Music at Meijer's?

   Everyone is, or at least should be aware of how retailers will pipe in music in an attempt to subliminally spur sales or attract clientele.    Whoever is programming the airwaves at Meijer's in both my new town and in my old neighborhood, is either the biggest Replacements fan ever or an aging rebel without a clue.  In my last three visits to the retailer I've heard the following songs.  

     Three weeks ago I heard 'Achin to Be' from the 1989 album Don't Tell a Soul.

    Today as I perused the dairy aisle 'Merry Go Round', a chart topper on the Modern Rock Chart for four weeks in 1990, came over the speakers.

   During a temporary lull at the Meijer's in my old hood two weeks ago I heard my favorite Replacements song,  'I'll Be You".

   I don't know if this is a coincidence or a ploy to move merchandise.  If it's the latter it's not working on me, because when I get to check out I just tell the cashier 'Those aren't mine, I don't know how that Jack Daniels and cigarettes got in my cart'.

Magic Stick Warm-up Bands

  Often at the Magic Stick the warm-up bands were just as good the headliners.  In June '04 The Stratford 4 stole the show from headliners Beulah.  The song Telephone inspired me to make a mix CD and sneak it into the disc player of my oldest daughter's car on her 22nd birthday.  It featured this song plus Spacemen3, Primal Scream and T Rex, Belle and Sebastian and the Bunnymen. 

    In May of '04 Apples in Stereo came to the Magic Stick and their drummer Hilary Sydney, worked double time as she also played guitar and sang lead for the High Water Marks.   The High Water Marks also feature one of my favorite drummers Jimmy Lindsay.  I talked to him at the merch table and told him his style reminded me of Keith Moon.  I later found an old interview with him online where he was asked which historical figures he would like to have dinner with.  Of course, Keith Moon was one of his choices.

High Watermarks - Good I Feel Bad

     Imaad Wasif's band alaska! was first band on for an Ash/Bravery show in April '05.  Ash had started the tour as headliners but by the time they reached Detroit, the Bravery had a surging single that gave them top-billing and let me call it an early night.
  alaska! - Real Is Your Control

 

First Day of Spring

   After a long cold winter, the first day of spring has arrived.  But there is no way of knowing how long it will last.  The Gandharvas being from Canada should know a thing or two about the appreciation of the season of renewal.  That being said their hometown of London, Ontario is actually farther south than the area of Michigan where I currently reside.  

      In 1987 The Jesus and Mary Chain released the album Darklands, the title of the first single  off of it continues the spring theme with April Skies.

    Although I couldn't think of any more songs involving spring, I found a video by the Breeders that, like spring, bridges the gap between Winter and Summer.

    Summer is ready when you are.