I Am My Own ’80s Movie Star – The Cure’s Greatest Hits

Or I’ve got a fever and I need The Cure.

Yeah, I know what I said about greatest hit compilations, but this one is too perfect and completely captures a part of my mood as of late.

When I was a theatre major at Northwestern… and yes, if you are a THEATRE major, that is how you spell it… I was often compared to John Cusack.  This would make me nuts.  I loved his work, but what would make me crazy was how much I wanted to be in the movies he was in.  Sixteen Candles, The Sure Thing, Better Off Dead, Say Anything… and later on Bullets Over Broadway, Gross Pointe Blank and High Fidelity.  He is also writing and producing a lot now, so if I was looking at careers I would love to have, his is certainly up there.

Yes, we once had to ask him to leave a frat party at Sigma Nu… and yes, he is currently at odds with his once best friend Jeremy Piven, but still… quite a career.

If I had it all to do again, I would definitely have figured out a way to be a teen star… or at least be in one great ’80s movie.  Since I can’t find that time machine, I just put on this album and I am right there.

The Cure – Greatest Hits

First off, this band is amazing and truly defines an era.  Their sound is instantly recognizable and their songs mean something to so many of us.  This is a nice set of hits, a great album on its own and a good place to start… or a good place to remind you of how much you like and may miss The Cure.

Goth rock?  I guess.  I am not very goth, but I can see that, especially at the time.

But this is my movie (Yes, I am ignoring all other movies who used The Cure) and here is how it goes.

“Boys Don’t Cry” – One of their earliest hits.  This might come at the low point of my movie… Things aren’t going so great, and well… you know…

“The Lovecats” - A fun track for sure.  Strangely, this reminds me a lot of Dexy’s Midnight Runners.  Might be playing at a party I walk in on… or try to get into and am rebuffed by large jocks.  Then I have to climb a drain pipe and sneak in on an upper floor.  Uh oh.

“In Between Days” - I love the beat on this one… Great groove, but very contemplative.  Definitely playing while I am driving somewhere… perhaps after a fight.

“Close to Me” - This one could fit in so many places… And it’s a classic… Hmmm… I just know it has to be there, somewhere.

“Just Like Heaven” – This would be the song playing over my falling in love montage.  Such an awesome tune!

“Lovesong” – This would work for that, too… or it could be the song that teases and torments me after my love has left.

“Friday I’m In Love” – I just quit my crappy job, hop in the car and am going to win my love back.  We kiss… all is right with the world and we roll credits…

Another great selection for Summer 2011 and for kicking it old style.

What’s New is Old And That’s Good – The Cars’ Move Like This

The New Wave returns and is a crashing good time.

For whatever reason, I was hoping to not repeat artists, but since the blog is more about what I am listening to and what moves me, the  repeat is inevitable.  I guess, perhaps, I was just hoping not to repeat too quickly.  Again, it is what it is and this album deserves an immediate plug.

The Cars – Move Like This

A friend on Facebook was asking people to suggest their songs for Summer 2011.  I added this whole  album to the list, as I think it is the perfect Summer record and I cannot stop listening to it.  I played it for Rob and a few folks last night and the reaction is the same… this is a great album AND it sounds like old Cars stuff… which is good… actually, it’s great.  The boys are in top driving form.

While I am loath to put it in print and apologize ahead of time, The Cars are the worst live band I have ever seen… TWICE.  They simply stood on stage, played the music and had no interaction with audience or each other.  But as a studio band, they are amazing and their music is a big part of my personal movie soundtrack.

I will most likely not go to see them on tour… but I will be listening to this one a lot this summer.  We’ll see what the reviews of the live shows are.  The Cars may just be the most successful of the ’80s New Wave bands and it is really good to have them back.  Benjamin Orr who passed away is definitely missed, but the rest of the guys all step up.

And if you are in LA, stop by Elliot Easton’s Red Balls Rock ‘n Roll Pizza on Topanga Blvd. for a great New York pie.

From the opener “Blue Tip” you know you are in for a great ride right back to the ’80s.

“Too Late” – This retro track is so good and may be my favorite album.

“Soon” – Fits perfectly with the later Cars’ ballads and is a really nice love song.

“Sad Song” – This seems to be the most popular download of the album and it is a tasty track.  Hmmm… Might this be my favorite?  No, I’ll stick with “Too Late.”

“Free” – This could have come right off the debut or Candy-O!  And yes, I still blame my dad for making me leave Caldor and not getting the band I had never heard of at that point (The Cars) to sign an album.  Doh!  I mean DOH!!!

Okay, breathe… let it go… let it go…

Go grab this one and let your summer fun begin.  Seriously, its great!

A White Suburban Guy Talks About Gil Scott-Heron

I don’t mean that I drive a Suburban… I am, for better or worse, a white guy who lives in the suburbs.  I would much rather be referred to as a Charcoal Grey Porsche Guy but that, also for better or worse, is a ways off.

I have been listening to a lot of Gil Scott-Heron as of late.  His death made me want to really delve in a lot more deeply than I ever had.  A few things strike me… First, his music is incredible and is just so easy to listen to.  I don’t know why I was not listening more… Well… Okay, I kinda do… It’s because I have so much, perhaps too much music and I don’t always cycle through it the way I should.  The main impetus for this blog was to listen to albums and iTunes I have and perhaps lost track of, but new artists and discoveries and albums keep coming into the mix, and have played a big part of it.  The main thing is that I am trying to honor that spontaneous spirit and go where the day, or the music, takes me.

The second thing about Gil Scott-Heron is the sad irony of his music and life.  He articulates the African-American struggle so eloquently, especially when it comes to the bottle and drugs, but then fell victim to addiction himself.  It is rare to have music be so good and still have an activist message.  It seems that, too often, one trumps the other.  But not here.  Not even close.

Gil Scott-Heron – Pieces of A Man

This was a tough call, as Winter in America is so damn good, too… and his compilation The Revolution Will Not Be Televised has been in equal and constant rotation.

This one, his first studio album, came out in 1971 and features his frequent and brilliant collaborator Brian Jackson on keys, as well as Ron Carter on bass and a bunch of other jazz and R&B greats.  It is a big fusion plate full of jazz, funk, soul and R&B and obviously influenced the world of Rap and Hip Hop that would come along later.  Just check out all the RIP tweets he is getting.  He was truly the “Godfather of Rap.”

His voice, whether singing or speaking or both, is just so warm and expressive and amazing.  You hear him living and struggling in each and every note.

These lines  in particular from “Home is Where the Hatred Is” grabbed me…

“Home is where the hatred is
Home is filled with pain and it
Might not be such a bad idea if i never, never went home again.”

I often joke about how my normal upbringing and loving, kind parents screwed me artistically.  I was at the Tim Burton exhibit at LACMA yesterday and thought the same thing.  I mean, don’t get me wrong, I’ll take the love and skip the pain… but those feelings of isolation and not fitting in do wonders for the artistic palate.

Anyway… RIP Gil Scott-Heron.  No need for me to call out songs or offer my takes… the music is brilliant and speaks for itself… and not only should be listened to… but MUST be listened to.

And this is coming from the average white guy who does not have a band.  Peace.

My Tunes The Album Project #89 – The 88′s

Yesterday was the 88th album, so it seemed like a no-brainer to talk about The 88… just like #97 should feature Old 97s.

But then Jeff Conaway passed away and it messed up my brain a bit… Lennon and the soundtrack to Grease became the listens of the day and that was that.

So here we are on the Saturday of the Memorial Day Weekend and we are going to talk about The 88!

The 88 – Not Only… But Also

If you are a regular reader of this blog, you know how much I love the use of the elliptical… I actually use one at the gym, too… but right now we’re talking about the use of those three little dots that gives me such a strange pleasure.  Nice to see the band using it, too.

You will also know that we have already talked about the fabulous Adam Merrin.  I was pleasantly surprised to see how many readers I had that day.  I’d like to take credit for that, but I’ll give it to Adam.

So iTunes says The Beatles invented Power Pop.  Wikipedia agrees and says that Pete Townshend actually coined the term in a 1967 interview.

I knew that about the Beatles.  Makes sense.  They invented a lot of musical styles and sounds and innovative breakthroughs.

Townshend said “Power pop is what we play—what the Small Faces used to play, and the kind of pop The Beach Boys played in the days of Fun, Fun, Fun which I preferred.”  Funny… while I associate the other bands with Power Pop, The Who is not a band I would put in this category.  Maybe their early stuff… Hmmm… Definitely need to go back and listen with a different set of ears.

iTunes talks about “walking the line between sticky sweet pop and good old-fashioned rock & roll.”  I think The 88 do this perfectly.

It seems that whenever you mention words like pop, or power pop or sticky sweet, people tend to dismiss the songs as cute little musical diddies.  While there is a definite brightness and pleasure to this album, there are moments of great depth.

I know I picked this CD up in the bin when I volunteered for KCRW a while back, so I have to assume that was the introduction to this great Indie LA band… although I guess they are not really “indie” anymore.

Regardless of how you categorize them, their music is a lot of fun and this album makes for a great listen… especially with Summer around the corner.

So enjoy the long weekend with The 88 blasting out of your car or stereo or iPod or whatever.  And I hear they are great live, too.  I have not seen them yet and I just missed a local benefit they did, but they are definitely on the Must See List!

 

Grease is the Word. I Wish That Was Enough.

Today is my 88th album and I was all set to do something by The 88… Thought that would be cool and fun… but then Jeff Conaway passed and it was all thrown out of whack.  I feel really sad right now.  Seriously.  A lot of them hit me, but this one really hit me.

I guess John Lennon was right in “Beautiful Boy (Darling Boy).”

“Before you cross the street, 
Take my hand, 
Life is what happens to you, 
While your busy making other plans.”

Goes for the change in albums… and of course, it goes for all of our lives…

Grease – Motion Picture Soundtrack

How fricking fast does Wikipedia update the site with the date of passing? Wow.

Yes, you once played Danny Zuko on Broadway, but you were so good as Kenickie in the film version.  So good.

And Bobby Wheeler in my favorite show of all time, Taxi, was such a sweet soul… well… he was an actor, but still a sweet soul. Compared to Louie, everyone was a sweet soul.

Jim at the DMV episode…

“What does a yellow light mean?”

“Slow down…”

Man, that was good… so very good and special and…

I am really messed up by this.  I did not know you… and I struggled to watch you on Celebrity Rehab… Can’t watch that shit.  And for a time, you had the world at your feet.  And no, I do not understand addiction and the kind of pain you must have had.  But man…

Listening to this is mostly others obviously… Travolta… Olivia… but you were there man.  You were so there.

I don’t even know what else to say… Go listen to the music… Go watch the movie.  Hell, my daughter loves Grease.  We wanted to go to the Grease Sing-A-Long at the Bowl this summer… That will be a bit sad now.

But there it is and that’s that.

I’m also gonna go listen to some Double Fantasy… I put it on to get that quote exactly right and it just felt right to sit and listen to… Very appropriate for today…

“Beautiful Boy (Darling Boy)”… You were once that, too.

My Pal Rocky – The Life and Death of a Squirrel

I just got home from getting my daughter at school, when one of the painters… we’re fixing the outside of the house… pointed out to her a squirrel lying under a tree on the side yard.  Apparently they discovered it injured in one of our bushes and tried to give it some water.  By the time we got there she had already had a few flies on her and her breathing was labored.  Her tiny chest would move up… and down… very slowly, but only intermittently.  Clearly this squirrel was dying.

My daughter and I crouched down and stared and we were both a bit sad, but what could we do?

I called the animal shelter and we’re actually waiting for them to arrive, but on last check, the breathing had stopped.

The guys said she was acting really strange and thought maybe she was bit by something.  Obviously we have rattle snakes around here, which makes me nervous for my sniff around at everything, chase everything little dog.  It could have been a Black Widow… also in abundance in this part of town.  I don’t know.  Apparently she was biting at rocks and things and could not move her back legs… Sounds like a paralysis of sorts… so maybe it was a bite.

It’s odd.  As a kid I was always fascinated by squirrels, especially the ones in Central Park who had no fear and would come right up to you if they knew a snack was forthcoming.  Then at Northwesterm outside of Chicago, I was able to do this clicking sound that they seemed to dig and I would become like a pied piper, literally having several furry creatures following me as I walked through campus.  You’d think that skill would have landed me more dates, but no… not really.  Actually none.  That’s sad, too.

As an adult, I don’t care much about squirrels.  I hear them running around on my roof, playing.  That’s kind of nice. But then they knock down all of the fruit from my plum and apricot trees before the fruit even has time to ripen.  That kind of pisses me off.  I mean, how rude… they knock ‘em all down and don’t even have the decency to finish one at a time.  Instead of a bowl full of fruit or jars filled with amazing jams and preserves, I have a carpet of rotting fruit with one bite out of each piece.  Really?

I’m staring outside at a tree right now that had all these beautiful plums developing and now, nothing… not a single one left.

But on the other hand… watching this little creature fighting to breathe… eyes barely open… was, dare I say, heartbreaking.  Her face was kind of cute.  Is it odd that less than five minutes after I walked in the door from witnessing her die that I smashed a fly to death without even thinking about it?  Flies don’t have a face… well… a cute face, so it’s easier to be callous and not give it a second thought.

But this squirrel… The worker seemed upset and kept telling me about how they did all they could to try to take care of her.  I felt bad for him.  What can you do?  In nature, animals just die.  Hell in life creatures just die.  Old age or a fall or something else.  It just happens.

I told him he did all that he could.  It was nice that he would try.  Most of us would just not do a thing.  Maybe that’s the saddest part of all.

Score Another One For Glee – Fleetwood Mac’s Rumors

When my daughter is asking me to put Fleetwood Mac’s Rumors on her iPod, I know all is right with the world.

Glee did a whole episode based on this rock classic, and thus J wanted to hear Fleetwood Mac.  It probably helps that the Mac is her Mom’s favorite band, but I’ll take it.  Sometimes I have to push a little bit to get her to pursue the original artists, but she came to this on her own.  Cool!  Very cool.

I have spoken of the beautiful and presently unavailable Buckingham Nicks and if you know their music you know just how much they brought to the band.  Not that they were not all great beforehand, but it was a fantastic move for everyone… Well…  I probably don’t have to explain all the relationship craziness that was going on in this band, but sometimes that heartbreak and insanity can make for some pretty amazing songwriting… Perhaps not happiness and stability, but art comes from odd and often broken places.

I keep thinking that as much as I would love to see her happy, I am afraid that happiness might kill off Adele’s brilliant and scathing relationship songwriting prowess.  Broken hearts after all is why we write love songs… or hate songs… or get out of the car songs… You know what I mean!

This one came out in 1977 and is still one of the best-selling albums of all time.  I don’t think you could be listening to radio back then and have not heard this amazing album.  I know I did.  A lot.

Each and every song is wonderful, from the hits like “Second Hand News,” “Dreams,” “Don’t Stop,” “Go Your Own Way, “The Chain,” “You Make Loving Fun,” “I Don’t Want to Know”and “Gold Dust Woman”… Okay, can I say wow… Are you kidding me???  That many hits off one album is astounding… to the small but delightful “Songbird” and “Oh Daddy.”

This may be another one of those rare, but perfect albums… Song to song, track to track… an amazing whole… Just like how each member of the band has something to say… and does… but each different style and point of view meshes so well into a tight musical circle.  Fleetwood Mac was a phenomenon.

Mmmm… Listening to this brings back so many memories, but it is simply the pleasure of the album that stands out most.

I am really looking forward to sharing this with J.  Keep rock alive…

Rock is dead they say?  Long live rock!

The World Would Be A Better Place If We Let Love Rule – Lenny Kravitz

The year was 1990 and my friend Tom, another great guy I have lost touch with, asked me if I wanted to go to an album release /artist coming out party of sorts.  There were two shows at The Roxy… an 8 pm and an 11 pm.  We were set for the 8.  I think his cousin was managing or had something to do with the album or maybe was even in the band.  Wow, memory needs updating.  That is crazy.

Anyway… there were CDs on the table… Nice!  Lisa Bonet in the upper corner… Nicer!  Roxie Roker next to her… Really nice… I so loved her from The Jeffersons… and then out comes the hippie, retro rocker Lenny Kravitz.  What an introduction!!!  He rocked the house hard and put on such an amazing show, that when Tom’s cousin asked if we wanted to stay for the second show, I think we just nodded yes.  Four hours of an artist I had never heard of made it clear that the world would soon know exactly who he was.

Lenny Kravitz – Let Love Rule

From the age of five he knew he wanted to be a musician and on many of his albums he plays all of the instruments… I said it before, I’ll say it again… Bastard!

His influences are deep and diverse, from jazz and Miles to Marley and Fela Kuti to classic Rock n’ Roll like Kiss and Zeppelin and of course The Beatles and especially John Lennon.  Sounds like my iPod!

I had no idea that he was going by the stage name Romeo Blue… Good thing they convinced him to go back to his real name.  That one sounds like a porn star.

Anyway… after rejections by almost every record label, he self-produced the album that would be Let Love Rule… A bidding war ensued, Virgin made the deal and the rest, as they say, is history.

This album has so many great songs and styles… funk, rock, R&B… and it is just so pure and raw.

“Let Love Rule” – This title track says it all and was a damn good jumping off point.

“Freedom Train” - Great funky beat and megaphone sounding, distorted vocals.

“I Build This Garden For Us” – This could be the hippie national anthem.  Killer song with a great message.

“Mr. Cab Driver” – Thought this might be a response to Prince’s very sexy “Lady Cab Driver,” but it ain’t… it’s a sad statement about judging a book by its cover and calling out something that needed to be said.

“Empty Hands” is one of my favorite tracks for sure.

Mama Said came next and may be my favorite of his albums.  I love that he and Slash went to high school together.  Are You Gonna Go My Way was number three and I do dig that one, too.  He definitely keeps getting better, but there is something really special about a first album and all the raw heart and soul and passion that comes pouring out.  After all, you only get one first time and you’ll always remember it.

So go ahead world… LET LOVE RULE!

Hopefully Life is a Long Run – The Eagles

Thoughts and prayers go out to the folks in Joplin, Missouri.  It’s all a bit incomprehensible.  Between this and watching a repeat of Oprah the other night with Jaquelin Saburido and Mattie Stepanek, it is really hard to even remotely feel sorry for myself and any of the minor issues I have to deal with.  I know sometimes they seem like the end of the world, and I do not want to dismiss the importance of what I’m dealing with, but man… There is a whole lot of heartbreak and a whole lot of joy in the world… and we do ultimately get to decide on some of it.  Some of it!

The Eagles – The Long Run

My old friend Colin, who I mentioned yesterday hated The Eagles… I mean HATED them.  I could never understand why.  It was  polarizing.  Sometimes I thought he just did it so no one could accuse him of being mainstream.  I don’t know…

They have always been one of my favorite bands.  Hell, the second concert I ever went to was The Eagles, Heart and the Little River Band at Giants Stadium in 1980.  My Dad took Harry Atlas and me and made us leave during the Eagles encore.  Granted we had been there a really long time, but still.  My first concert was Chicago and Orleans and was a special side trip while I was at sleep away camp.  Fun!

I met Timothy B. Schmidt in a movie theatre in Woodland Hills… not so nice… and Don Henley at an event at Westwood Music… an absolute delight.  We talked about education and kids for half an hour.  It was quite amazing in fact.  My friend Karen helped organize the whole event and had invited me as a wonderful favor.  The next thing I know Don and I are conversing and I call Karen over to introduce HER to Don Henley.  Strange… but it makes for a great story.

The stories of the band’s insane dysfunction seem to be real and I hear, despite their rapport on stage, that Henley and Glenn Frey still do not get along.  Who the heck knows.  Kicking out Don Felder seemed to be cold, and might have, in fact, been about money… but perhaps the stories about him were true, too.  It’s one of those things where you need to ignore all that and just listen to the music.

Two of my favorite lyrics of all time come from “Already Gone”…

“Just remember this, my girl, when you look up in the sky
You can see the stars and still not see the light.”

and

“So often times it happens that we live our lives in chains
And we never even know we have the key.”

Great lyrics, great music, great songs and amazing live shows.  I have seen them three or four times… on one of their farewell tours sitting in front of Erik Estrada (I know, random right?) where their voices seemed a bit shot… and then years later at Staples where they sounded beyond good.  How they got that much better, I do not know, but the show was crazy good.

This album and Hotel California had the most impact on me.

“The Long Run” – A classic.

“I Can’t Tell You Why” – The obligatory, but really good Timothy B. Schmidt ballad.  Sorry, but I dig this song a lot.  Sue me.

“In the City” – How I love Joe Walsh.  Amazing… I mean amazing guitar player and songwriter in his own right.

“Heartache Tonight” – Total Glenn Frey style.  Another gem.

“Those Shoes” and “The Greeks Don’t Want No Freaks” – Fun!!

“Sad Cafe” – Ain’t nothing wrong with a great rock ballad and this song is one of my favorites.

These lyrics, along with the way Don sings it, slay me each and every time…

“Now I look at the years gone by,
And wonder at the powers that be.
I don’t know why fortune smiles on some
And let’s the rest go free.”

Monday Morning Music – A Totally Nude Bonus Post

Yeah, I said bonus post… Vein perhaps?  Pretentious?  Forcing you to read too much?

No, grunting really loudly at the gym, like one of the Williams sisters or Monica Seles on a serve is pretentious.

Smoking a cigarette from a long green holder outside of Costco is pretentious.

This will be short and sweet and just to let you know what I have in heavy rotation right now and what might be coming up.  That is all.  Enjoy.

The Minus 5… great stuff people.  And so is his previous band Young Fresh Fellows… Really digging all of it.

The new Sloan – The Double Cross.  This band is so good.  So good.  And they will be playing at a theatre near you soon, including the fabulous Bootleg Theatre in LA on June 9th!  And the great Band of Skulls will be there the night before!!!  But 11 pm starts for both… Ouch.

Frightened Rabbit… Tell me you do not love “Swim Until You Can’t See Land”?  The album The Winter of Mixed Drinks is really enjoyable.

The new Cars‘ album Move Like This.  Just starting to listen to it.  Fun.

The Vaccines – What Did You Expect From the Vaccines.  The singles are awesome and so is the buzz from SXSW.  The full album drops May 31!!!  Rock N’ Roll is alive!

My Morning Jacket – Circuital.  This new one also drops on 5/31.  A good day in and for music indeed.

The new Glasvegas – Euphoric/// Heartbreak\\\.  I don’t know what the deal is with the slashes, but I like what I hear on this one, too.

Lots of great music… so live, listen and love.