I want Jeff Finlin to write/perform my eulogy. I want his incredibly unique voice to say something like “Never met the bastard but he said some nice words about me once and even though he’s dead, he pays more than the bar down the street.” Then I want him to break into a song from maybe The Tao of Motor Oil or My Moby Dick or any one of his multitude of amazingly overlooked albums, flipping off the music “industry” with a good middle finger of music. I want him to ride me out with “I Killed Myself Last Night” or “My Maybeline” or any one of his classic songs nobody is hearing, which could be any one of them because to me they are all classics. I figure no one would be there anyway, my having spent years pissing people off. Oh, Aunt Flo and Uncle Ferd would be there, tears running down cheeks (that side of the family is an emotional lot) and heads nodding to the music (they are also a musical lot).
What a way to go out, huh? I only wish I could be there to hear what Finlin might say about me. I figure it would be epic, that voice sending me off on my last journey. “See you on the other side, Purvis” or something to that effect.
I’m thinking that right now, sitting here at the computer, Finlin’s latest album (Life After Death) oozing through the speakers. My God, I forgot how incredibly unique he is. The voice, the presentation, the freaking lyrics, man. He rocks. He folks. He dances and occasionally sings laying down on a park bench, I am guessing. He blowed up real good. (Think Perry Como and Mr. Relaxation— who did that? Second City or Kids In the Hall?)
Which may sound a bit flippant but isn’t meant to. Finlin has been one of my favorites for years— since Colorado native Ash Ganley told me to check him out. Since I got my hands on a copy of The Tao of Motor Oil and spent three weeks looping that sucker because I couldn’t get enough of it.
Well, Life After Death reprises a few of those songs and others from his other albums. Twenty of them, in fact. Hearing it tonight, I am thinking how great this is but I thought that when I heard the songs on their original albums. This guy has it in spades and this might just be the album to listen to first. Won’t be long before you will be searching out his other albums, though.
Finlin is unique, you know. And good. Damn good. I did mention that, didn’t I? I shouldn’t be saying that, though. The bastard will triple the going rate. Hell, I guess I can’t take it with me anyway.
