Tag: Big Head Todd and the Monsters

CP S18 EP02 2024

photo from Barr Lake courtesy of Clear Vistas Photography

Monday Jan 15, 2024. Question. Right now, the new streaming feature is demo only. I have to pay monthly if I want to keep it. Will you use it? Please donate to help with the costs. Venmo chrisk-2 (6753) or use the donation form below.

MONDAY MORNING MUSIC MEETING (MMMM)

www.starrsguitars.com

The Monday Morning Music Meeting is a way for you to let me know what you think of new music emerging from around the state. Results enter into which cuts stay in rotation, and which cuts make the final “best of” list.

The Rock Advocates – Quest for Girls (1981)
The Rock Advocates – Greasy Spoon (1989)
(D) Drunken Hearts – Elderly Woman Behind the Counter (2024)
Sweet Virginia – Leaving Again – Leaving Again (2022)
Rob Drabkin – Little Steps (radio edit) (2013)
Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats – Tight Rope (Leon Russell) – A Song For Leon (2024)
Drew Emmitt – Take The Long Way Home – Long Road (2008)
The Apples In Stereo – Nobody But You – Travellers In Space And Time (2010)
Julian Fulco Perron – About Love (2023)**
(D) Sean Waters & the Sunrise Genius – Easier – Easier SP (2024)

https://youtube.com/watch?v=ZJUzju6KKWE%3Fsi%3DQnrATdvQIbFDw_Tx

Paper Bird – Sunday – Paper Bird (2016)
Deva Yoder – Resting From Their Labors – Be Well (2023)
Paa Kow – The Way I Feel – Cookpot (2017)

Pete Nalty and the Jinns – Whirlwind – The Jinns (1989)
Pete Nalty and the Jinns – Give a Little – The Jinns (1989)
(N) Big Head Todd and the Monsters – Her Way Out (2024)

https://youtube.com/watch?v=SRs9hy3A5OY%3Fsi%3DCoKL9XINZhQxoFF5

The Barlow – Dreams for Tomorrow (2023)
CITRA – Inside My Head (2024)
Cass Clayton – Flowers At My Feet – Play Nice (2019)
The Wendy Woo Trio – Crisis – Luxury (2007)
Ed Mozingo – Streets of Mars – Ed Mozingo EP (2024)
(D) Calvin Locklear – Wet Cement – No Particular Plan (2024)

https://youtube.com/watch?v=RJM5ckvSWsw%3Fsi%3DMmuRpwpqgPvGZOId

Dressy Bessy – Try Try Try Again – Electrified (2009)
Adrienne O – You Don’t Want My Love (2023)
Bill Frisell – Rumble – Guitar in the Space Age (2014)

#COMUSIC HOT SPINS WK JAN 07-13 2024

Spin data pulled from the Colorado Playlist, 105.5 The Colorado Sound, Indie 102.3, 88.9 KRFC  and ten other stations that use playlist generator Spinitron, offering search functions for artists to track airplay at more than 300 stations and programs around the country.

72 TITLES TRACKED WK 01/06-13 2024

(D) Debuted in CHART
(R) Re-entered TOP 5
LP = album (5 or more songs)
EP = extended play (3-5 songs)
SP = single play (1-2 songs)
* = NOT LIVING IN COLORADO, but counted as long as they were born and/or raised here, or got their career started here or there is some other reason to include them. 
** = serviced to media in Colorado by Rocky Mountain Music Network, LLC

(1) 1. GREGORY ALAN ISAKOV – Appaloosa Bones  LP (Apr-23)
(D) 2. Big Head Todd and the Monsters – Crush SP (Nov-23)
(R) 3. Drunken Hearts – Reckless Way of Living LP (May-23)
(R) 4. Last Call Romance – Double Funeral, VOL 2 LP (Apr-23)**
(D) 5. Cary Morin – Innocent Allies LP (Oct-23)
(2) 5. Kiltro – Underbelly LP (Apr-23)

THIS WEEK ON YOUTUBE (not all titles available)

https://youtube.com/watch?v=videoseries%3Fsi%3DrSEjdHcThQT0Tnm4%26list%3DPLjTLYGkfkx3pAjMd1Gil6sNlc9xmcgz0A
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CP S17 EP42 2023

Cliff Palace, Mesa Verde, Colorado courtesy of Clear Vistas Photography

NOVEMBER 20, 2023 – Happy Thanksgiving Week. The first holidaze gift of the season arrived last week, when Big Head Todd and the Monsters dropped the first single from their upcoming new album, that I’ve waited for now over a year. It’s part of this week’s MMMM, below.

I’ll post up the 14th Colorado Playlist Fan and Listener Poll next Monday.

#COMUSIC TOP SPINS NOV 12-18 2023

Spin data pulled from the Colorado Playlist, 105.5 The Colorado Sound, Indie 102.3, 88.9 KRFC  and ten other stations that use playlist generator Spinitron, offering search functions for artists to track airplay around the country.

(D) Debuted in CHART
(R) Re-entered TOP 5
LP = album (5 or more songs)
EP = extended play (3-5 songs)
SP = single play (1-2 songs)
* = Colorado expats, as long as they were born and/or raised here, or got their career started here or there is some other reason to include them. 
** = serviced to media in Colorado by Rocky Mountain Music Network, LLC

(1) 1. HEAVY DIAMOND RING – All Out of Angels LP (Sep-23)**
(2) 2. ALYSIA KRAFT – Electric Blooms EP (Jun-23)
(4) 3. GREGORY ALAN ISAKOV – Appaloosa Bones  LP (Apr-23)
(3) 4. KILTRO – Underbelly LP (Apr-23)
(D) 5. BISON BONE – 40 Grit EP (Aug-23)
(R) 5. DRAGONDEER – Across the Waves LP (Jun-23)**

MONDAY MORNING MUSIC MEETING (MMMM)

www.starrsguitars.com

The Monday Morning Music Meeting (MMMM) is a way for you to let me know what you think of new music emerging from around the state. Results enter into which cuts stay in rotation, and which cuts make the final “best of” list.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=rplZMWFebww%3Fsi%3DsA4gucuASo10w9jp
https://youtube.com/watch?v=K6PUKqxTM0I%3Fsi%3D4ePTq1OhmJeGl2ok
https://youtube.com/watch?v=om4o2Bgb91I%3Fsi%3DcAFlks_legK1SKQk
https://youtube.com/watch?v=uC6y_ifRv6U%3Fsi%3DaqTyXMtH4nyD02tj

Keller Williams – Freeker By the Speaker – Laugh (2002)
(N) VOLORES – Carrion – Ages (2023)
Kick and the Hug – Girl You’ve Changed – Ladies & Gentlemen (2022)
Alexa Wildish – The Well – Alexa Wildish EP (2020)
Leftover Salmon – Blue Railroad Train (feat. Billy Strings) – Grass Roots (2023)
Chuck Pyle – Keep it Simple – Higher Ground…songs of colorado (2007)
Andy Monley & the High Horses – Drag Me To Hell – Totem (2023)
(D) Shady Oaks – Broken Mirrors (2024)
Claire Heywood – Letter Day (2020)
Euforquestra – Show Me the Way – While We Still Got Time (2022)
Adam Bodine – Swamp Stomp – Scenes of Changery (2021)

Bob Dylan – Shelter From The Storm – Hard Rain (1976)
(D) Big Head Todd and the Monsters – Crush (2024)
YaSi – Guilty – Coexist With Chaos EP (2021)
Daniel Rodriguez – Brother John – Sojurn of a Burning Sun (2020)
Blankslate – Bell Station – Summer On A Salt Flat (2023)
Dressy Bessy – Anyone Can See – Holler and Stomp (2008)
The Blue Rider – Lightning – Year of the Horse (2016)
The Motet – Natural Light (2023)
(D) GRiZ – In This World – Ouroboros (2023)
Elektric Animals – Reckless (2020)
Erik Lunde – Steel Militia – Water From The Stone (2022)
Steve Denny Trio – You Stepped Out of a Dream – Life in New York (2020)

THIS WEEK ON YOUTUBE

https://youtube.com/watch?v=videoseries%3Fsi%3DVwaYQ2llI9akD_W2%26list%3DPLjTLYGkfkx3qsK2DwfLdYJxVXIHcv4mtD
One-Time
Monthly
Yearly

Make a one-time donation

Make a monthly donation

Make a yearly donation

Choose an amount

$5.00
$15.00
$100.00
$5.00
$15.00
$100.00
$5.00
$15.00
$100.00

Or enter a custom amount

$

Your contribution is appreciated.

Your contribution is appreciated.

Your contribution is appreciated.

DonateDonate monthlyDonate yearly

Colorado Blues PT 2 – 21st Century Award Winners and Future Legends

In my last post, Blues in Colorado – A Primer, I suggested that most of the blues bands that we see today are of the local garden variety – good enough to please the upper end of suburban GenZ and Boomers with their small kids and grandkids at parks and summer events, and local neighborhood bar and grills.

But that doesn’t really tell the whole story about the state of blues in the 21st century in Colorado and the award winners and future legends who have emerged, regardless of mainstream popularity.

The 21st century opens with Erica Brown emerging in the scene as the First Lady of Blues (Colorado Blues Society) and Denver’s Queen of the Blues (Altitude Network).

Between 1998 and 2008, the Erica Brown Band earned numerous awards, including; Best Blues Band (Westword Magazine) Best Underground Blues Band multiple times (Denver Post) and The Rocky Mountain News’ Best Of (Blues Category).

Among the many projects she appears on, Erica is featured on Big Head Blues Club “Way Down Inside: The Songs of Willie Dixon” (2016). She began appearing with Dan Treanor in 2008.

A Blues Foundation: Keeping the Blues Alive Award recipient, Dan Treanor is a Colorado original. Born and raised in Pueblo, Dan entered the blues world when he was sixteen, playing in the Steel City Blues Band.

In 2004, he got signed to the well respected independent blues label Northern Blues Music. Dan Treanor & Frankie Lee – African Wind (2004) was nominated Blues Album of the Year by the Independent Music Awards.  Dan has received three Independent Music Award nominations.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=videoseries%3Flist%3DOLAK5uy_ni5NBCvoOHDIMuqlJXIqCBTEShyfry3lI

In 2013, Dan Treanor’s Afrosippi Band featuring Erica Brown took home 3rd Place Honors in the International Blues Challenge (IBC) in Memphis. In 2015 they released Born to Love the Blues, which also features Erica’s daughter MJ.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=videoseries%3Flist%3DOLAK5uy_kTpxBX8dNzZhRbHcBns97jUHAHVNLEZYI

Lionel Young first appears on the scene in the early to mid 90s and is featured on Otis Taylor‘s 1997 debut When Negroes Walked the Earth.

It wouldn’t be until the 21st century, however, that the classically trained violinist comes to the attention of the blues world by making history at the International Blues Challenge (IBC), as the only artist to ever win twice, in the 2008 solo-duo competition and the 2011 band competition.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=videoseries%3Flist%3DOLAK5uy_nkcmkx5I7jRjt7U-eFFScTYodLHHfxAS0

Cary Morin first showed up on stages in Fort Collins in the 1980s with his band the Atoll.

Now recognized as one of the nation’s leading acoustic blues artists, Cary has performed at renowned venues and festivals around the globe including the Kennedy Center, the Paris Jazz Festival and the Copenhagen Blues Festival to name a few.

Cary’s career in Colorado ranks among the most awarded. He’s been honored with the Fort Collins Music Association Lifetime Achievement Award (2014) and is a Telluride Blues and Brews Blues Champion (2019).

Cary has also earned Indigenous Music Awards for Best Blues CD for Cradle to the Grave (2017) and for When I Rise (2019) and an Independent Music Award for Best Blues CD for When I Rise.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=videoseries%3Flist%3DOLAK5uy_l26lR8bpKpL_0X3zzwEZBJ2AbR632yVyk

Colorado Springs artist John-Alex Mason passed away at the age of 35, in October 2011, but not without leaving a lasting legacy as one of the state’s most celebrated bluesmen. In 2001 he won the Telluride Acoustic Blues Competition. He released five albums between 2000 and 2011.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=videoseries%3Flist%3DOLAK5uy_mPuPANvVHuUXhyBp7ulAdPAbMcQnXuxrk

The Informants / Kerry Pastine & the Crime Scene – Fronted by Kerry Pastine, the Informants fans voted the band as the winner of the Westword Music Award for Best Blues (2008-2010). Their album Crime Scene Queen won the International Blues Competition for Best Self-Produced CD of 2010.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=videoseries%3Flist%3DOLAK5uy_lzSpBGr8wd1tYTT8sfv-ZpHHXJMY-pC5c

Kerry and her husband Paul (guitar) spun off from the Informants to create the Crime Scene. They earned the 2019 Colorado Blues Society Members Choice Award for Band of the Year, Best Recording for City of Love, Best Female Vocalist, Best Songwriter and Best Live Moment for the City of Love CD release party.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=videoseries%3Flist%3DOLAK5uy_lQ2ssD6UNFc04m3SVKuRc-WZNo73pWVp4

With six albums to their credit since 2004, the modern electric blues inspired Mojomama has been a semi-finalist at the International Blues Challenge Memphis (2018, 2019) and won several awards from the Colorado Blues Society, including Best Self Produced CD and Favorite Female Vocalist (2015, 2018) and the Members Choice Awards for Best Band in 2019.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=videoseries%3Flist%3DOLAK5uy_kS0rbCubwdkGTgZcDG4C6Waz-KVIll_N0

The acts I mentioned above represent only a handful of the many blues acts that have crossed the stages of Colorado, from the smallest pubs to the biggest festivals. Upcoming festivals include the Trinidaddio Blues Fest (Aug 22), and the Telluride Blues and Brews Festival (Sept 16-18).

Touring artists like Cary Morin and Lionel Young act as ambassadors of Colorado blues around the United States, and in other countries.

Erica Brown continues to play a major role in our blues scene today, as does Lionel Young who Erica has teamed up with in a new project called Blues Circus – that also features Erica’s daughter MJ along with John Magnie and Steve Amadee from Del Shamen that Erica participated in.

Time will tell when, where and how far the next group of blues artists in Colorado music history will rise up to claim their place – in Colorado Blues PT3 – Rising Stars and Future Promise.

To learn more about the blues in Colorado visit the Colorado Blues Society and Mile High Blues Society.