music blog reporting on new recordings from vintage artists
by Michael A. Cimino
March 19, 2024
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Late Career High – Shakin’ Stevens, Re-Set
I’ve always found it fascinating that the universal language of Rock ‘n’ Roll doesn’t always carry over from continent to continent. It seems certain artists find it hard, or damned near impossible, to break out of their own region.
Such is the case with Shakin’ Stevens, an undeniably successful British Rocker, who only briefly attracted record buyers in the US with his 1981 Rockabilly hit “This Old House” while becoming a huge and lasting sensation overseas.
Over the course of a six decade long career, Michael Barratt (better known as Shakin’ Stevens) has sold over 30 million records, has had four number one singles (including the perennial favorite “Merry Christmas Everyone”), and spent more weeks in the UK Singles Chart than any other artist. To add to that list, Shakey, as his fans refer to him, was England’s top selling artist of the 1980s.
Music Head – A Memoir of Purpose Buy it on Amazon today.
“An absolute must read for music lovers”
How an artist of this renown can stay a well hidden secret to American audiences is beyond me, but I’m glad to say that good-ol’ Shakey has returned to the recording studios to produce a new collection of top notch tunes entitled Re-Set.
Long gone are the retro-Elvis influences, now replaced by the roots-y Rock and Blues that he displayed on 2006’s excellent Now Listen.
In a ballsy move the album opens with its only ballad, but in the age of streaming the art of sequencing is all but lost. The song in question, “George,” is a moving tribute to Stevens’ late uncle, and is one of his best.
He brings the jangle on “All You Need is Greed” and the stomp on “Tick Tock,” before taking it home on “Hard Lesson Learned” and the title track.
If stateside listeners don’t jump on this 10 song bandwagon they will be missing out on one hell of a good ride.
5 out of 5 stars
Stand out tracks: Not in Real Life, Beyond the Illusion, Tick Tock, All You Need is Greed
December 11, 2023
Greetings and happy holidays fellow Music Heads!
I have to tell you, last year was pretty hard to put together a comprehensive ‘end of year’ recap as there wasn’t a whole lot of new recordings from our certified Rock Star friends.
This year is a bit different with new releases from a bunch of aging long hairs (and some balding one’s too!), so much so that we will not be able to get to all of them here. This years’ lineup includes surprising returns from the Rolling Stones, Peter Gabriel, Paul Rodgers of Free/Bad Company, Ann Wilson of Heart, and even Jethro Tull. Other releases of note came from Yes, now featuring only Steve Howe from the classic line-up, Cat Stevens, Paul Simon, and Procol Harum guitarist Robin Trower.
Music Head – A Memoir of Purpose Buy it on Amazon today.
“An absolute must read for music lovers”
Right off the bat, let’s not ignore the elephant in the corner… everyone wants to know why we dove into a time warp when the clocks turned back this year and the Stones had a new #1 record out, and The Beatles released a new single.
What is this? 1969?
First and foremost, even though AI was used to lift Lennon’s voice out of an old cassette recording for The Beatles to give us one more, the new tune does grow on you and it’s pretty awesome that the lyrics could just as well pertain to his old group as to his penchant for writing apologetic love songs.
Secondly, the fact that the Stones are still Rocking is to be celebrated daily, even if their new disc Hackney Diamonds does sound a bit derivative of their older stuff. But what did we expect – the Stones to come out with new music that sounded like Ed Sheeran?
I wrote about this very subject in the outro/copyright section of Music Head, when Pete Townshend confirmed that everyone cribs from somewhere, even if it is from themselves. Besides, wouldn’t you rather have a new album from the Stones then a new disc from the queen of ‘No Memorable Song of Substance Ever’ Beyonce Knowles?
That being said, Hackney Diamonds has some interesting tunes. “Angry,” the lead off track, has a classic Stones groove with a good hook thrown into an unusual song structure. “Depending on You” sounds like Kief hasn’t lost his interest in Country-Rock – this is a good one and would have fit right in on Sticky Fingers or Exile. Paul McCartney shows up on “Bite My Head Off” brandishing the ‘fuzz bass’ he played all those years ago on “Think for Yourself” – lyrics and aggression here are not for the meek – but it’s kind of a throwaway as far as I’m concerned. “Whole Wide World” is your typical British Pop-Rock tune, with Mick’s London accent leaning heavily on Oasis’ shoulders. Ronnie throws down a great solo here. This song is easily my favorite on the disc. “Dreamy Skies” brings us back to the ‘scrape the shit right off your shoes’ Country-Honk crossed with ‘she’s got you by the balls’ of yesterday. Not bad, at all. The late Charlie Watts distinctive drumming appears on the catchy “Mess it Up.” This track sounds like an outtake from Tattoo You and, yes, you can definitely shake your ass to it. In fact, the Stones have had German DJ turned producer Purple Disco Machine remix the track for dance clubs. And just when you thought you might lose interest, the next track “Live by the Sword,” with Elton John on piano is the high quality sludge the Stones can easily sling and what we greedy bastards have unfashionably come to expect. Right around this point Deb said “What they are singing about is so relevant. God, I love the Stones!” The disc finishes up with the ‘big finish’ on “Sweet Sounds of Heaven” featuring Lady Gaga. It’s a slow percolating pot boiler that is, and will be, considered a classic in the Stones catalog whether you view it as a grab for the cash or perceive it to be true art. The tune swells to the point of bursting before it drops down with a false ending and some soulful scatting from the vocalists and another burst of horns and percussion. It could have been an apropos ending to what may be the last time the Rolling Stones actually create new music, but then we get the perfect coda to the album with a stripped down acoustic cover of Muddy Mater’s “Rolling Stones Blues,” and the Stones have come full circle.
click to watch video
All in all, we have to ask if Hackney Diamonds is a diamond in the rough. Well, it is not. However, compared to the rest of the records that are currently in the top ten this is certainly a jewel in the crown.
For years, I have been writing that America’s top musical treasures are the ‘One Man Clash’ Willie Nile, and vocalists Rosanne Cash and Joan Osborne.
Late last year we saw the release of Willie’s single with Steve Earle, “Wake Up America,” an ode to urge us to get our heads out of the sand and realize the crap that is going on around us. Like Don Henley said a few years back in “No Thank You,” whether you are a Republican or Democrat we have all been like ‘a drunkard in the night, swinging left, swinging right’ with no serious focus on the issues.
Hell, the media has been beating us to a pulp for decades now (watch 1939’s Mr. Smith goes to Washington starring Jimmy Stewart). In the 1970s journalists took a cue from the decadence of the power-celebs and dubbed them for what they were – Rock Stars. Then, in the 1990s, the media’s focus turned to the rising stars on the Food Network and celebrity chefs became the new Rock Stars. Today, the crazier-than-a-hoot-owl politicians who are currently hogging the headlines are the latest Rock Stars because the media has us hyped to ‘stream’ every last bit-o’-crazy – and has us convinced that we just have to come back for more and more – every frigin’ ten seconds.
Well, it seems to me that their 15 minutes of fame, and the era of ‘Politian as Rock Star,’ will be coming to a close shortly as the next election is promising to bring a critical mass moment and all hell will break loose. Let’s hope it won’t be long before our Congressman and Senators find themselves as irrelevant as the Romans after Diocletian took absolute power with his constitutional reforms and (maybe) they will start doing their jobs again.
Oops… sorry, I went off on a tangent there…
Back to Willie Nile; recently he graciously sent me a personal email to congratulate me on my latest book, and has promised to release more music in the coming new year. In the meanwhile, do yourself a favor and watch the official video of “Wake Up America.” It is a moving short film depicting who America really is. It reminded me of this past summer when I went into a shopping mall for the first time in years (possibly decades) and witnessed the diversity of peoples getting their children ready for the school year. I could not help but listen to all of the different languages being spoken and realized that this is the real America of today. If politicians running for office really want to know who their constituents are they need to Wake-the-Hell-Up and see that America is not all Old-White-Men who tell their wives to ‘get in the kitchen!’
click to watch video
Rosanne Cash, a woman of integrity who testified before the House of Representatives on behalf of artists’ rights in the digital age, has a habit of releasing brilliant new music that can only be described as Americana every 4-5 years or so. Her last collection was in 2018 so she is due, but I haven’t heard anything yet. Her latest contribution has been a guest vocal on The Dirt Band’s latest, Dirt Does Dylan.
Joan Osborne, on the other hand, has a new collection of songs entitled Nobody Owns You. Predominantly an acoustic record, with slight Country-Rock overtones, the overall vibe of the new record has a haunting, mysterious, sound that made records in the late 60s and early 70s sound at once dangerous and personal. Osborne wrote, or co-wrote, all twelve tracks and she continues where she left off on the socio-political Trouble and Strife with issues that rail against her stance; including working mothers in today’s society, maintaining one’s autonomy, the epidemic of mass shootings, and right wing newscasters who give little thought to America’s urban centers. Once again, her plaintive and clear voice holds these songs together with grace and ease.
It looks like Dion will be following up his majorly successful collaborations Blues with Friends, and Stompin’ Ground with a new album shortly. He just released two new singles “An American Hero,” a duet with Carlene Carter, and “Soul Force” featuring Susan Tedeschi.
Thanks to some artistically thinking programmers in the TV world we have seen the resurrection of some of our generation’s most innovative practitioners of progressive music. Firstly, I was extremely pleased to see that Kate Bush finally got some recognition when her 1985 single “Running up that Hill” was featured on the show Stranger Things and it went viral, reaching # 1 around the globe, propelling her into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and hitting the Spotify jackpot with over 1 billion streams by last summer. Now what that means to record collectors I haven’t a clue but shortly after Bush’s revival we then received the first new Rock record (and tour) from her sometime-cohort Peter Gabriel. His latest collection, entitled i/o (which stands for input/output) is an excellent example of how electronics blended with acoustic piano and strings can be combined to produce important works that are at once catchy and memorable. This is a much overdue and much welcomed sound to my ears.
click to watch video
This summer also saw a new release, and the final concert performance, from my personal favorite Prog-Rockers, Strawbs. Honestly, the new disc – The Magic of it All – should have been released by Strawbs’ leader Dave Cousins as a solo album as it has little to do with the group. With only Blue Weaver and John Ford from the old school in tow (and Ford’s participation is minimal), most of the music drifts between Bossa Nova and Parisian Jazz, and very little of it sounds anything remotely like a Strawbs record. Not to say that there aren’t some good tunes here, but 2 Strawbs do not make a whole patch.
With the passing of David Crosby earlier this year we will never see the reunion of the greatest ‘super group’ that ever existed. On Now, the latest release from Graham Nash, it seems that Nash is trying to make up for it by sounding like CSN all by himself. On the lead off track “Right Now” one-time Bruce Springsteen guitarist Shane Fontayne lays down some solid crunch for the MIA Stills, and Nash attacks MAGA insurrectionists, as the Croz would have, on “Golden Idols.” There’s plenty of quality mid-tempo tunes in the vein Nash has been known for over the years, and there is a bonus treat when Graham’s old Hollies partner Allen Clarke appears as guest harmony vocalist on “Buddy’s Back,” but let’s face it – GN can knock Buddy Holly riffs out of the park in his sleep. The real gem in this collection is “Stars & Stripes,” at once vintage and very much of today. Now is (perhaps) not as satisfying as his last effort, 2016’s confessional This Path Tonight, but it is a solid effort.
After suffering two major strokes and several mini strokes, vocalist Paul Rodgers (famous for fronting both Free and Bad Company) was set to follow his band mate Mick Ralphs (interviewed in Music Head) into retirement until he underwent an endarterectomy which cleared the blockage and he experienced a full recovery. While Bad Company have no plans on reforming anytime soon, Rodgers has released his first new album of all new songs, Midnight Rose, in 24 years.
Critic Michael Elliot, from PopMatters, said the album “signals the return of one of Rock’s greatest voices, which remarkably has not diminished over the decades and remains as expressive and powerful as ever.” I couldn’t agree more. Although Rodgers has never been a prolific writer, I have witnessed this man sing live many, many, times and he truly is the voice of arena sized Rock ‘n’ Roll.
Speaking of voices that have not diminished over time, Ann Wilson – one half of the sisters who almost single handedly kicked down the doors to the boy’s Rock club in the 70s (known to the world as Heart) – has returned with a new backing band, Tripsitter, and is kicking ass and taking names. This girl’s pipes are as distinctive as ever and there are a handful of great Rockers on her latest release Another Door. A concert performance of the leadoff single “This is Now” surfaced online and it is even more powerful then the studio recording. Meanwhile, the sisters have claimed that Heart has not disbanded but both have been working with other musicians since the Love Alive tour, which ended in 2020.*
*update! Heart have announced that they will return to the concert stages this spring (2024) on a double billing with Cheap Trick.
Finally, following a 22-year hiatus (and a couple of Ian Anderson solo albums that explored Tull’s everlasting Thick as a Brick concept) Jethro Tull returned to the recording studio and released The Zealot Gene in early 2022, garnering them their first Top 10 album since their hey-day in the mid-seventies.
This past spring saw the rapid release of its follow up, RökFlöte, a concept album revolving around Ian Anderson’s research into his Viking roots and the principal gods in Norse Paganism. This album digs deep and, in true Prog-Rock conceptual style the disc opens and closes with spoken word sections – this time taken from the 13th century royal book Codex Regius, performed in Old Icelandic by musician/actress Unnar Birna. It’s heady stuff, a kick for fans of Lord of the Rings, and it certainly is a thrill to have Anderson and company, once again, melding medieval themes with Folk, flute, and Hard Rock.
There are some other recordings out there that I haven’t had the opportunity to investigate, including new recordings by 80s stars The Pretenders, Natalie Merchant (formerly of 10,000 Maniacs), guitarist extraordinaire Brian Setzer of the Stray Cats, some Blues things I want to get into, and U2’s acoustic Songs of Surrender. Now that winter has set in perhaps I will find the time, but as you know – I do like to stay busy while I’m busy procrastinating!
It has been a whirlwind of a year here at Cottage Views. We’re both still holding down our full time jobs, we celebrated our 10th season as a Bed & Breakfast/lodging facility, and somehow I found a way to finish my memoir and write this newsletter. Thanks to you all who wrote a review of Music Head on Amazon – it is through the reviews that algorithms are formed and eventually send people my way.
We both wish you all a very merry Christmas and a peaceful new year in 2024.
Cheers, Michael & Deb 11 Dec. 2023
The Reviews are beginning to come in for Music Head – A Memoir of Purpose
See what they’re saying!
“a riveting 5-star masterpiece”
“an absolute must-read for music lovers”
Bookended by his careers in music and hospitality, journalist Michael A. Cimino holds Music Head together with brilliant stories and interviews with stars from music history’s most unsuspecting individuals, including the Davies brothers from British Invasion sensations The Kinks, Beatles’ original drummer Pete Best, Folk legend Pete Seeger, R&B queen Doris Troy, Procol Harum lyricist Keith Reid, Santana and Journey founder Gregg Rolie, Buddy Holly’s backing band, Badfinger’s Joey Molland, and more. Not to be missed are the brief introductions and end-pieces which show introspection and humor, poking fun at some of the outlandish practices that have arisen during the Rock & Roll era. Music Head also traces how music can connect the dots of life and society.
Music Head – A Memoir of Purpose is the autobiography of Michael A. Cimino, author of Badfinger and Beyond, publisher of Cottage Views Classic Rock News, and lifelong culinary crusader. The book contains several never before published interviews with legends of the Rock era, musical history, and the long awaited follow up to the acclaimed biography of guitarist Joey Molland.
Available Now! Buy it on Amazon today.
The latest book from Michael A. Cimino – Music Head – A Memoir of Purpose
Reviews (posted September 15, 2023):
Music Head is bright and full of detail, humility, and charm. Michael has written about a life illustrated, and punctuated by, meaningful interaction and appreciation of music as a perpetual echo of experience. A great read! Lise Leroux, Author of One Hand Clapping
Genuinely entertaining. A 5-star masterpiece that offers a thrilling journey through the captivating history of rock and roll. An absolute must-read for music lovers of all levels. Joe Conti
Michael writes in a very conversational style, as if you’re conversing with him over a beer. If you’re looking for a fun read with new and deeper insights into Rock & Roll, wrapped up into a “Life well lived” story, then this read is for you! Shirley Miller, 5 out of 5 stars
Music Head is like reminiscing with a good friend. I highly recommend hopping on this ride! Brandy Ahouse, 5 out of 5 stars
Compelling, funny, and heartfelt. Hard to put down. 100% worth reading! Eli F., 5 out of 5 stars
Great from beginning to end. Well written! William B., 5 out of 5 stars
Classic Rock News, February 2022:
Wow! It seemed like the whole world just kind of stopped there for a moment early in 2021 when we found out that this pandemic thing wasn’t going to go away so easily, and musically (or otherwise) there wasn’t much going on in the first half of the year. I think we all were a bit stunned, or just stuck in low gear, trudging through this thing called life.
Although a handful of pretty good musical collaborations taking place via zoom leaked out at the time I wasn’t hearing much to get excited about. Honestly, I was just about 
ready to give up my search for the next great song when all of a sudden I found a ton of new stuff worthy of investigation.
One of the interesting things about the music industry is that it comes and goes in cycles, and one of the most interesting cycles to come around again (besides music moguls hyping ‘the next biggest thing’) is the releasing of singles. Almost everyone listening to music these days is streaming, meaning that there is no physical disc or tape we need to buy or insert into a player to get our immediate musical fix. Because of this, many heritage artists have reverted back to their roots and are not as concerned about recording a batch of songs, compiling them into a cohesive entity, and releasing an album/CD.
Sending out an immediate musical thought to the world now is much simpler and expedient, much like John Lennon’s ingenious concept of “Instant Karma” which was written, recorded, and released within a period of ten days time. Note to music historians: “Instant Karma” was the fastest released song in Pop music history, was never a part of an LP (other than greatest hits packages), and was the first million selling record from a solo Beatle.
If you’re only buying new CDs from your favorite artists you may be missing out on some fantastic songs that have been only released as ‘singles’ this past year, including The Doobie Brothers, Rosanne Cash, Van Morrison, Eric Clapton, and more.
As you may, or may not, know I have been touting the greatness of Willie Nile for quite some time. Well, this year while I was still absorbed in Willie’s excellent New York at Night he released another fabulous disc, entitled The Day the Earth Stood Still. On top of that I got wind that The Doobie Brothers would be celebrating their 50th anniversary with a new album, Liberté, and tour. Strangely, their excellent collaboration with Peter Frampton on Eric Clapton’s “Let it Rain” was not on the new disc and was released strictly as a single. Then I found out that Michael McDonald, who is in the band for the tour and was on the all-star recording of “Feelin’ Alright” with the other Doobies, is not on the album. Let’s say I wasn’t sure where the album was going… until I played it. The first time I listened to the whole disc I thought, ‘this doesn’t sound like a Doobies disc, but it is very well played and sung, for sure.’ In fact, it reminded me more of a Little Feat record than anything. The second time I listened to it I was like, ‘Cool. There are some very, very good songs here.’ The third time I listened to the disc all the way through I just couldn’t get enough of it. From start to finish there is not one bad track on the entire disc. Then I dug out the magnifying glass (literally) to read the liner notes and discovered that Little Feat’s Billy Payne is playing on 9 out of the 12 tracks! I think this just may be the best album of 2021 (besides Joey Molland of Badfinger’s new disc Be True To Yourself, but I may be a little biased there). At the very least this is an excellent musical start to 2022.
If you haven’t heard, Eric Clapton teamed with Van Morrison for a couple of singles under the name Slowhand & Van. Of particular interest is the track “Rebels,” where they lament the decline of leadership and lack of motivation from the ‘now’ generation of musicians. Additionally, Clapton, frustrated that Covid knocked his tour off schedule, took his band into a remote studio and recorded a semi-acoustic show without an audience for release as a CD as well as a Blu-ray video, called The Lady in the Balcony. Luckily for us, he didn’t repeat much of the songs that are on his similar Unplugged CD, but there is very little new here, except for his inclusion of “Black Magic Woman” and “Man of the World” – his tributes to Peter Green.
Robert Plant & Alison Krauss got back together and recorded the long awaited follow up to their super successful Raising Sand disc, which is certainly good news for record buyers and gift givers, as Raise the Roof is sure to please. One of the tracks included is a cover version of Lucinda William’s “Can’t Let Go.” John Ford of the Strawbs also recorded that very same song this year and released it on his new disc Life in a Foreign Town. Although John’s came out first I’m betting the Plant/Krauss recording will fare better. Between the two versions I’ll let you decide, but personally my favorite rendition of the tune is by Beth Hart and Joe Bonamassa from back in 2013.
Speaking of Joe, Bonamassa contributed to a track on the new Dion CD Stomping Ground (a heavier sounding follow up to 2020’s Blues with Friends) and his guitar playing is on fire. Joe just might be the last guitar hero around, and thank the lord for that. Rock ‘n’ Roll may never die but every now and again it does need some resuscitation!
Well, that’s a wrap for me this time around. If you’ve heard some new music that turned you on I’d love to hear about it. E mail CottageViews@aol.com and let me know.
All the best in 2022 and, as always, keep rockin’!
10 March 2021
Book Review: Peter Frampton – Do You Feel Like I Do? (Hachette Books)
(Photo courtesy of Hachette and Austin Lord)
Gear heads will applaud Peter Frampton’s new autobiography, Do You Feel Like I Do? In Frampton’s memoir he goes into great detail about his equipment and recordings, leaving behind the ridiculous gossip inquiring minds want to know.
That is not to say he leaves out the details of his life. They are here on full display with all the particulars of his skyrocketing rise in the music industry to his drug and alcohol fueled crash and burn following the enormity of Frampton Comes Alive!, at the time the best selling live recording ever produced (it only has been bested by Garth Brooks’ Double Live in recent years).
Frampton has always wanted to be known as a musician’s musician, and in the book he recounts how he continuously pushed himself to better his ingeniously gifted guitar playing. He pays homage to not only the great Blues players he was fortunate enough to work with (BB King, Buddy Guy) but also to his contemporaries (Eric Clapton in particular).
Even die-hard Frampton fans will wonder at the personal relationships he shared with the Rolling Stones’ Bill Wyman and superstar David Bowie, and the retelling of the loss and recovery of his most famous guitar.
It’s a breezy account of mid 70s Rock ‘n’ Roll excess and achievement, sadly ending with Frampton’s semi-retirement due to IBM, a myositis condition that enflames the muscles and prevents mobility.
In his ever optimistic tone, Frampton wraps up the book with seemingly no regrets and has now set up the Peter Frampton Myositis Research Fund at John Hopkins.
Highly recommended.
For more information, or to donate, click here.
Peter Frampton on the Frampton Comes Alive II ! tour 1995
photo by Michael A. Cimino
12 October 2020
For Classic Rock fans, most of us ‘boomers’ who have had some medical issue at some time in our lives, Covid 19 has had a hell of an impact on our daily lives. Everything has changed. Everything! Concerts (or lack thereof), social interactions, dining, mandates, masks, gloves… oh, brother, where art thou?
Maybe Michael Jackson was right. Asian communities in the US and abroad have long held an everyday standard of wearing masks and surgical gloves to control the spread of viruses, yet with the moronic response from the current US administration we have the largest amount of deaths related to the virus in the world, while the good ol’ U.S. of A. ranks a lowly third in population by country. Believe it or not (and deniers take heed), the previous statement is actually a real life fact. So, screw those and their ‘right to not wear a mask,’ because I want to stay alive (and the hell away from them).
Personally, I can’t stand wearing a mask at work 5 or more days a week, 8 or more hours a day. I find my jaw is stressed and my articulation wobbly, but I wear it to protect others – not me. So, in effect I am saying if you don’t wear a mask because it is ‘your right’ then you are a meathead and you are disrespecting me and my peers. Yeah, I said it, so go ahead; sue me.
To say we’re living in a completely different world than we knew in 2019 would be a gross understatement. So, is there any good that has come from the pandemic? Well, nobody likes going to the doctor’s office and telemedicine is prevailing. They say drive-in theaters are making a comeback (and so is the backseat of most cars, I’ve heard). At the wineries people aren’t allowed to belly up to the bar anymore for a quick buzz and are actually sitting down and examining the wines. And more people are working from home than ever before, while taking meetings on Zoom.
As for the music business, it has sent Pop into a tizzy – which is fine by me. Perhaps some real music and songwriters will emerge from this imprisonment. Meanwhile, the Zoom concept of collaboration has gained traction and some real fine work has come out of it.
For those of you who are tired of listening to the same old Creedence track, or another bad remake of a classic song (which music streaming services like Pandora are so apt to promote), and yearn to hear something new with the sound that comforts your soul then pay attention to this – Quarantine Blues 2020 : a continuation of Cottage Views Classic Rock Music Hour (listen to archives here) – my personal playlist of the best tunes released so far this year.
Recommended: put this playlist together in the order I have and it has a really nice flow, just like the old days when FM radio had disc jockeys that did their homework and turned you on to ‘the good shit.’ And it is designed with the intention of burning these tunes to a standard CD (75 minutes or so of uninterrupted music) so you can bring it with you and listen to it in your old-school car that has an old-school CD player in it.
Track 1. All Locked Down – John Ford of the Strawbs
When all is said and done, John Ford will be remembered not just as the bassist from the Strawbs but as a truly great songwriter. I’ve been following this guy’s career for ages and he continues to turn out memorable and well crafted words and melodies. Here, he turns in another topical tune. This time – you guessed it – freakin’ Covid 19. Yeah, ‘We can’t go out/so we suffer inside.’
Track 2. Blues Coming On – Dion with Joe Bonamassa
At 81, Dion (yes, of Dion & the Belmonts) has seen his share of changes in social history and injustice, and every side of the music business. Thankfully, his voice has never left him and either has his musical instincts. On his latest disc, Blues with Friends, he absolutely soars. This is one of three Dion tracks I chose for the list, this one performed with NY’s own guitar hero Joe Bonamassa.
Track 3. The Backstreet Slide – Willie Nile
Is Willie Nile the last real Rocker standing? I have been asking this question, rhetorically, for the past three years and all I can say is ‘Yes, yes, yes!’ Maybe he was just a late bloomer. He’s been around since the 70’s but the bulk of his output has been in the last 10 years. Disc after disc, Willie and his ace band deliver authentic Rock ‘n’ Roll.
Track 4. Feelin’ Alright – Dave Mason & the Quarantines
OK – this is a re-make, but it’s done by the guy who wrote it with a bunch of his old pals. Joining the former Traffic guitarist is Mick Fleetwood on drums, ex-Montrose/Van Halen vocalist Sammy Hagar (remember “Space Station #5”? Now, that ought to bring a smile to your face), and the Doobie Brothers. Michael McDonald also handles the keyboards, and while his voice has deepened with time when he growls on the third verse you know he hasn’t lost it. Watching the Zoom video of this is a tasty treat.
Track 5. Richest Man – Brendan Benson
Two and half minutes of pure Pop-Rock to keep the smiles going. Fun lyrics and aural candy. If you don’t know his work, he is the vocal partner (with Jack White) in The Raconteurs, and you should check him out. We need some younger cats like him to keep good electric, guitar driven, music alive.
Track 6. New York is Rockin’ – Willie Nile
Willie originally wrote this homage to the Big Apple back in 1995 with Curtis Stigers. Resurrected here, for his latest disc New York At Night, it is absolutely fist pumping and arena rocking. Anyone who has ever lived in the tri-state area will be able to relate to the many references to these NY institutions.
Track 7. Isolation – Jeff Beck & Johnny Depp
Actor Johnny Depp proves his vocal worth on this reworking of the John Lennon classic, while Jeff Beck does his best to bombard us with sonic blasts of Hendrix-like fret-work. It is a poignant time to pull this one out of the Classic Rock tool box, and a ballsy move on both their parts. Beck doesn’t disappoint, and Depp is surprisingly spot on.
Track 8. All the Best (live) – John Prine
F#ck Covid 19 – if only for taking from us John Prine. Prine was like the uncle you were just getting close to. He was always there, sitting in the corner telling the best stories at holidays, but you were usually too busy living your life to pay him the attention he deserved. You loved him, respected him, and kept up with his moves, but it wasn’t until too late that you truly appreciated all that he was worth. Now there just seems to be a void where he was. We were so much better with him in this world. This is from the still officially unreleased Tiny Desk concert, but you can get it on YouTube.
Track 9. Song for Sam Cooke (Here in America) – Dion with Paul Simon
A moving tribute, that (once again) is poignant in these times. Cooke was shot to death at the age of 33. Disputes over the circumstances, and the state of his battered body at the time of death, have never been fully satisfied. Cooke is now known as the King of Soul, rightfully so, and is given a powerful testament in song by his old friends. This is one of the best songs of the year.
Track 10. Break the News – The Who
Break the news, indeed, The Who have released a collection of new songs. It could have been called “Who Cares?” but old legends die hard and old Rockers don’t fade away – not the good ones, anyway. Besides, it was our generation who put these guys on pedestals and pushed the public to embrace Pop music as ‘high art.’ Classical composers work until they are into the winter of their lives, as did many of the famous Blues greats. Why not bona fide Rock stars? This track is a departure in sound for The Who, probably influenced by the jangly Mumford & Sons movement of a few years ago, but a great little tune, nonetheless.
Track 11. Run Free – Willie Nile
In his best Bruce Springsteen mode, Willie turns in another anthem for our aging generation. In “Run Free” Nile points out that we need to continue to chase the dream, no matter how tired we are, how old we are – how jaded we are – if we are going to make the difference we all avowed to many years ago.
Track 12. Living in a Ghost Town – Rolling Stones
I played this track for some peers recently and, joyously, we all agreed “it sounds like the Stones!” A combination of “Fingerprint File” noir and NYC groove, when the tempo quickens and Mick lays down his rap it sounds like the Stones are right back in their mid-1970s heyday. I, for one, am looking forward to hearing more new music from these grizzled road warriors.
Track 13. All This Music Must Fade – The Who
Pete Townsend has always been gifted in writing for two voices, and here he and Roger Daltrey rip through this kiss-off to the critics and press in classic Who style. They profess that there is nothing new under the sun, especially when it comes to music, and at this point in life they couldn’t give a ‘f#ck all.’ Is it a little derivative of their old stuff? Oh, hell yeah, but isn’t that the point?
Track 14. It’s About Time – Jefferson Starship
With the core of the original Starship either passed on from this world or in retirement one’s first thought may be “Whaaat?” However, current vocalist Cathy Richardson, who played Janis Joplin in the off-Broadway production of Love, Janis, co-wrote this topical tune with Starship’s original chanteuse Grace Slick and she channels both Grace and Janis in the delivery ‘It’s about time to care for the living/Time to stop blaming and start forgiving/Who wrote the bible took out the goddess/What has it taught us? Where has it brought us?/Children in cages, shot dead in school/How long before we let women rule?’ The mix is little muddy, as most Starship LPs have been of late, but this track is both exciting and very of this moment.
Track 15. Uptown #7 – Dion and Brian Setzer
Brian Setzer of the Stray Cats has studied every guitar lick in the 1950s playbook and masterfully pulls them all together in this fun romp about going up to heaven. Sometimes Rock ‘n’ Roll doesn’t have to be serious or topical directly on the surface. This is just a burst of Rockabilly sunshine to make you smile.
Track 16. Hero Ground Zero – The Who
The third, and possibly, best Who track on this list is what you might expect from The Who. Some may say ‘bombastic’ some may say ‘majestic.’ Who fans will love Townsend’s self loathing lyrics, and Daltrey’s impressive prowess as the ever microphone-spinning front man. It’s the bloody ’Oo. Long live Rock!
Track 17. Under this Roof – Willie Nile
Track 18. Fare Thee Well – Stone Temple Pilots
It takes two ballads to settle down after this run of electrification. The first shows Willie in reflective mode, consoling us and protecting us; what critic Jedd Beaudoin of PopMatters considered “an anthem for belonging in an era of isolation” (I couldn’t have said it better, so I didn’t). The second is the Phoenix rising from the ashes. No one ever thought that brothers Dean and Robert DeLeo would ever overcome the passing of original singer Scott Wieland from an accidental drug overdose in 2015 and rebuild STP in any meaningful way, and yet with new singer Jeff Gutt they may have done just that, with a stripped down more acoustic based sound. The excellent slide guitar work on the track is reminiscent of George Harrison’s later work and caps our playlist with an appropriate spiritual vibe.
Bonus Track: Now the Green Blade Riseth – Steve Winwood
While compiling these notes, Steve Winwood (of Spencer Davis Group and Traffic fame) quietly slipped out a single worthy of this set: “Gimme Some Lovin’ 2020/Now the Green Blade Riseth.” While the remake of one of his earliest hits is a darn good Zoom collaboration with band mates, it is the solo acoustic “Green Blade” that is notable; a traditional hymn/ballad written a hundred years ago that sounds like a lost nugget from the 1970 John Barleycorn Must Die album.
As always, writing about music is a labor of love that I do because I can never forget the thrills I got when I was turned on to new music throughout my life, and to this day I still get a thrill when I hear some Rock ‘n’ Roll that satisfies my soul. I hope you enjoy the guidance and even more so the music itself.
Keep Rockin’, Michael.
Copyright 2020 © Michael A. Cimino
John Ford of Strawbs
April 21, 2020
Singer/songwriter of the legendary British Rock ensemble Strawbs has been an ex-patriot living in the United States for over 3 decades. Over the years he has been performing periodically with his band in the NYC metropolitan area, and has been releasing new recordings on his own label Whole Shot Records. His love for his adopted homeland has inspired him to write stirring anthems, like “Sandy” after the disastrous hurricane that ravaged America in 2012, as well as straight up Rock ‘n’ Roll. On Easter Sunday, 2020, John released his latest single “All Locked Down,” referencing the struggles of humanity during the coronavirus pandemic. Recently, Cottage Views had the opportunity to speak with John. If you are unfamiliar with John’s solo work, now is the best time to do some research and visit his YouTube channel.
To watch the video for All Locked Down click here
Cottage Views: Hi, John. How are you doing?
John Ford: Ah… like everybody else, I suppose, being stuck in the house.
CV: Yeah, I don’t think anybody was expecting this to be as crazy as it has become.
JF: I must admit that when I saw this a couple of months ago I didn’t think we’d have such a big problem with it, in all honesty. I’m on the north shore of Long Island. It’s like a war zone. On April the 1st, I was going to do this show in the city. It was a tribute for Ronnie Lane of the Small Faces and there was about 15 singers. Prior to April the 1st, on Sunday, we were going to rehearse with all of the singers in a studio and one of the singers was Allan Merrill. He wrote “I love Rock ‘n’ Roll” for Joan Jett. I don’t know if you’ve heard this, he got the virus and died. So obviously, we never did the show.
(Merrill died on March 29, 2020)
I just wrote that song over a period of a couple of weeks. And then, I thought ‘well, I’ve got nothing else to do’ so I recorded it. And that’s how that came about. I’ve got a few good lines in there, I thought. we can’t get out/so we suffer inside (laughs). I thought that was pretty good.
Click here to read the entire interview.
Top photo courtesy of John Ford
Photo at left by Michael A. Cimino
WELCOME TO 2020!
(01/01/2020)
Welcome back, music fans! I know, I’ve been away too long, but at long last here’s the report…
As you know, Country music has always been an intrinsic part of Rock ‘n’ Roll. The seminal artists who were the building blocks of Rock ‘n’ Roll, including Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, and even Chuck Berry, were steeped in Country music. The earliest recordings of The Beatles show Country influence with their covers of Carl Perkins and Buck Owens hits. While modern Country music went through some changes in the seventies, with new production techniques glamorizing the sound, Country lived on in Rock music and influenced many of Rock ‘n’ Roll’s biggest acts, like the Grateful Dead, the Eagles, Pure Prairie League, The Byrds, and Little Feat, to name a few.
There is no doubt that perennial favorites from the Rolling Stones, who are dubbed the ‘greatest Rock ‘n’ Roll band in the world’, are dripping with Country influence (think “Dead Flowers” or “Sweet Virginia”). So, it is with no hesitation that I (the biggest Rock ‘n’ Roll fanatic I have ever met) do not have a problem acknowledging that Steven Tyler of Aerosmith fame’s quip ‘Country is the new Rock ‘n’ Roll’ is basically true. Today’s modern Country music is rife with Who-like power chords, Eddie Van Halen styled guitar solos, and huge drum sounds right out of the Tommy Lee/Mötley Crüe songbook.
On a visit to Nashville in the spring of 2019 I got to address this first hand and discovered that Country music is, well, not just Country anymore! Standing side by side in America’s ‘Music City’ is Thrash Metal acts, acoustic singer-songwriters, balls to the wall rockers, and a few traditional Country artists. It is with no surprise the house band at Nudies nightclub plays all of these styles. We had the opportunity to check them out at the club before we visited the Grand Ole Opry for a show headlined by Darius Rucker of Hootie and the Blowfish, that also featured traditional acts, certified Country superstars (Ricky Scaggs, Crystal Gayle, Josh Turner), veteran songwriters (Phil Vassar), as well as fresh young talent that can only be described as Pop (Dee White), Rock and Blues (Elizabeth Cook). We capped off the weekend with a jaunt to the Ryman, where we saw Americana artist Amos Lee who literally took us to church with a Gospel tinged climax featuring a host of local stars. This is certainly not the Country music your papa is talking ’bout.
With this in mind I have still been following my Classic Rock favorites and anyone else that has been influenced by the golden age of Rock ‘n’ Roll (not that there were many releases, or much to talk about, over the past two years in this genre but indeed we will investigate all the same).
First up, let’s take a look at the #1 selling record by the master of Pop-Rock. Paul McCartney’s Egypt Station, a double album rolled out in 3 parts, probably hit the top spot in the charts because of the way we stream or purchase music in today’s world, and the big publicity machine behind it, not because this recording is chock full of stellar compositions. The standard edition of the music was released in September of 2018, with the double disc Explorers Edition coming 8 months later. Just recently, in November, an EP from the sessions was released as well. Now, being a fan I (of course) purchased them all, and if you cherry pick the choice cuts from each you can secure yourself with almost a standard length album of decent tracks, but really only a couple of songs stand out as Macca classics; “Dominoes” which is driven by the infectious beat of Abe Laboriel Jr.’s drumming, and the ballad “I Don’t Know.” Other tracks got some attention, but really do we need to hear 77 year old Sir Paul crooning I just wanna fuh you? The song is catchy enough and would have been just fine with I just wanna love you (and would have been a lot more radio friendly). I give him an average rating here. ♫ ♪
One record that took me by surprise is the latest solo album from Nick Heyward, front-man of 80’s Pop-Rockers Haircut 100. At his best he sounds like all four Beatles together with a bit of Badfinger thrown in. Recorded in Forida it has a sunny disposition and I’d say this one is a keeper. ☼
Speaking of Badfinger, the sole surviving member of the original band, Joey Molland, will be releasing new music sometime this year. The new recording, produced by Mark Hudson (Hudson Brothers, Ringo Starr), features guest appearances from Julian Lennon and Paul McCartney & Wings drummer Steve Holley. Stay tuned. ☺
On the reissue front, the deluxe editions of The Beatles’ catalog continues to fascinate with studio recordings that make you feel you are right there in the room with the Fab Four. Fleetwood Mac’s deluxe edition of their first recordings with Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham is a bit spotty. The production of the original tracks were always crystal clear and the new mixes and alternative versions are even better, but the accompanying disc of live material (which I’ve owned bootlegs of since 1977) just don’t live up to the hype. With modern technology they just could have been so much cleaner.
click to watch video
It has always been interesting to see how music finds me, as opposed to me finding music. One of the better tracks that recently discovered me is a song called “Love Bless America” by Isaac Aragon. This cat is a local sensation from Albuquerque, N.M. that I read about in – of all places – New Mexico Magazine (not the most popular publication in America, and not a music mag at all), but I checked him out on YouTube and then downloaded the track. You should do the same. Click the photo above to watch the video.
Finally, the one guy who continues to amaze me over and over is Willie Nile. Willie has been on a roll as of late and has released a string of discs that makes me think, ‘Is Willie Nile the last real Rocker standing?’ In three years he released three discs worth of real Rock ‘n’ Roll. Electric in your face songs, finger picking acoustic ballads, lyrics that remind you of Springsteen and Dylan on great days, Ramone’s crunch played in tune, you name it – it’s in there. His latest Children of Paradise is top notch. It’s going down as my favorite this time around. A Royal Flush. ♠♠♠♠♠
One last one, before I go, is the new record of duets from Sheryl Crow. Always someone who I thought to be a worthy singer and player with impeccable taste, I never found her to be overtly great. On Threads she enlists a wide ranging gang to work with which elevates the recordings to new heights. From the 70’s styled stomper of “Good Ol’ Days” co-written with Joe Walsh, a cover of Dylan’s “Everything is Broken” with Jason Isbell, an updated version of her own “Redemption Day” featuring the late Johnny Cash (a must listen), and appearances from Rock and Country stars alike (Stevie Nicks, Eric Clapton, Bonnie Raitt, Brandi Carlisle, Chris Stapleton, Emmylou Harris, Willie Nelson, Lukas Nelson, et. al) this record rocks. ♥♥♥♥
There were other releases that had a track or two worthy of a listen or three (Alan Parsons, Jon Anderson of Yes), which kind of ticks me off, because if artists were still making albums with a set time of 45 minutes we (as music consumers) would be getting better quality material, but with this never ending streaming/downloading BS most modern artists don’t know when to reign it in, and the established artists know how to milk your cash. Let’s just hope the pendulum is swinging and will return to some semblance of balance soon.
Here’s to 2020, my friends (and, oh yeah, keep rockin’).
Copyright 2020 © Michael A. Cimino
Preferred Playlist: Nick Heyward – Baby Blue Sky, Rosanne Cash – Not Many Miles to Go, Elizabeth Cook – Exodus of Venus, Mark Knopfler – Just a Boy away from Home, Bruce Springsteen – There Goes My Miracle, Dee White – Wherever you Go, Amos Lee – Little Light, Gary Clark Jr. – When I’m Gone, Isaac Aragon – Love Bless America, Willie Nile – Looking for Someone, Matthews Southern Comfort – Crystals on the Glass, Paul McCartney – I don’t Know, Sheryl Crow & Lukas Nelson – Travelers on this Road, Heather Findlay – Cactus, Willie Nile – Children of Paradise, Rosanne Cash – The Parting Glass.
The Year End Wrap Up
(April 2018)
Not surprisingly, 2017 shaped up to be another mixed bag of stellar songs from our heroes that most have never heard. You might not know it, but last year there was actually some great new music from major stars, including Fleetwood Mac, Ray Davies of the Kinks, former Beatle Ringo Starr, Van Morrison, Chris Hillman of the Byrds, Rusty Young from Poco, and the final releases from the late greats Leon Russell and Gregg Allman.
With so many of the original members of these heritage bands either passed on or in retirement, all of these discs were released as solo efforts. Pop music for the last decade or so has been in the ‘let’s grab some cash and go’ mode of fabricated teen idols and executive producers who call the shots, forcing real musicians and classic songwriters to the back seat. Luckily, for most of these aging rockers their hindquarters are lined with gold and soft down pillows.
Additionally, there were several new recordings of note that were released just as the year ended, which makes one ponder why every national trade paper starts compiling their ‘best of’ articles at the end of summer. By the time they get to the newsstand around Thanksgiving they’ve missed the boat on some very important releases (Robert Plant, formerly of Led Zeppelin included). Likewise, it seems the majors forget about the recordings that were released quite early in the year.
One that stands out is Pat Benatar’s single “Shine,” written and recorded specifically for the Women’s March on Washington in January of 2017. “Shine” features a more mature Benatar continuing the girl-power anthems she started in the late 70’s. Beginning quietly, the song reaches a crescendo with the hard-hitting lyrics, ‘We won’t be silent, we raise our voices/Dignity, pride, these are our choices/Never go back, only go forward/Mothers, sisters, lovers and daughters/We’ll shine, yes we’ll shine.’ It certainly will be interesting to hear what Benatar has to say on her next full length issue.
When the classic 70’s lineup of Fleetwood Mac got back together this past year for another run of sellout tours mastermind Lindsey Buckingham was ready to unleash a backlog of Pop-Rock gems he had written, some with returning vocalist/pianist Christine McVie. Unfortunate for fans, the eternal whirling dervish Stevie Nicks took a pass on the recording sessions stating, “I don’t think there’s any reason to spend a year and an amazing amount of money on a record that, even if it has great things, isn’t going to sell. If the music business were different, I might feel different.” It may sound stingy, slapping the face of devotees who made her rich and famous, but she has a point.
However, that attitude is the very reason why many from the baby boomer generation are lagging in the sales department. You haven’t seen the record sales of Bruce Springsteen, Rod Stewart, Elton John, Dylan, et al., slow down – mainly because they have tapped into their core audience and are not afraid to take chances.
For music lovers who are willing to take the time to enrich themselves with something new, the Fleetwood Mac crew have quite the surprise up their sleeve. Released under the title Lindsey Buckingham Christine McVie (probably having more to do with record company politics, then identification tags) the music sparkles like 1977 déjà vu.
Available as an MP3 download, CD, or 180 gram audiophile vinyl it is pure Mac mastery from the moment you drop the needle. And I’ll be damned if that isn’t a sample of Stevie Nick’s trademark ah’s in the middle of the track “In My World.”
Recorded at Konk Studios in London with the Country-Rock group Jayhawks as his backing band, Americana is the latest in a run of strong late-career efforts by Ray Davies, The Kinks main singer and songwriter. This time around, Ray reverts back to his 70’s heyday of concept albums with a modern theme – in this case his adventures travelling the USA and his fascination with American culture. Complete with spoken word bits, big Broadway choruses, and plenty of good ol’ English cheek, there is (as always) a heavy nod to his Kinks/Rock ‘n’ Roll past. Not to be missed is his nostalgia-tinged “Rock and Roll Cowboys,” a surefire candidate for the All Time Ray Davies canon.
At 77 Ringo Starr still loves to Rock ‘n’ Roll. On his 19th solo disc, Give More Love, Ringo continues to pound those pagan skins to stomping Rockers like the opening track “On the Road Again,” featuring pals Paul McCartney and Toto’s Steve Lukather. As usual there are some tender heart-felt ballads here as well, but it’s when Ringo digs into his Country and Rock-a-billy roots he really hits his stride. Like some of the other discs Ringo has released in recent years this may not rate as his best work, but for long-time fans there is plenty for celebration.
If you have been missing that peaceful easy feeling of early 70’s California Folk-Rock look no further than the two new solo discs from Rusty Young (Poco), and Chris Hillman (The Byrds). These are two of the finest recordings released in 2017. Hillman’s Bidin’ My Time was one of the last recordings to feature Tom Petty before his untimely death. Petty not only produced the entire disc, but appears as a sideman as well. It is the closest we’ll probably ever get to a Byrds reunion, as Roger McGuinn and David Crosby both appear and lay down stellar harmonies and guitar work. Young’s first ever solo, Waitin’ for the Sun, showcases his Don Henley-like tenor with startling results. Each track is a gem of its own. Sincerely, don’t pass these by.
Discs that were issued late in the year came from heartland-rocker Bob Seger, England’s ever shape-shifting Robert Plant, Ireland’s favorite son Van Morrison, and the electric contingent of Strawbs – now back in full-on Progressive mode.
For fans, none of these discs should be missed. For Cottage Views, Van Morrison’s output of late has been very satisfying – beginning with his album of duets in 2015, the follow-up Keep Me Singing, and 2017’s Roll with the Punches. Punches is Morrison’s ode to the Blues which influenced his early career and features newly written tunes as well as classics like “Stormy Monday” and “Ride On, Josephine.” Jeff Beck, always distinctive and tasty, lends some heavy lead guitar and guest vocals come from Chris Farlowe and Georgie Fame. Van doesn’t seem to be slowing down, either. He has already released two discs of Jazz oriented material for 2018.
Finally, coming out just before Christmas, was the latest release from Strawbs, a group with a history that dates back more than fifty years. In various incarnations they have performed and recorded Bluegrass, Folk, Rock, Progressive Rock and a little bit of everything in-between. Main singer/songwriter Dave Cousins, and longtime lead guitarist Dave Lambert literally shred on the new disc, entitled The Ferryman’s Curse. They are accompanied by the rhythm section of Chas Cronk and Tony Fernandez (no strangers to Strawbs fans) and newcomer Dave Bainbridge (of the Celtic Prog band Iona) on keyboards. The subject material returns to the dark, Gothic, style of their early electric works such as Ghosts, and “The Vision of the Lady of the Lake,” with lengthy tracks that can only be considered intense. Ferryman’s Curse at first listen was a tangle to get through. Once immersed the charms presented themselves and amongst the earnestness are several moments of true-Strawbs diversity; pretty acoustic numbers, rock-steady Blues, the playful “Bats and Swallows,” and a classic Progressive canticle “When the Spirit Moves,” complete with tempo changes, elevating musical passages, and Fernandez’s ringing percussion.
As with all things, Pop music is cyclical and – as mentioned earlier – the current airwaves are bursting with pre-fab product for youth to absorb and discard (unfortunately, we aren’t even getting a few ‘one-hit-wonders’ that would be fun to listen to in 15 years). But times will change and there are a few writers out there that are showing potential (Harry Styles) and some bands that won’t let Rock ‘n’ Roll kick the proverbial bucket just yet (Drive By Truckers, The War on Drugs).
In many ways, it is a shame that the generation ‘who changed the world’ is settling for mediocrity and retreating into the revolving juke-box of hits from their youth. True artists need to create, and certainly the aging baby boomers hailed the songwriters of the 60’s and 70’s as ‘artists.’ They devoted billions of words in articles, books, and films to demand the world accept the importance of Pop Culture, and yet now they stand on the sideline bored and indifferent. Why? Because they have been beaten down by ‘the man’ and conformed? Because they realize that the mighty dollar is more important than the ideal? Because they are pleasantly comfortable and it’s easier to sit on their fat ass than get up and make a statement? I don’t know the answer, but I will continue to search for it.
As time marches on, there will be less and less original songs coming from our musical heroes (and the media is not about to change and keep us up to date about it) but the good news is that rumor has it that later this year we will hear new music from Bruce Springsteen, Paul McCartney, and a solo record from Yes’ Jon Anderson – a project he said he started 27 years ago. Let’s hope they will have something to say to us all.
Stay tuned…
Copyright 2018 © Michael A. Cimino
All About Bob
(February 2018)
With the political landscape filled with mines ready to explode at any given moment one has to wonder where to look for a glimmer of hope in this world, where to go for justice and sanctuary, and to whom we turn to give our voice, and our votes, the impact they deserve. Damned be those who use social media for playing the game of divide and conquer, filling friends and foes alike with so much hatred that they can no longer see eye to eye or even see the other as human. If prejudice, hatred, fear, racism, sexism, and intolerance can be brought to new generations by bigoted fools then so can unity, love, peace, and happiness.
Several years ago, when interviewing Graham Nash I asked him a simple question. “Do you still believe, by raising our voice in song, we can change the world?” I asked. His answer was just as simple. “Absolutely,” he said.
It is rare that someone like Graham Nash continues to have such honorable ideals. As technology zooms past us, and vast changes are on the daily horizon, we realize that some things change very little, some things do not change at all, and some peoples urge to dominate and control is unstoppable. The fact that Nash maintains his commitment to who he was as a young man, speaking out against poverty, war, and the betrayal of mankind, is remarkable. The words, and songs, that he, his peers, and his partners put to paper 50 years ago still resonate. The ink may have dried but it has not faded. For some, many of those songs have become beacons of light in a dark world. Once asked about the influence of new recordings from aging performers, Bob Dylan, the poet laureate of a generation of revolutionaries, is credited with saying ‘the message will reach those who need to hear it.’
Looking back at 2017, there is no finer time to revisit the writings of Dylan and reflect on the striking words that influenced millions. In addition to the new book Why Bob Dylan Matters by Professor Richard F. Thomas of Harvard University, who teaches a class on Dylan as well as classical poets Homer, Ovid, and Virgil, come two new full length recordings of Dylan songs by two of New York’s finest voices.
Positively Bob is a collection of acoustic and electric Dylan tunes from rocker Willie Nile, a stalwart of New York City stages. Since Nile’s appearance on the scene some 40 years ago he has been hailed as the natural extension of Dylan and Bruce Springsteen. It is only in recent years that Nile has begun to hit his stride as a prolific songwriter, releasing a succession of compelling Rock ‘n’ Roll records that include topical statements, including his ode to 9/11 “Cell Phones Ringing In the Pockets of the Dead” (voted song of the year by Rockland World Radio) and last year’s “Citibank Nile.”
Joan Osborne, a NYC resident since adulthood and best known for her Top 5 hit “One of Us,” is a talented songwriter and the possessor of one of America’s finest singing voices. Over the past three decades she has recorded albums touting an array of styles, including Pop, Rock, Soul, R&B, Blues, Country, and her own brand of vocalese that has landed her several diverse gigs from the Grateful Dead to Motown’s Funk Brothers. On Songs of Bob Dylan Osborne tackles all of the aforementioned styles on a variety of Dylan standouts.
While both artists mostly stick to well known songs there is a handful of tunes so expertly delivered that they break these beauties out of obscurity, particularly Osbourne’s interpretation of “High Water” and Nile’s version of “Abandoned Love.” More importantly, it is the inspired, hard hitting, renditions of “The Times They are A-Changing” and “Blowin’ in the Wind” from Nile that slam home the message that we should keep Dylan’s missive in today’s world.
Similarly, Osborne takes on one of the most bitter lyrics ever recorded with a stinging cover of “Masters of War.” Joan’s version rivals Eddie Vedder’s intense classic, with pour-sugar-on-the-wound vocals that deliver the grand memo that most Americans would love to shove down the throat of every lying politician.
Part of the real allure of these recordings is that these collections are not entirely doom and gloom protest extravaganzas, and there is plenty of delicate confections for the ear. Osborne delivers pretty piano ballad interpretations of “You’re Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go” and the whimsical “You Ain’t Going Nowhere,” while Nile offers up a delightful acoustic shuffle on Dylan’s cracked love letter “I Want You.”
One of the true highlights is the rollicking “Rainy Day Women #12 and 35 (Everybody Must Get Stoned)” interpreted by both artists here. While Joan takes a slow and sexy Blues approach Willie eschews the circus like atmosphere of the original and delivers a straight ahead Rock rendition; without a doubt the best version of this song ever recorded. And for anyone who has spent any time in a downtown NYC watering hole, please check out the official video of Willie and his band partying at the Bowery Electric. It’s a must see.
click to watch video
However, the meat and bones of these collected works are about people not being left behind. For those who feel they have been forgotten, or washed away, or erased by bureaucratic exclusionists who attempt to vanquish what they do not understand, these songs give voice to all who exist in this torn apart world that we have built.
These songs are, once again, a statement for our times. These songs force us to ask questions, and to take action. Do we really have to ask ‘Why does Bob Dylan matter?’ The answer, my friends, is in the songs. In fact, Nile addresses that question, in his inimitable Dylan-like voice, when he charges through the final stanza of “A Hard Rain’s a-Gonna Fall,” biting on the words that demand our nation’s attention:
I’ll walk to the depths of the deepest black forest
Where the people are many and their hands are all empty
Where the pellets of poison are flooding their waters
Where the home in the valley meets the damp dirty prison
Where the executioner’s face is always well-hidden
Where hunger is ugly, where souls are forgotten
Where black is the color, where none is the number
And I’ll tell it and think it and speak it and breathe it
And reflect it from the mountain so all souls can see it
Then I’ll stand on the ocean until I start sinkin’
But I’ll know my song well before I start singin’
It’s a hard rain’s a gonna fall.
So, no matter what side you’re on, which path you choose, or whatever cross you bare… this is why Bob Dylan matters.
Copyright 2018 © Michael A. Cimino
2016: The Year We Said Goodbye
(February 2017)
This past December 8, the anniversary of John Lennon’s murder, I was beginning my day at work when my young co-worker turned on the sound system and clicked on my Progressive Rock playlist. “We don’t have to listen to that,” I said. “That’s what I was listening to yesterday when it was slow.”
“Oh, no,” came the response. “I want to check it out. What is Progressive Rock anyway?”
Brightening, I was happy to explain the Classical influence that had been incorporated into 70’s era Rock ‘n’ Roll, when it wasn’t unusual for a straight ahead Rock band be supported by a symphony orchestra, and went about my morning ritual of checking e mails and messages on Facebook.
We listened to the intro song, Renaissance’s “Prologue” from Live at Carnegie Hall, and then came Emerson, Lake & Palmer’s “Pirates.” As Greg Lake magnificently sang out from two of the crappiest speakers I have ever had the unfortunate discomfort to be saddled with I looked down at my computer monitor to read a post from Tony Bramwell, author of Magical Mystery Tours and old confidant of The Beatles. It simply read GREG LAKE R.I.P.
‘No. That’s a mistake,’ I thought. ‘It’s my mind playing tricks on me. Tony must have written JOHN LENNON R.I.P.’
I looked at the screen again. GREG LAKE R.I.P.
Throughout my years on this planet, and my many experiences of loss, I don’t think I ever fully understood when people would say they were speechless, or that words had no meaning – until then. It was absolute, and it was finite. When those three letters follow an artist’s name it is their epilogue and we mere mortals are left to bathe in the brilliance that once was their purpose. There, really, were no words.
People had often asked me about my career in music journalism and the question that arises most is who my favorite interview subject was. Always, and without fail, I would refer back to the time I had the great pleasure of interviewing Greg Lake. Sure, all the interviews I did while working on Joey Molland’s life story (Badfinger and Beyond) were titillating and exciting (to a point where many of them were conducted with a microphone in one hand a glass of wine – or three – in the other, a shot of courage to mask my nerves.) However, I always recall how Greg Lake had made me feel at ease, invited me to come backstage and have ‘a cup of tea’ and a chat. He was a real English gentleman, and one of my all time favorite artists. I had seen him with ELP three times, one of those times with a full orchestra at Madison Square Garden, and all three times during critical periods of their career. I had also seen him perform with Ringo’s All Starr Band, and once as a solo artist. Not once did he ever fail to deliver.
I really can’t remember where I was, or who turned me on to them, but what I do recall about ‘discovering’ ELP back in the early days was that they had a certain spirituality about them. As a unit they could be at once aggressive and restrained, reflective and over-the-top, and all the while the three musicians intricately wove themselves into a synchronized manifestation of aural muscle.
Greg Lake possessed a voice and a lyrical sensibility that was steeped in some dark and mysterious age. While he sang not only of, and for, our present day in the most majestic and powerful style in contemporary music he also exuded a deep ancient sadness as if he mourned over our frivolous humanitarian ways and our fragile existence.
Over a decade has passed since I conducted that interview with Greg, and the memory that stands out for me most is the spiritual connection I felt with the man. It was his way of embracing our existence, looking at his craft and his art, and ultimately accepting his life.
“You pray that some divine wind of inspiration will blow you away,” he said. “I have this theory that you really don’t invent ideas. Ideas, kind of, pass through you. I think one has to leave oneself open to feel the sort of energy that is always present. It’s always available to tap into. One just has to be attentive to listen for its calling card. That, really, is all you can do.”
Is it any wonder that his music was playing at the very moment I read the news of his passing? I think not. I think it was a sign. A personal way of saying goodbye, in a year we had to say goodbye to far too many of our heroes of stage and screen, pioneers of poetry, policy, sports, reporting, music, and acting. It was a year of saying goodbye to voices that lifted us up, consoled us when we were down, and gave us the drive to move forward even when the only thing we could count on was that the unknown was just around the corner. Voices that urged us to “get through this thing called life,” to not “let the sound of your own wheels
drive you crazy,” that “you’re a shining star, no matter who you are,” that we “gotta have faith.”
These were voices that spoke for us when we couldn’t find the words, voices that spoke for us when we didn’t have the courage, and voices that spoke for us when no one would listen. These were the voices that forced us to deal with our own personal “ch-ch-ch-changes.”
For all of those departed, this newsletter is for you. It is because of you that I bother to write in the first place.
Frank Zappa once said that “writing about music is like dancing about architecture.” While that may be fair enough, I must – with good faith – argue that music journalism can bring attention to beautiful music that may not otherwise be heard. It may be the impetus for someone to seek out something that may ultimately give them pleasure for years, or even decades, to come.
As Shakespeare famously said, “If music be the food of love, [then] play on.” And, as Greg Lake wrote, and gloriously sang, in ELP’s interpretation of Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition “There’s no end to my life/No beginning to my death/Death is life.”
more on Greg Lake can be found in the new book
MUSIC HEAD
Music Head – A Memoir of Purpose Buy it on Amazon today.
“An absolute must read for music lovers”
2016 Wrap-Up
Off Year For Classic Rockers Provides Few Hits
“Rock is dead they say…” wrote Pete Townsend of The Who back in 1971, the year that brought us Tapestry, and many more classics that helped turn Pop music into long-lasting themes for a generation. It was also the year ELP gave us “The Stones of Years” and the lyrics ‘When you speak/is it you that hears?/Are your ears/full?’
45 years later we look back and realize that perhaps our ears are full, and really we ‘can’t hear anything at all.’ We now live in an age where the barrage of media feeds us an illusion of eternal youth and beauty which dominates our eating, sleeping, and buying habits. Today’s technology force-feeds us on so many levels we find it dictates what music we listen to and even the way we listen to it. Rock ‘n’ Roll has always had a gut level undertone of sexuality and vitality that drove us in our adolescence, and as we slide into middle age many of us long to cling onto those youthful feelings. Rock ‘n’ Roll can, and will, still excite providing we can momentarily fight the forces that be and find a few stolen moments to truly listen.
Unfortunately, 2016 was not a banner year for Rock music. Only a handful of artists from the golden era of Rock released new music, and amongst these releases not all were the stellar masterpieces that the artists have come to be known for.
Some, like Bowie and Paul Simon, over time formed their own genre that rarely fits into what was relevant in our youth and now appeal only to a niche market. Others tend to repeat themselves with varying degrees of success, and some forge forward with one eye on the future and another one looking back.
Such is the case with Elton John, who released his 32nd disc of new material in 2016, entitled Wonderful Crazy Night. Recorded with most of the same band he has worked with since 1973’s Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, he requested ‘more guitar’ as he intended to write an upbeat album. Success there, boy! WCN shows Elton is still rockin’ around the clock here with some fine lyrics by Bernie Taupin. A handful of tunes really stand out and make this Elton’s third smash hit in this decade.
Chrissie Hynde of The Pretenders has been steadily working, touring with Stevie Nicks and recording both solo and band projects. Last year she teamed up with Dan Auerbach of the Black Keys to record Alone in Nashville. While credited to the band, Hynde is the only Pretender on the disc and unfortunately this (what I thought was a) dream team fall flat. While the lyrics still have some piss and vinegar in them, and Auerbach adds some guitar crunch, Ms. Hynde no longer delivers the sass and edge she had in her heyday.
Another disappointment was Peter Frampton’s Acoustic Classics. Yes, we all know the guy can play his ass off but it’s pretty obvious from this disc that he has either lost his voice or he just didn’t put any effort into the vocals. Take a pass here, my friends.
Someone who has yet to disappoint in his sporadic solo career is J Geils Band frontman Peter Wolf. On A Cure for Lonliness the Wolfa-Goofa plays the diversity card and hands in a batch of songs that range from retro-fifties Pop (“Tragedy”) to cowboy Country-Rock (“Stranger”, “Wastin’ Time”), a Van Morrison styled croon (“It’s Raining”) and some ever funky grooves (“How do you Know”). With a pickin’ & grinin’ version of “Love Stinks” included, these new shoes fit Mr. Wolf rather nicely, indeed.
Another winner is the latest from Bonnie Raitt, Dig In Deep. Her distinctive vocals and slide guitar approach hasn’t changed a day, and we sure are glad for that. Although Ms. Raitt is not the most prolific songwriter she has contributed 5 of the 12 tracks on Dig In Deep and her originals stand up right next to her excellent taste in covers. She produced the record herself and she knows what she wants, and she gets it. You should get this one, too.
Speaking of stellar guitarists, Eric Clapton released two recordings in 2016. His latest solo, I Still Do, is another quality collection of Blues, Rock, and quasi-Jazz ballads sure to soothe your soul. If you’re looking for some guitar fireworks pick up Live in San Diego with Special Guest JJ Cale. If you’re a fan buy them both. I did, and I didn’t waste my money.
And speaking of fireworks – Santana’s latest, IV, is surely the winner in the guitar-gods category. Reuniting the original Woodstock-era Santana band that recorded “Soul Sacrifice” and “Black Magic Woman” was a smart and long overdue move. This disc is a worthy follow up to where they left off in 1971, featuring some killer jams and great songs. Original lead singer Gregg Rolie hands in performances that rate as ‘hit singles’ while Carlos, Neil Schon, Benny Rietveld, and the triple-threat percussion of Michael Shrieve, Michael Carabello and Karl Perazzo drive the Latin-Rock sound at 120 mph. My only complaint would be that Carlos should have let Rolie do the lead vocal on “Love makes the World go Round.”
The ladies of Heart haven’t slowed down either. While lead singer Ann Wilson released her second EP of songs that influenced her early career, guitarist Nancy Wilson formed a new band called Roadcase Royale with the current rhythm section of Heart along with Prince protégé guitarist Ryan Waters and former Prince collaborator Liv Warfield of New Power Generation. Also in 2016, the sisters released Beautiful Broken under the Heart standard; a collection of newly recorded Heart songs (mostly from the 80s) that the group felt needed some updating. All worthy of Heart fanatics, only one of the new tunes stands out – the Ne-Yo penned “Two.”
Towards the end of the year the Rolling Stones surprised everyone with their first ever covers album and their first full collection of new recordings in over a decade. Blue & Lonesome is twelve tracks of what the Stones do best – balls to the wall electric white-boy Blues. Recorded in three days, with Eric Clapton sitting in on two songs, the disc shimmers with urgency. Released the first week of December it rightfully lodged itself in the US top five and #1 in the UK. Recordings of new original songs were abandoned to ready this disc, but promises of more new Stones songs to come have been floated. If the two new tracks that accompanied their last ‘best of’ package (Grr!), and Blue & Lonesome, are any indication Stones fans will be in for an even bigger treat in 2017.
This brings us to the Cottage Views pick of the year. In 2016 Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young made the headlines once again. Unfortunately, it was not for any reunion that fans may have been hoping for, but for all four former members of the band releasing solo material. Stephen Stills teamed up with keyboardist Barry Goldberg and guitar wizard Kenny Wayne Shepherd and formed the ad-hoc supergroup The Rides back in 2013. Last year they released their second album entitled Pierced Arrow. Neil Young released another solo last year, called Peace Trail. Sorry, for varying reasons I have not reviewed either disc. However, I will give you my humble opinion on Crosby and Nash’s new music.
David Crosby is one cat I thought would never lose his voice, but I caught him singing live on a NPR special with his new collaborator Michael League of Snarky Puppy and he sounded old, and breathy. Even his speaking voice had the faint hint of a lisp. Could it be that he, like Stills, is losing his hearing? His latest disc, Lighthouse, returns him to his acoustic roots, and there are some pretty (and very mellow) songs here, but for the most part I found it boring and his voice weak, and again with a touch of a lisp. Certainly not the high harmony Croz we had come to love.
Grah
am Nash, on the other hand, is in great vocal form on his latest, This Path Tonight, his first solo effort in 14 years. Written and recorded after breaking with his wife of 38 years, Nash is at his most reflective here. The album is a consistent collection of personal songs that wouldn’t have been at odds during the early 70s singer/songwriter period. However, this recording is coming from the perspective of a man now on the verge of old age. That being said, at 75 Nash still sounds blatantly vibrant and his honesty resounds with clarity. His capable songwriting skills shine here as well, asking question after question, pressing us to look into our own sub-consciousness. At times he seems to be saying goodbye as he quests for direction, introspectively querying in “Encore” ‘What’re you gonna do when the last show is over?’ This is a man who may or may not have regrets in his life. It is quite hard to tell but throughout this solid disc he shows his unwavering dedication to keep moving forward, no matter the cost. On what may be the nucleus of this song cycle, “Myself At Last,” Nash declares ‘It’s so hard to fight the past’ and yet he sums it up with ‘I’m rolling down this lonesome road/and I found myself at last.’ It is to his credit as an artist that he is able to un-apologetically bare his soul so honestly, and that makes This Path Tonight the best damned disc that was released in 2016.
Copyright 2017 © Michael A. Cimino
cottageviews@aol.com