Media Mayhem & Water Music

Just in case you missed it Friday, in the rush to cover an inane police chase around Phoenix, two TV helicopters collided in mid air. Two pilots & two reporters were killed, and a park in Suburban Phoenix was turned into a messy charred memorial.

Another fine example of the benefits of mainstream television news, racing to tell viewers a typically sensationalized, yet inconsequential story that likely ended the same as every other lame police pursuit: flat tires, crushed metal & deferred dumb ass dreams.


The Ethiopians - Everything Crash
Better Quality versions of this Ethiopians track here at Emusic as a DRM free MP3!

Then while news of the copter crash trickled across the mediascape, word comes from Ohio of a stunt pilot whose death was witnessed by thousands of bored midwesterners gathered at an air show. Now you can ad, yourself to that tally, and enjoy this next classic American media snuff film clip courtesy AP...

Headlines abounded earlier this month when it became apparent aged Oaksterdam mayor Ron Dellums and his administration of mysterious task forces somehow failed to check the calendar and order up the traditional July 4th Fireworks show at Jack London Square.

Instead the celebration was to be postponed until tonight, July 28th for some reason, perhaps simply to prove that in Oakland, the terrorists win or something. Well...uh, hold your bong hits folks, and guess what...

The "re-scheduled" fireworks are now canceled following new concerns that the endangered California brown pelican would be totally bummed. The announcement that slipped out on Friday, was oblique, but paid some much needed lip service to not disrupting the breeding and roosting birds.

But fear not dudes, a "friendly alternative" laser show has been substituted at 9pm tonight ..way to go dudes...Think I'll skip the Portfest World Music and Jazz Festival...

Watch the mainstream media look to spin this next newsy nugget out of proportion...

Yurns out that some African-American campaign volunteer for Barack Obama has had a past run in with the law. Iowa police were only to happy to arrest the young man who was fleeing an aggravated battery warrant.

What's surprising about this next story, is not that Pepsi has been repackaging the same tap water they put in softdrinks, as a "premium bottled water", but that people seemed so unaware that this is a common practice.

If you'd like more background on America's billion bottles a week obsession with bottled H2O, listen to this On Point radio program from WBUR Boston's NPR station ...

WBUR - On Point - The Bottled Water Obsession



Or just peruse a quickly assembled "Water Music" section...

Including such item s like the bubbling electronica track by El Farouki, known as "Green Aqua"...

Download "Green Aqua" (mp3)
from "Lost Moments"
by El Farouki
Night Drive Music

• Buy at iTunes Music Store
• Buy at eMusic
• Stream from Rhapsody
• Buy at Napster

More On This Album



or perhaps you'd prefer Watermelon Slim, an Oklahoma bluesman offering up this track for download...

"Black Water" (mp3)
from his new album "The Wheel Man"
by Watermelon Slim
Northern Blues

• Buy at iTunes Music Store
• Buy at Amazon.com
• Buy at eMusic

More On This Album



or how about this classic track from the Sweetheart of The Rodeo album from The Byrds...known as You Don't Miss Your Water

The Byrds - You Don't Miss Your Water

Or perhaps you've heard of the raucous rock band known as the Riverboat Gamblers... offering ya upa healthy blast of "Ice Water".

Download "Ice Water" (mp3)
from "Something to Crow About"
by Riverboat Gamblers
Gearhead Records

• Buy at iTunes Music Store
• Buy at Napster
• Stream from Rhapsody

More On This Album




How about Lou Rawls who has many version available of the song I'd Rather Drink Muddy Water, so picking & choosing is hard, so we'll go with this one featuring Les McCann

Lou Rawls with Les McCann - I'd Rather Drink Muddy Water


Find more Les McCann
& Lou Rawls
at eMusic.

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or have you ever heard of McKinley Morganfield?

perhaps you'd know him better as Muddy Waters...



Muddy Waters - Hoochie Coochie Man (Live)

Download "Hoochie Coochie Man" (mp3)
from "The Lost Tapes"
by Muddy Waters
Blind Pig Records

More On This Album






Anyhow, I'm gonna split from the water kick... and just mention it's not often ya get yer soul music fix via Finland, but Nicole Willis found her backing band there... and ya know what?

it works...

Download a sample of some modern soul sounds from Seattle's Light In The Attic label... and then, if ya dig it, seek out more on yer fave download stores & services...

Nicole Wills & Soul Investigators - If This Ain't Love ( Don't Know What Is)

Download "If This Ain't Love (Don't Know What Is)" (mp3)
from "Keep Reachin' Up"
by Nicole Willis & The Soul Investigators
Light In The Attic

• Buy at iTunes Music Store
• Buy at eMusic
• Stream from Rhapsody

More On This Album




and that's all for now folks...

if you seek more entertainment, patrol the archives...