I don’t find many Dylan parodies particularly funny. Too easy, ya know?

For me, Dylan-based high comedy was entirely contained to the recent No Direction, Period video, and that’s about it. But someone — I’m not even sure whom — put together this extremely well-produced, seven-track album of Dylan signing Dr. Seuss books, and it’s fucking awesome. A gander, take one, at this.

• Click here to listen to Dylan Hears a Who (you may need Firefox for this)

The best part of rock music is the incredible diversity, the oh-so-many different subgenres that fall within the category, from punk to emo to jam to pop. This week’s Grousing The Aisles features some incredible rock and/or roll bands from the past 30 years, each with its own unique style.

We’ll begin with some oldies, with punk rockers The Clash representing the ’70s and ’80s, and The Lemonheads bringing us the ’90s power pop. The other two entries are from seemingly always-on-the-road jammers RAQ and Outformation. When Bill Haley first sang Rock Around The Clock in 1954, I don’t think he realized how diverse the genre would become over the next five decades.

RAQ 02/08/07 DAUD (FLAC, MP3, STREAM):

It has been a few months since we’ve checked in on Burlington’s RAQ. The band has been out on an ambitious three-month tour that criss crosses the country, hitting 42 cities. Cleveland was the first city RAQ swept through, and unlike another Vermont quartet, this band sounded tight and heavily practiced.

The Grog Shop show featured here opens with the beginning of Carbohydrates Are The Enemy before segueing into Forget Me Not, a rockin’ little ditty that would surely have hit the top of the charts in the mid-1970s. Towards the end of the first set the band works its way back into the ending of Carbohydrates Are The Enemy — and I must say that the second segment of Carbs could be my favorite part of a RAQ song. Guitarist Chris Michetti lays down a fierce solo reminicent of Frank Zappa tearing through the middle of Inca Roads.

Other highlights from this hot RAQ show include the way the band weaves Bootch Magoo in and out of various songs throughout the second set and a ripping cover of ZZ Top’s I’m Bad I’m Nationwide. RAQ does a great job of presenting a bunch of different sounds throughout their show, always keeping it interesting.

My biggest issue with them is the lack of soundboard recordings. While I’m sure the taper (Jesse Scott) worked his ass off to pull a good tape whenever the music mellows out, all you can hear are people yapping away. Why don’t people shut the fuck up when a band is playing? Now that we’ve heard what the band sounds like at the beginning of the tour, we will check in with them in April to see what they sound like after a few months on the road. Until then…

Read on for the rest of this week’s edition of Grousing The Aisles…

It’s time to take a break from reading gossip about Britney and Anna Nicole (hell, and even Trey) to find out what’s going on in the music world. While we don’t have any nip slips, we have plenty of links to keep you entertained:

• Q Magazine lists 100 places to find music online
• Backstage with Arcade Fire
• Check out the best edition yet of the Grateful Dead’s Taper’s Section, check out the nasty Scarlet-Fire if you don’t believe me
• I bet Ben Gibbard busts out some ironic Avril Lavigne and Backstreet Boys covers on his 16-city solo tour
• Antibalas will return to the road for six weeks – it all begins on March 10th with a gig at Brooklyn’s Warsaw club
• Dino Perrucci of Jambase visited New Orleans during Mardi Gras and took in some amazing Galactic shows
• Bands used to sellout stadium shows all the time when I was growing up. These days they’re rare, making The Police’s feat all the more impressive: The band keeps adding more shows and has helped increase Bonnaroo ticket sales by 20 percent over last year
• A new Everyday Companion podcast is available featuring Widespread Panic playing at a Dirty Dancing-esque ballroom in the Catskills
• Guess what’s playing on Al Gore’s iPod?
• XM Radio and the Knitting Factory team up for a series of live broadcasts
• Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey’s live album Tomorrow We’ll Know Today can be purchased online

Feel free to drop your own linky linky knowledge by leaving a comment below (we never said you couldn’t post nip slips). We’d be obliged…

There doesn’t seem much to report from Trey’s day in court in Whitehall, New York today. But the former 70 Volt Parade lead singer did plead not guilty to the multiple charges against him stemming from his December 15th arrest.

Anastasio, facing three felony charges of illegally possessing prescription painkillers and driving while impaired and misdemeanor counts of possessing heroin and an anti-anxiety medication that had been prescribed to someone else, was released on bail and scheduled to return to Washington County Court on March 27.

So, the saga continues, and previous reports that Trey would cop a plea today turned out to be wholly inaccurate.

Appearing before Judge Kelly McKeighan and a crowd of media, Anastasio agreed to a pre-plea investigation that will help the court get to know him better “and help you resolve your case,” according to the judge.

Since the anniversary’s tomorrow, I highly recommend that the judge check out 2/28/03 to get to know the real Trey better.

Anastasio’s attorney, Steve Coffey, acknowledged after the hearing that his client has a drug problem and is seeking treatment. Coffey said Anastasio attended a 28-day treatment program in January and is attempting to overcome his addiction.

“He has a problem, he knows it and is working with it,” Coffey said.

Coffey also said Anastasio instructed him not to fight the charges.

“He told me ‘I’m here to face the consequences and work it out with the court and go on with my life,’” Coffey said.

Friend of HT, The Otrane, brings up a good point: Trey’s done everything he can since the arrest. First he thanks his arresting officer, then he completes a 28-day rehab, now this lawyer quote about facing the consequences. By the time this is over they’re going to be thanking him for getting arrested in Whitehall.

Anastasio’s plea leaves the door open for a deal to be worked out with the court. Hopefully that deal will be worked out soon for Big Red so he can get back to melting our faces, and perhaps put his drug problems behind him.

• Previously on Hidden Track: Now Trey’s a Real Rock Star; The Day After; and Trey at the Y: An Audience of His Peers
• The latest TV news report from WNYT (free show?)
• Read on below for a full timeline from the December arrest to today’s plea

For several years following the turn of the millennium, Warren Haynes was playing everywhere, with everyone. Lately, though, the hardest-working seemingly homeless man in show business has been noticeably absent from the spotlight.

But according to Haynes’ website, the takes-all-comers guitarist is headed back to the Large Apple in support of his soon-to-be-released live album:

In celebration of the release of Warren Haynes Presents: The Benefit Concert Volume 2, Warren and many of the artists on both Volume 1 and 2 will be taking part in 2 very special events on Wednesday March 28th. At 5pm there will be a CD signing at the Virgin Megastore in Union Square followed by an All-Star Performance at Irving Plaza. A limited number of tickets to this show, along with a guaranteed place in line for the signing, will be given away FREE with purchase of The Benefit Concert Volume 2 at Virgin Union Square beginning at 9am on Tuesday, March 6th. A very limited number of tickets to the Irving Plaza show will be on-sale to the public on 3/9.

I couldn’t care less about getting his Herbie Hancock on a newly purchased disc, but if the Warren & Friends show of yore are any indication, this could be an epic night in the making. We’ll have more on the special guests as news rolls in…

Read on below for a full tracklisting of the forthcoming Benefit Concert CD

I think everyone from Brazil has a “Gilberto” in their name somewhere. But my favorite Gilberto right now is the country’s current Minister of Culture, Gilberto Gil. Flash back 38 years, though, and you’ll read about how Gil, one of the true leaders of the Brazilian Tropicália psychedelic movement, was arrested by the military and subsequently exiled. You know a dude is cool as shit if he’s been exiled.

His 1971 album is even cooler than his life story (not really), and it’s been getting tons of play on my iPod of late. So imagine my surprise when I came across this YouTube clip last night of a fantastic little jam session between Gil and Stevie Wonder. I’m speechless after watching this thing. I am officially without speech.

• We’re gonna kick off this week’s subsection with some hot Blind Faith. The supergroup/side project debuted at a big show in London’s Hyde Park in 1969. And while Clapton’s on record as saying he thought the first gig was subpar, I think this version of Can’t Find My Way Home is pretty sweet.
• Sticking with the Winwoodian Nature of Things, I’ll hand this one over to the immortal cumpare Bill Graham: “In association with Her Majesty the Queen, we bring you Traffic.” Well, half of ‘em at least. Here’s a rippin’ Pearly Queen from The Last Great Traffic Jam in 1994.
• For a look back at the dawning of the Age of Aquarius and the burgeoning psychedelic movement in music, check out this strangely inviting promo clip of Donovan’s Sunshine Superman from 1966.
• We ran a review a month ago yesterday from our friend Neddy after The Bad Plus squatted at the Village Vanguard for a long stay. Today we gladly present the quasi-jazz band’s astoundingly unique take on Smells Like Teen Spirit from Argentina’s Thelonius Club back in October.
• I swear I’m trying to keep this department free of the ol’ standbys, but some great clips keep crossing my desk. Here’s a well-shot video of the Trey Anastasio Band nailing Push On ‘Til the Day at Bonnaroo in 2002.

How about youse? Anyone see some cool shit on the Tube of You this week? 

Quick, what’s the first song you heard this morning? For me it was moe.’s Plane Crash from the Treymoe.deski Tsunami Benefit at Roseland Ballroom in February 2005. To this day that night stands out as one of the best nights of pure music I’ve ever experienced, almost every song better than the one that preceded it.

That Plane Crash is stupendous, fucking marvelous stuff. There’s a Medeski-led jam that lasts about five minutes and just builds and builds ’til you think your head’s gonna explode. But it doesn’t, and then you realize everyone on the subway is looking at you funny while you blast your iPod and bob your head uncontrollably. In honor of my commute this morning, here are seven tunes you should play now…

• Plane Crash - moe. with John Medeski [2/10/05 mp3]
• Someone Something - Spoon [5/16/06 mp3]
• New South Africa - Bela Fleck & the Flecktones [4/22/06 mp3]
• Company Sin and Betterman - John Butler Trio [12/21/05 mp3]
• I Must Say and Motorland - Bump [4/14/06 mp3]

That should hold youse all off ’til Pullin’ ‘Tubes is ready for publication…

“Is that the hippest pop band you’ve ever seen in your life?,” a winterbearded friend asked me after the hour-long set at Lakeside Lounge on Saturday.

You know, it really was. Of course, that’s only if you’re willing concede the “pop” label to a band that’s roots lie somewhere in between ’70s Miles fusion and alternarock. To be sure, if one of them newfangled indieblogs with high traffic reviewed this weekend’s A BIG YES…and a small no show and linked to a couple tracks, Kevin Kendrick’s cellular telephone may never stop ringing.

Kendrick’s the impressive driving force behind the fluid band and a commanding figure front and center, an interesting diction choice on my part considering his physical stature aligns more closely with that of a halogen lamp. On this night, the classically trained vibraphonist’s 30th birthday, all six of his old bandmates from the tragically underrated Fat Mama joined him “on stage” for a show following a five-year layoff (as well as Big Yes/Small No vocalist Moira Meltzer-Cohen).

And just when you think you’re gonna go to a show and have a decent night, along comes a band that sneaks up and fucking floors you. Read on for more…

The recently reunited Rage Against the Machine has added three more dates to its touring schedule. Rage will join the Wu-Tang Clan at the top of the bill of the Rock The Bells hip-hop festival that kicks off in New York at the end of July. Great, sounds like another show my parents won’t let me attend (Mom, I’m 27!).

First it was the reunion of the Wu-Tang Clan in 2004. Then it was A Tribe Called Quest later that year. Now, ROCK THE BELLS will make history again as Rage Against The Machine announces their plans to perform three exclusive engagements with the critically acclaimed world-class hip-hop festival this summer. The epic line-up will see Rage Against The Machine join Wu-Tang Clan for two dates on the west coast (August 11–NOS Events Center, San Bernardino, CA, August 18–venue TBA, San Francisco) and for Rock The Bells’ inaugural venture into New York City (July 28– Randall’s Island) for their only scheduled appearance on the eastern seaboard this year.

We’re setting the over/under on the Randall’s Island death toll at seven. Takers?

As a related aside, two years ago my friends and I looked at a huge apartment way out of my price range and way out of my desired geographic location. Moving in there made no fiscal sense, or any other sense for that matter, but we almost pulled the trigger on the place strictly because the Wu-Tang Clan had the other two lofts across the hall. Truth. Howdy, neighbors…you wanna hit this shit?

• Rage Against the Machine adds more dates [LA Times]

John Mayer’s getting a lot of ink lately. Between the Rolling Stone “New Guitar Gods” cover and the recent Grammys appearance with John Legend and Corrine Bailey Rae, Mayer’s opened many close-minded eyes and successfully transformed himself from mainstream pop artist to mainstream blues guitarist.

I’m not sure what Fall 2006 show this clip’s from, but as far as fillers go, this is a great Mayer showcase video for fans of the elusive mainstream blues jam.

I find some minor fault in my own query here, but I’ll pose it anyway: Is it just me, or is Mayer totally living the life right now that Trey wanted for himself when the popular rock band Phish broke up? Mayer’s got a cool backup band that defers to the artist, an innate ability to write top-quality songs, he’s playing to a more mainstream audience and he sells out his shows.

Sure, as a friend of mine pointed out, Mayer won’t ever cover complete albums, bounce on trampolines, play a seven-hour set, or rock MSG on NYE for five years straight. But right now, I bet he’s loving the life that Big Red covets. Must be nice.

• Check out John’s fairly witty and entertaining blog here
• Our friend Matty Mac desperately wanted me to post these YouTube clips in a late addendum to this little piece, almost as much as he desperately wants to make love to a schoolboy: John Mayer and Just Blaze on turntables — The ALife Sessions (Part I and Part II). It’s good times. Thanks, Matty. Hey, what kind of a name is Just Blaze? What is that, Jewish?