I think it is about time that I chose my list of favorite local musicians. Ha ha! No way I am doing that! If you play in a local band, you are my favorite. Keep up the good work! You are killing it! Anyway…

Van Dyke

With the temperature supposed to be in the 80s all week, you would think it was already summer. Is it just me, or is summer the only season that seems to have a soundtrack? If I asked you for the best autumn song, would you have an answer? Probably not. November Rain? Maybe. I know you probably think I am going to talk about my favorite songs of summer. Well, sort of. I wanna look into some songs with the word summer actually in the title.

Boys of Summer by Don Henley – have you ever seen a deadhead sticker on a Cadillac? Me either. I liked this song a lot back when it came out.

Summer Nights – from the Grease soundtrack or Van Halen’s 5150. The lyrics of the Van Halen song make the ones from Grease seem thought provoking.

Summer, Highland Falls – possibly my favorite Billy Joel track. The version on Songs in the Attic is best.

Summer Wind – Classic Frank Sinatra. This one always make me think of a sketch on Saturday Night Live where the late great Phil Hartman plays Frank and is recording his duets album. It is hilarious. I think it can be found online along with many others. Joe Piscopo did a great impression in the years before Phil was there.

All Summer Long – The Beach Boys or Kid Rock. Guess which one is better. The Beach Boys own summer. The Kid Rock song is OK when the Cheeseburgers do it.

Summerland – from the second King’s X album. This is a band everyone should be aware of. One of the best live bands out there.

Suddenly Last Summer by the Motels – A haunting band from the early 80s. Not sure what it is about but I do not skip it when it comes up on my playlist

Summertime Blues – either the Eddie Cochrane or Blue Cheer version, also don’t forget it is on the Who’s Live at Leeds. I think Brian Setzer did a version too that is pretty cool in the movie La Bamba. If you remember, Paul Stanley used the verse melody for one of the worst songs in the history of humanity. Who knows what it is?

Summer in the City by the Lovin’ Spoonful – When I hear this, I wonder what exactly he is doing in the city to get the back of his neck ‘dirt and gritty.’ Lots of rhymes with city going on in the song. It certainly could have gone a completely different direction if other words were chosen.

Endless Summer Nights by Richard Marx – this song reminds me of the first concert I went to with my wife. It was Wild Orchid (featuring a then unknown Fergie), 10,000 Maniacs, Night Ranger, Richard Marx, and Jon Bon Jovi for a 4th of July celebration in Kansas City.

Summertime – from a musical called Porgy and Bess. It has been done by tons of artists, including Billie Holliday, Ella Fitzgerald, Miles Davis and Charlie Parker. I heard a couple great versions by the Zombies and Sam Cooke while I was writing this. It is also a somewhat less memorable song by DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince. I think Kenny Chesney ripped that one off too.

I could go on for days, so I guess I will stop here. I don’t know about you, but I cannot wait for summer to get here. This year, summer will start for me the second week of June, when I am off to visit a place I haven’t been since 1996… From there it will be a blur of soccer games and Cheeseburger gigs until finally I wake up on December 28th in a Santa suit with Gene Simmons makeup on. I hope nothing will be living in my beard… Ha ha, or should I say Ho, ho, OH NO!…

Don Van Dyke

A lot has happened since the last time I posted. That is probably because it was a LONG time ago. I have been taking full advantage of the few weekends the band has been off and have been even lazier than usual. It is good to be back at it, especially since so much is going on in the music world right now with some of my favorite artists.

Van Dyke

First of all, the Rolling Stones are back on tour. They have been at it more than 50 years now. I first got into the Stones when I discovered the album “Got Live If You Want It” in my parents’ record collection. While it is far from their best work, it does give you an idea of what they are capable of. I played it a few times here and there, but I would not say it was a favorite at the time. I was much more into the Beatles and Kiss back then. I rediscovered them in the ‘80s when they had a big hit with “Start Me Up.” So, for me, when the music world was young, they were already old. Here we are more than 30 years later and they are still here. Amazing. I bet when Keith Richards drops his guitar, four or five songs fall out of it. I think they are playing three dates in Chicago if anyone is feeling generous.

Black Sabbath has reunited. Well, most of it, anyway. It would be nice if Bill Ward were involved, but he isn’t. They recorded a new album with the drummer from Rage Against the Machine and Audioslave and are going to be touring the U.S. later this year. I heard the single off the album and it is pretty good. It is nice to hear Geezer Butler tearing it up again on the bass. Sabbath was a band that I discovered late. I mean I was listening to Ozzy for a few years before I got into them. It was the “Speak of the Devil” album that made me check out all the old Black Sabbath stuff. That album had some shredding guitar work by Brad Gillis on it. But, when I heard the original guitar work by Tony Iommi, I was totally blown away. He had so many devastating riffs that nearly crushed you. Is there anything heavier than the riffs from “Into the Void”? Again, any ticket donations are appreciated. Don’t you think the Local Q needs a concert reviewer? I can be bought.

I was truly sorry to learn of the passing of George Jones. I have been a fan since I heard the song “She Thinks I Still Care” on Gem Country 105 back in the ‘70s. Shortly after that he had a No. 1 hit with one of the best songs I have ever heard, “He Stopped Loving Her Today.” George’s impact on country music is immeasurable in its enormity. He is the voice of country music. Just listen to another artist’s version of one of his songs compared to his. He was one of those who made it look easy. It was effortless. If you are a fan of country music and do not have a good supply of George’s music, you have a lot of work to do. Luckily, his music will live on.

On the polar opposite end of music was Jeff Hanneman from Slayer. This band had a huge impact on the genre of heavy metal music. Any heavy metal band since the early ‘80s was influenced by them. They had songs about death, satanism and any other thing that people actually found frightening before “CSI” and “Criminal Minds” were around. Jeff Hanneman wrote some of the most intense, fast, loud, and downright gross songs I have ever heard. Jeff became ill a few years ago and just never quite recovered. I still break out my “Decade of Aggression” album once in a while to help blow off steam. I may crank it up over at 18th and Broadway as a tribute to someone else we lost way too soon.

Squeeze every moment for all you can get. We only get one shot at this, so make it count. Get to know your neighbors, be involved and participate. A good way to do this is to go to one of the many local hotspots for local music mentioned here on the Local Q. Until next time, put your shopping carts back where they go if you don’t want to be embarrassed by a 40+ year old doofus…

Don Van Dyke

Kathy Brink
acoustic
When: 6 p.m. tonight
Where: Bailey’s Coffee House & Fudge Shop, 307 N 36th, Suite 210B

Zeke
Cernea
When: 8 p.m. Friday
Where: Cellar 21, 121 N. Fourth

McKay Bros.
acoustic
When: 8:30 p.m. Friday
Where: One Restaurant & Bar,
600 Hampshire

Esther Moore
When: 9:30 p.m. Friday
Where: State Street Bar & Grill, 1638 State

Highway 99
When: 8:30 p.m. Saturday
Where: Adams Trading Post, Liberty

Trifecta
alternative/rock
When: 9 p.m. Saturday
Where: One Restaurant & Bar, 600 Hampshire

Headless Trio
When: 2 p.m. Sunday
Where: Ridge View Winery, Mount Sterling

Logan
Kammerer
When: 2 p.m. Sunday
Where: Spirit Knob Winery, Ursa

JWCC Spring
Concert
When: 7 p.m. Tuesday
Where: John Wood Community College

Mike Coultas
When: 3 p.m. Friday, May 3
Where: State Street Bar & Grill, 1638 State

3rd Violation
When: 8:30 p.m. Friday
Where: One Restaurant & Bar, 600 Hampshire

Logan Kammerer (acoustic)
When: 8-11 p.m. Friday
Where: Cellar 21, 121 N. Fourth

McShack (Acoustic)
When: 8:30 p.m. Friday
Where: North End Tavern, 24th and Cedar

Raised
on Radio
When: 8:30 p.m. Friday
Where: ONE Restaurant & Bar, 600 Hampshire

Keith Franx
When: 5 p.m. Saturday
Where:Spirit Knob Winery, Ursa, Ill.

Quanada Benefit
Wild game cook-off with music by Captain Creech and Shrimp Shack Shooters
When: 6-11 pm Saturday
Where: Ridge View Winery, Mount Sterling, Ill.

Kathy Brink
When: 7-10p.m. Saturday
Where: The Old Stone House Inn, Palmyra, Mo. Dinner served.

Antidote
When: 8:30 p.m. Saturday
Where: Scooters, 4th and Oak. $5 cover charge, 21 and older. Limited seating available.

Bill Morrison Trio (jazz)
When: 9 p.m. Saturday
Where: Cellar 21, 121 N. Fourth

Super Majik Robots
When: 9 p.m. Saturday
Where: ONE Restaurant & Bar, 600 Hampshire

Irish Rag Tag Band
When: 6-9 p.m. Wednesday
Where: O’Griffs, 415 Hampshire

Mike Coultas (acoustic)
When: 6-9 p.m. Wednesday
Where: ONE Restaurant & Bar, 600 Hampshire