I'm Gina Smith

Loving the 80s video channel on You Tube.

I am loving the 80s video youtube channel. Check this out.

Vampire Weekend

Looking back, I've noticed my last few posts have been kind of depressing.

But this will make you happy. Download A-Pop from a band called Vampire Weekend. The band's name sounds goth, but it's really more a combo of 80s sound and ska, plus a string quartette. It's wild and beautiful. This band rocks. Best new band I've heard in awhile. Then I saw that Spin called them best new band of the year in last month's issue.

Apparently, they were discovered via a blog.

The Red Army sings Sweet Home Alabama

with a little help from a Finn punk band. If you click on one video link today, this should be it. As one commenter said, you know you've won the cold war when ...

Thanks to Steve's joke list for this one.

Happy Birthday, Jimmy Page.

Two pieces of trivia about the legendary Led Zeppelin guitarist. He played backup as a studio musician in the Beatles' Paperback Writer and he played lead on Joe Cocker's I Get My With a Little Help from My Friends.

Better known is that he was among the last musicians to play in the Yardbirds, which featured Eric Clapton and Jeff Beck, among others.

Happy Birthday, Jimmy. My iPod would be a lesser device without you. : )

While My Guitar Gently Weeps on ukelele will make you cry.

Amazing ukelele version of the famed George Harrison tune. Click this and be entranced. A god on ukelele, someone wrote in the You Tube notes. Man. The artist is Jake Shimabukuro. I heard him first on KFOG this morning, as he is playing San Jose tonight.

Wish I'd known sooner.

David Stoddard -- Running Man.

I just heard this hilarious, folk piece on Acoustic Sunday on KFOG. Can't find the lyrics anywhere. If you have them, please send them along.

Just turned in my first grad school paper today. Now I'm lyric surfing! Happy Sunday and congratulations Bridge to Bridge runners!

I almost forgot.

Today, July 11, is Paul Pena Day here in San Francisco. Amazing blues musician and song writer. He does this wild thing with his voice that is unlike anything you've ever heard before. Worth the download.

(Few people know he wrote the Steve Miller hit, Jetliner.)

At any rate, SF declared Paul Pena day in 1999 and it will be that in perpetuity. He died in 2005 of medical complications resulting from diabetes and pancreatis -- there were huge efforts here to pay his medical bills -- but his music lives on. KFOG played a live clip today of Sparkplug, from Genghis Blues, and it was outstanding. Made me pull over.

Paul Thorn and Huey Lewis ...

Cool, sunny days like today in San Francisco make locals glad to live here.

If you're around, don't forget the summer music series at Stern Grove. It kicked off today and we were there -- duly impressed by the rocking Paul Thorn band of Tupelo, Mississippi.

His band opened for local rock heroes Huey Lewis and the News! Band was tight -- horn section included three saxes and a trumpet -- and that Lewis sure is looking good these days. Nice kickoff, guys.

Our winter rains practically washed away this 70-year-old venue last year, so this was a tremendous and truly anticipated comeback.

Replacing this week's Zen feature ...

with this clip from Britain's Got Talent. Click here.

This rocks.

You've seen Funtwo. Watch this guy. Can't get him outa my mind.