This week, I have been listening to an old comedy album by Albert Brooks that I had on vinyl back in the day and now have purchased on CD. It's dated but still funny. His routine on rewriting the national anthem is a classic.
While preparing a prog rock sampler of 2 CDs for my brother Vinnie to listen to at work with his new "baby hippie" crew (they look like they just left Woodstock and talk about dropping acid a lot), I have been listening to Kevin Gilbert again. Another deceased-too-young musical wizard who got the royal bad-music-biz treatment (bend over) when he was in Toy Matinee and then recorded 2 great solo CDs (one released post mortem) before shuffling off the mortal coil at 29 back in 1996. I seem to return to him often in my listening habits. I wonder how it would have been if he had lived and passed the audition to replace Phil Collins in Genesis. He was supposed to fly to England for that chance a week after he died.
Anyway, his other available work is worth checking out, if you've never delved. He did win a Grammy for writing some/most of the songs on Sheryl Crow's 1st album. He sang well; played piano, bass, guitar and drums excellently; and he even produced a Keith Emerson CD.
Finally, I'm gearing up to go see Todd Rundgren perform this Wednesday in Birmingham, AL. He's finishing up a 2-week mini-tour with Jerry Marotta (drms), John Montagna (bass) and Jesse Gress (gtr) -- all great players. No keyboards and lots of guitar hero material this tour. Next week he starts another tour as singer for the New Cars once again.
I'll report next time on how it went.
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