In the great documentary “808,” King Ad-Rock explains that the acquisition of their first Roland TR-808 Rhythm Composer was by accident. He’d come up with enough dough to buy a Rickenbacker 330 (“like Paul Weller had in the Jam”), but when Ad-Rock got to the music store, there was an 808 on display near the …
Search Results for: Steve Stav
Thought your mind was blown when you first heard “There Is A Light That Never Goes Out?” Can you imagine hearing “In Dreams” for the first time, in February 1963? One minute there’s Fabian or somebody on the airwaves, then… time freakin’ stops. Pocket transistors, the glow of a car radio – or, if you …
Another Scottish band so enamored with old America, they do Americana better than Americans. Voice is off-putting, and line-by-line invokes every lyrical stereotype and standard in the genre… yet the sound is attractive, and the chorus seals the deal; overrides any hastily-conceived aversions. In short, quite a good song – Steve Stav
Amazon will pay $0 in taxes on $11,200,000,000 in profit for 2018 Amazon not only had all those benefits, it had the benefit of securing a market, building a business for years by not charging sales tax – a huge advantage over the brick and mortar stores it damaged or put out of business. People …
If I was in another popular group at the time of this song’s release, I would’ve called a band meeting. “Well, fellows… it’s been fun while it lasted. Maybe we should try jazz, or turn into a Peter, Paul & Mary tribute outfit?” Because Alice In Chains wasn’t f_cking around. They were serious. “Would?” was …
Shawn Smith, one of the Seattle music community’s most respected and beloved figures, has died aged 53. Cause of death [has been reported as complications from diabetes.] A solo artist for some years, the singer/songwriter made his bones in the 90s with the band Brad, and later, with Satchel and Pigeonhed. Smith’s music was featured …
“I wanna love you, but I’m getting blown away”… Haven’t seen this clip before… wow. Jorja Chalmers‘ beautiful sax, and Avalon-era guitarist Neil Hubbard’s blistering solo really punctuate a cover that Hubbard first recorded with Roxy over 35 years ago. No one puts together a better band for the studio or the stage than Bryan …
Sometimes when I get lonely, I almost dial my oldest friend’s number. Of course, he hasn’t lived there in over 30 years. His parents still do, and I call them once a year. Oh, I have his “new” number on my cell phone, that’s in a pocket somewhere, or out in the car. I’d go …
I’d say the greatest band of my lifetime, but I was two when the Beatles officially broke up. None of their peers sounded like this, and while so many in their wake were inspired or influenced, no one since has emulated them. No one married r&b, disco and prog rock with jazz, funk, and sex …
The Buzzcocks’ Pete Shelley, dead at 63. While I appreciated the Buzzcocks’s brief initial splash — and often mention that bands who wouldn’t be bands without The Buzzcocks are now getting into the Hall of Fame — I enjoyed Pete Shelley’s and Howard Devoto’s solo/post Buzzcocks careers much more. With amazingly crafted albums that boasted …
The new Queen movie did a pretty darn nice job of capturing how bad ass it is to be in a Rock & Roll band in that moment when a song and a band is kicking so much f☆cking ass…and that joy is in a genuine circuit with a willing and participating audience. A living. …
Ah, to have Richard’s pile of hair – back then, or on my bald head now. None of my favorite three Furs songs were singles – which should be no surprise, given that their albums were hardly built around one or two hit-hopefuls. I recently discovered a great live performance of one old favorite, an …
Paddy McAloon, the singer of this wonderful tune from my high school years, had a medical condition for many years that almost completely blinded him. He recovered a bit, apparently; for some time now, Paddy’s been photographed with a cane and dark glasses, and has long, flowing white hair and a big, white Colonel Sanders …
If you can legalize the sale of military-grade weapons to the public after finally having the sense to ban them, it should be no surprise that a career criminal/TV celebrity/rapist as president is around the corner. I guess we’ll have “The Purge” next, or ban birth control (again) AND abortion (again). Allow the military to …
A classic album, perfect for Halloween parties. Great, great song. – Steve Stav
Oh, Harriet… I had such a terrible crush on you. The Sundays, the Cranberries, the Innocence Mission – another golden era for gals with great pipes. – Steve Stav
Not a Halloween song, but any ballad by the Dark Prince kinda qualifies, eh? I consider this one of the finest songs of my generation. The combination of profound, supremely romantic lyrics and a Murphy-typical, mesmerizing vocal performance… one could cover it, with talent, and it might be good. But never as good as the …
Though the Hall of Fame is a complete sham, I’m still strangely tickled when a slighted act (much less my favorite band that isn’t the Beatles) finally makes the nominee list. Without Roxy Music, much of the 1980s as I knew it wouldn’t have existed. Such an enormous influence; without Roxy, Duran Duran and umpteen …
I’ve said this before, but it bears revisiting. My father – who was a “square” in the late 60s, musically – once replied with this when I asked him what the iconic song of his generation was, looking back. I was surprised that he knew this song, to begin with. Though it was recorded in …
Walked through the living room, stopped myself. A commercial on TV. I thought, “Oh my god, they’ve finally made a biography of Neil Armstrong.” And as goofy as it sounds, I kinda got choked up. You gotta understand… I knew who Neil Armstrong was by the time I was four years old, I’m sure. It’s …
So many at this time of year “can’t wait for fall.” My wife loved autumn, for example. The crispness of the air, the decaying foliage’s bright colours. Apples and cinnamon. What fall really consists of, in these parts, is about three weeks of happy, bright pumpkin-time… followed by 5-6 months of drizzle, of ballbag-slapping cold …
When I wake up in a giant, empty bed… get on my feet and instantly feel a knee, a back… I’d just been talking to Elvis Costello as snow fell outside the windows… wonder what I’ll be when I grow up, and then remember that somehow I’m 50 years old now, and my dreams have …
These plants survived the winter pretty good, had some “chicks,” but then about a month or so ago one of ’em started sprouting some serious wood. WTF? I never seen them do this. The last two weeks, especially; a full-on rager, with some sorta buds or something at the tip. And the other one’s become …
Living alone, widowed, with only a cat and 2 mute turtles to hear my voice… my mind occasionally goes to strange places. In times of kismet, I often think of my wife as a sort of Polynesian goddess… a goddess who, as she was in life, can be pleased or angered. Benevolent. Wrathful. More than …
I saw Stuart Adamson and Big Country perform once, at Sacramento’s now-extinct Cattle Club. November 16, 1993, during their “Buffalo Skinners” tour. The Cattle Club wasn’t a huge venue, somewhere between Seattle’s Tractor Tavern and Showbox Theater in size. I was right up front in this packed room, and holey moley, ten years after their …
With lilt-echoes of Kate Bush at the upper register — and more than enough grandeur-crescendo for a chick-flick credits theme — Stefanie Black’s new single, “Winter Of My Soul” is pleasant, yet pedestrian fare. On lyrical and arrangement levels, a good, but uninspired tune. However, the 19-year-old singing sensation’s powerful pipes are the sort that …
The first time I saw Andrea after 14 years, it was just a friendly date for drinks at a bar called Flowers, down the street and over from me on the Ave. There were no ulterior thoughts or hopes; at the time, she was married and I was dating 2-3 gals who didn’t know each …
On first pressings of Skylarking, but was bumped to make room for “Dear God.” I’ve always found this song to be a prime example of genius; I get lost in it. The lyrics bear me out. For my sister – – Steve Stav
Well, that was certainly something. Even had miniatures, and a model train for effect. Kismet. For the novice, an XTC album was typically akin to an omnibus of vivid, eccentric, short (British) stories… as if Mark Twain were raised in England, and had read a bit more Shakespeare. For fans, a documentary on XTC in …
This says it all, applicable to so many realms. Iconic, and always my favorite AC/DC song. It’s been in my head all day. I’m still amazed by the quality of this video, as well. Malcolm had this stereotypical 70s “longhair” look to him… like every other young guy of the time who wasn’t going to …