Observations from the forefront.
20 years ago we lost Stevie Ray Vaughan in that horrific helicopter crash in East Troy. Since I was too young for Jimi Hendrix, I think SRV remained the ultimate guitar hero and since his passing, we really haven't had that guitar hero out there although Joe Bossamossa might be the closest person to being a guitar hero. I remember going to Dancers on that weekend and having my friend Melissa tell me about the tragic news. It is a shame though, Stevie just completed his first album with brother Jimmie and looking forward to promoting that record. At that time Stevie was still in tour of his In Style album to which got great reviews but I didn't care for the glossed over sound that Jim Gaines stuck on that album. In the post life, the 2 CD Live At Montreaux remains a great way to hear Stevie Ray Vaughan, especially during his first 1983 show and facing a hostile crowd who simply didn't get it. However when he return two years later, the fans had a change of heart and life was great till August 27, 1990.
http://www.legacy.com/ns/news-story.aspx?t=the-stevie-ray-vaughan-&id=82
Other news: Seems like Scott Wieland may have been lip syncing to his own song during a show when he fell off stage in Ohio but still managed to keep it note for note perfect. The problem with shows nowadays is that unlike in the past the mistakes make the songs better by personality whereas nowadays everything has got to be pitch perfect or ruined by auto-tuner. Don't know if this bite Scott and Stone Temple Pilots in the butt but if this is the way to be for concerts anymore, I'll just keep my 25 bucks and play the damn cd instead.
Reading about Queensryche move over from Rhino/Atco to Roadrunner/Loud N Proud doesn't seem to be much in terms of label hopping. Ever since leaving EMI for other labels haven't worked well for Geoff Tate and company. So yeah, we are hearing that story that the new label likes our music bla bla and that the next album will be epic bla bla. But I can't help but wonder if it's the beginning of the end for this band. After all, American Soldier was I thought a great album but Rhino/Atco didn't promote it all that much and I have heard horror stories of Roadrunner Records so I can't but think that this will be another two album tops at best before they move on down the road. Too bad CMC International isn't still around anymore (they were but Sanctuary Records bought them out and survived nicely for five years before folding). I'm sure I'll buy the new Queensryche when it does hit stores. That is if Best Buy has it in stock.
Being on a major label doesn't do much for anybody. Just ask Fifi Dobson whose second album has been delayed about a 100 times from Island Def Jam. And Teddy Thompson's fourth album for Verve is delayed till February 2011. Hard to get behind the music when the major label keeps stalling and keeps any momentum from building.
And finally, I guess I stuck a nerve with a anonymous reader on the subject of Noel Gallagher and Oasis when I gave the consensus of what the majority of people think of the mighty Noel. Again great songwriter but a bit of an pompous ass. So I read this response up till the word Moron came up and then decided that this guy either didn't get it or didn't read the whole thing. Nevertheless it was decided that this guy's opinion didn't count and I took his comments out with the trash. When I do the top ten I add the ten songs from my player and if I didn't like the songs they wouldn't be on the top ten. But then again you can't reason with somebody trying to shock value and name calling. That might get you far and noticed on Pitchfork or Spin or even Classic Rock at About dot com but not here. We'll defend your right to say things and that makes America great. You can say it but we can also reserve the right to disallow it. Maybe this dude is trying to get into Noel's good graces too but I'm certain that Noel Gallagher wouldn't give him the time of day, even if this dude offered to buy him a pint or three at the local pub. As for the fact of Noel Gallagher himself reading this........I'm sure he has better things to do, like trying to hobnob with Robert Plant and getting put in his place too. I'm sure he's not scouring the internet reading each and every thing about him.
But if it was Noel himself reading this, fuck I'll buy him a pint or two at the local pub.
