by Brian Baker
05.31.2011
R.I.P. Tebbe Farrell 1956-2011
Whenever I would get a phone call from Tebbe Farrell, I’d usually save whatever I was working on and put my computer into sleep mode. Regardless of the purpose of the call — to hip me to an upcoming show, to pitch a story that she wanted me to write, to alert me to some injustice that required a damn good righting — I knew it would ultimately turn into a marathon conversation that was destined to go completely and wonderfully off tangent. The primary reason for this was quite simple; if Tebbe felt passionate about something, whether it had to do with music or a social cause or a political issue, she made sure that, a) you knew how passionate she felt about it, and b) by the end of the conversation, you’d feel passionate about it too.
by Alex L. Weber
07.03.2009
Free Stuff from Freekbass!
Everyone's favorite funkdified, dancetastic bass hero, Freekbass, has teamed up with Hip Hop/DJ collective Tobotius for a slammin' couple of tracks that'll definitely get your booty motorin'.
by Mike Breen
12.09.2011
Squeeze the Day for 12/9
Music Tonight: The range of shows/concerts today is pretty impressive — you can see/hear everything from a patriotic Country singer at a casino (Lee Greenwood at Belterra) to a chainsaw-wielding Hard Rock band (Jackyl at the venue-formerly-known at Annie's, Inner Circle). If your speed clocks somewhere in the middle of those two extremes, I highly recommend checking out JC Brooks and the Uptown Sound at MOTR Pub in the Over-the-Rhine. Not only is it way cheaper (free), but the Chicago-based Soul/Funk squad is noted for its great live shows. Add eclectic local rockers Buckra to the mix and you've got one powerhouse night of music one your hands. Check out the band's amazing version of fellow Chicagoans Wilco's "I Am Trying to Break Your Heart," which is the best Wilco cover ever to cross my ears. Showtime is 10 p.m. (Read more about Brooks and Co. from this week's CityBeat here.)
by Amy Harris
01.26.2011
Stone Sour's Josh Rand Talks Tour, New Album
Stone Sour is a Heavy Metal band from Des Moines, Iowa. They will be at U.S. Bank Arena Saturday with Avenged Sevenfold. Since 2006, the group has been composed of Corey Taylor (lead vocals), Jim Root (lead guitar, backing vocals), Josh Rand (rhythm guitar), Shawn Economaki (bass guitar) and Roy Mayorga (drums, percussion). The group formed in 1992, performing for five years, before going on hiatus in 1997 when Taylor and Root joined Slipknot. The group reunited in 2002.
We caught up with guitarist Josh Rand at UPROAR festival in the fall to discuss the band’s current album and their upcoming tours.
by mbreen
04.05.2011
Shake It Adds Foxy Shazam to RSD Lineup
The third annual Record Store Day, a celebration of independent record stores on April 16, is shaping up to be the biggest yet, with hundreds of special, limited-edition releases and in-store appearances around the country by some of the biggest names in music, from Jerry Lee Lewis to Foo Fighters. Northside’s Shake It Records has firmed up its Record Store Day lineup. As previously mentioned, Talib Kweli and Wussy will appear at Shake It for RSD and the shop recently added another local heavyweight to the festivities — Foxy Shazam.
by Mike Breen
12.07.2011
The Afghan Whigs to Reunite!
Famed Cincinnati rockers to play first shows in 13 years at U.K. and U.S. festivals
As people were busy contemplating the chance of the original Guns N’ Roses reteaming for their Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction early next year, news came down that a Cincinnati Entertainment Awards "Hall of Fame" band (and one beloved, influential and respected worldwide) will definitely be reuniting in 2012. The Afghan Whigs will play their first show in 13 years on May 27, 2012, in London for the All Tomorrow's Parties festival offshoot, I'll Be Your Mirror. The band will also perform a headlining show at I'll Be Your Mirror USA 2012, playing the fest Sept. 22 in Asbury Park, NJ. Tickets go on sale in early January. On the downside (for Ohio Rock fans), the Whigs replace Guided By Voices at the September show; according to the IBYM release, GBV has broken up (again) and canceled all 2012 dates (despite being on track to release an album of new material early next year). Check out the full press release below. UPDATE: GBV, according to their publicists, have NOT broken up (again); they have merely canceled a few shows.
by mbreen
08.11.2010
The Greenhornes Return With New Album, Shows
Cincinnati Garage Rock heroes The Greenhornes seemed headed for big-time success, a gradual build-up that ultimately found them recording for the V2 label with Power Pop cult fave Brendan Benson producing, having songs placed in Jim Jarmusch movies and playing to gigantic arena/stadium-sized crowds touring with The White Stripes.
But the band’s momentum was halted when Jack White decided their rhythm section (drummer Patrick Keeler and bassist Jack Lawrence) was so good, he’d like to work with them.
by Mike Breen
03.22.2012
This Date in Music History: March 22
Queen gets denied by MTV and Angelo Badalamenti is a soundtracking genius
On this day in 1984, Rock legends Queen started filming the music video for their song, "I Want to Break Free." Queen was a band that embraced the concept of music videos early on. The current Spectacle exhibit at the Contemporary Arts Center, about the history of music videos and where it's at today, cites the band as a vanguard act of the video age thanks to early clips for songs like "We Will Rock You"/"We Are the Champions" and, especially, "Bohemian Rhapsody."
By 1984, MTV was finding its legs and providing an outlet for new clips by artists; in the early days, the network had little to chose from to fill 24 hours a day with vids, so they played anything available, including those early Queen clips. The "I Want to Break Free" video featured the band members dressed as women in a parody of suburban life and British evening soap operas. The clip had Freddie Mercury decked out in a short skirt, tight sweater, big falsies, a wig and that trademark mustache, running the vacuum cleaner. It also featured Mercury in his more familiar uniform — leather pants, no shirt and that trademark chest hair — and classic ’80s music video elements like choreographed dancers prancing in the haze from a smoke machine.
The clip was well received (and the single did well) in the U.K., but not so much in the U.S., thanks in part to MTV's decision to "ban" it from the network (a clear sign they were becoming less desperate for music clips to air now that everyone was starting to make them). It wouldn't run on the network until 1991.
Cross-dressing had become fairly common in Rock & Roll by that point. The Rolling Stones, New York Dolls and David Bowie had all playfully donned women's clothing for album covers, live shows, videos and photo shoots. For some weird, unclear reason, Queen weren't allowed to indulge in that bit of cheeky humor — perhaps because Mercury was a rare "out" gay man in the public eye during a time when AIDS had so many people in a panic (Mercury told NME in 1974, "I am as gay as a daffodil, my dear." I'm assuming NME said back, "No shit.")
Straight or bi guys in drag were cool with MTV, apparently, but if the cross-dresser is gay … well, God forbid anyone in the U.S. be exposed to that.
Kind of odd to think of MTV playing moral watchdog given the tripe of reality-exploitation shows about teen moms and drunken boneheads that infest the channel. And they play videos by that transvestite Lady Gaga all the time. (Note: I've been informed that Lady Gaga is not a transvestite, but actually a woman. My apologies to Ms. Gaga, her fans and her family.)
Below is a cool, hour-long documentary on Queen from the BBC called Days of Our Lives. At about the 21 minute mark, the film addresses the "Break Free" controversy. Guitarist Brian May seems to believe the banning of the video by MTV killed Queen's chances of bigger success in the states during those latter years (he doesn't mention that the song was also not very good).
Queen remains an important band to many Rock fans and musicians, their influence more evident in some of the music of today's younger artists' music than it has been for decades (think Foxy Shazam or My Chemical Romance).
The "Break Free" clip follows to doc. Weirdly, the version posted on the official Queen YouTube page is labeled as unsuitable for certain audiences and requires users to sign in to view it. Seems people are still incredibly afraid of a man in a leather dress, fake tits and giant hot pink earrings. (It sure didn't hurt Rudy Giuliani's career.)
Click on for Born This Day featuring Shatner, Stephanie Mills and Angelo Badalamenti.
By 1984, MTV was finding its legs and providing an outlet for new clips by artists; in the early days, the network had little to chose from to fill 24 hours a day with vids, so they played anything available, including those early Queen clips. The "I Want to Break Free" video featured the band members dressed as women in a parody of suburban life and British evening soap operas. The clip had Freddie Mercury decked out in a short skirt, tight sweater, big falsies, a wig and that trademark mustache, running the vacuum cleaner. It also featured Mercury in his more familiar uniform — leather pants, no shirt and that trademark chest hair — and classic ’80s music video elements like choreographed dancers prancing in the haze from a smoke machine.
The clip was well received (and the single did well) in the U.K., but not so much in the U.S., thanks in part to MTV's decision to "ban" it from the network (a clear sign they were becoming less desperate for music clips to air now that everyone was starting to make them). It wouldn't run on the network until 1991.
Cross-dressing had become fairly common in Rock & Roll by that point. The Rolling Stones, New York Dolls and David Bowie had all playfully donned women's clothing for album covers, live shows, videos and photo shoots. For some weird, unclear reason, Queen weren't allowed to indulge in that bit of cheeky humor — perhaps because Mercury was a rare "out" gay man in the public eye during a time when AIDS had so many people in a panic (Mercury told NME in 1974, "I am as gay as a daffodil, my dear." I'm assuming NME said back, "No shit.")
Straight or bi guys in drag were cool with MTV, apparently, but if the cross-dresser is gay … well, God forbid anyone in the U.S. be exposed to that.
Kind of odd to think of MTV playing moral watchdog given the tripe of reality-exploitation shows about teen moms and drunken boneheads that infest the channel. And they play videos by that transvestite Lady Gaga all the time. (Note: I've been informed that Lady Gaga is not a transvestite, but actually a woman. My apologies to Ms. Gaga, her fans and her family.)
Below is a cool, hour-long documentary on Queen from the BBC called Days of Our Lives. At about the 21 minute mark, the film addresses the "Break Free" controversy. Guitarist Brian May seems to believe the banning of the video by MTV killed Queen's chances of bigger success in the states during those latter years (he doesn't mention that the song was also not very good).
Queen remains an important band to many Rock fans and musicians, their influence more evident in some of the music of today's younger artists' music than it has been for decades (think Foxy Shazam or My Chemical Romance).
The "Break Free" clip follows to doc. Weirdly, the version posted on the official Queen YouTube page is labeled as unsuitable for certain audiences and requires users to sign in to view it. Seems people are still incredibly afraid of a man in a leather dress, fake tits and giant hot pink earrings. (It sure didn't hurt Rudy Giuliani's career.)
Click on for Born This Day featuring Shatner, Stephanie Mills and Angelo Badalamenti.
by mbreen
01.07.2009
Led Zep Reunion: Who Should Supplant Plant?
Rumors of a Led Zeppelin tour have been floating around since the band reunited for a one-off show in England in 2007. Every week or so a "reliable source" has announced it was a sure thing, only to be followed by official statements that singer Robert Plant has no interest.
The latest word comes from Zeppelin's manager Peter Mensch, who says the musicians are having fun without Plant and want to find a singer, tour and possibly even record.
by Mike Breen
07.31.2012
Wussy To Join Afghan Whigs U.S. Tour
Two of Cincinnati's all-time best join forces this fall
Cincy rockers Wussy are set to join the much-celebrated Afghan Whigs' reunion tour this fall when the band finally hits the U.S. for a string of dates. Another great exhibition of Cincy's rich music scene, again in the national spotlight. Wussy has been touring a lot more than usual lately, including its first West Coast jaunt, so this should help raise the group's national profile even more.
So far, Wussy is set to open for The Afghan Whigs for their homecoming show at Bogart's on Oct. 25 (sold out), as well as dates in New Orleans (Oct. 19), Atlanta (Oct. 20), Carrboro, NC (Oct. 21) and another sold-out affair in Detroit (Oct. 24). More dates are expected to be announced soon.
Wussy co-lead-singer/songwriter Chuck Cleaver is a longtime friend/mutual fan of the Whigs. Back in 1993, the local label Mono Cat 7 released a split single featuring the Whigs and Cleaver's former band, The Ass Ponys. The Ponys covered The Whigs' tune "You My Flower," while Greg Dulli and Co. tackled the Ass Ponys classic "Mr. Superlove." (That's the cover art, with former Short Vine mayor Archie acting as the model, above.)
Here's a fan-made video for the Whigs' take on "Mr. Superlove" (NSFW due to mild nudity).
More recently, Wussy recorded a great cover version of another early Whigs song, Up In It opening track, "Retarded," for an Afghan Whigs tribute compilation put out by fantastic Afghan Whigs site Summer's Kiss (listen or purchase here). The comp also included Whigs renditions by Mark Lanegan, Joseph Arthur and several other acts.
Give a listen to Wussy's "Retarded" below.
