September 10

David Lowery and Johnny Hickman, bandmates in Cracker, know how to throw a birthday party. This weekend, the 5th annual Pioneertown Campout offers a two-day concert in the woods; Cracker plays Saturday night, while Lowery’s other band, Camper Van Beethoven, closes Friday night’s stage.
Cracker had to make an appearance on this blog, for their Kerosene Hat single, “Happy Birthday to Me.” Couldn’t find the original video, but I found this fanvid, featuring a collection of Hubble photos; good enough for me!


Siobhan Fahey is another music artist who’s done double duty on the charts. In the 80’s, she was part of the pop trio Bananarama. In the 90’s, she started the duo Shakespeare’s Sister. These days, she’s working on solo material, and I’m hoping she doesn’t disappear altogether.
Bananarama was good for what it was, but I still remember the video for “Stay,” and that spooky, goth’d out Fahey.


Here’s somebody I discovered today: Don Powell, drummer for Slade. One of the UK’s most successful acts of the 70’s, they remain inspirations for today’s rockers’ inspirations. I didn’t realize how many of their songs I knew, until I did the research. That, and I mixed them up with the Sweet.

Slade Cum' Feel the Noise
Uploaded by deep. -

Don Powell’s story is kind of heartbreaking. In 1973, Don was in a car crash that took the life of his girlfriend. He woke six days later, without his sense of smell or taste, and with his short-term memory severely damaged (yes, Memento-style.) He rehabilitated his body so he could play drums again, saw the band through another flock of hits in the 70's and 80's, and still plays with Slade today...



Tomorrow: more British rock…