There were too many years when I closed my ears to new music. I think it started when I heard some Bonnie Raitt Cd in which a producer felt compelled to smother her and her slide in synths, and I think the rise of Madonna might have had something to do with it. In any case, I tuned out and stuck with my back catalog, only snagging a few that really were so exceptional on one listen that I had to follow. Toy Matinee was on that list during the Quiet Years. I think another part of the equation was that at the time I was working for an ad agency that pretty much sent me into clinical depression as a lifestyle, and that’s probably not exaggeration.Fortunately, now I don’t need an ad agency for that; the economy will do it fine and save me the commute. Anyway, the point is, I missed a lot of great stuff, and now I’m playing catch-up.
One artist I failed to discover, and this is embarrassing to admit, is Pete Droge. Even though he landed a track in the film Dumb and Dumber (which really holds up, incidentally,) “If You Don’t Love Me I’ll Kill Myself.”
If You Dont Love Me – Dumb and Dumber: Pete Drog
Now, I just love that track. First, it’s one progression throughout, verse and chorus, like Petty’s “Free Fallin’” and second, obviously, cowbell, so why didn’t I pay attention to who did it so I could get more? My only excuse is that that movie was so damn entertaining I was distracted (I think the scene is the snowball fight.)
The son is home for spring break, and the other day I heard from across the house a nifty tune. It sounded musically a little like Nick Lowe from “Party of One” though the voice was different. I had to wander in and find out who did it. Pete Droge. And now, I will purchase. Yes, in times when I should not be purchasing anything, I’ll spring for Pete Droge.
I realize I’m waaaaaay late here, but in case you are, too, better late than never, as they say.
In other news: I’m on another naming project so I’ll be quiet for a while (except twitter,) the audio interface still isn’t back form repairs, the lawn is horribly infected with weeds, and I’m really struggling not to buy an itouch. Talk me down, someone.
Formulating a new song — it might go country, might not — depends on if I want to use the word “rurnt.”
