Stephen T. McCarthy, one of the people who started Battle of the Bands, and I swapped challenge ideas. I’m not sure when he’ll be doing the idea I gave him, but I’m going to use the one he gave me today. We have two songs of different genres (one “yacht rock,” the other “hard Christian rock”) named “Doing Nothing.” Well, one’s really “Doin’ Nothin’,” but close enough for Battle of the Bands. Give these two songs a listen…

Phil Keaggy

Guitarist extraordinaire Phil Keaggy has something in common with another guitarist extraordinaire, Jerry Garcia: Both are missing half of the middle finger on their right hand. “Doin’ Nothin'” is off his sixteenth studio album, 1993’s Crimson and Blue.

Bruce Blackman

Bruce Blackman is the former lead singer and keyboardist for the band Starbuck. He now is doing well as a solo artist and has two albums and an EP or two to his credit. “Doing Nothing” is from his first solo album, Moonlight Feels Right 2014.

So, those are the songs. Here’s what I’d like you to do:

1. Listen to the two songs.
2. Decide which song you like the best.
3. Vote for your favorite by leaving me a comment with your choice. If you feel like telling us why, feel free.
4. Then, visit the other participants and vote in their Battles:
      * Stephen at STMcC Presents Battle of the Bands
      * Arlee at Tossing It Out
      * Mike at Mike’s Ramblings
      * Cathy at Curious As A Cathy
      * Mary B at Jingle Jangle Jungle
      * Debbie at The Doglady’s Den
      * Cherdo at Cherdo On The Flipside
      * Ai at Ai Love Music
      * Michele at Angels Bark

I’ll tally the votes and announce the winner in one week, on Friday, November 22. And remember, anyone can vote: you don’t have to be an expert or have a battle of your own to tell me which one you like better. The more the merrier, I say.

The lines are now open. Good luck to Messrs. Keaggy and Blackman!

In the battle of “What Goes On”s, The Velvet Underground achieved a decisive victory…

The Velvet Underground: 9

The Beatles: 3

I get the sense there’s not much love for The Fab Four in this group; everytime I use them in a battle, they lose. Anyway, congratulations to The Velvet Underground, and a participation trophy to The Beatles.

Stephen provided a good idea for my next Battle, which will be next Friday, November 15. See you then!

Well, me and my bright ideas. I was aiming for another tie, so I picked two songs of roughly the same genre and from the same time period: two different songs named “Hey You,” one by Thin Lizzy and the other by Scorpions. And here’s what happened:

Thin Lizzy: 10

Scorpions: 1

Thanks to Eugenia, it wasn’t a shutout. Congratulations to Thin Lizzy and a “better luck next time” to Scorpions.

Our next battle will take place on Friday, November 1. See you then!