Music
Ziggy Stardust turns 40
Mar 18th
Ok.
If the ‘ode to REM’ dated me … this one is really going to show my age. But I have to because Ziggy Stardust turned 40 this year.
Yup. The album Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars <David Bowie> was released 40 years ago. For those of you who are not old enough … Ziggy Stardust was David Bowie at his best. And the album is just as good now as it was then. Just a reminder <so that the younguns reading don’t think I am blowing smoke up their ass> before I get to the album and David Bowie:
- In 1997, Ziggy Stardust was named the 20th greatest album of all time in a Music of the Millennium poll conducted by HMV Group, Channel 4, The Guardian and Classic FM. In 1998, Q magazine readers placed it at number 24 and Virgin All-time Top 1000 Albums ranked it at number 11, while in 2003 VH1 placed it at number 48. It was named the 35th best album ever made by Rolling Stone on their list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. And Time magazine listed it in its top 100 albums of all time.
(yup … good album)
Bowie created the album as a concept album and after it was done the label, in typical fashion, said “hey, there is no single” and Bowie (probably after having a well deserved tantrum) went back, had a cocktail or two and cranked out ‘Starman” … still an awesome song today:
Live Starman: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sz0XIiIlATE&feature=related
Live Ziggy Stardust: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8sdsW93ThQ
Anyway.
Ziggy Stardust was David Bowie (or was David Bowie Ziggy … geez … not sure). All I know is that The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars was advertised with the slogan “David Bowie is Ziggy Stardust”… while, in smaller type, the words “Ziggy Stardust is David Bowie” ran across the bottom of the ad.
Bowie has always brilliantly blurred who he is as a person and who he is on stage. We overlook how talented he was as a songwriter, singer & performer. He was cool before we even knew what cool was. In a way he was a male trendsetter version of Madonna (but a much better musician).
Ziggy Stardust was just one among a brilliant three album run he had – Ziggy Stardust, Aladdin Sane, Hunky Dory – which may rank up with one of the best 3 album stretches of anyone of all time.
Here is Panic in Detroit from Aladdin Sane:
Panic in Detroit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rf0fmqWS-kI
And his band at that time. Tight. Good. Drummer Mick Woodmansey, bassist Trevor Bolder, and guitarist Mick Ronson played with David Bowie from 1971 to 1973 on three albums – Hunky Dory, The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, and Aladdin Sane. For all three albums they were Ziggy Stardust & the Spiders from Mars.
And Mick. Mick Ronson the band’s secret weapon … flashy, but solid, guitar. He was the perfect counterpoint to Bowie (he kind of brought a solid sanity to Bowie’s out-of-this-world character).
Regardless. Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars is packed to the gills with classic tunes.
Ok. Why Ziggy?
The character of Ziggy was initially inspired by British singer Vince Taylor whom Bowie met after Taylor had had a breakdown and believed himself to be a cross between a god and an alien (how awesome is that story). Other influences included the Legendary Stardust Cowboy and Kansai Yamamoto who designed the costumes Bowie wore during the tour (how awesome is that … where the heck are these types of stories today?).
Oh. And as Bowie told Rolling Stone, because Ziggy was “one of the few Christian names I could find beginning with the letter ‘Z’”.
Anyway.
Happy 40th to one of the albums that I probably wore out in my youth. One of my favorite albums of all time.
And, as a bonus, some David Bowie photos:
Sorry. Just some musical memories. And it is always good to remind people that good music remains good … even 40 years good.
skinny love
Mar 11th
Ok.
Skinny Love is a song.
And this is very artsy thoughtful type music.
The singer is Birdy. And she is 16 (I think).
Sultry voice. Think maybe Fiona Apple’s first cd … but with a piano driven seriousness instead of the sensualness/sultriness that Fiona seemed to have.
Birdy is Jasmine van den Bogaerde.
She uses the name ‘Birdy’ because when she was a young child when she was being fed she would open her mouth wide like a little bird … her parents gave her the nickname.
Her mother is a concert pianist and you can see it in Birdy as you watch her play.
There is a nice little 3 minute interview with her when she was 15 and wearing big braces talking about not quitting school and her music: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3WBWWlzSUe8&feature=related
Its hard to believe watching the then 15 year old with braces talk that when she gets in front of the piano she creates the sound she does.
Which leads me to her music.
This is a nice song … nice message … but the video is outstandingly well done …
People help the People: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OmLNs6zQIHo
Another nice song.
Shelter: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QXwPUYU8rTI&feature=branded
And here is how she originally got on everyone’s radar with an amazing cover of a Bon Iver song called Skinny Love.
The song opens with … come on skinny love … just last the year … a beautifully crafted heartfelt song.
Skinny Love: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNzCDt2eidg&feature=branded
(I actually believe it is better than Bon Iver)
This is mature music … from a young lady just moving into maturity. The antithesis of Taylor Swift.
Her official site:
Enjoy.
of monsters and men
Mar 11th
This is about a band called of monsters and men.
Here is an intro to the band (from Facebook):
About
We used to be birds but now we’re monsters.
Love it.
They are quirky. With a neat sound.
NPR says: Of Monsters and Men’s appeal is no great secret. Its members combine the anthemic exuberance and homespun theatricality of bands like Arcade Fire and Edward Sharpe & Magnetic Zeros. Their style, which also shares a strong male/female dynamic, is typically Icelandic: They combine earnestness and aptitude, which makes for irony-free, feel-good music that’s nearly impossible to resist.
Now.
I don’t know shit about Iceland except Bjork and it sounds cold (it’s the ice part of the name). But Of Monsters and Men is from Iceland. While I was hoping they would sing of fjords and endless winters the six person group actually sings some really thoughtful songs (done in interesting ways with accordions and banjos and a bunch of random instruments along with the traditional ones).
They first gained recognition in 2010 by winning Músíktilraunir, Iceland’s annual battle of the bands (I really just wanted to type an Icelandic word in here).
Ah.
But their first single hitting the American indie stations. Little Talks. Now this is a song.
I don’t like walking around this old and empty house
So hold my hand, I’ll walk with you my dear
The stairs creak as I sleep, it’s keeping me awake
It’s the house telling you to close your eyes
Some days I can’t even trust myself
It’s killing me to see you this way
‘Cause though the truth may vary
This ship will carry
Our bodies safe to shore
Hey! Hey! Hey!
There’s an old voice in my head that’s holding me back
I tell her that I miss our little talks
Soon it will all be over, buried with our past
You used to play outside when you were young,
Full of life and full of love
Some days I feel like I am wrong and I am right
Your mind is playing tricks on you my dear
Here is the song & video (very very strange video):
Little Talks: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ghb6eDopW8I&ob=av2n
Enjoy.
thousand years
Mar 7th
So.
Every once in a while you hear a “nice song.”
It’s not spectacular in any way other than the fact it is just really nice to listen to … talks about love <but not in a yucky gushy way … I was using my inner little boy to write that> … and is delivered in a non-over-the-top fashion.
Christina Perri has done just this with “thousand years.”
If you don’t know who she is … she is the well-tattooed crooner who sang “jar of hearts” … which I kinda liked … it has a wonderful turn of phrase in it that lyrically was one of those songs you just wanted the rest of the song to go away and that one part just stop and be it.
But.
This is about A Thousand Years. It’s been out since late last year. I probably missed it because it was on the Breaking Dawn (one of those horrendous Twilight movies) soundtrack.
I have died everyday waiting for you
Darlin’ don’t be afraid
I have loved you for a Thousand years
I’ll love you for a Thousand more
Ok. This isn’t the “official” video … but someone did a really nice job on it.
Thousand Years: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OHkvan-NFnM&feature=branded
It’s a really nice song.
Ok.
Now. One last interesting thing she does.
As all music videos do … they doll-up the artists and air brush and do all the video voodoo magic that we all know and love … but I like what a lot of artists are doing these days. They are doing live blogs on their own sites which gives you a real look at them.
Not only look-wise but personality and talking and humanizing them in a nice way.
Not all good but it’s part of being human.
And, I admit, I like her love of tattoos (and I am not a tattoo guy).
“My favorite tattoo is the one on my chest,” spills Christina. “It says ‘La Mia Famiglia’ which means ‘My Family’ in Italian. My family means the world to me … and I remember that every single day just looking in the mirror.”
She’s got a bunch.But that is part of who she is.
Christina does a really nice job on her website. I respect her for it. shows some nice confidence in herself. Good role model for young girls. Tatts and all.
Check out her website: http://www.christinaperri.com/
enjoy.
Dead Sara
Mar 1st
Whew.
This is rock music … and good rock music.
Great riffs with a strong female lead singer.
Dead Sara’s music reminds me a lot of Full Blown Rose (who was an awesome Portland band but just couldn’t get their shit together as a band to stay together).
Dead Sara is fronted by singer Emily Armstrong and guitarist Siouxsie Medley who have been making music together since they were teenagers.
Here are some things I found about them just to give you a sense of what to expect.
A reviewer: the band traverses with ease from genre to genre producing melodic gems that flow right into in fierce, tear your head off, metal induced rockers all with a gritty, primal edge that leaves your ears wondering what could possibly come next.
Ok.
The story behind the band’s name.
Emily: We get asked all the time. Its from the Fleetwood Mac song “Sara”, where in it she says, “said Sara”. Siouxsie and I always liked it as “dead Sara”. So we decided later down the line to use it as a band name…plus it was the only name both of us could agree on!
They have been quoted as saying they want their sound to be “really raw and primal, even a bit unsettling.”
Siouxsie: While recording we were trying many raw and organic tones and sounds as that’s really who we are live. Our live show is very dynamic and raw and we wanted to convey that on the record.
Dead Sara music … okay .. I am gonna ease you into Dead Sara by sharing Sorry for It All first. This is Dead Sara ‘lite’ for the lighthearted …
Sorry for it All: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZ5uaoc6Iss&feature=related
After this it gets much much stronger and darker and … well … really good if you like this stuff. I bet Motley Crue likes this band (and probably the guys in Linkin Park too).
The song “Weatherman” is on the radio but I think “I said You Were Lucky” is going to be not far behind. I am including both.
Weatherman: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLGoeYOZ0Qs
And if you have any doubts as to their live performance ability there is a pretty kick ass version of this song live from the Viper Room.
Here is… I said You Were Lucky: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qOABjH96gtg&feature=related
Good stuff.
Certainly not Barry Manilow or even Indigo Girls but the music world would be boring without new bands like this.
Enjoy.
Oh.
And if you don’t know the Full Blown Rose reference here is a taste:
In the Light: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6eOh6BTPw8
Somebody Help Me: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MxybTOkxDsw
Heapsongs
Feb 24th
So.
Imogene Heap continues to convince me she must be an incredibly interesting person in person … as well as a talented musician. And she just released another new song … from China.
Think of this:
Featured on TED (magical gloves <that capture sound through motion>).
Finds musical inspiration in almost absurd ways (newspaper printers).
Innovative thinker (YouGov).
Certainly not mainstream (I envision most people have no clue who she is). But certainly way ahead of what I would consider a global collaborative thinker (not just a musician).
First. The song.
Heap is working on her fourth cd. But she is going about it in a really interesting way … it is almost like sh is releasing each song as a “cd” as she rolls out the entre cd one-by-one. While the cd will be a collection of songs written and released individually two months apart each “Heapsong” is a story in itself. As I just said … each song is almost its own cd. People should be paying attention to is concept … REALLY paying attention. Because this may be the way of the future. Full length cds simply being a means to an end (a compilation of individual songs).
The newest song, the 5th, she made in China and is called Xizi She Knows: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jgvAx2Bdt-o&ob=av2e
Ok. About the song (and another reason why I think she is one of the most innovative musicians out there today):
We went into a primary school class, where the children were doing their eye exercises, and the teacher giving them their instructions gave us our tempo. The sound of the newspaper printing presses – that became the beat. And we caught this woman who heads up this huge hill to a temple every day at sunrise and screams at the top of her lungs, so the sound of that is now in the middle section of the song.- Imogene Heap
Next.
She worked with YouGov to conduct a unique piece of research.
Imogen wanted to find out more about her fans by working with YouGov to write a tailored survey. Through it, she hoped to discover how her fans first came into contact with her work, when, how and why they enjoy her music, and what it is about Heap fans as individuals that mean they connect with her sound. It is a fascinating way to stay in touch with not only fan base but a larger base of what I would consider ‘global influencers’ or, at minimum, people who care about issues globally.
YouGov mapping of HeapFans
YouGov Heap: http://labs.yougov.co.uk/news/2012/02/14/imogen-heap-results/
Oh.
By the way.
Every one of my readers (because I assume they read because they like to explore new ideas and be involved in a worldview) should register with YouGov.
While it is certainly UK based it explores global issues as well as UK issues and is really well done. A very easy way to keep in touch with a variety of global issues (and some are serious and some are not).
Here is the registration site: https://labs.yougov.co.uk/account/register/
Next.
I love the fact she has made new technologies and social media integral to who she is and what she does … WITHOUT losing her individualism.
Heck. in 2010 she accepted her Grammy for the best engineered non-classical album (there are so many frickin’ grammy categories its nuts) wearing an interactive Twitter dress <yeah … interactive> specially-made to enable her to ‘bring’ her fans on stage with her.
And.
She has been featured on TED as assisting in the development of “magical gloves” which capture sounds in motion.
I love the fact she is recognizing the importance and functionality of social media as a vehicle for, and measure, of not only engagement but also the possibilities created through collaboration by constantly involving people with various projects.
I have written about her before an this 4th cd but it us using an entirely new innovative approach to writing & recording by releasing one song every three months … because each song is basically being created through collaboration in a two-week song-composing flurry.
‘Lifeline’ and ‘Propeller Seeds’ were the first and second tracks created this way.
For ‘Propeller Seeds’, Imogen invited fans to share their moments of ‘clarity’ with her – namely, the times in their lives when “everything seemed to click” – to inspire her interpretation of this moment in her music.
Anyway.
Fascinating young lady.
And, from a bigger picture perspective, I believe her efforts and working style actually does more to encourage arts & music in people’s lives than any “music & arts is good” advertising initiative. She is involving people … and young people to see how music can be part of their lives.
Here is the Guardian article: http://www.guardian.co.uk/culture/2012/feb/23/30-minutes-with-imogen-heap#1
And if you ever wanted to be part of a song writing process … well … here is your chance. Her cd ain’t done yet.
Enjoy.
brit awards
Feb 22nd
So.
I have to hand it to the Brit music awards … there is always a dash of irreverence that never seems to make it to America.
They just seem ‘cooler’ and less concerned about the trappings of the red carpet and how they look but rather … well … just being themselves (even if it is not mainstream).
And <to add on to that last thought> their style of ‘not being mainstream’ doesn’t have the American angle of ‘trying to be cooler than cool’ or ‘trying to stand out so I can be recognized’ but rather they just seem to focus on being themselves. I don’t know how to say it any other way.
Adele flips off the producer on stage. Awesome. The wholesome looking gal flips a bird.
No one really seems to notice but on the show after she receives her award she is being followed by Blur … who is a poster child for ‘not caring about being mainstream’ and maintaining individual perspective. Anyway.
Here are the top ten moments in Brit Award history just so you can get a taste if you have never watched the show: http://www.guardian.co.uk/culture/gallery/2012/feb/19/10-best-brit-award-moments?intcmp=239#/?picture=386123103&index=0
Ok.
Several thoughts from the Brit Awards.
Adele. I admit … I have never really ‘got’ what all the people are raving about.
Good voice? You bet.
First single awesome? You bet (albeit awesome because Duncan Sheik – of Barely Breathing 90’s fame – wrote an awesome hook for her).
But my prediction is she won’t be relevant … or in the music discussion … several years from now. She will have a great run … but a short run.
Ah, but, for now … the matronly looking Adele pleasantly flipping a bird on the show is priceless. And she moves up in my estimation.
Next.
The critics choice award winner.
Emeli Sandé. She is a former medical student from Scotland with a big voice and some really good songs.
Heaven: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=883yQqdOaLg&feature=relmfu
Next to Me: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-nwdjQmc_N8
Next.
The brit breakthrough artist? Lana Del Ray. She is actually an American whose real name is Elizabeth Woolridge Grant (at least she stayed in the land of the three named people). She has been described as a “self-styled gangsta Nancy Sinatra.” (I liked that so I put it in)
She has a song called Video Games which is really good: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HO1OV5B_JDw
And another song called Blue Jeans which is not only good but shows an interesting way to showcase her music through videos: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okrEw7BXLek&feature=related
It is an awesome video. Actually … I like the way she does all her videos.
Anyway.
If you ever have the opportunity to watch European award shows (the good ones) you will not only see a different style of doing them but you will also get to see some good stuff that for some reason we just don’t get in mainstream america.
the foos
Feb 18th
“honestly, if I would have taken this whole career things seriously I would have named the band something else because it is the worst fucking band name of all time.” – dave grohl
So.
I have been a Foo Fighters fan since day one. And I disagree with Dave … Foo Fighters is an awesome name (the name comes from the UFOs reported by Allied aircraft pilots in World War II which were known collectively as foo fighters).
I decided to write this because I just saw an awesome Behind the Music episode on the Foo Fighters.
(I will get back to that later)
I will be honest.
I would have never thought I would have been a Foo fan before I heard the first song. I didn’t like Nirvana. Boy. I tried to like them. But, boy, I didn’t (excepting Heart Shaped Box). Everything else? Pretty much unlistenable to me (sorry Nirvana fans). Oh. And I thought Soundgarden, Alice in Chains and Dinosaur Jr. were better.
Ok. Side note.
Speaking of better (or at least some good music).
Here is some heresy in a Foo Fighters/Dave Grohl discussion. I am not only going to connect Courtney Love & Dave Grohl in a post (although there seems to be some animosity there I say facetiously) I am also going to say I like her music as well as the Foos.
Her second(?) cd, I think it was second, I thought was a good cd top to bottom with two outstanding tracks:
Celebrity Skin (Courtney): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O3dWBLoU–E&feature=relmfu
Malibu (Courtney): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v0CYB5V9e64
Anyway.
Back to the Foos.
Maybe I should have thought about what was happening with the Foos in the beginning. I didn’t know shit about Dave Grohl (other than he was a drummer … but Phil Collins was too – who would have ever thought Phil Collins and Foo Fighters would be mentioned together – and Don Henley was). But I did like Sunny Day Real Estate (2 Foos came from them when they broke up). I have always liked Pat Smears guitar playing and when he became a Foo I should have paid more attention.
Ok. Another side note.
I was lucky enough to see The Germs play at the old Starwood in West Hollywood and while I am not sure I got my hearing back for about a week I vividly remember standing there mesmerized watching Pat play these amazing underlying guitar riffs threading their way through some hellaciously bad singing (yelling?) from the Germs punk front man. I believe he was one of the guitar players I saw live very early on who made me pay attention to the nuances in what other people may have just heard as “noisy music.” He is an excellent guitar player.
<I am re-writing a ‘my starwood days’ series reflecting back on that place & time and will post soon>
But.
Back to the Foo Fighters.
There is a new Behind the Music Foo Fighters episode (here is the trailer):
http://www.vh1.com/video/misc/631803/foo-fighters-back-and-forth-trailer.jhtml#id=1659852
It is worth watching.
Dave Grohl is a good interview. And if you have any doubts about he feels about Kurt Cobain, and how he felt when Kurt died, you should see this. This is filmed 15 plus years after Kurt died and Dave still gets emotional.
In addition it is really interesting to hear a bunch of talented musicians all who pretty much came from talented bands who broke up and how they all got together and how they talk about it.
Anyway.
This is a good Behind the Music episode.
It takes you through the 16 year history (yeah … it’s been 16 years) of the Foo Fighters. From the cassette demos Grohl recorded while he was Nirvana’s drummer which created the first Foo cd to their current grammy winning cd.
Once a Foo always a Foo. That’s all I have to say.
new Cranberries almost Sundayslike
Feb 15th
So.
The cranberries are back. ‘Roses’ is their new cd (their 6th I think) and is scheduled for release February 27th. I just heard the first release Tomorrow:
Tomorrow: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SBQeLenafqY
I have it admit.
It almost has a Sundays like feel to it … and The Sundays remain one of my favorite bands for their happy poppy sound … and Harriett Wheeler’s voice.
<so that is good for the cranberries>
And just because I mentioned it I thought would include a couple Sundays songs:
Remake of Wild Horses: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u9lEd5bIbbQ
<possibly the best remake of all time>
Love: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2LNEIOjTOA&feature=relmfu
<sigh. I miss Harriett’s voice>
Back to Cranberries.
The band is also offering a free download from the new cd … one of the deeper tracks on the cd but it is a good song. If you like the cranberries download it.
It’s been awhile since we heard from the cranberries (although Dolores released a couple of solo forgettable cds).
Which begs the question … why do some lead singers sound awesome in their band environment and some just … don’t well … sound as good solo (but they are still writing & singing the same type of stuff)?
One of those great unanswered questions I guess.
Anyway.
If you wonder what they have been doing and just want to catch up on cranberries knowledge there is a nice video of an interview they did on BBC Breakfast. Even if you don’t like the Cranberries it is just fun to hear the Irish lilt in the interview. Best part. O’Riordan saying: ‘We went a bit mental’
BBC Breakfast interview: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-16681453
I always like their stuff. I thought their next to last cd was underrated (hard to follow up the earlier music I guess). And they seem to be mellowing a little as they get older which I think fits Delores’s voice better.
Enjoy.
whitney
Feb 12th
48 and gone. Maybe it is the age. 
Maybe it is the fact she was ‘the voice’ of a generation.
Whitney also seemed to embody some of the issues this generation has with the famous. Whitney was famously talented. And in the spotlight she was sometimes famously lacking.
Just because she was a star people wanted her to be perfect. And expected her to be the smartest and the most responsible person.
We forget that she had a talent. And was, frankly, a stunningly attractive women. But she wasn’t a math professor or a literature student. She was a singer. An amazingly talented singer but …. just a singer. And if she fell short at any time in her generation’s eyes it wasn’t because of anything she did but rather the unrealistic expectations we had for her.
Where she never fell short of expectations?
That voice.
She will remain one the greatest voices and in our limited attention deficit world we seem to live in I believe we tend to forget the Super Bowl national anthem Whitney sang in 1991 as our soldiers fought Desert Storm. Her delivery is effortless (which is kind of amazing in itself). And when her voice rose up to sing “the rockets red glare” I am fairly sure all of America got goosebumps:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wupsPg5H6aE&feature=related
While it may have been one of the best renditions of the national anthem (and extremely difficult song to sing) but the moment … the time … the impact of the delivery … for that one moment in time Whitney wasn’t just the voice of America … she embodied America … a flawed person with amazing talent. I cannot think of a better description of America. I am not sure I can come up with a better legacy for Whitney.
I didn’t always like her music but I never tired of hearing her sing.
48.
Whew. That seems too young.
