Even my wife can be geeky...

Tonight we were eating dinner together and an electric saw went off from some neighbour's house. She turns to me and says "Listen, it's the horn of Gondor!" Naturally, I was very proud.

My son watched the original print of Star Wars with me the other day (Yes, the print before it says "A New Hope"), and he was really into it as he loves music. The soundtrack for this movie in particular is intense, as we all know.

Speaking of music, I thought today I would discuss some people in the music business who seem to be underrated. I am talking about solid musicians who everybody seems to like but no one (at least that I know personally) claims to have as a favourite.

Alice Cooper - Seriously, his songs range from the crass and crude to the wildly absurd. But he is fantastic. Whether it is from the slightly sardonic "Only Women Bleed" to the fun of "School's Out" or the psychotic "Welcome to my Nightmare", this guy knows how a write a decent song, as well as a kick ass live show. (I saw him a the NAC in 1999; fantastic for a small intimate show.)

Styx - Except for maybe Larry Gowan, no one I know claims them as a favourite, and seriously listen to the songwriting. They took arena synth rock to a level I think has not been achieved since. (Not even by Journey, a really good band themselves).

Queen - This band has to be one of the best group of pure music talent ever assembled. Some groups were bigger, but the pure talent in this band of all four members truly shines. (Listen to John Deacon's bass lines on the rock n' roll songs; reminiscent of McCartney's best Beatles's work they have to be some of the most unsung work ever.)

Honourable mention to the studio bass player for ABBA, whoever he is, that is one talented player.

Tom Petty - this guy has made three chord rock into some of the best "feeling" rock songs ever. (Man, I love to get drunk to "Last Dance with Mary Jane" or "Refugee".

Last but not least, Mr. Blind Lemon Pye, blues musician that was inspired by the Rutles. (Left the railroad to be a musician, been starving ever since.)