(Frank Zappa - and thankfully the world would never be the same)

I can't think of very many people who came of age in the 1960s who weren't influenced in some way by Frank Zappa's music, whether it was the inimitable icon-bashing and social commentary or the intricacy of his music that led off in all directions and broadened horizons in music appreciation in a way no high school class ever did.

Listening to Frank made me search out people like Harry Partch, Luigi Nono, Edgar Varese (whom he always quoted "the present day composer refuses to die"). Turned me on to the lesser known works of Igor Stravinsky. Gave me an enjoyment of people like Ornette Coleman. Turned me on to people like Pierre Boulez. Basically, opened up an entire world of music I just wasn't aware of as a teenager.

And I'm pretty sure that happened to a lot of people. Frank led the way and we've come away better for the experience.

In this documentary, produced for BBC Radio 4 in 2006, the feminist author, commentator and social activist Germaine Greer offered some personal insights and a background on the life of Frank Zappa.

If you've never been aware of the music of Frank Zappa, I can't imagine how you missed it. If you're a fan like me, it will remind you how lucky you were to be witness to the whole thing.

(Immigration Reform Protests 2006 - didn't just happen overnight)

With the Obama Administration's focus on Immigration reform, I thought I would start with a series of attempts, arguments, legislations and problems over the last several decades associated with revamping and reforming a hopelessly outdated system. I'm going to try and go back to the 1930's in an attempt to give you some overview at what the Immigration issue has become over the years and what has happened as a result. Like Healthcare reform, it is no easy fix and has been ingrained in our society for a very long time. Many attempts have been made over the years to bring a solution - a lot have been mired in partisan rhetoric, many have suffered from bad timing. But each was an attempt to try and fix a broken system.

The first post up, and most recent was the attempt at Immigration reform by way of a military solution in 2006 under the Bush Administration in this address from May 15, 2006.

Bush: “It is important for Americans to know that we have enough Guard forces to win the war on terror, to respond to natural disasters and to help secure our border. The United States is not going to militarize the Southern Border.”

Senator Dick Durbin offered a rebuttal:

Dick Durbin: “All Americans agree we must act now to secure our borders and fix our broken immigration system, but we don’t need a military solution to break a political stalemate. We need leadership.”

A week before the address, on April 20th, ABC News Nightline ran a segment on the Immigration issue with this telling comment:

Migrant Farm Worker: “I have worked since I was seven years old in the fields, and not once have I seen an Anglo-American pick alongside me.”

The last segment probably goes more to the heart of the matter than anything else. But who wants to admit that?

In the coming days I'll be posting items going back to give you an idea of the complexity of this issue and how long its been going on.

History is loaded with repeats.

(The Damned in 1976 - Officially released the first Punk 45 ever)

A documentary from BBC Radio 2 first aired in 2006, "Is She Really Going With Him?: The Story Of The Damned" traces the beginnings of what became known as the seminal punk band releasing the first known Punk single. New Rose was first issued in the UK on October 22, 1976 and the movement was christened. Quickly followed by The Sex Pistols and the fracas surrounding "Anarchy In The UK" and The Clash, The Damned didn't achieve the notoriety the other two bands did, but they were a pioneering band responsible for changing the face of music for a number of years.

And you get to hear how it all happened from the people who made it happen.

And Music was never the same.

(Annuals - mixing up a big bowl of Experimental in Raleigh)

My bad. I've been meaning to post this band on Newstalgia for many months now. I've been a big fan ever since their first album Be He Me came out in 2006. It's bands like this that keep proving to me over and over that the good music ain't on the charts and it ain't on your local Mainstream radio station.

As usual, I ran across Annuals during one of my browses on MySpace in 2006. Got sucked in within the first 30 seconds and I've been checking on their progress ever since. They come from Raleigh North Carolina and they've been around since 2004, and doing it like so many bands these days are doing it - slowly, but staying at it and getting good word of mouth going.

This track, Brother opens their first album. They have a lot of new material out (or newer), but this track was the first one that got me and I suppose we could call it an oldie. But like my theory goes - if you've never heard it before, it's new to you.

So, if you're familiar with them, I'm preaching to the choir. But if you've never heard them before - take a break and check them out. As always, they can use your support and I hope their fortunes take them to many places and turn on many people.

A change of pace tonight. Some electronica/Techno/Experimental/Pop from L.A. duo The Bird And The Bee, who consist of Greg and Inara in the studio but a full compliment of band members for live gigs.

In the six short years they've been together they've managed to put out an impressive avalanche of material and are doing quite well in the area of soundtracks.

Tonight's track, I Hate Camera is off their self-titled first album, released in December of 2006.

They have a website, a Facebook page and a pile of other goodies with which to connect. You might want to check them out and see what's going on.

It seems to go along with Saturday night quite nicely.

Mimmo Locasciulli has been around for quite a while. With 15 albums to his credit and huge reputation in Europe, he's been associated with the likes Tom Waits and Leonard Cohen. But strangely, his name doesn't seem to register as easily over here in the States. Too bad.

I'm considering devoting this week to checking out what's happening in the Global Music scene, as I've been remiss the last few months really digging around to see what's new and interesting coming out of the non-English speaking part of the world. As is always the case - lots.

Tonights Mimmo track is from his 2006 album Sglobal. The tasty, hypnotic and oh-so mysterioso Carrere Baby was issued (I think) as a single. But it's kind of a moot point. It's a great track and further evidence there is a lot going on in the music world besides Lady Gaga.

Check it out and check out his other stuff and stay tuned for more of the World Tour this week.

Starting off as a duo and quickly finding they needed more instruments, The Lost Levels are that interesting mixture of retro, alternative, underground pop, electronica that pretty much defy classification.

And because of that, here is a track off a 2006 sampler. The Early Sheets is one of the first tracks recorded by the band and it pretty much captures the essence of what they're all about.

And for a Sunday night, that's not at all bad.

(Ball? What ball?)

The Gaza story has a history and a long one, as does the entire region. But one of the things that sticks out is the election of Hamas to the leadership of the Palestinian government in January 2006. It came as a huge surprise to the U.S. and just about everyone else at the United Nations. The question arises whether or not the U.S. and Israel dropped the ball in letting the Hamas faction sway the elections and did the U.S. simply look the other way while all this was going on. In a sit-down (somewhat softball) Radio interview with Condoleeza Rice on January 29th 2006 she's asked that question.

Dan Raviv (CBS News): “Now, we’re hearing from some Arab moderates that the U.S. and Israel blew it. That over the past fourteen months since Yassar Arafat’s death that maybe the U.S. and Israel should have done more to help President Abas. Did the U.S. blow it?”

Rice: Well, I’ve heard a number of Palestinians say that, uh, Palestinian Fatah say that they have to assess what this means about their relationship to the Palestinian people. I think this was about governance. I think this was an issue, um of uh, the legacy that Yassar Arafat left of corruption and violence. Um . . .after the Gaza withdrawal unfortunately, the Palestinian Authority was unable to establish even simple law and order. And I think for the Palestinian people this was . . .this was unacceptable.”

Raviv: “Did we help as much as we could have?”

Rice: “I think we . . .that the United States uh . . did a lot.”

Well, time answered that question.

As a sidebar, Rice answers questions regarding the Bush Adminstration's position on the Immigration issue. Makes for interesting listening as well.

(Curly Giraffe - not so much a them as a him)

I don't know where I got it in my head that Curly Giraffe was a band from Kansas who lucked out with a record deal in Japan. I actually was under that impression for a few years, not realizing there were no American sounding names anywhere to be found on the album notes.

No. Come to find out Curly Giraffe is actually one person - Kiyoshi Takakawa who, although he performs with two or three others, is otherwise a one-man band, and has been that way since 2004.

Chalk it up to a faulty brain for not reading the fine print. At any rate, this track, Story of A Nightjar is off his first album to come out in 2006. Curly Giraffe have a new album out as well as a MySpace page. So if you don't want to make my mistake of an assumed band, check him out and see what he's up to.

In the meantime, while you're listening:

(Pamela Hute - getting well earned recognition)

It thrills me no end to see artists whose work I have loved since Day One get the recognition they've worked so hard for. Last year I ran a cut off Pamela Hute's then-unreleased album Turtle Tales From Overseas. I had the feeling in my gut that Pamela Hute had a good shot of getting her music out to a huge audience all over the world. Well, the album came out on May 3rd to wonderful reviews and great sales and she hasn't looked back.

So tonight I thought I would take a slight look back, to 2006 when Pamela first got on My Space and the first track of hers I heard was Chocolate Soup. She has re-recorded it since, so this version could be considered something of a demo. But it's a great demo and a finished piece of work that, in my mind, needed no improvement. But then, this was the song that first got my attention and whatever flaws there may have been in it, certainly the artist heard and not me. I love this song and this version and I hope maybe you feel the same way.

Get her album if you haven't already. Hopefully she'll be touring the U.S. at some point.