He's playing at Lollapalooza this Saturday (August 2nd 2008). I'll check it out. Before Lupe Fiasco, Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings, and Rage Against The Machine. Not bad. Enjoy.

And here is John with the band....doing his thang on the 2 keyboards.

From their first album. "God Killed The Queen".

From their new album. Acoustic performance of "Air Traffic Control".

From the movie Once.

01 - Destiny - Zero 7 w. Dan the Automator 6:01
02 - Jah Love - Bad Brains 3:08
03 - Day Tripper / She's A Rainbow - Bad Brains 4:53
04 - Kinky Reggae - Bob Marley & The Wailers 3:46
05 - Junco Partner - The Clash 5:16
06 - All Night (with Steven Marley) - Damian Marley 3:30
07 - Dog It - Digable Planets 4:43
08 - Television, the Drug of the Nation - The Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy 6:39
09 - Absentia Absentia - DJ Spooky 4:33
10 - Any Colour You Like - Easy Star All-Stars 3:38
11 - Microphone Fiend - Eric B And Rakim 5:38
12 - Mona Lisa - The Fugees 5:16
13 - Code of the Streets - Gang Starr 3:29
14 - Tippi Toes - Primus - Meters Cover 1:33
15 - Crumblin' Erb - OutKast 5:34

I've had 6 pint glasses, mixed as it should be, so far.

U still need a food scientist apart from this jam. This might be a hungry jam.

But you know that you should b taking PT 11. too much.

I really feel like this song captures all my feelings up until this song popped up.

- These are my thoughts on the newly legal Absinthe. I didn't enjoy the drink too much, but obviously my mind had different ideas.

01- Shambala - Beastie Boys - Ill Communication - 1994
02 - Una Cosa Buena - DJ Logic - Project Logic - 1999
03 - Metatron - DJ Spooky & Dave Lombardo - Drums of Death - 2005
04 - Any Colour You Like - Easy Star All-Stars - Dub Side of the Moon - 2003
05 - Karma Police - Easy Star All-Stars & Citizen Cope - Radiodread - 2006
06 - Last Living Souls - Gorillaz - Demon Days - 2005
07 - Otra Vez - Los Amigos Invisibles - The New Sound Of The Venezuelan Gozadera - 1998
08 - She Lives In My Lap - OutKast - The Love Below - 2003
09 - O Le Le (w Chali Tuna) - Ozomatli - Ozomatli - 1998
10 - Limb By Limb - Phish - The Story Of The Ghost - 1998
11 - High And Dry - Radiohead & El Lele - Rhythms Del Mundo: Cuba - 2006
12 - Vikingman - Rodrigo y Gabriela - Rodrigo y Gabriela - 2006
13 - Jingo - Santana - Live at the Fillmore - 1968
14 - Don't You Worry 'bout A Thing - Stevie Wonder - Innervisions - 1973
15 - Guantanamera - Wyclef Jean - The Carnival - 1997

This mix is both Latin and daring in the rock sense of rock. Check it out. Peas it together.

1) Earl Greyhound @ Schubas . I am still surprised they haven't gotten anywhere. They have a guitar player/singer that is a thin long haired Black Crowe type guy. They have a black female bass player/singer who dresses like Hendrix. They have a huge black drummer guy who also dresses like Hendrix. And they rock with the best sampling mix of all of classic rock. The best live rock experience I have seen that no one else has ever heard! I thought for sure they would be bigger than the White Stripes ASAP, but as of now, no dice. They must have terrible PR. I could make them more money. They are the real deal. 3 great young songwriters. The female bass player Kamara is from chi-town. I talked to her and the guitarist a bit. Cool. I'd love for them to move up to the Metro. I told them that. They cockily said they would. Cool.

2) TV on the Radio @ the Metro. One of the realest indie bands that got big right now. It took me like 2 months before I liked the first album I bought of their's (Cookie Mountain). But then it hit me like a pile of bricks. And live, they make their albums look like they are totally pop live because of how they re-write them. Their lead singer is probably the best male rock singer I have ever seen live. They all love it and it shows. Their iTunes live session shows it off.

3) Sufjan Stevens @ the Riviera. Well, about 20 musicians came out wearing butterfly wings. String section. Horn section. Drummer, bassist, guitarist, and keys. Sufjan plays either banjo, guitar, or piano. It was so orchestrated crazy that it felt like a religious experience. It's so peaceful. And he's really religious from what I hear. I looked around at some point because I realized all of the people there (from the whole age spectrum, mainly white) were just peaceful. And that alone made it "not rock-n-roll". Nobody was ready to fight. Just different. But as I have said before, Sufjan is the new "Simon & Garfunkel". No one has been writing this deep of folk music in a long time. And he does do electric.

4) Medeski, Martin, Wood, and Scofield @ Jazz Fest, Petrillo Bandshell . I love all of their albums. This group now has 2 albums, both of which are really good. "Out Louder" and " A Go Go". I took a class in jazz guitar with John Scofield teaching at one point. I had seen MMW 2 times by then. But this time, something was off. It just seemed more of a standard type of jazz. They are normally super progressive and funky. But it was Chicago's big time Jazz Fest. Something was up and they just played it safe. I was shocked but not totally disappointed. If a newbie heard them they would have known they were all good jazz players. But they wouldn't dance around like some dance-crazed hippy.

5) The Hives @ the Metro. The Hives. What can you say, the best Swedish punk/classic rock band ever! Self-proclaimed. And they rocked. You got your moneys worth in the show. They played like 25 of their songs in about an hour and were as "into it" as any theatrical rock band can. The guitar player kept blowing on his fingers during his playing as if to show his fingers are on fire and overheating. They are just funny as shit, and you have never seen anyone like this! Unless you have you should!

6) Ghostface Killah @ the Metro. As a long time Wu-Tang Clan fan it was nice to get offered free tickets to this show. Scion (the car brand) offered free tickets if you just signed up for their new hip hop streaming stations online. There are actually a lot of good indie music bands on their channels too. Anyways, Ghost hired a latin/funk/soul band ((The Rhythm Roots Allstars (now on tour with Ghost and Rakim)) to play his songs. Since most of his songs sample old school tunes (like say Al Green) it was really sweet to hear a live band play all that old school mixed with his hip hop. A lot of Ghost songs, plenty of Wu songs, and a tribute to ODB. He knew the Metro. Been there many times. Great show for nothing. There was b-boys breakin' in between acts too. Great show and for free!

That's it. I wish had seen more shows this year. I missed both Madlib and Prefuse 73 this weekend live. They both had great albums this year. I also regret not going to at least one Lollapallooza day. I usually make one of the days.

The only thing lacking was some really good hip hop. It was all about 50 cent and Kanye West this year. But I was disappointed with both of their albums. I did check them out. 50 didn't change at all. Kanye did, but not towards hip hop. BUT.....I think Kanye produced the best album of the year. Common's "Finding Forever". It is truly a modern classic!

It was tough not picking the Arctic Monkey's new album though. It is young and rockin'. The Arctic Monkey's album has definitely been played far more than Common's in my iPod. But Common's will hold up over time. Common is for sure secure and mature. He even pulled one of my fav's D'Angelo out of an unfortunate early retirement for one song! I followed Common his whole career and was doubtful in what he could do with a new album that he hasn't done already. But I love it.

Over time will the Arctic Monkeys still be "something"? Maybe. They still need to grow up (they are all like 21). Who knows what they will do down the road (break up, go solo)? I'll still follow them though!

Kanye produced Common's last album too. I'll take anyone on that Kanye is a better producer than performer. But this new album is an old school concept album that is good all the way through! Plus Common does have something say. I still like "Like Water for Chocolate" as his best album, but that was 7 years ago. And this might even be better. Let time tell.

I hope you all will check out these albums if you have ever liked anything by these artists. And if you have never heard of anyone in the top 20, you might want to check them out! And if you know everyone in the top 20, you might want to check out the next 20 ones listed!

Best Albums of 2007

Top 10:
1) Finding Forever - Common
2) Favourite Worst Nightmare - Arctic Monkeys
3) We Were Dead Before The Ship Even Sank - Modest Mouse
4) iTunes Live Session - TV on the Radio
5) Everything Last Winter - Fields
6) Cryptograms - Deerhunter
7) In Rainbows - Radiohead
8) Foley Room - Amon Tobin
9) Preparations & Interregnums - Prefuse 73
10) Back to Black - Amy Winehouse

Top 11-20:
11) Because of the Times - Kings of Leon
+ iTunes Live Session (live version of most of that album)
12) Year Zero - Nine Inch Nails
13) Icky Thump - The White Stripes
14) Era Vulgaris - Queens of the Stone Age
15) The Return of the Magnificent - DJ Jazzy Jeff
16) Build A Nation - Bad Brains
17) Sound of Silver - LCD Soundsystem
18) Grindhouse: Quentin Tarantino’s Death Proof (Soundtrack from the Motion Picture)
19) Echoes, Silence, Patience, and Grace - The Foo Fighters
20) Spiderman of the Rings - Dan Deacon

Honorable Mentionable:
- Grand National - The John Butler Trio
- The Inevitable Rise and Liberation of Niggy Tardust - Saul Williams
- iTunes Live Session - The Flaming Lips
- The Harlem Experiment - The Harlem Experiment
- Afro Samurai - RZA
- Alive 2007 - Daft Punk
- Beat Konducta Vols. 3-4 : In India - Madlib
- The Black and White Album - The Hives
- Neon Bible - The Arcade Fire
- The Mix-Up - The Beastie Boys
- A Weekend in the City - Bloc Party
- No World for Tomorrow - Coheed & Cambria
- The Legend of the Mask & The Assassin - DJ Muggs Vs. Sick Jacken Feat. Cynic
- Costello Music - The Fratellis
- Our Love To Admire - Interpol
- Ruff Draft - J Dilla
- “The Simpsons” (Music from the Motion Picture) - Hans Zimmer
- Yours Truly, Angry Mob - Kaiser Chiefs
- Ultra Payloaded - Perry Farrell’s Satellite Party
- Zeitgeist - Smashing Pumpkins
- The Stewart Copeland Anthology - Stewart Copeland
- House of Om - DJ Mark Farina
- Live in Tokyo - DJ Mark Farina

Yet to come out, but possibly great:
New Lupe Fiasco
New Wu-Tang Clan

This came from mankind's love of fire. It's the main thing differentiating us from animals. No other thought to make a campfire or BBQ a steak. Up until now....that has worked. Every engine is powered from burning something. And we have yet to figure out that better thing. Or have we? We have. Today's alternative energy sources would work better if we did them on a bigger scale (solar, wind, water, nuke power). Nuclear power is this universe's unlimited energy source. I hate to say it but men will never get past nuclear power. That is where we are meant to go hundreds ..... thousands of years from now. But it is so so dangerous. We may blow ourselves up, or others with weapons before that point. But I do think we should keep working on it. We need to continue to work at perfecting it without blowing ourselves up. We have nothing stronger than the power of the atom on this planet.

As a kid in Chicago I noticed winters starting in November and moving through January. I have seen the seasons change whether people believe me or not. Today we are lucky to see snow by December and winters that last into April. And everything seems milder than the previous year. I have noticed the seasons change from what they were.

When I was a kid I also thought we'd have moving sidewalks by today's times. But we are not even close to flying cars and holo-decks. But one genius thing we do have is solar power. It's a great thing. The sun powers our lives. It can generate energy predictably. We have pretty cheap solar cells and the technology is always getting better. I know it works. So let's hook them up everywhere in unused spaces. And support it in conversation. We should at least have solar panels linked together around the world to constantly follow the sunlight. Permanent power. It's something we know but don't use. There is also definitely a government conspiracy with the car and oil companies to not research alternative energy sources. That we can not fight as individuals unless we demand electric cars or solar ones.

So to save the planet we need to just burn less stuff. That's the key. Well that and a little goodness in the world. Maybe some respect for your fellow people. But mainly by not encouraging burning fossil fuels in your cars and in your local power plants. Our power is in our individual connections. So if the conversation comes up, be sure to throw this in. The person you talk to may be a suit who doesn't know any better. Demand alternative energy research. Bicycles help the environment (by keeping your cars in the garage) and your own mood (as you you get fit). So ride a bike, tell people gas is terrible for the world, and live life.

Dedicated to my brethren blogging today for environmental change.

1) The Garden - Cut Chemist - The Audience's Listening 6:16

2) Twenty Question - Beastie Boys- Beastie Boys Anthology - The Sounds of Science 2:28

3) Morning Yearning - Ben Harper- Both Sides Of The Gun [Disc 1] 4:09

4) Only Ones Who Know - Arctic Monkeys - Favourite Worst Nightmare 3:01

5) Baby Please - Jurassic 5 - Feedback 3:26

6) Go It Alone (with Jack White on Bass) - Beck - Guero 4:09

7) Hear My Train A'Comin' - Jimi Hendrix - Jimi by himself - The Home Recordings
1:35. This is one of my rarest Hendrix songs. And I am a huge fan. This came with the graphic comic novel "Voodoo Chile". The comic was definitely cool as far as Hendrix's life story. But I knew that already. This CD is worth it's weight in gold as a Hendrix fan!

8) Picture Book - The Kinks - The Kinks Are The Village Green Preservation Society 2:40

9) I Just Wanna Get Along - The Breeders - Last Splash 1:43

10) What's The Matter Baby - John Lee Hooker - Live At The Café Au Go-Go (And Soledad Prison) 3:48

11) Drive My Car/The Word/What You're Doing - The Beatles - Love 1:54

12) Times Like These - Foo Fighters - One by One 4:44

13) Erase You (Featuring Chris James) - DJ Shadow - The Outsider 6:58

14) Clocks - Coldplay & Buena Vista Social Club - Rhythms Del Mundo: Cuba 5:02

15) This Modern Love - Bloc Party - Silent Alarm 4:26

16) North American Scum - LCD Soundsystem - Sound of Silver 5:26

17) Intro - Incubus (Live) - Soundbites 0:32

18) Who Cares - Gnarls Barkley - St. Elsewhere 2:28

19) Out Of Time - Blur - Think Tank 3:52

20) All Night (with Steven Marley) - Damian Marley - Welcome to Jamrock 3:30

21) Breakdown (Featuring Jack Johnson) - Handsome Boy Modeling School - White People 4:09