Re: Fox News Scandal
What scandal? Is this subject line just click bait? I have no earthly idea what you are trying to say. If you have something to say then just say it, for god's sake.
David Murphy
________
Previous e-mail from Mr. Murphy:
Re: The Unrest In China
JFC Bob - you couldn't get three paragraphs into a piece on China without bringing up Trump?
Get over it man. He's gone, he's over. Nothing to be afraid of anymore. Move the f**k on.
David Murphy
__________________________________
Re: Biden's Speech
How in the world are you able to get your head so far up your ass?
Truly remarkable.
David Murphy
__________________________________
Re: Biden
Bob - you really should think twice before weighing in on politics. It makes you sound simple.
"The right" didn't define Biden as old, doddering and senile - people can see with their own eyes what he is, in spite of media attempts to cover for him. It is unsettling for Americans to have this person running the country and embarrassing to have him representing us on the world stage.
That's about as far as I could get with this diatribe. Defending Biden and promoting Newsome as being presidential timber is not a good look. Saying Kamala knows how to "make news" is true but is it the kind of news you want form your party? She's a laughingstock.
Democrats are in for a well-deserved beating this fall and it is all due to self-inflicted wounds.
David Murphy
__________________________________
Re: Musk Self-Immolates
Musk predicted "The Left" would come after him. Not at all surprised to see you chiming in.
It's baffling how a man who has done more to improve the lot of humankind than any other could stir up so much ire.
He is now seen as a threat to the grand plans of the left to control speech - so he must be destroyed. So far, no one has withstood this kind of retribution - certainly not Trump, although he is still a thorn in the Democrats' hides. But Musk is a different species altogether. He has the resources and seems willing to commit them to whatever extent necessary. He is also smarter than any ten NY Times staffers combined. Actually, he has no match at all - left or right.
David Murphy
__________________________________
Re: A Little More Abortion
For all the self-referential material you spin out, you are one of the least introspective people that I follow. You need to check in with Joe Rogan. I recently discovered that he is nothing like the hateful low-life that leftist media tried to make him out to be. He is reasonable and open to ALL points of view and can hold his own in a discussion of topics which you might find difficult to defend. His conversations with people as opposite as Bill Maher and David Mamet are instructive, enjoyable - really good media.
__________________________________
Re: Ukraine
I'm surprised I had to scroll all the way down to the 16th paragraph before Trump's name came up. Trying to blame what's happening in the world now on Trump - or Tucker Carlson - is foolish. This would not be happening if Trump wasn't replaced by this feeble old man - period. The Democrat party is responsible for this terrible shift in world politics and our allies know it. The US could be finished as the primary world power - we will soon see. Up until last year, we were the world's leading producer/exporter of energy products - thank you Donald Trump. No longer - thank you Biden & Co. Russia and China are focused on expanding their empires and we are focused on expanding our deficit spending and which f**king pronouns are appropriate.
Democrats have failed this country and you don't even have the balls to admit it - that's why you feel so alone. I would say "come in, the water's fine" but it's not.
David Murphy
__________________________________
Re: Biden Plays Offense
I don't have to say much - you are going to hear plenty about the foolishness on full display in this essay. I will simply say this: the Biden administration and the Democrat party in general have brought the country to what is shaping up to be the most destructive period in my lifetime - 70 years - and maybe since the Civil War. If you can't see this, at least try to understand why a majority of people in this country do. As far as Republicans "circling the wagons", consider this: there is no f**king way Republicans could pass the kind of legislation the Dems are proposing and will likely pass with such a thin majority.
Biden is being a leader? You debase yourself.
Dave Murphy
__________________________________
And many more...
__________________________________
P.S. foxnews.com still has not reported on the Fox/Dominion depositions/information
"Fox Stars Privately Expressed Disbelief About Election Fraud Claims. 'Crazy Stuff.' - The comments, by Tucker Carlson, Sean Hannity and others, were released as part of a defamation suit against Fox News by Dominion Voter Systems.": https://nyti.ms/3Ke0OiC
--
Visit the archive: http://lefsetz.com/wordpress/
--
Listen to the podcast:
-iHeart: https://ihr.fm/2Gi5PFj
-Apple: https://apple.co/2ndmpvp
--
http://www.twitter.com/lefsetz
--
If you would like to subscribe to the LefsetzLetter,
http://www.lefsetz.com/lists/?p=subscribe&id=1
If you do not want to receive any more LefsetzLetters, http://lefsetz.com/lists/?p=unsubscribe&uid=0eecea7b60b461717065cbde887c8e25
To change your email address http://lefsetz.com/lists/?p=preferences&uid=0eecea7b60b461717065cbde887c8e25
Saturday 18 February 2023
Fox News Scandal
This is what happens when you tell people what they want to hear.
And it doesn't only happen in politics. Music is one of the worst offenders. It's built on the premise that anyone can be a star, when this is patently untrue.
That's what people want. Optimism. They don't want to learn that it's almost impossible to make it, that few do, but even worse it takes years of hard work and dedication and a ton of luck and today even the talented don't always succeed. No, sign up for this website, we'll advertise your wares, you'll get hits, you'll go broke.
And then there's Spotify. I'm poor, I'm a musician, someone must be at fault. Yeah, you and your label. If you're so talented that you have reach and demand you can make good bucks on Spotify. Yes, the money is there for the taking if people LISTEN! But metrics, data, don't apply to these people. They're playing in the field, they feel they should be making money, it must be Spotify's fault.
Some of the worst offenders are those who profited under the old system. Where the label kept you afloat, via advances and tour support, never mind making your name via radio and press. The dirty little secret is almost none of these acts even went into royalties. That's right, THEY NEVER GOT PAID ON THEIR MUSIC! They're upside-down on their account. Which is why it was a breakthrough when major labels recently said they'd get rid of the debt and start paying royalties for the acts from the last century... Yeah, when demand is low and the acts are dead, or close to it.
And the labels are the culprits. The English government looked into this and found that it wasn't Spotify's fault, but bad record deals, i.e. the label took the lion's share of the money, that's why acts were getting paid so poorly on streaming.
Even worse are all those articles saying musicians are going broke, having to get day jobs. How about all those kids who played high school and college basketball, but couldn't make it into the NBA. Should they not have to get day jobs, should we support them too? It can't be their fault, it can't be that they're not good enough, no, the system is broken, the NBA is responsible, they need to get paid!
And change is constant, but not when it comes to music. I had a record deal and now I don't, it went from physical to virtual, I must be protected, I can't lose out.
And then there's ticketing, where even Congress got into the act, grandstanding for the public. Yes, Ticketmaster must be at fault for your inability to get into the building at a low price, hopefully in the front row. Yeah, I'm a fan and I'm ENTITLED! Somehow, supply and demand don't apply when it comes to concert tickets. Never mind that the acts are at fault. Ticketmaster has said it would go to all-in prices, but the acts don't want it, never mind that when Stubhub did this, sales went down, people were enticed by other sites offering a low face value and fees at the end. Did you see any major acts testifying in Congress? OF COURSE NOT! The system is working for them, they get paid and Ticketmaster gets all the blame.
Sure, the Fox people said one thing privately and another publicly. Secondly, the blind attorneys and brass didn't realize you settle lawsuits to squelch bad publicity. Fox will never be seen as a news outlet again, it had little credibility, now it has none. And that's bad, but...
What kind of world do we live in where the news follows the people?
This is where we are in America, people are dumb and uneducated and politicians and corporations play to this, want to keep them stupid. They demonize not only the truth, but the educated. Don't bother to jump through hoops, that's for pussies. Rebel. Stay at home. Be ignorant. Be poor. That's where the fruits are. Huh?
But it gets even worse. Like the trickle-down theory in taxes. It's never ever been proven true, quite the opposite. But people keep being told if the rich get richer, they too will gain spoils. Yeah, right.
It goes on and on. Let's demonize the takers, yeah, the people partaking of social services. When the truth is living on little from the government is not a life of luxury. You wouldn't want it. And if you don't take care of the poor, they're going to take care of you. Get a gun and lock those doors!
You can have everything.
Meanwhile you have nothing, or little.
Don't force me to get health insurance, I'd rather get sick and die. And sure, the emergency room might treat me for free, a tax on the rest of the populace, but believe me, the emergency room does not provide regular checkups, and does not take care of your teeth, a key element of your overall health.
Our entire nation can't handle the truth. And rather than tell it to them, those in power proffer falsehoods.
Not everybody can be rich, not everybody can be a star. Hell, we've had these TV singing competitions forever and not only can no one name who won "The Voice," none of them have become stars. It's all just grist for the mill.
As for playing the lottery...a tax on the poor. Buy tickets at your peril. Add up all you've spent at the end of the year, you could have at least gone out for a good meal, or a few fast food meals to add to your obesity.
I'm sick and tired of all those in power giving people false hope.
What I always tell people about entering the music business, on either side of the desk, is DON'T! Yes, I want to scare people away. Because those who really need to be in this business will, best for the rest not to waste time.
You want to work in music? People are lining up to work for FREE! They're not lining up to work as garbage men for free.
As for acts... Sure, there are barely talented beautiful people propped up by the system, but that number is lower than ever and most don't sustain. As a matter of fact, few sustain at all. And the best way to be able to sustain is to be able to play and go on the road. And that's much harder than being able to sing.
Are you really that good?
Do you really want it that much?
Are you willing to sacrifice everything to make it? Not have a family, not own a house, be broke before you possibly break through?
Then maybe...
As for the fiction that we're in a golden age of creativity...
What bunk.
Sure, the tools are in the hands of the proletariat. But the end result is not a plethora of musical acts, but wankers on social media doing stunts to get famous and rich when few do. Despite the hype, it's hard to get consistently paid in social media, even harder is to sustain, never mind the endless work involved, almost 24/7.
To say that everybody having the tools means we've got more and better stuff is to say that since everybody had a pen and paper, we should have had an overwhelming number of great writers and books. But that didn't happen. There are a limited number of people that dedicated and that talented, and even so, ultimately rendering something that will appeal to others is incredibly difficult. Yes, superstars put out stiff records, but the hoi polloi in their bungalows are going to deliver the next "Sgt. Pepper." No way.
If anything, the music of today is worse than that of yesterday because there's just not that much money in it. I mean if you want to be rich, do you want to be a musician? And look at so many of the players, they're in it for the riches and fame. Hell, Rihanna hasn't even released a record in years. It would interfere with her true business, selling cosmetics.
I mean if you're smart and educated, if you have portfolio are you really going to go into music? How many billionaires are there in music? But there are tons in finance and tech. That's where the brains go. Music is the realm of the underclass. It's not the sixties and seventies anymore, dominated by the middle class.
And where is the plethora of music entrepreneurs?
Yes, at the turn of the century everybody with money tried to strike it rich in music distribution, i.e. Napster, etc. But other than Spotify, few had any success. But that was all business. As for the art?
But you can't say this. You've got to say the music is as good as it ever was, even better! You're just old and don't understand it.
Let me ask you, was the television of the sixties, even the seventies, eighties and nineties and first decade of this century as good as it is now? NO ONE WOULD SAY THAT! So why is music flat, always the same in quality?
But this fiction is sold to keep the enterprise going, the people behind the curtain. People are invested in the fiction, they want you to pay them so they can eat. That's their scam.
Come on, those online sites that are going to host your music, get you gigs... It's about them making money, not you gaining success.
So now you're depressed. Bob, you rained on my parade!
Wimp.
Smart, informed people, who need to make it, who need to be in the game, will find a way, they always have. And when you hear their story it will not be that they signed up for all the websites, gave people all their money, no, they worked really hard on their craft, until they were really damn good, and then they sacrificed and sacrificed, built upon their successes one by one, two steps forward, one step back, until...
Maybe they had a life playing in wedding bands.
Or their band had regional success.
Or they became Elton John or the Beatles or the new Bob Dylan.
Not only do we have no new Elton John or the Beatles, they've been searching for over half a century and have never found a new Bob Dylan, not even close.
But no, the field is wide open, you're a winner, you can make it, and if you complain loud enough, the hurdles will fall, the doors will open, you will rightfully march forward into the land of luxury and ubiquity, as per your god-given right.
HOGWASH!
--
Visit the archive: http://lefsetz.com/wordpress/
--
Listen to the podcast:
-iHeart: https://ihr.fm/2Gi5PFj
-Apple: https://apple.co/2ndmpvp
--
http://www.twitter.com/lefsetz
--
If you would like to subscribe to the LefsetzLetter,
http://www.lefsetz.com/lists/?p=subscribe&id=1
If you do not want to receive any more LefsetzLetters, http://lefsetz.com/lists/?p=unsubscribe&uid=0eecea7b60b461717065cbde887c8e25
To change your email address http://lefsetz.com/lists/?p=preferences&uid=0eecea7b60b461717065cbde887c8e25
And it doesn't only happen in politics. Music is one of the worst offenders. It's built on the premise that anyone can be a star, when this is patently untrue.
That's what people want. Optimism. They don't want to learn that it's almost impossible to make it, that few do, but even worse it takes years of hard work and dedication and a ton of luck and today even the talented don't always succeed. No, sign up for this website, we'll advertise your wares, you'll get hits, you'll go broke.
And then there's Spotify. I'm poor, I'm a musician, someone must be at fault. Yeah, you and your label. If you're so talented that you have reach and demand you can make good bucks on Spotify. Yes, the money is there for the taking if people LISTEN! But metrics, data, don't apply to these people. They're playing in the field, they feel they should be making money, it must be Spotify's fault.
Some of the worst offenders are those who profited under the old system. Where the label kept you afloat, via advances and tour support, never mind making your name via radio and press. The dirty little secret is almost none of these acts even went into royalties. That's right, THEY NEVER GOT PAID ON THEIR MUSIC! They're upside-down on their account. Which is why it was a breakthrough when major labels recently said they'd get rid of the debt and start paying royalties for the acts from the last century... Yeah, when demand is low and the acts are dead, or close to it.
And the labels are the culprits. The English government looked into this and found that it wasn't Spotify's fault, but bad record deals, i.e. the label took the lion's share of the money, that's why acts were getting paid so poorly on streaming.
Even worse are all those articles saying musicians are going broke, having to get day jobs. How about all those kids who played high school and college basketball, but couldn't make it into the NBA. Should they not have to get day jobs, should we support them too? It can't be their fault, it can't be that they're not good enough, no, the system is broken, the NBA is responsible, they need to get paid!
And change is constant, but not when it comes to music. I had a record deal and now I don't, it went from physical to virtual, I must be protected, I can't lose out.
And then there's ticketing, where even Congress got into the act, grandstanding for the public. Yes, Ticketmaster must be at fault for your inability to get into the building at a low price, hopefully in the front row. Yeah, I'm a fan and I'm ENTITLED! Somehow, supply and demand don't apply when it comes to concert tickets. Never mind that the acts are at fault. Ticketmaster has said it would go to all-in prices, but the acts don't want it, never mind that when Stubhub did this, sales went down, people were enticed by other sites offering a low face value and fees at the end. Did you see any major acts testifying in Congress? OF COURSE NOT! The system is working for them, they get paid and Ticketmaster gets all the blame.
Sure, the Fox people said one thing privately and another publicly. Secondly, the blind attorneys and brass didn't realize you settle lawsuits to squelch bad publicity. Fox will never be seen as a news outlet again, it had little credibility, now it has none. And that's bad, but...
What kind of world do we live in where the news follows the people?
This is where we are in America, people are dumb and uneducated and politicians and corporations play to this, want to keep them stupid. They demonize not only the truth, but the educated. Don't bother to jump through hoops, that's for pussies. Rebel. Stay at home. Be ignorant. Be poor. That's where the fruits are. Huh?
But it gets even worse. Like the trickle-down theory in taxes. It's never ever been proven true, quite the opposite. But people keep being told if the rich get richer, they too will gain spoils. Yeah, right.
It goes on and on. Let's demonize the takers, yeah, the people partaking of social services. When the truth is living on little from the government is not a life of luxury. You wouldn't want it. And if you don't take care of the poor, they're going to take care of you. Get a gun and lock those doors!
You can have everything.
Meanwhile you have nothing, or little.
Don't force me to get health insurance, I'd rather get sick and die. And sure, the emergency room might treat me for free, a tax on the rest of the populace, but believe me, the emergency room does not provide regular checkups, and does not take care of your teeth, a key element of your overall health.
Our entire nation can't handle the truth. And rather than tell it to them, those in power proffer falsehoods.
Not everybody can be rich, not everybody can be a star. Hell, we've had these TV singing competitions forever and not only can no one name who won "The Voice," none of them have become stars. It's all just grist for the mill.
As for playing the lottery...a tax on the poor. Buy tickets at your peril. Add up all you've spent at the end of the year, you could have at least gone out for a good meal, or a few fast food meals to add to your obesity.
I'm sick and tired of all those in power giving people false hope.
What I always tell people about entering the music business, on either side of the desk, is DON'T! Yes, I want to scare people away. Because those who really need to be in this business will, best for the rest not to waste time.
You want to work in music? People are lining up to work for FREE! They're not lining up to work as garbage men for free.
As for acts... Sure, there are barely talented beautiful people propped up by the system, but that number is lower than ever and most don't sustain. As a matter of fact, few sustain at all. And the best way to be able to sustain is to be able to play and go on the road. And that's much harder than being able to sing.
Are you really that good?
Do you really want it that much?
Are you willing to sacrifice everything to make it? Not have a family, not own a house, be broke before you possibly break through?
Then maybe...
As for the fiction that we're in a golden age of creativity...
What bunk.
Sure, the tools are in the hands of the proletariat. But the end result is not a plethora of musical acts, but wankers on social media doing stunts to get famous and rich when few do. Despite the hype, it's hard to get consistently paid in social media, even harder is to sustain, never mind the endless work involved, almost 24/7.
To say that everybody having the tools means we've got more and better stuff is to say that since everybody had a pen and paper, we should have had an overwhelming number of great writers and books. But that didn't happen. There are a limited number of people that dedicated and that talented, and even so, ultimately rendering something that will appeal to others is incredibly difficult. Yes, superstars put out stiff records, but the hoi polloi in their bungalows are going to deliver the next "Sgt. Pepper." No way.
If anything, the music of today is worse than that of yesterday because there's just not that much money in it. I mean if you want to be rich, do you want to be a musician? And look at so many of the players, they're in it for the riches and fame. Hell, Rihanna hasn't even released a record in years. It would interfere with her true business, selling cosmetics.
I mean if you're smart and educated, if you have portfolio are you really going to go into music? How many billionaires are there in music? But there are tons in finance and tech. That's where the brains go. Music is the realm of the underclass. It's not the sixties and seventies anymore, dominated by the middle class.
And where is the plethora of music entrepreneurs?
Yes, at the turn of the century everybody with money tried to strike it rich in music distribution, i.e. Napster, etc. But other than Spotify, few had any success. But that was all business. As for the art?
But you can't say this. You've got to say the music is as good as it ever was, even better! You're just old and don't understand it.
Let me ask you, was the television of the sixties, even the seventies, eighties and nineties and first decade of this century as good as it is now? NO ONE WOULD SAY THAT! So why is music flat, always the same in quality?
But this fiction is sold to keep the enterprise going, the people behind the curtain. People are invested in the fiction, they want you to pay them so they can eat. That's their scam.
Come on, those online sites that are going to host your music, get you gigs... It's about them making money, not you gaining success.
So now you're depressed. Bob, you rained on my parade!
Wimp.
Smart, informed people, who need to make it, who need to be in the game, will find a way, they always have. And when you hear their story it will not be that they signed up for all the websites, gave people all their money, no, they worked really hard on their craft, until they were really damn good, and then they sacrificed and sacrificed, built upon their successes one by one, two steps forward, one step back, until...
Maybe they had a life playing in wedding bands.
Or their band had regional success.
Or they became Elton John or the Beatles or the new Bob Dylan.
Not only do we have no new Elton John or the Beatles, they've been searching for over half a century and have never found a new Bob Dylan, not even close.
But no, the field is wide open, you're a winner, you can make it, and if you complain loud enough, the hurdles will fall, the doors will open, you will rightfully march forward into the land of luxury and ubiquity, as per your god-given right.
HOGWASH!
--
Visit the archive: http://lefsetz.com/wordpress/
--
Listen to the podcast:
-iHeart: https://ihr.fm/2Gi5PFj
-Apple: https://apple.co/2ndmpvp
--
http://www.twitter.com/lefsetz
--
If you would like to subscribe to the LefsetzLetter,
http://www.lefsetz.com/lists/?p=subscribe&id=1
If you do not want to receive any more LefsetzLetters, http://lefsetz.com/lists/?p=unsubscribe&uid=0eecea7b60b461717065cbde887c8e25
To change your email address http://lefsetz.com/lists/?p=preferences&uid=0eecea7b60b461717065cbde887c8e25
Friday 17 February 2023
History Of The Rock Press-SiriusXM This Week
Tune in tomorrow, Saturday February 18th, to Faction Talk, channel 103, at 4 PM East, 1 PM West.
Phone #: 844-686-5863
Twitter: @lefsetz
If you miss the episode, you can hear it on demand on the SiriusXM app. Search: Lefsetz
--
Visit the archive: http://lefsetz.com/wordpress/
--
Listen to the podcast:
-iHeart: https://ihr.fm/2Gi5PFj
-Apple: https://apple.co/2ndmpvp
--
http://www.twitter.com/lefsetz
--
If you would like to subscribe to the LefsetzLetter,
http://www.lefsetz.com/lists/?p=subscribe&id=1
If you do not want to receive any more LefsetzLetters, http://lefsetz.com/lists/?p=unsubscribe&uid=0eecea7b60b461717065cbde887c8e25
To change your email address http://lefsetz.com/lists/?p=preferences&uid=0eecea7b60b461717065cbde887c8e25
Phone #: 844-686-5863
Twitter: @lefsetz
If you miss the episode, you can hear it on demand on the SiriusXM app. Search: Lefsetz
--
Visit the archive: http://lefsetz.com/wordpress/
--
Listen to the podcast:
-iHeart: https://ihr.fm/2Gi5PFj
-Apple: https://apple.co/2ndmpvp
--
http://www.twitter.com/lefsetz
--
If you would like to subscribe to the LefsetzLetter,
http://www.lefsetz.com/lists/?p=subscribe&id=1
If you do not want to receive any more LefsetzLetters, http://lefsetz.com/lists/?p=unsubscribe&uid=0eecea7b60b461717065cbde887c8e25
To change your email address http://lefsetz.com/lists/?p=preferences&uid=0eecea7b60b461717065cbde887c8e25
Fauda-Season 4
1
Don't tell me what happens.
We just finished five seasons of "Gomorrah." I wanted to write about it numerous times, but I was fearful people would see the headline and delineate everything that happens. Happens all the time. Even worse are those people who castigate me for not mentioning a song or some other fact in my piece when I did, they just didn't read it. So, once again, we're only three episodes in, SO DON'T SPOIL IT!
But people still will. I'm taking a big risk here. I know from experience.
But I'm so damn excited about the show.
You see it's hard to say anything good about Israel these days. Especially in light of its new far right government that is trying to undercut the power of the Supreme Court. And people believe that the Jews stole the Palestinians' land and...if you're concerned about the lack of veracity in the U.S. news, you've got no idea how bad it is when it comes to Israel.
Because everybody hates the Jews. It's in that Tom Lehrer song. But if we bring up antisemitism it triggers non-Jews, just like talking about racism triggers whites, so it's taboo.
Did you see some guy with a history of Jewish hate shot people outside synagogues in L.A? Probably not, in an era where the shootings in Michigan didn't even make the front page of certain papers.
Then again, you won't see coverage on Fox News of the team broadcasting election conspiracies that they derided off-screen. The news just doesn't reach people these days, unless they're searching for it. And the more established an outlet, the less it is trusted, or even consumed. If I quote the "New York Times" people deride me. They point to outlets like the Gateway Pundit, a conspiracy site, for their truth.
But it's even worse. Did you read Paul Krugman on the right's vilification of education today, speaking of the "Times"?
"The Right Don't Need No Education": https://nyti.ms/3lJAqmx
Someone in this business, I won't mention their name for fear of retribution, recommended a book on Israel, entitled "Israel": A Simple Guide to the Most Misunderstood Country on Earth": https://amzn.to/3XDRUy2 It's an easy read, but most people won't, read it that is, because it's more satisfying to live in darkness. And here I blame the left, yes, the woke left. I don't want to defend the settlements, but if you think the Palestinians want peace, want to coexist with Israel, you know nothing about the subject. The Palestinians want Israel gone.
But Israel fights back. Something Jews are not allowed to do.
But ever since the Raid on Entebbe, when it comes to terrorism, the IDF, i.e. the Israel Defense Forces, are the gold standard. They don't pussyfoot, they don't mess around.
It's not like America. Where nothing can be done. In Israel, they take action, and that's what "Fauda" is all about.
2
Doron is a star. Bigger and more believable, even more three-dimensional than the vaunted Tom Cruise. Because Doron, played by Lior Raz, is not playing to the camera, the masses, he's only concerned with achieving the goal.
Not that it's black and white. Not that it's Israelis good, Palestinians bad. It's more chiaroscuro than that.
But... How is it that a guy with a scraggly beard who's losing his hair is such a star? Because he's intense, because he's believable, because he's a thinker, because he's a bit of a hothead.
In other words, he's human.
They don't have humans in Hollywood movies, they're literally cartoon characters, two-dimensional. We want people who are flawed, but on the right path.
So...
The Israelis and the Danes make the best television. See how many of their shows are remade for these shores. Like "In Treatment," which was actually sold to HBO by Noa Tishby, the woman who wrote the Israel book above.
You see in Israel, it's not about production values, it's about story. The productions are visceral. You can feel it. And it's all on the line.
That's something we're unaware of in America. We're comfortable. There's a war in Ukraine and we can't feel it. But if you live in Israel, a country the size of New Jersey, you're on high alert all the time. Because your life is at stake. Literally.
And you might also know that Israel is a hotbed of tech innovation. That's where Waze came from.
And you might also know that Israel is not as dependent upon the U.S. as it used to be, if it's dependent at all.
And you put all this in the mix and you have "Fauda."
In America we're rarely in jeopardy. The risks we're concerned with are whether we get into the right college. Whereas in "Fauda," it's life and death, the survival of an entire country.
So you've got a band of brothers (with a sister!) They're an elite team who go in surgically and address problems. And some lose their lives. But they're in it for the cause, and the adrenaline.
You know how you watch lawyer shows and want to be an attorney? Believe me, most of the time it's boring, very boring. Ditto being a cop.
But this Israeli team...
They're on the cutting edge of life all the time. It could be their last moment at any second. They're down with the cause. They've got something to believe in, whereas in America we fight culture wars.
"Fauda" rivets you. The Israelis get things done. They don't get caught up in red tape, they're looking for the solution. They know that time is of the essence. They know what's at stake, like in the '72 Olympics.
Once bitten, twice shy.
Many times bitten, always on high alert.
Even if you're antisemitic you won't be able to take your eyes off "Fauda." A big thumbs-up!
3
"Fauda" is on Netflix.
"Gomorrah" is on HBO Max. I get e-mail about "Gomorrah" all the time. And I highly recommend it. Sure, there's blood and gore, but watch for the thinking.
Like in "House of Cards."
In America, the action heroes act on instinct. Whereas the Mafia dons in "Gomorrah" constantly kick back and think in a crisis, they just don't shoot. And there are so many lessons. Like not to trust anyone, ESPECIALLY family.
The last season is substandard, almost chewing the scenery, but before that...
4
Don't fall for the HBO buzz. That's old school. And old people, who control the media. You see these viewers still have cable, which youngsters don't. They're inured to an old system. Whereas in truth it's all about on demand. Streaming. For all the buzz about "White Lotus," there's none about "Gomorrah," which is far superior.
Then again, many people don't like blood and guts. But "Gomorrah" is closer to real life than most of the shows on HBO.
Welcome to the new reality. Where the mainstream media is not in touch with the buzz. I'm not reading about this new season of "Fauda," but I'm hearing about it in my inbox. You're your own barometer these days. Don't fall for the highly-hyped lowbrow. You probably already know about "Fauda," but if you don't, check it out, from the beginning.
And I highly recommend "Gomorrah," at least the first four seasons.
It's no longer about movies. Music is about singles, visual entertainment is about albums, i.e. series. Movies scratch the surface, series go deep, they make you think, at this point movies seem so hit and run.
You can watch the Oscars, but that'd be missing the point. Even Barry Diller says the movies are over:
"Barry Diller: The Oscars Are Over and the Movie Business Is Finished": https://bit.ly/3S5s5Wo
The ball keeps moving. Keeping up is a full time job.
And maybe you don't care, but there's a plethora of riches out there, if you just dig a little deeper.
--
Visit the archive: http://lefsetz.com/wordpress/
--
Listen to the podcast:
-iHeart: https://ihr.fm/2Gi5PFj
-Apple: https://apple.co/2ndmpvp
--
http://www.twitter.com/lefsetz
--
If you would like to subscribe to the LefsetzLetter,
http://www.lefsetz.com/lists/?p=subscribe&id=1
If you do not want to receive any more LefsetzLetters, http://lefsetz.com/lists/?p=unsubscribe&uid=0eecea7b60b461717065cbde887c8e25
To change your email address http://lefsetz.com/lists/?p=preferences&uid=0eecea7b60b461717065cbde887c8e25
Don't tell me what happens.
We just finished five seasons of "Gomorrah." I wanted to write about it numerous times, but I was fearful people would see the headline and delineate everything that happens. Happens all the time. Even worse are those people who castigate me for not mentioning a song or some other fact in my piece when I did, they just didn't read it. So, once again, we're only three episodes in, SO DON'T SPOIL IT!
But people still will. I'm taking a big risk here. I know from experience.
But I'm so damn excited about the show.
You see it's hard to say anything good about Israel these days. Especially in light of its new far right government that is trying to undercut the power of the Supreme Court. And people believe that the Jews stole the Palestinians' land and...if you're concerned about the lack of veracity in the U.S. news, you've got no idea how bad it is when it comes to Israel.
Because everybody hates the Jews. It's in that Tom Lehrer song. But if we bring up antisemitism it triggers non-Jews, just like talking about racism triggers whites, so it's taboo.
Did you see some guy with a history of Jewish hate shot people outside synagogues in L.A? Probably not, in an era where the shootings in Michigan didn't even make the front page of certain papers.
Then again, you won't see coverage on Fox News of the team broadcasting election conspiracies that they derided off-screen. The news just doesn't reach people these days, unless they're searching for it. And the more established an outlet, the less it is trusted, or even consumed. If I quote the "New York Times" people deride me. They point to outlets like the Gateway Pundit, a conspiracy site, for their truth.
But it's even worse. Did you read Paul Krugman on the right's vilification of education today, speaking of the "Times"?
"The Right Don't Need No Education": https://nyti.ms/3lJAqmx
Someone in this business, I won't mention their name for fear of retribution, recommended a book on Israel, entitled "Israel": A Simple Guide to the Most Misunderstood Country on Earth": https://amzn.to/3XDRUy2 It's an easy read, but most people won't, read it that is, because it's more satisfying to live in darkness. And here I blame the left, yes, the woke left. I don't want to defend the settlements, but if you think the Palestinians want peace, want to coexist with Israel, you know nothing about the subject. The Palestinians want Israel gone.
But Israel fights back. Something Jews are not allowed to do.
But ever since the Raid on Entebbe, when it comes to terrorism, the IDF, i.e. the Israel Defense Forces, are the gold standard. They don't pussyfoot, they don't mess around.
It's not like America. Where nothing can be done. In Israel, they take action, and that's what "Fauda" is all about.
2
Doron is a star. Bigger and more believable, even more three-dimensional than the vaunted Tom Cruise. Because Doron, played by Lior Raz, is not playing to the camera, the masses, he's only concerned with achieving the goal.
Not that it's black and white. Not that it's Israelis good, Palestinians bad. It's more chiaroscuro than that.
But... How is it that a guy with a scraggly beard who's losing his hair is such a star? Because he's intense, because he's believable, because he's a thinker, because he's a bit of a hothead.
In other words, he's human.
They don't have humans in Hollywood movies, they're literally cartoon characters, two-dimensional. We want people who are flawed, but on the right path.
So...
The Israelis and the Danes make the best television. See how many of their shows are remade for these shores. Like "In Treatment," which was actually sold to HBO by Noa Tishby, the woman who wrote the Israel book above.
You see in Israel, it's not about production values, it's about story. The productions are visceral. You can feel it. And it's all on the line.
That's something we're unaware of in America. We're comfortable. There's a war in Ukraine and we can't feel it. But if you live in Israel, a country the size of New Jersey, you're on high alert all the time. Because your life is at stake. Literally.
And you might also know that Israel is a hotbed of tech innovation. That's where Waze came from.
And you might also know that Israel is not as dependent upon the U.S. as it used to be, if it's dependent at all.
And you put all this in the mix and you have "Fauda."
In America we're rarely in jeopardy. The risks we're concerned with are whether we get into the right college. Whereas in "Fauda," it's life and death, the survival of an entire country.
So you've got a band of brothers (with a sister!) They're an elite team who go in surgically and address problems. And some lose their lives. But they're in it for the cause, and the adrenaline.
You know how you watch lawyer shows and want to be an attorney? Believe me, most of the time it's boring, very boring. Ditto being a cop.
But this Israeli team...
They're on the cutting edge of life all the time. It could be their last moment at any second. They're down with the cause. They've got something to believe in, whereas in America we fight culture wars.
"Fauda" rivets you. The Israelis get things done. They don't get caught up in red tape, they're looking for the solution. They know that time is of the essence. They know what's at stake, like in the '72 Olympics.
Once bitten, twice shy.
Many times bitten, always on high alert.
Even if you're antisemitic you won't be able to take your eyes off "Fauda." A big thumbs-up!
3
"Fauda" is on Netflix.
"Gomorrah" is on HBO Max. I get e-mail about "Gomorrah" all the time. And I highly recommend it. Sure, there's blood and gore, but watch for the thinking.
Like in "House of Cards."
In America, the action heroes act on instinct. Whereas the Mafia dons in "Gomorrah" constantly kick back and think in a crisis, they just don't shoot. And there are so many lessons. Like not to trust anyone, ESPECIALLY family.
The last season is substandard, almost chewing the scenery, but before that...
4
Don't fall for the HBO buzz. That's old school. And old people, who control the media. You see these viewers still have cable, which youngsters don't. They're inured to an old system. Whereas in truth it's all about on demand. Streaming. For all the buzz about "White Lotus," there's none about "Gomorrah," which is far superior.
Then again, many people don't like blood and guts. But "Gomorrah" is closer to real life than most of the shows on HBO.
Welcome to the new reality. Where the mainstream media is not in touch with the buzz. I'm not reading about this new season of "Fauda," but I'm hearing about it in my inbox. You're your own barometer these days. Don't fall for the highly-hyped lowbrow. You probably already know about "Fauda," but if you don't, check it out, from the beginning.
And I highly recommend "Gomorrah," at least the first four seasons.
It's no longer about movies. Music is about singles, visual entertainment is about albums, i.e. series. Movies scratch the surface, series go deep, they make you think, at this point movies seem so hit and run.
You can watch the Oscars, but that'd be missing the point. Even Barry Diller says the movies are over:
"Barry Diller: The Oscars Are Over and the Movie Business Is Finished": https://bit.ly/3S5s5Wo
The ball keeps moving. Keeping up is a full time job.
And maybe you don't care, but there's a plethora of riches out there, if you just dig a little deeper.
--
Visit the archive: http://lefsetz.com/wordpress/
--
Listen to the podcast:
-iHeart: https://ihr.fm/2Gi5PFj
-Apple: https://apple.co/2ndmpvp
--
http://www.twitter.com/lefsetz
--
If you would like to subscribe to the LefsetzLetter,
http://www.lefsetz.com/lists/?p=subscribe&id=1
If you do not want to receive any more LefsetzLetters, http://lefsetz.com/lists/?p=unsubscribe&uid=0eecea7b60b461717065cbde887c8e25
To change your email address http://lefsetz.com/lists/?p=preferences&uid=0eecea7b60b461717065cbde887c8e25
Thursday 16 February 2023
Fred Rosen-This Week's Podcast
Mr. Ticketmaster.
https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1119-the-bob-lefsetz-podcast-30806836/episode/fred-rosen-109017384/
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fred-rosen/id1316200737?i=1000599939689
https://open.spotify.com/episode/1YltA0G0wtvAk1D8Yg1clD?si=SYdwyAEfQmKoWoNOKyU6wg
https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/9ff4fb19-54d4-41ae-ae7a-8a6f8d3dafa8/episodes/d20dc1b0-054d-45b1-b201-37319570e442/the-bob-lefsetz-podcast-fred-rosen
https://www.stitcher.com/show/the-bob-lefsetz-podcast/episode/fred-rosen-212002171
--
Visit the archive: http://lefsetz.com/wordpress/
--
Listen to the podcast:
-iHeart: https://ihr.fm/2Gi5PFj
-Apple: https://apple.co/2ndmpvp
--
http://www.twitter.com/lefsetz
--
If you would like to subscribe to the LefsetzLetter,
http://www.lefsetz.com/lists/?p=subscribe&id=1
If you do not want to receive any more LefsetzLetters, http://lefsetz.com/lists/?p=unsubscribe&uid=0eecea7b60b461717065cbde887c8e25
To change your email address http://lefsetz.com/lists/?p=preferences&uid=0eecea7b60b461717065cbde887c8e25
https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1119-the-bob-lefsetz-podcast-30806836/episode/fred-rosen-109017384/
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fred-rosen/id1316200737?i=1000599939689
https://open.spotify.com/episode/1YltA0G0wtvAk1D8Yg1clD?si=SYdwyAEfQmKoWoNOKyU6wg
https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/9ff4fb19-54d4-41ae-ae7a-8a6f8d3dafa8/episodes/d20dc1b0-054d-45b1-b201-37319570e442/the-bob-lefsetz-podcast-fred-rosen
https://www.stitcher.com/show/the-bob-lefsetz-podcast/episode/fred-rosen-212002171
--
Visit the archive: http://lefsetz.com/wordpress/
--
Listen to the podcast:
-iHeart: https://ihr.fm/2Gi5PFj
-Apple: https://apple.co/2ndmpvp
--
http://www.twitter.com/lefsetz
--
If you would like to subscribe to the LefsetzLetter,
http://www.lefsetz.com/lists/?p=subscribe&id=1
If you do not want to receive any more LefsetzLetters, http://lefsetz.com/lists/?p=unsubscribe&uid=0eecea7b60b461717065cbde887c8e25
To change your email address http://lefsetz.com/lists/?p=preferences&uid=0eecea7b60b461717065cbde887c8e25
Wednesday 15 February 2023
Don't Call It Love
https://spoti.fi/3HWeHza
1
When was the last time you heard "Bette Davis Eyes"?
I can't remember when, but I remember the track, it was ubiquitous back in 1981. Forty plus years ago if you're counting, and I am.
I got this e-mail from John Ingham today:
_________
"Subject: Re: Springsteen Tickets
Here in the UK BBC TV has a quiz show called Pointless. A subject is chosen and a set of questions is displayed. The questions have previously been asked to 100 people, who answer as many of the questions as they can. The object is for the studio players to correctly answer the question with the lowest number of people getting it right.
Yesterday one of the questions was photos of five artists who were 'Grammy Winners With More Than 15 Awards' — a combination of people like Beyonce (nearly everyone knew) to Alison Krauss (0 people recognized her). Among them: Bruce Springsteen. Not only did the studio players (both young and retired) not know who he was, out of the 100 people only 23 people knew.
Outside of his fans he's history and forgotten.
Cheers,
John Ingham"
_________
Unfathomable. And if they posted Kim Carnes's photo I'd bet no one would know who she was, but there could be a case of mistaken identity.
That was the name of the album, that opened with "Bette Davis Eyes." Which I purchased as a promo. For a couple of bucks I'd take a risk, and I did like "Bette Davis Eyes."
I'd even proffer at this late date if Kim Carnes appeared on the Super Bowl more people would know her big hit song than those of Rihanna. Well, maybe not, but can I admit I don't know a single Rihanna song? I didn't have to hear them so I didn't. Back in the sixties we were prisoners of AM radio. But then FM came along and unless you were in the car, you only listened to FM. And soon every automobile came with FM. So why listen to AM? It was a badge of honor not to.
And this persisted until the days of MTV, which created a monoculture. We all knew the same stuff. And although the division line (bell?) was history, at least we were all on the same page, today we're all on a different page.
As for listening to terrestrial radio... I can't remember the last time I did. And SiriusXM has a zillion channels and... Why should I listen to what I don't want to?
As for listening to albums...
I subscribe to the Apple News. A bargain for ten bucks a month. But I read less and less. At first I was excited that they had all these magazines I didn't subscribe to, like the English version of "Esquire" and even "Mojo," but the truth is most magazines have piss-poor writing, oftentimes by the uninformed. Yes, I have skiing as a favorite in Apple News and most of the articles are worthless, freelancers delivering an overview on that which they do not know well.
But all this is to say I'm overloaded on input, and oftentimes this means I shut down and don't even partake. As for those people surfing constantly for new music... Wow, what a waste of time, there are too many tune-outs. And when you find something you like, you feel like you're the only one who's ever heard it.
Not that anybody is addressing this.
Algorithmic playlists were exciting upon their introduction, but the truth is people curate better than machines. Because art is subjective. It's about feel. It can't be quantified. So...
I know Rihanna was all over pop radio. But I don't listen to pop radio. Sure, I knew the title of the track "Umbrella," but where and why would I hear it?
2
So I was lying on the couch and a song came into my head. "Draw of the Cards."
This was the surprise on "Mistaken Identity." The one track that did not sound like anything else. With the prominent synthesizers of the day. Hypnotic, akin to an extended Loggins & Messina track, or one of the multi-minute opuses of the late sixties and early seventies, made to relax you, set your mind free, to drift, thinking...
That's what the hit parade is rarely about, and certainly not today. You've got to make it obvious, with edges in order to hook listeners. Album tracks only matter for established fans. Therefore most of the attention is on a couple of cuts, they bring in a zillion writers, remix it, trying to get it just right, squeezing the humanity right out.
And the funny thing is this synth-based track has more humanity than those old cuts. And "Draw of the Cards" resonated.
But that's not why I'm writing this.
You see albums used to be digestible. Under forty minutes. 39:57 in the case of "Mistaken Identity." I'll posit streaming didn't kill the album, but the CD, when you could suddenly fit 80 minutes of music and acts did. And it was oftentimes one seamless stream of crap. There was no opening track on the second side. As for the closing cut, most people never made it that far.
But when albums were shorter and you bought them you played them. And hidden gems were revealed.
And that's "Don't Call It Love," in the middle of the second side of "Mistaken Identity."
3
"Nobody believes that I really care for you"
Kim Carnes did not write "Don't Call It Love," although she did write the haunting title track, "Mistaken Identity." And she got and gets props for covering Frankie Miller's "When I'm Away From You," another musician lost to the sands of time. Sure, there were his health issues, but before that...he could write and sing and play, I know, I bought the albums.
But "Don't Call It Love"... I remembered it was written by Tom Snow. Who had a solo album distributed by Atlantic. And Wikipedia told me he cowrote it with "Fame"'s Dean Pitchford. And I wondered if Tom ever covered it. So I started searching on Spotify and I didn't find a version by him, but I did find one by Dolly Parton. DOLLY PARTON?!
Reached number three on the country charts back in 1985, who knew?
So I hit play.
I expected a complete reworking, but it's the same damn song, and I couldn't stop playing it.
4
Now how do I explain the magic of "Don't Call It Love." I'm talking about the Kim Carnes version, let's start there.
Sure, there are the lyrics, but the song is a hit without them.
First and foremost it's the groove. Up and down, like a merry-go-round, you start to nod your head in time.
And the cheesy keyboard that sounds so good. Not exactly like an organ, but even more ingratiating.
And then there's Carnes's voice. A female Rod Stewart. Sure, people commented on her throatiness back then, but today we're looking for colorless voices, it's all about range, not about edge. And edge is the essence of rock and roll.
And speaking of rock and roll, "Don't Call It Love" has guitars.
And then there's Jerry Peterson's sax solo. Which is icing on the cake. It does not descend the cut to schlock, this is not latter-day Chicago, BS&T, this is still a rock track.
"Nobody believes that I really care for you"
Do they really care for you? It's hard to know. You're not exactly sure. They're here, but in an instant they could be there.
"They don't think my heart is true
I don't think you agree"
Never ever listen to your friends, unless they tell you your significant other is doing drugs or stepping out on you. Only you know what's between the two of you, what turns you on.
"You know I'm a lifetime guarantee"
That's what we're all looking for. Like our parents had. Well, if you're an old enough baby boomer, before the Louds got divorced on PBS. You want to be able to rely on them, count on them, through ups and downs.
"So if they ask you what you mean to me
Don't call it love, heavens above
We got a better thing
Don't call it love, that ain't enough
Tell 'em you're my everything"
I play this game with Felice's four year old grand niece Ella. I ask her if she likes something and she says, "I don't like it, I LOVE IT!"
The exuberance of this magical chorus conveys how she feels about him. It's a ringing endorsement. She really cares for him.
"Nobody believes
We got something they ain't got
They never seen a fire this hot
They never got that far
We're burning as bright as any star"
Here you hear the magic of a songwriter, not just another person in the band laying down lyrics atop a track. What is captured here is the universality of that moment in a relationship when you can't think about anyone else, when you're elated, when you're so happy to be alive. And if you're lucky you'll have moments in the future just like this one, albeit more brief and more infrequent. And if you're searching for this hit constantly...you've probably been married multiple times and still haven't found what you're looking for, which probably doesn't exist.
Then there's the bridge:
"(Feels so good) Feels so good
(Holding tight) Holding tight
(Tight and close) Through the night
(Through the night)
They can call it what they like
They ain't got it right"
Positively revelatory in the era of today where tracks don't even have chord changes, you can listen to them, but you can't sing them. And singing them is so joyful, it makes you feel so happy.
So "Don't Call It Love" is a bit more obvious than your usual AOR fare. But it's not a sellout, it doesn't pander, and it's got the underpinnings, the building blocks of the classics.
And that's why it's a hit. This is the kind of fare the label was looking for when they said they did not hear a single.
The track overflows with exuberance, it just makes you feel good, it's the essence of the musical experience. It's a hit, but it wasn't for Kim Carnes.
5
But it was for Dolly Parton.
That loping groove is still there. But Dolly personalizes it with her own throaty vocal. And in truth, it's not in the league of the Kim Carnes version, but a hit song works for everybody. And put a name brand with the right song and the right team and it runs up the chart.
So what have we learned here?
Possibly nothing. Because first and foremost you have to want to learn, and many people don't, especially when it comes to decades-old tracks that have not survived in the public consciousness.
However, you've got the essence right here.
Like they say, it all comes down to songs. And some performers can write A+ material, like Lennon and McCartney. And then there are others who write songs only they can perform. Come on, "Midnight Rambler" or "You Can't Always Get What You Want" by anybody but the Stones? Sure, you can sing them, but they lose their essence.
And somehow we've lost the magic of songs. Maybe because songwriting is not as lucrative as it was previously. Furthermore, songwriting, as referenced above, is oftentimes done differently today. You cobble together the track from as many as twenty sources, building it up, creating a confection. But oftentimes there's not a solid base. Not only are the fundamentals nonexistent, there are no hooks.
Then again, you can write a hit today and nobody can hear it. There's no magic formula of success. It's more about hoovering up and amplifying that which raises its head.
6
Now in truth Kim Carnes was sui generis. A singer with rock roots who also lived in the middle of the road, back when music was the foremost art form and everybody was following and aware of it. We loved Fleetwood Mac and Led Zeppelin. And Cat Stevens. The only criterion being that it was good. We were open. And when something caught fire we all shared in the joy. There was a plethora of riches, in different sub-genres.
Don't call it love, that ain't enough, I can't stop playing "Don't Call It Love," I've never burned out on it. It's one of those cuts with a little something extra, that makes it rise above, that when it ends you need to hear again, that evidences humanity.
That's what we're looking for.
--
Visit the archive: http://lefsetz.com/wordpress/
--
Listen to the podcast:
-iHeart: https://ihr.fm/2Gi5PFj
-Apple: https://apple.co/2ndmpvp
--
http://www.twitter.com/lefsetz
--
If you would like to subscribe to the LefsetzLetter,
http://www.lefsetz.com/lists/?p=subscribe&id=1
If you do not want to receive any more LefsetzLetters, http://lefsetz.com/lists/?p=unsubscribe&uid=0eecea7b60b461717065cbde887c8e25
To change your email address http://lefsetz.com/lists/?p=preferences&uid=0eecea7b60b461717065cbde887c8e25
1
When was the last time you heard "Bette Davis Eyes"?
I can't remember when, but I remember the track, it was ubiquitous back in 1981. Forty plus years ago if you're counting, and I am.
I got this e-mail from John Ingham today:
_________
"Subject: Re: Springsteen Tickets
Here in the UK BBC TV has a quiz show called Pointless. A subject is chosen and a set of questions is displayed. The questions have previously been asked to 100 people, who answer as many of the questions as they can. The object is for the studio players to correctly answer the question with the lowest number of people getting it right.
Yesterday one of the questions was photos of five artists who were 'Grammy Winners With More Than 15 Awards' — a combination of people like Beyonce (nearly everyone knew) to Alison Krauss (0 people recognized her). Among them: Bruce Springsteen. Not only did the studio players (both young and retired) not know who he was, out of the 100 people only 23 people knew.
Outside of his fans he's history and forgotten.
Cheers,
John Ingham"
_________
Unfathomable. And if they posted Kim Carnes's photo I'd bet no one would know who she was, but there could be a case of mistaken identity.
That was the name of the album, that opened with "Bette Davis Eyes." Which I purchased as a promo. For a couple of bucks I'd take a risk, and I did like "Bette Davis Eyes."
I'd even proffer at this late date if Kim Carnes appeared on the Super Bowl more people would know her big hit song than those of Rihanna. Well, maybe not, but can I admit I don't know a single Rihanna song? I didn't have to hear them so I didn't. Back in the sixties we were prisoners of AM radio. But then FM came along and unless you were in the car, you only listened to FM. And soon every automobile came with FM. So why listen to AM? It was a badge of honor not to.
And this persisted until the days of MTV, which created a monoculture. We all knew the same stuff. And although the division line (bell?) was history, at least we were all on the same page, today we're all on a different page.
As for listening to terrestrial radio... I can't remember the last time I did. And SiriusXM has a zillion channels and... Why should I listen to what I don't want to?
As for listening to albums...
I subscribe to the Apple News. A bargain for ten bucks a month. But I read less and less. At first I was excited that they had all these magazines I didn't subscribe to, like the English version of "Esquire" and even "Mojo," but the truth is most magazines have piss-poor writing, oftentimes by the uninformed. Yes, I have skiing as a favorite in Apple News and most of the articles are worthless, freelancers delivering an overview on that which they do not know well.
But all this is to say I'm overloaded on input, and oftentimes this means I shut down and don't even partake. As for those people surfing constantly for new music... Wow, what a waste of time, there are too many tune-outs. And when you find something you like, you feel like you're the only one who's ever heard it.
Not that anybody is addressing this.
Algorithmic playlists were exciting upon their introduction, but the truth is people curate better than machines. Because art is subjective. It's about feel. It can't be quantified. So...
I know Rihanna was all over pop radio. But I don't listen to pop radio. Sure, I knew the title of the track "Umbrella," but where and why would I hear it?
2
So I was lying on the couch and a song came into my head. "Draw of the Cards."
This was the surprise on "Mistaken Identity." The one track that did not sound like anything else. With the prominent synthesizers of the day. Hypnotic, akin to an extended Loggins & Messina track, or one of the multi-minute opuses of the late sixties and early seventies, made to relax you, set your mind free, to drift, thinking...
That's what the hit parade is rarely about, and certainly not today. You've got to make it obvious, with edges in order to hook listeners. Album tracks only matter for established fans. Therefore most of the attention is on a couple of cuts, they bring in a zillion writers, remix it, trying to get it just right, squeezing the humanity right out.
And the funny thing is this synth-based track has more humanity than those old cuts. And "Draw of the Cards" resonated.
But that's not why I'm writing this.
You see albums used to be digestible. Under forty minutes. 39:57 in the case of "Mistaken Identity." I'll posit streaming didn't kill the album, but the CD, when you could suddenly fit 80 minutes of music and acts did. And it was oftentimes one seamless stream of crap. There was no opening track on the second side. As for the closing cut, most people never made it that far.
But when albums were shorter and you bought them you played them. And hidden gems were revealed.
And that's "Don't Call It Love," in the middle of the second side of "Mistaken Identity."
3
"Nobody believes that I really care for you"
Kim Carnes did not write "Don't Call It Love," although she did write the haunting title track, "Mistaken Identity." And she got and gets props for covering Frankie Miller's "When I'm Away From You," another musician lost to the sands of time. Sure, there were his health issues, but before that...he could write and sing and play, I know, I bought the albums.
But "Don't Call It Love"... I remembered it was written by Tom Snow. Who had a solo album distributed by Atlantic. And Wikipedia told me he cowrote it with "Fame"'s Dean Pitchford. And I wondered if Tom ever covered it. So I started searching on Spotify and I didn't find a version by him, but I did find one by Dolly Parton. DOLLY PARTON?!
Reached number three on the country charts back in 1985, who knew?
So I hit play.
I expected a complete reworking, but it's the same damn song, and I couldn't stop playing it.
4
Now how do I explain the magic of "Don't Call It Love." I'm talking about the Kim Carnes version, let's start there.
Sure, there are the lyrics, but the song is a hit without them.
First and foremost it's the groove. Up and down, like a merry-go-round, you start to nod your head in time.
And the cheesy keyboard that sounds so good. Not exactly like an organ, but even more ingratiating.
And then there's Carnes's voice. A female Rod Stewart. Sure, people commented on her throatiness back then, but today we're looking for colorless voices, it's all about range, not about edge. And edge is the essence of rock and roll.
And speaking of rock and roll, "Don't Call It Love" has guitars.
And then there's Jerry Peterson's sax solo. Which is icing on the cake. It does not descend the cut to schlock, this is not latter-day Chicago, BS&T, this is still a rock track.
"Nobody believes that I really care for you"
Do they really care for you? It's hard to know. You're not exactly sure. They're here, but in an instant they could be there.
"They don't think my heart is true
I don't think you agree"
Never ever listen to your friends, unless they tell you your significant other is doing drugs or stepping out on you. Only you know what's between the two of you, what turns you on.
"You know I'm a lifetime guarantee"
That's what we're all looking for. Like our parents had. Well, if you're an old enough baby boomer, before the Louds got divorced on PBS. You want to be able to rely on them, count on them, through ups and downs.
"So if they ask you what you mean to me
Don't call it love, heavens above
We got a better thing
Don't call it love, that ain't enough
Tell 'em you're my everything"
I play this game with Felice's four year old grand niece Ella. I ask her if she likes something and she says, "I don't like it, I LOVE IT!"
The exuberance of this magical chorus conveys how she feels about him. It's a ringing endorsement. She really cares for him.
"Nobody believes
We got something they ain't got
They never seen a fire this hot
They never got that far
We're burning as bright as any star"
Here you hear the magic of a songwriter, not just another person in the band laying down lyrics atop a track. What is captured here is the universality of that moment in a relationship when you can't think about anyone else, when you're elated, when you're so happy to be alive. And if you're lucky you'll have moments in the future just like this one, albeit more brief and more infrequent. And if you're searching for this hit constantly...you've probably been married multiple times and still haven't found what you're looking for, which probably doesn't exist.
Then there's the bridge:
"(Feels so good) Feels so good
(Holding tight) Holding tight
(Tight and close) Through the night
(Through the night)
They can call it what they like
They ain't got it right"
Positively revelatory in the era of today where tracks don't even have chord changes, you can listen to them, but you can't sing them. And singing them is so joyful, it makes you feel so happy.
So "Don't Call It Love" is a bit more obvious than your usual AOR fare. But it's not a sellout, it doesn't pander, and it's got the underpinnings, the building blocks of the classics.
And that's why it's a hit. This is the kind of fare the label was looking for when they said they did not hear a single.
The track overflows with exuberance, it just makes you feel good, it's the essence of the musical experience. It's a hit, but it wasn't for Kim Carnes.
5
But it was for Dolly Parton.
That loping groove is still there. But Dolly personalizes it with her own throaty vocal. And in truth, it's not in the league of the Kim Carnes version, but a hit song works for everybody. And put a name brand with the right song and the right team and it runs up the chart.
So what have we learned here?
Possibly nothing. Because first and foremost you have to want to learn, and many people don't, especially when it comes to decades-old tracks that have not survived in the public consciousness.
However, you've got the essence right here.
Like they say, it all comes down to songs. And some performers can write A+ material, like Lennon and McCartney. And then there are others who write songs only they can perform. Come on, "Midnight Rambler" or "You Can't Always Get What You Want" by anybody but the Stones? Sure, you can sing them, but they lose their essence.
And somehow we've lost the magic of songs. Maybe because songwriting is not as lucrative as it was previously. Furthermore, songwriting, as referenced above, is oftentimes done differently today. You cobble together the track from as many as twenty sources, building it up, creating a confection. But oftentimes there's not a solid base. Not only are the fundamentals nonexistent, there are no hooks.
Then again, you can write a hit today and nobody can hear it. There's no magic formula of success. It's more about hoovering up and amplifying that which raises its head.
6
Now in truth Kim Carnes was sui generis. A singer with rock roots who also lived in the middle of the road, back when music was the foremost art form and everybody was following and aware of it. We loved Fleetwood Mac and Led Zeppelin. And Cat Stevens. The only criterion being that it was good. We were open. And when something caught fire we all shared in the joy. There was a plethora of riches, in different sub-genres.
Don't call it love, that ain't enough, I can't stop playing "Don't Call It Love," I've never burned out on it. It's one of those cuts with a little something extra, that makes it rise above, that when it ends you need to hear again, that evidences humanity.
That's what we're looking for.
--
Visit the archive: http://lefsetz.com/wordpress/
--
Listen to the podcast:
-iHeart: https://ihr.fm/2Gi5PFj
-Apple: https://apple.co/2ndmpvp
--
http://www.twitter.com/lefsetz
--
If you would like to subscribe to the LefsetzLetter,
http://www.lefsetz.com/lists/?p=subscribe&id=1
If you do not want to receive any more LefsetzLetters, http://lefsetz.com/lists/?p=unsubscribe&uid=0eecea7b60b461717065cbde887c8e25
To change your email address http://lefsetz.com/lists/?p=preferences&uid=0eecea7b60b461717065cbde887c8e25
Tuesday 14 February 2023
Springsteen Tickets
They're going for bupkes. People keep e-mailing me about this. Like this gent:
"From: Russell Altman
Bob I'd like you to post this. Most of Bruce's shows are dead on arrival. He is big on the eastern seaboard Denver and Southern California. No one gives a f**k about him. I doubt you will put this up but you should to let the public know. Bruce also has been dropping GA Seats and best lower level seats day of show. Were these tickets Jon Landau and Bruce holds? You won't tell the public how they f**k the public.
"Bruce Springsteen Tickets For Houston Now Cost The Same As Two Gallons of Gasoline": https://bit.ly/3I4ojrP
There's a lot to unpack here.
First and foremost, if you want to see Bruce Springsteen live, you'll have no problem getting a ticket. There are tons available on the Ticketmaster site, and not at exorbitant prices either.
From: Steve Hutton
"Springsteen Tulsa next week.
Wonder what the Taylor Swift bottom will be"
Attached is a listing for five pairs of two tickets in Tulsa, six are going for $10 and four are going for $9. You can see the screenshot here:
https://bit.ly/3YxyGLG
So all that hoopla about the four digit Springsteen tickets?
The dirty little secret is it SOLD tickets. Not at that value, but the less expensive ones were scooped up. Because people were afraid of being left out, because people wanted to scalp the tickets themselves.
Let's be clear, a cursory survey of availability at Bruce's dates shows mostly resale tickets. However, in some cases there are still primary tickets available.
And believe me, when you see resale tickets from behind the stage, from the upper deck, these are definitely individuals. Scalpers don't buy these tickets, there's no demand beyond face value, and that's the paradigm the professionals employ. The last thing they want is to be left holding the bag, i.e. the tickets, they're worthless after the show plays. So the scalpers only buy good inventory.
But the punters are unsophisticated. Furthermore, they don't know that they can't compete with the professionals. If you drop the price of your ticket, they're going to drop the price of their ticket by a dollar or more. It's all done automatically, there are computer programs. You can't beat the scalpers at their own game, impossible.
Not that the scalpers are always right. Sometimes they do end up with inventory they can't sell, or that they take a loss on. But one thing is for sure, scalping is a business, and if you think you can buy four tickets to a hot show and sell the other two no problem...you've got another think coming.
As for Taylor Swift... Insiders know she didn't go clean everywhere last time. Which was an incentive to put all her tickets up for sale on the same day, to create mania, to get people to buy tickets for fear of being left out. Springsteen is playing arenas and there are tickets available. Swift is playing stadiums, you'll have no problem getting a ticket at a cheap price. Face value at worst. Maybe below, because all the fans are scalping themselves.
So, the fans are guilty.
As for Bruce... I'm sure there were some holds, but not many, certainly not in the middle of the country. And there are always tickets released at the last minute due to stage configuration, there are holdbacks to make sure the stage fits, you certainly don't want to cancel people's ducats because their seat is squeezed out.
And the only entity not at fault here is...TICKETMASTER!
Well, it's not that simple. You see Ticketmaster does make fees on tickets resold on their platform, not that you must use their platform.
However, pointing the finger at Ticketmaster as the culprit...is oftentimes wrong.
Don't believe the hype.
Then again, they said that back in the seventies, not today.
Since you can't get certain gaming consoles, since you can't get the electric car you want, people believe they're not going to get tickets to the show they want. And when you deal with superstars like Swift, who appeals to a younger demo, you have inexperienced parents caught up in the maelstrom as they try to get tickets for their kids. Pros know if you want to go, just wait. For the market to settle. For the prices to come down. Until the day of the show.
So would Swift have gone clean everywhere if it were not for the Ticketmaster slowdown? Maybe not. And if she went market by market, some dates might have been hot, and others colder. And margins are thin and acts do not want to play to empty seats, EVER!
Not that the media can fathom all of the above. The same media that does not understand that the Luminate/"Billboard" numbers are manipulated, to the benefit of the labels. Record companies don't want pure streaming numbers because they can't game the system! Want your album to move up the chart? Release some vinyl, or lower the price at the iTunes Store, physical and sales are weighted more than streams in Luminate's scam system.
Not that this "corruption" is solely in the music business. It's everywhere. Like slotting fees at supermarkets. You pay to get your items on the shelves, most people think it's a gentleman's agreement, but no way. And if your product doesn't sell, they pull it, because slotting fees are just an element of the overall profit at the store, the items actually have to move across the scanner for the virtuous circle to be complete.
And the funny thing is the flames of the mania are often fed by very few people. Post somewhere that tickets have gone up in price to over four figures and that spreads like wildfire, that becomes the story, even amongst people who don't want to go!
There are shows where it's nearly impossible to get a ticket. But if you pay the scalper enough... The scalper always has tickets. But their inventory can be low, they can sell out. So if you really need to be in the building you get caught up in the buzz and buy. Maybe tickets you really didn't want, whether it be a matter of price or location.
Turns out tickets have a value. And to a great degree this is established by the people, the marketplace, not the act. If a show goes clean instantly, the mantra in the business is you undercharged. Then again, if a show does not sell out instantly, it's not a good look. And after the initial on-sale it's so hard to build further momentum, move tickets. The promoter does not want to be stuck with inventory, because of the aforementioned thin margins.
Oh, margins could be better, but the acts take almost all of the face value of the ticket. Margins are way down in the single digits. So the promoter has to sell nearly every ticket to make a profit.
By now your head is probably spinning. Which is just the point. It's too complicated, you just don't understand.
Get it?
--
Visit the archive: http://lefsetz.com/wordpress/
--
Listen to the podcast:
-iHeart: https://ihr.fm/2Gi5PFj
-Apple: https://apple.co/2ndmpvp
--
http://www.twitter.com/lefsetz
--
If you would like to subscribe to the LefsetzLetter,
http://www.lefsetz.com/lists/?p=subscribe&id=1
If you do not want to receive any more LefsetzLetters, http://lefsetz.com/lists/?p=unsubscribe&uid=0eecea7b60b461717065cbde887c8e25
To change your email address http://lefsetz.com/lists/?p=preferences&uid=0eecea7b60b461717065cbde887c8e25
"From: Russell Altman
Bob I'd like you to post this. Most of Bruce's shows are dead on arrival. He is big on the eastern seaboard Denver and Southern California. No one gives a f**k about him. I doubt you will put this up but you should to let the public know. Bruce also has been dropping GA Seats and best lower level seats day of show. Were these tickets Jon Landau and Bruce holds? You won't tell the public how they f**k the public.
"Bruce Springsteen Tickets For Houston Now Cost The Same As Two Gallons of Gasoline": https://bit.ly/3I4ojrP
There's a lot to unpack here.
First and foremost, if you want to see Bruce Springsteen live, you'll have no problem getting a ticket. There are tons available on the Ticketmaster site, and not at exorbitant prices either.
From: Steve Hutton
"Springsteen Tulsa next week.
Wonder what the Taylor Swift bottom will be"
Attached is a listing for five pairs of two tickets in Tulsa, six are going for $10 and four are going for $9. You can see the screenshot here:
https://bit.ly/3YxyGLG
So all that hoopla about the four digit Springsteen tickets?
The dirty little secret is it SOLD tickets. Not at that value, but the less expensive ones were scooped up. Because people were afraid of being left out, because people wanted to scalp the tickets themselves.
Let's be clear, a cursory survey of availability at Bruce's dates shows mostly resale tickets. However, in some cases there are still primary tickets available.
And believe me, when you see resale tickets from behind the stage, from the upper deck, these are definitely individuals. Scalpers don't buy these tickets, there's no demand beyond face value, and that's the paradigm the professionals employ. The last thing they want is to be left holding the bag, i.e. the tickets, they're worthless after the show plays. So the scalpers only buy good inventory.
But the punters are unsophisticated. Furthermore, they don't know that they can't compete with the professionals. If you drop the price of your ticket, they're going to drop the price of their ticket by a dollar or more. It's all done automatically, there are computer programs. You can't beat the scalpers at their own game, impossible.
Not that the scalpers are always right. Sometimes they do end up with inventory they can't sell, or that they take a loss on. But one thing is for sure, scalping is a business, and if you think you can buy four tickets to a hot show and sell the other two no problem...you've got another think coming.
As for Taylor Swift... Insiders know she didn't go clean everywhere last time. Which was an incentive to put all her tickets up for sale on the same day, to create mania, to get people to buy tickets for fear of being left out. Springsteen is playing arenas and there are tickets available. Swift is playing stadiums, you'll have no problem getting a ticket at a cheap price. Face value at worst. Maybe below, because all the fans are scalping themselves.
So, the fans are guilty.
As for Bruce... I'm sure there were some holds, but not many, certainly not in the middle of the country. And there are always tickets released at the last minute due to stage configuration, there are holdbacks to make sure the stage fits, you certainly don't want to cancel people's ducats because their seat is squeezed out.
And the only entity not at fault here is...TICKETMASTER!
Well, it's not that simple. You see Ticketmaster does make fees on tickets resold on their platform, not that you must use their platform.
However, pointing the finger at Ticketmaster as the culprit...is oftentimes wrong.
Don't believe the hype.
Then again, they said that back in the seventies, not today.
Since you can't get certain gaming consoles, since you can't get the electric car you want, people believe they're not going to get tickets to the show they want. And when you deal with superstars like Swift, who appeals to a younger demo, you have inexperienced parents caught up in the maelstrom as they try to get tickets for their kids. Pros know if you want to go, just wait. For the market to settle. For the prices to come down. Until the day of the show.
So would Swift have gone clean everywhere if it were not for the Ticketmaster slowdown? Maybe not. And if she went market by market, some dates might have been hot, and others colder. And margins are thin and acts do not want to play to empty seats, EVER!
Not that the media can fathom all of the above. The same media that does not understand that the Luminate/"Billboard" numbers are manipulated, to the benefit of the labels. Record companies don't want pure streaming numbers because they can't game the system! Want your album to move up the chart? Release some vinyl, or lower the price at the iTunes Store, physical and sales are weighted more than streams in Luminate's scam system.
Not that this "corruption" is solely in the music business. It's everywhere. Like slotting fees at supermarkets. You pay to get your items on the shelves, most people think it's a gentleman's agreement, but no way. And if your product doesn't sell, they pull it, because slotting fees are just an element of the overall profit at the store, the items actually have to move across the scanner for the virtuous circle to be complete.
And the funny thing is the flames of the mania are often fed by very few people. Post somewhere that tickets have gone up in price to over four figures and that spreads like wildfire, that becomes the story, even amongst people who don't want to go!
There are shows where it's nearly impossible to get a ticket. But if you pay the scalper enough... The scalper always has tickets. But their inventory can be low, they can sell out. So if you really need to be in the building you get caught up in the buzz and buy. Maybe tickets you really didn't want, whether it be a matter of price or location.
Turns out tickets have a value. And to a great degree this is established by the people, the marketplace, not the act. If a show goes clean instantly, the mantra in the business is you undercharged. Then again, if a show does not sell out instantly, it's not a good look. And after the initial on-sale it's so hard to build further momentum, move tickets. The promoter does not want to be stuck with inventory, because of the aforementioned thin margins.
Oh, margins could be better, but the acts take almost all of the face value of the ticket. Margins are way down in the single digits. So the promoter has to sell nearly every ticket to make a profit.
By now your head is probably spinning. Which is just the point. It's too complicated, you just don't understand.
Get it?
--
Visit the archive: http://lefsetz.com/wordpress/
--
Listen to the podcast:
-iHeart: https://ihr.fm/2Gi5PFj
-Apple: https://apple.co/2ndmpvp
--
http://www.twitter.com/lefsetz
--
If you would like to subscribe to the LefsetzLetter,
http://www.lefsetz.com/lists/?p=subscribe&id=1
If you do not want to receive any more LefsetzLetters, http://lefsetz.com/lists/?p=unsubscribe&uid=0eecea7b60b461717065cbde887c8e25
To change your email address http://lefsetz.com/lists/?p=preferences&uid=0eecea7b60b461717065cbde887c8e25
Monday 13 February 2023
Kevin Cronin On Standing Up
Hey Bob,
So in 2016 REO was touring as special guest with Def Leppard…it was a big tour. We had a show coming up in Greenville, NC when the governor of the state signed a silly red-meat bill regarding which gender was allowed to use which public restrooms. As if they were going to station genitalia police to decide sure who should pee where.
Bruce Springsteen also had an upcoming date in Greenville, about a week before ours, and upon hearing of this ludicrous law, cancelled his show in protest. I loved that Bruce had the stones to take that action. But it left me in a tough spot. I agreed with Springsteen's position, and at the same time was in no position to bow out of our slot with the Lepps. I suppose I could have refused to perform, but it is a bit different for bands than for solo artists.
I regularly post on the REO Speedwagon Facebook page. Mostly it is fun road stories or promoting various band projects, but sometimes my inner Irishman takes over…and I was pissed at the powers-that-were in the beautiful state of North Carolina. I wrote up what I felt was a reasonable response to this nonsensical, unenforceable, uninformed "bathroom law", and although we played the Greenville show, I felt at peace, knowing that I had made my feelings about public restrooms, well, public.
You would have thought I dissed puppies, babies, and hamburgers! The first raft of responses, to what I felt was a reasonably stated opinion piece, were just plain ugly. And it was shocking to (naive) me. Why couldn't I just play the gig, and keep my big mouth shut? I'll tell you why, because I supported Bruce's decision to cancel his date, and had I not spoken up, it would have felt like tacit support for a law which I found to be ignorant and unacceptable. That said, I had alienated what appeared to be a significant portion of our fan base.
But after the initial onslaught of hater-posts, something quite wonderful happened …Love began to appear! People on my side of the issue slowly began to speak up, until love had outnumbered hate by a country mile.
So my long-winded point here is that while I have the utmost respect for artists like Bruce Springsteen, Neal Young, and the late great David Crosby, we can each affect change in our own way. REO Speedwagon is a bar band. We come to your town bearing joy, fun, good old rock'n roll. But as my daughter Holly taught me in the wake of George Floyd…silence is complicity. Not everyone can be an activist, but in this country we can all speak our truth, and let the chips fall.
Onward and upward…Kevin Cronin
--
Visit the archive: http://lefsetz.com/wordpress/
--
Listen to the podcast:
-iHeart: https://ihr.fm/2Gi5PFj
-Apple: https://apple.co/2ndmpvp
--
http://www.twitter.com/lefsetz
--
If you would like to subscribe to the LefsetzLetter,
http://www.lefsetz.com/lists/?p=subscribe&id=1
If you do not want to receive any more LefsetzLetters, http://lefsetz.com/lists/?p=unsubscribe&uid=0eecea7b60b461717065cbde887c8e25
To change your email address http://lefsetz.com/lists/?p=preferences&uid=0eecea7b60b461717065cbde887c8e25
So in 2016 REO was touring as special guest with Def Leppard…it was a big tour. We had a show coming up in Greenville, NC when the governor of the state signed a silly red-meat bill regarding which gender was allowed to use which public restrooms. As if they were going to station genitalia police to decide sure who should pee where.
Bruce Springsteen also had an upcoming date in Greenville, about a week before ours, and upon hearing of this ludicrous law, cancelled his show in protest. I loved that Bruce had the stones to take that action. But it left me in a tough spot. I agreed with Springsteen's position, and at the same time was in no position to bow out of our slot with the Lepps. I suppose I could have refused to perform, but it is a bit different for bands than for solo artists.
I regularly post on the REO Speedwagon Facebook page. Mostly it is fun road stories or promoting various band projects, but sometimes my inner Irishman takes over…and I was pissed at the powers-that-were in the beautiful state of North Carolina. I wrote up what I felt was a reasonable response to this nonsensical, unenforceable, uninformed "bathroom law", and although we played the Greenville show, I felt at peace, knowing that I had made my feelings about public restrooms, well, public.
You would have thought I dissed puppies, babies, and hamburgers! The first raft of responses, to what I felt was a reasonably stated opinion piece, were just plain ugly. And it was shocking to (naive) me. Why couldn't I just play the gig, and keep my big mouth shut? I'll tell you why, because I supported Bruce's decision to cancel his date, and had I not spoken up, it would have felt like tacit support for a law which I found to be ignorant and unacceptable. That said, I had alienated what appeared to be a significant portion of our fan base.
But after the initial onslaught of hater-posts, something quite wonderful happened …Love began to appear! People on my side of the issue slowly began to speak up, until love had outnumbered hate by a country mile.
So my long-winded point here is that while I have the utmost respect for artists like Bruce Springsteen, Neal Young, and the late great David Crosby, we can each affect change in our own way. REO Speedwagon is a bar band. We come to your town bearing joy, fun, good old rock'n roll. But as my daughter Holly taught me in the wake of George Floyd…silence is complicity. Not everyone can be an activist, but in this country we can all speak our truth, and let the chips fall.
Onward and upward…Kevin Cronin
--
Visit the archive: http://lefsetz.com/wordpress/
--
Listen to the podcast:
-iHeart: https://ihr.fm/2Gi5PFj
-Apple: https://apple.co/2ndmpvp
--
http://www.twitter.com/lefsetz
--
If you would like to subscribe to the LefsetzLetter,
http://www.lefsetz.com/lists/?p=subscribe&id=1
If you do not want to receive any more LefsetzLetters, http://lefsetz.com/lists/?p=unsubscribe&uid=0eecea7b60b461717065cbde887c8e25
To change your email address http://lefsetz.com/lists/?p=preferences&uid=0eecea7b60b461717065cbde887c8e25
Re-Larkin Poe At The Fonda
I was with you on Larkin Poe. I roamed the hall and ended up right down front because the Allman's, ZZ Top, & Led Zeppelin were in the air but with harmonized blues shouting vocals. The look of the place, the size and that incredible band. Tight as a snare from weeks on the road. The played like THEY MEANT IT. I time travelled back to a hundred concerts at the Fillmore East. Larkin Poe were transcendent. That doesn't much happen anymore. Did I mention the vocals!!
Small note, I love their Covers. Missed one or two of those, especially their soulful "Bell Bottom blues." But "Running Down a Dream" with Campbell, Rebecca & Megan toe to toe was Duane & Dickie for 2023, and most of all they made it all their own.
Allan Arkush
_____________________________________
Will Lee sent me your letter about Larkin Poe. Wonderful! I've been a supporter of their music since I met them in 2017, and they are a staple of my radio show. They play wonderfully, and have a musical community around them that encourage me to think that the art of making music isn't dead, or dying. Goodnight Texas are going to get a play on my next show too. I do my bit on Tom Petty Radio to help keep musicianship a focus. It's not much, but for some of these hard working musicians it's a lot as the "business" seems more focused on if you can "vogue" more than if you actually have substance as an artist. I felt the need to reach out and tell you that I really appreciated your ability to put into words my feelings about this wonderful art we call music.
Stephen Ferrone
_____________________________________
I was there last night as well. I've been into Larkin Poe for some time and convinced some friends to go too.
What a fantastic show! I was was mesmerized by Rebecca and Megan!
Larry Green
_____________________________________
I was at the show with my 19-year-old son who loves 70's rock and we both loved the show. He's been listening to Running Down a Dream all day since.
The whole show was fresh and hard-driving, but a huge highlight was their cover of Preaching Blues by Son House. Letting Megan lead it off with a long lap steel solo - divine.
Best rock and roll sister act since Heart?
Mark Netter
_____________________________________
Saw Larkin Poe open for E. Costello here in Fort Lauderdale at the Broward Center back in 2015. They were new to the "scene" and I got to interview them in one of the dressing rooms for Deco Drive, the Miami-based entertainment news show I work for. Megan and Rebecca couldn't have been nicer -- or cooler. We talked guitars, we talked guitarists, we talked the art of covering songs -- we talked way longer than I thought we would. I walked out a major fan, the way you do when you meet an act and connect with them. Later that night, they knocked me out with their set.
Matt Auerbach...
_____________________________________
I'm sure there are folks who can tell you their entire genesis but I first came aware of them during the lockdown when everyone was making and posting home videos. I have no idea how theirs first got on my FB feed but I soon followed them. They seemed to make several videos a week, all classic covers. Their playing and singing was top notch and their sister harmonies are perfect. Also, they're pretty cute (show biz, after all).
The re-hits kept coming and they proved their depth. I believe their Dad is a musician, so it's in their genes. And they were ready to go when things started opening up.
I've not seen them live but their live videos are fantastic.
Songs, yeah. But I'm sure everyone in LA and Nashville are clamoring to write with them so we'll see. I mean, who writes songs like "xxx" from 1963-1985 anymore anyway?
About them "sounding like guys", if you take a not-too-deep dive on YouTube, it won't take long to realize that "playing like a girl" ain't a diss anymore and hasn't been for quite some time.
Jack Morer NYC
_____________________________________
I'm glad you dug it and gave them a nod. 3 years ago when The Immediate Family played the Legends Rock Cruise with a bunch of other great but older acts, they were incongruously booked. Didn't know them so I went to see their set. Like you, I was in from the first bar. And they are humble and personable as well, no rockstar attitude, it's all about the music.
Steve Postell
_____________________________________
Hey Bob,
I love this story . . . Sounds like a great night!
My daughter and I went to the Mercury Lounge in NYC's East Village to see Larkin Poe a few years ago . . . I was floored by their show, their chops, and when we got a chance to hang for a minute after the show, they were wonderful, engaging, humble, and friendly!
I love their music, the grit that they've shown by staying in the game, and their trajectory reminds me of a couple of other bands, The Warning on Lava and Ripe on Glassnote. All three bands are literally one hit single from taking over the industry . . . get ready to open the floodgates!
I believe Jason Flom saved rock-n-roll when he signed Greta Van Fleet . . . Perhaps Larkin Poe, The Warning, and Ripe are about to bring the rock format back to the mainstream for good!
Be well, God bless, and GOGETEM Bob . . . You ROCK!!!
Pat O'Connor
PS - I met Mike at The Joint several years ago when Mudcrutch filled in for Waddy one night. What a nice guy . . . it's so refreshing to meet a Rock-N-Roll Hall of Famer who feels just as comfortable with a bar crowd as in a stadium. Must have been electric at The Fonda!
_____________________________________
about ten years ago I drove a limo all day for the Lovell sisters and the rest of the band supporting a private gig in SC behind Kristian Bush. By the end of the day, I was their committed fanboy. They were the nicest, most down to earth people I'd met in a long time. On the way to the venue that night, I realized Rebecca was battling a raging stomach flu. As l watched from the wings, I was amazed at the energy and professionalism she showed, knowing she probably wanted to go barf behind the stacks. One of the gutsiest things I've ever watched. They were just launching Larkin Poe (Edgar Allen was an ancestor) and I became a slavish fan. Bring it, ladies! You add some much-needed class to today's music world.
David Bohn
_____________________________________
Larkin Poe are undeniably GREAT! Excellent players and writers and they're blessed with strong passionate voices that blend perfectly in sibling harmony. They're indeed the real deal.
I'm glad you've helped bring some more positive attention to them and their rootsy blues rock, Bob.
Bill Mumy
_____________________________________
They are a killer band. Waited for about 2 years for them to come to Seattle and it was everything I expected. Blood Harmony their new release is unique in that every cut is a good listen. Bob, you are correct, for us classic rockers they are a definite throwback and we do remember!
Allan Gastwirth
_____________________________________
Bob
"Self Made Man" is f**kin "pipe layer"
Jeff Laufer
_____________________________________
I've seen many YouTube cuts of LP. They're organic and authentic. Taking the blues and making it their own sound. Hard to do in these times. Making their guitars talk..
Tim Pringle
_____________________________________
Years ago Megan and Rebbecca performed with older sister Jessica. They lived about 30 miles down the road in Calhoun. They were about 15, 17, & 19 at the time and really hitting hard in the bluegrass world. As I recall Rebecca one year won the mando contest in Wifiled, Kansas. She could really tear into the mando with great fluidity and precision. I am sure they have worked hard to master their craft. The sisters had all taken classical violin lessons and probably piano as well. I have had the pleasure of seeing them "grow up" musically so to speak. A group I play with was forrtunate enough to open for them a few times. Nice talented young ladies pursuing their own path! I always love it when I hear one of their songs played on the area NPR affiliate. Soulful, passionate, and well crafted songs.
T. Brown
_____________________________________
I've been a major fan of Larkin Poe for years (have you by any chance seen their tiny desk version of Phil Collins' "In The Air" tonight?"): https://youtu.be/I-PDliZYV_c
Thrilled that you highlighted them like this. They're the real deal and the antithesis of "pretty good for a girl." They're just plain great, and they make it look easy, which is the definition of genius.
John Henry Jones
_____________________________________
love them...they've been at it for years and as you said they are the real thing...
Michael Rosenblatt
_____________________________________
I told you so!! A couple years ago I wrote to you that Larkin Poe was slaying it and that the future of rock Is female.
Paula Franceschi
_____________________________________
Man, I'd have paid to see this show. Just listened to some of their music, they're on my radar now.
Kenneth Williams
_____________________________________
Finally!
"I got hope".
I've been reading your column awaiting this feeling/these words.
Bonus: "emotional excursion".
Well worth the read.
Thank you Larkin Poe!
Rochelle Harper
_____________________________________
I saw Larkin Poe at the Peach Festival a couple years ago pre pandemic. They were playing the main stage at noon. Not many people were awake yet and they missed out I was hooked and got their albums.
Joe Frischman
_____________________________________
So great to hear you call them out. We fell in love with them on the jb ktba cruise when they were an unknown baby band 6 or 7 years ago. We now see them everytime and they keep getting better and better. They are also opening for some high end big names. Reminds me of Samantha fish and her meteoric rise the last few years.
Thank you sir!
Phil Bergman
_____________________________________
We saw Larkin Poe at willie Nelson's outlaw festival last summer. They killed. I started a Spotify station from them. Nathaniel Ratcliffe was undone by his sound man and lightning designer. Billy Strings was incredible. No lighting tricks. Just kick ass guitarists. But for me, Larkin Poe stole the show.
Glad you found them.
John Daingerfield
_____________________________________
FYI... Steven Ferrone
Acyually he "made his bones" with Brian Auger & The Oblivion Express where he replaced Robbie McIntosh. Robbie left to form AWB and when he passed was replaced by... Steven Ferrone!
Mike Marrone
_____________________________________
Very cool, I like their music but have never seen them live. Yet.
Toby Mamis
_____________________________________
Authentic music…..it's the reason my career has been devoted to Blues and Roots Rock.
Gina Hughes
_____________________________________
Thanks Bob,they rock.I found out about them in guitar magazines.I love their shows,and wish them the best.Thanks Bob,stay well,Ted Keane
_____________________________________
Bob, I've been waiting since 2014 for you to take notice of these power sisters. They registered on my radar when I saw them playing in Sugarland's Kristian Bush's band in Chester, PA. They were a powerhouse pair. Megan's slide playing and Rebecca on guitar and mandolin were badass, I had a nice conversation with them in which they told me the origin of their name (an ancestor, I believe) and Rebecca and I shared our enthusiasm for Rickenbacker horseshoe pickups. It's so great to see them get the recognition for which they've tirelessly worked.
Eric Bazilian
_____________________________________
So happy you enjoyed Larkin Poe. I first heard them three years ago at the Mariposa Folk Festival north of Toronto, and again at the Edmonton Folk Festival last summer. The breadth of their repertoire is amazing, b ut my best memory was when they played a small daytime workshop stage with two superlative Canadian guitarists, Cecile du Kingue and Kevin Breit. The look of surprise, amazement and joyful pleasure on their faces was something to see. These women are so open to new things, but will always stay rooted in the blues. And, yes, they ARE fantastic!
Richard Flohil
_____________________________________
These (then) very young ladies warmed up Elvis Costello and his band almost 10 years ago at Interlochen (in northern Michigan). We had A) never heard of them before, and B) were absolutely FLOORED. They looked about 16 at the time, but had the swagger, talent and stage acumen of Ann & Nancy Wilson in 1978. The sisters were a revelation that night, and we've been following them ever since. The real nod was, Elvis invited them onstage for the last few numbers of the night with his band. Elvis doesn't do that to teenage nobodies unless they seriously warrant props. And, they did.
Thank you, Elvis.
Pete Kehoe
_____________________________________
I first heard of Larkin Poe when I saw them as Elvis Costello's band mates at the Paramount Theater in Denver back in 2016. I was absolutely blown away. The chemistry between them and EC was beautiful. It was a companion piece to his biography and while the show was absolutely focused on his music and life Larkin Poe brought an energy to his songs that I'll never forget. Thanks for the review of their recent show. I hope to see them as headliners after reading this.
Kevin Bennett
_____________________________________
Between 2020-2021, I produced a podcast called "Past, Present, Future, Live" which featured conversations with artists about the music that influenced their careers. At the end of each episode, each guest performed a 3-song set, on video, which usually included a cover or two inspired by the conversation, plus songs from their own catalog. This was during the in-and-out of lockdown, so most guests were still off the road and game to do the live performance. (and we got some incredible performances as a result)
At the urging of one of my co-producers, we booked Larkin Poe for an episode. I'd never heard of them, but he was sold on their talent. When I received their 3-song set after the interview was recorded, I was floored. It just was a simple video of Rebecca and Megan playing "Who Do You Love" plus their tunes "Self Made Man" and "Holy Ghost Fire", but their exceptional talent and obvious love for what they do made it a moment. When I tell people to listen to the episode, I encourage them to watch the video first, then go back and listen to the podcast episode.
The thing about Larkin Poe -- and a generation of musicians who are their peers, like Maggie Rose, Tyler Bryant (who also happens to be Rebecca's husband), Daniel Donato, Emily Wolfe, Gary Clark Jr., Black Pistol Fire, to name a few -- is that they truly embody the rock and roll spirit that you write so often about. They've got talent and dedication, but they've also got soul. And that's the thing that turns just another concert into a transcendent experience.
Larkin Poe don't mess around. I can't wait to see them at Webster Hall next month.
-- Kirsten Cluthe
_____________________________________
Glad to hear you're now an official Poe Boy.
Bill Weaver
_____________________________________
Great to see you giving some love to our hometown women, Larkin Poe. They've worked their asses off, year after year. They've toured, they've played, they've backed others, they've written songs, they've toured, and they've toured, and they've toured. They come upon their skills and sound the hard way, they've worked at it.
They've always been good and it's nice to see them finally getting the recognition they deserve.
Years ago they recorded a video at my house (I'm not sure they ever released the song, but they should!)
Was honored to know them then and now.
Thanks,
Matt Arnett
Atlanta, GA
Here's the video-Larkin Poe, Mad As A Hatter
https://youtu.be/Dm0pdZghjA8
_____________________________________
Wow! Thanks so much for the review. Never heard of them and after a diet of YouTube I am an instant fan. BTW, I am 78 years old. Not too old to dig great music.
Jan Burden
_____________________________________
Welcome to the bandwagon Bob (not meant as a backhanded compliment) LP have are a great live act and while for my money on record they sometimes get a little too slick it's great to see young artists keeping this sound alive. The Blues has never been a mainstream top 40 genre so the chances of it being heard on mainstream radio or showing up in a spotify top whatever list is about buckleys to none. That being said, there's more than a few great modern day acts flying the blues flag if you're willing to go searching for them and I highly suggest you do.
Chris Xynos
_____________________________________
Video here, and yes, it rocked!
"Larkin Poe - Running Down a Dream, Fonda Theatre, Hollywood CA, Feb 11, 2023"
https://youtu.be/jSQ1fuAwn9Q
Ben Parent
--
Visit the archive: http://lefsetz.com/wordpress/
--
Listen to the podcast:
-iHeart: https://ihr.fm/2Gi5PFj
-Apple: https://apple.co/2ndmpvp
--
http://www.twitter.com/lefsetz
--
If you would like to subscribe to the LefsetzLetter,
http://www.lefsetz.com/lists/?p=subscribe&id=1
If you do not want to receive any more LefsetzLetters, http://lefsetz.com/lists/?p=unsubscribe&uid=0eecea7b60b461717065cbde887c8e25
To change your email address http://lefsetz.com/lists/?p=preferences&uid=0eecea7b60b461717065cbde887c8e25
Small note, I love their Covers. Missed one or two of those, especially their soulful "Bell Bottom blues." But "Running Down a Dream" with Campbell, Rebecca & Megan toe to toe was Duane & Dickie for 2023, and most of all they made it all their own.
Allan Arkush
_____________________________________
Will Lee sent me your letter about Larkin Poe. Wonderful! I've been a supporter of their music since I met them in 2017, and they are a staple of my radio show. They play wonderfully, and have a musical community around them that encourage me to think that the art of making music isn't dead, or dying. Goodnight Texas are going to get a play on my next show too. I do my bit on Tom Petty Radio to help keep musicianship a focus. It's not much, but for some of these hard working musicians it's a lot as the "business" seems more focused on if you can "vogue" more than if you actually have substance as an artist. I felt the need to reach out and tell you that I really appreciated your ability to put into words my feelings about this wonderful art we call music.
Stephen Ferrone
_____________________________________
I was there last night as well. I've been into Larkin Poe for some time and convinced some friends to go too.
What a fantastic show! I was was mesmerized by Rebecca and Megan!
Larry Green
_____________________________________
I was at the show with my 19-year-old son who loves 70's rock and we both loved the show. He's been listening to Running Down a Dream all day since.
The whole show was fresh and hard-driving, but a huge highlight was their cover of Preaching Blues by Son House. Letting Megan lead it off with a long lap steel solo - divine.
Best rock and roll sister act since Heart?
Mark Netter
_____________________________________
Saw Larkin Poe open for E. Costello here in Fort Lauderdale at the Broward Center back in 2015. They were new to the "scene" and I got to interview them in one of the dressing rooms for Deco Drive, the Miami-based entertainment news show I work for. Megan and Rebecca couldn't have been nicer -- or cooler. We talked guitars, we talked guitarists, we talked the art of covering songs -- we talked way longer than I thought we would. I walked out a major fan, the way you do when you meet an act and connect with them. Later that night, they knocked me out with their set.
Matt Auerbach...
_____________________________________
I'm sure there are folks who can tell you their entire genesis but I first came aware of them during the lockdown when everyone was making and posting home videos. I have no idea how theirs first got on my FB feed but I soon followed them. They seemed to make several videos a week, all classic covers. Their playing and singing was top notch and their sister harmonies are perfect. Also, they're pretty cute (show biz, after all).
The re-hits kept coming and they proved their depth. I believe their Dad is a musician, so it's in their genes. And they were ready to go when things started opening up.
I've not seen them live but their live videos are fantastic.
Songs, yeah. But I'm sure everyone in LA and Nashville are clamoring to write with them so we'll see. I mean, who writes songs like "xxx" from 1963-1985 anymore anyway?
About them "sounding like guys", if you take a not-too-deep dive on YouTube, it won't take long to realize that "playing like a girl" ain't a diss anymore and hasn't been for quite some time.
Jack Morer NYC
_____________________________________
I'm glad you dug it and gave them a nod. 3 years ago when The Immediate Family played the Legends Rock Cruise with a bunch of other great but older acts, they were incongruously booked. Didn't know them so I went to see their set. Like you, I was in from the first bar. And they are humble and personable as well, no rockstar attitude, it's all about the music.
Steve Postell
_____________________________________
Hey Bob,
I love this story . . . Sounds like a great night!
My daughter and I went to the Mercury Lounge in NYC's East Village to see Larkin Poe a few years ago . . . I was floored by their show, their chops, and when we got a chance to hang for a minute after the show, they were wonderful, engaging, humble, and friendly!
I love their music, the grit that they've shown by staying in the game, and their trajectory reminds me of a couple of other bands, The Warning on Lava and Ripe on Glassnote. All three bands are literally one hit single from taking over the industry . . . get ready to open the floodgates!
I believe Jason Flom saved rock-n-roll when he signed Greta Van Fleet . . . Perhaps Larkin Poe, The Warning, and Ripe are about to bring the rock format back to the mainstream for good!
Be well, God bless, and GOGETEM Bob . . . You ROCK!!!
Pat O'Connor
PS - I met Mike at The Joint several years ago when Mudcrutch filled in for Waddy one night. What a nice guy . . . it's so refreshing to meet a Rock-N-Roll Hall of Famer who feels just as comfortable with a bar crowd as in a stadium. Must have been electric at The Fonda!
_____________________________________
about ten years ago I drove a limo all day for the Lovell sisters and the rest of the band supporting a private gig in SC behind Kristian Bush. By the end of the day, I was their committed fanboy. They were the nicest, most down to earth people I'd met in a long time. On the way to the venue that night, I realized Rebecca was battling a raging stomach flu. As l watched from the wings, I was amazed at the energy and professionalism she showed, knowing she probably wanted to go barf behind the stacks. One of the gutsiest things I've ever watched. They were just launching Larkin Poe (Edgar Allen was an ancestor) and I became a slavish fan. Bring it, ladies! You add some much-needed class to today's music world.
David Bohn
_____________________________________
Larkin Poe are undeniably GREAT! Excellent players and writers and they're blessed with strong passionate voices that blend perfectly in sibling harmony. They're indeed the real deal.
I'm glad you've helped bring some more positive attention to them and their rootsy blues rock, Bob.
Bill Mumy
_____________________________________
They are a killer band. Waited for about 2 years for them to come to Seattle and it was everything I expected. Blood Harmony their new release is unique in that every cut is a good listen. Bob, you are correct, for us classic rockers they are a definite throwback and we do remember!
Allan Gastwirth
_____________________________________
Bob
"Self Made Man" is f**kin "pipe layer"
Jeff Laufer
_____________________________________
I've seen many YouTube cuts of LP. They're organic and authentic. Taking the blues and making it their own sound. Hard to do in these times. Making their guitars talk..
Tim Pringle
_____________________________________
Years ago Megan and Rebbecca performed with older sister Jessica. They lived about 30 miles down the road in Calhoun. They were about 15, 17, & 19 at the time and really hitting hard in the bluegrass world. As I recall Rebecca one year won the mando contest in Wifiled, Kansas. She could really tear into the mando with great fluidity and precision. I am sure they have worked hard to master their craft. The sisters had all taken classical violin lessons and probably piano as well. I have had the pleasure of seeing them "grow up" musically so to speak. A group I play with was forrtunate enough to open for them a few times. Nice talented young ladies pursuing their own path! I always love it when I hear one of their songs played on the area NPR affiliate. Soulful, passionate, and well crafted songs.
T. Brown
_____________________________________
I've been a major fan of Larkin Poe for years (have you by any chance seen their tiny desk version of Phil Collins' "In The Air" tonight?"): https://youtu.be/I-PDliZYV_c
Thrilled that you highlighted them like this. They're the real deal and the antithesis of "pretty good for a girl." They're just plain great, and they make it look easy, which is the definition of genius.
John Henry Jones
_____________________________________
love them...they've been at it for years and as you said they are the real thing...
Michael Rosenblatt
_____________________________________
I told you so!! A couple years ago I wrote to you that Larkin Poe was slaying it and that the future of rock Is female.
Paula Franceschi
_____________________________________
Man, I'd have paid to see this show. Just listened to some of their music, they're on my radar now.
Kenneth Williams
_____________________________________
Finally!
"I got hope".
I've been reading your column awaiting this feeling/these words.
Bonus: "emotional excursion".
Well worth the read.
Thank you Larkin Poe!
Rochelle Harper
_____________________________________
I saw Larkin Poe at the Peach Festival a couple years ago pre pandemic. They were playing the main stage at noon. Not many people were awake yet and they missed out I was hooked and got their albums.
Joe Frischman
_____________________________________
So great to hear you call them out. We fell in love with them on the jb ktba cruise when they were an unknown baby band 6 or 7 years ago. We now see them everytime and they keep getting better and better. They are also opening for some high end big names. Reminds me of Samantha fish and her meteoric rise the last few years.
Thank you sir!
Phil Bergman
_____________________________________
We saw Larkin Poe at willie Nelson's outlaw festival last summer. They killed. I started a Spotify station from them. Nathaniel Ratcliffe was undone by his sound man and lightning designer. Billy Strings was incredible. No lighting tricks. Just kick ass guitarists. But for me, Larkin Poe stole the show.
Glad you found them.
John Daingerfield
_____________________________________
FYI... Steven Ferrone
Acyually he "made his bones" with Brian Auger & The Oblivion Express where he replaced Robbie McIntosh. Robbie left to form AWB and when he passed was replaced by... Steven Ferrone!
Mike Marrone
_____________________________________
Very cool, I like their music but have never seen them live. Yet.
Toby Mamis
_____________________________________
Authentic music…..it's the reason my career has been devoted to Blues and Roots Rock.
Gina Hughes
_____________________________________
Thanks Bob,they rock.I found out about them in guitar magazines.I love their shows,and wish them the best.Thanks Bob,stay well,Ted Keane
_____________________________________
Bob, I've been waiting since 2014 for you to take notice of these power sisters. They registered on my radar when I saw them playing in Sugarland's Kristian Bush's band in Chester, PA. They were a powerhouse pair. Megan's slide playing and Rebecca on guitar and mandolin were badass, I had a nice conversation with them in which they told me the origin of their name (an ancestor, I believe) and Rebecca and I shared our enthusiasm for Rickenbacker horseshoe pickups. It's so great to see them get the recognition for which they've tirelessly worked.
Eric Bazilian
_____________________________________
So happy you enjoyed Larkin Poe. I first heard them three years ago at the Mariposa Folk Festival north of Toronto, and again at the Edmonton Folk Festival last summer. The breadth of their repertoire is amazing, b ut my best memory was when they played a small daytime workshop stage with two superlative Canadian guitarists, Cecile du Kingue and Kevin Breit. The look of surprise, amazement and joyful pleasure on their faces was something to see. These women are so open to new things, but will always stay rooted in the blues. And, yes, they ARE fantastic!
Richard Flohil
_____________________________________
These (then) very young ladies warmed up Elvis Costello and his band almost 10 years ago at Interlochen (in northern Michigan). We had A) never heard of them before, and B) were absolutely FLOORED. They looked about 16 at the time, but had the swagger, talent and stage acumen of Ann & Nancy Wilson in 1978. The sisters were a revelation that night, and we've been following them ever since. The real nod was, Elvis invited them onstage for the last few numbers of the night with his band. Elvis doesn't do that to teenage nobodies unless they seriously warrant props. And, they did.
Thank you, Elvis.
Pete Kehoe
_____________________________________
I first heard of Larkin Poe when I saw them as Elvis Costello's band mates at the Paramount Theater in Denver back in 2016. I was absolutely blown away. The chemistry between them and EC was beautiful. It was a companion piece to his biography and while the show was absolutely focused on his music and life Larkin Poe brought an energy to his songs that I'll never forget. Thanks for the review of their recent show. I hope to see them as headliners after reading this.
Kevin Bennett
_____________________________________
Between 2020-2021, I produced a podcast called "Past, Present, Future, Live" which featured conversations with artists about the music that influenced their careers. At the end of each episode, each guest performed a 3-song set, on video, which usually included a cover or two inspired by the conversation, plus songs from their own catalog. This was during the in-and-out of lockdown, so most guests were still off the road and game to do the live performance. (and we got some incredible performances as a result)
At the urging of one of my co-producers, we booked Larkin Poe for an episode. I'd never heard of them, but he was sold on their talent. When I received their 3-song set after the interview was recorded, I was floored. It just was a simple video of Rebecca and Megan playing "Who Do You Love" plus their tunes "Self Made Man" and "Holy Ghost Fire", but their exceptional talent and obvious love for what they do made it a moment. When I tell people to listen to the episode, I encourage them to watch the video first, then go back and listen to the podcast episode.
The thing about Larkin Poe -- and a generation of musicians who are their peers, like Maggie Rose, Tyler Bryant (who also happens to be Rebecca's husband), Daniel Donato, Emily Wolfe, Gary Clark Jr., Black Pistol Fire, to name a few -- is that they truly embody the rock and roll spirit that you write so often about. They've got talent and dedication, but they've also got soul. And that's the thing that turns just another concert into a transcendent experience.
Larkin Poe don't mess around. I can't wait to see them at Webster Hall next month.
-- Kirsten Cluthe
_____________________________________
Glad to hear you're now an official Poe Boy.
Bill Weaver
_____________________________________
Great to see you giving some love to our hometown women, Larkin Poe. They've worked their asses off, year after year. They've toured, they've played, they've backed others, they've written songs, they've toured, and they've toured, and they've toured. They come upon their skills and sound the hard way, they've worked at it.
They've always been good and it's nice to see them finally getting the recognition they deserve.
Years ago they recorded a video at my house (I'm not sure they ever released the song, but they should!)
Was honored to know them then and now.
Thanks,
Matt Arnett
Atlanta, GA
Here's the video-Larkin Poe, Mad As A Hatter
https://youtu.be/Dm0pdZghjA8
_____________________________________
Wow! Thanks so much for the review. Never heard of them and after a diet of YouTube I am an instant fan. BTW, I am 78 years old. Not too old to dig great music.
Jan Burden
_____________________________________
Welcome to the bandwagon Bob (not meant as a backhanded compliment) LP have are a great live act and while for my money on record they sometimes get a little too slick it's great to see young artists keeping this sound alive. The Blues has never been a mainstream top 40 genre so the chances of it being heard on mainstream radio or showing up in a spotify top whatever list is about buckleys to none. That being said, there's more than a few great modern day acts flying the blues flag if you're willing to go searching for them and I highly suggest you do.
Chris Xynos
_____________________________________
Video here, and yes, it rocked!
"Larkin Poe - Running Down a Dream, Fonda Theatre, Hollywood CA, Feb 11, 2023"
https://youtu.be/jSQ1fuAwn9Q
Ben Parent
--
Visit the archive: http://lefsetz.com/wordpress/
--
Listen to the podcast:
-iHeart: https://ihr.fm/2Gi5PFj
-Apple: https://apple.co/2ndmpvp
--
http://www.twitter.com/lefsetz
--
If you would like to subscribe to the LefsetzLetter,
http://www.lefsetz.com/lists/?p=subscribe&id=1
If you do not want to receive any more LefsetzLetters, http://lefsetz.com/lists/?p=unsubscribe&uid=0eecea7b60b461717065cbde887c8e25
To change your email address http://lefsetz.com/lists/?p=preferences&uid=0eecea7b60b461717065cbde887c8e25
Sunday 12 February 2023
Just A Note
Yesterday there was an opinion piece in the "New York Times":
"YouTube Gave Me Everything, Then I Grew Up": https://nyti.ms/3ltLmED
I follow this influencer stuff. Because I know despite the positive press, it's a lonely life that burns you out and ultimately leaves you unsatisfied.
I had lunch with a majordomo who had a meeting at TikTok. The company told him you have to post EACH AND EVERY DAY!
And they're right.
I don't know if you follow anybody on TikTok, but if you do, you look for new content every day and when you don't find it, you eventually fall off. That's another dirty little secret of internet addiction (and I'm not talking about the one referencing the time you spend online), what infatuates you now...you ultimately burn out on.
Never mind that despite all the hype, it's very hard to make good, consistent money being an influencer.
So I thought the above article would be another one about burnout. However that was not the case. The writer was complaining that she was a prisoner of her image. She was afraid to change it for fear of losing followers. She had to be who she once was, so her audience would be satisfied. Eventually she left the service and allowed herself to grow up and change. Which was a relief. She could finally be herself.
But being locked into a past identity not only haunts social media influencers, but everyone involved in the arts.
One of the amazing features of the Beatles was that every track sounded different. I was compiling car songs for my SXM show and I thought of "Always Crashing in the Same Car" from David Bowie's "Low," which could not have been more different from its mega-successful predecessor "Station to Station." And Neil Young scored with "Harvest" and then went on the road playing arenas to his newfound fans and performed all new electric music.
Giving the people what they want is a fool's errand. That's being a corporation. But for an artist...it's death.
So I wrote about Joe Rogan and antisemitism and... I lost about 200 subscribers. Did I know I was going to lose subscribers when I tackled this subject? Sure. But then I was confronted with printing responses. Once. Twice? That was too much for people, even Kid Rock, he signed off.
Now 200 subscribers is a drop in the bucket for me. But I'll admit I don't like losing subscribers.
And everybody gets a choice, the people who signed off are entitled to do so, for whatever reason, it's their life.
But it's my life too.
Do I do what feels right? Do I do what I believe must be done? Or do I cower in fear and play to the masses, unafraid to sacrifice.
The dearly departed David Crosby took a stand on Trump, engaged his attackers and pushed back. And isn't it funny that we're talking about Crosby instead of Stills or Nash. And this was long before his death. Crosby was not set in amber. He was smarter than the average bear, and rather than dumb himself down for the masses, he refused to compromise. And continued to make music and experiment. Did he have rough edges? Of course! But that's the essence of being an artist. And if you're not willing to take chances, find yourself on the wrong road, hit a dead end, you're never going to reach the nougat, get the gold.
Antisemitism is a real subject. And, as someone wrote to me, only a Jew knows where the line is.
But that is not what this is about.
I could tell you to march forward uncompromised, but...
It's hard to do that if you work for the corporation, it's all groupthink, especially if you're not the CEO.
Which is why we look up to artists, because they're not beholden to the usual suspects. But when they desire to become brands/corporations themselves, we end up watching streaming television. We want people we can believe in. That's what music delivered and no longer does.
I'm not asking for sympathy. I've got a huge audience, I can lose a few.
But don't think I'm happy about it, don't think it doesn't haunt me, don't think that I don't think about it.
I could give you what I think you want...
But the dirty little secret is you don't even want that. What you say you want doesn't satisfy, because we're all looking for something new and different, that elates us. And it's so hard to find it, and when we do we're so happy.
The key to being an artist is to listen to your inner turning fork and follow it. The greats had no roadmap. And some weren't even recognized until after they died. But they needed to go down their path, for themselves primarily.
Sign off all you want. Tell me you're going to sign off, which a lot of these people do...as if that's going to make me feel bad and make me change my ways? I'm going to do my best not to listen to you, not to be influenced by you. It's not easy. But this is the dilemma facing all of us. As my father constantly said, "Just because someone jumps off a bridge does that mean you should to?" It's your choice.
--
Visit the archive: http://lefsetz.com/wordpress/
--
Listen to the podcast:
-iHeart: https://ihr.fm/2Gi5PFj
-Apple: https://apple.co/2ndmpvp
--
http://www.twitter.com/lefsetz
--
If you would like to subscribe to the LefsetzLetter,
http://www.lefsetz.com/lists/?p=subscribe&id=1
If you do not want to receive any more LefsetzLetters, http://lefsetz.com/lists/?p=unsubscribe&uid=0eecea7b60b461717065cbde887c8e25
To change your email address http://lefsetz.com/lists/?p=preferences&uid=0eecea7b60b461717065cbde887c8e25
"YouTube Gave Me Everything, Then I Grew Up": https://nyti.ms/3ltLmED
I follow this influencer stuff. Because I know despite the positive press, it's a lonely life that burns you out and ultimately leaves you unsatisfied.
I had lunch with a majordomo who had a meeting at TikTok. The company told him you have to post EACH AND EVERY DAY!
And they're right.
I don't know if you follow anybody on TikTok, but if you do, you look for new content every day and when you don't find it, you eventually fall off. That's another dirty little secret of internet addiction (and I'm not talking about the one referencing the time you spend online), what infatuates you now...you ultimately burn out on.
Never mind that despite all the hype, it's very hard to make good, consistent money being an influencer.
So I thought the above article would be another one about burnout. However that was not the case. The writer was complaining that she was a prisoner of her image. She was afraid to change it for fear of losing followers. She had to be who she once was, so her audience would be satisfied. Eventually she left the service and allowed herself to grow up and change. Which was a relief. She could finally be herself.
But being locked into a past identity not only haunts social media influencers, but everyone involved in the arts.
One of the amazing features of the Beatles was that every track sounded different. I was compiling car songs for my SXM show and I thought of "Always Crashing in the Same Car" from David Bowie's "Low," which could not have been more different from its mega-successful predecessor "Station to Station." And Neil Young scored with "Harvest" and then went on the road playing arenas to his newfound fans and performed all new electric music.
Giving the people what they want is a fool's errand. That's being a corporation. But for an artist...it's death.
So I wrote about Joe Rogan and antisemitism and... I lost about 200 subscribers. Did I know I was going to lose subscribers when I tackled this subject? Sure. But then I was confronted with printing responses. Once. Twice? That was too much for people, even Kid Rock, he signed off.
Now 200 subscribers is a drop in the bucket for me. But I'll admit I don't like losing subscribers.
And everybody gets a choice, the people who signed off are entitled to do so, for whatever reason, it's their life.
But it's my life too.
Do I do what feels right? Do I do what I believe must be done? Or do I cower in fear and play to the masses, unafraid to sacrifice.
The dearly departed David Crosby took a stand on Trump, engaged his attackers and pushed back. And isn't it funny that we're talking about Crosby instead of Stills or Nash. And this was long before his death. Crosby was not set in amber. He was smarter than the average bear, and rather than dumb himself down for the masses, he refused to compromise. And continued to make music and experiment. Did he have rough edges? Of course! But that's the essence of being an artist. And if you're not willing to take chances, find yourself on the wrong road, hit a dead end, you're never going to reach the nougat, get the gold.
Antisemitism is a real subject. And, as someone wrote to me, only a Jew knows where the line is.
But that is not what this is about.
I could tell you to march forward uncompromised, but...
It's hard to do that if you work for the corporation, it's all groupthink, especially if you're not the CEO.
Which is why we look up to artists, because they're not beholden to the usual suspects. But when they desire to become brands/corporations themselves, we end up watching streaming television. We want people we can believe in. That's what music delivered and no longer does.
I'm not asking for sympathy. I've got a huge audience, I can lose a few.
But don't think I'm happy about it, don't think it doesn't haunt me, don't think that I don't think about it.
I could give you what I think you want...
But the dirty little secret is you don't even want that. What you say you want doesn't satisfy, because we're all looking for something new and different, that elates us. And it's so hard to find it, and when we do we're so happy.
The key to being an artist is to listen to your inner turning fork and follow it. The greats had no roadmap. And some weren't even recognized until after they died. But they needed to go down their path, for themselves primarily.
Sign off all you want. Tell me you're going to sign off, which a lot of these people do...as if that's going to make me feel bad and make me change my ways? I'm going to do my best not to listen to you, not to be influenced by you. It's not easy. But this is the dilemma facing all of us. As my father constantly said, "Just because someone jumps off a bridge does that mean you should to?" It's your choice.
--
Visit the archive: http://lefsetz.com/wordpress/
--
Listen to the podcast:
-iHeart: https://ihr.fm/2Gi5PFj
-Apple: https://apple.co/2ndmpvp
--
http://www.twitter.com/lefsetz
--
If you would like to subscribe to the LefsetzLetter,
http://www.lefsetz.com/lists/?p=subscribe&id=1
If you do not want to receive any more LefsetzLetters, http://lefsetz.com/lists/?p=unsubscribe&uid=0eecea7b60b461717065cbde887c8e25
To change your email address http://lefsetz.com/lists/?p=preferences&uid=0eecea7b60b461717065cbde887c8e25
Larkin Poe At The Fonda
They were fantastic!
Unfortunately (or fortunately!), the entire one and a half hour show was eclipsed by the star-studded encore.
Close your eyes and it's 1973. Only instead of this blues-based band being fronted by guys, it's two women!
Rebecca Lovell absolutely slays on the guitar, and her sister Megan plays standup slide. And there's a bass player and a drummer, both men, and not a hard drive in sight.
It was head-twisting, as in this is exactly the opposite of what is being sold to us by the media, it couldn't be more different from Beyoncé, 50 years of hip-hop or Harry Styles.
Oh, don't point to publicity here or there. And don't talk to me about the Grammy undercard, which only those nominated care about. I'm talking about the general public. How hard is it to reach the public at large? ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE!
Now the way it used to be was fans digested the record and went to see the band live to hear renditions of the songs they were familiar with. But that script has been flipped. Maybe not with the Spotify Top 50 acts, but if you're outside the pop/hip-hop hegemony that dominates the major labels and the press, what you hope for most is that someone catches you live. This is the essence of the undercard of the festival. Are you so good that people will become fans?
Most acts are not. Because despite their protestations, they're just not that dedicated, they're not lifers, unlike the Lovells, who've been at it for decades. If you're not willing to slog it out on the road...
Another interesting note is that we've heard for the past decade and a half that it's all about solo acts, cutting tracks in their bedrooms. But it turns out the road is defined by bands, where the records are secondary.
Anyway, the lights went down and over the PA system was played...WHITE ROOM?
Come on, you remember the intro flourish. Or if you don't... Streaming services have surfaced all the old tracks, they're there for the listening, and they're anything but evanescent, Robert Johnson is forever, and people are now discovering the blues roots that inspired the classic rock acts.
I've been waiting for this, for such a long time, but last night I experienced it, I got hope.
So when the girls/women (and believe me they looked young) took the stage I expected them to segue into the Cream classic. But "White Room" stopped and the band started to play and...
I was positively wowed!
Come on, it's a sentence to see most acts, especially if you don't know the material. You start checking your phone, wondering if you can sneak out without anybody noticing. But from the very first note last night I was into it, my body was moving involuntarily in tune, I mean this is the sound I was brought up on. Is it for everybody? NOTHING IS FOR EVERYBODY!
Now in the old days, the key would be to record a single. Find that elusive hit. But even that paradigm is dead. Where would it be played? Certainly not on Top 40 radio. And Active Rock is for metal-influenced acts, all multiple generations removed from the progenitors, you need a handbook to decode what is going on there, it's not for newbies.
So what's a poor girl to do, who is playing in a rock and roll band? Just go on the road and slay, making fans night by night.
I'm not going to sit here and tell you I heard a hit, but like I stated above, what difference would that make anyway? This was not a cover band. These were originals. Inspired by the classics...
And unlike Fanny, who I saw at the Fillmore East, Larkin Poe was uncompromised, there was no softness around the edges, no pop, you could have closed your eyes and thought it was guys.
And in a world where everything seems to come from a machine, this authentic blues-based rock sound has a humanity and authority lacking from the hit parade.
It brought me back fifty years. When a show was an experience. Which set your mind free and let you drift. Not an excuse to party. Not a few hits with filler, but an emotional excursion.
And the sisters were not trading on their sexuality. You couldn't watch the show and see sexism at all. They were not trying to titillate us. They came out wearing sneakers, basic outfits, it was all about the music, ALL about the music!
And if you took them to the mall (where no one seems to go anymore), or somewhere public, no one would turn their head. None of the outrageous hair and other "rock star" look that reacted to classic rock and has perpetuated ever since. It wasn't about looking like a star, it was about letting the music do the talking.
I was into it the whole time, I didn't want to leave.
And the encore was the two women virtually a cappella.
And then...
They announced there were special guests.
This is a feature of an L.A. show. Because everybody lives here. You never know who might show up. And I didn't know who would show up last night.
It turned out to be Mike Campbell and Steve Ferrone.
Steve sat behind the kit and got comfortable, tested the skins.
And Mike, with his Flintstone-shaped guitar, was getting his fingers loosened up.
And then...
It was unmistakable, they were playing RUNNIN' DOWN A DREAM!
That never would come to me.
But it did last night.
This was not the record, the second cut on "Full Moon Fever," this was something you could only get live. There was a fuzz in Mike's guitar, he was slashing and burning, it was the essence of what once was and rarely exists today. It was edgy and visceral, raw and loud. AND IT FELT SO GOOD!
Meanwhile, Ferrone, who made his bones with the Average White Band, is on one hand a metronome, but there is power and precision and it lifted the entire enterprise up a notch.
And Mike starts to sing the song he cowrote...
And damned if it didn't sound like Tom, you could hear (and feel!) that southern accent.
And he traded verses with Rebecca.
And the whole thing was a freight train rollin' down the track. And the train kept a-rollin', unfortunately not all night long, but for much longer than I expected.
And I expected, hoped for more. I mean these two had made the trek.
But it was not to be.
So what was it?
Well, the Fonda holds 1,200. And who was there... Upstairs, mostly oldsters. Much more aged than the band. They remembered this sound.
But oldsters like to sit. What about downstairs, on the floor, where you're forced to stand?
Well, a lot of thirty and fortysomethings.
And I scanned the crowd on the way out and there were definitely twentysomethings there, but they were in the distinct minority.
You see the oldsters remember this sound. And they yearn for more. More than the oldies repeated on the radio. More than the acts with plastic surgery trying to bring us back to what once was. They want something new and vibrant.
And that's Larkin Poe!
--
Visit the archive: http://lefsetz.com/wordpress/
--
Listen to the podcast:
-iHeart: https://ihr.fm/2Gi5PFj
-Apple: https://apple.co/2ndmpvp
--
http://www.twitter.com/lefsetz
--
If you would like to subscribe to the LefsetzLetter,
http://www.lefsetz.com/lists/?p=subscribe&id=1
If you do not want to receive any more LefsetzLetters, http://lefsetz.com/lists/?p=unsubscribe&uid=0eecea7b60b461717065cbde887c8e25
To change your email address http://lefsetz.com/lists/?p=preferences&uid=0eecea7b60b461717065cbde887c8e25
Unfortunately (or fortunately!), the entire one and a half hour show was eclipsed by the star-studded encore.
Close your eyes and it's 1973. Only instead of this blues-based band being fronted by guys, it's two women!
Rebecca Lovell absolutely slays on the guitar, and her sister Megan plays standup slide. And there's a bass player and a drummer, both men, and not a hard drive in sight.
It was head-twisting, as in this is exactly the opposite of what is being sold to us by the media, it couldn't be more different from Beyoncé, 50 years of hip-hop or Harry Styles.
Oh, don't point to publicity here or there. And don't talk to me about the Grammy undercard, which only those nominated care about. I'm talking about the general public. How hard is it to reach the public at large? ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE!
Now the way it used to be was fans digested the record and went to see the band live to hear renditions of the songs they were familiar with. But that script has been flipped. Maybe not with the Spotify Top 50 acts, but if you're outside the pop/hip-hop hegemony that dominates the major labels and the press, what you hope for most is that someone catches you live. This is the essence of the undercard of the festival. Are you so good that people will become fans?
Most acts are not. Because despite their protestations, they're just not that dedicated, they're not lifers, unlike the Lovells, who've been at it for decades. If you're not willing to slog it out on the road...
Another interesting note is that we've heard for the past decade and a half that it's all about solo acts, cutting tracks in their bedrooms. But it turns out the road is defined by bands, where the records are secondary.
Anyway, the lights went down and over the PA system was played...WHITE ROOM?
Come on, you remember the intro flourish. Or if you don't... Streaming services have surfaced all the old tracks, they're there for the listening, and they're anything but evanescent, Robert Johnson is forever, and people are now discovering the blues roots that inspired the classic rock acts.
I've been waiting for this, for such a long time, but last night I experienced it, I got hope.
So when the girls/women (and believe me they looked young) took the stage I expected them to segue into the Cream classic. But "White Room" stopped and the band started to play and...
I was positively wowed!
Come on, it's a sentence to see most acts, especially if you don't know the material. You start checking your phone, wondering if you can sneak out without anybody noticing. But from the very first note last night I was into it, my body was moving involuntarily in tune, I mean this is the sound I was brought up on. Is it for everybody? NOTHING IS FOR EVERYBODY!
Now in the old days, the key would be to record a single. Find that elusive hit. But even that paradigm is dead. Where would it be played? Certainly not on Top 40 radio. And Active Rock is for metal-influenced acts, all multiple generations removed from the progenitors, you need a handbook to decode what is going on there, it's not for newbies.
So what's a poor girl to do, who is playing in a rock and roll band? Just go on the road and slay, making fans night by night.
I'm not going to sit here and tell you I heard a hit, but like I stated above, what difference would that make anyway? This was not a cover band. These were originals. Inspired by the classics...
And unlike Fanny, who I saw at the Fillmore East, Larkin Poe was uncompromised, there was no softness around the edges, no pop, you could have closed your eyes and thought it was guys.
And in a world where everything seems to come from a machine, this authentic blues-based rock sound has a humanity and authority lacking from the hit parade.
It brought me back fifty years. When a show was an experience. Which set your mind free and let you drift. Not an excuse to party. Not a few hits with filler, but an emotional excursion.
And the sisters were not trading on their sexuality. You couldn't watch the show and see sexism at all. They were not trying to titillate us. They came out wearing sneakers, basic outfits, it was all about the music, ALL about the music!
And if you took them to the mall (where no one seems to go anymore), or somewhere public, no one would turn their head. None of the outrageous hair and other "rock star" look that reacted to classic rock and has perpetuated ever since. It wasn't about looking like a star, it was about letting the music do the talking.
I was into it the whole time, I didn't want to leave.
And the encore was the two women virtually a cappella.
And then...
They announced there were special guests.
This is a feature of an L.A. show. Because everybody lives here. You never know who might show up. And I didn't know who would show up last night.
It turned out to be Mike Campbell and Steve Ferrone.
Steve sat behind the kit and got comfortable, tested the skins.
And Mike, with his Flintstone-shaped guitar, was getting his fingers loosened up.
And then...
It was unmistakable, they were playing RUNNIN' DOWN A DREAM!
That never would come to me.
But it did last night.
This was not the record, the second cut on "Full Moon Fever," this was something you could only get live. There was a fuzz in Mike's guitar, he was slashing and burning, it was the essence of what once was and rarely exists today. It was edgy and visceral, raw and loud. AND IT FELT SO GOOD!
Meanwhile, Ferrone, who made his bones with the Average White Band, is on one hand a metronome, but there is power and precision and it lifted the entire enterprise up a notch.
And Mike starts to sing the song he cowrote...
And damned if it didn't sound like Tom, you could hear (and feel!) that southern accent.
And he traded verses with Rebecca.
And the whole thing was a freight train rollin' down the track. And the train kept a-rollin', unfortunately not all night long, but for much longer than I expected.
And I expected, hoped for more. I mean these two had made the trek.
But it was not to be.
So what was it?
Well, the Fonda holds 1,200. And who was there... Upstairs, mostly oldsters. Much more aged than the band. They remembered this sound.
But oldsters like to sit. What about downstairs, on the floor, where you're forced to stand?
Well, a lot of thirty and fortysomethings.
And I scanned the crowd on the way out and there were definitely twentysomethings there, but they were in the distinct minority.
You see the oldsters remember this sound. And they yearn for more. More than the oldies repeated on the radio. More than the acts with plastic surgery trying to bring us back to what once was. They want something new and vibrant.
And that's Larkin Poe!
--
Visit the archive: http://lefsetz.com/wordpress/
--
Listen to the podcast:
-iHeart: https://ihr.fm/2Gi5PFj
-Apple: https://apple.co/2ndmpvp
--
http://www.twitter.com/lefsetz
--
If you would like to subscribe to the LefsetzLetter,
http://www.lefsetz.com/lists/?p=subscribe&id=1
If you do not want to receive any more LefsetzLetters, http://lefsetz.com/lists/?p=unsubscribe&uid=0eecea7b60b461717065cbde887c8e25
To change your email address http://lefsetz.com/lists/?p=preferences&uid=0eecea7b60b461717065cbde887c8e25
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)