Them Crooked Vultures

I'm just now getting around to listening to Them Crooked Vultures, featuring John Paul Jones, Dave Grohl and Josh Homme, and while the comparisons to Led Zeppelin (Jones' old band) and Queens of the Stone Age (Homme's current band) are valid, upon listening to the propulsive "Scumbag Blues" -- check it out below -- I'm getting a different vibe.

Listen to the first minute or so of this song, and tell me it doesn't sound like a Cream record.

Homme gets the falsetto going, and channels some Jack Bruce during this one. And, it's not too difficult to picture Eric Clapton laying down the riffs, either.

However, it is EXTREMELY difficult picturing Ginger Baker being able to pound out the rhythm on this track, at least the Ginger Baker of today, who can barely get out of a chair to take a leak, let a lone drive the beat of this infectious thumper.

So, as much fun as it is to pretend that Cream still exists over 40 years since they premiered, it's more realistic to think of this as a Cream song, circa 1973.

OK Go

I gotta hand it to the guys from OK Go. After creating a web sensation with the video for their “breakthrough” song, “A Million Ways” several years ago – homemade footage of the four band members in a choreographed dance routine, which was never originally intended to be the actual video for the song, but became just that after it received high praise online – I was expecting them to rest on their laurels.

But, then they hit the treadmills for the very entertaining video for “Here It Goes Again”, creating another web hit (it is reportedly one of the Top 50 most viewed videos of all-time online).

Then, there’s the odd, but still fun-to-watch video for the song, “Do What You Want,” a song that is all too familiar in my house, as it appears on our Guitar Hero game for Nintendo DS.

Now, they’ve gone Rube Goldberg on us.

Using a “Rube Goldberg Machine” – a very addicting chain reaction of events based on precise measurements, timing, and complexity, that in this case, took months to create – OK Go has unleashed the latest of their video hits, for the song, “This Too Shall Pass.”

Sometimes in the middle of the day, it’s nice to pull up one of these videos, just sit back and smile at the creativity, and energy these guys have.

I actually like their music, too.

Check this out…



And, as if this video wasn't enough goodness for this song, there's even a different version that is a treat as well.

American Idol: Paige DeChausse

A few days ago, I had a chance to interview Paige DeChausse, who competed on American Idol this season, and advanced to the Hollywood Round.

Paige is from Morris, Illinois -- one of the many towns where I work these days -- and it was fun to get some behind the scenes scoop from someone who has actually been through at least the initial round.

While she didn't advance past round two, Paige is determined to take another stab at it in the future, spending her time between now and then singing with her blues bands (J.P. and the Cats, and Chicago Blues Angels).

You can hear the interview, which aired earlier this month on 107.1 FM, WSPY in Plano (there's town number two), by clicking here for part one, and here for part two.

More Paige...

...her American Idol audition



Performing at Miss Kitties saloon in Naperville, IL



singing with Chicago Blues Angels in St. Charles, IL