February 18, 2026 - Shin Joong-Hyun & Questions - In-A-Kadda-Da-Vida (1970)

Shin Joong-Hyun is the godfather of Korean rock, the most important figure in the history of rock music in South Korea. In 2010, he became the first Asian musician and the sixth in the world to be the recipient of a Fender Custom Shop Tribute Series guitar, joining Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Eddie Van Halen, Yngwie Malmsteen, and Stevie Ray Vaughan. You can have your k-pop if you must, children, but please know that this guy runs rings around BTS in my book.

Why is it spelled with a Kadda instead of a Gadda? The Korean translation contains the consonant and vowel combination 가, which is often pronounced "ka". This is my theory, at least. It's not important. I'm sure the Iron Butterfly guys didn't care.

It's recorded live. Out of the gate the song isn't mind-blowing; it's like two guys after a few rounds in a karaoke bar. Fortunately, they only stick around until 2:38, then the long middle instrumental section begins. It plods along slowly with an organ solo, then picks up in intensity around 3:55, with added cymbals and Shin's guitar. He kind of feels things out, but then gets the wah pedal going after 5:30, and by 6:00 or so he's coaxing some nice shrieks from his guitar. The all-important drum solo begins at 8:00, and the organ returns at 9:18. At 10:52, we hear the "you cannot petition the lord with prayer" quote from The Doors' "The Soft Parade". More soju for the gentlemen please! Back into the heart of it all at 11:32, and the guys return at 13:13 for the final vocals.

He turned 88 last month. Go Shin go!

February 17, 2026 - Charles-Marie Widor - Toccata from the Symphony for Organ No. 5 in F minor Op. 42, No.1 (1879)

I first heard this in the Malcolm McDowell film If.... (1968). It's a pipe organ spectacular. Lots of modulating chords, a kaleidoscope of changes, a showpiece of technical brilliance.

Frederick Hohman is the organist. He has performed all over the world. I love his tan jacket and the way his left hand flies high off the keys early on, at 0:25. He completely rocks, I wonder if he knows Rick Wakeman? Or if he knew Jon Lord? I wonder what his thoughts are regarding Iron Butterfly. Has he ever just sat down and played In-a-gadda-da-vida?

Here is the composer himself, Charles-Marie Widor, perhaps rocking out in the long ago.

February 16, 2026 - The Gospel Soul Revivals - If Jesus Came (1972)

This is my second favorite track from the Numero Group release called Good God! Born Again Funk. It is a funky groove riding the one beat all the way. Guitar and drums start it off, then a supremely funky bass arrives at 018. At 0:29, the singer, with mighty righteousness in his voice, demands an answer to the question, "If Jesus came back today, what would you do?" He, along with the other guys in the group, asks it twice of the general listener, then he twice asks the other guys as well. They have a ready answer: "Go back with him!" He asks them again because their answer fills him with such intense joy. After that it's a series of pronouncements and declarations related to the answer. Man, if Jesus is as cool as these guys say, I'd go back too. 

So many cool musical moments throughout, including the drums at 1:03 and the bass from 1:34 to 1:36 and again at 2:47. Just great little events all over the place. Pay particular attention to the music after 4:23, and the amazing drum fill at 4:39 to end it all.

The church I grew up going to was very nice, but the services were pretty dull. It did, however, have an awesome pipe organ and organist.

February 14, 2026 - John Cameron - Liquid Sunshine (1973)

 

Happy Valentine's Day...😉

John Cameron

February 12, 2026 - Charlie Megira - Tomorrow's Gone (2001)

This song is like a dream you remember bits of when you wake up, but then it all evaporates and you're left grasping at hazy tendrils. At its foundation are distant Velvet Underground chords, topped with slow surf guitar tones and bathroom vocals. A floating cloud of dust motes in a room of nothing on a late autumn afternoon as the light starts to fade outside. A leaf all alone going down a slow stream. Something there and then gone.

Charlie Megira was an Israeli musician and he sang in Hebrew. He died (hanged himself) in 2016 at the age of 44. There is a documentary about him that I hope to watch at some point.

[בית 1]

אל תגידי אולי

לא לא, ולא כדאי

אל תגידי אולי

אולי היום, אולי מחר

מחר כבר לא בא

[פזמון]

?אמרי מהר, מה את אוהבת

אמרי ללב, אבל מהר

?אמרי מהר, מה את אוהבת

אמרי נא לי, מי הוא זה

?שאותו את אוהבת

[אאוטרו]

?מה את אוהבת

?מה את אוהבת

?מה את אוהבת

?מה את אוהבת

Don't say maybe

No, no, you shouldn't

Don't say maybe

Maybe today, maybe tomorrow

Tomorrow's gone

Tell me quickly

What do you love?

Tell me to the heart

But quickly

Tell me quickly

What do you love?

Tell me

Who is that?

What do you love?

What do you love? 

February 10, 2026 - Barry De Vorzon - The Warriors (1979)

  

I've decided to post the full video of the opening credits. I can't just sit here and listen to the music without the visuals. The Warriors is a late 1970s cult film about street gangs in gritty grimy dark and unpretty New York City. It's one of my favorites. *Just a brief disclaimer: there is an offensive word or two. It's of its time.

Walter Hill, the film's director, narrates the opening reference to the Battle of Cunaxa, connecting its story of courage to the story we are about to see. The mighty Wonder Wheel stands eerie and pink in the night as a creepy series of notes plays. Then comes the train, moving smoothly through the darkness, arriving with its cold empty cars and unwelcoming lights. The Warriors get on board, leaving their turf in Coney Island and heading up to the Bronx to see what this Cyrus character is all about. Their dialogue gives us some clues about the evening's main event. Meanwhile, many other gangs are in motion, the pulsating music leading them to the trains. 

Barry De Vorzon won the 1978 Grammy for Best Instrumental Arrangement, for "Nadia's Theme (The Young and the Restless)", one of my least favorite pieces of music. That he also composed the music from The Warriors is beyond me. He should have won an award for this, it's way better. Well, he also co-wrote "In The City" with Joe Walsh, so I'll cut him some slack.

Dude, Nadia's Theme? Wow. 

February 8, 2026 - Psychic TV - Godstar (1985)

Psychic TV was the name of the creative vehicle for Genesis P-Orridge, formerly of Throbbing Gristle. Godstar is a tribute to Brian Jones, one of the Rolling Stones. Genesis was keenly interested in his story, and made it a very special story in this song. They sing it with anger in their eyes, great anguish in their voice. SO many heavy words:

And you were so beautiful
You were so very special
I wish I was with you now
I wish I could save you somehow

And where were all of your laughing friends?
Where were they at the very end?
They started to steal your glory
They never even told your story

Genesis was an early Stones fan, and they particularly loved Brian's contributions to their bluesy sound. Brian drowned in his swimming pool at the age of 27 in 1969. The coroner ruled it as "death by misadventure", that he died due to his use of drugs and alcohol. Many fans like Genesis felt that the rest of the group neglected Brian and should have cared more about his condition.

Despite the biting lyrics, the song includes a riff right out of the Stones' classic Brown Sugar. So maybe Genesis forgave them?

I'm also including this video clip, which includes an interview with the very astute Genesis P-Orridge.

February 5, 2026 - David Rosenboom - URBOUI (1968)

 

This is a "Choose Your Own Adventure" kind of music. You begin to listen to this music. If you don't enjoy it, turn to page 2. If you enjoy it, turn to page 37. 

Page 2: You turn it off after ten seconds. You think, does the blog creator actually like this weird stuff? Hmm. You step away and put on something totally familiar and normal, like Def Leppard or Bon Jovi. Yeah...Bon Jovi rocks!! You can breathe easy.

Page 37: You continue to listen to this experimental electronic modified effects sonic recording. It's almost 10 minutes. You really have no idea what is going on. Various sounds appear and change and turn into other sounds. It hangs around, drifting in and out of your awareness. Very interesting. Then it ends. Turn to Page 49.

Page 49: You find yourself in the presence of David Rosenboom. Far out.

February, 3, 2026 - Roy Rogers & The Sons Of The Pioneers - Blue Shadows On The Trail (1948)

This past new year's eve I watched The Big Lebowski for the umpteenth time. The film opens with the 1946 recording of Tumbling Tumbleweeds by the Sons of the Pioneers. It sets the mood nicely with its ambling along the trail atmosphere. The Dude, Jeff Lebowski (played by Jeff Bridges), certainly drifts along to his own beat out there in the vast city of Los Angalese, in the parlance of Sam Elliott.

Leonard Slye co-founded the Sons of the Pioneers in California in 1933, and sang on their 1934 recording of Tumbling Tumbleweeds. In 1937 he was offered a contract to be a Hollywood actor. His contract required him to leave the group and he became Roy Rogers, one of the most famous and popular Western stars of his era. The Sons of the Pioneers continued on, occasionally singing with him and participating in his films. 

Blue Shadows on the Trail appears in the Disney animated film Melody Time, during the Pecos Bill segment. Roy sings the beginning part and the Sons bring in their gorgeous harmonies at 0:23, creating layers of warmth around the fire. Owls and coyotes hoot and howl in the distance. The blue shadows arrive at night, passing quietly across the ground with the moon, velvety and soft. The whistling in the middle is sublime, a delicate accompaniment to night on the Texas terrain.

Move a-long, Blue Shadows, move a-long, soon the dawn will come and you'll be on your way. 

January 31, 2026 - Dur-Dur Band - Tajir Waa Ilaah (1987)

Here's some groovy funk rock from Mogadishu, Somalia. Dur-Dur (meaning "spring" in Somali, as in a natural flowing water spring) Band were huge in their home country in the late 80s. I found this album, Volume 5, at my local library about two or three years ago. I was immediately hooked by the funky grooves, the chicky chick guitar picking, the reverb vocals.

Tajir Waa Ilaah translates to "God is perfect". The song explores themes of human vulnerability, the fleeting nature of wealth, the necessity of humility, and the importance of empathy towards women. It suggests that true, lasting perfection belongs only to the divine, reminding listeners not to look down on others.

In addition to Dur-Dur Band, there were also the Iftin Band, Waaberi Band, and Sharaf Band rocking out in Mogadishu on a regular basis. Unfortunately, as with Cambodia and Ethiopia, war had to raise its ugly head and bring the good times to an end. Somalia had been under military junta since 1978. Rebel groups formed, the government military was defeated, and the country descended into chaos with various groups fighting for power. 

Volume 5 was reissued around a decade ago by the label Awesome Tapes from Africa. From their website:

By 1987 Dur-Dur Band’s line-up featured singers Sahra Abukar Dawo, Abdinur Adan Daljir, Mohamed Ahmed Qomal and Abdukadir Mayow Buunis, backed by Abukar Dahir Qasim (guitar), Yusuf Abdi Haji Aleevi (guitar), Ali Dhere (trumpet), Muse Mohamed Araci (saxophone), Abdul Dhegey (saxophone), Eise Dahir Qasim (keyboard), Mohamed Ali Mohamed (bass), Adan Mohamed Ali Handal (drums), Ooyaaye Eise and Ali Bisha (congas) and Mohamed Karma, Dahir Yaree and Murjaan Ramandan (backing vocals). Dur-Dur Band managed to release almost a dozen recordings before emigrating to Ethiopia, Djibouti and America.