Beth’s Music Moment: The Case for Elvis

A while back, I was emailing with my buddy Jim. I worked with him at the lab, and he’s the guitarist for Cornerstone Blues Band. If I recall, this was before we went to see the Stones in Chicago, so I was in full-blown Stonesmania. I believe I said something about requesting a Stones song next time we see them play, and he told me they didn’t know any Stones songs, and he was just never that much into them. I was like what-WHAT?! Dude, you play in a BLUES band, how can you not do any Stones songs?! (I believe they have been working on one since then...we shall see if they play it next time we’re out to see them!) He then went on to tell me that he thought Elvis Presley is one of the most over-rated performers ever.

I was like, “Man, are you trying to get me to end our friendship? What’s next, you don’t like Johnny Cash?!” We had a good laugh about it, and of course, I would never end our friendship. But I will work on getting him to come around about the Stones, and with this entry, I’m going to try to get him to see reason on Elvis. This is prompted by a couple of the videos I watched for my History of Rock course today, in which the guy talked about “The Rise of Elvis.” I wish I could include the video here, but it is part of the course and not embeddable or linkable. I’ll try to summarize.

Elvis was basically a super-talented guy who was in the right place at the right time. Born in Mississippi, raised in Memphis, he was influenced by all three musical genres that converged in rock and roll: mainstream pop, country & western, and rhythm & blues. His first record was “That’s All Right (Mama),” a blues song sung with a country twang, and the B-side was “Blue Moon of Kentucky,” the famous Bill Monroe bluegrass song, sung with an R&B feel to it. He was really the first artist to blend these sounds together, paving the way for the explosion of rock and roll. There is a case to be made that he took black music and made it acceptable to whites, but this was not an exploitation of the music. He simply loved the music, and it influenced his style. There is a big difference between ripping off an artist and their music, and genuinely loving the music and having it influence you.

Elvis was the first artist to have hit records on all three Billboard charts: pop, C&W, and R&B. This is a remarkable achievement, and it shows the convergence of these styles into a new and powerful type of music.

Elvis did not write his own songs, so there is some disparagement of him for that. Unwarranted disparagement, in my book. He was emerging from an era in which many mainstream pop artists did not write their own music, and his talent was in being a charismatic performer with a great voice, like Sinatra.

I think it’s important to keep in mind the time frame here, too. Rock and roll was just beginning to be a force; white teenagers were listening to black music; teenagers themselves were finding a new niche as they began to rebel and decided that they wanted to make their own fun. Enter Elvis, with his dark good looks, that mop of hair hanging in his face, that bad boy sneer, the southern drawl, and those swiveling hips. Once people got a look at him on TV, he was an immediate star. His somewhat dangerous, smoldering sexuality made teenage girls swoon—literally. Perhaps his performances seem outdated to some now, but not to me. He has a raw power that just leaps out at the audience. THAT is charisma, and he had a ton of it.

I mean, look at him. Just LOOK at him. Good grief.

This clip of Elvis performing “Hound Dog” on “The Milton Berle Show” is worth a watch. It will make you think, “And people thought Milton Berle was funny because..?” Although I did catch the “You don’t want a girl...you want a Miltown” reference. Miltowns were kind of like quaaludes. Interesting that they got a mention on this show! What is impressive here is that young Elvis just OOZED sex appeal. When he slows down the band and does a raunchy bump n' grind to the song, I guarantee that teenage ovaries were exploding all across America. I bet a few Mom ovaries were exploding, too! He was condemned by parents everywhere for his dancing and performance, which only made him more attractive to America’s youth. He was dangerous. Elvis’s power and ultimate talent was to harness this incredible energy that was emerging in America, and channel it back to the audience in his performances. I honestly can’t watch this without getting chills, because this is basically the birth of rock and roll. Many musical elements converged in rock and roll and in Elvis’s performances, but HE was the one who brought it to the masses. HE was the one who broke it open for subsequent performers, and got radio stations to play this emerging force in music.

I maintain that Elvis was the performer who made it all possible, and brought rock and roll to the forefront of music. No Elvis...no rock and roll. At least not as we know it. And that’s a world I wouldn’t want to live in.

I rest my case.

Telling tales of drunkenness and cruelty

Well, no cruelty was involved...but perhaps a wee bit o’ drunkenness! (That’s a line from one of my favorite Kinks songs, “Sunny Afternoon.” Isn’t that a great line?)

We did indeed have a blast last night! We had fun chatting at dinner, then headed over to Martha’s for some great music with Cornerstone Blues Band. This was a really fun group of people, and we all love to laugh and have a good time, and that’s exactly what we did! I guess I was primed for a night out like that, because I was in full-blown dance mode...so I really got my groove on! I had not one, but THREE dance partners, too: Ken, my brother-in-law Tom, and our friend Tom. We all hit the dance floor and had a lot of fun! (Jamie—that’s her in the picture down below—and Ryan aren’t quite old enough yet to not care about looking undignified...the rest of us are long past that point! haha)

I wrote to Jim today to tell him what a great time we had, and I said that I loved their new setlist. I said it’s kind of wild, because I don’t recognize a lot of the songs (I really don’t buy that many blues CDs—I prefer to hear the blues live.), but they’re really great songs and fun to dance to!

I’m not kidding, these guys are really talented. If any local peeps ever get a chance to see them, do so. They play about one gig a month. I know I’m biased, but they rival any blues band I’ve heard in Chicago, New Orleans, or Memphis. Jim on guitar, Brad on vocals and guitar, Rob on bass, and their new drummer is Adam.

They really do mesh well, they’re fantastic players, and like all really great bands, you can tell they’re having a good time up there! It goes back to what I’ve written about before...bands and audience members feed off of each other. They play great, we dance and yell and show we’re lovin’ it, and they love it and want to play even better and give us a great show. It’s synergy, man, and it’s a beautiful thing.

I was happy to give ‘em all hugs when we arrived (they hadn’t taken the stage yet), except for Adam, who I don’t know from...ADAM. hahaha Get it? I crack myself up sometimes. He did a great job, so props to the new guy!

I also got to see Mary from the lab and her husband John, Connie (who I didn’t realize was still there...she seemed genuinely happy to see me, and it’s always nice to be remembered fondly), and very briefly, Aubrey, who showed up towards the end of the evening. I don’t miss working, but I honestly miss so many of the people there, and it is always a pleasure to see them. Love you guys!

It was a really great time, and thanks to the guys in Cornerstone for rocking most awesomely, and thanks to our friends and family who shared the evening with us.

Rock on, Citizens!

Look out, Martha!

We’ve got a fun night planned, starting with dinner and then heading over to the historic Martha’s Midway Tavern to hear the band my buddy Jim plays guitar in, Cornerstone Blues Band. We’ve got a good group of family and friends going, and I know it will be a good time!

These guys are really talented. Jim tells me that they’ve been working on lots of new songs and about half of their setlist is new stuff. Sweet! He also told me that they were working on a Stones song (after I berated and shamed him...haha), but it won’t be on tonight’s setlist. That’s okay...gives me a great excuse to go see them the next time they play, too!

I met Jim about...gee, I guess it was about 15 years ago! He started working in the lab maybe a year after I started, and I was training him on the molecular testing for Chlamydia and gonorrhea that we were doing at the time. LCR, Ligase Chain Reaction...what a clusterfuck THOSE instruments turned out to be. Thanks, Obama! Because of a mutual love of music and sports, we hit it off immediately, and we’ve been good friends ever since. We don’t see each other as often as when I was still working in the lab, but when we manage to get together, we always have a great time talking and we crack each other up. I’m looking forward to seeing him tonight, as well as hearing him and the rest of the guys play. They’re really talented, too...not just Jim!

Sounds like a few lab pals will be coming out to hear them, too, so it will be fun to see them. It’s been a while!

It’s going to be a rather cool evening, so my initial plan for a skirt and fishnets got the kibosh. Maybe in August for Dropkick Murphys...surely it will be more summery in late August! And don’t call me Shirley.

I hope to have some tales of debauchery for you tomorrow!

Rock on, Citizens!

Beth’s Music Moment: Should I Stand or Should I Sit?

When I was waiting for Ken to get home last Friday so we could head out to the Smash Mouth show, I was getting psyched for the show and started to post a few Concert Rules. I don’t know what made me think of that, but I had fun with it. Hell, I’ve been to enough of ‘em over the years...I think it’s fair to say that I’m a seasoned concert-goer!

Some were just for fun, like “It’s not cool to puke anywhere other than the bathroom,” “It’s not cool to yell political rhetoric at the band” (Shane and our friend Steve and I still laugh about seeing REM at Notre Dame, and some guy by us yelling, “Michael, what about the Contras?!”), and “Guys, don’t push up against a girl...boners in the back are SERIOUSLY uncool.” Others were more serious, like “If someone is in distress, like if they get pushed down or hurt, HELP THEM.”

A couple were related, and are the subject of this entry. “Show the band some love. They’re working hard up there, and want to hear you’re enjoying the show” and “Don’t be a dick and tell the person dancing in front of you to sit down. It’s a concert, not high mass.” The latter generated a lively discussion. Some of my friends who are very much into music knew exactly what I was talking about, but a couple of others disagreed. (I would like to point out NOW that this entry is in no way a slam against them...it was an interesting discussion, and they had some valid points.) One said that no, they don’t pay a ton of money for tickets to have their view blocked by someone dancing...so don’t be a dick and block others’ views. One said “Dance on a dance floor. Sit in a seat.”

I just couldn’t disagree with this more. Certainly, there are some shows where you sit. I didn’t stand up and dance at Harry Connick, Jr., for example, except for the few times when everyone did; plus, we were in the balcony. But this was Smash Mouth, a band that I would put right up there at party level with the World’s Greatest Party Band, the B-52s, and we were in the third row. I feel that it goes back to the “show the band some appreciation” rule. I said that I doubt that any rock musician wants to see the crowd sitting politely. They want the crowd up and on their feet, having a great time. They’re rockin’ out up there, and they want us to rock out with them! So I decided to ask some musician friends their feelings on it.

Jim (My good pal from the lab days, and the guitarist for the local Cornerstone Blues Band...they’re great!) gave a thoughtful answer, saying that if you get seats on the floor for a rock show, you should expect that people are going to be dancing; but the only guy in the mezzanine standing usually is right in front of Jim. Haha! He also said that when he’s onstage, he wants to see the dance floor packed and people having a good time. My friend Cindy, who sings as Alice in an Alice Cooper tribute band (Malice Cooper in Winnipeg...judging from their videos, they’re great, too!) was also thoughtful, but more succinct, saying that it’s supposed to be a party, and that if the band is sitting, you’re allowed to sit...otherwise, get up off your ass!

I mentioned here that the guitarist for Smash Mouth, Sean Hurwitz, was a super nice guy, and we had exchanged a few messages. Since he is my new “pal” (Okay, I just follow him on Twitter and his artist page on Facebook...but he’s very willing to answer questions and interact with fans.), I thought, “Hey, maybe I can get his take on this!” The guy has had some real national exposure with several artists, and is doing an extensive national tour this summer with Smash Mouth, so I’d say that’s some serious cred. I sent him an admittedly rambling message explaining all this, and he messaged back something like “Beth...I’m not sure I understand what your question is. Did I miss something?” LOL I realized that I never really had asked a question. I had to laugh at myself, and responded:

As a performer, would you rather see people in the audience getting up and dancing, or do you think it's more important that people in the audience who DON'T want to stand up and dance have an unobstructed view? Like, is it cool for people to tell those in front of them to sit down at a rock show?

He very kindly sent me back this answer:

Look, my perspective is that it's all about what kind of show you're at. Gotta match that energy.

If I'm going to a Foo Fighters show, I BETTER not be sitting down, and if someone got up and started dancing in front of me, well then, that kind of comes with the territory. 

Now if I'm at a Jazz show where all the musicians are sitting down and the vibe is SUPER chill...well then that's a sitting down vibe (except for the couple dancing on the side). 

As a performer, I like to see MY energy, OUR energy, take over the crowd. 

If I'm jumping around all over stage during a rock performance and the crowd is just sitting there...that doesn't really work for me. It's a back and forth energy.

Ya feel me?

Sean

YES! I DO feel ya, Sean, and that’s exactly what I was getting at about showing the band some love. They’re up there working hard to entertain us (My friend Rick, Cindy’s husband and the drummer for Malice Cooper and a few other bands, says that it’s not unusual that he drops eight pounds during a show...holy shit!), and I feel it is my sacred duty (now for the future) as a fangirl to let them know that I appreciate it and I’m lovin’ what they’re doing. Part of that is getting up, getting crazy, and shaking my booty. Interesting that he mentioned a super chill jazz vibe...I responded that yes, I’ve been to Preservation Hall, and that’s an atmosphere where you sit and enjoy the musicians and no one gets up and dances. I also loved that “couple dancing on the side” remark. Very evocative and kind of dreamy. That’s a short story waiting to happen. [writing it down in my idea book]

So there you have it. I truly do get where my “don’t dance” friends were coming from, and I agree with it for certain shows—it can even depend on where you’re sitting. But for rock shows, especially a party band like Smash Mouth, the band feeds off of our energy. The crazier the audience gets, the better their show is going to be. It’s synergy, man, and who doesn’t love some good synergy? It’s a positive thing. Show the band some love. Get up, get crazy, come on, get happy! It will make the show even better, and we’re all there together to rock the joint, right?

For me, concerts can be a communal experience. I never felt that more than at the Springsteen show at Wrigley Field last September, where I really felt like I was part of a group of thousands of people experiencing over three hours of sheer bliss and everyone just grooving on the band and connecting in a very profound way. I try to approach every concert like that, and I get off on the crowd getting into it! I don’t doubt that I’ll feel that way this Friday night when we see the Stones in Chicago. So I totally get my musician friends’ remarks on this, and how they love to feel our energy as much as we love to feel theirs.

I got permission from Sean to share his response here. A major “thank you” to him for the nice response. You’re a peach, Sean! *mwah*

I won’t say I told you so, but....

I did! I did!

A few days ago, I wrote about Team Obama’s Bain Capital attacks on Mittens. I said that it was pretty impressive and brilliant work on the part of Plouffe, Axelrod, or whoever came up with it (and it may have been a complete team effort). Apparently, I wasn’t the only one who was impressed. Mark Halperin of Time wrote this:

Pause for two beats and pay Prizzi's Honor-style homage to the ruthless killing machine that is the combined White House-Chicago operation.

They have parceled out their opposition research in a manner both strategic and tactical, selecting specific news organizations at times of their choosing to maximize the drip-drip-drip of the twin stories [Bain Capital and the tax returns]. They have used left-leaning Web outfits as recipients of over-the-transom gifts as effectively (cumulatively) as the Romney campaign uses Drudge. And they have seen the Boston Globe use its credibility to drive a ton of news.

The Obamans have dominated numerous consecutive news cycles since the last unemployment numbers came out. And there is more to come for sure. The Gang of 500 is confident it is just a matter of time before Romney relents and puts out additional years of tax returns, an eventuality that the Obama campaign will drag out for days. When some said that the Bain issue was burning out through its use by Newt Gingrich, Rick Perry, and others in the nomination fight, Chicago was quietly confident the matter could be easily revived with new information and heavy advertising—and Chicago was right. And, make no mistake, the Obamans are sitting on even more research that they will unfurl down the road.

Yikes! I’m not sure I agree that Mittens will release more tax returns. After all, Mrs. Romney has said that “you people” (I guess that means me, too) have seen all we need to see. But “ruthless killing machine” is right on.

And we’ve still got almost four months of this to go. Good grief.

Tomorrow evening is a special treat, as we head out to hear my buddy Jim’s band, Cornerstone Blues Band, at Martha’s Midway Tavern. Their original drummer is back in town for a bit, so they’re playing at Martha’s and all the proceeds from the $5 cover charge will go to help the owner with her medical bills. Martha’s is a blues fixture in the area, a little hole in the wall that has hosted some big-time blues players over the years. We don’t plan on making a late night of it, because Ken’s been working some long hours, but we’re looking forward to hearing some great music, having a couple of beers, and seeing some friends. I hope some of my fellow lab rats will be able to come out for a bit!