Butch Walker: Summertime Blues

Well, Eddie Cochran sang it right:  there ain't no cure for the summertime blues...and no Butch Walker on the road.  Making do with clips from Live from Daryl's House.  Just love this one!

Sweethearts

Bibi just can't do the Chicago date on August 1--too little Butch and already been to Chi-town.  Only a few tickets left for the London show, but Bibi is admitting that London is way too far away, even for a chance to see Butch.

Still love ya, Butch!

The Butch Walker Ameliorative Effect--Proof Positive

Now that I have your attention (ha, ha), Bibi will once again tout the fabulously positive Butch Walker Ameliorative Effect.  You might say:  proof, please.  OK.  The "year" for Bibi and her fellow staff members begins at the end of August.  Although the fog of memory makes it less than pristinely clear, it seems that Bibi watched Episode 54 of Live From Daryl's House in mid or end of August.  While in many respects the flow of life did not change for Bibi, some did, in a significant way, from that point in time.  She began blogging about the wondrous Butch Walker and keeping track of the views of Say It Isn't So from that episode of LFDH at the end of August.  Began buying his cds, his dvd, his book with no thought of:  should I listen to Butch on YouTube or buy just a few mp3s before investing in him so heavily? For Bibi to invest in anything from a fiscal or emotional pov is a huge, involved decision process with lots and lots of research, time spent thinking about it, weighing the pros and cons, and FINALLY deciding yes or no.  When it came to Butch Walker, though, almost immediately, snagged a stock of blank cds to make mixtape cds to distribute to (even vaguely) interested parties, started mentioning Butch on Facebook.  Sure, there was some backlash, accusations of deserting Angus, etc., but Bibi was totally ensorcellee (enchanted, bewitched).  Started listening to Say It Isn't So (here's your chance to do so) 
The Butch version of Say It Isn't So: fab-u-lous!

daily, or more, along with Butch's cds and the BW Mixtapes.  What Bibi noted and passed on was that listening to Butch Walker music was a wonderfully effective way to get past negatives--people, situations, unavoidable tasks, that energy draining ennui--throughout the day.  You feel better, you're singing along, whatever you're working on is more fun, more satisfying and your output is just so much better.

Bibi's job is not so bad as "working at American Apparel, selling women's clothes to guys," but it could rank right up there.  The point is, Bibi's work performance is evaluated annually and review time was this past week.  Bibi's eval always comes out ok, pretty good and the number assigned to that performance is well within the keeper range.  This year, the number for this year's eval was significantly higher than last year's!  What other explanation could there be besides the Butch Walker Ameliorative Effect? 

Oh, Butch!  If you only knew how valuable you and your music are!  Thanks again, guy, for being such a great talent and being there!

Love you!

 

Butch Walker: Antici---Pation! Dallas! SXSW!

Bibi is such a fan!  It's daunting for a fan, thinking that one truly fine day, they would get to meet the star-object and ask all kinds of questions.  Of course, the chance doesn't offer itself frequently, and let's try to fondly remember the time Bibi did meet Angus.  Try to remember it fondly, although it was a complete disaster for Bibi.  She came away knowing that Angus saw her as a complete fan--weirdo variety.  He's probably met a lot of those.  BUT, Angus was ever so polite (throught the cloud of cigarette smoke) and that counts for something.  My friends never tire of asking for a re-telling of this ignominious episode of Bibi's life.

For the fan, lots of land mines in approaching their star.  The momentous moment (great syntax!) will be unexpected, actually being in their presence will be overwhelming and breath taking, rational thought evaporates, no matter how many times you've practiced.  You do know your precious seconds with the star are so very limited and you must ask/say something profound, witty, insightful, and memorable.  A lot to process for anyone, but particularly difficult for someone who finds themselves within the aura of greatness tht surrounds the star.  All this and total sensory overload was at play when Bibi met Angus and would be if she had the gob-smacking luck to run into Butch. 

• Does Butch own a polo-type shirt? 
• What hopeless and heart wrenching yearning he expresses in Race Cars and Goth Rock:  wake up and lose yourself in me....
• Is there a perfect sequence of songs for a Butch Walker Mixtape?  Bibi is up to version VI (or is it VII?) and it's not exactly right yet.
• Is that a Pure Prairie League reminiscence in RCAGR?
• Upon reflection, I may have heard My Way in the murky past.  Not sure I would have liked that era of Butch's music.
• What about Maybe It's Just Me and Brandy?  Just love that song,but who wouldn't?
• Who decided the set list on episode 54 of Live From Daryl's House, besides Why Was It So Easy?
• Petty Fest outings:  is the performer rush different from playing your own songs?  Satisfaction level?  Analogous to producing for others vs producing and performing your own songs?   
   Does Butch have favorite Butch Walker songs?  One from each album?

While fans have many questions on the important and the inane, the star has to deal with the fan situation in general.  How could one ever satisfy the fan hunger for information or access?  No way to do it.  So a precarious balance is set between the two, including boundaries.  Bibi has tickets to see Butch on Monday in Dallas and great hopes to see him in Austin on Thursday and Friday.  We will see how it goes.  Could impact the summer tour plans for Bibi significantly.  Or not.

Love ya, Butch!

Butch Walker: Guest on LFDH and Rock Star at The Double Door in Chicago

As my vast, devoted following knows, Bibi LOVES Episode 54 of Live From Daryl's House, her introduction to the great, the wonderful, the truly under-recognized, Butch Walker.  After Daryl gives a short, intriguing lead-in for Butch, we meet Butch, who introduces himself, giving us an idea what he's about. 

I remember thinking:  hmmm, this guy seems nice enough, a bit self-effacing, pretty low-key, laid back.  Wonder how he'll do up against  Daryl's band?  He proceeded to rock it with Bodegas and Blood first on the set list--on mandolin, no less--having a ball, singing back and forth with Daryl and the guys, confidence and performance full out.  Aaaahhh, the beginning for me with Butch. 

And then he did Sweethearts!  Oh, dear! 

Butch singing Bibi's favorite: Sweethearts

Maybe I knew then that a new world had opened for Bibi or maybe I didn't realize it until a few hours later when I was still watching YouTube videos of Butch, taking in as much as possible about this fantastic performer.

Thing is, now, having seen Butch live, I'm amazed at the different sides of Butch--the sweet, almost diffident singer on LFDH--and the rock star on glorious display at the Double Door on December 30. 

Butch Walker: You're SUCH a pretty melody!

I suppose many performers have multi-faceted personalities that they reveal at different times.  Let's take Angus Young as an example.  Apparently, he's quite shy in regular life, unassuming, sitting around drinking cups of tea and smoking Benson & Hedges cigarettes.  Onstage, though, OMG--total fucking wild man on guitar!  Running all over the stage, killing it for two solid hours, driving the audience insane with those riffs, so familiar and such an intense rush of unbelievable energy, excitement, intensity.  Sigh. 

Focus, Bibi...Butch Walker, Butch Walker, you were writing about Butch Walker.  Right.  For Butch, these differences manifest themselves so dramatically, really cool that these two disparate views of him both appeal to Bibi.  You HAVE to see Butch live, really!  His records are fantastic and if you haven't watched episode 54 of Live from Daryl's House, what have you been doing?  GREAT showcase for Butch and then, take any opportunity you can, get out of the house, get yourself downtown and shake it all out at a Butch Walker show.  INTENSE!

Love you, Butch!

Butch Walker Coming to Texas--Based on Which Data Sets?

Woohoo!  Got the tickets for the Dallas show, made the hotel arrangements for Dallas and Austin.  Well, it's not precisely in Austin (Round Rock), but at least it's not in San Marcos (!)

and it's reasonably priced with an excellent rating from Trip Advisor.  Plus, already have a restaurant recommendation for Round Rock--known for its pie!  Was a bit touch n go getting it all settled, but now feeling a sense of accomplishment.  Hey, Bibi, it'll be spring break, lighten up with all the planning and thinking ahead!   

Bibi is fascinated by the whole decison process that brings BW to Texas, especially Dallas.  There has to be more to it than geography, airline routes, and seemingly interminable airport to hotel distances, right? 

As the readers know, Bibi's MBA background kicks in every now and then and excel tables sprout up, along with questions:  what data was gathered to come up with this itinerary?  It could be that Butch has other things he wants to do in these cities around these dates--heard there are some good art museums in Dallas, not sure what there is in Little Rock, maybe it has a hot, undiscovered music scene?  Is Chuck there?  (Read Butch's very-readable Drinking with Strangers for the backstory on that.)   These and other opportunities drove the decisions to construct this route?  Just wondering.  Could Bibi have access to the SWOT analysis on this?

Right. 

Burning question:  why favor Dallas instead of Houston?  Doesn't matter, really, in terms of Bibi making the trek--SO HAPPY Butch is coming to Texas outside of SXSW--I'd go to El Paso, Nacogdoches, hell, even Eagle Pass, Pasadena or Baytown if any of those had been his city of choice.  Kind of funny:  been talking about Butch to my economist/finance prof friend, also one of the statistics profs, and my supervisor, a management Ph.D.  All of them expressed curiosity about how Butch's management group decided on Dallas:  industry data showed a higher level of Butch cd, mp3 sales there?  Disposable income substitutes  trended higher there for Butch tickets?  Facebook and Twitter hits were tallied and gave the Butch edge to Dallas?  Views of Live From Daryl's House, episode 54 and YouTube BW videos tracked higher in northern Texas vs southern Texas?  How DID they use best business practices and all kinds of regression analysis to know this?  Or, some secret, trademarked  algorithm using information from some/all/other of the factors mentioned?  Something like: 

 

Little jokes.  Will check with my marketing prof to see how entertainment world data is generated and made available.

Bibi has been so engrossed in these business geek considerations, the Downton Abbey routine for Sundays (homemade cherry/pineapple pie to go with the traditional tea--lovely DA viewing.  Thanks, Janet Neighbor!) and some time watching the Superbowl adverts, not much time for thinking about the set list requests.  OK, spent a few random minutes thinking on that; keep coming back to the BWM series.  BWM V.2 is really, really good:

Maybe It's Just Me
Mixtape
Don't Move
Race Cars and Goth Rock
Bethamphetamine (Pretty Pretty)
The Weight of Her
Here Comes the…
Ponce de Leon Ave.
Ships in a Bottle
Passed Your Place, Saw Your Car
Sweethearts
Synthesizers
The Closest Thing to You
Pretty Melody

For Texas, would leave out Mixtape, Ships in a Bottle and one of my all-time Butch faves, Don't Move and ROCK it way more by adding Summer of '89, Day Drunk, Bullet Belt, Bodegas and Blood--just love this song, maybe Dublin Crow and of course, Sucker Punch.  (that would make it almost all of The Spade, but it really is so good.)  Plus, She Likes Hair Bands--cannot leave this one out.  This would still leave room for three of the new songs, right?  Hmmm...too long?  Leave out Ponce de Leon Ave.?  It's a great BW showcase in versatility, with that oh so cool Todd Rundgren vibe. Would like new listeners to discover it, but, OK.  Please add Here Comes the...please.  Have been listening to I Liked It Better When You Had No Heart and really like it.   A couple of those cuts added to the set list would go over very well:  Days/Months/Years, Don't You Think Someone Should Take You Home.  Jeez, it's tough discerning the BEST of Butch Walker's songs to really show off his phenomenal talents.
Butch will come up with a GREAT set list; he's a seasoned professional, knows what works in a live setting, what he's comfortable with, how to reach the audience, etc., etc.  Brings to mind the consistent AC/DC fan concerns about the set list.  I could never believe some fans' complaints about the selection.  Some would even say that leaving out You Shook Me All Night Long would be no loss!!!  Weirdos, really, they are everywhere!  In the end, AC/DC made almost no changes in a tour that lasted almost two years.  I saw them six times during the tour and LOVED EVERY SHOW.  So, we will see what Butch does.

Love you, Butch!  Can't wait to see you in Dallas and Austin!

Butch Walker: Such a Pretty Melody

Bibi's readers know how much she LOVES, LOVES, LOVES Say It Isn't So from episode 54 of Live From Daryl's House--had to listen to it this morning to resolve some Monday family blues.  It worked, too! 

Since December 30, though, have been experiencing a huge crush on Pretty Melody.  "Oh baby we don't have to be like the rest of them....there's not a single part of me that would ever let you go.....ooooooh, oooooooh....." 

Got I Liked It Better When You Had No Heart the other day, so discovering that part of Butch's work.  Very, very interesting to Bibi.  It's Butch, but a different shade of Butch from the other albums.  Not sure how much I liked it at first, but you know how it is with Butch:  just listen, pay attention, let the words and melody flow over you.

One of my fan-tasies runs like this:  what if, I got to meet Butch and had the opportunity to get his autograph on Drinking With Strangers?   ha, ha, ha on the readers--they were thinking:  okay, a fantasy involving Butch, HOT!  Well, maybe, er, sure, just LOOK at these pictures

Butch Walker channeling hot male model

Butch Walker, spokesperson of the year for whatever--I will buy it!



Lost in thought about ... who cares?


but not for sharing on the world wide web. Please.  On this blog, the R rating is due to use of foul language, okay?  Anyway, in Bibi's fantasies, as it's playing out, I'm wearing whatever I'm wearing at the moment, so for this one at this moment, asking for the autograph in my office clothes.  Including the Ralph Lauren pumps.  Kinda funny.  Under what circumstances would Bibi be standing around Butch in her office-appropriate attire?  He'd actually be on this campus?  Happened right after work?  OMG! But anyway, in the book signing fantasy, the really big question is, what would I ask him to write?  My best ideas are lyrics from his songs, but there are so many great ones, tough.  And, admit it, a lot of the lyrics from Pretty Melody would raise eyebrows (and scorch 'em off) when you showed off the autograph.  Dilemna.

Off to a book reading and signing now.  Not Butch (sigh).  Michael Chabon, though, almost as good, right?

We will see.

Love ya, Butch!

Butch Walker: Say It Isn't So and Drinking With Strangers in Paris

As the faithful know, Bibi LOVES Live From Daryl's House, Episode 54.  Episode 54



It brought about a seismic change in Bibi's already full life, introducing her to the great, the wonderful Butch Walker.  My favorite cut from that show is Say It Isn't So. Posted this so many times, here it is again.

 Once Bibi heard this, life changed!

I know set lists for performances are set in stone in advance of shows--at least that's how AC/DC and Bruce do it--but SO hope Butch will include it on December 30. 

Just so you get an even better taste of Episode 54, here's one of Bibi's other faves, Bodegas and Blood. 

Butch n Daryl's band rock it!

Of course, every song Butch does on the show is also one of my favorites:  Sweethearts, Mixtape, Closest Thing, Why Was It So Easy...so, there it is.  You may ask, what was the reason for this post?  While Bibi is not prepared to go into the existential why of blog posts at this time, today, the reason is that I had a chance to talk Butch up to someone who immediately got on the web to look Butch up!!!  So exciting when you get through to someone!!  Once I'd talked to D for awhile, thought, why don't I listen to Say It Isn't So and once I did that, well, slippery slope. Had to watch the other songs, too.  As a special treat (Bibi loves cat treats and this clip is a really great treat for you) here's the opening of Episode 54.  How Bibi met Butch the first time!!!!!!  You get a feel for Butch the person, what's important to him as an artist, a shortened form of what you would read in his book, Drinking With Strangers.  A very good read!  Plan to re-read it before the trip.  Why doesn't the book have an index?  Needs one.  AC/DC's Maximum Rock & Roll has one, although it could be better.

Introducing: Butch Walker


If you began reading these posts after my AC/DC phase, you (regrettably) don't know that during slow times within AC/DC's last tour, Bibi would fill in the gaps by blogging about individual AC/DC albums, songs, why they were great and should be in the rock pantheon of all time.  Wondered if I might do that about Butch Walker's music before December 30.  It's almost here (Bon Scott scream!) and even though Christmas is already exciting, knowing that I'll get to see Butch so soon, well, the excitement around Bibi is just palpable.  Feel like there's a slight buzz in the air around me, the sky is bluer, the air crisper.  Or maybe it's the cold front that came in last night, hard to distinguish.  Tough to concentrate on the day-to-day since I have the Chicago guidebook and see that the few days Bibi has up there are too short to fit everything in. 

Just so you know:  there will be no time for "hoping to spot Butch somewhere in Chicago" as occurred in Paris with AC/DC.  Bibi did enjoy meeting the fans outside AC/DC's hotel and Bibi was richly rewarded for sitting around in the bar, since I got to talk to Brian and Cliff--such sweeties--but really, Paris deserved more of Bibi out and about instead of hanging in a really expensive bar.  I read in one of Butch's tweets about an elite, pricey bar in Nashville.  Ha, ha, ha.  What a bunch of fiscal lightweights!  If they thought that place was rich for their (financial) blood, they would never be able to drink in Paris. 

Oh, and btw, the Ernest Hemingway house was sold this year to private owners. 

Bibi is checking now to see if visits are still allowed.  It could work out that I'll only get to take a picture of the residence and maybe think of a way to bring a dirt sample back to the ex.  Bit of a family story:  the ex always wanted to visit Graceland; Elvis was his hero.  The only time his family went to Memphis, though, Graceland was closed for the day.  So, the ex gathered some dirt from the property and kept it for years.  That is now lost to the ages, so I thought I would bring some dirt back from the Hemingway (also one of his heroes) house for him.  Bibi's thoughtful like that.

We'll see.

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 in Chicago, December 30, 2012

Make it quick as a kitten jumping on and off the dining table:  PLEASE, Butch--play Sweethearts at the show on December 30!  PLEASE!  As part of "gettin' into it" this morning, listened to the fave (Say It Isn't So, now up to 6829 views) and it went down so easy, the office seemed very light  and airy, none of that usual oppressive Monday gloom--the Butch Walker Ameliorative Effect at work.  I thought, well, why not go through the entire Episode 54 (Live From Daryl's House) and update the stats while you're at it?  Multi-tasking, right?  Always try to play the cuts in order of appearance, otherwise, it's just chaos in Bibi's otherwise oh-so-ordered world (HAH!), but somehow, got stuck on Sweethearts.  Such an underrrated gem!  So adorably likable (like Bibi) and ineffably sweet in all the positive ways.

Bibi loves this one! 

Wouldn't it be the coolest if Butch played this song at the show AND made it one of those fan participation things that he's done in the past where a deleriously lucky fan gets to sing with him?  Total "fan"tasy, right?    Seen a couple of those videos and the poor girls were so Butch-struck that they could barely stand, so maybe Butch doesn't do that anymore.  But, still, what a concept!  What a song!  Hold me to your chest 'cause I can feel your heart jumping!  Tell me about it!

Love you, Butch! 

PR for Butch Walker

So, who does this for Butch?  Is the job currently unfilled?  Shouldn't there be frequent, or going with the absence makes them scream for more theory, even infrequent mentions of Butch in the media?  He played at the Los Angeles Petty Fest recently which gives Bibi a case in point:  where is the follow-up buzz about his  performance?  He KILLED with his version of Breakdown on the first night. 

Butch says: It's alright if you love me, it's alright if you don't...

                                                                      this pic is from the second night of Petty Fest West

Let's be clear on this:  Bibi would strongly vote (4 paws worth) against Butch appearing during half time at football games.    Seems that Lenny Kravitz's management is utilizing the any publicity is good publicity model to re-energize his career.  hmmmmm.  However, there must be some middle ground where knowledgeably timed press releases and/or noteworthy appearances, like Petty Fest, could raise awareness without being a sell-out junket for Butch, right?  This leads to discussion of why Butch Walker isn't better known and appreciated. Have lots to say about that, but that's a different post, or two. 

As devoted readers, you know Bibi intends to check with the NY Times and the NYorker about their plans to review Butch's upcoming shows in Chicago.  Oh, right, also something to Rolling Stone.  Content and stylistic questions arise:  use of the impersonal voice, signaling not only decorum and reason, but good taste?  Or, go with the naturalistic, giddy, total fan tone?  As a subscriber to both pubs, imply exasperation that this hasn't happened for Butch already?   (Maybe their people have already informed Butch they will be catching the shows?)  There's really no way to say to the NYT or the NYer, "Who does Butch Walker have to ---- to get attention from your organization?"  Maybe you could say it to RS, but why give those guys the satisfaction?  Bibi is saying this from a fan perspective, it's not what Butch would say--ever--since we all know Butch won't sell out--an issue germane to the point brought up in the last paragraph.

Have to craft a concise, coherent request, emphasizing increased readership satisfaction that such a review  would engender for the NYT and the NYer, both of which continue to seek ways to connect with a younger base.  (whoa, Bibi, MBA!) Need an engaging opening, finish with a flourish, of course.  Keep forgetting that I have to send something suitable to Rolling Stone, too.  Given their past unfathomably dismissive treatment of Butch, that will be a tough one.  Same music mag that dismissed AC/DC, right?  Anyway, back on point...include pictures?  Links to live performances?  Don't want that old Salieri criticism (something like):  Ah, Mozart, you are passionate but you do not convince.

Maybe Bibi hasn't mentioned a small pr effort she's been working lately:  made some business cards with Butch's picture, webpage and link for Episode 54 of Live From Daryl's House.  I leave them at just about every store or public place I go.  Today, at the Clear Lake Half-Price Books found the Letters cd--second time I've found a cd by Butch at this location!--and as I was paying, I told the guy about Butch and gave him one of the cards.  He said he'd check Butch out on the web.  Grass roots, I know, but presidential elections have been won using this angle.  It could help in raising Butch Walker awareness, too.

The Butch Walker Mixtape IV and IV.2

Had a doctor's appointment and--COOL--gave away two of the Butch Walker Mixtapes (II and II.2) to the really nice doctor's assistants (Bibi's policy remains:  protect identities of the blameless).  Got to talk Butch up a bit, too, why I liked him--he's not just a pretty face--he's a really talented singer and songwriter, has some GREAT recordings and videos,  AND, he had a great look going for Halloween:

 
Arlo "The Apache" Laine from Inglorious Basterds

'Course, you can't take it away from him--he is a good looking guy!

He shaved as part of his pledge work for Movember; I was a bit off put; I've grown accustomed to his (moustachioed) face. 
Here's the link if you want to make a contribution to this group that works on awareness of male health issues:  Movember

So easy to digress...I spent some time thinking about why Butch's work is so good.  A fan's dream assignment, right?  Listened to cuts from Letters on the way home, pondering.  I'll be honest; of the four cds I have:  The Rise and Fall of Butch Walker, Letters, Sycamore Meadows, and The Spade--Letters is my least favorite. (significant glances around the room)  I know.  Blasphemy! 



Mixtape
 Maybe It's Just me
#1 Summer Jam
Don't Move
Best Thing You Never Had
Race Cars and Goth Rock

Of the 12 songs on the album, these 6 are SO strong, such completely cohesive creations, melding the lyrics, Butch's expressive, wistful, often ethereal, sometimes frustrated voice, instrumental breaks and riffs so effectively, although I sometimes listen to the other songs, I usually end up just listening to these songs again and again.    Maybe It's Just Me--okay, a bit unfair to other songs in existence since this one makes such great use of that keyboard bit from everyone's favorite guilty pleasure song, Brandy, repeated at key points in this song--and then, Butch's liquid voice, in the words of the best sensitive guy-boyfriend ever: Maybe we should be alone forever after/... I can't wait for you to shine/, and THIS phrase: The only thing I'll hold against me is a picture of you tonight.  (Anguished Bon Scott scream here! from Bibi) SUCH a love song.  When I hear it, I can almost forget that the first time I saw the video for it, I realized  it was what must have been the highlight of an Ashton Kutcher movie.
Mixtape has such great stand alone phrases:  You say hello, Inside I'm screaming I love you/ ...
You drive away from my car crash of a heart/...
It crushes my head when you call me your friend/...
You can't hear the pain I feel....
It's love and I'm in it/You gave me the best mixtape I have and even all the bad songs ain't so bad/
Just wish there was so much more than that about me and you/
Whoa. And, if you ever see the version of Mixtape from Butch's dvd, Live at Budokan, the section of the dvd filmed in Atlanta, omg!  He goes full out on this one to unbelievably moving effect.  I've read that he no longer does Mixtape in concert; well, what a loss.  Here's the version from Live at Daryl's House.  Butch does it beautifully and Daryl Hall and his band are way better singers than the fans at Butch's shows (lol)

Mixtape, Live from Daryl's House

#1 Summer Jam:  Great line--Won't you come back Sunday/Every day's a Monday now that you're gone.  We won't go into an explication de texte on the first couple of lines of this song, but those lines alone encapsulate that something about Butch's songwriting--his ability to succinctly and in a musically effective way express a place we've all been for at least one set of ineffably incredible moments in past; whew!

Don't Move:  What an impassioned love song--Listen to me as my hands shake/Cause I want you, I need you/I can't live without you, baby/Baby don't move at all--Butch's delivery is phenomenal.  His voice is so full of hurt, regret, hopeless hope.  Again, to see him sing this one in the Live at Budokan dvd--fab u lous!   Here's a live version from 2009:
Don't Move
The Best Thing You Never Had is an anthem among bitter break up songs and really hits you in a place you thought you'd gotten past a long time ago.  The fans just love to sing along with this one at the concerts to the point that sometimes Butch just plays guitar.  Hopefully, he'll include it on December 30th, though, and I can sing along, too.  Great, gutty delivery song!

Race Cars and Goth Rock:  I've read that some of Butch's work could be classified as emo.  He does seemingly reveal a lot about his personal life experiences in his songs.  That said, rationality indicates that for all his songs about heart wrenching breakups, it's just not possible that there have been so many breakups in his past.  Maybe the few break ups there were have been so imprinted on Butch's psyche that he can revisit those rare occurences and write yet another song about coming in second, not being the one.  Whatever, this one adds his feelings of being the cultural outsider, not so much out of her league, but out of her social network.  And his knowledge that even if the object of his unrquited affection realizes she's mismatched with her current guy, she's not going to leave him.  He views her and that time with a regretful, but distanced eye.  I'm a broken down Camaro overheated but you'll never know you're the one that caused this crash.
Butch's metaphors...so expressive!

This pondering led to the creation of the Butch Walker Mixtape IV and IV.2


Butch Walker Mixtape IV and IV.2


She Likes Hairbands

Maybe It's Just Me

Mixtape

Don't Move

Best Thing You Never Had

Race Cars and Goth Rock

Oooh, Aaah…

Hot Girls in Good Moods

Bethamphetamine

Too Famous to Get Fully Dressed

When Canyons Ruled the City

The Weight of Her

Going Back/Going Home (not available on IV)

Here Come the . . .

Ponce de Leon Ave.

Ships in a Bottle

Passed Your Place, Saw Your Car

Bodegas and Blood

Sweethearts

Synthesizers

Closest Thing to You

Sucker Punched

One day, I will master the technical skills to actually and finally make my Butch Walker Mixtape, but that day's not here yet.

Butch Walker and John Oates: Unlikely Combination

OK, ran the errands, drank the coffee, watched/listened to Butch Walker singing Say It Isn't So from Episode 54 of Live From Daryl's House http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kj2PUz3Jax0&feature=colike As I think of it, the butch version of Say It Isn't So.

and it's now time to get back to the costume for Saturday.  The hat and jacket are ready, except for the embellishments.  The skirt looks easy enough so might go to Southern Imports to look at the wigs one more time.  Took the scrapbook and hat to Stitch n Bitch last night and they didn't look at them with pity in their eyes, so I'm encouraged.  Was thinking that if I go to the rodeo this year, parts of this costume could work.  Can't say that about all costumes, so this is a plus.  Here's the concept: 

I'll be Lupe Velez/The Mexican Spitfire, famous B actress from the 1930's.  Most of her glamour shots showcase that side of her persona which IS impressive, but obviously, I had to select something less outré, more accessible to me as a seamstress and for the audience.  Been a good experience so far and that's really helping with the momentum.

Have been practicing for tomorrow's costume--John Oates from Hall and Oates.  I think I've got the music down--Rich Girl and Private Eyes--have to work on the patter and presentation overall.  Nervous about the moustache and spirit glue.  Might go for a trial run on that part while I'm working on the costume. 

Let's say this all works out in terms of execution, MAYBE there will be pictures later.

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 on Live From Daryl's House, redux

LFDH--See Butch 

One of the things that bothers me about the LFDH page is that Butch is not mentioned in the text areas as one of the stars who has appeared on the show.  Well, guess I'm just not going to get over that--and the one picture they have of Butch with Daryl screams:  I don't know the guy next to me--but VH1 currently has a promo that  features Daryl Hall and Live From Daryl's House and  Butch shows up three times!!  They're a passing sort of mentions:  in the scene with the guys eating dinner, you kind of have to know that's Butch over in the right hand corner and they show the bit where Butch is asking about singing a certain part of Why Was It So Easy (you would know this if you'd watched  Episode 54 even half as many times as I have) and one other quick glimpse of him during Episode 54.  (dismissive snort here) Fans, you gotta love 'em (or feel sorry for them).  So pathetically starved for news of their idols, any kind of way they can get it.

True, Daryl's doesn't say Butch's name, but okay, lots of the other performers who've been to DH are not even shown in this promo, much less mentioned by name.  So I take it as a WIN!  There should be lots more mentions of Butch everywhere...this is a good start.  lol 

Also noticed that the title of this clip is Artists Makes Themselves at Home at Daryls House...no spell check or anyone watching for that glaring writing faux pas:  too many "s" at the ends of words.  Along with that pesky not enough apostrophes in the world. (dismissive snort here, too)

Love you, Butch!

Butch Walker Converts and Halloween Costumes

Talked to a prospective Butch Walker convert today and amazing how it energized me. He asked me to name my favorite song. Had to go with She Likes Hair Bands on the spur of the moment. But, then emailed him the link to LFDH, episode 54, along with the mp3s of Here Comes the… , and Synthesizers. Really didn’t like being limited like that. How to introduce someone to Butch's range with one or three songs?  It’s like being asked to name your favorite AC/DC song. Impossible. Plus, made me realize that I hadn’t had an infusion of Butch Walker music in a few days. Recently have been immersing myself in Hall & Oates in preparation for the office costume extravaganza on October 26. Actually, already a bit disappointed in this upcoming extravaganza. The name has been changed from the ever-hip and au courant Fall Festivus to the boring although more predictable Fall Festival. What that hell is that?

Anyway, to sustain my belief in the transcendence of my costume, thought that listening solely to Hall and Oates would guide me to a more meaningful John Oates characterization. Along with the costume, not smiling so much, looking a bit annoyed and put upon, and singing only back up sections of the song.


This is hard because one of the key tenets of singers-along, we sing the lead, right? My thought on this is that chances of triumphing over the other lame costumes are vastly enhanced if I’m in character as much as possible, so I plan to sing only the background stuff while I'm strumming the PaperJamz guitar. Selection of the appropriate song has shifted, as well. Wanted a song that didn’t have a long lead-in (to better capture the attention-span-impaired audience) and had some substance in terms of the back-up part of the song. First, it was going to be Rich Girl: it has a short intro AND Butch likes it well enough to have included it in some performances, but am kinda sorta leaning toward Kiss on My List—possibly more recognizable to the general public—and it might make the point about John Hall being in the background of the partnership more emphatically. He doesn’t get to sing until late in the song. Or maybe, Private Eyes or I Can’t Go For That. Since every time I hear Say It Isn’t So, I tend to sing the Butch version (ha, ha, the butch version of Say It Isn’t So), don’t intend to go for that, as some might say.

While I was selecting the two songs I sent to D today (still protecting the names of the innocent and/or unaware), found some YouTube videos I hadn’t seen—Butch singing Sweethearts in Napa and at some other live performances last October—and it occurred to me again: Butch is chameleon-like in his fashion choices and personal looks. Huge fan worry:  I might not recognize him in the off-chance (in a billion light years) that I'll ever be in the same geographical location with him. Currently, he’s going through a plaid shirt, slicked back hair phase. The tight jeans and work boots thing are a constant. Brougt to mind the Seinfeld episode about the woman who looked scarily different, depending on the lighting, situations.  Of course, Butch always looks good, so whatever; just the inane concern about being able to recognize him.

Blogs--another way to encourage people to blather on and on about…nothing…but the smidgens of thoughts in their little squirrel brains.
So, for at least awhile today, listened to The Butch Walker Mixtape II.2, which  includes Freak of the Week—what a cool song! Did I ever hear that song, back in the day?  What radio station would it have been on?  Hmmm....late 90's release...the 90's were a tough time for me.....nothing comes to mind on this, so guess I never heard it.  The intro grabs you right away—reminds me 8 Miles High and some other song from the past--the repeated riff throughout, a lot of reassurance and identification for the listener hearing it. With Butch, there’s that AND the memorable, repeatable lyrics: He thinks it’s all about culture and art/…Can you make me a promise?/…Tell me I sold out…tell me I sold out…(a mantra to hold on to)…tell me I sold out, go ahead.

Freak of the Week video
Butch doesn't really like this video, but what a great face--the camera loves him!

ain't no geeks that look cooler than him, then or now

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--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: 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.