Our Immortals. (Or, Another Stubborn Blog. About Another Stubborn List.) AND, Dressing Up For The Day.

*****AUTHOR'S NOTE*****:

First and foremost, an error in a past blog was bought to my attention (4 times...I didn't even know that 4 people read what I write.), so the frontman from the Dropkick Murphys left to form Street Dogs, and I wrote that he was formerly in Flogging Molly. I get those 2 bands often confused, but, I was wrong, and thanks for those that pointed it out, and keeping the accuracy of RHT on point. On with the show.

As my writing on here would indicate, I'm a bit obsessive. To the point where there's lists for everything. They change monthly, weekly, or in the case of my favorite cereal, daily. I do currently enjoy a good bowl of Frosted Mini Wheats, but by tomorrow, I'll be moving on to the faithful Cap'n (who I realized, by way of my 6 year old nephew, has eyebrows...on his hat. Cap'n Crunch is nowhere near socially acceptable for today. But he does have a delicious cereal.), and so on.

But, there's one list that every music fan should have. The Immortals. The Finest 20 (or so...) artists of all time in YOUR book. I got this idea from Rolling Stone. Which would tell you that it's a bad idea, but like 4 or so years ago, they put out an issue listing the 100 greatest artists of all time, as voted on by RS staff, which at last look still consisted of Jann Wenner, so the list is not valid at all. Let's take a look and break it down:

The First 50

The Final 50

First 50 first. Ok, so should the Beatles and Dylan be 1/2? Of course. After that, I get cloudy. I am by no means an Elvis guy. I take Little Richard at 3 (Little Richard who did his own tribute....to himself...), and drop Elvis, maybe even below Jerry Lee Lewis, but probably not. I don't like The Stones a lot either, but I think they need to be at 4. And is Ray Charles 5 ahead of Stevie Wonder because Wonder is still alive (making sub-par records... "Sub Question...is it better to burn out? or fade away?" ahh..High Fidelity. Always good for a laugh.), and when this was compiled, Charles had just died? really? I mean, body of work would suggest that Stevie Wonder be ahead of Ray. And for me, Springsteen just has to be ahead of Buddy Holly, Bo Diddley (Who should probably be higher himself...), U2, and Muddy. At LEAST. All of those artists deserve this list, no doubt. But I can't justify Bruce lower than Buddy Holly, and I LOVE Buddy Holly. It goes without saying that Jerry Lee needs to be higher. The Killer was right there with Elvis, Chuck Berry and Little Richard building rock. I AM impressed by the amount of Motown love on here, but Smokey Robinson? I get the vibe that he's recognized on here solely because every other artist that he wrote for got a nod on here. I will say, for all of my hip-hop roots and standing up for rap, and etc...Public Enemy at 44 as the first rap group listed, is fair enough for me. I'd like to see The Band higher, but I don't know how much of an argument I can make at 50.

On to the second 50. First off, by this point, if you're me, you're thinking "Wait, Roxy Music? where the hell is Fleetwood Mac, Pink Floyd, and Jay-Z?" But more on that later. The second 50 is awesome at times, and a joke at others. I'll be the first to come out and say it. There's no way. NO way that The Sex Pistols, Eminem, Tupac, and Ricky Nelson are in the 100 greatest artists ever. I can even listen to the Pistols argument, and back off them. But RS has a love affair with dead artists, and controversial artists, and here we are. And the slight of having every other genre covered except reggae (Aside from the mandatory Bob Marley nod), to just have Scratch Perry as a throw in at 100 (after the throw in of Curtis Mayfield) is borderline offensive. Scratch Perry should be above Dr. Dre....who was above Phil Spector (even the strongest rap fan, with any knowledge of other popular music would have a "WTF?" moment there...). I mean, yeah, Dr. Dre made The Chronic, we get it. But what has he done since 1994, other than live off of a reputation as hip-hop's...well....Phil Spector. He's been surpassed by Timbaland, DJ Premier, and now Kanye West (Who actually did his tribute, proof that West can think about someone other than himself for about 20 minutes.), so that was an odd choice. But, then there's the good. The insight to put Louis Jordan (albeit a bit too high), Carl Perkins, Martha and The Vandellas, and James Taylor on the list was good enough for me.

(If you have time, read the tributes...some of them were great. Justin Timberlake on Al Green, Rick Rubin on AC/DC, Wyclef on Marley, Elton John on Stevie Wonder, and Billy Joel on Elton John. Great stuff.)

Now, of course all of that is subjective. And we could debate RS for days. But OUR lists should be our own. My list is ever changing. I've got 25 Immortals, and the top will always be the top. The order might change, it's kind of like musical BCS. Springsteen is like USC. He may not always be number 1, but he'll never drop below 8, you can bet on that. Springsteen was born into me. Dad from Jersey, Born To Run always in the house. Plus, the line "The poets down here don't write nothin' at all/they just stand back and let it all be" ranks among my favorite lyrics of all time. I listen to Springsteen too much to have him slip, but he just recently reclaimed the 1 spot, he was in a slump...I mean, yeah he was still Bruce...but until Magic came out, he was out of it. He always has to remember that he's best when he's with his band, but he'll always be above the rest for me. After Springsteen, there's never any constant. Jay-Z is sitting at 2 right now, but it's tentative, with the Clash coming up from 5 to 3 after I got my hands on an exclusive edition of thier first album. And if a band is broken up, or if an artist is dead, they move just the same. Sleater-Kinney and Otis Redding move up and down most frequently. It's not as though I have some list written down somewhere, don't panic, it's not that bad...it's just a mental thing. I can think of my favorite artists and where they rank just by listening to them, or talking about them. New artists (Mid-majors) have knocked out older ones. At the bottom, Bonnie Raitt constantly flips in and out of the 25 spot with Kanye West. I don't know if West can get into this just yet. I need one more classic album (And from what I've heard, "808's And Heartbreak" ain't gonna do it), and Bonnie Raitt just seems disinterested in anything new. Fall Out Boy (Boise State) jumped in a few years back and knocked out James Taylor, who would be Oklahoma. (They currently rest somewhere around 18...but their new album can make or break), and Interpol bumped out the B-52's, as I realized that I was more Fred than the entire band. I find it's a bit anal, but whenever people ask me my favorite artists, I don't have to think. I have my immortals. If Springsteen is USC, Lindsey Buckingham is OSU. He's always near the top, but never wins out in the end. Although he probably should. By the way, don't sleep on Gift Of Screws (Buckingham's latest release)...it took 8 years to make, and it's brilliant.

Finally, I've dressed up, with a female friend as a music couple for this evil holiday for 5 years straight now. And tonight, I'm attending a party as Lindsey Buckingham, and a friend will be Stevie Nicks. Now, seeing as I am indeed black, this will be hard to pull off (last year: Ike and Tina Turner. Bad taste? maybe. Did it bring the house down? God yes.), but 2 years ago, I did a Cobain/Love thing that went over well. And Buckingham from the Tusk era won't be that hard to do. I got a ridiculous hat, suit jacket, cowboy boots, and a v neck t-shirt. The people who are throwing the party are pretty music savvy, so they'll get the Stevie Nicks thing right away and be able to assume who I am. I thought of pulling some joke with like fake cocaine or something....but even I have my limits.

So, on this Halloween day, let's give thanks (A month or so early...) for our favorite artists, and for costumes that make us look dumber than we actually are. Enjoy the night, folks.

A Musical Road Trip To End All Road Trips. (Or, I Have Seen The Future Of Rock And Roll, And Her Name Might Be Hayley Williams. Maybe.)- Part 2.

The thrilling conclusion of my concert road trip. Did I make it back alive? (yes.) Did I resolve my issues with Taking Back Sunday? Will there be a Fall Out Boy appearance to round out music of my college years? Will Maria's faithfulness be rewarded by not killing me?

All of these answers and more.

Athens, GA: Paramore, Forever The Sickest Kids (FTSK) -

Upon leaving Boston, Maria and I get right on the road, as there's a rumor that Fall Out Boy is playing a free show in Atlanta the day before Paramore plays, and it would be nice to round out our concert days with that show (I've got an "I saw Fall Out Boy before they were popular" story, so seeing them now would be awesome.) Naturally, FOB was the soundtrack to the early part of this ride, and I finally allowed their new single to grow on me, especially after I read that they're becoming lyrically inspired by Springsteen ("Sweat it out/shut your mouth/free love in the streets/but in the alley it ain't that cheap"....Inspired by Bruce? I can see that....) as Maria and I debated whether Patrick Stump should go solo after this album or not (Me: hell yes. Her: No.) We then switched to The Outlaws greatest hits, because I had just purchased it, and was excited, and also, we made a promise not to listen to any music of the artists which we had seen in concert, unless it was to verify lyrics, or some other thing along those lines. Arriving in ATL, we get told that we missed the FOB show by a day, which actually lowers Maria's irritation level (now at a safe 3 again, though I am at a 6.), so we make the best of it, and I give some rant to make me feel better about how I saw them in their purest form in 2002, and etc. And we take in Atlanta. See some street musicians. I bang on a trashcan (I know...hypocrite) with some guy, and we play a horrible version of "Maria" by Johnny Mathis (Maria's irritation level: -6) that makes Maria blush and duck into a shoe store. Kick it with random street musicians most of the day, and I eventually find a keyboard in music store and embarrass myself by playing.

So, this Paramore/FTSK thing is a small, acoustic show that was supposed to be the end of my concert tour. I got tickets only due to a guy I went to school with working at the venue as a sound guy. I saw Paramore in Arizona when (frontwoman) Hayley Williams was about 15 or 16, and I was impressed, but not as interested as I am now. FTSK are a good time. Let me first say that. I saw them at Warped Tour, and it was a treat, because there's just so many of them, and they all have a role in the band. I think it's healthy when a band that's not that great doesn't take themselves too seriously. I would say them opening up this show was no different. The only letdown was that they did mostly acoustic covers. But, they were great covers. They did this thing where they would jump from old song to new(er) song connecting them with a word in the title of the song. For instance, they went from McCartney's "Drink To Me" right into Cute Is What We Aim For's "First Drink Instinct" (I was impressed with their musical knowledge of these songs, by the way), and they bought the small house apart when they went from "The Kids Are Alright" right into Blink 182's "Stay Together For The Kids". Finally, they finished their set by playing their somewhat hit ("Me Vs. Everyone"), but they didn't sing, they just let the crowd sing all of the words, except like 3. Normally would irk me, but it worked here. So on with the main reason I took this road trip: To see Paramore one more time.

I'm won over instantly. Maria grumbles in my ear about the amount of cover songs we've had to sit through on this road trip, and I almost agree until a piano comes out, and Hayley Williams starts playing a cover of Something Corporate's "Konstantine". Does she struggle with the instrument? yes, really obviously at times. Does anyone mind? probably not. I feel like if you can take chances like that, you get thumbs up from me. Here's a side question...can anyone name the other members of Paramore without looking it up? It's not that they aren't solid, I mean, they're at least tight enough to get through shows, but it's just that they've got to compete with a force of nature as a frontwoman. It's been 3 years since I last saw Paramore, and their confidence has grown pretty intensely. They bought out some of FTSK to run through "Misery Business" and "Pressure", which was sharper than it used to be (By the way, the opening lines of Misery Business, "I'm in the business of misery/lets take it from the top/she's got a body like an hourglass/it's ticking like a clock" get me everytime. I can't tell whether it's funny bad, or funny good), but Paramore's two points that stick out are obvious. They're about a one person show, and their lyrics are just poor, and oft times corny and over the top. But, I also question how high to the toppermost of the poppermost you can ride an energetic, charismatic redhead. And that voice. She's got a voice on her, and I don't think there's any getting around that. The show ended in a cover, with Williams doing an acoustic of "First Cut Is The Deepest", which I contend was made for a woman to sing, but she just oversings it, and misses. But no one minds.

Highlight of this show: Forever The Sickest Kids. I mean, Paramore did what I expected, but FTSK are going to be really popular, really fast. (check them out at Warped this year: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l2ToLl1n0F0) Even if you're not into them musically....they're just so damn fun. And "I've got friends in highly low places" may be one of my favorite lines of the year.

Charlottesville, VA: Elton John -

I get home, ready to rest, and spill this out on RHT, including the road trip back to VA, in which Maria and I decide to buy some sidewalk chalk and decorate a block of concrete in every city we pass through (It was a smashing success by the way), and then get some sleep. But, here's the thing. I have about 25 artists that I refer to as "the immortals". My 25 greatest artists of all time. And I want to see all of the ones that I can before I, or they die. If it's plausible (i.e., I can't see the Clash, Otis Redding, John Cash, etc.). Elton John is low on the list, around 23. But, Bonnie Raitt is 25, and I saw her, so I had an opportunity to check another off of my list last friday. Maria, still at a -6 in irritation shoots down to a -23, and is on board, because if she had a list, Sir Elton would be at least 4. I'll keep this short.

It was an arena show, so I was out of my element after being in smaller shows for this entire event. After being close enough to touch most artists, you get let down when you pay 80.00 to sit nosebleed. It was a bit dull to be honest. I mean, it was Elton John, but most of the theatrics and etc. just got old after a while. Highlight of this show was simply that as an encore, he played "Purple Rain", and again, covers come through. It was sad, and romantic at the same time. Maria, ever the writer, once said that Prince writes songs that could be played at both weddings and funerals. I never agreed with it until hearing this cover. And I again got to throw the lighter in the air. As an Asian couple made out next to me.

So, overall, this was a smashing success. I didn't get fired. Don't worry. Maria didn't kill me, but we do need time apart. We've been friends since age 7, but we can only tolerate each other for 2 weeks at a time. And I didn't see the future of Rock on this tour, which is what I'm thinking I'm always searching for. The Cold War Kids just can't hack it long term, and will be good, but not great. My Chemical Romance....I'm predicting they'll collapse under the pressure of recording a Black Parade encore. Paramore is close, but the cigar can't be lit due to poor songwriting. I ended up coming away most impressed with Forever The Sickest Kids, who may not be the future of Rock, but I have a feeling that much like FOB, I'll be saying "I saw FTSK before they were popular..." one day soon.

Thanks for tuning in.

Mustang Sally

Some songs puzzle me. It seems to me that there are some songs that come out of nowhere; they seem to be written by obscure songwriters, sung by largely unknown artists and yet leave colossal imprints on both pop culture and music history. These songs are more than just one-hit wonders, these songs are known and loved by all and yet few people know what they are actually about or what the lyrics really mean. Now I know that around RHT, not too many references get by the keen intellect of Shoe or DJ, but I still contend that there are some anomalies that even they may be forced to ponder. If not for song content at least sheer appeal and success of such unlikely tunes. Enter Exhibit A - "Mustang Sally"

Wikipedia says:

"Mustang Sally" is an R&B / straight-forward Blues song written and first recorded by Mack Rice in 1965. It gained greater popularity when it was covered by Wilson Pickett the following year.

I say "Mustang Sally" is a phenomenon. This has to be one of the most requested, most played, most karaoked songs in history. After Filo Beddoe began playing out, we quickly learned that any band without this cure-all song was sorely ill-equipped. It is requested at nearly every show we have ever played. Running second place only to "Play some Skynyrd!", yelling for a Mustang Sally cover is nearly automatic. What is it about this song that makes everyone like it? (I challenge anyone to find someone who doesn't like someone's version of this tune!)

More history reveals some interesting tidbits about the tune. The song was rescued by Wilson Pickett only a year after Sir Mack Rice released it in 1965. If you wonder what I mean by "rescued" check out Sir Mack's version here. Troubled soul legend Wilson Pickett managed to get this song to #6 on the R&B charts. Honestly, how many other songs would you be able to sing along with from the 1965 R&B charts? How many could you not only play, but actually have requested at a place called "Mudpuppies" in southern Ohio? But Mustang Sally has a magic . . . .

The song grew out of a joke involving a friend of his, a drummer and band leader for Della Reese, and time they spent together in New York City."The guys in the band were telling me that it was his birthday coming up," Rice said, "and they said Della was probably going to buy him a big Lincoln, because she always buys band leaders big cars and stuff for their birthdays. And I told him, and he said, 'That's not what I want, man, I want that Mustang.' "Rice was not impressed. "In Detroit, we drive Cadillacs and Lincolns," he said. "Big. I said, 'I know you don't want that little car, man.' And he kept on, man, he loved it, he said, 'That's the car I'm going to get.' "So Rice took to teasing him, calling him a Mustang Mama, and growing the joke into a song that was built around what he called "an old, back-in-the-day nursery rhyme." Here is how it begins: Little Sally Walker sitting in a saucer - "Ride, Sally, ride!"

So now that we know the story, its easy to see why this song is still going strong over forty years later, right? Right? Perhaps the secret is in the fact that Mack Rice was going to call the song "Mustang Mama" but the queen of soul herself, Aretha Franklin, told him "Mustang Sally" was a better choice?

Many claim "Mustang Sally" is the "Stairway to Heaven" of blues. During the 80s, many guitar store employees put up humorous "No Stairway to Heaven" signs to discourage the daily onslaught of noodlers playing the song. In that vein, John Lee Hooker's Boom Boom Room has had a sign on the stage for more than a decade that says, "No Mustang Sally."

Then we have the covers. Here is the partial list that Wikipedia provides as "notable" artists who have recorded the song:

The Chambers Brothers (1965; released 1997)
Wilson Pickett (1966)
The Kingsmen (1966)
The (Young) Rascals (1966)
Ken Boothe (1968)
The Mar-Keys (1969)
Silver Apples (1969; released 1998)
Muddy Waters (1974; released 1990)
Maurice Williams (1975)
Willie Mitchell (1977)
Magic Slim (1980)
Rufus Thomas (1980)
The Commitments (1991)
Buddy Guy (1991)
Sam & Dave (1995)
Fiona Day (1999)
Albert Collins (2000)
Los Lobos (2000), for the film Miss Congeniality
Solomon Burke (2004)
Bruce Springsteen (Live)
Chris Farrow Cent'anni Restaurant (2008)
Mike Huckabee Huckabee (2008)

I must note here that I find it interesting that Wikipedia considers Mike Huckabee a more "notable" artist than either ZZ Top or Eric Clapton, both of which have covered "Mustang Sally."

Nothing compares to the Wilson Pickett "original." Well, perhaps I shouldn't say nothing. How about sexy, but a little weirding-out chick Mustang Sally? Not for you? Try acoustic cowboy version complete with living room acoustics. Line dance Mustang Sally? At any rate, the song continues to kill all across the globe anytime those three familiar chords are fired up on the stage. In 2004, Rolling Stone named "Mustang Sally" as one of the top 500 songs of all time. This, my friends, is what we know. Why Sally insisted on speeding all over town, why she had flat-feet that were kept off the ground, and why this song endures as it does, remains a mystery. It's just one of those songs . . . .

A Musical Road Trip To End All Road Trips. (Or, I Have Seen The Future Of Rock And Roll, And Her Name Might Be Hayley Williams. Maybe.)- Part 1.

So, I am glad to be back in the RHT fold. I've missed being random on these pages, but I had a task I just had to undertake. I decided to take a vacation from my brand new job, and go on a 2 week concert road trip. Mapping out stops in Charlotte, Akron, Boston, Athens (GA.), And back to Charlottesville. I was armed with my amazing fashion sense, critical musical awareness, pretty much my life's savings, and my lifelong friend Maria (who came along against her will...umm....thanks?) to keep me grounded, and make sure that I didn't kill myself, or anyone else. What compelled me to do this? I've got no clue, and I'm pretty sure I might be fired. But I think I did it for RHT. And here's the rundown:

Charlotte, NC: Cold War Kids, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Family Force 5 -

So, upon arriving in North Carolina, I want to throw up. I generally dislike NC, and the fact that I was kind of close to Duke university was enough to ruin my life. But, Cold War Kids, the band that I consider to be the new next wave of band to take over everything is here. And I vowed to see them this year. We go to a small town outside of Charlotte which is the basic hippie town of the area. Maria and I, both hippies, are in our element. We're anti-establishment, but also both drug free, so I think we raised eyebrows when turning down some of the goods, but once we again established how anti-everything we were, we get props, and are well on our way. Lady asks if we're a couple. I joke that we are. Lady shows us rugs for when we fake move in together and picks out a "romantic" one. Lady is old, and sweet, so I buy a 50.00 rug that nor Maria and I will ever use, but it goes in the back of the car.
(Maria's irritation level: 2)

On to the show...it's a small venue, which is always good for me, as I'm anti-arena rock with a passion. It's a small packed venue, and hot, and sticky...which I don't entirely mind, but I kind of mind. The first act is Atlanta's own Family Force 5. These guys were interesting, but fun. They're apparently a Christian band, which was odd, since they were sharing a bill with one band who's last hit song was about murder, and another band who's last hit was about sex...but they're riding a current hit about having dance fever....so it all comes out in the wash. They're also criticized roundly by Christian music critics for their music, but that's neither here nor there. Lead singer Solomon Olds (or "Soul Glow Activatur" as he's called) was the thief of the night, stealing the show entirely. During the aforementioned hit song ("Fever"), the band bought a slip n' slide on the stage, got some water and slid around while playing. I'm usually not a fan of such theatrics, but it lifted the spirits in the room. They played a short set, which was the only way that I remembered that it wasn't their show. Next was what I had waited for...The Cold War kids are amazing, first of all. The first album ("Robbers & Cowards") is a new classic, and if you haven't heard it, do it. It may go down as one of the best albums post 2000 era. Now, since that was their debut, in classic form, the follow up ("Loyalty To Loyalty") fell flat. It's currently getting abused by critics (http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/record_review/145813-cold-war-kids-loyalty-to-loyalty), and fans alike. Personally, I didn't like it, but I have accepted sophomore slumps as a way of life in music (See Blog: Your Second Album Will Probably Ruin My Life.) But, nonetheless, I think, much like the subject of that blog, Bloc Party, Cold War Kids will bounce back, and be the new White Stripes. With better drumming.

This show, however, did nothing to prove that fact. They fell flat. Hard. Bringing out about 6 additional members to a 5 member band on a crammed stage didn't help. Note to dude playing the trashcans over there: Hey. We get it. You're edgy and unique. But I can't hear the damn vocals because you seem to think that this is Stomp. Give it a rest. There were high points. An emotion rendition of the song Hospital Beds really struck me. With frontman Nathan Willet playing piano, and guitarist Matt Aviero laying on said piano...I'm a sucker for theatrics. I think they mostly fell flat because they played mostly new material, and it just doesn't do it. For anyone. Every Man I Fall For is a decent new track, solely because it reverses gender roles, but I don't think the more ummm..."country" part of the crowd thought that deeply about the song, and it's gender bendish lyrics ("Every man I fall for/drinks his coffee black/love and hate are tattooed on his knuckles/And my name is on his back".....? Seriously?), and most people lost interest. I felt like the CWK just threw in the towel midway through. They did have a nice sing along session when they did a cover of Kings Of Leon's "Molly's Chamber", which was a brilliant choice. Maria, upset that they didn't play her favorite song ("Old St. John"), or her second favorite song ("Sermon vs. The Gospel") or her third favorite song ("Hair Down"...which is actually my favorite), sulks and goes to get a drink until Yeah Yeah Yeahs come out.

Karen O is more of a rock star than anyone, ever. At least you'd think that. Yeah Yeah Yeahs (from now on in this blog, referred to as YYY) have the pedigree. They're from New York, and clawed to the top of that scene, so playing in NC should be nothing. Right? Right?? I think what it comes down to is that they were just not used to headlining, and there was no ceiling on Karen. She's a performer where if you don't get a lid on her, she'll do her Siouxsie Sioux thing, and just overshadow her band. Which, tonight meant rolling around on stage in (canola?) oil during "Rich" and "Y Control", as guitarist Nick Zinner gets his "this is just a paycheck" look that we've all seen so many times in Charlie Watts. In short, all this show told me was that YYY are probably breaking up after their new album comes out in January, and I think everyone in the room could sense at least that.

The highlight of this show: At the end, members of all of the bands came on stage to pay homage to what is now known as the "saddest day in indie rock", or the day that Sleater-Kinney broke up, and Karen O, Nick Zinner, Nathan Willet, and some of FF5 paid a great tribute by doing a rousing cover of "Entertain", which ended the night on a good note. The note turned bad, however, when true to form, I lost the hotel key. Eventually was found. And we're off.
(Maria irritation level: 4)

Akron, OH: The Black Keys-

So, I'm back in Ohio, taking in garage rock revival, and checking out The Black Keys in their hometown. Turn my phone off due to outrageous requests. To all my friends: No, I'm not coming to Columbus to visit. I love all of you, but I'm on a mission. I don't show up at your roadtrips, so lets keep this honest. Guilt gets the best of me. Drive to Columbus for a few hours before the show, and get caught up longer than I want to, but make Maria happy, because she can see her family. Family asks when the two of us are getting married, and I show them the rug for our fake house for when we fake move in together after we fake fall in love and get married. Maria is amused, Dad is amused, Mom is confused. We roll to Akron, taking with us 4 more friends than we came down with the first time, as long as they promised to drive separately and not hit on random girls. 5 minutes into Akron, one of those promises fell flat. The show is packed beyond belief, and since I decided to come late, after going to Columbus, we are way in the back. Maria pokes me every time I give her an "I told you so look", and the looks are frequent, so the pokes get harder. I will never stop though. So, here's the thing. If you've never had the pleasure of seeing a band in their hometown, you're missing out. The Keys came out with fire, intensity and excitement. They opened up with about a 10 minute jam session that called to everything from old blues to new garage rock. There's only drums and guitar here, but it's just so loud, you can't believe it. The set was filled with energy, and complete with every concert shenanigan ever. They chose a decent amount of cover songs, which was interesting. Nada Surf's "Popular" made the cut, and I was shocked when I was only about 4 people were singing along. I feel old. I am reassured that I'm not, it's just that despite the ironic title, Nada Surf was indeed never popular, so no one remembers that song. Singer Dan Auerbach then drooled all over QOTSA's/Eagles of Death Metal's Josh Homme, and they proceeded to cover both "Feel Good Hit Of The Summer" and "Go With The Flow", which more people got involved with. They then attempted a rough cover of "Acadian Driftwood" by the Band, which only fell flat because, well....there's only two of them, and keys are such a vital part of that song. Since this is Maria's favorite Band song, she feels cheated, but perks up when for the first time, she hears a favorite of hers, when The Keys break into "The Lengths", a romantic, wistful song that makes her cry 99% of the time. (The lyrics "Hold me now/or never ever hold me again" are what does it, I think.), which also makes me happy, not because she's crying, but because this is the first opportunity in which I see lighters in the air at a concert, and I get to go on my "Thank God we're getting away from that stupid cell phone in the place of lighters trend" rant, as I find a lighter and do the honors. The show closes out with a 15 minute version of "10 a.m. automatic" in which in a surprise, they were joined by Arctic Monkey's band member Matt Helders.

Highlight of this show: I. Met. Chrissie. Hynde. Period. I mean, it was more like autograph, shake hand, and tell her "You are amazing"....but that counts, right? In my more dull moment, I wondered aloud why she was there, and Maria hits me on the head and reminds me that she is not only from Akron, but graduated from the same high school as The Keys. Drive back to Columbus, and say goodbyes. Moving on....

(Maria irritation level: 1)

Boston, MA: My Chemical Romance (MCR), Taking Back Sunday (TBS) -

Things that happened on the drive to Boston that may or may not have pissed Maria off. Well, first off, we realized that we left her camera in Columbus. And by "We", I definitely mean "Me". Also, in my attempt to be kind and find a new camera for her, we also ran out of gas, setting us back, and making us stay at a hotel which can only be described as dodgy. So.

(Maria irritation level: 7)

Despite my aversions to Boston, I wanted this show. Look, I don't hate Boston. I just got tired of all of my Irish friends from Boston (count: 3) who love only 2 things: Boondock Saints, and Flogging Molly (actually, the lead singer of Flogging Molly went on to start the band Streetdogs, with great success. Side note is that Streetdogs were playing at a festival in Boston during the day, and due to our gas issue, we missed this festival, knocking Maria up to an 8 at this point.) But, nonetheless, this show was dubbed the concert of the once great band (TBS), and the might be great band, but I am not sure yet (MCR). I mean, The Black Parade was a masterpiece, but it was above MCR's station. And TBS....well they released a classic debut, and haven't been the same ever since. So, I went into this with mixed feelings. MCR has long stopped with their Black Parade theatrics that were wearing thin. I mean, how long can anyone get away with wearing full army attire in shows?

And it's a good thing, as this venue was not made for this. Playing a small show in a small club after coming off of their Black Parade theatrics was just what MCR needed, and just what I needed, as I haven't seen them since warped tour in about 2004, when Gerard Way went on his infamous "anti-emo" rant, and alienated every 15 year old girl on the planet (setting the stage for The Black Parade early? hmm....), and since they now have discovered Queen, and have critical acclaim to back them up, I figured I should give them a try. And I haven't seen TBS since 2002, when they were still good, and I have since swore them off, and told myself I would never see them again. I walk into this venue with caution on my back, and a pissed off girl on my arm. Formula for a good night.

First off, let me say this. Taking Back Sunday still has it. It's just hard when the best song of your career is the first song on your first album, and it's all downhill from there. And, true to form, they started out with that song ("You Know How I Do"), and let the slide start. But, here's the thing...it never really did. Lyrically, you have to love lines like "Crush me baby, I'm all ears", "I've got so good at setting bad examples", "Make sure that you're seen With a girl on your arm and your heart on your sleeve", and "If it wasn't for you, this scene would have no muse". I mean, it's emo for emo's sake. And we've grown with them, so it was all about 21-27 year olds at this show, just waiting for a taste of what used to be good about TBS. And I think we got it. Maria showed signs of life when they played "You're So Last Summer" as she screamed the lyrics "Boys like you are a dime a dozen", seemingly at me, but probably at the kid with the emo swoop next to me. At least that's what I tell myself. The song "Twenty Twenty Surgery" got a bit dramatic when frontman Adam Lazarra did his umm....trademark swinging of the mic (still? after like 6 years? let it go dude...please. This guy knocked himself out with the mic at Warped Tour in '04. So, do we admire his persistence? maybe...), and hit the drum set, but the drummer did recover well. TBS closed out the show with a cover of MCR's "Helena", which I thought was tacky, but everyone else loved, and on comes the Chemical boys. Despite the fact that they've dropped the Black Parade sideshow, there's still something dark about My Chem. They played almost an entire show in darkness, and for a band trying to shed their Black Parade image, starting a set with that exact song wasn't smart, but I love the track, so I was all for it. Emo (sorry, Gerard) theatrics were in full effect, with dueling guitars and dramatic lead singer posing. Here's the thing. For as much as MCR wants to forget the Black Parade, Gerard Way still, and maybe always will think that he's Freddie Mercury. So, they will always have that. The only difference I saw was that they weren't wearing the stupid army gear. But, I also saw a much more musically technical band. Yeah, Frank Iero thinks he's Brian May, and give me a break, and bla, bla, bla. But whatever works. I can't say much about the songs they played, because I was watching most of the show in awe, feeling like I was watching a band that has risen above it's prior station, and is ready to have a serious impact on rock. If only they could do it without the platform of a concept to hide behind. I mean, I liked the Black Parade concept as much as anyone else, but strip that down, and what did they have on this last album? I'm ready for them to step forward. On the way out, I purchase new camera for Maria, and jam on the street with some random guy who had a harmonica and a keyboard.

Highlight of show: Further going into my theory that MCR is the new Cure, the boys did a cover of both "Mint Car" and "Fascination Street" that were upbeat and spooky at the same time.

(Maria irritation level: 0)

Tune in tomorrow for the conclusion of my road trip. And it's good to be back.

The IRY

Just when I thought the music scene was pretty dead in Columbus, I ran into a gem. A week and a half ago, I went to Skully's on Friday night. I didn't plan on being there. But you know, a few drinks, a few females, I was ready to go anywhere. Anyway, I'm stacked up against a wall absorbing my fifth cocktail, when this guy starts jamming on the piano. The drums kick in with an accompanying guitar. The next thing I know I'm hearing a reference to December 21, 2012 (Nostradamus for those playing at home). Instantly I'm intrigued.

The music is definitely led by the piano (there's not enough of this these days). A few Ben Fold's like riffs could be found but not a direct correlation to the overall sound of the music. The singer's voice reminds me of the European style (Athlete, the Kaiser Chiefs, the Kooks). There is definitely some originality but a little repetition at times. As I've listened to the EP a few more times, I've grown to like the style overall. Probably my favorite song is Postcard Scenes (follow the link if you're interested) at http://www.myspace.com/theiry . You can check out their website here and see a video here.

After the set, I'm out having a smoke minding my own business when I notice that the band is standing right next to me. I stumble over and introduce myself and tell the lead singer how much I enjoyed the show. He was very humble and appreciative. He explained to me that he never had any formal training on the piano and just kind of picked it up on his own. We bullshited for awhile, and he gave me the first half of their new album to sample. I believe the band has potential, and you heard it here first.

John Cusack, Jack Black, The Boss, and One of History's Greatest Music Movies

Well, it's kind of obvious that, athough Rock Hard Times is steadily growing as a music website, we've been a tad slow in the blogging department as of late. I'm a as guilty as anyone, it just seems that everytime I sit down to impart my pearls of witty wisdom to the masses something pops up and stops me in my tracks. Hey, I ain’t lyin’. I've had several ideas for blogs that will knock off your proverbial socks. But it seems that every time I sit down to pound one out, I’m interrupted by some inconsequential bullshit like somebody dying or some other annoying bit of random happenstance. Like tonight for instance. I’d walked the dog, thrown some clothes in the wash, and had plopped down to turn out a bit of prize-winning prose. My lovely Marianne is in Florida so I had the entire evening in front of me. Alas, no sooner had I started when I got a phone call. Some friends were rustling up some chops on the grill and wondered if I was interested in coming over for a taste and an adult beverage. Well, hell yeah. After that Bengal performance today a pork chop sounds downright delicious. I need to move on and put the Bungles out of my mind. Long story short I’m not bloggin’ for long. Still, methinks it’s time for a brief look at one of the greatest films of all-time, the legendary Hi Fidelity. If you’re a music fan and haven’t seen it, don’t tell me or I shall find you and punch you in the neck. Seriously, go out and rent it tonight and save yourself some major pummeling about the neck and shoulders.

I’m not going to bore you with a detailed reconstruction of the plot, but let’s just say it’s a film about a guy (John Cusack) who owns a vinyl record store and has some serious relationship problems. Cusack stars as Rob Gordon and the film also features Iben Hjejle, Todd Louiso, and Jack Black as Barry (in an unforgettable performance). Lisa Bonet of Cosby fame is in the movie as well as Tim Robbins, and there’s even a cameo by a cat named Bruce Springsteen.

Bottom line, if you’re a music fan it’s a movie that must be seen. I don’t want to give anything away, but I’d like at least to share some of the more memorable quotes. Many of them are music-related. Here they be:

Exchange between Barry and a customer:

Customer: Hi, do you have the song "I Just Called To Say I Love You?" It's for my daughter's birthday.
Barry: Yea we have it.
Customer: Great, great... Well, can I have it?
Barry: No, you can't.
Customer: Why not?!
Barry: Because it's sentimental tacky crap that's why. Do we look like a store that sells "I Just Called to Say I Love You"? Go to the mall!
Customer: What's your problem?!
Barry: Do you even know your daughter? There's no way she likes that song! Oh, oh, oh, wait! Is she in a coma?

More dialogue in the record store:

Barry: Holy shit. What the fuck is that?
Dick: It's the new Belle and Sebastian...
Rob: It's a record we've been listening to and enjoying, Barry.
Barry: Well, that's unfortunate, because it sucks ass.

Rob, on the art of making the mix-tape:

Rob: The making of a great compilation tape, like breaking up, is hard to do and takes ages longer than it might seem. You gotta kick off with a killer, to grab attention. Then you got to take it up a notch, but you don't wanna blow your wad, so then you got to cool it off a notch. There are a lot of rules.

Rob, on relationships:

Rob: Should I bolt every time I get that feeling in my gut when I meet someone new? Well, I've been listening to my gut since I was 14 years old, and frankly speaking, I've come to the conclusion that my guts have shit for brains.

And later . . .

Laura: Listen, Rob, would you have sex with me? Because I want to feel something other than this. It’s either that, or I go home and put my hand in the fire. Unless you want to stub cigarettes out on my arm.
Rob: No. I only have a few left, I've been saving them for later.
Laura: Right. It'll have to be sex, then.
Rob: Right.

Here’s a discussion on songs about death:

Barry: Top 5 songs about death. A Laura's Dad tribute list, okay? Okay. Leader of the Pack. The guy fuckin' beefs it on his motorcycle and dies, right? Dead Man's Curve. Jan & Dean.
Dick: Do you know that right after they recorded that song Jan himself crashed his car...
Barry: It was Dean you fuckin' idiot...
Rob: It was Jan. It was a long time after the song.
Barry: Okay, whatever. Tell Laura I Love Her. That would bring the house down - Laura's Mom could sing it. You know what I'd want? One Step Beyond by Madness. And, uh, You Can't Always Get What You Want.
Dick: No. Immediate disqualification because of its involvement with The Big Chill.
Barry: Oh God. You're right.
Dick: Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald - Gordon Lightfoot.
Barry: You bastard! That's so good - that should have been mine... The night Laura's daddy died. Sha na na na na na na na na! Brother what a night it really was. Mother what a night it really... angina's tough! Glory be!

(If you don’t know that’s a reference to the song “The Night Chicago Died” get off this site immediately)

Here’s another great exchange:

Rob: Liking both Marvin Gaye and Art Garfunkle is like supporting both the Israelis and the Palestinians.
Laura: No, it's really not, Rob. You know why? Because Marvin Gaye and Art Garfunkel make pop records.
Rob: Made. Made. Marvin Gaye is dead. His father shot him.

And so on and so forth. The dialogue in this movie is a music lover’s dream, and this was just an appetizer for one of the greatest music related movies ever. OK, you can make an argument for American Hot Wax or This is Spinal Tap, but I’ll take Hi Fidelity any day. Just a lot of obscure references that make it all worthwhile. Watch it tonight, and if you’ve seen it, watch it again. It’s required RHT viewing.

Ryan Adams & The Cardinals: 10.3.08 Taft Theater, Cincinnati, OH

The Neil Young for my generation. That's really all I can come up with when trying to describe Ryan Adams after seeing him perform for the first time in person Friday night. Adams is a walking, singing, guitar playing dichotomy. On one hand you sense he is intensely serious about his craft, his sound - everything that goes on around him on stage. Yet you also get the feeling he could just say "Screw It" in the next breath and sit down in the middle of the stage & pour himself a bowl of Cheerios. The set he and The Cardinals played for us at the Taft Theater was extremely intricate, well-rounded, & robust...yet altogether thrown together, if you follow. Let me put it to you this way: the guy's a frickin' genius & he knows it. We've all known guys like this, and there are some issues that go along with it they never completely figure out.

It was my pleasure to have the company of my sister, who had previously driven up from Knoxville, TN. I think I've told you before; she's the biggest Ryan Adams fan I've ever met and in the past 3 years has gotten me hooked on the guy too. So it was my first chance to see The Cardinals live. I've become pretty much obsessed with only listening to live recordings of The Cardinals lately - there's just a vibe you get from hearing these guys live that you can't pick up off of an album cut. Knowing going in that this could be an interesting experience, I jumped at the chance to see them in person, and I was not disappointed.

Now, I'm not going to bore you with the details of every song they played & all that crap. The show itself was just observing Adams on stage. Ryan appears on stage resplendent in his Dio T-shirt & black, thick-rimmed glasses, & tussled hair. Like Garth Algar finally got a gig, I thought. The guy seriously must have ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder). He constantly is adjusting things - his mic stand, his guitar, the set list, his glasses, jacket on/jacket off. He has a constant banter & nervousness between songs that literally drives some folk crazy. The set does not flow from one song to the next; you may wait 3-5 minutes between songs before Adams talks himself into kicking off the next. I think he's a little schizophrenic; he picks up everything that is shouted at the stage. Probably not the best complex for a musician to have on stage, but he can be a riot with his witty responses. You can tell the guy has a brain that's moving a hundred times faster than normal. Don't take this a criticism though. This is the charm in seeing Ryan Adams live. It's not your everyday, run of the mill concert. It's an experience.

The Cardinals - Adams' backing band - are very fine musicians in their own right. Brad Pemberton (drums) and Chris Feinstein (bass) provide a solid rhythm section. Jon Graboff plays a searing pedal steel that curls your toes - a tremendous musician. And Neal Casal. Damn, that dude can sing. Casal plays the rhythm guitar & provides a high-pitch backing vocal that just accentuates everything Adams does. This is a classy group, without a doubt. Nothing flashy - that's Adams' job. Just solid as a rock. Pro's pros. Dare I say very much like Neil Young's Crazy Horse...?

The Cardinals are displaying a new, more electric guitar-oriented sound which will be featured on their upcoming release Cardinolgy, which will be available Oct. 28th. It has been described as "the study of guitar astrology and jam technology. And with songs even." Quite fitting, I suppose. Not once was an acoustic guitar introduced during this performance just straight-ahead jamming with the volume up & the knob ripped off. The new material is for the most part very up-tempo & catchy. Adams delved into his vast catalog quite a bit during the show as well, playing "Come Pick Me Up," "Wonderwall," "When The Stars Go Blue," "Everybody Knows," "Cold Roses," etc. The new material was of course on spotlight, & I cannot wait to hear it all. The Cardinals will be performing on Letterman Oct. 29 if you want to check it out for yourselves. You will not be disappointed. Rock on Cardinals!! Thanks for the great show!


Cardinology - Recorded at Electric Lady Studios, NYC.

1. Born Into A Light 2. Go Easy 3. Fix It 4. Magick 5. Cobwebs 6. Let Us Down Easy 7. Crossed Out Name 8. Natural Ghost 9. Sink Ships 10. Evergreen 11. Like Yesterday 12. Stop

Video not yet up for the Taft Theater show - Links provided are from Albany, NY 9.25.08, Syracuse, NY 9.26.08 & Columbus, OH 9.29.08.