Market Power

It's Starting to Look a Lot Like WInter - Plus A Little Vivaldi

Southern Minnesota, and the entire upper midwest for that matter, is under one sort of winter weather advisory or another.  We locally are under a blizzard warning for today and tonight.  The current forecast calls for nearly a foot of snow, light and fluffy snow, with winds whupping up to 30 mph.  Those winds are forecasted to drive the wind chil down in the 25 to 35 below range.  Ew.  So it seems appropriate for a little Vivaldi.

The Music of Star Wars in Concert

From the Detroit Free Press:

You might not know the name Anthony Daniels, and you very likely have no clue what he looks like in real life -- but you certainly know his voice. The gold-plated robot of the "Star Wars" saga is taking on a new role as the live narrator for "Star Wars": In Concert, a symphonic extravaganza with an 86-piece orchestra, large choir and accompanying memorabilia exhibit that visits the Palace of Auburn Hills on Saturday for two performances. Call him Emcee 3PO, even if it makes you cringe.

One of my favorite record albums of my youth was the Star Wars soundtrack.  I used to listen to it for hours on end and the music still ranks up there as some of my favorite orchestral pieces. 

In many instances, incidental music is pretentious.  But you can reasonably argue that the John Williams masterpiece is a big reason why the movie so successful. 

Being Bon Jovi

An article about the "band and the brand."

The Fall of the Berlin Wall: Winds of Change

Growing up in the potential firing line between the US and the USSR, the members of the metal band the Scorpions had special reason to celebrate the fall of the Berlin Wall.  Here is a video of their classic ballad Winds of Change which is about this historical event.

Here is the original video.

It's important to remember that this song, recored in 1990, is about this moment in history written from that moment in history.  It is a song about hope and the dismantling of the the dark shroud that destroyed the hope of millions of people in Eastern Europe:  the Iron Curtain.

Markets in Everything: KISS Potato Heads

Say what you want about their music, but the members of KISS have never shied away from trying to make a buck and giving their fans something in return.  This time it's the KISS Potato Heads.  

They'll  look great next to the Kiss plush toys .  Just in time for the holidays.

RIP Lynyrd Skynyrd's Billy Powell

Lynyrd Skynyrd's keyboardist, Billy Powell, has died.  He was 56.  Here's more on Billy from CMT.

From Quiet Arms - New Song: "Carousels"

You can hear From Quiet Arms' newest recording called "Carousels" here at their MySpace page.

From Quiet Arms

My cousin's oldest son, Stephen Cabrera, and his band, From Quiet Arms, are getting some radio airplay in the Kansas City area.  Here is their MySpace page with some tunes you can listen to.  Good stuff!

Toking with Lawrence Welk

Gail and Dale sing about getting stoned on the Lawrence Welk show without realizing it.

And Lawrence thinks it's a gospel tune.  We've all got our skeletons, I guess.  HT to JD.

Where I'll be on Thursday

Here.