What's A Song?

I ask, as I continue to spin the new release, "We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions". I'm really enjoying this new album and find that modern-day renditions of songs literally centuries old show the timelessness of good storytelling and musicianship. "An album of folk covers? WTF?" are the two most-asked questions even on the Bruce fan sites and this record is creating a minor revolt in disgruntled Boss lovers. Not only is this a left-field album for Bruce but also even for the songs being presented. The history of these songs, while recorded and popularized by the legendary Pete Seeger have deeper roots in America and the British isles. These songs reflect the anger, loves and prayers of the common people, the nameless and faceless souls who work, fight, marry, cry, grieve, hurt, struggle, celebrate, tell tales, tell tall tales and even taller tales, hope, die and live on. From the Dust Bowl of the Depression to the nineteenth-century Midwest, independence-era Ireland, from the cotton fields of ante-bellum South to 16th century England, these songs create the lives of the experiences of many, many people who helped make this nation what it is today. These songs are being derided by detractors pissed that Little Steven and the Big Man aren't on it but these beautiful treasures are little history lessons each listen. I love this album and am eagerly anticipating the tour, which will make these stories truly come to life. What makes me love this album all the more is watching my son dance, clap his hands and smile to the music. For that and that alone, this album gets a ***** rating!

Saving Face

Finally, it has arrived! I'm digging on "Five Guys Walk Into A Bar...", the box set of The Faces, just about the coolest band of the early 70s. I'm saying it: The Faces were better than the Stones. Yes, they were, Steve. Sorry, but Woody actually was worth his salt in the early 70s before disco and pop wrecked both bands. Four discs and nearly fifty outtakes, plus the band's studio cuts and great packaging. I remember reading an interview with Rich Robinson of the Black Crowes (ironically, as those birds always wanted to be Rod and Woody) and he said something that is totally true. He (I'm paraphrasing, of course) said that no matter how old music is, it's brand new when you hear it for the first time. I'm hearing rock and roll for the first time, as five guys boogie their way through bluesy bar rock. Had that band gigged in a bar in my town, I would have had my mail delivered there!!! You owe it to yourself to pick this up. Then, the next time you're in the mood for a major dosing, throw on all four discs of "Five Guys" interspersed with the Rod box set and give yourself the best nine-hour blast of killer, true-to-heart, authentic and gutsy rock. Rod, I watched you on Idol last night and guess what? I know where you belong.

Speaking of The Faces, tickets go on sale this weekend for the Black Crowes in June. They're playing with Robert Randolph and the Family Band and the Drive-By Truckers. Caught the Crowes in '95, in '98 and twice last summer. Want to go to rock and roll camp? Catch this band live. They'll make you wish for a time machine to the early 70s; especially when Kate is that tiny dancer on the side of the stage :)

Turn Out the Lights

the party's over!!! More shake ups in the White House staff and I couldn't be happier. First, a new chief of staff and today's news that Press Secretary Scott McClellan and the "architect", Karl Rove, both removed from positions of high influence. McClellan was the closest this country's had to Ron Ziegler, Richard Nixon's press secretary, and both men delivered the same great amounts of b.s. and lies. As Ziegler knew he had a party line to deliver, I wonder if McClellan does. To think, this guy either caught himself or his bosses in enough lies to earn an "F" in honesty in my book. Karl Rove has also been removed from major policy decision making, as Josh Bolton, Bush's new Chief of Staff has smartly removed him. Rove will be further implicated in the Libby scandal; not that he broke the law, but that he is too closely tied with Dick Cheney and the smear tactics that helped Bush cinch up the war vote in 2002 and 2004. Rove's rise and fall couldn't have been more meteoric; what I never liked about Rove wasn't his ability but his desire, his lust for appealing to people's basic prejudices and ignorances. Shrewd and brilliant, but one couldn't ask for a greater Lucifer in the art of public perception and deception. Good riddance, both of you.
Now, the big departure of the day: Ace Young, from American Idol? What gives? Now, Ace has never been the strongest singer of the bunch but he sure didn't suck as badly as Kellie Pickler, the lil' southern belle who's so far out of her element and league that the only two things going for her surely aren't her talent and performance ability. She needed to go a long time ago and her abysmal performance last night wasn't even lost on herself. She did, as she exclaimed, butcher last night's song and the viewing voters should have sent her packing.
Six days until the Seeger Sessions, no news on the on-sale date for the Pavilion.

On a personal note for those of you who know, yesterday was our last dosage of medicine! Now we just wait and hope and pray and watch what happens...

Bruce On the Loose

I was able to live stream Bruce's new album today, The Seeger Sessions, and I enjoyed what I heard. Of course I'll buy the album, that's not the issue. I also don't mind that what I'll be buying won't be the next best The Rising or Nebraska; what I'll be picking up is a labor of love by an artist putting his own two cents on half-century old music that truly is timeless. Pete Seeger's music is more than the man; listening to his music is like listening to the music Jerry Garcia played outside of the Dead; music that was bigger than him, that spoke for countless people who lived and died anonymously and who lived their lives without the concern of art's sake. Seeger, however, captures the art and conveys it in his way that exposes the roots and values of performance music. No instrumental flash, no injection of personality, nor any sense that the person is bigger than the story. Bruce's new album attempts to recreate those stories in this album and since this artist has always been about the story, what we hear is a hootenannie of the Boss kind. Why should, then, people listen to this album in 2006 or any time at all? The album contains songs just as relevant today as they were first recorded; stories about the push for civil rights, songs about people overcoming the barriers and walls of life, anti-war and pro-equality music. What Bruce is doing is not only evolving politically but expressing his desire for others who believe in the truths of his own music to buy into the music of others who paved the way for pompous, self-centered rock stars who sing songs of sacrifice and pain and hope. Bruce has always been labeled as the least ironic rock artist and this Seeger Sessions album only continues that label. Now, with the announcement of a summer tour (and a stop at the CONCORD PAVILION!!!!!!), hopefully tickets will be much cheaper than the $100 that they've been going for the last two tours. A slight drop in price would deflate the cult of personality for this tour but I highly doubt that's going to happen. Though, as my friend Steve just alerted me, I can balance all of this out with true rock star pomposity with a night with the Black Crowes a week later!

I darkened the doors of church on Easter and enjoyed, for the most part, being back in the fold, so to speak. Music was the best part and the sermon the weakest; the greatest moment of all was the band and choir's rendition of U2's "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" a la the Rattle and Hum version with the Harlem church choir. Not only did the group perform my favority "Christian" band but the one song that captures my journey and my feelings and where I happen to be. But yes, I'm still running, oh, God help me.

Good Friday

William Sloan Coffin died yesterday at the age of 81. An anti-war, pro-peace, pro-civil rights minister, Coffin's attitude and philosophy about life truly defined and reflected his faith. In a 20-year old interview from Fresh Air, Coffin defined his worry about the religious right and why resurgences in religion aren't necessarily positive. In discussing his own faith and the true reasons why people should have and should seek faith in God, Coffin said something profound; he said that there was a substantial difference in those who seek faith in order to transcend their own lives and those who seek faith in order to save their souls. While fundamentalists and evangelicals may believe that the latter is the true reason, based on the teachings of the modern church, of why people should seek faith, but I agree with the former. The idea of uncertainty, as stated by Coffin, is a concrete idea and we as humans should have to accept the fact that life brings with it much and many issues of uncertainty; where we fit into the larger cosmos, life and God is then the journey of the believer through his or her life. One who believes simply to save him or herself seems to seek a guarantee against all bad things. Part of my own quirky faith is the absolute belief in randomness and just how life at this moment is a gift if we see how randomness has made some wonderful conditions and situations worth celebrating. Good Friday.

Now, I couldn't go this long without injecting some politics, now could I? Yesterday's SFChron included a column written by former Fresno State professor and farmer Victor Hanson who has exploded on the scene as the resurrection of Barry Goldwater. How at Stanford, Hanson interjects his two cents on us like the Cincinattus of old, like one of the greek figures that he teaches about. Unfortunately, lecturing about contemporary issues taking a truly classically-Greek perspective is like discussing contemporary religious and theological issues from a strict Pauline point of view (sorry, anyone). His most recent article is interesting as he attacks those who see the immigrants in this whole political mess with "soft" labels - undocumented workers, migrant workers, or other labels that fail to address their "true" definition - illegal aliens. Hanson believes the debate must change the language and labels in order to address the issue of illegal immigration and the porousness of our borders, and here, I agree. However, one issue and probably the biggest issue Hanson fails to mention is the fact that illegal immigration remains such a huge problem because of the ease of finding employment. Here is where American employers must take both half of the blame and all of it. Employers, based on countless economic factors (all related to the bottom line) are often tempted and eager to hire illegal aliens in order to keep labor costs down. Dishwashers, lawn mowers, hotel cleaners, all hired in order for the company to keep profits high and costs low. It's simple Economics 101 and yet the language and focus of the debate is the dreaded evil aliens coming down (imagine your best Orson Welles voice) and flooding our schools and hospitals, bringing cheap produce and blah blah blah, which truly shows the nativist streak Hanson speaks out against. If we're so desirous of eliminating illegal immigration, punish those who employ them and fail to report it; punish those who profit off the labor of illegal aliens; punish those who purchase goods and services provided by illegal aliens. Now, that gets tough, doesn't it? Now we're just about all implicated here. Nationalism and economics are clashing here; the free market is something that can't be applied to the labor pool in this country if the identity, safety and culture of this nation and its laws (however ignored) are to remain. I don't have the answers. I'm also not saying that Victor Hanson is a fool. I am saying that the tautology in his argument lies in his attack of the "one-sidedness" of the discussion as he wishes to level the playing field by making us all approach it from one perspective. Isn't it ironic, don't you think?

More Music Musings

I've got time as my son is supposed to be taking a nap, to throw down some fun, random thoughts regarding the tunage entertaining me of late. It hit me (not seriously, as in the road to Damascus way) as I was listening to my ELO's Greatest Hits that the time of day truly determines the quality of the music. A while back, I tried listening to said cd at night time and it made me question my sanity at the time of purchase. Weather's always a major factor in listening choices (Joni, Carol King, early Van in the rain) but I began wondering just what is "day" music and what is "night" music. The Eagles always sound better in the day with the sun shining; Marvin Gaye...sheesh, do we even need to really discuss this? I really think the Allmans sound better in the day time though the Grateful Dead sound better at night. Off the top of my head:

Day Records Night Records
John Mellencamp The Divinyls (kidding, of course)
Phish Let's Get It On
Simon and Garfunkel Wynton Marsalis (heck, most jazz)

There's a start. I'd love to read others' opinions on this.

American Idol musings: well, last week was sure proof of Freddie Mercury's amazing talent and most contestants' inability to match it. Most numbers were lackluster or missing the vocal pyrotechnics that made Queen's music so operatic and heavy metal at the same time. Next week: Rod Stewart!!! Now, this could either be a trainwreck or an awesome competition. Could you imagine some of the current contestants's attempts at '70s Rod? We could see some killer stuff. Stay With Me? Tonight's the Night? Do Ya Think I'm Sexy might even be a hoot. The First Cut is really a Cat Stevens song but essentially Rod owns it. Man, anything from those killer Faces and early solo albums could cinch this week for Taylor Hicks, the Mark Cohn/Joe Cocker guy who is my guilty pleasure for the sake of his raspy, soulful voice that could do so much with a rock band and a desire to kick off some mean Bob Seger.

Speaking of Seeger, still waiting on ticket release...the liner notes, essays and the DVD side of the album look great. So do many of the photos from the sessions. This week's New Yorker really places Pete Seeger's legacy in perspective and helps the reader understand why, of all musicians, Seeger would be covered by Bruce.

Lotsa Stuff

A year ago and still the disaster of last year's U2 show is still fresh...

Congressman Matt Santos wins the election on The West Wing in a pretty lackluster episode that marks the third to the last as the show sends itself off the air. I was excited, I held my breath but I sure felt the last five minutes or so were deflated. I'm curious to see if the Alan Alda character or the GOP will become turncoats and challenge the election outcome. I'm most curious about the John Spencer character.

Sixteen days until the new Bruce album. Nothing about a tour date, so I'm biting my nails.

A's are off to a decent start. .500 or better, right? I'm calling the AL West.

Tonight, my father-in-law cracked open a 1963 bottle of Port from his private collection. It was the most heavenly liquid I've had in my mouth. Truly, nectar of the gods. I'm just glad John had one bottle to share with us. Our visit with him has been wonderful. I don't know if I've ever housed a guest for two weeks but we've laughed, eaten well, shared much history and I can say that I know and love my wife's father as a member of the family. I will miss him as he departs for his long journey.

The GOP and Bush White House are having their heads handed to them on a plate. The Congress with its cluelessness and disorganization over this immigration issue clearly paints them as a party without a vision of the future but of a majority of a desire to return to the past. Bush's tax policies have been exposed to soak the rich, but this time in its own wealth. Tom DeLay's claiming that he's been persecuted because he's a Christian. That works, except that he's from Texas, the most Christian-image-focussed state of the nation.

The Scooter Libby/Judith Miller/Iraq-fake-a-reason-to-go-to-war-gate scandal has been shown to expose Dick Cheney as the originator of the leak to expose CIA agent Valerie Plame in order to discredit U.S. Ambassador Joe Wilson's claim that the Iraq/yellow cake story was pure crap. My English teacher just flipped out and I did myself but I'm not editing that last sentence. Here's a man that does need to resign in order to save Bush's presidency and his own reputation in history. I've been reading up on historians such as Art Schlesinger, Jr. and how presidents get earn rankings in history. This current administration is truly going to be pilloried by historians for its tenure in office. Here is where I almost pity George W. Bush the man, but he appears as a cut-out Greek tragic hero that is cut down by his own hubris. Now, I don't honestly in a bit believe that the man has the intelligence to craft all that he's made himself to appear, but Bush's handlers and vice president are all the same man: W. W shows himself to be inept and proud, cocksure and faithful, though pride, ego and zealotry have almost always been seen as character traits for those who fall far short of their intended goals. Judas couldn't have been assigned greater character flaws, but heck, right now, he's seeing an upswing in the press with the gnostic gospel credited to him and how much his faithfulness and service made him appear the enemy. Five bucks says Karl Rove is pushing this story, too.

Yes, Virginia,

There is a Santa Claus. The Hammer has been nailed and it's been a sweet ride. Tom DeLay, debunked, dethroned and defrocked House Majority Leader announced his resignation even though the whole mess is due to a bunch of Christian-hating, left-wing conspiring, freedom-bashing evil-doers. The man nailed closest to Jack Abramoff announced that not only would he not run but also resign by June in order to save the butt of the GOP for November. I'm hoping that more than just the butt will be lost of the Republican Party in the midterm elections. This is not even for the sake of the Democrats as, and those who know me can vouch, I am NOT one. This is for the mockingly self-righteous, indignantly feign frauds this so-called-party-of-Jesus-and-Mom it claims to be. Regardless of how spineless or myopic the Democratic Party and its vision is, most of my faith, my faith in the Religious Right and the faith of much of this democratic republic was lost during my adult years with the Republican Party in control of the culture wars and the dialogue of politics of the last ten years. Maybe, just maybe, I can rediscover the faith of a party and a leader who will guide this nation...c'mon, Paul, get real. This is politics, not Moses and the Israelites.
Anyway, lots of sex and politics in the news lately. High-ranking official in the Department of Homeland Security nailed for trying to nail a fourteen year old girl. I'll leave the comments regarding Homeland Security and irony alone and let Leftybrown have them...The West Wing had more sex last Sunday than its entire six-year run leading up to the latest episode. I guess all of those election-running people just go at like rabbits and do it two or three times though running oneself ragged and getting four hours of sleep for six months straight has had the opposite effect on my lovelife...Though, for the sake of sounding like a sexist pig, Donna was looking especially hot on Sunday night. C'mon, Steve and Chris, I know you agree with me...American Idol was supposed to have Bruce on it this week, at least according to the April Fool's joke pulled on Saturday. Unfortunately the biggest joke was pulled tonight with the booting of Mandisa, the one woman who had the greatest set of pipes that show's produced in its five year existence. She could sing anything and was wonderful and yet she's gone, she's go-one, nothin's gonna bring her back. We'll see...Twenty days till the release of The Seeger Sessions and yet the fights are breaking out on the Bruceboards about what a piece of crap the latest albumn's going to be. A bunch of people hooked up to the World Wide Web complaining and doing so virulently about a man's decision to make an acoustic album of cover songs while people are starving in East Africa, the Middle East is continuing to melt down and 20% of people in this country go to bed hungry. The only other group of navel-gazing self-centered egotists are those with their own blogs griping about others' lives instead of living their own. :) I'm still looking forward to the album and upcoming tour where hopefully I can score tickets a little easier and less stressfully than the last time last April. Man, I wouldn't wan to go through that one again; possibly missing Bruce acoustic, a new album and new re-workings of classic stuff. Thank goodness I made it, though all apologies to my Fresno friend who probably still has a little twinge of anger over that one.
I'm about seventy pages into The World Is Flat by Thomas Friedman and I thought I ought to give it a shot considering the press its getting and by the number of copies at the closest Costco. Written by a NY Times editorial writer, this is the longest I-think paper since the last Woodward book I finished. First-person-because-I'm-seeing-it-it-must-be-how-things-really-are-this-can't-be-considered-scholarly-because-there-aren't-even-footnotes-in-a-five hundred-page-book blah. I'm interested in the man's experiences and what he sees in the changes in twenty-first century business and globalization though the last time I checked, of every business Friedman talks about in helping "flatten" the globe and make Earth an even playing field, a democratic market of ideas and businesses, EACH happens to be American. The world isn't becoming flatter; American businesses are figuring out how to flatten costs and expenses world-wide right now. Maybe in a century or two there will be economic shifts in global trade and commerce but I don't see the Indian or Chinese version of Chevron or Enron rising to screw its employees and natives where factories are located in order to drive up corporate benefit packages. Have you seen an Indian company "outsource" anything to an even poorer nation with a booming education and technological information center? Please educate and correct my world view but HP moving to Bangalore in order to increase its profit margin and further dominate the computer market ain't what Adam Smith described as the ideal free marketplace of ideas. I'm not being snooty nor negative, but until non-Western businesses replace the United States as the global hyperpower, the status quo remains. Maybe call center employees in Bangalore can take my order at Starbucks in order to speed up the rate I acquire type-2 diabetes. Why not, stuff like this is happening for Mickey D's. Check out chapter 2!!! Also,read the epilogue and you'll find Friedman slamming the president's legacy worse than The Nation, Mother Jones, anyone in the New Yorker or even the Democratic Party. Friedman's never been a partisan player but never has he hit the president so hard like he does on page 452. Ouch.
Since I'm the only one who's read this far down, I'll go on record and say that Ricky Lee Jones's first album is absolutely amazing. I cursed my friend Chris for not turning me onto this album from the beginning but it's great. Fantastic. Mood-setting and beautiful. Picked up the Matt Costa advertised in Target and the SF Chron and the jury's still out on that one...The Best of Ladysmith Black Mumbaza is just an absolute gem and a spiritually uplifting album. I haven't a single idea what Joe Shabalala and the group is singing about but it's holy, pure and magical. I'm the idiot who never figured out this was the group singing on Graceland.