The bad – Relying on cheap fans to cool PC components

The ugly – I feared the worst

I had two fans fail, virtually simultaneously (I believe), in my Windows PC. One was the primary (rear) case fan, an Antec TriCool 120mm. The other was the cheap manufacturer-installed 40mm fan designed to cool the Northbridge chip on my MSI K8N Neo4 Platinum/SLI motherboard. Both fans had been performing without issue since I built this PC in 2005.

Instant failure without warning
I don’t know exactly when these fans actually quit functioning. My first, and only, warning was noise coming from the PC. I traced it to the primary case fan, and noticed that it was not running at its normal constant speed. I then looked at the temperature readings provided by sensors built into the PC’s components, and two others provided with the PC case, an Antec P160. I saw the temperatures rising and immediately tried to save the data file I was working on, before shutting down the PC, but the system shut itself down before I could do so.

Initial inspection
When I looked inside the PC, I discovered that the primary case fan was indeed broken. The fan blade assembly connecting shaft had snapped. I temporarily replaced this fan with one that came with the Antec P160 case. I tried to reboot the PC, but it wouldn’t power up. I immediately feared the worst. Had the temperatures risen high enough to cause fatal damage to one or more major components of this PC?

Upon further inspection
I then looked for other signs of damage inside the PC. The cooling fan for the CPU (an AMD Athlon 64 3200+ “Venice”) appeared to be intact. The fan blades rotated freely without signs of damage. Same for the cooling fan on my video card (a BFG GeForce 6800 GT OC), and both fans in my power supply (an OCZ PowerStream 520W). Then I spotted the damaged Northbridge chip cooling fan installed on the motherboard. It was askew and seized.

A terminal meltdown?
I was now VERY concerned that the Northbridge chip had fried, which would require replacement of the motherboard. Frankly, this was an expense I couldn’t afford at the moment. Perhaps, if I was lucky, the fail-safe provisions of the motherboard’s BIOS had kicked into action and shut the system down BEFORE any fatal damage had taken place. I had my fingers crossed.

A faulty design
Do a web search about Northbridge cooling fans and you will quickly discover that this design is flawed—the fans are cheap, noisy, ineffective, and prone to failure. This is not just true for motherboards manufactured by MSI, but for every manufacturer that uses these cheap little 40mm fans to cool the Northbridge chip.

Other options
There are several aftermarket fan replacement options, but most either still use a cheap 40mm fan (with the same issues previously mentioned), or are so large that they can’t be installed without modification, or perhaps can’t be installed at all, because of interference with installed components (video or other PCI cards, etc.).

A potential solution
I found one aftermarket solution, the Zalman ZM-NB47J Northbridge heat sink, which is designed to cool the Northbridge chip WITHOUT using a fan. Searching various computer hardware forums, I read several posts by people who had installed these successfully on the same MSI motherboard used in my PC system. Most of them had to trim a few heat sink risers (columns) to clear their video cards, but reported that the modification was relatively easy, and the final result was effective in cooling the Northbridge chip. I decided that I would give this a try.

Ordering parts
I read many user reviews about the Antec TriCool 120mm case fan, and didn’t read about a single failure. Perhaps my failure was an aberration. I like the fan’s specifications and features, compared to others that are readily available, so I decided to try another one. I ordered the Antec TriCool 120mm case fan and the Zalman ZM-NB47J Northbridge heat sink. They arrived promptly, but I waited a while before installing them.

Fear and apprehension
To be honest, I still had this fear in the back of my mind that the overheating situation had possibly caused fatal damage to a major component that I couldn’t afford to replace right now. So I did what I seem to do best in situations surrounded with uncertainty: I procrastinated. Oh, I immediately disassembled the PC, removing ALL components from the case, cleaning them AND the case. I even (eventually) got around to modifying the Zalman ZM-NB47J Northbridge heat sink—I had to remove one row of risers (columns) because of interference with my video card. Everything was ready for reassembly, but I waited, and waited, and waited…

A breakthrough
Finally, I had the motivation I needed to proceed. I wanted to use a virtual musical instrument software application—Native Instruments’ Akoustik Piano (sampled acoustic piano)—on some classical solo piano music I’m recording. (My Pro Tools rig is installed on one of my Macs, but I use this PC to run all of my Native Instruments software.)

Reassembly
Believe me, this is REALLY BIG motivation! So I installed the Zalman ZM-NB47J Northbridge heat sink on the motherboard and reassembled everything. This time, I installed a second 120mm case fan (the one that came with my PC case) in the front of my PC case. It pulls air into the case and blows it over my two hard drives, the Zalman ZM-NB47J Northbridge heat sink, and my video card, which should help cool these items.

Success!
I made the necessary connections (video monitor, ethernet, etc.), plugged in the power cord, crossed my fingers, and turned on the PC. The system booted right up! All of my hardware and software worked perfectly, just as it had before the PC had shut itself down. I breathed a BIG sigh of relief. I had averted a disastrous meltdown. The fail-safe features of the BIOS saved my PC.

An improvement
My PC now runs cooler than before. The front case fan runs at 1,600 RPM and blows air in at 56 CFM, while the rear case fan is running at 2,000 RPM and is exhausting air at 79 CFM, if you believe the manufacturer’s specifications.

A happy ending
I am now happily recording beautiful Chopin piano pieces, using the wonderful-sounding Steinway D Concert Grand piano in NI’s Akoustik Piano. Life is good!

…jf…

The bad – They are a bunch of losers without a real life

The ugly – They are trying to ruin the Internet

I get a bunch of spam email every day. I just delete them without reading/opening them.

This web site gets spam comments nearly every week. My spam filter catches them and I delete them. I require ALL comments to be approved by me before they are posted, just in case a spammer’s comment might fool my spam filter, which hasn’t happened yet.

This web site has been the target of hackers many times. Fortunately, my web site has proven to be secure to this point, and all attempts to gain access have failed. My logs show where the hackers have tried to gain access, and the IP address the attack was launched from. The IP addresses track back to locations all over the globe. However, I doubt that any of these IP addresses are the actual source of the attacks, since it is easy to use a proxy server to hide the true IP address.

If a hacker ever does manage to gain access to my site, and alter its contents, I will immediately shut down this site. I can’t take the chance that they’d use it to post pornography, for terrorist purposes, or any other vile or malicious purpose.

Yep, it’s a strange world that we live in, filled with all types of losers, weirdoes, and scumbags—people without a meaningful purpose in life, and no real life at all, actually. Be aware.

…jf…

The bad – Apple kills my MobileMe account

The ugly – Apple throws me under the bus

I switched from the Windows/PC platform to the Mac in 1997. Since then I’ve purchased 7 Apple Macintosh desktop computers, 2 Apple iBook laptop computers, 4 Apple LCD monitors, and many Apple hardware accessories. I’ve purchased many Apple OS upgrades and applications. I’ve sent thousands of dollars Apple’s way, but that doesn’t seem to matter to Apple.

Apple pushing me away
One-by-one Apple has dropped support for all of the Apple products I have purchased. Because of this, a few years ago I built my own PC system which runs Windows XP Pro. Apple’s total disrespect and arrogant behavior towards their long-time customers, and the premium price they demand for their products, has pushed me away from buying any new Apple products. I’ll use my existing Apple products as long as I can. But any new computing products I purchase will most likely NOT be Apple products. Sorry Apple, you’ve screwed this long-time customer one too many times.

Apple’s focus on consumer electronics
Apple seem more interested in customers who buy their electronic gadgets—like the iPhone, iPod, and iPad—than serious computer users. I suppose they’d rather I buy one of these cheaper devices than a maxed-out Mac Pro desktop computer. Problem is, I really don’t care about having the latest consumer electronics toys. I’m more interested in having powerful computer systems, which seems to leave me out of Apple’s marketing plan.

Apple pulls the plug on paid MobileMe subscribers
Apple recently announced that it will soon be ending its subscription-based MobileMe Internet services. Apple’s replacement will be a new service named iCloud, which will be free. However, iCloud doesn’t offer all of the features provided by the paid service—most notably, web hosting—leaving customers to find their own replacement services.

Apple’s heads are in the Cloud
Apple’s free iCloud service is supposed to compete with similar services from established Internet companies like Google. Based upon their track record with .Mac and MobileMe, it seems that Apple has a LOT of ground to make up. Perhaps Apple’s iCloud will prove to be a success, but I’m skeptical.

Apple throws its older hardware customers under the bus, again
Based upon information from Apple, iCloud will only work with Apple mobile devices that run iOS 5, and Mac computers running Mac OS X 10.7 (Lion). Mac OS X 10.7 (Lion) requires a Macintosh computer with one of the following Intel processors: Core 2 Duo, Core i3, Core i5, Core i7, or Xeon. So if you, like me, don’t own one of Apple’s newer hardware products, you’re out of luck.

Apple’s history of providing sub-standard Internet services
Apple launched their iTools collection of FREE Internet-based services in January 2000. iTools was replaced by .Mac (dotMac), a $99/year subscription-based service, in July 2002. Apple changed the name from .Mac to MobileMe in July 2008, still priced at $99/year.

iTools was priced correctly, since it was free. However, when Apple started charging $99/year they were ripping off their loyal Macintosh customers. Apple’s .Mac and MobileMe services were low on features, but high on ease of use. This combination was perfect for some people, especially those who proudly wore their Apple hearts on their sleeves. Apple has a long history of taking advantage of loyal Apple customers, demanding a premium price for their products.

Bye, bye to my @mac email and .mac web site
I have a .Mac/MobileMe email account, but Apple is cutting it off with the release of iCloud. Since I don’t have an Apple mobile device or Apple Mac computer capable of running Mac OS X 10.7 (Lion), I won’t be able to access Apple’s new iCloud service. So I lose the @mac email address that I’ve been using for a long time. This creates many problems for me, and I’m sure for others as well.

Apple will kill my .mac web site, which was also included in my paid MobileMe account. I’m much less concerned about losing the .mac web site, which I’ve maintained since 2001. It was my first web site, and I was thrilled to have it back then. But I soon found out that Apple’s web hosting service was sub-standard, offering no more than what was available with most FREE web hosting services. I’ve since moved my “active” content to this web site, using the .mac site for “static” content.

Apple was ripping off MobileMe subscribers
I suppose Apple is actually doing MobileMe subscribers a favor, in a sense. I felt ripped off paying $99/year for the MobileMe/.Mac service, which I’ve had since its launch in 2002. I was going to let my subscription expire many, many years ago. But my significant other kept buying me annual renewals as a Christmas or birthday present, so I wouldn’t lose my @mac email account. So my subscription has remained intact all this time.

Apple’s history of ripping off their Mac computer customers
Apple has a history of making you buy a new Apple Mac computer every five years or so, in order to use their latest version of the Mac OS.

I was first bitten by this when Apple released Mac OS X, which Apple wouldn’t allow to be installed on pre-G3 PowerPC Mac computers. However, smart and enterprising computer experts proved that Mac OS X could be successfully installed and used on pre-G3 Macs, if the Apple “lock out” installation code was circumvented. This proved that Apple’s decision to “lock out” older Mac computers was done solely to force their customers to buy new Apple Mac computers, and had absolutely nothing to do with hardware requirements to run the new OS.

Then Apple did it again when they released Mac OS 10.3 (Panther), which “locked out” “beige” G3 Macs. Apple did it again when Mac OS 10.4 (Tiger) “locked out” Mac systems which didn’t have Firewire ports, even though the ports themselves are not a functional requirement. The story continues as Mac OS 10.5 (Leopard) “locked out” all G3 Mac systems, and G4 Mac systems with clock rates below 867 MHz.

Then Apple drew another major line in the sand with the release of Mac OS 10.6 (Snow Leopard), which will only run on Intel Macs, leaving all PowerPC Macs in the dust. I suppose this move was, at least somewhat, understandable, since PowerPC and Intel processors require different programming code, thus raising Apple’s cost to develop and maintain two different code bases. However, this was the breaking point for many long-time Mac users, especially those whose three year old G5 Macs were no longer supported.

Farewell Apple
I’ve enjoyed using my Mac computers, and still do. Apple has made, and still makes, some great desktop and laptop computers. They’ve also made a few not-so-great computers along the way, but their over all track record has been impressive.

But I’ve grown tired of paying premium prices for their products, only to have Apple pull the plug on them way too soon. I’ve grown tired of the way Apple treats their long-time loyal customers like dirt beneath their feet. They seem much happier catering to “cool” and “hip” customers who think nothing of buying a new iPhone or iPod every six-to-twelve months. This plays right into Apple’s hands, as they can now sell “throw-away” products which they don’t have to support for more than a year or two.

I’m sorry, but I just can’t continue to support a company that behaves the way that Apple now does.

…jf…

The bad – Too complex for some listeners

The ugly – Nothing

Thanks to my parents, radio, and TV, I was exposed to MANY different styles of music when I was a child. This included several types of jazz. But I really didn’t become a fan of jazz (and jazz-fusion) music until 1976, when I bought Al Di Meola’s Land of the Midnight Sun album, and Return To Forever’s The Romantic Warrior album. These two records started my ongoing love of jazz, and subsequent journey backwards to its roots and forward through its modern era.

What I like about jazz is that it’s typically complex and interesting. Only (some) classical music can match it in this regard. Jazz doesn’t use the same old 4/4 time signature, which is typical in popular contemporary music, so jazz rhythms are generally very interesting. Jazz also doesn’t use the same three or four chords over and over to carry the song: its song structure goes much further. Jazz also uses different scales and chord forms than mainstream music, which adds considerable depth and interest.

Jazz isn’t for everyone. Some people get confused or lost when listening to it and prefer music that’s more simple and predictable. Jazz is usually anything but simple and predictable. It definitely doesn’t follow the patterns of mainstream (popular) music. There have been (and still are) some forms of jazz that are less complex, and some have made it into the mainstream. But that’s not necessarily my favorite kind of jazz music.

Miles Davis sets the standard in 1959
When Miles Davis released his epic album Kind of Blue, jazz fans, and many jazz and non-jazz musicians, sat up and took notice. This music was unlike anything before it. It set a new standard, not just for jazz, but for all types of (then) contemporary music. Of course, most jazz musicians wanted to learn how to play this new style, and many of them followed Davis’s lead.

Even though Kind of Blue was acoustic jazz, it influenced some of the progressive rock music that would surface in the 1960s and 70s. Artists such as Jimi Hendrix and Duane Allman studied the nuances of the album and were influenced by it. The contemporary music that followed wouldn’t have been the same without the new sound of this landmark Miles Davis album leading the way.

Miles Davis goes electric
Like many jazz musicians, Davis wasn’t one to sit still and accept the status quo. He was always trying to push the envelope and take his music to new places. So he added electric sounds to his jazz in the form of electric keyboards, guitar, and bass. One of his first electric keyboardists was Chick Corea, who would go on to carry the torch of progressive jazz into the future. Many of the Miles Davis “sidemen” would rise to legendary status and help push jazz music’s popularity further. Davis continued stretching the musical envelope throughout his career, adding different elements along the way.

Return To Forever

Chick Corea formed the progressive jazz band Return To Forever, who released their first album in 1972. This band took several different forms, with many of its members going on to achieve success in their own solo careers. In 1973, Corea changed the lineup and music style, creating what would become known as jazz-fusion, or simply fusion. It was a blend of jazz and electric rock sounds—a “heavier” style of jazz. The band achieved both critical acclaim and commercial success, culminating with the landmark album The Romantic Warrior in 1976.

Al Di Meola
A guitarist in the Return To Forever band, Al Di Meola has enjoyed a long and successful solo career. His first solo album, Land of the Midnight Sun (1976), was what sparked my initial interest in jazz-fusion music. I was heavily into guitar-based rock music at the time, and became an instant Di Meola fan, buying each new album upon release. Di Meola’s fusion music was a fresh new sound to me, going beyond anything I’d heard in rock music. It inspired me to check out other jazz and fusion music to find out what I had been missing. Of course, the first step was to buy the previously-mentioned Return To Forever album The Romantic Warrior. I then bought other jazz and fusion albums, and my love for this music style grew.

Chick Corea Elektric Band

Chick Corea has enjoyed success both in his solo career and with his various bands and collaborations. In 1986, Corea formed the Elektric Band. The band’s second album, Light Years (1987), was the first to feature what is considered its definitive lineup, with Corea on keyboards, Eric Marienthal (sax), Frank Gambale (guitar), Dave Weckl (drums), and John Patitucci (bass). This lineup produced four stellar albums. I was fortunate enough to see them perform in Columbus, Ohio around 1990. All of these band members went on to enjoy successful solo careers. I like many of Corea’s solo and band projects, but this Elektric Band lineup period is my favorite.

Dave Weckl Band
Dave Weckl was a successful drummer before joining the Chick Corea Elektric Band, performing on recordings by, and in live performances with, such artists as Simon & Garfunkel, Diana Ross, Madonna, The Honeydrippers (featuring Robert Plant and Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin fame), and George Benson, among others. His exposure in the Chick Corea Elektric Band led to even greater demand for Weckl as a studio and live-appearance drummer.

Weckl released his first solo album, Master Plan, in 1990. Weckl’s solo albums all featured jazz and fusion music styles. In 1998, Weckl released his fourth solo album, Rhythm Of The Soul, under the name Dave Weckl Band. This band featured his long-time friend and music collaborator Jay Oliver on keyboards; another long-time friend, Tom Kennedy, on bass; and seasoned veterans Brandon Fields on sax and Buzz Feiten on guitar. This lineup also produced a second album, Synergy, in 1999. These two “band” albums are my favorites of Weckl’s solo career. I was fortunate enough to see this “band” lineup perform at the Jazz Kitchen, a small jazz and blues club in Indianapolis, IN, in 1998 and again in 1999, where I was able to meet and have conversations with Weckl and his band members. Quite a thrill.

And others
The artists and albums mentioned above are my favorites. But there are a lot of other artists that I also enjoy. These include traditional and modern jazz pianists like Thelonius Monk, Art Tatum, Bill Evans, and Herbie Hancock, and fusion bands like Vital Information and Tribal Tech.

Jazz and fusion changed my life
Starting in the late 1970s, it seemed as if rock music was becoming stagnant. Yes, there were, and always will be, new artists. But it all sounded like the music that had preceded it. Nothing new and exciting. Fortunately, this is when I became exposed to the jazz-fusion music mentioned at the beginning of this post.

As both a fan of music, and as a musician, I have always enjoyed complex and interesting music. Progressive rock was the first music style that really inspired me. But as I began to lose interest in the (supposed) progressive rock of the late 1970s and 1980s, jazz and fusion music filled the void. It opened up a whole new world of music for me to listen to and study. It also greatly influenced me as a musician. It was one of the “a-ha” moments that changed, and enriched, my life.

…jf…

The good – Unique talent & sound

The bad – Obscure to most

The ugly – Nothing

I first heard Sonny Landreth in 2005 when my wife surprised me with his Grant Street CD, recorded live in concert. She read a review of the album and thought I’d like his music. She was correct! Grant Street is a great CD. Landreth’s guitar playing simply blew me away. I’ve heard nothing else quite like it before or since. His slide work is awesome.

The blues and beyond
Sonny is known mostly for his distinctive slide guitar work, and playing various styles of blues music. He has appeared live with, and on recordings by, such diverse artists as Jimmy Buffett, Dolly Parton, Dr. John, John Hiatt, Leslie West and Mountain, John Mayall, Kenny Loggins, Mark Knopfler, Eric Johnson, Gov’t Mule, Little Feat, Junior Wells, Marshall Crenshaw, Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown, Terence Trent D’Arby, and Buckwheat Zydeco, plus many more. So you’ve probably heard his guitar work without knowing it.

Sonny appeared (with his band) on Eric Clapton’s Crossroads Guitar Festival: 2007 DVD, playing two songs to open the show. He also appeared on the Crossroads Guitar Festival: 2010 DVD, once again playing two songs to open the show with Eric Clapton.

From the Reach
Landreth’s most recent studio release, From the Reach (2008), features some great songs, with guest appearances by famous artists on all but one song. Guests include Eric Clapton, Vince Gill, Jimmy Buffett, Dr. John, Mark Knopfler, Eric Johnson, Robben Ford, and others. This demonstrates just how much Sonny is respected in the music industry. Notable songs include “When I Still Had You” (with Eric Clapton), “Storm Of Worry” (with Eric Clapton), “The Goin’ On” (with Vince Gill), “Universe” (with Vince Gill), “The Milky Way Home” (with Eric Johnson), and the instrumental “Uberesso.”

Well worth a listen
If you like great guitar playing or blues music, you’ll probably really enjoy ANY of Sonny Landreth’s albums. If you’re like me, you’ll be blown away by his mastery of guitar and his unique sound. His CDs are what I usually reach for when I’m in the mood to hear great guitar and blues music. I’ve now got all but a couple of his very early albums and they are all great.

…jf…

The good – Perhaps the best ever

The bad – Wish I knew of him sooner

The ugly – Nothing

My introduction to the great Vladimir Horowitz was when I received two of his CDs on Christmas 1999. I had asked my wife for some classical solo piano music, suggesting something from the CD series “Great Pianists Of The 20th Century,” all double-CD sets. My wife made an excellent choice, giving me the first two (of the three) Vladimir Horowitz titles (Vols. 47 & 48). I have since acquired ALL 100 titles in this series, and these two are my favorites of the bunch.

Just what I was looking for
Those two CDs were a perfect introduction for me to (finally) give serious attention to classical solo piano music. These recordings represent a collection of some of Horowitz’s finest performances, and the music repertoire is fantastic. The first Horowitz title (Vol. 47) is all about the compositions of Robert Schumann. I’ve heard others play these same Schumann compositions, but none better than these recordings of Horowitz. This is probably my favorite classical solo piano CD.

The second Horowitz title (Vol. 48) features compositions from Franz Liszt, Sergei Rachmaninoff, Sergei Prokofiev, Alexander Scriabin, and Frédéric Chopin. This is also a great CD. Even with over 200 classical solo piano CDs in my collection, I’ve listened to these two more than all the others combined. The only other CD in this genre that comes close is Ingrid Fliter’s great Chopin Piano Works CD.

A true master of his craft
There are, and have been, MANY truly great classical pianists through the years, and I enjoy listening to them. But Horowitz seems to stand above the rest, at least in the opinion of many. He performed recitals through 1987, and continued to record until he died in 1989 at the age of 86. It is some of these latter years’ recordings that are simply astounding.

Horowitz’s early playing seemed filled with “fire and brimstone,” which I suppose was a reflection of the classical solo piano performance circuit “requirement” of that time period. He also may have felt it necessary to “pull out all the stops” to gain respectability early on. I find that his later performances seem to reflect a more thoughtful and mature approach, pouring his entire soul into his playing, wringing every last drop of energy and emotion that he had to give. This is the Horowitz that I most enjoy.

His music changed my life, and my perspective on music
I had enjoyed listening to classical music in the past, including solo piano. But it had never been one of my favorite genres to listen to. Hearing these first two Horowitz CDs changed all that. I wanted to hear more Horowitz, and other classical solo pianists. Yes, I still enjoy listening to rock, jazz, blues, etc., but classical solo piano music has become what I listen to the most. Dave Alvin’s great music ranks just behind this as my most-played music over the past 11 years.

This music had a profound effect on my life, and also greatly influenced my own personal approach to writing and performing music. Other artists, both before and since, have had an enormous impact on my life—my exposure to music as a child (both at home and at church), rock & pop music of the 1960s and 1970s, the jazz and fusion music of (predominantly) Miles Davis and Chick Corea, Dave Alvin’s American music, blues music, and more. But those first two Horowitz CDs were the perfect music at the right time.

…jf…

The good – A great storyteller

The bad – Unknown to the masses

The ugly – Nothing

My first exposure to Grammy Award winner Dave Alvin was on October 26, 1998, when he was the opening act for a concert at Market Square Arena in Indianapolis, IN. We didn’t even know he was on the bill. We went to see Joni Mitchell, with only a passing interest in the headliner, Bob Dylan. We always arrive early at concerts so I can check out the band’s gear and the PA rig. I’m glad we did on this night, as my exposure to Dave Alvin opened up a whole new world of music to me. He immediately became one of my favorite artists.

Beyond The Blasters
The day after the concert, I went on the Internet to find out more about Dave Alvin. The first thing I learned is that he has an extremely passionate and loyal fan base. He previously played guitar and wrote songs in The Blasters, a band that he had formed with his brother, Phil (lead vocalist and songwriter).

Dave’s first solo album was released in 1987, and he had just released his sixth solo album in 1998. I then went to a couple of local stores and bought all of his CDs that I could find (three), then ordered the others online. I was pleasured with song-writing treasures that I had only been able to hear hints of in the large and loud concert venue.

Songs that tell great stories
Dave Alvin tells real stories about human relationships and life’s events. Reflective and engaging stories for adults, not drug-induced fantasies or fairy tales. Like real human lives, his stories hit all the emotions from the highs to the lows. Stories of “good” love and “bad.” Stories about lives that followed the wrong path, ending up in unfortunate situations. Stories of happiness and despair. Stories that you can easily relate to. It’s all there, and some of it will tear your heart out and make you cry. Great stuff.

American Music
Dave Alvin’s music is often referred to as Americana—”roots” or American music, mixing elements of folk, blues, rock-and-roll, “traditional” country, soul, etc., from acoustic to electric, Texas swing to zydeco, folk to rock, traditional to contemporary. He covers a LOT of ground, in his own unique style, and does it all very well. Dave’s music has opened my ears and mind to a wide mix of music styles that I had previously given very little attention.

Meeting Dave Alvin and his band
On February 18, 1999, I saw Dave Alvin and his band perform in Columbus, OH, at a medium-small club called Little Brothers. We got there before the doors opened and were the first ones in. We sat at a table in the first row, dead-center to the stage. I knew all of his songs by heart by this time, and actually found myself singing along to my favorites. It was a GREAT show—in the top five of my all-time favorite concerts. But as Dave played his last song, my great experience was soon to get a whole lot better.

We hung around after the show and struck up a conversation with the drummer. He eventually asked us if we’d like to met Dave Alvin, went back to the dressing room to see if Dave would see us, then led us back into the dressing room. We spoke with Dave for about 20 minutes, I suppose. Maybe longer. It was just Dave, my old Ohio friend Jeff, and me. Dave was very engaging and made us feel as though he was interested in every moment of our conversation. He was a really great and interesting person.

After talking with Dave, we went out to the front of the stage and met and spoke with each member of his band. They were all great people. I learned about their gear, their music careers, etc. It was great fun. We finally rolled out of the club about an hour after the show had ended. It’s a night that I will always remember.

My favorite Dave Alvin albums
If I were stuck on a desert island, these are the four Dave Alvin albums I’d want with me: King of California, Blackjack David, Ashgrove, and Museum of Heart. I like ALL of Dave’s albums, but these are the ones I seem to play over and over.

An NPR audio interview
National Public Radio did an interview with Dave Alvin, talking about his GREAT song “The Man In The Bed.” You hear the song intermixed with the interview. A very touching story inspired by the death of his father. You can hear it at http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4709630. GREAT stuff.

You can learn more about Dave Alvin, and listen to his music, on his official website at http://www.davealvin.net/.

…jf…

The good – A great musical talent

The bad – Her music is BAD (good)

The ugly – Certainly NOT Imelda

I first saw (and heard) Imelda May on the PBS (TV) special airing of Jeff Beck’s “A Celebration of Les Paul.” It was essentially Jeff Beck playing guitar with Imelda May’s band, doing music associated with Les Paul, and other music of the 1940s, 50s and early 60s era. There were also other special guests who appeared on one (or more) songs. It was a very nice show. Imelda May’s singing really impressed me. She has a great voice, and really nailed the spirit and emotion of those classic songs from yesteryear.

More Than Just A Pretty Face
Imelda May is an amazing talent. She is also very pretty. A good combination in the music and entertainment world. Imelda writes most of the music she records and performs. She also produces her albums. I received two of her CDs—Love Tattoo (“Limited Edition” 2-CD version, with bonus “Live” album), and Mayhem—as a gift from my thoughtful wife. I am impressed with ALL of the music on these three discs. Very enjoyable.

More Than Rockabilly
Imelda puts a unique spin on the classic Rockabilly genre. I’m not a big fan of Rockabilly music, but I DO like Imelda’s music. Also, her music isn’t limited to just that genre. There are some nice ballads and blues tunes on offer, and other songs that go into roots rock, pure rock, and even shades of punk. There’s a lot to enjoy, especially Imelda’s wonderful voice.

Born In Dublin, Soon Spanning The Globe
Imelda’s popularity is expanding beyond the UK, thanks to appearences with Jeff Beck, and her spots on TV shows, including the UK’s “Later With Jools Holland.” Hopefully, her latest album, Mayhem, will soon become available in the US. I’m sure it would sell well, if given the proper level of marketing.

You can see videos of her music on her official website at http://www.imeldamay.co.uk/. Very good music. A GREAT voice.

…jf…

The good – Fresh, new, enjoyable music

The bad – Nothing that I can think of

The ugly – Certainly NOT Nataly Dawn

You’d have to be living under a rock to not have seen and heard Pomplamoose playing their music on the Hyundai TV commercials that ran this past Christmas season. The ads seemingly aired on every TV channel—over-the-air, cable, and satellite.

For those who don’t know, pamplemousse is a French word meaning grapefruit, and Pomplamoose is a talented American indie music duo consisting of multi-instrumentalists Jack Conte and Natalie Dawn (Knutsen). Their music AND approach to their music career is both fresh and unique.

A YouTube Sensation
Pomplamoose made their mark by releasing “VideoSongs” on YouTube. Their form of “VideoSongs” means: “What you see is what you hear” (no lip-syncing for instruments or voice); and “If you hear it, at some point you see it” (no hidden sounds). Their approach is unique in today’s pop music era, where much of what you hear was never actually played by the hands of humans—it’s either generated by a computer, or small bits and pieces of what humans did play are sliced, manipulated, and pasted together to create the final performance.

Jack and Natalie actually play and sing their own music. When they record the audio tracks for their music, they also record video of them performing the actual recorded music and vocal (audio) tracks. So their “VideoSongs” on YouTube are actual representations of their recording process. Unique and refreshing.

You can see and hear them on their YouTube channel at http://www.youtube.com/user/pomplamoosemusic.

Mega-exposure Thanks To Hyundai
Whoever created the Christmas season TV commercials for Hyundai must have had their finger on the pulse of on-line media, since Pomplamoose has no record contract, sells no (physical) records or CDs, and doesn’t receive mainstream (or, perhaps, any) radio airplay. They are, at least up until now, solely an Internet (mainly YouTube) sensation. Using Pomplamoose in the ads was a stroke of genius. Fresh faces, fresh sounds, and Nataly’s young, cute face filling the screen.

I had never heard of Pomplamoose when I saw the Hyundai TV ads, and in fact probably still wouldn’t know who they are if not for the February 2011 issue of Keyboard Magazine, in which Pomplamoose was a featured artist. The Keyboard article was an informative four-page affair, well worth reading. The article included a couple of photos taken from one of the (two) Hyundai TV ads, and I immediately had an “a-ha” moment when I saw them. Now I know who they are, and thanks to the web, can see and hear all of their “VideoSongs” on YouTube.

You just never know where you’ll find interesting new music and artists. Sometimes it will be where you least expect it. I always enjoy it when I’m surprised.

…jf…

The bad – Norton products cause problems

The ugly – Norton’s incompetent tech support

I’ve lived with the hassles and horrors of Norton products on my Windows PC since I built it in 2005. First there was Norton Internet Security (NIS) 2005, a suite with anti-virus, anti-spyware, and firewall protection. I had some problems with it, and dealing with Norton’s tech support proved frustrating and VERY time-consuming.

The First Upgrade Fiasco
When it was time to renew my one-year NIS 2005 subscription, I opted to upgrade to a bundle consisting of NIS 2006 and Norton SystemWorks (NSW) 2006 Basic Edition. The cost was just a few dollars more than simply renewing my existing subscription. NSW is a suite of system and hard drive utilities, and, most importantly (to me), a system rollback tool.

Upgrading NIS from 2005 to 2006 didn’t work as it was supposed to. Additionally, NIS 2006 and NSW 2006 didn’t seem to coexist peacefully with each other. Once again, I wasted several days of my life dealing with Norton tech support, and scouring the web, trying to resolve the issues. Some never did get fixed. But my frustration with Norton’s tech support was so great, I just gave up and accepted it.

Upgrade Round Two
When my one-year NIS 2006 subscription expired, I opted to upgrade to a bundle of NIS 2007 and NSW 2007. Once again, the cost was about the same as just renewing my NIS subscription, and I was ASSURED that the problems I had experienced with the 2006 versions of the same software were corrected in the 2007 versions. Ha! What a fool I was to believe them. My Norton tech-support nightmare was about the same as before.

Renew, Don’t Upgrade
When my one-year NIS 2007 subscription expired, I simply renewed it for another year. No more Norton upgrades for me! Or so I thought.

Doing a 360
When my one-year NIS 2008 subscription expired, Norton offered an upgrade to Norton 360 for $20 less than renewing my NIS subscription for another year. I was leery of going through another Norton upgrade, but the people at Norton were VERY CONVINCING in their claims that I would not experience a single problem with the upgrade to, and use of, Norton 360. This proved NOT to be the case.

Reaching My Breaking Point
My upgrade nightmare to Norton 360 finally ended up with a five-and-a-half hour marathon session with three clueless on-line Norton support technicians who never did figure out how to solve my problem. I got tired of their hapless efforts and found the solution myself, searching the web on my Mac while they took turns remotely poking and prodding at my PC and mostly just twiddling their thumbs. The solution I found on the web worked, while everything they tried failed. I decided right there and then that I would get my year’s worth of Norton 360 protection, then find another solution.

Now Norton-free, and Loving It
My Norton 360 subscription ends next month, but I’ve already removed all Norton products and replaced them with FREE solutions. I’ve installed a free firewall that seems to be just as effective as Norton’s. I have installed two layers of free anti-virus/anti-malware software that should be even more effective than Norton 360. I’ve replaced Norton’s system and disk utilities with free utilities that do the job just as well, if not better. I did it all myself—removed Norton 360 and NSW, then installed the replacement software—and eliminated my annual fiasco with the clueless Norton tech support people. Hooray!

My PC Now Runs Faster
Not only is my PC more secure with the new software, but it runs MUCH faster without the Norton stuff running in the background, eating up CPU cycles and system resources. The new software runs in the background just as Norton did, but does so much more efficiently. I wish I had ditched the Norton stuff years ago. Live and learn, I guess.

…jf…