What’s Right and What’s Wrong About the Casting of Paul Dano as Young Brian Wilson?

 Posted by
Jun 022015
 
What's right and wrong about the casting of Paul Dano as Brian Wilson?

What’s right and wrong about the casting of Paul Dano as Young Brian Wilson?

A new biopic on Brian Wilson is coming out, Love & Mercy. I will likely dread seeing this, as is the case with almost any artist biopic, but I am a glutton for punishment when it comes to rock biopics and I do like John Cusack, who I read was set to star as the troubled genius behind the Beach Boys and the puppet for a succession of hangers-on, charlatans, and certainly well-intentioned healthcare professionals and adoring musicians. Then I saw this still from the movie. “That’s not John Cusack,” I exclaimed in my head, “it’s that creepy guy I don’t like!” I had to look him up to be sure: Paul Dano, a talented actor with a knack for playing troubled, annoying guys, but an actor worthy of the shotgun nevertheless.

It turns out Dano plays Young Brian Wilson, which I’m sure he’ll be good at, subtly projecting even Young Brian’s obvious anxieties. The more I studied this still from the movie, however, the more I started thinking about the Pros and Cons of this casting decision. I’ll leave it to you to get inside my head—and to share your thoughts on the casting of Dano and Cusack as one of the greatest songwriters of the 1960s.

Check out the whole cast here. I don’t know who the guy is who’s playing Mike Love, but I’m counting on him to deliver!

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Townspeople at Large: Dan Buskirk’s Fun2Know Podcast Hits on Timely Episode

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May 292015
 

Founding (if rarely participating) Townsman dbuskirk has long been one of my favorite DJs. He does a jazz show for Princeton’s WPRB, playing mostly out-there stuff. Dan has also done other sorts of shows over the years, as well as host obscure film events and more. He’s one of those DJs like Nick Spitzer of NPR’s American Roots, someone who can introduce me to just about anything by the power of his intro talk and/or segues and somehow ease my numerous hang ups. Like Spitzer, however, I bet Dan’s one limitation would be turning me onto that accordion-driven music from Louisiana. I’m blanking on the name of that stuff, but…yuck, what hammy party music that stuff is to my ears! (Come to think of it, even Dan and Nick would likely have difficulty turning me onto Love’s Forever Changes. Not even Townsman geo can get me to accept that turd.)

About a year ago Dan launched a podcast, Fun2Know. It’s really good, really relaxed. If you enjoy being witness to the gift of gab, you may find his long chats with artists of various stripes to be as engaging and insightful as I do. His guests typically are based in the 2 areas where he’s primarily lived—Philadelphia and San Francisco. The easy hook for me was hearing interviews with cool Philadelphia-area arts-world contributors I’ve known for years, like local musical legend Kenn Kweder and Fresh Air producer Amy Salit, interesting characters I’ve typically only had the chance to chat with in noisy clubs, while my ears are ringing and I’m trying to lean into the person speaking, but not too far, so that I’m invading their personal space. Eventually I branched out and started listening to his chats with his old San Francisco pals. A 2-parter, for instance, with comedian Greg Proops, one of those guys from “that ’90s improv show,” as I call Who’s Line Is It Anyway, was a dream come true for me, involving tangents on Brian Jones-era Stones and baseball. Through all these interviews, the laid-back Dan chuckles and prods discussion forward.

This week’s episode features Antibalas trumpeter/bandleader Jordan McLean. It was recorded shortly before McLean found himself in a legal mess with Ornette Coleman, over a recently released album, New Vocabulary, that Coleman claims was released without his consent. I’m about to check out this week’s episode, and I invite you to join me. My guess is that, as good an interviewer as Dan is, he wasn’t able to look into the future and bring this suit up with McLean, but my guess is also that an investment of your time in Dan’s show will provide you with some unusual stories, some chuckles, and some moments of “Oh yeah!” connection. Enjoy.

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Nostalgia and Rave

 Posted by
May 242015
 

Last weekend, Mr. Royale and I went to go see The Jesus and Mary Chain perform their album “Psychocandy.” It was a sonically excellent show, and as we were standing pretty close to the stage, I got some photos of the Reid brothers doing their stuff. But I’m still amazed that these shows by the Rock Icons of my youth, which sound so good, look so odd: Jim Reid looked svelte and dapper, not like an angry Scotsman; William was still bent over his guitar, but all his unruly curls were grayish-white. Still, there was something about being in the midst of a crowd of others (some my age, some younger) who all knew the words, danced along, cheered particular choruses, etc., that brought back the experience of other rock shows of my youth.

Last week, I also read an article about the English artist Mark Leckey. After living in the US for a bit, he was feeling nostalgic for England and some of the music and dance experiences of his youth. He ended up making a video piece reflecting this nostalgia. I give you this early piece of his, from 1997: “Fiorucci Made Me Hardcore.” Please give it 15 minutes of your time.

This being an art piece, there are many intellectual things to be said about it. But I’m interested in your feelings and impressions, and what sort of reactions you have. Does it bring up feelings of nostalgia for you? Do you have to be a Brit to enjoy it? Did the musical “score” irritate you? Why are there so few women shown?

Thanks for watching and sharing your impressions.

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Get Well Chris Squire (and the Life Expectancy of Rock Musicians by Subgenre)

 Posted by
May 202015
 
Greatest bass ever?

Greatest bass ever?

I’m sure you heard the news today that Yes bassist Chris Squire had been diagnosed with a rare form of leukemia that will knock him off the band’s touring circuit for the first time since 1968. This is sad news simply because Squire is a human, and it’s also sad because this oddly, fantastically talented prog legend seems like a good egg – at least as good an egg as any other prog musician with a low profile that seems characteristic of the genre.

With absolutely no research or empirical data, you know what else seems to be characteristic of the prog genre? Band members’ life expectancy and overall health seem to be better than that of other rock subgenres. How many prog musicians died in their prime, or even as early as their mid-50s? How many prog musicians were junkies? Let’s leave Pink Floyd out of this, because they didn’t play enough triplets to really qualify as prog rockers.

Has anyone died in Yes? Did one early member of Genesis die? Did any of King Crimson’s 43 members OD? E, L, or P? A long time ago Soft Machine’s Robert Wyatt got wasted, fell out of a window, and got paralyzed, but he lived for a long time – perhaps, in fact, to this day. Kevin Ayers – was he in Soft Machine? He died not too long ago, right? He was old enough to have died of natural causes or some expected hazard of old age. Daevid Allen of Gong just died, but he was old.

Do you think the rigors of playing progressive rock keep these musicians in better physical condition than other forms of rock? Do rock musicians of any other style live as long and healthy lives?

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More Than the Thrill Is Gone for Blues Legend B.B. King

 Posted by
May 152015
 

BB-King

Legendary longtime Gibson guitar-mate Lucille has confirmed that blues legend B.B. King has died at the age of 89. I’ll be honest, my deep appreciation of King’s legendary blues status is limited to the standard 1-measure excerpt of the chorus of his legendary hit song, “The Thrill Is Gone,” the bit where he hits a legendary, mellow blues chord and sings the legendary line “The thrill is gone…”

I’m not proud of the fact that I’ve never tuned into the song beside that sole K-Tel ad-length snippet. I must have heard it all the way through a few times, but it made no impression on me. Whenever I saw King playing on late-night talk shows and gala events, I couldn’t get beyond the legendary, tuxedo-clad figure sweating out trills on his legendary Lucille, his eyes closed and his jowls shaking in ecstasy in response to his 2-measure lick, while seated on a chair.

My other bit of evidence of B.B.’s legendary contributions to the world of music came to me through his legendary contributions to U2‘s not-quite legendary blooz exercise, “When Love Came to Town.” Let’s face it: I couldn’t even begin to use the term “not-quite legendary” without B.B.’s 2-measure trills.

So listen, before you get mad at me and post “How dare you…!” replies, please let me know WHY I’m wrong in feeling like B.B. King was the Eric Clapton of the Blues, that is, the most highly regarded musician of his genre for little obvious evidence. I’m aware that the joke is probably on me, but I want to learn exactly why B.B. is due the following heartfelt, official remembrance:

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What Are Your Kids Listening to, Right Now?

 Posted by
May 052015
 

guessmenow

This morning, as I was getting ready for work, I heard the sounds of Creedence Clearwater Revival‘s “Lodi” coming out of our 13-year-old son’s room. I was filled with pride in the kid’s hard-bitten psych-up music for another school day. Meanwhile, our high school senior son has been all about The Doors (especially his new musical hero, Ray Manzarek) and determining the second-best guitar player after Jimi Hendrix. He’s decided that Eddie Hazel‘s guitar on “Maggot Brain” is his favorite extended guitar solo he’s heard to date. However, he’s disappointed that the rest of Funkadelic‘s catalog, or at least what he’s heard of it so far, doesn’t live up to the promise of that song.

With no tremendous topic to put forth, I ask you: What are your kids listening to, right now?

I look forward to your answers.

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