Former Drummer of Pearl Jam- Dave Abbruzzese is obviously never going to get over being fired from the band and continues to slander Eddie Vedder since 1994. He was in the band for three years, played on two albums, and refuses to accept that the band did not get along with him and has moved on with their lives. He considers himself to be the 'iconic' Pearl Jam drummer who played during their most successful years. We have seen little evidence of a career from Dave ever since. He is a professional complainer who won't stop whining about every little Pearl Jam achievement he is not included in. It is becoming more and more obvious why this guy is not easy to get along with. This type of arrogant entitlement is what makes bands like Pearl Jam leave you behind. All of the other drummers that have played in the band have moved on with their lives and stayed on good terms with the band members. There is obviously something bipolar about Dave.
He has posted on Facebook slanderous comments about them being fake people without integrity, screwed him out of money and other baseless issues that are irrelevant to the public and fans of the group. Today, he has stated he does not care about making an acceptance speech or the award. So what does the man want!? It seems like he is gunning for some kind of explanation or apology from the band that will never come. Any group is allowed to fire a 'replacement' member if they are not satisfied with their work or there is a personality clash. He is not a founding member, nor has he been in the band the longest. Matt Cameron has been in the band for twenty years now. It seems this imaginary entitlement is all in Dave's head and he doesn't know how to move on with his life.
Perhaps he should have joined another band at the time of his falling out... Maybe Silverchair or Nickelback is hiring?
This pathetic war he refuses to let go of with Pearl Jam is embarrassing and only tarnishes the event. It's petty and baseless due to the fact that he was a hired drummer for a short amount of time relative to the band's entire career. To say, Dave was in the 'iconic' lineup, or that Pearl Jam has not continued a massively successful career after his firing is flat out wrong and inaccurate.
His Facebook posts are incredibly insulting to the band and he is directing his jealousy and anger in the wrong direction. He should challenge the Hall of Fame if he feels this is an essential mistake, but the more realistic perspective would be for Dave to move on with his life and be grateful for the few years and records he got to make with a legendary band. Things happen in the music business, people don't always get along and the bottom line is you have to live the consequences of your words and actions. He chose to take an adversarial side with them since 1994 and has slandered Pearl Jam time and time again. They have not said one bad thing about him since.
Move on.. get a life.. audition for a band.. maybe get on some form of anti-depressant.. but drop the whole entitlement thing. You're stuck in the past and it's not working for you.
Having recently performed at LIU Post for the “Musicians Without Borders” Benefit Concert this past September and releasing a bluesy new single titled “Scapegoat” singer/songwriter and guitarist Mark Newman is getting ready to open for legendary rockers The Doobie Brothers this Thursday, October 13th at The Paramount- 370 New York Ave, Huntington, NY!
Although Newman has played a ton of exciting solo and full-band showcases in the past few months--notably NYC’s B.B. King’s for the Delbert McClinton Birthday Show, The Space at Westbury opening for the one and only Don Felder, The Blue Note in Tokyo, Japan, The Space at Westbury opening for David Bromberg, NYC’s Legendary Bitter End, and the Pig’n Whistle in Los Angeles with Fred Herrera and Alex Del Zoppo, founding members of Sweetwater--he has also worked as sideman to so many soul, blues, and rock greats of our time like John Oates (Hall and Oates), Jim McCarty (The Yardbirds), Willy DeVille, Sam The Sham, and Sam Moore!
A New York native, Newman’s musical prowess has taken him around the world several times over, playing with an eclectic mix of noted musical talents from Sting to Elvis Costello, and Travis Tritt as well as his own solo work. A multi stringsman, Mark has mastered electric/acoustic/lap steel guitar as well as the mandolin and dobro, and with a voice reminiscent of many rock and bluesmen before him- it has the familiarity of an old friend yet the power and soul of many of today’s rock, soul, folk and R&B icons. For over five years, Newman and fellow songwriter Naomi Margolin have run the “Music From the Hive” Singer/Songwriter Series, and for the past two years- “The Original Music Series” for bands, in an attempt to keep original music alive on Long Island. Newman also records and produces local artists in the Long Island/NYC area.
“Walls of Jericho,” which was released in 2010, is filled with intricate guitar work and mixed with a plethora of sounds from hard rock to a lighter more Dylanesque folk tinge, but this style comes even more to the forefront on 2015’s “Brussels” out now on Danal Music and available via iTunes and CD Baby. The live acoustic-driven EP packs a bluesy punch reminiscent of Clapton’s “Unplugged” album through both the guitar work and raw vocal power. On the first track “Mean Season (Lucille, Lucille)”, Newman bellows “I waited til’ dawn, see if the sun will shine when you’re gone // You turn away, I just can’t stay where I don’t belong” and like many early bluesmen before him, you can hear the soulful longing and strife in his voice. With the brilliant slide-guitar work in “Dead Man’s Shoes” we’re easily transported in our minds to the West in the era of outlaws and cowboy boots, and in “Must Be A Pony” reminded about the power of a child’s enthusiasm and the efforts not to lose it as time goes by.
His most recent release “Scapegoat” is yet another tune that brings Newman’s full-scale musicianship into the forefront as not only a brilliant slide-guitarist, but a gifted lyricist as well. His imagery depicts an innocent man on the run from the law after being framed for a murder he didn’t commit when he bellows “Walking home through an alley when I witnessed a hit, he was fightin’ for his life when his throat got slit // I screamed ‘hey stop!’ but not in time, I saw their faces and they saw mine”. The story takes an even darker turn when he continues “The police showed up to take care of business // They were looking for a weapon, looking for a witness // Though I know who it was I refused to name names // They took me downtown, I think I’m about to get framed”. Though a darker tale, the song itself verges more on the upbeat and danceable blues feel with a hammond organ solo that wouldn't be out of place in The Band, The Doors, or many of the great iconic rock songs of our time. But to judge for yourself, check it out via SoundCloud.
With further shows coming up in the next few months including a Tao Jones Reunion (8PM) performance in Sea Cliff, NY Monday, October 17th and Saturday, December 3rd at Bar Louie (Commack) (10PM), you won’t want to miss a great opportunity to see Mark open for The Doobie Brothers on the Main Stage at The Paramount Thursday, October 13th at 8PM!
Museum Dedicated to Founding Member of The Wailers and Prolific Solo Artist Will Be Located at the Re-Named ‘Peter Tosh Square’ at the Pulse Centre in New Kingston, Jamaica
This October, late Reggae Legend Peter Tosh will be honored with the opening of a new museum dedicated to his life and impact on the music industry and the world. A founding member of the groundbreaking reggae group The Wailers along with Bob Marley and Bunny Wailer- his work with the group, later solo career, social activism, and advocacy of the Rastafarian religion have left a lasting mark on not only Jamaican culture, but the world at large.
The project comes on the 40th anniversary of the commercial release of Tosh’s 1976 hit single “Legalize It”, and is promised to give fans a fascinating and introspective look into the life of one of Jamaica’s most celebrated figures. Many prominent artists/entertainers who have been majorly impacted by his life and music have also been invited to attend.
When the Peter Tosh Museum officially opens its doors, Jamaicans and visitors from around the world will be able to see a large collection of never-before-seen Tosh memorabilia, as some of the treasures will be displayed to the public for the first time. Visitors will also be able to relive aspects of the non-conformist, futuristic and abundantly creative Tosh experience through sizzling audio and video recordings featuring the superstar, as well as iconic artifacts including his M16 guitar and beloved unicycle that became one of his favorite means of transportation. Also available will be exclusive merchandise for sale to the public.
Museum Launch Itinerary:
Wednesday, October 19th: Launch VIP Cocktail Event (7PM)
Thursday, October 20th: Symposium (6PM)
Friday, October 21st: Press Conference (10AM)
Saturday, October 22nd: Museum Benefit Concert (8PM)
Sunday, October 23rd: Peter Tosh Memorial Garden Excursion (9AM)
Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness (Right) with Niambe McIntosh (Center, holding her Father’s M16 guitar) and Chairman of Pulse Kingsley Cooper (Left) at Jamaica House
A self-taught guitar and keyboard player, Tosh and The Wailers became pioneers of the burgeoning reggae scene in the late 1960’s, and together they toured the world for over ten years. He left the band in 1973 to pursue his solo career and earned huge success with “Legalize It” and later solo releases. The project is promised to give fans a deeper look into the man behind the music. Tosh died at the age of 42 in 1987 during a tragic home invasion.
“This is an important turning point in the preservation and advancement of my father’s legacy, and the museum will allow my father’s message of equal rights and justice to be heard by generations, both young and old,” Niambe McIntosh, daughter of the Grammy winner and administrator of the Peter Tosh Estate has recently said.
Tosh with Fellow Wailer Bob Marley and Mick Jagger, with Whom He Collaborated on 1978’s “Walk and Don’t Look Back”
The Museum project is a joint-venture collaboration between the Peter Tosh Estate, Pulse Investments Ltd, and Andrea Marlene Brown.
Pulse Chairman Kingsley Cooper, who produced the 1983 Pulse Superjam concert which became Tosh's last ever performance, and who led the initiative for the museum’s establishment, said he was pleased that the lengthy negotiation had finally borne fruit and he is looking forward to this game-changing project. “The great Rastafarian campaigner for equal rights and justice, for the abolition of apartheid and for the legalization of marijuana, who did not get his due in life, will now be duly honoured by this important addition to his legacy,” Cooper said.
Tosh left behind a legacy that included countless hits, collaborations with artists such as Mick Jagger (“Walk and Don’t Look Back”) and Keith Richards, and a family who have worked diligently in recent years on the Museum project and preserving his legacy.
The Peter Tosh Museum, opening this October, will help to further solidify Peter Tosh as a founding father of reggae, and an abounding social activist who accomplished so much in a short time.
For More Information on Peter Tosh and His Legacy, Visit:
www.PeterTosh.com
Warpaint were one of the highlights at last October’s III Points Festival in Miami, their set described as “hypnotizing and reassuring,” and offering both “chemistry and sonic fidelity.” The California dream pop outfit will look to impress more audiences on its newly announced North American fall tour. The outing commences in late September and runs through mid-October. Consult the full schedule below.
The band’s last album was 2014’s acclaimed self-titled LP.
Warpaint 2016 Tour Dates:
09/19 – Seattle, WA @ The Showbox
09/20 – Vancouver, BC @ Imperial Vancouver
09/21 – Portland, OR @ Wonder Ballroom
09/23 – Oakdale, CA @ Symbiosis Festival
09/24 – Long Beach, CA @ Music Tastes Good
09/25 – Las Vegas, NV @ Life is Beautiful Festival
09/27 – Englewood, CO @ Gothic Theatre
09/29 – Minneapolis, MN @ Varsity Theater
09/30 – Chicago, IL @ Thalia Hall
10/01 – Detroit, MI @ St. Andrews Hall
10/03 – Toronto, ON @ Danforth Music Hall
10/04 – Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club
10/06 – Boston, MA @ Paradise Rock Club
10/07 – Brooklyn, NY @ Warsaw
10/08 – New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom
10/09 – Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer
10/12 – San Francisco, CA @ The Fillmore
10/13 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Fonda Theatre
10/22 – Bristol, UK @ Simple Things Festival
10/23 – Edinburg, UK @ Queens Hall
10/24 – Manchester, UK @ Albert Hall
10/26 – Liverpool, UK @ The Dome
10/27 – London, UK @ The Roundhouse
10/29 – Paris, FR @ Pitchfork Festival
10/30 – Cologne, DE @ Live Musik Hall
11/01 – Berlin, DE @ Astra
11/02 – Amsterdam, NL @ Paradiso
11/04 – Reykjavik, IS @ Iceland Airwaves
Could there be a better name for the first all-new Monkees studio album in 20 years than Good Times? Produced and mixed by Adam Schlesinger (Fountains of Wayne, Tinted Windows), Good Times! (Rhino) teems with vintage energy from all four Monkees — including the late Davy Jones, whose vocals appear on the Neil Diamond-penned “Love to Love.”
From the folky shuffle of Peter Tork’s “Little Girl” to the wistfulness of Michael Nesmith’s “I Know What I Know” to the inherent cheerfulness of Micky Dolenz and Schlesinger’s “I Was There (and I’m Told I Had a Good Time),” Good Times! is the perfect soundtrack to accompany the band’s 50th anniversary celebrations this year, which also include having the TV show appear for the first time on Blu-ray (The Monkees: The Complete Series collection, available only at www.monkees.com) and a tour featuring Dolenz and Tork (and sometimes Nesmith, schedule permitting).
Recently, I sat down with Nesmith, 74 (with arms crossed and legs splayed out in the above photo), in New York to discuss his songwriting influences, his sonic goals for his Good Times! contributions, and The Monkees’ enduring legacy.
Mike Mettler soundandvision: You’ve mentioned that you listened to Cole Porter and Johnny Mercer when you were growing up. Would you also consider them to be some of your earliest songwriting influences?
Michael Nesmith: Oh yeah. I was exposed to a lot of different music growing up. There was an organist who played in a music store and you could hear him on the street, and there was an organist who played in the cafeteria. The Hammond organ was the sort of cocktail piano of its day. They would play things like “Tico Tico” — songs that had become standards by then. That had a big influence on me.
There was a lot of country music and a lot of blues music that were just as important, but it all melted together in an odd way in my head. It was a strange amalgam that got in there, and just never left. I can’t play it exactly — but if I hear it, I’m drawn to it.
Mettler: Is there one album you listened to growing up that sticks with you as the “lightbulb” record that turned you onto wanting to make your own music?
Nesmith: No, there were several that, because they were from such different genres, were big in their effect on me. Of course, the Chuck Berry records were hugely influential, but in an odd way, Henry Mancini was also a big influence on me, especially the Peter Gunn TV series (1958–61), and what he did on that TV show. And I got a lot of play out of some of the big-band schmaltz stuff that started to happen during that time.
But there was no one album I listened to over and over and over again, nonstop. I didn’t start doing that until the music was really set in my head. I had deep folk roots by that time, and when I heard The Beatles, those were the records I played over and over and over again. I thought, “Oh, that’s the way records are supposed to sound. That’s what it’s supposed to be like when you listen to a record, the way they’re playing songs.”
Mettler: Is it easy to quantify a “favorite” Beatles record?
Nesmith: There are a few of the early things that stand out — “Lady Madonna” (1968) and “Paperback Writer” (1966). But the whole collection — there’s nothing of theirs that I stop playing once I start playing it. I play it all the way through.
Mettler: Does mono or stereo matter to you at all?
Nesmith: Not particularly. I do like the idea of, “Oh look, there’s a guitar in the left speaker, and the bass is in the right speaker.” But it doesn’t make the music “better” for me.
Mettler: What do you think of the vinyl revival that’s been going on of late?
Nesmith: I’m just not a vinyl guy. I don’t get it. When I started making records, professional records, it was 3-track Ampex: left-right-center, and twist your knobs on the board. It was highly analog. Everything was in real time, so you had the noise floor continuously with you. And the noise floor went up depending on the quality of the vinyl, the way it was cut, how hot you mastered it, and all the other stuff that went along with it. When digital came along, I breathed a sigh of relief.
Mettler: Did you feel digital gave you more options in the studio?
Nesmith: Yeah — huge nuances, frequency range, and crystal-clear sonics. So I was puzzled when everybody said, “Vinyl — it’s warmer!” I’d say, “Well, I suppose...”
I was talking to a sound engineer and I said, “I can’t hear 190 Hz; I can’t hear 200 Hz. When it gets that fine, I don’t know. I’m happy with red-book CDs.” He said, “Well, that’s because you haven’t learned it. Once you hear it, you won’t go back. You’ve never heard it. It’s like when you started recording — you didn’t hear all that noise floor. You didn’t hear all the stuff that was a problem to you then. Then, when CDs came along, you did hear it.”
I’ve still got to learn my way through the benefits of hi-res. I do think it’s true that I will, at a certain point, think, “Ohhhh, I see the difference now.” But so far, I’m not there.
Mettler: David Crosby and I have talked about how you can hear things like the overtones — the spaces between the notes — when listening to hi-res music.
Nesmith: Yeah, he’s right. You do. They exist in a very delicate and fragile register. You can’t really hear it unless you have something that supports those higher registers.
Mettler: Is there anything from The Monkees catalog you’d like to hear in hi-res?
Nesmith: You’re only going to get this music back to its multitracks, and it’s not going to get any better than that. If you start to pump it up, you’re going to start introducing artifacts, and then you get something else.
I know how these albums sounded. They were mixed on Altec Lansings, the old [Super Duplex] 604E’s. That’s as good as it’s going to get. The best way to hear them is to get a set of 604E’s in your living room, get a nice McIntosh amp and preamp, and a really good stylus and turntable, and then you’ll get it as close to that original tape as you can.
Mettler: Being a video pioneer yourself, if you don’t mind me calling you that [see 1981’s Elephant Parts, for starters], you must be excited about the Blu-ray collection of the TV show.
Nesmith: I am interested to see it, and see what the enhanced video looks like. I’m definitely down for getting things in high resolution and as close to the original as possible. You figure it’s a step up from this [points to the 2003 six-disc DVD box set collector’s edition of Season 1 on the table].
Mettler: Oh yeah, I think so. The bright and broad color palette of the show and the spatial relationships between you guys when you’re interacting onscreen all come across much clearer. We should also talk about Good Times!, the new Monkees album. One of the songs you have on there is called “I Know What I Know,” which carries a certain weight to it.
Nesmith: Yes. I wrote it maybe 4 or 5 years ago, but I didn’t do anything with it. I kept it close. I don’t know how Micky heard it, or how Andrew [Sandoval, their A&R rep] heard it to go, “Boy this is a great song. It would be a great song for a Monkees album.” I was surprised. I said, “Oh, it’s very melancholy. It’s wee-small-hours-of-the-morning lonely. Are you sure, given the fact that there’s this kind of happy thing that goes on with The Monkees?” They said, “No, this is great. This is what we want. We want to have more like this — more grown-up stuff, songs that have more substance to them, things that are about deeper emotions.” So I said, “Let’s do it.”
And then Adam [Schlesinger] produced it, and that’s how he made it sound. I’ve got my own versions of it sitting around my house, but nobody’s ever heard them — nor will they ever! (chuckles)
Mettler: Were those actual strings on that track?
Nesmith: Oh, no. That’s one of the first synthesizer string machines, called the chamberlain. That’s why Adam used it — it had a real retro sound to it.
Mettler: In general, the whole record sounds like it could have come out back in the day, which had to be part of the plan.
Nesmith: Yeah, Adam carefully worked on that, even on “Birth of an Accidental Hipster” [a Good Times! song co-written by Paul Weller and Noel Gallagher]. He went out of his way to make it sound more... (pauses) timeless.
Mettler: What guitars did you play on the album?
Nesmith: I played my Martin 12-string, which has a pickup and a microphone in it. And I played a lot of stuff capo’ed way up the neck, so I’ve got it a couple of octaves high. A lot of the “jangle” you hear is coming from that guitar. But the main lines are played by Mike Viola.
Mettler: Now that the TV show is on Blu-ray, we’ll get to see you play that 12-string blonde Gretsch [also known as Model 6076] in high-def. How pristine was that guitar kept?
Nesmith: It was a “picture” guitar; it didn’t play very well. But it got stolen; it’s gone.
Mettler: How did that guitar get in your hands for the show?
Nesmith: Well, I started played 12-string as a singer/songwriter. That’s what I played on my own. But when they said, “What do you want to play on the show?” I said, “Well, I want to play a 12-string.” They said, “Gretsch will give you instruments.” I said, “Oh, that’s great. Do they make a 12-string?” “No.” “Oh. Would they make me one?” And they said, “Yeah, they will.” And that’s how I got it.
Mettler: It’s a shame it got stolen.
Nesmith: Yeah, I don’t know where it is. You’d think somebody would get caught with it at some point, you know?
Mettler: People will be even more on the lookout for it now, I bet. Did you ever think you’d be talking about all this 50 years later?
Nesmith: (chuckles) I had kind of a sense that it would persist, yeah. I didn’t know it would be 50 years later, but I had a sense that, as long as I’m around, I’d be talking about it for sure. It may be that, after I’m gone, somebody else is going to pick it up [points at The Monkees’ Classic Album Collection vinyl box set] and say, “You see this thing? What’s going on with this?” I hope there’s enough historical record left to talk people through this whole thing.
Mettler: Oh, I think there’s plenty left to discuss. Coming from a folk background, were you surprised a song of yours like “Papa Gene’s Blues” made the cut for a pop-driven album like The Monkees (1966)?
Nesmith: Well, no; it made sense to do it. I would have been surprised if they hadn’t.
Mettler: I also think it’s nice that “Tapioca Tundra” [from 1968’s The Birds, The Bees & The Monkees] has a continuing life to it.
Nesmith: Yeah, me too! That was one of those songs that you never know where it’s going to end up.
Mettler: It’s very folky, and has a Byrds-like feel in some of its passages. And it still seems to be a fan favorite today, is that fair to say?
Nesmith: It is fair to say, yes. It was always kind of an odd piece to me, and I was surprised that it was as accepted as it was. I thought it would be too offbeat, but actually, people seem to think of it as right in the center of the lexicon, the overall collection, so that’s fine with me.
Mettler: Why do you feel Monkees music endures to this day?
Nesmith: Well, the real answer is, “I don’t know.” It’s obviously plugged into something that’s very deep. People who come to it at an early age get impressed by it in a way you wouldn’t if you discovered it when you’re older. But it certainly speaks to a kind of innocence, something that does endure. Those are spiritual qualities that don’t go away. You may lose your innocence, but you don’t lose your sense of innocence, is what that means. It’s a nice thing to revisit.
But like I said before I started this answer, I don’t know. You’d have to ask deep Monkees fans what they think of it and why they think it lasts. My guess is, for every single fan, you’ll get a different answer.
Formed by identical twin brothers singer/guitarist Daniel and guitarist Danny Chavis, and rounded out by drummer Marvin Levi on drums and bassist Dave Burris, The Veldt quickly became the "must see attraction" of the quirky art-rock scene in Chapel Hill, NC (which also held bands like Superchunk, Polvo and Dillon Fence in its ranks). The Veldt released their first proper record, Marigold's, on Stardog/Mercury, in 1992. Marigold's was received well enough to earn the band a much more lucrative contract with Polygram Records. The result was the cult classic Afrodisiac recorded and produced in London, England with Ray Shulman (The Sugarcubes, The Sundays, etc.) at the helm. Afrodisiac's under current rumblings eventually rose to cause a storm as the band soon found themselves sharing stages with likes of Oasis, The Cocteau Twins, The Pixies, Fishbone, Corrosion Of Conformity and a host of other seminal alternative bands. After two more records, Universe Boat on Yesha Recordings and Love At First Hate on their own imprint, End Of The World Technologies, Danny left the band preceded by Burris who left the music business for a career in film in 1994 (he is currently the producer for CBS's hit show Survivor). The Veldt continued on in various incarnations until it was put to bed in 2007. After relocating to New York City, Danny and Daniel focused on their new band Apollo Heights. This time around, The Chavis brothers pushed their musical boundaries with more electronica and trip hop influenced back drops to create texture with Daniel's soulful falsetto croon. Their last recording, White Music For Black People, featured the twins and special guests Mos Def and Lady Miss Kier from Delite fame. TV On The Radio's David Sitek handled some of the production with Danny and Daniel doing the rest.
"Kanye in the NYT? WTF???
I feel like opening with “What kind of crazy, fucked up world is it where this guy is considered to be culturally important!!???” But that’s your line.
Sure, he made some great music for himself and others. But in spite of what the aspirationally-cool media keeps saying about him, unlike other creators in his genre like Jay-Z, Tupac, Biggie or even M.C. Hammer for that matter, it’s unlikely that we’ll be quoting too many of Kanye’s songs 20 years from now. He didn’t open up new avenues of public discourse like NWA, or introduce the world to a new art form like Grandmaster Flash, or even meaningfully and memorably address social issues through his music like Marshall, Macklemore and Kendrick. In my opinion, his productions are his best work – and I admit I’m jealous of several of them – but I don’t think he’s on quite the same level as Timbaland and Rick Rubin among several others. His songwriting – meaning the stuff with melodies – is sophomoric at best. I was embarrassed for Sir Paul – one of the greatest Artists of our era – by their collaboration, though it was pointed out to me that this got him his highest chart position in decades. So I guess he didn’t mind. But I kind of did!
Instead Kanye’s greatest achievements have been in the form of excessive behavior, egomaniacal tantrums and tasteless grandstanding. What he is a true artist at is living his life out loud – and shoving it down the throats of the rest of us whether we give a shit or not. He’s like that flasher who interrupts a critical game by running naked across the field. Is that art??? Maybe it is. Maybe as Caramanica says, life as “an unending data stream” is a new art form. But should it be, honestly? Hell, Forbes named this guy one of the 100 most influential people IN THE WORLD in 2005 and 2015!! Seriously??? Influencing WHAT exactly?
In the review of the endless new album, Caramanica wonders if “being slightly finished is the new finished.” And that just makes my blood boil. The great musicians, writers, poets, rappers, performers, dancers, players, conductors, directors and producers work all their lives for that one moment of complete perfection – that one brilliant performance, that one perfect song, that one enduring and life-altering work. 10,000 hours is peanuts in comparison to the real amount of time spent by true artists in their lifelong pursuit of excellence. But no one else that I have seen is this happy to have the audience watching all along the way. They are working to the culmination of something; to the exquisite feeling of completion that comes from working and reworking until that moment when their creation, or their performance, is as good as it could possibly be. This guy is just feeding the media machine and I’m not even certain to what end. Maybe he JUST needs the attention, like that flasher, and isn’t happy unless he’s the center of it.
What galls me the most though is the thought that he and others – especially the media – might actually BELIEVE that he’s an artist. With a capital “A.” That what he’s doing is of any real consequence besides for the sheer train wreck gawker value of it.
I don’t even know why I’m so angry about this. Except maybe I lament for a world where being truly, world-shakingly excellent at anything – at least in the field of popular music if not elsewhere – is no longer absolutely necessary. You can be a star today just by creating a public life that people pay attention to. That’s it. All you have to do is be interesting or likable or shocking enough and you can have your 15 minutes of fame…even if that means that no one will remember you or what you’ve done in just a few years. Line ‘em up. How many “popular artists” have come and gone in just the last decades. In my mind (which is a pretty busy as often too judgmental place, I will admit) real artists make stuff that changes the world and LASTS.
I haven’t heard it yet. Is that what The Life of Pablo is? If so, then I take it all back.
I just needed to rant to someone.
Cheers,
B"
^ Bob Ezrin's ranting letter about Kanye West. I love Bob Ezrin's work and I love Kanye West records. Sounds like Bob was in a bad mood today, but he's wrong about his assumptions on KW's music.
1- We won't be quoting his songs years from now? KW's been around 20 years and we're still quoting "The College Dropout".
2- Not as influential as MC Hammer? Are you high?
3- Embarrassed for Paul McCartney? Sounds personal. Macca seems to think he's a genius and I don't think he needed money or cares about higher chart ratings.
4- Phish sucks.
5- KW praises his predecessors- Grandmaster Flash, Rick Rubin, N.W.A. etc. He works with some of them too* (who also call him a GENIUS, including Jay)
6- Phish "Fuego" isn't even produced well, it's flat and immensely boring, so the relevance of your taste today isn't a very important one. Though I do respect your brilliant work of the past when you were KW's age ;)
7- KW does address social issues and that's probably the stupidest thing in your rant. Listen to "New Slaves", too many tracks to list, you're insane. Have you even listened to his music or just a few hits?
8- “Being slightly finished is the new finished.” - Bob Ezrin. I can tell this irritates you the most. Rock bands like The Rolling Stones recorded records like this. Some of the best in the world. Raw, 1st takes, unfinished mixes, releasing studio outtakes.. KW is only different from those iconic albums being that it's in Rap form. Not everything has to sound like "THE WALL" or a PHISH album.
9- To presume that KW's music won't last, or he's living his 15 minutes of fame is absolutely retarded and factually inaccurate so far into his career which outlived the length of The Beatles at this point.
10- Phish sucks.. what happened to you? You produced "Peter Gabriel" and Lou Reed's "Berlin" and other great albums I love but you also produced a ton of crap no one cares about now. Every KW record blew through the roof. Perhaps you're the one that didn't fine tune all of your releases, seek "complete perfection" as you say - he hasn't made a bad record yet, you have. Fucking Phish "Fuego" is the shittiest of all Phish albums. That was your more recent work, right? Perhaps you're on the downside of your career... You think?
11- You probably are jealous and had a bad morning when you wrote this. Chill out and let the man do his thing. Few recording artists are releasing anything ANYONE cares about these days. Respect ANY rapper or poet that grab people's attention for more than a minute.
Last November, John Frusciante returned from hiding to launch a SoundCloud and Bandcamp pages. He proceeded to release a boatload of music for free download, most of which was previously unreleased. Now, he’s announced a forthcoming EP called Foregrow, to be released by Acid Test Records for Record Store Day, April 16th.
According to a statement from Acid Test (via Resident Adviser), the EP samples classic scores by horror legend John Carpenter, who himself is gearing up to release a new album. Additionally, Frusciante employs “drum programming DNA of jungle and footwork, and yes, [bass synthesizer] Roland TB-303.”
Foregrow EP Tracklist:
A1. Foregrow
A2. Expre’act
B1. Lowth Forgue
B2. Unf
Foregrow arriving in time for Record Store Day
Liberty Devitto, famous for being Billy Joel's hard-hitting Rock drummer of thirty years, led the Lords of 52nd Street at The Space in Westbury last month. The band is made up of the original 'core' members of Billy Joel's band (Liberty DeVitto, Richie Cannata, Russell Javors) who recorded on all of Billy's classic, iconic albums. It was a feel-good night for the fans, a great mix of songs from different periods of their career. Devitto asked the question that night- "Who sounds more like the albums, us or Billy?" The truth is, they do. Not to put down the maestro, but his voice has changed over the years and these are the musicians that wrote and played those parts on the records. Dave Clark, who took on Billy Joel's duties, put on a magnificent show. Nailed everything! It was a memorable night, the finest musicians in Rock And Roll, and they even brought out a gospel choir for the encore.
Highlights of the night were "Angry Young Man" which reminded me of how influential they were to 1970's (progressive) Rock. "Scenes from an Italian Restaurant", another longer-detailed composition, probably the best Billy Joel song in his entire catalog. "The Stranger" from my all time favorite Billy Joel album The Stranger. All the fan favorites were played from "NY State of Mind" to "Movin' Out" to "Big Shot". They also played lesser known songs for the die-hard fans like "Stiletto", but it was hit to hit all night. Every song was powerful and anthemic. You couldn't help but sing along. I've seen the E Street Band live, and I've seen the Lords of 52nd Street. These are the musicians that truly made history.
Their next show is The Cutting Room, February 20th.
TICKETS available.
New York alternative rock band Gnarly Karma just debuted a fresh new album called "Classic Breeze" and play The Bitter End, Saturday - January 23rd.
Gnarly Karma is one of the most interesting bands on the New York City scene right now. They have a unique sound made up of guitar, bass, drums, sax, keyboards, harmonica and vocals. Mike Renert is an emotional singer with a dynamic range, full of classic rock influences and a grungy rasp. He has the lyrical wit of Neil Young, or similar to Adam Duritz on the softer songs, songs about 'love and life' from a storyteller's point of view. The more upbeat acoustic tracks are in the vein of the Dave Matthews Band and O.A.R.. There's always a great groove. There's always a solid pulse. The saxophone gives the music a transcendental vibe and contemporary jazz/rock feel that works with Renert's hypnotic songwriting style. They are an exciting act to catch live and always impress. Top notch musicians.. Check them out at The Bitter End, January 23rd!
"Classic Breeze" is now available on iTunes, Spotify, Amazon, Apple Music, and more.
