Book Review: Rat-a-Tat-Tat Birds: Photographs by Jeff Winterberg, 1991-2003

Rat-a-Tat-Tat Birds: Photographs by Jeff Winterberg, 1991-2003 by Jeff Winterberg

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I'd highly recommend this book to anyone who has been part of a underground music scene. Winterberg does a very sincere and coherent job of presenting stunning freeze frames, alongside some other more personal moments from his time playing in bands and watching them live. Every page includes some text (usually with dates) about the subject and sometimes a small anecdote. Winterberg effortlessly and earnestly captures the intensity, friendliness and sometimes weirdness of a live performance experience through his imagery and recollections. Truly a real treat for any underground music fan.

Jaded, Definitely

Queen fans need to stop bitching about re-issues. This in an important way to keep new UPCs on the shelves and keep the band's name out there. I want a box set too. I want every live release too, but there is a shit load of material in the Queen archive that we will never hear, get over it already!

I enjoyed the 2011 Remasters and all the bonus material included. I am also looking forward to the new Barcelona Special Edition. I will even buy the new Greatest Video Hits DVD even though it doesn't include the awesome bonus discs full of extra material the original releases did. You don't have to if you don't want to that is fine.

I always look in the Queen CD section when I go to the store and it's been devoid of anything but Platinum Collection and the dreadful Cosmos Rocks for years now. The 2011 remasters are now making their way on to shelves for people to buy again.

Yes it's good for the record companies, but it's also good for the band and letting people hear this classic music again!. Thanks to Queen Productions, the band is now more popular than I can ever remember growing up in the 90's and 2000's. 

Queen "Plus" - Part I

A Friend asked me on Facebook, “How do you feel about Adam Lambert singing with Queen?” My answer, without hesitation was “Meh.” Which is not necessarily negative, just an acknowledgement of what it was. It’s become painfully obvious that Queen will never replace Freddie Mercury, and will probably never come close, even after a world tour and album using the “Queen +” moniker, the surviving members (minus reclusive bass player John Deacon who is “retired”) are still trying to recreate the band’s identity and bring the legendary music to new generations of fans. I figured for those who were not fanatical Queen fans through the 90’s I’d give a rundown of the interesting and sometime unfortunate Queen+ iterations we’ve seen over the last decade and half, and why Adam Lambert might not be so bad as some might think.

“Queen +“ was first used on 1999’s Greatest Hits III, which offered an introduction to solo material from Freddie Mercury and Brian May, some fan favorite “deep cuts”, a new Remix of Under Pressure, and a couple of performances of the band in their post Freddie years. The concept was interesting, a way to market the Queen name and bring the music to new fans (and keep selling albums) without, per se, tarnishing the Queen name, while respecting Mercury’s memory as an irreplaceable front man. After more than 10 years, fans are still divided.

Here is part 1: the 90’s (and 1 from 2000)

1992 - Queen + George Michael
Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert, CD single of performance
Song: Somebody to Love

I’ll spare going through every performance at the Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert, because this is the one that everyone points to as the best of the evening. After some well-intended covers by a who’s who of early 90’s rock and pop stars, George Michael delivered an excellent performance of one of the most difficult Queen songs, hitting almost every single note. This one performance spawned a million internet rumors that George Michael would be “the guy, the only guy” Queen would, could, EVER perform with if they were to tour again. Of course it never came to fruition, but for a long time there was no question in fan’s minds that it was inevitable. This performance also was featured on Greatest Hits III and was released on a CD EP in 1993.

1997 - Queen + Elton John
Berjart Ballet for Life
Song: The Show Must Go On

Performed at the opening show of the Berjart Ballet for Life, a ballet featuring Queen Music, this was Queen’s first public performance (other than the Tribute Concert) as Queen since Freddie's death, as well as John Deacon’s last performance with the band before he “retired”. Elton John was pretty up front about this being a one-off performance in memory of his friend Freddie, but the internet, in its infinite wisdom, continued to spin rumors that he would be Freddie’s repalcement, keeping in mind Elton John performed this song (and others) at the Tribute Concert six years earlier as well. The performance itself is solid, but Elton John has a completely different voice and stylings than Freddie and I was always of the opinion that it fell a little flat. It was at least, once again, well intended. This performance also made the Greatest Hits III cut.


2000 – Queen + 5ive
Brit Awards, CD Single
Song: We Will Rock You

This is probably Queen’s blackest mark in my book. This performance kicked off the 2000 Brit Awards, and resulted in a single, and I think a track Brian May lent some guitar to on their album. Fortunately being in the US I was isolated from what I believe the British call “Bullocks”.

Stay tuned for Part 2, Queen + in “The New Millennium”

Disarmed

So, Say Anything is coming out with a new record, Anarchy My Dear on March 13th. I started listening to some of their previous records and pondering what makes their music not just catchy, yet intellectual at the same time.

I've included a couple songs for your consideration from 2009's self-titled Say Anything. Both of these songs melodically put you at ease, get you tapping your foot, while simultaneously barraging you with not exactly what I would describe as "happy go-lucky" lyrics. This almost forces you deeper into the song, it becomes more than a song, and the listener becomes emotionally, and intellectually invested, almost along the lines of songs that tell a story.



This isn't anything new in music at all, especially in this genre, Saves The Day's "As Your Ghost Takes Flight" instantly comes to mind, and even Bohemian Rhapsody opens with "Mama, just killed a man" sung over a beautiful piano melody. These songs above though, what I guess could be considered better examples since the themes and lyrics persist through the entire song.

So where does this leave your head as a listener in the milliseconds between notes, chords and words. Naked, uncomfortable. When we feel uncomfortable we seek shelter, comfort. Where do we find it? The next verse, or the next few notes. What this results in the is intellectual almost sort of interaction with the song, even if we've heard it a million times before, it makes us think. Not in a manner of being preached to, or coerced, but just general turning of the cogs.

I think there's a lot of value in that.  A song might not have a specific message you're supposed to think about, maybe you're just supposed to think with the songs for a few moments and escape your own.

Summer Reflections Playlist

I was thinking today about a few songs that seem to speak to me about this summer, and a few kept coming into my head. Once I started putting together a playlist I realized it was all coming together more natural that I had thought, I was able to essentially break this summer into three songs for three separate moods and events from each month, with really little meditation at all, these just made the most sense.

Press play and read about each song below and the memories from this summer that influenced me to pick each one.



Saves The Day - A Drag in D Flat
Summer kicked itself off with me listening to Saves The Day's Bug Session EP collection, which feature acoustic or stripped down versions their songs (however, the version in this playlist is the full band version). Something about the muted electric guitars in this version of A Drag in D Flat really stands out for me. I also like how well the last verse "I am not afraid of what it takes to glue you to my side, if it takes a little bleeding, So be it. I will go without breathing, don't have to justify it. Can't just watch me, I've got time to kill" comes across in this version. On our Fourth of July weekend trip to Seattle, which was literally only two days worth of a whirlwind of attractions and seafood, I think I listened to this song about 3 times on the flight back to Phoenix. The moment that comes to mind in particular, is listening to this song on the return flight, and watching the snow capped mountains outside the window gradually give way to the dry brown high plains. This was the soundtrack to my 36,000 ft roadway tracing until we climbed above cloud cover and the sun finally set, closing the chapter on our first very brief summer adventure.

Jack's Mannequin - Holiday From Real
If this isn't the perfect song for summer I don't know what is. I had heard this song earlier and put it on my "On To morning Stars" iPod playlist which I constructed specifically for trips to San Diego. Right as we hit Yuma (and my co-pilot woke up :) ), this song started up, right on time. Andrew McMahon of Jack's Mannequin is a terrific pop song writer and his lyrics in this tune perfectly describe what was one of the best vacations I had in a long time. We spent a week in San Diego, putzing around the surrounding California attractions. We stayed at a friend's apartment (who was away with family on vacation themselves) with limited internet access and no TV. This helped us disconnect a lot more and just take in the full California experience of not needing to do anything or go anywhere but whatever struck our fancy at the time. We had what felt like no worries for an entire week, and it felt amazing. This song reminds me of those few relaxing days: long afternoons of doing nothing, midnight donut runs while watching Buffy episodes, and polishing off drinks in the middle of the day just because I could. Fuck yeah we can live like this.

Bon Iver - Beth/Rest
This song kind of overlaps with the last one. On the first leg of our San Diego excursion, we took a trip to the beach. I used the free time to listen to the new Bon Iver record, "Bon Iver, Bon Iver" from start to finish. After zoning in and out of the soothing sounds of the album, this song was a bit of a wake up call, just because it sounded so unique and different from the rest of the tone of the album. Something about the layered melodies of the keyboard, sax and guitar just sounded so perfect, and it felt like it matched my exact mood at the time. Ever since then, when I would go back and listen to it,  it became a theme for the entire summer, a conglomeration of soothing sights, sounds, feelings, people and experiences, all working together in beautiful harmony, the kind of song that just takes your breath away. In mid September my girlfriend, our roommate (and very good friend), and I, all went to see Bon Iver live in what was an excellent mind blowing performance, and this was the second to last song they played. Something about that moment seemed fitting .Here I was with two of my favorite people who I shared many of these summer memories with, and here was the song that spoke in music how my soul felt at one of it's most calmest moments.


Looking back, this was a long, if not damn good summer, full of some really great memories I will never forget. I feel very lucky to have had lived it, and shared some of these special moments with the people I love.

our love is a star
sure some hazardry
for the light before and after most indefinitely

'Cause love's such an old fashioned word.

Well it's September 11th, the 10th anniversary of the terror attacks here in the US, and this song has probably never rang more true for me than today. I originally was not going to make a post, but after watching some TV coverage and talking with my girlfriend, lines from this song started going though my head.

One of the reason's Under Pressure is one of may favorite songs, is not just the great songwriting, but the message of loving your fellow man. The official video for this song, although made 30 years ago, seems to really help convey the lyrics and message in a literal and figurative sense. Given the world we live in today, it makes me feel like not much has changed, but somehow, we can still give love "that one more chance."



Lyrics:

Pressure pushing down on me
Pressing down on you no man ask for
Under pressure - that burns a building down
Splits a family in two
Puts people on streets

It's the terror of knowing
What the world is about
Watching some good friends
Screaming 'Let me out'
Pray tomorrow - gets me higher
Pressure on people - people on streets

Chippin' around - kick my brains around the floor
These are the days it never rains but it pours
People on streets
People on streets

It's the terror of knowing
What this world is about
Watching some good friends
Screaming 'Let me out'
Pray tomorrow - gets me higher high high
Pressure on people - people on streets

Turned away from it all like a blind man
Sat on a fence but it don't work
Keep coming up with love
but it's so slashed and torn
Why - why - why ?
Love love love love love

Insanity laughs under pressure we're cracking
Can't we give ourselves one more chance
Why can't we give love that one more chance
Why can't we give love give love give love give love
give love give love give love give love give love

'Cause love's such an old fashioned word
And love dares you to care for
The people on the edge of the night
And loves dares you to change our way of
Caring about ourselves
This is our last dance
This is our last dance
This is ourselves
Under pressure
Pressure

Happy Birthday to Freddie Mercury!

Because Queen played such a huge role in shaping my musical tastes, I can't let Freddie Mercury's 65th Birthday today go unnoticed. This is a nice little tribute Queen Productions put together in honor of the occasion. I highly recommend you spend the 5 minutes watching it, it will make you smile.

I celebrate by throwing on some Queen videos from my collection throughout the day, while reminiscing on how Mercury's (and Queen's) music influenced what I listen to today.

"It was all meant to be..."