Ask 411 Music 04.10.08 Back With a Vengence

Posted by Blake Lauderback on 04.10.2008

I return from my week off by taking on questions about what Hendrix would have done next, the soap opera that is Velvet Revolver, and why it is that Billy Corgan and Trent Reznor just can't play nice with others. Plus, the greatest front men of all time and I toss out my thoughts on Mariah passing the King.

So let me start by apologizing for leaving all of you hanging last week with no column. My wife had been in and out of the hospital all week long trying to get my daughter to fall out. She finally succeeded earlier this week and we are now all back home and relatively healthy… not to mention absolutely exhausted! I did manage to find a few minutes to sneak away today to try and knock this bad boy out. Hope you enjoy it. Let's see… where did we leave off?

I was blown away by the response that the "Paul is Dead" theory received. I suppose on some level I assumed that it was common knowledge. I was very happy to discover that it was new to many of you, not to mention that so many of you found it so interesting! It is personally one of my favorite rock and roll legends out there, and I guess you could say that I am a little bit of a sucker for a good rock conspiracy theory.

I expected more hate mail in regards to the "Greatest Drummers" list. Perhaps my choices weren't as controversial as I thought. We will have to see if I can do better this week! (Note: to those of you that ask about someone else playing drums on Rush's "Working Man," you are one hundred percent correct. Rush's debut album featured Mr. John Rutsey behind the kit. For whatever reason I had it in my mind that "Working Man" was on their second album, which would have placed it in the Peart era. Good call all of you!)

I can't allow the news of Mariah Carey passing Elvis Pressley on the all time number one hit list to slip by without comment. My original plan was to do a head to head comparison between Mariah's singles and the singles of the band currently sitting on top of the list, my beloved Beatles. However, Mitch beat me to the punch last week in his Quick and Dirty News Report, and frankly, he did an outstanding job of it. I will say that I would have given Mariah a big fat goose egg in the head to head, but then again, I am a far cry from being unbiased on the matter. Mitch did played his role of mediator to perfection, and in the end, he decided correctly (a.k.a. – he agreed with me.)

So I have decided that instead of being outraged that she is breathing down the necks of John, Paul, George, and Ringo, I will express my displeasure with her passing up the King himself, the one and only, Elvis Aron Pressley.

Elvis is without a doubt one of the most iconic performers in the history of popular music and he is one of the most crucial rungs on the ladder of rock music. Eliminate Elvis and you change the entire landscape of music forever. I do not feel that erasing Mariah from history would have a similar outcome. In fact I think I would like to go ahead and give it a shot to try and eliminate some of the negative influence she has had in the world.

I will admit, Elvis' catalogue doesn't age quite as well as The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, or Bob Dylan, but I think it is a shame that more people aren't pissed that she passed The King! Honestly, how many of you can replay songs like "Heartbreak Hotel" and "Jailhouse Rock" in your head without even having to think about it? What about "Hound Dog?" "Suspicious Minds?" These are all timeless classics! Now, sit back and think really hard about all of Mariah Carey's big "hits?" I highly doubt that most of us can even name a third of them! Not only did her music not change the world, but it barely even registers in the memory of the public.

So, while I greatly appreciate the music community standing up and pointing out that Carey doesn't belong anywhere near The Beatles, I am a little disappointed at the lack of an uprising when she surpassed Elvis. As time goes on the media is treating Pressley more and more like an old dinosaur that no one can really recall. We must never lose the respect for his accomplishments and contribution to the world of music.

And for the love of god, can we PLEASE all agree to stop buying Mariah Carey's crappy music?

Now, let's get down to business shall we?

Class is in session

Beatles' Lyric of the Week

Half of what I say is meaningless but I say it just to reach you, Julia / Julia, Julia, oceanchild, calls me so I sing a song of love, Julia / Julia, seashell eyes, windy smile, calls me so I sing a song of love, Julia / Her hair of floating sky is shimmering, glimmering in the sun / Julia, Julia, morning moon, touch me so I sing a song of love, Julia. - Julia

As always, a brief reminder of the guidelines for sending me your questions and comments:

1. I am not the last guy that ran this column, nor the guy before him. I am told that I have the freedom to do things the way I want to, and frankly I plan on letting all of that power go straight to my head. Long story short, we do things my way now, bud.

2. I am a human being, with my very own opinions. Since you yourself are reading this, I am going to go out on the proverbial limb and say that you too are a human with the ability to form your own opinions. That is GREAT! I do not ever wish you to stop doing that. At the same time I do feel that I have the right to be treated respectfully, that you have the right to expect the same from me. I am more than happy to debate music from here until the day I meet my maker, but I will not be treated like crap in the process.

3. I have no problem answering opinion questions provided that you are prepared for the fact that I might not answer the way you'd like. If you email me asking me to confirm for you that Fall Out Boy is the greatest band ever, you may be a tad disappointed, but feel free to attempt to make your case nonetheless. (Good luck with that one however.)

4. I am told that there is no way to predict the number of questions that come flooding into my inbox. I am sure there will be weeks where I will answer each and every question that is sent in with a level of information that is way more than you ever wanted. At the same time I am sure there will be weeks when I receive a ton of emails and that I might not get around to each and everyone, or answer them all as in depth as you might like. It doesn't mean that we can't be friends... at least not on my end.

The Questions – Round 1

Q: Hello. Wanted to drop you a line and say that I totally loved the Paul is dead stuff. Kinda hard to wrap my head around the whole thing tho. I do have a couple of questions for you. One is about your write up about Clapton and his many bands. The other is totally unrelated.

1) Wasn't Clapton a member of The Beatles briefly? I had always heard that he stepped in for a while but that they didn't tell anyone for years. I noticed you didn't mention it with his list of bands, and I figured you wouldn't miss something about the Beatles, so what is the story?
2) Why do you think that artists like Billy Corgan and Trent Reznor insist on calling themselves bands even though they pretty much do everything? Why not just label yourself a solo artist?

Thanks man. Keep it up, and good luck with the new little one. – Corey D.

A: Thanks for the praise bud. Legend has it that if you think TOO hard on the theory, your head will explode. Just saying. Anyway… on to your questions.

Eric Clapton was never actually a member of The Beatles. There are a few reasons that this pops up.

First of all, Eric Clapton and George Harrison were incredibly close friends that constantly collaborated with one another. While Lennon/McCartney receive most of the songwriting recognition, George produced some of the (in my opinion) best songs from the band, and Clapton played an integral role in several of them.

He actually does appear in a few Beatles recordings including Harrison's "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" where the dual lead parts from Harrison and Clapton make for one the most beautiful, psycedelic songs in history. He is also showed up in one of the versions of "Let it Be." There is the single version which is the most recognized version that features a guitar solo by George Harrison. There is also an album version that appears on Let it Be (imagine that) that instead has a guitar solo by Clapton. The album version is approx. 13 seconds longer than the single version.

During the recording sessions for Let it Be there was an incident in which Harrison briefly left the band because of a dispute with the others, primarily John Lennon. As Harrison headed for the door, Lennon reportedly shouted something to the effect of "Go ahead and fucking leave! We will have Eric Clapton replace you by tomorrow!" The odd thing about the statement is that Clapton, as I have mentioned, was closest to George and it would seem unlikely that he would step into that situation. The problem never arose however, because after a little mediation by Paul and Ringo, George returned to the studio a few days later, and while things were far from peachy, the band managed to continue recording.



The situations for Corgan and Reznor are a little different from each other. The creative mind behind Nine Inch Nails is essentially Reznor alone, while Corgan has found most of his success working with drummer Jimmy Chamberlin. Corgan and Chamberlin did almost all of the Pumpkins recording by themselves with Corgan recording basically all of the guitar and bass parts despite a bass player and another guitar player being on the payroll, and often times being credited for the work. Trent Reznor writes, records, and produces NIN's music essentially by himself and then has what really amounts to a backing band tour with him while still using the name Nine Inch Nails.

As for the reasoning behind the method, I would have to say that it's a control issue. Both of these gentlemen have dominant personalities and a very strong image of what it is that they are trying to create. Instead of scouring the world for like minded musicians, sometimes it is just easier to do it all yourself instead of compromising.

One could also speculate that these guys would have had a hard time reaching their current level of success if they had marketed themselves as solo artists. The rock genre is primarily composed of bands, with most of the solo acts finding success with a band before they break off and do their own thing. (ie Rod Stewart, Ozzy Osbourne, Lennon, McCartney, Clapton etc.) That is not to say that it is impossible to find success without being a part of a band as there are several that have found success on that path, but it is much more rare.





Q: I saw the question you answered about finding that Joe Walsh song for that guy a few weeks back. I have a similar problem. There is a song from the mid-90's that I love, but I cannot seem to find it anywhere. I really thought that the name of the song was Sweet Angel, and I have no idea who it was by. There is also another alternative song where the chorus is just "Stupid!" over and over. I am not sure on the artist on that one either. Any help you've got would be great. – Nathan A.

My best guess on the first one is that it is actually a song by The Toadies called "Possum Kingdom" off of their album Rubberneck. It is a great album that also has the singles "Tyler" and "I Come From the Water." Unfortunately The Toadies disbanded earlier this decade, but they occasionally get together and play a couple of shows in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, so if you live in that area, I highly recommend catching one of their shows if you can.



The other song is, you guessed it, called "Stupid" by California band Oleander off of the February Son record. February Son was by far their most successful album, but I enjoyed their follow up to it, Unwind, almost as much. These guys had a solid sound even if it wasn't very groundbreaking in the post-grunge scene. They are currently on hiatus with no known plans to return to the spotlight.



Q: Solid work man, loving the column. Especially the album of the week bit. You have yet to disappoint with the recommendations, especially Ziggy Stardust. I decided to check it out and it is AMAZING. Anyway, I thought I'd throw you a question.

What is the story behind the rivalry between Neil Young and Ronnie Van Zant. Why did they hate each other so much and how does it relate to Sweet Home Alabama? I have always heard that the song was a reply to something that Young said. - Johnny A.

The biggest misconception here is that Young and VanZant hated each other. In fact, they were major supporters of each other's music and pretty good friends.

Neil Young, of Buffalo Springfield and Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young fame, unleashed a scathing commentary of the south in his song "Southern Man." Lynyrd Skynyrd, led by Ronnie VanZant, retorted with their south-praising song "Sweet Home Alabama" that doesn't necessarily attack Young's song as most people seem to believe, but rather plays up the positives of the south.

It does however contain the lyrics "And I hope Neil Young will remember, the southern man doesn't need him around anyhow," which many took to be an angry assault on Young. In fact it was intended to be fairly tongue-in-cheek.

Urban legend has it that VanZant, who died alongside several of his band mates in a plane crash, was actually buried in a Neil Young t-shirt at VanZant's own request. Despite the family of VanZant denying that this was the case, his grave was robbed and vandalized, supposedly for the purpose of verifying the legend.

Neil Young has gone on record multiple times expressing his love and respect for his fallen contemporary, and there were no hard feelings between the two acts. In fact, you can occasionally find photos of Neil sporting a Lyrnyrd Skynyrd t-shirt himself.


Neil Young



Lynyrd Skynyrd

Recess

This week's list…(insert mental drum roll here)

Top Seven Front Men in Rock and Roll History. Let's see if this one gets under the skin of a few more people. (So there are really eight… so sue me)

7b. Roger Daltry (The Who) - Roger sports an incredible range was one of the most influencial vocalists of the British Invasion. Whether he is crooning away in ballads like "Behind Blue Eyes" or letting out that infamous primal scream in "Who Are You," Daltry has to be acknowledged as a pioneer of the rock front man.

7a. Kurt Cobain (Nirvana) - Kurt was the voice of the grunge movement and an entire generation during his short career. While he was his usual outstanding self on their studio albums, he made a huge impact showing of his softer but still raw sound during the band's Unplugged performance. It is impossible to imagine rock music today without the influence of Cobain.

6. Steven Tyler (Aerosmith) - While Aerosmith is one of the best chameleon acts in rock, changing their tune every decade or so to stay current, Tyler is a constant. There is no need to fine tune his vocals, because his voice is tops in any generation. From the 70's ("Walk This Way,") the 80's ("Love in an Elevator,") to the 90's ("Don't Want to Miss a Thing") Steven is always at the top of his game.

5. Ozzy Osbourne (Black Sabbath) - We are focusing in on his work with Sabbath here and not his solo work. (You can't really refer to yourself as a front man when you are a solo artist. Way too redundant.) The Wizard of Ozz brought a darkness, and frankly, an evilness to hard rock that had never been heard before. His menacing vocals on songs like "Ironman," "Sweet Leaf," and "War Pigs" created the blueprint for the metal vocalist. No offense to those that followed him, but Sabbath isn't Sabbath without Ozzy.

4. Jim Morrison (The Doors) - There are many out there that would place Jim atop this list hands down, but I do feel that he had a few missteps musically that keep him out of the same league as the top three. At this point he is held in high esteem for his antics just as much as his ability. That said, there is no denying the uniqueness of his voice and power of his presentation. Check out some of his classic work on songs like "Light My Fire," "The End," and my personal favorite, "L.A. Woman."

3. Robert Plant (Led Zeppelin) - Again, just like with most everyone on this list, his band would not be the same with someone else screeching out the vocals. Robert managed to show of his high-powered, shrill upper register while maintaining the blues roots that were so entwined with Zeppelin. One of his greatest qualities has to be his humility, as he never had a problem stepping aside and letting the genius of Jimmy Page or John Bonham shine. Not too many lead singers are confident enough to simply introduce their band mate and then step out of the spotlight.

2. Mick Jagger (The Rolling Stones) - He is the most recognized face from the most recognized band in music today with a career that spans damn near a half century. Jagger's greatness cannot be denied. If one were to pick out only one voice to identify with rock music over the years it would be impossible to not include Mick in the conversation. There is nowhere to even begin recommending his work, as it is all classics. He is only narrowly surpassed for the number one slot by this guy…

1. Freddie Mercury (Queen) - I have an immeasurable amount of repect for Mr. Mercury's ability as a songwriter an vocalist. I do not believe that any vocalist past or present can match what Freddie could do on stage. His pure energy is amazing and his uniquely operatic style is unforgettable. If you have somehow managed to avoid hearing the greatness of Queen, by all means, go now and do so. No, seriously, go NOW. Read the rest of the column when you get back. It will seem much more monumental when backed by classics like "Killer Queen," "Tie Your Mother Down," "Another One Bites the Dust," "We Are the Champions," and the unbelievable "Bohemian Rhapsody."



Forgotten Classic

This week's edition features a VERY forgotten record. We are taking a look at John Barleycorn Must Die by the English band Traffic. For those unfamiliar with Traffic, they started off as a psychedelic rock band that began to add in more folk and jazz influences over time. This album was recorded in 1970 and it is the band's first effort after founding member and keyboard player Steve Winwood returned to the band after working with Clapton in the short lived band Blind Faith. Check it out for it's brilliant tracks like the title track, "John Barlycorn," "Every Mother's Son," and the astonishing jazz instrumental, "Glad." Traffic has long been overshadowed by some of their contemporaries, but if you give this record one listen there will be no denying their greatness.



The Questions – Round 2

Q: Hi, loved the stuff about Clapton. I have questions about another great guitar player. I heard somewhere that Jimi Hendrix was supposed to become a member of ELP and that they were going to call the band HELP. Is that true or just a rumor? Also, why did Hendrix play with the band of gypsies at Woodstock instead of with the Experience? - Caleb R.

A: In 1970 Emerson and Lake had begun playing together and decided that they wanted to put together a band. The first drummer that they approached about joining was Mitch Mitchell, drummer for the Jimi Hendrix Experience. Mitchell mulled it over for a while and then declined, making room for their next choice, Carl Palmer (not too bad for being door #2!)

Mitchell made mention of the offer from the upstart band to Hendrix himself who was at the time already debating whether or not to look for a new band and a new sound. Hendrix called up ELP and asked if they had any interest in him, and seeing as how he is Jimi Hendrix, they most certainly did. Jimi was set up to take a little time off and jam with ELP to see how good of a fit they were together, but unfortunately Jimi Hendrix passed on before the four men had an opportunity to give it a shot. The world will never know what amazing music could have been made with such a lineup.

Since the band was never officially together there was no band name to speak of, but it has been mentioned that H.E.L.P. was being thrown around as a possibility.

Hendrix seemed to suffer from a condition that afflicts lots of very talented people. Everything was almost too easy for Hendrix, and therefore he was easily bored. As a musician he constantly wanted to try new things and at that point he did not feel as though he could go any further with Noel Redding and Mitch Mitchell. Hendrix assembled the Band of Gypsies because he wanted to expand his sound further than the limitations of a three-piece rock band. The Gypsies allowed him to have interplay between two electric guitars and also added other forms of percussion to go along with the traditional rock drum set up.

I have always equated Hendrix' abandonment of The Experience to that of Michael Jordan leaving the Bulls at their peak because he felt that there was nothing else to accomplish. The only difference being that Hendrix and the Band of Gypsies were good, and baseball playing Jordan was definitely not.



Q: So who's side are you on? Scott Weiland's or Velvet Revolver's? – Kyle R.

A: Where do I vote if I think that they are all ridiculous and idiotic?

First of all, shouldn't these types of situations be handled behind closed doors, or do they think that they are so special that the whole world needs to be told when one of them takes a piss? There is no reason for these guys to be battling it out in the media.

Secondly, why are people so surprised that things fell apart? Has anything changed from their last bands? NO! The Guns n' Roses gang still think that they are the greatest thing to hit rock music and Weiland is still way more trouble than his talent it worth. On top of that, "super groups" almost never work anyway! They get together, pump out an album or two to make a quick cash grab before the novelty wears off and the public realizes that everyone was better off with the band they started in. (And most of the time they go back to said band.) If you don't believe me, check out Audioslave. Cornell split to go his own way and lo and behold, here comes a reunited Rage Against the Machine!

I think that the best thing that the public can do is stop giving these egomaniacs attention. Maybe if we stop looking at them they will give up and go away. It is not that all of their music sucked, some wasn't that bad, but they are not worth the freaking drama.

If I have to pick a side I suppose I will go with Weiland, because he seems to be being a slightly smaller jackass about the whole ordeal.

We are obviously headed to a Stone Temple Pilots reunion, which I won't complain about. I am sure it will be short lived as always though, running pretty smooth until Scott's 135th trip to rehab.

Who knows, maybe this will be the driving force behind a Guns n Roses reunion. They can probably all use a little cash, I think Axl is due for some more cosmetic surgery soon. This is probably also our best chance at finally getting the elusive Chinese Democracy, which is pretty damn sweet, because I could totally go for a Dr. Pepper.



With that, I am going to hit the dusty trail in order to spend time with my ever-growing family. Thanks for stopping by, and please be sure to drop me a line with any thoughts and comments, and more importantly, QUESTIONS!!! Have a great weekend and I will see you all back here next Thursday.

But wait!

The Encore

I can't let you go without our little band name trivia!

Death Cab for Cutie - The Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band recorded a song for the Magical Mystery Tour Movie that they called "Death Cab for Cutie," which was a reference to the Paul is Dead theory that we discussed last time. The death cab part is pretty self explanatory, and McCartney was always referred to as "the cute one." The band Death Cab for Cutie then took the name from the song. So ultimately it is a reference to a reference to a supposed hoax. Got all of that?

Class dismissed