The Luber Blog

Holiday CD 2009 > 2010

2009-12-24T18:01:00.000-08:00

Volume 8 / Disc 1

1) Michael Jackson – “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’” from THRILLER (1982)
(1958-2009) So shocking, yet not shocking at all. I was sad to lose MJ this summer, even though it felt like he died in the early 90s. He just didn’t seem meant to grow old. His death from nightly doses of anesthesia on the eve of his long-awaited comeback was as dramatic as his bizarre life. Talent oozed out of this guy at one time. I was a huge fan as a kid. The Victory tour with his brothers promoting Victory and Thriller was one of my first and most memorable concerts. I was up all night afterwards thinking about how I was now addicted to concert-going. One of my favorite memories is my experience trying to solve a fight between Michael, his family and Prince at the Jackson 5's Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction in `97! MJ and Quincy Jones made an unstoppable team. This song has been one of my all-time favorites since the first time I heard it. I think this is pure genius. RIP [Tip of the hat to John Hughes, 1950-2009 RIP]

2) Phoenix – “1901” from WOLFGANG AMADEUS PHOENIX (2009)
These French musicians from suburban Versailles found a unique sound for their 4th album since forming in 1999. Cadillac TV ads!

3) Phish – “Backwards Down the Number Line” from JOY (2009)
Welcome back to Phish, one of the all-time great live acts in rock. Sobriety has done them well. Halloween shows were epic!

4) The Gabe Dixon Band – “Till You’re Gone” from THE GABE DIXON BAND (2008)
Gabe formed his band in 1998 at University of Miami, became Paul McCartney’s keyboard player and background singer, then returned to do his own thing. I saw him do this song in early `09 on Conan and downloaded it immediately. Early Billy Joel?

5)Willie Nelson&Asleep At the Wheel–“BringItOnDownToMyHouse” WILLIE&THE WHEEL (2009)
GREAT album. Legendary Atlantic producer Jerry Wexler signed Willie in the 70s and wanted to do a Western swing album. They finally started pulling it together in 2008. Although Wexler chose all of the songs, he died before it was released. He’d be proud.

6) Levon Helm–“I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free” from ELECTRIC DIRT (2009)
You can feel the joy in this vocal! One of the lead singers (and the drummer) of The Band and one of rock’s great vocalists, 69 year-old Levon nearly lost his voice and life to throat cancer a decade ago. It has miraculously bounced back. Daughter Amy=harmonies.

7) K’naan – “Take A Minute” from TROUBADOUR (2009)
On his 4th album, this 31 year-old from Mogadishu, Somalia mixes positive messages with pop, hip-hop and world music into a unique sound. He’s come up with GREAT songs and melodies that deserve MUCH more attention. K’naan’s family fled to New York in the early 90s during the Somali Civil War and settled in Toronto, where he learned English by listening to rap music.

8) Green Day - “See the Light” from 21st CENTURY BREAKDOWN (2009)
I’m proud of these guys…they managed to do it again…another GREAT album. Other than the most classic bands, not many bands manage to make great albums this far into their career. They’ve earned a fan base ranging in age from 8-50 year-olds. Keep it up!

9) Brendan Benson – “A Whole Lot Better” from MY OLD, FAMILIAR FRIEND (2009)
Pushing 40, the Michigan native and less-famous half of The Raconteurs returns to his solo career from his new home of Nashville.

10) Rodrigo y Gabriela – “Hanuman” from 11:11 (2009)
The Mexico City natives return with another good collection of tunes as they continue to make world music hip.

11) PeterPaul&Mary–“If I Had A Hammer(live)” PETER, PAUL & MARY: IN CONCERT (1962)
This album is the first gift my parents bought for each other when they were dating. PP&M performed this song at the March On Washington in 1963, where MLK made his most famous speech. I got to see them in concert with my parents in the 80s. One of the biggest folk acts of the 60s was officially put to rest this year when Mary Travers died of leukemia at 72. (1936-2009) RIP

12) Koko Taylor – “Love You Like A Woman” was released as a SINGLE (1968)
The Queen of the Blues died at 80 after complications from surgery. In the 50s, she moved from Memphis to Chicago and became an institution after getting discovered by the great Willie Dixon and signing with the legendary Chess Records. (1928-2009) RIP

13) Them Crooked Vultures – “New Fang” from THEM CROOKED VULTURES (2009)
Led Zeppelin’s bass/keyboard player John Paul Jones teamed with Nirvana drummer/Foo Fighter Dave Grohl and Queens of the Stone Age leader/guitarist Josh Homme to form a crazy power trio that rocks!

14) The Entrance Band – “M.L.K.” from THE ENTRANCE BAND (2009)
This power trio is led by 28 year-old Guy Blakeslee, a Baltimore native who established his career at Chicago’s Hideout.

15) The Black Crowes – “Good Morning Captain” from BEFORE THE FROST… (2009)
Still a great live act, I think this studio track is their best in a long time. Crazy that it’s almost 20 years since their massive debut!

16) Portugal. The Man – “People Say” from THE SATANIC SATANIST (2009)
This quartet is based in Portland, OR but from Wasilla, AK. They agree that Palin is a twit. They’re a few albums into their career.

17) Fruit Bats – “The Ruminant Band” from THE RUMINANT BAND (2009)
Formed in Chicago in `99 by Eric Johnson, the band is now on their 4th album and based in Portland, OR.

18) Dave Matthews Band–“Funny the Way It Is” BIG WHISKEY AND THE GROOGRUX KING (2009)
Decent album paying tribute to late member, sax player LeRoi Moore. Dave was the #1 touring artist of the 00s at $529 million gross.

20) U2 – “I’ll Go Crazy If I Don’t Go Crazy Tonight” NO LINE ON THE HORIZON (2009)
Bono took a break from saving the world to make some decent new tunes with his buddies.

21) M. Ward – “Stars of Leo” from HOLD TIME (2009)
Matt Ward continues to be my favorite “new” artist. He’s everywhere lately. 2010 will be no different.

21) Ali Akbar Khan – “Guru Bandana In Desh Malhar” from LEGACY (1996)
420….A world-renowned sarod player from what is now Bangladesh, Khan popularized Indian classical music in the West as a musician and as a teacher with his College of Music, based in Calcutta and Cali’s Bay Area. Renal failure. (1922-2009) RIP

Volume 8 / Disc 2

1) Les Paul & Bing Crosby – “It’s Been A Long, Long Time” released as a SINGLE (1945)
The Father of the Electric Guitar brought new meaning to the phrase “rock til you drop” by playing live shows up until he caught pneumonia at the age of 93. Paul invented multi-track recording AND the Gibson Les Paul, which is one of the first-ever solid-body electric guitars, credited with making the rock music sound possible and used by most classic rock stars. As if all that wasn’t enough, Paul had a successful recording career, is considered one of the most influential guitar players with his Django Reinhardt-influenced sound, had his own radio show and was a hit artist with his wife, Mary Ford, through the early 50s. Born in Wisconsin, he moved to Chicago to build his name. From the 80s until he got sick, he held a weekly gig in New York city. This track with Bing Crosby on vocals was a #1 hit in 1945 – it was a welcome home track to the troops from WWII. (1915-2009) RIP

2) Jo Hamilton – “Think Of Me” from GOWN (2009)
Not bad for a debut! I have a feeling we’ll be hearing a lot from Jo, a singer-songwriter-pianist who mostly grew up in the remote Highlands of Scotland, but also spent time in Turkey, Kuwait, UAE, Saudi Arabia and Sri Lanka. Her mother is Jamaican, and her father Kenyan but of Scottish heritage.

3) Monsters Of Folk– “Sandman, The Brakeman And Me” from MONSTERS OF FOLK (2009)
GREAT album: one of my 09 favorites. The CS&N of this generation: 3 very different artists (M. Ward, Conor Oberst/Bright Eyes, and Jim James/My Morning Jacket) with unique styles/sounds make a strong, variety-filled album. M. Ward leads this track.

4) Dawes – “Love Is All I Am” from NORTH HILLS (2009)
A classy debut from the Goldsmith brothers and their friends in LA, all ages 19-24. This material feels so real because it was recorded live in a cottage in Laurel Canyon. Clearly influenced by Laurel Canyon legends CS&N, I’m psyched about this discovery.

5)The Pines - “Heart & Bones” from TREMOLO (2009)
Both David Huckfelt and Benson Ramsey are from Iowa, but met in Tucson after both randomly moved there to start music careers. They chose to establish themselves in Minneapolis, and are now on their 3rd album.

6) John Mayer – “Who Says” from BATTLE STUDIES (2009)
My 24 y/o cousin bet me $5 in 02 that John’s career would grow to Dave Matthews’ level & have staying power. Do I owe him $5?

7) Langhorne Slim – “I Love You But Goodbye” from BE SET FREE (2009)
Sean Scolnick adopted the name from his hometown of Langhorne, PA. Approaching 30, he’s on his third album after graduating from the Conservatory of Music at SUNY Purchase.

8) Kings Of Convenience – “Mrs. Cold” from DECLARATION OF DEPENDENCE (2009)
This duo from Bergen, Norway, formed in `99, is in their mid-30s and on their 3rd full-length album.

9) The Avett Brothers – “I And Love And You” from I AND LOVE AND YOU (2009)
Seth & Scott Avett from Concord, NC formed their group in `00. The legendary Rick Rubin produced their latest (10th+) album.

10) Jamey Johnson – “My Way To You” from MY WAY TO YOU (2009)
This 34 year-old from Montgomery, AL spent 8 years in the Marines and then relocated to Nashville to pursue a music career. He had success as a songwriter for others, was on the Fox TV show Nashville, and is now on his third album.

11) Cat Stevens (Yusuf) – “Roadsinger” from ROADSINGER (2009)
Amazing how an artist can purposely disappear for 30 years and then come back sounding like he never went away! Welcome back.

12) Zac Brown Band – “Whatever It Is” from THE FOUNDATION (2008)
From Dahlonega, GA, Zac is the 11th of 12 kids. He was a chef with a popular restaurant he owned with his dad and now is on his 3rd album, which has sold over 1 million copies. The album name comes from the foundation he started for disabled kids to go to camp.

13) David Gray – “Fugitive” from DRAW THE LINE (2009)
I’d lost interest in this 41 year-old from Manchester, England, but this song won me back.

14) Built To Spill – “Life’s A Dream” from THERE IS NO ENEMY (2009)
Now on the 7th full-length release since forming in 1992, 40 year-old Doug Martsch of Boise is on a roll, continuously improving his ability to work his guitar jams into stronger songs.

15) Chad Van Gaalen – “Willow Tree” from SOFT AIRPLANE (2008)
Chad writes, sings, plays every instrument, produces and does the art design for all of his projects. This is his 3rd full-length album, which got a lot of attention in Canada. Chad is from and currently lives in Calgary, Alberta. He is known for rarely leaving his basement, constantly writing new material and drawing new illustrations and animations. You can definitely hear fellow Canadian Neil Young in his music. One of his countless home demos made it into the hands of Sub Pop, who quickly signed him.

16) Wilco w/Feist – “You And I” from WILCO (THE ALBUM) (2009)
Although I’m not crazy about Wilco’s latest album, they’ve become an unstoppable live act. Feist joined them on stage at The
Wiltern in Los Angeles to perform this nice track live this summer.

17) The Alan Parsons Project – “Eye In The Sky” from EYE IN THE SKY (1982)
This song reminds me of the Jordan-era Bulls (every home game introduced the team with “Sirius”, the intro to this song) and riding the bus to school on frigid Chicago days. I hated being up early and riding the bus so I would zone out and listen to the bus driver’s radio. This song must have played every morning in Winter `82. Eric Woolfson was the singer and writer of this song and 50% of the APP. He was a lawyer and piano session player who met AP, an engineer at Abbey Road Studios, after AP worked on some Beatles records and engineered Pink Floyd’s Dark Side Of The Moon. Eric died in December of cancer (1945-2009). RIP.

18) Maxwell – “Pretty Wings (Uncut)” from BLACKSUMMERS’NIGHT (2009)
After taking almost 8 years off, the 36 year-old neo-soul star from Brooklyn came back strong with his 4th studio album.

19) Vieux Farka Toure – “Paradise” from FONDO (2009)
GREAT album, one of my 09 favorites. From Niafunke, Mali, Africa, the 28 year-old singer-songwriter-guitarist is the son of Ali Farka Toure. This is his 2nd album. The great Toumani Diabate plays kora on this track.

IF I'D HAD ROOM, I WOULD HAVE INCLUDED:

Air - “Eat My Beat” from Love 2
Allen Toussaint - “Bright Mississippi” from The Bright Mississippi
Amadou & Mariam - “Ce n’est pas bon” from Welcome To Mali
Andrew Bird - "Fitz and the Dizzyspells” from Noble Beast
Arctic Monkeys - “Crying Lightning” from Humbug
Booker T. - “Native New Yorker” w/Neil Young from Potato Hole
Buddy Miller - “Chalk” w/Patty Griffin from Written In Chalk
Chairlift - "Bruises” from Does You Inspire You
Chris Hunter - “Little Sunflower” from Bop City
The Decemberists - “The Hazards of Love 1” from The Hazards of Love
Eels - “All the Beautiful Things” from Hombre Lobo
Extra Golden - “Ukimwi” from Thank You Very Quickly
Florence + The Machine - "Kiss With A Fist” from Lungs
Grizzly Bear - “Two Weeks” from Veckatimest
Jerry Lee Lewis - "Mean Old Man” single
Jonsi & Alex - “Indian Summer” from Riceboy Sleeps
Kris Kristofferson - “Closer To the Bone” from Closer To the Bone
Lisa Shaw - “Sky High” from Free
Little Joy - “Brand New Start” from Little Joy
The Low Anthem - "To Ohio” from Oh My God Charlie Darwin
Marianne Faithful - "Sing Me Back Home” w/Keith Richards from Easy Come Easy Go
Mariza - “Beijo de Saudade” from Terra
Michael Franti/Spearhead - “Obama Song” single
Muse - “Uprising” from The Resistance
Neko Case - "People Got A Lotta Nerve from Middle Cyclone
Other Lives - “Don’t Let Them” from Other Lives
Oumou Sagare - “Wele Wele Wintou” from Seya
The Pains of Being Pure - “Young Adult Friction” The Pains of Being Pure At Heart
Q-Tip - “Won’t Trade” from The Renaissance
Quantic & His Combo - “The Dreaming Mind, Pt.1” from Tradition in Transition
Rokia Traore - "Zen” from Zen (Live)
Sarah Jarosz - "Tell Me True” from Song Up In Her Head
Spoon - “Got Nuffin” from Got Nuffin
Staff Brenda Bilili - “Poliomyelite” from Tres tres fort
Tom Middleton - “Shinkansen” from Excursions
Vetiver - “Everyday” from Tight Knit
White Lies - "To Lose My Life” from To Lose My Life
Whitetree - “Mercury Sands” from Cloudland
Wye Oak - “For Prayer” from The Knot
Zee Avi - “Bitter Heart” from Zee Avi

Prince + More: Nostalgia Night 2009! (3/28/09)

2009-03-29T13:14:00.000-07:00

To promote his new, 3-CDs-At-Once release, Prince announced he would play 3 shows at 3 venues in LA on the same night. Thanks to a friend getting great tix for free at work, I got to attend the 1st of the 3 sold-out shows, which was at the Nokia Theater. Upon entering the room, you could immediately feel the energy that comes with a hot ticket show. It reminded me of the vibe at Chicago’s Rosemont Horizon for the Purple Rain show back in the day (one of my first-ever and favorite concerts). Basically, people were just damn psyched. As the full house waited for Prince to come out and the PA blasted danceable hits from the 80s (including hits by Prince and Michael Jackson), Magic Johnson came walking in to take his seat. The people in each section Magic walked by in his seat-hunt jumped up to give him a standing ovation. It was like watching the wave at a college football game as the mixed-race crowd stood to honor the legend during his long walk through the theater.

Prince took the stage and proved that he hasn’t lost a step or aged a bit since those days of Purple Rain. In fact, he appeared more confident and at the same time more gracious and appreciative of his ability to bring people together to celebrate his music. At one point he told us that a friend of his said, “music is what we do” but Prince told him, “no, I AM music…we are all music…and music is what brings us together”. He was backed by great musicians that included a female drummer, a harmonica soloist, 3 background singers, a bass player and a keyboard player. Prince shredded on guitar and worked the room like only the best can. He played around 2 new songs, both of which unfortunately sucked. The rest of the show focused on hits and covers. The hits included “Let’s Go Crazy”, “Controversy”, “I Feel For You”, “If I Was Your Girlfriend”, “Kiss”, “1999”, and “Purple Rain”. The covers included an insane, funked up jam of “Play That Funky Music White Boy”, “Crimson and Clover” with GREAT guitar work, The Beatles’ “Come Together”, Edgar Winter Band’s “Frankenstein”, and a Prince-less, harmonica-led sick cover of Hendrix’s “Little Wing”. The encores were awesome – he did 2 songs The Time recorded: The Bird and Jungle Love! Then Sheila E came out to drum and sing “The Glamorous Life”! The crowd went ballistic. For anyone who grew up in the 80s, the closing half hour felt like being sent back in a time machine to a great mid-80s party. Everyone walked out with an ear-to-ear grin.

As we got in the car, my friend said she also had free tickets to see Tom Morello’s side project away from Rage Vs the Machine, so we ran over to the Fonda Theater in Hollywood. We walked in to the half-filled club as Tom was playing some lame song and some wasted 22 year-old in the crowd was puking his guts out in the area we wanted to hang. I was ready to circle back to the door and go home when Tom invited his friends Slash and Jerry Cantrell (Alice In Chains) to the stage to play “Wish You Were Here”! Then Sen Dog from Cypress Hill took the stage to lead the band in “Insane In the Brain” and “Rock Superstar”. Then the singer from Slipknot took the stage and became Axl Rose as Slash led the band in rocking versions of “It’s So Easy” and “Paradise City”. The crowd went crazy! Then, and this is truly strange, the band played a rocking cover of "Play That Funky Music White Boy". I haven't checked the Guiness Book but has anyone else gone to TWO concerts in the same night (weddings excluded) and heard that song played BOTH times?! Nostalgia Night 2009 was a blast.

The funniest part of the night was the Earth Hour celebration in downtown Los Angeles, showing how we can all save power by turning our lights out for an hour all around the world. As we walked out of the Prince show, we walked through the Earth Hour celebration as we headed to the car. Every network news camera was there to cover what was LITERALLY a few lights in a courtyard being turned off while a DJ played crappy music to a crowd of people who had nothing better to do. There was Los Angeles, making its best effort to show the world how “green” we can be: turning off 3 lights and celebrating it. We would have stood around to laugh for a few minutes but we had to run to the next nostalgia event.

Holiday CD 2008 > 2009

2008-12-24T17:50:00.000-08:00

Volume 7 / Disc 1

1)Stevie Wonder–“Signed Sealed, Delivered I’m Yours” SIGNED SEALED DELIVERED (1970)
Hallelujah!! For so many reasons, the Presidential election of Barack Obama makes me proud to be an American. I wish my mom, who taught elementary school in Chicago’s Cabrini-Green housing projects and kept the faith, could have lived to see this day. I hope this election finally puts an end to national fear politics and the ugly political cycle that has repeated itself too many times…

2) The Dave Clark Five – “Glad All Over” from GLAD ALL OVER (1963)
After becoming the first band to follow The Beatles to America, the DC5 bumped them out of the #1 spot on the charts in early 1964 with this song. Lead singer and keyboard player Mike Smith (1943-2008) died in February of pneumonia. RIP.

3) Vampire Weekend – “A-Punk” from VAMPIRE WEEKEND (2008)
In 2005, 23 year-old Ezra Koenig formed Vampire Weekend with his friends while they were all students at Columbia University. After graduation, he became an 8th grade English teacher in Brooklyn. By 2007, his band had a record deal!

4) Coldplay – “Viva La Vida” from VIVA LA VIDA OR DEATH AND ALL HIS FRIENDS (2008)
Coldplay’s star keeps rising…Brilliant producer Brian Eno takes the band’s music to a new level on this album. Meanwhile, they’re being sued by solo-guitarist Joe Satriani for allegedly stealing this melody from him. They definitely sound alike to me!

5) The Killers – “Human” from DAY AND AGE (2008)
The Las Vegas band returns with another great song. I haven’t heard the album yet but I’m psyched they’re back!

6) Lindsey Buckingham – “Love Runs Deeper” from GIFT OF SCREWS (2008)
Fleetwood Mac’s genius proves he’s still got it with this new collection of songs. This track fits right in with the Mac sound.

7) Bo Diddley – “Hey! Bo Diddley” released as a SINGLE (1957)
The Originator (1928-2008) died of heart failure this summer. One of the founders of rock music, the unique beat and guitar sound Bo created influenced everyone including Buddy Holly and the Rolling Stones (“Not Fade Away”), The Who (“Magic Bus”), Bruce Springsteen (“She’s the One”), U2 (“Desire”) and George Michael (“Faith”). Bo also influenced rap music by regularly announcing his name in his songs. Born Ellas Otha Bates in Mississippi, Bo built his career in Chicago, where he had moved as a kid. RIP.

8) Kings of Leon - “Use Somebody’” from ONLY BY THE NIGHT (2008)
From Tennessee and Oklahoma, these three brothers and a cousin (all Followills) range in age from 21 to 28 and named their band after their father and grandfather. Now based in Nashville, their sound continues to grow on their 4th and latest album.

9) Mudcrutch – “Lover of the Bayou” from MUDCRUTCH (2008)
Before forming the Heartbreakers in 1976, Tom Petty co-fronted this Gainesville, Florida band from 1970-75 with some of the same musicians. They reunited for an album and tour this year. This Byrds cover is one of my all-time favorite classic rock songs.

10) Ray LaMontagne – “You Are the Best Thing” from GOSSIP IN THE GRAIN (2008)
This 35 year-old, who has lived in Maine since high school, was inspired to become a musician after hearing Stephen Stills on the radio while working at a shoe factory in his late teens. Now on his 3rd album, Ray uniquely continues to reflect the classics.

11) Brett Dennen – “Make You Go Crazy” w/Femi Kuti from HOPE FOR THE HOPELESS (2008)
The 29 year-old, 6 foot 5 redhead from the CA cowboy town of Oakdale returns with another great song and his own sound.

12) Isaac Hayes – “Theme from Shaft” from SHAFT SOUNDTRACK (1971)
A songwriter for others (“Soul Man”, “Hold On, I’m Comin’”), a hugely successful recording artist and producer, a film composer and ultimately Chef on South Park, Isaac Hayes died of a stroke this summer (1942-2008). He grew up picking cotton in Tennessee until he was able to start a career as a session musician and songwriter. Hayes won an Oscar for this classic song. RIP.

13) The Four Tops – “Reach Out I’ll Be There” released as a SINGLE (1966)
They helped define the Motown sound. Lead singer Levi Stubbs (1936-2008) died this fall after cancer and a stroke. RIP.

14) The Airborne Toxic Event–"Sometime Around Midnight” AIRBORNE TOXIC EVENT (2008)
25 year-old front man Mikel Jollet was working on a novel in 2006 when a break-up, his mom’s cancer diagnosis, and his own health issues inspired him to write songs and form a band. Based in LA’s Los Feliz hood, his band is off to a good start internationally.

15) Adele – “Best For Last” from 19 (2008)
Only 20 years old, this soulful singer from London built a following on My Space before landing a record deal and critical acclaim.

16) Jackson Browne – “Off Of Wonderland” from TIME THE CONQUEROR (2008)
At 60, Jackson Browne returns with a great new batch of songs including this tune about living in Laurel Canyon in its golden era.

17) She & Him – “Black Hole” from VOLUME ONE (2008)
M. Ward remains at the top of my list as he produces and plays guitar on this collection of songs by actress Zooey Deschanel.

18) Jaymay – “Gray or Blue” from AUTUMN FALLIN’ (2007)
New artist Jamie Seerman is a 27 year-old New Yorker who got an initial career push in 2006 on iTunes’ Indie Spotlight.

20) Jenny Lewis – “Acid Tongue” from ACID TONGUE (2008)
On the edge of 33, this Rilo Kiley frontwoman and former child TV actress captures today’s rebirth of Laurel Canyon’s golden era on her second solo album. Chris Robinson of the Black Crowes leads the background choir on this beautiful song.

21) Dan Fogelberg – “Leader of the Band” from THE INNOCENT AGE (1981)
Dan left U of Illinois to move to LA with Irving Azoff (now a mogul whom I work for who got Dan signed by Clive Davis), and then became a star. This beautiful tribute to his bandleader father was everywhere in 1981. I got to see Dan play some of his hits at a benefit show in 2000 with Joe Walsh and Graham Nash. Dan died of prostate cancer at the tail end of last year (1951-2007). RIP.

22) Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu – “Djarimirri” from GURRUMUL (2008)
What a voice! Gurrumul is a blind, 38 year-old indigenous Australian who sings in Yolngu and plays several instruments.

23) Pink Floyd – “The Great Gig in the Sky” from THE DARK SIDE OF THE MOON (1973)
The Reunion can never happen now. Founder and keyboard player Rick Wright (1943-2008) died of cancer in September. RIP.

Volume 7 / Disc 2

1) Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band – “The Rising” from THE RISING (2002)
Yes we can! The Obama campaign made great use of this song. Look for Bruce at Superbowl 2009! This one’s for Bruce fan Tim Russert, the best political newsman of our era and E Street organ/accordian player Danny Federici (both 1950-2008). RIP.

2) R.E.M. – “Supernatural Superserious” from ACCELERATE (2008)
This year saw R.E.M. return to rock and prove they’ve still got it.

3)The Raconteurs – “Many Shades of Black” from CONSOLERS OF THE LONELY (2008)
Jack White teamed up with Brendan Benson for another good album of rock. Amazing lead vocal here from Brendan.

4) Low vs Diamond – “Don’t Forget Sister” from LOW VS DIAMOND (2008)
The members of this band met in 2001 while students at U of Colorado. Originally a jamband, they moved to LA, changed their sound and got discovered by the same guy who discovered The Killers. This is their first full-length album.

5) Newton Faulkner - “Dream Catch Me” from HAND BUILT BY ROBOTS (2008)
This 23 year-old from Surrey, England, started his career in a Green Day cover band. He hit #1 in England and is working on the US.

6) MGMT – “Electric Feel” from ORACULAR SPECTACULAR (2008)
Ben Goldwasser and Andrew VanWyngarden formed this unique-sounding band in 2002 while students at Wesleyan U and started touring when they graduated in 2005. Based in Brooklyn, they’ve released 2 full-length albums and opened for Beck & Radiohead.

7) Miriam Makeba – “Kwazulu” from AN EVENING WITH BELAFONTE/MAKEBA (1965)
One of the biggest names in world music, Makeba (1932-2008) helped bring African music to a global audience in the 1960s. Born in Johannesburg, she started recording in the early 1950s. Harry Belafante helped bring her to the US and boost her recognition by attaching his name to this album, which won a Grammy for Best Folk Recording. Makeba was exiled for 3 decades from South Africa for singing against apartheid and testifying before the UN. She was briefly married to Hugh Masekela, performed at the legendary Ali-Foreman fight in Zaire, was part of Paul Simon’s Graceland tour, and returned to South Africa in 1990 after Nelson Mandela was released from prison. Makeba dropped dead of a heart attack right after her November performance in Italy. RIP.

8)Sigur Ros – “Via Spilum Endalaust” MEO SUA I EYRUM VIA SPILUM ENDALAUST (2008)
This intricate, melodic band from Iceland returns with their strongest album yet and continues to sing in their own, made-up language.

9)Duffy – “Warwick Avenue” from ROCKFERRY (2008)
Aimee Duffy is a pop-soul singer from North Wales who started singing at age 6 and spent years playing jazz and blues clubs while working odd jobs. At 24, she’s one of this year’s top selling artists worldwide. She was great at Lollapalooza this summer.

10) The Black Keys–“Things Ain’t Like They Used To Be” from ATTACK & RELEASE (2008)
Now in their late 20s, blues-rock duo Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney of Akron, Ohio, released album #7. Is this classic Zep?!

11) Blitzen Trapper – “Furr” from FURR (2008)
After 3 self-released albums, this Portland, Oregon band led by Eric Earley signed with the historic Sub Pop label for Furr.

12) Conor Oberst – “Get-Well-Cards” from CONOR OBERST (2008)
The Omaha-based leader of Bright Eyes steps out for his first solo album in 12 years. Recorded in Mexico, the album shows that Conor continues to be a singer-songwriter worth keeping a close eye on.

13) Fleet Foxes – “White Winter Hymnal” from FLEET FOXES (2008)
Definitely one of the top bands of 2008, Fleet Foxes released 2 great albums on the historic Sub Pop label (this and the Sun Giant EP). Their timeless sound mixes folk, choral and rock music. Founding members guitarist Skyler Skjelset and singer-songwriter Robin Pecknold grew up in Seattle, the children of hippie parents whose record collections inspired their sound. It’s great to hear a band of early 20-somethings so heavily influenced by Crosby Stills and Nash and The Beach Boys.

14) The Kingston Trio – “Tom Dooley” from THE KINGSTON TRIO (1958)
Just a year after the Trio formed in Palo Alto, they scored their first gold hit with this traditional folk song, which also won the first-ever Grammy for Best Country & Western Performance. In the early 60s, the Trio had 4 albums in the Top 10 simultaneously. They influenced a young Bob Dylan and ruled the music scene until The Beatles came along. Singer-songwriter-musicians Nick Reynolds (1933-2008) and John Stewart (1939-2008) died this year. RIP.

15) Ike Turner/Jackie Brenston&His Delta Cats–“Rocket 88” released as SINGLE (1951)
Considered the first-ever rock song, Ike Turner wrote and played piano on this track despite creating a fake band name and giving the credit to his singer-saxophonist. Ike went on to be a talent scout that discovered and played as a sideman with major blues legends. He is most famous for discovering, marrying, rising to fame with and beating Tina Turner. Ike died late last year (1931-2007).

16) Death Cab For Cutie – “Cath…” from NARROW STAIRS (2008)
Now on their 6th album and 11th year, 32 year-old Ben Gibbard’s Washington-based band continues to blossom.

17) Radar Bros. – “Happy Spirits” from AUDITORIUM (2008)
One of my favorite albums of the year, this LA band’s 5th release is a collection of well-crafted, ultra-laid-back, stoney rock songs.

18) Vetiver – “Roll On Babe” from THING OF THE PAST (2008)
A great recent discovery, this San Fran band led by Andy Cabic has a soothing, folk-influenced sound. This is a beautiful folk cover.

19) My Morning Jacket – “Thank You Too!” from EVIL URGES (2008)
Jim James continues to lead Louisville’s finest in great new directions on their 5th album. Is this classic Eagles and Bee Gees?!

20) Dave Matthews Band – “#34” from UNDER THE TABLE AND DREAMING (1994)
Saxophonist LeRoi Moore (1961-2008) died from complications from an ATV accident on his farm. He co-wrote this track. RIP.

21) Merle Saunders & Friends – “Imagine” from FIRE UP! (1973)
Organ/piano player Merle Saunders collaborated often and was close friends with Jerry Garcia. I met him at the Fillmore in the mid-90s - real nice guy. Garcia and his bass player John Kahn play on this track. Merle died from stroke complications. (1934-2008) RIP.

IF ONLY I'D HAD ROOM I WOULD HAVE INCLUDED:
1) Al Green – “Lay It Down” from LAY IT DOWN (2008)
2) Alejandro Escovedo – “Always A Friend” from REAL ANIMAL (2008)
3) Alex Cuba – “Agua del Poso” from AGUA DEL POSO (2008)
4) Amos Lee – “What’s Been Going On” from LAST DAYS AT THE LODGE (2008)
5) Atmosphere–“You”/WHEN LIFE GIVE YOU LEMONS, YOU PAINT THAT SHIT GOLD(2008)
6) B-52’s – “Funplex” from FUNPLEX (2008)
7) Be Your Own Pet – “The Kelly Affair” from GET AWKWARD (2008)
8) Ben Lee – “Love Me Like The World Is Ending” from RIPE (2007)
9) Benji Hughes – “All You’ve Got To Do Is Fall In Love” A LOVE EXTREME(2008)
10) Black Kids – “Look At Me When I Rock Wichoo” from PARTIE TRAUMATIC (2008)
11) Black Tide – “Shockwave” from LIGHT FROM ABOVE (2008)
12) Bob Mould – “The Silence Between Us” from DISTRICT LINE (2008)
13) Bon Iver – “Skinny Love” from FOR EMMA, FOREVER AGO (2008)
14) Chris Stills – “Sweet California” from CHRIS STILLS (2007)
15) Crystal Castles – “Untrust Us” from CRYSTAL CASTLES (2008)
16) Daniel Lanois – “Duo Glide” from HERE IS WHAT IS (2008)
17) David Cook – “The Time of My Life” from DAVID COOK (2008)
18) Does It Offend You, Yeah?–“We Are Rockstars”/YOU HAVE NO IDEA....2008)
19) Dusty Rhodes & the River Band – “Leaving Tennessee” FIRST YOU LIVE (2007)
20) Eagles of Death Metal – “WannaBe in L.A.” from HEART ON (2008)
21) Endless Boogie – “Coming Down the Stairs” from FOCUS LEVEL (2008)
22) Eric Hutchinson – “Rock & Roll” from SOUNDS LIKE THIS (2008)
23) The Faint – “The Geeks Were Right” from FASCINATION (2008)
24) Gnarls Barkley – “Who’s Gonna Save My Soul” from THE ODD COUPLE (2008)
25) Habib Koite – “Fimani” from AFRIKI (2007)

Lollapalooza 2008 (8/4/08)

2008-08-04T23:50:00.000-07:00

Just completed Lollapalooza weekend 2008 in Chi-town. As always, it was a total blast. This was the 4th year that Lollapalooza was a Chicago-based music festival…and the first time they sold it out. In fact, all three days were sell outs with 75,000 people attending each day. Despite the huge influx of people, the event remains a well-run machine thanks to the City of Chicago and C3 Presents from Austin, Texas. What makes it so special? The unique location (in the heart of Chicago’s beautiful parks surrounded by the amazing skyline now known as Gotham City thanks to Batman), the great summer weather (mid-80s and not even THAT humid this year), the Midwest vibe of the crowd, the tasty food from local Chicago restaurants (ribs, pizza, pulled pork, cheesecake on a stick, pad thai, etc), the prices for food and drink ($3 for Vitamin Water, $5 for great sandwiches), the plethora of port-o-potties, and of course the incredible musical line-up.

Yes, a musical line-up that allowed us to see all of this in just 3 days: Jeff Tweedy solo acoustic, Duffy, The Black Keys, Cat Power, Raconteurs, Radiohead, Dierks Bentley, Perry Farrell, Explosions in the Sky, Okkervil River, Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings, Wilco, Rage Against The Machine, Flosstradamus, Iron & Wine, The National, and Nine Inch Nails. The electric jolt of happy buzz from all that music is what kept us (a group in the top 1% of the age bracket) bopping around for 3 days in the heat to the endless barrage of music, noise, freaks, funny t-shirts, mile-long walks and heart-attack-on-a-plate meals while surrounded by the energy of people born between 1983-1992. I’m not used to being in places where you’re old if you were born before 1980 but that was the case here! This didn’t stop our ever-evolving crew for a second from having a blast….in fact it probably inspired us. After all, it doesn’t seem like that long ago that we were learning our way through this type of environment at Grateful Dead shows at Alpine Valley. That’s in our DNA now…

Reviews? On Friday, Tweedy played the Kids Stage and was hilarious as he kept asking the kids to shout out requests. Since that area was packed with Wilco fans (who tend to be significantly older than kindergarten), there weren’t many requests coming from kids. “Am I putting you kids to sleep? You’re all kind of nodding off and staring in the wrong direction! OK, adults – YOU shout out some requests.” Tweedy played acoustic versions of several Wilco songs and lectured the kids that “if your parents don’t have any Woody Guthrie music in your house, then they are BAD parents.” He of course launched into a Woody Guthrie tune at that point. When he played “New Madrid”, he was joined by a former member of Uncle Tupelo (unfortunately not Jay Farrar, so it was not a notable reunion…but was still great to hear). We ran from him to Duffy, who actually sounded better than her CD. She had a great voice and proved that she’s worthy of all the UK hype she has received for her retro-soulful sound. This was a definite highlight. The Black Keys did their thing and brought the garage rock to Lolla. Good stuff. Cat Power was great, although her mellow, heroin-rock vibe wasn’t an ideal fit with the bright summer sky and the rush of people throughout the area trying to get settled for the Raconteurs at the nearby stage. I’d like to see her in a small, dark club when I’m not worried about being crushed by too many sweaty young people or standing behind The Tallest Guy At The Festival for a more popular act. The Raconteurs of course rocked the house. The combo of Jack White, who can do no wrong with his wild stage presence and his guitar & vocal talents with Brendan Benson who can sing like Dennis DeYoung of Styx, is both fun and compelling. Due to some brutal scheduling (something that should be fixed for next year), we had to bail on the Raconteurs half-way through to bolt to the other main stage a mile away in time for Radiohead. Radiohead was The Headliner of the entire event. Normally this would close out the festival, but Radiohead was only available today. They were stellar as usual, covering their catalog from their most recent release, In Rainbows, all the way back to The Bends. Thom Yorke’s unique stage presence and all of the crazy sounds the rest of the band squeezes out of their instruments always makes for an interesting set that works all parts of your brain (in case the special cookies you brought and mixed into a bag of Bear Naked granola weren’t already doing that for you).

After Radiohead, we trekked all the way out to the South Loop to hit Reggie’s Rock Club (2105 South State). A guy I’m friendly with opened the club 10 months ago and I have to say it’s the best club I’ve been to in America since The Wetlands in New York. There’s a rock club in one room, an intimate acoustic-music kind of stage in another room that is surrounded by a full bar and restaurant with walls smothered in rock memorabilia, and a phenomenal record store on the top level that you haven’t seen the likes of since 1979. The owner gave us a full tour and then topped it off by showing us his penthouse loft at the top of the building! We felt like we were in an Entourage episode as we took the elevator from the club (where SPIN magazine was hosting a Lollapalooza party) to the loft that was covered in more rock memorabilia, African art, all kinds of random trinkets, hand-made furniture, sports memorabilia, and anything else unique you could think of! We sat out on the massive deck, had some beers, ate a snack at the bar-like kitchen and then headed down to the restaurant room to try out the food. After eating a burger and a portabello mushroom sandwich, I can tell you that you won’t find better food in a music club anywhere in the US. (OK, so I haven’t dined at every music club in the U.S., but I’m pretty confident I can stand by that quote.) The burger had some special spice on it as well as crumbled onion ring pieces, etc….The bottom line is: if you have any music fan in your heart or soul, GO TO REGGIES the next time you’re in Chicago!! They even have the Reggies Rock Bus that picks people up at sports events, concerts, etc…all you have to do is call the club and request the bus! The South Loop isn’t exactly Beverly Hills, so keep that in mind as you trek out there….but don’t skip the trek. As Ferris Bueller would say, “Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”

On Saturday, we heard Dierks Bentley as we were walking in to the festival. I liked what I heard and intend to check out more of this country-rocker’s stuff. The rumor going around at this point was that Slash was on the grounds and was going to jam with Perry Farrell at the DJ Tent. That area was packed as people waited for the Big Moment. I stood there for 15 minutes wondering what was going on. Perry was spinning records with some friends on stage. The records were playing quietly and he was paying more attention to his friends than the music or the audience. No one knew whether his set had started or if he was just warming up. Every once in a while, Perry would grab the mike, yell “yeah, Lollapalooza” and then chug some champagne with one arm up in the air as he received applause from the crowd. It was all so bizar that I started to wonder whether something funny had been put into my purple Vitamin Water. I was solo at this point so I walked slowly through the crowd to hear what people were saying. “Dude, is this the show or is he warming up?” “Where is Slash?” “Who is Slash?” “He’s that dude with the hat from Guns n Roses.” “Who is Perry Farrell?” “He’s from Jane’s Addiction”. “What’s Jane’s Addiction?” “I don’t get it – is this the show?” After 20 minutes of this, I couldn’t take another minute of the circus act. I bailed to get my second serving of pulled pork and headed over to see Explosions In the Sky, a MAJOR HIGHLIGHT of the entire festival. This Austin, Texas quartet serves up some intense instrumental music that goes from mellow soundscapes to huge powerful crescendos as the musicians jump around like they’re testing new pairs of Nike Air. Hypnotic, captivating and moving, this is a band worth listening to and seeing live again for sure. Caught a couple minutes of Okkervil River on the way to some pulled BBQ turkey and Bud Lite. Good folkie-indie-rock. Next came Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings. DAMN this was good! This former prison guard has soul oozing out of her pores. She works the stage like Tina Turner on Red Bull and is backed by a band that puts the Blues Brothers to shame. If you’ve seen Amy Winehouse perform, you’ve seen this band. I would go see this band any time in a club. Hot stuff. Had to leave early to get a good spot for Rage Against the Machine. As always, VERY powerful. This rhythm section is like a tank plowing through a building. Combine that with Tom Morello’s crazy guitar sounds and Zack de la Rocha’s passionate anger and you’ve got a ball-busting rock band with a message. The message is basically anarchy, but it’s damn exciting to watch them convey it. They had to stop their set 3 times due to the mosh pit getting completely out of control. Kids were passing out and getting hurt near the stage as the maniacs slammed around in reaction to the tunes. Zack had to make a speech about taking care of each other…and even handed the mike to a security guard as they warned that the show would be cut short if people didn’t take care of one another. They tore through their classic material as the massive audience freaked out. We left half-way through due to the painful scheduling snafu (why, C3….why?) so we could run to the mile-away other main stage to catch the second half of Wilco. All of Wilco and their visiting horn section were wearing crazy, colorful, rhinestone covered country-western suits that Tweedy bragged the band had sewn together. He even joked that they were cooler than Radiohead because Radiohead didn’t sew anything! Wilco played a great set of their strong material that dipped back to Being There. They’re still on a roll with the amazing musicianship enhancing Tweedy’s songs.

As we walked to Michigan Avenue after the show, thousands of people were crowding near the Congress hotel to scream and cheer at the top of their lungs. The youthful energy of the crowd was completely electrified by Rage Against the Machine. We were witnessing the happiest energy possible truly exploding out of everyone who attended the event. At the same time, if we didn’t know any better, we could have imagined we were at the 1968 Democratic Convention as it felt like chaos was literally taking place before our very eyes. Cops were everywhere (mostly on horseback) so nothing got out of control but it definitely had that feeling that anything could happen, good or horrible. Bodies everywhere screaming at the top of their lungs can be a bit disorienting to say the least. We jumped into our favorite post-Lolla hang, the Hilton Hotel bar. There’s nothing like a cushy couch in front of a TV and a giant window facing the concert crowd as you sip a gin and tonic and munch on bar pizza.

Sunday kicked things off with Iron & Wine. ANOTHER HIGHLIGHT! His albums are amazing but live was even better, featuring incredible musicianship and harmonies adding intricate layers of sound to each song. It was unique, mellow, trippy and Grateful Dead like. I felt that he could take this show to a huge level with the right amount of hard work and marketing. Next we caught techno DJs Flosstradamus at the techno tent, where they were spinning incredibly fun, trippy techno. At least it was fun until the fat guy near us projectile vomited his beer all over the place. That led us to bail and get some pulled pork and Vitamin Water. While we ate, we talked to some of the 20-somethings who traveled from Cleveland, St. Louis and Colorado to enjoy the event. We also talked to a late 20-something army veteran who had served overseas and felt that Ron Paul should be President no matter what. Only Ron Paul can handle what lies before us, according to this veteran. His friend, who hadn’t heard of anyone in politics other than Ron Paul, George Bush, John McCain and Barack Obama, agreed that Ron Paul should definitely be our leader. After this enlightening conversation, we ran in to catch Broken Social Scene. The Canadian indie pop-rock group played a fun set of their experimental music that featured a lot of people on stage and all kinds of instruments from horns to fiddles. Then we caught a few minutes of The National. They sounded good, opening their set with “Start A War” and drawing a decent crowd. Unfortunately, the pressure to get a spot for Nine Inch Nails pulled us (and most of the attention for The National) over to the bigger stage in the area for the next set. Trent Reznor should be proud. He made headlines when he played the first Lollapalooza in 1991 and there he was, drawing a massive crowd in 2008 for a show that deserved an A+, hands down. It freaked me out to think that I was already a big, longtime concert-goer in 1991 and most of this crowd was either in diapers or learning multiplication at that time. The fantastic part of this set, other than the incredible performance, top-notch musicianship, artful lighting, and smart set-pacing was the passion the audience fed back to the band. They jumped up and down and sang along like they personally felt the angst in every lyric. When the band played “Hurt” near the end of the set, a song Trent introduced as one he “wrote while in a very dark place and then passed it on to a friend [Johnny Cash]”, the crowd literally sang along like their lives depended on it. This set, loaded with great new material that included an excellent ambient mid-set, felt like it was coming from an artist at the top of his game who still feels he has something to prove.

All good things must come to an end. Lolla 2008 ended as we were all escorted out through the gates via the long, horizontal line of Chicago police on horseback. We headed to the legendary Dues for some Chicago deep-dish pizza, part of our annual Lolla closure routine. As they called our party of 4 to be seated, “table for Trent Reznor”, we happily sat down to eat gobs of bread and cheese and begin looking forward to Lolla 2009. Festival!

Holiday CD 2007 > 2008

2007-12-07T16:20:00.000-08:00

Additional song selections at the bottom.
* Buy the whole CD or download select songs from iTunes.
** Definitely buy the whole CD.

Volume 6 / Disc 1

1) I’m From Barcelona – “Oversleeping” from LET ME INTRODUCE MY FRIENDS (2007)
Naturally, given their name, this band is from Sweden. Led by singer-songwriter Emanuel Lundgren, he and his 28 friends create infectious pop music guaranteed to put a smile on your face. This is the rare CD where every song is good, catchy and fun. The live show is great too – they rocked Chicago’s Lollapalooza this summer at their American concert debut. Kids will love this CD. **

2) Josh Ritter–“Right Moves” fromTHE HISTORICAL CONQUESTS OF JOSH RITTER (2007)
Josh nailed it this time. 31 and from Idaho, Josh recorded his 5th CD in a Maine farmhouse with a variety of great sounds and arrangements. This track has a 70s pop feel that reminds me of some of John Lennon’s final solo work. Check out his live show. **

3) Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band – “Livin’ in the Future” from MAGIC (2007)
An American treasure and one of the best live acts ever in rock, The Boss returns with a great batch of songs that recall his classic sound as he continues analyzing the gap between American ideals and American shortcomings.This track sounds celebratory but it’s actually addressing apathy and how what you never thought could happen has happened already.Do not miss this tour! **

4) Paul McCartney – “Ever Present Past” from MEMORY ALMOST FULL (2007)
This tune proves that Sir Paul can still write a hook laced with crack. The CD is just OK despite some decent Wings-like material.

5) Arctic Monkeys–“Fluorescent Adolescent” from FAVOURITE WORST NIGHTMARE (2007)
More solid, catchy Brit-pop-rock from this Sheffield, England band of 21 and 22 year-olds.

6) Lily Allen – “Knock `Em Out” from ALRIGHT, STILL (2006)
One of the first musicians to launch a career via My Space, this 22 year-old from London writes hilarious lyrics that fit perfectly with her unique hybrid of hip-hop, pop, calypso, ska & reggae. *

7) Ben Harper – “Say You Will” from LIFELINE (2007)
Now 38 and on his 9th studio album, Southern California native Ben Harper continues to deliver good songs and grow as an artist. *

8) James Brown - “I Got the Feelin’” released as a SINGLE (1968)
The Godfather Of Soul (1933-2006), died on Xmas day of pneumonia-related heart failure. A pioneer who influenced nearly every rhythm-based genre of music, Brown took himself from utter poverty (picking cotton) to launching a recording and touring career in the 1950s that eventually led him to becoming a civil rights activist, a black community leader and an American institution. RIP.

9) Amy Winehouse – “You Know I’m No Good” from BACK TO BLACK (2007)
She sounds like a 1960s Motown soul diva but she’s actually a 24 year-old, tattoo-covered Jewish girl from London with a serious addiction problem. Producer Mark Ronson brought the hip to Amy’s soul-jazz-blues sound, creating a CD with some great songs. *

10) Brett Dennen – “Darlin’ Do Not Fear” from SO MUCH MORE (2006)
Heavily influenced by Paul Simon’s Graceland, this 28 year-old, 6 foot 5 redhead from the CA cowboy town of Oakdale is off to a good start with a distinctive sound and admirable collection of songs. I expect we’ll be seeing more of Brett. *

11) Spoon – “The Underdog” from GA GA GA GA GA (2007)
Produced by Jon Brion, here’s a great tune from the 9th release by 36 year-old Britt Daniel’s Austin-based indie rock band.

12) Bright Eyes – “If the Brakeman Turns My Way” from CASSADAGA (2007)
At 27, Omaha’s Connor Oberst continues to grow as a writer. Good album, great tour…start following this guy’s career now! **

13) Jackie Greene – “So Hard To Find My Way” from AMERICAN MYTH (2006)
Also 27, Jackie Greene is a great singer-songwriter from Monterey, CA who is less artsy than Connor Oberst and more folk-blues-roots-based. In addition to his solo career, he is currently fronting Grateful Dead bass player Phil Lesh’s band. **

14) Arcade Fire – “Intervention” from NEON BIBLE (2007)
Like the Killers in 06, Montreal’s finest has channeled their inner Springsteen to take on the world with their giant sound. *

15) Rocco DeLuca – “Speak To Me” from I TRUST YOU TO KILL ME (2006)
Clearly influenced by Led Zeppelin and Jeff Buckley, this 32 year-old from Long Beach, CA is signed to Kiefer Sutherland’s record label. DeLuca plays the Dobro steel guitar as he brings his Appalachian folk and blues influences to his collection of songs.

16) Ryan Adams – “Everybody Knows” from EASY TIGER (2007)
Newly sober and fresh off the road fronting Grateful Dead bass player Phil Lesh’s band, 33 year-old Ryan Adams has brought these events from his past year into his new music and lyrics. This is a beautiful sounding CD with some to-be-classic songs. *

17) Travis – “Closer” from THE BOY WITH NO NAME (2007)
On their 5th release, this Scottish band from Glasgow brings back producer Nigel Godrich to reclaim their influential sound. *

18) Angelique Kidjo w/Peter Gabriel – “Salala” from DJIN DJIN (2007)
Recording for almost 20 years, Kidjo hails from the West African country of Benin. Now in New York after years in Paris, she has recorded a great (yet uneven) CD featuring many celebrity collaborations. Her powerful voice and team of virtuoso musicians create a collection of compelling, unique and soulful Afro-beat pop. Here she is with the artist who first turned me on to World Music. *

20) Eddie Vedder – “No Ceiling” from INTO THE WILD (SOUNDTRACK) (2007)
Sean Penn asked Eddie to provide music for his new film…Eddie pulled through with some of his best material in years. *

21) Wilco – “Impossible Germany” from SKY BLUE SKY (2007)
As usual, Jeff Tweedy has made me proud. He got sober, quit smoking and can now sing high notes that had been out of reach. This is the first Wilco CD with members Pat Sansone and guitarist Nels Cline, who lets loose ½-way through this 70s-sounding track.**

21) Neil Young – “Boxcar” from CHROME DREAMS II (2007)
Still going strong at 62, you can always count on Neil to deliver. Uneven album but a great tour and a great work-in-progress artist. *

22) Mavis Staples w/Ry Cooder – “On My Way” from WE’LL NEVER TURN BACK (2007)
She started in 1940s Chicago with her dad and siblings as The Staples Singers, who grew from a major gospel act into the musical voices of the 1960s civil rights movement. The legendary Mavis returns at age 68 with Ry Cooder producing civil rights-era songs. *

Volume 6 / Disc 2

1) Band Of Horses – “Is There A Ghost” from CEASE TO BEGIN (2007)
29 year-old leader Ben Bridwell’s South Carolina-based rock band returns with a strong sophomore release and that epic sound. *

2) The View – “Superstar Tradesman” from HATS OFF TO THE BUSKERS (2007)
Barely out of high school, this foursome from Scotland is a hit in the UK. Influenced by the bands led by drug-addled, UK tabloid star Pete Doherty, The View writes fun, catchy punkish rock. *

3) Klaxons – “Golden Skans” from MYTHS OF THE NEAR FUTURE (2007)
Called a Nu Rave band for their late-80s and early-90s psychedelic dance-rock influences, this London-based band is a UK success.

4) Modest Mouse – “Dashboard” from WE WERE DEAD BEFORE THE SHIP EVEN SANK (2007)
Led by 32 year-old Isaac Brock from Issaquah, Washington, Modest Mouse continues the Talking Heads-influenced sound they started on their 2004 CD. New band member as of this CD: guitarist-songwriter Johnny Marr (former co-leader of The Smiths).

5) James Brown - “My Thang” from HELL (1974)
The Hardest Working Man In Show Business sure knew how to bring the funk. RIP.

6) Rodrigo y Gabriela – “Tamacun” from RODRIGO Y GABRIELA (2006)
After meeting in their hometown of Mexico City while in a thrash-metal band, Rodrigo y Garbriela moved to Dublin, Ireland and reinvented themselves as an acoustic guitar duo. Influenced by Flamenco and classical Hispanic music, they play with a fast-paced fire that has made World music exciting for hipsters. *

7) Radiohead – “Jigsaw Falling Into Place” from IN RAINBOWS (2007)
Oxford, England’s Radiohead, one of the world’s most progressive bands, chose to make their 7th release available only as a digital download from their website...and allowed the consumer to name the price! For those keeping track, I paid 5 pounds. *

8) Shocking Pinks – “Second Hand Girl” from SHOCKING PINKS (2007)
Nick Harte is the one-man, lo-fi band from New Zealand known as Shocking Pinks. His first American release is a compilation of songs from past Kiwi releases. Doesn’t his voice sound like Kip Dynamite? I expect good things to come from Harte. *

9) Iron & Wine – “Lovesong of the Buzzard” from THE SHEPHERD’S DOG (2007)
Iron & Wine is Sam Beam, a 33 year-old folk-rock singer-songwriter from South Carolina who graduated from Florida State and moved to Austin, Texas. I’m blown away by the beauty and originality of his sound and compositions, influenced by Nick Drake and Paul Simon. I’m told there’s not a bad song in his catalog, which is extensive despite starting just 5 years ago. **

10) The White Stripes – “Effect & Cause” from ICKY THUMP (2007)
At 32, after a great year as a Raconteur, Jack White returned to home base for another solid album with x-wife Meg White. *

11) The National – “Start A War” from BOXER (2007)
Formed in 1999 by a group of friends from Cincinnati now living in Brooklyn, The National mixes gloomy rock with orchestral pop to critical acclaim. Known for their academic songs, the band is clearly influenced by Nick Cave and Leonard Cohen. *

12) Robert Plant & Alison Krauss – “Killing The Blues” from RAISING SAND (2007)
Led Zeppelin’s “golden god” further explores the soft side of Zep for an ultra-laid-back collection of old-time songs, dueting with Alison Krauss, the 36 year-old bluegrass superstar from Central Illinois. This tour should be great. Led Zep reunion tour in 08?! *

13) Joni Mitchell – “This Place” from SHINE (2007)
The songwriting goddess returns at age 64 after a 5 year absence. I love this song about the environment, but not the rest of the CD.

14) José González – “How Long” from IN OUR NATURE (2007)
His solo classical guitar sound remains compelling as the 29 year-old Swede returns with new songs influenced by our times. **

15) Fields – “Song For The Fields” from EVERYTHING LAST WINTER (2007)
Based in Birmingham, England, Fields is made up of 4 Englishmen and a woman from Iceland. This great song from their new CD was also on their debut EP last year, 7 From the Village. Although I’m not familiar with this new release, the EP was a must-buy.

16) Datarock – “Fa-Fa-Fa” from DATAROCK (2007)
This trio from Norway wears their Talking Heads and Devo influences on their sleeves while making catchy, trippy dance-rock.

17) Interpol – “The Heinrich Maneuver” from OUR LOVE TO ADMIRE (2007)
The former NYU students have now achieved their major label debut as they continue to deliver interesting, Joy Division-influenced art rock. Overall the new songs are more atmospheric and less concise. They deserve an award for wackiest CD cover of the year.

18) Iggy & The Stooges – “My Idea Of Fun” from THE WEIRDNESS (2007)
Iggy Pop reunited the Ann Arbor, Michigan band that launched his career in 1969, to record this CD produced by Steve Albini. Although the album is only mediocre, the live show was the #1 highlight of this summer’s Lollapalooza in Chicago.

19) Boston – “Rock and Roll Band” from BOSTON (1976)
You can’t call yourself a rock fan until you’ve played air guitar to Boston. Their 1976 self-titled debut is one of the best-selling debut albums in US history with over 17 million copies sold. Boston exploded onto the music scene when disco and punk were taking over and they haven’t left the radio since. Lead singer Brad Delp killed himself in March via carbon monoxide poisoning. RIP. **

20) Smashing Pumpkins – “Tarantula” from ZEITGEIST (2007)
Billy Corgan grabbed drummer Jimmy Chamberlain and dusted off the old band name despite the absence of James Iha and D’arcy.

21) Velvet Revolver – “Pills, Demons & Etc.” from LIBERTAD (2007)
The old Guns n Roses guys keep bringing the rock, substituting Stone Temple Pilots frontman Scott Weiland for Axl Rose.

22) Linkin Park – “What I’ve Done” from MINUTES TO MIDNIGHT (2007)
Produced by Rick Rubin, these age 30-ish guys from the Valley (LA burbs) keep rocking hard and selling millions of CDs.

23) John Fogerty – “I Can’t Take It No More” from REVIVAL (2007)
At 62, Creedence Clearwater’s frontman sounds as spry as in the Vietnam era on this great flip of the bird to Bush! 1 more year...

IN CASE YOU STILL WANT MORE…

1) Blitzen Trapper – “Country Caravan” from WILD MOUNTAIN NATION (2007)
2) James Brown – “Papa Don’t Take No Mess” from HELL (1974) RIP
3) Café Tacuba – “53100” from SINO (2007)
4) Eagles – “Long Road Out Of Eden” from LONG ROAD OUT OF EDEN (2007)
5) Foo Fighters– “Long Road To Ruin” from ECHOS, SILENCE, PATIENCE & GRACE (2007) 6) Patty Griffin – “Heavenly Day” from CHILDREN RUNNING THROUGH (2007)
7) Don Ho–“Tiny Bubbles” from TINY BUBBLES (1966) RIP
8) Norah Jones – “The Sun Doesn’t Like You” from NOT TOO LATE (2007)
9) Lavender Diamond – “Oh No” from IMAGINE OUR LOVE (2007)
10) Ryan Shaw – “Nobody” from THIS IS RYAN SHAW (2007)
11) The Shins – “Australia” from WINCING THE NIGHT AWAY (2007)

Holiday CD 2006 > 2007

2006-12-13T13:34:00.000-08:00

Additional song selections at the bottom.
* Buy the whole CD or download select songs from iTunes.
** Definitely buy the whole CD.

Volume 5 / Disc 1

1) Kraak & Smaak – “Money In The Bag” (remix) from BOOGIE ANGST (2006)
The hottest band in Holland, K&S formed in 2003 when 2 DJ friends from Leiden, Holland hooked up with a keyboard player. 4 of the top Dutch musicians supplement their live act, which debuted in May of 2005 and is taking over Europe. Word is they do a great show. The original version of this song is what landed them their record deal. **

2) Bob Sinclar Featuring Gary Pine – “Love Generation” from LOVE GENERATION (EP) (2005)
38 year-old Bob Sinclar is a French DJ who produces dance music in a variety of genres. This song was a huge hit throughout Europe and Australia at the end of 05, running into 06. That’s Jamaican singer Gary Pine providing the happy vocals.

3) Billy Preston – “Will It Go Round In Circles” from EVERYBODY LIKES SOME KIND OF MUSIC (1973)
The guy known as the 5th Beatle died of hypertension this summer, just months shy of his 60th birthday. In addition to this #1 hit from 1973, Preston leaves behind an amazing history including being the first musical guest on SNL, the keyboard player in the last Beatles live performance (the legendary London rooftop show), a session player on the best Rolling Stones albums, multiple Beatles solo records and music by Ray Charles, Little Richard, Aretha, Dylan, Jackson 5 and more, plus the Beatles’ LET IT BE album, including the great keyboard solo on “Get Back”. His most recent work includes STADIUM ARCADIUM tracks for the RHCP and the brand new Clapton-JJ Cale CD. I saw Billy perform with a partly reunited version of The Band in 1991. RIP.

4) Gnarls Barkley – “Crazy” from ST. ELSEWHERE (2006)
Definitely the 2006 Wacky Song of the Year. You had to live under a rock to miss this one. Almost every act at Lollapalooza played their own version of “Crazy” this summer in Chicago. Gnarls Barkley is DJ-producer Danger Mouse with rapper/singer Cee-Lo.

5) Sergio Mendes Featuring John Legend – “Please Baby Don’t” from TIMELESS (2006)
Brazilian Sergio Mendes found major success on A&M Records with his group Brasil `66 starting in the mid-60’s. A keyboard player who performs pop songs bossa nova-style, Mendes’ sound helped define lounge music. From his recent will.i.am-produced comeback album, he performs this song with its writer, up-and-comer/Grammy winner John Legend, an incredibly talented Ohio native who graduated high school Salutatorian and was an English major at Penn before becoming a pop star. Sounds like a classic.

6) Loose Fur – “The Ruling Class” from BORN AGAIN IN THE USA (2006)
I couldn’t let a year go by without Wilco leader Jeff Tweedy being on the Holiday CD. Here is a catchy and goofy little ditty from Tweedy’s side project with multi-instrumentalist/producer Jim O’Rourke and Wilco drummer Glenn Kotche.*

7) Sufjan Stevens – “Chicago” from COME ON FEEL THE ILLINOISE! (2005)
I ran out of space last year, so this year’s re-release of this amazing song got me to include it here. This critically acclaimed, 31 year-old singer-songwriter from Michigan claims he will make an album for each of the 50 United States. He has done MI and IL so far. *

8) M. Ward – “Chinese Translation” from POST-WAR (2006)
One of my favorite artists out there, 31 year-old Matt “M” Ward is from Portland, Oregon and puts on a great live show with a Dylan vibe. Last year’s TRANSISTOR RADIO was a superior album, but this one is good too. Definitely check this guy out. *

9) Midlake – “It Covers The Hillside” from THE TRIALS OF VAN OCCUPANTHER (2006)
My first discovery via Sirius satellite radio, Midlake is a band made up of former University of North Texas jazz students from Denton, TX. Their second album, TRIALS has a 1970’s pop-rock sound a la Lindsey Buckingham-era Fleetwood Mac. **

10) The Killers – “Read My Mind” from SAM’S TOWN (2006)
This great, Vegas-based pop-rock band returned with their sophomore release and a new sound. Jury’s still out but I love this song.

11) Keane – “Is It Any Wonder” from UNDER THE IRON SEA (2006)
This English trio found huge success across Europe with this, their 2nd album. Here’s a catchy song that did well around the world.

12) Death Cab For Cutie – “Crooked Teeth” from PLANS (2005)
30-year old Ben Gibbard’s Washington-based band released this CD in 05 and continued to build on its success through 06.

13) Jerry Lee Lewis w/B.B. King – “Before The Night Is Over” from LAST MAN STANDING (2006)
The Killer (who happens to share my birthday) is now 71 and still going strong. Famous for his crazy, piano-thumping style, his 1957 hits “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On” and “Great Balls Of Fire” and his 3rd marriage at age 23 to his 13 year-old cousin, Jerry Lee has never stopped touring. After years away from recording, he has released a comeback CD with 22 great duets. *

14) Bruce Springsteen–“Pay Me My Money Down” from WE SHALL OVERCOME:THE SEEGER SESSIONS(2006)
One of the year’s best CDs, Springsteen formed a new, rootsy, 12-member band to record classic folk songs popularized by Pete Seeger. This album feels like one big, inspirational party as they sing songs about war and poverty in celebratory fashion.**

15) Ruth Brown – “This Little Girl’s Gone Rockin’ from ROCKIN’ WITH RUTH (1958)
Atlantic Records was known as The House That Ruth Built thanks to her popularizing of R&B in the 50s. She died in Nov at 78. RIP.

16) Bob Seger – “No More” from FACE THE PROMISE (2006)
Back from an 11 year hiatus, Detroit’s classic rock voice returns an octave deeper at 61, but still going strong. Great anti-war song.

17) The Who – “Mirror Door” from ENDLESS WIRE (2006)
24 years since their last record, the 2 surviving Who members return with new material. This strong song captures their classic sound.

18) The Secret Machines – “All At Once (It’s Not Important)” from TEN SILVER DROPS (2006)
From Dallas, these 2 brothers and a drummer released a strong second album that they call space rock. This song will grow on you. *

19) Neil Young – “Lookin’ For A Leader” from LIVING WITH WAR (2006)
Neil never stops! Now he’s ripping Bush & Friends a new one…and doing it well. His summer tour with CSN was the year’s best.**

20) Johnny Cash – “God’s Gonna Cut You Down” from AMERICAN V: A HUNDRED HIGHWAYS (2006)
Gone but not forgotten, The Man In Black returns from the grave with an amazing CD of songs he recorded on his death bed. **

21) Josh Ritter – “Here At The Right Time” from THE ANIMAL YEARS (2006)
Idaho’s Josh Ritter is a 30 year-old singer-songwriter who built a following in Ireland before a major label released his music here at home. His second major label release continues to show his Springsteen-Dylan-Leonard Cohen influences. Check out his live show.

Volume 5 / Disc 2

1) Lindsey Buckingham – “To Try For The Sun” from UNDER THE SKIN (2006)
The front man and producer for Fleetwood Mac’s most successful work returns with his first solo record in 14 years. The same solo artist who brought us the “Holiday Road” theme from the movie VACATION still sounds young and creative at 57. *

2) Ali Farka Touré & Toumani Diabeté – “Sombou Ya Ya” from IN THE HEART OF THE MOON (2005)
From Mali, singer-guitarist Touré was one of Africa’s most internationally celebrated musicians. Known as “the African John Lee Hooker” because of the way his music mixed traditional Malian music with American blues, he generated a lot of attention in the Western world via a great 1994 album with Ry Cooder, TALKING TIMBUKTU. This beautiful 2005 album, his second to last, is a collaboration with Malian kora player Toumani Diabeté (considered the world’s best) and led to a Grammy award this year for Best Traditional World Music Album. Touré died of bone cancer in March of this year at 67. RIP. **

3) Josh Rouse – “Quiet Town” from SUBTITULO (2006)
Currently living in Spain, 34 year-old Josh remains one of my favorite artists, even though this CD doesn’t compare to NASHVILLE or 1972. Be sure to give his stuff a listen and see him in concert whenever he passes though your town. *

4) John Mayer – “The Heart Of Life” from CONTINUUM (2006)
He’s one of those guys you want to hate but can’t. He’s 29, has it all, and ventured down the cheesy, pop music path…but then he shook things up and seems to have found himself musically. This is a really great song from an album that has a handful of `em. *

5) Tom Petty – “Square One” from HIGHWAY COMPANION (2006)
Approaching American Treasure-status after close to 30 years as a rock star, Petty at 56 keeps keeping on. Fair album, great song.

6) Alexi Murdoch – “All Of My Days” from TIME WITHOUT CONSEQUENCE (2006)
Born in Scottland, raised in London, 33 year-old Murdoch attended Duke University and moved to LA. A 2002 self-released 4 song EP gained him attention when TV shows and movies like GARDEN STATE used his songs. 4 years later, he released this first album.

7) Paolo Nutini – “Last Request” from THESE STREETS (2006)
Here’s a great song by another up-and-coming Scottish singer-songwriter. Hard to believe, but he’ll just be turning 20 in January.

8) David Gilmour – “Smile” from ON AN ISLAND (2006)
1 year after the huge Pink Floyd reunion at Live 8, Floyd’s co-front man/guitarist released his 3rd solo album (his 1st in 22 years; 12 years since his version of Floyd’s last album). Excellent tour – the 2 set show featured the entire new album and lots of Floyd classics.

9) José González – “Heartbeats” from VENEER (2006/2003)
From Sweden, yes I said Sweden, this 28 year-old singer-songwriter first released his debut album in 2003. As interest built after one of his songs was featured on the season finale of T.V.’s THE O.C., he re-released the album in 2006. His melodic, solo classical guitar sound is compelling. The live show is just like the album. Oh, and his parents are from Argentina…hence, the name. *

10) Bob Dylan – “When The Deal Goes Down” from MODERN TIMES (2006)
Bobby Z, now 65, took 5 years to release his latest studio effort. It’s another good one. Featuring his current touring band, the CD sounds exactly like Dylan’s current live shows. No new direction here, he’s basically continuing down the LOVE & THEFT path. *

11) Band Of Horses – “The Funeral” from EVERYTHING ALL THE TIME (2006)
From South Carolina, 28 year-old singer-songwriter Ben Bridwell formed this band in Seattle. Vocally he reminds me of My Morning Jacket’s Jim James. On Bridwell’s list of heroes is the next band, Built To Spill. Brace yourself, this song takes it up a notch.

12) Built To Spill – “Conventional Wisdom” from YOU IN REVERSE (2006)
From Boise, Idaho, guitarist-singer-songwriter Doug Martsch founded Built To Spill in 1993. Influenced by Neil Young, J. Mascis and Steven Malkmus, Martsch has gone on to influence scores of indie bands. Martsch, who at 38 looks more like a homeless computer geek than a rock star, plays a mean guitar. This catchy song features the only extended jam of the 2006 Holiday CD. *

13) Wolfmother – “Woman” from WOLFMOTHER (2006)
This Australian trio rocks. Period. Sure, their psychedelic metal is derivative of the 70s, but they manage to make it sound fresh and fun. With one of the best albums of the year and one of the best live shows out there, Wolfmother is a band to check out. **

14) Arctic Monkeys – “I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor” from WHATEVER PEOPLE SAY I AM… (2006)
This indie rock-punk quartet from Sheffield, England took the UK and indie rock by storm this year, but I expect 1-hit wonder status.

15) The Hellacopters – “Everything’s On T.V.” from ROCK & ROLL IS DEAD (2006)
Formed in 1994, this Swedish rock band released a great tune in 06 that shot through my car radio and caught my attention.

16) Pearl Jam – “Life Wasted” from PEARL JAM (2006)
I’m not the die-hard fan I once was, but I give PJ credit for becoming smart road warriors and for pulling together a decent CD in 06.

17) Red Hot Chili Peppers – “Torture Me” from STADIUM ARCADIUM (2006)
Still around & going strong, RHCP are true Survivors. Their 9th studio album is a great double-CD with strong songs and superior musical interplay. Their closing set for 75,000 fans at Chicago’s Lollapalooza this summer was a triumphant musical moment. **

18) The Raconteurs – “Broken Boy Soldier” from BROKEN BOY SOLDIERS (2006)
Detroit friends Jack White of White Stripes and singer-songwriter Brendan Benson blended their sounds for this side project. Thanks to Jack, their live set at Lollapalooza was outstanding. *

19) Pink Floyd – “See Emily Play” from THE PIPER AT THE GATES OF DAWN (1967)
Founding member Syd Barrett died at 60 this summer from pancreatic cancer. He was Floyd’s singer-songwriter-guitarist from 1965 to 1968, when LSD-triggered mental illness left him unable to perform. (Lucky for Gilmour). This song is one of Syd’s best. RIP.

20) Starsailor – “In The Crossfire” from ON THE OUTSIDE (2006)
Inspired by Jeff Buckley, this English band (the last to work with Phil Spector) took their name from a 1970 album by Jeff’s dad, Tim.

21) Golden Smog – “Corvette” from ANOTHER FINE DAY (2006)
An ongoing side project with members of The Jayhawks, Soul Asylum & Jeff Tweedy, this gem belongs to Jayhawk Marc Perlman.

Songs I wanted to include (and recommend) but did not have room for:
Amadou & Mariam - "Coulibaly" from DIMANCHE A BAMAKO (2005)
Art Brut - "Good Weekend" from BANG BANG ROCK & ROLL (2006)
Beck - "Cellphone's Dead" from THE INFORMATION (2006)
Beth Orton - "Conceived" from COMFORT OF STRANGERS (2006)
Cheb i Sabbah - "Toura Toura" (The Nav Deep Remix) from LA GHRIBA (2006)
The Guggenheim Grotto - "Philosophia" from WALTZING ALONE (2006)
James Hunter - "People Gonna Talk" from PEOPLE GONNA TALK (2006)
Justin Timberlake - "Losing My Way" from FUTURESEX/LOVESOUNDS (2006)
Lily Allen - "Smile" from SMILE EP (2006)
Lou Rawls - "You'll Never Find Another Love Like Mine" from ALL THINGS IN TIME (1976) [RIP]
The Mars Volta - "Vermicide" from AMPUTECHTURE (2006)
The Mountain Goats - "Sail Babylon Springs" from BABYLON SPRINGS - EP (2006)
Prince - "Fury" from 3121 (2006)
Ray LaMontagne - "Empty" from TIL THE SUN TURNS BLACK (2006)
Richard Hawley - "Room With A View" from JUST LIKE THE RAIN - EP (2006)
Silversun Pickups - "Lazy Eye" from CARNAVAS (2006)
Sonic Youth - "Incinerate" from RATHER RIPPED (2006)
Tapes `n Tapes - "Insistor" from THE LOON (2006)
Taylor Hicks - "Do I Make You Proud" (single) (2006)
Thom Yorke - "The Clock" from THE ERASER (2006)
TV On the Radio - "Wolf Life Me" from RETURN TO COOKIE MOUNTAIN (2006)
The Walkmen - "Lost In Boston" from A HUNDRED MILES OFF (2006)
Wilson Pickett - "In the Midnight Hour" from IN THE MIDNIGHT HOUR (1965) [RIP]
Yo La Tengo - "Beanbag Chair" from I AM NOT AFRAID OF YOU... (2006)
Zero 7 - "Futures" from THE GARDEN (2006)

Bridge Benefit 2006 (10/21/06)

2006-10-23T13:33:00.000-07:00

Neil Young was clearly in a great mood at his 20th Bridge Benefit concert at the Shoreline Amphitheater, benefitting the Bridge School for severely disabled children in the Bay Area. Whether his mood was a feeling of pride for reaching the 20th year milestone with a sell-out crowd, or instead a pure joy for life after surviving an anneurism just a little more than a year ago was unclear. Whatever the reason, Neil displayed a higher-than-usual level of affection for his wife, Pegi, and a higher-than-usual level of attentiveness to the actual performances. For much of the day, Neil was sitting on stage left, watching the performers with a smile and waiting for a chance to sit in with many of them. This year's lineup included Davendra Banhart, Gillian Welch, Death Cab For Cutie, Trent Reznor, Brian Wilson, Foo Fighters, Pearl Jam and Dave Matthews Band.

As always, Neil kicked off the show solo acoustic after Pegi's warm introduction. He opened the show with the great "Flags Of Freedom" from his strong 2006 anti-Bush album LIVING WITH WAR. He was then joined by Pegi on harmonies for a beautiful "Long May You Run" and an exceptional "Comes A Time" with his colorful friends, the dancing Native Americans in full traditional headdress.

The first act to perform was Devendra Banhart, joined by guitarist Bert Jansch (whom Neil seemed particularly excited about). This act seemed great - mellow, trippy and weird. Unfortunately, I was starving and in need of some concert food. Not only did I miss some interesting songs, but I missed a cover of one of my all-time favorite David Crosby songs, "Traction In the Rain". Having never even seen Crosby play this tune, I was bummed to be stuffing my face rather than watching the performance. I think this band is based in LA, so I hope to get another chance to see them.

Next came the rootsy Gillian Welch with David Rawlings. They did their usual, beautiful acoustic rootsy duo thang and closed out their set with a great cover of Neil's "Country Girl", which brought Neil out in mid-song to join them. This was special, considering that Neil almost never (and maybe never) plays this song live.

Death Cab For Cutie proved to be a decent live act, especially when forced into the Bridge Benefit's acoustic setting. Songs like "Crooked Teeth" and "Soul Meets Body" translated well to this format. The surprise of their set was a great cover of Graham Nash's "Millitary Madness". This year's batch of artists was clearly in tune with the Bridge family thing with the Crosby, Nash and Neil covers.

Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails came next with the first solo gig of his career. Watching him with a piano and cellos was nothing compared to his powerful, electric set at Coachella 2 years ago. Although this was intense and almost interesting, I was overall kind of bored and wishing that THIS was the time I ran out to the food lines. Oh well. Trent played songs like "The Fragile", "Right Where It Belongs" and the classic "Hurt". This was not the right format for his music.

Foo Fighters came next. Damn, these guys are great. The acoustic format was perfect for them, thanks to their recent completion of an acoustic tour. Dave Grohl has a great voice when he doesn't have to scream, and here he got to show it off while singing one hit after another. This set was a show-stealer and an all-time Bridge highlight. The crowd ate up every second of it as the band played "Everlong", "Marigold", "My Hero", "Big Me", "Skin and Bones", "Times Like These". Excellent, excellent set.

Brian Wilson and his giant band kicked ass too. They brought the party music to the show as Brian took us back in time to the happy California sound he invented. Opening the set with "Heroes and Villains" from SMILE was a great way to start, given the legendary story behind the 30-year SMILE saga that was finally resolved last year. Then, Brian sat on a stool surrounded by his band and performed one great hit after another. "Wouldn't It Be Nice", "Sloop John B", "Row Row Row Your Boat", "God Only Knows", "Do You Wanna Dance", "I Get Around", "Help Me Rhonda", "Good Vibrations" with Neil Young on organ, "Johnny B Goode", "Surfin' USA", and "Fun Fun Fun". Fantastic set.

Pearl Jam played a great set that featured the best musical moment of the night and one of the best Bridge moments of all time. This was when Neil joined them for a killer version of "Throw Your Hatred Down" from their 1995 collaboration MIRROR BALL. Neil and Eddie traded vocals and then Neil and McCready had some ripping guitar duels that gave many the kind of ear-to-ear grins you hope for when watching musicians of this caliber. PJ's set featured "Elderly Woman", "Parachutes", "Throw Your Hatred Down", the traditional drinking song "I Used To Work In Chicago", "Daughter", the Tom Waits tune "Picture In A Frame", "Man Of the Hour", "Better Man" and the very exciting cover, "Crazy Mary". This brilliantly performed rare song took many of us back to the early 90s when Seattle ruled the country. Great set.

Dave Matthews Band was fun. "Loving Wings", "Grace Is Gone", "Warehouse", "Ants Marching" and then a fantastic "Cortez the Killer" with Neil trading vocals and dueling guitars with Dave while Boyd Tinsley did his crazy soloing on the violin. Solid set.

Neil then performed with The Prairie Wind Band, which appeared to be a rag-tag collection of his friends and neighbors. This wasn't so special. If I caught it in a bar on a random night, I would have shit my pants...but on this stage after hours of this level of music, it was just OK. Also keep in mind that it was midnight by the time they took the stage and we had been at the show since early-to-mid afternoon. This band had a honky tonk vibe that performed "Field Of Opportunity", "Homegrown", "After the Garden", "Goin' Back", "Four Strong Winds", "Harvest Moon" - a beautiful version featuring a band member sweeping a well-miked broom across the stage to capture that sweeping sound from the recording, and "Human Highway". The big encore of the night brought all of the day's performers back on stage for a rockin' version of "Rockin' in the Free World".

Overall, another great Bridge Benefit by the most genuine artist out there...who remains a vital creative force after 40 years in the business. Long live Neil Young.

Tobacco Money Buying Our Congress (9/21/06)

2006-09-21T18:00:00.000-07:00

Check it out - here is the 2006 list of the US Senators and Representatives in Congress who are pocketing the most money from Big Tobacco companies. Funny how the same politicians who preach about Jesus, Family Values and Protecting The Country are quietly pocketing thousands of dollars from companies that push the deadly, addictive products that cause the deaths of 450,000 Americans every year. That doesn't sound too consistent with protecting us or loving Jesus and families to me, does it to you?? Every year in America, tobacco kills 150 times the number of people who died on September 11th. But you won't hear about that from assholes like Rick Santorum who pretend to want to make us all safer! Does this piss you off? Let the politicians know! If they represent you, FIRE THEM! YOU HAVE THE POWER TO DO IT!

The top 20 recipients of tobacco contributions in Congress so far in the 2005-2006 election cycle:

Top 10 Senators Contribution Totals
George Allen (R-VA) $34,000
Conrad Burns (R-MT) $29,500
John Ensign (R-NV) $28,500
Rick Santorum (R-PA) $22,000
Ben Nelson (D-NE) $20,500
Orrin Hatch (R-UT) $16,000
Saxby Chambliss (R-GA) $14,000
Richard Burr (R-NC) $13,128
Elizabeth Dole (R-NC) $13,000
Norm Coleman (R-MN) $12,000
Click Here To Contact Your Senator!!

Top 10 Representatives Contribution Totals
Ron Lewis (R-KY) $34,500
Eric Cantor (R-VA) $26,750
Jim McCrery (R-LA) $25,500
Robin Hayes (R-NC) $25,000
Henry Bonilla (R-TX) $22,000
John Boehner (R-OH) $21,000
Edward Whitfield (R-KY) $21,000
Mark Kennedy (R-MN) $19,000
Mike McIntyre (D-NC) $19,000
Allen Boyd (D-FL) $18,000
Click Here To Contact Your Representative in Congress!!

In addition to individual contributions, tobacco PACs have donated more than $1.2 million to non-candidate committees, including leadership PACs affiliated with individual members of Congress.

Name of Leadership PAC / Affiliated Member of Congress Contribution Totals

Freedom Project / John Boehner (R-OH) $41,000

Every Republican is Crucial / Eric Cantor (R-VA) $36,000

Together for our Majority PAC / Tom Reynolds (R-NY) $35,000

New Republican Majority Fund / Trent Lott (R-MS) $30,000

Rely on Your Beliefs Fund / Roy Blunt (R-MO) $27,000

Bluegrass Committee / Mitch McConnell (R-KY) $25,128

Senate Victory Fund PAC / Thad Cochran (R-MS) $25,000

Republican Majority Fund / Saxby Chambliss (R-GA) $24,500

Committee for the Preservation of
Capitalism / Jim McCrery (R-LA) $22,500

Next Century Fund / Richard Burr (R-NC) $22,500

AMERIPAC: The Fund for a Greater
America / Steny Hoyer (D-MD) $22,500

Promoting Republicans You Can
Elect PAC / Deborah Pryce (R-OH) $22,500

"The tobacco companies have been found guilty of a 50 year conspiracy of lies, deception, disease, and death and of continuing to violate the law, but members of Congress are still taking millions of dollars from them and failing to take action to protect kids," said William V. Corr, executive director of the Tobacco-Free Kids Action Fund. "Our leaders should stand up to the tobacco companies, return their contributions and reject future donations from this rogue industry."

"Despite court findings that tobacco companies hurt the public interest by lying about the dangers of smoking and marketing products to children, the cigarette makers through generous campaign contributions have maintained access and influence to Members of Congress who are supposed to be protecting the public good," said Common Cause President Chellie Pingree. "The tobacco industry and its allies continue to buy their way around Capitol Hill at the public's peril."

Chicago's Lollapalooza 2006 (8/7/06)

2006-08-07T11:07:00.000-07:00

Chicago truly shined once again as Lollapalooza returned to the city’s parks for its 2006 incarnation. This time around, the event was a 3-day music festival that doubled in size to include 69 lakefront acres of Grant Park and Hutchinson Field (home to last year’s event and Radiohead in 2001). Last year’s event was attended by 60,000 total paid attendees, raised $400,000 for park improvements and pumped $15 million into the local economy via hotels, restaurants and transportation. This year, ticket sales grossed $8 million with 166,000 total paid attendees and $800,000 was raised for the parks….with significantly more money than last year entering the local economy. Again run by Austin, Texas’ Capital Sports & Entertainment, entrance to the event cost $130 for a 3-day pass. Despite a less-than-incredible overall lineup, this fee was worth every penny thanks to the combination of the beautiful setting, great food, well-behaved crowd, eclectic mix of musical talent and close-to-flawless festival execution by Capital. Sure, there were some little things that could have been better….but Capital deserves a major pat on the back for getting people in to the festival each day with no lines, keeping food and drink lines running between 1 to 10 minutes max, keeping the bands performing on schedule, and having more than enough port-o-potties spread across the fields in easily accessible locations. As for what could be better: It took 15-20 minutes to walk from the first main stage to the second. If the stages really need to be this far apart, why not book music that appeals to different types of people on each main stage? It would be nice to not have to think about missing a band due to the thought of walking for 20 minutes in the heat. Another problem this year: Bass sounds were overwhelming the North main stage the entire weekend. This is the type of issue that needs to be addressed quickly during a festival since it clearly drags down the potential enjoyment of the music. Final complaint: By having 8 stages, it meant that most available real estate needed to be filled with stages...including the food areas. Last year you were able to go to the food areas to get a break from all of the music, relax, eat and talk to friends. This year, you had to digest your pulled pork sandwich while some awful band not worthy of a better stage was screeching into the microphone, forcing you to shout to your friends to tell them how great the festival’s BBQ sauce tasted.

Don't get me wrong - there is very little to complain about from this event. The vibe was great - friendly staff, no in-your-face cops, well-behaved crowd and the usual festival freaks who dressed in clown outfits, court jester get-ups and who-knows-what-else. One day we agreed to count the clowns just for laughs...when we hit 8 clowns in one hour, we stopped because it seemed like there would be too many to count. Some people on-line have been complaining about the amount of corporate sponsorship at the event. First of all, the artists weren't being sponsored (Neil Young's biggest fear)...the event was being sponsored. Sure, every stage and just about every piece of real estate was sponsored by some major company like Bud Light, AT&T and Adidas. It's thanks to those sponsors that this festival was able to be such a success for the fans. I see nothing wrong with that...especially after attending events without sponsorship that had dirty port-o-potties and endless lines for everything.

On Day 1 of the event, our crew (which ranged from 2-10 peeps depending on the time) got to see Ryan Adams, Secret Machines, The Raconteurs, Violent Femmes and Ween. Ryan Adams played a nice set that didn’t include enough of his well-known songs to truly captivate the crowd. People instead looked at him like “what the hell is this” and talked to their friends through most of the set. We, however, were entertained thanks to his set featuring a lot of musical improvisation as well as 3 Grateful Dead covers (“Franklin’s Tower”, “Wharf Rat”, and “He’s Gone”). There was nothing earth-shattering here, but for a sunny summer day in a park with friends surrounded by Chicago’s great skyline, it made for pleasant entertainment. Thanks to that 20 minute walk (see above) and the need to eat some of Chicago’s finest (BBQ pulled pork, beer, BBQ chicken sandwiches, pizza, sausages, Vitamin Water and did I say beer?), we only caught the tail end of Secret Machines. They appeared to be playing a typically interesting, rocking, psychedelic set that would have been fun to catch in its entirety. We then faced some incredibly difficult decision-making…the type of decision-making that should be reserved for the office. We had to choose whether to see My Morning Jacket or The Raconteurs. We chose The Raconteurs. Why? We have seen MMJ in clubs and know we would see them again in clubs. The Raconteurs are a one album band that may never exist again, due to Jack White’s regular gig in the White Stripes...and why make a whole night in a club of just seeing that 1 album? We made a great decision because this set turned out to be a festival highlight. Jack White stole the show with his exciting stage personality, riffing and solos. He rocked out on some great covers, including Gnarls Barkely’s “Crazy” and Nancy Sinatra’s “Bang Bang My Baby Shot Me Down”. Pitchfork has compared this set to a beer commercial. God forbid the indie scene have to listen to songs that aren’t concise ideas like the Velvet Underground catalog. Lighten up, Pitchfork. Have some fun. This set rocked. Period. We caught the Violent Femmes doing their thing next. They played the classics and sounded good. Although this set would have been a blast at Metro in 1986, today it was background entertainment that would have fit in better at Milwaukee’s Summerfest. Next came Ween. I don’t know how to describe Ween other than to throw words around like weird, freak, Zappa and weird. They brought out the smoke machines and light show to enhance their bizarre songs that are stylistically all over the place while featuring solid musicianship. It was a fun set that provided a good closer to the end of the first day.

Day 2 featured the hottest weather of the 3 days as the humidity came on strong and the sun got a chance to shine as the clouds faded away. The first set we caught was Built To Spill. They were on the North main stage, which had such severe sound trouble that it was tough to enjoy the set. The band started things off with some lame songs and weak performances but the material and performances dramatically improved as the set went on. Right when things were getting great, we had to do the 20 minute hike in order to get to Wolfmother on time. We fought our way to a great spot in the massive crowd right as Perry Farrell took the stage to give the band a dramatic introduction. You could definitely feel the buzz surrounding the Wolfmother stage. The crowd wanted to see these guys….as did the large number of press photographers gathered in front of the stage. A young trio from Australia, Wolfmother knows how to rock 1970's style. They may be 100% derivative, but they’re damn fun. Their sound mixes early Zeppelin, Black Sabbath and a handful of generic 70's hard rock bands. Throw in top-notch stage performance schtick, great vocals, drums and a bass player who also plays organ and you’ve got Wolfmother. This set entertained us from start to finish while the crowd ate it up like the polish sausages being served in the food section. Wolfmother was definitely a festival highlight. We were already exhausted as a result of the music, the heat and yet another 20 minute walk to Sonic Youth by the time they took the stage. They played that North main stage with the weak sound so we all sat on the lawn and only half- paid attention to this great band. They played their new album, which sounded good. Then it was time for BBQ pulled pork sandwiches, Vitamin Water and beer. Common took the stage next. This performance was considered a big deal due to the fact that last year’s festival featured no major rappers…and here was Common, a successful hometown rapper playing to an audience much larger than he’s used to. He did a great job combining moments of freestyle rap with his jazzy recordings. His band featured a great jazzy drummer, keyboard player and DJ. His set was a blast that was very well-received. This guy has talent as well as a great sound and vibe. Next came Thievery Corporation. They had a huge band that blended all forms of world music into one giant dancefest. They brought the party and had the whole crowd smiling and wanting more. We all agreed that we would see them live again any time. We then caught a few minutes of Manu Chao, who also performed a danceable set of world music. Then we headed over to the big draw of Kanye West. This was exactly what I expected: pure crap. I don’t care what the critics say but this guy is overrated. He’s a good producer and wrote a masterpiece in “Jesus Walks” but after that I just don’t see it. He drew a large crowd – probably 60,000 people. This, by the way, was probably the whitest hip-hop crowd in the history of hip-hop concerts. You would think Common and Kanye would bring at least some diversity to the festival audience! Where was the diversity?? Jazz Fest in New Orleans has such a great blend of people attending the event. Why not this Chicago event? Was there not enough hip-hop to justify the ticket price to the black community? Has the Lollapalooza name only been marketed to the white concert-going crowd all these years? It would be nice to see some diversity next time around. Anyway, back to how Kanye is overrated. The Chicago Tribune interviewed several teenagers who loved his set, so maybe that’s the level of sophistication his music is intended for. Whatever the case, after giving it at least 30 minutes, we unanimously thought it sucked…so we headed out. We walked across the street from the park to a giant hotel. We gathered in their bar with a view of Michigan Avenue, ordered drinks and stuffed our faces with food until we began drifting into comas. That’s when we all went to Wicker Park and literally crashed for 12 hours.

As soon as we woke up, it was time to head back for more! We headed out to the streets of Wicker Park with the goal of finding some Pop Tarts before jumping in a taxi to Grant Park. After all, it would be a bit rough to kick off the day with BBQ pulled pork sandwiches for breakfast. We entered a local corner store where the employee was too busy watching sports on his small black & white television to acknowledge our existence while his buddy was standing outside laughing with a shiny, silver colored garbage can-top balancing on his head. He was cracking himself up, so this overall scene made for a trippy, amusing way to start the day. We ultimately got to the festival and kicked things off with Nickel Creek. They were a perfect morning band…wholesome, happy bluegrass with the Chicago skyline behind them. Band leader Chris Thiele is a future rock star. He led the band through a great set that included covers of Radiohead’s “Nice Dream” and Britney Spears’ “Toxic”. “Toxic” was a blast and went over incredibly well. Thiele took a huge political risk by stepping into sensitive Chicago territory when he said that he liked the Cubs better than the White Sox. If it weren't for the heat or the lack of beer being consumed at that early hour, his comments might have launched a Woodstock 99-like tirade in the crowd...but that fortunately didn't happen.

I concluded during this set that musicians like Chris Thiele and Jack White are such a rare breed. It’s good to know that there are still young artists coming up who are truly mastering their craft, doing their homework to learn the roots of the music and at the same time keeping everything current and fresh. There is something ageless about artists like these. Think about Neil Young, Bob Dylan and Kurt Cobain. I’m not saying White and Thiele are or will be on the same level of artistry as those 3. But those 3 artists all had wisdom way beyond their years as youngsters and, although we’ll never know how Cobain would have progressed, the other 2 maintained their youth and creativity throughout their aging process. It’s as if they were never young…and were never old….they just always channeled something magical. I think White and Thiele share those traits….and look forward to seeing what comes from them down the road. Throw Jeff Tweedy in there too...but I'll save my praise for him until the next paragraph.

After Nickel Creek, we did the 20-minute trek to see Matisyahu. Although this was entertaining, early-afternoon festival fare, I think the whole Hassidic reggae thing lacks depth. The bearded Phish fan has a great band but he lacks the artistic depth to match their sound. The crowd seemed to like it but I think that’s due to his Flavor Of the Month status. We’ll see where he goes, but I wasn’t impressed. Poi Dog Pondering came next. I unfortunately didn’t get to see them in their prime, 10-12 years ago. I used to hear great things about Poi Dog…but this set was not impressive or entertaining. Next up was my favorite band, Wilco. It was a trip for me to be standing behind a crowd of thousands to see an artist I used to see in the 100-person capacity Lounge Ax back in 1991. Jeff Tweedy is the only artist whose career I have followed since the beginning. It’s been a thrill to watch him grow and watch the crowd slowly grow with him. Tweedy is finally starting to get the respect he deserves. He is the Neil Young/Tom Petty of my generation and I intend to remain a fan indefinitely. I expect that one day he’ll have his breakthrough record with the mainstream world, a la Bonnie Raitt in the late-80's…when he’ll be heralded as Best New Artist after having been around forever. Sporting a beard that rivaled Matisyahu’s and an I-just-rolled-out-of-bed-and-bought-my-outfit-at-the-local thrift-shop look, Tweedy led his band of top musicians through a solid one hour set of songs both familiar and new. He was in perfect voice - as if he finally stayed away from cigarettes for an extended period. Wilco opened with “Shot In the Arm” and the entire crowd sang along with every word. The set featured crowd pleasers like "Heavy Metal Drummer", "Via Chicago" and "I Am Trying To Break Your Heart" as well as 4 new songs. A horn section sat in for a few tunes, including some of the new material. Tweedy was hilarious as always when he joked about the giant zit on his forehead and complained that he can only imagine how big it must look on the Jumbotron videoscreen. Tweedy also joked after getting the crowd to sing along with one of his songs that as the band gets bigger, he's trying to get better at the whole crowd participation thing, despite the awkwardness of it all. After Wilco came more BBQ pulled pork sandwiches, Vitamin Water and beer. Then the entire festival crowd gathered at the South main stage for the official festival headliner: Red Hot Chili Peppers. There was an endless sea of people (estimated at 75,000) as the RHCP played a kickass set of funky, jammy rock. 43-year-old bass player Flea let his freak flag fly as he jumped around the stage wearing a psychedelic unitard that looked like one, giant body tattoo. Flea's bass and Frusciante's guitar combined to create a feel that was at times reminiscent of the Grateful Dead shows that had become a summertime Chicago staple in the 90's at the nearby Soldier Field. The happy crowd of all ages danced and sang along as the RHCP served as the perfect end to a great music festival weekend. Their story of going from cult band status to heroin death, explosion of success, key band member leaving to do heroin, downhill slide, key band member returns better than ever, band surpasses their previous level of success and then gets cocky enough to release a double CD...all led to this triumphant moment at Lollapalooza 2006. They headlined Lollapalooza II in 1992, rode out many crazy years in the music business, got discovered by new generations...and in the post-dot com, post-cell phone, post iTunes, George W. Bush era, here they were, sounding at the top of their game, playing to a massive crowd of people in the heart of Chicago after a rousing introduction by their peer, Perry Farrell. The RHCP did their job and left everyone happy and wanting more.

As the festival wound to a close, I found myself exiting the grounds next to one of the event's most colorful clowns, a banana. I'm not used to walking next to bananas, so I couldn't resist striking up a conversation. I asked the banana if it was hot being a banana at Lollapalooza, given that it was close to 90 degrees and humid for the 3 days of the event. The banana, who was a bearded hippie and looked something like the lead singer of the Spin Doctors, told me, "man, you wouldn't believe how hot it was!" I asked him if lots of people wanted to take his picture. "I probably posed for 1,000 pictures today. It was great." I then asked the question I was most curious about. "What inspired you to be a banana for Lollapalooza this season?" He said, "When I woke up the other morning I just felt like I should dress up...and it seemed like being a banana would be perfect. I mean, my friend was going to be a hot dog, so I thought I should be a banana." I liked his logic. I laughed while exiting the park and thought, "I'm ready for Lollapalooza 2007."

Crosby Stills Nash & Young Triumph Again (8/1/06)

2006-08-01T16:20:00.000-07:00

On Monday night, July 31st, Crosby Stills Nash and Young rocked the Hollywood Bowl with powerful new material and an incredible catalog of politically-fueled classics that made for a must-see rock concert. Between American politics coming full circle since the early 70's and Neil Young's new "Living With War" album speaking out against the current corrupt administration, this show felt like an important political statement for the year 2006... not a reunion tour trying to re-live the early 70's. Don't miss this show when it passes through your city. The epic, 3-hour-plus event features the opportunity to see the premiere elder statesmen of political rock with something important to say...and they say it with passion and rage. Each song in the setlist proves the strength of their songwriting, playing and singing. Although this is their 3rd reunion tour since 1974, it is by far the most relevant. The 1999 reunion tour was fun b/c they were finally playing together. The 2002 tour felt like a nostalgia act that had run its course. This tour is The Tour. This is the exact concert I had waited my whole life to see from this collection of musicians. I actually never thought I'd get the chance see them so fired up on stage together. With the theme of the night being Fuck Bush, How Sad That We're As Fucked Now As We Were During the Vietnam-Watergate Era, and You Can Make A Difference If You Stand Up And Speak Out, these 4 talents have delivered the tour of their careers.

Neil Young's latest CD, the powerful LIVING WITH WAR, is the heart of this show. To have such a strong, relevant political statement to tour behind has proven to be the perfect vehicle to rejuvinate this band. Just as Neil lifted CSN to a higher level, they did the same for him. He looked as psyched to be singing their songs and sharing a stage with friends that date back 40 years as they looked to have his energy and presence on their stage. Honestly, if CSNY were in their 20s rather than their 60s, this tour wouldn't only be the most talked about tour on the road, it would be headline news. An excellent video production aided the band in getting their powerful message across as news footage from the past few years drove the point home that it's time for a big change in this country. One can easily conclude that any show that opens with a song from Neil's LIVING WITH WAR and closes with "Rockin In the Free World" is one loud, powerful statement...and it was. Shortly before "Rockin", the show built its way up to Neil's new "Let's Impeach the President". This was a fantastic moment as the band and crowd sang their hearts out. Rather than show the band members on the videoscreens, nothing but lyrics were posted so that everyone could sing along....and sing along they did. Between all of this were classics like "Millitary Madness", "Find the Cost of Freedom", "Ohio", "Chicago", "Immigration Man", "Almost Cut My Hair", "For What It's Worth", "Southbound Train" and "What Are Their Names". The powerful, yet current feeling of these songs stands as a testament to the incredible strength of the CSNY songwriting catalog. Other rock stars have had 30 years to rival this collection of honest, topical, melodic material...and no one has. Equally powerful were the non-political songs like "Only Love Can Break Your Heart", "Carry Me", "Our House", "Deja Vu", "Teach Your Children", "Guinnevere", "Southern Cross", "Helplessly Hoping" and new-ish songs like Stills' bluesy "Old Man Trouble" and Nash's "Milky Way Tonight".

The performances were perfect throughout the night. The show followed the typical CSNY format: a set of rock followed by a set of acoustic music that breaks the 4-some into duos and trios and then another set of rock. David Crosby and Graham Nash are still the best rock harmony singers of all time. Both are still in perfect voice. Neil is still Neil...one of a kind. Stephen Stills couldn't look or sound any worse. In fact, the band has compensated by limiting his vocals so that the songs don't get butchered: Crosby and Nash handled most of the vocal duties for "Wooden Ships" while Neil Young provided the 100% dead-on perfect harmony parts for "Our House" that Stills originally provided on the recording. Stills did rip on guitar and he sounded great on his keyboard-driven, bluesy "Old Man Trouble" - his deep, gravelly voice is now a perfect fit for that kind of material...but it's a real stretch for him to handle CSNY material. He should be a lesson to singers everywhere not to abuse their sinuses, throat or lungs. Augmented by musicians mostly from Neil's camp, the band featured a great pedal steel player, organ player, trumpet player (for Neil's new album) and a great drummer.

I was seated behind music legend Rick Rubin, who was bobbing his head and dancing all night long. A few seats away were Bill and Luke Walton as well as Billy Crystal. Everyone was enjoying this show. The whole night, I couldn't help but thinking that I was finally witnessing The Triumphant Moment. A band that was leaders of their generation and had it all....and then blew it...was finally back on top of their game and relevant once again. The sad part is the reality of the political circumstances that led them back to where they belong. If this tour ends up being the closing chapter of the CSNY saga, they couldn't have done it in a more fitting way.

Setlist:
1. FLAGS OF FREEDOM
2. CARRY ON
3. WOODEN SHIPS
4. LONG TIME GONE
5. MILITARY MADNESS
6. AFTER THE GARDEN
7. LIVING WITH WAR
8. RESTLESS CONSUMER
9. SHOCK AND AWE
10. WOUNDED WORLD
11. ALMOST CUT MY HAIR
12. IMMIGRATION MAN
13. FAMILIES
14. DEJA VU

Set 2

15. HELPLESSLY HOPING
16. OUR HOUSE
17. ONLY LOVE CAN BREAK YOUR HEART
18. GUINIVERE
19. MILKY WAY TONIGHT
20. TREETOP FLYER
21. ROGER AND OUT
22. SOUTHBOUND TRAIN
23. OLD MAN TROUBLE
24. CARRY ME
25. TEACH YOUR CHILDREN
26. SOUTHERN CROSS
27. FIND THE COST OF FREEDOM

[With the band off stage, Neil's legendary giant mike is brought out and roadies tie a giant yellow ribbon around it as Hendrix's "Star Spangled Banner" plays over the P.A.]

28. LET’S IMPEACH THE PRESIDENT
29. FOR WHAT IT’S WORTH
30. CHICAGO
31. OHIO
32. WHAT ARE THEIR NAMES

Encore
33. ROCKIN' IN THE FREE WORLD

Howard Stern Reads My Words (1/27/06)

2006-01-27T18:00:00.000-08:00

Below are my words, read on-the-air by Howard Stern this morning at 9:25...followed by the backstory:

"Here’s where Jann Wenner is REALLY a hypocrite: He has Rolling Stone publish obituary after obituary for people from the music world dying of lung cancer while he fills his magazine with cigarette ads! If he’s so sad about the deaths of these music industry people, why is he pushing the thing that killed them on his readers?

George Harrison and Warren Zevon are only 2 of many lesser known names who have been memorialized….plus as Eddie Van Halen lost half his tongue and John Cougar Mellencamp had his heart attack, Jann has continued to push smokes on his readers. If he really cared about the music community, the same community that made him rich, he would stop whoring out his magazine.

As for FOJ, I always laugh with my friends about the reviews RS gives to any project Mick Jagger is affiliated with. It seems as if every Stones album is the next Exile On Main Street…the next masterpiece. What's up with that?!"
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As a Howard Stern fan of 17 years and a Rolling Stone subscriber for 21 years, today was a big day for me. First, I should mention that this Monday marked 4 years since my mother's death from lung cancer (despite her not smoking past the age of 35). It still feels like fresh news...so attending an evening minyan service on Monday to read the Kaddish was a pretty depressing way to start the week. There were some funny aspects to the service, but nothing like 2004 (see Update 20: Two Years Ago Today). I mention my mom both because her death inspired my tiff with Jann Wenner and because it was great to end the week on a high note in her memory.

About a year ago I wrote Jann Wenner a letter. I explained that he is one of my lifelong heroes, that I'm a RS subscriber of 2 decades and that the inspiration from his magazine led me to a decade of fun in the music business. (In fact, I almost started my music career with a RS summer internship during college that was on the verge of being locked up when I was told that I was being bumped at the last minute because Bono's niece wanted the job and Jann was too close with Bono to not give the internship to her...so I wound up at SPIN.) In my letter to Jann I questioned why, now that we know what we know about cigarettes and their addictive nature, he continues to publish so many tobacco ads. Now that we're seeing the rock stars of the 60s and 70s drop dead from cigarettes, it's very clear what the long term use of that legal product does (and it's every bit as ugly as the illegal heroin that has killed so many glorified rock stars). So now that we know how truly dangerous it is, why would he push that product on his readers and the music scene? Sure, it looked cool for rockers to always be smoking. Sure, it's always been rebellious...and rock and roll is a rebellious art form. But now we know from seeing firsthand what we didn't really know throughout the previous decades of RS issues. I also pointed out to Jann that for a magazine that has historically exposed the hypocrisy in government and politicians, it sure seemed odd that he could pull such a blatantly hypocritical move on his readers and the music scene. Well, Jann never wrote me back. For the past year, I wanted to find a way to be sure my message got through to Jann. The second I heard Howard Stern ranting on Sirius this week over Jann's hypocrisy, I had to act. Howard was pissed because Jann gives Friends of Jann (FOJ) like Mick Jagger and Yoko Ono glowing reviews regardless of the quality of their work, yet treats Howard like a friend to his face but just allowed a negative article to be published about his first week on Sirius. I decided to email Howard the main points of my letter to Jann and see if by any chance he agreed with my argument. To my surprise and excitement, the next day Howard read my email on the air word for word with conviction! Thanks Howard! Now if we could just get Jann to respond the way the CEO and President of MTV responded to my Live 8 rant....

Holiday CD 2005 > 2006

2005-12-14T12:00:00.000-08:00

* Buy the whole CD or download select songs from iTunes.
** Definitely buy the whole CD.

Volume 4 / Disc 1 – Holiday CD 2005/2006

1) Paul Pena – “Gonna Move” from NEW TRAIN (1973 / 2000)
Paul Pena was a blind, San Fran-based blues artist from Mass who played in the 70s bands of BB King and Bonnie Raitt, and opened for Zappa, Jerry Garcia and the Grateful Dead. His 2nd album, New Train, is a classic. Supposed to be released in 1973, it got hung up in legal issues until 2000. Paul made a living off the royalties from his song “Jet Airliner”, which became a 1977 hit thanks to the Steve Miller Band. In 1999, Paul starred in a documentary on Tuvan throat singing called “Genghis Blues”. He died this October. **

2) Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings – “How Long Do I Have To Wait” from NATURALLY (2005)
Like James Brown, Sharon is from Augusta, GA. After honing her chops in church, she moved to Brooklyn as a teenager in the 70s and became a session singer for gospel, soul, disco and blues. In the 80s, she had to work as a corrections officer at Rykers Island Jail. In 1996 she hooked up with a label in NY that led to her singing for others and by 2002, a solo career.

3) Ben Lee – “Catch My Disease” from AWAKE IS THE NEW SLEEP (2005)
From Sydney, Australia, Ben Lee first became known at the start of his teens when leading the band Noise Addict. Thanks to Thurston Moore of Sonic Youth, Beastie Boy Mike D released their music in the US on the Beastie’s then-new label. By age 18, Ben went solo. I caught his live show that year and predicted big things. 8 years later it’s just his second hit but we’ll see more…

4) Josh Rouse – “Winter In the Hamptons” from NASHVILLE (2005)
Josh is one of my favorite artists. He is touring in January so do NOT miss him – excellent live show with a top-notch band. Josh is from Nebraska but lived in many places before settling in Nashville for years. Written and recorded before getting divorced and moving to Valencia, Spain, this CD is a goodbye to Nashville and his wife. **

5) Willie Nelson w/Toots Hibbert – “I’m A Worried Man” from COUNTRYMAN (2005)
Still going strong at 70, Willie just released an all reggae CD. Here he duets with Toots again on a Johnny Cash classic.

6) The White Stripes – “The Denial Twist” from GET BEHIND ME SATAN (2005)
The White Stripes are back, still the real deal and continuing to grow. I think this CD is overrated but there are some solid tunes. *

7) Beck – “Girl” from GUERO (2005)
Beck’s depression is gone after marrying Giovanni Ribisi’s twin sister. Back are the fun tunes and the Dust Brothers as producers. *

8) The Killers – “All These Things That I’ve Done” from HOT FUSS (2004)
This band from Vegas writes great British-influenced 80s pop-rock songs. Their Live 8 performance of this tune sold me. *

9) The Arcade Fire – “Rebellion (Lies)” from FUNERAL (2004)
From Montreal, Canada and loved by legends like Davids Byrne and Bowie, this experimental band has a great CD and live show. The title “Funeral” comes from the handful of tragedies that struck the band’s families during the recording process. **

10) Ben Folds – “Landed” from SONGS FOR SILVERMAN (2005)
From N. Carolina and on the edge of 40, Ben Folds Five’s leader is still writing great songs and piano parts. Amazing live show. *

11) Chris Pierce – “Are You Beautiful” from STATIC TRAMPOLINE (2005)
From Los Angeles and with a degree in jazz studies from USC, Chris has been playing around LA since he was a little kid. This catchy tune was featured in the film “Crash” and comes from his debut CD, released by Jimmy Buffett’s label.

12) Common – “Be” from BE (2005)
Lonnie Rashied Lynn from the South Side of Chicago has been around since the early 90s as Common Sense and then Common, sticking with his intelligent jazz-rap despite the popularity of gangsta. “Be” was produced by now-superstar Kanye West. *

13) Bright Eyes w/Emmylou Harris– “We Are Nowhere and It’s Now” from I’M WIDE AWAKE IT’S MORNING (2005)
Definitely one of my favorite artists. Connor Oberst, a/k/a Bright Eyes, is a great lyricist from Omaha with his heart in the right place. The real deal and only 25, I think he’ll be around forever. This CD is definitely worth buying as is a ticket to each of his concerts. Each of his songs take on a new sound, so don’t think each song or CD sounds like this one. **

14) M. Ward – “Radio Campaign” from TRANSISTOR RADIO (2005)
My favorite CD of 2005. I saw Matt “M.” Ward open for Bright Eyes at the end of 04. He was great. His tunes range from folk and bluegrass to blues and trippy rock. They’re short, catchy, melodic and produced like they’re coming from a random basement from yesterday, tomorrow or 100 years ago. He’s 30, from Portland, Oregon and 4 CDs into what I expect to be a long career. **

15) Neil Diamond– “We” from 12 SONGS (2005)
The Jewish Elvis returns. Like Johnny Cash, 64 year-old Neil turned to music guru Rick Rubin to make a raw, schmaltz-free album and bring some hip to his career. Smart move. I expect this tune will be showing up in countless wedding montage videos. *

16) Fiona Apple – “Extraordinary Machine” from EXTRAORDINARY MACHINE (2005)
Back from a 6 year hiatus and several public meltdowns, 28 year-old Fiona first recorded this CD with local hero Jon Brion. She scrapped all but 2 songs (including this) despite a leak via the internet, and brought in Dr. Dre’s guy, Mike Elizondo, to produce.

17) Van Morrison – “Stranded” from MAGIC TIME (2005)
Ireland’s own Van the Man just turned 60 and is still cranking out beautiful tunes.

18) Neil Young – “When God Made Me” from PRAIRIE WIND (2005)
Lennon and Jerry G may be gone, but this rock god keeps going strong at 60. While jamming at the Hall of Fame ceremony this year, Neil’s vision went blurry. He learned he had an aneurysm and needed brain surgery. Between getting the bad news and having the surgery, Neil went to Nashville to make a new CD. This tune presents some great questions for those who use religion to divide us. *

19) Sia – “Breathe Me” from COLOUR THE SMALL ONE (2004)
Sia, from Adelaide, Australia, is the female singer in Zero 7. This song was featured in the closing minutes of the “Six Feet Under” series finale during a montage that showed us what happened to all of the characters over the next 80 years.

20) Sigur Ros – “Hoppipolla” from TAKK… (2005)
The trippy band from Iceland returns with a great new CD. This time they’re actually singing in their native language, rather than the made up gibberish of past CDs (not that we would know the difference). Their live show is definitely worth checking out. *

Volume 4 / Disc 2 – Holiday CD 2005/2006

1) Rolling Stones– “Rough Justice” from BIGGER BANG (2005)
This year the Stones released their best album since 1981’s TATTOO YOU. Apparently it took the fear of losing drummer Charlie Watts to cancer to get Mick and Keith to finally collaborate like old times and create a CD worth discussing. *

2) Oasis – “Lyla” from DON’T BELIEVE THE TRUTH (2005)
Manchester, England’s Gallagher brothers, a bit older and humbler, return with yet another catchy rock tune.

3) My Morning Jacket – “What A Wonderful Man” from Z (2005)
This will be one of the most talked about CDs of the next year. 26 year-old Jim James of Kentucky has found a new sound and finally composed some great songs that will really put him on the map. With a great live show to match, this is a band to keep an eye on. **

4) The Dead 60s – “Riot Radio (2005)” from THE DEAD 60s (2005)
This band from Liverpool clearly wears their love for the Clash on their sleeves. This was often on the radio during my drive to work.

5) Nine Inch Nails - “The Hand That Feeds” from WITH TEETH (2005)
After a 6-year drug and depression-induced hiatus, Trent Reznor returns at age 40 with a great CD featuring the amazing drumming of Nirvana drummer/Foo Fighters leader Dave Grohl. Amazing live show, filled with the energy and passion of the Nirvana era. *

6) Foo Fighters - “No Way Back” from IN YOUR HONOR (2005)
This is one of those great, rocking tunes that makes you want to leap off your desk while playing air guitar. Dave Grohl & Friends are back with another solid batch of songs. Would have been a great single CD but they stretched it to a double (1 acoustic, 1 electric). *

7) Doves – “Black and White Town” from SOME CITIES (2005)
This trio from Manchester, England makes solid, catchy British pop-rock.

8) Robert Plant - “Tin Pan Valley” from MIGHTY REARRANGER (2005)
Never shy to exploring new territory, Led Zeppelin’s front man begins this tune as light electronica and then half way through rocks it like Zeppelin at its wildest. His voice may not soar like it used to, but he’s still got it.

9) Audioslave - “Doesn’t Remind Me” from OUT OF EXILE (2005)
If this track sounds like a mix of Soundgarden and Rage Against the Machine, it’s because you’re hearing the singer from the former with the musicians from the latter. On their second album, I think they finally found their own sound on this great track.

10) Coldplay - “Talk” from X&Y (2005)
You had to be living in a spider hole to avoid this band in 2005 as their success reached around the globe. Despite some undeniably great songs, I’m still not sold on this U2-Radiohead-Dave Matthews hybrid of a band. *

11) Mars Volta - “The Widow” from FRANCES THE MUTE (2005)
With a great singer, great musicianship, and an amazing live show featuring great stage presence and serious rock, Mars Volta has all the elements of a rock legend except the songs. They claim they don’t want to write conventional songs but I claim that’s a cop-out. If they can get over their Cobain-like fear of being stars and write more songs like this, there will be no stopping them.

TRACKS 12-20 ARE DEDICATED TO THE VICTIMS OF KATRINA AND THE PEOPLE WHOSE LIVES HAVE BEEN AFFECTED THE STORM

12) Pink Floyd – “Wish You Were Here” (live) from LIVE 8 in 2005
When pigs fly….that’s when people thought Roger Waters would return to his old bandmates. Finally, after 22 years, one of the best bands in rock history (the band that invented the flying pig) reunited this summer for a great 4-song reunion that brought chills to viewers around the world. Roger dedicates this song to its original subject, former band leader/acid casualty Syd Barrett.

13) Randy Newman – “Louisana 1927” from SONGBOOK VOL. 1 (2003)
Mr. “I Love L.A.” was born in that city 62 years ago but spent much of his childhood in New Orleans. He wrote this song about a previous flood, released it in 1974 and released this version in 2003 in a collection of bare bones versions of his best songs. Covered by Aaron Neville, this tune practically became the Katrina theme song. New Orleans is one of the most vibrant towns and best music cities in America. May the city be reborn….and may the political awakening caused by the storm bring good to the country.

14) John Mayer Trio – “Gravity” (live) from MTV/VH1 KATRINA BENFIT in 2005
Tired of the pop charts, John formed a blues trio with major session players Pino Palladino and Steve Jordan. Good move. After watching the Katrina benefit, I couldn’t get this Steve Ray Vaughn and Jimi Hendrix-like tune out of my head for days.

15) BB King w/Mark Knopfler – “All Over Again” from 80 (2005)
Blues god BB King is still rocking and sounding great at 80. Incredible. Joined here by Dire Straits leader Mark Knopfler on guitar.

16) Wilco – “One By One” from KICKING TELEVISION (LIVE IN CHICAGO) (2005)
On top of my list since 1991, Jeff Tweedy finally has the ultimate live line-up. This song features Woody Guthrie’s lyrics. **

17) The Refugee All Stars – “Living Like A Refugee” from LIVING LIKE A REFUGEE (2005)
The guy who ultimately filled my gig with the Rolling Stones Ticket Queen recently completed a powerful documentary film called The Refugee All Stars about a group of civil war refugees in Africa who formed a band to keep their sanity. Financed by the Ticket Queen, Paul McCartney, Keith Richards and Steve Bing, this WILL make news in 2006-2007. www.refugeeallstars.org **

18) Paul McCartney – “Too Much Rain” from CHAOS AND CREATION IN THE BACKYARD (2005)
Radiohead producer Nigel Godrich helped Sir Paul create his best CD since 1989’s FLOWERS IN THE DIRT. *

19) The Meters – “Mardi Gras Mambo” from FIRE ON THE BAYOU (1975)
Key to the heart and soul of New Orleans is the Neville family…so here they are. Before the Neville Brothers came The Meters, which featured Art & Cyril Neville. The Meters opened for the Stones on tour after releasing this album. 2 years later they broke up.

20) USA For Africa – “We Are the World” from WE ARE THE WORLD (1985)
It’s still so simultaneously beautiful and ridiculous. Due to the MJ trial, Live 8, the state of the world and 20 years flying by, I’m including this piece of the 80s. In order of appearance: Lionel Richie, Stevie Wonder, Paul Simon, Kenny Rogers, James Ingram (“Somewhere Out There”), Tina Turner, Billy Joel, Michael Jackson, Diana Ross, Dionne Warwick, Willie Nelson, Al Jarreau (“Moonlighting” theme), Bruce Springsteen, Kenny Loggins, Steve Perry (Journey), Daryl Hall (Hall & Oates), MJ, Huey Lewis, Cyndi Lauper, Kim Carnes (“Betty Davis Eyes”), Chorus, Bob Dylan, Ray Charles, Stevie & Springsteen, Chorus, Ingram & Ray.

Tracks I wanted to include (and recommend) but did not have room for:

Spoon - "I Turn My Camera On" from GIMME FICTION
The Redwalls - "Thank You" from DE NOVA
Habib Koite & Bamada - "Wassiye" (live) from FOLY! LIVE AROUND THE WORLD
Jackie Greene - "Honey I Been Thinking About You" from SWEET SOMEWHERE BOUND
Breakestra - "Family Rap" from HIT THE FLOOR
John Legend - "Ordinary People" from GET LIFTED
Sufjan Stevens - "Chicago" from ILLINOIS
Rob Thomas - "Lonely No More" from SOMETHING TO BE
Stereophonics - "Dakota" from LANGUAGE. SEX. VIOLENCE. OTHER?
Supergrass - "Tales of Endurance (Parts 4, 5 & 6) from ROAD TO ROUEN
Ash - "Meltdown" from MELTDOWN
Louis XIV - "Finding Out True Love Is Blind" from THE BEST LITTLE SECRETS ARE KEPT
Mia Doi Todd - "The Last Night Of Winter" from MANZANITA
Queens of the Stone Age - "Little Sister" from LULLABIES TO PARALYZE
The Raveonettes - "Love In A Trashcan" from PRETTY IN BLACK

ZaZa Lazar - An Exclusive Interview With Rock's Most Famous Canine Roadie (11/16/05)

2005-11-16T22:20:00.000-08:00

How many dogs can claim to have met Bob Dylan, Paul McCartney, U2, the Rolling Stones, Bruce Springsteen and about a dozen other music legends? For French Bulldog ZaZa Lazar, it's just part of her rock `n' roll jet-setter lifestyle. Thanks to my mid-90s stint working for the Rolling Stones, I was recently granted special access to ZaZa to learn more about her adventures. Our conversation led to the following piece, which recently appeared in the Fall 2005 Edition of the Chicagoland Tails Pet Magazine.

Tails: It sounds like you're living a pretty exciting life!
ZaZa: I'm a very lucky Bulldog. I have a great mom.

Tails: Who is your mom?
ZaZa: My mom is Shelley Lazar, VIP ticket director to the stars. She's been in the concert busines since Woodstock and I don't mean that Woodstock on MTV with the explosions. I mean the Woodstock.

Tails: May I ask how old you are now?
ZaZa: I'm 26 months old, but people say I don't look a day over 6 months.

Tails: What's a typical day like for you?
ZaZa: When we're at home in San Francisco, a normal day is to wake up, do some stretching, take a morning piddle and a poop,
head to the office, do lots of ball throwing and catching, play with my squeaky toys, and hang out for an hour with Jab (my walker). Afterwards, we head back to the office for some rest, then head home for an evening romp in the park and to watch some "Law and Order" and "CSI".

Tails: What about when you're on the road?
ZaZa: If it's a travel day, I stay in my fancy carry-on bag with the Tiffany & Co. luggage tag attached. I always travel by plane. I don't do the bus thing. I only stay at first-class hotels and definitely enjoy those accommodations. I especially love the down comforters and soft pillows. On a show day, I head over to the empty arena for sound check. I always like sound check because it's like having my own private concert without people spilling beer on my head.

Tails: Do you hang out backstage?
ZaZa: Sure. After sound check, I go backstage.

Tails: What's that like?
ZaZa: It's great fun. Backstage you get to meet movie stars like Jack Nicholson and you get to be fed by the backstage caterer. I can't say no to broiled chicken and a good piece of filet mignon!

Tails: We've all heard crazy rock `n' roll stories before, but have you ever had to do anything questionable to get backstage?
ZaZa: I thought we agreed not to discuss that.

Tails: The people want to know, ZaZa.
ZaZa: Well, I have actually been known to offer "favors" in order to get backstage. That's all I'm going to say.

Tails: Does a lot of partying go on backstage?
ZaZa: I can't tell you too much because no one would let me back there if I start gossiping. But I am clean and sober. I have always been and always will be. Well, I do have the occasional sip of wine, but that's it.

Tails: Anything else you'd like to divulge?
ZaZa: Again, I don't like to talk about such things. I abide by my signed, licked, and delivered confidentiality agreements. I'm always willing to pose for the many paparazzi who seem to follow me around, but I can only tell so much to reporters.

Tails: Do you have any rock `n' roll doggy friends?
ZaZa: My best friend is my cousin, Ruby Tuesday. Ruby is a Maltese whose mom is Jane Rose, the manager of Keith Richards from the Rolling Stones.

Tails: I'll bet that dog can party!
ZaZa: Ha, you reporters don't give up. Ruby is a cool cat. We love listening to music together.

Tails: Do you have a favorite song?
ZaZa: It depends on my mood. When I want to rock out, I listen to the Stones, and Bruce Springsteen's "Born To Run" really gets me going. When I'm in a mellow mood, James Taylor's "You've Got A Friend" calms my soul.

Tails: What about "Who Let The Dogs Out?"
ZaZa: Ugh, that's so cliche. If I feel like dancing, I listen to Donna Summers' "Hot Stuff".

Tails: Do you have any special talents?
ZaZa: I'm very talented. I've learned a lot from Mick Jagger, like how to strut. I also have perfected my tongue-hanging Gene Simmons impression. And I do a little acting, too - for instance, to get extra attention, I pretend I'm Bono. You know, lots of attitude.

Tails: Have you influenced the set lists at my shows?
ZaZa: Well, Frenchies like me are known for being quite flatulent. Some people on the road have suggested that Dylan has played "Blowin in the Wind" in my honor.

Tails: What do you think of Snoop Dogg?
ZaZa: I have some issues with him. Mainly because he's not a real dog. I really think it's time for him to be honest with everyone and just admit it.

Tails: What about Trimph the Insult Comic Dog? Have you ever met him?
ZaZa: I'm sure his breath stinks from all those cigars he smokes.

Tails: What exciting things do you have coming up?
ZaZa: I have a tour with the Stones and another with Paul McCartney. Love to chat more...but my limo's waiting.

Chicago's Katrina Benefit / The Redwalls by Jerry Marcus (10/11/05)

2005-10-11T14:45:00.000-07:00

This special Katrina Benefit coverage comes to us from Chicago's very own Jerry Marcus:

Caught the Katrina Benefit tonight at the Metro, Chicago's home of indie rock. It was clear from the get go that (i) I was a full driver's license (16 years) older than all of the kids in the first four rows, and (ii) the whole night revolved around, and was leading up to, The Redwalls.

The Redwalls were nothing short of off-the-hook. Think Bowie, Dylan, Lennon and T.Rex all wrapped together, mixed up with a bunch of kids from Deerfield, Illinois, one of whom had perfectly teased out hair and a killer (fake?) British accent. Some may even say these kids, dressed cooler than Beck at his best, are the very poppy nephew of the band into which it took Wilco ten years to evolve.

However you slice it, they're on fire. They took the stage and shredded "Robinson Crusoe" with perfectly staged Beatlesque harmonies and drum fills reminiscent of Keith Moon. The three front-men of the four piece band were absolutely fluid, switching between lead and rhythm and bass guitars as well as lead vocals. The most frustrating part of the night was trying to determine which of the three had the sickest vocals - and whether or not I liked the Dylan look alike with the big hair and British accent or the starry-eyed fresh faced kid in the middle as my favorite front man. These are kids that are tight as fuck on guitar, shred their vocals, and melted the insides of every girl tonight at the Metro. They even came out for the Katrina Benefit encore and busted "This Land Is Your Land" -- and it actually worked.

Granted, they're no match to the depth of a band like the White Stripes. The Redwalls are pop-candy, and they got it down cold. It's clear Capitol Records hooked them up with the best stylist, a seasoned production team to maximize all the hooks and guitar riffs on their album, and staged all their harmonies on shared microphones at either end of the stage.

If you haven't yet heard them, download their album De Novo and listen to tracks 2, 3, 8 & 10. I'd do it now if I were you. Clear your schedule and empty your CD player -- this is gonna take you on a 2 week binge.

-Jerry Marcus

luberblogging since '05

The LuberBlog - Let's Blog It Out, Bitch!

Ten Years Ago : Jerry Garcia 1942-1995

2005-08-09T16:20:00.000-07:00

JERRY GARCIA

August 1, 1942 - August 9, 1995

Thanks again, Jerry! We miss you...

Grateful Dead lyricist Robert Hunter's 1995 eulogy to Jerry Garcia as read at Jerry's funeral:
Jerry, my friend,
you've done it again,
even in your silence
the familiar pressure
comes to bear, demanding
I pull words from the air
with only this morning
and part of the afternoon
to compose an ode worthy
of one so particular
about every turn of phrase,
demanding it hit home
in a thousand ways
before making it his own,
and this I can't do alone.
Now that the singer is gone,
where shall I go for the song?

Without your melody and taste
to lend an attitude of grace
a lyric is an orphan thing,
a hive with neither honey's taste
nor power to truly sting.

What choice have I but to dare and
call your muse who thought to rest
out of the thin blue air
that out of the field of shared time,
a line or two might chance to shine --

As ever when we called,
in hope if not in words,
the muse descends.

How should she desert us now?
Scars of battle on her brow,
bedraggled feathers on her wings,
and yet she sings, she sings!

May she bear thee to thy rest,
the ancient bower of flowers
beyond the solitude of days,
the tyranny of hours--
the wreath of shining laurel lie
upon your shaggy head
bestowing power to play the lyre
to legions of the dead

If some part of that music
is heard in deepest dream,
or on some breeze of Summer
a snatch of golden theme,
we'll know you live inside us
with love that never parts
our good old Jack O'Diamonds
become the King of Hearts.

I feel your silent laughter
at sentiments so bold
that dare to step across the line
to tell what must be told,
so I'll just say I love you,
which I never said before
and let it go at that old friend
the rest you may ignore.

One Year Later, in August 1996, Robert Hunter published this email to Jerry:
Dear JG,

it's been a year since you shuffled off the mortal coil and a lot has happened. It might surprise you to know you made every front page in the world. The press is still having fun, mostly over lawsuits challenging your somewhat ...umm... patchwork Last Will and Testament. Annabelle didn't get the EC horror comic collection, which I think would piss you off as much as anything. Nor could Dough Irwin accept the legacy of the guitars he built for you because the tax-assessment on them, icon-enriched as they are, is more than he can afford short of selling them off. The upside of the craziness is: your image is selling briskly enough that your estate should manage something to keep various wolves from various familial doors, even after the lawyers are paid. How it's to be divided will probably fall in the hands of the judge. An expert on celebrity wills said in the news that yours was a blueprint on how not to make a will.

The band decided to call it quits. I think it's a move that had to be made. You weren't exactly a sideman. But nothing's for certain. Some need at least the pretense of retirement after all these years. Can they sustain it? We'll see.

I'm writing this from England, by the way. Much clarity of perspective to be had from stepping out of the scene for a couple of months. What isn't so clear is my own role, but it's really no more problematic than it has been for the last decade. As long as I get words on paper and can lead myself to believe it's not bullshit, I'm roughly content. I'm not exactly Mr. Business.

I decided to get a personal archive together to stick on that stagnating computer site we had. Really started pouring the mustard on. I'm writing, for crying out loud, my diary on it! Besides running my ego full tilt (what's new?) I'm trying to give folks some skinny on what's going down. I don't mean I'm busting the usual suspects left and right, but am giving a somewhat less than cautious overview and soapboxing more than a little. They appointed me webmaster, and I hope they don't regret it.

There are those in the entourage who quietly believe we're washed up without you. Even should time and circumstance prove it to be so, we need to believe otherwise long enough to get some self sustaining operations going, or we'll never know for sure. It's matter of self respect. Maybe it's a long shot, but this whole fucking trip was a longshot from the start, so what else is new?

Your funeral service was one hell of a scene. Maureen and I took Barbara and Sara in and sat with them. MG waited over at our place. Manasha and Keelan were also absent. None by choice. Everybody from the band said some words and Steve, especially, did you proud, speaking with great love and candor. Annabelle got up and said you were a genius, a great guy, a wonderful friend, and a shitty father - which shocked part of the contingent and amused the rest. After awhile the minister said that that was enough talking, but I called out, from the back of the church, "Wait, I've got something!" and charged up the aisle and read this piece I wrote for you, my voice and hands shaking like a leaf. Man, it was weird looking over and seeing you dead!

A slew of books have come out about you and more to follow. Perspective is lacking. It's way too soon. You'd be amazed at the number of people with whom you've had a nodding acquaintance who are suddenly experts on your psychology and motivations. Your music still speaks louder than all the BS: who you were, not the messes you got yourself into. Only a very great star is afforded that much inspection and that much forgiveness.

There was so much confusion on who should be allowed to attend the scattering of your ashes that they sat around for four months. It was way too weird for this cowboy who was neither invited nor desirous of going. I said good-bye with my poem at the funeral service. It was cathartic and I didn't need an anti-climax.

A surreal sidelight: Weir went to India and scattered a handful of your ashes in the Ganges as a token of your worldwide stature. He took a lot of flak from the fans for it, which must have hurt. A bunch of them decided to scapegoat him, presumably needing someplace to misdirect their anger over the loss of you. In retrospect, I think Weir was hardest hit of the old crowd by your death. I take these things in my stride, though I admit to a rough patch here and there. But Bob took it right on the chin. Shock was written all over his face for a long time, for any with eyes to see.

Some of the guys have got bands together and are doing a tour. The fans complain it's not the same without you, and of course it isn't, but a reasonable number show up and have a pretty good time. The insane crush of the latter day GD shows is gone and that's all for the best. From the show I saw, and reports on the rest, the crowd is discovering that the sense of community is still present, matured through mutual grief over losing you. This will evolve in more joyous directions over time, but no one's looking to fill your shoes. No one has the presumption.

Been remembering some of the key talks we had in the old days, trying to suss what kind of a tiger we were riding, where it was going, and how to direct it, if possible. Driving to the city once, you admitted you didn't have a clue what to do beyond composing and playing the best you could. I agreed - put the weight on the music, stay out of politics, and everything else should follow. I trusted your musical sense and you were good enough to trust my words. Trust was the whole enchilada, looking back.

Walking down Madrone Canyon in Larkspur in 1969, you said some pretty mindblowing stuff, how we were creating a universe and I was responsible for the verbal half of it. I said maybe, but it was your way with music and a guitar that was pulling it off. You said "That's for now. This is your time in the shadow, but it won't always be that way. I'm not going to live a long time, it's not in the cards. Then it'll be your turn." I may be alive and kicking, but no pencil pusher is going to inherit the stratosphere that so gladly opened to you. Recalling your statement, though, often helped keep me oriented as my own star murked below the horizon while you streaked across the sky of our generation like a goddamned comet!

Though my will to achieve great things is moderated by seeing what comes of them, I've assigned myself the task of trying to honor the original vision. I'm not answerable to anybody but my conscience, which, if less than spotless, doesn't keep me awake at night. Maybe it's best, personally speaking, that the power to make contracts and deal the remains of what was built through the decades rests in other hands. I wave the flag and rock the boat from time to time, since I believe much depends on it, but will accept the outcome with equanimity.

Just thought it should be said that I no longer hold your years of self inflicted decline against you. I did for awhile, felt ripped off, but have come to understand that you were troubled and compromised by your position in the public eye far beyond anyone's powers to deal with. Star shit. Who can you really trust? Is it you or your image they love? No one can understand those dilemmas in depth except those who have no choice but to live them. You whistled up the whirlwind and it blew you away. Your substance of choice made you more malleable to forces you would have brushed off with a characteristic sneer in earlier days. Well, you know it to be so. Let those who pick your bones note that it was not always so.

So here I am, writing a letter to a dead man, because it's hard to find a context to say things like this other than to imagine I have your ear, which of course I don't. Only to say that what you were is more startlingly apparent in your absence than ever it was in the last decade. I remember sitting in the waiting room of the hospital through the days of your first coma. Not being related, I wasn't allowed into the intensive care unit to see you until you came to and requested to see me. And there you were - more open and vulnerable than I'd ever seen you. You grasped my hand and began telling me your visions, the crazy densely packed phantasmagoria way beyond any acid trip, the demons and mechanical monsters that taunted and derided, telling you endless bad jokes and making horrible puns of everything - and then you asked, point blank, "Have I gone insane?" I said "No, you've been very sick. You've been in a coma for days, right at death's door. They're only hallucinations, they'll go away. You survived." "Thanks," you said. "I needed to hear that."

Your biographers aren't pleased that I don't talk to them, but how am I to say stuff like this to an interviewer with an agenda? I sometimes report things that occur to me about you in my journal, as the moment releases it, in my own way, in my own time, and they can take what they want of that.

Obviously, faith in the underlying vision which spawned the Grateful Dead might be hard to muster for those who weren't part of the all night rap sessions circa 1960-61 ... sessions that picked up the next morning at Kepler's bookstore then headed over to the Stanford cellar or St. Mike's to continue over coffee and guitars. There were no hippies in those days and the beats had bellied up. There was only us vs. 50's consciousness. There no jobs to be had if we wanted them. Just folk music and tremendous dreams. Yeah, we dreamed our way here. I trust it. So did you. Not so long ago we wrote a song about all that, and you sang it like a prayer. The Days Between. Last song we ever wrote.

Context is lost, even now. The sixties were a long time ago and getting longer. A cartoon version of our times satisfies public perception. Our continuity is misunderstood as some sort of strange persistence of an outmoded style. Beads, bell bottoms and peace signs. But no amount of pop cynicism can erase the suspicion, in the minds of the present generation, that something was going on once that was better than what's going on now. And I sense that they're digging for "what it is" and only need the proper catalyst to find it for themselves. Your guitar is like a compass needle pointing the strange way there. I'm wandering far afield from the intention of this letter, a year's report, but this year wasn't made up only of events following your death in some roughly chronological manner. It reached down to the roots of everything, shook the earth off, and inspected them. The only constant is the fact that you remain silent. Various dances are done around that fact.

Don't misconstrue me, I don't waste much time in grief. Insofar as you were able, you were an exponent of a dream in the continual act of being defined into a reality. You had a massive personality and talent to present it to the world. That dream is the crux of the matter, and somehow concerns beauty, consciousness and community. We were, and are, worthy insofar as we serve it. When that dream is dead, there'll be time enough for true and endless grief.

John Kahn died in May, same day Leary did. Linda called 911 and they came over and searched the house, found a tiny bit of coke and carted her off to jail in shock. If the devil himself isn't active in this world, there's sure something every bit as mean: institutional righteousness without an iota of fellow feeling. But, as I figure, that's the very reason the dream is so important - it's whatever is the diametric opposite of that. Human kindness.

Trust me that I don't walk around saying "this was what Jerry would have wanted" to drive my points home. What you wanted is a secret known but to yourself. You said 'yes' to what sounded like a good idea at the time, 'no' to what sounded like a bad one. I see more of what leadership is about, in the absence of it. It's an instinct for good ideas. An aversion to bad ones. Compromise on indifferent ones. Power is another matter. Power is not leadership but coercion. People follow leaders because they want to.

I know you were often sick and tired of the conflicting demands made on you by contentious forces you invited into your life and couldn't as easily dismiss. You once said to me, in 1960, "just say yes to everybody and do what you damn well want." Maybe, but when every 'yes' becomes an IOU payable in full, who's coffer is big enough to pay up? "Fuck 'em if they can't take a joke!" would be a characteristic reply. Unfortunately, you're not around to explain what was a joke and what wasn't. It all boils down to signed pieces of paper with no punch lines appended.

I know what I'm saying in this letter can be taken a hundred ways. As always, I just say what occurs to me to say and can't say what doesn't. Could I write a book about you? No. Didn't know you well enough. Let those who knew you even less write them. You were canny enough to keep your own self to yourself and let your fingers do the talking. Speaking of 'personal matters' was never your shtick.

Our friendship was testy. I challenged you rather more than you liked, having a caustic tongue. In later years you preferred the company of those capable of keeping it light and non-judgmental. I think it must always be that way with prominent and powerfully gifted persons. I don't say that, for the most part, your inner circle weren't good and true. They'd have laid down their lives for you. I'd have had to think about it. I mean, a star is a star is a star. There's no reality check. If the truth were known, you were too well loved for your own good, but that smacks of psychologizing and I drop the subject forthwith

All our songs are acquiring new meanings. I don't deny writing with an eye to the future at times, but our mutual folk, blues and country background gave us a mutual liking for songs that dealt with sorrow and the dark issues of life. Neither of us gave a fuck for candy coated shit, psychedelic or otherwise. I never even thought of us as a "pop band." You had to say to me one day, after I'd handed over the Eagle Mall suite, "Look, Hunter - we're a goddamn dance band, for Christ's sake! At least write something with a beat!" Okay. I handed over Truckin' next. How was I to know? I thought we were silver and gold; something new on this Earth. But the next time I tried to slip you the heavy stuff, you actually went for it. Seems like you'd had the vision of the music about the same time I had the vision of the words, independently. Terrapin. Shame about the record, but the concert piece, the first night it was played, took me about as close as I ever expect to get to feeling certain we were doing what we were put here to do. One of my few regrets is that you never wanted to finish it, though you approved of the final version I eked out many years later. You said, apologetically, "I love it, but I'll never get the time to do it justice." I realized that was true. Time was the one thing you never had in the last decade and a half. Supporting the Grateful Dead plus your own trip took all there was of that. The rest was crashing time. Besides, as you once said, "I'd rather toss cards in a hat than compose." But man, when you finally got down on it, you sure knew how.

The pressure of making regular records was a creative spur for a long time, but poor sales put the economic weight on live concerts where new material wasn't really required, so my role in the group waned. A difficult time for me, being at my absolute peak and all. I had to go on the road myself to make a living. It was go od for me. I developed a sense of self direction that didn't depend on the Dead at all. This served well for the songs w e were still to write together. You sure weren't interested in flooding the market. You knew one decent song was worth a dozen cob bled together pieces of shit, saved only by arrangement. I guess we have a few of those too, but the percentage is respect ably low. Pop songs come and go, blossom and wither, but we scored a piece of Americana, my friend. Sooner or later, they'll notice what we did doesn't die the way we do. I've always believed that and so did you. Once in awhile we'd even call each other "Mister" and exchange congratulations. Other people are starting to record those songs now, and they stand on their own.

For some reason it seems worthwhile to maintain the Grateful Dead structures: Rex, the website, GDP, the deadhead office, the studio ... even with the band out of commission. I don't know if this is some sort of denial that the game is finished, or if the intuitive impulse is a sound one. I feel it's better to have it than not, just in case, because once it's gone there's no bringing it back. The forces will disperse and settle elsewhere. A business that can't support itself is, of course, no business at all, just a locus of dissension, so the reality factor will rule. Diminished as we are without you, there is still some of the quick, bright spirit around. I mean, you wouldn't have thrown in your lot with a bunch of belly floppers, would you?

Let me see - is there anything I've missed? Plenty, but this seems like a pretty fat report. You've been gone a year now and the boat is still afloat. Can we make it another year? What forms will it assume? It's all kind of exciting. They say a thousand years are only a twinkle in God's eye. Is that so?

Missing you in a longtime way.

rh

Chicago's Lollapalooza 2005 (7/26/05)

2005-07-25T21:10:00.000-07:00

I knew I was in for a good weekend when I got in the car to drive into Chicago from the suburbs and the Grateful Dead's "St. Stephen" came on the radio. Given that this song is never on the radio, I figured a unique experience was right around the corner. I picked up my friend Bill and we took the L to the Michigan Avenue area. We arrived at Chicago's Buckingham Fountain and were greeted by a young volunteer. "Welcome to Lollapalooza 2005," he said. After hosting Radiohead for an outdoor, concert-in-the-park test run on 8/1/01 (see "Chicago + Radiohead Do Good"), this weekend the city of Chicago finally followed up with the first big event at Hutchinson Field, the city's new lakeside park: Lollapalooza 2005.

Hosted by Lollapalooza founder Perry Farrell of Jane's Addiction, the event was a definite success. Approximately 65,000 people attended the 2-day concert. Modeled after Southern California's Coachella and Austin's Austin City Limits Festival, this 2-day event presented 60 international touring bands and over 10 local restaurants. Performers ranged from Liz Phair and The Killers to the Pixies and Widespread Panic. Light on hip-hop and electronica, this festival featured mostly alt rock and jam-oriented music. Weezer, Arcade Fire, G-Love, Drive-By Truckers, Spoon, Ben Kweller, Digable Planets, Death Cab For Cutie and Primus all performed to enthusiastic crowds despite the high humidity and 100 plus degree weather. Sandwiched between Buckingham Fountain and Chicago's museums, the lakeside event featured 4 stages in opposite corners of the park. Each hour, bands would perform on the 2 stages diagonal from each other, surrounded by Chicago's beautiful skyline. Just outside this field was the food area, where Chicago's restaurants had booths serving BBQ ribs, pizza, cheeseburgers, ice cream and even some healthy items for the California types.

As we walked around, Bill and I passed a man around 50 years old dressed in full millitary garb (hat, boots and all) with a Hitler-like moustache that could possibly have been glued on above his lip. The moustache curlie-q'd out into a few twists like that of a character in one of those movies based on a comic book. He held the American flag in one hand while the other appeared poised to draw a weapon out of his pocket. Written in thick, black permanent marker on his back was "Psalms 16:30" or some number like that. With eyes that appeared to be possessed or simply under the influence of a special treat from a Widespread Panic fan, he was casually pacing around the food area. When we passed him, we noticed that he wore a name tag that stated "My Name is Popeye". Bill and I looked at each other and simultaneously said, "Did you just see that?" We weren't sure whether Popeye was a Vietnam veteran or had just gotten off tour with The Village People. There was no way we could walk past him without learning exactly what he was doing at Lollapalooza. I had to ask. I figured he was going to try to sell me Jesus, war, peace, America or some combination of the 4. Either way, I was prepared for an interesting answer....however, not quite as interesting as the answer I got. We approached Popeye. "Hi, Popeye. What's going on? You're all suited up today". With a very serious look on his face, he gazed deep into my eyes. I prepared myself for today's bible lesson. "Paintball is very dangerous," Popeye stated. It took me a second to absorb these words of wisdom. They weren't QUITE what I was expecting. I was recently invited to a bachelor party where everyone played paintball, but I couldn't attend that day so I didn't really learn how dangerous paintball truly is. I hear it can leave welts, but I didn't realize the serious danger. I wanted to hear more. "Yes, Popeye, very true," I said. He continued, "Kids today are NOT being taught how to use these military weapons. They're just SENT out there and they start shooting. They don't even give these kids cups to protect themselves! It's VERY dangerous." Shocked that I was actually having this conversation with a man named Popeye in military garb holding a U.S. flag while Spoon was blasting in the background, I had to hide my uncontrollable laughter behind a fake asthmatic cough. "Interesting point, Popeye." Agitated, not by me but by the topic of paintball, Popeye angrily stated, "We need LAWS. We need LAWS to protect the children from paintball." He then walked away. Stunned, I too walked away....and quickly forgot about the bizarre paintball incident as I purchased a great pulled pork sandwich from one of the local Chicago restaurant vendors.

Popeye wasn't the only character who made me realize that Pfizer and Merck can be good for America. When introducing the Pixies, rock star Perry Farrell gave a great, heartfelt speech about how we can all do our bit to save the world from global warming. Given that it was 100 degrees with humidity to match, it made sense to hear his speech. He said multiple times that if we all use our cell phones to text message the special number, we can send a message to Washington that we need to change our policies. We all pulled out our cell phones, ready to be told the special number. He then said, "And now - here they are - the Pixies!!" Out came the Pixies...and they launched into one of their classics. However, Perry never gave us the special number! What a crackhead! I was psyched as hell to see the Pixies but couldn't stop laughing at the fact that I was holding my cell phone, ready to text message some imaginary, magical number! Ah, the beauty of lost brain cells....Perry Farrell played right into the hands of South Park, The Simpsons and Bill O'Reilly. It was truly hilarious.

Anyway, Chicago and concert organizers Capital Sports & Entertainment of Austin did a great job with this event. The lineup overall was just OK, but it was real good considering that they pulled it all together at the last minute. Given that the event was a success and raised over $400,000 for Chicago's Park District and brought in $8 million in tourism, I'm guessing they'll do it again. With more advanced notice, they can hopefully pull in headliners like that of Coachella and Austin City Limits. The bands I caught did a good job. Even Billy Idol was fun. He brought the MTV Spring Break vibe out of the crowd as everyone jumped around to his hits while asking the people next to them, "isn't he like 50 or something?" The Killers did a solid job as the new Duran Duran; Cake and Primus brought their quirky versions of jam-oriented tunes to the Windy City, with Les Claypool surrounded by two gigantic rubber duckies; Perry Farrell's new band was a less convincing Jane's Addiction-lite; Liz Phair was somewhat entertaining with her increasingly schlocky rock songs; Drive-By Truckers busted out straightforward southern rock with a Jay Farrar vibe; Weezer turned the entire park into a frat party as every idiot there (including me) belted out the lyrics to The Sweater Song; Arcade Fire drew a huge crowd and totally won everyone over by the end of their set as the crowd was clapping along to the band's unique tunes with their hands raised above their heads; the Pixies rocked as always and Widespread Panic brought the jamband vibe to the event with their southern brand of hippie rock. Despite the fact that Widespread Panic isn't a headliner like Radiohead, Jane's Addiction or Nine Inch Nails, they definitely were able to attract the cute hippie chicks to the festival on Day 2 when they performed. It was a big difference from Day 1, which featured more 200 pound girls than I ever care to see in one place again. I don't think I had seen a crowd like that since I was a kid wearing an I'm With Stupid t-shirt waiting in line for cotton candy at Six Flags' Great America. The sweltering heat brought back memories of Coachella 2004 and flashbacks to every Gatorade commercial I'd ever seen on TV. I always wanted to be like Mike, but never this bad. Despite sweating like a pig, eating like John Belushi and learning lessons about paintball, I walked away with nothing but good memories of Chicago's Lollapalooza 2005. Here's to 2006......

Letter To MTV re Live 8 (7/7/05)

2005-07-06T21:57:00.000-07:00

This letter was emailed to the CEO and President of MTV. The CEO responded within an hour with a very kind response apologizing for my disappointment and strongly admitting the blown opportunity. Out of respect for him, I will not be posting his response.

Dear Tom and Van,

As an MTV viewer for the past 21 years and as a person whose life was changed by MTV’s coverage of Live Aid, I feel compelled to let you both know how disappointed I am with your coverage of Live 8 this weekend. It was insulting to both the artists and the viewers. MTV missed a huge opportunity to inspire a new generation.

MTV’s coverage of Live Aid literally changed my life. As a teen glued to MTV for over 12 hours, I learned about Led Zeppelin, The Who, Eric Clapton, David Bowie and more. I learned what political activism was all about and became a politically active person. I also learned who Bill Graham was and wrote him a letter after the event thanking him for the inspiration. His assistant wrote me back and I wound up pursuing a career in the music business that led me to working at Bill Graham Presents and on the Rolling Stones Voodoo Lounge Tour. It's sad to think that instead of kids 20 years my junior having THEIR lives changed by MTV’s Live 8 coverage, they'll instead forget the event as quickly as their latest super sized extreme grape Slurpee. The next would-have-been music historian, the next Jann Wenner, the next Peace Corps leader and the next Mother Theresa likely switched off his or her TV to use Play Station, watch AOL or just missed the message of the event due to scrolling through the endless b.s. via Tivo.

Maybe there’s a good explanation for the way you broadcast Live 8. If so, millions of us would love to hear it. According to the NY Post, required commercial time, the last minute scheduling of artists and an 8 hour time limit were the excuses. I don’t see how those are excuses. There were plenty of commercials during Live Aid, but they were aired BETWEEN ACTS! This time, major artists were regularly interrupted mid-song to either cut to an endless parade of commercials or, even worse, mindless banter from your roster of pretty-faced, empty-headed VJs who have spent too much time selecting their clothes to have ever learned a thing about music! I’ve never missed Martha Quinn so much! Seriously, your coverage showed close to no complete sets by the artists who performed. Of the songs that were shown, most were cut short. Even “Comfortably Numb” was interrupted by useless banter right before one of the best guitar solos of all time. That’s sacrilegious! Last minute scheduling of artists is typical of many music events – a qualified producer and director should have been able to pull this off. I’m sure a pro like Joel Gallen could have nailed it. Were your directors and producers fresh grads from Full Sail? They should never work again! It was literally dizzying to watch the on-screen shot jump from the VJs to a few seconds of an act to another country to endless commercials - and that’s NOT because I’m over 30. Thank god for Tivo! Even with that it was painful. I can’t imagine you got any viewers to sit through all of those commercials once they realized that there was practically no music coverage! And for the record – Sway, Rachel and Amir saying “oh my god – this is so historic” is NOT MUSIC COVERAGE!!! As for the 8 hour limit, why not divide up what was shown on each of your channels? MTV and Vh1 could have shown different coverage (Dido on one, Linkin Park on another, Floyd on both). For those of us not on medication for ADD, M2 and Vh1 Classic could have shown unedited music coverage. Come on guys, synergy! Synergy!

Despite this rant, I generally applaud you guys at MTV. Unlike many of my 30-something peers, I like that we can always count on MTV to be the fresh face of today’s pop culture. Although I think it’s wrong that MTV staples like The Real World have devolved from a show about different kinds of young adults living together to a show about how fast a group of pretty, empty-headed, fake-breasted and bench-pressed alcoholic chain-smokers can hook up with each other in the hot tub, I still have to hand it to you guys for programs like The Osbournes and Punk’d. You have proven time and again your ability to not only reinvent your brand but to continue to hold on to the youth audience of today. That is a major accomplishment...and since you are smart enough to achieve that, I would have thought you would be smart enough to make Live 8 the incredible pop culture/educational TV moment that Live Aid was 20 years ago.

Disappointed but still rooting for you and hoping the rumor of a "re-do" is true,
Luber

Chicago Smoking Ban (6/28/05)

2005-07-01T13:55:00.000-07:00

AS PRINTED IN THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE ON 7/1/05

CHICAGO ALDERMEN ACT TO BAN SMOKING

I'm a Chicagoan living in Los Angeles. When smoking was first banned in restaurants and bars here, smokers freaked out and restaurant and bar owners feared that their businesses would be ruined. For the seven years since the ban, the same size crowds have continued to flock to the bars and restaurants. The ban did not hurt the economy. Colleen McShane of the Illinois Restaurant Association stated in the article that Jack's in Skokie has been hurt by Skokie's smoking ban ("Aldermen act to ban smoking," News, June 30). A piecemeal ban, suburb by suburb, can hurt business due to the ease at which a smoker can travel to the next suburb where smoking is still allowed. A giant city ban or entire statewide ban, however, essentially leaves smokers with the option of staying home or smoking outside. Human nature and statistics show that smokers will not choose to stay home.
Luber

My Michael Jackson Experience (6/13/05)

2005-06-13T22:07:00.000-07:00

Well, today Michael Jackson was set free to do what he does best....which is WHAT exactly? I was a huge fan as a kid...and the Victory Tour promoting both the Jackson 5 reunion album of the same name and Michael's album "Thriller" was one of my first concerts. It was also one of my most memorable, due to the huge spectacle at Comiskey Park. I'll never forget seeing tons of green lasers shooting into the sky as Michael sang "Human Nature". The thousands of teenage girls from the inner city surrounding me were screaming, crying and literally fainting. There was no bigger star than Michael Jackson at that time. But since the 90s started, it has been one sad, downward spiral.

A few years back, I got my own, personal up-close look at Michael and his family. In 1997, the year the Jackson 5 were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, I volunteered to work at the Induction Ceremony at a nice hotel in Cleveland, Ohio. Working on the artist relations team, it was my job during the afternoon to grab artists from their hotel rooms and bring them down to the ballroom for a soundcheck. Then, that night, during the dinner-ceremony, it was my job to take the artists from their dining tables and bring them backstage in time for their induction. The show had a tight schedule to keep things moving along for the live audience that packed the ballroom and to flow smoothly for the VH1 taping. I was assigned to deal with Crosby Stills and Nash, P-Funk, the Bee Gees and the son of Bill Monroe. This involved running through a crowd that included Brian Wilson, Tom Petty, Shawn Colvin, Diana Ross, Prince, James Taylor and Emmylou Harris.

During the day when one of my artists was soundchecking for the evening performance, an uptight publicist-type with an ultra-anal personality approached me due to the laminate pass I was wearing around my neck. He asked me, "Do you work here?" I said, "Yes". He said, "I'm hoping you can help me because we have a HUGE problem here." I knew right away that I couldn't help this guy because he had nothing to do with my artists and I knew the question would therefore be off my turf and over my head. I was thinking I should say, "Wow, I really should refer you to someone else." However, a part of me wanted to be helpful and the other part of me was really curious to see where this would go. After all, what could be such a HUGE problem at a music awards event that wasn't being televised live? "So what is this HUGE problem," I asked. "Well I represent the Jackson family. And as you know, the Jackson 5 are being inducted tonight." Did he think I was stupid? "Yes, I'm aware of that," I said. "Well we REALLY need to rearrange the tables," he explained. Picture a giant hotel ballroom with round tables like you would find at a wedding. On one end of the room is a giant stage for the event and then the rest of the room is filled with round tables of 10. "What's wrong with the tables," I asked. "Well the Jacksons are sitting at that table there near the middle of the room. And The Artist (that was Prince's name in those days), who is ONLY PRESENTING an award, not GETTING one, is sitting at a table much closer to the stage." I glanced at the tables this dude was talking about - they were so close to each other that I couldn't believe he was serious. This was like two junior high girls at a Bar Mitzvah fighting over who gets to sit closer to the Bar Mitzvah boy. If this was a concert, it would be like Prince had 3rd row seats where he'd have to crick his neck up, and the Jacksons had 8th row seats in the center. Not only was this "HUGE problem" ridiculous, but it then dawned on me that I was now stuck in the middle of a fight between the Jackson 5 and Prince!! If you had told me in high school (when those 2 camps made up 50% of the music I was listening to) that I would one day be dealing with this situation, I would have shit in my pants. This was just too entertaining. I had to come up with a solution....and fast. I instantly concluded that these people were so full of shit that I had to give a response that was EQUALLY full of shit. I reached deep inside and pulled out a gem. "Oh - please understand - we purposely arranged the seats this way for the comfort of the Jackson family." "How so," he asked. "Well, you know how the paparazzi are always hounding Michael. We wanted to be sure that he had as much space from the photographers and press as possible. So we decided that rather than putting him so close to the stage where Prince is sitting, that we would put him in the middle of the ballroom where he would be surrounded by too many tables for the photographers to hound him. We felt this would be MUCH more comfortable for the entire Jackson family - and as inductees this evening, we wanted to put their comfort TOP on our list." Holding back laughter, I'm thinking, "Is this goof gonna buy what I just dished out?" He thinks for a second, and then extends his hand to mine and says, "Thank you. Michael thanks you and the entire Jackson family thanks you. Will you please explain this to Jermaine and Tito?" What what WHAT!?!? My eyes almost popped out of my head! He wants ME to explain this bullshit to Jermaine and Tito!? Two of the artists who played a big role in one of my favorite teenage concerts? Two members of the Jackson 5?!?! I gulped down some stress and said, "Sure - absolutely."

Within 2 seconds, Jermaine and Tito Jackson were in my face, waiting for my explanation. As I was giving my rap to Jermaine and Tito, all I could hear in my head was the old joke from the Jackson's 1980s Pepsi commercial that lit Michael's hair on fire. "Tito - Tito - I need a tissue! Tito - I need a tissue!" I was trying my hardest to block this out and not crack up as I shared my seating chart explanation with the Jackson family. Jermaine and Tito were as nice as could be, each shook my hand and thanked me profusely. Talk about Victory! Later, during the event itself, Michael wound up not leaving his hotel room. In fact, we couldn't get him to come down for his induction. Diana Ross was ready to go and so were the Jacksons...but Michael was upstairs. We were told it was a security issue. Security issue?! We were in a secure, nice hotel filled with lots of other major rock stars! Production staff were cracking jokes into our walkie talkie headsets, saying that Michael was probably having sex in his room with Bubbles the Chimp. Anyway, Michael finally came down through some random side entrance and was inducted with his brothers. He didn't want to perform, so they were the only present inductees who didn't.

I had to run to the bathroom before the next act. To get to the bathroom, I had to walk past the Jackson family as they took their official Hall of Fame photo. I was literally standing next to the photographer, 5 feet from the Jackson 5. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. Here were 4 good looking black men in tuxedoes standing with a guy in a sailor suit who had the whitest skin on the planet! I have NEVER seen someone so white. I stood there stunned, just absorbing the bizarre scene. Michael did NOT fit in to this picture! And it wasn't just the contrast of the sailor suit with the tuxes! Michael seriously looked like part reconstructed burn victim and part mannequin...It was one of the oddest things I've ever seen in my life. This experience only ADDED to many in a night that stands out as one of my most memorable. THAT is my Michael Jackson Experience.

[If you like Michael Jackson stories, then be sure to check out the Michael Jackson chapter in Howard Stern's book, MISS AMERICA. His story towers above this one - I have never laughed as hard as the time I read that chapter on an airplane.]

These Things Happen To Me (5/25/05)

2005-05-30T20:55:00.000-07:00

Craziest thing just happened. So I go to dinner w/my friend Rick Garcia, who I hadn't seen since he sat right behind me by coincidence at the Bob Dylan concert about 2 months ago. Since that show, I had been wanting to tell him a funny story that happened at the Dylan show. That night, as I was walking into the show w/my friend Clark, Clark was telling me how he is finally going to decorate the house he bought 2 years ago. He doesn't know how so he's hiring an interior decorator....and it turns out she gave him a reference - Rage Against the Machine co-leader and guitarist, Tom Morello. Clark was saying "how am I supposed to reach a rock star like Tom Morello on the phone to talk about his decorator?" So we walk into the Dylan show and after the opening act we go to grab a beer. As we're walking to the bar, I see someone who looks familiar. "Hey Clark, isn't that Tom Morello?" Holy shit! It is - so Clark goes up to him and starts talking about the decorator! Only in LA! Jump forward to tonight at a tiny tiny Mexican restaurant. I'm eating with Rick and I'm telling him this exact story. I'm kind of loud b/c I'm into my story telling, but I figure no one cares b/c everyone looked far removed from the music scene and the English language. But I notice the guy at the table next to me keeps looking at me each time I say Tom Morello. The guy looks like a scruffy young, part Mexican Adam Sandler with long hair and looks kind of familar but I figure he is either bored since he's alone or is a Rage Against the Machine fan and wants to hear what I'm saying. Anyway, we move on to the next topic, which was our thoughts on the latest Mars Volta record. We discuss Mars Volta for a few minutes and then Rick leans in and whispers to me "do you realize who is sitting next to us?" Holy shit - Zack de la Rocha!! He must have thought I was purposely telling the story about his x-partner in crime to get his attention! Out of control! Only in LA! Then it gets crazier - in walks Cedric, the lead singer of Mars Volta! He's there to have dinner with Zack! There they were, 2 of the best front men in rock from the past decade and they're sitting 5 feet from us talking about skateboarding. One's a millionaire and the other is well off....and both are serious talents who look like they crawled out of some high school skateboard club. CLASSIC night. People always joke that these things only happen to 2 people: me and Rick. Rick and I don't normally hang out, but tonight proved that our combined powers can produce multiple rock stars. Crazy stuff.

The Music Conclave (4/6/05)

2005-04-06T19:42:00.000-07:00

As the world mourns Pope John Paul II and the Catholic Church approaches the process of selecting a new Pope, word has been spreading through the music community of rock star Neil Young's brain aneurysm. This near-tragedy has pointed out to the music world that they too should have a plan in place for the loss of their leaders. "Selection of the Pope by conclave dates all the way back to 1271, " says one music executive, who requested anonymity. "It's now 2005 and we don't even have a plan?!" This widespread concern led to bicoastal meetings today to determine whether a plan was ever put in place. Just hours after discovering the potential of the internet for music marketing, the music executives learned that a Music Conclave Plan does exist. It turns out that years after inventing the term “rock and roll” in 1952, music radio DJ Alan Freed drafted a plan by which the successors to the music elite could be named. Thanks to extensive nationwide searches today, that plan was just discovered by prosecutors in the Michael Jackson trial. The plan was stuck to a page of the porn magazine Finally Legal, found in Jackson’s home and entered into evidence in Jackson’s child molestation trial. It is unknown how the conclave plan wound up in the self-proclaimed King of Pop’s possession, but the judge released the plan to the music executives.

Before his passing away in 1965, Freed specifically stated in the Music Conclave Plan that Bob Dylan is the first artist for whom a conclave must be held. Despite his good health and creative rebirth in the past 8 years, rock and folk legend Bob Dylan is now 63 years old. Should Bob Dylan pass, the music elite will need to name a new Dylan. Although music critics have granted the title of The New Dylan to over 1,200 singer-songwriters since 1964, there can be no official New Dylan until the passing of Bob Dylan and the official naming via conclave. Bob Dylan has served as Bob Dylan since 1959, when he began performing in the Minnesota folk circuit and changed his name from Robert Zimmerman. Zimmerman followed a long standing music tradition by selecting his own name. Before him, names had been selected like Little Richard and Buddy Holly. Zimmerman selected the name Dylan after combining the inspiration of Welsh poet Dylan Thomas with the sound of his own middle name, Allen.

The conclave must begin no fewer than 15 and no more than 20 days after Dylan's death. Any singer-songwriter in good standing may be elected. It is not necessary to be a folk singer or guitar player to ascend to the position of the new Dylan. To begin the conclave process, 117 of the music elite will gather in Cleveland, Ohio, home of the birth of the term "rock and roll". Before gathering in Cleveland, each member of the music elite must first be approved by Jann Wenner, Ahmet Ertegun and CEO of Starbucks Coffee, Orin Smith. Almost all of the 117 music elite eligible to vote in this conclave will have rubbed shoulders with Bob Dylan. Despite sharing the stage and recording "We Are the World" with Dylan, USA For Africa members Cyndi Lauper and Journey’s Steve Perry will not be eligible, according to a press release from Starbucks. In keeping with the roots of rock music, the elite will seclude themselves in the private office of Hugo’s Used Chevrolet car lot in downtown Cleveland. Once inside, an Organizational Committee will be responsible for overseeing that all proper procedures are followed. Although the names on that committee have not been publicly revealed, all speculation points to Keith Richards, David Crosby, Ozzy Osbourne, Eddie Van Halen and the Grateful Dead’s Bob Weir, along with their translators. Each of the 117 music elite will be seated in his own beanbag chair with 1 black Sharpie and several ballots on thick, glossy paper in the shape of a woman’s ass. Disguising his handwriting, each writes his choice on the ballot and folds it twice. Each then holds his ballot so it can be seen and walks to the front of the office. The ballot is placed on a golden plate, then slid into a ballot chalice. Each bows and then returns to his beanbag chair. Ballots are counted at a table at the front of the office. Names are read aloud. A needle and thread are used to join the ballots and they are placed aside. Votes are totaled. To elect a new Dylan, a 2/3 majority plus 1 must be reached. Voting will be repeated twice each morning and afternoon for 2 days until that is achieved. No conclave is to last over 4 days. Materials will be provided to help the music elite stay awake through the conclave process. After each vote, ballots are burned in a giant party bowl by honorary music elite member Tommy Chong. The public will know that a new Dylan has been selected when thick clouds of smoke and the smell of burning rope cease to seep through the windows and under the doors of the Used Chevrolet Office.

There are several possibilities for the new Dylan. Many unnamed members of the music elite have suggested that Dylan's own son, Jakob Dylan, is in the running. So is world savior and one time co-writer Bono Vox. Bruce Springsteen will be considered as will the now-24-year-old Connor Oberst of Bright Eyes. According to one music executive, "despite interest in the African region, the world is definitely not ready for a black Dylan". Whomever is selected has a lot to live up to. This was a Dylan who was the first to go electric. He was also the first Dylan to appear in a Victoria’s Secret TV ad. It is also the first time a Dylan has written his autobiography. He has truly paved a fresh path for the new Dylans who will follow.

Upon his selection, the new Dylan will be escorted to the nearest Starbucks, where his status will be announced and he will perform his first song as the new Dylan, an acoustic version of "Forever Young". With the odds of this conclave not being necessary for 20 years, the music elite have plenty of time to keep their eyes out for the next Dylan. In the meantime, they can mourn the loss of the Pope and read about the rich, untalented children of Bob Dylan's contemporaries in the latest edition of Rolling Stone magazine.

Gen X Tsunami Benefit Concert (1/18/05)

2005-01-18T19:58:00.000-08:00

Tonight was one of those reminders of why I live in California. I've seen tons of great hippie benefit shows by all of my classic rock heroes, but this was the first time I saw this kind of a show where MY generation did it all. It felt good. Jack Black decided to pull together a bunch of people and throw a tsunami benefit concert at the Wiltern Theater in Los Angeles. I think the place holds 2,000-3,000 people. I was lucky enough to get one of the $100 tickets. The night begins with the house lights going down and Will Ferrell takes the stage. The crowd, mostly 25-40 year-olds, is freaking out, shouting out lines from Will Ferrell movies. It was hilarious. He didn't even know what to make of it. He's funny just standing there doing nothing. He then said we were in for a real treat. "Dexy's Midnight Runners are here!" He joked for a bit and then said he had rehearsed a song for all of us. He sat down at the keyboard and said he will now sing "Propeller" by Coldplay. He puts 2 fingers on the keyboard and the Coldplay CD begins to play. He lip synchs the entire song along with the CD. Half way through the song, while pretending to sing, he takes a call on his cell phone, eats a hamburger and reads the paper...every once in a while returning his head to the mike to fake sing a line or 2. It was classic. The crowd loved it.

After Will came Tenacious D, Jack Black's spoof of a rock band with his friend Kyle. They were hilarious, just serving as MCs and telling jokes to the crowd while the stage was getting re-set. Stoner rock music humor pretty much comprises the banter between these 2 goofs. It was perfect. They introduced the next act, Josh Homme from Queens of the Stone Age. Josh played a 3 or 4 song acoustic set that included Dave Grohl as a guest on acoustic guitar and a performance of the Queens hit "No One Knows". Tenacious D returned for another set of hilarious banter.

Then Eddie Vedder took the stage. The crowd freaked - this was definitely a Pearl Jam audience. Eddie played a solid acoustic set. He did "I Me Mine", the Cat Stevens song "Trouble", The Who's "The Seeker", I think I'm forgetting 1 random PJ song, then "Last Kiss" and then, with Kyle from Tenacious D on acoustic guitar, The Beatles' "You've Got To Hide Your Love Away". Excellent set.

Then out came CHRIS ROCK! I've always wanted to see Chris Rock and like the rest of the crowd, was freaking out. He was hilarious. He talked about the Pistons-Pacers fight in Detroit. "I couldn't believe it. I was sittin there thinking - the revolution HAS COME! Giant black guys are punching little white guys in the face! This is exactly what Martin Luther King envisioned! It's here! I had a dream! Giant black guys will kick the shit out of little white guys! Yes, everyone.....it's Martin Luther King day today. I'm going to do what I always do on Martin Luther King day...I'm going to fuck a white girl in the ass." 5 minutes of Chris Rock was worth the $100 admission. He introduced the next act, Dave Grohl.

Dave Grohl was great. He joked about how it sucks to have to follow an Eddie Vedder set. He opened with a new song, "The Best", then played a great version of "Everlong". One guy shouted out "YEAH!" so loud during the song that Dave started cracking up while singing. It was a great moment. He did an excellent version of "Times Like These" and then played a Chris Rock request, "Tired Of You". Dave was great. He was followed by more Tenacious D MC schtick.

Beck took the stage next. He played an incredible, acoustic "I Guess I'm Doing Fine", followed by an equally good "Everybody's Gotta Learn Sometimes". I was hoping for a Jon Brion appearance, but no. Then Beck did "Lost Cause". During this song, Will Ferrell came out in the equivalent of an all red Spiderman suit, basically head to toe red spandex with only his face exposed. He began doing performance art dancing to Beck's song. It was one of the funniest things I've ever seen. Beck stopped in the middle of the song and they began a fake argument. "Will, this is a really serious, heartfelt song. It's part of me. What are you doing?" "Oh, sorry, I didn't realize." "Will, can you please stand all the way back in the corner?" Beck then returned to singing and Will slid across the floor, writhing around like a fish out of water. The whole moment was incredible. Beck then played a song I didn't know on a weird accordion-like instrument. Great set.

Tenacious D then performed for close to an hour. This was the low point of the night b/c the joke gets old after a couple songs and after seeing such incredible talent do only 4 songs each, it was tough to see a fake act do 10. They opened with a cover of Queen's "Flash Gordon" theme. A lot of what they did was funny, but their between act banter was much better. They talked about the movie they have in the works - sounds like the next Blues Brothers. Jack wants Meatloaf to play his father. If Meatloaf isn't available, he'll ask Frank Black of the Pixies or Ozzy. Jack is definitely hilarious, but an hour of The D is a bit much.

Encore time was amazing. The show went electric for the first time. The All Star jam session! Dave Grohl on drums, Eddie Vedder on lead vocal, Beck and Josh on electric guitars and The D doing their thing. Basically Eddie and Jack took turns with lead vocals within each song. Seeing Nirvana's drummer with Pearl Jam's leader was really cool. They did the Chambers Brothers' classic, "Time Has Come Today". Then came Eddie leading in the Byrds' "So You Wanna Be A Rock n Roll Star" and Led Zep's "Good Times Bad Times". Amazing stuff. The crowd was freaking by this point. They then went BACK into "Time Has Come Today" and Will Ferrell came out to his own mike, wearing his shirt twisted around to look like a bra with his pot belly hanging over his tight pants as he played the cowbell. Again, a piss-in-your-pants hilarious moment. As the song faded to a close, the band left the stage and Will was still there playing the cowbell. A GREAT night. We went to the after show party but I had to leave to get up early for work. Only celeb I saw was Nicholas Cage with a young date (new wife?) and my musical hero, Jon Brion. I knew he'd be there somewhere. I stood around for a couple minutes to talk to him but someone had his ear forever and I had to crash. Cheers to my generation of rock stars!

Holiday CD 2004 > 2005

2004-12-31T22:58:00.000-08:00

Volume 3 / Disc 1 – Holiday CD 2004/2005

1) The Polyphonic Spree - “(Section 12) Hold Me Now” from TOGETHER WE’RE HEAVY (2004)
Tim DeLaughter and his fellow freaks from Texas in the flowing robes return with another happy, catchy tune.

2) Toots & the Maytals w/Willie Nelson – “Still Still Moving To Me” from TRUE LOVE (2004)
Reggae legend Toots Hibbert, who coined the term “reggae” in the late 60s, just recorded new, slicker versions of his classics as duets featuring stars like Keith Richards, Eric Clapton, Gwen Stefani and Trey from Phish. Great CD. Willie wrote this one.

3) Los Lonely Boys – “Heaven” from LOS LONELY BOYS (2004)
These three Mexican-American brothers from Texas were playing and recording locally until Willie Nelson saw them in a club and they became his favorite local band. He invited them to record their special blend of rock, blues and soul in his studio and next thing you know, they have a strong national radio presence. I just saw them at the Bridge Benefit – they put on a great live show.

4) Ricky Fante – “Smile” from REWIND (2004)
After 4 years in the marines following high school in D.C., Ricky moved to L.A. to make it in the music biz. The talented 20-something achieved his goal of applying his gospel and R&B roots to creating an old school soul record. Co-writer Jesse Harris (wrote Norah Jones’ “Don’t Know Why” ) helped him create a great collection of songs that brings classic 60s soul to life.

5) Franz Ferdinand – “Take Me Out” from FRANZ FERDINAND (2004)
Here’s a new band with a unique sound from Glasgow, Scotland that brings a danceable beat to Brit pop-rock with some great songs.

6) Robert Randolph & the Family Band – “I Need More Love” from UNCLASSIFIED (2003)
Robert and band’s studio debut, nominated this year for a Grammy (Best Rock Gospel Album), captures their unique mix of rock, funk, blues, soul and gospel. Raised in the Jersey hood, Robert was out in the streets until he got active in the House of God Pentecostal Church, where he mastered the pedal steel guitar playing and singing that has been a Church tradition since 1930s Philly. Robert then plugged into the very white and secular jamband music scene with 2 cousins and friends. Their great shows snowballed.

7) Scissor Sisters – “Take Your Mama” from SCISSOR SISTERS (2004)
This New York band wears campy 70s influences on their sleeves, like in this catchy, old school Elton John soundalike.

8) Simple Kid – “The Average Man” from #1 (2004)
Simple Kid is Irish-born, London-based singer-songwriter Ciaran McFeely, described by critics as Beck meets anyone.

9) Phish – “The Connection” from UNDERMIND (2004)
Phish finally managed to write a short, catchy, jam-free radio tune. Had they not announced their impending breakup right before the CD’s release, this could have been the radio hit that leader Trey always wanted. I think it’s a great, catchy tune…even if it sounds more like Del Amitri than Phish! A tribute to Phish is on Disc 2.

10) Modest Mouse – “Float On” from GOOD NEWS FOR PEOPLE WHO LOVE BAD NEWS (2004)
Great song that sounds nothing like this Seattle band’s usual work. This CD isn’t special, but I highly recommend their previous CD of quirky pop, THE MOON AND ANTARCTICA.

11) Bruce Hornsby w/Sting & Eric Clapton – “Gonna Be Some Changes Made” from HALCYON DAYS (2004)
Hornsby returns to his 80s, radio-friendly sound with some help from Sting on harmonies and Clapton on guitar.

12) Garage A Trois – “Sprung Monkey” from EMPHASIZER (2003)
Cool, loungey instrumental music from this jazz/funk side project of Charlie Hunter (solo guitarist), Stanton Moore (drummer for Galactic), Mike Dillon (percussionist/vibraphonist for Les Claypool and Critters Buggin’) and Skerik (sax for Les and Critters).

13) Norah Jones – “Sunrise” from FEELS LIKE HOME (2004)
Another real nice song from Norah Jones, the human version of Prozac.

14) Crosby-Nash – “Lay Me Down” from CROSBY-NASH (2004)
David Crosby and Graham Nash, my musical heroes and former employers, return with their first album as a duo since 1976. It’s 2 CDs that would be stronger as 1, but it’s got some gems. They still sound great together – ageless voices, perfect harmonies.

15) Snow Patrol – “How To Be Dead” from FINAL STRAW (2004)
Around for a while in the UK but new to America, this Scottish band hopes to rank up there with Coldplay and Travis.

16) Wilco – “The Late Greats” from A GHOST IS BORN (2004)
Another cool little ditty from Jeff Tweedy. In my 14 years of following and idolizing his career, this album is the first time I think he took a step backwards. Hopefully the drug problem he recently kicked is to blame. Meanwhile, as a live act, he has reinvented Wilco’s show and taken it to a much higher level. Again, he’s the real deal.

17) Elvis Costello – “Monkey To Man” from THE DELIVERY MAN (2004)
Elvis can still write good songs. It’s good to hear him rocking out again.

18) Loretta Lynn w/Jack White – “Portland Oregon” from VAN LEAR ROSE (2004)
One of the best albums of this year. A must-buy. White Stripes leader Jack White produced this comeback for the veteran 68 year-old country artist. Featuring the great storytelling of country songwriting, it’s framed by that raw sound of the White Stripes. She’s from Kentucky, been recording for over 40 years, had over 50 Top-10 hits, was married at age 13 and had 4 kids by the time she was 18. Her husband bought her a guitar and she got a record deal shortly thereafter. The movie Coal Miner’s Daughter is her life’s story. She spent the 90s taking care of her husband until his death. This is her first album in 12 years.

19) Ray Charles w/BB King – “Sinner’s Prayer” from GENIUS LOVES COMPANY (2004)
A major story this year is the recent loss of the genius, Ray Charles. Musically, he truly covered it all in his 73 years. He recorded his last album with some friends as he was dying. Here he prays for mercy with fellow legend BB King.

20) U2 – “Sometimes You Can’t Make It On Your Own” from HOW TO DISMANTLE AN ATOMIC BOMB (2004)
Another U2 ballad strong enough to make you teary-eyed, Bono wrote this one to make peace with his dad as he lay dying.

Volume 3 / Disc 2 – Holiday CD 2004/2005

1) Zero 7 - “Warm Sound” from WHEN IT FALLS (2004)
Great CD of late-night mood music from a duo of British songwriters/producers who bring in guest vocalists and musicians to make a sound that blends acid-jazz, soul, pop and electronica. Don’t worry if you hear static – it’s supposed to sound like an old record.

2) Beck w/Jon Brion - “Everybody’s Gotta Learn Sometimes” from ETERNAL SUNSHINE SOUNDTRACK (2004)
Another great and bizarre movie by Charlie Kaufman, Eternal Sunshine For the Spotless Mind features a score composed by L.A.-based genius Jon Brion. Producer of the Fiona Apple records, session musician for countless others and composer of scores for I Heart Huckabees, Magnolia and Punch Drunk Love, Jon Brion is a musical powerhouse who plays an incredible, weekly Friday night gig at a club in my hood called Largo. In addition to the score for ESFTSM, Jon produced and played all of the instruments on the closing credits cover of this 1980 hit by the Korgis, featuring Beck on vocals.

3) Jolie Holland – “Old Fashioned Morphine” from ESCONDIDA (2004)
A raw Nora Jones, this late-20-something former Texan blends blues, country, folk and swing through a decent collection of songs.

4) Bright Eyes – “Lua” from I’M WIDE AWAKE, IT’S MORNING (2005)
Bright Eyes, a/k/a Connor Oberst, is one of my favorite artists and definitely someone to watch in 2005. This CD comes out in January – he’s touring so don’t miss it! Critics wet their pants over this guy for a reason – he’s the real deal. He’s 24, from Omaha, has his own label, has been prolific for years and recently moved to New York for inspiration. When I put him on Volume 1, I wasn’t totally sold…but I’ve now seen him perform 3 times including this October when he blew me away with this unusually mellow song.

5) Sean Hayes – “Little Maggie” from ALABAMA CHICKEN (2003)
From North Carolina but living in San Francisco, this 30-something folkie released a great CD of what is described as Appalachian ambient folk music with a Nick Drake vibe. He’s friends with Jolie Holland (above). Here’s an old-timey cover.

6) Paul Brill – “Trindade” from NEW PAGAN LOVE SONG (2004)
My friend and the leader of the first band I managed, Paul Brill (SF Envelope), released a new solo CD this year that marks his continued growth as an artist. I’m proud to say that he’s getting great reviews from many media outlets. Check out his CD on iTunes.

7) Sonic Youth – “Unmade Bed” from SONIC NURSE (2004)
This New York City band has been together since 1981, playing and recording a self-described challenging mix of rock, noise, jazz and modern composition. Whereas they used to make me want to jump off a building, their recent set at Neil Young’s Bridge Benefit converted me with this song and a few others from their latest CD.

8) Yeah Yeah Yeahs – “Maps” from FEVER TO TELL (2003)
This is one of those great songs that fights its way into your head and won’t go away. It sounds nothing like the rest of the album by this New York punkish band, which rocks much harder and sounds like the White Stripes meets 80s New Wave with a female singer.

9) Secret Machines – “Light’s On” from NOW HERE IS NOWHERE (2004)
Veterans of Texas-based bands with label deals, the members of this band moved from Texas to New York to make things happen. Their unique sound, often described as Pink Floyd meets 80s New Wave, is getting widespread critical acclaim. Here’s a catchy song.

10) Interpol – “Slow Hands” from INTERPOLANTICS (2004)
The cool New Yorkers return with their 80s/Joy Division influences and a collection of even catchier songs than last time.

11) Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds – “Nature Boy” from ABBATOIR BLUES
Nick Cave is a late 40-something Australian who was a Goth rock pioneer in his early days. I’ve never really listened to him but this tune from his new double CD is cool, featuring the London Community Gospel Choir.

12) Pixies – “Debaser” (Live 1990) from DEATH TO THE PIXIES (1997)
A very welcome comeback. This late-80s/early 90s band that served as a huge inspiration to Kurt Cobain (you’ll hear it) reunited this year as an incredibly successful touring act. I caught them in May at Coachella and HIGHLY recommend them to anyone who likes Nirvana. They have an interesting mix of Frank Black’s on-the-edge persona and Kim Deal’s soothing vocals and bass lines.

13) Velvet Revolver – “Slither” from CONTRABAND (2004)
Velvet Revolver is Guns n Roses without Axl. Normally the band member who flees loses the band name, but not Axl. Finally the other guys found an interesting front man (Scott Weiland of Stone Temple Pilots) and returned with a CD that features some great rockers, some ballads and some crap.

14) TV On the Radio – “Don’t Love You” from DESPERATE YOUTH, BLOOD THIRSTY BABES (2004)
This multi-cultural trio from Brooklyn builds artsy, edgy tunes on feelings of drama and tension.

15) Ba Cissoko – “Wawata” from SABOLAN (2003)
From Guinea but living in Marseille, France, this group is named after the band’s leader who is one of the 2 kora players. The other kora player, Sekou Kouyate, creates a new sound by electronically enhancing his kora. This has earned him the nickname The Jimmy Hendrix of Africa. This is their debut album.

16) Phish – “Reba” (Live) from LIVE #11 AT McNICHOLS SPORTS ARENA IN DENVER, CO (11/17/97)
After 21 years, the Vermont quartet announced this spring that they would break up at the end of their summer tour. They are joining a real short list of major, successful bands that cut things short on their own terms (The Beatles, The Band, The Clash, The Police, Talking Heads). It’s tough to choose 1 track for a Phish tribute since no one song captures their sound. “Reba” successfully captures how goofy a Phish song can be AND how incredible their musical interplay can be through the jams that make up such large parts of their songs and shows. “Reba” has 3 sections – the 2-minute nursery rhyme beginning, the composed section and then my favorite part, the long improv section which begins around 6 minutes in. I challenge you to find a tighter rock band that plays material this complex. This is a huge loss to the live music world….but I think they’ll be back.

Volume 3 / Disc 3 – Holiday CD 2004/2005

1) Green Day – “American Idiot” from AMERICAN IDIOT (2004)
I want to give a shout-out to W. This one’s for you. So are the new songs you’ve inspired on this CD and the classics that you unfortunately made relevant again. Here’s a great song from a must-buy CD, right up there with DOOKIE, Green Day’s best work.

2) Elvis Costello – “Peace, Love & Understanding” from ARMED FORCES (1979)
Probably Elvis’ best recording, this Nick Lowe cover says it all.

3) Neil Young – “Rockin’ in the Free World” from FREEDOM (1989)
It may sound celebratory, but it’s actually ripping on those who turn their back on this country’s problems and say “f**k it, I’m in the free world!” Written for the Bush Senior era, it applies even more to Junior.

4) Jackson Browne – “For America” from LIVES IN THE BALANCE (1986)
Turning political resulted in a major detour for Jackson Browne’s career, but this great song is still timely.

5) Bob Dylan – “Masters of War” from THE FREEWHEELIN’ BOB DYLAN (1963)
A monster of a political song, from the master himself. How sad and pathetic that these lyrics ring so true 40 years later.

6) Crosby Stills & Nash – “Long Time Gone” from CROSBY STILLS & NASH (1969)
Crosby wrote “The darkest hour is always just before the dawn, and it appears to be a long long time before the dawn.” Yup, a long long time: 4 more years.

7) Antibalas Afrobeat Orchestra – “Big Man” from WHO IS THIS AMERICA? (2004)
This great 14-piece, Brooklyn-based band brings back the Afrobeat sounds of the late Nigerian star Fela Kuti. Some jazz, funk, horns, African rhythms and political lyrics mix together to make for a solid, fun album and a GREAT live show.

8) Jackson Browne – “Lives In the Balance” from LIVES IN THE BALANCE (1986)
This is one of my all-time favorite political songs. The lyrics really nail it.

9) Jill Scott – “My Petition” from BEAUTIFULLY HUMAN: WORDS AND SOUNDS VOL. 2 (2004)
A great political song from a solid neo-soul CD by Philly’s Jill Scott.

10) Prince – “Dear Mr. Man” from MUSICOLOGY (2004)
2004 marked the return of Prince. It seems like all great artists have to take a major detour to rediscover themselves and return to brilliance. The Purple One has returned with a great album and tour.

11) Ray Charles – “What’d I Say Parts I & II” from WHAT’D I SAY (1959)
Ray Charles, 1930-2004, died this year of liver disease. Another American musical institution is gone. Ray was a pioneer who covered every genre of music from jazz to blues to gospel, country and R&B. I saw him perform at the Hollywood Bowl in 2000 and he STILL had it! His fight against racism helps him to fit in comfortably with the political music on this CD. Here is a taste of some of Ray’s many classics. Clear Channel wasn’t around yet, but this song was banned from many radio stations due to its sexuality.

12) Ray Charles w/The Blues Brothers – “Shake Your Tailfeather” from THE BLUES BROTHERS SOUNDTRACK (1980)
I first got turned on to Ray Charles when I was a kid and my grandma Leona took me to see The Blues Brothers movie.

13) Ray Charles – “Hit the Road Jack” from the single HIT THE ROAD JACK (1961)
A #1 hit and winner of the 1961 Grammy for Best R&B Recording.

14) Ray Charles – “I’ve Got A Woman” from RAY CHARLES (1957)
Ray’s first #1 hit.

15) Ray Charles – “Georgia On My Mind” from GENIUS HITS THE ROAD (1960)
Ray’s biggest hit, a cover of the 1930 standard that he is most associated with, proved that he could sing anything from any genre. This recording won 2 Grammy awards and clearly inspired Don Henley when he wrote “Desperado” for The Eagles.

16) Ray Charles – “I’m Movin’ On” from THE GENIUS SINGS THE BLUES (1961)
Ray’s version of country music.

17) Ray Charles – “A Song For You” from MY WORLD (1993)
Ray did an amazing cover of this Leon Russell song. Another Grammy winner. Just 2 years ago, cable televised a Willie Nelson birthday special where Willie and Leon sang this song with Ray. Ray’s performance was so powerful that Willie cried on camera.

18) America – “A Horse With No Name” from AMERICA (1972)
When classic rock records were first being released on CD, I bought America’s Greatest Hits. Great CD. My uncle was shocked someone my age would buy this because America was his favorite band throughout law school. This one is for Uncle Joe, 1949-2004.

19) Ray Charles – “America the Beautiful” from A MESSAGE FROM THE PEOPLE (1972)
Ray adjusted the lyrics to his liking and created another classic. He said America may be racist, but I can still be patriotic.

20) Graham Nash – “We Can Change the World” from SONGS FOR BEGINNERS (1971)
Volume 3 ends with a positive reminder from the hippie era. If we all do our bit, we can hopefully clean up W's mess and bring great progress to our incredible country.

Death With Dignity (11/11/04)

2004-11-11T19:49:00.000-08:00

AS PRINTED IN THE L.A. TIMES ON 11/14/04

ASHCROFT RESISTS THE `RIGHT TO DIE'
Re: "Ashcroft Wants Oregon Suicide Law Blocked," Nov 10:
President Bush and the religious conservatives should leave the "death with dignity" debate alone. After being diagnosed with terminal cancer three years ago, my mother rapidly declined from an active 58-year-old businesswoman to a helpless victim of paralysis as the cancer spread to her brain.

Confined to a bed without control of her arms, legs, bladder or bowels, she cried out every day for us or her nurses to put an end to her misery. With no hope for recovery, she simply wanted to end the horror and die with dignity. Because of current laws outside of Oregon, she instead had to suffer like this for weeks. Most of the 170 people who have legally been assisted with death in Oregon have been cancer victims. The religious zealots fighting the right to die need to learn the reality of the situation and stop encroaching on the rights of those who don't share their views.

Bridge Benefit 2004 (10/24/04)

2004-10-24T18:24:00.000-07:00

Once again, Neil Young and wife Pegi hosted an incredible benefit concert for the Bay Area's Bridge School for children with severe speech and physical impairments. This was the 18th Bridge Benefit and my 9th. The mostly acoustic concert ranges each year from great to amazing to out-of-control (11 on a scale of 10). This year was amazing...thanks to an incredibly eclectic lineup and every artist bringing his/her A Game. Here it is: Neil Young, Tegan & Sara, Eddie Vedder, Los Lonely boys, Sonic Youth, Ben Harper, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Tony Bennett and Paul McCartney.

We got stuck in ridiculous traffic on the way to the Shoreline Amphitheater in the heart of Silicon Valley (Mountain View). Thanks to the traffic, we missed the traditional opening/welcoming speech by Pegi Young as well as the brief film that teaches what the Bridge School is all about. We also missed Neil Young's opening 3-song solo acoustic set of "Sugar Mountain", "Do I Have To Come Right Out And Say It" and "Long May You Run". Tegan & Sara were the first act after Neil. They played the Bridge a few years ago - they were so interesting last time that I ran out to the concessions for turkey corn dogs and french fries. I'm sure this year would have been no different, so I didn't mind the fact that we were parking the car during their set.

We arrived at our seats just in time for the next act, Pearl Jam's Eddie Vedder. Eddie did a solid solo acoustic set that featured some lesser known Pearl Jam songs as well as some songs I'd never even heard. He played "I Am Mine", "Man of the Hour", "I Believe in Miracles", Spongebob's "Baby Beluga", "Here's To The State of Mississippi" and "Last Kiss". Eddie clearly felt at home on this stage, surrounded by the Bridge students for his 7th year as a performer, knowing that Neil Young and lots of other amazing artists were behind the stage hearing his set. Despite the fact that he is one of the most outspoken rock stars, Eddie joked that he is one of those people who believes an artist should keep his political views to himself. Without preaching, he said that everyone should be sure to vote - he said he's sure we all want people to stop living in fear, to earn a living wage and to have clean air and water...and he's therefore sure we'll do the right thing. He then adjusted some of the lyrics to a Tim Robbins song from Bob Roberts ("Mississippi") where he sang in different verses that Donald Rumsfeld, John Ashcroft, Dick Cheney and George Bush should each "find another country". The crowd loved this and I have to say it felt damn good to hear since I literally agree with the lyrics. As he did in Pearl Jam's set last year, Eddie dedicated "Last Kiss" to his "girlfriend", a wheelchair-bound Bridge graduate who is now a junior at Berkeley. Eddie joked that he doesn't know how the 2 of them have avoided all of the tabloids. It was a great moment - the excitement in the girl's face throughout the song could bring tears to your eyes.

Los Lonely Boys were next. They are the 3 Garza brothers from Texas. (The drummer's real name is Ringo). They've been performing bluesy pop their entire lives and finally, thanks to Willie Nelson giving them their break, are making their name known. They did a fun, good-spirited set of tunes from their radio-friendly album. This is one of those acts where you don't think you've ever heard them before but then recognize a few songs and say "I've heard this a billion times on the radio". They're also likely soon to be one of those bands you hear while walking down the grocery aisle looking for hamburger buns. Regardless, they brought nice 3-part harmonies and great guitar and bass work to their poppy, bluesy tunes that were well-received by the crowd. I expect we'll be hearing more from them. They played "Crazy Dream", "Hollywood", "More Than Love", "Senorita", "My Loneliness", "Real Emotion" and "Heaven".

Next came the alt rock pioneers, Sonic Youth. I saw them open for Neil in `91 on the Ragged Glory tour. Throughout that set I debated pouring lighter fluid on my head, lighting my hair on fire and diving head first from the balcony just to make the music stop. I found them more interesting at Coachella last year but still wasn't sold. THIS time in the acoustic setting, I was blown away. Their music wasn't for the majority of the crowd, but my group was way into the intense, hypnotic, psychedelic jams by these legends. I honestly don't know 1 song by these guys but I look forward to seeing them like this again. They played "I Love You Golden Blue", "Stones", "Unmade Bed", "Paper Cut Exit" and "Rain On Tin". Both Kim Gordon and Thurston Moore reminded everyone to save our country and vote.

Ben Harper was next. He did a good set of his arguably derivative music that ranged from soul to reggae to blues to gospel. His voice really got to shine on some tunes as he belted them out with passion. Others were turkey corn dog-worthy. He sang "Oppression", "Homeless Child", "Where Could I Go", "Diamonds On the Inside" with Eddie Vedder, "Amen Omen" (this was amazing), "There Will Be Light" and "In the Lord's Arms" with his mom - a touching moment. Interesting that like Lenny Kravitz, Ben Harper is half black and half white/Jewish.

Red Hot Chili Peppers played a great, fun set that got the whole crowd going, especially the teenagers. Hard to think of this band doing an acoustic set, but Anthony Kiedis managed to both sing in tune and run around like a madman on stage. John Frusciante brought his A game, providing amazing harmonies and guitar work through the set. Some sound troubles plagued their set, leading Flea to get visibly irritated, but Anthony calmed him down with some good vibes. They played "By The Way", a GREAT cover of Neil's "(It's Gonna Take A) Lotta Love", "Otherside", a cover of the Ramones' "I Just Wanna Have Something To Do", "Parallel Universe", "Road Trippin'", a hilarious crowd-pleasing cover of the cheesy 70's pop tune "Brandy (You're A Fine Girl)", "Under the Bridge", and "Their Red Hot". The crowd sang along on the hits as legendary rock/rap/country producer Rick Rubin looked on from stage left, watching over the band he helped turn into a multiplatinum success.

After the psychedelic funk-pop of the Chili Peppers, legendary 78 year-old crooner Tony Bennett took the stage. What a strange but weirdly refreshing change of pace! From trippy, jammy music to a loungey act with schmaltzy, talking song intros and a well-dressed band of adults. Before more than one song, as he leaned against the grand piano, he said,"I love a piano. I love a piano." Anyway, this guy can still SING. Damn! He played jazz standards and was very well received by the crowd, from the kids to the 60-somethings. He played "The Best Is Yet To Come" and "Maybe This Time" where he hit notes that brought the crowd to its feet. He even made a political speech, "My personal prayer is that some day someone will find a way for people to stop killing each other." He then played "If I Ruled the World". Tony then brought out an artist whom he met in the 60s and presented an award to in the days before fame and stadium tours, Sir Paul McCartney. Paul said that he had Tony sing this at his wedding to his new wife, Heather, and since it was their song, they would sing it together and dedicate it to Heather. They played "The Very Thought Of You". Paul was psyched and afterwards said "I got to sing with Tony Bennett!!!" Tony played a couple more songs (including 2 encores, which no one does at the Bridge - it led me to get a chicken cheesesteak). The crowd of course loved "I Left My Heart in San Francisco".

Next was Neil Young. I've seen Neil a billion times, but this short set was one of the best I've seen. He blew me away. He was in a talkative mood, perfect voice and played amazing songs. He opened solo acoustic with "Pocohantas", possibly because we lost Marlon Brando this year? Then he was joined by his wife and Eddie Vedder for "Harvest Moon". SO good. He then moved to the piano. Cracking the audience up, Neil made fun of Tony Bennett by saying "I love a piano". The audience went nuts. Neil said everyone was autographing a guitar backstage and Tony had to draw a piano because he doesn't care about guitars. He signed his name with "I Love A Piano". Neil then played 2 songs on piano I'd been waiting to hear forever. They were both on my first Neil Young bootleg, a 1971 Royal Albert Hall show that I picked up while living in London. I listened to that cassette constantly while traveling through Europe in college and after seeing Neil tons of times, realized how special it was that he was finally playing these tunes. "Journey Through The Past" and "On The Way Home". Incredible. Before "On the Way Home", Neil joked how when he recorded that with Buffalo Springfield as a youngster, the producer wouldn't let him sing it thanks to his voice being...his voice! The crowd loved the story. His wife joined him for the return to guitar. He explained that this next song was recorded in the 70s for a CSN&Y record that never came to be, "Human Highway". Then he sat down with his banjo, told a story about losing his dog, Elvis, and how this song was for Elvis. But first he said, "I love a banjo". He played "Old King", then returned to guitar and played "Comes A Time". For his final song, Neil told a story about being a kid in Canada and listening to this old Canadian folk song over and over, "Four Strong Winds". Through the whole Neil set I was thinking about how timeless his songs are - you can't tell if he's singing a song from the 60s, today or the future. He just creates his own special vibe. I also couldn't help noticing how he's aged the past few years...which led me to think that he'd better stick around another 25 years because there will never be another one like him.

There aren't many people who can perform after Neil Young, but one of the few would have to be Paul McCartney. The crowd of course went nuts for the former Beatle, who ignited the energy level just by walking on stage. Amazing when you think that all rock musicians, from every act on stage tonight to the new people you hear on the radio to legends like CSN, the Rolling Stones and the Grateful Dead, were ALL influenced by The Beatles. Different artists had their pockets of fans at the show on Sunday, but EVERY person in the crowd from 16 to 66 was going nuts for Paul. Paul's voice was exactly like The Beatles' albums - it was eerie. Anthony Kiedis was right when he earlier warned the crowd that Paul would bring tears to their eyes. Paul had the crowd dancing with his opener "(Baby You Can) Drive My Car", then played the old Beatles ballad "Til There Was You". His band was excellent, adding the perfect touches to each song. Paul then introduced a song he used to play with John before they were The Beatles. It was called "In Spite Of All the Danger". He went solo acoustic for an incredible "Blackbird". Then came a tribute to John with a song Paul wrote after hearing John had died, "Here Today". This was followed by the band returning for a brand new song from a forthcoming album. I don't know the name, but this song was a stinker. Neil Young joined Paul for a great duet backed by the band, Neil's "Only Love Can Break Your Heart". Paul then told a funny story about how he used to joke about being French with John and sang "Michelle (Mabelle)". This was followed by a solo acoustic "Yesterday", which he played on the same guitar he used on the Ed Sullivan show. Very cool. Spine-tingling moments here. The band returned for an amazing "Get Back" that had the crowd boogying like a Dead show. Paul then took to the piano for "Let It Be". Amazing. The entire crowd was singing along with all of these songs, but you really felt it here. After the song, Paul walked up to the front mike and said "Yes, let it be. Let it be Kerry." The crowd went nuts. An incredible, rocking Dead-like "Lady Madonna" followed, and then the show closed with an incredible "Hey Jude" that brought Neil front and center for harmonies and EVERY artist from the whole day, led by Eddie Vedder, on a side mike for the "nah-nah-nah-nah" part. You looked around the crowd and could feel the seratonin and adrenaline flowing. It was 8 hours into the show but Paul could have kept going 3 more hours and the crowd would have loved it. The 18th Bridge ended on a very high note. A Beatle surrounded by such a variety of musical artists, all influenced by his talents. The Bridge students had a blast and so did the 20,000 people in attendance, including myself.

Festival Express (8/6/04)

2004-08-06T14:18:00.000-07:00

Festival Express is a film that is likely coming to an art house near you. Run - do not walk - to see this movie. If it isn't one of the Top 5 music films of all time, it is definitely in the Top 10. Festival Express is a documentary that follows a 1970 Canadian rock festival tour that featured the Grateful Dead, Janis Joplin, The Band, Buddy Guy, The Flying Burrito Brothers and a few others, including Sha Na Na. All of the artists traveled across the country in a train called the Festival Express. For those artists, the tour was a 24/7 party consisting of playing festival shows before half-filled stadium audiences, followed by all-night drug and alcohol-influenced jam sessions on the train. The film mixes concert footage with on-the-train footage and current interviews with the surviving artists, like Phil Lesh and Bob Weir. The craziest thing about this film is that the footage was supposedly lost for 30 years! It was finally discovered and pieced together recently. The entire film was shot in a way that makes you feel like you are riding that train with the legends and in the front row of each evening's concert. That, combined with great sound quality and incredible live performances, gave me an ear-to-ear grin on many occasions. I knew I wasn't alone when the audience erupted in applause after several tunes. There is A+ concert footage of The Band, Buddy Guy, The Dead and Janis, who truly steals the show. The train footage could not be more captivating. You feel like you're watching these incredible talents via a hidden camera as they share some of those high times that you've experienced with your closest friends. The highlight of the film is a scene on the train when The Band's Rick Danko is leading Janis, Jerry and Bobby in song. They're all high on psychedelic-laced alcohol, having the time of their lives hanging and singing together. Picture the "Tiny Dancer" scene in ALMOST FAMOUS - except this is the real deal. The scene ends with some interesting sexual tension between Jerry and Janice after Jerry professes his love for her. Jerry Garcia is the most featured artist in the film - and there's lots of great footage of a young, healthy and very happy Jerry. You get a rare glimpse into Jerry's off stage life in the more innocent days. He has a wide grin through most of the film as you see him hanging and playing with friends, bouncing around in the audience to Sha Na Na like any other dorky rock fan and even having a serious moment when he addresses the concert crowd about gate-crashing. (1995 wasn't the ONLY year for gate-crashing). This film is special because it gives you some insight into what it would have been like to hang, party and travel with this crowd of incredibly talented, like-minded souls. It is special because it features incredible concert footage from some of rock history's finest in a way that makes you feel like you're there. It is special because it captures that magical time when MUSIC was what the music world was all about - not business and not who had the best face for TV. It is special because it gives yet one more look at so much incredible rock talent that is no longer with us. If this movie was 14 hours long, I would have had no problem staying glued to my theater seat for its entirety. Once it's out on DVD, I will watch it 200 times. For any Deadhead, musician or music fan, Festival Express is a must see.

On a final note, here is the Grateful Dead song about the experience:

"Might As Well"
Words by Robert Hunter; music by Jerry Garcia
Copyright Ice Nine Publishing.
Great North Special, were you on board?
You can't find a ride like that no more
Night the chariot swung down low
Ninety nine children had a chance to go
One long party from front to end
Tune to the whistle going round the bend
No big hurry, what do you say?
Might as well travel the elegant way
Might as well, might as well
Might as well, might as well
Might as well, might as well
Might as well, might as well
Ragtime solid for twenty five miles
then slip over to the Cajun style
Bar car loaded with rhythm and blues
Rock and roll wailing in the old caboose
Long train running from coast to coast
bringing long the party where they need it the most
Whup on the boxcar, beat on the bell
Nothing else shaking so you might just as well
Might as well, might as well
Might as well, might as well
Might as well, might as well
Might as well, might as well
Never had such a good time
in my life before
I'd like to have it one time more
One good ride from start to end
I'd like to take that ride again
Again
Run out of track and I caught the plane
Back in the county with the blues again
Great North Special been on my mind
Might like to ride it just one more time
Might as well, might as well
Might as well, might as well
Might as well, might as well
Might as well, might as well

Kurt Cobain (4/2/04)

2004-04-02T14:06:00.000-08:00

To quote from the same song that Kurt Cobain used to bid us farewell, "the king is gone but he's not forgotten". It's hard to believe that Kurt left us 10 years ago. Fortunately, throughout the decade that has passed, the impact he made maintains a foothold in popular culture, and has yet to "fade away". In fact, his songs can still be heard regularly on the radio while t-shirts with his and his band's name line the walls at Hot Topics around the country. My recent walk across the UCLA campus on Poster Day revealed that college students are buying a wide variety of posters bearing his likeness.

Kurt Cobain was 27 when he took his life. I was younger than 27 at that time and thought 27 was pretty old. Since I'm now in my 30s, it's amazing how young 27 seems. But back in the day, I looked up to Kurt. He was the voice that my generation had been patiently waiting for. Growing up in the 80s, we didn't have much music that felt real. Sure, there was U2 and REM - but unless we dug into the "underground", we were surrounded by a ton of synthesized, overproduced schlock. This void, mixed with the spectacle of the Live Aid concerts for famine relief, undoubtedly led to the explosion of popularity in classic rock. For years, we heard the music and saw the concerts of artists 20 years our senior. It seemed as if there would never be an artist our own age who would make fresh, powerful, exciting music that would feel real and connect with public consciousness like the artists of previous generations. And then SMELLS LIKE TEEN SPIRIT took over MTV & radio.

I will never forget seeing that video and hearing that song for my first time. It instantly changed the way I looked at music. For so many of us, the Nevermind CD soon became the most important addition to our music collections. Never before was it so exciting to turn the stereo up to 11. Kurt's songs mixed Beatlesque melodies and hooks with the passion and energy of punk and metal. In his voice and guitar solos you could feel loneliness, sensitivity and anger; in his deeply personal lyrics there was great cleverness. Kurt's music was perfect for that time. The economy was in the toilet, George Bush was President, we had just been to war in Iraq, and the first generation to come from the broken homes of divorced parents was coming of age.

I feel honored to say that I saw Nirvana in concert. When I tell people about it (especially those younger than I), I see the same excitement in their reaction as when I meet people who saw Jimi Hendrix or went to the original Woodstock festival. Like many of those Woodstock artists, Kurt clearly lived on the edge. In fact, my group of friends was sure Kurt would meet the same fate as Hendrix, Joplin and Morrison, for he shared the same fire and flaws. When the In Utero concert tour was finally announced, we took no chances. For what we predicted would be the only opportunity in our lives to see Kurt, we got in line for tickets at 5 a.m. on a cold October morning in Chicago. Although it became known as one of the worst Nirvana shows, that night at Chicago's Aragon Ballroom was one of my most memorable concert experiences. The entire room of 5,500 people became a chaotic mosh pit as Kurt dramatically led the way and the band rocked through one great song after another. The night ended with Kurt screaming and diving off the stage into the crowd. Less than half a year later, on April 8, 1994, Kurt was found dead.

Although the music and image live on, the days of Nirvana seem like ancient history in pop culture. MTV was still focused on music, radio station playlists still had some variety, concert tickets were still affordable, and some record labels were still free from the clutches of Wall Street. Nirvana really squeezed in just in time. We're damn lucky.

Update 20: Two Years Ago Today (1/23/04)

2004-01-23T22:21:00.000-08:00

Hard to believe, but my mom passed away 2 years ago today. (This will actually be a funny story, so keep reading...) Since different moments from that year pop up in my dreams and nightmares almost daily, it seems like it was just yesterday. I again thank everyone who provided support in person, via email, snail mail, phone, flying in, etc....It meant and means a lot...and that's an understatement. Two years provides some space from the horrific moments, but the daily pain from the huge void left behind doesn't seem to fade.

To honor the 2 year anniversary, I decided to spend this morning in temple at a minion service. I went to my cousins' temple, the beautiful Sinai, on Wilshire Blvd on the border of Beverly Hills and Westwood. After getting through some intense security (thanks to Osama & Friends), I was led to the minion chapel. Sitting right inside the entrance to the chapel are two men around 80 years old. Next to them lies a basket filled with kippot (those are the litle caps you've seen that hide male pattern baldness). I grab a kippah and put it on my head. I begin to walk towards a pew so I could take a seat. At the same time I'm noticing that NO ONE else is in the room, one of the men tells me "talith are there" as he points to a drawer below the kippot basket. As a reformed Jew, I immediately realized "uh-oh...I'm in a very conservative temple". That means I was in over my head. In my religious background, a talith (the scarf-like thing with fringes you've probably seen religious people wearing) is worn at your own Bar Mitzvah...and that's about it. I've seen people put on their talith...and they often have some strange routine that involves kissing the talith and who-knows-what-else. I'm thinking "I don't want to disgrace the religion right in the face of these two hard-core 80 year old dudes.....BUT, since I have no Talith Routine, I'm not exactly sure that now is the time to INVENT one." So, I grab a talith and throw it over my shoulders like a winter scarf. All paranoid, I'm wondering, "Did I break a rule by just treating this thing like a scarf?" The 80 year olds continued their conversation without giving me any other commands, so I assumed the scarf routine was good enough. I took a seat and, with nothing else to do, listened to their conversation. Picture the classic, old-school Jewish vocal inflections.
"Did you hear about Sol Rosenstein?"
"No, what happened to Sol Rosenstein?"
"His back."
"What happened to his back?"
"The pain. It returned."
"No, his back pain has returned?"
"Yes, it's awful."
"So he won't be at minion?"
"No, he hasn't been to minion in weeks!"
"That's awful! How is Ed Bernstein?"
"Ed Bernstein? He's having a very hard time."
"What's wrong with Ed Bernstein?"

I'm literally biting my lip, doing my best not to laugh as I'm wondering whether one of these guys is really Billy Crystal in full makeup. It was too classic. Right out of a Neil Simon script. Thought: "PLEASE someone else walk in the room so I don't start laughing hysterically." My wish was granted as a few more 80 year olds walked in. Then a few 50-somethings. As everyone was doing their talith routine to prepare for the service, I'm wishing for someone my age WITHOUT a talith routine to walk in. Finally a guy my age who looks just like one of my college roommates (Danny) walks in and throws a talith on like a scarf. I breathe a sigh of relief thinking I'm not alone. He sits down across from me. Then he proceeds to put on tefillin! (Tefillin looks like a black box which is attached to a black rope that gets wrapped around you, leaving the box sticking out of your forehead. It's pretty hardcore...and coming from my reformed background, it's pretty wacky. No offense to my religious readers, of course.) I look around and notice that half the people in there have put on tefillin since walking in! What could be next?

The service begins. They tell us what page to open to and begin reading. On the left of the book is English and on the right is Hebrew. Every once in a while, (way more often in a reformed temple) there is a Hebrew transliteration on the left. That means they tell you in English letters how to sound out Hebrew words...so that ignorant people like me could pretend we know Hebrew. After the first 2 minutes, today's service moved to a section of the book with NO transliterations...and NO English is spoken in this chapel. With a total of 15 people in this small chapel, you can pretty much hear what everyone is mumbling as they read aloud with the rabbi. I can't read Hebrew. That means that unless we're doing one of the prayers that is burned into my brain, I'm toast. So there I was, completely LOST. Everyone is reading and chanting in Hebrew, flipping pages like they've been through this routine a billion times...and I'm trying to occupy myself by reading the English on the left and debating whether I'm really Catholic. As a panic attack is setting in, I look up, only to realize that everyone is STANDING but me!! SHIT! So I stand up. Everyone is bobbing their heads, so I bob my head. Everyone sits down, I sit down. Some 80 year old smoothly works into his Hebrew chant, "we're on page 185". I of course was on page 152. I calmly switch to page 185 as if "of course I knew we were on page 185". We get to a prayer I know so I can chant along with everyone else. I'm feeling good...phew...now I can handle this. Unfortunately, that didn't last long.

The service jumped into an all Hebrew section that seemed to last forever. It got to the point where I'm so paranoid that the people around me will realize I'm the only one who isn't at all reading along, chanting along, on the right page, etc...I felt like such an idiot that I couldn't decide whether to hyperventilate or laugh. I could hear my mom cracking up because I knew she'd have less of a clue as to what was going on than I did. The thoughts racing through my head:
"Am I in the right place?"
"I'm surrounded by a bunch of people with BLACK BOXES on their heads!!"
"If these people realize I'm not participating but just staring at the English on the left, they're going to think I'm a terrorist who is casing out the place for some friends in a cave with big plans."
"Why didn't I just stay home, listen to some Grateful Dead tunes about death and light a candle?!?!"

Suddenly they switch rabbis. Or maybe they weren't even rabbis. But a new guy from the crowd took over the service, leading everyone in Hebrew chants. Two minutes later, ANOTHER guy took over who was sitting closer to me. I'm thinking, "Holy SHIT! DOES EVERYONE TAKE A TURN LEADING THIS SERVICE?!?! AM I GOING TO HAVE TO GET UP THERE?!" I'm trying to think of what I'll say if I'm given a nod by some 80 year-old to go front and center. "I'm from the Midwest" wouldn't exactly cut it. "I'm not religious" probably wouldn't either. I guess I can lead the crowd through a great version of "Ripple" or "Brokedown"...or even the "Shma". Fortunately, the service came to an end. They announced that we may return at 5:45 p.m. today.

People began to exit, doing their whole tefillin removal routine and talith removal routine. Some placed money into a small box. Am I supposed to put money into this box? Do just some people do it? Does everyone do it? Do I put a $1 in there? A $50 in there? All I know is that I couldn't wait to get to my car...and to get to my computer to type up this wacky experience. I'm now lighting a candle that will burn for 24 hours...I'm heading to work...and returning for another awkward experience at temple at 5:45 this evening. After temple, I will go with one of my cousins to see my favorite local musician (Jon Brion) perform....closing out the day with family and music...the way this day should close.

Holiday CD 2003 > 2004

2003-12-31T22:57:00.000-08:00

Volume 2 / Disc 1 – Holiday CD 2003/2004

1) Michael Franti & Spearhead – “Everyone Deserves Music” from EVERYONE DESERVES MUSIC (2003)
I discovered this song thanks to Harry Shearer’s NPR program, “Le Show”. I knew right away I had to own the album.

2) Van Morrison – “Once In A Blue Moon” from WHAT’S WRONG WITH THIS PICTURE (2003)
Still going…….another classic from Van.

3) Spoon – “The Way We Get By” from KILL THE MOONLIGHT (2002)
Spoon is an Austin, Texas band revolving around Britt Daniel. They’ve been around for a while but things started happening this year – especially after Wilco’s manager took over business.

4) Justin Timberlake – “Rock Your Body” from JUSTIFIED (2002)
In 2002, Justin released a great Michael Jackson record…..and in 2003 he gained credibility (largely thanks to the excellent production/co-writing duo, The Neptunes).

5) Ibrahim Ferrer – “Oye El Consejo” from BUNEOS HERMANOS (2003)
Born in Santiago in 1929, Ferrer has been an established artist since the `50’s during which time he moved to Havana, Cuba. He was getting by on a state pension ($15/month) and supplementing it by shining shoes when 70’s guitar legend Ry Cooder discovered him in the 90’s and brought him into the Buena Vista Social Club. At age 74, he’s going strong.

6) Snoop Dogg featuring Pharrell – “Beautiful” from PAID THA COST TO BE DA BOSS (2002)
Gotta love Snoop. Here’s another tune produced by The Neptunes, featuring Pharrell of the Neptunes on vocals.

7) Johnny Cash – “Hurt” from AMERICAN IV: THE MAN COMES AROUND (2002)
One of the biggest music stories this year was the recent loss of Johnny Cash. He had been releasing records since 1957….some of his best were in the past decade. This Nine Inch Nails cover from his final album kicks ass…the video was a true piece of art, juxtaposing the ill, frail Johnny of late with clips spanning his entire life. It garnered many deserved award nominations. A full Johnny tribute is on Disc 2.

8) White Stripes – “Seven Nation Army” from ELEPHANT (2003)
Second year in a row to make the Holiday CD. They’re the real deal.

9) REM – “Bad Day” from IN TIME: THE BEST OF REM 1988-2003 (2003)
REM recently released their best song in years. OK, so it’s a leftover track from the 80’s and sounds like an 80’s hit….

10) Warren Zevon – “Numb As A Statue” from THE WIND (2003)
Last year’s Holiday CD paid tribute to Warren Zevon, who was expected to die before `03 of lung cancer. Not only did he miraculously make it through this summer, but he spent his final year recording a great album of new songs about life in the shadow of death. Springsteen, Tom Petty, The Eagles and other major talent supported their friend on his last musical statement. If this song reminds you of that old Jackson Browne sound, it’s because that’s David Lindley playing the lapsteel guitar.

11) The Darkness – “I Believe In A Thing Called Love” from PERMISSION TO LAND (2003)
This British band has taken over England…..and I think we could be next. This is pure late-70’s-early-80’s stadium rock. Think Queen, Boston and many ridiculous metal bands…..quality stuff.

12) Interpol – “PDA” from TURN ON THE BRIGHT LIGHTS (2002)
Before “alternative rock” in the 90’s, there was “underground rock” in the 80’s. This young New York band captures the sound of several of those “underground rock” bands.

13) Ludicris – “Stand Up” from CHICKEN AND BEER (2003)
Yeeah, yeeah, yeeah. Word.

14) Uncle Tupelo – “Truck Drivin’ Man” from ANODYNE (1993/2003)
This year saw the reissue of the 4 amazing Uncle Tupelo records. This incredible x-band spawned Wilco (my favorite band) and Son Volt. This live, country-punk song was added on for ANODYNE’S reissue and features Jeff Tweedy (Wilco) on harmony vocals. Although there was no more room on the Holiday CD, this year’s even bigger old music story was the release of the lost Led Zeppelin concerts on CD and DVD. These are must-owns.

15) My Morning Jacket – “Dancefloors” from IT STILL MOVES (2003)
This Lousiville band has a good sound and a great live show…if they had more songs of this caliber, they’d be a great band. They’re good enough for Dave Matthews to sign to his label, ATO (home of David Gray, North MS Allstars, Gov’t Mule). This track starts off like .38 Special and ends like a Stones track from Exile.

16) Kings of Leon – “California Waiting” from YOUTH AND YOUNG MANHOOD (2003)
Here’s another Southern rock band…this one is from Memphis. Think Tom Petty meets The Strokes.

17) Queens of the Stone Age – “Go With the Flow” from SONGS FOR THE DEAF (2002)
Featuring the drums of Nirvana’s drummer and Foo Fighters’ leader Dave Grohl. This tune reminds me of the 80’s…like if The Cars rocked harder.

18) Jane’s Addiction – “Just Because” from STRAYS (2003)
Good to hear them back together again….solid song.

19) Jet – “Are You Gonna Be My Girl” from GET BORN (2003)
This song caught my attention in a TV commercial for iTunes or something. Jet is an Australian band that tastefully mixes the classic sounds of Iggy Pop with the Stones and Beatles.

20) Mars Volta – “This Apparatus Must Be Unearthed” from DELOUSED IN THE COMATORIUM (2003)
Crazy, crazy band. They got a ton of hype within the music biz community this year. Think progressive rock meets drug-induced metal. I put them last on the CD b/c I don’t think most people will make it through to the crazy end of this song. Amazing singer with a Freddie Mercury voice, great live performers…but they really need more songs at least as catchy as this one….and I don’t know if that’s saying much.

Volume 2 / Disc 2 – Holiday CD 2003/2004

1) Ben Harper – “With My Own Two Hands” from DIAMONDS ON THE INSIDE (2003)
Another great tune from Ben Harper. He’s channeling Bob Marley.

2) George Harrison – “Any Road” from BRAINWASHED (2002)
Last year’s Holiday CD featured a tribute to George Harrison, who we lost to lung cancer in late `01. I feel a special connection to George since he was at the end of his battle as my mom was at the beginning of hers. He worked on this album, which was released at the tail end of last year, both before and after getting sick. This is the opening track.

3) Neil Young – “Devil’s Sidewalk” from GREENDALE (2003)
Amazing…almost 40 years into a music career and Neil is still writing great songs and trying new things. GREENDALE is a quirky concept album that revolves around the Green family and a town called Greendale. In Neil’s typically bizarre style, the album explores the challenge of holding on to hippie ideals in today’s tough and ever-changing world. The album was supported by a rock opera tour that performed the entire Greendale story with actors, background singers, stage props, a video backdrop and Crazy Horse. I saw the show before hearing the album…and couldn’t decide if it was brilliant or crazy. Now that I love the songs, I lean towards brilliant. Neil is bringing Greendale (and the hits) back on the road this winter to a small theater near you…don’t miss it.

4) Josh Rouse – “Comeback” from 1972 (2003)
I recently caught a double bill at the Troubadour of Josh Rouse and Leona Ness, two artists I had never heard before. It’s rare to enjoy both bands on a double bill – it’s even more rare when you don’t know any of the songs. I was blown away. Both artists were great. Both sound better live than on CD, but I recommend both albums.

5) The Neptunes featuring Jay-Z – “Frontin” from THE NEPTUNES PRESENTS CLONES (2003)
The Neptunes are everywhere on the Holiday CD…but that’s no different from radio. They released a CD of tracks produced by them featuring stars from the rap and hip-hop world. This track features Pharrell of the Neptunes singing as Jay-Z raps.

6) Johnny Cash - “Folsom Prison Blues” from JOHNNY CASH AT FOLSOM PRISON (1968)
Johnny Cash, 1932-2003, died this year, just months after June Carter Cash, his wife of 35 years. He was a true American institution. This great song from the classic live album is often cited as a major inspiration for gangsta rap. As he started all of his live appearances, Johnny begins this one with “Hello, I’m Johnny Cash”.

7) Johnny Cash – “Long Black Veil” from JOHNNY CASH AT FOLSOM PRISON (1968)
Great song….it’s often covered by Dave Matthews.

8) Johnny Cash – “I Walk the Line” from I WALK THE LINE (1964)
Arguably Johnny’s most famous song.

9) Johnny Cash w/Willie Nelson – “I Still Miss Someone” from VH1 STORYTELLERS (1998)
Great version of this tune with just the 2 guys on guitar. That’s Willie with the tasty guitar work.

10) Johnny Cash w/Tom Petty – “Sea of Heartbreak” from UNCHAINED (1996)
Great tune with Tom Petty on harmonies and musical support from the Heartbreakers, Mick Fleetwood and Lyndsey Buckingham.

11) Polyphonic Spree – “Reach For the Sun” from THE BEGINNING STAGES OF THE POLYPHONIC SPREE (2003)
Picture about 30 hippie freaks from Texas in flowing white choir robes singing free-spirited tunes and you can imagine what PS is all about. Led by Tim DeLaughter, they are often referred to as Teletubbies for adults. I’ve seen them live….they’re WEIRD.

12) George Harrison – “Stuck Inside A Cloud” from BRAINWASHED (2002)
Another nice one from the final Harrison album.

13) Damien Rice – “Cannonball” from O (2003)
Good tune from an up-and-coming Irish singer-songwriter.

14) Leona Naess – “Don’t Use My Broken Heart” from LEONA NAESS (2003)
Leona is the second half of the double bill story. She’s got a great voice, amazing stage presence, is hot and writes great songs. She sounds something like Edie Brickell but better…and used to date Ryan Adams, whom I think this song is about.

15) Elliott Smith – “Miss Misery” from GOOD WILL HUNTING SOUNDTRACK (1997)
Elliott Smith, 1969-2003, committed suicide this October. A talented singer-songwriter from Portland, OR, he rose to fame when the movie Good Will Hunting and the accompanying soundtrack exposed his songs to the masses. He battled severe depression along with drugs and alcohol…but left some good songs behind.

16) Ry Cooder & Manuel Galban – “Patricia” from MAMBO SINUENDO (2003)
70’s star and Buena Vista Social Club founder Ry Cooder teamed up with this 50’s Cuban guitar star to make a unique, mostly instrumental album that mixes rhythmic, vibrant Cuban soul with funky-bluesy guitar.

17) Radiohead – “Go To Sleep” from HAIL TO THE THIEF (2003)
As if Oxford, England wasn’t already cool enough….Although I think this was a sub-par album, this is an interesting song.

18) Stereophonics – “I Miss You Now” from YOU GOTTA GO THERE TO COME BACK (2003)
I like the sound of this Welsh trio…especially this song, which has a 1960’s smoky bar feel…I picture Ron Wood and a young Rod Stewart in a drugged-out haze performing this one.

19) Neil Young – “Bandit” from GREENDALE (2003)
Another solid song from GREENDALE… this one shows Neil’s softer side.

20) Warren Zevon – “Keep Me In Your Heart” from THE WIND (2003)
After what I went through with my mom last year, this song hits VERY close to home…the lyrics are perfect. In fact, I’ve yet to make it through the song without needing a break. I think it’s a brilliant song, especially when you consider it’s the last thing he recorded before dying. This song is nominated for a Grammy – I’ll be hoping it wins this winter.

Simon & Garfunkel (11/18/03)

2003-11-11T22:34:00.000-08:00

I never thought I'd get the opportunity to review a Simon & Garfunkel show. I regularly listened to S&G throughout my childhood. After years of being a fan, they reunited for a summer tour in the 80s. I was a C.I.T. at overnight camp in Bemidji, Minnesota that summer. Some of the counselors got tix to the Minneapolis show and got one for me b/c they knew how much I loved S&G. I was psyched - this was going to be my first-ever rock concert. As I was getting in their car to go to the show, the camp owner stopped me. He said "you're 1/2 counselor and 1/2 camper - that means you're still on my insurance policy - there's no way you're going to a rock concert in Minneapolis." He made me forfeit the ticket and get out of the car. I was so pissed...little did I know that I'd be waiting a lifetime for the NEXT reunion tour! Thanks to my friend and former boss (see p. 164 of the Nov Vanity Fair), I was able to attend tonight's show and sit in incredible seats. I was seated just down the row from producer Rick Rubin and one of my heroes, Rob Reiner. Also sitting nearby was The Shermanator from American Pie (fascinating, huh).

This show was an A++ show. If it's coming to a city near you, it's worth the mortgage payment that they're charging. Don't miss it. These guys sound fantastic - as if the 20 years disappeared. Simon's voice, which still reaches the radio with new material, hasn't changed at all over time. Garfunkel's now has a slightly reedy quality that tends to come with high-voiced male singers in their 60s, yet is no less beautiful or powerful...especially after a few songs of warming up. He can still hit the high notes...and together they can literally send chills up and down the spine. I had a shit-eating grin through most of the show. Their between-song banter was entertaining. They lack the charm and hospitality of Crosby and Nash (whom I'm sure they influenced in a big way), yet are not as cold and lifeless as The Eagles. Paul Simon has that serious, business-like vibe of Sting...or an uptight accountant...so it's not like you see these guys getting off on each other's talent the way Crosby/Nash do, but they were all smiles by the final songs of the show. (Perhaps that's because they just learned that they could each afford to buy a country).

The band was amazing - the finest session guys out there (Pino Palladino on bass, Jim Keltner on drums, etc...). The songs recall a simpler time...that could be due to nostalgia...or the fact that the mid-60s WERE simpler times. Shit, any day before 9/11 was a simpler time at this point! The perfection of the show could be due to the fact that all of the songs were classics. There's no new album to drain the crowd's energy due to lack of exposure to the songs (or the songs being lame), there's no feeling of "we just saw this exact show last year" b/c it's been 20 years...Whatever the reason (amazing songs and talent), they owned the sold-out stadium tonight...and said they were truly surprised by the amazing feedback they're getting on this tour. It's rare to see a Los Angeles crowd feed this much energy back to a band...especially when the average age of the crowd is 45 or higher. But even the people in the highest, furthest back seats were freaking out during and after each song. At the end of the night, the entire room was up for grabs...and wouldn't stop applauding for 10 minutes past the show's conclusion. I hadn't seen that in a long time.

The show started with the 2 guys taking the stage together, with one acoustic guitar. Garfunkel either hasn't been paid any advance income for this tour OR is afraid that no one will remember him, because he's still wearing that same damn shirt and vest we last saw him photographed in 20 years ago. Doesn't he know that his odd-colored Jewfro gives him away? Anyway, Paul announced the passing of the incredibly talented Michael Kamen (Pink Floyd's The Wall, GNR's November Rain, Metallica's live orchestral album...) and dedicated the opening song to him. Some songs featured the entire band, others just the 2 guys. The middle of the show featured the inspiration for S&G, The Everly Brothers. The Everly Brothers played a mini-set of their greatest hits, which were truly great...total nostalgia. My mom (who would have turned 60 yesterday) used to listen to them when I was little. These dudes still sound great...songs you've heard a gazillion times...and HERE were the pioneers performing them. Here's the setlist:

Old Friends
Hazy Shade of Winter
I Am A Rock
America
At the Zoo
Baby Driver
Kathy's Song
Hey Schoolgirl
Wake Up Little Suzie (Everly Bros)
All I Have To Do Is Dream ("Dream Dream Dream", Everly Bros)
Let It Be Me (Everly Bros)
Bye Bye Love (Everly Bros w/S&G)
Scarborough Fair
Homeward Bound
Sound of Silence
Mrs. Robinson
Slip Sliding Away
El Condor Pasa (If I Could)
Keep The Customer Satisfied
The Only Living Boy In New York
American Tune
Cecilia
My Little Town
Bridge Over Troubled Water
Encore: The Boxer
Encore: Song For the Asking
Encore: Feelin' Groovy

This was an epic show. I hope I get the opportunity to see them again...and wish they would charge less so that more people would get to see this tour.

Bridge Benefit 2003 (10/27/03)

2003-10-27T22:30:00.000-08:00

Just returned from Bridge Benefit 2003. I think it was #17 but was #8 for me, my first being in 1994 after waiting to attend since first reading about the annual event in Rolling Stone's Random notes while in high school. I would equate most Bridge Benefits to The Last Waltz - they are generallly epic, talent-filled events with the best of rock's new and classic talent creating plenty of spine-tingling "oh my god" moments. This was not an epic Bridge...but it was a great day of acoustic music featuring some of the best talent for a nice cause (to raise money for the school that Neil's wife, Peggi, runs for severely disabled children). The unusually flawless Bay Area weather served as a perfect backdrop to the event that featured Neil Young, Dashboard Confessional, Wilco, Counting Crowd, Indigo Girls, Pearl Jam, Willie Nelson and Crosby Stills Nash and Young.

Neil and Peggi kicked off the day together by introducing the kids, talking about what's new at the school, and then a great, short solo acoustic set. Neil opened with Sugar Mountain, then moved to organ for his environmental ode, Mother Earth, which featured Willie Nelson's harmonica guy. A true Neil moment followed when he returned to guitar for Comes A Time and invited his Native American friends (in full Indian get-ups) to basically do rain dances around him while performing the song. Peggi joined Neil for the harmonies. It was a colorful, blown-up photo-worthy moment...and SO damn Neil. (Ya know, one of those moments where you're thinking he's such a genius...yet you're also kind of thinking he's totally nuts).

Dashboard Confessional was the first act. Every Bridge Benefit has one lame act. Although it sounds like it might be tough to sit through a lame act when you have an 8 hour show ahead of you, it actually works out well. There's tons of food and alcohol to be sampled at the many bars and food outlets dotting Shoreline Amphitheatre's landscape...and one needs time to check out the surroundings. Dashboard Confessional proved the perfect time for this. Chris Carraba, a 20-something guy covered in tattoos, is Dashboard Confessional. He sings whiney, folky punk tunes labeled Emo. This label somehow makes the genre feel hip to high school and college kids. Hip enough to make the cover of Spin magazine. Most of the songs rambled, the musicianship was bad and his over-emoting reminded me how badly I needed to see whether Shoreline still sold turkey corn dogs. I wasn't alone - San Francisco's rock critic, Joel Selvin, was in line next to me!

Wilco, my favorite band, came next. I hadn't seen them in a while - they now have 2 keyboard players, no lead guitar, John Stirratt remains on bass and harmonies, Tweedy (of course) and a kickass drummer. I missed the opening song while enjoying Shoreline's culinary delights b/c I made the unfortunate assumption that Incubus would be the second band. Wilco sounded excellent. So damn good. Tweedy was psyched to be there and even announced that "[there's no way we'd be on a stage if it weren't for Neil Young]". They played I Am Trying To Break Your Heart, I'm the Man Who Loves You, She's A Jar, the Uncle Tupelo classics New Madrid and We've Been Had, as well as a great brand new song and a cool cover to close that had something to do with Jesus. The sad part about Wilco's set was that no one paid attention to it. I can't decide whether it was their set time (early in the day) or the way Tweedy worked the crowd (or didn't work the crowd). People talked through their set, etc...and I'm confident in saying they probably did not earn any new fans. That's unfortunate, b/c I've seen many examples of bands picking up tons of new fans at the diverse bills of the Bridge. Sucks for the idiots who were talking, b/c it was a great set...and I was psyched to see the guys, espeically since I told Neil when I met him in 1994 that he had to check out Uncle Tupelo and invite them to the Bridge!

I believe Counting Crows were next. They sounded excellent. A nice, polished sound with rootsy instruments and a great voice leading the way. Granted, he over-emotes as much as Dashboard Confessional, but it's done in a beautiful way that is tolerable for a 40 minute set. The problem here is that it's tough to see that voice coming from a fat, dorky guy with the worst dreadlocks in the history of the hairstyle. Wrapping them in a bun over his head so that he resembles Medusa clearly shows why this guy has to whine through his songs about the inability to find love. His awkward stage moves don't help either. Nonetheless, the band sounded great. The songs are always reworked and feature breakdowns a la Van Morrison that provide the band an opportunity to show their stuff and build the emotion and groove of the song. Their set included recent singles like American Girls as well as old stuff like Rain King, Mr. Jones, Long December, Richard Manuel is Dead and a great cover of the Grateful Dead's Friend of the Devil. Smart place to do that cover - it of course went over well.

Indigo Girls followed. They are the perfect festival band. 2 women with 2 guitars, great voices and a handful of great, uplifting songs. They pump good energy into the air. Whether they would hold my attention for 2 hours, I'm not sure...but they get an A++ for a 45 minute set every time I see them do one. Their set inluded Closer To Fine, Chickenman and a great new song (that doesn't sound like a single). They sounded SO good and the crowd loved it big time. Each time I see them I say "I'm surprised they don't have an even bigger following." Hopefully they'll write some more great songs so that they can get out there again, b/c the talent is there for sure (singing, playing, performing). The highlight here for me was when David Crosby came out to sing on Galileo, the hit he recorded the original harmonies on for them. This was excellent and left the crowd very happy.

Pearl Jam was next. Eddie Vedder now has blonde hair. He must be bored at home. They opened with Dylan's Masters of War. Nice to see some political commentary via song. Daughter sounded great, with Hey Hey My My filling the mini cover-song spot that they leave near the end of the "shades go down" segment of that song. A new song named Man of the Hour sounded like other new Pearl Jam songs to me. Ya know, those songs where you say "what happened to these guys?" An OK Ramones cover of I Belive in Miracles was followed by the epic Black, which got the crowd going nuts. Things got fun with the Johnny Cash cover of 25 Minutes To Go. The crowd was singing along and clapping through this fun, Folsom Prison tune. Pearl Jam closed with an A+ version of Last Kiss, which featured Eddie dedicating the song to a Bridge School graduate who now attends Berkeley. She was on stage in her wheelchair freaking out. He said the song was for her, his "girlfriend". He faced her and got down on one knee in a very Springsteen-esque moment as he sang the song to her. The crowd loved the touching moment.

Willie Nelson came out with just an acoustic guitar and his harmonica dude. He sounded great - so damn raw. He attacks his acoustic guitar like Django having a seizure...and it sounds so right. His sense of timing is blown without a rhythm section, but that provides some entertainment as his harmonica dude struggles to follow where the hell that old, stoned mind is going. The funniest moment of the evening was when Willie started a song that he had ALREADY performed a few minutes earlier! A few words into the songs, Willie says "oops - I just played that! [I can't keep track of what I'm doing without my band]." Hilarious. Neil or one of the Bridge kids must have provided Willie with some of Tommy Chong's finest. Willie played the clsasics - Funny How Time Slips Away, Night Life, Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain, Crazy, On the Road Again, and a couple Hank Williams covers. He was incredibly well received. A true piece of walking American history. With his US Flag on his hat, and his red white and blue guitar sling, we went so far as to say that he IS America.

Crosby Stills Nash and Young were next. I was so desperate to finally see these 4 dudes play together during college that I rounded up some friends and drove to Indianapolis for Farm Aid, thinking I was going to get an incredible set of acoustic music. Instead all they did was 1 new Neil tune called This Old House. Were they trying to torture me? Anyway, the set I thought would go down that night went down this night at the Bridge. DAMN they sound good. So fucking good. Crosby's voice gets better every year. I'm convinced that when the world ends, he and Keith Richards will still be here. They'll be walking around with guitars, ready to give a kickass performance, asking "where is everybody?" Just seeing these 4 standing side by side makes you think of all the history there...the Byrds, Hollies, Buffalo Springfield. Amazing. Years before I was born, they were pioneers of rock...and here they are decades later sounding great. They opened with Human Highway, which I don't think they've performed together since the 1974 tour. Since I was 10 years shy of concert going at that point, I can only rely on tapes...and this performance was MUCH better than my tapes. Flawless. Helplessly Hoping sounded great. When Crosby is in a good mood, there are few who can match his stage presence. He was the band spokesman for the night and was so jazzed that he was dancing in place between songs. He joked that they sounded just like the 60s again by shouting into the mike "I'm peaking! I'm peaking! The colors!" Lee Shore was perfect. Great harmonies, Stills and young picking away together at their acoustic guitars. Nash did the singalong Our House. Nash has the biggest hits so it seems that he always gets stuck having to do the same crowd-pleasers...not sure if that bugs him...but they always do the trick. Harvest Moon was beautiful. Neil was in perfect voice, Stills added guitar parts and Crosby-Nash added their perfect harmony background vocals. They could harmonize to someone vomiting and it would sound great. Crosby joked that he writes the weird shit - and he's right. Deja Vu was amazing. The set highlight. Crazy harmonies and guitar parts, bringing out the best of these 4 guys. Stills then did his bluesy version of For What It's Worth, the Springfield classic. Stills' voice has turned into a Greg Allman growl...that sounds great on this song...but it is a problem when it comes to lots of the CSN/CSNY material. He can fake his old voice for a few songs, but that's it. He keeps gaining weight and his guitar is getting farther away from him...that seemed to affect his playing a bit during the set. Also, what's up with having the name STEPHEN STILLS in giant cursive letters written down the neck of the guitar? It was so cheesy, I was embarassed. For What It's Worth was of course a crowd pleaser. The closing tune, Teach your Children, brought out the Indigo Girls for one background mike, Dashboard for another, and Tweedy-Stirrat for another.

I could have used another hour of Wilco and 2 hours of CSNY, but it was a fun day of music. My flight home was cancelled due to fires in Southern Cali, so I had to rent a car and drive home! Gotta love adventure! I am writing this at 2 am...I just got home.

Snowflake (9/24/03)

2003-09-24T14:14:00.000-07:00

By now you've probably heard the sad news that Snowflake, the world's "extremely rare" albino gorilla, is dying of skin cancer at the Barcelona Zoo in Spain. Snowflake and I have a relationship that dates way back. In the early-mid-70s, when I was a little kid, my Aunt Delores and Uncle Don got me a subscription to National Geographic For Kids for my birthday. It was a great gift. I learned that there was life way beyond my Wonder Years-suburban existence as I saw pictures of far-away lands like Africa, Asia and a variety of distant jungles scattered around our planet.

One day, a special issue arrived at my door with a free poster folded inside the magazine. Very excited to have my first free poster, I opened it up only to meet Snowflake, the world's "extremely rare" albino gorilla. I couldn't believe how cool this was. I’m not sure why I was so fascinated by a white gorilla. It's not like I spent much time hanging around black gorillas. However, something about Snowflake caught my attention. Maybe it was the fact that he looked like a muppet. “One day”, I said, “I'll go Barcelona and I'll meet Snowflake in person”.

Around 14 years later, I was studying in London for my college semester abroad. I was finally going to journey to Barcelona and meet Snowflake. I wasn't even sure whether Snowflake was still alive, but I couldn't wait to find out firsthand and meet my old childhood friend in person. As the big day arrived, I found myself entering the Barcelona Zoo. "Donde esta Snowflake", I asked the security guard, all excited that I managed to remember two Spanish words from high school. I couldn't understand one word of his answer but I knew how to follow the direction in which his finger was pointing. Within a minute, I had reached my destination. I was standing in front of Snowflake's cage, which was now surrounded by glass. I had an ear-to-ear grin as I shot photo after photo of Snowflake hanging out. Snowflake had some black gorilla friends in the cage to play with, so it was nice to see them entertain each other. I then saw Snowflake do something very disturbing. One of the black gorillas squatted to take a piss. As the piss ran down the slight hill into the drain, Snowflake bent down, face to the ground, and slurped up all of the piss! How could Snowflake, my long-lost childhood friend, be drinking the black gorilla's piss! Now don't get me wrong - the color of the other gorilla is NOT the issue here!

As I captured every second of this with my new camera (see below), I figured I'll let it go. I won't let it bother me. Snowflake will walk over to me and smile and it will be like this never happened. In fact, Snowflake did walk over and smile. Everyone in the crowd oohed and aahed as this Yoda-like creature grinned at us. "This is more like it,” I thought. Then, the events of the day took a turn for the worse. Snowflake had a large bout of diarrhea. My first thought was "that's what happens when you drink the piss of other gorillas, Snowflake." Then I wondered whether they know how to feed gorillas in Spain. Are they as nice to the animals in Spain as they are at the Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago? Maybe Snowflake has stomach cancer or anorexia.

As these thoughts swam around in my head, I began to feel my own breakfast from the Barcelona B&B begin to rise towards my throat. Then things really got ugly. Snowflake scooped up all of the diarrhea by hand and threw it at me!! Thank god for the glass surrounding the cage! The diarrhea slowly dripped down the glass in front of my face. Did someone put bad acid in my coffee at the Barcelona B&B? Did Spike and Mike of the Twisted Animation Festival get to run the Barcelona Zoo for the day? Perhaps this was some kind of prank? Could my old friend, the only gorilla who ever graced my bedroom wall, actually be throwing fresh diarrhea at me?

My day was ruined. My dream was crushed. I waited all these years to see Snowflake, but I instead saw a show that rivaled the most obscene material you could find on the internet....or the Amsterdam Red Light District. Now that I know Snowflake has been suffering from skin cancer, I can only assume that it started as stomach cancer and spread to the skin. That had to be stomach cancer. Snowflake otherwise would never have drunk piss in my presence and certainly would never have thrown diarrhea at my face. How Snowflake has even survived the many years since our meeting, I don't know. Was it the Atkins diet? Dr. Phil's advice? Chemotherapy?

One sad thing I DO know: we've lost a lot of quality celebrities lately. Unlike Warren Zevon, Snowflake won't get the chance to record that last album with old friends before passing. Unlike Johnny Cash, he won't get to make that last award-winning music video about old age. But like John Ritter, he'll probably be mourned for dropping dead while on the set of his hit show. After all, Snowflake is one of the biggest stars in Spain. I expect him to keep on keeping on, doing the same piss-drinking, diarrhea-throwing show for fans of all origins up until the very end. Good luck to you Snowflake. The world will miss you, I guess.

Attempts to Publish "Snowflake" (11/24/03)

2003-09-23T21:38:00.000-07:00

My conversation with the Washington Post:

WP: Hello, Washington Post.

Me: Hi, my name is Luber and I'm wondering who I would send a story to about the world famous albino gorilla who just died yesterday.

WP: I see. What zoo are you calling from?

Me: Well he died at the Barcelona zoo.

WP: So you're calling from Barcelona?

Me: No, I'm calling from Chicago.

WP: Is Barcelona the name of your zoo in Chicago, sir?

Me: No, the Barcelona zoo is in Spain. The zoo has already reported the story - it's in papers all over the world. I'm now looking to see where I can submit my funny story about my adventures with the gorilla.

WP: Oh, I see. Let me think for you....Well it sounds like he's a celebrity. Is he a celebrity?

Me: Um, well....yes. Yes, he's a celebrity.

WP: Well then I'm sending you to the Style section. Please hold.

ring....ring....

Very Effeminate Man in Style: Hello, Style!

Me: Um yes, I'm calling about the world famous albino gorilla who just died.

Very Affected Man in Style: Hmmmmmm..........

Needless to say, "Snowflake" did not find a home beyond The Luber Blog.

The Dead in L.A. (9/20/03)

2003-09-20T21:41:00.000-07:00

Well, I just got home from seeing The Dead. Here's my ramblings before I crash. Amazing seats...like 15th row, outdoors at Irvine Meadows Amphitheater (a/k/a Verizon Wireless whatever). Bill Walton was dancing away in his tie-dye a few rows behind us. I can't find a setlist on line and with Jerry dead, I don't bother writing one down. But I'll try to tell you what I can. It was of course great fun to see the guys...and Joan Osbourne is an amazing addition. But this didn't come close to the New Years show I saw 9 months ago. They had been apart for a few weeks this time and not nearly as tight as NYE. At the same time, it was interesting b/c this show hit the highest highs they could possibly hit AND the lowest lows they could possibly hit. I had never seen both of those achievements in the SAME show before. Over half of the show found most of the audience sitting down, only half-paying attnetion. But when the high points were reached, the whole place came alive, feeling like a real Grateful Dead show. You know, that look where you turn around and there's lights shining, heads bobbing and smiles glistening all the way up the hill to the very top. Maybe 25% of the show accomplished this...and it felt damn good when it happened.

I'll start with the lowest lows. It was very clear that the leader is dead - and all the egos of the more human band members are now allowed to run rampant. I believe I made this point very clear in 2000 after the horrendous Other Ones shows...and obviously the right people weren't listening: MICKEY HART SHOULD NEVER BE ALLOWED TO "SING" 2 SONGS IN THE SAME SHOW. (He shouldn't be allowed to sing ONE, but that's another story). That's problem number one. Problem number two: Bob Weir should NOT be allowed to sing more than ONE lame/cheesy song per night, especially when Jerry isn't there to balance this out with greatness. Problem number three: Joan is an A++ singer in a band that is lacking singing talent. LET HER SING. Why should Bob's vocals drag down a good Jerry song, leaving Joan to do nothing more than shake her ass...when she can nail that song and blow the crowd away?? Most of the time when Joan was allowed to sing, Bob had to make it a duet! Shut up and let her sing!

Anyway, Set 1 was clearly run by Phil and Set 2 was clearly run by Bob. You can guess which one was more interesting. Thank god for liver transplants and Phil Lesh's survival. The show opened strong with Help > Slipknot, which was exactly what I spent the week hoping they'd open with. My memory isn't working now as to what else they played...but it was overall fun, with some great jams. There wsa a cool Strawberry Fields. Ramble On Rose was fantastic, even with Bob singing. One of those special moments. He and the band actually nailed it. Crowd was very psyched. Worth getting on CD. Lowpoint: Mickey singing. As a matter of fact, each set featured a Mickey song. This gave me a chance to both piss AND eat dinner. I believe there must be some aging drummer syndrome that warps the brains of successful drummers. I'll call this Phil Collins Disease. One minute you're a cool, amazing drummer...and the next minute you're a game show host singing "Sussudio". Mickey "sings" with all this Vegas schtick...like he's David Copperfield with a band or something. Save it for the Bay Area Retirement Community in 2020, Mickey.

The second set opened with an excellent acoustic Friend of the Devil, followed by 2, yes 2, god-awful Bob songs. If I wanted to see Ratdog, I'd go to some ever-shrinking theater to see them. Instead, I had to cough up TWICE the amount of money a Grateful Dead show would cost...and to me, that's a binding contract that should muzzle Bob Weir from such drivel. To make matters worse, the 2 Bob songs were followed by more Mickey "singing"! Just when I was about to borrow a flashlight from security to look anywhere and everywhere for Jerry, we were saved. The order can be wrong here since my memory sucks, but there was a great Other One that ignited the crowd, an excellent Drums with 3 drummers thanks to John Molo, and an out-of-control China Doll featuring Joan. China Doll, in my opinion, stole the show. It was my only shit-eating grin of the night...chills, the whole deal...as if the Fat Man were there. Damn she could sing. And the band nailed this - it was like the most powerful, perfect orchestra was backing her up...ONLY THIS group of musicians could create THIS sound...and this one moment alone made the night for me - perfect drums, keyboards, harmonies, bass...reassuring me that Mickey and Ratdog hadn't swallowed the Grateful Dead...and that that IT factor isn't some exaggerated memory from my younger years of GD shows...and that more magic moments may lie ahead. After China Doll, I was waiting for someone to walk onstage and present Joan with a Grammy Award. Definitely need a recording of that song...and need to see more moments like this...if they'll set their egos aside and let an "outsider" sing a little more. Throwing Stones kept the crowd in Grateful Dead show mode...and completing Slipknot > Franklin's Tower was a fun surprise that completely ignited the crowd once again. Excellent. An acapella We Bid You Goodnight was a great way to end the show. The show started and ended very strong. High highs were definitely reached. The middle sucked...and hit lows that made me embarassed to even be there. Is it worth it to sit through the schlock to reach those high moments? I wish they'd figure out a way to avoid those low moments, but yes - it's absolutely worth it...music that interesting and amazing is too special...and too rare.

Airplane Crash (6/6/03)

2003-06-06T21:50:00.000-07:00

I had been working the phones today to network my way into a job. I am on to something new and exciting, but I've had 2 brutal years with the loss of my mom and all....and not hearing anyone say "you're hired" was getting to me today. I literally spoke to my wall (that's who I talk to when I'm home all day getting frustrated about the job hunt) and said "just kill me now". I was just too frustrated. Well, I learned you have to be careful what you say to your wall!

It was almost 4 and I was supposed to be at a friend's place at 5:30 to watch Game 2 of the NBA Finals. I decided if I'm gonna get exercise I'd better run to the gym now. I got dressed for the gym and decided to send an email before I left. While typing, I heard a plane coming towards my apartment. It kept getting closer and closer. I always get a little scared when this happens, but this time I got REALLY scared. I was sure it was gonna hit me. It sounded too close. I stopped typing and started to stand up, hesitating only b/c I was thinking I was being a neurotic spaz. I heard it get closer and yelled HOLY SHIT! I was sure I was fucked. I ran to the other end of my apartment, away from the window, to get my shoes and get out of the building. I threw on my shoes and suddenly my windows blew around like crazy and the blinds came flying towards me. I ran outside. A plane crashed into an apartment building just 4 houses down from mine! Huge ball of fire and huge clouds of black smoke. Tons of people poured out into the streets as my heart raced much faster than if I had actually gotten to work out at the gym. It was surreal...and a blur. Everyone had cell phones, lots of home video cameras...and within minutes cops, firemen, about 20 helicopters, and all the press. I turned down tons of interviews by every network. I hadn't even showered and looked like a big dork in my Farm Aid t-shirt and other ratty gym clothes. I did speak to the AP, (only b/c they had no cameras) so I might be on AM radio or in the newspapers if they didn't get a more interesting story (and if they couldn't find that, then they should find new jobs). My cell phone died within 30 minutes, so I couldn't even call people. I instead met random freaks from the neighborhood. And WOW, there's some winners. Melrose Larry Green, of Howard Stern fame, popped out of nowhere and began thinking he was a police officer, telling us to step away from the corner. (This was after the police evacuated the area and made us all move 2 blocks away). Melrose Larry gave me his business card after I explained that we had everything under control. I can't imagine what BUSINESS he is in other than appearing to be a mental patient, but he did happen to tell me that he's writing a book about how Chelsea Clinton is really the daugther of Hillary Clinton and Webster Hubble. He said he has DNA evidence to prove it and I have to promise to read his book. I said I'd be happy to, Larry. And I look forward to hearing you discuss it with Howard Stern. Scary. The black smoke had turned white and eventually faded away...bodies were carted off...the news was scrambling for what was left of the scoop. It was entertaining to watch some of these newscasters ask everyone frantically "did you see anything? did you see anything" and then call their bosses to say "we can't find anyone who saw anything!" Some ultra slick 40-something news guy in a fancy suit who I was sure was a rich personal injury lawyer came up to us and shook our hands. In his best Batman voice he said, "I'm Bruce Babcock, did any of you see anything?" He was like a parody of himself. After 4 hours, the sun was gone and it was too cold for me to be standing out there making small talk with anyone. But they still would not let anyone within 2 blocks of the area. They were investigating whether this was terrorism b/c I live in a very Jewish neighborhood, it's a Friday night and the apartment building is across from a small temple. Anyway, my next door neighbor was standing next to me and had his I.D. on him (I had nothing but a dead cell phone and a Farm Aid t-shirt). I said walk with me over to those cops, with your I.D. open and facing them - we're getting home. "Officer," I said as my neighbor flashed his I.D., "we live at that building right up the block there. We really need to get home." "Sorry, only if you have family members there or it's an emergency." I said "Officer, it's freezing out here and all I have is this Farm Aid t-shirt." They said "sorry, you can go to Fairfax high School - there is shelter there for everyone." I said "Officer, this really is an emergency." "How so, sir?" "We're missing the 4th quarter of game 2 of the NBA Finals." (I had to try something). "Sir, follow me and I'll escort you home." I walked in just in time for the final 90 seconds of the game, which were GREAT. I'm not going to try to leave my place now b/c I doubt I'll be allowed back until the investigation is done...and don't want to sleep in my car. I still have tons of helicopters flying over my place...and each time they get close to my window, my reflex is to jump up and run. Time for a beer (or 2) and whatever food is lying around in the fridge. Remember to be careful what you say to your walls.

The Other Ones NYE Show (1/2/03)

2003-01-02T12:58:00.000-08:00

First, I wanna say that The Other Ones kicked ass. Period. When I closed my eyes, I was positive I was at an A level Grateful Dead show...and NOT in a cover band kind of way. Each time I found myself with an ear-to-ear grin, saying "holy shit", I knew something special was happening. Here's my attempt to write about it in a pseudo-professional way:

Jerry Garcia would be proud. On New Year's Eve, the 4 surviving members of the Grateful Dead regrouped as The Other Ones to perform a 4 hour concert at a level of musicianship, intensity and tightness that surpassed the Dead shows of the 90's. Something this special seemed impossible just 2 years ago.
The Dead has split into 2 camps: Phil Lesh and everyone else. Everyone else toured as The Other Ones in 2000. It was a pathetic, awful, Spinal Tap puppet show-like affair that appeared to be the nail in the coffin for the Dead. Meanwhile, Phil's band Phil & Friends was performing musically inspiring, adventurous shows as he embraced the ever-expanding jamband scene that grew in the wake of Jerry's death. Phil surrounded himself with great musicians, rehearsed a LOT and found his audience continuing to grow. He was fully reborn (thanks to a liver transplant) and so was the music. Many, including me, thought that a beautiful scenario would be if Phil would be willing to work with the ol' Grateful Dead guys and show them the light he had clearly seen since `99...then lead the band to reclaim their title as the band that could put on a tight, musicially adventurous show that ranges in mood, mixes up setlists, jams into neverland and blows their audience away. This seemed close to impossible, but was a fun, dorky rock n roll dream to have. On NYE 2002/2003, that dream came true.

It's difficult to discuss the power and beauty of the music from NYE without looking at the amazing soap opera behind it all. Since starting in 1965, the Grateful Dead's popularity appeared to grow every single year...and continued to grow through the 1990s, which found them playing multiple sold out nights at football stadiums around the country. This growth was continuing despite the downhill slide the band was taking musically since the 1990 death of keyboard player Brent Mydland. This slide was due to Jery Garcia's heroin addiction and health troubles combined with the fact that the band hadn't rehearsed for a decade and was ignoring the need to take a break, running on auto pilot to feed their giant staff and keep the machine rolling. Jerry's lifestyle eventually led to his death in 1995, after a year where the band played like a sloppy mess and Jerry unsuccessfully used a teleprompter to help him remember song lyrics. After Jerry's death, the band members went off in their own directions. 1998 found the birth of The Other Ones, which at the time included 3 members of the Grateful Dead (Phil Lesh, Bob Weir, Mickey Hart) and sometimes-member Bruce Hornsby as well as an additional drummer, 2 lead guitarists and a sax player. The shows were good, but 2 lead guitarists and a sax player proved to be messy. Bass player Phil Lesh, whose playing is essential to the sound of the Grateful Dead, and whose spirit is tied closest to Jerry's by fans, nearly died from liver failure later that year. After a successful liver transplant brought new life to Phil, he returned to the stage as Phil & Friends, embracing the experimental, boundary-less jamming elements of the Grateful Dead's music. While he was finding rapidly growing success with his band, public fighting (thanks to the internet) between Phil and the other GD band members led them to go their separate ways again. It appeared there would never again be anything like a Grateful Dead show. All of this drama makes this new rebirth of the band that much more shocking.

There is no replacing Jery Garcia. There never will be. He was one of those rare individuals, like Bob Marley or Jimi Hendrix, who had the power to channel something magical. No group can be as good without him. For those musicians who are still here, playing in the shadow of such an incredibly powerful talent and presence is a ridiculously difficult task. Although without Garcia, some may call this a glorified cover band, The Other Ones somehow managed to pull it together to the point where the show did not feel like a rehash of days gone by and fans didn't need to say "if only HE was here". This was a band that could stand on its own. This was a band with enough power to have a future. Had I never been aware of Garcia's exitence and I saw this band live for my first time, I'd probably be shopping for a VW Bus. That magical sound was there. The IT was there. That weird, incredible chemistry that can only be created by Phil's bass, Weir's bizarre rhythm guitar style and Mickey/Bill's drumming was there. Like the Stones managed to do earlier this year, the band played like they had something to prove. They sounded as tight as the 1977 and 1978 Grateful Dead tapes. The drummers pounded away in synch with the power of musicians half their age. Bob Weir was in great voice and still has all of his silly rock star moves down. In addition to providing the remaining essential trippy ingredient to the band's sound with his bass, Phil Lesh was without a doubt the leader of this band. He was watching the musicians carefully throughout the night, giving directions via the band's special ear monitor/step-on-pedal-so-the-audience-can't-hear-when-you're-speaking-into-the-mike-system. Keyboardists Rob Barraco (from Phil's band, formerly of Dead cover band Zen Tricksters) and Jeff Chimenti (from Bob's band, Ratdog), particularly Barraco, lent a ton to the sound of the band. He played piano with the energy of Brent Mydland, thankfully forcing all to forget that Vince Welnick ever existed in this band's history. Jimmy Herring (from Phil's band, formerly of Aquarium Rescue Unit and briefly the Allman Brothers) kicked ass at lead guitar. Standing in Jerry's shoes can't be easy. Yet with comfort, he brought his own style to the lead guitar role and proved to be a great choice for this band. He copied Jerry's licks only when essential to the song and brought his fire to the tunes throughout the night.

The two main thoughts that kept returning to me through the show: Jerry would be really proud to see this right now. Not just how great the band was, but the fact that the Oakland Arena (Golden State Warriors basketball stadium) was packed with people of all ages. The other thought was what a shame that Jerry didn't get to clean himself up and participate in this rebirth. If Jerry was at this show, playing at this intensity and playing a setlist this crazy, there would have been hundreds of heart attacks in the room and loads of people quitting their jobs to follow the band around the country once again. Instead, it took his death to lead to this rebirth...as well as Phil's own brush with death.

Here is the setlist:

Set 1: St. Stephen > The Eleven > Jack Straw, Unbroken Chain > Playin' in the Band > Scarlet Begonias > Fire On the Mountain

First set was flawless. Tight as hell. Powerful stuff. Mickey singing (not even rapping) Fire wasn't the greatest concept, but the great music made that move tolerable. Other vocals were handled by Bob and sometimes Phil, with backing support from the keyboard players and occasional few lines of lead vocal from Borraco.

Right before the second set began, an emcee taught the crowd about the tradition of Grateful Dead New Years by listing the lineup of each New Years show from the 60s until today. The video screens supplemented the lesson by showing the concert posters from each year and showing how Bill Graham flew to the stage as Father Time for every show. When they got to 2002, the band took the stage for the ten second countdown. At midnight, fireworks exploded as tons of balloons fell from the ceiling and Wavy Gravy (who had been sitting in front of us) was onstage in his Baby New Years outfit throwing roses out into the first rows on the floor. The band jumped into Sugar Mag as balloons bounced around above the crowd.

Set 2: Sugar Magnolia, Shakedown Street > Cryptical Envelopment > The Other One > Drums > Space > Lady With a Fan > Dark Star > Terrapin Station > Throwing Stones > Not Fade Away

Second set started out as great as the first. The Other One rocked harder than any I had ever seen. Even Drums and Space were entertaining. The usual bathroom/hot dog break wasn't even necessary here. Inspired, creative playing created some real interesting techno/new age-like music. A certain amount of momentum was definitely lost thanks to dividing the Terrapin into two halves by placing Dark Star in the middle. These two songs combined probably filled 45 minutes and descended into some boring noodling. Although there were moments of musical brilliance scattered through the long, instrumental passages, much of it should have been avoided. It even got sloppy and started to feel like the mid-90s. They eventually picked things back up, but it was already 1:30 am in a stadium that was full by 6:30 pm. It's a little late for sloppy, endless noodling at that point. That would be the one and only solid complaint about the show.

ENCORES: Caution Jam > I Know You Rider, No More Do I > It's All Over Now Baby Blue > Stella Blue (instrumental)

Shockingly long encores. Lots of fun. The energy had dipped a bit in the room because by the time this set was ending, it was 2:30 am. Everyone had already sat through the 6:30 set of acoustic Hot Tuna (which was excellent) and the 8:00 set of Medeski, Martin and Wood with a horn section on several tunes (which was also excellent). It was a loooong night. If not for the one hour Terrapin/Dark Star situation, this long set might have been even better. Closing with a beautiful, instrumental Stella Blue was a nice tip o' the hat to Jerry and a very classy way to end the event.

Overall, I'd give his show an A. There is no place I would have rather been that night...no show I would rather have seen. This band is definitely not Dark Star Orchestra. It's also not the Grateful Dead, but it feels real close. It's a great band that is definitely worth seeing. Anyone who wants to return to that Grateful Dead headspace would have a good time. Any young person who was born too late to see the Dead would get the experience by seeing this band...and could likely have a new favorite band. I definitely look forward to seeing them again and congratulate them on pulling off what seemed imnpossible not too long ago. Happy New Year!

Holiday CD 2002 > 2003

2002-12-31T23:01:00.000-08:00

Disc 1 - Holiday CD 2002/2003

1) Wilco – “Heavy Metal Drummer” from YANKEE HOTEL FOXTROT (2002)
Wilco is my favorite band. Leader Jeff Tweedy is from a town between Chicago and St. Louis called Belleville, IL. I considered him a genius in the early 90s when he was co-leader of Uncle Tupelo, one of my favorite bands during law school. Today he’s one of the most critically acclaimed artists in rock. He’s not in it to be a star...like Neil Young, he does it because he has to. He’s 35 and I expect to still be hearing from him when he’s 55. Here’s a nostalgic tune about hanging out at the Landing in St. Louis.

2) Jurassic 5 – "I Am Somebody" from POWER IN NUMBERS (2002)
I’m not a huge hip-hop fan, but this is a cool song.

3) Eminem – "Cleanin Out My Closet" from THE EMINEM SHOW (2002)
Gotta love Eminem. Like Dylan, he makes me laugh and wonder how he manages to choose these words, make them rhyme AND fit into the context of the song. Check out these lyrics – kinda tells his life story...father left him, mom was lame, he caught his wife Kim making out with another guy at a bar, he plays single parent to daughter Hayley, mom sued to take his money after he made it big...and now he hates her. Great stuff.

4) Bright Eyes – "Method Acting" from LIFTED (2002)
Bright Eyes is Colin Oberst, some 22 year-old from the midwest who critics are currently wetting their pants over. I really like this song, but am not totally sold yet. Maybe need to see the live show.

5) Foo Fighters – "All My Life" from ONE BY ONE (2002)
Another solid song from Dave Grohl, former drummer for Nirvana.

6) White Stripes – "Dead Leaves & the Dirty Ground" from WHITE BLOOD CELLS (2002)
Of the new rock bands getting tons of hype, this is my favorite. Great album. Only 2 people in this band – guitarist and drummer. No one knows whether they’re brother and sister or a divorced couple.

7) Nirvana – "You Know You’re Right" from GREATEST HITS (2002)
The last song Nirvana ever recorded was finally just released. Eight years after his death, Kurt Cobain manages to get a better song on the radio than anything else out there.

8) Starsailor – "Tie Up My Hands" from LOVE IS HERE (2001)
This is from last year but I discovered it this year. Great CD. Acoustic Radiohead vibe.

9) Dave Matthews Band – "Grace Is Gone" from BUSTED STUFF (2002)
Great band – especially live. I saw him perform this song a few years ago before it was released...it stayed in my head for months.

10) Pete Yorn – "Just Another" from MUSICFORTHEMORNINGAFTER (2001)
From last year but it’s a great song and I’m still listening to it. This guy from Jersey got tons of critical praise when the record came out...some real good songs...his brothers are lawyers and agents in the entertainment biz.

11) Ryan Adams w/Emmylou Harris – "Sweet Carolina" from HEART BREAKER (2000)
Ryan Adams gets the critics to wet their pants and I can’t figure out why...but this is a great song from his first album, which I think towers above his past couple. Never hurts to have Emmylou Harris singing with you.

12) Norah Jones – "Don’t Know Why" from COME AWAY WITH ME (2002)
Great tune. She came out of nowhere and became a hit. Her dad is Ravi Shankar.

13) Peter Gabriel w/Blind Boys of Alabama – "Sky Blue" from UP (2002)
This is one of the only good songs off Peter Gabriel’s first weak record. It’s not a huge deal to release a weak record, but when you took 10 years to work on it, that’s a problem. I just saw the concert last week – good show. The Blind Boys opened and were great. I went to the after party where Peter was supposed to show up. I literally waited til 2 am, hoping I’d get to apologize for The 1989 Incident. No such luck.

14) Baaba Maal – "Yoolelle Maman" from MISSING YOU (2001)
Great African album from last year. A couple critics were all giddy about it so I had to check it out.

15) Beck – "Lost Cause" from SEA CHANGE (2002)
Another great song and album from a great artist. He’ll be around forever. This whole album is kinda dark and depressing b/c it’s about his relationship ending after his girlfriend of many years cheated on him.

16) Sigur Ros – "Svefn-G-Englar" from AGAETIS BYRJUN (2000)
Intense stuff by this band from Iceland. They make up their own language, so that’s gibberish you’re hearing. They just released a new album which is good, relaxing background music. These guys are great live.

Disc 2 - Holiday CD 2002/2003

1) Crosby-Nash – "Carry Me" from WIND ON THE WATER (1975)
Great David Crosby song. I wrote about this in Update 15.

2) Jackson Browne – "For A Dancer' from LATE FOR THE SKY (1974)
JB performed this at Bill Graham’s memorial. I wrote about this in Update 15 too.

3) Bruce Springsteen – "You’re Missing" from THE RISING (2002)
It’s about 9/11, but it hits home for me.

4) Bob Dylan – "Not Dark Yet" from TIME OUT OF MIND (1997)
I think this is the best song on Dylan’s comeback album. I wrote about this in Update 15. Brilliant lyrics...don’t know how he does it. I wonder if this track is autobiographical...

5) Grateful Dead – "Death Don’t Have No Mercy" (live in 1989) from SO MANY ROADS
Dark, haunting cover by the Dead. Jerry, Bob and Brent all sing a verse.

6) George Harrison – "All Things Must Pass" from ALL THINGS MUST PASS (1970)
As I wrote in Update 13, George died just a couple months before my mom at the same age and of the same disease. I heard on the radio that he had died when I woke up at 4 something to drive to Evanston Hospital for my mom’s surgery. This was the last morning that she was her normal self. She was in a good, talkative mood before the surgery and as I walked in she said “Did you hear that George Hamilton died?” I said “The guy with the sun tan died too?” She said “No, the Beatle.” “That’s George HARRISON, mom.”

7) Wilco – "Via Chicago" from SUMMERTEETH (1999)
A song mentioning Chicago, where I spent the past year, from my favorite band. I think this is their best album.

8) Belle& Sebastian – "Like Dylan In the Movies" from IF YOU’RE FEELING SINISTER (1997)
A song I got into while living in Chicago. This CD was in the hospice rotation.

9) George Harrison – "What Is Love" from ALL THINGS MUST PASS (1970)

10) Warren Zevon – "Excitable Boy" from EXCITABLE BOY (1978)
Warren Zevon, a great, witty singer-songwriter, was recently diagnosed with terminal lung cancer. He recently appeared on Letterman to sing a few tunes and say goodbye. He is expected to die before 2003. Check out his stuff.

11) Phish – "Chalkdust Torture" from PICTURE OF NECTAR (1992)
Phish is returning this month from their 2+ year hiatus. If you’ve never seen them live, do it.

12) Bob Dylan – "Summer Days" from LOVE AND THEFT (2001)
So weird, but my mom became a Dylan fan after hearing this album. She requested it in her final car ride to Evanston Hospital for the surgery and again for hospice. She particularly loved this song. He sounds like he swallowed some sandpaper and a frog these days, but the lyrics and character are still there.

13) Ric Ocasek w/Billy Corgan – "The Next Right Moment" from TROUBLIZING (1997)
I found this tune on Napster during my last week of employment. It’s a happy, upbeat rock radio song that never made it to radio. It’s The Cars meets Smashing Pumpkins...wonder why. This song should be in the opening credits of a movie.

14) Rolling Stones – "Don’t Stop" from GREATEST HITS (2002)
The first solid song from the Stones in a long while.

15) Warren Zevon – "Lawyers Guns & Money" from EXCITABLE BOY (1978)

16) Rolling Stones w/Dr. John – "I Just Want To Make Love To You" (live in Chicago 2002)
In September I got to spend 8 great days in Chicago working for the Stones again. This blues cover was recorded at their club show that week at the Aragon Ballroom. Dr. John guests on piano.

17) Grateful Dead – "Brokedown Palace" (live in 1990) from DOZIN’ AT THE KNICK
A classy goodbye...

Only in L.A. (10/21/02)

2002-10-21T19:11:00.000-07:00

Just saw BOWLING FOR COLUMBINE last night. GREAT flick. Michael Moore made this movie, which is showing in arts theaters...and it's a GREAT documentary about why we have gun violence in this country. It's hilarious and really gets you thinking. He's a master at this kind of thing. The movie features a BRILLIANT animated segment summarizing U.S. history South Park-style. You can't go wrong with that. Michael Moore actually pushes the liberal thing a little further than I'm comfortable with, but he's so great at exposing b.s.. Definitely see this - check your arts theaters for listings.

Sitting in front of us at the movie were Leo DiCaprio and Tobey Maguire and their posse of about 6 other frat guys in baseball hats. Leo & Tobey both look like any 2 guys who just got out of college...and it was weird thinking they're 2 of the biggest stars and richest 20-somethings on the planet. Leo was trying to conceal his identity when the movie ended...he pulled his cap down as far as it would go. Tobey, to mess with him, jumped up when the movie ended and ran off with the hat. It was really funny. In L.A., especially at this particular theater, no one pays any attention to celebrities anyway. Leo dealt with his sudden exposure by putting a cigarette in his mouth so that he'd at least look cool...like he's James Dean or something. Ridiculous. We were waiting for the elevator with them to go to the parking lot but when it arrived we let them cram in with their posse and we took the next one. Seconds later, Harry Connick Jr. appeared out of nowhere and got in our elevator. Only in L.A.

Tonight I went to a party hosted by a real nice guy who is a coworker of a friend of mine. He's about 5 feet tall and looks like George Harrison around the end of the Beatles days...giant beard and all. He just wrote a book that includes random poetry and a play. He knows no one will publish it so he had it professionally bound to at least make it look real. This party was his book release party! To host the party, he rented out an empty space called The Space. He drove to San Diego to buy special lighting from a special IKEA. He covered the wall with art to give the look of an art gallery (he gathered art and photos from friends). He had titles and prices on cards next to every piece. In the back, he had a lounge area with couches and a slide show of random pictures from Bali as well as a TV showing a black and white film that he made (also for the hell of it) in which he befriends a homeless person and tours Los Angeles...they even visit a cemetery. There was an open bar with good wine, mixed drinks and beer. Most of the crowd was as unique as the event. A DJ spun cool tunes AND a guy who played glasses performed a Beatles medley! (Yes, he had different sized glasses with different amounts of water and he would rub his fingers along the edge of the glasses. He has been hired by Ozzy Osbourne to play at a party where Ozzy and Sharon will be renewing their vows.) As Glasses Guy played the Beatles medley, a 6 foot 2 girl with a sleeveless shirt, tattoos and brown teeth turned to me and said , "If he can do THAT with the glasses, just imagine what he can do with a PUSSY."

Welcome to Los Angeles.

Update 19: The Return To L.A. (6/3/02)

2002-06-03T19:36:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone. I believe my last update was at the end of March, so I have a LOT to ramble on about...

Thanks to my `91 Integra, I was able to drive far, far away from my lumpy twin bed from high school. Paying rent each month for an L.A. apartment that was left vacant for a year turned out to be worth it because I had a destination that I could call mine. I of course returned to plenty of dirt, dust and cobwebs, but I'll take that over the twin bed and Ghostbusters poster any day. Anyway, I finally did it. I finally left the Chicago suburbs and hit The Road. In case I didn't mention this in my September Update, I love The Road. For some reason, a 36-hour drive doesn't bore me. In fact, I want to do it more often. At any given time, there is either incredible scenery, a funny billboard on the side of the road, great music to focus on (assuming you bring along a good collection) or any combination of the above. For those of you with a US Road Map in your hands, or plans for a road trip: I took the 294 North to the 55 South, which took me to St. Louis. After St. Louis, I switched to the 44. I had lunch in Springfield, Missouri at a McDonalds where every single employee was white and spoke English. Odd feeling - it was like jumping back 20 years. This, by the way, was The NASCAR McDonalds. I don't know a thing about NASCAR, but I guess this is exciting to some people. I spent the night in Rolla, Missoui at the same Super 8 I visited in September. Penelope's Cafe and Buffet was not so special for dinner, but it was better than eating at McAmerica. If you haven't road tripped in a while, every highway town pretty much has the same American chains killing the local culture. You gotta search to find a non-McMeal. Penelope's was what I found in my search. Maybe I should have searched longer and harder, but I was damn hungry. Since I always like to check out the local radio station for a taste of the area (since it's so hard to find any local food to taste), I caught some fine Rolla radio programming. I learned that if you call 1-800-36-JESUS, you can get your very own Jesus Video. Like most Rolla radio programs, this one ended with "Praise the Lord".

In the morning, I continued on the 44 toward Oklahoma City. On the border of Missouri and Oklahoma is the Gun Museum. I had a feeling if I visited that place I'd see Ashcroft and Charlton Heston hanging out...despite my pride in my NRA target shooting awards from overnight camp (ha...yes, for real), I kept driving. At Oklahoma City, I switched to the 40. Beginning in Oklahoma, there were frequent billboards for 713-REVERSE: REVERSE YOUR VASECTOMY IN HOUSTON, TEXAS. I hit Tulsa, Oklahoma and decided it was time for lunch. I hit the city's finest: IHOP. Remind me NOT to do that next time. I felt like having a healthy meal...or at least semi-healthy. Everything on the menu has cheddar cheese, mayo and butter...and lots of it. The healthiest item I could find was a plain burger. My waitresses, Sabrina and Genesis, were both shocked that I didn't want cheese on my sandwich. In fact, they looked at me like I was from another planet. I just wanted to scream LOOK - I'M ONE OF MANY LACTOSE INTOLERANT JEWS, OK??? Something told me I was a minority there in Tulsa! Anyway, as fat white American after fat white American waddled into IHOP, I thought about how sick our culture is that we have such awful food products shoved in our faces...you really have to struggle to find anything that's healthy or good for you. Given menus like this IHOP tragedy, of course every customer will be a sloth that comes waddling in...and of course Six Flags will be filled with scary looking, artery-clogged waddlers wearing US Flags on their undersized t-shirts. Rather than focusing on that while eating my burger, I buried my face in Rolling Stone and read about Ozzy Osbourne and his freaky kids. Sabrina or Genesis (I can't remember which one) asked me if there were enough grilled onions on my burger. There actually weren't...I think they chopped up a tiny piece of one onion strand. She went to get me more...ten minutes later, as I'm finishing my burger, she explained in her southern drawl that she can't get me more grilled onions because the cook only speaks Spanish and he couldn't understand her. As I left IHOP, I saw a great bumper sticker in the parking lot. It said REAL MEN LOVE JESUS. Afer lunch, I continued on the 40 to Amarillo, Texas. That's in the Texas panhandle. Unlike last September, Verizon Wireless cell phones with Los Angeles area codes now work in Amarillo. FM 89.9 is an excellent radio station...I believe it's a college station, but their playlist was filled with a great mix of rock that should serve as a model for all of the McRadio stations we now have across the country. Be sure to check it out next time you pass through Amarillo. I stayed at the Super 8 in Amarillo. Yes, this was a Super 8 road trip. Prices ranged from $39-$53 for a night, depending on the city. Oh - I should mention that that comes with a "Free Breakfast". That is of course if you consider a glass of Tang and a bite-sized, dry sweet roll to be "Breakfast". I was determined to drive around town until I found a cool place to eat. After all, in September the best thing I found there was Red Lobster. This time I found The Place. Seriously. Tacos Garcia. Great restaurant. 1100 S. Ross Street at 806-371-0411. It was packed on a random weekday night and could have been in any major city. I have their card which says "We're talkin' more than just tacos" and says to call Mando if you have questions. He's the Assistant Manager and "Sergeant Major".

In the morning, I continued on the 40. Early in the morning I passed a billboard that said NEED A FIX? LET JESUS FIX IT. Later I drove by what billboards were billing as THE LARGEST CROSS IN THE WESTERN HEMISPHERE. It was pretty cool. I'm not sure what it was doing in the middle of nowhere, but thanks to FM 89.9's quality music, I didn't think about it too long. Soon I was in New Mexico, where the scenery really got beautiful. I love that state. Timing worked out great for me to have lunch in Albuquerque. Great town. If you stay there, I recommend the La Quinta Inn at 2424 San Mateo Blvd. I also recommend stopping in Santa Fe, just 45 minutes off the road...and have lunch at the Coyote Cafe. In Albuquerque, I recommend 2 places for food: Kelly's for lunch or dinner and Frontier Grill for breakfast or lunch. That's where I stopped this time: Frontier. Both places are on the main road, and Frontier is right across the street from the University of New Mexico. The radio station here is 95.9 Radio Free Santa Fe. Great stuff. I stopped in the cool record store by the Univeristy, 2 blocks from Frontier, but I'm blanking on the name - worth visiting if you're looking for music or want to absorb some hipness. I then continued on the 40 to Flagstaff, Arizona, another of my 2 favorite places from September. I checked in to the Super 8 next to a Barnes & Noble. This is a great little town, home of Northern Arizona University. Like September, I ate at San Felipe's Coastal Cantina at 103 N. Leroux Street 928-779-6000. Definietly recommend it. Good Mexican food. Most everyone there is 20-35 years old...it's always full...TVs on, music playing, and live bands on weekends. I returned to the Super 8 where I saw a TV commercial for motor oil featuring Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top. It was one of the cheesier commercials I've seen...and had to laugh as a freaky guy with cheap sunglasses and a red beard down to his ribcage told me to trust him for motor oil. I guess he always drove that cool car in those ZZ Top videos, so maybe he DOES know what he's talking about.

Speaking of beards, I now have one from not shaving for a couple weeks of road life...but it ain't red and it ain't down to my ribcage. Anyway, the next day brought an end to the road trip as the 40 led me to the 15 in Barstow, California which led me to the 10 around San Bernadino, which led me to my dusty apartment in Los Angeles.

I droped off my stuff and headed to Andy/JoLynn Jacobson's place in San Francisco. In the middle of the desert between the 2 major cities, I saw several billboards that simply said FOOD GROWS WHERE WATER FLOWS. Whoa, that's deep. I challenge Snoop Dog to top that. It was great to see many of the San Francisco circle of friends. There wasn't time to see everyone, but it was a fun trip. Crazy to think that just a 12 minute drive from Haight Street takes you to incredible hiking in the Marin Headlands, right along the ocean. If it weren't for the thick fog that hangs over San Fran in the summertime, keeping it cold and gloomy, I might have gone apartment hunting right after that hike. Amazing how the weather changes in that 12 minute drive and you escape the fog to blue skies, sunshine and heat. Maybe Berkeley is the place to be - or Marin after winning the lottery...much sunnier there. (I was told I just happened to be there on the one foggy week, but I spent a summer living there and remember how it can seem like November in July when you're in the city). We had people over for dinner, hung in Tilden Park in Berkeley, played Sony Playstation's awesome Jack & Dackster game, hiked, went to a winery, went siteseeing and got to see Michael Bizar perform in his element once again at the Boom Boom Room's Bizar Bazaar. The 4 piece jazz-funk band was great...the special guest was a horn player from KC and the Sunshine Band. Murph, the bass player from Citrus, was also in the band. It was a trip to see Michael and Murph play together once again. They were meant to play together. Lots of friends were at the show and it was really fun.

From San Fran, made it back to LA to catch Trey from Phish with his new band at the Greek Theater. It was fun...horn section, funky music to bounce around to. But I'm ready for the return of Phish - hopefully by next summer. The cool news for this summer is the "Grateful Dead Reunion" at Alpine Valley in August. I'm psyched about that, even if the Fat Man won't be there. The crowd will be as fun as the music and it's an event I don't want to miss. After seing Trey, it was off to a resort near Palm Springs for the wedding of my friends Cindy and Nicole. It was a really special event...beautiful, outdoor wedding in the desert, surrounded by mountains and run by a rabbi that included speeches from family and friends via microphones that were passed around the crowd. I met them through Michael Bizar, who was there, as were many suburban Chicagoans and other inspirational friends...several of whom I've become friends with over the past couple years. It was a great 3 day event...due to roadtripping, I made it to 2 days...and was psyched to be there.

Now I'm officially back in Los Angeles. Leaving the Chicago suburbs was a combination of the easiest/best thing to do and the hardest thing to do all at once. The tough part was the fact that I was leaving my dad all alone in the house for the first time. It'll be a challenge for him...It was also tough because it really was closing a chapter - when I returned home from my brief California visit in September, my mom was doing pretty well considering what she was going through. She was ill, but very much alive. This time I was leaving a house where she no longer physically existed...and from now on, each time I return, she won't be there to give the excited, Welcome Home greeting. So I cried and said a final goodbye to all her stuff before I walked out the door...picture the closing scene in a long-running sitcom's final episode where they say farewell to their cheesy apartment. It was something like that. Her closet is still filled with everything as if she's about to walk in from an aerobics class...weird feeling. Three wigs and some baggy clothing remain the only trace of the illness chapter...other than her disappearance.

As I write this, I'm realizing that on this exact day last year, I learned that the dot com I was working for was going under and it was my final week of employment. One week after my last day of work was when my mom got diagnosed. So we're about to hit the anniversary of The Day That Everything Changed. It's a strange feeling to return to L.A. at basically the same time of year when the shit hit the fan. The Lakers in the playoffs, the sun being out long hours, that Beginning of Summer feeling, etc...It's almost like the year didn't exist for me and I jumped a year forward in a time machine...while everyone around me has continued to live through their normal routines.

What's next? I dunno. I'm done cleaning but still have to organize my place. Lots of stuff to go through, file, throw away, etc. My dad is actually coming out here this weekend for our cousin's Surprise 80th Birthday party. This cousin is the leader of the California branch of the family and seems more like 60 than 80. It will be great to see everyone there. My dad's sister is driving in from Arizona, and I think that's what convinced him to leave the house. So that's a good thing. The music business education project I was working on through my mom's ordeal will be launched on June 28. It kept my mind occupied during the whole Hell Chapter and will hopefully survive the 3 month test period that will take it through September. Many of you in Chicago and California helped me with this and I greatly appreciate it. My mom really wanted to see it become a reality, so I'm looking forward to that happening. I will fill you in on the project after that date. I still have some work to do before that date, so I'll be focused on that as well as unwinding from the past year, which definitely took a mental and physical toll. I obviously have to do important things like choose a city and a job, but that will happen in time. Although I need money and want to get things moving along, I'll add that stress when I'm ready for it. In the meantime, my eyes and ears are open to anything.....Hope you're all well.

Chicago + Radiohead do good (8/1/01)

2001-08-01T09:48:00.000-07:00

The City of Chicago pulled off an amazing event tonight: A giant field in Grant Park was used to host the Radiohead concert and 25,000 fans - a first for the city, and reported as being a test for future events. From what I saw, the event went off without a hitch, paving the path for what is sure to bring a new vibe to Chicago. The whole thing felt like something you would expect from San Francisco's Golden Gate Park, or one of Phish's 3-day special events.

The General Admission event cost $37 plus $12 for Ticketmaster. (If only Pearl Jam had turned the Ticketbastard headquarters to dust rather than politely speaking to Orren Hatch and friends....) Anyway, the city kept food at incredibly low prices: $3 for big sandwiches and $2 for water. No alcohol. Like Taste of Chicago, you bought tickets and used those for food/water. Very short lines for food/water and tons of clean port-o-potties. Klezmer music played on the sound system as people filed into the field, which was surrounded by Chicago's amazing skyline. The crowd was mostly 18-24, white, and extremely respectful and attentive.

The Beta Band opened the show. Maybe this would be good in a small club, but in this setting it provided a chance to eat, use the port-o-potty and catch up with friends. (I was with 6 friends from law school, most of whom I hadn't seen/partied with in years, so that was great...Of course there had to be trouble - 2 of the 6 got busted for walking down the street with open beers on the way to the show. Funny how crack deals are going down in the city but the cops take their time to bust two 30-something lawyers for drinking beer in a brown paper bag...Fortunately, I wasn't holding a beer at that moment). We also got to catch up during the second act, some DJ whose name I forget...you could easily find a better DJ at your local suburban Bar Mitzvah.

Then, Radiohead. Two thumbs up. A+. This is a great live band that is never to be missed. Great front man, great melodies, intellectual music, experimental and trippy as hell while weaving intense jams INTO the songs so you don't have to sit through any jamband noodling. They played material from all of their albums, especially Kid A, Amnesiac and OK Computer. They did a few from The Bends and one from Pablo Honey, as well as 2 unreleased songs. Giant video screens featured well-shot black and white close-ups. I was amazed at how attentive the crowd was...you could hear a pin drop during the quiet, atmospheric moments of the songs...it was as if we were in England...or Golden Gate Park. Maybe it was due to the lack of alcohol, the abundance of pot being smoked, or the 95 degree heat with humidity to match. The crowd cheered when leader Thom Yorke dedicated a song to the full moon...and sang along when the band performed the incredible "Fake Plastic Trees". Some crowd members (including some in my crew of course) expected Jerry Garcia's birthday to be acknowledged, but that of course wasn't happening.

All in all, this band from the Oxford, England area gave the crowd a great and interesting night, which appeared to be just what they were looking for. Everyone left with smiles on their faces and filed out of the park as peacefully as they entered. Unless the news comes up with some trouble that I didn't see, it looks like there will be many more large concert events outdoors in the heart of Chicago. Congrats to Chicago for taking a chance and congrats to Radiohead for blowing off SFX and insisting on a creative way to present their music.

Rock the Vote Event (2/20/00)

2000-02-20T12:52:00.000-08:00

I just got the most solid behind-the-scenes look at Hollywood I've ever had...and it's nauseating! I was at the House of Blues for the Rock the Vote event, which gave awards to Neil Young and Wyclef Jean for their political involvement. I volunteered for the PR company in charge of the event, helping give out laminates (passes) to the people who deserve them. I've done stuff like this with the Rolling Stones and R&R Hall of Fame, but this gig took the cake. Imagine lots of Heidi Fleiss types running around with cell phones and lots of tabloid TV host types running around with cell phones, all frantically saying, "Oh my god - what do you MEAN you didn't put me on the list"... or a frantic, "Oh my god - when Madonna arrives we HAVE to do xyz". Everyone is high strung, phony, and concerned about insanely trivial nonsense. I WISH you all could have seen this for the laughs. It was surreal...right out of a movie.

I went up to the press area. 50 photographers and 30 video cameras waited at the red carpet for celebrities. As a limo arrived, someone took a look to see who was getting out of the car. That person shouted, "It's Tony Bennett!" And then every idiot with a camera said, "Oh my god - it's Tony Bennett - get ready". Tony approached, just trying to find the entrance to the club, and flashes were shooting off in his face every half second. Then all the TV shows jumped in his face with cameras and mikes. "Tony - Entertainment Tonight - so wonderful to see you - you look fantastic - so what brings you to this star-studded, incredible event?" One pathetic question after another. It took "nauseating" to a new level. I was laughing in their faces. Access Hollywood and every possible syndicated phony news program had a presence there. Chris Connely had the MTV stage set up and he got quality time to ask tons of questions thanks to MTV sponsoring the event. The second an interview was coming to an end, another interviewer would grab the artist and start with questions. The artists just wanted to get inside. Beck and Perry Farrell came in and said no way would they walk down the red carpet. Same with Emmylou Harris. Smart move! However many artists did subject themselves to the nonsense: Sheryl Crow, Bonnie Raitt, Meredith Brooks (who is actually hot), some dork from the show Jesse, some other dork from some random soap opera, and Snoop Dogg - now THAT was funny. Everyone at the event was all dressed up...yet there's Snoop, surrounded by a HUGE posse, wearing a hockey jersey and jeans.

It was really entertaining to watch the press. They are seriously desperate vultures. The print photographers needed to get the attention of each celeb, so they would yell out names and shoot flashes in the celebs' faces. "Sheryl - this way", "Sheryl - over here", "Sheryl - you look great", "Hey Sheryl"...and the artist would be stuck standing there like a retard with a fake smile as a billion flashes shot off in her face. Sure, famous musicians make good money, but this was crazy...Eventually I went back to the laminate area, and one of those idiotic old ladies who does gossip crap on the E channel was trying to schmooze her way into the club even though she wasn't on the list. "I never put my name on the list because everyone always recognizes me and just lets me in." She was allowed in, but wouldn't have been if I was in charge. Everyone was so phony and pretentious. I was juxtaposing this experience in my mind with a Dead or Phish show and laughing. It was fascinating to watch. Every Random Notes person was there from Rolling Stone, and I'm sure you'll be seeing this coverage in RS and on MTV.

Inside, Stevie Wonder gave a speech and presented Wyclef with his award. Beck gave a horrible, unprepared speech about Neil Young, rambling on about nothing. Neil came out and said, "Beck, thanks for the WONDERFUL speech." It was hilarious. Everyone was cracking up, including Neil. Beck appeared embarassed. Neil and Pegi spoke about Farm Aid and the Bridge School. It was really cool. Then Wyclef and his posse performed. I watched with an open mind....but concluded it was lowest common denominator cruise ship entertainment for a Carnival cruise at best. More like Spring Break MTV, "throw your hands in the air" and bounce around to the beat by a drummer who can't play. So sad that this is the type of stuff taking over the music biz. I was cringing as everyone seriously threw their hands in the air and got into this! I stuffed my face with free food and ran out of there as quickly as I could, right after George Clinton joined the group for "We've Got the Funk". People were still hoping for appearances by Madonna, Smashing Pumpkins and Bono but I'd had enough crabcakes and didn't want to throw my hands in the air any longer. It was time to bail.

Oh - one more highlight of the night was watching Hillary Clinton accept an award from Wyclef via video. She gave a real STIFF thank you speech and didn't know how to say Wyclef's name. It was a hilarious Spinal Tap-like moment. This whole night was an inside look at the publicity machine. I really wish you were all there to share the laughs b/c I felt like I was the only one laughing.

Lawrence Kasdan Grad Speech (5/5/90)

1990-05-05T22:50:00.000-07:00

In the world of great speeches, there is the Martin Luther King, Jr. speech that towers miles above all others...and then on the next level down is the incredible graduation speech delivered to the University of Michigan's outgoing class of 1990 by screenwriter/filmmaker Lawrence Kasdan (Big Chill, Grand Canyon, Raiders of the Lost Ark and Star Wars Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back). I find this speech to be a huge source of inspiration. Here it is in its entirety:

Thank you...Thank you very much. Thank you Provost, Mr. President, deans, regents, faculty, students, family, friends – that should cover it. I apologize to the people behind here. I wish I could turn around and play a dynamite guitar solo.

Crisler Arena didn’t open for basketball until the year after I graduated. But I was still living in Ann Arbor and working in a record store. And I remember coming here to games and looking at the basketball players and thinking, wow, what must it be like to be in Crisler Arena, with your heart pounding, out of breath, sweating like a maniac and having everybody look at you? Now, I know.

For weeks people have been asking me, “Did you write your commencement address yet?” It was very annoying. I felt that since I was returning to the scene of my collegiate career, I should approach this speech the same way I approached my term papers back then. Here was my method: procrastinate. Then, put it off a little while. As the deadline neared, it is important to procrastinate a little more. And then when it was upon you, pull an all-nighter. But in this case, with this speech, I was worried about one thing: is it possible to ask 14,000 people for an incomplete? I decided not.

It was 20 years ago this weekend that my own commencement took place in this same intimate setting. But unlike you, I did not attend. A whole bunch of my friends are here today. They were in that same class and they were supposed to be here on that day in 1970. But instead they’re at their first commencement today. We’ve all decided to graduate with you. I asked my friend Bruce about this strange phenomena and “Larry”, he said, “if you had been speaking 20 years ago, I would have gone.” That got me to thinking, first of all, was it true? Sure, Bruce would’ve shown up and maybe a few others, but we could have definitely had the ceremony in a smaller room. Now of course I know most people don’t come to commencement to hear the speaker. They come to get that diploma and share their hard-earned accomplishment with their families. But what I got stuck on was this: would anyone have been interested to hear one of their own classmates, who clearly knew nothing more about life than they did, share his thoughts on this important day? Maybe not, but why not? Because if this day is about anything, it’s about you.

Tradition has it that commencement speakers are older, more experienced people, travelers who have been out there, in life, and have come back to give a report on what they’ve seen. Maybe give a little bit of advice and wisdom to those who have yet to venture into the world. That’s the idea. So I’m standing up here now, much to my surprise, 41 years old, a 20 year veteran of the real world, and I can see this tradition from the other side and I’ll tell you something you may not know: this idea, this tradition, like so many others we’ve come to accept in our culture, is an illusion. I know because I’m the speaker this year and I’m JUST LIKE YOU. I’m just as confused as I was on that day 20 years ago. I’m just as mystified by the way things really are out there. If anything, I’m more confused than ever.

Now at this moment, you may be thinking, “Well, I’m not confused, I’m not mystified, what’s he talking about? I know where I’ve been and I know where I’m going.” Well, that’s just what I thought back then. Youth made me cocky and energy made me strong. That’s why if I had been chosen by my 3,000 classmates and plunked up here, I probably would have given a speech full of certainty and righteousness and impatience.

But even back then behind my confidence and my optimism and my certainty about the world, there was a second me…one that lived in private, in secret. A second me who was confused and afraid and clearly unprepared to go out into the world. Well for any of you out there who share this feeling, for whom confidence is a coin flipping from moment to moment; for whom any given day can hold the brightest hopes and the grimmest discouragement; for whom any argument can suddenly twist in the wind and change from absolute clarity to murky complexity; for all of you people with at least two selves, I have this news: it never changes. The older you get the less you know and want to know.

Here’s the amazing part, the surprising part: I sort of knew this back then. That’s right, even when I was 21 I had a feeling that maybe things weren’t the way I thought they were and you probably know it too. So if I know it and you know it, what can I tell you? Well here’s what I can tell you: the hardest thing in the world is to let yourself know what you know. Why? BECAUSE LIFE IS NOISY. Everything we’re told, everything about the way we’re raised and educated and bombarded by our culture makes noise. And that noise makes it very hard to hear the ticking of our own hearts; and it’s only when you hear the quiet tick from deep in your being, that you can know what you know, and trust what you know, and be who you are.

When I was at the University, they used to tell me about a student named Danny and a course he took. Seems this kid Danny showed up for his first class at the beginning of the semester. After that first session he never came back to class until the day he took the final. A hundred questions. His professor called him into his office. “Danny”, he says, “I don’t understand this. You come to class the first day, you never come back and then you take the final and you get a 97. Danny, how come you didn’t get a perfect score?”

“Well,” says Danny, “I’ll tell you, doc. That first day you confused me a little.”

I think the world is like that. We’re in class all the time from the time we wake up until we go to sleep. Except out there, in the world, the professors we’re listening to are the T.V. and advertising and our parents and our spouses and our bosses and our coworkers and our friends and our political leaders. And it gets downright confusing. It gets awfully hard to hear ourselves. And if we can’t hear ourselves then we can’t sort out what we believe or feel or think or really want to do. We don’t know what we know. Well, what are we going to do about it? What if we’re not as lucky as Danny and we can’t cut class? How do we hear our own hearts and trust them? Well try this: QUESTION EVERYTHING YOU’RE TOLD. Don’t automatically believe what you read in the newspaper and hear on T.V. Ask yourself this: how many times have you read something accurate about something you actually know about? The media just doesn’t get it right. The way they sum up and simplify and encapsulate the world is inherently false. And it’s not just the media, it can be anyone you know, even people who love you. It’s just hard to get reliable information.

Here’s something you find out every day: things aren’t really like we’ve been told they are. Let me give you an example. Did you know that after worrying about your grade point average for four years, it never comes up again in the rest of your life? I didn’t know that. Did you know that if you’re going to graduate school and you’re disappointed about the one you got into, that may not turn out to matter very much either? Did you know that eating a double sausage pizza at midnight, on the night before a final, may not be the smartest thing to do, nutrition wise? I didn’t know that.

When I was in junior high in 1960, here’s what we were taught: that Communism was a powerful monolith that threatened to take over the world and crush Capitalism; that America was a country so prosperous every man, woman and child had a home to live in and plenty of food to eat; that the pioneers of our country fought a courageous war to drive savage Indians off of our land. This was one of my favorites: only the greatest, smartest, most admirable men could become President of the United States. In 1960, all the kids in my junior high thought those things were true, nobody told us differently. But I have to believe that someone knew the truth; they just didn’t want us to know. They thought that the fantasy was more important for us than the reality. That same thing is happening today, but some of the things we’re told are more personal. That the kind of car you drive and clothes you wear tell what kind of person you are. If you don’t work obsessively at a certain kind of job, you’re a failure. That military spending should always take precedence over spending for people. We’re told that it’s a dog-eat-dog world where people are only looking out for number one. That being thin and good-looking are among life’s most important virtues. That the acquisition of things is how you measure your progress. And here’s a good one: that some of us can prosper like kings while others fall into despair, and that fact won’t eventually destroy us all.

We’re told again and again that our society is divided into winners and losers. Make the distinction simple and make it quick, thumbs up or thumbs down. What’s in, what’s out, the top ten, the highest paid, the best, the worst. Culture isn’t interested in the large middle ground and yet that’s where most of us live our lives. And in that middle ground is where people sometimes succeed and sometimes fail and where doing the best you can is what counts; where kindness, decency and courage are found in the smallest actions of people’s lives. That’s where we can find a life, an honorable life, a life of dignity.

Twenty years ago when my friends and I graduated we were sure that all adults, all parents, all older people were wrong about everything. That turned out to be not quite true. But now I’m afraid something worse is going on. I’m worried that a lot of young people are convinced that their elders are RIGHT about everything. That the values that society pushes, the infernal noise that the culture puts out, must be the true values because everyone around us seems to be buying in. The challenge for you is to question those things that everyone is rushing to agree upon. That’s what’s known as the conventional wisdom. You must remain unconvinced. Be a holdout. Here’s a suggestion: remember what you dreamed of when you were 11 years old; don’t be confused by everything you’ve been told since. Try to find that spark again. It’s not that you knew what job you wanted, it’s that you knew what excited you. When you find something that makes you feel good about yourself, about your life, about your world, do those things. Americans love heroes. We like them in sports, we like then in our movies, we like them in our public life. We’re always searching for heroes. But we think that our own lives don’t give us an opportunity to be heroic; it’s not true. Be a hero in your own life. Do the bold thing, do the honorable thing. Do the thing that flies in the face of conventional wisdom. Do it for the simple heroic reason you feel it’s right. Make the choice in your own life that says I DON’T CARE WHAT SOCIETY IS YELLING BECAUSE I CAN HEAR THE QUIET TICKING OF MY OWN HEART.

Your good friends from college may be the best friends you ever have. Guard those relationships like gold, work hard to maintain them. When they have a wedding, go across the country to be there. When one of them gets sloppy about keeping in touch, keep trying. And when one of them needs your help, cross the globe to give it to them. If you do that, if you work hard, your friends will become a precious touchstone in your life; there aren’t many things more valuable. And if you’re lucky, twenty years on, perhaps you’ll be called back to Ann Arbor to speak to a large gathering of people like you, and maybe on that day all your friends will show up.

I wish you the best in all you do! Enjoy this day and thank you!!