Every Good Company Needs a Mission Statement

Greetings All!

If you're reading this, then you've obviously stumbled upon another music blog... it's my job to make it more than "just another music blog".
Why should you want to read what I have to say? Excellent question...
I hope that this blog educates, opens up discussion, and creates a forum to discuss great music (and art in general) - past, present, and future. I hope that I can open some eyes to music that means a lot to me, and share stories about what music means to all of you. I hope my entries are literate, interesting, and provoke a reaction in the reader (good or bad).
First off, a little about me... I live in the beautifully anachronistic city of Buffalo, New York - "The City of Good Neighbors that History Forgot" as our prodigal daughter, Ani Difranco once said. Buffalonians always discuss why they haven't split town yet (even though many of us have). My reason, is that I love it here. I'm in a field that is strong in Buffalo (medicine- thanks UB), am lucky enough to have great family and friends here, and currently, couldn't imagine living anywhere else. That being said, it's tough on a busy schedule to get to bigger cities (Toronto, Cleveland, Rochester even) to see certain shows, but we do get our share.
Enough background, on to music...
I hope that all readers of this blog will get a flavor for what music I like. Anyone who knows me knows that I love to wax poetic on the music that I love. Readers are sure to find posts about my favorite artists - too numerous to mention, but Billy Bragg, Elvis Costello, Tom Waits, Robyn Hitchcock, Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock, The Hold Steady, The National, Neko Case, The Black Crowes, The Drive-By Truckers, My Morning Jacket, Nick Cave, Wayne Shorter, Camera Obscura to start - will be among them.
Although music has always been a galvanizing force in my life, I can easily trace my "obsession" with music back to 1993. A sophomore in high school and fighting for my life (literally - kidney disease really isn't fun) in a hospital, the sounds of Evan Dando's honey-soaked off-kilter songs brought me all the comfort I needed. The Lemonhead's It's A Shame About Ray was more important to me in that time than I ever thought music could be. "Rockin' Stroll" with its opening guitar runs, "Alison's Starting To Happen" with its proto-punk swagger, and "Confetti"'s ambivilance to love provided the solid rock that I needed. But it was "My Drug Buddy" that got me the most. I couldn't really relate to a junkie's lament, but I felt it... to this day, that song and its gentle organ line get me every time.
15-plus years have passed, and The Lemonheads haven't exactly become the biggest band in the world (hey, they even played Buffalo recently), but that record still has the power to make me cry, smile, and laugh - all at once. It still takes me back to being vulnerable, and scared, and yet, knowing everything was going to be OK. Isn't that what great music should do?

So, there it is, my first official blog post... much more to come, as I have a lot of thoughts to share. As a recurring feature of this blog, I'd like to leave you with some recommendations (based on what I'm listening to today). I hope you enjoy, I hope you seek out more music, and I hope there is much more for you to read in these spaces in the future.
Thanks All,
happykidneys

Happykidney's Pick of the Day - Monday 9/7/09:
Tom Waits - Foreign Affairs