Van the Man

iPod morning commute music: Van Morrison, Astral Weeks (1968)
Considered by most to be Van Morrison's masterpiece and consistently ranked in the top ten all time rock albums (of course, it is not rock, but who's to quibble?), this is probably my favorite commute music, acoustic guitar, flute, strings, horns all somehow flitting around Morrison's voice. Two classic songs are found here, Cypress Avenue and Madame George, but the whole album is a unique treat, unlike anything you've heard before.

I was reading an Uncut interview with Van Morrison in one of the many issues my friend Ian (read his comment below after Moday's post) loaned me the last time we met. I think the timing of our meetings may hinge on when his wife gets fed up with his magazine collection, so he shoots me off an invite and we get together for some beers, exchange music, I get a ton of mags to take home.

Van was also Bob K.'s (see yesterday's post) favorite musician. A few years before he died, Bob told me he was sending his sister, Mary, his entire Morrison collection (virtually his complete catalogue) after dubbing them first onto MDs. He loaned his collection to me, and I got them dubbed as well. At his funeral, my co-worker Marty and I sang Bright Side of the Street (well, Marty sang and played guitar, and I just tried to quietly accompany him without singing off key for once in my life).

Today is Friday, but my school is a 6-day school, so I have to come in to work tomorrow. We've started mid-term tests, so I'm only proctoring, but I wish I could sleep in. I hate working on Saturdays.

Wine of the Day: Chateau Grand Plantier: Cotes de Bourg 2000