stage presence

Good Vibrations With Patti Smith

Dec 302009

Yesterday I spent a great night with a close friend and professional mentor, seeing Patti Smith at the Bowery Ballroom, in NYC. It was a kooky, unbalanced set, but the vibes, man, the vibes were just right! It was a night of rock ‘n roll communion, with occasional nods to The Power and Glory of Rock.

My appreciation of Smith’s music has been spotty since I bought Horses after seeing her perform on Saturday Night Live and hearing a live concert broadcast on a local FM station way back in my high school days. Her version of “Gloria” kicked my ass in that “future of rock ‘n roll” way we used to experience every few weeks in our teens. I’d buy a few other albums by her over the years, but I’d always end up cherrypicking the rockers that are based on “Gloria” and leave behind the American Prayer-inspired jazz poetry workouts. (The song “Southern Cross,” from a ’90s album, Gone Again, is one of the non-“Gloria”-based numbers by her that I love.)

I thought of Smith as one of those naturally powerful artists who get by on only two or three song templates yet lack a band skilled enough to add much variation to the narrow spectrum in which she works, similar to how I feel about The Ramones and U2. (For those of you possibly rushing to judgment, I’m not saying that her music “sounds like” those bands.) I always wished she’d made an album backed by Television, a band that could have better found the nooks and crannies in her songs. Instead, Patti’s band always sounded, to me, like second-hand scraps of guys who flunked the audition for Television or the E Street Band.

Over the years, however, I’d continued to marvel at brief live performances I’d catch on rock ‘n roll award shows. When my friend asked me if I wanted to drive up to New York with him to see this show, I didn’t hesitate to say Yes! I’m glad I didn’t. The show was not exactly what I expected or hoped for, but it hit on enough of my expectations and mixed in enough surprises to leave this rock ‘n roll “Mikey” devoid of a single beef for one night in my life.
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Licks, Faces, Feel: Robertson vs Clapton

Posted by Mr. Moderator

Apr 022009

In honor of my having watched The Last Waltz for what may have been the 100th time after happening upon it during a flip of channels this evening, I felt like revisiting this breakthrough analysis, if I do say so myself. Among the thousands of things I love about The Last Waltz is Scorcese’s keen eye for rock porn interplay. Does any other rock film allow for as many voyeuristic views of hot musician-on-musician action?

This post initially appeared 6/18/07.

Surely you know the game Rock, Paper, Scissors. You probably know it better than I do. Scissors cut paper, paper covers rock, rock smashes scissors. Using the following clip from The Last Waltz, I’ll ask you to play a similar game I like to call Licks, Faces, Feel. In this game, feel exposes faces, faces amplify licks, and licks always feel good.*

I’m going to ask you to watch the following performance of “Further On Up the Road”, featuring a guitar dual between Eric Clapton and Robbie Robertson of The Band, and I’m going to ask you to analyze this video clip, at first, at least three ways:

With the sound OFF and your eyes fixed on the screen
With the sound ON and your eyes fixed on the screen
With the sound ON and your eyes closed

To keep a fresh perspective, I suggest getting up and walking around for a few minutes between each initial round of analysis.

While analyzing the video with the sound OFF and your eyes fixed on the screen, note the points at which one guitarist outshines the other in terms of his use of rock soloing faces.

While analyzing the video with the sound ON and your eyes fixed on the screen, note the points when one guitarist’s licks clearly outshine those of his opponent.

While analyzing the video with the sound ON and your eyes closed, make note of the points at which one guitarist’s feel is hitting on all cylinders.

Finally, watch the video again with the sound on. Spread your notes in front of you and assess the points at which one guitarist’s move is countered, either simultaneously or in the following solo, by another move. For instance, see if there are points at which one guitarist’s licks are countered by the other man’s faces (advantage faces). Or, perhaps, you will see a segment in which one man’s faces are exposed as cheap ploys by the other man’s feel. Or, of course, one man’s fine sense of feel will be negated by the other man’s impeccable licks. There may be times in the performance when the artists reach a draw.

Keep score and report your scores to the Hall!

*Please note that Clapton and Robertson are controlled for both Look and Gear.

NEW! Mr. Moderator weighs in with his official scoring of the dual. Continue reading »

Now and Then

Posted by Oats

Nov 102008

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Last night, I hit a Kinks motherlode on YouTube — a collection of promo clips around the time of the release of the Kinks’ least-loved album, 1989’s UK Jive, for which I maintain a cockeyed affection.

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Of particular note is the VH1 documentary contained in these YouTubes. I watched this special when it first aired, and it was where my Kinks obsession began in earnest. It marked the first time I had heard “Waterloo Sunset,” “Dead End Street,” and other mid-’60s gems, and it was like meeting your best friend.

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Of course, there’s some embarrassing footage of latter-day Kinks, full of ’80s shoulder-pads and mullets. But there’s also a fair amount of insight into Ray’s creative process, and they managed to catch him on a day when he wasn’t consumed by bitterness over the band’s lot in life. Enjoy!

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FRIDAY FLASHBACK! Bands That Don’t Bum Out Their Fans

Posted by Mr. Moderator

Sep 192008

Here’s a humble oldie but goodie that was initially posted with a hard-to-find Pere Ubu video that was quickly removed from YouTube, as we learned is the case with this band’s scant videos. A Kinks video that only a Kinks fan could love was put in its place, and this gets to the heart of our discussion. We’re a discerning bunch, and many of us have been known to kill off the “runts” in our favorite artists’ outputs, such as a friend’s literal shooting of his copy of London Calling, the Clash album that marked, in his mind, the band’s betrayal of their initial purpose. Who knows, on the other hand, what kepts others buying Clash records right on through Cut the Crap. Us parents call it unconditional love.

This post initially appeared 5/31/07.

No longer Maimone’s mullet, but hair treats nevertheless!

Am I incorrect in thinking that there are some long-running bands and solo artists who somehow manage not to bum out their dedicated fans? I’m thinking, in particular, of The Kinks and Richard Thompson. Do diehard fans of either band ever bum out at the release of a lesser work, or do they just “walk on by,” content with the fact that their underdog favorites have lived to see another release? Come to think of it, I probably do this for Pere Ubu, who haven’t put out a decent album that I’ve heard among occasional releases for what must be closing in on 15 years. Is there a band for which you turn the other cheek?*

*Really nice people, who never bum out over a bad turn by a favorite band, need not apply.

Interview: Tom Kitts, Ray Davies: Not Like Everybody Else

Posted by BigSteve

May 012008

I first met Tom Kitts at a meeting of the Popular Culture Association. Tom and the late, great Mike Kraus used to host sessions where people presented papers on The Kinks, and I attended five of these sessions over the years, presenting and also listening to papers by Tom, Mike, and a rotating group of Kinks scholars. It’s more fun than it sounds like, and it’s always great to be around other music fanatics.

Tom has now published his magnum opus, a critical biography, Ray Davies: Not Like Everybody Else (Routledge, 2008). Tom is a professor of English at St. John’s University in New York City, and he took time out of his busy schedule for an interview about the book and more generally Ray Davies and the Kinks. If interested, click on this Amazon link to get your copy of the book. I’m sure any Kinks fan will find it a great read.

In general how has the feedback on the book been?

While formal reviews are just now starting to appear, the feedback has been very positive. Kinks fans seem to appreciate the focus on Davies’ work — even if they don’t always agree with me. I have done a series of readings and discussions and I have to say that I have been very pleasantly surprised by the positive response I have heard not only at the readings but also in emails from readers across the country and in Europe.

Any reaction from anyone connected with Ray or the Kinks?

I did hear from Grenville Collins and Peter Quaife, who both liked it very much. Both liked the emphasis on the art, which both were a part of and which both are very proud of. I spoke to Ray briefly after his recent show in New York and he seems pleased by the publication. We joked about how long it took for me to get it out. He has a copy, but he said that he hadn’t had a chance to read it yet.

Corporate Synergy!

Posted by Oats

Mar 052008

I just saw this last night — a commercial featuring The Kinks’ “Everybody’s a Star (Starmaker)” from Soap Opera. Song choices in advertising are getting more and more obscure. How soon till Apple gets its hands on “Think Visual”?

Rock’s Most Autumnal Band: The Kinks

Posted by hrrundivbakshi

Nov 242007

Greetings, fellow Town Hallers! I’m passing these two vuh-deos along to prove a point: there is something distinctly autumnal about the Kinks in their wistful, introspective but optimistic prime, ’round about 1967. The obvious choice to make this point is this song:

… but there’s also something crisp, snappy, and I-can’t-wait-to-get-home-to-warm-up-some-leftovers about this one, too:

And by the way: is it just me, or do these two songs constitute one of the most amazing rock and roll singles of all time? (“Mr. Pleasant” was the B-side to “Autumn Almanac.”)

Anyhow, I realize there’s nothing specifically autumnal in the lyrics to 95% of the Kinks’ output in this or any other era of the band’s history, but, by golly, I hear it in the arrangements, the production, the melodies — Fall is everywhere! Anybody else hear the band this way?

HVB

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