The Sweetest Thing – JJ Grey & Mofro

You always know a Mofro song the minute you hear it and it is almost a sound you love hearing. This is the forst song I have heard off of the new album “Georgia Warhorse” and it makes me real optimistic about the rest of the album. It as soulful as anything that ever came out of the Memphis Stax studio and the addition of Toots Hibbert takes the song to another level.

You Left the Water Running – Otis Redding

The greatest soul singer of all time. Every once in awhile you need to be reminded of that. If you are interested in Otis Redding and really why would you not be you can find this song on the “Dreams to Remember” anthology. Over 2 hours of some of the best music you will ever hear.

Bring it on Home to Me – Sam Cooke

Sam Cooke was a hero to Otis Redding and it shows in his music. Redding even covered “A Change is Going to Come”. This is one of my favorite Sam Cooke songs. If you have ever seen the movie “Ali” there is a fantastic live version of this song that will blow your mind.

Depression – Ryan Bingham & The Dead Horses

This is the first single off of Bingham’s new album which just came out yesterday. This is an album that I cannot wait to hear. Bingham is quickly moving up my list of favorite musicians. He is unbelievable live and his albums are nearly as good as he is live. This is a great first song from the album. I expect the rest of the album to be just as strong.

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We were exchanging e-mails concerning his addition to the Rock Minutes staff and he expressed his displeasure for Aaron’s opinion of Phish and could not understand how anyone could not love the music Phish makes. I am going to try and let everyone where I am coming from on this subject and I have a feeling the rest of the Rock Minutes staff will agree.

I would first like to dispel the rumor that I only like three minute songs and that if a song is over 3 or 4 minutes I automatically do not like it. I have plenty of songs on my iPod that stretch out as far as 30 minutes (Mountain Jam by the Allman Brothers). If a song moves me then length is irrelevant. I will say that the Beatles made a living off of three minute songs that may never be rivaled in any of our lifetimes but that is a topic for another time. What I find is that when the topic of Phish or Jam Bands in general and I express my dislike of them the typical fan looks at me like I am stupid and have a musical IQ of a three year old. They seem to think I don’t have the capacity to absorb a 15 minute Phish song. They like to tell me about how great each individual musician is in the band and especially what a great guitar player Trey Anastasio is. They like to tell me if I saw them live I would change my opinion of them. In a weird way I understand that argument because I say the same thing about Wilco. For me until you see Wilco live you can never fully understand what they are about. I guess the difference between Wilco and Phish is that Wilco is good.

My problem with the argument about seeing them live is that I have listened to that argument before and even went to a show based on that argument and it was a disaster. Several years a go I saw the best guitar player I have ever seen live. A friend of mine who likes music as much as I do strong armed me into going to see a guy called Al di Meola. He is literally the most unbelievable guitar player I have ever seen and his band were all just as good at their instruments. I stood there and watched him play these intricate solos in the middle of 10 minute songs in which there were no lyrics. I thought the show would never end. It was horrible and I could not get out of there fast enough. The moral to this story is if you do not connect with a band then it does not matter how great the musicians are. Jazz musicians are universally celebrated as great musicians and I would rather go see Justin Bieber than go to a jazz show.

Over the years I have had numerous people telling me if I would give Phish a chance how much I would like them. So about a year my boss who is a huge Phish fan decides to have a party where he rents a huge outdoor movie screen and show a Phish concert on it. I decided I would go into the evening with an open mind and really give the band a chance. I stood there and watched song after song and with each song I hated the band more than I did before. Their songs seemed to have no rhyme or reason. The jams were an exercise in self indulgence that seem to go on forever. There was not one thing about the band that connected with me at all. I knew it was at that moment I would never like this band. Maybe I am too stupid to “get” this band. Maybe they are just to advanced for my simple taste in music. But this band has no reedeeming qualities about it and I fully belive a huge chunk of their followers are not in it for the music but are in it for the scene that is created at their shows. I am sure all of the avid Phish followers will read this and think I am an idiot and to be honest I am compeltely fine with that. I am sure my lack of interest in this band leaves a huge hole in my musical resume and that is OK. I am convinced in 30 years from now Phish will be a minor footnote in the history of music which is exactly what they deserve to be.

One final note. When I say I don’t like Jam Bands to insult me and tell me Phish is different. They sound like all of the other shitty jam bands out there.

Later,

Nick

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That is a deeper question than you might think. I mean, the obvious answer is that the music just sucked…which is partly true, but there was some great music to come out of the 80’s. The 1st band that comes up in my mind is G-N-R. Man, they were a bottle rocket of rock and roll fire. They took off like a light and lit up the night sky, and blew up our asses and left us all in amazement. But, they were the exception in my opinion, not the rule.

Most of the bands that came out in the 80’s will be remembered living in the shadows of rock and roll, not in the forefront. The Duran Duran’s and B 52’s were novelty acts in my opinion, nothing more, and nothing less. They were groups that tried to fill a niche of the teenage buyer. And it seems to me that many bands in the 80’s were going for that niche or that one off demographic. That, “let’s see who can be a bit more obscure and weirder than the next act.”

It was an era of one-up-man-ship and ultra conformity. It was an era of class identification through music and social separation. Throughout the 60s and 70’s rock and roll was a means to bring like minded people together for the common cause of self expression and musical enjoyment. In the 80’s, music was set up to build identity and social clicks as a means of separation, not togetherness.

The metal heads listened to Iron Maiden, Motley Crue, and Metallica. The alternative kids were listening to INXS, The Cure, U2, The Police, REM and new wave. You had your preps listening Duran Duran, Michael Jackson, Madonna, and the like. I can remember in High School the type of crowd you hung out with dictated the type of music you listened to, or vise versa.

I don’t know, but it seemed like record producers were purposely trying to culturally separate and socially identify kids for different home life’s and social backgrounds. And the musical groups were totally conforming to one another, and to that click. If you were a “burn out” you listened to a certain type of music and you dressed a certain way; you were distinctly “burned out.” And the same held true for other groups. It was a period of status emulation and icon copy. It really wasn’t cool to be an individual in the 80’s, which is/was bullshit.

I mean, what was pop music and rock and roll all about in the 1st place, about individual freedom and individualism? I would argue so. But the 80’s trends wanted to classify and categorize music and people into tiny little groups of this and that, them and they. Even within the 80’s, I felt like I didn’t really belong to one identifiable group…and looking back that is tripled! I mean, the truth is, I went to a pretty cool school where there was a lot of intra-group mingling, but I am not going to candy coat it, there were separate and distinctive groups. And those clicks were indentified by the music that influenced that group. It was like we were all trapped in a John Hughes film or something.

Anyway, that is way I think 80’s music was the worst of all time, because I believe it was made to fit into areas of cultural identity and not made to break them. The greatest rock music of all time is music that has no classification and breaks all boundaries…and is loved by the masses and has no self prescribed path. The 80’s musicians, bands, and producers went in the opposite direction and made music for the audience and the niche revenue stream. I say, never make music for a specific audience, make it for you, the people will listen.

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Later,

Dave

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Farewell Angelina – John Mellencamp

It is not to hard to hear Dylan’s influence in Mellencamp’s music. Mellencamp has even been opening for Dylan in concert the last couple of years. Mellencamp’s version of this song is nothing short of incredible. This song definitely gets the “Mellencamp” treatment and it is one of his most underrated songs. Janice Hoyt sounds incredible on backing vocals and the fiddle on the song is perfect.

All Along the Watchtower – Jimi Hendrix

Jimi Hendrix took this Dylan classic and made it all his own. This version is probably more well known than the original. The arrangement of this song perfectly matches the lyrics and that is why this song is a classic. Of course the guitar work on the song is second to none. This might be the greatest Dylan cover of all time.

Girl From the North Country – Joe Cocker

Hopefully you own “Mad Dogs & Englishmen”. It is truly one of the great live albums of all time. This version of the song is basically a duet with Leon Russell and Joe Cocker. The only instrument being played is Russell playing the piano and the simplicity of this version is fantastic. Dylan was actually in the audience while they played this song.

With God on Our Side – Buddy Miller

Buddy Miller is one of the most respected musicians in Nashville. He has played with Patty Griffin, Steve Earle, Robert Plant and Emmylou Harris to just name a few. Miller released a fine solo album a few years ago called “Universal United House of Prayer”. His 9:15 second version of “With God on Our Side” is pretty powerful. This has become one of my favorite Dylan covers over the past few years.

Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door – Warren Zevon

Zevon’s final album was made while he was dying of lung cancer so this song seems like a pretty appropriate song for that album. Zevon is one of those artists that I did not appreciate enough while he was alive. Jackson Browne sings back up vocals on this song and Black Crowes drummer Steve Gorman also plays on the track.

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Sorry no embedding on this one:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-CukK3eYt0

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Def Leppard – Photograph

For whatever reason I can still remember where I was the first time I heard this song. I could not believe how good it was and went out and bought Pyromania pretty quic kly after I heard “Photograph”. This is easily my favorite Def Leppard song and I think the entire album is incredible. Unfortunately pretty much the band ever released after this was crap. By the way, what has 9 arms and sucks? Wait for it….. Answer: Def Leppard. That joke never gets old.

Dixie Chicks – The Truth No. 2

Say what you will I think the Dixie Chicks are a great band and the album “Home” is their finest moment. I love that they told the mainstream country establishment to shove it up their asses and actually became bigger than country music. This song is pretty much bluegrass from top to bottom with fiddle , stand up bass, and banjo. Natalie Maines’ voice sounds great and the song was written by Patty Griffin.

Green Day – Last of the American Girls

Green Day has turned into one of the great American rock bands of the last 15 years. They are making music that is as relevant as any music being made today and they grew out of the label of a “punk” band a long time ago. Their most current album “21st Century Breakdown” is a great continuation of the work they did on “American Idiot”. “Last of the American Girls” is the song that I currently wearing out. Give it a listen I think you will like it.

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KISS fans are a strange amalgamate of culture, backgrounds, and class. For example, I was a raised a middle class, all American kid, born in Indiana suburbia and raised by my Pastoral father (He was, and still is, a Baptist Minister) and my home-making mother. My childhood was simple, sweet, and full of BMX adventures and tree climbing hideouts. I played Football and baseball in high school and I went on to get a degree from a fantastic Big 10 University, and even did some post grad studying through out the years.

If you were to meet me on the street, could you tell that I am a HUGE KISS fan? My guess would be no, unless I was paying for something and had my KISS wallet in hand. But that is what I am talking about, KISS fans are everywhere. We are teachers, lawyers, and architects. We are mechanics, remodelers, and day laborers. Some of us wear suits to work, some of us wear shorts. Some of us have hair flowing down to the small of our backs; some of us lost that “stuff” many years ago. We are everyone and no one, we blend into the culture, and we melt into the background. But we all have one thing in common, a sentimental love affair with KISS.

And I think that is the common bond between KISS fans. That most of us, whether it’s caused by genetics or nature; curse or crusade, are sentimental beings in the pit of ourselves. Most KISS fans I’ve meet, have always had one common trait; and that is that we all love pop culture history and are deeply nostalgic beings. KISS fans will talk to you about their past KISS experiences quicker than anyone one else, at any other concert venue (I have been to a lot on concerts). KISS fans reminisce about the night they saw Ace sing 2000 man, or the night they saw Gene mess up the lyrics (again), or how they caught one of Paul’s pick. They will tell you about the last time they saw Eric Carr in concert and argue why he is the greatest drummer the band ever has had (I will argue back that Eric Singer, but that is an entirely different article all together). We are proud Rock and Roll nerds who refuse to be rock and roll nerds (we prefer to leave that title for Rush fans).

But KISS fanaticism is a fetish and let’s not mistake it, not unlike Star Wars, Harry Potter, or any other ‘fan’demonium. It goes back to our childhood, where the mystique and majesty of KISS held the possibility of all things human and un-human. Somewhere, and sometime, when you flip on that old movie from your childhood and you get all warm and fuzzy for no reason except for the feeling that old movies shines off; well my friends, that is the feeling KISS fans get every time we see them in concert, buy their memorabilia, or watch them on television. It just takes us back to a simpler place and time, where summers never die, sprinklers are always spray cool, and homemade Kool-Aid pops chill in the ice box…where the only thing good about the summer ending is single-square-school pizza.

But let’s not forget this one important thing about growing up KISS; and that is KISS music stands the test of time and is some of the greatest fun time rock and roll ever created. Critics love to point out that the stage-gimmick and over the top theatrics are the reasons, and causation, for their success, and continued popularity. And I say bulls***! If that were they case, than any band or artist could do what laser lights and fireworks and have the same results with the same fan love…but other can’t. They can’t because the strength of KISS’s music is so strong that it fuels the concerts and feeds the fan base. The critics, who discount the music, don’t know KISS music! But back to last night and the Indiana State Fair.

The band was in great form last night at the Indiana State fair. Paul led the crowd like a true rock and roll front man should, Tommy played the guitar like a Rock God busting you in the face, and Gene stomped around the stage like the giant demon he is. And Eric, well he was just magic on the kit. I have been to 20 to 25 KISS shows and this was the best I have seen them since the 1996 reunion tour. If you are not a KISS fan, or not in love with a KISS fan and not open to having that love for KISS passed on to you, then you will never be a KISS fan…and you will never get it.

In some respects it is frustrating trying to explain to non fans that just don’t get it, why you do get it and they don’t. But in reality they don’t have to get it and KISS has nothing to prove to anyone. They already have, and we KISS fans get it! Because being a KISS fan is like being a child again…if only in the heart and within the spirit. Being a KISS takes us back to that place that is warm and bright, where KISS was bigger than life, and only hormones ruled our world…and oh that’s and warm and grand place.

KISS rocked the state fair, from the opening of Modern Day Delilah, to the intro of Cold Gin. There was not a slow moment, and every song was a rock and roll party within its self. They sang 3 songs from their new album, Sonic Boom, and even played a few songs from the non make up days, Lick it up and Crazy Nights. The band was interacting with the crowd all night, and this crowd appreciated it, 100%. We are KISS fans, and so are our kids, and one day, our grand kids will be too…and they too will rock the nation even if all hell is breaking loose.

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