Driven to Drink

I recorded this episode on May 23rd, 2020.

George Floyd was brutally executed by a team of Minneapolis police officers on May 25th, 2020.

In the weeks between then and now?  The world has changed.

I would be utterly remiss if I did not process, with you, the events around us, so we begin with an extended introduction, asserting that white supremacy in all forms...including the school-to-prison pipeline, the carceral state, the entirety of "law and order" as it currently functions, the military and prison industrial complexes, and a myriad other structures and systems...must be defunded and abolished.

I refuse to be remiss.

Having said that, we spend time with one of the most mind-blowing drummers I've ever heard/seen, Ian Chang.  I'm absolutely certain you'll agree.  Drummer as creator, composer, band-leader, one-man-orchestra, and mad scientist.  Ian Chang is all of those things and more.

Please hang.  And please take care of yourself, your family, and your community...however you define and understand "community," and PLEASE, do it in that order.  Universe knows I'm no good at taking care of myself, but I'm learning.

Love yinz.

 

Hey.

This was recorded on 5/9/20, a day on which it was snowing in Pittsburgh, Pa.

This is a continued exploration of drummer as bandleader and, in this case, a bit of conversation about a drummer's voice.  Not singing.  Not rapping.  But unique expression and communicative style on their instrument.  That is, a percussive voice.  Today's drummer focus...is Anderson .Paak.

I also spend some time talking about and listening to Little Richard, who passed on the very day I recorded.

Thanks for hanging.  Give a positive review on iTunes.  Subscribe via iTunes or Spotify or Google podcasts, and whatnot.  Love one another.  Be kind.  Not necessarily nice.  But kind.

Love yinz.

-G

We've met Chris Dave.   We've met Jojo Mayer.   Ever heard of Yussef Dayes?   We're talking about virtuoso drummers as bandleaders/composers/producers, and Yussef Dayes is approximately peerless.  The couple I mentioned above exist in his bracket.  Others, too. But for today, let's just vibe, groove, and nerd out on Dayes.  Also, Tom Misch and Rocco Palladino.  (Yep, Pino's kid, and he's every bit as good as his Father.)  Who's Pino?  Well, we get into that, too.  Little D'Angelo for your pleasure.   Hang, won't you?   Love yinz.   -G  

Once again, you have Mark.

You have me.

You have music.

And boisterous revelry.

Also, Thundercat.

And Duran Duran.

And beat boxing.

C'mon.  You have to hang.

This is me now.

Love yinz.

-G&M

Today, we cast our memories back there, lord.

And indeed, sometimes we were overcome thinking about it.

Mark and I move through the songs that peaked at #1 across my junior year in high school.

It's said that the music with which we fall in love in our late teens to early 20s is seared upon our memories and informs our tastes from that point out.

To an extent, that's certainly true for me and Mark, though both of us have spent and spend a LOT of time with music, so thank universe neither of us were fossilized in the early 90s.

Though, truth be told, it would not be a bad time to get stuck.

Won't yinz get stuck with us?

In 1991.

Bringing you all the hits here on your oldies station.

(Jesus, 1991 was 29 years ago and these songs are oldies now.  Yikes.)

Hang, though.

Love yinz.

-G&M

P.S. While I've called this a 1991 listening party, and it is, the podcast kicks off with a 2017 performance of the 1979 hit, "Message In a Bottle," because the song is eternally fire and this performance is exceptional.

There's something about Tom Misch's, Rex Orange County's, and Harry Styles' respective (and collective, as they all share that intersection described in the title) music that I simply adore.

I think you will too.  Perhaps you already do.  Here you have me and then we will be sharing space with live performances by the three blokes mentioned above.  Innit?

Anyway, please hang, have a nice time, and find respite with me.

Love yinz.

-G

Please Note: This episode was recorded on 3/21, so the me bits reflect where I was re: the pandemic at that point in time.  There's nothing problematic there, just...I had the perspective of a human on 3/21 re: COVID-19.

Do you love percussion?

Rhythm?

Do you prefer to be swung like a perpetual pendulum?

We have Chris Dave and Drumhedz.

We have Jojo Mayer.

We have J Dilla.

Doesn't get much better than that.

So stick around.  Swing with us.

Love yinz.

-G

Mr. King, Mr. Hendrix, and Mr. Burside.

All live.

I sincerely appreciate you hanging and listening.

If you dig, you can subscribe via the link above, or though iTunes, Google podcasts, or Spotify.  And you can leave a lovely review.  You can do the Patreon if you'd like.  In any and all cases, I appreciate.

Love yinz.

-G

 

Respite.

That's what Driven2Drink is, for me.

Respite.

Music. Thunderstorms.  Banter. Whiskey. Additional medicinal.  That's my respite rn.  My "Driven to Drink."

Taimame?

Do you know about her?

If you do...I know, right?!

If you do not...please rectify that situation.

Perhaps with me. Here. Finding respite in Taimame.  And Jonathan Heraux: percussion; Ramiro Marziani: guitar; Melissa Baethoven: violin, vocals; and Li'o: Polynesian dance.

Love yinz.

-G

Social distance with me, will you?

You, me, and a Bill Withers full live performance from 1973.

Brilliantly mixed, mic'ed, recorded, and polished for the era.  (Bill Withers and his band, that is...not me [I mean, I think I do a good job with me but nothing like actual professionals and what the folks were able to do here with this performance {Plus I'm in no way comparing myself to Bill Withers.}.].)

Thanks for hanging.

Love yinz.

-G