The Hold Steady: F Yeah!

One band that has been in constant rotation on my Ipod as of late is The Hold Steady. Their sonic shotgun discharges some of the best non nonsense rock n' roll I've heard in a while. I'll probably miss them on their upcoming stop in Chicago, but luckily a good friend, Dave Gaetano, caught them out on the east coast as they were bringing their 2006 tour to a close. Dave posted the following review on a private group but I found it so inspirational, I asked him to post it here. My thanks to Dave for allowing it to be posted.

xTony

Well...every once in a while you see a show by a band you've never seen before, that you are excited to see, that anticipation, build up...and you leave disapointed questioning why oh why aren't they good live? (Pete Yorn comes to mind) This was not the case last night. The Hold Steady in the small confines of The Pearl Street Nightclub in Northampton, MA created a rock environment that made me feel guilty that it only cost $15 to get in.

Now, I can't stress enough how each and every one of you needs to see a show in Northampton. Be it the Old 97's, Wilco, the first time I saw Ryan Adams, Jesse Malin, Ted Leo, Roger Clyne, John Eddie...whoever I make the 40 minute ride to see....something about this town brings out the best in bands. Either the respect of the crowd, the middle of no where feel of this great small town or maybe just luck, but it always yields great shows for me. ( http://www.iheg.com)

On to the show! I was happy to see The Steady playing the smaller upstairs "Clubroom" as opposed to the more formal downstairs "Ballroom". All black, rather small, think Emo's annex SXSW'sters (that's for you Bri). A single bartender that would make the soup nazi proud, stage in the corner, a raised back floor area and a simple light/speaker stack. Bathrooms that are modeled after CBGB's and that sticky carpeted floor that makes you oh so glad you chose to wear your brand new shoes. In other words, a perfect rock room.

This was the last date of the first leg of their tour to support Boys & Girls In America. I don't know if the energy level was because of that, or because the lead singer has family roots to Northampton (Mom & Dad there) or if this is the normal level of The Hold Steady. All I know, is they took the stage and tore into "Stuck Between Stations." Immediately they are jumping all over the place, crowds fists in the air right in the bands face. (Sidenote to Craig Finn, lead singer...the hand gesture you made all night treads a little too close to the Nazi "Heil Hitler" thing. At one point I looked over at Jamie as the crowd did it back to him and said "We aren't at a youth nazi rally, right?) ANYWAY, strong opener with an energy that did not end. This non stop assault on us lasted the entire 90 minute show.

The band has an eclectic look (some here described them as bankers/accountants) But, they must have hired a stylist. On keyboards we had a dapper dressed, Charley Chaplin mustachioed, black suit/red tie/black cap, red wine swiggin hyper machine. On Bass someone dressed a little like a lost member of the village people (hello sailor!) "Chips Ahoy" appeared 3 or 4 songs into the set, and the singback of the crowd on the "Whoa-whooahs" was fantastic. Amazing in this day and age to see a band with no airplay have each of their songs sung along to as if they were radio staples. Whether it was the old stuff, the new stuff, the unheard of stuff, this first 50 people or so right in front of the stage were INTO this. We were INTO it. The band ate it up, the crowd ate it up, even the drink nazi was seen cracking a smile. We were also treated to "Chill Out Tent" which they introuduced as one they hardly play. This worked as they changed the female part to "She was pretty high..." and the male part to "He was" etc. Thus changing the first person narrative, to one as an outsider's observation...huh, Dave? Obvioulsy being in Western Mass, this one was a hit. "Hot Soft Light" also was great (kids like them drug/drinking references and the intro regarding viewing 'Cops Too Hot for TV' helped; You see "The only difference is, they guy in the trailer park doesn't have his stuff pixled out, now you see it!")

"Party Pit" was also a friggin highlight. Guitar player is fantastic, and really carries the songs. Love his playing style. Between him and the piano player, they are one tight musical unit. The whole band, somehow through all the drinking going on on that stage is tight tight tight. I believe they even reprised some of this song later in the show in a different set up, since some inibriated people had problems shouting out songs they had already played. No, it wasn't me. The band called out their opening act (Catfish Haven, a Chicago band that was so-so) to end the main set with of course "Massive Nights" the stage had a good 15 people up there, everyone either banging on something or chugging on a bottle, the whole front of the stage jumping in unison. Again, I may be getting old, but nights like this make me young again.

They opened the encore with "First Night" the crowd even calming down enough and hushing down for the piano break in the middle and then going nuts again with a sing along erupting on the lines "Boys and Girls in America" and "White Noise" The show ended with 'South Town Girls' into "Banging Camp." Now, here was a scene that summed up the whole night.Half way into Banging Camp, people from the crowd start streaming onto the stage. Again, having never seen them, don't know if this is impromptu or a regular part of their encore. But, it was cool as hell to witness. It was sort of like watching fans storm the court after say, George Mason beats Uconn in the elite 8. By the end of the song, there had to be a good 25 people on stage, just dancing, singing, waving arms. Craig Finn lost in the middle of this sea of college aged kids singing right along with him. Then, all of a sudden you see him rise above the crowd, standing on top of the bass drum. He's snapping photos of the scene on stage in front of him with the biggest smile. It was surreal, fun and one of them rock moments that I think all of us here can relate to- it just verified again why we spend nights in stinky, creepy bars late at night- for that kind of moment. He was spraying his beers all over the crowd, piano player was sharing his now second bottle of red with any female near him, a bottle of Jack was seen being passed around. I wish you were all there. The crowd hushed down as he did the last few lines, ending with the band's call to arms, and I wish I remember the line here, cause it was perfect, but it ended with "Because We're The Hold Steady" Lights up, stage cleared and looks around the room affirming we just got a good one.A real riot act of rock, youth, energy, alcohol, joy, sweat....Damn, I wanna go to Chicago for New Years now.

All in all a great night, reaffirming again my love for that damn town. Pretty much we got all of Boys and Girls (think 2 left out) as well as Separation Sunday. I'd say go see them NOW...but aside from the Chicago shows, you're going to have to go to Europe. Though I can't believe they aren't going to be hitting the road here again in the Spring. Hmm, Austin anyone?

Ahmet Ertegun: A Legend Passes

Earlier this week, Legendary Atlantic Records founder Ahmet Ertegun passed away. Most people probably know him from his portrayal in the Oscar winning film, "Ray" from a few years back. Ahmet was a legend and someone you don't find in the halls of record companies today. Sadly, todays generation is all about maximizing proft from day one and artist development is thrown out the window. I could go on and on about Ahmet, but an artist whom I have an immense amount of adormation for, Will Hoge, posted a blog about meeting Ahmet when he was briefly signed to Atlantic Records. I think Will summed up Ahmets life better than I ever could. To read Will's notes, go here.

Guns N’ Roses: Appetite of Determination (Live in Chicago Review 11-27-06

I recently was sent at the last minute to review the Guns N' Roses show as it made a stop in Chicago. The review will be published on Unrated Magazine and antiMusic.com this coming Monday, but due to numerous requests, I am putting it up here on the blog early. I'd like to give a special thanks to Mark and John at Talking Metal for helping reinvigorate my interest in this band.

xTony

Allstate Arena
November 27th, 2006

In the fifty-years since Elvis laid down his first vocal at Sun Studios in Memphis, TN rock n’ roll has become more than escapism and so-called “devil’s music”, but also a driving life force. We have been blessed with some truly magical artists who have elevated our hearts, minds and bodies: Buddy Holly, Jerry Lee Lewis, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Beach Boys, The Who, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, The Doors, Led Zeppelin, Aerosmith, The Ramones, The Clash, The Sex Pistols, AC/DC, Kiss, U2, REM, Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Metallica and thousands upon thousand others. All of these acts mastered their craft and in their own way, changed the face of music. However, I’m not sure if there has ever been a group of artists in the annals of rock n’ roll who were more mischievous, moody, maniacal, magical and miraculous than Guns N’ Roses. With all that being said, they may also take the title as the most maddening group as well.

While I’m saddened by group dissolution and preventable deaths, I firmly believe that Moon, Hendrix, Joplin, Bonham, Morrison, Presley and Cobain all chose a path where there was no looking back. Whereas every member who has ever performed with Guns ‘N Roses is still alive (and for the most part well). When they unleashed their brand of rock upon the world it was met with universal acceptance and I’m not sure if I’ve ever seen a band be admired, loved and reach such a wide and diverse group of people since the Beatles. Males, females, metal heads, rockers, punks all heralded and cherished GNR’s brand of vicious rock and still do nearly two-decades later. Sadly, the group has largely existed in name only for the last thirteen years, but 2006 has proven to be a year in which the name Guns ‘n Roses becomes more than a mere nostalgia trip.

Despite a brief interrupted tour in 2002, this is Axl Rose’s first full year of touring since 1993. While I’ve heard reports of blazing nights and some solid bootlegs, I wasn’t convinced I needed to see this incarnation of GNR. Here’s my reason why; There was a time in the mid 1980’s where Keith Richards and Mick Jagger did not see eye to eye. As a result, Jagger went solo on a tour to Australia and Japan, territories the Stones had never been to. Not only did this infuriate Richards as these were territories the Stones had never visited where large amounts of money could be made, but more importantly, his partner went there without him. These two men had built so much together and yet one was standing on the sidelines watching his partner claim all the glory. Richards fill in was virtuoso guitarist Joe Satriani, who is a top flight guitarist, but he doesn’t have the same history with Mick. Great musicians don’t make great bands. Since then Jagger and Richards reconciled and have only played the classic Stones songs with each other enhancing their legacy and legend. My generations version of the Stones, Guns ‘N Roses, has spent the better part of the last thirteen-years out of the consciousness of the public, but never far from our hearts and minds.

I received a last minute phone call to review the GNR show and I wasn’t entirely sure I wanted to go. I wasn’t sure if I could reconcile these new musicians no matter how talented they may be. I overcame my reservations and headed out to the Allstate Arena where Axl Rose and seven supporting musicians, better knows as Guns ‘N Roses hit the stage at 11:35pm. Before the band hit the show, I wasn’t sure what to expect. They arrived on stage amidst an army of pyrotechnics and strobe light madness with an appetite for destruction. The crowd response was deafening which makes me wonder what reaction a full fledged reunion could bring. A reunion of this type could break all box office records. When Axl Rose screeched his way on stage, it was with an appetite that I would say is close to being unheralded in my lifetime.

The opening trio of songs were all from “Appetite For Destruction” (“Welcome To The Jungle”, “It’s So Easy”, “Mr. Brownstone”) and the in succession performances put the crowd in a maddening trance. It became very apparent it would be far too easy to label these musicians as a glorious cover band. This is far more than Axl and a bunch of arbitrary musicians. Each member was handpicked by Axl for not only being a masterful musician but also a spellbinding performer as well. A lot of discussion has been had on each of the band members and how they’ll never compare to the original line up. I was one of those who had my doubts but can tell you that after seeing this eight-piece band shred through a two-hour plus show, these guys are no slouches. What you have here is not even an All Star team of musicians, but better, a group of guys who have chemistry and who are pulling off the impossible every night by winning each crowd over. Bassist Tommy Stinson roamed the stage like a veteran; while guitarists Robin Finck and Richard Fortus roamed the stage doing a damn good job on making most of the audience, even if it was briefly, forget about top hats and faceless guitarists.

Axl Rose is an artist whom I have followed since the band’s inception and in truth, I’m not sure if I could ever put the artist’s actions into context, but I do know this, he will not go on stage until he is ready to give 110% of himself to that crowd. He plays by his rules and no others, not because of ego, but because he’s a perfectionist. I assisted journalist Lonn Friend with his recent memoir, “Life on Planet Rock” which allowed me into the inner workings and mind of Axl Rose. Aside from long time confidant Del James and former GNR manager Doug Goldstein, I’m not sure if anyone else really understood Axl as much. However, I must admit to proofing and assisting with the book and being mystified by the stories and thought process of the legendary front man, yet after seeing the drive and determination with which he put forth during these opening numbers, I can now say that I get it. Axl is a true rock n’ roll renegade that will do things on his own time and his own way. How else could he pull off two national tours without a new record in stores? From a business perspective, it makes no sense to tour without a new album and this is the third time Guns ‘N Roses has done this (’91, ’02 and ’06) in their career.

The long awaited “Chinese Democracy” is still not on any release schedule, but it did not stop him from performing five songs from the album. “Chinese Democracy” and “IRS” are reminiscent of how one could imagine GNR in the 21st Century. “The Blues” and “Madagascar” were moody ballads, the latter of which bore images of political uprisings from the 60’s on the screen behind Axl when performed. However, there is one new song that stood apart from the rest; “Better”. A bootleg of this track leaked earlier this year and I will say that it is on par with anything Axl Rose has ever created. This triumphant composition is a cinematic poem filled with fuming guitars and perfectly textured harmonies. When one hears a song like “Better”, you realize the potential that “Chinese Democracy” holds. But until it is released, we’ll have to be content with the concert experience.

As Robin ended his solo and launched into “Sweet Child O’ Mine”, the crowd responded with a response so magnetic, one had to see it to believe it. I’m not sure if there is an album from the last twenty-five years that still continues to grow, develop and resonate more than “Appetite For Destruction”. Not only do people know every word to the singles, but they know every word to all twelve compositions. Most shockingly, the new band performed these songs to perfection as if they have been performing them for decades. The seductive power with which they were delivered to the audience was hypnotic. Something I didn’t expect to see, nor did I want to see, was a band who made this material their own and this current incarnation did just that. What the current band lacks in history they more than make up for in their resolve and willpower.

While these performers took these songs to soaring heights, Axl Rose covered every foot of the stage and sprinted across it as if it were 1988 not showing his age at all. There have been numerous articles over the years that feel that Axl mistreats his fans with constant delays, late start times, and cancellations…but after assisting Lonn Friend with his memoir and now witnessing this show, I don’t believe that is the case. The truth is that Axl Rose hits that stage planning on giving the audience his all and draining every last ounce of sanity from himself in the process as well. He views the concert stage as his work desk and when people distract him with fights up front, unnecessary shoving and flashes going off, he sees these people as interrupting his job and wants them removed so he can continue to give the rest of the audience his complete and total focus. Axl Rose is attempting to accomplish the impossible and even though the task of rebuilding GNR is maybe the most daunting task ever done in the annals of rock, there is no mountain Axl will not climb to bring his vision to reality, no matter how long it takes.

As the evening continued, there were intermittent solos between suites of songs by assorted members of the band. Keyboardist Dizzy Reed, the only member to continually stand shoulder to shoulder with Axl over the last fifteen years, had the evening’s most sublime moment with a piano led solo of “While My Guitar Gently Weeps’. Reed’s playing was so dead on and inspirational that photographer Rob Grabowski commented to me that it was the highlight of the show for him. Something people tend to forget and overlook is that Dizzy Reed joined the band during the recording of the “Use Your Illusion” albums. He is the only member left from that era who is still in the band and after seeing his solo, I’m glad he stood by Axl’s side as he brings not only musical aptitude but history with him as well. Guitarist Richard Fortis performed “A Winter Shade of Pale” during his solo and the unbelievably gifted guitarist Bumblefoot performed the complete elegiac “Don’t Cry” instrumental to roars of approval. Many have criticized these solos as being unnecessary and long, however, I see them as giving these unknown musicians a chance to shine. Besides, these are more than just instrumentals; they are extended jams that are virtually songs within themselves and are anything but meandering and without purpose. The eighteen-song set had a total of eight songs performed off “Appetite” (including a vicious “My Michelle” with a guest appearance with Sebastian Bach), one from “Lies” (a reliable “Patience), four from the “Use Your Illusion” albums (including a soaring “November Rain”) and five from the still unreleased “Chinese Democracy” (with the aforementioned future classic “Better”).

I’ll be the first to admit it was eerie seeing the non-classic line up of Guns ‘N Roses perform these songs, however, they were delivered to the Chicago audience with romantic sincerity as if the evening was an epic love poem delivered by an eight-piece band. What impressed was not the sentimental essence of these songs but the overall esoteric nature of the evening. The context with which these songs were written and recorded will never be erased. Yet, these songs still speak volumes to the here and now and Axl is bringing them to the crowd not because of nostalgia, but because he has something to prove. When you want to see truly incendiary performances, there is nothing greater than seeing an artist who has something to prove. In the same building, once known as the Rosemont Horizon, I saw Jon Bon Jovi leave a pint of blood on this stage in 1993 and again in 2000 wanting to prove the naysayers wrong as he tore through two of the longest and wildest shows of his career. I’ve never forgotten those shows because he had something to prove. I’m not sure if I’ve seen another artist of Bon Jovi’s stature fight as hard until now with Axl. The critics can go ahead and flame him if they want, they just don’t get it. With few exceptions, I haven’t seen a club act give this much of their body, mind and sanity. Will the new incarnation gauge the emotional weight of their predecessors? Only time will tell, but in the meantime, they out there rocking their hearts out with a vigor and resilience I doubt you will even see from the most driven club act. Getting used to this incarnation will come with time…and a little patience.

Rock Star Supernova: Super Disaster

I never watched a single episode of the first season of Rock Star with INXS. One of the reasons being is that I find the whole process by which they pick a singer to be downright insane. Anyone who has ever been in a band knows that it's all about CHEMISTRY. It's about each unique individual bringing something to the table that is electric and explosive. It's incredibly hard to find one person with whom you will spend the rest of your life with, let alone trying to find four or five with whom you may see more than your life partner. This is why the number of bands who stay together for the long haul is few and far between. You have to hand it to the Rolling Stones, U2 and Aerosmith for holding it together for decades. How many of us have friendships that last that long? Despite all of this and my better judgment, I did find myself enjoying the INXS album with JD Fortune, “Switch”. This was a one in a million shot where they created a damn fine pop-rock record and while it’s not a five-star affair, it was representative of who INXS was and will continue to be. With this in mind, I was open and optimistic when I heard there would be a second season of "Rock Star". However, when I heard they brought Tommy Lee into the project, I immediately knew something wasn't right.

You see, back in the day, Tommy Lee was my favorite drummer and something people do not realize is that he's a rather extraordinary musician. His second solo disc, “Never A Dull Moment”, was a deep, brooding, melodic and introspective disc that arguably is the best music he has ever created. However, since its failure to light up the charts back in 2002, he's been on a downward slope. First came a ridiculous autobiography where his most famous body part narrated a few chapters (no, I am not making this up). To make matters worse, inside sources have told me that despite making the New York Times best seller list, the book never came close to recouping its initial payout to the star. Next up was a limp third solo album followed by a reality show that had dismal ratings. Despite all of these failures someone thought it was a good idea to partner with him for a reality show? The only positive from a financial and artistic standpoint from the last few years has been his reunion with Motley Crue, something he probably didn't even want to do deep down. However, even Motley has begun to call in their performances after a surreal unbelievable and explosive return to form two years ago. They are limping their way into mediocrity now charging $100+ for co-headline gigs as the once extraordinary reunion tour has now become a yawn fest. I want to love Tommy Lee, I really do. Deep down, I believe he’s a misunderstood artist and even more so, a misunderstood human being. My personal take on it is that he has horrible advice from his management whom seem more concerned with his presence in the news (whether it being good or bad) than they do about his credibility as a musician. This is a man who is striving deep down to be taken seriously as an artist, yet aside from the first four months of the Motley reunion tour, everything else he has been involved in since 2003 has only tarnished his image and takes him further and further away from being respected and viewed as a musician. This is why I never thought Rock Star Supernova would ever take off.

Despite my reservations, I was actually optimistic about this latest incarnation of Rockstar because of one person; Butch Walker. I've sung his praises time and time again. Butch has the magical melody gene in his body and can take a throwaway song and make it into a Top-40 smash. However, after Butch disappeared after the first episode, I had a feeling there was trouble in paradise. He was heading out on the road to support his vastly underrated solo disc “The Rise and Fall of Butch Walker and the Let’s-Go-Out-Tonites”, however, I bet he could have been flown in for some of the tapings if he really wanted to be there which my gut feeling tells me, he didn’t. He probably did not any attention brought to him as what he probably saw as a disaster waiting to happen. The chosen talent for the competition was weak at best and only two people appeared to have the chops to play with these seasoned veterans. However, when they chose Lukas Rossi as the winner, there almost appeared to be an immediate backlash. It was as if the band has put a nail in their coffin even before the album had been completed.

Although, I was expecting the worse, I’m glad to say this album is nowhere near as dreaded as I had initially feared it would be. This album should have been one of the worse of the year, but it's not and I credit Butch Walker directly for holding this project together. There are some soaring chorus' with a kaleidoscope of gorgeous sonics which encompass Walker's bigger than life sound as a producer. All of that being said, not much stands out on the album either. If this was a Butch Walker album of B-sides, I probably would have given it a “B” (I’m hoping the demos of these songs with Walker’s vocals leak one day). While Walker’s efforts are heroic, he alone couldn’t save this album from tanking. The performances here fall flat and there is no emotion whatsoever in the vocals. I want to FEEL the music, have it shake my body and make my heart skip a beat…Lukas Rossi does none of this and this is when I can understand what he’s singing.

The album’s two opening tracks, “It’s On” and “Leave The Lights On” should be riding the FM airwaves, but Rossi under whelms them on every level. The first week sales are in and the album didn’t even hit the Top-100, it came in at #101, with a meager 16,679 copies sold. Now it’s not that this is necessarily a horrible number, but considering this show was shown worldwide to millions of people for three months, it’s dismal. It goes to show you that music fans are not stupid. They know when something is true and genuine and they also know when they are being taken for a ride. The music industry has become obsessed with selling units over creativity in the last decade and as a result, the industry as we know it is dying. What kills me is that I truly and genuinely love bassist Jason Newsted, deeply admire guitarist Gilby Clark and want to love Tommy Lee (see paragraph above). These are talented guys and despite one of the most renown producers at the board, this project lacked one major ingredient; passion. I hope they all find it again soon one day and if they do, I’ll be the first person out of the gate to sing its praises. In the meantime, if you are truly looking for some masterful rock melodies, support Butch Walker and go and buy his solo albums at the link found here.

Casino Royale...Shaken & Stirred

I have always been fascinated with James Bond and starting back in 1995, I felt that the franchise had been given a necessary face lift with the addition of Pierce Brosnan to the title role. Broasnan was suave, sporty and singular and over four films, made the character entertaining even when the scripts were underdeveloped (most notably on “Die Another Day”). So it came as a shock to me that Brosnan would not be back for a fifth film. Even more alarming was the announcement that the next film would be "Casino Royale", a project that had been widely spoken about by writer/director Quentin Tarantino, whom he hoped to make the movie with Brosnan. It almost appeared the producers were stealing this idea and wanted to take all the credit for it. I'll admit the casting of Daniel Craig through me for a loop...at first. He has made strong turns in “Sylvia”, “Munich”, “Layer Cake” and “The Road To Perdition”...but nothing could have prepped the world for his turn as James Bond. However the outcry from numerous online forums and fan sites was largely unwarranted and I’m not sure why these fans and journalists reacted the way they did, they somehow felt that Bond had been defanged merely because he had blonde hair. The good news is that all of those concerns are now put to rest with “Casino Royale”

What makes "Casino Royale" fascinating on so many levels is Craig's wide eyed innocence to the role. The first fifteen-minutes of this movie are arguably as good as anything in any Bond movie ever. This sequence is shot entirely in black and white and it's majestic. This is for Bond fans what Chris Nolan's “Batman Begins” was for Batman fans. Here we finally have a genealogy story of Bond. Sure he's cocky and confident, but he's also driving a Ford at the beginning. This is easily the most character development ever allowed to the James Bond character on the big screen.

For those who love action sequences, there are plenty here to overdose on, maybe too many in fact. The first major chase scene is extreme, over the top and the rest of the film was trying to play catch up after this thrilling chase sequence. The brilliance of this sequence lies not in the extreme stunt, but how Bond reacts to these moves by using his mind to outsmart the criminal. This film appears to be a smarter and smarmier Bond than in the past. You see him succeed, fail and then surprise us with his cockiness and ability to redeem himself. As far as big-budget popcorn films go, this is one of the best in 2006 and a mighty return to form for the James Bond franchise.