Stuff I Like

My friend Don Carroll, whenever I go off on a rant about stuff I like, mostly music but not limited to that, says to me, "You know, you should teach a class about stuff you like. Just random things the kids should know are good instead of that crap they have the nerve to like." Gosh Don, I couldn't agree with you more, except it would never fly because kids don't WANT to know what's good for them! Top photo is Warren Zevon backstage at the Old Waldorf in San Francisco trying to play pool in a drunken stupor. I was there to take photos for a radio station promotion. He wasn't very cooperative but I still like his music. RIP Warren. Next up is Elvis Costello backstage after his first West Coast show in 1977, also at the Old Waldorf, talking to drummer Pete Thomas of the Attractions. I actually used a Polaroid with a flash, which startled him. "Uh, uh oh" I thought. "He doesn't look happy." To this day, I am still a huge Elvis Costello fan. While I do not own a single Robyn Hitchcock album, I found his show at the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass show a few years back absolutely riveting. Maybe the most eccentric performer I have ever seen. It didn't hurt that he had most of REM backing him up. Here he is with Peter Buck on guitar. When I became enamored of the New Zealand band Crowded House in the late 80's, I barely remembered they essentially formed from the band Split Enz, which I liked in a luke-warmish way back in the day. I had zero memory of ever seeing them live until I stumbled on a box of Kodak slides in the garage a few years ago. Check out the suits! Singing is Neil Finn and behind him is his brother, Tim, in red. Also at the Old Waldorf, in 1980. This is one of two times I used flash at a concert.