The Allman Brothers Band: A Ramblin’ Family

Rosemont Theatre
Rosemont, IL
August 29, 2007

For years I have heard about the lore of the legendary Allman Brothers Band and their concerts. Those who speak of the shows do so in a mystical manner and I can’t even express how poetic these people feel about this band, their music and their musical inclinations. I had never witnessed this breathtaking communal experience until the band rolled into Chicago recently and I wasn’t quite sure what to expect but what I found was a group whose musical heritage, aura and aptitude to be immense.

Kicking things off with the instrumental “Hot ‘lanta” the band demonstrated they are no slouches musically and rolled effortless through the languid “Statesboro Blues” led by band leader, Gregg Allman who appeared cool, collected, sturdy and studious with his piano solo. He gracefully shows why he has been able to do this for close to forty-years. Guitarist Derek Trucks playing during this particular number just gave me a giddy smile. I saw him last year with Eric Clapton and he elevated Clapton’s live show monumentally and while it was a joy to see him wield his influence over a master, seeing him in his own element with one of the greatest American bands to ever grace a concert stage was nothing short of dreamlike. It’s almost as if the soul of Duane Allman is embodied within his small frame. Sometimes simplicity can make leave your mouth agape more than six-finger aerobics. The last time I was in this much awe of one’s musical prowess was witnessing Prince, who like the Allman Bothers let his guitars do the talking for him.

As the evening progressed, I watched this band begin a song austerely before adding layer upon layer to it, most notably on “Trouble No More” which began with a straightforward arrangement before the instruments congealed into a beautifying glimpse of what musical masters can accomplish when they are a band. During the sprawling “Rocking Horse” I watched the band share the spotlight amongst each other during the twelve-minute jam. Warren Hayne’s vocals were minimalist yet perfect. Despite the psychedelic images on the giant screen that hovered behind them and the rather impressive lights, the real moments of awe occurred on stage as the limelight of attention changed multiple times throughout the song. The very fabric of the Allman Brothers Band would bring another to its knees. When the light shines on someone, it shines brightly, but the band are chameleons who fade with ease into the stage when their moment is over allowing someone else to have their moment in the sun with solos that are simultaneously bluesy, inconspicuous and epic. Once again Derek Trucks left me bewildered, he moves his hands so effortlessly across the frets of his guitar but does so with such ease that I’m questioning myself, “how does he do that?” Every stadium and arena guitarist needs to see this talent play live and show them that greatness can be found in subtle yet noticeable simplicity. Great musicians don’t make great bands for good reasons, however, while each of the seven current Allman Brothers are masters of their craft, they are something so much more prevailing when their seven talents become one. If Robert Johnson sold his soul to the devil to be able to play guitar, then what did these seven musicians offer up to become masters of their respective crafts?

The bluesy “The Sky Is Crying” was written for the guitar, but the thing I walked away remembering was the peek-a-boo vibrancy of Greg Allman’s transcendent organ fills. Here is a song where it barely showcases Allman, but for me, he owned the song because when the organ could be heard it was as potent as the stupendous Trucks solo that made Stevie Ray Vaughn smile with glee from up above. By the songs end, the crowd was standing is rapt attention giving their affirmation at deafening levels. This is most largely due to the fact that the song is rarely performed. It most likely an emotional piece to play for Gregg as it was the first song performed at Duane Allman’s funeral by the Allman Brothers Band. This is the beauty of the Allman Brothers; not only do you witness awe-inspiring musical proficiency, but the understated fills and layers provided by the overall band are sometimes just as engaging as a passionate solo. They break music down to its most essential elements and remind me why I fell in love with music in the first place.

The warmth of Allman’s lush voice exuberated confidence on “No One Left To Run With” which complimented the bands swaggering jamtastic backbeat that had the crowd dancing in the aisles. Allman’s vocals were also prominent on “Soulshine”; his voice has an indefinable quality that makes you glad that not only that Gregg is alive, but yourself as well. I was shocked to find the band tackle Van Morrison’s “Into The Mystic”, which would even make Morrison proud. Despite the band’s unique touch all over it, including subdued and spot on vocals by Warren Hayne’s, the song was more of an homage than a cover, which is something the Allman Brothers Band does better than anyone. I loved the fact this song came from out of nowhere. Greg Rzab of Buddy Guy’s band was featured on bass on “The Sky Is Crying”, further adding to the element of surprise that one encounters every night. I love shows where I have no idea what the band will perform next or who will pop up on stage, it gives each show its own unique imprint forever enshrining it into the crowds mind and the bands legacy.

“Black Hearted Woman” gave the rhythm section (bassist Oteil Burbridge and percussionist Marc Quiñones and drummers Butch Trucks, & Jaimoe Johanny Johanson) their spotlight moment. I’ve seen enough Allman Brothers imitators over the years and often while their musicianship is impressive, the overall focus gets lost and what you wind up hearing is nothing but noise, but not with the Allman Brothers Band. There is improvisation, but there is a shared language that allows them to perform with an instinctive force in which they feed off one another. The precision of the rhythm section made “Black Hearted Woman” soar despite a pair of killer guitar solos. As impressive as they were, I wasn’t ready for “In Memory of Elizabeth Reed”, a thirty-five minute opus that showcased every member of the band and while the song is drawn out, it was not dull for one moment. During yet another stupendous solo by Trucks, I witnessed a theater full of geeks playing air guitar. I don’t know how anyone couldn’t smile at the sight of this. As a large portion of the band left the stage, the rhythm section took hold of the theater. While it appeared these would largely be loose improvisational moments, they were anything but. To be a part of the Allman Brothers Band you musical instincts must be spot-on and the four piece rhythm section was just that. They segued beautifully from one another with an astonishing drum jam, which found bassist Burbridge jamming on Butch Trucks drums.

The encore featured the sweet and serene “Melissa” performed as a four-piece by Gregg Allman (on acoustic guitar), Warren Haynes, Butch Trucks and Oteil Burbridge. The seventeen-minute finale of “You Don’t Love Me” was staggering. When they finished there wasn’t a face in the theater who wasn’t smiling. Despite songs and instrumentals that lasted upwards of eighteen-minutes at a time, the band was full of bravado energy and cohesiveness that few on the planet could muster for one show, let alone night after night, year after year, decade after decade.

The Allman Brothers Band has an omnivorous love of music and never performing the same show twice. The world is a full of talented musicians, but it’s rare for them to blend together and form a cumulative interrelated unit. While this is a different band than the one Cameron Crowe fell in love with, they embody the same spirit and continue to do what they do best; perform inspiring music, every year. They’re devoid of ego, sharing the limelight and embracing one another because the sum of their parts is so much larger than any one individual. They are among the last bands that truly embody the spirit of the great blues, R&B and rock innovators. When you pay money to see the Allman Brothers Band you will witness nothing short of a stupendous experience where you will walk away feeling like you sold your soul to the devil to witness musical proficiency this awe-inspiring.

Allman Brothers Band set list for Rosemont Theater 8/29/07:
Hot 'lanta
Statesboro Blues
Leave My Blues At Home
Trouble No More
Rocking Horse
Soulshine
Black Hearted Woman
The Sky Is Crying
No One To Run With
Into The Mystic
In Memory Of Elizabeth Reed (JaBuMa)
Encore:
Melissa
You Don't Love Me

antiMusic Link

Ryan Adams & The Cardinals to release new EP

Ryan Adams just started the latest leg of his most recent tour, in support of his highest debuting disc to date; Easy Tiger. I'll tell you, earlier this year I was very cautious about anything associated with Ryan but after witnessing his subdued and glorious show in Chicago in June, I can confirm he's at the top of his game right at this moment. Over the next six weeks he'll be bringing the live concert experience to your city. See the dates below.

On a side note, there is some disappointing news that the multi-disc box set will not be coming out this fall, but is still being projected for a 2008 release. To hold us over, a new EP Follow The Lights will be released on October 23rd. Even though he just released a new album four-months ago, we have seven new songs (and remixes) to chew on. I welcome a constant flow of material and EP's are a good way of getting extra songs out to the public instead of loading them with double albums and multiple albums in the same calendar year. Regardless, I admire Adams for his continued output and he appears to really feel this material and is out there fighting for it. Make a point of seeing him on the road this coming fall.

Link to Halloweenhead video

RYAN ADAMS & THE CARDINALS ANNOUNCE NEW EP
FOLLOW THE LIGHTS TO BE RELEASED 10/23 ON LOST HIGHWAY
INCLUDES NEW SONGS TO BE FEATURED ON ABC'S 'OCTOBER ROAD'

As Ryan & The Cards begin another long stretch of tour dates, they have also announced plans for a new EP to be released Oct 23 on Lost Highway Records. Follow The Lights is a seven song collection that includes both new and old compositions, several of which were recorded live in the studio this summer.

The two new songs on the disc, "Follow The Lights" and "My Love For You Is Real" will both be featured prominently in this fall's season of the ABC primetime drama "October Road" (airing 10pm on Mondays). "Follow The Lights" will also be used in bumpers leading up to the show's season premiere on November 26th. The complete sequence for Follow The Lights is:

1. Follow The Lights (new song)
2. My Love For You Is Real (new song)
3. Blue Hotel (first official release, recorded live in studio)
4. Dear John (live in studio)
5. This Is It (Cardinals version, live in studio)
6. Down In A Hole (Alice In Chains cover, live in studio)
7. If I Am A Stranger (live in studio)

Follow The Lights comes on the heels of Ryan's latest full length album Easy Tiger, which has been widely recognized as some of his finest work to date. The Associated Press described it as "the most cohesive and intricately arranged album [Adams] has ever made", and Time called it "a career breakthrough." Since Easy Tiger's release Ryan & The Cards have been on the road almost constantly, and as Variety recently put it, "[Adams is] probably giving the best performances of his career."

Full tour itinerary is below.

Sept 17 - Portland ME - Merrill Auditorium
Sept 19 - Montreal QC - St. Denis Theatre
Sept 21 - Toronto ONT - Massey Hall
Sept 22 - Ann Arbor MI - Michigan Theater
Sept 24 - Kalamazoo MI - Kalamazoo State Theatre
Sept 25 - Milwaukee WI - Milwaukee Riverside Theater
Sept 27 - Minneapolis MN - State Theater
Sept 28 - Madison WI - Barrymore Theatre
Sept 29 - Chicago IL - Chicago Theatre
Oct 1 - Iowa City IA - Iowa Memorial Union, main lounge
Oct 2 - Kansas City MO - Uptown Theatre
Oct 4 - Urbana IL - Foelinger Auditorium
Oct 5 - St. Louis MO - The Pageant
Oct 13 - North Charleston, SC - N. Charleston Performing Arts Center
Oct 14 - Atlanta GA - Fox Theater
Oct 15 - Birmingham AL - Alabama Theatre
Oct 17 - Mobile AL - Saenger Theatre
Oct 18 - Houston TX - Verizon Wireless Theatre
Oct 19 - Dallas TX - McFarlin Memorial Auditorium
Oct 21 - Tulsa OK - Cain's Ballroom
Oct 23 - Nashville TN - War Memorial Auditorium
Oct 24 - Indianapolis IN - Murat Theater
Oct 25 - Columbus OH - Lifestyles Community Pavilion
Oct 27 - Lakewood OH - Lakewood Civic Auditorium
Oct 29 - Pittsburgh PA - Carnegie Music Hall of Oakland
Oct 30 - Washington DC - D.A.R. Constitution Hall
Oct 31 - New York NY - Hammerstein Ballroom

Some 'Magic' Thoughts...

I have a confession...I'm not digging the new Bruce Springsteen album. I've now had it for close to three weeks and overall, it is not speaking to me and largely feels forced. Now granted, I heard compressed MP3's, so I want to really listen to the album in top notch quality and most likely see these songs live before I make any kind of major judgement. I want to LOVE this album, but so far, I'm not feeling it.

However, many fans do love it and whether you love it or hate it, check out the review on A Deeper Shade of Soul. The review is well written and is fueled with a lot of passion. Whether you like the album, despise it or haven't even heard it, I highly suggest you read this review which can be found here.

Further Proof A Fair Ticket Price Affects Attendance

While I was recently paging through the latest issue of Billboard and came upon their Boxscore chart (which reports on concert grosses and attendances). I was surprised to see three concerts from Alpine Valley, WI. Alpine used to be the premier Midwest concert site back in the late 80's, but rising ticket prices and a lack of artist development has hurt the venue. Many acts choose to play indoors or make separate stops in Chicago or Milwaukee instead of one outdoor show.

Needless to say, the three shows in the Billboard Boxscore had a combined attendance of 96,000. More amazing was that the three shows occurred during three straight days during the last weekend in August. Rage Against The Machine was less than 100 tickets shy of a sell-out during their only non-festival appearance this year while the Dave Matthews Band sold-out the first night. The second night did not sell-out but due to massive rainstorms in the Midwest, it probably hurt last minute sales.

What struck me as impressive was the fact that the highest ticket price for the three shows was $62 with the cheapest being $36. These three shows would take other acts six or seven arena shows to play to as many people. It just goes to show that the concert experience can be for EVERYONE...and not just the elite and they will even sit on a muddy lawn for $45 to experience something magical with 35,000 people.

The Dave Matthews Band continues to impress me with their business tactics and acts like Aerosmith, KISS, Bon Jovi, Madonna, the Eagles, Van Halen who charge over $100 for tickets can all learn from someone like Dave Matthews.

Richie Sambora: "The Answer" Is In the Question

Seek the truth, and you shall find another life

On Monday September 24, 2007 it was announced Richie Sambora entered rehab for the second time in four months. I have to tell you, my heart goes out to the guy. Jon Bon Jovi may be the brains behind the operation of Bon Jovi and is the driving force behind their continued success, but it’s Sambora who gives the band its heart and soul. He’s the yin to Jon Bon Jovi’s yang and is the man who on stage night after night brings the harmonies of the Bon Jovi catalog to life. He alone is one of a handful of artists who has profoundly affected my life in an indefinable way. His 1991 solo album, Stranger In This Town shook me to my core emotionally. It’s one of the most honest and naked records ever released and dare I say it, but it’s the best album of the last twenty-five years that Eric Clapton never made. Clapton even makes an appearance on the album on “Mr. Bluesman” a track Sambora wrote about a young kid from Jersey who wanted to be…Eric Clapton. Truly inspiring records turn your insides out and make you ponder and question your life in ways you never imagined. They paint a picture that opens doors for you. Not only did Stranger In This Town do this for me, but it made me cogitate about how I could enhance it. It kept me company on many a lonely night where I could completely relate to the narrator of the title track, “Stranger In This Town”, made me thankful but still yearn for a lost love when I heard “Rosie” while the confessional “Rest In Peace” forges long distance love before the visceral power of swelling guitars compliment “Church of Desire”. “Father Time” forced one to look to their past mistakes in a swirling ferocious song led by Sambora’s jolting and ingenious power hooks. The album’s first single, “Ballad of Youth” forced me to never forget the past but to move onwards and upwards leaving behind “yesterday’s blues” while “River of Love” reeked of a sexual roadhouse exuberance. Stranger is by no means an easy album to digest but if you let it reveal itself to you on multiple listens, you will find yourself entranced, encouraged and enlightened.

I remember bringing the CD home on September 3, 1991 and following the instructions on the inner sleeve; “Turn down the lights, Light a candle… Welcome”. From the eerie and mystical opening notes of “Rest In Peace” to the spiritual and transcendent finale of “The Answer” I was transfixed and taken to another world where I was able to meditate on my own time and take stock of my life. This is an album with multiple themes revolving around all aspects of life embodying the somber, surreal, sexual and sublime. Every time I have encountered obstacles in my life, Stranger In The Town is on the shortlist of albums that console me and refresh my soul.

They say for every living thing
There's a guide up in the sky

One particular time in my life found me surrounded by darkness and defeat. In November of 1993, my grandmother and my aunt died within twenty-four hours of each other. My mother’s Mom and Sister passed onto the next world and while she was torn to pieces, I couldn’t do anything but sit there and support her. It may have been one of the most draining and excruciating painful experience of my life. I got through it with the support of my friends and a few records. I remember taking Stranger In This Town with me everywhere I went as it was a constant companion to me during this time. Over the next few weeks, I delved deep into the album and discovered this wasn’t just a piece of plastic with a hole in the middle but the greatest self help book ever written. On Stranger, Sambora set out to make a reflective, insightful and evocative record much like the ones he grew up listening to in New Jersey where it would be a friend to you whenever none could be found. It’s an understatement to say he succeeded wildly.

A few months after the deaths of my aunt and grandmother, I was chosen to give a speech on a retreat and I spoke of my spirituality. At the end my speech, I played “The Answer” because I remember feeling this one song could express so much more than any words I would speak. At its conclusion, I looked up and saw tears in the eyes of a few football players to whom I was speaking. One of them afterwards came to me and wanted to know all about the song and where he could get a copy. A few days later when the retreat ended, I gave him my cassette of Stranger In This Town for his continued journey through life.

So I live each day like I know it's my last
If there is no future there must be no past

If I die prematurely, I would want “The Answer” played at my funeral. Despite the title, it’s a mystical and mystifying song that for some leaves you with more questions than answers. I remember being in my car on a chilly December day about a month later and “The Answer” came on. At this point, I was questioning everything in my life. Seeing two family members pass on into another realm is never easy but was equally disheartening because one went far before her time should have been up. What does life hold for us? It seems like we fight for answers we never really get and largely lead unsatisfying lives. However, when I look back at the lives of my grandmother and aunt, I realize they truly lived each day to its fullest and never blamed life’s hardships on anyone. They merely rolled with the punches and I can’t help but think what an indelible impression they left not just on me but on others whom I continue to meet to this day.I was entering into a different phase of my life that to be frank scared the hell out of me. As I sat there in my little Ford Escort Sambora sang the lyric “There’s a world in every drop of rain” from “The Answer” and I can’t quite explain it, but a sensation of peace and tranquility came over me. The anxiety I was feeling moments earlier vanished. In the year that followed these two deaths (and I know I will sound like a quack), I felt the presence of God numerous times. Maybe it was God and maybe it wasn’t, but what I do know is that someone from another realm reached out to the lost soul in me and assured me, just like the great Tom Petty song, “It’ll All Work Out”.

“The Answer” is an acoustic number that is complimented with washing landscapes from Bon Jovi keyboardist David Bryan and Tony Levin’s wondrous bass. The philosophical lyrics were written by Sambora at the tender age of nineteen when he was seeking for substance and route in life. Being a teenager isn’t all it’s cracked up to be even though in retrospect many view it as the pinnacle of their life. To be honest, I don’t miss a lot of the drama and I still find myself pondering life’s mysteries daily. I’ve learned quite a bit in my life through many eclectic people and experiences but I’ll never forget what a guiding light Stranger In This Town was to me during my high school and college years. Even though it didn’t give me the answers I was looking for, it reminded me to look within and try to find the answers myself instead of waiting for someone to give them to me. For that I’ll forever be indebted to Mr. Sambora and I wish him a happy, healthy and speedy recovery to the concert stage.

There's a world in every drop of rain
Embracing oceans sweep us home again
Come along with me, come along with me
Seek the truth, you shall not find another lie-"The Answer"

Links:

Buy Stranger In This Town

"Stranger In This Town" video

"Ballad Of Youth" Video

"One Light Burning" video

"The Answer" Live 1998

Happy Birthday Bruce!

Fifty-eight years ago today, Adele Springsteen gave birth to one of the most influential and important musicians to grace this Earth. I've gone through periods in my life where I can't think of listening to him and other times where I listen to nothing but him. In the coming month, with a new album release and a new tour about to take hold, I'll be writing about Bruce in depth. I've shied away from writing about him over the last few years but now, I finally feel comfrotable to write about him, his music and how it affected my life.

Until then...Happy Birthday Bruce!

antiMusic "The Biz"-Trent Reznor: The Last Honest Rebel

I told my editor over at antiMusic I was going to skip the Biz article this week because nothing inspired me to really write a few pages on it. But then I saw Trent Reznor ranting and raving against the music industry on Youtube and needless to say, I was inspired. The full article can be found over at antiMusic here.

Bruce Springsteen Asbury Park rehearsal report

Bruce Springsteen is currently rehearsing for the 'Magic' world tour at Convention Hall in Asbury Park, NJ. I've been to Convention Hall enough times to know it's a special place for Bruce and his fans. He will be performing two charity "rehearsals" next Monday and Tuesday at Convention Hall and earlier this week, a photographer from Rolling Stone was there to get some shots of Bruce on the boardwalk. I must admit, he looks pretty darn cool. Look for Bruce on the cover of Rolling Stone in the very near future.

As for the few dozen emails asking me my opinion on 'Magic'? I'm still processing it, so I probably won't post a full review until after the album comes out as I wasn't thrilled with the quality of mp3's I received.

Even better is what the band rehearsed. To check out what was rehearsed on this particular day, go here.

My apologies for the short post today, I just can't keep my eyes open any longer. More tomorrow and this weekend.

Nineteen-years ago today...'New Jersey'

Nineteen-years ago, Bon Jovi unleashed their exceptional follow-up to Slippery_When_Wet; New Jersey. Now, I’m going to let you in on a little secret, New Jersey is a better album than Slippery. Yeah, I know Slippery had those bigger than life hits that are still sung by people at the top of their lungs, but New Jersey felt more epic. From that larger than life opening of “Lay Your Hands On Me” to the acoustic finale of “Love For Sale”, Bon Jovi created the definitive power-pop-metal album of the 80’s. No other band during this time would have ended their album with an acoustic number of released a ballad about internal Catholic conflict. Plus the non-singles including the blistering “Blood On Blood” and the white lighting finesse of “Wild Is The Wind” (arguably their most underrated song ever).

I plan on doing a more in-depth write up of this album in the future, but I can honestly say this was one of the first really big album releases for me in my life…not to mention the fact that they released this album on a Monday (reserved only for the biggest blockbusters). I remember riding my bike after school to the local record store and picking it up and hearing that metallic, incendiary and elliptical sound of the into to “Lay Your Hands On Me”. Over the last nineteen-years my musical tastes have grown but my love for this album has never diminished and when discussing Bon Jovi albums with a wide range of people, I’m surprised that almost everyone feels this is the band’s most complete album and is one of their two favorites and almost always is deemed better than Slippery When Wet. If you don’t have it, I highly suggest picking it up as it’s so much more than a mere pop album but something so much larger, an epic rock n’ roll album full of perfectly textured harmonies and growth I don’t think anyone expected from the Jersey brotherhood.

David Gray to release "Greatest Hits"

David Gray has one of those voices that are commanding and nostalgic. Whenever I hear it, it takes me back to a place and time that I can clearly see. I'm not sure why this is, but that is the true beauty of music, where we can't even express its greatness in words.

Ever since his "Babylon" breakout a decade back, he has continued to release one solid album after another but has remained under the radar which is a shame because he's a mighty talent whose albums deserve to be heard by the masses.

Maybe now they'll hear some of these under appreciated classics on November 13th when he releases Greatest Hits. I know of all the negatives associated with these types of packages, but they do appeal to the average listener and sometimes they find something they can grasp better on a compilation rather than a new album. It's not the way things should be, but anytime an artist can shed new light on a forgotten classic, I don't think it is all that bad.

Gray has recorded two new songs for the package; "You're the World To Me" and "Destroyer". I also hear that a tour is in the works for November and December and it will cover both Europe and the US. While it's unlikely we'll see a new album before the fourth-quarter of 2008, it'll be nice to get a nice package and the chance to see him live in concert before the end of the year.

Here is the track list for Greatest Hits:

"You're the World to Me"
"Babylon"
"Late Night Radio"
"Please Forgive Me"
"Hospital Food"
"Be Mine"
"This Years Love"
"Sail Away"
"Shine"
"Alibi"
"The One I Love"
"Flame Turns Blue"
"The Other Side"
"Destroyer"

Bruce Springsteen: A Rich Man's Working Class Hero?

To be lasting, you have to look at your audience and see yourself, and they have to look at you and see themselves
-Bruce Springsteen

It’s June 2006 and I’m in the Bradley Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and Bruce Springsteen and the Seeger Sessions Band (an even larger ensemble than the E Street Band) are right in front of me are tearing through a fierce version of “How Can A Poor Man Stand Such Hard Times and Live”. The song is inexplicable and profoundly haunting and the performance is belting with vigor and purpose. I’m watching the intensity of Springsteen’s penetrating face as he digs deep from within his soul to express his zealous interpretation of this Pete Seeger song that borderlines on rage. When you pay your money down, Springsteen gives his all on the concert stage proving it all night…every night. Sadly, the message of “How Can A Poor Man Stand Such Hard Times and Live” on this particular night isn’t heard by as many as it should be. Many of those who need to hear this music and have it enlighten and comfort them, can’t afford to witness this magic. Tickets to the Seeger Sessions tour (done in support of ‘We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions’, a collection of songs by the activist-folk artist Pete Seeger) cost over $100 with service fees. The Bradley Center was reconfigured to half capacity with the stage set up mid-floor and there are still less than 10,000 in attendance. The night before in Chicago had a staggering 20,000 unsold tickets. Granted, the Chicago show was in a shed, but not a single lawn ticket was sold, and the back of the venue was empty. How is this? How can bands like Poison attract more attendee’s than a formidable and compelling artist than Bruce Springsteen? It’s actually quite simple; ticket price.

Over the years I have found it increasingly impossible to write about Bruce Springsteen. The man is a sort of personal Jesus to me; his music has brought me through some truly trying times. I’ve seen Springsteen live more times than any other artist for a very good reason; he may be the greatest live performer in the history of rock n’ roll. I know there are hundreds of artists who have reinvented themselves on-stage numerous times, but no one has ever given as much of themselves when they hit the stage other than Bruce Springsteen. His workmanlike values, songs of strife and hope have defined a generation. One of Springsteen’s most enduring qualities over the years has been that when you watch him perform you believe every word he is singing despite the millions he has in the bank, a difficult and near impossible feat. Despite my deep and profound love for this man and his music, I feel disconnected from him as of late. Many friends and colleagues would ask me “why, he’s still the voice of a generation and one of our most important artists”. I usually ask them, “Is he?”

I only saw two Springsteen shows in the summer of 2006, not many for a die-hard fan like me, but I felt like I had been taken advantage of because each show cost me $110 with service charges. I thought for Springsteen to charge an obscene amount of money to play arenas and sheds behind an album that the overwhelming majority of the public would find hard to swallow was egotistical and selfish. They were the easiest tickets I ever scored for Springsteen in my entire life and for good reason. Few people were interested in seeing this type of show in the venues it visited with a ticket price that broke the $100 barrier. Pete Seeger’s songs are sincere and earnest and they deserve to be heard by future generations and I must admit to not fully appreciating them until I witnessed Springsteen perform them in concert. The two shows I saw were nothing short of breathtaking and they validated that Springsteen is a first-rate bandleader because he took material I was disinterested by on record and made it feel live, vital and releasing. Creative arrangements of standards like “The Saints Come Marching In”, “Buffalo Gals”, “Jesse James” and “Pay Me My Money Down” came to life and made me reevaluate the album. I remember being with a friend at these shows and discussing how fearless these shows were. I could never imagine an arena artist even attempting to pull off a tour like the Seeger tour. However the bold and brave performances were overshadowed by the fact that there were over 20,000 unsold tickets in Chicago, a building he filled to capacity on two-consecutive nights in 1992 without the E Street Band. This was a depressing site to see because there are a whole generation of people who could have been inspired by this show, the music and the message of these songs. Unfortunately, these people stayed home because someone felt it was necessary to institute one ticket price ($100) to see this show without any thought given to how many more people would see the show if there had multiple tiers of pricing.

I know Bruce and his people think they are doing fans a favor by not breaking the $100 mark, but when tickets are over $90 the service charge will gladly take care of that. Even more distressing is the lack of multiple tiers for tickets. The best seat and the worse seat in the venue should never be the same price. At the United Center this coming October, a $65 ticket is being issued for eight sections (308 to 310 and 324-328). This is a small portion of the arena and seats in section 307 and 311 are not worth $110 for any act. The $65 seats should encompass a large part of the third level, all seats behind the stage and they should be priced below $50. Many people usually tell me that Springsteen is still cheaper than most other acts on the road today. This may be true, but it’s a lousy argument. If you had a child and they continually brought home all A’s on every report card for years and then all of a sudden the A’s went to C’s, you would ask why. Your child may make the argument that their grades are still better than half of the people in the class. What would you say to them? You would tell them you don’t care what the other kids are getting, you are only concerned with them and you know what they are capable of and it’s not a C. I feel the same way about Bruce Springsteen, why is it that Tom Petty, Pearl Jam and Dave Matthews leave money on the table every time they perform and none (aside from special shows) charge more than $65 for their top-tier tickets? Also, it should be noted that the Stones, Who, Aerosmith, U2, Justin Timberlake and Madonna have all had their cheapest seats priced lower than Springsteen. I recently saw Keith Urban in Milwaukee where he had a first rate stage set up (something Springsteen has never had) and the tickets were priced at $26 and $52. Is Bruce’s overhead that much more?

Even if you take the dollar signs out of the equation, as an artist, don’t you want as many people to see you as possible? The last time I saw Tom Petty in concert was in 2005 and the show had 30,000 in attendance and was completely sold-out. It should be noted that this was approximately 7,000 more people than Springsteen has performed to on his last three trips to Chicago combined. Heck if I threw in the 2006 Milwaukee show I still think Bruce would be trailing in attendance. My point is that if you price tickets fairly ($30) people will come and see you. The Seeger Chicago show was a wasted opportunity to bring exposure to the album. If all lawn tickets had been $20 the day the show went on sale, I know dozens of people who would have gone and in turn, they may have experienced something they didn’t expect. More importantly, a high school or college student may have gone on a whim and may have had a profound experience that altered their life in some way. The job of an artist like Bruce Springsteen is to not only entertain but to challenge and enlighten their audience. Whether one agrees with Springsteen’s politics or not isn’t the point, but what is important is people could have been inspired by these songs and walked away contemplating their meaning and the context in which they were written. Future leaders of tomorrow who are now in high school and college could have witnessed the Seeger show and possibly had their eyes and ears opened to a unique and enlightening evening of songs that have weighty meanings. Sadly, they were never exposed to the music or show because tickets were priced at an unattainable price for the majority of them.

Springsteen has always embodied the workmanlike values he sings about and I find a dramatic contradiction in his ticket prices. Yes, his prices are cheaper than other artists of his caliber, but it doesn’t make it right. This past weekend, Springsteen largely sold out most of the shows that went on sale, however, as the tour progresses and he rides through other markets, most notably the south and Midwest, $80 for a nosebleed won’t cut it and unfortunately, Bruce will miss out on more than money, but more importantly, he’ll miss out on an opportunity to inspire and enlighten thousands of lives who need it proving that life is indeed good and that there is always a silver lining in a dark cloud. I wish Springsteen would take the lyrics of “How Can A Poor Man Stand Such Hard Times and Live” to heart. There is nothing wrong with being a capitalist in any form, but sometimes there are greater long term goals at stake instead of money guarantee’s. He should tier his pricing accordingly so that everyone and not just the elite can afford to witness his “magic” when he hits the concert stage.

Where the dark of night holds back the light of day
And you've gotta stand and fight for the price you pay

In 2003 a handful of friends and I went to see Bruce and the E Street Band in ballpark in Milwaukee for a friends bachelor party. It turned out Milwaukee was a good meeting ground and Bruce happened to be in town that weekend. There’s something magical about seeing Bruce in Milwaukee, dating back to the infamous “Bomb Scare” shows in 1975. For the last few tours, the best I have seen Springsteen has been in Milwaukee. On this particular night in September 2003 Bruce and the band were thrilling to the point of exhaustion performing scorching versions of “Candy’s Room”, “The Fuse”, Who’ll Stop The Rain”, “My Love Won’t Let You Down”, “Because The Night” which complimented the rarities “Across The Border” and “Kitty’s Back” before a blazing finale consisting of “Rosalita”, “Dancing In The Dark” and “Cadillac Ranch” took an already ecstatic crowd to heights I’ve rarely witnessed in my life. The band blew the roof off the ballpark. The 32,000 in attendance experienced a phenomenal show, but sadly, 8,000 people did not experience it at all because the cheapest ticket with service charges was just under $70. As we were walking out one friend told me that he would have paid double the ticket price for just the last thirty-minutes while another friend came up to me, put his arm around me and professed “I saw NONE of the songs I wanted to see…but I saw ALL of the songs I needed to see”. I’m not sure if I have ever heard a more profound statement in regards to a concert experience. Here was someone who wanted to see all of ‘Born In The USA’ and instead walked away with a deeper appreciation of who Bruce Springsteen was as an artist and his deep, rich and profound catalog. No “Today Show” performance could encompass this type of power. A few months later my first friend had copies of ‘The River’ and ‘The Rising’ on his cd shelf which had not been there months earlier and the other friend had gone out and bought six Bruce albums he had no intention of ever buying…and one of them was the four-cd box set ‘Tracks’. What this proves is there are greater and more important rewards to be reaped in the long run rather than guaranteed up-front cash. They wouldn’t own any of these albums if not for the live performance and sadly, because there are no fairly priced lower tier tickets, they’ve passed on the last two Bruce tours and will be skipping this one because $80 for a nosebleed seat is just too much in their mind, despite having the income to afford it. Springsteen’s tickets overall appear to be cheaper than most artists of his caliber, but that only applies to the high end prices. By charging $110 for nosebleeds, the price might as well be $300 because the average worker in New Orleans, Kansas City, St. Louis and possibly Milwaukee can’t afford it either way.

We live in a world surrounded by darkness and at its core it is a very ugly place. It attempts to beat us down and drain every bit of sanity and hope from us daily. In order to make it through life, we need reminders of the beauty that can be found in this world. Despite the nastiness we all experience, I’m reminded of the splendor life brings every time I enter a remarkable art museum, walk through a thousand year-old church in Europe, see a movie that profoundly moves me or hear music that soothes and resurrects your soul. My question is why should only the wealthiest people afford to witness something as miraculous as a Bruce Springsteen concert? If the current prices roll over into future legs of the tour including a rumored stadium run next summer, I can guarantee you there will be a lot of empty seats. Each empty seat represents a consumer who didn’t pay for parking, concessions, concert merchandise, future album sales…but most importantly, it’s one less person who could be transformed and comforted by the magical experience that is Bruce Springsteen in concert. By not having a fair and affordable lower tier ticket price, it will alienate thousands of potential customers and that will be a heavy financial and artistic price to pay.

You make up your mind, you choose the chance you take
You ride to where the highway ends and the desert breaks
Out on to an open road you ride until the day
You learn to sleep at night with the price you pay -"The Price You Pay"

Across the Universe: Film Review

Watching a Julie Taymor film is like being stuck inside a cinematic inferno. Whenever I watch one of her films, I usually watch it in awe, even if I feel unattached from the characters on screen. Her adaptation of Titus from 1999 is a startling masterwork than even if you hate the story, I dare you to not marvel at chaotic, maddening and spectacular visionary explosions that embody her films.

Her direction of the stage play, The Lion King (I have heard) is equally dazzling and she’s a true visionary. Why then did I feel cold and detached as the credits rolled at the end of Across the Universe the other night? Here was a film I had heard a lot about over the last year. Some of it was good and some bad and I had a feeling it was either going to be brilliant or as disastrous as ‘The Magical Mystery Tour’. It was neither and instead walks a very thin line down to the path of mediocrity. Of course the songs are spectacular, but can anyone tell me that they’ll be listening to these versions more than the originals? I will say that Bono’s cameo as Dr. Robert is show stopping and his versions of “I Am the Walrus” and “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds” are better than good.

The productions based around the musical numbers are impressive. However, I had seen Love, the Beatles Vegas production done by Cirque du Soleil just a few months earlier and I couldn’t help but feel this movie pales in comparison. Then again no one should ever compare a theatrical performance and film…but it's hard not to as Taymor’s talent is bringing grand theatrics to the silver screen and she doesn’t quite hit this one out of the park. The biggest obstacle is the horrendous script. It feels like it was written by a seventh grader. As good as the musical numbers are, the time in between these moments are rather bland and forgettable. None of the characters really leave an impression and all feel like sad mopes. If only the film had been half as good as its trailer!

I saw this on a new Muvico screen in Rosemont, IL and it is a stunning theater (although there were many opening night issues…my advice, steer clear of any and all food unless its popcorn or else you’ll miss your movie). The sound and presentation of the film is vast and striking, although not striking enough to fork over $10 to see it. My advice, rent it or wait for cable, despite Taymor’s visual brilliance. I’d like to believe that love is all you need, but despite the love and passion put into this film, a solid script would have helped. In the end, the loves one takes is not equal to the film that could have been made.

antiMusic 'The Biz': Springsteen-A Rich Man's Working Class Hero?

Springsteen is among my favorite live performers of all time. Writing about him is near impossible for me, whether it's good or bad, because his music has been such a driving force in my life. However, I've been urged on by some good friends to really put my true feelings about Springsteen's ticket prices over the last few years down on paper. The results can be found this week on my column The Biz with Anthony Kuzminski here.

It's entitled A Rich Man's Working Class Hero? which I have to thank my good editor Keavin for. I had two titles I was going to use:
1) Can A Rich Man Understand Hard Times?
2) The Price You Pay

I'm as horrendous with titles as Springsteen's people are with proof reading, so I left it in his hands. I expect some negative feedback, so if so enclined, email me directly: thescreendoor@gmail.com

xT

The Led Zeppelin Comeback

A hundred years from now after all of rock's innovators are dead and gone, I truly believe that three bands will be remembered and still influencing millions of people:

1) The Beatles
2) The Rolling Stones
3) Led Zeppelin

My inclusion of Zep may surprise some, but the bands fascinates me when I see school kids who weren't even born when Kurt Cobain died wearing Zep shirts. It fascinates me to see generation after generation worship this band. Here's some irony for you...I'm not even a fan. Local Chicago radio killed Zep for me growing up and it wasn't until Almost Famous that I began to think I was missing out on something.

I had the original cd's from the BMG Music Club, but it was before they had been remastered and I remember cranking Led Zeppelin III and hearing the static. I eventually sold all of them thinking I'd pick up the remastered ones sooner than later. This didn;t happen until this past December when I bought the full catalog from yourmusic.com. If you are not a member of yourmusic and you still enjoy the sound of a cd, I highly suggest you subscribe to their services, they send you one cd a month for $6.99, a steal if you ask me.

Despite not being a die-hard Zep fan, I find their legacy and aura immense and mystifying in the best way imaginable. Every band out there today pretends they're the biggest band on the planet, but the truth is that the reality is that if Zep reunited for a full blown reunion tour, it would shatter all records even at exorbitant prices.

The band will officially reunite this November for one night in honor of the late Ahmet Ertegun on November 24th at the new O2 arena in London, which seats 22,000. People need to apply online for a chance at tickets and as of Friday night September 14, over 30 million have applied. No, that's not a typo...

30 Million!

Ok, let's say that 90% of those applications are bogus, that still means that 3-million people want to see a band. To put that in perspective, Led Zepplin would have to play a football stadium that holds 50,000, sixty times to fill all of the requests. Name me a band that could pull off sixty-stadium shows in America? Not the Stones, Springsteen, the Police, Jimmy Buffet, Bon Jovi, Kennt Chesney, Dave Matthews or anyone else could pull this off, but Led Zeppelin can. On top of that, let's say that each ticket cost $100, multiply that by 3-million and you have a gross of $300 million. The thoughts of stadiums around the world in rapt attention as the band plays "Stairway To Heaven" and seeing Pagey tear through "Dazed and Confused" give me chills and I am by no means someone who has been praying for this to happen for not just years but decades.

I guess we can just hope and pray the show is a wild artistic success that it inspire the band the make what appeared to be the impossible...possible.

Here is an excellent NME story on the genesis of this reunion.
Register for the drawing of tickets here.

Everybody Wants Some: The Van Halen Saga (Book Review)

We came here to entertain you
Leaving here we aggravate you
-“I’m The One”

William Shakespeare’s plays could be put into three distinct categories; Histories, Comedies and Tragedies. If Bard were alive today I’m convinced without a doubt he would have written a play on the epic antics of Van Halen. Their story has all of elements of great storytelling that even a fiction writer couldn’t conceive in their wildest dreams. The question is what kind of play would it be? Shakespeare scholars would define it as a history play, but it would most definitely be heavy on elements of comedy and tragedy. Sadly Shakespeare isn’t alive, but Ian Christe is. Christe previously detailed the meteoric history of heavy metal is his excellent 2003 book, ‘The Sound of the Beast’ and this time around, on ‘Everybody Wants Some’, he’s tackled the most dysfunctional rock band on the planet with ardent zeal and has written a story that is epically Shakespearean.

The genesis of Van Halen is fascinating if for no other reason than they lost their driving charismatic force at what appeared to be their commercial peak but somehow managed to thrive and survive while conquering everything in their path without ever skipping a beat until they became their own worse enemy. The band has been and always will be led by a sprawling talent on the six-string who was gifted with staggering prowess and who created some of the greatest jet-engine riffs ever committed to tape. This guitar god partnered with a superbly unsubtle genius of a madman on vocals complimented by a frantic backbeat led by a happy go lucky bassist and a frenzied madman on the skins who together defined and influenced an entire generations of rock n’ roll enthusiasts with six-albums in less than seven-years. The superb voracious singer was eventually replaced by a more at ease venerable musician who allowed the band to mature and develop while still commanding the audience’s attention. Eventually egos and outside forces did what rap, grunge and continual changing musical tastes couldn’t do; bring the band to their knees. Sammy Hagar, David Lee Roth, Michael Anthony, Alex and Eddie Van Halen (and later to a lesser extent Gary Cherone and Wolfgang Van Halen) defied all odds and became the biggest band in the land not just once, but twice and may possibly do it a third time. If you think you know the full story about the anarchic Van Halen family…you don’t. ‘Everybody Wants Some’ is endearing, euphoric and expansive history into what is most likely the most estranged band to ever emerge from the land of opportunity. Ian Christe is frank and unbiased as he chronicles the band’s entire history with gritty details of their rise to the top, each break-up, the aftermath, submerged inner tension and meticulous details that even the casual fan will devour. Van Halen’s rise, fall and resurrection are all here in mesmerizing detail and will have you asking yourself, “Who’s Mitch Malloy?”

I've been through hell and back again
Shook hands with the devil
Looked him in the eye
Looked like a long lost friend
-“Mine All Mine”

The most staggering aspect of the book is that it’s an unauthorized biography. As a general rule, I usually don’t enjoy unauthorized biographies because they tend to be glorified tales written with a lot of assumptions and tall tales that even a casual fan would raise their eyes with suspicion. I never hoisted my eyebrow once as Christe’s research is nothing short of astonishing; minute details are given ranging from specific recording sessions, family lineages, failed auditions for singers, the numerous attempted reunions with Roth and the most important aspect for guitar geeks-a detailed outline of guitars used, created and played by Eddie Van Halen over his entire life. Christe knows this band, loves this band, pulls his hair out over their internal drama and as a result has written the definitive Van Halen story. Once you pick it up it you will need to unchain yourself from your chair because it’s impossible to put down whether you are a Van Halen or Van Hagar fan.

Even if the band sat down one day to write their story, it would be biased with revisionism. No authorized biography would ever be this factual or truthful. If recent actions are any hint, it probably wouldn’t even mention Michael Anthony. Christe puts the reader right in the emotional thick of the action from the 1920’s in Europe to the present day reunion in 2007. Christe makes you feel like an insider with his fastidious quotes and personal insight. Don’t get me wrong, Christe dishes dirt, but does so without judgment and makes sure he has the facts straight. People often tell me I should write a book, but after reading ‘Everybody Wants Some’, I doubt if I could ever be as comprehensive and succinct as Christe who spent a colossal amount of time researching this book which is apparent right from page one. The book encompasses the Van Halen’s journey from Holland to California, to their early high school bands, jamming to thousands of people in backyards, their encounters with Gene Simmons and their rise, fall, dissolution, internal destruction and eventual resurrection(s). David Lee Roth and Sammy Hagar’s post Van Halen solo-tenure’s are also detailed as are stories of what Eddie and Alex Van Halen have been doing for the better part of a decade proving they indeed have been very active but out of the spotlight. There are details of songs left off albums and jams recorded but have never seen the light of day. From late 1998 until early 2004, Eddie and Alex were invisible to the outside world. ‘Everybody Wants Some’ puts this long pause into perspective.

When the Van Halen brothers disappeared into 5150 in 1999, they had alienated their most devoted fans and by early 2004, they had been away for so long that no one really cared anymore. The sad aspect of the Van Halen brothers disappearing act was it did diminish their legacy. There was a time where I went years without listening to any Van Halen albums, even though I loved them. They were so far removed from the spotlight and the lack or archive releases frustrated me and millions of fans. As discussed in this book, the amount of unreleased music stored in 5150 is staggering. There should have been dozens of live DVD’s, box sets, remasters and other fan oriented packages in the last decade to quench the enormous thirst fans still have for this band but alas we had to settle for three new songs on the 2004 package, ‘The Best of Both Worlds’, two songs on ‘The Best of: Volume 1’ and an album with Gary Cherone. Then the abrupt reunion with Hagar in 2004 left fans sour once again, however, Christie puts all of these events into the proper perspective and while he details their fall from grace, he makes us almost forget all of the internal drama and elevates their legacy in ways I never thought possible. Despite the constant rotation of lead singers, unreleased songs, the Cherone album and failed reunions Christe manages to make me view Van Halen as something more than a soap opera, he reminds us why we loved them in the first place and as a result they will always be a vital and imperative band no matter what the future holds for them. With his poetic prose, Christe jogs your memory and proves that Van Halen will always be legends. As soon as I finished reading ‘Everybody Wants Some’ I gave every Van Halen album another spin and viewed each one from a fresh outlook including the comical ‘Diver Down’, the pulverizing ‘Fair Warning’ and the metallic and misunderstood ‘Balance’. The band should give Christe a portion of future proceeds from record sales just for writing this book, because as a result of reading it, I am reevaluating records I had forgotten about years ago and it appears I underestimated them. ‘Everybody Wants Some’ is the essential gift every Van Halen fan should have. Do yourself a favor and buy this book before you buy a t-shirt at the reunion concert. Christe has written a book that is stylish, succinct, breathtaking and as dazzling as an Eddie Van Halen guitar solo. If you ever stared in the mirror and attempted to imitate David Lee Roth with leaps and splits from the “Jump” video, then this book is for you.

This is my chance to fly
-“Unchained”

Chapter One of the book can be read in its entirety via PDF here

Buy your copy on Amazon.com

Wiley Publications

Ian Christe's Web Page

Ian Christe on MySpace

Ian Christe Blog

Buy the Book at the Van Halen store

I Have Heard One of the Year's Best Albums

I have heard what is most likely one of the top-5 albums of the year this past week. It's soulful, storming and flat out stupendous. It's filled with sublime organ fills, pleading-passionate vocals and the instrumentation and production is delivered with pinpoint thunder.

...and it's NOT Bruce Springsteen's Magic. Find out for yourself on October 9th.

Do you want this guy to be the drummer in your rock band?

Tommy Lee continues to do himself no favors. He has been a joke in my book for a while, but after tonight, he'll never have credibiity as a musician ever again.

Britney Spears Career....

...is over as we know it. Here is a young woman (for better or worse) had the music world by the jugular just seven years ago. Heck, she even had people taking a double take four years ago when she kissed Madonna and released the guiltlicious "Toxic".

What I witnessed during the opening moments of the MTV Awards show was a sex kitten who wasn't even sure of of which direction to go in. She looked like a deer in headlights and the song was horrendous. It wasn't even good pop, it was like watching a train wreck happen right in front of you. Music, even when it's shallow, should make you smile and give you a jolt of adrenaline. If there were any smiles during Britney's performance...there were of giddy joy in seeing her fail.

All the MTV Awards are is a freak show that has NOTHING to do with music and has everything to do with showing the worse the music industry has to offer.

Led Zeppelin Announcement Expected Next Week

It appears the Zep tour IS ON. I'll still believe it when I see it, but thise is the closest it has ever appeared to becoming a reality in the last 27-years. The money is probably so big that it even has Mick and Keith blushing with envy.

Per Billboard, the announcement is supossed to happen on Wednesday September 12th.

We'll have to wait and see!

Luciano Pavarotti Dies

In December of 2000, I was fortunate enough to attend a concert of the Three Tenors at the United Center in Chicago. I have a rock n' roll heart but I can profoundly admire all art. Seeing Pavarotti along with Domingo and Carreras was a sublime experience. It's one thing to watch a virtuoso guitarist move their hands like an alien up and down the frets of a guitar and it's another witnessing one use their voice as an instrument.

The experience was surreal because while watching Pavarotti it almost felt like it wasn't real...because voices like his are not of this Earth. Sadly, as of early this morning, they are no more. However, I'll always have my memories of that evening and there are many stellar cd and dvd releases which will live on for all eternity. His bravado and beautiful voice may gone but will never be forgotten.

Rest In Peace

"Ave Maria" with Bono in 2003

Rick Rubin And Saving The Record Business - A Deeper Shade of Soul

Fellow blogger, Ben, over at A Deeper Shade of Soul has an excellent write up on the state of the music industry, specifically in regards to a NY Times article on Rick Rubin this weekend. Ben's post is among the best I have read all year and it is essential reading. Check the post out here.

The music industry is in a state of flux and it appears that EVERYONE has a decent idea about where to take it...except for the people in charge. My vote is for mass subscription based downloading, something along the lines of cable TV where you pay a flat fee monthly for a certain amount of downloads. This would be a service that all of the record companies (small and large) could use and profit from.

I'm taking the week off from antiMusic's "Biz" column, so I highly suggest checking out a Deeper Shade of Soul instead.

See the Rick Rubin NY Times article here.

Here is one of my favorite Rick Rubin produced tracks-"Don't Tear Me Up" from Mick Jagger's excellent 1993 Wandering Spirit.



TK

The Complete Idiot’s Guide to John Mellencamp, Part One

Today I feel like I fully graduated into the blogosphere. My friend Jeff, over at the Jeffito blog, was gracious enough to allow me to write up an "Idiot Guide" to the music of John (Cougar) Mellencamp. I've often had to fight for Mellencamp in arguments with my friends proving that he is more than a second rate Springsteen/Dylan wannabe. I think his catalog is widely impressive (although far from perfect). I think anyone who even remotely enjoys his music will dig the guide. Part 2 will be up on the following Tuesday. A different "Idiot Guide" is published every Tuesday.

Also, make sure to bookmark Jeffito's blog, it's essential reading for anyone who even remotely enjoys music.

Part one of the guide can be found here.

On a side note, Mellencamp has just announced a brief three-week tour in October and November and while Chicago is not on the list, there are plenty of cities within driving distance so I may check one of these shows out.

10/26 TERRE HAUTE, IN HULMAN CENTER
10/27 CHAMPAIGN, IL ASSEMBLY HALL
10/28 LOUISVILLE, KY FREEDOM HALL
10/30 GRAND RAPIDS, MI VAN ANDEL ARENA
11/1 FT. WAYNE, IN MEMORIAL COLISEUM
11/2 TOLEDO, OH SEAGATE CONVENTION CENTRE
11/3 INDIANAPOLIS, IN CONSECO FIELDHOUSE
11/6 MADISON, WI ALLIANT ENERGY CENTER
11/7 MANKATO, MN ALLTEL CENTER 9/7
11/9 DES MOINES, IA WELLS FARGO 9/7
11/10 SIOUX CITY, IA TYSON EVENTS CENTER
11/11 OMAHA, NE QWEST CENTER
11/14 ROCKFORD, IL METROCENTRE
11/15 ST. LOUIS, MO SCOTTRADE CENTER

'John' is out of the game

Earlier this summer I was scratching my head over HBO's new series John From Cincinnati. Despite my initial misgivings, I found the show incredibly intoxicating despite the numerous head scratches I had (and from every person I have spoken to...they did as well). Over the course of ten-weeks I not only watched every episode, but often found myself re-watching certain parts time and time again and in some cases, entire episodes again.

John From Cincinnati was like a great album that you hated upon your initial listen but somehow it seeped into your consciousness and became one of your favorites. The final episode, with a surreal and poignant use of Bob Dylan's "Series of Dreams" left me wanting more (Ironically "Series of Dreams" is the song that brought Dylan's inaugural Bootleg Series to a close). However, it now appears we will be left with the ten episode we have since HBO has chosen to not renew the show. It's a sad state of affairs because the show had enormous potential and I would have loved to see where the writers would have taken the Christ like religious themed shows in future seasons. Alas, it was not meant to be. I have a feeling this show will be a cult favorite years from now after it's viewed by millions on DVD. Either way, all we can do is look for the answers in the episodes we have, which ironically is exactly how life usually plays out. If Christ were to return to Earth he probably would have disappeared as mysteriously as this show. Sometimes life's mysteries show themselves to us in mysterious ways.

Article about the cancellation can be found here.

MÖTLEY CRÜE Suffers Legal Setback In Stubner Case

According to BWBK Motley Crue has faced a set back as their case against Tommy Lee's manager may be thrown out for lack of evidence. The judge has given them 20 days to supply further information.

All they need to do is look at my original posting here...or when it ran as a Biz article on antiMusic which can be found here.

It's a sad state of affairs when rock stars become bigger than life and lose sight of what made them want to be stars in the first place; music. When I see ridiculous egos like this at play it makes me wonder why I even bother listening to this music. It is almost as if it cheapens the bands music. It also makes me want to only see club acts for the rest of my life as they are still hungry and fight for their lives on a daily basis.

The full BWBK article can be found here.

Back when Motley rocked...

Rolling Stones Bring Tour To Close at London's o2 Arena

In the longest tour the Rolling Stones have ever done finally came to a close last week in London. Or did it? What was widely rumored to be the bands swan song now appears to be yet another false finale. Rumors are swirling that the band will travel to India early next year before another round of arena dates in support of the Scorsese film, Shine A Light.

I for one hope they do make it back to US shores, albeit with a more varied set list and cheaper ticket prices.

August 26, 2007 Set List
Start Me Up
You Got Me Rocking
Rough Justice
Ain't Too Proud To Beg
She Was Hot
You Can't Always Get What You Want
Can't You Hear Me Knocking
I'll Go Crazy
Tumbling Dice
--- Introductions
You Got The Silver (Keith)
I Wanna Hold You (Keith)
Miss You (to B-stage)
It's Only Rock'n Roll (B-stage)
Satisfaction (B-stage)
Honky Tonk Women (to main stage)
Sympathy For The Devil
Paint It Black
Jumping Jack Flash
Brown Sugar (encore)

Pearl Jam releasing live DVD!

The two best concerts I saw all of 2006 were when Pearl Jam came to Chicago and rigorously rocked close to 40,000 people over two nights with fifty-one unique songs. I wrote about it extensively here. The band is celebrating the tour with the release of a new live DVD; Picture In A Frame. I for one can't wait to see the band's glorious show brought to DVD where it can be immortalized for all time. Pre-order it here, it will be released on 9/25/07.

Pearl Jam announces the release of Immagine In Cornice "Picture in a Frame", a live concert film chronicling the band's performances and behind-the-scenes footage from the five Italian concerts that took place as part of the band's 2006 European tour. The cities include Bologna, Verona, Milan, Torino and Pistoia, Italy.

Immagine In Cornice was directed by renowned photographer, filmmaker and long-time friend of the band, Danny Clinch. The film was shot in a variety of formats from Super-8 to Hi Definition.

"Picture in a Frame is a film I've really wanted to make," says Clinch. "The band invited me to Italy and gave me the access I needed to show a side seldom seen by their fans. It has become a collaboration as well. The band even offered me some music that has never been heard and Mike went into the studio to create some more music for the soundscapes. This is a look at Pearl Jam that no one has seen yet. A trip through northern Italy with the band, through the document and through abstraction."

Track Listing:

Severed Hand (Milan)
World Wide Suicide (Clips from all Italy dates)
Life Wasted (Torino)
Corduroy (Verona)
State of Love and Trust (MIlan)
Porch (Verona)
Evenflow (Torino)
Better Man (Verona)
Alive (MIlan)
Blood (Verona)
Comatose (Pistoia)
Come Back (Pistoia)
Rockin' In The Free World (Pistoia).

Bonus Tracks:

A Quick One While He's Away- with My Morning Jacket (Torino)
Throw Your Arms Around Me (Pistoia)
Yellow Ledbetter (Milan)

Chicago - The Very Best of 40th Anniversary Edition...Why?

I obliged to like the band Chicago. First off, they're the biggest band to hail from my home town (they've sold more records than Cheap Trick, the Smashing Pumpkins and Kayne West combined), they made a number of soundtrack songs from my grade school/high school years and the band members formed at De Paul University, my Alma mater. Quantity does not always equal quality...but I must admit I've always found a large part of Chicago's catalog to be nostalgic and full of cherry-picked hits. Their overall catalog is wildly uneven series of albums, but their single choices are rather stupendous. Granted, their single choices are not as strong as Queen's but the Terry Kath era of the band was full of some of the best 70's radio rock out there. The 80's is semi-embarrassing however I'll fully admit what a giant guilty pleasure most of the material from this era is to me. However, over the last decade, I've gone back to the 70's golden era and re-discovered what a powerful band they were back then when the horns were full throttle in the mix and this is the sound that defined Chicago and helped them sell over 100-million records. After listening to these albums it makes you realize why long term Chicago fans despise the 80's output.

However, what the band was able to accomplish in the 70's and 80's was overshadowed by the horrendous 1990's. The band released one album of original material during this time (the truly choking "21"). Now, the band has just released a new press release with a 40th Anniversary release of the band's double-disc "Greatest Hits".

Why?
Why?
Why?

Eight of the last nine releases by the band have all been compilations of some sort (with only the Christmas album being unique). The band still kicks ass live but it's time for them to stop living off their past. Their attempts to release new material went over horribly with the release of XXX, a bland and unoriginal set of songs that no one will ever want to hear again.

In the end, it's a rather sad state of affairs that the only choices the band really has to make money is to live off their past. It would be good to see them get their act together and be viable once again...but I don't see that happening. It's sad because every time I see Chicago now, I see a once great band who is a mere shadow of what they once were.

Chicago Wikipedia Entry

Led Zeppelin set to re-form for O2 gig?

It appears the Led Zeppelin reunion rumors are continuing to heat up. They've been rumors for decades now on this but it may appear that it is really going to happen this time. They haven't been together in 27-years and if they toured, they would look at potentially the biggest payday ever! This is possibly the only band in the world who could do multiple nights in stadiums worldwide. The thought of a reunion is just mind boggling, but seeing how much money the Police are raking in has to make one wonder what a Zep reunion could do.

Here is the Telegraph article.

Here is an article looking at how much money could be made from this tour.