Happy Birthday Meatloaf

For Meatloaf's Birthday, let's listen to Elizabeth Zharoff analyze his singing, and make amazed faces at his stage presence.








I saw Meatloaf perform around his 64th birthday. He was really stellar live. I miss the guy, even if he got a bit angry in his old age. Such an amazing talent.

Fun story - I had a client who was a musician, and had been in an all-girl new wave band. They put on a show for some record reps, and felt pretty good about their performance. And then this big guy from Long Island came up after them and sang - it was Meat Loaf. My client said, well, that was that.

I Like the Cover Better - Rock Around the Clock

The deal with this series is that it's a song that I like in the original - or the most popular version you'd know of, in some cases . . . but I like a cover, better.

The original? Bill Haley and His Comets, Rock Around the Clock.


Rockabilly classic.

The version I like better? Both of these versions by Tenpole Tudor / Edward Tenpole - one from when he was getting flogged as a possible replacement for John Lydon in Sex Pistols, the other a different version off of a Stiff Records compliation. The first is also the first place I heard Tenpole Tudor.

Pistols version:


Listen to that fantastic Steve Jones guitar over classic Paul Cook drumming.

Stiff version:




And fuck, I should just do a post on Tenpole Tudor. Underrated band.

Brian Wilson

We lost Brian Wilson yesterday, Rest in Peace. Thanks for the music.

Wouldn't It Be Nice?



This song encapsultes everything I love about The Beach Boys and Brian Wilson.

Happy Birthday Wendy O. Williams

Joan Jett & the Blackhearts - Real Wild Child

I've said this before - I call it the "Joan Jett" rule.

If you don't like Joan Jett, we don't ever need to talk about music.

Love this cover.

I can't believe I like this cover - Red Hot Chili Peppers

If there is a band I deeply, truely dislike, it's the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

I also deeply love The Beach Boys. Love, love, love.

So when this came up on my YouTube feed, I kind of cringe clicked on it.

But it's actually very, very good. It's a very straight-up cover. They don't do anything "RHCP" with it . . . they just play it dead solid well. I'm impressed.

Dropkick Murphys Live at Hands Off Protest, Boston, MA - 4/5/25

Loved to see this.