Cleveland Bachelor’s Show of the Week: The Split Decision Post
Written by: Cleveland Bachelor
Hello Internet Friends,
Well, actually, since this is Matt's blog, I guess you aren't my friends. More like friends of a friend. OK, how about this ...
Hello Internet Acquaintances,
How are you? I'm fine. Kinda busy, but these days who isn't? I won't complain. Besides, this week's cultural choices are so rich, I'd feel like a jackhole whining about stuff. The sheer richness of the week's offerings has prompted me to compose my first ever Show of the Week split-decision post. (Technically, that's a lie, as one of the following events is on Sunday, which would be next week, but you know what I mean.)
Option 1: Eileen Yaghoobian's Died Young, Stayed Pretty screens at the CIA Cinematheque . In fact, it screens twice, on Friday at 7:30 PM and Saturday at 9:40 PM, in case (a) you are too busy one of the evenings to catch it or (b) you catch it the first night and love it so much you want to see it twice. Died Young, Stayed Pretty is a critically acclaimed documentary film about the art and craft of rock show poster making. Yaghoobian will be in Cleveland for the screening, as well.
For more information about the film, click here
Also, be sure to check out local master concert poster maker John G's own poster for the film screening below.
Option 2: Famed Detroit African-American proto-punk rock band Death plays at the Beachland Ballroom on Sunday. The subject of this wonderful NYT feature, Death's show on Sunday promises to be a once-in-a-lifetime performance that you'll be kicking yourself for missing. (Find a download of "Politicians in my Eyes" and you'll hear exactly what I'm talking about if you aren't yet sold. If you refuse to download anything, well, think Jimi Hendrix meets The Stooges and you are about 25% of the way there.) If the historical aspect of the show wasn't enough, an opportunity to catch local badasses This Moment in Black History as openers on the Beachland big stage is charming enough of a thought.
So there you have it - two excellent cultural opportunities to snatch up, all centered around awesome rock and roll. Does it get any better than that?
Click here for the complete rundown from CB!
View CommentsCage Match: Kenny Loggins vs. Cinderella
Written by: Matt Wardlaw
I got an email recently, which led to the following discussion:
Dear Matt,
Remember when you used to do those funny Cage Matches every week, featuring a battle between two bands, presenting the opportunity for people to comment and make fun of your musical taste?
Sure do.
What happened? It's been two weeks!
I dunno. I got busy, had out-of-town visitors, left the house and did stuff in the real world - that's good, right?
I guess so. Any plans to get back to those Cage Matches?
Funny you should mention that - I think you're going to like the following post!
I know, I know - we've been slacking here at ATV - sure there have been posts about this and that, but what about the Cage Match, man?
Let's get back to it, and start with a bit of congrats to Cage Match board member D.X. Ferris from Scene Magazine!
D.X. recently picked up a shit-ton of awards from the Ohio Society of Professional Journalists - five of them to be exact, including top placement in the category of "media criticism," and "best rock and roll feature reporting."
Hopefully you got a chance to check out the Monday Mix that D.X. served up last week, and if you didn't, you're in luck because we've decided to hold the mix over for an extra week, to recognize D.X.'s tremendous journalistic accomplishments!
Congrats!!
In honor of the above, we also decided to let D.X. pick this week's Cage Match, and he happily sent Kenny Loggins and Cinderella over as contenders!
View CommentsRemembering John Hughes
Written by: Matt Wardlaw
I'll offer apologies in advance for the tardiness of this particular item, with a slight bit of reasoning and explanation for the lateness to follow later in this piece. As a child of the 80s, I've spent quite a few moments deep in thought since John Hughes passed away. When Hughes passed, I had plenty of thoughts, but I was in the midst of a typically busy week that wouldn't allow time for me to properly stop down to get my thoughts out there.
And where do you begin?
View CommentsFavor: Need a scan of The Breakfast Club LP cover
Written by: Matt Wardlaw
Alright kids,
The subject line pretty much covers it, but here's the deal - I've got a buddy that needs a hi-res scan of The Breakfast Club soundtrack artwork, from the original LP version.
Anyone out there with a vinyl copy of this one? Looking for a scan at 300 DPI or better.
Email me here, and we'll make it worth your while.
Thanks!
UPDATE: We got it! Thanks so much!
Quick Hits: The Wrestler, The Yayhoos, Mix Tapes, & Lemonheads
Written by: Matt Wardlaw
Hey kids,
I had a "moment" this past week. Occasionally, I'll lend out music to friends, although if I have my ultra-anal thinking cap on, I'll often just burn them a copy instead. In this case, I wasn't thinking straight (not the first time that this has happened.) A couple of weeks later, my co-worker returned my formerly pristine double disc .38 Special anthology in a condition that appeared as if they had applied an electric sander to the discs in an attempt to edit out "Second Chance."
Speaking of "Second Chance."
Anyway, my physical music collection means less and less to me with each passing year and moving van, but seriously, why can't people take care of, and be respectful of possessions that are on loan? The former me would have had a conversation with the perpetrator, but the new me decided to just let it go. And blog about it here.
Now that I've got that off my chest, here are the links that have been rocking my world this week!
The Wrestler is one of my recent favorite movies, and one of the things I enjoyed most was the masterful and very specific use of music in the soundtrack that ties the entire film together. Give those music supervisors a big fat check for a job extremely well done. Cory Frye at Popdose contributed a recent piece regarding The Wrestler that is one of the finest pieces of writing I've read on Popdose to date. If you've seen the movie, you really owe it to yourself to check out Cory's piece. And if you haven't seen The Wrestler yet, rent/buy that sucker, and cross it off your list!
While we're hanging out at Popdose, let's check in with Ken Shane, who shares his thoughts and memories on one of my favorite albums, Days of Future Passed by The Moody Blues. The Moody Blues piece is part of Cratedigger, one of my new favorite features on Popdose. Don't forget to snag yourself a copy of the upcoming DVD of their classic Isle of Wight performance!
Sad news to hear of the passing of Lynyrd Skynyrd bassist Donald "Ean" Evans this past week after a short battle with cancer. I met Ean for the first time last year when the band was in town for an evening at the Rock Hall. He was one of the nicest and most humble people I've ever had the pleasure to meet, and very respectful to the legacy of original Skynyrd bass player Leon Wilkeson.
Southern fried all-stars The Yayhoos played their first gig in quite a while, including the debut of their version of "Signed, Sealed, Delivered," which drummer Terry Anderson describes as a track that is "tailor made for the Yayhoos." Check out an entire gig recap from Anderson here.
Thanks to Peter @ Blogness on the Edge of Town for sharing the following bit of humor related to the pending Yes/Asia tour happening this summer. I'm planning to head to Michigan to catch this show, and I am planning to also hopefully catch the Michigan stop for the double bill of Bad Company and the Doobie Brothers as well!
Here's some more great reading regarding the recent birthday of legendary former Plain Dealer rock critic Jane Scott.
Michael Gallucci at Scene Magazine spent some time recently lamenting this year's most unwelcome reunion - the return of Creed. A haircut can't hide the fact that Creed is still polluted by the walking vomit that is Scott Stapp. The nauseating story behind Stapp's new look can be found here.
I really enjoyed this Lemonheads "Drug Buddy" related flashback. Definitely looking forward to the new covers disc, and the Cleveland date at the Grog in June.
Speaking of Cleveland shows that I am really looking forward to, I am quite happy to get a Cleveland stop for the "Gin and Tonic" tour, a summer tour featuring the Gin Blossoms and a reunion of Tonic! You might recall that I'm a bit of a Tonic fan. The band will be at Cain Park in August, which will be my first show at Cain Park since Sarah McLachlan in 1995! Check out the complete tour schedule of upcoming Tonic dates here.
With our recent mix tape discussions, Peter at Blogness pointed me towards his own personal mix tape memories from the summer of '93.
My friend David Lifton has been grabbing some nice press for his new book set about the Obama family, including this nice interview here. Grab your own copy of the set here. While we're throwing this unexplainable spotlight on Dave, if you're a fan of the television show Scrubs, you might enjoy his thoughts on the wrap-up!
Here on the site, make sure to check out Kevin's recent Webb Wilder primer including some great live tracks! Meanwhile, our pal Mel takes a crack at year 32, offering some musical playlist listening in relation to the milestone, and also plenty of dish about her recent Vegas trip. You can also check out her non-musical Vegas wrap post here on the Boyfriend blog.
That's it for now - I am off to help my friend Amy move some boxes, preparing to get her the hell out of my house, clearing the way for my good pal Adam to take her place in June. That previous sentence sounded kinda bad, almost like I'm pushing her out the door, when the reality is that I'll miss my housemate when she departs next week. We've had some good times, and of course will continue to have many, many more!
Thanks for your support of Addicted to Vinyl!
Cheers!
Matt
View CommentsThe Band – The Last Waltz
Written by: Matt Wardlaw
Having my own music blog has really magnified one of the things that I love most about life - the musical journeys that you take, and are introduced to, by friends.
A couple of weeks ago, I was catching up on the massive stack of blogs in my Google Reader.....which really makes me think about how hard it is to believe that I used to be satisfied with my Rolling Stone subscription every two weeks, plus visits to the library to read Billboard, Spin, Creem, Musician, Stereo Review, Consumer Reports, and a few other magazines.
My insanely artistically talented Reese's Pieces and music lovin' friend Rachael had a post on her blog about The Last Waltz, Martin Scorcese's legendary concert film about The Band.
Below is the trailer for The Last Waltz. If you haven't seen it, rent it, buy it, borrow it (from me or elsewhere) I don't care. Just watch it! The most star-studded stage evvver.
I was embarrassed to admit that I hadn't ever seen The Last Waltz. One look at the trailer, and at the guest list, and I knew that I had to acquire a copy immediately.
I went out to the record store and snagged a used DVD of the 2002 special edition, and after watching it, I immediately wanted to own the 4-CD box set (purchase) issued by Warner/Rhino in conjunction with the 2002 DVD reissue. One of the reasons that I hadn't ever seen The Last Waltz, was because I wasn't a fan of The Band. The Band were just a little bit before my time, and though I've learned quite a bit through the years about the members individually, my knowledge about the collective group was still limited.
Levon Helm might not be the biggest fan of The Last Waltz, but there's no reason that he shouldn't be proud of it. Watching the DVD (and you've GOT to start with the DVD,) I was instantly converted to full-fan status, and I imagine that I'll be taking a similar musical trip like Rachael, to pick up additional albums from the catalog.
I don't want to spoil your own personal viewing experience with The Last Waltz, but I will share with you one of the tracks that had the most impact with me personally, The Last Waltz version of "It Makes No Difference."
As I dug around for more info on The Last Waltz, I was interested to see that some fans swear by the original soundboard tapes of the performance. Personally, I really enjoyed the Scorsese view of the performance - the video quality of the footage from 1976 is stunning, as is the soundtrack.
The Band - It Makes No Difference (original soundboard recording)
If you're lame like me, and haven't seen The Last Waltz, check it out - I'm guessing that you'll be similarly blown away like I was.
From AllMusic.Com:
As a film, The Last Waltz was a triumph -- one of the first (and still one of the few) rock concert documentaries that was directed by a filmmaker who understood both the look and the sound of rock & roll, and executed with enough technical craft to capture all the nooks and crannies of a great live show. But as an album, The Last Waltz soundtrack had to compete with the Band's earlier live album, Rock of Ages, with which it bears a certain superficial resemblance -- both found the group trying to create something grander than the standard-issue live double, and both featured the group beefed up by additional musicians. While Rock of Ages found the Band swinging along with the help of a horn section arranged by Allen Toussaint, The Last Waltz boasts a horn section (using Toussaint's earlier arrangements on a few cuts) and more than a baker's dozen guest stars, ranging from old cohorts Ronnie Hawkins and Bob Dylan to contemporaries Joni Mitchell, Neil Young, and Van Morrison. The Band are in fine if not exceptional form here; on most cuts, they don't sound quite as fiery as they did on Rock of Ages, though their performances are never less than expert, and the high points are dazzling, especially an impassioned version of "It Makes No Difference" and blazing readings of "Up on Cripple Creek" and "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down" (Levon Helm has made no secret that he felt breaking up the Band was a bad idea, and here it sounds if he was determined to prove how much they still had to offer). Ultimately, it's the Band's "special guests" who really make this set stand out -- Muddy Waters' ferocious version of "Mannish Boy" would have been a wonder from a man half his age, Van Morrison sounds positively joyous on "Caravan," Neil Young and Joni Mitchell do well for their Canadian brethren, and Bob Dylan's closing set finds him in admirably loose and rollicking form. (One question remains -- what exactly is Neil Diamond doing here?) And while the closing studio-recorded "Last Waltz Suite" sounds like padding, the contributions from Emmylou Harris and the Staple Singers are beautiful indeed. It could be argued that you're better off watching The Last Waltz on video than listening to it on CD, but either way it's a show well worth checking out.
Purchase The Last Waltz on DVD or Blu-ray.
Purchase The Last Waltz box set (remastered/expanded 4-CD set) - CD
View CommentsThe Meaning of Life according to Clint Eastwood and Little Steven
Written by: Matt Wardlaw
I picked up Esquire Magazine's 8th annual Meaning of Life issue over the weekend. Fifty interviews, one person from each state. I was sucked in by Clint Eastwood on the cover, and also seeing the names of Little Steven.....and Chloë Sevigny?
Inside the table of contents, Mickey Rourke.
Sold.
Side note: I kinda have a thing for Chloë Sevigny. I didn't always like her, but have really grown to enjoy her on HBO's Big Love.
A couple of interesting moments from What I've Learned: Wisdom from all 50 States:
In Changeling, I tried to show something you'd never see nowadays - a kid sitting and looking at the radio. Just sitting in front of the radio and listening. Your mind does the rest.
- Clint Eastwood
Immediately upon working for fifteen years to make it, as soon as we make it, what do I do? I leave, right before the Born In The U.S.A. tour. Everybody bought houses off of that tour. I'm in Africa with an eleven-piece that I'm paying for, using my little money to keep a band on the road talking about politics.
I learned everything I know from leaving the E Street Band. And of course, one of the things I learned is, I never should have left.
- Steven Van Zandt
The Eastwood comment resonates with me because I have so many memories of being a kid, listening to the radio. And also memories of being a teenager, listening to the radio. For so many of my formative years, there really was nothing better.
This is the first time I've seen Van Zandt comment at length about his departure from the E Street Band. I'm sure it's been addressed, but I found the Esquire interview particularly interesting. Of course now that I think about it, I think I always enjoy any interview I read with Little Steven! Check out the full interviews with Van Zandt and Eastwood in the January 2009 issue of Esquire at your favorite newsstand right now.
Here's a link to the Mickey Rourke article in the current issue.
View CommentsSiskel and Ebert review Better Off Dead
Written by: Matt Wardlaw
While assembling my next post, I came across video on Youtube of Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert reviewing Savage Steve Holland's Better Off Dead at the time of it's original release in 1985.
I guess I'm not surprised that they hated it, and it's entertaining to watch them bash a movie that is now considered to be a cult classic.
By the way - check out these Siskel and Ebert outtakes, if you haven't seen them. Great stuff.
My previous Better Off Dead posts:
Four weeks. 20 papers. That’s two dollars. Plus tip.
Maybe We Ain't That Young Anymore - John Cusack and Better Off Dead
Speaking of Cusack:
Gotta love this vid in which John Cusack is mixed up with Kevin Spacey by an interviewer, and Cusack has some fun with it:
View CommentsEmpire Records
Written by: Matt Wardlaw
Kelly @ Popdose is back with another winner in the Soundtrack Saturday series. Last week: Better Off Dead. This week: Empire Records.
I love this movie about a Gen X-run independent record store for a few reasons. One is the nostalgia factor. It definitely makes me think of high school — Class of ‘96, in case you were wondering — and the many Saturday nights my friends and I watched it when we were too lazy to go out. It somewhat successfully attempts to capture the essence of my generation at the time (even though some sources tell me I’m part of the “Millennial Generation,” I consider myself to be a Gen Xer) with its hip, young cast, memorable characters, and quotable lines.
click here and read more
Empire Records trailer
You know the things that remind you of other things in life? Everytime I hear "If You Want Blood, You've Got It" by AC/DC, I think of Empire Records.
I don't think I knew that Dead Hot Workshop had a song in the movie.
Dead Hot Workshop - Vinyl Advice
I don't think the rest of the world cared.
I've got 1001, the major label debut album from Dead Hot Workshop, which was pretty much the only album that most people bought from DHW. But I've also got the EP that came before that album. That right there, is worth about a dime. They were going to be the next band to follow the Gin Blossoms out of Arizona, but it never happened. Great band, and a great album though.
Check out Kelly's post for the rest of the soundtrack, and take a look to see if you have any of the songs that she was missing. Dead Hot Workshop was one of them, and as you can see, I couldn't pass up on the opportunity to make use of a CD that otherwise, has the street value of balsa wood!
Empire Records - Rex Manning - Say No More Mon Amour
View CommentsCan you say f*ck on the radio?
Written by: Matt Wardlaw
I was a bit under the weather last night, so I decided to skip out on previous plans, and stay in. Saturday night became movie night.
Up first was The Great Outdoors with John Candy, etc. I don't think I've seen it since I saw it originally in the 80s. It still holds up.
Next, I was thinking High Fidelity, but when I went to pull out the DVD, I started looking at my Metallica DVDs instead. (Thanks Matt, for stocking me up well on that end!)
A Year and a Half in the Life of Metallica went into the DVD player, something that I was reminded of when Dave Grohl mentioned it on the Metallica radio special for Death Magnetic.
While watching it, guess who shows up on the screen that I had totally forgotten about?
Tabitha Soren from MTV News.
Where is she these days? I Google, and find that she's still looking pretty good. At least I think so. Call me weird.
But she might also be a bit of a nightmare to live with, and deal with.
Maybe I should hunt for Martha Quinn instead, or perhaps even Duff.
View Comments