It Takes The New York Post To Report The Truth? It Takes The New York Post To Report The Truth?
New York Post writer Maureen Callahan penned an interesting column about that singer Susan Boyle. You know, the frumpy lady with a beautiful voice who charmed viewers of Britain's Got Talent and, thanks to YouTube, American audiences and talk shows. Ms. Callahan suggests that Boyle's Cinderella rise was no accident, but rather shrewdly choreographed by the same people (i.e. judge Simon "Trousers" Cowell) who seemed to have no initial faith in her.
My reaction? Duh!
I'm not putting down Ms. Callahan, just noting that she's saying what most industry-savvy people already know: These talent contests that presume to let the audience decide who becomes a star are about as authentic as the 1950s gameshows were in the movie Quiz Show. It's a blow to viewers who've really bought into the idea that they, The People, actually decide the next pop idol.
I've heard of people who turned down the offer of a spot on one TV talent contest, because they objected to the caveat that they say and do exactly what producers tell them to. They refused to go along with whatever story line that was embellished for them. And when you think about it, how would honchos know to invest time and effort to create a mini documentary about a contestant at the beginning of eliminations, who later just happens to move on to the final-final rounds? Because show producers are just so simpatico with the public's taste? Yeah, right.
Joining the EventChaser Team Joining the EventChaser Team
EventChaser is a new blog (part of the Razorgator family) that hooks up bloggers with free tickets if they review the show and share their experiences. It provides me with extra motivation to write up a show so I figured I'd give it a shot.
Since I'm in Las Vegas for the week, first up will be a Cirque du Soleil show on Thursday. I'll capture what it was like, how to get there and any inside dirt I dig up. Let's go!
Make Orange--Or Any Favorite Band--A Star Make Orange--Or Any Favorite Band--A Star
Don't let the fatcats at the mini-monopolies collectively known as The Industry decide the next big band. Do it yourself, with Makeastar.com.
I first heard about this contest (well, the original music portion of it) when the Hollywood band Orange excitedly announced that it won several preliminary and semii-finalist rounds. The upshot: These guys are appearing on the FUSE network at 10:30 a.m. Pacific time tomorrow, as part of the so-called "Hollywood round."
I'm rooting for Orange, a pop-punk outfit that's the first Hollywood band I saw after moving to Los Angeles a year and a half ago. They obviously worship at the altar of Social Distortion, in a good way, and I've been hearing that songwriter Joe Dexter has some really interesting compositions in the works.
Really, though, I'll be happy for any decent, struggling band to win the $10,000 grand prize!
SXSW 2009 Coverage! SXSW 2009 Coverage!
Check out our SXSW 2009 coverage over at http://sxswblog.sched.org and keep an eye for the SXSW Schedule to launch on SCHED* in late February!
Benefits For Deftones Bassist Continue Benefits For Deftones Bassist Continue
By now, most people have heard that Deftones bassist Chi Cheng went into a coma after a car accident early last month. Sadly, he remains unresponsive: "There's been no significant change in his condition," the band reported on its MySpace page last week.
Bands all over have been holding benefit concerts to help pay for the bassist's medical expenses, with music fans crowding shows in Sacramento and San Francisco. This Sunday is Los Angeles' turn to host a benefit, put on by the Internet TV site Hollywood Music.
The show starts 9 p.m. Sunday at the Viper Room, with Will Haven, Death Valley High, Tinfed, and "a slew of guest appearances all coming down here," says Hollywood Music founder Steve Bartolone. There will also be freebies and auction items, including artist-signed Oakley sunglasses. Tickets are $20 in advance or at the door.
For more information about the Chi Cheng benefit, go to http://www.myspace.com/hollywoodmusictv.
Musicians: Quit Using Our Songs For Torture! Musicians: Quit Using Our Songs For Torture!
The Associated Press has a story this week about how the creators of music--from Rage Against The Machine to Sesame Street tunes--are protesting usage of their art for torture. Now that's a fair use issue I can get behind!
According to the AP, guards at U.S. military prisons use songs by Nine Inch Nails, AC/DC, Queen, Pantera, Eminem, Dr. Dre, and more to break prisoners. It's an especially torturous weapon against detainees from Afghanistan who, thanks to the Taliban, have had little or no exposure to Western heavy rock.
Thus, says the news report: "Musicians are banding together to demand the U.S. military stop using their songs as weapons. A campaign being launched Wednesday has brought together groups including Massive Attack and musicians such as Tom Morello, who played with Rage Against the Machine and Audioslave and is now on a solo tour. It will feature minutes of silence during concerts and festivals, said Chloe Davies of the British law group Reprieve, which represents dozens of Guantanamo Bay detainees and is organizing the campaign."
To be sure, not everyone is upset. Drowning Pool bassist Stevie Benton said, "I take it as an honor to think that perhaps our song could be used to quell another 9/11 attack or something like that."
Whatever my thoughts about anything else, bands have the right to be "proud" of certain usages of their music. They also have the right to protest when their songs are used in ways that offend them. Indeed, I think that Morello, Sesame songwriter Christopher Cerf, and others upset about this issue should invoke fair use laws. You know, the statutes that say users must get permission from copyright owners if music is used for purposes beyond personal consumption--say, in an aerobics class or at a nightclub. That way, acts like Drowning Pool can do what they believe to be right--and bands like Rage Against The Machine can, too.
Holiday Parties "Music" To My Ears Holiday Parties "Music" To My Ears
Getting all flustered 'cuz over your packed holiday party schedule? Me neither.
However, there are some interesting events happening, music-wise. Or at least, bound to be :) Feel free to comment about anything that I might not know, so I can add it here!
Thursday, Dec. 4: Rococo Rendezvous, presented by Zippercut. I first met the adorable ladies of Zippercut (edgy lifestyle/culture/fashion bloggers and event planners) at a "Lolita Tea Party" a few months back. Now, don't get your gym shorts in a twist--"Lolita" refers to a subculture fashion movement whose focus is thoroughly anti-sexy, though awfully cute. (Chicks doing it for themselves, not just to pull some guy. I like.) Well, the girls are throwing a Renaissance-like party complete with bands who, I hear, will get all Lolita-ed up themselves. Even the guys! Performing are indie rockers Go West Young Man, alternative pop act boxViolet, and indie rockers The Hanks. 7 p.m.-midnight, Royal/T, Los Angeles.
Saturday, Dec. 6, free concert by Ludacris and Soulja Boy: Fans of the aforementioned hiphop artists, memorize the number 66937. That’s the short code to which you need to send the keyword ATTLUDA. When you do so, you’ll get a mobile ticket letting two people into a free concert that Ludacris and Soulja Boy Tell'em are putting on! It’s all part of AT&T’s “‘Unofficial’ 2008 SEC Football Championship Afterparty.” Even those not in the ATL can still text-in so that they can view exclusive concert footage when it becomes available. I’m guessing video viewership is also a consolation prize for those left out in the cold; tickets will be delivered via SMS by Wednesday and the first 1000 fans in line Saturday will get into the show. 8 p.m. Saturday, the Tabernacle, Atlanta
Suicide Ali: A Reason For Music Lovers To Live Suicide Ali: A Reason For Music Lovers To Live
Sitting down with Suicide Ali the day after their U.S. debut, I noticed something. Unlike most musicians I've known, these four guys from Osaka are larger-than-life when off the stage.
It's not the meticulous makeup, which lasted a long day of promo appearances at the Pacific Media Expo earlier this month. It's not the elaborate costumes and platform boots, which the band admitted are rather hard to move around in. It's because these guys really do live for their music--and that dedication is what Suicide Ali radiates, whether onstage or during an intimate face-to-face. During a fan Q&A session, when people asked about their favorite pasttimes singer/songwriter/band founder Goshi said one of his hobbies is photography--since it aids the creation of his music. "I'm hoping that it helps me understand the human psyche," he says through a translator.
No doubt it'll be the darker side of humanity that Goshi--as well as bassist and fellow band founder Hiroshi, guitarist/songwriter Yuu, and drummer Hisashi--will continue to explore. Most people call these guys industrial, though I like to describe Suicide Ali's music as a combination of American metal and European goth, Japan-ified with pretty vocals and immense sense of showmanship. Goshi's slow, deliberate moves onstage are mesmerizing; he pays attention to the tiniest flick of a wrist or finger. He reminds me of traditional Japanese performance, like that of a geisha or Kubuki actor, in which actions and music are carefully matched to evoke a mood or emotion, not just a character. I hear that this quality is pretty unique to Suicide Ali.
As is their music. Word is they are heavier than most "visual kei" bands. No doubt it's because of the influences the group cites: Ozzy, Metallica, Nirvana, and even underground metal like Dope and Murderdolls, which drummer Hisashi, who also digs Crue, tells me he likes because of Joey Jordison. Tempering brutal riffs and dark tales, however, is Goshi's voice: Smooth and super-emotive, and sometimes screamo too. It's no surprise that PJ Harvey is his favorite singer. There's also a lot of pre-recorded synth tracks that Suicide Ali utilizes both live and on their CDs, mimicing flutes, pianos, even a Theremin, but in an obviously manufactured way--much more effective than real instruments would be.
These guys could give Phil Spector a run for his money with their "wall of sound." There's so much layered into a Suicide Ali song that each time you listen to one, you'll hear something you didn't before. Perhaps a barely-there backing vocal, a sparse piano chord, or some un-placeable sound that adds just the right touch. Using an economic metaphor, their songs give you greater return-on-investment--each listening experience feels new.
Two of my favorite Suicide Ali songs are instantly recognizable when I listen to their latest CDs a few days after the show.
Chicks With Licks Chicks With Licks
The last competition rounds--to snag a slot at the International Blues Challenge in Memphis early next year-- are happening as we speak. For Southern California, acts who made it to the finals are playing a marathon show, Battle Of The Blues Bands, this Saturday at The Cellar in Long Beach.
Personally, I'm rooting for 805 South, who play the first set at 4 p.m. sharp. Think of them as the Riot Grrrls of the blues: Two ladies sharing lead vocal and songwriting duties, backed by classic instrumentalists on bass, drums, and lead guitar. Each chanteuse has her own sound and style. Rhythm guitarist Lisa Shea proffers a smooth alto that some describe as "female Jimi Hendrix," though she carries a tune much better than that guitar god. Candy Bailey, meanwhile, has a pretty-yet-edgy voice that reminds me of underground power-pop songstresses . Indeed, like Nina and Louise of Veruca Salt, Lisa and Candy are able to combine their different sounds and smoothly trade roles as frontwoman or backup singer.
Inspiring Fan Insanity Inspiring Fan Insanity
I never knew that a band--and their fans--could be at once bad-ass and adorable.
But that was the case with Suicide Ali, a Japanese "visual kei" band who made their U.S. debut last weekend at Pacific Media Expo. (And also, to a lesser extent, with L.A. J-rock band VAEIDOS, one of Ali's opening acts).
I've been to plenty hardcore/metal shows, and the sight of hundreds headbanging in unison is common. But after the PMX concert, I'm thinking my new favorite venue is going to be anime/manga/comic book conventions. There's an electricity in the air from fans giving off the vibe that no matter what, the bands onstage can do no wrong. Thus musicians are able to take risks and end up giving a performance that they might have been too timid to do otherwise. Even first-slot act Vamp Star found the audience instantly receptive to their energetic electronica-pop.
Take Suicide Ali, whose music can best be described as a mix of American metal and European goth--but Japanified in that certain je ne sais quois that has to be seen and heard to be understood. (Hint: It may be the uniquely Japanese sense of theatrics complete with insane makeup and costumes, or the lovely melodies juxtaposed over scary instruments.) They'd never played here before--and in their home country are more underground darlings than mainstream idols. But thanks to the love of Asian pop culture fans, and the hardcore Ali fans who flew in special for the convention, the visual kei cuties kicked ass. The first word I wrote in my reviewer's notebook? "Wow!"
PMX: Music As Well As Manga PMX: Music As Well As Manga
Expat life in Japan really is different from life as a foreigner in any other country. (Something that Lost In Translation, in my opinion, utterly failed to portray.) Rather than slowly get accustomed to things, you start out on an absolute high, loving every single thing you see and experience. A couple of months into it, though, you crash hard, as all the not-so-great aspects of society seem to come to a head. And thus the cycle continues until you leave for good.
For me, the thing that saved me from despair after my first "crash" was the underground Japanese music scene. I happened upon a homemade flyer promoting what seemed to me to be a punk concert. On show night, I arrived (with two reluctant colleagues in tow) to see a wonderful sight: Girls decked out in vintage/indie chic, dudes in hardcore-style outfits, many of both sexes with tattoos. Then the music started--and for one night, it was like the best parts of life back home and life in my new home had converged.
Ian MacKaye Fans' Red Letter Day Ian MacKaye Fans' Red Letter Day
Emo kids, fall to your knees and heed the wisdom of the legendary Ian MacKaye.
Before I go into MacKaye's Q&A speech on Sunday in Hollywood (he's been touring the West Coast the last several days), recall this: The musician/singer/songwriter/Dischord Records founder--of Fugazi and Minor Threat fame-- helped sow the seeds of the punk and hardcore scenes that flourish even now. And from which, in turn, sprung the "emotional hardcore" that begat today's emo.
MacKaye, a lifelong Washington, D.C. resident, talked about both music (he laments that his early band Teen Idles' demo was ruined by a disdainful producer, resulting in it sounding very different from the single that followed) and social activism (he said he welcomed the "Riot Grrl" movement, which is largely credited to the D.C. area, as it helped break down gender barriers in punk and beyond). Indeed, when asked whether music or activism was more important, MacKaye replied, "For me, music is activism."
I'm not writing this post just to school snot-nosed youths and the grown-ups who cater to them. (To be sure, the last line in this post shows MacKaye's not nearly as curmudgeonly as I apparently am.) Mostly, I'm doing it for the peeps--of all ages--who found their lives profoundly affected by him or his bands. It was clear who these fans were when, as pictured above, a lot of them lined up to have MacKaye sign mementos, or just to thank him personally.
SoCal Rock Revolution: Keeping Music Fests Exciting SoCal Rock Revolution: Keeping Music Fests Exciting
One of the best things about living in southern California is that there are international-class bands in your own backyard, some of whom have yet to be discovered by the outside world. So when a local music festival happens, it's almost as if CMJ or SXSW or Bonnaroo has come to you.
SoCal Rock Revolution, happening Saturday, showcases more than 80 bands--with headliners are as diverse as roots reggae masters Eek-A-Mouse and punk stalwart Unwritten Law. Others topping the bill are Kottonmouth Kings, Finch, Hed Pe, and Lower Definition.
Perhaps even better is the chance to check out acts who may be unsigned or otherwise not yet generating buzz. A Smile From The Trenches, who recently went on a tour of the western United States, are a pop-screamo act whom I've been wanting to check out for the last couple of months. Other notable up-and-comers playing SoCal Rock include Lifeline and Back to Square One, says event co-organizer Nick Rosen of AHL Productions.
"We do like to showcase up-and-coming bands. We've had hundreds of the best up-and-coming bands play in this event," which is now in its third year, Rosen said.
Wickhead: New CD Is The Beginning, Hopefully Wickhead: New CD Is The Beginning, Hopefully
The 1990s were, musically, the decade that began with a bang and ended with a whimper. The dawn of so-called grunge quickly paved the way for all kinds of "underground" music to get radio play and to be on mainstream store shelves. But for whatever reason, compelling music was soon driven back. Partly because these acts continued to grow, leaving behind the sounds they had made trendy (Pearl Jam, anybody?); and partly because the evil powers at major labels poured all their resources into pimping young girls and boys, so as to put pop back on top. "Underground" music resorted back to being niche, but for the occasional breakout act. No one seemed interested in inheriting the best early-to-mid-'90s components of music, and bringing them to the mainstream again.
Until Wickhead.
I can't say for sure that Wickhead, who hail from Johannesburg, South Africa, sought to wear the '90s mantle into the 21st century. They probably didn't. But End Is The Beginning, their first international CD, intrigues me because it shows this is a band who has learned all the right lessons from the decades before them. There's a definite influence of the '90s and even the '80s, but the elements have a modern--rather than derivative--feel.
Lead singer Bronic's voice has more in common with Robert Smith than Rob Halford--mostly lovely while following melodies that could be at home on theater or club stages, while screaming with the best of them. Guitarists Mark Van Heeden's and Randall Knight's thick, chunky riffs are the meat of the music, possessing the listener as soon as they kick in; they're the reason the band gets categorized as "metal," although I would call them "hard rock." The rhythm section (KJ Forde, drums; Jay Hart, bass) balances radio-ready sensibilities with hitting hard, proving themselves with a 6/8 time signature on one song--a more "metal" one at that!
End Is The Beginning is a group of tunes that would be at home both on the mainstream airwaves, or sharing the stage at underground clubs with less commercially viable musicians. Ultimately, what I like about Wickhead is that I could listen to the CD, or go to a show, with friends whose music tastes aren't as divergent as mine, and we'd all enjoy ourselves. IIn a way, Wickhead is a bit like J-rock, a genre in which the heaviest instruments are always countered by sweet, pretty vocals.
