It's Electric: Tom Morello

Lars does it again: The latest installment of his show features the great Rage Against The Machine/Audioslave/Prophets of Rage guitarist talking about his bands, playing with Springsteen, the new Atlas Underground project, and his experiences as a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame nominating committee. Not to be missed.

Monday Music Trivia

• Because The Grateful Dead refused to sign the Screen Actors Guild’s 1947 Anti-Communism Loyalty Oath as a condition of their membership, the oath—a remnant of the Hollywood Blacklist of the McCarty era—was made optional and later removed from SAG bylaws.

• The original title for The Smiths’ The Queen Is Dead album [Sire-1986] was Margaret On The Guillotine which later became the title of a song on Morrissey’s solo debut album Viva Hate [Sire-1988].

• Initially considering The Beach Boys' Pet Sounds [1966] a Brian Wilson solo album, Capitol released the album’s first single “Caroline No” under Wilson’s name.

• The Ramones’ self-titled debut [Sire-1976] reached Gold status (500,000 copies sold) in 2014, thirty-eight years after its release. And speaking of rockers from Queens...

• Kevin Shields, the mastermind behind Irish shoegaze legends My Bloody Valentine is actually a native New Yorker: he was born in Jamaica, Queens in 1963 and lived in the NYC-metro area until his Irish parents moved the family to Dublin in 1973.

Fountains of Wayne - "This Better Be Good"

The demise of the New Jersey store from which they took their name—featured in the ‘Another Toothpick’ episode of The Sopranos—was probably an omen, as the band outlasted its namesake by only a couple of years. And when you add the desultory vibe of what turned out to be their final album, 2011's Sky Full of Holes (the recording of which singer/guitarist Chris Collingwood referred to when asked about a possible reunion as “staggering to think of everything that would have to happen for me to want to repeat that experience”), then it’s plain to see how referring to FoW in past tense is not just accurate but quite inevitable.

In any event, “the American Sloan” (are Sloan “the Canadian Fountains of Wayne”?) had their moments and not just the Top 40 hit “Stacy’s Mom”. Case in point:

Stop Trippin'

One of my biggest beefs regarding music analysis/journalism these days is the unnecessary proliferation of ignorance and misinformation. This is a byproduct of the lack of importance given to music in light of its freely and readily accessible nature diminishing its value. But I digress.

In any event, there's a lot of information out there that can be accessed in order to verify and substantiate assertions and claims. And if that fails then listen to the damn music: Raw Like Sushi and Blue Lines are NOT trip-hop records, no matter how elastic your definition. 

Stop it. Please.

[Reverb: An Introduction to Trip-Hop In 5 Records]

Operation Finale (Official Trailer)

A film about the capture, transportation to Israel and subsequent trial there of Nazi Lt. Col. Adolf Eichmann, architect of the infamous Final Solution, Operation Finale will arrive in theatres in late August.

Academy Award winner Sir Ben Kingsley plays Eichmann.

Kevin Shields: The Jazzmaster Soundmaster

Few guitar players have helped raise the profile of the Fender Jazzmaster like Kevin Shields of the legendary My Bloody Valentine. The NYC-born, Irish rocker owns some two dozen different versions of the misnamed guitar—it’s never really been an instrument employed in or suited for jazz—which has been the cornerstone of his band’s soundscapes for more than two decades.

Here he talks about the guitar and how it has informed his approach to making music.

 

In Bloom

GRAHAM BRICE
Graham Brice's Flowering Future
[self-released]

[Full disclosure: Brice is a friend and colleague with whom I've shared a stage on numerous occasions. Regardless, this is as objective a review as humanly possible. - KJ]

Brice is a talented British singer/songwriter who's become a welcome quantity over the last decade or so among the New York City audiences who've had a chance to enjoy the Elvis Costello/Ray Davies influences of his songcraft. With a few releases under his belt, each as intriguing and engaging as the last, it seems as if they'd been leading towards this particular EP which, in a catalog of winners, is without a doubt this Brooklyn-based artist's finest moment.

Right off the bat, Brice doesn't waste any time reeling you in. “Antipodean Arms” is not just a great leadoff track but one that makes every effort to burrow and nest in your ear canal. As befits a disciple of his fellow countrymen, the aforementioned Costello and Davies, Brice has a knack for a turn of phrase or two and the bittersweet "I'm Alright With That" underscores this gift quite well indeed. "Canal" and "Trudge", respectively showcase Brice's maturation as a songwriter and a skilled arranger, in a way he's hinted at and occasionally achieved in the past, while "Honey Bear" closes things out in a lovely, albeit ultra sweet lullaby that ultimately works as a tender send-off.

A wonderful batch of indie rock singer/songwriter fare, here's hoping Flowering Future blooms widely and unchecked. Yes, it’s that good.

Here's The Official 'Shazam!' Trailer

So, it looks like DC has decided to counter the Marvel universe's cinematic dominance/onslaught with a superhero teen comedy? That's what it looks like, judging from the Shazam! trailer.



Shazam! hits theatres April 2019.

Ten Years After: 'The Dark Knight'

The folks over at Polygon look back at The Dark Knight, the epic installment of Christopher Nolan's Batman Trilogy on the occasion of its 10th anniversary.

There is little world-building outside the logic of the immediate narrative. Nolan’s Batman isn’t a superhero in the gleeful, laws-of-physics-defying, action-figure sense, instead burdened by ethical rhetoric and villain complications. The movie is not “for the fans,” and yet it’s held as a blockbuster pinnacle by those who’d self-identify as such. Quality notwithstanding, The Dark Knight is singular. 

The director and his collaborators, Olympians of their crafts, seize the opportunity to push the limits of what movies can do. The Dark Knight is elegantly excessive, a confluence of Nolan’s film-tech obsessions, philosophical puzzles and wealth of popcorn movie knowledge. Everything that can be explored — architecture, performance, film chemistry, noir tropes, screenwriting “rules,” practical special effects, Ethics 101, action geography, orchestral sound, the Levenson Self-Report Psychopathy Scale, pragmatic costuming, the spectrum of humor, truck mechanics — is explored. The DNA of The Dark Knight is geek in nearly every way, except for the fulfillment of page-to-screen recreation. Nolan co-opts Batman like so many revolutionaries have over the character’s 75-plus-year history, and burns cash like he’s The Clown Prince of Crime. 

Despite monetary evidence to be argued otherwise, it’s hard to imagine any director in the future having the same indulgent opportunity as Nolan had on The Dark Knight. This is not for a lack of a talent pool; only now, under immense pressure, are studios waking up to the fact that directors of various genders, races and other marginalized factors possess Nolan’s ability to project their collective knowledge onto the canvas of a $185 million blockbuster. But in 2018, the “auteur” director has been replaced by the masterminding producer and committees that ensure there’s a game plan for the next five installments in the megafranchise. The films will be shot, and reshot, whether planned in advance — which is often is the case, and wisely so — or abruptly interjected into the proceedings, in case, say, a Star Wars movie needs to be “more Star Wars” than the director was able to deliver. In theory.

[Polygon: We Will Never See a Movie Like 'The Dark Knight' Again]

No Comedy Without The Cringe?

Let's cut to the chase: Why has comedy become overly reliant on cringeworthy scenarios to entertain us? We're not talking about an occasional moment of painfully awkward and embarrassing interactions or realizations but a constant display of cringe-inducing situations that permeate the modern comedy landscape on film and TV. Frankly, it seems like a way out of not having a genuinely funny scene and resorting to hacktastic writing.

If puns are indeed the lowest form of humor and/or wit, then the crutch that eagerly and repeatedly resorting to cringe has become is quite a simply bane on good comedy writing.

"Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana..."

Today In Music History (July 20)

1940 - Billboard publishes its first comprehensive record chart.

1968 - Cream begin a four-week run at No.1 on the US charts with Wheels Of Fire. The double album consisting of a studio record and a live record reached no. 3 in the UK.
On the same day, Iron Butterfly's second album, In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida, enters the US album chart on the strength of the album's the 17-minute title track. In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida eventually sold over 4 million copies.

1975 - Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band play the opening night of their Born To Run Tour at The Palace Theatre, Providence, Rhode Island, which was also the live debut of Steven Van Zandt as a member of The E Street Band.

1986 - Sid and Nancy, a film based on the life of Sex Pistols bassist Sid Vicious and his girlfriend Nancy Spungen, premieres in London.

2008 - John Lydon denies claims by Bloc Party's Kele Okereke that he was racially abused and attacked by a member of the Sex Pistols' entourage at a music festival in Barcelona. Okereke claimed he had been attacked by several men after approaching Lydon backstage at the Summercase festival. He said the 'unprovoked' attack left him with a split lip and bruises.

Today's Birthdays include...singer Kim Carnes (73); Mr. Carlos Santana (71); Twisted Sister guitarist and Sevendust manager Jay Jay French (66); Sex Pistols drummer Paul Cook (62); Brand New Heavies bassist Andrew Levy and Pearl Jam guitarist Stone Gossard (both 52).

Pay-To-Play: Scamming the Hip Hop Hopeful

In an even more odious version of the pay-to-play scam rock bands have been dealing with for decades (although it's more of an L.A. rather than a NYC thing) in which artists have to sell a certain amount of tickets to earn the right to perform at a certain venue, the hip hop counterpart entails getting ripped of by not even being allowed to perform, after coming thru financially. Ugh.

[AV Club - The Scam Industry: How the Hip-Hop Boom Sets Hopefuls Up for Failure]

Christopher John Cornell (July 20, 1964 - May 18, 2017)

Jamie Foxx: 'Off Script'

The actor/comedian/musician has been hosting a web series of 10 minute episodes in a lively, informal setting (a purported movie set trailer), where he interviews the likes of Melissa McCarthy, Jeremy Renner, Sarah Silverman, Gabrielle Union, and Vince Vaughn.

Check out the most recent installment, featuring Denzel Washington.

Most Popular Netflix Shows Around The World

This list shows the top Netflix show in every country. (It's Stranger Things in the US.)
Lots of other interesting viewing tidbits as well. Check it out.

New Official 'Bohemian Rhapsody' Trailer

A second one is making the rounds, and here it is...

Forbes' Highest Paid Celebrity List

Music artists in the Top 10 include U2 (#6), Coldplay (#7) and Ed Sheeran (#9).

Here's the complete list.

Boosler Calls Out Masking 'Vile' Statements as Jokes

In a CNN OpEd piece, veteran comedian Elayne Boosler called out folks who make incendiary comments only to call them "jokes" when faced with the repercussions of their statements. And while the OpEd focuses on non-comedians, she takes Roseanne Barr and Samantha Bee's respective and recent controversial remarks to task as well.

What's interesting is how her fellow comedians will react to Boosler's OpEd, since so many of them, from Bill Burr to Dave Chapelle to Tracy Morgan to Jerry Seinfeld, have been quite vocal about their displeasure in not being able to engage in the kind of jokes Boosler is decrying here. Hmm...

[CNN - Boosler: Saying 'Joke' Is No Excuse For Offensive Behavior]

New Tom Petty Box Set: 'An American Treasure'

A 4-CD box set of 60 unreleased Tom Petty songs compiled by family and associates will see the light of day in late September.

Encompassing live and studio tracks, alternate takes and deep cuts, An American Treasure was put together by Petty’s wife and daughter, along with Heartbreakers Mike Campbell and Benmont Tench. A 2-CD version will also be available.

An American Treasure will be released September 28th.

Monday Music Trivia

- Composers Marvin Hamlisch and Richard Rodgers are the only musicians to have won an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony, and a Pulitzer.

- Blur's "Song 2" is two minutes and two seconds long, has two verses and two choruses, is the second song on Blur’s self-titled album, was the second single released from the album and reached as high as, you guessed it, no.2 on the UK charts.

- What about the other 45? Paul Simon’s classic “50 Ways To Leave Your Lover” only lists five.

- In a recent interview, Diane Lane fondly reminisces on her brief romance with Jon Bon Jovi during the ‘80s and lets on how the band wore athletic supporters aka jockstraps under their leather pants. (Bon Jovi allegedly wrote “You Give Love a Bad Name” about Lane.)

- Former VH1 exec Bill Flanagan’s music biz roman a clef A&R features thinly veiled portraits of Island honcho Chris Blackwell, an unflattering portrayal of Whitney Houston, and a scathing depiction of a two-faced, manipulative, asshole singer rumored to be Michael Bolton.

Really, Jerry?

For a while now, every interview and/or talk show appearance by Jerry Seinfeld seems to further confirm he's a jerk upset about having to live in a world in which we take into consideration equality, sexuality and other people's general perspective on things. Like the kinda guy who, let's say, not only has no problem with the name Washington Redskins but also mocks those who do. He's more and more become that guy. Or maybe he always was and it's gotten more exposure these days, as the height of his sitcom popularity is further in the rearview mirror and he's measured by the content of his more recent endeavors.

The latest season of Seinfeld's Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee—which I have yet to see despite having quite enjoyed previous seasons—is taken to task by Eater's Greg Morabito, essentially for "tone-deaf remarks that indicate just how out of touch Seinfeld is with the rest of the world." Morabito goes on to describe Seinfeld's faux pas as if they're one big jumble of his often mocked "What's the deal with..?" bits that take on Harvey Weinstein, gays, people's names but miss the mark badly.

The new season of Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee, 12 episodes in all, features Dave Chapelle, Ellen DeGeneres, Kate McKinnon, and the late Jerry Lewis. It's streaming now on Netflix.

Elvis Costello Postpones Live Dates Due to Cancer Treatment

Ultimate Classic Rock:

Elvis Costello has cancelled the remaining shows of his current European tour with the Impostors after revealing he’d undergone cancer surgery and returned to the road too soon for his recovery to be complete. He apologized to disappointed fans while thanking those who’d attended the concerts he’d managed to perform...Costello’s North American dates are not currently affected by his change of plans. They’re set to commence on Nov. 2 and conclude on Dec. 4.

Slayer's South of Heaven Turns 30

Largely written by the late Jeff Hanneman and welcomed with a mixed response upon release, Slayer’s fourth album was their second with Rick Rubin at the helm and the last they recorded for Def Jam Records.

While it remains guitarist Kerry King’s least favorite record in their catalog, its stature has grown over the years, becoming a fan favorite and considered underrated by many in retrospect.

South of Heaven was released on July 5^th, 1988.

Today in Music History (July 5)

1954 – While jamming for the first time in a recording studio with Scotty Moore and Bill Black—in this case Sun Studios—Elvis Presley goes into an upbeat version of “That’s All Right” which producer Sam Phillips records and becomes Presley's first single on Sun Records.

1966 – On a recommendation The Animals’ bassist, Chas Chandler, goes to see Jimi Hendrix play at Café Wha in New York City. Chandler suggests Hendrix move to England, which he does and Chandler becomes his manager.

1969 – The Rolling Stones give a free concert in London's Hyde Park before an audience of 250,000 as a tribute to Brian Jones who had died two days earlier. The concert was guitarist Mick Taylor's debut with the Stones and King Crimson’s live debut as well.

1975 – Pink Floyd premieres their new album Wish You Were Here at the Knebworth Festival.

1986 – Janet Jackson starts a two-week run at No.1 in the US with her album Control, which featured the hit singles “What Have You Done for Me Lately”, “Nasty”, “When I Think of You”, “Let's Wait Awhile” and the title track.

Today's Birthday's include...The Band's Robbie Robertson (75); Mr. Huey Lewis (68); guitarist Jimmy Crespo, a member of Aerosmith from 1979 until 1984 (64); singer/songwriter Marc Cohn (59); Bengt Fredrik Lagerburg, drummer with Swedish rockers The Cardigans (45); and Nick O'Malley, bassist for Arctic Monkeys (33).

The 'Lost' Jane's Addiction Album

DECONSTRUCTION
self-titled
[American - 1994]

The end of Jane's Addiction after the brilliant Ritual de lo Habitual [Warner Bros - 1990] and the band headlining the inaugural edition of the Perry Farrell-conceived Lollapalooza in 1991, left denizens of the Alternative Nation hungry for more of the power and majesty of the L.A. art-rock quartet. So, when not too long after Jane's demise guitarist Dave Navarro and bassist Eric Avery teamed up with drummer Mike Murphy in a new outfit—sticksman Stephen Perkins chose to join forces with Farrell in Porno for Pyros—expectations were undoubtedly high.

Released to mixed reviews and poor sales, Deconstruction's lone album deserved a much better fate for a collection of songs that, in essence, amount to a solid Jane's record without Farrell's vocals. (Avery handles singing duties throughout.) Despite being a proposition that should've lured any fan of the band, it was not to be and Navarro joined the Red Hot Chili Peppers soon thereafter while Avery laid low for over a decade. 

Time has been kind to the album, however, and it could be argued to be a more satisfying than any part of the post-reunion Jane's Addiction catalog. Dark, brooding and at times rather insular, but with all the virtuosity, controlled bombast and grandeur that marked Jane's Addiction's best moments, Deconstruction is definitely worth the attention of anyone who enjoys both Van Halen and the Velvet Underground.

Released July, 1994.