Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
Tune in Saturday May 6th, 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
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Friday, 5 May 2023
Thursday, 4 May 2023
Hello Beautiful
https://amzn.to/3VAp3Lr
It's an Oprah book. But that's not why I read it.
Every Sunday I scan the "New York Times" book section to see what interests me, and a story of four sisters does. Family, personalities, relationships, ultimately they're all that matter. You might be interested in the big game, business, but that never comprises your entire life, you're a person 24/7, with thoughts, you want to express them, and it's almost never appropriate in business, which is ultimately a competition. Family is not a competition, but it is.
Now for me the book was all setup until two characters speak on a bench. There was a connection. They realized they were simpatico. It resonated.
So what you've got here is a couple that's married, the wife is Type-A and she's got plans, it's all laid out in her head, and she tries to imprint her desires on her husband and...
It doesn't take.
So what defines success? Is it monetary, or personality?
The mother, Rose, married Charlie, her husband, because she got knocked-up. And she's resented Charlie ever since. He gets demoted at work, he barely brings home the bacon. But it turns out he's the secret sauce, the man who quotes Whitman, he's got a personality, he's 3-D, he cares about others, it takes a long time for his impact to reveal itself, but it's major.
And then there's the above referenced competition between the sisters. The hopes and dreams are usually in the first-born, they ultimately feel entitled. If you're in their wake, you're subsidiary, you find your own role in their shadow.
And the thing about life is it never turns out the way you think it will. Can you accept the twists and turns? Many people cannot. It's kinda like tech, be a Luddite at your peril, you're going to miss out. At some point you have to accept people's choices, or forgo interaction, and the latter can not only render a loss, it can be soul-crushing.
So do introverts have a place in this world?
Actually, introverts will love "Hello Beautiful" the most. They will connect. They want someone to peek inside, to understand them, yet they have a hard time reaching out for what they want. Then they find someone who gets them... We all want someone who gets us.
I mean you can live on the surface, but...
That's why many famous marriages end, not only celebrities but the people in your circle. From the outside they're gay and alive, smiling, going everywhere, but inside their relationship might be hollow, it's more of a business deal than a relationship.
This is not a hard book to read. And once you get about a quarter of the way through you'll barely be able to put it down.
Unlike Jenna's book club, Oprah's has an imprimatur of quality. And "Hello Beautiful" is a very good book. Will it be an award-winner? I wouldn't think so. But it's not a mystery, it's not a typical genre book. "Hello Beautiful" is about life. And you're living. And what transpires in the novel is not always expected, just like in your life right now.
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It's an Oprah book. But that's not why I read it.
Every Sunday I scan the "New York Times" book section to see what interests me, and a story of four sisters does. Family, personalities, relationships, ultimately they're all that matter. You might be interested in the big game, business, but that never comprises your entire life, you're a person 24/7, with thoughts, you want to express them, and it's almost never appropriate in business, which is ultimately a competition. Family is not a competition, but it is.
Now for me the book was all setup until two characters speak on a bench. There was a connection. They realized they were simpatico. It resonated.
So what you've got here is a couple that's married, the wife is Type-A and she's got plans, it's all laid out in her head, and she tries to imprint her desires on her husband and...
It doesn't take.
So what defines success? Is it monetary, or personality?
The mother, Rose, married Charlie, her husband, because she got knocked-up. And she's resented Charlie ever since. He gets demoted at work, he barely brings home the bacon. But it turns out he's the secret sauce, the man who quotes Whitman, he's got a personality, he's 3-D, he cares about others, it takes a long time for his impact to reveal itself, but it's major.
And then there's the above referenced competition between the sisters. The hopes and dreams are usually in the first-born, they ultimately feel entitled. If you're in their wake, you're subsidiary, you find your own role in their shadow.
And the thing about life is it never turns out the way you think it will. Can you accept the twists and turns? Many people cannot. It's kinda like tech, be a Luddite at your peril, you're going to miss out. At some point you have to accept people's choices, or forgo interaction, and the latter can not only render a loss, it can be soul-crushing.
So do introverts have a place in this world?
Actually, introverts will love "Hello Beautiful" the most. They will connect. They want someone to peek inside, to understand them, yet they have a hard time reaching out for what they want. Then they find someone who gets them... We all want someone who gets us.
I mean you can live on the surface, but...
That's why many famous marriages end, not only celebrities but the people in your circle. From the outside they're gay and alive, smiling, going everywhere, but inside their relationship might be hollow, it's more of a business deal than a relationship.
This is not a hard book to read. And once you get about a quarter of the way through you'll barely be able to put it down.
Unlike Jenna's book club, Oprah's has an imprimatur of quality. And "Hello Beautiful" is a very good book. Will it be an award-winner? I wouldn't think so. But it's not a mystery, it's not a typical genre book. "Hello Beautiful" is about life. And you're living. And what transpires in the novel is not always expected, just like in your life right now.
--
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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Steve Martin Audiobook
"So Many Steves: Afternoons with Steve Martin": https://bit.ly/3LC9kqA
Does anybody know about this?
I listened and quite enjoyed it, but it's not worth $14.99. It's a podcast, not an audiobook. How come nobody at Pushkin knows this?
The paradigm was established when Pushkin released "Miracle and Wonder: Conversations with Paul Simon": https://bit.ly/3LD7KVk It had absolutely no impact, even though Simon revealed things heretofore unknown, like how ayahuasca changed his life. But almost nobody paid for it. If anything, we now live in a freemium universe. Or all you can eat for one price. There's still an iTunes Store, but everybody who shops there is aged, because everybody who is younger and a true music fan has defected to a streaming outlet.
Now the Paul Simon audiobook was hobbled by Malcolm Gladwell. Who needs to be taken down a few pegs. Not only is he frequently plain wrong in his podcast "Revisionist History," coming up with a premise and cherry-picking facts to prove it, his delivery has become offensive, like he's God come down from the mountaintop and we should all pay attention. His slow speech, like an orator...nobody talks like that, he's done too many corporate speeches. Furthermore, he's not that knowledgeable about Simon, whereas Adam Gopnik is good friends with Steve Martin.
But "New Yorker" writer Gopnik, like Gladwell, comes up with a theory and then...it doesn't all come together. Sure, Steve Martin walked away from comedy, but not completely. Rather than shed one life for another, Martin keeps building upon the lives he's established.
Now Martin is an interesting character. Does anybody not like Steve Martin? But the fascinating thing is...he's screwed up. We tend to think that our stars are superior, together. But when Martin talks about dating after his divorce, you'd think he'd be a king, but he was not.
And Martin talks about how he learned to be nice.
And at the advent, he talks about these e.e. cummings records that inspired him, and they might inspire you too.
And there are a few insights that might inspire you, that you might connect with, but this is more of an autobiography than anything else. Which is cool, but they shouldn't have tried to make it something bigger in concept.
So do I recommend listening to this book?
Yes, you'll enjoy it. But I absolutely cannot endorse purchasing it. Meaning very few people will ever hear it.
That's the challenge today, getting people to be aware of something and partake of it. It's nearly impossible. You don't want to put up any barriers, any paywalls, only people inured to the old game do this. First get attention, there are a million ways to monetize if you do this. Silicon Valley empires have been built on this concept.
Pushkin should have found one sponsor for the entire project and released it as a podcast. Some huge company that wants its image burnished. After all, Steve Martin is not offensive. Gladwell shilled for Lexus, they'd be perfect for this. And then many people would listen to this audiobook and Lexus's image would get a boost and it would be a win-win-win. For Pushkin, Lexus and the public.
Charge the public at your peril. There's so much free entertainment. And then there are Spotify, Netflix, et al, which automatically pay for like their cell plan. It's an incredible hurdle to get someone to pay up front for something unknown.
But people don't understand this.
Just like they write books. Do you know how few people read these books? People always ask me when I'm going to write a book. NEVER! Why take two or three years to write something that might reach a fraction of the number of people I'm reaching right now. Fiction is one thing, but I don't write fiction, and the dirty little secret is most fiction sells in four digits, not even ten thousand copies. Much less. You hear about these books, and then no one buys them. I'm not saying I'll never do a compilation book, but to write something from scratch, that's a fool's errand!
But I've got a leg up. I've built an audience.
Today authors rely on the publisher, ain't that a laugh, you've got to promote your book yourself. Hand sell it.
And Pushkin has no reputation as a publisher of audiobooks, no platform. Man, it takes eons to build your audience. So you'd better be invested for the long haul. So choose your options very wisely.
Just like the public.
They're not going to buy Steve Martin's audiobook.
What a waste.
--
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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Does anybody know about this?
I listened and quite enjoyed it, but it's not worth $14.99. It's a podcast, not an audiobook. How come nobody at Pushkin knows this?
The paradigm was established when Pushkin released "Miracle and Wonder: Conversations with Paul Simon": https://bit.ly/3LD7KVk It had absolutely no impact, even though Simon revealed things heretofore unknown, like how ayahuasca changed his life. But almost nobody paid for it. If anything, we now live in a freemium universe. Or all you can eat for one price. There's still an iTunes Store, but everybody who shops there is aged, because everybody who is younger and a true music fan has defected to a streaming outlet.
Now the Paul Simon audiobook was hobbled by Malcolm Gladwell. Who needs to be taken down a few pegs. Not only is he frequently plain wrong in his podcast "Revisionist History," coming up with a premise and cherry-picking facts to prove it, his delivery has become offensive, like he's God come down from the mountaintop and we should all pay attention. His slow speech, like an orator...nobody talks like that, he's done too many corporate speeches. Furthermore, he's not that knowledgeable about Simon, whereas Adam Gopnik is good friends with Steve Martin.
But "New Yorker" writer Gopnik, like Gladwell, comes up with a theory and then...it doesn't all come together. Sure, Steve Martin walked away from comedy, but not completely. Rather than shed one life for another, Martin keeps building upon the lives he's established.
Now Martin is an interesting character. Does anybody not like Steve Martin? But the fascinating thing is...he's screwed up. We tend to think that our stars are superior, together. But when Martin talks about dating after his divorce, you'd think he'd be a king, but he was not.
And Martin talks about how he learned to be nice.
And at the advent, he talks about these e.e. cummings records that inspired him, and they might inspire you too.
And there are a few insights that might inspire you, that you might connect with, but this is more of an autobiography than anything else. Which is cool, but they shouldn't have tried to make it something bigger in concept.
So do I recommend listening to this book?
Yes, you'll enjoy it. But I absolutely cannot endorse purchasing it. Meaning very few people will ever hear it.
That's the challenge today, getting people to be aware of something and partake of it. It's nearly impossible. You don't want to put up any barriers, any paywalls, only people inured to the old game do this. First get attention, there are a million ways to monetize if you do this. Silicon Valley empires have been built on this concept.
Pushkin should have found one sponsor for the entire project and released it as a podcast. Some huge company that wants its image burnished. After all, Steve Martin is not offensive. Gladwell shilled for Lexus, they'd be perfect for this. And then many people would listen to this audiobook and Lexus's image would get a boost and it would be a win-win-win. For Pushkin, Lexus and the public.
Charge the public at your peril. There's so much free entertainment. And then there are Spotify, Netflix, et al, which automatically pay for like their cell plan. It's an incredible hurdle to get someone to pay up front for something unknown.
But people don't understand this.
Just like they write books. Do you know how few people read these books? People always ask me when I'm going to write a book. NEVER! Why take two or three years to write something that might reach a fraction of the number of people I'm reaching right now. Fiction is one thing, but I don't write fiction, and the dirty little secret is most fiction sells in four digits, not even ten thousand copies. Much less. You hear about these books, and then no one buys them. I'm not saying I'll never do a compilation book, but to write something from scratch, that's a fool's errand!
But I've got a leg up. I've built an audience.
Today authors rely on the publisher, ain't that a laugh, you've got to promote your book yourself. Hand sell it.
And Pushkin has no reputation as a publisher of audiobooks, no platform. Man, it takes eons to build your audience. So you'd better be invested for the long haul. So choose your options very wisely.
Just like the public.
They're not going to buy Steve Martin's audiobook.
What a waste.
--
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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Eric Andersen-This Week's Podcast
Eric Andersen was a folkie in Greenwich Village in the sixties, recorded the classic album "Blue River' in the seventies, and is still touring and recording to this day. Eric's still got something to say, he believes music can make a difference, and this is his story.
https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1119-the-bob-lefsetz-podcast-30806836/episode/eric-andersen-114429872/
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/eric-andersen/id1316200737?i=1000611718864
https://open.spotify.com/episode/1LB1LpVGjvNFuIhMN2QYmK?si=w4bfhwWmSzOsaEb4J2GVBw
https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/9ff4fb19-54d4-41ae-ae7a-8a6f8d3dafa8/episodes/0121082b-7e53-4bfc-b5db-6a913bbff048/the-bob-lefsetz-podcast-eric-andersen
https://www.stitcher.com/show/the-bob-lefsetz-podcast/episode/eric-andersen-302830883
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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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https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1119-the-bob-lefsetz-podcast-30806836/episode/eric-andersen-114429872/
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/eric-andersen/id1316200737?i=1000611718864
https://open.spotify.com/episode/1LB1LpVGjvNFuIhMN2QYmK?si=w4bfhwWmSzOsaEb4J2GVBw
https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/9ff4fb19-54d4-41ae-ae7a-8a6f8d3dafa8/episodes/0121082b-7e53-4bfc-b5db-6a913bbff048/the-bob-lefsetz-podcast-eric-andersen
https://www.stitcher.com/show/the-bob-lefsetz-podcast/episode/eric-andersen-302830883
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Visit the archive: http://lefsetz.com/wordpress/
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Listen to the podcast:
-iHeart: https://ihr.fm/2Gi5PFj
-Apple: https://apple.co/2ndmpvp
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Wednesday, 3 May 2023
Gordon Lightfoot
He wasn't a household name until he switched to Warner Brothers Records.
That's the power of a label. Today there are only three majors, half a century ago there were tons of companies, analogous the tech startups of the first decade of this century. And this plethora was always fighting for radio airplay, and if you didn't get it, you were dead in the water. Insiders might know your name, you might have even had fans, but the masses were clueless...and that's where the attention, money and fame were, unlike today, where you can be a star in your own mind and be supported by devoted followers. So, if you followed the scene, you knew who Gordon Lightfoot was, the singer-songwriter signed to Albert Grossman whose songs were covered by Peter, Paul & Mary, just like Grossman's other client, Bob Dylan. But Lightfoot wasn't political and wasn't controversial, he was just a musician, and that wasn't enough to break you through to mainstream attention, especially if you were on United Artists Records.
Not that Gordon wasn't a star in Canada. Residents would wax rhapsodic about "Canadian Railroad Trilogy," but it was unknown south of the border.
And then the switch to WB. "If You Could Read My Mind" was a hit, but there was no story. No drug addiction, no mental hospital, Lightfoot was a cipher. We knew everything about Joni Mitchell, we knew nothing about Gordon Lightfoot.
And then came "Sundown." It was one of the anthems of the summer of 1974. On AM radio. But by this point, the hipsters had all switched to FM. Not that they never heard "Sundown," not everybody had an FM radio in their car, never mind a tape deck, it's just that AM had no credibility. AM was for lightweight trifles, and tracks that crossed over from FM months later. It was pooh-poohed. And that's where Gordon Lightfoot had his greatest success. You didn't hear him regularly on FM like the aforementioned Joni Mitchell or James Taylor, he fell through the cracks. Furthermore, as the decade wore on, FM was codified by Lee Abrams, playlists were now tight and the sound got harder. Lightfoot was left out.
But "Sundown"...
"I can see her lying back in her satin dress
In a room where you do what you don't confess"
That's Cathy Smith. Who gained notoriety when it was revealed that she injected John Belushi with the speedball that killed him. Reporters started to dig, and it soon came out she'd been a girlfriend of Gordon Lightfoot, who'd previously had a reputation as squeaky-clean, at least in the eyes of the public. Lightfoot was not responsible, he'd moved on, but John Belushi was one of the most beloved people in America at the time, and somehow Lightfoot suffered the blowback, his image was tarnished. Sadly. And Gordon never had another hit in the U.S.
But Lightfoot was not a one hit wonder. Not only did he have more hits, never mind hit covers, than the average bear, by far, his songs had depth, meaning, but there was never a story, a penumbra, until the Smith/Belushi debacle, so he's like an asteroid that missed Earth. You could see it if you were looking, but it was never a direct hit, memory wasn't sustained, however the songs have lived on in the culture ever since.
And so has Gordon, until the other day, in fact. He kept touring when he should have retired. I know, I went to see him, his voice was gone. But what else is a poor boy to do, but to play in a rock and roll band? Yes, that's right, singer-songwriters used to be considered rockers. Lightfoot at least lived the life of a rocker, everybody inside knew him, and now he's gone and everybody on the outside is talking about him and he's not here to hear it. Unfortunately.
You see Gordon Lightfoot was a master. Who created masterpieces. Not songs that were pushed up the chart, but rose because of their insight, their changes, their perfection. Nothing was out of place, they were completely finished, you almost didn't believe a human being could write them, never mind perform them.
So from the early days you've got "Early Morning Rain." And "For Lovin' Me." And...
But there's one song that supersedes all the others in my mind.
"The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald."
I heard it sporadically, because after all it was an AM hit in an FM world. But in the CD era I ended up buying the album, because I had to hear "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" on demand. I needed it that much. There are two story songs I listen to more than any others, that go through my head on a regular basis. One is Dan Fogelberg's "Same Old Lang Syne," the other is "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald."
"The legend lives on from the Chippewa on down
Of the big lake they call Gitche Gumee"
That's Lake Superior. The largest of not only the Great Lakes, but the largest body of fresh water in the world.
Have you been there?
I doubt it. Even though the news says Duluth, where the Edmund Fitzgerald departed, is now hip. The waves are so big they surf. In the middle of the summer there can be a stiff cold wind. Today cable TV and internet and cell service goes everywhere, but in the old days, Duluth was isolated, but not as isolated as the Edmund Fitzgerald.
This was their job. Funny thing is you start doing something and you end up doing that thing for a very long time. You're used to it, you're making more money, it's easy...not doing the work, but staying in the same job. These sailors are oftentimes lifers, and the things most people know about them are false. Actually, until "The Deadliest Catch" most people had no idea whatsoever.
And Duluth in summer is one thing, but as winter approaches, it's another thing. Lake Superior may not be the ocean, but for all intents and purposes it is.
You've got to respect Mother Nature. Today people think they can be rescued anywhere as a result of modern communications techniques, but that is untrue. You've got to be prepared and exercise good judgment, and you'd be surprised how many people fail on both accounts. The weather can change in an instant. You'll freeze to death in your shorts. And knowing when to turn back, it's a skill, because going forward could kill you.
I've got no idea what was involved in the decision for the Edmund Fitzgerald to sail. But it left port and...
If you've ever been on a boat, you convince yourself it's safe, because sometimes it's positively scary. You tell yourself nothing can happen. But in the case of the Edmund Fitzgerald, it did.
Gordon Lightfoot was an artist. An artist explores, an artist tests limits, an artist doesn't just repeat themselves. It's hard to go your own way, but that's where the rewards are. "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" stands out not only because it's great, but because there's nothing like it. You hear that searing guitar intro and you hold on to the rails, get ready to go out on the water.
"In a musty old hall in Detroit they prayed
In the maritime sailors' cathedral
The church bell chimed 'til it rang twenty-nine times
For each man on the Edmund Fitzgerald"
Gordon Lightfoot was only one person. But that church bell should ring twenty nine times tonight, because Gordon Lightfoot single-handedly kept the memory of those sailors alive. Believe me, the disappearance of the Edmund Fitzgerald was national news, international news, yet everything fades in the rearview mirror. But one song can keep a story alive, that's the power of music.
"Superior they said never gives up her dead
When the gales of November come early"
Nobody has ever come back. No one has ever communicated with the dead. Once you cross that line, you're gone forever. If you're lucky, your loved ones will remember you. But as time goes by even they will pass and your memory will be lost to the sands of time.
But if you're an artist...
I'm not talking about a performer. I'm not talking about an award-winner. I'm not talking about someone who is rich. I'm talking about someone who learns the basics and then walks into the wilderness, on their own journey, following their own compass, not someone else's. And it's got nothing to do with what you look like, but rather what goes on in your brain. AI can create something that sounds like the past, but it can't create something that sounds like the future, after all it's based on scraping the internet, and the new, the bleeding edge, the breakthroughs are never there. No one can teach you to be an artist. Not even Rick Rubin. Sure, you can be encouraged, but more often you're discouraged. The odds are too long. Your choices are bad. You're not that good. But some stay the course and break through. That's Gordon Lightfoot.
Decades from now people might not know Gordon's name, but I guarantee you they'll be singing his songs. Because they contain truth, and for that reason they are timeless. But it's not only the words, but the changes and the vocals. Gordon Lightfoot had it all. I'd implore you to remember him, but his songs will do the work for him.
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Listen to the podcast:
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That's the power of a label. Today there are only three majors, half a century ago there were tons of companies, analogous the tech startups of the first decade of this century. And this plethora was always fighting for radio airplay, and if you didn't get it, you were dead in the water. Insiders might know your name, you might have even had fans, but the masses were clueless...and that's where the attention, money and fame were, unlike today, where you can be a star in your own mind and be supported by devoted followers. So, if you followed the scene, you knew who Gordon Lightfoot was, the singer-songwriter signed to Albert Grossman whose songs were covered by Peter, Paul & Mary, just like Grossman's other client, Bob Dylan. But Lightfoot wasn't political and wasn't controversial, he was just a musician, and that wasn't enough to break you through to mainstream attention, especially if you were on United Artists Records.
Not that Gordon wasn't a star in Canada. Residents would wax rhapsodic about "Canadian Railroad Trilogy," but it was unknown south of the border.
And then the switch to WB. "If You Could Read My Mind" was a hit, but there was no story. No drug addiction, no mental hospital, Lightfoot was a cipher. We knew everything about Joni Mitchell, we knew nothing about Gordon Lightfoot.
And then came "Sundown." It was one of the anthems of the summer of 1974. On AM radio. But by this point, the hipsters had all switched to FM. Not that they never heard "Sundown," not everybody had an FM radio in their car, never mind a tape deck, it's just that AM had no credibility. AM was for lightweight trifles, and tracks that crossed over from FM months later. It was pooh-poohed. And that's where Gordon Lightfoot had his greatest success. You didn't hear him regularly on FM like the aforementioned Joni Mitchell or James Taylor, he fell through the cracks. Furthermore, as the decade wore on, FM was codified by Lee Abrams, playlists were now tight and the sound got harder. Lightfoot was left out.
But "Sundown"...
"I can see her lying back in her satin dress
In a room where you do what you don't confess"
That's Cathy Smith. Who gained notoriety when it was revealed that she injected John Belushi with the speedball that killed him. Reporters started to dig, and it soon came out she'd been a girlfriend of Gordon Lightfoot, who'd previously had a reputation as squeaky-clean, at least in the eyes of the public. Lightfoot was not responsible, he'd moved on, but John Belushi was one of the most beloved people in America at the time, and somehow Lightfoot suffered the blowback, his image was tarnished. Sadly. And Gordon never had another hit in the U.S.
But Lightfoot was not a one hit wonder. Not only did he have more hits, never mind hit covers, than the average bear, by far, his songs had depth, meaning, but there was never a story, a penumbra, until the Smith/Belushi debacle, so he's like an asteroid that missed Earth. You could see it if you were looking, but it was never a direct hit, memory wasn't sustained, however the songs have lived on in the culture ever since.
And so has Gordon, until the other day, in fact. He kept touring when he should have retired. I know, I went to see him, his voice was gone. But what else is a poor boy to do, but to play in a rock and roll band? Yes, that's right, singer-songwriters used to be considered rockers. Lightfoot at least lived the life of a rocker, everybody inside knew him, and now he's gone and everybody on the outside is talking about him and he's not here to hear it. Unfortunately.
You see Gordon Lightfoot was a master. Who created masterpieces. Not songs that were pushed up the chart, but rose because of their insight, their changes, their perfection. Nothing was out of place, they were completely finished, you almost didn't believe a human being could write them, never mind perform them.
So from the early days you've got "Early Morning Rain." And "For Lovin' Me." And...
But there's one song that supersedes all the others in my mind.
"The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald."
I heard it sporadically, because after all it was an AM hit in an FM world. But in the CD era I ended up buying the album, because I had to hear "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" on demand. I needed it that much. There are two story songs I listen to more than any others, that go through my head on a regular basis. One is Dan Fogelberg's "Same Old Lang Syne," the other is "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald."
"The legend lives on from the Chippewa on down
Of the big lake they call Gitche Gumee"
That's Lake Superior. The largest of not only the Great Lakes, but the largest body of fresh water in the world.
Have you been there?
I doubt it. Even though the news says Duluth, where the Edmund Fitzgerald departed, is now hip. The waves are so big they surf. In the middle of the summer there can be a stiff cold wind. Today cable TV and internet and cell service goes everywhere, but in the old days, Duluth was isolated, but not as isolated as the Edmund Fitzgerald.
This was their job. Funny thing is you start doing something and you end up doing that thing for a very long time. You're used to it, you're making more money, it's easy...not doing the work, but staying in the same job. These sailors are oftentimes lifers, and the things most people know about them are false. Actually, until "The Deadliest Catch" most people had no idea whatsoever.
And Duluth in summer is one thing, but as winter approaches, it's another thing. Lake Superior may not be the ocean, but for all intents and purposes it is.
You've got to respect Mother Nature. Today people think they can be rescued anywhere as a result of modern communications techniques, but that is untrue. You've got to be prepared and exercise good judgment, and you'd be surprised how many people fail on both accounts. The weather can change in an instant. You'll freeze to death in your shorts. And knowing when to turn back, it's a skill, because going forward could kill you.
I've got no idea what was involved in the decision for the Edmund Fitzgerald to sail. But it left port and...
If you've ever been on a boat, you convince yourself it's safe, because sometimes it's positively scary. You tell yourself nothing can happen. But in the case of the Edmund Fitzgerald, it did.
Gordon Lightfoot was an artist. An artist explores, an artist tests limits, an artist doesn't just repeat themselves. It's hard to go your own way, but that's where the rewards are. "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" stands out not only because it's great, but because there's nothing like it. You hear that searing guitar intro and you hold on to the rails, get ready to go out on the water.
"In a musty old hall in Detroit they prayed
In the maritime sailors' cathedral
The church bell chimed 'til it rang twenty-nine times
For each man on the Edmund Fitzgerald"
Gordon Lightfoot was only one person. But that church bell should ring twenty nine times tonight, because Gordon Lightfoot single-handedly kept the memory of those sailors alive. Believe me, the disappearance of the Edmund Fitzgerald was national news, international news, yet everything fades in the rearview mirror. But one song can keep a story alive, that's the power of music.
"Superior they said never gives up her dead
When the gales of November come early"
Nobody has ever come back. No one has ever communicated with the dead. Once you cross that line, you're gone forever. If you're lucky, your loved ones will remember you. But as time goes by even they will pass and your memory will be lost to the sands of time.
But if you're an artist...
I'm not talking about a performer. I'm not talking about an award-winner. I'm not talking about someone who is rich. I'm talking about someone who learns the basics and then walks into the wilderness, on their own journey, following their own compass, not someone else's. And it's got nothing to do with what you look like, but rather what goes on in your brain. AI can create something that sounds like the past, but it can't create something that sounds like the future, after all it's based on scraping the internet, and the new, the bleeding edge, the breakthroughs are never there. No one can teach you to be an artist. Not even Rick Rubin. Sure, you can be encouraged, but more often you're discouraged. The odds are too long. Your choices are bad. You're not that good. But some stay the course and break through. That's Gordon Lightfoot.
Decades from now people might not know Gordon's name, but I guarantee you they'll be singing his songs. Because they contain truth, and for that reason they are timeless. But it's not only the words, but the changes and the vocals. Gordon Lightfoot had it all. I'd implore you to remember him, but his songs will do the work for him.
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More Tucker Carlson
"Carlson's Text That Alarmed Fox Leaders: 'It's Not How White Men Fight' - The discovery of the text message contributed to a chain of events that ultimately led to Tucker Carlson's firing.": Free link: https://nyti.ms/3HwwAF9
The world needs someone.
But it doesn't need you.
By time this is over, Tucker Carlson will be marginalized. Not extinguished, but marginalized. And he didn't commit a faux pas, this is who he is. And it caught up with him.
I'm not saying white nationalists won't continue to like Carlson, but I'm saying the mainstream, and it's always about the mainstream in the end, elections are mainstream, never forget that, will back away from him. Because the only people who endorse white nationalism are fringe actors. Donald Trump brought them out of the woodwork, endorsed them, after all there are good people on both sides, but racism is a bad look, it's a third rail, it's impossible to defend and be taken seriously, and by jettisoning Tucker, Fox has separated itself from the man and his views. Fox is trying to save its reputation, it cares not a whit about Carlson.
As for plausible deniability... This shows how myopic and out of touch Carlson was, or at least digitally ignorant. You never put it in writing. If someone repeats what you said you deny it, it's their word against yours. But if it's in writing... This happens again and again in society. People get caught up in their own power, their own myth, believe that they're bigger than the rules, and ultimately find out that they are not.
So all those stories about Tucker Carlson emerging from the ashes... Ain't gonna happen. Oh, he's gonna be somewhere, he'll have fans, but his influence will be neutered. Carlson will be fenced off from polite political society. He's toxic. You don't want to defend him, befriend him, at the risk of your own career.
This is a story as old as time. Unless you're a dictator, don't believe you're all powerful. And as long as it took you to ascend the ladder to your exalted perch...that's how fast you can fail, instantly.
And people are gunning for everyone in the public eye these days. Hell, kids are even bullying other students on social media. Did you see that Lawrenceville story, about the kid who killed himself after being falsely labeled a rapist? Sure, you've got to try and have a thick skin. But you definitely don't want to give them ammunition. Someone tells you what Tucker Carlson said and you dismiss it out of hand because he's a racist.
Like I said, this is who Carlson is. Well, they told us it was an act. But there was all the Replacement Theory nonsense, all this heinous stuff that Fox defended as "opinion." But once it's shown in your private life that you're not just asking questions, but think you know the answers, and your answers are abhorred by most, you're toast.
So all those articles talking about the second act of Tucker Carlson, those are from people who are not students of history. Tucker's fall is akin to that of Joe McCarthy. Will the world pivot as a result of Tucker's demise, as it did after McCarthy's? I'm not saying that people stopped being afraid of Russia and Communism, I'm just saying it was no longer a witch hunt.
Is Fox going to air someone with the same views as Carlson in his spot? OF COURSE NOT! I mean not only do you have Carlson's words in print, but the Dominion settlement. It's all public. And those on the right might be unaware of the three-quarters of a billion settlement with Dominion, but they know Carlson is no longer on the air. And they've been wondering why.
And, once again, this is why the mainstream media does not deserve the derision it is dealt. Ever since Carlson was axed, there have been a million theories by those not in the know. But the "Times," the WaPo and the "Journal" have been following this story assiduously, looking for the smoking gun, looking for answers. And they stayed on the story. And the "Times" ultimately won the race.
But you can't read the "Times." It's biased. Better to find your own little niche online, whether it be left or right, because conspiracy theories make you feel powerful. That's the story here, everybody feels powerless, and they want to stick it to the man. Well, Tucker Carlson kept sticking it to the man to the point where he didn't stick.
We keep hearing truth doesn't matter.
I'd argue that, but one thing is for sure, reputation certainly does. And credibility. Sacrifice them at your peril.
P.S. This will have a chilling effect on the nonsense spewed by other Fox personalities. They now know they're expendable, their job is the most important thing to them, and they don't want to lose it.
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The world needs someone.
But it doesn't need you.
By time this is over, Tucker Carlson will be marginalized. Not extinguished, but marginalized. And he didn't commit a faux pas, this is who he is. And it caught up with him.
I'm not saying white nationalists won't continue to like Carlson, but I'm saying the mainstream, and it's always about the mainstream in the end, elections are mainstream, never forget that, will back away from him. Because the only people who endorse white nationalism are fringe actors. Donald Trump brought them out of the woodwork, endorsed them, after all there are good people on both sides, but racism is a bad look, it's a third rail, it's impossible to defend and be taken seriously, and by jettisoning Tucker, Fox has separated itself from the man and his views. Fox is trying to save its reputation, it cares not a whit about Carlson.
As for plausible deniability... This shows how myopic and out of touch Carlson was, or at least digitally ignorant. You never put it in writing. If someone repeats what you said you deny it, it's their word against yours. But if it's in writing... This happens again and again in society. People get caught up in their own power, their own myth, believe that they're bigger than the rules, and ultimately find out that they are not.
So all those stories about Tucker Carlson emerging from the ashes... Ain't gonna happen. Oh, he's gonna be somewhere, he'll have fans, but his influence will be neutered. Carlson will be fenced off from polite political society. He's toxic. You don't want to defend him, befriend him, at the risk of your own career.
This is a story as old as time. Unless you're a dictator, don't believe you're all powerful. And as long as it took you to ascend the ladder to your exalted perch...that's how fast you can fail, instantly.
And people are gunning for everyone in the public eye these days. Hell, kids are even bullying other students on social media. Did you see that Lawrenceville story, about the kid who killed himself after being falsely labeled a rapist? Sure, you've got to try and have a thick skin. But you definitely don't want to give them ammunition. Someone tells you what Tucker Carlson said and you dismiss it out of hand because he's a racist.
Like I said, this is who Carlson is. Well, they told us it was an act. But there was all the Replacement Theory nonsense, all this heinous stuff that Fox defended as "opinion." But once it's shown in your private life that you're not just asking questions, but think you know the answers, and your answers are abhorred by most, you're toast.
So all those articles talking about the second act of Tucker Carlson, those are from people who are not students of history. Tucker's fall is akin to that of Joe McCarthy. Will the world pivot as a result of Tucker's demise, as it did after McCarthy's? I'm not saying that people stopped being afraid of Russia and Communism, I'm just saying it was no longer a witch hunt.
Is Fox going to air someone with the same views as Carlson in his spot? OF COURSE NOT! I mean not only do you have Carlson's words in print, but the Dominion settlement. It's all public. And those on the right might be unaware of the three-quarters of a billion settlement with Dominion, but they know Carlson is no longer on the air. And they've been wondering why.
And, once again, this is why the mainstream media does not deserve the derision it is dealt. Ever since Carlson was axed, there have been a million theories by those not in the know. But the "Times," the WaPo and the "Journal" have been following this story assiduously, looking for the smoking gun, looking for answers. And they stayed on the story. And the "Times" ultimately won the race.
But you can't read the "Times." It's biased. Better to find your own little niche online, whether it be left or right, because conspiracy theories make you feel powerful. That's the story here, everybody feels powerless, and they want to stick it to the man. Well, Tucker Carlson kept sticking it to the man to the point where he didn't stick.
We keep hearing truth doesn't matter.
I'd argue that, but one thing is for sure, reputation certainly does. And credibility. Sacrifice them at your peril.
P.S. This will have a chilling effect on the nonsense spewed by other Fox personalities. They now know they're expendable, their job is the most important thing to them, and they don't want to lose it.
--
Visit the archive: http://lefsetz.com/wordpress/
--
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-iHeart: https://ihr.fm/2Gi5PFj
-Apple: https://apple.co/2ndmpvp
--
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Tuesday, 2 May 2023
My Birthday Video
Watch it until the very very end:
https://youtu.be/MlRRv-StytM
I was shocked when I saw this. Positively speechless. And then I told Felice, "Now I've got to retire."
She made it for my birthday.
The morning thereof she asked me whether I wanted my present before or after skiing. I said after, I always say later, like opening the mail, sometimes you don't want to deal with the consequences, you want to maintain the mood. Felice said that was fine, but to budget half an hour when I came back.
Half an hour?
I thought about it, but not for long. Although abnormally cold, it was clearing up, and it had snowed the night before, and we hit it hard.
I've stopped stopping for lunch. It interrupts the day.
And I'm rarely an early starter. I'm sick of fighting for things. There are too many people, or I assume I'm going to lose. I enjoy the powder when it falls. The day after, lining up at the gondola before it opens for one, maybe two, untracked runs? It's just not worth it. And as a matter of fact, I had my best untracked run of the year on Saturday afternoon. Skiing past the terrain park on Golden Peak on the way to the race course, which is normally off-limits, I saw a strip of land untouched by man. Well, a little. Boy, it was glorious. Anyway, lunch kills the momentum. And it's overpriced and lousy to boot. I mean if you have to go in to warm up, that's one thing. Otherwise, I go out and then stay there until the closing bell. Four and a half hours straight...beyond that your body is going to suffer the next day. I mean I hit it hard, I almost never stop during a run while skiing alone, which is a lot of the time. Although I think we skied just a bit longer than that on Saturday, closer to five hours.
And then we went inside.
Funny about the hunger. Stay out there long enough and it goes away. Oh, I do pack an energy bar in my jacket pocket. They used to be Balance, but those are hard to find these days. I've switched to Clif Builders bars. Unlike the regular Clif bars, they're balanced, and have a ton of protein, the regular ones taste good but are basically carb bars.
But I prefer Zone Perfect bars. I try to stay away from them these days, they're like candy bars, and I don't trust their nutrition information, no way do they have as much protein as they say, but they taste really good. So frequently they're my reward when I come in from skiing. Double Chocolate is the one to get. As for the Builders bars... Go with Chocolate Peanut or Chocolate Mint. But, if it's cold out, beware, they freeze up, you have to warm them to bite off a chunk, otherwise you might break a tooth.
And I had had a Builders bar on the hill. And on my birthday, I did not have a Zone bar upon returning to the condo, but I did have a Oui Creamy Mocha & Chocolate yogurt, with nuts and blueberries. I hesitate to even write about this Oui concoction. I haven't even found it in Los Angeles. But at City Market in Vail... I buy every one on the shelf. Utterly delicious.
And Felice kept asking me whether I was ready.
I told her I had to stretch first.
And then I wondered, what could take half an hour? And I started to think maybe this could be bad. But it's a gift! Then again, my mother specialized in gifts that left me feeling bad, made me feel she'd put in little effort and didn't really know who I was.
So finally, I was ready. We sat next to each other on the bed and...
Took a moment for the video to start playing and...
Man, I'm tingling as I write about it. I can't even talk about it.
And I know by sending it to you I'll open myself up to negative feedback, but...
My whole life people have told me I'm on the wrong track. A square peg in a round hole. To fly straight. Sure, there were problems in high school, but even worse was college. The professor in my one and only college writing course finally said something positive about my piece on Alice Cooper, then he said it needed a twist. A twist? I was living for "Rolling Stone" and my records, and I have no doubt in my mind nobody spent as many days at the Middlebury Snow Bowl.
And then my girlfriend told me when she moved in with me that she didn't realize she was moving in with my records.
And my ex-wife told my father I'd never earn a living.
So to watch this video...
Man, I could philosophize here, give you some pointers, lessons, but only you can divine your own path. And I'll make it clear, most people don't want to work that hard and sacrifice. I remember writing a bad check for the rent. Having less than twenty dollars in my checking account. Buying a ton of Michelina's frozen entrees because they were on sale for just over a dollar. Losing a body part in an operation...
Don't feel sorry for me, I chose my own path.
Then again, at this late date, I realize this was my only path. The only way that would work for me. And it took me years to find it.
Even at this late date. I talk to successful people in the business and they've got a side hustle, they invest in restaurants and real estate and...
This is all I've got.
So to see this video...
Thanks to all the people who participated.
And thanks to Felice who made it happen, who put it together.
And thanks to you for reading.
Me
https://youtu.be/MlRRv-StytM
I was shocked when I saw this. Positively speechless. And then I told Felice, "Now I've got to retire."
She made it for my birthday.
The morning thereof she asked me whether I wanted my present before or after skiing. I said after, I always say later, like opening the mail, sometimes you don't want to deal with the consequences, you want to maintain the mood. Felice said that was fine, but to budget half an hour when I came back.
Half an hour?
I thought about it, but not for long. Although abnormally cold, it was clearing up, and it had snowed the night before, and we hit it hard.
I've stopped stopping for lunch. It interrupts the day.
And I'm rarely an early starter. I'm sick of fighting for things. There are too many people, or I assume I'm going to lose. I enjoy the powder when it falls. The day after, lining up at the gondola before it opens for one, maybe two, untracked runs? It's just not worth it. And as a matter of fact, I had my best untracked run of the year on Saturday afternoon. Skiing past the terrain park on Golden Peak on the way to the race course, which is normally off-limits, I saw a strip of land untouched by man. Well, a little. Boy, it was glorious. Anyway, lunch kills the momentum. And it's overpriced and lousy to boot. I mean if you have to go in to warm up, that's one thing. Otherwise, I go out and then stay there until the closing bell. Four and a half hours straight...beyond that your body is going to suffer the next day. I mean I hit it hard, I almost never stop during a run while skiing alone, which is a lot of the time. Although I think we skied just a bit longer than that on Saturday, closer to five hours.
And then we went inside.
Funny about the hunger. Stay out there long enough and it goes away. Oh, I do pack an energy bar in my jacket pocket. They used to be Balance, but those are hard to find these days. I've switched to Clif Builders bars. Unlike the regular Clif bars, they're balanced, and have a ton of protein, the regular ones taste good but are basically carb bars.
But I prefer Zone Perfect bars. I try to stay away from them these days, they're like candy bars, and I don't trust their nutrition information, no way do they have as much protein as they say, but they taste really good. So frequently they're my reward when I come in from skiing. Double Chocolate is the one to get. As for the Builders bars... Go with Chocolate Peanut or Chocolate Mint. But, if it's cold out, beware, they freeze up, you have to warm them to bite off a chunk, otherwise you might break a tooth.
And I had had a Builders bar on the hill. And on my birthday, I did not have a Zone bar upon returning to the condo, but I did have a Oui Creamy Mocha & Chocolate yogurt, with nuts and blueberries. I hesitate to even write about this Oui concoction. I haven't even found it in Los Angeles. But at City Market in Vail... I buy every one on the shelf. Utterly delicious.
And Felice kept asking me whether I was ready.
I told her I had to stretch first.
And then I wondered, what could take half an hour? And I started to think maybe this could be bad. But it's a gift! Then again, my mother specialized in gifts that left me feeling bad, made me feel she'd put in little effort and didn't really know who I was.
So finally, I was ready. We sat next to each other on the bed and...
Took a moment for the video to start playing and...
Man, I'm tingling as I write about it. I can't even talk about it.
And I know by sending it to you I'll open myself up to negative feedback, but...
My whole life people have told me I'm on the wrong track. A square peg in a round hole. To fly straight. Sure, there were problems in high school, but even worse was college. The professor in my one and only college writing course finally said something positive about my piece on Alice Cooper, then he said it needed a twist. A twist? I was living for "Rolling Stone" and my records, and I have no doubt in my mind nobody spent as many days at the Middlebury Snow Bowl.
And then my girlfriend told me when she moved in with me that she didn't realize she was moving in with my records.
And my ex-wife told my father I'd never earn a living.
So to watch this video...
Man, I could philosophize here, give you some pointers, lessons, but only you can divine your own path. And I'll make it clear, most people don't want to work that hard and sacrifice. I remember writing a bad check for the rent. Having less than twenty dollars in my checking account. Buying a ton of Michelina's frozen entrees because they were on sale for just over a dollar. Losing a body part in an operation...
Don't feel sorry for me, I chose my own path.
Then again, at this late date, I realize this was my only path. The only way that would work for me. And it took me years to find it.
Even at this late date. I talk to successful people in the business and they've got a side hustle, they invest in restaurants and real estate and...
This is all I've got.
So to see this video...
Thanks to all the people who participated.
And thanks to Felice who made it happen, who put it together.
And thanks to you for reading.
Me
--
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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Monday, 1 May 2023
Willie's 90th-Night Two
What would you say if I told you the highlight was Dave Matthews?
You'd choke, do a spit take, how could that be?
Dave is like Bruce. And the Dead while I'm at it. I've got no problem with the act, but their audience... Yes, these three are tarred by their audience. You cannot be an expert on Bruce or the Dead, even if you saw the act before the speaker was alive. They know better. As for Dave... His Gen-X fans, the people who discovered him in college, those who grew up in comfort and have now established themselves financially...seemingly everybody hates these people other than themselves.
But that does not make Dave Matthews bad. Quite the opposite.
Dave came out alone, sans band, cracked a few self-deprecating jokes, as he is wont to do, and then knocked it far over the fence with a completely rearranged version of "Funny How Time Slips Away." Like Joe Cocker (not that he sounded anything like him), Dave rearranged a classic and made it his own. This was not a rote rendition, this was something new, and it resonated.
And then there was the tour-de-force with Jamey Johnson, Warren Haynes and Booker T. Jones on "Georgia On My Mind."
I'd forgotten to reference Johnson's appearance on the first night. Actually, Jamey was a part of the band. Way off to the side. Picking on that oversized guitar. And it's hard not to ponder how Jamey sleeps with that long beard and long hair, but last night he literally let his hair down, stepped up to the mic and sang. To tell you the truth, I actually thought Jamey's rendition of Billy Joe Shaver's "Live Forever" was superior the night before, but "Georgia On My Mind" had the crowd standing, partly as a result of the secret sauce Warren Haynes added.
As for Kris Kristofferson... I thought he was one and done. But last night he came out with Norah Jones and performed "Help Me Make It Through the Night" and... It seemed like he didn't know where to come in, and when he did his voice was very soft, but then Kris hit his stride and it was a marvel. Kinda like Tony Bennett, the songs are still in him, even though he seems removed from life.
And oh, I forgot to mention Shooter Jennings and Lukas Nelson performing "Good Hearted Woman." They were in the groove, they rocked, it was anything but superfluous, there was energy, the performance added to the song, made you realize Shooter and Lukas deserve the accolades.
And Nathaniel Rateliff... He's famous for his work with the Night Sweats, but he's one break away from being America's vocalist. Man, this guy did an amazing version of "A Song For You." He feels the music and it's cognitive dissonance to see this sweet sound coming out of this burly man...this is the humanity absent from today's digitized world. Rateliff felt the song, and his feeling was conveyed to the audience.
And then there was Willie.
He walked a little better last night. He was more relaxed, in the groove, and he was on stage longer. And man could he pick! Willie might be aged and wrinkled, but he doesn't seem to have lost anything, either with his singing or playing. The edge from the night before was gone, this was more of a party, the closing hour of a two day celebration.
Buddy Cannon alone with Willie was a highlight. This guy's got amazing credits, not only with Willie, but with Kenny Chesney. Buddy was so normal, yet so right.
And then came Keef. Yes, Keith Richards. Like you've never seen him before. As in Johnny Depp's pirate act didn't resemble this guy whatsoever. Keith seems to have come out the other side. Articulate and coherent. It's hard to square him with the guy he used to be, his reputation. Keith was totally present. Sure, his hair was white, but Richards appeared much younger than his age. There was no snarl, he was not removed, he was a whole new person, and that was endearing and uplifting.
And at the end of the night, Willie said "Same time tomorrow night."
It was an inside joke. Won't work when you see the movie, but if you were there both nights... Most special occasions have concertgoers on the edge of their seats, in rapt attention, drooling, you can almost hear a pin drop. But the past two nights, especially Sunday, it was more like a family reunion, with entertainment, you felt the loss, you wondered what you were going to do Monday night, you expected more, wanted more, and it turned out Willie Nelson felt the same way.
These shows were unusual in that ultimately they felt less like events, and more like life. The music was the grease, that smoothed out the bumps in your life, that took you away from not only the humdrum, but the inexplicable that we all deal with in the real world.
This was not the real world. This was a better world. Where everybody was happy, celebrating, and we all got along. It hearkened back to an earlier era, before greed and ignorance separated the classes. When you could save up and be anywhere if it was important enough to you. There were no brick walls keeping you out. If it was your desire to be inside, you could be there.
Sure, we have our heroes, but in truth these musicians are no different from you and me. It's that this is their job. Traveling from city to city, hamlet to hamlet, playing their songs. Some nights they're better than others, some nights the crowd is bigger than others, some nights it fails completely and other nights it transcends everybody's expectations, as if the musicians are channeling God and the audience is reading from the prayer book.
When done right, you never know exactly what you'll get. But when done right your spirit will be lifted. That's why we adore these players. Not because they look good, but because of how they make us feel.
And I'm still coming down from how Willie and his cohorts made me feel this weekend. This is the feeling I live for.
--
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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You'd choke, do a spit take, how could that be?
Dave is like Bruce. And the Dead while I'm at it. I've got no problem with the act, but their audience... Yes, these three are tarred by their audience. You cannot be an expert on Bruce or the Dead, even if you saw the act before the speaker was alive. They know better. As for Dave... His Gen-X fans, the people who discovered him in college, those who grew up in comfort and have now established themselves financially...seemingly everybody hates these people other than themselves.
But that does not make Dave Matthews bad. Quite the opposite.
Dave came out alone, sans band, cracked a few self-deprecating jokes, as he is wont to do, and then knocked it far over the fence with a completely rearranged version of "Funny How Time Slips Away." Like Joe Cocker (not that he sounded anything like him), Dave rearranged a classic and made it his own. This was not a rote rendition, this was something new, and it resonated.
And then there was the tour-de-force with Jamey Johnson, Warren Haynes and Booker T. Jones on "Georgia On My Mind."
I'd forgotten to reference Johnson's appearance on the first night. Actually, Jamey was a part of the band. Way off to the side. Picking on that oversized guitar. And it's hard not to ponder how Jamey sleeps with that long beard and long hair, but last night he literally let his hair down, stepped up to the mic and sang. To tell you the truth, I actually thought Jamey's rendition of Billy Joe Shaver's "Live Forever" was superior the night before, but "Georgia On My Mind" had the crowd standing, partly as a result of the secret sauce Warren Haynes added.
As for Kris Kristofferson... I thought he was one and done. But last night he came out with Norah Jones and performed "Help Me Make It Through the Night" and... It seemed like he didn't know where to come in, and when he did his voice was very soft, but then Kris hit his stride and it was a marvel. Kinda like Tony Bennett, the songs are still in him, even though he seems removed from life.
And oh, I forgot to mention Shooter Jennings and Lukas Nelson performing "Good Hearted Woman." They were in the groove, they rocked, it was anything but superfluous, there was energy, the performance added to the song, made you realize Shooter and Lukas deserve the accolades.
And Nathaniel Rateliff... He's famous for his work with the Night Sweats, but he's one break away from being America's vocalist. Man, this guy did an amazing version of "A Song For You." He feels the music and it's cognitive dissonance to see this sweet sound coming out of this burly man...this is the humanity absent from today's digitized world. Rateliff felt the song, and his feeling was conveyed to the audience.
And then there was Willie.
He walked a little better last night. He was more relaxed, in the groove, and he was on stage longer. And man could he pick! Willie might be aged and wrinkled, but he doesn't seem to have lost anything, either with his singing or playing. The edge from the night before was gone, this was more of a party, the closing hour of a two day celebration.
Buddy Cannon alone with Willie was a highlight. This guy's got amazing credits, not only with Willie, but with Kenny Chesney. Buddy was so normal, yet so right.
And then came Keef. Yes, Keith Richards. Like you've never seen him before. As in Johnny Depp's pirate act didn't resemble this guy whatsoever. Keith seems to have come out the other side. Articulate and coherent. It's hard to square him with the guy he used to be, his reputation. Keith was totally present. Sure, his hair was white, but Richards appeared much younger than his age. There was no snarl, he was not removed, he was a whole new person, and that was endearing and uplifting.
And at the end of the night, Willie said "Same time tomorrow night."
It was an inside joke. Won't work when you see the movie, but if you were there both nights... Most special occasions have concertgoers on the edge of their seats, in rapt attention, drooling, you can almost hear a pin drop. But the past two nights, especially Sunday, it was more like a family reunion, with entertainment, you felt the loss, you wondered what you were going to do Monday night, you expected more, wanted more, and it turned out Willie Nelson felt the same way.
These shows were unusual in that ultimately they felt less like events, and more like life. The music was the grease, that smoothed out the bumps in your life, that took you away from not only the humdrum, but the inexplicable that we all deal with in the real world.
This was not the real world. This was a better world. Where everybody was happy, celebrating, and we all got along. It hearkened back to an earlier era, before greed and ignorance separated the classes. When you could save up and be anywhere if it was important enough to you. There were no brick walls keeping you out. If it was your desire to be inside, you could be there.
Sure, we have our heroes, but in truth these musicians are no different from you and me. It's that this is their job. Traveling from city to city, hamlet to hamlet, playing their songs. Some nights they're better than others, some nights the crowd is bigger than others, some nights it fails completely and other nights it transcends everybody's expectations, as if the musicians are channeling God and the audience is reading from the prayer book.
When done right, you never know exactly what you'll get. But when done right your spirit will be lifted. That's why we adore these players. Not because they look good, but because of how they make us feel.
And I'm still coming down from how Willie and his cohorts made me feel this weekend. This is the feeling I live 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,
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Sunday, 30 April 2023
Willie's 90th-Night One
I don't think I've ever seen that many stars in one place. Not only on a stage, but even at an awards show.
Let me put it this way... The unannounced opener was Billy Strings, and he can sell out the Hollywood Bowl all by himself!
Not that I'm the biggest Willie Nelson fan. When Willie was struggling, country music, then called "country and western," was pooh-poohed by those in the northeast. You know those people who tell you they grew up listening to Hank Williams? Well, I grew up listening to show tunes.
But then Willie became gigantic. An inspiration to those who think they're too old, that they missed their chance. Furthermore, Willie was not only on the airwaves, but on the screen too. While rock stars were begging to be in movies, Willie jumped to the head of the line.
And there was Willie news everywhere. How his personal golf course got taken by the IRS and how he'd gotten it back... This guy had his own golf course? I mean how much money had he made? It was in Texas, was it flat, was it just a facsimile or the real thing? And when he came off the road he famously slept in his bus as opposed to his house, he felt more comfortable there. And how he got high on a regular basis. Back when dope was still illegal. Stop trying to legitimize it by calling it "cannabis," the old monikers were much more descriptive, much more true to life, after all, you know how you get when you're stoned.
And I saw Willie live once. Pretty up close and personal at the Universal Amphitheatre, this century, when it already had a roof, before it was torn down completely. And the thing about Willie is... Actually, two things. He plays this guitar with holes in it. The kind a kid would refuse as a present. And his show is not a performance, it's not about dynamics, it's a run-through. As if he was on train passing by, you caught him for an hour and then he went to the next burg, never missing a beat. You felt a bit outside, like something was happening on stage and you were left out. And you wanted to be included.
And that was one of the first things that went through my mind last night. How if you were watching the show, you'd want to be a musician. Today kids want to be stars. Look at the Kardashians, they don't even play, their talents lie in business and self-promotion. And if you make it in the Spotify Top 50 world, the goal is to become a brand, to sell tchotchkes, perfume, become so big that a Fortune 500 company will back you. What has this got to do with music? NOTHING!
But these people on stage last night. They were lifers. The music came first. And they seemed to be enjoying it, having fun.
And the music was authentic. No hard drives, never mind no dancing. You see when done right, the music is enough, and the music was enough last night.
Now I could recite the performers but the list would be so long you'd be overwhelmed.
But I must mention that Norah Jones can really play the piano, in addition to her ability to sing.
And somehow Tom Jones went from a pariah to a star who always delivers. Sure, we heard "Delilah" back in the sixties, but Tom had no credibility. But since his tour-de-force rendition of Prince's "Kiss," he's been on a well-appreciated victory lap, for decades!
And modern country was represented by Miranda Lambert.
And the hip country of the last century was represented by Lyle Lovett.
But really, other than Willie himself, there were two absolute highlights.
First, Warren Haynes doing "Midnight Rider." Yes, Willie didn't write it, but he sang it.
Now at this point, Haynes is 63 himself. But when you saw him singing and playing on stage last night, you realized that he was a bigger star than almost all of those on the hit parade. Warren has paid his dues. If he ever tried to play the star game, one thing is for sure, he never had a hit. But he's the rock/jam band world's best utility player. And his voice is as sweet as his guitar playing.
And Haynes played with the Allman Brothers. A twin guitar effort between himself and Derek Trucks. Meaning, Warren knows not only the songs, but the nuances, like Gregg's "na-na" vocal at the end.
And Gregg may be dead, and in truth "Midnight Rider" was never a hit single, but it has transcended those that were.
"Well I've got to run to keep from hidin'
And I'm bound to keep on ridin'"
This isn't influencer culture. This guy doesn't have a smartphone, he doesn't want to be tracked. He's the other. What music used to represent. Before the players were co-opted by the system. "Midnight Rider" is the flip side of the Eagles' "Desperado." They both bring down the house because they resonate with our true identities, we're caught up in everyday life, but inside we're still outlaws, we want to think we're unconstricted, we want to LIVE!
And speaking of unconstricted...
It was hard not to notice the clothing of the performers. Denim ruled.
Today's "stars" have fashion coordinators. They dress up. These performers were dressed down.
God, the world is upside down. Prior to Tommy Mottola, other than Ahmet, the execs didn't wear suits and ties. Mo was famous for his open collar. That was the freedom of being a musician, you didn't have to dress up, you could be the authentic you, all day long, and people would be drawn to you. These are the people who were on stage last night.
But the absolute highlight...
Was the reunion of Neil Young and Stephen Stills.
I tingled when I wrote that. We're never going to have Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, never mind Crosby, Stills & Nash, ever again. And Neil Young is always on his own trip, owned by nobody, and he doesn't need anybody else, and I saw Frank Gironda backstage, I knew Neil was there, but not Stephen.
Yes, Stephen looks a bit worse for wear. Then again, don't all of us?
And Neil launches into "Long May You Run," the opening track by the ill-fated Stills-Young Band. Great metaphor for Willie, but that tour, where Neil disappeared in the middle of it...to see them reunited was mind-blowing.
But not as much as what came next.
Stephen Stills sang "For What It's Worth."
Talk about tingling.
"There's something happening here
But what it is ain't exactly clear"
That was a hit in 1967. It was written about the Sunset Strip riots. Outside Pandora's Box, on a strip of land that no longer even exists.
That was youth power back in the sixties. We had a sense of optimism, that we could move mountains, accomplish anything, and the music was our guiding light. Our artists weren't sold out, they had credibility.
And that was almost sixty years ago.
Making Stephen Stills... 78 years old?
I mean he's still here. But that was a really long time ago.
But I was there, and here too.
I remember Stills on TV wearing that cowboy hat.
But what I didn't know...
The two changed guitars for "For What It's Worth." Neil strapped on his Les Paul, "Old Black," and as they began to play... I never realized that it was Neil playing those sustained high notes. My mind ran through the members of the band, OF COURSE IT WAS NEIL!
There is definitely something happening in America today. And it definitely isn't clear. Furthermore, when it comes to cultural leaders, that we can trust, none come to mind.
And I'm sitting in the rapidly cooling air, staring at the flag of California, and I mentally pinch myself. All these years later, I am here. Living the dream.
Forget the b.s. spewed by the right. Living in California is free and easy compared to everywhere else in America. As for retreating to the hinterlands, I tell everyone that everybody in the music business has to come through Los Angeles at least once a year, and I am here.
This show couldn't have happened any place else. This is where special events occur. And if you're clued-in and know the right people... You can be there too.
Other highlights. Nathaniel Rateliff's two appearances, one with Margo Price, the other solo, singing "City of New Orleans," sounding eerily like Willie himself.
Two Lumineers performing "A Song for You."
And then there was Sturgill Simpson. For a clean cut guy with no airs he certainly radiates a ton of charisma. Sturgill's not evident on the hit parade, but he's a god amongst those who follow the scene.
I mean it was endless. Chris Stapleton, the most revered man in Nashville... I mean this guy is the anti-star. He looks like he just came in from the barn, and he's overweight, but when he opens his mouth...
And Rosanne Cash duetted with Kris Kristofferson. Kris was beaming, staring into the audience, I would love to know what was going through his mind. Someone said "nothing," but just because he can't communicate, that does not mean he doesn't feel anything.
And then there was George Strait... If you're a dyed-in-the-wool country fan, that was enough, right there.
But when Stephen and Neil's performance came to an end, out came the man himself.
Walking slowly. After all, he's 90. And I'm thinking of Biden. But then Willie sits down and starts picking and singing and ultimately talking and it became clear that the Red Headed Stranger hadn't lost a step.
Still with the beat-up guitar. And with that unique voice that sailed over everything.
And his sense of humor.
And his bandanna and cowboy hat.
Willie hadn't changed. In a world where seemingly everybody does. He was a beacon.
And Willie sang with his two sons and I'm thinking...that'll get you high on your birthday.
And it actually WAS Willie's birthday, April 29th. And he sang "Happy Birthday" to himself, and then "On the Road Again" and everybody came out for "Will the Circle Be Unbroken" and then it was over.
So what exactly did we see?
They filmed it, you'll be able to see it sometime, but we caught it in real time.
Do you know how hard it is to get somebody to show up? Nearly impossible. They've got tons of excuses. Usually that they're on the road, or in the studio or... But everybody showed up for Willie, there was no B-level talent filling the slots.
And it was certainly about the music. Sure, there were stars, but they weren't doing star turns, other than Snoop Dogg, who came out to duet on "Roll Me Up and Smoke Me When I Die."
Somehow, it was the real America.
Oh, this isn't a city versus country statement. What I mean is the show was upfront and honest. There were no tricks. What you got was human beings rendering the skills that they'd honed over years.
We respect talent in America. We respect hard work.
Then again, you can get cell service everywhere these days. You can be alienated, but the world is just a click away.
But so much is a diversion. You're rarely left alone with your thoughts anymore.
But that's the way it used to be. We'd be driving down the highway, looking out at the Big Sky Country through the windshield, with the radio turned up as our compatriot, contemplating life.
I contemplated life last night. And it wasn't so much that I got answers as I saw possibilities. Yes, music can set your mind free. Especially the kind that can never be made by machines, but only Homo sapiens.
What a long strange trip it's been.
That's right, Bob Weir was there. God, it must be hard psychologically to continue after Jerry. And Weir was always the youngest, but now he looks like a gold miner from two centuries ago.
And when it's all over, the musicians will scatter, they'll be on the road again. And when they come to your town you'll go see them for a hit of what they delivered last night.
But last night was a gale force wind, a tsunami, an earthquake.
But a temblor is enough, a soft breeze if it's done right.
You know what I'm talking about. You speak the language.
And the words were loud and clear last night.
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Let me put it this way... The unannounced opener was Billy Strings, and he can sell out the Hollywood Bowl all by himself!
Not that I'm the biggest Willie Nelson fan. When Willie was struggling, country music, then called "country and western," was pooh-poohed by those in the northeast. You know those people who tell you they grew up listening to Hank Williams? Well, I grew up listening to show tunes.
But then Willie became gigantic. An inspiration to those who think they're too old, that they missed their chance. Furthermore, Willie was not only on the airwaves, but on the screen too. While rock stars were begging to be in movies, Willie jumped to the head of the line.
And there was Willie news everywhere. How his personal golf course got taken by the IRS and how he'd gotten it back... This guy had his own golf course? I mean how much money had he made? It was in Texas, was it flat, was it just a facsimile or the real thing? And when he came off the road he famously slept in his bus as opposed to his house, he felt more comfortable there. And how he got high on a regular basis. Back when dope was still illegal. Stop trying to legitimize it by calling it "cannabis," the old monikers were much more descriptive, much more true to life, after all, you know how you get when you're stoned.
And I saw Willie live once. Pretty up close and personal at the Universal Amphitheatre, this century, when it already had a roof, before it was torn down completely. And the thing about Willie is... Actually, two things. He plays this guitar with holes in it. The kind a kid would refuse as a present. And his show is not a performance, it's not about dynamics, it's a run-through. As if he was on train passing by, you caught him for an hour and then he went to the next burg, never missing a beat. You felt a bit outside, like something was happening on stage and you were left out. And you wanted to be included.
And that was one of the first things that went through my mind last night. How if you were watching the show, you'd want to be a musician. Today kids want to be stars. Look at the Kardashians, they don't even play, their talents lie in business and self-promotion. And if you make it in the Spotify Top 50 world, the goal is to become a brand, to sell tchotchkes, perfume, become so big that a Fortune 500 company will back you. What has this got to do with music? NOTHING!
But these people on stage last night. They were lifers. The music came first. And they seemed to be enjoying it, having fun.
And the music was authentic. No hard drives, never mind no dancing. You see when done right, the music is enough, and the music was enough last night.
Now I could recite the performers but the list would be so long you'd be overwhelmed.
But I must mention that Norah Jones can really play the piano, in addition to her ability to sing.
And somehow Tom Jones went from a pariah to a star who always delivers. Sure, we heard "Delilah" back in the sixties, but Tom had no credibility. But since his tour-de-force rendition of Prince's "Kiss," he's been on a well-appreciated victory lap, for decades!
And modern country was represented by Miranda Lambert.
And the hip country of the last century was represented by Lyle Lovett.
But really, other than Willie himself, there were two absolute highlights.
First, Warren Haynes doing "Midnight Rider." Yes, Willie didn't write it, but he sang it.
Now at this point, Haynes is 63 himself. But when you saw him singing and playing on stage last night, you realized that he was a bigger star than almost all of those on the hit parade. Warren has paid his dues. If he ever tried to play the star game, one thing is for sure, he never had a hit. But he's the rock/jam band world's best utility player. And his voice is as sweet as his guitar playing.
And Haynes played with the Allman Brothers. A twin guitar effort between himself and Derek Trucks. Meaning, Warren knows not only the songs, but the nuances, like Gregg's "na-na" vocal at the end.
And Gregg may be dead, and in truth "Midnight Rider" was never a hit single, but it has transcended those that were.
"Well I've got to run to keep from hidin'
And I'm bound to keep on ridin'"
This isn't influencer culture. This guy doesn't have a smartphone, he doesn't want to be tracked. He's the other. What music used to represent. Before the players were co-opted by the system. "Midnight Rider" is the flip side of the Eagles' "Desperado." They both bring down the house because they resonate with our true identities, we're caught up in everyday life, but inside we're still outlaws, we want to think we're unconstricted, we want to LIVE!
And speaking of unconstricted...
It was hard not to notice the clothing of the performers. Denim ruled.
Today's "stars" have fashion coordinators. They dress up. These performers were dressed down.
God, the world is upside down. Prior to Tommy Mottola, other than Ahmet, the execs didn't wear suits and ties. Mo was famous for his open collar. That was the freedom of being a musician, you didn't have to dress up, you could be the authentic you, all day long, and people would be drawn to you. These are the people who were on stage last night.
But the absolute highlight...
Was the reunion of Neil Young and Stephen Stills.
I tingled when I wrote that. We're never going to have Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, never mind Crosby, Stills & Nash, ever again. And Neil Young is always on his own trip, owned by nobody, and he doesn't need anybody else, and I saw Frank Gironda backstage, I knew Neil was there, but not Stephen.
Yes, Stephen looks a bit worse for wear. Then again, don't all of us?
And Neil launches into "Long May You Run," the opening track by the ill-fated Stills-Young Band. Great metaphor for Willie, but that tour, where Neil disappeared in the middle of it...to see them reunited was mind-blowing.
But not as much as what came next.
Stephen Stills sang "For What It's Worth."
Talk about tingling.
"There's something happening here
But what it is ain't exactly clear"
That was a hit in 1967. It was written about the Sunset Strip riots. Outside Pandora's Box, on a strip of land that no longer even exists.
That was youth power back in the sixties. We had a sense of optimism, that we could move mountains, accomplish anything, and the music was our guiding light. Our artists weren't sold out, they had credibility.
And that was almost sixty years ago.
Making Stephen Stills... 78 years old?
I mean he's still here. But that was a really long time ago.
But I was there, and here too.
I remember Stills on TV wearing that cowboy hat.
But what I didn't know...
The two changed guitars for "For What It's Worth." Neil strapped on his Les Paul, "Old Black," and as they began to play... I never realized that it was Neil playing those sustained high notes. My mind ran through the members of the band, OF COURSE IT WAS NEIL!
There is definitely something happening in America today. And it definitely isn't clear. Furthermore, when it comes to cultural leaders, that we can trust, none come to mind.
And I'm sitting in the rapidly cooling air, staring at the flag of California, and I mentally pinch myself. All these years later, I am here. Living the dream.
Forget the b.s. spewed by the right. Living in California is free and easy compared to everywhere else in America. As for retreating to the hinterlands, I tell everyone that everybody in the music business has to come through Los Angeles at least once a year, and I am here.
This show couldn't have happened any place else. This is where special events occur. And if you're clued-in and know the right people... You can be there too.
Other highlights. Nathaniel Rateliff's two appearances, one with Margo Price, the other solo, singing "City of New Orleans," sounding eerily like Willie himself.
Two Lumineers performing "A Song for You."
And then there was Sturgill Simpson. For a clean cut guy with no airs he certainly radiates a ton of charisma. Sturgill's not evident on the hit parade, but he's a god amongst those who follow the scene.
I mean it was endless. Chris Stapleton, the most revered man in Nashville... I mean this guy is the anti-star. He looks like he just came in from the barn, and he's overweight, but when he opens his mouth...
And Rosanne Cash duetted with Kris Kristofferson. Kris was beaming, staring into the audience, I would love to know what was going through his mind. Someone said "nothing," but just because he can't communicate, that does not mean he doesn't feel anything.
And then there was George Strait... If you're a dyed-in-the-wool country fan, that was enough, right there.
But when Stephen and Neil's performance came to an end, out came the man himself.
Walking slowly. After all, he's 90. And I'm thinking of Biden. But then Willie sits down and starts picking and singing and ultimately talking and it became clear that the Red Headed Stranger hadn't lost a step.
Still with the beat-up guitar. And with that unique voice that sailed over everything.
And his sense of humor.
And his bandanna and cowboy hat.
Willie hadn't changed. In a world where seemingly everybody does. He was a beacon.
And Willie sang with his two sons and I'm thinking...that'll get you high on your birthday.
And it actually WAS Willie's birthday, April 29th. And he sang "Happy Birthday" to himself, and then "On the Road Again" and everybody came out for "Will the Circle Be Unbroken" and then it was over.
So what exactly did we see?
They filmed it, you'll be able to see it sometime, but we caught it in real time.
Do you know how hard it is to get somebody to show up? Nearly impossible. They've got tons of excuses. Usually that they're on the road, or in the studio or... But everybody showed up for Willie, there was no B-level talent filling the slots.
And it was certainly about the music. Sure, there were stars, but they weren't doing star turns, other than Snoop Dogg, who came out to duet on "Roll Me Up and Smoke Me When I Die."
Somehow, it was the real America.
Oh, this isn't a city versus country statement. What I mean is the show was upfront and honest. There were no tricks. What you got was human beings rendering the skills that they'd honed over years.
We respect talent in America. We respect hard work.
Then again, you can get cell service everywhere these days. You can be alienated, but the world is just a click away.
But so much is a diversion. You're rarely left alone with your thoughts anymore.
But that's the way it used to be. We'd be driving down the highway, looking out at the Big Sky Country through the windshield, with the radio turned up as our compatriot, contemplating life.
I contemplated life last night. And it wasn't so much that I got answers as I saw possibilities. Yes, music can set your mind free. Especially the kind that can never be made by machines, but only Homo sapiens.
What a long strange trip it's been.
That's right, Bob Weir was there. God, it must be hard psychologically to continue after Jerry. And Weir was always the youngest, but now he looks like a gold miner from two centuries ago.
And when it's all over, the musicians will scatter, they'll be on the road again. And when they come to your town you'll go see them for a hit of what they delivered last night.
But last night was a gale force wind, a tsunami, an earthquake.
But a temblor is enough, a soft breeze if it's done right.
You know what I'm talking about. You speak the language.
And the words were loud and clear last night.
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