Critic Rips Ripped Reznor's Riffs

Not really "rips," but the critic is definitely struggling with Trent Reznor's latest attempt to be considered Advanced. Here's the story (MassLive.com):

There's a fine line between genius and madness.Nine Inch Nails' Trent Reznor has usually walked on the genius side of that line during his career as an industrial noise-maker, thanks to albums like "The Downward Spiral," and "The Fragile." "Ghosts I-IV," may make some wonder whether he's walked off the deep end.
***
Some of it is minimalistic and ambient, not far from the trips Brian Eno staged decades ago on albums like "Music For Airports," while plenty of other moments find Reznor and his current assemblage of collaborators shifting moods and textures into that dark industrial territory that offers noise, distortion, banging percussion, chaos and churning aggression.

Starting with the hushed piano tones of "1," and the searching-for-an-airport feel of the artfully atmospheric "2," Reznor takes the listener on a harried excursion. Some of it is just plain bizarre, like the crushing "4," and some of it is coolness exemplified like the sparse blend of piano and percussion on "9." Sometimes NIN totally lock into an actual groove, such as the throbbing, buzzing noise-fest of "14."

That's the great Adrian Belew playing guitar in the latter track. He contributes to several selections on the recording, which is also augmented by guest musicians Alessandro Cortini and Brian Viglione.
***
Closing, as it opened, with delicate piano, "Ghosts I-IV," has moments of madness, mayhem and beauty, but there's also a sense of self-indulgence running through a double CD set that easily - very easily - could have been trimmed in half and come out stronger.

I don't know if Reznor really is Advanced (I never really got into NIN), but he certainly is being criticized as if he were. Regardless, he is extremely buff, and no critic can take that away from him.

Heeeeeeere's Elvis

From the Hollywood Reporter:

British rocker Elvis Costello will host a talk show for Sundance Channel, beginning later this year, the cable channel said Wednesday.

"Spectacle: Elvis Costello With . . .," which will be executive produced by Elton John, will also air on CTV in Canada and Channel 4 in the U.K.

The series will feature everything from intimate one-on-ones with legendary performers and notable newcomers to thematic panel discussions, with a variety of performance elements, Sundance said.

This is a fine idea, but I wonder who came up with the idea. I can't imagine Elvis Costello lying in bed one night and saying, "You know, Elton, I think I'd like to do a talk show." But that's Advancement for you.

A Quick Tour

Very little going on in the Advanced World the last few days, which is lucky because I was busy picking spaghetti from my spaghetti trees. R.E.M. is getting a lot of positive reviews for their new album, though not everyone is happy with it. The Rolling Stones concert movie debuts Friday, I think, at IMAX theaters. Bjork's in 3D. Rush is planning a new album. 311 and Snoop Dogg are touring together (I'm down with that). Radiohead is letting people remix their single, which might amuse Todd Rundgren, who did that years ago. So in honor of that, let's watch him sing "Hello, It's Me" from YouTube, a lazy blogger's best friend:

Video: Salt in My Tears by Martin Briley

I haven't heard this song since I saw on MTV when it still played nothing but videos. Speaking of which...

Dr. Pepper and Guns N' Roses

I'm not sure where to file this (Reuters):

Many have tried, but so far nobody has been able to pry the decade-in-the-works Guns N' Roses album "Chinese Democracy" from the hands of lone remaining original member Axl Rose. Now, Dr Pepper thinks it's up to the challenge. The soft drink company says it will give a free can of Dr Pepper to "everyone in America" (excluding ex-Guns members Slash and Buckethead) if "Chinese Democracy" arrives anytime during the calendar year 2008.

Rose responded on his band's web site (http://www.gunsnroses.com) that the band was "surprised and very happy to have the support of Dr Pepper." But the offer did not prompt him to rise to the challenge.

I love that response from Axl so much I can barely contain myself. Who knew he was a Pepper? Not giving a can to Buckethead is a sweet move, but I think Slash should get one. And Izzy, obviously.

Rod Stewart Panties, Baby Bibs, Etc.

Thanks to mediabistro for this:

Rod Stewart and his licensing firm, Signatures Network, are either complete geniuses or utterly lost when it comes to promoting their brand. We recently checked out his online store to see what his newly launched clothing line offers.

A trip though the Rod Stewart Online Store revealed the following items:

$5 Rod Stewart panties

$14.95 Rod Stewart coffee mugs

$14.95 Rod Stewart baby bibs.

You know this means, don't you? It means that for the first time a singer can get his own panties thrown on stage. Ooh la la!

Fleetwood Crow?

This is kind of funny (from Billboard via Reuters via Yahoo):

Sheryl Crow's recent claim that she would be working with Fleetwood Mac surprised a lot of people -- including the members of the classic rock group. Crow, 46, who's friendly with Mac's Stevie Nicks, told the AOL music website Spinner.com earlier this month that she and the band "definitely have plans for collaborating in the future, and we'll see what happens."

"I think we were all a little surprised (Crow) was announcing that to the world with such certainty," Fleetwood Mac principal Lindsey Buckingham, 58, told Billboard.com with a laugh.

It's really not that funny, but the headline in the story makes you think it is. It sounds like they had talked to her about being a "foil" to Stevie Nicks but nothing had been decided. I think Tom Petty would be a better foil, and I've always wanted to hear Michael Stipe and Stevie Nicks sing together, but I guess Sheryl Crow would be fine. I would like to take this opportunity to say that I have definite plans for collaborating with Brian Eno in the future.

Elvis Costello: Future Retro

Here's something interesting from Yahoo/Billboard/Reuters:

Elvis Costello's next solo studio album, curiously dubbed "Momofuku," will arrive April 22, and plans are for the set to be released only on vinyl, with a digital download code included in the package.

The confusing thing is that a vinyl release would normally be Overt, but including a download code should probably be Advanced. I'm inclined to say that this is Advanced because of the title of the record, but I'll wait to judge until I hear the music. The only problem is that I don't have a turntable that is download-ready.

Boston to Tour

From a press release:

The legendary band BOSTON will headline the outdoor festival at Marina Parkon Friday, June 6 in Thunder Bay, Ontario, at one of the Canadian stops of the Great Race 2008. The 'round-the-globe motor sports event will be making a pit stop in Thunder Bay as a part of its centennial anniversary. The show kicks off a summer of stadium, concert and festival dates that will span the United States and Canada.

BOSTON will be bringing two new recruits on tour this year. Singer/songwriter/guitarist Michael Sweet, veteran Stryper frontman will both sing and trade riffs with Gary and Tom on guitar. Unexpected phenomenon Tommy DeCarlo, the fan that posted his BOSTON covers on his myspace.com page and ended up on stage, will also be belting out the classics that skyrocketed the band to worldwide fame.

Many remember where they were when they first heard "More Than a Feeling" or "Hitch a Ride" on the airwaves back in 1976. BOSTON's self-titled first album has sold over 17 million copies to date, and was the highest selling debut of all time. It remains a rock classic, and has seen a resurgence in sales after it was remastered by Scholz, along with their second album, "Don't Look Back," in 2006. "Amanda," off 1986's Third Stage, shot to the top of the charts and held a record-breaking stay at #1, in spite of being the only hit single that year not accompanied by a TV video.

With over 30 million albums sold worldwide, hits like "Peace of Mind," "Smokin'," and "Rock and Roll Band" are still as ubiquitous on rock and roll radio as they were when they were new. Coinciding with the summer tour is a fully re-mastered Greatest Hits CD (Sony Legacy.) Lead-off singles from all five BOSTON albums will be included, as well as new photos from throughout the years and liner notes written by Tom Scholz.

BOSTON will be performing many of their classics, including some fan favorites that have not been on the set lists for many years. For complete show itinerary updates, band bios and photos, visit bandboston.com.

That's no way to treat the "nicest guy in rock'n'roll." I mean, I'm okay with the MySpace guy, but Stryper? Even I can't get behind that.

All Dave, Toda La Noche

Since we're talking Diamond Dave, why not a little "Yankee Rose" in Spanish?

Thanks to the wondrous Philco Bros.

VIdeo: David Lee Roth "Runnin' With The Devil" Vocal Track

Thanks glassesface!

Runnin' With Advancement

Nothing to report on today, so I just want to take a moment to reflect on the genius of the lyric "I found the simple life ain't so simple" and the brilliance of the delivery of "You better find yourself a friend, my friend."

Hopefully something great will happen today so I can write about it tomorrow. Story of my life...

David Byrne's Survival Strategies for Emerging Artists — and Megastars

David Byrne has put together a little something for bands, record companies, and people like me, I guess. It talks about the "changing" landscape of the music business. As usual, he has many, many interesting things to say. So many that I will forget about that and just show you the charts, amateurishly arranged. (Go to Imperiumi for the whole story.)

SXSW: Lou Reed Down on MP3s, Zoo Animals

As you probably know, the Advanced embrace technology. So that's why this article from Reuters surprised me:

Lou Reed is lashing out at new modes of audio technology, saying that "people have got to demand a higher standard" than current MP3 music files. The edgy rocker delivered the keynote speech at the South By Southwest Music Festival + Conference, which is underway in Austin, Texas.

...

In typically glib and dry-witted form throughout the wide-ranging 55-minute conversation, the bespectacled Reed bemoaned the current state of audio and other digital technologies, noting that "it's like the technology is taking us backwards. It's making it easier to make things worse.

"Here's our song reduced to a pin drop -- what, what, what?!" Reed explained. "It's like if no one knows any better or doesn't care, it's gonna stay on a really, really low level and people who like good sound are gonna be thought of as some kind of strange zoo animal."

He goes on to talk about hope for a better technology, so I guess he's just Advanced beyond MP3s and is ready for the next thing. One last bit:

During the session, Reed said he plans to stage the "Berlin" shows in Europe this summer but not in the United States. The "Berlin" concert concept "wasn't an audition to do more of these things" with any of his other albums, though he said 1992's "Magic and Loss" and 1978's "Street Hassle" would be good candidates if he did want to try it again.

Please, please do "Street Hassle"! And one last thing from his talk, this from the Dallas News:

"I have a B.A. in dope. I have a Ph.D. in soul."

Exactly.

More on Advancement

It should be noted that not just any musician can be Advanced, even if they were once great and then seemingly "lost it." There are prerequisites:

• You must have been an innovator in your youth
• You must have had a career longer than fifteen years
• You must have alienated your original fans
• You must be completely nonironic
• You must be unpredictable

This last point deserves some extra attention.

Advanced Artists are unpredictable because they make decisions that are truly unexpected rather than simply the opposite of what is expected. For instance, if Bob Dylan says that he would never feature a sax solo in a song of his, it wouldn't be Advanced for him to change his mind and get David Sanborn to sit in on a session (though the Advanced do like David Sanborn). His doing a Victoria's Secret commercial, however, was Advanced. Extremely Advanced. This is true because in the first example, Dylan fans would be able to explain away the sax solo as just another example of his rebelliousness. But the commercial, as Dylan could have easily predicted, saddened his fans and gave his critics another excuse to mourn the further decline of the Voice of a Generation. In reality, this was not some sort of Galilean recanting, but another step in Dylan's own Advanced continuum. Of course being Advanced, Dylan was going to do the commercial regardless of how it would be perceived.

Video: Lou Reed Inducts Leonard Cohen Into Rock Hall of Fame

Here's a comment from a YouTuber about this clip:
That was probably the most boring induction into the Hall of Fame, but then again it's Leonard Cohen being inducted by Lou Reed, so that in itself is a yawn fest.

But I prefer Mark's comment:
cough *Lou Reed wearing a leather suit* cough

Here's the clip:

Bauhaus Reunion

From NPR, for some reason:

In 2005, the band decided to get together due to what Ash calls "irresistible offers from large corporations," in the form of the promoter of the Coachella music festival. The band's drummer, Kevin Haskins, recalls, "I think a band just dropped out, and I think he thought, 'Oh, there's no way they're going to do it.' ... Give it a go ... and, you know, it was a really good offer."

...

[O]n the new album, Go Away White, there are moments when that old chemistry reignites. The record's opening track is a pretty un-Bauhaus-sounding, almost jaunty rock tune with a Taxman bass line called "Too Much 21st Century." From there, the band settles comfortably and effectively into its familiar, spare, rock-in-a-minor-key gloom grooves. Unfortunately, in the second half, the songs start to dissolve into slow, maudlin, melodramatic self-indulgence.

Ash says the record was written and recorded in only 18 days: "This was us four in one big room, for want of a better word, jamming until the magic started happening."

But the magic didn't last very long. Says Ash, "There were conflicts in the studio, big time, I'm not going to deny that, and it sort of broke the band up. I think the old term is 'musical differences.' "

There's lots of good Advanced stuff here (selling out, reunions, "Taxman" bass lines), but they kind of blew it there in that last bit. I guess we'll have to wait for another "really good offer" to get Bauhaus back together again.

R.E.M. to Debut Album on iLike

From digital music news:

R.E.M. will soon debut their next album exclusively on iLike, according to information confirmed this morning. The release, Accelerate, will be streamed on the Facebook application starting March 24th, ahead of a formal in-store of April 1st.

The band, carried by Warner Music Group, currently boasts an iLike friend total of 299,000. That is likely to increase following the exclusive stream, a major win for the application. R.E.M., which first gained fame in a decidedly non-digital era, carries a fan base that is probably less familiar with the iLike application.

I hope iLike it.

Andrew W.K. and the McLaughlin Group: Oh!

Stereogum has the story:

Nowadays The McLaughlin Group is working on a whole other level. The crazy analogies, the bald faced aggression -- it's not simple discourse anymore. The McLaughlin Group is operating on a level that is bigger than just words. That's why Fair Game is thrilled to welcome songwriter and rock star Andrew W. K., who was so inspired by Mclaughlin's artistry -- his poetry -- that he's used it as the basis for a new rock song.

Stereogum of course has the MP3. I'd like to hear Andrew W.K. do a song based on the poetry of Andrew Dice Clay.

Lou Reed Takes Berlin Out on Tour

Lou Reed is taking Berlin to Europe (antiMUSIC):

Lou Reed returns to Europe this June to perform the entirety of his 1973 landmark album. The European dates will see Reed performing with a 30-piece ensemble including his band, a string and horn section and a children's choir.

The European tour starts June 23rd in Cork, followed by dates in Northern Ireland, Scotland, England, France, Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Denmark, Sweden, Poland, Belgium and Spain. Due to popular demand for this prestigious show, Berlin will make a special return visit to Brussels and Paris.

Reed will perform three dates in the UK, including the prestigious London Royal Albert Hall on June 30th. He will also perform 'Berlin' at the Edinburgh Playhouse on June 25th, followed by the Nottingham Opera House on June 26th.

'Berlin' 2008 European Dates:

June 23 Cork Marquee
June 24 Belfast Waterfront
June 25 Edinburgh Playhouse
June 26 Nottingham Royal Centre
June 28 Paris Salle Pleyel
June 30 London Royal Albert Hall
July 03 Munich Philharmonie
July 06 Hamburg CCH - Congress Centrum
July 07 Copenhagen Opera House
July 09 Stockholm Annexet
July 11 Tallin Saku Arena (Estonia)
July 12 Latvia Riga Arena
July 14 Warsaw Towar
July 16 Brussels Bozar
July 19 Lisbon Campo Pequeno
July 20 Loule Moinumento Dujarte Pacheco
July 21 Malaga Terral Festival
July 22 Madrid Conde Duque
July 25 Girona Portaferrada Festival
July 26 Benidorm Bullring

I knew I should have booked my Estonia trip for July!

EMI to Reissue David Bowie in Desperate Ploy

Maybe not desperate, but here's the story (The Times online) so you can judge for yourself:

David Bowie and Pink Floyd albums will be targeted by EMI’s revamped catalogues and compilations division to try to develop new sources of growth in the struggling British music major.

The idea is to develop the success that EMI has had in repackaging music from the Beatles and Queen and build on a business that EMI said accounted for as much a third of its overall recorded music sales, and somewhat more of its profits.

In an sign of the importance that Terra Firma, EMI’s owner, attaches to reviving the corporate back catalogue, the private equity group has put Stephen Alexander in charge of the division. He is a close colleague of Guy Hands, the private equity group’s boss.

Mr Alexander, on his first day in the job, said that EMI had “not unversally applied” the treatment that it had given to the Beatles. “If you look at the recordings of David Bowie, it’s not clear that we have done them anything like justice,” he said.

The article goes on to say that it might be hard to convince Bowie to allow them to rerelease familiar material, but Advanced Artists usually embrace this strategy. And as you'll see here, there is a real dearth of David Bowie CDs out there.

But what I'd like to know is what EMI is going to do with Tin Machine.

Overtness

The period before an artist becomes Advanced is called the "Overt" stage. It is called this because during this period the artist is trying to be innovative (or "weird" in Advanced parlance) in an obvious way. A good example of this would be David Bowie's Ziggy Stardust days. It doesn't take much imagination to recognize that a guy in kabuki makeup with shaved eyebrows wants to be seen as weird. (Of course there were hints of Advancement in his Overtness: you can't help but appreciate a space-alien rocker playing an acoustic twelve-string onstage, plus the music happened to be fantastic.) But what were we to make of the cover of "Dancing in the Streets" he did with Mick Jagger? Was that weird? If so, what kind of weirdness was it? What was he hoping to accomplish? Your guess is nearly as good as mine.

Please don't misunderstand: Overt does not mean "bad." It just means that the artist hasn't Advanced yet. No one could ever say The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars was bad, but it was definitely Overt. All Advanced Artists go through an Overt period, and it is during this period when they make their groundbreaking, brilliant music. In other words, the music is great, it's just not Advanced. So when I say that Radiohead are Overt, I don't mean that they aren't any good. They are, and if they split up, Thom Yorke could become Advanced. But if that never happens and they just keep making interesting music they will be one of the all-time-great Overt bands.

One final thing about Overtness: There are plenty of Overt artists, but just because you're Overt doesn't mean you can become Advanced. You have to be Overt and great, too, and for at least fifteen years. Karen O of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs could make music for 50 years and never be Advanced because her band just isn't good enough (plus she misbehaved at my karaoke show).

Rock Town Hall

Just found a site (sent a link in the comments actually) that you might enjoy: Rock Town Hall. I've preselected the Lou Reed search results, but please explore the rest of the site. There's some good stuff there, including a great picture of a very Advanced looking Mark Knopfler.

So What Is Advancement?

I haven't done something like this for a while, so for our new readers, let's get you up to speed:

What is Advancement?

It is basically the opposite of the theory expressed by Sick Boy in Trainspotting: “Well, at one time, you've got it, and then you lose it, and it's gone forever. All walks of life: George Best, for example. Had it, lost it. Or David Bowie, or Lou Reed.” (Ironically, he told this to Renton, who Advances in the movie by renouncing drugs and "choosing life.") The Advanced Theory says that Sick Boy had it all wrong, that Bowie and Reed hadn't mysteriously lost “it,” they just changed “it” to something that is harder to appreciate. And since change is scary to most of us, we declare that the problem is with the artist and not us.

Of course it is difficult for anyone to accept that Mistrial represented artistic progress from Transformer or that "All For Love," Sting's collaboration with Bryan Adams and Rod Stewart, could be more advanced than "Roxanne." (It's difficult for me too.) But a great artist is great because he challenges himself and his audience rather than doing what is comfortable. Artistically, "All For Love" was more exciting for Sting than writing another "Roxanne." And what could be more challenging than doing a song you know your fans will hate just on principle?

Finding these kinds of challenges is essential to the Advanced because it is relatively easy for them to write great songs (in the traditional, non-Advanced sense) because songwriting comes naturally to them. This is not limited to Advanced musicians of course. Late in his life Tolstoy got more satisfaction from making mediocre shoes than writing sublime novels. To Tolstoy, the challenge of driving a nail into a sole without breaking it was more stimulating than writing the greatest novel of all time. After all, he did the latter twice.

Before the Advanced had to look to Honda or Rod Stewart for inspiration, the challenge of breaking through to an audience was enough to motivate them to write music. As they aged, though, they began to understand that catering to an audience is limiting. Some reacted by making music designed especially to make the audience mad. But this is ultimately just as limiting because it is still allowing someone other than the artist to dictate what the art will be. So eventually instead of trying to please or infuriate others, they make music that they find interesting, regardless of how people might feel about it. And that's when true Advancement begins.

Lou Reed to Induct Leonard Cohen Into Rock Hall of Fame

Canoe has the story:

Singer-songwriter Lou Reed will induct Canadian folk legend Leonard Cohen into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Now that I think about it, the whole story was in the headline. So let's watch "Indian Sweet Child O' Mine" to fill up the rest of our time:

Bod Dylan at House of Blues

I love the title of this article: "Dylan Thrills, Confounds Fans at House of Blues." That is Advancement for you. Let's look at the thrilling and the confounding:

At his best, the 66-year-old legend was full of spit and venom – a grizzled blues master with a voice that bordered on the demonic. And even when the show wobbled – as it did for about a third of the 105-minute set – Mr. Dylan still gave it his all, bobbing his shoulders and pummeling his keyboard in "Highway 61 Revisited" like he was Little Richard.
...
Dressed in black, with a wide-brimmed hat blocking his face, Mr. Dylan walked on to the dimly lit stage flanked by his usual band – longtime bassist Tony Garnier, drummer George Recili, pedal steel player Donnie Herron and guitarists Stu Kimball and Denny Freeman (who’s originally from Dallas).
...

They had their share of tentative moments in slower songs like "Nettie Moore." And some of the new arrangement didn't work, especially the dirge-paced "Positively 4TH Street."

But for every fizzled experiment, another one soared, like the bizarre, Brian Eno-style "Girl of the North Country" and the fiddle-laced waltz version of "Blowin’ in the Wind" that closed the show.

Curveballs like that tend to confuse casual fans who like to hear the hits played the way they know them. But Mr. Dylan couldn’t care less: He keeps everyone guessing – including himself – which is why he’ll never be past his prime.

This reviewer might be on board with Advancement. And by the way, how awesome would an Eno/Dylan record be?

Bette Midler and the Advanced

Judas Constant wrote a great question, with an even better PS:

This reminds me of another question that's been bugging me for a while. What's the deal with advanced artists and Bette Midler?

She's done duets with Dylan and Tom Waits, and she had Ian Hunter as the guitarist on some of her albums. Is she an accessory?

PS: Here's a video of her rapping...

Before we go to the video, I'm not totally sure about her. The Advanced do love her, but the Advanced often love those who are not Advanced. I think, though, that there is some Advancement in her and at the very least she would understand what it is to be Advanced. She's also quite bawdy at times.

Here's the video:

Lou Reed at Macbeth: The Sun Will Come Out Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow

Not a whole lot going on, so let's go back to last week (New York):

There are the times you go to the theater. And then there are the times you go to the theater and look over and discover you are sitting next to Lou Reed. Now, we are a celebrity journalist, and this was BAM's gala benefit for the opening of Macbeth, starring Patrick Stewart. But usually we're used to at least a few rows separating us from the famous ones, for their comfort but also, as it turns out, for ours, since it's really hard to concentrate on Shakespeare when you're simultaneously trying to concentrate on how Lou Reed is reacting to the show.

Apparently he fell asleep. But when the writer approached him, he said it was "just magnificent" and then recited:

Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow,
Creeps in this petty pace from day to day,
To the last syllable of recorded time;
And all our yesterdays have lighted fools
The way to dusty death.

Sometimes I miss living in New York.

Scarlett Johanssen Does Tom Waits With David Bowie

It's good to be back when there's news like this (from CrackedActor):

Starlet Scarlett Johanson (or ScarJo, as she is affectionately called by the Fug Girls) has cut an album of Tom Waits covers with Dave Sitek of TV on the Radio that is due out on May 20, 2008. The collaboration between Johansson and Bowie started when the two ran into each other at a party a few days before Johansson started recording. According to Rolling Stone, Bowie said he heard that she was working with Sitek. She told him that she indeed was and considered inviting him to visit her in the recording studio. Bowie didn’t stop by during ScarJo’s recording but while she was filming on location in Spain, Sitek called to tell her Bowie had recorded vocals for the tracks “Falling Down” and “Fannin’ Street.”

I don't think I need to add anything to this.

sickness

I've been sick since Wednesday. Be back soon...

David Bowie Coming of Age With Hudgens

This is potentially interesting (Jam! Showbiz):

Are fans of "High School Musical" and Ziggy Stardust about to have an awkward meeting of the minds? According to The Hollywood Reporter, David Bowie is in talks to play an unspecified role in the coming-of-age comedy "Will," which will star "HSM" leading lady Vanessa Hudgens.

I've never imagined David Bowie as the coming-of-age movie type, but then, there's Advancement for you. Would he play a teacher? A guidance counselor? The gay best friend? I look forward to finding out.

Super Bowl Recap

Well, Tom Petty played the Super Bowl, and while he didn't rock as hard as Prince did (not even as hard as Prince's press conference), there were a few things that impressed me. First, the flying-V guitar laser show at the beginning. Pretty good. Second, he played mostly songs from his "solo" album, yet this was considered a Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers show. A bit of Advancement. Third, did Mike Campbell, one of the all-time great guitarists, have his hair in dreadlocks? If so, that is one of the boldest statements of Advancement I've seen in a while.

Paul Simon Teams Up With David Byrne

Not a whole lot going on this morning, but there is this bit about the world's most interesting man, David Byrne (Live Daily):

Paul Simon [ tickets ] will enter a month in residency at Brooklyn's Academy of Music this spring, performing songs from his catalog with help from a number of musical friends.... David Byrne and Hugh Masekela will join Simon for the next installment of the series, "Under African Skies," running April 9-13. The performances will draw from Simon's respectively African- and Brazilian-themed albums, 1986's "Graceland" and 1990's "The Rhythm of the Saints."

For some reason, I can never remember what part of Africa Byrne comes from. But I would imagine that really would be a great show to see.

Queen to Make We Will Rock You Musical Sequel

What could be more Advanced than Queen's musical, "We Will Rock You"? A sequel (NME):

Queen are currently planning a sequel to their West End musical 'We Will Rock You'. The show, based around the band’s songs, has been running at the Domino Theatre in the heart of London since it opened in 2002, and there have been various spin-off performances around the world.

Now Queen's Brian May has announced the band and original scriptwriter Ben Elton are working on a follow-up. “We have been talking about it for a long time,” the guitarist told The Independent. “Now Ben has supplied us with a fabulous script the train is rolling! Watch out!”

I've been sick the last couple of days, but this makes me feel so much better.

Danger Mouse, Van Dyke Parks, and John Cale

Not a whole lot going on in the Advanced World, but there is this, from NME:

Danger Mouse has revealed that he is working with the legendary collaborator Van Dyke Parks. The collaboration came about when Danger Mouse produced the forthcoming second album from The Shortwave Set recently. The album, currently under the working title ’Replica Sun Machine’, will also feature a collaboration with Velvet Underground’s John Cale.

I don't know anything about Danger Mouse. Is he Eek-A's cousin?

Roxy Music Reunion With Brian Eno

From Pitchfork:

Roxy Music members Bryan Ferry, Andy Mackay, Phil Manzanera, and Paul Thompson got together early last year, touring the festival circuit before settling down to record the follow-up to 1982's Avalon, which is slated for release this autumn. Eno, who last appeared on 1973's For Your Pleasure, wrote two songs for the forthcoming album, and worked a bit of keyboard magic on other tracks. "The band hadn't changed one bit in terms of its internal dynamics," he told the Guardian. "Just the same chemistry. It made me wonder if people can ever change the chemistry between them. After all that time, the relationships seemed exactly the same."

As is to be expected, Eno will not take the stage with Roxy Music. "They didn't ask me, I think because they know I wouldn't," he said. "I don't fancy it. I basically don't like playing live and I'm also worried about people saying, 'Oh, right, he's going back to the old band, then.' It was a big decision for me to do those two days in the studio with them. Not that I don't like them. I like them all. They're nice people. But because I thought, 'Oh, fuck, I'm going to have to spend years talking about this, and it was only two days.'"

I'm tied up in knots about this one: It's Advanced to reunite but it's Overt to worry about what people will say. Trying to figure out Brian Eno is probably never going to work out in any case. Too bad he doesn't want to tour. I would have loved to see him in fur again.

Lou Reed Rocks French Bankers

Here's the story (from Reuters):

Rock star Lou Reed took a walk on the not-so-wild-side on Monday when he played a private concert for a group of Parisian financiers. Reed played to an audience of around 500 bankers and business executives at a theatre on the Avenue Montaigne, a street full of haute couture shops off the Champs Elysees.

"I love Paris," said the 65-year old New Yorker, drawing a loud cheer from the mainly middle-aged crowd. The concert, which was not open to members of the public, was organized by French finance company Carmignac Gestion. "We offered him some money and he came," said an executive involved in the organization of the event.

Stories about Advanced Artists almost always have a snarky reference to the "mainly middle-aged crowd" at their concerts, especially for corporate gigs like this one. I'm guessing the wad of cash they get softens the blow.

Where Eagles Dare - Misfits

Nothing is going on today in the Advanced world. But I heard this song this morning and was so moved, I had to find the video. Best chorus ever.

Lou Reed Kicks It With G2

A friend sent me an email to let me know that "Can I Kick It" by A Tribe Called Quest is the theme song for Gatorade's G2 drink. Perhaps you're familiar with the song from its appearance in a Nike ad years back. Or maybe because it samples a certain wild song by a certain Advanced artist.

Klaus Nomi Returns

Here's the story (village voice):

Nomi's two studio albums for RCA (Klaus Nomi, 1981; Simple Man, 1982) do reflect some of his otherworldly glamour, too often his astonishing vocals are lost amid formulaic backing tracks; the few extant live recordings and videos are far better, despite an often primitive sound. But Za Bakdaz, just out on Heliocentric, reveals Nomi in a different light. Part experiment in playful terror, part rough draft of his unfinished glossolalic opera, this suite of home-studio recordings circa 1979—lovingly restored by cohorts Page Wood and George Elliott—is a postcard from a distant land where kitsch and high art meet head-on.

The first (and basically only time) I saw the exquisitely Overt Nomi was on Urgh! A Music War, and I had what I would imagine was the reaction he would have wanted: "What the hell is that?" And, of course, I never forgot it. So I guess that was two wins for him. Anyway, the Village Voice article is in the form of a "dramatic reading" (with an entr'act and everything!) because he shares a birthday with 18th-century Italian castrato Farinelli. So I wouldn't blame you if you didn't read it, as you will only be annoyed.

Trent Reznor: I Want to Tax You Like an Animal

Trent Reznor has an interesting take on how to solve the free-download problem (stereogum):

It kind of gets into the bigger picture that you've had to face as a musician over the last few years, which in my mind was a bitter pill to swallow, but it's pretty far down the hatch with me now: the way things are, I think music should be looked at as free. It basically is. The toothpaste is out of the tube and a whole generation of people is accustomed to music being that way. There's a perception that you don't pay for music when you hear it on the radio or MySpace.

...

In my mind, I think if there was an ISP tax of some sort, we can say to the consumer, "All music is now available and able to be downloaded and put in your car and put in your iPod and put up your a-- if you want, and it's $5 on your cable bill or ISP bill."

What I like about this is that he embraces technology and pisses off his fans. I don't know if Reznor qualifies for Advancement based on his music, but stuff like this certainly merits attention. Plus, he's totally buff these days.

David J Gets Into Musical Theater

From a friend:

Bauhaus' David J writes and directs the world premiere production of Silver For Gold ( The Odyssey Of Edie Sedgwick ) at The Met Theatre in Hollywood, CA, beginning an exclusive two-week engagement on March 6, 2008. Based on the life of Edie Sedgwick - Andy Warhol's brilliant muse - the stage production explores one of the most charismatic yet misunderstood figures in popular culture. Starring multifaceted performer Monique Jenkinson as Edie, Silver For Gold traces the heroine's dazzling rise and eventual downward spiral in a mythological theatrical experience that is part one-woman show, part rock concert replete with avant-garde minimalist staging and video imagery.

"Writing Silver For Gold, it felt as if I had entered into a subtle psychic relationship with this beautiful dead girl and she was actively encouraging me to write," says David J. "She became a bright light that glowed all the brighter whenever I started to create. It was as if she was feeding on the attention. This might sound highly fanciful but that is how it felt. Edie was enduring in her ultimate role, that of the muse. "

Best known as a founding member of the seminal British bands Bauhaus and Love and Rockets, David J leads the Silver For Gold band, providing vocals and guitar. Accompanying David J is Neel Hammond (performed with Sting, Ringo Starr, Rod Stewart, Gnarls Barkley, Alicia Keyes, Diana Krall, Randy Newman, Macy Gray, Bette Midler, Marina Topley-Bird, Diana Krall) on viola and violin, David Raven (Keith Richards, Norah Jones, T-Bone Burnett, Steve Earle, John Doe, Carole King, Michelle Shocked, Hans Zimmer, Nancy Sinatra) on percussion and Michael de Winter (Stranger Passing) on guitar & backing vocals.

This is a classic example of someone wanting to be Advanced ("I'll direct musical theater!") but not quite getting there ("But it better be about something weird!"). Nice try, though.

Ice Cube's Web Network

As I've said many times before, I don't know enough about rap (except that the Advanced embrace it) to judge whether its artists are Advanced, but Ice Cube seems like he definitely has the qualifications. And now, according to USA Today, he's got a Web network:

Cube and his partner DJ Pooh, a record producer and screenwriter who also is a self-described techie, are the latest entertainers to launch a new website showcasing all sorts of videos, original to music to user-generated.

But Cube and Pooh aren't just looking to promote their own work. They have loftier ambitions: to create a TV-style network with multiple channels and high-quality video that can support everything from short videos to full-length movies.

UVNTV (short for U View Network Television, at uvntv.com), still in rollout mode, now features about a dozen channels, run both by large companies and individual artists. Each channel will be screened for quality but will run its own programming. For example, Snoop Dogg's Snoopadelic channel features his rap videos; Nextreme TV shows clips of extreme sports such as snowboarding jumps.

All videos are shown in a new Microsoft-developed format called Silverlight that promises definition high enough to be played on big screens. Shows can be viewed by time or on demand. And, like most websites launching these days, UVNTV includes community-building features along the lines of MySpace.

....

"We figured we needed to think about how could we still be part of entertainment in this future that's coming out at full speed," says Cube, whose new movie, First Sunday, opens this weekend. "We didn't just want to be providers of a product. We wanted to be a full-blown network. I think we're going to have programming that's way more interesting than what you can see on your daily television or even YouTube."

YouCube?

Thuggy Stardust

Boing Boing has a link to something theoretically interesting:

The Rise and Fall of Thuggy Stardust and the Hustlers from Mars is MAN-CAT's mashup album in which all the tracks from David Bowie's classic Ziggy Stardust album are mixed with a wide-ranging variety of gangsta rap. None of these tracks floored me, but they all raised a smile and some of them were positively bumptious.

It's not Advanced of me, but I usually find this sort of project underwhelming. Anyway, if you want to listen, go here. As for me, I'm going to go back to thinking about Chaucer's retraction and whether it was an early sign of Advancement. I'm inclined to think it was.

Stipe for Huckabee

Not much going on these past few days, but just to show you I'm still around, here's something from Reuters. Michael Stipe likes Mick Huckabee:

"I can't think of probably a single issue in which I am even remotely in the same universe as that guy ... and yet, he was kind of charming and ... self-deprecating," Stipe told Jane Radio host Jane Pratt, a day after watching Huckabee's Thursday appearance on CBS' "The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson."

"He was actually kind of a good sport, and funny, and I don't know what that means. Maybe it's a good thing that's he's being lauded right now by the right. He's an evangelical. May God bless all living creatures but my god ... how weird."

As always, Stipe nears Advancement but just can't get there. For political Advancement, nobody beats James Brown, by the way.

Un Homme et une Femme: "Samba Saravah"

I just wanted to bring a little samba into your lives.

Second Hand Songs

I was just looking up whether Neil Diamond wrote "Both Sides Now" (he didn't) and found a nice little site I hadn't heard of. It's called Second Hand Songs, and it's a "cover song database." Like for instance, did you know that Claudine Longet did a version of "Both Sides Now"? Also, did you know that "Major Tom" was originally written by Peter Schilling? Now that's a Very Little Known Fact! Anyway, it's kind of fun.

Lou Reed to Keynote South by Southwest

According to Billboard, Lou Reed will be the keynote speaker at South by Southwest, and will "discuss his career March 13 as part of the kick-off of the event, which will also feature a screening of the Julian Schnabel film 'Lou Reed's Berlin.'" This will be a rare chance for you to see Reed alongside Daryl Hall and the not-so-rare chance to see him with Thurston Moore and Steve Reich.

Minor Threat Hot Sauce

I missed this story somehow, but I have to mention it (from Pitchfork):

"Made from a rare, mild breed of habanero [pepper] grown specifically for us, Minor Threat...mysteriously privileges the pepper's fruitiness over its notoriously overwhelming heat," reads the product description from Brooklyn-based sauciers (and picklers) Wheelhouse Pickles.

While "fruitiness" and Minor Threat should probably never be uttered in the same sentence, the sauce was indeed inspired by the DC giants, according to a recent Gothamist post (via The Daily Swarm). Wheelhouse chief pickler Jon Orren picked the name because of his affinity for the band, and also because it made sense (a mild pepper is, after all, less threatening than, say, a medium or hot one).

And MacKaye is into it, having asked only that an original label design parodying the famous "Bottled Violence" image be nixed. "I don't have an occasion to eat a lot of hot sauce," he's quoted in the Gothamist story as saying, "but I also thought the Minor Threat stuff was nice."

Somebody might be due for an upgrade in their Advancement status. (Getting into the food industry is Advanced.)

R.E.M. Do Slade' Merry Xmas Everybody

Please enjoy R.E.M.'s version of Merry Xmas Everybody at Surviving the Golden Age (via Stereogum, where they have the amazing Slade video). This is a good moment to remind you that not liking Christmas is Overt.

David Bowie's Face For Sale

According to Ultimate Guitar Online, that is:

An “original life mask” of David’s Bowie’s face has been put up for sale The mask, which is cast in white from a direct mould of Bowie’s face, was made during the production of the film, ‘The Hunger.’ Bowie starred in the popular 1983 film alongside Catherine Deneuve. The mask was used as a make-up tester for the film and is annotated in pencil to prove its authenticity.

And of course, you can get it at Target.

Sly Stone Live

The Village Voice has a review of a recent Sly and some of the Family Stone show:

...after a 45-minute wait, the packed, largely white and middle-aged crowd was greeted by a mohawked Sly himself, sporting a silver-studded jogging suit. After a warm-up, he launched into "Dance to the Music," wherein the younger, multiracial band generated some heat even if they weren't as tight as the ol' Family. Sly sang and played sporadically, preferring to let the group sing while he played the cheerleader role off to the side. Still, when he was on, for "Sing a Simple Song," he was in good voice and got on the good foot occasionally. And while he let the group take over for "Everyday People," he was flashing peace signs and stomping around the stage and into the crowd for "I Want To Take You Higher." After he excused himself for a pee break, he returned for a sultry version of the non-sing-along "Don't Call Me Nigger, Whitey," adding a spacey keys solo before dismissing the band and bidding adieu.

Show time: 30 minutes.

I'm pretty sure Sly Stone is Advanced. By the way, it won't surprise you to learn that the Voice writer tells us all about his relationship to Stone before he gets on with the review because we all really want to know how the writer was "opened up to black music."The Village Voice is Overt in the worst way. Word on the street is that the second show, the one after the squares had gone home, was "stronger."

Paging Mr. Herman, Mr. P.W. Herman

Not much going on in Advancement the last couple of days, so let's have this instead (from MTV):

[W]e may be on the cusp of the return of Pee-wee in the form of two feature films starring the wide-eyed perennial man-child. "I feel like the time is really ripe right now," [Paul] Reubens said. "A lot of the kids who grew up with the show are young adults. The college kids are middle-aged adults. I feel like I have enough of a built-in audience to make back an investment."

Reubens said he has two Pee-wee scripts ready to go. One is an extension of the famed TV show, "Pee-wee's Playhouse," only this story would take Pee-wee and his friends outside the house for the first time. "We never really went out into what we call puppet land," Reubens recalled of the show. "And this [film] takes place out of the playhouse. I think there are one or two scenes in the playhouse in the beginning. Basically it's all in a fantasy land," he said. "It's like a 'Wizard of Oz,' H.R. Pufnstuf epic adventure story." Reubens added that the story would bring back all of the original characters from the playhouse — live-action and puppets alike.

...Reubens said he had a backup plan nonetheless for the Pee-wee movies should he not be up for the part. "My second option is to have Johnny Depp play Pee-wee," he said. Pie-in-the-sky casting or a realistic plan, Reubens insisted that he's even spoken to Depp about it, saying that the actor told him, "Let me think about it."

Now that would truly Advanced. He could get tips from James Brolin.

Lou Reed and Godel

My brother sent me a link to a post from Emanuel Derman's blog called "Lou Reed and Godel," which is appropriate for this blog in more ways than one. Here's a bit of it:

Doug Hofstadter's book about Godel's theorem, "I am a Strange Loop", points out that mathematicians before after Hilbert and Russell and Whitehead thought that in axiomatic systems,

(a) if you could prove it, it must be true, and

(b) everything true could be proved.

Godel threw a monkey wrench into (b).

There's a similar set of assumptions people often make about human beings:

(a) If you can persuade someone of the logic of something, they should experience the same feeling as you about it; and

(b) if people experience some feeling, there must be a logical cause.

I think that I can prove the Advanced Theory, so therefore it must be true. If not, would Bob Dylan make Victoria Secret in the middle of his "artistic renaissance"? Anyway, click the link to find out why telemarketers should listen to more Lou Reed.

Led Zeppelin II: ESPN and NFL

According to Digital News, Led Zeppelin has made a deal with ESPN and the NFL. Let's take a look:

The short-term partnership started splashing this week, and continues until mid-month. Sports fans have already seen Zeppelin songs and video footage threaded throughout various programming from both groups, including live, highlight, and preview segments.

According to Mike Engstrom, vice president of Marketing at Rhino Entertainment, part of the Warner Music Group, the "unprecedented deal" taps into the energy of a simply unrivaled group. "Zeppelin is the greatest rock band in the world, and they've always done things their own way," Engstrom said in an interview Wednesday. Now, that energy is being shared with a heavily male demographic that spans numerous age brackets.

ESPN and the NFL are complementary, and that makes the three-way structure a smart stab. Just recently, Zeppelin was promoted within a nail-biting Monday Night Football game between the New England Patriots and Baltimore Ravens, aired on ESPN. The game was the most-watched program in the history of cable television, according to information shared by the network [So if you were worried that Led Zeppelin isn't getting enough coverage, you can rest easy. -jh]

Can a Super Bowl halftime show be far behind?

Brian Wilson Raps: "Smart Girls"

This is the most Advanced thing I've ever heard. The original Beach Boy tops the original wrapper. Here's the back story, from WFMU:

In 1989 Brian Wilson began recording "Sweet Insanity", an album that was due for release in 1991 but was rejected by Sire. The album was made during one of Wilson's supposedly troubled periods when he was under the influence of psychologist Eugene Landy (who was listed as a co-producer) and included guest performances by both Bob Dylan and Weird Al Yankovic. The album has long been available as a bootleg and four of the songs were subsequently released on later albums.

"Smart Girls" was produced by Matt Dike, the co-founder of Delicious Vinyl who was also part of the production team behind hits by Tone Loc and Young MC. By varying accounts Dike was at one time a member of the Dust Brothers and responsible for a some of the production on The Beastie Boy's "Paul's Boutique" which was recorded in 1989 (roughly the same time as Wilson's album).

You just can't understand how Advanced this is until you hear it. Thanks to Trav for this one!

Bowie Comes Alive

Letting Peter Frampton sing while you do pretend magic tricks is highly Advanced. His look is pretty amazing too.

The King and the Jerk

I saw an interview with Steve Martin this weekend (he's written an autobiography called "Born Standing Up") where he told the story of meeting Elvis in Las Vegas, where he (Martin) had been opening for Ann Margaret. Elvis went up to him and said, "You've got an oblique sense of humor." Then added, "I do to, but no one gets it." As some of you know, I think Elvis was one of the original Advanced Artists, and this only reinforces my belief, as it shows that he was completely aware of what he was doing with his art but we just didn't get it.

The postscript to the story was that he showed Steve Martin the three guns he was carrying.