Bill Bruford Alert!

Pete Roth is a German guitarist who prior to a few months ago, was off my radar. I became interested rather quickly when I saw that he brought Bill Bruford, one of my Top 5 drummers, out of retirement for a few live gigs in Europe. Now, a CD titled "Group Chat" has been released featuring performances from that short tour.

Bruford hasn't recorded new music in almost 20 years, and it has been 13 years since he's performed at any length in public. "Group Chat" was worth the wait.

I guess most would call the music on this record jazz fusion, or maybe just plain and simply "jazz." While Pete Roth's playing is front and center, I paid closer attention to Bill. It has been some time since I heard the distinct playing style of one of the greats and the numbers are telling. Bruford was younger than I am now when he retired from playing and recording, and is now just two and a half years short of turning 80 as he sets the groove and tone of his first new music in years.

Bruford's playing is undeniably fantastic. Does he show his age? Not in any way that matters. His fills and brief solos sound less like his prog rock heyday with Yes & King Crimson and more like his Earthworks period, though Roth's guitar playing does get occasionally Fripp like.

If you're a fan of Bill Bruford, I think you need to hear this record. And with all respect to Pete Roth, a very fine guitarist, I don't think I'd have cared as much about "Group Chat" if the trio had a different drummer.

(h/t ASH & IDHAS for the post title.)

 

Slow Day At The Office

My Facebook memories tell me that on this Columbus Day in 2009, Joe Piscopo and Maria Bartiromo closed out the parade with a duet of "New York, New York."

Proud to be Italian.

 

 

Songs Of The Week, 2026: 10/3-10/9

 

 

Faster- George Harrison
Mexican Candy- The Iguanas
Keep It Dark- Genesis
Man Of Peace- Bob Dylan
Candy's Going Bad- Golden Earring
Love Untold- Paul Westerberg
Hey Diddle Diddle- Marvin Gaye

It's HERE
 

BW's Saturday #90

 

The Rifles Are Coming! The Rifles Are Coming!

 

 

Next month will bring us a 20th anniversary, first time vinyl reissue of The Rifles' debut album "No Love Lost." If you are unfamiliar with "No Love Lost," let me say this, it is the best album The Jam never made. This is an all killer, no filler collection of mod rockers which you can now own on vinyl for under $30. I for one, am thrilled.

Or, if owning the record isn't your thing, you can stream it right now.

 

 

Meet The Speedways

 

So after suggesting Cyanide Pills, the band, my friend Mike suggested another band he thought would be in my wheelhouse. Also from England, please meet The Speedways. 

These guys knocked me out. 

 

 

The band sounds like your favorite skinny tie/power pop band from the 70's, occasionally fronted by Tommy Keene. I listened to "Triple Platinum" first, a 2025 collection of songs compiled from their first five releases, with a few being rerecorded in 2023. Not a bad song to be found. Mike's favorite is their 2022 album "Talk Of The Town," which I will get to once I've had enough of "Triple Platinum."

 

 

Do You Dare?

 

 

A month or two ago, Wet Leg released a special edition of their most recent record "moisturizer" with additional tracks that include live versions, demos and remixes. I'm not usually crazy about remixes, but now and then, one hits. And the "Dare Remix" of "mangetout," my favorite track from the album, is pretty great.

Check it out. See if you dig it. Though, if you don't like Wet Leg, I'm quite sure, you won't like the remix either.