New Vertical Horizon video "Instamatic" features Neil Peart

FROM THE VAULT -- A Li'l Screamin' Ted Nugent for You Adrenaline Junkies

You gotta dig Ted Nugent live in 1977.

Oh the sweaty long hair. Oh those red spandex pants. Oh the blood-curling screams at the end of every other line. Oh the "look at me, I'm a crazy rock star who's lost his mind" faces. Jumping off speakers and landing on your ass, but never missing a beat...and while Nugent claims he was never "on" anything, he still leaves some of us wondering.

Most of it, if not all of it, is more or less acting the rock 'n' roll part and a silly, campy fo' show...but it's also still jammin' rock 'n' roll for its time.

See a clip of Nugent here...it wouldn't let me embed it but at this link you can check out the Live rendition of Motor City Madhouse from 1977. DON'T MISS HIS DISPLAY OF INSANITY AND BLOOD-CURLING SCREAM AT THE 6 MINUTE MARK!

FROM THE VAULT -- The Stones' "Waiting on a Friend"

This has long been one of my favorites by the Stones...there's some special memories attached to it. While it's a bit dated - in most humorous fashion - the video's worth a spin.

Jacob Moon steals Rush's "Subdivisions" and makes it all his own

I'm not typically a fan of the cover tune.  At first glance, it's always seemed like a cheap cop-out or a shortcut to getting your foot in the door as a musician...like you're not being authentic or something...I don't know, I'm sure I'm being way to critical of the idea.

There are exceptions to the rule, however...and from a cursory all-encompassing arc in my head (with eyes squinted shut), I can think of three sets of circumstances. 

1. The first circumstance would be when an artist is really able to outshine the original version if it because it was subpar...or, dare we say, it completely sucked.  Examples (arguable, as many might disagree) might include Van Halen covering "You Really Got Me" by the Kinks.  All respect for Ray Davies & Co., but VH simply blows their version into the 4th Dimension.
2. The second circumstance would involve the cover of a song, from an original version that's simply unknown...to the effect that the cover becomes the famous version.  The perfect example here is Jimi Hendrix covering Bob Dylan's "All Along the Watchtower."  Even for some of you reading this for the first time, that may be news to you...if you're wondering: "You mean Dylan originally sang that?  Really?"  I've even known Hendrix fans to be unaware of that little factoid...so sorry everyone, Jimi didn't write that.  He just did a killer version of it.
3. Then there's the third instance, which to me is the most special...it's where the original version is a classic ingrained in the pantheon of music...YET an artist, perhaps many years later, is able to come along and morph it into something new and engaging.  This post is about that instance.

Canadian artist Jacob Moon, out of Hamilton, Ontario, accomplished that in 2008 when he shot this video covering "Subdivisions" by Rush -- a very, very difficult act to follow -- and he pulled it off all by himself.  

Moon reinvigorates the song in a way that I could have never imagined.  Through his tinkering with it and use of acoustic guitars, he makes "Subdivisions" even more engaging, tender, and emotional.  For those who understand the significance of the lyrics, it's as if he's "us" -- an audience of Rush fans going back decades with the band -- and representing a real perspective and emotional interpretation of it.  It's like he was the guy you knew in the neighborhood who went through all those things with you.

Not to mention this video of him, a performance taking place on the rooftop of a house in a subdivision...that's a suburb of Toronto...in Canada. It adds even more to the effect and aesthetic of the song.  Whoever thought of that is an absolute genius.

So watch Jacob Moon pull off what I never thought I'd witness in my lifetime: someone taking a classic from the Rush cannon and reworking it into something all their own.  This is great, great stuff.  Thank you Jacob Moon!

Dive into Britain's underground with the 'Mixtaped' DVD by No-Man

The following is a preview to No-Man, the Steven Wilson /Steven Bowness collaboration.  Last fall they released Mixtaped, their first live video DVD, available on Amazon as a 2-disc set (includes an 84 minute documentary about the band).  If you want some insight into the progressive pop underground of Britain over the last 20 years, this band is an excellent example and Mixtaped is the prime place to start with No-Man.


No-Man - Mixtaped 2DVD trailer from Kscope on Vimeo.

No-Man live -- after 20 years as a band

I've mentioned before in this blog that the best-kept secret in the rock format today is Steven Wilson out of Britain, and all the incarnations of his artistry in the form of various bands such as Blackfield, Bass Communion, IEM, and as a solo artist...all very different from one another.

Frankly, it's very puzzling how Wilson isn't better known; almost to the effect that the scenario drums up large label conspiracy theories. This argument could be validated by the way Wilson works out of his home studio dubbed "No Man's Land" and purposefully avoids the big labels by conducting as an independent songwriter, arranger, musician, recording engineer, and through many of the other album production roles typically segmented and spread out among various individuals under the guise of a large label.

It appears that about the only thing Wilson doesn't handle is distribution. He's as much of a one-man show in music as you'll ever find. If one considers the variety of talent Wilson brings to the table, there could even be an argument for Rock Hall accolades...but unfortunately he just isn't that well known.

Most who are familiar with Wilson's work know him as the brains behind Porcupine Tree...but few realize that he was in a band called No-Man back when PT was merely an idea. No-Man has evolved over the years as a progressive pop/electronica/rock act, and is a living breathing entity to this day.

The band just released their first live DVD Mixtaped, which can be ordered through the band's independent distributor Burning Shed. The DVD features a second disc with an interesting documentary on the band, and some videos you might recall from late night MTV or VH1 in the mid-90s.

Here's a cut from it. If after some time it gets pulled off the web or something, check out the personal videos from the Savoy Theater by You Tube poster 'lahemi.' It appears this individual personally recorded the whole gig.

Of course Steven Wilson is the lead guitarist fella (wearing glasses) to the left. The singer Tim Bowness, who comes across as a breathy cross between Brian Ferry and Rick Astley, might take a little getting used to -- but he grows on you...as long as you don't get Rickroll'd (or even better, Barackroll'd!!!)

FROM THE VAULT -- Neil Young & Pearl Jam Rockin' the Free World

With Neil Young just celebrating his 64th birthday, here's a little ditty of him with Pearl Jam. I'd guess this took place in the mid-90s, around the time of Young's Mirror Ball collaboration with Vedder & Co.

Remember to put the music machine at the top of the page on pause...and as a prize for doing so, you get to witness some instrument destruction at the end of the video.

FILLER FOR AUDIOPHILES -- Blu-ray.com is your site

I actually spend lots of time at Blu-ray.com, and I don't even own a Blu-ray player yet.

That probably sounds silly, but my first purchase of one is probably not that far off (with new formats and technologies, I typically like to wait for a couple generations of players to cycle through before diving in).

I do tons of research in advance of such an investment, and of course that means the media too.

I really like the reviews of Blu-ray discs on this site...after all, it's the top-of-the-line format out there right now, with the high def craze that's going on and everyone upgrading their equipment.

I go here to review music discs, and have found every review I've read so far to be really helpful. They get into a high degree of technical jargon without losing you, and focus on both the video and audio portions.

This site is also a cataloger of sorts, helpfully indicating what's actually available out there in the Blu-ray format. Since we're less than 2 years removed from the format war with HD DVD, it's going to take time to get through older movies and videos...I'm guessing part of it will involve how high the demand is...otherwise there doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason to it.

For example, The Band The Last Waltz from 1978 has been out on Blu-ray for over a year now, but none of the Star Wars movies are available, so forget logic.

In the case of my personal amusement; when I went there and couldn't find Pink Floyd Pulse on Blu-ray (a concert from 1994 that I wasn't expecting to find on the format, but I thought I'd check anyway), I was treated to a review of David Gilmour Remember that Night instead, and found it had some features and extras that are more appealing to me anyway, such as ancient Floyd bits. There was another excellent review of Rush Snakes & Arrows Live at the site.

I'm scoping all this stuff out in anticipation of picking up a few titles to augment the collection.

It's not just music, there's reviews of movies as well...and anything else, for that matter, that's out on our most recent and illustrious media format, Blu-ray.

"Malignant Narcissism" video from Retrospective 3 DVD

For those of you who enjoy a good brainmelter, this should blow your hair back. Awesome, awesome stuff!

I can't figure out if the band put this together, or if this was from a fan on you tube and the band adopted it for their Retrospective 3 DVD set. I'd be curious to know more about the creation of it; I'll try to dig around when I have a chance.

I guess you might call this a lyrical analysis of sorts without actual lyrics...maybe a first of its kind in that regard? Anyway, enjoy it.

FROM THE VAULT -- Taking Sandler's "Ode to My Car" for a new spin

Back in 1996-97, this Adam Sandler tune "Ode to My Car" (off the album What the Hell Happened to Me?) was all over the radio.

For those of you who are big Sandler fans or were paying attention at the time, you might recall the song came in a few versions. There was the uncensored version on the CD, then there was a version with standard bleeps, which can be found on a CD single (long out of print, I believe)...then there was the version common on the radio -- which I consider the best -- where the bleeps are in the form of an "orchestra" of car horns.

Apart from an Adam Sandler SNL greatest hits video that's floating around out there, I'd argue What the Hell Happened to Me? is his best work. I have the CD with the uncensored version.

I've been unsuccessful in finding a CD version of "Ode to My Car" with the car horn bleeps, until I thought of looking it up on the tube, and voila! I still get a laugh out of this...and the video, seen below, gives some added interest.

FROM THE VAULT -- 1972 Stones footage

Careful there Mick....you might catch a fly!

Yes, the Stones renaissance at the Music Project continues.

This time we're featuring footage from the 1972 Stones Traveling Party tour, which was off the heels of their most acclaimed studio album, Exile on Main St.

Featured songs in this 9 minute clip are "Bitch" and "Gimme Shelter."

The footage seen here was part of a live movie release in 1974, Ladies and Gentlemen the Rolling Stones, in which speaker systems were set up in movie houses to what was referred to as "quadrophonic sound" (the precursor to 5.1 surround sound).

Unfortunately this movie has never been released on DVD...and I'm not even sure it ever came out on VHS either. Interesting, considering it's the band seemingly at it's all-time peak during the Mick Taylor era. Richards plays lead guitar on "Bitch" while Taylor takes the lead on "Gimme Shelter." Flapping lips and countless gestures of innuendo are abound from Mr. Jagger, in the silly delivery as only he knows how.

FROM THE VAULT -- "She's So Cold" is vintage Jagger

Since we're on a roll with the Stones, who's stopping us now?

If you've never seen the vid for "She's So Cold," IMO the strongest track from 1980's Emotional Rescue, it's essential viewing. This is Mick Jagger at his absolute peak as an entertainer bathing in over-the-top silliness. All those funny faces and bizarre gestures...you gotta love this guy's shtick.

I believe the video first appeared on Video Rewind in the early 80s (back when all you had were cassettes and video tape, which you had to "rewind"...get it?). Nearly 30 years (and repeated viewings) later, I still get a kick out of this.

FROM THE VAULT -- The lost Pink Floyd track "Embryo"...performed live!

"Embryo" is a classic Pink Floyd tune that never appeared on any of their original albums, although it did show up later on the mini-compilation Works.

It was part of their live set from 1968 to 1972. I want to say it was last performed on the DSOTM tour and then permanently dropped thereafter.

What an awesome find...the band performs it live here. This is the belly of the beast; Pink Floyd in all their awe-inspiring mystery and creativity...long before there was MTV.

Radiohead fans, take note...these are the Jedi Masters of art rock that gave Yorke and Greenwood some of their ideas for what you get from them these days.

Neil Young clip from Everett show

Here's a quick clip of Neil's Everett show from last night...should give you a good idea. If you can make out a guy 4 rows back center stage in a black skully, that's me.

Neil Young road testing new material?

...or so I'm guessing. Here's a vid from this year's tour, a tune called "Sea Change." He performed this and another new tune called "When Worlds Collide" in Everett last night. The lyric in that song mentioning "money" and "it ain't funny" conjures up that old Kinks tune "Low Budget."

I'm not going to even try to speculate whether or not this new material is to be expected on an upcoming project, considering Young's history of shelving recorded projects and a handful of songs from as far back as the 70s that he performs live but has never released on any album.

Hey, it's all part of the Neil Young charm...right?

FROM THE VAULT -- Unreleased Rush tunes caught live

Some in the diehard Rush camp have probably heard of the song "Garden Road," which was never released on any of their albums.

It was part of their live set from the early 70s, before they released their eponymous debut album. Such curios from a band that doesn't release B-sides and outtake tracks --- bent on presenting their work polished and rehearsed --- tends to become more myth than reality. Nevertheless, I decided to see what was out there recently.

Interestingly enough, this wasn't very hard to find. Here's a live recording of the tune (don't mind the bizarre graphic), and for Rush at the time it's not too shabby. Listening carefully to it reveals some killer wah-wah pedal work from Alex. I love it when he puts that thing to effective use.

When the song finishes, hunt on the scroll bar for another unreleased Rush rarity, "Fancy Dancer," also containing the same cheeseball graphic.

"Far Cry" from upcoming live Rush package

Coldplay "Violet Hill" video (dancing politicians)

Rush & The Foo Fighters jam together at Toronto's Air Canada Centre

A video follow-up to the "21 Reasons" post

After all that babble in the last post, I thought I'd follow up with some video.

Think of it as your reward for all your hard work in reading my stuff...

It starts out with Rush performing "Freewill" at the SARS Festival in their hometown of Toronto in 2003, then to the Pink Floyd reunion with Roger Waters at Live 8 in 2005 and "Comfortably Numb," and finally to an acoustic Neil Young performance with "Old Man" in 1971.

After the videos play, you can surf the menu at the bottom of the video box to play other songs by the same artist.

Enjoy! S