Classic Rock Musings, Rants & Raves

Ever since Rob Halford returned to the scene of the crime with Judas Priest, expectations have been high for the Metal Gods. The 2005 reunion album Angel Of Retribution and subsequent tour got the ball rolling, but what did the leather-and-studded mavens have in mind for an encore? How about a bloated, overly ambitious concept album about the quirky 16th French prophet Nostradamus? No small feat indeed. For a metal institution like Priest, it certainly presented an odd range of obstacles to work around and overcome.

Priest press hard at selling the plight of Nostradamus in a fist-pumpin’ hard-rockin’ manner. Not that metal shies away from bigger-than-lifer images and concepts; on the contrary, it swallows them up whole and spits them out like shiny new jewels. On the surface, tackling a mythic figure like Nostradamus — whose cryptic quatrains of prophecy stretched the bounds of speculation and interpretation — may seem like a sound and calculated move for a band ready to throw down the gauntlet and roll in the mud, but is it powerful and accessible enough to keep the card-carrying masses’ heads a-bangin’? It really depends on which side of the grandstand you sit on.

The anticipation swells as “Dawn Of Creation” builds and explodes before “Prophecy” takes a big bite of the melody, pile driving the arrival of Nostradamus — “the voice of God.” Rob Halford’s shrieking and salient vocals shift and shape each song into another chapter of the story, with short instrumental passages guding the general rhythm and pace. “Revelations” entices the listener to forgive Nostradamus and his tormented admonishments as it swims through the orchestration, and embraces the frenetic fretwork of K.K. Downing and Glenn Tipton. Whether singing in English, French or German, Halford’s commanding operatic style comes to the fore, driving the drama of “War” before delivering the ensuing catastrophe behind “Pestilence & Plague,” which eventually leads to “Death.”

At the halfway point, you’re either loving this grim tale or looking for an exit. The record assumes a far more introspective mode, imploring God in “Lost Love,” which obscurely addresses the loss of Nostradamus’ wife and children to the Plague in 1534. Moving from medicine to the occult, the prophecies of Nostradamus drew religious persecution and embroiled the former apothecary in further controversy. This is met head-on by Judas Priest who counter persecution with crucifixion for maximum impact. As the short segues alter the record’s moods, creating a template that is neither inviting nor dissuasive. It’s rather easy to get pulled into the next number by sheer curiosity.

And as the ultimate heavy metal group gets comfy with swirling choirs, sweeping orchestrations, and acoustic embellishments, the lyrics dance around the seer and his almanac full of prophetic quatrains that supposedly spell out the end of mankind. But it isn’t until the final number, ironically called “Future Of Mankind,” ambiguously outlining Nostradamus‘ own fateful demise, that we are clued into the power of the man’s premonitions. Still, it’s highly doubtful he announced his end with the velocity of Judas Priest.

As a heavy metal album, Nostradamus struggles to play along like the others, unforgiving of the tried and true ingredients to distinguish it from the denizens of ruffian riffs drowning in mediocrity. As a whole, Nostradamus is Priest flexing their mighty metal talons in search of copious and cerebral stimulus suffocating under the weight of three chords and common incoherency. For a band like Judas Priest to stomp on the soapbox without falling into a cesspool of mockery and misadventure is commendable, to say the very least. If they can pull it off live, they may set a new precedent for vintage metal and beyond.

During a conversation I had with Toby Gleason last year, he explained that because his father, famed music critic Ralph J. Gleason, had established very close relationships with both the Jefferson Airplane and Grateful Dead during the mid-60s, he was able to accurately document their historic evolution as the quintessential Bay Area bands of the late 60s. By all accounts, Gleason, who had previously produced the Jazz Casual series featuring guests like Dave Brubeck and John Coltrane, functioned as the catalyst between the mainstream and the underground, capturing the meteoric rise of the San Francisco psychedelic scene with a sense of cultural reverence. Gleason’s 2007 DVD, A Night At The Family Dog, features some vintage live performances from the Airplane, the Dead and Santana. The double DVD follow-up, Go Ride The Music & West Pole, delves further with more live Airplane and Dead footage, as well as performances from Quicksilver Messenger Service, Steve Miller Band, Sons of Chaplin and Ace Of Cups.

Plop in the Go Ride The Music disc and off we go with roadies moving gear in and out, traveling entourages, freaky audience members doing strange things, split screen shots covering the entire scene — typical rock-band-on-tour footage now, but then it was new, novel and wild. Jefferson Airplane indulges us with seven tracks from Pacific High Recording. The fiery interplay of bassist Jack Casady, new drummer Joey Covington, and guitarists Paul Kantner and Jorma Kaukonen provides the backdrop. Interspersed are generous close-ups of the svelte and commanding presence of Grace Slick slotted alongside a few inordinate ramblings from Marty Balin and even Jerry Garcia. For their part, Quicksilver Messenger Service set up at a park and dig in deep with their unique blend of psychedelic folk and blues.

West Pole builds on the cinématique contortions and elements of Go Ride The Music, but works as a snapshot in time, offering an overview of the emerging San Francisco sound. Gleason narrates, outlining the mass infusion of countless bands, while man-on-the-street interviews with fans help to reinforce the impact. Ace Of Cups, an all-girl fivesome, open the disc on a high, optimistic note before segueing into erratic MTV-style short films featuring the Dead, Airplane, Sons Of Champlin, Steve Miller Band, and Quicksilver Messenger Service. Clearly, the filmmakers were testing the goods from Owsley Stanley’s private stash when they edited these clips together. Either that, or they were experimenting with a form that would pioneer the marriage of film and music. And what of Ralph J. Gleason himself? The late Rolling Stone magazine co-founder’s legacy has never been more important in a day and age where music stands as the great language of the universe.

This is one of those entries that might be construed as having very little to do with classic rock. But there is some crossover. Counterculture comedian George Carlin died yesterday, and I feel like the world may have lost a true genius. That’s right: I believe that George Carlin was a great mind, and a unique observer of life’s follies who never held back and never apologized for what he thought or said. I’m proud to say, that stuffed in a box alongside my collection of classic rock albums are a couple from Carlin, Class Clown and Occupational Foole. Whenever I feel like I need a harsh and cold blast of reality, I listen to Carlin.

I’m not familiar with what type of music George listened to, if he listened at all. He was probably more into the 50s than the 60s or 70s. Of course, he played a mean guitar in the 80s comedy, Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure, but I seriously doubt he was into metal.

I saw George Carlin in person once in Las Vegas in the 90s. I always vowed to go see him again, but it never came to pass. I’d heard he’d grown a little more cynical in recent times. The last bit I saw was another one of his HBO specials, and he was especially scathing in his views on religion and the world in general. He never let up, never stopped exploring and questioning anything that didn’t quite look or feel right. He was neither a conservative nor a liberal; rather, he took shots at the entire human race without naming names and made people laugh at themselves. He was, in some many ways, a classic rock comedian. I hope he’s making them laugh and think wherever he is.

To celebrate the acerbic, razor-sharp wit of George Carlin, check out a couple of classic Carlin clips below. Warning: Some material in these videos may be unsuitable for some viewers.

George Carlin - Saving the Planet

George Carlin - Seven Words

In 1976, The Beatles were supposedly offered $100 million to reunite, a mere six years after their breakup. An astronomical amount of cash then and certainly nothing to sneeze at now, the offer was allegedly considered, but, as history shows, passed over. Four years later, any hopes of a full-on Beatles reunion were dashed when John Lennon was murdered in New York City. Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr did eventually come together for the Beatles Anthology project in 1995, but it wasn’t quite the reunion fans and friends had envisioned during the 70s.

The loss of an integral member hasn’t stopped other bands from reuniting. Especially when the promise of big money looms. These days, it’s almost a given that any band, big or small, will reunite to cash in on what’s become a raging phenomenon, and another example of how the past in itself has become a major commodity.

As Boomers age and the world changes, rock and roll is no longer the dominant form of entertainment it once was. Still, there’s this lingering desire to go back to the days of yore when bands like Cream, the Eagles, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, the Police, Genesis, Van Halen and countless others ruled the airwaves. Boomers aren’t the only one shelling out the big bucks for a ride on the time machine; numerous, affluent Generation X’s and Y’s, who heard and read about these legendary performers in their history books, are also flocking to the reunion shows.

Reunions, especially after years of inactivity, can really skew one’s perception of what a band was like in their hey day, and whether or not they can live up to the legacy as an older, crustier version.
Ultimately, what happens more often than not is that a reunited band may be able to pull in enough revenue to take care of the retirement fund, but they stand to tarnish their reputation if they are anything less than spectacular. Of course, as with everything, there are exceptions.

I’ll be revisiting the idea of reunions from time to time, but this is something you can chew on for awhile…

Session musicians rarely get the proper recognition they deserve. Oh yeah, there’s a few who stick out — guys like Robben Ford, Jim Keltner and Nicky Hopkins come to mind. Then there are the session groups — Booker T. Jones & the MGs, The Wrecking Crew, The Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section, Toto and the Funk Brothers. Out of all these, the Funk Brothers have played on more hits than any of them.

We’re talking about legendary Motown hits like The Tempatations’ “My Girl,” Marvin Gaye’s “I Heard It Through the Grapevine” and Stevie Wonder’s “Signed, Sealed, Delivered I’m Yours.” Now, after years of standing in the shadows, the Funk Brothers have thrown a live revue together and released a CD and DVD combo plate under their own name called Live In Orlando.

The release the Paul Justman’s 2002 documentary film Standing In the Shadows of Motown (based on Allan Slutsky’s book) unveiled the Funk Brothers as the magic behind Motown from 1959 until 1972, In fact, during the opening credits, viewers are made aware that the Funk Brothers “played on more Number One records than the Beatles, Elvis, The Rolling Stones, and The Beach Boys — combined.”

The group has been a revolving door for a number of top-notch players, including bandleader Joe Hunter, pianist Earl Van Dyke, bassist James Jamerson, guitarist Eddie Willis, drummer Uriel Jones, bassist Bob Babbitt and Melvin “Wah-Wah Watson” Ragin, who introduced the wah-wah pedal sound that defined Motown’s soul records of the late 60s and early 70s.

Uncredited for most of their time behind the great Motown hits, Willis, Babbitt and Jones are joined by eight other musicians and singers for an hour-long history lesson of Hitsville U.S.A.

Recorded live at the Universal Theme Park at a 2005/06 New Year’s Eve party, the Funk Brothers and friends run through 13 hits like the Supremes’ “Can’t Hurry Love,” Martha and the Vandellas’ ‘”Dancing In The Streets,” Jr. Walker & The All Stars’ “Shotgun” and Jackie Wilson’s “higher and Higher.” So crank it up and get ready to funk with the original funk soul brothers.

I have very distinct memories of 1977. For one, I graduated from high school. And then, that summer, I drove around the United States and learned more about geography and history than I ever did at school. Along the way, some of my favorite bands were on the road, and I made it my mission to see all of them. It didn’t work out that way.

The three biggest classic rock acts on tour that year were Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd and Emerson, Lake and Palmer. I managed to see both Zeppelin and ELP twice, but somehow missed Pink Floyd altogether. To this day, I wish I could have seen Floyd more than other two, but something strange happened along the way to the box office.

I had already secured one ticket to see Zeppelin in San Diego. All the L.A. dates had sold out, so I didn’t have a choice. The shows were originally scheduled for March, but were delayed until June due to some internal band problem I don’t remember much about. So, I had my ticket for Led Zeppelin and then they announced Pink Floyd’s date at Anaheim Stadium. I contacted a couple of buddies and we made plans to get tickets the next morning.

Back in those days, you had to get a place in line to buy your tickets through Ticketron, which was eventually swallowed up by Ticketmaster. We used to go to a place called Wallick’s Music City to get our tickets. It was either that or May Company. So there we were, the three of us, standing in line to get Pink Floyd tickets on the morning they went on sale. As soon as we got to the counter, it was announced that the Anaheim Pink Floyd concert was sold out. Sold out? Now what?

I leaned over the counter and asked the clerk if there were tickets available for any other concerts. He looked me straight in the eye and said: “Well, Led Zeppelin just added another night to the Forum.” I glanced over at my buddies. Neither of them had tickets to any of the Zeppelin shows, and I figured I could see them again, so why not? “Sure,” they said, “we’ll go to Zeppelin instead.” So we bought our Led Zeppelin tickets and I ended up seeing the very last show in Los Angeles.

As for Emerson, Lake and Palmer, that was a no-brainer. During my travels that summer, they seemed to be playing in every town I was in, so I ended up seeing them in New York, and then again in Long Beach when I got home. How strange it is that these days I have a hard time finding just one show, let alone three, to go see. The times are indeed a-changin’.

Fortunately, there’s plenty of video of the 1977 Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd and ELP shows, so all is not lost. Ok, it’s not the best video in the world, but it’s something. Have a look below for yourself.

Led Zeppelin: L.A. Forum 1977 w/ Keith Moon

Pink Floyd: Anaheim Stadium 1977

Emerson, Lake and Palmer: 1977

Reports coming in from Manchester, Tennessee indicate that the recent 2008 Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival was a hit and miss affair. With 150 acts spread out over four days, things were bound to go haywire, and apparently they did on Saturday night.

Headliner Pearl Jam played a three-hour set, supposedly delaying other acts to follow. Kanye West, who seemed way out of place at the festival, didn’t hit the stage until 4:25 in the morning. By that time, most of the audience had wandered back to their tents to get some shuteye. To make matters worse, West didn’t apologize for the delay.

Fortunately, this was the only major mishap of an otherwise trouble-free weekend. Chris Rock and Metallica whipped up the crowd on Friday night. Sunday night featured Robert Plant, Alison Krauss and Widespread Panic on the main stage. Other acts who appeared at the eclectic festival, now in its sixth year, included Phil Lesh and Friends, Jack Johnson, My Morning Jacket, The Raconteurs, Willie Nelson, Solomon Burke, Levon Helm and B.B. King, who was given the key to Manchester by the city’s mayor.

Wish I could have been here.

A while back, I went up to Seattle to take a look around. Rock and roll is huge up in the Pacific Northwest, so I fit right in. I wandered into the Experience Music Project over by the Space Needle and marveled at the displays of all the bands and artists from the area — Heart, Queensrÿche, Nirvana, even Paul Revere & the Raiders. Seattle’s favorite son is undoubtedly Jimi Hendrix, and the EMP (founded by Microsoft co-founder and Hendrix fanatic Paul Allen) spared no expense when it came to honoring him with a huge exhibit of his own. We’re talking a veritable goldmine of Hendrix artifacts with lots of letters, photographs, guitars, amps, clothing, recordings, you name it.

If you’re a Hendrix fan and you go to Seattle, you’ll probably want to head inland from the Sea-Tac airport and visit the Greenwood Memorial Park. This is where Jimi’s father Al built a memorial for his son. But it’s more than Jimi’s final resting place; it’s a plot for the entire Hendrix family.

On September 24, 1999, Al and other members of the family held a press conference at the site to unveil the initial design. Sadly, on April 17, 2002, Al passed away at the age of 82, and he didn’t live to see the memorial. Today, it’s still a work in progress, but Al may be happy to know that he, Jimi and his stepmother Ayako have permanent burial sites around the memorial. All I can say is when I saw it, the heavens opened up, a tear formed in my eye, and the wind cried Mary…

This is truly shaping up to be the summer of Dennis Wilson and the Beach Boys.

Wilson’s long out-of-print 1977 solo album Pacific Ocean Blue, the first solo album by any Beach Boy, is returning to circulation in commemoration of its 30th anniversary, as well the 25th anniversary of the Beach Boy drummer’s untimely death in 1983. The two-CD Legacy Edition features the original 12-song album along with four unreleased bonus tracks, as well a second disc of 17 tunes from the aborted follow-up album, Bambu.

Meanwhile, the marketing wizards at Capitol Records have issued The Beach Boys: U.S. Singles Collection – The Capitol Years (1962-1965) in a highly-collectible, limited edition boxed set of 16 CDs (it’s also available digitally without the elaborate packaging). Each CD, complete with faithfully reproduced original single artwork, includes the original single’s A and B-sides, plus other versions of most tracks, from additional mono and stereo mixes to live recordings. Eight previously unreleased mixes are among the new collection’s 66 tracks.

While I work out the kinks and immerse myself into the contents of these fine discs, it’s nice to know it’s safe to go back out in the water and frolic in the summer fun of some great Beach Boys music, whilst Dennis Wilson’s highly personal masterpiece pulls at the old heart strings.

Now, if only Mike Love can get a grip and realize he needs Brian Wilson and Al Jardine to really call the band he presently tours with “The Beach Boys,” maybe that perfect set of waves will bring in a reunion well past its due date.