The Right Voice

What comes to mind when hearing those words? Is it someone who collects historical data about a culture and shares the information for others to learn? If it is not, then it should be. However, more often then not, it is applied to people who like music made before the 1960s. This is not only wrong, it is ignorant. Music is music, and music is timeless. Music has a history, but music is not history. Sure, if you are like me, you can hear a song and know what decade it is from. But, I ask, why is a song made in 1937 not as good in 2008? There is a disconnect of logic there.

The Problem with music today is that they do not study the history of music and seemingly disregard all songs that were written before 1998. they learn how to play the guitar and sing lyrics that some would define as catchy. Their record does well and they think they are bigger then music and get sucked into an alternate reality that only they are contained in. I don’t care who you are, how many records you’ve sold, or how many magazine covers you have been on, you are not a better musician then someone like Robert Johnson. He gets cast aside, though, because he had the misfortune of being born in 1911. You will not anyone more entertaining then someone like Louis Prima. He is irrelevant, though, because he made music in the 1950s.

I know what you are saying. You are saying that songs back then played to the popular trends of the day and we cannot identify with that culture. I am going to let everyone in on a secret. Fashions and trends of today will fade away and no longer be popular. Everything will fade. Why not learn about other periods of time? It will allow you to appreciate more music than you ever thought possible. You will go from saying “That was a great song for 1920″ to “That was a great song”

Todd

On Sunday night, December 2nd, I had the privilege of going to this amazing concert. The night I had been waiting over a year for had finally come to pass. The show started with the band Spain playing the opening act. They were good, but I could not wait for them to be over because I, and the rest of the packed Troubadour, knew that the Soulsavers were coming on next. For those who do not know the Soulsavers, let me tell you who they are. The Soulsavers are a British electronica/hip hop/gospel band. They are incredibly talented musicians who have received overwhelming critical acclaim for their first release, Tough Guys Don’t Dance (2003) as well as their newest CD It’s Not How Far You Fall, It’s the Way You Land (2007). They received a lot of notoriety for their second album because, not only is a phenomenal album, but also because of Mark Lanegan’s contribution. Mark wrote and sang on most of the album. Mark is the kind of musician that brings instant credibility to any label he is on, or any band that he sings with and the Soulsavers are no exception, even though they are very good on their own.

They started off the night with a rocking version of the instrumental “Ask The Dust” that was awesome. When that song was completed, he man himself, Mark Lanegan, walked out and began to sing “Ghosts of You and Me”. They played Lanegan’s cover of Junior Kimborough’s “All Night Long” and then went back to their own “Paper Money”. The gospel singers they used for backup were simply amazing. Instead of doing all their own stuff, the band took risks and were rewarded greatly when they covered “Effigy”, “Codeine”, and “Feels So Good”. The song, “Spiritual” (written by vocalist Josh Haden who appeared on their first CD, “Tough Guys Don’t Dance”) really took the crowd into another world as Lanegan, desperate for companionship, cried out to Jesus to help him. Really powerful. They even spliced in Lee Hazelwood’s “Some Velvet Morning” to their own “Cabin Fever”. “Cabin Fever” is the only song they played from “Tough Guys Don’t Dance”.

After “Cabin Fever” the band walked off stage only to come back out a minute later to blow us away with the lead single off “It’s Not How You Fall, It’s the Way You Land”, “Revival“. they ended the show with a gospel version of “Midnight Special”. I pity the man who has not heard a gospel version of “Midnight Special”. It was a great way to end the show. The show was just amazing. The band was extremely tight and the musicianship was outstanding. Nothing like being five feet away from your favorite musician.

Todd

 Growing up, and spending my entire life, in Southern California, I must admit that I did not know very much about the surf culture that dominated the early 60s. Sure, I knew about Frankie and Annette, the Beach Boys, and Gidget, but not much else. Tht all changed when I picked up a copy of Dumb Angel Number 4 - All Summer Long. Editors Brian Chidester and Domenic Priore lay out the magazine in vibrant color (as well as black and white where appropriate) and truly captures the essence of what the 60s were all about in a way most of us have never seen.

The Magazine focuses on the LA scene and expands out as the popular surf acts attain worldwide acclaim. It covers surf from it’s beginnings as the first surfing exhibition in California in 1907 until the end when Bob Dylan took over the pop-culture scene. There is such an in-deptyh analysis that you would be hard-pressed to find it anywhere else. Definitely will not be able to find it where it is so vibrant and organized. The work done by everyone who contributed to this cannot be denied.

This magazine informs the uninformed and opens eyes to a part of the surf culture that most did not know existed. It informs the reader of every important event that took place toelp shape what we do know about. Finally, it stresses the impotartance surf music had on influencing other types of music from Beatnick to punk. Surf left an invaluable imprint on American society and it cannot be ignored, and neither should All Summer Long.

Todd

The Baked Potato is a local Jazz club here in Los Angeles. It does not look like much from the outside (or the inside, for that matter), but it is home to some of the greatest in talents in jazz and in music period. Regular performers include Jimmy Haslip and Russell Ferrante of the Yellowjackets, Katisse Buckingham (he was the guy playing Jazz flute during Will Ferrill’s scene in “Anchorman”), Michael Landau, Marvin “Smitty” Smith from the Tonight show, and numerous local acts that are truly phenominal.

This is a truly great cultural icon for Jazz in Los Angeles. There are other jazz clubs that get bigger names (like Catalina Jazz Club in Hollywood), but it is not as intimate as the Baked Potato. Performers shed of all inhibitions and really have a good time. This shows through in the music they play. When performers are having a good time, the music is a lot better. They have had “entertainment nightly” since it opened in the 60s.

If you do not like Jazz, you probably do not care about this hidden treasure. If you don’t like jazz, what is your problem? You will not find a more talented musician than a Jazz musician. You will not find a more dedicated musician than a Jazz musician. If they were not dedicated, they would do rock or pop and make a lot more money. They choose to make less and make music for people who will appreciate a lot more. If you are loolking for something to do in Los Angeles, you can never go wrong with The Baked Potato.

 Todd

I like a lot of different bands and a lot of different types of music. Grunge, Blues, Alt. Country, Country, Alt, Blues, Folk, Alt. Rock, Punk, Jazz, and other genre’s. It may seem very ecclectic to some, but it all can be traced, very easily to one band - Nirvana. I will now attempt to explain this to you in a manner that you can understand.

Folk

Nirvana - Kurt Cobain - Mark Lanegan - Isobel Campbell - Gentle Waves

Blues

Nirvana - Leadbelly (that was an easy one)

Alt. Country and Country

Nirvana - Meat Puppets (Alt. Country) - Conway Twitty - Waylon Jennings - Johnny Cash - Hank Williams Sr.

Alt. Blues

Nirvana - Kurt Cobain - Mark Lanegan

Punk

Nirvana - Meat Puppets

You can name any band I like, and I can tell you the correlation between them and Nirvana. Most people think I like Lanegan the best, but I never would have known about him were it not for my love of Nirvana.

Nirvana did what other bands before, and since, have been scared to death to do. They told their fans that they were not actually the best band out there (even though they were) and people needed to look beyond mainstream major label music if they want to hear the best stuff. If you wanted to hear good music from major labels, you had to wait until the “dinosaurs” (as Kurt called them) die out. Unfortunately for us, now that the “dinosaurs” are gone, the music is as bad as ever (read: worse than it’s ever been). If it were not for Nirvana, I would not really be in to music hardly at all. So you can thank/blame them (however you see it).

Todd

On Friday, I, once again, had the priviledge of going to see one of my favorite bands, Veruca Salt, in concert. The concert was all the way in Riverside, but it was completely worth the drive. I got to The Vibe at around 830 and the show that was supposed to start at 8 had not started yet. finally, around 930 the first of 4 bands bagan to play. They seemed to focus on their gimmick of all wearing these suedo suits than playing music (much like the Hives). They were not very good. Between sets I walked over to the merchandise table to buy “Lords of Sounds and Lesser Things” and guitarirst Stephen Firtzpatrick was also there and we were able to talk for about 20 minutes about baseball. That was very cool of him to do and a lot of fun. The next band was the Strangers Six. They were much better. No gimmicks, they just played good music. At 11 PM the Dead Celebrities began their set. It was not their fault that I did not care for their music. They got a raw deal because it was already 11, I was 70 miles from home and I had work the next morning. I just wanted Veruca Salt to start playing so I could get home. They were alright, but I cringed everytime they started a new song. They finished their set at around 1130 and, finally, Veruca Salt started to set up. It took a long time for them to set up and guitarist, Stephen Fitzpatrick told me that they were almost ready and they had a minor catastrophy backstage.

Louise Post and company got on stage around 12. However, there were some major technical difficulties and they had to go backstage again to try and fix them. They were not able to fix them and, finally, at around 1215 or 1230, they began to play. No monitors and guitars were not working completely, but they rocked out and tore the house down. From my spot at dead center in the front row, I could barely understand the lyrics. I was able to read lips and used my knowledge of Veruca Salt songs to be able to sing along to all the songs though.

They went through some of their old classics and a lot of their new songs that are just as good if not better. They ended the show with a more intense version of Salt Flat Epic and went off stage. Louise, being a consument performer, thanked the audience in her own special way and they left. During the performance of “Save You”, Louise changed the lyrics (as she usually does) from “She’s an Innocent Freak” to the Nirvana lyric “I’m a Negative Creep” which made me very happy and I showed her my appreciation for that.

They were not done, of course. They stayed back stage for about 2 minutes and Louise emerged. She grabbed the mic and said “I am going to sing this accapella and it will be the first time all night I will be able to hear myself”. After that she gave an incredible accapella performance of “One Last Time”. The rest of the band joined her for the incredible “Victrola” from the “American Thighs” album. Then the second song of the encore was the million seller of 94, “Seether”. Despite my feelings on Nina Gordon, it is a good song. (It’s a lot better when Louise sings it though). They ended the night with “Hellraiser” from the Resolver album. At this point the time was 130 AM and I had a long drive and work later on in the morning. I had to leave.

Photos of The Concert

Todd

In case most of you do not know, and most of you don’t, there is an extremely talented singer/songwriter who also happens to play multiple instruments. Here name is Isobel Campbell. She is a Scottish folk singer who’s talent blows everyone away. Her enchanting singing, her incredible sonwriting, and her vast instrumental talent make everyone else battle for second place. I dare say that there is not a more talented woman in the music industry right now.

I came to know about her because she did an album with my favorite living singer/sonwriter Mark Lanegan titled Ballad of the Broken Seas. This phenominal record introduced me to the enchanting Isobel Campbell and I wanted to hear more. So I picked up a copy of her solo debut album Amorino. I was, again, blown away. I had to hear more. I picked up her follow-up album, the incredible Milkwhite Sheets. I was not done there. I was not satisfied with only those albums. I found out that she was the force behind the band The Gentle Waves, so I picked up Swansong for You. These albums represent, to me, that good music is still out there, you just need to take the time to look.

Stop listening to the radio. How many times can you hear My Chemical Romance or My Bloody Valentine, or whoever else is the flavor of the month in one day? Listen to music that has staying power. Do not give in to trends or fads. Listen to what you like not what the radio stations and the record companies tell you to like. Do not be sheep.

Look at me. Two posts in a week. I have not done that since…

Anyway, let’s get on to the topic at hand. The Meat Puppets. The band is back together…almost. See, the big news here is that The Kirkwood brothers (Curt - Lead Vocals and Guitar, and Cris - Bass/Vocals) are touring for the first time in 11 years as the Meat Puppets. Back in 1995 things looked bad for Cris and continued to get worse culminating with with jail time and being shot by a post office security guard. In 1999, Curt Kirkwood went on tour with a band and used the Meat Puppets name, but without his brother, or drummer, Derrick Bostrom, the fans did not really get behind them. As Cris struggled to get his life in order, Bostrom, tired of all the drama a life in the music industry had, quit drumming and got a regular job. Curt, on the other hand, still tried his hand in music. In 2002, he started a supergroup of sorts with Nirvana bassist, Krist Novasellic and Sublime drummer, Bud Gaugh. They were called Eyes Adrift. However, fans could not get behind them, partly becasue they seemed to invent their own genre of music, their self-titled debut album flopped and they disbanded shortly after. Curt then released a solo record that failed to make a huge splash and in late 2005-2006, rumors began to mount about a possible reunion of the original Meat Puppets lineup. On his blog, Bostrom stated that he would not be apart of the reunion.

 All, this brings us to last night. Tuesday night May 15th. I had the priveledge of seeing one of my favorite bands, the Meat Puppets perform live for the very first time at the Troubadour in Hollywood, CA! It was an unbelievable experience. The band played for 2 hours and played over 20 songs. I could have watched them play all my favorites all night long. The packed house (and I mean PACKED) was intense with passion and ferever towards the brothers. They could do no wrong in anything they did, but they did everything brilliantly without missing a step.

 It was a surreal experience, and one that I thought I would never get to experience, that I shall never forget. Thank you “Brothers Meat” for all you do to entertain me and those like me.

 Photos from the Concert

Todd