Happiness Is A Warm Gun?

I worked on a post for the entire afternoon. Best thing I've written in ages. One false key stroke and BANG! Gone forever. No return. I'm sick over it.

In times like these I've habitually turned to music's power to make everything alright (at least until the end of the song and as long as I'm the one picking it. Ha!) This is one of those times.

Marc Ribot is the best, most unique guitar player most of us have heard plenty yet never heard of. I first saw him play sometime in a fuzzy part of the last century when the Lounge Lizards were still going strong. Ribot has worked with a veritable smörgåsbord of uncompromising artists: Tom Waits (Rain Dogs), Elvis Costello (Spike), T-Bone Burnett (many projects), Marianne Faithfull, Solomon Burke (Soul Alive!), Cibo Matto, Feotus, David Sylvain, DJ Logic, John Zorn…Ribot is a also big fan of Albert Ayler as am I (“Witches and Devils”, anyone?). Here’s Marc Ribot’s take on the Beatles classic:



I really, really, really wanted the Breeders’ Tanya Donnelly version but no luck. Aside from her obvious gender-bending take on this Fab Four ditty. I admit I adore all things Tanya: Throwing Muses, The Breeders, Belly and, well, Tanya Donnelly herself…though not in that creepy-guy-living-in-
his-parent’s-basement-whittling-animals-in-the-dark-to-
send-to-her-management-company-while-silently-screaming-
every-word-to-“Feed-The-Tree”. Nope. That's not me. No, I haven’t talked to her in a long while but I first met Tanya at the dawn of her career. (I'm absolutely certain I have an original Doghouse cassette tucked away somewhere here in the bunker).

Here's Tanya inna in-store stylee:










Tanya is sweet, super-talented and a real trooper. I remember Belly once performing a special sound check show for their fans despite the fact she was sick as a dog. She has earned my highest possible compliment: Tanya has paved the way and continues to pave the way for so many (especially but not limited to female) artists to follow. Her first band Throwing Muses wrote the book on twisting tempos, weird chord structures and abstract but still highly personal lyrics. All of this written from a female and subtly feminist perspective. No Muses no Ani. No kidding. 'Nuff said.

Visit Tanya's Slumberland website. Buy Tanya's music: TD, Belly, Breeder’s, Throwing Muses. Catch her live if you can. Once you have, don't thank me. Thank Tanya instead.

AF