Category: Rock n’ Roll

We Begin Unpacking The Heartbreakers’ Fillmore Box, Give You Our AOW, and Hot Tuna ‘Live’ Later, on Thursday, December 15, 2022

Good Morning, Petty-Ologists! Today is the day we begin to unpack that box of wonder known as Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers Live at The Fillmore, vintage 1997. We also have our Album of The Week and Hot Tuna ‘Live’ at the same Fillmore later.

Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers vintage Fillmore 1997 posters.

Here’s today’s musical lineup:

11:00 a.m. Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers Live at The Fillmore, San Francisco, CA, 1997, Volume 1 NEW!

Today’s the day we finally get into the long-awaited 72-song Fillmore box set from our house band, and a box of musical delights it truly is. We will be airing volume two on Friday (7:00 p.m.) and volume three on Saturday (4:00 p.m.). We promise that these will repeat over the next few weeks. The entire package has also been added to our standard rotation.

The band tossed out the script for their vaunted 20-night residency at The Fillmore, offering up a different show every night. For the first time, their “covers” of those who inspired them outnumbered their own compositions. We’ve said all along that they are not only one of the greatest rock n’ roll bands in history, but hands down the best cover band on the planet. The Fillmore box only serves to bolster our argument. Enjoy.

3:00 p.m. Album of The Week: Dixie Chicken by Little Feat

We’re winding down on this particular album, so this would be the time to get in on this one. Our final airing will be sometime on Saturday. By Sunday, we’ll have a brand new album.

7:00 p.m. Hot Tuna Live at The Fillmore, San Francisco, CA, March 4, 1988

Tonight we’ve got another great show from a historic venue when we give you Hot Tuna live from 1988. We haven’t heard this one in quite a while, so it’s worth tuning in.

Before, in between and after, we continue to bring you our great wide Open Stream. The Music Mermaid has everything under control here. We have the ultimate faith in her. She has never let us down.

The Heartbreakers Live at The Fillmore!

We are at Midweek With The Ladies Fully in Charge Today, and Warren Zevon as Our Featured Singer-Songwriter Later, on Wednesday, December 14, 2022

Here we are at midweek with an expanded ‘Ladies Day Out’ EP, so the women are even more large and in charge today. Later, we give Warren Zevon the stage for the second time as our featured Singer-Songwriter.

Here’s your midweek lineup:

10:00 a.m. Ladies Day Out: Various Artists UPDATED!

We’ve undertaken a modest update with our all-women EP here by adding Ellen McIlwaine, Christine McVie, and some reggae artists like Rita Marley, Marcia Griffiths, and Judy Mowatt (also known as the I-Threes). There will be another update coming. Other artists you will hear include Linda Ronstadt, Bonnie Raitt, Carly Simon, Emmylou Harris, Petula Clark, Laura Nyro, Cilla Black, Irma Thomas, Aretha Franklin, Joni Mitchell, Joan Baez, Etta James, Janis Joplin, Carole King, Maria Muldaur, Lucinda Williams, Rosanne Cash, Eva Cassidy, Wendy Waldman, Shawn Colvin, The Ronettes, Diana Ross & The Supremes, Gladys Knight & The Pips, Norah Jones, Phoebe Snow, Nicolette Larson, Sheryl Crow, Valerie Carter, Dolly Parton, Dusty Springfield and more!

7:00 p.m. Singer-Songwriter Series: The Music of Warren Zevon

Warren Zevon gets the stage for the second time as this week’s featured Singer-Songwriter in our series. Linda Ronstadt recognized his immense songwriting talents by recording Carmelita and Poor Poor Pitiful Me, Hasten Down The Wind and Mohammed’s Radio. (I love them all but I think Mohammed’s Radio is brilliant.) Warren Zevon also had a great solo career, starting off with his breakthrough album, Excitable Boy, one of our all-time favorites. Tune him in.

Yeah, after today, we’re on the downslide to the weekend and everything gets better from here. Before, in between, and after we have The Music Mermaid at the helm. She has impeccable taste in music, as you well know by now.

Ladies Day Out!

Welcome To Tuesday Bluesday With Some ‘Live’ James Cotton, Our AOW, and a New Spotlight Featuring the Tedeschi Trucks Band, December 13, 2022

Good Morning, Bluesologists! It’s another Tuesday Bluesday here in The Mermaid Lounge, and we’ve got some great stuff on tap for today, including the Tedeschi Trucks Band Spotlight feature!

Here’s your Tuesday Bluesday lineup:

11:00 a.m. James Cotton Live at Antoine’s Night Club, New Orleans, LA, July 1987

There are just some shows we can’t nail a date down for. Trust me. I’m totally anal retentive about this stuff. I have looked everywhere. Not happening. But nevertheless, it’s a great James Cotton show. Enjoy.

3:00 p.m. Album of The Week: Dixie Chicken by Little Feat

Not a blues album per se, but this is the album where Little Feat established its sound, moving into the realm of New Orleans rhythm & blues and funk. Sam Clayton (percussion) and the late, great Paul Barrere (guitar) became permanent members of the band on this album. This would be the final lineup before the death of Lowell George and the band’s dissolution.

7:00 p.m. In the Spotlight: The Music of Tedeschi Trucks Band NEW!

Right now, this is our premier blues-rock band with arguably the best blues guitarist in the business in Derek Trucks. His wife, Susan Tedeschi, is no slouch on that thing either. And she can sing the blues. This one has been a long time coming. We’ve also gotten hold of some great live performances that we’ll soon be featuring.

This is the place to be on Tuesday because it’s blues day. We’ve always got a global full house on this day, so why not join the club? We’re on 24/7. We’re totally free…no credit card or personal info required. It’s all about the music.

Tuesday Bluesday!

Monday Returns With the J. Geils Band, Our New ‘Best of Reggae & Ska’ Playlist, and ‘Live’ Byrds Later, December 12, 2022

Good Morning, Reggae-Ologists! We are back here in The Mermaid Lounge for the beginning of another week of indentured servitude to the masters. But hell, we’ve got some great programming today including our new Reggae, Rocksteady and Ska playlist.

Here’s today’s lineup:

11:00 a.m. In The Spotlight: The Music of The J. Geils Band

We haven’t spun this baby for a while, and we consider J. Geils the official original Bad Boys of Boston. I’ve seen these guys a few times and they never, ever disappointed. We give you the best of their music to start off the programming day.

3:00 p.m. The Best of Reggae & Ska: Various Artists NEW!

Finally a playlist dedicated strictly to this great genre. You’ll hear Bob Marley & The Wailers, Jimmy Cliff, Prince Buster, Judy Mowatt, Basil Gabbidon, Peter Tosh, The Rhythm Aces, Derrick Morgan, Laurel Aitken, Count Lasher, the Jiving Juniors, Marcia Griffiths, Rita Marley, Desmond Dekker, Bunny Wailer, and more! We expect to expand this list over time!

7:00 p.m. The Byrds’ Reunion Concert at The Boarding House, San Francisco, February 9, 1978

The Byrds get back together for a reunion concert at this great San Francisco venue. Recorded and broacast live on KSAN-FM, and here for you tonight to close out our formal programming.

Monday. Back to the mines. And always a great day to tune us in. There’s no better way to start off a new work week, is there? Personally, I can’t think of one. But hey, that’s me. Remember that we are totally free. Every day. No strings. No surprises. No questions asked. We’re not about profit. We’re all about the music.

Best of Reggae & Ska!

Sunday Brings Little Feat’s “Dixie Chicken” as Our AOW, and the ‘Little Bit O’ Soul’ EP, December 11, 2022

It’s a Sunday in The Mermaid Lounge with the threat of what we call a ‘wintry mix’ in the air. That’s when the weather people hedge their bets because they can’t figure out if it’s going to be snow or rain or both. I’m hedging my bets with a nice day indoors listening to some great music!

Here’s your Sunday Funday lineup:

11:00 a.m. Album of The Week: Dixie Chicken by Little Feat NEW!

This was Little Feat’s third studio album, released in 1973, and certainly became a landmark for the band. The title song would go a long way toward establishing the band’s great signature sound. Little Feat also added the great guitarist Paul Barrere and percussionist Sam Clayton. Bassist Kenny Gradney was also added to replace Roy Estrada. It signaled a change of the band’s sound, moving them toward New Orleans R & B and funk.This lineup would endure until Lowell George’s death in 1979 and the band’s subsequent breakup.

3:00 p.m. A Little Bit O’ Soul: Various Artists

This is the Grand Kahuna of our R & B/soul playlists which is all encompassing, and not just dedicated to Motown artists. You’ll hear Aretha Franklin, The Temptations, The Four Tops, Al Green, The Ronettes, Marvin Gaye, Ray Charles, Otis Redding, Chuck Berry, Jimmy Ruffin, The Drifters, Stevie Wonder, Carla Thomas, James Brown, The Shirelles, Etta James, Curtis Mayfield, Sam & Dave, The Staple Singers, Nina Simone, LaVern Baker, The Supremes, Sam Cooke, Edwin Starr, Fontella Bass, Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, Irma Thomas, The Box Tops, Jr. Walker & The All Stars, Eddie Floyd, The Ad Libs, Arthur Conley, Joe Tex, Wanda Jackson, Percy Sledge, Ann Peebles and more!

Let’s get with the program, people. Sunday is a day of rest, and what better way to kick back than with great music. We’ve got it here and it won’t cost you a thing. I promise. We run 24/7, and always with more Open Stream than programming, at absolutely no cost to you. All you need is a computer and a free tab.

A Little Bit O’ Soul

On Saturday We’ve Got Our ‘Ode To Morning’ EP, The Final Airing of “Rumors” and The First Airing of Warren Zevon as This Week’s Singer-Songwriter, December 10, 2022

Good Morning, Musicologists! As the sun comes up in The Mermaid Lounge, we welcome you aboard the musical train for Saturday, for some, the first day of the weekend! My first day is tomorrow, but The Music Mermaid is here for you!

Here’s your lineup:

10:00 a.m. Ode To Morning: Various Artists

We’ve got a multi-artist EP paying homage to the night, and we’ve got one for the morning. This morning you will hear Joni Mitchell, The Move, Fleetwood Mac, Foreigner, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Nina Simone, Cat Stevens, Hoyt Axton, The Beatles, Neil Young, The Rascals, Waylon Jennings, Joan Baez, James Taylor, Gram Parsons, Simon & Garfunkel, Taj Mahal, Dan Fogelberg, Harry Chapin, Three Dog Night, Ry Cooder, Tim Buckley, Muddy Waters, Linda Ronstadt, Jonathan Edwards, Townes Van Zandt, Pure Prairie League, Bob Dylan, Chris Hillman, Badfinger and more!

4:00 p.m. Album of The Week: Rumors by Fleetwood Mac FINAL AIRING!

We bid a fond farewell to Rumors this afternoon, one of the greatest pop-rock albums ever made and certainly one that highlighted Christine McVie’s many talents. Tomorrow we’ll have a brand new one for you. Stay tuned.

7:00 p.m. Singer-Songwriter Series: The Music of Warren Zevon NEW!

I remember my first time seeing Warren Zevon live. It was at the Berkelee Performance Center in Boston, and he was two hours late for the show after making us suffer through 52 versions of Year of The Cat courtesy of Al Stewart, the opening act. We were foul of mood. That was, until Zevon got on stage and blew us all away. He was an extraordinary songwriter who broke onto the scene when someone named Linda Ronstadt started singing his songs. And Zevon had a great voice to boot. He may have been a self destructive character, but nobody can ever deny the man’s talents.

Give us a listen. We’re totally free of charge, so you’ve got absolutely nothing to lose. Your money is no good here in The Mermaid Lounge where we broadcast from. Not only do we not ask for a credit card; we also don’t ask you any personal information. We’ve got nothing for sale. It’s free. 24/7. No strings. No shit.

Johnny Strikes Up The Band

One Day Away From the Weekend With Our ‘Travelin’ Fever’ Multi-Artist EP and Carole King’s Final Airing as Singer-Songwriter, Friday, December 9, 2022

We are one day away from the official start of the weekend. Of course, some of us will toil in retail hell for one more day tomorrow, but we’re getting closer. We’ve got a lot of wide Open Stream today with some excellent programming tossed in for good measure.

Here’s your musical journey for today:

11:00 a.m. Travelin’ Fever: Various Artists

Stories about the road, the air, the sea, and going places from Canned Heat, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Creedence Clearwater Revival, the Steve Miller Band, Jackson Browne, Bonnie Raitt, Dan Fogelberg, Bruce Springsteen, Linda Ronstadt, Led Zeppelin, Paul McCartney & Wings, The Doors, The Eagles, Little Feat, The Band, Willie Nelson, Edwin Starr, Janis Joplin, Guy Clark, The Byrds, Asleep at The Wheel, The Traveling Wilburys, Joan Baez, Mudcrutch, Loggins & Messina, Buffalo Springfield and more.

7:00 p.m. Singer-Songwriter Series: The Music of Carole King

Today we bid a fond farewell to Carole King as our featured Singer-Songwriter, a woman whose music has been both an inspiration and a musical career builder. Tomorrow we welcome the late, great (and often troubled) Warren Zevon.

Before, in between and after we’ve got some great wide Open Stream, which has recently been significantly bolstered. This is not the place to detail that, but I will be writing a separate blog post on that very soon, so stay tuned! We’ve added some great artists we’ve been working on and bolstered the content of many others!

Travelin’ Fever!

We Head Toward the Weekend With The Trio Sessions, Our Album of The Week, and Some ‘Live’ Laura Nyro, on Thursday, December 8, 2022

Good Morning, Music Lovers! We’ve got a treat for you today as we bring you The Trio Sessions, courtesy of three of our favorite women of music: Linda Ronstadt, Dolly Parton and Emmylou Harris. Tonight, we’ve got another favorite in Laura Nyro.

Here’s Thursday’s lineup:

10:00 a.m. The Trio Sessions: Linda Ronstadt, Dolly Parton, Emmylou Harris

Once upon a time, three of the most talented women on the planet decided to get together and make a couple of albums. They just blew everyone away with this project. They called themselves Trio. Today, we have the entire sessions surrounding this event, including alternate versions, outtakes, and other assorted gems. This is one you don’t want to miss!

4:00 p.m. Album of The Week: Rumors by Fleetwood Mac

No doubt this album was biographical and referenced the personal situations going on with the members of Fleetwood Mac, hence the title. It was also one of the best pop-rock albums ever made.

7:00 p.m. Laura Nyro Live at The Fillmore East, New York, March 30, 1971

Closing out our programming is a woman who made others famous with her spectacular songwriting. But there’s nothing quite like hearing Laura Nyro sing these herself.

Before, in between, and after you’ll be treated to wide :Open Stream courtesy of The Music Mermaid. Give us a shot and join your friends from around the globe in the spirit of camraderie. You can’t go wrong. No lie. No surprises.

The Trio Sessions!

Midweek is Here and So Is Our ‘Female Species’ EP and Some ‘Live’ Kinks Later, Wednesday, December 7, 2022

We keep it simple at midweek with our ‘Female Species’ EP, not to be confused with the ‘Ladies Day Out’ EP. You’ll see what we mean below. We’ve also got some ‘live’ Kinks later.

Here’s your midweek lineup:

10:00 a.m. The Female Species: Various Artists

Not to be confused with ‘Ladies Day Out,’ this EP consists of songs about girls, women, ladies and other terms meant to describe the fairer sex. You’ll hear songs by Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Jackson Browne, Talking Heads, The Boogaloo Swamis, John Mayall, Hot Tuna, The Eagles, Elvis Presley, Electric Light Orchestra, Fleetwood Mac, Percy Sledge, The Beatles, America, Peter Green’s Fleetwood Mac, Roy Orbison, Billy Joel, Jimi Hendrix Experience, Aretha Franklin, Bob Dylan, Van Morrison, The Beach Boys, The Temptations, Linda Ronstadt, The Rolling Stones, Bob Marley & The Wailers, The Rascals, Peter & Gordon and more!

7:00 p.m. The Kinks Live at The Hippodrome Theatre, London, UK, July 14, 1974

We actually aired this on Monday, but our server had a minor meltdown and this show was never played in its entirety. We are making up for that today by repeating it this evening. This one was recorded live for airing on the BBC.

Before, in between, and after we give you that wide Open Stream under the watchful eye of The Music Mermaid who, as you know, has impeccable taste in music. Of course, you know we are totally free of charge every day. No surprises. No lies.

The Female Species!

It’s Another Tuesday Bluesday With Our ‘Best of Chicago Blues’ EP, Our AOW, and Gregg Allman ‘Live’ at The House of Blues Later, December 6, 2022

It’s another Tuesday Bluesday here in The Mermaid Lounge, and we’ve got our ‘Best of Chicago Blues’ EP and Gregg Allman ‘live’ at The House of Blues in New Orleans bringing up the rear. In between, we’ve got our Album of The Week.

Here’s your Tuesday Bluesday lineup:

10:00 a.m. The Best of Chicago Blues: Various Artists

There’s nothing quite like the blues coming out of Chi-Town, and we’ve got some fine bluesologists today in Otis Rush, Willie Dixon, Albert King, Muddy Waters, Little Walter, Bo Diddley, Koko Taylor, Lowell Fulson, Howlin’ Wolf, Buddy Guy, Magic Slim, Sonny Boy Williamson, Son Seals, James Cotton, Paul Butterfield, Elmore James, Jimmy Reed, Otis Spann and more!

4:00 p.m. Album of The Week: Rumors by Fleetwood Mac

Our second airing of this great power pop album by Fleetwood Mac is the one break from blues programming today.

7:00 p.m. Gregg Allman Live at The House of Blues, New Orleans, LA, December 31, 2012

We close out our blues programming with this fine 2012 New Years Eve Gregg Allman show at the New Orleans House of Blues. I’ve visited this venue several times. Don’t know if it’s the same now as it was the last time I was there in 2014, but it featured Fats Domino’s piano. Great space.

We’ve always got a full house on Tuesday Bluesday, and I’m sure it’ll be the same today. Don’t miss it. It only comes once a week! We’re on 24/7 and we’re totally free of charge, folks. What more could you possibly ask for? Oh, right, no commercial advertising to interrupt the mood and no chatty DJ’s to mess up the vibe. Get on it.

Tuesday Bluesday is Here!