Too Old To Rock N' Roll? Don't Believe It.

 

Did Melania Shake Down Universal Music? Pt 1

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A Complete Unknown is Boxoffice Boffo

 "A Complete Unknown" was so well put together that we had to see it a second time just to be sure it wasn't a fluke that we loved it so much.  Never have been a big fan of Bob Dylan's voice and mostly like his songs sung by other artists such as The Byrds, Jimi Hendrix, The Grass Roots and The Turtles but that's not meant to negate Dylan's obvious talent for word crafting.

"A Complete Unknown" was perfect in every way: direction, acting, music, sound and cinematic and is a thumbnail sketch of Dylan's early years.  Mercifully we were spared seeing his motorcycle accident, but were given an insight into Woody Guthrie's suffering from "Huntington's Disease" and his life in the hospital with Pete Seeger by his side.  Seeger nurtured Dylan's talent.

The film was affirming in several ways such as we always felt that Joan Baez had an affair with Dylan and the film confirms it.  It also shows how he was booed at during his morphing into an electric guitar versus a twelve string acoustic guitar.  This was a pivotal point in Dylan's career.

The film was also informative in that it showed how Johnny Cash became a fan and we wondered what Cash was doing at a Newport Folk Festival and why Dylan made the switch to electric guitar there. Dylan was evolving as a wordsmith and musician and he felt that his "handlers"wanted him to keep the "Folkie" thing going and have him perform "Blowing In The Wind" forever.

Dylan's choices were a bit questionable such as using an electric guitar at a folk festival versus at a regular gig.  His women called him an asshole on more than one occasion and we can see why.  

Timothee Chalamet brought Dylan's character to life on the screen and one felt like they were really watching Dylan throughout the film and deserves an Oscar for the performance.  Dylan is such a complicated man whose (to quote from the movie) talent was bursting at the seams.  It might still be, but we had to leave before his segment in July 2024 at the Hollywood Bowl for the Outlaw Tour so we don't know.

None of the supporting actors performances were lacking and each and every one was excellent.

When one puts the Hendrix film "All Is By My Side" up against this masterpiece one can only shake their head.  During that thing there was only a hint of music which Waddy Wachtel from Stevie Nicks' band diddled. Not one complete song in the whole film.

When Dylan and Baez sing "It Ain't Me Babe" in this film I was transported back to when I sent my abusive ex husband a letter that stated "whatever it is going on in your head it ain't me." The ex was a huge fan of Dylan's from day one and we figured he would get the gist with a Dylan song.  

Dylan's work was actually bootlegged by the first legendary underground record label known by its Pig logo.  In the book "A Pig's Tale" authors Ralph Sutherland and Harald Sherrick muse that some of Dylan's work was a direct result of their bootleg efforts. 

There are too many high points in "A Complete Unknown" to list everyone of them.  GO.SEE.IT!

Yes, Dylan is an asshole but so was Jim Morrison.  All the best ones are.

Cruel World Festival May 14, 2022 Photos

Blondie under a full moon

The Damned

Blondie/Debbie Harry

Moz

Bauhaus/Peter

Devo w/obey sticker on guitar

Devo

Devo

Devo

Devo

Jay Aston/GeneLoves Jezebel

The Meteors

Missing Persons

Missing Persons

 

Let Her Run (Official Video) - JD Hardy/ JD Hardy At The Bourbon Room

 

When #musicmaven9 first began hearing about Country music's "Bad Boy from Bakersfield" and all the plans that were in the works for him, we decided to sit back and let his music take JD on a magical mystery soiree into his vision and making it work in Hollywood.

During his show at Hollywood's Bourbon Room, JD Hardy played a rocking' Country set of his originals such as "Let Her Run" which really epitomizes what Country music is all about and Hardy also threw into the set Guns N' Roses' "Sweet Child O' Mine"in order to pay homage to his high powered, Grammy winning, record executive and manager Vicky Hamilton.

Hamilton and Hardy took a working jaunt to Nashville, Tennessee recently to play a gig there at The Basement for "New Faces" night and then they began working on some material of Hardy's at the infamous and legendary "Cash Cabin." The "Cash Cabin" is where John Carter Cash's mother June Carter Cash recorded a Grammy winning album titled "Press On" under the watchful eyes and trained ears of the irrepressible Hamilton. During those sessions Country talents Rodney Crowell and Marty Stuart were jamming right along with Cash.  

#musicmaven9 cannot wait to hear his new material recorded under the aegis of John Carter Cash and a very talented bunch of Country music denizens such as Trey Call. Wonder what Hardy will call it? His most recent album is titled "Killer" which resonates.  During his set at the Bourbon Room he was repeating phrases like C'Mon Back and was throwing the label of "Outlaw Country" around just a bit.

Whatever the title Hardy dubs this effort, I'm sure it will live up to his  "Bad Boy of Bakersfield"  reputation and his penchant for creating authentic and unique sounds.

The only thing that #musicmaven9 asks is that Hardy keeps his boots and Stetson on for all photos. It was too much of a shock to see Hardy in a cap and tennis sneakers for #musicmaven9 to wrap her head around.

We did find the decor of the Bourbon Room delightful, interesting and very male but done up tastefully and was a nice place to do some drinking. This was our maiden voyage into the dark recesses of the Bourbon Room.  

As I recently reiterated in a message to Orville Peck "just because I am known primarily for Rock and Rock N' Roll (there is a difference) doesn't mean that I cannot make the crossover to Country the same way that some Country artists cross over to Rock N' Roll/Rock...case in point Hardy doing "Sweet Child O' Mine" by Guns N' Roses and doing it very well."  

It all kind of reminded me of Gram Parsons' "Cosmic American Music" in its play on Rock N' Roll/Rock music as well as Country and how much influence Parsons' had upon his fellow musicians such as The Rolling Stones. Maybe Hardy is the same kind of force as Parsons was to music.

Orville Peck, Shania Twain - Legends Never Die (Official Video)/Orville Peck at The Arlington Theater in Santa Barbara

I first heard Orville Peck while shopping at Black Luck Vintage in Yucca, CA.  The proprietress was playing it on her jukebox and I was entranced by his voice.  His crooning takes me to a cross between Elvis, Roy Orbison and Chris Issak.

That was two years go and I finally saw him in concert in Santa Barbara, CA on April 26, which is my mother's birthday, at The Arlington theater. I brought my recently widowed friend Gabi so she could enjoy a night out.

The opening act was a fledgeling band that call themselves Teddy and The Rough Riders.  For those that don't see the historical significance of this name let me explain.  President Teddy Roosevelt had a band of brothers that he called the rough riders.

"Do what you can, with what you have, where you are" Roosevelt is credited with saying.

Roosevelt is credited with founding The Rough Riders with White House physician Col. Leonard Wood prior to becoming President.  The rough riders helped fight the Battle of San Juan Hill which helped to win the Spanish American War.

The band Teddy and The Rough Riders hails from Nashville, Tennessee where they've been working on an album. The band has a long way to go before they'll be headlining a concert.  My companion kept looking at me like "why did you bring me here for this." I explained that she had to wait for Orville Peck in order to receive the full effect that comes from a headlining act.  I also explained that their music was lacking in beats that pull you in, a backbeat that clenches the deal and lyrics that catch your interest.  In other words a fledgeling band who will learn the ropes traveling and watching Peck.

The excitement of the crowd that arrived in time to see Peck perform was joyful and in the mood to party...Peck did not disappoint.  Peck brought it! This appearance was a make-up gig because the original show was cancelled due to the Covid-19 Pandemic.

This tour was dubbed The Bronco Tour and would be spending a lot of time touring in California.  The Coachella for both weekends, The Stagecoach Festival, Pappy & Harriets and The Palomino Festival in Pasadena, CA July 9 to name just a few.

As Peck bobbed out onto the stage sporting a braided, fringed mask and some very nice fitting western wear the crowd went wild and stood up for the entire set.  I was thinking "nice ass."

It was nice to see that Peck had a female in his band and she appeared to be playing bass guitar and sang duets with Peck.  My companion turned to me and said "isn't it nice that his wife plays with him."  I tried hard not to laugh because she wasn't his wife, in fact he is gay.  This fact was what Billboard Magazine chose to put in the first paragraph in the first line of a story about Peck. SMH.

Anyway, the crowd stood up for the whole entire set of Pecks which my fancy shoes, not cowgirl boots, would not allow me to do so I only stood up for my favorite songs.  My companion complained about their standing for the whole show and I told her that is pretty standard at gigs these days...standing.

The funny ha ha thing is that I've never seen so many boots and Stetsons in Santa Barbara in all the years I've been hanging out there, working and living there for around seven years.  There isn't even a Western store in Santa Barbara since Jedlickas closed down some time ago.  

The crowd was large mixture of younger and a bit of older such as myself and Gabi.  Yeah, we're old farts.

My very favorite song in Peck's set is all of them! My very favorite song by Peck in general thus far is "Legends Never Die" which is why I selected it as the featured video. 

The Deadening by Deborah Hanon & Ministers of Culture: Give it a try

We first heard Deborah Hanon at a nightclub where her band, Lost Pilots,  did a cover of "Dancing Barefoot" by Patti Smith and she had me hook line and sinker.  Our fondness for Smith is no secret and was the subject of a column for the nohoartsdidtrict.com a few months back.  

At an interview that we conducted later on we found out that Hanon is a big fan of Smith's music. We've read the same books and own the same music.

"The Deadening" by Hanon and Ministers of Culture offers up a narrative that would make Smith proud. The music, beat, cadence all comes together to offer up a fine piece of story telling.

When we went to a record release party at the Club Lingerie for Hanon and her band back then we missed out on meeting up with Metal Maven Vicky Hamilton.  Hamilton was there in support of Hanon and much to our chagrin decades later wondered how we missed her.

Hamilton has her own record label now and this tune is released on her "Dark Spark" label.  "The Deadening" is available on music streaming platforms.