I don't know if any of you are familiar with Sirius/XM satellite radio, but the subscription process is quite complex. In the past, a subscription to the service with a decent amount of channels was something like $250 per year. They would give you an amazing offer at the beginning and then after the first year the price would skyrocket.
It actually used to have a reminder set on my calendar right before the expiration date every year so I could call them in and talk them into giving me the offer I had previously. If you were lucky, you could talk them down to something like $100 per year for the service. Still not he cheapest, but a $150 savings over what they charge you if you didn't call it.
That's really how these companies make their money. They give you a great deal, then they jack up the price hoping most people don't diligently watch their bill and see the difference.
For the longest time, we purchased the subscription for @mrsbozz's car and then we just used the Sirius/XM app via bluetooth in my truck when we needed it. It worked out well for several years. This past year when I called in to renew my wife's plan, they said since I am a long time subscriber they were going to give me the $100 price for as long as I am subscribed. No more calling in every year and playing the game with them to get my price reduced. Awesome!
Then, the other day something totally unexpected happened... I got an email from Sirius/XM saying they wanted me to re-enable the subscription on my truck. Now, I have never had a subscription on my truck besides the free trial when I first bought it, but the deal they offered me was too good to pass up. $2.99 per month for three years, then after the three years my subscription just terminates unless I choose to renew it. If you are doing the math, that's $100 for 3 years of service! The same price I am paying for 1 year of service on my wife's car! Given how much time @mrsbozz and I spend in our vehicles, it was a no brainer.
I tell you all of this because it was through Sirius/XM that I discovered the band I am going to share with you for this weeks #threetunetuesday sponsored by @ablaze.
I was listening to channel 14 which is a special channel right now called "Life with John Mayer". It's basically his songs, plus songs and bands that he enjoys listening too. You get a lot of stuff with him from blues to jazz, rock, pop, country, etc. It's a great channel. I do have to say, listening to him talk on his station, he doesn't seem like nearly as big of a douche as Taylor Swift made him out to be in her songs! :)
He is definitely someone who just loves music and can appreciate the artistry that goes into a well played song as well as a well written lyric.
Mayer introduced me to the Freddy Jones Band via the song above "In a Daydream". He pointed out that this song has one of the shortest verses of any song he has ever heard and gets right into the chorus pretty quickly.
Since I have just recently learned about the Freddy Jones Band, I have never had the chance to see them live, but I can imagine they would play a place like Red Rocks, which is why I shared the photos from my recent trip there in this post.
There is something really special about the way these guys play. The guitar effect they use reminds me of someone else, but I can't quite put my finger on it. It's that lilting melodic progression that really catches your ear. I think it might remind me of The Allman Brothers, which isn't that surprising since they list that band as one of their influences.
The band name actually comes from a comic strip and none of the members are actually named Freddy. They were started around 1990 in Chicago Illinois. They actually have a decent number of albums to their credit and they have cycled through a good number of band members through the years. In fact, the current line up only contains one of the original band members I think.
"Mirror Ball" is another great example of just how good they are. There is something about them that kind of reminds me of The Gin Blossoms which I think is part of the reason I like them so much. They even have a little bit of a Tom Petty vibe when you listen to this song.
Finally, I am going to leave you with this live version of "Take the Time". It's got a little bit of The Who mixed in with it, which actually fits really well now that I think of it. While they also state Eric Clapton and Mark Knopfler were influences along with Bob Dylan, they never mention The Who, which is kind of surprising. I'm sure they had a little bit to do with their sound.
I apologize that the quality of the last clip is a bit crap. If you like what you hear though, I highly encourage you to jump over to your favorite streaming service and check them out. They are just really fantastic. I've been finding a lot of great new artists lately and I am looking forward to sharing them with you. I even have a few more that I was introduced to by that John Mayer channel.
Have you ever heard of the Freddy Jones Band? Do you like what you hear? Do you know what that guitar effect is called that they use in a lot of their songs? I don't even know how to describe it. The closest I can come is, that "bright" sound.
I look forward to your comments!
Sports Talk Social - @bozz.sports
