Sound Opinions, being the scholarly work it is, has provided footnotes to help you navigate through the show's vast maze of musical knowledge.
Because, let's face it—sometimes even we have no idea what the heck Jim and Greg are talking about.
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08-29-08 Footnotes
Show 144: The Dawn of Metal, Brian Eno & Davud Byrne review, Greg's DIJ Pick
Listen to the MP3 Stream of this show: (link)
Download the Podcast: (Download the MP3)
1 Live Nation has already conquered this continent, and now they have their sights on our neighbors to the south. The biggest concert promoters in North America just struck a deal with the biggest concert promoters in Latin America, CIE. The arrangement gives Live Nation the exclusive right to book world tours into CIE venues. This means they’ve got their paws on nearly all the major concert halls and arenas in Mexico, and a big chunk of those in Brazil. CIE sees the deal as a way to get access to all the major talent in the world, that is, of course, assuming Madonna, Shakira and Jay-Z fill your talent quota.
2 Next time you want to “Do the Dew,” that could mean popping on some headphones. Soda company Mountain Dew just started a new music company, Green Label, that will release free exclusive downloads by artists like Cool Kids and Matt and Kim. To music fans wary of these kind of corporate relationships, Cool Kid Chuck Inglish explains that the company is just trying to support music, not sell their products. Jim is not convinced, but Greg responds that these days an artist needs support wherever he can get it.
3 The last news item this week concerns The Doors’ long time legal drama. The California Supreme Court just denied a petition by two surviving members of the band, Ray Manzarek and Robby Krieger, to review a lower court’s decision that blocked them from touring under The Doors’ name. Manzarek and Krieger added “of the 21st Century,” but still continued to use images of the late Jim Morrison in their advertising. Now they’ll have to pay up to the 3rd surviving member John Densmore, as well as Morrison’s family.
4 At this point in the show Jim and Greg take a trip back to The Dawn of Metal. Heavy Metal isn’t always taken seriously, but it warrants critical, even scholarly analysis. Before there was Metallica or Guns N’ Roses, there was a group of rockers that birthed the genre. Jim and Greg trace the history primarily back to England in the late ‘60s. Here are the bands the credit with giving us the metal we know and love today.
Steppenwolf
Blue Cheer
Hawkwind
Led Zeppelin
Black Sabbath
Deep Purple
Uriah Heep
Judas Priest
Motorhead
Fans of this early metal period will be happy to know that many of these bands are still rocking out live.
5 While Jim and Greg are certainly the top duo in rock and roll, there are some runner ups, including the artists up for review this week. After nearly 30 years, collaborators David Byrne and Brian Eno are back with a new album called Everything That Happens Will Happen Today. The musicians first came together when Eno produced some Talking Heads albums, and later they teamed up for My Life in the Bush of Ghosts. Now Eno and Byrne have made what they’re calling an “electronic gospel” album. Greg thinks they’ve succeeded. Byrnes vocals are not traditionally gospel, but have never sounded better. And the subject matter, which is about rising above tough times, certainly hits gospel themes. He gives the album a Buy It. Jim agrees, but doesn’t want listeners to think that he gives that rating merely because he’s an Eno fan. He didn’t think their first collaboration was all that successful, but this one is much more enjoyable and more accessible. He wishes Byrne didn’t dominate the singing so much, but also gives Everything That Happens Will Happen Today a Buy It rating.
6 Buddy Harman, one of music’s great drummers, died this week at the age of 79. Greg explains that Harman was to Nashville what Benny Benjamin was to Detroit or what Hal Blaine was to Los Angeles. He helped define that sound and played on over 18,000 albums. Drumming wasn’t even a major part of country music prior to Harman’s residency. Just consider what “Pretty Woman” would be without that drum beat. In honor of Harman’s passing, Greg chooses to add Elvis Presley’s “Little Sister” to the Desert Island Jukebox this week. In addition to proving that Presley still had the chops after his stint in the military, the song showcases Harman’s terrific drumming.
Songs Featured in Show #144
Tears for Fears, "Everybody Wants to Rule the World," Songs from the Big Chair, 1985
The Cool Kids, "Delivery Man," Green Label Sound Download, 2008
The Doors, "The End," The Doors, 1967
Steppenwolf, "Born to Be Wild," Steppenwolf, 1968
The Stooges, "Loose," Fun House, 1970
Blue Cheer, "Summertime Blues," Vincebus Eruptum, 1968
The Beatles, "I Want You (She's So Heavy)," Abbey Road, 1969
Hawkwind, "Silver Machine," In Search of Space, 1971
Metallica, “Master of Puppets,” Master of Puppets, 1986
Led Zeppelin, “Dazed and Confused,” Led Zeppelin, 1969
Black Sabbath, “Black Sabbath,” Black Sabbath, 1970
Deep Purple, “Hush,” Shades of Deep Purple, 1968
Deep Purple, “Speed King,” Deep Purple in Rock, 1970
Uriah Heep, “Gypsy,” Uriah Heep, 1970
Judas Priest, “Victim of Changes (Live),” Sad Wings of Destiny, 1976
Motorhead, “Shoot You in the Back,” Ace of Spades, 1980
High on Fire, “Death is this Communion,” Death is this Communion, 2007
Brian Eno & David Byrne, “Strange Overtones,” Everything That Happens Will Happen Today, 2008
Brian Eno & David Byrne, “Life is Long,” Everything That Happens Will Happen Today, 2008
Brian Eno & John Cale, “You Don’t Miss Your Water,” Wrong Way Up, 1990
Elvis Presley, “Little Sister,” Something for Everybody, 1961
Lou Reed, "New York Telephone Conversation," Transformer, 1972
Gentle Giant, "Giant," Gentle Giant, 1970
Jonas Brothers, "Tonight," A Little Bit Longer, 2008
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