The life of the touring musician isn't all Rolls Royces in swimming pools, as this old nugget proves.
Being a touring musician is just one big peripatetic piss-up, isn't it? A riot of adoring fans, free booze and women (or men) as you barrel merrily from one exotic location to the next. Trust a songwriter as singular as Loudon Wainwright III to do away with the glamour and focus on the less celebrated parts of the job.
Perhaps better known as the father of more exalted offspring Rufus and Martha (criminally, I think, though that's not to sleight their own output), and for familial songs of parenthood, domesticity, divorce and death, Motel Blues predates all that – this is Wainwright from 1971 when he was a rising star.
"In this town television shuts off at two/ What can a lonely rock and roller do?" it begins. At 2 mins 47 secs, with just Wainwright and his guitar, it's a bleak look at the life of a touring musician in need of companionship: "I don't want to stare at them ugly grass mat walls." It's funny, too, as Wainwright so often is: "Chronologically I know you're young/ But when you kissed me in the club you bit my tongue." He offers various reasons why this woman should come back to his motel room, none of which appear to be successful, before delivering a last, desperate plea. It's less trashing hotel rooms; more trashing a myth.
The clip above is faithful to the studio recording. Live, Wainwright's kneejerks, tongue waggling and pained faces can sometimes distract from the lyrics, but they can also emphasise the humour and heartache of his songs, and this 1978 performance is pitched perfectly.
Motel Blues has been covered a few times, one of my favourites being the Bombay Bicycle Club version. With Jack Steadman's wavering vocals, they manage to make it sound even more tragic. It was also revisited by Wainwright himself on 2008's Recovery, an album of "re-covers" of his own material from his first four albums. It's startling to hear a 60-something singer revisit a song written in his 20s about trying to get laid.
Monday, January 30, 2012
Friday, January 27, 2012
Hanson: Symphonies Nos 4 and 5,
Howard Hanson (1896-1981) is probably best remembered as one of the US's most important music educators – he was head of the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY, for 40 years. But he was a prolific composer, too, with an output that included seven symphonies. All were unashamedly post-Romantic in style and the two here, part of Gerard Schwarz's fine Hanson cycle with the Seattle Symphony, are couched in a language somewhere between Sibelius and Rachmaninov. Hanson apparently regarded the Fourth, (1943), composed as a requiem for his father, as his finest work, while the single-movement Fifth, completed 11 years later, was subtitled Sinfonia Sacra. Both are imposing, economical works with an austerity that emphasises their debt to Sibelius, and there's an equal directness about the two other works on the disc – the 1956 Elegy, in memory of the conductor Serge Koussevitsky, and Dies Natalis of 1967, composed to mark the 100th anniversary of Nebraska, Hanson's home state.
Thursday, January 26, 2012
'Graceland is the peak in my solo career'
Singer considers 1986 album to be his greatest – and defends decision to record in South Africa during apartheid regime
Paul Simon has said he considers his 1986 album Graceland his greatest musical achievement and has defended his decision to record part of the album in South Africa during the apartheid regime.
The singer says in a new documentary that charts his return to the country for the 25th anniversary of the album's release: "I thought about writing political songs about the situation, but I'm not actually very good at it."
He adds of the South African musicians he worked with on the album: "They didn't say 'come and tell our story.'"
Simon, 70, was present at the premiere of the documentary Under African Skies at the Sundance film festival in Utah. In an interview with director Joel Berlinger, he said he was surprised by protests in the aftermath of the album's release and on his subsequent world tour. Anti-apartheid activists picketed shows, criticising Simon for breaking the cultural boycott of the country.
Simon admits in the film he was "unprepared" for the atmosphere in Johannesburg when he flew there to record, but argues his actions were ultimately justifiable.
"Once I saw it had an immediate acceptance and that people loved it and had great affection for the music, I thought the tour and the album were going to be a very effective way of showing just how evil apartheid was," he said. He added that Graceland, which won a Grammy for album of the year, is "the peak in my solo career" and a breakthrough in his ability to write songs.
"It was my go-to album when I was down," said director Joe Berlinger, whose previous films include the Metallica documentary Some Kind of Monster. "But I also supported the anti-apartheid movement. So I did understand the criticism. We flew off to South Africa not really sure what we were going to find."
The 10-day shoot in South Africa reunited former Graceland collaborators such as Ladysmith Black Mambazo for an anniversary concert. Simon also met Dali Tambo of Artists Against Apartheid, the organisation that campaigned for the cultural boycott.
The film concludes with Simon and Dali being reconciled on camera. "If someone says 'Paul Simon made a great record but he made a political misstep,' that's OK," Simon said. "I don't think that."
There are also cameo appearances from fans of the singer, including Vampire Weekend and Oprah Winfrey, and his friends, such as David Byrne, Harry Belafonte, Paul McCartney and Philip Glass.
Graceland will be re-released in a commemorative edition in May, while Under African Skies may be screened on network TV in the UK.
Paul Simon has said he considers his 1986 album Graceland his greatest musical achievement and has defended his decision to record part of the album in South Africa during the apartheid regime.
The singer says in a new documentary that charts his return to the country for the 25th anniversary of the album's release: "I thought about writing political songs about the situation, but I'm not actually very good at it."
He adds of the South African musicians he worked with on the album: "They didn't say 'come and tell our story.'"
Simon, 70, was present at the premiere of the documentary Under African Skies at the Sundance film festival in Utah. In an interview with director Joel Berlinger, he said he was surprised by protests in the aftermath of the album's release and on his subsequent world tour. Anti-apartheid activists picketed shows, criticising Simon for breaking the cultural boycott of the country.
Simon admits in the film he was "unprepared" for the atmosphere in Johannesburg when he flew there to record, but argues his actions were ultimately justifiable.
"Once I saw it had an immediate acceptance and that people loved it and had great affection for the music, I thought the tour and the album were going to be a very effective way of showing just how evil apartheid was," he said. He added that Graceland, which won a Grammy for album of the year, is "the peak in my solo career" and a breakthrough in his ability to write songs.
"It was my go-to album when I was down," said director Joe Berlinger, whose previous films include the Metallica documentary Some Kind of Monster. "But I also supported the anti-apartheid movement. So I did understand the criticism. We flew off to South Africa not really sure what we were going to find."
The 10-day shoot in South Africa reunited former Graceland collaborators such as Ladysmith Black Mambazo for an anniversary concert. Simon also met Dali Tambo of Artists Against Apartheid, the organisation that campaigned for the cultural boycott.
The film concludes with Simon and Dali being reconciled on camera. "If someone says 'Paul Simon made a great record but he made a political misstep,' that's OK," Simon said. "I don't think that."
There are also cameo appearances from fans of the singer, including Vampire Weekend and Oprah Winfrey, and his friends, such as David Byrne, Harry Belafonte, Paul McCartney and Philip Glass.
Graceland will be re-released in a commemorative edition in May, while Under African Skies may be screened on network TV in the UK.
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Wishbone Ash live in Freiheiz
Wishbone Ash play in Freiheiz MünchenAm 01/31/2012 in the English rock band Wishbone Ash plays Freiheiz in Munich. The Quartet is located on the 42nd Band years and is powerful, melodic, dynamic, and its famous twin-guitar sound as true as ever. The characteristic sound of bands like Wishbone Ash had a major influence Thin Lizzy, Iron Maiden and a host of other young artists.
Still play the four old warriors of rock music incredible 150-200 concerts a year - and on two continents. The tour-proven rocker Andy, Muddy, Bob and Joe will present the fans with their legendary live concerts, a musical fireworks - a worldwide cult. Included in the package is at the Tour of Germany's new studio album "Elegant Stealth", with which Wishbone Ash prove that they have developed in spite of fidelity to their sound further.
Veteran bassist and band Bob Skeat, who is 14 years since it swirls with the Finnish guitar master Muddy Manninen on the new album to the bet. Joe Crabtree, a British drummer from new blow that has played with Pendragon and David Cross of King Crimson, relies on this disc very special designs. And of course, Andy Powell, "Keeper of the Light" (Keeper of Light), is hosting a Song-highlight after the other. The tape shows an outstanding manner, that she is an extraordinary and vibrant history of rock.
The pop-rock song "Reason to Believe" has radio-friendly atmosphere. If you prefer something lighter atmosphere, for the recommended "Give it Up". In addition, Wishbone Ash show with her new songs, as EndOfText and playing on this album single-rounder merge into one unit. Even Don Airey of Deep Purple contributed his part to "Elegant stealth" when, as in the instrumental number "mud-slick" he plays the organ.
They also visit the Wishbone Ash concert on 31.01.2012 in Freiheiz in Munich. The team from Munich Blog wishes much fun.
Still play the four old warriors of rock music incredible 150-200 concerts a year - and on two continents. The tour-proven rocker Andy, Muddy, Bob and Joe will present the fans with their legendary live concerts, a musical fireworks - a worldwide cult. Included in the package is at the Tour of Germany's new studio album "Elegant Stealth", with which Wishbone Ash prove that they have developed in spite of fidelity to their sound further.
Veteran bassist and band Bob Skeat, who is 14 years since it swirls with the Finnish guitar master Muddy Manninen on the new album to the bet. Joe Crabtree, a British drummer from new blow that has played with Pendragon and David Cross of King Crimson, relies on this disc very special designs. And of course, Andy Powell, "Keeper of the Light" (Keeper of Light), is hosting a Song-highlight after the other. The tape shows an outstanding manner, that she is an extraordinary and vibrant history of rock.
The pop-rock song "Reason to Believe" has radio-friendly atmosphere. If you prefer something lighter atmosphere, for the recommended "Give it Up". In addition, Wishbone Ash show with her new songs, as EndOfText and playing on this album single-rounder merge into one unit. Even Don Airey of Deep Purple contributed his part to "Elegant stealth" when, as in the instrumental number "mud-slick" he plays the organ.
They also visit the Wishbone Ash concert on 31.01.2012 in Freiheiz in Munich. The team from Munich Blog wishes much fun.
Thursday, January 19, 2012
"Citizens" Music
! "Citizens" of the upcoming album has no title yet - it's a song there is. "True Romance" is the first piece that has emerged from the band in the network.
The "Citizens" are a five piece band consisting of Martyn, Thom, Mike, Lawrence and Tom from London, whose paths have crossed at a party and eventually led, fortunately, the Citizens! was born.
Currently the band is still in the studio to the final work on the upcoming debut album to be completed, while the musical strengths of the guys are clearly in the indie-electro-field. Despite a clear idea of what direction the project Citizens! should go, there are always surprises that you can not plan: "We all live in London. It was supposed to be an impression of the different experiences of living in the city. That was the plan, but now its finished all the songs seem to be about sex I wonder what that says about us? "Said Tom.
The first track sounds very very promising. Brewing that something big here:
9 / 10 points!
The "Citizens" are a five piece band consisting of Martyn, Thom, Mike, Lawrence and Tom from London, whose paths have crossed at a party and eventually led, fortunately, the Citizens! was born.
Currently the band is still in the studio to the final work on the upcoming debut album to be completed, while the musical strengths of the guys are clearly in the indie-electro-field. Despite a clear idea of what direction the project Citizens! should go, there are always surprises that you can not plan: "We all live in London. It was supposed to be an impression of the different experiences of living in the city. That was the plan, but now its finished all the songs seem to be about sex I wonder what that says about us? "Said Tom.
The first track sounds very very promising. Brewing that something big here:
9 / 10 points!
The Drums live in Munich
Beforehand - I was not really convinced of the concert. And that was not even necessarily in the performance of "The Drums", but once again the poor acoustics in the Ampere Club in Munich. This hall is really only suitable for concerts with little drums.
Nonetheless, the concert was sold out - the opening band "Cloud Control" were outstanding. But the atmosphere only really cooked with the start up of the drums. Why is the currently best-known title "Money" in perceived speed triple was played by the band but I can not even fully understand icon wink The Drums live in Munich.
Nonetheless, the concert was sold out - the opening band "Cloud Control" were outstanding. But the atmosphere only really cooked with the start up of the drums. Why is the currently best-known title "Money" in perceived speed triple was played by the band but I can not even fully understand icon wink The Drums live in Munich.
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