In a weird, cosmic way, through a series of subtle and not-so-subtle little bits of life events, the universe led me to this song: Talking Heads’ “This Must Be The Place”. To summarize:
– A couple weeks ago, I saw on my twitter feed that David Byrnes was offering a free download of his latest set of recordings with St. Vincent. I downloaded it;
– Several days later, during a late night of drafting agreements for work, I arbitrarily decided to play three albums on repeat. The two that mattered most for purposes of this blog entry were Arcade Fire’s “The Suburbs” and Talking Heads’ “Remain In Light” (the third was Vampire Weekend’s “Modern Vampires of the City”);
– I went to see an artist perform this past weekend, and met a friend of hers who recommended that I check out a Sean Penn movie on Netflix called “This Must Be The Place”;
– I wrote and published the blog entry on the Make Muisc Pasadena festival two days ago and decided to listen to Talking Heads’ live album “Stop Making Sense” while writing it;
– It’s now today and I’m watching the movie “This Must Be the Place”. Half way into the movie the protagonist has dialogue with a child that goes as follows:
I paused the movie and checked my iTunes and vinyl collection. I never purchased the Talking Heads or Arcade Fire album with this song. The universe wanted me to hear this song. It looks like I’ll know what to spend my Ameoba gift certificates on this weekend.
A couple years ago, while throwing back some scotch at one of my favorite pubs in Santa Monica, Ye Olde King’s Head, I was introduced to a couple of musicians who were in a LA based band called Ironheel. They were in the process of putting together a full length album, and they gave me some sites where I could check out their music. Sometime the next day, probably while brewing some coffee to help get my groggy afternoon started, I sat down at my computer and looked them up. I got excited. It was raw rock and roll with killer bass lines that reminded me of some of the greats back from the 60s and 70s.
I’d bump into the guys on occasion at the bar and always ask how their music was going. I can’t seem to remember all of the details- I’m blaming the scotch- but what I did take away from our conversations that was that the band was going through some changes. I figured if they wanted to get further into it, they’d let me know.
Fast forward closer to the present, and after more drinks, Chris Ayden and Chad Mitchell Schlosser tell me that they rebooted the band with a new name, Illumination Road, but still took the same approach to the music that I had liked so much when they were in Ironheel. Apparently, their sound impressed others as well as they were asked to play a set at the Stone Music Festival in Australia where they shared the stage with the likes of Billy Joel, Aerosmith, Buckcherry and the supergroup Kings of Chaos. When they told me that they were having their first ever U.S. gig as Illumination Road at the Roxy, I had to check it out. It was just what the doctor ordered.
Good old fashioned rock and roll. An edgier version of the Kinks influenced by Hendrix? Blue Oyster Cult with Robert Plant influenced vocals? A modern day The Guess Who (more “American Woman” than “No Time”)? It’s hard to say at this point because they’re such a new band. And honestly, comparisons don’t mean anything. All I know is that there’s a sound here with this band that can really fill a current void in the rock-and-roll marketplace, and it’s a sound that is uniquely their own. If they keep writing songs like the ones I’ve heard, and keep rocking their live performance like I saw them do, maybe they’ll lead the charge to get music back to its classic rock roots. After all, there is that whole cultural, cyclical hypothesis thingy…
Regardless, I’ll be keeping my eye on them to see where their jams take them. Check out the iPhone video clips I took, and if they pique your interest… pssst … they’re on Facebook.
What do I love more than music festivals? FREE music festivals. Every summer, since 2008, the city of Pasadena transforms Old Town Pasadena into into a bevy of performance venues. Although this year was my first time attending, it is definitely a summer concert experience that I’m sure I will attend for years to come.
Not only is it an opportunity to discover new music, but it’s also a way to put a finger on the pulse of Los Angeles’s local music scene. I can walk over to one band’s stage, and if it’s not to my liking, on to the next … and did I mention that it’s also FREE? Okay, that’s enough of that…
I created a little schedule of the bands I was interested in checking out. It turned out the first band on my list for the day was a band that I already knew about: The Record Company You can read about the first time I heard their music (and check out live video clips and music links) by clicking here. Coming from the west side, the trek out to Pasadena took a little longer than anticipated. Luckily, I was able to catch the last 4 songs of their set.
It was the middle of the day, but they drew in a very, very impressive crowd. I asked the person next to me if they had heard of the band before, and she said that it just sounded good. She was right. Confidently commanding the main stage of the festival, they took their hard-rocking blues and set what seemed to be a very high standard for the rest of the acts that would follow.
Near the end of the set, lead singer, Chris Vos, abandoned the microphone and sang his call to the audience, “I feel good”, to which the audience more than happily obliged to respond with their own “I feel good”. I saw him do something similar at a more intimate venue, but this was more impressive as the crowd was significantly larger than the private affair I saw them at before. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, these guys have some serious potential. Not only can they rock the stage, but they can engage the audience to join in on the raucous good time.
It gets particularly warm in the Summertime in Pasadena, and I realized that my wearing a black polo shirt was probably not the smartest idea. I stepped into a Vans store, and bought a tank-top for $20. Meh.
I dropped by the artist merchandise booth to say hi to the guys in The Record Company. Though I had already downloaded their music online, I picked up a copy of their CD “Superdead”. The fellas were cool enough to sign it for autographs.
The Record Company jamming and posing with the CD I asked them to sign.
Next on my list was YACHT. I was looking forward to checking this band out since a lot of my friends seemed to like their music… at least, that’s what Facebook seems to be telling me. I had a good spot for their set and settled in to watch. Their set was fun and energetic, but for some reason I couldn’t get into the set. For me, their electronic/house sound felt a little anticlimactic after watching The Record Company. Also, I just didn’t feel that there was enough for me in terms of melody and lyrics. Their songs felt a bit repetitive. That’s just me though. I would assume that the huge crowd bouncing to the beat would have disagreed with me.
I met up with some friends during YACHT’s set for a brief moment, but as I usually do at Festivals, I left pack and did my own thing. I’m a loner, Dottie…. a rebel.
I visited a couple merchandise booths and picked up a water, then went back to the main stage check out The New Limb, but as I got settled I noticed that my music notebook was missing. Oi. I spent the next 35-45 minutes retracing my steps. I missed The New Limb, but I found my notebook. Ironically, I had left it at the KCRW booth (one of the main sponsors of the event) when I was signing up for a ticket give away. That was ironic.
I got a text from my friends that they were going to head to Robert Delong (who was also on my list, but I opted to check out The Peach Kings. I had enjoyed listening to their music from their website, and liked what I thought was a catchy, female fronted band that sang sexy, blues influenced music. Really, their EP “Handsome Moves” is pretty sexy.
Unfortunately, my high expectations may have spoiled the impression that they gave me … my expectations and the heat. The live show felt more psychedelic than blues, and having had my fill of psychadelice rock a few weeks ago, I opted to leave their set early and try to catch up with my friends at Robert DeLong.
It was a few blocks away, which in the 90 degree heat was barely bearable with my $20 tank-top, and as I was approaching the performance venue, The Playhouse Stage, I could start hearing Robert DeLong’s set. It sounded relatively good, but then I started noticing that his vocals were really quite flat. Honestly, I was kind of regretting my decision to walk the few blocks over, but I decided to carry on.
When I got there, I felt like I was in a club. People were jumping around and surfing the crowd. It was an enthusiastic crowd, but all I could really focus on were his vocals, which seemed consistently flat. I could understand that, though. The unbearable heat probably played a part in that. Probably the highlight of the set, for me at least, came towards the end when Robert DeLong mixed in a vocal stem from the Talking Heads recording “Once In A Lifetime”. I thought it was clever and I enjoyed it. I also thought that 95% of the crowd probably didn’t know who the Talking Heads were.
When his set ended, Robert announced that he’d be selling merchandise next to the stage, where I was standing, and added, “Over there, where I’ll be touching you and taking pictures with you. It’ll be nice.” <shiver>.
Since I was already at the Playhouse Stage, I decided that I would kick it there to check out Tanlines, a band that I briefly saw perform (about a song and a half) at Coachella when I was there this year. Tanline were supposed to get on at 5:45pm, but the heat probably messed with their equipment (I heard that this also happened to Robert DeLong as well), and they took the stage over 15 minutes past their start time. The sound for the first two songs was terrible, which was no fault of their own (unless they used their own sound guy), and I decided to leave. That’s a perk of going to a music festival. You’re free to move on.
Top clockwise: YACHT, Robert DeLong (touching and taking pictures with his fans) and The Peach Kings.
Since I had left Tanlines’ set, I decided to head back to the Main Stage to catch Youngblood Hawke. The crowd for their performance was massive, and I was relegated to the very back. They were the last band to perform on the Main Stage. Their brand of alternative-new wave-electronic rock seemed to bring with it a loyal following. Their stage presence (at least from what I could see from where I was standing) was solid. You could see the members of the band using the entire width of the stage, frenetically pounding away at drums that seemed to be set up everywhere.
Though I had heard of them, I wasn’t too familiar with their music. Watching them perform, I really couldn’t get a grasp of what they were all about. For a minute, they sound like Franz Ferdinand, the next they sounded like Rusted Root (at least the percussive elements did), and towards the end it turned very bubblegum pop, almost like a of Monsters and Men, but with an edge. I’m over of Monsters and Men, and I decided to keep walking.
I decided to head up to the Levitt Pavilion, a quaint little outdoor performance amphitheater located on the top of a lawned hill in the center of Old Town Pasadena to check out Haunted Summer. They were still sound checking as their start time passed (7:00pm), but I comfortably grabbed some space on the lawn and stretched my legs out. I did want to catch a few songs before heading off to catch the final band on my list at 7:30pm.
Their sound check was fun. They jammed out to a little Jackson5 (“I Want You Back”) but I knew that that wasn’t going to be the sound of their music. The lead singer asked for more reverb all around stating, “As much reverb as you can. Take us into space.”
They started their set with a song called “1996”. It was very ethereal, and if I weren’t sitting up front, I would have just lay on the grass and closed my eyes. Their music is particularly effects heavy, which in a live setting may take away a bit from the vocals, but I don’t really think that the vocals are necessarily the focus of this band’s music. I enjoyed it and wish I didn’t have to leave their set so early. I couldn’t embed their playlist here, but check them out on Facebook or Reverb Nation.
The last band, and probably the least known band, I wanted to see was a band called The Likes of Us. They were set to perform in a wine bistro (I’ve omitted the name, cause I’m a nice guy). I got there, and, already feeling a little out-of-place wearing a Van’s tank-top in a wine-bistro, the host of the restaurant told me that I couldn’t come in to just see the band, and that I needed to make a reservation for a seat. WTF?! Um, that wasn’t noted in the schedule…
I’m not the confrontational type, so I made a “reservation” and ordered a beer. I noticed there was some space near the band, and I asked if I could stand over there, promising that I wouldn’t get in the way of anybody. The answer was no. There was a couple that invited me to sit with them, which I appreciated, and I joined them for a minute. The band started playing, but it was hard for me to hear or see them from where I was sitting. I pulled out my notepad, just to take a few notes from earlier in the day, when I noticed the host glancing at me scribbling in my notebook. I think that I may have intimidated him a bit. I saw this as an opportunity.
After a few songs, I told the nice couple that I would be abandoning them to sneak to a better spot. I went to the bar, and ordered another beer. I took my beer and went where the host told me I couldn’t stand. I kept scribbling in my notebook. I wasn’t bothered. Huzzah!
Starting upper left, clockwise: The Crowd of Youngblood Hawke, The Likes of Us, and Haunted Summer
I like the music that The Likes Of Us perform. Granted, since they were performing in a wine bar, some of their set was covers of jazz and pop standards. But their original tunes, are real keepers. As you’ve probably noticed, I haven’t posted any videos from the day here, and that’s because my phone would have run out of batteries in first few hours. So, I’ve posted a few of their video from youtube here:
Their original tunes are light-hearted and charming. The stylings reminded me of Jason Mraz back in his Live at Java Joe’s days. The lyrics are pure, and the harmonies are simple, and that’s what draws me to their sound. Even in the hustle and bustle of the busy restaurant, they sounded as good live as they did on the recordings I had previously heard.
Since they were playing to a dinner crowd, their set was going to be considerably longer than that of the other performers of the day. I had dinner plans elsewhere, so I had to leave their set early. I caught them between songs, told them I enjoyed what I had heard, and picked up one of their CDs (which they were giving away for free!). As I headed out of the venue, the host and I made eye contact. I thought about apologizing, but I just kind of stared at him as I left the restaurant. I bet he was wondering what I wrote in my notebook…
The music industry is a tightly knit community. When you spend a great deal of time working with others on a project- and it’s not just limited to the music industry, it can be any project- you tend to develop unique relationships with those that you are working with. Music, though, tends to be more personal. You’ll have the writers spilling their guts through a pen onto a pad; you’ll have the artists pulling from their souls the emotions they need to express the meaning of those written words whether through voices or instruments; you’ll have the producers and mixers slaving away at the sound boards trying to ensure that the “sound” is just right to convey that message. The people who often go unnoticed though, are the people who work behind the scenes: Managers, attorneys, etc. Often times they work just as hard, if not harder, to make sure whatever project that is being worked on goes off without a hitch.
A few months ago, a dear friend of mine, a phenomenal recording artist and all-around good person, Susie Suh, told me of a benefit concert she was organizing to help out a friend in need. Her friend’s name is Jolie Levine, and she had been a music coordinator for over 30 years before she was diagnosed in 2008 with Lupus.
In case you don’t know what Lupus is, it is an autoimmune disorder that affects 5 million people worldwide. It has no cure, but can be managed with proper medical care. Without proper medical care, its effects can be quite debilitating. She told me about how Jolie’s deteriorating health had prevented her from working, and that she had been battling the disease without health insurance. She was previously under AFTRA’s health plan, until she was cut-off when she could no longer work due to health problems.
Susie told me that Jolie was waiting to see if she would be granted Federal Disability in early 2014, but that funds needed to be raised in the meantime to make sure that she could at least care for herself. Susie told me that she was going to spearhead a benefit concert to raise not only money, but also awareness, of the disease. Susie and Jolie had worked together in the past, and worked with some amazing players in the music industry, so Susie pulled out her rolodex and with the help of friends, family, Lupus LA and the Sweet Relief Musicians Fund, put together an amazing line-up of music all-stars to support the cause.
The Henson Recording Studios, formerly the legendary A&M Studios, was the venue. It was my first time at the famed location, and I was already getting anxious as I pulled my car into the parking lot. As I walked by the various building on the studio towards the patio where everyone was congregating, I made it a point to first find Susie.
Susie was admirably performing hosting duties near the photo staging area. I approached her and as I was saying hello, my eyes glanced over to a man that most anybody in the music industry would recognize: Glen Ballard. I started to immediately geek out. One of my favorite songs of all-time (and I’m sure it’s the favorite song of millions of others) is Michael Jackson’s “Man In The Mirror”. He co-wrote that song and worked on the recording. The first “big” rock concert I went to was at the Irvine Amphitheater where Alanis Morissette was supporting her album “Jagged Little Pill”. He produced and co-wrote that entire album. Needless to say, I was a bit distracted….
I think Susie noticed I was distracted, and she immediately introduced me to Mr. Ballard. I told him what kind of impact his music had on my life, and he seemed very appreciative. I snapped a quick picture with him. Click.
Seriously, my night could have ended there, but the music hadn’t even started yet! As soon as Mr. Ballard went to say hello to others, I noticed Dave Grusin standing a few feet away! Holy cow. This man put together the music of so many films that I admired (and won a TON of Academy and Grammy Awards). I’m not sure if he won a Grammy or Academy award for it, but “The Goonies” was a favorite movie of mine growing up, and yes, I knew that he scored that motion picture. Click.
Even though I knew that they were performing that evening, I saw Carnie and Wendy Wilson talking with Susie. I slyly made my way over to Susie and somehow got the Wilson sisters to snap this quick photo with me. Carnie told me I smelled really good. It was a combination of Obsession and Nat Shermans… lol. This was by far my favorite picture of the evening. Click.
The lights dimmed and everybody started to head into the studio to catch the start of the music for the evening. The first band was group called Pedestrian. If I recall correctly they only played one song, but it was solid. The lead guitar solo in their song was sublime. After their song, I realized that I had to “excuse myself”. Ten minutes later, I came back into the studio when I saw someone who looked very familiar. I wasn’t wearing my glasses … I never really do … so I had to squint since she was across the room.
I attended the first weekend of Coachella (which you can read about by clicking here) and the highlight of the Saturday was a band that I was recently introduced to called Puscifer. The woman I was staring at looked like the female lead vocalist in Puscifer. I nonchalantly went up to her and, without thinking, asked her, “Hi, are you are singer?” to which she replied, “Yes”. “Do you perform with Puscifer?” I asked. She again replied, “Yes”. Then I went on for about a minute gushing about how I loved their set at Coachella and how I thought their set was worthy of an evening time slot. I then asked her what her name was. “Carina Round,” she said.
I immediately wanted to put my shoe in my mouth. The name was familiar, because she was the artist I missed when I had to excuse myself. I only hope I didn’t come off as a douchebag. I felt bad enough that I had missed her performance. I got a picture with her anyways… Click.
During my personally embarrassing moment with the divine Ms. Round, David Stewart was setting up for his set. He invited his daughter, Kaya, up to the stage and they performed a three-song set. They covered some big hits: “No One” by Alicia Keys, “Valerie”, and the apropos Eurhythmics’ classic “Missionary Man”. Kaya is only 13, but she absolutely impressed me with her energy and vocals on “Missionary Man”. In fact, it actually sounded more rock and roll with her singing the verses and belting the hooks.
After her set I went to the silent auction table and perused the offerings. Since I’m not a big baller, shot-caller, yet, I refrained from placing any bids on the larger priced items. Thank god there wasn’t a cruise to bid one (an inside joke for those who know me and the drunk debacle of an experience I had winning a Caribbean cruise …). There was, however, something within my price range: An autographed copy of Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes latest album “Here”. I started with the $30 bid.
Carnie and Wendy Wilson then took that stage and did a simple acoustic set the highlights of which included their signature “Hold On”, which they said they usually never perform with Chynna Phillips, but they made the exception this night, and the classic Beach Boy’s song co-written by their dad, “God Only Knows”. Swoon.
Kelly Martin then spoke on behalf of Lupus LA sharing her family’s experience with the disease, and then introduced my boss’s daughter, Cori B to the stage to perform a song about love. It was the first time I had ever seen her perform live, and I was impressed. What’s even more impressive is that Cori, too, is living with Lupus, so her performance had a significant poignancy to it.
After her song, I went back to check on my $30 bid. Apparently, someone wanted to start a bidding war. It was up to $35. I upped the ante to $40, and went back inside the studio.
Susie then did a short set, and let’s put it this way, if you aren’t familiar with her music, you should be. Heck, if it’s good enough for Glen Ballard (who produced an album of hers), it should be good enough for you, right? Check out the clip below. Nuff’ said.
After Susie’s set, I went back to check on my $40 bid. It was now $45. This was it. $50. My final bid. I went back inside the studio, and crossed my fingers.
When I got back into the room, Donna Washington was absolutely killing a funkedified version of Bobby Caldwell’s “What You Won’t Do For Love”. She only performed one song, but I would not have stopped her if she wanted to keep singing.
David Pack and his backing band started setting up and before starting his set, had some kind words for Jolie. He prefaced his performance by stating (and I’m paraphrasing), “It’s really something to get love back, especially when you’ve been giving it for so long … Tonight’s all about love.” Clearly, he knew a little about the hardships that Jolie was going through as he also had to overcome serious medical issues in his own personal fight to battle cancer.
He said, “If this doesn’t raise enough money, we’ll have another concert,” then dedicated the first song, “You’re The Only Woman,” to Jolie. He then performed “How Much I feel” and another song I didn’t know. When it seemed that he would finish his set, he said that some more more. For the heck of it, I subtly mumbled out loud, “Biggest Part Of Me”: I’m pretty sure he could here me cause I was a little fan boy standing up front. Lo and Behold, he performed it. David Pack’s voice has still got it. I’d take a date to a concert of his.
Before vacating the stage, he called Glen up to the stage and told a story of one of the first times he worked with Jolie. Apparently, it was a song written for an actor of General Hospital who was signed to Quincy Jones’ label at the time. It was fun watching the two music savants share a little history. When Dave finished up his set, I accosted him for a quick picture. Click.
Before I forget, I’d be remiss not to mention the stellar backing band of the evening. Players whose musicality is good enough for our POTUS. Greg Phillinganes on the keys, Neil Stubenhaus on the bass and Ricky Lawrence on Drums. Now, THAT is a house band.
I quickly went back to the auction table, and saw that my $50 bid was the last bid standing. As I was settling my auction bid, Ms. Siedah Garrett then took the stage and started performing. I went back into the performance room studio right when she had concluded her first song, and she called Glen up to the stage.
I knew what was coming. After all, Glen and Siedah wrote one of the greatest songs in pop music history: “Man In The Mirror” . But before starting the music, Glen took the mic in his hands and thanked those who had both attended and donated. He looked around the fabled A&M (now Henson) studio, and proclaimed, “We’re on sacred ground in here. In here, Jolie was the connector […] Thanks for taking care of us. It’s time for us to take care of you.” With Siedah taking the leads, her strong, impassioned voice carried the song wonderfully, instilling in everybody with the essence of the song that everybody can make the world a better place in their own way.
It was an evening of music, the likes of which, I’ll most likely never experience again. It was a Night for Jolie, and it was a night to remember.
Jolie was such an important part of the music of my, and probably your, youth. If you don’t believe me, you can check out a partial discography of the albums that she helped “put together” on her discogs.com profile. You probably have owned at least one of those albums. Donations are still being accepted for Jolie. A donation in even the smallest amounts help. As they say, what goes around, comes around. Make sure you have something good coming your way.
To make a donation, and learn more about lupus, please click on the following links:
My client Phaze has been putting out a lot of dope content these days. The latest two videos he dropped recently are, in my humble opinion, top notch. It starts with the music. Phaze has really been stepping up his lyrical game as of late, and it really comes through with the content and flow. The slick beats certainly add to his game.
Though he doesn’t appear in the video for “Arrival” (released May 24, 2013), the edits and cuts of the video (which was shot in India) are visually amazing. I actually feel that by not appearing in the video, it sets forth a confident statement by Phaze and the director that the music speaks for itself.
The video “Legendary” was released earlier in the month (May, 18, 2013) was shot in Los Angeles and already has over 16,000 views (as of May 31, 2013). Shot at the Tar Pits in Los Angeles, the video again used terrific visual imagery. The beat, produced by C Ballin, is smooth and steady, matching the lyrical flow.
If you like what you see and hear, spread the word. If you want to keep up with Phaze and his music follow him and his label respectively on twitter at @officialPhaze_ and @MrSobat … Ohh yeah … you can follow me too if you’d like here @Methodman13. I’d like to think I post some cool stuff too … LOL.
When it comes to music, it always pays to have an open mind.
A friend of mine posted on Facebook that she had an extra ticket to see The Black Angels at the Mayan Theater. It was a weekday (which is typically a no-go for me due to my typical work load) but I’d always been interested in the Black Angels because of their reputation of being a good psychedelic rock band. Tthe ticket was free, and I had pulled an all-nighter earlier in the week… so I replied to the post, and the ticket was mine.
My friend wanted to make sure we got to the venue in time to catch one of the opening acts, Hanni El Khatib . As we drove to the Mayan, she was telling me about Hanni, and mentioned that Dan Auerbach produced Hanni’s latest album. Whoa…. You mean the The Black Keys’ Dan Auerbach? Yup. I was intrigued.
We got to the venue, and we decided to make our way as close to the stage for Hanni’s set. As soon as he took the stage, the crowd started a raucous cheer more fitting for a headliner than an opener. He started his set, and I could immediately feel the raw, garage rock essence of his music that probably drew Dan Auerbach to it. A few songs into the set, and the crowd started to bounce to the blues rhythms of the music. Sure, the music sounded very similar to the Black Keys, but you couldn’t deny his music ability and the way he was able to engage the crowd. The music was good enough, that I didn’t have to know any of the songs to enjoy the set, and that says something.
During his set, I noticed that the merchandise table (which was oddly located close to the stage, stage left, on a separate, elevated space) was uninhabited, save but the merchants sitting at the tables. I made my way to the tables and found myself away from the crowd, in a space that was really all my own. If there was a VIP section, that would area have been it. LOL.
After Hanni’s set had ended, I decided to purchase a couple LPs. Since I was a little short on cash, I opted to pick up his debut album “Will The Guns Come Out” and a limited edition 7’’ single, with a hand-screented cover, of “Skinny Little Girl/Pay No Mind”. My friend, and her friends, joined me at the merchandise table and after making our purchases, and lollygagging a bit, Hanni dropped by the table to say hello to his fans. Yup. Me being the music dork, I got a picture and had him sign the 7’’ single … with a ball point pen (damn those bouncers for throwing away my permanent marker! Next time it goes in the shoe!) I asked him when he was planning on performing again in Los Angeles, and he told me that he was touring in Europe, and was looking to have gigs at the El Rey and on the Santa Monica Pier for the summer concert series. I am definitely going to check him out again.
After such an exhilarating set from Hanni El Khatib, my expectations for The Black Angels was slightly mixed. Blues/garage rock followed by psychedelic rock? Seems like an odd mix, no? I followed my friend upstairs to the balcony seats when the Black Angels started their set. We waited in line at the upstairs bar for what seemed like forever to get a bottle of water (yup, I was the designated driver), and the band had already started when we found a spot to sit.
The balcony at the Mayan is interesting in that it has a little “patio” area that seemed to serve as a mini dance floor. As soon as the Black Angels started their set, people immediately began to dance, swaying back and forth … dancing like those people I used to watch in those Woodstock documentaries.
The music was good, but it honestly felt like a little bit of a let-down after Hanni El Khatib’s powerful set. I’m a huge fan of Grateful Dead, Jimi Hendrix, Cream, etc., but this music didn’t leave as big of an impression on me as I thought it would. Maybe I needed a few drinks or “something” to help me enjoy the music more. Again, it sounded good … it just didn’t hit the spot for me.
I spent most of The Black Angels set people watching with my friends. We noticed a lot of tattoos. Hot chicks with tattoos. A lot of dancing bodies. A lot of dudes sitting around us with their eyes closed “twitching” around and bobbing their heads. People young and old. A diverse and amusing crowd.
We left the venue as soon as the Black Angels started their encore, and though I hardly ever leave shows early, I didn’t feel like I was missing anything. The Black Angels were good, but if I wasn’t shrooming or on something, it was really just background music to me. The highlight of the evening for me was the music I wasn’t even expecting. If it wasn’t for my curiousity about The Black Angels, I would never have discovered the music of Hanni El Khatib.
I’ve always believed in the adages of “what goes around, comes around” and “one good deed deserves another.”
A few weeks ago my friend, Susie Suh, posted on her Facebook page about a fund she was heading up to raise money for a friend who is dealing with Lupus. Her story was particularly moving for me because her friend was a veteran of the music industry.
The music industry can be a cruel beast. We only hear about the stories of musicians who have hit tough times, but there are countless numbers of people who work behind the scenes, whose stories aren’t as publicized, who’ve helped to put together the music of our lives. I was particularly moved because I work in the music industry too, and I’ve known (and know) what it’s like to hit a tough patch. I felt the need to get this particular story out because I can only imagine if something like this ever happened to me and I needed help, I’d want some of my friends to help me out as well.
Jolie Levine is a veteran of the music industry. Although I’ve never met her, I definitely know of the projects she’s worked on. Here’s a short list from her “resume”:
Michael Jackson’s “Bad”
“We Are The World”
Alanis Morrisette’s “Jagged Little Pill”
Kelly Clarkson’s “Thankful”
No Doubt’s “Return of Saturn”
The list goes on.
My friend Susie wrote up a nice little summary of her friend’s struggle:
“My name is Susie Suh and my dear friend Jolie has Lupus. Jolie has been self-employed in the music industry for over 30 years, but for the past few years her health has deteriorated to the point where she has not been able to work. With no health insurance and no work, she has been financially struggling and physically suffering.
Our goal is to raise enough money for Jolie to go to a medical treatment center in June for several months where she can be monitored by doctors and begin to regain her health. In addition, we would also like to raise enough money to cover any additional medical expenses, legal fees, and also cover her basic living expenses for approximately one year while she waits to hear if she is granted Federal Disability by early 2014. All additional funds will be donated to LupusLA.
Jolie and I met when she worked on the first record I professionally recorded. I have always known Jolie to be kind, loving, and thoughtful. I asked Jolie to write a short excerpt about what she has been going through and this is what she wrote:
In 2007 I was diagnosed with Lupus by my HMO Doctor. Lupus is an auto-immune disorder that has many complications and affects everything in your body – physically and mentally. It is also difficult to diagnose because no two patients have the same symptoms as Lupus mimics many other diseases. The Doctor said at the time that I had “Baby Lupus” and so I wasn’t referred to a specialist. But eventually I became so ill that I couldn’t get out of bed.
I am fortunate to have worked as a freelancer in the music industry for over 30 years. However, my poor health prevented me from leaving home most days. I was also a Musician’s Union member from which I received health insurance. However, around 2008 my inability to work ended that benefit, leaving me un-insured.
Chronically sick with Lupus, and lacking income and insurance, I started going to a government sponsored health care clinic. After several months my Lupus was not only confirmed, but it had gotten worse.
Lupus requires the attention of many specialists, including a Rheumatologist, Neurologist, Gastroenterologist, Dermatologist, and more. Although I am very grateful for the care I get from the government system, the heavy workloads and inherent red tape delay the referrals to specialists that I so desperately need.
The passing of time has drained my savings. I received State disability for almost a year, and in 2012 I filed for Federal Disability, but it was denied for lack of sufficient documentation at the time. Working through the health care system, documentation is trickling in, and I am appealing the decision. I won’t get a court date until the end of 2013.
For over 5 years I have been battling this disease without proper care and no way to earn a living. I am truly grateful for any help I receive.
(Lupus has no cure, but can be managed with proper treatment and lifestyle changes.)”
If you feel like doing a good deed for the day, I’d like to encourage you to donate a few dollars. You can click through HERE.
If you are in the Los Angeles area, and are willing to make a sizable donation, please consider joining the relief effort by purchasing a ticked for a benefit concert this Friday (5/31/13) at Henson Recording Studios. Tickets are $150, but the list of performer is a who’s who of music history: Carnie and Wendy Wilson of Wilson Phillips, Dave Stewart, Siedah Garrett, Glen Ballard, David PAck, Greg Phillinganes, and the list goes on. Tickets are available for purchase HERE.
It’s hard to get friends to check out new bands … on a Sunday. LOL.
Years ago, a buddy of mine introduced me to a band named What Made Milwaukee Famous (“WMMFamous”). He played me a song call “Cheap Wine” and I was hooked. I tried following the band, but it didn’t seem that they were particularly active. I chalked them up as a casualty of the music industry, and figured I’d only hear their tracks when they popped up in my iTunes playlist.
I thought it was a shame, because their music was really good (I’m a huge fan of their second album “What Doesn’t Kill Us”) and it seemed that they were making good progress with getting their music out there to the masses. After all, they were one of the few unsigned acts to ever play Austin City Limits, supported the Smashing Pumpkins and Franz Ferdinand, and they had a deal with Barsuk Records (home of Death Cab for Cutie, Ra Ra Riot, etc.).
One day, I got a notice about WMMFamous playing a local bar in Santa Monica, and I jumped at getting some tickets. Their gig was on a Sunday, so I knew it’d be a tough sell, but I tried spreading the word. Unfortunately, no one wanted to come out. Their loss.
After running some errands during the day, I got to the venue early. Central SAPC is a lot nicer than it’s predecessor, 14 Below. I was one of the first people to get there, and relaxed on a couch in the performance room. The couches were comfy, and the music the bar was playing was good. I could have taken a nap. Hung out with the staff for a minute, and they were very accommodating.
The first act that played was band named Only You, fronted by a singer named Rachel Fannan. It was a refreshing sound, a kind of modernized throw back to Americana. Kinda like Roy Orbison if his music was sung by Fiona Apple. I enjoyed Only You and “liked” Rachel’s Facebook fan page. It’ll be interesting to watch how her band’s music develops.
After Only You, WMMFamous began setting up. I started to get anxious. The band was able to pull in a modest crowd considering it was a Sunday. It certainly wasn’t empty, but I was able to get a nice spot up front with a stool. The band started the set, and I was both happy and sad. Happy that I was there enjoying their music, and sad that I couldn’t recruit people to the show.
People have compared WMMFamous to bands like Spoon and the Wrens, but I think those comparisons are really just based on the fact that they are all indie-rock bands. Granted, my own real perspective of WMMFamous was their album “What Doesn’t Kill Us”, but that album is musically, in my opinion, wonderfully complex. There are elements from different types of musical genres that permeate that record, and though some critics may have criticized it, I loved it. It’s high production value, catchy melodies, and general feel-good mood get my thumbs up. Plus the lead singer (Michael Kingcaid) is solid. If I had to describe them, I’d want to say that they were kind of like Jellyfish, if Jellyfish grew up in Austen. That’s just what I’m thinking…
The set was excellent. Musically, and vocally, the band hit all of the songs that I was a fan of. Michael’s voice sounded as good live, as it did on the album, and that was impressive. Because of the intimate nature of the venue, Michael was able to banter with the audience. He told us how the band loves it in Los Angeles, and wants to head out here more often, if not permanently. He acknowledged that there were long-time fans in audience, and dedicated some of the “oldies” to us. He told us about all of the shit that happened on the way to Los Angeles, like the tire blowing out on the highway. I yelled, “It’s rock and roll”. He replied, “It would have been rock and roll if we just left it busted,” then laughed.
After their set, the band hit the bar and the merchandise table. I picked up the first, and most recent albums to round out my collection, and also picked up some very cool vinyl singles. Each of the covers was a hand cut, glued, made and numbered, and the vinyl itself was actually not vinyl at all.
I spoke with Michael briefly and asked him why the band hadn’t released any music in a while, and he gave me the break down. Not going to air it out here, and someone’s probably already written about it (And I was right … click here to read an article of the tough road Michael Kingcaid has been on), but needless to say, life can get tough. He was a real congenial dude, and he told me that the band plans on coming back out to Los Angeles for future gigs. I sure hope so. Maybe it’ll be on a Friday or Saturday, and it’ll be an easier sell to my friends…
Michael Kingcaid. Lead Singer and founder of What Made Milwaukee Famous
I can’t remember the last time I was in a mosh pit. In fact… if I’m remembering correctly … the last true mosh pit I was in was for a Let’s Go Bowling show back, back, back in the day. Like… back in my ska days when I used to wear khakis with suspenders, a wife beater and my Doc Martins. On May 9, 2013, I went to see Dead Sara, and for the first time in forever, I found myself reliving my youthful abandon, smack dab in what was perhaps one of the most intense concert experiences I’ve had in a while.
Sometime last year, driving in my car, I heard a hard, rocking song with some bad-ass female vocals on the radio called “Weatherman”. After the song ended, the disc jockey said that the name of the band was Dead Sara. I hardly listen to terrestrial radio these days, but god bless the ways of old, otherwise I probably wouldn’t have heard about the band.
Later that week, before a blind date, I went to Amoeba Records to pick up a copy of their self-titled, debut, full-length album. The chick I was with was a musician who was into hard, classic rock, so I decided to play the album for her on our way to dinner to she what she thought.
The album was very, very good. It was so much more intense than other female fronted rock bands that have been releasing albums recently. It’s a no holds barred album. Intense power rock but at the same time extremely vulnerable. The lead singer’s (Emily Armstrong) voice is filled with such strength and passion (plus it sounds pretty!) which contrasts the steady lead guitar riffs of Siouxsie Medley, and made me recall another female rock duo … Heart, anyone? But Dead Sara’s rock is much more blistering than Heart’s. It’s the kind of music that boils the adrenaline in the veins … even with the vulnerable sensitive songs.
About half way through the album, my date suggested that she wasn’t feeling the music as much as I was, and that kind of put a damper on the date, because …. Well … I’m a music snob, and I didn’t understand why she didn’t like the album as much as I did. I told her that I’d call her sometime … I didn’t.
When I got home from the date, I went online to see when they’d be performing. I assumed, since they are Los Angeles based, they would be playing some gigs locally. But when I logged on to their website, there were a bunch of dates having them open up for Muse at large venues (in Los Angeles, The Staples Center). Muse? Seriously?
I’m not a Muse fan. They were hyped as a headliner for Coachella one year, but when I saw them perform then, it was soooo not my thing, that I left to catch another act. Muse’s single, at the time, was “Madness” and that song reminded me of Savage Garden. Nope. As much as I wanted to see Dead Sara perform, I wasn’t going to buy a ticket for Muse to see them do a short opening set from the rafters of the Staples Center. “C’est la vie,” I thought. Maybe some other time. I followed their Facebook page, and life went on.
Months later, I get a Facebook “notification” that Dead Sara was playing the El Rey theater. Now, THAT was more my speed. Immediately, I got online and purchased tickets. Glad I did it that day, as tickets for the show sold out. From then, I waited.
It was my buddy’s Steve’s birthday, so I invited him to join me for the show. He was coming from rehearsing for a gig (opening for Motorhead at Nokia Live!!), so I told him that I would either be outside hanging out or waiting in line for merchandise. While I was outside in the patio area, I noticed someone who looked vaguely familiar. Holy shit. It was Siouxsie and … what’s his name … uhh … the drummer … lol. Unfortunately, I didn’t know the drummers name (it’s Sean Friday), but they didn’t seemed bothered by it. I told them how long I had waited to see them perform, and they were cool enough to let me snap a group shot to post on Instagram.
I left them alone to handle their business, and I went over to the merch line to pick up a limited edition 7’’ release of their newest single “Lemon Scent”. I’m glad I got in line early for merchandise, as the line for merch was LONG. So long, that I was afraid that I wouldn’t be able to get the vinyl treasure I wanted. My buddy met me in line, and after purchasing the merch and as soon as the prior act had finished their set, we decided to try to get as close up front as we could. We got about 5-7 rows from the front, and we waited. Every minute we waited, we could feel the crowd slowly pushing up against our backs. That was sign. A sign that it was about to get pretty nuts.
Found this pic online. So Badass. (c) Brian Bowen Smith (@brianbowensmith)
When the band took the stage, they started the set with a mellow song called “Sorry For It All”. After that, fireworks. Dead Sara lit the fuse with “Test My Patience” and that fire burned scalding through “I Said You Were Lucky”. I know how that fire burned. I was in the middle of the mosh pit as soon as it erupted. For 15-20 minutes straight, I was lost in aggressive moshing. My “technique” for fending off people that were going really crazy came back to me, and I was able to float around an area with a radius of about 3 feet.
Thank god, Dead Sara broke up the intensity with “Face to Face”. After that three song stint of mosh songs, my shirt was drenched with sweat and I’m sure I got a few bruises along the way. I assessed what other really hard songs would lead to moshing, and I could only think of “Weatherman” so I stayed where I was, figuring that I would make my way towards the edges later in their set. By the way, I had no idea where my buddy was. I guess he couldn’t hang. Lol.
Dead Sara’s album is good. Watching them perform is better. I spent my time in awe of Emily’s live vocals and the connection the whole band had with the audience. The performance reached a high point when Emily absolutely DESTROYED her guitar on stage. It totally felt right. From there, the band went on to perform Rage Against The Machine’s “Killing In The Name Of”. If Zac and Emily squared off, I’d put my money on Emily.
After the set, my buddy and kicked it a while afterwards. He actually knew some people there and was shooting the shit. Me, I was waiting to see if a bid I placed on a one-of-kind autographed, painted, concert poster won out. It didn’t.
When we were kicked out of the El Rey, we hung out in front just to decompress. Sean and Chris Null (the bassist) were moving equipment, and- being always prepared- I asked them to sign the LP and the poster I had picked up. Since I had two signatures, I had to wait for Emily and Siouxsie, right? Patience pays off, as they soon followed, and I was able to snag signatures from the entire band. If you want to check out some other music treasure of mine, click through on this link.
If anything, watching Dead Sara at the El Rey proved three things in my eyes: (i) I fall in infatuation to easily with chicks who can shred an axe, (ii) Dead Sara is a female-fronted rock band that can melt your face off, and kick you in the ass, and is here to stay, and (iii) yes, you need to see them live … just make sure you invite me to come with.
Set list is below. My video clips from the show are below as well.
Sorry for It All
Test on My Patience
Monumental Holiday
I Said You Were Lucky
Face to Face
Dear Love
Feeling Empty
Whispers & Ashes
Lemon Scent
Killing in the Name (Rage Against the Machine cover) (Freedom Outro)
Encore
Blue Was the Feeling For You
Weatherman
This is the first version of their concert tour poster opening for Muse. Four additional dates were added to this version. The poster is on thick paper stock, perhaps archival paper.
“Tuesday Heartbreak” was the B-Side of the vinyl, 7″, 45 RPM single of “You Are The Sunshine of My Life”. It was written and produced by Stevie Wonder and was track number 4 on Stevie’s fifteenth studio album “Talking Book”. Stevie Wonder played all of the instruments on this track, except for the alto saxophone, which was played by David Sanborn, one of the most commercially successful American saxophonists in music history.
I think Susie noticed I was distracted, and she immediately introduced me to Mr. Ballard. I told him what kind of impact his music had on my life, and he seemed very appreciative. I snapped a quick picture with him. Click.
During my personally embarrassing moment with the divine Ms. Round, 
Kelly Martin
Before vacating the stage, he called Glen up to the stage and told a story of one of the first times he worked with Jolie. Apparently, it was a song written for an actor of General Hospital who was signed to Quincy Jones’ label at the time. It was fun watching the two music savants share a little history. When Dave finished up his set, I accosted him for a quick picture. Click.
It was my buddy’s Steve’s birthday, so I invited him to join me for the show. He was coming from rehearsing for a gig (
#DKLPHOTOS 