This particular flu that I so wonderfully acquired last week is in my Hall of Fame. I'm not sure that I can remember a cold or flu that has more resolutely snared me than this one. Beginning on Sunday, Feb 1 until yesterday (a day I slept until 1p from 9p the night before). In between, I made zombie-like appearances at my place of employment. I am little better than 75 percent from that historic Sunday. I'm supplying some news that I have developed during this time and I'll lay that on you. I'll even give you a super find that has entertained me for a bit but I'm gonna have to find me a spot on the couch just to recover some more after.

A bit more of the bad news is the death of Dewey Martin, which occurred on January 31. Best known as the drummer of Buffalo Springfield, he had a much richer musical history than just that band. Although, Buffalo Springfield was his shining moment, he was a part of many moving gears. A death in Rock is always sad and his is as sad as any. I wish that I can say that one goes out but one comes in to make up for the loss but where Rock is concerned, I cannot. When one departs for greener lands, we are the poorer for it. The fabric of Rock is thinner.

Dewey Martin
1940-2009
RIP

Some of you may already know about RadioTime. But in case you don't, here's the sccop. RadioTime is a searchable database that will uncover, and usually stream, your favourite radio station. Now for some of you displaced folks, a way to hear your hometown stations is nothing short of well...healing. I've discovered a bit of nostalgia by listening fairly regular to WLS-FM, streaming from my iPhone. And I think I'm seeing the future of our satellite radios (XM/Sirius). It doesn't look very good.

For several years, I have mentioned that the future of our entertainment is in its ability to be portable. Yeah, it's nice to stream such content over the internet via your desktop (but that's going to disappear too, soon. Trust me, the bulky desktop has an expiration date on it), but streaming over a cell phone that retrieves my emails, lets me keep in touch with everyone on a 24/7 basis, all the while allowing me to pick up on new music, download, and everything you can imagine is untouchable. To be sure, the Storm, the iPhone, and others are several iterations away from becoming this new buddy...but they're on their way. Give it 2-5 years. Soon, desktops will be passe...stuff that no one will buy at lawn and garage sales everywhere. The cell phone is becoming more and more powerful, memory will increase, and it will be APP-savvy to the point that I'll do everything I want from it. Since acquiring my iPhone, I now only do my website on the PC. The iPhone satisfies everything else. With the recent acquisition of a new APP (WunderRadio - $5.99 for the iPhone), I took a closer step to no longer needing the XM/Sirius hardware. Nuts? Try it. Hook your iPhone to your radio and stream away and you'll be just as hooked as I. Oh...I forgot to mention that it's free (after the $5.99 App price).

See you on Wednesday.

For the long promised Albums You MUST Hear Before You Die! list (#36), I will be posting a letter each post until exhausted (there were only 17 21 25 27 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 40 emails).  Some were only a few titles, some only one.  But there were more than a few that were massive and a few extended, well-detailed lists.  I’ll post them as I received them.  For today's post, it's simply Rob's MASSIVE list.

Beatles - Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band.  (Even though I prefer Revolver, this is the one album everyone should hear before they die.  It's not overrated so much as it is familiar.  Any backlash is purely a result of its ubiquity.)
Stevie Wonder - Songs In The Key Of Life.  (Again, I like Innervisions better, but this is the must-hear.)
Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin IV. (over Physical Graffiti.)
Prince - Purple Rain. (over Sign O The Times.)
Michael Jackson - Thriller. (over Bad.) 
Rolling Stones - Let It Bleed. (over Sticky Fingers.)
Jimi Hendrix - Are You Experienced. (over Electric Ladyland.)
David Bowie - The Rise & Fall of Ziggy Stardust. (over Hunky Dory.)
Elton John - Goodbye Yellow Brick Road. (over Honky Chateau.)
U2 - The Joshua Tree (over Achtung Baby, which I much prefer.)
Pink Floyd - Dark Side of the Moon.
Radiohead - Ok Computer.
Marvin Gaye - What's Going On.
Johnny Cash - At Folsom Prison.
Queen - A Night At the Opera.
Bob Dylan - Highway 61 Revisited.
The Who - Who's Next.
Bob Marley - Exodus.
Santana - Abraxas.
Aretha Franklin - I've Never Loved A Man...
Paul Simon - Graceland.
The Clash - London Calling.
The Sex Pistols - Nevermind The Bullocks....
Velvet Underground - Velvet Underground & Nico.
Fleetwood Mac - Rumours.
T.Rex - Electric Warrior.
Tears For Fears - Songs From The Big Chair.
The Police - Sychronicity.
Donna Summer - Bad Girls.
Blondie - Parallel Lines.
Parliament - Mothership Connection.
Gnarls Barkley - St. Elsewhere.
Joni Mitchell - Court and Spark.
Madonna - Like A Virgin.
Alanis Morrisette - Jagged Little Pill.
Grateful Dead - American Beauty.
Frank Sinatra - Sinatra At the Sands.
The Smiths - The Queen Is Dead.
Nirvana - Nevermind.
The Pixies - Doolittle.
Outkast - Stankonia.
Dr. Dre - The Chronic.
Miles Davis - Kind of Blue.
Air - Moon Safari.
Soundtrack - Saturday Night Fever.
Soundtrack - O Brother Where Art Thou?

And once those are devoured...

Paul McCartney & Wings - Band on the Run.
George Harrison - All Things Must Pass.
John Lennon - Imagine.
Seal - Seal (1991).  (over Human Being.)
Aerosmith - Toys In The Attic (over Rocks & Get Your Wings.)
Cream - Disraeli Gears.
George Michael - Faith.
INXS - Kick.
REM - Document.
Pretenders - Learning To Crawl.
Kate Bush - Hounds of Love.
Guns N Roses - Appetite For Destruction. 
Flaming Lips - Yoshimi vs. The Pink Robots.
Journey - Escape.
Carole King - Tapestry.
Steely Dan - Aja.
Talking Heads - Remain In Light.
Metallica - Metallica.
ELO - Out of the Blue.
Fiona Apple - When The Pawn....
Amy Winehouse - Back to Black.
Tina Turner - Private Dancer.
Bjork - Homogenic.
The Cardigans - First Band On The Moon.
Ramones - Ramones.
Soundgarden - Superunknown.
The Band - Music from Big Pink.
Beck - Odelay.
The Cure - Disintegration.
Coldplay - Parachutes.
Robert Cray Band - Strong Persuader.
Blur - Parklife.
Bangles - Different Light.
Heart - Little Queen.
Dusty Springfield - Dusty In Memphis..
Pet Shop Boys - Please.
Sly & The Family Stone - Stand!
Earth Wind & Fire - All N All.
kd Lang - Absolute Torch and Twang.
Lyle Lovett - Pontiac.
Anita Baker - Rapture.
Norah Jones - Come Away With Me.
Sade - Love Deluxe.
RUN DMC - Raising Hell.
Snoop Doggy Dogg - Doggystyle.
NWA - Straight Outta Compton.
The Strokes - Is This It?
The White Stripes - Elephant.
Beach Boys - Pet Sounds. (and I'm not even a big Beach Boys fan.)
Bruce Springsteen - Born To Run (Ditto...)
The Eagles - Hotel California.  (and I'm not even a small Eagles fan.)

Hey, you asked for it.  Good luck.

We're going to keep the Best Album of ALL Time up for a long while as we continually update it. But I'll say this: The Beatles took the lead with not only The White Album but also the fact that they have been selected with two albums. Like The Albums You MUST Hear Before You Die! run, which does not show signs of stopping (I'm still getting emails, which I have no problem with and encourage - Send Them In), I'm hoping that this new thing stays strong. Send in your selection (one only, please) for the album that is the ruler of all.

If you have missed the last As The Disc Spins (updated), check it out here.

To access the previous site and catch up, click here.

Now, here’s where I get excited.  On March 10, Rounder Records will release the next album by the extraordinary talent, Madeleine Peyroux.  The new album will be called Bare Bones and is worth an immediate pick up as are the previous two Rounder releases.  John…I’m excited!!

Mercury Records will release the eleven-track new album by Razorlight called Slipway Fires.  It is tracked for a release on March 10.

Motown will release a Live DVD for Stevie Wonder called Live at Last, filmed over two nights in London in 2008.  It is scheduled for release on March 10.

Motown will also release I’m Rick James: The Definitive DVD from legendary performer, Rick James.  It is planned for release on March 24.

I’m noting this here because it is interesting even if it is only a DD (Digital Download), but Mercury will be re-releasing two Angel titles (On Earth as It is in Heaven – which yielded their hit song, “Magic Touch,” and Live Without a Net.  Those might end up being physical releases (I haven’t heard this, just wishing aloud) so keep a sharp eye out if you’re a fan of the Casablanca label band.  These DDs are expected on February 24 (On Earth As It Is In Heaven), and March 10 (Live Without a Net).  But it would be so nice to see great expanded re-masters of the entire Angel catalogue.  Especially that superb and under-appreciated debut S/T release that contained “Mariner.”

Universal Republic has a Rock title coming from Blue October called Approaching Normal.  It is expected by the label on March 24.

Domo Records will release the Film Soundtrack for Toyo’s Camera on March 10.  It is scored by Kitaro.

Hip-O Select will release The Complete Chess Masters (1950-1967) from the career of Little Walter. This collection is planned for March 10.

Geffen Records will release How to Lose my Life by White Lies on LP vinyl.  It is slated for release on March 17.

Bruce Springsteen has a lot of years between this release and the release of his first album, all for the same label. There's a lot of experiences tucked into those individual releases, each as different as the one before...and the one after. Bruce may not always hit on all cylinders for everyone but the fact remains, he hits on cylinders and is well thought of. In this lengthy review, Mark Squirek approaches Working on a Dream with a measure of respect and awe. We hope that you enjoy this review of Springsteen and the E-Street Band's latest.

This is a Soundtrack of collected remixes of Various Artists and their songs serve the ambience of the film well. With remixes assembled by NIN's Danny Lohner, this compilation is sure to be an interest to its audience. Underworld: The Rise of the Lycans is not only a decent film in the trilogy (thus far), but the music is apt as well.