Category Archives: Lunch Break

Lunch Break: London Calling

by

This seems to be from a Grammy Awards show, not that long ago. Notable because the front line of dudes is Stevie Van Zant, Bruce Springsteen, Elvis Costello, and Dave Grohl. That Grohl dude is everywhere.

Presumably this was a tribute after Joe Strummer died, in 2002, though I’m not sure how to look that up quickly, nor if it is important. Could have been 2003 (Strummer died in 2002). I like the way the guys do the share-the-microphone singing thing, and how big and veiny the Boss’s throat gets when he’s singing. It’s also cool how they trade lines, and how cacophonous the stomp gets as they go on. Loud counts.

It’s a nice tribute.

Lunch Break: Juveniles, “Fantasy”

by

I went to film school, so I know where most of the cuts in this video come from.

In the 1980s I was in my 20s, mostly, so I know where most of this New Wave/Disco hybrid comes from.

As a band name Juveniles seems pretty great, no matter what age.

And I bumped into this while listening to the new Belle and Sebastian single, which explores similar sonic ground. Belle and Sebastian’s tune is richer, but it doesn’t have these gals, the director’s playful prudity, and the sex-role play (or disambiguation, if you prefer) of this video.

Nicely done, Juveniles. But next time we want newer music. (Or as Steve might say, music that doesn’t suck.)

Lunch Break: Frank Patterson, “Danny Boy”

by

WTF?  Frank Patterson? Danny Boy?

Yeah, fucking Danny Boy.

I had the Coen’s great Miller’s Crossing film on in the background while working.

I do love the Coen’s, and while I think Fargo and Lebowski and A Serious Man might be my favorites, then I remember Miller’s Crossing and that it pretty much blows away anything else the boys have done as a whole piece of filmaking.

I am not really a big fan of the song Danny Boy, and my understanding is that Patterson recorded this version especially for the film, but, the sweet tenor, juxtaposed with the ballet of cause and effect and subsequent violence as one mob gang tries to exterminate rival boss Leo (Albert Finney) does so much to define his character within the movie.

So, the music might not be rock and roll, but the sequence surely is.

 

Lunch Break: Rick James, “Mr. Policeman”

by

Listening to Stevie Wonder’s Master Blaster the other day, I was put in mind of this one from Rick James’ classic “Street Songs” album.

It’s pretty much a direct rip of Stevie’s style, but that just means it sounds great, too. And actually the rest of the record is really good, even the songs that are more like Rick James, like Super Freak.

Inspirational verse: I’d rather be a farmer than a police, police.

Ps. That’s Stevie Wonder himself playing the harmonica on Mr. Policeman.

Lunch Reading: The Rock Doc, hanging wiith Johnny Winter, Rick Derringer, Andy Warhol and others

by

Screenshot 2014-11-13 12.06.22

The problem with memoir is that the facts or the memoirist aren’t always sure how to close the deal (or tell the story).

I’m not sure what Neil Ratner could have done with this, but it isn’t fully baked. What we know is that he wasn’t inclined to be a doctor, but he became one. And he wanted to be a drummer, but he became a doctor. At the same time, it’s a slice of the rock ‘n’ roll life, starring two of our faves, Johnny Winter and Rick Derringer.

And Doctor Ratner is an affable host. (Click the link at the end to visit his website, which covers other aspects of his career.)

And we might as well add a clip:

Lunch Break: The Black Keys, “Little Black Submarines”

by

The Black Keys are another band that has generated very little attention here, so I want to fix that.

I really love the band, who in so many ways seem so unlikely (they certainly don’t look like rock stars, yet they totally rock).

One trouble I have with them is though I own three of the bands albums, I have no clue what any of the songs are called. Of course, I never knew the name of Steely Dan’s tunes either, and I still like them a lot, so apparently that does not account for much.

I know Lindsay saw the Keys with Jake Bugg last week, and she said it was a great show. So, I am hoping she posts about it.

In the interim, here is a fix.

Welcome to New York, Taylor Swift!

by

Last week Taylor Swift’s new album dropped and broke huge. She also released a video tribute to New York City, explaining why she has bought a home in New York, because those of us who live here just don’t get it.

Meantime, the lower east side documentarian Clayton Patterson uses Swift’s epistle to remind us that many other musicians and others got to New York first, and paved the way for pop’s biggest star of the moment. One of them was named G.G. Allin.

Lunch Break: Cream, “Deserted Cities of the Heart”

by

I was lucky enough to see Cream in 1968, during their first big American tour. I was just 15, but they knocked me out. Oddly, the opening act was the Grateful Dead, who played Alligator for an hour, and that was it, making it really hard for me to warm up to the band for a number of years (Workingman’s Dead started the change).

They were great, and I do indeed love Fresh Cream, though curiously, nothing by the band made my essentials list.

Still, NSU, I Feel Free, and I’m So Glad are serious faves.

However, in deference to Lindsay’s “what I like to listen to when I am sad,” I grabbed my favorite Cream cut, Deserted Cities of the Heart, penned by Monsieur Bruce, and in honor of his passing.

From Wheels of Fire, which was produced by said Felix Papplardi (whom I believe played cello on the cut), this song rocks, is dreamy, and takes some unexpected form twists (I LOVE the doorbell/glockenspiel/whatever is channeled into the background as Clapton starts his solo).

Miss you Jack! You were great (and somehow, I cannot believe Ginger Baker outlived you).

I included both the haunting studio version with said strings and treatments, and a fairly blistering live take as well.