One of my favourite Canadian musicians isn't Canadian at all. I met Bob Egan when he was a member of Wilco during the Being There years. He lives in Kitchener now and plays with Blue Rodeo. Here is the beginning of Bob's bio:
It officially started backstage at the Irving Plaza in New York City when Johnny Cash shook my hand and asked if I was the new steel guitar player in Wilco. "Well, I'm not sure Mr. Cash. I've never played full-time in a band and I have this business back in Chicago. I mean they asked me to join but that's a pretty big step, it is a tough business."
He nodded and looked me in the eye, "It can be a hard road but if your heart's in it, it can be a good life."
An hour later as I watched Johnny from side stage I had tears in my eyes from the power of his music. Jeff Tweedy turned to me and said "Are you gonna join this fuckin' band now?"
A month later I sold my business and got on a tour bus for a 2-year ride. That was a decade ago.
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Thursday, December 13, 2007
Led Zeppelin at London's O2 Arena
The hoi paloi were out that night. For the record, I am not a part of the hoi paloi. A colleague of mine watched the concert from the Ertegun box and had this story to tell me.
Mick jagger and his girlfriend were also in the ox that night. Like most of the crown, jagger spent a majority of the concert on his feet dancing the night away. Near the end of the concert, Jagger's assistant suggested that he should leave early to miss the crowds coming out of the arena. he agreed and said his good-byes to everyone he knew in the box. he gathered his coat and headed out the door.
But before the door closed Zeppelin went into "Kashmir" and the door burst open again. Jagger ran back in, threw down his jacket and reclaimed his position in the box to dance to one more tune. I understand it was a terrific night for everyone.
Mick jagger and his girlfriend were also in the ox that night. Like most of the crown, jagger spent a majority of the concert on his feet dancing the night away. Near the end of the concert, Jagger's assistant suggested that he should leave early to miss the crowds coming out of the arena. he agreed and said his good-byes to everyone he knew in the box. he gathered his coat and headed out the door.
But before the door closed Zeppelin went into "Kashmir" and the door burst open again. Jagger ran back in, threw down his jacket and reclaimed his position in the box to dance to one more tune. I understand it was a terrific night for everyone.
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
From Magnificent to Maligned to Nostolgia
My buddy got the recently released Brit Box set from Rhino which, all at once, aged him. "How did the music of my youth suddenly become nostalgia," he asked. he then went on to point out that of the three discs one was jammed full of hits, one had some hits and the third was all filler. Of course filler is only one opinion. When Rhino works on these boxes they are trying to piece together a quintessential snapshot of an era. one man's filler is another man's goldmine.
One could argue (and win the argument) that any three set box intended to encapsulate an era would do the same. My era would be mid-seventies hard rock. But after some Ted Nugent, Aerosmith, Kiss, Queen and Thin Lizzy, what's next? I love Judas Priest but someone else might want to hear Black Oak Arkansas. As a fan of seventies rock I had to endure the years that everyone laughed in my face and called it the lost decade of rock and roll. I stayed true to my record collection and a few years ago the seventies finally started to get the recognition it truly deserved.
The same can be said of the new wave which seemed so saccharine and plastic not too many years ago has suddenly come back into vogue and sacchariney and plastically.
The nineties are due for a comeback too. For as popular as Nirvana remains, the countless soundalikes are sure to be recognized as the collective saviours of rock and roll and herald the decade as a sort of renaissance.
One could argue (and win the argument) that any three set box intended to encapsulate an era would do the same. My era would be mid-seventies hard rock. But after some Ted Nugent, Aerosmith, Kiss, Queen and Thin Lizzy, what's next? I love Judas Priest but someone else might want to hear Black Oak Arkansas. As a fan of seventies rock I had to endure the years that everyone laughed in my face and called it the lost decade of rock and roll. I stayed true to my record collection and a few years ago the seventies finally started to get the recognition it truly deserved.
The same can be said of the new wave which seemed so saccharine and plastic not too many years ago has suddenly come back into vogue and sacchariney and plastically.
The nineties are due for a comeback too. For as popular as Nirvana remains, the countless soundalikes are sure to be recognized as the collective saviours of rock and roll and herald the decade as a sort of renaissance.
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
Norman Mailer
I lived in Brooklyn Heights years ago. Norman Mailer lived there too and I would often see him out for a walk on Clark St., shopping at Barnes and Noble or leaning over the railing on the Promandae looking at Manhatten (pre 9/11).
I didn't read much mailer, but what I did (Executioner's Song, The Fight) blew my mind. I loved listening to him talk in interviews and always appreciated that he had built a tough guy persona for himself.
One of the romantic notions I always talked about while living in new york City was the fact that I was walking the same streets, past the same brownstones as some of the most important writers in history. Norman mailer could be the last literary hero of our times with no one really waiting in the wings.
All those time I saw him I never spoke to Norman Mailer.
I didn't read much mailer, but what I did (Executioner's Song, The Fight) blew my mind. I loved listening to him talk in interviews and always appreciated that he had built a tough guy persona for himself.
One of the romantic notions I always talked about while living in new york City was the fact that I was walking the same streets, past the same brownstones as some of the most important writers in history. Norman mailer could be the last literary hero of our times with no one really waiting in the wings.
All those time I saw him I never spoke to Norman Mailer.
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
www.slacker.com
This is not a commercial, just an unsolicited recommendation. I was reading Rolling stone the other day and came across an add for http://www.slacker.com/, a website that allows you to build your own customized radio station. I've been listening to it for close to a week now and am thrilled with the service.
You can choose from a number of pre-programmed "stations" or you can choose your favourite band and the site will create a playlist featuring your favourite band and other bands either similar to in genre, influenced by or who were influences. I know that there have been other similar services but my experience is that you have to sign up and then the service times out it's free play. This seems to be unlimited. There are other options including record reviews, t-shirts and a portable player.
I spent the the first few days listening to my Yardbirds channel and am now listening to my Aerosmith channel. Ted Nugent's "Free For All" came on and sent me on an Internet search for that wholly excellent, long lost and under appreciated album.
Enjoy.
You can choose from a number of pre-programmed "stations" or you can choose your favourite band and the site will create a playlist featuring your favourite band and other bands either similar to in genre, influenced by or who were influences. I know that there have been other similar services but my experience is that you have to sign up and then the service times out it's free play. This seems to be unlimited. There are other options including record reviews, t-shirts and a portable player.
I spent the the first few days listening to my Yardbirds channel and am now listening to my Aerosmith channel. Ted Nugent's "Free For All" came on and sent me on an Internet search for that wholly excellent, long lost and under appreciated album.
Enjoy.
Thursday, November 8, 2007
Chris Stills - when good artists go missing
A long long time ago when I started working in the music business, a friend of mine said that her distrust of major labels came from the fact that she felt that we only made hits out of the records we liked. I assured her that that wasn't true. If it was that easy, it would be in our best interest to make EVERY record a hit!
I'm sitting at my desk listening to 100 Year Thing, the debut album from Chris Stills, the son of Stephen Stills. This record is completely awesome. There is so much of it that reminds you of classic CSNY in the vocals and melodies but, although the songs are mainly based on acoustic guitar, this record totally rocks! I am loathe to choose highlights since every single song is worthy of the highest praise. I wish I was hyping you on a record that was coming out in January 2008 but, unfortunately, this is a record that was released in January 1998 and disappeared almost as quickly as it hit the record shelves.
It's ten years later and I still can't tell you what happened. The music truly is spectacular but there was no radio that would play it at the time. His story was great (son of Stills and French singer Veronique Sanson) but no media was really interested in covering it. We saw him play once and he was terrific but there was no tour.
There are so many factors that contribute to the current state of the music business and no one is counting the mystery of the disappearance of artists like Chris as one of those factors. By the way his second album came out in 2005. I never heard it but I will say this, if you go to his myspace site, the music you hear there can't touch what I'm listening to on 100 Year Thing.
I'm sitting at my desk listening to 100 Year Thing, the debut album from Chris Stills, the son of Stephen Stills. This record is completely awesome. There is so much of it that reminds you of classic CSNY in the vocals and melodies but, although the songs are mainly based on acoustic guitar, this record totally rocks! I am loathe to choose highlights since every single song is worthy of the highest praise. I wish I was hyping you on a record that was coming out in January 2008 but, unfortunately, this is a record that was released in January 1998 and disappeared almost as quickly as it hit the record shelves.
It's ten years later and I still can't tell you what happened. The music truly is spectacular but there was no radio that would play it at the time. His story was great (son of Stills and French singer Veronique Sanson) but no media was really interested in covering it. We saw him play once and he was terrific but there was no tour.
There are so many factors that contribute to the current state of the music business and no one is counting the mystery of the disappearance of artists like Chris as one of those factors. By the way his second album came out in 2005. I never heard it but I will say this, if you go to his myspace site, the music you hear there can't touch what I'm listening to on 100 Year Thing.
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