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Pleasantly Annoying Blog

VOLUME 25

For the longest time this week, I've been wishing I had purchased the remastered 2006 import version of Ted Nugent's "Double Live Gonzo!" when I saw it the one and only time at that record store I was at a few years ago. It's a great live album, but I couldn't for the life of me figure out why it was calling to me. Then I made the connection. Ted Nugent just sold one of his songs to a car commercial. You would think Ted the Great American Patriot would GIVE a song to Ford or Chevy or GMC, you know, an American company, but no!!!, Ted sold "Stranglehold" to Volkswagen.

Now, for you sticklers, Stranglehold is not on Double Live Gonzo, I know that, but I wasn't seeing a VW commercial, I was hearing a Ted Nugent song.

"Double Live Gonzo!" (exclamation point included) is one of the best live ROCK 'N' ROLL albums ever. It just steamrolls over "Frampton Comes Alive", an album that probably sold 10 times as many copies. Another great Live Rock album is "Made In Japan" by Deep Purple, although I prefer the vinyl copy of "Made In Europe"."Zappa In New York" by none other than Frank Zappa is another personal favorite of mine. Rory Gallagher's "Stage Struck" is his best live album, and for something completely different, and when I wanted to piss off my older brother when we were growing up, "YesSongs", a triple LP Live release from 1973. Oh, and 1979's "At Budokan" by Cheap Trick is another great live album.

What are your favorite "Live" albums? Nirvana Unplugged or At The Reading Festival, Foo Fighters Live at Wembley? The Clash at Shea Stadium, I have a Ramones Live CD but it sounds like it was recorded on a $20 Radio Shack tape deck.

Okay, out of the past and into the present. New releases for the first week of February are few and far between, but the weirdest and most insane release has to go to the second album from South Africa's Die Antwoord, "Ten$ion" (that's the spelling, not making it up), is the most twisted Rap-Rave DJ-mash up mix up party in the South African ghetto shanty town.

Credited to Mark Lanegan Band, "Blues Funeral" is another album worthy of your purchase. Alternative, Indie, singer/songwriter, not much blues but heavy and intense. Makes for great music listening. For the female perspective of the Alternative, Indie, etc. check out the new disc from Sharon Van Etten called "Tramp". Listen for free at AOL Spinner for now.

The final new release is, wait a minute, is this a new release, or am I back in the 80's? A new Van Halen album, in 2012, with EVH and David Lee Roth together again. Did hell freeze over? Should anyone buy this album or tickets to this upcoming juggernaut of a tour? Maybe they can get the kids in Guns and Roses to be their opening act. Van Halen has always been stupid fun and awesome guitar playing, just tell me to shut up and crank up the tunes dude! ________________________________________________________