M: George Harrison - Brainwashed
T: Elvis Costello - Mighty Like a Rose
W: R.E.M. - Monster
F: Ray Mason Band - Three Dollar Man
This Friday: Ray Mason is a Valley legend. He's also a friend and neighbor, living less than a mile down the road. He's a better guitar player than he'll tell you he is, and he's a marvelous bass player, too. Besides all that, he's an encyclopedia of musical history. He knows all the records, all the songwriters, all the personnel, the labels and years of release, all of that. In concert, he's one of the best storytellers around, and is a charming and kind soul off stage - a joy just to be around. He's put out a great big pile of terrific records, and I've seen him (solo, and with the full band) so many times I've lost count. This is a fun album. If you listen real hard, you can hear me singing backup (along with Sue Burkhart and Joe Blumenthal) on "You'll Never Play Here Again." Also, the songs "The Newsboy's Toss" and "Reverb and a Zip Code" are among my all-time faves by anyone, anywhere.
