Lawyers, Guns, and Money

Dad Get Me Out Of This

I just wiled away several hours listening to playing along with some of the cover songs that we will be playing in the band. Trying to get my obstinate fingers to go to old familiar places. The Warren Zevon song “Lawyers Guns And Money” played and I was hit with a wave of sadness. I remember him on the David Letterman show shortly before his passing. He was cheerful and very candid and matter of fact about his lung cancer. Now even when I hear one of the funny songs it is tinged with bittersweet.

As I listen, these songs bring back many memories. I am thinking of the various cover bands I played with on the road. I have lost touch with most of those people.

There are not a lot of cover bands anymore, not like there used to be. During the 70s and 80s, every town seemed to have a club with a band playing six nights a week. I grew up playing in those kinds of bands. For a young man it was a chance to make a little money and play a lot of music. I don’t miss much about those days, it wasn’t a great way of life. I do miss some of the people though.

Station Break

If you are a Jimi Hendrix fan, you have a chance to own a piece of history. A previously unreleased song entitled “Station Break” will be auctioned on October 26 in New York. The song was recorded in 1966. The purchaser will take possession of the reel-to-reel tape and the copyright. Half of the money will go to the Hendrix estate.

Being involved in music publishing, this will be interesting to me. The x-factors here are the quality of the song and the performance. I have heard some of the music from these sessions, which were before Jimisâ€™ well-known work. The buyer will also have the right to re-mix and re-master the track. So even if it is dicey it could be manipulated to sound great.

My guess is that you will hear this song behind a commercial invoking Jimi, the 60s, psychedelics, and selling shoes or an S.UV.