Michael Jackson, My Thoughts...

Unless you have been hiding in a cave in Afghanistan with Bin Laden this past weekend (and I’m sure he’s even heard by now), you heard the shocking news that Michael Jackson died on Thursday. Seriously this was shocking for me because he was only 50 years old, young at least in my mind.

I was shocked like most people of his death but I did not run out and place teddy bears and flowers in a make shift shrine at the Rock Hall like so many did (I still don’t understand this phenomenon) or get on a plane and fly to stand outside Neverland Ranch (again people actually did this?). I simply turned on the TV and for the next 96+ hours have been deluged with every angle of this story by NBC, CBS, ABC, MSNBC, CNN and of course the grim reaper of all “News Shows” Entertainment Tonight who actually paid for a photo of Michael in the ambulance receiving CPR with a breathing tube down his throat. I always feel like I am losing brain cells whenever “ET” is on but after they pimped out this photo, I feel sad. You can’t even die in peace when “Entertainment Tonight” is close by, but what do you expect, this is the same show that every night for a year after her death had a story on Anna Nicole Smith. That’s rating folks! No that’s pimpin folks!

Enough about the vultures of television. The reason for this story is I also read a lot about Michael from people I respect and like and how he really was a sound track to their lives. (even Heavy Metal reviewer and good friend Brian from www.brokenheadphones.com I thought his comments were poignant) but the person that got me really thinking about MJ and his music was Mrs. Bear who was really sadden by the news. She unlike me is really a fan of his music and was waiting for his tour to come to the US and planned on seeing it. She was sad because she always felt he had his childhood taken away by his parents and his “strangeness” as I call it was caused by this.

Mrs. Bear really brought home a point as when you think about it, who was or is really in the same league as a musical performer as Michael was worldwide for so long? The Beatles? Sinatra? Elvis? Yes, yes, and yes. These three along with Michael were really the big four when you think about it. Even though Michael really has not had a major hit in what 10-15years it seems, wherever he went, crowds followed and I mean large crowds. He was a cultural icon.

For me with Michael’s music there are two periods. I grew up with the Jackson 5 playing on every record player in the neighborhood by every teenage girl that lived there. The Jackson 5 was Motown and Motown seemed to rule our neighborhood back then. “ABC”, “I Want You Back”, “I’ll Be There”, “Never Can Say Goodbye” always seemed in the air as you rode your bike around the block. After all these years, I still like the Jackson 5 and their music and have them in my music library.

The second period for me was the “Off The Wall/Thriller” era. These were two good albums and I listened to them a lot at the old Audio Warehouse and you always heard the tracks played at Dixie Electric Company or the Cosmopolitan or wherever there were ladies and dancing. I liked these albums then but unlike the Jackson 5 music, these have been pushed back into my music archives and have not been brought out in 20+ years for me.

Why, because I had a hard time separating Michael Jackson the artist from Michael Jackson the man. The stranger he became in his personal life, the more I pushed the music away from me. Every interview he gave as an adult, every plastic surgery, every accusation damaged his talent and in turn his music for me. It’s weird because I never felt that way about the Jackson 5 tracks thru all that. They always represented the amazing 10 year old with the dynamic pipes, the big felt hat, the fringed vest spinning around on stage and belting out the songs.

When it is all said and done, and it will not be for years because of legal battles that are brewing over his estate and kids and we will get to hear each and every one courtesy of Entertainment Tonight. I will remember Michael Jackson as that little kid who seemed happy at the time, smiling, spinning around and singing “Never Can Say Goodbye”.

Nuff said, least till next week
Peace Out
Bear

Is It Live Or Is It Memorex?

Last Monday I went to see the Eric Clapton-Steve Winwood show in Columbus and on the way down threw in the live CD from their Madison Square Garden reunion to pump me up for the concert. John Gorman had sent me a message that he thought this was one of the best Live CD’s he has ever heard and coming from a guy like John (or Dusty Street or Bill Lewis. When these people talk about music I listen to what they say), I went out and got it immediately. On the drive there and again on the way home I listened and especially after just hearing them live in concert, I had to agree with John, it is a great live album.

Then yesterday I was driving in the Jeep with the top down on one of our rare sunny Cleveland days when Peter Frampton’s “Show Me The Way” came on the radio and unlike the 1000 times since 1976 when it was released, I actually turned up the radio, instead of turning the station and listened closely to the song which came off what became a monster live album in 1976. I got to thinking what are the best live albums I have ever heard?

Now I think I need to clarify something for my readers. If I have a choice of a song in either the studio version or the live version, 99 out of 100 times I take the studio version. I love the feel and vibe of being at a live concert but the energy of the show and band rarely ever comes across for me on a CD or an album. I don’t usually sit there, close my eyes and imagine being at the concert but these albums for me do the best job of it.

Feel free to disagree but here is my list of the best Live Albums Of All Time and because I am the Bear my opinion counts (okay we really know it doesn't but I can dream!)

#10 Cheap Trick – At Budokan (1979) When this album came out I was like most people saying “who are these guys?” (c’mon admit it) I didn’t pay attention too much to Cheap Tricks first three album but when I heard “At Budokan” a switch went on. A very rare occurrence for me that a live album opened my eyes to a band I didn’t care about at all. “Hello There” kicks off the album and it rocks but “Ain’t That A Shame” and “Surrender” are a knockout one, two punch on the album.


#9 Stevie Ray Vaughan – Live At Carnegie Hall (1997) Recorded in 1984 and not released until after his death Live At Carnegie Hall shows Stevie at the top of his game. His guitar work especially on the opening song Scuttle Buttin’ grabs you by the throat and doesn’t let up. Add Jimmie Vaughan and Dr John to the mix for this concert and you have a special treat. This album really captures the talent and feel of Stevie.

#8 Van Morrison – It’s To Late To Stop Now (1973) Van is the original Blue Eyed Soul man and this album shows him at the peak of his career and he sounds great on it. “Into The Mystic”, “Caravan”, “These Dreams Of You”, “Domino”, I could go on and on of the songs that just jump off the album. Listen to “I Believe To My Soul” and tell me this is not as soulful as anything coming out of Staxx or Motown at the time.


#7 Bob Seger And The Silver Bullet Band – Live Bullet (1976) If you ever saw Bob Seger And The Silver Bullet Band in concert at their peak, you know this album caught it live. This is one that you not only hear the music come thru your speakers, you feel the energy especially on “Ramblin’ Gamblin’ Man” and “Get Out Of Denver” but the show stoppers for me are the beautiful “Travelin’ Man” and “Turn The Page”. This album was Bob and the boys at their best.


#6 Led Zeppelin – How The West Was Won (2003) One thing I can say about most of the early Led Zeppelin albums, thank god for re-masters but the one thing there was missing and that was a great live album that captured them best, on stage live and raw. How The West Was Won does just that. Originally recorded in 1972, this album showcases how strong Plant’s voice really was (listen to “Over The Hills And Far Away”) and Page guitar blasts (“Heartbreaker”) and as I’ve said before no one plays a heavier drum than Bonham (“Whole Lotta Love” all 23 minutes of it!). A great ballsy, bluesy, rock album and as close as you can get to hearing them live.


#5 The Allman Brothers – Live At The Filmore East (1971) This album is a Tom Dowd masterpiece. This seven song double album is a lesson in interplay between musicians on stage and how to do it right. Duane Allman (who I believe is the greatest guitarist ever, sorry folks) and Gregg Allman shine in the live setting especially Duane’s amazing work on “In Memory Of Elizabeth Reed” and “Stormy Monday”. This album shows if southern rock and blues had a baby, they would have named it The Allman Brothers.


#4 J. Geils Band – Live: Blow Your Face Out (1976) The quintessential live band is truly captured here. This album shows the energy of their live shows and again captures them at the peak of the career. The ultimate bar band of the 70’s put out a powerful album that you can actually feel the energy coming out of your speakers. Peter Wolf’s riffing on “Must Have Got Lost” brings the fun of their live show to you and just blows away the studio version. One of the most overlooked bands of the seventies shows why they were one of the best live bands of the time.


#3 Cream - Royal Albert Hall: London May 2-3-5-6 2005 (2005) To me, this is the Clapton live album everyone should own. After not playing together for forty years it is amazing how tight sounding the three of them were for these shows especially considering how reckless they were when they played originally. It’s also hard to believe but to me they sound better in their sixties than they did in their twenties. I think the reason I like this album so much is it forced Eric to step back into the spotlight and have to play more than he had in years and he is great on it. The power of this trio is still there and it comes thru on this album.


#2 Johnny Cash – At Folsom Prison (1968) This album seemed to really galvanize the image of Johnny Cash in the sixties. There is rawness in this album that you can’t fake. Johnny playing to the prisoners of Folsom Prison (talk about a hard ticket to get!) and it seems the energy of Johnny and the band grew the longer they played and they fed off the audience and you can feel it in the recording. This album is rough, raw and fun just like you would imagine a Johnny Cash concert to be in the old days (especially if you were locked up!)


#1 Pink Floyd – Delicate Sound Of Thunder (1988) This album is overlooked by everyone it seems and was definitely bashed by the critics (especially those who sided with Roger when he left) and when you talk about a live Pink Floyd album the first one on everyone’s mind is Pulse but DSOT is a much better album in my opinion. The sound is richer and fuller, the band just seems tighter than they did on Pulse and the song selection is fantastic, it was like a greatest hits live album. This is not just one of my favorite live albums but one of my favorite albums period. “Learning To Fly” on this album played live is actually better than the studio version and I don’t say that often. The three remaining members of Pink Floyd were on a mission then to prove things and lucky for us they recorded it live.

Some honorable mentions:
Metallica – Live Shit: Binge & Purge (1993) A lot of people don’t but I like this album but the problem is no one is going to be able to capture the power of them live on a recording.

David Gilmour – Live in Gdansk (2008) I love this album. It shows David on what I believe to be his last tour ever and believe me, he was great on this tour (I saw him in Chicago) and this album shows why he’s one of the best.

Bob Marley And The Wailers – Live (1975) You feel the passion of Marley and really start to realize what musicians The Wailers were starting to become. This album’s version of No Woman, No Cry is reason enough to go out and get it. Listen to the audience sing along with Bob and try not to feel a part of it.

The Band – The Last Waltz (1978) This album would have made my Top Ten except I really live the video better but you can’t knock the album. It really shows how good they were.

Okay folks, that’s my list. Now let the calls, emails, and arguments start!

Nuff said, least till next week
Peace Out
Bear

Don’t forget to come out to the Beachland Ballroom Saturday June 27th for the Rock And Roll Flea Market. I’ll be there so stop by the booth and say hi.

The Agora Is Closing It's Doors

The Agora is closing its doors. I don’t know sadder words in the vein of Cleveland music history.

Hank LoConti Sr said the Agora is closing for the summer with plans on re-opening in the fall but we have heard that from many businesses in the past especially in these hard economic times.

The Agora was/is our Fillmore West, our Whiskey, our CBGB, and our Stone Pony. The Agora was our identity when Cleveland was the place for music in the country, when we really were the Rock And Roll Capital Of The World.

The Agora was originally started in 1966 by LoConti near Case Western Reserve University campus. Hank really was a pioneer of promoting live music in the Cleveland area and quickly outgrew the original building and the next year moved to the famous 1730 E24th St location next to Cleveland State University where music history was made not only for Cleveland but on the national and international level also. After a fire destroyed the E24th location in 1984, LoConti moved The Agora to the present location on Euclid Ave. (photo below courtesy of Janet Macoska)

You know who played the Agora over the years? How about David Bowie, Bob Marley, AC/DC, The Clash, The Ramones, The Grateful Dead, Rush, Fleetwood Mac, Southside Johnny, Muddy Waters, Lou Reed, Tom Petty, Meatloaf, The Police, Allman Brothers, Journey, ZZ Top, Tom Waits, Kiss, Paul Simon, Judas Priest, Bob Seger, John Mellencamp, Peter Frampton, The Pretenders, Metallica, Neil Young, T-Rex, Steppenwolf, Iggy Pop, The Outlaws, James Gang, The Raspberries, Bo Diddley, Todd Rundgren, U2 and probably the most famous concert held there August 9, 1978, Bruce Springsteen on the WMMS 10th Anniversary show that was broadcast live across the country. These are just a few of the thousands of bands that have passed thru this famous landmark and its doors are closing.

Hank was also innovative when in 1968 he opened Agency Recording above the club to record live shows and produce albums. You know, most of the shows from the bands above still exist especially on the internet or how about this rare video from August 31, 1978 when Southside Johnny was playing at The Agora for a “WMMS Night Out” and the audience got a surprise appearance by Springsteen, Little Steven and Clarence Clemmons who came down to The Agora after playing their show at the Richfield Coliseum earlier that night. Remember those days folks! (Thanks to John Gorman for letting me know about the video existing and click here to check out more of that night on John’s The Buzzard Blog)

You know what a typical concert lineup at the Agora was in the 70’s? How about during the week you could go see Gentle Giant, The Turtles and Mahogany Rush or the next week Iron Butterfly, Eric Burden and Pure Prairie League or how about seeing Montrose, The Outlaws, Bob Seger and Bob Marley And The Wailers in a row for only $3.00 each! Local acts like Believe, Sweetleaf, Reign, Magic, Circus, Rapscallion, Fully Assembled, Easy Street, Fayrewether, Wild Horses and others filled in the other nights of the week. I remember in 1976 seeing The James Gang on a Monday night and the next night going back to see Patti Smith. The shows they put on in a month we are lucky to have come thru here in a year now. Live music ruled the Cleveland nights.

Don’t blame Hank. It’s not his fault the doors are closing, this is the last thing he wants. The Agora has been run the past year by another group using The Agora as a flagship who wanted to try and capture the live club music market in Cleveland and in their wake also caused the closing of other venues. Hank only got back control recently but with it comes I’m sure the financial woes left upon The Agora. To read more about this, DX Ferris of Scene Magazine wrote a great article which should be read. (click here)

I hope the doors are closed only temporarily as he is saying, too many good memories, too many good parties, and some great music has come from The Agora.

It is fitting to end this story with another video from that night in 1978. Southside, Bruce and the boys “Were Havin A Party”. We always had a party at The Agora.

Nuff said, least till next week
Peace Out
Bear

Clapton The Chameleon

Right now, I’m sitting here listening to Derek And The Dominos for probably the 10000th time still just amazed at the music that is coming out of my speakers. Today before Layla, I listened to Journeyman and then Disraeli Gears. Why the Clapton kick?

Next week Eric Clapton is coming to Columbus to play a special show with Stevie Winwood but that isn’t it. I just finished Eric’s autobiography which was an interesting book for me, not a great book to read per se, but interesting. Reading the book, It was obvious the book was therapy for Eric. To put out there for everyone to read the ghosts of his past. The good, the bad and at times the very ugly. It was sad for me at times to read it as such a huge fan of Clapton and his music, Reading it, I realized that there were so many wasted years right at the peak of his career from his demons. Wasted years that who knows what music could have been created.

So why the sadness for me? Because I feel Eric Clapton is one of a dying breed, the great guitarist that actually creates. To me there are good, some even great guitarist still out there, Van Halen, Gilmour, Santana, Satriani, Hammett and others but unlike Clapton theirs is a singular style. Clapton it seems, at least to me transcends one style, when he creates a style depending on his mood at the time and this style is usually copied immediately by others guitarists trying to find “their style”.

Why did I call this story “Clapton The Chameleon”? Have you ever listened to Clapton? If you have you wouldn’t have to ask that question. Eric Clapton has changed his music stylings so many times over his career that it can make your head spin. He has tried so many incarnations of bands over his career, many just on a whim to try something new either out of boredom or out of ego. Now when I use the word “ego” I am not using this in a derogatory meaning. When you are an artist of Clapton’s stature you have to have some ego just to push yourself beyond your own limitations. To see what is beyond the wall.

Eric has been in some of the greatest bands we have ever heard, most of them created and flourishing for far too short a time. He has been inducted in the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame three times, the only artist to do so. First with the Yardbirds, then Cream and then his solo works but what might have happened if he stuck with Derek And The Dominos for a few more years or Blind Faith or The Bluesbreakers or even Delany And Bonnie (with Eric, Stephen Stills and Leon Russell in the background of this band, c’mon!). What could have been?

He went from band to band to band to band to band in a need to fulfill, to create something new or at times especially in the 60’s and early 70’s to seemingly evade the stardom that came with creating this music. I remember reading and seeing the pictures in magazines “Clapton Is God” scrawled on walls in London in the 60’s. I have read several times and I love the story of how when Eric first heard The Band’s “Music From Big Pink” album he just had to leave Cream and actually went to Woodstock where they were living to see about playing in the group, not as a lead but as a backing musician just because they were creating the music that he wanted to create. He wanted to just be a part of it. Now whether this story is 100% accurate is debatable but there are elements of the truth in his autobiography about it and it shows how his direction would change on a moment’s notice. Too try and go from the hard, loud, balls out rock of Cream to the Americanized country rock, story telling of The Bands sound shows the restlessness of the artist. I have always been amazed at how easy it seemed for him to go from one style to another. From the Yardbirds to The Bluesbreakers to Cream to Blind Faith to Delany And Bonnie to Derek And The Dominos to even the Plastic Ono Band. All different styles, all great music.

Eric as an artist for me has always been at or near the top of the list. I still marvel at how effortlessly he is able to take a guitar and make the notes so fluid, like water slowly being poured from a pitcher. For me, he is one of the last truly great guitarists of that time. There is nothing that sounds so sweet as notes that just seem to float and flow one to another and that’s not easy to do. If you don’t believe me I beseech you to put on your favorite bands album or CD, close your eyes and concentrate and just listen to the guitar being played then go put on a Clapton album, any of them, and make the comparison. There are very few that can really do this, Stevie Ray definitely could, Gilmour can if ever plays again, but Clapton has done this since the very beginning. It’s like God reached down and touched this man on the shoulder and said “be special”.

I went to see Clapton at Blossom last year and (immediately remembered why I hated going to Blossom) Clapton was at the top of his game at 63 years old, again let me repeat that again. He was on top of his game at 63 years old! Anyone who thinks they can play guitar (like I do) should have been at that show. One of highlights for me was that the cameramen focused on the hands of Eric most of the time on the big screens in the pavilion while he was playing. Playing that night with Eric was Doyle Bramhall II who Eric has kind of tapped to be “the next one” but for me it was a lesson in contrasts watching the two of them play. Doyle was producing all the right notes but it seemed that it was painful as he tried to keep up with Eric. Eric on the other hand stood there calmly and again at 63 years old, his hands moved fluidly up and down the frets and as I said earlier the notes “flowed like water”.

When I saw the set list for the 2008 tour I was surprised and thrilled. Eric was going back to his roots and playing what he has always loved, the blues. The set list included Key To The Highway, Outside Woman Blues, Motherless Children, Little Queen Of Spades and I guess to try and appease some of his fans songs like Wonderful Tonight and Cocaine were also included but kind of felt out of place with the rest of the list. To me I would rather of had him play “Why Does Love Have To Be So Sad” or “Riding With The King” but who am I to tell him what to play, unlike the drunk who was sitting a couple of rows in front of me and kept yelling out Cocaine after each song. When an artist gets to a point in his career when he is finally comfortable in his or her skin, shouldn’t they play what they like or want to hear? I don’t think Eric or any real artist sits down, writes the song, goes into the studio and records it with the idea, “What will Bear in Cleveland think”. They write, they record and they perform songs that mean something to them at that time and because it did mean something so strong to them that is why we connect without even knowing it.

I regret that I am not going to see Clapton and Winwood next week in Columbus, just waited too long to get tickets. These opportunities won’t keep coming along. It’s going to be a special time to hear a man embracing finally another part of his career and finding the happiness in his music we always have. Maybe the restlessness of his youth has finally passed and he can enjoy the music like we do.

Congratulations Eric, stay clean, stay sober, stay happy

Nuff said, least till next week
Peace Out
Bear

Turn It Up To 11. Great Music Movies

Today is one of those typical spring days in Cleveland. Dreary, cloudy grey overcast skies with rain predicted for the next couple of day. Woo hoo… Don’t have to work outside in the yard!!!

But what am I to do to pass the time. I guess now that I actually have to work on the website and do some writing? You know what I’ll put on a movie to play in the background while I’m writing but not just any movie, since I am writing about music why not put on one of the great movies about music.

Which one you say? I don’t know yet, there are some great ones that I have watched over and over and over where I can almost quote the lines. The problem with putting these movies on in the background. I end up stopping my writing and end up 2 hrs later still on my first line…

So here are some of my favorites that I’ll watch again over the next few days.

Almost Famous (2000 Cameron Crowe)This movie could have been my life story except I didn’t write for Rolling Stone magazine at 15 years old or get to meet the great Lester Bangs or travel across the country with rock band in my teens but I did read Cream and Rolling Stone magazine all the time in study halls and study music lyrics and in general was a music geek at a young age. I can relate a lot to William Miller in the movie and how he grows as the music in his world evolves around him. Cameron Crowe (who did write for Rolling Stone magazine at 15 years old and got to meet the great Lester Bangs and traveled across the country with rock band in his teens) took us back to a time when the innocence of music seemed it would never fade away. Some great lines about music came out of this movie.

Lester “What are you like the star of your school?
William “They hate me.”
Lester “You’ll meet them all again on the long journey to the middle”

“Bowie’s doing Lou and Lou doing Bowie, Lou is still doing Lou”

“Of course I'm home. I'm always home. I'm uncool.”

“The only true currency in this bankrupt world is what you share with someone else when you're uncool.”

“Do you have to be depressed to write a sad song? Do you have to be in love to write a love song? Is a song better when it really happened to you?”

“If you think that Mick Jagger will still be doing the whole rock star thing at age fifty, well, then, you are sorely, sorely mistaken.”

“You're not there to party. We've already got *one* Hunter S. Thompson.”

And probably the most poignant exchange of the movie for me and one that I actually was talking to Matt from addictedtovinyl about the other day was when the Russell Hammond character tells William about what makes a song memorable “It’s not what you put into it, it’s what you leave out” “That’s what you remember the little things, the silly things, the mistakes. There’s only one of them and it makes the song. It’s what you leave out, that’s rock and roll” That line alone really hits home when I seriously think about music I’m listening too.

High Fidelity (2000 – Stephen Frears) I read the book High Fidelity by Nick Hornsby and in one of those rare cases, the movie far exceeds the book. I love this movie. This is every music geeks dream. Own a record store, produce an album, sleep with an exotic musician (of course she will have to look like Lisa Bonet), just hang out all day listening and talking about music. (Wait, I do listen and talk about music all day. Now I just need to open a record store and hire Jack Black and I am living the movie, except for the Lisa Bonet part)
How can this movie not be great, John Cusack and Jack Black together! How many of us have not categorized our live with our Top 5 lists like John does throughout the movie. Plus it gave us some more great lines to quote to our friends and it has a cameo by Bruce Springsteen giving advice to John’s character. Com’n the Boss!

“Liking both Marvin Gaye and Art Garfunkel is like supporting both the Israelis and the Palestinians”

“I can't fire them. I hired these guys for three days a week and they just started showing up every day. That was four years ago.”

Barry “OK, buddy, uh, I was just tryin' to cheer us up so go ahead. Put on some old sad bastard music, see if I care.” “Here's the thing. I made that tape special for today. My special Monday morning for *you*... special.”
Rob “Well, it's fuckin' Monday afternoon! You should get out of bed earlier!”

Customer “I’m looking for a record for my daughter, for her birthday "I Just Called To Say I Love You?" Do you have it?”
Barry “Yea we have it.”
Customer “Great, Great, can I have it then?”
Barry “No, no, you can't.”
Customer “Why not?”
Barry “Well, it's sentimental tacky crap that’s why not. Do we look like the kind of store that sells “I Just Called to Say I Love You”? Go to the mall.”

Bruce Springsteen "Give that big final good luck and goodbye to your all time top-five and just move on down the road."
Rob "Good luck, Goodbye. Thanks, Boss."

This Is Spinal Tap (1984 – Rob Reiner) This mock “rockumentary” follows the fictional rock group Spinal Tap as they tour America. I think it is a take off a little bit of “The Last Waltz” with interviews interspersed in the film but the behind the scenes action is what makes the movie for me. The funny thing is that even though this is a comedy per say, they remind me of so many bands I worked for in the late 70’s and early 80’s and its how they acted at times. I love the part where they are lost backstage trying to find their way to the stage in Cleveland. On note that probably makes the film ring true feeling is that except for the songs and an occasional line or two the entire movie is ad-libed. So turn your amps up to 11 and watch it again. Want some great lines…

“Certainly, in the topsy-turvy world of heavy rock, having a good solid piece of wood in your hand is often useful”

“You know, just simple lines intertwining, you know, very much like - I'm really influenced by Mozart and Bach, and it's sort of in between those, really. It's like a Mach piece, really. It's sort of...” “What do you call this?”“Well, this piece is called "Lick My Love Pump".”

“May I start by saying how thrilled we are to have you here. We are such fans of your music and all of your records. I'm not speaking of yours personally, but the whole genre of the rock and roll.”

"This pretentious ponderous collection of religious rock psalms is enough to prompt the question, 'What day did the Lord create Spinal Tap, and couldn't he have rested on that day too?'"


The Last Waltz (1978 - Martin Scorsese) Speaking of The Last Waltz. This documentary of the last concert played by The Band at the Winterland Ballroom is an amazing piece of music history. Not only does it show one of originals of American music, The Band, at its peak but the guest artists that came out to play that night are the who’s who of music during that time. Dylan, Clapton, Ringo, Neil Young, Neil Diamond, Joni Mitchell, Dr John and one of the best performances on the film, Van Morrison. The performances are fantastic to watch and listen to but Scorsese’s behind the scenes interviews with The Band are classic. The guys were relaxed (helped by substances I am sure, just look at them) and gave great stories of being on the road in the early years of the group and how they came to make some great music. If you haven’t seen it, go rent it and as the opening image of the film says “THIS FILM SHOULD BE PLAYED LOUD”


The Commitments (1991 – Alan Parker) I love this movie about a bunch of out of work Irish musicians that try to form a soul band. They have the talent and the dream to be big but that’s not enough to overcome the obstacles of each other to get there. What got me about the film outside of the acting is the great soundtrack. Mustang Sally, Take Me To The River, Chain Of Fools, Try A Little Tenderness, to name a few. The actors in the movie were actually musicians hired based on their musical skills over their acting skills and both shine thru. Just a good movie to throw on when you need a little injection of soul.



Detroit Rock City (1999 – Adam Rifkin) This movie was a flop at the box office but one of those classic DVD releases that you stumble across every so often. I am not a big fan of Kiss but this movie is really good. Four guys from Cleveland in a Kiss cover band try to scam and do whatever they can to get to see their idols live. It’s a pretty good representation of growing up in the 70’s except it’s a lot funnier than my teenage years. What people forget is that this movie was produced by Gene Simmons, it sure surprised me plus a killer soundtrack featuring Van Halen, Black Sabbath, James Gang, Thin Lizzy, Cheap Trick, Bowie, The Donnas, and of course Kiss.

Well that’s just a couple of movies. I know, I know I didn’t put in Hard Days Night, Purple Rain (actually a good movie folks), The Doors, Last Days, School Of Rock, La Bamba, The Wall but the sun is peeking out and I see some yard work to get done before the next rain shower hits us, so maybe next time I’ll get to those.

If I missed your favorite let me know. I’m always up to watch a good movie about music “LOUD”

Nuff said, least till next week
Peace Out
Bear