Meat Puppets, live at the Independent, SF, CA 6/17/11

Disaster Amnesiac and Scarp braved the parking nightmare that is the now-happenin' Western Addition of San Francisco to catch the re-animated Kirkwood brothers show at the Independent, and were both glad we did. The Meat Puppets played a tight, yet at the same time loose set, made up of tunes from as early as II right on up through their current album.
What's always been great about the Meat Puppets is their use of simple rhythms and drum kit patterns as launching pads for psychedelic guitar excursions.  Curt Kirkwood was in fine form-he definitely went off and out at the earliest chance he had. It's great to see Cris Kirkwood play, as his downward spiral is the stuff of legend. Cris's bass playing ranged from big driving low end chords to near silence. Shandon Sahm played said simple style excellently. His drumming provided a solid foundation for the two brothers up front.
Meat Puppets' wonderful mix of high-lonesome desert redneck Psych Rock has been inspiring Disaster Amnesiac since 1986 or so. I was so glad to be able to finally see the Kirkwood brothers live, loose, and loud as hell. Long may they ride!

Dear Miles Davis-Thank you for Bitches Brew

This afternoon, Disaster Amnesiac's commute was marred by heavy traffic in downtown Oakland. Thankfully, the iPod brought up Miles Davis' epic jam, Bitches Brew, from the album of the same name. Twenty seven minutes of pure musical glory!
Miles, thank you for your spacious trumpet playing, simultaneously free and restrained. Thank you for assembling an amazing band, one that features pinwheeling psych keyboards along side spidery guitar runs. Thank you for letting one drummer slam furious beats and another tap out icy latticeworks. Thank you for allowing a Brazilian percussionist to add his Third World sounds to the  mix. Thank you, Miles, for featuring deep, rich, acoustic bass, paired with funky electric bass. Miles, thanks for letting Teo Macero cut, paste, and mix the jams that you arranged for.
Miles Davis, you invented about four  different genres of future music with one extended jam, a jam entitled Bitches Brew. Thank you Miles, thank you.