Bye Bye Love

Sad to learn this weekend of the passing of Phil Everly, who (along with his brother Don) made up one half of the legendary singing duo The Everly Brothers. One of the first popular groups to meld country, folk and r&b (thus ushering in the sound of rock and roll), the brothers released several classic hits and albums during the 1950s and 1960s, and went on to influence countless generations of musicians in the years to come.

It was during my second year of college that I got my first taste of working in radio/broadcasting, scoring an internship at WKLX in my hometown of Rochester, New York—I was thrilled! My job was to call listeners and get feedback on songs that the oldies station had in their musical library. I was already a big fan of the Beatles, but playing snippets of all these songs from the 1950s and 1960s served as quite the musical education. 

I suddenly became obsessed with such artists as Chuck Berry and The Everly Brothers— the latter, in particular, had such beautiful harmonies (Phil generally taking the highs, and Don the lower range) and guitar work, and their music was an interesting blend of upbeat rhythms and darker themes (think "Bye Bye Love," "All I have To Do Is Dream," "Wake Up Little Susie"). The following year my respect for the Everlys grew even more, when A-ha covered their introspective 1962 hit, "Crying in the Rain"—it turns out that Phil and Don Everly influenced many of my all-time favorite acts, including The Beatles, 

A-ha, and Simon & Garfunkel (you could certainly hear it in the latter).

The Everly Brothers join Simon & Garfunkel onstage at the Pepsi Arena,
Albany, New York, June 10, 2004. Photo by Jeremy Clowe.

In terms of music, 2004 was a big year for me: I began hosting the TV show "Berkshire Soundstage" and attended several memorable concerts (I called it "research"). One of the absolute highlights was getting the chance to see Simon & Garfunkel's "Old Friends" tour in Albany, New York, which included a set from the duo's own heroes, The Everly Brothers. I remember being quite impressed by their stripped-down set, and those gorgeous harmonies, still intact all those years later... I believe their brief performance actually outshone Paul and Art's that night!

Prior to Phil Everly's death, I had actually been thinking quite a bit about the legacy of his group —2013 saw the release of two strong tribute albums of the Everly Brothers' music ("What The Brothers Sang" by Dawn McCarthy and Bonnie Prince Billy; and "Foreverly" by Norah Jones and Green Day's Billie Joe Armstrong), and the sheer perfection of their arrangements captured my attention once again. In addition, my growing awareness of the Appalachian folk music traditions, which the Everlys combined into their sound, has made me appreciate their work even more. 

There is obviously something to the fact that such artists as Paul Simon and Graham Nash talk about the Everly Brothers' influence, or that their work would be covered so reverently by artists such as Robert Plant and Alison Krauss (on their beautiful album, "Raising Sand") or A-ha (who played original guitars gifted by the brothers on their final tour): "gone, gone, gone," but surely never to be forgotten.

Related Links:

everlybrothers.net

"Phil Everly, Half of a Pioneer Rock Duo That Inspired Generations, Dies at 74," New York Times, January 4, 2014

"Phil Everly Dies; Transformed Rock 'N' Roll With Brother Don," NPR, January 4, 2014

"Serendipitously Intertwined" (statement from A-ha about Phil Everly's death), January 4, 2014, www.a-ha.com

"10 Great Covers of Everly Brothers Songs," USA Today, January 3, 2014


"Phil Everly, Everly Brothers Vocal Legend, Dead at 74," Rolling Stone, January 3, 2014

My A-ha Moment

Interviewing Sir Paul from A-ha, September 2005, NYC.
Photo ©Jeremy Clowe. All rights reserved.

Thanks to everyone who tuned into my radio show, Chrysalis Dreams: 30 Years of A-ha last night. Produced with and aired on WEXT in Albany, New York, the two-hour special allowed me the opportunity to look back on the career of the music group A-ha, who has always been one of my favorite bands... ok, make that the favorite!

The response to the program was fantastic, both locally and internationally. I heard from people from as far away as New Orleans, Quebec, London, Ireland, Norway and Korea... it was pretty wild. I think the station underestimated the appeal of the show and, unfortunately, there were many potential listeners who complained about not managing to access the online stream since it was so busy. According to the station's Facebook page, they promise to rebroadcast the show again soon. If you are interested, please drop them a line to let them know what you think.

Personally, it meant a great deal to be able to share this music with listeners, and hear some of my favorite songs on North American radio for the first time! I found myself getting choked up a couple times during the first hour, because I have such a history with these songs... honestly, they helped me get through some pretty tough times during high school and college. 

With that amount of passion, it has irked me that I have often had to explain such devotion. As I described during the special, A-ha's music has always touched a special nerve within me. These are heartfelt songs, with lyrics frequently tending towards the introverted... so maybe not everyone gets it. I think a larger problem here in the U.S., is that there just hasn't been the ongoing exposure− I have interviewed enough bands over the years to know that promotion is a big part of sustaining a popular music career. Whether it was the fault of the record company or the band, who felt misunderstood and pushed in a certain direction, it's a shame that more people are not aware of the true genius of A-ha's musical output. Hopefully my special, which helps me further shape the template of my video documentary, could help with that.

A couple weeks ago I heard an interesting story on NPR, about a new book called What Are You Doing Here? Music writer Laina Dawes is a huge heavy metal fan, who just happens to be black. In her book, she describes the resistance she has had to endure because her gender and ethnicity don't fit the preconceived notion of who should be listening to that particular style of music. Buying into that stereotype, it might be far less surprising to hear that someone like me (young, white male) was into heavy metal... even though the genre has never really grabbed me.

It was interesting to hear about the difficulty that Dawes has experienced over the years from both white and black communities. Unfortunately, it reinforces this idea of fragmented subcultures, particularly when it comes to music. This quote from the author during the NPR interview really resonated with me: "I think it's just made me a stronger person. Things that you find that you are really passionate about, they usually don't come easy to you. I've had experiences at concerts and shows that have really hurt me and have really made me think, 'why am I doing this again? What's the point?' And really what it comes down to is the music. It makes me feel so good that I'm willing to put up with the occasional challenging experience..."

To that I say "Amen!... and A-ha!"

Related Links:

www.a-ha.com

http://exit977.org

Interview: Laina Dawes, Author of 'What Are You Doing here?', NPR, January 4, 2013

Lending a Voice

Today was quite interesting... and busy. I started by giving a live, in-studio interview to WAMC, our local NPR station, about the Alex Ross exhibition. The artist himself joined us via phone from Chicago as we talked about his work and the show. I was quite happy with the way it turned out... hopefully my enthusiasm translated well on the radio. You can hear for yourself on the show archive on The Roundtable's website. 

Immediately following the segment, the exhibition curator and I drove up the street to the local comic shop... of course! I dropped off some more promotional materials, and we looked around a bit. Everyone seems very excited about the exhibition, and is planning their costumes to wear...

From there I caught a quick bite at my favorite Indian food buffet, and then drove back to Hudson, where I still haven't changed my mailing address. I was waiting until today, Election Day, to avoid any last-minute snafus. It was painless... we had fill-in ballots that reminded me of grade school, and I had no wait at all. I even ran into some of my family's friends... there was something a little sad about the idea that this would probably be my last time voting in the area. 

Afterwards, I hit downtown Hudson,dropping off more posters about the Ross exhibit--it was a nice surprise to hear about others who were aware of the exhibit... more excitement.

I'm back home now, and Sarah is off at a election results party with some of our friends. I decided to stay put and try to get some more work done on my exhibition video... time is running out. Here and there I'm checking in on results, but the election still seems too close to tell. 

I did, however, wake up this morning to learn the results of a different kind of election held today in Norway... yes, my musical idols, A-ha, were awarded the Royal Order of St. Olav, the Norwegian equivalent of being knighted, by their King Harald. All three members were on-hand during a special ceremony in Oslo, where they received St. Olavs Orden (and a standing ovation), for their quite impressive contributions to Norwegian music. Hear, hear! 

So, not a bad day for this blue-eyed soul brother...

Related Links:

The American Presidency Project

"'Heroes & Villains: The Comic Book Art of Alex Ross' at The Norman Rockwell Museum," The Roundtable, November 6, 2012

"A-ha members awarded royal Order of St Olav," newsinenglish.no, November 6, 2012

"A-ha hedret med St. Olav," sa.no (Norwegian), November 6, 2012

Everyday Is Like Sunday

Sorry, I couldn't resist that title. I thought today was as good a chance as any to finally talk about last Thursday's concert. I had seen Morrissey live a few times before, so I felt I was somewhat prepared...

The first time I saw the Mozzer was in 1992, Springfield, Massachusetts--it was my junior year of college, and around the time I really started getting into his work. He had just released Your Arsenal, and I was taken by the aggressive, guitar sound (at times rockabilly) that somehow worked alongside his personal, introspective lyrics. In retrospect, it was an approach he had already successfully utilized during his time with the Smiths, but I wasn't as aware of that music when it was originally released. This album, however, came out right during the grunge music years... and it seemed a bit more energetic and fresh in comparison. There was also the "look" of Morrissey (again, sort of a rockabilly meets beat poet) and the opinionated yet ambiguous way that he presented himself, which both confounded and intrigued the public. He just seemed awfully cool and different... somehow I always find myself going "against the grain."



Another album followed in the spring of 1994--the more reflective Vauxhall and I. It seemed a perfect "release" for me at the time (especially the track "Hold On To You Friends"), as I had experienced a rather rocky, emotional year, and was just figuring out how to find my footing. I appreciated the comfort of the artist's work so much that I traveled out to New York City to try and meet him during a signing he was giving at Tower Records. What I found were blocks of fans lined on the streets for the opportunity, making me realize the extent to which people had connected with his work. Unfortunately, I did not get in... I stood out for a few hours, and only caught a glimpse of the artist, holding up a sign that read "I'm sorry" for the many he did not have time to get to--I think that simple gesture said something about the respect he felt for his fans, in contrast to the acerbic nature of some of his opinions and lyrics. 



Things got quieter as the years went on... although I frequently played his new material during my stint as a DJ, I didn't find it quite as melodic and engaging, even though the love of all things Britpop was getting stronger and stronger for me. I did find myself going back to the early Smiths albums, and realizing that these were even more special for their heartfelt music and lyrics. 

In 2004, Morrissey returned to form with the album You Are the Quarry, and it had some splendid songs that seemed to come back around to a more simple, direct form of songwriting. After a long absence, a new tour was announced, with a special date at New York's legendary Apollo Theater... considering my love of soul music and Britpop, it was too tempting to resist. That was a lovely concert... with a lush theater providing quite the backdrop to Moz's melodramatic flourishes... plus, he was finally playing Smiths songs! Hearing "There Is a Light That Never Goes Out" live was sheer joy... I caught him again in Boston a few months later, but that was marred by a drunken girlfriend who was causing me trouble at the time... heaven knows I was "miserable" now.



So this year, Morrissey was finally coming to me... Albany's Palace Theater, and I looked forward to bringing my sweet wife Sarah and good friend Frank to share in the experience. As I mentioned, the fantastic independent station WEQX was giving tickets away the other week, and I thought I would give it a shot... and won! So our upgrade to the second row promised to make this show all the more memorable.

There were the expected Morrissey clones--hair quiffs and moody black... people you half-expected to have a book of poetry under their arm. The one thing I haven't mentioned yet is that people have often thought that I resembled the artist (especially during the early 90s), and I haven't heard the last of that once Sarah and Frank made the same observation. I wondered if Moz himself considered it... we were literally looking straight across from each other during the show!

Yes, we realized that our second row seats were actually in the first-- we couldn't have been closer to the stage in some respects. We only caught a little of opening act Kristeen Young, which sounded interesting to me... more like a Bjork clone to Sarah. This was followed by a stream of film clips which I mentioned yesterday... offering a taste of some of Morrissey's early influences, including writer Oscar Wilde, whose wit the Brit certainly shares. 



Once Moz took the stage, you could feel the energy. Devoted fans who held on to their heart, and mouthed every lyric. I enjoyed doing the latter, especially to such songs as "You Have Killed Me" and "Everyday is Like Sunday." Morrissey looked older and didn't seem to move around as much as I remembered, but he and his band certainly did not lack energy or playing ability. At times I found myself impressed at how strong the singer's voice remains... he belted a cover of Frankie Valli's "To Give (The Reason I Live)" that made you think it was a song of his own creation. 

A Morrissey show is not a typical rock show, I think. Because of the nature of his music, it has the air of melancholy... slight depression... yet the music usually succeeds in countering that, and turning it into something quite emotional and, at times, uplifting. This was the case again at this show, although at times I felt it veered too much into a downbeat direction. Case in point: during his rendition of The Smiths' controversial "Meat Is Murder," the outspoken vegetarian showed film clips of the abuses of cattle and poultry farms. I have seen such footage before and been moved by it (I haven't actually eaten red meat in over ten years), but I think showing it in this venue was a bit much. Perhaps something a bit more abstract would have made it easier to digest... my poor wife averted her eyes, and I think many in the audience did not know how to react following this depressing visual... the songs that followed didn't help lift the spirits much. I think it's always a very fine line with this type of music, to not make it too despairing. 

Energy came back to the show in a big way with the common spectacle of fans trying to rush the stage and offer the singer a hug. It is always interesting... I think has been a part of every show I have seen. What happens is a dramatic tug of war between fans, security, and the artist... in some ways it is more "rock and roll" than the more typical shows I see! I was tempted at one point, but did not want to jeopardize my perfect seat. The same reason, I took very few photos... proper cameras were actually prohibited, but once I saw others disobeying and snapping shots with their phones, I decided to do the same. By the end of the concert and an encore of The Smiths classic "How Soon Is Now?" the true emotional energy of a Morrissey concert was revealed, and we were lucky to be able to witness it live, up-front and direct.

After the show, Sarah and Frank kidded me about the resemblance, and also picked up on the fact that many of my "moves" when I am performing seem borrowed from Morrissey. Looks like I have been found out! I hadn't really thought of it, but there is something I have picked up on with some of his stage antics, the same way that I have observed soul artists, The Beatles, Morten Harket, and David Bowie over the years. I especially liked one review of the concert that described Morrissey's use of the microphone cord as resembling a whip for a lion tamer... too true--I have used that trick, as well as the overdramatic sauntering around and falling to the stage. Why not?... I'm not really conscious of it, but I guess I have always been a bit of a sponge for pop music, much like Morrissey himself... 

One cool ending to the night: we ended up landing a V.I.P. pass, and hung out afterwards to try and meet the reclusive singer. After a bit of a wait, security came out and said that unfortunately he had "long gone"... we started to head out, when the singer's long-time guitarist Boz Boorer came out to greet some friends. We managed to speak to him as well, and I finally got my copy of Vauxhall and I signed... not by Morrissey, but I guess this was the next best thing (Boorer had also collaborated on this album that I so enjoyed). 

As I wrote, the next day I was exhausted... but did pull myself together to perform with my improv group. I guess people enjoyed it, but I had mixed feelings. It's hard to just switch it on when you're not really feeling it... especially with comedy. I wondered how musicians like Morrissey manage to do it every night on tour? Performing is not easy, and it must be challenging for the acts who care enough to give their fans a great show every time... Moz seems to find a way--I have yet to attend a bad concert, where he didn't seem to be giving it his all... I'm sure it won't be the last.

All photos ©Jeremy Clowe. All rights reserved.

Related Links:

"Morrissey Pleases Crowd at the Palace," Albany Times Union, October 19, 2012

"Morrissey is the same old Morrissey (in seal-hunt free Albany, N.Y.)," National Post, October 19, 2012

Morrissey's Official Facebook page


Still intrigued? Check out this great documentary we discovered yesterday:
"The Importance of Being Morrissey"

Out of Sight

We were both pretty exhausted today... mostly hid out in our new home, sleeping and watching movies... Rock of Ages was pure cheese. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone... even the headbangers. A documentary on Morrissey was much better--still settling in after the other night's festivities.

Before Moz took the stage the other night, they played several odd, vintage film clips, and some interesting music videos. I recognized The New York Dolls, Sparks, and some of the old crooners, but this oldie was new to me:



"Out of Sight, Out of Mind" was performed by the group Shocking Blue back in 1971. I only ever heard of them from the song "Venus," which topped the U.S. charts around that same time. Apparently they were from the Netherlands. This song is cool in a sort of mod way... Interesting to learn what made an impact on artist like Morrissey.

Speaking of influences, it's pretty cool that I can now walk to a comic shop here in Schenectady... would be even cooler if I was still that into comics.

Spider-Sense

I spent the day today looking at my Alex Ross interview, transcribing some of the material to use for an upcoming article. Transcription isn't challenging, just time consuming... but it was interesting to revisit some of the discussion I had with the comic book artist about his work. 

One thing that stuck out again was his early love for Spider-Man, based on the comics and his appearances on the old children's TV show, The Electric Company. Ross described being amazed by this man running around in this colorful costume, fighting bad guys... and I would have to say I agree. Being the same age, I think that's where my love of comic books started as well. It was a magical sort of journey into fantastic lands... pitting right against wrong, and some really interesting characters... It certainly sparked my imagination. Anyway, I haven't seen those old Electric Company episodes in ages, but they are now available on DVD, and... yes, YouTube: 

What a groovy theme song, and yes... that's actor Morgan Freeman doing the narration... ha ha, love it! Transcription of this video sure would be easier, and I wonder who the actor playing the Spoiler was...

Speaking of "The Spoiler," the diabolical Mitt Romney was indeed stopped in his tracks during last night's debates by President Barack Obama. I'll share more of my thoughts when I have time, but who do you think Spidey would support for the next four years?... Mmm hmm... where are you coming from... Governor... nobody knows who YOU are!

Cover for The Amazing Spider-Man #583, 2009,
©Marvel Comics (image from Comic Book Resources).