Freedom 250 Concert

There's strength in numbers. We've been waiting for a universal protest song. But after twenty five years can we admit that we're never going to get one, just like we're never going to get a new Beatles? The market is too fragmented. But when you band together, that's where strength lies today. Who'da thunk Bret Michaels, willing to appear anywhere for a check, whoring his life out on reality TV, would back down from appearing? It's just a bad look, he's afraid it's going to taint his brand. You might ask exactly what that brand is, but the fact that Michaels is afraid of it taking a hit... As for Morris Day... Does he even go on the road? The lineup was one of ancient hitmakers, has-beens, who seemingly will show up anywhere for a buck. And now they're balking at the opportunity for universal publicity and a check? We can debate all day long whether we're at a turning point in Trump's tenure...Iran, the slush fund, it goes on... But to say that music has no power... Turns out all you've got to do is shame people and they toe the line. Of course there are those like Kid Rock and Jason Aldean on the other side, but look at all the acts who dropped off Kid Rock's tour, Never mind now that it's actually playing there is no press whatsoever, if you weren't there, it doesn't exist. And then you've got Bruce's protest song, "Streets of Minneapolis." I guess like with Kid Rock's tour, and the cancellation of appearances at Freedom 250, the music is secondary to the press. The song itself has a whopping 5,769,175 streams on Spotify, which won't even pay his trucking bill. And that's the point, unlike Kid Rock's tour, the press on Bruce's tour is outsized, he's playing arenas but the tour is bigger than stadiums in mindshare. And this is where press counts. Not the one little thing, but the mass. Now let's be clear, the individual can move mountains, has unlimited power, it's just that right now you can't do that with a single song, except for maybe a "We Are the World"-type number...then again, how big can it be without constant MTV exposure? But Bruce's Power to the People Festival at the Merriweather Post Pavilion on October 3rd? That's more like it. Especially if there will be a simulcast, which is de rigueur. But I'd be lying if I told you I thought that the Power to the People Festival would be enough. No, what we need is a WEEK of festivals! In markets all over the country. Such that all genres are covered. A hip-hop-heavy New York festival. A country-heavy Nashville festival. Hell, one in Texas, there's an electoral battle there. Yes, seven markets with contested races. As for who will perform... You know how it goes... One superstar commits, and then everybody falls in line, is begging to perform. Isn't that what happened with Freedom 250? As soon as one act canceled, then the dominoes fell. As for right wing Trumper acts... Let them have their own festival, be my guest. What has been proven over and over again is they talk a big game and ultimately deliver something puny that no one cares about. Individual acts are afraid to speak up, but if a core commits, then the rest come calling, that's just the nature of the business. There is political power in music, but it's in the group, not the individual, a collection of acts, not a single one. This can be done. -- 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

The Gregg Allman Movie

"Gregg Allman: The Music of my Soul": https://greggallman.com/gregg-allman-the-music-of-my-soul-in-theaters-on-wednesday-june-17/ Everybody's dead except Jaimoe. Who actually comes alive in this flick in a way we've never seen before. Now the funny thing is I lived through the ascent and continuation of the Allman Brothers, but now they're in the rearview mirror, and without a champion, without songs that get endless repeats on the radio (other than the less than representative "Ramblin' Man"), I won't quite say they're a hidden land mine waiting to be discovered, but I don't hear young people talking about them. But they will. This is a business of statistics. How many hits in how many decades and all other kinds of hype, which is hogwash, because ultimately it comes down to the music. It's not your sales history that's remembered, but the music itself. And very little has staying power, but the Allmans are lying in wait like the bluesmen who inspired the English rock stars of the sixties and seventies. Anyway... The fact that everybody's dead makes this documentary a bit different from most, where the penumbra testifies. First and foremost, Phil Walden is gone. Now that guy deserves a documentary. A white man in a black business who not only broke acts from nowheresville Georgia (no one north of the Mason-Dixon Line had truly knew Macon), but bent the rules and the dollars along the way. We do get Jonny Podell, the agent. But Bill Graham can't tell us what he saw in the Allman Brothers to make them the closing act at the Fillmore East. It was a completely different era, and Gregg Allman was a cool, basically unknown, king. Scratch that, we knew him through his music. Sure, like Stevie Winwood, Gregg might have had those Black pipes, but his voice also possessed a soulful heartbreak and meaning that was evidenced in the records that's hard to find elsewhere, especially today. Please call home... Why dontcha do that. Now of course there would be no Allman Brothers without Duane, and the brothers' bonds as well as their differences are illuminated here. Gregg was the younger one, pushed aside at times. Just like Duane took Gregg's guitar and the rest is history. I did not know the brothers went to military school because their mother had to be in residence to get her college degree in accounting. Actually, I'm not sure that rings true, but the bottom line is she got her parchment while raising two boys, which is difficult. And she was their biggest supporter. And that counts. So they're playing in bands. Going nowhere. What I mean is today everybody starts playing and imagines a record deal, and fame and riches. Whereas when you formed a band in the sixties your only goal was to get gigs. And you were happy to do the covers of the day, they kept you from the factory. And believe me, experiencing this motley crew... They talk about techies and bankers being rock stars, nothing could be further from the truth. These were not educated people, they lived for the music, they followed the music, they did drugs, they got tattoos, broke the color line and... Ended up with this music. It didn't happen overnight. There was the failed journey to Los Angeles. And then Duane called Gregg to come back east, that he'd formed a band... And he was depending on Gregg to deliver the songs. And just like the Beatles on that rooftop, Gregg passed the audition. And Phil Walden signed them and they woodshedded in Macon while broke and ultimately crossed the country again and again converting people. It's not that different from today. The Allmans didn't build a fan base from records, but on the road. Over 300 days a year. And you get really tight doing that. Springsteen gave a performance. He made the records come alive. You saw him and you felt the electricity, you saw the Jersey roots. The Allmans didn't say much, they spoke through their music, which didn't demand attention so much as set your mind free, adrift, on an excursion. Bruce was foreground, and sometimes the Allmans were too, but in many ways they were background. What I mean is when you heard "In Memory of Elizabeth Reed" you didn't stare at the stereo, until the guitars were twinning on stage you weren't really even looking at the players, but somewhere in the distance. This was all happening in the early seventies. But you don't see anyone trumpeting the Allmans today. Maybe because Gregg lived instead of died. I'm not making light of Duane's death, just saying that nothing burnishes your image like a tragic, early death, like in the case of Jim Morrison. No, after the drug bust and the testimony against Scooter Herring, it was a climb back to acceptance. There was the solo work, then the band got back together, then that ended and Gregg played alone until he was snuffed out. In other words, you could see Gregg Allman. The last time I did was at the Roxy. And he hadn't lost anything, and he wasn't going through the motions, he was delivering, because that's what he did, played. Tours were tedious, but after recovering for a few days, he always wanted to go back out. Maybe because the music both centered and fulfilled him, gave him something to live for. As for Cher... She tried to change him. And Gregg refused to be changed. Of course he's stumbling around inebriated, getting married again and again and fathering children, but at root it was always the music. So who was this guy? Well, the main point you take from the film is Gregg was shy. Which is the antithesis of rock frontmen. They're flamboyant, they want attention, whereas Gregg sat behind the organ and... Even the initial solo LP, "Laid Back," it had not only the definitive version of Jackson Browne's "These Days," but the slowed-down take of "Midnight Rider." Sure, Gregg could play with energy, but so much of what he did was about contemplation. He could speak through his music and... What you've got here is a long 2014 interview with Gregg. And he is worse for wear. As anybody is as the years pass. But Gregg had been on the road and lived hard and it takes a toll. And you've got testimony from Jackson Browne and some superfluous talking heads like Robert Hilburn, but once again, the words don't really matter, because the music speaks for itself. And we learn Gregg had a best friend, a shoe-shiner he met in Macon. What we're looking for is someone who knows us, who we can trust, who we've gone through the changes with. Those famous people in TMZ...they're not your heart. So most of the people who were there are gone, and this was the pre-video era, there's only so much footage... Documentaries in the future will be different, just a matter of collecting the crumbs from YouTube and social media and assembling them. Then again, there is no mystique. Even though available, not hidden, Gregg maintained his mystique. It wasn't quite charisma, but when you spoke with Gregg...you could feel the southern roots, you could see the miles, the experience, he was neither reluctant, nor in your face, he was calm, but he suffered no fools. So the best thing about this documentary is it exists. For young people to discover Gregg in the future. He may not have written a plethora of songs, but the ones he did... Yes, "Whipping Post" may be famous as an extended jam, but the words alone...there's a direct connection to the blues of the delta. And then there are tracks like "Come and Go Blues." I loved the original take on "Brothers and Sisters," but the alternate one on the 1989 boxed set "Dreams" just penetrates me a bit more... "People say that you're no good But I wouldn't cut you loose, baby, if I could" https://open.spotify.com/track/75yIsuTbyA9exV9suXYrWD?si=c2645a74a0704b38 You could be that good-looking, that famous, that wealthy, and still be on the losing side of a relationship. And then there's "Statesboro Blues," the "Fillmore East" opener, drop the needle on that one and it will wake you up in the morning, it will pop you right out of bed, get you hopping around, ready to eat up the day... When the band locked in, it was like a freight train, a monolith that could mow down anything in its path. And "Trouble No More"... And Gregg still had it at the end, do you know "Desdemona" from "Hittin' the Note"? This is not music you can shrug your shoulders at. It picks you up off the couch and gets you boogieing. And it dominated dorm rooms in the early seventies. And unlike some famous bands, the sound could be captured on wax and expanded into new territory on stage. You could never criticize and complain, it was always tight. And so one some level Gregg's a part of the firmament, and on another he's gone. And this film reinforces what we've lost. This isn't the sixties, this is the generation after, which tends not to get as much respect. This is not English, but positively American. "Well, I've got to run to keep from hiding And I'm bound to keep on riding" This wasn't some vision of an old time bandit leaving town on his horse, this was Gregg himself. If he stood still, there would be too many questions. So he just kept moving, taking to the road, making music. As he then sings, the road goes on forever. "But I'm not gonna let 'em catch me, no Not gonna let 'em catch the midnight rider" Watching this movie you realize we never did catch Gregg Allman, he was in plain sight, but the man himself was elusive, he spoke through his music, and that's what's left. And that's plenty. -- 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

The Four Seasons-Season 2

They used to make movies like this. As a matter of fact, this Netflix series is based on a movie of the same name that was released back in 1981. I saw it at a screening. That was a big thing forty years ago. You would be walking down the street, shopping at the mall, and be offered tickets. And most people who signed up went, because they wanted to be an insider. L.A. was a company town, driven by movies, they were a constant source of banter and they impacted society. Not anymore. I get invited to screenings on a regular basis. Ooh, do I want to go to the Paramount lot? NO! I've got to drive there just to see a movie that is almost never great, no thank you. Basically I want a link to a screener, that I can watch at my leisure at home. Everybody's begging for publicity and they hope I'll provide it. But when it comes to straight ahead movies (not music docs), does anybody really care? There are genres. Superhero, horror and animation, those are the only ones with a good chance of success. And if you have any success, there are endless sequels, it's too heavy a lift to start from scratch in a world where you can't reach anybody. "Must-See TV" died with the nineties. There's not one place that garners all the eyeballs. Other than maybe the Netflix homepage. And screen real estate is important, and there are some people who watch based on what appears, but mostly we pull up stuff we've heard about from our friends, from seeing scuttlebutt online, our interest is piqued and we dive in. Honestly, I'll check out anything Tina Fey is involved in. Then again, I've never watched a full "30 Rock." Nor "Mean Girls." In those cases Fey is in her environment, i.e. delivering laughs based on stereotypes, played broadly. And I must admit that "The Four Seasons" has an element of that, but it does not override the quality. What you've got here is relationships. The world runs on relationships. Which is why we used to have movies about them. Ultimately the relationship film world devolved until only Nancy Meyers was left, but even she lost the plot, the look and feel became more important than the story. Her movies became like influencer productions on steroids. Showing all the accoutrements of upper middle class living. And the audience of women loved this. But the men ultimately fell out. At what point does it steer into chick lit? Because if you're selling to the females, odds are the men are not interested. How do you walk the line, make it interesting to both? Well, if you're not completely supportive of women, they won't partake. And if it's too soft, too tilted toward women, the men won't bother. It's a tightrope, which is why many don't even start. But Tina Fey did. What you've got to know about Tina Fey is that she's now in her fifties. And she looks it. In a good way. What I mean is everybody's trying to cheat, to look younger in Hollywood. When you see someone who looks and acts their age suddenly you can relate. The odds of getting involved with, even having contact with, some facelifted, botoxed man or woman trying to pass for twenty years younger are low. But someone who is your age, with a personality... Whether it be romantic or not, you can relate, you KNOW these people. As for Will Forte... I never cottoned to him. Ultimately I realized it's his voice. He turns it on and it's kinda nasal and rough and unbelievable...the funny thing is when he acts normal, he's much more palatable. The secret sauce is Kerri Kenney-Silver. Now in the old days, you knew all the productions actors were in, you followed them as they moved up the ladder. Kenny-Silver has a ton of credits, all in shows that are not up my alley. Broad comedies. Genre pics. I like something more real. And Kerri Kenney-Silver as Anne is totally believable. She has moments that are over the top, but mostly she plays true to type. The scorned woman, the wife the husband left for the younger woman. And the thing about Anne is she can understand it on one level, she's no longer young and hot, but she radiates an intellect and a personality that make her so appealing. Arm candy is nice in public, but at home you have to have something to talk about. Colman Domingo as Danny, one half of a gay couple, plays a bit too broad this season, he was a bit more believable last season, but in many ways he rings true. Which his husband, Marco Calvani as Claude, does not. Claude is a caricature. There are people like this, gay men parading feminine characteristics on steroids, but Claude's behavior detracts from believability. I mean why would Danny be interested in Claude, who is idiosyncratic and oftentimes complaining. But despite some broad characters and broad scripting... There is a ton of real stuff in "Four Seasons," and I recommend all adults watch it, preferably couples together. Because everything is not always hunky-dory. The couples argue, fight, make up... Jack and Kate... Jack (Will Forte), can't get over the death of Steve Carell's Nick. How is Kate (Tina Fey) supposed to handle this, and how does it affect her? Do you enable, are you sympathetic or do you tell the other person to get it together. It's a constant challenge, and it ends up affecting your own mood. And you're living together but emotionally apart. So ultimately you acknowledge this distance, but finding a solution is tough. And all Kate wants is for Jack to be happy. She tries to get the rest of the group to go along for Jack's benefit. But people don't always pay attention to him and things get worse. Should Danny and Claude have a baby? Very rarely are couples in agreement on major issues out of the box. And some people go along to get along, but does this blow up after the fact? And I can't tell you how many over fifty men and women have receded from the dating pool. They say their lives are full, and they've been hurt and they don't want to risk and should friends push them or leave them alone? And the issue of male friendship is addressed. And how women accede to men's desires in the beginning of a relationship, but when years go by and it gets real... In other words, watch "The Four Seasons" if you want to connect, relate. Almost all of the adult issues are addressed here. And watching you see what the couples do and wonder if you should be doing them too. Have group vacations... Should you maintain bonds with people you've outgrown? And will your spouse support your dream? Let's be clear, this is a Tina Fey show, so there are quips, jokes littered in each episode. It's not overbearing, but this is not how people talk on a regular basis, they're just not that quick...although these quips do add laughs and do not undercut the gravitas. I don't want to say "The Four Seasons" is believable, never mind perfect, but it's addressing human, adult issues, and I hunger for this. This is why I read books, and sometimes you get these issues addressed in streaming TV series... But never forget, comedy is very hard to do. And "The Four Seasons" is ultimately a comedy. And when a comedy misses, it's unwatchable. And very few comedies hit every note. The writing and the performing and the directing have to harmonize to create an alchemy that works, and that's a lot of moving parts. This is what Tina Fey specializes in. And a hell of a lot more is right in "The Four Seasons" than is wrong. It is not a huge commitment, each season is only eight half hour episodes. Nothing is dragged out. But it's addictive. An episode ends and you're hungry for the next one, you can't take a break, because you're in this environment... It's less needing to know what happens on a macro level than finding out how the couples are going to deal with the smaller issues, the everyday issues, that arise. "The Four Seasons" might not be your kind of show. Then again, I know a lot of men who love this stuff even though they wouldn't admit it out loud. In a perfect world I'd watch the series with a group of couples on a vacation, one sans outside diversions, where you're all in it together. "The Four Seasons" stimulates not only thoughts, but conversation. You're invested. It's real. And I recommend it. -- Visit the archive: http://lefsetz.com/wordpress/ -- Listen to the podcast: -iHeart: https://ihr.fm/2Gi5PFj -Apple: https://apple.co/2ndmpvp -- http://www.twitter.com/lefsetz -- If you would like to subscribe to the LefsetzLetter, http://www.lefsetz.com/lists/?p=subscribe&id=1 If you do not want to receive any more LefsetzLetters, http://lefsetz.com/lists/?p=unsubscribe&uid=0eecea7b60b461717065cbde887c8e25 To change your email address http://lefsetz.com/lists/?p=preferences&uid=0eecea7b60b461717065cbde887c8e25

Amy Grant-This Week's Podcast

Amy has a new album, "The Me That Remains." https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/amy-grant/id1316200737?i=1000769983611 https://open.spotify.com/episode/3i78oCPCcZvs4ExDdKjnJz?si=xgjiKBY1TXq2t9PzTQsyaA https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1119-the-bob-lefsetz-podcast-30806836/episode/amy-grant-335084319?app=listen https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/9ff4fb19-54d4-41ae-ae7a-8a6f8d3dafa8/episodes/4a70e0cc-b93a-41f9-bb28-9efff9097d55/the-bob-lefsetz-podcast-amy-grant -- 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

Mailbag-Willie Nile & More

From: Lincoln Myerson Subject: Re: Re-Willie Nile Hey Bob- I’m late to your post on Willie. (I blame the international timeline despite being a day ahead of you here in New Zealand but I digress) I thought I’d share my anecdote nonetheless.  You might enjoy it.  I brought Willie to McCabe’s for the first time in 2006 or 2007. I’d  been a fan since the mid 80s when, while working at the old Rhino record store on Westwood, I got hipped to that first Arista record of his.  Cut to 2006 and I’m at my first SXSW as the new booker for McCabe’s. I’d seen Willie at a daytime party and loved what he was doing and after the show tried to get him to play McCabe’s. He wasn’t so sure. Didn’t really get out to the West Coast that much yada yada.  I gave him my card and left it at that.  The next day I went to see a Ray Davies interview/Q&A at the convention center. Turns out about 5000 people had the same idea and the line stretched out around the block. I gave up on that and started heading out when I heard “Pssst! Hey McCabe’s” and then, slyly… “cuts?” Willie and I were the last two admitted before they cut off the line.  10 minutes of us fanboying over the Kinks while in line and the dye was cast. Willie was at McCabe’s later that year.  A real rock n roll lifer.  And gem of a human being.  A goofy side note- my father was a TV and film director.  He directed Private Lessons which features a Willie track on the end credits.  Take care Bob. Until the next time, Lincoln __________________________________ From: Meg Griffin Subject: Re: Re-Willie Nile My True Friend in RocknRoll!  The unstoppable Willie Nile! __________________________________ Subject: Re: Re-Willie Nile Back in 2013 and we had tickets for Ian Hunter at the City Winery, flying in from Oklahoma. There was a blizzard arriving the same time we were so we changed our flight to a day earlier. We decided to see what was happening at the winery. The scheduled band couldn't make it as the snow was coming down heavily. So, I guess they called up Willie who made the short trip from his home and did a hell of a solo show. We had the window view of the beautiful snow falling and Willie Nile singing his beautiful song "The Crossing" at the piano. It was magical memory.  Steve Walker Tulsa __________________________________ From: Steve Martin Subject: Re: Re-Willie Nile   Hi Bob, I so glad you saw Willie at McCabes and slightly surprised he hadn’t come across your radar earlier.  I first saw Willie in Central Park in 1980.  The Arista album had come out,with quite a buzz.  And he killed that night.   He was —and still is- one of the best live artists,ever.   I’ve seen him countless times over the years & he has never disappointed.   He’s a truly gifted songwriter,dynamic performer & a true gentleman.   Glad you gave him a spotlight.    Write on, my friend.   Best, Steve #UAP __________________________________ Subject: Re: Re-Willie Nile I saw Willie Nile at the Bottom Line when the first album came out.  The record label did not know how to promote him and the record got lost.  I moved on to other artists until 2006 when Streets of New York came out.  Simply a fantastic album and one of my five favorites of this century.. I saw him at Joe’s Pub two weeks ago.  It was the first time I had seen him since I saw him at City Winery several years ago.  At that show Congressman Joe Crowley, who lost in a primary to AOC a year later, came out to sing with him on “One Guitar”. The show at Joe’s pub was solo and was terrific.  Interesting thing was he knew half the audience and was calling people out by name.   He truly is a NYC treasure and deserves as much recognition as possible. Adam Gerstein __________________________________ Subject: Re: Re-Willie Nile Worked as an Arista label mgr at EMI Sweden, when the 1st Willie Nile album surfaced on my desk. Loved the first listen and still love it hasse breitholtz __________________________________ Subject: Re: Re-Willie Nile I had the privilege of seeing Willie a few years ago at the Grammy Museum in L.A. Great show and talk back. Been a huge Willie guy since the early NYC days. Seems he was always playing the Bottom Line, Max’s Kansas City, etc. He still rocks and is 100% the real deal. He should give seminars to the current crop of rock artists to show ‘em how it’s done with integrity and courage. All the best, Larry Laffer Malibu, CA __________________________________ From: Michael Leonard Subject: Re: Re-Willie Nile Thanks for this heads up on Willie, whom I most definitely never heard of until now. Sadly. I know you said not to run to Spotify to check out his albums but that advice i decided to ignore. Thankfully.  Goddamn there’s some certified BANGERS on his last several albums! “The Great Yellow Light”, “The Day the Earth Stood Still” and “New York at Night” all burst with such vital old school rockin energy. Willie and his band would most definitely fit along side a playlist or concert with the Black Crowes, Whiskey Myers, Blackberry Smoke or the Stones.  His lyrics didn’t loose any bite at all with his band - including a new favorite of mine, a duet with Steve Earle, “Wake Up America”.  Not only bites, it’s a kick in the teeth.  Wake up America Rise and shine The sun’s going down And it’s all on the line Wake up America Red, white and blue You used to be great What happened to you? … Wake up America Land of the free Are you everything That you say you want to be? Thanks Bob. Here’s hoping Willie has got the same longevity as is Pop!  Michael Leonard, Portland Maine. __________________________________ Subject: Re: Re-Willie Nile For the Streets Of New York album, Willie came to play for the staff at the SonyBMG branch office. As awkward as office performances can be, he was utterly amazing and blew the team sway. Afterwards, Willie couldn’t have been kinder to everyone (even me, a lowly college rep at the time). Became a fan for life.  The standout track for me on that album is “Cellphones Ringing In The Pockets Of The Dead” (which stemmed from the bombings at the train station in Madrid, Spain). When I visited the station a few years after that performance, that song was in my head & further drove home the impact of his writing. A surreal & powerful moment, which is what great art (like Willie’s) should make you feel.  Later had the pleasure of booking Willie & Johnny Pisano for a private late-night party during Folk Alliance (you remember the setup - artists play 30 minute sets in hotel rooms while conference attendees watch). Will never forget watching Willie sing & jump on the bed in the room - no one was having a better time that night than him! Mike Fordham __________________________________ Subject: Re: Re-Willie Nile Bob, This was shared with me by someone who knows I’m a fan and friend of Willie Nile You captured how I feel perfectly.  I little more than dozen years ago, I was dragged by my father-in-law, with my wife and two young daughters, to a small venue in the DC suburbs. My father-in-law had been been following Willie for decades and had asked enough times that we couldn’t say no. We should have listened sooner.  He had his full band and they rocked. His base player, Johnny Pizano is a talent. They, especially Willie brought magic. My then 8 year old ended up on stage for his closing anthem, One Guitar. We have been a fans since.  We’ve probably seen him play 20+ times in a half dozen venues. Mostly with his band but also solo. You are spot on… We have had him to play two (business) client events and done two unplugged shows for close friends in our home  We had our kids’ talented piano teacher join for a few songs. Very cool to watch musicians who haven’t played together figure it out. Clip attached.  I think some of his songs could be perfect in a movie soundtrack.  I imagine you know he is a musician’s musician, with relationships with many big names. Springsteen has jumped on stage at multiple Willie Nile shows- lots on YouTube. I would think a shout out from a big name or two could give Willie a nice boost. Maybe if he was invited on stage on a tour to play one of his songs like One Guitar with a superstar… Separate from his talent, he is a special human being. I’m not in the music business. I have this idea that one break could help him catch fire and maybe get him into an elevator building… Long way of saying, I appreciate what you wrote. If you find yourself in DC when Wille is here, feel free to reach out and join us for a show. For that matter, we have and will travel if the logistics work.  Best regards, Peter Glassman __________________________________ Subject: Re: Re-Willie Nile Thanks Bob A long overdue tribute.  I’ve seen Willie three times in London, both with the band, electric and also on his own ( maybe plus 1?), acoustic.  He is criminally underrated and plays clubs here so small I doubt he can pay his hotel bill! He has some fab songs of his own and his Dylan covers album is a gem.  Love him!    Adam AB Pollock __________________________________ From: Jason Cilo Subject: Re: Re-Willie Nile Just think, with those genes, Willie's got another THIRTY YEARS to rock! __________________________________ From: nancy barnum Subject: Herb Alpert….the 91 year old we all aspire to be Hi Bob, Thanks to your review of Herb Alpert some months back, I was motivated to see if his tour would be coming nearby and sure enough, he had a date in Rochester NY, a mere 90 minutes away. The show was 5 days ago and I am STILL euphoric over the musicianship, the memories and the fact a 91 year old guy can still blow with the best of them!   I don’t remember how much I paid for the tickets but it was a bargain at any price! I see by your mailbag he’s talking about a European tour next year…that would absolutely be a show worth dealing with the inconveniences of traveling to experience again. Thank you for keeping us all informed and thinking…about music, books, cinema, television and the current political hellscape.   All the best, Nancy Barnum __________________________________ From: John-Angus MacDonald Subject: Jack Douglas Hey Bob! Jack was the best. We hired him to produce our second album, Den of Thieves, back in 2005. We were still a pretty young band at the time — I was only 24 when we made that album — but Jack was a great guide in the studio. He loved to tell stories and have a laugh, but he was also able to crack the whip and keep us on task. And the record turned out great. It was a big hit for us in Canada. We hired him because we loved the work he did on Aerosmith’s 2004 album, Honkin’ on Bobo. Put on that opening track, Road Runner, again — if it doesn’t have you grinning ear to ear and bopping along, you haven’t got a pulse! He went on a good run after that record, doing our record next, followed by the New York Dolls comeback record, One Day It Will Please Us to Remember Even This, which is also a damn good record — easily their second best after the debut, which he also had a huge hand in making. What a legend of a man he was. I really enjoyed the interview you did with him for your podcast a few years back. Another great one gone. May he rest in peace. ~ John-Angus MacDonald (The Trews) __________________________________ From: Chip Dorsch Subject: Harry Styles in Amsterdam I’m here in the 2nd weekend. Anyone bitching about the stage / view is only here for instagram, or I bet if we dig they bitch about everything on twitter or whatever it’s called. Somehow, and it’s beyond my comprehension, but the silent majority is louder. There is truly nothing to complain about with this show. There are accommodations for everyone. Gender neutral bathrooms. Everything. Air conditioning (we all take it for granted!) and even f*cking ice (when requested). Champagne problems but you get the point, if my lil issues are being accommodated, just imagine how they are treating this with actual needs. With kindness. It’s not just a lyric, it’s a business strategy. I don’t understand why we all don’t follow it. Money is awesome. But can we all just f*cking chill out and make it at least SECOND to kindness!?!  If you’re reading this, you’re either a real music head, a kid rock fan who’s here to troll bob or probably rich - and if not, you’re much more comfortable than basic needs. His band is multi-racial, mostly women and has a keys player in a f*cking wheelchair. And the story is the stage got in my way?!?  F*ck off!  Harry runs a marathon+ a night. The marathons we’ve read about online are just him warming up. He runs more during a show than most of us do in a lifetime to make sure everyone feels connected and seen…and spends an unusual but appreciated amount of his time on stage expressing his gratitude. Even when singing it, it’s often with direct eye contact. These complainers clearly see the bridges of his stage as a barrier. And anyone amplifying it as a story is part of the problem and missing the f*cking point. Can we all stop amplifying hateful sh*t and take a f*cking second to look for the meaning?!? Full disclose:  Card carrying homo here. He’s f*cking gorgeous. Even my straight male friends can acknowledge that. Also, I’m not a Harry fan girl or whatever they’re called. I’m a music manager with real industry perspective who chose to spend my own money and Memorial Day weekend seeing 2 shows. I have to ask all of your readers… WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM THIS???   Chip Dorsch, Red Light Management __________________________________ From: Amanda Palmer Re: AI Protests Hey Bob -  So so right on about this one. Just yesterday my mgmt team had to reach out to Spotify to get some horrific AI slop animation video taken down as the background for all the songs on the The Dresden Dolls 2006 record we are about to re-release. It looked horrible and wasn’t there even a few weeks ago. Why? Who knows who put it there....and what they were thinking? For sure: the band wasn’t consulted. I was pissed. It wasn't about the AI so much as the lack of agency, control. We're a band who tried so hard to exercise artistic control and there's our beloved logo, which held a lot of emotional meaning and was deliberately made to read hand-drawn (it was, my me, in a tour bus in 2005)....there it was, looking like a badly animated spinning AI joke. This really struck me, what you said, re: the molotov cocktail:  "People only react when it affects them directly. People feel their futures are bleak, and that's what they're reacting to." I have been reflecting lately on the times I've been personally caught in the crossfire of a cultural moment - more than I can count now - and this sentiment seems to be the big common denominator.  My infamous 2012 Kickstarter kerfuffle (when people got on my case about a tour in which I asked my fans to bring their instruments and play on stage with my touring band in exchange for tickets and merch and glory) did not happen in a vacuum.  It happened RIGHT at a time when young gigging musicians were facing the aftershocks of the 2008 recession. If you'd just spent serious dough on a music education and you were trying to bust into the music profession in 2012, getting a gig was looking increasingly bleak. There was nobody to directly be pissed at; the conditions just sucked at that moment. And along comes this lady (hi) who had just optically made a million on Kickstarter (even though it all went to pay for the project and the goods, etc) looking for - on the surface - unpaid labor. You just graduated Juilliard or Berklee, you can't find a paid gig, and there's nobody to yell at and then you see someone like me asking for volunteers. Whether or not the gun was badly aimed at me. I get it: how tone deaf it must have felt to other musicians; I really do. I wasn’t looking for unpaid labor, really, I was just hoping to do what we’d always done as a scrappy punk band, which was to get the local community involved as much as possible…I had a paid crew and a paid touring band, etc.  But the optics…the optics were that I was a gazillionaire getting unpaid labor using my beguiling witchy grifter ways.  I think about this a lot with the AI....the collision could not be coming at a worse time.  The internet was supposed to make things FAIR. It was gonna educate everybody, help everybody, make everything accessible. Revolutions against governments happened on twitter. It would be great, it would flatten the artistic playing field. It didn’t happen. We all clicked "I agree to the terms and conditions" having no idea what we were selling off to platforms that seemed utopian. There were no ads on early twitter. NONE. For YEARS. We didn't think about how the bill would come due. Then....the money didn’t flow into the middle, it flowed straight to the top. This is exactly what I was hoping we would all avoid, post-Napster. I was hoping the people would all move to more of a middle class economy for artists, a meritocracy based on artistic have and need, from the avant-garde to the pop world...some utopian global street-theater mindset, imagining consumers sharing their small disposable incomes via the internet. I imagined the common person putting money down on the various artists they enjoyed and discovered, from the large to the little local ones....all in direct proportion.  No way. Spotify and the streaming giants have squashed that possibility.  There were missed opportunities for sure. We could have done what the publishing industry did, what the movie industry did, and locked things up, hard, and early. We didn't. I put my hand up as one of the responsible ones, here. Trent Reznor and Bono both came and grumbled at me that I was ruining the ecosystem by espusing a "just give it away, and ask" approach, and I pooh-pooh'ed them as old-school dudes who didn't understand that the genie couldn't be put back in the bottle. But they were kinda right: my TED talk (my defense of Kickstarter, and of "giving things away, then asking for help, do the grand trust fall! The net will appear!") was missing one main key factor: not only does the audience has to be on board.... so do the corporations,and more importantly: the monetizing internet itself has to play the game, and it didn't. HOW was I giving my music away? YouTube. Twitter. Somewhere, somewhere, some company was hosting and distributing my "free" content and waiting to strike, then frack.  The bill has come due. There was Flattr, for a while, created by Peter Sunde from The Pirate Bay (he wound up doing jail time), which would have distributed the download/subscription wealth among all creators in a way that Spotify doesn’t, but it sank due to lack of critical mass. Not enough people got on board to float it. And then there’s this handful of hyper-social ADHD artists like me willing to be super-interactive and present, ready to basically run a community center and an open-kimono art workshop in a bid to get people to support the whole life of an artist directly, and hey, I’m doing great, I have 25,000 patrons paying $5-$750 a month and I make a solid salary and pay my team well.  But it isn’t alway replicable. Most musicians and songwriters I know can't organize their way out of a paper bag.....nor should they. THEY'RE ARTISTS. And I spend way more of my time running a small company than I do making songs and art. Wah wah, you say, poor rich artist. But it's true: running a full time crowdfund takes a ton of attention, time, energy, and money...it's not for everyone.  This gets us back to the AI & the moment; it’s about the health of the existing arts economy NOW. It blows. Arts funding is getting slashed everywhere, at the city, state and federal levels. Young artists I talk to don't understand the idea of not wanting a brand endorsement as an amazing thing, a golden ring. My 90s DIY self dies a million deaths when I hear them talk about where their dough is gonna come from.  But you're right, in a nutshell: it’s a mess, corporations rule, people know, and people are PISSED. They feel powerless. Artists feel powerless and so do the ordinary people who love listening to music. Nobody feels like they can control their reality. It feels so hard to get away from the corporate tithe.  AI may not - in retrospect, like twenty years from now - wind up being as satanic as people are currently making it out to be (though I think it’s pretty satanic and meanwhile we are totally missing the mark on where to put the guardrails), but for the moment, for sure, it’s the perfect target for all this caged rage that has nowhere else to aim itself.  Amanda Palmer The Dresden Dolls p.s. This is also where I plug subvert.fm, where a lot of my musician/songwriter friends are currently trying to point people as an alternative to this sh*tshow. If I can make one small change in this industry, maybe we can all put our attention there, place our bets, and make a change for the better. -- 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

Grainges For Pratt

A reality TV star who's bad at business? That sounds like a perfect candidate to be mayor of Los Angeles. Never mind that Los Angeles is essentially an ungovernable city where the mayor has little power, as evidenced in this article by Steve Lopez in the "Los Angeles Times: "Spencer Pratt, please call me. You don’t know what you’re getting yourself into": https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2026-05-23/la-mayoral-hopeful-spencer-pratt-is-making-big-splash-but-can-he-swim Now the truth is if you can find someone who lovingly and full-throatily supports Karen Bass, they must be related to her. As for the rest of us... Can I fault her for being overseas when the fires hit? I mean who has that foresight? Then again, Monday morning quarterbacks have all the answers. As for the empty reservoir... I've got to ask you, when are you supposed to fix a reservoir? I'll tell you, in the rainy season, when fire is least likely to happen, which is what was being done. And now it turns out that the fire was set and the fire department did a poor job of monitoring the exhaustion of this fire such that it smoldered and reignited and ultimately there was a conflagration. Do we need to re-evaluate and hold responsible those at the fire department? Definitely. But also note that it took nearly a year to find out the facts, while everybody rushes to judgment. As for the homeless problem... The unhoused got smart, they went where the weather suited their clothes, where it never goes below freezing, and that is the streets of Los Angeles. The homeless are not migrating to Buffalo nor Sioux Falls. As for what should be done with the homeless... It's a thorny problem. We live in the richest country in the world but we've devolved into a nation where everybody must pull themselves up by their bootstraps...if you get cancer, if you run out of money, if you're mentally ill, it's your fault. So what are supposed to do about the homeless? That's a good question. But if you're faulting the Los Angeles government for having compassion for these people... I'm not saying I like seeing people tented in Hollywood, it's creepy. But if there were an instant, easy solution, it would have been found and executed. So now Spencer Pratt is channeling the anger of the populace. And the populace is angry. But this is the same situation we had with Trump. Adding in an aged Biden who was too dumb to go and a replacement candidate Harris who was so inauthentic that she basically handed the election to Trump. And how is that working out? Trump has abysmal ratings. And seems not to care about the economic problems of the hoi polloi, never mind believing the law doesn't apply to him. Of course Trump has supporters. But who exactly is supporting Spencer Pratt? Certainly not fans of "The Hills," where he played a villain. As for his business acumen...this is a guy who made millions and squandered them. This is the guy you want to put in charge of the government? But Pratt does have name recognition and is employing modern media, i.e. the internet, to gain mindshare. But does he have to be supported by the Grainges? Of all things to come out for... This doofus? I mean David Foster has retained his talent but has squandered all credibility with his reality TV appearances and in true Hollywood fashion he's somewhat connected to Pratt... He was married to Linda Thompson, whose son Brody is close friends with Pratt. That's Hollywood. Where nepotism reigns supreme. But Foster is a lone wolf, whereas the Grainges are responsible for nearly half of all music production in America. They represent more than themselves. And now you've got Trump supporting Pratt and I don't see the Grainges distancing themselves from Spencer. Don't tell me it's a personal choice, that's not the world we live in. Pratt is a Republican... Which means the odds of him winning the mayorship are miniscule in super-blue Los Angeles. You can see the latest odds here: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/polls/los-angeles-mayor-election-polls-2026.html I'm not saying Pratt can't win, but just imagine if he did... Not only must we ask what government/leadership skills Pratt possesses, but his monetary skills and people skills... Is this who we really want for mayor? Of course not. I can understand wanting to throw a spanner in the works, there is frustration with L.A.'s governance, but why support a nincompoop? Why not get involved in the process and support a better, experienced Democratic candidate? Or throw your money down for Bass... We all know money gives you access and power. And we've already seen this movie with Rick Caruso... Who spent $104 million trying to become mayor and failed. But at least it was his own money. Donating to Pratt... That's who I want as mayor, a guy who blew through all his money and is now monetizing his appearances on TikTok. All you fat cats, you need to distance yourself from Pratt. How can you be so out of touch, you're akin to the tech bros being vilified by the younger generation for their AI efforts. And it's the younger generation who disproportionately support the music industry. And if Pratt is so appealing to the notoriously left-leaning music business, how come no one else has lined up in support of him? Rather we've got fat cats who are all about using their money and influence to tilt the table in their favor. People like the Winklevoss crypto-bros and the beloved Sean Rad, founder of Tinder. The Grainges support of Pratt is a bad look. Probably Elliott is friends with Spencer and they didn't think twice about supporting him, I don't know for sure, yet that's how it works in politics. But now that Pratt is all over the news the Grainges' support is trumpeted in all the media that thrives on this long shot candidacy to sell advertising. I didn't see the Grainges come out against ICE. I didn't see them taking public positions on the White House ballroom or the slush fund or... Why Pratt? Once again, L.A. has issues. And Harris has a low profile. But that does not mean you throw the baby out with the bathwater. But the Democratic party has lost control of the narrative, which today is established online. It's all about creativity. But the Democratic candidates keep asking us for dollars for television advertising...who exactly watches broadcast TV these days? My phone is burning up with requests for money... Not until they start living in the twenty twenties...I'm not giving them a f*cking dollar. But that does not mean I support Pratt. And you shouldn't either. As for those who do... They need to be called out. These tax-evaders who just want to make the game work for themselves... And one more thing, the billionaire tax. I was actually going to vote against this tax, but after reading the below, I'm not so sure. You MUST read this story: "The Case for California's Billionaire Wealth Tax": Free link: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2026/05/26/opinion/wealth-tax-california-billionaire.html?unlocked_article_code=1.lVA.6x7K.AyDLG_idtHFw&smid=url-share Here's the key point: "California’s billionaires currently pay such a low tax rate that even if all of them left the state, it would take 25 years for the loss of their tax payments under the current set of rules to surpass the amount the state would raise if the one-time tax succeeds this fall." We keep hearing all these protestations about the rich paying a disproportionate share of taxes, but these billionaires borrow against their holdings and the increase in their wealth is not taxed. Read this: "From 2019 to 2025, California billionaires' wealth grew an average of over 15 percent per year, while they paid, on average, just 0.26 percent of their wealth annually in state income taxes. Their income tax payments accounted for only 2.4 percent of California’s income tax revenue." So what we've got here is oligarchs and idiots struggling for power while the rest of us are powerless and getting more and more pissed. How did Stealer's Wheel put it? I'm stuck in the middle with you. And if you don't agree with me, you're on the wrong side. -- 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

David Beard's Beach Boys Book

"All Summer Long: Conversations with the Beach Boys From Surfin' to SMiLE": https://www.amazon.com/All-Summer-Long-Conversations-Surfin/dp/B0FRLHT1X6 1 I live in California because of the Beach Boys. That may be hard to understand if you're under the age of 40, as there has been a multi-decade campaign to vilify the state. But if you grew up in the sixties, California was a dream. The bleeding edge was on the west coast of our country. That's where life was free, trends were started, music and movies were made and there were two girls for every boy. Growing up in the east it's hard to understand Los Angeles, even to this day. What you've got is a city that's really comprised of endless suburbs, which extend all the way to San Diego in the south and Santa Barbara in the north. And not only does it hardly ever rain, schools are built so you walk outside to classes. This is unfathomable if you grew up in the east. In the east you're destined for the best college you can get into, it's a given. In the west, you're going to a state school. Seemingly everybody takes courses at the community college before they retire or fly up to a university. Even Brian Wilson. So what we've got here is a string of Southern California families... Growing up in the fifties and sixties when you played outside instead of inside, when there were no cameras and you could get away with pranks, when safety was not first and society was fluid. You didn't graduate and chase a career, rather you spent time finding yourself, with a series of low-paying jobs while you pursued your dreams, whether they be in business or at the beach or... And we thought we knew what was really going on out here, but we didn't. And at this point, most people still don't. However the landscape has changed. The Wilsons and the Loves got together to sing. I can't tell you the last time I stood around the piano singing tunes. Hell, in the late sixties and early seventies no party was complete without breaking out guitars and singing Beatles songs and other hits of the days. The Wilsons and Loves didn't compose beats, they took lessons, they learned on the fly, they weren't singing and playing to get rich, but because they loved the music. Now if you're not a big fan of the Beach Boys I hesitate to recommend this book, because there are a lot of references to songs that you won't get. But if you are... 2 I have an issue with oral histories, and for that reason the person who e-mailed me about this book was reluctant to send it. But it's the BEACH BOYS! I'm always up for more info on the Beach Boys. And what stunned me was how much I didn't know, how much I learned. We all know the basic story, not only have there been books, but even movies. But these interviews are more ground-level. Not the stories of success, but of everyday life. Sure, they go through the making of the records, but more interesting to me is how people met and connected and hung out... This is what you did back in the day, you went out, it was the only way you could meet people. And there was a community of people you met, all with the same interests. And you made friends and... Brian Wilson met Marilyn Rovell, his teenage bride, at Pandora's Box, a club on a plot of land that no longer even exists. It was where the Sunset Strip riots took place, the ones that Buffalo Springfield sang about in "For What It's Worth." Today, everybody wants to be instantly rich and famous. Actually, they believe wealth comes with fame, but the goals were not that lofty back then. A lot of the gigs the Beach Boys played were puny. At high schools. This was not a cash machine, this was people playing music. Now eventually it all blew up, as a result of the success of the records embodying the California Dream, but before that... They were just living their lives on a minor level. Their first hit, "Surfin'," was on an indie label and made no impact outside of Southern California. Radio was still regional. And before the Beach Boys came Jan & Dean, my first love. And what astounded me in this book about the Beach Boys is it gave me more insight into Jan & Dean than I've ever had, despite knowing Dean Torrence, despite reading his book and so many more. I guess this book is more about feel than details. Of course there are plenty of details, but you get a vibe... Jan & Dean were in college, they made records around their school schedules. Lou Adler was the majordomo and the label was clueless, both acts can't stop bitching about how clueless their labels were. Not only did they not understand the music, but there was no thought put into photos and artwork and... 3 What I took from this book, other than the lifestyle elements above, was incredible insight into the creative process. Let's start with the fact that Brian Wilson produced all kinds of records, and wrote many songs that were never hits too. He's seen as a savant who got in the studio to produce Beach Boys records, but if you were a friend of his, if you made music, he wanted to work with you. What I'm saying here is Brian's success did not come out of thin air, he paid his dues, he learned on the job, and despite all the hits, there was a lot of detritus. As well as people who fell by the wayside, all of whom come alive in this book. But despite all the insight into the earlier albums, all the stories about the people, what made this book so important, that resonated with me, is the question of creativity. How do you keep it interesting to yourself? Now from the start of time, not only the label, but the public has wanted something just like the other thing, the hit. And not only are you competing with yourself, but all your imitators too. But the funny thing is the public says that's what they want, but really they do not. They want something new and different, unique. And it's easy to experiment when you're nowhere, when no one is paying attention, but success can be crippling. And on one wants to fall off the pedestal. But do you have your finger on the pulse, or did you lose this ability or..? So Brian just could not do it anymore. First, go on the road. Second, make the same old music. So he has Al Jardine, then Glen Campbell and then Bruce Johnston replace him and ultimately he just spends his days tinkering, creating. And after meeting Tony Asher, a jinglemeister, a healthy period of time afterward he rings him up and tells him he wants to make an album about love. That's right, there was a concept for "Pet Sounds." Today people start off wanting to make hits. Or, they say they have a concept for an album, but don't forget Brian did this before "Sgt. Pepper" and "Tommy," it was just a feeling. So he and Tony explored, they wanted to get the vibe right and... "Pet Sounds" was ahead of its audience. Some works resonate thereafter, like Nick Drake's, but the songs off "Pet Sounds" became ubiquitous. Despite all the hype in the seventies, I think the truly breakthrough moment was the use of "Wouldn't It Be Nice" in "Shampoo," there was truly synergy with the images, you got that Southern California vibe. And it's well-known that Capitol buried that album with a greatest hits LP right thereafter when "Pet Sounds" didn't burn up the charts, but then... Brian went even deeper, with "Smile." All we hear about "Smile" is Brian abandoning it when he heard fire engines and... That's not even discussed here. Although it is said that Brian gave up on the project after realizing it was too advanced for the listener. But before that... Van Dyke Parks came up with the concept of a journey from east to west, encompassing the entire breadth of the United States. You might say they were out there. I guess that's the point. The Beach Boys were the biggest act in America, and Brian wasn't even thinking about hits. Now you've got Mike Love talking about writing relatable lyrics for "Good Vibrations," but... This was of no concern to Wilson and Parks. They were pushing the envelope, to make it interesting to themselves. And after the failure of this project, Brian Wilson could never do it again. 4 So reading this book I realized the early to-mid-sixties in Southern California was a unique time. The vibes, the tentacles extended for decades, right up to this very point. But the truth was the musical movement was very brief, basically from 1962-1966. The blink of an eye today. But unlike today the Beach Boys would not only put out multiple albums per year, they'd have multiple hits. They'd rise to the top of the chart and then fall off and be replaced, all in a matter of months. Nothing moves that fast anymore, never mind the lack of ubiquity. But did time move on from Brian Wilson? Did the scene just change? The scene always changes, and very few can adjust, no matter how big and successful they've been in their heyday. And then they either grasp at straws, following trends, or give up making music all together. Or did something change for Brian, such that he couldn't do it anymore? Let's be clear, unlike most creators, Brian wasn't repeating himself. But despite having the royalty money to execute his wildest fantasies...(bad word, let's just say support his vision)...he was out on a limb, nobody was supporting him. And then there was LSD. Now if you ever hung with Brian Wilson, you knew something was off, something was wrong. As for it being schizophrenia, that tends to manifest itself in your mid to late twenties, when Wilson fell off the edge. But is that what was truly going on? Maybe he was just spent. Or maybe...without the support and success, he lost something. 5 Now I could tell you to support your artists' vision, but that's really putting it backward. The truth is, usually only the creator can understand their vision. And there was so much money in music in the sixties and seventies and then eighties that labels stood aside and let the acts follow their paths. But then it changed. The business was no longer cottage industry, the labels were looking for moonshots, they're still looking for moonshots, and in that case you're risk averse. But the nature of being an artist is to take risks. Let's be clear, most major acts today are taking no risks, maybe it's because they're performers, not artists. And then there are people who keep telling us they're artists who complain no one is paying attention. But the truth is Brian Wilson was not considered a genius until Derek Taylor started a publicity campaign saying that. The public bought it, but what exactly is a genius? Who exactly was Brian Wilson? How could he create and make this music? That's the mystery. It was in his head, and he wanted to get it down on tape. In most cases, there's nothing in someone's head other than a business construct. Which might be marketed to success, but... Of course "Bohemian Rhapsody" was like nothing heard previously, however it built upon a decade of rock innovation. But the intro to "California Girls"? Where did that come from? In a world where radio chopped off most instrumental intros. And then there's the theremin in "Good Vibrations"... It's not like everybody was doing this, NO ONE was doing it! And then commercial success separated from Brian's efforts and... 6 We are all looking for the new and different, but finding someone who provides it... Hell, we get cartoon movies because people want to escape from scary reality. But not in the heyday of the Beach Boys. That's when you had to turn on the radio to find out what was going on, to be hip. The records informed us. And everybody knew them. 7 So what is your life about? I guess if you're a civilian with a straight job it's about getting married, buying a house, having children and getting a gig that will pay for all this, that will move you up the lifestyle ladder. But an artist... It's a journey into the wilderness. You never know what will resonate, what will work. As for those people e-mailing me complaining that their music can't pay for their house and family...who told you to have a house and family? And let's be clear, it was all much cheaper back then, but... The art always came first. Which is one of the reasons that relationships didn't tend to last, the creators were married to their music, their vision, their projects. All of this is clear in this book in a way that I have not seen previously. Most acts blink, give us more of what we're looking for, they're afraid to fall off the pedestal. But Brian not only did not see himself as being on a pedestal, he actually got freaked out by people, public access. In many ways he was a child who never left the streets of Hawthorne, with its sports and good times and... He was always trying to get this down on wax when everybody else was busy growing up. It's hard to be out of step with society. Some complained. Brian just retreated. And although they trotted him out for decades thereafter, it was different. Because in the sixties, in his heyday, people were waiting with bated breath for Brian's next work. But the people were just a couple of years and a couple of changes behind Brian. Everybody told him he was on the wrong path, but he wasn't. What path are you on? -- 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

Favorite Solo Song From A Band Member-SiriusXM This Week

Tune in Saturday May 23rd 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 -- 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

Ai Protests

Are not really about AI. They're about reduced prospects for college graduates, the detachment of techies from the general public and the fanning of the flames of AI by prognosticators and the media. It's income inequality run rampant, I tell you. One thing we've learned is the tech bros are not like us. The dueling dullards arguing over OpenAI at the trial... From the sidelines, everybody looks bad. Elon Musk looks greedy and Sam Altman appears smug and...aren't these guys rich enough? As for the Molotov cocktail thrown at Altman's house... I do not approve, of the action or any future violence, but I understand it. What we're seeing is a ramping up of actions against those reaping rewards from a game that most people cannot even play. It started with Luigi Mangione shooting the CEO of United Health and... All we hear from those with a public voice is violence will not be condoned (ironic in a gun-riddled society where even 6 year olds shoot people), they never speak to the underlying condition. They label the shooter a crank and... And now as bad as the health care system is, Congress let the Obamacare subsidies expire and prices went through the roof and millions of people are now going bare. And what is the response of those who don't want to deliver these subsidies? That the people involved can go to the emergency room. That's like telling people to drive without insurance because the people they collide with are probably have coverage. It's just kicking the can down the road, we all end up paying, and believe me, the public knows it. When done right, heroes should not be zeros, they should be able to relate to the public, or be leaders. Instead, everybody's chasing the dollar. You've got vapid musical acts and then billionaires bitching that someone wants to take their money... Did you check out the Bezos interview? He's talking about all the taxes rich people pay, but he leaves out that many billionaires don't pay anything at all, they just borrow against their stock, kicking a taxable event down the road. Billionaires are not like us. But we no longer mean that in a good way. We used to admire the leaders, techies replaced rock stars. They were pushing the envelope, wowing us with their breakthroughs, thrilling us with constant innovation. But it seems the game of musical chairs has ended, no one new can grab a seat and those who remain are self-centered and self-satisfied, their idea of charity is to build a school that their kids can go to. They're doing anything but spreading the wealth around, and the public knows it. So the truth is this graduating class had access to AI for all four years of college, and have been using it. It's not like they were boycotting ChatGPT with their schoolwork, rather the issue is how to keep students from using it. So it's not AI they're pissed about, but... Come on, we keep hearing that AI is going to take our jobs and then destroy the world. As far as taking your job...if you deal in ones and zeros, if you're a coder. But beyond that, the human is still king, because of AI's hallucinations/mistakes. God, we're seeing it in court and books and...professionals are constantly being busted for relying on AI that not only is wrong, but makes things up! We are not moving to a society where this is accepted. Just the opposite, the screws are tightening now that the problem is being evidenced in quantity. As for corporations... It's all a ruse I tell you. They say they're laying people off because of AI, but the truth is it's a cover-up, they just want to lay people off! Think about it, if AI was actually doing these jobs, they'd lay off people in waves, as AI became able to do their jobs. But instead, these companies are laying off thousands all at once! They don't want to look bad and say they're just firing/downsizing people, then the public blowback is too great. And then Wall Street starts to wonder if anyone's in charge, why were these companies so far from rightsized! I mean whose jobs is AI actually taking? God, AI is a buzzword, it's everywhere, the sky is falling! But it's not. Look at the computer... Now lawyers do their typing themselves. There is no longer is a steno pool, but this efficiency has flowed to the bottom line. As for the value add of the steno pool, there was none. But there isn't even spellcheck for AI! The companies themselves can't root out the hallucinations! Yes, AI found security holes in Apple's OS, and that's worth extrapolating and contemplating, but now that AI is being used for even coding it turns out that sans human oversight, it can't do the job. I'm not going to sit here and say AI won't have an effect on the world, but everybody losing their job overnight, no... But these are the same people who sold us crypto. And then Polymarket and Kalshi. Systems that look flat on the surface, but are rigged by people using inside information and quants. You can't win if you're the average punter. As for online gambling, the odds are stacked against you, but if you do happen to win big, they limit your bets. And then we've got the ultimate grifter in D.C. We are talking about college graduates here, they're not dumb, they can see through what is happening, Trump may have successfully primaried candidates, but that's because boomers voted his way, youngsters overwhelmingly went for the incumbents. Get the picture here? It's us against them. And the only us who will stand up and take a risk are the young 'uns, who've got their lives in front of them as opposed to behind, they've got nothing to lose. As for Eric Schmidt...talk about a smug as*hole... I figured I'd ask him about music discovery, he dismissed the question like it was positively inane, saying it would all be solved by machine learning momentarily. That was before Covid, needless to say it didn't happen, it will NEVER HAPPEN! It comes down to humans, not the machine. Whether it be TikTok or something that hasn't surfaced yet. But these techies believe chips and software can solve every problem, run the world. They're the ones who are myopic, not us. As for the constant trumpeting of AI by the press... This is the same press that was gung-ho during the dot com revolution at the turn of the century, and then the market collapsed. Turned out you couldn't deliver a popsicle for free. So far, the startup AI companies are financially challenged. Anthropic just posted a profit, but it's bupkes compared to the investment. ChatGPT is still struggling. As for data centers... It was a field day for Wall Street. Never mind the financial engineering, like keeping the centers off the books of companies like Meta. No one anywhere thought about the social aspects. It's fracking on steroids. Not only do you want to build these eyesores, you want to use all our electricity too! And you've got Elon Musk installing gas turbines that cause noise air and noise pollution without getting permits first. This guy doesn't only think that the rules don't apply to him, but the laws don't apply to him! He's got a long history of doing this, ignoring the U.S. government, it's cheaper to settle after the fact, if there even is a settlement. But Musk is too out of touch to realize after DOGE he's no longer a public hero, he's got his acolytes, but Tesla has stalled and many are wary of anything he does. Never mind his riches. So you thought you could be a rock star. But now not only are the odds long, it takes longer than ever to make it and even if you do, you can't make anywhere near the riches of the techies. And then you thought you could build apps. But that turned out to be a free market, people don't pay for apps. So where are your entry points if you're an entrepreneur? And if you've just got a computer science degree, they're laying off people in your world, not hiring. And prices are going up and you're told not to worry about it. And buying a house is off the table for many, and they also don't want expensive kids and... We're told we've got smartphones, so we should be happy! That our standard of living is higher than it's ever been before! Maybe, but compared to the winners, most people are positively broke. But they don't get a voice, because they don't have the money to pay for politicians, if they even vote. But the old and wealthy, they're invested in the game. Believe me, college graduates are aware that not only Bezos flipped, but even Tim Cook. None of them have a backbone, and if they're called on it, they say they have no choice. EVERYBODY has a choice. But not everybody has options. That's what this is all about, options. People are sick and tired of doors being shut. They're starting to break them down. If you're waiting for a public reaction, a conflagration over Trump's slush fund or ballroom or arch... People only react when it affects them directly. People feel their futures are bleak, and that's what they're reacting to. It's plain as day. -- 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

Dan Beck-This Week's Podcast

Dan Beck was Michael Jackson's product manager and has written a book about the experience, "'You've Got Michael': Living Through HIStory." If you want to know what it was like working at a record label in the pre-internet era, this is the place. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dan-beck/id1316200737?i=1000768901251 https://open.spotify.com/episode/08uNNpq2FXIha0wsCHvH3H?si=4I6Bqb4uSF-VPWxt8AkJLQ https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1119-the-bob-lefsetz-podcast-30806836/ https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/9ff4fb19-54d4-41ae-ae7a-8a6f8d3dafa8/episodes/8aed22c2-dda8-4684-af71-e4d4864ad6ef/the-bob-lefsetz-podcast-dan-beck -- 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

Paul McCartney On SNL

Does he know how bad he was? Is he in a bubble, is it the emperor's new clothes, does he not know how he comes across? In case you missed it, try this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rdE34EgKED0 It's positively sad. Then again, athletes retire, why not musicians? Then again, musicians never retire, they say they do a few times, but they always go back on the road. When Paul McCartney went back on the road with Wings Over America in 1976, it was a startling event, a Beatle in person. And now he's turned into Bob Dylan... But at least Dylan seems to be aware of what he's doing. Then again, the people who go to the show and say Bob is great now... I guess if you find shows where you can't recognize a single song to be exciting and fulfilling, maybe... But where's that at, if you want me, I'll be in the bar. But at least Dylan's keeping it interesting for himself. I mean to go out for thousands of shows, singing the same songs that became famous when you were in your twenties, sixty years on? Other than the adulation of the audience and getting paid, that sounds like death to me. I give Paul credit for surviving. As one of the most popular people in the world. All that attention, the love, the expectations, how do you live a normal life? Having children, all of whom seem to be reasonable, which is not an easy feat. Not staying holed up, but living a life... But Paul definitely knows who he is. He's got an ego, and he displays it. Then again, it's nearly impossible to make it. Despite how humble stars may appear, underneath it they're egoists, if not narcissists, who have a hole they're trying to fill via their success. And Paul deserves all the credit he's gotten. And as revered as John Lennon is, it's hard to compete with a dead man. Imagine if Jim Morrison was alive today? It's hard to carry off that mysterious distance when you're in your fifties, never mind sixties or seventies. Paul is 83, he's going to be 84 next month. When I was growing up, that was positively ancient. Most men didn't make it that far, my relatives certainly didn't. And those who did were crotchety, moving slowly, having difficulty hearing... I was sitting behind Bruce Springsteen at an awards show and I saw his hearing aids. I'm not putting him down, not in the least. Hell, he could have grown his hair and covered them up. He's owning his identity, just like he has let his hair go gray and has admitted taking antidepressants. How do you cope when you've achieved all your goals? How do you keep marching forward? But as big as Bruce Springsteen is... No living musician is as big as Paul McCartney. The truth is his vocals have been substandard for over a decade now. But Paul literally has the best band, and they do a phenomenal job of covering up for him. But when he's singing alone at the piano...you cringe. I've been there, I've seen it. Now I understand the pilgrimage, paying homage, bringing your kids to see him in the stadium where the sound is so imperfect you fill in the holes with your memory... But to go on SNL and show the world how bad you really are, how you've lost more than a step? How could Paul not realize this? He had plausible deniability prior to this. Even YouTube videos... They're shot from the audience, not copied from the board, they're almost all imperfect. But when Paul goes on national television, INTERNATIONAL television! That's what YouTube is, it lasts forever. Now I wasn't going to write anything. Because the truth here is self-evident. And the manager is a friend of mine. Why pile on. But there's a message here, beyond Paul McCartney. Sometimes you just have to hang it up. Like Gordon Lightfoot. I went to see him and...it would have been better if he was singing to tape, like Frankie Valli, who finally called it quits, or employed an avatar. Felice wanted to leave almost immediately. I needed to hear "Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald," but after that we bolted. It was too excruciating, I didn't want my memories f*cked with. Now Gordon passed not long thereafter, this was truly his last hurrah. But it was happening off the radar screen. But Paul still garners eyeballs... It's sad that the legends are dropping, Jack Douglas last week. What am I going to say about Jack, he was a friend... We did a podcast together, there was almost nothing left to say. Obituaries are written by those who don't know somebody for those who didn't either. But if you knew Jack, you knew about his trip to Liverpool... And then there are the managers. Bernie working with Bob Weir, and then he dies. What are you going to do then? How are you going to march on? There's a giant hole in both your life and your pocketbook. As for music today... The big news about the Drake album is how hip-hop has not charted well for eons, that we live in a pop world. Like the one we lived in in 1961, '62, even '63, before the Beatles in America. Vapid stuff that fills a hole, but not the soul. Paul McCartney filled our holes and our souls. And his music will continue to do so. But Willie Mays could no longer catch a ball running backwards... What is Paul McCartney supposed to do with his time? Does Bob Dylan have nothing better to do, is this his only option? But it's not only them, it's me, it's the rest of the boomers. Sure, there are politicos hanging on for dear life, laughably, knowing nothing about the tech that drives our culture, but at some point you have to face the fact that your time has passed. So what do you do with your time? I'm still trying to figure that out. But I do know there are certain things I can no longer do. And I'm not the only one. As far as Paul McCartney goes, he can still sing, but not like a bird, more like... You and me, but not even. If he only owned it... Why do all our heroes always push it too far, displaying their clay feet? I'd like to know. P.S. The YouTube link above is for Paul's performance of his new song "Days We Left Behind." "Band on the Run" wasn't quite as bad, but it was not good: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ob3nHfBHPkg P.P.S. The best performance was the closing number, "Coming Up": https://www.tiktok.com/@chaosandcreations_deek/video/7640728776636206357?q=mccartney%20snl%20final%20credits%20coming%20up&t=1779218223896 -- Visit the archive: http://lefsetz.com/wordpress/ -- Listen to the podcast: -iHeart: https://ihr.fm/2Gi5PFj -Apple: https://apple.co/2ndmpvp -- http://www.twitter.com/lefsetz -- If you would like to subscribe to the LefsetzLetter, http://www.lefsetz.com/lists/?p=subscribe&id=1 If you do not want to receive any more LefsetzLetters, http://lefsetz.com/lists/?p=unsubscribe&uid=0eecea7b60b461717065cbde887c8e25 To change your email address http://lefsetz.com/lists/?p=preferences&uid=0eecea7b60b461717065cbde887c8e25

Re-Willie Nile

YES! Sold out show at historic McCabe’s Guitar. I was at Arista for Willie's first album.  We could not break him.   He kept at it.  He NEVER faltered, NEVER gave up.   Willie is the real deal.   Mike Bon _______________________________ I am now on the older side of this business... but I am still 25 years younger than Willie! But I'm a true believer in him and all that he does. His son Luke and I were at high school together at St. Joseph's Collegiate Institute in Buffalo, NY.  I'll never forget when "Heaven Help The Lonely" came out in 1991. I was into The Cure, Fishbone, The Replacements and Public Enemy but also Dylan, Springsteen and U2 and I really dug that song. I was just starting to get an idea of what great songcraft was and this was a lesson in it. Years on, I got to know Willie and became his promoter here in his hometown of Western New York mainly through our mutual friend: the late great independent radio promoter Bruce Moser.  At that point, I had still only barely grasped Willie's power and impact.   It was when I'd be at a Springsteen show and he'd bring Willie out to play "Working On The Highway" with him and the E Street Band. Now Bruce doesn't bring out a lot of special guests, so that meant something.   Then when Bono would have a stadium on its feet but out of nowhere gave a shout out to WIllie at the height of U2's set? Wow. You meet Willie and he's like a South Buffalo leprechaun: his hair is half his height! He's the biggest believer of his own myth and he sells you on it. He continues to write and produce these albums that should keep most singer/songwriters of any worth on their toes.   He knows how good he is and he is still out there playing like he's moments away from stardom. When you see him get up and a do his show: you also buy in. He has the songs, the power: he has that thing! Man, he's really good.   And his band is equally great: a real NYC cast of characters. His bassist Johnny Pisano is LITERALLY a backround player from The Sopranos' Bada Bing but he's also a punk guy and a rock and roll lifer like Steven Van Zandt. They go out and play rooms from 150 to 500 cap but knock it out every night.  Willie will not give up.  Glad to see you shine a light on him.  He deserves it! Danny Kutzbach _______________________________ Bob Willie Nile is a national musical treasure! In 2025, I had the honor of presenting him with a “College Radio Legend ‘ Award for his extraordinary recording and performing career for over 45 years. Whenever you get the itch for a hit of righteous and crucial rock mixed with lyrical majesty, get yourself to a Willie Nile solo, duo or full band show ! Norm Prusslin _______________________________ GREAT take on Willie Nile, who I've been seeing on the east coast for many years. An unknown superstar of an artist. Springsteen sings with him sometimes, usually on Willie's anthem "One Guitar," which should have been a massive song and is more relevant than ever, if music still has any power to change the world. And as a person Willie is maybe the nicest musician I've ever met, and I've met many. A few years ago on a new year's eve show in New Jersey, a friend of mine, Americana singer-songwriter Lisa Bouchelle, opened the show for him. She mentioned in passing that she had a huge vet bill come up unexpectedly and was having some financial issues with it. At the end of the night Wille put a few extra bills (more than a few) in her pocket and said it's for the vet bills. A gem of a person. Rocky _______________________________ "American Ride" is one of the best albums of the last 20 years. And definitely see Willie with a full band. His bassist Johnny Pisano is one of the most entertaining players out there.. Pete Kuehl _______________________________ "See a MASTER at work!": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_TNQ02QER4A Willie is one of those IYKYK artists, and man did he blow our unsuspecting audience away:   Kelly Breaks _______________________________ Way to go! Willie is a dear friend and we were also there last night. Glad you finally got to see him.  We first heard about him on the former Little Steven's Garage show when it aired on KLOS upon the release of his Streets Of New York album (a classic desert island disk). He did his first west coast tour in decades in support of that album and we were able to also host him for one of our house concerts and several house concerts since. What you saw last night is one of the greatest living American songwriters and yes unfortunately a lot of people don't know about him. In songwriter circles he's well known, Bruce Springsteen invites him on stage for tour stops in NYC and he's even the godparent of one of Little Steven's kids. Last year's show at McCabe's included the guitarist from Counting Crows joining him on stage and a few years before that Creed Bratton joined him for a killer encore of the Grass Roots "Let's Live for Today". Many don't know that actor Creed Bratton was a Grass Root.  Anyway, so glad you got to see this iconic American talent live. Don Adkins _______________________________ I’m so glad you got to finally see Willie Nile live. His shows are like no other, whether solo or with his band.  He’s the most gentle, genuine, and kind-hearted rock & roller but make no mistake, whenever he plays the venue that I help to run (or any other I’ve seen him at), he means business and he ROCKS.  And you’re right about the songs - they are ANTHEMS for a better world:     “I’m a soldier marching in an army, got no gun to shoot, but what I  got is one guitar, I got this one guitar…" Long live Wille Nile. And his dad!  Gail Prusslin Montclair, NJ _______________________________ Bob Heaven help the lonely!!!! I sing along every single time I hear it Peter Stema _______________________________ I’ve known Willie since those Kenny’s Castaways days, (same neighborhood as that walk-up) and he is the real thing. Thanks Joe Henderson _______________________________ Bravo Bob!  You shone a beautiful light on Willie! He is the goods. A mensch who loves what he shares, and nothing about him, is not him!  I have many times, after his show watched how Willie, right after stepping off stage, goes out and meets his 'fans'!  Chats, take pictures with all and shares his love for his beloved Father... No ego! This, is one rare,  extraordinarly talented  gem!  Again, Bob,  mega thanks! Rose Gross-Marino _______________________________ So glad you wrote this Bob. Willie kills live, and solo, at McCabes, probably the ultimate Willie experience. Keeper of the flame… jimeddy Ann Arbor _______________________________ I like you bought Willie Nile’s self titled debut.  It still remains in heavy rotation for me. Also like you, I never saw Willie live until a couple of years ago when he played a full band show for a nice summer crowd on Long Beach Island.  I was blown away.  They joy of standing up and singing along reminded me of concerts from long ago Willie is a true legend in my mind.  Going stronger than ever at 78.  Glad you enjoyed it.  Donald Furrer _______________________________ I LOVE WILLIE NILE! Bill Green _______________________________ I love it when anyone totally gets what I do about an artist. And especially when you do.  I’d never heard of him when I first saw him play at The Carleton in Halifax. Mike Campbell runs a thing he calls an Urban Folk Festival.  He books three people whose music he loves “from away” and sets them up with a true all star local band.   That show.  Willie with The Halifax Allstars remains in my top five live shows.  It would have been an easy remodelling the next day because they took the paint off the walls.   How do I describe what I saw and how I felt? I don’t need to.  You just did. That same feeling of how is it everyone doesn’t know this guy, to the enjoyment of songs heard for the first time. Rock and Roll lives here.  Jeff Pinhey in Halifax _______________________________ I loved Willie Nile’s first LP and was a music director at a small station in the South and we played Vagabond Moon and It’s All Over and some others. But the phones didn’t light up. I got his second LP and liked it but then I lost track of his releases until Streets of New York in 2006. It’s absolutely one of my favorite albums! I saw Willie at McCabe’s years ago and sure wish I’d known he was there whenever you saw him. Glad to know he’s still killing it. Bill Fitzhugh _______________________________ As a long time Willie Nile fan, thank you For this.  Rik Shafer _______________________________ Hey Bob: Thrilled you got to see one of the best kept secrets in rock 'n roll. I first saw Willie live with a full band at Theodore's Blues Booze and Barbecue Restaurant in Springfield, MA in the early 2000's. He tore the roof off. I've been a diehard fan ever since and have seen plenty of his acoustic and electric shows. I've told so many friends about the guy. His live shows are always memorable. He is remarkably gifted singer songwriter and a sweet down to earth guy. My favorite filmmaker Jim Jarmusch says of Willie "...he continues to live somewhere below the radar, crafting his songs from street level observations and the leanings of his heart." And from Lucinda Williams "...Willie Nile is a great artist. If there was any justice in the world, I'd be opening up for him instead of him for me." And when Bruce Springsteen plays Jersey or New York, he often brings Willie up on stage. Great great great interview with Mr. Nile on NPR from 2006... https://www.npr.org/2006/03/12/5258097/on-the-streets-of-new-york-with-willie-nile Cob Carlson Boston _______________________________ Saw him  last week at Joe’s Pub, Bob and he was amazing , also saw him solo at CityWinery last year  doing a 2 night early and late career thing…not sure why I I didn’t connect earlier but now I can’t get enough… It’s a little like Jesse Malin who I also found in the past couple years…saw his show Silver Manhattan recently and in the same way can't understand why both Willie and Jesse aren't more well known ...glad you enjoyed it...John Canavari _______________________________ I first heard Willie Nile on the 'Largo' album (I think you understandably breezed right over this one on your episode with Eric Bazilian).  I picked up a used copy of the CD at one of those used CD places that used to exist.  The cover kind of jumped out at me because it was some sort of cardboard thing rather than the standard jewel case, and I also wondered if the album was someone's modern take on Dvorak.  Anyway, back to Willie.  He sang "Medallion" which was one of my least favorite cuts on the album, so I kind of forgot about him.   Fast forward about 10 years and I was talking about music with this cat who grew up on Long Island and was sort of obsessive about the NYC music scene.  He was raving about Garland Jeffreys, Mink DeVille and Willie Nile one night while we were out drinking, and I was reminded of Willie's name.  I went out and got the self titled album and was hooked right off the bat with "Vagabond Moon".  I finally got to see him play as a showcase artist at Folk Alliance International about 5 years after that.  He sure wasn't folk.  He oozed pure New York cool.  He was Willie. Glad he's still out there doing it.   Todd Shelton _______________________________ I thought that might have been you at the show… Happy to see that it was and you saw what we did too. We followed you out the door, I think, although when you went to your seat just before showtime I mentioned to my wife that it might be you… I admittedly didn’t know Willie’s name but I’m forever reading the McCabe’s emails and thinking of the shows I should try to go to, and the combination of their write-up and the timing worked well so we jumped. I should motivate to see Tom Rush this summer (especially as a New England guy) but we shall see. I think the last show we saw there was 10+ years ago. We clearly have been missing out. (We saw Jimmie Webb last Friday at Catalina Bar & Grill, in part informed/inspired by your interview with him). I was thinking this week that as I listen to all your podcasts, the 2 hours or so I listen to you every week puts you high on the leaderboard of people I spend time with outside of work during any given week - inclusive of all but one family member who lives under our roof. A curious thing.  Keep doing what you’re doing. Hope your health issues are resolving. Regards John Kimble _______________________________ You bring the truth.. Been catching Willie perform for too many years and wondering why he hasn’t caught on with the people. His full band shows are also must sees as he brings the show, so much music, so many shows, just not enough time. Once again, thank you Bob. Thanks Clint, _______________________________ I'm a huge Willy fan and I've been seeing him since the early 80s. You are correct in saying his live shows are his identity but his LPS are great as well! To say he's never had a breakthrough hit it is not exactly correct, Vagabond Moon from the first LP and Golden Down from his second LP where what I would call hits! mrscott616 _______________________________ I’ve seen Willie Nile, go see Willie Nile.  All the best, Bruce Lorenz _______________________________ Hey Bob, thx for the story on Willie. Willie does have a great rock'n'roll band based in nyc. The bass player is Johnny Pisano, the drummer is Jon Weber, and sorry, can't tell you who the current lead guitarist is. I know Jon Weber because he has a rehearsal spot in the Music Building in Manhattan, as do I. They kick ass! You can find multiple YouTubes, including them playing at the NJ Light of Day benefit shows along with Bruce. https://youtu.be/s-XgEsIOYMs?si=EVz1T016R9ys41Oh Keep on rocking and writing! Ira Zadikow _______________________________ I've seen Willie a couple of times at McCabes and I'm not at all surprised that it sold out. He brings it! And I'm glad to hear that he is still bringing it at his age. I've seen him with a band and they ROCK. Either way, he is going to entertain you for the night.  Bruce Greenberg _______________________________ Every word, every bit of praise, was so well deserved by my friend, the unstoppable Willie Nile. We’ve been running on the same road for a while now and our paths often cross in Italy and Spain. And like myself, Willie continues to wear his optimism on his sleeve. We’re still hungry for an impossible arena style success and that’s what drives rock troubadours like us to the next gig, no matter if our faded dreams defy logic.  Someone should write a book about the fate of late 70s - early 80s singer-songwriters. Willie, Steve Forbert, Garland Jeffries and myself were made from harder stuff than “soft rock” and our roots barely reached the folk revival of the early 60s . Our bible was not Harry Smith’s anthology of American Folk Music and although easily categorized as “New Dylans” by rock writers and publicists who took the lazy route of meaningless genres, we had little in common with him or each other for that matter. We learned to play acoustic guitar inspired by Keith Richards’ Gibson Hummingbird on Wild Horses.  It was not “folk rock” - but more like “rock folk” - we wanted to think deep like the folkies but boogie like true rockers. I for one think all of us succeeded in doing just that.  But sadly, for some reason I’ll never understand, the term “singer songwriter” became a dirty word in the American Music business. 1977 was the pivotal year when the public embraced disco while the media was attracted to the nihilist vision of punk … not to mention that Elvis died.  Suddenly singer-songwriters like us became music business orphans. Of course, the one great exception was Bruce Springsteen. He got through the gate just in time with his secret weapon – an unstoppable stage performer who continues to mesmerize audiences around the world. And as Willie can testify, Bruce’s generosity toward his peers is unmatched. I’ve played before 80,000 people in Paris when he invited me onstage for Born to Run. The Beatles may have been about love, and the Stones about sex, but Bruce has always been about hope. For all of us.  If AI takes over popular music, it will have no difficulty replicating today’s lyrics, the vast majority of which are meaningless. And how could they not be when you’ve got a dozen songwriters on a hit song making sure not one word will cause a ripple in the culture. In 1977 Columbia records gave me a hard time for including the word “breast” on my album “Just a Story from America.” Can you imagine? But I’m not bitter and neither (I think) is Willie because without that major label push both of us were graced with early in our careers, neither of us would’ve been able to continue doing what we’ve been doing for these last 50 years. I’ve played almost 3000 shows and released over 50 albums.  And I’m sure Willie’s numbers are nearly the same.  And speaking of numbers, can someone explain to me when it became OK to rate songwriters as per the recent NYT list? Are songwriters now in the same category as professional athletes? All time batting average for Leonard Cohen?  Does success  = quality? I don’t think so… From Paris, Elliott Murphy _______________________________ Willie is a force of nature, onstage and off. He commands attention like few performers of any age, and he is a wise and kind and funny and generous human to boot; what you see is absolutely what you get. It's no coincidence that Bruce has brought Willie up to join him on his shows so many times over the years... game recognizes game. (BTW you're right that he's great solo, but Willie's band definitely does not detract from his essence; they kick ass and add to the power and joy; hopefully you'll have a chance to see them sometime too.) Willie and I used to see each other around the NY scene for ages, and in the Spring of 2008, we finally made plans to meet up for lunch and catch up for real. The week we were supposed to get together, my father ended up in the hospital with what turned out to be a terminal case of lymphoma, so I had to call Willie to reschedule. We barely knew each other at the time, but he spent over an hour on the phone with me as I sat sobbing in my father's car in front of my parents' house. He told me about his dad, his kids, his trials and his joys, and was as present and and solid as any lifelong friend might have been. Even if he weren't a rock star on stage, he's a rock star in my book for things like this alone (and there are plenty more examples). I always feel better after spending time with him; he is that rare dude who consistently spreads positivity and you know it's completely genuine. He sings, "I'm a soldier marching in the army, got no gun to shoot, but what I got is one guitar, I got this one guitar...."  and he sure has learned how to make it talk.  Be well, Judy Tint _______________________________ Thak you Bob, great article on Willie and so happy that you gave him his well-deserved recognition.   Like you, I knew Willie’s first album.  I knew who he was, appreciated that album, but there was not much more to go on.  He could have been a contender, but some bad lawyer advice – his career went on hold and never recovered during the golden age.   When I was running the King Biscuit Flower Hour record label, I came across a tape of him playing a Wollman Rink Central Park show – I was mesmerized by the songs and raw energy that was coming out of my speakers.  I was smitten.  No management company that I could find.  I learned he was from Buffalo, found out his real name, the Buffalo address, and called the house cold and asked for him – by his real name.  I ended up talking to his Dad who shares his name, and said not you, I need to speak to Willie Nile.   I was eventually given his Greenwich Village home phone, spoke to him, went to see him, and released the live album which is still one of my favorites.   Wille and I became friends; he is smart, well spoken, friendly and just a nice person with no attitude or airs.  He is humble.   I went to many of his shows with or without a band.  He bands were always great, Rich Pagano  on drums and a guitarist whom I discovered playing with Willie named Andy York who played during his Mellencamp breaks.  As an aside, turns out Andy and I have the six degrees of separation thing.   Willie’s shows are always great.  He has the Springsteen vibe in him.  Movement, joy, action and great songs that you can relate you.   I haven’t seen him in a few years.  But I am proud of what he has done the past 20.  He keeps on writing, releasing independent records, and fighting the good fight because of his love of writing and music.    I’ve been to many McCabe’s shows when I lived in LA, I lived close by.  I’m jealous I was not there.  It’s Willie, whom I will always love and respect.   Best,   Barry Ehrmann _______________________________ Thanks for recognizing the criminally under-rated talents of Willie Nile! I first saw him at his Toronto album release show in 1980 at the El Mocambo after playing the album in-store at A&A Records on Yonge St. where I worked at the time. I was especially fond of the single, Vagabond Moon, a track he rarely even performs these days. I saw him again at the Horseshoe Tavern on the tour for his follow up album, Golden Down and again he was fantastic. He left Arista Records and resurfaced years later on Columbia with Places I Have Never Been, a truly brilliant record that no one payed attention to and was hard to find. The next album, now on an indie, Beautiful Wreck Of The World, suffered the same fate. He delivered what I think is the definitive Willie album, Streets Of New York, in 2006 and when I opened a venue in Halifax - The Carleton - in 2008, I took a flyer and phoned his manager and somehow arranged to fly him to Halifax for a solo show in 2008. Three years later I invited him back to play the second version of my Halifax Urban Fold Festival (now in its 17th year), this time with a band of local All Stars to back him up, and even though he only met them at sound check, they absolutely killed it. I had him back to play with his own NYC-based band and even traveled to see them at Joe’s Pub once. The man is a machine these days, routinely releasing a great album every year and continues to tour relentlessly in the U.S., Canada and Europe. I am now honoured to consider him a friend and I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised if, considering his genetics, he keeps it up until he’s 100. He is the real deal and is recognized as such by talents like Pete Townshend, Bruce Springsteen and Ian Hunter; it’s about time everyone else caught up!  Mike Campbell _______________________________ Thanks so much Bob. Bless your RnR heart! Heartfelt thanks for what you wrote in the newsletter. My inbox and phone are blowing up! I'm humbled and deeply grateful. Coming from you that means a ton!  I refuse to give up or give in!!  That makes two of us!  Here's to us believers!!  Willie -- 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