Ask 411 Music 04.17.08 Shining a Light

Posted by Blake Lauderback on 04.17.2008

Checking in with my thoughts on the Rolling Stones concert film, possible Weiland replacements for Slash and company, rock and roll's hazy beginning, the greatest movies about rock, and much like Axel, the column has gotten a face lift!




Hello boys and girls, and welcome to week eight of the brand new Ask 411 Music. My name is Blake Lauderback and I will once again be your host for this weekly journey of knowledge. Hope you brought your permission slip and a packed lunch.

Thank you to all of you that have continued to send such wonderful well wishes to my family and me. It is very kind of you all. The transition to juggling two kids compared to just the one is an interesting one. So far everyone is getting along fairly well. Thankfully the new kiddo is a fan of sleep, so mom and dad have been allowed to keep a small portion of their sanity, though there is no guarantee that it will last.

Good response again this week. A lot of you were fans of the Clapton/Beatles stuff, which was cool, and apparently there is some serious hatred for good ol' Velvet Revolver out there.

I was surprised again by the lack of hate mail for the weekly list. I thought that placing Freddie Mercury over Jim Morrison, Kurt Cobain, and Mick Jagger would ruffle a couple of feathers, but everyone seemed to be on the same general page.

I actually got more responses about the greatest drummers list than it did its first time around. Out of the comments I have to admit that despite my massive list of honorable mentions I managed to omit a couple. Travis Barker was brought up by a couple of different people, and to be honest I cannot believe that I left him out. You are all exactly correct; he is an outstanding drummer… even if he plays for a less than outstanding band. The other name I missed was Sean Kinney of Alice in Chains. He is a solid drummer and deserved to join the ranks in the honorable mention category.

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Before we delve into your questions this week, I'd like to get started by discussing my thoughts on the new Martin Scorsese concert film, "Shine a Light," that I was able to break away and see last weekend. My wife and her friends decide to kick me out of the house so that they could have a girl's night in with the kids. I was then forced to go to see a movie with my friend Eric and then head out to the local pub. I was totally CRUSHED by this turn of events, as I am sure you can imagine. Those of you that have been paying attention in class the last few months may remember me mentioning Eric before. He is the buddy that was on probation for once convincing me to watch a horrible movie, but redeemed himself for turning me on to the movie "Once."

A few notes before I share my thoughts on the film. I have all the respect in the world for Mick and company, but going into the movie, I was far from a die-hard Rolling Stones fan. Perhaps it has always been a little bitterness on my part for the competition since they are the only band that anyone seems to think rivals my beloved Beatles for the title of greatest band of all time. It has never been that I dislike their music, but I suppose I have never truly "got them" until seeing the movie.

The film starts off in a fairly humorous manner with lots of back and forth between band and director, and the cameo by former President Bill Clinton is worth a few laughs too. (So is the later realization that Mr. And Mrs. Clinton are there in support of a band proclaiming "Give me champagne when I am thirsty, give me reefer when I wanna get high!")

The band itself is made up of four very unlikely rock stars. Charlie Watts has the least personality of any animate object that I have ever seen. I suppose that is a good thing since he is by far the steadiest hand of the bunch. Ronnie Wood, while he still is a mad man on that six string, reminded me more and more of a boy I went to school with that was in the special education program. Every time Wood saw someone new come in the room he got all excited and then felt the need to hug them immediately.

Keith Richards is, and has always been, a walking and talking (make that swaying and slurring) miracle of modern science. How is this man alive? He makes Ozzy Osbourne look like Donnie Osmond.

Mick Jagger is quite a work of art himself. Watching him strut around at his age seems so surreal. Not just because he looks half dead with that skeletal frame he is sporting, but also because who in there right mind thinks that a human being should walk around and dance like that? Eric was busting a gut laughing at the morons in the audience that where mimicking his moves. It is painfully obvious that when Mick does it, it looks a little silly, but what the hell, he's Mick F'n Jagger, but when Joe Blow #5 over in the third row gives it a go, its time to call for the men in white coats.

The thing that really blew me away was the incredible energy that those four managed to create. For all of the cracks made about their age and little stabs taken at their lack of retirement, these guys can still get it done on that stage.

That is really what I learned about The Rolling Stones from watching this film. The "sloppiness" that I had always questioned turns out to be one of the greatest things about them. They are what they advertise, a solid, down and dirty rock and roll band that still loads up on that tour bus every day because they really love one another and what they do together.

Does Mick still sound the same? No. Is Richards even half the player he once was? No. Was the band perfectly in sync with each other? Not at all. In fact there was one obvious moment when you can see Wood turn to Mick and mouth, "I forgot the chords!" and that was on "Brown Sugar," a song they have played about a million times before.

All of that said, watching them on that stage was an image to behold. They ooze confidence and charisma up on that stage, and their gritty, filthy sound is amazing. For anyone under the misconception that sleaze in rock music is new invention in the last decade or so should give these guys a chance. They have perfected it over the past half-century.

Eric and I had differing opinions on the set list, and I would imagine that most casual fans will actually side with him rather than me. The Stones barely played any of the material that got them famous. If you were planning to head out to the theater to see these guys play a "greatest hits" show, be glad that I caught you, because you would have walked out feeling as cheated as Eric did.

I, however, loved the mix that the guys put together. They hit on the blues accompanied by blues legend Buddy Guy, and I could not believe how phenomenal these guys sounded. For that moment they were not the most famous rock band playing today, they were the unknown blues band playing in my local blues hall for ten people.

Their other guest spots, Jack White and Christina Aguilera, were outstanding in their own right. (And watching Mick do everything but hump the leg of Christina is worth the price of admission alone!)

They even played a country song that I enjoyed! You have no idea what kind of a feat that is. In fact, it took me ten minutes just to be able to type that sentence!

After watching that film I can now say with a clear conscience that I am a true fan of The Rolling Stones and will remain as such for a good long while. In fact I look forward to someday taking my children to see The Stones when they are old enough. God knows they will still be playing. And if for some unfortunate reason they are not, at least I will always have this film to show them.

Now ladies and gents, its time to get down to business…

Class is in session.

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"When I get older losing my hair many years from now, will you still be sending me a Valentine, Birthday greetings, bottle of wine? / If I'd been out till quarter to three, would you lock the door? / Will you still need me, will you still feed me, when I'm sixty-four?" – When I'm Sixty-Four

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Q: Blake,
Once again, great column this week. Also, congrats on the new addition... we can always use more Beatles fans in the world!

Your talk about VR got me thinking that you need to read Slash's autobiography. It's a great look at all the ups and downs with GNR, and he also talks about the struggles they had in forming VR and keeping it together. Plus he is the most articulate junkie you will ever find!

I have two thoughts on GNR/VR. The only way GNR needs to reform is if Axl gets his voice back and they bring Izzy back. As for VR, unless Izzy comes in, I don't see anyone really fitting in like Weiland did. Did I mention that Izzy is a god?

Congrats again,
- Chris C.

A: Thanks Chris. I always enjoy hearing from you, and I appreciate the well wishes. I will most certainly try to find a copy of Slash's autobiography and give it a shot. Hell, I didn't know he could still write his own name, much less a whole freaking book!

I will agree with you, Guns and Roses wouldn't be the same if they tried to put it together without Izzy. I am not so sure that the only that Axl needs to get back is his voice. I think he should focus more on regaining his sanity.

While I would never rule out the band getting back together, there are a lot of ego issues to work through unless they want to give us the "Van Halen Style" reunion, meaning that the world might get two or three shows out of the twenty or thirty scheduled before the wheels come off. A lot of people laughed at Metallica for going through counseling together, but I thought it was a brilliant move. Being in a band, especially a successful one is like being in a marriage. In fact, I am sure in many ways it is tougher since you are dealing with four or five personalities and opinions instead of just two. Being in the spotlight at all times probably doesn't help matters.

As for Velvet Revolver and their search for a new front man, I am not sure that there is going to be a great fit for them. Every candidate is either not famous enough to hang with Slash and company or too famous to get along with the others. If I were just going to plug in a few people to see what it sounded like I think I would try Gavin Rossdale from Bush or maybe Raine Madia of Our Lady Peace.

Rossdale was the voice of one of the bigger post-grunge bands in the 90's, and I think his voice is recognizable enough to make an impact. Plus you drop the drug baggage from Weiland in exchange for Gavin's beautiful wife Gwen. I think it could actually be an upgrade.

Madia just has a unique vocal style, and out of curiosity I'd love to see how it would work with Velvet Revolver's sound. I am not sold on whether or not it would work, and I don't think Raine has the name that the other guys would be after.

One other fun one could be John McCrea of Cake fame. His signature style, much like Madia's, is completely his own. Who knows, maybe Slash and co. would love his dirty, laid back sound. I think he is even more obscure than Madia, so I don't think there is even the SLIGHTEST chance of that happening.

As I said, I don't think there is really a great choice out there, and I really think that the rest of the band is getting ready to move on themselves, whether it is back into the outstretched arms of Axl, or in an entirely different direction.

Q: Here's a couple for you:

Who actually played the first electric guitar?

I've heard some people claim the Elvis cut the first Rock & Roll record, while others say it was Chuck Berry or even Ike Turner. Who is it really? – Dan Haggerty (Fellow 411 scribe)

A: Dan, you always have to make me work to answer your inquiries!

There are countless origin stories for the electric guitar. Everyone and their dog seems to claim that their great grandfather was the REAL inventor. A lot of these stories have factual aspects to them, and a lot of them are out right lies.

The most agreed upon answer is that Adolph Rickenbacker invented the electric guitar in the early 1930's. The first versions were actually used on the steel guitar. He dubbed his new invention "The frying pan."

While many of the other tales are fascinating, this is the one that I would put the most stock in.

Now, as far as the first rock and roll record… I deem this question to be impossible to answer.

The line is too blurred to really refer to any one album as the start of the rock and roll revolution. Do you credit Elvis when Little Richard and Jerry Lee Lewis came first? You can look back to Jackie Brenston and Big Joe Turner in the 1940's and 50's and say that it was them, but do you draw the line in the sand there or do you have to go back some of the heavier jazz acts in the 1920's like Duke Ellington?

I personally think that it is way too tough to call. It makes sense that we all want to narrow it down to one magical moment in time because most major fads in the industry in the last half-century can be traced back to a singular moment or artist(s). Psychedelic rock, the folk music craze, heavy metal, punk, and grunge can all be traced right back to their origins. Rock and roll as a whole entity doesn't really work that way.

I will admit that even I was unaware of just how deep the roots of rock run, and it is honestly kind of weird to think that when rock and roll hit it's heyday in the 60's that it could already be considered almost 40 years old by some standards.

All of the aforementioned artists and all of their contemporaries deserve a great deal more credit for their life's work, as they were all integral in shaping not only the future of music, but the future of the world.

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

In honor of "Shine a Light" we will be doing… The top seven movies about rock music

7.School of Rock – My favorite performance by Jack Black has him in the role of Dewey, a washed out musician desperate to win the big battle of the bands. When Dewey has the chance to pose as a substitute teacher for a stuffy private school he takes advantage and teach the uptight kids the ways of rock. Watching him hand out classic rock to the kids for homework does my heart good. If the school actually existed I would sign up my kids ASAP.

6. The Doors – Val Kilmer takes on the role of legendary front man Jim Morrison in this 1991 music documentary directed by Oliver Stone. Stone doesn't allow his love for the subject to cloud his vision, as the film takes a very honest look at the band's amazing highs and tragic lows.

5. Pink Floyd The Wall – Bob Geldof (musician and Live Aid founder) plays the lead character, a rock star by the name of Pink. The movie follows his decent into insanity, caused by his lack of human connection because of his fame. The soundtrack to the film is the album "The Wall" by (obviously) Pink Floyd. Songs include "Another Brick in the Wall," "Dirty Woman," and my favorite Floyd tune, "Comfortably Numb."

4. This is Spinal Tap – A "mockumentary" about a fictitious heavy metal band by the name of Spinal Tap. The film sends up the genre with love and honesty, as it is open season on every aspect of the metal scene. From over the top volume, to back stage antics, to ridiculous set pieces (Stonehenge!!!) nothing is safe. Here's a little test to see if your friend is a true music fan. Simply say "But this one goes to eleven!" and see if they at least chuckle a little. If not, either kick them to the curb or rush them to a video store.

3. The Last Waltz – This is another music film made by the great Martin Scorsese, with this one focused in on The Band. The movie chronicles the last ever performance by The Band and is littered with amazing guest appearances by the likes of Eric Clapton, Ringo Starr, Van Morrison, Neil Young, and Bob Dylan among others. It is a truly unforgettable performance.

2. A Hard Day's Night – A Hard Day's Night is the first and most successful movie by The Beatles. It set the stage for all of the rock movies that followed in it's footsteps and ultimately paved the way for the modern music video. The plot loosely follows the Fab 4 through their crazy daily lives as the travel from gig to gig, hang out in the hotel, and narrowly escape being ripped to shreds by herds of teens. All the while the boys tried their hardest to entertain themselves. Featuring an amazing list of songs including "A Hard Day's Night," "Can't Buy Me Love," and "Should Have Known Better," this film made all of the other films on this list possible. Let us all say a quick thank you to The Beatles and Paul's very "clean" grandfather.

1. Almost Famous – I have to admit that I put off seeing this film for years after its release before caving in and watching it. It turns out that I had been cheating myself of one of the most enjoyable films I have ever seen. The movie follows young William Miller as he is given the chance to write an article for Rolling Stone about one of his favorite bands, Stillwater. He is subsequently allowed to join the tour and live alongside the act that he is supposed to be reviewing. This movie is an amazing picture of life on the road for a band in the late 60's and early 70's. If you too have been putting off this movie, end the hold out and pick it up.

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Forgotten Classic

Since we have been talking about a movie about a live performance, let us look back at one of the first successful live albums in rock music… Alive! by the legendary band KISS. When this record was recorded, KISS was in shambles financially, because despite their reputation as a live band, they were unable to find commercial success with their albums. Alive! was an attempt to capitalize of the power and emotion in their live performances and turned out to not only be a big success, but it also served as the platform that launched them to superstardom. The album features classic performances of songs like "Cold Gin," "Strutter," and their biggest hit, "Rock and Roll All Nite," and is an essential part of any classic rock record collection.

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Q: This is a question I cannot figure out. There was a band around 1996-97 called either PHAT or FAT. They had a couple singled on radio. I think it was something like "Now That its Gone." I tried looking it up, but cant find anything! HELP! – Dan C

A: Alright Dan. I have good news and bad news. I have found what I believe to be the artist that you are looking for. There was a band that went by the name Fat that released a self-titled album in 1997. It is the only album of theirs that I can find. They have an early rap-rock sound to them. I listened to all of the sound clips that I could find of the record but I was unable to find any track with the name you gave me. From the ones I heard, my best guess would be the track called "Numb." You can check it out on Amazon and listen to the clip yourself.

If any of my loyal readers have any other suggestions for Dan please pass them along.

Sorry that I couldn't be more exact with my findings. I hope that this helps you out a little.



Q: Hey bro. Solid work all around man. I have been enjoying your thoughts on a lot of classic rock bands, so I wanted to get your thoughts on a few of my favorites. What do you think about Vanilla Fudge and Grand Funk Railroad?

Thanks for your time man. Keep it up. – Steve W.

A: I appreciate the kind words man. Hopefully I do not alienate you with my thoughts.

Vanilla Fudge is a solid band from the late 60's that pumped out some memorable psychedelic music. I would be complete remiss in my job as a drummer if I didn't mention that Vanilla Fudge's drummer, Carmine Appice, is an outstanding drummer. Despite the bands short shelf life, Appice managed to become a major influence for countless drummers in the upcoming decades.

The major knock on the guys is that they were basically a glorified cover band. Their most successful work includes "You Really Keep Me Hangin' On" (A Supremes cover,) "Ticket to Ride," and "Eleanor Rigby" (both Beatles covers.) In fact their most recent contribution to the music world was 2007's Out Through the In Door, which is a Led Zeppelin cover album.

Despite being immensely talented the guys never seemed to find a niche for their own music, which is not a knock on them. Keep in mind that until The Beatles and The Stones came to power, someone other than the performer wrote almost all rock and roll music, whether by a professional songwriter or by another act that had already performed the song.



Grand Funk Railroad (later on in their career, just Grand Funk) was an American three-piece band from the 1970's that carved out a great career for themselves, selling millions of albums over the years. They also featured a legendary drummer, Mr. Don Brewer.

GFR released music at a frantic pace during their peak, releasing eight albums in a three-year stretch at one point. Most of their music (like contemporaries Led Zeppelin) was critically panned at the time but is now receiving much better marks by today's critics.

Most of you will recognize them for one of their biggest hits, "We're an American Band" that brought them a great deal of success. They also found some fame on the back of a few covers including "The Loco-Motion" and "Some Kind of Wonderful."

While some of their material was outstanding, I think the band would have been better served to slow the pace just a little. I am all for bands putting out material at a reasonable speed, but these guys were running themselves into the ground. Despite all of that, they still left a solid legacy for themselves.



Now that we've got that one out of the way let's bring this one home.

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This week's drop of band name knowledge focuses on…

Creedence Clearwater Revival - The band, lead by John and Tom Fogerty constructed their three word name from three different ideas. "Creedence" comes from Creedence Nuball, the name of one of Tom's friends. "Clearwater" comes from an add campaign for their favorite beer, Olympia. Finally, "Revival" speaks to the bands new found commitment to the group and their music.

And to all of you out there that believe that the abbreviation CCR means Cross Canadian Ragweed… you've got another thing coming.

Alright everyone, until next time.

Class Dismissed.