Jaimoe

I was 3/4's finished my first year of Radio & Television Arts at Ryerson ( in Toronto ). I owned only 3 guitars and Frank Zappa was just a mere curious oddity to me - boy how things have changed. The Allmans then and now still rock my world.

Lesh to Drop Album on New Label

Summer tour to kick off in May:

Former Grateful Dead bassist Phil Lesh has started Lapis Music, his own imprint on Columbia Records, which will release There and Back Again, the first studio album from his post-Dead ensemble Phil Lesh and Friends, on May 21st. The band released a live album, Love Will See You Through, in 1999.

Guitarists Warren Haynes and Jimmy Herring, keyboardist Rob Barraco and drummer John Molo serve as Lesh's backing band on what will be his first studio work since the Grateful Dead's final studio album, 1989's Built to Last.

"Everybody in this band is adventurous enough to play outside themselves and forget about what they know," Lesh said. "I wanted this band to make a record because I wanted to see whether we could translate that energy that we have live, with the onstage jamming, into compositions for recording, which is really an art in itself. I must say, this band has surpassed my wildest dreams with regards to what they can do in the studio. This is the band I want to keep."

Six of the album's eleven songs were written by regular Dead lyricist Robert Hunter, including "Liberty," a song Hunter co-wrote with Jerry Garcia that has only been available previously on 1999's rarities box set, So Many Roads (1965-1995).

Phil Lesh and Friends have also set an itinerary for a thirty-six-date summer tour that will kick off on May 22nd in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Included among the dates is a six-night stretch (June 27th through July 3rd) where Lesh and Friends will share the stage with the Allman Brothers Band. The lineup of Lesh's friends will be somewhat different than that on the 1999 live album,.

There and Back Again track listing:

Celebration

Night of a Thousand Stars

The Real Thing

Again and Again

No More Do I

Patchwork Quilt

Liberty

Midnight Train

Leave Me Out of This

Welcome to the Underground

Rock-n-Roll Blues

Phil Lesh and Friends tour dates:

5/22: Santa Fe, NM, Paolo Soleri

5/23: Phoenix, Dodge Theater

5/24: San Diego, Open Air Theater

5/25: Los Angeles, Greek Theater

5/26: Las Vegas, The Joint

5/28: Eugene, OR, MacArthur Court

5/29: Portland, OR, Roseland Theater

5/31-6/1: Berkeley, CA, Greek Theater

6/2: Palo Alto, CA, Frost Amphitheater

6/27: Minneapolis, Target Center

6/28: Milwaukee, Summerfest

6/29: Indianapolis, Verizon Wireless Amphitheater

6/30: Detroit, DTE Energy Music Theater

7/2: Cleveland, Blossom Music Center

7/3: Cincinnati, Riverbend Amphitheater

7/5-6: Mariaville, NY, Gathering of the Vibes

7/8: Pittsburgh, Amphitheater at Station Square

7/9: Toronto, Molson Amphitheater

7/10: Darien, NY, Darien Lakes PAC

7/12: Holmdel, NJ, PNC Bank Arts Center

7/13: Boston, Tweeter Center

7/14: Wantagh, NY, Jones Beach

7/16: Wilkes Barre, PA, First Union Arena

7/18: Hartford, CT, The Meadows

7/19: Hershey, PA, HersheyPark Star Pavilion

7/20: Camden, NJ, Tweeter Waterfront

7/21: Columbia, MD, Merriweather Post Pavilion

7/23: Virginia Beach, VA, Verizon Wireless Amphitheater

7/25: Raleigh, NC, Alltel Pavilion

7/26: Charlotte, NC, Verizon Wireless Amphitheater

7/27: Atlanta, HiFi Buys Amphitheater

7/28: West Palm Beach, FL, Mars Music Amphitheater

7/30: Austin, The Backyard

7/31: Dallas, NextStage Theater

I'm all over the Toronto show and maybe even the Darien Lake one too.

Well done Tom Tom.

Just a reminder that the North Mississippi Allstars are playing Lee's Palace this Monday, March 11th and Barrymore's in Ottawa on Tuesday. Don't miss these guys. Tickets in Toronto are $15. The last time I caught the NMA ( at the Horseshoe in T.O. ), Cody, Luther and their giant bassist Chris Chew mingled with the crowd after the concert. I talked to all 3 guys for a half hour... and they still want to play Toronto again! Hopefully they'll play some songs from the excellent Word album. See ya there.

They are playing with a pretty good funk band called Marmalade Farm at the Comfort Zone Saturday night. I'll be there.

Jazz Is Dead is playing the Comfort Zone on March 22nd. It's an acoustic show. Jimmy Herring acoustic sounds pretty intriguing. Don't miss these guys. Songs and playing are second to none!

"Dreams" - Allman Brothers Band ( original recording, although the Warren Haynes/Allen Woody live Allman's version is pretty darn good too ). I think this is the best white blues song ever written.

I hope they don't come out with a Jar Jar Binks version - or any other kinds from the awful Phantom Menace.

The only thing I don't like about the Grateful Dawg DVD release is that it's in " pan-and-scan ". Note: I had Grateful Dawg in my hands today and noticed ( on the back of the box ) that the picture " has been formatted to fit your tv screen ". This may mean that a widescreen version may be released at some point in the near future. I know a lot of the film was shot with a hand-held video camera, but I assume some of the fottage was shot on film ( i.e. with a wider aspect ratio ). Anyway, Sunrise Music has GD on for $30. Bay Video ( in T.O. ) is selling it for under $30 - there are lots of copies at Bay Street ( at Bloor ) Video.

I meant no offence to Stephen. I know he's a nice guy. I talk to him all the time - at various concerts. He is still a strange guy ( in a good way )you must admit. My comments were more directed at the aforementioned PhishSanctuarians.

I think the problem is with Stephen, the promo hippy flake who hands out all the Comfort Zone flyers. That guy is spacier than Indika, Treyter, Davey Boy, Giggles, Booche, Bouche, Mickey Hart and the real Wavy Gravy combined.

Toronto has: 400,000 Chinese ( as of 1999 census ); 3 Chinatowns ( Spadina & Dundas; Broadview & Gerrard; and in the town of Markham - not official ); Chinese schools; Chinese malls and theatres and lots of good restaraunts. Toronto is a great place to look for tech jobs too. Good luck with the Canadian Tire job.

Hey Blane, my advice would be for you to take out a low interest loan from your bank branch. It'll get the bad credit rating off your back. No one needs a bad credit rating. Collection agencies will never give up.

You better feed Gala Reba.

You better feed Gala Reba.

You better feed Gala Reba.

Hey POG, tickets are $15. I'm going Friday to get tickets. I hope you can make the show?

Hey Moma, if this show is a surprise kind of thing, I'll put money on that they play the new el Mocombo at Bathurst and College. The Horseshoe could be the ticket too. Listen to the horrible Q-107. They might give away hints.

Sorry Moma, I know nothing about The Hip concert announcement as-of-yet. I'll try to check on this tonight.

Where do you get the tix POG? I went to Ticketmaster today and they didn't know what I was tallking about. I did buy North Mississippi Allstars however. You gotta go to that show! March 11th at Lee's.

He's playing Healey's Feb 22nd and 23rd. I'm going Saturday. He's a blues legend and is one fine guitarist and singer. Inspirational. Jeff Healey's club is located at Bathurst and King ( I think ). It's going to be great. I'm hoping he plays " Funky Bitch " - he did the last time I saw him at Buddy Guy's in Chicago. That was a great show.

It wasn't Rush dude. That Geddy Lee song was the only thing that didn't suck on that episode.

Just a side-note: Holland's trombonist is The Tonight Show's Kevin Eubank's older brother Robin. Holland also plays on a few of Kevin Eubank's cds. Talented family.

Mork was on a few Happy Days episodes. Mork was a spin-off of Happy Days - as was Laverne & Shirley.

Son Seals wrote Mr. Oysterhead too.