White (Led) Boots

It would be an understatement to say that the wife and I don't get out much.

We're pretty fond of our two dogs, one cat, and responsibilities to our vegetable garden. After nearly 25 years on the road, a vacation to me is waking up somewhere familiar with coffee but a few steps away. A night out on the town is usually going to the local market to buy something swell to cook up for dinner.

The decision to go to Oakland to see the last performance of Jeff Beck's 2009 U.S. tour was a no-brainer, however. After all, Beck was flying high from his recent Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction for his storied solo career. Add in the twin engines of his band being so damn tight and the venue being the newly renovated Fox Theater in Oakland, and we quickly decided the trip down from the country would be in our best interests for fast fun.

***

This past April, Jeff Beck was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame...for the second time in his career. Beck's first trip to the Hall was in 1988 for his stint in The Yardbirds.

Why should anyone care? I'll tell you why. It's because Jeff Beck is a master of the electric guitar and one of the few great innovators in rock and roll. Ask any guitarist or serious music appreciator who the best is, and Beck's name will likely be the answer. Don't believe me? Ask Clapton, King, or Vaughan. Or ask Christopher Guest, who modeled the gum-chewing Nigel "This goes to 11" Tufnell of Spinal Tap after Beck. That's enough to warrant entry into the Hall's hallowed space in my book.

No other guitarist has Beck's sonic palette and incredible range of expression. 10,000 hours logged mastering his craft aside, Beck has reinvented himself time and time again, framing his patented twang-bar Stratocaster sound with an assortment of musicians and musical styles that would make the likes of Frank Zappa or Miles Davis proud. "It's a form of illness really, isn't it," he said in a recent Gibson.com interview. "If you choose music there's no real limits to how far you can dig to better yourself and improve...it's a bottomless pit of inspiration."

Today's mainstream music industry lacks any real credibility, which is why it was so refreshing to see the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame get something right for change. Far too often innovative artists are overlooked for inclusion in award shows and the Hall of Fame to make room for the popularity contest winners and multi-platinum acts. With Madonna's induction last year, the Hall became a sad joke among my friends and peers, much like when the first Grammy award for "Best Heavy Metal Album" was given to Jethro Tull over the obviously deserving Metallica in 1989. It was one of those classic "what-the-fuck-were-they-thinking" moments and showed how far out of touch the industry had become. But Beck's induction was a case where all the egos were set aside to honor an innovator who has been around since the beginnings of modern rock. The look of pure joy on the face of Jimmy Page, Beck's childhood friend and former Yardbirds band mate, was contagious. There was one of rock's silver-haired elder statesmen inducting one of his close friends while practically jumping up and down and clapping his hands like an excited schoolgirl. Ever the gentleman, Beck graciously thanked Page and many of his peers in his brief acceptance speech, a humble genius who most likely would have preferred being at home working on one of his vintage hot rods.

Hit up YouTube and check out the version of "Beck's Bolero" from Beck's performance at the induction ceremony. In the middle of the tune, he stops, introduces Jimmy Page, and proceeds to rip into an instrumental jam of "The Immigrant Song" for a few moments before careening back into the end of "Bolero." Notice how Page, one of Beck's oldest schoolyard chums, never strays from the supportive rhythm guitar role, thereby allowing Beck to do what he does best: wring lead vocal sounds out of his signature white Stratocaster. Believe me, Beck was hitting high notes that Robert Plant hasn't been able to achieve since 1971.

Last summer while on tour, a friend of mine passed along a bootleg DVD of various Beck live performances that featured the entire set from Clapton's Crossroads Blues Festival in Chicago 2007. Beck's band - drummer Vinnie Colaiuta and keyboardist Jason Rebello along with the amazing young bass prodigy Tal Wilkenfeld - blew me away. Members of Panic who ventured up to the front lounge of the bus would stop in their tracks to share in the amazement Jimmy Herring and I enjoyed while repeatedly watching the DVD over and over again. The band was tight and it was very clear that Beck was happy and being pushed to new creative heights. He even let Wilkenfeld take a bass solo on his beautiful rendition of "Because We've Ended As Lovers." But the capstone of the show was the set ending performance of John Lennon's "A Day In The Life." I had seen him play this tune before, but this particular performance featured joy, sadness, and exuberance coupled with an utter mastery of the guitar and melody incarnate. Never allowing the melodic intent of the original version to give way to chops this performance was something for the ages.

Soon after I'd received the DVD, music industry blogger supreme Bob Lefsetz devoted one of his daily rants to the mastery of Jeff Beck. I wrote Bob an email about how we'd been enjoying Beck's Crossroads performance on the tour bus, which he published. Jimmy Herring began to integrate Beckisms into his arsenal onstage. Throughout last summer's tour, I'd hear a primal squonk from stage right and look over to see Herring laughing his ass off at my surprise as he'd slip a quote from one of Beck's tunes into one of his own improvised guitar solos. I made up my mind I'd catch Beck at the next opportunity.

***

The bell on my iPhone Inbox buzzed as we were preparing to leave for our first trip to the Fox Theater in Oakland. Lefsetz Letter of the Day has arrived, boasting a glowing tweet from Beck's show in L.A. the night before. Rod Stewart had apparently surprised Beck onstage (their first appearance together in over 25 years) for a sweet rendition of Curtis Mayfield's "People Get Ready." The news only heightened our expectations for the show we were about to see.

We arrived at the Fox and were promptly met by Veronice, the ticket gal for Another Planet Entertainment who showed us inside the beautifully restored former movie palace. Allen from Another Planet gave us a walking tour, and we were duly impressed to say the least. More than $90 million went into the renovation of the theater, and I must say it looked to have been money well spent. The Oakland Fox is similar to its namesake Fox theaters in St. Louis and Atlanta but with one serious difference: the Oakland Fox is laid out in the great tradition of the most fan friendly music venues. Rather than fixed seating all the way to the stage, there is a general admission pit that holds 1,900 music lovers. Behind the pit area are tiers for standing room with some small cocktail tables and a massive bar. The balcony features seating for another 900. There's a smoking section, more bars, and a small café that serves food, which is open whether there's a show or not.

Upon arriving at the VIP area, it was clear the musos were coming out tonight in full force to see the master at work. A tequila-wielding Sammy Hagar greeted us with a wide smile. The drummer from the Chili Peppers arrived soon thereafter, followed by someone who I'm pretty sure was an incognito Joe Satriani. Not knowing that these guys were ¾ of the new band, Chickenfoot I amusedly thought to myself that we could make one helluva band. Sorry Michael Anthony...I just didn't know yet!

The Fox boasts a state-of-the-art line array sound system, which means that the sound in the back of the balcony is just as clean and loud as it is on the floor or in front of the stage. I have yet to see a more fan friendly venue as classy as Oakland's Fox Theater. And despite all of its glorious beauty, what shone brightest that night was the music that happened onstage.

Clad head to toe in white (including white felt boots with fringe), Jeff Beck took the stage and the band revved into "Beck's Bolero." All hands were raised when Vinnie Colaiuta began the infamous drum intro to "Led Boots," and by the time the song was in high gear, those same hands were unanimously performing the Wayne's World "we're not worthy" genuflection.

Jeff Beck's performance in Oakland was a staggering display of electric virtuosity without musical snobbery and overt academics. The band was tight, but loose enough to have a little fun. The humorous highlight of the evening was Wilkenfeld's bass solo which morphed into Beck's famous "Freeway Jam" (which has been noticeably absent from the setlist for nearly a decade) featuring her playing the melody in the upper register while Beck played the bass line in the lower register of her guitar at the same time. To me this is a sign of a master at work and having fun. Something also tells me that Wilkenfeld is having a good effect on Beck and loosening him up. This kind of behavior bodes well for a future studio recording (which I hear is in the works) with this band.

After finishing the show with a powerful rendition of "A Day In The Life," Beck took a victory lap performing "Where Were You" with Rebello providing an eerily stark keyboard accompaniment. The rest of the band returned and put the pedal to the metal with "A Scottish One" and a final twist of humor with "Peter Gunn." We exited the beautiful Fox Theater exhilarated by what we had just witnessed. Beck is truly a master and he seemed to be riding high, buoyed by the strength of his supporting cast. He roared through all of his gears with grace and humor while keeping melody in the pole position where it belongs: firmly in the hands of the master.

Dave Schools blames his strange obsession with Jeff Beck on finding a copy of the Yardbirds bootleg Golden Eggs in a mom ‘n' pop record store as a teenager. When not blogging for BLURT or playing bass for Widespread Panic in front of thousands of screaming fans, Dave likes to dance... tap dance.

[Photo Credit: SonomaMan]

Guest Post this week from another one of my faves, Salim Nourallah (who you heard on The Daily Dose 05/18/09) and who's been on tour in Europe recently:

dear Europe

thank you for these past 3 weeks
thank you for your lush green fields
nicely manicured highways
friendly people
bowls of cheese
castles
thank you for Casa Buskies and the Astra Stubbe in Hamburg
Basti
Gunther
Matthias
Lars
thank you for their smiles and hand clapping
thank you for Berlin and the double-decker bus tour
the Hotel Adina were I swear David Bowie must also stay
whenever he visits Berlin
thank you for the great Italian food we ate while the rain poured
thank you for making the rain stop in time for us to walk back to the Adina
thank you for Potsdam and the Sanssouci Palace
for the beautiful weather that day and plenty of time before Magdeburg
thank you for Jan and his nice comment about buying Nourallah Brothers 10 years ago
thank you for mysteriously fixing my video camera
for the Atlanta Hotel (instead of another dive!) in Neukirchen-Vluyn (where else?)
for Marcus at Kulturrampe in Krefeld
and the German fan who said he was attending Eastwood High
in El Paso in 1978
thank you for the Ulenspeigel in Giessen
and the nice promoter Toby who is going to Kansas soon
thank you for the Café NUN in Karlsruhe
the perfect sound and audience
my friend Mark and his family at the ex-convent
the man in the front row who said he loved all my records
and requested “It’s Not Enough”
thank you for scenic and peaceful Bacharach
our room in the tower
our walk up to the Castle
the nice lady who gave Gavin hot chocolate
Castle Burg Eltz and the knight show from Gavin
thank you Rastatte and Aachen plus a packed house
all the people smiling and singing along with me
for the 3rd time in 4 years now
thank you for letting me see my friends Jan and Walter again
and also for G to have a chance to play with Henri
thank you for our safe and pleasant drive to the South of France
and for our friends Wreckless Eric and Amy Rigby
Le Lawrence D’Arabie and the great pizza from Nico and Sabine
Emmanual and his enthusiasm for the Clash and Gavin’s Wreckless E t-shirt
thank you for all the people who bought t-shirts and cds
and even asked for me to sign them [...]

A Triple-A radio programming veteran, Kate has served as Music Director of the Loft at XM, Midday Host at WYEP, Evening Host at both WNCS and WUIN, as well as Content Supervisor for Pump Audio. Currently, she's the CEO of Outlandos Music, a new-music discovery service for grown-ups. Kate has been nationally recognized for her ardent presentation of music and her ability to champion talented, compelling artists.

An Interview With Punk Legends Cock Sparrer

Thirty-five years ago - long before you could buy an entire punk rock persona at your local mall - a few guys from London's working class East End were bashing together songs that would eventually help define punk music.

Though bands like the The Sex Pistols and The Clash got most of the ink, the guys in Cock Sparrer were just as vital to defining the sounds of London youth beginning in the mid-70's, and helped to found the grittier street punk and Oi! subgenres  of punk rock. It's fairly safe to say groups like Rancid and the Dropkick Murphys would likely never have existed without Cock Sparrer first putting together the blue print. 

The band has been on-again, off-again for the past three decades, but is thankfully back on-again... for now. San Francisco's Pirate Press recently made their latest record, the phenomenal "Here We Stand," available in the U.S. and Cock Sparrer is promising a handful of dates later this year in Chicago, San Francisco and Texas (not a typo, apparently the thirst for Oi! Music in the Lone Star state is unquenchable).

Band founder Colin McFaull and newcomer Daryl Smith (new by the band's standards. He actually started playing with Cock Sparrer in 1992), were patient enough to sit down to an e-mail interview this week.

***

What was the band doing in the 10 yrs. between the last two records?

Colin: Not a lot really. We played a few select gigs and started to write the songs for "Here We Stand". The thing about Sparrer is that we exist as mates outside of the band, so even when we're not playing we still get together for a few beers and a night out.

Daryl: I was playing quite a bit with other bands (Argy Bargy, The Crack, etc.) and was still very much part of the live punk scene in Europe. I noticed how things had started to change and gigs were becoming safer, more fun and a really healthy scene was growing. Being part of that meant that I could let the band know which promoters/venues, etc. were ok to do. We played about 10 times between 1997 and 2007 but each gig became an event and it was great that we could play without the fear of trouble, etc. Finally punks, skins, hardcore kids etc. could all come along and enjoy the music without any other agenda. It's this atmosphere and the fact that we're all mates that has made us continue. It's great that the scene realises that no-one else likes us and this is all we've got, so lets not fuck it up by smashing a venue up or something stupid like that. There's a lot more common sense now than there was 20 years ago. It really feels like a big family.

So there are legendary rumors about why you guys didn't sign with Sex Pistols puppet master Malcolm McLarem in the 70's (you wouldn't cut your hair; he wouldn't buy you a round; etc.). Why did you decided not to sign with him? Ever regret that decision?

Colin: It's one thing that we definitely don't regret. We certainly wouldn't be the same band today if we'd taken that particular path. We may not even be mates today or alive. Burge and one of our roadies went to see him in the shop that he and Vivian Westwood had on The Kings Road, Chelsea and persuaded him to travel across to East London to watch us rehearse above a small pub in East London. To our surprise he turned up the following week. It was pretty obvious from the outset that we wouldn't get on - bondage trousers meet Doctor Martens. He listened to a few songs, made a few suggestions (which went down well!!) and offered us a gig supporting The Pistols somewhere. We declined his kind offer and our paths never crossed again.

"Here We Stand" is a fantastic album. How was it to work on?

Colin: We enjoyed making the album. The whole process took about a year from the writing, to rehearsing and arranging the songs to finally recording them. Some of the songs changed quite a bit from their original shape but it was great to finally get in the studio and record them. We were lucky in being able to use Pat Collier to put the tracks down and his studio in Perry Vale was ideal for what we needed. Daryl had worked with him before and he had a pretty good idea of what we were trying to achieve. I think that this was the first time that we actually used the money that we had been given to record an album on the actual recording and not down the pub. We still had the odd disagreement but nothing ever came to blows. Having a great label like Captain Oi in the UK behind the album made us all work a little bit harder and having Pat behind the desk made it a pleasure.

Daryl: Personally, I couldn't wait to get involved with recording a new album. I've only been in the band 17 years, so didn't appear on the older albums! The thing that frustrates me is that although the songs are great, the production always sounds weak next to more modern CDs. So this was a chance to record something that we were not only proud of songwise, but would also SOUND great - without being ‘over produced'. Lars Frederiksen (from Rancid) had always said that if we ever recorded another album, he would love to produce it. He also encouraged us to get off our backsides and do a new album. Unfortunately, he was not around to come and produce it, so we did it ourselves. The way it worked out was great as we probably know ourselves better than anyone else. So Here We Stand is a true Sparrer album. However, we sent it over to the U.S. for Lars to mix. That was a great decision as we could get on with doing what we do best (write, record and produce the songs) and Lars could fill the gap that had always let us down and that was making it SOUND great. I recorded the songs as we went along at rehearsals and so we had a chance to live with them and improve them over the months. By the time we hit the studio, we knew the songs pretty well and knocked the album out in two weeks.

With" Here We Stand" finally being released in the U.S., is this a sign that the band is back for good? Will you be releasing more records?

Colin: The band has never been away. We've just chosen not to do stuff at certain times. We had the opportunity to record albums in the 10 years between "Two Monkeys" and "Here We Stand" but didn't feel as though the songs were strong enough. We'll certainly do another album if the materials there and someone's willing to fund it.

Daryl: If we record an album next year (2010), the band would have had albums out in five decades!! So that would be a cool achievement. But we wouldn't do it for the sake of it. As Col says, we had the opportunity to record in the past, but if we don't feel that the material is good enough we just wouldn't do it. Also, the music industry needs to change and find its feet again. Physical releases such as CDs and Vinyl just aren't selling like they used to and although everyone is downloading etc.; no one seems to be paying for it. Great if you're a consumer but how are the labels going to afford to put bands in a studio in the future if they're not selling anything? It could work out well and put the focus back onto live music and the D.I.Y aspect but at the moment it's hard to fund the record that a band would WANT to make against a record a label can AFFORD to make. Gonna be interesting how it all works out in the end...

Do you plan to tour the U.S. when the record comes out?

Colin: We're coming over three times in 2009. Texas in May, Chicago in October and San Francisco in November. Because of everyone's work commitments, (we all still have real jobs) undertaking a three month promotional tour is really a non-starter but we'll come back whenever we can.

Daryl: Speak for yourself! I don't have a real job! I play in punk bands, put out punk records and do graphic design for punk labels. That's not a job - that's fun! We'll be back in the US whenever we can although it's the logistics that make it difficult.

Obviously there's an entire generation of Oi! bands that are influences by you. What were your influences when you were first starting the group?

Colin: I was 16 when I first joined up with the rest of the boys and like all young school bands you're influenced by what's in the charts at the time, what records your brothers have bought that week and the stuff you read in the music papers. Both of my brothers were "old school" Mods and therefore our house was always full of Tamla and Stax records, as well as the British stuff like The Small Faces and The Who. When Cock Sparrer started we didn't write our own stuff straight away and covered songs by the likes of Slade, The Small Faces and Alice Cooper.

Daryl: Obviously they're all a bit older than me (which makes conversations difficult - my mates are still talking football, drinking and fighting, the band are talking about golf and their pensions!) So my influences were early punk (Pistols / Clash, etc.) the Oi! scene (Business / 4 Skins etc) but I grew up with 2-Tone so bands like The Specials and Madness were a big influence. Outside of the scene I listened to Rose Tattoo and Heavy Metal Kids a lot. But ironically, a lot of my influences on song writing came from Cock Sparrer when I was younger. Never thought I'd end up in the band and looking after the old boys! I'm fortunate to have met and count as friends most of the Oi bands that were influences to me when I was younger.

What are your thoughts of the current punk scene versus what it was like the late 70's and early 80's?

Colin: I think the scene today is very healthy even though it could be considered underground. It gets very little media coverage except for from dedicated magazines and it does seem that while of all the current popular genres, Metal, Rap, Indie, etc. gets loads of press, unless you're Green Day, "Punk" gets little or no attention. But while that can be frustrating it's also great to be part of something that so few people actually "get". One of the things that caused Punk to implode in the 80's and fortunately aided the advent of Oi! was the perceived need to spend thousands of pounds on "Punk" clothes to look the part. Today it's more a case of DIY and who gives a shit what others think about the way you look. Much more how it was intended to be in 1977.

Daryl: There's probably more need for the attitude of the original Punk movement now than at any other time. Economically, politically, socially and musically. Plus we're in a stronger position now because the trendy fashion element that was ripe in 1977 is not so prominent. We've also got the Internet, access to music sharing, etc. that makes the scene more DIY than it ever has been. Unfortunately, kids seem to be more interested in playing computer games than starting a revolution! There's always been a youth movement, Teddy Boys, Mods, Rockers, Hippies, Glam Rockers, Punks, Skinheads etc but since the dance/rave/hip hop scenes there doesn't appear to have been any identifiable youth culture that has any chance of making a difference. It's all so watered down. So whilst I think that we COULD have a better scene than the ‘70's, I don't think we will because there's too much apathy. That said, we don't need mass media coverage and I'm happy playing to the fans we've got and enjoying our own little scene.

Any new Oi! bands that have impressed you lately?

Colin: There are loads of good young bands coming through at the moment. One of my favourites is a band from Blackburn in England called Middle Finger Salute. They're all about 18 and write good songs. They've been on our bill a few times and thanks to the good boys from Rancid are doing the East Coast leg of this year's Warped Tour.

Daryl: There are a few young punk bands that I like, Middle Finger Salute, The Exposed, Vas Deferans. There's not too many new Oi! bands around at the moment. There are a few that I rate that weren't part of the original scene like Discipline, The Agitators, Stomper 98, etc.

Anything else you want to add?

Colin: Just wanna say a big thanks to Skippy and his fellow Pirates for giving us the chance to get "Here We Stand" out in the US. We hope you like it and maybe we'll see you soon.

Daryl: Thanks to all the promoters and labels such as Captain Oi, TKO, Pirates Press, etc. that continue to support us. It's a team effort and that includes the fans. If we all work together and behave ourselves we can continue to get to see the music we love being played in a bar/club in a town somewhere near you soon. - Cheers

[Photo Credit: Samantha Bruce]

In which our heroine goes through the looking glass...

I GAVE ALL MY DRINK TICKETS TO BATMAN!

On New Year's Day, I said to Jem
"I won't get out of bed,
Unless you find a video,
a story I once read.
Animated, and with sound,
specific length of time."
For I could not be bothered
To rise without this rhyme.
(Poni would not wake off the floor,
common from time to time)

The Walrus and the Carpenter
was what I did require
as staying in my bed all day
was then my chief desire.

"What is it called?" asked Jem, annoyed,
and eager for his lunch.
"As for the lines of this fair tale," said I
"There are a bunch."
"Silence, get up, you drunk!" Jem cried,
Unwilling to play games
But there I lay undaunted
And offered him two names

"Cabbages and kings!" I called
"See now what you can find!
Neither pics nor text will do!"
(I'd had the film in mind)

Resourceful Jem (what's wrong with him?)
Immediately found
A clip from Disney's Alice
(In Wonderland - with sound)
My hopes of lying in all day
All dashed to the ground dead
When Jem cued up the video
And placed it on the bed

The Walrus and the Carpenter
Were walking down the beach
The very clip I had demanded,
there, within my reach

Jem's end of the deal was now done
I had no choice at all
I had to get up and get dressed
Shirt and shoes and shawl
"The time has come," the Coco said,
"To talk of other things.
Of ibuprofen, Diet Coke,
dark sunglasses and swings!"

And while the sea was boiling hot
(and whether I had wings)
Caloo, calay, hangover day!
Of cabbages and kings!
(Or eggs and toasts and sausages,
of grits and onion rings)

It would carry off objects of which it grew fond, and protect them by dropping them into the pond,

coco

***

Blurt "co-co-editor" Coco Hames fronts The Ettes - Hames on guitar, Jem Cohen on bass and Poni Silver on drums - whose latest album Look At Life Again Soon (Take Root) is still a hot item, and they also have a new EP, Danger Is, released by Take Root on April 7 and also available digitally, www.myspace.com/theettes), and a Dan Auerbach-produced limited-edition single. They are currently ruminating upon their next full-length, but meanwhile, overseas fans can spot ‘em right now on their European tour - dates at the MySpace page.

The US constitution on COPYRIGHTS - To promote the Progress of Science [includes literature] and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors [..] the exclusive Right to their respective Writings...

So the constitution is clear here -"clear" ? ha ha, I'm in trouble already. Congress is mandated to promote innovation in knowledge and art. And a key component is the right granted to creators over their work.

This is going to be a long process where we fight over the rules that dominate the information age. We've been spared the messiest phase of this battle because for several decades the technology to deliver information, outpaced the technology to copy it. In the music industry and community, we've focused on unauthorized downloading, but unfortunately the debate is on a scale involving the essence of culture and group communication. This has broadened the issues to the point where it becomes difficult to apply any of the principles to a specific problem. Disney cartoon characters are a completely different type of conception than Martin Luther King's "I Had A Dream" speech, or than news reports in a daily newspaper, or than scientific research papers - but copyright laws apply to all these. 

I like the wording in the constitution. To all of us, an artist's ownership of his work is intuitive. We understand that "creative control" is important. We don't want an artist's work to be changed by someone outside that creative process, ie: someone at a record label. We bristle at radio edits that change a revered song. We generally want the creation to be a clear expression by that individual artist, unmodified - it is not society's - it is self expression.   

  Yet somehow in the fray, copyright and the concept of intellectual property has been demonized - largely the result of aggressive tactics by large business interests, and the ensuing backlash. Innovative organizations such Creative Commons have promoted important new concepts in copyright, with what I see as a heavy dose of fear-mongering. According to Creative Commons founder Lawrence Lessig: "..creators get to create only with the permission of the powerful, or of creators from the past". Well I don't know too many musicians for whom that statement would apply. Not too many want to include a snippet or sample of Britney Spears in their songs anymore. Also, not all those you might seek permission from, are "powerful".  It's not as simple as us against them. There are casualties right here, amongst us.

I believe the more one knows of how the middle level of the music business works -independent labels, distributors and booking agents- the more one supports intellectual property rights.

Some of the issues as they pertain to downloading and independent music culture:

Free sharing benefits artists

 Providing free, but limited, products and services to generate demand is as old as commerce itself - ie: "the first one's free", "special introductory rate".Providing promotional, free copies of music to radio stations is nothing new. And even as far back as the 70's, The Grateful Dead were authorizing unlimited bootleg recordings of their live shows. That made obvious business sense for them, because they were a gigantic live act and could simply sell tickets.

So it's important to artists and their labels to control and select what is given away promotionally. That's business, and if that's a dirty word for some people, that seems to suggest that artists shouldn't be able to earn money from their creations. Music making is expensive - both recorded and live. Where there's music reaching the people, someone is treating it like a business

Some people are suggesting music itself shouldn't have to be paid for, only performance - live performance.

"If all the money is on the road, why not give out more recorded product free" Bob Lefsetz (The Lefsetz Letter - music industry blog) on Twitter

 Taking to an extreme, I believe diversity in the art of recording would suffer. A recording budget basically pays for the 1st copy, so you need to sell subsequent copies to justify the initial expense. And having time to spend in the studio with good equipment and acoustics, is part of a tradition of great record making. But we're seeing how large recording studios are closing in droves, and large live-music venues are multiplying. That shows how things follow the dollar. I believe that despite the renewed popularity of vinyl, most people don't really care about recording quality. There are few audiophiles amongst us. But we should know there's a cost here. There are also many important creators in recordings - producers, engineers, arrangers, extra musicians - who would not receive royalties if records are not sold - or would not be hired in the first place.

The enduring importance of labels.

The music industry is like the financial industry, in that it has shrunk but has not disappeared. There is a whole infrastructure that has remained entrenched, and on some fronts is being re-enforced. One reason is that there is a flood of self-released records. Many publications - like on-line megazine Pitchfork - have an official policy of only reviewing music that is on a recognized label, maintaining the old vetting system of record labels. Also, booking agents will usually only consider artists who are on a label that's based in their territory - they know that an entity interested in selling the music itself in that territory, is necessary to help create awareness.

Less new artists are being signed to labels big and small.

Many well regarded small labels have greatly curtailed the signing of new artists. This feels like the equivalent of banks chocking off the supply of credit. An example would be Young God Records which discovered Devendra Banhart (other artists include Akron Family, Larkin Grimm). The label has turned down many worthwhile artists because of diminished revenue from distribution

Is downloading truly to blame?

On average, yes. The tanking of the record industry has been across the board, hitting both Davids and Goliaths - and it was underway many years before the current economic turndown. Napster just passed it's 10 year anniversary

The penalty for unauthorized downloading ?

I feel it should be a social taboo - like not tipping your bartender or driving a gas guzzling SUV. With that in mind, I'd like to say how gratifying it is to see music blogs taking a lead on this. Most blogs that post MP3's urge you to buy it, if you enjoy it.

Why are some fans not getting this?

There's a misplaced schadenfreude about the music business collapse

And there's a misperception about the term "independent". There's an assumption that the machinery of the industry only applies to the major labels, when actually the machinery is very similar on a small scale. Also many artists with large fan bases who make a big point of their independence, were once on big labels and benefited from the big promotional push. And many perceived DIY artists, are actually on small labels, and work with small booking agencies. Once an artist goes beyond his home region for extended periods, true DIY starts being impossible - an artist needs to tie into some kind of machine. So small out-of-sight music biz entities that are in jeopardy, don't get the kind of sympathy that small businesses get in our physical neighborhoods.

Different rules apply to the rock elite.

When Nine Inch Nails released Year Zero in 2007. Trent Reznor told fans in Australia to "steal the record" - in protest of the Recording Industry Association of America's outrageous lawsuits against individual downloaders. But yet his record had sold 187,000 in its first week, and reached #2 in Billboard. I don't personally know any touring musicians who could afford to ask audience members to steal their records from the merch table. Records sold at shows are a crucial means of financing a tour for independent artists

Musician ghetto and the fan base paradox.

It seems like there are always those who will have fans, including Myspace miracle buzz bands with viral fan bases. And it's now generally easier to build on an existing fan base.

 But it's hard to know what we're missing. It's hard to know why artists drop off the radar. So when you really know the situation intimately, you see the contradictions - apparently successful artists unable to tour with extra musicians, or to record at a good studio. Many are increasingly asking for donations,,, $5, $10, $20 helps.

 It's hard for the public to see artists as workers in the classic sense - who's livelihoods we have a common interest to protect. Intuitively people see the arts as a wild west niche in society. A tremendous amount of ideas are not really seeing the day - many artists have to simply give up. You can apply the notion that the true visionaries will persevere, and so even independent music is a Darwinian sink-or-swim ruthless environment.

A lot of music is shrinking away in horror.

"To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors [..] the exclusive Right to their respective Writings..."

Check Martin Bisi West Coast tour dates - June 16-21:

And visit him online at  myspace.com/theendcredits

Every year I give my public radio station $100. It's not much but essentially, they guilt me into it. But what's more, I get something in exchange. Yes, there's the programming. But that's not the only reason why I give them money that, to be honest, as a fledgling entrepreneur, I frankly just don't have. One fund drive a year, early in the summer, they ply me with an incentive I can't refuse: two tickets to any Philadelphia Orchestra concert I choose at SPAC (my favorite venue in the world). What's more is you can bring a picnic, a bottle of wine, meet up with friends, sprawl out on a blanket and gaze up at the stars --- to the soundtrack of literally, some of the finest musicians in the world. It's become a tradition. An experience that, altogether, is worth the $100, if not more.

What's interesting is that they (public radio) go back to this well (my pocket) every year. And it never dries up. They are masterful. They have me (and my credit card) without reserve.

Two essential things are at play here. First and foremost [...]

A Triple-A radio programming veteran, Kate has served as Music Director of the Loft at XM, Midday Host at WYEP, Evening Host at both WNCS and WUIN, as well as Content Supervisor for Pump Audio. Currently, she's the CEO of Outlandos Music, a new-music discovery service for grown-ups. Kate has been nationally recognized for her ardent presentation of music and her ability to champion talented, compelling artists.

As always, taking our cue from Seth Godin... the idea being that what unites us is more than music, an axiology that extends from the music to our music-lover lifestyles: how we vote, what we drive, what we eat, what we wear, etc. The point is, we're a tribe connected by a vibe... hence, this month's compendium:

1. Good Pairings

Simply put:

... and my guess is, many of you do as well. Which is why we are implementing something new on The Daily Dose starting next month. A wine and cheese pick each day to go with each pair of songs, stemming from our idea of making music tactile again. Spearheading the tasty tastemaking will be Chris Stamey bassist and Whole Foods specialty cheese buyer/wine expert John Chumbris. Cheers!

2. Good Filters

Naturally, that's in part what we aim to be with The Daily Dose. A trusted resource to cut through the noise for you. SmartBrief on Social Media has the same goal (they make my life easier every single day) and were nice enough to publish our piece on the value of emotional value last week. Invaluable exposure. Thanks Smarties! [...]

A Triple-A radio programming veteran, Kate has served as Music Director of the Loft at XM, Midday Host at WYEP, Evening Host at both WNCS and WUIN, as well as Content Supervisor for Pump Audio. Currently, she's the CEO of Outlandos Music, a new-music discovery service for grown-ups. Kate has been nationally recognized for her ardent presentation of music and her ability to champion talented, compelling artists.

There is something impressive about a band that's managed to stay together for two decades, without the help of radio airplay, a single MTV appearance or even a crummy 30-second ipod commercial.

New Jersey's Bouncing Souls, along with a handful of brethren on both coasts, helped punk rock bridge the lean times between the late 80's, through the pop-punk explosion of the mid-90's and up to the current state of the genre. The band has always been fiercely independent, holding true to the DIY ethics of the movement's founding fathers, but has still managed to record some of the catchiest punk rock songs since the Ramones. 

Front man Greg Attonito took some time recently to entertain a handful of questions about the band's legacy, the occasional thoughts of splitting up and what's next for the Bouncing Souls.

So 20 years. How have you guys been able to stay together for so long?

It's been hell, man. Those guys never shower! Just kidding. We love the music, we love performing, we love to get people stoked on music and life, and we love the adventure. Those things always outweighed whatever difficulties we have had to face.

During that time, did the band ever think about calling it quits?

I have thought about it. More seriously sometimes than others. I think I somehow realized that I will always be a Bouncing Soul whether I like it or not. Ha! So, it was a matter of making things work personally and with the whole situation at any given time in those 20 years. Constant adjustments need to be made and sometimes it's easy and sometimes it's not so easy.

Do you have plans to make the 20th anniversary series of singles you've been releasing all year available on one complete CD?

Yes. We are talking about how and when we will release it now. We will let the world know when we know. It will be coming out on Chunksaah (Records).  It's just a matter of when.

You're playing Warped again this summer - how many times does that make it for you?

This is always fun: part of ‘97, ‘98, all of ‘99, ‘01, ‘04, ‘06 and ‘08... whew! 

What's the best and worst thing about playing Warped?

The best thing is spending some quality time with a broad scope of people and musicians that are on the tour. We are an extended family on the Warped tour so it is kind of like going to a summer camp/family BBQ where everybody knows you and is looking forward to seeing you. The worst thing about is when you are on the entire tour. It's a long, long tour, but this year we are on it for 16 shows...ah perfect.

I'm assuming you get slipped CDs all the time by young bands. Do you listen to them? Have you ever discovered any great bands that way?

I listen to them sometimes. I have not been blown away by any that I can remember.  

Have your musical influences changed much in the past 20 years?

They have broadened. I'm open to more and more music all the time and the way I listen to music has changed. Shanti, my wife, bought a two dollar record set in a thrift store that is amazing. It is a four record set that was made for radio stations to play in 1977. It's the top 50 number one songs of 1977 complete with Casey Kasem's voice introducing the songs with little anecdotes etc. To me, it was incredible to listen to because it was like I was instantly transported to the shotgun seat of my Dad's Monte Carlo in 1977. But now all those songs sound totally different to me. I hear all the instruments, the performances, and the production quality of them. It's really cool...so yes musical influences are always changing and evolving with new music I hear and music from the past.

. 

A few weeks ago EIC Scott Crawford asked me if I was interested in writing an article or blog entry for BLURT. Since then I've thought about it and thought about it. There's so much I'd like to say. It always makes me think of Randy Newman's I Just Want You To Hurt Like I Do. "Rough, rough world... tough, tough world... you know..." 

We are in such a strange time in our relationship with the evolution between ourselves and what we create - technology, music, porn, junk and medicine, our culture at large; everything. It is beautiful what we're capable of. It's not always beautiful what we do. Somehow, any cultural balance seems simply gone. Capitalism and marketing has made the goal more important than the work. I don't pretend to understand all the details of what feels wrong about where we're at. But, something is wrong. 

Where is our culture when soda (pop culture) is more important than water (art)? Think about that. Is there even a hint of balance? I believe there should be, because art offers wisdom, sparks imagination, and confronts us with what is often our own story in our time from a different point-of-view. And to me, pop culture just seems to be leaning further towards the quick and the sensational, it's like a pill that's been so thoroughly researched that often it's just a precise missile designed to attack, but not inspire.

Recently a friend from Italy gave me a collection of poems by Wallace Stevens. Initially I didn't like it, because it felt like waking up in someone else's house. But upon a few sittings with the book it started opening up to me. One favorite poem turned into two then three. My life was enriched, engaged, spoken to. Might I suggest you read Description Without Place. Maybe it will speak to you, maybe it won't. But one thing is beyond debate, it is art. 

You see, there is a difference between art and entertainment. Art often needs to be digested, considered, felt and sometimes ruminated upon; entertainment is designed to engage. Each can be both. But more and more, entertainment alone dominates in a way that we can't fully comprehend the consequences of. At least not yet. Because it's my feeling that entertainment is on a march motivated by capitalism. Our music, our books, our technology and our films are all at the mercy of capitalism and they're being compromised for the sale rather than celebrated for the soul. Capitalism has no conscience. Art appeals to the better self in the struggle, it's complex and simple and rooted through where you were and where you're going. Art is humanity in an almost physical form to be shared via pictures or sound. Think about that. It's true. Yet sadly it seems, that more and more, our culture is celebrating entertainment and marketing as art. Meanwhile forgetting what art really is.

So, I opened my email this morning, and a woman named Pam sent me the stunning, beautiful and patient Ballad Of The American Arts by Wynton Marsalis. He nails it. And I am inspired and in awe. I could certainly say it no better, no smarter, no more thoroughly than Mr. Marsalis has. We have to take a stand for the arts. That's what BLURT and so many of US are trying to do. There is no reason pure art shouldn't be in competition, in balance, in contrast to the things that only have the skin and teeth of art, but not the soul. 

So here's the link, scroll down the page and you'll see the video of the Wynton Marsalis speech. It's masterful - earnest, funny, pure, sad and hopeful. Beautiful stuff.

http://www.americansforthearts.org/events/2009/aad/nhl09.asp

Matthew Ryan is an independent American singer/songwriter, producer and composer. He's released 11 records since 1997. He's currently working on a new one.

"The more you drive, the less intelligent you get". One of my favorite lines from the punk cult classic "Repo Man". Words to live by for me. Could be a few reasons why: a) Wrecking a High School Driver Ed vehicle into a guardrail while attempting to parallel park. b) miserably failing my motor vehilcle driving test (see: Driver Ed). c) flipping over on the back of a motorcycle. d) being a passenger of a camper Van that rolled over twice. or e) all of the above. At the ripe age of 47 I still don't drive or even own a driver's license. It's just not in the cards for me. And it's not like I haven't had many friends offer to help guide me on my way to the MVA. No thanks freinds. The way I have to look at the whole thing is: is the fact that I never could get parallel parking down my downfall or the upswing of my meager existence? I choose the second one because I get by okay without a license or a car. I have a little thing called ADHD that tends to get in the way of driving so believe me: the world is a far far safer place without this punk geezer on the roads.

A friend of mine who goes by the name The Reverend Frank love once told me "I think you're really smart not to drive because there are so many fucking psychos on the road". The Rev spent a large portion of his life in a state of stress being in a car. Well, that and being a guitarist in bands with me. I'd be a passenger in Frank's small car when someone on the road honked their horn and "Goddamnnnnit! Stop honking your fucking horn! I really fucking hate that! People in Michigan (The Rev's birthplace) never honk their horns!", Frank yelled in frustration. I'd say "Calm down man, your window is closed and they're not going to hear you". This kind of reaction happened fairly often when I was riding to someplace with my friend, Frank. It left me wondering why someone who would get so incredibly worked up every time they were at the wheel of a vehicle put themselves through such punishment. More reasons why I still don't drive.

Oh yeah, getting back to that "rolling over in a vehicle" thing I mentioned so casually earlier: This perhaps is my all-time biggest reason why I don't dig the thought of driving. One rainy afternoon in England my band Government Issue and our support act Bad Blood decided to visit Stonehenge. Who knew that after checking out the mighty Stonehenge we'd suffer a most horrible accident. "Come visit Merry old England! Play a handful of noisy memorable concerts! See the majestic Stonehenge! Take a bloody nasty spill in one of our fabulous British camper Vans!". And that's exactly what we did. The young driver from Bad Blood drove a tad too fast around a sharp turn of roadway and so we slid off the road rapidly on to the muddy ground and rolled over (Twice!) till the beat-up Van soon landed on all four wheels. Now I've always hated amusement park rides that other people love because I just do not enjoy being tossed about. They make me nauseous so that's no fun, right? This ride in the UK sucked! A few of my band members shot straight out the side windows landing on the ground with injuries. The poor young man behind the wheel went straight through the windshield and the rest of us got out with only cuts and scratches. We were all pretty lucky as it could've been a fatal one. I'm still a little shaky whenever I ride in a van. I think I'll just stick to taking the bus or maybe the subway. After all I am an underground rocker.    

John Stabb was the frontman for the legendary harDCore punk outfit Government Issue. When not blogging for BLURT, he currently serves as frontman for Sleeper Agent. Check them out at http://www.myspace.com/sleeperagentdc      

The recent shooting at the Holocaust Museum in D.C. had a lot of people, including myself, thinking "How does such an old guy live with so much hate inside him". You would think that after almost a century of life the dude would have learned to live and let live. That's how I was raised when it came to respecting people of different racial, ethnic and religious backgrounds. While I grew up in NY, my mother was from North Carolina and I got to spend some time in the South during  very  racially contentious times in the 60's. As a young boy my grandfather took me "across the tracks" to teach me to judge people by their character, not their color. He was blind, but more importantly he was color blind. My uncle Tom on the other hand was an entirely different animal.

He was an old stereotypical uneducated Tarheel farmer with overalls, a chaw of tobacco in his mouth, a coffee/spit can in hand, and hated everyone and everything. He lived with my Grandfather and had a "job" as a security guard at the Greensboro, Coliseum which they lived across the street from. You know, one of those 80+ year old coots who slept on a folding chair while a game or concert was going on.

One summer a friend and I hitchiked down to vist my Grandad and had a classic encounter with Uncle Tom. My friend Ray, who Tom called the "Eyetalian", walked into the house one afternoon and Tom was cussing under his breath... "I have to work tonight with a bunch of g-damn Ni****s jumpin' up and down at church and acting like they ate up with the dumb ass"....we asked him what he was talking about and he said that there was a big Ni**** Church Revival that night at the Coliseum and was bitchin' he had to go work it.

Later that afternoon Ray and I took a walk down High Point Road to get some Bar-B-Q....as we are walking past the Coliseum Ray points up, laughing his ass off, reading the marquee..."Tonight: Black Sabbath". As soon as we got back to the house we found Tom so we could tell him the news.... "Tom, it's not a church meeting, it's a rock band, BLACK SABBATH!....without missing a beat Tom started mumbling... "Goddamn long hair hippies smoking the pot and who knows what"!! Old dude was truly addicted to hate.

WikiPedia and Amazon and All Music Guide almost make this unnecessary, but for the record, I want to argue that the combo package of The Beach Boys Today! with Summer Days (And Summer Nights!!) [love those exclamations points-although I don't think the Beach Boys ever released an album with three (!!!) exclamation points in the title] [I do think, however, that is because of the Beach Boys' abuse of !  that I learned to do the same thing on my own writing-or maybe it was Mad).  Anyway, the point being that this remarkable CD combo, with some editing, still sends shivers down my backbone even though I have gone way way past the age counting-up fadeout on "When I Grow Up (To Be a Man)"....(they end it when they get into their twenties, of course).

I can't say this enough. Assume everyone's a lazy idiot. Make it as EASY AS POSSIBLE for me to find you. Make it as EASY AS POSSIBLE for me to care. Make it as EASY AS POSSIBLE for me to give you my money.

No matter what your business (musicians included), it's your job to go out and find fans. Assume that they otherwise won't find you. So while putting up a website is nice, who cares? It's nothing if you can't get people to GO TO IT and BUY YOUR SHIT. Newsletters, blogs, Twitter, Facebook, etc... if you're still pooh-poohing any of these, wake the fuck up (and then call me).

Because it's not enough to just get out there... you have to lure your fans in [...]

A Triple-A radio programming veteran, Kate has served as Music Director of the Loft at XM, Midday Host at WYEP, Evening Host at both WNCS and WUIN, as well as Content Supervisor for Pump Audio. Currently, she's the CEO of Outlandos Music, a new-music discovery service for grown-ups. Kate has been nationally recognized for her ardent presentation of music and her ability to champion talented, compelling artists.

Not exactly an Ozzie & Harriet childhood...

By Coco Hames

Ricky Nelson's creamy version of Gene Pitney's "Hello Mary Lou" was one of my mom's lunchbox 45s, and that worn little case took up residence next to the bunk bed I shared with my little sister for a good portion of the '80s.  Tom Jones' "What's New, Pussycat?" and a gospel "One More River To Cross" were in there, too.  But I digress.

I liked Ricky Nelson's songs with the same ambivalent tolerance in the way I liked Davy Jones' slow numbers: inoffensive, playful singalongs.  Children like these things.  So when my older sister told me that Ricky Nelson had twin boys, and they had a pop song out, you can imagine how excited I was!  Then she showed me a picture of them, and I was just flat out confused.  I believe we all remember Matthew and Gunnar.  Gunnar.  However, this family name obviously carried some weight in the world, so when I was desperate for a parakeet, and my parents finally relented, I named him Nelson. 

Nelson was a bird.  And I have a long history with birds, and not a good one.  Basically they like to die in my hands.  Just last summer, whilst repairing my parents' porch after a Nor'easter tore through some of the screens and chucked patio furniture willy nilly, I lifted an overturned chair to find a little hummingbird, sitting very still.  He had to have been trapped under there for several days.  I didn't know what to do, or how to help him.  I picked him up and tried to take him outside, and his little heart was beating so fast in my hand, it was not a good sign.  I think he had a heart attack?  Well anyway, he died and I buried him and gave him a little grave marker from a potted plant.

And another time, we ALL heard the chirping in the fireplace, it was quite clear that a bird had her nest up in there somewhere, and the eggs had now hatched.  And I said, "Mom, you'd better take care of that."  And she said, "I know, I know."  But when we came back from tour a few weeks later, my parents were out of town, so Poni and Jem and I walked our luggage into the living room, exhausted, only to find DEAD BIRDS EVERYWHERE.  And if they weren't dead yet, they were SCREAMING.  And then WE were screaming!  And we had to get a GARBAGE BAG and pick them all up, and then the mama bird hid out in the upstairs bathroom for a day and spooked Jem big time!

One tried to live.  But he didn't have eyes.  Or a beak.  I named him Phoenix and tried to feed him Capri-Sun and saltines, but HE died, TOO!

Anyway, Nelson didn't die, but evidently you're supposed to get parakeet's wings clipped every so often, so that they don't fly away, and I think we were remiss in this maintenance activity, because one day, I was walking around the house with Nelson perched on my index finger (as I often had him do, because I love that scene in Disney's Sleeping Beauty, "I know you, I walked with you once upon a dream...") and all of a sudden, he immediately flew up into the air (he wasn't supposed to be able to fly, you see) and into the bathroom!  I chased after him, but he was so high up there, so I climbed onto the counter-top to try and reach him, but right as I got him in my hand, one of my feet went into the sink and I tripped, smashing Nelson against the mirror! 

He did NOT die, but we had to built a splint for one of his birdie legs out of a toothpick and medical tape, and then my mom gave him to our babysitter, because I obviously couldn't take care of him.

I also had a pig named Elvis Pigsley. 

*****

Blurt "co-co-editor" Coco Hames fronts The Ettes - Hames on guitar, Jem Cohen on bass and Poni Silver on drums - whose latest album Look At Life Again Soon (Take Root) is still a hot item, and they also have a new EP, Danger Is, released by Take Root and also available digitally, www.myspace.com/theettes), and a Dan Auerbach-produced limited-edition single. They recently completed recording sessions for their third full-length with Greg Cartwright (Reigning Sound) producing. Look for a release this fall.

Yesterday's Ring

The divide between hardcore punk bands and acoustic cradling country crooners is growing narrower nowadays.  Avail's Tim Barry, Hot Water Music's Chuck Ragan and even Social Distortion's Mike Ness have all added a little Highwaymen outlaw vibe to their solo records of late.

Yesterday's Ring, comprised of a handful of members from Montreal's hardcore heroes the Sainte Catherines, prove even Canadian's aren't immune to power of the twang and a good drinking song.

Yesterday's Ring, lead by singer Hugo Mudie have just released their third full length (and first for Suburban Home Records) "Diamonds in the Ditch".
Hugo was kind enough to answer some questions recently about the new record, the future of the Sainte Catherines and why punk rockers can't say no to country records.

Prior to this band, you were known more for a harder punk rock sound. What made you decide to play alternative country?
We still play in our punk band the Sainte Catherines. We started to enjoy listening to softer music while on the road with the Sainte Catherines. Our old drummer really liked country and he kind of turned us on to it. It was perfect for driving through the south of the states.
 
So you haven't always had country music influences?
No I think it started around the year 2000 while on tour with the Sainte Catherines. But growing up my mom was a big fan of Kenny Rogers and John Denver and my dad was a into Springsteen and Dylan...I guess I got it from them also.


Do you approach writing songs for Yesterday's Ring any differently than the way you write and record Sainte Catherines' records? 
Yes, definitely. The Sainte Catherines is more of a collaborative effort. Yesterday's Ring is a band, but it's written more in the songwriter tradition, where someone from the band comes up with a song and we work around it.

There are actually a lot of punk rockers who have started writing more country and folk-influenced records (Tim Barry, Chuck Reagan, Frank Turner, etc.). What is so appealing about this type of music that it attracts so many former punks?
It's simple and heartfelt like punk rock but it's not so fucking loud (ha).


Are the audiences any different or the same punks who came to see you with the Sainte Catherines?
There are more girls at Yesterday's Ring shows and more NOFX fans at Sainte Catherines shows.

Do you still plan on writing and recording more albums with the Sainte Catherines?
We just started writing a new record for the Sainte Catherines. We are really excited about it. I think it's gonna be a lot catchier and rock than previous records.

What music have you been listening to lately?
Colin Moore, John Prine, K'Naan, Steve Earle, Dirty Tricks, Koriass and Lake Of Stew.


 

Michael Jackson has moon-walked out of the building!
 
Like many other cynical mofo critical critics out there, I've got my share of mixed feelings about perhaps our strangest (but no denying talented and entertaining) American icon dying from an apparent longtime addiction to painkillers.  Yes, MJ has to be the strangest.  You want proof?  Try being the proud owner of the following:  Elephant-Man's bones, hyperbolic oxygen chamber, life-sized androids, exotic jungle animals and children's amusement-park rides.  Why would a man of 50 have these things in his collection?  The latter items (robots, creatures and kids' rides) because the guy who most of the world placed on a God-like pedestal was an incredibly lonely, insecure man-child who just wanted to be loved.  He lived in a place called Neverland Ranch where he could fancy himself Peter Pan.  The former items because, let's face it, he was a freak.
 
When Michael was a mere large-afro'ed, groovy-clothed lad in the Jackson 5, he knocked our sox off working his adult James Brown dance moves and emotionally charged voice.  But by now we're all aware that the group's controlling, angry prick of a father brutally beat--and probably molested--a few of his own children, so Michael definitely never had what you'd call an "ideal" childhood.  Fucked-up, at best, from that kind of abuse.  The boy was damaged goods and that's painfully sad when you really think about it.  His own mother just let this shit happen and will forever live in denial that anything was wrong in her (f'ed up!) "loving, perfect family."  It's no wonder why Michael wanted to distance himself from his parents; wouldn't you?!
 
If the troubled young man had someone looking out for him (Berry Gordy, Diana Ross, etc.) who sought out serious therapy for him, the screwed-up pop idol might not have written or performed so powerfully.  Instead, he took comfort in Demerol and Oxycontin to try to kill the horrors of his life.  But, without those emotional demons--deep anger and sorrow--would his onstage performances and recordings be that intense?  The drugs only temporarily squashed them, but he held on to those demons and used them to fuel the fire in everything upon a stage or studio.
 
I wasn't a fan of "Thriller" and his disco-era material, but nobody can deny the talent he displayed throughout all his catalog.  I dug the Jackson 5, and a young Michael's solo recording about a killer rat named "Ben."  The song was written for the soundtrack of a B-horror movie by the same name.  The heart & soul that the teenaged Jackson sank into this tune dedicated to vermin is beautiful--and poignant enough to've made the cut for my wife's and my wedding CD.  (And check out Crispin Hellion Glover's video version of the song used to promote the rat-infested remake of "Willard," the prequel to "Ben."  It's definitely not as cool as Jackson's, but it's worth your attention).
 
A friend of mine recently posted some of Michael's mid-1990's lyrics to a song that speaks volumes--yep, it's called "Morphine":

He got flat baby
Kick in the back baby
A heart attack baby
I need your body

A hot kiss honey
He's just a bitch baby
You make me sick baby
So unrelying ...

A hot buzz baby
He's one of us baby
Another drug baby
You so desire

Trust in me Trust in me
Put all your trust in me
Your're doin' morphine

Hoo!

They got place baby
Kicked in the face baby
You hate your race baby
You're just a liar ...

Always to please daddy
Right up and leave daddy
You´re throwing shame daddy
So undesirable

Trust in me Just in me
Put all your trust in me
You're doin' morphine

Go'on babe

Relax
This won´t hurt you
Before I put it in
Close your eyes and count to 10
Don't cry
I won't convert you
There´s no need to dismay
Close your eyes and drift away

Demerol
Demerol
Oh god he's taking Demerol
Demerol
Demerol
Oh god he's taking Demerol

He's tried
Hard to convince her
To be over what he had
Today he wants twice as bad
Don't cry
I won't resent you
Yesterday you had his trust
Today he's taking twice as much

Demerol
Demerol
Oh god he's taking Demerol
Hee-hee-hee
Demerol
Demerol
Oh god he's taking Demerol
Hee
Oooh

OH!!!!! ...

Hoooo! ...

Hoo-Hoo!
I'm going down baby
You're takin' Morphine

Go'on baby!
Hoo!
Hoo!
Morphine!
Do it!
Hoo!
He's takin' morphine
Morphine!
Morphine!!

I know ... damn, right?  That's pretty raw.

After the news hit, I found out, much to my surprise, that one of my wife's ex-boyfriends (who runs his own private-jet company) flew MJ to certain destinations.  On hearing of Jackson's death, he didn't have flattering words:  "Knew him. Flew him. Scumbag, pedophile, drug addict, alcoholic, freak. Good fucking riddance.  When he shows up way down south, I only hope Lucifer says, 'Where the fuck is yer nose??? I paid for that!!!!'  Rot in Hell, "Thriller"."
 
The troubled (was anyone in that family NOT?!) Jackson--like father, like son--was probably laying his hands on small boys and that's not cool.  Actors Corey Feldman and Macauley Culkin should've "beat it" as fast as their little legs could run when Michael took a liking to their cute, boyish looks.  MJ was quoted to say he really loved Culkin's bee-sting lips--and soon got his own done to resemble the "Home Alone" tyke.  But, no matter what accusations were made involving his "spotted penis," the millions of adoring fans loved that crazy dude.

What will be the backlash of MJ's death?  There have been at least a few fathers of small children that I know exclaim, "It's a very good day.  With Michael Jackson dead, all the children of the world are safe!"  Despite those out there who are pleased that one more (alleged) pedophile is gone, there are a zillion more fans who are cleaning out the Michael Jackson CD sections across the nation, and the globe.  And, sometimes, those people are one and the same: my wife's ex quickly followed his scathing personal comments about MJ with, "On the other hand, I enjoyed much of his music."

Musicians like Alien Ant Farm (with their remake of "Smooth Criminal") and Weird Al Yankovic (with his numerous parodies) will gain another 15 minutes of fame from Jackson's death.  But is that a bad or good thing?

The bottom line is this: Michael Jackson touched a lot of people's hearts ... and a few people's parts.    

Unlike the millions of fans mourning Michael Jackson, my thoughts are with Sky Saxon. In this multi-dimensional universe we live in--it is often the obscure and obtuse moment(s)undocumented by the masses which affects us in the most profound of ways. Let me explain:

I did'nt discover Sky Saxon & the Seeds by being the studious record collector I am. I discovered the Seeds by chance and learned to love them by circumstance. The year was 1967 and I was living in Lahore West Pakistan(while in the  8^th and 9^th grade). This was before the area was marred by muslim terrorism and Taliban bullshit. In those days, Lahore was a sleepy 3^rd world backwater destination and for us American expatriates who lived there, our Mayberry (minus the conveniences). There was no TV and only a few houses had telephones that didn't even work half the time. The news was always 3 days old and if you were lucky, your short-wave radio might just might pull in the BBC for a minute or two. There was no peanut butter or chocolate milkshakes or record stores or sneakers or anything cool. We did have record players and Akai reel-to-reel tape recorders. And our American  school had 250 kids in grades 1-12. We were all tuned into the Beatles, Rolling Stones and Beach Boys, always looking for the next big thing. The only time we heard new music was in September when the new kids came over there from the states. Our group hung out at the Jones' house (they had a pool table)—two very popular brothers who set the scene for all of us.

The Summer of 1967 one of the gang Richard Shaw brought the 2 Seeds albums over to Duke Jones' house. The Seeds and Web of Sound. These records became the Jones brothers' favorite records and they played them ad nauseum. When we weren't shooting pool we were looking at the album jackets for hours. "Do you think you would grow your hair this long?" I wonder where this photo was taken"? We had arguments lasting hours what song was better-"Try to Understand" or "Can't seem to make you mine"(actually he same song) To us 9^th graders the Seeds were Gods.

Fast forward to 1974-I was at Georgetown University and was doing a radio show called "Mystic Eyes."  Lenny Kaye just released his compilation Nuggets-and the world was getting their first formal introduction to garage music. I played the Seeds—and If I may be so bold to say—I was playing "garage music" as a radio format light years before the thousands who now carry the torch. As a record collector, I became interested in the post Seeds "Discography" looking for "Little Richie Marsh doo-wop records" and willing to kill for the rare Seeds single "Love in a Summer Basket." My father recently died and his favorite Seeds song was "Faded Picture" which I pulled out and listened to in his honor.

Fast Forward to May 2009. I am having a dinner at my dear friend and radio co-host of yester-year Dr. Joe Sasy (the man behind all those Time-Life informercials you see at 3 AM!!) We talked about the upcoming Seeds tour and it was decided the good doctor would buy tickets for the local Birchmere show and my wife Nancy & I would spend the night there. We all thought-what a great fun way to spend an evening.

Fast Forward to the evening of June 26-I am bored at home and surfing the net. I see the headline "Singer Dies from Infection." Of course I click the link. A wave of sadness descends over my body. I didn't know what to do. I call "Duke" in Utah--a prominent dentist now --and still a very dear friend. The Secretary say's "can you hold and I will see if Dr. Jones can take your call." In the few seconds that I am waiting I think back to the Dukes' condom collection--all 120 brands he was so proud of and filled many up and used as lethal water balloons(but's that's another story). Duke jumps on the phone and says, "Hey Herc!" (my 7^th grade nickname) how are you?'" I tell him, "I am calling you because something very sad happened today." What? "Someone Died" Who? -your not calling me about "Farrah" are you Herc?" No Duke, Sky Saxon died today." A noticeable silence come sover the line..... "You know Herc, he was from Salt lake." I tell him, I know duke." " You know his real name was not Sky Saxon," No it was Richie Marsh--and he was probably a Mormon." "Yeah Herc, Marsh is a well known Mormon name, the Duke replies. We continued chatting making the same jokes we made in 8^th grade. Who would have ever thought we were 56 year old adults?  

In conclusion I have to say Sky Saxon's passing was sad and beginning of the realization that my Generation is entering the twilight of our lives. I was very upset with NPRfor not doing even a small story on Sky. Those holier-than-thou Ivy League  ectomorphs who pride themselves on the unique and forgotten news story--totally dropped the ball on this and this was a story that begged to be told. Instead, NPR was indistinguishable from Fox news in their coverage of Michael and Farrah. In their lame coverage of Michael, they even  forgot to mention the only cool thing Michael ever did was name his kid Blanket! But then again,  Sky talked to Dogs and played with Father Yod &  Yahowa 13.

Yes, it's a "Faded Picture,a picture of my childhood," RIP Sky.

Steve Lorber is a founding member of the Rock Institute- an organization started in the 70's to interdict and stop the export of rare American Rock and Roll records sold and smuggled to Europe. A life-long promoter of cassette technology and is currently working on a diet & philosophy book tentatively titled The Porky From New Yorky's Guide to Weight Loss and Positive Mental Health.     

Not unlike the rest of the world, Outlandos HQ has had Michael Jackson on perpetual replay. RIP the King.

1. Michael Jackson, Thriller



I'd forgotten what a monster album this was. I'd also forgotten [...]

A Triple-A radio programming veteran, Kate has served as Music Director of the Loft at XM, Midday Host at WYEP, Evening Host at both WNCS and WUIN, as well as Content Supervisor for Pump Audio. Currently, she's the CEO of Outlandos Music, a new-music discovery service for grown-ups. Kate has been nationally recognized for her ardent presentation of music and her ability to champion talented, compelling artists.