Fusion 45

(At Least For Today, Anyway)

We’re not just about the classic tracks here in F45 Land. We like them crazy young’uns and their rock and roll, too.

Michael Franti And Spearhead with Cherine Anderson - Say Hey (I Love You)

I’ve loved his message since I first heard Stay Human while walking through Virgin Records at Union Square. Are we praying with him for change in this country come November 4th? Hell, yes.

Molly Hatchet - Flirtin’ With Disaster

I believe everybody deserves to have his voice heard (though I’m very certain which voice I want to be running the country). Can rebels and rednecks unite? Here they can.

Mudcrutch - Queen of the Go-Go Girls

I’d heard of this quick and dirty, live in the studio thing from Tom Petty but it my friend Tim B. of the Big D that shamed me into going and getting it. A fun record for all that participate.

Chatham County Line - Chip Of A Star

This is #1 in the carpool hit parade. Whoever produced this song knew what he was doing. Listen close: pure brilliance.

I See Hawks In L.A. - Good And Foolish Times

There’s so much to hear in this band…I’m just scratching the surface. Number 2 in the carpool hit parade, a particular fave of my 8-year old.

Dr. Dog - My Friend

Yeah, they sound like early 70’s McCartney in a lot of places. But, they maintain their character. I’m enjoying this record.

Dirty Pretty Things - Hippy’s Son

Speaking of Beatle-esque: could I drop “four thousand holes in Blackburn, Lancashire” into the chorus? Don’t think these guys are long for popularity but, in rock and roll, popularity is a temporal thing anyway (like in high school). Closes the loop nicely on this post, though, a song about being a hippy’s son.

Artwork: Lillias white Diva by Kyle Boyd

Somebody’s Gonna Be Pissed About This One

In celebration of Madonna’s 50th birthday, an artist by the obviously fake name of Rush Vizette has rented a space in London called the Red Gate Gallery to show off some art work he calls, with no hint of self-aggrandizement, “Cow’s Blood, the Bible & Madonna: The New Controversial Pop Art”.

The 16 pieces of mixed media are built around the collage pictured to the left, called “Rebel 1,” which does, in fact, include pages torn from the Bible and the splattered blood of formerly living cows.

Quoting himself in a self-written press release, Vizette impressed himself by saying, “(This exhibit) aims to pay homage to the world’s biggest and most controversial icon in a no holds barred attitude to idealize her edgy and her extreme individual self”. Later he suggested we think of him as “Andy Warhol meets Damien Hirst on a subject as unique and complex as Madonna”.

We’re compelled to wonder how, in fact, this could be “new controversial pop art” when he can be so easily compared to people who did “old pop art”. Based on what we’ve seen, we’re more likely to compare him to the stoner who sat next to us in Math class, drawing on himself with a ball point pen.

Madonna who, at last word, is a Kaballah-studying vegetarian was not available to answer the screaming question: What in the name of leather bustiers do bible pages and cow’s blood have to do with Madonna? Is Rush still hooked on the Say A Prayer phase of the Vogueing One’s career?

Meanwhile, deep in the heart of South Alabama, Ricky Malcolm Smith and his friends down at the Eveleene County Line Texaco were asked what they thought of this development. Smith, who has a tattoo down the side of his neck that resembles Madonna but says “Mom,” was quick to offer his opinion:

“The only Rushes we care about are that Limbaugh fella on the radio and the feeling you get when open up a new can of Skoal. This London fella might better stay away from Eveleene County. We don’t take kindly to this sort of, whaddya call it, artsy-fartsy stuff, ’specially when people are ripping up the Bible.

“Molly Hatchet’s playing at the County Fair this week,” Smith added as he pulled a wrench out of his pocket and walked toward a rebuilt engine from a ‘69 Chevy, “Frank Costello did a mural on the side of his van from that one record and it looks real pretty. Nobody cutting up the good book, either”.

Madonna - Lucky Star

Molly Hatchett - Gator Country