Two Musicians
Two lines of lyrics come to mind today:

I woke up this mornin' and none of the news was good
--"Jerusalem" by Steve Earle

Seems everyone I know is gettin' cancer every year
--"Puttin' People On The Moon" by Drive-By Truckers

I got up at 7 AM and saw the second most viewed story on the Chicago Tribune's Web site: E Street Band member Danny Federici dies at 58. Federici wasn't the most famous member of the band, but he was one of the first to work with Springsteen -- they started playing together before I was born. I haven't kept up with the band since I saw them at U.S. Cellular Field in 2003, but I learned from the obituary that Federici had been fighting melanoma for three years.

While reading e-mail, I learned that another talented musician, guitarist Chris Gaffney, died yesterday of liver cancer at age 57. My familiarity with this relatively obscure Californian stems mainly from his playing with Dave Alvin, the former Blaster who is one of my favorite songwriters. I knew Gaffney was sick because I had read about the "Help Gaff" site soliciting donations for his costly treatment, but I had no idea the end was so near.

Labels: music, tributes

- posted by David Johnsen @ 10:57 AM 0 comments

 
A Challenge to W. Axl Rose
If the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing aren't enough inspiration, maybe this will help:

PLANO, Texas (March 26, 2008) – Tired of a world in which Americans idolize wannabe singers and musicals about high schoolers pass as rock ‘n roll music, Dr Pepper is encouraging (ok, begging) Axl Rose to finally release his 17-year-in-the-making belabored masterpiece, Chinese Democracy, in 2008. In an unprecedented show of solidarity with Axl, everyone in America, except estranged GNR guitarists Slash and Buckethead, will receive a free can of Dr Pepper if the album ships some time -- anytime! -- in 2008. Dr Pepper supports Axl, and fully understands that sometimes you have to make it through the jungle before you get it right.

This marketing campaign is brilliant. No unreleased album has suffered such a long and twisted history as Chinese Democracy. Axl has hired and fired countless sidemen, thrown several tantrums, and remixed the whole mess a dozen times. I remember following this saga online ten years ago when the disc was already "long awaited." Since then, Guns N' Roses has done multiple tours supporting this legendary non-release. I'm surely not the first writer to quip that Axl is waiting until there actually is democracy in China.

Would I buy Chinese Democracy? My interest in GnR has been waning for so long that I probably wouldn't bother anymore. Besides, disappointment is almost guaranteed after 17 years of hype and anticipation. Even Appetite for Destruction, a genuine classic, may have collapsed under the weight of so many mixing sessions and band roster changes.

If I had a can of Dr Pepper for every supposed Chinese Democracy release date I've heard, I'd... well, I guess I'd really have to pee. Will Dr Pepper's challenge finally get Axl to stop remixing and start pressing CDs? You can follow all the exciting inaction on the Chinese Democracy When? blog.

Labels: marketing, music

- posted by David Johnsen @ 2:48 PM 2 comments

 
Road House Blues
I saw the movie Road House many years ago. To be honest, I only remember two things about it:

1. It starred Patrick Swayze.
2. It featured a young, talented, blind guitarist named Jeff Healey.

Last night, my brother mentioned that Swayze is suffering from pancreatic cancer. While his doctor states that he is "responding well to treatment thus far," the odds are against him. The American Cancer Society says that only 23% of pancreatic cancer patients survive more than a year.

In a morbid coincidence, I had some news to share with my brother. This week I have been mourning the loss of Jeff Healey, who died of cancer on Sunday at the too-young age of 41. Healey lost his eyes to a cancer called retinoblastoma when he was eight months old. He thought that was the end of it, but in 2005 he learned that retinoblastoma causes a blood mutation that makes the victim susceptible to other forms of cancer. Last year, he had cancerous tissue removed from his legs and lungs, but the disease continued unabated.

Healey began playing guitar at age three and performed his first gigs at age six. He had a distinctive style, sitting with the guitar flat across his lap. His first album, See The Light by the Jeff Healey Band, was by far his most popular. The first single, "Confidence Man," was a great rocker, but the ballad "Angel Eyes" became his biggest hit, peaking at number five on the Billboard charts (incidentally, John Hiatt wrote both songs). He released several more blues/rock albums which had progressively less success in the U.S.

Early jazz was Healey's true passion. In the new millennium, he released a series of early jazz-style records, playing trumpet and acoustic guitar in Jeff Healey's Jazz Wizards. He also hosted jazz programs on Canadian radio featuring songs from his personal collection of more than 30,000 78 RPM records.

A new album returning to blues/rock is scheduled for release on April 22 in the U.S. For curious listeners, I recommend See The Light and/or The Very Best of the Jeff Healey Band (oddly, this UK import does not include "Angel Eyes" -- maybe it wasn't a hit there?).

Labels: music, tributes

- posted by David Johnsen @ 11:53 PM 0 comments

 
I'll Sleep When I'm Dead by Crystal Zevon
The title is brilliant. I'll Sleep When I'm Dead: The Dirty Life And Times of Warren Zevon makes use of song titles from the beginning and end of Warren's career, effectively bracketing his life. At first blush, it appears to be a sleazy ex-wife tell-all, but Crystal wrote this book at Warren's request, and he told her to include "even the awful, ugly parts." There are plenty of those. For many years, Warren was a terrible alcoholic who would black out and abuse his wife. Even when sober, he could be very moody, and he was consistently unfaithful to the women he cared about.

The book is written in an engaging "oral history" format. Crystal interviewed 87 of Warren's friends, lovers, and associates. Her narrative weaves together their recollections with Warren's own diaries. The result is that the reader feels as if he is in a large room full of people reminiscing about Warren's life.

Warren was one of my favorite artists. I saw him in concert three times, and of course I have all of his albums. The book doesn't tell as much about his songs as I had hoped, but then, it is about his "life and times," not specifically his songwriting or recording. Although I found the 450-page book interesting, seeing all the warts tarnished his image somewhat in my mind. He often acted like a spoiled baby, especially during the drunken years, and it's hard to reconcile his lyrical depth with the shallowness of his behavior.

If you admire Warren Zevon for anything other than his songwriting or performing abilities, I'll Sleep When I'm Dead will tear apart that image. But if you're willing to acknowledge that it takes a flawed man to create such memorable work, the book is a fascinating insight into virtually every facet of his life.

Labels: books, music

- posted by David Johnsen @ 2:29 AM 0 comments

 
Not Your Typical Promotional Puff Piece
In the run-up to the release of Brighter Than Creation's Dark, Patterson Hood of the Drive-By Truckers sat down with Chris Hassiotis of the Flagpole, the local weekly of Athens, GA. He had this to say about their label, New West Records:

What support have we gotten? At this point I don't feel they've done shit for us, really. To hear them talk, they took a band that was playing 50-seaters and have grown us to this great touring act, but I beg to differ. I feel like that's something we've done on our own very much, and we've drug them like a ball and chain around.

Ouch! Needless to say, the band will be looking for a new label once this album runs its course. According to Hood, New West has a "major label" attitude, which I wouldn't expect from a label with about 20 artists. I was disappointed to read this because I had a positive impression of New West, mainly because their roster looks a lot like my CD cabinet: Steve Earle, the Drive-By Truckers, Jason Isbell, the Drams, the Old 97's, Slobberbone, Warren Zevon...

Hood also intimated that the label was to blame for Isbell's departure because they held back his solo record for so long. In fact, everyone was so miserable in fall of 2006 that Hood and longtime partner-in-crime Mike Cooley discussed breaking up the band:

We sat there and drank and discussed it, and I said to Cooley, "Okay, if we break up, what'll I do? As much as I've swore I'd never have another band besides the Truckers, I'd probably put together another band. And hell, the first person I'd ask would be you. And hell, Brad [Morgan] plays in the band and is the perfect drummer for what I do and what you do. And damn, I really like playing with Shonna [Tucker, the bass player]…" We worked ourselves through it step by step that way. We took some time to decompress, fix a few things that were broken and start over, but, more or less, it's still this band. Because there's a lot that's really good about this band. So then it was just making it through the tour without killing each other.

Those are just a couple of highlights. The whole interview is worth reading, although New West might disagree.

UPDATE 01/11/2008 - It hasn't appeared on Flagpole's site yet, but Hood responded to the interview:

I'm afraid Chris caught me on a particularly bad day during a very stressful and heated time of bad relations between us and our label. While my rant reflected how I felt that day and some of my anger and frustration was from issues simmering for several years I would like to clarify a couple of points that were lost in my heated tirade.

Those points were that George Fontaine (who wasn't mentioned directly but apparently is affiliated with New West) and the Black Crowes' organization (he had spoken of the Truckers' miserable time opening for them) are all great people, and he didn't intend to slight them with anything he said. He added

This is a messy business and I never got into all of this to be a businessman. In the month since my interview, we have all attempted to move forward in good
faith and for the mutual good of both label and band and for the benefit of our new album, which I am fiercely proud of.

Let's hope New West will forgive him. From his work with Bettye LaVette, Hood knows well the potential for caprice and artist sabotage in the record industry.

Labels: music

- posted by David Johnsen @ 8:01 PM 0 comments

 
It Took Me 20 Years to Figure Out...
...that Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers' "Runaway Trains" (1987) and Don Henley's "The Boys Of Summer" (1984) are remarkably similar. I guess that isn't too surprising considering that Heartbreaker Mike Campbell co-wrote and played on both songs. But even knowing that, I somehow never made the sonic connection.

This morning I was trying to remember "Runaway Trains" and started conflating it with the Henley song. It got to the point where I was interchanging the instrumental breaks in my head. After my epiphany, I played both of the records (yes, I still have them on vinyl) to make sure I wasn't imagining it. Then I went back to a book I read last year called Conversations With Tom Petty (I re-read the sections about both songs just to make sure I hadn't already read about the similarity and forgotten). In it, Petty says that Campbell offered him the music for "The Boys Of Summer" (Campbell writes music, not lyrics), but he didn't like the chorus and never got around to rewriting it. Of course, it was a huge hit with Henley's lyrics.

If you didn't figure it out for yourself 20 years ago, check it out. And if you like Petty, you'll enjoy the exhaustive Conversations book (unfortunately, the biggest Petty fan I know doesn't like to read!).

Labels: music

- posted by David Johnsen @ 9:32 AM 0 comments

 
Meme: Bands I've Seen
I never do memes, but "Ex Week" has me in a nostalgic mood. Besides, I was intrigued by the bands I had in common with this blogger. I don't attend many concerts anymore, so this list probably reflects who I used to like better than who I like nowadays. At least I've been to enough concerts that I was able to leave out a few that I don't want to admit to anyone.

Here is how it works: copy this list; leave in the bands you've seen perform live; delete the ones you haven't, and add new ones that you have seen until you reach 25. An asterisk means the previous person had it on their list. Two asterisks means the last two people who did this before you had that band on their list.

1. Vigilantes of Love**
2. Peter Mulvey**
3. Soul Asylum*
4. Steppenwolf* (technically John Kay & Steppenwolf)
5. Warren Zevon
6. James McMurtry
7. George Clinton & the P-Funk All-Stars
8. Lou Reed
9. Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers
10. George Thorogood & the Destroyers
11. Blue Oyster Cult
12. Rolling Stones
13. Bruce Springsteen
14. Who
15. Weird Al Yankovic
16. Eric Clapton
17. Bottle Rockets
18. Steve Miller Band
19. Bob Dylan
20. Jason Ringenberg
21. Semisonic
22. Georgia Satellites
23. John Fogerty
24. Replacements
25. Smashing Pumpkins

Labels: music

- posted by David Johnsen @ 1:12 PM 0 comments

 
Funny Thing About Rockwell
I've been thinking about the musician Rockwell's Wikipedia entry today.

Rockwell is the son of Motown founder and CEO Berry Gordy. To avoid charges of nepotism, Rockwell secured his record deal without his father's knowledge.

Okay, good for Rockwell. He did it on his own (it is rather amusing that he was signed by his dad's label without his dad knowing).

In 1984, Rockwell released his only hit single, "Somebody's Watching Me", featuring childhood friends Michael and Jermaine Jackson on guest vocals (notably in the chorus lyrics).

Whoa, wait a minute! Someone who didn't want nepotism to figure into his career recruited Michael Jackson to sing on his first single? Keep in mind that in 1984 Michael Jackson was easily the biggest star on the planet with the gazillion-selling Thriller album. He won eight Grammys that year (this was long before all the creepy stuff at Neverland Ranch). As I recall, Michael's participation on "Somebody's Watching Me" was what brought the song so much attention in the first place. I mean, people would have bought records of Michael burping the alphabet in those days.

So Mr. "I Can Get a Record Deal Without My Daddy" rode the coattails of Michael Jackson instead. And for that matter, Jermaine was married to Rockwell's half-sister, so he was still trading on family connections. So much for doing it on his own.

Labels: music

- posted by David Johnsen @ 5:43 PM 0 comments

 
Synchronicity
Tonight I had dinner at Rockwell's Neighborhood Grill. It's only a block away on Rockwell Street (hence the name) and their food is very good. A few years ago the Chicago Tribune declared their hamburger one of the top ten in Chicagoland, but I usually order the BBQ chicken sandwich. I wish they would update their menu more often (it has hardly changed since they opened three years ago), but I guess it's wise to stick with your strengths.

Anyway, I was eating a bowl of chicken tortilla soup and reading The Undercover Economist by Tim Harford when I noticed the song playing on the restaurant's satellite radio channel. It was "Somebody's Watching Me" by 1980s one-hit wonder Rockwell. That song has popped into my head hundreds if not thousands of times in the ten years since I started dating my wife -- she lived on Rockwell Street at the time.

And tonight I finally heard Rockwell in Rockwell's on Rockwell Street.

Labels: Chicago, dining, music

- posted by David Johnsen @ 9:57 PM 0 comments

 
The Latest Spin on Chinese Democracy
It's a running joke with my brother to say, "I hear the new Guns N' Roses album is coming out," followed by uproarious laughter. We've been hearing about Chinese Democracy for how many years now? Six? Eight? And Axl Rose has had more guitarists than Spinal Tap had drummers, though at least Buckethead and the others escaped with their lives.

Well, Gunners, your long wait is over. Check out the special preview of Chinese Democracy in the latest issue of Spin magazine. Go ahead and read it now. I'll wait for you... (spoiler ahead)...


Interesting, eh? I hope you figured out before you got to the bottom that this isn't a real review. The funniest thing about it is that Axl is such a wacko that one can actually believe much of this satire. Hmm, maybe Axl would refer to the architect who designed his topiary garden. Maybe he would tell bassist Tommy Stinson to replicate the bass line from "Another Brick in the Wall." But Bob Ezrin and Phil Ramone as producers? Well, maybe sometime in the past decade. After all, it seems like everyone else has worked on this album, and Axl has fired several producers.

Oddly enough, I found out about this review on a Soul Asylum e-mail list. Someone was excited that Chinese Democracy was going to include "an embarrassing 'roots rock' duet with new buddy Dave Pirner titled 'You're Still Too Sweet Not to Be My Baby Anymore.'" Another list member noted that Soul Asylum and GNR toured together in Europe years ago. Then someone pointed out that it's an April Fool's Day joke. You would think fans of a band that did a song called "April Fool" on their best-selling album Grave Dancer's Union would catch on, but instead they argued that it just couldn't be a fake. More amazing to me was that no one was incensed that their favorite band's lead singer had become the butt of a joke. Incidentally, Soul Asylum has taken a GNR-like eight years to come out with a new album, due this summer. In the interim, their original bass player died, being replaced by -- oh, the irony -- GNR's Stinson.

In defense of those Soul Asylum fans, the review originally ran online without the obvious "Fast Facts" clue: "This version of Chinese Democracy only exists in an alternative reality ruled by the fools of April." And the original URL and date on the story didn't reflect April 1; apparently a date shift into the waning days of March was enough to give the review credibility in their eyes. But if the magazine's date doesn't naturally fall on the first, they're going to use whatever issue date is closest to April 1.

Another red flag is that this is Spin magazine. Anyone who has heard "Get in the Ring" from GNR's Use Your Illusion II knows that Axl hates that magazine. Why on earth would he give them exclusive access to his new album?

In related news (not April fool's), the Chinese won't be reading about Chinese Democracy in Rolling Stone -- government regulators are shutting down the magazine's Chinese edition after just one issue. The chief editor there hopes to get things ironed out soon. Maybe he'll get the magazine going before Axl puts out the album, which some sources say will be July 2006. My brother and I will believe it only when we see it.

Labels: jokes, music

- posted by David Johnsen @ 9:42 AM 0 comments

 
Bastard of the Day
Today's award goes to John Cougar Mellencamp. If I see that old fart with his band on a basketball court singing "Rockin' in the N-C-Double-A" one more time, I'll scream. Of course, this Hoosier has been on the downward slide for a long, long time. Even his best albums like Scarecrow contained their share of filler and pop garbage. Heck, "R.O.C.K. in the U.S.A." sounds inspired compared to trash like "Lonely Ol' Night." At least it was better than American Fool. I hate "Jack & Diane" with every fiber of my being -- except the fibers I reserve for hating "Hurts So Good."

One of the first times I can recall my future wife making fun of me was when we heard Mellencamp on the radio (circa 1997), and I said, "It's John Mellencamp, trying to stay relevant." She thought I was goofy to use a word like "relevant" to describe a performer (as if a woman who has memorized Slayer lyrics has any right to judge my rock criticism). But I was right, and even then he was losing the fight. Aside from dusting off the ol' guitar to play "Rain On The Scarecrow" at Farm Aid, this guy should have hung it up a decade ago.

But I have a special reason for directing my vitriol at Mellencamp now. He and his freaking NCAA basketball March Madness are on CBS, and some of my favorite shows aren't on this week because of it (I lucked out with the Olympics since I don't watch NBC). That makes CBS and the NCAA honorary bastards. I have always hated basketball, probably because it requires two things I don't have: height and coordination. I didn't watch the Fighting Illini in the Final Four last year. Even when Michael Jordan, arguably the best player ever (if you would argue, you're not from Chicago), was working his magic for the Bulls, I hardly paid attention to anything more than the last five minutes of a few playoff games. It's okay if they want to show this stuff on Saturdays and Sundays -- I don't watch TV on weekends anyway -- but don't waste prime time on some lousy first round college playoff game like Goober Tech versus Bumwipe State.

And to think, I have to put up with another two weeks of this.

Labels: advertising, bastards, music

- posted by David Johnsen @ 12:44 PM 0 comments

 
Bastard of the Day
Way back in the early days of the DJWriter blog, I nominated Disney princess Hilary Duff's version of "My Generation" for "Worst Cover Song of 2004." It is with heavy heart that I inform you that the mouseheads are about to unleash an even more offensive assault on the ears of America. Today's Bastard of the Day is Walt Disney Records for conceiving and foisting upon us DEVO 2.0, aka DEV2.O .

Don't hate DEVO 2.0 because they are another prefabricated pop band. Don't hate them because they are a cover band. Hate them because they are desecrating the music of Akron, Ohio's finest band. Okay, that's not saying much, but just listen to this crap. And it just gets worse...

Read about the band. Lead singer Nicole (there are no last names in DEVO 2.0, which at least gives these kids a chance to lead normal lives as adults) cites as one of her musical influences Fergie from the Black Eyed Peas. The idea of a pre-adolescent girl singing "Whip It" with "my hump, my hump, my hump, my lovely lady lumps" going through her head is rather disturbing, don't you think?

I know this concept has been done before, notably by A*Teens. But Abba was pop schlock from day one. DEVO is deeper than that. Beneath the flower pot hats, there is good music with interesting lyrics. A Wikipedia entry confirms my worst fears:

The lyrics to the songs they perform are also heavily edited, to make them more "family friendly" and remove all of the innuendo typical of Devo songs. (In "Through Being Cool", for instance, the line "eliminate the ninnies and the twits" is changed to "eliminate the time you waste in cliques", and the innuendo-filled "Girl U Want" is completely re-written and sanitized as "Boy U Want"... The song "Beautiful World" remains mostly unchanged until the end, where the line "it's a beautiful world ... for you, but not for me" becomes "for you... I guess me too".)

Damn, that was the best line in "Beautiful World" (it was bad enough when that song was used in a Target commercial). This is the fluffiest of fluff, Hilary Duff with New Wave backing music. I noticed that they didn't record "Gut Feeling" -- I'd hate to think how they would rewrite the "slap your mammy" part of that song (probably "hug your mammy").

How did this come to be? Disney had to get permission from DEVO to use the name, right? Did DEVO completely sell out? To my surprise and disappointment, the answer is a huge YES. From clubdevo.com:

DEV2.0 is a strange, Corporate-Feudal experiment that attempts to bring the original DEVO music sensibility to children in the 5 to 8 year old demographic range. The band is composed of 5 talented kids ranging in age from 10 to 12 years old. They are able to play and sing. DEVO produced the music for them and Gerald Casale directed all of the videos for the DVD which was funded by Buena Vista Records, a division of the Disney Company. From Billboard.com: The "Devo 2.0" CD is due March 17 via Disney Sound. A companion DVD will feature animated and live action videos for each of the tracks directed by Devo bassist and co-founder Gerry Casale.

When I first heard about DEVO 2.0, I never dreamed that DEVO had this much involvement. Now I'm not sure whether the Bastard of the Day should be Disney or DEVO! The only good thing ("everybody, it's a good thing") that can come out of this is a new interest in the original band's body of work.

What's next? A kid singing folk songs named "Bob Dillon?" A group of kids playing 1970s heavy metal called "Blue Oyster Club?" They could perform their biggest hit, a song about studying hard in science class called "Don't Fear the Beaker."

With Disney's marketing muscle behind it, we're sure to hear plenty about DEVO 2.0 in the next few months. "Through being cool," indeed.

Labels: bastards, music

- posted by David Johnsen @ 6:32 PM 1 comments

 
The Doors
Last night was "Doors night" at our house. First we watched Oliver Stone's film, The Doors. Then we watched it again with Stone's commentary. After 4-1/2 hours of watching the band, I was surprised my wife was willing to go for the ultimate -- listening to all six of the Doors' studio albums back to back.

The movie should have been called Jim Morrison instead of The Doors. Clearly Stone was focused on Morrison, and the rest of the band doesn't get enough coverage to be worthy of mention. Most notably, there is no clue as to how Morrison and Ray Manzarek found and recruited Robby Krieger and John Densmore -- they are just suddenly rehearsing together. And for a movie supposedly about the Doors, it spends too much time on Morrison's poetry and too little on the music. One thing I love about the Doors, something crucial to their unique sound, is the interplay between Manzarek's organ and Krieger's guitar.

Maybe I missed it, but I was surprised that "Peace Frog" wasn't used in the movie. That song includes lyrics about the film's opening scene, where a young Morrison (played by Stone's son) sees the aftermath of a highway accident involving a truckload of Indians. It also takes a jab at New Haven, site of another incident in the movie.

Stone actually does pretty good commentaries for his movies, not the rambling, butt-kissing fluff one hears on a lot of commentary tracks. One quibble: Stone is a little foggy about the band's last two albums, Morrison Hotel and L.A. Woman. It seemed to me that he combined them in his head. Most obviously he said "Roadhouse Blues" was on their last album, but it led off Morrison Hotel. Up to that point, his recollection of the band's discography was pretty accurate.

Of course, I had a refresher course last night, listening to some records I haven't heard in many years. I was a Doors fan in high school (mid-late 1980s). More accurately, I was a 1960s fan in high school. I still have a huge collection of music from 1966-1970, most of it on vinyl. My wife is impressed with my knowledge of the Doors and other music from that era, but I don't know if she really understands how into music I was at the time. My teenage years were spent in my bedroom with the door closed, the turntable spinning record after record for hours on end. That's where all my extra money went -- to buy more records. Some people look at my 800 vinyl LPs and say I wasted my money, but hey, at least I wasn't buying booze or drugs.

Labels: movies, music

- posted by David Johnsen @ 2:23 AM 0 comments

 
Tribune's Pointless Editorial about R&R Hall of Fame
I was flabbergasted by Corey Franklin's guest editorial in the Chicago Tribune about the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame titled "The fossilization of rock 'n' roll." His sole qualification is being "a physician at Stroger Hospital," and frankly, I don't know why the newspaper accepted this drivel for publication.

Franklin begins with a meaningless complaint from Def Jam founder Russell Simmons about hip-hop artists being ignored. Well, apparently neither Simmons nor Franklin could be bothered to look at the requirements for consideration:

Artists become eligible for induction 25 years after the release of their first record. Criteria include the influence and significance of the artist’s contributions to the development and perpetuation of rock and roll.

Hmm, so how many hip-hop artists made their first record at least 25 years ago? That would be 1981. Even Run-D.M.C., probably the first widely recognized rap artists, released their first album in 1983. Grandmaster Flash? 1982. Besides, Franklin later criticizes the Hall for inducting Miles Davis:

Miles may be a jazz immortal, but inducting him in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is like putting Jim Thorpe in Cooperstown for playing a couple of years of baseball in the National League. Great player, wrong sport.

How would inducting a hip-hop artist be any different? There is some hip-hop that I enjoy, but I wouldn't really call it rock and roll. They should start their own museum. That leads to one of Franklin's better points, albeit a tired one dating back to the Hall's founding in 1983 -- that rock and roll is rooted is rebellion, and a Hall of Fame reeks of "establishment." The same could be said for the spirit of hip-hop.

Franklin briefly and weakly critiques the latest inductees: Black Sabbath, the Sex Pistols, Blondie, Lynyrd Skynyrd and Miles Davis. Davis was covered above. The others were all giants in their respective genres: heavy metal, punk, new wave and Southern rock. I will allow that they aren't on par with people like the Beatles, Chuck Berry and Jerry Lee Lewis (it would be a small Hall if that were the requirement), but all were important in their time and influenced those who followed. Franklin pretty much writes them all off, so apparently they aren't his kind of rockers. He lacks either the background or maturity to recognize their value.

Franklin really loses credibility in his criticism of Lynyrd Skynyrd -- clearly he has no sense of the original band's influence and importance, maligning them as "definitely" members of the "Mullet Hall of Fame." If you can listen to "Free Bird" and forget that you've already heard it a million times, it really is one of the greatest guitar songs of all time. And I could name a dozen Skynyrd songs that are better than that one. (Another criticism from others is that the current Skynyrd has so few original members, but that's nonsense -- even the Stones are down to Mick, Keith and Charlie. The Stones weren't inducted for their latest work, but for their greatest work.)

While the best Franklin can come up with for future inductees are John Mellencamp, the Paul Butterfield Blues Band and Patti Smith, I'd like to weigh in once more for an overlooked rock and roll legend -- Link Wray. Anybody can sing some dirty words for controversy, but this is a guy who had an instrumental banned from the radio. If that doesn't capture the spirit of rock and roll, then what does?

I can't figure out why the Tribune published this uninformed editorial in the first place. It starts out whining about people who aren't even eligible not being inducted and proceeds to dismiss every inductee with little explanation. When it comes to music criticism, Dr. Franklin, I think you'd be better off tending to your patients.

Labels: music

- posted by David Johnsen @ 7:46 PM 0 comments

 
RIP Link Wray 1929-2005
Rock and roll legend Link Wray died November 5 in Copenhagen. He's the most important guitarist you probably never heard of. His Los Angeles Times obituary (published yesterday) lists many of the most famous names in rock who were profoundly influenced by him. Pete Townshend once wrote, "He is the king; if it hadn't been for Link Wray and 'Rumble,' I would have never picked up a guitar." And Neil Young said, "If I could go back in time and see any band, it would be Link Wray and the Wraymen." Bob Dylan, who first saw Wray live in Duluth in 1958, opened his November 20 concert in London with "Rumble" in his honor.

The obituary tells the story of "Rumble," his biggest hit. To get the raw, distorted guitar sound, Wray used a pencil to punch holes in the speakers of his amplifier. In some places it was banned from the radio -- and it was an instrumental! That's some serious rock and roll that can threaten the Establishment without using any words.

Alas, the LA Times' obituary for Wray peters out in the mid-1960s. In fact, Wray was just getting started. He returned to religion (his parents were preachers) and turned his home into a commune. Then he channneled his energies into crafting the greatest hippie Jesus freak music ever made. He had a recording studio in an old chicken coop called "Wray's Three Track Shack."

His 1971 album Link Wray is legendary among music collectors. Wray was able to stretch out as a guitarist, moving deftly from rock to blues, electric to acoustic. His lyrics were deeply moral but came across as heartfelt warnings more than preaching. And for the first time, he was the featured vocalist. He lost a lung to tuberculosis in the Army in 1953 and lacked range, but he had enthusiasm and intensity that suited the material perfectly. Put it on your Christmas list if you don't have it yet. (If you can't find it alone, it is included in the Wray's Three Track Shack and Guitar Preacher: The Polydor Years compilations.)

Wray found new success in the late 1970s when he paired up with retro crooner Robert Gordon for a pair of albums (most notably including Bruce Springsteen's "Fire"). He moved to Denmark and kept recording both live and in the studio. Numerous American bands touring Europe were privileged to have Wray join them onstage for a song or two. Cowpunk legend Jason Ringenberg wrote an eponymous tribute to Wray for his latest album, Empire Builders. In liner notes, he writes

I've known Link Wray for 20 years now and his enthusiasm and commitment to performance never cease to amaze me... In my opinion, he possesses THE soul of the rock and roll guitar. One of my main long-range career goals is to still be able to rock lke he does when I am 70 something.

Wray really did rock right until the end. He finished a lengthy US tour four months ago at age 76.

Tonight Paul Shaffer and the CBS Orchestra played "Rumble" during one of David Letterman's commercial breaks, showing once again why they are undeniably the greatest band on television. I wonder how many viewers noticed and how many recognized this as a farewell tribute to a guitar legend.

Labels: music, tributes

- posted by David Johnsen @ 3:28 AM 0 comments

 
Don't Stop The Heavin'
Here is my two-word review of Chicago's first World Series in more than four decades: Don't care.

I was born a Cubs fan. While I'm not one of those people whose favorite teams are the Cubs and whoever is playing the White Sox, South Side baseball means nothing to me. Whatever tiny bit of appeal it had disappeared when the wrecking ball brought down the old Comiskey Park. That place had some character, sort of like a gritty, seedy, rotting version of Wrigley Field. The new ballpark is devoid of character; even Bruce Springsteen couldn't give it any spirit (especially from my vantage point in the upper deck). The park's nickname since a corporate sponsor took over, "the Cell," just makes me think of prison, not a place I want to go (though I once visited Stateville in Joliet on a college field trip, coincidentally during the last season the Sox played at the old Comiskey).

But even worse than the generic, soulless venue is the team's latest choice of music. "Don't Stop Believin'" by Journey? Yuck. Journey was one of my parents' favorite bands in the early 1980s. My parents generally had decent taste in music, but I couldn't stand Journey then and I can't stand them now. And to think that I was criticizing the Cubs for still using Van Halen's "Jump"--the Journey song is even older! How about "Don't Stop The Bleedin'?" If Steve Perry got cut onstage, that's what I would have said. Not that I would have been anywhere near a stage with Journey on it. I'm just kidding; I don't really wish any ill will on Perry personally, although I would quickly change my mind if he showed up at my house to perform an extended version of "Lovin', Touchin', Squeezin'"--even my dad faded that song out halfway through the interminable "na-nas" when he recorded the LP onto a cassette tape.

There is only one thing at all redeeming about the White Sox choosing this song. While most of us associate Journey with San Francisco ("my city by the Bay"), "Don't Stop Believin'" was written by Perry, Neal Schon, and Chicago native Jonathan Cain. Despite this connection with Chicago, however, the song still sucks. Thanks a lot, MTV.

UPDATE 10/21/2005 - Famous Chicago radio guy and Sox fan Steve Dahl agrees. But at least it isn't disco!

Labels: baseball, music

- posted by David Johnsen @ 3:18 PM 0 comments

 
Corgan: Wrigley Music Reeks
A Cubs fan asked former Pumpkin Smasher Billy Corgan about the music they play at Wrigley Field. I haven't been to the ballpark in several years, but I can't believe they are still playing Van Halen's "Jump." They've been doing that for what, two decades now? That song just reminds me of the awful collapse of 1984, when the Cubs were up 2-0 in the NLCS and lost three in a row to the Padres. It's like an anthem for crushed hopes. Even worse, the last few times I went there it seemed like the highlight of the afternoon for many fans was "Y.M.C.A.," which is even older and cheesier. Corgan had a good suggestion:

How about playing songs by Chicago artists? Every city I go to plays songs by their local artists. The theme song for the Boston Red Sox is `Dirty Water', a song by the '60's group The Standells about the River Charles (and other sundry goings-on). It is absolutely criminal how bad the music is that is played at Wrigley Field. Discounting myself from this idea, how about nine innings worth of Chicago blues, Cheap Trick, Styx, etc. Instead we get passe hits and out-of-touch classics.

Okay, maybe nine innings of Styx isn't such a great idea, but there is plenty of Chicago music that could be played. On the other hand, I never went to a baseball game in lieu of listening to the radio anyway. They should dump the canned music entirely and let the organist go wild. Did you know that the Cubs were the first team in major-league baseball to have an organist back in 1941? The Cubs are also the only team that still plays introductions on the organ when players come to the plate. The best reason to see a game at Wrigley is for the nostalgia (though many inexplicably go there just to get drunk on high-priced, low-quality beer). The organ is nostalgic. The canned tunes are garbage.

Labels: baseball, music

- posted by David Johnsen @ 11:59 AM 0 comments

 
Rolling Stones 1994
My brother went to see the Rolling Stones on Saturday at the same place on almost the same day of the year that I saw them eleven years ago. I was going through a bunch of old papers and computer files (more on that later) when I came across a set list from that show. I don't remember it vividly, but I went with friends from work, and it was less than two weeks after I moved to the city. From the reviews of Saturday's show, it sounds like they did a lot of the same songs except that songs from the new album took the place of the Voodoo Lounge songs. For what it's worth, I thought the concert was expensive then, but my brother paid even more, $100/ticket for the cheapest seats. But heck, they're the Stones, and everybody should see them once. They're not bad for a bunch of old dudes.

Rolling Stones at Soldier Field, September 12, 1994

Not Fade Away
Tumblin' Dice
You Got Me Rockin'
Shattered
Rocks Off
Sparks Will Fly
(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction
Beast Of Burden
Wild Horses
All Down The Line
I Go Wild
Miss You
Honky Tonk Women
Happy
Worst
Love Is Strong
Monkey Man
Street Fightin' Man
Start Me Up
It's Only Rock & Roll
Brown Sugar
Jumpin' Jack Flash

Labels: music

- posted by David Johnsen @ 9:04 PM 0 comments

 
R.I.P. Karl Mueller
I found out today that Soul Asylum bass player Karl Mueller died Friday morning at home in Minneapolis at age 41. He was diagnosed with throat cancer last year, endured chemotherapy, and went into remission. He was well enough to join his bandmates at a benefit concert held in his honor last October (which featured the reunion of Husker Du's Bob Mould and Grant Hart), but he was in and out of the hospital this year.

Most people remember the band for their hit "Runaway Train" or perhaps for playing at President Clinton's inaugural ball. I have been a fan since I heard the album Hang Time some 17 years ago. They were always a great live band; I have seen them in concert more times than any other artist. Even as their fame waned over the past few years, Soul Asylum managed to come down to Chicago for a gig or two every year. The future of the band, which was searching for a label to put out their next album, is now uncertain.

Karl was the quiet member of the band, but he was a steady bass player. He also must have had a good sense of humor. When Soul Asylum created Clam Dip And Other Delights as a parody of Herb Alpert's Whipped Cream And Other Delights shortly after signing with Alpert's A&M Records, Karl was the one who appeared on the record sleeve covered with clam dip.

My thoughts go out to Karl's wife and his bandmates, Dave Pirner and Dan Murphy, who played with him for nearly a quarter of a century.

UPDATE 06/19/2005: In recent years, Karl donated many Soul Asylum souvenirs to the Minnesota Historical Society. See them here.

Labels: music, tributes

- posted by David Johnsen @ 10:27 AM 0 comments

 
8-Track Memories - The Boomtown Rats
I always say I was a weird kid. For proof, look no further than this: one of my favorite songs at age nine was "I Don't Like Mondays" by the Boomtown Rats. It was the band's only single to chart in America, peaking at #73 in 1980. While I did not know the exact story that inspired this song, I knew it was about someone who shot some kids at a school and said she did it because she didn't like Mondays. Somehow I doubt that many of my fellow fifth-graders were listening to songs like this.

The Fine Art Of Surfacing was the Boomtown Rats' third album, and it peaked at #103 on the US charts in 1980. Too bad my 8-track is long gone; it might be worth something to collectors since there probably weren't that many sold. The band was huge in the UK at the time, though. By one account, "...only the Police and Blondie were close in terms of stature, but The Rats were seemingly on top."

I gave Surfacing another listen (on vinyl) before writing this, and I still love it. There's a lot going on in this music. The lyrics are a little odd at times, and the breaks can get strange, but it all fits into typical pop rock song structures. Many songs are brilliantly fun and upbeat, even when the subject matter is dark: insomnia, suicide, paranoia, et al.

"Someone's Looking At You" and "When The Night Comes" are great songs, but "I Don't Like Mondays" stands out from the rest. The lovely piano introduction builds suspense, then the melody is suddenly interrupted by a rapid series of hand claps (perhaps evoking gunshots?). In the chorus, others in the band ask, "Tell me why?" and lead singer Bob Geldof responds, "I don't like Mondays." A quarter century and countless school killings later, this song is especially chilling. I listen to the song differently now than when it came out, and not just because I am older. "Tell me why?" echoes the questions asked across America in the late 1990s during the epidemic of school shootings that climaxed at Columbine High School.

One of my fondest Boomtown Rats memories is from a few years after I had moved on to other music. I was a notorious late sleeper, and one Sunday morning my dad decided he was going to blast me out of bed with my stereo. He popped in the Surfacing 8-track and turned it up LOUD. The joke was on him, though. I hadn't listened to it in a long while, so I stayed in bed and reveled in it as the walls vibrated!

For some reason, I never bought another Boomtown Rats album. I'm sure they made other good music, but I never explored it. When Geldof organized Band Aid and Live Aid to raise money for starving Africans in the mid-eighties, I was one of very few kids at my high school who already knew who he was.

Surfacing was just reissued on CD last month in the UK with a few bonus tracks. I'll have to add it to my wishlist.

Labels: 8-track, music

- posted by David Johnsen @ 8:07 PM 0 comments

 
8-Track Memories - Lynyrd Skynyrd
In honor of the Super Bowl being played in Jacksonville this weekend, I'm writing about the most famous band to hail from that city, Lynyrd Skynyrd (no, they weren't from Alabama!).This legendary Southern-rock band featured the three-guitar attack of Gary Rossington, Allen Collins, and Ed King (later replaced by Steve Gaines). Ronnie Van Zant sang and co-wrote almost all of the group's songs.

When the band's plane crashed in a Mississippi swamp, killing Van Zant, Steve Gaines, and Cassie Gaines (a back-up singer, Steve's sister), I was only seven years old. A couple years later, my dad bought Gold & Platinum, a two-record collection of the band's best songs. He taped the LPs onto a 90-minute 8-track, filling up the extra time with several songs by faux-Southern Creedence Clearwater Revival (coincidentally, CCR frontman John Fogerty is going to perform at the Super Bowl Tailgate Party on Sunday). I liked that 8-track so much that I collected all of Skynyrd's albums, no easy feat for a nine-year-old kid.

Gold & Platinum was the first of many Skynyrd compilations, and it turned out to be a decent sampling of their career. The hits are all there, of course, as well as all of the good songs from their mediocre middle albums. The collection's most glaring flaw, however, is that Second Helping, one of their best albums, was represented solely by "Sweet Home Alabama." I suppose they were limited by what would fit on two records, and songs like "Free Bird" and "Tuesday's Gone" took up a lot of space. For a new fan, I would recommend The Essential Lynyrd Skynyrd (2 CDs) or the Lynyrd Skynyrd box set (3 CDs) instead.

I've never listened to the "new" Skynyrd with Ronnie's brother, Johnny, but I still enjoy the older stuff. In fact, this is the first "8-Track Memories" band that I actually went back and listened to before writing. Their first two albums were my favorites, even with all the cracks and pops of my old LPs. I reveled in every change in pace of the guitars on Pronounced Leh-Nerd Skin-Nerd's "Free Bird" (still a great song despite overexposure), and hearing "Call Me The Breeze" from Second Helping again was downright rapturous (perhaps the most egregious omission from Gold & Platinum).

The Drive-By Truckers put out a great concept album about Ronnie Van Zant and George Wallace, among other things, called Southern Rock Opera a few years ago. I was completely blown away the first time I listened to it.

Labels: 8-track, music

- posted by David Johnsen @ 12:25 PM 0 comments

 
8-Track Memories - REO Speedwagon
It was inevitable when I began this series that eventually I would have to admit to liking some music that I can't stand anymore. So here it is: I had an 8-track of A Decade Of Rock & Roll '70-'80 by REO Speedwagon, and I loved it.

REO started out in Champaign-Urbana, IL around the time I was born there. As a midwestern band, they probably got more airplay in the Chicago area (where I moved in 1973) than elsewhere. I have realized while writing this series that music was still somewhat regional in the late 1970s and early 1980s--Cheap Trick, Styx, and REO were all Illinois bands that I liked in those days, although I didn't know they were "local" until years later.

This best-of compilation covers REO's first nine albums, including the legendarily titled You Can Tune A Piano, But You Can't Tuna Fish. Although I listened to Decade a lot, I usually gravitated (i.e., changed tracks) toward a handful of songs: "Keep Pushin', "Roll With The Changes," "Time For My To Fly," and "Only The Strong Survive." And of course, there was the live version of "Ridin' The Storm Out," my favorite song on the tape. Reading the lyrics now, I think it was kind of a goofy song, but I liked the music.

Decade came just before their big commercial break-through, 1981's Hi Infidelity, which included "Take It On The Run" and "Keep On Lovin' You." I borrowed a friend's copy and liked it but somehow resisted buying it for myself. I don't like them anymore; I can't stand Kevin Cronin's voice. If I hear an REO song on the radio, I change the station, even if it's "Ridin' The Storm Out." I guess I'm not sentimental about all of my 8-track memories.

Labels: 8-track, music

- posted by David Johnsen @ 2:08 PM 1 comments

 
8-Track Memories - Styx
In the late 1970s, I thought Styx was the greatest band in the world. My dad liked them, and he was a major influence on my pre-teen musical tastes. Twenty years passed before I discovered that critics often cite Styx as one of the cheesiest rock bands of the era.

I got hooked by The Grand Illusion, an album that I enjoyed so thoroughly that I couldn't pick a favorite song. "Come Sail Away" was its big hit. Pieces Of Eight followed with the hit single "Renegade." I still hear "Blue Collar Man (Long Nights)" on the radio, which was a topical song when it came out. Although I liked Cornerstone when it was released, it hasn't stood the test of time. One of the album's worst songs, "Babe" (not about the pig), was a popular single. The band even took a stab at politics with "Eddie," warning Ted Kennedy not to run for president lest he meet the fate of his brothers. Paradise Theater was a return to form, the last Styx album worth buying. I didn't care for "The Best Of Times," but I liked "Too Much Time On My Hands," "Half-Penny, Two Penny," and the cocaine lament, "Snowblind."

When I started building my own record collection in the mid-1980s, I still liked Styx enough to buy the four albums named above. I haven't listened to them in years, though. Kilroy Was Here was their last studio album that my dad bought. "Mr. Roboto" was a really goofy, overwrought single, and the rest of the album was forgettable at best. In 1990s parlance, they had jumped the shark.

Labels: 8-track, music

- posted by David Johnsen @ 1:22 AM 0 comments

 
8-Track Memories - Cheap Trick
When I was a kid, I stayed with my grandparents for a few weeks every summer. They moved into a new house just before my brother was born in 1979. My absolute favorite 8-track then was Cheap Trick's Live At Budokan. The day they moved, I lost my Cheap Trick tape. I think I threw some sort of tantrum until my parents replaced it.

Cheap Trick was a hot band in the late 1970s. This was years before the cheesy hit ballad "The Flame" and long before famous fans like Billy Corgan (of Smashing Pumpkins) made them "cool" again in the late 1990s (the bands played together memorably at the release concert for Mellon Collie And The Infinite Sadness). This album was also my introduction to Japan, which was pretty exotic to a nine-year-old. The way the fans were screaming, you would have thought these were the Beatles reunited, not a band from Rockford, IL with a couple of hit singles.

I don't remember why I got this tape in the first place, but it was probably from hearing "Surrender" and "I Want You To Want Me" on the radio. Looking back, the latter is just a lightweight pop song, but "Surrender" has stood the test of time. The lyrics are goofy but in a charming way. I also liked "Ain't That A Shame" and "Clock Strikes Ten," which had a guitar line that coincidentally sounded like the doorbell chimes in my grandparents' new house.

I just learned that in 1998, the entire concert was released on CD. The original had just ten songs. As a kid, I had wondered why a band would go all the way to Japan to play such a short concert (editing never occurred to me). Cheap Trick At Budokan: The Complete Concert sets the record straight with nineteen songs, including one of the band's classics, "Auf Wiedersehen," as well as their well-known cover of The Move's "California Man" (written by Jeff Lynne, better known from ELO).

I never bought another Cheap Trick album, and I stopped listening to Budokan sometime in junior high school. I heard a few songs from the album last year, though, and I remembered all the words. Impressively, they are still together with the same line-up (one member left for a while in the 1980s but came back).

Labels: 8-track, music

- posted by David Johnsen @ 10:05 AM 0 comments

 
8-Track Memories - Introduction
Judging from the comments, my blog entries about music seem to be the most popular. With that in mind, I am starting a series about the music of my youth. These will be bands that I liked before high school, which means prior to 1984. My dad introduced me to a lot of this music. It's weird to think that back then my dad was younger than I am now. I'm calling this "8-Track Memories" in honor of my preferred musical format at the time (actually, my dad had a recording 8-track deck, so many of my "8-Track Memories" originated on vinyl).

I hardly ever listen to most of these bands anymore (I finally gave up on 8-tracks around 1985). For me, music evokes a certain period of my life. Once that period is gone, the music just isn't the same. I still like it in some way, but not enough to seek it out and play it. Of course, when I hear those songs, I still know all the words. Call it "comfort music." Stay tuned...

Labels: 8-track, music

- posted by David Johnsen @ 2:47 AM 0 comments

 
Will McCartney Do A Morrison?
The NFL has announced that Paul McCartney will be performing at halftime during the Super Bowl in February. No doubt he was chosen as a "safe bet" after the overblown Janet Jackson fiasco last year. I wouldn't really like to see it, but I would love for McCartney to do a Jim Morrison-esque show by dropping his trousers. It would be a hilarious slap in the face to the "family entertainment" NFL.

If John Lennon were still alive, I doubt that they would invite him to perform. In a time of war, I think he would have to make some sort of statement that would probably offend the pro-establishment NFL bigwigs.

Labels: music

- posted by David Johnsen @ 7:53 PM 0 comments

 
Ice Cream, Scotch, And Gin
I just ate some chocolate chip ice cream and chased it down with a glass of Scotch. Bad idea. A former co-worker said he didn't like Scotch because it tasted "too medicinal." Never is that more true than after ice cream. It's a combination so jolting to the body that you'll just have to try it yourself someday.

Right now I'm listening to one of my favorite drinking albums, the Gin Blossoms' New Miserable Experience. Of course, this is not an inspirational record--Doug Hopkins, who wrote half of the songs, was an alcoholic who got kicked out of the band before they hit it big. He committed suicide in 1993. Songs of his like "Lost Horizons," "Hey Jealousy," "Hold Me Down," "Found Out About You" and "Pieces Of The Night" speak of a certain sad, isolated, often intoxicated existence. It's anything but "happy" music, although readers have probably noticed that most of the music I like isn't happy (with Devo being a notable exception).

I first heard New Miserable Experience when my brother gave me his cassette. I think he said it wasn't "heavy enough." I upgraded to a CD around the time I moved out of the house (I always hated prerecorded cassettes--I went straight from LPs to CDs), so this album always reminds me of the first few months I lived in my apartment. While I never drank that much (thank God), I had similar luck in relationships, so it was an appropriate soundtrack (along with the Offspring's "Self Esteem"). A couple years ago, I bought a special 10th anniversary "Deluxe Edition" at a store closing sale. Unfortunately, the bonus disc is comprised of mostly weak material and live versions, plus a particularly lame "alternate" version of "Pieces Of The Night" with an unnecessary piano ending. The Deluxe Edition is on the right below.

By the way, the Gin Blossoms are one of very few rock acts to hail from Arizona. Alice Cooper and the Meat Puppets are a couple of others.

Labels: music

- posted by David Johnsen @ 10:07 PM 0 comments

 
Bruce Springsteen & John Kerry
Bruce Springsteen was in Madison, Wisconsin the other day with John Kerry. He performed two songs and stated why he supports Kerry for president. Kerry doesn't exactly stand for everything that Springsteen believes (if you listen to his lyrics, Springsteen is to the left of both major parties), but he is obviously much closer than Bush. When Kerry took the stage, he said that the first concert he took his daughters to see was on Springsteen's "Born In The U.S.A." tour. The best part of the story came after Bruce left the stage:

Springsteen... strode down the street to meet up with his wife, singer Patti Scialfa. The couple stopped in front of a house full of college students gathered on a second-floor deck. "Bruce, come up for a beer," said a sign hanging from the railing.

Springsteen and Scialfa walked up to the house and emerged on the upper deck, each taking a bottle of Capitol Amber, a local brew, and watching as Kerry paid homage to the man who made the working people of Asbury Park, N.J., famous. "He sings about real people. It's poetry, it's beautiful, about life and struggles and what's important," said Kerry, who plays classical guitar. "And the people he sings about are the people I think we ought to be fighting about and having representation in the White House that's worthy in this country." Still, said Kerry, as he acknowledged the obvious, "I may be running for president of the United States, but we all know who the real boss is! Right?"

As the crowd roared, Springsteen doubled over, laughing at the return tribute.

Speaking of "Born In The U.S.A.," one of the best things about Springsteen supporting Kerry is that this year the Republicans can't use his music out of context like they have used that song and others in the past. Of course, the campaign managers aren't the only ones guilty of this. I was driving through the Texas panhandle and listening to the radio the day Bush started the war with Iraq (incidentally, I had been caught in the middle of a political argument at breakfast). Seemingly out of nowhere (it didn't fit their "format"), the radio station started playing "Born In The U.S.A." It turned out to be a mix of that song with some ominous, threatening quotes from Bush directed at Saddam Hussein. It was the typical jingoistic, knee jerk, redneck stuff that some Americans pass off as "patriotism" these days. Omigod, these people have no clue, I thought. Imagine the irony of using a song about Vietnam (not to mention a bad economy) as the background for Bush talking about Iraq. How prophetic!

By the way, Springsteen isn't the only musician the Bush campaign will be excluding from their greatest hits album. In news that must make my mom happy, the writer of "Still The One" by the band Orleans asked them to stop using his song.

Labels: election04, music

- posted by David Johnsen @ 2:14 PM 1 comments

 
Heroin And Sterner Stuff
For the past couple days, I've had two songs going through my head. I don't sing in the shower much (which is probably why I'm still married), but yesterday I found myself singing Warren Zevon's "Carmelita," of all things:

Carmelita, hold me tighter
I think I'm sinking down
And I'm all strung out on heroin
On the outskirts of town

There's nothing like starting the day with an upbeat tune like that! My regular readers (hi Mom!) may recall that I wrote about this song during the second last day of my cross-country bike tour. I recently heard Flaco Jimenez's excellent version with Dwight Yoakum. An