Only One.

Kevin Costner’s character in the 1988 movie ‘Bull Durham’ said, "Know whatthe difference between hitting .250 and .300 is? It's 25 hits. 25 hits in 500 at bats is 50 points, okay? There's 6 months in a season, that's about 25weeks. That means if you get just one extra flare a week. . .you get a groundball with eyes. . .and you're in Yankee Stadium."  My boys play a lot of baseball and although they favor the long-ball, they also know that a single is necessary to complete the cycle and sometimes a single base hit means knocking in one more run.  

When I think of the word single, I know that it has numerous meanings, especially when it comes to music.  I recently went to see the band Judah and the Lion perform.  Attending the concert by myself, I was able to absorb a lot of what was going on around me and was excited when the band announced that they were about to play their first single, “Take it All Back”.  Although it has not yet charted on Billboard, this first song from their new album, “Folk Hop n' Roll”, further blends the musical styles of hip-hop to folk, which I believe we will be hearing more of in 2017.

I definitively favor the album format, but I can admit that I used to purchase cassette singles (aka the "cassingle") as well as CD singles to hear what I thought could be cool, alternate versions of songs.  One of my favorites from 1993 was the Beastie Boys' “So Whatcha Want” with B-Real (from Cypress Hill) rapping a verse; however, the version of “So Whatcha Want” that I am listening to in 2016 is by The Record Company.   And the album that I cannot wait to listen to from start to finish is A Tribe Called Quest’s, “We Got It from Here... Thank You 4 Your Service”, not just the song labeled “the single”.   

I found myself focusing on the word single again this past week.  Although I am happily married, I recently played the role of Michael Keaton’s Jack, from the 1983 film “Mr. Mom”.   For 8 nights and 7 days while my wife traveled internationally, I was with my boys when they woke-up, got them to school, worked on homework right after school, fed them at dinnertime, made sure that they showered and went to bed.  We would then get up and do it all over again the next day, except on the weekend when we worked in time for basketball and pinball.

As much as I enjoy doing a lot of things on my own, this past week reminded me my family has become my team.  My wife is now back safely in Pittsburgh, my boys are becoming much more reliable in helping with chores around the house and I also realize that I do not need to be the power-hitting first baseman all the time to get things done.   I can go back to my collection of music singles, listen to Del Amitri's "Learn to Cry" and remember the line, "A familiar face with a loving smile greets you every day", and think that even when I am flying solo, I am a part of a great crew.

Thanks for reading.           

Passport to Culture.

Based on multiple sociological studies, music is widely enjoyed by people from diverse backgrounds and by numerous cultures.   I find it unique that various cultural activities can bleed into music and as a result make music a welcoming part of that culture.  Patsy Cline sings in her 1958 single "Come On In (And Make Yourself At Home)":  "If I had one wish, I wish I could / Go back to my old neighborhood / Where the good folks they all love you as their own / Then I'd go over to my neighbor's house / Knock on the door 'n they'd all sing out / Come on in and sit right down and make yourself at home". 

Bon Iver sings on his new 2016 song "33 'GOD,'" “I'd be happy as hell, if you stayed for tea”.  I have been listening to this song a lot lately and upon arriving in New York City recently, the first thing I was offered by my friend/host/ was a cup of tea.  She is originally from Ireland, and I have learned that for her, having tea in the house is a top priority.  Offering the visitor a cup of tea is the backbone of Irish hospitality.  In fact, I have heard that Irish homes must never run out of either tea bags or toilet paper. 

Other countries have different, but no less important, customs.  Most Asian cultures from Vietnam to India and Singapore to Japan have deeply entrenched traditions about removing shoes before entering homes.  Although he is of Czech and Slovak lineage, Jason Mraz sings in a 2014 song, "Whatever mama say / You better listen to your mama . . .Take your shoes off at the door / Don't track no mud along that floor".   In Asian countries, the entrance to a living space is usually lower than the rest of the home. You step up into the house and this design allows for all dirty and wet gear to be left in the entrance, hence the house stays clean.  According Asian Lifestyle and Design, "this has a physical and psychological purpose: the motion of stepping up to a different level, allows one to be aware that they are entering someone’s private space".

Another way that culture and music can intersect is with spiritual song.  L'chah Dodi is a Judaic song recited Friday at sundown to welcome Shabbat prior to evening services.  It is part of the Kabbalat Shabbat ("welcoming of Sabbath").  L'chah Dodi means "come my beloved," and is a request of a mysterious "beloved" that could mean either God or one's friend(s) to join together in welcoming Shabbat that is referred to as the "bride": likrat kallah ("to greet the [Shabbat] bride"). During the singing of the last verse, the entire congregation rises and turns to the open door, to greet "Queen Shabbat" as she arrives.

There is nothing like the feeling of being comfortable either in your home or when traveling.  And if your host is willing to introduce you to the blend of South Asian samples, London slang and U.S. hip hop music of the Swet Shop Boys, featuring Heems (ex-Das Racist) and Riz MC (actor Riz Ahmed), I think you will find a way to relax and feel welcomed.

Thanks for reading.

Generation Z.

My wife always used to compare my time on the road as a booking agent/tour manager with that of my experience of being a camp counselor.  I saw some similarities with that analogy but I see many more now, as a parent of two young children.  As my boys grow older, I am experiencing more and more deja vus, and sometimes, my sons say or do things that take me right back to my days of being in and out of concert clubs.  

For example, whereas I used to coordinate the details of a show with a club and make sure that bands had clean towels in the dressing room, I am now asking my boys to wash their hands before meals and after using the bathroom.  Also on show dates, the line-up of a show determined what time sound check was and what time we had to be in the club.   In my life today, every morning, I am reviewing the boys’ homework, making sure the boys' lunches are packed and that we are out the door on schedule to get to school on time.  I also remember paying close attention to the liner notes of an album and seeing who the bands/artists would credit for making the recording possible.  This translates to my current world in the way that I remind my boys to say: “please” & “thank you”.

It does not end with everyday life, but also carries over to the conversations I have with my sons.  It just might be how my brain works, but music and lyrics are always cycling in and out of my head.  As a result, their actions and words allow me to introduce them to music from my past that is new to them.   Recently, my boys were trying to delay bed-time by walking around in circles and singing, “we’re walking in circles / we’re walking in circles”.  They did not realize that they were copping the 1998 Soul Coughing song “Circles” in which Mike Doughty sings, “need to walk around in circles, walk around in circles /Walk around in circles, walk around in.”  I immediately played them the song and they were laughing hysterically.  Or the other day when my younger son had a eureka moment about a question he had earlier in the day which led him to let out a dramatic “Ohhhhh” which quickly turned it into a chant “Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh”. Of course, he never would have realized that he was directly lifting the New Kids on the Block lyrics from the 1988 song “Right Stuff”.

For as many connections my boys and I make on a regular basis, I am learning that we are not always traveling the same path to get there.  We recently went roller-skating and while I was asking the DJ to play Deee-Lite's 1990 song "Groove Is In TheHeart" they were excited to ask for Justin Timberlake’s 2016 song “Can't Stop the Feeling”.   Thankfully the DJ played both songs and we laughed in circles all the way around the Neville Roller Drome.

Thanks for reading!

Pay It Forward.

“Now I been lookin' for a job but it's hard to find / Down here it's just winners and losers / And don't get caught on the wrong side of that line / Well I'm tired of comin' out on this losin' end / So honey last night I met this guy / And I'm gonna do a little favor for him.”  For the past 10 years, I have lived a world in which bartering has been a form of currency:  tickets for haircuts, tickets for pizza, and tickets for drinks are a few exchanges that I have been a part of in and around Pittsburgh.  But surprisingly, it was an event that I could not land tickets to in which I received a life lesson and favor.

Living in Washington DC in the mid-1990s there was no hometown baseball team to root for during the season.  If you wanted to attend a game in-person you needed to drive a car out to Bowie for the AA-Baysox (the Calvin Pickering “Cheeseburger” chant story is for another time) or you needed to take the MARC train to Baltimore which dropped you off right outside Camden Yards.

In the spring of 1995, my friends and I figured out what date/game that Cal Ripken would break Lou Gehrig’s unbelievable record of consecutive games played.  We circled September 6, 1995 on the calendar and then went our separate ways for the summer.  Upon our return from the break, every one of my friends, for a variety of excuses, backed out of the trip to Charm City and I was left to fend for myself.

The atmosphere around the stadium was electric and between the memorabilia outside and trading with fans thru the iron grate fence for memorabilia only available inside, for me it was like a Middle Eastern shook meets New Year’s Eve in Times Square.  When I realized that I would not be able to score a ticket get into the game, I grabbed myself dinner and drinks and watched on a large screen right outside of the stadium.   And then once the game became official, I made my way over to the MARC train platform only to find that I had my return train ticket, but $0 in my pocket. 

Standing and waiting with another couple, an announcement was made that the next MARC train for Washington DC would not be leaving until 1 hour after the game concluded.  Immediately the other couple that I was standing with decided that they were going to hustle to Penn Station-Baltimore to see if they could catch an Amtrak train back to Washington DC. They were surprised when I did not want to share a cab with them to the station.  I quickly explained my financial situation and the man insisted that we would sort it out at the train station.  However upon arriving at the train station, the train was boarding and the man again said we would sort out the cost of the ticket on the actual train.  When we finally found ourselves situated on the train, he explained that he did not want me to pay him back, but down the line to provide tickets to someone else at no cost for a ballgame or concert.

In the cultural circle and parking lots surrounding the Grateful Dead and their live shows, “I need a miracle” has been one of the more common pleas for a ticket to that night’s show.  I worked for a concert promoter at the time of my experience in Baltimore and very quickly my +1 the remainder of that fall would go to the person standing in line in back of me at the box office window waiting to purchase a ticket.  The look of surprise and happiness never got old and still does not.   Now working in the ticketing industry and having the opportunity to help family, friends and sometimes complete strangers reminds me of other lyrics, “What would you do if I sang out of tune / Would you stand up and walk out on me? / Lend me your ears and I'll sing you a song / And I'll try not to sing out of key / Oh, I get by with a little help from my friends.”

Thanks for reading.

Death. Taxes. Cal Ripken Jr.

One of the first bands I promoted on my own when trying to break into the Washington DC music scene was the State College, PA-based band The Dirges.  Good band, but I still wonder why a mournful piece of music would be thought of as a clever band name.  What I did not realize at the time is that death will always be a part of music.  My friend Pete recently saw an art film at the Carnegie Museum of Art that was about Vietnamese funeral music and rituals called "The Living Need Light, The Dead Need Music."  In 2016 alone, the music industry has lost the influential talents of Prince, Merle Haggard, Malik “Phife Dawg” Taylor, Maurice White (of Earth, Wind & Fire) and David Bowie.  And with each passing, the tributes have been endless.

My friend JJ thought of an interesting new metric to measure in music.  Would bandmates cry at each other’s funerals?  And does that have any connection to the chemistry on stage during a live show?  His experience was recently seeing Aesop Rock & Rob Sonic and the answer was “yes”.   Rob literally finished Aesop Rock’s sentences when they were rapping together.  Aesop referred to Rob as his "brother" and talked about them both being genuine fans of each other's work.

Wondering about my own musical experiences, I immediately thought of the Beastie Boys.  Although I was not there, I can almost guarantee that Mike D and Ad-Rock did not have dry eyes at MCA’s funeral.   Sadly, the same might not be said for Don Felder at Glen Frey’s funeral.  I am sure there was extreme sorrow upon hearing the news, but knowing that the two were estranged, makes me think that another Eagles reunion show would not have been their best concert.

The significance of death and music can also be seen and heard at a "jazz funeral" or "funeral with music" which originated in New Orleans, LA, but also has links to other parts of the world.  The organizers of the funeral hire a brass band as part of the service and the band typically leads the mourners from the church to the cemetery.  Throughout the march, the band plays somber hymns, but after the hearse leaves the procession, the music becomes more upbeat, often raucous.  There is even a name to describe those who follow the band, just to enjoy the music on such a somber day: The Second Line.  Second line parades range in size, level of organization and traditions, but in all cases they can have the spontaneous energy of a block party, just moving one block at a time.

Reading Arthur C. Brooks' New York Times article, "To Be Happier, Start Thinking More About Your Death", I learned that it is believed that “Buddhist monks often contemplate death”.  But puzzlingly this “meditation on death is intended as a key to better living”.  It might make a person ask, “Life is precious, am I making the most of my time?”  Ideally bandmates are thinking along those lines when creating music either in the studio or live.  But I am not stating that you need to go check out as many of your favorite musicians as possible.  I am thinking more about how as a music fan, it might be best to enjoy each and every concert if you thought it might be your last.

Thanks for reading.

Seen & Heard vol. 5

SATURDAY, JULY 9 – Ferdinand the Bull at Deutschtown Music Festival’s Park Stage (Pittsburgh, PA)

I know that I only saw 0.005% of the bands performing at this year’s 4th annual Deutschtown Music Festival, but my family and I made the one set that we saw count.  Opening up this year’s festival was Pittsburgh’s own Americana/bluegrass band Ferdinand the Bull (FTB).  Excited by the release of their new album “Days We Forgot”, the energy of the 4-piece (mandolin, percussion, acoustic guitar & banjo) carried over to their live set even for an early Saturday morning.  In fact, guitarist Nick Snyder broke a string on the second song.

Sitting on the Allegheny Commons East, we listened, ate our sandwiches and then talked about the music.  My boys really liked the beats being made by the Mini-Cajon, I was a fan of the mandolin playing and overall FTB kept everyone tapping their foot or in my younger son’s case snapping his fingers.  Deserving of a larger crowd, I was happy to learn that FTB scored an opening slot for Josh Ritter at Hartwood Acres later in the month. 

But as the band’s set wound down, my sons’ attention were drawn to the Venture Outdoors rock wall and while they were climbing,  I was asked to be an extra in the upcoming Netflix series being filmed in Pittsburgh, “Mindhunter” (produced by actress Charlize Theron & Kevin Spacey and directed by David Fincher).  It was tempting to stay for the next band (which we knew nothing about), but easing my boys into the all-day music festival scene was more important to me this afternoon than “making” them listen to an electro-soul duo. 

Thank you to festival founders Cody Walters and Ben Soltesz.   We hope to spend even more time in Deutschtown in 2017!

TUESDAY, JULY 12 – Guns N' Roses at Heinz Field (Pittsburgh, PA)

In the fall of 1988, after I had purchased my cassette copy of “Appetite for Destruction” from The Music Staff, I honestly never thought I would see Guns N’ Roses (GNR) perform live.  Or at least a version of the band that included Axl Rose, Slash and Duff McKagan.  Not that I did not have an interest in going to see concerts, but more that the shows that I had been attending up until that point were heavily influenced by my brother and older cousins.  And my brother and older cousins will be quick to point out that I owned my allegiance to GNR since they had zero interest.

But while the Heinz Field crowd arrived (fashionably) late, I walked out to the sounds of “Welcome to the Jungle” and for this moment in time, GNR placed all of the drama aside to play a rock n’ roll show for the fans that had been waiting.  And for the first time, I heard the influences in the band that I had first listened to at age 13.  Maybe it was their cover of the 1973 hit by Paul McCartney and Wings, “Live and Let Die”, the Pink Floyd-esque version of “Estranged” or the Led Zeppelin guitar sounds of  “Rocket Queen”, I was finally hearing where I think GNR is coming from.

And in 2016 (28 years later), although Rose, paced his voice throughout the set – passing on some notes and nailing a number of others, what really jumped out at me were the true power chords from Slash as well as the rhythms being held down by McKagan (who sported Prince’s “love symbol” on his bass) and drummer Frank Ferrer.  Ferrer was more than solid and although he now appears to be best known as the drummer for GNR, with whom he has played, toured, and recorded since 2006, I also learned he has worked with several high profile musicians including Tool, Neil Young and Perry Farrell.

I am glad I got to see this incarnation of the band at this point in time.  Because, not only did I ever think I would seem live, but in all of my musical travels, I never thought I would say that I worked at a GNR show either.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 13 – Ryan Adams and The Shining at Stage AE (Pittsburgh, PA)

It was a busy night for concerts in Pittsburgh.  And I was very happy knowing that my evening would evolve from working in the box office for a teen-pop show to a concert featuring one of the leading American singer-songwriters.  

Using Pittsburgh’s under-utilized, underground transit system from downtown to the North Shore I felt a sense of relief mingling with the fans of Ryan Adams as opposed to the Bieber Fever that had taken over CONSOL Energy Center.  I cannot specifically put my finger on it, but it was most likely the age demographic and the fact that a majority of the fans in Stage AE were experienced concert-goers.  So finally amongst friends who had converged on Stage AE from around the U.S. to see Ryan Adams and The Shining, the subject of United States geography was (one of the things) in the air.  It was wild, standing in a group in which Athens, GA; Chanhassen, MN and Washington DC were represented and that was just the people I attended the show with.

And to keep the geography theme going - highlights of the night for me included songs, “New York New York”; “Dear Chicago” and “Oh My Sweet Carolina”.  Backed by the Shining, Adams’ band also brought their A-game and I was particularly impressed with organ player/pianist Daniel Clarke.  But it was clearly Adams’ show.  He worked the crowd like an old pro, engaging in banter with fans who were shouting out requests and in return being unapologetically self-assertive and head-strong in his responses.  Leaning back into the amps, posing with his guitar at the far end of the stage and just all around being a rock-star and when it comes down it, it was his name on the marquee.  Traveling with retro pinball and soda machines and stuffed animals as stage décor, but then backing it up as a triple-threat: good singing, solid songs and impressive guitar playing. 

Meanwhile 28 miles west of Stage AE, another rock-star: John Mayer was fronting Dead & Co. at First Niagara Pavilion – a show that I would have also like to have seen.  However, after seeing Ryan Adams perform “Magnolia Mountain”, it would be interesting down the road to see him play with surviving members of the Grateful Dead.

TUESDAY, JULY 26 – Nathaniel Rateliff and The Night Sweats at Stage AE (Pittsburgh, PA)

Nathaniel Rateliff is clearly an artist on the rise.  He has a career sitting somewhere between staff members at Stage AE not being familiar with his soulful music and having his own Kia Soul Hamster television commercial. 

Playing a vast majority of his set from his current self-titled album, Rateliff affectionately boasted that the crowd tonight would get to hear him and The Night Sweats “play the hits”.  Highlighted by songs, “I Never Get Old”, “Look It Here”, “Thank You” as well as the surprisingly unreleased song “Out on the Weekend”, the band kept the tempo of the show as well as all of those in attendance moving.  And the crowd was not the only people feeling the sounds filling Stage AE.  Keyboardist Mark Shusterman lost his hat during an enthusiastic solo and one of the horn players knocked over a microphone stand in the middle of his Chicago horn section-esque dance steps circa 1973.  Rateliff appeared equally as happy playing his guitar as he was dancing and keeping rhythm with a tambourine. 

Playing music with his close friends, the band looked happy and energetic.  He mentioned that he and bassist Joseph Pope III have been making music for 20 years, and I could get a sense that the band’s heavy touring schedule is paying off.  In fact the band has another 20 dates on the books through the end of September 2016.  

However as I listened to the music in a packed, indoor club on a humid night in Pittsburgh, it was his voice and the songs that were the star of the sold out show.  Time for the rest of us to discover Nathaniel Rateliff and the Wheel as well as his three solo records released between 2011-2013.

  

Seven Thirty Seven comin' out of the sky. / Oh! Won't you take me down to Memphis on a midnight ride.

It was once relayed to me that "rock 'n' roll is about getting in your cracked-up van and driving out to the middle of nowhere to play or see a show".  There is a lot of truth to that statement and it was very cool having that sentiment written out in an eloquent, fun style in Jesse Andrews’ book “The Haters”.  As someone who used to travel in a van from concert to concert, some of the trials and tribulations experienced by the main characters made me laugh out loud.

There is a tremendous amount of bonding going on while traveling with a band.  Now having the life experience of being married for over 10 years, I think back to those times and at some points it almost seems like the band members and I were a couple. Negotiations and compromises occurred regularly, on controversial topics like navigating directions to gigs (pre-GPS) and determining when and where to stop for the night. I remember one night where we got in our van after a 3 hour gig in San Luis Obispo, CA and traveled another 3 hours to Bakersfield, CA – mostly along a harrowing CA-Route 46 for at least half the trip.  The two-lane stretch from Paso Robles to Cholame was once known as "Blood Alley" for the large number of car crashes.  Upon learning this information, the bass player almost quit the band.

In another instance, one of the houses we used to stay in many times in Washington DC had a basement made for a band.   Old, stained furniture and nothing else that was not replaceable filled the room.  The concrete floor slept 6 people as comfortable as it could and the residents of the house were always up (literally and figuratively) for late night shenanigans.  In fact, the term “Tuesday Night Drunk” (no matter which night of the week it was) spun out of a visit to the now defunct Metro Café.  The reasons for both the journey to Bakersfield and the occasional off nights in Washington DC was not other performance opportunities, but free places to stay.

I recently read an article by Brian O’Neill called ‘Couch Surfin’ USA’ which went on to talk about a Pittsburgh-based band, Ferdinand the Bull, and their experiences of touring.  Throughout a recent tour thru middle America, they used the internet to find their accommodations for the evening.  The difference in having a comfortable, free place to stay along with a safe place to store gear was immeasurable until it came time to look at the band’s bank account and then the savings were even more easily measured.  It was a huge nest egg and even allowed some of the bands I worked with to have money left to make payments on the van and enable more touring.

With summer tours in full-swing, I hope you can all get out and see at least one show this summer!  Thanks for reading.

Seen & Heard vol. 4

FRIDAY, JUNE 3 – Leon Bridges at Stage AE (Pittsburgh, PA)

Time Life launched an advertising campaign in the 1980's to coincide with the release of their "Mysteries of the Unknown" series.  One commercial began with a voice-over narration: "How can you explain it? A woman in Wisconsin is doing the dishes, while suddenly she has a feeling that her daughter has been just been in an accident. She gets a desperate phone call and finds out her feeling has just become true."   Now in 2016, I find out that my cousin Jason is attending the Charles Bradley show at the 9:30 Club in Washington DC and the next night I am watching Leon Bridges at Stage AE in Pittsburgh.  Charles Bradley, a 67 year old funk/soul/R&B singer, who according to Paste Magazine "echoes the evocative delivery of Otis Redding".  Meanwhile Leon Bridges is a 26 year old gospel and soul singer and songwriter who has been tagged as the "next Sam Cooke". 

Compare him to whoever you would like, the one thing that is undeniable is that Bridges' has soul.  According to my friend Jon H, Bridges also channels all of those who have walked before him in the New Orleans' Jazz Fest Gospel Tent.  From the fifth song "Brown Skin Girl" all the way thru the 10th song "Hold On", Bridges and his band kept the groove going to a sold out crowd in Pittsburgh.  And although the show fell somewhere between satisfying soundtrack to a 1960s retrospective and the polished showmanship of James Brown, the entire crowd remain engaged throughout his set.

Bridges smooth voice is a gift and he has a potentially long career in front of him.  Looking forward to hearing what's next for Mr. Bridges, something along the lines of one of his latest singles "River" or his collaboration with Macklemore & Ryan Lewis on the track "Kevin". 

MONDAY, JUNE 20 – Barenaked Ladies at Stage AE (Pittsburgh, PA)

Redefining my personal definition of corporate rock, I attended the Barenaked Ladies show with colleagues in the music industry.  In town for a conference, I thought an entertaining night out would be to check out the Juno-award winning band.  And although BNL is no longer breaking any new ground and it was extremely hard to tell if the band or the crowd missed original member/singer Steven Page, no one can debate that they continue to be extremely entertaining.   Known for their humorous banter, the band had the approximately 2,000 loyal Pittsburgh/hockey fans in attendance eating out of their hands with Phil Kessel references and a number of their hits.

And although most people came for songs like "One Week", a distinct highlight of the show for me was when they called out Howard Jones to join them onstage for "No One is to Blame".  I also enjoyed the upright bass playing of Jim Creeggan and the BNL Classic, "Brian Wilson" which I learned later on has been covered by the real Brian Wilson. 

25 years later, the Barenaked Ladies are still a fun band and not leaving any questions unanswered.  However, I left wondering if I am somewhat psychotic for including the song "The Old Apartment" on a mix tape that I made for my wife before we were married.   "Broke into the old apartment /This is where we used to live / Broken glass, broke and hungry / Broken hearts and broken bones / This is where we used to live."  

Rhyme or Reason.

I keep telling myself that it is not just Youtube sensations becoming the next generation of musicians.  However, these days, there does not appear to be any consistency as to why a song breaks or becomes destined for a VH1 special on one-hit wonders.

Jeffrey Gaines had released three (3) studio albums between 1992-1998 and not until fans heard him crush Peter Gabriel’s “In Your Eyes” on 1998’s album ‘Galore’ did he start getting national attention.  Even though the song originally appeared as a B-Side to the 1993 single, “Headmasters of Mine” in 1998 (5 years later!), it reached #22 on the U.S. Adult Top 40 chart.  It did not matter to most fans that he had strong original songs like “Hero in Me” and “I Know a Man”.  And that he had a review from the Chicago Tribune that stated, “Gaines’ deceptively simple, disarmingly direct rumination on life finds an audience of those desiring more from music than a fleeting flavor-of-the-month buzz.”  Fans came to his shows wanting to hear “In Your Eyes” and I saw it first-hand at Avalon on Landsdowne Street in Boston, MA in 2000.

On the flip side, Ben Rector released five (5) studio albums between 2007-2015 and not until select radio stations this year started playing the title track from his most recent album ‘Brand New’ did the music industry start to take notice.  But reading that his new album went to No. 3 on Billboard Top Current Digital Album Sales chart when it was released was not what caught my attention.  What initially drew me to Rector was not his original music but his memorable September 2009 cover of Tom Petty’s “Free Fallin”.  And eventually that was followed up with the unique February 2012 cover of Whitney Houston’s “I Want to Dance with Somebody”.  And even though he is touring to support his latest album, in a nod to Elton John, Rector and his band have earned the nickname “Bennie & The Jets” by opening every show with a cover of that song. 

There is part of me that is just happy that both of these extremely likable musicians “made it”.  Jeffrey Gaines continues to tour up and down the East Coast and Rector is happily making the rounds of TV talk shows.   I believe it is their original songs that will allow them to continue to make music, but I am sure they will also smile the next time someone yells “Freebird” at one of their shows.

Thanks for reading.

Seen & Heard vol. 3

WEDNESDAY, MAY 4 – Citizen Cope at Center Stage Theater (Atlanta, GA)

I know that the ladies love cool James, but they also have an affinity for Clarence Greenwood.  Maybe not his guitar playing, but his unmistakable, bluesy voice and delivery had the predominantly female crowd paying attention to every lyric.  Enough that the women sitting across the aisle “shushed” me for talking during a song early in the set.  However that all changed when a man sitting about 5 rows back from the stage got the audience participating with hand claps on the 2004 song and crowd favorite, "Bullet and a Target".   But hand clapping was about all we would get for beats at this show.  Even though the show was billed as solo acoustic, based on the fun rhythms of a lot of the songs in his catalog, I was surprised that he did not use more looping or a drum machine.  Instead he treated the 400+ in attendance to his honest, well thought out tunes and focusing on the lyrics.

As a visitor in Georgia and seeing my first show, it was at no surprise that Mr. Greenwood worked a veteran move by making local references.  He discussed how he had recorded songs off his 2002 debut album (“Citizen Cope”) 30 miles outside of Atlanta in Alpharetta.  He also talked about his previous life of being a “ticket scalper” and how a night in an Atlanta jail led to his song “Salvation”.   Other highlights of the show included “Son’s Gonna Rise” and “Healing Hands”. 

And for the record the man in the 5^th row never sat down again for the rest of the show.  Thank you Rival Entertainment in Atlanta for the tickets.

THURSDAY, MAY 12 – Avett Brothers at Stage AE (Pittsburgh, PA)

When I first moved to Pittsburgh, my wife worked at Schenley High School where we had fun watching DeJuan Blair lead Schenley to the 2007 state basketball championship.  It was also very cool to see him playing in a NBA game for the San Antonio Spurs in 2009.  Similarly, it was an amazing experience to once see the Avett Brothers play at Club Café in 2004 and then in 2016 to a sold out show outside at Stage AE.

I know the band has not been a 3-piece since cellist Joe Kwon joined the band in 2007, but the band has really expanded.  Now appearing with a drummer, piano/organist and fiddle player (making the Brothers a party of 6), the band’s sound has magnified for a classic like “Talk of Indolence” and the new foot-stomping, hand-clapping “Ain’t No Man”.  That does not mean the band has forgotten their roots, since they are still not your grandfather’s bluegrass music.  The band also impressed me with 2012’s “Down with the Shine” and another fresh jam called “True Sadness”.  Considering that the new album is not scheduled to be released until June 2016, it was fun seeing the crowd throughout the venue singing along to every song.

So after a solid night of music, I am excited to see what the album brings for the Avett Brothers in 2016.  They joked throughout the evening that they would retire and play Pittsburgh every weekend, but I believe a day off in one of their adopted “favorite” cities will have to suffice.

Hard to believe that this was the first concert I attended with my wife since we saw Smokey Robinson together in September 2014, but maybe being treated like royalty by the staff at venue and getting a solid show from a band that is now been playing live since 2000, will get us both out more as we approach the summer concert season.

SATURDAY, MAY 21 – The Milk Carton Kids at Carnegie Lecture Hall (Pittsburgh, PA)

Like a Mitchell & Ness throwback, warm-up jacket in hip-hop, The Milk Carton Kids stepped onto the stage last night as if they were ready to perform on the WWVA-1170 AM Wheeling, WV  “Jamboree” radio program.  Comparing themselves to Simon & Garfunkel before anyone else in the crowd could, the band with their stripped-down equipment of two acoustic guitars, one microphone and a mysterious bag sitting on a stool launched into a 75 minute set with what I thought was well-rehearsed stage banter, but filling in “Pittsburgh” in all of the right spots.

I was initially introduced to the band by way of their regularly performed, closing cover song of the Pink Floyd classic, “Wish You Were Here”, and was extremely interested to see them live with Jon H. when he approached me back in December 2015 to see the Grammy Award winning duo.

In fact, is not too often when a band plays an ideal venue.  And with approximately 500 loyal-listening fans in attendance the very Everly Brothers-esque duo entertained at a lecture hall turned theater style setting into a fantastic place to hear live music.  Songs that stood out were “Honey Honey” and “Memphis” which both appear on their 2013 record, ‘The Ash & Clay’.  And speaking of the city of Memphis, their overall performance reminded me of what is now known as the "Million Dollar Quartet" - the impromptu jam session involving Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, and Johnny Cash from December 1956, at the Sun Record Studios in Memphis, TN.

Touring in support of 2015's “Monterey”,  I will be interested to check out the next chess move by TMCK as they navigate the current landscape of neo-folk music.

Thank you for reading!

8 Hour Work Day.

I had a moment recently where my 20 year old self would have laughed at my 40 year old self.  It occurred when I realized just how excited I was to have seats for a show that I attended in March.  I also have to admit that at that same moment, I was admiring the contour of the wall and how it deflected some of the volume of the band onstage.   In defense of my 40 year old self, I like to think that going to concerts keeps me feeling young.  I am not looking to recapture my youth through long boisterous nights on the town but I am striving to find a “work / life balance”.   Even though I have been behind the scenes of the music industry for close to 20 years, the act of seeing live music can still be a great, care-free release.  And as I try to navigate the waters of my life at 40, I have been finding myself wondering if I share any personality traits with Peter Pan, the legendary character created by Scottish novelist J. M. Barrie.

Clearly I am not the only associating The Lost Boys (and not the 1987 Thriller/Teen film of the same name) with the world of music.   Peter Pan, the character, is a mischievous boy who can fly and never grows up.  I worked/toured with bands for over 2 years and it was exhilarating not being in an office.  Not having a regular 9-to-5 job was not lost on me.  The freedom of making my own hours and meeting new people out at shows 5-7 nights per week never got old but there was also the reality of not knowing when I would receive my next paycheck.  Not surprisingly a popular music joke is:  

Child: “Mom, when I grow up, I’d like to be a musician.” 

Mother: “You can’t do both.”

Most recently I heard a Peter Pan connection in Ruth B’s 2015 song, “Lost Boy”.  The lyrics “Neverland is home to lost boys like me / And lost boys like me are free”.  It also jogged my memory for Edwin McCain’s 2004 song, “Farewell to Tinkerbell” in which the protagonist in the song is desperately trying to convince himself that he has grown up.  Although I am still searching for my ideal “work / life balance”, I would like to think that I am close.  On Thursday, May 12, I will be a fan at the Avett Brothers concert at Stage AE where I will be joining the “kids” on the lawn and then on Friday, May 13 I will be earning a steady income working onsite for the Dierks Bentley show at First Niagara Pavilion.   Now if I can only remind myself why a current United States Senator once said, “Don’t confuse having a career with having a life.”

Thanks for reading. 

The SATs.

I struggled with the analogy section on the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT). You viewed a pair of words, and then you were asked to choose from five other pairs of words which relationship most closely resembled that of the first pair.   For example, “Paltry is to significance as _______ is to _________.” where the blanks are the two words in one of the answer choices.

PALTRY : SIGNIFICANCE

A. redundant : discussion

B. austere : landscape

C. opulent : wealth

D. oblique : familiarity

E. banal : originality

For those scoring at home, the correct answer is E.  Now in light of the recent death of Prince, and listening to his music, I am left thinking about a musical analogy.  SouthSide Johnny & the Asbury Jukes is to Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band as Morris Day and The Time is to Prince.  The sound (a mix of soul & rock n roll), home cities (Minneapolis, MN & Asbury Park, NJ respectively) and of course multiple collaborations (live and in the studio).  I do not think these are examples of emulation or that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.  To say the least, the music left behind by Prince and the catalog of songs that continue to live with Springsteen are on another level.  However, I believe that there can be a time and place in which music can do something more than overlap. 

There has always been talk of there being a “Seattle sound” (aka grunge music) which revolved around Seattle's independent record label Sub Pop, but if you look at the different bands of that 1990s era, they do not embody the same analogy. I do not believe that Nirvana's “Nevermind”, Pearl Jam's “Ten”, Soundgarden's “Badmotorfinger” or Alice in Chains' “Dirt” fit together like Bruce Springsteen does on the Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes 1991 album, “Better Days” or even the Prince produced Morris Day and The Time’s 1981 album “The Time”. 

When I listen to the song, “Cool” and close my eyes, I feel that I could be listening to Prince.  I am now unable to listen to Sinead O’Connor’s version of “Nothing Compares 2 U” without thinking of the Prince (with Rosie Gaines) version that was eventually released.  Then there is the seamlessness of Springsteen & SouthSide John Lyon’s voices on “It’s Been a Long Time”  and knowing that they each happily know the next line coming in the song.  Or that it will never be too long before they both grace the stage at the legendary Stone Pony.

I will never know why Morris Day and John Lyon did not reach the same heights as their musical counterparts, but in light of their being so many tribute bands around these days, it is nice to know that the music will live on.  And of course to bring it full circle, Bruce Springsteen opened his recent performance at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn with Prince’s epic song, “Purple Rain”.  RIP – Prince Rogers Nelson. 

           

Thanks for reading.

Putting the band back together.

"The Only Living Boy inNew York", a song that I have grown to love from the soundtrack of “Garden State”, was Paul Simon's not-so-veiled breakup song with Art Garfunkel. "Tom, get your plane ride on time; I know your part will go fine" specifically referencing Garfunkel (their original group name was Tom and Jerry) taking off for a movie role, leaving Simon to work on material for ‘Bridge Over Troubled Water’ by himself.   Some music critics believe this incident is what caused their musical separation.  Unfortunately, money can also contribute to the reasons bands break up.   But there are also the clichés, like “creative differences” or “clashing personalities” that contribute to a band's demise.  And for some artists, after years of not being in a band, finding satisfaction in reuniting can be easier for some and not others. 

I had a reunion with my friends in late February in Washington DC and music (as usual) was a constant topic of conversation.   Discussions began on bands from our college days like The Empty’s or G. Love & Special Sauce, then shifted to new music.  My friends and I are always trying to one-up each other (possibly to prove that we are still in the know) and bands like the Allah Las (Los Angeles, CA band channeling The Doors) or Twin Peaks (Chicago, IL band channeling the Rolling Stones) came up in conversation (well done Jason F.).  These new artists are hopefully years away from a reunion tour, but an article from PerfectSoundForever reads, “for as long as there have been musical eras that inevitably expire, there have been band reunions”.  So while we continued to banter about old and new music, I started thinking about which defunct bands, I would pay to see on a reunion tour.

Unlike many rock bands from the 1970s who have a constantly changing roster of musicians, Led Zeppelin has only ever had four members: Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, John Bonham and John Paul Jones. When drummer Bonham died in 1980 the remaining members decided to break up.  However, in 2007, Page, Plant, Jones and Bonham’s son Jason came together for a one-off charity show at London’s O2 Arena. More recently, Guns N' Roses has confirmed an upcoming reunion tour with members of the band's classic lineup Axl Rose, Slash and Duff McKagan.  The party kicked off at the Troubadour in Los Angeles, CA this past Friday but to quote Art Tavana of the LA WEEKLY, it is too early to tell how long this “chapter will last”.  

Do the bands need to worry that these reunions will only represent a shell of what the band once was?  Many music critics have still not forgiven the Pixies for EP1-EP3 or the Outkast reunion tour in which Andre 3000 admitted to "peddling" songs in his 30s that he originally recorded as a teenager.  I know not all reunion shows can be as successful as “Fare Thee Well: Celebrating 50 Years of Grateful Dead" at Chicago's Soldier Field this past July 2015, so it is definitely challenging to remain positive. 

I would also be remiss if I did not mention the fact that the Replacements could not keep it together long enough on their “reunion tour” for the Pittsburgh date this past May 2015.   Now I just need to decide if I want to see Living Colour at Altar Bar on Wednesday, April 13 or be content to know that nothing will top their Ritz Theatre sets from the late 1980s.

Thanks for reading.

Seen & Heard vol. 2

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16 – Dr. Dog with The Districts at Stage AE (Pittsburgh, PA)

Perched in what I will affectionately call the Statler and Waldorf seats, I had the chance to see two bands I have liked from afar for the very first time.  In fact, not since Max Talbot was cheered wearing a Flyers jersey upon his return to Pittsburgh in 2011, has anything from Philadelphia gotten as many cheers in the Steel City!   On the very same night in which The Who was playing CONSOL Energy Center we got all the rock ‘n roll distortion that we needed at Stage AE.  The Districts loved their pedals, and highlighted their set with the songs “Long Distance” and their closing jam on “Young Blood” which resulted in lead guitarist Pat Cassidy hanging his guitar on his amplifier.  It was great to see the opening band play to a big, appreciative crowd and I believe the headliner heard the encore chants and came out swinging.  

Not to be outdone, the dueling lead vocals of Toby Leaman (vocals & bass guitar) & Scott McMicken (vocals & lead guitar) of Dr. Dog kept me on my toes for their entire set.  Knowing songs but not too many actual song titles, I was hoping for setlist.fm to populate in front of me during the show but that would have diverted my attention from the music taking place in front of me.  I really enjoyed the layers of instrumentation, the band’s contagious energy and the musical quirkiness that is Dr. Dog.  “That Old Black Hole” was a song that I recognized and that jumped out at me and overall, it is quite possible that those in attendance might have witnessed an early-frontrunner for concert of the year.   

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 23 – Galactic at Rex Theatre (Pittsburgh, PA)

Being a touring musician can be a grind, however, the core of musicians that make up the band Galactic has largely remained intact for two decades.  The band has released over 10 albums and can annually be found headlining a stage at Jazz Fest in New Orleans when not touring.  However, there was something about their recent performance at the Rex Theater that did not allow me to make a connection with the music.

The version of the band that I saw, while extremely talented, still had me racking my brain for what I really wanted to be hearing.  Coming right out of the gate with a funk jam that got the sold out crowd moving, the band’s set seemed to cool off just as quickly when they added vocals.  I knew it would not be a full instrumental set, but I believe that is where the band was at its best last night.  Drummer Stanton Moore, keyboardist Rich Vogel, saxophonist Ben Ellman and arguably the only rapping trombonist, Corey Henry lit up the room with their solos. 

These observations led my friend J.J. and I to contemplate how many bands/artists do you want to go see perform live after years since hearing them for the very first time?  It has been 19 years for me since first hearing the funky beats from the song “Go Go” at a record store in New Orleans.   And while Galactic continues to be a great band and evolve (check out their new single “Into The Deep” from their new album of the same name) there is part of me that wished that I had passed my tickets along to the kids outside who were looking to capture their first Galactic moment.  

Thanks for reading.  RIP - Malik "Phife Dawg" Taylor. 

Don’t quit your day job.

Am I the only person who has ever wondered what Fred Flinstone was listening to as he hopped into his car after a long day as a "bronto crane operator" at Slate Rock and Gravel Company?  I like to think that he was hearing Workingman's Dead, the fifth album by the band the Grateful Dead.   According to one interview with legendary front man Jerry Garcia, the title of the album comes from the band returning to the Pacific High Recording Studio in San Francisco to record the album in nine days, after taking approximately 7 months of studio sessions to record the album's predecessor, "Aoxomoxoa".  And on some days, maybe Mr. Flinstone was hearing the Rush song, "Working Man" which includes the lyrics, "I get up at seven, yeah/And I go to work at nine/I got no time for livin'/Yes, I'm workin' all the time".   There are many artists who work extremely hard to become full-time musicians: some wearing many hats to get there and others who show a diverse skill set to maintain their place in the world of music.

My friend Jeff S. called Stone Gossard the working man’s musician.  Primarily known as the rhythm and lead guitarist for Pearl Jam, but he is also a songwriter.  8 of the 11 tracks on Pearl Jam's debut album, "Ten", were musically written or co-written by Gossard, including "Alive" & "Even Flow".   Gossard is also a lyricist.  He penned the "Yield" song "All Those Yesterdays" and the "Binaural" song "Thin Air".   Not limited to being in the spotlight, Gossard's credits also include working as a producer.  His most notable production roles with the bands Satchel, Green Apple Quick Step and Critters Buggin’.  And to top it off, all of his production work comes from within the walls of his own recording studio, the prestigious Studio Litho, in Seattle which still operates today, with Gossard as the owner.

I also think of Ahmir Khalib “?uestlove” Thompson who has written, performed and produced for his own Grammy Award winning band The Roots.  Known for a jazzy and eclectic approach to hip-hop featuring live musical instruments, The Roots have risen from the streets of Philadelphia (a well-intended nod to blue collar musician Bruce Springsteen) to record a Top 40 song,  "You Got Me" and are now the house band on NBC's Late Night with Jimmy Fallon.  And although he is best known as the drummer and joint front man, Thompson also works as a DJ, journalist, arranger and record producer.  He has produced for such heavy-hitting artists including Elvis Costello, Erykah Badu and Jay-Z.  He has also played drums on John Mayer's song "Clarity" and he has arranged and drummed on Joss Stone's cover of the White Stripes' "Fell in Love with a Girl".

It appears that it is this non-stop work ethic that separates those musicians just happy to create their own music and those driven to take it to another level.  Those artists willing to recreate themselves and lend a hand to all parts of the music making process.  “Yabba-Dabba Do”. 

Thanks for reading.

Super Bowl halftime show.

The Pittsburgh Penguins were on their way to winning their first Stanley Cup in Bloomington, MN on the night of May 25, 1991.  At the same time, 872 miles away at the Coca Cola Star Lake Amphitheatre in Burgettstown, PA, AC DC’s lead vocalist Brian Johnson stopped mid-song to announce that the Penguins had a 6-0 lead in a clinching Game 6 to an already excited crowd of Pittsburgh sports fans.  On Saturday night, January 16, 2016 at CONSOL Energy Center (also in Pittsburgh, PA), the Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band show was “delayed” 25 minutes until the completion of the New England Patriots vs Kansas City Chiefs AFC Divisional Playoff Game.  Sometimes, the world of sports and music intersect each other without trying.

I know that there is typically a lot of anticipation for the artists/bands asked to perform at the Super Bowl or when athletes join bands.  Who can forget the late Wayman Tisdale, one-time professional basketball player in the NBA who turned into a smooth jazz bass guitarist?  Also in the world of jazz, former baseball player Bernie Williams is a classically trained guitarist who has released two jazz albums and nominated for a Latin Grammy.  Not leaving the diamond, pitchers Jack McDowell and Bronson Arroyo, both past and current Major Leaguers, book shows and play guitar both as solo performers and with bands.  I would also be remiss if I did not mention the music career of Shaquille O’Neal.  In addition to his basketball career, O'Neal has released four rap albums with his first ‘Shaq Diesel’ going platinum and gifting us with the lyrics, “In other words you better make a funky decision/Because I'm a be a Shaq knife and cut you with precision”.

On the flip side, Boyd Tinsley who is certainly most known for being the violinist of the Dave Matthews Band plays tennis. He has his own tournament, the Women's Clay Court Classic held annually in Charlottesville, VA and once played doubles with John McEnroe and Pete Sampras.     There was also Percy “Master P” Miller’s short lived career as a professional basketball player for both the Charlotte Hornets during the 1998 pre-season, and the Toronto Raptors in 1999 pre-season.  Jack Johnson meanwhile is known for being a singer-songwriter, but before giving the world “Sitting, Waiting, Wishing” he was sponsored by Quicksilver and entering prestigious competitions for surfers.

I am happy that there is synergy between music and sports.  I am always wondering what players are listening to on their headphones pre-game when the cameras show them entering an unnamed arena.  And it has been a lot of fun to play in pick-up basketball games with band members on the hoops sometimes set-up outside of live music venues.  As people, we need more than basic knowledge to be successful in the paths that we have chosen. And according to the University of Rochester (NY) Medical Center, “a full and productive life also requires social skills, discipline, cooperation, and creative thinking. These are all learned from the training involved with sports and music. . .”.

Thanks for reading.

Seen & Heard.

I received excellent feedback that I am going to shows throughout the year and commenting on them, so why don’t I post my comments on the blog.  So here after attending my first 2 shows of the year, I wanted to share my thoughts.

SATURDAY, JANUARY 2 – Chillent at James Street Gastropub & Speakeasy (Pittsburgh, PA)

Typically your Bubbe would make cholent, a traditional Jewish stew that usually simmers overnight for 12 hours or more, but the name of the band is Chillent, a self-proclaimed Jewish Soul Stew – a delicious mix of soul, jazz, blues, funk and klezmer.  I got introduced to this band by my friend Adam R. and was happy to have taken the time to check it out.  New year, new venue (to me) and new music.

Not even knowing the band, I was initially excited for my first show at the legendary North Side building, which lays claim to being the epicenter of the Pittsburgh jazz scene.  As for the music, it was great to see a local band maintain the kind of music expected at James Street.  A highlight of the show for me was ‘Sweet Georgia Brown’.  Although not played in homage to the recent passing of Harlem Globetrotters legend Meadowlark Lemon, the groove spotlighted the talent of the band.

And on this night, 3 kinds of beards were in full effect at the show (a) Lubavitch, (b) Hipster & (c) West Virginia/Hunting.  Definitely could have put all three representatives in a line-up and not known who was who.  Already looking forward to my next show.

TUESDAY, JANUARY 12 – Brian Fallon & The Crowes at Altar Bar (Pittsburgh, PA)

From the opening, upbeat version of ‘Red Lights’ to when I headed home in the middle of ‘Mojo Hand’, Brian Fallon & The Crowes put on a really good show. 

Flying solo, I found a spot on the balcony right over the stage which worked well since the show ended up selling out and every nook of the Altar Bar was packed.   The songs ‘Rosemary’ and ‘Among Other Foolish Things’ really jumped out at me.  Fallon also told a couple of funny stories – one that resulted in him doing a great impersonation of the Tracy Morgan SNL character Brian Fellow and the line, “that goat has devil eyes!”  The other involved him and the band stopping at Dick’s in Monroeville (probably post Guitar Center) and thinking that he saw a Steelers’ jersey with the last name McQueen on it (I am thinking that it was a #90 McLendon jersey). 

And no review for Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band, since I did not make it for the show.  But I did get some highlights during sound check:

“Meet Me in the City” -> “Rebel Rebel” (David Bowie) -> “Because the Night” -> “Price You Pay”

Thanks for reading.

Pete Townshend's windmill!

We all know iconic rock stars like Mick Jagger, Freddie Mercury, Jimi Hendrix and Prince but how did they reach this legendary status? 

In the summer of 1996, I was in an American Folk Music class taught by a Grammy Award winning professor Kip Lornell.  One of our assignments was to define folk music.  Not so surprisingly, everyone enrolled in the class came up with different definitions.  But the consistent answer was that all of our responses included the term regionalism.

I also believe that regionalism plays a part in defining rock stars as well.  A music fan heavily entrenched in the 1990s Seattle, WA music scene might find Mike McCready to be a rock star, while those growing up in Central New Jersey in the mid-2000s would place Brian Fallon on a pedestal.  McCready is a founding member of Pearl Jam, and has contributed to Seattle super group Temple of the Dog as well as the well known side-projects Mad Season.  For me, he is the guitarist who produced the solo to the song “Alive”, Pearl Jam’s first hit single and was also voted to one of Guitar World's “100 Greatest Guitar Solos” list.  On the flip side, Brian Fallon fronted The Gaslight Anthem from 2007 thru 2015 and has been dubbed the “true heir to Springsteen,” by rock historian Matt Pinfield.  The talent of the prominent songwriter and vocalist of The Gaslight Anthem played a huge role in making British music history becoming the first band to ever appear on the cover of Kerrang! magazine without the magazine having previously written about them.

What gives birth to a rock star?  Rock Star: INXS was a reality television show where 15 contestants competed to become the lead vocalist for the Australian rock band INXS.  The winner of the series, J.D. Fortune, was announced and following the series, the band released the studio album ‘Switch’ with J.D. Fortune on lead vocals.  Just like that a ‘Rock Star’ was born.   I was personally partial to the other finalist Marty Casey, but was not consulted. 

There are new bands and performers paying their dues right now as I type this who will eventually become more than the next big thing.  Their moves will be emulated in front of mirrors, their songs sung along to on road-trips and posters hung from the walls.  When that time comes, I believe the criteria of being rock star will have evolved again.  In fact, it has just turned 2016, have you seen or heard Jack Garrat yet?  Consequence of Sound calls him the “textbook definition of an artist on the rise. Hailing from London, the 24-year-old multi-instrumentalist has. . .gone on to open for megastars like Mumford and Sons while simultaneously selling out his own solo headlining shows across Europe”.  His first studio album (‘Phase’) will be released on Island Records in February 2016.

And maybe not in early 2016, but one of these days, I hope to make it to both the cities of Seattle and Minneapolis.   The full itinerary is not finalized yet, but to get a real sense of the impression that both Hendrix and Prince made on their hometowns stops at EMP Museum and Paisley Park will certainly be in order. 

Thanks for reading.