"Future Games", now there's a blast from the past. But not quite that far back.

You see, I picked up Bob Welch's fine, overlooked 1979 solo release The Other One when it came out and he remade that song for this album. I've since heard the original, but I'm still partial to the later rendition. It just sounds a bit more developed to me. But regardless, a good song.

Oh, and where's that slacker Saleski?? ;&)

"Hypnotized" might be my favorite Fleetwood Mac song ever, and it will never be included on any compilation.

Future Games and Hypnotized are both amazing songs. I stil prefer the original on Future Games though, though the remake is also good. That whole era gets really overshadowed by the Nicks/Buckingham era (as do the Danny Kirwan and Peter Green eras). Too bad too--lotta great music there thats been mostly undiscovered by most who weren't around to hear it the first time.

-Glen

Lisa, I'm with you on "Basher." I came late to Nick Lowe and that was my introduction. I have since bought every album the guy ever made (including all the "unofficial" Rockpile albums released as Dave Edmunds LPs) -- and that has meant hunting for a lot of out-of-print CDs, which I (ahem) was compelled to acquire from some less-than-strictly-legal sources.

I still hang on to "Basher" for sentimental reasons, but I now notice that it selected the more popular, more commercial, safer tracks from his albums. Lowe's range is incredible, everything from folk rock to punk to R&B to alt-country, and as I delved deeper, some of the most obscure tracks have become my favorites, and you won't find them on "Basher." Still, that's the usual "greatest hits" issue -- with some artists it's a useful winnowing of the material, with others it's like a movie trailer that gives away all the best lines.

For somebody who never set himself up as an artiste, the quality of Nick Lowe's output over the years is astounding. The fact that he's not more well-known is just criminal.

I had never heard "Hypnotized" until I was working at a classic rock station in college. Great song.

I know it's a little off topic, but every time I see the band name Black Flag I think of the Kings' X song of the same name.