Quick Hits – Pearl Jam, Jay Bennett, Dave Brubeck, Cheap Trick + more
Written by: Matt Wardlaw
Hey kids,
I can't believe it, but Bonnaroo departure time is less than a week away for yours truly. I'll be making the trip with Brian, new roommate Adam, and well, that's it. It will be just us, a car full of stuff, and heads that will soon be filled with memories. Cheesy I know, but I had to do it. As a lead-in to the trip, you can look forward to "on the way to 'Roo" and "on the way back from 'Roo" editions of The Monday Morning Mix, which will be contributed by Brian, complete with trip-related commentary for each song. Gonna be good.
This past weekend, I had the pleasure of getting together with the Cleveland Bachelor for man date #3, where we were joined by Jose and Kelly of Sensory Overload for brunch at Touch Supper Club, a classy joint in Ohio City that I'd never been to prior to Sunday afternoon. I'd like to thank CB, and Jose and Kelly for letting me crash their pre-existing brunch plans - thanks for the invite!! I had chorizo and cornbread served biscuits and gravy style, accessorized with a side of tater tots, and it was heavenly, let me tell you. And as a bonus, we got to witness the bartender quitting (apparently) in the middle of his shift, which is something I've never seen before. We were sitting there, conversing and hanging out, and the next thing that we knew, the waitress and other members of the staff were trying to figure out the bartender's unexplained absence. Bummer of a moment for them, but to their credit, we still got great service despite this, and a number of other issues that they were experiencing during our visit.
Since I mentioned CB, I should point you towards his own Jay Bennett tribute, and exploration of Jeff Tweedy's soul-sucking vampire ways, a position that I might not necessarily agree with, but perhaps some of you will enjoy reading it, and debating it with CB, as I did on Sunday afternoon. I think I basically said "you're wrong" in about 4 paragraphs worth of conversation with CB. Your mileage may vary.
Heather at Fuel/Friends is breaking up with Pearl Jam. For those of you that have read her blog for any amount of time, you'll know that is the equivalent of me calling it quits with Blue Rodeo. Seems impossible, right? Afraid not, and I'm bummed to read the reasoning behind her post, but I can completely appreciate her frustration.
Forgotten Disc Fridays, one of my favorite new blog discoveries, takes a look at one of my favorite albums, the 11 album from The Smithereens. With such a loving tribute to the 11 album, it's a shame that FDF didn't catch a live performance from the band back in the day. They were/are pretty awesome. In fact, you might want to check this out for a lil' taste. By the way, FDF previously rocked out posts for two of my favorite albums back to back - Dada's Puzzle, and Play Deep by The Outfield.
Cheap Trick have a new album, appropriately titled The Latest, coming out soon, and it's coming out on both limited edition vinyl AND frikkin 8-Track! The album includes a cover of Slade's "When The Lights Are Out" and the band also is contributing a version of The Transformers theme song to the upcoming Transformers movie soundtrack. Bizarre. The Latest is available for pre-order via the band's website and will be released on June 23rd, initially as an Amazon.com exclusive for the first month.
Legendary jazz pianist Dave Brubeck is in Cleveland this weekend for a show, and my good pal John Soeder caught up with him for a great interview about the show, and plenty of discussion about the expanded reissue of Brubeck's classic Time Out, a reissue which I MUST acquire soon! Click here to read the interview.
Popdose head cheese Jeff Giles takes a look at the classic Georgia Satellites release In The Land of Salvation and Sin. I say classic, as in classic to Jeff, and myself/Kevin here at ATV. The rest of the world missed out on this one, and now is their chance to catch up.
Legendary Akron metal club Ron's Crossroads was the stomping ground for many back in the day (including future Judas Priest frontman Tim "Ripper" Owens,) before being sold to new ownership (the first of many) with ill-fated attempts at success under the name of Voodoo Concert Club (appropriate,) and then simply Crossroads, before going MIA. Now, the former Crossroads has been leveled by the wrecking ball. Bummer.
I'll leave you with a couple of stories that I couldn't have possibly made up...
Former Alice in Chains bass player Mike Starr has been selected for the next edition of Celebrity Rehab.
And Stone Temple Pilots are working with Don Was on their forthcoming new album. I'm kind of excited about this one.
How 'bout u?
Cheers!
CommentsQuick Hits: Alice in Chains, The Grog Shop, Coldplay
Written by: Matt Wardlaw
Greetings all,
I hope this dispatch finds you in the best of places and moods.
I'm typing this to you on the other side of day one of the annual Columbus, OH mega-rock weekend Rock On The Range.
I went down for the first day with D.X. Ferris from Scene Magazine, and for this guy, the day was all about Alice in Chains. I caught strong performances from Saliva, Rev Theory, and Chevelle, but there was no denying why I was really there.
Chevelle were definitely the surprise hit of the day with me - I've always liked my share of the radio hits, but hadn't ever seen the band live. They delivered a really tight 50 minute set that even had a nice one-tune preview of their forthcoming new album due this summer. Korn were also performing last night, and if you've seen one Korn show in the past 10 years, you've seen them all - same tunes each time, slightly different setlist order, but for what it is, it's good. I wasn't looking forward to seeing them at all, but I have to admit that drummer Ray Luzier (Army of Anyone, DLR Band) adds at least something different to watch during the Korn experience. Great drummer.
Alice in Chains hit the stage about 15-20 minutes late for their scheduled performance and turned in a setlist that was just under 50 minutes and way too short. No real surprises in the setlist, but it was very happily heavy on song choices from Dirt, including the set-opening "Rain When I Die" and also "Dam That River" a few tunes later. I was worried that their performance might lose impact in such a large festival setting, but they held up and delivered a great performance, despite what the Columbus Dispatch said about the show. They must have been at a different show, because from where I was standing, AIC went over great with the crowd.
The band were joined by Duff McKagan (introduced by Jerry as the "fifth member of Alice in Chains") for the set-closing "Rooster," and one of the most humorous rock and roll slip-ups EVER came when Cantrell introduced AIC bass player Mike Inez mid-set as "Mike Starr" (i.e. the original bass player for AIC who departed during the touring cycle for Dirt.)
The new Alice in Chains album will be in stores in September via their new label Virgin/EMI. Rumor says that Elton John might make a guest appearance. Really? Very interesting!
So there you go - a mini-report from the Rock on the Range weekend. Ferris had to drive back after day one, due to prior commitments, and I opted out of driving back down with him for the second day - AIC covered all of my rock and roll needs for the weekend!
So what else is going on? We'll start with a couple of Cleveland-specific items:
Cleveland radio legend Ed "Flash" Ferenc shares an update on his daughter Stephanie one year after her diagnosis with MS. It is a positive update, and there are details on how you can offer support to the Ferenc family and their fundraising efforts dedicated to fighting MS, titled Motivate Steph.
Sad news to hear of the passing of former Grog Shop co-founder Matt Mugridge who passed away on May 7th at age 42. Grog Shop owner Kathy Simkoff told Scene Magazine that "there would be no Grog Shop without him." There is a Facebook group that has been established for friends, family, and Grog Shop patrons to share their memories and photos of Matt. I have to share the following photo of the old Grog Shop stage, because I know that it will spark fond memories for many of you like me, that attended amazing shows at the old Grog.
For me personally, I'll always remember some of my favorite groups that I saw jammed on the tiny Grog stage - Blue Rodeo probably had the most equipment and band members I ever saw shoved onto the Grog stage, and I'm sure there are many other similar shows and bands that you can think of. One of my favorite Grog experiences is a tie between seeing Fred Schneider from the B-52's play a solo show there in the late 90s, and also seeing John Squire's post Stone Roses project Seahorses at the Grog during their brief U.S. run. If there was someone really cool doing a short/limited run of dates in the U.S., you could always count on finding the Grog on the tour schedule.
Coldplay have released a new 9 track live album for free download, recorded during the Viva La Vida tour, originally planned as a bonus item for ticketholders attending the latest round of Coldplay tour dates, and instead now available to anyone with an internet connection via the band's website. I am sure that there are some that might have snickered when Lefsetz mentioned the new live album in the same sentence as Live at Leeds....but have you listened to it? For those of you that have dismissed Coldplay as cold, corporate, and void of any emotion, I dare you to listen to LeftRightLeftRightLeft and change your opinion. As someone that didn't dig Viva La Vida, this new live album made me want to take a second look, based on the material that was included from the album. There are at least two moments on this live disc that will paralyze your ears with their emotional beauty - "The Hardest Part/Postcards from Far Away," and the performance of "Fix You."
During the classic Springsteen Agora performance from 1978, Springsteen describes his favorite live albums in which the audience was "twice as loud as the band," and that is definitely the feeling that runs throughout LeftRightLeftRightLeft, a release that features the audience offering audible vocal accompaniment, most notably during "Fix You," which Lefsetz notes in his piece. It's a great listen and a must for your Ipod, and if you're not a Coldplay fan or on the fence, this one will convince you once and for all in 9 tracks, what side you are on.
Wilco NOW!
The new Wilco album is streaming now via the band's website. To these ears, the album sounds like a mix of the layered production of Yankee Hotel Foxtrot combined with the more stripped down Sky Blue Sky. I'm wishing they would have sequenced "Wilco (The Song)" later in the album, instead of track one. Favorite tracks: "You and I" (with Feist,) "You Never Know," and "Everlasting Everything."
Todd Rundgren will perform his classic A Wizard, A Star album during a September performance in Akron. Tickets are on sale now, and a Rundgren junkie friend of mine tells me that a short tour featuring the album is rumored, but to play it safe, he bought tickets for the Akron performance and will come in from New York for the show. Something tells me that he won't be the only one!
My buddy Brian at Brokenheadphones has your first look at the new videos from 311 and Rancid. I've been listening to quite a bit of 311 lately on the Ipod - Music and Grassroots specifically. I would love to hear another great album from 311, but I'm not holding my breath.
Good ol Bear takes a look at the dirty words "tribute band," and spends some time talking about Shaw/Blades, one of my favorite projects of all time featuring Tommy Shaw and Jack Blades. I love that Bear is one of the 9 people besides me that bought the My Hallucination album.
Soundtrack Saturday at Popdose features the classic 80s flick Krush Groove. C'mon, you know you wanna check it out!
Gregor offers up a disc's worth of Altered Beast demos from Matthew Sweet, and I think that is part of a two disc compilation that I've got somewhere of Sweet demos from those first few albums. Choice stuff. There are a ton of Matthew Sweet b-sides and rarities floating around out there, so if you don't have any of them, this is a good place to start!
Go on over to Swap's house and find out how Led Zeppelin saved his ass!
Site Stuff:
Mel generated some reaction with her list of "bands that sold me out." Drop by and add your opinion if you haven't done so, already!
Kurt drops his first post full of lament about loudness wars and that darn new music stuff.
Kevin takes a crack at picking "the worst single of all time."
Check out our reviews of the Queensryche tour stop at House of Blues here in Cleveland, which we both loved, and hated!
That's what I've got for this week, folks!
Hope that ya'll have a great week!!
Cheers,
Matt
CommentsQuick 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
CommentsQuick Hits: Material Issue, Bruce Springsteen, Career Advice for Aging Rockers, Neil Diamond
Written by: Matt Wardlaw
Oh internet friends of mine, it's been a looooong time since we've done one of these Quick Hits type of posts. I'm getting ready to point my car towards Michigan for night #2 of the J. Geils Band reunion shows in Detroit, happening Saturday night. The band are reuniting for a pair of shows in their adopted home away from home, to celebrate the birthday of longtime classic rocker WCSX.
I'll be meeting up for the first time with fellow blogger Dan Kelley of Classic Rock FM and Okemos Brewing Company, to cross another longtime favorite off of my "never seen" concert list.
Also in the itinerary, a stop at Encore Recordings in Ann Arbor to drool over their majestically massive spread of compact discs and vinyl.
Sunday, I'll be back in the Cleve for baseball fun at the Indians game with Pat, a bunch of my favorite blogger friends, and the entire Music Saves clan!
But yeah, so what have I been digging lately? Check out these links of note:
At the top of the list, it was my turn to share a choice boot on "Bootleg City @ Popdose. I dug out a killer Cleveland broadcast featuring Material Issue, recorded in 1991 at the Empire Concert Club. Click here and check it out. I believe it will only be available for one week, so act fast! Thanks very much, to Jeff and Robert at Popdose for the opportunity!
Blogness on the Edge of Town guest blogger Deb Filcman gave us full coverage of the recent Springsteen shows in Boston which had some great moments, including no Patti (I kid, kind of,) and covers of "I'm Bad, I'm Nationwide" by ZZ Top, and "I Wanna Be Sedated" by The Ramones. So jealous. Must...see...Bruce...shows...SOON!
Michael Gallucci at Scene Magazine caused a bit of a stink (possible pun intended) with his post titled "Not Grateful For The Dead." I'm sure you can guess the subject, and the potential reaction to the post. But if all of it is over your head, you can read Gallucci's post while wearing a suggested flameproof Devo suit.
The recent Jeff Beck shows in the Los Angeles area were something to remember, with a surprise appearance from onetime band mate Rod Stewart, performing on stage with Beck for the first time since 1983.
The Regeneration Tour returns for another year of 80s flashbacks featuring ABC, Heaven 17, Wang Chung, Cutting Crew, and Berlin. Stuck in the 80s has the deets for ya here.
My comrade Brian has the Lollapalooza lineup for those of you that haven't seen it yet - and yes, we're thinking about going. I know a ton of Clevelanders that are already planning to make the trip - anyone else? Let me know in the comments!
Ol' Swap at The Frontloader shares some thoughts about "Spirit of 76" by The Alarm. Another group that I need to see live.
Kevin Estrada has some cool photographic memories of some of his early shots of Ozzy Osbourne, and the story behind them.
Darren at He's A Whore has a convenient fix for the Jane's Addiction squabbles.
While we're on the subject of musical helping hands, Popdose have some advice for Michael Stipe.
And my pal Jason Hare deals with the horrifying news of a new Timothy B. Schmit solo album in the only way that he can - by dissecting classic 70s Neil Diamond television!
We'll leave it there for now...
I don't want to tease you all, or anything - but stay tuned for a site announcement from Addicted to Vinyl, coming early next week!
And maybe, I'll finally stop slacking, and pick a winner for the Jane's Addiction vinyl. Maybe.
P.S. - I've posted a working link for the second volume of Radio Friendly Unit Shifter. Check it.
P.S.S. - Check out some great live J. Geils Band stuff here, if you missed it when I posted it originally this past September.
CommentsHey Cleveland! Here are the details for Record Store Day at Music Saves + Black Sabbath vinyl details + more!
Written by: Matt Wardlaw
I made my way over to Music Saves on Thursday night to pick up a couple of things: They had ordered Ready For The Flood per my request, the newish album from principal Jayhawks members Mark Olson and Gary Louris.
Ready For The Flood is the first new studio album from the duo since Olson's 1995 departure from the 'Hawks, and was produced by Chris Robinson of the Black Crowes. The album was released overseas late last year and finally got a U.S. release earlier this year via New West Records, who added a couple of bonus tracks to the U.S. release. One of those bonus tracks in particular would make Ready For The Flood worth the purchase alone, even if the rest of the disc was blank. "Precious Time" is a fan favorite originating on the "Mystery Demos" compilations from the 80s/90s that have been circulated in trading circles over the past few year, and now is finally available on Ready For The Flood. Hell yeah.
As for the album? Oh, it's fantastic. Hopefully you caught the pair on Letterman, and if you missed that, here's the video for your viewing pleasure. Olson/Louris are on the road right now as we speak, and just played a showcase at SXSW. Go catch 'em if they're in your neck of the woods....and when you see them, tell them to get their asses to Cleveland or anywhere in Ohio for a show!
PS - I've been telling everyone I know to pick up the Gary Louris solo album Vagabonds, also produced by Robinson and released last year. It's a great companion piece, and one of my favorite records from 2008.
I also picked up Oohs and Aahs from Say Hi (To Your Mom,) which came out a few weeks ago. The internet sez:
Written and recorded in the home studio of critically acclaimed Seattle via Brooklyn via los Angeles DIY icon Eric Elbogen, Oohs & Aahs is an extraordinary and consistently witty album of dimly lit indie rock fables that ponder many hues of gloom, lust and inevitability and beauty of imperfection. Even for fans of Elbogens past work, it's a marvel of modern post-pop.
Indeed. I took a listen to this one on the listening station at Music Saves, and was sucked in by the 80s-esque synths that are sprinkled throughout Oohs & Aahs. Additionally, I'm a sucker for one-man-band kinda things, and Say Hi certainly fills the bill on that one.
Fun fact: I was actually searching for something new with female vox to listen to, and came away with Say Hi instead. Those damn synthesizers will get me everytime.
Stop in at Music Saves and take a copy home for yourself.....tell 'em that Addicted to Vinyl sent you, and I'm sure they'll give you some sort of discount, and hopefully they'll give me a free Dr. Pepper. Or a picture with Vinyl the Cat. Or both.
Here is a song sample for your listening pleasure:
Say Hi - Maurine
If you want some good humor, read the "un-FAQ" on the Music Saves website. I like this one:
Do you guys have an indie rock section?
Someone actually asked this once after looking around for 20 minutes. We’re not sure what he meant by indie rock. We only have 2 sections: New and Used.
Record Store Day at Music Saves:
Got the official email update from Music Saves with the rundown on their planned offerings for Record Store Day. If you're not on their email list already, sign up now!
RECORD STORE DAY 2009 – FULL(ish) DETAILS
Saturday, April 18, noon-11pm at MUSIC SAVES!
Other places on the street are working on stuff for that day, too, so spend the day on Waterloo! Details TBA!AT MUSIC SAVES:
10% off entire purchase when you come in wearing an indie record store t-shirt
Grab bags of CD mystery – super cheap!
Goody bags for all!
An array of fabulous prizes
Diorama contest!The prize is a $100 gift certificate to MUSIC SAVES! The TEAM will pick the winner! Your diorama must be music themed! Yes, it must be created inside a shoebox! DIORAMA DEADLINE IS 10pm, Thursday, April 16!
(If anyone has spare shoeboxes lying around the house, please drop them off at the store for those who are shoebox-less!)OUT store performances from:
THE VERY KNEES
TROUBLE BOOKS
BRIAN STRAW
(Times TBA)
Here is the list of releases for RSD – the ones we will have. It’s ridonk. Seriously – 52 lines worth of ridonk below.
There will be limited quantities of (almost) everything. We are trying to get enough to go around, but if there is something you can’t live without, you best get here early in the day. Last year, the eager peeps were standing outside our door when we opened. We will not be providing security, beers, or Snuggies® if you want to camp out overnight.
FULL DETAILS OF THIS LIST (or as much as we have to offer) WILL BE POSTED ON OUR WEBSITE EARLY NEXT WEEK!!AKRON FAMILY LIMITED 7”
BLACK KIDS LIMITED 7”
BLITZEN TRAPPER LIMITED 7”
CAMERA OBSCURA LIMITED 7”
LEONARD COHEN LIMITED 7”
COLD WAR KIDS LIMITED Live CD
ELVIS COSTELLO 7”
CURSIVE/LADYFINGER LIMITED 10”
DEAD WEATHER LIMITED 7”
DECEMBERISTS LIMITED 7”
DEPECHE MODE LIMITED 7”
DR.DOG/FLOATING ACTION LIMITED 7”
BOB DYLAN LIMITED 7”
FLAMING LIPS/BLACK KEYS LIMITED 7”
FLIGHT OF THE CONCHORDS LIMITED 7”
GREEN DAY Dookie LP
GRIZZLY BEAR LIMITED 7”
GUIDED BY VOICES Hold on Hope LIMITED LP
IRON AND WINE LIMITED Live CD
JANE’S ADDICTION LIMITED 7”
JANE’S ADDICTION Nothing’s Shocking & Ritual De Lo.. LPs
JESUS LIZARD LIMITED 7” box set
JENNY LEWIS (with Elvis Costello) LIMITED 7”
LYKKI LI/EL PERRO DEL MAR LIMITED 7”
MAGNOLIA ELECTRIC CO. LIMITED 7”
MC5 LIMITED 7”
METRIC LIMITED 7”
MODEST MOUSE LIMITED 7”
MY MORNING JACKET Live CD/LP
NEW ORDER LIMITED 7”
OBITS LIMITED 7”
PAVEMENT Live in Germany 12”
RADIOHEAD vinyl singles
SILVERSUN PICKUPS LIMITED Pikul 12”
SMITHS LIMITED 7”
SONIC YOUTH/BECK LIMITED 7”
SONIC YOUTH/JAY REATARD LIMITED 7”
CHARLES SPEARIN (Broken Social Scene) 12”
REGINA SPEKTOR Begin to Hope LP
BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN LIMITED 7”
STOOGES LIMITED 7”
TALKING HEADS Talking Heads: 77 LP
THERMALS/THAO LIMITED 7”
THESE ARMS ARE SNAKES/RUSSIAN CIRCLES LIMITED 12”
VETIVER LIMITED 7”
TOM WAITS LIMITED Live 7”
WHISKEYTOWN LIMITED 7”
WILCO DVD
YEAH YEAH YEAHS It’s Blitz LP
NEIL YOUNG Live 1968 LP
VARIOUS THRILL JOCKEY Records Toreism LIMITED LP+zines
VARIOUS This LP Crashes Hard Drives Label Comp LIMITED LPWe told you, it’s RIDONK!
Lots of cool stuff on that list, although I'm bummed to hear that the Wilco vinyl reissues have been bumped to June. I guess that makes my day a little bit less expensive - count me in for that there Wilco live DVD!
Speaking of Vinyl:
On the heels of my recent update about the new album from Heaven & Hell (*cough* Black Sabbath *cough*) The Devil You Know, I discovered via the fine folks over at the Steve Hoffman music forums that all of the Dio-era Black Sabbath stuff has been freshly reissued on vinyl. Get your mitts on Heaven & Hell, Mob Rules, Live Evil, and Dehumanizer by clicking on the linkity-links (which benefit your friends here at Addicted to Vinyl) or visit your favorite local retailer.
It's nice to see that they are reasonably priced too, at 17 bucks a pop (Live Evil is 23 bucks, since that's a double disc affair.) Wish that more labels would get the memo on how cool that is!
More more more! A new record (we're talkin' vinyl here!) store for Cleveland!
The following details were also within the info-loaded chock-full-of-musical-nutrients-that-taste-better-than-Spam-from-the-local-7-11 newsletter from Music Saves:
BLUE ARROW RECORDS AND BOOKS OPENS ON MARCH 26, next THURSDAY, at 7pm!
Pete and Debbie, former owners of Renaissance Parlour and partners in This Way Out and damn cool folks, are opening this store right down the street from us, past Shoparooni, cross the side street, and it’s next to Low Life Gallery, in the building with the blue arrow on it!
They’ll feature quality used LPs, 45s, and 78s from the 1950’s to the present, in a range of musical styles. They’ll also have magazines, t-shirts, furniture, and other cool merchandise.
The floor is covered entirely with vintage album covers. IT – IS – AWESOME!
AND they have a stage that will be used for performances and DJ events! DJs will be spinning all day during the Waterloo Arts Fest on June 27th!
We couldn’t be more excited to have these guys join our little Waterloo family, and we hope you’ll show them some love by stopping in sometime soon!
FYI – WATERLOO WILL HAVE A TOTAL OF 3 RECORD STORES WHEN THIS PLACE OPENS! WELCOME TO CLEVELAND’S VINYL DISTRICT!
That's enough for now, right?
Right.
CommentsSome Links To Know About – The Jigsaw, Propaghandi, The Alarm, + Bruce Springsteen
Written by: Matt Wardlaw
I've been ill over the past 24 hours after reading D.X. Ferris's rundown of the downward spiral of Phil Lara and the Jigsaw Entertainment Group. In the past couple of years, Lara has purchased or taken a controlling interest in 4 prominent Cleveland-area landmarks - The Jigsaw Saloon and Stage, Peabody's Down Under, The Hi-Fi Concert Club, and the world famous Cleveland Agora.
What sounds like a recipe for trouble has become a lot worse, and Ferris chronicles the downfall, with several big reveals, including this:
Since Lara's team took over, the Agora has bounced checks for big shows, including a December concert by Dragonforce and a sold-out, two-night stand by Akron's Black Keys, with tickets at $28.50 a pop. "I don't think we will ever play there again," says Keys drummer Patrick Carney.
and this:
Lara declines to guess how many checks his clubs have bounced. Laeng, the former Jigsaw GM, estimates the number around 500. He says he's never knowingly written a bad one. One of his last loyal soldiers says that's possible.
I'm not going to comment on this much, except to say that it makes me sick to have a lot of friends that have lost employment as a result of this mess, during the current economic times where finding employment is already challenging. Some of my worst fears regarding the business practices of the Jigsaw Entertainment Group have come true, with the potential loss of The Jigsaw Saloon and Stage, a Parma staple and landmark for over 30 years, and the amount of damage that has been done financially, and credibility-wise, to the Cleveland Agora.
I'm disappointed but not surprised to read the quote from Patrick Carney. I would have expected to read a quote like that from a national band, but not from a "hometown" group like The Black Keys. I can understand why they would be pissed about getting screwed on payment for two completely sold out shows, but in the context of this article, which is about an individual, Carney's statement is a heavy quote that has little to do with Phil Lara, and one that will go far beyond the Scene article and ultimately hurt the Agora's ability to get shows.
Read the complete article here.
And in other news.....
On a much lighter note......let's continue onward with some musical stuff!
In less than a year, my good pal Brian from Broken Headphones has turned out some pretty cool interviews with folks that you don't hear a lot about these days, including Stompbox (one of my personal faves,) Face to Face frontman Trevor Keith, and his most recent interview with Todd Kowalski of Propaghandi.
Propaghandi is one of those bands that make me think of high school, and my friends Casey and Steve, who were both fans of the band. Thanks to them, I knew plenty about them, and they also introduced me to bands like Jesus and Mary Chain, Sonic Youth, All, Season to Risk, and so many more.
That's probably one good reason why Brian and I are such good friends - he writes about a lot of music that I'm not personally familiar with, but thanks to Brian, I've learned a little bit more after I read his stuff. Broken Headphones also has a review of the new NOFX DVD Backstage Passport. Check that out right here.
Sound The Alarm!
Good ol' Swap over at TheFrontloader.Com takes a look at one of my favorite bands, The Alarm, and their Strength release. Life for me got a little bit better the first time that I heard The Alarm and "Sold Me Down The River" from the Change album. As compilations go, The Alarm Standards package is one that pops up fairly often in my musical listening travels. "Devolution Workin' Man Blues," "The Stand," "The Road," and of course, "Sixty-Eight Guns" - love 'em all! I'd love to see a show from Mike Peters and crew in my neck of the woods someday soon!
The Alarm - Sold Me Down The River
Swap also has some tunage for you from John Mayer, someone that I've become a big fan of in the past few years. Standing in Illinois at Clapton's Crossroads Guitar Festival in 2007, I finally paid attention to John Mayer, and quickly became a convert.
Bruce and Bono = Paradise
Pete at Blogness had a bit of fun churning up the rumor mill with this post, and what I really enjoyed about it all was the tasty video rendition of "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" that was at the end of the post. Taken from U2's 2005 Rock Hall induction, how did I miss this one? I must have been sleeping during all of the coverage pre/post, and during the ceremonies!
The Ultimate Drinking Mixtape!
I almost left this one out! Popdose made sure that St. Paddy's Day 2009 went down in style with a mixtape featuring "116 minutes of pure malt goodness" featuring tunes from Social D, The Hold Steady (Hey Jason, Hey Narm!) The Replacements, my man Willie Nelson, and many, many more. Even if you're drinking nothing stronger than Dr. Pepper (the officially endorsed drink of Addicted to Vinyl,) you'll enjoy the heck out of this one.
Drink up and be merry! Welcome to the China Club!
CommentsQuick Hits – Don Dixon, Richard Marx, Ramones, Tom Petty, and more
Written by: Matt Wardlaw
Welcome to Quick Hits, the periodic time of the month where I go through my Google Reader, and share with you all of the cool news that's been rocking my world. According to a quick search, it's allegedly been two months since we've done this. I'm pretty sure that I did one in October, but I'm not going to search for it.
Let's get on with this, shall we??
80s kids, check this out - how about an Ultravox reunion? The 2009 tour will be the band's first set of gigs since Live Aid in 1985. Yipes!
Hall and Oates are suing their publisher over the song Maneater. The potential punchlines are endless....let's start with "ooooh, here they come..."
Darkness at the End of the Tunnel shares thoughts on the Bruce/Billy Barack show.
Put on your rock shoes for upcoming gigs featuring Social Distortion and Motorhead. And oh yeah, bring your ear plugs too.
Let's stop talking about it, and make those Genesis gigs with Peter Gabriel a reality already!
Darren at He's A Whore tells us all why he digs Tom Petty. And I agree.
Remember that book I mentioned yesterday by music journalist Carrie Borzillo-Vrenna? Read an interview with Carrie, conducted by the fine folks at Popdose, right here.
While you're hanging out at Popdose, check out their guide to the musical career of Don Dixon, accessorized with a hefty two part interview with Dixon that covers it all - R.E.M., Smithereens, etc. There's something here for everyone! Kudos to Jon Cummings for lots of great reading! Here's the Dixon interview - part one and part two.
Big props to Will Harris @ Popdose (hey, those guys again) for interviewing The Devil, er, Ray Wise from Reaper, one of my favorite TV shows. The writer's strike totally screwed up my TV viewing, and I never did catch the last few episodes of the 1st season of Reaper. Gotta do it. By the way, they're in the midst of shooting the second season of Reaper right now, so hopefully we will see that back on the TV schedule in early 2009.
Before we leave Popdose-land, let's get Lost in the '90s with Dink. You know, I think it's kinda possible that perhaps we might see Dink back on stage one of these days. Keep the faith.
P.S. - props to Kelly and Jose for getting the Dink discussion rolling with this post back in September!
John Gorman has a very cool vintage interview with Pete Townshend from The Who, posted on the Buzzard Book Blog - I've heard the Townshend artist ID from the same time period many times, but never thought I would hear a full interview. The 11 minute interview is must-listen stuff for Who fans.
Richard Marx has not one, but two brand new albums that were released unexpectedly this past week, thanks to the artistic freedom that is granted by the internet and being your own record label. Emotional Remains is the "rockin" album of the two, while Sundown is a more mellow project. I believe this will make a total of three releases this year from Marx, who also released the Duo project with collaborator Matt Scannell from Vertical Horizon. Scannell figures heavily into the new projects as well, which feature additional guest appearances from Toni Braxton and Vince Gill, to name a couple. Both albums are available now for immediate download, and CD versions also are available for pre-order - find it all at RichardMarx.com.
The Vinyl District shares the news that the entire Queen catalog is being re-released on vinyl.
I saw some Queen vinyl last night while visiting My Mind's Eye locally in Lakewood, and also saw the 45 RPM box set for Metallica's And Justice For All, which looked VERY cool.
While we're talking vinyl, I got a sneak listen to the pending live EP from Tom Petty and Mudcrutch, which will be available on Tuesday digitally, and also on vinyl. I wish that it was a full-length, but after hearing it, I'll take it - it rocks!! By the way, the vinyl is totally the move on this one - buy the vinyl, and get the CD EP as a bonus at no extra cost.
Petty friend and biographer Warren Zanes sits down for a Petty state of the union interview that you can find at TomPetty.com.
I'll leave you with some live Ramones, once again from Darren at He's A Whore.
Have a good week all!
CommentsQuick Hits – U2, Duran Duran, and my television favorites
Written by: Matt Wardlaw
What's up kids - I've had this post sitting around, collecting links for a while now, so before the moss completely covers all of it, here it is for all of you!
Former Duran Duran guitarist Andy Taylor has put all of the scandalous DD dirt that you would ever want to know into a new book. The book comes on on September 9th, and it is already on my list of must-read books - can't wait!
The Dead Milkmen are resurfacing for a gig.
Wait, so they can't sell beer at Molson Amphitheatre?
Cult guitarist Billy Duffy reunited with former bandmate Matt Sorum recently when the pair joined Michael Anthony and Sammy Hagar to work on a track for Hagar's upcoming solo album.
Hopefully that solo album will be better than this new Hagar tune. How many ways do I hate NASCAR? Let me count them....
Springsteen did a song for monkey lovers everywhere recently with a rare performance of "Part Man, Part Monkey."
P.S. - the Springsteen tour is over, and yes, I'm pouting!
September 30th is the release date for the new James Taylor Covers album. Having heard several of the tracks live earlier this summer, I'm looking forward to it!
Matt @ The Syndicate points to new fresh signs that a new Pixies album might not be out of the question!
I love Ben Folds Five, and site regular Burgo pointed me towards new music from former BFF drummer Darren Jessee's project Hotel Lights. I think I'm in love!
And yeah, did you miss my mention earlier this week about the Ben Folds Five reunion show one-off? Woo hoo!!
TDavid has the scoop on a cool "This Day in AC/DC History" widget that you can grab for your website.
The Wilson sisters say "huh-uh" to Palin's usage of "Barracuda."
We'll have to wait until 2009 for that new U2 album.
On the tube:
Time to admit several guilty pleasures in the aftermath of this past week of television series and season premieres. Here are a few of the things on my DVR:
Gossip Girl - thumbs up!
90210 - I was a junkie back in the day. As far as the new show goes, the jury is slightly out, but I liked enough of what I saw in the first episode that I'll be back to watch future episodes. I think there are interesting possibilities with the character development of an older Kelly (Jennie Garth) and I'm hoping that they'll continue to keep that interesting. The return of Brenda (Shannen Doherty) was a bit one-dimensional and predictable by comparison.
The Shield - still great!
Z Rock - A must watch for music fans - starring and loosely based on the real-life career of ZO2 - love the cameos so far with Sebastian Bach, Joan Rivers, Harry Braunstein, etc. Lots more on the way, including Chris Barron from Spin Doctors, John Popper from Blues Traveler, and Dave Navarro. The show kind of reminds me of a musical version of Curb Your Enthusiasm - very funny!
Still on deck - Sons of Anarchy (FX)
Looking forward to quite a few things, including Californication, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, 30 Rock (duh!) The Office and True Blood on HBO, which is the new series from Six Feet Under creator Alan Ball. Hoping that David Duchovny's trip to rehab for sex addiction won't derail his great work on Californication, a show in which he plays....a sex addict. Californication was one of my favorite new shows last year.
That's it from me for now - tonight: Journey, Heart and Cheap Trick at Blossom!
CommentsQuick Hits – Jayhawks/Golden Smog, The Replacements, GNR, Ben Folds, hear new tracks from Oasis and more
Written by: Matt Wardlaw
Greetings from Cleveland! Foreigner at House of Blues is next up on the concert agenda, tomorrow night. Setlist and a brief report will come early next week!
We'll start with a not-so-quick hit:
Jayhawks fans, get happy - there are two Jayhawks-related releases coming out in September! And if you live in Spain, September 4th brings a one-time reunion of the 94/95 era Jayhawks lineup of Gary Louris, Mark Olson, Marc Perlman, Karen Grotberg, and Tim O'Reagan. For the first time ever, I wish I was living in Spain!
Mark and Gary will release their Chris Robinson-produced reunion CD Ready For The Flood, on September 16th. They've got a new Myspace page here, and you can also check out interviews with both of them done by Paste Magazine.
And in related news, you'll also be able to grab Stay Golden, Smog: The Best of Golden Smog on September 23rd, featuring an early version of "Until You Came Along," and a cover of Brian Wilson's "Love and Mercy." Here's the complete press release:
LOS ANGELES--In the late '80s, Minneapolis was home to a tightly knit music scene that claimed its fair share of groups on college and alternative radio playlists. When they weren't playing in their own bands, singer Kraig Johnson (Run Westy Run) and guitarists Dan Murphy (Soul Asylum) Gary Louris (the Jayhawks) and Marc Perlman (the Jayhawks) got together as Golden Smog to play with friends and have a good time. The band recorded a pair of albums for Rykodisc in the early '90s, featuring Uncle Tupelo/Wilco's Jeff Tweedy and drummers Noah Levy (Honeydogs) and Jody Stephens (Big Star).
Rhino brings together the essential tracks from both of those early releases for STAY GOLDEN, SMOG: THE BEST OF GOLDEN SMOG. This 18-song collection also features an alternate version of the fan favorite ("Until You Came Along") and an unreleased Brian Wilson cover ("Love And Mercy.") On September 23, this compilation will be available from Rhino Records at all retail outlets, including www.rhino.com, for a suggested list price of $16.98 on CD and $10.99 for digital download.
What began as a wicked cover band in 1989 evolved into a group featuring a rotating cast of talented musicians. The group's greatest strength has always been its collective songwriting prowess. Solid contributions from members writing solo and together helped the band create a lovable pastiche of soulful twang and thrilling garage bravado. The band released an EP, On Golden Smog, in 1992, then its first full-length album, Down By The Old Mainstream, in 1996 and its follow-up, Weird Tales, two years later.
STAY GOLDEN, SMOG: THE BEST OF GOLDEN SMOG contains eight tracks from the group's full-length debut, including a trio of great collaborations: "V" (Johnson/Louris), "Radio King" (Louris/Tweedy), and "Red Headed Stepchild" (Murphy/Perlman). Also featured are the standout solo efforts: "Pecan Pie," Tweedy's bubbly ode to dessert, and "He's A Dick," Johnson's ode to jerks.
The group's second album is also represented on THE BEST OF by eight tracks, including strong contributions by Murphy ("To Call My Own"), Johnson ("Looking Forward To Seeing You"), Louris ("Until You Came Along") and Tweedy ("Please Tell My Brother.") STAY GOLDEN, SMOG: THE BEST OF GOLDEN SMOG also contains a pair of Johnson/Louris efforts "If I Only Had A Car" and "Jennifer Save Me." The collection ends with an early version of "Until You Came Along" and an unreleased cover of Brian Wilson's "Love And Mercy," a song that originally appeared on his 1988 solo debut.
STAY GOLDEN, SMOG: THE BEST OF GOLDEN SMOG Track Listing:
1. "Until You Came Along" (Gary Louris)
2. "Looking Forward To Seeing You" (Kraig Johnson)
3. "Ill Fated" (Dan Murphy)
4. "Lost Love" (Jeff Tweedy)
5. "Jennifer Save Me" (Kraig Johnson, Gary Louris)
6. "Making Waves" (Kraig Johnson)
7. "Glad & Sorry" (Ronnie Lane of the Faces)
8. "V" (Kraig Johnson / Gary Louris)
9. "To Call My Own" (Dan Murphy)
10. "Pecan Pie" (Jeff Tweedy)
11. "Won't Be Coming Home" (Gary Louris / Mark Olson)
12. "Red Headed Stepchild' (Dan Murphy / Marc Perlman)
13. "He's A Dick" (Kraig Johnson)
14. "Radio King" (Gary Louris / Jeff Tweedy)
15. "Please Tell My Brother" (Jeff Tweedy)
16. "If I Only Had A Car" (Kraig Johnson, Gary Louris)
17. "Until You Came Along" (1997 version) - Bonus Track (Gary Louris)
18. "Love And Mercy" - Bonus Track (Brian Wilson)
Sticking in Minneapolis, you might want to save up some extra dough, because September 23rd is also the same date that the next batch of expanded Replacements reissues will hit the racks. In the upcoming stack: Pleased To Meet Me, Tim, Don't Tell A Soul, and All Shook Down.
Paul and Tommy talked about the first batch of reissues earlier this year in this Billboard feature.
Could the new Guns n' Roses album be another retail exclusive at either Wal-Mart or Best Buy? That's the word on the streets.
Ben Folds get my vote for the funniest PR stunt to happen in a while, by leaking fake versions (recorded by Folds) of tracks from his upcoming album Way To Normal.
Check out new Oasis tracks at He's A Whore. They've got a pretty kick ass limited edition box set release planned for Dig Out Your Soul, the new Oasis album due October 7th - details here.
Mojo @ Popdose wants to know what's so great about vinyl?
PG-13 means you have to be 13 to watch it (via Cleveland's a Plum)
Good chatty-chat with Crosby, Stills and Nash about the new Deja-Vu DVD - read it here.
Well, at least ZZ Top is one band NOT skipping Cleveland on their upcoming tour!
Is there an air guitarist in the house? In this house, there sure is. Often and frequently!!
Johnny Cash fans, chew on the details for the upcoming box set reissue of the Folsom Prison set.
The Lost Turntable hooks you up with the guide to proper behavior at festivals.
Metallica's ...And Justice for All turns 20.
Tesla release their new CD Forever More (yay!) on October 7th.
There ya go - that's enough for now, right??
CommentsQuick Hits – Sarah Mclachlan, Tori Amos, Joe Cocker, The Who
Written by: Matt Wardlaw
Greetings from Cleveland, where you're only as old as you feel.....and with some of the news from this week, I'm feeling pretty old.
For example, August 5th will see the release of the 15th Anniversary Edition of one my favorite albums from the 90s, a special 2 CD/1DVD package of Sarah Mclachlan's Fumbling Towards Ecstasy.
The special anniversary release will be made up of the original album, plus The Freedom Sessions (for years, a standalone release) and a live DVD that looks very similar to the existing Fumbling Towards Ecstasy Live DVD. Check out the details and pre-order your copy right here.
There's also a cool release coming out in the continuing Live at Montreux series of live DVD/CD releases. This time, we get a pair of vintage live performances from Tori Amos, recorded in 1991 and 1992. The track listing for both is awesome, and I am VERY stoked about these releases. Check out the details on the release right here.
One more on the DVD front - a cool performance from the Rockpalast archives, this time featuring a Joe Cocker performance from 1980, with additional tracks from 1983. There will be a U.S. release for this on September 9th, but all I am digging up at the moment, are links for the UK PAL version. Even the bonus tracks look awesome!
I thought this was a cool Van Halen story, and it's one of many great stories you'll read from Darren over at He's A Whore.
Thanks to Jeff over at Sonic Slang for passing along the news that Paul Westerberg's 49:00 was a number one seller on Amazon MP3 this past week! Sonic Slang also has the link for fan-created art for the back of the "release" as well as an attempt at a track listing. Check it out here.
Here is a classic email from Pete Townshend to Rolling Stone offering reflections on the Rock Honors experience.
Metallica have confirmed the track listing for Death Magnetic. They still haven't confirmed whether it will be any good.
Sammy Hagar's new solo album will be called Cosmic Universal Fashion, and will be out late summer/early fall. Matt Sorum shows up behind the drum kit on one of the tracks.
From the excellent Soundcheck blog, here are setlists from recent shows that include Yaz, the Journey/Heart/Cheap Trick package tour, and some fine commentary on a co-headlining show from The Wallflowers and Train(setlist here.)
Regarding Jakob Dylan and crew, I'm glad to see that someone else is calling bullsh*t on the concept of The Wallflowers being "The Wallflowers" without Rami Jaffee!
I disagree however, with the reference in the same article that labels Dylan's solo CD Seeing Things as "well received." He must have been listening to a different CD than I was, because THAT was a painful listen.
Oy.
I'll catch ya'll around the musical bend with more....
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