Category Archives: music

Music for your Bacchanalia

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A genuine bacchanalia needs the right music, music that evokes a sense of raw desire, truth in flesh, that kind of thing, not superficially bald renderings such as Madonna’s Like a Virgin or at your local electric zoo. Music for your BacchanaliaDance party music is often predictable, denying the subtlety of the bacchanalia, the potential for a slow build, heightening the tension, a move to the side, and then incrementally back toward inevitable release.

Some alternate bacchanalia soundtracks to consider:

4. Uah (Mouse on Mars)Music for your Bacchanalia

Stripped down, dream-like, this music moves between slumber and fever.

3. Supplication (Grateful Dead)

Music for your BacchanaliaJazz meets psychedelia, spiraling toward electric understanding..

2. Voodoo Chile (Jimi Hendrix)

Music for your BacchanaliaTowering worlds climb and collide, fade into the distance, resurrected, flying again, impossibly so.

1. Heavenly Music at Half Speed (Fripp & Eno)

Music for your BacchanaliaThe feeling of a vibrating whole reduced to a devastating note washing over, continuing without end. Something like that.

The Deadhead Shrug

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“Ticket?” The conductor held out his hand.

The Deadhead moved the thin plastic bag to his other hand and absently dug into a pocket. “I had it, man.”

“I need your ticket.”

“Yeah.” The Deadhead’s scruffy beard and dirty jacket and pants stood out in rumpled contrast to the commuters on their way home to Connecticut. “I had it.”

“You’ll have to get off at the next stop.”

“I can’t do that, man.”

The conductor was perhaps reflecting on how such cases are handled in Scotland. “Ticket is $14.”

The Deadhead offered a crumpled dollar bill. “I have this, man.”

The conductor glared back. “Next stop.”

“Listen, man, I…” He held out his hands and raised his shoulders in a pathetic, slow motion shrug.

The conductor continued on through the car. “Tickets, please.”

The Deadhead stayed where he was, half hiding between cars, slumped in the corner, hoping the conductor wouldn’t come back. And he didn’t.

The Deadhead got off at his stop, Port Chester where there was a Phil Lesh concert, and adjusted his pants and CVS bag on the platform.

It struck me, as I walked past, how I’d seen this same character many times before, so often at Grateful Dead concerts, everything sweet and cool as long as they got what they wanted: free rides, food and tickets.

The issue was significant enough for Jerry Garcia to write Day Job, in which he preached to his followers: If you ask me, which I know you don’t/ I’d tell you to do what I know you won’t/ Keep your day job until your night job pays.The Deadhead ShrugThe Deadheads never liked that song much, giving it that tell-tale Deadhead Shrug, ironically enough, the same shrug offered by The Dead’s management and promoter David Shapiro when only 10% of the people got tickets through the mail order while Ticketmaster, Stubhub, etc feasted on profits. “Sorry, man, hope to see you there.”

Oh well, there’s always the music.The Deadhead Shrug

The Big, Bad Business of The Grateful Dead

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The Grateful Dead create an environment like no other. The Big, Bad Business of The Grateful DeadIt is a simple thing, marvelous and sweet, just music, but music to live in, breathless and divine at moments, raucous at others, insane in between, just music, music that never seems to end.
The Big, Bad Business of The Grateful DeadYeah, I love The Grateful Dead. That’s why I wanted to go to the 50th Anniversary Shows in Chicago. That’s why I entered the mail order. The Big, Bad Business of The Grateful DeadThat’s why, even after only 10% of the orders were fulfilled (not for me) in some sort of unpleasant insider deal with Ticketmaster, Stubhub, Ebay, etc, I tried again.

That’s why, even with tickets marked up as much as 1200% (yes, twelve thousand percent), I am still considering going to one of the nights. And that’s also why I’m questioning the whole thing…or to be more honest, why I’m so pissed off at the band right now. The Big, Bad Business of The Grateful DeadThis astronomical pricing indicate that there is a possibility of Jerry Garcia might show up when it’s going to be Trey Anastasio instead, a guitarist known for his obsessive Zappa-like changes, and on-stage shenanigans.The Big, Bad Business of The Grateful DeadThe ugly tenor established by the promoters of this event indicate that this show could even feature a bastardized setlist or two. And it could be real bad: Day Job – Big Boss Man – Money – Deal – Money Money – Might As Well – Sell Out.

The Dead do not have a good business history, messing up Grateful Dead Records and every big concert they staged; as Bob Weir admitted many years ago, “We always blow the big shows”.

The Big, Bad Business of The Grateful DeadIndeed, for this show of shows, how is that Deadheads will even get in…The Big, Bad Business of The Grateful Dead…when the market for tickets has been cornered by Deadheads who have lost their way?The Big, Bad Business of The Grateful DeadThe band has never been known for empathy. Many anecdotes in Dennis McNally’s What a Long Strange Trip It’s Been focus on the band members’ personal indifference toward one another, including when drummer Bill Kreutzmann had to leave a tour to visit his gravely ill father, and only Bob Weir bothered to talk to him about it.

The musicians are known for their personal indulgences in sex, booze and drugs, and not much else…except of course for the music. The Big, Bad Business of The Grateful DeadIt is the music that is supposed to take us away from the scourge that is us, the burden of who we actually are, this detritus, our ugly state. And, yes, this music really can do that. It’s just that now The Dead are demanding a heavy price..and it isn’t just money. And yet…I still wanna go. How much is it again?

Ticket Frenzy for Grateful Dead’s 50th Anniversary Shows

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I’m a little worked up. I just entered the ticket lottery for the Grateful Dead’s 50th anniversary show in Chicago on July 4th…but I didn’t decorate my envelope.Ticket Frenzy for Grateful Dead's 50th Anniversary ShowsYes, I realize that this thing is over-hyped and over-priced (and that the lead guitarist is Trey Anastasio of Phish and not Jerry Garcia), but the thing is I really like the music.

I’ve seen the various incarnations over the past 20 years, including Phil Lesh & Friends, Ratdog, Further and The Dead, and have always enjoyed it.

Ticket Frenzy for Grateful Dead's 50th Anniversary Shows

Phil Lesh and Friends plays Forest Hills, 2014

In other words, as too many have already said, I’m thinking this thing just might be epic.

And so I followed all of the directions from Grateful Dead Ticket Srvices (GDTSTOO) exactly as scripted. I wrote how many tickets I wanted (2) and for which night (July 4) on the envelope. Ticket Frenzy for Grateful Dead's 50th Anniversary ShowsI filled out the 3 x 5 index card with all of the required information. I inserted a neatly addressed SASE. I filled out three different money orders – for the lower priced ticket ($95.50), the price difference with the higher priced one ($120.00) and the fee for priority mail return ($9.00). (Not Fedex!!) I did all of that. And I posted it on the very first day, right behind another meticulous fan who scoffed. “We don’t have a chance.”

The only thing I failed to do was decorate my envelope, something that is stated as being “welcome”. This is where I think that I made a mistake. As one Deadhead mused on-line, “I don’t want my order thrown onto the scalper’s pile!” Ticket Frenzy for Grateful Dead's 50th Anniversary ShowsAnd while that logic might makes sense, I still don’t see why I have to decorate my envelope. I mean, I’m not a toddler, nor am I ever stoned. It just doesn’t make any sense to me. It actually seems a cult-ish, dare I say conformist, thing to demand. If you don’t decorate, we know you’re a greed-head capitalist! (Which I’m really not.)

Anyway, so I didn’t do it, and now I have second thoughts. ‘Cause, the truth is I want to be there. I have to be there! They could open with El Paso-Lazy Lightnin’-Supplication-Me & My Uncle-El Paso-Supplication-Smokestack Lightnin’-Mountains of the Moon-El Paso! I mean, Holy God, it’s possible! They really could do that! Ticket Frenzy for Grateful Dead's 50th Anniversary ShowsBut what can I do now?

Maybe I should send an letter of apology and decorate that! What about a picture of Jerry dancing with those little bears and a steal-your-face sun above them all?Ticket Frenzy for Grateful Dead's 50th Anniversary Shows I bet that no one’s thought of that!

Le Nozze di Figaro – Instead of Christmas

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Instead of Christmas, I propose music: Mozart’s opera Le Nozze Di Figaro offers actual moments of contentment. Le Nozze di Figaro - Instead of ChristmasThe finale of this opera closes with the players singing of forgiveness and peace, music so beautiful that you wish it might go on forever – which is what Icelandic performance artist Ragnar Kjartansson proposed to do in his show, Bliss. Le Nozze di Figaro - Instead of ChristmasThe performance, solely devoted to this 4-minute section, went for 12 straight hours, the performers singing this pure and wonderful section over and over.Le Nozze di Figaro - Instead of ChristmasI dream that Mr. Kjartannson will consider bringing this exceptional work back – and maybe even make it longer.

Thin Lizzy, The Cars & Babe Ruth: My Soundtrack of the ’70s

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As I  work through a screenplay set in the days of my ill-spent preteen years –  the mid/late 1970’s – I have been unearthing the music that I obsessed over. Surprisingly, it’s still strong, especially the direct guitar leads and plaintive lyrics, to say nothing of the awesome cartoon album covers.

Babe Ruth’s The Joker: “A quarter ounce for a five dollar bill?!?” babe_ruth-first_baseThin Lizzy’s Jailbreak: “Like the game, if you lose, go to jail.” ThinLizzy JailbreakThe Car’s Candy-O: “I need her so.”The-Cars-Candy-O

The Small Great Moments of Cheap Trick Trick’s “Live at Budokan”

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Cheap Trick’s Live at Budokan is an album short on expertise, but long on show and full of small great moments. cheaptrickIt deserves a brief revival for these ten reasons:

  1. Emcee announcing: “All right, Tokyo! Are you ready!? Please welcome Epic Recording artists Cheap Trick!”
  2. Relentless screaming of 12,000 Japanese teenagers
  3. Drumming transition by Mr. Bun E. Carlos between “Hello, There” and “Come on, Come on”bunECarlos7
  4. ‘A’ list pop crooning by Robin Zander on “Lookout”
  5. Final slide note by Rick Nielsen on “Big Eyes”
  6. Attempt at rock epic song on “Need Your Love”rick-nielsen-with-pick-corbis-630-80
  7. Instrumental opening to “Ain’t That a Shame“
  8. Echoing call-and-response with audience on “I Want You to Want Me”
  9. Lyrics in “Surrender” including “Mom and dad were rolling on the couch”
  10. Robin Zander yelling in the finale, “Cheap Trick says good night!”20130429-cheaptrick3-600-1367245640

Closing the Summer House

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The water in the lake was perfect and I had stayed in too long, but finally surrendered and began the long, sad task of closing the summer house. 20140729_161658It was supposed to take a hour or so but took so much longer; all of the furniture had to be put back into place, animals shooed away and there were weeds growing up through the oven into the kitchen. 20140524_151704All the while I read over two essays, both of which lost focus in the middle, and kept my eye on the TV and The Beatles reunion where Lennon played on despite being crushed beneath his piano. john&paulonpianoIt was a melancholy song, one I had never heard before, and got back to what had to be done, until everything was in the boat and we set sail, back for the city.

Bob Pollard Plays Mark Twain at The Stone Pony

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Micaela says I’m pushing it, but while watching Guided by Voices last night at Asbury Park’s famed The Stone Pony, I was thinking that Bob Pollard was a Mark Twain superstar kind of guy.

Click the image below to see him nail Tractor Rape Chain. Bob Pollard Plays Mark Twain at The Stone PonyTrue, he got so drunk that he not only told the audience to “Fuck off” more than several times and played I am a Scientist twice, but also fell down in a heap at the end. Bob Pollard Plays Mark Twain at The Stone PonyBut I stick to my theory, based not only on his out-spoken, sardonic nature and belligerence, but Bob as an exhaustive, creative force. Bob Pollard Plays Mark Twain at The Stone PonyAnd he drinks a lot too.

An Ominous Sound for an Ominous Future

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Fripp & Eno started it with The Heavenly Music Corporation, not ambient music but ominous and terrifying sonic explorations, lovely too. (Click preceding link to listen.)An Ominous Sound for an Ominous FutureI heard the sound again, years later, at a Grateful Dead show in Miami in 1988; it was like being inside a jet engine, all-encompassing, so very loud.

An Ominous Sound for an Ominous FutureAnd then, in Steven Spielberg’s War of the Worlds (2006), a new version, low and distant, perhaps over-produced, arrived on screen. (Click preceding link to listen.)An Ominous Sound for an Ominous FutureIt arose again in the trailer for Chris Nolan’s Inception (2010), promising aural profundity; regrettably, the sound was brief and the movie was not.An Ominous Sound for an Ominous FutureThe sound became more realized in Gravity (2013), providing the soundscape for the impending doom of debris.An Ominous Sound for an Ominous FutureIt has now returned to the frontier of music, more than My Bloody Valentine’s sonic wall, in Sigur Ros’ latest work, Kveikur (2013).An Ominous Sound for an Ominous FutureLouder and deeper, back-filled by drums and wailing voices, the sound builds, just falling short of the next plateau. An Ominous Sound for an Ominous FutureAs this sound continues in its evolution, getting deeper and fuller, it might even be a synchronistic backdrop for our promised apocalypse.