Category Archives: youtube song

Cage Match: Greg Maddux v. Bill Frisell

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frisellI did not get to see The Upper Crust last night, but my life-long mate Stephen Clayton and I did venture across the bay to San Rafael, to Terrapin Crossroads (Phil Lesh’s place) to see Frisell and his band touring behind the guitar player’s latest disc, Guitar in the Space Age. maddux(Note that I have wanted to see the guitarist for years.)

True, it ain’t rock, but, that does not mean the music doesn’t rock. These guys–for this video is the same band Stephen and I saw–were arguably the most talented collection of musicians I have ever seen playing live with one another. The interplay and musicianship and notes chosen by the collective was breathtaking (watch this and you will see what I mean).

But, in deference to my previous Edge  v. Tekulve post, I have started thinking of guitarists in terms of ballplayers, and this time, I could only think of the great Cub and Brave, Greg Maddux as a parallel.

Both can clearly paint the corners, and are artists with a true craft within their respective profession. And, they don’t really look alike, but do sort of have the same look in their eye in the above pics, huh?

Stylish, smart, never overtly overpowering, yet always dominant, Maddux could make the perfect pitch just as Frisell squeezes out the perfect note. Both Hall of Famers!

 

Evan “Snake” Davies’ The Metal District, on WFMU!

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TheLondonQuireboysI woke up today to a reminder that I hadn’t listened to Evan Davies’ show on WFMU last Wednesday night. It turns out that on April Fools Day Evan had a show dedicated to metal, the musical style that brought much crunching pulchritude to MTV, and lots of musical derision. All of it earned.

But listening to the show today I was reminded just how catchy some of these tunes were, which is why they were on MTV in the first place. You can see the playlist here, and sample the show or listen straight through.

But I wanted to highlight a few tunes I’d never heard before, or was too wasted to remember.

Night Music: Billy Squier, “Rock Me Tonite”

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I’ve been distracted by work and haven’t been listening to much music, but last night I was at dinner with friends and started talking about the pull of the music that we loved in our formative years. Call them the teens. Maybe early 20s.

I used the example of people who loved Billy Squier when they were in their teens, and I bet they still loved Billy Squier. My friends and I hated him, of course, but it occurred to me I should listen to him again and pluck some of the glowing comments on YouTube. Here’s his biggest hit:

I was just reading the comments, however, and only a few people talked about how much they liked the tune. All the chatter was about how “ghey” the video director made Billy, and how Billy didn’t want to be “ghey.”

I’m trying to figure out why his record company would want him to make a “ghey” video to go along with his rock song. The video, made by Kenny Ortega—who worked with Michael Jackson a lot—is relentless.

And I’m not so sure my example about people continuing to love what they used to love, at least when it was Billy Squier, was a good one. And I wonder what would happen if they listened to the tune without the video.

Breakfast Blend: Alison Mosshart

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The Pretty Little Demons named Alison Mosshart one of their heroes. Mosshart was in the Kills, a rock band with a DIY vibe and spare sounds that included the guitarist James Hince and a drum machine and recorded from 2001 to 2011. Their last tour was opening for Queens of the Stone Age a few years ago, though they’re also reportedly working on a new elpee.

In 2009 Mosshart started the Dead Weather with Jack White, Dean Fertita and Jack Lawrence. Like so much of Jack White’s ouvre, the cuts I’ve listened to from the Dead Weather have some great moments (the guitar solo in this one is solid), but the rock just doesn’t swing, it’s all fits and starts, angles and changes. If you can’t sing or dance along, and it doesn’t make you shout with it into the dark night, is it really rocking?

Afternoon Snack: Pretty Little Demons

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PrettyLittleDemons_030313_Amoeba_3I came across this band today, just browsing around, and the first thing you notice is their appalling youth. I assumed that they just looked really young, but a little research shows that they’re REALLY YOUNG!

Guitarist Lydia Night is maybe 14 years old now, while the drummer, Marlhy Murphy, is maybe 11.

They were the youngest band to ever play SXSW in 2013, then 12 and 9 years old respectively. Night also plays in the actor Ryan Gosling’s band, Dead Man’s Bones, which we’ll have to check out.

In the meantime, prepare for an excess of cuteness, which comes naturally to the prepubescent playing in the power punk genre, and here is better than most.

This one has an overly long intro, which has something to do with the log lady from Twin Peaks, and scientists looking through microscopes, but also does a creditable job of hitting the White Stripes notes. You can click to about halfway through to get to the actual song.

If you want to know more, here is a fanzine Q+A. Lydia’s favorite bands? Queens of the Stone Age and the Andrews Sisters. Perfect.

Today Is Phil Collins Day!

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Screenshot 2015-02-13 22.03.46

On February 15, 2007, some high school friends started the Phil Collins Day celebration, to explore together the meaning and complexities of love. Or so they say.

Each February 15th since they’ve had a themed event involving Phil and something. This year they (and you, too, if you want) are meeting in Rockaway for a Viking funeral. Bring stuff that’s getting you down, put it in the boat and watch it sail out to see on fire! Or something like that. Who knows?

And remember the only good Phil Collins song.

Scot/Scott: Midnight Moses

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Don’t know if we’ve mentioned Sensational Alex Harvey Band at all here at RR. Don’t know why I got to thinking about this gem that I covered in a hard rock band years ago.

SAHB did some other good stuff, but there’s also a lot of nonsense on their albums. This is their masterpiece, for me at least, a song that would likely make my all-time Top 25. It’s clearly the blueprint for Bon Scott AC/DC, up there with just about anything else in my book. (My favorite rock singer of all-time, Bon admitted mimicking Alex Harvey’s vocal style. As always, everything’s a copy of something else.)

It’s also a great example of how, for me, vocals are way more about melody and flow and iambic pentameter and sounding good together than about what’s being said. Do you know what the hell Alex is singing about? I have no idea. But it sounds great.

Alex Harvey died suddenly of a heart attack, now long ago in 1982. His birth date is before my dad’s.

This video is about as cool as a lip-synch can get:

Night Music: Queen, “I’m In Love With My Car”

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I was reminded of this one tonight while reading Karl Ove Knaussgard’s third volume of My Struggle, which was about his Boyhood. At one point he says this is the record he loved most as a third or fourth grader.

This is the song I loved most from this album. Lots of Brian May (and how do I remember that?) and less Freddie, but the same grand style, travertine and fountains really, but also big rocking ovals of pleasure.