The Screen Door...Living Life One Song At A Time

The 50 Greatest Music Moments in Cameron Crowe Films

2012-01-23T00:05:00.001-06:00

Over the last few weeks, I have been publishing the 50 Greatest Music Moments in Cameron Crowe films here on the blog and over at antiMUSIC. I've finally finished and you can now read the entire list, all 11,600+ words of it at the following three links:

#50-#26 can be read HERE
#25-#11 can be read HERE
#10-#1 can be read HERE

I started writing this piece the day my daughter was born in 2009 and just finished it today. I never intended to take so long with it or to devote so many words to a subject that I am guessing few will have interest in reading. However, Crowe's use of music is so magical and eye-opening that I felt it was important to document. As the reader, I hope you revisit his filmography and seek out the soundtracks to the films.

Please feel free to write, comment and disagree. :-)

For those of you who have not read the previous entries, I will post my introduction below:

Introduction

One of the reasons for this admiration is because his films are drenched in music. Few directors can paint pictures and weave it with music as elegantly as Crowe. He has a way of twisting the emotional tone of a single scene with a song or emphasizing a characters heightened emotions through song. At times, words are not even needed as the music says it all just like it did in Crowe’s most famous music moments; the band sing-a-long of “Tiny Dancer” from Almost Famous, the elegant touch of “Secret Garden” in Jerry Maguire and the infamous Lloyd Dobler scene of the stereo above his head as the boom box blasts “In Your Eyes”. However, as I went back and re-watched his six films, I found some truly luminous moments that are veiled, understated and often not always instantly recognizable. In many ways, without even being aware of it, the music leads the viewer down the road less traveled. These more nuanced musical memories are the ones that truly capture the soul of his films. A characters sly eye movement, an illuminating smile and the sensation of one’s struggle is made all that more genuine because the character’s journey is punctuated by song. Cameron Crowe (along with Martin Scorsese and Wes Anderson) utilizes music not as mere background noise but to give a specific scene a greater depth. All three directors have turned certain songs and artists on their heads and I walked away from their pictures with a better admiration of the music than I ever could have imagined. They find ways to open up worlds to these songs I never could have foreseen.

In compiling the list I kept the list limited to films that Crowe directed, which eliminates some memorable scenes and songs from Fast Times at Ridgemont High. Also, since I started compiling this list nearly three years ago, I’m focusing exclusively on his directorial efforts between 1989 and 2005 with one exception from We Bought a Zoo that proved to be far too beautiful to be left off. The emotional core of Crowe’s films comes from the music. As dynamic as his writing is, his meticulous timing of the music takes the scene and the film to new levels. Some are key music moments in modern cinema and others are hidden treasures that you’ll have to go back and watch closely. Some songs make magnificent declarations and others are hushed whispers in the night. Looking over the list now that it’s final, it pains me to leave so many songs off the list; Pearl Jam’s “Breath”, Fishbone’s “Shakin’ to the Beat”, Aimee Mann’s “Wise Up” (later used definitively by Paul Thomas Anderson in Magnolia, the Allman Brothers Band’s “One Way Out”, The Beach Boys’ “Feel Flows”, Joan Osborne’s “One of Us”, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers’ “Don’t Come Around Here No More”, Freheit’s “Keeping the Dream Alive”, the Smashing Pumpkins “Drown” and then there’s “Long Ride Home” by Patty Griffin. This track wasn’t in Elizabethtown but played a prominent part in the trailer, is on the official soundtrack and encapsulates most of the themes in the film. Griffin’s tender acoustic plucking paired with some of the most emotionally gutting lyrics ever committed to paper is among my favorite songs ever and I owe my awareness of the track to Crowe. Alas, it’s not in the film and is regulated to a special mention here.

This list is by no means final or definitive and I encourage you to challenge me. If I were to do it a week from now, I’d probably change up a dozen songs. But it allowed me an occasion to write about Cameron Crowe and more significantly, possibly…just maybe…through reading this list you’ll be impelled to seek out one of these artists, re-examine one of Crowe’s films and in the case of Elizabethtown hopefully it will permit you to look upon it with new eyes. So without further adieu, here are Cameron Crowe’s Fifty Greatest Hits.

Read on...

#50-#26 can be read HERE
#25-#11 can be read HERE
#10-#1 can be read HERE

Cameron Crowe Update [Sunday 1-22-2012]

2012-01-22T16:16:00.001-06:00

I am finishing my Cameron Crowe piece today where I count down the 50 greatest musical moments in his films. Apologies for the delay, but life got in the way.

I'll be posting them here individually between now and midnight and will publish links to all 3 over at antiMUSIC early tomorrow!

Keep your eyes here.

Eight years ago today...January 16th, 2004 [David Bowie - Rosemont Theatre 1-16-2004]

2012-01-16T00:01:00.000-06:00

Eight years ago on January 16th 2004, I took my now wife to our first concert date. I met her right before Christmas and had a feeling about her. In discussions she had mentioned how she loved David Bowie and on Christmas day, my eyes were attached to my computer screen as I was bidding on a pair of tenth row tickets to David Bowie's third and final night in Chicago at the Rosemont Theatre (to the sticklers, the show was technically in the suburb of Rosemont). I won the auction for below face and proceeded to tell her II was taking her out that night but didn't tell her specifically what we would be doing.

Read all related David Bowie reviews HERE

Needless to say, in the coming weeks, she asked me about it non-stop. One of her girlfriends had the horrific notion that I would take her jousting to Medieval Times. Re-enacting scenes from The Cable Guy was not on the agenda but a date with the Thin White Duke and Ziggy Stardust was. Needless to say, she was thrilled with the choice of an evening with a music legend. There were a few things neither of us knew that night.

First and foremost, it was the first of what has been hundreds of concert experiences. I couldn't ask for a better plus-one and she doesn't just accompany me to these experiences, but she partakes, dissects and enlightens me as well with her insight. I'm glad this was our first show together as I'll cherish the memory of it forever. More importantly, I can't wait for our next adventure, alas we'll always cherish Bowie as our first shared concert experience.

Secondly, never in my wildest imagination did I think Bowie would whip out a thirty-one song set covering his entire career. It was the longest show of his tour to date and I believe only a handful of other shows came close. It still stands as one of the greatest concert moments of my life. I have rarely seen a musician so at ease and happy with himself and his music but there was sense of accomplishment and drive in the performance. He was at peace with his past but with his eye on the future.

Lastly, no one knew that within six-months Bowie would venture into a retirement where barely a whisper would be heard from him for eight years. I never imagined he would pull a disappearing act like this especially with him delivering a pair of albums in 2002 and 2003 that are among his best. In short, Bowie was at the top of his game and he was winning over new and old fans once again. I miss him. I still have his old albums and dive into them once a year discovering something novel and intrinsic within, but I miss the sense of adventure that followed Bowie everywhere he went throughout his whole career. He was and still is one-of-a-kind. He is a true artist. I still need him in my life and until the day where he decides the time is right, I'll live with the memories. He may never reappear or create new music and if that's the case, the best I can tell him is "thanks for the memories".

Read my "Unforgettable Gigs" article on David Bowie HERE over at antiMUSIC
Read the same review here on this blog.

A Marriage Between Music and Movies: Cameron Crowe’s ‘Greatest Hits’ (Part I: 50-26)

2012-01-10T01:12:00.004-06:00

A Marriage Between Music and Movies: Cameron Crowe’s ‘Greatest Hits’
Part I (50-26)
By Anthony Kuzminski
[Published in conjunction with the antiMUSIC Network]
PLEASE READ ALL THREE PIECES AT THIS LINK

I had not even reached my teen years when my Mom took me to see Cameron Crowe’s debut film as a director, Say Anything…. I sat there and was in awestruck by the absolute sincerity of the characters. Even at the youthful preteen age I was at, I knew there was something about this film that separated it from all of the other so called romantic and teen comedies of that time because these were living breathing beings who loved being in love and who dreaded a life without it. When the film was over at the Norridge Theatre just outside of Chicago, my mother suggested we buy the soundtrack at the Sound Warehouse next door. As I unwrapped the shrink wrap on the cassette on the way home, my mother went into lecture mode as I was discovering my first recordings by the Red Hot Chili Peppers and the Replacements. These are the moments teens roll their eyes at because their parents are telling them something important, we know it’s significant, yet we don’t want to hear about it. My Mom looked at me, made sure I was paying attention and told me in a soft voice, “I want you to remember this film because it just goes to show that girls do like nice guys”. I waved her off, but her words stuck with me. For an adolescent entering his teens, I thought this was a revelation. I bought what she told me hook, line and sinker. Needless to say, it was the best and the worse advice my mother ever gave me. I personally blamed both my mother and Cameron Crowe for the years of misery I experienced during my teens and early twenties. As I write this more than two decades later, I am wonder why I let John Cusack and Peter Gabriel off so easily but I should have held these two responsible as well. Despite all of this, I found shades of myself in his characters from Singles, Jerry Maguire, Almost Famous, Vanilla Sky and Elizabethtown and this is probably why I never tried to be anyone other than myself. When I was lonely his films gave me comfort. When I was enraged, his films brought me consolation and when I was ecstatic, his films helped intensify that joy ten fold. Cameron Crowe’s films are excerpts from my soul. No other filmmaker has had their art make a more profound impact on my life other than Crowe (with Martin Scorsese being a close second). When I look at the musical artists who have paved the path for me (Bruce Springsteen, U2, Peter Gabriel) I am not even sure if any of them can match what Crowe and his films did for me. He’s the single greatest influence in my life whom I’ve never met.

One of the reasons for this admiration is because his films are drenched in music. Few directors can paint pictures and weave it with music as elegantly as Crowe. He has a way of twisting the emotional tone of a single scene with a song or emphasizing a characters heightened emotions through song. At times, words are not even needed as the music says it all just like it did in Crowe’s most famous music moments; the band sing-a-long of “Tiny Dancer” from Almost Famous, the elegant touch of “Secret Garden” in Jerry Maguire and the infamous Lloyd Dobbler scene of the stereo above his head as the boom box blasts “In Your Eyes”. However, as I went back and re-watched his six films, I found some truly luminous moments that are veiled, understated and often not always instantly recognizable. In many ways, without even being aware of it, the music leads the viewer down the road less traveled. These more nuanced musical memories are the ones that truly capture the soul of his films. A characters sly eye movement, an illuminating smile and the sensation of one’s struggle is made all that more genuine because the character’s journey is punctuated by song. Cameron Crowe (along with Martin Scorsese and Wes Anderson) utilizes music not as mere background noise but to give a specific scene a greater depth. All three directors have turned certain songs and artists on their heads and I walked away from their pictures with a better admiration of the music than I ever could have imagined. They find ways to open up worlds to these songs I never could have foreseen.

A few years back Cameron Crowe compiled a list of his favorite movie-music moments for Empire magazine (from the UK). Being the humble person he is, Crowe wouldn’t dare put one of his own scenes on the list even though he has some truly defining musical moments. I decided to resolve this. I figured I’d whip together a quick list of the top-ten moments from Cameron Crowe’s films. Off the top of my head, I scribbled down over thirty. That was too many, so I vowed to go back and re-watch his films and the list swelled to over one-hundred songs. I was shocked at how visceral, authentic and crucial each and every one of these songs was to their respective films. Re-watching his films made me realize the brilliant nature of his quieter moments. As a result, I began to compile these understated moments and the list swelled to fifty songs of which the first twenty-five (50-26) are below.

In compiling the list I kept the list limited to films that Crowe directed, which eliminates some memorable scenes and songs from Fast Times at Ridgemont High. Also, since I started compiling this list nearly three years ago, I’m focusing exclusively on his directorial efforts between 1989 and 2005 with one exception from We Bought a Zoo that proved to be far too beautiful to be left off. The emotional core of Crowe’s films comes from the music. As dynamic as his writing is, his meticulous timing of the music takes the scene and the film to new levels. Some are key music moments in modern cinema and others are hidden treasures that you’ll have to go back and watch closely. Some songs make magnificent declarations and others are hushed whispers in the night. Looking over the list now that it’s final, it pains me to leave so many songs off the list; Pearl Jam’s “Breath”, Fishbone’s “Shakin’ to the Beat”, Aimee Mann’s “Wise Up” (later used definitively by Paul Thomas Anderson in Magnolia, the Allman Brothers Band’s “One Way Out”, The Beach Boys’ “Feel Flows”, Joan Osborne’s “One of Us”, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers’ “Don’t Come Around Here No More”, Freheit’s “Keeping the Dream Alive”, the Smashing Pumpkins “Drown” and then there’s “Long Ride Home” by Patty Griffin. This track wasn’t in Elizabethtown but played a prominent part in the trailer, is on the official soundtrack and encapsulates most of the themes in the film. Griffin’s tender acoustic plucking paired with some of the most emotionally gutting lyrics ever committed to paper is among my favorite songs ever and I owe my awareness of the track to Crowe. Alas, it’s not in the film and is regulated to a special mention here.

This list is by no means final or definitive and I encourage you to challenge me. If I were to do it a week from now, I’d probably change up a dozen songs. But it allowed me an occasion to write about Cameron Crowe and more significantly, possibly…just maybe…through reading this list you’ll be impelled to seek out one of these artists, re-examine one of Crowe’s films and in the case of Elizabethtown hopefully it will permit you to look upon it with new eyes. So without further adieu, here are numbers fifty to twenty-six of Cameron Crowe’s Greatest Hits.

50. “Freebird” – Ruckus/My Morning Jacket (Elizabethtown)
At the memorial service in Elizabethtown, the fictional band Ruckus (consisting of members from My Morning Jacket) perform “Freebird” as a tribute to a family member who has passed on with a flaming flying bird and all. What ensues is pure chaos, but once again, the scene is delicately crafted with the music accentuating the looks on each of the characters faces and the pseudo rain at the end even foreshadows a cleansing of the soul. I may be looking too closely but Crowe took such an iconic song and managed to shine a new light on it, a near impossible feat.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bL8oQzuX0No

49. “Stairway to Heaven” –Led Zeppelin (Untitled)
OK, so I am cheating a bit with this one. This scene didn’t make the final cut of the film and is only available on the “Bootleg Cut” of the film-Untitled, sort of. Led Zeppelin had never licensed their music for anything before Almost Famous and after Crowe screen the film for Robert Plant and Jimmy Page, they gave him four songs for the film, but not “Stairway”. I’m not sure if it’s because it cost too much or of the scene was too long for theatrical release, regardless, Crowe cues up the deleted scene so you can play “Stairway” in the background. It’s a shame it wasn’t able to fit into the film because it’s a pivotal moment for the lead character of William Miller. I this scene he has to convince his mother to let him go on the road with Stillwater for Rolling Stone Magazine. He has back up in friends and teachers but it is Miller who plays “Stairway” trying to demonstrate to his mother that rock n’ roll can be intellectual. This is one of the greatest deleted scenes in the history of cinema. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_ZbiURqoKg&feature=fvwrel

48. “Fever Dog”-Stillwater (Almost Famous)
You and 20,000 other people are in one place at one time and all of a sudden the lights dim into what appears eternal blackness before a beat elicits roars unlike anything you have ever heard before. This is the greatest drug in the world; the opening moments of a concert. Crowe manages to give you goose bumps in Almost Famous even though the band, Stillwater, is fictional and their song, “Fever Dog”, isn’t instantly recognizable. The song is cut from the cloth of 70’s guitar riffs and the scene capturing the crowd, the band and the backstage sequences is exactly what a concert should feel like. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vD9D6CoYh1I

47. “Directions” – Josh Rouse (Vanilla Sky)
Cameron Crowe has an indelible quality to capture love at first sight. Whether or not you believe in the phenomenon or not isn’t the point. He captures characters at their most open, free and invigorating. In Vanilla Sky he captures giddy lust as Tom Cruise chases Penelope Cruz around his house during a birthday party. Josh Rouse’s “Directions” has a groove that you want to listen to over and over again. The driving rhythm accompanies the sped up heartbeats of these two characters and the camera work through stairwells is nothing short of magnificent.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJKz5-SonSk

46. “Every Picture Tells A Story”- Rod Stewart (Almost Famous)
Racing in the streets to the hotel where Stillwater is staying, William Miller and Penny Lane run through traffic, holding hands, basking in the glow of their drunken love for music with Rod Stewart serenading the scene at his finest. The excitement of connection, music and love in the air can be felt as these two lost souls run towards rock n’ roll hoping to find their redemption.

45. “You Can’t Hurry Love” – The Concretes (Elizabethtown)
Crowe’s films are filled with peek-a-boo looks of love. The same way one may eye someone from across the room, the eyes seem to penetrate the soul. Orlando’s Bloom character from Elizabethtown locks eyes with Jessica Biel in a scene that’s hypnotizing. The Concretes, a Swedish indie pop band, churn out an unrelenting beat fit for a party atmosphere but its lyric is all too true as these two future lovers eyes connect.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cTdwQG3pGKQ&feature=related

44. The Monkees – “Porpoise Song” (Vanilla Sky)
A delusional sex scene with scored by music by the Monkees? If anyone could make this work, it’s Cameron Crowe. I didn’t even know the Monkees got this trippy and when I saw their name on the CD package I thought it was a mistake. The average filmmaker wouldn’t dream of putting anything like this on a soundtrack for fear of being uncool. Not only did Crowe include it, but he made it work in a deranged and downright chilling scene. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mdd5xI9l7Ns

43. “State of Love and Trust” – Pearl Jam (Singles)
Never have white people made dancing look so good. Performed early in Singles it captures two girlfriends out dancing and having fun only to discover a betrayal so profound it defines her character throughout the entire film. It may not be obvious, but this guitar scorcher from Pearl Jam is more than back ground noise but a pondering allegory. Plus the scene gave us the quote; “We will always go dancing!” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jbiWKIATxIc

42. “Waiting for the Man” – David Bowie (Almost Famous)
As Stillwater enters a hotel in Cleveland, fans are abounding with excitement. This David Bowie cover of a Velvet Underground song provides the perfect soundtrack. You see the band dance half naked with guitars, chase girls and are utterly free. Not any version of this song would have worked, but Bowie’s live version from the bootleg record Live in Santa Monica ‘72(which Crowe got permission to use just for this film) fits the scene perfectly. It can be argued that Mick Ronson’s guitar, Trevor Bolder’s bass and Mick Woodmansey’s drums better define the pure unadulterated sound of rock n’roll than any of the other fifty songs included on this soundtrack.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_3Msuriy1w

41. “All For Love” – Nancy Wilson (Say Anything…)
This underrated pop-rock gem wasn’t written by Wilson but is has all the charms and weight of her best Heart songs. The song can be heard a few times early on in the film and over the credits, but there’s a scene with Lloyd Dobbler (John Cusack) driving Diane Court (Ione Skye) in the morning and it warms me. The sun is gleaming down on his car, he’s falling for the girl in the passenger seat and she’s endeared by his charms. I’ll say this many times throughout this piece, no one encapsulates the sensation of first love better than Cameron Crowe. Wilson stretches herself in “All for Love” with her voice reaching the upper registers making you believe everything is feasible and there are days where we all require it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXG6l7tVeow

40. “America” – Simon and Garfunkel (Almost Famous)
Zooey Deschanel plays Crowe’s sister in Almost Famous and she’s the one who triggered his love of music. As she leaves home, she chooses to play “America” by Simon and Garfunkel. Right before she leaves, she puts her hands on her not yet teen brother and tells him “One day you’ll be cool”. The hopes and dreams we all experience and as begin our journey of life are serene and dreamlike. There is an uncertainty, hope and a dream that feels as if it’s in reach and as she drives off, we believe in her even though we know the odds are stacked against her.

39. “I Fall Apart” – Julie Giani (Vanilla Sky)
Crowe occasionally writes a song for his films. He co-wrote many of the Stillwater numbers for Almost Famous with his wife Nancy Wilson. This one was written for Vanilla Sky and it’s a doozy. Anguished la-la-la’s leads us to a tormented chorus full of sexual ache, calamity and a craving to not just be with someone under any circumstances. Julie (Cameron Diaz) plays this for Cruise’s playboy character in her right before the film takes an extraordinarily dark turn. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MYB1BZYWdGE

38. “Jesus Was a Cross Maker” – The Hollies (Elizabethtown)
The opening of Elizabethtown is like a funeral march where Drew Baylor (Orlando Bloom) is summoned to the corporate headquarters to learn he created something that will cost to company nearly 1-billion in losses. The look of dread can’t be hidden and everyone looks upon him in a silent manner. It sets the tone for death, gloom and last looks. The core of every Cameron Crowe film is about breaking the chains we carry with us. Elizabethtown is a vastly undervalued film with philosophical sentiments brewing at the surface. This song flawlessly sets that journey in motion.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ySVmfGq3gYY

37. “Would?” / “It Ain’t Like That” – Alice in Chains (Singles)
I wish I had more songs from Singles on this list, but Singles is a film where arguably the music is the star. The songs are like tattoos on each and every character. It’s in the coffee in the coffee shop, it’s the graffiti on the walls of buildings, and it’s in every raindrop and is most prevalent inside the clubs where the characters see live music. This makes individual scenes harder to standout (they all standout)The force of Soundgarden’s “Birth Ritual” sticks in my head more with Campbell Scott professing his love in a phone booth to an answering machine, but I had to go with the Alice in Chains performance early in the film. “It Ain’t Like That” features Layne Staley grinding the concert stage like an unleashed creature. “Would?” is more recognizable as the soundtrack’s lead song and ultimately when I watch it now; I feel an overwhelming sense of loss invade me. Staley was one of the era’s great front men and even though I am thrilled Alice in Chains has continued making truly career defining music, I can’t help but feel Layne had more stories to share. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ckTQ-ftOK_s&feature=related

36. “Sweetness Follows” –R.E.M. (Vanilla Sky)
Vanilla Sky is the Crowe’s darkest film led not so much by Tom Cruise but by the surreal and nightmarish soundtrack that accompanied the film’s images. “Sweetness Follows” is the centerpiece of Vanilla Sky where the film splits off. You feel Cruise’s pain, his longing and his vulnerability. Tom Cruise is a great actor hidden behind a movie star and Crowe gets the most out of him. Stipe’s lyrics give the scene broad dimensions digging deep into the psyche of David Aames (Cruise). I almost put “Radio Song” by R.E.M. here (from Singles) but “Sweetness Follows” is more evocative. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FPZmJ7oAOfc

35. “All the Right Friends” –R.E.M. (Vanilla Sky)
Crowe got R.E.M. to record this song for Vanilla Sky and they went back to the past for one of the first songs they ever wrote and finally did a proper recording. As Tom Cruise and Jason Lee cruise New York traffic recklessly this song penetrates the sense in the background. What appears to be merely a fast rocker to accommodate the scene but the biting lyrics (“I’ve been walking alone now for a long, long time”) parallel the dilemma Cruise is in. As a wealthy bachelor one has to wonder who your true friends are.

34. “Small Time Blues” – Pete Droge (Almost Famous)
In the “Riot House” scene from Almost Famous, William Miller peaks into a hotel room where two figures sit singing along to this song. It’s brief and sudden and you will most likely not remember it, but it speaks volumes. Two people coming together and intertwining their souls through song with an outsider witnessing their connection, their creation and their life. Its faint moments like this that makes Crowe’s films revelations. Such a small and simple scene is really a commentary on his film as a whole. On the commentary track Crowe mentioned how he imagined these two characters being Gram Parsons and Emmylou Harris. The track is a Droge original and is available in two versions including the acoustic one from Almost Famous.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=51m_UOtKldY

33.-32. “Vanilla Sky” – Paul McCartney / “Where Do I Begin” -Chemical Brothers (Vanilla Sky)
As David Aames (Cruise) wakes up early in Vanilla Sky, you can hear Paul McCartney whistle the title track and it reappears right at the end. The flash-cut to the credits and the song works magically and it’s one of McCartney’s most melancholy tunes. Crowe gave Macca a chance to be subversive and it worked. Upon the song’s conclusion, “Where Do I Begin” begins. I almost didn’t include it here as it’s solely in the ending credits, however, film should be about a journey and the film and accompanying soundtrack album aren’t fully complete until I’ve heard the guitar sample on repeat taking me down another trippy hallway into yet another lucid dream.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KxifRL47r58
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iD1khBf26ZI

31. “Tiny Dancer” – Elton John (Almost Famous)
The integral front man-guitarist chemistry of Stillwater comes to a head when the singer feels the guitarist is overshadowing him. Russell Hammond goes to a fans house and parties the night away before the tour bus rescues him the next morning. When he appears back in the bus, the resentment looms over everything. Nary is a word spoken and he looks are deathly. As the bus takes off, the band one by one and the hangers-on begin to sing before the chorus washes their troubles away. They find solace in the music and it saves the day and in some ways, does something the spoken words can not match. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Qn3tel9FWU

30. "Singalong Junk" –Paul McCartney (Jerry Maguire)
This may be one of the most sensuous tracks Paul McCartney has ever written. The stripped instrumental puts its focus on the piano, drums and an acoustic guitar creating a song that wrangles inside your stomach forcefully and to think it elicits such a strong reaction without any lyrics is a coup. Cameron Crowe used this to beautifully in Jerry Maguire during a moment of affection between Tom Cruise and Renee Zellweger. Without ever uttering a word, the lullaby pulls at heart strings. It's moments like these on McCartney that are underrated and amongst McCartney's finest.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jw2PJFyRyqg

29. “Tangerine” – Led Zeppelin (Almost Famous)
Journalist William Miller sits at on his bed, pulls out his tape recorded and places it in front of Russell Hammond. Miller asks “What do you love about music?” Hammond turns his chair around and says “To begin with…everything”. Once again Crowe frames a song breathing new life into it. The montage of scenes that ends Almost Famous is set to “Tangerine” and it’s not something anyone could picture, except for Cameron Crowe. Life on the road has never been more beautiful or pure. The bus rides into the sunset and the screen fades to black as Jimmy Page’s acoustic guitar fades out. Rock n’ roll doesn’t get any better or more picturesque than this.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QbCEbM52guo

28. “My Father’s Gun” –Elton John (Elizabethtown)
Elton John’s pensive eight-minute long epic is the centerpiece of Elizabethtown where the lead character played by Orlando Bloom comes to grips with the loss of his father. Featured in an extended trailer and at a three different pivotal moments in Elizabethtown where tragedy is met with community, Crowe weaves the song like a communal gospel hymn making you forget any preconceived notions you may have about Elton John.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R_p0lbEuKzk

27. - 26. “Solsbury Hill” – Peter Gabriel / “4th Time Around” – Bob Dylan (Vanilla Sky)
“Solsbury Hill” once again evokes that elated sensation of the moment you realize you are falling in love with someone. Instead of sex, Tom Cruise and Penelope Cruz connect over a conversation that lasts until the morning light in Vanilla Sky. Crowe wisely lets the song unfold as their conversation continues. A lesser filmmaker would have had them between the sheets immediately, but he draws the foreplay of language out through Peter Gabriel’s second most iconic song. During another one-on-one session that is more sensual than sexual later in the film, Crowe digs deep to a Blonde on Blonde Dylan cut, “4th Time Around”. However, Crowe opted to use the version found on The Bootleg Series Vol. 4: Bob Dylan Live 1966, The "Royal Albert Hall" Concert the infamous “Judas” show where he finished it with an electric guitar in tow. However, the early portion of the show found minimal arrangements and Dylan’s voice; guitar and harmonica strip these two characters and the screen they share to their emotional bare bone.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dO34_AGIxX8

Check back later this week for the Cameron Crowe’s Greatest Hits 25-1.

Anthony Kuzminski is a Chicago based writer and Special Features Editor for the antiMusic Network. His daily writings can be read at The Screen Door. He can be contacted at thescreendoor AT gmail DOT com and can be followed on Twitter

David Bowie: 65 Years Young Today (1/8/2012)

2012-01-08T09:56:00.001-06:00

In the annals of music there are few artists as influential as David Bowie. His presence is felt far and wide covering virtually every genre of music over the last thirty years. He's was a 70's rocker, a MTV face and an independent and cutting edge artist throughout most of the 1990's. Sadly, my awakening of just how deep his catalog is came after his unannounced retirement.

I've done my best in recent years to write about him whenever I can. In all honesty, there are few acts I enjoy writing about more than Bowie and for his 65th birthday today, I want to share some with you.

You can read all related Bowie posts HERE. These include lists and full on reviews.

A few highlights:

The great 2010 reissue of Station To Station
My book review of a Bowie in Berlin, a superb look at his late 70's renaissance.
My album review of A Reality Tour, another top-tier document of his last concert tour featuring one of the best bands of his egendary career.
My review of his 40th anniversary deluxe edition of Space Oddity
Last but not least, a review (albeit a personal one) of his final show in Chicago to date. He finished a three night stand here with a performance that may rank among the greatest I've ever seen by anyone...anywhere. It was one of those nights where I went from an admirer to a devotee. Read the full review HERE.

Here's to 65 more...

Album Review: 'Drive' (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)

2012-01-04T23:34:00.000-06:00

‘Drive’ (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
***1/2 Stars
Soundtrack Album Review
Review by Anthony Kuzminski
Buy the soundtrack

There is no greater sensation than watching a film and being sucked into its vortex. It’s rare air where your mind ascends to a higher mental consciousness. As I watched Drive I was pulled into its world like no other film in 2011. Nothing distracted me and I was altogether engrossed in the characters onscreen. Drive is a neo-noir mystery romance with Ryan Gosling in the starring role as a stunt car driver who moonlights as a getaway driver for criminals. His steely cool demeanor grips you. We see him go through his life without ever winking an eye, until he lets his heart go to his neighbor. This choice leads to a series of cataclysmic events that leave you both shocked and awed. Characters like “The Driver” (who is nameless and is played to absolute perfection by Gosling) are rarely seen on screen anymore. Gosling’s performance is the type that makes careers. You simply can’t teach someone to act this cool, threatening and vulnerable in the course of two-hours but he does it with ease. Studios would normally demand more action, more over-the-top dialogue and a story that would be sacrificed in favor of special effects. Drive took the alternate self-sufficient route where it was created on a shoe string budget but it has as many thrills as any action film I’ve seen in the last several years. Drive has never left my consciousness since seeing it; it didn’t just mesmerize me, but haunted me as well.

Much has been made of Gosling’s performance in Drive but equal credit must be given to director Nicolas Winding Refn and screenwriter Hossein Amini for not just creating the character and the story, but the style with which it was delivered. The opening title sequence is in hot pink font tipping its hat to a decade often ridiculed for its over-the-top nature. However, as Drive unfolds, you see specifically what they were attempting to accomplish. There is an 80’s inspired synth-pop soundtrack that should sound dated but isn’t. Drive is simultaneously a nightmare and a dream evoking the feeling of undying love while throwing the sick and violent nature off the real world in your face. One of the tools the filmmakers employed to intensify the films tone was its soundtrack. Released by Lakeshore Records due to the buzz surrounding the film, it’s more than a mere collection of songs but a fundamental character to the film and one of 2011’s twenty best albums.

Composer Cliff Martinez created soundscapes that echo the underlying and bristling emotions within the film. Chosen for his work on the indie break-thru sex, lies, and videotape from more than two decades back, Martinez once again delivers a score full of restraint that’s icy as it is alienating. We’ve come to associate scores that are ostentatious, exacerbated and manipulating but Martinez has crafted a series of mood pieces that tie-in directly with the story and its characters. If you don’t pay attention close enough, you may not even notice his musical touches which is truly the highest compliment I can give. Instead of a walloping crescendo of strings, Martinez compliments a hypnotizing universe in constant motion with subtlety.

The score is complimented by five songs. The opening title sequence features “Nightcall” by Kavinsky, an electronic musician from France. The marriage of music and film on these opening titles is esoteric. We’re not sure where we are being taken or what roads will be traveled, but the early distorted vocals add an element of darkness before Lovefoxxx acts in contrast to the monstrous machine-like vocals at the beginning. It foreshadows what is to come. Chosen by the editor of , Matt Newman, it sets the perfect tone for what is to come. “Under Your Spell” by Desire, a synth-pop group from Montreal calls to mind wistful fantasy. The music moves beyond words thus taking you into a dreamlike state. Watching the song onscreen induces a feeling of déjà vu. It feels wholly familiar but isn’t. It could have been from an 80’s film but instead it appears here for the first time in nearly three decades later. It houses an air of innocence and within the confines of Drive, its genre busting. The film’s climax is “A Real Hero” by College which repeats itself throughout the film, notably at key transitional moments for Gosling’s character. David Grellier is the driving force behind College and he roped in Electric Youth for “A Real Hero”. The song is gentle yet distinctively 80’s. Greillier is someone who was influenced by 1980’s pop culture and created a song that is wholly original and yet has an affectionate and distinctive feel to it. From the second it penetrates your ears, it sounds like the greatest song you’ve never heard that could have been a long lost club cut or even a song you heard in a previous life. It’s perfect in every way imaginable.

What differentiates filmmaking from novels is the ability to perfectly pinpoint emotions for which there are no words. We sometimes watch cinema like a painting where the picture tells us everything we need to know. The songs within Drive are not ones I would have initially paid attention to outside of the context of the film but within it they come across as soulful hymns as they root out thee character’s agony and elation. It transports and enlightens the listener concurrently which honest-to-goodness is a near impossible feat in cinema let alone within the realm of pop music. Drive exists in a universe where facial expressions, camera movements and its soundtrack embroider its emotions. It’s a triumph of filmmaking where so much goes unspoken and yet the audience walks away fully engaged, fully aware and full alive. You may not know it but Drive is more than 2011’s best film, it is also the most transfixing and arousing soundtrack of 2011 as well.

Anthony Kuzminski is a Chicago based writer and Special Features Editor for the antiMusic Network. His daily writings can be read at The Screen Door. He can be contacted at thescreendoor AT gmail DOT com and can be followed on Twitter

Bruce Springsteen's 'Nebraska' - Recorded 30 Years Ago Today

2012-01-03T20:02:00.029-06:00

With nothing other than a few guitars, a harmonica and a four-track recorder. He simply wanted to demo some songs he would later record with the E Street Band. When it came time to record the song, something wasn't clicking and with the advice of his manager Jon Landau and partner-in-crime Steve Van Zandt advised him that maybe the 4-track demo couldn't be improved upon.

When it was released later that fall as Nebraska it was a success with little promotion. When Born in the USA was released less than two years Nebraska was largely forgotten. However in the ensuring decades this stark and bare album about murderers, losers and lost souls has taken a place in the Springsteen pantheon where it stands alone and is often regarded as his best record.

It has now been thirty years since that fateful day. For me Born To Run and Nebraska are the two Springsteen records I never tire listening to. One is so full of hope and the other so full of bitter reality. Throughout Springsteen’s entire catalog, hope and despair go hand in hand, but on Nebraska the dreams of these characters have failed. What they are left with are callous realities that are pure nightmares.

I wrote about the record extensively a few years back. Read my entire full album review and reflection HERE

The Album of the Year: Patrick Stump- 'Soul Punk'

2011-12-17T13:11:00.001-06:00

Patrick Stump -‘Soul Punk’
Album Review **** (4-Stars)
2011’s Album of the Year
By Anthony Kuzminski

Inside Chicago’s Metro nightclub a dramatic detour on the pop landscape by Patrick Vaughn Stump is taking place. Instead of the baseball cap wearing front man, we’re confronted with a slick and sleek sight not familiar to many. With a six-piece band firing on all cylinders behind him, his turquoise pants and black shirt reflect sheens of sweat that shimmer under the stage lights. The look and feel of Patrick Stump may be altered but when he opens his mouth, a proverbial voice full of sanguinity and hunger hit that aural sweet spot. Weeks earlier my heart was warmed as Soul Punk, Stump’s solo debut, revealed a series of sweet and dark songs meant to be savored. Records these days that fully encompass an experience and have an emotional pull are rare. Over the last decade Stump honed his chops in Fall Out Boy pushing his craft and expanding his talent with each release which is fully on display for his debut solo album. For most artists a solo project is a breather from the group machine but for Patrick Stump Soul Punk is an extension of his very soul. The record is bittersweet for me as I believe Fall Out Boy’s last record, 2008’s Folie à Deux, to be their very best but one listen to Soul Punk and it becomes apparent Stump needed to articulate himself outside of the dimensions of the band. Besides writing and producing the entire album, he performed every single instrument on it. If that isn’t enough for you, he footed the bill for the entire project signifying how much he believes in these songs. This isn’t an ego trip but a reflection of an artist in the truest sense of the word. Stump is a virtuoso who wanted to do more than simply step outside of familiar terrain but was hell bent on reinventing himself in the process.

No one doubted that Stump would construct sonic landscapes that are pleasing (he was the principal composer of the music in Fall Out Boy) however his lyrics distil years of experience as he concurrently tapped into his inner child and stepped onto the battlefield of adulthood. Stump borrows liberally from the pop stars he grew up loving and admiring (Prince and Michael Jackson) while channeling the spirit of his contemporaries as well (Kanye West) and the end result is every bit ambitious as it is wistful. “Explode”, a buoyant socio-political-personal anthem, which tells a tale of melancholy and peril opens Soul Punk. Keyboards, guitars, synthesizers and drums collectively howl in agony while the lyrics are wired with feeling. Inside the auditory fireworks are some of the years most enlightening and affecting lyrics. While the hypnotic and tight arrangements may overshadow the stories within, don’t be fooled, Stump is bringing pop music not just to life, but infuses it with integrity. He’s not here to merely sing to the beat but to guide the listener through the unsettling combat zone of consciousness. The lyrical anxiety within “Dance Miserable” is in direct contrast to its vibrant music. Hidden within are invoking thoughts; “When did the punks stop being mad? / They penned love songs while we got had”. This is an anthem or the disenfranchised where he calls out others for being too complacent with their lifestyles and not providing a voice to those who couldn’t be heard. Artistry should be all about exposing the troubles of the world, shining a big bright light on it and while there’s nothing wrong with love songs, Stump’s point hits home as we’ve just come out of a decade as perilous as the 1960’s and the music world hid in fear of alienating their corporate sponsors.

“The “I” in Lie” places infidelity at the forefront in a tale where he leads the dance beats behind closed doors where temptation and broken promises infest relationships often resulting in solitude. His insight into the torment of life and the isolation that comes with it isn’t something anyone should take lightly despite his alluring the listener with liquid sunshine. “Greed” is a well-timed account merging ills within a pop framework with seething lyrics pointing a finger at a culture hell bent on egocentric behavior and oppressing everything in its way (“You know, very rarely is good art born in the board room”). “Allie” is dark, twisted, tender and a sexy ode to the past where former insecurities come to light amidst teenage anticipation. Ultimately it’s an intuitive soul weeping ballad. Listen closely and you may feel a grandiose homage to early 90’s R&B which would be awkward for merely anyone else but Stump makes it come to life. Instead of pining for a lost love, he meticulously details the drama of fateful relationships in “Everybody Wants Somebody”. Stump takes the template for a love song and fuels it with determined optimism while framing it with full force pop hooks.

The most ambitious song on Soul Punk is "Run Dry (X Heart X Fingers)"; a account of an addict who breaks promises persistently as they wind their way through daily dread. There is a dramatic moment of lucidity where the narrator says “I beg the ceiling for forgiveness” as the spin machine cycle of their mind will not yield. It’s more than a guarded confessional but features a radically brightened second half (entitled “Cryptozoology") which allows the song to take flight. An extended workout jam, which was nothing short of fierce on the Metro concert stage, is often reserved for concerts. In the here-today-gone-tomorrow landscape of pop music, an outside producer would have excised this exhilarating interlude deeming it a forbidden fruit best not tastes. Fortunately Stump was both the producer and financier so he gluttony relished the taste and as a result, we’re better off with one of the year’s most explosive musical arrangements.

Despite winding tales of quiet menace and despair, the album’s finest tracks ignite your inner spirit. “Coast (It’s Gonna Get Better”) culminates the ten song journey on an affirmative note with a repeating chorus that invades your mind. "Spotlight (New Regrets)” is a hymn of empowerment. An equally wonderful alternate take entitled “Spotlight (Oh Nostalgia)” appears on the Truant Wave EP. Both cuts are wholly unique with a contagious arrangement and a goliath-like chorus ready made for stadium sing-a-longs. Like most great pop art, “Spotlight (New Regrets)” embodies a sense of community where its larger-than-life melodies infect you with optimism. Stump is attempting to pry open the hearts and minds of his listeners. He wants them to be more tolerant, more concerned and above all else more loving as he echoes in the lines of “Compassion is something that they just don’t teach”. The album’s lead single “This City” is a harrowing love letter to home. John Mellencamp once sung about small towns and now Stump undertakes the charms and challenges of big cities carefully dissecting the highs, lows and yet it’s a true love that one can’t be without. “The City” was a turning point for Stump when he composed it earlier this year. His album was for the most part complete, but “This City” took Stump and the album into an entirely different direction. In telling this to his manager, he decided to redo the whole record. Some of the initial recordings can be heard on his excellent Truant Wave EP available on iTunes. The decision to re-record and follow your muse is a road rarely traveled these days, but by doing so Stump pushed his craft to new heights where he fuses his influences and experiences into a record that is the very embodiment of his soul. It’s sentimental while offering glimpses of frayed innocence. It’s one of the truly great songs of 2011 in any genre. The single cut features fellow Chicagoan Lupe Fiasco, which is available on the deluxe edition of Soul Punk which I highly recommend over the standard edition not just for the remix of “This City” but also for the utterly captivating “Bad Side of 25” which takes its place in the pantheon of incredible songs relegated to bonus cuts and b-sides.

Soul Punk is a triumph in pop production where Stump’s forthrightness turns an agnostic into an advocate; he expands the pop spectrum in a way few of his contemporaries would even dare. Most acts are trapped by what’s hip and new whereas Stump dove deep into the pool of pop’s past, but added edgy lyrics placing a spotlight on not just his own demons but the world at large. He makes you believe pop music can attain a higher plateau where he imparts intelligence and offers sage counsel (“It only gets better when it hurts”) into the mix. He instills a desire to preserve self worth. His Chicago upbringing has provided him with a view of society that is both warm and fuzzy but also absurd and authentic. While I had assurance in Stump’s abilities, I never imagined he would create a record that isn’t just endearing but continually enduring. With each listen new lessons are learned and innovative sounds come to light which permeate you with a gigantic sense making you grateful to be alive. If you’re walking through life in a daze with emotions buried deep down, Soul Punk is the perfect prescription to throw you back into the ring. Each and every one of the songs on Soul Punk takes a flight of operatic grandeur. Without thinking twice, Stump put his emotions on the line through a voice that is assured, comfortable and takes us on a voyage. The emotional canvas Patrick Stump draws from on Soul Punk is as wide and varying as anything in the last quarter century of pop music. Soul Punk is distinctive amongst a landscape riddled with copycats and insincerity. Like a one-night stand, most pop music fills a hole in our lives and when the moment has come and gone, we’re just as empty as we were before. Great music isn’t about simply turning your life into a kaleidoscope of colors that aren’t real but hopefully tells you tales in order for you to learn from them. Call me a fool but out lives should be centered on improving ourselves, enriching others and opening each other to novel experiences. Soul Punk beautifully encapsulates all of these.

No record released in 2011 better exemplifies the world we live in than Soul Punk. Despite numerous warning shots to the soul, its melodic throb infects the listener. From self-empowerment to infidelity to despondency to addiction to hope Soul Punk is bursting with life lessons. Great art isn’t something that can be taught. In order to craft something as downright riveting as Soul Punk one must give themselves over to their art. Patrick Stump has crafted ten exquisite songs which illustrate an artist who has and continued to experience ache and uncertainty, yet his unrelenting belief in himself ignites not just his soul but his music as well. There is an acute awareness of reality here and it lifts the album to another plane where pop music rarely resides. As I watched Stump in a knockout performance in front of his hometown crowd, I didn’t so much see a rock star as someone who embodies my hopes and fears as well. Patrick Stump’s Soul Punk isn’t just a daring and revelatory detour but the bravest and most remarkable album released in 2011.

Anthony Kuzminski is a Chicago based writer and Special Features Editor for the antiMusic Network. His daily writings can be read at The Screen Door. He can be contacted at thescreendoor AT gmail DOT com and can be followed on Twitter

antiMusic.com: Tony K's Album of the Year Pick: Patrick Stump - Soul Punk

2011-12-15T08:25:00.001-06:00

antiMusic.com: Tony K's Album of the Year Pick: Patrick Stump - Soul Punk

Concert Review: Judas Priest 11/12/2011 Hammond, IN

2011-12-04T20:03:00.000-06:00

Judas Priest / Black Label Society
Concert Review
November 12, 2011
The Venue – Hammond, IN
By Anthony Kuzminski

Inside The Venue, a state of the art concert complex attached to the Horseshoe Casino in Hammond, Indiana (just outside of Chicago) Black Label Society and Judas Priest performed one of their longest and most intimate shows of their current tour. Sure, they’ve played clubs and theaters but The Venue has an immense stage allowing for an arena-like set-up (with immense screens on both sides of the stage) giving this performance a unique perspective. The two combined acts delivered nearly three and a half hours of deafening heavy metal riffs to a sold-out crowd of approximately 3,000 people. Black Label Society took to the stage a little after 7pm and for the next 65-minutes tore through ten songs with vocalist/ guitarist Zakk Wylde shredding and singing. “Crazy Horse”, “Suicide Messiah” and a killer finale of “Stillborn” resounded with the crowd. Black Label as a whole rocked and rolled with each band member flexing their respective muscles with great power setting the stage for headliner Judas Priest.

The Epitaph tour is a first for Priest. They’re performing one song off of each of their Rob Halford studio albums. While not the first band to do this, it was a refreshing and amazingly well paced show that stretched well past the two hour mark. First things first, K.K. Downing is missed. There is something missing on stage looking at five musicians and not seeing his blonde hair and searing guitar solos. However, he decided to sit this one out and in his place is a wholly impressive 31 year-old named Richie Faulkner. He held his own as he and Tipton had chemistry and he engaged the crowd. So while nostalgia rules most of our memories, Faulkner eased the blow. He can never fully replace Downing but he did a stupendous job on stage and with the songs.

The double whammy of “Rapid Fire” and “Metal Gods” from the seminal British Steel record was a forceful way to start the show. Over the next 140-minutes I was continually amazed at how much of the Priest catalog I had buried within my body. It’s hard to believe how many truly influential records the band recorded between 1973 and 1990. “Heading Out to the Highway” continued the effortless assault. When the chorus came, all Halford had to do was hold his microphone out to the crowd and they knew every word. “Judas Rising” from their superb Angel of Retribution album in 2004 continued the evening of history. One thing you have to give Judas Priest from their debut record Rocka Rolla to Nostradamus in 2008, they’ve rarely wavered from their mission. Sure, there were some radio hits that were a bit more polished than others but the band brought the same steely determination to every record and era of the band.

Listening to “Starbreaker” it hits me between-the-eyes as to why I never warmed to the more extreme metal of the 1990’s and onward. I think one of the reasons comes from my introduction of metal by Metallica, Black Sabbath, Judas Priest and Iron Maiden. The template these acts set forth may have been modified but rarely bettered. It’s akin to watching Buddy Guy perform one night and following it with the latest platinum rock outfit, it can’t compare because almost nothing could measure up to. The chiming union guitars on “Victim of Changes” were welcomed with an eager surge towards the stage. The general admission crowd may not have been as active as they once were, but the call-and-response to certain songs couldn’t be denied. It was obvious this tour was something designed specifically with the fans in mind. It should be noted that many of the songs Priest performed exceeded the seven minute mark. Considering three of the key members are in their 60’s it was hard to not be awed with their constant stage charisma and release of the songs. The two guitarists had a familial rapport, almost like a father and son as they traded off menacing licks notably as they grinded their twelve strings for a brutal foundation that drove “Never Satisfied”. One of the other reasons I find Priest and their brand of metal so endearing is the way they pull from their influences which extend far beyond the world of metal. They had “Diamonds & Rust” from Joan Baez and “The Green Manalishi (With the Two Pronged Crown)” which was originally done by Peter Green’s Fleetwood Mac in the set. For “Diamonds and Rust” the song was performed under sepia yellow and red lights with the crowd singing along as their fists defiantly swung to the air. I couldn’t help but feel that Joan Baez never imagined in a million years that this song would have this type of a reaction in an atmosphere like this. But once again, props must be given to Judas Priest for never playing by the rules and pushing boundaries. This is why they were and continue to be revolutionary.

“Prophecy” from their controversial Nostradamus record rocked, plain and simple. It was a record their fan base had an incredibly complicated time listening to with many detractors but this particular performance felt inspired with drummer Scott Travis always taking the band in a forward motion and an ominous vocal by Halford. “Night Crawler” was a sentimental choice for me as Painkiller was the first actual Priest album I had bought whereas previously I had been listening to them mostly through mix tapes and live compilations. New guitarist Richie Faulkner was once again fantastic during this song thrusting his fists to the air as he inched his way closer and closer to the fans. He may not be K.K. Downing but he fit the shoes well and above all else proved to be the liaison between the band and the fans. “Turbo Lover” is one of the few songs in the Judas Priest cannon that stirs up debate as the synthesizer drives most of the song but onstage this time around, there was no synth beat and it was nothing but an unrelenting and fierce performance driven home by the two headed guitar monster of Drover and Faulkner whose twelve strings took the track to heights even the most staunch metal head could not have imagined.

One of their earliest songs “Beyond the Realms of Death” featured operatic guitars while “The Sentinel” featured Drover and Faulkner traded off licks trying to top one another as Ian Hill’s bass shook the rafters. The band’s stage up was devised for crowds larger than The Venue. A benefit is we see great acts in more intimate places but the sound verged on overwhelming as it shattered my ears in the days that followed. “Blood Red Skies” was astonishing in all of its 8-minutes. I never paid much attention to Ram It Down but this is clearly a gem I had previously overlooked. Hard core metal fans often take issue with some of the theatrics the band may bring to the stage but the lasers, flames and pyrotechnics help invigorate some of these lesser known numbers for the crowd. It may appear to be eye candy but in truth it’s a way of keeping the crowd engaged song-to-song as they pull from their extensive catalog.

The last thirty-minutes of the show was fueled by the unforgettable hits people have come to know inside and out. For “Breaking the Law” Halford didn’t utter a single lyric as the crowd vociferously sung every word at the top of their lungs. “Painkiller” featured the driving interlock of drummer Scott Travis and bassist Ian Hill as Rob Halford shrieked in his most indomitable performance of the evening. The melody is obscured under the incensed and sniveling guitars with the rhythm section kicking into overdrive as they pulverized the crowd with the double kick-drum and spiraling bass as the sold-out crowd waved their fists in severe approval. “The Hellion/Electric Eye” from 1982’s Screaming for Vengeance opened the encore expanding the dialogue between the band and their audience. From here on out the band masterfully took the already explosive evening to another level. “Hell Bent for Leather”, “You've Got Another Thing Comin'” and the finale of “Living After Midnight” found Judas Priest reaching the apogee of their horns-to-the-air supremacy. When the band ended their 140-minute set it was more than a triumphant hit medley but an all encompassing career knock-out. Capturing at least one song from every album forced the band outside of their normal dynamics and pushed themselves in the process.

Many felt the Epitaph tour would have been the band’s final stand. While it may be their final extensive world tour that stretches for months on end, all signs point to the band continuing to write, record and above all else tour. Many felt the British Steel tour from a few years back (where they played the seminal album in its entirety) was their pinnacle. If K.K. Downing had been on board for Epitaph this would have been their crowning moment. It’s bittersweet to not have him in the band but the youthful exuberance of Richie Faulkner has helped the band forge ahead and considering the length (in terms of songs and time) this tour was a refreshing to longtime fans as it showed Judas Priest still has plenty of vigor within them. From Halford’s anguished scream to the dark brutalism of Hill’s bass and Travis’ drums to the windstorm of Tipton and Faulkner’s conjoined guitars the evening took their most fervent of admirers down dark and strange corners of their history but ultimately in the end, the pacing and emotional intensity gradually build to a roaring pyrotechnic climax where metal fans of all ages rock until dawn.

Anthony Kuzminski is a Chicago based writer and Special Features Editor for the antiMusic Network. His daily writings can be read at The Screen Door. He can be contacted at thescreendoor AT gmail DOT com and can be followed on Twitter

SETLIST
Rapid Fire
Metal Gods
Heading Out to the Highway
Judas Rising
Starbreaker
Victim of Changes
Never Satisfied
Diamonds & Rust
(Joan Baez cover)
Dawn Of Creation
Prophecy
Night Crawler
Turbo Lover
Beyond the Realms of Death
The Sentinel
Blood Red Skies
The Green Manalishi (With the Two Pronged Crown)
(Fleetwood Mac cover)
Breaking the Law
Painkiller
The Hellion
Electric Eye
Encore:
Hell Bent for Leather
You've Got Another Thing Comin'
Encore 2:
Living After Midnight

Concert Review: Ani DiFranco 9/21/2011 Vic Theatre, Chicago, IL

2011-12-02T01:39:00.001-06:00

Ani DiFranco
Vic Theatre- Chicago, IL
September 21, 2011
Concert Review By Anthony Kuzminski
Originally published over at antiMUSIC
[Photo Credit]

There’s a general lie within the music industry that permeates through most people’s minds; your greatest music is made when you are youthful and have nothing to lose. While there’s a lining of truth to this statement as you make music in an innocent fashion, if an artist is truly great, they grow, evolve and take their audience along for the ride. Just recently I watched Ani DiFranco in a performance that was indisputable and invigorating. DiFranco is one of the most captivating and revealing artists of the last twenty years. She made her mark creating naked soul bearing records year-after-year outside of the record system at a time when no one else was doing it through her own Righteous Babe Records. Even more amazing was her success that followed. Marketers studied what she did, marveled at how she built an audience and most didn’t follow her lead because it took too long. After a decade of being on the road constantly, she lured an audience that wouldn’t just buy her records but would follow her to the ends of the Earth. In the last few years, music has taken a back seat in her life to motherhood. However, despite her diversion from music, she took to the stage at the Vic Theatre and over ninety-five blistering moments reminded everyone as to why she’s one of her generations defining voices.

Opening at 8:20 sharp with “Anticipate” the seated crowd leapt to their feet where they stayed for the entire set. Alone on stage in khaki pants, a white tank top t-shirt and her long hair provided a rejoinder to the Britney Spears of the world. You don’t feel unsettled by DiFranco but endeared to her. Her stage was bare except for two amps and a microphone. DiFranco chose to take this trek alone and her ardent string plucking provided more fireworks than most arena rock shows. Her delivery, poise and beat poet voice riveted the crowd as she tore through classics and a series of songs from her still unreleased upcoming record in early 2012. The songs matched up against her bitter protests of love and social angst and showcase maturity. She talked about her mother and how at seventy-eight the two are reconciling old wounds. She also gave some advice, with a smile slyly escaping, about how to never disparage your mother in songs or on the internet how it would come back to haunt you. She then enlightened the crowd with an industrious performance of “Angry Anymore” (from Up Up Up Up Up Up).We look for artists to lead the way and while we’re trying to find our path, the dissention and anger is good. But as one ages, reconciliation is an equally important part of the healing and growing process.

She talked about her legacy as a “very angry girl” but as she did compile Canon in 2007, she listened to all her music and thought to herself “there’s that anger”. Yet she did this all with a smile and a sense of complacency. Not the type of satisfaction that would allow her to give up her craft but someone who is happy with her mission and who she has become. Her assurance was almost disarming because musicians are supposed to be tortured but some of the greatest find ways to break on through to the other side without having their demons swallow them whole. She was fired up for “Manhole” but right before a revelatory performance of “Promiscuity”, one of her new songs, she spoke to the crowd and said “Thank you for being my therapists”. This one quote sums up everyone’s existence as an artist. And yet, it was DiFranco who has soothed souls through her songs. Despite apologizing to the crowd for the lack of new records as of late (“I’m on Mommy time now”) when she stepped up to the microphone to sing “Promiscuity” you couldn’t help but feel this was one of her most accomplished songs. There’s nothing better than growing with the acts you love and seeing them evolve in ways you had hoped but were never quite sure would happen. The song is about taking your life lessons and learning from them. Few artists know how to express themselves when they find pure joy in their life and instead of scolding her fan base as she experiences domestic bliss, she gives them a template as they find their way. Whether we are teens, in our twenties or even our forties, we’re all trying to figure out the mysteries of life and what “Promiscuity” does is allow us to make mistakes as long as we learn from them. Another new song “Unworry” had the potential to be a perfect pop song that should be picked up by a reality TV star and watered down, but inside the Vic Theatre it was a philosophical and raw expression of how love can occupy more than misfortune and be something of magnificence. We need reminders of this to find our way in the world without becoming a world-weary skeptic.

Despite her talk about family, she channels her past stridently in her pleading vocals evidence by “Napoleon”, done in the 2007 arrangement when she re-recorded to song for “Canon”. Watching her on stage you realize there is no barrier between her and the audience. There’s no PR person standing behind her telling her she looks better with sunglasses, bleached hair or trying to hold her back from telling us too much. This is Ani DiFranco, the artist whom the 1,300 in the Vic also considered a close personal friend. “You Had Time” was sung in a melancholy manner with the crowd whispering along to every lyric in a song about the fleeting moments of life. “Little Plastic Castle” was done at the request of a fan and to he surprise, she barely had to sing it as the crowd sat there and sung every word to her at the top of their voices. “Swandive” featured a hypnotic weaving of chords. These challenging times define our existence yet at the same time, her words remind us the greatest rewards come from swimming in shark infested waters. “Lag Time” found DiFranco’s most zealous playing of the night on her acoustic as she let loose like a thrash shredder. Her guitar playing was spot on the entire evening with syncopated strumming on “As Is” and her best Angus Young plucking on “Both Hands”. “Marrow” featured a story about her anger at the state of the nation. Listening to her stories were invigorating because many don’t grasp is that the ferocity inside of her is alive and well, but she has more to lose than ever as a mother. Disillusionment is easy, but to stay true to yourself and making your audience believe your every word is greater triumph than she ever could have imagined. A tale about being scared of living life, yet the greatest joys in life come about from taking chances. The stories and most importantly, the emotions continue to pour out of her two decades onward from her start.

At the end of the show, she performed a pair a covers defining her role in the world of music. “Which Side Are You On” was a Pete Seeger cover and in the tradition of great folk singers and she is continuing the tradition speaking the truth and never shying away from discussing unpopular topics in her music. “Angel of Montgomery” was a prayer sung with the greatest concentration conceivable. Her heart-on-her-sleeve lyrics paired up perfectly with these two covers and tie back to the great American songwriting traditions she still embodies to this day. It doesn’t matter is she is a wife or mother because her passion was evident throughout the entire show with DiFranco not merely performing but sharing a piece of herself with those in attendance.

Ani DiFranco is a performer, a songwriter and an artist…but she’s also now a mother so when she sings of disillusionment in the world, it’s not for being a disaffected youth but because she wants to leave the world in better shape for her daughter. One of the new songs she performed, “Mariachi” had this endearing line; “let’s squeeze the lime” reminding us that we can worry about the future but also improve it but loving our lives and who we are. Inside of each of us we all have this empty void within us, no matter how loving our families may be, ultimately we yearn to bond with others. This is often why losing your first love is so detrimental to you because that void was filled momentarily. It’s also not just not about finding anyone but someone specifically who opens worlds for you. DiFranco has found it in her current producer and together they’re discovering new worlds with a daughter. They key to life, on display throughout DiFranco’s ethereal and contemplative lyrics, is to not fall into self-satisfaction but to make every day a voyage. If the crowd reaction at the Vic in Chicago was any signal then all 1,300 are continuing their voyage in the hopes of new discoveries and new loves we can share with our therapist and mother figure, Ani DiFranco.

Anthony Kuzminski is a Chicago based writer and Special Features Editor for the antiMusic Network. His daily writings can be read at The Screen Door. He can be contacted at thescreendoor AT gmail DOT com and can be followed on Twitter

Guns N Roses: The Best Concert of 2011 (November 15, 2011 - Allstate Arena - Rosemont, IL)

2011-11-29T23:54:00.001-06:00

Guns N Roses: The Best Concert of 2011
Allstate Arena – Rosemont, IL
November 15, 2011
By Anthony Kuzminski

It was after 2am Wednesday morning in the suburbs of Chicago when a sky on confetti, flames and pyrotechnics brought “Paradise City” to a conclusion. The eight members of Guns N’ Roses disappeared momentarily before they reappeared to take their bows. Watching the eight insanely talented current members stand shoulder-to-shoulder I immediately had a revelation hit me; this current incarnation of Guns N’ Roses performed the very best concert I’ve seen in 2011. I’ve seen nearly eighty acts perform this calendar year and none played out of their skins the way Guns N’ Roses did. Thinking back over the last two years I can only think of a handful of other acts who even came close (Michael Franti, James, U2, Butch Walker and John Mellencamp). From the torrid guitars to the surging tempos to the embittered confessions of Axl Rose’s vocals, every note wrung out from their instruments rang with a sense of irrefutable authenticity.

At 11:10pm, the intro music to the Showtime series Dexter came on inside the Allstate Arena. The lights dimmed and shadows made their way to the stage and the occasional instrument could be seen. As a slow burning build began, guitarist DJ Ashba stood on top of a raised platform tearing through the opening riff of “Chinese Democracy”. Followed by a titanic pyrotechnic eruption, the crowd roared as one man made his way to the front of the stage; Axl Rose. Some singers go on stage and perform, but right from the opening notes of “Chinese Democracy” Rose wailed like a man possessed. Five years ago I witnessed one of the greatest concerts of the decade when Rose gave a performance for the ages. He didn’t have an album to promote and he was battling an ear infection and strep throat. None of this was evident to my eyes as he had something to prove and his appetite of determination exceeded everything else. It was that evening when I became a believer of what he is trying to accomplish. The original band, which I adore and respect beyond words, become secondary to me from that moment on. Five years later he has returned to Chicago with a record under his belt and a slightly modified but deeply dynamic group of musicians backing him and the crazed enthusiasm was the same. In 2006 it was about the sheer determination of Axl Rose, whereas this time it was about the band flexing their muscular strength showing everyone they’re more than a hyped cover band…but a honest to goodness band that utterly owned these songs.

For “Welcome to the Jungle”, eighteen guitar strings attacked the crowd as Tommy Stinson’s bass was expressive and powerful. “It’s So Easy” featured Stinson harmonizing with Rose on verse and chorus in a sneering manner. Throughout the evening, there was an unspoken dialogue between Stinson and Rose as the two men led the other six into battle. Tommy Stinson funneled the groove of “Rocket Queen” where Rose slithered across the stage. “You Could Be Mine” began with intentional distorted chaos before the band converges into overdrive amidst flames and pyrotechnics. “Nightrain” found guitarist DJ Ashba making his way half way through the arena on the chairs on the side of the stage, all the while without missing a note. Rose, the band’s three guitarists and Stinson freely roamed the main stage sprinting past one another in an almost dizzying manner. The drums, piano and instrumentalist Chris Pittman were on an elevated platform towards the back of the stage which Rose and Ashba often climbed for certain songs. The stage was vast and surrounded by seven screens providing animation, clips and up-close shots of the band as they dashed across the stage.

The songs from Chinese Democracy were wisely sprinkled throughout the set allowing them to unfurl on the crowd. “Sorry” featured a joint solo by DJ Ashba and Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal. You hear the pain on record, but you feel the throbbing heartbeat bounce off your chest in concert. “This I Love” found Rose removing his sunglasses and delivering an especially heartrending vocal. There may be some who feel I’m going easy on Rose but I can assure you, I’m not. I’ll be the first to tell you if I felt he was faking his way through all of this, he’s not. As the song rang to its finish, Rose stood motionless on top of an amp at the front and center of the stage even after the lights had dimmed. This isn’t about show boating but most likely recomposing himself after the psychological cleanse he just experienced. “Madagascar” and “Shackler's Revenge” were especially notable for the guitar work of Bumblefoot (utilizing a double neck electric guitar) Richard Fortus who showed off his six-pack as his wavy shirt flew open. Both musicians elevated the songs and these performances stand apart from their studio counterparts with great stage potency. These tactile assaults were delivered from an indestructible foundation the seven band members forged. The pining, scorn and bewilderment that embodies Chinese Democracy were more tangible in concert.

Drummer Frank Ferrer was also a sight to behold on the raised stage he shared with Dizzy Reed and instrumentalist Chris Pittman. When I saw the band in 2006, they shocked and awed with their forceful willpower. Ferrer had just joined the band a few months earlier in 2006 and his drumming while spot-on didn’t go outside of the lines. He had yet to put his own stamp on the songs. Flash forward five years and he crushed his drum kit with a meticulous swing which he brought to the whole show. He knew precisely when to reign in his bare knuckle drumming and also when to unleash the monster within. His drumming in the band Love Spit Love (which featured Psychedelic Furs singer Richard Butler and current GN’R guitarist Richard Fortus) was tender and yearning especially on the cut “Am I Wrong”. He has presence and precision generates an outpouring of emotions as his beat slowly tickles the inner psyche perfectly complimenting the vocal. Back in 2006, Bumblefoot was new to the band and for his guitar solo, he performed “Don’t Cry” in its entirety without any vocals. This time around he delivered a winking solo of the “Pink Panther Theme” followed by the entire band nailing “Don’t Cry”, which made a most welcomed return. Rose’s grief-stricken vocal reverberated throughout the arena.

Taking a page from Springsteen, Rose clearly knows what he’s up against. Slowly but surely he’s upping his game with every tour and made sure the backing musicians are more than great players but musicians who do more than replicate mere notes but who are open to an active collaboration. These eight members perform each of the songs with brazen confidence that spilled over into their performances. There are those who will never welcome this incarnation of the band. I wish it wasn’t the case as this band deserves to be seen, heard and above all else admired for doing the impossible; making these classic songs their own. “Sweet Child O’ Mine” was a showcase for the triple guitar assault of DJ Ashba, Bumblefoot and Richard Fortus. Ashba performed the luminescent opening riff, Bumblefoot replicated the solo with beauty and Fortus channeled Ron Wood on unbelievable and mean rhythm guitar. All three guitarists amazed as they traded off solos, rhythm guitar and arena rock flashiness.

Much has been written about the extended solos and jams the band execute and they’ve often been chastised for being overlong. To my eyes, they gave each member a chance to flex their powers in front of the crowd. None of these showcases felt superfluous and often featured exhilarating covers. Bassist Tommy Stinson and the band embodied their punk pasts through a bracing cover of the Who’s “My Generation”. Dizzy Reed’s piano solo defied logic. He shred the keys like a guitar God, but instead of aimless jamming, he delivered “Baba O’Riley” in a thunderous rendition where until the very last section, was completely absent of anything other than his hands upon the keys of the big baby grand piano. Without question, it was the most enthusiastically received of the solo spots. What initially felt like an aimless jam wound up being “Another Brick In The Wall Pt. 2” and when it ended Axl Rose was behind the piano facing the crowd at the front of the stage where he found his bearings, performed a snippet of Elton John’s “Someone Saved My Life Tonight” before leading into a astounding “November Rain”. For the epic sway of the finale, all three guitarists and Stinson surrounded the piano and the band rode this one home victoriously. Forget the video or the images in your mind, watching this band transport this song in concert is the physical equivalent of being hit by lightning. They’re so in tune with one another and this nearly ten-minute epic and its pyrotechnic rain shower exploded off the stage.

Two AC/DC covers, “Riff Raff” and “Whole Lotta Rosie” were vitalizing and brought out the inner child of Rose and he danced and looked happy beyond words to be on the concert stage. On “Patience” Fortus and Bumblefoot tenderly played their acoustic guitars while Ashba’s electric guitar was aimed squarely at the heart giving a wholly distinctive feel to the song that differs from how I’ve heard it before. Much credit must be given to Ashba as he helped the band achieve a sense of majesty through his towering stage presence and fiery guitar work. Next to Rose, he spent the most time wandering the stage, climbing rails and even venturing into the crowd. His presence was undeniable; you could not take your eyes off of him. More importantly, he became the heir apparent to these guitar riffs and solos. He didn’t merely play them, he embodied them.

What differentiates Guns N’ Roses from many of their contemporaries is the emotional wallop their songs present. The masterful pairing of “Estranged” (from Use Your Illusion II) and “Better” (from Chinese Democracy) featured not just tip-top performances but unrelenting emotions pour out on the stage. There’s a difference between Axl Rose and just about every other performer. I don’t personally believe that Rose is a “performer”. Sure, he puts his shoes, pants, shirt, necklace, hat and sunglasses but it’s not a stage uniform or something to make him look hip or cool. He is simply Axl Rose. The disparity between say Gene Simmons and Axl is that Simmons is playing a character whereas Rose is out there doing wrestling with something most acts can’t capture even with bait. Rose knows there’s a place within that he goes when the lights go out. Whether he goes there or he needs to purge it, I can’t say but when you hear his pining wail on “Estranged” you don’t just believe it-you feel it. On “Better” the band reached new heights and went into a rarefied kill zone that most acts hope to find once a show and for other acts, they’re fortunate to find it once a tour. It’s a moment where something from within pours out and is so irrefutable, that those in the audience who are paying attention stand up, take notice and their entire thought process changes. It’s here where you realize this isn’t an ego trip or even a group of insanely talented musicians all on one stage. It’s a band whose combined expressive efforts show us a part of ourselves we didn’t know existed until we heard these songs. It awakes a part inside we forgot about and hid. Many say that when things are normal they feel most alive. I’d dare to say when we are at our darkest moments is when we feel most alive. We’re not guaranteed happiness when we unfurl ourselves from our mother’s womb. We’re faced with two hard realities at those first moments; pain and death. No one is immune to it and despite what anyone says, no amount of money or fame can soothe it. More than any other artist in this planet, Axl Rose lets us inside his world. The acts that do this dwindle by the day. Too many are making grand gestures about the world they feel will be good publicity for them whereas music is at its best when it speaks directly to you. One of the reasons Appetite for Destruction and Use Your Illusion were so celebrated was because of their inherent realism. The same can be said of Chinese Democracy which few were open minded enough to allow it unfold. You may have a specific image of Guns N’ Roses in your head you can’t let go of, but if you allow yourself to put that picture away for three hours, you will witness more than a evening of nostalgia but a exorcism of one man’s demons and a group of musicians that will defy the odds and take you places you never knew existed. The nearly three hour show was chock full of hits, covers, extended jams and a plethora of biting material from the controversial Chinese Democracy. Guns N’ Roses isn’t a group of musicians merely trying to recapture past glories, they’re making their own history.

Anthony Kuzminski is a Chicago based writer and Special Features Editor for the antiMusic Network. His daily writings can be read at The Screen Door. He can be contacted at thescreendoor AT gmail DOT com and can be followed on Twitter

The Best Concert of 2011 is...

2011-11-23T00:02:00.000-06:00

...go HERE over at antiMUSIC to find out. You may be surprised.

Butch Walker & Will Hoge Birthday Celebration (+ Double Door Concert Reviews)

2011-11-14T22:58:00.000-06:00

I have no idea how I never new this before, but Will Hoge and Butch Walker celebrate the same birthday. If I had to pick a pair of artists I had to watch live on a concert stage for the rest of my life, I'd pick these two. Both leave a pint of blood on the stage every night. They're the two most consistent live performers alive for my money.

And I didn't realize they both shared a birthday until today. I've seen both acts in recent weeks at the Double Door. Both performances reminded me why I love music so much.

Read about Hoge's performance HERE and Butch Walker's performance HERE.

Concert Review: Ace Frehley- Chicago, IL 11/9/11 House of Blues

2011-11-14T22:35:00.000-06:00

Ace Frehley
Concert Review- November 9, 2011
House of Blues – Chicago, IL
By Anthony Kuzminski

Ace Frehley is experiencing a well deserved resurgence. After leaving KISS in 2002, he vanished. He wasn’t abducted by aliens and didn’t take any magical pills that made him invisible; he simply turned inward, took care of himself and came out on the other side. Much of his life is chronicled in his excellent new memoir No Regrets where Frehley sets the story straight about his time in and out of KISS. Back in 2008 when he ventured to the road for his first solo tour in almost fifteen years, everyone held their breath but what occurred on the stage was an eye-opening experience. Here he was onstage rebooted and ready to rock. His no-nonsense band and Frehley’s catalog of music flourished. The truth is KISS fans are experiencing the best of both worlds. KISS is out on the road, still providing the flash and pizzazz they’re known for, whereas Frehley is performing in more intimate venues tearing through a rather exciting set of songs, many of which KISS has not or will not be performing again any time soon. It’s for this reason alone I find Frehley’s solo shows a must see every time they roll through town. His recent visit to the House of Blues in Chicago did not disappoint with Frehley delivering a KISS heavy set full of hits and deep album cuts.

Opening the show was a rugged and read hard rock band with a tip of the hat to 80’s rock, The Biters, but who clearly understand the passage of rock n’ roll history. They embody an area between Joan Jett, Tom Keifer and Liam Gallagher. This was their last show with Frehley, but trust me when I say you need to check them out if for no other reason than their driving cover of “I Need To Know” by Tom Petty which they introduced as “We’re going to play a cover and if you’re a Nickelback fan, you won’t know it”. Tongue-in-cheek for sure, but they’re sweat filled set was wholly memorable and I hope this is the first stepping stone to something bigger and better.

Ace Frehley, supported by three top-tier musicians took to the stage for a 100-minutes set with the intro music of “Fractured” before the Alive II track “Rocket Ride” took off. Astoundingly the song was never performed on any of the KISS reunions and this was one of plentiful highlights for KISS fans. Followed immediately by “Parasite” from Hotter Than Hell, Frehley and the band took the evening into overdrive and never looked back. The band is exceptionally well rehearsed but they’re not a well oiled machine lacking soul. They’re collective gusto leaps off the stage; drummer Scott Coogan is a marvel behind the kit and even took the lead vocals on several songs. Guitarist Todd Youth flexed his cocky six-string snarl with zest and bassist Anthony Esposito held the four piece together with his bracing rhythm and beats. All four band members took their turns at the microphone and despite what one may feel, it never ventured into cover band territory. Frehley was dressed in a leather jacket, sunglasses and complimented throughout the whole set by a series of Les Paul guitars.

Free from the shackles of space boots and layers of make-up, Frehley and his band tore through their 100-minute set like a well rehearsed garage band. This was refreshing. “Sister” from his excellent 2009 album, Anomaly was sadly the sole track from the record but proved this was an evening about more than mere wistfulness. Music fans live in the past, grow restless when acts perform new songs, but “Sister” captured the thrill of his best songs. Call me crazy, but I felt this was Frehley’s best guitar solo of the evening. “Rock Soldiers” threw the crowd into a frenzy with their fists flying in the air. The band's sonic grandiosity was showcased superbly on “Snowblind” with a “I Want You” coda. “What’s On Your Mind” was performed for the first time in Chicago from his 1978 solo record. Like George Harrison before him, Frehley was undervalued and underappreciated in the confines of KISS. He was released from the shackles placed upon him and he soared with the solo release in 1978. To his credit, his solo work has always been consistent with his best post-KISS releases being Trouble Walkin’ and Anomaly. He seemed more at ease and it showed in his playing.

The evening was split between stone cold KISS classics such as “Love Gun”, “New York Groove” (with an enthused sing-a-long), “Shock Me” (with smoking guitar), “Deuce” and “Shout It Out Loud” which featured all four band members trading off on vocals. The other half of the show was gripping in ways KISS shows aren’t. This isn’t a criticism of their shows but when performing to 10,000 people, acts shy away from unfamiliar material but Frehley knows these are hidden aces up his sleeve. The classic KISS catalog is stronger than most give it credit for, including KISS themselves. “Love Her All I Can” from Dressed to Kill is a song most have forgotten. Coogan and bassist took lead vocal duties while Frehley sat back and wailed away on his guitar like it was 1975. The psychedelic acoustic ditty “2000 Man” from the Rolling Stones Their Satanic Majesties Request is an absolute reinterpretation and perfectly suited for Frehley’s persona. The live version surpasses the studio cut ten fold with Coogan’s drums burning with power. Before introducing “She” Frehley told the crowd, “This is the correct way to play it”. A primary example of where arena rock bombast was absent and real blood, sweat and strings ruled. The sweating sexual intensity could be smelt inside the House of Blues with a solo that was greeted with open arms. The song was so influential that they key and tempo was modeled by Pearl Jam guitarist Mike McCready of Pearl Jam on “Alive”. “Hard Times” from Dynasty was a huge shock while “Strange Ways” was menacing like Godzilla on a rampage. Todd Youth belted out “Flaming Youth” is an energizing performance.

The four musicians onstage were ferocious and fearless. Minimal over thinking occurred and they let their guts lead the way. This show transcended mere nostalgia but owes more to serving justice to the legacy. I’m sure Frehley has his detractors, but he’s does the best with what he has and in my estimation, this is a triumph. He delivered song after song with minimal flair and let the music do the talking. There may be technically better singers, guitarists and performers, but few can cast a net as wide as Ace Frehley. Between the last few live shows I’ve seen, his recent memoir and Anomaly, Ace Frehley is more vital than he ever has been. Despite only having a handful of solo records, he has never had a shortage of songs in his arsenal. This current tour is a showcase for his playing, which may not compare to the likes of Keith Richards or Jimi Hendrix, but it’s hard to argue that between 1976 and 1986 that almost anyone who picked up a guitar did so in some shape or form because of Ace Frehley. Inside of the House of Blues, I watched Frehley speak his own unique language through his six-string and it was the most impressive playing I’ve seen him display, even surpassing the 1996 KISS reunion tour. He may no longer be performing with KISS but that doesn’t mean he isn’t playing with a loaded and more potent deck than anyone could have imagined.

Anthony Kuzminski is a Chicago based writer and Special Features Editor for the antiMusic Network. His daily writings can be read at The Screen Door. He can be contacted at thescreendoor AT gmail DOT com and can be followed on Twitter

Guns N' Roses- 'Chinese Democracy' Album Review & Reflection

2011-11-02T00:03:00.000-05:00

Guns N’ Roses- ‘Chinese Democracy’
Album Review and Reflection
By Anthony Kuzminski
Published in conjunction with antiMUSIC.

Read my 2006 live review, Appetite of Determination HERE
Read my review of Appetitle of Destruction HERE
Read my review of the Use Your Illusion albums HERE

Three years ago Chinese Democracy was unleashed upon the world and sadly the rock press had little to say about it. This amazed me because we live and die for artists willing to burn themselves at the stakes and yet no one bothered to really see what was being expressed inside of the record. A distressing reality is that as most acts are unwilling to let us behind their own private curtain in fear of alienating the audience or daring to be uncommercial. If Adele has taught us anything in the past year, it’s all about being genuine and not hiding behind melodies, hooks and razzle-dazzle videos. The world seeks artists whom they can see eye-to-eye with. When Axl Rose and his new incarnation of Gun N’ Roses unleashed Chinese Democracy in November of 2008, instead of having people dissect and relish it everyone appeared to throw up a collective sigh. Instead of focusing on the music most of the press focused on who wasn’t playing guitar, how long it took and the behind the scenes drama in bringing the album to store shelves. In their ever reaching goals to stake claim to dwindling readership most forgot to hone in on what matters above all else; the music. As Rose and his new musicians trekked through the battlefields of heartache and despondency they came ready armed with a guitar army and a pained voice which evoked the siege of one’s eternal chill. We chastise artists when domestic bliss interferes with record making and yet when Axl Rose releases a collection of songs where he explains the emotional holocaust of his life, few took note.

Chinese Democracyis a testament to one man’s anguish and how he tries to wade his way through this existence. These fourteen songs are a series of brave and stark revelations that define his reality. Whether he’s pulling this from within or not you can’t say but I’ll go on the line and say I personally believe these are first person narratives. His vocals are too heated and ardent for them not to be. I can’t help but feel that in a different time and place where one was able to digest, experience these songs visually or even share a sort of recurring affair with them on the radio they would have found a way to seep themselves into people’s minds and hearts and then eventually through intense sing-a-longs in concert. Plain and simple, the world judged a book by its cover and missed out on one of the most emotionally bare records of the last decade.

The album opens with a punctured riff and an anguished howl that commences a dark and tormenting journey. The title cut, “Chinese Democracy” was inspired by the Martin Scorsese film Kundun. Rose caught it on television and seeing this world religious lead be alienated and exiled from his home is something Rose can relate to. In previous interviews he has delved into the deep psychological drama that scarred him during his formative years in Indiana. He left for Los Angeles because he had nowhere else to roam. Since then, he’s lived a nomadic life out of the public eye never revealing too much of himself, except in his music. The theme of being held back but always trying to break on through begins here as he tackles political social and severely delicate issues. “Shackler’s Revenge” is an upsetting tale of dealing with demons of the past and trying to reconcile the loss of love (“I don’t believe you”). The wailing chorus is severe and there is a clear-cut accusation here with no holding back. People use words to express their care but all too often it’s spoken by people where honesty is not one of their virtues. “Street of Dreams” feels like a sequel of sorts to “November Rain” and “Estranged”, albeit shorter. An overriding question is whether you find your way back as Rose looks inside the mirror attempting to make sense of what went wrong (“What I thought was beautiful/ Don’t live inside you anymore”) with someone he once felt was so pure and perfect. Originally titled “The Blues”, its arrangement is a variation of the trails his idols Queen and Elton John previously traveled. To be this extreme and spew forth as much indignation Rose does, you have to apprehend that he feels this way because he experienced overpowering love. When Rose puts his heart into something it’s all-in. His life appears to be a series of life altering experiences where he attempts to shield away the demons of the past. However, when the music ends he’s not left with beauty but anguish which he can file away into a closet of pain. It’s almost as if he’s trying to will those who wronged him to see the error of their ways in the hopes the love they shared will return. You sense he knows this is hopeless, but once you’ve experienced a deep love, you always hold out hope it will return one day.

“If the World” is a revolution of the inner soul fighting with the world at large. Witnessing turmoil and agony the world over on his tours, Rose presents one of his most inspired tracks with a worldly acoustic guitar leading the way. “Scraped” is a scorching rocker of insolence (“Don’t you try and stop us now”) while “Sorry” houses moments of morose glum and a serene chorus where Rose almost monotonously sings holding his emotions at bay for the sake of the song. The lyrics are a conquest of his internal will. The dual acoustic opening guitars on “I.R.S.” fill the harmony as it is sprinkled by an electric slap when plugged in. These tie back to the title track, “I feel like I’m living inside this song”, a man without a place to call home on a journey without a roadmap. The narrator is looking for vengeance against the crime of his heart but no matter who answers his call, the victory will be hollow. “Madagascar” is sung with such self-discipline you begin to wonder if Rose went through some transformation throughout the course of writing and recording. Snuck in at the back of the album, it’s a shrewd blend of sadness and dread. “This I Love” channels the spirit of Freddie Mercury in a solemn piano ballad. When a relationship ends, your mind and heart play tricks on you causing you to pray for an experience where these feelings can’t be felt. You wish you never had known such highs so the come down wouldn’t have been as inhuman. Rose’s vocal inflections on the lyric “Make me feel so alive” standout as drums are absent fro the first half of the song and the tranquil arrangement is resolute to ensure we have heard his plea. Despite being separated from someone who was once such an integral part of your life, you can’t help but drive by their house and revisit special places in search of the tiniest jolt of euphoria you once experienced. We may smirk and say we’ve never done this but we would be lying. We continually question why this person didn’t say good bye when they left. One may feel that fourteen songs are too many to dedicate to the longing and loss of a relationship, but I’d say that anyone who says that has truly never loved.

“Catcher in the Rye” is a song that still puzzles me but the “Lana nana na na na” choruses are as conquering as anything Rose has laid down on tape. The love, the sting, the sorrow and the ephemeral joys of life burst to life through an unmitigated jam at the end. It’s almost as if he has flashes of happiness in his dreams and can recapture these fleeting moments in the studio for us to savor. “There Was a Time” features a hypnotic multi-track chant at the end (“I would do anything for you”). It begins and ends with the choral sounds of voices like a cathedral that could be mistaken for a wedding or even a funeral. Rose and the band tear through their instruments channeling all of their sway through their hands in a way no lyric could ever do. Something virtually no reviewer ever hit upon was what a crack team of musicians Rose put together for this record. While many members came and went during the recording of the record, their emotional mark was left on the songs giving Chinese Democracy a cinematic feel.

“Better” is a belting battle cry where colossal highs are followed by demoralizing lows more aching than detoxing off hard drugs. After the damage has been done, we try to make sense of the calamity that has befallen us. In an almost comatose manner we obsess, wallow and fall into deep depression. However on “Better”, arguably the greatest songs Rose has ever written, Guns N’ Roses has never sounded more defiant. The operatic arrangement is wholly unleashed at 2:22 and it comes to a head with an orchestra or guitars dueling off in battle where bullets are replaced with venom (“I never wanted you to be someone afraid to know themselves”). “Better” is about experiencing a loss of faith only to come through on the other side. It’s a coming to terms of one’s personal conviction, understanding their heart and mind and casting a web around the one who unleashed such pain. The fury from within is on display through the band’s volcanic performance and Rose’s greatest vocal ever.

As Axl Rose clamors for understanding, he’s complimented by unswerving performances that truly invite us into his world. I can’t help but think if it was released by someone like Neil Young it would have been heralded as a heart crushing magnum opus and not for the faint of heart. Music is a profoundly personal experience and one of the joys in sharing it with people is to see their sundry reactions. Despite writing these words, I don’t fully expect everyone to embrace Chinese Democracy. GN’R’s legacy between their image and the sound of their records is tattooed into the soul of many and this alone does not allow them to listen without prejudice. There’s nothing wrong with this as some of them simply can’t look past it. This isn’t something you can fully fault them for the same way a child may never warm to a step parent. But I wish they would take note of this record with an open mind and above all else an empathetic heart. Few artists are as willing to allow anyone, let alone the whole world, this deep into their psyche. Chinese Democracy is a startling confessional from a man long misunderstood. Despite having heard the album as a whole a few dozen times in the last few years, I am not sure if there is any silver lining in the record unless the actual writing and recording of these songs provided a therapeutic resolution. While I can understand while this record was not made for everyone, I can’t forgive those who judge it based on what they feel like it should be. Axl Rose weaves tales of a cataclysmic series of events in his life of such astonishing enormity that I don’t think he has ever recovered from them. It used to be we hailed these works of art as courageous but these days we’re more concerned with headline grabbing quotes instead of what really matters; the music.

We walk a thin line in life putting up a front and rarely letting anyone in. People ask us how we are and we give them a stock answer very rarely ever showing who we truly are or what we genuinely feel. The opening of one’s self is one of the boldest things anyone can choose to do with their life. Despite this, when artists expose themselves to the world, depending on our own frame of mind, we all too often stand there with blades in hand ready to shred someone to pieces because the artist doesn’t fit into our vision. Does anyone really think the world was ready or wanted Nebraska by Bruce Springsteen when released in 1982? No, but over time they came to appreciate and love it as one of his most imperative records. Chinese Democracy is a record that defies the norm not for what it took to make it to store shelves but for what secrets are shared within the songs. The lyrics evoke crystalline scenes and set the stage for blood-spattered theater. All too often we lose ourselves in another person so much so that we never dare prepare for their adieu and when it ends, it feels like an apocalypse of the heart. Listening to Chinese Democracy reminds me that we’re all misfits trying to make a home for ourselves. When the foundation of a relationship collapses like a building demolition, our life and our dreams collapse with it. By dismantling the paradigm of a conventional record, Axl Rose and Guns N’ Roses dives deep into the quagmire of hell on and takes the listener along for the journey. Inside of are fourteen paintings full of venom, paranoia, longing, pleading and resolution. Many know of this record, but few have truly listened to it. This in itself is a shame, because Axl Rose has never sounded more alive and authentic than he does on Chinese Democracy

Anthony Kuzminski is a Chicago based writer and Special Features Editor for the antiMusic Network. His daily writings can be read at The Screen Door. He can be contacted at thescreendoor AT gmail DOT com and can be followed on Twitter

Sugarland: Healing Hearts (Indianapolis 10/28/11 Concert Review)

2011-10-30T18:00:00.001-05:00

Sugarland: Healing Hearts
Indianapolis, IN – Conseco Fieldhouse
October 28, 2011
Concert Review
By Anthony Kuzminski
READ my review of Sugarland's Rockford, IL show HERE.

Ten years ago this month, the world was reeling from the events of 9/11 and U2 kicked off their fall tour in the state of Indiana at the University of Notre Dame. For nearly two hours on that cold night in October, the band lifted the 8,000 fans in a performance that transcended words. Ten years later, it was Sugarland’s turn to lift hearts and minds. Moments before they were set to take the stage at the Indiana State Fair in August a storm came in destroying their stage, dozens were injured and seven people lost their lives. It’s one of those life events that change you. Having seen the Sugarland tour the night before in Rockford, IL, I couldn’t imagine how they have managed to perform for the last two months and how much courage it took for them to return and not just perform, but be a beacon of light for the Indianapolis community. Friday night at the Conseco Fieldhouse Jennifer Nettles and Kristian Bush took to the stage early in the evening to a nearly full house to address the events that occurred. Nettles went on to say “Obviously we are here in October we were supposed to do this show in August. Obviously, the stage is different, you are different and we are different. We are all changed by what happened then…but we are going to try to give you the best show that we can and to celebrate healing with you and to celebrate life and music with you here tonight.” With an emotionally driven set focused around The Incredible Machine facing the crowd early on was the right choice because it would permit them to center on the performance. And this is just what they did.

The stage I saw in August is no more. The carefree spirit of the show remains intact in certain parts, but heaviness attaches itself to material from The Incredible Machine and this is not a bad thing. I’ve always believed that great music is defined over time when it’s non-specific. This is why U2’s All That You Can’t Leave Behind is a better 9/11 album than anything that followed it. They weren’t inspired by a specific set of events, but they were in tune with themselves enough to color a landscape of colors to be embraced by those in search of something more. The same could be said of The Incredible Machine where Bush and Nettles painted immense strokes of color pulled deep from within. There are sunny melodies and bright choruses but more importantly the songs help you find your soul in the process. The Incredible Machine is an album of inspirational triumph and it’s needed now more than ever. Taking to the bare stage at 8:25, the lights dimmed and the fuzz feedback of “All We Are” could be heard before the band fired away as the house lights went on and off they went delivering a knock-out emotionally gut wrenching set over 90-minutes. Lyrics such as “Lift me up/ It’s not over” (as harmonized by Bush) had stronger resonance than ever. One of the reasons I find the songs on The Incredible Machine so endearing are the way they sound like arena rock but cut through loads of red tape and are ultimately compositions about the matters of the heart. The whole band, dressed in black performed a no frills show that pays tribute to the simplicities of life. Hearing these songs makes one remember our purpose in life; to love.

The set list was a ready-made to soothe the soul. “Settlin’” was a hymn of empowerment, “Tonight” was celestial in its yearning vocal for which one could see Nettles channeling from within on the performance. As her eyes were closed with a feverish intensity, her right arm was wrapped around her waist and her left hand was above her heart. This wasn’t showboating but an artist lost in the moment and this is what we live for when you witness something undeniably real. She did this unconsciously. The extended jam at the end of “The Incredible Machine” was a moment for the band to let the music take over. The give and take with the audience of “calling” was warm and ethereal. “Stuck Like You”, “It Happens”, “All I Want To Do” and an acoustic “Baby Girl” found Sugarland at the peak of their commercial powers with songs that reach to the upper stands of the Fieldhouse connecting band and fan. “Every Girl Like Me” was affecting yet featured a mischievous Nettles. Drummer Travis McNabb and bassist Annie Clements fasten the bounciness here for Nettles to deliver her sermon. As commanding as Bush and Nettles are as the focal point, credit must be given to the backing band that brings their vision into focus. Guitarist Scott Patton fires away on his guitars in the darkness while Thad Beaty fills in the blanks with mandolin, acoustic guitar and whatever else the band needs. Brandon Bush is another secret weapon whose organ exuded soul on certain numbers, specifically the heart wrenching “Stay”. Clements and McNabb add the supplementary thrusts to make the songs compelling and not mere studio reproductions.

During the encore, “The Incredible Machine (Interlude)” was sung by Kristian. In the background, a white flag is opened and Nettles throughout the tour spray painted the world “Love” on it but on this evening, she wrote “HEAL” and as a young fan took the flag throughout the arena, the band performed “Stand Up” and this was where it all came together. If none of the previous songs had found their way inside you, then this performance had to. As Nettles and Bush harmonized together on the final verse, their voices quivered and the 18,000 in attendance soaked up the lyrics;

When the walls fall all around you
When your hope has turned to dust
Let the sound of love surround you
Beat like a heart in each of us

There was a heightened awareness to these songs as a whole. You could see the message and meaning in their eyes as they performed these songs. This music adapts itself to your life no matter what you are going through. For some the music opens eye ducts for tears to flow and for others it allows life to come into focus in a moment of awakening. The evening’s most moving moment came during “Little Miss” where the pit in front of the stage was filled with signs one of which read “Lives Were Lost, Lives Were Changed”. These songs are tools for healing and hopefully those affected first hand can work their way through it. While it may prove difficult to listen to some of these songs straight away, in the long run, they’ll resonate and be reminders of our continued willpower to live. Ultimately the Indianapolis Sugarland concert was as carefree as a Friday night yet as somber as a Sunday mass; Sugarland melded these two worlds for an evening of indication with an eye on tomorrow. The last paragraph of my Rockford review from August was written after the tragedy and it sums up exactly why I feel Sugarland’s music is a source of healing and why it should be embraced and I feel compelled to end this review with it once again. When those who lived through this tragedy hears this music they’ll stand taller, feel more, love more and be more aware than they ever have before and anytime you make people more aware of the beauty life can encapsulate, that’s never a bad thing. Sometimes, we just need a little music to guide us down the path and at this moment in time for me, and I am assuming several others, Sugarland will be the sound of love that surrounds us.

Anthony Kuzminski is a Chicago based writer and Special Features Editor for the antiMusic Network. His daily writings can be read at The Screen Door. He can be contacted at thescreendoor AT gmail DOT com and can be followed on Twitter

'Pearl Jam Twenty' To Debut on PBS This Friday 10/21 (4 Clips Available)

2011-10-20T21:44:00.002-05:00

This Friday PBS will air Cameron Crowe's PEARL JAM TWENTY in its entirety. Check local PBS listings for exact times here but it should be on around 8pm or 9pm local time Friday October 21st.

My review can be read HERE and over at antiMUSIC HERE.

Please note if you are searching for it on Tivo or DVR, search under the name of "American Masters: Pearl Jam Twenty"

If that isn't enough, check out the exclusive clips below:

Eddie Vedder Stage Dives

Watch Eddie Vedder's Epic Stage Dives on PBS. See more from American Masters.

Chris Cornell on Temple of the Dog

Watch Chris Cornell on Temple of the Dog on PBS. See more from American Masters.

Interview with Cameron Crowe and Pearl Jam

Watch Interview with Pearl Jam and Director Cameron Crowe on PBS. See more from American Masters.

The Inspiration and Writing "Release"

Watch Writing "Release" on PBS. See more from American Masters.

Film Review: 'Pearl Jam Twenty'

2011-10-16T23:54:00.001-05:00

‘Pearl Jam Twenty’
Film Review
***1/2 (3.5 Stars)
By Anthony Kuzminski

Most people who discovered Pearl Jam in the 1990’s had two distinctive periods with them. The first was of adoration for their overzealous passion for their music and their message. The second was of disdain for their overzealous passion for their music and their message. I was one of these people. Their music and unforgettable concerts left a mark on anyone open to hearing them. However, as the band became more outspoken something happened. I (and many others) turned away from the band. It was a mixture of not being able to see them live, music I couldn’t relate to and the perceived bitterness of fame they exuded. However, a number of years later, I caught them in concert and all that time washed away as they once again became a bad I didn’t just follow, but admired. The quirk of fate is that so much of what they railed against came to fruition a little more than a decade later. The $3.50 convenience charge became more than $20- the disparity between rich and poor has grown and we now have a generation of true disenfranchisement. And award shows, do they really matter at all?

Read my Pearl Jam 20 Festival Report from Alpine Valley HERE & HERE

In celebration of the band’s twentieth anniversary friend and filmmaker Cameron Crowe has created a festive, invigorating and highly affecting love letter to them entitled Pearl Jam Twenty. Make no mistake, this was done as a partnership between him and the band, however, it also houses several thorny moments in their career that other acts would choose to gloss over or refuse to even acknowledge exist. This is precisely why Pearl Jam Twenty is more than a run of the mill music documentary. It doesn’t merely tell you an A-Z story or even cover the writing and recording of every album, but it explores the band’s soul and how they managed to make it through two decades of inconceivable triumph and equally extreme trauma.

Watch Chris Cornell on Temple of the Dog on PBS. See more from American Masters.

The film opens with the history of Mother Love Bone, the band whose existence predates Pearl Jam. Bassist Jeff Ament and guitarist Stone Gossard formed the band with singer Andy Wood. The charismatic and flamboyant front man was a star and sadly one who became a victim of his own demons and a heroin addiction which took his life shortly before he release of their debut album. Gossard and Ament retreated but came together a few months later with guitarist Mike McCready. They recorded instrumental demos in the search for a singer. The tape landed in the hands of a San Diego singer and surfer Eddie Vedder who proceeded to record his own lyrics over their music. From there on out, history was made. Some have been critical that Crowe skimmed over huge portions of Pearl Jam’s story and while he most likely did this to capture as much as he could in a 2-our film, I am happy to say many of the stories are gone into greater depth in the companion book (which will be reviewed here in the next week). The first half of the film covers the band’s beginnings and their unprecedented ascent to stardom, something they may have secretly wanted but were wholly unprepared for.

Watch Come Together: A Pearl Jam Twenty Preview on PBS. See more from American Masters.

Something never discussed is the almost serendipitous nature of Vedder and the other members finding each other. When Vedder joined the band, he did so as a shy kid who let himself go through the music, but something happened and there was a video camera to capture it for us. The turning point is captured in January 111, 1991 in Vancouver during the song “Breath”. Security was being overly aggressive with the fans in the audience and in that moment you see the solid lead singer break out of his shell bring out an intensity for which he would be defined throughout all of the 1990’s. He went from being a shy kid to the voice of his generation in this one moment and the footage is startling. What makes Pearl Jam Twenty so engrossing is this vintage footage. There are current day interviews which act as a counterpoint to this footage, but much of the story is told through these mostly home video (and professional) recordings. There’s footage of them writing “Daughter” on a tour bus from May 1992, video from club gigs in 1991 and 1992, Lollapalooza, rehearsals, Vedder’s second show with the band and even rare Temple of the Dog footage. The fact that these video recordings exist doesn’t make the film a grand slam, but it’s how Crowe carefully weaved and edited the film in such a fashion that it puts the viewer in the thick of it all making them feel the highs and lows. The film’s most potent performance is a series of shows edited together featuring “Porch” from 1991 and 1992 where Vedder would hang himself from the lighting rigs at festivals and clubs. If that wasn’t enough, he would let go and have the audience catch him. Moments like these can’t be recaptured or reconstructed and the extensive overhaul of all this video recordings is used masterfully throughout Pearl Jam Twenty.

Crowe met with each of the five current members of Pearl Jam for a wide-ranging set of interviews. No managers, producers or other outside people were interviewed honing the film’s focus in on the band. The sole exception for the current interviews was given to Chris Cornell of Soundgarden. Cornell wrote the Temple of the Dog record and was Andy Wood’s roommate. His interviews are integral to the film because he’s the one outsider who truly puts their history into perspective. None of the former drummers are talked to although McCready gives a short but tongue-in-cheek history of their Spinal Tap luck with the men behind the kit.

Watching Pearl Jam Twenty is a deeply psychologically gut wrenching experience. Crowe brilliantly tells their tale through a momentous amount of new interviews with the current five members, Chris Cornell and a slew of vintage footage which really heightens the emotional punch of the film. Stone Gossard who has taken a back seat to a lot of Pearl Jam’s press provides the most surprising sound bytes. I find him secluded yet enlivening all at the same time. He appears more comfortable with Crowe than he does even with a six-string around his neck. There’s a particularly funny moment when he takes Crowe to his basement and his finds his Grammy buried in the back of a room out of sight from everyone. Vedder’s interviews are almost reserved which stand in direct contrast to the overwhelming passion in the early footage. However when they dig into the Roskilde tragedy in 2000 (where nine fans were crushed at one of their concerts) Vedder doesn’t need to say anything, his eyes tell us everything. Above all else, the current day interviews find these five men at peace with not just their past but who they are today. They’ve aged but they have also matured. Their personal lives go largely untouched, which is the way it should be. Crowe was out to make more than a documentary but a larger piece of art like a painting where there’s a focal point in the center of it with different shades and hues around the corners and sides.

What differentiates Pearl Jam Twenty from other rock documentaries is that is delves into their controversies head-on. The Ticketmaster debacle is covered, Vedder’s off centered comments at the 1996 Grammy ceremony are shown and then there’s the MTV Singles party from 1992. The band didn’t want to do it this show but did it as a favor to Crowe where the movie studio told him they would only release Singles if Pearl Jam agreed to perform a MTV concert for the premiere. It was their only day off that particular week and as a result, they were inebriated when show time came around. This experience proved to be a lesson they would learn from in the future, sometimes it’s good to say no to things. It wasn’t that they didn’t want success but they so desperately wanted it on their terms and not anyone else’s.

Watch Writing "Release" on PBS. See more from American Masters.

No music documentary is worth anything if you forget about the music and in Pearl Jam Twenty Crowe does a breathtaking job of telling their story but weaving the music into it as well. Most rock documentaries these days choose one path or the other and very rarely find success in both but Crowe knows film and music as well as anyone. He is able to capture the essence of the music and have it provide the touching thwack it always have and always will. There’s a particularly moving sequence about the song “Release” whose lyrics Vedder came up with as a conversation with his dead father. There’s behind the scenes footage from the “Jeremy” video shoot and the lost gem “Thumbing My Way” serves as a soundtrack to the friendships in the band (notably Ament and Vedder’s relationship) is shown beautifully. The effortless acoustic number is somber yet showcases what Pearl Jam was doing so well during the years they hibernated outside of the mainstream. They may not have created stadium anthems but they till created more intimate songs that their legions of fans wrapped around themselves. Then towards the end, there’s a scene from Madison Square Garden where Vedder plays the opening riff to “Better Man” and allows the crowd to take it away. Moments like these remind one of the healing power of music and how this band better defines the light and darkness within us than just about any act from the last twenty years. To those who never understood Pearl Jam, Cameron Crowe has taken everything great about the band and brought it to the viewer from rare demos, to interviews to enlivening live performances that will send you back to the music. Pearl Jam Twenty is a sprawling document of the band, their music and was made for the fans by a fan.

These songs meant the world to a whole generation of music fans twenty years ago and now they mean even more. As you see Pearl Jam perform “Alive” from a recent show it reminds us of the intoxicating strength music has and its ability to heal us in ways no modern medicine ever could. Their anger, aggression, passion, talent, longevity and commitment to their art are perfectly encapsulated in this one performance. Towards the end of the live performance, Eddie Vedder raises his hand and changes a tiny lyric as he sings “We’re all still alive”! It’s a poignant reminder to not just Pearl Jam, but us, the listeners, have survived as well.

Pearl Jam Twenty will air on PBS on Friday October 21st as part of its American Masters program and will be available on DVD and Blu-Ray on October 24th.

Anthony Kuzminski is a Chicago based writer and Special Features Editor for the antiMusic Network. His daily writings can be read at The Screen Door. He can be contacted at thescreendoor AT gmail DOT com and can be followed on Twitter

Watch Eddie Vedder Smashes the Stage on PBS. See more from American Masters.

Watch Pearl Jam Fandom: A Statistical Analysis on PBS. See more from American Masters.

Concert Review: Social Distortion - Chicago 10/6/11 (Riot Fest)

2011-10-12T23:36:00.000-05:00

Riot Fest: Social Distortion
Concert Review
Congress Theater – Chicago, IL
October 6, 2011
By Anthony Kuzminski

Since 2005 Riot Fest has grown by leaps and bounds in Chicago from humble beginnings to this year’s epic line-up covering many diverse shades of rock and punk and even had a day celebration in Philadelphia a few weeks earlier. The shows cover several venues throughout the Chicago area with the Double Door and Congress Theater talking in most of the shows of note. That being said the Bottom Lounge was home to a sold out performance by the legendary punk band X who performed their classic 1980 record Los Angeles in its entirety opening night. The first night at the Congress was Thursday October 6th with Social Distortion headlining and a slew of other notable acts. The opener to make the biggest impression on the audience was Chicago’s own the Tossers who performed a vitalizing 45-minute set. Despite all the appeal that Celtic music has these days, the Tossers actually started as a group in 1993, ahead of Flogging Molly and the Dropkick Murphys. Their Riot Fest set may have been lean but the six piece band howled with fervor. Drummer Bones (no last name, just “Bones”) was solid and storming while Aaron Duggins (on tin whistle/ penny whistle) helped makes the melodies alluring to their brand of Celtic music. However, it was Rebecca Manthe on violin who stole the show. Her performance was serene, sexy and splashy as she proved to be as integral to the Tossers as Eddie Van Halen to Van Halen. Her hands and head were hypnotizing as she drove the band’s set. Those fortunate to see the Tossers will ensure this isn’t the last time they bear witness to their magic.

After a brief set, Social Distortion took to the stage for what was an 80-minute set. Never one to take a page from Springsteen, Social Distortion has always been about making a walloping impact in a short but sweet set. It’s hard to believe the band has been in existence for thirty-three years. The sole original member, Mike Ness, strode out onto the stage in a black shirt, suspenders and fedora hat. His hair was slicked back and even though it’s not a sleeveless shirt displaying his tattoos, he was still in the zone when it came time to perform. Opening with the instrumental “Road Zombie” from their 2010 Top-5 record, Hard Times & Nursery Rhymes it served merely as a warm up before Ness strolled over to the microphone and “Bad Luck” began. The first stone cold classic of the evening was every bit as mesmerizing as it’s ever been. Ness sung from his gut twisting and turning his emotions into a gnawing vocal that largely defines Social Distortion. Being in a punk or metal band was never meant to be a career move but for people like Mike Ness and Dave Mustaine (Megadeth), it was a path from which they never swerved. Despite not having the bodies they once had, they still instill each performance with heart and for the lack of physicality that used to occur have been channeled into performance and Ness and his four backing musicians reminded us of this time and time again.

The sixteen songs shifted between classics and songs from Hard Times & Nursery Rhymes. “Nickels and Dimes” featured David Hidalgo, Jr. on drums who has only been with the band since last year yet his heavy-handed pounding felt right at home in these songs. His machine gun drumming on “1945” was also breath taking. Despite a largely revolving door of members, when the lights go out, Social Distortion finds a way to have the songs become bigger than them, “Story of My Life” and “Ball and Chain” stirred up the crowd to the point where there were several body surfers and moshing occurring as the band performed some of the most seminal alternative punks classics of the last twenty years. As the crowd flew their fists in the air, the band displayed menacing performances to give the vintage line-ups a run for their money. “Reach for the Sky” from Sex, Love and Rock 'n' Roll was delivered in a more nuanced and relaxed manner. While Social Distortion shows have been criticized for the rather lengthy mid-section of mellower and mid-tempo songs, the arrangement of “Reach for the Sky” was a counterpoint to the bleeding lyrics. Ness may not have screamed at the to of his lungs or had the stage shake, but his composed vocal performance was in many ways more punk than the original version as it allowed the audience to fully grasp and digest the soul bearing lyrics.

The end of the main set had three of the final five songs from 2010’s Hard Times & Nursery Rhymes. This may have proven to be tedious for some in the audience as it slowed the momentum gained up to this point. That being said, each song was delivered in a spirited performance that was hard to turn your back on. "Gimme the Sweet and Lowdown" houses the vintage Social Distortion DNA within it and the guitar firepower was not in shortage with Ness providing his best six-string work of the evening. "California (Hustle and Flow)" and “Can't Take It with You" were both performed with two backing singers who added soul and overall dressed the songs up. These newer numbers may have benefitted from being performed earlier in the set but regardless the performances were unflinchingly grand.

For the encore, the band brought their gut-punk rendition of Johnny Cash’s “Ring of Fire” which was downright sinister. This rendition is so steeped in people’s consciousness; this is the rendition many of them are most familiar with. Like “Rocking in the Free World” by Pearl Jam, Social Distortion is almost defined by the song even though they didn’t write it because of the way they infect the song with their punk sensibilities. There are no shades of gray in a Social Distortion performance; it’s full on rebellious performance to this day and even though portions of the set may be paced slower than before, they still pump rock n’ roll in their veins and their Riot Fest performance was one that proved to be tough to match for those who followed.

Anthony Kuzminski is a Chicago based writer and Special Features Editor for the antiMusic Network. His daily writings can be read at The Screen Door. He can be contacted at thescreendoor AT gmail DOT com and can be followed on Twitter

Book Review: Duff McKagan - It's So Easy (And Other Lies)

2011-10-04T22:27:00.001-05:00

Duff McKagan: ‘It’s So Easy (and other lies)’
Reviewed by Anthony Kuzminski

Read all Guns N' Roses blog posts HERE.
For a list of in-store dates, click here.
Check out the first 9 chapters here.
Buy the book here.

On March 31, 1994 Duff McKagan left Los Angeles for Seattle to visit a house he had purchased but never seen. He was seeking refuge from a debilitating drug habit he was finding hard to break after more than a decade of excess. On the same plane was Kurt Cobain. These two musicians were both originally from Seattle and dreamed of making it in the music industry and their respective bands (Guns N’ Roses and Nirvana) changed the landscape of rock n’ roll. However despite the fame, adulation and monetary success both had achieved, they were both in an abyss and one of them sadly would never escape. Duff McKagan was the lucky one. While Cobain would be dead within a week, McKagan’s moment of truth would arrive six weeks later when his pancreas burst burning his insides from years of abuse. He didn’t die and when he left the hospital, he became a changed man. Duff McKagan’s story is an alternative path to Cobain’s. In McKagan’s new autobiography It’s So Easy (and other lies) he tells a eerie story about how in 1992 he hid in the closet of his house with a shotgun continually thinking of wrapping his lips around it to make the pain he was experiencing end. While he chose a different path, it provides the reader with a harrowing tale of how despite vast wealth and success he desperately wanted to end it all. Through the book’s entire 367-pages never once did I sense that McKagan was being whiny or a spoiled rock star who felt he was entitled to something greater. He looks back on his life with a keen sense of purpose and perspective acknowledging moments of regret while never once making excuses for his mistakes and this is precisely what makes his story unforgettable even long after you’ve finished this book.

It’s So Easy (and other lies) is by no means a gratuitous blow-by-blow recount of his years of excess. Sadly his former rhythm partner, Steven Adler’s memoir from last year fell into this trap where the glut of drug intake took on overzealous dimensions that disgusted rather than delighted. The same could be said of Slash’s biography from a few years back but with more of an emphasis on the legacy and history of Guns N’ Roses. McKagan simply sat down and wrote a straightforward story of his life which is one of the best written and edited autobiographies put together in recent years. Whenever one reads a memoir from a celebrity trekking your way through their early childhood is often tedious. It’s not that the reader isn’t invested in their story, but the celerity at hand tends to overestimate how much the reader wishes to know about their youth. Most readers want to know about the seminal career years versus their formative years. However, McKagan shifts the first few chapters in a non-linear fashion shifting between his teen years, his beginnings and his collapse. This clever literary decision makes the first part of the book, leading up to his tenure with Guns N’ Roses, extremely readable. You never once find yourself wanting to page ahead to later chapters.

Like most rock stars of our time, McKagan came from a poor and broken home but his career trajectory was always dissimilar. One of the reason he’s still a working and flourishing musician today is because of his work ethic. Even at his most inebriated state he found a way to function. When he came off a 26-month world tour with Guns N’ Roses he turned around and went around the world supporting his recently released solo LP. McKagan’s book isn’t so much a series of stories or tall tales as it is a journey through one man’s struggle in finding himself. His recounting of the past appears to be spot-on and unsullied. He draws beautiful parallels, paints vivid pictures and has a way of informing the reader with important dates without inundating them with minutiae. That being said, part of me wishes there was more about the music here along with details about the recording and writing sessions for Guns N’ Roses iconic albums Appetite for Destruction and Use Your Illusion, however, while the chapters lack specifics, you never once feel as if McKagan is blowing smoke in your face. The books by Steven Adler and Slash felt cobbled together with random facts and neither embodied their true voice. McKagan’s voice in it’s So Easy comes across as authentic and never once do you feel as if he’s embellishing facts because an agent or manager told him it would help sell books. If he doesn’t discuss something within the pages of this book it’s more or less because he doesn’t remember it or feels that it’s been covered elsewhere. As a result, the book is invigorating without having certain stories retold for the sake of being retold.

READ THE REST OF THE REVIEW OVER AT ANTIMUSIC.

Red Bull Riot Fest Announces Winner in Weezer Showdown - The Blue Album Wins! See Weezer Perform it Live Sunday, October 9th

2011-10-04T00:44:00.002-05:00

September 27, 2011

Red Bull Riot Fest Headliner Weezer Announces Winner of The Blue Album vs Pinkerton Fan Showdown Sunday Oct. 9th at the Congress Theater

The Blue Album Wins!

Weezer Support Acts: Urge Overkill, Teenage Bottlerocket & White Mystery

Smoking Popes To Play Free Show at Double Door Thursday Oct.8th

(Chicago, IL) Since 2005, Riot Fest has outdone itself annually, presenting the best bands from every genre under the umbrella of rock and punk, with epic reunions being a hallmark of the festival. In 2011, Red Bull Riot Fest steps up the game to a new level: killer headliners abound, from Weezer and the Descendents to Social Distortion and X (playing their iconic Los Angeles album in its entirety). There is also a very special Danzig “Legacy” performance with Glenn Danzig reuniting for Performances with Samhain Members, an onstage Reunion with Doyle from The Misfits as well as a blistering Danzig set. Tickets are nearing sell out, fans from all over the world travel to Chicago for the festival, which as grown exponentially in the past 7 years. A new addition to the bill is much loved locals the Smoking Popes, who’ll play a free show Saturday night at Double Door!

It’s never been disputed that music fans love nothing more than a good debate, from top 10 lists to best album by an individual artist, the arguments are heated and passionate to say the least. Weezer has inspired countless disputes as fans battle over the artistic primacy of The Blue Album vs Pinkerton advocates for each spool out their opinions on huge online threads worldwide. Weezer heard the voice of their fans! The Blue Album won the WXRT-sponsored voting and will be played in its entirety on Sunday, October 9th at Congress Theater. Urge Overkill, Teenage Bottlerocket and White Mystery will play with Weezer at this landmark show for their fans.

The line-up: Danzig * Weezer * Social Distortion * Descendents * X (play "Los Angeles") * Smoking Popes* Youth of Today * Suicide Machines * ALL (Scott, Chad and Dave) * Helmet * Down By Law * The Business * Strike Anywhere * The Tossers * Macabre* Nachtmystium * The Flatliners * Flatfoot 56 * The Menzingers * Banner Pilot * The Pavers * Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band * Shot Baker * The Copyrights* Cheap Girls * Larry and His Flask * Chinese Telephones * The Crombies * The Holy Mess * Neutron Bombs * The Infected

Red Bull Riot Fest began in 2005, when Michael Petryshyn and Sean McKeough launched the first fest in multiple venues over a weekend in Chicago to celebrate rock and punk from every era. They put special emphasis on reuniting influential punk and underground bands who hadn’t shared the stage in years and Chicago’s rich music history has always been a huge part of the Riot Fest roster. It quickly became one of the top gatherings for fans of every genre under the rock, indie and punk umbrella, with fans traveling from around the world to attend. Red Bull Riot Fest Chicago runs October 5-9th.

Red Bull Riot Fest Chicago October 5-9th

Congress Theater

Bottom Lounge

Double Door

Cobra Lounge
AAA Warehouse

For tickets visit http://www.ticketfly.com/event/48663/ For information visitwww.riotfest.org - to download the Riot Fest Poster visithttp://riotfest.org/static/images/2011_Chicago_again.jpg

Cliff Burton: February 10, 1962 – September 27, 1986

2011-09-27T00:01:00.000-05:00

When Cliff Burton's spirit left this world, I wasn't old enough to even know who he was. Little did I know that within a year his music would impact me, scare me, stick inside my head and never leave me. Master of Puppets will forever be a all time Top Ten record for me and his other work with Metallica is among the most influential music of the last thirty years even beyond the realm of metal.

It's hard to believe that it's been twenty-five years since that fateful day, even more eye opening is the fact he has been dead longer than he was alive. He is missed however will never be forgotten due to his music and influence.

I've previously written about Cliff a number of times:

Pearl Jam PJ20 Reviews from Alpine Valley (9/3 and 9/4)

2011-09-20T00:02:00.000-05:00

I was fortunate enough to be able to cover both of Pearl Jam's only US shows of 2011 at Alpine Valley over Labor Day weekend. I did extensive coverage both days for antiMUSIC. I caught over 20-hours of music over the two days. I did my best to recreate the experience in both of my reviews and there are extensive pictures in both posts.

I hope you enjoy them

Saturday September 3rd review is HERE

Sunday September 4th review can be found HERE

As always, feel free to give feedback on twitter (@thescreendoor) or email me directly, thescreendoor AT gmail DOT com.

20 Years Ago...September 17, 1991

2011-09-16T01:04:00.000-05:00

I know I am a day early, but it was around 10:30pm when I made my way to my parent's basement and out the backdoor then to the garage for my bike. It was a school night and cold, but I had to have the two new Guns N' Roses records before everyone else. I couldn't wait.

I succeeded and to this day, I've always felt the UYI albums are never given their due credit. GO HERE to read on about my experience and how I view the albums...

If you don't love this song then you don't love music..

2011-09-08T23:04:00.000-05:00

Every once in a while a song comes along like a mob henchman's baseball bat to the knee's and overwhelms you. Butch Walker's "Summer of '89" is one of those songs. It's hooky as hell, has an awesome riff, chants and sing-a-longs. You can't ask for anything else from a song. Well, I didn't and then they released this video.

God, I love rock n' roll...

And if you're still jonesing for more...go HERE

PJ20: Night One Review (September 3, 2011 Alpine Valley)

2011-09-04T10:40:00.000-05:00

To fully commence Pearl Jam’s celebration of their 20 years together, the band hosted a huge music festival 80-miles outside of Chicago at the legendary Alpine Valley Music Theatre. Rarely utilized as much as it was during its 1980’s heyday, there is something to be said about the magic that occurs on the steep and muddy hill. There is a magic in the air surrounding the venue and there’s something old school about it which is possibly one of the reasons Pearl Jam chose it as the site to celebrate their two decade run as a band.

First and foremost, this is not your normal music festival or even your standard Pearl Jam show. This is more like a convention of die-hard Pearl Jam fans and music geeks. The merchandise tents outside the shed were long and varied with fans buying exclusive merchandise and the ever precious show posters. Members of Pearl Jam’s fan club, Ten Club, were welcomed with an exclusive live CD from January 17, 1992, Moore Theater, Seattle, WA entitled “Vault #1”. This is the legendary show from where the “Even Flow” video was shot and its sound is perfect. Once inside the festival there is a Pearl Jam museum, several of the artists selling and signing the one-of-a-kind posters they make for each Pearl Jam show and two stages towards the front entrance that provide more than you may expect.

Despite the rain and overall dour atmosphere at the beginning the music is what made you stop thinking. Joseph Arthur was the first artist of the day to truly take the crowd by storm (no pun intended). With just himself and a backing track, he tore his way through a powerful 45-minute set that had several in the crowd asking who he was. On his second to last song, he brought out Mike McCready, Jeff Ament and Matt Cameron. “When The Fire Comes” which Ament wrote with Arthur and was given away in the Ten Club package as a CD single. He ended with 3/5th of Pearl Jam onstage for the riveting “In the Sun” a track best known for the hypnotic rhythm version Peter Gabriel cut a decade back. But here under the rain, Arthur’s lyrics cut through the rain and people stopped looking at the other players and focused on him. Up next was a spirited set from Liam Finn who was followed by Glen Hansard, best known from his appearance in the film Once. Despite this, Hansard was solo and tore through numbers from the Swell Season, the Frames (his man band) and even an impromptu version of “Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head”.

The main stage festivities kicked off at 6pm with an impressive set by Mudhoney. Each of the bands tore through succinct and in-your-face 45-minute sets that perfectly set up the crowd for the main feast. Mudhoney were exhilarating as they tore through nearly 15 songs and barely took a minute to speak to the audience. The steely grinding drive of Queens of the Stone Age gave the crowd the most satisfying set. Bassist Michael Shuman stole the show with his creative bass playing. Lastly, the Stokes performed a spirited set that ranged from alluring to firm. Albert Hammond, Jr. chopped away at his guitar like a man reborn. Of all the bands on the bill they received the warmest reception for their biggest hits and the most tepid for their newest. They also had the worse lighting I have ever seen a rock band have in a festival setting, alas the Strokes are not here to pose, but to rock.

Then at 9:45pm Pearl Jam ascended to the stage and the roars of the crowd were beyond deafening. It was a spirited 28-song set full of classics, rarities and pinch-yourself-because-you-can’t-believe-you’re-there moments. What differentiates this festival from others is that it was mostly for one band and their fans came from all over the world to see it. There was a heightened sense of emotion in the room because it appeared the casual observers were nonexistent. This was a bonding between one of the world’s biggest bands and their ever devoted fan base. Highlights of the set included “Arms Aloft”, a Joe Strummer cover. Both “Breath” and “State of Love and Trust” (the latter with Dhani Harrison) found 37,000 in rapturous glee. There was the band debut of “Setting Forth” from Eddie Vedder’s Into the Wild soundtrack and the b-side of “In The Moonlight” with Josh Homme.

The evening’s jaw dropping moment was for the arrival of Chris Cornell in the encore for a set of Mother Love Bone and Temple of the Dog covers. The four song set is something Pearl Jam fans have been pining for…for years and in front of their eyes Saturday night, Cornell and the band gave them their wish. I will be writing more about it in the coming days for antiMUSIC and I’ll link it here on the blog.

Tickets are still available for Sunday, so if you are driving distance, don’t miss out and check back for my full blown reviews later this week of both nights.

Anthony Kuzminski is a Chicago based writer and Special Features Editor for the antiMusic Network. His daily writings can be read at The Screen Door. He can be contacted at thescreendoor AT gmail DOT com and can be followed on Twitter

VITALOGY FOUNDATION BENEFICIARIES
FOR PJ20 DESTINATION WEEKEND

$2 per ticket sold for the weekend will be split between these three local Wisconsin organizations:

1. Blessings in a Backpack www.blessingsinabackpack.org

• Blessings in a Backpack is designed to feed elementary school children whose families qualify for the federal Free and Reduced Price Meal program, and have little to no food on the weekends.
• Better test scores, improved reading skills, positive behavior, improved health and increased attendance have all been attributed to the success of this program.
• $80 feeds a child in the program for an entire school year. Following a donation, a school is chosen and a local grocerpartners with the program to provide food for meals in the backpacks. Every Friday, students receive their backpacks with staples that require little to no preparation. They return with their backpacks on Monday ready to learn.
• Live Nation promoter Mark Campana and his wife will match 25% of the donation amount.
• The local school that will benefit from these donations is the Wileman Elementary school located in Walworth County. Funding will cover at least 3 years of food for the school's program.

2. Milwaukee Riverkeeper - www.mkeriver.org
• Milwaukee Riverkeeper is conducting the "Speak Out for Clean Water" campaign to fight (Republican) Governor Walker's proposed rollbacks to clean water regulation and enforcement.
• This group also serves an advocate and voice for the Milwaukee, Menomonee and Kinnickinnic Rivers by patrolling and monitoring the waterways and doing hands-on restoration projects and mobilization of volunteers in river cleanup activities.

3. Wisconsin Voices www.wisconsinvoices.org
• This organization is essentially the "air traffic control" for 65 partner organizations across Wisconsin, empowering people and organizations to speak out effectively around important public policy issues.

• STATE PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS include:
• 9to5 National Association of Working Women
• ACLU of Wisconsin Foundation
• Arts Wisconsin
• Center for Progressive Leadership
• Citizen Action of Wisconsin Education Fund
• Clean Water Action
• Clean Wisconsin
• Community Advocates
• Disability Rights Wisconsin
• Equality Wisconsin Fund
• Fair Wisconsin Education Fund
• Institute for One Wisconsin
• Institute for Wisconsin's Future
• Labor Community at Work
• Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights
• League of Women Voters of Wisconsin Education Fund
• League of Young Voters Education Fund
• Lisbon Avenue Neighborhood Development
• Midwest Environmental Advocates
• Milwaukee Area Labor Council
• Milwaukee LGBT Community Center
• NARAL Pro Choice Wisconsin Education Fund
• NEWPride
• Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin
• Project Respect
• Project Vote
• Reproductive Justice Collective
• Sierra Club, John Muir Chapter
• Stand Up Wisconsin
• Water Table
• WAVE Education Fund
• Wisconsin Alliance for Women's Health
• Wisconsin Apprentice Organizers Project
• Wisconsin Community Services
• Wisconsin Council on Children and Families
• Wisconsin Democracy Campaign
• Wisconsin Environment Research and Policy Center
• Wisconsin League of Conservation Voters Institute
• Wisconsin League of Young Voters Education Fund
• WISPIRG Foundation
• YMCA Community Development Corporation
• Over the past six months, they have been incredibly active and effective around Wisconsin labor movement issues.

PEARL JAM
PJ20 ALPINE VALLEY, WI
SHOW 1
SEPTEMBER 03, 2011
SET LIST

01. Release
02. Arms Aloft-(Bullen, Shields, Slatterly, Stafford, Strummer)
03. Do The Evolution
04. Got Some
05. In My Tree
06. Faithfull
07. Who You Are w/ Joseph Arthur, Liam Finn, Glen Hansard (bg vocs). Glen Peterson (percussion)
08. Push Me, Pull Me
09. Setting Forth
10. Not For You w/ Julian Casablancas
11. In The Moonlight w/ Josh Homme
12. Deep
13. Help Help
14. Breath
15. Education w/ Liam Finn
16. Once
17. State Of Love And Trust w/ Dhani Harrison
18. Betterman/Save It For Later-(Charley, Cox, Morton, Steele, Wakeling)
19. Wasted Reprise
20. Life Wasted

ENCORE BREAK 1

21. Rearviewmirror
(For Mother Love Bone & Temple Of The Dog songs Chris Cornell sings lead. Eddie Vedder & Glen Hansard sing background vocals. Liam Finn joins Ed & Glen on "Reach Down")
22. Stardog Champion w/ Chris Cornell-(Ament, Fairweather, Gilmore, Gossard, Wood){Mother Love Bone}
23. Say Hello 2 Heaven-(Cornell)
24. Reach Down-(Cornell)
25. Hunger Strike {Eddie Vedder duet vocal}-(Cornell)
26. Love, Reign O'er Me-(Townshend)
27. Porch

ENCORE BREAK 2

28. Kick Out The Jams w/Mudhoney-(Davis, Kramer, Smith, Thompson, Tyner)

Concert Review- Q101 Jamboree: A Final Bow

2011-08-26T00:04:00.000-05:00

Q101 Jamboree: A Final Bow
June 4, 2011
Midwest Bank Amphitheatre – Tinley Park, IL
By Anthony Kuzminski

As I was getting to file this review last month, something unanticipated happened; Q101 went off the air. The station was sold to a company who chose to turn the station into a talk radio station. To those in the Chicago area, Q101 was a beacon of alternative unearthing for nearly two decades. The station itself has been around since the 1980’s where it thrived on the slick rock music of the time. During this time, the station was listened to people who worshipped at the altar of Don Johnson and Miami Vice. As times began to change, in the summer of 1992, they became an alternative radio station. To many it was viewed as a jump-the-shark moment for the station, hopping on a bandwagon and to true alternative music fans, it was an inferior choice to the superb WXRT (93.1). However, Q101 did something no one expected; it stuck around even after grunge and alternative had its moment in the sun and it thrived. While the format changed slightly welcoming some heavier and poppier artists over the years, for 19-years the radio station was one of the few in Chicago to stay tired and true to its listeners. I’ve never been a self proclaimed radio junkie. I always had far too many cassettes, CD’s and MP3’s to ever really spend much time listening to radio, but I would be lying to you if I said the station didn’t matter because it did. I can’t tell you how many people I have spoken to who discovered artists or music through the station’s playlists and most importantly, at their various Q101 Jamboree’s which sometimes occurred several times throughout the year. I didn’t realize it at the time, but when I was sent to review the Jamboree in June, it would be the last to ever wave the flag of Q101.

The ten hour affair was a celebration of the music and the fans who were loyal listeners. Early on in the show, during AWOLNATION’s feisty set, the skies opened and rain descended upon the Chicago crowd in an almost vicious manner just as the band was making its stride. “Slide” and “Burn It Down” along with the torrential downpour made the incident that much more unforgettable. A series of fans took to the mid-portion of the lawn and began a full throttle mud slide. In between sets, these people were instantly identifiable as they were covered head-to-toe in mud and yet there was no discontent on their face, in fact, there was nothing but the ardent delight of being amongst friends listening to music they loved. In a day and age where VIP sections have sucked much of the life out of the concert industry, a series of fans reminded 20,000 Chicagoans that it’s not always about being close and upfront, but in the belly of the beast experiencing the music amongst fans whose hearts are bigger than those down front. The wallets may be fatter down front but they couldn’t muster a tenth of the energy given off by those on the lawn.

One of the day’s great surprises was the pop-punk potency of Sum 41. Taking to the stage, the four piece band performed a ten song set that rippled with upbeat tempos and fuming guitars. The crowd roared during “The Hell Song” which served as the opener before “Skumfuk” slowly brewed amidst some pining guitar and Deryck Whibley’s mature vocals. Don’t let that last sentence mislead you, Whibley hasn’t so much grown up as bettered with age. “Screaming Bloody Murder”, the title track of their latest album (released in March of 2011) features mad guitar riffs amidst a cackling drum beat performed with ease by drummer Steve Jocz. The album, Screaming Bloody Murder represents the band’s evolution. While still showcasing their eclectic in-your-face influences of punk and metal paired with overpowering melodies, lyrically it demonstrates the best lyric writing to date. Some of it may have come about because of the personal turmoil some of the members endured in the four years since their last record. Regardless, it’s a record where the band doesn’t hide behind their guitars and melodies but put their pain at the forefront. It’s a unexpected record from them and if there was any negative aspect to their Jamboree performance it was that only a few songs from this rather startling album were aired. Here’s to hoping they may a return visit to show off more of this remarkable record. Despite their shortened set, they made their presence known and by the sets final two songs, “In Too Deep” and “Still Waiting”, every single person in attendance was reveling in the bigger than life riffs. For a four piece band with the obstacles of a dreadful amphitheater and poor placement in a radio station show, they owned the crowd. It may have been broad day light and Sum 41 was in the middle of a heavy set of acts, but they let their presence known, heard and above all else remembered.

One of the band’s Q101 championed in the mid-1990’s was Live and to this day they’ve remained a favorite with tracks from all of their albums garnering airplay on a constant basis. While Live wasn’t present, lead vocalist Ed Kowalczyk appeared in support of his year old solo album, Alive. Performing solo material, including “The Great Beyond” and “Stand”, he was backed by an incredibly solid backing band. Despite their penchant for performing note-for-note reproductions of Live songs, I couldn’t help or wish that it was actually Live performing. Still, he gave quite a bit of himself in the songs. He opened with a bold performance of “All Over You” and wore his heart on his sleeve for “Heaven”. The over-the-top sentiment of this song (written for his first daughter) is easy to dismiss, but when it was released in a post 9/11 world, it was hard to just ignore it. Bristling with emotions it was evident on his face that this wasn’t written as a hit but composed because he needed to express the emotions within. Closing out his hour long set was “”I Alone” which pulled some of the younger listeners closer and then when those jet-lagged guitar chords to “Lightning Crashes” began, he had the crowd in the palm of his hand. One of the alternative era’s greatest triumphs, it twists and turns from a slow burning ballad into an iridescently powerful anthem of transference.

Up until this moment, Sum 41 had performed the best set of the show but when the lights went out around 7:10, there was an anticipation and hunger I had not seen over the course of the day. It became apparent that many of the 20,000 in attendance were there to see Papa Roach. “Getting Away With Murder” and “…To Be Loved” were performed amidst a bracing audience retort. During “Burn” from their Time for Annihilation...On the Record and On the Road the mosh pit in front of the main stage and on the lawn took full force as the single-syllable title cut rippled throughout the crowd. Jacoby Shaddix worked the crowd like a front man possessed. I’ve never seen the band before and was wholly impressed with not just the band’s musicianship but their ability to demolish a crowd in the process. “Forever” was assertive, “Hollywood Whore” was indulgent (where Shaddix had the entire crowd waving their middle fingers in the air) and “Lifeline” was conquering. I don’t think there is anything in the world than to watch a band come onto a stage anywhere in the world and sway a crowd the way Papa Roach did on this particular evening. Their music shifts between anger, candor, calamity and even a quixotic optimism on the wonderfully melodic metal ringer “Scars”. I may have come to see Thirty Seconds To Mars but was glad I saw Papa Roach. Without question, they may have had the largest and most receptive set of the evening. I’ve often rolled my eyes at radio shows as I would always much rather see these acts in smaller venues playing extended sets, however, as Papa Roach proved, they were a band that was pulled off the bench in extra innings and hit a grand slam. Anyone who caught their set will try and see them again when they come back through town.

After the battle call wails that Papa Roach evoked from the 20,000 in the crowd, Seether was in an peculiar position, literally and figuratively. I’m not sure anyone could have followed the set by Papa Roach, which makes their placement as the penultimate act on a full day show all that much more puzzling. While songs like “Gasoline”, “Needles” and “Broken” featured some of the heaviest performances of the entire day, they didn’t seem to connect with the audience as a whole. Seether, now a three piece, had the biggest reaction of the evening from a Nirvana cover, “Heart Shaped Box”. In a note-for-note reproduction of the song, the band did nail it and followed it with the bluesy “Country Song”. The mid-tempo “Rise Above This” was the highlight of their original numbers and did showcase the great diversity and chops of the band. There’s more to this band than most gave credit for, but having them sandwiched in between Papa Roach and Thirty Seconds To Mars was a scheduling error that above all else, hurt Seether where a spot before or after Ed Kowalczyk would have suited them better.

Headliners Thirty Seconds To Mars unfortunately had to perform an abbreviated set with only eight songs being performed. The torrential rains earlier in the day delayed the overall show and instead of cutting songs from every acts set; Thirty Seconds To Mars sacrificed a handful of their songs to meet the curfew. Despite this, they delivered a sturdy set full of unrepentant fury. The opening of “Escape”/”Night of the Hunter” was a showcase for the thunderclap exactness of drummer Shannon Leto. The tribal rhythms of the band’s records don’t fully reveal his luminosity behind the kit. Instead of merely keeping the beat or providing a jolting wallop inside arena halls across the world, his style is infused with much more than anyone could have imagined. Evoking the tribal beats heard of Peter Gabriel’s best work while maintaining rhythm as intensely as Neil Peart, Shannon Leto is wholly distinctive and has no peer in the rock world. This doesn’t mean he is better than anyone but is a testament to his original style in a world where most are merely copying someone who has come before. Somehow he manages to meld these influences. The one-two opening was a sight to behold with Leto’s kit set up at the right side of the stage facing sideways where he felt to be more than just a foundation but an primary piece of the music.

What the band may lack in terms of a deep catalog, they more than made up for with riveting force. Besides the aforementioned assault of drummer Shannon Leto, lead singer Jared Leto is a natural front man. His acting background did not guarantee this but he has made himself one of the most interesting front men in the business. The crowd was measured in their surrender to the band, but Leto didn’t seem discouraged by this, he merely worked harder to make them his own, which he did. He flexed his gift on “Search and Destroy”, an engaging track on This Is War but in concert, it becomes a breaking-bread moment. He offered physical connection (“everyone let’s jump”) to moments of solitude where the band was all but hushed as he spoke to the crowd. Ultimately, but relentless repetition of a key phrase from the song, “A million little pieces” Leto slowly but astutely wound the crowd up into a thunderous frenzy. Leto struts across the concert stage with supreme confidence the way that Mick Jagger or Jon Bon Jovi would yet his bond with his audience is more profound. Throughout out the entire performance, guitarist Tomo Miličević noodled his way through each song with great restraint and arena rock flourishes. Each song found him taking on a new role; mood maker, rhythm keeper, stoic strummer and melody man. Many of the songs are based around the textures of his six strings yet rarely was he ever up front wailing. He’s the anti guitar hero but in many cases, a far superior musician and imperative band member as few too musicians these days are willing to sacrifice their talent for the sake of a song. Alas, as the three members of Thirty Seconds To Mars are uniquely individual and talented but within the milieu of the group, they characterize greatness.

By the time they performed the burning “This Is War”, the title cut from their latest LP, they had fully won over the crowd. The bearded Leto removed his Sergeant Pepper styled blue coat and wrapped a guitar around him. Belting each lyrics like his life depended on it; even those who were jaded were swayed by his convincing and passionate stage presence. The swooping and arm-waving theatrics are old school and nothing new, but it’s shocking in today’s day and age how many musicians fail to elicit a response from the crowd. More often than not, those in attendance aren’t fans but merely there to see the radio hit. With zero promotion, Thirty Seconds To Mars sold out the Aragon Ballroom six weeks earlier (capacity 4,500) and in front of 20,000 on this day in June; they had many more who succumbed to their music. The all too brief encore featured an abbreviated version of “Hurricane” by a solo Jared Leto on acoustic before he began pulling fans out of the crowd for the triumphant farewell of “Kings and Queens” with its ready-made anthemic chorus. “Kings and Queens” found what seemed like half of the crowd on the stage with the band. Leto was picking and choosing fans one-by-one and slowly but surely, it felt as if half of the crowd was there on stage with them for the sprawling epic. Watching the band made me wish for them to play larger halls here in the US.

Its one thing to perform and another to unite; Thirty Seconds To Mars has a bond with their audience that will not dissipate with time. If anything it will grow. Their albums resonate stronger with every play and the band is at the peak of their powers as a live unit. One can only hope they’ve documented this tour and hopefully for US audiences there could be further shows in the cards. There is a hunger in their delivery and their audience is expanding with not just familiarity of their songs but awareness of seeing themselves within the songs. It is a rich experience to witness a show where there is equal give and take between the artist and their audience and Thirty Second To Mars has reached this in their relationship with their fans. The sheer size of fists flying in the air as they chanted “no, no, no, no” during the cinematic “Closer to the Edge” is etched in my brain as the crowd didn’t merely mimic Leto but transferred their dreams and desires to him on that stage. As they concluded the song and unleashed a flurry of confetti, each piece of paper had a message on it like a Chinese fortune cookie. It was merely a reminder of the effectiveness these songs have upon their fan base, each song itself is a little fortune, It’s one thing to entice a crowd with thrusting and posing and another to make them yearn and ache for your next note, the latter of which Thirty Seconds Too Mars has attained.

Anthony Kuzminski is a Chicago based writer and Special Features Editor for the antiMusic Network. His daily writings can be read at The Screen Door. He can be contacted at thescreendoor AT gmail DOT com and can be followed on Twitter

Concert Review: Sugarland - Rockford, IL 8/12/11

2011-08-15T12:53:00.000-05:00

Sugarland: The Sound of Love
Concert Review
Rockford, IL –MetroCentre
August 12, 2011
By Anthony Kuzminski
Published in conjunction with antiMUSIC

Writer’s note: As I write this, the members Sugarland are grappling with a tragedy I can’t even imagine. One thing I know is that the events of Saturday night won’t leave their memory bank any time soon. In an ironic twist of fate, I had seen the band the night before in Rockford, IL and had written my review when I received news of what happened. It forced me to modify it slightly, but at its core, the review you will read below is virtually untouched from the original except the final paragraph.

Watching a Sugarland concert reminds me of the old school rock n’ roll arena tours of the 1980’s and 1990’s. Their current tour consists of a sprawling stage with ninety high octane minutes fueled by a bevy of hits and the strongest album of their career. Inside the cozy confines of Rockford’s MetroCentre the band played a rousing and unrelenting set Friday night. Watching Sugarland it was reminiscent of the rock shows I saw growing up. There was a deep sense of community between the band and the fan. That has been lost in recent years but is on full display at country shows I have seen as of late. Sugarland was no different. Before “Everyday America”, both Nettles and Bush signed an acoustic guitar that the latter took deep into the crowd and gave away to a fan. Witnessing acts of kindness like these make you believe that the world is filled with just enough people to make a difference in the world we live in.

“All We Are” commenced the show with a celebratory strut. With the band hidden behind a drape, it dropped to reveal singer Jennifer Nettles and co-founder Kristian Bush. Nettles, in a black outfit and white hat, strutted across the stage in a triumphant manner. Her performance wasn’t cold or calculated but something that sways a non-believer out of their seat. Guitarist Kristian Bush was right alongside Nettles the whole night performing a range of guitars with an invigorating style. His focus is on the rhythm guitar, pinching his fret board with not just resilience but compelling thrusts. He rarely had a solo that stole the show but his determination fueled the spectacular backing band behind them. By the evening’s second song, the captivating “Stuck Like Glue”, their on-stage chemistry was in full force. On “Settlin’” from Enjoy the Ride the mixture of Nettles and Bush’s melding voice tell more than a story but reinforced the themes of self empowerment. Witnessing moments like these in concert are almost enough to lift you from a dreary existence and provide the much needed jolt for a turning point. Their recordings are slick and well produced but seeing them employ the crowd is a wonder. I was struck by four girls in the last row of the arena all the way up who I could see dancing and singing in tandem to every song. It’s a memory I am sure that won’t leave them any time soon.

“Tonight”, the current single, soared with Nettles vocals proving to be downright radiant. When she hits those high notes on the chorus she was in a blissful and magical state. The song shifts from understated beauty to furious passion. Matching Nettles belting vocals was the band who built the song slowly before a combustive finish. Hearing this song sent me to The Incredible Machine a few months ago and it hasn’t left any playlist since. The song steals a piece of your heart but seeing it live; you couldn’t help but be swept up in the sentiment of Nettles performance. Its one thing to make someone ache and lust for you and it’s another to make them fall in love with you. Nettles doesn’t merely sing but find a way to express not just her emotions but in a compassionate way that every audience members feels like she’s singing for them. We live in a world where niche driven markets drive music, and yet Sugarland performed a full show of anthems that soared not just inside the arena walls but in the hearts of the audience as well. We all look upon success with disdain, but in truth, we yearn for something that makes us all feel like we belong. Five songs into the show in Rockford, I along with 10,000 others felt like we were experiencing something extraordinary.

“Every Girl Like Me” was driven by the rhythm guitar of Kristian Busch. Throughout the whole evening, he covered the entire stage, interacting with the audience all the while never missing a note. His guitar embellished the ghostly atmosphere of “Stay”. The song, written by Nettles, turns tables on what we know about a love song. Taken from the point of view from a woman in the midst of an affair with a married man, the song is a triumph of songwriting and their biggest hit. There were the earlier hits, each contagious and memorable framed by melodies and poignant lyrics that wrap themselves around you; “All I Want To Do”, “Baby Girl” and “Something More”. There were some perfectly chosen and well placed covers within the show. “Everyday America” featured “Forget You / Baby One More Time / 9 To 5 / Bootylicious”. From Cee-Lo Green to Britney Spears to Dolly Parton to Beyonce, they made each song their own. They once again, came off as fans breaking bread with the audience. “Who Says You Can’t Go Home” threw Nettles into the spotlight in 2006 and helped Bon Jovi become the first rock band to ever attain a number-one single on the country charts. Sugarland’s version was ever bit as good and proved to be more playful. “Sweet Caroline” was tagged onto “Find the Beat Again” with great success. The evening’s finale was a cover of Dexys Midnight Runners “Come On Eileen” which had the crowd singing and swaying out into the summer night at the end of their lean 90-minute set.

Capturing success is no easy feat and maintaining it is even harder. However, Sugarland appears to be an act who is improving with each successive release and concert. Mining territory between country music and arena rock they push the envelope. While they may stray outside the lines of country it’s what makes their shows and records distinctive and compelling. Much criticism was thrown at The Incredible Machine upon its release last year by those who felt they left the country roots behind for a more muscular arena rock edge. I would say the disparagement would have been warranted if the songs failed to light a fire inside, but they succeed for the immense strokes they painted. The Incredible Machine is the record every classic rock band has tried to make for the last decade but failed. Housing eleven near perfect compositions that are full of not just sunny melodies and bright choruses but helps you find your soul in the process. This wasn’t a replication of arena rock but an example of a band stepping out of their comfort zone. Their adroitness for arm waving anthems serves them well on Machine. With hundreds of gigs under their belts they made a series of anthems that may not be country but have he potential to reach a wider audience which is tricky, especially when the material isn’t up to snuff, but for Sugarland they’ve shaped their best record to date. The Incredible Machine is an album of inspirational triumph and it’s needed now more than ever.

I wish rock bands dared to be this great. To the critics who dismissed The Incredible Machine upon its release didn’t see these songs performed live. They didn’t share in the magic of the glistening eyes and smiles of the band. I’ve seen enough concerts to know this level of sincerity can’t be faked. Jennifer Nettles and Kristian Bush are armed with the greatness and sincerity that resides inside Bruce Springsteen, Prince, Eddie Vedder and Neil Young. They have a pulse on America and paired along with a desire to craft truly beautiful songs they’re one of the most exciting groups recording and touring today. There’s nothing worse than writing a fist-pumping populist anthem only to have an audience sit on their hands. Sugarland’s songs are high-spirited prayers of inspiration painting portraits of dreams that feel attainable.

Sitting next to the stage I watched the seriousness with which Nettles and Bush take their job. They don’t merely perform but leave a piece of themselves on the stage. There’s a profound sense of responsibility to their craft and it’s something they take very seriously. Far too many performers play to the crowd and not with them. Sugarland performs with the audience and doesn’t make them feel inferior but part of their family. As I watched Nettles perform “Little Miss” from The Incredible Machine I couldn’t help but be affected by it. My wife, the best person I have ever met, stood next to me and was lost in the song. The lyric about being broken but not defeated spoke to her. I never appreciated it on record as much as I did seeing it live. It’s a reminder that life takes us down twists and turns that are unexpected but that there is always something to grasp onto, you just have to believe. My wife told me that Nettles reminds her of “Claire” (played by Kristen Dunst) from Cameron Crowe’s Elizabethtown, if she was a country performer. When she belted “I’m OK” it filled the room with her evocations. Seeing this song healed my wife a bit and made her feel that despite the ugliness she has encountered in the world, she’s at a turning point.

Music isn’t just a way of expressing oneself or a mere form of escapism, but a profound personal experience that heals. The sheer emotions within the room heightened by a poignant performance made me want to grab life by the jugular and will it into change not just for myself but everyone. After the events in Indiana, the songs from The Incredible Machine mean more than they ever have. Sugarland’s songs don’t preach as much as provide an empathetic template for the listener. The uplifting harmonies are so pure you can’t help but lose yourself in them. My arm thrust to the air for the chorus of “Find the Beat Again” and during the encore of “Stand Up”, I had a hard time holding back the tears, as did my wife earlier in the evening. There’s something therapeutic about a gathering of people in one place. Much like a spiritual gathering, where people find the power of group prayer healing, there’s something about being inside an arena or stadium where your skin is peeled back and you are emotionally naked.

I looked into the eyes of Jennifer Nettles and Kristian Busch and saw my dreams, my fears and my desires. I didn’t feel like they were telling me a story but we someone whom I was simply sharing my life story with. Artists like these don’t come around often, so when they do, we need to support them. I’m not sure when the next time Sugarland will perform, but what I can tell you is that with all my heart; I know it will be the greatest performance of their career. Their greatness along with their extraordinary anthems won’t be limited to any one show; it will stay with them for the rest of their careers. When crowds hear “Stand Up”, “Tonight”, “Little Miss” and “All We Are” they’ll stand taller, feel more, love more and be more aware than they ever have before and anytime you make people more aware of the beauty life can encapsulate, that’s never a bad thing. Sometimes, we just need a little music to guide us down the path and at this moment in time for me, and I am assuming several others, Sugarland will be the sound of love that surrounds us.

Anthony Kuzminski is a Chicago based writer and Special Features Editor for the antiMusic Network. His daily writings can be read at The Screen Door. He can be contacted at thescreendoor AT gmail DOT com and can be followed on Twitter

Everyone Deserves Michael Franti

2011-08-08T22:18:00.000-05:00

I'd be lying to you if I told you that the events of the world didn't affect me. They scare me to my core. Reading too many news articles and watching too many news programs can have a detrimental affect on you. It's good to be plugged into the world, but it's equally important to step away and make some time for yourself. For me it's music and over the last few years, an artist who has spoken to me time and time again is Michael Franti. To get a better understanding of what the man and his music mean to me go HERE.

I was sitting here trying to think about something to write when I came across a Michael Franti review I wrote from last year. When I saw Franti last October, I was nearly on the verge of tears from the emotional warmth I felt from the show, the music and above all else, the man. I've met Michael a few times and let me tell you, he's every bit as genuine as you tink he would be.

I was struck by this paragraph I wrote:

Life, love, war, injustice, internal examination above all else hope were all on display throughout the two-hour show. With the release of The Sound of Sunshine and this recent performance it fully demonstrates that Franti and Spearhead continue to hurtle towards greatness with hypnotizing focus. You can’t help but surrender yourself to the music. The bravura set of soul-inducing songs rippled with soaring emotions and energy and was anchored by reflection, pronouncement and complete and utter elation; I didn’t want it to end. Without question, Michael Franti and Spearhead are one of the greatest gifts to the world of live music. Experience it for yourself; I promise you, you may never look at live performances the same way again.

Then I saw this video from Terminal 5 in New York:

You know those moments where you are a child and you have a bad dream and escape to your parents bed where the world can't touch you or steal you away. It feels safe, secure and full of love? That is what a great Michael Franti performance is. The above performance of "Everyone Deserves Music" is full of splendor and love. It reminds you of the intensity of a child being born, the melding of two hearts at a wedding and even a gathering of old friends who talk into the early morning light. In a world filled with such vehemence and hatred, it's rare to see anyone turn the other cheek and attempt to give their best to everyone...the friends, their lovers and their enemies. It's one thing for music to distract us from life and it's another for it to transform us. What a brilliant idea where everyone deserves music. Maybe the world would have fewer wars, more understanding and minds that aren't chained to centuries old theories. Would music hold the key to unlock our misery as a whole? Maybe...maybe not. All I can say is that I'm simply trying to live life one day and one song at a time and today's song is "Everyone Deserves Music" by Michael Franti and Spearhead.

"Even our worse enemies...they deserve music".

Artists like Franti are few and far between where their on-stage and off-stage heart is equally big and pumps louder than a 747. Whenever I hear one of his songs, see him in concert or even watch a little YouTube clip, I feel dangerously alive and my thoughts turn to those in my life and the love I have had, lost and found. So as the world crumbles in front of our eyes, the best advice I can give you is to not be overwhelmed by it. Live in the moment, make sure you tell those close to you that you love them and above all else, let Michael Franti and Spearhead into your life for a bit of sunshine for your soul.

Go HERE to read my many Michael Franti pieces here on this blog and over at antiMUSIC.

Anthony Kuzminski is a Chicago based writer and Special Features Editor for the antiMusic Network. His daily writings can be read at The Screen Door. He can be contacted at thescreendoor AT gmail DOT com and can be followed on Twitter

Music Recommendation: J Roddy Walston & the Business

2011-08-06T23:28:00.000-05:00

About 18-months ago a good friend of mine from New York told me to check out J Roddy Walston and the Business. I wasn't sold because it takes a lot for me to really invest myself in new artists. You see, a few years back when I started the blog, the number of PR people I made contact with exploded. Before I knew it, I had a dozen new records sent to me in my inbox everyday. For a music lover this would appear to be a dream come true but it was more like a nightmare. You see, I heard a lot of music and while I didn't think it was bad, there was very little that truly inspired me. Even less I wanted to tell people about.

Now, my friend from New York, Caroline, I trust implicitly. I'd worked with her on campaigns before and she's wonderful to work with and honest to god loves the artists she promotes. So I took a chance and loved J Roddy. But that wasn't enough, she wanted me to experience the live show. It was religious. J Roddy looks like a lost prophet of rock n' roll who has hitch hiked his way to the concert stage. His boogie stomping piano rock is enlivening and the physical connection they have with the crowd is a rarity these days. Too many shows I go to, I watch the crowd with their arms locked to their sides with barely any physical movement. A J Roddy show is a physical exorcism, it's impossible to not move your body as the music stirs inside of you.

Read my live review of the band over at antiMUSIC HERE.

Read my album review HERE

Buy the album HERE

Visit the band on the web HERE. If you join their mailing list, you get a brand new song to download.

Album Review: Def Leppard –‘Mirror Ball: Live and More’

2011-08-06T17:39:00.000-05:00

Def Leppard –Mirror Ball: Live and More
Album Review
** (Two Stars)
By Anthony Kuzminski
Buy the record HERE

Read all Def Leppard reviews HERE

Over the last six years Def Leppard has been an annual resident on the summer touring circuit on package tours giving fans great bang for their buck. Visually they’re a dynamite force you realize we took for granted in the 1990’s. They hit the stage and for ninety-minutes wallop the crowd with hit-after-hit in note-for-note reproductions. For a band whose most popular work was slickly produced by Mutt Lange, it’s rather shocking to see how well they recreate these numbers on the concert stage. Joe Elliott’s voice is in fine form and even if it’s not what it was twenty years ago (no one’s is) yet he’s defiant in his delivery. Drummer Rick Allen and bassist Rick Savage lay the groundwork which guitarists Vivian Campbell and Phil Collen build upon creating some of the most pleasing and vibrant soundscapes in all of rock. You lose yourself watching them in concert, their physical presence is dynamic as they cover the entire stage barely hinting at their age. They’re a presence to be reckoned with. So why is it that in spite of all of the previously mentioned highlights that their ‘Mirrorball’ live record is a disappointment?

“Rock! Rock! (Till You Drop)” assaults the listener immediately (without a fade-in) as the crowd roars in the distance as the band members take to the stage one-by-one. “Rocket”, performed as the single mix, continues the celebration. From there the songs unfold one at a time in faultless arrangements; which is the albums downfall. I don’t think Def Leppard has ever performed a bad show in their career. They’re too talented and too prepared for that to ever happen. The performances are spot-on, tight and on target but the sense of danger and adventure are nowhere to be found. With the exception of one song, all are note-for-note reproductions of their studio counterparts. While this is something casual fans wish for in concert, on a live album, it makes it hard to distinguish from what we’d hear on the radio. While listening to it I didn’t loathe it, I was just disappointed by the lack of distinction in the arrangements and lethargic song choice. The one standout element of Mirrorball is how the guitars were mixed. Phil Collen’s mix can be heard exclusively in your right ear’s headphones while Vivian Campbell’s is in the left. If you listen close enough, you will fully realize the depth of their talent and what accomplished players both men are. That being said, this isn’t something you will reach for daily to hear. Of the three new songs, one is cut in the classic Leppard vein with a heavy Queen influence (“Undefeated”). The other two, again, are by no means bad songs but don’t warrant further exploration and even the pining to hear them live ("Kings of the World", "It's All About Believin'"). In the CD era, “Undefeated” would almost be worth the cost of the package but I say download “Undefeated” and buy the band’s Historia / Live: In the Round, in Your Face DVD which provides the visual excitement missing from Mirrorball.

Def Leppard finds itself in a precarious situation; their concert tours have become larger year-by-year whereas their record sales have gone off the deep end. They haven’t had significant sales from any studio albums in over fifteen years but that doesn’t mean they haven’t created quality work. Each of their studio records of the last fifteen years has been quite diverse and distinctive but you would never know because the band has continually shied away from performing the majority of the cuts in concert. This is a shame because one can’t help but feel that albums like Euphoria and X would have greatly benefitted from full scale tours around the albums releases rather than six months down the line where the band is performing two or three new numbers. I know it’s selfish of me to ask for songs from Slang or even deep cuts from Songs From the Sparkle Lounge but there’s more to Def Leppard than Pyromania Hysteria. The band’s last five albums are represented by a mere four songs here; “Bad Actress”, “C’Mon, C’Mon”, “Nine Lives” and “Rock On”, a completely unnecessary cover from their Yeah! covers record. On a set that excludes “Women”, “High and Dry”, “Promises”, “Now”, “Slang”, “Let It Go” and “Work It Out” the inclusion of a cover is almost a slap in the face to long standing fans.

I’m still a fan of live albums for as flawed as they may be. There’s urgency to the performances and hearing the band feed off the audience is something magical that no studio recording could ever capture. However, with as many hits as Def Leppard has, they have fallen victim to their own success. For the better part of the last three decades, with two exceptions (Bruce Springsteen and Garth Brooks) live records have been bought up by the most devout fans only. As a result, several acts have catered to the fan base willing to buy multiple shows. Pearl Jam has had their own bootleg series dating back to 2000, KISS sells the shows individually after each performance, Rush makes sure every tour is captured in both video and audio configurations and Tom Petty recently released a multi-disc live collection covering his entire career. My question is why Def Leppard wouldn’t do the same. They have three decades worth of shows to choose from and they basically mixed and mastered one summer’s worth of shows and appears to released it with a cover that appears to have been created in a third grade Photoshop course. Even though the collection is taken from a series of shows (noted from Joe Elliot’s name dropping of the cities) the band has been locked into a set list ever since their minor league ball park tour in 2005. The dual bills they are on don’t do their legacy any favors. While it’s proven to be enormously booming and filled the back pockets with more green bills than even during their 1980’s heyday, they’ve sacrificed their art as a result. They left Q-Prime (their management firm) and things have never quite been the same. Year-after-year they distance themselves from artistry by performing the same set of songs over and over again. To their credit they performed more than half of High ‘N’ Dry during the summer of 2007, alas, none of those performances are captured here (even though there was room). “Bad Actress” hails from Songs From the Sparkle Lounge and on an album with a handful of bondafide radio hits (“Only the Good Die Young” and “Tomorrow”) it amazes me the band chose “Bad Actress” to be played live.

“Bringin’ on the Heartbreak” and “Switch 625” are the sole songs worthy of keeping checked on your iPod. Performed stripped down with acoustic guitars, the band doesn’t plug in until the guitar solos where the band unleashes on the crowd in a glorious performance topped by the instrumental of “Switch 625”. You can’t experience this on record, but live it’s a highlight on every tour where this arrangement is present. Ditto many of the performances of “Hysteria” which usually feature an extended bass introduction that segues into the song with such delicacy you can’t help but be entranced. Here on “Mirrorball” the intro is missing from “Hysteria”. Mirrorball is not by any means a bad record, but it’s simply that previously released B-sides, live EP’s and bootlegs have done the job better. For example, the live cut on the deluxe edition of Adrenalize of “Photograph” feels less forced, more fluid and more energetic. This is the sound of a band ready to battle after a four year absence whereas the versions on Mirror Ball feel like a consummate set of musicians delivering what they believe the audience wants rather than what is brewing inside of them. I witnessed the 2009 tour and my memories of it are great; that being said, I didn’t exactly pine for having a souvenir of the tour. While the band is faultless in their performances and in-person it is an enlivening experience, on record, it simply falls flat. The way the adrenaline pumps when the house lights go out or when one of those iconic riffs permeate through 20,000 fans is tough to capture on record, but still, it should take you back to that moment in time and jolt sensations of that blistering evening but Mirrorball does the opposite and sent me scrambling to their best of collections.

Wal-Mart is exclusively carrying the record, but in an odd twist of fate, of the dozen or so Wal-Mart stores I have visited since its release, not one of them was had the album on its shelves. If no one is carrying it do Def Leppard fans even know it exists? You can’t go wrong with purchasing a ticket to see Def Leppard even when the set lists have little to no variation. They’re still at the top of their game despite what anyone may think. That being said, they’re a great live band deserving of a great live album/collection; Mirrorball isn’t it.

Anthony Kuzminski is a Chicago based writer and Special Features Editor for the antiMusic Network. His daily writings can be read at The Screen Door. He can be contacted at thescreendoor AT gmail DOT com and can be followed on Twitter

Paul McCartney: Live Review Wrigley Field July 31 and August 1

2011-08-05T00:15:00.001-05:00

Paul McCartney: Carrying the Weight (Live Review)
Wrigley Field – Chicago, IL
July 31/ August 1
By Anthony Kuzminski

Wrigley Field is a place of beauty but also a place of heartache. For close to a century the park has witnessed many magical moments in sports history including Pete Rose’s tying Ty Cobb’s record, Babw Ruth’s infamous called shot and Ernie Banks 500th home run. It’s also been sight to some of the most gut wrenching experiences for Chicago sports fans; so many in fact I won’t even dare to discuss them. 2011 has been a taxing year for the Cubs and Wrigley has seen more bad days than good as of late, but all of that changed earlier this week when Paul McCartney made his way onstage with no fanfare, took center stage with his four backing members and launched into “Hello, Goodbye”. The Beatles cut from Magical Mystery Tour immediately struck a chord and elicited smiles across the board the same way an out of the park home run would on a summer day however this time around, there were no obstacles in front of McCartney except himself. Over nearly three hours and thirty-seven songs (both nights) McCartney didn’t just provide a snapshot of his illustrious career but proved that despite recently turning 69, he delivers a show that in many ways is untouchable. McCartney is part of an illustrious group of musicians (who include U2 and the Rolling Stones) whose music stretches generations. There were those in the audience in the autumn of their life but right next to them was a grandchild belting out every lyric to every song. Perhaps this is one thing Mr. McCartney has an edge over U2 and the Rolling Stones with. His music doesn’t just resonate; it’s tattooed on their inner psyche. They aren’t merely familiar with the music, but know it inside and out.

Making his first stop in Chicago in six years, he took no time in taking the sold out crowd through the corridors of their lives. “Junior’s Farm” returned to the set list after a three decade absence with drummer Abe Laboriel Jr. sweeping the crowd away with his backbeat groove followed immediately by “All My Loving”, the first song the band performed on their inaugural Ed Sullivan television broadcast in 1964. When McCartney spoke to the crowd for the first time and uttered, “Tonight we’re all going to be a part of history” and despite the fact that most of the set comprise of songs more than three decades old, it never once felt like a show without purpose. “The Night Before” was performed for the first time since the Beatles released Help! in 1965 yet it felt fresh. “Paperback Writer” found the band barreling through the song like a lost garage rock classic. Usual staples “Lady Madonna” “Eleanor Rigby” and “Back in the U.S.S.R.” were strident with the crowd singing along to every word. The set was largely an amalgamation of his 2002 and 2005 tours with a few changes thrown in to add balance to those who had seen those tours, but provided enough depth to cover his entire career.

McCartney’s most successful solo work from 1973, Band on the Run was represented at each show by five of the album’s ten cuts. “Nineteen Hundred and Eighty-Five” has been dusted off for the first time in three decades and his four backing musicians provided a hypnotizing focus. “Mrs. Vandebilt” was a song you couldn’t help but be swept away by with the band gleefully kicking along to its stomping beats. “Jet” and “Let Me Roll It” were unyielding but it was the album’s title cut that was downright dynamic in arrangement and especially in performance. This current band performs the song better than anyone has previously with Brian Ray’s acoustic guitar painting pictures of the past and present at the song’s midway point as the fist-pumping chorus takes over.

The midsection of the concert found Paul McCartney on an acoustic guitar playing some of the Beatles most delicate songs and offering a tribute to two of his friends. “I’ve Just Seen A Face” is a fierce yet sweet love song, “Blackbird” is still politically potent and powerful and “I Will” has the ability to transform a heart of stone into tenderness in under two minutes. During the second show, McCartney changed the set by adding the wonderful Rubber Soul track “I’m Looking Through You” and “And I Love Her” from A Hard Day’s Night. Quiet and contemplative songs usually bring about beer runs, but the conscientious audience sat in wonderment as they whispered every last lyric. The two tributes consisted of “Here Today” for John Lennon and “Something” for George Harrison. “Something” which began by McCartney solo on ukulele only to have the full band segue into a full band version midway through the song was nothing short of stunning. John and George may both be gone but as long as their music (and their band mate continues to play) they will never be forgotten.

Once the band plugged in all their instruments for the final stride, they forged forward and never looked back. I can’t place enough importance on the talent of his current touring band. They have been together for the better part of a decade. They’re not just top tier musicians performing the songs note-for-note but a band breathing exciting new life into songs that not only sound impeccably fresh but feel as vital as they’ve ever felt. This is finest set of musicians to back McCartney since he paired with three childhood friends from Liverpool. Drummer Abe Laborial seamlessly replicates Ringo Starr’s touches and flourishes while adding depth to Wings and solo numbers that were previously missing. Brian Ray shifts from guitar to bass seamlessly holding down the grooves and rhythms while Rusty Anderson performs his lead guitar duties diligently and with great care while Wix Wickens performs the piano and keyboard with grace and ease. His job in many ways is the most difficult as he recreates specific sounds whether it’s a flute, a horn section or even harmonicas on his keyboards. They should sound dense, but they don’t which is the highest compliment I can give him. On “Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da” all five band members, including McCartney, were buoyant with delightful merriment. You never would guess they were professionals as they masked their professionalism with instinct which flowed over to the distortion of “I've Got a Feeling” featuring McCartney on blues-drenched guitar. The hymn “Let It Be” was delivered with devotional force, “Maybe I’m Amazed” found McCartney taking us into not just his psyche but his heart and the medley of “A Day in the Life / Give Peace A Chance” left the crowd is awe.

There were pyrotechnics galore in “Live and Let Die”, the celebratory chorus of “Hey Jude” and the ferocious guitars of “Day Tripper”, “Birthday”, “I Saw Her Standing There” (the latter two performed at the second show) and “Get Back” pushed the shows into overdrive. Each song evoked a different memory pulled from our minds and yet, you couldn’t help but feel that these songs weren’t so much about our collective pasts but who we are now. Many artists we go to see in concert o remind us of who we once were. In McCartney’s case, it’s not simply a reminder of where we came from, but our overall journey and the experiences that have brought us to where we are today. It’s a testament to the body of work left by the Beatles and McCartney. Despite the crowd’s loving reaction to the songs that defined their formative years, it was two more recent songs that struck a chord with this writer; “Dance Tonight” and “Sing the Changes”, both less than four years old. After fifty years of creating music that will be listened to centuries from now, McCartney showcased two new songs that stand among his best. “Sing the Changes” is an anthem deserving of a large audience and is as potent and vital as anything in his catalog. Released on Electric Arguments under the pseudonym of “The Fireman” it’s a startling reminder of his artistry. “Dance Tonight” is a driving pop number led by his mandolin. With the current rage of Mumford & Sons and Train’s “Hey Soul Sister” you can’t help but feel McCartney was a tad ahead of the curve. Most impressive about these songs in concert were the spirited reaction the crowd gave both numbers. People didn’t sit, they didn’t text but stood in rapt attention as they watched the world’s most successful musician to ever live prove his legacy and talent is boundless and not confined to the past. When I hear “Sing the Changes” I’m filled with the same sense of awe that the Abbey Road and show ending finale “Golden Slumbers / Carry That Weight / The End” provides. The world stands in awe of artists because they outlay their emotions allowing us to feel so alive yet we conceal our emotions in real life for fear of being hurt. We watch artists like McCartney perform on stage in a carefree manner and we all yearn to be able to convey our thoughts as freely as they do. Paul McCartney has often been derided over the years for simply never putting up a fake front and ultimately, it’s not anger we feel, but jealousy from his ability to express his love without hesitation. For nearly three hours, the sold out crowd at Wrigley Field experienced the closet form of love one can attain from another human they don’t personally know. From “I Saw Her Standing There” to “Sing the Changes” Paul McCartney gave the Wrigley Field concertgoers more than mere entertainment but road maps where the final destination is love and happiness. The only question is whether or not we’re brave enough to make that journey.

Anthony Kuzminski is a Chicago based writer and Special Features Editor for the antiMusic Network. His daily writings can be read at The Screen Door. He can be contacted at thescreendoor AT gmail DOT com and can be followed on Twitter

RIP Amy Winehouse

2011-07-25T23:12:00.000-05:00

I can't tell you how I heard Amy Winehouse, but I am 99% sure it was in a zip file that came to me from a dear friend who told me to not just to unzip and listen, but to listen closely. I did and was astounded by what I did hear. Her flame burned bright and then amidst tabloid headlines and personal addictions, it became less about the music to the point that she was off my radar so much so that I completely left her record off my decade best list.

I was saddened by her passing but didn't feel I should write about it because there are others whose work would easily eclipse mine. That being said, you should read every word of the next two pieces:

Russell Brand wrote the most emotional tribute I have read. When the attention on her life went from music to what was in her veins, I tuned out. But Brand puts her life, her music and her soul on display for all. More importantly, he puts the tragedy into perspective from his own experience. A must read.

The other piece is by someone I admire beyond words and I would even dare say I feel close to her despite never meeting her; Holly Gleason. She writes beautifully with deep knowledge of the subject matter and winds her prose with not just a piece of herself, but you as well. She truly encapsulates the thoughts that run inside of you when you experience music like no other. Her piece on Amy is a commentary on not just her music but our sick and odd fascination with seeing celebrities fail. I wish I could have written this piece. Go HERE now and be dazzled.

In the end, I'm saddened Amy wasn't able to find some sort of piece and continue to create. But above all else she was someone's friend, someone's lover and someone's child and her absence will leave a gap never filled and that is the greatest tragedy of them all. So the next time you make a joke about her addictions, remember, there are people whose lives will forever be shattered by her absence.

“Nobody’s music is the enemy of your music”-John Mayer

2011-07-12T22:48:00.000-05:00

John Mayer recently spoke to a group of students at Berklee. Mayer has always been a controversial figure for some of his comments, but that being said, his most redeeming quality has always been his talent. Say what you want, but he delivers a wonderful blend of pop-blues-soul-rock music like few others can.

He's full of wonderful, rich and ultimately smart ideas. Here are a few quotes from his talk:

“Anybody who tells you to have a fall back plan are people who had a fallback plan, didn’t follow their dreams, and don’t want you to either.”

“This time is a really important time for you guys because nobody knows who you are, and nobody should. This is not a time to promote yourself. It doesn’t matter. This is the time to get your stuff together. Promotion can be like that. You can have promotion in 30 seconds if your stuff is good. Good music is its own promotion.”

“I remember playing the guitar through the amplifier facing out the window of my house onto the street in the summer time – that was social media in 1992.”

Read the rest of superb blog piece HERE.

antiMusic.com: U2: Dreaming Out Loud - Live in Chicago 2011

2011-07-10T22:47:00.000-05:00

antiMusic.com: U2: Dreaming Out Loud - Live in Chicago 2011

My U2 review from 7/5/11 in Chicago now running on antiMUSIC.

antiMusic.com: Motley Crue, Poison and New York Dolls Live

2011-07-01T08:09:00.000-05:00

antiMusic.com: Motley Crue, Poison and New York Dolls Live

antiMusic.com: Ozzy Osbourne Blizzard and Diary 30th Anniversary Editions

2011-07-01T08:08:00.000-05:00

antiMusic.com: Ozzy Osbourne Blizzard and Diary 30th Anniversary Editions

Album Reissue Review: Ozzy Osbourne 'Blizzard of Ozz' & 'Diary of a Madmen'

2011-06-28T23:29:00.001-05:00

Ozzy Osbourne: Blizzard of Ozz / Diary of a Madman Reissues
By Anthony Kuzminski

Buy the Box Set HERE

It’s hard to believe but back in 1979, Ozzy Osbourne had been fired from Black Sabbath and no one seemed to care. Who could have imagined that he would one day reinvent himself into an industry all unto himself? The movies, documentaries, festivals, world tours and the television show which made him a household name; none of it would have been possible without the first two albums that defined him as a solo artist; Blizzard of Ozz and Diary of a Madman. These two records set the template for his entire solo career with everything that has followed being compared to them. Besides the songs, one of the reasons for their untouchable status is because of guitarist Randy Rhoads; a one-of-a-kind guitarist who could not only shred but had equally astounding talent to hold back and compose supple sonnets of serenity. Rhoads virtuosity, Ozzy’s character and the team of Bob Daisley on bass and Lee Kerslake on drums combined created two albums that are widely regarded masterpieces all these years later.

Both albums are celebrating their 30th Anniversary this year (Blizzard was initially released in Europe in 1980 and six months later in the US). Their existence in remastered form (along with the digital realm) has been a confusing one. Initially, when Ozzy began to remaster his catalog in 1995 the album art work was shrunk and placed amidst poor and cheap looking coloring. This was done to differentiate them from the non-remasters on the market. The sound quality was pristine but the extras and artwork were lacking. In 2002, most of his catalog was reissued, but stunningly Blizzard and Madman were reissued with the bass and drums re-recorded by Osbourne’s then bassist Robert Trujillo and drummer Mike Bordin. Let’s be honest, Trujillo and Bordin are immeasurably better musicians than either Daisley or Kerslake but the problem was the fans know these records from their own memories and newer fans discovered these songs from the radio and YouTube. However, for the first time, Blizzard of Ozz and Diary of a Madmen receives the reissue treatment they both deserve. The recordings are restored in stunning quality restored and touched up by George Marino. While the 1995 remaster sounds great, I’d give a slight nod to these recordings. Both sets include bonus material as well where between the 1995 and 2002 editions, a mere two extra songs were released. Lastly, for the uber Ozzy fan there is a box set containing both albums on CD, 180-gram LP Vinyl, a bonus live CD, a replica of Ozzy’s iconic cross, a 2-sided poster, an expansive 100-page coffee table book and the most anticipated item of the set, Thirty Years After the Blizzard DVD which has a 40-minute documentary and an additional 70-minutes of bonus material (more on this in a bit).

Blizzard of Ozz opens like a mist rising off a lake in the early morning and Ozzy Osbourne’s solo career ascends with a unleashed riff on “I Don’t Know”. The opening is punctuated by a robust rhythm section and indistinguishable vocals. This opening cut, and all of Blizzard for that matter, take the listener on a rock n’ roll roller coaster ride that never relents. “Crazy Train” has one of the most tremendous and euphoric openings ever. Finding middle ground between humor and joy, the song invades your aural senses the same way a first kiss speeds up your heartbeat. The lovely “Goodbye to Romance” shows depths of Osbourne no one knew existed before. Sure, we all heard “Changes” when he was with Sabbath, but he goes one step further in expressing his solitude in a song so superbly solemn and sweet. This new anniversary package also a new mix of the song with only Osbourne’s vocals and Rhoads’ guitar. The stripped version of the song is almost eerie. It reminds me of John Lennon from Osbourne’s vocal inflictions to the lyric writing (some of which must be credited to Bob Daisley); it gives a tip-of-the-hat to Lennon while Osbourne’s fingerprints are definitive. The instrumental acoustic “Dee” is perfect before it dovetails into the confessional and controversial “Suicide Solution”. “Mr. Crowley” is spooky with its organ/synth opening that summons spirits from the past and could have been mood music for a horror film. Even a few of the album’s lesser known songs, “No Bone Movies”, “Revelation (Mother Earth)” and “Steal Away” (The Night) are every bit as invigorating making Blizzard of Ozz not just one of the definitive albums of the hard rock-metal genre but one of the most enduring rock records of the last three decades.

There are three bonus tracks on this edition of Blizzard; the Non-LP B-side “You Looking At Me, Looking At You”, “Goodbye To Romance” in a previously unreleased guitar and vocal mix created just last year and a “RR” a never before heard Randy Rhoads guitar solo found at the end of a tape of one of the Blizzard songs. It’s featured on the documentary Thirty Years After The Blizzard where you can see Ozzy hear it for the first time. It’s a wonderful revelation and scene. The solo is short, but because of the limited amount of music Rhoads left behind, every bit of it counts. “You Looking at Me, Looking At You” is a b-side that is here in its original incarnation on CD for the first time (the 2002 reissue has the bass and drums re-recorded). The 2002 CD editions had some great liner notes and pictures surprisingly not available here, however, the biggest omission from the reissue is the song “You Said It All” from the 1980 Mr. Crowley Live EPsingle release. None of the live cuts from this EP have ever appeared digitally or on CD for that matter. “You Said It All” was cut live at sound check with crowd noise added later and it would have been a nice addition to the extra space on Blizzard, alas it was not meant to be. One can only hope that it will find a place on a more extensive all encompassing box set of outtakes and rarities one day. If the EP had been included (along with the live b-side of “I Don’t Know” included on the 2002 edition of Madman) these reissues could be definitive.

Diary of a Madman is often deemed to be the better of the two releases. I’m not sure I agree with many of this, but it does demonstrate the band’s growth as musicians and songwriters, especially Randy Rhodes. Listening to the album’s title cut, you get a sense of Rhoads bringing classical elements into Ozzy’s music and the 6-minute track is one of his greatest. Songs like “Little Dolls” show the band’s further evolution with the marching drum opening to the ending guitar solo, it’s another lost treasure in Osbourne’s catalog; ditto “You Can’t Kill Rock and Roll” which reaches epic proportions especially with its 7-minute length. “Over the Mountain” and “Flying High Again” are the best known tracks and offer the album a one-two punch in its opening. “Believer” with Bob Daisley’s downright wicked bass is haunting. While the album may have an unfinished feel to it, the development in terms of performance and songwriting is noticeable, it’s only a shame Rhoads died before he could have taken Ozzy to new realms.

Included in the Legacy edition of Madman is a previously unreleased live show from the Blizzard of Ozz tour in 1981. The notes and press release do not disclose where the show is from or specifically when. Despite this, the show is nothing short of epic. Even if you own Tribute (possibly the best release in Ozzy’s entire catalog), the performances and sound here are so enlivening you can’t help but feel pulled in. I am pretty sure to my ears there are no overdubs here or any touch ups are minimal. I’m not sure if it has been recorded before or after Tribute. Based on comments, my hunch is it was recorded on he second leg of the Blizzard tour. It is Tommy Aldridge on drums and Rudy Sarzo on bass. Despite the fact that every song is on Tribute there are subtle differences in the performances making it essential for any Ozzy fan.

The box set, which includes a 100-page coffee book (which I unfortunately did not have an opportunity to view), has something that may tempt even casual fans to buy it, an exclusive DVD, Thirty Years After the Blizzard. It’s an imperfect documentary, but while it may miss some key interviews and historical aspects, it hits a home run from an emotional level. Key players Bob Daisley and Lee Kerslake are not interviewed and that is a shame and a gaping hole in the history of these records. That being said, it’s not necessarily your normal type documentary. It doesn’t fit in with the Classic Album series or even a straight up documentary. Despite being a mere 40-minutes long, it’s completely engaging and if there is any major fault to it, it’s too short. Much of the documentary has contemporary musicians discussing the importance of these two records and the lasting influence of Randy Rhoads. Some of the most fascinating footage is of Zakk Wylde recreating the guitar solos note-for-note. He also does more than discuss Rhoads from an emotional standpoint but from a technical one as well since he was writing things on the guitar that there was no template for before him. Nikki Sixx has some great insight into the two records and members of Osbourne’s current touring band stand in awe of the legacy they get to recreate every night onstage but its Osbourne’s facial expressions which tell us a deeper story. Both Sharon and Ozzy give their insight to the events surrounding these albums including the Alamo and biting heads off animal incidents (yes that is plural) but it’s the ghost of Randy Rhoads that infiltrates the film like a thief in the night. I was a bit stunned to see them barely discuss the crash that took his life and to see the film end abruptly with little explanation or aftermath but in retrospect it makes complete sense. They don’t glorify the incident and the look on Osbourne’s face as he hears his voice and Rhoads guitar on a new mix of “Goodbye to Romance” is the most sobering scene in recent rock documentary memory. The Osbourne family can get a bad rap at times for an assortment of business decisions, but that being said, there’s no hiding the shock and devastation from their faces when discussing Rhoads. It’s ghostly seeing a lucid Osbourne mourn his friend and the emotions on his face say it all.

While the documentary itself may be short, there is an additional 70-minutes of additional features all of which are hard to find or rarely seen before. We get professional television performances from 1981 (“After Hours” which we have seen on YouTube but having them all here in one place is a treat. This was also years before we became addicted to cutting the camera and having as many angles as possible. Here there only seems to be two (possibly three) cameras and as a result, it usually stays on the respective member for a while. The footage of Rhoads wailing on his guitar is especially fascinating. He was doing things with the guitar few were capable of but he made look so easy. We also get a slew of bootleg footage from the 1981-1982 tours to revel in. The New York footage from 1981 is a tad rough but there’s something o be said to see someone not fully aware they’re being filmed. There are several interviews on the DVD as well, but the most fascinating clip for me is from early 1982 in New Mexico where we see Tommy Aldridge, Rudy Sarzo, Randy Rhoads and Osbourne open a show on the Diary of a Madman tour. Footage from this tour is scarce, including audio, so it’s wondrous to have it here on the DVD. Seeing “Over the Mountain” kick off the show is a thrill and the four piece band is at the top of their game. It’ a shame more footage does not exist.

Making a decision to repurchase albums you already own isn’t one that comes easy especially when the albums are being released on CD for the fourth time. However, the new 30th Anniversary editions of Blizzard of Ozz and Diary of a Madman are essential purchases for both casual and die-hard Ozzy Osbourne fans. Both albums sound the best they ever have and the added bonus features take them over the top. While the deluxe box set carries a hefty price tag ($170), there is a high volume of top notch quality associated with it. Even though they fall short in terms of capturing everything, they’re still worthy additions to your musical collection even if you already own them.The bonus live CD and the DVD almost make it worth the price alone, let alone with a 100-page book throw in, it may be worth investing in. Even if you can’t afford the box, both albums are available individually and since they’re had the original performances reinstated, added bonus tracks and the best sound they have ever had makes your decision simple. These two records find Osbourne reborn and at the peak of his powers which are more than the first steps into a much larger career, but defining albums of the hard rock genre.

Anthony Kuzminski is a Chicago based writer and Special Features Editor for the antiMusic Network. His daily writings can be read at The Screen Door. He can be contacted at thescreendoor AT gmail DOT com and can be followed on Twitter

antiMusic.com: 30 Seconds to Mars: A Cinematic Call to Arms

2011-06-20T22:09:00.000-05:00

antiMusic.com: 30 Seconds to Mars: A Cinematic Call to Arms

antiMusic.com: Remembering Clarence Clemons

2011-06-20T22:05:00.000-05:00

antiMusic.com: Remembering Clarence Clemons

Clarence Clemons: Cross This River To The Other Side

2011-06-19T23:32:00.000-05:00

Clarence Clemons: Cross This River To The Other Side
By Anthony Kuzminski

Read my article on Danny Federici here
Read all related Springsteen articles here

I often write about music as a form of therapy for the soul. It comforts us during times of tribulations and can shelter us from the all too harsh realities of the world. Listening to music can be therapeutic and anytime I saw Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band in the decade between 1999 and 2009, I walked away not just feeling better but with a stronger sense of myself. Starting in 1994 and for the remainder of the decade, I don’t think there was a single day that passed where the music of Bruce Springsteen wasn’t played. I was surrounded by quite a bit of darkness at that time in my life and those Springsteen albums, bootlegs and eventually the tours helped save me. Now as much as music moves me I’ve always felt that if you don’t adapt the lessons you learn to your life, then those moments inside the arena and heard on the turntable are in vain.

Last night I was waiting to go into a Shakespeare play and I see a Twitter post from Southside Johnny piano player Jeff Kazee that Clarence Clemons had passed. To be honest, ever since the E Street Band had reunited in 1999 I knew that any show I saw could have potentially been the last. Despite a rigorous workout routine while on tour, the years were hard on Clarence. I won’t lie; some nights were tough to watch as he struggled to make his way through certain songs. The flip side to it is that on other nights, you closed your eyes and could have sworn it was 1975. During the course of the decade long reunion I saw the E Street Band 37-times and for that I feel blessed. No two shows I ever saw were the same even if a show never found its groove one guarantee was the rapturous applause from the crowd whenever Clarence Clemons blew into his saxophone. When I asked a friend after a show what his favorite part was he responded “whenever Clarence played a saxophone solo because the crowd just lost it”. He was right, when those classic solos came up the crowd would burst to life.

Towards the end of the tour in support of Magic the band added a handful of dates through the Midwest and South and St. Louis happened to be on a Saturday evening, as a result fans came in from all over the country for this show and the combination of a sweltering summer night, a passionate fan base in the crowd and a band ready to not just rock but roll led to one of the utmost live experiences these eyes have ever laid witness to. I remember Clarence specifically on this night as my side stage seats were right next to him. The show started late due to a doctor checking him out before the show, but when it started the band and crowd found a groove few crowds and acts ever find in conjunction with one another. The band played extensions of our own fears and dreams out on the stage that night. Even when the band reached back to the past, it didn’t feel like a nostalgia trip but an extension of our hearts in the here and now. This was never more evident than when Springsteen pulled a sign from the crowd that read “Drive All Night”. The song always felt overwrought for my tastes and despite superb use of it in the 1997 film Cop Land, I never treasured until this evening. Springsteen sung the song with his eye lids shut as if he was decorating the lyrics with real life emotions from the pit of his stomach and then nearly 4-minutes in, Clarence Clemons burst to life in the most superb and soulful saxophone solo I ever saw him perform. Lasting just under a minute, it’s the most affecting solo in the E Street cannon (cue up the song to 3:42 on The River). Sure, “Jungleland” is more epic, “Dancing in the Dark” more mischievous, “The Promised Land” and “Badlands” more conquering but “Drive All Night”, it evokes soul. I don’t think anyone could mimic those notes and simultaneously equal the lyrics. It was a performance that wouldn’t have reached the heights it did without Clemons.

Sitting next to me during the entire St. Louis show was my wife, who was a month into a pregnancy that would lead to the birth of our daughter the following March. I couldn’t help but feel that in the 1990’s I was destined to be alone for my life. Everywhere I searched I sought recognition and love but was shunned. What no one tells you in life are that even with great parents and all the right tools, it’s no guarantee the world will love you back. It’s easy to fall prey to the negativity of the world and shelter yourself from it so as to not be hurt. I would do this from time to time, but music and film pushed me to be true to myself for better or worse. The music evoked such a potent rejoinder from within; I wanted that occurrence not just for a few moments every day, but every moment of every day. I look back on that dark time in my life and all I can say is that I feel blessed to have had music that made me feel so much and want so much for myself. I never wanted to settle. Eventually my wife, Jenny, came into my life and gives me that feeling of the rush when the lights go down when the band comes on stage or when the house lights come on for “Born to Run” or when all of the E Street Band stand on the tip of the stage taking their bows as a family, I have that feeling now every day because she is my band, my family, my soul.

As healing as music can be, if it doesn’t inspire you to find a way through your predicament, then it hasn’t fully lived up to its potential. I was broken, beaten and scarred but I would listen to the sax solo in “The Promised Land” and pick myself up to be beaten down again, but that was OK because I was ready for the fight. I’d hear the pure glee of the whole E Street Band on “Out in the Street” and know that better days were ahead of me and I’d long for lost loves and friendships when that final note on “Bobby Jean” would be held for what seemed like an eternity. What Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band did for me was more than merely console, it transformed my existence. I fought harder, loved harder and always strove to be more than I thought I could be. The music Springsteen recorded with the E Street Band through 1984’s Born in the USA was meant to be heard and celebrated amidst friends. Just like the band on stage, the crowd came to not just see themselves in these songs, but in the band members onstage. The first E Street Band reunion gig I saw, there were six friends of mine together dancing the night away and singing at the top of our lungs. We were in nosebleeds but none of that mattered because we shared the experience…together.

Bruce Springsteen may have been the songwriter of those songs, but their impact wouldn’t have been the same without the E Street Band. Without his blood brothers backing him, I have no doubt he would have attained success but not at the level he did. They took his music to new stratospheres and to a wider audience whose lives are better because of it. Springsteen’s most iconic image is the Born to Run album cover with Clemons next to him; a status of friendship and it was a precursor for the songs inside. The death Clarence Clemons is the end of an era. It saddens me my daughter will never get to see him in concert and witness not just the music prowess of the band but their camaraderie as well. With Danny Federici and now Clemons gone, the E Street Band we grew up loving may go on, but it will never be the same. Regardless, we still have the records, the DVD’s and above all else, the memories. A few weeks ago on VH-1 Classic the live “Born to Run” video (filmed in 1985) was on and my daughter watched intensely and waved her hands in the air. I wish for her to experience music as grand as the E Street Band, see friendships as mighty as this band and above all else I want her to love something in this world as much as I love her. One day I will sit her down and show her that clip along with a few others and try to explain how this band and this music changed my life for the better. I was once lost but was then found and it’s partly because I live in a world where Clarence Clemons and the E Street Band music not just existed but reminded me that there is beauty all around and that yes, indeed, love is real.

Anthony Kuzminski is a Chicago based writer and Special Features Editor for the antiMusic Network. His daily writings can be read at The Screen Door. He can be contacted at thescreendoor AT gmail DOT com and can be followed on Twitter

30 Seconds to Mars: A Cinematic Call to Arms

2011-06-03T02:39:00.003-05:00

30 Seconds to Mars: A Cinematic Call to Arms

By Anthony Kuzminski

Writer's Note: Special thanks to my editor at antiMUSIC, Keavin Wiggins for encouraging me to write this. He wanted something special this week for the ongoing 13th anniversary of antiMUSIC and instead of giving him an older review I am fond of, I wanted to write about 30 Seconds to Mars, in short, because I want others to share my experience. This review will run simultaneously here on the blog and over at antiMUSIC at THIS LINK

‘Some people believe in God, I believe in music”
-A fan from the “Closer to the Edge” music video‘

In the summer of 1989, Jon Bon Jovi made a grand proclamation to the civilized world that he was a fighter, poet and preacher and did so against a back drop of pyrotechnics, a full body coat, a cat walk and 20,000 fans who appeared to be lost in a total trance. The video clip of their top-ten hit “Lay Your Hands on Me” is arguably the greatest live performance videos ever aired on MTV. Of course, at the time, the critics scoffed and laughed at the band, especially with a title as unglamorous as “Lay Your Hands on Me”, but they missed the point…completely. The clip (and their concerts for that matter) weren’t about pleasing those with pens and notebooks in the dark but about the bond between the band and its fans. Director Wayne Isham placed the viewer inside the eye of a hurricane making them not just an observer, but a participant. It simultaneously made you not just want to be a rock star, but embrace the communal experience featured in the clip. Even since then, for the better part of two-plus decades, that live video has gone unmatched; until now. One never could have imagined that a first rate Hollywood actor would step behind a camera and renew one’s faith not just in the music video medium, but in music as well.

Capturing innocence, experience and emotion in under five minutes is no easy feat let alone trying to find a series of images to capture the essence of a song, it’s a fun experiment but one that proves to be impossible for most artists who aren’t Jared Leto. When Leto made music a priority a little more than a decade back, I’d be lying to you if I told you I wasn’t saddened. I’ll fully admit to rolling my eyes when Leto ventured into music leaving acting in the dust. Even though he fell into acting as a way to pay bills while pursuing music, I felt it was an extended and misguided ego trip initially. I’m happy to report I was wrong; dead wrong. I never wanted to see him fail, I just happened to feel he was coming into his own as an actor. He inhabited truly colorful characters and worked with preeminent directors such as Terrence Malick, Darren Aronofsky and David Fincher. When I saw his performance of Mark David Chapman in the brilliant but little seen Chapter 27 I was transfixed so much so that I almost forgot he was in the film. He had a Raging Bull transformation which made him unrecognizable and despite putting a priority on music, the film proves he didn’t lose a step in the acting department. If anything, it infuriated me that he was leaving choice roles that could have been his to other actors who lack the elegance he inhabits. Instead of becoming one of the defining actors of his generation, he picked up a guitar and formed 30 Seconds to Mars with his brother Shannon on drums. In 2003 guitarist (and current member) Tomo Miličević joined them and since then they have created three full albums.

When 30 Seconds to Mars first album debuted in 2002, I wasn’t sold. For the next five years, they demonstrated great flair but to my ears, they felt more like aspirants rather than stars prepping for a heavy weight battle. What I never considered, until I heard their third album (This Is War) was that they were evolving with each record. We no longer live in a day and age where artists are slowed to evolve and become better at their craft. In fact, most acts never get to make a second record, let alone three and everyone is guilty of judging acts harshly. Look at all of the artists who never would have been able to make a third record in today’s market; Bruce Springsteen, Bon Jovi, KISS, Def Leppard, Metallica, Bob Seger, John Mellencamp, The Ramones and U2. Most of the aforementioned acts broke through with their third albums and U2, well, they broke into the mainstream with War produced by none other than Steve Lillywhite; the same man behind the boards for This Is War, along with Flood, another key U2 contributor. With this team and their musical growth, 30 Seconds to Mars reached new heights creating irresistible melodies, enormous choruses and a sound made for the masses.

This Is War, released in December of 2009, is a collection of twelve songs aimed squarely at the heart. In a world devastated by economic woes, there is an overriding feeling of tenseness in the air and somehow 30 Seconds To Mars captured the essence of our fears where sensibility overrides sense. The production and performances are so persuasive you can’t help but be drawn inward. From the wailing and tribal opening of “Escape”/”Night of the Hunter”, the band hurtles towards greatness without ever looking back. This Is War is an album produced with great care so much so that the urgency of the performances elevate these songs to a different stratosphere. Producers Steve Lillywhite and Flood prove to be brilliant collaborators encouraging and forcing the band to not just be better, but daring them to be great. As acts age and achieve a certain level of success, many believe their own hype. Jared Leto has been part of the Hollywood machinery for nearly two decades and it would have been easy for him to take the reigns and not be open to outside opinions. However, by bringing in Lillywhite and Flood to the table, This Is War is more than an album set in the here and now, but one whose themes are so universal and reaching it has the potential to be influential not just years but decades from now.

The album is full of stadium-styled testimonials full of great liberation. The title track finds the band channeling their anger through the instruments in their hands while “Vox Populi” is mesmerizing with its rumbling drums and children chorus that sounds like a resurrection. “Alibi” and “100 Suns” are more solemn yet are exquisite confessionals with Leto providing his greatest wails. Even a song like “Hurricane” (which has a Kanye West cameo) couldn’t have been written five years ago, it features Leto sharpening his blade as a songwriter as the band delicately surround the song with their instruments undercover allowing the lyrics to paint pictures. This Is War is an album that defines the current unnamed generation. The compositions within are a map for the disenfranchised and heartbroken. In the 21st century, records like This Is War shouldn’t exist. A top-to-bottom collection of songs you don’t just like but love. “Kings and Queens” is a song so commanding you pinch yourself to make sure you’re not dreaming when listening to it. The video for “Kings and Queens”, directed by Leto under the pseudonym Bartholomew Cubbins, is a sweeping love letter to LA. He manages to make a city full of glam and glitter seems like a lost metropolitan paradise. Anyone who has ever spent any significant time in Los Angeles knows what an impractical feat this is and yet he did it with splendor and grace. No one has ever captured the city as wondrous as he has and this is a place where films have been made for a century. It took a music video to open the world’s eyes to its beauty. The music from This Is War isn’t sinister or stark, it’s simply surreal. It awakens your inner sixteen-year-old where when all else fails and the tears run down your cheeks in slow motion, you turn the volume up and somehow faith is restored and all seems right with the world.

Steve Lillywhite knows how to nurture bands through their complex beginnings. He was the sole producer for the first few records by both U2 and the Dave Matthews Band. He has a keen sense of piecing bits and pieces together and stringing them into hit songs. A great producer doesn’t just turn knobs and add sonic wonderment they should push artists to the brink improving the album as a whole. The world is filled with too many “yes” men as it is, a producer should be someone who full on collaborates with the artist making them see something in themselves they didn’t even think existed. The greatest triumph Lillywhite can lay claim to on This Is War is the rescue of the album’s (and the band’s) greatest song from an abandoned ditch. According to the documentary on the special edition DVD of TIW, “Closer to the Edge” had been placed in a “graveyard for months and months” before Lillywhite encouraged the band to rescue it. Lillywhite had mixed U2’s “Where the Streets Have No Name” and knew how U2 labored over that one song for months. The amalgamation of the instruments on “Closer to the Edge” consolidates beautifully into a psalm that connects memory to emotion, a truly rare feat. An unexplainable muscular organ/synth riff opens the song while drummer Shannon Leto pummels the listener with his tribal rhythms as guitarist Tomo Miličević flavors the song with imposing riffs all the while allowing Jared Leto the ability to whisper the verses and scream the choruses. I’ve spoken at length about Jared but much credit has to be given to his brother Shannon on drums and guitarist Tomo Miličević whose presence is the spine of the band. The drumming and guitar work is storming while unleashing thunder as their instruments propel the song into the fist-pumping stratosphere. “Closer to the Edge” is the most magnificent moment on an album busting at the seams with spiritual rebirth.

“Closer to the Edge” is not just a perfect song, but I’ll go on the record stating it’s one of the greatest video clips ever produced (once again directed by Leto under the pseudonym Bartholomew Cubbins). If I was a band wanting to leave an overwhelming impression on the viewer, I’d hire Leto in a heartbeat to give my song an ambitious ambiance. Its one thing to write a song that will inspire people and it’s another to write poetry with your camera. Leto must have been a keen observer when he worked with various directors because he brings cinematic luster to these clips. The video for “Edge” intersperses amazing live footage with sound bytes of their fans. A cynic would dismiss and laugh at them, but I feel sorry for anyone who does because they’ve stopped feeling. They may not want to admit it to themselves but they were once these kids. ~~I used to be one of these kids~~. I still am one of these kids. I’m afraid to admit it, but I’m overwhelmed by so many of life’s twists and turns and need anything and everything to make it through. When I saw “Closer to the Edge” it took me back to my youth when I was profoundly scared of what the future held. Even though I’ve been blessed in so many ways, I still have anxiety of what lies ahead. But as I watched Jared, Shannon and Tomo tear through the song in the hypnotically cinematic clip, I was overwhelmed with emotion. At one point, the words “Yes this is a cult” appear on the screen and from what I can see, this is a band doing everything right. The may not have sold 100-million records around the globe, but as one can see from the video, this is a band with a fervent fan base. It’s a stunning testament to the band as a live entity and more importantly, the relationship they share with their fans. This is a clip not about ego, but an example of the adoration their fans feel for them and their music. In a day and age where we scoff at big budget videos, Leto takes the fan on the other side of the television/PC screen and thrusts them into the mosh pit of one of their concerts. There’s a reason the clip has over twenty-million views on YouTube (pre and post Vevo). The video is more than an advertisement for their music or even one of their concerts, but a philosophical manifestation of sentiment. It makes you want to be a member of their family.

As I listen to songs like “Kings and Queens”, “Vox Populi” and “Closer to the Edge” I feel my life pass before my eyes. It’s the aural equivalent of a first kiss, a first heartbreak, it evokes the scent of incense at a funeral for someone we don’t want to let go and even the smell of a newborn baby’s head. When I listen to This Is War I’m reminded of just not the good times, but the challenging and turbulent ones as well. One has to remember, it’s the extremes of life that allow us to feel the most and it serves as a reminder for when things are good, they feeling is heightened. There’s loneliness and alienation that can’t be placed into words and we search for the pieces of the puzzle. Remember, if any song or album has the power to change your view of the world in even the minutest manner or more importantly, if it provides comfort and hope you don’t need Rolling Stone, Pitchfork or Spin to tell you it’s revolutionary because in your heart and mind it already is. 30 Seconds to Mars is a band who isn’t merely running through the motions but letting every bit of their being flow through their instruments. Some have said This Is War and songs like “Closer to the Edge” rely on bombast. I disagree and believe it’s not bombast the band embodied, but bravery. These are three men bristling with sentiment and feeling and they’re providing their fans with prayers for their daily lives. I’m sure there are many out there like me who weren’t willing to give the band a chance because I would have preferred to see Leto in front of the camera working with the best directors alive. Now that I’ve seen and heard what he has to offer, I can’t wait to see them live or for the next record.

We should love our musicians the way we love our children; by embracing and loving them for their differences while never comparing them to anyone else. Each artist on this planet brings something to the table that makes them wholly unique. The key is for each particular artist to be the best they can be without selling themselves short. 30 Seconds to Mars is a group creating the best damn music they can at this moment in time and if you’re not listening to them, you should. Originality is overrated. If you dig deep enough, everyone owes a tip of the hat to those who came before, so don’t try and tell me how some act isn’t great because they’re not as good as the Beatles, no one is. The secret is to love your influences and find a filter to pass them through with your own imprint. When I watch the video or hear This Is War I think to myself, “Is it wrong to love something as simple as a song so much?” Even worse is the expect so much from it. We demand the artists we love to change the world when in reality they’re just as flawed and human as we are. While no one can really change the world, a great and instinctual musician knows that it’s all about connecting, not converting, one fan at a time. There’s a part of “Closer to the Edge” where Leto screams “No, no, no” and in the video, you see him thrust his arm and the crowd of thousands follow his lead. It’s as powerful as a music moment as I’ve ever experienced and I wasn’t even there to witness it. I want to be in the crowd singing with their fans, weeping away my sorrows and wiping away the tears of joy because the sensation their songs provide is a reminder of how grand and wonderful life truly is. If it’s been a while since your heart skipped an extra beat seek out “Closer to the Edge” and This Is War and be prepared to feel more alive than you have in years.

Anthony Kuzminski is a Chicago based writer and Special Features Editor for the antiMusic Network. His daily writings can be read at The Screen Door. He can be contacted at thescreendoor AT gmail DOT com and can be followed on Twitter

Book Giveaway: Mick Wall's 'Enter Night: The Biography of Metallica'

2011-05-18T22:12:00.000-05:00

I have a bunch of copies of Mick Wall's superb new book on Metallica to give away; Enter Night: A Biography of Metallica. My in-depth review of the book is HERE on the blog and over at antiMUSIC at this link.

So what does one have to do to win it? It's simple. I will pick a few winners randomly.

If you're on Twitter, follow me @thescreendoor and re-tweet my reviews of the book and the contest. If you re-tweet, you automatically get entered.
If you're not on Twitter, shoot me an email (thescreendoor AT gmail DOT com) telling me what you think is the most underrated Metallica album and why.
Lastly, you can post comments in the comments section. Just make sure you leave me a way to contact you if I pick you as a winner. I will run the contest for a week.

So spread the word about the book and contest!

Once again, read my review HERE and HERE

Book Review: ‘Enter Night: A Biography of Metallica’ [By Mick Wall]

2011-05-17T23:57:00.002-05:00

‘Enter Night: A Biography of Metallica’ [By Mick Wall]
Book Review
By Anthony Kuzminski
Buy the book HERE
Review on antiMUSIC at this link

To win a copy of he book, either email Tony or follow him on Twitter (@thescreendoor) for details. Three winners will be chosen at random.

Read all of my Metallica articles HERE

It’s the fall of 1986 and journalist Mick Wall finds himself the Hammersmith Odeon in London when Lars Ulrich, drummer for Metallica, comes hobbling towards him on crutches. In the weeks leading up to this moment, Wall had unexpectedly lost his mother and Metallica’s long time bassist Cliff Burton was tragically killed in a bus accident; but Wall was unaware of this. Ulrich explains the crutches are a result of “the crash” but it doesn’t register with Wall whose personal loss was so immense he had shut out the outside world. As he parts ways with the ever charismatic drummer of Metallica, Wall thinks to himself “what crash?” This is the spooky and incredible opening to the first chapter to Wall’s latest book, Enter Night: A Biography of Metallica, a 564-page history on metal’s most influential and best selling artist ever. This chronological tome is nothing short of gripping from page-1 to page-564. Interlaced with Wall’s own personal recollections, insights and interviews, Enter Night is unlike any other Metallica biography to date and may very well be the definitive book on the band until the members choose to do one themselves.

Mick Wall is more than a journalist who has done methodical research, but also a fan and someone who has had first hand contact with every member over their storied career. It’s a monumental task to try and summarize over thirty years of history in a few hundred pages, but Wall has a firm grasp on the Metallica story without missing any key moments or stories. One of the challenges any writer faces on a biography is uncovering information and stories previously not told before. While Wall doesn’t pull a rabbit out of his hat, those he did interview seemed to provide greater depth than they ever have before. Jonny Zazula and his wife Marsha provide more to Wall than any other interviewer to date. What they’ve given in the past proves to be mere sound bytes optimal for Behind the Music whereas here their stories are more philosophical, carry more weight and pull at your heart. Former tour manager Bobby Schneider opens up here extensively as well putting the reader in a time machine back to a time before the band performed in front of sold-out arenas. Some of these stories are uncovered for the first time. It’s hard to imagine such a rag tag group of guys who literally started out in a garage and would one day ascent to heights unforeseen by any metal before or since.

Anyone can quote interviews at length and create a chronological history of the band, but very few can add dramatic weight the way Wall does with his pen/typewriter/PC. The book, and to an extent Metallica’s career, can be split into two defining eras; Pre-Cliff Burton and Post-Cliff Burton. While much has been documented about Burton’s brief four years in the band (including the spectacular To Live Is To Die biography by Joel McIver), but the way Wall builds the story arc leading up to the recording and release of Master of Puppets is masterfully cinematic. The reader is provided a front row seat to an overpowering human drama which culminates in a devastating operatic crescendo in September of 1986. Wall doesn’t rush the reader through the writing and recording of Master of Puppets and page-by-page we turn in anticipation of the horror that lies ahead, but you hang on every last word and story almost believing that everything we know that will happen really is nothing more than a nightmare, but there’s no waking up from this one. A quarter of a century later, Puppets remains a cornerstone and defining moment for the metal genre and is widely considered one of the greatest of all records from the last few decades and his detailed stories of what occurred before and after the album’s release are the center point of the book.

The early years are what most fans will find most engrossing about Enter Night, even if much of the material is familiar. There is enough material here for even the most die hard of Metallica fans to be awed by. It’s hard to imagine the band that became stadium giants were hesitant musicians to begin with, not to mention that even after their first album, they were still essentially on the outlook for a lead singer. Dave Mustaine is given great credit with helping the band while simultaneously haunting Mustaine despite his great success as the leader of Megadeth. There’s also the looming shadow and spirit of Cliff Burton who hovered above the band since the day he died. Most surprising was how close Jason Newsted came to being replaced in early 1987. Wall doesn’t overlook certain sensitive areas of their history, but steers away from being vicious or mean spirited, something far too many biographies fall into the trap of doing. He flavors the prose with his own wit and wisdom, but respects the band as people. While there are some stories that are no doubt controversial (such as the one about Lars Ulrich almost being fired in 1986) and some personal stories the band most likely don’t want shared (you will have to read the book to discover these), Wall does something miraculous; he maintains journalistic credibility and yet provides the fans with knowledge they won’t find elsewhere but above all else, he pays tribute to Metallica through it all.

Any true biography worth its weight in platinum should always devote a large portion of its text to what matters most of all; the music. Wall deep dives into each Metallica record with a distinctive viewpoint of both journalist and fan. I can’t say his opinion swayed me one way or another on most of the band’s early recordings, but he provides great astuteness into the Load era; a period that has largely been scorned by everyone, including some band members. Wall gives the Load album it’s deepest dissection to date. There is significant growth and maturity exemplified on the record most refused to see due to the image associated with it. Wall pinpoints many of the album’s themes and lyrics as the seed of rehabilitation that the band would embark on a half decade later. James Hetfield was writing his most personal lyrics to date. Under the guidance of Bob Rock, the band flourished during these initial sessions and Wall’s writing style made me look at the record in a way I had not previously. Sadly Load is often deemed less than essential simply because of guilt by association with ReLoad. I’ve always been a firm believer that if the band had taken the twelve best songs from both records they would have created something as daunting as Justice, as appealing as Black and ultimately a statement of exploration; this wasn’t a band will to rest on previous glories. However, this was not to be, as Wall documents beautifully in his book. The band had just renegotiated their contract to a substantially higher royalty rate (rumored to be around $4 per CD) however; it was not retroactive and would only apply to sales going forward. Therefore, the drive new album and catalog sales, the band basically began a five year campaign where they toured relentlessly and had a steady stream of product for purchase each of those years. It was a brilliant and shrewd business move, but one that stifled the band artistically culminating with the Napster debacle in 2000 and the leaving of Jason Newsted in January of 2001. Once again, Wall doesn’t hold back on these two shadowy eras of the band. He isn’t afraid to speak his mind, but also defends the band to an extent. Many biographies tend to put an acute focus on artists most celebrated works and simply drift over less celebrated periods and albums. Wall doesn’t shy away from reporting the mid-1990’s in Enter Night and in fact, confronts it head on. This is welcomed since so many Metallica biographers have done minimal reporting on this era since their hearts weren’t in it, yet Wall weaves this period masterfully with what came before and what follows. Despite what he may feel about their look or even some of the music and marketing decisions, he reports dutifully and masterfully weaves his story through this most difficult time. Especially poignant is the time he spends on Hetfield’s lyrics which were pointing to what was brewing inside but wouldn’t erupt for another half decade. Even when his enthusiasm wanes for ReLoad he states his case as to why. His comprehension of the Load record is revelatory. His thoughts on St. Anger will probably surprise many. Often derided by the masses, he captures the essence of the album and even if you may think it’s unlistenable, Wall surrounds the album like a tornado ripping off a roof giving us a peek inside. Even if you can’t imagine enjoying the recording, his prose is effective to the point that I revisited it as a result.

Each chapter is introduced by Wall’s personal recollections of the band. Some introductions are more revealing and humorous than others but all give the chapter a nice bit of personalization. One aspect of Wall’s writing that is always superb is that he manages to discuss music and certain decision from a journalistic perspective without losing the weight of his own stance. Interviews conducted by Wall and an assortment of other journalists are quoted at length. Even other writers such as Joel McIver and Alexander Milas share their thoughts, opinions and arguments strengthening Wall’s stance and giving perspective to certain eras and albums, all the while as Wall peppers the pages with his own estimations. You never once turn a page with the impression that anything is done in an amateurish manner. So much weight is placed on the early years of the band, many tend to overlook the last decade, which may be the band’s most fascinating. Reading about James Hetfield’s as a human being may be the greatest of all Metallica’s stories. He is one of the few in this world to have such a disadvantaged upbringing only to overcome it and become better through it all. He wrangled with his past to come out a changed man and that is possibly the greatest story of all within Enter Night.

Mick Wall’s job as a journalist is to get inside the minds of these musicians and as a writer for Kerrang! he finds a way to unleash fury while making you love certain albums even more and standing from a distance trying to understand detours and different perspectives. Enter Night is the strongest and most compelling Metallica biography to date. From the vivid chaos of merely losing themselves earlier in the decade to the inner contentment of the late 90’s to the severe artistic statements of Master of Puppets and Black, this story demonstrates while Metallica always has been and probably always will be at the top of the heap. Finally there is a book that hails not just their legacy but their growth as individuals as well.

Anthony Kuzminski is a Chicago based writer and Special Features Editor for the antiMusic Network. His daily writings can be read at The Screen Door. He can be contacted at thescreendoor AT gmail DOT com and can be followed on Twitter

Bon Jovi: Vintage Concert Review from 3/5/93

2011-05-09T23:31:00.000-05:00

There are concerts that entertain and others that make you reevaluate everything in your life. When Bon Jovi trucked into the Windy City in March of 1993, they were out of favor with the mainstream press and public at large. But inside the Rosemont Horizon, you never would have guessed. For all anyone knew, it was 1989 all over again.

RIP, Metal Edge and Kerrang! Magazine interviewed Jon Bon Jovi months later and Jon was still buzzing about this Chicago show. He called it the "turning point of the whole tour". Aside from seeing U2 post-9/11, I'm not sure if I've ever seen an act work harder on a concert stage than I saw Bon Jovi on that given night. The rumor was that someone backstage was giving Job crap about not having the need for multiple shows and said something along the lines of it would be the last time the band played a place that big. This was enough to send Jon off the edge and what happened later that night was the band's longest show to date of their career.

Digging through some old items, I found this newspaper clip from 1993. It's pretty spot on (except for believing Alec was the keyboard player), but alas, it's a snapshot of the band at their most hungry.

The Big 4

2011-04-24T13:21:00.000-05:00

Last night Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth and Anthrax performed their first Big 4 show on US shores. I wasn't there but heard from a few friends that were and well, let's just hope the itinerary is expanded. antiMUSIC will have some in-depth coverage of the tour from my friend Tom Trakas. I'll be sure to report back once the review and a few interviews are done.

In the meantime, if you didn't see my review from the Big 4 simulcast last year, you can check it out HERE.

The Legends of Laughter at the Park Ridge Public Library

2011-04-10T16:30:00.001-05:00

Post college the greatest gift I ever received was a few film classes I took at the University of Chicago. Rather amazingly, over the next few years, different film historians (notably Michael Wilmington and Roger Ebert) I saw a slew of silent films, with entire courses dedicated to the art form. Most people grumble about silent films, but here's the truth, you have no idea what you are missing out on, especially the works of Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton and Harold Lloyd.

Without these three men, film would not be what it is today. They made the medium of film more popular than ever, created innovations not previously seen and their films are truly timeless. Whenever I throw on one of my DVD's or catch a film on Turner Classic Movies, I can't help but smile endlessly. There is sweeping innocence to the stories and performances and you can't help but be swept up in the characters and films...if you give them a chance.

If you have any interest, go to the Park Ridge Library every Thursday from now until June 2, entitled "Legends of Laughter". Matthew C Hoffman, a long standing employee of the library, is hosting a wonderful series of silent films at 6:30pm every Thursday nights. Matthew is well educated on the films and the size of the audiences is growing with each passing week. I can't recommend the series more highly. Steamboat Bill, Jr. is this coming Thursday April 14th and is one of the most enlivening of Buster Keaton's films.

For more information go to the Legends of Laughter website HERE.
Also check out the Park Ridge Library website with info on the series HERE

One year ago today...

2011-04-06T22:09:00.000-05:00

Lorenza Ponce, best known for playing violin with Sheryl Crow and Bon Jovi, released Soul Shifter, a wonderfully exotic and sultry collection of songs. I did a in-depth review which can be found HERE and HERE.

The album has gotten better with time and you can't go wrong in purchasing it. You can buy it here or here.

Here's a sample of my review:

Ultimately Soul Shifter is an endearing record because the songs paint precise visions and the musical trimmings help form the images in our minds in an experience that is downright cinematic. The sequencing puts the themes into a widescreen perspective where they expose themselves to us one by one like mini chapters of her life. Yearning, needing, confidence, brutal honesty and in the end optimism infuse the thematic composition of Soul Shifter which is more than a mere collection of songs but ten revealing vignettes with depth that share a lineage with one another.

Read the full review here.

Reissue Album Review: Pearl Jam 'vs.' & 'Vitalogy'

2011-03-29T22:46:00.001-05:00

Pearl Jam: ‘vs.’ and ‘Vitalogy’
Remaster-Reissue / Retro Album Review
****1/2 Stars
By Anthony Kuzminski

Read all Pearl Jam reviews HERE

Before the invention of Soundscan in 1991, record labels would claim staggering sales and shipments of the records. However, with Soundscan, you had a system that (for the most part) would show pretty accurately how many records would sell week to week. Much has been made over debut weeks in the last decade, but in 1993, Pearl Jam sold 950,378 copies of their sophomore release vs. during the third week of October. Then and now, it is an astonishing feat. It held this record for five years with only Vitalogy (which sold 877,000 copies) released a mere thirteen months later coming close to eclipsing it. Rappers and teen stars would break this record eventually, but all of them did it in a vastly different media world where the act would be on every television station possible the week of the release to ensure record sales. Pearl Jam were nowhere to be seen the week vs. hit stores. In fact, they shunned MTV and radio by refusing to release singles and do music videos. At the time, it was revolutionary to see any act give the middle finger to the powers that be. No one had done it before and only with the dismantling of the recording industry are other acts brave enough to do it today. Taking a page from Led Zeppelin in the early 1970’s, Pearl Jam did everything they could to help extinguish the colossal interest placed on the band. They stopped doing interviews, no videos, limited touring, no proper singles and they didn’t even put a name on the album cover. The LP edition didn’t even mention the band’s name (except for the spine, once again, the same thing Led Zeppelin did with their IV record). Despite all of this, as I remember that time, the buzz in the air was intangible. It wouldn’t have meant a thing if the music fell flat, but despite enormous expectations, the band delivered and many people, including this writer, believe vs. to be their magnum opus. Much is spoken about Pearl Jam’s clash with corporations during this time, but what many overlook is the stride they reached musically which is now documented on a magnificent 3CD reissue of this 1993-1995 period. vs. and Vitalogy have both been remastered with bonus tracks and an extra live CD of the band’s final performance of the vs. tour from 1994 in Boston. Under the direction of producer Brendan O’Brien, Pearl Jam found their footing as a band and the songs written and recorded during this period are the result of the pressure and the intensity they faced. The final result is nothing short of devastating.

The time between Pearl Jam's first ever gig (October 22, 1990) and the release of their debut record Ten (August 27, 1991) was a mere ten months. Despite the eclectic and seriousness of their first record, it was recorded and released in such a whirlwind that the songs in essence came before Pearl Jam were really a band. Between the release of Ten and their second record vs. in October 1993, their world changed more than any of them could have ever imagined. Almost overnight Pearl Jam became a band who was deemed the voice of their generation, the ones people looked to for answers and a money making juggernaut for promoters, radio programmers, their record company and MTV. Everyone wanted a piece of them. These types of strains are what break up bands. Pearl Jam could have suffocated under this weight, but they did the opposite. Originally titled Five Against One, vs. is a collection where the five members indeed reverberate like a band ready to take on the world. While the songs are still intimate and personal, their scope went from full screen to widescreen with a rage reserved for the darkest of metal bands. Because of the way the Ten album, the live performances on the Lollapalooza tour and the "Jeremy" video took off, everyone was in the band's ear offering advice. The band wanted none of it. The polished studio essence on their debut was absent replaced with a much more potent and acerbic sonic force. If Ten was a heavy weight boxing match, vs. was Fight Club on speed. On the previous record, the music felt almost classical in its composition, on vs. it felt like the Ramones meet the Clash meet U2 (circa 1983). The band was taking no prisoners and when I tuned into the MTV VMA's in 1993 and heard the band tear through "Animal", I knew changes would be abound on the newest record. Their ire flew off that stage in a way I'm not sure if I have ever seen before or since. Some felt it was an act, I knew it was anything but. The stakes were higher, the rules had changed and more importantly, Pearl Jam was a band. With two years of gigs (approximately 175 shows) underneath their belts the band was more brazen and brash. Rare is an artist who can sell as many records as Pearl Jam did and then to create a record that isn't just as good but in many ways, superior to Ten.

Right from the prayer-like opening punch of "Go", the band proves to be obstinate in its need to leave their prior album in the dust. The classic rock stimulus of Ten was pushed to the side with the band taking up more of a punk rock mind-set as featured on "Animal", "Blood" and "Leash". The tribal ecstasy of "W.M.A." makes up for what some see as one-dimensional lyrics and yet it's impossible to deny the way the song seeps into your psyche because of the zeal with which they were executed. The band took to the recording studio ready for a fight and with bloody knuckles fought their way through twelve compositions ranging from simple storytelling to rage to a heightened understanding of the world around them. They didn't merely compose about divisive topics, they let their rage vent up from within them shouted it from the top of their lungs and instruments. "Glorified G" has a beat and enlivening riff made for the radio, but it's a stinging declaration against guns. "Daughter" and "Leash" give voice to the misunderstood hearkening back to "Jeremy" and "Why Go" from the debut. "Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town" is a perfect mid-tempo ballad of a woman trapped in a small town who comes eye to eye with an old flame who doesn't even remember her. It's the misfortune and ache that I could relate to when I heard the record. It's dressed up for FM dials and evokes a sing-a-long every night in concert, yet beneath the picturesque melody is pain. These universal themes are ever so simplistic, but it's not the songwriting that made this record a source of salvation for me, but the fever within it.

Pearl Jam was writing at a higher level of consciousness with vs. and when you're lost and in need of direction, a compilation of songs that feel as if they were written to resuscitate your life prove to be not just fortifying and invigorating, but resurrecting for your soul as well. No song better epitomizes the emancipation than "Rearviewmirror". Delivered in a breakneck speed, the song takes the listener on a fervent getaway and may be one of the utmost driving songs ever laid to tape. Hitting the road, leaving your past in the dust and seeing the future with a clear head is something too many of us fail to do, but if anything the song inspires. I learned that sometimes it's best to confront my demons and at other times, to look away from situations that couldn't be resolved and to never look back. There's middle ground between reconciling your past with your present and leaving a bad situation in the dust. Pearl Jam may have been on top of the musical heap at this moment in their career, but they were equally protective of what they had built. They weren't looking for an easy buck or unnecessary celebrity and even if they had recorded these same songs with a tenth of the passion, it wouldn't hold up today. Fortunately for us, the music reigned supreme and Pearl Jam proved their worth with vs.

In a rather amazing turn of events, Pearl Jam followed up vs. in a mere thirteen months with Vitalogy when it was released on vinyl on November 22, 1994. The CD version was released two weeks later and sold 877,000 copies, once again, with virtually no promotion by the band themselves. Vitalogy finds the band determined even further to challenge their audience and defy those who wanted a piece of them. Often deemed one of the band’s stronger works, I must confess to always having an issue with the album. After a month of listening to Vitalogy on a consistent basis, I ultimately found it terribly unsettling. Over time, I have come to welcome the album’s intricacies and quirkiness but I still find the experimental tracks of “Pry, To”, “Bugs”, “Aye Davanita" and "Hey Foxymophandlemama, That's Me" (now listened as “Stupidmop”) as superfluous exercises best left on the cutting room floor or merely as hidden tracks on a CD. Admirable experimentation that doesn’t really add anything to the band’s fury or the album and ultimately is why Vitalogy doesn’t quite hit the peaks of Ten or vs. . Even “Satan’s Bed” while deeply courageous and unrelenting, are ultimately self-indulgent. While vs. featured the band as masters of their craft, Vitalogy is a more from-the-gut collection of songs, which makes for a intense first listening experience, but the filler doesn’t warrant multiple repeats. >. The album starts with furious concentration and these side steps drain the album of its impact and power in the midsection before “Corduroy” and “Better Man” once again elevates the album’s force.

Like an impromptu jam session, the songs on Vitalogy purge themselves from your speakers and it’s the band’s most unrelenting, experimental and uncompromising. There is huge diversity where certain songs are sung in a hush (“Nothingman”) and others are executed with wailing bellows (“Spin the Black Circle”). There appears to be no compromise on the record (for better or worse). Vedder’s vocals congeal with the band’s vicious sledgehammer sonics. This is the sound of a band bursting at the seams with frustration and anguish best exemplified on the album’s opener, “Last Exit” and on their scathing attack at their fair weathered fans, “Not For You”. Drummer Dave Abbruzzese is especially pungent in his drumming duties giving the band rhythm section a punk rock texture not heard on a Pearl Jam record since. The end result is still one of their truest records, but their self indulgence and experimentation keeps it from making Vitalogy a bona fide classic in the same league as Ten and vs..

2011 marks the twentieth anniversary of Pearl Jam and it is shaping up to be quite a year as the band looks back. There’s a feature film directed by Cameron Crowe in the works later this fall, a weekend of festivities (still to be announced) and this next set of remasters packed tightly in a 3CD box and of course, in a more elaborate limited edition box available exclusively at Pearl Jam’s website, with a 80-page book, pictures, LP’s, CD’s, a download of most of the Orpheum show and a cassette of a special radio broadcast from 1995. Considering how conclusive the Ten reissue was two years back, expectations were high for these records. It’s a tiny bit disappointing that the bonus cuts don’t dig deeper. It would have been nice to receive full demo alternatives or all of the B-sides the band put out. However, one must assume some of it is being held back for a box set of some sorts. It’s just that the band did such an immense purge on the deluxe edition of Ten you can’t help but wish both of these records had separate discs full of unreleased and hard to find gems. That being said, having them packaged together makes sense. They were both born off-the-cuff from a band that held the world by the jugular.

As for tracks that didn’t make the cut, “Hard To Imagine” would have been a nice addition (the Lost Dogs version is from vs.) while the version from Chicago Cab has yet to find a home on an official Pearl Jam release. Of the six bonus tracks spread out over the two albums, none are definitive, but all are welcomed additions. “Hold On” is presented in an alternate acoustic version that allows the lyrics to breathe and surge to the forefront. “Cready Stomp” is filled with fury from the band on this instrumental outtake. “Crazy Mary”, a cover of the Victoria Williams song also appears. The demo of “Nothingman” is spare with an elevated vocal from Vedder delivered with hypnotizing focus. There is a guitar/organ only version of “Better Man” which finds the song restrained and without the kicking drums steering the band onto the highway. It’s a reserved version and shows the song in a new light. An alternate cut of “Corduroy” finishes the extra tracks. However, for most, the 3-CD package is worth its weight in gold for Live at the Orpheum Theater, Boston, April 12, 1994. While the show in incomplete on CD, most of it appears on the special edition box set.

Surprisingly, this is the first full CD release of a live show with Dave Abbruzzese on drums. Matt Cameron may be the ultimate Pearl Jam drummer, but Abbruzzese has never received his due credit as the basher behind the kit on not just vs. and Vitalogy but in concert, the Abbruzzese swings the same way Steven Adler of Guns N’ Roses did early in their career. There band sounds almost primitive compared to the hundreds of official bootlegs released since 2000. This is a reminder of a time gone by when Pearl Jam was one of most sought acts on the planet in 1994. Live at the Orpheum Theater, Boston, April 12, 1994 only includes a portion of the show and there is a reason why. There are a further six songs to be available for download to those who buy the mega box set available on the band’s website, but even then, three further songs are missing. One may assume the band is playing tricks, but that’s not the case. Back in 1994, the band did not record it show on multitrack recordings and as a result of tape flips, three songs were cut. Regardless, the live disc is enough to warrant buying these albums once again, as it finds the band in their youthful prime. The live disc features an especially emotionally sweltering performance of “Immortality” and a scathing “Not For You”. The remastering on both studio discs is pristine where instruments are deciphered beautifully and despite no remixes or extensive tracks, this new aural upgrade and the added live disc makes this an essential purchase even if it doesn’t reach the heights of the Ten reissue, but then again, how many albums have had a reissue that definitive?

Anthony Kuzminski is a Chicago based writer and Special Features Editor for the antiMusic Network. His daily writings can be read at The Screen Door. He can be contacted at thescreendoor AT gmail DOT com and can be followed on Twitter