is something odd about our society when we get most of our news solely from headlines. When I opened up my e-mail today, a quick headline caught my eye right before I went to the mail page: 20 Dead at Va Tech. I just sat there and stared at the headline instead of going to my e-mail thinking "this is not something that should be reduced to a small headline that most people pass over anyways." Granted I'm not sure what would be a good way to report this kind of news, but five word of less just doesn't seem right. Since I first saw the headline the number has gone up, but the news still remains jarring.

And this is something that will haunt the Virginia Tech campus for years to come as I know from experience. I did my undergrad at Kent State University and the shootings there over three decades ago still hard to escape it despite how hard the administration tries to distance the college away from the incident. A week wouldn't go by where I didn't pass by the May 4th Memorial as I typically had to go by it because of my job, to get to class or to play tennis as the courts are about a hundred feet away.

My heart and prayers go out to the friends and families who lost a loved one today and hopefully someday we as a society realized that we don't we don't need to have the right to own guns anymore.

R.I.P. James Brown

I hope everyone had a great Christmas and received everything you wanted and more so everything you needed. My festivities were damped a little at hearing the news that we lost one of the greats earlier today, James Brown. He was a little before my time but he left his stamp on the music during my formative years as he was a staple among rap sample in the early years. I was supposed to see him live back in college but unfortunately the concert got canceled as he was arrested a couple days before for beating his wife. But for all his pitfalls he will always be remembered as the Godfather of Soul leaving us with some great music, my personal favorite being Papa's Got a Brand New Bag.

Foe more on the life of James Brown check out: "Godfather of Soul" James Brown Dead at 73

R.I.P. Syd Barrett

Shine On You Crazy Diamond.


For more on the life and death of Syd Barrett, check out this article on vh1.com.

RIP Wilson Pickett

Longtime reader know I like all types of music from all the genres but if one were to put a gun to my head, I would say that soul music is my favorite and Wilson Pickett was the quintessential soul man of the 60’s. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1991. Like most people of my generation, I wasn’t introduced to Pickett until I saw The Commitments where the band in the movie’s main goal in life was to perform with the soul singer and once I heard Pickett I could understand why. Even though Pickett was a soul singer, his song, Mustang Sally has become the greatest bar band song of all time and should be a requirement for every new rock band to learn. In addition to Mustang Sally, In the Midnight Hour is also an all time classic and Land of 1000 Dances has spawn a thousand covers and parodies most notable the WWF’s version featuring the golden era of the early 80’s wresters singing the song. It’s also worth checking out his amazing version of the Beatles Hey Jude. Pickett was 64 years old.

For more information on Wilson Pickett check out 'Mustang Sally' Singer Wilson Pickett Dies of Heart Attack

R.I.P. Richard Pryor

We lost one of the greatest comedians today in Richard Pryor. Growing up in the eighties, I primarily knew Pryor as a movie star first as the only bright spot in the otherwise horrible Superman III. After that I caught some of his great comedies including The Toy (I remember begging my parents for a black man that Christmas) and Brewster's Millions. And then there was one of the first R rated movies I ever saw, See No Evil, Hear No Evil where a blind Pryor played opposite of a deaf Gene Wilder.

As I grew older and moved on to college, me and my buddies rediscovered his old comedy albums including Is It Something I Said? His stand-up inspired us enough that we even named our championship flag football team Sexual Chocolate. I also recently learned that Pryor had a hand in write one of my favorite movies of all time, and Scooter Hall of Fame inductee, Blazing Saddles. And he even passed on writing the lines for the Sheriff Bart, which would have been the obvious chose, he instead focused of the character of Mongo.

Pryor died this morning as a result of a heart attack and had been suffering from multiple sclerosis for twenty year. He won five Grammys, and Emmy, and was nominated for an Academy Award. Pryor was 65. For more on Richard Pryor and his life check out MSNBC.com.

A Melancholy Happy Trails to Peter Jennings

Sorry for the small post today, was stuck most of day golfing (or whatever you call what I do on a golf course, many would argue what I do should not be called golfing), then had some family obligations to do afterwards where I won the annual McGavin family croquet match. I would like to take some time to honor Peter Jennings. Even though I was a Tom Brokaw kind of guy, I still liked to check out other news coverage on election nights and other major events and really enjoyed his commentaries on them. I also check out a few of his special investigation that were always well done. For more on the life of Jennings, check out ABC News anchor Peter Jennings dies at 67.

Just a quick note, there will be a few (I’m shooting for four right now) album reviews up this week with music ranging from rock to pop to bluegrass to punk, so look out for that starting tomorrow and should have one out every day until Friday.

Also, as I’m sure the repeat viewers can tell, I put up a new background yesterday, any feedback on that would be much appreciated.