Andrews Rock Blog

About 10 years ago I was in a band called Station to Station that was on its last legs. Mistakes were made, feelings were hurt, the band broke up, and in the end we were all lucky to eventually come out of the situation still friends. It took some time though. I remember being so young and thinking there was actually a chance that we could make something of ourselves. While I can’t speak for the rest of the guys, looking back now I can recognize that there’s an intangible devotion to “making it” that I certainly lacked (along with the ability to properly string and tune a guitar). While I still think we wrote some solid songs, Station to Station was missing that drive to become more than what we were which, at the end of the day, was but a semi-decent bar band. Luckily, I can end this particular paragraph saying that we all did in fact live “happily ever after”, even if we didn’t become rock stars.

It was around this dark time with delusions of grandeur that I met our drummer’s friend Luke Sneyd. Luke was a great singer and stellar guitarist, virtues I’d see in practice at a few jam sessions and watching him as a member of various bands. Flash-forward nearly a decade later and Luke is a hardworking musician who is driven to get his music out there. He released an album titled All Of Us Cities last year that’s a solid piece of musicianship. He’s also got a video out that I finally saw a completed version of and found really impressive. Luke’s worked his butt of with this record, he gigs regularly, and he’s been getting some great notices across the country and into the U.S. as well. He’s got a drive with his music that I could only have dreamt about, and I’d wager he tunes his own guitar as well. You can find out more about him here.

Check out Luke Sneyd’s video for The Prisoner below and then use SNEYD as today’s bonus code.

Can you believe it was 5 years ago today that we had SARSStock in Toronto. 400,000 plus gathered at Downsview Park for a full day of rock and roll to prove to the world that Toronto was, in the word of Mick Jagger, “back and booming”.

What a day it was though - great performances from the big 4: The Guess Who, Rush, ACDC and the Rolling Stones. It’s definitely the biggest show I’ll ever go to, and I’ve got some great memories about the day. It was also pretty cool that the following afternoon Jeff, Carly, and myself had the opportunity to meet Brian Johnson and Angus Young of ACDC at a downtown Toronto hotel room. I will always remember Brian looking at my sunburned neck from the day before and saying “oooo, what happened to you? You’ve got some sort of farmers tan!”

Check out some footage from the show below, and if you were there we’d love to hear some of your memories. You can also use SARS as today’s bonus code.

Things are going to be a bit different the next few weeks with both Jeff and Carly taking holidays, but I’m still around and will make sure to update the blog as regularly as possible.

The band that I feel pretty inspired to write about this week is the one that’s coming to Toronto for two sold out shows at Air Canada Centre Wednesday and Thursday. I’m talking about Coldplay, who are my vote for biggest band of the summer, and until U2 releases their new album later this year, are in line to be band of the year. Chris Martin and company are such a prime example of how to do things right in the new millennium when it comes to creating and marketing their music.

First, there was the actual buzz months in advance that the band were working on a new album. Add in the news that producer Brian Eno was behind the board and you get a whole new level of anticipation. Then there was the iPod commercial featuring the title track to “Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends” - excellent exposure via a product that is cool and won’t be perceived as selling out. That was followed up upon the album’s release with the various free shows in the U.K. and New York, tv appearances on the BBC, CTV, and the Today Show, and an appealing band willing to talk to the press. All great moves in guaranteeing maximum exposure and interest.

Of course, all of this wouldn’t have mattered much if Coldplay’s fourth album had been a dud. Luckily for both the band and fans, “Viva La Vida” is arguably the band’s greatest achievement; an intelligent collection of songs that may not seem initially accessible, but are full of memorable hooks that wind up sticking in your brain. For the first time in years, it seems as though there’s a band on the scene who can follow in U2’s footsteps as “the biggest band on the planet”. With so many of our rock icons north of 60 years, and only a few bands from the 90’s carrying any sort of real fan following and relevance(Radiohead and Pearl Jam), trust me when I say we need a band like Coldplay to be as big and as important as possible. Luckily, they’ve got the tunes to get them there.

Let me know your thoughts on Coldplay and then use MARTIN as today’s bonus code.

Today it was announced that the Rolling Stones had signed a new deal with Universal Music that will cover their back catalogue from 1971 on. Universal also has the rights to the band’s Decca recordings from the 1960’s, which means for the first time the Rolling Stones’ entire catalogue is under the same roof. I’m sure this means we can look forward to a whole bunch of reissues of albums many of us already have but will want to buy again if it’s worth our while (rare and unreleased songs, hopefully).

Another part of the deal will be any new Rolling Stones albums, which personally I would be happy to hear. 2005’s “A Bigger Bang” was a solid piece of work, the first time that the old line about a new Stone release being “their best since Tattoo You” actually ringing true. “A Bigger Bang” was a stripped down group of songs that actually found Mick and Keith writing together shoulder to shoulder, something that probably hadn’t been done in 30-odd years. The end result was an album that holds up after repeat listenings, which you couldn’t really say about either “Steel Wheels” or “Voodoo Lounge” (on the other hand, I did enjoy “Bridges to Babylon” but I think I’m in the minority there). A few people I know didn’t like Jagger’s lyrics on “A Bigger Bang”, since they were lascivious and sexual. To them I say, that’s what Mick does. He’s been doing it from the beginning; why change now? Do any of us want to hear Mick Jagger sing about what it’s like for him being 60-something? Then again, I bet it’s the same as when he was in his 20’s. Girls, music, and girls.

If the Rolling Stones do actually record another album, I hope that they build on what they achieved with “A Bigger Bang”; don’t worry about having a hit album, just write a solid collection of songs.

Your weekend bonus code is BIGGERBANG. Have a good one, and while you’re at it, wish Sir Mick a happy 65th birthday.

So I went to see the Eagles the other night. It was a last minute surprise courtesy of a pal who had a free ticket. I’d seen the band a few years ago, paying a reasonable $50 to sit behind the stage. I remember really enjoying that show; the set list was full of undeniable classics, and the musicianship was top notch. While I never planned on seeing the band again, I was happy to sit in some prime seats, enjoy the show, and listen to some tunes from the band’s new album “Long Road Out Of Eden”. I expected that I’d enjoy the show just as much as I did the first time out, but by the end of the night I was left wondering if sitting behind the stage was a far better option than actually seeing the show as a whole.

Now don’t get me wrong; once again the songs were solid (some of the new tunes were weak live, but I did enjoy the epic title track to the new album), and the band and it’s 8 auxiliary musicians replicated the Eagles studio sound note perfectly. Problem was, in my estimation there was absolutely no soul or joy to the show. The guys seemed like the law firm of Henley, Frey, Schmidt, and Walsh, decked out in black suits until the second half of the show when they took off their jackets only to be clad in white button-up shirts. Everything just seemed so sterile. I think I saw Henley crack a smile once when he was standing beside Joe Walsh, the only guy who seemed to be enjoying himself on stage.

For the Eagles it seems like playing gigs and making music isn’t about the passion; it’s just a job that they do to subsidize their already fat wallets. And there’s no doubt that they do the job very professionally. But for a group of artists who’ve created some of the most enduring music of the past 35 years, it’s a shame that they seem so removed from their legacy.

Check out this clip from their live DVD, recorded in Melbourne on what must have been casual Friday for the band, and then use HENLEY as today’s bonus code.

I know it’s called the Rock Blog, but I didn’t think you’d mind if I’m not limited to just “rock”. Not today anyway, since the coolest musical experience I had this weekend was going to see “The Dark Knight” in IMAX. There’s lots to rave about as I’m sure you’ve either read or experienced for yourself, so I won’t go on about the film as a whole, except to say I think it’s about as good as it gets.  

One of the subtler aspects of the film, but one that stood out in my brain, was the excellent use of the score, which was composed by Hans Zimmer and James Newton Howard. Forget the big bombast of Danny Elfman’s 1989 score (which was amazing for its time). The new music for the 21st century Batman franchise is actually fairly minimalist in lots of spots. To the best of my recollection, there was no music during the big chase scene, the exact place where you’d think you’d be given lots of over-the-top music.

The piece of music that stands out the most should really come as no surprise considering just how central the film The Joker is. Like every great character, The Joker has a theme, but it’s more a drone than any sort of orchestrated tune. In fact, its first few moments could be the end of a Neil Young and Crazy Horse jam. It’s eerie, ominous, rockin’, and altogether perfect for the craziest villain we’ve seen in cinema in years.

Check it out below (it’s long so if you don’t have too much time just listen to the first half), and then use JOKER as today’s bonus code.

I used to hate Green Day. I mean, actively hate them. It was all because of one song - “Basket Case”. It was 1994 and the song was all over the place; on the radio, on MuchMusic. I couldn’t get away from it. Maybe it was the video, or maybe it was the song’s opening lyric:

Do you have the time, to listen to me whine

To be honest I still hate that frickin’ line. While I did quietly enjoy “Longview”, with it’s great bassline, I just couldn’t listen to “Basket Case”.

It’s funny how things change; how our tastes and opinions shift, flex, and merge. Today I was at the gym and listening quietly to my iPod. The first album I chose was “Endless Wire”, the 2006 album from the Who. While it is an undeniably solid achievement, it wasn’t exactly workout friendly, so I shuffled through the iPod until I came across “American Idiot”. I knew immediately that would be the ticket. And I was right.

A punk band doing a rock opera? It worked, and rocked. In 2004 I became a Green Day fan. I loved the band’s ambition and drive; the band hated the America they were living in at the time and steadfastly took it on. I loved that “American Idiot” veered between two minute pop/punk songs and 9 minute mini-operas that were clearly inspired by the Who (shifting from the Who to Green Day this morning was a total coincidence). I loved that they wrote songs of substance that were actually embraced by various radio formats. I loved that Green Day suddenly became more to me than that band that wrote “Basket Case”.

On that note, use GREENDAY as your weekend bonus code. Have a good one!

 The other day Jack listener Davey C asked me my thoughts on the Robert Plant/Alison Krauss show I attended at the Molson Amphitheatre. Unfortunately the first word that comes to my mind when I think of the show (which, contrary to reports from The Toronto Star, was far from sold out) is boring. While it doesn’t sum up the entire 90+ minutes, it is the vibe I was left with. Here’s the thing - the duo’s album “Raising Sand” is a great listening experience, the perfect Sunday morning record. But does it translate to a live setting? Yes and no. The band was tight. When Plant and Krauss were onstage together, there was clearly something very cool going on. The two respect and compliment one another and their voices together create a unique sound. But too often throughout the show Plant would either sit in the background or stand offstage, giving the spotlight to Krauss. Therein lies my big problem with the gig. Plant should have been onstage for every minute of the concert - there’s no real excuse for him not to be. He’s such a captivating figure that the energy in the Amphitheatre noticeable dropped when he’d disappear. There’s no disputing Alison Krauss’ talents - she’s an amazing vocalist, and a decent foil for Plant. But one of them is The Golden God; the other, not so much. All that being said, hearing the two of them sing “The Battle of Evermore” was worth any moments of boredom I may have experienced.

Did you check out Rush on the Colbert Report? It was the guy’s first appearance on U.S. television in 30 years! Geddy, Alex, and Neil looked great and the sense of humour the band don’t get enough credit for was clearly on display. And for all you comic book geeks out there (I know there’s a few reading), keep your ears open for a quick Colbert mention of a great Marvel tradition. Drop me a line if you hear it! Check out the guys interview and performance below and then use COLBERT for your bonus code.

Does anybody buy music anymore? I know I do. In Toronto I’ll often hit a Sunrise or HMV. For my more eclectic stuff I’ll stop by Soundscape near College and Bathurst. I also buy my music online, often from Amazon or a great website called CD Universe.

A lot of artists have been going the exclusive route these days with regards to where they’re selling their music. The Rolling Stones sold their last 2 DVD sets only at Best Buy. The most consistent exclusive retailer of choice - Wal-Mart. Over the past year The Eagles, Journey, and Genesis have released product exclusively through the store, and in the case of the Eagles and Journey seen some amazing sales stats.

Now the big news is that when ACDC release their new album, tentatively titled “Black Ice” on October 28th, it will be a Wal-Mart exclusive. A lot of fans are surprised by this, but in a climate when everyone is struggling to sell albums, this move virtually guarantees huge sales for a band that probably doesn’t need any help.

I’ll make the trip to Wal-Mart when the album comes out. How about you? Any thoughts on the idea of stores selling material exclusively? Let us know and then use WAL as today’s bonus code.

There’s a lot of people out there who seem unwilling to give the recent collaboration between Robert Plant and Alison Krauss a chance. A lot of them are out of shape ex-rockers who think the only thing Plant should be doing at this point in his career is singing Zeppelin songs. Thing is, Robert Plant has been one of the most adventurous singers in the history of rock music, and has never been one to simply do the same thing over and over. Anyone who wishes he would probably has no appreciation for music as an art form.

Plant’s 2005 album “The Mighty ReArranger” was a solid effort and featured an amazing single called “Shine It All Around”, which is as good as anything he’s done with or without Zeppelin. As for his latest album, a collaboration with Alison Krauss titled “Raising Sand”, it’s one of the better releases of the past year. Granted, it’s not a “rock” album, but it’s stylishly mellow and has some stellar moments - it’s what I would call a Sunday morning album. And there’s no doubt about the fact that the vocal blend of Krauss and Plant is very cool. After years of hearing double-tracked Plant vocals, it’s nice to hear him work off someone. Most who have heard the album tend to agree, and there’s lots of them - “Raising Sand” is Plant’s most succesful album in nearly 20 years.

Of course, there are some ignorant people out there who will slam the collaboration without even hearing it. Such is the case of those who tend to not grow with the artists they claim to love. I’m off to see Robert Plant and Alison Krauss at the Molson Amphitheatre tonight. Whatever they play, I’m sure it will sound great. For a peek at one song they’ve been playing, check out the video below. 

On that note, use PLANT as today’s bonus code.