Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Celluloid Heroes

Every great show that I've gone to was at a small venue. The BEST show I've seen to date was the Ramones (RIP)-- was deaf for three days. I'm certain I did some permanent damage but it was worth it. I rode my bike to that show because everyone had bailed on me. So I put on a tuxedo jacket , a bright blue dress shirt with cufflinks, a black bow tie and comfortable black linen pants. I rode my bike about five miles, locked it behind the bar-- The Back Room, in Austin, I think it was called.

It was the greatest show... well.... hyperbole aside .. it was the best show I saw of a well known band. And I've seen some "legends" (another time). Some of my favorite musical moments have been of obscure local bands and of folk musicians ( again for another time)

At that show, all the punkster dorks were in their Sunday best (dang.. It WAS a sunday).. and in the pre-show , we all sang along to Anarchy in the UK (I kid you not... it was hysterical and exhilarating). The show was brilliant.
Van Halen was playing on the other side of town and Joey Ramone made obvious elitist punk jokes and we all laughed because we were better than the metal heads losing brain cells across town. (of Halen and hair metal I will talk later too..yes?)

It was magic. There was about 150 people that night. It was cozy and there was nothing to kill the spirit.

I've never really enjoyed the big concert crowds, at least not yet.. but I have to admit when I see this clip of
The Kinks, I'm a little jealous. The crowd isn't mega huge.. but still bigger than I usually enjoy.

But damn it, it's the kinks AND it's "Celluloid Heroes"... You gotta love that.

Monday, June 29, 2009

Elliot Smith

Well,
Jack Black once asked me..."What's with you and this sad sack music?"

I replied, "What's with you and Led Zeppelin? I'm from San Antonio-- we cut our teeth on those pathetic Brits... Move on!!! "

"Touche"

Elliot Smith---
Yes, he was our generation's Nick Drake... actually Nick Drake was our generation's Nick Drake. But that's another story.

I like many of Elliot's songs but this is my favorite.



It's the ultimate song of unrequited love.
However, it was about his mother.

The thought takes me to another Eliot... T.S. Eliot
“There's no vocabulary For love within a family, love that's lived in But not looked at, love within the light of which All else is seen, the love within which All other love finds speech. This love is silent”


This love is silent? Family love that is silent? Obviously T.S. never met a Mexican mother.

But the truth of "familial love" being the love through which all other love finds speech... is true.

And Elliot Smith's cry, "Never gonna know you now, but I'm gonna love you anyhow", is sorrowful and lovely.

Friday, June 26, 2009

Lalo Guerrero

OK.. so I started this as another exercise in narcissism.
I love telling people about ME. Because, face it, I am fascinating (actually you don't know that yet..but you will)

But the more I get into this, the less its become about ME.. and the more it is about what I find on You Tube.
I've become a little of a You Tube archaeologist.
I find things that amaze me.
You know, I thought that I would be doing a lot more "analysis" here... not so much.
More and more, I find myself just being in awe.

Lalo Guerrero is someone that I'm in awe of.
His career spanned --- well the second half of the 20th century.
He is known for starting Chicano music and chances are that if you were alive last century, and you are Mexican or Chicano, you've heard his music.
When I was a child I knew Lalo Guerrero for doing Mexican Alvin and the Chipmunks type songs, before Alvin and the Chipmunks...
Panfilo!
http://shopping.yahoo.com/p:En%20La%20Navidad:1922004715

For a full discography... here's his son's web site
http://markguerrero.net/misc_21.php

But my favorite Lalo Guerrero song is Los Chucos Suaves .
It's evocative, hip, swinging and sexy.
I heard Chucos Suaves sung by Olmos in Zoot Suit, when I was 12 and it stuck with me for years, I just didn't know what it was called.
And thanks to Arhoolie records, I found the original along with other really fun recordings (if you like guitar music check out Jorge Cordoba's Frijole Boogie ...in my best Jack Black..."tasty"...).

Buy it...it is extremely good...and if you do.. buy it from Arhoolie, they're good people-- they're not a corporation and have been keeping folk music alive for years.
http://www.arhoolie.com/titles/7040.shtml