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Administration0@blogcritics.org Sun, 26 Aug 2007 12:00:00 EDT http://blogcritics.org/archives/2006/05/24/171030.php Allan KarlIt was an idyllic southern California night complete with a burning orange and red sunset, gentle breeze swaying postcard palm trees, and John Hiatt with the North Mississippi Allstars (NMA) tearing up the stage at Humphrey's By the Bay in San Diego. Toward the end of his 90-minute set, Hiatt said, "the weathermen said it was going to rain...I guess they were wrong like they always are," before ripping into his rocking set-closing number "The Tiki Bar Is Open". Here, the synergy of Hiatt's 30+ years performing experience combined with the youthful energy of the NMA's driving rhythm section brought the crowd to their feet. It's summertime in SoCal.The rain actually came the night before, clearing the air and washing away any doubt of bad weather reinforcing once more that Humphrey's By the Bay is perhaps the quintessential intimate California outdoor live music venue. And, judging by Hiatt's perpetual smile and ubiquitous dose of facial expressions and grimaces, he was there not only to entertain the almost sold-out crowd but to have serious fun.To be sure, this is not the first Hiatt show I've attended. A couple years ago, he did an interesting mini-tour with peer singer-songwriter guitarists Joe Ely, Guy Clark, and Lyle Lovett. And just before recording his latest release, Master of Disaster, he performed a solo acoustic show where he tested some songs off the new album at the venerable Coach House in San Juan Capistrano. Humphrey's By the Bay on San Diego's Shelter Island is a waterfront hotel, gourmet restaurant, and outdoor theatre. In the early 80s it started what was then a summer smooth jazz concert series. Besides Hiatt, the 1300-seat outdoor theater, now in its 25th year and thanks to California's endless summer, sees more than 80 nights of music and comedy this year including Boz Scaggs, Lyle Lovett, India Arie, Blues Traveler, Queensryche, and Emmy Lou Harris -- a wonderfully diverse and more interesting lineup than the smooth jazz Humphrey's started with years ago.Tonight's show opened up with a short electric set by the North Mississippi Allstars, Hiatt's supporting band featuring Luther and Cody Dickinson on guitar and drums and Chris Chew on bass. The Dickinson brothers are sons of legendary Memphis record producer Jim Dickinson. Ironic enough, the elder Dickinson produced Hiatt's 21st album, Master of Disaster, which this tour is featuring and promoting. I was unfamiliar with the three-time Grammy nominated North Mississippi Allstars prior to attending this concert and based on reports from other dates on Hiatt's tour I expected an acoustic bluesy rock set from them. Instead, the youthful band delivered a mix of rhythm and blues and rock providing the perfect soundtrack to the setting sun. The set featured a song with drummer Cody Dickinson giving us a unique, funky washboard solo played to the driving beat of Chew's bass and brother Luther (who took over drum duty briefly). Luther Dickinson's slide guitar work was also a surprise but his vocals were lost in the mix and lacked punch and soul -- perhaps he's shy and not comfortable fronting the larger venue. And his lack of audience eye contact wasn't helped by the flap of hair hanging in his face. But judging from the sound and audience reaction, this band is one to watch as they grow together. I'm sure several months on the road with legend and performing mentor John Hiatt will help blend confidence and experience making for a tasty future for the Hernando, Mississippi trio.Taking command of the stage after a short 15-minute intermission, Hiatt delivered the goods throughout a 16 song set that blended songs from his latest release with a handful of amped-up versions of Hiatt classics, proving the 54-year old performer not only still has the song-writing chops, but has the guts and energy to inject new life into his timeless songs. Keeping them timely is something Hiatt does well. During a rock n' roll driving version of "Memphis In The Meantime" from his 1987 release Bring on the Family, Hiatt brought the lyrics current by replacing Ronnie Milsap with Brad Paisley:Not ‘till hell freezes over, maybe you can wait that long, But I don’t think Brad Paisley's ever gonna record this songStill, sitting in the restaurant prior to the show I shared a taste of wine with the folks at the table next to me and the conversation quickly turned to John Hiatt. "When I told people I was going to see John Hiatt tonight, they all said 'Who?'", the gentleman in his early 40s said to me. And perhaps that's the good thing about John Hiatt. Though many may not know him by name, more people know his songs since Bonnie Raitt, Iggy Pop, Conway Twitty, Three Dog Night, B.B. King, Bob Dylan, Bonnie Raitt, and Eric Clapton have all covered them. Looking around at the handful of empty seats on the grass at Humphrey's, I'm amazed that tickets for Hiatt were still available as he began his set while Queensryche is sold out for a show two months from now. Hiatt's rock n' roll opener, the title track from his early 90s release Perfectly Good Guitar and driven by Luther Dickinson's masterful slide guitar work, set the tone for the rest of the concert: this wasn't going to be acoustic folk show playing homage to roots music. Instead, the band launched into driving versions of "Buffalo River Home" and "Your Dad Did" and then metamorphosing the normally folkie "Howlin' Down The Cumberland" into a rocking blues anthem. Taking the lyrics up a notch, Hiatt jumped into his own take on Da Vinci Code controversy lamenting the destiny and whereabouts of love and affection in "Love's Not Where We Thought We Left It:" The apostles were jealous Of Mary Magdalene and Jesus Said why do you love her more than us Jesus turned back in disgust Said why do I love her more than you The answer is a question Just ask yourself what can I do To gain my lord's affectionLove's not where you thought you left it Who took the last of love and kept it Caged love in tried to protect it Love's not where we thought we left itAfter the crowd raising "Tiki Bar", Hiatt returned to the stage sans NMA to sing the soulful "Have A Little Faith" solo on the piano then brought the crowd back to their feet and singing along to "Slow Turning", perhaps his only top 10 hit in his more than 30-year musical career. So while Hiatt may not sit in the mainstream, his music, songwriting, and performance combined with the amazing talent he surrounds himself with means he'll always have an audience in me and the other several hundred friends who joined me last night for a California night of rock n' roll and good wine. Music48209@blogcritics.org Wed, 24 May 2006 17:10:30 EDT http://blogcritics.org/archives/2006/05/18/083655.php Allan KarlRemember midnight movies? I'm not talking about Rocky Horror Picture Show, but rather those classic late nights of my well-spent youth watching rock and roll icons on the big screen. It was a ritual for me and my high-school buddies to stay up and see live concert films of arguably the best rock and roll bands of the era including Led Zeppelin, Yes, ELP, Pink Floyd, and others. So when a buddy pointed me to a site promoting a "Big Screen Concert" for "One Night Only" of David Gilmour, "The Guitar and Voice of Pink Floyd," my mind drifted back to those late nights.I was especially excited to hear that Gilmour's new CD On An Island and footage from his recent 10-week North American and European tour would be shown at movie theaters nationwide as part of Regal Cinemas and Big Screen Concerts One Night Only program. Unfortunately, when Gilmour announced he'd play two nights in Los Angeles, I was busy breaking my leg in Bolivia while riding my motorcycle around South America. Notwithstanding, several friends had tried to secure tickets to no avail. By the time I was recuperating stateside, greedy e-Bayers were hawking tix to the show at hefty sums of $200 or more. I passed.For those who know me, missing a performance by any Pink Floyd member takes serious discipline and would ultimately result in withdrawals and anxiety. I've traveled to Berlin, Budapest, Quebec City, and more to see Roger Waters and haven't missed David Gilmour or his version of Pink Floyd and have seen him several times since his last small-venue solo tour 20 years ago and his seemingly endless barrage of stadium shows over the last 20 years touring with Pink Fraud. But here he is now, stripped of the name that filled stadiums and his pockets, once again on the road playing small intimate theaters.When the reviews started rolling in, I felt nauseated and queasy. They were glowing; Gilmour could do no wrong. As the adage goes, I only regret those things in life I chose not to do. Alas....a stunning rendition of 1971's 20-plus minute "Echoes,'' in which Gilmour and Wright traded lines on organ and guitar, bringing the band from a delicate whisper to hurricane strength several times. Gilmour treated this song like a fine wine, letting it air out, and keeping it true to its psychedelic roots, a wonderful mix of darkness and light [...] "Comfortably Numb,'' on which Gilmour, on a black stage, silhouetted in front of a white spotlight, reeled off a solo that made colors spin around the room. Then, one of the few rock artists who understands the importance of larger than life visuals, he let lasers paint the room too, using literal smoke and mirrors to create piercing three dimensional triangles and pulsing waves. [...] Gilmour proved to be a classic rock artist who still has a lot to say, and the discipline to make his older material sound new again. The San Jose Mercury News...there was indeed the sense that we were getting a rare glimpse of one of a half-dozen or fewer true guitar giants left roaming the land. It's undeniable that, post-Waters, Gilmour hasn't really found a worthy bed for his skills. But even on lesser material, arguably, no other ax-slinger in rock did or does combine proficiency, soulfulness, emotiveness, and the very rare quality of economy as deftly. Who's gonna fill his shoes? John Mayer? Jack White? We get uncomfortably numb just thinking about it. Entertainment WeeklyWith my anticipation and expectations reaching new heights, I followed the link at Big Screen Concerts and punched in my AMEX Card number and promptly reserved my seat.For one night, on May 16, 2006, the Gilmour film would play in two Regal Cinema theaters in San Diego. I chose the UA theaters in downtown San Diego's kitsch Horton Plaza. This choice was marred by either Regal's or Big Screen Concerts' decision to show the 75-minute film in a theatre marred with poor sound quality and a distracting and irritating rectangular blue halo seemingly over-projected onto the film -- a far cry from the high-def and surround sound some sources promised. I hope and imagine anyone attending one of the other 101 screenings across the country last night saw the film in its proper glory.The film opens with Gilmour discussing his early 1900's houseboat, Astoria, which he has meticulously converted into a first-class, high-tech recording studio and where much of Gilmour's recent CD On An Island was recorded. The film cuts between Gilmour interviewed on a well-worn leather sofa in the boat's office, footage shot during the recording of On An Island on the boat, and in Abbey Road Studios where additional space was required to record a full orchestra.Gilmour candidly tells us that he was due to record a new album as he hadn't "recorded a proper album" in more than ten years, and to get it done he needed prodding from fellow and ex-Roxy Music guitarist Phil Manzanera who also served as his co-producer on the album. He further admits that when it comes to lyrics, he is strained and finds it very difficult. While his wife Polly pens most of the simple and lacking lyrics of On An Island, the album suffers from the same lack of angst, energy, and creativity that plagued each of the post-Waters Floyd efforts Momentary Lapse of Reason and Division Bell. To be fair, what all three records lack lyrically is mostly equalized by phenomenal trademark Gilmour melodies and guitar work.We sneak through his floating studio while Gilmour discusses the recording of his new CD and lazily sings, and aging hipsters Graham Nash and an ill-looking David Crosby harmonize during the recording of On An Island. The studio footage and interview are short and sweet, but are unfortunately marred by the UA theater's poor sound system. What did he say?Soon we're slowly zooming into the stage at the 600-seat Mermaid Theatre in London while Gilmour, bathed and silhouetted in swath of white light, starts to play the opening notes of Castellorizon in what is the first ever live performance of "On An Island" -- a day after Gilmour's 60th birthday and the official worldwide release of On An Island. Gilmour is joined on stage by legendary Floyd keyboard player Richard Wright, guitarist Phil Manzanera, multi-instrumentalist Jon Carin, Steve DiStanislao on drums, Guy Pratt on bass, and the infamous Dick Parry whose soulful and energetic sax work is heard on classic Floyd albums Dark Side of the Moon and Wish You Were Here. Gilmour tells the sold-out crowd he'll play a few tunes from the new album and then some "oldies but goodies."Gilmour then takes us through a melodic and guitar-infused journey through "On An Island", "The Blue", "Take A Breath" and a soulful and heart-wrenching rendition of perhaps Island's best cut, "Smile." It's then that the crowd shows life and emotion through it's gentle British-like applause as Gilmour plays the notes all too familiar with fans from "Shine On You Crazy Diamond." Playing the wonderful instrumental portion of the song with the power of the full band, Gilmour takes the lead, sans band, when he slowly and assuredly steps up to the microphone and sings, "Remember When You Were Young?" while taking us on a new charted and unadulterated but minimalist version of the vocal part of this Floyd classic only to build to a magical and energetic climax and finale as Dick Parry blows his sax with more vigor and passion than perhaps he did on the record 31 years prior.At this point in the film, Gilmour tosses vocal duties to Floyd band mate Rick Wright for a lackluster vocal performance of Division Bell's "Wearing The Inside Out." It feels as if Rick has lost his voice, passion, or desire to sing or perhaps it's just the first night's performance. Though amazingly 12 years old, Division Bell would be hardly hailed as a classic Floyd album. Gilmour's guitar performance was punctuated by the staccato ringing DiStanislou's "division bell" and could well be the highlight of the short film as Gilmour moves and bends his strings to a spine-tingling crescendo before gently bringing us down from his solo-infused high.With the opening notes of "Comfortably Numb," the audience eagerly awaits the opening lines, but when the anemic Richard Wright barely eked out "Hello? Hello? Is there anybody in there?" I squirmed uncomfortably in my theater chair, feeling embarrassed for Wright who once again appeared listless and strained as he tried to sing Waters' part from Floyd's epic The Wall. Yet, once again, where Wright disappointed Gilmour, he compensated in guitar work as he unleashed into the ubiquitous and arguably the genre-defining rock and roll guitar solo of all time. There's no question that Gilmour owns and comfortably sits on the throne of perhaps the best rock guitarist ever -- and not because of speed, technical complexity or showmanship, but because he has such a command of the instrument that his seemingly effortless playing is ultimately the most soulful, melodic, and powerful you'll ever hear.I'm sorry I missed him "live."Soon credits were rolling on the screen. I felt shorted and gypped and wanted more. The reviews I read of the tour touted Gilmour's reach into the past playing updated versions of "Echoes", "Fat Old Sun" and "Wots...Uh The Deal?" But here in San Diego at the UA Regal Cinemas in an auditorium plagued with bad sounds and defective film projection, we weren't even treated to an encore. But not to worry; maybe I can fly to Italy later this summer and catch him on the piazza in Firenze on his extended European tour. Or more practically, I can wait until the fall when I understand that Gilmour's performance at London's Royal Albert Hall later this month will be caught on camera under the direction of David Mallet who directed the 2002 David Gilmour In Concert DVD, a DVD I reviewed. I imagine the band will be more rehearsed, comfortable, and on fire.So I wait. Video47899@blogcritics.org Thu, 18 May 2006 08:36:55 EDT http://blogcritics.org/archives/2006/05/13/110031.php Allan KarlAt the end of the day do higher priced goods or services negatively impact your decision to buy? That is, would a higher price on something you desire dissuade you from purchasing it? If current gas prices are an indication of "consumers'" insatiable appetites to imbibe regardless of cost then I'd have to say no. Accordingly, any strategy that employs a price increase tactic in an effort to reduce consumption will ultimately fail.But for the last 75 years the state of Washington figured that a fixed markup and no discounting would curb alcoholism. By taking advantage of the 21st amendment to the constitution which repealed Prohibition (the 18th amendment) and gave states control of the distribution of alcohol within its borders, Washington state has long mandated the distributors sell wine to retailers at uniform prices and at a minimum 10% markup. What's more, producers also must charge a minimum 10% markup to wholesalers. What's more, Washington also mandates that delivery of alcohol must originate from wholesaler warehouses directly to each individual retailer. For large volume and multiple location retailers, this law means it cannot negotiate with wholesalers for volume discounts on beer and wine and impacts costs through inefficiencies that could be improved through centralized distribution. Washington's ludicrous liquor laws don't end there, either. For example, it mandates that wholesalers charge the same price for delivery to all retailers regardless of location.And for the country's largest wine retailer, these laws are worth fighting against. So earlier this year the Washington-based giant Costco, with its $600 million in annual wine sales, filed suit against the Washington State Liquor Control Board asserting its laws restrain trade and eliminate the free market. It argued that the state's regulations were anti-competitive and in violation of the federal Sherman Antitrust Act. The Costco case is another chip in the weakening armor of arcane state liquor laws and States' rights outlined in the 21st amendment. Last year, a Supreme Court decision found state liquor laws in Michigan and New York unconstitutional and therefore paved the way for wineries and producers to have the ability to sell and ship directly to consumers and retailers, the latter of which was originally part of the Costco suit until a U.S. District Judge found Washington's law prohibiting producer to retailer sales unconstitutional using the Supreme Court Decision as a precedent.Last week, the same judge, Marsha Pechman, ruled in favor of Costco on the remaining arguments in the lawsuit. In cutting the legs out of most of the Washington Liquor Board's laws and argument she said:If the state desires to promote temperance by artificially increasing beer and wine prices, the state could readily achieve that goal in a manner that does not run afoul of the Sherman Act.Ultimately, the decision means the that the Washington State Liquor Board cannot:Force a 10 percent markup products sold by producers and distributors;Ban volume discounts on beer and wine to retailers;Ban credit sales to retailers;Ban central/retailer warehousing of beer and wine;Mandate that beer and wine distributors and producers post and hold prices for a month;Mandate that wholesalers charge uniform prices to all retailers;Mandate that wholesalers charge equal "delivered" pricing to all retailers, regardless of actual delivery cost.While the judge placed a 30-day stay on her decision in order to give the defense time to consider an appeal, I don't think it will file one. As more and more of these laws are argued in front of today's judges they are finding that while the 21st Amendment gave states the right to control the distribution of alcohol, many state laws are two-faced. That is, some of the laws don't apply to in-state businesses and therefore unfairly penalize out-of-staters and this is unfairly restricting commerce under the guise of controlling the distribution of alcohol.What does this all mean for you? If you live in Washington you soon might reap the benefit of Costco's lawsuit and find lower beer and wine prices at retailers throughout your state. Though some might complain that this law will hurt the little guy -- low volume retailers and small production wineries. But let's face it, the laws weren't designed as protectionist measures -- and they shouldn't be. Producers and retailers can win customers with age old methods -- quality product, customer service, and a positive shopping/purchasing experience. After all, price really doesn't matter. Does it? Tastes47675@blogcritics.org Sat, 13 May 2006 11:00:31 EDT http://blogcritics.org/archives/2006/02/24/230422.php Allan KarlIt took a few years until I appreciated the music and genius of Neil Young. My high-school girlfriends all loved Neil Young, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young and all the other derivations. His music didn't fit into the profile of my young teenage angst. I was geared to Led Zeppelin, Blue Oyster Cult, Rush or other art rock icons such as Pink Floyd, Emerson, Lake & Palmer, King Crimson, and... well you get the idea. But one day I decided to actually listen to Neil Young. Go to one of his live performances. See him act in an independent film. And like many things in life, I appreciated Neil with a little age.And my recent viewing of Jonathan Demme's Heart of Gold reinforced and added to the plethora of reasons of why Neil Young will always find a place in playlists on my iPod. At first glance you might think it odd that the director of such heavy-handed dramas and Oscar winning films as Silence of the Lambs, Philadelphia, and most recently the excellent remake of The Manchurian Candidate, would direct a documentary and concert film of an aging hippy rock star. But Demme's appreciation and talents have enhanced musical performances for the big and small screens in the past. He's directed a number of videos for Bruce Springsteen and one for Chryssie Hynde and the Pretenders. Ironically enough, Demme recruited both Springsteen and Young to write and record songs for his 1993 Academy Award winning (Best Picture and more) film Philadelphia. Both songs received Oscar nominations for best song, but Springsteen took home the prize that night. Yet perhaps Demme's most groundbreaking musical film work was for his 1984 Talking Heads concert film Stop Making Sense. All Demme's accomplishments are duly noted but for this film, it's the collaboration of Young and Demme that makes Heart of Gold glitter.Many concerts films never see the big screen. Instead they are relegated to special features on cable television or simply go straight to the DVD racks, so it's refreshing to watch Heart of Gold on the big screen. If you ever wanted to unobtrusively sneak around the stage of a Neil Young concert capturing an intimate look at Young and his army of friends, including EmmyLou Harris, Ben Keith, Spooner Oldham, The Memphis Horns and countless others, Demme takes you there. Without resorting to tired special effects or hyperkinetic editing, Demme favors the use of long lenses to expose the musicians up close personal and intimate. The film is shot in 16-mm, giving the film a raw, intimate and unpolished look not unlike Young's nearly 40-year catalog of music. What's more, the concert footage is virtually absent of audience shots which contributes to the onstage intimacy of being with the artist and his songs. Only during the opening of the second set and at the end of the last song does Demme gives us the perspective of sitting in the first few rows as silhouettes of fans rise to a standing ovation.Shot in Nashville last summer at the Ryman Auditorium, the original home of the Grand Olde Opry, Heart of Gold is primarily a concert film featuring the debut performance of his last album, Prairie Wind. The film opens with a short but pointed commentary by Young, his wife Pegi, and many of the musicians as they ride to the concert. It's here we learn that during the recording of Prairie Wind, Young packed his suitcase to travel to New York for neurosurgery to treat a brain aneurysm. After the successful operation, he returns to Nashville to complete the album. This brush with mortality combined with the recent loss of his father results in a concert that is at once nostalgic and lonely while warm and uplifting as the poignant song list wanders through themes of death, dreams, family and friends. Yet with all this nostalgia, loss, and reflecting, Heart of Gold is a positive look at an artist who is at once comfortable in his own genre, but throughout his career never was afraid to explore, sample and play.Unlike many guitarists who seem to spend more than half their shows switching out guitars, Neil plays the same old beat up guitar for the entire performance except at one point trading guitars with one of his band-mates. His short narratives between songs reflect memories of his career and family life growing up on the prairie in Winnipeg, Canada. At one point he remembers how he got the guitar -- which was used to record "Heart of Gold", his only number one hit. But there's more to this guitar than that. It once belonged to Hank Williams, whose last performance before he died was in this very same auditorium -- probably playing that guitar. Young laments of the change he sees in Nashville and wonders what Hank would think if he stepped out of the auditorium today to see the massive Gaylord Entertainment Complex across the street, now home to the new Opryland. But with all the change Neil sees in Nashville, he looks sincerely at the audience and says, "It's still got its spirit. And that's a good thing." Waving above to the heavens, Neil launches into "This Old Guitar", a tune from Prairie Wind destined to be a Young classic.As voyeurs on stage with Neil and his friends, it's amazing how the songs and his voice sound as good as they did years ago. Young, who turned 60 last year, may feel the impending doom of his mortality, but his songs are ageless. During the second set, Neil delivers heart-wrenching renditions of his timeless classics "Heart of Gold", "Needle and The Damage Done", "Comes a Time", and before delivering a soulful "Old Man", tells us who inspired that song -- with his eyes closed during most of his performance, Neil may be thinking he's the old man today. Perhaps the best part of Heart of Gold is the last song where Young, alone and stripped of the hat he wore during the whole show, sits alone on stage in the empty auditorium as once again Demme's camera de voyeur lets us sneak up behind him and listen to Young - alone and real - with the spirit that can't burn out and refuses to fade away.Heart of Gold was released on February 10th. If it's playing in your area make the time to see it. If not, put your name on the DVD waiting list!Heart of Gold Directed by Jonathan Demme Starring Neil Young, EmmyLou Harris, Pegi Young, Ben Keith, Spooner Oldham and more Produced by Bernard Shakey (aka Neil Young) 100 minutes Video44095@blogcritics.org Fri, 24 Feb 2006 23:04:22 EST http://blogcritics.org/archives/2004/09/29/181640.php Allan KarlI'll Never Forget Scott MuniI missed Scott Alexander's phone call this afternoon. His voice on the message was somber and monotone. "Big Al," he cracked. "The legend is gone. Scott Muni is dead." Growing up in a small Connecticut suburb of New York City I spent hours and hours listening to Scott Muni on WNEW-FM. The low rumble and deep timbre of his voice flowed through my headphones as I learned and listened about the Rolling STones, Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan, The Grateful Dead and many more rock legends of the 70's and 80's.Scott Muni died today. He was 74.You might call Scott the founding father of alternative radio. There's no question that WNEW-FM was responsible for creating a new format, a new genre of radio with Scott Muni its leader and icon. It was Scott who moved many of us from the top-40 bubble gum jingle of AM radio to the underground. The ethereal and mystic sounds of FM. My adolescent affinity and passion for music never faded. I can still hear Scott's's voice today. I later worked as a DJ in Hartford, Connecticut and Syracuse, New York. His cadence, casualness and immense knowledge of music influenced me and fueled my desire to learn about music and to fulfill my dream of being an FM DJ.It's sad that the days of DJs like Scott seem to be past us. Now we're pumped generic and homogenized payola pop courtesy of ClearChannel. Or, numb to the sterile corporate rock we turn to Internet Radio or satellite services like XM or Sirius.I do have hope. And maybe we'll see Scott's influence rise in these alternatives to broadcast radio.I'll miss you Scott. But your voice is in my ears forever.Thanks for the inspiration.Listen to Scott at Live Aid in 1985 - here. Culture20440@blogcritics.org Wed, 29 Sep 2004 18:16:40 EDT http://blogcritics.org/archives/2004/07/14/144637.php Allan KarlGram Parsons Tribute - Santa Barbara Bowl - July 9, 2004So the last time I checked in I was off to spend a long weekend in the sunny Southern California community of Santa Barbara. The draw? Good friends, good music and good wine. Left the laptop at home and headed up the coast.Highlight of the amazing weekend was a benefit concert paying tribute to Gram Parsons, the legendary musician who wasted his life away at 26 years old in Joshua Tree over a heroin and tequila binge in the early 70's. He left behind not only his music legacy which attributes the blending of rock n' roll and country music -- some now like to call this genre "alt country" or even "Americana". He influenced The Rolling Stones and from his short career with The Byrds and The Flying Burrito Brothers he has inspired Emmylou Harris, Wilco, Beck, David Crosby, Steve Earle, Sheryl Crow, Lucinda Williams, Gillian Welch and many others. The lineup Friday night was incredible: Keith Richards, Norah Jones, Lucinda Williams, Steve Earle, Jim Lauderdale, John Doe and many others. Richard's attributes Parsons' influence to Stones' albums Exile on Main Street and Sticky Fingers. To me, the most amazing influence of Parsons' is on "Dead Flowers" and certainly "Wild Horses."[...] Richards has said that Parsons "probably did more than anyone to put a new face on country music. He brought it into the mainstream of music again. ... I think I learned more from Gram than anybody else. ... Gram changed the face of country music without anyone even knowing it. He was just a very special guy. He was my mate, and I wish he'd remained my mate for a lot longer." Rather than bowl you over with details on Gram Parsons live (I urge you to check out the website about the concert which occurred on Friday night in Santa Barbara and Saturday in Los Angeles at the Universal Amphitheater). Instead I'd like to point out a few highlights of the show in Santa Barbara.First, I was so impressed by the performance of Dwight Yoakam who belted out a high-energy version of "Sin City" that left me jaw-dropped and thinking that's Dwight Yoakam? And I thought I'd always prefer him as an actor (remember Sling Blade?)Heartfelt performances by siren's Lucinda Williams and Norah Jones left me yearning for more. Each artist performed only two songs. Lucinda and Norah both brought musicians from their respective touring bands. But perhaps the biggest surprise of the evening was Keith Richards when he rolled on stage just after Norah finished her last song. Grabbing the sultry and sexy youngster he shuffles up to the microphone and mumbles in a slightly alcohol induced (this is Keith Richards after all) English cockney something about how he gets to perform with Norah. With a cigarette dangling between his fingers and a beaded headband keeping his hair out of his face he goes on to say "I've got say a couple things about G.P.". Then he launches into "Love Hurts" made popular by Nazareth in the 1970's, and song Parsons' didn't write but recorded for his Grievous Angel album. Soon Richards is calling to the rest of the band for help on the vocals. We now know without question why Mick sings Richards' tunes. He just cannot sing. It's pathetic. Next he says "I haven't ever sang this song... and I'm not sure if I can remember it." The band jumps into Wild Horses and thank god after one verse Norah, Jim Lauderdale, Steve Earle and others help with the song. Not that I have anything against Keith Richards but he may have hit the nail on the head hear at a tribute concert of a true music legend who dies at 26 years old, "If only the good die young, where does that leave me?"An amazing show. And if you've never been to the Santa Barbara Bowl, it's perhaps one of the nicest venues I've ever seen a concert in Southern California. Check it out. Music17426@blogcritics.org Wed, 14 Jul 2004 14:46:37 EDT http://blogcritics.org/archives/2004/04/15/005800.php Allan KarlRealNetworks Pleads With Apple To Go After MicrosoftOk. So maybe my title is a bit on the tabloid side of media hype. But according to an article in tomorrow's New York Times Rob Glaser, Real CEO offered to create a "tactical alliance" with Apple in an e-mail message to Steve Jobs.Apparently there was a bit of "and if you don't" message in the e-mail indicating Glaser maybe knocking on the doors in Redmond next. I'm not sure what's happening behind the closed doors in Cupertino, Redmond and Seattle, but it's clear that Real is under Real pressure to perform.I've never liked RealAudio, Real Player, or Real anything. Except the reality that there are too many media formats on the net and there needs to be a shake-up. Real Networks has been struggling to find its position and has had mild success. However from a practical user point of view, the Real media that I listen or watch on the internet litters my desktop with a slew of .ram files. And maybe there's a preference or setting that would stop this annoying behavior, but as a user I shouldn't have to worry about such things. Both QuickTime and Windows Media Player run much more smoothly for me.Another problem with Real is that they gotta generate revenue from users. And while a free Real Player is available for Mac OS X, finding it on their website is nearly impossible. They do everything they can included the smallest possible font to lock you into a commitment to buy the non-free version. Sure you can buy a PRO version of QuickTime, but Apple doesn't try to trick you into the Pro version when all you need to do is download a player app to watch a movie trailer. As for Windows Media Player, I've got no clue. It works. Was simply to download and works transparently. Bravo.But what's really at stake here is the music sales online. Apple clearly nailed this market and developed a slick solution. And they're selling a boatload of music. And along the way Apple developed a beautiful Windows application and clearly has the best MP3 Player/Jukebox for both Macintosh and Windows. And key to the online music sales is Apple's Fairplay digital rights management system. This is how Apple got past the red herring that was plaguing the record companies and holding them back from online music sales. Instead of focusing on a solution for the problem the record companies and RIAA went after users with fear tactics and witch hunt like law suits. Moving in its shadows, Apple came up with a system that works and the record companies have bought into. And it's just want Rob Glaser wants.Glaser and Real want to be able to sell music through an online service that will play on the number one selling MP3 players in the business. In a licensing deal that Apple could ink, Glaser would then make the iPod the standard music device sold through the Real online store.I'm not sure what the traffic or revenue stream generated by Real and its online store. But if it's significant this could be a coup for Apple while forging a path toward defacto standardization. And we all know what's at the end of the proprietary technology path. Darkness and defeat. Ask Apple. Ask Sony. But if Jobs wants to keep his exclusive and be the only game in town for selling music that will play on the iPod, he won't ink a deal with Real. And it's here where it gets complicated. I think Jobs learned his lessons log ago. He has already established relationships relating to iTunes and the iTunes Music Store with Hewlett-Packard and AOL.Pundits will likely draw on Jobs past and predict he'll turn down Glaser's offer. And according to the Times, Jobs hasn't' responded. The fact that this memo was leaked caught Glaser by surprise. So he says. I'd bet that's not the case. No matter what this is going to be an interesting story to watch. Sci/Tech14745@blogcritics.org Thu, 15 Apr 2004 00:58:00 EDT http://blogcritics.org/archives/2004/04/08/182830.php Allan KarlAnything But Clear. Poof. Howard Stern's Gone, Gone, Gone.This just in. Clear Channel announced a few hours ago that it would permanently pull The Howard Stern Show from its airways and has been fined $495,000 for indecency stemming from the Stern Show. Clear Channel who last month temporarily pulled the show from its roster of stations after the FCC began its witch hunt for indecency, pointed to the fact the "congress and the FCC are even beginning to look at revoking station licenses, that's a risk we are just not willing to take."I've been outspoken about Clear Channel and how it is the largest contributor to the sterilization and homogenization of radio and the music we hear for well over a year. To be sure, I'm no fan of the Howard Stern show which I find sophomoric, silly and a waste of time, but personal taste aside, I think this is sad message communicated by both Clear Channel and the FCC about restriction of personal liberties, freed speech and is simply an end around move to censor. And for this I cannot sit silent.I'm not going to jump on the blog and mainstream press bandwagon that have been active since Clear Channel temporarily pulled the show in raising the conspiracy flog. Stern has publicly accused the Clear Channel folding under the pressure of the Bush Administration because Stern, a self-admitted republican, has been extremely harsh and outspoken about Bush and his performance as president. Yet one can't help but wonder why Stern's successful radio show that has been on the air for nearly 20 years is now the subject of such scrutiny about decency. Good god, did Janet Jackson inspire all this? Even The New York Post finds hypocrisy in Clear Channel's effort to clean up its act.Whether Clear Channel is spineless and not interested in fighting for personal liberties or free press or is a political gunslinging assailant or victim is beyond the scope of this post. But one thing is for sure, this is another nail in the coffin why Clear Channel ought to be taken off the air instead of Howard Stern.You can read my past posts and criticisms of the Clear Channel machine here, here,, here, here and here.Plus, check out this good article from Reason on media consolidation. Politics14560@blogcritics.org Thu, 8 Apr 2004 18:28:30 EDT http://blogcritics.org/archives/2004/03/29/180121.php Allan KarlSafire Looking For Whistleblowers - The Most Underreported Story of the YearTo be honest, I haven't been following the $5 billion controversy carefully detailed in William Safire's op-ed piece in today's New York Times. But if I'm to take Safire's facts as truth, I'm joining him on the witch-hunt for a whistle blower.The gist of the scandal (called Kofigate) points to a ring of U.N., French and Russian contractors responsible for doling out food and medical aid for the Iraqi's. Prices for diluted medicine and rotten food were inflated 10% netting $5 billion in kickbacks to French and Russian companies. This, according to Safire, is why the French and Russians were the only prewar defenders of Saddam Hussein. [...] Prices were inflated to allow for 10 percent kickbacks, and the goods were often shoddy and unusable. As the lax Cotecna made a lot of corporate friends, Iraqi children suffered from rotted food and diluted medicines. The U.N. press agent also revealed that Benon Sevan, Annan's longtime right-hand man in charge of the flow of billions, was advised by U.N. lawyers that the names of companies receiving the contracts were "privileged commercial information, which could not be made public." Mr. Sevan had stonewalling help.To shift responsibility for the see-no-evil oversight, the U.N. spokesman noted that "details of all contracts were made available to the governments of all 15 Security Council members." All the details, including the regular 10 percent kickback to the tune of $5 billion in illegal surcharges? We'll see.To calm the belated uproar, Annan felt compelled to seek an "independent high-level inquiry," empowered by a Security Council resolution, as some of us called for [...]Problem is France's UN ambassador, Jean-Marc de la Sabliere is blocking an "independent high-level inquiry." Plus, the White House and State Department are seemingly uninterested in pushing for a real investigation. [...] because as the truth emerges, the U.N. may use the furor as cover for refusal to confer its blessing on the new Iraq. Our present and former U.S. ambassadors to the U.N. would have to take issue with Annan if he tried to hide under their wing. Peter Burleigh and Andrew Hillman, our frequent representatives on the "661 committee" - so named for a sanctions resolution - are not about to be the U.N.'s scapegoats because as the truth emerges, the U.N. may use the furor as cover for refusal to confer its blessing on the new Iraq. Our present and former U.S. ambassadors to the U.N. would have to take issue with Annan if he tried to hide under their wing. Peter Burleigh and Andrew Hillman, our frequent representatives on the "661 committee" - so named for a sanctions resolution - are not about to be the U.N.'s scapegoats [...]The good news is, as Safire points out, the new Iraqi government-in-formation have hired accountants and lawyers to examine documents in Baghdad and the Henry Hyde's International Relations Committee begins hearings in mid-April. The press have been rather silent to the tune that Newsday calls "the most underreported story of the year." I'll join Bill and cheer for an "embittered whistleblower." Politics14187@blogcritics.org Mon, 29 Mar 2004 18:01:21 EST http://blogcritics.org/archives/2004/03/26/022901.php Allan KarlCrystal Wine Glass Magnate Josef Riedel DiesThanks to Pete who pointed me to today's New York Times article (free registration required) announcing that wine glass innovator Josef Riedel died last week of a heart attack in Italy. If you've never heard or used a Riedel (pronounced like 'needle') wine stem you are likely missing out on truly tasting the full flavor experience of any wine you drink.I know. Sounds silly doesn't it? How can a wine glass change the way a wine tastes? The converted are a cult-like group. Many will carry their own stems into a restaurant that serves wine in thick fish bowls that can stand the rigors of a restaurant kitchen. I converted many years ago. I actually met Georg Riedel, Josef's son, at a "glass tasting". With my tongue in cheek and suitcase full of wise cracks I was determined to call this thick accented Austrian to the carpet. But I was amazed. I never experienced the aromatic of a wine before. The true test was comparing the typical restaurant wine glass with the same wine in a Riedel stem.Josef Riedel focused on one of the sensitive parts of our body -- our tongue and the inside of our mouths (Linda Lovelace try a Riedel stem). He found that different wines and spirits tasted differently based on where the 'juice' fell on your palate. So he spent years designing stemware with different shapes and sizes based on the varietal. [...] He spent 16 years studying the physics of wine delivery to the mouth and taste buds and experimenting with different glass configurations, matching them with wines of different regions, different grapes and different ages. The size of a glass, its thickness, the shape of its bell and the diameter of its rim contributed materially to the taste of the wine drunk from it, Mr. Riedel came to believe. The wine's balance, depth, harmony and complexity, he discovered, could and often did change from one glass to another. When told that the glasses he created would have limited market appeal, he said: "Aesthetics and excellence are my criteria, not mere convenience." [...] Over the last 10 years Josef's son Georg has circumnavigated the globe preaching the value of pairing the proper glass with a specific wine. The grass roots effort has paid off. Riedel created a category and a wave of me-too competitor copycats has followed. But none are as good nor as well known as Riedel. But they are cheaper. And as any good marketing or branding expert will agree, if all you've got to compete with is a lower price you will certainly grab sales -- not customers -- loyal customers.I've got more than 3 dozen Riedel stems - for burgundy, bordeaux/cabernet, chardonnay, syrah, port and chianti/Brunello.Photos: (1) The last drops of a non-decanted 1995 Araujo Eisele Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley sticking to the size of a Riedel Vinum Bordeaux stem; (2) Hundreds of Riedel Vinum glasses lined up for a legendary 2000 Bordeux tasting I atteneded recently (yet to blog). Culture14078@blogcritics.org Fri, 26 Mar 2004 02:29:01 EST