Picture it... Seattle, 1990. A young ¡Dave! was doing his normal every Saturday shopping at Tower Records  looking for a cd or cassette as I usually did on Saturdays when something new and different was playing on the sound system... It was my first taste of Concrete Blonde. The Album "Bloodletting". Instantly I was hooked. Unfortunately, it was a week before the album was release. So the next Saturday, I went to tower again and purchased "Bloodletting". I listened to the entire album over and over. Instantly I read the lyrics. I had found my new favorite band. This was a very different sound for me as well. I grew up on Abba and Fleetwood Mac. But what I liked most about the band was not their perfect sound, not there in your face enthusiasm, but Johnette's throaty vocals and her very talented song writing. Johnette Napolitano in my book was and is god in song writing. She tells it like it is and you I relate to everyone of her songs. My favorite song off of "Bloodletting" was "Caroline". I couldn't stop listening to that song on that album. As the honeymoon was beginning to wear off, I decided to do more research on Concrete Blonde and see what else was out there. I found Concrete Blonde's self titled debut album. At first I didn't like it that much. But I always give cd's three tries before I stop playing it. After playing it twice I was in love playing it over and over again. Then I picked up Concrete Blonde's "Free". I fell in love with "God is a Bullet" and couldn't stop listening to other song on the Cd. By this time, Concrete Blonde appeared on the "Pump Up the Volume Soundtrack" singing Leonard Cohen's "Everybody Knows". I had his original version and of course liked Concrete Blonde's better. Then came A new album. "Walking in London". "Walking in London" was a change in sound for Concrete Blonde and it took some time for me to get used to it. However the Song "Someday" became my new favorite Song from Concrete Blonde. It was those lyrics again. I also loved Johnette's version of James Brown's "It's a mans world". About a year or so later, Concrete Blonde announced a new CD, I remember the day because it was the same day that Pearl Jam was releasing "Vitology". I of course had this thing back then that when I liked a band, I would go down to Tower Records and get the release at Midnight. I was the first in line. I purchased Concrete Blonde's "Mexican Moon". The cool thing was that this release came with a copy of their album as Dream 6 before they were Concrete Blonde. I listened to them both. I loved "Mexican Moon". I thought "Heal It Up" was excellent and "Jones town" was very daring. Awesome Album. Vocally and Lyrically. Around this time, Concrete Blonde was also touring in support of this album. In Seattle, they were playing at the Under the Rail. I found out too little too late and wasn't able to go. Little did I know that this would be the last Concrete Blonde full album and tour for awhile. As for the Dream 6 Cd, I only listened to it that one time. Listening to "Mexican Moon" over and over kind of put the Dream 6 Cd on the Back burner for awhile. 

Then word came that the group broke up. Oh no! This was tragic. However, I was kind of hoping that Johnette would release her own solo album and make it big. Kind of like Natalie Merchant did with the Pretenders. In 1994 the band released and album of live and B-side hits. The live songs, I had already heard off of Concrete Blonde's CD Single for "Caroline", but I was blown away by the B-side songs on the album. They were excellent. Not normally what you get with a B side song. My favorite and probably to this day my favorite Concrete Blonde Song wasn't even written by Johnette but it still is in my eyes the perfect song. It's "Mandocello" off of the "Still in Hollywood cd". Around this time, I also was still listening to "Mexican Moon" and getting into the Mexican Culture more. The reason was the Cover of "Mexican Moon" and the Skeleton's that were on there. I decided to start Celebrating Dia de Los Muertos every year.(The Day of the Dead) . This was something I blame on Concrete Blonde's "Mexican moon". Really though it's a good thing.
 

In the Mid nineties, The side projects started happening. Johnette partnered with Holly Vincent and released the "Vowel Movement" Cd. I was a little disappointed that it wasn't Johnette's smash solo effort I was so hoping for and I found it weird to have a double billing cd like that but still, it was something at least so of course I bought it and it was ok. I still listened to it over and over.  No one told me that Johnette created a side project called "Pretty And Twisted". I found out on accident. I was at Budget Tapes and Disks in Marysville where I lived at the time and saw a CD that was released and the person on the Cover looked awfully familiar. I picked it up and sure enough it was Johnette. Feeling as though I was the last to know I picked it up. When I fist listened to it, I hated it, however my three chances rule kicked in and by the third listen I loved it. In fact, I decided that if Johnette stayed with "Pretty and Twisted" and Concrete Blonde never reunited, I would die a happy man. The lyrics, sound and style of this group were absolutely perfect. I still wonder why Warner Brothers let this one get away.  "Pretty And Twisted" came to Seattle and played at the Backstage but I was too broke to go at the time.  However  To this day I still listen to the "Pretty and Twisted" disk over and over. 

In 1996, Concrete Blonde released their "Recollection" Cd. It was the perfect treat for the true fan and had all of the songs that should be on there. Later that year I was kind of happy to hear that Johnette had joined the Heads which was the talking heads minus David Burne. I never liked the Talking Heads to begin with but this was Johnette. I bought the CD and Liked the album. It was ok. Then the year after to my surprise, I found out that Concrete Blonde was reuniting and putting out a Cd with Los Illegals. Yay I was happy and purchased the CD. To my surprise, Harry Rushakoff was not in the band and it was just Johnette and Jim. Not bad but in my book it wasn't Concrete Blonde. 

Towards the end of the 90's was the age of the internet. I started a web site named ¡DavE!'s Whirled Wide Web! and had monthly features put on it. I was also visiting Dean Mah's Concrete Blonde Web site on a daily basis looking for new stuff researching the band's history etc. I decided that if Johnette or Concrete Blonde ever reunited, I would put a tribute to them on my site.  It looked like it was going to happen in 1999 when rumor had it that Johnette was going to release a solo album.  I kept waiting, the album kept getting backed up. Then sadly it was shelved. The  album was released on the internet briefly off of Dean's site but not having enough disk space on my computer or DSL prevented me from downloading it. 

By the time 2000 came, I was wondering if I would ever hear from Johnette and or Concrete Blonde again. I went through my disks and pulled out the Dream 6 CD.  It was the only Cd that I never really listened too. I fell  in love. It was like hearing a garage band. The vocals and sound were very raw and lyrically the Disk was as awesome as ever.  Toward the end of 2001, the big announcement came off of Dean's site. Rumor had it that Johnette was reuniting with Pretty And Twisted for a new Cd. YES!!! I Loved Pretty And Twisted. I couldn't wait. Checking daily for about a month their was now news about this. Then finally the rumor was half true. Johnette was reuniting with James, and Harry to form Concrete Blonde again and would be releasing a new Album and touring. I had to pinch myself to make sure I was not dreaming.  It was very true. In January I picked up "Group Therapy". It was a very different Concrete Blonde Sound than I am used to.  However Still as good as anything they have produced. My favorite song on their is "Take Me Home" because it reminds me of my best friend and My friendship together through the years.  This time of course I wasn't missing their tour for the world. I went out and bought a ticket for their show at the  Showbox. Unfortunately, I missed their show again. It snowed the day of their show and I was stuck in the freezing cold at a park and ride. I was planning on going after work. HOwever when I got off work that day, I was so sick I went home and laid in bed. I had a huge fever. I guess I'm just not destined to see them live ever.  Lol. 

So now that brings me to this tribute page.  As you can see if you have read this far. I love the band Concrete Blonde. My only hopes now is that they will re-release their videos onto DVD. I also of course want them to release another album and tour again too. Is that too much to ask. They are still my favorite Band of all time and I've been looking for others that can affect my life as they had. But I know  I'll never find it. After all Concrete Blonde is the best....
Thank you Johnette, Jim, and Harry for keeping me entertained all these years. Hope you continue to do so in the future! You guys ROCK!
¡DavE!

UPdate-Hey Looks like I got my wish!!! Not only Did Concrete Blonde Tour again but they came to Seattle twice and I went to see them BOTH times!!!! And I was not dissappointed. In fact, I am kicking myself for not seeing them the other times. And I also got my wish that they release a DVD. They did and of course I bought it. Now comes the new album? Well I guess they are releaseing a new live album in March but I have a feeling torwards the end of the year, they will start work or announce a new studio album. Well with that said, read the ¡DavE!'s Reviews page to see my reviews of the two shows I went to see.
¡DavE!