Thursday, September 29, 2011

Roger Waters and Foo Fighters Rock Jimmy Fallon

I am a bit on the fence with all this remastered Pink Floyd stuff. I mean, I already re-bought all of it a few years ago. How much better can it sound? And I am not an audiophile to the level that appreciates the "James Guthrie 5.1 Surround Mix in high resolution audio at 640 kbps" version found on the Immersion Set at more than $100.

But it is always great to see bands like Floyd get exposure to the level that might introduce the music to new generations. This remaster thing is all about that, I think.

Along those lines, Floyd fan(atic) Jimmy Fallon is trying to make up for his atrocious Roger Waters interview by hosting "Pink Floyd Week" and having Waters return the other night to talk a bit but to more importantly jam In The Flesh with the Foo Fighters.

Very powerful indeed, as the below video will attest. Also interesting to hear the song isolated from the rest of the album, where you realize it's a series of totally pummeling riffs with really only one verse! What do you think:

Monday, September 19, 2011

New Neil Peart Video Coming - Preview Clip

I am not a drummer but I do love the deconstruction of songs and checking out separate parts, especially drum parts. So I think I have a big treat coming up soon with Neil Peart's next DVD, called Neil Peart Taking Center Stage: Lifetime of Live Performances.

If you are a Rush fan, read this preview from Amazon and tell me you just didn't get a boner:

Neil's Peart's new 3-disc DVD set, Taking Center Stage: A Lifetime of Live Performance, is the most in-depth insight into Neil s body of work ever documented. Filmed in various locations over the course of a year, Neil takes you on a behind-the-scenes look at Rush's 2010-11 Time Machine Tour. Beginning with a visit to his personal pre-tour rehearsals, Neil shows the ways in which he prepares for the upcoming tour. The viewer is then transported backstage at a Rush concert to see the drum setup, soundcheck, and an unprecedented backstage interview where Neil explains and runs through his warm-up routine. Neil then presents a detailed look at every single song in the Time Machine set list (which includes the entire Moving Pictures album). For each song, key grooves and fills are analyzed by Neil. Full-speed and slow-motion drums-only demonstrations are included, coupled with PDF icons that allow the viewer to analyze and practice the patterns using the included PDF eBook. At the end of each song discussion, the viewer is transported onstage to a Rush concert to see the actual live performance of the song from the perspective of the drum cameras only (with an exclusive, custom audio mix that features the drums heard slightly louder than a normal concert DVD mix). With in-studio rehearsal footage, backstage scenes, live concert performances, and breathtaking interview footage filmed in Death Valley National Park, California, this package documents not only Neil s approach to live performance, but of the very essence of his drum style, on all the classic Rush songs...

Just saw on RushIsABand.com that there is even a teaser video, so here you go. This comes out October 14. Holy crap.