Ok, so I've been going through a lot of personal changes lately, trying to adjust my life to the truth, which most importantly (and most difficultly) requires that I not lie to MYSELF by allowing my intellect to gloss over my poor decisions as 'the right thing to do'.
Rather than giving over to the intellect, I have been attempting to re-open myself to my inner voice (my conscience). This has been tough, but I feel like it's time to undertake this project so that I can progress. Thereby, the old is falling away so that a new, purer existence can come to me. I am already happier and filled with deeper purpose from this, as I continue to look critically at my life.
The downloading of music has been a particularly difficult issue for me to come to terms with, but I have come to the following conclusions:
Firstly, the music industry is sick. This construct is polluted with the all consuming drive for profit as number 1 at the expense of the music and musicians. One has to simply look at what they are pushing on us to see that it is all insubstantial mind pablum, good enough to make money certainly, but not good enough to enrich humanity.
It is no coincidence that most of the music I love is from a time when popular music meant music FROM the people. Now, popular music is simply music AIMED at the people (by rich white guys that don't give a damn about GOOD MUSIC, and frankly wouldn't know what it sounds like).
The downloading of music from blogs, torrent sites, peer to peer, etc. has begun to rock the industry, which is a good thing! The difficulty lies in which downloads should be considered theft (if any at all).
Personally, I would like to see musicians get paid for their work, but I am not going to shell out 15-20$ per disc for something that costs the industry 10 cents per copy to make! Most of that money is going back into the corporate machine, and very little is actually going to the artists themselves. You can see how the immorality of supporting this corrupt system is at odds with the apparent immorality of downloading the music 'for free'.
My personal feeling is that all recorded music should be given away freely by the artists themselves as a promotional expense for their REAL money makers: tours, merchandising, etc. and if a group or artist is no longer actively in the music business (touring, etc), their catalog should be fair game for downloading. People should be paid for their work, not for their works (unless the works are unique, i.e. not digital replicas).
That having been said, I do not want to enforce MY opinion onto anyone that thinks I am 'stealing' their product (even if that product is easily copied infinitely without detriment to the original). Therefore, if an artist wishes that I remove their work from this site, I will happily do so, and I will from this point on, only upload records that are obscure (where the artists aren't making money from record sales anyways) or that are by artists that support the downloading of their records as a means of promotion.
Lastly, I do not profit from this website, I simply wish to spread good music in order to cut through the darkness of the current musical atmosphere, which is perpetuated by greed, deceit, and 'the almighty dollar' above all. Any true artist will want to spread their works to as many people as possible regardless of the cost if they TRULY have something to say!
Also, don't buy bootlegged merchandise. If someone completely unrelated is profiting by an artists work, that is CERTAINLY theft, and absolutely wrong...and, if an artist is selling a disc at a concert, please buy it to support their work (even if you already own a digital copy).
That's about the best I can do for now...
By REQUEST!
UPDATED!
In honor of the completion of my new washtub bass, I am posting this really old 20's jug band music. Right On!
I haven't posted anything from this guy in a while, and I really have been digging the song from this record about the oyster and the flying fish lately (which has a guest vocal appearance by Nico of Velvet Underground fame!?!). Not quite as good of a record as Bananamour or Joy of a Toy (click the links to see the posts from earlier in the year) but if you liked the other two Kevin Ayers posts, you'll love at least parts of this one too. There are a few avant garde moments, but as usual, the more straightforward parts are the more enjoyable. Don't get me wrong though, because I do appreciate his freewheelin' attitude towards his records, and of course the experimentation is all part of the package. I love this WEIRDO!
This record, of my favorite soundtracks is also one of my favorite reggae albums period. The movie is also superb. Reggae at it's finest.
I don't know if any of you has 4+ hours to listen to it straight, but here it is anyways:
This is quite enjoyable from the getgo. The song 'Turnpike Lane' gets things going on a happy note with some weird ass vocal parts. Lots of epic hammond stuff, and all around good playing from all members throughout. The vocalist is also great (not the most proficient, but his heart is coming through). 'King Kong' is a massive prog number, highly recommended. I wish I had more material from these dudes. I have listened a few times, and am really quite pleased by the work these prog rockers put out. 
An absolute classic! One of the most influential country rock records EVER. If you don't have it yet, you should get it...
This is wonderful, and the bonus tracks are a great addition! This is the style that I want for my band photos (see above)! The vocals and lyrics are great, as with all early caravan, and there are great instrumental ideas as well. The organ stands out, and doesn't disappoint, but there is an ensemble sound, and great grooves on the jamming. I love this record. Caravan makes me happy...
We've got another weirdo on our hands...I had never heard of this fella till a few days ago, and after a few listens, I am very impressed with what I hear. Apparently, this dude made his own synthesizers! The first track on the album blows me away (have you heard electronic sounds like these from a 1970 release???). If you have never heard of this guy, this record is at least worth a few listens.
I just watched the Monterrey Pop Festival, and enjoyed the performance of this band as a live act, and felt that this is one of the bands that I really wish I could have seen in their heyday.
My mother just realized one of her dreams, and bought a trailer home at Dillon beach (west of Petaluma, California). This beach is really a magical place, and I'm excited to party out there in the giant sand dunes, forgotten coves, and fairy trees. 
This one has some swagger. Very catchy rock with some progressive moments, and who can resist giving a band called 'Toe Fat' a listen? I couldn't, and now I'm happy to have found this two album offering from the band! I love the vocals and guitar work here. The vocalist is just oozing confidence, and coupled with those pelvis thrusting guitar riffs, you can't help but make 'rock out face' (the one where your eyebrows come together, eyes squint, and maybe your lips do a Mick Jagger thing, and your head moves to the beat...you know!).
Features Jerry G. (of the Grateful Dead) on banjo, and Dave Grisman (wicked mandolin player from the Dead's 'American Beauty' album), and John Kahn on bass among others. This is some great bluegrass. I love Jerry's voice too, so I'm sorta partial to this record, and it took me a little while to find it, so this post makes me real excited.
This is a classic keyboard players record. The hammond is soo nice. The only thing I don't like about the record is the weird self conscious spoken word thing in there (I find it a bit self indulgent). Other than that, it's a really wonderful album. I especially like the song 'skip softly (my moonbeams)'. There are a few bonus tracks as well, including an Italian language version of the title track (impress your girlfriend)! The melting piano thing in the cover art is pretty awesome too!
Good jug band music with 3 of the original members of the Dead. This live performance was recorded in July, 1964 (pre Dead), at the Top of the Tangent, Palo Alto, California.
(image shown not album cover) 
I'm not sure what to say about this one, but I'm posting it because it's pretty darn rare, and I have enjoyed it enough to keep going back to it. I can't rememb
er where I got it from, so thanks to the random guy/gal that ripped it.
Many of you have probably already heard of this weird ass dude. He kinda breaks the mold. I guess the closest genre to what he does is country, but this isn't like any other country coming out of the outlaw scene of the early 70's. Leon plays honky tonk piano, and sings (in a very unique voice). He's had a few hits, and put a bunch of records out, but this obscure one is my favorite, because he is all over the map, and using lots of weird sounds.
It IS a beautiful day! The groovy female vocals are reminiscent of Grace Slick (with less edge) or perhaps Annie Haslam of Renaissance fame. The music is pretty much what you would picture coming from San Fran in the late 60's. Nice Vibe to their sound.
Yep, i bought this one because of the cover alone, and what was inside was pretty much exactly what you would expect from a group of fools like that and then some. There are many playful tunes here, but also some very well played and recorded stuff as well (little children is absolutely beautiful). This is NOT a comedy record, though there are many funny parts ('Rodney is a sad young man because he is fat and ugly').
