Mustaine by Dave Mustaine: On Sale Today!
The fall and rise of a heavy metal icon
From his early, crazy days as a founding member of Metallica, Dave Mustaine has seen and experienced everything in the world of rock n’ roll. From his young triumphs and ignominious ouster from the band for his hard-partying ways to his later rule over Megadeth, one of the most successful heavy metal bands of all time, Mustaine tells it all. Outrageously candid and in-your-face, this is a classic rock memoir —an insider’s look at the loud and sordid world of heavy metal.
Available now wherever books are sold
“Love Don’t Live Here Anymore”: Exes Who Still Rock Together
Is it better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all? Who knows—especially when you’re stuck 24/7 in a band with your former beloved. That’s why I give major props to bands like Paramore, who managed to stick together even when the romantic relationship between guitarist Josh Farro and singer Hayley Williams fell apart. Neon Trees is another one who soldiered through the love storm. Rilo Kiley, too.
And don’t even get me started on Stevie Nicks and Lindsay Buckingham from Fleetwood Mac.
If you ask me, being in a band with an ex-bf/gf is my idea of hell. However, if you can make it work—and manage to churn out some amazing lovelorn tunes in the process—then hats off to you. (This hat in particular.)
That’s why this post is for the lovers, Richard Ashcroft-style. Without further adieu, here are my top picks for bands who didn’t go through a breakdown after an internal breakup.
EXES: Jack White (vocals/guitar) and Meg White (drums)
BREAKING DOWN THE BREAKUP: When non-Detroiters started paying attention to the White Stripes, it was because of the Lego-rific video for “Fell In Love With A Girl,” off their peppermint-schtick sophomore album White Blood Cells—well, that and the fact that Jack and Meg White lied about being brother and sister. Yup, the dynamic duo tied the knot back in 1996 but eventually divorced in 2000. Despite their romantic parting of the ways, the Whites soldiered on and in one fell incestuous swoop, secured their place in rock ’n’ roll infamy. They’ve been playing side-by-side ever since—although Jack fools around with Raconteurs and Dead Weather in his spare time. The only one we hear Meg fools around with is Jackson Smith, Patti Smith’s son and Meg’s fiancé.
2. NO DOUBT
EXES: Gwen Stefani (vocals) and Tony Kanal (bass)
BREAKING DOWN THE BREAKUP: Unless you’ve been living under a boulder for the past 13 years—or, more than likely, you weren’t even conceived yet—everyone knows that Gwen and Tony used to date. Before the glitz and the g-L.A.M.B.-our, the two were your typical SoCal, Madness-loving, high-school sweethearts but, unfortunately, young love didn’t last and the breakup inspired Stefani to pen No Doubt’s biggest song “Don’t Speak.” Understandably, it’s gotta be awkward for Kanal to finger-pick the tune’s bass lines every night onstage; however, it seems like everyone’s moved on and is better for the heartbreak. After all, Stefani went on to marry babelicious Gavin Rossdale and pop out two illegally cute lil’ boys. Kanal, on the other hand, went on to marry… well… no one. (Sucks to be him!)
3. THE SOUNDS
EXES: Maja Ivarsson (vocals) and Fredrik Nilsson (drums)
BREAKING DOWN THE BREAKUP: Back in 2004, when the Sounds started rocking out “Seven Days A Week” on Warped Tour, it was widely known in dance-punk circles that Ivarsson and Nilsson were an item. However, when the band returned to Warped two years later, the Swedish lovers were no longer together. The band was still a tight-knit unit, but it seemed like with the Sounds’ second album, Dying To Say This To You—complete with it’s suggestive lesbian-esque cover and song titles like “Queen Of Apology” and “Hurt You”—Ivarsson was also trying to say something to Nilsson and the rest of the world: She was a switch-hitter. (“She’s my first girlfriend,” admitted Ivarsson in an interview with Out Magazine regarding her three-year current relationship. “I’ve never had a girlfriend before.”)
Wanna read more of my musings? Hoof it over to http://www.leslie-simon.com. Plus, if you’re not following me (@redpatterndress) on Twitter, what are you waiting for? Don’t make me call Kingston Rossdale and have him throw a temper tantrum on your collective tushes.
Sex and Drugs and Guns N’ Roses
Steven Adler, the infamous former drummer for Guns N’ Roses, kicked off his book tour to promote My Appetite for Destruction tonight at Book Revue in Long Island to a rapt crowd of fans.
In his memoir, Adler shares the shattering untold truth of GNR and his own personal struggles with addiction, as seen on Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew. Adler bares it all in My Appetite for Destruction including:
- His childhood: As a young teen Steven was lured into a private party where he was sexually assaulted and beaten. Never before has this shocking, harrowing tale been told. Steven emerged a less trusting, but wiser 14 year-old. He reveals how he discovered a way to learn how to play from some of the best rock drummers in the world.
- His love life: One of Steven’s lovers, thinking Steven was leaving her, tried to commit suicide by jumping out a fifth-floor window. And his first wife went out with one of her girlfriends one night, never to return…
- His health: Steven delves into the brutal depression and humiliation borne of his botched suicide attempts, his drug-related heart attacks, and the debilitating stroke that caused him muscular paralysis and permanently slurred speech.
- His band-mates: How Slash, against all reason, reached out to help Steven one last time after the rest of Guns N’ Roses had given up on him. How Duff snubbed Steven, humiliating him in front of thousands of fans at Farm Aid. And what Slash and Axl Rose did to Steven that can never, ever be forgotten.
- His heroics: How Steven discovered a seemingly unconscious and non-responsive Nikki Sixx all alone, and saved his life.
- …and his endless antics: How Steven managed to earn the seething wrath of Axl Rose, Eddie Van Halen and Rod Stewart. And incredible accounts of how Guns N’ Roses’ endless partying made virtually every night a gamble on whether they’d make it to the stage or to the morgue.
*Expires October 27, 2010.
She & Him Rock Out on the Tambourine and Triangle
She & Him at the Bowery last March. (www.brooklynvegan.com) Photos weren't allowed at last night's show.
Last night, the folk/indie band She & Him put on a wonderful, sold out show at Terminal 5. The large, barren room was packed with fans, the room swelteringly hot. But, showing dedication to the band, very few left before the end of the encore.
The opening act, strangely enough, was not musical but comedic – comedian Eugene Mirman, a Brooklyn resident and author of The Will To Whatevs, a humorous guide to modern life (HarperCollins, 2009). His topics ranged from the Tea Party and Obama to a twelve-year-old with Asperger’s to those stupid security questions credit card websites ask you. While the question is generally something along the lines of “What is your mother’s maiden name?” Eugene took the liberty of changing the question to “What are you wearing?” so that he can respond, “I don’t think that’s appropriate!” to whomever is asking on the line. He was well received by the fans.
The room only got more packed and the crowd more eager as the night wore on. When She & Him came on, the room erupted. As effortlessly glowing as she was in 500 Days of Summer, Zooey DesChanel nonchalantly asked how the crowd was doing and jumped into “Change is Hard,” a sleepy, soulful ballad, while the crowd loudly sang along. During her more fast-paced songs, she jumped up and down while playing the tambourine, her long brown hair flailing around her. The show, with Zooey’s twangy voice and retro songs, had a 60’s vibe to it. Zooey, very at ease on stage, did not hesitate to stop a song a few seconds in to change the octave. Lead guitarist M. Ward sang along in a few memorable duets. The two back up singers sang and rocked out on their tambourines, while occasionally playing the triangle, a subtle touch to the alt-country songs.
In addition to girls in dark-rimmed glasses and long boho dresses, I was surprised to see a fair amount of male fans singing along merrily. The burly man behind me sang both the guy and girl parts to “You Really Got a Hold on Me” and got really into the chorus, which goes, “Hold me, hold me, hold me….”
The band played three covers for the encore. Certainly one of the highlights of the show, the band closed with Nina Simone’s “I Put a Spell on You,” featuring just M. Ward on a few vocals and guitar and Zooey on vocals. The song featured her impressive range, as she wailed, “No, I ain’t lyin!!” The memorable show left the fans begging for more.
Passion Pit rocks Governor’s Island: Electro-pop band plays to a crowd of 7,500
Passion Pit lights up Governor's Island. Photo by Becky Atkinson.
“You came to an ISLAND to see us! That means a lot,” said Michael Agelakos, lead singer of Passion Pit, completely bewildered. The crowd of 7,500 Passion Pit fans on Governor’s Island Wednesday night couldn’t have been more content. The weather was ideal, the ferry ride pleasant, the night brimming with enthusiasm for the band and the music. It was Boston-based Passion Pit’s biggest show in their short history. The indie, electro-pop band played a steadily escalating set, opening with their dream-ey single “I’ve Got Your Number” and closing with their break-out hit “Sleepyhead.” They also threw in a fast-paced cover of The Cranberries’ “Dreams.” Michael’s falsetto voice impressed listeners song after song.
Get your "Chicken Fingers Make Me Hard" tee shirt at http://rollercoaster.spreadshirt.com/.
The band had no less than three opening acts – Suckers, We Were Promised Jet Packs, and the Tokyo Police Club, leaving the fans eager for Passion Pit. The crowd was young included hippies and hipsters, wearing mom’s ripped cut-off jeans or too tight pants and oversized concert shirts – drinking, smoking, dancing. There were a few notable exceptions, however, including a middle-aged woman avidly reading “Eat Pray Love” throughout the three opening acts, and a middle-aged man sporting a “Chicken Fingers Make Me Hard” tee-shirt (he later got in a very impressive glow-stick-twirling contest with a younger dude). There seemed to be an outdoor bar in every corner and a steady cloud of cigarette smoke around the island.
The only downside to the concert was the mass exodus of people swarming – sprinting, rather – to the ferry when all was said and done. Only one ferry was loaded at a time so when everyone had moved as close to the dock as possible, it was more body-to-body packed than the 6 on a Monday morning. But, the fans found ways to bide the time. These included singing a range of songs, from the National Anthem to Chumbawamba’s Tub-Thumping, and crowd surfing. While people complained noisily, only a few went to desperate measures to cut the line (“Excuse me! Coming Through! Woman in labor!!” Yeah, right.).
Lead singer Michael Agelakos of Passion Pit. Photo by Aubrey Siegel.
The concert was fun but the crowd was happy to be back on the mainland once the ferries had docked…back to the town that apparently got Passion Pit started –“We may be from Boston but New York City made us,” Michael Agelakos declared.
It Books signs Sammy Hagar for Autobiography
PRE-ORDER now at Amazon or Barnes and Noble.
NEW YORK, NY (June 24, 2010) – It Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, announced today a deal to publish Sammy Hagar’s autobiography in 2011. Hagar, the multi-platinum Red Rocker, is best known as the bombastic front man of Van Halen, one of the biggest-selling rock groups in history, and the lead singer of the hard rock group, Chickenfoot.
The book was acquired by Lisa Sharkey, Senior Vice President and Director of Creative Development for HarperCollins from Frank Weimann, President of The Literary Group International. Senior Editor Matt Harper will edit the book.
Hagar will provide readers with incredible behind-the-scenes stories from his multi-platinum career, including his rise as a solo artist and his eleven years with Van Halen, after the controversial departure of original lead vocalist David Lee Roth. During Hagar’s time with Van Halen, the band released four consecutive No. 1 albums. From worldwide stadium concerts tours to private jets, Hagar enjoyed the trappings of fame and success with Van Halen until he was, as he puts it, “unceremoniously fired.” Hagar later thrived as a solo act, leading his band, the Cabo Wabos, before returning triumphantly to Van Halen for an historic reunion tour after which he set off on his own once again.
“I’ve been writing this book my whole life,” says Hagar. “It’s time to put it between two covers.”
Honest and compelling, Hagar’s account spares no one, least of all himself. Hagar’s autobiography reveals the inside story of one of rock music’s most recognizable voices, from his humble beginnings in the town of Fontana, California, to his incredible business success with Cabo Wabo Tequila and the Cabo Wabo Cantinas. The book will be co-authored by Joel Selvin, longtime pop music writer for the San Francisco Chronicle.
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About It Books:
Launched in September 2009, It Books is dedicated to publishing exceptional books in entertainment, music, fashion, design, art, celebrity, pop culture and sports. It Books has published numerous New York Times, Wall Street Journal and Los Angeles Times bestsellers including Sh*t My Dad Says by Justin Halpern, Getting the Pretty Back by Molly Ringwald, Neon Angel: A Memoir of a Runaway by Cherie Currie, I Love Your Style by Amanda Brooks, and Satiristas by Paul Provenza and Dan Dion. Upcoming publications include Blow by Blow by Detmar Blow with Tom Skyes, The Red Hot Chili Peppers by The Red Hot Chili Peppers, How to Beat Up Anybody by Judah Friedlander, True Whit by Whitney Port, Everyone Loves You When You’re Dead by Neil Strauss and Al Jaffee’s Mad Life by Mary Lou Weisman. It Books is an imprint HarperCollinsPublishers, one of the largest English-language publishers in the world and a subsidiary of News Corporation (NYSE: NWS, NWS.A; ASX: NWS, NWSLV).
It Books can be found online at www.YourItList.com, www.Facebook.com/YourItList, www.Twitter.com/YourItList and www.Twitter.com/ItBooks.
PUBLICITY CONTACT: Alberto G. Rojas, Senior Director of Publicity, 212-207-7891; alberto.rojas@harpercollins.com
YOURITLIST.COM CONTACT: youritlist@harpercollins.com
IT BOOKS CONTACT: itbooks@harpercollins.com
Why Pearl Jam matters
Its taken a week to wrap my head around Pearl Jam’s show at Madison Square Garden on May 21st - and to get my voice back to normal. Without a doubt, Pearl Jam always puts on an amazing show. Though not seeing them for several years (after seeing them a dozen times in a few short years with the exception of Eddier Veder’s solo acoustic show), maybe I forgot how incredible a group they are.
So…my thoughts on why Pearl Jam matters….
- Ed’s ever-present bottle of wine on stage to, you know, keep his throat from getting dry
- Tribute song, “I’m Open,” dedicated to Howard Zinn, author of A People’s History of the United States
- How Eddie still acts amazed when he stands on stage and lets the crowd sing “Better Man” to him
- The crowd clears out for bathroom breaks during a “popular radio song,” (ie “Daughter”) but no one moves when he stands on stage and talks to the crowd
- No matter how massive a Pearl Jam fan you are, you will hear at least one, possibly two, songs you don’t know
- No matter how massive a Pearl Jam fan you are, and how many times you’ve seen them in concert, you will hear at least one song performed that you have never heard them perform live before
- After doing this for twenty years, the band still brings it like its their first concert and keeps it going like it might be their last
- Because even though they will forever be linked by time and place, Pearl Jam is not Nirvana, which is a good thing for both bands
As incredible as the show was as a whole (I would have paid just to hear Eddie belt out “Neverman”), the show was stolen when Eddie invited Ben Bridwell (Band of Horses) out to accompany him on “Hunger Strike.” Watch that performance and sometime around 45 seconds into it Bridwell seems to realize what he is singing and who he is singing with. The only thing better than the look of awe on his face is the look of pride on Ed’s face.
Pearl Jam, Madison Square Garden, May 21, 2010
Main Set:
Corduroy, Hail Hail, Do the Evolution, Worldwide Suicide, Got Some, Breath, Nothingman, I’m Open (Dedicated to Howard Zinn), Unthought Known, Grievance, Amongst the Waves, Present Tense, Not For You/Modern Girl, Push Me Pull Me, Rats, Daughter/WMA, The Fixer, Why Go
Encore 1:
The End (w/ string quartet), Just Breathe (w/ string quartet), Slow Lukin (w/ strings), Black Red Yellow, Sweet Lew, Given to Fly, Spin the Black Circle, Rearviewmirror
Encore 2:
Wasted Reprise, Betterman, Black/We Belong Together, The Real Me, Hunger Strike, Alive, Kick Out the Jams, Yellow Ledbetter/Star Spangled Banner
“I Want To Go To There”: Favorite City-Inspired Songs
A year and a half ago, I moved from Cleveland to Los Angeles. Ever since I watched the first episode of the original Beverly Hills, 90210, I fantasized about hoofing it West—and marrying Jason Priestly, of course. However, when the time came to make that dream a reality—the moving part, not the Jason Priestly part, sadly—I had no idea how homesick I would be.
Thankfully, I was able to find solace in a song like Limbeck’s “In Ohio On Some Steps,” which reminded me of home (without the gnarly winters.) Then, when I started to feel more at home in Pacific Standard Time, I started pumping tunes like Phantom Planet‘s “California” and Everclear‘s “Santa Monica” to get me better acquainted with my new HQ.
Without the help of those geographically desirable tracks, I might still be desperately missing C-Town, watching the Hastily Made Cleveland Tourism Video ad infinitum in order to catch a fleeting glimpse of my former stomping ground.
Now that I’ve gotten over the homesick hump, I can listen to a bunch of other songs about other cities without feeling a knot in my stomach. Tons of bands have been inspired by various cities and produced some loving musical homages—like Fountains Of Wayne, Fall Out Boy and The Distillers. Take a peek below and see why long distance isn’t always the wrong distance.
1. FOUNTAINS OF WAYNE‘s “Hackensack”: I was watching Just Friends for the umpteenth time on TBS this weekend and was immediately struck by this strange song played in the initial bar scene where Ryan Reynolds’ character connects with his unrequited love from high school. I only heard a couple chords and the chorus, “If you ever get back to Hackensack, I’ll be here for you,” but I was completely smitten. Since discovering that Fountains Of Wayne penned the track for 2003′s Welcome Interstate Managers, which launched the more-popular hit “Stacy’s Mom,” I also came to discover that Katy Perry covered the song for herMTV Unplugged special, as well. I’m not a super-fan of that version, but it still makes me wish I was from the Dirty Jerz—and how many songs can make you say that?
+ Listen to “Hackensack” off Welcome Interstate Managers
(Credit: Kazumichi Kokei)
2. FALL OUT BOY‘s “Chicago Is So Two Years Ago”: Before bassist Pete Wentz’s peter made him a household name and singer Patrick Stump lost a shit-ton of weight, Fall Out Boy was just a rag-tag group of pop-punk purists from the Windy City. Listening to this song is like taking a trip in the way-back machine to a time when jeans were skinny, song titles were unnecessarily long and “emo” wasn’t a four-letter word. Le sigh. I might live in Los Angeles now, but thanks to songs like this, I’m reminded that Midwest is best.
+ Listen to “Chicago Is So Two Years Ago” off Take This To Your Grave
3. THE DISTILLERS‘ “City Of Angels”: Like I said in the paragraph above, I currently live in Los Angeles and I can’t think of a better anthem for my new hometown than this angsty Distillers jam. No matter how many times I listen to it, I still can’t decipher everything frontwoman Brody Dalle is spewing, but that doesn’t really matter because I somehow manage to spit out a bunch of gobbledygook that sounds close enough to the actual lyrics. I haven’t seen a lot of dead wings in this city, but I’ve definitely seen more than my share of open condom wrappers in parking lots. That’s gotta count for something, right?
+ Listen to “City Of Angels” off Sing Sing Death House
Wanna read more of my musings? Hoof it over to http://www.leslie-simon.com. Plus, if you’re not following me (@redpatterndress) on Twitter, what are you waiting for? Don’t make me call Brody Dalle and have her sink her coral fangs into you ’cause I totally will!
Green Day loves rock’n'roll (and Joan Jett)
As our frequent readers have seen before (here and here and here), Your It List is a big fan of Green Day. And as you’ve seen before we also love The Runaways, Joan Jett (and of course Cherie Currie!). Oh, we also love Europe.
So it was just a matter of time before this trifecta of love came together.
It was just recently announced that Joan Jett and the Blackhearts will be joining Green Day on their European tour this summer. The thought of Billy Joe singing “I Love Rock’n'Roll,” of Joan singing “Longview,” I’m just hoping Joan decides to stick around for the US leg of the tour. Or at the very least the August 14th show at PNC in Jersey so I can see if for myself.
Joan Jett and The Black Hearts Join Green Day:
- June 2 in Denmark
- June 4 in Oslo
- June 5 in Gothenburg
- June 8 in Helsinki
- June 11 in Munich
- June 12 in Austria
- June 16 in Manchester
- June 19 in London
- June 21 in Glasgow
- June 23 in Dublin with Paramore
Hallelujah, amen
American Idol front-runner Lee DeWyze had tween girls in the palm of his hand last night with his emotional cover of the Leonard Cohen classic, Hallelujah. The haunting tune was Simon Cowell’s “judges pick” for DeWyze (who will be picking next year’s songs?), and it felt like one of those game-changing performances. Maybe it’s a bit early to call this one, but the dark horse DeWyze seems to be peaking at just the right time.
In honor of the reluctant heartthrob’s epic performance, we give you the best Hallelujah renditions of all time. Not an easy task, given the hordes of amazing artists who have taken a stab at it.
Tackling Hallelujah isn’t for the faint of heart, but K.D. Lang has the chops. Her legendary vocal range gives her the tools to really blow this one out:
Days after the tragic Haiti earthquake, pop star Justin Timberlake teamed with singer-songwriter Matt Morris to perform a soulful interpretation on the Hope for Haiti telethon:
Unsurprisingly, Cohen himself does a damn fine rendition of his most-covered creation:
Then there’s the version that first brought my attention to one of my favorite songs, the late Jeff Buckley’s energetic, operatic cover from his landmark album Grace. Still my nostalgic favorite:
And now we add (soon-to-be American Idol?) Lee DeWyze’s heartfelt performance:
Big shoes (and head) to fill
Ever since Simon Cowell announced his intention to put his American Idol days behind him after this season, there’s been endless speculation about his replacement.
The Daily Beast recently ran a slideshow handicapping the favorites–from Elton John (4:1) to the oft-mentioned Howard Stern (Million: 1). Based on the photo alone (above), I’m pulling for record producer Rick Rubin (70:1).
While the Daily Beast’s lineup was impressive, I’d love to see any of the following in the running as well.
Randy Newman: Sure Idol is more about singing and performing than the nuance of great songwriting, so Newman–an expert at the latter–may seem like a strange choice. Would contestants really want to take singing advice from a guy whose vocal stylings are more Dylan than Houston? But hear me out: this guy is a music business legend, respected as much by his peers as his fans. Even without the gift of golden pipes, he connects with audiences through expert phrasing and emotional depth. Plus, he’s an insightful satirist who could keep the mood on the judging panel light. With Simon and Paula both gone, Ellen’s going to have to shoulder a heavy load to keep the humor level up. Added bonus for the AI producers: Thanks to his hit songs from blockbuster kids movies like Toy Story and The Princess and the Frog, Newman will hit that ‘tween sweet spot that Idol craves.
Rosie O’Donnell: If you’re gonna go gay, go all the way. With lesbian rumors running rampant regarding 
that other, less important judicial vacancy (you know, Elena Kagan for SCOTUS), producers should let their progressive flag fly by doubling the number of lesbian judges on the Idol bench. Based on Rosie’s tumultuous stint on The View, she’d be a perfect rabble-rousing replacement for Simon. She’s one of the few celebrities who could match Mr. Cowell’s wit, honesty and brashness.
Gene Simmons: Let’s face it, despite the judges’ constant “it’s all about the singing” rhetoric, Idol is above all else, a spectacle. If it were a pure signing competition, they could broadcast the show on the radio and cut out the hours of ridiculous tone deaf whackos that populate the first month of the season. Who knows the point where spectacle meets musicality better than the KISS axe man? Word of warning to producers: keep a close eye on Gene backstage. If you think Paula’s “sex scandal” was bad, wait until The Demon gets his hands on next year’s crop of nubile contestants.
Let the caged bird fly
Little Miley Cyrus proves she is all grown up in the music video for her new single, Can’t Be Tamed. The video — which is somewhat reminiscent of Britney at her peak (in a good way) – has a darker, almost-goth aesthetic and the former Disney superstar writhes around in a skimpy leather feather-y outfit, channeling a bird trying to break free of her cage.
According to the label, Can’t Be Tamed is “a self-empowering song in which Miley asserts that she has to stay true to herself in relationships, and it is sure to become an anthem among her legions of fans around the world.”
Sure. Whatever the sociopolitical implications of that message may be, she looks good, the song is catchy, and I’m on board.
(The album Can’t Be Tamed will be out on June 22.)
Pint-Sized Crooner Kicked off Idol
When Ryan Seacrest announced that Aaron Kelly, the 17-year-old Pennsylvania native (who was actually 16 when he started his quest to become the 2010 American Idol), was leaving the show last night, adolescent hearts all across the country broke. The pint-sized singer (who makes Seacrest look like Shaq) has won votes week after week with his big heart, his big voice, and his boyish good looks. He may be heading back to high school on Monday, but I have a feeling the country music world will be rocked by a debut album from Kelly in the not-too-distant future.
Kate Nash Rocks the Bowery
Kate Nash, the saucy British 23-year-old singer/songwriter who had the #2 hit in the UK in 2007, “Foundations,” and who’s been compared to pop superstar Lily Allen, played to a modest crowd in New York’s Bowery Ballroom last night. Sporting a clunky white plaster ankle cast that she chocked up to a recent accident, Nash literally hopped from instrument (piano) to instrument (guitar) and back, all the while belting out her trademark clever, irreverent lyrics. She sang mostly tracks from her recently released sophomore album, “My Best Friend Is You,” but occasionally delighted the crowd with a tune from her first album, “Made of Bricks.” Though Nash’s cast incapacitated her a bit, her fans were relieved to see that she seems to have made a full recovery from the mental breakdown she suffered while on tour in 2008. And yet, the sense of aloofness she maintained, even while every member of the audience stood no more than 50 meters away from her, only adds to the mystery of her song, “I’ve Got A Secret,” in which she sings, “I’ve got a secret I can’t tell you. You would judge me.”
“Get Your Gleek On”: Which Bands Should The Cast Of ‘Glee’ Cover Next?
I don’t know about you, but I was left speechless after last week’s episode of Glee. Partially, it was because stupid American Idol had cut off the last 10 minutes on my DVR but it was mostly because their homage to Madonna was completely off the chain, off the hook and off whatever-metal-object-you-can-imagine. According to Entertainment Weekly, the show already has a Lady Gaga-inspired episode in the can and there’s talk of taking on Britney Spears sometime soon.
With all these creative odes bursting off the small screen, I got to thinking. What if I was the music supervisor for Glee. Who would I have the cast tackle next? After a lot of playlist-scouring and soul-searching, I came up with the following picks: Bob Dylan, Death Cab For Cutie and Hole. I sure hope Sue Sylvester would approve!
BOB DYLAN: What Bob Dylan lacks in vocal dexterity (or coherence), he certainly makes up for in lyrical brilliance. After all, not only has the “Tambourine Man” penned some of most poignant songs of the 20th century, but he was even awarded a Pulitzer Prize in 2008 for creating “lyrical compositions of extraordinary poetic power.” A ’60s-inspired episode would be aces and I’d love to see Glee get all folky on our collective asses. Why, I can even hear Mr. Schuester serenading Ms. Pillbury with the classic crooner “Lay Lady Lay” before the firs time they do it™. Swoon.
DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE: Sure, Death Cab For Cutie‘s songbook might lack the pomp and circumstance of Bob Dylan, but their catalog remains equally poignant because I can’t think of another band in the last 10 years who has successfully tapped into heartbreak and heartache quite like this group of indie-rockers. Last summer, I actually had the great pleasure of seeing DCFC perform at the Hollywood Bowl with the L.A. Philharmonic orchestra. It was so rad to hear them get the classical treatment and I can only imagine what their songs would sound like if they were put in the Glee blender. Personally, I think Mercedes could wail on “The Sound Of Settling” or “A Lack Of Color” could be turned into a tortuous duet between Finn and Rachel.
HOLE: This pick is definitely my dark horse—much like Courtney Love, herself. Some might think Hole is a totally o-v-e-r, but with the recent release of their long-awaited album Nobody’s Daughter, they’re just getting started… at least until they inevitably call it quits again in another year or two. The lineup might be different but the band’s goal remains the same: to pen rocktastic anthems that inspire and empower. Judging from new songs like “Samantha” and “Skinny Little Bitch,” I’d say mission accomplished. After Quinn finally pops out the bun in her oven, it’d be great to see her re-embrace her inner awesomeness with a rendition of “Miss World” or “Celebrity Skin.” Now that’s a study in demonology I’d love to see!
Wanna read more of my musings? Hoof it over to http://www.leslie-simon.com. Plus, if you’re not following me (@redpatterndress) on Twitter, what are you waiting for? I’m not scared to sic C. Love on your tush… and I don’t know if you’d live through that.
who is iamamiwhoami?
This interesting YouTube campaign isn’t necessarily new, but I only recently caught on. Now I’m obsessed. Five months ago the YouTube account iamamiwhoami launched. It started with a brief, one minute long, strange-as-hell clip featuring trees with limbs moving to an electronic hymn of sorts…cut with a scene of a woman in a bog looking pool attached to some cord (umbilical?). A viral phenomenon is born!
Via thesound.com: “In the five months since, seven similar videos have been posted, each time revealing slightly more of the mysterious young woman’s features, who is seemingly born of a tree or out of the Earth. The last two, titled simply “b” and “o” (rather than long number sequences separated by periods) are full-length songs, and show enough of the woman’s face, uncovered by tar-like makeup and relatively undistorted otherwise, for some to recognize her as Swedish singer/songwriter Jonna Lee.”
These videos are, in my humble opinion, amazing and certainly worth your time. While it is widely speculated at this point that Joanna Lee is in fact the songstress featured in these clips, her record label denies any involvement and Jonna herself is unwilling to commented on them.
There’s a lot of layers here, and I have to say I don’t care who is responsible…just as long as they keep it up.
So if you wanna have fun, come along with me
One of the greatest days of my life was spent in the front room of an old white house in the small town of Georgiana, Alabama, sitting around and talking—and playing guitar! and singing!—with a man named Braxton Schuffert. Braxton was one of the earliest members of a band known as the Drifting Cowboys, which for me made that sunny afternoon something like a visit with an apostle reminiscing about the Last Supper. At one point we heard the sounds of a parade—improbably; there was no holiday within arm’s reach—and we all went out to the front porch to watch.
The Drifting Cowboys were led by the country singer Hank Williams, who this week was awarded the Pulitzer Prize. “A special citation,” the announcement read, “for his craftsmanship as a songwriter who expressed universal feelings with poignant simplicity and played a pivotal role in transforming country music into a major musical and cultural force in American life.”
If it seems surprising that someone like Hank Williams would be awarded one of the nation’s top cultural honors, that may be because, as Americans, we still have a hard time reconciling those two great poles of our culture: high and low, old money and no money, them that’s got and them that’s not. These days Ralph Stanley may play Carnegie Hall, but ol’ Hank never made it there; by the time he died at twenty-nine, even the Grand Ole Opry had thrown him out. He lived a tough and trying life, as he sang about in “My Bucket’s Got a Hole in It,” one of the songs we sang that day in the front room of Hank’s boyhood home:
Well, my bucket’s got a hole in it
I can’t buy no beer
Hank Williams came from the same hard-knock school as his forebears Mark Twain and Will Rogers, his contemporary Louis Jordan, and his followers Chuck Berry and Roger Miller. They share that chuckling but clear-eyed realism that has always been the special province of the American artist, a way of acknowledging your challenges as you try to sidle past them:
These shabby shoes I’m wearing all the time
Is full of holes and nails
And brother if I stepped on a worn-out dime
I’ll bet a nickel I could tell you’f it was heads or tails
Hank may have been the twentieth century’s defining rueful realist; it’s hard to think of another writer of any kind—novelist? lyricist? poet?—who has shared that knowing wink with so many people, in so many walks of life, on so many emotional levels, with such immediate and lasting impact.
Thank you all from the pit of my burning, nauseous stomach
Sixteen years ago today the world learned of Kurt Cobain’s suicide. It was – and still remains – a massive loss to music and to an entire generation. It has all been said before, by people much more capable to capture this, so I won’t try to do that here.
For people who were not born when JFK was killed or when man first walked on the moon, Cobain’s death became the first “where were you when” moment. I was in eighth grade, biology class, a little before 2:00 in the afternoon. My friend Ken, appropriately dressed in a flannel shirt, walked into class, tossed down his bag and said “Kurt’s dead.” It was one of those moments.
MTV’s blog has a great post today about Cobain’s death - it seems appropriate to read it from MTV (remember MTV?) as I remember that day, sixteen years ago, going home and sitting in front of Kurt Loder on MTV for hours on end with news updates, tribute messages, videos and a few days later when Courtney Love talked about Kurt for the first time after his death and read parts of Cobain’s suicide note where he thanks his fans from the pit of his burning, nausous stomach and quotes Neil Young “its better to burn out than to fade away.”
The irony lies in the fact that by killing himself so young, at 27, he ensured that Kurt Cobain will never fade away.
“It’s A Hit”: Top Actress/Singer Double Threats
It’s the eternal question: Can successful movie stars be equally-as-successful rock stars? Negative, ghost writer. I don’t know about you, but I blame Keanu Reeves. More specifically, I blame Dogstar, Reeves’ musical attempt at alt-rock greatness that was so horrible, it ensured the future ridicule of any actor who dared to dream of musical stardom. Regardless of how good your band is/was, actors-slash-singers would always have the weight of Johnny Utah on their shoulders.
Thankfully, in the past decade, a couple of lovely ladies from the silver-screen have managed to buck tradition by receiving both critical praise and mainstream success from their musical endeavors. Don’t believe me? Then check out the tunage from She & Him (feat. Zooey Deschanel), Rilo Kiley (feat. Jenny Lewis) and Scarlett Johansson (feat. herself and the beauteous voice of my hypothetical-boyfriend Pete Yorn). Dogstar be damned! These gals are proving that, when it comes to actors trying their hand at music, something’s gotta give.
1. ZOOEY DESCHANEL (Band: She & Him / Acting credits: All The Real Girls, Elf, (500) Days Of Summer): Zooey Deschanel is adorable in a basket-full-of-puppies kind of way. Despite how cold your heart is, her illegal levels of cuteness cannot be quelled—or denied. I, too, tried to fight my overwhelming feelings of adoration when I first saw her on the big screen in films like Almost Famous and The Good Girl, but once I heard her sweet coos with She & Him (specifically on songs like “Sentimental Heart” and “Change Is Hard”), I was officially a smitten kitten. Blast you, Zooey, and your obnoxiously catchy Cotton commercials! With a newly released album—Volume Two—and doo wop-influenced ditties like “Get Along Without You Now (Skeeter Davis)” and “In The Sun”, She & Him has truly become the fabric of my life.
2. JENNY LEWIS (Band: Rilo Kiley / Acting credits: Troop Beverly Hills, The Wizard, Foxfire): As a young tyke, did you ever have go-to movies for when you were sick? I totally did. Every time I stayed home from school with a scratchy throat, stomach bug or case of the Mondays, I would make my mom run to the video store to pick up my stock feel-better flick: Troop Beverly Hills. Honestly, I didn’t think much of Jenny Lewis at the time (other than admiring her pastel stirrup pants and gravity-defying side ponytails) but when I discovered the former child actresses’ band Rilo Kiley years later, I would have nothing but fond “Cookie Time” memories of her and the whole Wilderness Girls gang. Thanks to the band’s sunny disposition and breezy melodies (heard on songs like “The Execution Of All Things” and “The Good That Won’t Come Out”), Lewis & Co. was one of the few non-Omaha-based bands to earn a place on the Saddle Creek Records roster, which was no easy feat back in 2002. Yes, Jenny may’ve started her career as an actress, but after six albums—both with Rilo Kiley and as a solo artist—she’s proved that she’s a musician first and foremost.
3. SCARLETT JOHANSSON (Band: Solo album of Leonard Cohen covers & duet album with Pete Yorn / Acting credits: Ghost World, The Nanny Diaries, Iron Man): When I first heard that Scarlett Johansson was going to attempt a music career, I rolled my eyes so hard they almost popped right out of their sockets. I mean, isn’t it enough that she’s the face of Dolce & Gabbana, the wife of Ryan Reynolds and, basically, the most desired girl in Hollywood? Her first vocal foray was an album of mostly Tom Waits covers, which was celebrated by critics but I thought it was a bunch of hooey—mostly because I would rather listen to pebbles in a blender than Tom Waits. That said, when I heard Mrs. Reynolds was going to release a duets album with my beloved Pete Yorn, I was skeptical. In fact, I kind of wanted it to suck. Instead, once I opened my mind—and my ears—I was quickly silenced by how amazing Scarlet sounded on songs like “Relator” and “Clean.” No matter how hard I fought it, it was love at first listen. Homegirl might have dumbest-looking tattoo since Spring Break ’99, but she can serenade me any night of the week!
Wanna read more of my musings? Hoof it over to http://www.leslie-simon.com. Plus, if you’re not following me (@redpatterndress) on Twitter, what are you waiting for? I’m not scared to sic Morpheus on your tush. “Is this real?” Hell to the yeah!
Stooges in, MC5 out?
Last evening, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inducted its newest batch of HOFers, and as befits any such occasion, those who were overlooked are getting almost as much attention as the inductees. Now that the Stooges have taken their rightful place among rock royalty, there’s been a lot of chatter about fellow Detroit punk pioneers (and Stooges influence) MC5 not making the cut once again.
We love Iggy and company, but we have to ask, how can you deny this man the posthumous honor that he so rightly deserves? I give you former MC5 lead singer Rob Tyner’s rendition of Grande Days:
If you agree that an injustice has been done, voice your support for MC5′s Hall of Fame bid here. Then watch that video again. And again. Then read this book about the Rock and Roll HOF.
Lady Gaga makes some calls
Lady Gaga’s new video (featuring Beyonce) for the song Telephone debuted last night.
Overall, I like! There were hits and misses, obviously, and I can only hope that the acting between Gaga and Beyonce was that cardboard on purpose (Beyonce can kind of act, right?) but otherwise, it was ok. The clear highlight of the video:
I could watch that all day. A few more highlights after the jump.
Neon Angel: A Memoir of a Runaway
The Runaways, one of our most highly anticipated movies will finally debut in theaters on March 19th. We’ve been waiting a very long time to see seems to be two great actresses bringing to life two amazing performers: Kristen Stewart as Joan Jett and Dakota Fanning as Cherie Currie.
Buy the book at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Book-A-Million, Borders or an Independent Bookseller.
Click here to read a preview of the first two chapters.
About Neon Angel: A Memoir of a Runaway by Cherie Currie
Cherie Currie, with her signature Bowie haircut and fishnet stockings, was the groundbreaking lead singer of ’70s teenage all-girl rock band the Runaways. At the tender age of fifteen, she joined a group of talented girls—Joan Jett and Lita Ford on guitar, Jackie Fox on bass, and Sandy West on drums—who could play rock like no one else.
Arriving on the Los Angeles music scene in 1975, they catapulted from playing small clubs to selling out major stadiums, headlining shows with opening acts like the Ramones, Van Halen, Cheap Trick, and Blondie. Currie lit up the stage with the provocative teen-rebellion songs “Cherry Bomb,” “Queens of Noise,” and “Born to Be Bad,” riding a wave of hit songs and platinum albums, all while touring around the world.
On the face of it, Currie’s is a riveting story of girl empowerment and fame. But it is also an intensely personal account of her struggles with drugs, sexual abuse, and violence. She and her bandmates, runaways all, were thrown into a decadent, high-pressure music scene where on the road, unsupervised for months at a time, they had to grow up fast and experience things that no teenage girls should. Neon Angel exposes the side of the music industry fans never get to see, and chronicles the group’s rise to fame and their ultimate demise.
Shocking and inspiring, funny and touching, Neon Angel stunningly re-creates a bygone era of rock and roll, all the while providing an inside look at growing up hard under the relentless glare of the public eye, and chronicling one tough woman’s fight to reclaim her life.
About The Runaways
The Runaways is based on lead-singer Cherie Currie’s book ‘Neon Angel’ – a reflection of her experiences as a rock star, but also delivering a strong anti-drug warning to teens and others. David Bowie’s “Space Oddity” serves as a metaphor for the narrative– a slow countdown, a surreal but spectacular rise to fame, then alienation and burnout – a long long way from home.
The movie chronicles THE RUNAWAYS from 1975 – 1977; formed by teenage girls living near Hollywood, CA., and heavily manipulated by their manager Kim Fowley as ‘jailbait rock’ (all the girls were 16 or younger when the band recorded their first album). The band ultimately succeeds on their own merits as musicians, becoming the first all-girl rock-band to ever break into the world of arena-filling hard rock acts.
The movie focuses on the band’s formation, and their meteoric rise to fame. Their first single, ‘Cherry Bomb’, gets some attention in the United States, where THE RUNAWAYS’ U.S. tour hits major venues (Cobo Hall, with RUSH) and sleazy rock-clubs, often pairing them up with The Ramones, Cheap Trick, Tom Petty, and other popular 1970′s rock acts. But ‘Cherry Bomb’ and several other songs from THE RUNAWAYS’ first 2 albums become huge hits in Japan — and their arrival for a set of shows there in 1977 is like Beatle-Mania. The band is overwhelmed by the Japanese reception. Almost prophetic, THE RUNAWAYS’ last big hit song in Japan is ‘Neon Angels On The Road To Ruin’.
Cherie is initially thrilled to be in the band, and lives the rock star life. She pushes the edge — and their records sell well, generating lots of media controversy and hype. But during the tour of Japan, her personal life disintegrates, and she burns out — ultimately leaving The Runaways when they return to the U.S. The bass player (Jackie Fox) quits too, leaving only Lita Ford, Joan Jett and Sandy West. Joan Jett has decided that rock & roll is her life, and that The Runaways is her ‘family’; she is upset by Cherie’s decision to leave, but knows that decision is best — for Cherie.
THE RUNAWAYS’ success was earth-shaking in rock music — changing the rules forever. But with the successful 5-girl lineup no longer intact after the Japan tour, their future was dubious, at best. Lita Ford (guitar) and Sandy West (drums) still think the band can make it big again, so they persevere with Joan Jett.
“If You Ever Get Lonely, Just Go To The Record Store And Visit Your Friends”
Show me your teeth
My ears have barely stopped ringing from the Lady Gaga concert last week and my love for her is far from abating.
There is a new video out for Teeth from her Fame Monster album. I’m not, scratch that, wasn’t really into the whole Vampire thing until seeing this. Suddenly I’m a convert.
I don’t know if it’s the official video, as I don’t see it on her website. I do know that it’s directed by Sergio Ceron, whose website is intense and slightly disturbing.
Thanks Gaga for this video; I’m sure the woman in the office next to mine already hates the song seeing as that I ‘ve played 60 times today.
boom.
