tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-322599722024-02-02T23:47:59.451-08:00Isorski's MusingsA Portland Musician's Observations of the WorldIsorskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14484072540653411158noreply@blogger.comBlogger805125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32259972.post-8845172468455477922014-02-22T15:16:00.001-08:002014-02-22T15:16:37.574-08:00Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley Disrespect KISS Fans One Last Time<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih0P74UuG-T_6UGuUXE1PMit6_twO81MB5iLsR5NPQz0qDmz1eeum6yzGe9cqj7T8KQXjyM8Ubbh1UCuCD7pnFDjDFKZ0kzCt5BF7rH8cwS44o-I39qy_OyPsI71q3-8m_iEVNOw/s1600/BhGqmRuCAAEEQlP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih0P74UuG-T_6UGuUXE1PMit6_twO81MB5iLsR5NPQz0qDmz1eeum6yzGe9cqj7T8KQXjyM8Ubbh1UCuCD7pnFDjDFKZ0kzCt5BF7rH8cwS44o-I39qy_OyPsI71q3-8m_iEVNOw/s320/BhGqmRuCAAEEQlP.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></div>
On Eddie Trunk's radio show last night, original KISS guitarist Ace Frehley disclosed that Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons are preventing the original four members of the band from reuniting onstage at the Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony to take place in New York in April. <br />
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While the Hall of Fame has been clear that they are inducting the original four members of the band, Simmons and Stanley contend that they should have the new version of KISS, which has Tommy Thayer and Eric Singer posturing as Frehley and original drummer Peter Criss.<br />
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If there is to be a live performance I think this is a slap in the face to the original lineup of KISS and especially to the legion of lifelong fans who campaigned long and hard to get the band into the Hall of Fame in the first place.
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Gene and Paul have always said that the fans were number one and that the fans were "the boss" but clearly that is not the case. This is nothing but a self-serving slap in the face designed to continue to promote the new version of KISS as the only version of KISS and to disregard the legacy started by the original four members.<br />
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Reading a post by Trunk who has insight into the Hall of Fame process, this is mostly a Paul Stanley call. Paul made it very clear that he doesn't care about the Hall of Fame and he does not feel honored to be involved. <br />
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Granted the Hall of Fame took 15 years to induct KISS, but the fact of the matter is that without Peter and Ace coming back into the band for the reunion tour Paul and Gene would still be would be playing small theaters wouldn't be living in their giant mansions.<br />
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I first got into KISS in 1978 when I was 10 years old and they literally changed my world. I became a lifelong guitar player primarily because of Ace. I stuck with the band to the disco era and while I lost touch with them in the 80s, I happily reengaged with the band for the reunion tour farewell tours.<br />
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Even though I was not comfortable having Eric Singer or and Tommy Thayer take on the personas of Peter and Ace, I stuck with the band because I really wanted my children to be able to see what I saw when I was a kid and to experience whatever magic and bombast was still left in the group.<br />
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But after this move, if it's true, I am done with these guys. They will get no more of my money.Isorskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14484072540653411158noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32259972.post-17080287915901491842014-01-01T20:02:00.000-08:002014-01-01T20:02:13.318-08:00Happy New Year!As this blog enters its ninth year, I reflect and conclude that I was pretty negligent posting here in 2013. I can't say I'll do any better in 2014 but I am going to try to kick out the lazy bugs and share my thoughts on the ever changing world of music and turn you all on to bands that come through Portland, where I live. <br>
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Interestingly, the show that inspired me to start a blog in the first place was The Tubes in 2006 at Portland's Aladdin Theater. The band returns on January 11 and I have tickets. Maybe that will be the spark that kicks me back into the blogsphere.<br>
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Whatever happens, I wish all of you a great, prosperous 2014!<br>
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Best,<br>
Isorski, your trusty rock and roll blogger
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<br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4QqtqdKDipmAMkGva68N0dC_0ab5Gz8udGqhgnKdsYw2cedEIryWqdap3bCi43kSG2AP1gk5GOgFzXuG4NQ8Yt0znfDIgcPTxZsJ0GuJuNsxipz_t5X1wiRGOpb5RTXh5Vk_RNg/s1600/1238325_630685776952414_446326993_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4QqtqdKDipmAMkGva68N0dC_0ab5Gz8udGqhgnKdsYw2cedEIryWqdap3bCi43kSG2AP1gk5GOgFzXuG4NQ8Yt0znfDIgcPTxZsJ0GuJuNsxipz_t5X1wiRGOpb5RTXh5Vk_RNg/s400/1238325_630685776952414_446326993_n.jpg" /></a></div>Isorskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14484072540653411158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32259972.post-30200465494657107952013-12-17T08:39:00.001-08:002013-12-17T09:55:18.166-08:00Why Peter Gabriel Should Be Recognized by the Rock Hall of FameJust saw the news that KISS, Nirvana, Peter Gabriel, Linda Ronstadt, Hall and Oats and Cat Stevens have all made it into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for 2014. That means Deep Purple and Yes did not.<br />
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Looking at the list of inductees, I was most intrigued by Peter Gabriel, because I have lately been getting back into him big time (no pun intended). <br />
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Been particularly digging the Live in Athens 1987 double live CD, which was pulled from the So tour. I saw him on this tour in the Bay Area in the mid-80s and it’s still one of the best concerts I have ever been to. <br />
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Also been doing a fair amount of writing and recording, finally getting into MIDI (welcome to 1985, Isorski), and Gabriel is really one of the first pioneers of the technology. That, and sampling. <br />
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For proof, check out this highly cool video about the making of his fourth album, Security. <br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/scmYG1Pv1_Q" width="560"></iframe><br />
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Gabriel was really on the cutting edge of using samples, writing songs based around sequenced drum patterns, and also bringing world music into the world of rock. That plus his humanitarian effort outside of music. The more I think about it he’s like a prog rock, modern day George Harrison!<br />
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Anyway, glad he’s being recognized as a solo artist (he’s already in the Hall as part of Genesis). Hopefully he’ll make it to the ceremony this time! <br />
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UPDATE - Rolling Stone <a href="http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/peter-gabriel-on-rock-hall-of-fame-induction-this-time-ill-go-20131216">posted a Q&A with Gabriel</a>, as follows: <br />
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Peter Gabriel was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Genesis in 2010, but the ceremony fell during the middle of his tour rehearsals with a large orchestra in England and he didn't have time to take a trip across the Atlantic. "There was no indication at the time I'd have a second opportunity," he says. "I'm very grateful to have gotten in again. It's a huge honor since it's for your whole body of work and not just a specific project." <br />
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Gabriel chatted with Rolling Stone in the lobby of a New York hotel not long after he learned he was being inducted as a solo artist. <br />
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<b>Congratulations on the big news</b>.<br />
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Thanks. It's a fantastic acknowledgment from your peers and people who work in music. <br />
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<b>You're going to go this time, right?</b><br />
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Yeah, I will definitely go. The last time I got in, it was like two days before my tour started. I would have otherwise gone. I just thought, "I can't go. We've given ourselves very little rehearsal time." But it was a great honor. . . Unfortunately, my bass player, Tony Levin, is committed to a prog-rock cruise the week of the event. I have to see if I can do something about that. We want to steal him for a night. The idea is that people have to play, right? <br />
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<b>They generally do, but not always. Genesis didn't play.</b><br />
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Oh. I didn't know not performing was even an option. (laughs) Generally, you can either fret about playing and worry about it all night, or you can sit back and have a glass of wine and enjoy the evening. I have to think about that, but this is just great news. . . I'll probably play, though if I do "In Your Eyes," it'll take 10 minutes and that might be all the time I have. <br />
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<b>Nirvana are getting in, too. I've seen photos of you and Kurt Cobain talking backstage at the MTV Video Music Awards</b>.<br />
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We did talk. I expected to be dismissed as part of the old generation, but he wasn't like that at all. I didn't have long with him, but he definitely changed things, particularly in America. And it had a different sort of quality than what the Sex Pistols in the UK did. I thought that was more contrived in some ways. I was more into the Clash because despite presentation of what Johnny Rotten was doing, there was nothing new to me about the music. But with Nirvana, some of it, just in their choice of chords, there were some musical differences. <br />
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<b>With Kiss, they were first putting on their makeup and costumes right as you were putting on a costume- and makeup-heavy show with Genesis.</b><br />
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[Casablanca Records founder] Neil Bogart [who signed Kiss] said that I was quoted as an example of why they should wear makeup. I don't know if that's true or not, but they did create cartoon-like figures. I saw it was very well-executed pop music. I know it was heavy-looking at the time, but I think it was smart. <br />
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<b>There tends to be a huge jam at the end of the night between all the inductees. It's hard to imagine you playing a part in that</b>.<br />
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I'm not a great jammer. I'm not a great musicians in terms of a player. I think of myself as a writer.
Isorskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14484072540653411158noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32259972.post-51049968624502078522013-11-13T08:39:00.002-08:002013-11-13T08:39:53.644-08:00Dave Grohl Produces New Ghost EP - Streaming Now<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihmUtXyX_X8GZkjIIl-ddiT9jVLyZJuYPk3GdOkkU-Hjny5RyceJmKqTukffzYYYqu8lisRfpGlU51oDalEXjeFNNgm1n1THAAJ4p-HU8daN1-lOzzdKCDFr1bxAm1aOMk4dooVA/s1600/IfYouHaveGhost.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihmUtXyX_X8GZkjIIl-ddiT9jVLyZJuYPk3GdOkkU-Hjny5RyceJmKqTukffzYYYqu8lisRfpGlU51oDalEXjeFNNgm1n1THAAJ4p-HU8daN1-lOzzdKCDFr1bxAm1aOMk4dooVA/s200/IfYouHaveGhost.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
Dave Grohl has produced an EP of four cover songs for Swedish "death Satan metal band" <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghost_BC">Ghost B.C.</a>, available for live streaming now.<br />
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I use the quotation marks because Ghost has not sounded like death metal, well, ever. But due to the band's devilish lyrics and KISS-like mysterious image on Devil's Advocate steroids, the band has been lumped in with other truly awful screamo bands.<br />
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But these guys have always been more Blue Oyster Cult than <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graf_Orlock_%28band%29">Graf Orlock</a>.<br />
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Great melodies, strong musical chops, surprising arrangements, and yeah, tongue in cheek Sabbath-esque image. In an interiew it was mentioned "It's sort of like Eddie for Iron Maiden, except we have our Eddie singing." Yep, these guys put the FUN in Funeral.<br />
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While I would have a Ghost novice start with the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Opus-Eponymous-Ghost/dp/B004EJUMT2">band's first album</a>, and then go <a href="http://www.infestissumam.com/">to the second</a>, this EP is a nice addition to the discography, and the association with Grohl will no doubt draw some attention to the group, which they need to go more mainstream.<br />
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But really, how mainstream can you go when your catchiest song's chorus is "This chapel of ritual smells of dead human sacrifices
from the altar bed."<br />
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The EP, which also adds a fifth song Secular Haze (live), will be out next week.<br />
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Stream it here:
<iframe frameborder="no" height="450" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Fplaylists%2F14141396&show_artwork=true&secret_token=s-kQnjT" width="100%"></iframe>Isorskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14484072540653411158noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32259972.post-78076502244635445502013-10-15T23:25:00.002-07:002013-10-15T23:25:25.447-07:002014 Hall of Fame Nominees - KISS, Yes, Nirvana, Deep Purple, Peter GabrielJust saw the 2014 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame nominees and it's a doozy of a list: Nirvana, Kiss, the Replacements, Hall and Oates, Paul Butterfield Blues Band, Chic, Deep Purple, Peter Gabriel, LL Cool J, N.W.A., Link Wray, the Meters, Linda Ronstadt, Cat Stevens, Yes and the Zombies.<br>
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Yeah I know, there are plenty of acts listed that are arguably not 'rock and roll' but I set that all aside when I attended the induction ceremony for Rush (and others) this year and it was a blast. If even a few of those 'more rock than not' acts get in, it will be a hell of a show.<br>
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My faves:<br>
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<b>Yes</b>: - I have been down on Yes, pretty much done with them, the last few years as a live act. But if they were to really induct Yes and include most if not all of the 19 or 20 players in that band over the 40 years of its existence, it would be a hell of a thing. And this is just the kind of event that forces reunions that ought to happen - i.e. Jon Anderson rejoining the band. I might have to travel to the event again this year if Yes gets in. They deserve inclusion, no doubt. Highly influential band, lots of success in the 70s and again in the 80s but re-born. No question.<br>
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<b>Kiss</b>: Kiss needs to retire. I am done with these guys, Paul Stanley's voice is gone and they are just too old to pull it off. The magic of the reunion, seeing all four original guys together, has long worn off. An induction to the hall might force the original four back together one last time. If not, it would be a shame.<br>
<br>But at the same time, how does KISS perform at an awards show? Watching Rush sit in their seats for five hours, then get up and rock, was one thing. How do you get the makeup on? How do they set up a KISS stage? Would be interesting. And they'd have to play. You can't be KISS and not play if you get in. So, interesting to be sure. Do they deserve to get in? Hell yes. Sure they suck but they have influenced too many bands that don't, and they have sold more records than anyone but the Stones and Beatles, so enough already. They get in.<br>
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<b>Peter Gabriel</b>: Oh hell yeah. He'd be great. Witty speech, dry humor and then he'd rock the shit out of everyone. Shock the Monkey and Sledgehammer. That's my prediction. Maybe he doesn't get in this time, but he will eventually if not for the music then for his humanitarian work, which I think plays well with the judges.<br>
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<b>Deep Purple</b>: Should have been in last year. Would be interesting to see if they'd get Richie Blackmore off the bench but I doubt it. He's too busy playing lute at the Renaissance Fair. Totally deserve to be in.<br>
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Lots of great other artists. Paul Butterfield, Hall and Oats, Linda Ronstadt, the Meters, Cat Stevens. Any of them would be cool.<br>
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Oh shit and <b>Nirvana</b>! I almost forgot. I'd be shocked if they did not make it in their first year. Would be great to see what musicians they would put together to do Nirvana songs with Grohl and Co.<br>
<br> Yeah this is a pretty good year for the Hall. Better start saving my frequent flyer miles.
Isorskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14484072540653411158noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32259972.post-9579411090338955422013-06-24T13:37:00.001-07:002013-06-24T13:37:08.086-07:00Black Sabbath Albums from Worst to Best - from Stereogum<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy3l7sNYH9Ase6ZlD-StR0h08LDAG1ak_6KL6-DM-zUec2cCteqzBZXwyk9j9fpjV9H2JLDG7rHvTHXYnRwgqEMPXS0KQn3tWKwkaE4MYLl3OVro9LxuvV-CZIlwSiOjpdkEShHA/s1600/5411678_blacksabbath2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="130" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy3l7sNYH9Ase6ZlD-StR0h08LDAG1ak_6KL6-DM-zUec2cCteqzBZXwyk9j9fpjV9H2JLDG7rHvTHXYnRwgqEMPXS0KQn3tWKwkaE4MYLl3OVro9LxuvV-CZIlwSiOjpdkEShHA/s200/5411678_blacksabbath2.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
A good friend of mine from work (the same guy who turned me onto <a href="http://isorski.blogspot.com/2013/05/album-and-concert-review-ghost.html">Ghost</a>), penned an insanely comprehensive overview of the history and significance of Black Sabbath, complete with an album-by-album analysis from worst to best.<br />
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I don't agree with all of his ordering choices - I think the new album, called '13,' is much better than where he ranks it - but I think in general he is right on.<br />
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Until I can get off my ass and review the new album myself, enjoy these literal weeks of work he put into it here: <a href="http://www.stereogum.com/1379802/black-sabbath-albums-from-worst-to-best/list/">Black Sabbath Albums From Worst To Best</a>.<br />
<br />Isorskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14484072540653411158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32259972.post-68524886702127756842013-05-20T08:59:00.000-07:002013-05-20T08:59:18.528-07:00Rush Hall of Fame Induction Runs on HBOHBO ran the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 2013 induction program over the weekend but cut the intro where the Rush fans went apeshit during Jann Wenner's intro speech. But HBO did post it online. I was proud to be one of the hundreds of screaming voices. Check it out!<br>
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<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/_KLuYXT6QMU" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br>
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And here are some other 'official' HBO vids from the night:<br>
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<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/w9QuBmHKOwg" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
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<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/YDc23CoJ1Rw" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Isorskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14484072540653411158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32259972.post-61140636942356019102013-05-01T22:02:00.002-07:002013-05-01T22:07:32.485-07:00Album and Concert Review - Ghost - Infestissumam<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcYL6p66MQ6hTV_YDYPwunu7Lq6zXtIOKUtb0G0SzCrloxO6LZmx6hgPglT8tp7kadGfxA5ZM5gWtEW8Ko0nsgzT0tMgW3nff-zDhpuhfiIVcpRD_H3yKjIW4Ft1vvcjWeW-DmHQ/s1600/220px-Ghost_-_infestissumam_cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcYL6p66MQ6hTV_YDYPwunu7Lq6zXtIOKUtb0G0SzCrloxO6LZmx6hgPglT8tp7kadGfxA5ZM5gWtEW8Ko0nsgzT0tMgW3nff-zDhpuhfiIVcpRD_H3yKjIW4Ft1vvcjWeW-DmHQ/s200/220px-Ghost_-_infestissumam_cover.jpg" width="200" /></a>I have a theory that producers Rick Rubin and Nick Raskulinecz had a gentleman’s bet to see who could out-Sabbath the other on their latest projects. Rubin worked with the actual Black Sabbath on the band’s upcoming album ’13,’ while Raskulinecz was behind the desk for Swedish devil band Ghost B.C.’s latest, Infestissumam, released last month. <br />
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We won’t know until June when the Sabbath album comes out but good odds would go to Ghost, who out-Sabbathed Sabbath on its debut, Opus Eponymous.<br />
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Ghost is a real enigma. Their image is full on Satan: The band plays in black masks and robes, so you don’t know who they are, and the singer, Papa Emeritus, is in full papal gear including pointy hat and vestments, but with an angry skull mask obscuring his face. Both of their albums feature for example what sound like Gregorian chants but of course are topically a bit different.<br />
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I would have passed over this in two seconds if the music wasn’t so damn good. The Opus album is insane – there is not a bad track on it. Very melodic and far more Blue Oyster Cult than Disfigured Prostitute (yes that is a real band). The songs are total earworms. Great arrangements, layered vocal harmonies, even the odd synth part for dressing. <br />
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Yes, Ghost is the Schoolhouse Rock of Satanic music. Instead of singing about conjunction junction, you walk around singing “come together, together as one, come together, for Lucifer’s son.” Brilliant strategy if these guys are serious, Spinal Tap funny if they are not. Either way, they win.<br />
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So the new album, Infestissumam. It’s not as strong as Opus. If there were three tunes chopped out of it, it would stand side by side. But as it is, there are some songs that are shockingly too sing-songy and catchy and they just don’t work. <br />
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However, the songs that DO work are incredible. Secular Haze, Year Zero, and Monstrance Clock stand out, as does the pretty classic take on the ABBA song I'm a Marionette. The song Jigolo Har Megiddo sounds like it came right off of Sabbath Bloody Sabbath. <br />
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Covering ABBA makes me think these guys are just riding this devil thing for a laugh (the Swedish bands have to stick together, right?), as does the impression that Monstrance Clock is probably a play on “Monsterous Cock.” I can see that as something someone said on the tour bus and was immediately turned into a song. It is about the conception of the devil’s son after all. I read an interview where one of the 'nameless ghouls' in the band (that is what they call themselves) said it's a little bit like Iron Maiden, except that in Ghost, Eddie (Maiden's zombie mascot) sings all the songs. Could not have said it better myself.<br />
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The other thing I find interesting is that the singer, Papa Emeritus, is now called Papa Emeritus II. Not sure if he died between albums and was replaced by a new guy. It was also funny that I got an email from Ghost last year asking me to vote for Papa when the Vatican was electing the new Pope. I did. Not sure it did any good…<br />
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So the album is good – some strong stuff. A few days after it came out, I saw the band live in Portland (last week). This was my third time seeing them. Last time, my buddy Dave and I drove three hours to Seattle to watch them play for 30 minutes, and then we drove back home. That is how much I like this band. <br />
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With the new album they are able to play a nice, 70 minute set that is chock full of great songs and theater. The best five or six new songs blend perfectly with the bulk of Opus, still in the set list. <br />
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I didn’t know the new album very well when I saw them but it didn’t matter. I immediately liked the songs they chose to play live. <br />
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There were rumors that the band took a massive advance when they signed to their label and there were a lot of concerns the music would suffer as the record label became increasingly eager to make its money back. But I hope Ghost is in it for the long game. <br />
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They are building a following by touring over and over, and a little bit like KISS, the mystique doesn’t hurt. My wife’s cousin and her husband, who do NOT generally go for this kind of music, proactively went to the show in Seattle the day after my Portland show. They were impressed. And if a mellow Dead Head can be impressed by Ghost, anyone can! <br />
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Below are a few photos from the Portland gig, plus a video for Secular Haze. Again, the fact that the video has Ghost on what looks like an Ed Sullivan-era sound stage cracks me up. Enjoy.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/vyQZ13jobIY" width="420"></iframe>Isorskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14484072540653411158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32259972.post-18296109639556102222013-04-22T12:37:00.000-07:002013-04-22T12:37:24.494-07:00Paul Stanley Stage Banter - 45 Minutes of Hilarity<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I don't know if this is so funny because it's his isolated vocal track, which means in some cases it sounds like he's yelling in his bathroom, or because when presented as a 45 minute string, the absurdity is considerably augmented. <br />
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<a href="http://www.kissasylum.com/news/2013/04/19/paul-stanley-stage-banter-supercut-documents-deep-existential-crisis/">The write-up from KISS Asylum where I sourced this</a> is equally funny because it does a quick snap judgement psychosis analysis on Mr. Stanley based on the various recurring themes in his stage banter. Either way you slice it, it's classic - enjoy.<br />
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<iframe frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F82976948" width="100%"></iframe>Isorskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14484072540653411158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32259972.post-44335542353109583622013-04-19T02:35:00.000-07:002013-04-19T10:00:15.609-07:00Musings from the 2013 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame CeremonyThe 2013 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame show was for the most part a five hour thrill ride with a really boring middle segment. Of course the whole reason I was there was for Rush but there was a lot of talent in the theater and overall (except for that middle piece) it was a well-paced, well-produced night. <br />
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Rush fans were by far the most prevalent in the audience. There were acres of Rush shirts and, shall we say, lots of energy. <br />
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Take for example the first ten minutes of the show. Rolling Stone founder and target for the ire of many a Rush fan Jann Wenner strolled out to give a fairly canned intro/welcome speech. He was booed by the audience. It will be interesting to see if they fix that in the HBO broadcast next month. What they won’t be able to fix is how absolutely BATSHIT the audience went when Wenner read down the names of the inductees and got to Rush. <br />
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It was absolutely deafening. The entire house rose to its feet and screamed for at least two or three minutes while Wenner stood there, amazed. I don’t know that the Hall has seen anything quite like it, to be honest. I do think he got the message.<br />
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I turned to the guy next to me, who was crying by the way, and said “well, that sure felt good.” And it did. Lots of pent up frustration – maybe in some cases a lifetime – was released in that moment. It was group therapy. <br />
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Then the show got underway. Randy Newman kicked it off with a fun version of I Love LA, with guests Tom Petty, John Fogerty and Jackson Browne on guitar. They each took a verse. Don Henley inducted him, and once I realized that Paul Shaeffer’s band included Waddy Watchel, Jim Keltner and Tom Scott, I realized that the SoCal music scene from the 70s was well-represented. <br />
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The next few inductees were either not performers, or not alive. Producer Lou Adler was inducted by a very funny Cheech and Chong, and was then serenaded by Carole King, who he had produced. The late Donna Summer and Albert King were inducted and then followed up with some fine live music too. <br />
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For King, blues guitarist Guy Clarke Jr. and John Mayer ripped some spot-on electric blues numbers. For Summer, a killer Jennifer Hudson seriously shredded some of Summer’s biggest hits. I never would have paid to go see Hudson but I am glad I saw her sing, because she is talented. <br />
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Then things got a little wonky. Oprah Winfrey showed up to everyone’s utter shock to induct Quincy Jones, who gave the longest piss break worthy speech ever. I got back and still had to wait ten minutes for him to wrap it up. I mean, yes, the man has had a six or seven decade career and ought to be inducted for his work with Michael Jackson alone, but MAN was he long-winded. <br />
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Next it was time for Public Enemy. Whew, where do I start? Spike Lee started the speech and then oddly handed it over to Harry Belafonte who quietly rambled about things. What? I dunno I was Tweeting. <br />
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Public Enemy gets up and Flava Flav (dude who wears the giant clock around his neck) talks and talks and rambles and talks some more and at some point you realize this guy has a screw loose and then you wonder if he is just kidding? By the end the crowd was loudly encouraging him to WRAP IT UP. <br />
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He basically filibustered the ceremony. <br />
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Chuck D’s speech was respectful. He made a comment about people who say rap does not belong in a rock hall of fame and rightly pointed out that it all came from the same place, which was blues. Given Flava’s train wreck it was ironic that Chuck D’s speech was really the one that unified all the performers in the house, who he name-checked, including Rush. I got the sense there was a mutual respect there.<br />
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Public Enemy performed and it was fine. I mean I don’t know them so it was nice to see but I didn’t care that much. They did do a really cool thing which was to use records from the other inductees in one of their jams. Scratching the Tom Sawyer intro and also the same with an Albert King lick. <br />
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Now we are about four hours into it but we all know it’s about to get good. Heart is up. Chris Cornell inducts them with a very respectful and funny speech. It’s perfect. Ann and Nancy Wilson’s speeches seem a little canned but are fine. Original guitarist Roger Fisher slightly asses out in his speech because he basically knows he fucked up big time to get kicked out of that band. He tries to show love to the band but he calls them ‘these people.’ <br />
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Things seem to be running long so they cut the mic before the rest of the original guys can speak and then it’s live Heart. <br />
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I have never seen Heart live. They open with Nancy Wilson on acoustic for the intro to Crazy on You. Most of the original band is together for the first time since the late 70s and they sound really good. The dueling guitar harmonies are spot on, Ann’s voice is excellent if a tad aged and honestly, it’s pretty magical. <br />
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Then everyone leaves and we get acoustic Ann and Nancy on Dreamboat Annie. It’s very gorgeous and well executed. But then I realize the original guys are not coming back. The current band plus Cornell and Alice In Chains’ Jerry Cantrell join and do Barracuda. It’s pretty epic. I am totally sold on Heart and can’t wait to see them live this summer. They still have it. You have to wonder how weird it was for that original group to get back together and rehearse and perform. I’d love to be a fly on the wall for that.<br />
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Now of course we are ready for Rush. Dave Grohl and Taylor Hawkins from the Foo Fighters do the induction speech and it is funny as hell, but it’s also intense. You can tell Dave feels the way the rest of us do, that it’s about time this has happened. He jokes about getting turned onto 2112 by a ‘cool older stoner cousin’ and how everything changed from there.<br />
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His overall premise was ‘when did Rush become cool?’ and the answer was, they have always been cool! However, he also razzed them about the kimonos on the back of the 2112 album sleeve. The camera cut to Neil Peart and he was laughing and shaking his head. It was nice to see Neil get honored. In fact, Hawkins doted pretty heavily on him and of course the crowd was right there too – we want to give Neil his props, maybe even more so because he is so modest. <br />
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Rush’s speech was interesting. Neil led off with a very ‘prepared’ and verbose speech that was OK. Geddy was shorter and more heartfelt. He said something like, “we’ve been saying for years that this doesn’t matter, but you know what? It kind of does matter.” And everyone went nuts. <br />
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<em>***update*** - it was Neil who said that, and after viewing on YouTube, it was a really nice speech. Sorry, my mind was foggy at 2 a.m. when I typed this!</em><br />
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He [Geddy] also gave a shout out to the fans and all of us attending, and you could tell he was moved at the turnout. Rush fans really are some of the most devoted. It’ll be interesting to see if that comes through on the HBO broadcast. <br />
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Alex Lifeson? Well, he started his speech with “blah blah blah” and stayed that course for about a minute too long. But it was funny and irreverent, and, well, very Alex. <br />
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Then the lights dimmed and we all noticed a small drum kit in front of Neil’s. The intro to 2112 rang out and Grohl, Hawkins and the Foo Fighters bass player launched into 2112, as Rush – complete with wigs and white jump suits a la 1977. It was funny but they really nailed the song. Right near the end, Rush came out and joined them so you had six guys playing. They did not go into Temples – at that point, the crew quickly got the Foo’s gear off and Rush did incendiary versions of Tom Sawyer and Spirit of Radio. <br />
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I was thinking how many people in the audience, certainly the majority of the industry and music folks seated up front, had never seen Rush. They have likely heard those two songs but never live. I am so glad Rush really brought it, to show those people what the hype is all about. There is really nothing quite like live Rush and they kicked ass. It was celebratory, and rightly so.<br />
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The end jam was way more organized than I expected. It started with Neil and Geddy laying down a groove, over which half of Public Enemy did a rap – so we did get a Rush/PE jam, which was really cool to see. Then they did Crossroads - it was Rush, Ann and Nancy Wilson, Hawkins on second drums, two of the Public Enemy guys, and on guitar Fogerty, Grohl, Clark Jr., Cornell and Tom Morello. They all traded verses and guitar solos and then it was over. <br />
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It was so neat to see Rush share the stage with others. They just never really seem to do that, so it was very cool to have the mix of folks up there. I’ll be pretty high for a few days from this. It was well worth the trip and I’ll be eager to see how they execute an edit for the HBO broadcast May 18. <br />
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<em>***update*** - There are already Youtubes of the night up!</em><br />
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Grohl and Hawkins' awesome induction speech:
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/QLOUgvsfDtg" width="560"></iframe><br />
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Rush acceptance speech. See what I mean about Alex?
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/7M7AEi68a20" width="560"></iframe><br />
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Foos do Rush
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/x-xEr489gHY" width="560"></iframe><br />
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Heart rip Barrauda with Cantrell and Cornell
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Rtvvh4IpcrU?list=UULuFSc4YfRPdszoEuvhzGXw" width="560"></iframe>
They were super tight about photos in the venue so I only have a few from before the show. In the back of the theater I happened to catch Ann and Nancy Wilson getting into the venue: <br />
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The front of this guy’s jacket was laden with hundreds of Rush buttons. People were taking their photo with him like he was a rock star. Classic. <br />
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Isorski at the Hall of Fame. Photo taken by a guy like me, who came to LA by himself to pay homage. There were tons of us there, all wandering around outside waiting for the doors to open. Ha ha! <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnHrPSi1vh-6ueXkLUTNfPhdydrLR3-TRu-VkjCwLOBDq3M-nk2SDL8bNaPWIevtABWBDXmNddWb9aCMEPwQCBiWjHtRLwKD1jH1T7V55D7xPB0nnq771__GxSybBF8Lh3BfbZxA/s1600/paul.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" dua="true" height="237" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnHrPSi1vh-6ueXkLUTNfPhdydrLR3-TRu-VkjCwLOBDq3M-nk2SDL8bNaPWIevtABWBDXmNddWb9aCMEPwQCBiWjHtRLwKD1jH1T7V55D7xPB0nnq771__GxSybBF8Lh3BfbZxA/s320/paul.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Isorskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14484072540653411158noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32259972.post-47156978959781468292013-04-18T09:26:00.003-07:002013-04-18T09:33:37.092-07:00Rush to Be Inducted into Rock Hall of Fame Tonight - I'll Be There<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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When I heard about Rush finally being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame after 14 years of snobbery, I was elated. It seemed like the media and institutions that had written off Rush specifically and progressive music in general were finally realizing that there are a LOT of fans of this music.<br />
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And yeah, in the end who cares, but the vindication is nice. I have to admit that. <br />
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Hearing the ceremony would be in Los Angeles (at least on the same coast as where I live), I thought I’d look into tickets. But no thanks. After just a few minutes, the ones left were all $350 to $750. However due to a fortunate moment of procrastination, I was surfing the RushIsABand.com site a few weeks later and noted that there were a limted number of those spendy seats now open for $100 a pop. <br />
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I decided to buy one and figure out the rest later. I travel to the Bay Area for work frequently and actually had a plane ticket from a cancelled trip that I needed to use. Adding a leg to LA actually brought the overall ticket price DOWN (whatever, but I’ll take it!) so here we are. <br />
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I am sitting in the fabulous downtown LA Double Tree, counting out time until the ceremony this evening. <br />
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I will certainly post something tonight or tomorrow. Will TRY to take a video or photo but I am sure they will be cracking down on that and I do just want to enjoy this moment as opposed to trying to preserve it. Hell it’ll all be on HBO next month anyway. <br />
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Also excited to see Heart and Randy Newman, and additional performers that turn my crank include John Mayer, Christina Aquilera, Cheech and Chong and yeah even Don Henley. <br />
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Looking at how I labeled each of my blog posts for easy future reference, I have posted about Rush 97 times since I started this blog in 2006. Um, sorry about that. <br />
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But here are a few of my favorites: <br />
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<a href="http://isorski.blogspot.com/2008/01/neil-peart-writes-to-isorski.html">Neil Peart Writes to Isorski</a><br />
<a href="http://isorski.blogspot.com/2009/02/crazy-dude-plays-by-tor-and-snow-dog-on.html">Crazy Dude Plays By-Tor and the Snow Dog on A Ukulele</a><br />
<a href="http://isorski.blogspot.com/2008/06/teenage-rush-fans-you-think-you-had-it.html">Teenage Rush Fans – You Think You Had It Rough?</a> <br />
<a href="http://isorski.blogspot.com/2008/07/accidental-drum-tech-cool-neil-peart.html">The Accidental Drum Tech - Cool Neil Peart Story</a> <br />
<a href="http://isorski.blogspot.com/2010/08/concert-review-rush.html">Concert Review – Time Machine Tour</a> <br />
<a href="http://isorski.blogspot.com/2007/07/concert-review-rush.html">Concert Review - Snakes and Arrows Tour</a> <br />
<a href="http://isorski.blogspot.com/2008/01/geddy-lee-and-joys-of-winter.html">Geddy Lee and the Joys of Winter</a> <br />
<br />
...And in an act of totally SHAMELESS promotion, here is my band attempting What You're Doing from the first Rush album:<br />
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<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/SkOLZLnfacs" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Isorskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14484072540653411158noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32259972.post-51933635084789740922013-04-15T09:28:00.002-07:002013-04-15T09:28:49.193-07:00First New Sabbath Single Coming FridayI am getting truly fired up for this new Ozzy-led Sabbath album due to the handful of "In the Studio" videos the band has been releasing.<br />
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The new album, called 13, is set for release on June 10. The first single, God is Dead?, is set for release on April 19 (Friday). And in a move that some see as controversial but that I see as just a necessary evil in this day and age of record company languish, the song The End Of The Beginning will debut in the close of TV show CSI next month. I imagine in edited form, as it's an eight minute track!<br />
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Again, it's impossible to get a feel for a whole album from little snips, but I am hearing a serious old school Sabbath vibe in these video clips.<br />
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13 tracklist<br />
1. End Of The Beginning (8:07)<br />
2. God Is Dead? (8:54)<br />
3. Loner (5:06)<br />
4. Zeitgeist (4:28)<br />
5. Age Of Reason (7:02)<br />
6. Live Forever (4:49)<br />
7. Damaged Soul (7:43)<br />
8. Dear Father (7:06)<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/TB34lNDL244" width="560"></iframe>Isorskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14484072540653411158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32259972.post-27988696860692211412013-04-11T15:48:00.002-07:002013-04-11T15:48:52.226-07:00Fleetwood Mac EP Coming SoonTaking a feather from Rush’s cap, Fleetwood Mac have hit the road with a couple of new songs to play live (as opposed to a full album), and will release an EP within days, according to reports. <br>
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I think this is one of the benefits of the digital age, where bands don’t feel obligated to release full albums (frankly, sometimes padding said albums with CRAP to get them done on time). It provides a nice level of freedom and keeps the creative juices flowing without the pressure of a full release. Or so I’d imagine. <br>
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Rolling Stone reports that Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks recorded at his home leading up to the tour, and one of the new songs, Sad Angel, was filmed just days ago in Philly. <br>
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Check it out: <br>
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<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/CITTkWQyf4g" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br>
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It’s got some nice moments and I bet the studio version has legs. <br>
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Total sidebar but have you seen SNL’s Bill Hader do Lindsey Buckingham? It’s a recurring character and it’s damn funny. <br>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4ZoDFdYlah-RiikToe2n6Un4G0_OkUVXwVLtDOVkF9rO5eGUzfHIenxXHXX7LnAJn3MT9hnwPznUZxLpfkjMIxlWlzSlpfWPMXi7Qd8nmZK684wvnHZojhVIEmJATL4yVNNkpOQ/s1600/Hader.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4ZoDFdYlah-RiikToe2n6Un4G0_OkUVXwVLtDOVkF9rO5eGUzfHIenxXHXX7LnAJn3MT9hnwPznUZxLpfkjMIxlWlzSlpfWPMXi7Qd8nmZK684wvnHZojhVIEmJATL4yVNNkpOQ/s320/Hader.jpg" /></a>
Isorskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14484072540653411158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32259972.post-4945442983850551852013-04-10T18:04:00.000-07:002013-04-11T15:50:55.625-07:00McCartney "Wings Over America" Album, "Rockshow" Film Re-release Coming SoonPeople either love or hate Paul McCartney's post-Beatles work, especially the band Wings. <br>
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While conceding that it took the band a few albums to gel, I always loved the band and think the latter albums (London Town and Back to the Egg) are very underrated. <br>
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A few years back, Macca put out the splendid DVD Wingspan, which chronicled the whole of the 70s for Paul, from the Beatles break-up and his massive depression following it, to his re-energized career and the ashes to glory story of Wings.<br>
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The apex for Wings was this mid 70s period where McCartney could sell out arenas again and put out great sounding singles that placed well in the charts. Once Wings achieved this massive success, I get the feeling McCartney felt vindicated and didn't need to prove himself anymore, and then Wings kind of petered out. <br>
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Wings Over America, the triple album that chronicled the 1976 tour I just mentioned, is going to come out in expanded, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Wings-Over-America-Deluxe-McCartney/dp/B00C8985DU/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1365641904&sr=1-1">remastered format on May 28</a>. This version will have an additional disc from a California concert, plus a DVD of the Wings special Wings Over The World. There will also be the regular less expensive version that maps to the original release, but of course also remastered.<br>
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Also being released is the film Rockshow, the full concert (not the edited version that came out on VHS and Betamax in 1980) fully restored from the original 35mm film and with restored & remastered sound. I didn't know this before looking into the re-release but this tour was the only time McCartney toured the States in the 70s, and it was his first appearance there since the mid-60s with the Beatles, so no wonder it was such a success!<br>
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I had Rockshow on a video tape and watched it a million times. Its the ultimate chronicle of live Wings, from Paul pulling out old Beatles tunes in an acoustic set (I've Just Seen A Face, Blackbird), to Wings hits (Live and Let Die, Band on the Run), to Wings B-sides (Letting Go, Rockshow, Let Me Roll It).<br>
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Rockshow will also be shown on the big screen for one night only on May 15. For a listing of theaters, go to http://rockshowonscreen.com/.<br>
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Below is a YouTube of Let Me Roll It from the film. It'll be nice to have a cleaned up version. I was wondering when this might come out again, and I happy to see it's imminent!<br>
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<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/XjqMvhfUlSI?list=PL3989F11827BCE107" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Isorskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14484072540653411158noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32259972.post-19906718122686325352013-04-04T15:23:00.001-07:002013-04-04T15:23:06.712-07:00Black Sabbath Release Song Snippet and Artwork from Upcoming Album<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoieEQQhMkEm-qqpW63vpkNQmL6ArZkxj9qSqq72S2lvN-QGGsMsylbgqDeDjE4x9WrewUrbRyfhG5kJ9b2PjFeHwNwm_es0LKEQlQamZN_OIrU9afMgy-hzgPaA7kviHAlIz_mg/s1600/Black-Sabbath-13-album-art-604x569.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoieEQQhMkEm-qqpW63vpkNQmL6ArZkxj9qSqq72S2lvN-QGGsMsylbgqDeDjE4x9WrewUrbRyfhG5kJ9b2PjFeHwNwm_es0LKEQlQamZN_OIrU9afMgy-hzgPaA7kviHAlIz_mg/s200/Black-Sabbath-13-album-art-604x569.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
Black Sabbath is releasing a new album on June 11 - the first with Ozzy since 1978's Never Say Die. Bill Ward is not drumming on the album (called '13') so it's not a full reunion of the original lineup. But it's still an interesting idea, if not one rife with risk <br />
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The band resisted doing this for ages, for fear of not being able to live up to its legacy. A legit concern.<br />
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The band's producer on this album, Rick Rubin, forced the Sabs to listen to all of its old albums and said - you are going to make an album like these. Balls, but I guess that is why he gets the big bucks.<br />
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Well, based on this snip, he succeeded. It sounds like it was pulled off of Sabbath Bloody Sabbath. It's impossible to judge a whole album by a 30 second sample, but this sure gets me fired up to check it out.<br />
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What do you think?<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/d4p86ALnIzo" width="560"></iframe>Isorskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14484072540653411158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32259972.post-17984810256064426122013-04-02T12:51:00.002-07:002013-04-02T12:51:58.150-07:00Prog on the High Seas - Cruise From The Edge is a Success<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnCIx2ImusfXj_M76TgPAqQn23-PXbSz-v6HSGqr14MPo74Q9OksJDCwfywlNzn443q7TLSdyxSuDoiJ_gzfqYhKtejuwV5mpbf9YhB3jBhks1T0j6gc44emFeLIbi4wVY1VWuhQ/s1600/396511_490558057634722_495300461_a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnCIx2ImusfXj_M76TgPAqQn23-PXbSz-v6HSGqr14MPo74Q9OksJDCwfywlNzn443q7TLSdyxSuDoiJ_gzfqYhKtejuwV5mpbf9YhB3jBhks1T0j6gc44emFeLIbi4wVY1VWuhQ/s1600/396511_490558057634722_495300461_a.jpg" /></a></div>
There are some ideas that look good on paper and turn out to be terrible in execution. Then there are ideas that just sound so comically bad, you throw up in your mouth a little but then shockingly they turn out OK! <br />
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The Cruise to the Edge cruise, where numerous prog bands set sail around the Caribbean (led by Yes, hence the name) on a five day tour of prog rock and elbow rubbing with FANatics is such an example. <br />
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When I heard about this idea, I thought it was five rungs below Vegas. But the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/NotesFromtheEdge?ref=ts&fref=ts">Notes From The Edge blog</a> had someone who attended and posted every day. I’d encourage you to read through the five posts, but it sounds like it was actually a really cool cruise. <a href="https://www.facebook.com/notes/notes-from-the-edge/cruise-to-the-edge-day-1/10152727392710602">Start here with Day One</a> and poke around to find the rest.<br />
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I had wondered if the artists would be cordoned off in their rooms in between sets to avoid 'the little people' but from the reports, passengers were able to run into and chat up some of prog’s most revered artists, including Steve Hackett, Chris Squire, Carl Palmer and John Wetton. <br />
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There were full concerts in what looks like a pretty nice indoor theater (see below), as well as less formal poolside and bar-esque indoor venues. Then there were question and answer sessions with musicians but also guys like Roger Dean, who designed most of Yes’ album sleeves. <br />
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The lineup was impressive – really a who’s who of 70s prog. Apparently the food and service were so-so and the seas were very rocky, but the bands kept it light and everyone was amused by the fact that they were all on a boat, hanging with each other and jamming for the obviously very devoted fans. <br />
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If they do this again I just might consider attending! Below are a some videos I was able to find. <br />
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Steve Hackett solo<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/atoETilOh3M" width="560"></iframe> <br />
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Steve Howe and Jon Davison from Yes<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/8pd0HyXMJ6A" width="560"></iframe><br />
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Yes playing Turn of the Century, sounding shockingly good on this very difficult song w/no Rick Wakeman or Jon Anderson!<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/i0ZQu8l0o5w?list=UUrJwwr5nBsEnwipO6by5uqg" width="560"></iframe>
Isorskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14484072540653411158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32259972.post-69066992626143953722013-02-26T14:25:00.001-08:002013-02-26T14:26:24.498-08:00Cookie Monster SubdivisionsI have been on a break from social media since new years - ditched my Facebook account for the moment and have not been too stressed about updating this blog. But mother of god, look what drove me back online. This is classic. Make sure to get to the vocals. <br>
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<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/XknSZNYTkkQ" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
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I'd actually buy this as an instrumental track. The music is great, although the drums are a tad over the top!Isorskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14484072540653411158noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32259972.post-6949858222715838992012-12-13T14:40:00.000-08:002012-12-13T14:40:03.071-08:00Real Time Thoughts on 121212 Concert for Hurricane SandyI tell ya, the way to watch the 121212 Sandy benefit concert is on DVR. You skip the hurricane montages and the Billy Crystal filler between sets and get right to what you want. <br>
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I actually skipped the first 30 minutes or so. Sorry but Springsteen has never done much for me, and his special guest Bon Jovi even less. Maybe it's because I have never had a true blue collar job and don't relate to the east coast but Bruce has never clicked for me. I'm sure he rocked and was a cool choice to open the event but I guess I'll never know! <br>
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So that means I jumped right to Roger Waters. Man, who invited him to this thing? I love Waters and Floyd but if you wanted uplifting, you weren't going to get it here! <br>
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He opens with In The Flesh, which is very in your face, then continuing to tell the MSG that we don't need no education. Money and Us and Them are totally aimed at the politicians in attendance and viewing around the world. Maybe not the most appropriate cause at which to get on the soapbox but it was pretty cool. <br>
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My only problem with Roger Waters' band doing Dark Side stuff is that Waters doesn't sing on any of it, so it's a bit of a tribute band situation. Those two songs didn't do much for me. <br>
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The closer, Comfortably Numb, was good. Eddie Vedder guested to sing the choruses and was excellent. But the whole thing was too heavy for the cause if you ask me. <br>
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Next up we had Adam Sandler with Paul Shaffer between sets doing a silly version on Hallelujah that was more appropriate to the cause than Waters' whole set, which says a lot! <br>
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Bon Jovi was up next. Skipped most of it. Again, not super into him but Richie Sambora sounded good. <br>
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Next up was Clapton, who walked out with a nylon string guitar and sat down. I thought oh no holy shit bossa nova Layla. But no, it was a sweet version of Nobody Loves You When You're Down and Out. <br>
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Then a drummer and bass player joined and Clapton picked up his Strat for a funky version of Got To Get Better in a Little While. Nice to see Clapton in a three piece that isn't Cream, and his solo was absolutely off the hook. Next was a jumpy version of Crossroads. The whole set was really stripped down, blues-based jamming. It was cool. Could have as easily been in a bar! <br>
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I generally think he is over rated but truth is, Clapton really shines at events like this where he can hand pick four or five tunes that he can really own. But I did think, why didn't Clapton get up with Waters and rip a solo on something? He did lay down sweet leads all over Waters' Pros and Cons of Hitchhiking way back when, but oh well... <br>
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The Stones followed. I was pretty excited to see this based on their recent UK and US shows. Interesting set list and decent playing. The opener was really surprising! You Got Me Rockin from Voodoo Lounge. But slower and more groovy, like almost everything I heard on YouTube from those other concerts. The only other song they played was a super slowed down Jumpin Jack Flash. <br>
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Two songs? Total tease. But Jagger was tremendous. Still skinny, slinky and jerky, and his voice sounded strong as ever. Woodie sounded great. Had all the licks down. Pretty mellow onstage now that he's sober but gets the job done. Charlie is rock solid but as noted, slower. And fucking Keith. He is absolutely ancient. Shit they all are but somehow it works. <br>
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Next up was the first artist who wasn't between the age of 48 and 70. Alicia Keys, born in New York in 1981. I don't know much about her but she played three songs on piano and she was awesome. Fantastic voice, no autotune bullshit. Real singing and real playing. She was also so far the only NY-born artist, which helped her connect with the audience when she asked the whole MSG to put their lit cellphones in the air. Her generation's version of the lighter I guess... <br>
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Then it was time to roll out more oldies, with The Who. Wasn't sure I'd dig them or not. Lots of shark jumping lately for example their atrocious Super Bowl appearance. But The Who owned it. From the opening synth of Who Are You they slayed it with reckless abandon. Second song: Bell Boy from Quadrophenia. Are you kidding me? Epic! Using films of Keith from the 1973 tour for his vocal parts was brilliant. <br>
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I could have done without Pinball Wizard (ever again) but Baba O'Rielly was on fire (much because of drummer Zak Starkey and bassist Pino Palladino) and Love Rein O'er Me was a surprise electric finish (no Fooled Again) but it worked. The tempo was a little slower, so it was kind of brooding and Daltry really brought it. Daltry and Townshend wrapped it up with an acoustic Tea and Theatre, a newer gentle, introspective tune I have come to enjoy. <br>
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So I thought The Who stole the show to this point. Yeah, Daltry's voice has had it and he looks a bit like William Shatner up there, but Pete windmilled away, ripped some blazing leads and sawed at his guitar, while Starkey and Palladino channelled their best Moon and Entwistle. So The Who do six songs and the Stones do two. Weird. <br>
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How do you follow up The Who? You don't bother trying so you put Kanye West onstage. Who gives a fuck? Fast forward after 29 seconds. Take fast forward off to see what I am missing and hear Kanye's voice through auto tune. Really? Oh forget it... <br>
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How do you make up for that shit? Billy Joel? Close my eyes and his voice sounds exactly the same as it always has. Fantastic! Dude hasn't put out an album in 17 or 18 years but an still bring it at an event like this. Joel is a bit of an anomaly to me. Have a Merry Little Christmas into New York State of Mind was a nice touch. Closing with You May Be Right and Only The Good Die Young was cool. <br>
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I have never thought Billy Joel was very legit but over the years he had stuck through it and now has earned a bit of respect. Kind of like Neil Diamond. I dunno maybe I am smoking crack. He was good at this event. <br>
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Next up was Chris Marin from Coldplay on an acoustic guitar for some reason. Damn is his stuff singable. He did Viva La Vida and then dragged out Michael Stipe for Losing My Religion. Was pretty cool, actually! <br>
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Then the closer was supposed to be Paul McCartney and I feared for my sanity at hearing that dreadful song of his, Freedom. But no, he showed up playing Kurt Cobain in a reformed Nirvana. <br>
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Well, first he played some stuff with his usual absolutely killer, rocking band: Helter Skelter, Let Me Roll It, 1985, a new tune called My Valentine, and Blackbird. <br>
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But then here we go. No lie. Dave Grohl on drums. Recluse bassist Krist Novoselic. First guitarist Pat Smear. And McCartney. Huh? Did it work? Yeah!<br>
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But it was weird! Reminded me of McCartney's side project The Fireman. Dave Grohl plays harder than McCartney's usual drummer, if that is possible. Novoselic looked uncomfortable and strange. McCartney was playing some boxy looking slide guitar thing. The new song co-written by the Nirvana folks and McCartney was called Cut Me Some Slack or something like that. It totally rocked but then it was back to normal and McCartney played I've Got A Feeling and a few others to close it out with Live And Let Die. The Nirvana tune should have been the end. But what are ya gonna do? <br>
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All in all a hell of an event and lineup. Jagger said it best when he said this has got to be the largest collection of old English musicians ever assembled in Madison Square Garden! <br>
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As with most of these events, there were loads of celebs answering phones and talking between bands. Nothing much to call out except when did Chelsea Clinton get semi-hot? <br>
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Here is the McNirvana tune: <br>
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<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/624HfkMty_8" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Isorskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14484072540653411158noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32259972.post-19395298126689320022012-12-12T11:25:00.000-08:002012-12-12T11:25:10.358-08:00Stones, The Who, McCartney, Roger Waters, Springsteen to Rock MSG for Hurricane Sandy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe_q4jgAuLP2k4PA4q_52wSgRs6EQ69X2jrfURfWKahk1FH3tanX0cbbADWTIwqJ7hyphenhyphenSgBAm4IGwHQH5CTqc03uEv2w3Hoq_z4dqJOgAujjR4yxpDcdjqou2_ap3ESF8Fs1Lti9g/s1600/121212.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="131" width="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe_q4jgAuLP2k4PA4q_52wSgRs6EQ69X2jrfURfWKahk1FH3tanX0cbbADWTIwqJ7hyphenhyphenSgBAm4IGwHQH5CTqc03uEv2w3Hoq_z4dqJOgAujjR4yxpDcdjqou2_ap3ESF8Fs1Lti9g/s200/121212.jpg" /></a></div>
I would be crucified for suggesting there is an upside to horrible tragic events like 9-11 and Hurricane Sandy, but New York tragedies do tend to lead to the most killer all-star charity concerts. <br>
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Take tonight, where the 12-12-12 Concert for Hurricane Sandy cranks up at 7:30 p.m. ET, with this crazy all-star cast: Paul McCartney, The Rolling Stones, Roger Waters, Bruce Springsteen, The Who, Eric Clapton, Dave Grohl, Bon Jovi, Billy Joel, Kanye West, Alicia Keys, and Chris Martin of Coldplay. I am sure there will be guests too.<br>
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Some of the pre-event buzz says that Paul McCartney and Dave Grohl will do some kind of a duet, and Roger Waters told Jimmy Fallon last night that he’d be closing with Comfortably Numb with the assistance of a special guest, Pearl Jam frontman Eddie Vedder. That will be pretty cool.<br>
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My kid has his Christmas program tonight – I really have to tell the school to consult with my rock and roll calendar before booking shit – so it’ll be DVR all the way for me!<br>
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Here is the full video from Waters’ interview on Fallon last night. Fallon is always so freaked out by Waters, it’s funny! Hulu won’t let me embed the video <a href="http://www.metacafe.com/watch/hl-60158108/late_night_with_jimmy_fallon_roger_waters_season_2/">but you can see it here</a>.<br>Isorskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14484072540653411158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32259972.post-52751268813134004192012-12-11T11:13:00.001-08:002012-12-11T12:19:58.128-08:00Hallelujah - Rush Joins the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Christmas has come early this year – Rush has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The band was voted in by the Hall foundation nominating committee, which is made up of “more than 600 artists, historians and members of the music industry” plus for the first time, one vote from a public survey, which Rush won hands down. <br />
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A lot of people complain that Rush should have been in ages ago (true), or that the Hall is a joke and not important anyway (up for debate). But the fact is, they are in now, and Rush fans can now move on with the pride that their band is finally in. Also, it will be great to see the band appear to accept its award – I can only imagine incredibly funny speeches from the boys, and if they get to actually play a song or two, even better. <br />
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If they decide NOT to play (or are not asked), it will be very interesting to see other bands take a stab at it – think Genesis’ induction, where Phish tackled <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YUxoKrK10mI" target="_blank">Watcher Of The Skies</a> (great) and <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WRinvgW9-CA" target="_blank">No Reply At All</a> (not so great). <br />
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The band is on a break right now, having just completed its 2012 North American tour. They are gearing up for a trip overseas next year and then back to North America in 2013. I just saw the guys in Seattle and they are tighter than ever, still pushing the envelope with the set list by digging deep into the back catalog and busting out almost an hour of new material. <a href="http://isorski.blogspot.com/2012/11/concert-review-rush-key-arena-seattle.html" target="_blank">My review is here</a>. <br />
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Rolling Stone just posted a Q&A with Geddy Lee on how he feels. <a href="http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/geddy-lee-on-rushs-rock-and-roll-hall-of-fame-induction-well-show-up-smiling-20121211">Read the whole thing here</a>.<br />
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So, great news! Yay Rush! Welcome to the hall for what it’s worth. You have more than earned it. <br />
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Other inductees include Public Enemy, Heart, Randy Newman, Donna Summer and Albert King.Isorskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14484072540653411158noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32259972.post-69810312444343864002012-11-26T21:53:00.000-08:002012-11-26T21:53:46.827-08:00Mick Taylor Slays Midnight Rambler with the Rolling StonesOK here it is - thanks to <a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/jeffou67?feature=watch">jeffou67</a> on YouTube - the full glory of Midnight Rambler live from the O2 with Mick Taylor.<br>
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First up, it's odd when Mick Taylor is the most animated musician on the stage (Jagger excepted). Where back in the day, Taylor would stand in the back and rip leads, here he is literally chasing Jagger around the stage, trying to get his attention and mug it up a little. <br>
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Jagger is having nothing to do with it, but it's cool to see the Mick's jostle for the spotlight. Keith and Ronnie are content to chill with Charlie and let Taylor do his thing.<br>
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The playing? Very nice. The sound guys have to sort out some shit at the front end, but soon Taylor can hear himself and is laying down tasty licks like in the old days. There a few clams, but overall the performance underscores why the Mick Taylor era is the quintessential Stones era for many, including me.<br>
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I am really glad they are doing this again on Tuesday night, because I bet it will be tighter. One suggestion though - dude, lose the hoodie!<br>
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Here it is in all of it's raw glory:<br>
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<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/g7b4GwJ__X8" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Isorskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14484072540653411158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32259972.post-72416957935613285882012-11-25T21:00:00.000-08:002012-11-25T21:00:43.038-08:00Stones Dig Deep for First Full 50th Anniversary Concert; Jeff Beck, Mick Taylor, Bill Wyman GuestThe Stones have just played their first full-length arena concert of its 50th anniversary tour. This is less than 12 hours old, so I am sure more video and details will emerge, but the just-posted video of Jeff Beck playing the old tune I'm Goin Down with the Stones is pretty amazing. <br>
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The posting party is not allowing people to embed the video, so check it out <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Peg0mTWO13Q&feature=share&list=ULPeg0mTWO13Q">here</a>. (Keith's solo is pretty good too).<br>
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As expected, Bill Wyman and Mick Taylor also sat in. I will post video of that as I find it. Here is the full set list - pretty cool first half! Some real untouched gems there:<br>
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I Wanna Be Your Man (first live performance since 1964)<br>
Get Off of My Cloud <br>
It's All Over Now <br>
Paint It Black <br>
Gimme Shelter (with Mary J. Blige)<br>
Wild Horses <br>
All Down the Line <br>
I'm Going Down (with Jeff Beck)<br>
Out of Control <br>
One More Shot <br>
Doom and Gloom <br>
It's Only Rock 'n' Roll (But I Like It) (with Bill Wyman) <br>
Honky Tonk Women (with Bill Wyman)<br>
Before They Make Me Run <br>
Happy <br>
Midnight Rambler (with Mick Taylor)<br>
Miss You<br>
Start Me Up <br>
Tumbling Dice <br>
Brown Sugar <br>
Sympathy for the Devil <br>
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Encore:<br>
You Can't Always Get What You Want <br>
Jumpin' Jack Flash <br>Isorskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14484072540653411158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32259972.post-58209194542376666012012-11-23T15:27:00.000-08:002012-11-23T15:27:15.474-08:00Mick Taylor and Bill Wyman to Join Rolling Stones in LondonAccording to <a href="http://www.classicrockmagazine.com/news/rolling-stones-add-bill-wyman-mick-taylor-for-london/">Classic Rock Magazine</a>, former Rolling Stones Bill Wyman (bass) and Mick Taylor (guitar) will join the band as special guests when the Stones play this month at the O2 Arena on Sunday, November 25 and Thursday, November 29. <br>
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This is truly exciting news, because I love both of these guys' playing. Certainly the Mick Taylor era was the hands-down best era for the Stones. It will be interesting to see how he fits in all these years later.<br>
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Taylor's role was always to tastefully noodle throughout the band's repertoire live. They even gave him two solos in some songs, such as Love In Vain (video below).<br>
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I hope he gets to play at least a couple of songs per night.<br>
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By the way, I have DVR'd the HBO Stones bio <a href="http://www.rollingstones.com/crossfire-hurricane/">Crossfire Hurricane</a> and hope to check it out this weekend. I'll let you all know what I think.<br>
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<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/tCu7Qq1J-Jw" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Isorskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14484072540653411158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32259972.post-74965822328183221782012-11-15T16:18:00.001-08:002012-11-15T16:18:42.224-08:00Concert Review – Rush (Key Arena, Seattle)Made the dreadful six-hour round trip from Portland to Seattle and back to see Rush yet again, on the 26th show of the band’s Clockwork Angels tour on Tuesday. Was it worth it? Hell yes. Hell yes it was. So here is my review, along with some photos I snapped. <br />
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By the way: SPOILER ALERT – if you don’t want to know what the band is playing on this tour, stop reading, because that is the main focus of this post: the setlist. <br />
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Rush live is so amazing that it’s challenging to write about their shows. It comes down to little things like, how was Geddy’s voice? How was the mix? How was Neil’s solo? They never suck live, never have a bad night that isn’t better than most every other band’s best performance. So seeing Rush live really comes down to the setlist – what the hell are they going to blow our minds with? <br />
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The last few tours have been great dives into the past. Certainly the 30th anniversary tour was a celebration of the band’s whole repertoire, and the Time Machine tour was as well, with the band playing all of Moving Pictures for the first time ever. But now it’s time to focus on the present, and the excellent new Rush CD Clockwork Angels. After all this tour is supposed to promote that album, so I expected a lot of CA songs. And I got that. But I got more. A lot more. <br />
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Rush’s set list on this tour is really out there. I think this is a ballsy set list move on Rush’s part, for two reasons. <br />
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First of all, if you are a fan of 70s Rush, forget it – you got nothing except the encore of 2112. If you dig 90s Rush, same thing – you get The Pass and depending on the night, Bravado or Dreamline (more on this in a sec). If you dig 80s Rush and their new CD, you are in for a treat. The band this week played two songs from Signals, two from Grace Under Pressure, one from Hold Your Fire, and, brace yourself – four Power Windows songs (Big Money, Grand Designs, Territories, and Middletown Dreams). They add a fifth every other night - Manhattan Project. <br />
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So, the first set is another Time Machine tour, but back to the 80s. Second set is heavily the new album. The gems squeezed in between represent different eras, but Permanent Waves and Moving Pictures are notably absent, as is every album from the 70s for the most part! <br />
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OK, and then dig this: For the first time, the band is rotating numerous songs in and out of its setlist every other night. In the past there have been one or two tunes like Vital Signs that they have swapped in and out, but this move almost makes them seem like the Grateful Dead – on Rush’s terms of course! <br />
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Dig it: they have a list of about seven songs (Middletown Dreams, The Body Electric, The Pass, Bravado, Manhattan Project, and two songs from the new album – Seven Cities of Gold and Wish Them Well) that they are swapping out every night. So that’s interesting. <br />
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And a big change for Neil – he had two (three perhaps) drum solos. In the first set, he did a pretty solid, improvised run around the acoustic kit for a few minutes. Brilliant. Then in set two he did another solo, which was on his electric kit and more focused on triggering sounds and setting soundscapes. The ‘third solo’ was really a very extended drum break in the new song Headlong Flight that lasted about a minute. Very different and neat way to feature Neil without a seven minute spot. <br />
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So, here was the setlist: <br />
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Set 1: <br />
Subdivisions<br />
The Big Money<br />
Force 10<br />
Grand Designs<br />
Middletown Dreams<br />
Territories<br />
Analog Kid<br />
The Pass<br />
Where's My Thing (with drum solo) <br />
Far Cry<br />
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Set 2: <br />
Caravan<br />
Clockwork Angels<br />
The Anarchist<br />
Carnies<br />
The Wreckers<br />
Headlong Flight (with drum solo) <br />
Halo Effect (with guitar solo intro) <br />
Wish Them Well<br />
The Garden<br />
Dreamline<br />
The Percussor (drum solo) <br />
Red Sector A<br />
YYZ<br />
The Spirit of Radio<br />
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Encore: <br />
Tom Sawyer<br />
2112 Overture/Temples of Syrinx/Grand Finale<br />
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Yep you read that right – set two starts with nine (9) new songs in a row. Hope you bought that new album! Most of the songs are great with two or three exceptions. But any way you cut it, after an 80s-fest of a first set, they are really asking their audience for a lot of patience. When the band finally got to the final four songs of the night starting with YYZ, the audience unleashed two hours of pent-up energy and the place went mad. <br />
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Still, the band understands that its loyal fan base is tired of the same songs over and over again. So they have rightly been varying it up over the last 10 years. This 80s focused set lit is a surprise, but one I dig. I got into Rush in the 80s and my first show was Grace Under Pressure. So to see more half of Power Windows live again was killer for me. Yeah I missed Red Barchetta, Stick It Out, Freewill, Limelight and The Trees. But I’ve seen those songs a lot. Glad to check out some fresh stuff! <br />
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The band was joined for the second set by a seven-piece string section who augmented the band nicely and probably freed up Geddy from playing more keyboards and triggering samples. I could take or leave it, but it was cool. When the strings left and it was just back to three guys, the energy took off. <br />
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The stage set was sweet as usual, and the videos before and after the sets were also funny as usual. The sum total though was that the band gets better every time I see them. Geddy’s voice was strong, especially on all of those high-assed 80s songs. The guys just had a ten-day rest, so I am sure that had something to do with it. This set list is more song-focsed so there were less Alex Lifeson freakout jams, and I did miss that a bit. But I have to say, once the started Analog Kid, I thought to myself – the drive is already worth it! Here are some snaps: <br />
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Isorskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14484072540653411158noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32259972.post-73846938609017525942012-11-02T15:44:00.000-07:002012-11-02T15:44:09.531-07:00Film Review - Led Zeppelin Celebration Day<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I am in a ‘guys book club.’ Here is the way it works – we rotate months, someone picks a theme and a book to go along with it. We don’t read the book and we gather at some place that matches the theme to have a night out. Great concept, huh? We’ve “read” The Killer Angels (paint ball), Rat Pack Confidential (Portland Supper Club crooner night), and Adult Paparazzi - Nude Bowling Issue (bowling – maybe a few of us looked at this book too).<br />
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My night was in October, so of course I suggested we all ‘read’ Hammer of the Gods and attend as our event, the one-night-only theater screening of the Led Zeppelin film “<a href="http://www.ledzeppelin.com/celebrationday/o2_splash.html" target="_blank">Celebration Day</a>.” <br />
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For those of you unaware, this is a two-hour concert film that captures the sights, sounds and smells of Led Zeppelin in 2007 when the band reunited for its first full-length concert since 1980 and its third reunion including the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ppxkcb9r52g" target="_blank">atrocious Live Aid appearance</a> and the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FVJUo_hN5HU" target="_blank">slightly less than atrocious Atlantic Records 40th anniversary show</a>. <br />
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In those latter mini-gigs, the band was woefully under-rehearsed and mainly Page was the weak link. I’ll never forget them getting totally lost in the middle of Kashmir (the song) in the Atlantic records set. <br />
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For this 2007 concert, they were incredibly polished, confident and kick ass. I thought the weak link would be Plant, but he sounded great, despite the fact that the band tuned a handful of songs to a lower key to accommodate his voice. <br />
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But from the opening chords of Good Times Bad Times, the 16-song set picks up speed like <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FHtvDA0W34I" target="_blank">Felix Baumgartner</a> from 125,000 feet (minus the spinning) and just really never stops. <br />
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The set list was perfect – a good mix of songs they “had to play” per Plant, such as Stairway, Dazed and Confused, Whole Lotta Love and Rock and Roll, and deep cuts like For Your Life, In My Time of Dying, Trampled Under Foot and Misty Mountain Hop. <br />
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The film was all concert – no backstage or backstory, and showed precious little of the audience. It was all about the band and the interplay between all of the musicians<br />
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Thankfully John Paul Jones gets as much screen time as Page and Plant (unlike most of the concert videos of Zeppelin), as he is the true secret weapon of that group. In this concert film, you get to see how much he really does in that band. <br />
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Jason Bonham did his homework and was fantastic. Page does not quite have his chops back to 70s level but he was impressive nonetheless. If this band had indeed toured, he would have risen to a sick level of playing. But he is clearly confident and digging playing these tunes with his old band again. <br />
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In fact there are a lot of smiles all around, nicely captured by the film crew. It’s a real joy to dig this classic band kick ass one last time. <br />
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Celebration Day comes out on November 19 in various DVD, CD and Blu Ray formats will extra goodies like footage from the rehearsals. But I have to say, just the two hour concert is worth it. <br />
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I found this official video of Kashmir from the film. All of my book club buddies agreed that this song in particular blew everyone away. See what you think: <br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/PG49QZw0Kc4" width="560"></iframe><br />
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Here is the full set list: <br />
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1. Good Times Bad Times<br />
2. Ramble On<br />
3. Black Dog<br />
4. In My Time Of Dying<br />
5. For Your Life<br />
6. Trampled Under Foot<br />
7. Nobody’s Fault But Mine<br />
8. No Quarter<br />
9. Since I’ve Been Loving You<br />
10. Dazed And Confused<br />
11. Stairway To Heaven<br />
12. The Song Remains The Same<br />
13. Misty Mountain Hop<br />
14. Kashmir<br />
15. Whole Lotta Love<br />
16. Rock And RollIsorskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14484072540653411158noreply@blogger.com1