Prog Digest – An Xperience Column

Prog Digest – An Xperience Column – by Klyde Kadiddlehumper.

Ya know how ya get to thinkin’ ‘bout stuff? Random thoughts triggered by something else, and then you end up writing it down, and some idiot (sorry, Boss) decides that they will print pretty much anything you write. Why I have been left to my own devices is beyond me, but here we are, and you, dear reader, have the joy of reading it.

Lucky you.

Now, this has not been the best of times recently – and the details are of little consequence. Just know that it has been alternately painful, long-recovering, moving someone faster than should be allowed, and VERY expensive and time-consuming.

The absurd, of course, ultimately popped into Klyde’s pill-crazed little head.

In the beginning, there was Led Zeppelin. And it was good. Recently, the documentary “Becoming Led Zeppelin” hit the screens (in IMAX and Atmos) and blew many people away. It’s now available on Netflix; heck, they paid for the darned thing.

And that got me to thinking.

And listening to an album that is, well – just too cool.

Marty DiBergi produced the epic, over the top, brilliant (oh so many expletives … oh wait … accolades, yeah accolades) documentary following Spinal Tap. You know it, you love it, and we all get to see the new one later this year.

Rob Reiner returning as DeBergi, Michael McKean (David St. Hubbins), Christopher Guest (Nigel Tufnel), and Harry Shearer (Derek Smalls) return. Oh, the insanity.

The original film was followed by albums “Break Like the Wind” and “Back from the Dead,” followed by a number of performances for various events and fundraisers, and the like.

Then in 2018, Derek Smalls released a solo album, “Smalls Change (Meditations Upon Ageing)”.

Does Shearer have chops? You bet.

Is he funny? Damned straight.

Does he know people in the business? Hell yeah!

Who’s on this thing, you may ask.

The Hungarian Studio Orchestra.

Steve Lukather, Jim Keltner, and Chad Smith.

Phil X and (the late) Taylor Hawkins.

Judith Owen, Danny Kortchmar, and Russ Kunkel.

Donald Fagen, Jeff “Skunk” Baxter and Larry Carlton, and the Snarky Puppy Horns.

Frampton and Wachtel.

Shaffer, Wachtel, and David Crosby.

Dweezil.

Vai.

Richard Thompson.

Michael League, Satriani, Wakeman.

Jane Lynch.

 

You’d check it out for the players, the riffs, and the mayhem. The lyrics are the jam.

An old geezer rocker. You’re never too old to rock and roll, or too young to die.

From “MRI”:

MRI

MRI

You don’t get high

From the barium dye

They stuff you into a cylindrical can

I feel like a mummy getting a tan

Is it getting louder or just the same?

The tempo’s changing with no drummer to blame.

The doctor’s a tosser, the nurse is a bitch

They say they’ll start over if I even twitch

I’m getting claustrophobic like a pound trout

I don’t know if I’ll ever get out.

 

Just one line from “Memo To Willie”:

Willie don’t lose that Lumber

 

Guess the name of this one:

Butt Call

 Life hits the wall

 Butt Call

 Nobody speaks

 Handset’s by their cheeks

 Butt Call

 

There’s an “Openture.”

There’s “Complete Faith” – described as ‘A Musical Interruption.’

The only thing I can think of that is better than this and the upcoming film is …

Spaceballs 2!!

Until next time.

Klyde

 

 

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