Butch Walker and Catching Up for the Holidays

Just heard from an old friend across campus; she asked Bibi what she had been doing lately.  In the recent past, anyone who asked Bibi about her life, they got a version of this:

In August I discovered a singer/songwriter/musician, Butch Walker and now blog about him, talk about him on fb, going to see his show in Chicago on December 30--in the same neighborhood as the largest concentration of Frank Lloyd Wright houses in the US and the birthplace, boyhood home of Ernest Hemingway. If it hadn't been for Butch Walker, Bibi would never have gotten a chance to do this!!! 

Here’s a recent picture of Butch, although, really, he’s not just a pretty face:

Fabulous, beautiful voice, talented musician, successful record producer (Weezer, Fall Out Boy, Avril Lavigne, Pink (his close friend), Gin Wigmore—Butch co-wrote A Man Like That with her, now the video for Heineken/the new Bond movie, Taylor Swift). I know, I know:  recognize these names, but have never listened to their music and realize I probably won't get to them.  (In a previous post, I alluded to Bibi's very full daily schedule.)

He’s all over the web, in a very good way; an excellent showcase for him is Live From Daryl’s House, episode 54. He sings a few songs from his latest album (The Spade) with Daryl Hall (yes, from Hall and Oates). AND, he sings Say It Isn't So with Daryl--a version that is SO beautiful, SO Butch, and yet, such a great collaboration with Daryl.  Well.  This is where I first saw Butch and fell completely in love, totally enthralled, besotted, beguiled.  Also, if you want to see his videos, try the YouTube video for Mixtape, Here Comes the…, Summer of ’89, Synthesizers (two versions—one on the David Letterman show (excellent) and the YouTube video with Matthew McConaughey (Butch is the bartender).  I've put together a few mixtape cds of Butch's stuff from four of his albums:  The Rise and Fall of Butch Walker and the Let's-Go-Out-Tonites, Letters, Sycamore Meadows, and The Spade, so let me know if you want one.  Each album has a different feel and sound to it: amazing!  He rocks, he croons, and all in between, he can do it all, believe me! 

I usually end with some personalized questions--how's it going for you at work,  how are the kids, how about those___ (fill in the name of the person's football/baseball/soccer team preference, as appropriate).
Since they know me, it doesn't throw them off, really, but I guess they do wonder how Bibi does it all.  lol

This usually fires Bibi up about Butch, how great his music is, etc.  And it worked again this time.  Think I'll take a few moments and watch Say It Isn't So. 

Thanks, Butch!  See you in two weeks!

Butch Walker Stats Updated

As my legions of faithful readers know, Bibi has many, many talents and skills, but understanding how YouTube gathers data is NOT one of them.  For a few days last week, the counter on Say It Isn't So was stuck on 4688.  Maybe someone reported this, or, as computer things do, fixed itself, because today, October 29, the count is up to 5145.  Whew--what a relief!  My excel spreadsheet rejoices!  Just love seeing Butch's so-happy face before and after on that one.  And, of course, to hear his beautiful voice with Daryl Hall.  Such a wonderful version!

Butch tweeted last night that he had cried and now felt great.  hmmmm.  I tried to cajole him out of any funk by joking about it.  (Important note to Bibi:  no more stupid tweet responses. Please.) Being the ever so sensitive Bibi, though, I've been concerned for him.  (Fans are SO symbiotic with no encouragement at all.) Maybe he was worried about something, got great news and cried--I've done that.  That's the way I want to think about it.  After all, if he's really sad about something, for all my wonderful abilities, there's nothing I can do to help.  It's too helplessly true, isn't it?  Some of our most painful emotional experiences, we have to endure alone.  At least for me, in those tough times, whenever someone offered their totally useless sympathy or advice, the first comment that came to mind were those immortal 3 little words from the Terminator:  Fuck off, asshole.   And today, been watching the  different numbers from LFDH, Episode 54 to reassure myself that Butch is okay.

So, for what it's worth, love ya, Butch!  Hang in there!

Had to listen to Say It Isn't So again before signing off--the count is up to 5151!

Butch Walker Fans: One Viewpoint

Remember the time I blasted the music critic from Belgium over his dismissive review of AC/DC's concert in his area--en franҫais, no less?  Apparently he was a broken man after that.  I did contact his online paper and offered to buy him a drink before the Paris concert, but got no reply.  Anyway, I suppressed the urge to fire off an angry reply to some guy who recently blogged about Live From Daryl's House and included some comments about Butch.  Whatever his name is, blocked that, he extolled the virtues of LFDH--good venue for upcoming talent, not so good sometimes when the match between Daryl and the guest is off because their styles of music are so different or there seems to be a personality mismatch.  He gives a few examples of the bad and praises both Ceelo Green and Butch Walker for making the most of a very good showcase for them as artists.  THEN, he says that Butch Walker is good, a talented musician and music producer, but as an individual performer he is idiosyncratic and some negative term--really tried to block that, too--making his concerts  an uncomfortable experience.   He goes on to say that Butch learned a lot from working with Daryl Hall, allowed himself to learn from Daryl Hall, whose superior style and ability went a long way toward making Butch more appealing and his performance on LFDH one of the more successful episodes of the show.

WHAT!!  Who is this guy, anyway?  I was so ready to come after him with guns blazing--I am from Texas--and then remembered that poor Belgian.  So, I held back, but it's been a festering wound for me.    Possibly, he has the advantage of having seen Butch live, but really!  Daryl Hall is great--sure he thinks so, too--but when I watched Episode 54, I saw mutual enjoyment among the musicians, including Daryl, no sense of the master Daryl bestowing wisdom on grasshopper Butch.  And, true, Butch expressed his happiness at reaching his bucket list goal of playing with Daryl, but Butch seems to be a nice guy and pretty sharp about show biz encounters, so what would he say? 

Today, I feel less antagonistic toward that blogger who shall remain unnamed, or maybe the  out of control acid reflux just has me in a weakened condition.  Throwing up tends to do that to me.  In any case, just like a lot of things, everyone has their own opinion.  And God Bless America, in the land of the free, home of the brave, that's a good thing.  

Butch Walker knows: Why Was It So Easy

As Butch Walker knows, it's so great waking up the morning after creating something important to oneself.  lol Of course, the magnitude of that creation varies from person to person.  The resulting sense of accomplishment, pride mixed with exhaustion--but in a good way--the surge of believing we can do anything we set out to do, is analogous.  Ooooh, check out the big brain on Bibi!  really lol  Somehow, it made getting up this morning easier, drove to work with an optomistic outlook....Which brings to mind Why Was it So Easy:

Why Was it So Easy 

I had never heard the song before, very glad that Butch selected it for his appearance on LFDH.  His voice, phrasing are excellent!  He really feels the lyrics and attitude: reflective longing, remembrance, loss.  Such an appealing and sensitive performance.  You can tell Daryl is so impressed that Butch wanted to sing this specific song and he seems to experience a rediscovery of that carefully guarded place within himself when he wrote this song.  So cool that two artists found themselves in a place to engage so well.

So, enjoy!  And then, as Butch has said, get out of the house, get yourself downtown and shake it all out tonight!  

Butch Walker' s Say It Isn't So Stats--Update

Whoa, since August 28, 1669 views of Say It Isn't So from Live From Daryl's House, Episode 54, have occurred--and believe me, not even half the views are from me (lol)!  Sure, I watch the song at least once a day, but I have rules about over-viewing.  Guidelines, really, more than rules.  Most of the time, I limit myself to watching the one song only once (or twice) and then, maybe watching the entire episode.  Butch seems so enthralled with the whole experience and really, so does the entire band, especially Daryl.  Looks like they had so much fun.  Love to see that!

If I hadn't been so besotted with Butch from the beginning, I would have kept track of the different videos I watch that showcase him; so now the stats really need some re-thinking n terms of value.  Of course, I can't identify any other videos I've watched with as much devotion as Say It Isn't So; there aren't any, really, that I watch over and over.  Geez, guess all researchers go through this--support group out there?

Have watched the Letterman performance a few times--probably no more than 10-15 instances and the video with Wooderson a few times.  I do love Sweethearts from the LFDH episode, so I've watched it a few times, maybe 20.  Such a great song, how could anyone fault me for that, though?  And, of course, watch Mixape whenever there's a bit of time.  Justification there is that he doesn't include this song in his performances so much, so that makes my revisits to that one okay.  Between all the viewing of whichever videos, makes the day better for me and we all know how important it is to keep me happy, right?  Plus, wonder again how the songs were selected for the show.

In terms of a never before seen videos, recently saw a coouple of Butch singing She Likes Hair Bands and Closest Thing to You in a California bookstore.  Of course, Butch always looks good, but he really cleaned up well for the book signing. 

Butch acoustic, She Likes Hair Bands

Butch acoustic, Closest Thing to You I'm Gonna Find

Conjured up that scary fan fear:  what if I were somewhere innocuous--the mall, the grocery store, the car wash, at the doctor's--and Butch was there and I didn't recognize him????  Awful feeling!  He has different looks, depending on whatever, so it's a bit worrisome for me.  I feel the same way about Angus--really think it could happen.  Guess it works out well for my sanity that neither one of them is anywhere near Houston...sad, but true.  Oh, well, just means that I need to find/watch other videos to console myself until I can see Butch in concert--somewhere.

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 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.