https://bit.ly/2DV2Gdy
They never make a movie about the way guys really are.
You can see beefcake, men who love 'em and leave 'em, men who abuse women, but they don't make a flick about the people I know.
They do in "Paddleton."
The average guy can't get laid, is probably afraid of girls, has a good heart and would never step out on you, for fear he'd never find anybody else. These are the good guys women are looking for, but don't want. You've heard there are no good guys left? That's wrong.
Not that Ray Romano and Mark Duplass are winners in this flick.
Romano is afraid of the cute coworker who asks about his weekend. You'd figure this is a perfect opportunity to connect, but it's easier to brush her off and angst about it later. As for Duplass...he's got a go-nowhere job in a print shop, he ain't gonna take you out for dinner someplace other than McDonald's.
Yes, these guys are losers. And I'm not saying most men are, but there are so many true characteristics here.
Like the wearing of shorts. I'M GUILTY! I doff them in the winter, unlike a lot of people I know, but I see it as a perk of living in L.A. I see it as a perk of being in the music business, the one that used to exist, not the one we've got now, where the musicians dressed in street clothes and didn't own a suit. Now that's the techies. But here, the shorts are representative of yearning to be a boy, to not grow up. Or as my childless friend Jake says...without children you're a kid forever! You can be silly, you're not married to your job, you're footloose and fancy free, even if the rewards come with aging.
But Romano and Duplass are still addicted to kung fu movies. They can do all the moves. They're like best friends from high school. But they met as adults.
It's hard to find friends as an adult, true friends, people you can count on, not just the husband of your wife's girlfriend. Everybody's into the pecking order, they will not let their guard down, certainly not with people they consider beneath them. And every encounter is a business opportunity. Get together with a guy and they'll sell. You've got to pierce like a surgeon to get the real story. Women chat up their girlfriends about their feelings, their emotions... Men talk about cars, possessions and sports. Sound bad? It is. That's why guys need girls, to expand their horizons.
But Ray and Mark have each other. Ray lied about a few things when he first met Mark, wanted to make a good impression, and it's only when Mark's time is nearly done that he coughs up an integral fact.
You see Mark has terminal cancer. I could leave that out, but it's right up front in this flick.
I'm a fan of the Duplass Brothers. They illustrate what the technological revolution yields. I.e., they used the new and inexpensive production methods to make mumblecore movies that only insiders saw. But "The Puffy Chair" got traction and then the brothers got deals and their flicks...
Are indies.
You remember indie movies, right? That you saw at the art house? You had to get a distributor and you didn't make much money. Furthermore, today no one's got any time for the movies. Our dance card is full with exactly what we want. Driving to the movies and waiting for them to start is like buying an internal combustion car, something you once did you no longer will. Furthermore, you're paying per pic, so if you don't like something, you either endure it or feel ripped-off. But on Netflix...
The Duplass Brothers made an overall deal with Netflix. They sacrifice upside for guaranteed budgets and distribution. Are you making art to get rich or to make a statement? Too often, it's the former.
And I'm not gonna recommend "Paddleton." Because the truth is most people don't like these movies. They like escape, they like happy endings, but there's a tribe that yearns to see themselves on screen, a story about real life.
And the question is, when your best friend dies, where does that leave you? The one you made up games with, the one you had inside jokes with. There's a giant hole that's nearly impossible to fill.
And they make buddy movies about the infirm and aged. But regular people, eking out a living... Ray and Mark are not stupid, but either their dreams have been canceled or they've got no ambition. What does life look like then?
We keep reading about the kings and queens, those who played the game and won. When the truth is there are very few of those and you can't replicate the formula. But if you're just living your life...
If this is your kind of thing, tune in this show. I'll admit it's a bit slow at times, but then it picks up, not so much because of the action, but because of the piling up of events.
Do you have sex when it's delivered to you on a silver platter?
Do you take your own life to avoid the pain?
Do you pick yourself up and start over having experienced loss?
These are the questions in "Paddleton."
It makes you think.
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Saturday 2 March 2019
Friday 1 March 2019
HBO-Michael Jackson
They finally got him.
Wanted, dead or alive? Maybe Bon Jovi, but no longer Michael Jackson.
They've already postponed the Chicago theatre run. The tracks will be played, but Michael Jackson is about to become a pariah.
Wrong place, wrong time, to reference the old Dr. John chestnut. It's kind of like sexual harassment. You could get away with it in the last century, but not today. Furthermore, child molestation is the third rail of our society, there's no explanation, no excuse, you're branded persona non grata and that's it.
And past is prologue, i.e. R. Kelly. Despite Jim DeRogatis's dogged investigative journalism, conventional wisdom is Mr. Kelly skated for far too long. That the industry gave him a pass, especially his record company, which liked the profit but didn't want to hear about the behavior. Labels have been hiding behind the independent contractor myth for far too long. If acts are independent, why does the label end up owning the masters? Movie and TV studios too. Disney canned John Lasseter, and now it turns out Emma Thompson won't work for him at his new company, Skydance. This is one thing that oldsters don't understand, the goal posts have moved. Behavior that was tolerated then, is not tolerated now.
Like Donald Trump, Michael Jackson's behavior has been hiding in plain sight. Was his marriage to Lisa Marie Presley ever consummated, was it just a cover-up for his bad behavior? And who is the father of his kids with Debbie Rowe? And the way he shuttled his kids around hotel rooms, and hung Blanket over the balcony... Sure, there was a bit of blowback, but since he was rich and famous he got a pass. The "New York Times" was snookered by the Donald for decades. When it finally dove into his taxes it turned out much of what he said was untrue.
But that did not involve child abuse.
Oh, don't tell me not to dig deep. That's the society we now live in, sunshine lights up the world.
As for the boys flip-flopping in their testimony... Did you watch Michael Cohen? Only politicians never get to change their minds, the rest of us are more fluid. As for a star's power...it makes you do what you otherwise wouldn't, I wish it weren't true, but it is. You're gonna ruin Michael Jackson's career or get paid millions, go broke while becoming Monica Lewinsky, unable to evade the spotlight, or take the money and run?
Never underestimate power, never underestimate fame. And our nation is run on loyalty, whether it be in Congress or your own little home, we're positively tribal.
As for truth... That's a fungible concept these days. And people deny factual evidence, even if there's proof. They say a photograph or video has been doctored, they say someone is lying.
So for those saying it ain't so...too bad, it only matters if the public believes it to be so.
As for fighting on a legal technicality that HBO shouldn't air the documentary, this is like the Republicans talking about Cohen's credibility, not his content.
We heard the content, this is not a court of law.
So, the tsunami begins.
The Vegas show closes, because the casino can't handle the controversy, even if people still want to go, they've got to deal with the picketing and the hit to their good will.
And the theatrical show never makes it to Broadway, it's never resuscitated.
And no corporation will do a sponsorship deal.
But the music is still listened to, we learned that with R. Kelly.
It takes a long time for these stories to develop and come out. Where there's smoke there isn't always fire, but when the smoke never dissipates, when it builds, you pay attention.
Michael Jackson is dead. He ain't going back to court.
As for his legacy, Fatty Arbuckle is only remembered for what happened in that San Francisco hotel room, even though he denied it.
You can't be a child molester, they're even killed in prison.
And can you imagine Michael Jackson in prison? No way. Which is why he convinced these boys to testify the way they did, they didn't want to kill their friend, did they? This was not titan against titan, superstar versus superstar, this was the world's biggest recording artist versus kids.
From time immemorial the wealthy have paid for silence. Hell, look at all the Wall Street world-beaters who kick their lovers to the curb, even the trophy wives, and pay them off.
Being rich and famous does not entitle you to break society's rules. You think it does, but eventually everybody is caught, if by no one else but themselves. Come on, Michael Jackson couldn't sleep, died way before his time, you think he wasn't tortured?
They finally got him. The cash cow is killed.
Believe in yourself, not the heroes they run up the chart.
King of Pop my ass.
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Wanted, dead or alive? Maybe Bon Jovi, but no longer Michael Jackson.
They've already postponed the Chicago theatre run. The tracks will be played, but Michael Jackson is about to become a pariah.
Wrong place, wrong time, to reference the old Dr. John chestnut. It's kind of like sexual harassment. You could get away with it in the last century, but not today. Furthermore, child molestation is the third rail of our society, there's no explanation, no excuse, you're branded persona non grata and that's it.
And past is prologue, i.e. R. Kelly. Despite Jim DeRogatis's dogged investigative journalism, conventional wisdom is Mr. Kelly skated for far too long. That the industry gave him a pass, especially his record company, which liked the profit but didn't want to hear about the behavior. Labels have been hiding behind the independent contractor myth for far too long. If acts are independent, why does the label end up owning the masters? Movie and TV studios too. Disney canned John Lasseter, and now it turns out Emma Thompson won't work for him at his new company, Skydance. This is one thing that oldsters don't understand, the goal posts have moved. Behavior that was tolerated then, is not tolerated now.
Like Donald Trump, Michael Jackson's behavior has been hiding in plain sight. Was his marriage to Lisa Marie Presley ever consummated, was it just a cover-up for his bad behavior? And who is the father of his kids with Debbie Rowe? And the way he shuttled his kids around hotel rooms, and hung Blanket over the balcony... Sure, there was a bit of blowback, but since he was rich and famous he got a pass. The "New York Times" was snookered by the Donald for decades. When it finally dove into his taxes it turned out much of what he said was untrue.
But that did not involve child abuse.
Oh, don't tell me not to dig deep. That's the society we now live in, sunshine lights up the world.
As for the boys flip-flopping in their testimony... Did you watch Michael Cohen? Only politicians never get to change their minds, the rest of us are more fluid. As for a star's power...it makes you do what you otherwise wouldn't, I wish it weren't true, but it is. You're gonna ruin Michael Jackson's career or get paid millions, go broke while becoming Monica Lewinsky, unable to evade the spotlight, or take the money and run?
Never underestimate power, never underestimate fame. And our nation is run on loyalty, whether it be in Congress or your own little home, we're positively tribal.
As for truth... That's a fungible concept these days. And people deny factual evidence, even if there's proof. They say a photograph or video has been doctored, they say someone is lying.
So for those saying it ain't so...too bad, it only matters if the public believes it to be so.
As for fighting on a legal technicality that HBO shouldn't air the documentary, this is like the Republicans talking about Cohen's credibility, not his content.
We heard the content, this is not a court of law.
So, the tsunami begins.
The Vegas show closes, because the casino can't handle the controversy, even if people still want to go, they've got to deal with the picketing and the hit to their good will.
And the theatrical show never makes it to Broadway, it's never resuscitated.
And no corporation will do a sponsorship deal.
But the music is still listened to, we learned that with R. Kelly.
It takes a long time for these stories to develop and come out. Where there's smoke there isn't always fire, but when the smoke never dissipates, when it builds, you pay attention.
Michael Jackson is dead. He ain't going back to court.
As for his legacy, Fatty Arbuckle is only remembered for what happened in that San Francisco hotel room, even though he denied it.
You can't be a child molester, they're even killed in prison.
And can you imagine Michael Jackson in prison? No way. Which is why he convinced these boys to testify the way they did, they didn't want to kill their friend, did they? This was not titan against titan, superstar versus superstar, this was the world's biggest recording artist versus kids.
From time immemorial the wealthy have paid for silence. Hell, look at all the Wall Street world-beaters who kick their lovers to the curb, even the trophy wives, and pay them off.
Being rich and famous does not entitle you to break society's rules. You think it does, but eventually everybody is caught, if by no one else but themselves. Come on, Michael Jackson couldn't sleep, died way before his time, you think he wasn't tortured?
They finally got him. The cash cow is killed.
Believe in yourself, not the heroes they run up the chart.
King of Pop my ass.
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Wednesday 27 February 2019
More Larry Vallon
ALWAYS a smile.
ALWAYS, "What can I do for you?"
ALWAYS there with whatever you needed, and we always
needed something last minute
because our bands always needed something last minute.
Larry is one of the truly great ones.
Sorry I missed the tribute.
Hopeful this email, and what I'm assuming
will be many more of us chiming in for Larry will keep this chain going for a bit longer.
xo
Janie Hoffman
___________________________________
I have known Larry Vallon since 1970…when we were all youngsters working with the most exciting artists in the world in a wild and wonderful business that was unfolding.…..myself and Gary Perkins had started Pacific Presentations around 1970 after Pinnacle Dance Concerts in the 60's, and we quickly become arch competitors of Concert Associates, later Wolf & Rissmiller all through the 70's.….Larry was their "gunslinger" and "do it all" guy….and even though we were all very fierce competitors, Gary and I had special liking and respect for Larry…..he was just a wonderful fun guy and we had many mutual friends like the Fernandez brothers, Jeff Greenberg, Tom Ross, etc…. and we all gave each other a lot of mutual respect and admiration…. and even partied a bit together (out of sight of course). Those were very special days with beyond great music accessible everywhere…and we were all in because we loved the music.….We were all lucky to have been there with such a great group of people and artists….Larry was one of the best ...and nicest, and more than deserved to have the long fruitful career he had….
Sepp Donahower
___________________________________
Larry is truly a great human being one of the good guys
Butch Stone
___________________________________
Thank you for celebrating, Larry.
I met Larry in 2004 when he joined AEG Live. I was in my early 20s then just making my way into the live business and I was blown away then and now with how effortlessly he wears his knowledge, experience, relationships and experience. It's a tough business, especially starting out but working with and for Larry was like being with family. He always took time for me and told me how he got his start "icing coca-colas" back stage. I learned that being a part of the business at any level was important and valuable to the artist, plus incredible experience for me.
It was a few years before someone else told me the Cameron Crowe story and that the scene from Almost Famous was inspired by LV. He would never be the one to tell it and I can assure you there are thousands of others just like it out there.
He is all about working to make everyone better, propping others up and is an inspiration to me.
One of his daughters, Vanessa, is now working with us in our content group and we value her greatly while we have her. She is destined for great things. :)
Dean DeWulf
___________________________________
RE: Vallon - A real gentleman. The conduit to so many great shows..Bravo Larry, they don't make em like you anymore..
Ed Eckstine
Woodland Hills, California
___________________________________
Larry is a beautiful human being beyond being a great industry executive. Be it at Universal or at AEG, Larry has always been someone who strived for the win win for all. He was always willing to help, always had time to share stories and catch up when I'd stop by his office and always wanted the best for all. His love for the business, the music and the artists remains true. His heart is always in the right place. To see Larry and his daughter Kelly together is a reminder that the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.
KIm Garner
___________________________________
Only Larry could land this with a smile and make you feel good about a true mess. Enjoy as you gave. Kevin Benson
ENTERTAINMENT
Teena Marie Delays Concerts
March 22, 1985
Teena Marie's six concerts scheduled at the Beverly Theatre tonight through Sunday have been postponed because the singer is suffering from bronchial pneumonia. The concerts will be held June 2-4 and June 8-10. Tickets for the original concerts will be honored at the corresponding rescheduled shows.
___________________________________
I worked at Universal Amphitheatre from 90-93 alongside Larry Vallon.
There was a ridiculous set of rules and production guidelines, part of the deal for a specific size tour, of course most tours were bigger and of course required more stage hands, catering etc, then the agents and bookers agreed on.
Being the production manager I was the one that was the first line of defense.
Often it was a delicate conversation. Larry always made both sides happy and always had time to listen. I learned honesty and integrity from Larry. He led by example. True character.
In other letters published by fellow touring personal we all revered Larry, to me that speaks miles.
We are the working class of the music business and Larry is welcome at our table anytime !!!
Thanks for writing
Cheers
Bobby Schneider
___________________________________
Larry Vallon is and will always be THE BEST - his honesty, kindness, caring, devotion to his family and goodness are unparalleled in the Music Business and in most human beings - love, love, love Larry and Claudia and daughters!
Mary Beth Medley
___________________________________
PPS: Larry introduced me to the Lefsetz letter when it was a sheet.
Jim Anderson
ALWAYS, "What can I do for you?"
ALWAYS there with whatever you needed, and we always
needed something last minute
because our bands always needed something last minute.
Larry is one of the truly great ones.
Sorry I missed the tribute.
Hopeful this email, and what I'm assuming
will be many more of us chiming in for Larry will keep this chain going for a bit longer.
xo
Janie Hoffman
___________________________________
I have known Larry Vallon since 1970…when we were all youngsters working with the most exciting artists in the world in a wild and wonderful business that was unfolding.…..myself and Gary Perkins had started Pacific Presentations around 1970 after Pinnacle Dance Concerts in the 60's, and we quickly become arch competitors of Concert Associates, later Wolf & Rissmiller all through the 70's.….Larry was their "gunslinger" and "do it all" guy….and even though we were all very fierce competitors, Gary and I had special liking and respect for Larry…..he was just a wonderful fun guy and we had many mutual friends like the Fernandez brothers, Jeff Greenberg, Tom Ross, etc…. and we all gave each other a lot of mutual respect and admiration…. and even partied a bit together (out of sight of course). Those were very special days with beyond great music accessible everywhere…and we were all in because we loved the music.….We were all lucky to have been there with such a great group of people and artists….Larry was one of the best ...and nicest, and more than deserved to have the long fruitful career he had….
Sepp Donahower
___________________________________
Larry is truly a great human being one of the good guys
Butch Stone
___________________________________
Thank you for celebrating, Larry.
I met Larry in 2004 when he joined AEG Live. I was in my early 20s then just making my way into the live business and I was blown away then and now with how effortlessly he wears his knowledge, experience, relationships and experience. It's a tough business, especially starting out but working with and for Larry was like being with family. He always took time for me and told me how he got his start "icing coca-colas" back stage. I learned that being a part of the business at any level was important and valuable to the artist, plus incredible experience for me.
It was a few years before someone else told me the Cameron Crowe story and that the scene from Almost Famous was inspired by LV. He would never be the one to tell it and I can assure you there are thousands of others just like it out there.
He is all about working to make everyone better, propping others up and is an inspiration to me.
One of his daughters, Vanessa, is now working with us in our content group and we value her greatly while we have her. She is destined for great things. :)
Dean DeWulf
___________________________________
RE: Vallon - A real gentleman. The conduit to so many great shows..Bravo Larry, they don't make em like you anymore..
Ed Eckstine
Woodland Hills, California
___________________________________
Larry is a beautiful human being beyond being a great industry executive. Be it at Universal or at AEG, Larry has always been someone who strived for the win win for all. He was always willing to help, always had time to share stories and catch up when I'd stop by his office and always wanted the best for all. His love for the business, the music and the artists remains true. His heart is always in the right place. To see Larry and his daughter Kelly together is a reminder that the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.
KIm Garner
___________________________________
Only Larry could land this with a smile and make you feel good about a true mess. Enjoy as you gave. Kevin Benson
ENTERTAINMENT
Teena Marie Delays Concerts
March 22, 1985
Teena Marie's six concerts scheduled at the Beverly Theatre tonight through Sunday have been postponed because the singer is suffering from bronchial pneumonia. The concerts will be held June 2-4 and June 8-10. Tickets for the original concerts will be honored at the corresponding rescheduled shows.
___________________________________
I worked at Universal Amphitheatre from 90-93 alongside Larry Vallon.
There was a ridiculous set of rules and production guidelines, part of the deal for a specific size tour, of course most tours were bigger and of course required more stage hands, catering etc, then the agents and bookers agreed on.
Being the production manager I was the one that was the first line of defense.
Often it was a delicate conversation. Larry always made both sides happy and always had time to listen. I learned honesty and integrity from Larry. He led by example. True character.
In other letters published by fellow touring personal we all revered Larry, to me that speaks miles.
We are the working class of the music business and Larry is welcome at our table anytime !!!
Thanks for writing
Cheers
Bobby Schneider
___________________________________
Larry Vallon is and will always be THE BEST - his honesty, kindness, caring, devotion to his family and goodness are unparalleled in the Music Business and in most human beings - love, love, love Larry and Claudia and daughters!
Mary Beth Medley
___________________________________
PPS: Larry introduced me to the Lefsetz letter when it was a sheet.
Jim Anderson
--
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--
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Tuesday 26 February 2019
Re-Larry Vallon
Larry.. truly one of THE nicest guys ever in this biz and always went out of his way to do or say something nice and he loved us musicians. They don't make guys like this anymore.
Steve Lukather
________________________________
Larry has always been one of the classiest guys in our business. We've spent many a Jazz Fest together. His love of music and people is a standard that not enough people today even strive for, let alone achieve. He represents the kind of person and executive, to say nothing of dear friend, that all of us want to be around and learn from. I hope he enjoys his so well deserved break from the madness (which I know he will also miss). The one good thing for the rest of us is that his daughter Kelly has followed her father into the business and she is the embodiment of all the things we love about her dad. So at least we will still have another Vallon in our world for years to come. Bravo, Larry! And thank you.
Michael Reinert
________________________________
How can I begin to wish our friend and cheerleader Larry Vallon best of luck.
I first met him in the late 80s when I was the young Irish guy working for all the great bands from England and we always shared a story or a laugh in those days and enjoyed the music.
The business was changing but fortunately for us we worked with such talented artists and managers that music was at the forefront of every show we did together.
More recently he was the Promoter on The Who's 50th Anniversary and he was very involved with that being such a huge success as he and his great team paved the way and guided us all through some wonderful shows.
Larry being a very modest man would travel with us on many a Tricky day and being very much part of The Who's family and always met us with a smile and a good story and was always able to deal with the extreme sense of humour within the group and especially from the great Bill Curbishley.
When The Who signed up for the historic Desert Trip shows he introduced me to the wonderful Golden Voice team led by Paul Tollet at the bands MSG shows.
The Garden being site of many a great Who show and really their second home didn't need much cheerleading from Larry that night and I watched him smile and sing along with Paul as Pete, Roger and band tore through another historic NYC Who show which laid the ground for two wonderful shows at Oldchella later that year along with all the other geezers on the bill.
At Indigo The Who proved again how audience and band are one of the same spirit.
He's a great supporter of the bands charity Teenage Cancer America which I'm sure he will continue to help on another type of great Garden shows.
Every where I go in the world everyone has a nice word to say about Larry mainly because he is one of the last remaining music biz characters who you knew was on your side through thick and thin.
You can now let your hair grow long again..thank you Larry.
Tom Kenny
________________________________
The kindest man in the biz...
Will always have the memory of
Him standing next to me at Santa Monica civic as Bruce opened for Dr. John.... he was in awe.
And I was throwing the handles On the wall mounted lighting controls.
I was 19 or 20, my first time out of Philly. Larry, thruout the years, always had a smile and kind words
for everyone.
He is the definition of a mensch.
Your description of the time is perfect.
Now we have Coachella.
Good Luck trying to b inspired.
As the cloud of greed envelops
the air that u breathe.
Thanks Larry for everything !!
xo
marc brickman
________________________________
I had the pleasure of working with Larry when he was with Concert Associates, which turned into Wolf & Rissimiller in 1970 and beyond. I got to work for them and over shows for Larry when he couldn't be there. I was so proud to being playing the role of Larry at the shows I covered for him. He was always so kind, calm and cool no matter what the situation was. I am so happy for him and honored to have known him for so many years, although I have rarely seen or talked to him in recent years. Thank you Larry for giving your friendship and life to a once great experience and business that has slipped away over the years that I have lived and will treasure in my personal memory bank till the day I die.
Thank you,
Jimmy Johnson
Worldwide Tour and Production Management
________________________________
Larry was the best!
Val Garay
________________________________
I really enjoyed this one, for many reasons, I have always held Larry in the highest regards. The Crowe story was well documented in almost famous, at least the part about him trying to get in and to go wait with the girls, I could invasion It as soon as I read the words, it's top 5 movie for me.
I just love the history of the biz, I can't get enough of it. Anyway thank you for sharing the highlights of last night. I hope you and your wonderful better half are both happy and well.
Dan Steinberg
________________________________
Bob, I was Loggins & Messina's Rd. Mgr. we did several shows with Larry Vallon at Santa Monica Civic Aud. and one in San Diego where Cameron Crowe interviewed Kenny and Jimmy. Forget who L&M opened for but Cameron might have been 18 yrs. old. Larry Vallon was great to work for and with. Johnny Palazzotto
________________________________
Thanks for this letter Bob.
Larry Vallon
Amazing career and life.
Admired and respected from the top to the bottom of the food chain.
Larry did the past few tours with The Who, a friendly face around to keep the vibes good and happy.
Larry was part of the touring crew and often jumped in at a "crew" table in catering, this makes a huge difference in morale
( when the band, mgmt and promoter are eating in catering, you know it's going to be higher standard)
Larry didn;t push his stories and experiences on you, he drew you in.
Like many of the Artists I've been humping gear for, Larry got probably worn out by the travel not the gigs.
I'm sure I'll again see him at some loading dock and get a chance to say hi and catch up
Thanks Larry
TS
________________________________
I worked with Larry from 1976-1979, handling industry/guests tickets and backstage for Wolf & Rissmiller Concerts. Larry truly was a class act and one of the nicest guys I have ever worked with (and I subsequently had a 22 year career in sports television working with mostly men)! He treated everyone equally and if there was ever a problem backstage it was never about finding fault but just "let's fix this." Wolf & Rissmiller was a very small company staff wise but we banded together to produce some of the most amazing concerts back then, whether at the Forum, SM Civic, Anaheim Convention Center, Long Beach Arena, San Diego Arena, etc. We also banded together at one of the most difficult times back then - the November 1977 murder of Steve Wolf.
I last spoke with Larry many years ago when he was with Universal Concerts. He helped me purchase great seats for my mother to see Eydie Gorme & Steve Lawrence! Although I lost touch I periodically kept up on his career through the trades. His continued success never surprised me.
I wish Larry and Claudia (his girlfriend back then) much joy in this new chapter of their lives.
Best,
Susan Panitz
________________________________
Bob: I didn't know Larry Vallon is retiring. Thanks so much for your piece. Larry is one of the nicest, most trustworthy people I've ever worked with. We did so many shows together when I was managing Kenny Rogers, Lionel Richie, Travis Tritt, Trisha Yearwood, etc. that I can't count them. We rarely see each other these days but I will truly miss him and so will our whole industry. Ken
Ken Kragen
________________________________
Amazing night, and a more amazing man in Larry Vallon.
A true gentleman in every sense of the word.
I am Blessed to have Larry as a professional mentor, but far more so to count Larry as a friend.
Mark Girton
________________________________
Thanks for sharing this Bob, I'm one of many people that are grateful to Larry and his wife Claudia for their kindness and generosity.
I was a kid growing up in LA in the 1970's, and Larry and his wife Claudia became good friends with my Mom, who had recently divorced , and was tying to make ends meet as a nursery school teacher in Santa Monica.
Larry many times gave us tickets to see the bands that I loved (Aerosmith, Boston, Linda Ronstadt) that my Mom could not have purchased otherwise, had us over to their house in the Palisades, or Larry might swing by our house in West LA to grab lunch at Tito's Tacos. Can't tell you how much that meant to a 9 year old kid who was acutely aware that his Mom was working hard to just keep the family afloat.
Those first shows I went to as kid as Larry's guest made me a life long music fan, a DJ and program director at my college radio station, and working for many years in the music business in distribution and at labels, seeing hundreds of live shows along the way. Today I'm still thrilled when the house lights are lowered and the band comes out on stage to start to play.
Though I'm a huge fan, I never landed a job in the concert promotion end of things, so unfortunately I haven't crossed paths with Larry or reconnected since I was a young kid.
Looking back now as an adult, I'm grateful to Larry for those first shows that planted the bug to pursue music as a career, but even more so that he was a young guy in his mid- 20's that was kind enough to share some time and affection with a little kid who really needed both. I doubt if he knew at that time how much it meant that a young adult would think that I was an interesting or funny kid, but with little else going well in my house it was a rare point of pride for me that Larry treated me like a friend, talking about music, TV, the Dodgers or whatever, and I just happened to be a kid.
I'm sure he has done a thousand small kindnesses during his career, and I hope that many people had the chance to thank him in person at his 'farewell tour' evening. I thank Larry and Claudia for the kindness and love they shared with my Mom and myself during a rough period for us, we were so lucky to have such kind and caring friends. No doubt there are many others who share this sentiment, as good people like them just can't contain their kindness, it flows out of them into everyone they encounter.
Please share this with Larry if you could, and thank you for sharing your thoughts and life with us.
Thanks!
Jay Manning
________________________________
I first met Larry in 1985 when I was given the opportunity to interview with him and Jay Marciano for a promotion/publicity gig at the Universal Amphitheatre. I felt immediate rapport with Larry and Jay, and I thought the interview was going well. Then I was handed a sheet of paper with about ten bullet pointed job "requirements," most of which I had little to no experience with. I looked it over and, rather than try to bullshit these two, and with nothing to lose, said, "I don't know most of this stuff, but I could learn." I will never forget, or cease to grateful for, their enthusiastic, "He could learn!," response. This was a classic case of being the right guy at the right time: I got them, and they got me. I was determined to never give them cause to doubt their confidence in me.
Larry was a tremendous boss and mentor to me. He kept me on my toes, as nothing - not the smallest of details - got past him. He always encouraged drilling down a little deeper, in search of the bigger audience. And the Uni Amp was cooking in those days: 160-some nights a year. I was thrown into the deep end with managers, agents, media types, and talent. It was a lot of hard work, and many 12 hour plus work days and nights; there was no time to fuck up or slack off. But there were a lot of laughs, stories told, and stories made. Where else would a kid like me from the blue collar suburbs of LA get to go elbow to elbow with Jack Nicholson in the Green Room? I have often referred to my time there as my Music Business grad school years.
Larry was always generous with his knowledge, his relationships and experience. He introduced me to some major players and included me in meetings above my pay grade. We had some epic trips around town in his MCA executive level vehicles to taco stands and power lunches, the beaches and foothills. And the lessons never abated; his wisdom was always wrapped in good humor, and usually with an accompanying funny, teachable moment anecdote.
When the opportunity came for me and my wife, Lori Anderson, to leave LA and move to Seattle in 1987 - me for Warner Bros., she for A&M - I felt like I was prepared to deal with anything radio promotion (and music business politics) could possibly throw at me.
I had the good fortune to have lunch with Larry last year in Los Angeles. I hadn't seen him since he and his lovely wife, Claudia came up to Seattle in 1988. After 30 years, it was if no time had passed at all. Suffice to say, I love this man and will always be grateful for his mentoring, friendship and the many kindnesses he showed me.
PS: I am reminded as I write this that when I told Larry what a big fan of the LA Rams my dad was, Larry arranged to get a team ball signed for my dad with his name custom painted on it. My unassuming, and humble father was floored by this random act of kindness. I swear I am tearing up as I write.
Larry: The nicest guy indeed.
Jim Anderson
________________________________
Sorry I wasn't able to be there. Larry is one of my favorite guys in the world. He has always been a stand up guy as well as a friend. This business is worse off without a personality like his in it these days, as the kids doing this get younger and younger, and just don't know the joy of being at risk doing this! I know Larry will enjoy time doing whatever he wants and not being married to a computer and iphone any more. Larry Vallon made this a mo betta occupation just by the fact he was here to even out the odds against the real pricks out there. I still love show business! Love ya Lar!
Danny Zelisko
________________________________
Bob, you're depressed? I spoke to Jeff Greenberg this morning and we are thinking of doing a double suicide jump off the Village Recorders!!! Maybe old habits, but I always read the Times to start my day and then onto emails. I was pleasantly surprised to see you had already written about last nights efforts to salute a dear friend and pioneer in the concert world. I was also intrigued by seeing you so involved in watching his peers salute and pay tribute to his helping hand contributions to many many lives and careers that he helped promote, let alone the artists he spent his lifetime promoting and protecting. I guess journalism is like songwriting, when you get the buzz of what is clearly a theme, you have to purge the ideas to capture the moment. Last night was such a rare event to have a room honoring one of their own, one of the "behind the scenes" legends who doesn't get headlines or glamour, just someone who loved music and loved working in that jungle to present the best concert experience for artists and fans. I especially found it ironic that the editorial section of the Times had a timely piece about how Joni Mitchell and David Hockney make LA better by showing that youth is important but so is endurance! Amen, maybe we won't jump yet.
Tom Ross
Steve Lukather
________________________________
Larry has always been one of the classiest guys in our business. We've spent many a Jazz Fest together. His love of music and people is a standard that not enough people today even strive for, let alone achieve. He represents the kind of person and executive, to say nothing of dear friend, that all of us want to be around and learn from. I hope he enjoys his so well deserved break from the madness (which I know he will also miss). The one good thing for the rest of us is that his daughter Kelly has followed her father into the business and she is the embodiment of all the things we love about her dad. So at least we will still have another Vallon in our world for years to come. Bravo, Larry! And thank you.
Michael Reinert
________________________________
How can I begin to wish our friend and cheerleader Larry Vallon best of luck.
I first met him in the late 80s when I was the young Irish guy working for all the great bands from England and we always shared a story or a laugh in those days and enjoyed the music.
The business was changing but fortunately for us we worked with such talented artists and managers that music was at the forefront of every show we did together.
More recently he was the Promoter on The Who's 50th Anniversary and he was very involved with that being such a huge success as he and his great team paved the way and guided us all through some wonderful shows.
Larry being a very modest man would travel with us on many a Tricky day and being very much part of The Who's family and always met us with a smile and a good story and was always able to deal with the extreme sense of humour within the group and especially from the great Bill Curbishley.
When The Who signed up for the historic Desert Trip shows he introduced me to the wonderful Golden Voice team led by Paul Tollet at the bands MSG shows.
The Garden being site of many a great Who show and really their second home didn't need much cheerleading from Larry that night and I watched him smile and sing along with Paul as Pete, Roger and band tore through another historic NYC Who show which laid the ground for two wonderful shows at Oldchella later that year along with all the other geezers on the bill.
At Indigo The Who proved again how audience and band are one of the same spirit.
He's a great supporter of the bands charity Teenage Cancer America which I'm sure he will continue to help on another type of great Garden shows.
Every where I go in the world everyone has a nice word to say about Larry mainly because he is one of the last remaining music biz characters who you knew was on your side through thick and thin.
You can now let your hair grow long again..thank you Larry.
Tom Kenny
________________________________
The kindest man in the biz...
Will always have the memory of
Him standing next to me at Santa Monica civic as Bruce opened for Dr. John.... he was in awe.
And I was throwing the handles On the wall mounted lighting controls.
I was 19 or 20, my first time out of Philly. Larry, thruout the years, always had a smile and kind words
for everyone.
He is the definition of a mensch.
Your description of the time is perfect.
Now we have Coachella.
Good Luck trying to b inspired.
As the cloud of greed envelops
the air that u breathe.
Thanks Larry for everything !!
xo
marc brickman
________________________________
I had the pleasure of working with Larry when he was with Concert Associates, which turned into Wolf & Rissimiller in 1970 and beyond. I got to work for them and over shows for Larry when he couldn't be there. I was so proud to being playing the role of Larry at the shows I covered for him. He was always so kind, calm and cool no matter what the situation was. I am so happy for him and honored to have known him for so many years, although I have rarely seen or talked to him in recent years. Thank you Larry for giving your friendship and life to a once great experience and business that has slipped away over the years that I have lived and will treasure in my personal memory bank till the day I die.
Thank you,
Jimmy Johnson
Worldwide Tour and Production Management
________________________________
Larry was the best!
Val Garay
________________________________
I really enjoyed this one, for many reasons, I have always held Larry in the highest regards. The Crowe story was well documented in almost famous, at least the part about him trying to get in and to go wait with the girls, I could invasion It as soon as I read the words, it's top 5 movie for me.
I just love the history of the biz, I can't get enough of it. Anyway thank you for sharing the highlights of last night. I hope you and your wonderful better half are both happy and well.
Dan Steinberg
________________________________
Bob, I was Loggins & Messina's Rd. Mgr. we did several shows with Larry Vallon at Santa Monica Civic Aud. and one in San Diego where Cameron Crowe interviewed Kenny and Jimmy. Forget who L&M opened for but Cameron might have been 18 yrs. old. Larry Vallon was great to work for and with. Johnny Palazzotto
________________________________
Thanks for this letter Bob.
Larry Vallon
Amazing career and life.
Admired and respected from the top to the bottom of the food chain.
Larry did the past few tours with The Who, a friendly face around to keep the vibes good and happy.
Larry was part of the touring crew and often jumped in at a "crew" table in catering, this makes a huge difference in morale
( when the band, mgmt and promoter are eating in catering, you know it's going to be higher standard)
Larry didn;t push his stories and experiences on you, he drew you in.
Like many of the Artists I've been humping gear for, Larry got probably worn out by the travel not the gigs.
I'm sure I'll again see him at some loading dock and get a chance to say hi and catch up
Thanks Larry
TS
________________________________
I worked with Larry from 1976-1979, handling industry/guests tickets and backstage for Wolf & Rissmiller Concerts. Larry truly was a class act and one of the nicest guys I have ever worked with (and I subsequently had a 22 year career in sports television working with mostly men)! He treated everyone equally and if there was ever a problem backstage it was never about finding fault but just "let's fix this." Wolf & Rissmiller was a very small company staff wise but we banded together to produce some of the most amazing concerts back then, whether at the Forum, SM Civic, Anaheim Convention Center, Long Beach Arena, San Diego Arena, etc. We also banded together at one of the most difficult times back then - the November 1977 murder of Steve Wolf.
I last spoke with Larry many years ago when he was with Universal Concerts. He helped me purchase great seats for my mother to see Eydie Gorme & Steve Lawrence! Although I lost touch I periodically kept up on his career through the trades. His continued success never surprised me.
I wish Larry and Claudia (his girlfriend back then) much joy in this new chapter of their lives.
Best,
Susan Panitz
________________________________
Bob: I didn't know Larry Vallon is retiring. Thanks so much for your piece. Larry is one of the nicest, most trustworthy people I've ever worked with. We did so many shows together when I was managing Kenny Rogers, Lionel Richie, Travis Tritt, Trisha Yearwood, etc. that I can't count them. We rarely see each other these days but I will truly miss him and so will our whole industry. Ken
Ken Kragen
________________________________
Amazing night, and a more amazing man in Larry Vallon.
A true gentleman in every sense of the word.
I am Blessed to have Larry as a professional mentor, but far more so to count Larry as a friend.
Mark Girton
________________________________
Thanks for sharing this Bob, I'm one of many people that are grateful to Larry and his wife Claudia for their kindness and generosity.
I was a kid growing up in LA in the 1970's, and Larry and his wife Claudia became good friends with my Mom, who had recently divorced , and was tying to make ends meet as a nursery school teacher in Santa Monica.
Larry many times gave us tickets to see the bands that I loved (Aerosmith, Boston, Linda Ronstadt) that my Mom could not have purchased otherwise, had us over to their house in the Palisades, or Larry might swing by our house in West LA to grab lunch at Tito's Tacos. Can't tell you how much that meant to a 9 year old kid who was acutely aware that his Mom was working hard to just keep the family afloat.
Those first shows I went to as kid as Larry's guest made me a life long music fan, a DJ and program director at my college radio station, and working for many years in the music business in distribution and at labels, seeing hundreds of live shows along the way. Today I'm still thrilled when the house lights are lowered and the band comes out on stage to start to play.
Though I'm a huge fan, I never landed a job in the concert promotion end of things, so unfortunately I haven't crossed paths with Larry or reconnected since I was a young kid.
Looking back now as an adult, I'm grateful to Larry for those first shows that planted the bug to pursue music as a career, but even more so that he was a young guy in his mid- 20's that was kind enough to share some time and affection with a little kid who really needed both. I doubt if he knew at that time how much it meant that a young adult would think that I was an interesting or funny kid, but with little else going well in my house it was a rare point of pride for me that Larry treated me like a friend, talking about music, TV, the Dodgers or whatever, and I just happened to be a kid.
I'm sure he has done a thousand small kindnesses during his career, and I hope that many people had the chance to thank him in person at his 'farewell tour' evening. I thank Larry and Claudia for the kindness and love they shared with my Mom and myself during a rough period for us, we were so lucky to have such kind and caring friends. No doubt there are many others who share this sentiment, as good people like them just can't contain their kindness, it flows out of them into everyone they encounter.
Please share this with Larry if you could, and thank you for sharing your thoughts and life with us.
Thanks!
Jay Manning
________________________________
I first met Larry in 1985 when I was given the opportunity to interview with him and Jay Marciano for a promotion/publicity gig at the Universal Amphitheatre. I felt immediate rapport with Larry and Jay, and I thought the interview was going well. Then I was handed a sheet of paper with about ten bullet pointed job "requirements," most of which I had little to no experience with. I looked it over and, rather than try to bullshit these two, and with nothing to lose, said, "I don't know most of this stuff, but I could learn." I will never forget, or cease to grateful for, their enthusiastic, "He could learn!," response. This was a classic case of being the right guy at the right time: I got them, and they got me. I was determined to never give them cause to doubt their confidence in me.
Larry was a tremendous boss and mentor to me. He kept me on my toes, as nothing - not the smallest of details - got past him. He always encouraged drilling down a little deeper, in search of the bigger audience. And the Uni Amp was cooking in those days: 160-some nights a year. I was thrown into the deep end with managers, agents, media types, and talent. It was a lot of hard work, and many 12 hour plus work days and nights; there was no time to fuck up or slack off. But there were a lot of laughs, stories told, and stories made. Where else would a kid like me from the blue collar suburbs of LA get to go elbow to elbow with Jack Nicholson in the Green Room? I have often referred to my time there as my Music Business grad school years.
Larry was always generous with his knowledge, his relationships and experience. He introduced me to some major players and included me in meetings above my pay grade. We had some epic trips around town in his MCA executive level vehicles to taco stands and power lunches, the beaches and foothills. And the lessons never abated; his wisdom was always wrapped in good humor, and usually with an accompanying funny, teachable moment anecdote.
When the opportunity came for me and my wife, Lori Anderson, to leave LA and move to Seattle in 1987 - me for Warner Bros., she for A&M - I felt like I was prepared to deal with anything radio promotion (and music business politics) could possibly throw at me.
I had the good fortune to have lunch with Larry last year in Los Angeles. I hadn't seen him since he and his lovely wife, Claudia came up to Seattle in 1988. After 30 years, it was if no time had passed at all. Suffice to say, I love this man and will always be grateful for his mentoring, friendship and the many kindnesses he showed me.
PS: I am reminded as I write this that when I told Larry what a big fan of the LA Rams my dad was, Larry arranged to get a team ball signed for my dad with his name custom painted on it. My unassuming, and humble father was floored by this random act of kindness. I swear I am tearing up as I write.
Larry: The nicest guy indeed.
Jim Anderson
________________________________
Sorry I wasn't able to be there. Larry is one of my favorite guys in the world. He has always been a stand up guy as well as a friend. This business is worse off without a personality like his in it these days, as the kids doing this get younger and younger, and just don't know the joy of being at risk doing this! I know Larry will enjoy time doing whatever he wants and not being married to a computer and iphone any more. Larry Vallon made this a mo betta occupation just by the fact he was here to even out the odds against the real pricks out there. I still love show business! Love ya Lar!
Danny Zelisko
________________________________
Bob, you're depressed? I spoke to Jeff Greenberg this morning and we are thinking of doing a double suicide jump off the Village Recorders!!! Maybe old habits, but I always read the Times to start my day and then onto emails. I was pleasantly surprised to see you had already written about last nights efforts to salute a dear friend and pioneer in the concert world. I was also intrigued by seeing you so involved in watching his peers salute and pay tribute to his helping hand contributions to many many lives and careers that he helped promote, let alone the artists he spent his lifetime promoting and protecting. I guess journalism is like songwriting, when you get the buzz of what is clearly a theme, you have to purge the ideas to capture the moment. Last night was such a rare event to have a room honoring one of their own, one of the "behind the scenes" legends who doesn't get headlines or glamour, just someone who loved music and loved working in that jungle to present the best concert experience for artists and fans. I especially found it ironic that the editorial section of the Times had a timely piece about how Joni Mitchell and David Hockney make LA better by showing that youth is important but so is endurance! Amen, maybe we won't jump yet.
Tom Ross
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Larry Vallon Farewell Tour
I'm so depressed.
The emcee was Bob Eubanks. I asked him about promoting the Beatles. He was just a booker, for a club in North Hollywood that's long since been gone. But the big promoter didn't want the gig. So, Bob mortgaged his house for $25,000 and got them. He made $4500 at the Hollywood Bowl that first year. He told me he was the only person still alive who promoted all three years of shows.
That's kind of my point. Not so much who is alive, but what has been gone. They say it's the same as it always was, but it's not.
John Frankenheimer stood up and told the story of meeting Larry at the Troubadour and taking him back to his house to play him a new track. While he was listening, Larry went up to the vinyl and started pulling out records, throwing them on the floor, saying YOU'VE GOT TO HEAR THIS! And they spent all night playing each other records. That's the way it used to be, that's not the way it is now.
And someone else stood up. Coulda been Steve Jensen, maybe it was Tom Ross. Not important, but they said they used to argue backstage over who the best vocalist was. Larry believed it was Burton Cummings. Whenever this person saw Larry backstage, he'd mention another vocalist, and Larry would say NOPE!
We had our opinions. We were deep into the canon. It's all that mattered to us.
Jeff Greenberg told me about the death of Steve Wolf. No one has seen Jim Rissmiller in years. Most everybody was over sixty, a bunch over seventy, they remembered, and despite movies and books you'll never understand how it was unless you were there and lived through it.
They made records before, and they've made records after. But during that window, especially from '64 to '80, music drove the culture, it was everything.
On the big screen were pictures of backstage passes. Shows at the Santa Monica Civic, which no longer hosts gigs. All those lineups at the Forum, in San Diego. It was a closed culture which excluded oldsters. You listened to the radio, you learned about the shows and in most cases no promotion was needed, the shows sold out without hype, because that's just how into it the fans were, they needed to be there, not for the selfies, not for the social media, but the music.
Sure, you can call me an oldster, even a has-been. On the other hand, I lived through the greatest era of recorded and live music, one that may never ever return.
It was all we had. There were bands, not deejays. Every local bar had one. You dreamed of getting a deal. The highest achievement was to hear your song on the radio. And to meet the band? You died and went to heaven.
Cameron Crowe told the story of going to interview Wild Turkey at the San Diego Sports Arena, a venue Pete Townshend called a "trash can."
Lester Bangs told him to just ask for Terry Ellis backstage.
But that didn't work. The security guard told Cameron he was not on the list and should go hang with the girls.
But nearly an hour later, after trying and trying to get in, Larry appeared and gave Cameron his first backstage pass, and told him to look like he belonged.
Cameron interviewed not only Wild Turkey, but Yes too, but not the headliner, Black Sabbath. And when Larry asked him how it was going and Cameron said he'd been able to interview everybody but Sabbath, Larry told him to go right in and question Ozzy, and Cameron did.
That's Larry, the nicest guy in rock and roll. At the end of his career, after fifty years.
It ends for all of us eventually.
But we didn't think it would end for us.
My old school buddies, they're all calling it a day, but not me, not so many in this business, we soldier on, still searching for that hit we once got.
I talked with Susan Rosenbluth about going on the road with BTS. The fans know the dances as well as the songs, it's a secret society, kind of like music way back when.
But can anybody be as big as the Beatles once again? Can anybody make the entire universe take a left turn?
Doubtful.
But Cameron's talking and my brain is going through the files, wasn't Wild Turkey made up of Jethro Tull refugees?
I know all this stuff. There's loads of us who do. Kinda like you knew what processor was in your computer at the turn of the century. But unlike machines, music has soul.
And everybody there got it.
Tom Ross told me about selling his vinyl. That one record, if he still had the poster, it was worth $20,000.
You see people want this stuff.
They don't want CDs, they're useless. I paid for them, I built a collection, I don't want to trash 'em, I don't want to sell them for ten cents on the dollar, but will I ever play them?
Kinda like my Nakamichi 582. I worked for months to afford it. It's still on the rack. But I haven't turned it on in years, I bet the belts are stretched out or cracked. But what it represents...PRISTINE SOUND!
We needed to get closer. Music wasn't background, it was foreground. Every day would be a listening party. Your friends would stop by and...
That's why I'm so depressed. It's sad Larry's leaving, but he's getting out in time, for whatever he got into it for is now gone.
I'm not saying I don't hear good records. But music is back to being a business, when for a while there it was life itself. Tickets were cheap, but you couldn't get them, but if you scored, you were inside, you were privileged, it was the only way to hear the band, there were no videos, rarely films, scratch a boomer and they'll tell you about their favorite shows and wax rhapsodic.
I couldn't play the radio on the way home. I left the Roxy and my spirits sank. I'm typing to you on my computer, but in the old days, I would have broken out a record, placed it on the turntable, put on the headphones, dropped the needle and turned out the lights. It would just be me in that bubble, with the music.
It was all we needed.
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The emcee was Bob Eubanks. I asked him about promoting the Beatles. He was just a booker, for a club in North Hollywood that's long since been gone. But the big promoter didn't want the gig. So, Bob mortgaged his house for $25,000 and got them. He made $4500 at the Hollywood Bowl that first year. He told me he was the only person still alive who promoted all three years of shows.
That's kind of my point. Not so much who is alive, but what has been gone. They say it's the same as it always was, but it's not.
John Frankenheimer stood up and told the story of meeting Larry at the Troubadour and taking him back to his house to play him a new track. While he was listening, Larry went up to the vinyl and started pulling out records, throwing them on the floor, saying YOU'VE GOT TO HEAR THIS! And they spent all night playing each other records. That's the way it used to be, that's not the way it is now.
And someone else stood up. Coulda been Steve Jensen, maybe it was Tom Ross. Not important, but they said they used to argue backstage over who the best vocalist was. Larry believed it was Burton Cummings. Whenever this person saw Larry backstage, he'd mention another vocalist, and Larry would say NOPE!
We had our opinions. We were deep into the canon. It's all that mattered to us.
Jeff Greenberg told me about the death of Steve Wolf. No one has seen Jim Rissmiller in years. Most everybody was over sixty, a bunch over seventy, they remembered, and despite movies and books you'll never understand how it was unless you were there and lived through it.
They made records before, and they've made records after. But during that window, especially from '64 to '80, music drove the culture, it was everything.
On the big screen were pictures of backstage passes. Shows at the Santa Monica Civic, which no longer hosts gigs. All those lineups at the Forum, in San Diego. It was a closed culture which excluded oldsters. You listened to the radio, you learned about the shows and in most cases no promotion was needed, the shows sold out without hype, because that's just how into it the fans were, they needed to be there, not for the selfies, not for the social media, but the music.
Sure, you can call me an oldster, even a has-been. On the other hand, I lived through the greatest era of recorded and live music, one that may never ever return.
It was all we had. There were bands, not deejays. Every local bar had one. You dreamed of getting a deal. The highest achievement was to hear your song on the radio. And to meet the band? You died and went to heaven.
Cameron Crowe told the story of going to interview Wild Turkey at the San Diego Sports Arena, a venue Pete Townshend called a "trash can."
Lester Bangs told him to just ask for Terry Ellis backstage.
But that didn't work. The security guard told Cameron he was not on the list and should go hang with the girls.
But nearly an hour later, after trying and trying to get in, Larry appeared and gave Cameron his first backstage pass, and told him to look like he belonged.
Cameron interviewed not only Wild Turkey, but Yes too, but not the headliner, Black Sabbath. And when Larry asked him how it was going and Cameron said he'd been able to interview everybody but Sabbath, Larry told him to go right in and question Ozzy, and Cameron did.
That's Larry, the nicest guy in rock and roll. At the end of his career, after fifty years.
It ends for all of us eventually.
But we didn't think it would end for us.
My old school buddies, they're all calling it a day, but not me, not so many in this business, we soldier on, still searching for that hit we once got.
I talked with Susan Rosenbluth about going on the road with BTS. The fans know the dances as well as the songs, it's a secret society, kind of like music way back when.
But can anybody be as big as the Beatles once again? Can anybody make the entire universe take a left turn?
Doubtful.
But Cameron's talking and my brain is going through the files, wasn't Wild Turkey made up of Jethro Tull refugees?
I know all this stuff. There's loads of us who do. Kinda like you knew what processor was in your computer at the turn of the century. But unlike machines, music has soul.
And everybody there got it.
Tom Ross told me about selling his vinyl. That one record, if he still had the poster, it was worth $20,000.
You see people want this stuff.
They don't want CDs, they're useless. I paid for them, I built a collection, I don't want to trash 'em, I don't want to sell them for ten cents on the dollar, but will I ever play them?
Kinda like my Nakamichi 582. I worked for months to afford it. It's still on the rack. But I haven't turned it on in years, I bet the belts are stretched out or cracked. But what it represents...PRISTINE SOUND!
We needed to get closer. Music wasn't background, it was foreground. Every day would be a listening party. Your friends would stop by and...
That's why I'm so depressed. It's sad Larry's leaving, but he's getting out in time, for whatever he got into it for is now gone.
I'm not saying I don't hear good records. But music is back to being a business, when for a while there it was life itself. Tickets were cheap, but you couldn't get them, but if you scored, you were inside, you were privileged, it was the only way to hear the band, there were no videos, rarely films, scratch a boomer and they'll tell you about their favorite shows and wax rhapsodic.
I couldn't play the radio on the way home. I left the Roxy and my spirits sank. I'm typing to you on my computer, but in the old days, I would have broken out a record, placed it on the turntable, put on the headphones, dropped the needle and turned out the lights. It would just be me in that bubble, with the music.
It was all we needed.
https://twitter.com/Lefsetz/status/1100296135732654080
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Monday 25 February 2019
Best Second Albums-SiriusXM This Week
Marc Reiter will be returning for one of his parlor games.
I'll let him describe it:
Best Second Albums EVER (or, No Sophomore Slumps!): Those Artists Whose Second Albums Topped Their Strong Debuts (or at least gave it a run for its money!).
As the cliche goes, "You have your whole life to write your first album, and only eighteen months to write your second one!", so the pressure's on when it comes time to follow up that strong debut release. We're going to explore some of the best one-two punches in the history of popular music. You may agree; you may disagree; and maybe you have a few that we haven't thought of! Remember, the artist must have a good first AND second album…we're not looking at One Hit Wonders, or Strong Growers (those who grew dramatically between their first and second albums)…Those are different themes altogether!
Some Examples:
Police
"Outlandos D'Amour" vs "Regatta De Blanc"
Elvis Costello
"My Aim Is True" vs "This Year's Model"
(I don't agree with this, I much prefer the first with Clover as opposed to the second with the Attractions.)
Led Zeppelin
"Led Zeppelin I" vs "Led Zeppelin II"
("II" was more popular, but "I" was darker and I still prefer it.)
Radiohead
"Pablo Honey" vs "The Bends"
Beastie Boys
"Licensed To Ill" vs "Paul's Boutique"
You get the idea.
Tune in tomorrow, Tuesday February 26th, on Volume 106, 7 PM East, 4 PM West.
Phone #: 844-6-VOLUME, 844-686-5863
Twitter: @siriusxmvolume/#lefsetzlive
Hear the episode live on SiriusXM VOLUME: siriusxm.us/HearLefsetzLive
If you miss the episode, you can hear it on demand on the SiriusXM app: siriusxm.us/LefsetzLive
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I'll let him describe it:
Best Second Albums EVER (or, No Sophomore Slumps!): Those Artists Whose Second Albums Topped Their Strong Debuts (or at least gave it a run for its money!).
As the cliche goes, "You have your whole life to write your first album, and only eighteen months to write your second one!", so the pressure's on when it comes time to follow up that strong debut release. We're going to explore some of the best one-two punches in the history of popular music. You may agree; you may disagree; and maybe you have a few that we haven't thought of! Remember, the artist must have a good first AND second album…we're not looking at One Hit Wonders, or Strong Growers (those who grew dramatically between their first and second albums)…Those are different themes altogether!
Some Examples:
Police
"Outlandos D'Amour" vs "Regatta De Blanc"
Elvis Costello
"My Aim Is True" vs "This Year's Model"
(I don't agree with this, I much prefer the first with Clover as opposed to the second with the Attractions.)
Led Zeppelin
"Led Zeppelin I" vs "Led Zeppelin II"
("II" was more popular, but "I" was darker and I still prefer it.)
Radiohead
"Pablo Honey" vs "The Bends"
Beastie Boys
"Licensed To Ill" vs "Paul's Boutique"
You get the idea.
Tune in tomorrow, Tuesday February 26th, on Volume 106, 7 PM East, 4 PM West.
Phone #: 844-6-VOLUME, 844-686-5863
Twitter: @siriusxmvolume/#lefsetzlive
Hear the episode live on SiriusXM VOLUME: siriusxm.us/HearLefsetzLive
If you miss the episode, you can hear it on demand on the SiriusXM app: siriusxm.us/LefsetzLive
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Mailbag
From: Allen Kovac
Subject: Re: Music Is Like Politics
I really appreciate your view. However, it's already happened. Independent labels are primarily, not in the hip-hop business. As a matter of fact they are not into pop.
Independents have almost a 40 percent market share. Beggars, Big Machine, Glassnote, E7, and the other indies are developing artists. They do not suffer from the stress of manufacturing a hit for a quarter. They are wholly owned and operated, with a mission of artists development. They build careers for artists that tour for decades.
Manufacturing music for artists that tour only 20 major market, and a handful of capital cities, is a disaster for the majors. These artists who average 9.1 writers per hit song are perishable. They have a short shelf life. Hence they won't replace The Stones, The Eagles, U2, Prince.....
What are promoters to do then? What are the majors going to do? The first answer is Live Nation, through Liberty Media, has Ticketmaster, Promoters, SiriusXM, and now Pandora. Universal labels have all concentrated on hip-Hop and pop, and are now selling 50 percent. Why, because they know they have dropped out of career artists development. The haven't built catalogs for 20 years. Why else would they sell 50 percent when streaming is at a very early stage?
Allen
___________________________________________
From: Ritch Esra
Subject: Music is Like Poitics
"Yes, now is when major labels should be developing acts. They think if anything gains traction they'll be able to hoover it up. But that's so last century"
Bob,
Such a great piece. You have no any idea prescient your above statement is and it's already started to occur on a small (BUT VERY CONSISTANT LEVEL)
For the last 2 days, I have been shooting interviews for my youtube channel MUBUTV (Music Business Television) with Major Label A&R Executives, Managers, Producers, Artists as well as some of the new Label Services companies (BMG & AWAL) and one of the things that the Major Label A&R executives told me they continue to confront over the last 2 years is finding new artists and acts they really love WHO DON'T WANT TO SIGN WITH MAJOR LABELS at all.
The really smart ones (who have done all of the very hard development work over the last few years) no longer believe that the Major Labels can take their career to the next level.
(The only exceptions to this were pure Top 40/CHR Acts)
Many spoke about how the majors have "completely abdicated the development process to the natural forces of the marketplace" – One guest said it's like they're saying "You tell us (via streaming, social media, etc.) if there's an audience for your music because we certainly haven't got a fucking clue"
I was told on 3 separate occasions "The success of new models (BMG Labels Services, AWAL, etc.) etc. have successfully in many cases put an enormous amount of pressure on Major Labels to change certain "long held policies" if we want to continue to be competitive in the A&R process today"
On a much deeper level, it's that the "Definition of Success" today has radically changed and more and artists no longer believe that Major Labels can automatically deliver that to them and that's not a tide that they see changing anytime soon.
?
R
___________________________________________
From: Seymour Stein
Subject: Re: Mailbag
To: Sally Grossman
Cc: Bob Lefsetz
So glad to see and read your e-mail in today's Lefsetz report. Tried calling and left message on one of your lines.
Your e-mail brought back a flood of memories about you and Albert. So sorry that we haven't seen each other in a while. I've been incredibly busy working on building new situation(s,) since leaving Warner's in August. Please call me if you're coming to New York. If Mandy comes to New York we'll come visit you.
Sally, you and Albert have always been hero's of mine. Sadly, there are not enough managers inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. I don't think people realize that management is as or more important and difficult than A&R and/or running a successful label.
Andrew Loog Oldham was inducted for Rolling Stones and Brian Epstein for the Beatles I'm certain Andrew feels strongly about Albert
Albert managed worked hard and n some cases discovered and was certainly instrumental in building careers of Bob Dylan, Peter Paul & Mary, the Byrds, Janis Joplin. Todd Rundgren, Paul Butterfield and one of my favorites, Ritchie Havens.
Albert also founded and successfully ran Bearsville label.
I can think of several people who have been thus far overlooked with regard to HofF, but no one, more important comes to mind than Albert.
I'm reminded as I write, that Paolo Della Puppa and I were set to have dinner with Albert at MIDEM the night he was meant to arrive. Instead, the evening was turned into into a memorial service on the grounds of Moulin de Moulin's run by legendary chef Roger Verge.
Although there were many of the Jewish faith at MIDEM, the role of conducting the service fell to me. Because of my Orthodox upbringing, I was able to remember most of the prayers by heart.
Afterwards, we were hosted by Roger for dinner. Everyone respected Albert. Everyone respected Roger, especially Shep Gordon who soon after, started managing chefs, first and foremost Roger. It even rubbed off on Paolo who runs some of the best restaurants in New York and LA. _____ will be pleased to take you to Via Quadronno, when you are next in New York.
Much love, Sally.
Seymour
___________________________________________
From: Rivers Cuomo
Hey Bob,
Long-time reader here! I've been following you since your Coldplay piece that came out around 2008. You've turned me onto many great things including Spotify, Stranger Things, and the Amazon Echo. I really love the way you write--simple, yet always poetic, like the best song lyrics.
In fact, I used a couple of your lines on the new Weezer album :)
'I'm still trying to figure out my life' in the bridge of LIVING IN L.A. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fEzSWs5Q1_s
'I'm so high on cookies it's INSANE' in the pre of TOO MANY THOUGHTS IN MY HEAD (not out yet)
They sound great. I hope you don't mind.
Keep up the good work!
Your fellow Connecticutian and Santa Monican,
Rivers (from Weezer)
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Subject: Re: Music Is Like Politics
I really appreciate your view. However, it's already happened. Independent labels are primarily, not in the hip-hop business. As a matter of fact they are not into pop.
Independents have almost a 40 percent market share. Beggars, Big Machine, Glassnote, E7, and the other indies are developing artists. They do not suffer from the stress of manufacturing a hit for a quarter. They are wholly owned and operated, with a mission of artists development. They build careers for artists that tour for decades.
Manufacturing music for artists that tour only 20 major market, and a handful of capital cities, is a disaster for the majors. These artists who average 9.1 writers per hit song are perishable. They have a short shelf life. Hence they won't replace The Stones, The Eagles, U2, Prince.....
What are promoters to do then? What are the majors going to do? The first answer is Live Nation, through Liberty Media, has Ticketmaster, Promoters, SiriusXM, and now Pandora. Universal labels have all concentrated on hip-Hop and pop, and are now selling 50 percent. Why, because they know they have dropped out of career artists development. The haven't built catalogs for 20 years. Why else would they sell 50 percent when streaming is at a very early stage?
Allen
___________________________________________
From: Ritch Esra
Subject: Music is Like Poitics
"Yes, now is when major labels should be developing acts. They think if anything gains traction they'll be able to hoover it up. But that's so last century"
Bob,
Such a great piece. You have no any idea prescient your above statement is and it's already started to occur on a small (BUT VERY CONSISTANT LEVEL)
For the last 2 days, I have been shooting interviews for my youtube channel MUBUTV (Music Business Television) with Major Label A&R Executives, Managers, Producers, Artists as well as some of the new Label Services companies (BMG & AWAL) and one of the things that the Major Label A&R executives told me they continue to confront over the last 2 years is finding new artists and acts they really love WHO DON'T WANT TO SIGN WITH MAJOR LABELS at all.
The really smart ones (who have done all of the very hard development work over the last few years) no longer believe that the Major Labels can take their career to the next level.
(The only exceptions to this were pure Top 40/CHR Acts)
Many spoke about how the majors have "completely abdicated the development process to the natural forces of the marketplace" – One guest said it's like they're saying "You tell us (via streaming, social media, etc.) if there's an audience for your music because we certainly haven't got a fucking clue"
I was told on 3 separate occasions "The success of new models (BMG Labels Services, AWAL, etc.) etc. have successfully in many cases put an enormous amount of pressure on Major Labels to change certain "long held policies" if we want to continue to be competitive in the A&R process today"
On a much deeper level, it's that the "Definition of Success" today has radically changed and more and artists no longer believe that Major Labels can automatically deliver that to them and that's not a tide that they see changing anytime soon.
?
R
___________________________________________
From: Seymour Stein
Subject: Re: Mailbag
To: Sally Grossman
Cc: Bob Lefsetz
So glad to see and read your e-mail in today's Lefsetz report. Tried calling and left message on one of your lines.
Your e-mail brought back a flood of memories about you and Albert. So sorry that we haven't seen each other in a while. I've been incredibly busy working on building new situation(s,) since leaving Warner's in August. Please call me if you're coming to New York. If Mandy comes to New York we'll come visit you.
Sally, you and Albert have always been hero's of mine. Sadly, there are not enough managers inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. I don't think people realize that management is as or more important and difficult than A&R and/or running a successful label.
Andrew Loog Oldham was inducted for Rolling Stones and Brian Epstein for the Beatles I'm certain Andrew feels strongly about Albert
Albert managed worked hard and n some cases discovered and was certainly instrumental in building careers of Bob Dylan, Peter Paul & Mary, the Byrds, Janis Joplin. Todd Rundgren, Paul Butterfield and one of my favorites, Ritchie Havens.
Albert also founded and successfully ran Bearsville label.
I can think of several people who have been thus far overlooked with regard to HofF, but no one, more important comes to mind than Albert.
I'm reminded as I write, that Paolo Della Puppa and I were set to have dinner with Albert at MIDEM the night he was meant to arrive. Instead, the evening was turned into into a memorial service on the grounds of Moulin de Moulin's run by legendary chef Roger Verge.
Although there were many of the Jewish faith at MIDEM, the role of conducting the service fell to me. Because of my Orthodox upbringing, I was able to remember most of the prayers by heart.
Afterwards, we were hosted by Roger for dinner. Everyone respected Albert. Everyone respected Roger, especially Shep Gordon who soon after, started managing chefs, first and foremost Roger. It even rubbed off on Paolo who runs some of the best restaurants in New York and LA. _____ will be pleased to take you to Via Quadronno, when you are next in New York.
Much love, Sally.
Seymour
___________________________________________
From: Rivers Cuomo
Hey Bob,
Long-time reader here! I've been following you since your Coldplay piece that came out around 2008. You've turned me onto many great things including Spotify, Stranger Things, and the Amazon Echo. I really love the way you write--simple, yet always poetic, like the best song lyrics.
In fact, I used a couple of your lines on the new Weezer album :)
'I'm still trying to figure out my life' in the bridge of LIVING IN L.A. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fEzSWs5Q1_s
'I'm so high on cookies it's INSANE' in the pre of TOO MANY THOUGHTS IN MY HEAD (not out yet)
They sound great. I hope you don't mind.
Keep up the good work!
Your fellow Connecticutian and Santa Monican,
Rivers (from Weezer)
--
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--
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Sunday 24 February 2019
The Oscars
And the winner is...
MUSIC!
Come on. The Grammys are over-debated, the performances not only leaked, but promoted. But when Queen came on the stage to rock us...
THEY DID!
Generations have passed. Our parents are either deceased or in the old folks' home. We rockers, who grew up with the Beatles, we remember, this is our history, it's non only classic rock, IT'S OUR CLASSICAL MUSIC!
And sure, Adam Lambert is no Freddie Mercury, BUT WHO COULD BE?
So we've got septuagenarian Brian May with his Einstein hair and his tiny guitar wailing and taking us on a ride where the music transcends the ceremony. The only problem with the whole affair was that they didn't end the show with "Bohemian Rhapsody." That would have been fitting, with the audience yelling SCARAMOUCH, SCARAMOUCH...
Can you do the fandango?
No one would have left, because music infects your soul, and once bitten you can't let go.
And then you had Lady Gaga's impassioned speech. In an era where everybody thinks they can do it, it's still about hard work. Or as that seer Bon Scott once sang, "It's a long way to the top if you wanna rock 'n roll."
It most certainly is. You've got to practice in obscurity, you've got to waver in the dream, and one of the great things about Gaga was she had no airs, not even any charisma, she was just another girl who wanted to make it, and having her dream come true brought tears to her eyes. Yes, very few of us get there, most of us get sidetracked, by work, family, obligations. But some who are single-minded arrive, and they're a beacon to the rest of us, that with the same hard work...just maybe.
And when Rami Malek won Best Actor, and you saw the footage, you felt the electricity, the power of rock and roll. That's what's been missing, that essence, that takes over your body, that focuses your attention, that makes you want to get up and DANCE!
And when it was all over, at the Elton John party the auctioneer took the stage.
Yes, I was privileged enough to go. Pay your dues, maybe you can too.
And what was astounding was how much money these people had. No one recognizable, not that there were not some famous faces right in front of us, Jane Seymour and Peter Fonda flanking Bernie Taupin... It's hard to get the image of Peter on that hog out of my mind, surfing the zeitgeist. But "Easy Rider" was before "Jaws" and "Star Wars" and blockbusters, when if a film made a statement, it might be heard, it might even become a phenomenon.
But these unknowns are spending hundreds of thousands of dollars. The woman who won Elton's autographed piano said she was gonna sell one of her seven luxury cars to pay for it. And if the average Trump voter were there, their head would have exploded. It's one thing to debate whether you want something, it's quite another to find out the price is more than your annual salary.
And the last item up for auction was...
Attendance at the "Rocketman" premiere in London on May 21st.
Will history repeat? Split Enz told us no, but now Neil Finn is on tour with Fleetwood Mac, so maybe lightning does strike twice.
"Bohemian Rhapsody" was quite the surprise. And we're not sure exactly why it was successful. I think it's the music, the story, the fantasy... That's how it used to be, you dreamed of becoming a rock star, you felt if you met your musical hero your life would be complete.
But after getting to 30k, the auctioneer halted the proceedings. He said he was breaking protocol. He called Taron Egerton to the stage, to goose the bids.
Taron is the star of "Rocketman." I don't think he looks exactly like Elton but...
Then the auctioneer asked Taron to sing. And then I realized, this is probably why Taron got the gig.
But Taron begged off. Said his piano playing was rusty.
And then...
EJ ambles on stage. He moves slowly from the right to the left, sits down at the piano and then...
"Blue jean baby, L.A. lady"
The audience stands up at attention, like we're automatons controlled by an outside force. And in this case we are, by music.
You can see Elton's fingers upon the keys. I'm sure someone else could play the notes, but not like the man who wrote him. His digits are rolling and the jet takes off and...
We're suddenly in Never Never Land.
I'm grinning from ear to ear. You know the experience, you've been at the gig, when they're playing your favorite song, the one that you played at home, on the road, that got you through, and for this moment...
This is the only place you want to be.
And "Tiny Dancer" is a long song, with many verses and changes. And Taron's doing a good job, but Elton is holding back, mouthing the words, and then...
EJ comes in on harmonies. I could pinch myself. Obviously this was a rehearsed moment, but still... No Oscar winning film can take you to this place.
And they ended up selling three of these premiere trips for 200k apiece.
But it's a very good cause. David Furnish was reciting the numbers, especially in the African-American community, where males don't want to admit they've got the virus, submit to treatment.
But ain't that guys in general. We buck up, but when the music plays, we melt. Hell, it's no different with Black Sabbath, the music will set you free if you surrender to it.
And we want to surrender, we want to be infected.
And it turns out that in the seventies we all were and have not forgotten, these tunes are in our bones, in our DNA.
And the internet is keeping them alive. Younger generations realize their power. Which is why Elton John sells out every gig and the Eagles play stadiums. Sure, it could be the last time around, but where else are you gonna get that hit?
So, despite the debacle of the Grammys...the infighting, the arguing, the show that appeals to nobody...the truth is music itself is alive and kicking, very healthy, not on life support. It's got a power that will shake your limbs and shiver your soul. And the public knows. Nobody in Hollywood predicted "Bohemian Rhapsody"'s success.
But in the immortal words of Eric Carmen...
THAT'S ROCK AND ROLL!
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MUSIC!
Come on. The Grammys are over-debated, the performances not only leaked, but promoted. But when Queen came on the stage to rock us...
THEY DID!
Generations have passed. Our parents are either deceased or in the old folks' home. We rockers, who grew up with the Beatles, we remember, this is our history, it's non only classic rock, IT'S OUR CLASSICAL MUSIC!
And sure, Adam Lambert is no Freddie Mercury, BUT WHO COULD BE?
So we've got septuagenarian Brian May with his Einstein hair and his tiny guitar wailing and taking us on a ride where the music transcends the ceremony. The only problem with the whole affair was that they didn't end the show with "Bohemian Rhapsody." That would have been fitting, with the audience yelling SCARAMOUCH, SCARAMOUCH...
Can you do the fandango?
No one would have left, because music infects your soul, and once bitten you can't let go.
And then you had Lady Gaga's impassioned speech. In an era where everybody thinks they can do it, it's still about hard work. Or as that seer Bon Scott once sang, "It's a long way to the top if you wanna rock 'n roll."
It most certainly is. You've got to practice in obscurity, you've got to waver in the dream, and one of the great things about Gaga was she had no airs, not even any charisma, she was just another girl who wanted to make it, and having her dream come true brought tears to her eyes. Yes, very few of us get there, most of us get sidetracked, by work, family, obligations. But some who are single-minded arrive, and they're a beacon to the rest of us, that with the same hard work...just maybe.
And when Rami Malek won Best Actor, and you saw the footage, you felt the electricity, the power of rock and roll. That's what's been missing, that essence, that takes over your body, that focuses your attention, that makes you want to get up and DANCE!
And when it was all over, at the Elton John party the auctioneer took the stage.
Yes, I was privileged enough to go. Pay your dues, maybe you can too.
And what was astounding was how much money these people had. No one recognizable, not that there were not some famous faces right in front of us, Jane Seymour and Peter Fonda flanking Bernie Taupin... It's hard to get the image of Peter on that hog out of my mind, surfing the zeitgeist. But "Easy Rider" was before "Jaws" and "Star Wars" and blockbusters, when if a film made a statement, it might be heard, it might even become a phenomenon.
But these unknowns are spending hundreds of thousands of dollars. The woman who won Elton's autographed piano said she was gonna sell one of her seven luxury cars to pay for it. And if the average Trump voter were there, their head would have exploded. It's one thing to debate whether you want something, it's quite another to find out the price is more than your annual salary.
And the last item up for auction was...
Attendance at the "Rocketman" premiere in London on May 21st.
Will history repeat? Split Enz told us no, but now Neil Finn is on tour with Fleetwood Mac, so maybe lightning does strike twice.
"Bohemian Rhapsody" was quite the surprise. And we're not sure exactly why it was successful. I think it's the music, the story, the fantasy... That's how it used to be, you dreamed of becoming a rock star, you felt if you met your musical hero your life would be complete.
But after getting to 30k, the auctioneer halted the proceedings. He said he was breaking protocol. He called Taron Egerton to the stage, to goose the bids.
Taron is the star of "Rocketman." I don't think he looks exactly like Elton but...
Then the auctioneer asked Taron to sing. And then I realized, this is probably why Taron got the gig.
But Taron begged off. Said his piano playing was rusty.
And then...
EJ ambles on stage. He moves slowly from the right to the left, sits down at the piano and then...
"Blue jean baby, L.A. lady"
The audience stands up at attention, like we're automatons controlled by an outside force. And in this case we are, by music.
You can see Elton's fingers upon the keys. I'm sure someone else could play the notes, but not like the man who wrote him. His digits are rolling and the jet takes off and...
We're suddenly in Never Never Land.
I'm grinning from ear to ear. You know the experience, you've been at the gig, when they're playing your favorite song, the one that you played at home, on the road, that got you through, and for this moment...
This is the only place you want to be.
And "Tiny Dancer" is a long song, with many verses and changes. And Taron's doing a good job, but Elton is holding back, mouthing the words, and then...
EJ comes in on harmonies. I could pinch myself. Obviously this was a rehearsed moment, but still... No Oscar winning film can take you to this place.
And they ended up selling three of these premiere trips for 200k apiece.
But it's a very good cause. David Furnish was reciting the numbers, especially in the African-American community, where males don't want to admit they've got the virus, submit to treatment.
But ain't that guys in general. We buck up, but when the music plays, we melt. Hell, it's no different with Black Sabbath, the music will set you free if you surrender to it.
And we want to surrender, we want to be infected.
And it turns out that in the seventies we all were and have not forgotten, these tunes are in our bones, in our DNA.
And the internet is keeping them alive. Younger generations realize their power. Which is why Elton John sells out every gig and the Eagles play stadiums. Sure, it could be the last time around, but where else are you gonna get that hit?
So, despite the debacle of the Grammys...the infighting, the arguing, the show that appeals to nobody...the truth is music itself is alive and kicking, very healthy, not on life support. It's got a power that will shake your limbs and shiver your soul. And the public knows. Nobody in Hollywood predicted "Bohemian Rhapsody"'s success.
But in the immortal words of Eric Carmen...
THAT'S ROCK AND ROLL!
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