bossa nova

I watched the HBO rock 'n' roll hall of fame special last night and it was a true blast from the past, as it should be. About half-way through I realized that I had seen almost all of the big namers live in concert at one time or another. Which must mean I'm almost as old as these geezers or I used to have a bit of fun. Let's stick with the second choice for now, shall we?

It was an HBO special in the way that the cable channel used to have specials when hardly anyone had cable and the channel was trying to sign people up with the lure of a once-in-a-lifetime event. Every time you thought that the big act on stage must be the finale, another bigger rock legend would hit the stage. I was wondering for a moment when they started talking about Roy Orbison if I should prepare myself for a Lynchian ghost moment, but it turned out to be another Springsteen duo/duet.

I'd like to watch it again and tape parts of it, not all—chacun à sont goût as they say en francais. No offense to Aretha, but her segment gave me time to take a bathroom break, and Annie Lennox, who I love on disc, has never thrilled me live, I'm afraid. In fact, it was when Annie was doing her less-than-amazing thing that it occured to me that I have seen a lot of these folks live.

I saw Annie open for Sting, who I've seen live many times, who played with Stevie Wonder, who I saw at the Obama concert, where I also saw U2, James Taylor, John Legend, Bruce Springsteen and Jackson Browne. Browne I also saw many years ago as a teenager at the No Nukes concert while on a class trip to D.C. Simon and Garfunkle I saw in Central Park and Lou Reed at The Bottom Line. Ray Davies I saw in the same venue, Madison Square Garden, and in much better voice and spirits fronting The Kinks. I saw Mick Jagger in an elevator once...




So not only was it fun to listen to, but I was enjoying my own six degrees of concert bacon, so to speak. I'm not sure if how the concert was edited for HBO was how it was actually performed, as it seemed a little clunky when they brought out Sting once, then again later, and then did the same thing with the Boss. Not everyone always hit the right note every time, but hell, it's rock 'n' roll. Highlights included Sting + Stevie reaching Higher Ground, Bono, Bruce and Patti Smith doing Because the Night, Bruce and Sam of Sam and Dave doing Soul Man and Bruce and Billy Joel having fun being bridge and tunnel doofuses. Hell, it was Bruce's night. I've never been a huge fan, mostly because he comes from my old stomping grounds the Jersey Shore (I was born in Neptune, N.J.) and it was assumed that you were automatically a Springsteen fan at birth. I can't remember a 7-11 wall from my childhood without "Springsteen Rules!" graffiti on it. I've never been much of a joiner, so I tried to avoid that particular fan club. But it's impossible to grow up in Jersey and not know the catalogue, or the names Clarence Clemons, Nils Lofgren, Little Steven, etc. I will admit to loving 10th Avenue Freeze-out. Who doesn't?

So all in all, a good musical time, the Boss included, although I more highly recommend my "director's cut."

yes we did...

...attend the We Are One concert with about 500,000 of our close personal friends, neighbors and allies.

More to come...

Letsagetabitarockin

I guess I"m in a nostalgia phase, because the Clash sure sound good to me now. I was a huge fan in the 80s, and then, after Combat Rock, didn't listen for years. I won't even comment on po st-Mick Jones Clash. But with Jones making some new music and getting airplay lately, radio djs are also playing more "vintage" Clash and I have to admit that it is really fun to hear Rock the Casbah again. Who knew?

One of the reasons I loved the Clash in the first place, aside from their rocking beat, was their desire to blend politics and music. Sometimes the mix wasn't always successful, but they tried. They had a point of view.

What musicians today have a point of view? I guess U2 is still trying to carry on, but let's face it, they're geezers, too. What young bands have something (anything) to say? I like a pop song as much as the next guy, but shouldn't there be someone out there who wants to share an opinion? Hip-hop tries, but it's subject matter seems narrow more often than not. And I prefer rock music.

I guess I want to hear a world-view, set to music. But not "world music!"

John Mayer's Waiting On The World To Change pretty much sums it up - today's lazy louts are just sitting around waiting for the regime to change. Does his generation even get what a non-messsage song this is? Not too impressive. If I want a pure, simple, straight-forward song, I'll listen to Dylan-fils, whose song doesn't aspire to be more than a nice, easy song for summer driving, but somehow has more meaning than Mayer's ever could.

For a more rocking tune, I like Green Day's version of Lennon's Working Class Hero, but again, it's borrowed, pre-packaged, spirit, from someone who already really put himself out there.

The Clash's Joe Strummer is sorely missed. One of the great rock voices, he always had something to say. Being the son of a diplomat probably helped with his world view. But he was also a great, fun, rock 'n' roll singer, even from his early days with the 101ers. Joe, we hardly knew ye.

p.s. Just for fun...