I was just going by who I see on the old album covers. I believe Dave Hope was the original bassist?

I saw them at a free concert at a local park 2 years ago, and thought they put on a very good show - with none of the sound problems that every other show of this type always seems to have. I think they had 3 original members - the guitarist is definitely under-rated. The bassist was new, but also quite good. They did great versions of "Portrait" and " Miracles out of Nowhere".

Over 10 years ago? And I thought my only getting out once or twice a year was depriving!!!

I remember your original name from when I first came here. There was alot more joking around back then - that's why I joined. Now most people post videos or pictures that I can't see anyway as humor, which isn't very original. Also, all the excessive "nicities" come across as phony. Everyone should be able to just be themselves, for the most part. You're never going to please the squawkers who have a problem with everything.

I've been here for over a year now, and haven't read anything by these people that warrants any banning. And if they can just come back as someone else, what's the purpose of banning anyone? By the way, all these new Batman movies suck ass. The TV show might not have followed the mood of the original comics, but at least it was fun to watch.

Oh yeah, we had sour cream too, for the potato pancakes. This time I went all out and cooked a rib roast with mushroom and onion gravy. It was all awesome, and worth the 5 hours I spent in the kitchen.

I'm making potato pancakes this Sunday, here's a recipe of sorts: Coarsely grate 12 potatoes and 5 onions, mix well in a large bowl with 1/2 cup flour, 2 beaten eggs, and salt and pepper. Use a large spoon to lay mounds of the mixture in a fry pan of melted butter or vegetable oil, flatten out the mounds into round, semi-thin pancakes, and cook until golden brown on both sides. Lay on paper towels to remove the greasiness, before serving. It takes quite some time to get them crispy, so using large or multiple fry pans is somewhat critical. If you can't cook large batches at one time, the cooked ones can be kept warm in the oven while the next batch is being fried up. This recipe makes about 2 dozen pancakes - but most people can eat at least 5 each, if it's the main coarse. I usually just fry up some good quality breakfast sausages, like Jones, to go with them. Have lots of applesauce ready!

I believe it's a cognac, and slightly orange flavored. There's a cream one, too - don't get that. And my sauce concoction can burn if you cook the ham for a long time. I cook the ham at low temperature, and put the pineapples and sauce on it about halfway through. Some shallow criss-cross cuts before cooking allow the sauce to sink in - I press cloves in, too. I used to hate ham, because many people cook it with mustard rubbed on the outside.

Ham is good, if it's got lots of pineapples on it. I make a sauce with orange juice, honey, brown sugar, and Grand Marnier liquor, and brush it all over. The pineapples that fall into the bottom of the pan and get all gooeyed up with the sauce are the best part!

I'd go for a rack of lamb, which can be done on the grill so there's no cleanup. I marinate it in sherry with garlic and rosemary rubbed all over it. The fatty juices cause alot of flare-ups - but I love the burnt outside, and the inside is always still pink and tender.

Anyone see this new movie about blues performers like Muddy Waters - it's called "Cadillac Records"?

I like stuffing when it has stuff in it - sausage, apples, cranberries, onions, celery...

Hot Tuna - electric show at the Birchmere in Alexandria, Virginia. Nice place for a show. Good food selection and beer on tap. Hope to get there early and get setup at a front table...

I see him on the touring schedule with my personal favorites, Hot Tuna. Hopefully see him soon!

Jerry's voice sounds like he's almost crying in this song, but it is pretty cool. Hot Tuna does a song called "Candyman", but it's most likely an old traditional blues tune - or Rev. Gary Davis?

"Concert for George" DVD - tribute to George Harrison, shortly after his death. Normally, I don't get much out of all star jams, but Clapton and Jeff Lynn do a very nice job here. Billy Preston is a joy to see. Ringo and Paul join in at the end, and "Photograph" is well done and very meaningful. The first half of this is all Sitar, which I find entrancing - but might not be for everyone.

My mom goes there for concerts, and she used to hate Zep if I played it back when I was a teenager. But I had not yet begun to fight!

I thought it looked like a helmet, but it could be a purple helmeted warrior?

Well, Thyssen Krupp are experts in metal composition - so it makes sense?

I told my Russian boss that I appreciated Tchaikovsky, which was somewhat honest - but also an effort to make some sort of connection with him. He went into tirade about him being insane, and a disgrace to Russia - because he was supposedly a homosexual. I don't know or care if this was true, but so much for trying?

David Lindley opened for Hot Tuna, playing a variety of instruments and styles that came from all over the world. One song had a celtic feel to it, and I'm sure Jimmy Page would have appreciated the performance. I'd say it was even a bit freaky, in some parts.

Fins to the left, fins to the right, and you've got the only tickets in town!

I'll be seeing Hot Tuna this Saturday. They just did an acoustic show for a party at the Democratic National Convention in Denver, and I'm drooling over the setlist that just went up on Jorma's website. Lots of Rev. Gary Davis material - like "Keep your Lamps Trimmed and Burning" and "Death Don't Have No Mercy", and instrumentals like "Embryonic Journey" and "Water Song". They opened with "Let Us Get Together, Right Down Here", which must have had all the newly unified Dems clapping and stomping along? I know I'll be, in 2 days!

In certain cases, you might get taken to see someone who you're not that familiar with, and the crowd is there for the music - and it might be a great experience and introduction to something special. In this case, though, you probably are already familiar with some of this nonsense and the crowd's over the top jubilation will probably indeed piss you off even more. Most of these people act all giddy for one or two nights each year, then go back to being snobbish A-holes the next day...

I think the main reason why Grace doesn't perform anymore is because of how she feels people would look at her on stage, since she was originally a model. I'll be seeing Jorma and Jack in 2 weeks, as acoustic Hot Tuna. How they look never comes into my mind, as long as they can still play - and Jack hasn't lost a thing. Jorma does get some help from their mandolinist and sometimes a guest guitarist (David Lindley, on this tour). I liked that they put Jorma's performance of "Embryonic Journey, from the R+R Hall induction, at the end of this DVD. Spencer Dryden, the drummer, died not too long ago.