I had to go down to the down river area of Detroit yesterday afternoon to fill out some forms and do some assessment testing for some recruiting company that says they can help me get a job. Before I went I got an email from some folks that were going to the State Fair in Detroit. They mentioned that “Alice Cooper” was playing in concert and that it would cost 10.00 to get into the fair. I figured even on my budget I could pull that off so I replied that I’d get in touch when I was through with the recruiter.
We all ended up meeting at the fair and I was given a voucher by one of our group to get into the event for free. Being in the position I currently am I was more than grateful. We ended up getting seats in the bleachers and chatted and screwed around until the show began.
I’ve seen “Alice Cooper” a number of times in my life. The last time I saw him was while I was living in Las Vegas in the mid eighties. He has always been known for his theatrical shows and I’ve always enjoyed that side of going to concerts. The music is actually a little harder than I like but, again, it’s the show that’s always done it for me.
I guess “Alice” is considered some kind of god to the heavy metal crowd. I’m not a fan of metal and I’ve never really considered “Alice” to be a part of that scene. I remember when I was a kid, and he was in Detroit for a concert, a local news station interviewed him. The take was the typical hometown boy done good. I remember when he was asked how much longer he could do what he was doing he replied that he could do it until he was 80. He went on to explain that what he was doing was more along the Broadway line of theater than anything else. I agree. “Alice” puts on a show, not a concert. There’s a theme and although it consists of death, a trial and an execution, it’s still a theme.
I’ve not listened to any of the newer albums the band has put out but there isn’t one among us in the 45 to 60 range that doesn’t remember the bands greatest hits. The thing about “Alice Cooper” is that he didn’t hit it big with just plain songs. He had anthems.
“Lines form on my face and hands.
Lines form from the ups and downs.
I’m in the middle without any plans
I’m a boy and I’m a man.”
I’m Eighteen was the first of a number of songs that struck quite a chord with the youth of the day. Think about this, that song was released 38 years ago. I remember it being played at sixth grade parties I used to attend in Oak Park. Listening to the lyrics they still have meaning to me today. The bigger point though is that this was an anthem for eighteen year olds.
Now, it’s quite a thing when an artist has a song that resonates so well with the youth of the day, but “Alice” wasn’t done.
“No more pencils, no more books.
No more teachers’ dirty looks.
Out for summer, out till fall.
We might not come back at all.”
Except for our parents is there anyone out there that doesn’t know what song that is? I doubt it. “School’s Out” is still played every year at the end of the school year. Again, this is an anthem, not a hit single.
He followed this with another anthem. “Elected” was a smash hit and was on the first album I ever bought. When the group sang the song last night with all the theatrics that went with it, I’m sure he would have gotten the vote of most folks there. At the end of the song, which was the last song of the night, “Alice” was shouting above the music saying things like “Why not me” and “Vote for me”. There were some dancing girls on stage holding up placards with campaign slogans on them. One of the signs said “These are troubled times”. Alice walked up to the girl holding the sign and said, “Vote for me, a troubled man for troubled times”. This from a 60-year-old man dressed up in leather. How do you not get the joke?
In the mid 70’s “Alice” became quite the household name. He had his own television special and had Vincent Price do a voice over on his “Welcome To My Nightmare” album and appear in the television special that went along with it. How unusual it was that this leather clad man named Alice would be so accepted by the masses just a couple years after being banned in numerous cities across the nation. He would appear on all the talk shows and I think he was a guest host on the Dinah Shore show.
He’s had quite the career and by extension quite a life. The show last night was very entertaining and it made me hope that “Alice” was right when he said he could do this till he was 80. I’ll be 67 at that time and I’d like to be there.
Showing posts with label Rock n Roll. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Rock n Roll. Show all posts
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
It's Just Not The Same
While at the “Police” concert the other night I was doing my normal looking at all the other people there. Directly behind me were a couple girls, maybe 18 or 19 years old. There was a song being played called “Can’t Stand Losing You” and at one point in the song is the verse, “I see you sent my letters back, and my LP records and they’re all scratched.” Well, that got me wondering, do these girls behind me even know what an LP is? Even if they do, do they have any idea how important they were to people in my age group?
The first album I ever bought, with my own money, was “Alice Cooper” “Billion Dollar Babies”. I was 12 years old and in sixth grade. Don’t get me wrong; I grew up in a household full of music. I remember as a kid of eight or nine and even younger having albums in the house by singers like Dionne Warwick singing Burt Bacharach and Hal David songs. We always had a number of Motown albums and singles in the house too. The “Cooper” album was the first I ever bought all on my own. It was all mine.
As I got older my taste in music became, what I like to call, more refined and my collection became much more exclusive. I, of course, bought my share of “Beatles” and other albums that others had but I would have no problem buying records that none of my friends had ever heard of. I remember buying the album “Flat As A Pancake” by “Head East when I was 14 just because of the song, “Never Been Any Reason”. I took great pride in the knowledge that I didn’t know anyone that had the record.
My record collection became very important to me. My Mother used to give David and I $5.00 every Friday and I would take mine and go to Korvette’s, a local department store, because they sold albums for $3.99. I had a job at 14 and would always spend a good portion of my check adding to my collection.
When I got my license to drive I remember going to a place called “Peaches” to peruse their massive aisles full of records from all over the world. You were pretty cool when you picked up an import of “The Beatles” and, trust me, I had my share. My friends and I would go to different record stores all the time. It was important to us.
I really got into reading the liner notes. I loved it when the lyrics were included. Little trivia for you. Did you know that the first album to ever have the lyrics included was “Sergeant Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band”? You do now. I used to pay so much attention to who played what instrument and always looked to see if they were on any other albums I owned. I would read the album cover thoroughly at the store to see who the players were and I would sometimes buy a record based on who the players were even if I’d never heard the song. I became quite arrogant when it came to my musical tastes.
When I moved to California in 1980 I discovered what, for a record collector, could have been mistaken for heaven on earth. “Tower Records”. There was one right across the street from the Sports Arena and it was open till midnight. It had everything I could ever want. California was far ahead of Michigan when it came to musical tastes. I would find all kinds of new bands like “Squeeze” and “The English Beat”. Groups that I still listen to today. I really got into Phil Collins’s first two solo albums and still consider them to be among my favorite records.
With the mid eighties came the cd and everything changed. They just don’t seem as personal. Albums were mine, cd’s are more, I don’t know, not mine. Listening to music isn’t the event it used to be. You can listen to music anywhere now. Back then you had to take the time to listen to it. Like I said, it’s just not as personal.
Anyway, back to the girls at the concert. I highly doubt they’ve ever had an album. They can never have the memory of the popping sound of an LP. That sound that seemed like a campfire when the needle hit the record. The scratch in the middle of your favorite song. Yeah, it was messed up but it was your scratch. I just don’t know if you can appreciate cd’s as much as your “LP records” that are all scratched.
The first album I ever bought, with my own money, was “Alice Cooper” “Billion Dollar Babies”. I was 12 years old and in sixth grade. Don’t get me wrong; I grew up in a household full of music. I remember as a kid of eight or nine and even younger having albums in the house by singers like Dionne Warwick singing Burt Bacharach and Hal David songs. We always had a number of Motown albums and singles in the house too. The “Cooper” album was the first I ever bought all on my own. It was all mine.
As I got older my taste in music became, what I like to call, more refined and my collection became much more exclusive. I, of course, bought my share of “Beatles” and other albums that others had but I would have no problem buying records that none of my friends had ever heard of. I remember buying the album “Flat As A Pancake” by “Head East when I was 14 just because of the song, “Never Been Any Reason”. I took great pride in the knowledge that I didn’t know anyone that had the record.
My record collection became very important to me. My Mother used to give David and I $5.00 every Friday and I would take mine and go to Korvette’s, a local department store, because they sold albums for $3.99. I had a job at 14 and would always spend a good portion of my check adding to my collection.
When I got my license to drive I remember going to a place called “Peaches” to peruse their massive aisles full of records from all over the world. You were pretty cool when you picked up an import of “The Beatles” and, trust me, I had my share. My friends and I would go to different record stores all the time. It was important to us.
I really got into reading the liner notes. I loved it when the lyrics were included. Little trivia for you. Did you know that the first album to ever have the lyrics included was “Sergeant Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band”? You do now. I used to pay so much attention to who played what instrument and always looked to see if they were on any other albums I owned. I would read the album cover thoroughly at the store to see who the players were and I would sometimes buy a record based on who the players were even if I’d never heard the song. I became quite arrogant when it came to my musical tastes.
When I moved to California in 1980 I discovered what, for a record collector, could have been mistaken for heaven on earth. “Tower Records”. There was one right across the street from the Sports Arena and it was open till midnight. It had everything I could ever want. California was far ahead of Michigan when it came to musical tastes. I would find all kinds of new bands like “Squeeze” and “The English Beat”. Groups that I still listen to today. I really got into Phil Collins’s first two solo albums and still consider them to be among my favorite records.
With the mid eighties came the cd and everything changed. They just don’t seem as personal. Albums were mine, cd’s are more, I don’t know, not mine. Listening to music isn’t the event it used to be. You can listen to music anywhere now. Back then you had to take the time to listen to it. Like I said, it’s just not as personal.
Anyway, back to the girls at the concert. I highly doubt they’ve ever had an album. They can never have the memory of the popping sound of an LP. That sound that seemed like a campfire when the needle hit the record. The scratch in the middle of your favorite song. Yeah, it was messed up but it was your scratch. I just don’t know if you can appreciate cd’s as much as your “LP records” that are all scratched.
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Totally Tubular
The first time I saw “The Tubes” was, quite by accident, at the Del Mar Fair in July of 1983. I was at the fair with a couple of my roommates at the time and there was a concert so we decided to stay. At the time the band had recently put out what would become their most popular album and the single “She’s A Beauty” was just starting to get airplay on MTV.
What I saw, to put it mildly, restored my faith in Rock n Roll. I’d heard a few of their songs before but this was something I truly wasn’t prepared for. These guys were all over the stage. There were “Rockette” like dancers, monsters, jungle tribesman and so much more. The lead singer, Fee Waybill, changed costumes for each song and was actually near naked a number of times.
I went home from the show and proceeded to buy a number of “Tubes” albums and really got into them. When I was in Michigan in the summer of ’84 I saw them again at the Royal Oak Theater. Another great show and I just plain couldn’t believe how much I enjoyed these guys. I saw them again in Los Angeles with my friend Ed in the summer of ’85 in what turned out to be their last live appearance in 10 years. The concert in L.A. was even more special to me because the back up band was “Utopia”, the band fronted by one of my musical heroes, Todd Rundgren.
In the mid 90’s, as I was on my way home from work, I heard on the radio that the band was playing at some bar in San Diego. I got home a little after 2 in the morning and crawled into bed and woke Shelly up to tell her about the show. God forbid I wait the three or four hours for her to wake up, I had to tell her right then. We went to the show with my friend Mary and her husband Glenn. This was the first time I’d seen them without all the theatrics and they were great. Just straight out rock and we all had a great time
I’ve seen them a number of times since then. Once, with the whole family, at a corn festival in Brentwood California, and since the divorce, a bunch of times at bars and fairs around the country. I’ve never felt cheated when I’ve seen them.
I’m going down to the Detroit area tomorrow to see them at a festval in St. Claire Shores and I can’t believe how excited I am. It’s a no seat arrangement and I’m hoping I can get right up near the stage. You just plain haven’t lived until you’ve seen Fee’s alter ego Quay Lude perform “White Punks On Dope’ and tomorrow I’m gonna live one more time.
What I saw, to put it mildly, restored my faith in Rock n Roll. I’d heard a few of their songs before but this was something I truly wasn’t prepared for. These guys were all over the stage. There were “Rockette” like dancers, monsters, jungle tribesman and so much more. The lead singer, Fee Waybill, changed costumes for each song and was actually near naked a number of times.
I went home from the show and proceeded to buy a number of “Tubes” albums and really got into them. When I was in Michigan in the summer of ’84 I saw them again at the Royal Oak Theater. Another great show and I just plain couldn’t believe how much I enjoyed these guys. I saw them again in Los Angeles with my friend Ed in the summer of ’85 in what turned out to be their last live appearance in 10 years. The concert in L.A. was even more special to me because the back up band was “Utopia”, the band fronted by one of my musical heroes, Todd Rundgren.
In the mid 90’s, as I was on my way home from work, I heard on the radio that the band was playing at some bar in San Diego. I got home a little after 2 in the morning and crawled into bed and woke Shelly up to tell her about the show. God forbid I wait the three or four hours for her to wake up, I had to tell her right then. We went to the show with my friend Mary and her husband Glenn. This was the first time I’d seen them without all the theatrics and they were great. Just straight out rock and we all had a great time
I’ve seen them a number of times since then. Once, with the whole family, at a corn festival in Brentwood California, and since the divorce, a bunch of times at bars and fairs around the country. I’ve never felt cheated when I’ve seen them.
I’m going down to the Detroit area tomorrow to see them at a festval in St. Claire Shores and I can’t believe how excited I am. It’s a no seat arrangement and I’m hoping I can get right up near the stage. You just plain haven’t lived until you’ve seen Fee’s alter ego Quay Lude perform “White Punks On Dope’ and tomorrow I’m gonna live one more time.
Saturday, April 5, 2008
In Search Of The Perfect Song
I once wrote to a friend of mine about how I am in a constant search for the perfect pop song. I guess the true meaning of “pop” is popular. I’ve never thought of it that way. I have a couple definitions of “pop”. The first is a song that you can’t help but tap your toe to. A song that sticks in your head. The type that people whistle when they’re walking down the street. They’re usually upbeat and when I was a kid they use to call the genre bubble gum music. Here, I’ll try to lay out an example: the song “Ob La Di Ob La Da, by “The Beatles” is “pop” while “19’th Nervous Breakdown” by “The Rolling Stones” isn’t. Both great songs, both out of the same era in music yet one is, I don’t know, peppier than the other. It’s lighter and there isn’t any hidden meaning in it. It’s just a song about life. The “Stones” song, on the other hand, goes into issues that are relevant to life during that time. The key being, a good “pop” song isn’t about serious issues. They’re about high school or teenage love or driving fast cars and things like that.
The other definition I have for “pop” is a really smart love song. What’s a really smart love song? I guess I’m talking about one that holds up over time. One that, every time you hear it, you have some sort of reaction. “Your Song” by Elton John, to me, is a really smart love song. It’s almost 40 years old and still, again to me, holds up remarkably well.
“ I may not always love you.
But long as there are stars above you.
You’ll never need to doubt it.
I’ll make you so sure about it.
God only knows what I’d be without you.
If you should ever leave me,
Though life would still go on, believe me.
The world could show nothing to me.
So what good would living do me?
God only knows what I’d be without you.”
Another, and I think the ultimate; example of this type of song is “God Only Knows” by “The Beach Boys”. Actually, I think this could be one of the top three or four greatest love songs ever written. Hell with that put it at the top. Just read the lyrics. Could you possibly find fault with anything said in those 10 lines? Add the music and harmonies and I just can’t see how the song doesn’t move you. Three simple verses, actually only two because one is repeated.
I just went to you-tube and punched the song up and while listening to it I noticed that there were tears in my eyes. Yes, one of the reasons is because of my wimpyness, but jeez folks, this song is pure genius. It’s so f’ing beautiful that it literally brings tears to my eyes. Close your eyes and listen to it. Really listen to it. Remember that this was written by a 24 year old kid (Brian Wilson) and the angelic voice singing it was only 20 (his brother Carl). I listen to the song and I get the same feeling in the pit of my stomach that I get when looking at the waters of the Caribbean. It actually aches.
My original intent when I started writing this piece was to talk about another of Brian Wilson songs and how it meshes both types of the “pop” song I spoke of at the top. As usually happens I got way off track. I ask your forgiveness and thank you for your indulgence. I’ll save that for another post. Just take a listen to “God Only Knows” and, I believe, you can see how I could get so far away from my original subject. It’s a masterpiece, pure and simple.
The other definition I have for “pop” is a really smart love song. What’s a really smart love song? I guess I’m talking about one that holds up over time. One that, every time you hear it, you have some sort of reaction. “Your Song” by Elton John, to me, is a really smart love song. It’s almost 40 years old and still, again to me, holds up remarkably well.
“ I may not always love you.
But long as there are stars above you.
You’ll never need to doubt it.
I’ll make you so sure about it.
God only knows what I’d be without you.
If you should ever leave me,
Though life would still go on, believe me.
The world could show nothing to me.
So what good would living do me?
God only knows what I’d be without you.”
Another, and I think the ultimate; example of this type of song is “God Only Knows” by “The Beach Boys”. Actually, I think this could be one of the top three or four greatest love songs ever written. Hell with that put it at the top. Just read the lyrics. Could you possibly find fault with anything said in those 10 lines? Add the music and harmonies and I just can’t see how the song doesn’t move you. Three simple verses, actually only two because one is repeated.
I just went to you-tube and punched the song up and while listening to it I noticed that there were tears in my eyes. Yes, one of the reasons is because of my wimpyness, but jeez folks, this song is pure genius. It’s so f’ing beautiful that it literally brings tears to my eyes. Close your eyes and listen to it. Really listen to it. Remember that this was written by a 24 year old kid (Brian Wilson) and the angelic voice singing it was only 20 (his brother Carl). I listen to the song and I get the same feeling in the pit of my stomach that I get when looking at the waters of the Caribbean. It actually aches.
My original intent when I started writing this piece was to talk about another of Brian Wilson songs and how it meshes both types of the “pop” song I spoke of at the top. As usually happens I got way off track. I ask your forgiveness and thank you for your indulgence. I’ll save that for another post. Just take a listen to “God Only Knows” and, I believe, you can see how I could get so far away from my original subject. It’s a masterpiece, pure and simple.
Sunday, January 6, 2008
Sounds Like AM Radio
It’s New Years Eve day and I’m just picking up the house a bit as I’ve got a few friends coming up tonight. As I’m cleaning up around here I started to go through some CD’s I haven’t heard in awhile and put them into the Bose.
I put in an old one from my high school years. The album is the studio album Peter Frampton put out right before his live album came out in 1976. Listening to the album it reminded me of when the album came out and a few of us went and bought the record. There were a couple minor hits on it that got a decent amount of FM airplay and we were all pretty satisfied with our purchase. Of course we had no idea what would come next for the guy.
A number of the songs on the “Frampton” album were also on the live album and hearing them done in a studio as opposed to live is really something. I had forgotten how fresh the songs sounded all those years ago. It’s actually a really good album. There were a couple songs that I still just love that never made it onto the live album and hearing them after all these years brings a comfort that’s hard to describe.
Anyway, the reason I started to write was that I was thinking about what happened to Peter Frampton and how none of you out there that are in my age group have listened to “Frampton Comes Alive” in ages. You almost have to feel sorry for the guy. This was a great album and that’s not an exaggeration. It was the album that started the trend in the 70’s of other artists recording live albums. Think about it, did you know anyone back then that didn’t buy it? I’m hard pressed to think of anyone I knew.
So why would I say you almost have to feel sorry for him? Well, let’s look at what happened to his career. It was pretty much finished, artistically; he became a pop star instead of a rock star. Do you know anyone who has a Frampton album that was released after the live one? Neither do I. all this guy did was play a concert in San Francisco that was recorded. He didn’t change his style or music, he just played.
We, the listening public, heard this album so much that it became almost hard to listen to. It went from being played on album oriented rock stations to top 40 stations and once that happens the shelf life just disappears. Those of you that saved your albums from back then should go take a look at it. I’m sure that looking at it you’ll see how used it is. You, like so many others, played the hell out of it. I said it earlier and it really is true, this was a great album.
There are, as mentioned earlier, a few songs on the “Frampton” album that didn’t make it onto the live set. If you are so inclined go online and see if you can download “Nowhere’s Too Far” and "Apple Of Your Eye”. I think it’ll bring some memories back and you just might like to hear something you haven’t heard in over 30 years.
I put in an old one from my high school years. The album is the studio album Peter Frampton put out right before his live album came out in 1976. Listening to the album it reminded me of when the album came out and a few of us went and bought the record. There were a couple minor hits on it that got a decent amount of FM airplay and we were all pretty satisfied with our purchase. Of course we had no idea what would come next for the guy.
A number of the songs on the “Frampton” album were also on the live album and hearing them done in a studio as opposed to live is really something. I had forgotten how fresh the songs sounded all those years ago. It’s actually a really good album. There were a couple songs that I still just love that never made it onto the live album and hearing them after all these years brings a comfort that’s hard to describe.
Anyway, the reason I started to write was that I was thinking about what happened to Peter Frampton and how none of you out there that are in my age group have listened to “Frampton Comes Alive” in ages. You almost have to feel sorry for the guy. This was a great album and that’s not an exaggeration. It was the album that started the trend in the 70’s of other artists recording live albums. Think about it, did you know anyone back then that didn’t buy it? I’m hard pressed to think of anyone I knew.
So why would I say you almost have to feel sorry for him? Well, let’s look at what happened to his career. It was pretty much finished, artistically; he became a pop star instead of a rock star. Do you know anyone who has a Frampton album that was released after the live one? Neither do I. all this guy did was play a concert in San Francisco that was recorded. He didn’t change his style or music, he just played.
We, the listening public, heard this album so much that it became almost hard to listen to. It went from being played on album oriented rock stations to top 40 stations and once that happens the shelf life just disappears. Those of you that saved your albums from back then should go take a look at it. I’m sure that looking at it you’ll see how used it is. You, like so many others, played the hell out of it. I said it earlier and it really is true, this was a great album.
There are, as mentioned earlier, a few songs on the “Frampton” album that didn’t make it onto the live set. If you are so inclined go online and see if you can download “Nowhere’s Too Far” and "Apple Of Your Eye”. I think it’ll bring some memories back and you just might like to hear something you haven’t heard in over 30 years.
Friday, November 9, 2007
He Got Me Too!
So I went and saw Bruce Springsteen last night down in Auburn Hills. I think I’ve written a few things about Bruce in the past but, sorry to say, here we go again. I wrote to a friend of mine just last week about how I’m not really a huge fan of his but if I had to name my top 100 songs, odds are, eight to ten of them are Springsteen’s.
A few of them are the usual suspects, “Born To Run”, “Rosalita” “Blinded By The Light” and “Fire”. Manfred Man and The Pointer Sisters made the last two famous but, to me, Bruce’s original versions have so much more passion. Anyway, four more of his songs in my top 100 all come from the album, “Tunnel Of Love”. Three of which pretty much talk about the impending end of his marriage at the time.
Anyway, once again, way off track. Stay focused. The concert. The tickets said the show started at 7:30 and we got there about ten minutes early. The show didn’t start till 8:15. Sort of a drag but I can live with it. He opened with his latest single as most bands do and then went right into “Night” from the “Born To Run” album. He pretty much did that all night. One or two new ones then something you recognized.
One thing you really see at a Springsteen concert is the complete and utter devotion of his fans. If you are a real Springsteen fan, your loyalty is unconditional. I consider myself pretty knowledgeable when it comes to Bruce’s music but there were a number of songs that I had never heard. Most, I’m sure, from the new album. The thing that got me though was the rest of the crowd. I was something like a mile and change away from the stage so I used my binoculars throughout the show. I spent a great deal of time looking at people in the crowd. I saw a number of folks literally doing dance routines to these new songs while singing along. Pretty impressive, at least to me.
“Badlands, you gotta live it every day.
Let the broken hearts stand as the price you've gotta pay. We’ll keep pushin' till it's understood.
And these badlands start treating us good.”
It’s really something to see a crowd react so strongly to certain songs. I’ve seen Springsteen twice and both times the song “Badlands” was a sight to behold. The crowd knows the whole song and it obviously means a whole lot to them as they are up and shouting the words throughout. I know this happens at most concerts but the fervor with which these fans do it is really quite different than any crowd reaction I’ve ever seen.
Every time I go to a concert I like to see how people react to songs. A couple that hears something that is “their song” or some 10 or 11 year old with his parents just going nuts with each song and you wonder how he even knows this music. It’s a complete range of emotions that lets one understand even more how powerful this art form is. There was a little kid being held up by his dad and just rocking on beat to each song. I kept watching him throughout the show and pointed him out to the friend I was with. It was really cute. After the band came out for the encore and did the first song of the final set, Bruce saw that the kid was holding a sign. The kid was being held up right in the front of the stage. Anyway, Bruce came up to the kid, bent down, and talked to him for a second or two and took the sign and held it up for all to see. On it was a request for the song “Ramrod”, it just said, “Ramrod please”. Bruce turned to the band and said, “Let’s do it” and told us all he hadn’t done the song in five years. Now, it’s easy to say that it was a setup and he had planned to play it but when I got home I went on line and found the set list, you can do that with concerts. Turns out that he dropped a planned song and put this in just for the kid. Imagine how that kid felt. Bruce kept coming down to the spot where the kid was and let the kid touch and slap the strings of the guitar throughout the song. A true rock n roll moment that that little boy will never forget. He connected with that kid in such a way that nobody there will ever forget, I even read about it in the morning paper.
“It ought to be easy, ought to be simple enough.
Man meets woman and they fall in love.
But this house is haunted and the ride gets rough,
And you’ve got to learn to live with what you can’t rise above if you want to ride on down in through this tunnel of love”
I also had one of those connecting moments with Bruce that night and I was as far back as one could be. I wrote earlier about the songs on the album “Tunnel Of Love” that are in my top songs list. Well there are two in particular that, every time I hear them, just shake my entire being. Well, he started playing title song from that album. As soon as it started I felt my eyes well up, as you all know I’m just a chick inside, and as I stood there I kept trying to wipe the tear that kept forming in my eye while not letting anyone see. Thank goodness it was dark. I was more moved in this moment than at any concert or movie I’ve ever encountered.
There is only one other song he could have played that could have possibly meant more and that’s “One Step Up” off the same album. I don’t think I could have kept my balance if he’d started that one. I mean it. My kids can attest to how many times in the car throughout their lives they’ve had to bear with me while I skip the rest of the cd to hear this song.
“When I look at myself
I don’t see.
The man I want to be.
Somewhere along the line
I slipped off track.
Moving one step up
And two steps back.”
No, I don’t think I could have handled that at all.
A few of them are the usual suspects, “Born To Run”, “Rosalita” “Blinded By The Light” and “Fire”. Manfred Man and The Pointer Sisters made the last two famous but, to me, Bruce’s original versions have so much more passion. Anyway, four more of his songs in my top 100 all come from the album, “Tunnel Of Love”. Three of which pretty much talk about the impending end of his marriage at the time.
Anyway, once again, way off track. Stay focused. The concert. The tickets said the show started at 7:30 and we got there about ten minutes early. The show didn’t start till 8:15. Sort of a drag but I can live with it. He opened with his latest single as most bands do and then went right into “Night” from the “Born To Run” album. He pretty much did that all night. One or two new ones then something you recognized.
One thing you really see at a Springsteen concert is the complete and utter devotion of his fans. If you are a real Springsteen fan, your loyalty is unconditional. I consider myself pretty knowledgeable when it comes to Bruce’s music but there were a number of songs that I had never heard. Most, I’m sure, from the new album. The thing that got me though was the rest of the crowd. I was something like a mile and change away from the stage so I used my binoculars throughout the show. I spent a great deal of time looking at people in the crowd. I saw a number of folks literally doing dance routines to these new songs while singing along. Pretty impressive, at least to me.
“Badlands, you gotta live it every day.
Let the broken hearts stand as the price you've gotta pay. We’ll keep pushin' till it's understood.
And these badlands start treating us good.”
It’s really something to see a crowd react so strongly to certain songs. I’ve seen Springsteen twice and both times the song “Badlands” was a sight to behold. The crowd knows the whole song and it obviously means a whole lot to them as they are up and shouting the words throughout. I know this happens at most concerts but the fervor with which these fans do it is really quite different than any crowd reaction I’ve ever seen.
Every time I go to a concert I like to see how people react to songs. A couple that hears something that is “their song” or some 10 or 11 year old with his parents just going nuts with each song and you wonder how he even knows this music. It’s a complete range of emotions that lets one understand even more how powerful this art form is. There was a little kid being held up by his dad and just rocking on beat to each song. I kept watching him throughout the show and pointed him out to the friend I was with. It was really cute. After the band came out for the encore and did the first song of the final set, Bruce saw that the kid was holding a sign. The kid was being held up right in the front of the stage. Anyway, Bruce came up to the kid, bent down, and talked to him for a second or two and took the sign and held it up for all to see. On it was a request for the song “Ramrod”, it just said, “Ramrod please”. Bruce turned to the band and said, “Let’s do it” and told us all he hadn’t done the song in five years. Now, it’s easy to say that it was a setup and he had planned to play it but when I got home I went on line and found the set list, you can do that with concerts. Turns out that he dropped a planned song and put this in just for the kid. Imagine how that kid felt. Bruce kept coming down to the spot where the kid was and let the kid touch and slap the strings of the guitar throughout the song. A true rock n roll moment that that little boy will never forget. He connected with that kid in such a way that nobody there will ever forget, I even read about it in the morning paper.
“It ought to be easy, ought to be simple enough.
Man meets woman and they fall in love.
But this house is haunted and the ride gets rough,
And you’ve got to learn to live with what you can’t rise above if you want to ride on down in through this tunnel of love”
I also had one of those connecting moments with Bruce that night and I was as far back as one could be. I wrote earlier about the songs on the album “Tunnel Of Love” that are in my top songs list. Well there are two in particular that, every time I hear them, just shake my entire being. Well, he started playing title song from that album. As soon as it started I felt my eyes well up, as you all know I’m just a chick inside, and as I stood there I kept trying to wipe the tear that kept forming in my eye while not letting anyone see. Thank goodness it was dark. I was more moved in this moment than at any concert or movie I’ve ever encountered.
There is only one other song he could have played that could have possibly meant more and that’s “One Step Up” off the same album. I don’t think I could have kept my balance if he’d started that one. I mean it. My kids can attest to how many times in the car throughout their lives they’ve had to bear with me while I skip the rest of the cd to hear this song.
“When I look at myself
I don’t see.
The man I want to be.
Somewhere along the line
I slipped off track.
Moving one step up
And two steps back.”
No, I don’t think I could have handled that at all.
Monday, October 8, 2007
Across The Universe
I have always said that I pay way too much attention to the music I listen too. It goes without saying that music is truly the soundtrack to life. I’ve also been a Beatles fan for as long as I can remember and I’ve written on numerous occasions about what great writers I feel that Lennon and McCartney were. I think the biggest difference between these two and other songwriters is that in most cases music is defined by life, in the case of Lennon and McCartney I think life was defined by the music. In other words, what came first the chicken or the egg? In the Beatles case I think the music came first. Their music defined an entire generation.
I hope the preceding paragraph makes sense and if you’re still with me I need to tell you about a movie Maegan and I saw last night. The name of the flick is “Across The Universe” and it’s a musical about life in the 1960’s. It starts in the early part of the decade and goes through the draft, the war and social unrest that was probably the closest this country came to all out revolution since the Civil War.
It’s a typical love story, boy meets girl, boy gets separated from girl and boy reunites with girl. Basic chick flick and being the chick I usually am I liked the story. There is, however, much more to it than that. There is the music.
“Is there anybody going to listen
to my story,
all about the girl who came to stay?
She’s the kind of girl you want so much
It makes you sorry,
still you don’t regret a single day.”
From the opening scene with a guy on the beach singing the opening verse to “Girl” to the end of the movie with Bono singing “Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds” it’s a journey through the music of my youth and I’m sure many of yours too. The music does not go through any chronological order, instead it, more importantly, goes in the order of the story.
“I've just seen a face,
I can't forget the time or place
where we'd just met, she's just the girl for me
And I want all the world to see we've met
Na na na na na na”
One thing I’ve always admired about the music of “The Beatles” is how the songs range from the most simplistic to the most complex. The lyrics quoted above are such an obvious choice for when the main characters first meet and start to fall in love. So obvious you’d almost think it would be too easy and some other choice could have been made yet so obvious that there is no way any other choice would work as well.
The whole movie is like that. If you know your Beatles catalog then you can see where each scene is going. If you aren’t overly familiar with the library of songs then it’s a pleasant surprise when a song begins and you say to yourself, yeah, I remember that song. The real beauty of seeing the movie last night is where I saw it. I live in a college town. Michigan State University is basically what is the city. The crowd was all students whose parents probably weren’t even born when The Beatles broke up. During the first 15 or 20 minutes of the show the crowd was talking and laughing at some of the references. After about the 20 minute mark the crowd became much more attentive and really got into it. By the end of the movie many of the kids stayed after to see the credits. Listening to them as they walked out I heard nothing but raves. Maegan loved it too. I know I’ll go see it again and needless to say, I encourage all of you to do the same. No, it’s not one of the great movies of all time but I truly enjoyed it.
I hope the preceding paragraph makes sense and if you’re still with me I need to tell you about a movie Maegan and I saw last night. The name of the flick is “Across The Universe” and it’s a musical about life in the 1960’s. It starts in the early part of the decade and goes through the draft, the war and social unrest that was probably the closest this country came to all out revolution since the Civil War.
It’s a typical love story, boy meets girl, boy gets separated from girl and boy reunites with girl. Basic chick flick and being the chick I usually am I liked the story. There is, however, much more to it than that. There is the music.
“Is there anybody going to listen
to my story,
all about the girl who came to stay?
She’s the kind of girl you want so much
It makes you sorry,
still you don’t regret a single day.”
From the opening scene with a guy on the beach singing the opening verse to “Girl” to the end of the movie with Bono singing “Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds” it’s a journey through the music of my youth and I’m sure many of yours too. The music does not go through any chronological order, instead it, more importantly, goes in the order of the story.
“I've just seen a face,
I can't forget the time or place
where we'd just met, she's just the girl for me
And I want all the world to see we've met
Na na na na na na”
One thing I’ve always admired about the music of “The Beatles” is how the songs range from the most simplistic to the most complex. The lyrics quoted above are such an obvious choice for when the main characters first meet and start to fall in love. So obvious you’d almost think it would be too easy and some other choice could have been made yet so obvious that there is no way any other choice would work as well.
The whole movie is like that. If you know your Beatles catalog then you can see where each scene is going. If you aren’t overly familiar with the library of songs then it’s a pleasant surprise when a song begins and you say to yourself, yeah, I remember that song. The real beauty of seeing the movie last night is where I saw it. I live in a college town. Michigan State University is basically what is the city. The crowd was all students whose parents probably weren’t even born when The Beatles broke up. During the first 15 or 20 minutes of the show the crowd was talking and laughing at some of the references. After about the 20 minute mark the crowd became much more attentive and really got into it. By the end of the movie many of the kids stayed after to see the credits. Listening to them as they walked out I heard nothing but raves. Maegan loved it too. I know I’ll go see it again and needless to say, I encourage all of you to do the same. No, it’s not one of the great movies of all time but I truly enjoyed it.
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Man, Can He Write A Song
When flipping through the radio dial nowadays you will undoubtedly come across a few of what they call “classic rock” stations. The normal run of artists have the typical “Beatles”, “Pink Floyd”, “Led Zeppelin” and what I consider the most misunderstood of all, “The Who”.
Whenever most people think about “The Who” they think of this hard rock band that played real loud and had numerous songs that became fm radio staples. Many remember the tragedy in Cincinnati in the late 70’s when 11 kids were crushed to death due to poor crowd management and oh yeah, they did that “Tommy” thing too but few if any think much more of them than that.
I think most fans know that Pete Townshend wrote pretty much all the songs the band ever recorded but I am more and more under the impression that outside of Paul McCartney, he is the greatest songwriter of the era.
“Why don’t you all fade away?
Don’t try to dig what we all say”
The first song that comes to mind is the song, “My Generation”. The song was released in 1965 and said just what the youth of the day was trying so hard to get across to the older generation: Leave us alone, you don’t get us. You never will. Even today when listening to the song you can feel the energy just smashing it’s way out of the speakers.
In 1969, when Townshend was 24 years old, the band released the rock opera “Tommy”. It was, as we all know, the story of a deaf, dumb and blind kid who could “sure play a mean pinball”. That’s the basic explanation, listen to the album and you’ll see it’s so much more. Child abuse plays an amazingly central role in the story. It’s no wonder the album was banned in England and there were a few radio stations in the states that also refused to play any songs from it. Truly the first of it’s kind. The album was made into a movie in 1973 with Ann Margret and Oliver Reed in starring roles as the parents of Tommy and you can still catch it on cable stations on a regular basis.
In 1973, another rock opera, “Quadrophenia” was released. Though not nearly as popular as “Tommy” the album did have some songs of note. “515” “Sea and Sand” and “Love Reign O’re Me” are all wonderfully written songs that tackle issues such as teenage sex, the generation gap and the power of love.
“When I walked in through the door
Thought it was me I was looking for
she was the first song I ever sang
but it stopped as soon as it began”
Between the two albums previously mentioned “The Who” released the album “Who’s Next”? Considered by many to be their greatest collection, it can easily pass as a greatest hits set. The album contains what is probably my favorite song by the band, “The Song Is Over”.
It’s just my personal opinion but I think Townshend’s voice is one of the better ones in rock. Though he wasn’t the lead singer of the band my favorites have always been the ones where his voice was a prominent feature. To me, he just seems to sing with so much more feeling than Roger Daltrey, the official “lead singer” of the band. Maybe it’s because he writes the songs and he feels what they are truly about. The songs obviously have more meaning to the one that writes them than to one that’s asked to interpret them.
“I don't know why I thought I should have some kind of
divine right to the blues,
It's sympathy not tears people need when they're the
front page sad news.”
Throughout the years Townshend has released a number of solo albums and collaborated with other artists. He’s had a few hits outside of “The Who” and still continues to tour and record. There are a number of “Greatest Hits” type records that have been released over the years featuring Townshend on his own and if you are so inclined to look into them I think his album “Gold” will give you a true sampling of the different types of songs he’s recorded over the years.
I think that if one listens to Townshend sing some of the hard rock songs from “The Who” in an acoustical manner you’d get a completely different feeling for the songs many of you banged your heads to in your youth.
Whenever most people think about “The Who” they think of this hard rock band that played real loud and had numerous songs that became fm radio staples. Many remember the tragedy in Cincinnati in the late 70’s when 11 kids were crushed to death due to poor crowd management and oh yeah, they did that “Tommy” thing too but few if any think much more of them than that.
I think most fans know that Pete Townshend wrote pretty much all the songs the band ever recorded but I am more and more under the impression that outside of Paul McCartney, he is the greatest songwriter of the era.
“Why don’t you all fade away?
Don’t try to dig what we all say”
The first song that comes to mind is the song, “My Generation”. The song was released in 1965 and said just what the youth of the day was trying so hard to get across to the older generation: Leave us alone, you don’t get us. You never will. Even today when listening to the song you can feel the energy just smashing it’s way out of the speakers.
In 1969, when Townshend was 24 years old, the band released the rock opera “Tommy”. It was, as we all know, the story of a deaf, dumb and blind kid who could “sure play a mean pinball”. That’s the basic explanation, listen to the album and you’ll see it’s so much more. Child abuse plays an amazingly central role in the story. It’s no wonder the album was banned in England and there were a few radio stations in the states that also refused to play any songs from it. Truly the first of it’s kind. The album was made into a movie in 1973 with Ann Margret and Oliver Reed in starring roles as the parents of Tommy and you can still catch it on cable stations on a regular basis.
In 1973, another rock opera, “Quadrophenia” was released. Though not nearly as popular as “Tommy” the album did have some songs of note. “515” “Sea and Sand” and “Love Reign O’re Me” are all wonderfully written songs that tackle issues such as teenage sex, the generation gap and the power of love.
“When I walked in through the door
Thought it was me I was looking for
she was the first song I ever sang
but it stopped as soon as it began”
Between the two albums previously mentioned “The Who” released the album “Who’s Next”? Considered by many to be their greatest collection, it can easily pass as a greatest hits set. The album contains what is probably my favorite song by the band, “The Song Is Over”.
It’s just my personal opinion but I think Townshend’s voice is one of the better ones in rock. Though he wasn’t the lead singer of the band my favorites have always been the ones where his voice was a prominent feature. To me, he just seems to sing with so much more feeling than Roger Daltrey, the official “lead singer” of the band. Maybe it’s because he writes the songs and he feels what they are truly about. The songs obviously have more meaning to the one that writes them than to one that’s asked to interpret them.
“I don't know why I thought I should have some kind of
divine right to the blues,
It's sympathy not tears people need when they're the
front page sad news.”
Throughout the years Townshend has released a number of solo albums and collaborated with other artists. He’s had a few hits outside of “The Who” and still continues to tour and record. There are a number of “Greatest Hits” type records that have been released over the years featuring Townshend on his own and if you are so inclined to look into them I think his album “Gold” will give you a true sampling of the different types of songs he’s recorded over the years.
I think that if one listens to Townshend sing some of the hard rock songs from “The Who” in an acoustical manner you’d get a completely different feeling for the songs many of you banged your heads to in your youth.
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