MUSIC/POLITICS: The Man In The Mirror

I totally loved the brilliant records the Jackson 5 made. I liked a big chunk of Michael Jackson's solo records. But when I heard he had died I felt nothing. Absolutely nothing. I still don't. And now I know why:

Clusterfuck Nation
Comment on Current Events by the Author of "The Long Emergency"

"The Man in the Mirror"
By James Howard Kunstler
June 29, 2009

As America entered the horse latitudes of summer, befogged in a muffling stillness on deceptively calm seas, we were distracted for a while by visions of a pale death angel moonwalking across the deck of collective consciousness. Eerie parallels resound between the sordid demise of pop singer Michael Jackson and the fate of the nation.

Like the United States, Michael Jackson was spectacularly bankrupt, reportedly in the range of $800-million, which is rather a lot for an individual. Had he lived on a few more years, he might have qualified for his own TARP program -- another piece of expensive dead-weight down in the economy's bilges -- since it is our established policy now to throw immense sums of so-called "money" at gigantic failing enterprises (while millions of ordinary citizens wash overboard, without so much as a life-preserver). Anyway, Michael Jackson was on the receiving end of one huge bank loan after another long after his pattern of profligacy was set and obvious. They threw money at him for the same reason that the federal government throws money at entities like CitiBank: the desperate hope that some miracle will allow debt servicing to resume. Michael could burn through $50-million in half a year. It didn't seem to affect his credibility as a borrower. When his heart stopped last week, he was living in a Hollywood mansion that rented for several hundred thousand dollars a month. You wonder how the landlord cashed those checks.

Like the USA, Michael Jackson was a has-been. He hadn't recorded a song worth listening to in over two decades. He had done almost nothing but spin his wheels, hop around the globe from one place to another at enormous expense, and make himself available for award ceremonies to stoke his ego (and give advertisers a reason to promote some televised award show). He existed strictly on image, an anorectic figure nourished by moonbeams of attention, famous for saying that he loved his worshippers when the truth was he merely sucked the life out of them. In his last years, he even looked a bit like Nosferatu, the personification of the un-dead, and his fascination with ghouls was the basis for his biggest hit way back in the last century. A zombie
nation deserves a zombie mascot.

He was a poseur, vamping in weird military outfits as though he were a five-star general in the Honduran army, or a character from a melodrama by the reprobate Jean Genet. He once materialized during halftime at the Superbowl in a shower of sparks, thrilling the multitudes while grabbing and stroking his sex organs, as though that was a heroic activity -- and indeed the nation seemed to emulate him as its culture became dedicated more and more to acting out masturbation fantasies. America was a fat man jerking off on the sofa watching a vampire of no particular sex vogue deliriously on the boob tube.

More than once the authorities tried to pin charges of child molestation on him for suspicious activities at his boy-trap, Neverland Ranch, with its carnival rides, private zoo, video game galleries, and inexhaustible supplies of sugary treats. The first time he settled with the alleged victim's family for $22-million. They just walked away with the loot and happily shut up. The second time, he moonwalked out of a court-of-law while weeks later jurors mysteriously went on TV to say, well, they did kind of think after-the-fact that he really did those things he was accused of, but, you know.... The defendant himself behaved as though his trial were a TV celebrity challenge show on another planet, arriving on one occasion twenty minutes late in pajamas with some lame excuse about a backache. He spent the last years of his life wandering a few steps ahead of his creditors, gulling concert promoters into "comeback" schemes (with walking-around money up front), and with three bought-and-paid-for children, obviously not his own, for consolation.

When he dropped dead last week, the nation's morbidly maudlin response suggested a cover story for the relief of being rid of him and all the embarrassment he provoked. One CNN reporter called him a genius the equal of Mozart. That's a little like calling Rachel Maddow the reincarnation of Eleanor Roosevelt. A nation addicted to lying to itself tells itself fairy tales instead of facing a pathology report. Yet, like Michael Jackson, the undertone of horror story still pulses darkly in the background. The little boy who grew up to be the simulation of a girl was really a werewolf. The nation that defeated manifest evil in World War Two woke up one day years later to find itself stripped of its manhood, mentally enslaved to cheap entertainments, and hostage to its own grandiosity. Maybe in grieving so exorbitantly over this freak America is grieving for itself. All the loose talk about "love" from the media and the fans gives off the odor of self-love. America is "the man in the mirror," the gigantic, floundering Narcissus, sailing into the stormy seas of history.

POLITICS: Senator Al Franken

Congratulations Senator Al Franken! The Democratic wing of the Democratic Party just got one vote stronger. Somewhere, Paul Wellstone is smiling...

Gary Rogers RIP

Just heard the news of the passing of my old friend Gary Rogers. I had a lot of fun with Gary back in the '80's when I lived in Champaign and Gary did a lot of live sound mixing for my old bands Turning Curious and Pop The Balloon. Gary was a great guy, a great soundman, and always a lot of laughs. Another rock and roll "lifer" has left us way too soon...

Jay Bennett RIP

I’ll always remember Jay Bennett as the very quiet kid who hung around though rarely said a word to us at my old record store The Pop Shop in Champaign, circa 1982-1983. I would also see him at a lot of the shows my old band the B-Lovers played back then. I’d say he was more confidently quiet than shy at that time, and always seemed to have this “I know something you don’t know…” look on his face. I think that “something” was he knew how massively talented he was and somehow the whole world was also going to find that out someday.

I remember walking into a party on Halloween in 1983 and spotting two guys in a corner playing acoustic guitars. One of the guys was Jay, and the two were playing and singing Bruce Springsteen’s “Johnny 99.” Later on at the party Jay and I were finally introduced to each other. I told him, “I didn’t know you played guitar,” to which his total deadpan reply was, “Yeah, I play a little…” And thus my first exposure to that infamously quirky sense of humor that was essential Jay Bennett. Conversation with Jay was never dull and always interesting, no matter the subject…

Regardless of his (well documented) ups & downs, the Jay Bennett I knew was a big ‘ol sweetheart. And I’ll say it again: a massive musical talent on so many levels.

Happy 10th Birthday, Boomer & Soda Can!

STEVE ROCK: Finn's Motel Off Broadway Photos 4/25/09

Finn's Motel
(left to right) Steve Scariano, Joe Thebeau, Patrick Hawley, Robert Griffin





















































































Finn's Motel photos by Toby Weiss.




Tommy Keene
































(left to right) Steve Gerlach, Mike Leach, Tommy Keene, Brad Quinn







Sally Crewe & The Sudden Moves

STEVE ROCK: Finn's Motel At Off Broadway Saturday April 25th

Finn's Motel plays this Saturday night, April 25th at the wonderfully smoke free Off Broadway, 3509 Lemp Ave. St. Louis MO, 63118. We are honored to be sharing the bandstand with Tommy Keene---legendary master of the powerful pop and one of the classiest guys in all of rock. It’s been several years since Tommy’s played St. Louis, so you won’t want to miss him. He always delivers the total rock goods. Opening the show will be Tommy’s pals from Austin, TX, Sally Crewe & The Sudden Moves, who are definitely worth arriving early for and checking out.

This is our first live show in a while, as we’ve been hard at work fine tuning Joe’s great new songs as we prepare to embark on recording FMot album #2. We’ll be giving several of these new songs their first test spins in public, so we hope you can make it down to the show.

Tommy Keene
11pm-11:30pm-ish

Finn’s Motel
10pm-10:15pm-ish

Sally Crewe & The Sudden Moves
9pm

MUSIC: SXSW 2009

None of my bands played South By Southwest this year, but Euclid Records was asked to participate in the Austin Record Convention (which was part of SXSW 2009), so I headed down to Austin with Euclid owner Joe Schwab to help man the store's booth. Though we didn't have wristbands, we still managed to see a lot of great music and had a great time as well as a successful record show.

We hit town on Wednesday and headed straight to the Pop Culture Press party in time for a fantastic set by Future Clouds And Radar. They were augmented by a guest trumpet player and were very well received by the large crowd. This was the fourth great Future Clouds show Joe and I have seen this year, and they are clearly one of the best live bands in the world today.






























































Next up was the reformed That Petrol Emotion. I’ve always loved the band and their sharp Undertones meets Captain Beefheart pop, but never had the chance to see them live back in their day, so I was pretty excited. They did not disappoint. Opening with their anthem “Hey Venus,” the band took off like a comet and never came back down to earth. Led by super energetic front man Steve Mack, their propulsive set was the best thing I saw all week at SXSW. I hope TPE are back to stay for a while, cause the world needs rock bands this great.















































Later that night we caught longtime personal faves Outrageous Cherry.








Thursday was a big day because I finally got to see Cyril Jordan’s great band Magic Christian. I've been on their bandwagon from day one, and since they never play the Midwest, my only chances to see them live have been at SXSW. But the past couple of times I’ve been down there I had schedule conflicts at the times they were playing. But not this year! I got to see them two gorgeous afternoons in a row on the cool little patio of the Gingerman pub, and they are the consummate kick ass live band! Day one saw former Blondie guitarist Frank Infante sitting in on Shake Some Action, and day two found Bobby Gillespie of Primal Scream standing on my immediate left---an obvious Magic Christian fan who rocked out the entire show. And frontman Paul Kopf stuck his mic in Joe’s face and had him sing a line of Shake Some Action! Something Joe will no doubt tell his grandchildren someday…

It’s really hard for me to put into words just how much Cyril’s music has meant to me over the years and the profound effect it has had on my life in so many ways. Needless to say it was an honor and pleasure to finally meet him. We got to hang for a bit on both days and he is beyond cool. I got to tell Cyril how much the Shake Some Action album forever changed my life in 1976 and how I would have never had the courage to try to actually play in a band if it had not been for that record. He seemed genuinely touched. We also chatted about our mutual love for The Easybeats. It’s so great when your idols turn out to be cool people. And Mr. Kopf is very cool as well and quite the rock and roll character! So now my next Magic Christian mission is to see them tear it up in a small club, as they do in these great live videos here and here.



















































































































Happy hour at Lucky’s with the greatest happy hour band in the world, Ian McLagan & The Bump Band.








We spent Friday afternoon at the Little Steven’s Underground Garage party at Antones, which was major bang for the buck as Steven presided as master of ceremonies over an impressive variety of acts presented old school “cavalcade of stars” style.

Little Steven













The legendary Augie Meyers, sitting in with the Krayolas.














Great young garage/r&b band from Denmark, The Breakers.











The one and only Roy Head, bringing down the house with "Treat Her Right."











Modesty Blaze of Oslo's Cocktail Slippers. Can she pass for Susannah Hoffs' daughter or what?









The Living Things



















Eternal gods of the garage, the mighty Chesterfield Kings.




















































The big "secret" Metallica show at Stubb's. Don't ask...










Would have loved to have seen The Sonics, Primal Scream, The Dogs, The High Dials, The New York Dolls, Jimmy Webb & Sons, Sally Crewe & The Sudden Moves, and so many more, but that's the way the SXSW cookie crumbles. Saturday and Sunday were record show days, and as stated earlier, we had an outstanding show. On Sunday, just as the show was getting ready to close down, we were paid a visit by blissed out rock legend Sky Saxon of Seeds fame.

Joe and Sky.













Sky and me.

STEVE ROCK: Fred Mills Dirty Moons Review

Longtime great American rock writer Fred Mills reviews Prisonshake's Dirty Moons in Blurt, here.

MUSIC: Why Andy Fraser Is GOD!

The more I try to and wish I could play like Andy Fraser, the more I realize I'll never play like Andy Fraser. Because no one plays bass like Andy Fraser!!!

Dig Andy shining at his brightest on two great Youtubes of Free's "Mr. Big," here and here.

And it's great to see that Andy is finally performing live again. Click on "Events".

POLITICS: How Refreshing

It’s nice to have a president who actually acknowledges the existence of ART once again. Forgot what that was like...

MUSIC: Lux Interior RIP

Ron Asheton and now Lux? Damn. Lux Interior was a pure rock and roll genius. A once in a lifetime talent of immeasurable impact. Life changing impact. Lux and the Cramps are so important and transcendent and I am forever in awe. Did the guy ever once compromise the integrity of his “thing?” I think not. Few walk out of here with that in their back pocket. And no man ever rocked harder in heels…

MUSIC: The Big Holsapple-Stamey Weekend

The great Peter Holsapple and Chris Stamey played three shows at three St. Louis venues over 48 hours last weekend. Wonderful sets all that included “Nothing is Wrong” (my all-time favorite dBs song), “Black & White,” “Cara Lee,” “If & When” (still one of the greatest indie rock singles ever), “Something Came Over Me”, “Big Brown Eyes,” “Neverland”, all your favorites from the Mavericks album, great new songs from their upcoming album, covers of The Everly Brothers' “Lord Of The Manor” and “Let It Be Me”, a cover of Family's “My Friend The Sun”, etc. etc., etc.



Chris Stamey (left) & Peter Holsapple (right) at the Wood House Concert





























At Euclid Records




























At Off Broadway

























And Roy Kasten posted a clip on Youtube from the Off Broadway show of the boys performing Gene Clark's "Here Without You."