give the machine another quarter, watch it appear, ooh a souvenir

A little more than a year ago, Bill Janovitz started a new blog, Part Time Man of Rock, posting a cover song a week. Over the ensuing months some unreleased demos and live cuts would work their way in, but the largess showed off Janovitz’s sonic loves, often accompanied by laugh-riddled or gut-wrenching missives that show this man bleeds for it.

Anyone who goes to the Crown Victoria residencies at Toad or the bi-annual Buffalo Tom outings at the Paradise already knows this. They’ve probably also heard many of these covers live (It Makes No Difference and just about every Stones song ever written) but in a little corner of the internet, Lonesome Billy has been indefatigably swinging away at the songs that made him – Neil Young to the Beatles to Nina Simone to Will Oldham to Tom Waits to The Replacements. I encourage you to go to the site – read the stories (and email us with guesses as to who that “McBand” headliner is in Week 14 Straight to Hell!) – make a donation – buy a record – whathaveyou – and then set your iPod to stun: Cover of the Week (1-52) Zip. Full playlist shows in the rail of his blog and can be downloaded here.

Bill performs this weekend at the House of Blues for the 10th annual edition of Hot Stove Cool Music. If you’re local, it’s always a good time. And if you’re further afield, the organizers blessed us with a Saturday (not Sunday) night. Kay Hanley, Tinted Windows, State Radio, The Low Anthem (great alt-country if you havent heard em yet) and the Peter Gammons All Stars are also on the bill. His side project Crown Victoria plays the Foundation Room at the House of Blues/Boston on Feb 5.

Buy some of Bill’s stuff.