Author Archives: Lawr Michaels

Breakfast Blend: ELO, “Illusions in G Major”

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I have not meant to be neglecting writing here, but truly, the last six weeks have been among the busiest of my life, with travels to Southern California, New York, the Sierra, and now Chicago.

But, it doesn’t mean I have not been thinking about what to post here.

I have indeed been peppering a lot of golf in my daily mix of stuff, no matter where I am, but especially when home and in my car, I have been enjoying listening to spacier, more reflective rock, just because it sort of seems to relax me for the mental challenge of whether to use a driver or a three-wood on a particular hole.

As part of this troll, El Dorado, Electric Light Orchestra’s really great album from 1973 has made the mix. When the album came out, it quickly shot to my favorite list, where the disc remained until the late 70’s when punk took over everything rock and roll for me in the best possible way.

I listened to El Dorado here and there to see if any magic remained but it was sort of like watching Gone with the Wind and its outdated and hopelessly romantic view of the South, racism, and slavery. As in, it just didn’t do it.

I don’t really know what prompted me to reclaim El Dorado out of the huge stack of CD’s I have, but I found myself first sticking the disc into the player, and then humming along to songs I really did know by heart.

So, I really did rediscover the whole thing in a good way.

Now, I get if the strings Jeff Lynne stuck into his band are not your cup of tea, and, well, if you watch the video, I am not sure if we will ever get over the hair and clothes from the 70’s (I doubt I ever wore any of that shit, being a devotee of jeans and tennis shoes pretty much my whole life, but it does sort of hurt to look) but, make no mistake, Lynne is a rocker at heart.

We all know his treatment of Chuck Berry’s Roll Over Beethoven and I think the Move’s original Do Ya is as killer a cut as exists.

But, this little ditty from El Dorado, Illusions in G Major, does indeed show Lynne’s roots are indeed with the Chuckster. Strings or not, they kill it.

 

Night Music: Television, “Glory”

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My friend Michele Friedman and I have been searching for some interesting music to see live for a while now. I tried to get us tix to the Replacements tour but got aced out; however when I saw Television was going to be playing the Fillmore, I knew she, and our friends Leslie and Lisa would be down.IMG_0355

I was right, and last Tuesday we crossed the bridge and saw Tom Verlaine and his crew deliver a sonically beautiful set, pulled largely from their best known piece, Marquee Moon.

Truth is the band was lots better than I imagined, with very clear guitars ringing through Vox AC30s (not that I imagined them being bad, they just completely exceeded expectations).

It was good to see Verlaine and company: none of us had ever seen them before though I was a tad bummed they played very little from the second album, Adventure which includes my favorite song from the group, Glory.

So, here it is last year in Copenhagen.

Afternoon Snack: Joni Mitchell, “Amelia”

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I know Joni has caused a lot of buzz on the site, but aside from the fact that I love this cut from Heijara, I have been wanting to write for weeks about my concern for Mitchell, who has been hospitalized for months due to an unspecified illness (it was rumored to be a stroke, and Joni was similarly said to be in a coma, but the latter information is untrue per her official web site).

But, the other day, our Remnants mate Peter lost his father, and well, I figured I would post this both just to keep Joni–an exceptional artist and creative force–in our thoughts, as well as Peter and his father.

I think that it is all I can possibly say, because the song and Joni really do it better. Just close your eyes and listen. And, that is Pat Methany on guitar, and the late and equally wonderful Jaco Pastouris on bass.

 

Lunch Break: Beck, “Satellite of Love”

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I never seem to be able to watch the entire Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductions all in one shot. The broadcasts, on HBO, usually run about four hours, and my body has a muscle memory chip to fall asleep anytime I watch TV for more than 90 minutes at a stretch.

I did catch the end, though, the other day, and there was a lovely induction speech for Lou Reed by Patti Smith, and then an equally lovely acceptance by Lori Anderson, and then the live tribute, which began with Beck leading the performance of Satellite of Love.

I  must admit that though I love Reed and the song, that my first thoughts of the title go to the wonderful late 80’s-early 90’s TV show, Mystery Science Theater (MST). MST’s premise was a shlubby janitor (Joel Hodgson) gets zapped into space and is forced to watch crappy movies and the results can be registered. If you check the Wiki link, you will see more, but Joel named the ship on which he was marooned “The Satellite of Love,” in an obvious homage to Reed.

So, you get  goofy clip, and now a pretty joyful version of the source. Miss you Lou!

Breakfast Blend: Jason Isbell, “Super8 Motel”

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OK, I am not dead, and I apologize for my Remnants absence.

I actually had this great piece all ready to write, back when B.B. King passed away, but aside from a bunch of crazy baseball and football junk to write, we went up to the Lake for a respite. And, I began working on an outline for a long piece about god and life and golf, though I am not sure where it is going.

So, enough cheap excuses.

As a member of the BileTones, I have been turned onto a lot of stuff I did not previously know that well. New Order, Uncle Tupelo, Hayes Carll, and the Drive-By Truckers for instance, are all performers I now really like a lot.

Well, Jason Isbell was a guitar player for the Truckers for eight years, from 2001-2007 and worked on some of my favorite Truckers material from the album A Blessing and a Curse.

Isbell did some solo work, then formed his band, The 400 Unit, in 2009, worked with Neko Case, and in 2013 released the brilliant Southeastern, which features your accompaniment to Sunday Eggs Benedict and a latte (or whatever other virtual chow you choose), Super8 Motel (which is currently a standard part of the Tones setlist).

I mean, even if you are in a Super8 Motel, if you cannot get Eggs Benedict, maybe this song will be a tonic.

Lunch Break: Bob Mould, “Turning of the Tide”

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Peter’s fine Bob Mould post reminded me of…Bob Mould.

Like Steve I was a fan of Husker Du, and then Sugar, but I was more than surprised when Mould appeared as a contributor to Beat the Retreat, a compilation/tribute (ugh, I hate that word in this context) to guitarist and songwriter Richard Thompson.

I am pretty out there as a huge Thompson fan. He is my favorite live performer and songwriter, and well, he was my favorite guitar player till I got turned on to Bill Frisell and appreciated Mick Ronson as much as I do now. Still top three with some pretty good company.

Anyway, Mould covers this fine Thompson tune, and kills on guitar, but he also really nails the timbre of Thompson’s voice. Best of all, I found a couple of other Mould covers of Thompson, so more to come!

Breakfast Blend: Wilco (and the BileTones), “Outtasite (Outta Mind)”

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I am a big fan of the Chicago-based band, Wilco, in fact their fantastic Yankee Hotel Foxtrot made my essentials list.

The wonderful thing about Yankee Hotel is that it was recorded when the band was signed to Sony Records, and they delivered the album which Sony determined was “unlistenable,” so the the brains at Sony rejected the disc and released Wilco from their contract.

Undaunted, the band toured, performing songs from the album, looking for a new deal. During their road adventures, the band delivered the same buzz that got them signed in the first place (well, that and they formed out of the terrific Uncle Tupelo so that helped), and suddenly there was a bidding war which was won by Interscope records who gave the band a $200,000 signing bonus.

Yankee Hotel went on to become a critics fave, much to the chagrin of Sony, but the real beauty is that Interscope is owned by Sony, meaning they paid another $200K to be able to release the album they rejected in the first place.

Ah, sweet karma.

But, this tune is from the band’s fine Being There disc, and it totally rocks. In fact, the BileTones are such Wilco fans that we have a half-dozen of their songs on our ever growing set list, and always play two or three per show.

And, of all those songs, Outtasite is a mainstay.

So, first, here is the band killing it on Letterman.

And, for fun, here are the Tones at Raymond’s in Cazadero, Ca, near the Russian River.

Happy Mother’s Day: Lucinda Williams, “Lake Charles”

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OK, this song has nothing to do with Mother’s Day, and it is not particularly upbeat, but, it has great guitar, it is Lucinda, and I figure Gene will love the line “..in a yellow El Camino, listening to Howlin’ Wolf.”

I do love Lucinda (she is in the Chrissie Hynde please walk on me with spiky heels club in my not-so-secret-diary of wishes). Saw her once, long ago, and would be happy to again.

Happy Mother’s Day all!

Lunch Break: Pink Floyd, “Sheep” (Lamb Chops?)

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Since I was able to retire first of this year, I have been playing a lot of golf, upwards of 3-4 times a week, either doing nine, 18, or just hitting the range and putting green for a spell in the lovely spring sun.

It is funny, since I played a lot between the ages of 12-21, but then quit after an argument within the group I was playing. The issue never involved me personally, but I was disgusted that the game I thought we played for fun would erupt into near violence.

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Well, as an older (and theoretically) wiser human, I started playing again, looking for some exercise, some time outside, and also something I could work on and hopefully improve (plus per our Remnants Friend, Jeff Erickson, of Rotowire, I can play with other friends Jason Grey and Joe Sheehan this November when we all converge upon the AFL).

So, I have been trying to muster all my patience and Zen in playing this extremely aggravating and at the same time satisfying game where we chase a little white ball around 6000 yards for five hours, or so.

It is tough. You have to have an easy swing, and keep your eye on the ball, which is no small trick when the sphere is down there, dormant, sneering, begging you to knock the shit out of it.

Anyway, there are no courses near where I live save a country club that costs a zillion dollars to join, so I have about a 20-30 minute drive, irrespective.

As a result, I seem to really enjoy playing CD’s in the car that I really love, and when I say love, I mean the entire album, start to finish.

For some reason this fine May day, I feel compelled to share my favorite cut from Pink Floyd’s Animals disc, which just spaces on, with some killer David Gilmour riffs and a nice little philosophical breakdown (which includes a quasi digitized recital of The 23rd Psalm) . Also, the Floyd are another band that gets little attention here at the Remnants, it seems, and that is not right, for they were (I saw them twice) a terrific collective.

The reason Animals made it to my fave list for the band is though I do think it is a really fun and listenable disc, shortly after the vinyl was released I had my first trip to Europe. I spent a few days in London with my Aunt and Grandmother, and then headed off to the continent for some adventures (note this was the same trip where I first heard the Pistols, as the punk movement was just taking off).

Anyway, I spent three weeks messing around in France and Holland and the BeneLux countries, and was returning back to London to spend my final 10 days with my family and really check out London. I took a night boat from Hook von Holland, and landed back in England in the early morning, and we then took the train into town proper.

I was travelling with some kids (I was 25 then, and they were about my age): a couple of Americans, a Dutch girl, and a boy from Sweden.

As we approached the city, the Swedish kid calls out, “Annimaaalls.” We looked perplexed, and he repeats, “Annimaaalls,” and points out the window, and he is pointing at the giant power plant/building/whatever it is that is on the album cover with the four giant smokestacks pictured above.

Funny the things we remember, and forget, but that memory is clear beyond belief. And, Sheep is really a great cut, and particularly good for getting the golf Zen.

Afternoon Snack: Bob Dylan & the Rolling Thunder Review, “It Takes a Lot to Laugh, It Takes a Train to Cry”

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Finally.

Someone posted the entire Rolling Thunder Bootleg Volume 5, which essentially covers what was a normal Rolling Thunder Review gig by Dylan and his Renaldo and Clara band in 1975.

The Rolling Thunder Band, who toured between October of that year and May of 1976, totally cranked it out, featuring the likes of Ramblin’ Jack Elliot, Joan Baez, Steven Soles, Roger McGuinn, and my faves, T-Bone Burnett and Mick Ronson.

This version of It Takes a Lot to Laugh, It Takes a Train to Cry not only completely deconstructs the original studio version, but it just fucking smokes.

The interplay between Burnett and Ronson, along with great growling bass of Rob Stoner, makes this my favorite Dylan period.

And, this cut is my favorite on the disc and of the set. In fact, this might be my all time favorite live song recording, with my all time favorite guitar solos.

Check out the first Ronson solo, during which he plays the same Chuck Berry lick 16 times before blasting into some free-form Chuck-land. Then, to make sure we get it, he closes the song out with another totally killer blast that even Keef would smile about.

Swear to God: fire comes out of the speakers (or is it my head?) every time I play this.

Please note, that this link posts the entire 22-song box set, and though it is all terrific, #16 is It Takes a Lot to Laugh on the playlist.  Sorry for the inconvenience, but you will see it is more than worth it!