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Rolling Stone Magazine

Back when I was growing up, I remember racing my brother to the mailbox to grab the new Rolling Stone magazine first. The two of us would sit down in the yard and read about what was going on in the life of great music. We would always challenge each other in the music trivia section and take score each month. But today's Rolling Stone has really disappointed me.

 

I began receiving Rolling Stone every month in college and it has made me despise today's popular music. Allow me to share what made the covers while it was forced on me: Obama, The Jonas Brothers, Robert Downey Jr. Anti-Bush comedians, Anti-McCain, Obama Again-AC/DC (oh yeah this is a music magazine), 100 Greatest Singers, Britney Spears, Brad Pitt, and last and definitely least Kayne West dressed as Jesus. Do not get me wrong, every magazine had a few good 'music' articles and write-ups on new bands, but 85% was either anti-Republican or top 20 bull manure. I love reading about politics, but not when it is completely one sided and does not look at both angels. I feel like they are forcing their opinions on me when all I want to learn about is music. I am not saying I dislike Obama or that Bush was the best President to ever live, but the magazine needs to learn how to respect the United States leaders. 

It has been their job to feature the days flavor of music (apparently politics and actors as well) in order to sell copies since 1967. I have trouble remembering the old days when the magazine focused on great musicians and bands. When Eric Clapton, Janis Joplin, Jimmy Hendrix and other ARTIST were on the cover. 

 

I remember enjoying the magazine and looking forward to the next issue, but now I do not even want to see who is going to be on the next cover. I see one of three things that has happened to change the magazine... 1) Whomever edits the magazine is pushing their own agenda on the public 2) They have changed their market to teeny boppers or 3) I am an idiot.

* If my mother has not been lying to me all my life, than it is either the first two choices.  

What happened to the great covers like the famous John Lennon and Yoko Ono spooning each other, Jimmy Page and Robert Plant jamming on their guitars together, or Tom Petty ripping a dollar bill?

The Story of John Rushton

One of my best friends, John David Rushton, is a great musician. I met him while working a music festival in 2005. Shortly after we parted ways and reunited in 2007 in Tuscaloosa, he started playing in the bars every night. Over those separated years we had both fallen away from our strict religious backgrounds and started on our own paths in life. His path led him to begin creating his own music on his own terms.

I have never asked him but his influences seem to be Jason Mraz, Sting, and anyone with soul. I do not know whom to compare his guitar too, but he also likes to play the Fender Rhodes keyboard similar to The Doors. Rushton is also a great songwriter mostly writing about girls, sometimes love, but mostly girls in general. He was moderately successful around town singing mostly covers during the week. At this point he had a slight pop sound with a strong soulful voice. He started growing tired of playing to empty bars and wanted to explore his options for a chance to play for larger crowds. 

In the fall of 2008 such an opportunity arose. A pilot friend of ours was reassigned to LAX and needed someone to drive his truck to Los Angeles-where his brother lives. So we packed up the truck and headed out west. Thirty six hours later (with a crazy four day stay in Scottsdale, Arizona with some millionaires) we arrived at his brother's place in Santa Monica. I flew back home while he stood on the street corners playing solo for tips. His crowds were gradually growing as he learned the ropes of being a licensed street performer. 

One trick Rushton learned was to bring random instruments for spectators to play alongside him and his guitar. One day a guy from El Salvador picked up the djembe drum for the first time and too John's surprise rocked the drums. Within thirty minutes a crowd began to gather. They began to play together daily and the crowds kept growing. One of Rushton's biggest fans was a homeless man named Cowboy who would be there every night. He found out that he could keep a rhythm on the tambourine and joined the group to complete the sound. This sound was evolving from the more relaxed style from Tuscaloosa to a more edgy, original sound. The crowds grew even more to the point where they had to move the shows to the beach to accommodate everyone. In less than two weeks they made enough money to purchase an RV in which they would all live together on Venice Beach. They called themselves Content Life because they were having the time of their lives living on the streets.

For the sake of brevity i will sum up the next few months. He got pretty popular on the beaches, opportunities knocked, doors opened and contacts were made. I will say that the local ABC news did a piece on the band when they played at their first red carpet event in Hollywood. A man named LaRocca believed in John's music and put a project together which allowed John to move back to Tuscaloosa to put a new band together. And that is the story thus far....To Be Continued

Drugs are Bad

Drugs are bad. They ruin careers, tear apart families, and kill you...sometimes. All my life I have been taught to avoid them at all costs---except when it comes to music. Most of the modern music that I enjoy to listen to have been influenced by drugs in one way or another and everyone embraces it. From The Beatles to Nirvana, they have all written songs thinking about taking drugs, on drugs, or recovering from them. In the sixties, the drug references tended to be more obvious than they are now and are not even recognized until an interview is read or a music video is watched.

Last year I was reading an issue of Rolling Stone and read an article about a band called MGMT (also known as the Management) and learned about their adventures on mushrooms and all their craziness. So I started looking into this band to see how this drug influenced their music. The first thing  that I stumbled upon was the song Electric Feel. I read the lyrices and noticed that they were a bit odd. While listening to the song I thought it was bad ass...then I watched the video. Holy hamburgers, it was the coolest video I have seen in a while. The colors, the costumes, the dances. It made me feel like I had begun a trip with them. The music and the images are meshed perfectly together and just sucks you into the party. 

When I have the chance to hang out with my four year old nephew, Ryan, I try to instill good music taste in him to undo all of the T.I, Kanye West, and Miley Cyrus that my cousins feed him everyday. This repertoire consists of Panic, Johnny Cash, Hendrix, and, now MGMT. It is his new favorite song that he sings all the time. The only mushroom he eats are on his pizza and the longest trip he has been on was to Disney World. But, Ryan wants to play the guitar like Jimmy Page, sing like John Lennon and write songs like Leonard Cohen. Should I be concerned that one day he will discover the "magical ingredient" that can detour someone off of Abbey Road and begin a Magical Mystery Tour? Or should I pray and hope he does not end up the fourth member of the Jonas Brother?

How to Fall in Love With A Band

The things I judge for a band  to learn if I enjoy them or not are: lyrics, originality, passion and personality. A way to find out all at once is to see them perform live. By going to a concert you can see how "into" the band is of their own music, listening to the music, and see how the band members connect with the crowd  to see their personality. I have been to shows where I thought they were pretty good on the radio and than hate them live. However, I have also been to shows where I thought the band was good and than walked away absolutely in love with them.

For example, when I first saw Widespread Panic in 1995, I knew that their music was very good. I thought I would enjoy them and wanted to experience a Panic show. But when I walked into the venue, I knew I was about to experience more than I had ever imaged. I absolutely fell in love with the band while they were playing live. The instruments are so much more alive and the energy the band gave off was incredible. Having been to over sixty shows, I know that I will follow them until the day they stop playing.

On the other hand, when I went to see the band Creed, I was completely stoked. But when I they got on stage, it seemed like they were tired and not excited to be on stage. Creed sounds much better on the radio than live. 

Billy Joel

I went to see Billy Joel in concert last year and I must say that it was one of the best days of my life! I've always been a fan of his music as long as I can remember. When I was a little girl I was singing We Didn't Start The Fire at the top of my lungs when it came on the radio. I know it is cliche, but Piano Man, in my opinion, is one of the greatest songs ever written. He has a song for every mood a human being could have. When I want to dance, Only the Good Die Young; when I want to cry; She's Always A Woman to Me; and when I want to day dream; River of Dreams. Every one of his songs are incredible, not to mention clever. 

Billy Joel has been playing music since his mother made him as a child. His father was a classical Pianist and his mother wanted him to relate to his father. Billy Joel has said that the kids used to bully him for playing music instead of sports. He missed his last final in High School and did not graduate. Instead, after seeing The Beatles play on The Ed Sullivan Show,  he wanted to follow his dreams and become a musician. He joined his first band in 1963 called The Echeos and than in 1967 he joined the band called The Hassels. He soon became solo and started writing his own music. 

Seeing him in concert was mind-blowing. It is unreal to me that one man can possess so much talent, he owns that piano. I hope I will be fortunate enough to see another show, until then, I will be waiting with open arms for any new songs he want to send my way!

Vinyl Any Day

Today you have to make an effort to escape music if you choose to do so. It is on the radio, iPods, television, retail stores, cellphones (on both ends when calls are made), computers, and even Denny Chimes. It is by no means a bad thing. Music is an outward expression of humanity, mood alter and can voice a generation. However, as with anything, too much can dilute its purpose.

My parents tell me the cliche stories of AM radios in the living room, going to the record store to try to hear the newest release and being jealous of friends that could afford the fresh pressed vinyl. Now a days if you have ninety nine cents (or no convictions concerning stealing) or a cell you can have the newest songs in seconds. The excitement for music has definitely diminished over the years. When I realized this a few years ago, I wanted to find some way to get excited about music on some level. What was logical to me was that if vinyl Lp's made my parents happy than maybe it would make me happy as well. So I was given a record played, scrounged up the old Simon & Garfunkel and Peter, Paul &Mary records my parents had stored away and so it began.

It is just cool to me to listen to the rich tones, pops and white noise on top of the music in its original format and not digitally remastered version downloaded off the Internet. What I enjoy the most is playing an entire album of an artist who has maybe one song that I am familiar with and finding out that all of them are incredible. One such record is Cat Stevens' "Mona Bone Jakon" where I knew the song "Trouble" and that was it. Little did I know the first song on the album, "Lady D'Arbonville" would become one of my favorite songs of all time. Another great thing is when an older person tells me about an artist that I have never heard of, finding it at the thrift store, listening to it, going back to the person and talking to them about it. Anther example would be when my dad's friend told me about Leon Russell and finding it the next day. Needless to say I loved it and found three more of his records since. It does not get better than "Tight Rope" when I need cheering up. I even got to see him play at a small bar in Charleston, SC. this year and hang out with the band the rest of the night. He signed my PBR can, shirt and ticket. 

I know it seems weird, but soon as the needle hits the record it relaxes me more than any prescription I have ever been prescribed. Hitting play on your iPod had it is time, but if given the  option, I would choose vinyl every time. 

Nick and Aaron

Tuscaloosa has it's fair share of talented musicians. One of my personal favorites is a band that consists of two musicians, Nic and Aaron. Nic plays the keyboard with so much energy. They play every Wednesday night at Innisfree. Nic plays the keyboard and Aaron plays the guitar. They are two very talented musicians and play all different types of music from Ray Lamontagne to Toto. Every once in a while they will throw a little Hanson, just to be funny. That is the beauty of these two, not only do they play good songs they are play songs to make the crowd enjoy themselves and laugh.

 I know every time I go to hear them Nic will do a solo of Piano Man and Aaron will do a solo of Soul Shine. Nic's skills on the keyboard are impressive. I have seen him have a little too much to drink and lay down while still playing the keyboard. He does not even miss a note while he is laying on his back. Aaron has a very distinctive voice, it is different, and every song he plays, he makes it his own. Wednesday nights will continue to be one of the best nights of the week to go out, as long as I can hear Nic and Aaron. 

John Mayer...Please Go Away

Let me first start off by saying, when John Mayer first hit the music scene he did not bother me. Fast Forward to fifteen stupid songs later, and I loathe him! He is not the worst musician ever, but I hate when people act like he is a musical prodigy. His voice is an annoying mumble and his songs are mediocre, at best. Who does this guy think he is?

I was outraged when  I heard his version of a Billy Joel song. John Mayer, you have got some nerve trying to cover a great artist like that! The only reason he is still successful now is because he is dating Jennifer Anniston. I suppose now he will try acting. I mean why not? He heard a song by a great musician and sang/butchered it. Why would he not assume he is qualified to be a thespian for buying an actress a dinner? I just hope he goes to a barbecue soon, maybe than he will want to be a cook. That way he will stay off the radio and out of the news.

Now with that said, I do have to agree that his new power-rock blues band, John Mayer Trio is very talented. But it is not necessary because of Mr. John Mayer. The band consists of drummer Steve Jordan from New York City and a Welsh bassist, Pino Palladino. Steve Jordon started playing with Stevie Wonder when he was just a teenager. He than went on to tour with John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd for The Blues Brothers tour. He has produced songs for great artist such as B.B King, Stevie Nicks, and Neil Young. The bassist, Pino Palladino, is from Cardiff , Wales and has played in a "little" band called The Who. He also has played along side Amos Lee, Eric Clapton, and Sir Paul McCartney.