John Lodge, English musician (The Moody Blues)

THANKS!!

JEFFERSON AIRPLANE- JEFFERSON STARSHIP-

Great Society- Take Me To A Circus Tent

Quality Rock & Roll Airplane

style.

Welcome to Cream Floyd Airplane Land:

Anything of interest going on? Hope you are enjoying the weekend.

A cool number from the Rock Tent Vaults for our flight. A member of Cream and one from Pink Floyd wish you were here.

Let’s go to the stage:

Eric Clapton/Roger Waters 2 acoustic guitars and 2 legends perform the Pink Floyd classic:

WISH YOU WERE HERE

Relax and have fun!

JEFFERSON AIRPLANE-

JEFFERSON STARSHIP- Great Society-

Take Me To A Circus Tent

I look forward to hearing you later!

The book is Take Me To A Circus Tent (The Jefferson Airplane Flight Manual) W/93 photos, 32 interviews, 543 pages, and a myriad of 5 star reviews!

Please remember at any moment on an Aircast it can be a rare memory from the Jefferson Airplane, Jefferson Starship, KBC, Wooden Ships, Marty Balin, Paul Kantner to name several.  Maybe another picture previously unseen from the Rock Tent Vault sees daylight from Herb Greene or Don Aters.

Hope Sunday will be the best,

craig

http://www.takemetoacircustent.net/media/JeffersonAirplaneTakeMeToACircusTentAircast64ecandrwwishyouwerehere.mp3

The Beatles

"Revolution"

( 1968 )
.
.

.

Was it this song that made music change heavier? Or was it Helter Skelter? At least we know it was the Beatles and of this particular album that music changed. The Led Zeppelin's, The Black Sabbath's and The Deep Purple's, did they get off on this style? Did it inspire them when they were younger, all spotty and brash? Did the music come out of the speakers and smack them across the face? Who knows, but them i guess. The White Album is the mark by which all other music is judged upon and by God so fucking be it.

Each song on the sprawling double album The Beatles is an entity to itself, as the band touches on anything and everything it can. This makes for a frustratingly scattershot record or a singularly gripping musical experience, depending on your view, but what makes the so-called White Album interesting is its mess. Never before had a rock record been so self-reflective, or so ironic; the Beach Boys send-up "Back in the U.S.S.R." and the British blooze parody "Yer Blues" are delivered straight-faced, so it's never clear if these are affectionate tributes or wicked satires. Lennon turns in two of his best ballads with "Dear Prudence" and "Julia"; scours the Abbey Road vaults for the musique concrète collage "Revolution 9"; pours on the schmaltz for Ringo's closing number, "Good Night"; celebrates the Beatles cult with "Glass Onion"; and, with "Cry Baby Cry," rivals Syd Barrett. McCartney doesn't reach quite as far, yet his songs are stunning -- the music hall romp "Honey Pie," the mock country of "Rocky Raccoon," the ska-inflected "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da," and the proto-metal roar of "Helter Skelter."
Clearly, the Beatles' two main songwriting forces were no longer on the same page, but neither were George and Ringo. Harrison still had just two songs per LP, but it's clear from "While My Guitar Gently Weeps," the canned soul of "Savoy Truffle," the haunting "Long, Long, Long," and even the silly "Piggies" that he had developed into a songwriter who deserved wider exposure. And Ringo turns in a delight with his first original, the lumbering country-carnival stomp "Don't Pass Me By." None of it sounds like it was meant to share album space together, but somehow The Beatles creates its own style and sound through its mess. ~ [Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide]

The first version of "Revolution" to be released (though the last to be recorded) was the B-side of the "Hey Jude" single, released in early September 1968.
A product of the recording sessions for The Beatles (aka The White Album), "Revolution" featured distorted guitars and an electric piano solo by session musician Nicky Hopkins. This track is said to be one of the loudest and most aggressive Beatles songs; it begins abruptly with a loud, overdriven electric guitar played by Lennon, a thundering, compressed drum beat from Ringo Starr and a monstrous scream from Lennon. (The scream was an overdub added when Lennon double tracked his vocal. McCartney performed the scream on the semi-live performance for the promotional film, because Lennon could not deliver the scream and catch his breath again in time to launch into the first verse.)

The musical form is a simple
rock and roll chord progression, but the highly processed elements and hyperbolic approach distinguished the track from nearly anything that had come before; the sound of "Revolution" is often cited as presaging heavy metal. "Revolution" later appeared on the 1970 Hey Jude compilation album created for the U.S. market and other compilations.
The Beatles performed the song semi-live (with live vocals performed over a pre-recorded instrumental track) in a specially produced promotional film shot by director Michael Lindsay-Hogg at the same time as the Hey Jude promotional film. The film received its world premiere in Britain on David Frost's ITV television programme, 4 September 1968. As the Beatles were singing the vocals live on the film, they elected to incorporate part of the vocal arrangement from the slower Revolution 1 version of the track. McCartney and Harrison added the "shoop-doo-wop" backing vocals unique to that version behind Lennon's lead vocal - thus making the vocals on the film performance a hybrid of the two versions of the song. [source:wikipedia]
For Led Zeppelin see Number 957 & Number 577
For Black Sabbath see Number 979 & Number 826
For Deep Purple see Number 686
For The Beach Boys see Number 714 & Number 641
For more Beatles see Number 947 & Number 894
For even MORE Beatles visit Mellow Mix Vol 12 #150

For John Lennon see Number 639
For Ringo Starr see Number 901
For George Harrison see Number 806

For Paul McCartney see Number 583

For Eric Clapton see Number 537
for Syd Barrett visit Mellow Mix Vol 1 Number 138

What does Rolling Stone think about the Beatles

Beyond its stylish minimalism, the essentially blank cover of The Beatles, better known as the White Album, served a symbolic purpose. The band could find no honest way to visually represent itself as a coherent unit. Each of the three main songwriters was pursuing his own vision, with the other members, however reluctantly, serving as backup musicians. Once a whole far greater than the sum of its parts, the Beatles were now a tense alliance of daunting individual talents. The Beatles became a double album in part because John Lennon, Paul McCartney and George Harrison all insisted that their favorite songs be included. "I remember having three studios operating at the same time," Harrison said of the sessions. "Paul was doing some overdubs in one, John was in another and I was recording some horns or something in a third." Ringo Starr grew so frustrated that he quit the band for a time. The others festooned his drum set in flowers to celebrate his return. What didn't suffer in this atmosphere was the music. From the plangent yearning of Lennon's "Julia" to the exuberance of McCartney's "Back in the U.S.S.R." and the prayerfulness of Harrison's "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" (featuring a solo by Eric Clapton), the White Album is an exhilarating sprawl -- some of the Beatles' most daring and delicate work. "I think it was a very good album," said McCartney. "It stood up, but it wasn't a pleasant one to make." ~ Rolling Stone

Rolling Stone Top 500 Songs ranked this song at Number (But there was so many!) and the Album ranked at Number 10

This song has a crowbarred rating of 72.4 out of 108 pts

Lyrics to the song

Previous Song 586 ..... Next Song 588

Tags:The Beatles, 1968, Rock,
Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, Deep Purple,Beach Boys, John Lennon, YouTube, Music
Video, Rolling Stone Magazine, Crowbarred, New Zealand, Crowbarred Unleashed, The Definitive 1000 Songs Of All Time, Mellow Mix Volume 1

Waiwera

Search Artist here

1-2-3-A-B-C-D-E-F-G-H-I-J-K-L-M-N-O-P-Q-R-S-T-U-V-W-X-Y-Z

JEFFERSON AIRPLANE- JEFFERSON STARSHIP-

Great Society- Take Me To A Circus Tent

Quality Rock & Roll Airplane

style.

Please Don’t Forget We Are Not Far From

The Landing Of The

New Jefferson Starship Book

“HAVE YOU SEEN THE STARS TONITE”

Won’t You Try the Airshow Saturday morning?

Welcome to Airplane photo land. How did the week go?

Great photos continue to come from the Rock tent Vaults.

Thanks again to Ralph Temple for his endless memories of

Rock and Roll from yesterday and today.

In no order:

Art Garfunkel 1970

Rick Grech (Blind Faith) 1969

Canned Heat

Heart

Linda Ronstadt (From the 1960’s)

John Entwhistle playing one of the coolest looking basses ever for an unplugged gig!

Jefferson Airplane 1969

Please fly here:

http://www.takemetoacircustent.net

When you land look to the left and click the Airshow Photos #8 option and you can see

the updates pictures from this week.  The other myriad of wonderful memories can be found in sections 1-7 and the Great society has their own entrance.  Take your time and enjoy!  Thanks for flying by as always.

Relax and have fun!

JEFFERSON AIRPLANE-

JEFFERSON STARSHIP- Great Society-

Take Me To A Circus Tent

I look forward to hearing you later!

The book is Take Me To A Circus Tent (The Jefferson Airplane Flight Manual) W/93 photos, 32 interviews, 543 pages, and a myriad of 5 star reviews!

Please remember at any moment on an Aircast it can be a rare memory from the Jefferson Airplane, Jefferson Starship, KBC, Wooden Ships, Marty Balin, Paul Kantner to name several.  Maybe another picture previously unseen from the Rock Tent Vault sees daylight from Herb Greene or Don Aters.

Enjoy the flight and the day,

CF

Eagles with Bernie, I saw there 3 or 4 times in hawaii in the early 70's.
This song is dedicated to Debby B where ever you are I hope you are at least half as happy as I am just thinking of you.
and to The 3 Musterkers of Poli street
time is Greenwich Mean Time
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He made us dinner last night, during which we listened to old records (The Cars, the Beatles, Led Zeppelin), danced in the kitchen with our glasses of wine in hand and chattered about the most random things before settling on the couch to watch one of my favorite movies, Happy Accidents.

We munched on Dark Chocolate Covered Joe-Joe's from Trader Joe's and wound up on the floor where he tickled me, I perused his many books, and I showed him some of the easier Personal Training moves from ManMate.

Besides actually liking this guy, I relish in the fact that I laugh... a lot. I don't remember the last time I smiled and laughed this much with a guy.

(Random side note: apparently the blog world doesn't care to read you when you're happy. My page views are significantly lower now that I'm seeing someone. Interesting.)

Metallica have revealed the artwork for their forthcoming new studio release, DEATH MAGNETIC. Head to here for wallpapers, PDF download, and buddy icons.

As previously reported, the following Death Magnetic packages (due in September) will be available in North America:

Digital Death Magnetic:

Digital Death Magnetic first - at 320 KBIT/S delivered at midnight on street date
Downloads of two entire shows from this summer
Almost 2 hrs of additional exclusive fly on the wall footage
250 additional exclusive photos
Ringtones of riffs from the new album
Exclusive Contests: Airfare, hotel, tickets and meet + greet passes for Ozzfest, Reading UK and special listening party for the new album at Band HQ!
$10 off merch or Fan Club membership at Metallica.com or MetClub.com

Death Magnetic CD + Digital Death Magnetic:

The Death Magnetic CD with free shipping
Digital Death Magnetic first - at 320 KBIT/S delivered at midnight on street date
Downloads of two entire shows from this summer
Almost 2 hrs of additional exclusive fly on the wall footage
250 additional exclusive photos
Ringtones of riffs from the new album
Exclusive Contests: Airfare, hotel, tickets and meet + greet passes for Ozzfest, Reading UK and special listening party for the new album at Band HQ!
$10 off merch or Fan Club membership at Metallica.com or MetClub.com

5LP + Lithograph + Death Magnetic CD + Digital Death Magnetic

5 LP 180 gram box with 5 individual sleeves
Mission: Metallica Lithograph
The Death Magnetic CD
FREE shipping on all!!
The Death Magnetic CD with free shipping
Digital Death Magnetic first - at 320 KBIT/S delivered at midnight on street date
Downloads of two entire shows from this summer
Almost 2 hrs of additional exclusive fly on the wall footage
250 additional exclusive photos
Ringtones of riffs from the new album
Exclusive Contests: Airfare, hotel, tickets and meet + greet passes for Ozzfest, Reading UK and special listening party for the new album at Band HQ!
$10 off merch or Fan Club membership at Metallica.com or MetClub.com

More details can be found here.

Death Magnetic is "a stunning, overdue return to the shock and rush of the band's speed-metal monuments, 1984's Ride The Lightning and 1986's Master Of Puppets," according to Rolling Stone.

According to BW&BK sources, the album will be preceded by an eight-minute single which is being described as "a tour de force that features some of their fastest playing ever." The record is being produced by Rick Rubin (SLAYER, RED HOT CHILI PEPERS) and mixed by Greg Fidelman.

Listen to Death Magnetic samples below:

Aerosmith is the self-titled debut album by American hard rock band Aerosmith, released in 1973

The album was recorded in two weeks at Intermedia Studio in Boston, Massachusetts.

The photo at right is the original cover, which misprinted the song "Walkin' The Dog" as "Walkin' The Dig." When a second pressing of the album was released in 1976, this error was corrected, and the cover replaced with a modified one made up entirely of the photo of the band members. This second pressing is the more commonly available version of the LP. When reissued on CD in 1993, a remastered version of the original first pressing artwork was used.

In retrospect, it's a bit shocking how fully formed the signature Aerosmith sound was on their self-titled 1973 debut — which may not be the same thing as best-executed, because this album still sounds like a first album, complete with the typical stumbles and haziness that comes with a debut. Despite all this, Aerosmith clearly showcases all the attributes of the band that would become the defining American hard rock band of the '70s.

Here, the Stones influences are readily apparent, from the Jagger-esque phrasing of Steven Tyler to the group's high-octane boogie, but the group displays little of the Stones' deep love of blues here. Instead, Aerosmith is bloozy — their riffs don't swing, they slide. They borrow liberally from Led Zeppelin's hybridization of Chess and Sun riffs without ever sounding much like Zep. They are never as British as Zeppelin — they lack the delicate folky preciousness, they lack the obsession with blues authenticity, they lack the larger-than-life persona of so many Brit bands.

They are truly an American band, sounding as though they were the best bar band in your local town, cranking out nasty hard-edged rock, best heard on "Mama Kin," the best rocker here, one that's so greasy it nearly slips through their fingers. But the early masterpiece is, of course, "Dream On," the first full-fledged power ballad. There was nothing quite like it in 1973, and it remains the blueprint for all power ballads since. The rest of the record contains the seeds of Aerosmith's sleazoid blues-rock, but they wouldn't quite perfect that sound until the next time around.

1973 - AEROSMITH - AEROSMITH

01."Make It" (Steven Tyler) – 3:45
02."Somebody" (Tyler, Steven Emspack) – 3:45
03."Dream On" (Tyler) – 4:28
04."One Way Street" (Tyler) – 7:12
05."Mama Kin" (Tyler) – 4:25
06."Write Me" (Tyler) – 4:11
07."Movin' Out" (Tyler, Joe Perry) – 5:03
08."Walkin' the Dog" (Rufus Thomas) – 3:12

from: daquió.

vi. (Custard's) Last Stand
Lighthouses might house the key
but can I reach the door?
I want to walk on the sea
so that I may better find a shore...
but how can I ever keep my feet dry?
I scan the horizon
I must keep my eyes on all parts of me.
Looking back on the years
it seems that I have lost
my way:
Like a dog in the night, I have run to a manger
...now I am the stranger I stay in.
All of the grief I have seen
leaves me chasing solitary peace;
but I hold experience in my head....
I'm too close to the light
I don't think I see right, for I blind me....
vii. The Clot Thickens
WHERE is the God that guides my hand?
HOW can the hands of others reach me?
WHEN will I find what I grope for?
WHO is going to teach me?
I am me/me are we/we can't see
any way out of here.
Crashing sea/atrophied history:
Chance has lost my Guinevere....
I don't want to be one wave in the water
But sea will drag me deep
One more haggard DROWNED MAN...
I can see the Lemmings coming, but I know I'm just a man;
Do I join or do I founder? Which can is the best I may?
viii. Land's End (Sineline)/We Go Now

Oceans drifting sideways, I am pulled into the spell;
I feel you around me...I know you well.
Stars slice horizons where the lines stand much too stark;
I feel I am drowning...hands stretch in the dark.
Camps of panoply and majesty, what is Freedom of Choice?
Where do I stand in the pageantry...whose is my voice?
It doesn't feel so very bad now: I think the end is the start.
Begin to feel very glad now:
ALL THINGS ARE A PART
ALL THINGS ARE APART
ALL THINGS ARE A PART.

Spencer Davis, Welsh instrumentalist and frontman for Spencer Davis Group

Chet McCrakcen, American drummer and vibraphonist with The Doobie Brothers

In their search for a new lead singer, the members of the current Steve Perry–less Journey extended an offer to Jeremey Hunsicker, frontman of Journey tribute band Frontiers. Despite being praised by Neal Schon as a dead ringer for Steve Perry, Hunsicker turned down the offer from his idols in order to be a dad. Which is admirable on a whole lot of levels. When fronting a tribute band, if you can say that you rebuffed an offer from the band to which you pay tribute (and be able to credibly laugh off that Filipino YouTube guy who finally got the gig) … well, that’s a kick in the pants, innit? Hunsicker somehow got a writing credit on the real Journey’s new Wal-Mart-only album, but he gets far more enjoyment out of filling clubs with his sound-alike (if not look-alike) act. In a twisted way, that may make Frontiers the coolest cover band around.

First appeared July 9, 2008 in Orlando Weekly.

The Landing Of The

New Jefferson Starship Book

“HAVE YOU SEEN THE STARS TONITE”

JEFFERSON AIRPLANE- JEFFERSON STARSHIP-

Great Society- Take Me To A Circus Tent

Quality Rock & Roll

Airplane

style.

Hello there:

Welcome to the Airplane Photo op. A chance to check out numerous and always growing rare photos of the 60's and 70's rockers we grew up with. On the flight we call Thursday Rock it is:

Mark Bolan

Chuck Berry

Eric Clapton

Robert Plant

Steve Winwood (Traffic)

Tim Buckley

Skip Spence from Moby Grape 68

Keith Relf Yardbirds

You fly here:

http://www.takemetoacircustent.net

When you touch down please look to the left. There will be a total of 9 photo sections (1 is for Great Society pictures). Enter J. Airshow #8 and see the numerous additions of late and please check the ones from the past. A great way to see 40 years of rock and roll in a day!

Enjoy the festival of memories.

Relax and have fun!

JEFFERSON AIRPLANE-

JEFFERSON STARSHIP- Great Society-

Take Me To A Circus Tent

I look forward to hearing you later!

The book is Take Me To A Circus Tent (The Jefferson Airplane Flight Manual) W/93 photos, 32 interviews, 543 pages, and a myriad of 5 star reviews!

Please remember at any moment on an Aircast it can be a rare memory from the Jefferson Airplane, Jefferson Starship, KBC, Wooden Ships, Marty Balin, Paul Kantner to name several. Maybe another picture previously unseen from the Rock Tent Vault sees daylight from Herb Greene or Don Aters.

Have a fantastic Thursday,

CF

Ronnie Wood's son, Jesse, convinced his father to end his recent bender, end his sexual relationship with a young Russian waitress (Ekaterina Ivanova) who is younger than his 23-year old marriage, and check himself into rehab for the seventh time in his life.

And maybe, maybe, save his marriage to Jo Wood.

It's still unclear if Jo will take him back. As far as the press knows, the last time she spoke to Ronnie he was still bedding down with Ekaterina Ivanova in his well-liquored mansion in Ireland, and she sounded fed up:

"Ronnie told me she was staying there and I said, 'OK – get on with it and have a drink, go mad. Drink your guts up'."

Just think, in 1990 Ronnie Wood was told to stop drinking or die in six months. That was 18 years ago.

Ekaterina Ivanova is fine. She is thinking of selling her story of the affair to a tabloid.

Una manera muy alegre de decir que te has quedado solo porque tu chava te ha bateado hasta el fondo del jardín central y hacerlo parecer que eso está bien. Los Everly Bros. nos dejan así una melodía que alegra mucho los caminos sin oir la letra, total, decir adiós es bien fácil.

Avedrio

Otra canción para sentirse en un mundo sin problemas, aún cuando la canción habla de ese amor que ya se fue y recordamos con mucho más que cariño. Vamos señores, la mayoría ha tenido a una mujer de ojos cafés que se les mete en la memoria de vez en cuando. Que pena si no. Yo si tengo mi "Brown eyed girl".

Avedrio

The Black Crowes - Lions

Living Colour - Vivid (1988) sealed longbox sells for the crazy amount of $1025!

Seller - beatlesandmore
Starting Price = $16.95
Bids = 4

You have got to be kidding me! Over a grand for an album that you can find in any record store in the U.S. either new or used? If you're in the market to buy this CD, then $5 used is plenty and no more than $10 brand new. The trend lately is to buy sealed longboxes and keep them sealed so they go up in price, on the same idea of action figures and toys. The problem is that millions of copies of VIVID were sold and there are thousands of used copies all over the place. With so many "mom & pop" record stores closing there doors, old inventory like CDs in longboxes are becoming more common.....the old record store in my hometown has 5 sealed longboxes of Lita Ford's DANGEROUS CURVES for $15 each, maybe I should invest?

Laurence Archer - LA (1986) sells for another high price - $395!

Seller - hinomoto1
Starting Price = 99 cents
Bids = 44

This Laurence Archer CD is like a default Ebay Madness item, I think I've done more Ebay Madness columns with this CD than any other! It's popular among collectors and very rare and now there is an Italian bootleg out there so buyer beware! I have bought from this seller in the past so I can attest to the quality of the auctions and CDs I've received. Hinomoto1 is one of the best sellers on Ebay for Japanese issue CDs.

Uncle Slam - Say Uncle (1988) Japanese import sells for $233.73!

Seller - heatwave704
Starting Price = $99.99
Bids = 14

Old school Thrash from '88 released in Japan only. I've seen this disc go for big bucks before and it's definitely a rarity. You gotta love that album cover, especially in today's context! If anyone is interested, check Ebay for a current auction that starts at $200!

Hear 'N Aid (1985) Japanese CD sells for $202.50!

Seller - ufo-msg
Starting Price = $29.99
Bids = 23

I have this exact disc and I bought it for $20 in '96! This was issued on CD in Japan in 1994 and it hasn't been released on CD in the U.S. at all to my knowledge. I had this on cassette when it first came out, I remember how cool I thought it was that the Metal guys were doing a USA For Africa thing. I give the seller credit for getting so much but I noticed that the winning bidder has zero feedback and is new to Ebay.....always a question mark in my eyes but the seller is legit, I've bought from ufo-msg in the past.

Taken - Smell the Groove (1992) independently released CD grabs $147.50!

Taken - Smell The Groove (1992) independently released CD ends at $130 with BUY IT NOW!

Seller - djsfresh19
Starting Price (auction) = 99 cents
Bids = 12
Buy It Now Price (2nd listing) = $130

Ebay seller djsfresh19 had two copies of this album to sell: the first at $147.50 ended 7/10/08 and the $130 BUY IT NOW listing ended on 7/14/08. Not a bad haul for 4 days of "work"! The funney thing about these two listings is that the seller misspelled "groove" and used "grove" instead! I've listed this CD before, it's a rare early 90s album that usually goes between $150 - $200. There seems to be a few of them circulating lately because.....

Taken - Smell the Groove (1992) CD ends with BUY IT NOW at $125.....a bargain!

Seller - sawface32
Buy It Now Price = $125

This Philadelphia band's independently released CD went like hotcakes in the 5 days! This listing ended on 7/11/08, right in between the two up above. Turns out this one was the best price by five bucks!

1. What are you currently up to? (e.g. recording, gigs etc.)

   Last week I did some recording for Trans-Siberian Orchestra.  This weekend I played a metal festival in Romania with Testament. Later in the week, I'm off to New Zealand with my trio. We're doing a guitar fest with Joe Satriani, Vernon Reid, Gilby Clark, Uli Roth and Glenn Hughes. After that Testament starts a tour with Judas Priest, Heaven & Hell and Motorhead. Then in September, there's a US tour with the trio, some Testament shows in Japan. In October, I go on tour with the Trans-Siberian Orchestra until January 09. It's a busy time...

2. How did you get back with Testament and what was it like playing with the band after such a long time away? How did the fans react to you coming back? 

   It started as just a simple reunion with no plans beyond a few shows. I was told there were some good offers from European promoters and decided to give it a shot for fun. Now here it is, a couple years later, and we have a new album, extensive media coverage, awards and the biggest metal tour of the summer. It's pretty amazing.

   At first it took some getting used to, as I'd been away from that style of music for some time. But it came together quick and soon felt like I rediscovered my metal voice, but with all the knowledge I've gained from years studying and playing jazz improv.

   The fan reaction was incredible. I had no idea how much appreciation there was for my work with the band. I couldn't believe the number of people who credited me with inspiring them to start guitar and/or to branch out into jazz and other styles of music.

3. Any recent music/books/films you would recommend?

   For Music, I recently discovered a band out of Seattle called Estradasphere. They combine hard rock/metal/grunge with Hungarian Gypsy violins, Chinese folk instruments, surf guitar and more. You wouldn't think it works, but it does.

   For books, I just read "This Is Your Brain On Music" by Daniel Levitin. He's an amazing guy: a successful music producer that went on to earn a PhD in neuroscience. As a professor at McGill University, he is now doing pioneering research on how music relates to the brain and vice versa. This book documents his studies and offers some unique theories. A fascinating read.

   For films: I recently saw the Julie Timor musical 'Across The Universe' which was just fantastic. A really inspiring reworking of Beatles music with incrdible visuals.  My friend Dana Fuchs is one of the stars and she's an artist to watch out for. 

   Also, I'm a couple years late on this one, but I recently watched the movie 'Hustle And Flow' and was completely knocked out. It's one of the most inspiring films I've seen about music. The young white kid (played by DJ Qualls) is someone I relate to. What he brings to the rap scene and finding his place in it reminds me of a lot of my own role in heavy metal. Hopefully I'm a little less nerdy...

4. You're involved in the massive hit Trans-Siberian Orchestra. How did you become involved with it and why do you think it has become such a big hit? Any plans for it to come over to Europe/UK at all?

   Trans-Siberian Orchestra is a big collective of musicians, singers under the guidance of veteran producer/TSO founder Paul O'Niel. I had recorded one album with the band Savatage, whose subsequent album launched the music that would morph into TSO, so when I moved to New York, Paul tracked me down and invited me to join. It worked out great because it was just part of the year and I had the freedom to do my other projects.

   I had no idea it would get this big, which I think has happened for several reasons. One, is that it tapped into a market that had been left for dead by the music industry: classic rock fans. They don't buy albums like they used to, but still have a passion for music, and this show gives them something new besides the same artists they've gone to see for years.  Another reason is that it is a show for the whole family. Ages 5-85 all seem to enjoy it equally, as it combines the entertainment qualities of Disney, Broadway, the symphony and the biggest arena rock concerts. Finally, I'd say that because it is a holiday/Christmas show, it continues to become a tradition for all who go to see it.

   A UK/Europe tour has been discussed for years, but it's a massive undertaking and hasn't been able to come together yet. However, I do know for a fact that the desire to make that happen is there. Hopefully in the next couple years.

5. Message for your fans...

   I continue to be amazed by the love and support I've gotten from my fans and want to say thanks for sticking by me. You inspire me to reach new heights and the best is yet to come, I promise.

http://skolnotes.blogspot.com

The second band in out series highlighting the local South Korean bands that will be performing at this year's Pentaport Rock Festival is the electronic band “The Ratios”. “The Ratios” are Vada on vocals; Sang Jin on synthesizer and sound making machines; Jung Jun on bass; Yong Sik on drums; and Yun Tack as the sound designer.

Followers of the late-'90s Korean heavy metal will probably identify the name Vada as the lead vocalist for the super-group Sinawe, which broke up in 1999. “The music scene was a lot better then. There were all kinds of music being heard in Korea, punk, rock, psychedelic rock – and almost anything. Our most memorable performance was at Seoul National University in ’96. We were the first band to perform there, and the students were hungry for live music then. The turnout was a lot more than we expected, with 2,000 people showing up.”

Echoing the sentiments of “Broccoli, you too?”, Vada (or Kim Ba Da) feels that there is not enough variety in Korean music today. “What you hear in Korea today is mostly light sounding pop music with a smaller following. Everybody in Korea is so busy working to support a family that most people don’t have time for very much leisure activity.” In South Korea, it is quite common for salarymen to work twelve-hour days.

Despite their current release, “Burning Telepathy”, featuring about half of the songs written with English lyrics, it is their music itself that attracts listeners of any language. The Ratios have a unique sound that mixes high-energy electronica with a driving bass and drum beat. The sound designer, Yun Tack, also adds an incredible range of nuances using various DJ and hip-hop techniques. Tracks from the band’s latest album can be heard on their Myspace page. The Ratios have a stage presence that can enthrall an audience of any size, from club audiences to those the size of the Pentaport Rock Festival.

“There is influx of foreign music to Korea, but hardly any Korean music being heard abroad. I would like to show the rest of the world what Korean music is really like, and to introduce [contemporary] music produced with Korean instruments,” Vada said. Vada listens to glam rock artists such as TRex, David Bowie and Ian Brown, most of the time. “The first time I heard rock, I was blown away.” Jung Jun listens to ambient music artists such as Oasis and Ian Brown. Sang Jin listens to electronic artists such as Sebastien and Justix. Yong Sik listens to classic rock the most. And Yun Tack listens to electronica.

After Sinawe broke up in 1999, Vada was the front man for “Butterfly Effect” which had performed at the 2007 Pentaport Rock Festival. After the band broke up in 2004, Vada contacted Sang Jin, having heard his music before, to discuss forming a new band. The rest of the band members have been long time friends. “It took awhile to come up with a name for the band.” Vada chose the name “The Ratios” because he likes the way it sounds. Vada and Sang Jin write most of the songs for the band.

Vada’s recording experience, from his tenure with Sinawe and Butterfly Effect, have developed his skill in leading a crowd when performing, and finding the right sounds when working on writing songs. Future plans for The Ratios include touring clubs in Japan this summer. “I would also like to do a concert out in the forest sometime.” Their goal for Pentaport Rock Festival is to give their electrifying performance – celebrating their love for music with an international audience, and redefining Korean music as more than just Kpop.

For more information, please visit:

• Pentaport Rock Festival 2008 website
  
• Broccoli, you too?
• The Ratios and Vada
• Sinawe
• Club Volume
• Annual World DJ Festival
• Preview of Pentaport Rock Festival 2008 with event dates - from 3c Arts+Culture Blogzine

All photos and text for this article are provided by David B. Mann. For more information on David visit his website and his profile page

Quote by the author, David Mann - "I see photography as a treasure hunt - you never know what you are going to find. This is also my philosophy of life in general. It is what fueled my desire to move to New York City after graduating the University of North Texas, skydive, and work on a cruise ship for six months. This love of adventure is also what brought me to the Korean peninsula. It is what inspires me to pick up the camera each morning and look for the subtle back-beat of every day life."

"My skill as a photographer is the result of working as a Director of Photography and Gaffer on independent films while living in New York City. I also have experience working in the audio/visual markets in the Houston, TX area. I am now working in South Korea, and very excited by the new directions I can explore with my photography."

From Led Zeppelin II, Heartbreaker was a cornerstone of the album, showcasing the talent of all members of the band, and provided a taste of what was to come.

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I'm not really a concert girl. I don't dig going to The Kyber and getting wasted to bands that just come off sounding like noise. Plus it really ruins the elastic in my skinny jeans when I start sweating too much. Really. Or knowing my luck, some 230 pound oaf kicks me in the ankle as he throws his arms above his head and staggers forward in a half-drunk leap screaming 'Yeahhhhhh!!!' Thus, permanently disabling me and my hawwt heeled look. Ugh.

My music exploration is typically an online experience, discovering new groups through music blogs. Minimizes my interaction with groupies. Honestly, I can't say that the Philly music scene promotes itself as much as it should.

This city has a penchant for undervaluing talent!
Which is why they all leave, right?

But then there is Philly Rising, an open mic night every Monday at World Cafe Live. I went a few months ago. O. My. Phucking. G!! Great music gives me that light-headed, heart-beating-out-of-my-chest sort of pleasure. Ah, Bojibian.

Pronounced bo-JIB-ee-an, these guys are brutal. Beautifully untamed. When I first saw them, they took the stage in sunglasses; like, 'Hey we don't take ourselves too seriously...' but then proceeded to seriously rock out. The band consists of Stephen Lorek, Niles Weiss, James Scullion and Dylan Mulcahy. They pull off style and talent. Phucking down-right panache.

I won't even mention how young they are because I'm sick of how every youthful music act has to be some surprise... I mean really, how many geezers do you know who still have passion? Life is draining, man. SO counteracting my extremely jaded nature, I listen to Bojibian songs that are light, fun, LOUD, upbeat. That's the best way I can say it, as I've never been one for categorizing music, and Bojibian won't cage themselves in either:

Stylistically, the group draws from many different influences, at times sounding like some sort of post-modern mash-up of pop, post-punk, classic rock, post-grunge, Southern rock, and arena rock…or something like that.

So.

This Saturday.

Go to World Cafe Live.

Bojibian will be on at 9 pm. They will also be selling their debut album which they have been working on furtively for the past 2 months. Commendable for a band that's only been together since the beginning of this year!

HEAR THEM on Myspace. My fav? Hallway. Although Upstroke and Call Me In The Morning have been stuck in my head lately

I'll be sad when they leave us for NYC.

I kid. I kid. Well, sorta.

Alice is still doing the same shtick he did years ago but I still love it.

(don't take it seriously)