This song from "30 Rock" is kinda like getting marshmellow peeps for Trick Or Treat . . . it's a little stale and not quite holiday appropriate.
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Saturday, October 30, 2010
Nightmare Before Christmas "This Is Halloween"
The debate in our house this week . . . is this too scary for our 3 year old? At what age did you let your kids see this one?
Friday, October 29, 2010
Counting Crows "The Ghost In You"
If the Counting Crows show I wrote about this week had happened in 2009, instead of 1999, there'd be dozens of clips of it on YouTube. But I couldn't find a single clip from 1999. We didn't have video cameras in our phones, back then. In fact, if you were "mobile" at that time, you might've had a giant bag-phone.
Anyway, Adam Duritz donned the bunny ears on a later occasion, and here he sings a Halloween-appropriate cover tune.
Anyway, Adam Duritz donned the bunny ears on a later occasion, and here he sings a Halloween-appropriate cover tune.
Thursday, October 28, 2010
New Kids On The Block "The Right Stuff"
Don't dish it out, if you can't take it, right?
After post about Adam Duritz in a bunny suit and Michael Stipe as Frank-N-Furter, it seems only fair to post a picture of myself.
Please enjoy is 1990-ish Halloween picture of me and my college roommates as New Kids On The Block.
That's me, in the middle back. Billy, on the left, is supposed to be Donnie, "The Tough One." Martin, front right, is Joey, "The Cute One." Ken, the Norwegian, is supposed to be the brother who never really talked.
Not sure where we all got the vests. None of us were the vest owning types. But you can see on our lapels, some stickers that came out of a NKOTB bubble gum pack. We're each wearing a picture of the New Kid we're supposed to represent, and our posture is a mimic of the picture.
Except for Kurt (in day-glo). Always ahead of his time, he didn't really want to be a New Kid, so he reimagined the group, as if Flavor Flav had replaced one of the boys. Yes, that's a digial alarm clock around his neck.
This was in our Railroad Street apartment, off-campus at UMass, where, no doubt, we had a party, got stupidly drunk, danced like idiots, and never had it better than when we were being silly, together.
After post about Adam Duritz in a bunny suit and Michael Stipe as Frank-N-Furter, it seems only fair to post a picture of myself.
Please enjoy is 1990-ish Halloween picture of me and my college roommates as New Kids On The Block.
Not sure where we all got the vests. None of us were the vest owning types. But you can see on our lapels, some stickers that came out of a NKOTB bubble gum pack. We're each wearing a picture of the New Kid we're supposed to represent, and our posture is a mimic of the picture.
Except for Kurt (in day-glo). Always ahead of his time, he didn't really want to be a New Kid, so he reimagined the group, as if Flavor Flav had replaced one of the boys. Yes, that's a digial alarm clock around his neck.
This was in our Railroad Street apartment, off-campus at UMass, where, no doubt, we had a party, got stupidly drunk, danced like idiots, and never had it better than when we were being silly, together.
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Sons Of Elvis "Formaldehyde"
If Zombies are the new Vampires (see "Pride & Prejudice & Zombies"), then this little lost tune from 1994 deserves to be rediscovered.
He loves his girl so much, that even the fact that he's dead won't stop him from coming back to her. He just has to claw through a little earth, that's all.
He loves his girl so much, that even the fact that he's dead won't stop him from coming back to her. He just has to claw through a little earth, that's all.
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Glee "Time Warp"
Glee is doing a "Rocky Horror Picture Show" episode tonight, so I thought I'd share a preview. It's pretty good.
But mostly, today's post is just an excuse to have this first clip. See if you recognize the future rock star, interviewed at the 1:25 mark.
But mostly, today's post is just an excuse to have this first clip. See if you recognize the future rock star, interviewed at the 1:25 mark.
Monday, October 25, 2010
Counting Crows “A Long December”
Some people dismiss Counting Crows, saying Adam Duritz takes himself too seriously. But if you were at The Orpheum in Boston, in 1999, you know differently.
At the time, I was still living in the South, but was coming up to New England for my sister’s wedding. As usual, I perused Pollstar.com to see if there were any good shows in Boston, on the dates I was in town.
The day after the wedding, Counting Crows were schedule to play at The Orpheum, with another favorite band, Gigolo Aunts. So I got tickets.
As it happened, the show was October 31st. Halloween. We joked about going to the show in costume.
The Counting Crows did not joke.
I’ll never forget the band taking the stage. Backlit and silhouetted, I could make out a shape.
“Is he dressed in a bunny suit?!?!?”
Yes, Adam Duritz was dressed in a giant, white, fluffy bunny suit, complete with ears.
Other band members where dress up too. The bass player performed the full show in a robe and Yoda mask. One guitarist had a red devil suit and the other was a Russian soldier. It was pretty cute.
But better than cute, it added a really interesting element to the show.
Duritz would sing these heart-wrenching, very personal lyrics, the sincerity of which was completely undercut by the fact that he was standing there dressed as a bunny. It was hard to take him seriously, and it made the whole thing totally charming.
The giant bunny sat at the piano, for a stripped down version of “A Long December.” But he had to stop and start a couple of times, because he kept cracking up, knowing how silly it all was.
I remember walking out of The Orpheum thinking, Every concert should be that good.
The interpretations of familiar songs were adventurous, the playing was impeccable, and while the music had majesty, the show was completely devoid of rock or singer-songwriter pomposity.
Like all singers, every show, should be made to dress as a bunny.
At the time, I was still living in the South, but was coming up to New England for my sister’s wedding. As usual, I perused Pollstar.com to see if there were any good shows in Boston, on the dates I was in town.
The day after the wedding, Counting Crows were schedule to play at The Orpheum, with another favorite band, Gigolo Aunts. So I got tickets.
As it happened, the show was October 31st. Halloween. We joked about going to the show in costume.
The Counting Crows did not joke.
I’ll never forget the band taking the stage. Backlit and silhouetted, I could make out a shape.
“Is he dressed in a bunny suit?!?!?”
Yes, Adam Duritz was dressed in a giant, white, fluffy bunny suit, complete with ears.
Other band members where dress up too. The bass player performed the full show in a robe and Yoda mask. One guitarist had a red devil suit and the other was a Russian soldier. It was pretty cute.
But better than cute, it added a really interesting element to the show.
Duritz would sing these heart-wrenching, very personal lyrics, the sincerity of which was completely undercut by the fact that he was standing there dressed as a bunny. It was hard to take him seriously, and it made the whole thing totally charming.
The giant bunny sat at the piano, for a stripped down version of “A Long December.” But he had to stop and start a couple of times, because he kept cracking up, knowing how silly it all was.
I remember walking out of The Orpheum thinking, Every concert should be that good.
The interpretations of familiar songs were adventurous, the playing was impeccable, and while the music had majesty, the show was completely devoid of rock or singer-songwriter pomposity.
Like all singers, every show, should be made to dress as a bunny.
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Julian Cope "Try Try Try"
Here's another Weekend Post:
Julian Cope could make a great pop song, when he felt like it.
He's never quite broken through in the U.S., I think, because he's a particularly British type of eccentric.
Click on the "Weekend Posts" label below, to see other posts like this.
Julian Cope could make a great pop song, when he felt like it.
He's never quite broken through in the U.S., I think, because he's a particularly British type of eccentric.
Click on the "Weekend Posts" label below, to see other posts like this.
Saturday, October 23, 2010
Bjork "It's Oh So Quiet"
Ten years ago today, was my first day on the air with mvyradio. October 23rd, 2000. A decade on 92.7 and the world wide web. Wow!
And ten years later, I'm still as happy as Bjork is in the video.
Thanks for letting me part of your day!
Click on the "Weekend Posts" label below, to see other posts like this.
And ten years later, I'm still as happy as Bjork is in the video.
Thanks for letting me part of your day!
Click on the "Weekend Posts" label below, to see other posts like this.
Friday, October 22, 2010
Annie Lennox “Universal Child”
It’s getting harder and harder to put out a Christmas album.
What with the stores starting to play holiday tunes in October and some radio stations flipping to an All Christmas format every November, the need for new Christmas albums is increasing at an exponential rate.
The downside for you, if you’re thinking of finally recording your Christmas masterpiece, is that every-freaking-body and their cellist has recorded “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas” and “Silver Bells” and even lesser tunes like “I Want A Hippopotamus For Christmas.”
It’s harder and harder to find untapped Christmas resources.
So Annie Lennox went the Sting-route, following the bearded Bard’s lead by recording tunes so traditional, no one has ever heard of them.
“C’mon everybody, it’s ‘I'l est ne le Divin Enfant.’ You know the words!! . . . Anyone?”
“Liven up your Christmas Party with, uh, 'In The Bleak Midwinter'”!!
Well, she does do “Silent Night” so you’re not completely out in the wilderness.
And, in what is a more a curse than a blessing (when speaking about most artists), she writes one of her own. Fortunately, Lennox has a pretty good quality control detector, so “Universal Child” is actually a pretty good tune.
As holiday resources deplete, look for some punk band to cover it, for Christmas 2011.
What with the stores starting to play holiday tunes in October and some radio stations flipping to an All Christmas format every November, the need for new Christmas albums is increasing at an exponential rate.
The downside for you, if you’re thinking of finally recording your Christmas masterpiece, is that every-freaking-body and their cellist has recorded “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas” and “Silver Bells” and even lesser tunes like “I Want A Hippopotamus For Christmas.”
It’s harder and harder to find untapped Christmas resources.
So Annie Lennox went the Sting-route, following the bearded Bard’s lead by recording tunes so traditional, no one has ever heard of them.
“C’mon everybody, it’s ‘I'l est ne le Divin Enfant.’ You know the words!! . . . Anyone?”
“Liven up your Christmas Party with, uh, 'In The Bleak Midwinter'”!!
Well, she does do “Silent Night” so you’re not completely out in the wilderness.
And, in what is a more a curse than a blessing (when speaking about most artists), she writes one of her own. Fortunately, Lennox has a pretty good quality control detector, so “Universal Child” is actually a pretty good tune.
As holiday resources deplete, look for some punk band to cover it, for Christmas 2011.
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Quarterflash "Harden My Heart"
A seminal moments post . . .
Every trivia buff knows that “Video Kills The Radio Star” was the first video played on MTV.
But when MTV went on the air, only a few households in America had the channel. And even fewer were tuned in to MTV.
So the more interesting question is: What video was playing, the first time you watched MTV?
I can remember it, as clear as day. Two Newburyport Cable Company technicians were in our basement, hooking up a box.
I don’t know where my folks were, but I was supervising, to make sure they reconnected my Atari properly. And also, because I knew about MTV.
I’d heard about it anyway. Kids on the playground (which wasn’t really a playground so much as a parking lot) at The Immaculate Conception had been talking about the video of Olivia Newton John’s “Physical.”
I didn’t really get it. Was she on a stage, singing, like on Solid Gold? Why was that interesting?
So as soon as I got a quick tutorial on how to change channel with the box (yeah, we didn’t spring for the remote control, because, c’mon, you can’t walk over to the TV and change the channel!?!?) I flipped around to MTV.
And I was, not surprisingly, taken with what I saw.
Motorcycles! A Babe In Tight Pants! A Fog Machine! An Entire Set Built For The Express Purpose Of This Little Movie!
Sure, you can look at the production values of Quarterflash’s “Harden My Heart” today, and laugh. But in 1982, this was near the pinnacle of video artistry.
Over the next days and weeks, I’d sit in front of MTV for hours on end, with friends or without, and go into their weird worlds of music. Much of which (because it was imported from Europe) was completely unfamiliar to me.
My love of music videos would grow exponentially, then wax and wane in the decades that followed. And with their ubiquity, it’s hard to remember when they mattered.
But I’d argue that maybe they’re mattering again. Ok Go, and other viral successes, would support that theory.
Maybe some day down the line, I’ll be asking you, What was the first music video you saw on Youtube?
This post is one in a series of Seminal Moments---stories of songs that truly changed the course of my life. For more posts in this series, click on the Seminal Moments link under "Labels."
Every trivia buff knows that “Video Kills The Radio Star” was the first video played on MTV.
But when MTV went on the air, only a few households in America had the channel. And even fewer were tuned in to MTV.
So the more interesting question is: What video was playing, the first time you watched MTV?
I can remember it, as clear as day. Two Newburyport Cable Company technicians were in our basement, hooking up a box.
I don’t know where my folks were, but I was supervising, to make sure they reconnected my Atari properly. And also, because I knew about MTV.
I’d heard about it anyway. Kids on the playground (which wasn’t really a playground so much as a parking lot) at The Immaculate Conception had been talking about the video of Olivia Newton John’s “Physical.”
I didn’t really get it. Was she on a stage, singing, like on Solid Gold? Why was that interesting?
So as soon as I got a quick tutorial on how to change channel with the box (yeah, we didn’t spring for the remote control, because, c’mon, you can’t walk over to the TV and change the channel!?!?) I flipped around to MTV.
And I was, not surprisingly, taken with what I saw.
Motorcycles! A Babe In Tight Pants! A Fog Machine! An Entire Set Built For The Express Purpose Of This Little Movie!
Sure, you can look at the production values of Quarterflash’s “Harden My Heart” today, and laugh. But in 1982, this was near the pinnacle of video artistry.
Over the next days and weeks, I’d sit in front of MTV for hours on end, with friends or without, and go into their weird worlds of music. Much of which (because it was imported from Europe) was completely unfamiliar to me.
My love of music videos would grow exponentially, then wax and wane in the decades that followed. And with their ubiquity, it’s hard to remember when they mattered.
But I’d argue that maybe they’re mattering again. Ok Go, and other viral successes, would support that theory.
Maybe some day down the line, I’ll be asking you, What was the first music video you saw on Youtube?
This post is one in a series of Seminal Moments---stories of songs that truly changed the course of my life. For more posts in this series, click on the Seminal Moments link under "Labels."
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
U2 “In A Little While”
What a weird experience it must be, for heroes to become fans.
U2 has been the biggest band in the world for so damn long, that it’s hard think of them as anything but a monolith that has always existed in the middle of the Rock N Roll square.
But they have always been generous in citing and sharing their influences, including the ones that are hard to hear any more.
When they were given an MTV Award, they used their time and their power to bring out a band they claimed was essential to the creation of U2: The Ramones.
It was a good time to recognize the band, as Joey Ramone had recently passed away, the band was no longer touring or recording and their heyday was so far removed that “the kids these days” probably knew little or nothing about the band.
A couple of years later, U2 contributed a track to a Ramones tribute record.
And you felt like U2 had done right by their forerunners honoring a group so close to their hearts.
What an amazing tribute to the band, then, to hear this news.
When Joey Ramone was in the last stages of his battle with lymphoma, on the edge of death, he asked that his favorite song be put on the stereo: U2’s “In A Little While.”
He passed while the song played.
What a tribute, when the hero honors the fan.
U2 has been the biggest band in the world for so damn long, that it’s hard think of them as anything but a monolith that has always existed in the middle of the Rock N Roll square.
But they have always been generous in citing and sharing their influences, including the ones that are hard to hear any more.
When they were given an MTV Award, they used their time and their power to bring out a band they claimed was essential to the creation of U2: The Ramones.
It was a good time to recognize the band, as Joey Ramone had recently passed away, the band was no longer touring or recording and their heyday was so far removed that “the kids these days” probably knew little or nothing about the band.
A couple of years later, U2 contributed a track to a Ramones tribute record.
And you felt like U2 had done right by their forerunners honoring a group so close to their hearts.
What an amazing tribute to the band, then, to hear this news.
When Joey Ramone was in the last stages of his battle with lymphoma, on the edge of death, he asked that his favorite song be put on the stereo: U2’s “In A Little While.”
He passed while the song played.
What a tribute, when the hero honors the fan.
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Thom Yorke "2 Minute Silence"
Call it the Emperor's New Single.
Thom Yorke is collaborating with Bryan Ferry, Mark Ronson and even Prime Minister David Cameron for a new song.
The catch: The title of the song is the content.
And it'd be obnoxious, if it weren't for the fact that it's a charity single, for England's Remembrance Day, honoring the sacrifice of soldiers.
The best part is, there's a campaign to get this song up the UK Charts, maybe even to Number 1. Which means The BCC will be playing it. Two minutes of no sound.
Though the song is not actually out until November 7th, if you put your ear to the air right now and stay very still, you might just hear this new Thom Yorke tune.
Thom Yorke is collaborating with Bryan Ferry, Mark Ronson and even Prime Minister David Cameron for a new song.
The catch: The title of the song is the content.
And it'd be obnoxious, if it weren't for the fact that it's a charity single, for England's Remembrance Day, honoring the sacrifice of soldiers.
The best part is, there's a campaign to get this song up the UK Charts, maybe even to Number 1. Which means The BCC will be playing it. Two minutes of no sound.
Though the song is not actually out until November 7th, if you put your ear to the air right now and stay very still, you might just hear this new Thom Yorke tune.
Monday, October 18, 2010
Mavis Staples "You Are Not Alone"
I got to indulge myself a bit, during my vacation a few weeks back.
One of the biggest adjustments in my shift from long-time single guy, to father (of two) and husband (of one), has been the recalibration of my entertainment options.
When you blast the stereo at home these days, it really needs to be a consensus artist.
And, between the 4 of us, there are many. We all enjoy listening to The Beatles and the Glee Soundtracks and Michael Franti and Dan Zanes and many others.
Unfortunately, there are many, many artists and albums that I like that aren’t consensus. So many of my punk rock albums and hip hop records and LOUD ROCKING discs don’t get much play on the home stereo.
But for the first few days of vacation, I didn’t have to worry too much about consensus.
My wife had left for Chicago, for the wedding of a friend. And we sent my 3 year old daughter to Gramma’s house, for a few days in that wonderland.
That left me home alone with the boy. And let’s face it, at 6 months old, he wasn’t really going to argue with any of my entertainment choices.
Sunday morning, I put him in his Elmo car---a roll-y walker vehicle---and as I cleaned up the house a bit, I put on “The Last Waltz” DVD and cranked up the sound.
I was in and out of the room, singing along throughout, but when it came to the scene with The Staples Singers, I just stopped, unable to tear myself away.
How many times have I heard “The Weight” in my lifetime? Hundreds?
How surprised was I, to find myself getting goosebumps, as soon as Mavis Staples started her verse?
After all these years, she still has amazing powers.
Vacation week turned out to be a mini-Mavis fest.
Because I didn’t have to get up early, I was able to stay up and watch the late night talk shows. So I caught Mavis and Jeff Tweedy doing “Wrote A Song For Everyone” on David Letterman. And the very next night she was on The Colbert Report, once again moving me, this time with a Tweedy-penned track called “You Are Not Alone."
Good things come in 3s. And it was enough critical mass to make me run to the stacks when I got back to work, and make sure I had a copy of Mavis’ new record, also called “You Are Not Alone.”
Today on mvyradio, we’re giving away copies of her disc, as The Monday Free CD. Tune in to win.
Check out the interview with Colbert that preceded the performance. I love her answer to Colbert's question, "Do you sing The Devil's Music?"
One of the biggest adjustments in my shift from long-time single guy, to father (of two) and husband (of one), has been the recalibration of my entertainment options.
When you blast the stereo at home these days, it really needs to be a consensus artist.
And, between the 4 of us, there are many. We all enjoy listening to The Beatles and the Glee Soundtracks and Michael Franti and Dan Zanes and many others.
Unfortunately, there are many, many artists and albums that I like that aren’t consensus. So many of my punk rock albums and hip hop records and LOUD ROCKING discs don’t get much play on the home stereo.
But for the first few days of vacation, I didn’t have to worry too much about consensus.
My wife had left for Chicago, for the wedding of a friend. And we sent my 3 year old daughter to Gramma’s house, for a few days in that wonderland.
That left me home alone with the boy. And let’s face it, at 6 months old, he wasn’t really going to argue with any of my entertainment choices.
Sunday morning, I put him in his Elmo car---a roll-y walker vehicle---and as I cleaned up the house a bit, I put on “The Last Waltz” DVD and cranked up the sound.
I was in and out of the room, singing along throughout, but when it came to the scene with The Staples Singers, I just stopped, unable to tear myself away.
How many times have I heard “The Weight” in my lifetime? Hundreds?
How surprised was I, to find myself getting goosebumps, as soon as Mavis Staples started her verse?
After all these years, she still has amazing powers.
Vacation week turned out to be a mini-Mavis fest.
Because I didn’t have to get up early, I was able to stay up and watch the late night talk shows. So I caught Mavis and Jeff Tweedy doing “Wrote A Song For Everyone” on David Letterman. And the very next night she was on The Colbert Report, once again moving me, this time with a Tweedy-penned track called “You Are Not Alone."
Good things come in 3s. And it was enough critical mass to make me run to the stacks when I got back to work, and make sure I had a copy of Mavis’ new record, also called “You Are Not Alone.”
Today on mvyradio, we’re giving away copies of her disc, as The Monday Free CD. Tune in to win.
| The Colbert Report | Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c | |||
| Mavis Staples & Jeff Tweedy - You Are Not Alone | ||||
| ||||
Check out the interview with Colbert that preceded the performance. I love her answer to Colbert's question, "Do you sing The Devil's Music?"
| The Colbert Report | Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c | |||
| Mavis Staples & Jeff Tweedy | ||||
| ||||
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Shonen Knife "Top Of The World"
Here's another Weekend Post:
If you were looking for a case of the cutes . . . sweet Japanese girls, covering "Top Of The World" with utter sincerely and joy.
Plus, some slightly more ironic Carpenters covers:
If you were looking for a case of the cutes . . . sweet Japanese girls, covering "Top Of The World" with utter sincerely and joy.
Plus, some slightly more ironic Carpenters covers:
Saturday, October 16, 2010
Ben Harper "Red House"
I was rooting around in the garage during my vacation, looking for an old photo of Steve Earle for a future post, and I came across this picture of me interviewing Ben Harper.
Notice me, nervously staring at my notes, hoping Ben is not judging my cheap cassette tape recorder. Notice Ben, answering my stock questions, secretly thinking about burritos and burning one down?
Here's another scorching Hendrix cover from Ben.
Friday, October 15, 2010
Alejandro Escovedo “Faith”
It’s not wrong to assert that it’s who you know.
Who you know doesn’t give you talent. And it doesn’t give you drive. And it doesn’t give you commitment. But if you are firing on all artistic cylinders, having some connections can help propel your work into space, and/or put you in orbit with some interesting stars.
So if you’re a musician about to sign with a manager, it doesn’t hurt to look at their roster of other clients.
Brett Dennen got to work with African guitar idol Femi Kuti on “Make You Crazy,” because the artists share a manager.
Ryan Montbleau’s manager let him know that another client of his, New Orleans hero Trombone Shorty, was looking to collaborate with a sure-footed songwriter. A couple of Montbleau-penned tracks are on Shorty’s new record.
And even if the client list is short, sometimes it’s still pretty helpful.
Jon Landau is know for his one big, Big, BIG client: Bruce Springsteen.
So when Landau took on established-but-underappreciated artist Alejandro Escovedo as a client, well, it was only natural that Bruce give a little lift off to the gifted songwriter.
After inviting Escovedo to perform a song with the E Street Band during a Texas concert, which was release on a live EP, Bruce joined Alejandro in the studio to play the unusual (but increasingly less unusual as he ages) role of backing player, singing harmony on this track called “Faith.”
It’s good to have friends. It’s even better to have friends who have friends who are rock stars.
Awesome Fan-shot video
Who you know doesn’t give you talent. And it doesn’t give you drive. And it doesn’t give you commitment. But if you are firing on all artistic cylinders, having some connections can help propel your work into space, and/or put you in orbit with some interesting stars.
So if you’re a musician about to sign with a manager, it doesn’t hurt to look at their roster of other clients.
Brett Dennen got to work with African guitar idol Femi Kuti on “Make You Crazy,” because the artists share a manager.
Ryan Montbleau’s manager let him know that another client of his, New Orleans hero Trombone Shorty, was looking to collaborate with a sure-footed songwriter. A couple of Montbleau-penned tracks are on Shorty’s new record.
And even if the client list is short, sometimes it’s still pretty helpful.
Jon Landau is know for his one big, Big, BIG client: Bruce Springsteen.
So when Landau took on established-but-underappreciated artist Alejandro Escovedo as a client, well, it was only natural that Bruce give a little lift off to the gifted songwriter.
After inviting Escovedo to perform a song with the E Street Band during a Texas concert, which was release on a live EP, Bruce joined Alejandro in the studio to play the unusual (but increasingly less unusual as he ages) role of backing player, singing harmony on this track called “Faith.”
It’s good to have friends. It’s even better to have friends who have friends who are rock stars.
Awesome Fan-shot video
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Chiwawa "Don't Wanna Talk"
I had this really strange, funny, illuminating experience early this week. It was thought-provoking---professionally, societally, politically, humanistically.
It started out simply enough, with the most mundane of events.
I got an email from a band, requesting that we play their music.
How many of these do I receive a week? Dozens. Maybe dozens and dozens.
Some are very specific and interesting to me. Like, earlier this week, I got a message from someone that I speak to frequently at Sony, letting me know that a Bruce Springsteen song is on the way.
Equally as common, is to get an email from someone I’ve never heard of, and has likely never heard of me. Some artists will just get an email list of hundreds of radio station program directors, and indiscriminately send out a blast.
Let me tell you, if you’re in a band, this is a waste of your time. When I get one of these, I know that this band has no idea what our station sounds like, and they have no idea whether or not they’re appropriate for our station. It’s really, truly like a piece of junk mail, asking if I want my shingles power-washed, enough though I live in a brick home. And it generally gets treated the same way.
I deleted it, and didn’t think too much about it, other than to have a thought flit past my brain that CHIWAWA is a terrible band name.
Until a reply email arrived in my box.
“Please remove me from your mailing list.”
Some program director, somewhere in middle America responded to the initial email, and somehow I got copied on it.
“Remove me from this list, thanks,” came another one, a few seconds later.
“Unsubscribe, please.” “Remove me from your list.” “Take me of this list.”
And another, and another. I had twenty emails within 3 or 4 minutes.
“If someone else wants to be removed, just reply to Chiwawa. By ‘replying all,’ everyone on the list gets the same message,” some thoughtful programmer wrote.
“Enough…stop hitting ‘reply all.’ Serious this is annoying,” came a plea from a Canadian DJ.
And that’s when it occurred to me (and probably a few other folks on the list) that people weren’t hitting “Reply All.”
“Y'all are sending this request out to EVERYONE on the list -- please stop! You probably want to send it to fanbase@chiwawafanclub.com for it to be effective. Make sure you do NOT send it to radio@chiwawafanclub.com or we'll all keep getting your individual remove requests. The remove address is not usually the same one as you receive it from, FYI.”
Ah, now someone was making sense. There is one email address, that copies everyone on the list. So all you have to do is NOT reply to that email.
But not everyone had figured this out, and as the number of emails in our boxes crested the 50 plus mark, the responses started getting testy.
“QUIT HITTING "REPLY TO ALL". I'm not interested in having my email box filled up with 1000 of y'all's "me too"s. If you want to get off the list, great. Email them directly and don't make the rest of us suffer. Jeezus ...”
“HEY DICKHEADS!! No need to reply all you’re killing the in folder of my e-mail!”
“CHIWAWA is indeed a really stupid name, which means it’s a good fit for the band represented by this poorly planned and executed email list.”
“Do not ever send e-mail to this address again. We will never play your music.”
“Chiwawa is the shittiest band ever. What a dumb name and you should thank your manager for getting every PD in America to NOT play your music.”
Within 3 hours of the initial email, someone had set up a “I hate CHIWAWA” Facebook group, with 50 member and counting.
When the conversation hit this boiling point, I had to take a step back and ask, Really?
Really? Did this ruin your day? Did you throw out your back having to lift 100 emails into your Junk folder? Is sending some accidental spam the crime of the year? Does it merit a lifetime ban from radio programmers?
I’ve been thinking a lot about our tone in America. Politically. And culturally. How quick we are these days to go straight to the nuclear option.
It’s not enough to present a superior case, the opposition must be destroyed in the process. Our sporting tone has gone from “Let’s Win” to “Humiliate the other team, because we hate them.”
Whether it’s bands and programmers, or liberals and conservatives, or Yankees and Red Sox, we’re all part of the same game, but we’ve stopped acting like it.
When the conversation is ruled by the angriest voices, when you go straight to your angriest voice, the greater purpose is blinded.
You lose the joy of playing ball, the honor of participating in the great creation of democracy, or the chance to discover for yourself whether or not you like some band.
I want to write a little bit more about the moderate voice, and my new allegiance to it, in some other blog post. Maybe on some other blog.
But I can start with a moderate action.
I went to Youtube, and I listened to CHIWAWA to decided for myself if they were any good.
Meh.
The video is low-budget cool. I can’t say I’m into the music.
It started out simply enough, with the most mundane of events.
I got an email from a band, requesting that we play their music.
How many of these do I receive a week? Dozens. Maybe dozens and dozens.
Some are very specific and interesting to me. Like, earlier this week, I got a message from someone that I speak to frequently at Sony, letting me know that a Bruce Springsteen song is on the way.
Equally as common, is to get an email from someone I’ve never heard of, and has likely never heard of me. Some artists will just get an email list of hundreds of radio station program directors, and indiscriminately send out a blast.
Let me tell you, if you’re in a band, this is a waste of your time. When I get one of these, I know that this band has no idea what our station sounds like, and they have no idea whether or not they’re appropriate for our station. It’s really, truly like a piece of junk mail, asking if I want my shingles power-washed, enough though I live in a brick home. And it generally gets treated the same way.
I deleted it, and didn’t think too much about it, other than to have a thought flit past my brain that CHIWAWA is a terrible band name.
Until a reply email arrived in my box.
“Please remove me from your mailing list.”
Some program director, somewhere in middle America responded to the initial email, and somehow I got copied on it.
“Remove me from this list, thanks,” came another one, a few seconds later.
“Unsubscribe, please.” “Remove me from your list.” “Take me of this list.”
And another, and another. I had twenty emails within 3 or 4 minutes.
“If someone else wants to be removed, just reply to Chiwawa. By ‘replying all,’ everyone on the list gets the same message,” some thoughtful programmer wrote.
“Enough…stop hitting ‘reply all.’ Serious this is annoying,” came a plea from a Canadian DJ.
And that’s when it occurred to me (and probably a few other folks on the list) that people weren’t hitting “Reply All.”
“Y'all are sending this request out to EVERYONE on the list -- please stop! You probably want to send it to fanbase@chiwawafanclub.com for it to be effective. Make sure you do NOT send it to radio@chiwawafanclub.com or we'll all keep getting your individual remove requests. The remove address is not usually the same one as you receive it from, FYI.”
Ah, now someone was making sense. There is one email address, that copies everyone on the list. So all you have to do is NOT reply to that email.
But not everyone had figured this out, and as the number of emails in our boxes crested the 50 plus mark, the responses started getting testy.
“QUIT HITTING "REPLY TO ALL". I'm not interested in having my email box filled up with 1000 of y'all's "me too"s. If you want to get off the list, great. Email them directly and don't make the rest of us suffer. Jeezus ...”
“HEY DICKHEADS!! No need to reply all you’re killing the in folder of my e-mail!”
“CHIWAWA is indeed a really stupid name, which means it’s a good fit for the band represented by this poorly planned and executed email list.”
“Do not ever send e-mail to this address again. We will never play your music.”
“Chiwawa is the shittiest band ever. What a dumb name and you should thank your manager for getting every PD in America to NOT play your music.”
Within 3 hours of the initial email, someone had set up a “I hate CHIWAWA” Facebook group, with 50 member and counting.
When the conversation hit this boiling point, I had to take a step back and ask, Really?
Really? Did this ruin your day? Did you throw out your back having to lift 100 emails into your Junk folder? Is sending some accidental spam the crime of the year? Does it merit a lifetime ban from radio programmers?
I’ve been thinking a lot about our tone in America. Politically. And culturally. How quick we are these days to go straight to the nuclear option.
It’s not enough to present a superior case, the opposition must be destroyed in the process. Our sporting tone has gone from “Let’s Win” to “Humiliate the other team, because we hate them.”
Whether it’s bands and programmers, or liberals and conservatives, or Yankees and Red Sox, we’re all part of the same game, but we’ve stopped acting like it.
When the conversation is ruled by the angriest voices, when you go straight to your angriest voice, the greater purpose is blinded.
You lose the joy of playing ball, the honor of participating in the great creation of democracy, or the chance to discover for yourself whether or not you like some band.
I want to write a little bit more about the moderate voice, and my new allegiance to it, in some other blog post. Maybe on some other blog.
But I can start with a moderate action.
I went to Youtube, and I listened to CHIWAWA to decided for myself if they were any good.
Meh.
The video is low-budget cool. I can’t say I’m into the music.
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Michael Franti "Hey Hey Hey"
I had a quick conversation with Barbara on Tuesday, where we listened to the latest Michael Franti. She likes it, and I like it too---but as usual, I asked, "Is it right for mvy?"
I watched the videos below, remembered I'd had this conversation with myself before and let my hesitation drop.
Any ship that Michael Franti is sailing, I want to be a passenger on.
I watched the videos below, remembered I'd had this conversation with myself before and let my hesitation drop.
Any ship that Michael Franti is sailing, I want to be a passenger on.
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Sarah McLachlan “Forgiveness”
We experience an artist chronologically.
We hear their first single, then their second single, then their third single. And so on.
Their story is told in successive order.
Because we humans are natural story-tellers, and because we experience time in linear fashion, we may string a chronological narrative together through these songs.
But that’s single-release-chronology. Which is not the same as songwriting-chronology.
An album’s worth of songs may contain various tunes, some that were written years before the record was made, others written during the final recording process.
In real life, Sarah McLachlan got a divorce from her husband.
Her first post-divorce single was “U Want Me 2“, from 2008 greatest hits package. It was clearly a break-up song.
And her next album’s first single was “Loving You Is Easy,” a bouncy, I’ve-found-Love track.
So it was easy for the brain to go: “Oh, Sarah has found love again.”
But then your head snaps back with the follow up song, “Forgiveness,” which goes back to the devastating break-up. And suddenly, Sarah is not okay again.
Confusing, for the narrative-minded.
We hear their first single, then their second single, then their third single. And so on.
Their story is told in successive order.
Because we humans are natural story-tellers, and because we experience time in linear fashion, we may string a chronological narrative together through these songs.
But that’s single-release-chronology. Which is not the same as songwriting-chronology.
An album’s worth of songs may contain various tunes, some that were written years before the record was made, others written during the final recording process.
In real life, Sarah McLachlan got a divorce from her husband.
Her first post-divorce single was “U Want Me 2“, from 2008 greatest hits package. It was clearly a break-up song.
And her next album’s first single was “Loving You Is Easy,” a bouncy, I’ve-found-Love track.
So it was easy for the brain to go: “Oh, Sarah has found love again.”
But then your head snaps back with the follow up song, “Forgiveness,” which goes back to the devastating break-up. And suddenly, Sarah is not okay again.
Confusing, for the narrative-minded.
Monday, October 11, 2010
The Muffs "Oh Nina"
Since it's Columbus Day, it's still technically a day for a Weekend Post:
Loved this band. Thought they should've broken through in the 90s, when people (okay, not people exactly, but marketers) were calling them The Female-Fronted Green Day.
Pulled this one out today for the holiday, since I couldn't find a Pinta or Santa Maria song.
Loved this band. Thought they should've broken through in the 90s, when people (okay, not people exactly, but marketers) were calling them The Female-Fronted Green Day.
Pulled this one out today for the holiday, since I couldn't find a Pinta or Santa Maria song.
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Saturday, October 9, 2010
Stakka Bo "Here We Go Again"
Here's another Weekend Post:
I'm finding that a lot of these forgotten songs that I'm rediscovering from the 90s, are the Alternative world's reaction to dance and rap. These songs were successful in their day, but haven't been carried forward as classics.
Does that suggest that dance and pop have inherently less staying power?
I'm finding that a lot of these forgotten songs that I'm rediscovering from the 90s, are the Alternative world's reaction to dance and rap. These songs were successful in their day, but haven't been carried forward as classics.
Does that suggest that dance and pop have inherently less staying power?
Friday, October 8, 2010
Toad The Wet Sprocket "Fall Down"
Sometimes song are hits, and they last for years and years. And sometimes songs are hits, but they don't last.
This was a hugely popular tune in its day, but I hardly hear it around anymore.
Does it hold up, for you?
This was a hugely popular tune in its day, but I hardly hear it around anymore.
Does it hold up, for you?
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Sheryl Crow "Sign Your Name"
Good things will always come around again.
You can say all you want about his arrogance (No Terrence, your debut was not the best album since "Sgt. Pepper's") or about his middling career since that first record, but Terrence Trent D'Arby's "Introducing The Hardline..." was one of those records that people of all stripes liked back in 1987 and is totally worth revisiting and resurrecting in 2010.
Two examples isn't a full on trend, but Sheryl Crow and Jason Spooner have covered TTD this year.
I have no idea what the guy is doing now. And I'm not saying let's bring him out for a full comeback.
I'm just saying, go into the garage, get out your "Hardline" cassette, and remember how good it is.
Samples of Crow, Spooner and the originals:
You can say all you want about his arrogance (No Terrence, your debut was not the best album since "Sgt. Pepper's") or about his middling career since that first record, but Terrence Trent D'Arby's "Introducing The Hardline..." was one of those records that people of all stripes liked back in 1987 and is totally worth revisiting and resurrecting in 2010.
Two examples isn't a full on trend, but Sheryl Crow and Jason Spooner have covered TTD this year.
I have no idea what the guy is doing now. And I'm not saying let's bring him out for a full comeback.
I'm just saying, go into the garage, get out your "Hardline" cassette, and remember how good it is.
Samples of Crow, Spooner and the originals:
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Coldplay “Viva La Vida”
I’ve always found it a funny phenomenon when a songwriter doesn’t want to explain his/her song.
I mean, I guess I understand that you don’t want the media to reduce a complex thought to some simple copy. Or you don’t want to assign a definitive meaning to something that might be abstract enough that the interpretation of the song varies from listener to listener.
But some artists are really, almost hostile, to the question.
I recall that Chris Martin of Coldplay got so frustrated with a particular interviewer, because he’d been asked, probably for the 10,000 time, if he were writing songs about parenthood, now that he’s a parent.
I don’t have the interview handy, to quote directly, but he basically said that his songwriting was informed by lots of things and to think that just because he is now a parent, that that’s what he was writing about, is asinine.
That being said . . .
“Viva La Vida” came out around the time I became a parent, and I have always thought this tune was about being a father.
He may not have written it about being a parent, but I have to say, at the time it came out, it struck a paternal chord with me, as I was going through the emotions of suddenly being the least important person living in my home, when formerly I was the most important (and only) person in my life.
So I don’t know. Chris? Did I get it right? Is that what this one is about?
I mean, I guess I understand that you don’t want the media to reduce a complex thought to some simple copy. Or you don’t want to assign a definitive meaning to something that might be abstract enough that the interpretation of the song varies from listener to listener.
But some artists are really, almost hostile, to the question.
I recall that Chris Martin of Coldplay got so frustrated with a particular interviewer, because he’d been asked, probably for the 10,000 time, if he were writing songs about parenthood, now that he’s a parent.
I don’t have the interview handy, to quote directly, but he basically said that his songwriting was informed by lots of things and to think that just because he is now a parent, that that’s what he was writing about, is asinine.
That being said . . .
“Viva La Vida” came out around the time I became a parent, and I have always thought this tune was about being a father.
I used to rule the world,He sings about how he was formerly the master of his universe, and now he is on the lowest rung.
Seas would rise when I gave the world.
Now in the morning I sleep alone,
Sweep the streets I used to roam.
He may not have written it about being a parent, but I have to say, at the time it came out, it struck a paternal chord with me, as I was going through the emotions of suddenly being the least important person living in my home, when formerly I was the most important (and only) person in my life.
So I don’t know. Chris? Did I get it right? Is that what this one is about?
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Superchunk "Hyper Enough"
I had the rare (since the arrival of small kids in my life) chance to listen to "Wait Wait Don't Tell Me" this weekend, and who should be the guest but Mac McCaughan of Superchunk.
When I heard him introduced, I thought to myself, "Huh, I haven't thought much about them in the last decade."
Turns out, they haven't put a record in nearly a decade. Guess who had kids, too?
It made me remember how much fun young, single me had, jumping around to tunes like "Hyper Enough."
When I heard him introduced, I thought to myself, "Huh, I haven't thought much about them in the last decade."
Turns out, they haven't put a record in nearly a decade. Guess who had kids, too?
It made me remember how much fun young, single me had, jumping around to tunes like "Hyper Enough."
Monday, October 4, 2010
The Allman Brothers Band “Pony Boy”
Craig Sherman used to drive me nuts.
He was the mvyradio overnight DJ, in the early 2000s. He was (and still is) a good friend. And he was/is very creative/silly/uninhibited.
He’d get off the air at 5:20am, and turn things over to me. In those days, I was the morning DJ.
But every morning at 5:20am, he’d end his shift with the “PJ Finn Fact Of The Day.” Which was always entirely made up.
He’d say things like:
PJ’s nickname in college was “Pony Boy.”
Or "PJ won Winnepesaukee's Best Dancer three years in a row between 1997 and 99, and had tried for the millennium but lost to some kid from Keene."
Craig and I were at a party once, and a woman, hearing that I was PJ from mvy, approached me.
“I hear you love macrame! So do I!”
I just turned to him and said, “Thanks, Craig.”
Here's Craig, in one of his own Youtube videos:
(All Youtube music videos should be this awesome)
He was the mvyradio overnight DJ, in the early 2000s. He was (and still is) a good friend. And he was/is very creative/silly/uninhibited.
He’d get off the air at 5:20am, and turn things over to me. In those days, I was the morning DJ.
But every morning at 5:20am, he’d end his shift with the “PJ Finn Fact Of The Day.” Which was always entirely made up.
He’d say things like:
PJ’s nickname in college was “Pony Boy.”
Or "PJ won Winnepesaukee's Best Dancer three years in a row between 1997 and 99, and had tried for the millennium but lost to some kid from Keene."
Craig and I were at a party once, and a woman, hearing that I was PJ from mvy, approached me.
“I hear you love macrame! So do I!”
I just turned to him and said, “Thanks, Craig.”
Here's Craig, in one of his own Youtube videos:
(All Youtube music videos should be this awesome)
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Live "I Alone"
Here's another Weekend Post:
I always loved this video, just because the drummer had the guts to not actually have any drums in front of those sticks! Rock!
I always loved this video, just because the drummer had the guts to not actually have any drums in front of those sticks! Rock!
Saturday, October 2, 2010
Big Audio Dynamite "The Globe"
Here's another Weekend Post featuring a track from my early DJ days:
You have to be pretty ballsy, desperate, confident or crazy, to decided to sample yourself from an earlier, wildly successful incarnation.
I don't think Mick Jones was desperate. But everything else applies, to great effect on this one.
You have to be pretty ballsy, desperate, confident or crazy, to decided to sample yourself from an earlier, wildly successful incarnation.
I don't think Mick Jones was desperate. But everything else applies, to great effect on this one.
Friday, October 1, 2010
The Association "Windy"
In the last week or so, I’ve written about kids learning songs that aren’t really kids songs, and I’ve written about pets.
And those two thoughts led me to Windy.
There was a frog in the woodpile. And my 6 year old sister Amy considered it her pet.
She’d catch it in a shoebox, play with it for awhile, and then let it go. Mostly, because Mom didn’t want her bringing a frog into her bedroom.
She named it Windy, because she liked the song.
And we’d sing, “And Windy has bulgy eyes, and windy has wings to fly, up on high.”
What makes a kid attach to a song, that is not really meant as a kids song?
I get why a kid loves “Yellow Submarine” or “Who Let The Dogs Out.”
But why “Windy”?
And those two thoughts led me to Windy.
There was a frog in the woodpile. And my 6 year old sister Amy considered it her pet.
She’d catch it in a shoebox, play with it for awhile, and then let it go. Mostly, because Mom didn’t want her bringing a frog into her bedroom.
She named it Windy, because she liked the song.
And we’d sing, “And Windy has bulgy eyes, and windy has wings to fly, up on high.”
What makes a kid attach to a song, that is not really meant as a kids song?
I get why a kid loves “Yellow Submarine” or “Who Let The Dogs Out.”
But why “Windy”?
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