Michael Eckmann @meckmann

So it Goes by Nick Lowe. One of the most perfect pop rock songs.

I miss the Grand Old Party (GOP) and long for the day when we can return to healthy and principled partisan debates. (We idealistic hippies sometimes need to be reined in by practical conservatism.) But this election is different… and much deeper than D versus R and left versus right. It’s a clear choice, and the survival of our democracy is on the line. The world needs not the chaos of Trump but the stability of Kamala Harris. The world needs America.

A century ago, Germany’s democracy was hijacked by a bombastic and charismatic tyrant — and in this five-minute video, you’ll learn how he did it. Why did I produce this? Because I believe that history is speaking to us, and all too often, those who refuse to learn from it are doomed to repeat it. As you watch, imagine filling out a Bingo card filled with Germany 1933/USA 2024 parallels: big rallies, rage-filled and hateful rhetoric, simple answers promising quick and easy solutions to complicated problems, empty promises of a great-again future, scapegoating outsiders, and political enemies silenced on day one. And notice the caring wisdom and concern from my German friends as they share these lessons from their dark history. It’s hard to understand how Trump could, on the eve of a tight election, paint a picture of Liz Cheney before a firing squad by actually saying, “Let’s put her with a rifle standing there with nine barrels shooting at her, OK? And let’s see how she feels about it when the guns are trained on her face.” You can’t get into the mind of a dictator with an insatiable appetite for power — but you can recognize the playbook they all seem to follow. Just watch this clip. It’s excerpted from my hourlong public television special “The Story of Fascism in Europe,” which is streaming free (and ad-free) at ricksteves.com/fascism. If you care about our democracy and love our country, it’s hard to stop watching. When I produced this in 2018, I hoped this day would never come in our country. But November 5th is upon us. Please share this with anyone in your life who might need a reminder that the stakes are high...and this is very real.

Rick Steves: There was a handful of people who opposed Hitler, refused to do the proper salute, to kiss his ring; these are the Kinzingers, the Liz Cheneys, and the Mitt Romneys…of the German democracy in 1932…

@zzyzx What's a Bard day? I know the Steely Dan guys went to Bard

On this day in 1991, Matthew Sweet released his third studio album “Girlfriend” featuring “Divine Intervention” “I've Been Waiting” and “Girlfriend” Power pop perfection.

The Comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS) last night from outside of Saratoga Springs NY

A candidate for President is saying immigrants "poison the blood" of our country, and thousands have "bad genes". And that shit is barely a headline. We've been walked to a sad AF place.

@flipphillips That is one wild ad campaign.

@flipphillips What is this?!,!?

With Jerry, it was “Always a hoot.” 🌹

Galactic with Hilltop opening at Jennings Landing, Albany, NY.

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@flipphillips @internetarchive Wrote the Brady Bunch theme song, right?

Flomatic Valves

‘I get a lot of requests for ‘Fee.’ And, sometimes, I’m just not feeling ‘Fee’!’ For our latest Superlatives, Trey Anastasio reveals the best, weirdest, and most challenging of Phish. trib.al/LDUfinO

@SIRSY @adamezra Happy Anniversary!!!

@Music__Mentor Albatross by Peter Green / Fleetwood Mac

Peter Rowan at Caffe Lena @CaffeLena @peterrowan866 Amazing show. Midnight Moonlight, Mississippi Moon, Lonesome L.A. Cowboy, Panama Red and more. Legend.

@JohnLeFevre While this article is not exactly what you thought they should write it does contain mention of his positive affect on well reviewed pizza places. nytimes.com/2023/10/03/din…

RIP Dickey Betts – not sure what to say. Such a huge loss. Not only for our musical family, but for the world of music in general. Aside from being a huge, major influence on my music from before I picked up a guitar, Dickey was the one person I credit for everything amazing that happened in my career. As I have stated many times, I was a huge Allman Brothers fan from the very beginning. My oldest brother had the first album in 1969 and it got a ton of play around our house. By the time the Live at Fillmore East record came out in 1971, I was just starting  to play guitar and that was with without question the album that influenced me and all my young guitar playing friends the most. We would all listen to it for hours on end, day in and day out. It was a moment and time. What a beautiful gift to up and coming guitar players who might want to  travel down that road of improvisation and melding influences. The way he and Duane Allman played together was a thing of beauty and glory. Dickey’s style was a combination of all his diverse influences filtered through his personality and what came out was a joyous sound that would directly or indirectly influence all related music to come. Listening as a kid I had no idea that one day our paths would cross and that he would become a mentor to me. In addition to being the huge influence and inspiration that he had been for years, he was also a presence that loomed larger than life. I started playing with the Dickey Betts Band around 1986 and when he recruited me to be the other guitar player and the slide guitar player in his band, it was the ultimate compliment. I’ll never forget speaking to him on the phone when he called to offer me the job. It was one of those “pinch me” moments in my life, but I had no way of knowing what a heavy moment it would prove to be. After playing in Dickey’s band for 2 1/2 years, I got the call to join my favorite band of all time, The Allman Brothers Band. No one knew at that time that they were considering reforming, so it came as a shock to me. We all signed on to do what we thought was only gonna be a reunion tour for the band’s 20th anniversary to support the Dreams box set. Not myself or anyone else ever imagined that it would turn into what it did and I wound up spending 25 years of my life life as a member of my favorite band. As I’ve also said many times, when I think of the Allman Brothers Band, I automatically think of the original band with Duane Allman and Berry Oakley, who unfortunately passed way too soon, and although I’m extremely proud of my work with the band, that will always be the case. Dickey  Betts and I created a lot of great music together and what I took from him was a major contribution in my life. It did not take long once I joined his band to realize, standing next to him with that beautiful tone, that I had a lot to work to do on both with my tone and with my style. It was amazingly intimidating to stand there night after night realizing how far I had to go. He threw me in the lake and I had to learn to swim. I am forever grateful for that “once in a lifetime” opportunity. Thanks Dickey.-WH 📸: @jayblakesberg