Patti Smith has released an album of covers, ranging from Hendrix to Paul Simon to Tears For Fears (ugh!). Like most records of this sort, its a mixed bag that most likely is intended to keep her name in the public eye while she records new material.

When the record is bad (“Everybody wants to rule the world” or “White Rabbit”), you hit the skip button rather quick. But at its best, such as a swirling “Are You Experienced?” or the front porch hoedown, Dock Boggs-style “Smells Like Teen Spirit” (really!), you want to savor the moment. Recently inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Patti Smith is a cultural landmark and a passionate American treasure.

Lets start Friday with Escalay (The Water Wheel) from Hamza El Din, shall we?

Rolling Stone ‘snorted father’s ashes’

Rolling Stones wildman Keith Richards claims he snorted his own father’s ashes during a drugs binge.

Richards’ father, Bert, died in 2002 aged 84.

What a freakin’ whackadoo.

NEW ORLEANS – One of jazz’s most prestigious organizations is on its way to the genre’s spiritual home.

To celebrate the move, jazz pianist Herbie Hancock, saxophonist Wayne Shorter and trumpeter Terence Blanchard — a New Orleans native — planned to join the program’s incoming class for a performance at Loyola on Monday.

One of rock’s greatest vocalists, Levon Helm of the Band, recorded live in 1977 with a band that included Dr. John, Steve Cropper, Duck Dunn, Paul Butterfield and more. Stellar!

This, my friends is the shit:

 

Original “American Idol” Kelly Clarkson has collaborated with punk rock veteran Mike Watt for her upcoming album.

Watt was recruited to play “fuzz bass, fills and solos (and) just making things fatter” on the album, Gigwise.com reported Monday.

Watt was the founding bassist form The Minutemen and is playing with the reunited Iggy and the Stooges.

“I ended up playing on six of the songs. I had no idea what it was going to be like, but it ended up being pretty interesting,” Watt told Gigwise.com. “I heard that Kelly won some game show but I was really impressed how she sang her ass off.”

Hey, if Watt played on it, I’ll give it a listen.

Blender picks the 50 worst songs of all time…ugh!

For example:

35
R.E.M.
“Shiny Happy People” 1991
What were they thinking?

It’s difficult to imagine the circumstances that led R.E.M. — intelligent, literate, subtle even when rocking out — to record this. Not only is “Shiny Happy People” an annoying song, but you also get the distinct sense that it’s going out of its way to annoy you. What other explanation is there for its riff — which sounds like a cellphone ring tone chosen by a sociopath – or its lyrics, which resemble something you would force children to learn as a punishment, or the backing vocals of B-52 Kate Pierson, which defy rational description?

Truly scary stuff!

11 strings, tuned to guitar tuning, fretless:

Neat, huh?

Read about the Glissentar here.

Here.