So you know how sometimes ABC would dick around and run repeats of Lost and/or run “catch up” editions? Pretty annoying huh? Kind of like us continually forgetting to post a weekly post on time. So, we’re going to run a little later with this week’s Sitting in Limbo. You’re going to bitch, most likely, but you’re so addicted that you’re going to play along anyway. At least that’s what we’re hoping. Anywho, a man who needs no introduction will lay down his Desert Island picks following the jump – Brahsome.com’s own Stamos. Get trippy, holmes.
Care To Get Nice?
So this is really, really tough. I’m a pretty big music lover, and I like to think I have far ranging tastes (though I LOATHE country). I’m mostly a live music guy, and typically prefer bands who improvize on their songs during live shows (read: I’m a noodling half-hippie jambander). So for us to exclude all bootlegs made this tough for me, because otherwise, I’d likely just have my 5 favorite Phish shows, a coupld Dead shows, and a Yonder Mountain and Panic sampling. But, as it is, I’ve got to play by the rules (read: I’m no Bonds). So, without further adieu, here it is.
1. Led Zeppelin, Houses Of The Holy. Not a chance I’m found on a desert island and didn’t pack the best disc from the best band of all time. If I’m feeling frisky, I’ve got Dancin Days or The Ocean. If I’m feeling tough, I’ve got No Quarter. If I want to sit peacefully and reminisce about better times back on the main land, I’ve got Rain Song. It’s just a really complete album.
2. Pink Floyd, Dark Side of the Moon. Say what you want about this being a canned pick, but this album is amazing. If you stumbled upon some boomers or peyote, you’d thank me for bringing this along. From start to finish, no better album exists.
3. Paul Simon, Graceland. Like the first two, this album has a bit of everything. But, honestly, at the end of the day, when I find myself getting pissed off at being on this damn island and there’s no end in sight, I’m confident the title track to Graceland will always, always cheer me up.
4. Phish, Hampton Comes Alive. I think this is within the rules, because this live album was commerically released. If not, go fuck yourself, I’m bringing it (plus I didn’t want to copy Kigh’s Slip Stich and Pass or The Ghosts choice of A Live One). I’m not living on this damn island without some live Phish. And this one is sick- hell it’s 6 discs long. If I’m looking to rock out, I’ve got Mike’s Song, Wilson, Possum, etc. If I want to sit back and enjoy the day, I’ve got Roggae, Bathtub Gin. If I want to get a little rowdy, there’s Axilla and Split Open & Melt. Hell, they even play the Beastie Boys Sabatoge.
5. Grateful Dead, Ladies and Gentlemen… So, similar to Hampton Comes Alive, I might be bending a couple rules here, but screw it- I wrote em. Just a good sampling of Dead tunes to brighten up my day. If we have any objectors to this, I suppose I could supplement Live / Dead, but I’m greedy, and I want 4 discs, dammit!
6. JJ Cale, JJ Cale Live. There’s a pretty obvious trend here, as I mentioned in the prologue I love live music. If you’ve never seen JJ Cale in concert, I feel for you. This guy is awesome. In fact, I’m nice enough to include a link to the Amazon.com page for this CD just so you can sample. It’s disgusting. After Midnight, The Call Me The Breeze, Cocaine- it’s got them all.
7. Yonder Mountain String Band, Mountain Tracks. Thought I’d mix things up and get back to a studio album here, did ya? Nope. More live, but bluegrass this time. Since Phish broke up a few years back, Yonder Mountin is really the only band I back enough that I’d travel to see without any alterior motive (I went to see H&O in Philly recently, but only because I’ve got buddies in the area). While this album isn’t the best, it has alot of good songs, and has the feel of a live Yonder show, so it’ll suffice.
8. Greyboy Allstars, A Town Called Earth. OK, now I’ll go back to studio. This album is funky as a bastard, and we’re all well aware how funky bastards can get. They called James Brown the hardest working man in show biz. Well, I never had the opportunity to see James Brown, but Karl Denson works hard as a bastard. And we’re all well aware how hard bastards work. Anyways, this album will get the party started if I ever find anyone else on this damn island. Also really good background music while I build a hut or something…
9. Van Morrison, It’s Too Late To Stop Now. And just like that, I’m back to the live albums. I love all Van Morrison, and if there was anyone on the list I’d be just as happy with in the studio as live, it’s Van the Man (despite the fact that he puts on a great show- had the privilege of seeing him in Atlatic City a few years back and he was fantastic). But this album has one of the best version’s of Into the Mystic I’ve ever heard, and since that’s right up there with my favorite songs ever, it’s making the list.
10. Rollins Stones, Sticky Fingers. I love the Stones, and while I knew they’d make the list somehow, I had a harder time picking an album for them than anyone else. In the end, Sticky Fingers won out because I like every song on the album, and it has my favorite Stones song, Can’t You Hear Me Knocking. True story: on New Year’s Eve 2000, a few friends and I were in ATL for Panic and ended up at a fraternity brother’s apartment. Another friend of mine had some mushrooms, and we ate handfuls at about 4:30am (seemed like the right thing to do at the time). Anywho, about 2 and a half hours later, I had a moment of clarity amongst a sea of confusion, and found myself in this guy’s car in the parking lot listening to Can’t You Hear Me Knocking. Apparently, we’d been there for well over an hour, listening to the same song the entire time. Strangely enough, this pleased me, and we continued listening on repeat until almost 8:45. That song has held a special place for me since…
So there it is, the holy grail of Stamos’ records. Some that narrowly missed the cut include Thriller (Michael Jackson), Ain’t Life Grand (Widepsread Panic), Doggystyle (Snoop Dogg), H2O (Hall and Oates), Odelay (Beck), Superfly (Curtis Mayfield), Unplugged (Nirvana), and Stars and Blind (Paris Hilton). No, seriously.
-Stamos-
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
The Quinn the Eskimo from the mothership (Hampton) is brahsome.
Good call, Rupert. Don’t they play Boogie on Reggae Woman too?
I think I might go rebuy that “box set” right now. And also, I remembered, aside from wanting to think my parents loved me, why I consider it a boxed set. It comes in a fucking box.
I seem to remember this “moment of clarity”, though I have a hard time using any form of the word “clear” (unlike Bonds). Can I just throw in that UNC beat Auburn’s ass in the Peach Bowl that same night? Thanks.