Life in a Blender (from left): Mark Lerner, Ken Meyer, Al Houghton, Don Rauf, Rebecca Weiner Tompkins, Dave Moody.
All hail Don Rauf!
I met him in the 1980s, after I wrote a PEOPLE magazine review of the first album by his rockin' band Life in a Blender. Decades later, that conclave of musical innovators (above) is still releasing crazy-cool music that compels you to dance, sing along, and forget all the troubles of the world.
Back in 1991, I convinced Don and Life in a Blender to perform nightly after performances of my play The Cool Club at the gallery attached to the nightclub CBGB -- the place that was immortalized in song by The Talking Heads.
Since then, Don could not escape me. When I knew that I Couldn't Throw It Out needed a podcast theme song, he was our Go To Man -- only partly because that's the title of a classic Life in a Blender song.
Outdoing even his own standards of lavish greatness, Don brought in superstar Boots Kamp, who co-wrote the song, played multiple instruments, and produced the track. Then they reeled in Seattle sensation Jen Ayers to sing backup vocals and saxophonist extraordinaire Trevor Ras. And I wrote a few rough lyrics that were edited and expanded for the song.
Want to hear the theme song for I Couldn't Throw It Out without all the blabbering? Listen on...
While you're at it, give your ears an extended burst of irrepressible joy...
The Best of Life in a Blender (playlist on Apple Music)
Life in a Blender Videos (playlist on Youtube)
And don't miss the latest albums by our other collaborators, also on Apple Music...
Boots Kamp, Flashing By
Jen Ayers, Every Day Is a Parade
Trevor Ras, Life at Sea
-- Michael Small
(Photo by David Barry.)