CIARA Snap Necks In Cut-Out Emilio Pucci dress

CIARA showed up at a Blackeyed Peas benefit concert amid rumors that she had been dropped from her label; that's neither here or there and Ciars has yet to inform whether she had been or not. But why is it that whenever some ish like this pops up, the artist or celebrity comes out SWINGING looking real good??

'Cuz Ciara sure was SWINGING those hips in her Emilio Pucci cutout dress.

Do your thang, Ciara. Werk that dress. THE ONLY JAIDEN says so.

Update: 'The Only Jaiden' Promo Pics

I have promo pics for you that represent 'THE JAIDEN BRAND.' That brand represents a select group of people WORLDWIDE who believe that they have an 'alter ego,'  an ego to where they can escape to a deeper state of mind where they can be worth more than they think they are, they are more adventurous, daring, care-free, giving, out-of-box, A COMPLETE 180 from their 'natural self.'

Being in this state of mind is statistically proven to heighten senses and allows one to do have greater human capabilities. 

I imagine a world where I am 'JAIDEN,' a international superhero who helps people in need, inspires and uplifts, can tackle any obstacle, and correct fashion errors all while looking VERY STYLISH -- the only thing that I don't do as a fashion superhero is that I don't wear a superhero suit *LoL*

Jethro Tull - Stand Up (2 CD/DVD) Collector’s Edition

Admittedly, I don’t know squat about Jethro Tull. I mean, Jethro Tull outside of songs such as “Aqualung”, “Cross Eyed-Mary”, “Bungle in the Jungle”, Locomotive Breath”, y’know . . . the “hits” as they may be called. Sure, I’ve owned and played, and replayed, and lost, and re-owned the band's M.U. Best of disc a hundred times over and I’ve lived with their music for the better part of my life as the songs have made their way through the FM rock station airwaves. But it wasn’t until recently that I realized that this is a band that I’ve always claimed to adore, yet knew in the most superficial way. Kinda’ like being in love with that hot chick on the far side of the mall but not knowing if she has any redeeming qualities outside of her outstanding looks. So, here I go. Manning up, walking up to her, asking her name, preparing for the eventual rebuff, and go ahead and fill in your own conclusion.

I’ve gone back and explored the sounds of Aqualung, Thick As A Brick, and War Child, and I’ve come to the conclusion that like most women, Jethro Tull are more complex a creature than one will ever truly know. In listening to Stand Up, all I can really do is marvel that this is music originally released in 1969, the same year that saw the first two Zeppelin albums, all three CCR albums, Abbey Road, Santana’s first, Let It Bleed, and countless other releases that changed the music world and the way so many of us actively listen and create music. The music from Stand Up probably doesn’t need any description from me, for I’m sure I’ll never be able to add any new or useful insight. I can, however, sit back and smile that I have been blessed with ears, and appreciate in some voyeuristic fascination that music fans world around have been blessed to have a group of young men who pushed the boundaries of folk and rock music to carve out their own cubby in the world of progressive music. Gentlemen, thank you from the bottom of my heart. Every spin of your records is a musical safari through lands, cultures, and ideas that I never would have imagined.

This re-issue, and especially this particular package, of Stand Up is beyond cool. The original re-mastered version of the album needs no introduction other than to say, “Woof. Incredible”. The bonus material to this package, on the other hand, is above and beyond the price of admission. If you’re like me and somewhat versed, but not really, in the ways of Tull, then go through the CD and familiarize yourself with the tunes that make up the gem. You should immediately recognize tracks like “Fat Man” and “Nothing Is Easy”, and you’ll probably sit back in some cosmic orgasm when you hear “Bouree”, but these tracks aren’t what makes this particular package so fucking cool! Kick that disc out and insert disc 2 . . . yeah, that’s right, the live portion of the package. Good. Now push play and join me on this journey of sonic discovery!

Disc 2 was recorded live at New York City’s Carnegie Hall in 1970 and having never had the opportunity to catch Jethro Tull live, I now feel cheated for being born too late. Thankfully, I now have this live recording in my possession and it’s fair to say that its one of the most important pieces of my collection. I’m sure it doesn’t need to be said, but Jethro Tull are a bunch of bad asses! Opening with “Nothing Is Easy”, it takes all of five seconds to realize that this performance is going to be a thrill ride and by the time Ian Anderson utter s the first lines of lyric, it’s a stone cold fact that the world’s best scientists would spend several lifetimes trying to dispute that Jethro Tull are a spectacular and brilliant live group. The band comes across as confident despite this recording being early on in the careers, the breaks are tight, the solos are filled with passion and creativity, and the energy is infectious. Close your eyes tight enough and you may smell the sweet fragrance of weed filling the air. This is a crystal clear recording and whoever had the foresight to push the record button needs to be thanked, maybe even knighted.

By far my favorite part of this concert is the second track, “My God”, and oh my God . . . Ian Anderson, what have they fed you, my friend?!? First off, the song is one of those dark and gritty tunes in tone, opening with some chaotic acoustic guitar flourishes before dropping into that ever so somber and mournful chord progression. The music almost sounds like a dirge and Anderson’s vocals always come across as intense and manic, and once the drums and electric guitars come in on the second verse, it’s like lightening striking a tree and splitting it in half. I love the feedback . . . I know it’s technically a flaw but it adds an authentic air to the recording, make me feel more like I’m right there watching everything going down in front of me. Then, it’s all about the flute solo. Amazing. Absolutely amazing . . . filled with vibrancy and massive elements of creativity, immediacy, humor, and intellect. Anderson is insane and a god. The dude’s head must spin from lack of oxygen after doing this kind of thing every night! I never thought the flute could be so rockin’, even after hearing Tull for the better part of my life and knowing better. Flat out . . . Jethro Tull rocks!

And it’s not just Anderson who shows his chops and musical proficiency on this live album. Guitarist Martin Barre and pianist John Evan steal the spotlight on numerous occasions, adding flair, lighting up the sky, dancing between the bombast and the delicate, none of it possible without the rhythm section of Glenn Cormick on bass and Clive Bunker on drums. The way these guys communicate musically on stage is something to behold . . . like one musical being split into five personalities! “To Cry You A Song” is outstanding and a great example of how this unit works together to create a stunning tune. There’s something just a little sinister about the tones of all of the instruments and Barre’s guitar work is of a searing nature, the lyrics spit out by Anderson are packed with imagery that makes me want to throw my current life to the side with all of my dirty laundry and try my hand at something else. The starts and stops to the song are just that tight . . . world class. Love it!

Christ, I could go on about every song . . . “A Song For Jeffrey”, the medley of “Sossity, You’re A Woman/Reasons For Waiting”, and “Dharma For One” (bitchin’ drum solo) are all killer! The thing I realized with Jethro Tull is that the music they create is thought out, highly intelligent music meant more for firing up the mind than it is to get your ass swinging on a dance floor. The off time rhythms, the odd chord progressions, the intellectual subject matter, the arrangements of the music, it all screams progressive rock and I love that. It never feels like these cats are trying to speak above me. They may be speaking above me, but that’s more due to my own lack of intelligence than the band trying to be superior mental beings. Stand Up is a must for any who are trying to get into Tull, but I think you’d be better served to pick up this collectors package (complete with pop-up figures of the band in the packaging . . . get it? Stand Up? Pop-up? Intellectual) and spin the live portion over and over and over again. The live venue is where one truly gets to understand a musician and what it is that they’re trying to express, and this performance is one of the best I’ve heard from anyone, to the point that I’m inspired to complete my Jethro Tull catalog by draining my bank account and filling up my Amazon cart.

--Pope

buy here: Stand Up

Earth -Angels of Darkness, Demons of Light 1

Here's the thing:

There's an expression in creative writing circles: "Book characters should talk more like actual people, and actual people should talk more like book characters."

What I like about this idea is the exchange of expectation-- taking one idea (people in books tend to talk like poets, much more memorably that real people do) and trading it for another, opposite idea (people in real life should try to talk more memorably than actually occurs).

I apply a similar rule to listening to (and by extension, judging) music: I like all forms of music, but usually listen only to metal or jazz.

And I don't know if you're familiar with stereotypical metal versus jazz fans; they're usually polar opposites. Metal is often anti-intellectual ("Does it rock or not?!"), and jazz tends to be the reverse, overthinking everything ("I found his use of progressive thirds intriguing") and not generally concerned with whether Paul Motian's new album rocks (or swings, as they say).

I try to exchange expectations between criticism of these two genres. I try to get the "feel," the guts, of jazz (ignoring music theory unless it's relevant to the Rawk factor), and then analyze metal.

Jazz has plenty of people who'll analyze the shit out of a chord progression, but very few who'll try and rock out with it. Metal, on the other hand, has scads of leather-clad Visigoths who don't give a second thought to the most basic music theory tenets (for example, did you know that the main riff from "Raining Blood" is a diminished scale in E flat?), but will sure as hell tell you if the new Havok album "fucked my face off," as the terminology goes. The two approaches are due for an exchange.

And maybe you don't give a wildebeest's butthole about theory, and just wanna know if something rocks or not. If so, you should skip down a bit, because I'm about to go up my own butt on this motherfucker.

First, preamble: I listen to different genres of metal for different reasons. Thrash is for aggression and driving fast, black metal is for rage and catharsis, doom/sludge/stoner is for feelings of might, and drone music like Earth (or Sunn O))) or Alcest), while having stoner applications, is for darkness-- for a trance-like, sleepy state of relaxation.

Yup, relaxation. You can listen to Earth loud as shit (like Sunn O))) in concert), but it's still calming. Like standing on a heavy-breathing giant that you know has your back.

I call this doze metal. Dream metal. Lunesta metal.

And this music has a ton in common with jazz, specifically the type of jazz you probably think of if you don't listen to much jazz-- e.g., John Coltrane or Miles Davis. (Though notlike Cynic, Atheist, or later-period Death, which are more like jazz fusion, à la Weather Report). Coltrane and Davis, in addition, are both renowned (in part) for their modal jazz.

Short version: modal jazz sits on one or two chords for awhile. It tends to be slow and take its time. It gives a soloist time to spread out and relax into it, rather than having to sprint between chord changes (like guitar soloists in thrash metal would have do to, for example).

Earth, and their new Angels of Darkness, Demons of Light 1 (released 2/22) are modal metal.

Earth has time.

Earth has fuuuuuuuckloads of time.

They are not. in. a. hurry. to. get. anywhere. Sometimes, they don't actually "go" anywhere at all.

If you have the time, you will love this album.

If you're in a hurry, you will hate this album.

Earth's last record, The Bees Made Honey in the Lion's Skull (even their titles take time), was laconic to the point of petrification, and, with its undistorted heavy string guitars, often could've passed for background music in a Sergio Leone western.

The first four tracks off of Angels... follow a similar blueprint, though having evolved that sound without fundamentally changing it: a cello pervades the music, sometimes in the background, sometimes fore, and makes the sounds more gentle and more bittersweet than previously.

This is reminiscence metal.

The cello particularly, and the overall instrumentation in general, gives "Old Black," "Father Midnight," "Descent to the Zenith" and "Hell's Winter" a mournful whimper; the dominant, sometimes only chord in the songs lend themselves to single-tone singalongs, aka mantras and chants; Angels of Darkness, Demons of Light 1 is an hour-long farewell, like ice in the sun falling from a roof.

The instrumentation is eclectic and impressive: cello, electric and acoustic basses and Dylan Carlson's twangy clean-channel telecaster. Promotional materials mention that Earth put "a greater emphasis on improvisational songwriting tactics," which help explain the sparse arrangements. It might also explain why the last piece, the 20-minute title track, is the most absorbing and clearest evolution in Earth's sound.

There are rarely drums in it, and the piece is rubato (without definite time) for much of its length. (Try and tap your foot to it.) It changes and morphs and slides in and out of time and then key; it's the musical equivalent of the goo in a lava lamp. Earth seem to love sevenths-- "tense" notes, that beg to be resolved and make it uncomfortable when they aren't. Like a very quietly argumentative man, who suddenly and periodically comes to some kind of angering conclusion (like the jarring string rakes at 10:50).

Frankly, just the fact that they used some degree of improvisation (like jazz) is reeeeeeeally cool.

Overall, Angels of Darkness, Demons of Light 1 is miraculously "blank." Very little happens, but (if you're patient with it) you won't want to stop listening. Soloing over it, it would be nearly impossible to find a wrong note or even a wrong sound; all are welcome.

On Earth©, this is the way the world ends: not with a headbang but a whimper.

--Horn

Buy here: Angels of Darkness Demons of Light 1
Buy here mp3: Angels Of Darkness, Demons Of Light 1

Small Stone Triple Axe Attack

Small Stone’s been steady rolling out some really good product these days. It’s always exciting when a party pack with their return address label shows up because that means heavy rock is inside. The latest shipment was no exception. Here are 3 of their latest and greatest.

Lo Pan’s - Sasquanaut


As far as I know, Thin Lizzy and Hawkwind never played together, but if they did and had a late night jam session Lo Pan’s Sasquanaut might have been the result. This was originally released on another label but when Small Stone signed the band they did some remixing and remastered the whole thing. Never heard the original, but this sounds great. Vocals have a nice distorted halo around them and the band crushes while it swings. They can get kind of trippy at times like Mick Bolton era UFO but never to the point of pointless noodling.

buy from Small Stone:  here

“Dragline”

Red Giant - Dysfunctional Majesty

Red Giant got my immediate attention with their great Love Gun album rip off cover artwork. Even better is the disc contained inside. Dysfunctional Majesty is their first album in about 6 years. Sounding like a really pissed off Clutch, it rocks hard right out of the gate. Crushingly heavy riffs combined with angry, strangulated vocals and frenzied drumming. Fire this one up in the car after a shitty day at work and defy the cops to pull you over. There’s even a good version of AC/DC’s “Let There Be Rock” as a secret bonus track. Can’t go wrong with this muther.

buy from Small Stone: here


“Chopper” (live)

Blackwolfgoat -  Dragonwizardsleeve

If you ever imagined what Angus and Malcolm Young would sound like borrowing a Frippertronics rig, then Blackwolfgoat’s debut Dragonwizardsleeve is right up your alley. Not the entire album is like that but opening song “Risk and Return” made me think of that. This one man instrumental band is guitarist Darryl Shepard (Hackman, Roadsaw, Milligram) not rocking like his old bands but once the rock is in you, it always comes out no matter how hard you drone. This would make a good gateway for people who are put off by the statistical density of Earth or Sunn O))). It’s also really good if you’re high on pot and need something to zone out to. But the best application would be to annoy your co-workers with. That really did the trick on a misty morning in the office.


buy from Small Stone: here

BOB GELDOF NEW ALBUM “HOW TO COMPOSE POPULAR SONGS THAT WILL SELL” TO BE RELEASED MARCH 15, 2011 ON MERCURY/VAGRANT RECORDS

Mercury/Vagrant Records proudly announced the March 15, 2011 release of Bob Geldof's new record "How To Compose Popular Songs That Will Sell," to be launched at SXSW where Geldof will perform and headline as keynote speaker.

The name Bob Geldof is habitual and ubiquitous.  It is woven into three decades of the global narrative and its cultural soap opera.  Ask people have they heard of him and all will answer in the affirmative.  Ask them what he does and all will have a separate answer.  Ask do they have an opinion of him and, for good or ill, most will.  Ask how that opinion was formed and they don’t quite know.  Whistle one of his tunes and most will remember it but they won’t know who wrote it.  Bob Geldof is the most famous secret songwriter in the UK.

Bob's new solo album, “How To Compose Popular Songs That Will Sell”, is his first album since 2001’s “Sex, Age & Death” and his fifth album as a solo artist (his eleventh if you include his work in his band the Boomtown Rats).  The album features 10 new Geldof compositions recorded with his band in his home and in various friends’ studios and produced by his longtime collaborator Pete Briquette.

Lyrically the album is full of love, hope and joy and one senses that Geldof is more comfortable in his own skin than ever before.

On March 17 at SXSW, when Bob and his band take the stage, there will be no question what Bob Geldof does, and that he is very very good at it.


www.Bobgeldof.com

Jet Black Berries Live On Ripple Radio

The buzz isn't building . . . it's becoming a siren!  With the reformation of '80's post punk rockers, Jet Black Berries and the release of their new album Post Modern Ghosts, word is out!  With their first single "God with a Gun" racking up serious airtime world-wide, and their latest, "They Walk Among You," being claimed by zombie enthusiasts wherever they may dwell, the Jet Black Berries are officially back from the dead.

And what an appropriate metaphor.  First rising to national acclaim with their song included on the cult-favorite Return of the Living Dead soundtrack, the Berries hadn't been heard from since the late '80's.  But fate has intervened.

Hear the whole story, talk with the band, hear cuts off the new album, all on Ripple Radio.

Just hit here, and join in the fun.   8pm Pacific time.   Join the zombies.

Ripple Radio

And here's some videos to whet your appetite.

Exemption - Public Cemetery Party

Well…now is as good a time as any to begin.  I called this impromptu assembly, and I was looking out at a completely full gymnasium, jam packed with people.  As a matter of fact, I could see many citizens standing outside the gym doors who would still be within earshot of the speakers that had been set up.  Good turnout.  No, scratch that.  Great turnout!  Okay, don’t focus on the butterflies in your stomach Penfold.  It’s time to get this mob focused and organized.  I stepped up to the podium and began my speech.

“Ladies and Gentlemen, thank you very much for coming this afternoon.  I know that each of you has security concerns that require your attention, so I will get right to the point.  As you well know our safety has been threatened, and our societal well being has been assaulted.  We live in a constant state of alert and preparedness.  We don’t know where or when the next attack will come.  About the only thing we are sure of is that it’s only a matter of time before we’re hit again.  I called this meeting today because I am sick and tired of sitting on my hands doing nothing, and I bet all of you are too.  It’s time to get proactive.  It’s time to go on the offensive.  It’s time to show our enemies that the people of Long Island are not afraid of them!  It’s time to show our enemies that they will no longer exert control over our lives!  Who among you feels the same way I do?”

A chorus of angry exclamations from the assembled throng tore through the air.  These people had been on edge for far too long, and I knew they were a powder keg just waiting to explode.  That being the case, there were still a couple of people who needed convincing that I could lead them out of this crisis.  A woman near my podium stood up and spoke.  “That sounds good Mayor Penfold.  Fantastic even!  But what do you actually propose that we do to fight back?  The Zombie Horde just keeps coming no matter what!”

“I’m glad that you asked me that ma’am.  You are absolutely right.  These mindless zombies have run amok!  Our problem is that we have yet to band together to fight them as one.  So far we have each fought the Horde on or near our own property, either by ourselves or with only a few others, inflicting minimal casualties.  I’m here to tell you folks.  If they could form original thoughts, that is just what the zombies would want!  Here is my proposal.  Tonight, right after this meeting adjourns; all of us will arm ourselves and together set out to the Good Ground Cemetery.  I’m no expert on the undead, but I have to believe that cemeteries are the original spawning grounds for this menace.  If we attack and cleanse the cemeteries we will take the fight directly to our enemies, and begin turning the tide on the Zombie Horde by eliminating possible reinforcements!  Good Ground Cemetery is a good test bed for my strategy.  It’s a relatively small cemetery with only a little over two hundred registered burial plots.  A war party of our size should have no problem winning this battle.  Constituents!  Who’s with me?”

Three quarters of my mob stood with arms pointed skyward expelling a war cry that shook the foundation of the gymnasium beneath my feet.  It was a terrific feeling knowing I had that seething mass of humanity on my side, but I needed everyone here to participate.  As far as I was concerned my community did this together or not at all.  Luckily, I had one more trick up my sleeve.

“I see that some of you are hesitant to join our little brigade.  I understand your reluctance.  I really do.  This is a risky mission, but I want to say one more thing to you undecided few.  If you are not willing to do this for your family or friends, join us for yourselves.  Not only will you be doing your community a great service, but there will also be an absolutely killer concert put on by our very own Exemption after we clear out the cemetery.”

That did it!  “Oh man, Exemption!”  “I’m in now!”  “Exemption!  All right!”  “Man, that’s all you needed to say!”  “Exemption?  Why didn’t you say that in the first place?”

You see waveriders, I’m about to let you in on the not so little secret that the indecisive citizenry of New York have failed to make known to you till now.  There is a band that calls Long Island home named Exemption, and they recently released an album entitled Public Cemetery Party.  I understand that simply reading that last sentence isn’t exactly going to rock your world, but trust me.  When you listen to the music this band generates, the Richter scale will be insufficient for proper categorization.  That old base-10 logarithmic scale doesn’t extend high enough and won’t be able to cope with this magnitude of rock!

So what does this band sound like you ask?  Well, that one isn’t so easy.  While it is true that the standard power trio makeup (guitar, bass, and drums) is maintained, one label I would never place on this music is simplistic.  No sir.  There are a lot of musical ideas bouncing off one another, coming and going in each song.  In fact, I can understand how some simpletons might believe that there are too many ideas being floated around in these compositions.  Good thing we waveriders are such an enlightened bunch!  Complexity does not frighten us.  Not in the slightest!  Listening to the album, it is abundantly clear that this band is made up of Mastodon fans.  Oftentimes, they sound like Mastodon would if they had strictly clean vocals, played major chords instead of minor ones, and were seemingly less bitter people (make no mistake, I dig Mastodon too).  The other connection I like to make is comparing the writing approach of Exemption to that of the band Torche.  I find great similarities in how both bands layer memorable pop elements over a pure metal background.  Awesome stuff!

Now…I’ve seen this band referred to as stoner metal.  Please!  No offense, but the members of this band play way too nimbly with ultra-fine musicianship to fall into what I typically refer to as stoner metal.  Exemption is a progressive metal outfit.  I say that because I can not remember another band that sounds quite like them.  Now hold on a second!  I don’t mean progressive metal in the vein of endless soloing and lengthy, dithering songs.  Nope.  All nine songs that make up Public Cemetery Party scream immediacy and leave the listener wanting more, not less.  My personal favorites are the ear-scorching “Mutating Skulls”, the wildly gyrating “Byrds”, and the bombastic opener “Hyperspiral”.

Waveriders, check out this fantastic album and support the young men who manufactured this mighty artifact.  You will not regret your decision, similar to the citizenry who followed me into battle that night.  We cleansed that cemetery and forged a devastating new strategy in our war against the Zombie Horde.  Want to know the best part of the whole night?  We did not lose a single citizen.  I myself was injured afterwards at the concert.  The tunes were so rockin’, I got a serious case of whiplash!

-- Penfold

Buy here: Public Cemetery Party

World Premiere of Fen's New Video "Miracle" Debuts on Heavy Planet

 

We’ve been talking about this for a few months and it’s all finally coming true . . . Fen’s first official video is complete and ready to be viewed by the masses! Tuesday, February 8^th, the video for the band's second single from the Trails Out of Gloom album, “Miracle”, will exclusively air on the Heavy Planet web site (hint, hint . . . view the video here .   Heavy Planet) before it’s made available through other viewing avenues. At the same time, “Miracle” is landing on the desks of radio programmers across the nation in a concerted effort to push the track. Produced by Mind of a Snail Co. and featuring a couple of hand-made marionettes, the video tells the visual tale of two young lovers finding out just how miraculous love can be.

“The speaker is pining to regain the initial spark of a relationship,” states singer/guitarist Doug Harrison on the meaning behind the song. “He pleads with whatever mysterious power brought them together, hoping that it will help him fully remember that miraculous union, and through this knowledge, bring them closer together again,” he explains.



In support of Trails Out of Gloom, Vancouver’s progressive alt-gloomsters are preparing for dates across Canada in the Spring, as well as a special tour that will feature live performances in select ghost towns. More information will be made available as soon as the details are worked out on all fronts! 

Video:  Heavy Planet

Here's what the press has to say about Trails Out of Gloom:

"Consistently enchanting from start to finish, Trails Out of Gloom is one of the more rapturous releases you're likely to encounter in quite some time.  It is fantastic in every way.  Highest possible rating, 16/16." -- Progressions Magazine

"It’s one of the better if not the best release in 2010!” – Prognaut

"Doug Harrison is one of the new remarkable talent in the prog scene. Beautifully structured songs that almost drown in the right emotions and are decorated with tasteful arrangements.  Fen resembles Anathema meets Threshold , but with an original, unique angle.” – Lords of Metal

www.fenmusic.ca

www.ripple-music.com

Joe Purdy - This American

There is a campfire in the White Mountains of Arkansas.  The sun is going down and a cool breeze comes up from the west.  The sky turns hues of red and purple as the day ends and twilight begins. Couples huddle around the fire, drinks in hand, as the evening winds down.  Joe Purdy pulls out his six-string, puts on a harmonica holder and sits down with the gathered campers.

He sings and plays fifteen passionate, contemplative, folk songs that reach into the soul.  Purdy is a modern day early 1960’s Bob Dylan with a better voice and as much to say.   He is a singing, songwriting, acoustic guitarist who also plays harmonica, with which he weaves tale after tale in the flickering shadow of firelight on “This American.”

Joe has played electric, rock, and with a band,  He has toured Europe and has sold an incredible number of downloads.  His music has been used in TV shows and movies.  But here, on “This American,” Purdy gently sings stories about the American experience. He treks the Oregon Trail, goes to Louisana, is a Pioneer and visits the Dustbowl.  Purdy captures the soul and mood of a people, teaches lessons about history, love and honesty, and regales us from the heart.

It is a difficult thing to do to play and record only your voice and your music, unprocessed - just, you, your acoustic guitar and your harmonica.  There is no drummer, no bassist, no click track.    To successfully solo is the sign of the true balladeer and that is what Purdy is - a modern day troubadour.  When I listen to the album I feel the heat of the fire, the chill of the evening and see the veiled images evoked by the storyteller.  I am calmed,  transfixed and warmed.

You can hear the entire album on Purdy’s website. Better yet, you can go there and buy “The American” as a digital download, CD or, soon, on vinyl with a digital download.  Then, turn on the fireplace, grab a blanket and transport yourself into the midst of the great American camping trip.  Let Purdy pull out his old Gibson, put on a harmonica holder and sing to you about “This American.”

- Old School





Buy here: This American
Buy here mp3: This American

Alice Cooper - Theater of Death Tour 2009 CD/DVD

Now, please allow me to manage your expectations. I am a huge fan of Alice Cooper…there I said it. I’m not one of these fly by night types who got into Poison when it came out in the 80’s nor am I one of the sniffy purists who only claim allegiance to the original band between 1970 and 1974 (though obviously this has to be the best era…any fool knows that!!!). No, I am a fan, I won’t turn my nose up at the challenging first two albums when he was in bed with Frank Zappa. I can forgive him Lace and Whiskey because of the good songs and even his early 80’s era, which he forgot before it had even ended, has its moments of quality. So with all this in mind any hope of this being an impartial and objective review are pretty much zero. This was always going to be a good review but whether it would be a great review…well, that would remain to be seen….

When I heard that Alice would be playing a show local to me on his 2009 “Theatre of Death” tour I almost literally busted a nut to get tickets. Impoverished, I begged and borrowed to be able to get two tickets for myself and my wife (one of the fly by night Poison-era fans!!!). On the night Alice delivered backed up by an incredible band…obviously not the classic Buxton, Bruce, Dunaway and Smith line-up, but a stripped down 2 guitar line-up that played the catalogue with skill, fire, passion and due reverence. It’s one thing though standing amongst 2000 other fans watching the spectacle unfold in front of you and it’s quite something else listening to it on a CD in the comfort of your room or watching it compressed to a TV screen on DVD. But this is a good review right? So you already know that I dig the living shit out of this release!!!

Given the benefit of a crystal clear, low end powered, punch in the nuts sound Alice’s live albums have never sounded so good. Chuck Garric’s bass tones threaten to pull your guts out of your ass (maybe a future stage prop?), while the duelling guitars of Keri Kelli and Damon Johnson are the closest Alice has come in years to nailing the Michael Bruce/Glenn Buxton partnership of the original band or even the mid 70’s pairing of Dick Wagner and Steve Hunter. Both players play as if they were born to be in Alice’s band. Former Y&T and Megadeth man Jimmy Degrasso is obviously reveling in his role playing out the hits and the more obscure tunes with millisecond perfect precision. And what of Alice? What of the main man himself? In his 60’s and 40 plus years into his career we could forgive him for sounding a little jaded right? We could forgive him if his voice wasn’t what it used to be, if he strained to hit the higher notes after rasping his vocals chords for more years than most of us have been eating solid food…not to mention blasting them for many years with alcohol? No fucking way!!! Alice is a pro and delivers with the guts and determination of a man a third his age and far from being shot his voice is as strong as ever. In fact the guy must have vocal chords like leather as his voice is tougher, stronger and meaner now than ever before.

What of the material I hear you ask? Is this an attempt to sell the latest album of the time (2008’s magnificent Along Came A Spider) or is this a cash in greatest hits package? Neither, this is Alice delivering the best show he can from a catalogue that that most of his contemporaries would even shudder to compete with. The choice of material stretches as far back as Love It To Death with all the classics you would expect, only Muscle of Love from this era is ignored but as the track list flies buy you’d be hard pushed to notice. Welcome To My Nightmare is featured heavily with no less than seven songs (perhaps setting the tone for his next project, a sequel to that classic album). Even Goes To Hell and From The Inside are represented with classics like the former’s title track and “Nurse Rozetta” from the latter. Most of the 80’s are sensibly ignored though Poison does get the back combed, scantily clad metal chicks frothing at the mouth. Even Alice’s more recent output is given some welcome airing with “Wicked Young Man” from Brutal Planet and the title track from the Dirty Diamonds album. Whatever era is represented here, none of it sounds out of place which is remarkable considering the number of musical u-turns Alice has taken in his career. The band holds it all together with faithful arrangements that give the set a sense of continuity and cohesion.

The added bonus here is that, not only do you get to hear Alice do what he does best in a live environment, flip the DVD on and you can watch it all in glorious, glorious technicolour as it all went down on that fateful night in old London Town. Capturing the live Alice Cooper experience on film is never going to be easy but the direction is sharp yet retains that in-the-audience vibe that some live footage can miss. To see Alice putting everything into his performance at an age when most people are contemplating holidays by the sea and cocoa before bed is inspirational, particularly as he endures being killed onstage not once, not twice but four times by guillotine, lethal injection, hanging and in the Iron Maiden. Here, as well, Alice’s band prove themselves to be no mere side men. Each member works the stage and the crowd as if this was their own life’s work they were presenting. Garric even gets to take the role of front man during “I Love The Dead” while Alice is resurrected from one of his many deaths.

There must come a time when Alice Cooper has to consider how long he can keep doing things to this level but when he does decide to retire to his armchair to pull the legs off spiders this CD/DVD package will remain for the faithful to fill the void. The fact that I received this on Christmas Eve 2010 and it immediately hit the higher reaches of my top 10 for a year full of highlights should give some indication as to how essential a purchase this is. Buy it…unless you’re a pussy scaredy cat!!!


--Ollie

Buy here: Alice Cooper - Theatre Of Death-Live At Hammersmith 2009 (DVD W/Bonus CD)
Buy here: Alice Cooper - Theatre Of Death-Live At Hammersmith 2009 (Blu-ray W/Bonus CD)
Buy here: Theatre Of Death-Live At Hammersmith 2009 (CD/DVD)

A Sunday Conversation with Derin Dow

Guitar shredding, retro rocker Derin Dow hanging on the Ripple couch.

When I was a kid, growing up in a house with Cat Stevens, Neil Diamond, and Simon and Garfunkel, the first time I ever heard Kiss's "Detroit Rock City," it was a moment of musical epiphany. It was just so vicious, aggressive and mean. It changed the way I listened to music. I've had a few minor epiphany's since then, when you come across a band that just brings something new and revolutionary to your ears.

What have been your musical epiphany moments?

I can't point to one major one, but there have probably been several mini-epiphany moments.  "Band On The Run" was the first song that really got my attention when I was about nine or so.  I loved all the changes in that song, which ended up being the first 45 single I bought.  Styx's "Lady" also stuck with me around that time, and I remember calling our local radio station to request it.  One day my cousin brought over the album Focus: Live at the Rainbow, and when I first heard "Hocus Pocus," that was it for me.  I was hooked; mostly on Jan Akkerman's guitar playing.I was also pleasantly amused by Van Leer's yodeling and impressed with his flute playing.

When I was about 13, I got Kiss Alive II and Hotel California, both of which I played over and over.  After hearing the live version of "Shock Me," I went out and bought a used guitar for $15, smeared white toothpaste and red lipstick on my face, and pretended I was Ace.  That ended up being the first song I ever learned on guitar.I also heard "Detroit Rock City" in 7th grade English class during a study of "poetry" around that time. That song also impressed me for all the same reasons you mentioned.  Most of my other epiphany moments probably occurred going home on the school bus, just listening to the radio when FM was first becoming popular.  I remember the first times I heard "Starship Trooper" (Yes), "Hold On" and "Lay It On The Line" (Triumph), and "Carry On Wayward Son" (Kansas), and thinking to myself what great songs they were.  All of those songs resonated with me quite a bit.  After that, I'd have to point to the opening track of Rush's 2112, and the opening cuts of Boston and Van Halen.  Those debut albums blew my mind because of the great production, the songwriting, the guitar work, and the pure, raw energy.


Talk to us about the song-writing process for you. What comes first, the idea? A riff? The lyrics? How does it all fall into place?

Usually, it starts with noodling around on the guitar, coming up with a part that I like, a series of chords, then humming a little melody to go along with it.  Then I'll try to create some lyrics to replace the humming and carry the melody.  Lyrics are usually the hardest part for me, since I sometimes don't have much to say.  When I first started songwriting, however, I'd do it in a different way.  I would usually sit down and write some lyrics about a specific topic, and come up with a melody in my head at the same time. Then I'd go find the guitar chords to go with it.  Those songs were more message-oriented, whereas now I tend to write more in terms of an overall vibe, and then just let the words follow.


Who has influenced you the most?

Pretty much anybody who was ever on Don Kirshner's Rock Concert back in the day!  That's such a tough question though, because there have been so many, and the influences have changed over time as I've gone through different phases.  I've probably spent more time listening to Kansas than any other band.  But I don't really write in that style because it is so orchestrated, and I'm pretty much just a self-taught hack.  When I first started playing guitar, southern rock was popular in my hometown, so after I had learned a bunch of Kiss songs, I ended up playing a fair amount of .38 Special, Molly Hatchet, Lynyrd Skynyrd, the Eagles, etc.. That's probably where I get the twang in my playing.  Beyond those early influences, I'd have to point to a lot of the other rock acts of the 70s and 80s:  Aerosmith, Foreigner, Rush, Van Halen, Sabbath, Zeppelin, Heart, the Doobie Brothers, Styx, Triumph, Tom Petty, REO, Ted Nugent, Eddie Money, Journey, Pink Floyd, Night Ranger, Ambrosia, Peter Frampton, Chicago, Atlanta Rhythm Section, Neil Young, Elton John, Jefferson Starship, April Wine, Steely Dan, etc.. (Did I mention Kansas?)  The Who and the Stones were also in the mix to some extent, but I hesitate to say that they influenced my songwriting.  I can't say the Beatles impacted me much either, because I've never owned one of their albums. 

The first rock concert I ever saw was REO Speedwagon with .38 Special opening, so I'd be lying if I said that didn't influence me.  Both bands were really great that night.  It was in 1980 at Freedom Hall in Louisville, KY, and I had just turned 16.  Gary Richrath impressed me a lot that night with his playing, and Cronin was very solid as well.  38 Special was promoting Rockin' into the Night but hadn't recorded "Hold On Loosely" yet; so they were kinda 'up-and-coming' at that time and not really all that well known.  I think they influenced me by how they became more popular in the following years when they started putting out a lot of great songs that were getting a lot of airplay in the Midwest.

It's sometimes hard to admit now, but I've also been influenced to some extent by the singer-songwriters and soft rock groups of the 70s, like America, Firefall, Jim Croce, etc..  I actually got into bands like Ace, Player, Orleans, and Pablo Cruise.  Beyond that, I really came to appreciate some of the other progressive stuff out there like the Dregs, Steve Morse, Eric Johnson, Allan Holdsworth, King Crimson, the UK, and even Pat Metheny, though I'm certainly not on a par with those players.  When I was about 21, I switched to playing bass for a few years, so there are some influences there as well; Geddy Lee, Jack Blades, Jeff Berlin, Stu Hamm, Jaco, etc.. but again, I can't play as well as those guys, except for Jack maybe!  (ha, ha..)  In the 90s, I listened to Dream Theater and Vertical Horizon quite a bit, so they've left a meaningful impression also.


Where do you look for continuing inspiration? New ideas, new motivation?

Every day that I get up at 6:00 AM to go to my day job serves as a sort of motivation for me; knowing that I would rather be doing my music as a career instead; if only it would pay the bills. The frustration of that experience gives me a fair amount of motivation to try to figure out how to create an avenue out of it.  Sometimes, it gives me ideas for songs as well. The first song on Retroactive, "Friday" is probably a good example of that frustration.  I tend to write when I'm unhappy, but not so much when I'm feeling good. Once in awhile, I'll write a happy song, but usually that's not the norm.  Occasionally when I'm out driving around or jogging, I'll get some ideas for a song that just pop into my head.  I also tend to get ideas when I'm just jamming by myself.

Otherwise, I just listen to music that I like to feel inspired.  There's not a lot going on right now musically with the newer bands that I relate to, so I tend to look back to the 70s, 80s, and a little to the 90s for inspiration.  My wife likes to tell me that I'm stuck in the 70s, but I don't mind since I tend to think that's when a lot of the best rock music was created.  Lately, I've been listening to some of the older Rush material, especially Hemispheres, which is probably my favorite album of theirs.  I've also been listening to Winger's third album, Pull, from the early 90s, just enjoying the different guitar sounds that Reb got on those tunes. I also listen to Eric Johnson's albums fairly often.  Even though he's known for being an accomplished guitarist, I actually like the laid-back quality of his vocals as well.  I tend to prefer Tones or Venus Isle these days.  I also get inspired by Robert Plant's Principle of Moments album from time to time, mostly for its sparseness and basic 3-piece approach.  I also love Steve Morse's High Tension Wires, which makes me realize how much room I have to grow as a guitarist and songwriter.  I'm pretty much all over the map when it comes to music I like, because I also enjoy stuff like Donald Fagen's The Night Fly or maybe some Pat Metheny, Seal, or Sade if I'm in the mood.  It's all inspiring for me.

When it comes to vocals, I still get inspired when I go back and listen to some of the older recordings of guys like Steve Walsh, Lou Gramm, David Pack, and Geddy Lee.  I also like Paul Carrack's voice.  They're all great singers in my book, and very inspirational for me personally.  Occasionally, I'll also go back and listen to Ozzy on something like Sabbath Bloody Sabbath, which I consider to be an excellent album.


Genre's are so misleading and such a way to pigeonhole bands. Without resorting to labels, how would you describe your music?

I've heard it described by some people as "Foreigner meets Ambrosia meets the Eagles" or something like that.  I've heard others compare it to Triumph or Aldo Nova.  Both of those descriptions are probably in the ballpark stylistically, but production-wise, my recordings certainly aren't on a par with those bands due to my budget issues (i.e. no label, no backing, etc..).  It's basically just rock, but each song is somewhat unique stylistically, so they don't all fit nicely into one simple category.  If one wants to narrow it down, then I suppose it might be described as "semi-progressive, yet mostly straight-ahead melodic classic rock with a few fusion elements thrown in here and there, alongside a moderate dose of southern twang."  It certainly has its share of vocal harmonies and guitar solos, which makes it more classic/retro than most of what we hear today with modern rock.

It's probably safe to say that I sometimes combine a singer-songwriter approach with a full band, arena-rock mentality, (if such a thing is possible), which I hope is something a bit unique, even though not all of my songs would fit that description.  Songs like "Highways," "Door To Your Heart," and "River Of Time" all start out in singer-songwriter mode, but then they build into either big choruses or semi-prog instrumental jams.  Some have multiple bridges. It may be confusing for some folks, but it makes perfect sense to me, since it tends to represent the sum total of my influences.  It's definitely not a psychedelic or blues thing.


What is you musical intention? What are you trying to express or get your audience to feel?

It's a therapeutic thing for me mostly.  I don't have a big, calculated intention other than trying to get some deep emotions off my chest from things I've experienced in my life.  At the same time, I'd like to think that some of my songs will connect with other people who might be going through some of the same things as me; like a divorce, or maybe an estranged relationship of some sort, or even some kind of spiritual awakening.  When I was 18, I had a near-death experience brought on by prolonged drug use, which really changed me on a spiritual level so that now I view my life and my songs in a different way.  I value life more than I did when I was a reckless, depressed teen.  Some of my songs have subtle, or not-so-subtle spiritual messages in them, mostly just trying to lead people towards God and love, and his ways of looking at things; as opposed to the opposite of that, which, unfortunately, is what "rock-n-roll" is often associated with.  I also hope to write some songs that enable people to have some fun along the way as well.


Come on, share with us a couple of your great, Spinal Tap, rock and roll moments?

This is a tough one, since I don't remember much from all the hazy times back in the day.  Well, one time, when I was about 17, I got so high before a show that when I went to put my gear in the car to leave, I set my guitar case down on the ground behind the trunk of my '74 Chevy Malibu.  Then I loaded my amp and a few other things into the backseat, jumped in the car, started it up, and promptly backed up over top of my brand new Washburn A-20 guitar!  I was so wasted that I didn't even realize what it was until I had pulled forward and ran it over a second time!  Oh yeah, the guitar!  Duh.. The neck actually ended up being okay, but all the control knobs were smashed and the body was all caved in near the input jack.  What was amazing was that Harvey Jett, (the former lead guitarist from Black Oak Arkansas whom I was playing with that night) actually fixed the electronics on that guitar in time for the start of the show!  Thanks Harvey!

Another memorable time was when we were all wearing spandex pants back in the mid- to late-80s.  The lead singer of our band had a habit of not wearing any underwear beneath his spandex in order to promote the details of his manhood to all the ladies. Unfortunately for him, he also enjoyed imitating many of the moves of David Lee Roth, Steven Tyler, and Bon Jovi.  One night, he did a big jump and landed while doing the splits, and his spandex pants ripped right in the crotch!  Luckily for him, he also wore several bandanas on his wrists and neck, so he was able to cover himself until the set was over with a little American flag.

This may not rank as a Spinal Tap moment, but you may find it to be a rather amusing story nonetheless.  After I first moved to L.A. in '89, I got recruited to play bass by this band called the Waifs. (Not the one out of England).  They were a hippie group fronted by a girl singer and her husband/guitarist. Their whole act was predicated on the '60s flower-child movement thing.  They were trying to bring all that peace and free love stuff back, so I had to play my role.  It wasn't really my cup of tea musically, but they had a decent following, a manager, a lawyer, and a few connections with RCA/Arista, so I went along for the ride; even though I would go home after a rehearsal or a gig and revert to listening to my favorite bands of the day, one of which was Night Ranger.  So, one night, we were playing a showcase for some industry people at the old China Club in Hollywood.  Our chick singer was always trying to fiddle with the way I dressed in order to make me fit in better with the overall 60s concept. So, this night she convinced me to wear these low-slung, reddish-purple, velvet pants, with no shirt, and a really weird hat with some odd-looking jewelry, along with some big black boots.   I looked really ridiculous, but I went along with it for the sake of flower power resurgence.  Our whole act was really quite silly in retrospect, as we had several hippie-chick dancers on stage, a girl with a rainstick, a bongo player, etc..  Anyway, after our set was over, I walked off the stage and went down to the bar to order a beer.  Then I said hello to the guy sitting next to me, who turned out to be, of all people, Brad Gillis, lead guitarist of Night Ranger!  I felt like a complete fool in my 'retro' get-up, but he didn't really care.  Turned out he was bumming out since Night Ranger had just broken up, and they were trying to reform it without Blades, who had already gone on to form Damn Yankees.  He said they were probably going to work with Fran Sheehan, the former bassist from the band Boston, but I don't think that ever panned out.  I saw them a year or two later at the FM Station in the valley as a 3-piece with a different guy (Gary somebody?) on bass/vocals.


What makes a great song?

If it gives me goosebumps, or moves me in some way, then I know it's great.  It doesn't matter what it's about or what the style is really.  I've loved everything from "Sunshine" (John Denver) to "Killing Yourself To Live" (Black Sabbath) and all points in between.  The best songs usually have a simple message that gets communicated in a sincere way by the artist.  McCartney has always been really talented at this.  "Silly Love Songs" might be a good example.  On the other hand, if a song sounds contrived; like somebody was just trying to write a hit for the sake of having a hit and making some money, then that usually comes across too; so it tends to be a forgettable song.

Also I would have to say that a great song usually has lyrics and a vocalist involved, but not always. I've always thought that "Frankenstein," (Edgar Winter Group) is an amazing rock instrumental piece.  To me, that's also a great song.  But usually, there is a lyrical message involved that strikes an emotional chord with people.

Some songs might be great from a technical standpoint in terms of the proficiency of the players and the complexity of the arrangements, but at the same time, they might be lacking an emotional connection with the listener.  For me, that's where a Van Halen song, (like "Mean Street" for example), might have more meaning than an artful, classically-influenced masterpiece that Yngwie Malmsteen may have written/recorded.  Eddie VH has always had a knack for playing from the heart, even with all of the hammer-ons and pull-offs, whereas somebody like Malmsteen plays from a more schooled perspective, which for me, doesn't really have the same impact on an emotional level.  (I must say, however, that I did enjoy his Odyssey album back in the 80s when he had Joe Lynn Turner singing).


Who today, writes great songs? Who just kicks your ass? Why?

That's a great question, and even though his style is not my style, I'd have to say John Mayer.  Not only is he a really good guitarist, he writes some real hi-quality pop songs that most people can relate to.  His style is not as heavy as what I would normally listen to, but I have to give him props for being one of the best out there today.  Lyrically, I think he's able to phrase things and say things in a way that packs a lot of meaning into fewer words.  He's also got great ideas for the vocal melodies and song structures, and his performances on the recordings are spot on.  He definitely kicks my ass.


Whiskey or beer?  And defend your choice

These days, I'm just a beer man.  When I was a teenager looking to get drunk, it would have been Maker's Mark or Jim Beam straight outta the bottle.  But now, given that I have children to consider, a regular teaching job, and a liver that's been through its fair share of abuse, it's mostly just Coors Light or Bud Light for me with dinner.  If I'm feeling adventurous, I'm might down a Heineken or two, but only if I don't have to work the next day.  Pretty lame, I know.


We, at the Ripple Effect, are constantly looking for new music. What's your home town, and when we get there, what's the best record store to lose ourselves in?

My hometown is Madison, Indiana, but I've lived in Los Angeles now for over 21 years; so I've pretty much lost track of what's been going on back home.  If I had to guess, I'd say that Wal-Mart has probably taken over half of the town, so it may very well be the only place to buy music of any kind nowadays.  Back in the 80s, we went to a place downtown called Madison Music, but they're probably gone by now.  If you're planning to visit there, I'd recommend that you go during the July 4th weekend for the Madison Regatta so that you can enjoy the hydroplane boat races on the Ohio River.  (October is also a good time, when the leaves are changing).  There's an Americana artist there by the name of Rusty Bladen who has put out several albums along the lines of Neil Young, John Prine, etc..  He's a main staple in the music community there, and a former roommate and band-mate of mine.  (Remember the spandex story?)  But again, as for a record store.. who knows?  It's really a small town.


Any final comments or thoughts you'd like to share with our readers, the waveriders?

Thanks for reading all of this and for checking out my music.  I'm working on another album right now, which I hope to complete sometime before the summer is over.  I think it will probably be more cohesive stylistically compared to the previous album, and will hopefully sound better sonically as well.  Feel free to visit my website at www.derindow.com for more info, and feel free to order a copy of Retroactive while you're at it.  (We've got T-shirts too).  Oh, and have a great 2011!