Tune in Saturday February 24th to Faction Talk, channel 103, at 4 PM East, 1 PM West.
If you miss the episode, you can hear it on demand on the SiriusXM app. Search: Lefsetz
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Friday 23 February 2024
(I'll Give You) Money-Live At Royal Albert Hall
Spotify: https://shorturl.at/gjCY8
YouTube: https://rb.gy/zki6j2
It sounds straight off Humble Pie's "Rockin' the Fillmore," but there are more guitars!
I saw this album on Spotify a few months back. I thought it was an ancient recording, after all Peter Frampton still had hair on the cover, and he's been bald for quite a while, he even jokes about losing his hair on one of the contained tracks.
No, this was recorded recently, in 2022. And I played a few numbers back in 2023, but two days ago I needed something otherworldly, as in not connected to my present life, something to take me away, something that was self-contained, that didn't remind of that which I did not want to remember. And I ran through a few acts in my head, and then I thought of Frampton and said to myself, "That'll work." And then I was confronted with the "Royal Hall" album in the Amazon app. And I said, "Why not?"
The opening cut is "Somethin's Happenin'," the title track of Frampton's third solo album, which represented a loss in momentum. But with "Frampton" in 1975, Peter came roaring back. And Peter usually opens his shows with this song, and I've heard him perform it, but I was listening to the version on "Albert Hall" and the tone of the guitars just got to me. They were different from the recording, and combined with the energy of the playing it becomes something else entirely, it breathes in a way the studio recording does not.
So then I went to "All I Want to Be (Is By Your Side)," the second side opener on the solo debut, my favorite Frampton track, which was given short shrift on "Comes Alive!" Sure, it was great, an interesting acoustic reworking, but the original is an aural journey that goes on for six and a half minutes, it's a float in a boat down a river in the dark. Safe, but enticing, exciting. And this version on "Albert Hall" is even longer! It clocks in at over nine minutes. It's a journey that sets you free, especially the instrumental second half.
Now I'm cottoning to the album in a way I hadn't previously, not that I'd given it a good listen, and I decided to skip to the last track, the definitive Frampton live cut, "Do You Feel Like We Do." I expected it to be hackneyed, a far cry from the career breakthrough of the original concert recording. But that was not the case, it was as alive and vibrant as the rendition from '76. And, once again the tones, the instruments had additional color.
And yesterday I decided to dive in deeper to songs that I wasn't sure I wanted to hear. I mean how many more times can I listen to "Show Me the Way" or "Baby, I Love Your Way"? So I played track seven, "(I'll Give You) Money," from the aforementioned "Frampton," a good track, but not one of my favorites. I wanted melody, not groove. But the intro guitar was so heavy and crunchy, evidencing rock and roll, and then with a lead intertwining, dancing all over the track...
Now the original studio recording of "(I'll Give You) Money" is a typical album cut, four and a half minutes long. And that's how long I expected the "Albert Hall" version to be.
And you know how it is listening to music, you lose focus, it's there, in your mind, but you're thinking about, doing something else.
And that's when I noticed that this live version of "(I'll Give You) Money" never ended. The band was still playing. All the constraints were thrown away. Radio time limits. Worry about the audience going to the bathroom. It's like the band doesn't care about the audience at all. It's not a performance so much as satisfaction for the players themselves. This is music!
This is what concerts were like in the late sixties and early seventies. Sure, there were AM acts, playing the hits. But the FM acts expanded their repertoire, didn't match the studio recordings. And now, with so many of the bands of yore, never mind those of today, playing to hard drive, these experimental journeys are passé, history.
Along with the guitar. Sure, we have metal acts playing their axes, but that's something different, that's noisy, in-your-face, offensive to many. But the kind of guitar playing on "(I'll Give You) Money," on the whole "Albert Hall" album, is not that, it's like Dead Sea Scrolls, the past come back to life. I mean Clapton goes on the road occasionally and does something similar, but he's constantly trying to fade into the background, when a true guitar showman is drawn to the spotlight.
And Jimmy Page no longer plays live.
If you're of my vintage, you'll listen to this "Albert Hall" recording and you'll think about all the shows you went to back in the day. Sans production, not even a light show, maybe not even a backdrop. The band came out in their street clothes and they spoke through their music, and we loved them for it. They were Gods. When you sell out to the corporation, when you're active on social media, the internet, you come back to earth, you're just one of us. But these guitar heroes of yore...
And we're familiar with Frampton's story... Finally breaks big and plays to the teenybopper audience, focuses on his looks, and it all falls apart. And usually that's the end of the story. Maybe you go out on the road and play your hits to ever dwindling audiences, but almost no one retrenches, marches forward, tests the limits and comes back. Sure, Frampton put out those delectable instrumental albums, but the "Albert Hall" album transcends those. It puts Frampton in the pantheon, as one of the greatest rock guitarists in history.
But he also writes and sings.
But it's the band that makes the entire "Albert Hall" album shine. It's not only Frampton, they jell, bounce off each other, make the music that rained down all that money way back when, when music was the most powerful artistic endeavor, when rock stars were as rich as anybody on Earth, and acted like it. They were beholden to no one.
And this version of "(I'll Give You) Money" goes on for more than twelve minutes. And you'll be intrigued, possessed the whole way through, it squeezes out the rest of the world, the music is not a diversion, it's life itself.
--
Visit the archive: http://lefsetz.com/wordpress/
--
Listen to the podcast:
-iHeart: https://ihr.fm/2Gi5PFj
-Apple: https://apple.co/2ndmpvp
--
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--
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YouTube: https://rb.gy/zki6j2
It sounds straight off Humble Pie's "Rockin' the Fillmore," but there are more guitars!
I saw this album on Spotify a few months back. I thought it was an ancient recording, after all Peter Frampton still had hair on the cover, and he's been bald for quite a while, he even jokes about losing his hair on one of the contained tracks.
No, this was recorded recently, in 2022. And I played a few numbers back in 2023, but two days ago I needed something otherworldly, as in not connected to my present life, something to take me away, something that was self-contained, that didn't remind of that which I did not want to remember. And I ran through a few acts in my head, and then I thought of Frampton and said to myself, "That'll work." And then I was confronted with the "Royal Hall" album in the Amazon app. And I said, "Why not?"
The opening cut is "Somethin's Happenin'," the title track of Frampton's third solo album, which represented a loss in momentum. But with "Frampton" in 1975, Peter came roaring back. And Peter usually opens his shows with this song, and I've heard him perform it, but I was listening to the version on "Albert Hall" and the tone of the guitars just got to me. They were different from the recording, and combined with the energy of the playing it becomes something else entirely, it breathes in a way the studio recording does not.
So then I went to "All I Want to Be (Is By Your Side)," the second side opener on the solo debut, my favorite Frampton track, which was given short shrift on "Comes Alive!" Sure, it was great, an interesting acoustic reworking, but the original is an aural journey that goes on for six and a half minutes, it's a float in a boat down a river in the dark. Safe, but enticing, exciting. And this version on "Albert Hall" is even longer! It clocks in at over nine minutes. It's a journey that sets you free, especially the instrumental second half.
Now I'm cottoning to the album in a way I hadn't previously, not that I'd given it a good listen, and I decided to skip to the last track, the definitive Frampton live cut, "Do You Feel Like We Do." I expected it to be hackneyed, a far cry from the career breakthrough of the original concert recording. But that was not the case, it was as alive and vibrant as the rendition from '76. And, once again the tones, the instruments had additional color.
And yesterday I decided to dive in deeper to songs that I wasn't sure I wanted to hear. I mean how many more times can I listen to "Show Me the Way" or "Baby, I Love Your Way"? So I played track seven, "(I'll Give You) Money," from the aforementioned "Frampton," a good track, but not one of my favorites. I wanted melody, not groove. But the intro guitar was so heavy and crunchy, evidencing rock and roll, and then with a lead intertwining, dancing all over the track...
Now the original studio recording of "(I'll Give You) Money" is a typical album cut, four and a half minutes long. And that's how long I expected the "Albert Hall" version to be.
And you know how it is listening to music, you lose focus, it's there, in your mind, but you're thinking about, doing something else.
And that's when I noticed that this live version of "(I'll Give You) Money" never ended. The band was still playing. All the constraints were thrown away. Radio time limits. Worry about the audience going to the bathroom. It's like the band doesn't care about the audience at all. It's not a performance so much as satisfaction for the players themselves. This is music!
This is what concerts were like in the late sixties and early seventies. Sure, there were AM acts, playing the hits. But the FM acts expanded their repertoire, didn't match the studio recordings. And now, with so many of the bands of yore, never mind those of today, playing to hard drive, these experimental journeys are passé, history.
Along with the guitar. Sure, we have metal acts playing their axes, but that's something different, that's noisy, in-your-face, offensive to many. But the kind of guitar playing on "(I'll Give You) Money," on the whole "Albert Hall" album, is not that, it's like Dead Sea Scrolls, the past come back to life. I mean Clapton goes on the road occasionally and does something similar, but he's constantly trying to fade into the background, when a true guitar showman is drawn to the spotlight.
And Jimmy Page no longer plays live.
If you're of my vintage, you'll listen to this "Albert Hall" recording and you'll think about all the shows you went to back in the day. Sans production, not even a light show, maybe not even a backdrop. The band came out in their street clothes and they spoke through their music, and we loved them for it. They were Gods. When you sell out to the corporation, when you're active on social media, the internet, you come back to earth, you're just one of us. But these guitar heroes of yore...
And we're familiar with Frampton's story... Finally breaks big and plays to the teenybopper audience, focuses on his looks, and it all falls apart. And usually that's the end of the story. Maybe you go out on the road and play your hits to ever dwindling audiences, but almost no one retrenches, marches forward, tests the limits and comes back. Sure, Frampton put out those delectable instrumental albums, but the "Albert Hall" album transcends those. It puts Frampton in the pantheon, as one of the greatest rock guitarists in history.
But he also writes and sings.
But it's the band that makes the entire "Albert Hall" album shine. It's not only Frampton, they jell, bounce off each other, make the music that rained down all that money way back when, when music was the most powerful artistic endeavor, when rock stars were as rich as anybody on Earth, and acted like it. They were beholden to no one.
And this version of "(I'll Give You) Money" goes on for more than twelve minutes. And you'll be intrigued, possessed the whole way through, it squeezes out the rest of the world, the music is not a diversion, it's life itself.
--
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
--
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Thursday 22 February 2024
Mailbag
From: Harriet Sternberg
Subject: Re: The Greatest Night In Pop
Hello Bob:
I am so pleased you watched our film. The song, the recording and now the documentary were a labor of love for all involved. The moments leading up to and including the night of the AMA's were Ken Kragen, Harry Belafonte and Quincy's vision captured so well by Michael and Lionel. And that the purpose and inspiration behind the song resonates today, 39 years later, means everything to me. I'm very proud that Julia Nottingham, Larry Klein and Bao Nguyen invited me in to tell part of the story, and for Lionel and Bruce to have supported the project from inception deserve the global attention the film has received. And now that you've told your many music biz veterans to check out the documentary, I thank you.
Harriet
Harriet Sternberg Management, Inc.
______________________________________
Subject: Re: The Greatest Night In Pop
Bob,
The filmmakers did a first class job showing the planning, preparation, and the night.
Your reaction proves they were the right people to tell the story behind the song and its legacy.
Thanks for also honoring Ken and his legacy.
The work of USA for Africa continues today.
The streaming numbers here and internationally already reflect the impact of the documentary.
Every single stream helps people in need. I hope your readers play it in the car for their kids on the way to school tomorrow.
Thank you to Lionel, Bao, producer Julia Nottingham, and their incredible team.
A special shout out to Marcia Thomas, who is hands on every day, and constantly traveling to Africa (coach by the way) to make sure the mission goes on.
Paul Brownstein
Executive Producer for USA For Africa.
______________________________________
Subject: Melanie
Hi Bob,
Like Bill, I also was at the Isle of Wight Festival in 1970. It's a major section in my upcoming memoir.
I went with Beach Boys producer and songwriter Gary Usher, who at the time was an executive at RCA Records, and American comedian Murray Roman who dressed for the occasion as a city of London businessman, black jacket, bowler hat and umbrella. I spent the afternoon and evening on the side of the stage watching everyone from The Doors, to The Who, to Sly and the Family Stone, to Melanie. The Doors seemed lethargic to me and, as Bill said, the lighting left a lot to be desired as Jim Morrison did not want any spotlights for the Doors set. He spent more time complaining to the crew than he did speaking to the audience.
The Who killed it, and Melanie followed them. Keith Moon guided her on stage and did his best to ensure the audience paid attention to her before he left her with just her acoustic guitar to play her set which began well after midnight!
I was already a fan of Melanie at the time and share Bill's opinion, with just an acoustic guitar, her songs, her voice and personality, she was able to captures the crowd's attention.
This was also when I met Bill Siddons for the first time. He offered me a lift in his cab to the Ferry as we were leaving the festival.
Tony Dimitriades
______________________________________
Subject: The only cover band in the world that plays all originals
Hi Bob.
A couple months ago my wife and I watched the documentary "Immediate Family." We loved it so much that we decided to travel from Dallas to Santa Barbara to catch the band on their tour to promote their new album "Skin in the Game."
We really did not know what to expect musically. Will they play their new album in its entirety? Will they play cover songs? Will they play hits they have played on? Will there be an opener? They started the evening by showing 30 minutes of their documentary which in retrospect was a great idea. I'm sure many people in the audience
had not seen the documentary previously, and at the same time it gave people like us what a reminder how fortunate we were to be at the Lobero Theatre that evening.
The concert opened with the song " Honey don't leave L A" and was followed by "Somebody's Baby." At that point, Kooch stated one of the best one liners I have ever heard a singer say to their audience: "We are the only cover band in the world that plays all originals!"
Waddy Wachtel was not present as he is out touring with Stevie Nicks, so the band got Elliot Easton of The Cars to fill in, and he did great. Some of the other songs performed included "Dirty Laundry, " "Just what I needed," "All she wants to do is dance," several new songs, and other hits.
One thing that pleasantly surprised me was the ovation each band member received upon individual introduction. Who do you think received the biggest ovation?
Leland Sklar! After the concert was over, we headed outside the venue where a lot of the concert goers were hanging out sharing the vibe, waiting for Ubers, or just enjoying the beautiful evening. Leland shows up talking to fans and just being the great guy that he is. Now I know why he got the loudest applause when introduced.
He is a pro both on and off the stage.
My best,
Ronnie Raphael
______________________________________
From: James Patrick Regan
Subject: Re: BottleRock
Hi Bob!
Something that wasn't brought up on the podcast, is the willingness for the group to put local talent on the bill… when there's no financial incentive to do so. I've never met David, Justin or Jason but I'm eternally grateful to all of them. My band (the Deadlies) had the opportunity to play BottleRock multiple times which exposed us to a huge audience we would have never had the opportunity to play for and the last time we played we shared a stage with Stevie Wonder, Lenny Kravitz and Michael Franti! How many local bands get that opportunity…!
Thank you Bob for having them on what's become my favorite podcast.
Best, James - the Deadlies
______________________________________
From: Beki Brindle-Scala
Subject: last night we lost our dear friend Ron Gilbert, bassist for The Blues Magoos. My husband Ralph Scala's band mate & friend since The Bronx where they grew up
Hi Bob,
Thought you might want to know about this. Ron was so much more than a so-called "One Hit Wonder" band member. They had more hits than just "We Ain't Got Nothing Yet" Many incredible songs. Ron is the first Magoo to depart this earthly plane. We are all very sad. These guys talked at least once a week for the past 50 years. They never lost touch. Ron wrote a sci-fi mystery novel and published it. I read it. It's great. He worked as a chemist in Simi Valley and never stopped writing songs (great songs, at that). He was brilliant in so many ways.
Anyway, I thought we should write and let you know that his presence in that band made a big difference to the music. He played with Ralph after the Magoos on an album on United Artists, and even played bass on a single that The Blues Magoos put out a couple of years ago during Covid entitled, "Nowhere Is Somewhere." It is a beautiful, psychedelic rock-pop track.
Ron had f***ing Cancer and though we just talked to him two weeks ago and all seemed normal, we then got the call from his ex-wife that he was about to go into hospice. Ralph talked to him and sang to him on the night before he passed. They were brothers ... and we didn't think we were going to lose him last night. If you want any information, please let us know.
By the way, many people tell us that "Psychedelic Lollipop" was the first album they ever bought. My guess is because they liked the hit & because the word, "psychedelic," was in the title. They have a lot of fans, including many from much younger generations.
Xo
Beki and Ralph
______________________________________
Subject: Re: The Normalization Of Insanity
Nailed it Bob. That's why we moved to France. Yes, they have some of the same problems. But when workers are unhappy they strike, they don't blame drag queens reading books to kids. There is still a sense of community, of "we are all in it together." Socialism is not a dirty word; hell, there is a bar called Le Prolé (which means the proletariat) near us. And, to whatever degree it is the same craziness, we don't have to worry about getting shot.
Take care
Michael Ross
______________________________________
Subject: Re: The Normalization Of Insanity
Excellent piece, as always, Bob, if ultimately depressing.
What's really scary is that, even as you write from a U.S. perspective, much of the same can be applied to the rest of the world.
I left the UK at the end in 2010, unhappy with the way I saw things going in my home country, sensing the mood there turning inwards and ugly. But who could have foreseen almost a decade and a half of Conservative idiocy, incompetence, greed and cruelty...!?
The flourishing of Thatcherism at its worst, the needless, countless deaths during Covid (but hey, we did our bit by banging pots and pans on our doorsteps to support the nurses, who we then turn around a screw by refusing to pay them a decent, living wage, but hey, that's life), the lies to the public that became the norm, the endless parade of hopeless puppet Prime Ministers and Cabinet members, each somehow managing to be worse than the last in the lemming-like race for the bottom, and don't even get me started on Brexit... a generational shot-in-the-foot that manages to negatively affect even UK migrants like me, long gone but still a citizen.
And now the supposed socialist paradise of Norway in which I make my home seems to look at the madness as something to emulate: right-wing populism bubbling too close to the surface while we fear pissing off our neighbour Putin in case he decides to talk a walk across the border to pay a visit to us, profit over people becoming the norm, and now a stream of political scandals including a former prime minister and (somehow still) current Conservative party leader embroiled in a marital insider-trading scam, and ministers being found out for plagiarism in their education (including, yes, the Minister for Education, whose master's thesis was full of the work of others, copied wholesale).
Do as I say, don't do as I do. Be a good worker drone and do everything for the benefit of the state, while I skim off the top and grease my way through life.
And yep, all this can be traced back to the rise of trickle down.
What IS a poor boy to do...!?
Best, as always,
Dave King
______________________________________
From: Adam Lewis
Subject: Re: The Normalization Of Insanity
This:
"And when asked about the killing of Khashoggi, Jared Kushner says 'are we really still doing this?' Hell, it's not only Kushner, it's the golfers and more who let cash whitewash the bad behavior of MBS. Makes your head spin."
Man, I could not agree with you more. It feels like we are in bizarro land. Nothing is sacred.
It's closer to home. It's in our business of course. It's bad enough that my beloved Red Sox/Fenway Sports Group is involved with the Saudis on this PGA deal - but last summer I had to sit through a "panel" discussion at A2IM's Indie Week in NYC. The panel was all about how wonderful the arts were in the Saudi Kingdom and that they have come so far (in a couple years). And especially for Women! All presented by the former head of AIM (The UK's indie label association) - who is now a paid government shill for the Saudi Government. This was a paid for presentation as the Saudis were official sponsors at A2IM - as they had a showcase for their artists that evening as well. This was all happening a block or so from a fire station that I walked by to get there. Of course there was a memorial there. But - that's long forgotten right? The Saudis are better now. Or maybe they were not part of 9/11. But killing journalists or women's rights? A2IM looked past all of that in return for the sponsorship dollars. Was really disappointing to see the independent label community, especially a NYC organization, sell out so easily. Make no mistake - the Saudis will be at the other music events as soon as they can weasel in with a check. It was also unreal to hear this presentation - the same day that A2IM was hosting panel discussions on diversity and inclusion....I'm still a member - but I am starting to question why.
Best,
A
______________________________________
From: ERON EPSTEIN
Subject: Re: The Normalization Of Insanity
I started practicing law in November 1980 around the time Reagan and Bush were elected. My uncle was a higher up in the Democratic Party in Los Angeles. I called him for his take on the future. He simply said "The Republicans mission now is to return the money to its rightful owners."
EE
Subject: Re: The Greatest Night In Pop
Hello Bob:
I am so pleased you watched our film. The song, the recording and now the documentary were a labor of love for all involved. The moments leading up to and including the night of the AMA's were Ken Kragen, Harry Belafonte and Quincy's vision captured so well by Michael and Lionel. And that the purpose and inspiration behind the song resonates today, 39 years later, means everything to me. I'm very proud that Julia Nottingham, Larry Klein and Bao Nguyen invited me in to tell part of the story, and for Lionel and Bruce to have supported the project from inception deserve the global attention the film has received. And now that you've told your many music biz veterans to check out the documentary, I thank you.
Harriet
Harriet Sternberg Management, Inc.
______________________________________
Subject: Re: The Greatest Night In Pop
Bob,
The filmmakers did a first class job showing the planning, preparation, and the night.
Your reaction proves they were the right people to tell the story behind the song and its legacy.
Thanks for also honoring Ken and his legacy.
The work of USA for Africa continues today.
The streaming numbers here and internationally already reflect the impact of the documentary.
Every single stream helps people in need. I hope your readers play it in the car for their kids on the way to school tomorrow.
Thank you to Lionel, Bao, producer Julia Nottingham, and their incredible team.
A special shout out to Marcia Thomas, who is hands on every day, and constantly traveling to Africa (coach by the way) to make sure the mission goes on.
Paul Brownstein
Executive Producer for USA For Africa.
______________________________________
Subject: Melanie
Hi Bob,
Like Bill, I also was at the Isle of Wight Festival in 1970. It's a major section in my upcoming memoir.
I went with Beach Boys producer and songwriter Gary Usher, who at the time was an executive at RCA Records, and American comedian Murray Roman who dressed for the occasion as a city of London businessman, black jacket, bowler hat and umbrella. I spent the afternoon and evening on the side of the stage watching everyone from The Doors, to The Who, to Sly and the Family Stone, to Melanie. The Doors seemed lethargic to me and, as Bill said, the lighting left a lot to be desired as Jim Morrison did not want any spotlights for the Doors set. He spent more time complaining to the crew than he did speaking to the audience.
The Who killed it, and Melanie followed them. Keith Moon guided her on stage and did his best to ensure the audience paid attention to her before he left her with just her acoustic guitar to play her set which began well after midnight!
I was already a fan of Melanie at the time and share Bill's opinion, with just an acoustic guitar, her songs, her voice and personality, she was able to captures the crowd's attention.
This was also when I met Bill Siddons for the first time. He offered me a lift in his cab to the Ferry as we were leaving the festival.
Tony Dimitriades
______________________________________
Subject: The only cover band in the world that plays all originals
Hi Bob.
A couple months ago my wife and I watched the documentary "Immediate Family." We loved it so much that we decided to travel from Dallas to Santa Barbara to catch the band on their tour to promote their new album "Skin in the Game."
We really did not know what to expect musically. Will they play their new album in its entirety? Will they play cover songs? Will they play hits they have played on? Will there be an opener? They started the evening by showing 30 minutes of their documentary which in retrospect was a great idea. I'm sure many people in the audience
had not seen the documentary previously, and at the same time it gave people like us what a reminder how fortunate we were to be at the Lobero Theatre that evening.
The concert opened with the song " Honey don't leave L A" and was followed by "Somebody's Baby." At that point, Kooch stated one of the best one liners I have ever heard a singer say to their audience: "We are the only cover band in the world that plays all originals!"
Waddy Wachtel was not present as he is out touring with Stevie Nicks, so the band got Elliot Easton of The Cars to fill in, and he did great. Some of the other songs performed included "Dirty Laundry, " "Just what I needed," "All she wants to do is dance," several new songs, and other hits.
One thing that pleasantly surprised me was the ovation each band member received upon individual introduction. Who do you think received the biggest ovation?
Leland Sklar! After the concert was over, we headed outside the venue where a lot of the concert goers were hanging out sharing the vibe, waiting for Ubers, or just enjoying the beautiful evening. Leland shows up talking to fans and just being the great guy that he is. Now I know why he got the loudest applause when introduced.
He is a pro both on and off the stage.
My best,
Ronnie Raphael
______________________________________
From: James Patrick Regan
Subject: Re: BottleRock
Hi Bob!
Something that wasn't brought up on the podcast, is the willingness for the group to put local talent on the bill… when there's no financial incentive to do so. I've never met David, Justin or Jason but I'm eternally grateful to all of them. My band (the Deadlies) had the opportunity to play BottleRock multiple times which exposed us to a huge audience we would have never had the opportunity to play for and the last time we played we shared a stage with Stevie Wonder, Lenny Kravitz and Michael Franti! How many local bands get that opportunity…!
Thank you Bob for having them on what's become my favorite podcast.
Best, James - the Deadlies
______________________________________
From: Beki Brindle-Scala
Subject: last night we lost our dear friend Ron Gilbert, bassist for The Blues Magoos. My husband Ralph Scala's band mate & friend since The Bronx where they grew up
Hi Bob,
Thought you might want to know about this. Ron was so much more than a so-called "One Hit Wonder" band member. They had more hits than just "We Ain't Got Nothing Yet" Many incredible songs. Ron is the first Magoo to depart this earthly plane. We are all very sad. These guys talked at least once a week for the past 50 years. They never lost touch. Ron wrote a sci-fi mystery novel and published it. I read it. It's great. He worked as a chemist in Simi Valley and never stopped writing songs (great songs, at that). He was brilliant in so many ways.
Anyway, I thought we should write and let you know that his presence in that band made a big difference to the music. He played with Ralph after the Magoos on an album on United Artists, and even played bass on a single that The Blues Magoos put out a couple of years ago during Covid entitled, "Nowhere Is Somewhere." It is a beautiful, psychedelic rock-pop track.
Ron had f***ing Cancer and though we just talked to him two weeks ago and all seemed normal, we then got the call from his ex-wife that he was about to go into hospice. Ralph talked to him and sang to him on the night before he passed. They were brothers ... and we didn't think we were going to lose him last night. If you want any information, please let us know.
By the way, many people tell us that "Psychedelic Lollipop" was the first album they ever bought. My guess is because they liked the hit & because the word, "psychedelic," was in the title. They have a lot of fans, including many from much younger generations.
Xo
Beki and Ralph
______________________________________
Subject: Re: The Normalization Of Insanity
Nailed it Bob. That's why we moved to France. Yes, they have some of the same problems. But when workers are unhappy they strike, they don't blame drag queens reading books to kids. There is still a sense of community, of "we are all in it together." Socialism is not a dirty word; hell, there is a bar called Le Prolé (which means the proletariat) near us. And, to whatever degree it is the same craziness, we don't have to worry about getting shot.
Take care
Michael Ross
______________________________________
Subject: Re: The Normalization Of Insanity
Excellent piece, as always, Bob, if ultimately depressing.
What's really scary is that, even as you write from a U.S. perspective, much of the same can be applied to the rest of the world.
I left the UK at the end in 2010, unhappy with the way I saw things going in my home country, sensing the mood there turning inwards and ugly. But who could have foreseen almost a decade and a half of Conservative idiocy, incompetence, greed and cruelty...!?
The flourishing of Thatcherism at its worst, the needless, countless deaths during Covid (but hey, we did our bit by banging pots and pans on our doorsteps to support the nurses, who we then turn around a screw by refusing to pay them a decent, living wage, but hey, that's life), the lies to the public that became the norm, the endless parade of hopeless puppet Prime Ministers and Cabinet members, each somehow managing to be worse than the last in the lemming-like race for the bottom, and don't even get me started on Brexit... a generational shot-in-the-foot that manages to negatively affect even UK migrants like me, long gone but still a citizen.
And now the supposed socialist paradise of Norway in which I make my home seems to look at the madness as something to emulate: right-wing populism bubbling too close to the surface while we fear pissing off our neighbour Putin in case he decides to talk a walk across the border to pay a visit to us, profit over people becoming the norm, and now a stream of political scandals including a former prime minister and (somehow still) current Conservative party leader embroiled in a marital insider-trading scam, and ministers being found out for plagiarism in their education (including, yes, the Minister for Education, whose master's thesis was full of the work of others, copied wholesale).
Do as I say, don't do as I do. Be a good worker drone and do everything for the benefit of the state, while I skim off the top and grease my way through life.
And yep, all this can be traced back to the rise of trickle down.
What IS a poor boy to do...!?
Best, as always,
Dave King
______________________________________
From: Adam Lewis
Subject: Re: The Normalization Of Insanity
This:
"And when asked about the killing of Khashoggi, Jared Kushner says 'are we really still doing this?' Hell, it's not only Kushner, it's the golfers and more who let cash whitewash the bad behavior of MBS. Makes your head spin."
Man, I could not agree with you more. It feels like we are in bizarro land. Nothing is sacred.
It's closer to home. It's in our business of course. It's bad enough that my beloved Red Sox/Fenway Sports Group is involved with the Saudis on this PGA deal - but last summer I had to sit through a "panel" discussion at A2IM's Indie Week in NYC. The panel was all about how wonderful the arts were in the Saudi Kingdom and that they have come so far (in a couple years). And especially for Women! All presented by the former head of AIM (The UK's indie label association) - who is now a paid government shill for the Saudi Government. This was a paid for presentation as the Saudis were official sponsors at A2IM - as they had a showcase for their artists that evening as well. This was all happening a block or so from a fire station that I walked by to get there. Of course there was a memorial there. But - that's long forgotten right? The Saudis are better now. Or maybe they were not part of 9/11. But killing journalists or women's rights? A2IM looked past all of that in return for the sponsorship dollars. Was really disappointing to see the independent label community, especially a NYC organization, sell out so easily. Make no mistake - the Saudis will be at the other music events as soon as they can weasel in with a check. It was also unreal to hear this presentation - the same day that A2IM was hosting panel discussions on diversity and inclusion....I'm still a member - but I am starting to question why.
Best,
A
______________________________________
From: ERON EPSTEIN
Subject: Re: The Normalization Of Insanity
I started practicing law in November 1980 around the time Reagan and Bush were elected. My uncle was a higher up in the Democratic Party in Los Angeles. I called him for his take on the future. He simply said "The Republicans mission now is to return the money to its rightful owners."
EE
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Bottlerock-This Week's Podcast
Bottlerock is America's most upscale major festival. Based in Napa, the food is not the usual institutional fare, but served by restaurants from the area, never mind the wine... I talk with the three principals about the cost and perks of the various levels of ticketing, and then we dive deep into the history and finances of the festival.
https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1119-the-bob-lefsetz-podcast-30806836/episode/bottlerock-153136202/
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/bottlerock/id1316200737?i=1000646381157
https://open.spotify.com/episode/7LSZWxOv1IXoEZMc0cvBlh?si=9Xcbu6EnRsWG9HOjqF_T0w
https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/9ff4fb19-54d4-41ae-ae7a-8a6f8d3dafa8/episodes/1ca6e497-7030-442b-902b-2e252aabd673/the-bob-lefsetz-podcast-bottlerock
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https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1119-the-bob-lefsetz-podcast-30806836/episode/bottlerock-153136202/
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/bottlerock/id1316200737?i=1000646381157
https://open.spotify.com/episode/7LSZWxOv1IXoEZMc0cvBlh?si=9Xcbu6EnRsWG9HOjqF_T0w
https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/9ff4fb19-54d4-41ae-ae7a-8a6f8d3dafa8/episodes/1ca6e497-7030-442b-902b-2e252aabd673/the-bob-lefsetz-podcast-bottlerock
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Wednesday 21 February 2024
The Normalization Of Insanity
It started in the eighties with trickle-down economics. If we just lowered taxes on the rich, the poor would get the benefit. We know how that worked out, rampant income inequality. The rich got richer and the poor got poorer. And then the poor were blamed for their lack of capital, they were told to pull themselves up by their bootstraps. Even supposed Democrat Bill Clinton put a dent in welfare, because as we all know, the takers are what's wrong with society.
And then came the dotcom era. You could deliver a popsicle for free. Stocks only went up. Made no sense, and of course it was untrue, and the market crashed and many lost their life savings.
But they were told everybody in America is entitled to own a house, that is the goal. And the end result was the 2008 crash. Even worse, those who caused it skated completely, they had to be saved for the good of the economy. Wondering now who's looking out for your interests? You should.
And then came Trump's lies. It's a fact people, Trump has lied more than any President in history. The truth went out the window. The press which disagreed with him was the enemy, especially the "mainstream media." Furthermore, everybody was getting their news from algorithms that just fed their preexisting positions. And we had Kellyanne Conway talking about "alternative facts." Wait just a minute, aren't facts just that, true, definitive? Not anymore!
And then Trump clearly lost the election and said he won.
And there was a riot in the Capitol building and we were told it was a peaceful demonstration. This confounded anybody who watched on TV. I mean I saw it with my own eyes, you're telling me I'm wrong? As for "election fraud," it couldn't be found, not in any significant amount, no court sided with Trump's team. But many people in America still believe the election was stolen. So now our entire Democratic system is up for grabs. It's hard to play a game, have a contest when the rules are fungible.
And now we've got Biden. You just have to watch him, stiff, with a soft voice, this guy presents old. But we're told again and again not to believe our eyes. Insiders who refuse access to Biden, who keep him in a bubble, say he's fine. Or they say that Trump is 77. Which is like saying a seventy year old paraplegic should be judged on the same terms as a fully functioning human being of similar age. On one hand we're all the same, on another we're all different. What's the truth? All I know is I know very few 86 year olds with all their marbles, many are repeating themselves, never mind having trouble with mobility. But somehow Biden is immune. Even though we can see with our own eyes he's not.
And when asked about the killing of Khashoggi, Jared Kushner says "are we really still doing this"? Hell, it's not only Kushner, it's the golfers and more who let cash whitewash the bad behavior of MBS. Makes your head spin.
And we had Putin saying that the explosion of Prigozhin's private jet was an accident. As if private planes, any planes are exploding in midair these days. As a matter of fact, it's when they're cruising that jets are the safest!
Then we get Navalny. Guy succumbed to natural causes. Trust us, you can't have access to the body.
Even worse, only days later, a Russian helicopter pilot who defected to Ukraine was killed in Spain. But Tucker Carlson says that Russia is a paradise, with better supermarkets and subways than the U.S. And Carlson is supported by Elon Musk, who is certifiably...well, if not crazy, myopic and power-hungry with little knowledge of world situations and the truth.
And Putin disses Carlson and then says he's for Biden after Trump has made a career out of giving him the benefit of the doubt, praising him.
And with all this, we can't send money to Ukraine, no way, that's their problem, not ours. But the past is prologue and we can see in the two World Wars of the last century you cannot isolate yourself, you have to pick a side or else you lose. Just like all those workers who lost their high-paying jobs when the elected officials enabled or looked the other way when the jobs were shipped overseas, leaving these people to do service work at low-paying compensation.
What's a poor boy to do?
Certainly not play in a rock and roll band. Music has distanced itself from politics, from reality, for fear that one potential customer might be pissed off. Kinda like the networks back before cable.
Well, you could look out for yourself. This is what the elite are all about. Using the advantages of their parents to build résumés such that they can get into a good college and get a high-paying job, and believe me it's not in the arts. The arts are for the great unwashed. The odds of success are too low. And the great unwashed are uneducated, if we're looking to them for answers...we might as well go to Facebook.
And then we've got those who went to Yale and Harvard scapegoating the elite when they are members of it.
And billionaires are to be revered. If you make money in America, you're God, the rules don't apply to you. Meanwhile, the poor pay a higher rate of tax than the rich, they own no stocks, there are no capital gains. And then the rich tell us they pay the lion's share of tax when in truth the poor that might not be paying income tax are paying taxes all day long, on gas, on food in certain areas, on all the purchases you need to stay alive. Never mind that without the poor buying their products the rich wouldn't be such.
And don't bother positing the truth. People live in the dark, their leaders keep them in the dark, they don't know anything that doesn't agree with the principles of their officials. As if life were black and white, not gray.
And if your kid gets pregnant good luck getting an abortion, even though you can now get one in Catholic Ireland. And we keep hearing we don't want socialism, from people who've never been to socialist countries, which are in many ways better than the U.S., never mind that in many ways America is already a socialist country.
And we've got wankers running for office asking for our money. Wasting it on television ads when everybody's online. AOC stated this and was excoriated. Get on the team!
And if you're gay or transgender... Sleep with one eye open. Because freedom is for them, not you.
We're fatigued, we're disillusioned, but we're told to continue to believe. Like the African-Americans who've voted Democratic for decades whose needs are rarely addressed.
And we've got people like Kim Kardashian, famous for nothing. Yes, you don't even have to do anything to make it these days.
So what do you want me to do?
Well, another thing that changed was the evisceration of the power of teachers and school administrations. Used to be that the worst thing that could happen was to bring a note home from school. Now, if you do, your parent goes and yells at the teacher, saying you can't be at fault.
Our entire society has flipped. And if I had to pick one target, it would be trickle down economics, and the resulting income inequality. The rich skate, the poor get charged and go to jail. And we must cut the budget of the IRS so you, who file the standard form, are not taken advantage of. Talk about being false on the surface, just like the small business hogwash. It's big business that generates the most dollars and employs the most people.
And you wonder why people give up.
They're told to vote, but they don't see change with their vote.
Everybody's in a silo. Everybody is out for themselves. It's constant social warfare.
But we're told to deny what we see. It's all just normal behavior.
As for leaders, we've got nincompoop Trump and aged Biden. Talk about being disillusioned. And the elders ignore the youngsters who will inhabit this warming planet, who embrace tech the oldsters can't comprehend.
This is life in the United States today. And sure, there's plenty of outrage, but it's equivalent to sporting contests, it's one team against another.
So we drop out. Because we can see that the world is insane and we're sick of people telling us it's not. We'd like an honest leader, standing up for the people, but everybody is sold out to the corporations, or fearful of alienating someone instead of drawing people to them.
And you'll argue with me on some of the above. But that just means you're buying into the insanity, normalizing it. Believe me, the truth is out there, but you've got to research it. In many cases in the words of the mainstream media, who actually do the reporting. Online all you get is opinionated drivel.
But you don't want to question your underpinnings, your beliefs. You don't want to be excommunicated from your tribe.
We believed in JFK because he asked what we could do for our country.
Today it's what you can do for yourself. While at the same time telling other people how they should live their lives.
The world is topsy-turvy, but we keep being told to accept it.
I'm not. And I believe there are many on my team, but we don't have a representative, no one is willing to go against the flow.
So we watch streaming television, get high and check out.
Welcome to modern America.
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And then came the dotcom era. You could deliver a popsicle for free. Stocks only went up. Made no sense, and of course it was untrue, and the market crashed and many lost their life savings.
But they were told everybody in America is entitled to own a house, that is the goal. And the end result was the 2008 crash. Even worse, those who caused it skated completely, they had to be saved for the good of the economy. Wondering now who's looking out for your interests? You should.
And then came Trump's lies. It's a fact people, Trump has lied more than any President in history. The truth went out the window. The press which disagreed with him was the enemy, especially the "mainstream media." Furthermore, everybody was getting their news from algorithms that just fed their preexisting positions. And we had Kellyanne Conway talking about "alternative facts." Wait just a minute, aren't facts just that, true, definitive? Not anymore!
And then Trump clearly lost the election and said he won.
And there was a riot in the Capitol building and we were told it was a peaceful demonstration. This confounded anybody who watched on TV. I mean I saw it with my own eyes, you're telling me I'm wrong? As for "election fraud," it couldn't be found, not in any significant amount, no court sided with Trump's team. But many people in America still believe the election was stolen. So now our entire Democratic system is up for grabs. It's hard to play a game, have a contest when the rules are fungible.
And now we've got Biden. You just have to watch him, stiff, with a soft voice, this guy presents old. But we're told again and again not to believe our eyes. Insiders who refuse access to Biden, who keep him in a bubble, say he's fine. Or they say that Trump is 77. Which is like saying a seventy year old paraplegic should be judged on the same terms as a fully functioning human being of similar age. On one hand we're all the same, on another we're all different. What's the truth? All I know is I know very few 86 year olds with all their marbles, many are repeating themselves, never mind having trouble with mobility. But somehow Biden is immune. Even though we can see with our own eyes he's not.
And when asked about the killing of Khashoggi, Jared Kushner says "are we really still doing this"? Hell, it's not only Kushner, it's the golfers and more who let cash whitewash the bad behavior of MBS. Makes your head spin.
And we had Putin saying that the explosion of Prigozhin's private jet was an accident. As if private planes, any planes are exploding in midair these days. As a matter of fact, it's when they're cruising that jets are the safest!
Then we get Navalny. Guy succumbed to natural causes. Trust us, you can't have access to the body.
Even worse, only days later, a Russian helicopter pilot who defected to Ukraine was killed in Spain. But Tucker Carlson says that Russia is a paradise, with better supermarkets and subways than the U.S. And Carlson is supported by Elon Musk, who is certifiably...well, if not crazy, myopic and power-hungry with little knowledge of world situations and the truth.
And Putin disses Carlson and then says he's for Biden after Trump has made a career out of giving him the benefit of the doubt, praising him.
And with all this, we can't send money to Ukraine, no way, that's their problem, not ours. But the past is prologue and we can see in the two World Wars of the last century you cannot isolate yourself, you have to pick a side or else you lose. Just like all those workers who lost their high-paying jobs when the elected officials enabled or looked the other way when the jobs were shipped overseas, leaving these people to do service work at low-paying compensation.
What's a poor boy to do?
Certainly not play in a rock and roll band. Music has distanced itself from politics, from reality, for fear that one potential customer might be pissed off. Kinda like the networks back before cable.
Well, you could look out for yourself. This is what the elite are all about. Using the advantages of their parents to build résumés such that they can get into a good college and get a high-paying job, and believe me it's not in the arts. The arts are for the great unwashed. The odds of success are too low. And the great unwashed are uneducated, if we're looking to them for answers...we might as well go to Facebook.
And then we've got those who went to Yale and Harvard scapegoating the elite when they are members of it.
And billionaires are to be revered. If you make money in America, you're God, the rules don't apply to you. Meanwhile, the poor pay a higher rate of tax than the rich, they own no stocks, there are no capital gains. And then the rich tell us they pay the lion's share of tax when in truth the poor that might not be paying income tax are paying taxes all day long, on gas, on food in certain areas, on all the purchases you need to stay alive. Never mind that without the poor buying their products the rich wouldn't be such.
And don't bother positing the truth. People live in the dark, their leaders keep them in the dark, they don't know anything that doesn't agree with the principles of their officials. As if life were black and white, not gray.
And if your kid gets pregnant good luck getting an abortion, even though you can now get one in Catholic Ireland. And we keep hearing we don't want socialism, from people who've never been to socialist countries, which are in many ways better than the U.S., never mind that in many ways America is already a socialist country.
And we've got wankers running for office asking for our money. Wasting it on television ads when everybody's online. AOC stated this and was excoriated. Get on the team!
And if you're gay or transgender... Sleep with one eye open. Because freedom is for them, not you.
We're fatigued, we're disillusioned, but we're told to continue to believe. Like the African-Americans who've voted Democratic for decades whose needs are rarely addressed.
And we've got people like Kim Kardashian, famous for nothing. Yes, you don't even have to do anything to make it these days.
So what do you want me to do?
Well, another thing that changed was the evisceration of the power of teachers and school administrations. Used to be that the worst thing that could happen was to bring a note home from school. Now, if you do, your parent goes and yells at the teacher, saying you can't be at fault.
Our entire society has flipped. And if I had to pick one target, it would be trickle down economics, and the resulting income inequality. The rich skate, the poor get charged and go to jail. And we must cut the budget of the IRS so you, who file the standard form, are not taken advantage of. Talk about being false on the surface, just like the small business hogwash. It's big business that generates the most dollars and employs the most people.
And you wonder why people give up.
They're told to vote, but they don't see change with their vote.
Everybody's in a silo. Everybody is out for themselves. It's constant social warfare.
But we're told to deny what we see. It's all just normal behavior.
As for leaders, we've got nincompoop Trump and aged Biden. Talk about being disillusioned. And the elders ignore the youngsters who will inhabit this warming planet, who embrace tech the oldsters can't comprehend.
This is life in the United States today. And sure, there's plenty of outrage, but it's equivalent to sporting contests, it's one team against another.
So we drop out. Because we can see that the world is insane and we're sick of people telling us it's not. We'd like an honest leader, standing up for the people, but everybody is sold out to the corporations, or fearful of alienating someone instead of drawing people to them.
And you'll argue with me on some of the above. But that just means you're buying into the insanity, normalizing it. Believe me, the truth is out there, but you've got to research it. In many cases in the words of the mainstream media, who actually do the reporting. Online all you get is opinionated drivel.
But you don't want to question your underpinnings, your beliefs. You don't want to be excommunicated from your tribe.
We believed in JFK because he asked what we could do for our country.
Today it's what you can do for yourself. While at the same time telling other people how they should live their lives.
The world is topsy-turvy, but we keep being told to accept it.
I'm not. And I believe there are many on my team, but we don't have a representative, no one is willing to go against the flow.
So we watch streaming television, get high and check out.
Welcome to modern America.
--
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Listen to the podcast:
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Tuesday 20 February 2024
John Oliver's Million Dollar Offer
Maybe you're unaware. Maybe you're too cheap to pay for Max, one of the worst apps ever, technologically. As for the name change, the most watched shows are still those from HBO.
Or maybe you wait until the episode hits YouTube. Well, now you've got to wait until Thursday, HBO doesn't want you to get anything for free, they want you to pay up, that's how streaming works these days, they're stopping leaks, trying to make the numbers work, but they only work at Netflix because the Silicon Valley giant keeps making new product, and it's all about new product. Netflix does what the major labels do not. It's not only searching for hits, it's playing to the niches too. Not worrying about nurturing one project, adding songwriters and remixing in search of success, just handing the reins to the talent and the result is some misses, but some stuff that absolutely wows you. Like "Squid Game." You're still talking about that, when was the last time you talked about a record?
Actually, we watched one of Netflix's new programs last night, "Lover, Stalker, Killer." I found it via a RottenTomatoes search. It had a 100% critics' score, and an 81% from the public. Sure, there were only nine critics, but there were one hundred plus rank and file raters.
I don't recommend it. But it's only ninety minutes. The story is fascinating, but it's too much like "20/20" or "Dateline." Then again, the underlying facts engender conversation. It's so whacked. People. You can't trust 'em. Or should I say those who look normal may not be.
And after talking about "Lover, Stalker, Killer," we pulled up "Last Night Tonight with John Oliver." Sure, it premiered the night before, but you can never tell when a series stops and starts these days, when there's a new episode.
And Oliver's show has a formula. Bits and pieces and then a deep investigation into a single topic. In a world where they tell us to keep it brief. And Oliver's got this indignant style with attitude, but with a sense of humor and self-deprecation involved. It's Howard Stern on steroids, Oliver's words are often delivered at a rapid clip. And last night it was all about a lack of trust in the Supreme Court, a major issue, and the undeclared gifts to the Justices.
Now if you're a dedicated follower of the news, as I am, there was nothing in the twenty or so minutes that I was unaware of. Then again, I loved how he contrasted today's behavior to the resignation of Abe Fortas, which was a big deal, and certainly amongst the mishpucha, for he was Jewish.
And there was footage of Clarence Thomas bloviating.
But then when it was all wrapped up, when the curtain was about to fall, Oliver whipped out one more thing.
During the piece John emphasized that Thomas had complained he couldn't make enough money as a Justice. And Oliver posited that Thomas was staying on the Court for the perks of the penumbra.
So, with that nerdy smile that endears you to him, John made an offer.
He'd pay Clarence a million dollars a year to resign. He had a contract and everything. You knew it was real. Oliver's pranks, Oliver's offers might be outrageous, but they're beyond jokes, they have follow-through. And sometimes they succeed. He's messing with the establishment, people who take themselves too seriously. Who love the rules. It's the sixties reincarnated.
Yes, Thomas could make enough money to pay for all the perks himself, until he or Oliver passed, when one did the deal was over.
Sure, it's HBO's money.
But NO! Zaslav ain't going to part with any of his dough. This was Oliver's personal cash. It's his money on the line. He's putting his mazuma where his mouth is, which almost nobody does these days.
And now I'm excited, laughing. While I'm calculating how much Oliver actually makes, how much of a hit to his pocketbook this will be.
But wait, there's more!
Oliver leaves the set, goes backstage, where you can see how phony the set is, walks through the halls, and ultimately goes to a room (yes, it was prerecorded, you could tell by the audio, but the effect was the same), where he revealed a multi-million dollar Prevost motor coach. Far superior to the one Thomas owns. Yes, this was the sweetener, Thomas would get the motor coach too.
And I'm literally howling. Clapping my hands, exclaiming loudly. You think you've seen it all, and then you haven't.
You see...this would be a good deal for Clarence Thomas. He'd end up with much more than he would as a Supreme Court Justice.
And, he'd find out who his friends really are. Were Harlan Crow and the rest just buddies because he was a Justice, or...
And when I finish howling, smiling, I go to the internet. After all, its twenty four hours later. And the story is all over the news, but it hadn't reached me.
You see that's not enough. Most people no longer trust the news. They only trust their friends. They're waiting for their friends to tell them something, for no financial advantage, only to share the joy.
And that's what I'm doing here.
I'd love to tell you about a record. Records can zing you in a way that television cannot.
But we've lost the forebears in music. Acts are imitating Mariah Carey, that's what TV competition shows are all about. And Carey broke over thirty years ago. The heritage, the meaning of the music from the sixties and seventies is long gone.
We don't have a Frank Zappa, never mind a David Crosby speaking his mind.
Everybody just talks about the money. What it takes to get the money.
Or they complain that no one is paying attention.
They don't know it comes down to the music itself.
And it's not how well you play, it always comes down to the IDEA!
The sound, the record can be dead simple, as are many of the greatest hits of all time. "Satisfaction." "Smells Like Teen Spirit." They didn't need cowriters, remixers, weeks in the studio. Their essence was baked in, the music was raw, unhindered by the sheen. You didn't have to know who the act was to get it.
Never mind the Mothers of Invention singing about losing status at the high school.
Then again, the best and the brightest don't go into music anymore. It's not a sea of college graduates, rather kids who've been pushed by their parents since puberty. They've got no frame of reference, got no background, what you see is what you get. Whereas with the greats, you're always confounded, HOW DID THEY COME UP WITH THAT?
I mean it's not like John Oliver's act is new. It's a formula. But he doesn't change it up to try and stay current, he's sticking to his guns, tweaking it to his and our advantage along the way. He's not a weekday late night talk show host. He's sui generis. And he's forty six. Takes years to mature, to achieve greatness, enough with the teenage phenoms.
So just like Freddie Garrity, I'm telling you now. Sure, I gave you the punch line, but I'd still check out the show.
It may be comedy, but it's underlined with facts. Like Leonard Cohen wrote, everybody knows. We just need someone we can trust to say it.
And we trust John Oliver more than we do Lindsey Graham, never mind Donald Trump and Joe Biden.
The tools are out there. In plain sight. But no one picks them up.
Acts can't write a bridge, never mind a chorus.
There's an entire music business, firing on all cylinders financially. Then again, the major labels are firing people as they're making more and more profits.
But not in the live business, which is why all the action is there today.
Dig down deep. Forget the surface. It's what comes to you in the shower, when you're not working, that is gold. We want to be wowed, we want to be amazed, we want to be enticed, we want you to provide that which we could not conceive of so we can tell everybody about it.
Like I'm doing now.
--
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,
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Or maybe you wait until the episode hits YouTube. Well, now you've got to wait until Thursday, HBO doesn't want you to get anything for free, they want you to pay up, that's how streaming works these days, they're stopping leaks, trying to make the numbers work, but they only work at Netflix because the Silicon Valley giant keeps making new product, and it's all about new product. Netflix does what the major labels do not. It's not only searching for hits, it's playing to the niches too. Not worrying about nurturing one project, adding songwriters and remixing in search of success, just handing the reins to the talent and the result is some misses, but some stuff that absolutely wows you. Like "Squid Game." You're still talking about that, when was the last time you talked about a record?
Actually, we watched one of Netflix's new programs last night, "Lover, Stalker, Killer." I found it via a RottenTomatoes search. It had a 100% critics' score, and an 81% from the public. Sure, there were only nine critics, but there were one hundred plus rank and file raters.
I don't recommend it. But it's only ninety minutes. The story is fascinating, but it's too much like "20/20" or "Dateline." Then again, the underlying facts engender conversation. It's so whacked. People. You can't trust 'em. Or should I say those who look normal may not be.
And after talking about "Lover, Stalker, Killer," we pulled up "Last Night Tonight with John Oliver." Sure, it premiered the night before, but you can never tell when a series stops and starts these days, when there's a new episode.
And Oliver's show has a formula. Bits and pieces and then a deep investigation into a single topic. In a world where they tell us to keep it brief. And Oliver's got this indignant style with attitude, but with a sense of humor and self-deprecation involved. It's Howard Stern on steroids, Oliver's words are often delivered at a rapid clip. And last night it was all about a lack of trust in the Supreme Court, a major issue, and the undeclared gifts to the Justices.
Now if you're a dedicated follower of the news, as I am, there was nothing in the twenty or so minutes that I was unaware of. Then again, I loved how he contrasted today's behavior to the resignation of Abe Fortas, which was a big deal, and certainly amongst the mishpucha, for he was Jewish.
And there was footage of Clarence Thomas bloviating.
But then when it was all wrapped up, when the curtain was about to fall, Oliver whipped out one more thing.
During the piece John emphasized that Thomas had complained he couldn't make enough money as a Justice. And Oliver posited that Thomas was staying on the Court for the perks of the penumbra.
So, with that nerdy smile that endears you to him, John made an offer.
He'd pay Clarence a million dollars a year to resign. He had a contract and everything. You knew it was real. Oliver's pranks, Oliver's offers might be outrageous, but they're beyond jokes, they have follow-through. And sometimes they succeed. He's messing with the establishment, people who take themselves too seriously. Who love the rules. It's the sixties reincarnated.
Yes, Thomas could make enough money to pay for all the perks himself, until he or Oliver passed, when one did the deal was over.
Sure, it's HBO's money.
But NO! Zaslav ain't going to part with any of his dough. This was Oliver's personal cash. It's his money on the line. He's putting his mazuma where his mouth is, which almost nobody does these days.
And now I'm excited, laughing. While I'm calculating how much Oliver actually makes, how much of a hit to his pocketbook this will be.
But wait, there's more!
Oliver leaves the set, goes backstage, where you can see how phony the set is, walks through the halls, and ultimately goes to a room (yes, it was prerecorded, you could tell by the audio, but the effect was the same), where he revealed a multi-million dollar Prevost motor coach. Far superior to the one Thomas owns. Yes, this was the sweetener, Thomas would get the motor coach too.
And I'm literally howling. Clapping my hands, exclaiming loudly. You think you've seen it all, and then you haven't.
You see...this would be a good deal for Clarence Thomas. He'd end up with much more than he would as a Supreme Court Justice.
And, he'd find out who his friends really are. Were Harlan Crow and the rest just buddies because he was a Justice, or...
And when I finish howling, smiling, I go to the internet. After all, its twenty four hours later. And the story is all over the news, but it hadn't reached me.
You see that's not enough. Most people no longer trust the news. They only trust their friends. They're waiting for their friends to tell them something, for no financial advantage, only to share the joy.
And that's what I'm doing here.
I'd love to tell you about a record. Records can zing you in a way that television cannot.
But we've lost the forebears in music. Acts are imitating Mariah Carey, that's what TV competition shows are all about. And Carey broke over thirty years ago. The heritage, the meaning of the music from the sixties and seventies is long gone.
We don't have a Frank Zappa, never mind a David Crosby speaking his mind.
Everybody just talks about the money. What it takes to get the money.
Or they complain that no one is paying attention.
They don't know it comes down to the music itself.
And it's not how well you play, it always comes down to the IDEA!
The sound, the record can be dead simple, as are many of the greatest hits of all time. "Satisfaction." "Smells Like Teen Spirit." They didn't need cowriters, remixers, weeks in the studio. Their essence was baked in, the music was raw, unhindered by the sheen. You didn't have to know who the act was to get it.
Never mind the Mothers of Invention singing about losing status at the high school.
Then again, the best and the brightest don't go into music anymore. It's not a sea of college graduates, rather kids who've been pushed by their parents since puberty. They've got no frame of reference, got no background, what you see is what you get. Whereas with the greats, you're always confounded, HOW DID THEY COME UP WITH THAT?
I mean it's not like John Oliver's act is new. It's a formula. But he doesn't change it up to try and stay current, he's sticking to his guns, tweaking it to his and our advantage along the way. He's not a weekday late night talk show host. He's sui generis. And he's forty six. Takes years to mature, to achieve greatness, enough with the teenage phenoms.
So just like Freddie Garrity, I'm telling you now. Sure, I gave you the punch line, but I'd still check out the show.
It may be comedy, but it's underlined with facts. Like Leonard Cohen wrote, everybody knows. We just need someone we can trust to say it.
And we trust John Oliver more than we do Lindsey Graham, never mind Donald Trump and Joe Biden.
The tools are out there. In plain sight. But no one picks them up.
Acts can't write a bridge, never mind a chorus.
There's an entire music business, firing on all cylinders financially. Then again, the major labels are firing people as they're making more and more profits.
But not in the live business, which is why all the action is there today.
Dig down deep. Forget the surface. It's what comes to you in the shower, when you're not working, that is gold. We want to be wowed, we want to be amazed, we want to be enticed, we want you to provide that which we could not conceive of so we can tell everybody about it.
Like I'm doing now.
--
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
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