Fury in the Slaughterhouse. Nerf Herder. Teenage Fanclub. Nothing ringing a bell? Then read this blog.

Well, hell, I'm back from paradise. The kids come tomorrow and the Beach Bars will be far, far away. However, I shall soldier bravely on because as some of you know, in 5-years I'll be going to the beach and not coming back. Ever. Schedule your visits accordingly and in advance, as there may be a wait.

But for now, let's blog. Over the years I have been a huge fan of several bands that I felt sure would hit the big-time. Some have and some haven't. It's a pretty hard and fast rule that when you love an unknown band and they hit it big some of the lustre immediately wears off. I remember listening to REM back in the early 80's, and there was something cool about knowing something other music fans didn't. Then, after the world woke up to them, things changed. I went from watching them along with a couple hundred other fans in a Springfield, Ohio gymnasium to watching them in 20,000 seat arenas. Trust me, there's nothing more annoying than sitting beside some idiot screaming "SHINY HAPPY PEOPLE!" Sing SHINY HAPPY PEOPLE!" when all you want to hear is some of the early stuff like "Gardening at Night" or "Pretty Persuasion." Sidenote: REM doesn't play that song anymore. Thank you Lord/Michael Stipe.

I must admit it has given me great satisfaction over the years when a former student (hello Vesey and DJ) has come up to me and said, "Hell, I remember you playing Mudhoney and Soungarden in class w-a-y before we knew what grunge was all about" or "How in the world did you get away with playing Frank Zappa music to a bunch of 8th graders?" Hey, I was just expanding musical and cultural horizons the best I could, so to speak.

But back to the point of this blog. There are still several bands/artists left that, for the life of me, I cannot figure out how they've missed out. For the record, I won't include the following artists because, though not necessarily mainstream, they have achieved some sort of notable success:

• The Eels - The Eels are so big (especially in Europe) that I don't think E is starving or anything. It was a slow grind but I think they're near the top of the music scene now.
• They Might Be Giants - Although not widely known, they've been too commercially successful to make my list. Still love 'em, especially live.

Now let's get to the artists that, for one reason or another, have not found the pot at the end of the rock rainbow. Rock Rainbow. Wasn't that a psychedelic band from the late 60's? And what exactly would be in a pot at the end of a rock rainbow? The mind reels. But again I'm off-point. Many apologies.

And we're off. Thank ya kindly in advance for clicking on the links as ya go.

• Nerf Herder - This band was at the forefront of the Punk-Pop sound that came alive in the early to mid-90's. Picture a cross between Blink-182 and Weezer. Better yet, think Nerf Herder = Peyton Manning, Blink 182 = Eli Manning, and Weezer = Cooper Manning (Note: I'm awesome). These guys have a clean, catchy, whimsical, hook filled sound combined with some of the most intelligently offbeat lyrics in rock music. Granted, a lot of the stuff is tongue-in-cheek and downright juvenile, but I love it. Give a listen to "New Jersey Girl" and you'll catch the vibe. For a spot of fun, put on "Sorry", a true punk/pop gem. Just make sure the headphones are on.
• Teenage Fanclub - These guys from Scotland have been around since the early 1990;s and have never quite caught on, and I know not why. Their sound will remind you of The Byrds, Tom Petty, The Beach Boys, Big Star, hell, even America. They combine great guitar layered tunes, tight harmonies, and smooth vocals. They've been solid for almost 20-years now. Give a listen to "Sparky's Dream" and see if I'm lyin'.
• Fury in the Slaughterhouse - Easy there, easy. Don't let the name fool you. These guys ain't no punk speed metal outfit. Instead, these German badasses play straight ahead rock (with a good dollop of pop) that will leave you wanting more. Formed back in '87, the lead singer (Kai Uwe Wingerfelder) has a strong, unique voice that brings a certain panache to any song. Listen to "Milk and Honey" to get the vibe.
• Hoodoo Gurus - What can I say? My love for the Gurus is well documented. There's nothing fancy about these Aussies, they're pretty much straight-up unapologetic rockers. For a treat, download "Like Wow - Wipeout", a Hoodoo Guru classic.
• Matthew Sweet - When Mathew Sweet released "Girlfriend" in 1990 it was hailed by critics as a masterpiece and Sweet was annointed the NEXT BIG THING. He never quite rose above that great album, at least in the critic's minds, although I've stuck with him through all the ups and downs. Listen to 1993's "The Ugly Truth" or 1995's "We're the Same" for some vintage Sweet. By the way, he's ungodly good live in concert.
• Carbon Leaf - Carbon Leaf is a band that I first heard down in The Outer Banks, and I've since fell in love with their sound. At first I thought they were some Celtic based band from Scotland or Ireland (where the hell is Celtic music based anyway?) but it turns out they hail from none other than Richmond, Virginia. Who knew? Anyway, you must listen to the music to get what I mean. Give "What About Everything?" a go and let me know what you think.
• The Alarm - These guys are sort of a poor man's U2 I guess, although I'd put that the other way around (blasphemy!). They emerged as an 80's alt group and, although they can be a tad pretentious (I told you they were U2ish) they have a great sound. A lot of their stuff is political and rock anthem oriented which is fine by me. Listen to "68 Guns" and "Spirit of '76" to get the feel. Sidenote: Saw these guys open for Mr. Bob Dylan in 1989. Unforgettable.

There are others I could put on the list, such as:

• Steve Forbert - In my mind this cool cat should be ranked right up there Petty and Mellencamp.
• John Hiatt - Maybe the most underappreciated rockers of our time.
• Todd Rundgren - For the life of me I can't figure out why he's not a household name. A true genius.

So there you go. I'm sure you all have some faves that you look at in the same way. Let's hear 'em.

Note: That's Nerf Herder up top. Nerf Herder is cool.

Random Musings from The BIg Sandbar: The Final Days

Note: The following blog has absolutely nothing to do with music. I don't care.

Yeah, I took that picture. I'm artsy.

Well, we're down to our last few days out here on The Big Sandbar called The Outer Banks. It's been quite an eventful summer with lots of visitors and lots of fun. Some stayed with us and some stayed elswhere, but I think everbody had a good time. We're cutting out of here soon (after arriving in June) and I suppose it's time. Hey, a guy's gotta make a living.

Some highlights:

At one point I was found in a Karaoke Bar called Sunburn's (I hate Karaoke Bars) singing "Hang On Sloopy" with a 4-girl backing group. It was sort of cool seeing a bar full of drunk vacationers doing the O-H! I-O! signs though.

Though gone now, at one point I had a spectacular goatee that rivaled that dude from Anthrax. It has since gone down the drain though. Can't frighten my kindergartners ya know.

My man SB spent a memorable 4-days with us in July, and I know he'll love what he remembers of Kill Devil Hills and The Outer Banks. Good times my friend. Our buddies at Chilipepper's, Awful Arthur's, Tortugas Lie, Mulligan's, Goombay's, Black Pelican, Hurricane Mo's, and Barefoot Bernie's remember you fondly. In addition, SB and I took a WWII biplane ride that was both exhilarating and terrifying at the same time.

And oh yeah, I should mention that I shattered something in my elbow in early July. I slipped at the bottom of our steps (it had been raining) early one morning and went down hard. I had a lump on my head the size of an egg, my jaw didn't work right for a couple of weeks, and there are still things moving around in my elbow that shouldn't be moving. The doc? No way. He could wait until I got home. The good news? I was holding my dog Poe when I took the header and I held on. He didn't suffer a scratch.

A couple more things. You know, people on vacation never change. You can always count on certain behavior. For instance . . .

Guys on vacation wear funny hats. Seriously, you always see guys in hats that you just know they would never wear back home. Usually it's the Indiana Jones style hat but made of straw. Yeah, you know what I'm talkin' 'bout. Pure comedy.

People who obviously never run, run on the beach. You constantly see them jogging by, struggling to look cool for the ladies. I don't know if they're trying to work off the big seafood meals or what, but it's amusing to watch.

They can't drive a lick. On Highway 12, which is The Beach Road, you're supposed to stop so the people crossing the road can get to the beach. Locals stop, most tourists (or Tourons as they are called down there) do not. I like to yell at them like a grumpy old man but Marianne doesn't like that, so I just scowl instead and try and kick their car as they pass.

They fish in the swimming areas. You know, it's disrespectful to throw a line in and basically take up the ocean 20-yards in both directions. Go to the freakin' pier. We're trying to get drunk and swim here.

They don't respect the beach. They abuse the beach house they're renting, they litter, and they let their dogs shit on the beach without picking it up. Disgusting. More scowling.

But hey, all in all it's been another great summer. In a week or so I'll be in a gym with a bunch of kids, playing dodgeball, and The Outer Banks will seem far, far away. Sigh.

Man, I can't wait until next summer.

John Hughes: The Beat Of A Generation

Kids all over America are wondering why their parents have been so sad lately. Well, I'll tell you why because I'm one of those parents. First, Michael Jackson passes away. And now, the man that put our Generation on film, John Hughes, has left us. It's difficult to fathom the sheer enormity of the body of work John Hughes put out in a relatively short amount of time as a screen writer, director, & producer. No one had a better understanding of what it was like to be a teenager in the 1980's than John Hughes.

It was an awkward generation to have grow up in. So many distractions...so little time. Many of us had heard the tales from our parents & grandparents of simpler times, but we knew they screwed those up for us. Radio became portable. TV became cable. Movies became VHS tapes. Free love became AIDS. We were so confused by the expectations put on us by our elders while trying to avoid the traps & pitfalls they set up for us, all we really wanted to do was scream & have a good laugh. That's what John Hughes gave us.

With movies like National Lampoon's Vacation, Sixteen Candles, The Breakfast Club, Pretty In Pink, Weird Science, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Uncle Buck, Home Alone....phew.....!! Damn that guy was busy. All in a decade, one that saw us through the awkward times on on into those even more awkward as we were to find out; parenthood.

Well say now, this isn't a funeral...this is a party!! And...this is a music website so let's strike up the jukebox & see what we can find. Look who's here too! Umm, Howard is that your Chinaman? Oh look, Sam's gotten her boobies! Bueller...? Bueller...? Hail, Marty Moose! Oh look, it's the brain, the athlete, the princess, the basket case, and the criminal. Hello Duckie, Farmer Ted, & you other dorks...careful Jake Ryan's in the next room & he looks pissed. Good to see you all again...let's get this party started:

1. "Twist & Shout" - Ferris Bueller's Vacation. Classic scene where Ferris steals the show at the parade. Loved the "Thriller" dancers. Check this out too....

2. "Don't You Forget About Me" - The Breakfast Club. Classic song from the iconic teen angst movie of all time.

3. "Holiday Road" - National Lampoon's Vacation. A little Lindsay Buckingham for Hanif...thanks for coming. Who's dog leash is that tied to the bumper? Oh. My. God.

4. "If You Leave" - Pretty In Pink. Oh, poor Duckie...how could you do that to him, Andie?

5. "Weird Science" - OK, where else would you hear Oingo Boingo but at a John Hughes party?

Come on in, the dorks are out back...

DJ's Required Listening: Talking Heads

Alright kids...been awhile since we've done this, but once again I'll share what's been gnawing at me, wanting played repeatedly on the ol' ipod. Got some Talking Heads for you this week. Love these guys collectively...however individually, not so much. If there ever was musical definition of "synergy" it would be these guys, followed closely by The Police. The sum of the parts is greater than the whole, but alas I foresee no mega-million $$ reunion tour on the horizon for The Heads. A very influential group, as the American rock scene was at a crossroads between disco, Peter Frampton & The Ramones. They brought a new, intellectual sound to the forefront paving the way for many "indie" or "college rock" type bands such as R.E.M, Voilent Femmes, etc.

I'm sure most of you all know David Byrne, Chris Frantz, & Tina Weymouth were all art students that put together a band in 1975, opened for the Ramones at CBGB's, and added guitarist/keyboardist Jerry Harrison a year later. They went on to be a noteworthy staple of the New york scene at CBGB's, even though they were not a punk band in the classic sense. They were "post-punk before punk" if that makes any sense (insert Stop Making Sense quip here). Alternative? New Wave? Avant Garde? Maybe a little bit of all of the above...but I assure you that every artist that claims to be categorized as any of those will claim Talking Heads as a major influence. No coincidence that the producer of their early hits was none other than Brian Eno, who also made Roxy Music and David Bowie monuments of the same brand of music in the 70's. Byrne made it cool to be nerdy, quirky, and subtly bizarre. Tina Weymouth was the mother of a generation of (Hanif shut your eyes) female bass players that were not necessarily eye candy, but a soothing pat on the head as you listen.

The rhythm section of Weymouth & husband Chris Frantz would of course also start a side project called Tom Tom Club, which produced one of the most sampled pieces of music ever, "Genius Of Love." Byrne would attempt more of an intellectual style of music, but no one else got it and neither did I. The band grew apart, had the obligatory nasty breakup, reunited for one night only at their Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame induction in 2002, and has stated a full reunion is not likely because "they're musically miles apart." Go figure. But hey, they did leave us with some fantastic music from the late 70's & early 80's. Take a listen...

1. "Psycho Killer" - Talking Heads: 77. Infectious bass line from Tina, who was admittedly a novice & had taken up the bass only a couple of years earlier just to be in the band. Here you get an early glimpse of Byrne's quirky writing, vocal style, & performing that would become his trademark. What other "punk band" wears Lacoste shirts on stage? An anti-punk band, of course.

2. "No Compassion" - Talking Heads: 77. Perhaps my favorite Talking Heads tune. Lyrically way ahead of it's time - "...other people's problems overwhelm my mind/they say compassion is a virtue but I don't have the time." I can identify with that. Absolutely love the way this song stops & starts, changing from brooding to manic and back again.

3. "Take Me To The River" - More Songs About Buildings and Food. A Rev. Al Green cover, this became Talking Heads' most recognizable song early on. Another good bass line by Weymouth here; she really slows down the groove behind the drums to perfection.

4. "Once In A Lifetime" - Remain In Light. Not necessarily my favorite, but notable because it illustrates how David Byrne would develop his persona through video (choreographed by Toni Basil) using MTV as a vehicle (yes kids, MTV used to play music). Mind you, this was before MTV "discovered" Michael Jackson. Byrne was parodied a lot after this, by Rich Hall on SNL (hilarious) & by none other than Kermit The Frog. Remain In Light was also the last TH album produced by Eno.

5. "Burning Down The House" - Speaking In Tongues. Talking Heads only Top 10 hit, which evolved from a Frantz/Weymouth jam session. The video further entrenches the Talking Heads as the Gods of Nerd Rock. These guys were Weezer before Weezie ever Weezed...

6. "And She Was" - Little Creatures. Cool song in my opinion...good memories listening to this as a kid.

7. "Wild Wild Life" - True Stories. Probably my favorite Talking Heads video...used to watch it over & over again as a kid (yes, I taped videos off the TV with my VCR). I thought it was hilarious, & still do. What wasn't funny was this probably was the last great Talking Heads song...