Cage Match: Genesis vs. Ozzy Osbourne
Written by: Matt Wardlaw
This week's Cage Match is a unique battle featuring a drummer that can no longer drum vs. a singer that can no longer sing. It should be a well-known fact that Genesis is one of our favorite bands here at ATV HQ. I spent parts of the past week insanely jealous of Popdose pal Jason Hare, as he dug deep into the new video box set from Mssrs. Collins, Rutherford, and Banks. Attempts to persuade the ATV board of directors to authorize funds for the purchase of this hallowed box set of video goodness have been fruitless to date, and we are left to hold out hope that perhaps the video gods will shine down upon us. Or specifically, I'm hoping they'll shine down on me.
CommentsNew Music: Dennis Diken with Bell Sound
Written by: Matt Wardlaw
Let me introduce you to your new favorite "guilty pleasure" listening music - Late Music, the very welcome new release that hit stores and digital outlets today from Smithereens drummer Dennis Diken with Bell Sound. The Bell Sound project pairs Diken with collaborator Pete DiBella, and a list of special guests that will put a smile on the face of power pop lovers everywhere - Brian Wilson producer Andy Paley, The Honeys, Jason Falkner, and members of The Wondermints are just a few of the names that drop by to lend a hand on Late Music!
From the official press release:
The finely-wrought sound of Late Music owes much to The Four Freshmen, The Four Seasons, The Bee Gees and The Beach Boys. And Dennis Diken with Bell Sound’s hat remains roguishly tipped to The Association, The Who and The Move. Yet Late Music remains their own thing, for them to offer and the world to dig. And dig, it must. It’s never too late.
If you're a big Beach Boys/Smithereens/power pop fan like I am, hopefully you're already downloading this album - it really is a fantastic listen and must-hear for all music lovers. I can't wait to take this one in the car, and I'm already plotting a track or two for my next mix!
Stream four tracks from Late Music
Purchase Late Music from Amazon
Photo courtesy of Dennis Diken with Bell Sound
CommentsThe Monday Morning Mix – ATV Sessions Part One – 9/21/09
Written by: Matt Wardlaw
Graphic by Rachael Novak
Click here for details on how you can be a part of The Monday Morning Mix and win some cool stuff!
We've got some great mixes in hand and on the way - where is yours?
About Today's Mix:
Today's mix is brought to us by one Edward A. Sotelo, known for his activities locally, internationally, and in parts of Canton, OH with bands including but not necessarily limited to Cobra Verde and the Jack Fords. Ed also lends his writing skills to Metromix, the Beachland Ballroom blog, and we hear that he's currently ghost writing a book about things to do in Cleveland suburbs when you're really bored. That last part is just a rumor, but as far as we know, it could happen. Ed wins the award for record turnaround time on a mix - this mix was in my inbox about four hours after he contacted me for details.
Here is the mix with some notes from Ed about each song. Enjoy!
CommentsFlight 666 now departing….
Written by: Matt Wardlaw
I wore out Piece of Mind, I mean I WORE THAT OUT! I listened to it all day, and then when it got to be night time, I put the headphones on...
Tom Morello
Rage Against The Machine
"Flight 666 is now taking off," "F*ckin' Maiden," and "Up The Irons" were just a few of the many status updates I saw this past weekend on Facebook and Twitter. The metal community has been buzzing for some time about Flight 666, the new documentary from Iron Maiden that documents last year's epic Somewhere Back In Time tour that crisscrossed across multiple countries and continents including Australia for the first time in 15 years.
And you knew Flight 666 was going to be awesome. Iron Maiden is one of those bands that you can still believe the hype. More than 30 years after their initial formation, the band is still just as relevant to metal fans as they were in the 80's. Their legendary stage show and visuals are just as over the top as they were back in the day, and while that lingering arena rock spirit might feel cliched to some, it's completely METAL to the rest of us.
When the tour touched down at Blossom Music Center last summer, I had no idea that I was in for one of the best shows I'd see in 2008. I should have known because, how can you miss with a setlist from Maiden that is nearly 100 percent focused on their classic 80's material featuring the Powerslave-era stage? Within moments of Maiden taking the stage, I figured out very quickly from my choice 5th row seats that it was going to be the best night with Maiden since the initial reunion gig with lead singer Bruce Dickinson at Nautica Stage in 1999.
Flight 666 premiered this past weekend on VH-1 Classic and the high def channel Palladia. Maiden and longtime manager Rod Smallwood pulled off a great promotional ploy scheduling the documentary and concert to air on the channels on the eve of the retail release of Flight 666, which was released yesterday. I haven't even watched the concert portion of Flight 666 yet, but I can tell you that I will be heading out to the stores shortly to pick up a DVD copy of Flight 666 based on the documentary alone.
I recommend this documentary to all metal, music, and Iron Maiden fans as one of the best music documentaries I've seen in a while. Dickinson, also a commercial airline pilot, pilots the band crew, and stage equipment in a customized Boeing 757, "Ed Force One" for a journey that logged 50,000 miles with 23 concerts in 45 days. Shot in hi-def by Banger Productions (Metal: A Headbanger's Journey) with 5.1 audio mixed by longtime Maiden associate Kevin Shirley (Aerosmith, Journey, The Black Crowes, etc,) Flight 666 earns a platinum set of wings and two metal thumbs way up.
And how about those Maiden guys? How do they sound? Just like 1983, although you might have a little bit less hair and a few less brain cells. If you're a Maiden fan, chances are good that you've already got a few of the previous live DVD releases, and if you don't - Flight 666 is a great starting point for your collection. Drummer Nicko McBrain is worth the purchase price of Flight 666 for the constant string of one-liners that he provides throughout the film. Absolutely classic.
Up The Irons!
Flight 666 is available on DVD,Blu-Ray, CD, and picture disc VINYL!
Cage Match: Jefferson Starship vs. Joe Walsh
Written by: Matt Wardlaw
Ola friends!
As we get going, let's start of by congratulating Steve in Nashville, who is the winner of the contest for the super-awesome Jane's Addiction vinyl reissues of Nothing's Shocking and Ritual de lo Habitual!
Congrats Steve!
You know what that means - it's time to give something else away! But you'll have to wait a little bit for the next one, because we've got some weekly business to attend to in the following post.
In the meantime, click here to order your own copy of A Cabinet of Curiosities, and check out my man Rob's rundown on the box set contents - it is slaaaaaaamin'!
P.S. - The MP3 version is only $18.99 at Amazon MP3 - that's crazy talk!
Remember how I was talking about those blog posts that come to you like a gift? This week's showcase showdown is very much in that vein. I was on my way out, heading to Detroit with a brief stop at the post office to pick up mail before leaving town.
In the mail, I got the new Jane's Addiction box set, A Cabinet of Curiosities (SWEEET!), and a package of musical love from Scene Magazine staff writer D.X. Ferris.
Inside the package was Par-Tay Mixxx G:9 #6 (2009) (download)
with the note Designed for linear or random play.
That's right, another mix disc from Ferris, in the tradition of DXMas, Danzig Slow Jams, and all of the many mixes that have come prior to those instant classics.
Unlike previous mixes, there was no track listing for this one. I popped it into the CD player, and without knowing it, I suddenly had this week's Cage Match locked, loaded, and ready to go. Oh, don't worry - I already had one on deck previously, but it got bumped.
The 1st contender: "Jane" by Jefferson Starship:
The track comes off of the 1979 album Freedom at Point Zero, featuring drummer Aynsley Dunbar, who had departed from Journey the previous year (uh, nice career move,) and is also the first album featuring new lead singer Mickey Thomas.
You know, the guy that also sang "Fooled Around and Fell In Love" with the Elvin Bishop Group, and would go on to sing on many Jefferson Starship/Starship hits.
Today, he continues to tour rib cookoffs, parties in the park, and 80s radio festivals across the United States, singing those hits. He's also available for your next bar mitzvah, as long as he can borrow your car to pick up the rest of the band, and oh yeah - dinner is included with that gig too, right?
Now, despite my previous snarky comments above, I actually really like Mickey Thomas as a singer.
This is a viewpoint that is not necessarily a slam dunk across the board with everyone else, however. There are people that think that Mickey Thomas is the devil, and these same people view the Knee Deep In The Hoopla album as a musical scud missile turd of an album from a band that wrecked two to three years of their formative period as a young adult.
This band was the band that delivered not only Hoopla, but also No Protection, an album that contained the dreaded Starship hit "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now."
Now again, I actually like "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now." Quite a bit, actually. My pal Jason Hare at Popdose recently put "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now" underneath the microscope for this revealing probe, identifying the track as one of the suckiest songs in the world.
I think that means that he liked it.
So how did "Jane" wind up as track one on Ferris's par-tay mix?
"Jane" is inspired from the opening of Wet Hot American Summer, which is 3 of my favorite minutes ever committed to film. Totally captures a moment there. the subtitle of the par-tay mix is "Wet Hot American Par-Tay." I make those every year to listen to in the garage, for outdoor chores, etc.
I STILL haven't seen Wet Hot American Summer - it's one of those films that I keep hearing about, and Bela Dubby even did a screening here in Lakewood at some point last year. Gotta check that one out, pronto. Ferris tells me that it is airing this month on cable via Starz or similar.
Now let's welcome in the 2nd contender: Joe Walsh - "Turn To Stone."
When Ferris and I were at the Rock Hall earlier this month watching a Q&A with drummer Joe Vitale, Vitale told some stories about the recording of "Turn To Stone," and then we heard a portion of the track played over the theater sound system, with that big fat drugged out 70s production featuring drums that were recorded so that they kick you in the face when you first hear them.
The drums are surrounded by blankets of reverb that make you wonder if there might have been acid in that Dr. Pepper that you drank on the way to the Rock Hall. You start looking around the room to see if it is really floating, and determine that it's just the song, not you. This time.
You know that was a good day in the recording studio, when they recorded that song. Between the stories for that one, and the stories about recording "Life's Been Good," Ferris and I left the Rock Hall realizing that it was really cool to be Joe Vitale back in the day.
So there you have it - Jefferson Starship or Joe Walsh. What's it gonna be?
P.S. - Download your own copy of Ferris's Par-Tay Mix.
To keep with the spirit of the mix as I originally heard it, the tracks are only tagged with artist (D.X. Ferris) and album name ("Par-Tay etc.) I suggest that you should put it on, and rock out. Let the mix surprise you, as it did me.
I'll let you know, that when the mix crossed over into Canadian territory, I punched the dashboard with happiness and commenced air keyboards to the extreme. People that were driving next to me at that moment, gave me that weird look that says "Dude, go back to Cleveland - PLEASE."
NOTE: There's some extremely NSFW language in track 15. If bad words offend you, you're going to want to skip that one!
CommentsRecord Store Day is TOMORROW!
Written by: Matt Wardlaw
It's been a fun week!
Wednesday night, I went to the Rock Hall with my pals D.X. Ferris from Scene Magazine, Sirius XM personality Dusty Street, and Pale Hollow drummer Nick Perry, for an evening of Q&A with drummer Joe Vitale about his book Backstage Pass.
If the goal is to leave 'em wanting more, Vitale did exactly that on Wednesday night at the Rock Hall, and certainly sold several stacks of books to everyone that was in attendance that no doubt wanted to fill in the gaps of what they had heard.
The hour 1/2 chat with Vitale flew by, and he had some great stories, including a classic story regarding the recording sessions for Joe Walsh's classic solo hit "Life's Been Good" with producer Bill Szymczyk. I've heard the track a million times over the years, and once I knew the story behind it, everything made a lot more sense.....for a Joe Walsh song, anyway.
My comrade Ferris posted a nice re-cap of the evening with Vitale that you can check out here. And if you haven't read Backstage Pass yet, grab a copy here!
My takeaway from the evening? I need to track down a copy of the Crosby Stills and Nash Allies album, which allegedly is being reissued on CD (for the first time domestically) later this year. I've got my fingers crossed that that is true! I also need to get my hands on a copy of Vitale's 70s solo disc Roller Coaster Weekend, and I'd love to track down the followup Plantation Harbor as well. The true work of a music geek is never done!
Speaking of that, how PSYCHED are you that Record Store Day is tomorrow?
Here are a few links to get you primed for the experience:
Prefix Magazine have a guide with everything you need to know to have the BEST Record Store Day ever.
My buddy Brian is missing Record Store Day because of work, but he's got thoughts to share....
What are you going to do when Record Store Day is over? I'm guessing that you'll probably have a lot of awesome tunage to listen to (and watch.) And hopefully you will continue to visit your indie mom and pop record stores...because every day should be Record Store Day! If you're looking for some good reading material, I would suggest that The Vinyl Countdown might be just what the music-lovin' doctor ordered! Thanks to Jeff at Popdose for the tip!
The Cleveland Bachelor shares his side of the truth regarding everything Record Store Day-related in the Waterloo District at Music Saves, Blue Arrow Records and Books, etc. etc. etc.
It seems inevitable that CB and I will cross paths and maybe (*gasp*) even hang out. I'm not making any promises....but it has potential!
I'll be hitting up Music Saves and possibly Time Traveler Music in Cuyahoga Falls as well, depending on my schedule. Later that evening, I'll meet up with Bear and a few others for Jonah Koslen and Stage Pass Now at The Winchester.
Speaking of Music Saves, here is the latest and greatest informational rundown from TEAM MUSIC SAVES. Music Saves gets the 2009 award from me for the indie store that put the most effort into making RSD '09 really, really cool for Cleveland. Hopefully, all of you that are not in Cleveland have something cool going on in your city at your favorite local store that is comparable to Music Saves!
For all of the Music Saves Record Store Day deets - click here
You can also click here for a printable PDF version of the above information.
Other details from their latest email:
The other Record Store Day street events we know of so far (we’ll have flyers with a final event list strewn around Waterloo on Saturday):
Blue Arrow Records is offering 10% off everything in the store (except furniture - from noon-10pm) and hosting a FLOOR CONTEST to win a vintage Derek Hess poster!
This Way Out is offering 10% off everything in the store (from noon-8pm)!
If you spend $10 or more at MUSIC SAVES, This Way Out, or Blue Arrow Records, each of those 3 receipts is good for $1 off a beer in the Beachland Tavern! The Tavern will open at 11am with a special lunch menu PLUS the brunch cocktail menu!
At Shoparooni, bring in a mixtape (or mixCD) formed after one of these 3 themes: Porkchops & Awesome Sauce (Marlee), Glitter & Sequins (Steve), or Caught on the Spot (Heather) and get 30% off your purchase PLUS they’ll have a photo booth set up!
Expect the Arts Collinwood Gallery, Low Life Gallery, and the Waterloo 7 Gallery to all be open AND look for the debut of the new WATERLOO CAFÉ!
Announcing RSD Bonus WILCO Concert Download:
The news just keeps getting better. As an exclusive bonus to customers who purchase the DVD, Ashes of American Flags, at RSD participating stores, you will be able to download one complete concert drawn from the shows featured in the film. This exclusive concert download will only be available via an embedded link on the DVD from 4/18-4/27, before the DVD goes to wide release. This bonus concert download will disappear from the site at 11:59 p.m. on 4/27/2009. This is in addition to the 20 full songs featured in the DVD which are available to all customers via download!SONIC YOUTH BuyEarlyGetNow preorder NOW at MUSIC SAVES!
WHAT YOU GET:
- pre-release stream of album on April 28
- bonus limited exclusive vinyl live LP on street date WHILE SUPPLIES LAST!
- bonus limited-edition poster on street date
- bonus exclusive MP3 outtakes and live tracks
The Eternal 2LP $49.98 list, YOUR COST $37.99 and CD $28.98, list YOUR COST $26.99
Only regular, dependable customers will have the option to pay later! The rest of you gotta pay when you preorder, sorry!TIMELINE:
3/24 - preorder begins through indie stores ONLY!
4/28 - BEGN goes live with album stream
5/12 - First bonus MP3 on BEGN site
6/2 - Second bonus MP3 on BEGN site
JUNE 9, STREET DATE - pick up the album, your bonus live LP, AND bonus poster
That's enough for today, ain't it? We'll pick the winner of the Jane's Addiction vinyl early next week. And guess what, we'll have another contest after that. I'm going to try to keep the contest machine rolling on a regular basis.
Have a great weekend, all....and ENJOY RECORD STORE DAY!
CommentsA challenging interview with Billy Bob Thornton
Written by: Matt Wardlaw
If you haven't seen it yet, I think you'll enjoy CBC radio host Jian Ghomeshi's interview with actor/musician Billy Bob Thornton and his band The Boxmasters. The Boxmasters were in Toronto for a pair of shows opening for Willie Nelson at Massey Hall, and Thornton took issue with the mention of the "actor" side of his career. It seems that he was only there to talk music (not surprised by that,) and either the producer didn't pass that information on to Ghomeshi, or Ghomeshi might have decided to go for it and ignore Thornton's wishes.
It all makes for an entertaining interview, and I've got to give mad props to Ghomeshi for pulling it off in the end. I'd say that he wins it.
CommentsInside the new Bruce Springsteen Rock Hall exhibit + Joe Vitale comes to the Rock Hall
Written by: Matt Wardlaw
Hey Bruce fans, dig this!
Thomas Mulready from CoolCleveland.Com caught up with Jim Henke, Vice President of Exhibitions and Curatorial Affairs for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, to discuss the new Bruce Springsteen exhibit From Asbury Park to the Promised Land: The Life and Music of Bruce Springsteen
Check out Mulready's video interview with Henke via this link.
The interview is a great chat/look inside the new exhibit, and if you're like me, you'll be drooling over all of the Bruce items that are in the background behind Henke. I haven't gotten a chance to see the new exhibit yet, but I'm hoping to be able to check it out within the next month or so.
As long as we're talking about the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, here's an event that I want to put on your radar:
Drummer Joe Vitale (Crosby, Stills, and Nash, The Eagles, Peter Frampton, etc.) is the next guest in the continuing series From Songwriters to Soundmen. Vitale will be at the Rock Hall next Wednesday (4/15) at 7pm.
Vitale will discuss his awesome new book Backstage Pass: Stories From The Road & In The Studio with Crosby, Stills & Nash, Dan Fogelberg, Peter Frampton,The Eagles, Ted Nugent, Joe Walsh, Neil Young, And Many More. The event is nearing capacity, so if you're interested in attending, drop an email asap to the Rock Hall Education Department here.
I've had a copy of the book for about a month now, and I really love not only the content, but the way it is laid out. Lots of pictures, and a good portion of the content/stories are organized as band/tour specific chapters. Joe and his wife Susie Vitale really did a great job putting this book together. It's a nice companion piece (in my opinion) to the book that former Eagles member Don Felder put out, although you won't find much mud in this book - the focus is on the many great stories accumulated from decades spent on the road building an incredible resume as one of rock and roll's premiere drummers.
From Joe's website:
Get a Backstage Pass for all the craziness of rock ‘n roll! After years of hearing the comment, “You should write a book!” world renowned drummer Joe Vitale finally takes you backstage for a rare and intimate look behind the scenes, as told to his wife of thirty-five years, Susie Vitale. This book includes Joe’s all-time favorite stories and over a hundred pages of his personal photographs! Backstage Pass is a very personal, humorous, and nostalgic history-in-stories of on the road and in the studio spanning over forty years of his rock ‘n roll drumming career. His stories, dating right up to 2008, include experiences with legendary performers such as Crosby, Stills and Nash, The Eagles, Dan Fogelberg, Peter Frampton, Ted Nugent, Joe Walsh, Neil Young, Ringo Starr, John Lennon, Keith Richards, Bill Wyman, Ronnie Wood, Carl Wilson, Rick Derringer, Van Morrison and many more. Vitale's many songwriting credentials include the classic, "Rocky Mountain Way" from "The Smoker You Drink, The Player You Get" album by Joe Walsh and, "Pretty Maids All In A Row" from The Eagles album, "Hotel California." Vitale has two solo albums and is releasing his third, "Speaking In Drums," the summer of 2008. His son, Joe Vitale Jr.'s, album, which Joe Sr. produced called, "Dancing With Shadows" will also be simultaneously released. Joe continues to tour, record, write and produce, and has no plans for slowing down. The foreward for "Backstage Pass" is written by David Crosby, Graham Nash, and Stephen Stills.
Purchase your copy of Backstage Pass right here.
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