March 2008

We’re extremely honored to welcome Randy Ray onto the Hidden Track team. You’re probably familiar with Randy’s work on both Relix and Jambands, but he’s also authored two novels with a third on its way. Here’s Randy’s first column:

Most people are unaware that on the initial release of London Calling, The Clash’s landmark double album, their hit single, arguably the most commercial piece of old school ear candy the band would ever record, wasn’t even listed on the sleeve.

Train in Vain appeared as a hidden track, the last song on side 4, kicking in after Revolution Rock, and solidified the legendary status of the album and the band. The gesture also spoke volumes about the post-punk quartet’s confidence that a) they could record a cool, timeless track, and b) they didn’t need to shove the product down the consumer’s throat by highlighting its appearance with even a slight mention on the sleeve.

That sort of hidden track mentality also feeds into my philosophy of live music and film. Like most people who either write or consume the many morsels of heady and witty words on this site, we are longtime Phish fans, as well—just sort of comes with the territory these days like the idea that most of us are either post-college, in college or live near one of those brick or ivy institutions. Anyway, I take that fact as a given and it follows that a lot of the old Phish head way of thinking feeds into our daily lives beyond the “1 for 3, 2 for 5” and “brotha can ya spare an extra” ingrained information.

The best comment I ever heard about improvisation actually came from Phish keyboardist, Page McConnell when he very simply stated that if the band had not been venturing out into the Great Unknown for 15 minutes, they would not have reached that point where everyone was in sync, a new form of music was being created on the spot, and the entire audience was part of that process. There are numerous examples from a 20-plus year career where Phish did, indeed, find this passage of space after the 10- or 12- or McConnell-branded 15-minute demarcation mark. Suffice to say, it required the band and fan to be patient through quite a bit of improvising before one got to that sweet spot.

Read on to find out what film Randy chose as the first Hidden Flick…

Move over Wilco and My Morning Jacket, jam fans may have a new indie band to embrace – Of Montreal. While they may be best know for an insane arty

Over the past 12 months we’ve seen a number of bands create innovative methods to try to beat the dreaded internet leak. The latest brilliant ploy comes from The Raconteurs who have just announced that they will release their second album, Consolers Of The Lonely, on vinyl, cd and digital formats next Tuesday. In a little over a week we’ll have 14 new tracks from the supergroup.

The Raconteurs finished recording the album two weeks ago, and have opted to bypass the traditional “first week sales” marketing push the record labels love so much. Instead they plan to release Consolers Of The Lonely, and then promote the album after everyone has a chance to hear the music at the same time. We figure that there are some major label execs that are hoping the new album goes down like a lead balloon, but we’re banking on Jack White and the boys to deliver another delicious serving of rock. Read on for the full letter from the band, including the outstanding news that they plan to sell 320kbps mp3s.

For their Rolling Stone cover shoot back in 1992 Kurt Cobain famously wore a t-shirt declaring “Corporate Magazines Still Suck” as a way of sticking it to the establishment that

Fact: White people look ridiculous when they dance. This is bound to be one of my least popular statements, but I stand by it. I have been to weddings and I have seen your macarenas, chicken dances, electric slides, mashed potatoes, and running men. I’ve been to The Phish concerts and I have survived the twirlers, twisters, hoopers, sicky-sicky ragers and meatstickers. The fact is, we all have a touch of the Elaine Benes gene.

Admittedly, I look more ridiculous than most. Get me drunk enough and I will perform the “African Ant Eater Ritual” in its entirety for any audience. But if you want to see a real, full-fledged spectacle, put on some traditional Irish music, preferably a jig or a reel. After a few glasses of Jameson, I will show you the true meaning of the word “spastic.” (In my more sober moments I realize that being a quarter Irish does not excuse such behavior.)

The ‘Celtic Music Resurgence’ of the past half a century has provided drunken a-holes like me with some truly inspired music to compliment our pints of Guinness and Smithwick’s. So, in honor of St. Patrick’s Month (which began officially on March 1st in Hoboken NJ) here are two of my favorite trad-Irish artists for you to check out! Slante!

Read on for Neeko’s look at the music of Flook and Solas…

Happy St. Paddy’s Day everyone! When I was a kid it was all about Shamrock Shakes and green bagels – that’s how we Jews celebrated it at least. These days