Nothing To Lose: The Making Of KISS (1972-1975)

KISS always does it bigger, louder and with more intensity than everyone else, which of course means that Nothing To Lose: The Making Of KISS (1972-1975) (It Books) is as excessive as it is entertaining.

Compiled by Ken Sharp (co-author of 2003’s stellar KISS Behind The Mask: The Official Authorized Biography) with help from Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons, Nothing To Lose presents a 550-page (!) oral history of the first three years of KISS’ explosive run. From the very first meeting between Stanley and Simmons to the career-saving success of Alive!, no facet of the group’s formative years is left unexplored. The book’s many highlights include a look inside KISS’ strong friendship with early openers Rush (complete with an insane onstage pie fight between the bands at the conclusion of a tour), Casablanca Records’ tireless upstream efforts to get the band noticed by radio and Kiss/Hotter Than Hell producer Richie Wise’s admission that he failed to capture the band’s true sprit on the latter release – a transgression that contributed to the album’s initial poor sales and the band’s arduous climb to success. Additionally, the book features several acknowledgements of original KISS choreographer/creative consultant Sean Delaney’s impact on the group’s early image and stage presentation. Often overlooked in KISStorical presentations, Delaney (who died in 2003) gets an overdue spotlight in Nothing To Lose, even sharing the book’s dedication page with original KISS manager Bill Aucoin (1943-2010) and Casablanca Records founder/marketing genius Neil Bogart (1943-1982).

In addition to these departed allies, Nothing To Lose features memories from dozens (and dozens) of crew members, radio programmers, club employees, promoters, opening bands, famous fans, family members – you name it. In fact, the book’s list of contributors is so exhaustive that I half-expected the janitors at Cobo Hall to appear at any moment to share their experiences. This devotion to allowing so many background figures to take center stage makes Nothing To Lose not only a truly unique addition to the ever-growing library of KISS-related titles, but also a book that will appeal to the most hardcore of KISS fanatics.

If you are a casual fan looking for a view into every era of KISS’ celebrated career, stick with Behind The Mask. But if you’re a decorated member of the KISS Army who wants to know what everyone from a promoter in Canada to the girl who counted the money at a KISS club show in Long Island in 1973 thought of your heroes, Nothing To Lose is the book for you.

Go HERE to order your copy of Nothing To Lose: The Making Of KISS (1972-1975).


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Awake with The Sleepers

Even in the anything-goes world of early California Punk, The Sleepers were aliens in a sea of misfits.

Perpetually stuck between the cerebral and the incendiary, The Sleepers (1977-1981) were fueled by the crooner-on-codeine charm of singer Ricky Williams, whose musical exploits included a stint as drummer for West Coast Punk legends Crime. Boasting an incomparable style somewhere between Mick Jagger and Scott Walker (and driven by more than a few pharmaceuticals amidst rumors of mental hospital stays), Williams (who launched the earliest version of the band with bassist and fellow Mountain View resident Paul Draper) owned a truly odd voice that often clashed with the band’s music to the point where most of their songs sounded like disparate worlds colliding. At Williams’ side stood guitarist Michael Belfer, one of the most wildly inventive players of his era. Aided by a consistently revolving door of musicians, the duo worked together long enough to unleash an EP, a single and a full-length album that still sound as otherworldly today as they did more than three decades ago. 

With Williams’ slurred “Two-three-faw!” The Sleepers kick off 1978’s Seventh World EP with a title track that immediately makes it clear that this crew has no interest in convention. The vocals sound like they are for a completely different song, while the music’s tempo changes three times before even reaching the one-minute mark. The song eventually concludes with an epic finale that leaves the experiencer (listener is such a trite term in this context) to wonder what just happened. The next track, “No Time,” is a bit closer to planet Earth, pounding forward with a steady beat as Williams rambles on about “a chick with a problem” before collapsing with a scream and an ugh! Track three, “Flying,” is the first true showcase of Belfer’s trademark distorted and disturbed guitar work, ably supported on this track by Draper’s sterling bass playing.   

The next number, “She’s Fun,” features one of Belfer’s most blistering riffs at 0:45, while the song succeeds in spotlighting Williams’ penchant for lyrical misogyny (“Sometimes she’s fun to fuck/That’s all she’s meant for”) before descending into utter chaos at the 2:09 mark.

The EP closes with perhaps the band’s finest composition, “Linda.” Showcasing a (mostly) subdued Williams, “Linda” offered a relatively mellow feel highlighted by a mesmerizing guitar solo by Belfer at 2:41. As sinister as it is soothing, Belfer’s performance on this number sets the foundation for the sort of lowbrow elegance that made The Birthday Party or These Immortal Souls so captivating in the decade to come. While Belfer casually raises the bar for the entire San Francisco Punk scene in the span of a 38-second solo, Draper and drummer Tim Mooney display their own brand of impressive, Jazz-tinged interplay in the background. It’s difficult to name another band from this scene/era that displayed such sophisticated musicianship.

Sonically, the entire EP sounds like it was recorded in a cavernous basement club full of the type of black-clad people you only see through clouds of cigarette smoke at 1am – just as your drugs kick in. It is impossible to not feel the darkness and instability in the grooves. A flawless record.

Like several bands from the era, this early incarnation of The Sleepers celebrated their grand entrance into the world of vinyl by promptly disbanding. Williams soon found himself as the short-lived frontman of the original Flipper, while Belfer brought his sonic arsenal to an early incarnation of the esoteric and exhilarating Tuxedomoon. Mooney joined up with fellow San Francisco nihilists Negative Trend (who had recently added former F-World! singer Rik L Rik to their ranks) to drum on a handful of tracks that later appeared on the legendary Tooth And Nail and Beach Blvd. compilation albums. 

Thankfully, Belfer and Williams eventually began working together again. Utilizing a drum machine, Tuxedomoon saxophonist Steven Brown and Pink Section bassist Stephen Wymore, The Sleepers’ 1980 single “Mirror”/”Theory” couldn’t be any less like its predecessor. Driven by echoing vocals and colorful guitar work that painted pictures rather than struck chords, the single offered brilliant mood music that would have easily felt right at home in the Factory Records stable. “Theory” is especially impressive, with Wymore’s urgent bass joining forces with Williams’ ever-warped voice and Belfer’s peerless guitar to create something that could be described as Joy Division underwater.

Naturally, the next Sleepers release was another leap in a new direction. By the time of 1981’s Painless Nights LP, the band’s lineup had grown to include second guitarist Mike White, bassist Ron MacLeod and drummer Brian MacLeod. Anchored by an absolutely stellar rhythm section, Painless Nights adds a Gothic twist to The Sleepers’ repertoire. Again singing from an entirely different world from the rest of his bandmates, Williams launches the LP with “When Can I Fly?,” which details a “backstreet junkie” who (naturally) is “a little girl.” The track is followed by the stiff, almost robotic feel of “Walk Away,” which features the BPeople rhythm section of Alex Gibson and Tom Recchion and recalls Bauhaus’ more playful moments. “The Mind” (again with Gibson on bass) flows into (somewhat) more conservative territory, presenting a Boomtown Ratsy number and the closest the band ever came to anything resembling a Pop tune. But just when you think you have the song figured out, in comes an entirely new section at 2:22 driven by rolling drums and a bulletproof guitar riff straight out of Peter Gunn. The hypnotic noise of “Intro” reminds one of the then-active original incarnation of Throbbing Gristle, while the sly lounge band groove of “Forever” offers a map for future Bad Seeds and Bunnymen as the track builds in intensity before quieting down with a shimmering farewell.

Composed by guitarist Mike White, “Zenith” is four minutes of Marquee Moon-quality guitar work that offers a dreamlike, almost cinematic feel akin to driving down a desolate strip of highway in the middle of the night. The track bleeds into a remarkable full-band rendition of “Theory.” Taken in as one piece, the 10-minute “Zenith/Theory” showcases just how much the band evolved in the three short years that followed the release of their first EP. Perhaps the most intriguing thing about the dirgy “B-Side” is how many other bands sound like it. There’s definitely some Sisters of Mercy, trio-era Cure and post-Wobble PiL in there. That’s not to say that these groups pilfered The Sleepers; it’s just that the Sleepers were already there by 1981. (Imagine taking a huge fan of Metal Box and making him or her listen to early Can or ’77-era Hawkwind for the first time. That’s what it’s like listening to Painless Nights after years of The Sisters’ First And Last And Always or The Cure’s Pornography.) The album’s concluding cut, “Los Gatos,” is the band’s most undeniably Death Rock moment, right down to the spooky sounds effects and bass-driven song structure that the early Christian Death was hard at work developing at the same time a few hundred miles south in Los Angeles. 

Painless Nights is disturbed, desperate, suave, shambolic, sophisticated and utterly perfect. Just like the combination of personalities that created it. It would also prove to be band’s final proper release as a living entity. 

The Sleepers ended their run in April 1981 following a disastrous show in New York City. Video of that evening (easily found on YouTube) clearly demonstrate the band’s impossible-to-ignore eternal dilemma: Belfer and the rest of the band pound out their unconventional songs with precision as a completely fried Williams moans and stammers with incoherent abandon. The damn thing sounds like a band chugging away at 45rpm with a singer stuck at 33 1/3. Sadly, this would be the last time The Sleepers would ever grace the stage.

Mooney and Williams would later play together again in the brilliant post-Negative Trend band Toiling Midgets, most notably on 1982’s arresting Sea Of Unrest LP. Last September, Ektro Records in Finland issued the bulletproof Toiling Midgets: Live at the Old Waldorf, July 21, 1982 LP featuring the Williams/Mooney lineup. Last month, the LP was made available in the US in a limited edition of only 25 copies. (Act now, kids). Additionally, some pretty amazing live recordings of Williams and Mooney with Toiling Midgets can be found HERE.

A 1996 Sleepers compilation called The Less An Object collects the band’s complete discography and is relatively easy to purchase online. The CD features two Painless Nights-era bonus tracks: “Step Back” (which sounds like “Bela Lugosi’s Dead” on 78 speed) and “Let Me Free.”

The Less An Object also includes “Holding Back,” a 1981 recording not released until 1994, when it was paired with “B-Side” for a posthumous single. Williams’ obvious straining during “Holding Back”’s chorus adds to the track’s urgency and emotion, making it (at least in this writer’s opinion) the man’s greatest recorded vocal performance.

After years of self abuse, Williams died in 1992 at the age of 36. Belfer’s later career included a stint with Black Lab, while Mooney found a fair amount of success as a member of the critically acclaimed American Music Club. Sadly, the timekeeper died of a heart attack in June 2012 at the age of 53.

The Sleepers left an indelible impact on those fortunate enough to see them live during the band’s short career.

“I remember when The Sleepers came down to LA for the ‘Mabuhay Night’ at the Whisky in 1978,” recalls David Murphy, guitarist for The Vidiots and the late Rik L Rik. “Negative Trend, The Offs and The Nuns were also on the bill. The Sleepers were amazing, just an ecstatic blur. They were doing their cover of The Chambers Brothers’ ‘Time Has Come Today,’ and Ricky kept yelling to the sound guy, ‘More echo, more echo!’”                                       

Murphy and L Rik later recorded a version of “She’s Fun” (released on the 1991 Rik L Rik anthology The Lost Album) and performed a cover of “Linda” live. 

“There was a certain hypnotic vibe that The Sleepers had - just lurching, swirling, deliberate,” Murphy says. “Those songs were fun to play. Rik really liked paring songs back to their essential elements, using single-string riffs. I think there were these minimalist influences that he got from The Sleepers and Negative Trend in those early days that he always carried with him.”

  

Earlier this year, the amazing San Francisco-based label Superior Viaduct reissued Seventh World and Painless Nights on vinyl. These deserve a place in any serious music collection. (In related news, Superior Viaduct reissued Negative Trend’s classic 1978 EP on November 26 and is set to release vinyl reissues of two 12-inch EPs by Tuxedomoon on December 10. Bless them.)

If you’re looking for a band to explore on a rainy night when the bottles are empty and the ashtray is full, go HERE for more information on the Sleepers vinyl reissues.

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Embracing the Warrior: A Chat with Anna Phoebe

Lights. Pyrotechnics. Leather outfits. Arenas full of screaming fans. And strings.

These are some of the things that have defined the past decade for UK violinist Anna Phoebe. One of the breakout starts of the wildly popular Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Phoebe has brought her talents to an eclectic list of performers including Roxy Music, Deep Purple’s Jon Lord, Oi Va Voi and Jethro Tull’s Ian Anderson. Now, she is ready to re-charge her solo career with the release of Embrace.

Limited to 250 signed copies worldwide, Embrace is Anna’s third solo release overall and her first since 2008’s Rise Of The Warrior. The EP serves as a preview of the direction of The Shadow & The Soul, her full-length album due in April 2014.  

“Originally, we were going to release the album in November this year, but decided to split the release into two parts, with a four-track EP on November 11 and then a full album early next year,” Phoebe explains. “This allows me to give people a taster of my new band project before releasing the whole album. I thought this would be a gentler way of introducing the new music just because it is more of a return to my earliest Gypsy albumette [from 2006] rather than a progression of the heavier material in Rise Of The Warrior.

For Embrace, Phoebe is joined by members of the London-based band Jurojin.

“It’s been great having a consistent set of musicians who I’ve played with both in the studio and also live for the past couple of years,” she says. “I first heard about them because they played together as Jurojin, and I was really impressed with their musicianship. I also felt we connected musically because they all have diverse musical backgrounds including Eastern Classical and Jazz, but with a distinctive Rock sound. I co-wrote the music for Embrace with guitarist Nicolas Rizzi, but all the guys in the band had creative input either in writing some of the tracks or putting their musical stamp on it.”

While fans around the world have come to know Phoebe through her work with other acts, they are in for special treat once they experience what she has to offer as an artist. That said, how has working with so many noted bandleaders over the years influenced her approach to working with musicians for her own projects?

“It’s a completely different skill set, but I’ve been lucky enough to be able to have creative input in most projects I’ve been involved in, even if the starting point is reading notes from a sheet of paper,” she replies. “Ian Anderson is a great musician and his attention to detail is definitely a virtue I admire – and wish to develop! I remember him coming up to me during the soundcheck of maybe my second or third show with him and asking me to change something really specific, like ‘the second note of the third chorus’ of one particular song. The fact that a) he had me in his monitors b) was listening and c) remembered the next day what he wanted to say really impressed me – and also slightly intimidated me! It’s this absolutely professional approach and strive for perfection even after 40-plus years in the business that I admire.”

Phoebe truly began developing her stage craft when she joined The Trans-Siberian Orchestra in 2004.

“I was a 22-year-old English girl playing a violin on stage with a bunch of extremely talented - and loud - guitarists,” she recalls. “I just knew I had to up my game, and this was my chance to really perform. I absolutely loved it. My confidence grew each year with TSO. It’s an absolutely incredible chance to be given, and I’m extremely grateful!”

It was also during her years with TSO that Phoebe developed her ability to successfully communicate music to an arena audience.

“With TSO, the couple of minutes before we went on stage were crucial for me to center myself and get into character,” she remembers. “I used to visualize myself as a warrior and try and soak up the energy from the audience and then give it back to them through the music and performance. It was all about projection of energy. Having that experience is great, because you know that once you can perform on an arena stage, you can use those skills no matter how big or small the stage or audience is.”

Most recently, US audience experienced Phoebe’s extraordinary playing during Ian Anderson’s “Thick As A Brick 1 & 2” tour – although not exactly live. Instead of seeing Phoebe take the stage on this most recent trek, fans were instead treated to a “live” Skype jam between Phoebe and Anderson’s live band on a nightly basis.

“I got a phone call at 8:30am one morning from Ian saying he’d woken up with the idea that I would join them ‘virtually’ on stage,” she recalls. “With Ian, you just say yes and see where his idea develops. He came up with the whole idea and asked if my husband would appear [in the Skype video] as the Frogman. Ian’s a crazy genius. But a serious crazy genius.”

This writer certainly shares Phoebe’s appraisal of Anderson, a man whose sense of humor is as brilliant as it comes.

“Ian has the ability to come out with some really dry, bizarre comments - which could either be a joke or completely serious…you never quite know,” she says. “He’s immensely intelligent, and an inspiringly complex character who lives and breathes his craft. My husband and I have become close friends with him and his family over the years, so watching him not only operate professionally, but also getting to know the man offstage and at home with his chickens, is a real honor. He’s a proper mentor in the sense that he is always willing to give advice or share information and knowledge.”  

Having been so intimate with the Tull material, why does Phoebe feel Anderson’s work with the band has stood the test of time and resonated with audiences for as long as it has?

“Because it is completely musical with serious musical weight, but always challenges the boundaries…and with a touch of humor,” she replies. “I think the ability to develop creatively, and to respect and be dedicated to your craft while still remaining humble and curious, allows your audience to remain loyal and grow with you. In addition to the quality of the music, Ian works very, very hard and has done so for decades. He is constantly inventive. Music is his life.” 

Not surprisingly, Phoebe also counts her time with the late Jon Lord as a professional and artistic highlight.

“Along with Ian, Jon has definitely been the biggest inspiration musically,” she says. “Being on stage with him was an incredible honor. I think because of his Classical background and his intelligent, gentle and spiritual approach to life, music, people – the universe – it was just a deeply nourishing time working with him. I feel like I grew as a person and a player working with him. It’s very difficult to put the experience into words or soundbites of favorite memories - the whole thing just seems like this magical time. For me, it gave me confidence to return a little to my Classical roots, and really appreciate the space in music. I remember being in Russia with him where the show in St. Petersburg had a real magic on stage. There were at least a couple of moments where it felt like time stood still and we were completely in the present moment. It’s probably the closest I’ve ever come to having a spiritual moment on stage. It’s dependent on so many things - the music, the other musicians, the audience - but most of all it came from Jon. He just had a special aura about him, and anyone who’s ever met him or worked with him would say the same, I’m sure. I still keep his photo in my violin case; before I go on stage, I try and channel some of his energy. If I’m nervous or too full of adrenalin, thinking of him really calms and centers me.”

In 2010, Phoebe was offered the keyboard/violin spot on Roxy Music’s festival tour. She immediately jumped at the chance, despite the fact that she had never played keyboards professionally before.

“I’d only ever played piano and keyboards at home and in the studio, so it was an exciting challenge!” she shares. “I’m definitely someone who thinks that one way to further your abilities is just to say yes and then work hard until you achieve what you set out to do. Jump in at the deep end!”

The tour also gave her a chance to work alongside original Roxy Music members Bryan Ferry, Phil Manzanera, Andy Mackay and Paul Thompson.

“Working with them was completely different to working with Tull or with Jon Lord or The Trans-Siberian Orchestra,” she says. “I was definitely more of a ‘session’ musician, but it didn’t matter - I got to play electric and acoustic violin and also keyboards for one of the coolest bands of all time! Working with Bryan is very different from Ian or Jon – he’s much more closed off and private as a person. There’s definitely no chance of 8:30am phone calls from him! I chatted much more with the others - they were really lovely. Actually, Andy’s wife bought me an amazing lipstick because I admired hers so much; Phil recently let me have use of his studio in London, and I’ve been out for dinner with him and his extremely intelligent and lovely wife.”

The Roxy Music tour gave Phoebe an unforgettable opportunity to play some of her favorite Roxy material, including “Out Of The Blue” (which she calls “a rare moment that I feel the violin has been given space to do a real guitar-like solo”) and “Love Is The Drug.”

“I also loved playing ‘In Every Dream Home A Heartache’ just because it’s so moody and slightly weird,” she adds. “On the other end of the spectrum, ‘Do The Strand’ was always just a lot of fun to play! ‘A Song For Europe’ has such an epic quality, and the piano/organ parts I was playing was a real satisfying challenge for me to learn.”

Naturally, all of Phoebe’s efforts with other artists have drawn many of their fans to her solo work.

“The Trans-Siberian Orchestra has some of the most loyal fans out there, but the Jethro Tull fans were equally supportive,” she says. “I actually got to play my own compositions with Tull when I first toured with them, so I got to showcase my own style of playing a lot more. Even the Oi Va Voi fans translate - I guess I’m lucky that all the bands I’ve played with have real music fans who tend to be loyal and supportive!”

Considering Phoebe’s many activities over the years, it comes as no surprise that she has become the subject of a Wikipedia page – even if the veracity of what is found there is questionable at best. For example, is it true that Phoebe served as an uncredited stuntwoman for a Bond film?

“Unfortunately, no,” she reveals, breaking the hearts of action film fans everywhere. “This was a lovely friend of mine with a wicked sense of humor trying to prove to me how ridiculous Wikipedia is as a source of reliable information. And you know what? This question always comes up in interviews, so she's right!”

Cyber myths aside, one thing about Anna’s life that is very true is that she will become a mother for the second time any day now. How is she able to balance the demands of parenthood with the commitments of being a working musician?

“Well, you just have to go with the flow and do what feels right for you as a parent and a mother,” she responds. “For me, that meant carrying on with music as much as possible, and [my daughter] Amelia just became my little partner in crime. The first year with her was fine - I just nursed her and carried her everywhere in a sling. She was in the studio with me recording the album from the age of two and a half weeks, and we flew to Dubai together when she was 15 weeks. She’s been all over the world, including Russia and China. I’ve never had a nanny; I just kind of made it up as I went along. Actually, one of the most bizarre places I’ve ever nursed her was when she was 10 months old and I went to Moscow to perform at a Klitschko boxing match.  I was surrounded by lots of very sturdy-looking Russians witnessing two grown men punch each other while my first born was at my breast. Very bizarre. Definitely one for the baby book.”

Phoebe plans to tour in support of The Shadow & The Soul in March/April 2014, which will allow this long-running “guest performer ” to explore new opportunities to showcase her own music.

 “I’ve been really lucky to have toured the world playing with incredible musicians, and it’s definitely a challenge going from arenas with big budget productions and massive audiences to essentially being a DIY artist,” she says. “But money and audience figures aside, the personal rewards are much higher. And I feel I’m at a stage in my life where I’m ready for the challenge.”

Official Anna Phoebe Website

Anna Phoebe on Facebook 


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Close Encounters in Cambridge

First of all, I have no bloody idea what the band that headlined the October 29 show upstairs at the Middle East in Cambridge, MA was actually called. The awesome promo poster for the tour (featured above) proclaimed “Nik Turner” with “Ex Hawkwind” underneath, while some outlets (including Turner’s own website) had the band listed as “Nik Turner’s Space Ritual.” However, those who went on the club’s website prior to the gig read the words “Nik Turner’s Hawkwind,” which were also the words written on the showtime notice inside the club. This moniker maelstrom – as well as the presence of Hawkwind CDs at the merch table – certainly didn’t help to clear up confusion over who officially owns the name “Hawkwind” in the states these days. (You can read more about that HERE). While this sort of stuff creates work for lawyers and gossip for passionate fans, all that really mattered on this busy Boston evening was that the great Nik Turner had arrived from the outermost reaches of the universe to blow minds with music.

Photo: Joel Gausten

Armed with a strong backing band that included frenetic UK Subs legend Nicky Garratt (who brought loads of onstage energy despite looking like he fell out of bed 30 seconds before the gig), Turner amazed with a selection of inspired recent material and Hawkwind mainstays. Current tunes like “Fallen Angel STS-51-L” off his new solo album Space Gypsy flowed effortlessly with classics like “Silver Machine” and an especially riveting rendition of “Sonic Attack.”

Photo: Joel Gausten

There are people who play music, and there are people who live to perform it. All it takes to immediately know the difference is to watch Nik Turner wail on his sax, fly high on his flute or approach the mic with otherworldly spoken word.

Photo: Joel Gausten

It was clear by Turner’s wide smiles between (and during) songs that the stage is still where he belongs after 40-plus years in the game. If there is a jaded molecule in Turner’s 73-year-old body, it certainly wasn’t revealed on this night. 

Following the show, Turner entered the crowd to converse with anyone who wanted a bit of his time. (“I’m here to serve you!” he joyously exclaimed from the stage). And considering that Turner and co. have been crashing at people’s houses during this current North American run, it is very possible that at least one audience member got far more than a post-show autograph and handshake out of the deal.

While Turner’s brand of punky psychedelia may not be everyone’s cup of mushroom tea, he remains the embodiment of communal, free-spirited ’60s hippie culture without an ounce of artifice or insincerity. It’s hard not to love him.

Photo: Joel Gausten

Nik Turner’s official website: www.nikturner.com.


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Words for Lou Reed

Lou Reed was a special kind of man: The junkie who “made it”…The unlikeliest of all Rock ‘N’ Roll legends. His song with lyrics about “giving head” is accepted as “Classic Rock” by a society that shudders over the thought of a pretty blonde girl licking a sledgehammer in her music video. He was the subject of multiple print, TV and Internet articles by journalists who still sought his company despite the fact that he was a cantankerous cunt. His truest “Pop” moment with the Velvets, “Who Loves The Sun,” is driven by bitterness and despair. He joined forces with the biggest Metal band in the world and succeeded in alienating TWO distinct audiences along the way. (That’s a true gift.) He could barely hold a note, but created a bulletproof discography that will forever change – and perhaps even save – the lives of those who take the time to experience it.

Lou's greatest gift to the world was his ability to showcase its undeniable ugliness. In the process, he created a body of work that exposed a side of existence very rarely explored – let alone celebrated – in mainstream culture. He was everything that a typical "celebrity" isn't, which of course made him the coolest guy in the room. We lost one of the real ones today. And during those nights when I find myself drifting into my own darkness at 3am, I know whose voice will be coming from my speakers. As always.


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Jann Klose: Mosaic

If you haven’t heard of Jann Klose, you won’t be unfamiliar with him for long. 

The past 12 months have been a whirlwind of activity for Klose, a German singer/songwriter whose career got a major boost (and a tremendous amount of street cred) when he served as the voice of Tim Buckley in last year’s indie film, Greetings From Tim Buckley. In June, he issued his latest album, Mosaic, which just scored a place on the first-round ballot for the Grammy Awards in the categories of Best Pop Vocal Album and Album of the Year. Unlike some artists who find themselves Grammy contenders, Klose is worthy of such first-class praise.

Boasting a strong Pop voice reminiscent of Neil Finn’s best moments and Bono’s high-register singing circa The Joshua Tree, Klose has created an album that will easily appeal to fans of Duncan Sheik, Split Endz, Freedy Johnston and The Rembrandts. Highlights include the Crowded House-tinged opener “Make It Better,” the urgent “Know What’s Right” and the tender “Still.” Mosaic closes with a stirring cover of Tim Buckley’s “Song To The Siren.” Guests on the album include guitarist Florian Opahle (Ian Anderson/ Jethro Tull, Greg Lake) and oboist Megan Marolf (Phillip Glass, Roger Waters).

Solid throughout, Mosaic delivers 10 enjoyable Adult Contemporary tunes that will earn more than just a casual listen. Check out www.jannklose.com and give Jann a try before the rest of the world catches on.

Photo by Laura Keene (Courtesy of Leighton Media)

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Bostock Takes Boston

Ian Anderson (Courtesy of Leighton Media)

Some people are just meant for the stage. 

At 66, Ian Anderson has reached the point in his life and career when many “Classic Rock” artists find themselves running on auto pilot and playing through the hits (and going through the motions) to fill seats in a concert venue. Fortunately, Anderson has chosen to follow a less-traveled – and infinitely more intriguing – path for his current solo tour.

Backed by a five-piece band, Anderson took to the stage at the Wang Theater in Boston on October 12 not with a set of hits from Aqualung (save for the “Locomotive Breath” encore), but with the goal of presenting 1972’s Thick As A Brick and its 2012 follow-up, Thick As A Brick 2 – Whatever Happened to Gerald Bostock? in their entirety. Yes, Anderson decided to take two of most challenging albums in his discography (for musicians and listeners) on the road, along with a visual presentation more akin to a play than a stereotypically bombastic Rock show.

And it was magnificent.

For nearly three hours, fans were treated to the tale of Gerald Bostock, Anderson’s fictional child character in the first Thick As A Brick who returned 40 years later as the middle-aged subject of Thick As A Brick 2. Despite the obvious limitations of a six-piece band, many of Thick As A Brick’s musical innovations and idiosyncrasies still shone through. While Anderson was clearly the centerpiece of the evening’s festivities, credit must be given to his exceptional support players - especially 31-year-old actor/singer Ryan O’Donnell, who handled many of Thick As A Brick’s higher vocal spots with impressive accuracy and found time to change into plenty of costumes throughout the evening to flesh out the music’s subject matter. The evening’s many highlights included a “live” Skype jam with violinist Anna Phoebe (Trans-Siberian Orchestra/Roxy Music) and an amusing video interlude with Anderson as “Colonel Archibald ‘Tufty’ Parritt” giving a tour of his home for “St. Cleve TV.” (Fans of the Brick/Bostock saga will surely get the in-joke with that one.) The music? Pristine from beginning to end. Thick As A Brick and Thick As A Brick 2 are certainly not everyone’s cup of tea, but those who were willing to take in both albums back to back at the Wang walked away with a reminder that live Rock music can be thrilling and highbrow. 

Left to Right: David Goodier, Scott Hammond, Ryan O'Donnell, Ian Anderson, John O'Hara, Florian Opahle (Photo courtesy of Leighton Media)

Costume changes, flute solos, an appearance by an accordion, a crossword puzzle in the tour program (!!), skits showcasing the driest of British humor and even a humorous (and effective) PSA on prostate cancer. Not exactly things that instantly scream out “ROCK SHOW,” but all things that make Anderson’s stage show one of the most fascinatingly eccentric productions currently on the road – and certainly something far more Rock ‘N’ Roll in spirit than the tired, paint-by-numbers nostalgia trips offered by many of his peers.

Spot-on, Tufty!

For more on the Thick As A Brick 1 & 2 tour, read my in-depth interview with Ian Anderson HERE.

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