When I was at the BET awards, I met Chris Kissinger of Image Factory, and we both quickly realized how little we knew of the Rap genre.  We began to talk about our shared passion for other genres of music, when he informed me that he was the technical director of video for the Greek Amphitheater, a hippie-ish, outdoor concert venue, and he would love for me to come and help out!

About a week later, Chris called me and asked me to come to the Gov't Mule concert.  With a blues-rock style, Gov't Mule was a band I had always wanted to see live, so I jumped at the chance.  When I arrived, Chris whisked me to the back-control room, which was jam-packed with buttons, levers, and TV screens.  Take camera 1, Fade in, Iris, Gain, Aperture.  With the concert about to begin, I intently listened to Chris's hurried explanations of each nozzle's function.  "Got it?", Chris asked me as he placed the large headphones over my ears.  "You mean I'm doing this by myself?" I asked with a wavering voice.  Chris nodded, assured me I could do it, and left me in the control room alone.  Yikes.

So, I just jumped into the Deep End, and began technical directing.  I chose which camera shots the audience would see on the 2 large screens on either side of the stage.  Though I fumbled around initially, I quickly fell into a rhythm while bobbing my head to the live beat.  

For the finale, Chris relieved me of my directing duties, and I was able to go into the audience to watch.  Led by Warren Haynes, long-time member of the Allman Brothers and Gov't Mule, I reveled in the nostalgic, bluesy feel of one of my favorite songs, "Soulshine."  To watch the large screens project close-ups of the band members, it was amazing to think that I had been directing those screens for the entire concert before the finale.  Elated from the live music after the concert, I bounced back down to the control room to thank Chris for the amazing opportunity.  He thanked me, slipped me 25$ for helping him out, and all I could think was that I would have paid him that money for letting me technical direct.

Here's a video of Gov't Mule playing "Soulshine"  Check it out!

The Travelin' Trio (me, Iris and Marla) headed up to Los Angeles on Sunday night for a Dead Head concert. Marla is a Grateful Dead fan and her connection to a band newsletter led her to buy some tickets to see Gov't Mule and RatDog (Bob Weir's band) at The Greek.

After some Indian food on Vermont Avenue, we trekked over to the venue at Griffith Park. The crowd was friendly and mellow (of course); the parking was bizarre (on the grass, on a hill: $15). We heard excited whispers as people pointed out Bill Walton in the crowd. He disappeared into a custom coach, but we would see him again soon.

The Pit

When we got to the gate, the ticket-taker ordered us to another entrance. We were "in the pit," she said, and that had a separate gate. Say what? Thinking back a few weeks, nobody really paid attention when Marla excitedly told us that her tickets were "right up front." We were about to find out what that meant.

At the next gate, our tickets were swapped for wristbands and we wandered, clueless, into the venue.

The Pit, of course, is the section slam up against the stage, separted from (the losers in) the front row by a metal fence. There are no seats in The Pit. It's just the people and the band. There might be 24 inches reserved for photographers, but they didn't stick around. We had the whole stage to ourselves, or at least it felt that way. Iris, Marla and I spent six hours bellied up to the metal fence between us and the stage.

Good vibrations

I don't think it would have mattered what bands played last night. I'm not a Dead Head or Grateful Dead fan, but I was so close to the talent I could count their wrinkles and note their wedding bands. They are amazing musicians, no doubt. I was enthralled by the incredible guitar players; there was no keeping up with them. I made eye contact with band members and that was cool. Who gets to do that anymore? This is why I gave up big venues. Why pay close to $100 for an impersonal experience in a stadium full of echoing music? No thanks.

We stood in The Pit all night, dancing our way through Gov't Mule songs I didn't know but enjoyed anyway. RatDog went from cover songs to jam sessions and belted out a few Grateful Dead songs that kept the crowd singing and on their feet. Behind us, Bill Walton towered over us. He was hard to miss in his tie-dye shirt. Even a die-hard Tar Heel fan like me can appreciate the basketball star that he was. I enjoyed hearing him accept thank-you's from passers-by. He was friendly and didn't turn away from his fans.

Dancing Fool

So, a final footnote on the night and why I felt so damn young. The bulk of attendants, it seemed, were middle-aged white guys with tie-dye shirts and baggy cargo shorts. Most shockingly of all, these baby-boomers couldn't dance worth a damn. ;-) Iris and I had a few snickers over that one.

One guy in particular had us in stitches all night. His style, if you will, was herky-jerky and full of elbows flying. He had a move that seemed half prayer, half suggestion: arms reaching forward, palms up while his torso jerked awkwardly from his lower body. It was impressive. I figured he lost a few pounds in all that gesticulation. We all longed for a camera to document the moment.

I danced myself, but hey, I've got the moves!

* Nos shows, o White Stripes vende edições limitadas e exclusivas dos seus singles e pôsteres específicos de cada apresentação.

* O OK GO licencia o uso de suas músicas em programas de TV, jogos eletrônicos, publicidade etc.

* O Panic At The Disco fechou um contrato em que, em troca de uma percentagem maior, eles permitem que suas gravadoras cuidem de absolutamente tudo que possa ser vendido com sua marca, não apenas os discos, mas também produtos licenciados, shows etc.

* O Gov’t Mule ganha mais dinheiro com vendas digitais do que com vendas físicas. O áudio de qualquer show que eles façam é vendido no site da banda.

Clique aqui para ler a matéria completa.

“Listen to me because I am so good at playing guitar.” That’s one way to think about why anyone should pay attention to your guitar playing and the music you can make with it.

Another one is: “I can help get your mind off your daily stress, make you feel good for a little while and get you to have some fun. I can do these things for you using this gift I have of playing guitar and making music.”

You can be a really good guitar player and have unlimited amounts of gear, but, if your outlook is similar to the first one above, if you’re limiting yourself to just looking inward and “keeping your head down” while you play, chances are you won’t be making music.

Sure, you could make music, but the kind that stays inside your head. Not the kind that brings people together and enchants them with pleasure, joy and magic – the magic of music.

...

Photo by IG

I keep getting chills thinking about how I'm gonna have some of that gorgeous Haynes Les Paul sound going right into my ear. Oh man. It's general admission, so hopefully I'll get close enough to have a peak at the guitar magic and get some good pictures to share.

My only concern is that I'm going with the guys from the band (we're hitting Hooters before the show for some hot wings and beer action), and I hope, I really do, that the guys don't leave the show wanting me to play guitar like Haynes. Cuz, you know, there's noooo way that's gonna happen.

If you are a guitar geek, and haven't gotten hip to Haynes and Gov't Mule, please do so. Ok? I mean it. For reals.

Here is probably the best bio I've been able to find about Haynes on the net.

Rock and roll!

Praliné des Jahres:
M.I.A.: Paper Plains (Kala, XL Rec., 2007)

Die CD "Kala" von M.I.A. erfuhr eine eigentümliche Rezeptionsgeschichte im deutschen Feuilleton. Kaum ein Blatt verzichtete auf mehrspaltige Laudationes, vergaß aber nicht, den Zeigefinger mahnend in Richtung ihres Papas Arul Pragasam zu heben, einem Aktivisten der "Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam" in Sri Lanka. Mitglied der "Tigers of Tamil" zu sein, ist von Papa sehr ungehörig! Denn wie jeder Deutsche weiß, besteht der politische Kampf im Zettelfalten aller vier Jahre. Mehr Kampf ist böse, und bewaffneter Kampf ist böse-böse.

Auf der anderen Seite wurde M.I.A. in der hiesigen Presse als multikulturelle Botschafterin geadelt. Geboren in London, aufgewachsen in Sri Lanka und London, ihre Songs als Weltreisende in diversen Ländern eingespielt, bot sie sich als Ethno-Queen geradezu an. Außerdem gibt das 10 Gemütspunkte für die immer noch alternativ angehauchte Seele des Feuilleton-Redakteurs.

"Kala" ist jeden Cent wert. Nicht die ganz große Erregung, aber auch kein Reinfall. Man muß die CD selbstverständlich laut hören (wie jede gute Musik) und kann sich bei grimmigem Hip-Hop, hartem Electro, kernigem Agit-Prop und zuckersüßen Bollywood-Samples wunderbar amüsieren.

Ganz besonders laut sollte man den Song "Paper Planes" hören. Darin sampelt M.I.A. u.a. MG-Geräusche: Laden, Feuern, Laden, Feuern ... Eine simple Idee, die ihre grandiose Wirkung um so besser entfaltet, je weiter der Lautstärkeregler aufgedreht wird. Die Militanz der Musik von M.I.A. wird hier effektiv auf den Punkt gebracht. Da bleiben keine Fragen offen.

Gov't Mule pflügen seit Jahren ihre eigene Spur. Angeführt von Warren Haynes, stampfen die Erben der Allman Brothers seit 1995 durch die Welt, unbeirrt von Moden und Trends. Gov't Mule = Blues + Cream + ausufernde Improvisationen, dokumentiert auf Doppel- und Dreifach-CDs voller Live-Musik.

Einen Bestandteil ihres Sounds bildete schon immer der Reggae. Nicht der wichtigste, aber in einigen Titeln unüberhörbar. Einem gemütlichen jamming und dubbing war Warren Haynes nie abgeneigt. Jetzt füllte er damit eine komplette CD -- als Dub-Reprise der Gov't Mule-Produktion "High & Mighty", 2006 erschienen.

Ihr "High & Mighty"-Song "Unring the Bell" erscheint auf "Mighty High" gleich in vier Versionen. Auch "Like Flies" und "So Weak, So Strong" tauchen als Dub-Cover auf; ebenso die Klassiker "I'm a Ram" von Al Green, "The Shape I'm In" von The Band und "Play With Fire" von den Stones.

Kein Mensch braucht diese CD. Und genau deshalb sollte man sie kaufen. Einfach so, aus Spaß.

Eine Schreibmaschine, ein Topfdeckel, eine leere Flasche -- mehr braucht Hanne Hukkelberg nicht. Wo ein Geräusch ist, hält sie ihr Mikro hin. Die Tiere des Waldes und der Wohnung, der Lärm der Straße, eine schnurrende Katze, eine quietschende Schublade oder eine klappende Tür sind die Kulissen, in denen sie ihre ganz private musikalische Welt ausbreitet.

Dabei entsteht kein L’art pour l’art, sondern ein kleines Wunder zwischen Folklore, Barjazz und Kinderliedern, mal minimalistisch verknappt, mal avantgardistisch angehaucht oder ganz einfach spinnert. Sobald der Player läuft, entfaltet das kleine Wunder seine zarten Schmetterlingsflügel, grient dich an und flattert leise summend durch die Wohnung.

Die Norwegerin Hukkelberg, die einige Monate in Berlin lebte und ihre Berliner Adresse im Namen der CD verewigte, berührt den Hörer sanft mit ihrer jazzig verträumten Stimme. Man lächelt, singt "Break my body, hold my bones, hold my bones", füllt das Whiskyglas, tritt ans Fenster, schaut in den Himmel zwischen Nachtradio und Morgendämmerung und denkt: "Alles wird gut."

Ein Sonntag im August. 17.000 tobende, tanzende Menschen. Letztes Konzert von Seeed vor einer 18monatigen Pause. Die Freilichtbühne in der Wuhlheide ist an diesem wie an den beiden vorherigen Tagen ausverkauft. Bombenstimmung und Party ohne Ende; das Berliner Publikum amüsiert sich wie Bolle. Das ist Seeed, und das ist ihr Gebiet.

Die Band funktioniert perfekt. Sie spült Hit auf Hit von der Bühne. Im Publikum bleibt niemand kalt. Standing Ovations von der ersten Minute an. Hüpfen auf den Bänken, in den Gängen und über die Treppen. Hüpfen zum Bierstand und wieder zurück. Die Mädchen hinter dem Tresen wippen lachend im Takt. Selbst die Ordner lächeln und schwingen verstohlen ihre Arme.

Alle sind glücklich. Man tänzelt nach dem Konzert zur S-Bahn und träumt während der Heimfahrt im schaukelnden Takt der Waggons von Dance Hall und Reggae.

Aber: Es war das letzte Mal.

Seeed können nicht weitermachen wie bisher. Trittbrettfahrer haben sich längst am Dance-Hall-Zug festgekrallt und kassieren den Lohn für Seeeds Kärrnerarbeit. Und der Lebenszyklus von Seeeds Riddims ist begrenzt. Nichts währt ewig, erst recht nicht intelligente Gute-Laune-Musik in Deutschland.

Während des Konzerts konnte man kurze Momente der Irritationen erleben. Ein leicht erschrockenes Aufflackern im Publikum, wenn Seeed keinen hitparadenerprobten Dance-Hall-Brecher, sondern unbekannteres Material spielten. Sicher, mit ihrer überragenden Professionalität packte die Band das Publikum blitzschnell am Schlaffitchen und ließ keine Atempause zu.

Aber die Vorboten dessen, was passieren könnte, wenn Seeed ihren Sound weiterentwickeln, waren unübersehbar. Ebenso die Erschöpfung und der Stillstand nach der gigantischen Woge des Erfolgs. 2009 mit "Dickes B (Part 2)" anzutreten ist kaum denkbar.

Wie auch immer die Entscheidung ausfallen mag: Die Nacht des 26. August 2007 war der Abschied von Seeed, wie wir sie kennen und lieben. Eine große Band, deren Mitglieder als Straßenmusiker begannen, feierte große Triumphe -- nicht des Marketings, sondern der Musik wegen. Thank you, Seeed.

Man könnte zur Band mit dem Bandwurmnamen sagen: Ha! Ihr klingt wie! Nämlich wie Arcade Fire, Godspeed You! Black Emperor und A Silver Mt. Zion! Allein, es fehlt das epigonenhafte Bemühen, einem Vorbild nachzueifern. Eher hat man den Eindruck, eine Rasselbande pubertärer Lausejungen stürmt ins Studio, stöpselt irgendwelche Instrumente ein und schmettert drauflos. Das sie dabei klingen wie ..., das ist wohl Schicksal.

Der mit hoher Stimme vorgetragene, dramatisch klagende Gesang und die epischen Mini-Dramen sind keine neue Erfindung (das waren sie auch bei Arcade Fire, GYBE und ASMZ nicht), aber sei's drum. Hier macht Musik einfach Spaß. Und wenn dieses verdammt kurze Werk ihre erste und letzte CD sollte, dann haben sie immerhin ihren Fußabdruck in der Popgeschichte hinterlassen. Zwar ein kleiner Abdruck, aber ein lustiger.

Konzerte sind nicht immer befriedigend. Der Beginn richtet sich eher nach der Konstellation des Mondes zur Sonne als nach der angekündigten Uhrzeit; Sound und Licht scheinen immer öfter in der Hand frohgemuter Praktikanten zu liegen, und vor dem erhofften Ereignis muß sich der Besucher durch albtraumhafte Vorbands quälen, deren Anwesenheit auf dem Ticket listig verschwiegen wurde.

Wie groß ist aber die Freude, wenn die Erwartungen nicht nur erfüllt, sondern radikal übertroffen wurden!

ISIS live: Das konnte eigentlich nur in die Hose gehen. Wie soll das Soundgewitter, bei dem die heimischen Boxen beglückt um Fassung ringen, in einer gruftähnlichen Location wie dem Berliner Postbahnhof funktionieren (der ja tatsächlich nie etwas anderes war als ein Postbahnhof, ergo eine Betonhalle für Briefsäcke, Pakete und die Abobündel der "Messitsch" -- mit entsprechend optimierter Null-Akustik)?

Doch es funktionierte. UND WIE! Gitarrenflächen schichteten sich auf Gitarrenflächen, dick und fett und mächtig wie auf CD. Ach was, besser als auf CD!

So selten man das sagen kann, hier ist es keine Übertreibung: ISIS live stellten ISIS im Studio in den Schatten. Der Druck, den die Band auf der Bühne entfesselte, packte noch den letzten Magen in der letzten Reihe. Die Ohren wußten nicht, wohin sie sich zuerst orientieren sollten, um kein Fitzelchen zu verpassen. Vor allem die Stücke der beseelten CD "Oceanic" baute ISIS zu wahren Soundmonstern auf.

Als stünde eine Armada beherzter Gitarristen auf der Bühne, deren Instrumente traumwandlerisch das Wasser schwingen lassen: Zuerst als nettes Ambient-Geplätscher, dann höhere Wellen schlagend, schließlich Woge um Woge zu Brechern auftürmend und am Ende einen alles verschlingenden Tsunami über das Publikum jagend. Bei alle dem versanken die Musiker wie in Trance. Es schien, als wüßten sie nicht, wo sie sind und wer sie sind. Nur der Moment zählte noch, der ihre unerhörte Musik schuf.

Wie, um Himmels Willen, klingt diese Band in einer richtigen Konzerthalle, mit eingemessener Akustik und ausgefeiltem Soundsystem? Würde man es überleben?

Side Project des Jahres:
Tomahawk: Anonymous (IPECAC Rec., 2007)

Mike Patton kann im Grunde genommen machen, was er will. Dieser mit einer der unglaublichsten Stimmen der Rockgeschichte gesegnete Mann singt, spielt, tourt und produziert in einer Quantität, Qualität und Perfektion, die ihresgleichen sucht. Und er ist immer, wirklich immer, für eine Überraschung gut.

Mit Tomahawk, einem seiner Side Projects, griff Patton für deren dritte CD (nach "Tomahawk", 2001, und "Mit Gas", 2003) tief in den amerikanischen Kulturbeutel. Nicht Blues oder Country, sondern viel tiefer: Indianische Volksmusik. Über 100 Jahre alt und bisher noch nie aufgenommen. Die Vorlagen stammten aus Büchern, in denen die indianischen Traditionals unbekannter Urheberschaft (daher "Anonymous") von Volkskundlern transkribiert wurden -- vor sehr langer Zeit, um dann vergessen zu werden.

Mike Patton (voc, keyb), Duane Denison (g, b) und John Stainer (dr, perc) gruben die Transkriptionen aus, arrangierten sie und spielten sie ein. Natürlich nach Art des Hauses "Tomahawk". 13 kurze Stücke; wuchtige Tribals und narkotische Tänze; eigenwillig gesungen und exzellent produziert, wie von Mike Patton gewohnt. Für Patton-Puristen vermutlich zu viel folkloristischer Pop; für Freunde der guten Musik jedoch ein Ohrenschmaus.

Und wer Mike Patton seit Faith No More nie wieder gehört hat, kann sich hier an den Mann mit den unkaputtbaren Stimmbändern herantasten, ohne rückwärts vom Stuhl zu fallen. Muß ja nicht gleich "Pranzo Oltranzista" sein.

Selbstmord-Soundtrack des Jahres:
Soulsavers: It's not how far you fall, it's the way you land (V2 Rec., 2007)

Mark Lanegan singt. Der perfekte Sound zum Selbstmord. Wer romantisch sterben möchte, programmiere seinen Player zur mentalen Einstimmung auf "Kingdoms of Rain". Beim Neil-Young-Cover "Trough my Sails" gleitet das Messer wie von selbst durch die Pulsadern. Zum Ausbluten bietet sich "Spiritual" an; auf der Reise durch den Tunnel zum Licht "Revival", nach der Wiederbelebung im Hospital "No Expectations".

Eine CD mit größerer emotionaler Wirkung ist schwer vorstellbar. Mark Lanegan und Soulsavers (u.a. mit Will Oldham) ziehen den Hörer in einen tiefschwarzen, bleiernen Strudel. Man fällt und fällt und fällt ... sacht taumelnd, die süße Schwere des letzten Weges genießend. Ein süchtigmachender Rausch. Wäre es möglich, täglich zu sterben, dann bitte zu dieser außerirdisch anmutenden, unwirklich schönen Musik.

Dampframme des Jahres:
High On Fire: Death is this Communion (Relapse Rec., 2007)

High On Fire sind das dicke Ende der fabelhaften, viel zu früh im Drogendunst verrauchten Sleep (das dünne Ende teilen sich The Sabians und OM). Nach dem Sleep-Kollaps gründete Gitarrist Matt Pike 1999 das Trio High On Fire, übernahm noch den Gesangspart und beglückte fortan die Welt mit CDs, deren Qualität sich in immer schwindelndere Höhen schraubte.

Der Gott des Kehlkopfes glaubte, es wäre eine gute Idee, Matt Pikes Stimme wie die von Lemmy Kilmister klingen zu lassen. Danke, Gott. Es war eine gute Idee. Viel höher ist aber das Glück zu preisen, daß sich mit Matt Pike, Des Kensel (dr) und Jeff Matz (b, als Ersatz für Joe "Melvins" Preston) drei Typen gefunden haben, die Songs allererster Güte zu schreiben in der Lage sind.

Das Feuerwerk auf ihrer vorherigen CD "Blessed Black Wings" war atemberaubend -- aber "Death is this Communion" knüppelt, hämmert und walzt unter den goldenen Hand des Produzenten Jack Endino alles nieder, was in der Nähe der Lautsprecher hockt. Play loud! Play louder!

Des Kensel sollte jeden Monat einen Orden überreicht bekommen: "Für die Wiederentdeckung der Trommelstöcke". Wie ein Berserker rollt und donnert er über sein Schlagwerk. Weiter, immer weiter. Ohne Pause, dafür mit kleinen und größeren Soli. Richtig gelesen: Schlagzeugsolo im Jahr 2007, und es wird nicht langweilig. Man glaubt es kaum.

Matt Pike spielt seine Gitarre scharf, hart, akzentuiert. Ob er als guter oder weniger guter Gitarrist betrachtet werden soll, ist eine akademische Debatte. Pike spielt, wie eine Metal-Gitarre gespielt werden muß: Direkt und schnörkellos, auf das die Herzen aufgehen und die Trommelfelle vibrieren. Er röhrt sich mit jedem Song ein Stück näher an Lemmys Thron.

An dem Tag, an dem Motörhead die Instrumente abgeben, stehen High On Fire bereit. Einen würdigeren neuen König gibt es nicht.

Apokalypse des Jahres:

Neurosis: Given to the Rising (Neurot Rec., 2007)

Oft kopiert, nie erreicht: Wenn Neurosis aus ihren göttlichen Quellen schöpfen, lechzen tausend andere Bands nach den wenigen Tropfen, die über den Rand Walhalls auf die Erde plingen. Doch können sie lechzen und dürsten, bis ihnen die Zungen zerbröseln: Neurosis sind eine Klasse für sich. Die Feinde der Sonne kreisen in ihrem eigenen, düsteren Zeitalter. Hoch über Nebeln und Wolken thronen sie, auf einem granitenen Plateau, über sich nur den fahlen Mond, und schlagen mit glühenden Hämmern Song für Song aus dem schwarzen Fels.

Und sie werden immer besser. Was anderswo als Platitüde für schwachbrüstige Vorgänger-CDs herhalten muß, ist hier die Beschreibung eines unglaublichen Vorgangs. Mehr noch: Mit jeder CD entschwinden Neurosis ein Stück weiter aus dem Blickfeld der Normalsterblichen. Sie beherrschen daß Spiel der Gegensätze wie keine zweite Band. Sie lullen den Hörer mit süßesten Klängen ein -- um ihm dann erbarmungslos den Schädel zu spalten.

Die Wucht, mit der Neurosis den Hörer auf den Boden drücken, ihm Zentner für Zentner auf die Schultern stapeln, bis er in die Knie sinkt, langsam auf den Rücken rollt, sich schließlich ergibt und glückstrunken abklopft, ist atemberaubend. Nahtlos kombinieren sie die elektronischen Collagen ihres Side Projects Tribes Of Neurot mit dem grollenden Donner von Neurosis. Die schleppend geschlagene Trommel dröhnt und hallt. Die Gitarren marschieren und marschieren, unaufhaltsam angetrieben vom tiefen, heißeren Gesang -- vorwärts! vorwärts! In "Nine" und "Water is not enough" bohren sich Sirenen mit geschliffenen, gläsernen Stimmen in das Hirn. Vermutlich ersetzen Neurosis jedes SM-Studio. Man muß sie nur laut genug hören. Laut!

In "Origin" treiben sie den Exzess auf die Spitze. Satte neun Minuten fließen federleichte Keyboardflächen, zuckersüße Gitarren und eine leise gesungene Stimme durch den Raum, dezent von einer monoton geschlagenen Trommel begleitet. Doch kurz vorm Dahindämmern, unerwartet und urplötzlich, bricht es aus Neurosis heraus: Eine Hymne der Gewalt. Ein Angriff auf alle Sinne. Wie ein Defilibrator, der einen heißen Impuls durch das Herz jagt.

Wer gern im Mittelpunkt steht, sollte sich das erbarmungslos verröchelnd gebrüllte "To the Wind" im gleichnamigen Song als Klingelton auf sein Handy laden. Einen markerschütternderen Schrei findet man kaum. Vorher aber bitte auf zufällig anwesende Omas achten. Oder ihnen wenigstens einen Platz anbieten, damit sie nicht umfallen.

Monument des Jahres:

Neil Young: Chrome Dreams II (Reprise Rec., 2007)

Der mittlerweile 67jährige Neil Young ist ein Denkmal seiner selbst. Die Fans würden ihn auch dann noch feiern, wenn er nur Gedichte rezitierte oder mit den Fingern auf dem Tisch trommelte. Macht er aber nicht.

Statt dessen geht er mit Ralph Molina, Rick Rosas und Ben Keith sowie den Background-Damen Nancy Hall, Annie Stocking und seiner Frau Pegi Young ins Studio, um zehn famose Songs aufzunehmen. Ein Club gestandener Damen und Herren. Man kennt sich, man mag sich, man versteht sich. So entstehen altersweise Werke.

"Chrome Dreams II" ist mitnichten eine Sensation, aber vom 43. Album (vielleicht auch 45. oder 50., je nach Zählweise) ein Wunder zu erwarten, wäre mehr als vermessen. Neil Young singt mit seiner hellen, knabenhaften Stimme immer noch wie ein junger Spund, und er erzählt seine Storys immer noch mit Verve und Esprit. Er spielt sich locker durch 18 Minuten und 13 Sekunden "Ordinary People" und läßt sich dabei so paßgenau von Bläsern begleiten, als hätte er sein ganzes Leben lang nur mit Bläsern gearbeitet. Er schenkt uns luftige Mini-Songs mit dem gleichem Knistern und Funkeln, mit dem er das 14minütige "No Hidden Path" zelebriert. Neil Young liebt seine Gitarren, und seine Gitarren lieben ihn. Was will man mehr?

Großer, guter alter Mann. Mach einfach weiter. Immer weiter.

Wednesday, July 16

Strength In Heart: Stop The Beat domestic violence benefit show featuring Aster Pheonyx, Jessica Paris, Manifest Destiny, Divine Sign, Maybe Pete at The Saint, 7:30 pm

Deathbed Repentance, Guns on the Run, Ambergris at Asbury Lanes, 8 pm, all ages

Thursday, July 17

Colour Reporter, Project 222, Salt Water All-Stars, Katie Pearlman Band at The Saint, 8 pm

Friday, July 18

Road Trip Weekend

Green Underground, Codename, Dave Tucker at The Saint, 8 pm

Saturday, July 19

Road Trip Weekend

Status Green, Midatlantic, The Obvious, East Coast Addiction, Before the After Party at The Stone Pony, 7:30 pm, all ages

Sunday, July 20

Road Trip Weekend

Gov't Mule on The Stone Pony Summerstage, 5 pm, all ages

Long Beach Island (LBI)

Launch of Puppy Pacer
Dates: Saturdays, Sundays, Weekends, Everyday, Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays May 16, 2008 through August 6, 2008
Description:

See Spot, See Spot Run, Run Spot Run!! Puppy Pacer is a group established by Ross McGraw, an accomplished distance runner who is putting his endurance to use. Ross initially started Puppy Pacers at Long Beach Island (NJ), where he has spent every summer of his life and has competed in the Dog Day Race multiple times. If you are interested in having your pet take a test run and be evaluated by Puppy Pacers, please email puppypacer@gmail.com.

Organization: Puppy Pacer
Contact Info:
Ross McGraw
Phone: 717.557.4801
puppypacer@gmail.com
Web Site: http://puppypacer.blogspot.com/

Chicago
Dates: Saturdays, Sundays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays July 1, 2008 through July 20, 2008
Time: 2:00 PM
Location: Surflight Theatre
Community: Beach Haven
Contact Info:
Box Office
Phone: 609-492-9477
tickets@surflight.org
Web Site: http://www.surflight.org

Avalon

July 18-19, 2008 Avalon Manor Community-Wide yard sale starting July 18, and 19, from 8:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m.

July 18, 2008 - Veterans Plaza Concert-7pm-21st & Dune

The Avalon Free Public Library in conjuction with the Avalon Recreation Department host weekly concerts at the Veterans Plaza. Tonight, enjoy the 7 Mile Singers. Next Friday night, live music with "Caught in a Trap", a live tribute to Elvis Presley.

July 19, 2008 - Big Band Dance with Walt Wagner - Community Hall
Ticket $5 at the door
Doors open at 8 p.m.
Music from 8:30-11:00 p.m.

Reservations call 609-967-3066

July 19, 2008 - South Jersey Paranormal Research - Library - 2pm

South Jersey Paranormal Research program- July 19 - 2 to 4pm

This program features audio and video recordings of paranormal events and other observations. This program is free of charge and open to the public.

Stone Harbor

July 20, 2008 - Stone Harbor Triathlon
1/4 mile Swim, 11 mile Bike, 5k Run
Stone Harbor Yacht Club
7:30am
Registration beginning May 23, 2008
rhrec1@aol.com

Sea Isle City

July 19-20, 2008 Beach Classic Men's Hockey Tourney,
Hockey Rink, 59th St. & Central Ave., Start 8AM, Team Registration Required, 613-874-3633

Erma

July 19th 2008 Celebrate Foodways and Folklife at Historic Cold Spring Village

10:00a.m. to 4:30p.m.

Join in a celebration of historic and traditional cooking techniques of America's past at Historic Cold Spring Village's annual Foodways and Folklife weekend event, Saturday and Sunday, July 19th and 20th from 10 am to 4:30 pm. Guests will have the opportunity to learn and experience the methods, styles and heritage of American food preparation and recipes in the 1800s. This event is sponsored by Chris Cleman and Co. Inc. Realtors.
Observe open-hearth cooking, bake oven demonstrations, pit cooking, and a variety of unique and fascinating historic cooking techniques demonstrated by the Historic Foodways Society of Delaware Valley. Learn about herbs and their many uses, collect recipes from Villagers, and interact with various trades and crafts from the "age of homespun". Experience authentic wool production with a program demonstrating traditional washing, dyeing, and spinning with sheep shearing in the afternoons. Enjoy dulcimer music and interactive music programs with folk singer Bonnie Leigh, whose "historical programs take you back to a time of our ancestors and our American folk music's history" (visit www.bonnieleigh.com for more artist information). Papermaking by the Philadelphia Handmade Paper Company will be featured all weekend, as well as special candlemaking programs. Children can try their hand at special craft activities and participate in 19th century games and dress-up.
Fun and educational activities for children are featured Tuesday through Sunday from June 17th to August 31st. Historic Cold Spring Village is a non-profit, open air living history museum that portrays the daily life of a rural South Jersey community of the Early American period. It features 26 restored historic structures on a wooded 22-acre site. From late June to early September, interpreters and artisans in period clothing preserve the trades, crafts and heritage of "The Age of Homespun."
Historic Cold Spring Village is located on Route 9 between Cape May and Rio
Grande. HCSV is open 10:00am to 4:30pm Tuesday through Sunday, (closed Mondays)
from June 17th to August 31st, as well as the weekends of September 6th and 7th, 13th and 14th and October 18th. Admission during the season is $8.00 for adults, $7.00 for seniors (62 and over) and $6.00 for children ages 3 to 12. Children under 3 are admitted free. Unlimited free admission is available with membership in the Friends of Historic Cold Spring Village. For more information on employment, events, memberships or volunteering, call (609) 898-2300, ext. 10 or visit the Village website at www.hcsv.org.

Ocean City

Night In Venice
19th - Night in Venice - The City's annual boat parade is one of the largest in the world. Starts at 7:30pm from the Longport Bridge to Tennessee Ave. along the bay. For more information call 609-525-9300.
7:30:00 PM to 7/19/2008 9:30:00 PM

From his start with country hell raiser David Allan Coe, to 16 years with the Allman Brothers, to the heavy and melodic improvisation of Gov’t Mule, Warren Haynes has blazed a trail that draws on the best of American music. With the voice of an old-school soul shouter and the guitar prowess of a legend, Haynes is both a formidable band leader and a blistering sideman who cares deeply about music.

When did you start playing music?
I started singing when I was about seven, and all my influences were soul singers: Otis Redding, James Brown, the Four Tops, the Temptations. I discovered rock music a few years later. My oldest brother got an acoustic guitar when I was 11 and I played it more than he did, so my dad got me an electric guitar for my twelfth birthday. My first electric guitar was a Norma guitar and a Norma amplifier—both bought at the local hardware store, $49 for one and $59 for the other. Of course that was 1972 dollars. Still, they were not the greatest. A year later, my dad upgraded and got me a Lyle copy of a Gibson SG. My first real Gibson guitar was a year after that, which was an SG Junior. And then, about a year after that, I got an SG Custom. So I had a history with SGs there for a little while.

Who were your main guitar influences when you started?
When I first started—chronologically speaking—Hendrix and Clapton and Johnny Winter were the first three people I got turned on to. That was the Cream era of Clapton. Then eventually, I heard the Allman Brothers and everybody else from that era that I stole something from (laughs). Of course, I would read interviews with all these people and find out who they listened to. And they all listened to B.B. King and Freddie King and Albert King and Howlin’ Wolf and Muddy Waters and Elmore James, so I would go back and discover that stuff.

I used to sit at the turntable and play songs over and over, trying to cop licks off of the records, wearing holes in the vinyl. In the old days you could slow the turntable down. Sometimes that would make it easier. Not always (laughs). I just spent hours and hours in my room playing along with records, trying to learn the solos. Especially the nice short solos (laughs). Learning long solos back then was not very easy to do.

Was there a moment when you knew you were on to something?
I remember when my oldest brother turned me on to Howlin’ Wolf. The way he got me into Wolf was he said, “Clapton plays on this London Sessions Howlin’ Wolf record.” Which in hindsight is definitely not the best Howlin' Wolf record. It is still a great record, but there are others that are a lot more authentic. But the solo from “I Ain’t Superstitious” was short and sweet. I remember learning that note-for-note and playing it in my room.

I also loved more melodic players, like Jesse Colin Young and Dave Mason, who just sounded like they were singing their solos. I would learn solos by them as well. I also discovered Duane Allman and Dickey Betts. Dickey had these really melodic solos, as well, that you could learn a lot from. I always loved people who sounded like they were singing through their instruments. So Duane Allman was a big inspiration. Jeff Beck was a big inspiration. Because they had this vocal-like quality. Maybe since I started as a singer, that was always something that was very important to me. When you hear somebody trying to emulate the human voice, a lot of it has to do with the timbre of the note, with the attack, with the vibrato. When a singer pushes hard, the sound is different. When they back off, the sound is different. It is very emotional and it is very human.

It must have been a natural transition into playing slide.
Slide guitar is emulating blues harmonica, and blues harmonica is emulating the human voice. So once again it goes back to the vocal. When I discovered slide, it was a whole 'nother way of expressing yourself, because you could slide into the note and out of the note in a way that you couldn’t really do even bending strings on guitar, and you definitely couldn’t do on piano. So slide guitar had an even more vocal-like quality in some ways. When singers sing, they don’t attack the note head-on. Maybe in opera music or something. But blues singers and soul singers slide into the notes and out of the notes and it makes it much more vulnerable I think. So slide guitar achieves that.

Your first big break was playing with David Allan Coe. How did that come about?
I was in all local bands and regional bands in Asheville, North Carolina, trying to get a record deal—to no avail. When I got the call from David Allan Coe, I had no idea that at that time he had done records like Penitentiary Blues and stuff like that. I remember saying to him on the phone, “I don’t really consider myself a country guitar player, and I’m not really interested in being in a country band.” I was 19, or just had turned 20. I was a young, cocky kid. I think he liked the fact that I was cocky and full of myself. But, actually, I was really shy. I just knew what I wanted to do musically and that didn’t seem to fit the plan. But he said, “I want a blues rock guitar player who can add an edge to my music.”

When I joined Coe’s band, I realized how much he loved blues. Whenever his voice was tired on tour, we would go out just the two of us and open up with a bunch of Jimmy Reed songs. Then segue that into the show. One by one, the drummer would walk on and the bass player would walk on, and eventually the whole band would be onstage. He was really influenced by Jimmy Reed and Lightnin’ Hopkins. That stuff was way back in his formative years, so whenever it came out, it was very genuine.

Coe had quite a reputation. What did your parents think about you going on the road with him?
I was mostly raised by my dad. My parents divorced when I was really young. My dad was always very supportive. He always made sure I had a better guitar and a better amp. He worked 12 hours a day to provide for his family, and he would go that extra mile to make sure I had some decent equipment. So from the beginning, my dad was very supportive. He was a singer, but he never pursued a career or anything. He just had a beautiful, natural voice. So I think in some ways, he loved the fact that I pursued music. He was a just a very supportive role model. So he was into it. As a country music fan, I think he realized how controversial Coe was, and thought, “Wow, what is my kid getting into here.” (laughs) But I think he really liked it. He’d come to a lot of the shows. He still does.

And it was Coe who introduced you to the Allman Brothers.
I was in the studio in Nashville with Coe, shortly after I had joined the band, and he knew I was a big Allman Brothers fan. He was really just trying to impress me with the fact that he knew them. So he sent one of his limousines over to the studio where the Allman Brothers were recording and picked up Dickey Betts and Don Johnson and Greg Allman, and Guy Clarke came by that night. And me and Dickey and Guy Clarke sat around with acoustic guitars. There were three acoustic guitars, and we just passed ’em around, because on one of them, the action was about this high, so every third song, you had to play the guitar with the terrible action. We just sat and swapped riffs and songs and stories and stuff. And for me, as a kid, it was a really, really memorable experience, and it led to me joining Dickey’s band, which led to me joining the Allman Brothers.

What was it like joining the Allmans?
Joining the Allmans was not as overwhelming as it would have been had I not been in Dickey’s band for almost three years prior to that. The ironic thing was that the entire time I was in Dickey Betts’ band, the thought of putting the Allman Brothers back together was pretty much nonexistent. Every time it got talked about, it was a resounding, “No, that is never gonna happen.” Then one day, out of the blue, they buried the hatchet and said, “We’re reforming the Allman Brothers and we want you to join.”

So it was a shock to me when it happened, and a really strange dilemma. Because I was just signing a record deal of my own as a solo artist, and was really looking forward to making my first solo record. And then I get this call saying they wanted me to be a part of putting the Allman Brothers back together. I couldn’t really turn that down, so it meant putting my solo career on hold for a great opportunity.

Dickey and I automatically had a good chemistry and a good rapport, because I had grown up listening to and studying that music. The Allman Brothers were one of my favorite bands. But I had also studied and listened to so many other types of music that we weren’t too similar, but we weren’t too dissimilar. And I think that is what makes a good tandem between two guitar players: If there is enough common ground that they make sense together, but enough differences that the sum of the parts is yet another entity. That is what Dickey and I had. And it made me concentrate on my slide playing. So from ’86, up until I left the Allman Brothers in ’97, I was playing tons of slide guitar, which was really good for me.

What were some of the challenges you faced when you joined?
I definitely had the Switzerland role. If Dickey and Greg weren’t talking to each other, they would talk through me (laughs). Again, it was easier for me, because I had three years playing in Dickey’s band, whereas Allen Woody auditioned and the next day he was in the Allman Brothers. That’s much harder. I had this whole initiation period. It really made it less intimidating for me. I didn’t really look at is as filling somebody else’s shoes. And the audience was very kind, and very accepting.

The real challenge was how much to sound like myself, and how much to pay homage to Duane Allman. Because I was taking on that role: the slide guitar, the person opposite to Dickey Betts. They were kind enough, and smart enough, to know that the right person for the job was someone who wasn’t cloning someone else. So they got Allen Woody to play bass, who had a lot of Berry Oakley influence, but who was obviously his own person. And the same with myself. They didn’t tell us how or what to play. They just said, “We hired you—play the way you want to play.”

So it was up to me how much of Duane’s influence to show at any give moment. So in some of the shorter pieces, like “Statesboro Blues,” I would stay a little closer to the bone. In songs like “In Memory of Elizabeth Reed” and “Dreams” and “Whippin’ Post,” I would go more off into my own direction. And I guess the biggest challenge was: How do I sound like myself to the audience, but still sound like a member of the Allman Brothers? Because one day I wasn’t, and the next day I was. That was really the toughest challenge for me, but it was such an honor.

Since I play slide guitar in standard tuning and Duane played in open-E, already there was some difference that’s subtle, but obvious in its own way. So even in a song like “Statesboro Blues,” it sounds different, even though those are Elmore James licks, filtered through Duane Allman, filtered through me. Duane was the conduit that brought the Robert Johnson, Elmore thing into the next generation and took it much further. Those licks sound different in standard tuning than they do in open-E.

One of the things that I love about standard tuning is that you can think in standard tuning. You don’t have to think about the open tuning. It’s a trade-off. Whenever you decide between standard and open tunings, I think one of the trades is that standard gives you more options, from a vocabulary standpoint, but the open tuning gives you a more natural, slide sound that’s familiar, that you’ve heard your whole life. Some of the licks that sound so amazing in open tuning are really easy to play, but they are the bread-and-butter of slide guitar. …

When I started playing more and more slide guitar in standard, I realized that I could think as if I didn’t have the slide on. And in some cases I would incorporate fingerstyle playing and slide playing together. It is kind of combining different techniques together like that.

Mick Taylor was one of the first people to do that, combining the two techniques. To go back a little further, Earl Hooker did it quite convincingly. He was amazing at that. I think it is important to take advantage of anything that will steer you toward your own voice. So that was one of the things for me that helped me find an identifiable sound. And I still love playing in standard tuning, and open tunings as well, but I’m more adept at playing in standard tunings. A lot of the improv stuff with the Allman Brothers was different every night, but it was nice not to feel that you didn’t have to do it a certain way.

What was it like going from a band like the Allmans to a band as stripped-down as Gov’t Mule?
When Woody and I first got the idea to form Gov’t Mule, it was a side project that we wanted to do in our spare time. Because the Allman Brothers only worked a small part of the year, we had plenty of time to do other things. And we felt that the improvisational rock trio was a dying art, and we wanted to bring it back, really just for fun. Woody and I both loved Cream and Band of Gypsies and the Hendrix Experience, even jazz trios had a unique sound.

In a trio, there is no chordal instruments behind the soloist, so there is a freedom that comes with that. You can ignore the chord changes, because there are no chord changes that are being heard. There are also limitations from that, because when there are chords in the backdrop, there are more options of what you can play that go with those chords. So a trio can be limiting and limitless at the same time. There is a certain amount of freedom, especially for the bass player.

If it is the right combination between the bass player and the drummer, the bass player takes on a much more aggressive role. Woody loved Jack Bruce, and loved that approach to playing. It’s hard—certain songs don’t lend themselves to a trio as much. So some of the songs we were writing worked great as a trio, some of them not so much. I found myself writing songs specifically for the sound of a trio, which is great—if you have a vehicle to write for like that. But by the time we got to the third record, which is Life Before Insanity, I was already starting to write a lot of material that needed larger ensembles. So we brought in Johnny Neal, our friend and keyboard player, to play on half that record. So at that point, it was half quartet, half trio. And that record is a good example of songs that work as a trio and songs that don’t work as a trio.

One of the things I love these days with Andy Hess and Danny Lewis in Gov’t Mule is that Danny plays guitar. So sometimes we can be a two-guitar band, with no keyboards, and then sometimes he’ll leave the stage, and we are a trio again. So there are options like that. One of the things that Jaimoe and I talked about in the Allman Brothers is that one of the beautiful things about being a seven-piece band is that at any moment it can be a seven-piece band, or a six-piece band, or a five-piece band, or a four-piece band, or a three-piece band, depending on who decides to lay out.

Gov’t Mule songs are very structured, but also very improvisational. How do you find the right balance between the song’s structure and the creative heights that you can hit by jamming?
Some songs lend themselves more to improvising than others. We are always looking for ways to incorporate some sort of improv into the songs, probably much more so than the average songwriter or the average band. That’s our lifeblood. Sometimes the studio version will be nice and concise, and then six months later we’ll figure out a way to open up the song in a cool way. It’s the same with the Allman Brothers; it’s the same with the Grateful Dead. My work with Phil Lesh and Friends was that way, to the nth power. We would constantly look for ways to change the songs, rearranging them, and stretching them. But I love doing that. I’m a big fan of songwriting, but I am also a big fan of improvisation. So trying to find the place where they meet is really important to me.

People ask me if I have any opinions on the jam band scene, and my only complaint would be that sometimes songwriting takes a back seat to jamming. The reason that the Grateful Dead and the Allman Brothers are still around is because the songs they wrote are great songs. And if they weren’t, the fact that they had this great chemistry would be overlooked. You look for that balance and that marriage between those two things. If you don’t have a song, you don’t have a premise.

When I interviewed Derek Trucks, he said, “Southern rock is a movement that happened because people were trying to get away from something and it doesn’t happen if you try 30 years later to redo it.” What do you think about Southern rock as a movement and the state of Southern rock today?
It’s funny, the whole term Southern rock is controversial. The guys in the Allman Brothers, who were really the guys who founded Southern rock, were really never comfortable with that term. They felt that the term “Southern rock” was coined so there would be a bin to put their records in. And they wanted to make music that was not stereotypical, and that was a way of stereotyping them. So I think from the beginning, they didn’t like that.

Through the years, the whole connecting Southern rock and rebel flags became very controversial as well. There is a whole movement in parts of Europe now, with bands who are influenced by Southern rock bands, and they have rebel flags on their stage. And they don’t realize that in America, that’s a derogatory, demeaning statement. I would meet some of these people and do interviews with these magazines, and they would ask me about it. As a Southerner, I would have to try to explain to them that their heart was in the right place, but the rebel flag is taboo at this point. It’s very much construed as negativity and racism, and it needs to be looked at as a thing of the past. We have all moved on. The South has moved on.

Also, to say that musicians from the South all sound the same is to say that Kurt Cobain and Jimi Hendrix sound the same, because they are both from Seattle. R.E.M. is from the South, and they sound nothing like the Allman Brothers, but they are both from the state of Georgia. Having said that, when I was growing up, Southern musicians had different influences, because a lot of the influences were regional. Regional gospel music, regional blues music, that maybe people in other regions didn’t have. Not to mention the fact that pretty much all American music came from the South anyway. Blues came from the South. Jazz came from the South. Country music came from the South. Rock ’n’ roll came from the South. I remember being with Greg Allman one time and somebody asked us about it. And he said, “Well, to say ‘Southern rock’ is kind of redundant, isn’t it? It’s like saying ‘rock rock.’” Rock music was born in the South. So why do you have to clarify that?

As far as Gov’t Mule, or the Allman Brothers for that matter: We have never considered ourselves Southern rock. We are Southern musicians playing the music we love. And it wouldn’t be fair to not acknowledge the fact that the British Invasion influenced Southern rock. The Allman Brothers were influenced by Cream, by John Mayall, by Hendrix, who made his mark by going to England and coming back. For whatever reason, the British discovered American blues in a much heavier way than Americans did at the time. So we owe the British the debt of turning a white American audience onto music that they should have been loving the entire time, which is black American music. Something to do with it finding its way to Britain and back to the United States created a lot of amazing music. Bands like Skynyrd were influenced by bands like the Rolling Stones, and especially by Free. Free were a huge influence on Lynyryd Skynyrd.

So it’s a tough question to answer. Southern musicians have different influences, especially in the old days. Now, with the Internet, anyone can discover anything. Somebody in Antarctica is listening to Blind Blake. In the old days, it wasn’t that way. But it was always a touchy subject with the Allman Brothers, because they didn’t want to be associated with the rebel flag, and the racism that goes along with it, and they didn’t like being stereotyped.

John Coltrane was from North Carolina, Dizzy Gillespie was from South Carolina, Sun Ra was from Birmingham, Alabama. There is definitely a pattern there somewhere, but I think in any situation, it is very important to take influences that aren’t obvious and blend them together and find something new. And then, of course, at that point, somebody is gonna stereotype you. (laughs)

-Ari Surdoval

Man, this is a long episode. I had a few things that I wanted to cover, so I just piled them into one episode.

We take a look at the music and career of Warren Haynes. From starting as a studio musician to being one of the "Top 100 Guitarists" of all time.

I'm also recapping the results from the Indie Voting episode. Two of the bands will be back, and two won't be gracing our show again.

I reveal the contest winner for Contest 1 of the free Roger Clyne & The Peacemakers gear that I'm giving away, and I reveal the contests for the next few weeks.

And I cover a few other notes of interest.

Music in this episode:

Fire In The Kitchen by Warren Haynes (from the album Tales Of Ordinary Madness)

Tattooes And Cigarettes by Warren Haynes (from the album Tales Of Ordinary Madness) 

Fallen Down by Warren Haynes (from the album Lone EP)

I'll Be The One by Warren Haynes (from the album Lone EP) - www.WarrenHaynes.net (not available on iTunes)

Firing Line by The Allman Bros. Band (from the album Hittin' The Note)

Rocking Horse by The Allman Bros. Band (from the album Hittin' The Note) - www.AllmanBrothersBand.com 

The Banks Of The Deep End by Gov't Mule (from the album The Deep End Vol. 1)

Soulshine by Gov't Mule (from the album The Deep End Vol. 1) - www.Mule.net 

Night Of A Thousand Stars by Phil Lesh And Friends (from the album There And Back Again)

Patchwork Quilt by Phil Lesh And Friends (from the album There And Back Again) - www.PhilLesh.net 

Permission by American Catapult (from the album Permission Ep)
www.Myspace.com/AmericanCatapult (not availabel on iTunes)

Next Big Thrill by Hand Painted Swinger (from the album Speed Hump) - www.HandPaintedSwinger.com 

Small Town Tragedy by Shurman (from the album Waiting For The Sunset) - www.Shurmanville.com 

Die komplette Show vom 21. Februar 1994 gibts hier.

I'm talking about Mountain Jam. For those of you who don't know what Mountain Jam is, it's a three day Folk/Rock music festival put on by WDST Radio Woodstock. This years festival was held last weekend in Hunter, NY and was the fourth annual. I'm not going to write about every single band that played (that would probably take up three blogs due to the fact that there were 27 bands playing over the course of the weekend). Besides, not all of the bands held much interest to me. I'm going to write about what I thought some of the highlights of the festival were.

GRACE POTTER & THE NOCTURNALS

I went up to the festival after work on Friday, so the first band I got to see was Grace Potter & the Nocturnals. One of my favorite songs that Grace Potter sings is "Nothing But the Water" and she sang that song during her set. That girl knows how to rock a crowd, even if it was only the smaller early Friday crowd... She started the song off a capella with only the tambourine for accompaniment before the rest of her band joined her. At one point during the song, they all started attacking the drum set. Grace got down on her knees and was pounding the bass drum, the rest of her band was banging the tambourines, the drums, anything they could... They stopped with a final resounding bang on the bass drum and Grace took it back to the quiet intro, singing with only the tambourine again. Grace Potter & the Nocturnals played mostly rock at Mountain Jam, with some funk thrown in. I wish she had sang more bluesy soulful stuff, the songs she sang didn't particularly show off her vocals which is a shame since she has an amazing voice.

SHARON JONES AND THE DAP KINGS

Aah, Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings... They're a tight band. The Dap Kings came out first and played a few songs before Sharon Jones took the stage with them. The Dap Kings have some killer moves... The brass section continuously stepped left and right to the music, looking sharp in their suits. In addition to the three piece brass section, there are two drummers in the band (one on a regular drum set and one on congas), two guitarists, and a bass played who is the bandleader. As for Sharon Jones, she is absolutely fabulous! (I rarely use that word, but in regards to her it is quite fitting). She's an incredible dancer too, she busted out some African dance and Hip hop moves during her performance. Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings were definitely one of the highest highlights of the weekend for me.

MICHAEL FRANTI AND SPEARHEAD

If Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings were one of the highest highlights of the weekend for me, Michael Franti and Spearhead weren't far behind. Michael Franti really knows how to get the crowd going, and his shows are always high energy. All of his songs are full of politics and have a profound message in them. Spearhead sounded great, they're cool guys... Warren Haynes came out to play a few songs with the band, as did Jackie Green (who had just finished his own set prior to Michael Franti and Spearhead's).  

THE FELICE  BROTHERS

Catskill Mountains' own hometown boys sounded great, which was impressive considering they had just gotten back from a tour of Europe, what, a day before? They played a bunch of crowd favorites for their set at Mountain Jam, including "Hey Hey Revolver," "Rockefeller Druglaw Blues," "Frankie's Gun!," "Where'd You Get The Liquor," "Ruby May," and Blind Willie McTell's "Lord, Send Me An Angel." The Felice Brothers' sound is changing, and it's straying from their roots. They're becoming more Rock by the moment, but they still hold on to a part of their original sound and their uniqueness, which is something that I hope never changes.

THE DRIVE-BY TRUCKERS

The Drive-By Truckers were great. They're a little vain (they deliberately posed at the front of the stage to make sure the photographers could get a good shot), but it was funny. The Drive-By Truckers play "Southern Rock," and although people like to compare them to Lynyrd Skynyrd, as a huge Lynyrd Skynyrd fan I neither like nor agree with that comparison. It's not giving The Drive-By Truckers their due either, because they have their own distinct sound. One can just imagine them playing (or going for drinks) at an old Country bar in some rural town... The Drive-By Truckers are so badass they drink Jack Daniels and smoke onstage. Patterson Hood, the lead singer of the band, paid homage to Levon Helm onstage. He sang "Let There Be Rock" in honor of him, and also told the crowd that if his daughter had been a boy, her name would have been Levon.

LEVON HELM

It was awesome to see Levon Helm perform, the man is a living legend. He seemed a bit frail when he took the stage, but when he took his place at the drum set, there was nothing frail about him. Levon Helm had his "Ramble On The Road" band with him, which included a five-piece horn section. He had a number of guests playing with him. His daughter Amy Helm (who is in a band called Ollabelle) and Teresa Williams on vocals, Larry Campbell on guitar and fiddle, Tony Leone (also of Ollabelle) on drums on a few songs (so Levon could play mandolin), Warren Haynes, and Little Sammy Davis.

Gov't Mule closed the festival on Friday and Saturday nights, while Bob Weir and Ratdog closed on Sunday. They're both real, honest-to-goodness jambands, and the cool thing about "Jam bands" is that you never know what's going to happen, or what direction a song might take. It's totally spontaneous, and there's something beautiful about that.

The one thing I disliked about Mountain  Jam is the kind of people that it drew. After my sister almost got trampled by some drunk guy who was also stoned out of his mind, it made me think; everyone at the festival was using drugs. Everyone. People seemed to think that in order to enjoy the festival and the music they had to drink and use drugs. I don't understand it, because isn't music supposed to take you to the same place? It does for me. (Well, okay, maybe not the same place that guy who almost trampled my sister was)... When I experience music, whether it be through creating it myself or simply listening to it, I'm transported to a state of mind more wonderful than any drug could ever possibly take me. With less consequences and side effects too... None actually. I don't have anything against the majority of people who were at Mountain Jam, it's just that, sometime's it seems like people get so involved in the whole "scene" that they forget about the music and it's left by the wayside. I think that using drugs and getting wasted takes away from experiencing the music to it's fullest potential. And isn't that what it's all about? Experiencing music to it's fullest potential. If not, then that's sad. Because it should be.

No título, eu me refiro aos olhos de uma lula específica (e não falo do nosso querido presidente-molusco). É o maior olho encontrado até hoje.

Só a lente é do tamanho de uma laranja. O olho em si é maior que um prato, desses de jantar.

Um dia acham as lulas gigantes do livro 20.000 léguas submarinas, com olhos do tamanho de calotas de carros. Só que lá não fala de qual carro. Pode ser um fusquinha ou um Hummer....

PS: No 2º link tem umas fotos bem legais, mas prepare-se: é nojento. Afinal, é uma lula... Você esperava o quê? Algo sexy?

Só que eu achei as lentes meio opacas... Será porque o bicho a bicha (é uma fêmea) tá morta há um bom tempo? Bom, não que haja muita coisa pra se ver a quase 2000 metros de profundidade...

PS2: Eu não li o livro. Li sobre as lulas gigantes em alguma revista. Então se eu falei besteira, perdoem-me...

I made it there in time to catch the last few songs from the Jamie McLean Band. Jamie's other main gig is guitarist for the legendary Dirty Dozen Brass Band, though his band is more straight forward rock. What I heard I enjoyed, but I ended up catching with an old college friend during Jamie's set.

I positioned myself up front for the Mule. Warren came out and played a few slide licks, organ comes in- I knew immediately what song it was - "It takes more, more than a hammer..." Mule launches into "Hammer and Nails" with Hess and Abts locking into an infectious groove with a much appreciative crowd ready to groove along.

Next was "Rockin' Horse" which has become a staple in both Mule and Allman Bros shows - I don't think I can count on 2 hands the number of times I've heard this one live - but it never gets old.

"'My gaurdian angel wears a hard hat,"
Said the boy with the microphone'
"Else, I wouldn't be standing here today."
Ever since I was a young a boy
I couldn't leave well enough alone

Mule covering the Beatles' "She Said, She Said" into "Tomorrow Never Knows" was well worth the price of admission. Warren begins playing the Tomorrow Never Knows melody and then begins singing:

Turn off your mind relax/and float downstream

During the end of Fallen Down, Mule goes into "Gimme Shelter" and then into an out of this world The Other One Jam with Greyboy All Star Karl Denson absolutely killing it on the sax. Karl then came back again during "Blind Man in the Dark" with even a bit of an Afro Blue tease.

Second set featured a Led Zeppelin's version of "When The Levee Breaks".

All and all - the best show I've been to this year for sure. I talked to an older couple that claimed to have seen over 200 Mule shows (I may have seen 15 or so if I had to guess) - the wife said she'd put this show in her top 3 Mule shows.

That night I caught the first bit of the Greyboy All Stars show, the only song I recognized was a cover of the Beatles "Taxman." I've seen Karl Denson's Tiny Universe 6 or 7 times, but this was my first Greyboy show...I enjoyed it, but was a bit tired and grew uninterested (mostly just tired) from hearing I-IV-V structured songs...don't want to knock them too much Karl Denson was great as was Robert Walter and the rest of the band - I'm sure most nights I would've gladly stuck around. Warren did come out and play slide on about 2 or 3 songs - it was quite surreal seeing Warren Haynes in a smaller venue.

04.13.2008 Lincoln Theater Street Stage Raleigh, NC

Set 1
Hammer & Nails Judgement Day Tease
Rocking Horse
A Million Miles From Yesterday
Larger Than Life
She Said, She Said->
Tomorrow Never Knows
Fallen Down->
The Other One Jam with Karl Denson
Brighter Days
That's What Love Will Make You Do with Robert Walter and Jamie McLean
Blind Man In The Dark with Karl Denson

Set 2
I Think You Know What I Mean->
When The Levee Breaks->
I Think You Know What I Mean
Slackjaw Jezebel
Beautifully Broken
Devil Likes It Slow->
Drums
Streamline Woman
Thorazine Shuffle

Encore
Soulshine

All Photos by Chris Rushin
All Monitors mixed by Earl McCoy

http://blogs.wsj.com/health/2008/03/26/rock-and-roll-may-never-die-but-sometimes-it-gets-sick/?mod=WSJBlog

 

The Black Keys play up their barebones folksy blues rock on their fifth full album (interestingly produced by Danger Mouse, of Gnarls Barkley fame). The duo from Ohio sets down 11 raw tracks, dipping into influences of soul, bluegrass, rock, funk, country and blues. The mixture provides a range of sounds never straying too much from the core of the band, working as a collection of musical grit effectively taking some old ideas and making them sound new. Check for yourself.

Quarters for the songs: Strange Times; Psychotic Girl; All You Ever Wanted; I Got Mine; So He Won't Break; Things Ain't Like They Used to Be.

Worth listening, if you like: Junior Kimbrough; Queens of the Stone Age; Cold War Kids; The Brian Jonestown Massacre; The Raconteurs; Led Zeppelin; Kings of Leon; North Mississippi Allstars; Jimi Hendrix; Gov't Mule; The White Stripes; The Roots.

Voting is now open for the 7th Jammy Awards

Live Performance of the Year

1. Gov't Mule with John Paul Jones, Bob Weir, Michael Franti, Jorma Kaukonen, Jack Cassady & Luther Dickinson, Bonnaroo Music Festival, 6/17/07

2. Led Zeppelin, O2 Arena, London, 12/10/07

3. Phil Lesh & Friends with Trey Anastasio, Glens Falls Civic Center, 10/20/07

4. Soul Stew Revival with Luther Dickinson, Fox Theatre, Atlanta, GA, 12/31/07

5. SuperJam (Ben Harper, John Paul Jones and ?uestlove), Bonnaroo Music Festival, 6/16/07

6. USTORM Benefit, The Park West, Chicago, IL 3/31/07

Tour of the Year

1. Allman Brothers Band/RatDog

2. D.U.M.B.: The Disco Biscuits and Umphrey's McGee

3. Gov't Mule with Grace Potter & The Nocturnals: Mighty High Tour

4. Solid Blues Tour: Mavis Staples, Charlie Musselwhite, The North Mississippi All-Stars & Joe Krown

5. The String Cheese Incident: Summer

6. Widespread Panic: Fall Studio

Album of the Year

1. Dream: Keller Williams

2. From The Corner To The Block: Galactic

3. 100 Days, 100 Nights: Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings

4. Page McConnell: Page McConnell

5. The Conch: moe.

6. The Mix-Up: Beastie Boys

Live Album of the Year

1. Bringing It Home: Bonerama

2. Brothers of a Feather: Live at the Roxy: Chris & Rich Robinson

3. Escaping the Sargasso Sea: Lotus

4. Live at the Murat: Umphrey's McGee

5. Live at Tonic: Marco Benevento

6. Live in the Northeast: Hot Buttered Rum

Song (a composition first appearing on an official release in 2007)

1. "Ah Mary" Grace Potter and The Nocturnals

2. "Cadillac" Keller Williams

3. "Circles" JJ Grey & MOFRO

4. "Heavy Rotation" Page McConnell

5. "Maria" ALO

6. "Telling Sue" Assembly of Dust

DVD of the Year

1. Immagine in Cornice: Picture in a Frame: Pearl Jam

2. JamCam Chronicles: Jam Cruise 5

3. Keep on Marchin': North Mississippi Allstars

4. Progressions: The Disco Biscuits

5. Stranger: Bernie Worrell on Earth

6. Years in Your Ears ...a story of Leftover Salmon

Archival Album of the Year

1. Boston Common, 8-17-71, The Allman Brothers Band

2. Live at Massey Hall 1971, Neil Young

3. Three From The Vault, Grateful Dead

4. Vegas ‘96, Phish

5. Warren Haynes Presents: The Benefit Concert Volume 2

6. Warts & All 5, moe.

eMusic Download of the Year

1. Cold Turkey 150- Benevento Russo Duo, American Babies, Apollo Sunshine, Keller Williams and Michael Franti (relix.com/radio)

2. N'awlins Funkmasters 4/29/07, Howlin' Wolf, New Orleans, 4/29/07 (Digitalsoundboard.net)

3. Music For The Planet: a nugs.net benefit for Rock The Earth (Nugs.net)

4. Phish, "Headphones Jam" (Livephish.com)

5. Tractorbeam, Chameleon Club, Lancaster, PA, 6/26/07 (Livedownloads.com/Bisco)

6. Widespread Panic, Driving Songs, Vol. 1, Summer 2007 (Livewidespreadpanic.com)

New Groove

1. Blue Turtle Seduction

2. BuzzUniverse

3. Cornmeal

4. One Under

5. Scarecrow Collection

6. SeepeopleS

7. The Brew

Look for an initial artist lineup on the site in the coming days. Please visit the official Jammys homepage to vote.

blog The Setlist report earlier today that Chuck Leavell has a solo album coming out May 13, "Live In Germany: The Green Leaves and Blue Notes Tour" on Evergreen Arts. Leavell did the “Green Leaves & Blue Notes Tour” in Europe after the Stones' "A Bigger Bang" tour ended, recruiting some German musicians to accompany him. Performance on the album was recorded on Sept. 14 for the German radio station HR1. Classics on the album include “Jessica,” “Statesboro Blues,” “Honky Tonk Woman,” “Rip this Joint,” Les McCann and Eddie Harris’ “Compared to What,” “Georgia,” “Here Comes the Sun” and “Route 66.”

For the 7 or 8 of you who do not know who Chuck Leavell is, he played the still enthralling piano solo on the Allmans' "Jessica," the keyboards on Eric Clapton's "Unplugged" and, for the last 20 years, with the Rolling Stones.

I had the chance to meet Chuck backstage at the 9:30 Club in Washington DC while he was on the New School of Gov't Mule tour in 2001, very nice man and one of the best keyboard players around.

The Black Crowes offer no disappointment for established fans with this album. Lead singer Chris Robinson sounds great, delivering the band's trusted soulful Southern rock. I particularly enjoy the rollicking "God's Got It," which only proves The Black Crowes still got it too ...

Quarters for the songs: God's Got It; Whoa Mule.

Worth listening, if you like: The Rolling Stones; Pearl Jam; Gov’t Mule; Faces; Lynyrd Skynrd; The Allman Brothers; Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers; Led Zeppelin.

A number of additional musicians will be added to the festival’s growing lineup in the coming weeks. In total, All Good will feature over 40 hours of live music, with no overlapping sets. Early-Bird tickets will be available beginning Tuesday, February 26.

The Coachella forum has been rumoring this mystery festival for a little while now, and it seems like there are plenty of people out there just like me just waiting with baited breath for something better to come our way. I'm glad to see I'm not the only opportunist. And whats that shit they say about how idealists never succeed?! I won't believe it!!

Either way, it doesn't look like this is going to be THE festival I've been hoping for though... but the lineup is pretty decent, just not quite enough for me to take the bait. Seems that the longer I wait the more my hopes on Lollapalooza, Sasquatch and the All Points West Festival seem to grow.

As per the Rothbury Festival: (To be held in Rothbury, Michigan between July 3-6)

Here are some of the highlights:

Dave Matthews Band + Widespread Panic + John Mayer + 311 + Phil Lesh and Friends + Primus + Thievery Corporation + Snoop Dogg + Modest Mouse + Michael Franti and Spearhead + Gov’t Mule + Slightly Stoopid + STS9 + Colbie Caillat + The Black Keys + Yonder Mountain String Band with Jon Fishman + Gogol Bordello + Citizen Cope + Keller Williams and The WMD’S + The Disco Biscuits+ Medeski Martin & Wood + Ray LaMontagne + Derek Trucks & Susan Tedeschi Soul Stew Revival + Drive-By Truckers + Of Montreal + The Dresden Dolls + Gomez + Brett Dennen + Taj Mahal + Mike Gordon + Zappa Plays Zappa

More news to come...

Mountain Jam is a 3-day outdoor music festival that takes place the first weekend after Memorial Day (May 30th to June 1st). It is held at Hunter Mountain in upstate New York.

The initial band line-up looks great! I couldn't make it last year but the quality of the webcast was one of the best I've watched/heard and that was during some awful rains. Hopefully, they use the same tech crew as last year and Warren & friends finally get some nice weather that weekend.

Gov't Mule (2 Nights)
Levon Helm Band
Michael Franti & Spearhead
Medeski Scofield Martin & Wood
Citizen Cope
The Drive By Truckers
Dark Star Orchestra (Late night on the Mountain)
Ivan Neville's Dumpstaphunk
Galactic (Late Night on the Mountain)
Grace Potter & the Nocturnals
Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings
JJ Grey & Mofro
The Greencards
Lotus (Late night in the Lodge)
Jackie Greene
Felice Brothers
JIM WEIDER'S PRoJECT PERCoLAToR w/ special guest Lucy Bo
Pnuma Trio (Late night in the Lodge)
Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad
BuzzUniverse
Phonograph

Update 2/14-Radio Woodstock and Warren Haynes confirmed that RatDog, Umphrey’s McGee, Dr. Dog, Pete Francis and Larry McCray have all been added to the lineup.

Mountain Jam passes will be available at www.mountainjam.com and www.mule.net beginning Friday, February 1 at 10 am.