LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Train wreck or triumph? Amy Winehouse, the soul singer whose messy personal life has ravaged her promising career, will emerge from a London rehab clinic later on Sunday to perform live via satellite at the Grammy Awards in Los Angeles.
It is perhaps one of the most keenly anticipated appearances in the 50-year history of the music industry’s top awards show — and not just because she will likely sing her big hit, “Rehab.”
“I’m going to be glued to it,” said Howard Benson, a nominee for producer of the year. “She’s a real, true talent. Her personal stuff notwithstanding, her music definitely speaks from the heart.”
Truly, whether you like the music or not, does anyone share in Howard Benson’s mock-sincere anticipation about her heartfelt music?
I was out trolling the Web for more information on the Stones masterpiece “Moonlight Mile,” when I found this:
… a performance that rendered me pretty speechless. The inanity of the band’s song choice, however, got me thinking about all the covers I’ve heard that were just *wrong*, for so many reasons. I’m not sure any of the ones that sprang to mind were as bizarre and ill-conceived as this one, but I thought I’d throw the topic out there for consideration.
And the sky’s full of snow… and the sky’s full of snow…
Please stay with me tonight until I fall asleep. I’m afraid I may be entering the belly of the beast. Unlike you, I’ve never gotten into Cat Power. I’ve got enough of my own troubles; I don’t need to live vicariously through hers. The sultry voice only goes so far with me. The coffee-table soul she’s been getting into over the last couple of releases is better than what she used to do, but I don’t entertain too often. Those few I do entertain want to check out the real stuff. So here goes, an Insta-Review of Cat Power’s second album of covers. Is the well running dry, or is she revisiting her newfound roots? Either way, I’m scared. Continue reading »
At the risk of having this large chunk of rock stride the pond and pummel me with his Flying V, I can’t help but think of Chris Spedding as “The Forest Gump of Rock.”
It seems unflattering, but I really don’t intend it that way. I’m not thinking of him as a borderline short-busser with high-water slacks. I’m thinking of him as a dude who has participated in an AMAZING amount of rock history and yet, other than weirdos like us, he’s fairly unknown. (At least in the US of A.)
“It will be a cold day in hell before you get me to work with Zwol!”
I first read his name in college as I became enamored with Brian Eno’sHere Come the Warm Jets and saw his name on the back as playing on “Needle in the Camel’s Eye” and the “Paw Paw Negro Blow Torch”. I had no idea then and not much more of one until recently that this guy has done a wee bit more than that.
Early on Spedding, with his band Battered Ornaments, played THE Hyde Park concert in 1969 that featured the debut of the Brian Jones-less Rolling Stones. Bridge that with being the producer on The Sex Pistols demos and you start to get an idea of the breadth of experience here.
He has worked with so many amazing people that I’ll only list one for each letter of the alphabet (except x, y & z): Laurie Anderson, Ginger Baker, John Cale, Donovan, Drifters, David Essex, Bryan Ferry, Art Garfunkle, Nicky Hopkins, Kris Ife, Elton John, Dave Kubinec (featuring fifth Rutle Ollie Halsall), John Lodge, Paul McCartney, Harry Nilsson, Gilbert O’Sullivan, Pretenders, Dee Dee Ramone, Dusty Springfield, Johnny Thunders, Vibrators, Tom Waits.
His story is pretty damn cool and there’s some great stuff on his website chrisspedding.com and a 2006 biography, aptly titled Reluctant Guitar Hero, so I won’t belabor it. Rather I’ll just let the man speak for himself as he responds to our questions.
