Soundscan subscribers received the Billboard Top 200 chart today and I have to say 2009 is off to a great start. The folks over at P4K were quick to congratulate
The man behind one of the most recognizable piano intros of all-time passed away this morning at the age of 56. Billy Powell of Lynyrd Skynyrd died at his home
From the success of last week’s debut of God Street Wednesday, it’s clear we’re not the only ones who want to see a God Street Wine reunion. We’ve heard from a number of Winos with tales from the road, posters, flyers, photos as well as videos and audio from the band’s heyday. Look for all of that and much more over the next few months each Wednesday on HT.
[Photo of GSW and Al Schnier from Wetlands on 1/3/98 by Joe Madonna]
Up first this week, we’ve got a quartet of high-quality videos from a GSW show at the Wetlands Preserve on February 16, 1999 filmed and uploaded by our friend Joe Madonna. At this point in the band’s career Tomo and Bevo had left. The band held auditions and replaced the longtime members with Pete Levin on keys and Aubrey Dayle on drums. As you can see in this clip of Wendy, Pete and Aubrey held shit down…
httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L-PA5S4f5UY
It’s also been a big week for the Live Music Archive’s God Street Wine collection. Seven (!?!?!) magnificent soundboard recordings from Michael Weiss of the band’s mid-’90s glory days have been lovingly transferred and uploaded to Archive.org. So far I’ve listened to two of the shows and the quality of both the playing and the recording are top-fucking-shelf.
I’m particularly partial to what appears to be an acoustic show at Peasant’s Cafe in Greenville, NC on November 17, 1994. This crystal clear tape starts off with Tomo laying down station IDs for Deerfield Academy’s radio station before the boys pick up their acoustics and start the show with a cover of All Blues. Next, they launch into a bluegrass-tinged Wendy that’s completely different from the 1999 electric version above.
READ ON to watch the rest of Joe Madonna’s videos from 1999 and to stream seven of Michael Weiss’ tapes from 1994 and 1995…
Next week, former BtN artist Ben Kweller will release his fourth full-length album Changing Horses, but those of you expecting another album chocked full of indie-pop are going to be
When you hear the word “acoustic” associated with a concert, it conjures up visions of acoustic guitars and bar stools on stage. The drummer becomes a percussionist; everyone sits on the stools and plays their music without all the decibels and hot dogging. It’s more about the music than the show.
MTV made sure we were all familiar with the concept with their “Unplugged” series. Everyone from Sting to Nirvana to 10,000 Maniacs has played that venue. When your favorite band adds and acoustic set to their show, the tunes are approached differently by the musicians. Sometimes the results are wonderful, ala Springsteen’s Born To Run on the Chimes Of Freedom EP. Other times, not so much, like Motley Crue trying to pull off Girls, Girls, Girls with Tommy Lee on congas. Just can’t get behind that one. Truth in advertising laws aside, inserting the word Semi- between the first two words appearing on the ticket would be closer to what we were treated to at the Aladdin Theater on Friday night.
Los Lobos put a slightly different spin on the acoustic label tonight. They started on time, all five members fanning out at the front of the stage with, true to their word, acoustic instruments. Like a mariachi on steroids, they strummed and harmonized their way through a first set that consisted of mostly Spanish vocals and joyous interplay. When Louie Perez stepped to the mike to sing Saint Behind The Glass four songs in, they were already sweating. From the front row, they looked like they were having the time of their lives. Even Cesar Rosas, the epitome of cool behind his ever present dark shades, was grinning ear to ear.
READ ON for more of A.J.’s review of Los Lobos @ The Aladdin…
The boys at Shitbagz put together the Diamond Dave Edition of Asteroidz. Now THAT’s what we call a crotch rocket. You’ve gotta love a game where you get to shoot
Sirius XM Radio are launching Sirius XMU Sessions, a series of in-studio performances from ground-breaking artists. Sirius XMU Sessions will debut on Wednesday, January 28th on Sirius XMU (Sirius channel
Wesley Snipes is set to play James Brown in a movie about his life, according to reports. Director Spike Lee revealed at the Sundance Film Festival that the project is
"The Wrestler" is the bonus track on Springsteen's latest album, Working on a Dream. It's a honest tale set to poignant music. It connects in the way we expect Springsteen to connect. However, it is appropriately labeled as bonus material, because it really doesn't fit the rest of the album.
Lynyrd Skynyrd keyboardist Billy Powell died this morning (Jan. 28) at his home in Orange Park, Fla. He was 56. According to the Associated Press, Powell called 911 around 12:55
