Heroes

RIP Dickey Betts Of The Allman Brothers, The Ramblin’ Man’s Journey Has Come To An End

~ kcorsini ~ 3 Comments

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*Photo of guitar legend Dickey Betts shamelessly taken from the internet and likely copyrighted

I had no sooner hit the “send” button on yesterday’s post containing our playlist compiled from rock songs from 1984 when I saw the news that former Allman Brothers Band lead guitar legend Dickey Betts had passed away at the ripe old age of 80. I’m not gonna lie, this one is gonna leave a mark. I had intended to listen to the new Pearl Jam today, but we’re in full Allman mode as a tribute to the man who wrote “Ramblin’ Man.” I’ve gotten through the Allman’s first two studio records, with Live At The Fillmore East – one of, if not the greatest live album ever – teed up next. In unrelated news the Rock Chick is gritting her teeth and rushing to get out of the house. I guess the Allman Brothers are more of a “guy” thing, like Pink Floyd but I digress…

Of the original lineup of the Allman Brothers, with Dickey now gone, there’s only one surviving member, drummer Jaimoe aka John Lee Johnson or Jai Johanny Johanson. Jaimoe has more nicknames than Deion Sanders. It was guitar legend Duane Allman who, with his brother Gregg (vocals/organ) who formed the Allman Brothers. Duane and Gregg had been knocking around in different bands for a while. If you’ve never heard the Hourglass song (Duane & Gregg’s early band) “Power Of Your Love,” you need to. The brothers ended up in California. Duane finally had enough and left. Gregg had to hang for a year…where he befriended singer/songwriter Jackson Browne. Duane ended up pulling a band together down in Florida. He recruited drummer Jaimoe first. Then came Barry Oakley on bass, Butch Trucks on drums as well. Duane wanted a different kind of band, he had a clear vision and he knew he needed a second lead guitar to fulfill his vision and eventually through Trucks he found Dickey Betts. And make no mistake this wasn’t a lead/rhythm guitar situation, both Duane and Dickey played dual leads. Duane’s legend is a bit bigger than Dickey’s but perhaps that’s because he died so young.

Eventually freed from the Hourglass contractual obligation Gregg joined his brother and the rest of the band in Florida. He was a little intimidated by the musicians in the band at first, but his brother told him to “sing his ass off” on a version of Muddy Waters’ “Trouble No More,” and uh, Gregg complied. This was in ’69 and by the end of the year they’d put out their first album, The Allman Brothers, followed in 1970 by one of my all time favorites, Idlewild South. Oddly enough, it wasn’t until I had graduated from college and moved down south to Ft. Smith, Arkansas that I purchased those two records. It’s hard to believe that it took me until my early 20s to find the Allman Brothers… although when I started listening to rock music in say, 1978, the Allmans were broken up.

While the Allman’s debut album consisted of songs written by Gregg Allman and a few covers, Idlewild South saw the debut of Dickey Betts as a songwriter. He contributed the epic instrumental “In Memory Of Elizabeth Reed.” In their early days the Allmans used to practice in a cemetery and Dickey pulled the name off a tombstone, which is just damn cool. Dickey also contributed another song on the album, “Revival,” sung by Gregg that’s another all time fav. Although those first two albums are fabulous it wasn’t until their landmark live album, the aforementioned Live At the Fillmore East, that made the Allmans famous. By the time they recorded that live album their reputation as a live band was already immense.

Duane and Dickey – and the rest of the band – played the blues with a jazz ethos. There were long, extended guitar duels between Duane and Dickey that were borderline Miles Davis vibing off of John Coltrane. They’ve been described as “southern rock,” but they were so much more than that…although admittedly it took me briefly moving to the south to get into the Allmans. They’ve been described as a “jam band” but again, they were so much more than that. Many bands struggle to find one competent lead guitar player whereas the Allmans had two (and actually quite a few more if you look at their entire history). The live album was the only way to capture their magic conjured on stage vs a studio. For some bands it takes the live LP to break them.

Alas, tragedy was to hit the Allmans when in late ’71 Duane was killed in a motorcycle crash. Bassist Barry Oakley would suffer the same fate a year later. The Allmans soldiered through but Betts took more of a leadership role in the band and especially on stage. He was largely seen as the front man in the band, likely because Gregg was stuck sitting behind an organ. I think Gregg resented Betts assuming the leadership role in the band – a band with his name on it – and the rest of the Allman’s history was to be a tumultuous one.

Betts continued to develop as a songwriter. Many of his tunes have a country music vibe. But his songwriting credits are quite impressive from instrumentals “Les Brers In A Minor” and “Jessica” to “Ramblin’ Man” (the Allman Brothers biggest “hit”), “Blue Sky” and “Southbound.” After Brothers And Sisters in 1972, whose songs were predominantly written by Betts, Gregg dropped his solo-debut album Laid Back and the band began to splinter. Betts dropped his solo debut in 1974, Highway Call, but neither solo or with Great Southern, his side band, he never achieved the acclaim that Gregg’s solo stuff did.

The Allmans broke up in ’76, and reunited in the late 70s/early 80s, but finally called it quits again in 1982. I remember Allmans playing benefit shows for Jimmy Carter’s campaign. Jimmy Carter at a podium flanked by Dickey Betts and Gregg Allman was quite a sight. The Allman Brothers band lay dormant for a decade, until 1990. Dickey had started to put together a band that included Butch Trucks and Jaimoe and a newcomers Johnny Neal (keyboards), Warren Haynes (guitar) and Allen Woody (bass). I remember reading the band was going to be the Dickey Betts Band but Dickey realized they needed to get Gregg back in the fold and come back out as the Allman Brothers Band, a wise decision. The comeback album Seven Turns was an unexpected hit. Dickey wrote and sang the title track (with a haunting second vocal by Gregg) and co-wrote the hit “Good Clean Fun” with Gregg and Johnny Neal.

Under Dickey’s helm the Allmans began touring successfully and put out a string of great late career LPs: Seven Turns (1990), Shades Of Two Worlds (1991), and finally Where It All Begins (1994). That ’94 record was the biggest the Allmans had put out in a long time. That was the first tour I was able to see them live and watching Dickey and Warren Haynes (who was playing the Duane parts) spark off each other was nothing short of breathtaking. Many an air guitar was played that night.

Alas, the old tensions between Betts and Allman began to drag the band down. Betts was drinking pretty heavily (and perhaps was doing drugs as well) and Gregg had finally gotten sober. Betts kept getting into altercations. Eventually the band sent him a fax – demanding that he sober up/get clean and basically fired him. A band who he’d help found went on without him. Betts went on to record and tour solo but never found that solo fame he so richly deserved.

In 2017 we lost both Butch Trucks (alas, to suicide) and Gregg Allman from cancer. And now Dickey Betts has gone to that great concert hall in the sky. The Allman Brothers were a lot like brothers. They made fabulous, epic music but man, they also had a sibling like conflict underlying it all, especially Gregg and Dickey. Maybe if Duane had taken the bus that day in 1971 instead of riding his motorcycle, he could have kept more control over the band. They all worshiped him… Dickey named his kid Duane… but that’s consigned to the “woulda, coulda, shoulda” file.

While Dickey may have had demons – and who amongst the rock stars doesn’t? – his sublime guitar playing and great songwriting make him a legend in the rock n roll world. I was a fan of his and the Allman Brothers for a long time… still am. It’s a sad day here at the B&V labs. There will be many an Allman Brothers’ jam played in this house today…with perhaps a few sips of a sour mash along with the guitar solos… I might need to go buy some Southern Comfort today…

RIP Dickey Betts, guitar legend.

It’s a long, dark ride, take care of each other out there. Cheers.

Review: ‘Steve! (martin) a documentary in 2 pieces’ – An In Depth Look At The Legend’s Career & Life

~ kcorsini ~ 3 Comments

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After struggling with my streaming for a week or so I finally got a chance to watch the new documentary on the life and career of comedy legend Steve Martin entitled, STEVE! (martin) a documentary in 2 pieces. At three-plus hours over two installments the documentary digs deep into Martin’s entire life, leaving no stone unturned, as the saying goes. We’re predominantly a rock n roll blog around here, but I thought we might change lanes on this one to comedy… and Steve is a legend so I feel I can get away with it.

I’ll admit up front, I am a HUGE Steve Martin fan. Even before I started listening to rock n roll I was a comedy fan. We all were. I was introduced to Martin’s comedy from watching Saturday Night Live. How else would I have discovered him? I was a preteen, it’s not like my parents let me hang around in comedy clubs on school nights. That first cast of SNL, “The Not Ready For Prime Time Players,” was legendary and even I got stay up late to watch them on the weekends and that’s where I saw Martin for the first time. The 70s really was a golden age of comedy. The comedians of that era really were the true rock stars: George Carlin, Richard Pryor, Cheech & Chong and then Steve Martin, Robin Williams and so many more. In the 70s some of the comedy albums – usually a recording from a live show – sold more copies than many rock n roll albums.

Martin’s avant garde and just plain wacky brand of comedy just hit my funny bone. I can remember seeing the grey haired man in the white suit with bunny ears on and being blown away. I’ve posted on this blog many times about my first album, Some Girls, from the Stones. That’s a true statement in terms of music… but if I’m being totally honest, my first album was actually Steve Martin’s A Wild And Crazy Guy. And my first concert – at the enormous Kemper Arena no less – was to see Steve Martin on September 30, 1978. I was still nearly 2 years away from seeing a live rock show. The couples in front of us passed a joint around and I thought my father was going to shit himself… Somehow, I’d seen an ad for Martin’s show in the newspaper and begged my parents to take me, “for my birthday present.” I can remember it like it was yesterday. I’d never felt that kind of comedic energy in a room, and this was a large room. I had memorized a lot of his bits from the album and would repeat them at school… My good friend Stormin’ once told me he did the same thing… memorized Martin’s comedy albums and regurgitated the bits at school to make “the chicks laugh.” Well played, Stormin’, well played. The show I saw ended with Martin performing “King Tut.” God it was comedy heaven.

My fandom extends to his movies. I’ve seen most of them. I read his novel, Shop Girl. I saw a performance of his play Picasso At Lapine Agile over at the UMKC theater department. I’ve read several of his books from Cruel Shoes to his comedy memoir Born Standing Up. I say all of this so you can understand the depth of my love of this man’s comedy and artistic work. I actually went into this documentary thinking there was nothing I didn’t already know about Steve Martin… I was, as usual, wrong.

I really liked the documentary. The first piece was all about his stand up career. It starts where all documentaries start, with his childhood. His father was cold and distant, it sounds like an unpleasant childhood. His father always had something shitty to say about his work. Martin seemed like an “overnight sensation” when he hit in the mid 70s but he’d actually been grinding on the comedy circuit for 10 years. He was a writer for the Smothers Brothers television show. You get to see some of his bits develop, which I found fascinating but some people might find dull. The first piece really takes off, like his standup career, towards the end. Part one ends around 1980 when Martin walked away from stand up and transitioned to the movies.

The second piece of the documentary covers not only his movie career, but really his life – who this man Steve Martin is, and who he’s become. I thought it would just be a linear progression through his movie career and then his return to stand up with comedy partner and good friend Martin Short. But it wasn’t linear at all. It was more like an hour and a half of hanging around with Martin. It felt like spending an afternoon with an old friend. He mentions many of his movies – the good ones and the not so good ones. I defy you not to tear up when he talks about John Candy. Martin says in the documentary, “As you age you end up being the worst version of yourself or the best version of yourself,” and that really hit home to me. The whole second part of the documentary was centered around Martin’s personal journey and attempts to be that best version – or at least a better version – of himself.

I thought this thing was a home run. Like his comedy it wasn’t a traditional doc. This really felt personal. I was happy to hear that Martin, now in his 70s, married and a father, is finally happy. That’s a damn good story. If you’re a fan of comedy, or of Martin this is a must see. Jerry Seinfeld and Martin sit down and talk in part 2 of the doc and can I just say, Jerry is just a funny, funny human. This thing is a celebration of a life and a celebration of comedy. And believe me, we could all use a laugh right about now. It was a great way to spend a Saturday afternoon laughing and remembering all that great comedy.

Cheers!

The 2024 Rock Hall of Fame Mixed Bag Of Nominees – And Our Ballot Selections

~ kcorsini ~ 3 Comments

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I glanced up at the calendar the other day and realized we’re back in the midst of another election season. Suddenly I was being inundated with emails, urging me to vote. I take voting very seriously so I appreciated the first ten or twenty emails. It was then that I realized I had to get out there and vote! Of course we’re talking about the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame ballot here – we’re not a political blog! Although we have posted a playlist in honor of our “election fatigue” before.

After last year’s failure to induct Warren Zevon, I don’t know why I even care about the Rock Hall and their annual nominations. Yet, here I am in 2024 and I’m still paying attention to the annual release of the list of nominees. And yes, I even voted (which I’ll share below). You can vote every day, although I’m not that obsessive… and I’m not sure if the audience vote means anything? Beyond Zevon, there were other worthy bands on the ballot last year who have apparently dropped off the nominee list, even though they’re still eligible and didn’t make it into the Hall last year, including the White Stripes, heavy metal stalwarts Iron Maiden and grunge-era hard rockers Soundgarden. Sigh.

At this point, as the Hall nominates and inducts (along with rock artists) Hip Hop artists and pop artists, and I think it might be time for a name change. I know there are a lot of hard core rock fans who grouse about say, Missy Elliott being inducted last year. I don’t have a problem with that or any other Hip Hop artist’s induction. And frankly I was happy that pretentious d-bag Jann Wenner was removed from the Board of Directors. When the Hall first opened they were making up for lost time and focused on rock n roll artists from the 50’s (Elvis, Jerry Lee Lewis, Fats Domino, Chuck Berry etc) and the 60s (Beatles, Stones, Dylan, Who, Hendrix, The Supremes). Those decades, the 50s and the 60s were the years when rock n roll was the dominant genre (and one could probably say that about the 70s and 80s). But as the years go by and they expand to other decades and genres it’s really not a “Rock” Hall of Fame anymore, it’s more of a Pop Music Hall of Fame. So why not change the name to say, Music Hall of Fame. It’s more inclusive and it would kill a lot of the “Artist XYZ is not rock” complaints.

I’ve actually been to the Rock Hall and I loved it. I thought it was a great experience for any music fan (of any genre). I was actually pleasantly surprised by Cleveland, a city that gets a bad rap. I found a great Lebanese restaurant…  I think if they renamed it Music Hall of Fame or Pop Music Hall of Fame, they’d get even more traffic to this thing. But hey, that may just be me.

Here is the list of the 2024 nominees. You can, if you even care, vote for your picks at: https://www.rockhall.com/ – and you can vote as many times as you want, once a day until voting is closed:

  • Mary J. Blige
  • Mariah Carey
  • Cher
  • Dave Matthews Band
  • Eric B. & Rakim
  • Foreigner
  • Peter Frampton
  • Jane’s Addiction
  • Kool & The Gang
  • Lenny Kravitz
  • Oasis
  • Sinead O’Connor
  • Ozzy Osbourne
  • Sade
  • A Tribe Called Quest

As I said in my title, it’s a real mixed bag of genres and acts. The list has rock n roll, soul, pop, and Hip Hop artists. There’s a little something for everyone. I like a lot of these artists. I know my friend J. (name obscured to protect the guilty) will be upset if I don’t start off by saying that Cher is very much deserving of nomination. The woman has had hits in multiple decades. Her early years in Sonny & Cher were like a more pop centric, mini-Mamas And The Papas thing… I just can’t get past that whole “If I Can Turn Back Time”-era. Mary J. Blige has a voice for the ages. Mariah Carey is curious to me only because I equate her with Xmas now… and I hate most Xmas music. Kool & The Gang evokes disco to me, so, I’m kinda out on that one. But in terms of a Pop Music Hall of Fame, sure why not Kool and his Gang? The late Sinead O’Connor is certainly a deserving nomination. And I truly love Sade. I used to have a few of her albums… they’ve disappeared like so many of my relationships. I hate to admit, I’ve never heard of Eric B. & Rakim and know precious little about A Tribe Called Quest. That’s on me, I should have been more adventurous musically over the years. I’m just a rock n roll guy at heart.

With all that said, and I’m slightly embarrassed to admit this, I went with a real “Bro”-centric voting ballot this year. I probably should have thought harder about Sade and Sinead O’Connor. I like both those artists and there’s nothing more rock n roll than being an activist like Sinead. But I ended up voting for all dudes this year. I went with my gut and this ballot it was all testosterone. In my defense, you can only vote for seven nominees, so that was limiting… I feel like 8 votes would have been better. Here’s who I voted for:

  1. Ozzy Osbourne – Ozzy’s already in as a member of Sabbath but who doesn’t love his solo work as well? He’s still putting out great LPs like Ordinary Man and Patient Number 9. His first few solo LPs with Randy Rhoads are essential rock n roll 101. Ozzy, like Rod Stewart or the various members of the Beatles, deserves to be in the Hall in both his group and as a solo artist.
  2. Lenny Kravitz – I’m a Lenny Kravitz fan from day 1. Let Love Rule was a great debut album and Are You Gonna Go My Way is a masterpiece. If you haven’t checked out his latter day LP Strut, I urge you to do so post haste. Lenny has a new LP coming and has already released the sexy single “TK421” which we loved around here.
  3. Jane’s Addiction – I was late to the Jane’s bandwagon, turned onto them by the Rock Chick. Perry Farrell is a shining light in the darkness of this world. Dave Navarro is an underrated guitarist. They’re intermittent career is worth exploring in depth. I enjoyed the 2011 LP The Great Escape Artist as well…
  4. Oasis – Say what you want about the Brothers Gallagher (I’m on team Liam whose new single “Just Another Rainbow” is sensational), while their antics sometimes overshadowed things, Oasis was a great band. Ah, when brothers form bands… And if I didn’t vote for them the Rock Chick would banish me to the garage.
  5. Peter Frampton – Is there a guitar player with a sweeter tone than Frampton? I know most people fixate on his landmark live album, Frampton Comes Alive, I’ve always been partial to his first few studio albums, which are criminally underrated. I even loved his blues-covers album from a few years ago, All Blues. Frampton belongs in the Hall.
  6. Dave Matthews Band – Oh, how we all loved the DMB during those early first couple of albums. I saw them live and really dug them. I even took the Rock Chick to see them in the early days after having just met her… which was quite different from our first show together, AC/DC, but I digress. I haven’t seen the DMB for over 20 years, and despite not loving their last LP, Walk Around The Moon, I felt these guys deserve to be in the Rock Hall.
  7. Foreigner – Yes, call it a guilty pleasure if you wish, I still love Foreigner. Their first four albums were part of the soundtrack of my junior high and high school years. We all dug Foreigner. Now they tour without any original members – maybe guitarist/songwriter Mick Jones is still around? Any LP without original lead singer Lou Gramm is criminal in my mind, it’s just not Foreigner without him. I saw them at a Summer Jam in 1982 when they were on the 4 tour…”Juke Box Heroes” indeed. I loved the vault release of their Live At The Rainbow ’78, recorded right after their first tour and before Double Vision came out… definitely worth checking out.

That’s my ballot folks. Yes, it’s “bro-centric.” Admittedly, there are way too many dudes on my list. I have to admit I wasn’t as jazzed about the candidates this year as I was last year, but these are all still great, deserving acts. Still, I kind of wish I’d had room on my ballot for Sade… I’ve always dug that silky voice. Why great acts like Soundgarden and Zevon fell off the nominee list is a mystery only the Rock Hall can solve?

As always, I’m not telling anybody who to vote for… I’m just asking you to vote for the artists you love. I’m a lover, not a fighter. What can I say, I just love that whole Democracy, voting thing.

Cheers and let Freedom Ring!

Album Lookback: ‘Tracy Chapman,’ Her 1988 Debut – Our Memories Of The Sensational Album

~ kcorsini ~ 1 Comment

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It’s been a crazy week around here at B&V. It feels like the Grammy performance on Sunday was a lifetime ago. But, when you live in a city with an NFL team in the Super Bowl, it tends to be a week more of bourbon than of vinyl… That said, I never watch the Grammy Awards. I never watched the Grammy’s when rock n roll was the still a dominant music form. I know my old roommate Drew was watching the year Springsteen won something for Born In The U.S.A. because I kept barging in on him and interrupting… as I’m prone to do. As I recall I wanted to go out drinking that night… Ah, college.

The Rock Chick likes to watch the Grammy’s. She actually really likes to watch the Red Carpet shows… she may be the Rock Chick, but she’s still well, a chick. This year, and more specifically last Sunday, I watched the Grammy’s because I wanted to see Billy Joel perform his first new song in 17 years (more like 31 years for me), “Turn The Lights Back On.”  It was the first time he was going to perform the song live and it’s a great tune. It was a stellar performance, well worth wading through all the other pop artists who I didn’t love. They even let Billy perform “It’s Still Rock N Roll To Me” over the closing credits. And while almost all the music Sunday night was most decidedly not Rock n Roll, it was nice to see Billy anyway.

While I loved Billy’s performance, the person who stole the show for me was Tracy Chapman. She’s another artist who hasn’t done anything in over a decade and a half. I was vaguely aware that some country guy had covered her great song “Fast Car,” but hadn’t really thought about it or heard it. Turns out the guy’s name is Luke Combs – you don’t hear a lot of “new” country here at the B&V labs – and his cover was a hit. So I’m sitting there waiting for Billy Joel to come on when suddenly… there’s Tracy Chapman! I sat up on the couch. The performance knocked me out! Luke was mouthing the words as Tracy sang along and you could tell he was as into the song as I was, which is cool. I was stunned and thrilled. Here’s a pic:

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Hearing Tracy Chapman singing “Fast Car” really took me back in time… all the way to 1988. I was living in exile in Ft. Smith, Arkansas. It was my first job out of college and my corporate masters decided to send me down there. I had just graduated six months or so earlier and in terms of music I was a typical dude. There were the Allman Brothers, Van Halen and U2 on the turntable. The radio stations in Ft. Smith were more torture than music… Madonna, George Michael and Michael Jackson dominated the Northwest Arkansas airwaves. Although there was this DJ who played whatever he wanted from noon to 1 every day for lunch. I’d try and be in my car during that hour… it’s where I first heard Sting’s version of the Hendrix track “Little Wing.” I dug that version of the song.

I’m pretty sure that’s the first place I heard “Fast Car,” on that lunchtime, freeform radio program. I loved the song instantly. First, it was an acoustic guitar based track and in 1988, there was no such thing as an acoustic guitar. I had always liked Dylan’s folky stuff… and Neil Young’s for that matter. In 1988 it was all synth pop, dance music so Chapman was quite a surprise. Her gorgeous voice was right out front where it belonged. It felt like she was sitting next to me in the car. Here was this woman with a beautiful voice singing about belonging, human connection and escape via riding in the car. Since I spent most of my time in the car in those days and desperately wanted to escape from my situation… Well, the song hit home. MTV started playing the video too, so in my world of limited music from the outside world, I was getting to hear this great new song.

In those days, money was short and I only purchased an album after I’d heard at least 2 and usually 3 tracks from an album. I’d been burned too many times by albums with one great song and filler as the rest. When I heard “Fast Car” I was willing to take the risk on the album, Tracy Chapman, without hearing anything else from the LP. I drove immediately to the record store on Rogers Ave and bought the album on vinyl (and I still own it). The moment I dropped the needle in the groove and heard “Talkin’ About A Revolution,” it hit me in the lower brain stem. I realized this was a folky/acoustic artist – spruced up with some drums and bass – singing, dare I say it, protest songs. I remember being in a meeting where a wealthy company owner stood up in front and regaled us with a story about his swimming pool… for his thoroughbred race horses. The words, “Don’t you know, they’re talkin’ about a revolution, sounds like a whisper…” were ringing in my ears as I sat there listening to this guy.  Oh, yes I had found a truly wonderful artist.

“Across The Lines” was a beautiful song about race and lines drawn on maps in every city… I’m stunned I didn’t hear more Chapman during the Black Lives Matter protests a few years ago. The next track was the a cappella track “Behind The Wall” about domestic abuse. Tracy’s voice on that song is haunting. Now I’ve always been a sucker for a heart on your sleeve love song… and “Baby, Can I Hold You Tonight” was all of my young boy longing and unrequited love affairs rolled into a beautiful 3 minute song. “But you can say baby, baby can I hold you tonight… maybe if I told you the right words at the right time you’d be mine.” Oh fuck, who hasn’t felt that? It’s one of my all-time favs.

“Mountains Of Things” is a reggae-light track about materialism and a nice change of pace. “She’s Got Her Ticket” is another amazing vocal set over a bouncing drum beat. There’s even a little electric guitar noodling. It’s another song about escaping your situation. “Why not leave, why not go away, Too much hatred, Corruption and greed…” “Why?” has an infectious groove of an acoustic riff and asks a lot of important questions. “For My Lover” is next and is sung from the POV of a convict who killed… “for my lover.” I’ll do a lot for somebody but uh, murder ain’t my thing. I’m a lover not a fighter. “For My Lover” has that classic, acoustic, folk song vibe. “If Not Now” is another beautiful song about love. “A love declared for days to come, Is as good as none.” The song still reminds me of a woman in Louisiana. The album ends on another quiet, acoustic track “For You.” It’s lyric is short and sweet… I love the way it opens, “There’re no words to say, No words to convey, This feeling inside I have for you.” I could say that today about the Rock Chick.

I can’t rave enough about Tracy Chapman. It’s a sensational album with nary a bad moment. I remember taping that Sting LP I mentioned before with “Little Wing” on one side of a cassette and Tracy Chapman on the other. I was big into cassettes and mix tapes in those days. I was back in Kansas City over the summer and an old buddy of mine in college saw the tape and said in a stunned tone, “Tracy Chapman? Sting? What’s happened to your musical taste?” I just smiled and said, “It’s expanding faster than I can even explain…”

This is a record everyone should own and hear in it’s entirety. Seeing Tracy Chapman on the Grammy show the other night was such a treat, but it really brought me back to this masterpiece of an album. I recommend everybody out there pour something strong and crank this one… especially “Fast Car”… what a song!

Cheers!

Review: The Rolling Stones Return After 18 Years With The Superb ‘Hackney Diamonds’

~ kcorsini ~ 13 Comments

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Well it’s about time. Or maybe I should start with “good things come to those who wait…”

I keep a running list here in my desk at the B&V Labs of “upcoming albums,” some actually announced, some are purely from my wish list. Every year for as long as I can remember I’d write down “The Stones, new album 20xx.” Then I’d end up scratching out the year I wrote down and replacing it with the next year and then the next year. I can’t believe it’s been since 2005’s A Bigger Bang, which was a great Stones’ album by the way, since Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood have graced us with an album of original tunes. Alas, we lost drummer Charlie Watts in 2021. Granted they did release Blue And Lonesome, an exceptional album of blues covers but I longed for new music from the Stones. Sure, they’ve teased us over the last few decades… 2012’s Greatest Hits package GRRR! had two new tracks, “Gloom And Doom,” and “One More Shot.” And during the pandemic they released a great song, “Living In A Ghost Town,” but a new album always remained elusive.

It’s been rumored they’ve been working on an LP for years but just couldn’t pull it together. Spurred by the loss of Charlie, who they replaced with XPensive Wino drummer Steve Jordan (SNL, the Blues Brothers), last August Mick gave Keith a deadline to shoot for – February 14, 2023, Valentine’s Day – as the target date to have an album completed. As Keith has been quoted, “When the singer says he wants to do an album, you do an album.” From what I’ve read I’m not sure Keith had much new material so much of the album was written by Jagger. Keith says his role was to “shape the songs” with Mick. And I will admit, the first time I listened to this album it sounded like a really good Mick solo album. But the extremely eclectic group of songs on this album really started to reveal themselves to me with repeated listens and yes, this is a damn fine Stones’ album. In the almost universal acclaim this record has gotten it’s described as the “best album since Tattoo You.” Which most critics feel is the last great Stones LP. I really liked Steel Wheels… and Voodoo Lounge… and A Bigger Bang. So I won’t be saying anything like that. Hell, I liked the oft maligned Dirty Work, but hey, I’m a Stones fan. Nobody’s gonna tell me “One Hit To The Body” is a bad song.

To help on this new album, the Stones changed producers from Don Was who has worked with them since Voodoo Lounge (and I’m not sure Mick ever liked), and brought in wunderkind Andrew Watt. As long time readers know, I’m a big fan of Watt as a producer (he can also play any instrument, which is handy). He has a knack for bringing out the best in older acts. He’s recently produced LPs from Ozzy Osbourne, Iggy Pop, and Eddie Vedder, all of which I loved. He can get a “classic rock” act to sound… well, like they did in their classic period. He’s certainly given the band a jolt here. While it is a classic Stones-y album it feels modern, “of today,” if you will. There’s an urgency and passion in these songs that I haven’t heard in a while. Jagger sounds totally engaged and totally into it. His vocals on this album are extraordinary for a man of his age. He’s lost nothing. He even gives us some of his classic falsetto.

As mentioned, Steve Jordan mans the drums in place of Charlie Watts. However, they did use Charlie’s drums on two tracks – “Mess It Up” and “Live By The Sword” – which is as it should be. Longtime bassist Darryl Jones was out touring so Andrew Watt, Ronnie Wood and Keith take up duties on bass guitar. Although erstwhile bassist Bill Wyman returned for “Live By The Sword” as a tribute to Watts, which I just love. It’s a special thing to have the original Stones rhythm section on record together again. Paul McCartney also mans the bass on “Bite My Head Off,” which as a music geek I think is just f’ing cool. Longtime keyboard player Chuck Leavell is also AWOL on this record. However, the Stones aren’t short on guests on this record – Lady Gaga, Elton John, Benmont Tench and Stevie Wonder all show up – but the guests don’t overwhelm the band. They fit into the Stones’ sound quite nicely. While there are no Chuck Berry influenced rockers or “Out Of Tears” ballads, there are really great songs here. When I said to the Rock Chick, “Well, there’s no real weeper ballads on here like “Out Of Tears,”” she said, “That’s good…” Always a rocker, the Rock Chick.

Mick has said the material on this album is all around “failed relationships.” I can certainly hear that here… one has to wonder if he’s talking about his and Keith’s relationship… stormy indeed. Anyway, the album starts off with the first single, “Angry.” I’ve already commented on that song, but I will say, it has only grown in my estimation. The Rock Chick and I like to drive around town blaring that song. It’s a great album opener. They follow up with another riff rocker, “Get Close,” which features Elton John on piano. I really like Jordan’s drumming on this song, although I’ll admit that this one sounds almost like a Mick solo track. James King plays a sax solo that almost steals the show. “Depending On You” features Benmont Tench of Tom Petty’s Heartbreakers on keyboards and is an acoustic guitar driven ballad with a touch of country thrown in. It’s a favorite of mine. “Now I’m just a story you tell…” is a feeling I know too well. “Bite My Head” is a full on, meet me at the finish line, punk rock song with none other than Paul McCartney on a fuzz bass. He even plays a solo as Mick yells, “C’mon Paul let’s hear some bass,” which is admittedly cheesy but what a song! Ronnie throws in a great guitar solo to boot. This track made me think of “Shattered” in a round about way, another punk influenced Stones song.

“Whole Wide World” may be, other than “Angry,” my favorite song on the album. Mick has a full on cockney accent. It’s a full on, loping rocker. I love the riff and it’s got an arena sized chorus. I love when Mick sings, “When you think the party’s over and it’s only just begun…” While “Depending On You” hinted at the Stones’ country rock past, “Dreamy Skies” is a full on Stones country song. There’s a great acoustic slide guitar on this world weary track. It’s very stripped down and Mick adds a sensational harmonica. I love when Mick plays the blues harp. The next two tracks feature Charlie Watts and I’m so glad they had something of his to use on this album, their first since he passed. “Mess It Up” is a dance-able rocker in the vein of “Miss You.” It’s funky and Mick does the chorus in falsetto. Charlie is joined by Bill Wyman for “Live By The Sword” a hard rocker thing that boasts another fabulous guitar solo from Ronnie Wood. “Driving Me Too Hard” is another favorite. It’s a swinging rocker with just a touch of a country rock feel to it.

The three tracks that end this album are really sensational to me. Keith takes lead vocals on “Tell Me Straight” where he’s asking his lover for some truth. I always look for the Keith songs on every Stones album and this one does not disappoint. This song makes the album feel quintessentially Stonesy to me… it conjures a closing bar and a tumbler of rye. Next is the jaw dropping “Sweet Sounds Of Heaven” with Stevie Wonder on keyboards and the incomparable Lady Gaga doing a Merry Clayton “Gimme Shelter” harmony/co lead vocal and it’s an astoundingly good Stones song. It’s the kind of song they used to knock out with ease on Sticky Fingers or Exile On Main Street but I didn’t think they were capable of anymore… blues, soul and gospel all rolled into one. Kudos to Andrew Watt for pulling in Stevie Wonder for the song. It’s shockingly good rock n roll. And finally, in another great move, Andrew Watt brilliantly sat Mick and Keith in a room with a harmonica and an acoustic and they go back to the beginning on a Muddy Waters cover, “Rolling Stones Blues.” They’d never covered the song that gave them their name until now. It’s a song that’s hard not to love but then I love the blues. I don’t know if the Stones will ever do another album – I certainly hope they do – but this would be a perfect track to end it all on.

With Jagger this excited about the new music and Andrew Watt on board to give these guys a jolt, there are rumors that the Stones are already half way done with another record. Let’s face it, they don’t have 18 years to wait again. If you’re a fan of the Stones you are going to like this album. It’s really astounding that this far down the road this band is capable of producing something this strong. The band just delivers. This album will be in high rotation here at B&V for the foreseeable future… I just wish my vinyl copy would show up!

Cheers!

Tom Petty Releases ‘Mojo (Extra Mojo Version)’ With Three Additional Songs

~ kcorsini ~ 4 Comments

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While I realize today is the release date of the new Stones album, Hackney Diamonds, it’s also Tom Petty’s birthday. I can’t believe it’s been six years since we lost Tom. I feel that loss to this day. The man was only 66… actually less than three weeks away from turning 67. I feel like we’ve missed out on so much music he would have created. Luckily we’ve had some fabulous, posthumous releases like Wildflowers…All The Rest and An American Treasure to keep us connected with Petty and his Heartbreakers. On this day above all others I think it’s good for us to swing our focus back to Petty.

Towards the end of his career, after the slight misstep that was The Last D.J., Petty hit his stride in a big way. The last three LPs he released, Highway Companion (a 2006 “solo” album), Mojo (2010), and Hypnotic Eye (2014) were all great albums that are absolute career highlights. One of favorites from those late releases was Mojo. It was hailed as Petty’s “blues” album. I remember at the time reading a Petty interview and he said he’d been listening to bluesy stuff for a while and when he presented the idea of incorporating a more blues oriented sound into the  music, the Heartbreakers (Mike Campbell, guitarist extraordinaire; Benmont Tench, keyboards; Ron Blair, bass; Steve Ferrone, drums; Scott Thurston, utility infielder…er multi-instrumentalist), readily agreed with the idea. Now it’s probably obvious that I was going to be all in on a blues rock album, I’m on record as loving the blues… it’s the root of almost all the music I love.

But I have to say, while Mojo is very bluesy, I wouldn’t exactly describe it as a Petty’s “blues” album. It’s got more in common with the Rolling Stones, the Yardbirds or the Allman Brothers Band than it does with say, Howlin Wolf or Muddy Waters. The Heartbreakers really stretch on this record. And frankly, try on a few different styles, including a reggae styled tune, than just straight up blues. I had to drive to the outskirts of town yesterday to go to the DMV and I put on Mojo as I barreled down the highway and I must say… this album might be a better “Highway Companion” than the album that bears that name. And now the Petty camp has re-released the record, now dubbed Mojo (Extra Mojo Version) with three extra songs, only one of which was previously available.

There are a lot of great tunes on this record to begin with. If you haven’t ever lingered over this record, I highly suggest you do. The opening track “Jefferson Jericho Blues” is the pinnacle of blues rock. It leads into “First Flash of Freedom” a trippy almost Allman Brothers-esque track. At almost seven minutes it reminds of that bands’ tune “Dreams.” “Running Man’s Bible” is up next and in my ears this should  have been the first single. It’s bluesy but it slinks along. As always Mike Campbell’s guitar is searing. “A Trip To Pirate’s Cove” is another Allman-y kind of track. “Candy” is a chugging, straight blues number. With different lyrics it could have been a train song.

“No Reason To Cry” kicks off the middle of the album and it’s an acoustic driven, country ballad. Frankly, I had forgotten about this track until I was racing down the highway and it’s a beautiful song. And a nice change of pace on the record. “I Should Have Known It” may have blues flourishes but it’s hard rock. Petty almost snarls the lyrics over a monster riff. I always thought this was the first single but I may be wrong. The guitar solo at the end is worth the price of admission. “U.S. 41” is a great blues tune and if I ever do a playlist of “Road Songs” this song will be on it.

After the riffy “Takin’ My Time” and the slinky blues of “Let Yourself Go” with great harmonica no less, Petty does a great reggae influenced track, “Don’t Pull Me Over.” I love the blues but this song almost steals the whole show. It tells the tale of a pot smuggler… “Please Mr. Policeman… don’t pull me over.” There are so many highlights. “Lover’s Touch” is a great blues rock tune. “High In The Morning” is another tune that should have been a single. It’s a total ear worm of a track. “Something Good Coming” is another wonderful ballad…

Now to the reason for this post – the great bonus tracks. “Little Girl Blues” is a bluesy rave up that was available as an iTunes exclusive when the album came out. I never hear anybody talk about this song. It sounds like a late 60s blues rock band. There are also two tracks that had never been released before. “Help Me” is a cover of an old Sonny Boy Williamson II track. There were 2 unrelated Sonny Boy Williamson out there… it’s a long story. Petty and the Heartbreakers just kill on this cover song. They sound like the Animals. Great organ and bluesy guitar. I don’t know who plays the harmonica but get that man a beer! If I heard a band playing this song in a bar, I’d be sitting down, ordering something strong, perhaps a rye whiskey, and staying for a while. The other song, “Mystery Of Love” is a Petty original and I’m a little stunned it didn’t make it on the original album. It’s another slinky blues track. When Petty sings “I’ve done things I can’t defend…” I feel it in my solar plexus. I’m delighted to add this track to the pantheon of great Petty tunes.

If you’re a fan of Petty, Mojo, the blues or blues rock you need to hear these tunes. I bought them immediately this morning. Of course, I owned “Little Girl Blues” already. These two very strong blues tunes prove that Mojo wasn’t just a genre exercise for these guys. They were committed to the blues and they play it with passion and skill. If you’ve never heard Mojo before, I urge you to put on this Extra Mojo Version as soon as possible… maybe open a cold beer… and prepare to groove on the blues. Many people think of the blues as being depressing or sad music. This music proves that there can be a hell of a lot joy in the blues… and joy is in short supply these days…

Cheers! and Happy Birthday Tom, we all miss you down here at B&V.

New Song Alert: Stones Formally Announce ‘Hackney Diamonds’ With Jimmy Fallon – Release New Single ‘Angry’ – Oh, Yeah, Baby!!

~ kcorsini ~ 10 Comments

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I had to get up early for work today, but truth be told, I’d have gotten up early anyway as the Stones were set to do their album launch broadcast (on YouTube) for the new record Hackney Diamonds. Apparently the original album title was going to be Smash And Grab. The Stones – Mick Jagger (vocals), Keith Richards (guitar/vocals) and Ronnie Wood (guitar) – came on stage at a venerable old theater in London (the Hackney Empire, I believe) and were greeted by American talk show host Jimmy Fallon. I’m not a big Fallon fan, but he did reference an old, deep track from their early days, “Off The Hook,” and damn if that didn’t send me scurrying back to that song for a listen or two… Kudos Mr. Fallon.

The Stones seem loose and excited about the new record. The late Charlie Watts plays drums on only two of the songs and X-Pensive Wino drummer Steve Jordan plays on the rest of the songs. The Stones said they started recording in January and wrapped in February… They did confirm that Andrew Watt produced the record and erstwhile bassist Bill Wyman plays on one track. I was glad I had a few half hour to tune in.

The best part of the announcement this morning was the unveiling of the first single, “Angry.” Other than “Living In A Ghost Town,” this is the first new song from the Stones in the aforementioned 18 years. They did of course release the fabulous blues cover LP, Blue And Lonesome, but this is their first album of all new material and first new single in soooo long. Oh, the anticipation we’re all feeling down here at B&V. The Stones’ first singles, at least since I’ve been a fan, have been on the money. From “Miss You,” “Start Me Up,” “Undercover Of The Night,” to “Mixed Emotions,” and “Rough Justice” those first singles just always connected for me.

Have no fear, the new track, “Angry” ranks up there with all those great first singles of yore. The track starts with a drum beat that leads us to a signature Stones riff. Mick launches in with “Don’t get angry with me, I never caused you no pain…” And just like that the universe has a new Stones track and we’re off and running, baby. I love the wobbly guitar solo. At the end they jam as Mick repeats the chorus. This is a great first single from what promises to be a great new album. Every time I hear this song it grows on me even more, if that’s even possible. This is the music B&V was invented for. Here’s the song:

Beyond that, the Stones released a video for the album featuring the buxom Sydney Sweeney. I’m not usually a “video” guy, but I did thoroughly enjoy this video. While Sweeney is no Tawny Kittaen dancing on the hood of that car in the Whitesnake video, she acquits herself well. She’s riding in the back of a convertible down – I presume – Sunset Strip, dancing around in what can only be described as a “celebration of cleavage.” And if you’re going to celebrate something, why not cleavage? Who could possibly be “Angry” with that? Anyway, as she makes her way down Sunset, she’s surrounded on either side by Stones billboards from the past. I think I even spotted a Talk Is Cheap billboard. The billboards, through the magic of CGI, come alive and perform the track as Sweeney’s rag top car cruises down the Strip. Pretty cool concept. Here’s the video…

Oh, indeed! She even unironically plays air guitar. Be still my heart.

Oh my friends, I can’t tell you what a happy day this is. I’ve got my vinyl copy of the album pre ordered. I may buy this on CD too. Hell, I may re think my “no tattoo” policy after this. When the Stones put out an album – especially this album – it’s a big fucking deal. This will probably the last time we all get a new Stones album and a new Stones first single. Savor this moment people, we may not get another… although they did say they had 23 songs recorded and are only releasing 12… dare I hope for a sequel?

Turn this one up loud and please, don’t be “Angry.” Not with me anyway…

Cheers!

The Rolling Stones (At Last!) Poised To Release New Studio LP Of All Originals – ‘Hackney Diamonds’

~ kcorsini ~ 5 Comments

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I wish mere words could express the excitement we’re all feeling down here at B&V over the impending announcement of – at last! – a new Stones album to listen to. I’m happier than a man staring down a lumberjack breakfast of eggs, sausage and pancakes. I can’t believe it’s been 18 years since the exceptional A Bigger Bang. At the time when that album was released, in 2005, I remember thinking that the 8 years that had elapsed since 1997’s Bridges To Babylon was a long time. Yes, they did release the great blues cover album entitled Blue And Lonesome, that I just loved, but I’ve been longing for a new Stones album forever. As I’ve said before, for us at B&V, the Stones are the Alpha and the Omega of rock n roll.

There have been rumors for years the Stones were going to release something. Every year on the “projected new albums for the upcoming year” lists I see, the Stones are always there but nothing came. I’ve heard they started work on this album 8 years ago, in 2015. I’ve also heard they actually started in earnest only 3 years ago. It’s sad Mick and Keith couldn’t get it together for almost two decades. I’m guessing Keith is regretting that autobiography… A few weeks ago this cryptic ad was released:

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There are more Stones’ references in this ad than even I could come up with… Then the website was announced:

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If you go to that website you’ll see a countdown clock that indicates the Stones new album will be announced next Wednesday. Let’s hope a new single will also drop next week!! If you live in Paris or New York you may have also noticed the image that I placed at the top of this post is being projected on large buildings in your cities. Oh yes, my friends, the Stones are poised to take over the world… again. I need a shot of something strong!

What do we know so far?

In the producers chair this time around is Andrew Watt, who is extremely hot right now. B&V readers will likely recognize his name as he’s produced recent LPs, from Ozzy Osbourne – both Ordinary Man and Patient No. 9 – along with Iggy Pop’s great new record Every Loser and Eddie Vedder’s last solo LP, Earthling. I really like this move away from Don Was, who has produced their last three LPs, to Watt. He has a way of bringing out the classic sound of an artist. I’m sure the rock n roll purists are nervous about this as Watt has also produced albums by, gad, Justin Bieber and Miley Cyrus. I actually think Cyrus is talented, just not my cup of tea. He’s also purportedly producing the new Pearl Jam album. I think the guy’s pedigree speaks for itself.

On drums, yes there will be tracks with the late Charlie Watts on drums. I’m sad they couldn’t get this album done with him. Steve Jordan who has been filling in for Watts on tour will play the balance of the drums. On bass, to augment Daryl Jones, Bill Wyman will return for 1 song which is purportedly a tribute track to Charlie. Paul McCartney is also rumored to play bass on another song. There were rumors and articles that Ringo was also on the album but those turned out to be spurious. It’s said that Elton John plays piano on a track. Elton guested on Vedder’s solo album so we know he’s in Watt’s Rolodex and he’s pals with Mick. I have not seen any indication that Mick Taylor is returning to play guitar on any tracks, but if they’re doing a Charlie Watts tribute track one would think he might be there too.

The Stones have really put the work in on this. I read somewhere that they didn’t want to do a “good” album. They knew after all this time, they needed to put out a “great album.” The way they hunkered down – Just Mick, Keith and Charlie – to write and lay down the basic tracks of A Bigger Bang produced a great album, and we can hope for the same here. A year ago I saw Keith interviewed and he just said, “We’ve got the songs, now it’s just down to “carpentry” to get them right.” Whatever that means. Keith talks as cryptically as an old jazz player.

Obviously, after 18 years, a new Stones album is a BIG FUCKING DEAL. And let’s face it folks, at the rate these guys have put out albums over the last thirty years, this may be the final new Stones album the world will ever see. Or better put, “Well, this could be the last time, maybe the last time, I don’t know…” And that, alone, is a big deal. I, for one, can’t wait to hear this thing. If 2019’s single “Living In A Ghost Town” is any indication, this should be some awesome music.

Cheers!

“Button your lip, baby, button your coat, Let’s go out dancing, go for the throat…” One last time…

Stevie Nicks: Superb New Box Set, ‘Complete Studio Recordings & Rarities’ – But Is It Worth It?

~ kcorsini ~ 6 Comments

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We’re on record as huge Stevie Nicks fans here at B&V. A while back, when Ms. Nicks was inducted to the Rock Hall of Fame, we even did a post on what we consider her “essential” solo albums. Last Friday she released a career spanning box set of her Complete Studio Recordings & Rarities. I would urge caution when reading that title. While the box is indeed complete in terms of her studio albums, it’s not close to complete in terms of rarities. This isn’t like the Police set, Message In A Box: The Complete Recordings, which literally contained everything those guys ever put to tape (in a studio, anyway). I read somewhere that this box is a little like the recent Paul McCartney The 7” Singles box in that only a limited number of the physical media (LPs or CDs) are being sold. I don’t know if that’s true or not. I saw the CD box out there for $80, a hefty price tag. And as always with box sets, be it the Beatles Revolver, or Neil Young’s Archive Vol. 2, or Dylan’s Bootleg Vol 17: Fragments we always ask, is it worth this sizable price? (For the record: Revolver and Archives Volume 2 were yes, Dylan was a no).

I have to admit, Stevie was my first and perhaps my only rock n roll crush. Early on I traded my brother my copy of Supertramp’s Breakfast In America for his copy of Rumours. I can only speculate about how many hours I sat staring at Stevie’s photo on the lyric insert. Although admittedly, her distinctive voice and wonderful songs grabbed me even harder. I was blown away by that classic LP. It wasn’t long before I owned Fleetwood Mac’s self-titled album, the first with Nicks and guitarist/singer Lindsey Buckingham. And as I’ve said, that album was a real rebirth for the Mac, as most late career eponymous titled LPs are… I can’t tell you how many of my friends record collections at the time consisted of all metal/heavy rock: Kiss, Van Halen, Zeppelin, Ozzy… and Fleetwood Mac. After Fleetwood Mac and Rumours the Mac released the more experimental, different sounding double-LP Tusk. I loved that record and it made my list of favorite double-LPs. However, Tusk only sold around 4 million copies where Rumours sold 20 million so it was widely viewed as a failure. It was that “failure,” not the end of her relationship with Buckingham, that drove Nicks to a solo career.

I think it was likely inevitable Nicks went solo since there were three songwriters in the Mac – herself, Buckingham and the late, great Christine McVie. When you have that many songwriters in a band, much like Crosby, Stills, Nash and sometimes Young, each songwriter is bound to have a plethora of leftover songs that aren’t making the group album. Often times those extra songs are high caliber but band politics being what band politics are – especially in Fleetwood Mac – a Lindsey song might make the cut where a Stevie song like “Silver Springs” might not make the cut… which still blows my mind.

After the tour in support of Tusk, while Stevie was secretly dating Jimmy Iovine, she decided to go solo. That first record, Bella Donna, was the first record I bought by a female artist. When you’re a teenage boy you’re defined by what you listen to, and you didn’t wanna be considered “soft.” Her songs, to my ear, had been the best ones on Tusk (“Sara,” “Sisters Of The Moon,” “Storms,” and “Angel” to name a few) and then she delivers that classic first solo LP. Those songs – the title track, “Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around” (with Tom Petty), and “Edge Of Seventeen” amongst so many more are stunning. It’s a must have album. After reuniting with the Mac for Mirage, which again, to my ears Stevie’s songs dominated, she dropped her second solo LP, The Wild Heart which could almost be considered a sequel. It was another classic. Prince showed up un-credited to play on “Stand Back.” She established herself with a very, dare I say, rootsy sound with electric/acoustic guitars, pianos and rock sold rhythm sessions. It was pure late 70s/early 80s rock n roll. I saw her on that tour, with Joe Walsh opening, and was blown away… it did nothing to slow down that rock n roll crush I had.

We all owned those two first solo records and they’re a great way to kick off this box set. Her third LP, without Iovine in the producer’s seat for the first time (he left midway through due to their break up) moved her more toward a pop-centric sound. More synths and drum machines. A girlfriend I had at the time bought the record for me, entitled Rock A Little, as a message for me… the song “You Can Talk To Me” had something to do with it. I was troubled even then. I remember we joked about the title and how it should have been Rocks Very Little. I remember selling it at the used record store, but I wish I’d kept it. It’s a solid if not spectacular album.

Then it got difficult for Stevie. And admittedly, this is where it gets tough listening through the box set as I did these last few days. Her next two LPs started a creative slide. The Other Side of the Mirror was another step down – although admittedly I did like “Rooms On Fire.” Then Stevie’s addictions to coke and klonopin really took their toll. Street Angel her 1994 LP was her creative nadir. Although, again, there were a few tracks I heard that I liked. “Blue Denim” was great and I enjoyed her cover of Dylan’s  “Just Like A Woman,” but then I’m always a sucker for a Dylan cover. Sadly it was during this era, really the entire 90s that Stevie lost a lot of people. And that’s a shame because with the new millennium she began a late career resurgence that I can only hope people were paying attention to.

2001’s Trouble In Shangri La, produced in part by Sheryl Crow, was a great comeback record. Granted she unearthed some songs she’d written in the 70s, but hey, they were new to me. “Sorcerer” and “Planets Of the Universe” were both great tracks from that record. The Rock Chick bought the album and suddenly I found myself crawling back on Stevie’s bandwagon. She enlisted ex-Eurythmic Dave Stewart to produce her next two albums, the superb In Your Dreams, her best album since The Wild Heart, and the follow up, a collection of tracks she’d written in her heyday, 24 Karat Gold: Songs From the Vault. Those last two LPs really took her back to that late 70s/early 80s sound she’d established. Straight up rock n roll played on real instruments.

At this point, we have to ask, however, is this Complete Studio Recordings portion of the box really necessary? I have to admit, I own all of her albums either on vinyl, CD or MP3. Sure, the packaging is nice, but I have all of these. If you’re not a fanatic like me, you probably own the first two, at least. I would say, if that’s all you own – the first two solo records – then yes, this box may be worth your investment. For me, the obsessive collector, the secret sauce in this box is the two discs of “Rarities.”

As I mentioned earlier, the “& Rarities” part of the title may be misleading. With only 23 tracks over two discs, I felt it was a little light. There are some great outtakes from her first two records, namely “Gold And Braid,” and “All The Beautiful Worlds” whose omission here is glaring. Don’t tease me with “complete” and leave those two great tracks off. That said, there are some great songs here. Stevie dropped a lot of tunes on to soundtracks and you’ll find some of the best of those here like “Blue Lamp” (Heavy Metal), “Sleeping Angel” (Fast Times At Ridgemont High) and “Violet And Blue” (Against All Odds, a soundtrack my brother gifted me). “Battle Of The Dragon” was a great tune from a movie I’d never heard of. I’ve always liked “One More Big Time Rock N Roll Star” and it’s here. “Real Tears” was a track I’d never heard. “If You Ever Did Believe” is another highlight. I’m delighted her Buffalo Springfield cover of “For What It’s Worth” is included. These “leftovers” are better than some artists’ main tracks.

However, all of that said, many of these 23 tracks have been released on other greatest hits (Timepieces or Stand Back) and especially in the 3-CD box Enchanted. This is a nice way to pull a lot of these stray tracks together in one place but many are already out there. I could have used a box set just full of her rarities to be honest…she’s got a ton of piano/vocals demo’s I’d pay for. And if I’m really being that honest, if they’d split off the Rarities as it’s own 2-disc release, it’d be a no-brainer for me. However, tucked into this massive 10 CD box, I have to admit, even I hesitate.

To answer my original question – is it worth it? It’s a bunch of qualified “if’s.” If you don’t already own these albums, then my God, yes buy this, perhaps only the MP3s which are cheaper. If you only own a few of the albums, yes buy it. When it comes to the rarities, which is the bait here, I think if we wait a few months we may be able to buy that separately and for those of us who have most of these albums, that’s probably the best strategy.

Overall, having spent the last week or so listening to Stevie Nicks’ music, she is absolutely one of the greatest rock n roll artists out there. Great voice, superb songwriting and for the most part rootsy, real rock n roll… what’s not to love? This is, as her life’s work, a great box set. I would urge everyone to give this one a serious listen. You’re going to find some hidden gems in this woman’s catalog that are absolutely worth spending time with. At the very least you may find a new favorite Stevie song!

“Has anyone ever written anything for you? In all your darkest hours, have you ever heard me sing?”

Cheers!

Reflections On A Tough Week & The Loss Of Tony Bennett, Sinead O’Connor & Eagle Randy Meisner

~ kcorsini ~ 17 Comments

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Man, it’s been a tough week for rock/pop stars. Well, if I’m being honest it’s been a tough week for all of us who enjoyed the music that sadly went silent for good this week. In the strange macabre way, it came in 3’s again when we lost Tony Bennett, Sinead O’Connor and ex-Eagle Randy Meisner over the last eight days. It’s odd when a celebrity dies, especially if it’s a popular movie actor or singer. I never knew Tony Bennett. We never hung out drinking martinis in a steak joint. Same goes for Sinead O’Connor… while I was a man about town, Sinead and I never hung out. I never sat in a bar with Randy Meisner lamenting the end of a relationship. But then again, I have hung out in a steak joint while Tony crooned in the background… it’s always either Tony or the Chairman of the Board in Italian steak joints. I did sit staring mesmerized at Sinead O’Connor’s face in that strikingly intimate video for “Nothing Compares To You.” I didn’t know until years later it was a Prince cover. And finally, I did sit around drinking and listening to Randy and the Eagles play “Take It To the Limit” and “Try And Love Again” when I was despairing about the end of a relationship with someone I probably can’t even remember any more. I didn’t know these artists and yet they were a part of my life. Maybe that’s why we’re all a little collectively bummed right now.

Art and the artist who make it – and I consider rock n roll to be one of the highest art forms – is such a huge part of all of our existence. If there was no art – no paintings, no music, no books – things would be pretty gray and dull around here. It’d be a dystopian existence like something out of Orwell’s 1984. Or it’d probably be a lot like current day Florida where they recently banned the autobiography of Hank Aaron? Perhaps only superseded by painting, music has always had a huge effect on me. It can, with a melody or a lyric, capture a mood or a feeling I have and express that feeling far better than I ever could. When I heard Randy singing “Try And Love Again” and the lyric “Well it might take years to see through all these tears…” I knew I wasn’t alone in how I was feeling… there were others who had gone through what I was going through and they made it through “the rain.”

There was a wide range in careers of these three artists. One was a legend, one had a very difficult life and the third was sort of a man in the shadows. While their losses weren’t as titanic for me as say, Tom Petty or Bowie, they all touched me in one way or another. I wanted to share my brief thoughts on each as a way to honor all of them.

Tony Bennett was 96 and suffering from dementia when he passed last week… that’s what we call in my family both a good, long ride and a blessing that he passed. Other than Sinatra, Bennett was the greatest crooner ever. As he aged he just continued to stay so hip, like a groovy jazz uncle. He even did an MTV Unplugged. He did duet albums with k.d. lang and Lady Gaga. He became a true legend singing the songs from the “Great American Song Book.” Sinatra, his mentor, was once asked by a reporter this question – “Frank, many people listen to your music to get in “the mood.” Who do you listen to?” His answer, “Antony Dominick Benedetto.” Pretty cool that the Chairman is listening to your music while making his moves. The Rock Chick and I sat around last Friday listening exclusively to Tony… and yes it works! The tributes that poured out for this man were touching and myriad. The world will miss Tony Bennett.

Sinead O’Connor’s loss at 56 breaks my heart. I hope that troubled soul has finally found some peace. I was never a huge fan but was obviously aware of her and her music. Like everybody else I was a fan of “Nothing Compares To You.” She did a great Dylan cover of “Property of Jesus.” As my best buddy Doug texted me this morning, “RIP to Sinead O’Connor. Don’t quite know how to feel about her work in reflection, though I do get the point that she truly lived the causes she believed in and sometimes it means you become a pariah.” I think that encapsulates my feelings better than anything I could come up with on my own. I know a handful of her tunes, I thought she had a magnificent voice and that she was an extremely brave activist. Her protests against the Catholic Church, especially in Ireland, was nothing short of tremendous courage. She’d lost a son when he was 17. I just wish I’d known her so I could have given her a hug.

Randy Meisner, founding member and bass player for the Eagles, is the unsung hero on this list of loss. He was a guy who never wanted the spotlight. He struggled to take center stage and sing his signature Eagles’ song “Take It To The Limit.” He preferred to hover in the shadows at the back of the stage providing that beautiful, high harmony vocal. In a band full of assholes, it seems like he was a pretty nice guy. Eventually struggling with the conflict in the band he quit after the tour in support of Hotel California. He joins Glen Frey, his erstwhile bandmate, in the celestial jam band… I did hear, while he struggled the latter part of his life with health issues, that the band paid his medical bills. Maybe that asshole thing has mellowed in the Eagles.

I always feel very reflective when I hear about someone that meant something to me having passed. I lost a dear friend this last January, maybe I’m just getting sentimental. But each of these artist’s music meant something to me at some point in my life. Even if it was just a stray song, they each touched my life in some way. When an artist creates something truly universal it becomes a part of all who absorb it and when the artist dies, it’s like that little piece of you goes with them. It’s a little tug at the heart strings. It’s easy to look at this and think, “Well, they’re gone but life keeps marching on…” That’s true but these artists have each left an indelible legacy. A professor I had in college said to me once, “When you die the only legacy you leave is your kids and whatever you’ve published…” I would argue that each of these three great artists have left a tremendous legacy. Each will be remembered.

It can be a long dark ride out there. Whether it’s the loss of my friend earlier this year, or the loss of these great artists, it has made me realize it’s really important to live in the moment. Invest in the relationships and things in life that bring you joy. Life is really short and can be really sweet. I don’t know what my point is here, but I felt the need to grieve for these tremendous people. Take care of each other out there.

Cheers!