Butch Walker Fever: Intense and Ultimately, A Good Thing

Maybe it was the rain on Saturday, but it was a strange day...just sitting there, in my usual spot at the House of Pies, chatting casually with one of the other regulars and it hit me:  was I being Jehovah's Witness-like, talking to people about Butch Walker?  How did that unsettling thought even materialize?  Wasn't a St. Paul magnitude thing, wasn't struck off the stool or anything, but it did disorient me for a bit, not sure how coherent my conversation was after that point.  The errands were run with this persistent niggling doubt, troubling fog infusing all the tasks with a vague sense of dread:  maybe I was overdoing the "Butch Walker is fantastic and more people need to know about him" message.  Along with all those other negative feelings, how un-cool.  Y'all know how I revel in my vaunted aura of elegant and impenetrable nonchalance....  Way beyond cool, really.

As the day wore on, though, managed to come out of the unexpected and debilitating funk. Thought of a couple more Butch Wallker Mixtape II and II.2 recipients which always makes me feel better--I am on a good crusade.  And, since there's nothing on tv, watched Butch's Live at Budokan dvd again.  Excellent idea!  Like all of it, but love the Atlanta concert section. Butch is just so engaging as a performer.  His electrifying energy, attitudinally full of piss and vinegar, are-you-fucking-ready-for-this? stance, loving the fans and their feverish over the top love for him, on view for everyone to share--just suck it in all the way to the core of you and get totally high off it.  Feel it again, just writing this.  By bedtime, all was very clear in my consciousness about the rightness of my campaign to increase local awareness of Butch Walker's music.  Reinforced it during the breakfast meet-up today, as well.  Ron and Raul do have some insight into my world, so it was greatly appreciated and very reassuring for them say that my occassional obessions are fine/harmless/positive/could have the intended effect, if intense and probably surprizing to those who don't know me well.   (Remember that nonchalant thing about me.)   Maybe since they're profs they have a high tolerance and latitude for individuals expressing their ideas--or, weird possibility:  economists are more open and accepting of wild eyed crazies and their bullshit, er, ideas?   Whatever, I'll take it along with, of course, their friendship.  Also on the plus side, gave the BWMII to Anthony; maybe he'll have some feedback next week.

In line with (some of) this, feeling so centered about my mission in re:  Butch Walker's music, thinking of sending the POTUS one of the BWM versions.  I get a lot of email from President Obama and his supporters--Michelle Obama, Kal Penn, others whose names I immediately delete from my short term memory--so it came to me, why not?  Big decision:  which version--with or without the f and s words?  BTW:  does the soliloquy section of The Weight of Her really count in this?  How many people can hear what Butch says about the shitty car speakers?  Make The BWM II.3?  Have been wanting to make a version with my faves from the original BWM and add She Likes Hair Bands and Going Back/Coming Home.  OK, have to keep thinking about that part.  But, do plan to go forward since it will give me an opp to say some other things to the President:  why I can't contribute any additonal funds, what I think of the opportunities to win a chance to have dinner with him--get serious, his staff would select a voter from Texas?, emphasize Butch's efforts toward increasing voter registration, maybe the Pres needs to carry Georgia?, recommend that Butch Walker be part of the inauguration (fingers crossed) festivities, what I think of undecided voters.  I know, I know, the POTUS has 0.00001 chance of hearing the BWM, but the flunky that does open the letter might listen to it and become a convert and/or maybe they're already a fan.

We will see and I will let you know.

Butch Walker LFDH Stats

We all know how wonderful and life-enhancing excel tables are, right?  Of course we do! Use them all the time to keep track of my busy life, as I'm sure many of my exalted audience do.  Couldn't live without them.  So, how to fit any Butch Walker data into one?  Easy enough...let's use data for viewings of the Live From Daryl's House video of Say It Isn't So.  Although I had been watching the video repeatedly since discovering Butch, didn't begin gathering data until August 28, 2012.  The other day, thought, well, obviously, if you're going to write this down every time you think about it---duh!---excel table!

So, sorta, kinda been having some geekish fun and hope to have some meaningful stats and possibly a valuable regression analysis soon.  What, if any, effects on the viewing of this youtube video after the Palladia broadcast, announcements of upcoming--and highly anticipated--tour dates, any kind of Butch Walker news, etc.  Yes, folks, maybe there's a paper to be written and published in a journal of renown with Butch as the star in another, previously unthought of galaxy.

Now, I realize I should have been gathering similar data on the overall episode, the individual songs, and as contrasting data to test the strength of the information, data on other LFDH guests' youtube video viewings.  Sheesh--not all fun and games in the excel table world.

Butch helping with an excel table, horizontal data

In the meantime, and a bit more enlivening, have completed The Butch Walker Mixtape II.2--version without Summer of '89, Sucker Punched, Too Famous to Get Fully Dressed (songs with the s---or f--- words in them) and with She Likes Hair Bands and Freak of the Week added.  In some ways just as good, but different and maybe more possibility of appeal among some audiences.  Who knows?  Miss the rocking/rolling, raucous quality of the first two and the coolness, insider attitude of the latter, but the two added numbers are excellent and also show off other facets of Butch.

AND, think I've nailed down the Halloween costume for the cousin's party--Haunted Hollywood (dead stars) theme.  No revealing my upcoming identity--readership of this blog is so high--word could get out before the party. LOL!!  It's really cool though.  Nobody else will be able to top it!  Now to think of a way to work the LFDH apron into an office-appropriate Fall Festivus costume.

Rock on, all!

The Butch Walker Mixtape II (feels like version 2.879)

I'm very happy with my Butch Walker Mixtape II, but honestly, have already been thinking of improvements, especially in regard to giving it to a less edgy crowd that could (might) still enjoy listening to his music and spread the word around.  Funny thinking of the people I have already given the cd to as edgy, but there it is.  Plan to give copies to the food trucks at the University Center and those versions should be sans the s and f words, just to be sure there's no violation of University policy, right?  Thought of adding She Likes Hairbands and Freak of the Week to replace Summer of '89 and Sucker Punched, as much as I like those two songs.  All that energy and attitude are so alluring and make them total, raucous sing-alongs.  Talk about feel-good music!

Then, I really listened to She Likes Hairbands and wondered if there were some University policy violation in the lyrics, what with all the sex. lol  Such a great song, though, and one of the standards at Butch's concerts.  Integral to my marketing plan is to showcase his range and include songs that often show up in concert set lists.  That way, if Butch did come to Houston and some of those who received the cd attended with me, they could sing along with me--and Butch, of course.

Sent off copies of BWMII to Sarah and Tommy, so the San Antonio and Las Vegas markets are covered. ha ha  Also, to Cactus with a cover letter.  Will send one to Raymond with the shower gifts for Sanne so that the Sneek/Friesland music market is alerted.  I know.  His review of Butch's LFDH episode did not resound with "I REALLY LIKED IT".  For me, episode 54 was dynamite:  such a burst of exhilaration, excitement, love of music, great example of Butch's voice, song writing, charisma, charm, who wouldn't fall all over it like I did?  Once Raymond listens to the broader mix in the cd, though, I'm still convinced he's a Butch Walker fan in the making. 

Bought more blank cds--this is getting a bit bigger than I anticipated.  BUT, not buying anymore, my career as a tastemaker for Butch Walker's music is just about complete.  I've planted the seeds in as many places as I can, now have to settle down for the flowering of my efforts. 

PLUS, Halloween is coming!  Usually by this time in the semester, have the costume planned and well on its way to realization.  This year, don't even have the beginning of a concept for work or Carol's party.  Sarah's got me started on her costume and I have to make the baby shower gift(s) and get it/them to Holland by mid-October.

So, work on the Butch Walker Mixtape II, (revised) and get it out there!

Butch Walker Mixtape CD

Why is constructing a mixtape cd (is the correct usage now "mix-cd"? Whatever.) so nerve wracking?  It's not like I wrote n performed the songs and now have to accept the blame or (WOW!) get the credit. The pressure is that I want everybody to fall as hard for Butch Walker's songs as I have.  He's explored so many styles, though, tough to knock the cd down to less than 80 minutes.  AND had to show insight and smarts to put together just the right mix of cuts that will appeal to the amorphous, highly idiosyncratic audience:  family, friends, acquaintances, neighbors, co-workers--who might take the time and make the effort to actually listen to the cd.  I know that once they listen, they'll fall like a ton of bricks, so ....

Here's the resulting list.  Keep in mind, these songs are some of my favorites, but not all of them, and they come from only 4 albums, not including anything from the Marvelous 3 period and before.  Attempting to draw listeners in with current rockers, thoughtful ballads, songs that remind me of Todd Rundgren, Tom Petty, the 90's and/or other music periods in the past.  Also, what if Butch actually did a show in Houston--dream come true--these lucky first responders would have a good feel for the set list.  Think it's a representative and great lineup:

Mixtape

Bodegas and Blood
Summer of '89
Sweethearts
Day Drunk
Synthesizers
Closest Thing to You I'll Ever Have
Sucker Punched
The Weight of Her
Here Comes The …
Ponce de Leon Ave.
Passed Your Place, Saw Your Car, Thought of You
Oooh…Aaah…
Hot Girls in Good Moods
Ladies and Gentlemen..."The Let's-Go-Out-Tonites!"
Too Famous to Get Fully Dressed
Bethamphetamine (Pretty Pretty)
Maybe It's Just Me
Best Thing You Never Had

Plan to distribute these this week.  Will be tough not to press for opinions and positive reviews, but that will definitely be the way to go.  If they like it, they will love it and if they can't get into Butch, oh well. 

Butch Walker--Live From Daryl's House

So there may be a few of you who haven't already heard me extol the virtues of watching Live From Daryl's House on tv or on the web.  If not, YOU HAVEN'T BEEN LISTENING!!  For the rest of my legion of readers, here's the highly anticipated blog about Butch Walker's appearance on LFDH.

It's a really good show--Daryl Hall (yes, from Hall and Oates) invites musicians to come to his house in upstate NY to jam with him and his band.  So far, the beauty of the show for me has been a re-introduction to H&O songs and getting to hear new music.  A lot of the guests are complete unknowns to me.  Not their fault; I just don't listen to new music.  Remember:  this blog is called bibilovesangus, referring to my  relatively recent discovery of AC/DC.  Although not a metal head or anything like that, mostly I like old school rock n roll.

Anyway, episode 54 of LFDH really, really changed stuff up for me.  (what a great sentence! LFDH didn't do much for my ability to express myself verbally)  Here it is, just in case you haven't seen it:

LFDH, Episode 54, May 15, 2012

Once you've watched, I'm sure you'll react just like I did and watch it over and over.  At first, I was just so taken with Daryl and Butch's version of Say It Isn't So--you can just see the joy the two shared in singing together!  Truly, incontrovertibly, a gem among versions of this song!  From August 28, when I began keeping track of the youtube viewings of this video, to today, it's moved up from 2340 to 2903.  And, no, it wasn't just me viewing it repeatedly.  It's addictive listening/watching.  Butch has such a feel for the song--very close to that sense of regretted, but understood and inevitable love fade in some of his own work.  Right now, my current fave of the episode is Sweethearts--just love it!!!!!  Sure, Butch is cute and all and of course he can sing his music with an passion and immediacy that's absolutely enthralling AND endearing, but to watch  Daryl, getting off to the song, the shared performance--man, it's fantastic!

I had read that Butch no longer did Mixtape in concert and felt sad that I hadn't discovered him early enough to attend a concert where he did sing it, so when he sings it on LFDH, OMG!  So heart rending, so close to pretty much everybody's experience with unrequited love, soooooo beautiful. The mix-cd that I've made of Butch's songs begins with Mixtape.  Closest Thing, apparently a Butch concert mainstay, is also here--guess it's the closest thing for me to getting to see Butch do it live--and again, Butch gives it his soulful all and Daryl is right up there with him.  These two are just great together!

Daryl's band comes through on all the shows, but their strengths as musicians really show up with Butch.  You expect them to be good on the ballad-y love songs, but their back up on Bodegas and Blood--killer, total rocker song--is so strong, tight, so UP, makes you want to jump up and dance around!  At home, when this song comes on, I do dance around--the cats run and hide as a safety measure.  FYI:  they LOVE Butch Walker, or at least they've come to accept that they're going to hear at least Say It Isn't So, at least once or twice a day.  Wonder if they thinkButch is better/worse than AC/DC???

Finally, during the food portion of the show, Butch and Daryl cook paella with a noted chef and Butch is wearing the LFDH apron--I have one now!!!

So, enjoy episode 54, it's great!  Discovering Butch Walker, even greater!  Paella anyone?

Butch Walker Documentary--Out of Focus

Out of Focus

Watched the trailer for Butch's upcoming movie--too cool!  When will it be out in theaters?  Who would know?  Based on the clip, looks like just what a fan would want to see over and over again.  The currently uninitiated would watch it at least once, then leave the theater as converts to the Butch experience, right?

Hall and Oates Concert, September 10, 2012

Hall and Oates ROCKED!! Great concert, Daryl's voice sounded way more solid than a recent review led me to think and the band--same one from Live from Daryl's House--cooked! The audience was totally into it and had a noticeable effect on the show. Small-ish venue, friendly crowd, very laid back, had a really good time. Set list was a total trip down the hits list: Maneater kicked off the show, then, Family Man (one of my more recent faves), Out of Touch, Say It Isn't So (ok, I hear Butch Walker's version in my head, but nothing less than) EXCELLENT, a couple of songs from their early days, plus a solo work by John Oates, up next, She's Gone, Sara Smile--I almost cried, it was so fantastic to hear Daryl sing it live--I Can't Go for That, Rich Girl, You Make My Dreams--the place was completely insane by this time--Kiss On My List and last, Private Eyes. Everyone had been singing alongm especially with the last few songs, though, the place was reverberating!  Some fans dancing, including me and Flaca, and we just had a blast!!! Got to shake hands with the sax player later, but (sigh) no pictures with H & O and no autographs. Still, so glad we came to this.   If yiu get a chance to experience Hall and Oates--HIGHLY RECOMMEND!

Butch Walker: Will He Ever Play Houston? What To Do About This?

OBJECTIVE:  Bring Butch Walker to Houston. 

HOW TO?  I had a plan to make a BW cd of my favorite songs--as long as they were on The Rise and Fall of Butch Walker and the Let's-Go-Out-Tonights, Letters,  or The Spade cds--and if I could figure out how to download the video of Say It Isn't So --you know, my own Mixtape, and give it out to everyone I know.  Okay, that plan wasn't that well-baked--but it is still a project to tackle--otherwise how to stage a Butch Walker music domination putsch among those I know? 

To actually see Butch live, other strategems (or singular, strategem?) are /is needed.

So, what if...the local bar/club scene doesn't know about Butch and people like me that want to see him?  I devised a generic email I sent to The Last Concert, Numbers, Fitzgerald's--really, what do I know about the local bar scene?--but anyway, it's a start. Using that email, tweaked it a bit and sent a version to Butch's management today:

Even though I read Drinking with Strangers very carefully, I'm unfamiliar with how music acts are booked into venues in Houston. Hope I'm contacting the right person--if not, please pass this email on to them.

A couple of months ago, I was watching Live From Daryl's House, locally shown at 1 and 1:30 am, (Saturday nights, really Sunday mornings). Right, I don't have cable. Daryl Hall has invited some cool musical guests, but little did I know that episode 54 would lead me to writing this email. I enjoyed the other episodes and new artists--who were/are Chromeo, Neon Trees, The Dirty Heads, Train?--I've asked people a good bit younger than me and they didn't know, but when I saw Butch Walker's turn, well, as is common in parlance now, OMG!! I spent hours afterward watching the show over again on the web and then searching for and watching BW videos. Not to sound too over the edge, I must watch at least parts of that show every day now. Butch's performance was outstanding, incredible, just killed! And his version of Say It Isn't So---I mean, gee whiz, omigod--he has to incorporate it into the live act, really!
Since then, I've talked about him on my fb page intent on making my friends and family Butch Walker fans, posted videos--LOVE the ones everyone loves, won't bore you with the obvious--bought Live at Budokan on the strength of online raves, two cds (Letters, The Spade), talked about Butch to just everyone. Like anyone else with Internet access today, I've also blogged about Butch--even though the blog is entitled Bibilovesangus (as in Angus Young). Read the book, thought about making a mad trip to Berlin for the upcoming concert. Realistically, though, can't go to Berlin on such short notice and honestly, it is exhausting devising Lucy-Ethel schemes to see Butch live.

So, long story longer, I sent emails to a few local bars/clubs extolling Butch to the celestial skies [oops, redundant], believing it's not in vain to think that one of these venues has been wanting to book Butch somewhere in Houston, they've just been waiting for a raving lunatic fan to let them know the market is there for the exploiting.
As you are well aware, his stuff is out of this world great, he can rock like a billybejesus, belt out a heart wrenching ballad like there's no tomorrow cause he lost the girl, and completely suck you into his performance like cannot be believed. (Some of this energy is coming from "just watched Live at Budokan today") The point is, PLEASE have him play here in Houston, the sooner the better. I don't know if Butch wants to come to Houston and someone has to make an offer or if it entails someone convincing Butch to come to Houston, but anything your organization could do in either scenario, PLEASE DO IT. I'm convinced that a Houston audience will instantly recognize that Butch has talent out the wazoo, a fantastic crowd-pleasing voice and material, has proven indie cred, AND to top it off, he's real easy to look at and has loads of tattoos--what more would an audience need to respond positively?

Hope you can do something about this, aka bring/send Butch Walker to Houston. Please.

Sincerely (and with no stalker intentions),

Helen (aka Bibi)

We will see, right?  In the meantime: 


Say It Isn't So started it all

The Best Thing I Didn't Know About: Butch Walker!

Huge announcement:  Bibi has discovered Butch Walker and WHOA what a fabulous enlightenment it has been.  Due credit to Live From Daryl's House for this, episode 54, originally aired on May 15, 2012. 

OK, for those of you who don't know LFDH, Daryl Hall (yes, that Daryl Hall, from Hall and Oates) does a live webcast that is later aired on tv.  He invites musical guests, old friends or new acquaintances--wonder what elements go into the decision process on this--to play with him and his band at this house in upstate NY.  Cool idea, right?  Looks like lots of pre-activity for both sides selecting mutually agreed upon songs from both the guest's and Daryl's repertoires and practicing a lot before the broadcast.  OR, these folks are all just phenomenally talented:  they meet and over the span of a day, jam, come up with new arrangements, with, btw, egos checked at the door, and for the benefit of the viewing audience, come up with 4 to 6 songs in terrific shape.  This is along with (usually) having a chef come by and cook an incredible meal which they enjoy in the middle of the show.  Thinking about it, the meal probably comes at the end of the day, but small point.  Again, great concept, which I applaud.  If you're wondering, yes, John Hall has appeared on the show, looks like they still have a very good working relationship.  And, yes, Daryl Hall has aged very well--I think he looks way better now than he did back in the day.  His voice is still so impressive, smooth, a bit smokier than in the past, hitting the falsetto notes effortlessly, really, for me, relaxed, but loving it.  He's a gracious host, giving the guests all the leeway they want with his songs and enjoying himself immensely when he sings their songs.

Every show I've seen has been really good, reminding me how great the well-known artists are (Smoky Robinson, Booker T, Todd Rundgren, Jose Feliciano, etc.) and showcasing people I've never heard of who are very good musicians/performers--Meyer Hawthorne, Neon Trees, Train, Ceelo Green, but the one with Butch Walker, just blew me away.  His songs were instantly hits to me (Sweethearts, Bodegas and Blood, Mixtape, Closest Thing) and when Butch started in on Say It Isn't So, with Daryl just killing it as he and Butch traded verses, OMG!  OMG is really not telling you the half of it.  Butch's voice is fabulous, clear, so melodic, evocative and he can ROCK!  I watch/listen to at least parts of this episode every day, have put all the videos on fb, recommended them to everyone.  He and Daryl cooked singing together--to me it showed in their faces and in their sound together.  Truly a great show and a new interest for me.

Butch is apparently an east coast darling, England and Germany love him, too.  He's produced other performers--all popular today, just not my music--but for me, it's all about Butch's work as a solo artist.  He's currently working with a band, The Black Widows; they released an album in 2011, singing one of the cuts on the Letterman show, Synthesizers.  It's another side of Butch, not apparent on LFDH, sort of cool, hipster style here.  (Check out the Synthesizers video with Matthew McConnaughey reprising his Dazed and Confused star turn, so beyond cool.  That's Butch as the bartender.   Cute, right?)  You can see a lot of Butch on Youtube--interviews, so many of his songs, I highly recommend searching for him.  For your convenience, I've compiled my current favorite Butch Walker songs, including Say It Isn't So, which is from LFDH:

Best Butch Walker Songs, September 2012

Here Comes the Heartache

Sweethearts

Bodegas and Blood

Hot Girls in Good Moods

Maybe It’s Just Me

Mixtape

Closest Thing

The best thing you never had

Cigarette Lighter Love Song

Synthesizers

Say It Isn’t So

  When it comes to Bibi finding a new obsession (nothing really scary, stalking-level stuff), you know it includes learning all about the idee fixe.  So, now reading Butch's book:  Drinking with Strangers (Music Lessons from a Teenage Bullet Belt) and having a great time learning about his influences, past music lives, etc.  AND, listening to more and more of his music, so the list above could change.  I will let you know.    The grand plan right now is to make my own mixtape of Butch's music and distribute copies to the unschooled.  It won't be as heart searching as Butch's Mixtape, but it will be some choice material, for sure!  And YOU may be one of the lucky recipients!  I know you will be converted.  Once there's a local tribe of us, we can form a club, then a Facebook page, and start a campaign to get Butch to Houston.  Don't know what we could do about the prevailing, stultifying music and life-in-general malaise over the city, but we can work on that later.