SkipFish Music

A Black Stinger

2012-01-30T18:02:00.001-05:00

I wondered how I should start this entry. Was I going to go on about how I never want to seem like I am just posting negative reviews or opinions? Should I try to approach it with a sense of confusion about why this even exists? Then it dawned on me…just write how you feel. Explain it with reason and honesty. The rest will fall into place. So I figure that is a good way to tackle this. I gotta tell you up front…this one is littered with a healthy dose of negativity and bewilderment.

There are a couple of depressing trends happening in music. One trend is the constant barrage of greatest hits albums that flood the market. The 8 million different versions of almost the same thing. Annoying. The other is the tendency for bands “of a certain age” to announce retirement or reunions or something silly like that to garner support from the public. It works on some things. Others…not as much. A couple years ago when Scorpions announced they were hanging it up, releasing a new album, and were all but convinced this would be it…I bought in. A little bit anyway.

There have been tons of bands/artists that have pulled this retirement thing out. It is a clever marketing tool to get the cash flowing again. I am sure that there are many bands that have done this that mean what they say when they decide to call it quits. Most of the time though…it is all a ploy. Rock stars didn’t know or plan on continuing on into their 60’s and beyond. Nope. These guys were going to make a splash and get out. The Eagles, Kiss, and Ozzy Osbourne have all made some grand statements that this is the last time they are going to do such and such. They are all still out there doing their thing years later. In a way I am glad. In a way a feel jipped. That brings me to the Scorps.

On the previous version of this site I posted a review of STING IN THE TAIL, what was supposed to be the last proper studio album from the band. My thoughts at the time were ones of disappointment. I don’t think I would ever call their music “metal”, but it is hard rock for sure. I was never the biggest Scorpions fan, but I had moments of really liking a lot of their stuff. From the early days IN TRANCE and TAKEN BY FORCE are great records. Later on it is hard to imagine my rock youth without BLACKOUT and LOVEDRIVE. LOVE AT FIRST STING was certainly the moment when they exploded. They band was huge in the mid 1980’s. Like much of their genre though the band had a falling out with fans by the mid 1990’s. Big rock lost favor with the masses.

Scorpions never really stopped though. They became a little easier to predict, but they never stopped really. Songs like “Winds Of Change” and “Wild Child” kept them rolling along for years. I managed to always somehow be there on the fringe listening in to what was going on. 2004’s UNBREAKABLE was a fantastic record in my opinion. It had a much livelier feel to it. It was a bit rough around the edges, and some of the tracks had a darker tone. I thought it really suited the band well. It did not change my world, but I most certainly liked what I heard. The band tried to go all “new” on us with HUMANITY HOUR 1, and for me it failed. STING IN THE TAIL followed, and it wasn’t as “modern” sounding, but it was forgettable and very cookie cutter sounding. I was let down. I thought if this is how they were going to go out…they should have stepped off in 2004.

So of course the band hit the road. I had never seen the band live…so I bought tickets in my hometown. They cancelled. Getting older also means the higher risk of canceling smaller shows…that and band illness seems more and more of a common thread these days. I didn’t care for the album, but I was going because I bought in that this was it. Scorpions were no more. Then this happens…

COMEBLACK is a confusing mish mash of an album. The first half of the disc is rerecorded versions of “hits” from the band. The remaining cuts are throwaway cover versions of semi famous songs dressed up as the tunes that inspired the boys all those years ago. Hmmmmmm. I’m just not so sure. I take issue with this disc for a couple reasons. Obviously the retirement issue was a bit of a smoke screen…but the other is why was this done at all really?

Being a music collector as I am, I have my fair share of what is commonly known as oldies. Could be a song or two from a one off kind of band or something that is from a lesser-known artist. If the song was popular enough…meaning that it has stood the test of time and is still played fairly regularly but the overall celebrity of the artist isn’t huge…sometimes the original version of a song goes underground. In this digital age it will probably be easier to find a rerecorded version of it somewhere than the true original track. Think something like The Vogues well known “Five O'Clock World”. There are tons of versions of this song out there, but the real original is a bit tricky to find. Eric Burdon from The Animals rerecorded his hits on a disc about ten years ago. The original unedited and good sounding Animals albums are sort of hard to find, or at the very least they come with a premium price attahced. So I get that it can be a copywrite issue. That’s just not the case here.

The simple liner notes elude to the fact that the band had such a great time on the tour that they wanted to give the fans an “encore”. What a crock. If the fans were that crazy…why redo songs we already know? It also becomes painfully obvious that the original keys have been dropped to accomdate singer Klaus Meine these days. He still sounds clear and on target, but it is much lower and the whole thing smacks of paint by numbers.

The other thing that sort of makes this a bit frustrating is that if you were going to mess around with some classic tracks…why not make them a little different? It does have a raw/one take kind of feel to it. Probably because the band is so used to playing these songs on the road, but there is very little fresh about it. Subtle things like the glass shattering at the end of “Blackout” and the fade out to “No One Like You”…gone. “Rock You Like A Hurricane” is missing the drum reverb, and the opening cut of “Rhythm of Love” is bland and comes across a bit sloppy.

Covers can be dangerous. If you chose beloved songs…unless you go full on Yes style in a way to rework the song into an almost entirely new track…you better be faithful to the original. Here the band takes on songs by T.Rex, Small Faces, The Kinks, and The Beatles. “Across The Universe” is a nice take. It is very safe, but it is honest. It doesn’t make me cringe. It is true to the orginal with very little decorating it. The Kinks “All Day And All Of The Night” is like a loose bar band cover. It lacks passion. However…”Ruby Tuesday” by The Rolling Stones has a nice slant on the track. Without the use of piano like the original track the band creates a nice and somewhat fresh sounding version. Again…nothing wonderful, but a nice cover. At least this one to my ears has a bit more heart.

So as the disc closes…I wonder what it was I just listened to. The remakes are okay (“Blackout” probably being the only one that I think is emotive), but they don’t make sense. “The Zoo” is flat and uneven. The trademark solo talk box effect is scattered and muddy. The bass disappears throughout the entire album, and the overall crunch of the dual guitar is direct and a bit hard to swallow in spots. The drums are professional, but they lack identity. The covers…half okay…half…just there.

You have to wonder if we truly have heard the last from this band. I feel that if this was ever going to see the light of day…it would have been much better served as a companion piece to an anthology or box set sprinkled with a few unheard or lost gems from years gone by. The world did not need an updated version of “Still Loving You”. The original had heart and soul. This one is lacking both of those things. I also fail to see why the band chose something as weird as “Tainted Love” to cover. The Soft Cell remake was enough for one lifetime methinks.

It is hard to imagine ever pulling this out again and giving it a listen other than to bad mouth it and seek out the original versions. The band also released a BluRay of the recent tour. It is in 3D. I am sure it is a fun watch. I most certainly feel…even without seeing it yet that it has more depth than this. Go Black to where you came from…

Comeblack - Scorpions

And SOPA It Continues...

2012-01-26T21:32:00.000-05:00

Wikipedia has educated me on many bands. I’ve learned quite a few things by reading through the site to find out more about what I am looking for next from an artist. It sort of helps me decide if I am looking for the right kinds of stuff. Research ahead of time so to speak. It is an amazing place to stop and get info on whatever might be related to what I am looking for. How bands evolve, create, their history. Even with newer artists, it can be a great one-stop knowledge buffet for that type of info. If that information goes away…then where do I go then?

I read something the other day that irritated me. In a post on a music site that I read from time to time…someone asked if it was a violation of some copyright if a friend lends you a copy of an album (that they purchased legally), you put it on your iPod and listen to it…was that considered stealing? One post went on and on about how it was. That is a muddled area to me, and a huge part of me disagrees. The person stated that while it is true that nothing physical switched hands per se that the content transfer itself was a violation because the artist/company did not get paid for that new person to have access to that music. By this logic…if I was to “lend” you an album…you in turn have to pay me for this…and then I have to somehow get the funds back to the copyright holder? Seems like a mad stretch there don’t you think? Yet this is basically what we are dealing with here.

And let’s go back to those used media stores. If the book on the shelf is a copy that I buy for a small price compared to if it was brand new…am I violating the law? The person that got this title originally paid for it, right? A middle man (the store) gave them a fractional credit back for it when they brought it in and turned around and resold it to me for a profit. The store didn’t pay for anything for it really, right? When does the copyright end? When does the distribution of cash end? Because let us face facts. It is about the almighty dollar is it not? What about a less established store? Not a used record shop or bookstore. Does this same logic and precedent slide down to someone holding a garage sale? Does Lady Gaga need to get a piece of every garage sale resale of her CD across the fruited plain?

Technology has brought us to this place. Since it is so easy to transport and store things…the material is compact and easier to “consume”. The entertainment industry (and I use that term to attempt to cover music, film, and the written word) failed to see this coming by pricing itself out of the market. It seems like only now they are waking up to people being tired of paying $18.00 or more for a new CD that costs pennies to make. Now that it is quite easy to find tons of titles in the $5.00 to $7.00 range these days (which is awesome) people don’t care…because they want the portability to be there. A flash drive, iPod, or Kindle is much more convenient to lug around than an entire catalog of discs or books isn’t it? Sure it is.

For years the “deals” that artists struck with record companies seemed like they only served to inflate the company worth rather than benefiting the artist themselves. For years we have been privy to story upon story about how someone has been bilked by the major labels. Royalties not being paid as they should. The middleman taking a chunk before the artists saw a dime. Made us on the outside wonder just what was going on behind the curtain. Was this the reason the media was so pricey? Were we being gouged out of simple greed? Is that why bands were forced to play live so much? The bulk of the money made has come from touring and sideline merchandising these days much more than ever before. Even I know that.

To this day if artists are making more cash from live shows and selling t-shirts that isn’t something that you can’t exactly pirate. You can’t exactly put a live concert experience online. Video of it sure, but attending a show with a friend in the flesh cannot be duplicated online. It’s like experiencing life and the human condition can only go so far online. You have to leave your basement or bedroom to experience the world outside. You cannot reproduce sunshine and loud rock and roll excitement with 10,000 other cheering fans from your laptop. Not in the true sense anyway. So…bands hit the road…charge what seems to be ever increasing amounts for a seat…and we the fans lap it up.

I’ve said before I have nothing against “rich” people. I think if you are successful and creative enough to earn lots of money…more power to you. I often wonder though if you have a billion dollars in the bank…is that enough? Who’s to say? Let’s be honest. I follow entertainment a bit. Every weekend you hear about what was the top movie at the box office. Millions spent there. Millions! Because you have to leave your home to see it, experience it, live it. Concert tours that rake in millions every year. I see people wearing rock shirts or sporting some sort of apparel supporting some band. I’m an old man, and I have my share of those too. You can’t download a shirt, can you? Some of these “entertainers” do juuuuuust fine. They become “rich” because we are willing to pay for it.

What I mean to say is…there seems to be plenty of cash floating around out there. There are millions spent each and every day on entertainment in some fashion. If the focus was placed on harnessing that, producing more quality product, and less on who might be listening to a second hand version of a 30 year old album…there might be something a little less dramatic than SOPA that could reign this thing in.

I’m not saying downloading content is okay. I am not advocating that. I am not supporting the illegal process of denying payment for material that has a copyright. I’m not saying that some stars already made their millions and need to back off of the little guy. I’m saying…this is dangerous to creativity and the sharing of ideas. Not files or albums or videos. Ideas. If people stop and think…hey, I am listening to Pink Floyd in the car on the radio, and I don’t have that album at home…is it okay that I am hearing it? If people think…wow, I heard this Doobie Brothers song twice today; should I pay them something for each time I hear it? What about…I just watched the Reds game on my DVR with my friends here. Should I get the express written consent from Major League Baseball first? Is it okay to bypass the commercials? How far do we take this crazy idea? Does the guy on eBay that is selling me that old Jack Lemmon movie need to show me a receipt from where he bought it before I can pay him for his used copy? Is it even okay for me to buy his used copy?

If you went into a store…shoved a CD down your pants and walked out with it…sold it in the parking lot…yes…that is piracy/theft. Deserves punishment. I just don’t know if I am comfortable with shutting down entire web sites (that can have a billion different legal uses and practical applications), making the public uneasy about if they buy something second hand if they are violating some law, or lending a friend a book for a while constitutes piracy is really a good practice. I most certainly don’t have an answer…and I know there are people out there that are abusing the law and ripping things off all the time. I just don’t see it going away. It will change into something else as time goes along. The way info is transferred will change. The technology will grow and improve. It’s just that somehow I feel like in the not too distant future…us fans and consumers are going to be forced to take a big bite of a crap sandwich.

I hope I am wrong, but as you can clearly see…I am not holding my breath. Stay tuned kiddies.

Looking At SOPA

2012-01-22T16:46:00.002-05:00

This post is a bit of a departure for me. The previous incarnation of SkipFish Music covered more than just music or whatever form of entertainment that happened to wander down my path at the moment. Over time it looped out into all sorts of various topics and concepts. I dare say that that is probably the main reason why I in fact took it down and started here once again. The old site contained posts about society, how people treat one another, other various bits of nostalgia (personal and otherwise), as well as a healthy dose of political flare. So while this post can’t truly be labeled 100% political (something I said I would never post here, and I won’t)…it certainly has that slant while keeping one foot firmly in the musical realm. It’s a crossover.

SOPA is the Stop Online Piracy Act currently floating around for discussion, debate, and deliberation in the United States Congress. I will openly admit here and now that I am not an expert on all that this bill contains. In essence though it is an attempt (from my semi informed understanding of it all) to put in place rules to help stop online file sharing of copywritten material, i.e. music, movies, etc. and stopping the vast market of pirated media related materials that are on the world wide web. File sharing (as it is often referred to) is nothing new. Since day one people have been swapping content of all sorts online. Dare I say even if this law passes…it will most likely continue in some shape or form. These things always seem to work themseleves out that way.

Again…through my limited understanding of what could/would happen if SOPA is to take effect…several web sites could be blocked, taken down, or blacked out. Basically any site that is deemed as a potential risk of sharing creative work…could be snapped up. Gone. Poof. Seems a bit drastic. Many creative and legitimate aspects of the web would be in danger.

I know that the main thrust of this is coming from corporations that make and distribute material. If people get a copy of something, upload it to the web, and someone else gets it without having to pay for it…lost revenue. I get it, but I find myself scratching my head on this one. In many ways I think the entertainment industry has nobody to blame but themselves for the state we find ourselves in. There are so many reasons I truly believe this (coming solely from a fan/consumer standpoint) that I have no idea where to begin. I shall do my humble best to touch on a few points that I find noteworthy. This is a big issue…so hold on.

Long before the internet came into so many households in our country (speaking again from a North American perspective) there has always been sharing of some kind going on. As a kid (long before I knew what a computer was…because I am that old) I always asked my friends for a copy of some new song that I didn’t have. When I was a kid I thought nothing of making mix tapes. And even before that…I thought nothing of holding my cassette deck up to the radio to tape a song that I didn’t have from the radio. I never dreamed I was pinching money from the bands pocket.

In a lot of ways…when I was given a copy of a specific album by a friend…it led me to go out and find more by the band if I really liked it. I would end up at the counter in my local record store (remember those) buying the latest and greatest to be cool and hip. Back in the day before I was able to go to those kinds of stores, I heard of booths that contained listening stations. Here you could “sample” new music before plunking down your coin. That was gone in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s my friend. It was limited world of mouth and a few rock magazines giving us the 411 in those days.

I also recall when I went to purchase my first proper stereo that I could call my own…it most certainly had to have a dual cassette deck. This way I could make copies of albums, share them with friends, or make mix tapes for my car. Blank media was everywhere. Dual tape decks were everywhere. Keep in mind this is pre web right? So if making copies was so wrong even then…why did the electronic industry make such equipment available to the normal consumer? Why was I able to go buy a “copy machine” at my corner store? To this very day…do we not have computers that come preloaded with CD burners, DVD burners, and even ways to play back all sorts of CD-R copies or shove things on flash drives and iPods to take with us on the go? Why make it accessible to the general public if we don’t want copies to be made? Shouldn’t we have outlawed those sorts of things years ago then?

I digress.

Let’s put all of that aside for just a moment. I have stated openly many times that I am a massive music freak. I have been collecting for years and years. I have spent tons of cash on music and movies over those many years. However…not all of the copies of albums that sit on my shelf are first generation. I admit that I have albums that have been given to me as copies. Friends that made me a copy of this or that to try and get me into a certain artist. And there are most certainly copies sitting there that came from a used media shop. Since I did not buy these specific albums brand new…am I also guilty for pinching money from the bands pocket without making the check out directly to the band/label?

Let’s put THAT aside for a second. Let’s now focus on the things that I did buy brand spanking new from a retail outlet. Be it online or in a tried and true store. There are PLENTY of various titles that fit this description as well. Again…being the devout music fan/collector that I am…as the years went along…a couple things happened to record stores that certainly did little to help blokes like me. For these things…I squarely blame the record companies. I understand stores had to turn a profit…but the record companies (or should I say entertainment studios/companies) should take the bulk of this blame by far and away. It’s easy to figure out.

My last post stated that I often wonder if I am the only person that swings to such weird places on the musical pendulum. Come to find out from several folks…I am not. That is a good thing. So…that being said…when I go to a retail outlet (be it a record chain, electronic outlet, or department store) I find myself forced to buy either the latest Greatest Hits package by an artist, their most recent release, or in many cases…nothing at all. Other times if it is an older title I am searching for…I have to dig through those horrid “dump tables”. Who knows what I could find in there? Could be all just a waste of time. Face facts…not everyone that is interesting in buying music these days is looking for the new Taylor Swift or Lady Gaga. There is more to music than that folks. What if I wanted the third album by Alan Parsons? Chances are I am not going to find that one, right? I know you can’t stock everything in the world…but the selection these days leaves sooooooo much to be desired. I’m forced to go to Amazon for physical copies or iTunes for downloading. Sort of kills a lot of the industry doesn’t it? Kills competition, but is that a good thing?

If iTunes is where I have to go…then why do bands need to rely on “labels” at all anymore? Can’t they just go directly to the web without some goofy company? Everyone can have a web site and market themselves without the record label pushing them anyway. And with so many different bands flooding the market…someone is bound to lose out anyway. The disposable income of many in this day and age (for music and entertainment anyway) is dwindling as we speak. Why hype anything? Why “pre order” anything? Is iTunes going to run out of digital downloads?

To Be Continued…

Crunchy Vs. Smooth

2012-01-17T17:27:00.003-05:00

Schizophrenia is a mental disorder characterized by a breakdown of thought processes and by poor emotional responsiveness.It most commonly manifests itself as auditory hallucinations, paranoid or bizarre delusions, or disorganized speech and thinking, and it is accompanied by significant social or occupational dysfunction.
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As I enter what will be roughly my 34th year of collecting music (wow that looks bad in print…but I started at 7 or 8 so…) I find myself in a love/hate relationship with music all the time. Like anything in life there are bound to be times where it was so very important…and times when I found myself not really caring too much one way or the other really. Lately, I have been on a very big music kick. That interest and desire for all things musical has morphed into something strange through all these years. I often wonder to myself if I am the only one out there that has these sorts of feelings. I am not a professional writer or musician. It is all a hobby. Ok…maybe borderline obsession, but I still wonder if there are people out there like me. Hmmmm……

I have certainly gone through phases of where I was less focused on what kind of music I wanted to collect, own, or even listen to. If it was notes…I wanted it. That doesn’t seem to be the case anymore. Sure I still have those moments where I take a stab at something new (or at least new to me) to see if I discover something new that I might like. Sometimes I am pleasantly surprised. I have relied on a couple close friends to influence me. Sometimes that works really well too. Through all of it though the one thing that stands out…keep moving. Look back and enjoy all you want, but keep moving.

What I mean by that is simply this…rock radio is awful. I don’t care if you have satellite radio or not…radio or preprogrammed stuff is almost worthy of the term “garbage”. I don’t care how great of a band they were…but if I hear another Bad Company song…I am going to puke. Keep moving please. There are only so many times I can hear “Feel Like Makin’ Love” or something like Billy Squier’s “Everybody Wants You” before I feel like making myself deaf. So…I am always on the look out for something new. It can be 50 years old, but if it is new to me…then bring it on.

Having said that I know I am probably narrow minded when it comes to music. Some people would look at me and think that I don’t have an open mind about all genres and styles. True to a point, but I do have everything in my collection from folk to classical to jazz to country to thrash to pop to R&B. Some styles are my obvious favorites. Some bands are my favorites. It is MY collection after all. I just found myself a little perplexed the other day. Lately I have found myself enjoying much more stuff from the heavy end of the pool, and I’m not sure why.

While I have made it abundantly clear that The Beatles will forever be my favorite band of all time…that I am a massive huge crazy Rush fan…The Moody Blues are giants to me…Crosby, Stills, Nash, & Young are titans of harmony and raw emotion…I find myself fairly middle of the road. None of these bands or artists are current. None of them relevant in 2012. None of them are complete unknowns. Have I been brainwashed into liking only things that are huge success stories? What about the undiscovered or smaller bands? Don’t they deserve any love? Good point. That’s why I am writing this. Maybe this is my therapy to figure this stuff out. My way of getting to the meat of why I have this weird feeling. My way of sort of speaking out loud in hopes of uncovering the answer.

I think I try to always move forward or switch my focus so I don’t become too jaded about certain bands or albums. I think I always look for something that I might have overlooked before. I do find myself opening up to many things now that I normally (or years ago as the case may be) would have shunned. I think Adele is fab. I liked her when I first heard her before she became the breakout star she is now. She is a young talent that deserves all she gets. To me she seems like the real deal. When you see talent…pure talent like that…you just know it. The old Judas Priest fan in me from 1984 would never have given here a second glance.

I latch onto various bands or artists for a while. I sort of rediscover them. I read and research things about them. I groove on a certain style for a while, but I eventually move on. It’s not that I am bored or had attention disorder with them…I just want things to stay fresh without going all Bad Company on me. Lately, without a doubt, I have been in the metal, heavy, loud, crunchy music aisle for quite a while.

Growing up I had music in my house. Neither of my parents was particularly musical, but I always remember hearing music playing somewhere. My father had Beatles records that I played over and over again. My mother enjoyed Elton John and Rod Stewart. I also have memories of my mom and I watching Solid Gold. Oh…the good old days. So it’s obvious that the music of yesteryear influenced what I would like today. My cousin introduced me to Kiss in 1978. These freaks had fire, makeup, and looked dangerous. What was a little boy to do? I moved on though…even then. I discovered Van Halen, Cheap Trick, and Queen. It was over from here on out.

I was into metal (or what passed as metal) as a kid. I stayed in that groove for a long time. If it didn’t have grinding guitar…I didn’t want to hear it. I eventually moved on yet again to acoustic or more mellow things. I started to have a deeper respect for the craft and talent it takes to compose a song. This is when James Taylor and Simon & Garfunkel became important. It was not about flash as much as it was about songwriting. From then on the pendulum was always swinging…was I into metal…or was it pop this week? It has been that way for all these years.

I look back now and cringe at some of the things I liked. To this day I have things I really enjoy that might shock or surprise some people. My core bands…the true top ten…will remain. They might fluctuate a bit from time to time, but in order to keep it all new and exciting…I have to look for something new outside of that from time to time. I always revisit the “masters”, but I am always on the lookout for something new. I wouldn’t say that I am looking to break any new trends or blaze my own trails nor am I looking to jump on any one bandwagon. Instead it is my way of keeping my favorites just that…my favorites.

As a result the record collection has spiraled outward to include all sorts of things that it might not have otherwise given a fair shake. I start to look for things that were not on my radar then but now are in some shape or form. The problem with that is though that things can get silly. When I find myself going back to give bands like Skid Row or Steve Miller a second or third glance…it becomes odd. Skid Row…really? This is when I start to wonder if I am the only one who has these feelings? Am I the only one who swings this crazy towards both ends of the musical spectrum?

On my journey through the backlog of musical adventures I have managed to turn over a few good gems. I have also found myself saying,”Yeah, that is why I never bothered to listen to this crap before.” The past few months have found me revisiting my golden metal age. I can’t say that it is a second childhood/mid-life crisis thing, but I have found myself being more in a Megadeth, Iron Maiden, Foo Fighters kind of feeling than anything. The heavier the better lately. Don’t abandon the melody, but bring on the crunch. Horns up.

Case in point…this past weekend I found myself in a used media shop. I left the store with Neil Young and Anthrax in my hand. I started to wonder…am I the only one who is this screwed up?

And Why Van Halen...Not As Much

2012-01-05T13:04:00.001-05:00

I’m not going to lie. Van Halen inspired me in my somewhat distant youth. Eddie Van Halen in fact is the reason I wanted to learn how to play guitar in the first place. He dazzled me (and countless others) with his flashy style. Most guys my age that eventually did pick up a guitar primarily did so because of one of two people…Ace Frehley from Kiss or Eddie Van Halen. I feel safe in saying that. However…like I said…that was a long time ago. For me…a great deal has changed. My feelings for how relevant the band is in 2012 are not too optimistic. I’ll explain why.

I will be the first to admit that without Van Halen in music history…a lot of things in my corner of musicality would be much different. The band bridged the gap in many ways between being hard rock while having an accessible tone to them that appealed to the pop audience. There was a party mentality and looseness to the feel of the music. There was gritty raw power mixed with catchy songwriting and hooky goodness. You know me…I am a sucker for a good hook in the melody department.

It was okay to like Van Halen if you liked more mainstream things in the late 1970’s or early 1980’s. It wasn’t a complete anomaly to hear a Halen tune right next to the likes of The Cars or even something as synth oriented as The Human League. By the mid 1980’s Van Halen had become the clear front-runner in rock music. 1984 turned them into a monster. They were huge. Then things began to derail.

Anytime you replace or swap members within a band that reaches such a lofty status, you run the risk of alienating a segment of your hardcore fan base. I have always respected Van Halen for being one of the only bands though that did not seek to just replace vocalist David Lee Roth with a sound-a-like mimic. Instead they opted to bring in an already established guy that had the experience and know how to add another dimension to the Halen sound. Sammy Hagar could have stayed on his own path, but he chose to step into some pretty big shoes. The Van Halen monster was not going to be easy to tame or please, but he faced it head on. In a way…that was really cool.

In the interest of time and space for a standard blog posting I won’t go into all the gory details of how the band evolved and eventually decayed. Suffice it to say that when Hagar left…the first time…it was a complete and utter death rattle. Even if you did not like the Hagar years…you have to admit that they continued to sell lots of albums, tickets, and get airplay. They were clearly a different band, but they had an ability to still function on some level. Go on…admit it.

VAN HALEN 3 was released in 1998. Yes…1998. That is 14 years ago. That is the last studio album from this band. Wow. The “3” was always supposed to represent a nod to the inclusion of Gary Cherone from the lesser known (by Van Halen standards anyway) Extreme. The album was ill conceived, forced, stiff, and lacking in direction. The push for the band to retain that Hagar growl while flexing the party vibe of the Roth years was weak. To this day…that album ranks as one of the worst and overall biggest let downs by a major band ever (for me anyway). And when that fell apart…talk about slipping off the rails. Admit it. It happened. BIG TIME.

Since then the band has toured in both Hagar and Roth versions. Both singers have come and gone a couple of times actually. It felt like the band didn’t know what to do. One minute this guy was the guy, and the next minute this guy was the guy. Hagar, Roth, Hagar, Roth…ugh! As a fan it was (and is) irritating. All along we got almost zero new music, no real foundation for a band, and a general lack of direction. What comes next? In some strange way I guess keeping everyone guessing is a clever marketing tool, but how many times can you cry “wolf” before people stop caring? That’s where we find ourselves these days. Standing firmly in the “not caring” aisle.

Maybe it is because there have been so many other great guitarists to come along over the years, or maybe it is because of the overall musical climate, but it seems like the core of what made Van Halen a worthy band got lost along the way. Guitar flash can only get you so far. Just ask Yngwie Malmsteen. Being a fan of bands like Yes or Jethro Tull where rotating member arguments are always a part of the ongoing issue, I don’t feel like the Van Halen scenario is simply about who is better…Sammy or Dave. I’ll go on record and state that David is by far and away a better showman and entertainer. Sammy however is heads and shoulders above Roth as a vocalist, songwriter, and being a member rather than a showoff kind of guy. The first six albums with Roth are amazing and deserve every accolade you can give them, but the Hagar years certainly have strong moments too. Maybe not as consistent, but they are great tunes in there too. Admit it.

As the rock world ages and the classic rock set enters the twilight of their lives, it seems only natural that we long to recapture some of the magic from years gone by. We would all love for 2012 to hold the same innocence and excitement that 1975 did. Rock and roll was never meant to be an old mans game…yet here we are. In no short supply that seems like almost all we have these days. In a lot of ways you have to really respect Led Zeppelin (or Robert Plant as it seems) to want to just let their work stand on its own. There isn’t a need to relive it. It is nice to see bands regroup for a one off or moments of glory here and there, but a steady stream of this…and it is going to lose its charm…fast.

I feel like Van Halen has jerked its fans around for a long time. Back and forth. The whole lack of information has kept people guessing. The almost complete disappearance from the Earth only added to the mystery. It’s like they were there in body, but not in spirit. The heart was not in it. By many accounts the last tour with Hagar was awful. Eddie was sloppy and not on his game. The more recent Roth tour was a hit, but it wasn’t anything new. It was 30-year-old tunes in a shiny new package. It had a smell of “cash cow” written all over it. As a fan…you hope for something more. Nobody likes to be taken for a ride.

As I write this (and by the time this seeps into many of your eyes) the band is reuniting, releasing new music (supposedly…although I have heard it is reworked stuff from years gone by), and going around once more on the touring circuit. David Lee Roth will be leading the charge. Absent will be original bassist Michael Anthony. He was booted (in my opinion) for his allegiance to Hagar. In his place will be Eddie’s son Wolfgang. So it is not a true “reunion”. As the years have gone along I have come to respect Michael Anthony a bit more. Now while I much prefer the Jack Bruce, Geddy Lee, Chris Squire, John Entwistle, and Steve Harris kind of bass player…Anthony is quite capable of holding down the low end. Plus a huge part of the Halen sound was (and is) is his soaring harmony vocals. Something that is easy to overlook, but so essential to the classic Halen sound. So…it just won’t be the same. Plus…father and son in the same band is a little too Partridge Family for my tastes. Kinda weird in a way.

I hope the new (or old or whatever it turns out to be) album is packed with great stuff. Fourteen years should be enough time to get things right. If it is anything less than amazing…how can it not be a disappointment? I’ll never be able to hear “Runnin’ With The Devil” or “In A Simple Rhyme” or “Little Guitars” again for the first time. That was an amazing thing. I hold those memories near and dear. And yes…Van Halen will remain a very important part of my music induction. It’s just that now I feel like what was once so awesome is not so much now. It’s not interesting the way it once was.

The wheel was a great invention in its day. Now that was have moved on to better and more powerful and reliable wheels…I don’t know. Feels like something is missing. Come on Dave…gimme a break.

The Best of Both Worlds - Van Halen

Why The Beach Boys Matter

2011-12-27T19:46:00.005-05:00

So as I was saying…2012 seems like it’s gearing up to be yet another year of rehash/reunion/nostalgia/revamp tours and musical adventures. Van Halen is emerging at some point during the year, and the original Black Sabbath (fronted by the infamous Ozzy Osbourne) is also hitting the road and releasing new material. One other “reunion” of sorts that has me more interested than either of those though is The Beach Boys. I am here to tell you why they matter. I think I make a valid point.

If you sit down with almost anyone you eventually get around to chatting about music and movies. To make it a party game so to speak…people sometimes rattle off the list of what they believe to be the best of all time. At least that is what we music freaks do from time to time. It’s fun. It sparks debate, and it is interesting to learn just what it is about a specific artist that works for that person. A couple of my music buddies don’t play or write music. I do a bit, but I am far from an expert. I enjoy dabbling in that arena, but I think that even if you’ve never made a movie or written a song or composed a blog…you still have an opinion as to what you like. People know what they like. If you think about it…you’ll be able to figure out what it is that makes it something you DO like. Simple as that really. Get the essence of the goodness.

For me…if I am to list my favorite bands of all time…The Beach Boys most certainly are in the top ten. No question. I find it hard in 2011 (or any recent year really) to defend that decision to many people. It is obvious that this music is from an era long gone, and the last real impression people have of this band is the lacking “Kokomo” from the late 1980’s. I am here to tell you there is soooooo much more to them than that. So much more. Much, much.

The Beatles (to me) define the origin of British rock/pop music. They changed how music was produced, marketed, and performed. The Beach Boys were known for things that had a more camp feel than things from the Fab Four, but to me they are the American equivalent. Most certainly it was all about surfing songs and goofy lyrics. No doubt. It was also about hit singles and constant radio airplay. True, but there is so much more.

The Beach Boys existed in the 1960’s prior to technology that allowed you to cover up mistakes in the recording studio. There was no cut and paste or digital music then. There was no hiding behind a wall of compressors, auto correction, and gimmickry. It was get it right or go home. Sure the band created music with session musicians and did take after take after take. Still…you had to get it done or go home. Even if they weren’t always playing their own instruments…the core band was singing the songs. Harmony (especially multi part harmony) is not a simple thing to get right. These guys were the masters. Everything that came after…was a pale comparison.

I think that might be the defining thing to me about the band. I am a sucker for harmony. Multi layered vocal tracks and counter melodies are a beautiful thing. They swoop in and color the songs in such a warm and human sense. They breathe life into even the most morose and downtrodden moments. The extreme high falsetto passages complete with flares of doo-wop and borderline scatting that becomes yet another instrument onto itself. Tracks become lush with flavor and feel. How can you not love that? Musical sweetness.

I of course am a huge progressive rock fan. Progressive rock is about being able to play your instrument in a dynamic way. Sometimes almost to the point of showing off while still being able to capture a melody and hook. The Beach Boys were all about hooks, hooks, and more hooks. Ear candy. Ear worms. Things that get inside your ear and demand you to listen. That concise line that creeps into your head and makes you whistle without you even realizing you are doing it. It becomes infectious. Flashy playing is awesome…but without melody…it is just flash.

Progressive music also makes me respect the individuals’ ability to play. The overwhelming talents of someone like Geddy Lee, Bill Bruford, or Steve Hackett. The dedication to the instrument is where the power is. With Beach Boys tunes…it was never that Al Jardine was a great player. It wasn’t that Dennis Wilson was even an competent drummer. It was the chemistry of whoever was producing the notes…made the whole thing gel.

Brian Wilson is the obvious mastermind behind much of The Beach Boys success. His sense of harmony from what he heard from his own childhood through to this very day runs through all he creates. Even now when I see him talk about music…you can just see that he too is a fan of great melody. He gets a twinkle in his eye. He perks up. Good music will do that to you. He learned from the best and made it his own. He is one of the few artists EVER that you can say has a “style”. Things have that “Wilson” flavor to them. It created a world full of copycats that tried but could never duplicate his sense of melody and harmony.

During the end of the 1960’s run of the band, Brain slipped off track. Times were changing, and the surfing songs had run their course. To me in many ways though…when things went a little dark…I get just that much more interested. Albums like SURF’S UP and SUNFLOWER are nothing short of master works. Bits of HOLLAND and CARL & THE PASSIONS are pure pop perfection. This was after the “Help Me Rhonda” days; so many people might not know this stuff as closely. 20/20 and FRIENDS are also filled with hooky goodness. When the singles and hits slowed down…the quality of the music kept chugging along. Might have even got a tad better?

It’s true to a degree that when Brian lost even more focus and the band splintered into an almost cartoonish nostalgia band even as early as 1973, it tarnished the legacy they had already created. Certainly by the time we got around to hearing bastardized versions of “Wipeout” featuring the novelty band The Fat Boys and the aforementioned “Kokomo” the band had made us die hard weird Beach Boys fans scratch our heads. Gone was the sense of pop goodness. Now it was throwaway silliness. The inevitable finger pointing ensued, and the lawsuits began to fly. Until now.

Lead vocalist Mike Love has been out there on the road all along labeling himself as The Beach Boys. He has had part-time member Bruce Johnston in tow, but it was not the same. Carl and Dennis Wilson have sadly passed away long ago, but Brian and Al are back. Rumor has it that there may also be a new album. I have mixed emotions about that. Unless it can stand beside PET SOUNDS…I say let it go. To me it will just be nice to see them reconcile and play a few gigs one last time. They are pushing 70 for crying out loud. This is their 50th anniversary tour. When you have painted the Mona Lisa, you don’t have to prove anything else to me. It’s times like this that are so few and far between…that I clearly don’t mind a bit of that rehash/reunion/nostalgia feeling.

It will be nice to see the remaining guys get up there one more time to play “Fun, Fun, Fun”. I have high hopes (and know from his recent solo outings being very polished and professional) that with Brian back on board, the shows will be a treat. I wasn’t there during the original 1960’s heyday. I discovered them much later, but I am looking forward to seeing them do something good. They have a very important legacy to American music that deserves to be honored. I would not want a steady diet of this nostalgia, but it is nice from time to time. This is an amazing band that created some of the most amazing music ever. So sail on sailor…

(While I have posted a picture of quite possibly their most enduring album PET SOUNDS…be sure to click the link below to what I consider to be among the best within the Beach Boys arsenal. Plus I’ll include a link for those that are just looking for the hits too!)

Sunflower / Surf's Up - The Beach Boys

The Smile Sessions - The Beach Boys

Sounds of Summer/The Very Best - The Beach Boys

The Box Set Quandary

2011-12-18T18:57:00.000-05:00

I have long maintained that music is dying if not already dead. Funny for me to refer to it this way, but I sometimes sound like a broken record when I say that. It is true though. Pure excitement in the music world went away a long time ago. The true creative spark left in the mid to late 1990’s for much of the industry. Once the newness and wonder of the digital age became sort of passé…the music industry imploded. For us diehard music fans still out here…these are dark days.

I have a 4G Android phone. I have Blu-ray. I have an iPod. I have a laptop. I say these things to let you know…I am not anti technology. I have more than my fair share, and I wouldn’t know what to do without it. But…the fact is that with people feeding their brains with so much information, the format or art of making “albums” anymore seems silly. This is an age of small sound bytes and short attention spans. People move on to the next thing at an ever increasingly rapid pace. There are only 24 hours in a day. This is an age where things are cherry picked. Some of it is luck, but it’s hard to pin down a lasting success anymore. This is an age where we have little time for deep album cuts, yet that’s all that seems to be left. Bring on the box sets…

I wrote an earlier post about being worried to a certain degree about how all my musical heroes seem to be getting on the upper end of old. They can still perform and entertain, but the rules have most certainly changed. As a result, I think what we have left is little to no real new creativity anymore. The people that created all this amazing, emotional, and inspiring work have now moved on to nostalgia, reworking bits of old glories, or morphed into things that are sort of cartoonish. Sometimes this stuff ends up endangering the legacy of a very vital and stunning career. If it ain’t broke…why fix it?

Does it bother you that some of the biggest things to come out of the music world in the past couple of years (and especially in 2011) are from things from yesteryear? The Beatles remasters from 2009. The 2011 repackage/reissues from Jethro Tull, Rush, Pink Floyd, The Who, The Rolling Stones, Ozzy Osbourne, and The Beach Boys? I was recently standing in the box set aisle at a local (and to remain nameless) retailer. I stood there for a moment and thought to myself…wow! Perched in front of me was no less than $1000.00 in repackaged and upgraded music. Part of me really wanted some of these slick new versions, but I already own or have purchased some of these things so many times before. Where does it end?

I get that bands need to keep the wheels of the marketing machine chugging along. Everybody has to pay their bills. I get it. It just becomes almost a contest or project to decide if I love an album or artist from my past so much that I am willing to spend upwards of $100.00 to $200.00 again for slightly better sounding stuff stuffed in a shiny new package. Weren’t CD’s supposed to sound kick ass to begin with? That’s what we were sold when we starting scarfing them up in the mid 80’s right?

Being as addicted to music as I am…I find it a struggle to decide who is going to get my music dollars these days. Simply because it is a NEWER version does not mean that it is automatically a BETTER version. For the completist in me…I bought into the ploy years ago of buying albums a second time around because they had “bonus tracks” on them. Many times this would work out to be either a weird remix of a track, a demo version, a live cut, or alternate take of some random song. This trick worked on me for a while. It doesn’t anymore. I can be deep into an artist. I can love everything they have ever done. I just don’t always feel like I am going to find myself going back and listening to a studio outtake that was left behind years ago. 99% of the time…there is a reason they were left behind to begin with. In most cases…bands got it right. The album version is the better version. The versions we already know and love.

All of those artists I listed above have created music at some point in their career that has brought me joy. Some inspire me and move me more than others, but…it seems like they are mining the wallet just for moneys sake these days. The shine and awe of cracking open that Pink Floyd box set lasted a few days, but once I had ripped it into my systems for playback…well…it was back to just sort of having them in my collection like they were before. And like I said…some of it sounds a million times better…while some of it…just doesn’t feel all that extra special. I feel like I get fooled by the shiny new box.

Then there are things like a long lost article from the archives. Deep Purple released a project called PHOENIX RISING this year too. It comprised a documentary and never properly released (in any clear format) concert from a mid period of the band. The highlights include David Coverdale, Glenn Hughes, and Tommy Bolin in this particular lineup of the band. I normally am one that is drawn in by some of the lesser known (or in some cases lesser appreciated) periods in a bands history. I figured this would be right up my alley. Instead…I was kind of left with a bad taste in my mouth. It certainly looks like they worked hard to get it all out there. The package is pretty…complete with a booklet and accompanying CD, but the performance is sloppy and a bit cringe worthy actually. Almost like…it should have remained uncovered. At least that way the mystery about how good it really was would still have a bit of intrigue about it. In the cold light of day…it’s just not that good.

I know a lot of times it is not always the bands themselves putting this stuff out there. In many situations it is the dying record companies that are grasping at those last few dollars that are getting swallowed up by people downloading from iTunes instead. In the end…it just makes me wonder what they will pull next. Even tours are packaged together these days with a sense of nostalgia. Yes went on the road with Styx. Neither band has been very potent in the new material department for a long time. Night Ranger, Foreigner, and Journey were also boxed together. Sure they each had new albums…but I’m gonna make a calculated guess that 80% of the people in the crowd were there for the hits. Most probably didn’t even know they had new albums out. Roger Waters trotted out The Wall. Sure it was cool, but that album is from 1979. This is a slick updated version complete with new technology…but it isn’t a brand new idea. Do you see where I am going with this?

I don’t know where this goes from here. It really feels like the bottom of the barrel has been reached. All the stops have been pulled. Once you release a multi-layered collection of an album with a huge book and tons of other add ons…where do you go from there? It certainly looks like 2012 is also shaping up to be yet another year crammed full of new versions of stuff from decades ago. Already we know the original Black Sabbath lineup is hitting the road and doing a new album. The surviving members of The Beach Boys are going through the motions as well. Plus…like we have been hearing forever…2012 is to see the dramatic return of Van Halen…also complete with new music (supposedly). Makes me really respect David Bowie. He silently slid into retirement without some huge marketing blitz. Things could change, but there is a humble dignity in that. His reputation as a musical legend will not be tarnished by some halfhearted CD complete with a scarf and playing cards.

The sad thing is that somewhere out there in the ether…I’ll be listening, watching, and maybe even purchasing some of this stuff anyway. I moan, but I can’t help it. Music is in my blood. It just frustrates me as a fan sometimes. Just when I think I have it all in hand…BOOM. Here is something new. But it’s not new. It just looks new. It’s almost like a grilled cheese sandwich. It’s good. It’s tasty. It’s satisfying. You’ve known and loved them for years. Then someone comes along and makes a super duper ultra mega special edition crazy fantastic wicked awesome deluxe limited edition previously unreleased shiny new cheese sandwich. It’s still just a cheese sandwich though. What’s a boy to do? I mean I am still hungry.

Merry Days, You Knob!

2011-12-08T14:15:00.000-05:00

The will be a new update very soon…Until then…this should tide you over!

The Twelve Days of Christmas - Great White North

The SkipFish Playlist (This One Goes To 11)

2011-11-28T20:13:00.002-05:00

(A quick note: To my small but loyal followers/readers…I’d like to apologize for the lapse in posting here. I’ve had quite a few distractions lately. No excuse, I know, but I just wanted to assure you that I haven’t abandoned this place. I look for December to be much more active on the posting front. Things aren’t slowing down really, but…I promise the content will be there. Thanks to one and all once again for your continued readership and support. Now on with our regularly scheduled program.)

I don’t quite recall the exact moment that I became a progressive rock fan. These days any label or term used to describe music seems a little out of place. I mean after all…what exactly passes as “classic rock” anymore? It seems too broad of a term to be used for things as diverse as David Bowie and Neil Young. Think about it. When I was a younger man (in the dinosaur days before the web) radio itself played a huge part in helping me discover and “rock out” to some good tunes. Anymore it seems like we hear the same tired tracks from 1978 over and over and over and over again. What is up with that? Enough with the Eagles already! Ugh!

Would you consider Rush prog? How about Yes? Those would probably be the first solid examples of textbook prog that I heard. Genesis probably too, but they had morphed into more of a pop vehicle by the time I discovered them. Pink Floyd…they would be more “art rock” than prog to me. At some point throughout all of it though I recall latching onto Emerson, Lake, & Palmer. I was told they were a “supergroup”. They supposedly took the genre to a whole new level. I don’t know if they did that (for me anyway), but they most certainly were prog. While they were not as overtly prolific as many other outfits of the day, they produced quite a bit that I really liked. This is certainly one of those moments.

Pirates

ELP are the definition of a power trio. The odd thing about them is that they do not focus on the standard electric lead guitar that is almost required in any true form of “rock” music. Instead the spectrum they produce is handled by a busy drummer, an understated vocalist/bass player, and a flashy keyboard monster. It was a different sound to my ears at the time. My introduction to prog definitely included keyboards, but this was something really different. Instrumentation be damned.

To be good or considered “A-list” in the eyes of the average prog fan, you better be good. You better be a master of your given instrument. Progressive rock is the polar opposite of something that finds joy in simplicity like AC/DC. I am torn sometimes about things being too “notey”. It certainly is cool to be a beast when you are playing a tune, but there is a grace in subtlety too. That is something that progressive music doesn’t always take into consideration. ELP is guilty of that…plenty guilty.

For me however the wonderful part of this particular style of music is the fearless attitude towards trying something out of the mainstream. It is a style that also experiments with blending all sorts of elements from many different styles of music. In classic prog it is easy to detect bits of jazz, classical, rock, and even folk. Acoustic music is a huge part of it in fact. One need only look at Jethro Tull to see that. The main point being…it is unlike so much of the packaged pop we hear crammed down our throats everyday. Progressive music requires listening on a whole different level. Some of it is not easy to digest, but somehow because of that it feels like a breath of fresh air. It shows us just how far music can take us. (See…that’s where the “progressive” term comes from.)

For me ELP embodies some of the best and worst that this style of music has to offer. There are moments of true brilliance throughout their history, and other moments that require a stiff sigh and a scratch of the head. 1971’s TARKUS is an absolute masterpiece. The album consists of a side long epic piece as well as several shorter tunes on side two. There is a cohesive feel to the whole album. Even while it goes off the rails in a couple spots…it somehow comes back together.

The band however is probably best known for 1973’s BRAIN SALAD SURGERY. To me that album just doesn’t have the same punch that TARKUS does. TRILOGY and their debut album are much better to my ears too. By the time the band reached the mid 1970’s the band was at the height of their popularity. So they did what any massive prog band would do…took a big music style and made it even bigger.

1977 saw the release of WORKS. There were two volumes of this stuff actually. This track is from VOLUME 1. It’s a double album (or four vinyl sides for those not in the know). Each of the first three sides is dedicated to an individual band member. Keith Emerson dazzles with various playing styles on the organ, piano, and moog. Guitarist/vocalist Greg Lake expresses his romantic/acoustic side for his cuts, and percussionist Carl Palmer runs wild on his tracks complete with guitar work from no less than Joe Walsh. (Will those blasted Eagles never go away?) Side four treats us to the true band pieces. Here we find their well-known take on “Fanfare For The Common Man”. This classical piece gets the full on ELP treatment. Epic. “Pirates” is the fitting closer to this larger than life album.

The track covers a lot of ground. It should at just a shade shy of fifteen minutes, but there is so much more to it than that. This track is lushly orchestrated. It swirls and spins into a thousand different feels. There are out and out moments here where you feel like you are listening to a soundtrack for an epic pirate film…long before the likes of Johnny Depp. It has a thick nautical feel, yet it also has a breakdown in the middle that brings a lighthearted touch. There is also plenty of power and drama here. The commanding baritone of Greg Lake cuts through the proceedings. If you close your eyes…you can almost see him standing on the deck with a goblet of rum in his hand. The drums punch through the melody, and the keyboards wash over the track while zipping in and out of the massive string swells.

Emerson, Lake, and Palmer are one of my favorite bands. There is a tension within the music. An undercurrent that runs through it. There is also plenty in their catalog that does bring a cringe or two, but you can never say they shy away from taking risks. Greg Lake feels they played it too safe during this time in their history. I disagree. Nobody created (or creates today) music like this. This track begs for you to call out the word “epic”.

I have no real idea why I decided to include this track here. It is a tough listen. It doesn’t feel like it drones on and on. It moves. It’s just not something you can imagine too many people whistling as they walk down the street. It is a big chunk, but I like it. Before the band all but dried up and blew away…I had the good fortune of seeing these guys on their last few go arounds at the end of the 1990’s. They did this song one of those nights. It hardly seems right referring to this track as a song, yet here we are. I have said it before…I will say it again…a good song is a good song.

Raise your glass matey!

Works, Vol. 1 - Emerson, Lake & Palmer

The Live Machine

2011-11-10T17:01:00.003-05:00

When it comes to reading, I tend to like biographies best. Of course being a diehard music fanatic myself, I read my fair share of music related bios. I’ve often thought that it would be an interesting read if someone were to sit down and write about their own various live concert experiences. I’m most certainly not the same guy I was when I started going to shows back in the mid 1980’s, but I still have my memories (good and bad) of so many shows. I could tell some stories.

Live concerts in 2011 do not hold the same magic feel they did in 1985 for me. I have seen so many bands and styles of music in so many different settings that it becomes hard to compare and to feel the same exhilaration that I once did. You can never hear Van Halen and Kiss again for the very first time. A sense of jade comes into play. Plus it’s hard to compare the likes of seeing someone as iconic as Paul McCartney to watching Loverboy play a tiny festival stage to a small crowd of unwashed fans. Apples and oranges my friend.

Plus there is the fact that I have seen many of the same bands a few times over. Yes leads the pack…but I doubt I will be adding to that ticket pile anytime soon. Coming in a strong second place however is the Canadian mega monster Rush. These guys have easily taken hold of the second spot on my all time greatest bands list behind the unbeatable Beatles. Plus what would this silly blog be if I didn’t post at least once about them? I devoted a whole month to Rush on the previous version of this site. Some things will never ever change, I guess.

Live albums are sort of a funny thing for me. To be honest…I don’t like most of them. I think they are nice to have if you attended that particular tour with the band or if you have to own every last note a certain artist has ever played. Mostly those live albums just sit in my collection. I find it tedious most times to listen to endless live versions of a specific song that are only a year or two apart from one another. Overkill. Some bands took the live thing to an extreme. The Dead were known to let fans openly trade tapes of live shows. They released endless “professional” recordings of gigs too. Pearl Jam released every single show from a tour they did. They came in brown packages with little decoration. Peter Gabriel also released a lot of live material at one time. I suppose in some ways those can be nice. A band like The Dead or Dave Matthews or to a lesser extent Pearl Jam can be known to switch up the set each and every night. It is cool to catch a brilliant moment of improv…but it can also be dull and littered with mistakes and misguided intention. I guess I like a bit of polish on my musical heroes.

With a band like Rush we have been treated to live stuff all along. The first real live album hit the shelves in 1976. The massive hit of EXIT…STAGE LEFT in 1981 cemented the band as powerhouse live band. In the past decade we have been given RUSH IN RIO, R30, SNAKES & ARROWS LIVE, and now TIME MACHINE 2011: LIVE IN CLEVELAND. Oh…and did I forget A SHOW OF HANDS and DIFFERENT STAGES slightly before that. It does border on that overkill thing I was talking about. I grant you this. I think I have enough live versions of “Tom Sawyer” to last me a while. Having said that…this is where I get to the part where I feel a book about concert outings would be a fun read. It is a somewhat long and complicated story, so in the interest of time and the fact that maybe someday I shall write said book, I want to touch on why this particular live Rush outing has relevance for me.

I first saw the band in 1990 on the PRESTO tour. To many Rush diehards, that might be a tad late in their long and storied history. I make no bones about discovering them in 1984…this is also 10 years into their still going musical adventure. The thing of it is…I remember that day like it was yesterday. The insides of the tour programs were all basically photos from the previous tour. When the ROLL THE BONES tour swept through my neck of the woods I opened the new program. Inside were three separate photographs (one for each member). They were obviously taken during soundcheck from behind the stage. Alex, Geddy, and Neil all setting up to play…in what is clearly the minor league baseball park that I and my goofy friends witnessed an amazing show from 10 or 12 rows out. Boom…a musical connection.

Fast-forward…many tours later. I have seen the band from the 5th row, and I have watched them from the lawn. I have NOT missed a tour since that fateful summer night in the ballpark.

Due to bizarre circumstances, I was poised to not make the TIME MACHINE show. When the second leg of the tour was announced, I knew it was coming, but I opted to skip it. A tradition broken. Until someone sent me an email letting me know that that was not going to happen. April 2011 in Toledo, Ohio (a couple hours from my home) was going to make the streak continue. Like many things in my life…things did not go as planned. More bizarre circumstances ensued. The show was rescheduled. Through many emails, texts, and phone calls I managed to score the day off and make it to the show. It was stressful getting to that point, but it was worth it for a number of reasons. It became just as vivid of a night as that one from long ago.

What was cooler about the whole thing was being able to take along a very close friend…one that shared that very same 1990 evening with yours truly. He too is a Rush fanatic (maybe not as deep as me, but close), and he was having less than swell days on the domestic front. It was nice that this opportunity dropped from the sky. It allowed both of us to forget about the world for a while and make a road trip to see “our” band. The Toledo show was on a Wednesday night. The show just released was the Friday night show in Cleveland. That’s as close as I have ever made it to a proper appearance on a live album I guess. I felt like we witnessed the warmup gig. Very hip.

The TIME MACHINE premise was established by the band setting out to include the entire MOVING PICTURES album in the set. For years much of that seminal album has always been there in the live show, but a couple tracks from side two were just what the doctor ordered for some crazy Rush fans. To finally have the chance to hear and see “The Camera Eye” live was amazing. It happened.

As I sit and listen to this new album, a couple of things strike me. Like I said Rush has released a lot of live material in the past few years. Dare I say too much? I think sometimes bands release live material/albums to help bridge a gap between studio records. With Rush though…while there is some truth to that…I just feel like every live release had a purpose. RUSH IN RIO was the capper on their glorious return after Neil’s tragic personal events. R30 took time for the band to reflect on their legacy. It gave them a chance to stretch out a bit and relax without having to plug a new album. The SNAKES & ARROWS LIVE disc was a celebration of an even stronger album and that finally many that were never inside the cool Rush circle to begin with started to take note of just how powerful this band is. How influential. How musical. How popular. How musically amazing. (What took you so long Rolling Stone? Eh…you were never that cool anyway.)

As the band strikes out to write a new album in a world where the album seems like an afterthought these days…they decided to record a bit, tour, record a bit more. They decided to experiment that way. They feel like they wanted to make the live thing charge their creativity for new material. As a result two new tracks were recorded and performed during this tour…a tour that was also a celebration of MOVING PICTURES. Has it really been 30 years?

Alex Lifeson has changed his playing style over the years. He has always been a somewhat strange soloist, but his overall tone these days is much darker, heavier, and at times muddier. Geddy Lee is forever pinned as the screeching guy that plays bass. I dare say he hasn’t squealed since MOVING PICTURES really. His voice has ceratinly aged and changed. He sings different these days. How can you not after 37 years of being on the road? He's still Geddy though. No mistaking that. Neil Peart is also different behind the drum kit. He still plays with fire and passion, but he pulls back the overplaying he might have been guilty of all those years ago. He is brooding and smart. He is not content with just being the drummer. He is part of the melody.

The companion Blu-ray of the show is amazing. The show is “directed” by the same team that brought us IRON MAIDEN: FLIGHT 666 and BEYOND THE LIGHTED STAGE (also about these loony Canucks). Scott McFadyen and Sam Dunn are brilliant at what they do. You can tell that not only are they uber fans like us, but they get into the cracks to bring us things that only the uber fan would want to see. The picture is crisp, clear. The sound is brilliant, bright, well mixed. What can I say?

Like almost every other live album out there, I don’t know how much I will pull it off the shelf and jam on it. To me…I always enjoy watching the show so much more. Alex at times is a bit muddy. Geddy’s voice is strained in spots. Neil (at times) has a strange tone from some of his drums. This is all nitpicking. You are hardest on the ones you love the most, right? Any other band would KILL to be this great. The band is brilliant. I cannot think of any other group of guys out there that is able to still be chugging away like this all these years down the line. I think I just might dig this one out a little more often though. It just has that personal connection for me. That is something that is very cool in my book. And…I admit…I never get sick of hearing “Limelight”.

Time Machine 2011 (Live In Cleveland) - Rush

The SkipFish Playlist (Song 10)

2011-10-30T16:46:00.001-04:00

There are certain things that are sort of true when it comes to rock musician stereotypes. No…not the ones where they are all drug addicts, drunks, and weirdoes. That one applies some of time I suppose. It applies to people from all walks of life…not just musicians, don’t you think? Instead I am referring to the ones that deal with each member within the band. Depending on what instrument you might play, etc…you tend to have slight personality quirks. You know…that one.

Lead singers/vocalists are always accused of being narcissistic. I imagine you have to be to a certain degree. Some people look upon the singer as the cheap/easy ride within the band. I can see that to a point, but to be able to maintain your voice to a certain level (on a regular basis) is an art form to be sure. I think singers tend to get the focus because they are the ones opening their mouths. They are up front. The spotlight hits them. It has always been more fashionable to be a vocalist. Just look at Sinatra or Presley. Things like “American Idol” and their ilk make the songwriting and band performance behind them appear a distant second.

Drummers tend to get the persona of the party people. The reckless and wild ones. The ones that live out the true debauched rock and roll side of life. One needs only to look at the likes of Keith Moon and John Bonham to see this. Sure there are clear (and drastic) exceptions to this rule in the likes of a Neil Peart or Bill Bruford, but I can see why people think drummers are goofy. They hit things. They have an animalistic side. They have a tribal sense underneath for carrying the beat. Tommy Lee…anyone?

Bass players and keyboardists are vital parts of any band. Keyboards color the sound and add texture, but the bass player holds the bottom down. The fullness of the tone and the punch in driving the beat is the bass player. However because they don’t carry the direct melody…they tend to get overlooked. Unless you are a singing bass player like Jack Bruce or Geddy Lee…you probably get passed over. Being a frustrated bass player myself, I have a long list of heroes, but that’s just me. Sigh.

Instead lead guitar is where it is at. The lead guitarist (especially in the heady 80’s days) had the chance to push the melody along, create an atmosphere, be flashy and crazy with a solo, and even challenge the singer for that spotlight. But there is much more to a guitarist than that. Much more. Good guitar players anyway.

I think most people my age (or really any generation when I stop to think about it) if they are a rock fan have a guitar hero. Each player having a unique style and flare. Each adding their own specific stamp to the musical backdrop of our collective youth. Since I graduated early on into the world of heavy metal, I had a ton of players to choose from. I think even before I became a more educated and “critical” fan or aficionado of any one band or style, I could tell who was a good player…and who was not.

If you have ever picked up a guitar, you know it isn’t easy to play. It isn’t the hardest thing in the world, but it a skill that requires equal parts talent, dedication, and practice. Only then…over the course of time will the good players start to emerge. It is easy to get caught up in the flashy and fast playing of guys like Yngwie Malmsteen or Joe Satriani. It is entirely another thing to see and hear the subtle genius of overlooked players like James Taylor or Paul Simon. The simplicity yet graceful stylings of someone like George Harrison. These things tend to get overlooked. I certainly have my list of what I believe to be the best guitarists out there. There is no doubt that I like all these styles and approaches. It’s the end sound that hits me the hardest though. If only someone was able to meld those flashy bits with a subtle feel for melody while being so outwardly bizarre in their creativity…well…then you would have one great guitar player. Hmmm. Who could that be?

I don’t know if I can say Steve Vai is my favorite guitarist, but he is close. He is most certainly on the “list”. The guy has floated in and out of a couple bands (David Lee Roth, Whitesnake, Alcatrazz), but he mainly was known for getting his big start working with none other than Frank Zappa. I don’t know a great deal of Zappa stuff. I have a fair share of it in my collection, but I am not hardcore about it. Frank was himself a bit of an oddity. His selection of writing styles, his acidic sense of humor, and his seriousness when it came to musicianship was (and still is in many ways) unmatched. Vai was born out of that.

Vai has this ability to dazzle you with his almost inhuman ability to play a guitar. In many situations his wicked, twisted, and goofy sense of humor shines through, while drifting out to some really strange places musically. Some of his stuff is very hard to digest, but some of it is just too good to pass up. Even that rough stuff has a bit of awe around it.

A friend of mine introduced me to the world of Steve Vai many years ago. Dare I say I heard his stuff prior to his breakthrough to the mainstream rock world (i.e., David Lee Roth). FLEX-ABLE was (and still is) a masterwork of bizarre sounds and jaw dropping guitar work for me. I mean how can you not fall in love with a song like “Little Green Men”. Bravo!

So in tribute to one of my favorite players, I decided to choose a song that I really like. I like the groove of it.

Oooo

This track doesn’t go into all the darkest corners of the Vai universe, but it has a hook and feel I really like. In a lot of ways it is almost one of his simpler tracks. Nonetheless…I like it. It is from his oft-overlooked album THE ULTRA ZONE. This album is probably my second or third favorite album in his discography. His choice of sounds and use of layering the guitars to create such a thick and lush sound while still being crisp enough to pull a feel and soul through it is no small feat. Bravo again!

So yes…I imagine Vai does fit that lead guitarist stereotype. He has that flash. His playing demands that you put the spotlight on him from time to time. It makes you go, “Wow!” Or more likely, “Oooo!

The Ultra Zone - Steve Vai

The SkipFish Playlist (Song 9)

2011-10-16T10:53:00.003-04:00

I will probably lose all my rock cred (if I ever really possessed any) with the inclusion of this track on my budding playlist. It is something that I do in fact own…not for the reason you might think…but honestly under normal circumstances might not even admit to. This is a classic example of how sound grabs hold and takes you for a ride. That’s the magic ingredient for what I look for in a new tune anyway.

Derezzed

TRON is a remnant from my childhood. I have come clean many a time to admit that I have a nostalgia streak in me that runs deep. I think it was there even in my youth, which is funny when you think about it. When I learned a couple of years ago that Disney was producing a sequel to this beloved childhood memory…at first I was excited. I always felt the film got overlooked. Then when I saw a trailer…I remained excited. When I actually went to a midnight showing of the new film…well…

It’s not that the film was entirely bad. The first film (originally released in 1982) was groundbreaking in its use of the then state of the art computer imagery and animation. The story was convoluted at best. It was about a programmer being sucked into a video game to play for his life. Underlying subtext of society and the struggle between the haves and the have nots was there…but let’s face it. Most of that was lost on a 12 year old.

I have never been a video game enthusiast. At best during my rite of passage as a teenager in the mid 1980’s, I hung out a time or two at the local arcade. I was never “good” at any one game, nor did I bother to focus on any one game to somehow master it. Instead I dumped my quarters evenly throughout the arcade. What I mean to say is…the allure of TRON was not based on video games. It wasn’t really sci-fi based either. For me I simply liked the alternate world appeal it held, and the visual eye candy it provided for my developing movie buff mind.

The new sequel certainly continues the murky story…which I use the term “story” loosely. It was also issued in 3D. These days that is more of a gimmick than necessary in most cases. The dark hues throughout much of the film lacked punch for a proper 3D wow. The vibrant colors were there, but after years of seeing Hollywood magic and the barrage of other “eye candy” filled movies…it somehow left me a tad empty. I wasn’t sure what I was expecting…but it rang a bit hollow for me. I didn’t hate it. I enjoyed it on a different level. For me…an original TRON geek…it rekindled my youth and those wacky early 80’s days. That was enough really. That gave it points all on its own.

When it came down to the music…I just always remember soaring classic music with tinges of synthesizers. That combined with a couple tracks from the ubiquitous Journey. Even in the new version…there is a clear nod to Journey. Now however…as we are in a new age of music, media, and creativity…the electronic world is represented by a diet of electronic/techno music. I can safely say aside from opera and hardcore rap, techno is my least favorite style of music. But…

I have stated before that lyrics for me come later. Unless they are out and out goofy or clumsy, I tend to focus of the melodic side of music first. If I am left without a sense of melody, beat, hooks, or redeeming charm… you have lost me as an audience. Every once in a while I will hear a bit of clever electronic music that sparks my fancy. This is one such case.

I swing through musical styles all the time. There are times when I am looking for the heavy and crunchy stuff. Metal! I also however have a strong love for early jazz. Of course I admire the mellow acoustic singer/songwriter stuff too. Throughout all of those styles though runs a human thread. There is an organic side that is warm and cannot be clearly defined. It is however what draws me to this sort of stuff. That is why I think I shy away from “techno” styled music. It feels (and in most cases sounds) less organic. That is not to say that it is not creative or innovative. It is just not as warm and human.

Yet…if the setting calls for it…that techno/machine like stuff can serve a purpose. I will NEVER want a steady diet of it, but small doses of cleverly constructed music is always a good thing. I certainly don’t feel like I have the proper credentials to speak from an educated place on this style of music…but I know what I enjoy.

When it comes to this sort of thing…I have always heard the name Daft Punk tossed around. Along with the Chemical Brothers and Fatboy Slim you have the trifecta of DJ/House/Techno creativity. I have no clue if any of these artists are really still relevant in that realm of music, but I like this cut. The title refers to when a person inside the TRON world is deactivated or decommissioned. The pulsing rhythm track here is strong, sure, and even a tad gritty. The title suits this track.

I felt that the time had come to spread my wings a bit and offer up something a little more daring as we go along. This is all an experiment and a way for me to string together some overlooked things that I find worthy. By passing them along to you…not only do I hope you enjoy them, but maybe that you search a little more yourself. I find myself now with a little over 30,000 tracks in my collection. We are just scratching the surface here. There is plenty of time to circle back to the regular stuff. I just though it would be interesting to step out of the comfort zone for a couple minutes.

I hope you won’t send me out to be decommissioned. I might have to ride my light cycle out of here if you do…

TRON: Legacy (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) - Daft Punk

The SkipFish Playlist (Song 8)

2011-10-05T20:48:00.010-04:00

There’s dispute over when the birth of rock and roll actually took place. It’s hard to pin down since it’s more of something that has evolved than an actual “birth”. Coming from elements in American blues to strains of folk music that became electrified. Add in the bebop freeform of Miles Davis and the swiveling hips of performers like Elvis Presley, and you have yourself something new. Rock has always evolved, changed, grown, and split into countless sub genres. It goes without saying though that the one genre that has always been disrespected is progressive rock. I love prog. Whoever said I was cool?

Bands like Genesis, Yes, ELP, and King Crimson all have players that are brilliant. They are all British…but I think that is a side note. These artists took from the standard “rock” field and added in all of those subtle bits to create what I feel is a melting pot of style and creativity. Expansive ideas and sometimes silly concepts all packaged in a form that has to be huge. It’s the only way you can fit it all in.

I have also always had a great affection for British music. It’s brutally clear even since I relaunched this site what an uber Beatles geek I am. My appreciation for Brit music runs much deeper than just the Fab Four though. I also have a huge appreciation for the progressive rock field. I think what draws me in is the way that not only can most prog bands write interesting melodies with colorful time signatures and soundscapes, but also most can play the snot out of their given instruments. It’s sort of a respect thing for being so great at playing an instrument. Almost like…I surrender…I will never be that good.

At other times prog bands can do some of the most subtle and simple things that have an equally intriguing aspect to them. Simple chords fluttering can somehow be as hypnotic as some massive note fest that is played. One only needs to listen to the simple and powerful grace of Richard Wright’s keyboard on Pink Floyd’s “Shine On You Crazy Diamond” to know what I mean. It’s simple, yet not. Almost like there is much more going on below the surface than you hear on the first go round.

During a recent venture out onto the interwebs, I happened to do a bit of research. I was looking and poking around hoping to find a “new” band. “New” to me does not always mean 2011. Matter of fact it would be even better if I discover a band that already has solid catalog to music. That way I can discover them without having to wait around for years before I hear something new. I would already have a built in backlog of goodies to uncover. Needless to say…this sort of thing doesn’t happen too often these days. Nonetheless…I seek out stuff in hopes of finding the next big thing. Plus it makes it more fun if I discover it and pass it along to my musical kin. This track represents one such wonderful find. Proggy goodness.

Frequency

Since I am a North American boy, I hadn’t really heard much from the English band IQ. I think I probably passed over the name a time or two in some random article about prog music, but it never seemed to amount to too much. For some reason this time…it did, and I’m glad. I’m slowly discovering a band that not only has a backlog of albums for me to unearth, but a band that so far hasn’t made me cringe and run for the hills. That happens sometimes when I have tried this research. Those moments when I realize that there was a very valid reason why I overlooked this stuff the first time around. (I am looking at you Saga.)

So if you look at ALL the music that has come before under the “rock” heading combine that with the fact that music has splintered out into so many different nooks and crannies, it seems inevitable that when you find something you end up comparing it to something else. Prog is a lot like that for me. Since I have a working knowledge of bands under this particular umbrella, I find myself comparing them to various other bands. You know…”they sound like so and so meets so and so”. Comparisons to bands like Yes and Genesis are bound to happen. If they feature keyboards…it could be ELP or even Pink Floyd. If it is acoustic based…Jethro Tull. And so forth and so on…

IQ has elements that most closely resemble early to mid period Genesis for me. Vocalist Peter Nicholls is very similar to Peter Gabriel. He has that slight rasp in his voice that creeps up on the notes. He has a style that sort of lurks about. It never feels like he is singing full on, but it comes across with much emotion and dynamic. The keyboards color the songs in a very Floyd like way, yet they also resemble Genesis or their cousin band Marillion. The drums stutter and pop, but they don’t dominate like a Dream Theater or Rush style band. The chord changes border on pop, but they also conatin twists ala King Crimson. I guess that’s why I like prog so much. It’s hard to descibe, but you know you like it when you hear it.

I was torn as to what song from the band to include on this playlist. I have since latched onto several IQ albums. I am a novice when it comes to descibing deep elements within the band and its overall sound. Since they are somewhat new to me, I don’t feel I have properly earned my “fan” badge yet. I can safely say though…what I have come across is quite good. This track from their 2010 album FREQUENCY is the lead off. The entire album is equal parts mellow and power. At times it feels like it is simple, yet you hear all sorts of things bubbling beneath the surface. It all loops back to that.

I hope in time I shall learn more about this band. It’s too bad that many people probaly have no clue who they are. It is far from metal. It is far from wallpaper music either. It is music that makes you think a bit. It is something that requires the listener to pay attention. Most people don’t invest that kind of effort into music. So I fear this sort of stuff will continue to be bypassed. Sigh…

Yet I hope that by swerving a bit off the beaten path with this song selection…I might interest the few of you that follow this to dig a little deeper. I was captured by this band. They can play, but they don’t beat me over the head with their virtuiosity. They stop to bother to write good songs. It feels coherent and full. I see myself becoming more of a fan of this band. Too bad I am late to the party. I feel I missed a lot of great stuff, but I have time to catch up now I guess. I think it fits well sitting side by side with the other tracks I have selected thus far on the playlist.

It requires me to listen. It requires me to think. That’s what they mean by IQ. To me anyway…

Frequency - IQ

Oh Buy The Way...Which One Is Pink?

2011-09-26T19:59:00.001-04:00

My serious music collecting friends and I argue about it quite often. We all have different viewpoints when it comes to remastering albums, reissuing albums, and repackaging albums. Whatever way you slice it…the speed at which these sorts of things happen these days is increasing every year. Most certainly with the final death rattle breath of physical media due at virtually any moment, it makes these sorts of events equal parts puzzling and exciting. Hence the arguements/discussions.

Excitement was the key word in September of 2009 when The Beatles decided to refresh their catalog with some serious remasters. They went even deeper by releasing a tie in video game, but since I am video game illiterate…I was stoked about the tunes. I thought that compared to many CDs that were on the market at the time (circa 1988), The Beatles stuff stacked up pretty well. They certainly had what I though was a crisp sound. They popped. But it could have been the crappy vinyl albums I had played all those years ago. You know…the ones that I wore out from playing them so much. These new remastered versions blew me away. I was highly impressed. It was work done the RIGHT way.

Like any sort of technology that is harnessed properly it stands to reason that music will benefit from updated “cleaning”. The high frequencies shine a bit brighter, and the bottom end rattles with a bit of a more defined tone. Drums now sound like drums rather than someone stomping on couch cushions. Sometimes even the vocals sparkle with a bit more life. Sometimes…sometimes.

Remastering is not a new concept. The CD market started in the early to mid 1980’s. I bought my first player in 1987. Since that day and age we have grown from the original borderline garbage that was tossed onto the shelves just to get the people to buy something in a new format. A few years passed before we saw the first wave of remastered stuff…rough mid 90’s now, but by the dawn of the new century, we were not only treated to updated remasters, but we now had deluxe editions with all sorts of added songs, assorted media, and things that sucked us music junkies back into the stores to buy this stuff all over once again. Tricks I tell ya, Tricks.

People rebelled and started sharing music online. People were tired of getting the runaround when it came to something that should be so simple as buying a record. It became a cat and mouse game. Music as a whole suffered. Fans suffered. Artists suffered. Labels suffered, and in some cases even folded. Had they stopped and realized that if they would have waited for the technology to catch up and issue albums right in the first place…maybe the music industry wouldn’t be in as rough of shape as it finds itself in. Just a thought.

I’ve made the mistake on several occasions of running out to get updated versions of my favorites. Since I like to have complete collections of certain artists…I feel like I owe it to my ears to have a definitive version around. What a true definitive version is though is the trick. How often am I really going to go back and listen to The Beatles Anthology series? They are my favorite band in the universe, but let’s face facts. Listening to outtakes of stuff that was cutting room material 45 years ago…just doesn’t have the shelf life the final versions do. It’s cool to hear a couple times, but the thrill is gone pretty fast.

I don’t entirely blame the bands directly for this onslaught of CD madness. Some bands signed away their rights to the master tapes years ago. Some don’t have publishing deals anymore. Some are just helpless bystanders while the label runs them over along with their fan base. Tacking on a few nuggets that were outtakes, alternate versions or mixes, live cuts, single B-sides, and commentary are all tricks to make the old stuff appear new again. Tricks. Smoke and mirrors.

Sometimes I don’t mind when the new version comes out. It is welcomed. Some albums sounded like garbage…and now they sound wonderful. Some artists, engineers, producers, mixers get it right. The Beatles stuff is stunning. Some of The Who albums make me feel like I am hearing a whole new album. The Black Sabbath albums actually sound like effort was put into them instead of sounding like something that was recorded in a carpeted Chevy Van from 1974. But…

For each of the great sounding upgrades out there, there are equally as many frustrating versions soiling the soundscape. The David Bowie catalog lacks punch. The Yes catalog sounds okay, but doesn’t make me so glad I got the latest and greatest. The Genesis sets are equal parts wonderful and frustrating. It’s almost like the good sort of gets negated by the bad. And then…

There are bands that did the remastering years ago, and you just know they are lurking out there waiting to be redone once again…or are they? While tons of second generation stuff sounds good, you have to wonder when the next go round is coming for something as massive as Led Zeppelin. Have we heard the last from this kingpin? Or how about…

The frustrating and downright infuriating bands like The Doors or Jimi Hendrix. What am I buying? Each artist only has a hand full of albums. Each album has been remixed, remastered, repackaged, redesigned, restuffed, regurgitated, and redone so many times, there is no real way to sit down and know what you are taking home when you plunk down your cash. I also found a Journey disc that was identical to a different version except for the catalog serial number and a sticker on the wrapper. There was a price disparity of $6.00 however. For what? For what, indeed?

Pink Floyd has long been in my top ten favorite bands of all time category. To me they are a band that I could dedicate post after post to without running out of things to discuss and point out. The Floyd catalog was one I latched onto pretty early on in my CD crazy days. As a matter of fact the second CD I ever purchased was ANIMALS…to this day one of my favorite albums of all time. Floyd never went whole hog and crazy about reissuing their stuff. Different versions dripped out over the years, but it was never a slam like The Beatles thing.

SHINE ON was a box set that was issued by the band in 1992. Santa was good to me that year, and I took home a copy. Inside were eight Floyd classics with a bonus disc of early singles. It came with a book, postcards, and a sleeve that had the discs line up to create the iconic DARK SIDE OF THE MOON prism. It was awesome, but that was 1992.

Now the mighty Floyd is making a somewhat “definitive” and possibly “final” stamp on their catalog. Why Pink Floyd...? is a huge marketing campaign designed to illustrate the relaunch of this amazing body of work. Contained in what is being labeled as a “Discovery” set are all 14 studio albums complete with updated remastering. More in depth verions will be released for 3 of the most well known works (DARK SIDE, WISH YOU WERE HERE, THE WALL) in double disc packs called “Experience”. Finally the same three albums will go even deeper with "Immersion" sets. These will span between 4 to 6 discs while providing all sorts of extra stuff…stickers, coasters, 5.1 mixes. It is endless. And for the casual fan…a new best of album will be released as well.

Confused?

I was.

Since I am huge Pink Floyd fan…I am diving in and getting the “Discovery” set. At least this way I will have crisper and more definitive versions of the albums I have had for years. I hold out hope that I will be as blown away by the sonic updating as I was with The Beatles catalog. There is always the chance that I will be sorely disappointed, but…I’ll be taking that risk I guess. I have a feeling I will be glad I did.

It’s funny that The Beatles promotion was in September. This Floyd outing is in Spetember too. Marketing in full swing, don’t you think? It’s a sad statement on the music industry when so much more excitement and anticipation is building around this release than anything else happening out there at the moment. I find myslef straining to find something that will make me ditch the music from yesteryear to explore the world of the now. It just hasn’t happened yet. There is always hope.

I know even within this collection there is some absolute junk, but I have grown attached to it. I guess you could say I have classic rock swimming in my blood, and I wouldn’t entirely disagree. I just find it funny that since so much of the music I listen to anymore is what I rip onto my iPod (for convenience), or the computer, or in the car…that I don’t sit in front of my stereo with my headphones on like I did when I was a young pup. I feel like I had more fascination with the whole magical world of rock music when I was listened to those scrathy old plastic discs. I’ve heard DARK SIDE OF THE MOON 473 billion times. I know THE WALL like I know my name. I wonder what I will “Discover”?

Yet…I just know…I just know that when the cellophane comes off this new set…and I push play…I’ll wait to hear things that I have known for years and years all for the very first time. Sure it’s silly that I am buying some of these albums for the third time…

But it’s just a momentary lapse of reason…don’t you think?

The Discovery Studio Album Box Set

The SkipFish Playlist (Song 7 Plus)

2011-09-14T18:50:00.002-04:00

I guess I didn’t really realize that I had let all this time elapse between postings. I can honestly say that I wasn’t slacking. Things have been sort of steady all along, but time just got loose somehow. So with this in mind, I decided to sort of catch up by making this entry a bit of a “two for one” sort of offer. A bit to the playlist and a bit to the review side if you will. I know this site will branch out to more and more things as time goes along, but for now this formula seems to be working well. So here…we…go…

As I have brought up numerous times throughout this playlist experiment…I have surprised myself a bit. As I write this tonight, I am sitting with no less than 26,000 songs on the iPod, and additional 189 albums to add to that, plus an additional 3,000 tracks of varying degree on the hard drive. And out of that thus far I have played it pretty safe. I think it’s due in part to not wanting to alienate readers coupled with the fact that lately I haven’t REALLY had a fierce appetite for the bizarre. Just sayin’.

Usually once a year I find myself trying to cram in all the new stuff at once. There is always something out there to seek out, but at times the new stuff can be an avalanche. I should quantify that by saying that “new” does not always mean “2011 new”. Just the release date. Plenty of reissue goodies out there from years gone by to toss in as well. September this year seems to be the boiling over point for my collection.

For those of you who aren’t aware (and in case I should ever refer to this again, you might know what I am talking about) Tuesday is new release day in North America. New music hits the streets at open of business on Tuesday. That way everyone gets a fair shake at selling the new stuff. Exceptions (of course) to every rule, but as a broad general date…Tuesday is it. Stores attach something special to it these days to lure you to their place, but it all depends on what you are looking for.

September 2011 started off for me in the new music world with a new solo disc from Lindsey Buckingham. He is primarily known to the music world at large as the guitarist/songwriter/vocalist/producer of Fleetwood Mac. To many purists, he along with Stevie Nicks sort of killed that band. Turning a blues band into a pop hit mega superstar massive juggernaut success didn’t appeal to many diehards, but it is hard to deny the worldwide scale that Fleetwood Mac has achieved. I can’t honestly say I have ever been much more than a passing fan, but I have always admired Buckingham and his unique style. Even during the peak of their success he stepped aside to create the lavish TUSK. This was a wall to wall “production city” kind of project. I liked it.

As a solo artist Buckingham has had modest success with tracks like “Trouble”, “Go Insane”, and the goofy song from the Vacation movies “Holiday Road”. When you really sit down and listen to all of those, it can be easy to overlook the true talent and sound this guy makes. It’s catchy, but tinged with a bit of darkness. It’s straightforward, but laced with quirky tones underneath the seemingly calm surface. In many ways…it is like a song that punches you while you are not looking…in a good way.

Stars Are Crazy

I hate to use the word “atmospheric”, but it works. It is the best that I can come up with to describe his new disc SEEDS WE SOW. This album holds a special distinction for me. Usually albums are a slow burn with me. Out of the gate most things don’t grab me. I tend to find things and go back and let it sink in. That is why it is so hard to “review” anything. I always feel like as soon as I reach the end of it and put it down on paper, my thoughts about it are going to change. That didn’t happen here. I pretty much liked this disc from the get go.

All of the songs have a slow build and crest to a dramatic stretch before sliding or fading out. They sneak up behind you. On the surface…it is a breathy, mellow, smooth, and “atmospheric” effort. However, I found myself wanting to go back and listen to tracks again. I felt like I missed something. The tracks are sparse and uniquely Buckingham. The production has a compressed dense feel to it. There is little room left in the gaps between, yet it feels like he intentionally left enough room for the songs to breathe and grow.

The title track is a perfect example of this feel, but the song that I believe earns a solid spot on our playlist is “Stars Are Crazy”. Throughout the entire album (and for the past few years to a much greater degree) Buckingham displays his what I can only describe as a “toggle” effect on his strumming guitar pattern. The notes are constant and steady, yet they never feel like they are overpowering. As I am at best a befuddled guitarist myself, I struggle to describe the sound. It’s just something that you’ll know it when you hear it. If you ever got the chance to see him perform “Big Love” on the recent Fleetwood Mac tours (namely from THE DANCE) you will know exactly what I mean.

Buckingham also has this push in his voice that always sounds like it is on the verge of either crying or giving up without sounding like he is yelling or being vocally challenged. It’s almost like he pushes things to a natural stopping point by allowing the listener to take things to a slightly different place if such a thing is possible. Even the lyrics to this track are fraught with trying to recapture a love that is gone, but he knows it is the wrong thing to do. Hence the “crazy” part.

I really liked Buckingham’s last album GIFT OF SCREWS too. That album tended to be a bit louder and straight on. This album is not really aloof, but not quite at home either. There is clearly a vibe that runs through the album giving it a distinct and removed feeling to it all. It’s yet another one of those albums that by definition as to what I normally seek out…I shouldn’t dig this, but I do. It’s a great disc.

I begin to wonder if something is going on. I’ve come into contact with a lot more new stuff here lately that is really good. I seriously hope the trend continues. It’s great being surrounded by all the cool new things. The new Alice Cooper (the couple times thorough so far) is really fun. The acoustic Foreigner CD is a nice addition/twist to some great songs. Classy performance. I shall let you know about Staind and Dream Theater. The DT album may very well be my last with this band for a number of reasons. What I have heard thus far isn’t too promising. Oh well…The law of averages makes you think someone along the way is going to drop the ball, right?

However…if you are looking for something off the beaten path by a guy who helped build the path (at least with Fleetwood Mac anyway) I highly recommend SEEDS WE SOW. “Stars Are Crazy” is crazy good. My compliments to the gardener on the good seeds…

Seeds We Sow - Lindsey Buckingham

Peppers Are Hot With You

2011-08-31T20:49:00.009-04:00

The question becomes…what do you do with a band like the Red Hot Chili Peppers? Simply mentioning the bands name to people in most cases evokes some sort of reaction. They are goofy, weird, out there. All of which are valid descriptions. Like always though…I have to look at it from my own perspective. To me (although I have never been a huge fan) I admit I like a lot of their stuff. I’M WITH YOU is the latest effort from the band, and it is a great reason why I’ll continue to be the modest fan I am. Allow me to explain.

If you follow music and are aware of the band in only in passing occurrences you will most likely recall the notorious Rolling Stone magazine cover with the guys in undress. Or you might recall the album cover where they recreated the ABBEY ROAD picture while only wearing a tube sock that was strategically placed. Or the time bassist Flea was seen jumping like an epileptic frog in a pair of tighty whities on MTV during an awards show while slapping out “Give It Away”. All valid (and mildly disturbing) images mind you. Couple that with the cartoonish antics of the bands over all stage show, and it can be quite easy to look past the musicality the band actually does have.

It’s funny because…what do you do with a band like this? They are rock, but they have soul and funk tossed in. They have white boy rap, chanting, and swearing, but they can also bash out a tune filled with catchy as hell hooks and a good times vibe while being a blended mix of everything all at once. Who are these guys?

Although they were around prior to me becoming aware of them, I think I first heard their punked out cover version of “Fire” by Jimi Hendrix. Then in no short order I heard them cover Stevie Wonder’s “Higher Ground”. That song was already funky enough, but the Peppers added a special little dash to it. I started to wonder if this band was just a covers outfit that made it big or if I truly missed something. The breakout was yet to come.

By the time BLOODSUGARSEXMAGIK hits the shelves in 1991, I was more than aware that they were not a cover band. I was working at a small record store chain then (during my hazy college days), and I recall playing this disc quite a bit. Although we had to be careful when we got around to “Suck My Kiss”. Wasn’t too family friendly really ya know? I instead always found myself digging the groove of “Breaking The Girl”. It was simple, yet it was very catchy. I’m a sucker for a good hook.

The band always swirled around out there in the ether for me. I heard their stuff when it came out. Even bought much of it, but I never became crazy about the band. I still don’t think I am a huge devotee to them, but in this day and age when actual musicianship seems to be a dying (or quite possibly already dead) art, I do find myself interested in what these guys are up to. In this case…I am glad I did. Wonders never cease.

A perfect example of how the band is a mish mosh of styles and influences is immediately evident in the opening cut “Monarchy Of Roses”. The track opens with a distorted almost bluesy feel with borderline sloppy drums before jumping headlong into an almost disco groove for the chorus and main chunk of the tune. It flows back and forth through this pattern a bit. It is jarring at first, but by the time they repeat it, it just sort of fits. It shouldn’t, but it does. Think distorted disco…and this is it.

Other places scattered throughout the album we are treated to trademark Chili Peppers wackiness. Tracks like “Ethiopia” or “Goodbye Hooray” are littered with the not quite singing, not quite rapping vocals of Anthony Kiedis. Moments where he tries to slip in as many words as possible or choose odd words in odd places to create a semi jarring effect at times. I firmly believe that because (to me) he is clearly the weakest link in this chain, he feels a need to keep up with the busy feel of his band mates. But it is pure signature Chili Peppers.

This album marks the recorded debut in the band of new guitarist Josh Klinghoffer. Josh was priamrily listed as a guitar tech for the band prior to becoming a full fledged member. To many diehard RCHP fans his even being on this album creates a problem. Previous guitarist John Frusciante was in and out the band a couple different times before deciding to jump ship for good this time. Maybe it’s because I am not as deep of a fan as some, but Frusciante’s departure isn’t that bothersome to me. For my less than educated ears, I don’t feel like I hear a massive void. Josh does a great job of filling the multi style shoes that need filling in a band like this. His playing adds color to the tracks rather than being the sole focus. Something different in a “rock” band really.

As for the drums and bass…Chad Smith has ceratinly come into his own in recent times. While he might not be the flashy Neil Peart guy, he ceratinly takes command of the beat. His style is forceful, steady, and not always one that takes the safe way out. When the mood calls for it, he punches things up. Simple on “Factory Of Faith”, but very much in the pocket. As for bassist Flea…the more I know about his playing the more he is easily becoming one of my favorite bass players. Without him in ceratin spots…this album would sink. His performance is the showcase here. Many tracks start of with a bass riff that carries the whole tune. The rest seems like decoration sometimes. Being a frustrated bass player myself…Flea is on my favorites list for sure. Well done.

Tracks like the closing “Dance, Dance, Dance” might sound like they are going to take off…but we also get a bit of dynamic here too. “Happiness Loves Company” is another finger sanpper. Complete with gang backing vocals and a jaunty piano pattern the band flirts with a 60’s vibe. Even the somewhat confusing “Even You Brutus?” carries with it an almost Maroon 5 vibe with a dash of 1971 funk for good measure. It has a slope that slides through the track while still being very much a 2011 thing. Tipping a hat to yesteryear, but relevant now.

Hands down the best overall track here is “Brendan’s Death Song”. It’s acoustic, tribal, and catchy. Even though this disc is only a couple days old as I write this…I have found myself playing this track the most so far. Just a really good non traditional drum pattern with Kiedis delivering his best vocal effort here. He legitimately tries to sing this instead of the normal talk/rap/bluff thing he is better known for.

Producer Rick Rubin returns to polish off this work. Rubin has produced everyone from Johnny Cash to Tom Petty to LL Cool J. So it stands to reason when you get a guy that has been to both ends of the musical pendulem that he would be a good fit for this band. Rubin helped the band propel into the stratosphere with his work on hits like “Under The Bridge” and “Scar Tissue”. His technique of creating space for all the intruments to seperate, be a bit sparce at times, while still holding together for a groove is the ideal match for a band like this.

The Peppers are not a band that really fits into my normal listening routine. I’ve stressed time and again since I relaunched this site that I have what I believe to be a diverse listening ear. At the core, I will always be a rock guy first. Just because of my age and general geography of where I grew up I had a choice of rock or country. We all know which path I chose. And in the days prior to the world wide web I had limited access to much outside of the standard clssic rock fare. Since then I have expanded my horizons to include all sorts of stuff. Folk and metal sit side by side in my record collection. So in a bizarre way it makes sense that a band like the Peppers would appeal to me in a mish mosh sort of way.

It’s refreshing to see a band morph into something. These guys can obviously play. I think that tends to get overlooked with all the goofiness that surrounds them from time to time. Even the inside artwork here is silly. Kiedis and Smith both have a bit too much fun with a bottle of ketchup. (If you get the disc you’ll see what I mean.) It’s hard to look beyond that funny/tounge in cheek attitude to hear what they are doing is really inspired and uplifting. This is not a sad record. There is a lot of joy here. If you listen closely you’ll hear what I mean.

I stop short of calling this a great album. I reserve that label for only a handful of things in my collection that spans decades and decades, but I will say this is a really, really good album. It’s clearly not for everyone, but the grooves are fun, cathcy, and professional. The production is crisp and alive. There is a sameness to much of the music, but that is just the bands style. They all have a simliar mix of all sorts of things wrapped in a silly package. Whatever this is…it is uniquely Chili Peppers. Kiedis sticks out like a sore thumb here for being far behind the curve musically, but it works when it seems like it shouldn’t.

I don’t think this disc made me more of a Peppers fan than I already was, but it hasn’t diminished me either. I can easily see myself coming back to this album from time to time. It’s refreshing to hear something in the here and now that feels inspired and real. I stress…Not for everyone…but hard to deny. Not AMAZING…but bravo. I shouldn’t like this album, but I do. It shouldn’t work, but it does. If you think the album is really well done…I’m With You.

I'm With You - Red Hot Chili Peppers

The SkipFish Playlist (Song 6)

2011-08-28T20:52:00.007-04:00

Emerson Hart is primarily known as guitarist/vocalist for the pop/rock band Tonic. There are a few slashes in that description. They sort of suit our subject/focus of the day. The latest addition for the beloved playlist.

Run To

I personally became aware of Tonic shortly after their debut album LEMON PARADE in 1996. The late 1990’s launched many a band. Actually the mid to late 90’s really had a surge of all sorts of music that was rocky with a bit of jangle yet popish and melodic. This was also the time when the web was becoming more and more accessible to the masses, so the general public started to have a drastic decline in their collective attention span. Funny how it doesn’t seem that long ago really.

I’ve said it before but for me (in a broad sense) much of the best music seems to be pre 1994. The best stuff after that was created by bands that were around prior or just by some random exception. I know, I know, but that’s just my opinion. I still listen to all sorts of stuff, and I certainly seek out new things all the time with the hope that I’ll latch onto something great. It simply felt like at that moment in the musical timeline…things began to drift. As a consequence a lot of what I thought were great bands got lost in the shuffle. They never had the proper chance to grow beyond a quick burst of popularity/notoriety (see what I mean about those slash marks) before they faded from sight.

Bands like The Verve Pipe (who coincidently was a touring mate of Tonic), Beck, Bush, and No Doubt all burst onto the scene at virtually the same moment. They all had different sounds and styles, but they flooded the market in such a way that something was bound to be overlooked. It was inevitable. Someone was going to fade quicker than the rest. Unfortunately for me…those tended to be the bands that I liked the most. I am not sure what that says about my tastes…but…I never said I was the cool kid in school okay?

“Open Up Your Eyes” and “If You Could Only See” were fairly modest hits by Tonic that first year. They had a few more brief pops at the singles chart, but nothing really made them huge. They were losing out to the novelty of rock ska and the resurgence of swing by the likes of the Mighty Might Bosstones and Big Bad Voodoo Daddy respectively. (For the record…I always liked the Verve Pipe too. I never really thought they got their proper due either. VILLAINS is an amazing album, but that is for another day.)

So like so many bands do…once the spotlight tends to die down a bit and the brand name isn’t bringing in the props that it used to, you go solo. Hart’s CIGARETTES & GASOLINE is one such event that found him in full on TONIC mode. I consider myself a fan of the band. I mean they have only officially released four albums, but I think I have a sense of what sort of flavor they bring. To be perfectly honest I think Hart’s solo effort could have very easily been labeled a Tonic album. That is not a bad thing whatsoever.

Hart is the kind of songwriter I think deep down I honestly aspire to be myself. Sure I love the proggy stuff like Rush or Dream Theater, but I also consider myself a Simon & Garfunkel fan. I too find myself at times really enjoying some Iron Maiden and James Taylor. I am a mish mash. So when you meet in the middle…well…I don’t think I could go all out like either end of those choices. It’s not a compromise. It feels to me more like a tipping of the hat to both ends of the spectrum. I think I find a comfortable home in my own (for fun) writing style in a place nearer to Tonic or Hart. He has elements in there of the rock stuff, but it all has a hook that makes it a solid effort. And seeing as how I tend to label myself a melody/sound guy first…a catchy hook and feel is a must. Even if you had the most intelligent lyrics and sentiment…if you don’t have the chops to create a good melody…might as well hang it up. Just my opinion.

I admit I wasn’t aware at first that Hart had released a solo effort. I found it quite by accident when I was on yet another of my adventures to find something new and interesting. Aside from Keith Emerson who creates a total 180 style of music than this…the name Emerson jumped out at me from the shelf. I felt like I was discovering the band all over again.

The album as a whole has a slick and even flow to it. The jangle of the guitar and the sing-songy choruses are all here. There is plenty of acoustic flare and electric goodness to balance it out. Like I said, a perfect blend of the stuff that covers a lot of influence while being its own thing. It’s not that the songs make me freak out like the first time I heard Led Zeppelin or The Beatles. Not in the least, but it is most certainly hard to deny the fact that these songs are well written, well intentioned, and in a word…catchy. Good songs are good songs regardless of style or state of aggression. It’s all relative.

So on my latest look down the music rack I came across this album again. One that I hadn’t played in a little while, but once I did I remembered how much I enjoyed this. Plus when I thought of it, I thought it would find a nice home on this playlist. It meets all the criteria. It’s sort of mellow, catchy, fun, and most importantly a tune that probably gets overlooked.

Say what you will about the songs I have selected thus far, but I think I have managed to go a little below the surface to find a few things that aren’t household names. You recognize the bands sure, but maybe not the tunes. Hey…maybe there is a theme in there after all.

Hmmmm……
Cigarettes and Gasoline - Emerson Hart

The SkipFish Playlist (Song 5)

2011-08-21T19:09:00.006-04:00

As this playlist thing begins to take shape and grow, I think a couple things are beginning to emerge. One…I think this thing might in fact turn out to be something fairly mellow as a whole. Two…it’s probably going to have this mellowish streak running through it because…well I guess that is what I am digging most these days. Trust me I still have my glimpses of heavy bashing stuff, but when it comes to this playlist for whatever reason I seem to go back to the core chill stuff. And that is not all bad.

When you say the words “Christian rock” to somebody it normally evokes some sort of response. My experience is that most people who are diehard rock fans don’t know how to digest this at first. There tends to be a bit of resistance to accept the genre. For me…I admit I might be a bit like that, but not entirely. No real reason, just seems to be the case. Rock isn’t supposed to be joyous I guess…who knows? Since I have always been a melody and sound guy first, the lyrics (or message) don’t really hit me as hard right out of the gate as they might for some. They impact me for sure, but it tends to come to me later. Because if it doesn’t sound good, I ain’t listenin’ anywho.

A dear friend of mine introduced me to Spock’s Beard about five (or maybe six) years ago. We have known each other for longer then either of us cares to admit. We drifted apart for various reasons for many years, but we reconnected a few years ago. We share similar crazy musical interests, and we can talk about music for hours to an almost “nerdy” level. It is awesome. I think I am pretty ahead of the curve when it comes to digging up new stuff, but he beat me to the punch when it comes to Spock’s or more directly the music of Neal Morse.

I have always had a tendency to dive in when discovering a new band/artist, get their catalog, and diverge out into the solo world. It has always intrigued me to see what each individual member brings to the collective band table. It even sort of helps me shape maybe just what it is that makes me a fan of their original band to begin with. With Spock’s Beard this is certainly the case.

Neal Morse was a primary vocalist and songwriter for this prog outfit. (Yes…I know…funny how it always circles back to prog isn’t it?) Morse decided to leave the band in 2002/3 to pursue a solo career as he developed more Christian leanings. He felt he wanted to break from the pack so to speak. My buddy who introduced me to Neal’s music didn’t really follow this leap…not because he is one of those hesitant “Christian rock” guys, but because I don’t think he has my daring when it comes to tracking down solo music. Funny to think of it that way I guess.

Now while I admit I am a very latecomer to the party, I have discovered a LOT of great music from the mind of Neal Morse. Not only is it my opinion that the best Spock’s Beard albums were done under his watch, but his solo career has been quite prolific, inspirational, and jammed packed with prime stuff as well. This song is no exception. It’s mellow. It’s a dramatic burner, but it is really good. It’s how this kind of stuff is supposed to be done.

The Way Home

LIFELINE is a solo prog album from Morse that is the first in a long time from the artist that isn’t a true concept piece. Instead this album consists of individual songs with all the trappings of a solid progressive effort. The fast tempos augmented by flashy keyboards, intricate drumming (from no less than Mike Portnoy), and even the lilting ballads of tracks like this. Although Morse has created better solo outings than this (namely ? and TESTIMONY) this is still a solid effort. And to be honest…when the day has you beat…this is a good uplifting song to bring you out of your funk.

In a lot of ways this is one of those songs that you just sort of feel like you have heard before…but you haven’t. Not in a bad way. It has a common feel, yet it has that element of hope, life, and drama that make for a good uplifting tune. And in this world who doesn’t need that? It would have easily been at home on any Spock’s Beard album.

I keep expecting myself to come up with something radical when it comes to adding a song to this playlist…but I just haven’t been moved yet to do so. This is the stuff I have sort of been focused on here recently. September is shaping up to be a HUGE new release month for all sorts of reasons. We will get a new Lindsey Buckingham album (I think his style and production sound is killer), a revamped Dream Theater sans Portnoy, Alice Cooper, some Queen reissues, a Foreigner acoustic disc, and the much anticipated (and needed) Pink Floyd massive reissue campaign. So somewhere in there I might find a new thing that takes me out of this straight and narrow path I find myself on five songs in.

But if not…I still think these are quality tracks. This track just feels right for some reason.

Enjoy!

Lifeline - Neal Morse

Rock & Old Over

2011-08-15T20:09:00.004-04:00

As a kid I clearly thought my elders were out of their minds. I was too busy trying to be a grown up instead of sitting back and enjoying the days of my youth. I wouldn’t say I wasted those days by any stretch, but it is true…time flies. Getting old is no fun.

Here we are on the cusp of another summer ending. Soon the kiddies will be back to school, and in my neck of the woods the leaves will fall and the snow will fly. The older I get, the more times seems to move in mysterious ways. Without realizing it another tick is gone from the calendar. Getting old is no fun.

Part of the reason I intended to pull back on the whole concert/live music thing was not only because it was becoming more and more expensive, but the sheer number of acts that I had yet to see (or really had any desire to see) was diminishing year after year. Even those that still did hold my fancy were becoming older too. Their calendars work just like mine. Just because they are rocks stars doesn’t excuse them from the ravages of time.

Recently I took a special new friend to a show. Since their “concert experiences” were somewhat limited, I thought this would be a fun outing. The enthusiasm was there so I thought…why not? Journey, Foreigner, and Night Ranger were on the bill. You can’t get more AOR then that right? While none of the bands are among my top greatest artists of all time, I have to admit there is quite a bit from each band that I do enjoy. (Okay maybe not so much Night Ranger, but you get my drift.)

It was fun night. Problem was there was an annoying woman about 20 years past it in front of us that forgot this was 2011. It was no longer 1985. The ravages of time. Getting old is no fun.

David Crosby

Putting this annoyance aside it did beg the question of what is happening (or quite possibly what has already happened) to the rock and roll world. In the age of buying songs piece by piece rather then digesting a band in the old school LP format something has gone amiss. I sat there watching each band take the stage and realized that they are ALL getting old. Sure there were the “replacement” band members in there that injected new blood to the offing, but that isn’t my point.

I have never seen the Temptations or the Four Tops live. To be honest as I write this out I am not even sure if there is a version out there of the Tops anymore anyway. I know these “bands” have morphed into a touring and performing machine where many of the original contributors are long since deceased or retired. So what you are seeing is a performance or mimic of the original gem. It’s a live version of something that is not so “live” anymore. And while I don’t think that those sorts of things are ALL bad ALL the time, I do think it is a bit worrisome to think that soon it will be all a brand name. The good is gone…the label is all that remains. Just look at Kiss, and you will see what I mean, but that is a story for another time.

Grace Slick

Foreigner sounded great. As you know I have been a fan of that band for as long as I have been a rock fan, but only one guy up there is the “real deal”. Plenty of the other members in this new version of the band have credentials, but even they are older too. The original guy is still cranking and sounding great…but he is NO spring chicken.

Paul McCartney will be 70 next year. David Crosby just passed that mark, and who ever thought he would make it that far? Bob Dylan is 70, and Uncle Elton John is in his mid 60’s. Other greats like Ray Manzarek (The Doors) and Grace Slick have already slid past that milestone. Carlos Santana and the boys in Pink Floyd are all up there too. Jagger and Richards are knocking at the door. How much longer will we have these guys to muck around?

I hope the answer is forever. We will through the magic and wonder of the legacy of their recorded music…created for all of us fanatics throughout the years, but it makes you think.

The fact that we still have the ability to talk about these guys anymore is because they were able to create something beyond the nice tidy MP3/4 files that we toss onto a pocket hard drive these days. They made albums. By definition alone this alone means a collection or body of work. It was more then just piecemeal bits or songs here and there. I am far from a technology snob, nor do I hold a grudge against anything more modern than the classic rock set, but if an artist doesn’t have a platform to develop and grow and produce…then they are doomed.

Most selections now come with such a small window of opportunity to have artistic achievement that we rarely see things that last much more then a couple years at best. I mean look at the Jonas Brothers. You couldn’t swing a cat a couple years ago without hearing them referenced somehow, but now they seem so passé. I know pop music always will be…but if a band has a chance to build a foundation for a career…we are more likely going to get great things. Just seems like the law of averages to me.

I love the fact that there is so much to choose from, but I also hate that I have to dig for it. And when I find it…I have to wonder what version I am buying…the super edition or the deluxe mega edition or the collector’s special edition. Ugh. I know I touched on this once before on the old site so allow me to get back to my original point.

If we only have the random tattered bits to choose from when it comes to buying new music…how will we replace all the greats that were are seeing age before our very eyes? I don’t want Sir Paul to pack it in. None of the greats that I mentioned need to do that. Being creative, active, and making people smile with their music is a gift. It is the definition of awesome. There is just something not quite right though.

It’s equal parts wonderful and sad that I noticed so many younger kids at the show. There was a kid that couldn’t have been more than 8 years old a couple rows up from us that was adorned in a huge oversized Journey t-shirt. Foreigner was on stage, and he was singing along and pumping his fist in the air at all the right moments. I’m not sure if it was his mother or not, but the woman next to him was way younger than myself. She gave him a high five. It was very cool to see a little moment like that. The woman didn’t look old enough to recall the first Foreigner album when it was new either; so what does that mean for the guys on stage who are older than me? Times a ticking away people. Nobody is immortal. Not even Charlie Sheen.

I always hold out a glimmer of hope that music will come around again. I have my strong doubts that it will sometimes, but I still hold a candle out there. It’s hard to find sometimes, but it is there. Hope that there will be another great thing that inspires me and sees them carry the torch that started so long ago into the musical future. I hope that in another 30 years when I am as old as Mr. Crosby, that I too am still out there looking to find that little kid clapping his hands and singing along to the tunes of the next generation to come.

But time seems to be running out…don’t you think? Did I mention getting old is no fun?

Bob Dylan

The SkipFish Playlist (Song 4)

2011-08-03T20:28:00.006-04:00

Like I said…it would be really hard to have any sort of flowing theme or connectivity to any playlist I might come up with here. While I am sure there are tons of other music fans that might be more eclectic than myself…I think my tastes are a tad diverse. I mean do own everything from Brahms to Miles Davis to Megadeth. I wondered what I should select next for this silly little project. I haven’t gone epic prog yet, nor have I really challenged the listener to something too heavy. If anything the choices I’ve made thus far have been sort of safe. So…that might be a theme of sorts I guess. All I know is that I stand behind all of my choices.

With all that has gone on in my day to day world in the recent past…one thing I said I was going to cut back on or stop altogether was the world of live music. I attended my first concert in 1984 (wow that seems so long ago when you see it in print), and I still plug away at it to this day. A couple of years ago I had a few less then ideal situations arise with the whole concert scene. I was starting to feel jaded. So I vowed I would pull it all back. Having said that…as of this post I have attended no less than four shows this year with another two to go…with a few months left before 2011 runs out. So much for that me thinks.

So this week I will play it super safe. In recognition of attending my next show this week…I thought why not pull a song from deep in the bands catalog? Even though I have seen the bands before, this outing will hold a special and unique experience for me. It is a triple bill of Journey, Foreigner, and Night Ranger. None of the bands slides into my top list of anything really…but of the three…Foreigner leads the way for me.

Girl On the Moon

The summer of 1981 found me sitting in my front yard with a bulky cassette player that had a built in speaker on the side. It wasn’t a boom box…just a cassette machine. So low-fi I can hardly bring myself to admit I owned it. That summer I remember having a copy of FOREIGNER 4 on cassette. “Urgent” and “Juke Box Hero” filled the radio airwaves, and for the ballad who can forget the classic “Waiting For A Girl like You”.

For my money I always liked Foreigner best out of all those “arena” rock bands of the time. The lyrics weren’t too powerful, and the musicianship wasn’t overly mind-blowing…but it had a feel. Lou Gramm had an amazing pop/rock voice, and guitarist Mick Jones certainly had a knack for writing that “earworm” hook that is so necessary to the rock world. The songs had a lasting impression. They had quality.

Since this was in the pre iPod days you had to flip the tape over. You had to get through the whole thing. This was back in the days when I actually knew the albums I liked front to back. There was no filler to me. Sure I had my favorites, but the album (or cassette as the case may be) was the thing. It was for me a solid and cohesive work. 4 was one album I knew (and still know) very well. Sometimes I find the deeper album cuts to be to my liking a bit more. So while I am 150% sure they will never play this track live again, I like it nonetheless. Plus it fits in with the “mellowish” feel I have brewing here already.

“Girl On The Moon” is a sparse and very 1980’s sounding tune. The midtempo song is not really a rocker nor is it a ballad. It’s something in between. The slinky slide guitar fills of Jones combined with solid and steady rhythm section of bassist Rick Wills and drummer Dennis Elliott make this a nice little song. It’s not that the track is especially game changing in any way, but it is something that I am pretty sure has been overlooked for many moons (no pun intended).

By the time Foreigner got around to this album the title 4 represented more then the number of albums that band had released up to that point. The band was now reduced to a four-member outfit. Sure those first three albums are what many purists will look to when the topic of Foreigner comes up, but this lineup somehow suited the new decade. 1981 would be another huge year for the band. They were on fire then…they could do no wrong.

So while this song is probably ranked in last place for me out the songs I’ve included on this playlist thus far, I hold this album very near and dear to my heart. I catapult back to my front yard as a little kid with a crappy radio. Even then the chorus of this song always got me.

I’ve always liked Foreigner.

4 (Expanded Version) - Foreigner

Queensryche...Yikes

2011-07-25T18:34:00.005-04:00

I would like to start this post with a very deep and heartfelt apology to my iPod. I know you have been good to me and provided all sorts of entertainment. It’s such a shame that I contaminated your hard drive with the new Queensryche album. I am deeply sorry. I promise to never let it happen again. You have my word.

And to you my readers…I also beg for your forgiveness in wasting your time in even speaking about something as awful as this new album. It makes the new Yes effort look like a true masterpiece…and we all know that while it isn’t all bad…it is a long way off from masterpiece classification. Just some perspective on what we are dealing with here.

It is never my intent to write reviews that are negative. I don’t seek out things that I automatically feel will generate some deep seeded disgust within me. I know many of my “reviews” (even those that some of you might recall from the site before my recent reboot) haven’t been all that stellar. I also openly admit that for me…many albums are a bit of a slow burn. What I mean is that on initial approach they may not be favorites, but in the years to come…my thoughts may soften or even change. There are exceptions to every rule of course, but most fit into that category. Recent efforts that are a homerun straight out are admittedly few and far between.

Queensryche is an odd one for me. I have never really been some uber mega fan of the band, but I certainly have admired their moments of greatness over the years. And I will also be the first to give credit where credit is due for their influence on a new breed of metal/hard rock that took a heaping helping from the progressive music file. With good writing by guitarist Chris DeGarmo and the powerful pipes of Geoff Tate the band has certainly left their mark along the way. It’s too bad that mark is a long ago memory, and we are left with this…whatever you want to call it. It’s just bad, sad, and pathetic.

Long ago the band lost much of that spark for me. EMPIRE was my jumping off point. Even though that album skyrocketed them into more households than ever, it didn’t feel as hungry as their previous work. I admired their risk taking on RAGE FOR ORDER, and they proved to be more then capable with OPERATION: MINDCRIME. After this…it felt like something popped. They were never really the same after that. 1997’s HEAR IN THE NOW FRONTIER was a radical left turn for the band, but I really liked much of that album too. Once DeGarmo faded from the band…they really seemed to lose their way.

2011 finds the band releasing DEDICATED TO CHAOS. Even the title begs you not to insert some sort of awful word in there. This is easily their worst album to date. Boring, lazy, uninspiring, and for lack of a better term…random.

The album opens with an overly simple (and not Ryche-like at all) track called “Get Started”. It feels like this would be more at home on an AC/DC outing then something from these guys. Even the sentiment in the lyrics is trite and bland; it left me hoping that the next 15 tracks had more to offer. Not to be.

Songs like “Hot Spot Junkie” and “Retail Therapy” touch on what you think might be classic Queensryche social commentary about how we as a society need to spend money and use social media to disconnected ends, but instead it comes across like it is all forced. There seems something wrong with placing the word “YouTube” in such a prominent spot. It isn’t slick or sly. It just feels silly and clunky.

Meanwhile other track flirt with being U2 cast offs. You can almost hear Bono singing something as cheesy as “Around The World”. It even cops to repeating phrases like “all we need is love”. It sounds like a Pepsi commercial. This is not your father’s Queensryche. Even Tate’s warble here is awkward. His voice rarely lifts above a speaking tone. No soaring notes. It is all controlled. There is even a guitar arpeggio that sounds like it came from page one of The Edge’s guitar playing handbook. Ugh.

The band even flirts with borderline sleaze funk in tracks like “Luvnu” and “Got It Bad”. This is crap. Wow. The grooves of things as unfulfilling as “Drive” or “Higher” just repeat and go nowhere. The complete silliness comes to the fore with “Wot We Do”. This thud goes so far as to add fake horn blips over the non-existent chorus. These tracks do however make me feel much better about my own songwriting abilities.

If all of this is not bad enough…the production has a muddy and unsettled rattle to it. I recently saw Geoff Tate interviewed about the album and he referred to it as one that would challenge the listener. I wonder if he was referring to the challenge of getting through the whole thing. That’s a bet I think many will lose. I was stupid enough to get the expanded edition. That way I could get a couple extra crummy songs to dissect. Never again.

What is really frustrating with this album is that somewhere deep down inside…I know these guys can do so much better. Even a bad album is better then this. This is far and away the worst album I have heard from a top shelf artist in a very, very, very long time. I’ve had issues with Queensryche for years, and I know they will never be able to recapture the glory of days gone by. At this point though it would be better to stop altogether then sully the legacy of those first few albums with tripe like this.

I have a couple friends that are much deeper into metal than I. Queensryche’s first few efforts stand tall in their eyes. Like I said I tend to agree. That was the 1980’s…many moons ago. This 2011 band does not resemble that of yesteryear at all. Even the Yes album has a flair and somewhat familiar feel to it. The new Journey outing is almost too much Journey. Queensryche is no Neil Young either. They can’t get away with moving around from flavor to flavor like he does. Something about how Neil approaches it makes it all work and have a cohesive effect. This is more like shotgun spray on a freshly painted wall. It goes everywhere, but all it does is cause damage without really making sense.

I always want to like an album by a band that I like. I think sometimes I hang on way too long and give them too many chances to make me believe in them once again. The Journey album isn’t all that, but I do like about three or four cuts. The Yes album is lacking, but it has a solid sound and moments of hope and flakes of what made that band great to begin with. This…

If you don’t have anything nice to say…don’t say anything at all…so…I’m done.

Dedicated to Chaos - Queensrÿche

The SkipFish Playlist (Song 3)

2011-07-20T19:24:00.007-04:00

It’s that time again. It is time for me to add yet another musical gem to my budding playlist. For those of you following along with the home version of our game, this will be song number three. Here we go…

Since the recent reboot of this site, I realized I haven’t done something yet. As I alluded to in the previous entry, I have a list of my top bands...the ones that I hold near and dear. I think most people like or at least have these sorts of lists. Lists are funny things especially when it comes to the “artistic” world. How can one logically rank or rate artists as vastly different as Napalm Death and James Taylor? You can’t really, but people do it all the time. People like me that have a severe music addiction do anyway. Lists can also ignite debate and discussion. I always read ones that I see posted listing the best this or that, but most of the time I find myself disagreeing with many of them.

So here tonight I offer up a new tune by a band that is clearly in my Top Ten. With these newer posts the closest I have come to talking about a heavyweight like this was with Yes. Yet we all know my extreme love/hate with that band. Lately a lot of hate with a slight bit of love around the edges. And what also makes this post especially intriguing is that as I write this…the composer and vocalist of said tune is celebrating yet another year here on Earth. Happy birthday John!

Love Don't Come Easy

Being a Moody Blues fan over the years has not been easy (no pun intended). They have often been accused of being soft and playing it safe along the way. In retrospect I can certainly see that. However to me the band has always had a deep seeded romantic side to it. Even at their most psychedelic the band had a bit of humor sprinkled throughout that made it all easier to digest. Admittedly I like a lot of dark and brooding music, but this band is the opposite of that in so many ways.

The first seven albums that the band produced (noted by many hardcore fans as the “core” albums) all had a hard to define lilt to them. As they progressed and moved into the 1980’s the band became more commercial and accessible. With hits like “The Voice” and “Your Wildest Dreams” the profile of the band skyrocketed. It was a strange thing for a band already twenty years into their career. The band lost focus in the 1990’s and eventually seemed to be creatively dried up. 1999 saw the release of their last proper non holiday studio album in STRANGE TIMES.

To me the album was certainly pop, but yet it had moments of that old symphonic Moodies sound. It’s hard for a group of guys in their fifties to sound cool and with it, but the album has a nice steady flow and solid songwriting. It’s too bad the band sort of stopped there. I don’t know if they were expecting the rise to fame again like they experienced in 1986 or not, but the band stalled.

Even though they continue to tour to this very day…it is all a reminder of what great songs they had. It has seeped into the nostalgia column for sure, but I think the band has another solid effort in them if they just put their minds to it. Who knows if that will ever happen, but one can hope.

In particular this track “Love Don’t Come Easy” took my ear from the first time I heard it all those years ago. In some bizarre way it has a Beatles like hook while having that clear Moodies vibe. Being the frustrated bass player I am I naturally focus in on bass players. Even more so when they sing and write like Mr. John Lodge. Lodge is best known for composing “Isn’t Life Strange?” and “I’m Just a Singer In A Rock And Roll Band” for the Moodies, but this one deserves its day in the sun. It has that special more modern feel while still being a ballad and not feeling tedious and too sappy.

So there you have it. It will sort of stick out like a sore thumb when linked up to the Rundgren and Cheap Trick already on this playlist, but I warned you. Playlists don’t come easy. Where have I heard that before?

Strange Times - The Moody Blues

Yes Takes Flight

2011-07-14T22:27:00.011-04:00

If someone asked me to compose a list of my favorite bands…it would depend on when you asked me as to what bands I might say. Had you asked me in 2002…this band would have easily been in the top five. From then up until my recent encounter with their latest CD, I don’t know if I could have said that. Honestly…now with this album in hand…they may have crept back into my number ten slot. A long fall for sure, but a vast improvement from years gone by. The band…YES!

Most of those that know me personally are aware of my love of this band. You read right…I said “love”. For years I had a steady diet of Yes in all of the places I listened to music. The car, home, wherever. It was almost a requirement. When I discovered the band in the early 1980’s I hadn’t really heard anything like them. Sure the 1970’s and 1980’s versions of Yes differ greatly, but they both evoke a sense of awe. Sure there were bumps in the road along the way, but I loved this music. It wasn’t easily defined, nor was it something that most people could quite use as background noise. This music required attention and thinking. It came from an inspired place. I could easily write volumes about how I came to discover the band and how I developed my appreciation for their recorded output and live performances. No sweat. That is until 2002…

By this time most people who were in my inner Yes circle of friends had jumped ship. The band seemed to be coasting and grasping at creativity that was lacking. 2001 saw them record a new album with an orchestra followed by an ambitious tour of the same. While it seemed like a good idea at the time…it came across like a failed experiment that didn’t live up to its full potential. So when even more of the remaining fan base sort of dropped off leaving an ever-diminishing crowd of fans behind…the band went into a desperation mode of touring the greatest hits circuit. There was now even more lacking within the band. Things looked grim.

Lead vocalist Jon Anderson became ill during this time, and the future of the band was placed in serious doubt. They weren’t creative anymore, and they were all aging and obviously not well. Bassist Chris Squire would even later have an issue with blood clots. Instead of taking some time out to properly regroup and refocus, the band went renegade and hired a tribute band vocalist to replace Anderson. Benoit David entered the fold as a “temporary replacement” for the ailing singer, but it soon came to pass the “replacement” was going to be permanent.

Before I go on maybe I should explain why my feelings are so strong about this band. When I invested my energy and time into this band…I always seemed to have my fingers crossed that they would make the right decisions for us fans. Hopes that whatever came out the other side would be great musically for one and all. This band has always had a revolving door policy with band members, so you were never quite sure who was going to do what. You could however always seem to count on Jon being there and Squire carrying the bass. Even though Anderson was gone briefly in the early 1980’s the band was still creating music and moving forward, When they took a ten year break from the studio after MAGINIFCATION in 2001, it seemed like all we were ever going to get was the same hit setlist over and over in some weird touring package combination. It frustrated me because the band was so much more than that. I doubted that they could make a comeback work. They seemed to start to doubt themselves. If I could sense it…I know they must have felt it too.

In 2008 I did venture out to see the latest incarnation of the band…complete with the new singer. He was no Jon Anderson. It was okay, but Anderson has some MAJOR shoes to fill. It is inevitable that Benoit David would be compared to the mighty Jon. (Jon by the way if you can’t tell is one of only three musical people in my world that I reserve the term ICON for.) It felt like the new vocalist was mimicking the old stuff. I can sing karaoke, but I wanted him to be his own person. If they were going to make it…it seemed like the least he could do.

2011 finally sees the band return to the recording venue with FLY FROM HERE. In 1980 Trevor Horn and Geoff Downes better known to the rest of the world as The Buggles joined Yes. The Buggles were pop, and Yes was not. Horn had a light airy tone to his voice that did fill some of Jon Anderson’s missing tenor, but it wasn’t quite the same. These guys seemed more at home in their world creating hits like “Video Killed The Radio Star” then being in a prog rock band. But here we are…fast forward to present day...Horn assuming the producer role with Downes placing himself behind the keyboard once again. Hello Yes 2011.

I admit a huge part of me didn’t want to hear this album let alone like any of it. I love the DRAMA album from 1980 that included the Horn/Downes combo, but Yes still seemed alive then. Now I had (and still have) some serious doubt. When I first heard the album was going to be called FLY FROM HERE, I immediately recalled that this was a track that was left off the DRAMA album. In fact this piece does date back to 1980. The core song goes back that far, but Yes of 2011 has attempted to expand that track into a modern epic spanning roughly 23 minutes. Whew!

Most classic Yes albums contain extended pieces that became fan favorites. I love prog rock as much if not more than the next guy, but simply playing a song for half an hour does not mean that it deserves that or is any good at all. “Close To The Edge” or even the latter “That, That Is” don’t feel forced. They do have a flow to them. Before hearing the new album and knowing they had been gone from recording for so long, I wondered if it was a good idea to jump headlong into a new epic. Fortunately this doesn’t really have the feel of one epic song. The title cut is in fact broken up over five different sections. It does allow for some breathing room. That’s a good thing and a bad thing.

“Fly From Here” opens with an overture that does touch on the brief themes we will hear in the next passages before going into the core of the original 1980 track. The only version I have of the original Trevor Horn led version is a live take that can be found on the release THE WORD IS LIVE boxset. I had a bootleg from years ago that is pretty much the same. The new Benoit David version sticks pretty close to the original concept. The song swings through a couple more passages before going on to “Bumpy Ride”. This section has an almost silly bopping sound that seems out of place with the rest of the track. Its ends and segues back into the main theme for a nice closure.

Loaded all over the track are bits of clever production and hidden noises. The keyboards have a fat and layered sound while still chiming through with plenty of grand piano. The vocals are polished to a crisp and exact shine…a Trevor Horn production trademark. The percussion needs more punch. The drumming of Alan White is flat and sort of uninteresting. Sorry. I just don’t feel it was anything wonderful. Guitarist Steve Howe is scattered everywhere with blips and beeps of guitar scales and runs, while Squire can’t be missed for his nearly lead voices in spots combined with that unmistakable bass thud.

Speaking of lead voice the next track is only the second Yes one to feature a true Chris Squire lead vocal. A nice enough song called “The Man You Always Wanted Me To Be” sort of jars the listener from standard Yes fare and dives a tad into overt pop with a heavy dose of folk mixed in. In many ways it is sort of related to the Howe composed “Hour Of Need” track that follows. It too has a folky/acoustic flow to it, but it is the lesser of the two tracks to be sure. Both nice, but not real “Yes”.

Howe does not simply leave it at that. We are also treated to “Solitaire” which is a quaint polite acoustic instrumental from the guitar master. I say nice and polite because it is just that. Like many things Howe has recorded over the years…it is good, technically proficient, and solid…yet not overly unique to the Howe cannon. Maybe because “Mood For A Day” is almost 40 years old I hold it in higher regard. I don’t know. This piece is nice…little more.

The album closes with the only track here that is credited songwriting wise to the entire band “Into The Storm”. With a title like that you might expect that this is a barnburner… not really. Again the drums seem a bit listless and the entire tune comes across as good not great. I reserve the right to change my mind on this one, but right now…it just doesn’t grab me.

To me by far and away the best track on the new disc is “Life On A Film Set”. This too is an old Buggles cast off, so it does NOT have that strong Yes vibe going on either. As I read over the lyrics, I am confused as to what the title really refers to, but it’s Yes so…who knows. The track (like many other smaller moments in “Fly From Here”) is tinged with bits of darkness. There is an uneasy and colored tone to this track that isn’t something normally found in Yes music. The track is hard to put into words, but I really like it. It has that earworm quality to it. I’ve found myself humming the melody after the song ends. For me if it sticks with you like that…then that is the mark of a good tune.

I admit…I did not want to like this album at ALL, and for some of it I still don’t. Problem is there is quite a bit here I really enjoy. I do however have to give the most credit for that to one Trevor Horn. Not only is he credited with a some backing vocals, but he along with Downes gets the lions share of the writing credit. Plus it was a solid idea to have him once again sit in the production chair. Horn has managed to stay relevant in the current pop scene since his Buggles days, and the man knows a thing or two about putting things together and making them sound professional. I have to wonder if he wasn’t in the mix would I like this as much?

Benoit David is still so very frustrating to me. He also works from time to time with another band called call Mystery. Upon hearing that album I thought he was trying to mimic Dennis DeYoung from Styx fame. Here at times he tries to channel both Horn and Jon Anderson at the same time. It feels like he isn’t truly being himself. I often wonder what that would sound like. His tone changes too much for my personal taste. Drummer Alan White is very lackluster here. The drums are thin and in general lack a real sense of driving the beat. Never a good thing while the drummer feels like he is in the backseat. I’ve already talked about how Steve Howe colors each and every track with subtle fills and runs. Problem is in many ways for these tracks it calls to mind Asia…his other band…not Yes. Chris Squire is a musical hero of mine, but as time goes along I feel he has become a one trick pony. Thick buzzy bass with punchy tone layered with his choir like vocal. It just feels like he has lost a step or two along the way. Without him though the band would completely crumble. He just doesn’t feel like the powerhouse he once was. Keyboardist Geoff Downes has never been the flashy player that other that have been in the Yes fold have. Downes is more about color and atmosphere. Here his performance is the perfect blend for what these songs aspire to be. He gets a gold star for his work here. In a phrase…subtle flash.

FLY FROM HERE has many flaws, but it also has moments of true hope for a once dying band. I couldn’t tell you what I would want in a new Yes album. Even though I have been a fan for nearly 30 years, I couldn’t tell you what the perfect album would be. I enjoy and appreciate things as diverse in their repertoire as RELAYER and 90125. This album doesn’t swing that high. However I like it. It isn’t Yes to me…mainly because it is a bunch of Buggles tracks puffed up, but it does have a certain charm. I don’t think this album will have the legs that the band needs to get back to making quality music in the right direction, but it certainly is giving it a fighting chance here.

I never want to give anything a letter grade. Never been a fan of anything like that in the review world. I don’t like the star method either. I could see giving this disc three stars or a maybe a B minus however. Hey at least it doesn’t make me want to run for the hills. I begrudgingly like it. More than I might admit. I wish Yes would get back to the band I know they could be…it’s not that far away with music like this as a starting point. Matter of fact you can get there if you fly from here…

Fly from Here - Yes

The SkipFish Playlist (Song 2)

2011-07-06T20:28:00.006-04:00

Guess it’s about time to add to the playlist, eh?

Couldn't I Just Tell You?

Since this idea is fairly new, and since it’s really only the second song in…I think it best not to veer into strange territory just yet. In due time I think there will be plenty of oddities to add, but for now it might be better to sort of ease into this. That is why my next addition is a nice little pop song. Nothing epic…yet.

Todd Rundgren is what I refer to as a self-contained unit. That is to say that when it comes to playing whatever instrument the music calls for…he is bound to be able to do it all by himself. Many of his better efforts over the years have been ones that showcase his multi tasking abilities.

Rundgren has always sort of been on the fringe a bit. His style has run the gambit from pop/rock to electronic to folk to blue eyed soul. His use of “pretty chords” and a very distinct production style have certainly made him an acquired taste over the years, yet he has still managed to appeal to wide spectrum. You don’t have a career that spans over forty years without having something special, eh?

Probably his biggest and most successful tunes are from SOMETHING/ANYTHING? The album was his third solo outing and was released in 1972. This album also contained the hits “I Saw The Light” and “Hello, It’s Me”. Yet this track has always struck my fancy a bit more for some reason. Like many tracks I hope to add to this playlist…it is a hidden gem that many might have overlooked the first time through. However this one certainly desreves a second glance.

The track has all the elements of a snappy song…steady midtempo beat, flowery backing vocals, and even a thick layered harmonized guiatr solo. In fact in many ways the solo has a Queen like feel long before Queen was around to have a feel. In a quick three and a half minutes, Rundgren swings through a emotive chorus only to let the song sort of putter out and dissolve at the end. I don’t really know why, but I just really like this song. It just has that hook factor. You just can’t get it out of your head.

You can only write so much about one particular song, so it’s hard to disect all the exact pieces that make up a good pop song. So when I suggest or add to this playlist…it might not be the most exciting writing or blog entry, but I hope the songs will speak for themselves. Just like Todd said…”Couldn’t I just tell you the way I feel…”

Enjoy!
Something/Anything? - Todd Rundgren

Journey Eclipses Themselves

2011-07-01T20:33:00.004-04:00

My main problem with the new Journey album is…that it is referred to as a “Journey” album (if that is even what these things are called in this day and age).

I know on the surface many may think that I am not shocking anyone by saying that I am massively disappointed in the new Journey effort. True, but allow me to explain. Allow me to take a moment or two to tell you what really irks me about this new CD. It is with I believe really good reason that I find myself at odds with how I really feel about the music and the band itself.

Like nearly every other “classic rock” band on the planet these days, Journey has been the victim of a few too many personnel changes throughout the years. Sure there have been an endless array of musicians traipsing in and out of Steely Dan, but they have always been about being a studio band. Same goes for ELO. What about Yes? They have had more members then the New York phone book has numbers. That I cannot deny. So outside of Rush (who has maintained the core guys since 1974/5), and the classic example of Van Halen (who went all radical and shifted direction with new singers), I can’t think of too many examples where the real core is really still in tact. Sure they’re out there, but let’s face it…there is only one guy left in Foreigner anymore, and half of Kiss is gone.

Most casual Journey fans probably don’t even know that the band was around before the Steve Perry hit making machine took flight. That is a fact. They had three albums dating back to 1975, and outside of one of my closest friends…most are oblivious to the existence of these discs. Once Perry hit the scene, the band catapulted to the stratosphere. For the next eight years the Perry led version of the band was a brute force to be reckoned with. Outside of a somewhat misguided and improperly promoted “reunion” in 1996…the Perry era is a long ago memory. Since then the band has had three more singers. Only two managed to make it to record, but nothing seemed to gel. It was (and is) quite clear the ship has sailed.

The most recent addition to the Journey fold is Arnel Pineda. The band discovered this guy through YouTube. Pineda was in a Journey tribute band, and the rest as they say is history. To me it is unfair to lay the failure of the new Journey to reconnect with so many at his feet alone. He was obviously a fan of the band long before he became a bona fide member. For his part…I think he does okay. I place a little more of my main gripe with the rest of the guys…mainly guitarist Neal Schon and keyboardist Jonathan Cain. I hate to let them know…but it is not 1981 anymore.

With the huge specter of the Steve Perry hit machine beaming at every turn…where is the band to go? At times since his departure, it seems as if the band has been lost. They seem like they are constantly searching for the magical snap that brings it all back to square one, but it is gone. They have always had the ability to make great music. They just need to stop trying to guess what it is the record buying public is going to eat up and just be themselves. They just might be surprised what comes out.

ECLIPSE is not the first album to feature Pineda, but it certainly seems like the first with feet planted on the ground. Anytime a band of this magnitude creates something new with a new member there is bound to be a dash of trepidation. Not only does the band need to get to know one another and develop chemistry, but also the public is very fickle. And I am sure…many even to this day are probably oblivious to the fact that Steve Perry is still not in the band. Since you hear “Separate Ways” and “Lights” everywhere you go, it is hard to realize that those cuts are 30 years old at this point.

“City Of Hope” opens the new disc with a vibrant and anathematic style. Crisp and melodic guitar lines over a soaring and showcasing vocal from Pineda. In a lot of ways…I admit…I really like the track. It is hard to deny the fact that the chorus has a catchy hook, and the elements are all in place. There is the macho guitar solo, the punch of the bass/drum mix, and a wake up attitude. A really strong lead off track that demands your attention, but things slide from there.

Over the course of the next eleven tracks we are treated to more of the same. The overt pop of something like “Anything Is Possible” is hard to stop your feet from tapping, and the haunting “Tantra” is really a solid effort. But they all have the macho guitar solo, the punchy bass/drum mix, and the semi sing song catchy hook in the chorus.

It’s too much of the same. At the end of the disc…I find myself pressed to recall which song was which. Even during moments of the slower stuff like “To Whom It May Concern” you can’t help but just feel like you have heard all of this before. It strikes me more as something you would hear over the closing credits of a movie then a powerful album cut. It becomes borderline crushing on the over dramatic closing instrumental “Venus”. Here it is just a narcissistic Neal Schon note fest. Nothing to latch onto. It all starts to bleed together. It begins to feel like one long song rather than anything with any sort of dynamic.

I know what the band is trying to do. I get it. An aging bunch of rockers that want badly to prove they still have the guts and glory to rock with the best of them. That’s awesome, but you don’t have to hit high C in vibrato vocals and solo on the guitar for an hour to let me know you can play. I already know that. Let me know you can still write good songs.

Say what you will about the Journey hit machine…but even there they were blessed with a bit of dynamics. It wasn’t all about playing it to eleven. You had everything from “Open Arms” to the ubiquitous “Don’t Stop Believin’”. There was a bit more to and fro in the selection. ECLIPSE instead comes across like a mid-life crisis. It is almost as if the band is screaming, “Look at me”.

As far as the new vocalist…it is inevitable that he will forever live in the shadow of Steve Perry. The comparisons are bound come. One has to believe that it was because Pineda’s voice is so similar to that of Perry’s that is what landed him the job in the first place. I guess part of me has the nostalgia to see Steve up there instead, but I don’t see anything wrong letting Arnel be his own singer. Don’t be a copycat. Be original. In the long run I think the true hardcore musicians (the ones the rest of the band is trying so desperately to impress with their musical muscle) will tend to respect them a bit more.

The production is all quite nice and tidy. Kevin Shirley (Dream Theater, Iron Maiden) is at the production helm giving the band a polished sheen that fits the pomp and circumstance this music evokes. It just doesn’t feel like it has a natural flow. It has a sonic tone that feels a little too professional and crisp. If it is power rock you are shooting for…a little ragged around the edges might suit some of the material a little better. A track like “Ritual” might not feel like it is being pushed along as it does now. Again it all feels like a calculated risk to appeal to the forgotten 1980’s souls out there. Dig out you jean jacket. I love it, but it has seen better days.

Like I said I really like about three or four of the cuts here very much. But then I look down and realize that I am listening to “Journey”. It would be a nice Bad English record…it almost is minus a member or two. And there is nothing wrong with the arena filling machismo of the “Journey” rock sound. It would be so much better if I looked down and saw the title reading something like “Neal’s New Band”. If that’s what it was…it would be great. I just know Journey can be so much more. It was so much more.

Eclipse - Journey

The SkipFish Playlist (Intro)

2011-06-23T20:57:00.009-04:00

Playlists.

If you have moved into the 21st century by now, you most likely own the much beloved iPod. I’m on my second one (it’s a long story best saved for another time). Being the music junkie that I am I opted for the Classic. That’s right…160G chock full of musical goodness. I waste no space for videos.

Within the dark halls of my record/music/CD/various audio files collection I have amassed nearly 30,000 tunes. Some are complete and utter garbage, but some are really brilliant. Back in the day (if I may be so hip as to borrow that phrase) I always enjoyed making mix tapes. On the odd evening I would sit there and manage to do my humble best to throw together the right mixture of what I was into at the moment. As always, there would be times when I was focused on a certain band or style, so it depended on my mood at the time as to what was on the latest tape.

The awful age of the cassette gave way to the CD burner. Now rather then dealing with wondering if the tape was going to run out, I knew I had a solid 70 minute window (now 80) to cram it all in. And to this very day I still rip a disc or two to throw in the car. Because I am also not hip enough to have a stereo with the iPod adapter (but that is yet another story for another time).

So with iTunes you can create a playlist. Basic theory is that among all the songs in your collection you can place them on one virtual mix tape and play them to your hearts content. Personally in the few years I have been an Apple user, I haven’t used the feature too much, but I noticed and have been told a lot of people do. They can create something to listen to while doing housework, mowing the lawn, working out, or just drifting off to take a lazy afternoon nap.

Just because I don’t create a bunch of playlists myself, doesn’t mean that others can’t or shouldn’t, right? Therefore, I thought maybe it was clever idea to jot down an entry here and there to suggest a playlist of my own…or at least an item to add to it anyway. And in the event that you follow me here…maybe you can seek them out and add away. In time I figure that if I do this right you might have quite a nice little collection of tunes to enjoy while doing all those life tasks. Some of the tunes might clearly be things that some of you might already own. Some of them might be things that you hate, but there is an off chance maybe you will come across something that you overlooked the first time around or just plain forgot about.

So with this basic concept in mind, I thought I should kick this off right here and now. I put a little thought into what I would want to add. What would be worthy to add? These aren’t necessarily my “favorite” songs, but nonetheless ones worth a listen. Solid tunes. In other words I put the same sort of thought process into the song selection here that I would on one of those silly mixes from days gone by. And with this being the beginning of summer…why not seek out something that just sounds fun, right?

California Man

This song takes me back. Although in my whole life I have only ever known one person with a convertible…this song makes me feel like taking a drive with the top down. It simply has a flavor that makes you feel like cranking the stereo to 11 and speeding along with the wind rushing by.

Cheap Trick was one of the first “rock” bands I ever discovered on my own. Keep in mind I am just past 40 now and I was a kid when this hit the turntable. One of the first albums I ever bought with my own money was Cheap Trick. It wasn’t this album, but I had this one pretty early on too. The band has always been a great power pop band that never really got their due. In so many ways the band led to the birth of rock/pop of the 1990’s and even to this day. The carefree and loose attitude was always there. I always thought of Cheap Trick as a great bar band that had that something extra special. They weren’t the stellar giants of Rush or Van Halen, but they had this quality that made the toes tap and the grin slide across the face.

This song itself is a cover of an old Move song by Roy Wood who also had ties to ELO. Like so many bands after them, Cheap Trick took their cues from the people before them. In fact the whole album has a slick yet somehow thrown together feel. The sonics remind one of being in the back of a carpeted van from the ‘70’s with an 8-track blaring. The silliness of the stop and start of drummer Bun E. Carlos and madman guitarist Rick Neilsen rolls with pure sloppy grace. The over inflated and echoy vocal from Robin Zander demands that you sing along, and the fat and punchy bass of Tom Petersson screams for you to pump your fist in the air.

In the interest of supporting the bands in question I will provide a link to the site where you can pick up this track if you so desire. And even if you think this song is way off the mark…let me know. It’s just a playlist…let’s have some fun!

Well…that’s it. The first song to add to your playlist. Sometimes the choice might take a darker turn, or it might just go epic on you one day. Who knows? There certainly isn’t and won’t be a theme to the tunes. You don’t come across 30,000 tracks and have the ability to keep a solid cohesive theme now do you?

Enjoy!!

Heaven Tonight (Remastered) - Cheap Trick

And We're Back...

2011-06-20T18:39:00.002-04:00

Welcome! Haza! Cheers!

Welcome back (or for the first time as the case may be) to SkipFish Music. This site started back in 2008 and continued on until April of this year. At that time…I made the executive decision to step back from it and really think about what this was going to be. It is my sincere hope that with this CTRL+ALT+DEL reboot that this will move forward as it hasn’t in some time. It was a long time coming…and I believe the time is ripe.

As with anything that takes place (especially in a forum such as this) I think it best to take a few moments to describe why the site disappeared for a while, what happened, and what the future plans are for this endeavor.

First off…if you are a returning reader…thank you, thank you, thank you. Many of you sent the random text, email, or Tweet letting me know that the blog was missed. It was nice feeling. Odd to know that a couple of you were genuinely disappointed that I left, but good to know that the void was certainly felt. And to the reader who may be passing this way for the first time…it is my sincere hope that the time you take poking around here is time well spent.

The site was always something of a jumble. Despite the obvious name of “SkipFish Music”, I can’t honestly say this site was entirely devoted to music alone. Instead it contained a smattering of this and a dash of that. Everything from music (naturally) to politics to movies to the oddity that is the human race. I even managed to squeeze in a few bits of my artwork/photography, and I posted a couple silly links to YouTube that made me smile.

Problem was…I felt it WAS a bit too random. There didn’t seem to be a solid focus. I certainly always enjoyed writing the bits, but the best part of it for me was the comments and emails that followed. Good or bad I looked forward to hearing from one and all if my words were read. I can honestly say that I never had any sort of template or any set format to comply with. Instead…posts were always off the cuff and spontaneous. As a result…some were dead on…some lazy…some landing like a thud. Law of averages.

I figured the last thing the world needed was another guy adding his two cents to an already overloaded blogosphere. I mean who really cares what some guy in Moosejaw or Portland or Madrid thinks about whatever. I know everyone has opinions, but some of the stuff out there just seems…sort of pointless and meandering. I certainly didn’t want my site or words to become that. For the longest time I didn’t know how to approach it all. I knew that I needed a break/time away to refocus and recharge to creative battery, but I wasn’t sure how to do it.

As I get older, I am a strong believer in life being something that operates in cycles. I can’t completely get on board with “fate”, but I can’t believe EVRYTHING is 100% random either. There are times in my personal life when things are going great…and time when the world collapses in on me. I think most people are like that. It’s those time that I feel like I tend to discover something about myself and the world around me that changes how I look at things. I don’t become a new person…but I start to look through different eyes. If that is what we refer to as “growing as a person”…I most certainly have felt that. Been there done that.

I also am a brutal self critic. What most people might think is good or of some quality…I look at differently. While I know it is an impossibility to create a complete masterwork with every single entry…I wanted the postings to each be valid. I wanted the reader (if they took the five minutes to read this thing) to feel as if it was time well spent. Nobody enjoys getting to the end of something only to have it be a waste to time. So while I can’t completely guarantee that each and every entry on the new site to be a “game changer”…I hope those “lazy” ones don’t come around as often.

I still am without a proper (at least one I really like) photo-editing program so the colors may start a little dim here at first. In time though…things will certainly perk up in the visual world.

I can also promise you…barring any sort of massive current event that comes along…for the most part I will steer clear of politics. It is quite easy to get caught up in that web. And while I still have very distinct and specific thoughts and feelings on those issues…this blog will not be a platform to discuss those.

So…with the basic groundwork in place…this site is set to grow anew. This will be a place that welcomes one and all for all sorts of topics. The primary thrust of the site will continue to be music with the occasional sidebar for cinema or the wacky human race of course. Throughout will be (as I said before) more and more original artwork and color to hopefully feed the eyes as well as the minds. Not entirely removed from what this was before, but with enough tweaking on my end to certainly feel different.

I hope you pass this along to anyone you know that you think might enjoy it. I know most likely I will be appealing to a small audience…but also as I get older…I know you are out there. This is still something (the writing I mean) that I enjoy doing immensely. That joy hasn’t diminished. So I know if I think a bit more before writing and stay within these guardrails I just might be a little less of a harsh critic on myself.

So there you have it. The site is back and moving forward. Slowly…but forward. If you think of it…send me a tweet or email. Simply go to the profile page here and send something along. Updates will be more frequent, and noteworthy…on that you DO have my guarantee.

Be on the lookout in the coming weeks for new graphics, designs, and posts. Look for thoughts on the latest (not always greatest) from the aging rock set, a drop of nostalgia, a tiny blob of cynicism and sarcasm, and hopefully a LOT of FUN.

Be right back…