Poker Face

Genius!

I Feel Alright

"Careful what you wish for, friend

'Cause I've been to hell and now I'm back again"

Van Halen: My Future Brother-in-law?

Yup...

That's my sister, Kim, hanging with Eddie.

She's the VP of marketing for Activision, which will be rolling out the new edition of Guitar Hero featuring Van Halen (Eddie, Alex, David, and Wolfgang).

And now that I take a second look at this photo, I think they'd make a good couple too...

Sorry Pete...

Mystery Train

Always wanted one of these: An Epiphone ES-295...

Modeled after Scotty Moore's Gibson rig...

I know what you're saying.."It's an Epiphone!" But dig this: Upgrade it with some Kluson tuners, Lollar P-90s, and roller bridge...

"Train I ride...is 16 coaches long..."

U2: A Known Line on the Horizon

My last posting and recent Tweets about U2 might have led you to believe that I’m down on these guys. Nothing of the sort.

Although “No Line on the Horizon” may not be their best work, it’s still a very good CD.

As they did back in 2004 with “Vertigo,” the band released as its first single a rather unrepresentative track (in this case, “Get on Your Boots”) which, I suppose, is part of a concerted effort by U2 to continually redefine itself and not be limited by those chime-y, majestic anthems that first made them famous. But I can’t imagine such a choice helped album sales out of the gate; I read somewhere that opening week sales were off compared to “How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb.”

No matter—fans seem to have sidestepped “Boots” and instead quickly focused on “Magnificent” (a chime-y, majestic anthem), which probably would have made for a stronger lead-off single. Other standout tracks include “Breathe,” with its more familiar U2 chorus; “Moment of Surrender,” an R&B-tinged bass hook that would have sounded at home on “HTDAB”; and the haunting “Cedars of Lebanon.”

Even the few tracks that do not quite rise up to U2’s best work still feature passages—a pre-chorus here, a line or two of lyrics there—that are simply brilliant. I suspect that “No Line” will continue to reward with repeated listenings.

Some reviews have taken the band to task for repeating itself—as if they, or any other great band for that matter, could ultimately slip its own skin and be something other than the sum total of its very heart and soul.

What’s more, would fans even want that? If they regard songs like “Boots” or “Vertigo” as novel digressions and continue instead to revel in Bono’s earnest lyrical proclamations set to Edge’s echo-laden guitar hooks, why not ride that well-known line into the horizon?

Favorite Albums of 2008

“Cardinology,” Ryan Adams & the Cardinals
Adams hands over the reins to his great backing band, who help the ADD-prone songwriter to focus and produce his most consistent and satisfying album yet.

“Tell Tale Signs,” Bob Dylan
Bobby Z’s left-overs (this CD of outtakes and live versions) are better than your “A” material…but then again, you didn’t have Daniel Lanois producing your stuff.

“Mudcrutch,” Mudcrutch
Tom Petty gets his old band back together for an album and tour. The result? Top-notch psychedelic country-rock, ala Gram Parsons and vintage Neil Young.

“Gift of Screws,” Lindsay Buckingham
Hook-y tunes and Pro Tools twiddling from pop’s genius guitarist. Great.

“Viva La Vida,” Coldplay
Get the repackaged set that includes Prospekt’s March, a disk of remixes, etc.

“Live in Gdansk,” David Gilmour.
Gilmour’s endless repackaging of Pink Floyd highlights—great as they are—is thankfully augmented here with the entire “On an Island” song list. Still the best Strat player out there.

“Where the Light Is,” John Mayer
Would have preferred an another studio album like the briliant 2006 “Continum,” if only to prove to us that he’s finally forsaken the sensitive acoustic guitarist/pretty-faced pop singer shtick in favor of wicked good blues hooks. Time will tell.

“Seeing Things,” Jakob Dylan
While we wait for a new Wallflowers CD, we’ll settle for Jake’s acoustic set here, covering some of Dylan Sr.’s ground with protest songs.

“Snakes & Arrows Live,” Rush
Cool-hunters' "best-of" lists found in all the newsstand rags would never dare include a 30 year-old prog rock band, but the jaw-dropping musicianship here is matched by a fan-challenging set list of new material coupled with more obscure catalogue cuts. Check out the stage props in the DVD version.

Ryan Adam's "Fix It" (my new favorite song)

Indecision 2008

The polls have closed, and America YOU have decided:

Winning 44% of the vote, the Rickenbacker 360 12-string beat out both the Gretsch G6128 and Fender Custom Shop Stratocaster in the “Which Guitar Should Brian Buy” race over at Switch 2 Plan B.

I strongly suspect that the Epic Beat stuffed the ballot box so that he’d get to hear that classic Rickenbacker chime next time I played the Grove.

And I’m guessing that Stew—a strong Fender partisan—may be crestfallen over the results.

But I’d love to know who voted for what, and why.

(And of course, if you guys think I’m going to let an informal survey like this sway my decision, you’re all nuts. I’m still undecided…)

Backstage, Madame Wongs, 1984

One more True Confessions picture: Bassist John Warner with vocalist, um...wait a minute...it will come to me...Erin! Yeah, that's it!

Just kidding Erin...

D-Rave says his kid looks like me; you be the judge:

Me, 1984

Calvin, 2008...

Pleasant Valley Sunday (part 2)

The local rock group down the street
Is trying hard to learn their song
Serenade the weekend squire,
who just came out to mow his lawn

Another Pleasant Valley Sunday
Charcoal burning everywhere
Rows of houses that are all the same
And no one seems to care


See Mrs. Gray she's proud today
because her roses are in bloom
Mr. Green he's so serene,
He's got a t.v. in every room


Creature comfort goals
They only numb my soul

and make it hard for me to see
My thoughts all seem to stray

to places far away
I need a change of scenery

Another Pleasant Valley Sunday
Here in status symbol land
Mothers complain about how hard life is
And the kids just don't understand

Benefit Concert for VHL Family Alliance Cancer Research Fund a Success!

On the 40th anniversary of Woodstock, my 17 year-old nephew Calvin plugged in his guitar and took the stage at VHL-stock, an event he helped arranged to raise awareness of Von Hippel-Lindau disease, and garner donations for the VHL Family Alliance Cancer Research Fund.

Calvin has the rare genetic disease that leaves him vulnerable to tumors on his eyes, spinal cord, and adrenal glands, and has already had three surgeries to remove such growths.

The event raised over $11,300 for the cancer fund.

I think the ghost of Hendrix would have approved of our appropriating the Woodstock moniker, as the Fender Stratocaster-wielding Calvin opened the night’s set of music with cover tunes by Ryan Adam, Elvis Costello and Tom Petty.

Calvin was backed by his dad, D-Rave on drums, his uncle Brian (Switch2PlanB) on guitar, and his cousin Joe on keyboards, with a band that also featured Nick of the Pink Floyd tribute band, “Which One’s Pink?” on keyboards and guitar:

The show turned into a reunion of sorts, as D-Rave and Brian (below) played together again for the first time since they shared the stage in L.A. rock bands True Confessions and Painted Horses.

The VHL-stock band rocked the house with some original tunes by Calvin…

And Joe sat in, playing a song written in tribute to his dad—our brother Gary…

(sorry for the blurry photo, Joe!)

Rocky Peak's Wes, was awesome on bass...

And Lauren sang lead and backing vocals...

Thanks to Joel Lifter for all the photos--and awesome brownies!

After the show, rumors of a VHL-stock II were already in the air...

Thanks to everyone who attended, and all who donated so generously!

(For more pix, go here...)

Sorry

Another paean to mediocrity. Again, any resemblance to persons living or nearly dead is coincidental…

* * *

In a pair of silk pajamas
Clutching a Monte Blanc pen
I leave my last will and testament
Dictated from my dying bed

It’s time for me to come clean
It’s time to make amends
Even though you hardly noticed
I was falling off the end

But I’m sorry I let you down
Sorry I let you down
And even though
I never sank so low
For word to get around
I’m sorry
Sorry I let you down

I showed up at the Château Marmount
But they stopped me at the door
I showed them my press clippings
But they seemed to need a little more

I showed up Sunday drunk
But the pastor never had a clue
Still, I begged for his forgiveness
He said “Son, what ‘d you ever do?”

I’m sorry I let you down
Sorry I let you down
And even though
I never sank so low
For word to get around
I’m sorry
Sorry I let you down

I think I may have a story here to tell
But I’m just not sure if it would sell

I failed to bust into this world
Then I failed to get tossed back out
So lukewarm that Christ himself
Would spit me out his mouth

So I’m sorry I let you down
Sorry I let you down
And even though
I never sank so low
For word to get around
I’m sorry
Sorry I let you down




copyright
b. cieslak
8/21/08

VHL-stock wrap up

For you Switch-heads out there asking how the VHL-Stock concert went, I'll post a complete report as soon as I get some pictures...

For now, I'll just tell you that we had a great turn out, the band had a blast, and we helped raise a tidy amount of money for a great cause...

Some of my relatives hit the wine bar a little too hard, but that's another story.

Anyway, there's talk of maybe even doing it again next year!

Until then...

VHL Family Alliance Cancer Research Fund

http://www.vhl.org/

Mudcrutch

Hope y'all picked up the new Mudcrutch CD.

The world's last surviving rock star, Tom Petty, dusted off his pre-Heartbreakers band from his Gainesville FLA days.

It features Tom, the Heartbreakers' own Mike Campbell and Benmont Tench, and Tom Leadon and Randall Marsh.

Mudcrutch was cut from the same cloth as Gram Parsons, the Flying Burrito Brothers, the Byrds, and Neil Young--that is, countrified rock, heavy on the heavy guitars.

Tracked live over 10 days, this outing is better than Petty's own last solo CD, "Highway Companions." Don't believe me? Just check out the nine and a half minute "Crystal River," or "Scare Easy."

Get out your lava lamp and hookah...