I'm not sure if any of you other Bastards enjoy the mellow groove from time to time, but I for one love the old CSN (especially Stills - anybody ever heard 'Manassas'?) and other '60s Laurel Canyon stuff (I even like the Fucking Eagles until they get up to 'The Long Run').

For your consideration is the BBC's documentary "Hotel California: LA From the Byrds to the Eagles," which traces the Laurel Canyon scene from the early Byrds to the full-on corporatization of the scene (ie the Eagles). I made it through part one, and it's quite good.

C'mon, Dave, you've got some Joni Mitchell records, don't you?

Olson and Louris, Louris and Olson

I don't know if ya'll ever got into the Jayhawks, but I did in a big way. The original principals, Gary Olson and Mark Louris, have reunited for an album that has yet to be released (I think they let it go in Europe, though). Chris Robinsin of the Black Crowes produced. I've been streaming it on the New West site and it's great. If you've got the time or the inkling, it's here.

From the record company:

Ready for the flood captures the stripped down, fingerpicked guitar playing and Laurel Canyon sound of an earlier time, with allusions to English folk – Bert Jansch, Nick Drake, John Renbourne, whom both Mark and Gary had both been getting into independently – and a simpler, live recording technique where capturing the right vibe was as important as the sound. It’s an album that only two career musicians and friends could make – organic, intuitive and loosely confident, heartfelt and moving, echoing with the combined experience of two kindred spirits reuniting to do what they do – and love – best.

Mmmm......