Shocking Choice by John McCain

Senator John McCain just announced his choice for running mate: Governor Sarah Palin of Alaska. To follow is a statement by Rodger Schlickeisen, president of Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund.

“Senator McCain’s choice for a running mate is beyond belief. By choosing Sarah Palin, McCain has clearly made a decision to continue the Bush legacy of destructive environmental policies.
“Sarah Palin, whose husband works for BP (formerly British Petroleum), has repeatedly put special interests first when it comes to the environment. In her scant two years as governor, she has lobbied aggressively to open up the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to drilling, pushed for more drilling off of Alaska’s coasts, and put special interests above science. Ms. Palin has made it clear through her actions that she is unwilling to do even as much as the Bush administration to address the impacts of global warming. Her most recent effort has been to sue the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to remove the polar bear from the endangered species list, putting Big Oil before sound science. As unbelievable as this may sound, this actually puts her to the right of the Bush administration.
“This is Senator McCain’s first significant choice in building his executive team and it’s a bad one. It has to raise serious doubts in the minds of voters about John McCain’s commitment to conservation, to addressing the impacts of global warming and to ensuring our country ends its dependency on oil.”
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The Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund (http://www.defendersactionfund.org/) provides a powerful voice in Washington to Americans who value our conservation heritage. Through grassroots lobbying, issue advocacy and political campaigns, the Action Fund champions those laws and lawmakers that protect wildlife and wild places while working against those that do them harm.

by Greg Lake

Grateful Dead Back Together For Obama

By Roger Friedman
Barack Obama’s run for the presidency has launched many different grassroots campaigns. The most interesting may be the revival of the Grateful Dead.
I am told that on Oct. 13, possibly either in Philadelphia or Pittsburgh, the Dead will get back together for at least one show to raise money for and awareness about Obama.
All four living original members will play together — Bob Weir, Mickey Hart, Phil Lesh and Bill Kreutzmann. The band's leader, Jerry Garcia, died in 1995 from a heart attack.
Substituting for Garcia will be Allman Brothers and Gov't Mule master musician Warren Haynes.
If all goes well, my sources say, the band will then set out on a major tour in summer 2009.

by Greg Lake

YMSB at the DNC Today

Yonder Mountain String Band, from Nederland, Colorado (forty miles northwest of Denver), is performing at this year's Democratic National Convention held in Denver August 24-28. Yonder will take the stage on the final day of the convention, today - August 28th, at INVESCO Field at Mile High Stadium - just prior to Barack Obama's highly anticipated acceptance speech for the Democratic nomination. Also scheduled to perform at the event are will.i.am, Jennifer Hudson, Sheryl Crow and Stevie Wonder.

by Greg Lake

Tune-In to the First Ever Outside Lands Festival

Get ready for the first ever Outside Lands Festival, taking place August 22-24 in sunny San Francisco. A great lineup is poised to make music history as the festival takes over the beautiful Golden Gate Park. But don’t fret if you are unable to make the trek because blue room has you covered. Tune in to watch Primus, Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals, Andrew Bird, Galactic and many, many more!

Watch the festival and then check back with KyndMusic for exclusive coverage.

by Greg Lake

You too Can Jam with Phish

Now you can jam with Phish, live. Guitar Hero is releasing a Phish in Concert module very soon. Check out this video featuring quick interviews with Trey and Mike. Thanks to Greg Lake for sending me this link. We really need to get his login set up for this new KM, don't you think?

Mental Music - Top Ten Psychedelic Songs

I've been struggling lately trying to create playlists for my MP3 player. How in hell am I supposed to pick my top 10 Beatles or Grateful Dead songs? I just can't. So instead I started divvying my tunes by vibe or mood, like Best Angry Songs or Best Depressed songs. It's been a bit easier and inspired me to share, always a good thing with my daughter toddling about...life lessons and all that shit. So to start it all off, here's my Top Psychedelic Songs:

10. Are You Experienced - Jimi Hendrix: I first heard this song when I was about 12 and it was musical hit of acid at the time. That chunky stacatto rhythm, those mind-bending backwards guitar riffs, Jimi's "well I ha-aaavve" refrain...I still get chills today. Here's a great 1968 live recording.

09. White Rabbit - Jefferson Airplane: the intro bass line to this song getting smothered by the vaguely foreign sounding guitar riff and then...that voice..."one pill makes you smaller". Feed your head indeed. Check out this video of the song from 1967.

08. Tomorrow Never Knows - The Beatles: this last track from The Revolver album drew from Lennon's exploration of the Tibetan Book of the Dead, was written in one chord (C) and received it's title from a flippant Ringo Starr comment. And it melts my brain every time I hear it. Somebody put a video for the song with Tibetan imagery together here.

07. I Had too Much to Dream (Last Night) - Electric Prunes: as one of the songs that helped define the genre from a pop consciousness, this song is a great listen, has incredible hooks and anthemic chorus. Watch the Electric Prunes perform it on the Mike Douglas show in 1967.

06. Eight Miles High - The Byrds: chaotic intro landing gently into those soothing vocal harmonies and the lyrics; "when you touch back down you’ll find that it’s stranger than known". Then when McGuinn lets loose on the solo...where have you gone Major Tom? Watch The Byrds perform the song.

05. The Half Remarkable Question - Incredible String Band: a lot of folks are going to say that A Very Cellular Song should be representing the String Band and the argument is, I'm sure, a good one. But for me, this sitar-drenched medeival-themed ditty is way to on point to not be in this list. Watch them perform it live in 1968.

04. See Emily Play - Pink Floyd: Syd Barrett remains a musical genius of epic proportions. Check out the 1967 promotional video for the tune.

03. Journey to the Center of the Mind - The Amboy Dukes: Ok, Ted Nugent is a dickhead but the Amboy Dukes penned one of the greatest psychedlic tunes ever written and young Ted's guitar soloing is pretty sweet. This video is friggin' hilarious but gives you a great listen to this kick ass song.

02. Scent of a Mule - Phish: yeah I know it's bluegrass but c'mon, the places they took this song were beyond trippy. The Muppets on acid nature of this song just can't be beat. Watch the boys playing it live at Madison Square Garden in 1994.

01. Dark Star - Grateful Dead: I was hoping to have a shocking "oh my god, no he didn't" kind of #1 for this first top ten list but, well, it's Dark Star by the Dead. No song has ever taken me to as many places in my own head as this song. This August 27th 1972 version, from the Springfield Creamery Benefit Show, is one of my favorites. There is a beautiful mellowness to this late summer outdoor show.

Stay tuned for more Top Ten lists.