Concert recap: Rosanne Cash, Maroon 5, Jónsi, Macy Gray

Jónsi photo credit: Kim Kinsler

Have I been missing in action? Of course not. I've been busy covering shows for The Orange County Register and even writing a couple of concert previews as well as shooting new episode of "Music Worth Buying" with TJR so I haven't posted in a bit. Sorry. But while I think of something interesting to share, why don't you check out my four latest concert reviews posted in the Soundcheck blog at the Orange County Register site. They are re-published below for your daytime or evening reading pleasure...


Macy Gray eclectic as ever at the Mouse House
Originally posted on Soundcheck on Wednesday, Oct. 20, 2010

Few singers have a voice as distinctive as Macy Gray’s. But that raspy instrument wouldn’t mean much if the celebrated singer didn’t have solid material to put those pipes to good use.

Throughout a strong 100-minute concert Tuesday night at House of Blues Anaheim, the 43-year- old Ohio native delivered songs incorporating every far-flung influence in her past, from pop and alt-rock to blues and soul, R&B and jazz, even reggae. The power of her voice, a solid backing group (five musicians and two backing singers) and an easygoing rapport with fans made the mix of styles flow together exceptionally well.

Evidence of that came early on, when Gray and her band offered up a rocking yet nuanced take on Radiohead’s “Creep.” Her idiosyncratic personality and gruff vocal resonance couldn’t be more different than Thom Yorke’s, but the version offered up at the Mouse House was no gimmick; there was a sense of power and emotion that really made the remake memorable.

Better news was that the bulk of this set came from Gray’s new disc The Sellout, her fifth full-length effort (and first for Concord Records), an outstanding collection full of authentic material written or co-written by the singer. It proves how after a decade of consistently interesting work — built on the emotion inherit in the very sound of her voice as well as the wealth of influences she has amassed — Gray has become a master at mixing together the classic with the contemporary.

On “Kissed It” Tuesday night, she wrapped her straightforward lyrics of romantic rejection around a ’70s-styled rocker anchored by a heavy drum beat. Elsewhere she used slow soulful grooves (“Stalker”) or modern dance styles (notably during “On and On”) quite effectively.

And throughout the night, she and her band would blend her own songs with bits of classic rock that added texture to her performance, while simultaneously exciting the crowd as well. Yes‘ “I’ve Seen All Good People,” Rod Stewart’s “Da Ya Think I’m Sexy” (which morphed into a hearty version of her own “Oblivion”) and Queen’s “We Are the Champions” were all infused into Gray’s wide-ranging set in Anaheim, before she brought things to a convincing close with a rousing rendition of her breakthrough hit “I Try,” followed by her latest single, the shimmering feel-good anthem “Beauty in the World.”



Jónsi captivates at tour kickoff in San Diego
Originally posted on Soundcheck on Saturday, Oct. 16, 2010

Jón Thór Birgisson — better known to an ever-increasing number of devotees as Jónsi – kicked off his second tour of the U.S. this year with a dazzling, adventurous performance Friday night in San Diego. The Icelandic singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist who normally fronts the ensemble Sigur Rós performed with all the zeal he showcased at Coachella six months ago, yet this time his songs and singular, indie-rock-meets-world-music style were bundled with a theatricality that impressed throughout a 90-minute show delivered before a capacity crowd at 4th & B. (He plays again Sunday at the Wiltern in Los Angeles and Monday at the Fox Theater in Pomona.)

As ambitious as it was artistic, Jónsi’s concert included emotional reworkings of most of the material on his wonderful solo debut, Go, along with many new songs. Whereas the two Sigur Rós performances I’ve seen played out like a perfect fusion of rock and symphonic music, Friday night’s set, backed by an outstanding four-man group that includes his partner Alex Somers, offered an equally ideal blend of modern alt-rock and musical theater.

After opening with a new solo acoustic song (“Stars in Still Water”), things moved quickly with a nature-minded storyline showing a conflagration destroying a taxidermy shop during the emotive “Hengilas.” High-tech projections of animation, 3-D artwork positioned on stage and dancing lights all around resulted in birds and butterflies taking flight, a deer and wolf battling in a forest, ants marching, rain falling and a storm raging. All the while, the buoyant “Boy Lilikoi,” the exuberant “Animal Arithmetic,” the joyous “Grow Till Tall” and the contemplative one-two punch of “Kolnidur” morphing into “Tornado” challenged the traditions of what a rock ‘n’ roll concert should look and sound like.

Whether seated at a piano, playing his acoustic guitar or simply standing in front of a microphone, Jónsi’s soaring tenor and falsetto were used to bring depth and power to every moment. The show didn’t reach its zenith, however, until Jónsi held the last note of the show-closing “Grow Till Tall,” the echos of his far-reaching voice and vision resonating in the collective crowd as people slowly made their way out of the music hall. It was truly a concert free from cliche: no band introductions, no pleas for fans to get on their feet and participate, no frivolous sing-longs. Indeed, Jónsi said very little, preferring instead to let the power of the concert, the lights and this celebration of nature challenge and excite the audience. It worked.

Opening these shows is Mountain Man, a female trio spotlighting original songs from its recently released debut, Made the Harbor, each track constructed around their unique vocals. At times, MM’s sound evoked Americana and Celtic folk, notably on the set-ending “Sewee Sewee,” but other original songs, like “How’m I Doin,” showcased their blended voices alone or, as on “Follow the Tracks,” against the backdrop of a lone acoustic guitar. All of it defied easy categorization, yet the performance from Molly Erin Sarle, Alexandra Sauser-Monnig and Amelia Randall Meath was an ideal way to kick off a night of unique music-making.

Jónsi, with Mountain Man opening, plays again Sunday (Oct. 17) at the Wiltern, 3790 Wilshire Blvd. in Los Angeles ($47.20-$62.45) and Monday (Oct. 18) at the Fox Theater, 301 S. Garey Ave. in Pomona ($32.65-$43.65). All prices include fees.



Maroon 5 fires up a party night at the Greek
Originally posted on Soundcheck on Sunday, Oct. 10, 2010

Anybody who has caught nostalgic acts at Pacific Amphitheatre during the OC Fair can attest that no matter how talented the performers, no matter how good the show, music-making ultimately takes a backseat to nonstop crowd chatter, bumping and shoving as people head out for frequent beer runs, and a general lack of interest in anything beyond a simple singalong.

It was sad to see that same vibe at the near-capacity Maroon 5 concert at the Greek Theatre on Saturday night (Oct. 9, 2010), the second of two shows from the popular L.A. quintet staged there this weekend.

Whereas bands like Hootie and the Blowfish, Styx and Duran Duran enjoyed their biggest successes decades ago, and thus largely attract party people who talk and talk until they hear a hit they love, Maroon 5 is one of the most popular mainstream groups right now; its newly released third disc, Hands All Over, was one of the biggest-selling albums the week of its release late last month, and a new single from it, “Misery,” currently sits atop the Hot AC (adult contemporary) chart. You’d think these guys would get more respect.

It was an energetic version of “Misery” that kicked off M5’s 90-minute set, with the outfit’s talented frontman Adam Levine on a mission to lead these hometown tour stops via an energetic stew of funk, rock, soul and R&B. To its credit, no matter how many distractions took place in the crowd, the band was determined to reward longtime fans with a solid and memorable concert.

Maroon 5 struck successfully with a mix of its best-known hits (“Harder to Breathe,” “This Love,” “Makes Me Wonder”), slices of sublime pop-rock (the infectious “Won’t Go Home Without You”), expressive ballads (“Secret,” “She Will Be Loved”) and perhaps most remarkably a wonderful cover of Al Green’s “Let’s Stay Together.”

Although Levine’s impressive vocals, notably his pleasing tenor falsetto, have become the most obvious part of M5’s sound, this show also spotlighted tight and reworked arrangements from the rest of the group, often bolstered by the strong guitar work of Levine and James Valentine. Of the newer material played on Saturday, the upbeat “Stutter” and “Give a Little More” were standouts.

It would be a stretch to credit Maroon 5 as having reached the artistic heights of an Arcade Fire (another band that just delivered two shows in L.A.), but there’s nothing wrong with a group that can write and perform commercial material that is both accessible and well-crafted. But by the end of the band’s energetic show, I had grown weary of trying to listen amid the ceaseless commotion and banter around me, and was happy the show was over. I don’t often say that about a perfectly solid concert on a beautiful night under the stars in Griffith Park.

In a brief but obviously crowd-pleasing cameo, actor-musician Jason Segel performed a couple songs before Maroon 5 took the stage, playing his “Dracula’s Lament” (from Forgetting Sarah Marshall) and adding his humor and piano-pounding talents the night’s party atmosphere. I’m pretty sure he was kidding when he screamed out about “bringing on the greatest band (Maroon 5) in the history of rock ‘n’ roll,” but on a date when most of the world was recalling the 70th birthday of the late John Lennon (who was definitely a member of the world’s greatest rock band), that was definitely pushing the envelope of his comedy.

Even for casual fans of modern music, OneRepublic’s familiar material was a solid fit here as another opener. Singer-keyboardist Ryan Tedder led his L.A. band through its best-known material (especially “Apologize” and “Stop and Stare”) along with more forceful rock stuff like “Marchin On” and “Waking Up,” all delivered with zeal. But the real ace in the band’s arsenal is the cello playing of Brent Kutzle, whose work added real substance to the introspective “Good Life,” among other songs.

Those wondering if any of the artists on the bill would pay tribute to Lennon hopefully arrived early. When first opener Ry Cuming took the stage at 7 p.m. the Australian noted that he wanted to dedicate his first song, a cover of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah,” to the Beatle. His sparse version, his vocals accompanied by his own guitar and his band’s keyboardist, ultimately proved to be one of his best selections across a half-hour set of mostly original material.


Rosanne Cash gets deep at the Grammy Museum
Originally posted on Soundcheck on Thursday, Oct. 7, 2010

It has taken Rosanne Cash most of her adult life to both escape and embrace comparisons with other members of one of country music’s most celebrated families.

The eldest child of Johnny Cash, now 55, has released a dozen albums over the last three decades while more recently establishing herself as a talented author, thanks to her compelling short stories and essays, plus a popular book for children, Penelope Jane: A Fairy’s Tale, from 2000. A decade later, her profile has risen once more via both her deeply affecting memoir Composed, which arrived in August, and her latest disc, The List, a selection of reworked Americana gems taken off a list her father hand-wrote for her in 1973.

Tuesday night (Oct. 5, 2010) at a packed Clive Davis Theater at the Grammy Museum, Cash showcased that two-tiered attack with an hour-long discussion, conducted by the museum’s executive director Robert Santelli and including a reading from her new book, before performing a poignant acoustic set with her husband, acclaimed guitarist John Leventhal.

Cash may well have been content to just remain a songwriter, if not for the loss of her singing voice for two years while suffering with vocal polyps. But it’s the deaths of June Carter Cash and her father in 2003 and then her mother Vivian Liberto two years later — as well as her own life-threatening brain surgery in late 2007 — that provided the dramatic events to help her complete Composed and come to grips with being a member of such an esteemed family.

“I feel sorry for my daughter, who is a musician,” she said when asked about performing in the shadow of her late father, one of the most beloved American artists of the 20th century. “It’s a challenge and requires a lot of grace. I didn’t have that until I was 50 years old. At the same time it is my family.” She’s been recording since the late ’70s, of course, but here she pointed out that “I don’t think I could have done it fully until after (her dad) died.”

Before performing a set focused on her two most recent releases, Black Cadillac (featuring original material) and The List (which tackles seminal songs by Bob Dylan, the Carter Family, Hank Williams and more), Cash recalled how her latest project germinated, starting when she was 18 and on the road with her father. One day Johnny Cash asked his daughter about one song; she said she hadn’t heard of it. He asked her about another one; her reply was the same.

“Off the top of his head — no Google,” he said of how her father immediately sat down and devised a list of 100 essential songs she should hear. “I saved that list all these years,” noting that it included country music, Delta blues, soul, folk and gospel selections. Whittling it down to the dozen she covers on The List, however, wasn’t as difficult as it sounds: “Some didn’t make sense for me to sing, like (Johnny Horton’s) ‘Battle of New Orleans.’”

But Cash’s biggest confession of the evening had nothing to do with her musical ancestry or the big names who duet with her on The List, which include Bruce Springsteen, Elvis Costello and Rufus Wainwright. A member of the audience asked what she thought of country music today: “Don’t know anything about it,” she said as many in the audience erupted in laughter. “I still love old country music — still love my old Merle Haggard.”

Noting there are no quality country music stations in New York City where she has long lived, Cash quipped: “I hadn’t heard Taylor Swift until this year.” Of course, when she and Leventhal began to perform, it was clear that Cash continues to have much more in common with her late father and the Hag than the prefab and mass-marketed modern country brandished by Swift.

The six-song set was a blend of her own choices (including the beautiful “Sleeping in Paris” and the autobiographical “House on the Lake”) plus several reworkings featured on The List, among them a haunting “Motherless Children” and the more traditional “Sea of Heartbreak,” with her husband handling Springsteen’s sparse harmony effectively. They closed the night with a beautiful “Good Intent,” an original named after the ship that brought her ancestors from Scotland to America in the early 1600s.

Throughout her set, Cash reminded how she has the depth of emotion and range as a singer to fully carry forward the musical birthright of the Cash name. If Tuesday night was any indication, the best may be yet to come.

Michael Ubaldini bounces back with new band

Photo credit: Jesse Navarro

Note: This story was first published on The Orange County Register's Soundcheck blog on Tuesday, Oct. 19, 2010.

When Michael Ubaldini was rushed to the hospital last Thanksgiving, suddenly unable to stand or move his left hand or arm, little did he realize he was in for the biggest challenge of his life: a series of tests revealed that the Orange County musician was suffering from a heart-valve infection known as endocarditis.

“One doctor said, ‘There is a chance you won’t be able to play (guitar) and walk,’” Ubaldini recalled during a recent interview. “(But) on Christmas Day, my left hand opened up and I was able to play guitar. I bounced back so fast, they thought it was a miracle.” He was hospitalized for six weeks and underwent subsequent physical therapy to complete his recovery.

Less than a year after he fell to the floor while grabbing a vinyl LP to play after dinner, Ubaldini will unveil his new band, dubbed Michael and the Lonesome Playboys, this Friday (Oct. 22, 2010) at the Coach House in San Juan Capistrano, where the group will open for the Blasters and Wayne “The Train” Hancock. The show also marks the first chance longtime Ubaldini fans have to hear this new group’s material live or to pick up its wonderful debut, Last of the Honky Tonks.

The disc features 14 Ubaldini-penned songs that blend together the sound and spirit of Hank Williams, Merle Haggard, the Flying Burrito Brothers, Buck Owens and Hank Snow, with highlights including the confessional “Cross Country Ride,” the beautiful “Highway Ghost” and the rousing “Shambles.” All of it complements yet contrasts the roots-rock the Fountain Valley songwriter has become known for in the past decade, capped by his superb 2009 release Portable Record Player.

“I want to lay waste to this fake, studio-created country music,” Ubaldini says, noting that just because a recording has fiddle or pedal steel guitar doesn’t make it real country music. “It’s like someone selling you a car and then giving you a bicycle.”

Although Ubaldini’s influences can be heard in spades across Last of the Honky Tonks, the album primarily marks another dynamic showcase for his strong songcraft. “This is not a retro record,” he insists. “The songs are original. It’s just got the feel of the old-styled country.”

The Lonesome Playboys recorded most of these songs last October, returning to Adamos Recording in Westminster to complete the set in July 2010. “Everything was recorded live — no overdubs,” Ubaldini declares, noting that the technique he and the band employed evokes the in-the-raw studio sides cut at Chess and King Records in their heyday.

“The ironic part, before I started this record, (is that) I wanted to do this as a fresh start. Now, all that has happened with my recovery, it truly was a new beginning.”

Locals who want a copy of Last of the Honky Tonks before it goes on sale via iTunes and Amazon.com in mid-November — and can’t make it to Ubaldini’s gig Friday night — Pepperland Music in Orange (at 850 N. Tustin St.) is currently selling it.

Michael Ubaldini opens for the Blasters and Wayne “The Train” Hancock at 8 p.m. this Friday, Oct. 22, at the Coach House, 33157 Camino Capistrano, in San Juan Capistrano. Tickets are $24.25, including service fees, via Ticketmaster, or $18 at the box office. Call 949-496-8930.

John Lennon celebrated in 'Life Is What Happens'

It makes total sense that John M. Borack would write a book on John Lennon.

"(Krause Publications) asked if I was interested in writing this book in October 2009," recalled the long-time Fountain Valley resident in a recent interview. Borack is a longtime contributor to the record collector's publication Goldmine magazine and is author of the first-ever guide to the melodic rock genre, Shake Some Action: The Ultimate Power Pop Guide, published by Not Lame Recordings in 2007.

"I jumped at the chance. The Beatles are the ones who got me into music in the first place."

John Lennon: Life Is What Happens is a 256-page book filled with 400 photos, artwork and images of memorabilia that celebrate the life of the former Beatle - from his childhood in the 1940s through the heights of Beatlemania in the 1960s and through his untimely death at age 40 in December 1980. The book is available at Amazon.com and other online retailers and will be in bookstores within the next week or so.

In addition to his own heartfelt text about the life and enduring legacy of Lennon as a musician, social activist and popular icon, Borack has gathered the stories and reflections of a number of musicians and fans as well.
Guitarist Earl Slick and bassist Tony Levin (both featured on Lennon's final album "Double Fantasy"), Smithereens drummer Dennis Diken, Turtles singer Howard Kaylan, actor-musician Bill Mumy (best known for his role as Will Robinson in "Lost in Space") and dozens of others contribute.

"I never knew Susan Olsen (who portrayed Cindy Brady on the "Brady Bunch") was such a big Beatles fan," Borack explained, when asked about the most unique contributor to "John Lennon: Life Is What Happens."
"One of her quotes about Lennon really touched me - 'I grew up in the sunshine of his art' - it's simple but it's so powerful."

Just as Lennon went through personal and professional struggles throughout his life, Borack's writing project was completed against the most difficult of times.

"My mother became very ill not long after the offer to write the book came in," he recalled, noting his mother Catherine Borack passed away on Nov. 27, 2009 - the day after Thanksgiving.

"In some ways it was difficult to do this with her being so sick. But writing so much of the book in the aftermath of her death, her spirit definitely guided me through the process. She would have been so excited and so proud to see the finished product. She would have gotten the first copy."

The forward of John Lennon: Life Is What Happens is dedicated to both Borack's late mother and father (John F. Borack) and immediately sets the tone of why Lennon's music still matters via a story I won't spoil here.

Borack will celebrate the release of his wonderful book with a signing and tribute concert at Fitzgerald's Irish Pub, 19171 Magnolia St., Huntington Beach, at 8 p.m. tonight, Friday, Oct. 8. Lennon would have celebrated his 70th birthday on Saturday, Oct. 9.

The special event will feature the music of the Beatles and John Lennon performed by Orange County-based rockers Walter Clevenger & the Dairy Kings, and the Popdudes (with Borack on drums). Performing with the Popdudes for the first time is Alan Bernhoft, well-known for his singing portrayal of Lennon in the tribute band Imagine.

"I'm very excited with how it turned out," Borack said of his new book. "When I was writing, I wasn't sure how the final product would look. The editors did an amazing job of gathering tons of rare photos and memorabilia to complement the text.

"Being able to see my name associated with John Lennon is a dream come true."

Recent DVD releases celebrate rockers in peak form

Although the holiday season won’t arrive for a month or so, many of the year’s finest rock DVD titles are out now. And adding to that good news is most of the sets retail for well under $20.


Artist: The Beatles

Title: “The 4 Complete Ed Sullivan Shows Starring The Beatles”

You will be interested in this DVD if you are a fan of: The Beatles, “The Ed Sullivan Show,” 1960s pop culture.

Tell Me More: With the world poised to celebrate what would have been John Lennon’s 70th birthday on Oct. 9, 2010, now is the perfect time to ‘get back’ to where it – Beatlemania that is – all began. The 4 Complete Ed Sullivan Shows Starring The Beatles is a terrific collection – time machine really – where everyone can see all four complete episodes (including the original commercials featured on the broadcasts) where the Fab Four unleashed their musical and magical powers across America in 1964 and 1965 on the popular variety show.
It is really magical to see the quartet tear through gems like "All My Loving," "She Loves You" and "I Saw Her Standing There" at a moment where nobody knew where it would all lead. Looking at the restored footage on the two-disc set, it's easy to glimpse with 20/20 vision and marvel at the Beatles' still- monumental grasp on popular music.
The DVD also includes 13 minutes of behind-the-scenes moments from "The Ed Sullivan Show," including a brief interview Sullivan conducted with John, Paul, George and Ringo in London in 1964 in connection with the release of A Hard Day's Night.

What about the packaging? The 4 Complete Ed Sullivan Shows Starring The Beatles looks like a small book. When you open the colorful booklet, both DVDs are presented on one panel while the other panel features details on each of the four episodes. Viewers can view the wide-screen episodes and listen using either Dolby Digital Stereo or Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround.



Artist: Nils Lofgren

Title: “Cry Tough”

You will be interested in this DVD if you are a fan of: Nils Lofgren, Neil Young.

Tell Me More: Cry Tough is a wonderful collection that features legendary singer-songwriter-guitarist-pianist ace Nils Lofgren at three points in his career, all courtesy of the “Rockpalast” German TV series. Disc 1 features a lengthy 20-song, 1991 performance with Lofgren playing both emotive solo acoustic material (“Sticks and Stones”) and assured rock with a four-member band before an enthusiastic audience. As evidenced by his work with Neil Young beginning when he was in his teens and more recently as a member of Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band, Lofgren’s guitar skills shine. But what comes across in these three shows is his power as a singer able to tap into the deepest of emotions and weave his multiple gifts into genre-defying songs.
His performance of the affecting rocker “Keith Don’t Go,” poignant “Delivery Night” and tender “Valentine” are highlights on the first disc. Fans of Lofgren’s 1970s project will love the persuasive take on that outfit’s rousing and mystical rocker “Moon Tears.”
Disc 2 features two concerts; a 1976 date with nine tracks and a 1979 outing featuring 15 selections. The early concerts are especially revealing, with Lofgren's style a wide-ranging mix of Southern rock, Moondance-era Van Morrison and traditional blues blended into something his own.
What do all three concerts have in common? The personable and talented Lofgren sharing real world emotions in song while unleashing impressive solos on acoustic and electric guitar, as well as on piano.

What about the packaging? Cry Tough comes in a hard shell case, with a beautiful colorful booklet with details about the shows and the lineup of band members backing Lofgren at each show.



Artist: Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers

Title: "Classic Albums: Damn the Torpedoes"

You will be interested in this DVD if you are a fan of: Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers

Tell Me More: It may well be a good idea to view the aforementioned Nils Lofgren collection and segue into the new documentary focusing on Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers' 1979 disc Damn the Torpedoes featured on VH1 Classic as part of the popular "Classic Albums" series. After all, as viewers of the Petty special will learn, the group got its first taste of success when critics and fans raved about the troupe when they were featured as an opening act for Lofgren on a tour of England in the mid-1970s.
But it is Petty and company who get to shine on Classic Albums: Damn the Torpedoes and this is one of the best in the series. Petty, guitarist Mike Campbell, keyboardist Benmont Tench and other key players and behind-the-scenes producers and engineers tell the story of the band's journey through the recording of their third and arguably best album. And even for those who caught the hour-long documentary when it aired, the DVD's bonus footage goes to even greater depths in telling the complete story of the recording of tracks such as "Refugee," "Here Comes My Girl" and "Even the Losers."
My favorite chapter amidst the 42 minutes of extras actually is a guitar-minded tale with Campbell recalling how he was looking for a 12-string Rickenbacker when he answered an ad in the Recycler and drove down to Anaheim to pick up the guitar. Several years later on a visit to Rickenbacker's factory in Santa Ana, California he found out the model he had purchased (the guitar is the one Petty is holding on the cover of the album) was the second off the manufacturing line - the first was produced for George Harrison.
"It was probably the best $150 I ever spent," Campbell admits.

What about the packaging? Classic Albums: Damn the Torpedoes comes in a hard shell case with a single disc featuring the documentary and bonus materials.



Artist: Neil Young

Title: Le Noise (forthcoming deluxe edition features the ‘Le Noise Film’)

You will be interested in this CD/DVD package if you are a fan of: Neil Young & Crazy Horse, Radiohead.

Tell Me More: With a look that is somewhere between the radiant black and white of Richard Lester’s 1964 Beatles flick A Hard Day’s Night and grainy-saturated look of Phil Joanou’s 1988 film Rattle and Hum starring U2, filmmaker Adam CK Vollick’s Le Noise Film adds another full dimension to rocker Neil Young’s outstanding new studio disc Le Noise.

The album my feature Young alone with his distinctive tenor accompanied only by acoustic or electric guitar, but the wide-ranging lyrical themes and sonic experimentalism enhanced by Vollick’s terrific camera work bring new depth to the eight songs in the Le Noise Film.

In particular, the unsettling “Angry World” is enhanced by Young’s edgy performance (much of it shot deliberately out of focus) interwoven with stark shots of the U.S. and earth as seen from space before everything gives way to the grand expanse of the universe.

What about the packaging? I wrote this review after listening to an audio stream provided me by Reprise Records and watching the film on YouTube. I will update this post with more details when I get the physical copy featuring both the album and the film to view on my home theater system. A bona fide deluxe edition is set for release on Blu-ray in November 2010.

Warner Bros. to release the Danny Elfman and Tim Burton 25th Anniversary Music Box in December

LIMITED EDITION OF 1000 ELABORATE COLLECTIBLE PACKAGES CELBRATES 25 YEARS OF CREATIVE COLLABORATION BETWEEN ACCLAIMED COMPOSER ELFMAN AND LEGENDARY FILM DIRECTOR BURTON AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER AT WWW.ELFMANBURTON.COM

Package Features More Than 19 Hours Of Music, Including Fan-Requested Expansions Of 13 Film Scores, Plus Seven Hours Of Previously Unreleased Music, A Skeleton USB Flash Drive Containing MP3s Of The Music And A Bonus DVD Featuring An Exclusive Conversation Between Elfman And Burton

Burbank, CA – This December, to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the ingenious collaboration between renowned composer Danny Elfman and legendary film director Tim Burton, Warner Bros. Records will release The Danny Elfman & Tim Burton 25th Anniversary Music Box, a very special limited-edition, numbered box set of 1000 that collects expansions of the 13 original scores that Elfman has composed for Burton’s iconic films: a newly produced library of 16 CDs each packaged with artwork by Burton, adding up to more than 19 hours of music. Additionally, the package will contain a bonus DVD of a recent exclusive conversation between Elfman and Burton discussing every film and score in their remarkable quarter century collaboration. The box is available for preorder starting today, October 1st at www.elfmanburton.com.

This elaborate and lovingly designed collectible box set includes the first-time-ever soundtrack release of Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure (1985), as well as scores to the films Beetlejuice (1988), Batman (1989), Edward Scissorhands (1990), Batman Returns (1992), The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993), Mars Attacks! (1986), Sleepy Hollow (1999), Planet of the Apes (2001), Big Fish (2003), Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005), Corpse Bride (2005), and Alice in Wonderland (2010). It also includes music from Elfman and Burton’s numerous other collaborations: Alfred Hitchcock Presents: The Jar, Amazing Stories: Family Dog, Beetlejuice: The Animated Series, The World of Stainboy, Tim Burton’s Museum of Modern Art Exhibit and Danny Elfman’s unused score to the Edward Scissorhands Ballet.

Additional highlights of The Danny Elfman & Tim Burton 25th Anniversary Music Box include:

•Among the 19 hours of music are seven hours of previously unreleased music including such rarities as additional masters, cut songs, song and score demos, work tapes, orchestra-only song mixes, and foreign-language songs.
•Danse Macabre: 25 Years of Danny Elfman and Tim Burton: A meticulously researched, lavishly illustrated 250+ page fine linen-wrapped hardbound book, entitled with gold foil stamping, and featuring a foreword by Johnny Depp. The book also includes rare photos, stories, and interviews from the cast and crew behind the scenes of this classic music — from the early days of Elfman's band Oingo Boingo to the recent blockbuster film Alice in Wonderland. Interviewed are such collaborators and peers as Guillermo Del Toro, Phillip Glass, Paul Haggis, James Newton Howard, Tom Jones, Michael Keaton, Ang Lee, Errol Morris, Thomas Newman, Catherine O'Hara, Jon Peters, Paul Reubens, David Rockwell, Scott Rudin, Marc Shaiman, Howard Shore, Twyla Tharp, Gus Van Sant, and Richard Zanuck. This comprehensive 10"x10" keepsake book is written by acclaimed film-music journalist Jeff Bond and designed by Grammy Award winning designer Matt Taylor.
•An hour-long exclusive, newly filmed DVD featuring an extended conversation between Burton and Elfman as they reflect on their quarter-century collaboration.
•As a collectible created exclusively for this treasure box of music, a distinctive Skeleton Key USB Flash Drive has been designed—inspired by the art of Tim Burton. A pull of the key unlocks a USB drive loaded with MP3s of the entire contents of this Limited-Edition Music Box. From Pee-wee’s Big Adventure through Alice In Wonderland, it’s all there, including all the bonus tracks, demos, work tapes, and other rarities.
•Newly created liner notes by Elfman discussing each expanded score and their bonus material of additional masters, song and score demos, work tapes, orchestra-only song mixes, and foreign language versions.
•A collection of music as unique as Elfman’s for the films of Tim Burton needed to be housed in something equally special, wondrous, and whimsical. Designed to evoke a treasure chest found in a mysterious attic, The Danny Elfman & Tim Burton 25th Anniversary Music Box is a work of art in itself. Grammy-winning designer Matt Taylor has transformed previously unseen art by Burton and crafted a large scale, tin-covered music box complete with an embedded music chip playing “The Music Box Suite” arranged and performed by Elfman specifically for this historic collection. And to literally top it all off, with a flip of the lid, a delightful working zoetrope is revealed featuring strips of art and photos by Burton and Elfman that come to animated life with a spin.

The Danny Elfman & Tim Burton 25th Anniversary Music Box will be released as a Collectors Limited and Numbered Edition Box of 1,000 copies. The Danny Elfman and Tim Burton 25th Anniversary Music Box is produced by Danny Elfman and Tim Burton and executive produced by Richard Kraft and Laura Engel.

About Danny Elfman: Four-time Oscar-nominated and Grammy-winning composer Danny Elfman has scored such diverse films as Spider-Man, Good Will Hunting, Beetlejuice, Batman, Men in Black, Midnight Run, Big Fish, Dick Tracy, Edward Scissorhands, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Mission:Impossible, Chicago, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Milk. His 25-year, 13 film collaboration with director Tim Burton began in 1985 when Elfman was pulled from his band Oingo Boingo to score Pee-wee's Big Adveture and continues with 2010's blockbuster Alice in Wonderland. Elfman made his classical music debut at Carnegie Hall with his symphony, "Serenada Schizophrana" followed up with "The Overeager Overture" which premiered at The Hollywood Bowl. His first ballet, "Rabbit and Rouge" choreographed by Twyla Tharp debuted with the American Ballet Theatre at Lincoln Center. . His upcoming projects include Paul Haggis' Next Three Days, Real Steel, Gus Van Sant's Restless, Men in Black 3, Tim Burton's stop motion feature, Frankenweenie and Cirque du Soleil's "Iris" scheduled to bow in residence in Summer 2011 at Hollywood's Kodak Theatre. Elfman is also known for the classic television themes to The Simpsons and Desperate Housewives.

About Tim Burton: Tim Burton has directed memorable and stylistic films, ranging from Batman, Beetlejuice, Edward Scissorhands, Ed Wood, Sleepy Hollow, Big Fish and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. His most recent blockbuster, Alice in Wonderland broke the billion dollar mark. His films have collected 6 Academy Awards and 11 Oscar nominations for everything from acting to art direction. His first feature length film, Pee Wee’s Big Adventure, was also his first collaboration with composer Danny Elfman. Their instant film chemistry led them to 13 collaborations, and will continue with Burton’s upcoming stop motion animated film, Frankeneweenie. With a background in animation, Burton has done more to revive the stop motion field than any other director, starting with his first stop motion project, Vincent, and continuing through the cult classic, The Nightmare Before Christmas and Corpse Bride. Burton has also published a book of characters and stories, The Melancholy Death of Oyster Boy, and most recently released an immense 430 page book comprising over 40 years of his personal and project artwork, entitled The Art of Tim Burton. He currently has an art exhibit that debuted at the Museum of Modern Art in New York and is touring through several art museums across the world.

www.elfmanburton.com

Neil Young's 'Le Noise' film to premiere on Youtube today

EIGHT BLACK AND WHITE FILMS OF YOUNG PERFORMING EACH SONG FROM THE DELUXE VERSION OF HIS NEW ALBUM LE NOISE WILL BE POSTED


Burbank, CA – Le Noise Film — a 38-minute black and white film of eight live-in-studio performances of the eight songs that appear on legendary rocker Neil Young’s brand-new album Le Noise — will be made available for viewing exclusively on YouTube beginning today (Thursday, September 30, 2010). These will appear in the Spotlight section of You-Tube’s homepage as well as on Young’s YouTube channel (http://www.youtube.com/neilyoung). In addition to the performances, there will also be a personal introduction by Young himself, along with behind-the-scenes clips from album producer, Daniel Lanois, and more. The performances, shot by filmmaker Adam CK Vollick, feature Young on acoustic and electric guitars at Lanois’ home studio in Silverlake, CA, where Young and Lanois recorded Le Noise.
The eight-song album, which is already generating glowing reviews, is a collaboration between the acclaimed rock icon and musician, songwriter, and multiple Grammy Award-winning producer Lanois, known for his work with U2, Bob Dylan, Peter Gabriel, Brian Eno, Emmylou Harris, Willie Nelson, The Neville Brothers and many others.
Le Noise features Young on acoustic and electric guitars with Lanois adding his trademark sonic textures, creating one of the most sonically arresting albums Young has ever recorded. No band, no overdubs, just “a man on a stool and me doing a nice job on the recording,” as Lanois puts it.

Writing about Le Noise after hearing it at Lanois’ home, the Los Angeles Times writer Randy Lewis commented: “What’s striking about Le Noise is the way it both summarizes and distills Young’s singular approach to music, predominantly just Neil and a guitar: Arguably Young's most consistently potent work in the last decade."

The Chicago Tribune enthused, "One of Young’s finest recordings."

Rolling Stone Magazine awarded the album 4 Stars and concluded, “Le Noise is, ultimately, an extreme simplicity: the sound of a man who won’t give up.”

Le Noise will be released in several formats, including standard CD, vinyl, and digital download. In November, Reprise will also release a Blu-Ray edition, featuring Lanois and Vollick’s beautifully shot films of Young.

Young has just wrapped up his Gulf Coast tour, in which he teamed up with Tyson Foods to fight hunger in communities affected by the April oil spill. He will appear at Farm Aid at Miller Park in Milwaukee, WI, on October 2nd, and will reunite with Buffalo Springfield members Stephen Stills and Richie Furay for this year’s Bridge School Benefit concerts. The shows, which also feature Pearl Jam, Elton John and Leon Russell, Elvis Costello, Lucinda Williams, and others, will take place at the Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View, CA, on October 23rd and 24th.

WFUV to release FUV Live 13

New CD to feature In-Studio performances by Sharon Jones, Keane, Mumford & Sons, Norah Jones and Yeasayer

New York, NY -- A stellar array of musical artists will appear on FUV Live 13, a compilation CD benefitting noncommercial public radio station WFUV (90.7 FM, wfuv.org), which features exclusive live in-studio performances from Studio A. Among the offerings on the latest installment of the popular FUV Live series are long-championed WFUV artists like Brandi Carlile, Citizen Cope, Keane and Josh Ritter alongside UK imports Fanfarlo, One eskimO and The Heavy. The CD will be available at www.wfuv.org with WFUV membership during the station's Fall Membership Drive, beginning September 25th.

"The range of artists that came through Studio A this passed year stunned even me," says WFUV Music Director Rita Houston. "Where else on the radio do you have Janis Ian performing live one week and Cory Chisel the next? We're so proud to get to be the ones who bring such great live music to listeners around the world."

FUV Live features cover art by Long Island artist Ken Brockhoff, who submitted his illustration to a talent search which WFUV sponsored with the online design community Creative Allies.

FUV LIVE 13 Track List

Brandi Carlile "Dreams"
Josh Ritter "Change Of Time"
Fanfarlo " Comets"
Keane "Is It Any Wonder?"
Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings "Give It Back"
Ozomatli "45"
Corinne Bailey Rae "Closer"
Citizen Cope "Healing Hands"
Janis Ian "At Seventeen"
Cory Chisel "See It My Way"
Rosanne Cash "Long Black Veil"
Mumford & Sons "White Blank Page"
April Smith & The Great Picture Show "Wow And Flutter"
Raul Malo "Around The World"
Norah Jones "Young Blood"
Yeasayer "Madder Red"
One EskimO "UFO"
Jonsi "Boy Lilikoi"
Laura Marling "Rambling Man"
Charlotte Gainsbourg "Trick Pony"
The Heavy "How You Like Me Now"


WFUV is a non-commercial, listener-supported public radio station, licensed to Fordham University for over 60 years. Serving nearly 300,000 listeners each week in the New York area and thousands more worldwide on the web, and a leader in contemporary music radio, WFUV is Rock & Roots Radio, offering an eclectic mix of rock, singer-songwriters, blues, world and other music, plus headlines from National Public Radio and local news.

Jack’s 5th Show keeps ’em rockin’ at Verizon

My review was originally published in the Soundcheck blog on the Orange County Register Web site on Sunday, Sept. 19, 2010.


Before releasing Bingo! in early July, it had been more than 15 years since Steve Miller Band had released a full-length album featuring new material.

In a year when a number of notable artists have issued blues-centered material, the group’s new disc may lack the out-of-the-box surprise of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers’ Mojo or the wow factor of John Mellencamp’s No Better Than This and Cyndi Lauper’s Memphis Blues. But there is no doubt the aptly titled Bingo! is one of the finest albums of Miller’s long career and a winning celebration of American blues.

As headliners for Jack’s 5th Show at Verizon Wireless Amphitheater in Irvine on Saturday (Sept. 18, 2010), Miller and his trusty supporting quartet played winning selections from that new disc — and managed to offer his biggest hits from the ’70s and ’80s as if they were fresh.
From start to finish, Miller’s 19-song set was all about the blues, from his kickoff track “Jet Airliner” (for which he provided a smoking solo before adding his distinctive vocals) to an especially strong version of Muddy Waters’ “Can’t Be Satisfied” (with Miller displaying his stylish skills on slide guitar).

Indeed, there are few classic-rock power hitters as rooted in the blues, and one cut in particular, “Hey Yeah,” gave Miller, who will be 67 next month, a chance to revisit his early psychedelic blues beginnings, as he played his sunburst Gibson Les Paul while working a wah-wah pedal to add fire to the Texas blues tune.
Other highlights in Miller’s long and involving set were the swamp-rock version of the Lowell Fulson-Jimmy McCracklin gem “Tramp” (with Sonny Charles ably handling lead vocals) and his own “Serenade,” the latter giving off chills with its otherworldly sonic textures.

As evidenced by Steve Miller Band’s winning show at Honda Center back in February, the troupe seems to have renewed purpose following the passing of longtime member and harmonica great Norton Buffalo, who died following a battle with lung cancer in October 2009.

Miller also has been particularly involved in assisting children and teens who are interested in music; the night before, the group played a benefit show for that very cause at the Fender Center in Corona. Throughout the last part of the band’s set at Verizon, Miller had 15-year-old guitarist Dylan Brown of nearby Corona share the stage with him to showcase his emerging fretwork, notably during a great version of “Fly Like an Eagle.” Read my pal George Paul's comprehensive report of Steve Miller's special appearance on Friday night (Sept. 17) at the Fender Center to benefit the Kids Rock Free program.

But Miller’s generous spirit seemed to know few bounds, as he even let Vanilla Ice join the band to add some backing vocals at the end of the night.

Although the near-capacity crowd at this fifth annual Jack FM bash didn’t seem to necessarily care about music first — I can’t recall this much senseless chatter and beer runs since a Hootie & the Blowfish concert a few years back at the OC Fair — that didn’t mean the lineup of rockers and rappers wasn’t serious.
The Cult performed an ear-shattering 45-minute set as if they were an up-and-coming outfit, the quintet proving that blending the sonic crunch of AC/DC and the mysticism of the Doors works as well today as it did in the mid-’80s. With singer Ian Astbury and masterful lead guitarist Billy Duffy at the helm, the band gathered more steam with each passing second. By the time they closed with a rousing version of “She Sells Sanctuary” and blazing takes on “Wild Flower” and “Love Removal Machine,” seemingly everybody in the venue was on their feet and rocking out.

Even if Jack’s 5th Show had only featured Miller and that band plus a bunch of one-hit wonders, it may have still pleased the crowd. But thankfully the Fixx was also on the bill.
The talented but sadly under-appreciated British band came armed with a full set of great stuff. Given that this outfit still boasts four original members — frontman Cy Curnin, lead guitarist Jamie West-Oram, keyboardist Rupert Greenall and drummer Adam Woods — what wasn’t there to love about seeing a band that has been at it since 1980 and is still firing on all cylinders?

From the timeless “Saved by Zero” and “Red Skies” (bookends for the band’s 10-song set) to the confessional “Are We Ourselves,” the group’s music came across considerably less dated than many acts on the bill. The highlight was a blistering “Driven Out,” a song whose environmental-minded lyrics sound as if they were penned in 2010, not 1988.

Since there was little doubt that Jack’s 5th Show was mostly about throwing an end-of-summer party, the other bands found that the audience perked up mostly when a) they knew the songs and b) they could scream and sing and join in the fun. So the glam-rock group Sweet, whose lineup features only one original member (bassist Steve Priest), kicked things off before a largely empty venue at 4 p.m. and naturally had its best success via hits like “Fox on the Run,” “Love Is Like Oxygen,” “Little Willy" and “Ballroom Blitz.”
The casual attention span of attendees most impacted New Wave act Modern English, which offered up a bright set of original material that went mostly unnoticed. That changed, of course, when the band played a rousing version of its 1982 smash “I Melt with You.” Original members Robbie Grey on vocals, Mick Conroy (bass), Gary McDowell (guitar) and Stephen Walker (keyboards) sounded great throughout, leading the English band through other solid material like “Ink and Paper” and “Hands across the Sea.” The group also played several new songs from its recently issued album Soundtrack, including the infectious “It’s OK.”

Fans of ’80s hard rock also were rewarded with songs to party by at Verizon, though Night Ranger clearly outdistanced the formula approach of Skid Row. Although Sebastian Bach is no longer part of the latter band, that alone isn’t what left this writer disappointed; it was more the style itself that was off-putting. But there were plenty others who didn’t run off to get drinks and eats that loved the stuff, especially power ballads like “I Remember You” and “18 and Life.”

Night Ranger, led by energetic singer-bassist Jack Blades and singer-drummer Kelly Keagy, was all about good times and big hits. Rockers like “(You Can Still) Rock in America” and “Don’t Tell Me You Love Me” and the immortal “Sister Christian” pleased fans, while ’90s converts got faithful versions of Damn Yankees’ “Coming of Age” and “High Enough.” Guitarists Brad Gillis and Joel Hoekstra (top) served up plenty of impressive fretwork, notably when they unleashed Thin Lizzy-style solos together.

And befitting Jack FM’s eclectic mix, the roster included several old-school hip-hop cameos. Vanilla Ice made the bigger splash, bringing several dozen attractive ladies on stage as he delivered a crowd-pleasing “Ice Ice Baby.” Young MC’s brief stint, however, was plagued by a bass-heavy mix, though he overcame that to get the crowd dancing to his 1989 hit “Bust a Move.”

'Le Noise' another milestone for Neil Young

Today, I had a chance to get my first couple of listens of Neil Young's forthcoming release Le Noise. This is an epic and powerful collection (set for release on Reprise Records on Sept. 28) that defies easy description via words alone. I look forward to playing this album as much as I can in the weeks ahead to get more familiar with the sound revealed across the eight original songs that make this album so special.

Even after a single listen, the album's sound and style will amaze long-time fans of Neil Young who thought they knew the legendary singer-songwriter's sonic language inside and out. Make no mistake; the songs and sonic landscape on Le Noise are much bigger than the much-publicized mere presence of Young and his guitar. No bass. No drums. No harmonica (at least that I have detected). Le Noise may come in at under 38 minutes, but I think this disc takes listeners to places few artists have the courage to go.

"Walk With Me" kicks things off. A mix of chords and fills delivered with distorted guitar and howling feedback, Young's vocals soar and echo around the electronica-tinged in-your-face guitar. A tale of deep love proclaimed from a rock 'n' roll rooftop. The song's final moments are beautiful as the heavy chords morph into gentler overtones of noises from Young's guitar.

"Sign of Love" as a song recalls Young's tender and classic acoustic ballads, but the heavy guitar and overall sound of Daniel Lanois' production brings something new here. At times the guitar is decidedly distorted, but the song's beauty never falters.

"Someone's Gonna Rescue You" finds Young singing at the top of his vocal range, with the track's echo and cascading guitar recalling a kind of Radiohead meets Buffalo Springfield mash-up.

"Love and War" shocks. The acoustic guitar comes in, clear and folky. Then Young's sweet tenor emerges, to deliver a heartfelt examination at the human cost of war and his own life-long quest to chronicle the emotional weight of humanity's inhumanity. As the song goes along, there is some great flamenco touches that Young plays that are especially fitting too.

"Angry World" harkens back to Young's most politically-charged songs. Obviously an artist tuned into the pulse of the nation, I think this is a song where everybody will see a bit of their self here.

"Hitchhiker" is a confessional song where Young recalls his youth, leaving his native Canada for California. The most interesting part of the tale is how Young confronts his own inability to deal with his early fame, and subsequent battles with drug use and more recent health scares (including treatment related to a brain aneurysm in March 2005). In the end, Young bravely admits his mortality, and tenderly sings of the love of his children and wife. A life's tale told in rich detail, in only 5 minutes and 32 seconds.

"Peaceful Valley Boulevard" is an acoustic-styled song that mirrors the power of early Young epics like "Cortez the Killer," "Pocahontas" and "Powderfinger." A powerful song of the white settlers destroying the Great Plains that segues into our treatment of earth in the 21st century. One line really struck me on the first listen of this beautiful song and continues to stir me: "Before the west was won, there was a cost." At the end of the song, Young wonders who will protect God's creations. Images of a doomed planet come to mind in this thoughtful and ultimately tragic story of our planet's natural beauty that continues to be lost at a relentless pace.

"Rumblin'" is the sound of Young's mind at work; here is the soon-to-be 65 artist looking at the quickly-changing world. We hear his attempt to get a bead on it.

In the end Le Noise may be so special because Neil Young is the only artist who could have written and performed it, while Lanois had the studio craft and magical sense to make it happen.

Bad Company adds tour dates in U.S. and Japan

BAD COMPANY ADD NEW CONCERT DATE IN TOKYO
DUE TO OVERWHELMING DEMAND FOR TICKETS TO THE BAND'S FIRST CONCERT TOUR OF JAPAN IN MORE THAN THREE DECADES

"THE VERY BEST OF FREE AND BAD COMPANY FEATURING PAUL RODGERS"
GREATEST HITS SET TO BE RELEASED IN JAPAN SEPTEMBER 22, 2010

NEW DATE ADDED TO THE U.S. - OCTOBER 1 IN SACRAMENTO, CA

Los Angeles, CA - September 15, 2010 - The original members of legendary rock band Bad Company have added new concert dates to both their North American and Japan concert tours. The band will extend their 2010 North American tour with a new date confirmed for October 1, 2010 in Sacramento, California. Following the band's final U.S. dates in 2010, Bad Company will embark on their first tour of Japan in more than three decades, recently adding a third show in Tokyo due to am overwhelming demand for tickets. In addition, Rhino/Warner Bros/Universal will release a greatest hits set "The Very Best of Free and Bad Company featuring Paul Rodgers" on September 22 in Japan, to coincide with the tour. For up-to-date information, please visit: www.BadCompany.com

Selling over 90 million records during his career, Paul Rodgers is and has been one of the most sought-after and recognizable vocalists in rock music. The Very Best of Free and Bad Company featuring Paul Rodgers greatest hits collection features Rodgers' greatest works during the legendary '68-'73 era of Free and '73-'82 era of Bad Company, the album collects 15-tracks from the very best of the chart-topping hits during that 14-year musical tenure. An exclusive iTunes deluxe version of the album, featuring bonus recordings, is also available. Alongside the UK release earlier this year, the original members of Bad Company reunited for their first concert tour of the UK in over three decades. The highly anticipated tour run culminated with a sold-out show at Wembley Arena. The collection became Bad Company's first top 10 chart appearance since 1979, Free's first since 1991 and was Rodgers' return to the charts following his 2007 certified Gold debut solo DVD "Live in Glasgow" which charted at #1 in Canada*, #2 in Japan, #3 in the US* and #4 in the UK.

Bad Company confirmed 2010 tour dates:

DATE VENUE LOCATION
October 1 Thunder Valley Casino Resort Sacramento, CA - new date added
October 2 LA County Fair Pomona, CA
October 4 Potawatomi Casino/Northern Light Milwaukee, WI
October 5 Potawatomi Casino/Northern Light Milwaukee, WI
October 7 Hard Rock - The Joint Catoosa, OK (Tulsa)
October 9 Little Creek Casino Resort Shelton, WA +
October 18 Zepp Fukuoka Fukuoka, Japan
October 20 Zepp Nagoya Nagoya, Japan
October 21 Namba Hatch Osaka, Japan
October 23 Hitomi Kinen Kodo Tokyo, Japan - new date added
October 25 Tokyo International Forum Tokyo, Japan
October 26 Tokyo International Forum Tokyo, Japan

+ denotes Paul Rodgers last solo date of 2010

Jimmie Vaughan rocks the Coach House

Jimmie Vaughan photographed by Bob Steshetz at the Coach House on Sept. 9, 2010

My review was originally published in the Orange County Register's Soundcheck blog on Friday, Sept. 10, 2010.

Blues music has come back in a big way in 2010, with artists not typically associated with the traditional scene — John Mellencamp, Tom Petty, Steve Miller, even Cyndi Lauper — all having issued well-received blues-centered discs this year.

But clearly not to be forgotten in this parade of forays is Jimmie Vaughan Plays Blues, Ballads and Favorites, a Shout! Factory release that marks the guitarist’s first new studio album in nine years. And at the Coach House on Thursday (Sept. 9, 2010), Vaughan, now 59, spotlighted many songs off the strong collection of favorite covers from the far-flung likes of Little Richard, Willie Nelson and Jimmy Reed. He also was backed by a robust band (including a two-man sax section) that added heft and sonic elegance throughout his 21-cut set.

Vaughan’s set was essentially broken into two parts. The first featured the guitarist leading the charge, trading tasty Texas licks from his Fender with blasts from tenor sax pro Greg Picollo and other members of his group. During the second half, however, Stevie Ray’s older brother, who had provided vocals up to that point, brought singer Louann Barton (long a musical companion of the Vaughans) on stage to handle most of the lead work, while also assisting in duets (particularly “Sugar Coated Love”) to broaden the approach of this musical troupe.

Many tracks from Blues, Ballads & Favorites were featured, with the swing of “The Pleasure’s All Mine” and the Bill Haley-styled “How Can You Be So Mean” highlights of the first part of the show, while “Wheel of Fortune,” showcasing Barton’s compelling vocals, was clearly a standout later in the night.

Vaughan mentioned it was good to be back at the San Juan Capistrano venue, noting he hadn’t performed at the Coach House since 2001. Hopefully, he won’t wait another nine years before returning to temporarily transform the venerable club into a blues roadhouse. The Mike Eldred Trio turned in the most raucous set of the night. Featuring Eldred on guitar and vocals, plus bassist John Bazz and drummer Jerry Angel (the Blasters’ rhythm section), the group delivered some high-octane ’50s rock ’n’ roll over the course of 30 minutes, with tracks like “Louise” and “I’m Ready” illustrating the threesome’s retro attack.

As for second opener Shawn Jones, well, every time I have caught him live I’ve been more impressed. As outstanding as he was when I first saw him perform at the Doheny Blues Festival in May 2008, the talented singer-songwriter-guitarist just keeps getting better.

On Thursday night, he impressed mightily with accessible and infectious blues-rock, anchored by his dazzling guitar playing, formidable voice and original songwriting — all of which quickly won over many who were introduced to his craft during his forceful 40-minute performance. Songs such as the confessional “Glorybound” and the rocker “I Can’t Help Myself” proved how deftly Jones can blend Delta blues, gospel, folk and R&B into a winning style.

Yet, despite Jones’ clearly apparent all-around skills, the bandleader remains unsigned. The good news is that he performs in Orange County frequently, and his self-released albums deliver the same power he demonstrated here at the Coach House.

Kicking off this long night of excellent blues and Americana music was another singer-songwriter-guitarist, Jonathan Blake, who played a half-hour of acoustic blues. Well, mostly blues — the talented Blake also blended jazz and flamenco into his original songs.

Charlie Louvin salutes Gram Parsons with new album, AMA show with special guests Emmylou Harris & Al Perkins

On September 10, 2010, Charlie Louvin returns to live performance after surgery to treat pancreatic cancer. Louvin's performance during the Americana Music Association conference will welcome two very special guests to the stage. Emmylou Harris will perform "If I Could Only Win Your Love", a song written by The Louvin Brothers. Legendary steel guitar and dobro player Al Perkins will be lending his talents to the Louvin Brothers song "The Christian Life" and the Gram Parsons song "Hickory Wind." Perkins' career has seen him with both Gram Parsons & the Rolling Stones.

Louvin is set to perform at 10 p.m. (central) at The Rutledge - 410 4th Avenue South, Nashville.

Tompkins Square label has just released Hickory Wind : Live at the Gram Parsons Guitar Pull - Waycross GA, hailed by many media outlets including Influential website Swampland, who said the album "serves as a majestic recording where the soul of man never dies."

On February 22, 1956, The Louvin Brothers warmed up for Elvis Presley at City Auditorium in Waycross, GA. On hand was a nine year old boy named Gram Parsons. It would leave an indelible mark on the future legend, who went on to popularize several Louvin Brothers songs for the ages. On September 19, 2009, Charlie Louvin returned to Waycross to pay tribute to the granddaddy of "Alt Country"/"Americana", singing "Hickory Wind" for the first time ever, as well as Louvin Brothers songs Gram either recorded or must have heard in his early years.


Charlie's emotional return to Waycross was an artist truly going full circle. Having inspired a young Gram Parsons, who later turned a new generation of musicians and fans on to the music of the Louvin Brothers, Charlie walked around the peeling, corroded interior of Waycross' City Auditorium like a ghost. Except Charlie was still here, very much in the flesh.



In fact, the past few years have marked an extraordinary late career run for Charlie, who turned 83 on July 7, 2010. His Grammy-nominated, self-titled Tompkins Square debut album brought him firmly back onto the scene, featuring an array of admirers like Jeff Tweedy, George Jones and Marty Stuart. He fulfilled a long-time desire to record with a gospel choir, the great McCrary Sisters, on 2008's Grammy-nominated Steps To Heaven. Three months later he released the "hellish" side, the critically adored Charlie Louvin Sings Murder Ballads & Disaster Songs. Charlie has recently played major festivals such as Bonnaroo and Hardly Strictly Bluegrass, and toured and recorded with Lucinda Williams. The music of the Louvin Brothers continues to resonate, most recently via the inclusion of "My Baby's Gone" on the soundtrack for the hit movie, Crazy Heart. Hickory Wind: Live at the Gram Parsons Guitar Pull, Waycross GA is a fond tip of the hat from one legend to another. If Gram is the granddaddy of "Americana", Charlie is the great-granddaddy; a Country Music Hall of Famer, and a legend in the truest sense of the word.

Really big shows! 'The 4 Complete Ed Sullivan Shows Starring The Beatles' remastered

History repeats itself on September 7, 2010 when the digitally remastered version of The 4 Complete Ed Sullivan Shows Starring The Beatles comes to DVD

When The Beatles stepped onto Sullivan’s New York stage on Sunday, February 9, 1964, to make their American TV debut, 86 percent of all TVs on at that hour--73 million Americans--tuned in. It was the most-watched program in history to that point and remains one of the most-watched programs of all time.

Nearly 50 years after the four landmark live performances of The Beatles on “The Ed Sullivan Show,” those legendary appearances with newly remastered audio and carefully restored video will finally be made available worldwide on home video through a major distributor. It was announced today (Sept. 1, 2010) by Universal Music Enterprises (UMe) and SOFA Entertainment that The 4 Complete Ed Sullivan Shows Starring The Beatles will be released Tuesday, September 7, 2010, by UMe, a division of Universal Music Group, the world’s leading music company. The 4 Complete Ed Sullivan Shows Starring The Beatles was produced by SOFA Entertainment.

“The Beatles changed music and popular culture forever,” says Bruce Resnikoff, President & CEO, UMe. “This DVD collection contains treasured performances and UMe is thrilled to bring these milestones of music and television history to fans, whether they saw the shows the first time or have never seen them.”


“We used the full extent of today’s technology,” says Andrew Solt, Executive Producer and CEO of SOFA Entertainment, which purchased all 1,050 hours of “The Ed Sullivan Show” in 1990. “The quality is better than it ever was, in fact, better than when the shows aired, especially visually. For example, the February 16 performance was from Miami’s Deauville Hotel, not from a studio. The quality of the tape image was very fragile. We went back and improved it frame by frame.”

With a running time of more than 250 minutes, The 4 Complete Ed Sullivan Shows Starring The Beatles presents those shows uncut, including not only all of the other performances but also all of the original commercials. The audio is available in both mono and a 5.1 remix. Also included on the two-DVD set will be material from other “Sullivan” shows, notably a short interview with The Beatles which has not been seen since its original television airing in 1964.

Few moments of The Beatles’ performances had ever been seen before a similar DVD package debuted in 2003, but distribution was via a small independent company. Now through UMe , The 4 Complete Ed Sullivan Shows Starring The Beatles will be widely available at traditional retail as well as non-traditional retail such as book stores, major department stores, specialty and high-end stores.

In addition, the new DVD set has been augmented with approximately 13 minutes of additional footage. The added material, rare Beatles-related gems from other “Sullivan” shows, is placed at the end of each disc. Among them is a brief London interview with The Beatles by Sullivan which has not been seen since the day it aired (May 24, 1964); a 1966 black-and-white commercial for Beatles dolls introduced by Sullivan in color; and the host reading a 1967 telegram from The Beatles congratulating him on the renaming of the studio to “The Ed Sullivan Theater.”

“Usually when there is a major historic moment, it’s seen on every channel,” notes Solt. “What makes the first Beatles performance so unusual is that ‘The Ed Sullivan Show’ was the only place you could see it. Even though their music was everywhere, we had never seen them live. It was a shared joyous moment for an entire generation and still is today.”

The Beatles appeared live on “Sullivan” three more times--the following Sunday from Miami , a third consecutive show (February 23), and finally September 12, 1965. In all, the Fab Four performed 20 songs (15 different ones), from “All My Loving” and “I Saw Her Standing There” (twice each) to “I Want To Hold Your Hand” (three times), “Yesterday” and “Help!”

The Sunday night variety show, which ran from 1948 to 1971, was seen live in the Central and Eastern time zones but fortunately was taped for airing in the Pacific and Mountain time zones. Yet few tapes had been transferred to a contemporary format until Solt obtained the rights. Today he continues to transfer and remaster them. Solt’s other credits range from the 1979 TV special “Heroes Of Rock And Roll” and 1988 feature documentary “Imagine: John Lennon” to the 1991 Warner Brothers theatrical feature film “This is Elvis” to the 1995 TV documentary series “The History Of Rock ‘N’ Roll” and 2006 home video “Elvis: The Ed Sullivan Shows.”

“For so many people who experienced those first shows originally, including myself,” adds Solt, “we remember where we were. But we never saw them again. Now we can, and in context--the complete shows--with all the raw energy and excitement, the audience going crazy. There’s also a new generation, one that has bought the reissues, the Rock Band videogame, seen Paul McCartney play on the marquee of the Ed Sullivan Theater that’s the home of ‘The Late Show with David Letterman,’ heard the songs on ‘American Idol.’ They know the music so well even if they were born decades later. A word like ‘timeless’ gets overused but it definitely applies to The 4 Complete Ed Sullivan Shows Starring The Beatles.”

Neil Young to release 'Le Noise' on Sept. 28

Neil Young continues to challenge himself and his listeners with music that is powerful, beautiful and authentic. Here is a comprehensive update courtesy of Reprise Records on his forthcoming release.

NEIL YOUNG TO RELEASE BRAND-NEW SOLO ALBUM, ENTITLED 'LE NOISE,' ON SEPTEMBER 28, 2010, ON REPRISE RECORDS

ROCKER COLLABORATED ON GUITAR-DRIVEN ALBUM WITH MUSICIAN, SONGWRITER, AND PRODUCER DANIEL LANOIS

Burbank, CA –Neil Young will release a brand-new solo album, entitled Le Noise, on September 28, 2010 on Reprise Records. The eight-song album is a collaboration between the acclaimed rock icon and musician, songwriter, and producer Daniel Lanois, known for his work with U2, Bob Dylan, Peter Gabriel, Brian Eno, Emmylou Harris, Willie Nelson, The Neville Brothers and many others. As producer or co-producer Lanois won Grammy Awards in 1987, 1992, 1997, 2000 and 2001.

Young and Lanois have crossed paths musically over the course of many years, including Lanois’ performances at Young’s Bridge School Benefit Concert and Young’s performance at Farm Aid when Lanois was Willie Nelson’s music director, but this is the first time the two have recorded together. Recorded in Lanois’ home in the Silverlake area of Los Angeles, Le Noise features Young on acoustic and electric guitars with Lanois adding his trademark sonic textures, creating one of the most sonically arresting albums Young has ever recorded. No band, no overdubs, just “a man on a stool and me doing a nice job on the recording,” as Lanois puts it.

“Neil was so appreciative of the sonics that we presented to him,” Lanois says. “He walked in the door and I put an acoustic guitar into his hands — one that I had been working on to build a new sound. That’s the multi-layered acoustic sound that you hear on the songs ‘Love and War’ and ‘Peaceful Valley Boulevard.’ I wanted him to understand that I’ve spent years dedicated to the sonics in my home and that I wanted to give him something he’d never heard before. He picked up that instrument, which had everything — an acoustic sound, electronica, bass sounds — and he knew as soon as he played it that we had taken the acoustic guitar to a new level. It’s hard to come up with a new sound at the back end of 50 years of rock and roll, but I think we did it.”

Le Noise will be released in several formats, including standard CD, vinyl, digital download, and as a deluxe CD/DVD. The DVD portion, shot by cinematographer Adam Vollick, will feature eight black and white films of Young performing each song solo on acoustic and electric guitar live in the studio. In November, Reprise will also release a Blu-Ray edition, featuring Lanois and Vollick’s beautifully shot films of Young.

Writing about Le Noise after hearing it at Lanois’ home, The Los Angeles Times commented: “What’s striking about Le Noise is the way it both summarizes and distills Young’s singular approach to music, predominantly just Neil and a guitar: his big, white hollow-body Gretsch electric slashing and burning for most of the tracks, a couple built around picked and strummed acoustic instruments. Both are recorded and amplified -- literally and metaphorically -- by Lanois’ signature soundscapes that loop vocals, and enhance the guitars’ bass notes through distortion boxes, synthesizers and other electronics.”

The track-listing for Le Noise is as follows:

Walk With Me
Sign of Love
Rescue Me
Love And War
Angry World
Hitchhiker
Peaceful Valley Blvd.
Rumblin'


www.neilyoung.com

Asia: twice was more than nice

Photo by Armando Brown; originally published in the Orange County Register. This photo of John Wetton and Carl Palmer was taken at Club Nokia.

Before catching Asia at Club Nokia on Friday night (Aug. 27) and then at the Grove of Anaheim on Saturday night (Aug. 28), I can't recall the last time I saw a major concert act play live two nights in a row.
Although the quartet's set was almost identical both nights, there were plenty of great reasons to catch singer-bassist John Wetton, guitarist Steve Howe, drummer Carl Palmer and keyboardist Geoff Downes twice in two days.
Firstly, the current version of the band features the original line-up and all four members are still at the top of their artistic powers. Although there are those who don't like prog-rock or melodic rock, Asia continues to be among the best-ever at crafting songs that are inventive, accessible and showcase virtuoso musicianship free of bombast.
Secondly, Asia is touring in support of the second strong full-length album since its return in 2006. Phoenix was an unexpected surprise in 2008, and 2010's Omega makes it clear the band's return is a great one.
In fact, many of the highlights of Asia's concerts this past weekend came from those recent releases. The band opened both shows with the uplifting and driving "I Believe," and also featured the powerful political opus "Holy War"and confessional "Through My Veins" in the first half of the set. The second half of the set saw the inclusion of "An Extraordinary Life," a joyous song that celebrates survival that is a highlight on Phoenix and proved to shine in the live setting too.
A third thing to celebrate about both Asia shows was the audience. It has become the norm in recent years that a large number of concert-goers chat, yell over their cell phone while telling their pals that they are at so-and-so show, and are generally obnoxious. Both crowds were amazing, with just about everyone really listening to the musicians. What a concept: if you go to a concert, you actually care about the music.

Asia's setlist on Aug. 27 and Aug. 28:
1. I Believe
2. Only Time Will Tell
3. Holy War
4. Never Again
5. Through My Veins
6. Don't Cry
7. Steve Howe solo (two acoustic numbers)
8. The Smile Has Left Your Eyes
9. Open Your Eyes

BREAK/INTERMISSION

10. Go
11. Time Again
12. An Extraordinary Life
13. End Of The World
14. The Heat Goes On (including Carl Palmer's drum solo)
15. Sole Survivor

ENCORE
16. Days Like These
17. Heat of the Moment

ASIA: A chat with keyboardist Geoff Downes

With ASIA currently on tour in support of the band's latest album Omega, I recently had the chance to speak with keyboardist Geoff Downes (on the far right of the photo) about the band's continuing journey, which includes an upcoming concert date at The Grove of Anaheim on Saturday night, Aug. 28, 2010.

What follows are highlights of my phone conversation conducted with Geoff Downes on July 20, 2010:

Robert: Hi Geoff, this is Robert Kinsler from the Orange County Register; how are you doing? I've been an ASIA fan since the early 1980s and it's a pleasure to speak with you.

Geoff: You're an Orange County man.

Robert: I am. I saw you play at the Long Beach Arena when your first album came out.

I thought we could start with how you and John (singer-bassist John Wetton) first work on the songs, and then how the rest of the band (guitarist Steve Howe and drummer Carl Palmer) work up the finished arrangements/recordings?

Geoff: Well, we do a lot of trouble-shooting beforehand. I go over to John's (home) or he comes around to mine; we collate our ideas really like in the old days. We've done quite a number of albums together (both ASIA and their musical group Icon) - three Icon albums. We generally have a couple of musical ideas and we see which ones are going to work with what (other ideas) and then quite often we have similar ideas about the direction of the material; it's pretty much the way we worked back in the old days (ASIA was formed in 1981). He had a musical bit and I had a musical bit and then we put them together and then we'd see how that transpires and what it suggests lyrically. And then John starts to put his touches in the lyrical department and that's really how we get it to that sort of stage. We put a rough demo into a recorder, just a piano and then we take it to the other guys and that's really when we start to really hone into the arrangements.

Robert: Do you arrange in the studio or or do you do pre-production including the final arrangements?

Geoff: Generally, naturally, I've done a lot of pre-production. So I generally have all the songs - including the ones Steve has written with John or the ideas that Carl has put forward - I kind of do very rough computerized demos of what we have discussed so when we go into the studio obviously certain things don't work as well as we thought so we sort of chop it up (fine tune the song) around then.

Robert: I'm thinking of "Holy War" - where you have that great instrumental break built around Carl's great drum solo with your keyboards that flow so well around that. Where does that chemistry come from; how all the parts of the song work so well together?

Geoff:In that bit particularly - I think that's one of the songs that is one of the standout songs on the album - we didn't really have the idea of that with all the frantic drum parts that Carl came up with. That's not something you can do around the piano. You can't conceive those kind of things will happen (in the demo stage) - the magic of something that Steve will put in a (guitar) line that will take it in another direction. So I think it's a constant kind of refining process as each person injects his bit into it. It takes on a whole different meaning; it's all about development. That's the great thing about working with the other three guys in ASIA. They're all great to work with and everyone has a common direction and a common goal.

Robert: This celebrated lineup of ASIA has been together longer this time around since reforming in early 2006 than when you were initially together from 1981 to 1983.

Geoff: Yeah, yeah. We've been together now nearly five years. It's pretty incredible really, because I think when we were first out we only did about three years from the inception of the band. So - as you know - Steve is off doing his bits and pieces with Yes and Carl doing some stuff with ELP (including an impressive recent reissue from Shout! Factory) and me and John have got our Icon project that we do, so it doesn't take totally center stage with everybody but I think once we do get together, everybody is 100 percent dedicated to it.

Robert: Are you enjoying working together more now that that huge success at the beginning?

Geoff: Yeah, I think so. That's something that will probably never be repeated (ASIA's self-titled album was the biggest-selling album of 1982. Released in March 1982, it sold four million copies in the U.S.) and I think that was a fantastic thing that came out of having these ideas around John's piano in Shepherd’s Bush in London and then all of a sudden six months later it was on every single radio station in America and you can't turn on the radio and not hear one of those songs. Some bands have that more than once in a lifetime, but for us, it was very much that period and those first couple of albums (1982's "Asia," 1983's "Alpha") were very successful. In some ways, that was not good for us because we started so high up - that first album was so enormous - that we never really had a chance to build the concept of the band at that point, and I think that's one of the reasons why we did get back together again five years ago is that we felt like we still had a lot to put forward and a lot to offer that we hadn't actually achieved before.

Robert: I think you've done that with Phoenix and Omega. And you've done that, despite setbacks such as when John had his health scare where he had heart surgery in late 2007.

Geoff: That's right, and Carl had a bit of a scare as well. None of us are getting any younger, that's for sure. I think the fact that the original band is still wanting to do it - next year will be 30 years since the inception of the band - that's not a bad go considering so many bands fall by the wayside.

Robert: I'm thinking the songs you are doing now are every bit as good as your early material. Not just "Holy War," but "I Believe" and "Through My Veins." Not just the musical textures - the songs are so good too.

Geoff: That's something we've always tried to attain, you know. I think songwriting has been the key to ASIA's success initially. I think it was a combination of having the songs we did (this part of Geoff's response was garbled from traffic noise where he was speaking on a cell phone while in the U.K.), the arrangements and musicianship that goes with it...each person was his own individual performer in his own right as well as collectively having the style of ASIA. You look at John's background and Steve's background and Carl's background - they were very much from the big English prog-rock arrangements. I think when we had the opportunity to do ASIA, it was very much a condensed version of that. We still had the musicianship, but it was supporting quite melodic and accessible rock songs.