This is a new feature, one that seeks to combine my love for music with my almost as passionate love for short fiction. When you consider that the short story as literary convention has its roots in the oral tradition, it really isn't that far off from music in its pre-literate beginnings. Each Short Story Saturday will include one of my favorite pieces of short fiction, accompanied by a brief score of mp3s, sort of a soundtrack to the story. This first installment is an easy choice, a story that in itself inspired the name of one of my favorite [...]

Sure, they're stylin sunglasses, but do they really offer Van Morrison full UV protection? A reminder that Bluesfest starts today, with a 7:30 PM show by cara Van Morrison and a late show with the Elmer Ferrer Band , whom dial613 stumbled upon last year at the Blacksheep stage and found really entertaining. They added The Vanner long after the fest lineup had been announced, and tacked on an extra day at the beginning to accommodate the show, which is why you may be looking at your calendar, [...]

However you may feel about it in this time war, it is almost Independence Day. I love watching the fireworks, despite whatever connotations they may carry. Also, I love these songs. I may be taking a break from the antiquities here at the flu, or at least sprinkling them with slightly more contemporary selections, although these are hardly current. Below, we have Van Morrison's prelude to the holiday; an outtake from my favorite summertime LP: The Wild, The Innocent and the E Street Shuffle ; and two versions of "The 4th of July" - one by its [...]

So here we are, a little less than two weeks after we started this one and it seemed to go pretty smoothly, all things considered. So here would be a good time to comment and let me know that you dug all these or didn't. Thanks again. I guess the new ABC's will start soon enough. V : Van Morrison - Into the Mystic (Live) The Vandals - Mohawk Town (Live) The Vue - Find your Home (Live) [...]

I cannot think of any need in childhood as strong as the need for a father's protection. Sigmund Freud in the air tonight :: phil collins [face value 1981] old man :: neil young [harvest 1972] landslide :: fleetwood mac [fleetwood mac 1975] im [...]

There is an interesting article in the Friday, April 13 edition of The Wall Street Journal by Tom Nolan, proposing that Madame George, the central character in the song of that name on Van Morrison's landmark 1969 album Astral Weeks, was in fact Madame George Yeats, wife (from 1917-1939) of the Irish poet W.B. Yeats. (Unfortunately, I can neither post the article nor link to the article, since The Wall Street Journal offers no Internet access unless one is a paid subscriber.) Nolan makes a convincing argument, based not only on the character's name, but on some key [...]
Van Morrison - Ring Worm "I can tell by the look on your face..." Yeah? What can you tell us, Van? Maybe it's something about love, or spirituality, or literature or the plight of nations, something like that. After all, Van the Man always has a word or two to say about the big stuff. "...that you got ringworm." Oh. Thanks. In 1967 Van Morrison was still under contract to Bang Records. The terms of his contract stated that he [...]

Happy Birthday I'm not sure how I feel about the blogging world acting as some kind of confessional or as a 'virtual shoulder' to cry on. For a start it kind of goes against the grain. I'm not exactly the 'cry on your shoulder' type, but I suppose dealing with a lot of unknown faces helps, so here goes. Mrs Vicar and I had a lovely daughter who died. Her name was Beth. It [...]
"Hey Salut, Van, How do you douille ? - Very bien and you, NotBill, old branche ? - Dis moi, VV, mon Vieux Van, c'est quoi cette histoire de sonnerie de téléphone, is it vrai ? - Bien sûr que c'est true ! I have inventé the ringing bell of the electronic téléphone, of ze course ! - Nawak, Van, tu me tell que des billevesées ! - Bon I raconte to you : I was under a redwood tree, il pleuvait, il y avait même, even thunder... - Quoi ? tu te mets à l'abri sous un arbre quand [...]

I couldn't resist doing a Irish band theme post since it is March 17th. Happy St. Patty's Day! mp3 Cradle Burns Rollerskate Skinny - Horsedrawn Wishes mp3 Ghost Blues Rory Gallagher - Fresh Evidence mp3 Jail Break Thin Lizzy - Jailbreak [...]
Day 14 in a crazy attempt to post 5 love songs every day till Valentines Day Welp, it's upon us. Valentine's Day is here and I've saved my five personal favorites. These songs seriously melt my heart into a puddle. So lovey. Be sure to check out the other 13 mixes I've posted this month too. Ben Harper - Beloved One [MP3] Van Morrison - Crazy Love [MP3] The Wrens - She Sends Kisses [...]

Day 12 in a crazy attempt to post 5 love songs every day till Valentines Day Sure divorce may be common place today, but back in the day relationships lasted forever. Our grandparents knew what real love is. Here are some classics to help you and your schmoopie (they said that back then didn't they?) stick together. Elvis Presley - I Can't Help Falling In Love With You [MP3] Van Morrison - Moondance (Live) [MP3] [...]
My pal Jeff Weiss (who runs the finely-wrought and utterly hilarious Passion Of The Weiss blog) also moonlights with the good folks at Stylus Magazine, and you should read his latest opus for them: Back To The Future vs. Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure . It's just as awesome as it sounds. Weiss pits two of the most excellent '80s films against each other on several battles: Better Protagonist, Better Villain, Better Historical Time-Travel Interaction, Better Time-Traveling Helper, Better Time-Traveling Vehicle, Better Token [...]

MP3: Van Morrison - Moonshine Whiskey NOTE: Today's blog comes from my good friend Matt Giordano, who will guest here from time to time. Fuck yeah. So, originally I was going to submit this awesome Troll interlude ( however I'll get around to is if Joey allows me to guest again ), but at the last minute I decided to go with one of my favourite tracks by one of the best songwriters of the 20th century, Mr. Geroge Ivan Morrison . [...]
From The Bottom Line in New York City, New York (11/11/78) - Van Morrison: Van Morrison - Moondance Van Morrison - Into The Mystic Van Morrison - Wild Night

Weekly feature where we pick five concerts you can stream online Emily Haines & The Soft Skeleton ( October 1, 2006 @ Kool Haus, Toronto ) If you haven't gotten a chance to catch this Emily live you still have a chance; she's going back on tour in January . Stream this show, let her soft voice melt your day away with her latest album. Recommended Track: Detective Daughter Destroyer ( April 10, [...]
Van Morrison Live at Montreux 1980 & 1974 1st time on DVD Double Disc - 143 minutes Available 10-31-06 from Eagle Vision USA Van Morrison personally picked these two appearances at the Montreux Jazz Festival to create his first ever DVD release. The two performances from 1974 and 1980 include: [...]

I’ve never made a mix that tried to capture the feeling of Autumn, my favorite season. Until now! Just in time for tomorrow's equinox. I tried to use songs that either have fall lyrics, sound like fall, or were I purchased in the fall. Hope you enjoy. 1. Smashing Pumpkins ~ Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness (I like to start with instrumentals and this is a good one off a great double album released in October 1995) 2. [...]

Mose Allison ~ Young Man’s Blues Greg Brown ~ Mose Allison Played Here Van Morrison ~ Benediction (Mose Allison songs) Alison Brown ~ Everyday I Write The Book (Costello cover, who wrote the song “Alisonâ€, from an album called Fair Weather) Allison Moorer ~ Fairweather (starting to see the connection now?) Alison Kraus and Union Station ~ [...]