The Latest issue of Paste Magazine arrived in my mailbox
It featured a parody of the infamous “Is God Dead”? Time Magazine cover
Only Paste’s cover read: Is Indie Dead?
The first thing I thought was: If indie is dead, then it died while most
of the world was more concerned with Riannon and Chris Brown to even know
or care what indie is (or was LOL).
PS: Paste is the best music magazine out there. If you aren’t getting it,
you should…..Just my opinion.
Paul McCartney and Wings – Wings Over America – 1976
Paul McCartney – Good Evening New York 2009
I wasn’t planning on getting this new live release from Sir Paul, but Rhino Records in Claremont CA was selling it for $9.99 and I just couldn’t resist
First of all (even at it’s regular retail price), it’s hard to go wrong with this 3 disc set (2 CDs /1 DVD). You pretty much know and like all of these songs anyway. It includes a good overview of Beatles, Wings, Paul’s solo, and songs from his recent side project “The Fireman”.
But what was really fun for me was comparing this live album to his 1976 live release “Wings Over America”.
Originally release as 3 Vinyl disc album, WOA chronicled Paul’s first tour of America with his band Wings. This was also his first tour of America since the Beatles last tour during the mid 60’s, and at the time, the hysteria over this concert was just amazing. For a lot of fans who couldn’t get tickets, this album was as close as we where getting.
The other amazing thing (at the time) was that it was the first time anyone had heard his perform Beatle’s songs live in over a decade. At this time, all the Beatles where busy working on solo careers and trying to distance themselves from their earlier bands work. WOA featured 5 Beatles songs along with heaping of songs from his solo work.
By way of comparison Good Evening New York features 19 Beatle songs and only 12 Paul solo songs!
Also fun was comparing the difference between Paul’s current touring band and Wings (his band for a good part of his 70’s output), Especially when it’s the same song.
Here’s a few quick comparisons
Band on The Run: On GENY the a keyboardist fills in for the horn section but on WOA it’s just the band doing the song a lot more rocking and raw.
Let Me Roll It: WOA plays it more slow and bluesy. on GENY the song is more upbeat and rocking.
The Long And Winding Road: on WOA Paul opens with an improvised melancholy piano solo. A real horn section fills in for the album versions orchestra and the song is slower. on GENY there is a different improvised intro but it has the same feel. But this version is a bit more uptempo and synth strings replace the horns and are more in the background.
Also of interest is that Paul performs the John Lennon song “Give Peace A Chance” and George Harrison’s “Something”. Two songs that he never sang on initially. This album’s version of Something is similar to the version that he performed at the George Harrison memorial concert. As for Give Peace A Chance….I think it’s great that he decided to do this song, but I don’t think that it’s great that he chose to burst into three-quarters of the way into a live rendition of “A Day in the Life”. Also I think that this song suffers from having the synth replacing the horns on this one.
I could go on but you get the idea.
I think what most impresses me is that with more than 30 years time between these two releases it’s amazing to notice just how on top of his game Paul McCartney has remained as a live performer.
The corporate music industry smacks of blatant ageism, but I’ve always said that if musicians do their job right they get better as they get older, and not worse. Paul has certainly proved this
Good Evening New York is widely available in the standard 2 CD 1 DVD edition that I have and a deluxe 2 CD 2 DVD edition
Wings Over America is a our of print but is easily available as download version from Amazon and you can still get the CD version for a reasonable pice if you know where to look
Get Wings Over America on CD for about 20 bucks
Get the physical version of Good Evening New York for just $13.99
Time for my annual Grammy Awards rundown.
If you’ve never read my annual round up before, please remember that I only talk about the performances. I never talk about the winners. and losers,…..becuase I don’t care.
Also remember that I don’t pay much attention to mainstream radio anymore so Grammy Performances are sometimes the first time I hear some of the mainstreams newer artists.
Ok, lets go.
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Lady Gaga
I have never heard Lady Gaga before although I have heard of her ( Yeah I know, that’s hard to believe but really don’t pay that much attention to the mainstream)
First impression: Marilyn Manson in Drag
2nd impression: Her outfit reminds me of 70’s David Bowie
She appears to be singing live but her chorus sounds like it’s pre – recorded. I am going to assume the band is pre- recorded too since they are no where in sight. What is in sight is the pre requisite 50 dancers that everyone seems to need nowadays.
I am enjoying the theatrics and the part where she gets thrown down into the reject bin when I hit pause and say to Kathy “It won’t be long till Elton John does a duet with this woman”
….Then to my surprise the stage opens and she is doing a duet with…….Elton John. They are both sitting at dueling pianos and playing and singing live and now we see the band. I enjoy this 2nd half of the performances better than the first half.
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Broadway cast of “American Idiot” and Green Day.
American Idiot is now a broadway musical? …….Wow!
It took Broadway 20 years to catch up to the Who and realize that Tommy would make a good stage production. Good to see that they didn’t wait as long to adapt Green Day.
I am already pumped to see this stage show.
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Beyonce.
I only ever hear Beyonce on these TV broadcasts. She is always an amazing vocal talent, but I am just not that interested in the music she records. But I have heard this song once before. A friend of mine asked me to watch the music video for this song, so that I could appreciate another video that was a parody of it.
This live performance is different in that it feature a live rock band and an orchestra. The band and the orchestra a great. Then suddenly she breaks into Alanis Morrisette’s “You Oughta know” Artistically it’s a great choice for her.
I don’t know why she has Ninja turtles on stage with her though,. They really didn’t do anything, but march on the stage with her and fist the audience.
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Pink
I only ever hear Pink on these TV broadcasts too. I have never heard this song before, but it feels like I would really like it more with repeated listens.
Then suddenly she disrobes wearing a sheer body suit that simulates nudity and the audience starts applauding. I can’t figure why. Are they applauding simulated nudity? or simulated stripping?
I have nothing against nudity. I think we Americans are need to develop a healthier attitude about it.
Then she joins some additional nude simulated dancers in a Cirque du Soliel style performance.
It’s a really beautiful and lyrical performance. Then Pink hangs from a rope, gets dumped in water and hangs over the audience spinning as water flies off of her. It is then that I realize that the vocals we are hearing at this point have to be prerecorded since it seems unlikely that her microphone could function with that much water on it (besides it would have probably electrocuted her too).
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Black Eyed Peas
I don’t listen to mainstream radio but I have already heard “Tonight’s going to be a good night” on to many commercials. .
this song has always sounds like something that would be on some 80’s Disney kids show to me.
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Lady Antebellum
Finally the show is about music and we see a band give a great solid live performance with out 50 dancers standing in front of them. This the first time I have heard this band too. I am not sure that their music my kind of thing, but this is a REALLY good band.
And for that reason I might go check out this album.
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Jamie Fox and T-Pain
I can’t understand why Jamie Fox uses so much obvious auto tune, when he really can sing. Then Slash joins them onstage and he’s playing the guitar solo from November Rain. This whole performance feels like something I would have dreamed about after eating to many green chili burritos and a lot of ice cream.
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Zac Brown Band and Leon Russell
Suddenly it’s about the band again. I am not getting into the Zac Brown bands song and then suddenly they break into this amazing explosive ending and the lead singer breaks into an amazing guitar solo.
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Taylor Swift and Stevie Nicks
I only ever hear Taylor on these TV shows too, I am not into her music and I am not that into her opening song, but she is authentic and I am so glad that young girls now have someone authentic like Taylor Swift to look up to as a musical artist rather then Brittany Spears or her latest knock off clone.
Stevie joins her halfway for Rhiannon. The two have a little trouble harmonizing in a few spots, but Stevie has such a different kind of voice that it’s probably hard to harmonize with her
Stevie’s regular guitarist is there too and does a great job on the guitar solo.
Then they go back into a different Swift song which I enjoy a whole lot more than the first one.
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A Whole Bunch of People Sing A Michael Jackson Song
Celine Dion, Usher, Carrie Underwood, Jennifer Hudson, & Smokey Robinson to be exact.
At first I thought I wasn’t going to like this song, but maybe that’s just because Celine Dion was the first one onstage. But by the ending I was reminded that Michael Jackson can sometimes write truly great riffs and groves. By the songs end I was won over and wanted to hear it again.
I think that including a 3D video during the performance was kinda pointless since most of the TV audience isn’t going to have 3D glasses.
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Bon Jovi
I almost hate having to be honest when it comes to this band.
They are all underrated musicians, Jon Bon Jovi is a good vocalist and they seem like decent enough guys, but I have just never gotten into their songs. I can only think of one or two of their songs that I actually enjoy.
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Andrea Bocceli and Mary J Blige
My mother loves Andrea. 
I don’t have to be into him to recognize that he is an amazing vocalist. and I think that most vocalists would be afraid to be on the same stage with him. Mary does a good job holding her own with him.
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Dave Matthew’s Band
Another great band that I am just not that into…….and yet, for the first time I found myself getting into one of their songs. This was very spirited and heartfelt performances. Maybe I need to give one their albums another chance.
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Maxwell and Roberta Flack
Maxwell is really good, watching this performance makes me think that he is the modern day answer to Marvin Gaye….Yeah, he’s that good.
Then Robert Flack joins him onstage for “Where is the love”.
most of today’s pop singers keep the mic right up to mouths. I notice that Robert Flack keeps her mic very far away from her and yet, we can still hear her really well. Which tells me that she still has a really strong voice.
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Jeff Beck and Imelda May pay tribute to Les Paul
COOL! Very cool!
I want an audio copy of this performance.
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Dr Dre, Eminiem and Lil Wayne (w’ Blink 182’s drummer)
Never really listened to Lil Wayne, but I like a lot of Eminem’s stuff and I really liked the first half with Wayne and Eminem but the second half had to many audio drop outs (because of all the curse words) and it just ruins the continuity.
I still don’t understand why so many of these guys have to wear their pants down to their but cracks though, it always makes me want to pants them.
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Looking back at this years performances, I see the repeating theme of recording artists who’s music I am just not that into. This wasn’t the worst night of Grammy performances that I have ever seen, but it wasn’t one of the best ones either (and there have been some awesome ones in the past). This year kinda sits in the middle for me. For me the highlights where Maxwell with Roberta Flax and Jeff Beck with Imelda May.
I think that this years live performances don’t rate as high with me because too many of them where about the theatrics rather than the musical performance. This is supposed to be music’s biggest night after all.
Those are my feelings, please feel free to share yours and let me know just how on the money or off the mark you think I am.
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From My first album Rip Roarin Rock’n'Roll
Directed by Ken Jeadicke
The other week music entrepreneur Derek Sivers (best known for creating CD Baby the company that changed the indie music scene and the world of music forever) sent me a copy of Cartoonist and blogger Hugh McLeod’s book “Ignore Everybody – and 39 other keys to creativity. He asked me to read this book and write about how I would apply (or not apply) Hugh McLeod’s writing to my (or anyone else’s) music career.
This book discusses why we create, why some of us are scared to create, the
alternatives to not creating, and the necessary balances needed between creation, having a life, and business.
Of its 39 Keys to creativity, I would apply most of them. Some of them I already do….I just wasn’t aware of it. There is one that I wouldn’t apply but I will get to them in a moment
I want to talk about what I think are the most important keys (or lessons) that this book has to offer
But first I want to relate a story.
It was a time before the internet when every musician was obsessed with trying to get signed by a label in order to “Make it”.
The Drummer of the band that I was in, was lamenting over that fact that it seemed like all the good shtick had been taken. That all the famous bands before us had already taken all the good ideas. He added, “I was thinking that we could all dress up like girls, but Boy George has already taken that one too”.
The Bass player remarked back “Well…..I guess we’ll just have to be ourselves then”.
“Exactly” I said in agreement…..but the drummer wasn’t buying
it…..because there had to be a surer and safer way to “make it”.
Fast forward to “Ignore everybody and 39 other keys to creativity” by Hugh McLeod and I am vindicated for saying “Exactly”, by the following two of those keys.
Key # 12 Don’t try to stand out from the crowd…avoid the crowds all together.
and
Key # 17 The world is changing - Avoid the dullards, avoid the folk who play it safe, they can’t help you anymore. Their stability model no longer offers that much stability. Hang around with and talk with the visionaries. The ones who understand that the world is changing and have all the crazy freaky ideas. Not only must your music be original but the manner in how you get it out there.
Put these 2 keys into effect right now and you are ready to for the next 3
Key # 20 Sing in your own voice - This should be obvious, but think about
it……Dylan can’t sing or play guitar very well……but he didn’t let that stop him. Concentrate on your strengths. And use your strengths to circumvent your weakness.
It’s like that part in the 3rd Harry Potter book, where he is trying to figure out how he is going to fight a dragon. He can’t think of a single spell that will help him do this and his professor asks him “What are you good at?”
“Flying” he replies.
“Then you’ll need your broom”.
“But I’m only allowed to use my wand”.
“Then you can use your wand to call your broom”.
Key # 27 Write from the heart - but this should be obvious too. We all say it like we know it. You can always learn about how to improve your craft and form, but in the end there is the voice and heart that God gave you.
Key # 3 Put the hours in……..Or, never underestimate the competition. Never forget to realize that there are thousands of musicians just like you, all writing the same song that you are. If you are going to write the same song as everyone else you are going to have to write it, and perform it a hundred times better than everyone else, so get to work.
Ok, now it’s time for Key # 1 and the books title.
Key # 1 Ignore everybody – great ideas alter the balance in
relationships, that’s why most people resist them. - In the end (if you think your idea is great) you are going to have to just stand by it bravely and let the chips fall where they may.
A while back I thought that I wanted to start writing and recommending all the music that I am excited about so I started a website called “Music Worth Buying. Then I thought there needed to be a show like “At the Movies’ but with music instead. So I talked to a local music writer about it and we started taping 10 minute webisodes of Music Worth Buying. We are
posting them on Youtube and on the Music Worth Buying website.
People ask me , what do you think will happen with this? Will you make a lot of money? Will you get a TV deal? Will anyone even care? ……I have no idea, but I think it’s a good idea and that it needs doing, So I am going to do it and let the chips fall where they may.
There is a lot of other great advice in this book too that musicians can apply, but there is one that I need to talk about. I don’t like this one, but it can apply to some musicians.
Key # 14 Never Compare your inside to somebody else’s outside: Now on the surface I like this statement. However in this section the author relates a story about a man who told him never sell what you love because if you do you might as well sell your children. This does not apply to me and it should not apply to any musician who has any professional aspirations. If I can’t sell what I love, there is no point. I want to sell my music, I want people to buy my music. I want to make a lot of money from my music. Not so that I can be rich. That is not the goal (but that will be an awesome byproduct of people buying my music). No, I want lots of people to buy my
music so that it can free me up to make more music.
This key can apply to those for whom being a musician is a hobby (And there is nothing wrong with being a hobbyist). But you have to decide what you are: A professional or a hobbyist.
If you have decided that you are a professional it’s time to apply key # 29: Power is not given. Power is taken. The minute you become ready is the minute you stop dreaming. You don’t get the dream job because you walk into the sports editors office and say “I would really like to be a sports editor someday”. You get the job because you walk into the Sports editors office and say, “I’m the best frickin’ sportswriter on the planet”, and the editor can tell you aren’t lying.
It’s time to start being. You either are the one of the best musicians, singer songwriters, etc, or you are not. If you aren’t, you need to go back to key # 3.
When I was sent this book I was told not write a review, but I recommend this book to any musician who needs to get their priorities together and who needs to confront the realities of what they are facing. This brings me to the last key that I want to discuss:
Key # 5: If your business plan relies on suddenly being discovered by some
bigshot, your plan will probably fail. I don’t care about the 1 or 2 people who have huge careers now because they got on American Idol. You have to fit a certain mold to be on that show. 99% of those contestants get rejected. Most of those who made it on the show get forgotten not to long after their season if over with. Even if you do make it to the finish line, you have to be willing to sacrifice a lot of your own artistic freedom. I always find it interesting the number of former idol
contestants who say (at around the time of their third album) “I am finally going to do the album that I always felt I should have done”.
For too long we have all been like that drummer from my old band (who’s music career went nowhere by the way). You have to stop relying on being discovered to make things happen.
I also want to recommend this book not just to musicians but as to anyone who wishes to be a writer, film maker, artist, animator, cartoonist, designer, etc. Also I to recommend this book as the only gift to give to someone who is graduating. This book offers 39 life lessons that would otherwise take you a lifetime to learn all served on silver platter. I can think of no better gift than that.
Get this book and learn 39 important life lessons by clicking here
I couldn’t get to all the albums I wanted on our last episode of MWB, so here is my top 5 for 2009
In figuring out my best of the year, I have decided to just comment on music that was released in 2009. This should be an obvious choice, but MWB isn’t just about new music. It is also about discovering new “older” music. Kid Rock released Rock’n'Roll Jesus in 2008 but I didn’t get to it till 2009. it was an amazing rock album. This
year I listened to a lot of back catalog from numerous artists, and it was all new to me.
The Decemberists – The Hazards of Love:
Without a doubt this album has had more impact on me than any other this year. This is a grand concept album in the tradition of The Wall, Dark Side of the Moon, and Thick as a Brick. If you are
a fan of any of the last three albums that I have mentioned you need to seek out the Hazards of Love
Grizzly Bear – Veckatimist:
From the opening refrain of Southern Point, this album had the ability to transport me to other worlds. Some might call this music “Art Rock”, but I describe this music as “Pastel Rock”.
Neil Young – Fork In The Road
I am surprised that more hasn’t been said about this one. This is one of Neil Young’s best. This is a concept album about American’s and Neil Young’s love affair with cars, This is a concept album about America at the crossroads, this also a really good rock’n'roll album.
Deluxe edition $3 dollars more than the regular edition
Band of Skulls - Baby Darling Doll Face Honey
This is their first album, This band draws from the great heavy blues influenced rock bands of the 70’s but already they have their own sound. I have high hopes for this band
Moby – Wait for Me
I was not a Moby fan prior to this album, but I found myself moved by this textural piece of emotion set to music.
get the deluxe edition for 1 dollar more than the regular edition
So there are my top 5 for 2009
Feel free to share yours by commenting below.
