bmusic - Newsletter No. 211

bmusic
Newsletter No.211
March 20th - March 26th 2006

We had a great response to last week's issue that discussed the polarisation of generations through the music of the time and the relative lask thereof at present, at least as we perceive it. A number of issues were raised and we'll share a few of the e-mail or their general views first. One of the finest literary pieces to ever hit my Inbox came from subscriber John:

This should be the subject of more than one thesis. The current day music scene is an evolutionary reflection of the creative music streams of the last 4 decades imbued with the unavoidable social influences that accompanied them. As a boomer and the father of a metal drummer I have come to grips with the notion that this age will not generate a "galvanising genre". The cyclical liberating release of unconscious conservative energies that powered, shaped and defined our music and our lives has for the moment, seemed to run its course. The power of reflection (consciousness) we BB's have on the music and the times is now a part of our psychic makeup and so we look to the current state of affairs in the music scene and wonder where the "new wave" will come from. The marketeers (as always) dissect all aspects of our lives in the search for the money making formula and this is what "disaffects" youth big time (thank God) because we all hate to be manipulated. Sexual liberation, social liberation, political liberation - think sex before marriage, children out of wedlock the Vietnam and "Green" protest issues - today's kids shared none of the passion associated with these issues. Today's issues and people are intellectualised to death, marketed to with a sophistication that makes your skin crawl. But still, doesn't the technically marvellous sub genre music not reflect this technological age? Does the proliferation of genres reflect this societies skill at multi tasking? More importantly is the music played and written with the intent of "capturing the passion" ? I'm sure it is. We haven't changed as human beings in that respect. We still need to be moved, not merely entertained. It just seems that issues to "galvanise about" seem thin on the ground considering the deep focus on issues psychologically external to us like the environment, education consumerism etc.

John followed up after some discussion with a footnote:

Those of us that experienced the happening of rock/pop music in the 60's & early 70's are some of the luckiest on the planet! The point I'm making is even though that music was also marketed, the "quality" (social & personal relevance) was there and we "loved" to buy the product. Contrast that with today's crap package (image, sex, social justice etc) the pushers first "manufacture" and then try to sell. Heaven help those (financially) if you don't tow the line. The musical individual must rule today or we are nowhere.

The points John raised were echoed in a few other pieces of correspondence with other subscribers, and another John mentioned the preeminence of rap and hip hop in the present day but that the genre at large has been ineffective in dominating and, therefore, being of more political and social importance due to the fluff masquerading as rap and hip hop that is marketed for the mass commercial market. This goes along with the first John and his point about the package and the manufacturing of a product. The same could also be said for what is arguably the other dominant genre with a passionate league of followers, the hardcore and punk movement. Bands like Good Charlotte and Simple Plan are selected as the "Pat Boone's" of the genre, the relatively watered down versions of a style that goes far deeper, but dangerously so if you're a record exec trying to capture dollars.

Subscriber Mark has been on the road for the better part of the last six months playing throughout the Northern Territory and Eastern States and makes an excellent point from his observations on the road of late:

I know wot u mean mate I can never seem to imagine in my wildest dreams the next big wave to hit. I have always been surprised too when the next one hits ie. Jet, Wolfmother etc.

Although what I have noticed is from an industry POV: there has been a resurge in live music in terms of attendance (eg more BDOs selling out etc) and more independent bands being able to sustain success. If you can read anything into that more than me it could lead to a clue perhaps.

Posters to our forum had even more elements to add to the discussion, things I had entertained but was only able to do from my age perspective rather than that of the generation being questioned. The common feeling amongst many in their late teens and early twenties was that there are issues that they probably should be united against. I mean, if you really look at it, there is plenty going on right now around the world, but many in that age group don't think it's as relevant or as big a deal as Vietnam and the like were. Who's to say current world events aren't as big as something that has occurred in past generations, history will decide that. Perhaps it's media or the way history has been taught that kids get the impression that anything that's going to happen to them isn't as important as what's happened in decades past. They are maybe not being given the impetus to think beyond that?? I'm not sure, but 9/11 sure was a big deal, it changed the world they live in. Along those likes Troy had this to say:

There are still bands that write about relevant issues but its caught up in being "cool". As much as I'm not a great Green Day fan how many of their fans actually consider the meaning of "American Idiot"??? I don't think today's audience listens to the music on a level that would promote a generation defining musical movement.

Tyson made an excellent post on our forum on the matter, and coincidentally has been reading a book I'd hitherto been unaware of that I absolutely HAVE to check out. Tyson mentions the book by John McWhorter in his communique, "Doing Our Own Thing: The Degradation of Language and Music and Why We Should, Like, Care". It has some relevance to the discussion from what Tyson tells me and the blurb: Acclaimed linguist McWhorter (The Power of Babel [2002]) explores the social dynamics that have changed the English language since the 1960s and threaten to erode our intellectual prowess. Comparing past speakers from Abraham Lincoln to Mario Cuomo to more modern speakers, including President George W. Bush, McWhorter laments the loss of the art of oration, notwithstanding Jesse Jackson and the black preaching tradition. He traces the current emphasis on oral versus written speech across a variety of cultures and times. McWhorter focuses on the forces at work in the U.S. that have heightened the appeal of plain-speaking since the 1960s, including the influence of music, the breakdown of racial barriers, and the rise in immigration and technology. While he sees the trend toward emphasizing the oral over the written as "the celebration of the art in spoken language," he laments the impact on our ability to read, write, and critique. McWhorter's eloquent style and cogent analysis will appeal to readers concerned about trends in American education and communication.
Vanessa Bush. Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved So to what Tyson had to add to the discussion:

Might the next "explosion" be some sort of rebellion in relation to the commercialisation of "music" and lack of rebellion?

Or will the majority of people stay the way they are now - too uninformed, ignorant, and intellectually lazy to do anything about it. Money makes the world go 'round, and the wheelers and dealers in the industry knew how to capitalise on trends 30 years ago just as well as they do now.

At the moment I'm extremely dissatisfied by the whole music industry - and I know I'm not the only one. For example, I never listen to the radio and most of the bands / artists I listen to are not from this era, simply because there seems to be nothing meaningful or heartfelt in any of the music or lyrics (a generalisation I know, but IMO for the most part it is true). And I know it would have been like this years ago, but I feel to a lesser extent. I'm also reading an interesting book called "Doing Our Own Thing: The Degradation of Language and Music and Why We Should, Like, Care " by John McWhorter - American but still very interesting.

And then I read things like this, fromwww.rense.com: McDonald's is tempting rappers to use the name Big Mac in their lyrics, it was reported yesterday.

The fast food chain will offer singers up to five dollars (£2.80) every time their song is played on the radio, the American magazine Advertising Age said.

It said its goal was to have Big Macs featuring in several songs by the summer.

Rap and hip-hop artists are no strangers to placing brand names, but they have usually concentrated on more expensive items than burgers. Bentley, Porsche, Gucci and Dom Perignon have all been mentioned by the likes of Jay-Z, 50 Cent and Snoop Dogg.

McDonald's is said to have hired marketing firm Maven Strategies for the campaign. Its president, Tony Rome, said: "The main thing is to allow the artists to do what they do best. We're letting them creatively bring to life the product in their song."

The burger chain would have final approval of the lyrics, he added.

A McDonald's spokesman said: "This partnership reflects our appreciation and respect for the most dominant youth culture in the world." Not that I've listened to his music much, but I always saw Ben Lee as somewhat original and less likely to give in to this commercialisation than a lot of other artists, not so. I listened to "Catch My Disease" at a party the other night and was pretty disgusted with the fact he had to include liking: Coca-Cola, Good Charlotte, and "Beyonce". Power to him if "that's the way he likes it", but to me it just seems a tad too cheesy and "perfect" to be in there purely as a product of his own heartfelt admissions.

Back to my original point: Will the next "galvanising genre" be one in relation to the disgusting commercialisation of the industry? I don't think I'd mind too much if it was, but I don't think it will be. It'd be quite a funny situation - record companies making loads of cash selling records about them making loads of cash...

Now THAT would be something! There's a fair bit there to absorb into the discussion so I'll leave you with those excellent contributions for now, and by all means, if you feel you have something more to offer feel free to let us know or post on our forum HERE. It's a very complex issue and we'd be more than pleased to keep the discussion going should subscribers feel it's of interest to them.

We have a request for some information that some of our subscribers might be able to help us with. A long time subscriber and friend of ours is after some information about a "print-on demand" service that's purported to be operational in Australia. Apparently there is an indy Australian bloke who operates a print-on-demand business like Synergy in Australia. He also has a digital royalty collection company like the U.S. based company IODA.
IODA is a digital distributor that allies independent rightsholders — labels, publishers, musicians, and songwriters to negotiate licensing agreements with the vast array of digital music outlets, including streaming and download services such as Apple iTunes, Napster, Rhapsody, Music Match, etc. IODA's collective bargaining power enables independent rightsholders to receive more favorable terms than would otherwise be possible. IODA offers significant time and cost-saving benefits to rightsholder, who would otherwise need to contact and negotiate with each online outlet and provide them with materials in a myriad of format that vary from service to service.
If you have any information about print on demand distribution or IODA type companies, please let us know. We can pass it on to our subscriber and even share it with others as it's most certainly something that should be of interest to all indy original bands here.

A repeat Where Are They Now? this week, one of the features we oft get the opportunity to update with new information thanks to subscribers and fans or friends of the guys letting us know. This week is no exception, new relevant information has been passed on to us and duly noted in the updated feature.
Regulars including Feature Article, The Week Ahead in Music History, Featured Artist and more are all inside Issue 211 of the bmusic Newsletter.
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Thanks to everyone for reading, we'll see you next week!

TABLE OF CONTENTS (You will need to be online to use the Table of Contents to jump through sections)

Where Are They Now? - Where Are They Now? - Kings Of The Sun (Updated)

This week's Music Quote

Featured Product - Hughes & Kettner Warp Factor

This week's Specials

This week's Feature Article - Notes On Replacing Power Valves

This week's Feature Artist - Mz Ann Thropik

Musicians Wanted

Gear Wanted

Band Links

The Week Ahead In Music History
           Events
           Births
           Deaths

Give us your suggestions

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In 1956, Carl Perkins was injured in a car accident whilst traveling to New York City for an appearance on the Ed Sullivan show. Perkins spent several months in hospital and by the time he recovered, Elvis Presley had covered his hit, "Blue Suede Shoes" and Perkins' career never recovered.

In 1958, Elvis Presley entered the US Army.
After receiving the standard GI haircut, he was quoted as saying "Hair today, gone tomorrow." Presley had actually received his draft notice the previous December, but was granted a 60-day deferment to complete the movie "King Creole."

In 1961, The Beatles played their first show at The Cavern Club in Liverpool.

In 1963, "He's So Fine" by the Chiffons reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100. George Harrison was later found to have subconciously plagiarized the melody from the Chiffons song for his 1970 hit "My Sweet Lord."

In 1964, the Beatles' "Can't Buy Me Love" debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 at number 28. The next week it topped the chart. That's the fastest rise to number-one in the history of the Hot 100.

In 1965, Bill Wyman was knocked unconscious by an electrical shock delivered from a microphone stand in Odense, Denmark. The Rolling Stones were kicking off their Scandanavian tour with the show.

In 1965, guitarist Jeff Beck replaced Eric Clapton in the Yardbirds, the influential British group that laid the groundwork for the heavy metal groups of the 1970's. Clapton quit the group because he objected to the band's turn toward more commercial material.

In 1966, the New York state assembly became the first legislative body in the world to ban bootleg recordings. Bootlegs are recordings that are unlicensed and unauthorized.

In 1967, the Who made their US debut in New York as part of a week-long rock n' roll extravaganza promoted by disc jockey Murray (the K) Kaufman. The Who were virtually unknown in America at the time and were not among the top-billed acts.

In 1968, Eric Clapton and Neil Young, Richie Furay and Jim Mesina of Buffalo Springfield were arrested in L.A. for "being at a place where it is suspected marijuana is being used." Clapton was later found innocent of the misdemeanour charge whilst the others all paid small fines for the offence.

In 1969, John Lennon of the Beatles married Yoko Ono at a civil ceremony in Gibraltar.
For their honeymoon, Lennon and Ono held a "Bed-In For Peace" in the presidential suite of the Amsterdam Hilton.

In 1969, a film by John Lennon called "Rape (Film Number Six)" received its world premiere on Australian television. Whether anyone watched it is another question.

In 1970, The Jackson Five released "ABC", their second release to go straight to Number 1 on the US charts.

In 1973, police found marijuana, LSD, cocaine and prescription drugs in a suitcase after stopping a car driven by Jerry Garcia of the Grateful Dead on a freeway near Philadelphia.

In 1980, a 28-year-old trucker from Texas took a hostage at the New York offices of Elektra-Asylum records. He demanded to see either Jackson Browne or the Eagles so he could ask for money to fund his trucking operation. He surrendered without seeing either one.

In 1980, the Police became the first Western rock band to play in Bombay, India, performing two shows.

In 1981, Austin, Texas declared Christopher Cross Day in honor of the singer who had just won five Grammy Awards, including song of the year for "Sailing." Cross performed at a homecoming concert in Austin.

In 1985, hundreds of radio stations in the US and Canada simultaneously played "We Are the World," the fundraising song for African famine relief recorded by 45 superstar performers. The broadcast took place at 10:50 a.m. US Eastern Time on Good Friday. Sales of the single, album, video and related merchandise initially raised more than US$38 million.

In 1985, Billy Joel married model Christy Brinkley. The couple divorced after nine years of marriage.

In 1990, singer Gloria Estefan suffered a broken vertebra when the Miami Sound Machine's bus was rammed from behind by a truck on an interstate highway in eastern Pennsylvania. She underwent surgery in New York and took months to recover.

In 1990, Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers headlined at 16-hour concert in Windhoek to celebrate Namibian independence from South Africa. Ten years earlier, Ziggy's father, Bob Marley, had played a concert to celebrate Zimbabwe's independence.

In 1990, drummer Steven Adler, a founding member of Guns N' Roses, was booted out of the group. Adler later sued his former bandmates and others, claiming he was fraudulently removed and stripped of his partnership interest in the band. Adler also complained the other members of Guns N' Roses introduced him to heroin and encouraged his continual use of the drug.

In 1991, Michael Jackson inked a record deal with Sony reportedly worth $1 billion, a record that hasn't been anywhere near broken since. Bet they're pissed about that investment right about now!

In 1992, a judge in Chicago approved partial refunds for people who bought Milli Vanilli recordings or attended concerts believing the lip-synching duo were actually singing. Arista Records and its parent, BMG, paid out more than US$400,000. About 80,000 claims were filed, most of them by people who bought compact discs.

In 1992, Tammy Wynette collapsed for the second time during an Australian tour, forcing the cancellation of the remainder of the shows. Doctors said the country star was suffering from exhaustion.

In 1994, more than 2,000 people without tickets tried to force their way into an outdoor concert by Pearl Jam in Miami. The mob pushed down chain-link fences and hurled rocks and bottles. Riot police were called in, and four people were arrested. Five people were hurt.

In 1997, fans invaded record stores to snap up copies of The Notorious BIG's posthumous album "Life After Death." Its release came just two weeks after the rapper was slain in a drive-by shooting in Los Angeles. The album debuted at number one on the Billboard chart.

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Births In 1924, singer Sarah Vaughan was born in Newark, New Jersey.

In 1930, our very own Rolf Harris.

In 1942, Aretha Franklin, dubbed "Lady Soul" in the 1960's, was born in Memphis.

In 1943, the Yardbirds harmonica player Keith Relf.

In 1944, singer Diana Ross was born in Detroit.

In 1947, singer Elton John, whose real name is Reginald Dwight, was born in Pinner, England.

In 1948, Lee Oskar, harmonica player with War.

In 1948, Steve Tyler, lead vocalist with Aerosmith.

In 1948, Richard Tandy, guitarist and keyboardist for the Electric Light Orchestra.

In 1948, John Evans, former keyboardist for Jethro Tull, was born in England. Evans joined the group in 1970 in time to appear on the band's gold LP "Benefit." He stayed with Jethro Tull until 1979.

In 1949, rock singer Nick Lowe.

In 1949, The Cars Ric Ocasek.

In 1951, rock drummer Carl Palmer and guitarist Jimmie Vaughan, formerly of the Fabulous Thunderbirds.

In 1951, Supertramp guitarist Roger Hodgson.

In 1954, country singer Reba McEntire.

In 1959, Angus Young, lead guitarist with the heavy metal band AC/DC.

In 1961, drummer for the Stray Cats, Slim Jim Phantom.

In 1963, rapper Hammer (ex MC Hammer), whose real name is Stanley Kirk Burrell.

In 1966, blues-rock guitarist Jeff Healey, in Toronto, Canada.

In 1970, singer Mariah Carey.

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Deaths In 1827, composer Ludvig van Beethoven died in Vienna at the age of 57.
His death, after a long illness with cirrhosis of the liver, came during a thunderstorm, and Beethoven is said to have shook his fist in defiance at the heavens.

In 1918, French composer Claude Debussy, one of the foremost exponents of musical impressionism, died at the age of 56. Debussy made use of the whole tone scale, instead of the traditional scale of Western music, giving his work a new range of mood and expression. Among Debussy's more famous works are "Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun," "La Mer" and "Clair de Lune," which is part of a larger suite.

In 1943, Russian pianist, composer and conductor Sergei Rachmaninoff died at the age of 70. He was known as one of the greatest pianists of his generation.

In 1958, In 1958, W.C. Handy, the composer known as "The Father of the Blues," died in New York at the age of 84.
Handy, who was white, wrote his blues from the melodies he heard performed by black musicians and singers in the US South. His first composition, "Memphis Blues," was published in 1912 and became popular through large sheet music sales. Handy's most famous song is "St. Louis Blues," published in 1914.

In 1976, Phyllis Major, the wife of singer-songwriter Jackson Browne, committed suicide. Much of the music on Browne's album, "The Pretender," displays the sense of despair at her death. "The Pretender" became the first of Browne's LP's to sell a million copies.

In 1986, singer Mark Dinning died of a heart attack at the age of 52. Dinning was best known for his 1959 hit, "Teen Angel."

In 1987, Maria von Trapp, whose escape from the Nazis with her husband and children inspired "The Sound of Music," died in Stowe, Vermont at the age of 82. Mrs. Von Trapp was 33 when she fled her native Austria in 1938 with her children and husband. Their story was told in a book, a play and an Academy-Award-winning movie starring Julie Andrews. The Trapp Family Singers toured North America and Europe for several years before settling in Vermont.

In 1991, the four-year-old son of rock guitarist Eric Clapton died after he fell out the window of a 53rd-floor apartment in New York. A housekeeper had left the window open.

In 1991, Clarence Leo Fender, whose Stratocaster guitar was favoured by such rock stars as Buddy Holly, Jimi Hendrix , Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton and Eddie Van Halen, died in Fullerton, California at age 82.
Fender introduced the first mass-produced solid-body electric guitar, the Broadcaster, in 1948. The Broadcaster became the Telecaster in 1950, and four years later, Fender introduced the Stratocaster.

In 1995, producer Paul Rothchild, renowned for his work with the Doors, Janis Joplin and other icons of the 1960's, died in Hollywood, California of lung cancer. He was 59. Rothchild produced the Doors' six studio albums, Joplin's "Pearl," as well as albums by the Paul Butterfield Blues Band and Love. In later years, he worked with Bonnie Raitt and produced the soundtracks to Bette Midler's "The Rose" and Oliver Stone's "The Doors."

In 1995, rapper Eazy-E, who helped popularize the hardcore "gangsta" rap style, died in Los Angeles of complications from AIDS. He was 31. Eazy-E, whose real name was Eric Wright, had disclosed he had AIDS only 10 days earlier. Wright co-founded the rap group NWA with Ice Cube and Dr. Dre, and they released a string of hit albums in the mid-1980's. Their tough, often profane style came to be known as "gangsta" rap.

In 1997, Harold Melvin, leader of the Philadelphia soul group Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes, died in his hometown at age 57. He had suffered two strokes. Although Melvin formed the Blue Notes in 1954, they didn't become widely popular until the early 1970s, with Teddy Pendergrass as lead singer. "If You Don't Know Me By Now" and "The Love I Lost" were rhythm and blues chart-toppers.

In 1994, singer, songwriter and producer Dan Hartman died of a brain tumour aged 43. Hartman was a member of The Legends, worked with Stevie Wonder and produced US rock legends Foghat.

In 1996, former Turtles drummer Don Murray died of complications from an undisclosed surgery at the age of 50.

In 1999, Indian Classical Fusion musician and nephew of Ravi Shankar, Ananda Shankar died of cardiac arrest.

In 2000, singer Ian Dury of Ian Dury And The Blockheads fame passed away after battling colon cancer. Dury's group released classics such as "Sex and Drugs and Rock and Roll" and "Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick".

In 2002, songwriter, producer, singer, drummer, guitarist, fiddler and member of The Texas Hillbillies, Tommy Hill.

In 2002, drummer Randy Castillo lost his battle with cancer at the age of 49. Castillo spent his career playing for metal legends Ozzy Osbourne, Motley Crue, and Lita Ford, among many others.

In 2002, Three Dog Night bassist Joe Schermie died of a heart attack.

In 2002, legendary actor and talented musician and composer Dudley Moore died from pneumonia, a complication of progressive supranuclear palsy. Moore actually composed the scores to movies such as Cynthia and Bedazzled and released several jazz albums as a pianist.

In 2004, Mudvayne and Slipknot manager and founder of management group No Name Worldwide, Steve Richards died of brain cancer at the age of 36.

In 2005, Foghat guitarist Rod price died at the age of 57 from injuries suffered after falling down a flight of stairs at his home.

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